other improvements.The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements. Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade an older or more basic operating system. Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when they buy a new PC. Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers. At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many versions of the operating system - including Home Basic, which didn't have the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" - and for setting the price too high for the high-end versions. Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft, said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and found "product was moving much, much faster." Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it. A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero interface. That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched. The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful enough for the full Vista experience.Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would be considered "Vista Capable." According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP computers as "Vista Capable." Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."Source
Friday, February 29, 2008
Boxed Vista price reduced by Microsoft...!!!
Microsoft Corp. will cut the price of some versions of Windows Vista, the software maker said late Thursday.The move came a day after court filings revealed internal dissent over which Windows XP computers would be considered capable of running the new operating system - and a feeling on at least one executive's part that the company had "botched" the marketing of computers as "Vista Capable." Only copies of the year-old operating system that are sold in boxes directly to consumers are affected by the price cuts - not the versions pre-loaded on personal computers. The cuts will range from 20 percent to 48 percent.The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and 
other improvements.The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements. Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade an older or more basic operating system. Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when they buy a new PC. Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers. At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many versions of the operating system - including Home Basic, which didn't have the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" - and for setting the price too high for the high-end versions. Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft, said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and found "product was moving much, much faster." Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it. A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero interface. That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched. The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful enough for the full Vista experience.Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would be considered "Vista Capable." According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP computers as "Vista Capable." Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."Source
other improvements.The reductions are to coincide with the late March release of Vista Service Pack 1, a collection of security fixes and other improvements. Microsoft said the new prices will apply to the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista, in both their full editions and the editions that upgrade an older or more basic operating system. Both versions serve the tiny percentage of users who install an operating system on their own; most people get the latest version of Windows only when they buy a new PC. Windows Vista's January 2007 launch was plagued by delays. To keep consumers buying PCs in the holiday season of 2006, Microsoft and PC makers promised free Vista upgrades later to shoppers who bought Windows XP computers. At the launch, Microsoft was widely criticized for offering too many versions of the operating system - including Home Basic, which didn't have the snazzy new signature look called "Aero" - and for setting the price too high for the high-end versions. Brad Brooks, a corporate vice president for Windows marketing at Microsoft, said in an interview that the company has since tested lower prices and found "product was moving much, much faster." Brooks said he expects so many customers to buy Vista at the new prices that the price cuts will increase Microsoft's revenue, not subtract from it. A federal judge recently said consumers could pursue a class action suit against Microsoft for labeling PCs as "Vista Capable," even though many were not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the Aero interface. That realization apparently caused computer makers like Dell Inc. to worry that people would stop buying PCs for almost a year - until Vista launched. The e-mails also showed Microsoft lowering the bar for "Vista Capable" to protect Intel Corp.'s sales of some widely used chips that weren't powerful enough for the full Vista experience.Microsoft employee Anantha Kancherla was particularly blunt in his March 2006 response to a question about whether a certain PC configuration would be considered "Vista Capable." According to the e-mails, Jim Allchin, the executive in charge of Windows at the time, wasn't involved in the decision to brand a wide swath of XP computers as "Vista Capable." Upon learning the details, Allchin wrote, "We really botched this."Source
Aspire 2920 NB unveiled by ACER.....
Acer has launched its 12.1-inches ultra-portable consumer notebook "Aspire 2920" in India."Aspire 2920" is part of the Gemstone series, and sports a Ceramic-finish Pearl Grey interior along with a holographic Satin-finish cover. Importantly, it supports a dual independent display, giving users a choice to use both Linux and Vista Home Premium operating systems. The notebook is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor T9300, and supports mobile GM965 Express chipset and Wireless WiFi Link network solution.
It has a 12.1-inches WXGA CrystalBrite TFT LCD display, 160GB HDD, and 2GB RAM system memory, and comes with a Web cam, DVD writer, and battery life of up to three-and-a-half hours. With Acer's ePowerManagement, users can choose optimum settings to extend battery time.
Meanwhile, Acer SignalUp and GridVista technologies make for dependable wireless connectivity, and optimized feature-driven display management. The "Aspire 2920" also features Acer CrystalBrite technology and Dolby Certified Sound System for 7.1-channel surround sound, with connectivity options including Gigabit LAN, WLAN, and Bluetooth.
The notebook is available in major cities across the country with the Linux model priced at Rs 37,115 and the Vista Home Premium model available for Rs 40,615.Source
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A $1.3 billion Fine on Microsoft........!!!!!!
The European Union (EU) has imposed a fine of 899 million ($1.3 billion) on Microsoft for its non-compliance with a 2004 antitrust order. The fine is the largest ever to have been imposed on a single firm, and brings the total levied by the EU on Microsoft to about 1.7 billion ($2.46 billion) in the past four years.
This decision comes as Microsoft has continued to abuse its powerful market position after the EU's March 2004 decision requiring it to change its practices. An investigation into the company's behavior was triggered by a 1998 complaint by Sun Microsystems. It alleged Microsoft was refusing to supply information that servers needed to be able to work with Windows. This information was eventually made available to rivals, but at unreasonable prices -- which rendered the offer of the information pointless. According to Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy, "Microsoft's behavior did not just harm a few individuals or a handful of big companies... directly and indirectly this had negative effects on millions of offices of companies and governments around the world."
This is the third time in four years that EU has imposed fines or penalties on Microsoft. The first fine was for the abuse itself everything up until March 2004. In July 2006, another penalty was imposed for non-delivery of complete and accurate interoperability information. And now, the penalty is for unreasonable royalty rates up until October 2007.
Kroes said the European Commission's being forced to levy these three fines reflects a clear disregard by Microsoft of its legal obligations, and that the fine is a reasonable response to a series of quite unreasonable actions.
After three years of allegedly illegal behavior, it appears that Microsoft has finally come into compliance with the 2004 decision. But the company is still not completely in the clear: last month, the EU launched a fresh probe into issues relating to MS Office and Internet Explorer.
So is this a lot of money? Actually, we hear that this much money equals two weeks' free cash flow for Microsoft; analysts say this is a drop in the ocean for them. You don't call them M$ without reason.Source
This decision comes as Microsoft has continued to abuse its powerful market position after the EU's March 2004 decision requiring it to change its practices. An investigation into the company's behavior was triggered by a 1998 complaint by Sun Microsystems. It alleged Microsoft was refusing to supply information that servers needed to be able to work with Windows. This information was eventually made available to rivals, but at unreasonable prices -- which rendered the offer of the information pointless. According to Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy, "Microsoft's behavior did not just harm a few individuals or a handful of big companies... directly and indirectly this had negative effects on millions of offices of companies and governments around the world."This is the third time in four years that EU has imposed fines or penalties on Microsoft. The first fine was for the abuse itself everything up until March 2004. In July 2006, another penalty was imposed for non-delivery of complete and accurate interoperability information. And now, the penalty is for unreasonable royalty rates up until October 2007.
Kroes said the European Commission's being forced to levy these three fines reflects a clear disregard by Microsoft of its legal obligations, and that the fine is a reasonable response to a series of quite unreasonable actions.
After three years of allegedly illegal behavior, it appears that Microsoft has finally come into compliance with the 2004 decision. But the company is still not completely in the clear: last month, the EU launched a fresh probe into issues relating to MS Office and Internet Explorer.
So is this a lot of money? Actually, we hear that this much money equals two weeks' free cash flow for Microsoft; analysts say this is a drop in the ocean for them. You don't call them M$ without reason.Source
Ultra Portable Projector by BenQ
BenQ has launched a new DLP Projector – the BenQ CP220C, the size of a B5 sheet of paper, designed for portability.
The BenQ CP220C projects at native XGA (1024 X 768) resolution and features a brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens with a contrast ratio of 700:1. BenQ's color matching technology ensures that the color quality of the projected image matches with the color displayed on the notebook's screen. Real time Auto-Keystone technology, Carl Zeiss lens etc. are few of the goodies that make up the projector. It also has an off-and-go function which enables the projector to cool off quickly.
Ish Bawa, Marcom Head, BenQ India, said, "There is a growing trend of "mobile" office in industries such as media, HR and finance, which involves senior level executives to travel and make presentations to the audiences out of their offices. Hence, there has been an emerging demand for products that are portable and easy-to-carry. BenQ's CP220C series of portable projectors is an ideal solution to cater to the needs of such professionals."
The new projector will be available at BenQ IT zones and through BenQ dealers at Rs. 58,990.Source
The BenQ CP220C projects at native XGA (1024 X 768) resolution and features a brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens with a contrast ratio of 700:1. BenQ's color matching technology ensures that the color quality of the projected image matches with the color displayed on the notebook's screen. Real time Auto-Keystone technology, Carl Zeiss lens etc. are few of the goodies that make up the projector. It also has an off-and-go function which enables the projector to cool off quickly.Ish Bawa, Marcom Head, BenQ India, said, "There is a growing trend of "mobile" office in industries such as media, HR and finance, which involves senior level executives to travel and make presentations to the audiences out of their offices. Hence, there has been an emerging demand for products that are portable and easy-to-carry. BenQ's CP220C series of portable projectors is an ideal solution to cater to the needs of such professionals."
The new projector will be available at BenQ IT zones and through BenQ dealers at Rs. 58,990.Source
Lite-On and Philips introduce first External Blu-Ray disc Drive
With Blu-ray Disc now the clear victor in the high-definition format war, those cautious about buying hardware can spend with ease. Those with home theater PCs or laptops will be pleased to learn that Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS) will be soon releasing its first USB external BD-ROM drive in Q2 2008. “Due to recent market developments we can expect an increasing volume of movies to be released in high definition on Blu-ray Discs,” said Jelmer Veldman, European Marketing Manager at PLDS. “The market adoption of Blu-ray as the optical disc standard for High Definition content results in a growing demand for Blu-ray playback solutions. The portable external Lite-On BD-ROM drive allows users to playback their Blu-ray discs on any PC via a USB 2.0 cable.”
The upcoming model, designated the Lite-On DX-4O1S can read Blu-ray Disc media at 4X, single-layer DVD at 12X, dual-layer DVD at 8X, and CD media at 32X maximum.
Those who prefer internal drives can find the Lite-On Blu-ray Disc drives for around $150.
Alternatively, HTPC addicts may consider the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive, now on clearance for $50 . While HD DVD may have limited future potential, the Xbox 360 add-on, which works with natively with Windows Vista, is an affordable option to view today’s high-definition content.Source
Bill Gates and LinkedIn link up...!!!!
Microsoft Corp.'s big bet on Facebook's online social network isn't stopping Chairman Bill Gates from promoting other popular Internet hangouts.Gates is helping out LinkedIn Corp.'s online professional network by setting up a profile on the service and posing a question to help draw more attention to a makeover of the Web site's front page.
The question, scheduled to be posted Thursday, will solicit suggestions on the best way to encourage more young people to pursue careers in science and technology.
Meanwhile, LinkedIn will encourage its 19 million members to try out a new tool that will let them broadcast their daily activities to their connections. The ''status'' feature copies one of the top applications on Facebook's site, which revolves around a more playful premise than LinkedIn's buttoned-down atmosphere.
Gates plans to use LinkedIn's status feature, although he decided against listing ''trying to buy Yahoo'' as his current activity. He instead will start off by letting everyone know ''Bill is checking out LinkedIn.''
The decision to take a closer look at LinkedIn might please a few industry analysts who have argued Microsoft would be better off buying several up-and-coming Internet startups like LinkedIn instead of pursuing its current bid to acquire slumping Yahoo Inc. for more than $40 billion.
Although LinkedIn is frequently mentioned as an attractive takeover candidate, the Mountain View-based company so far has indicated it is more likely to make an initial public offering of stock during the next year or two. LinkedIn spokeswoman Kay Luo declined to comment on Microsoft's possible interest.
Microsoft late last year invested $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in Palo Alto-based Facebook Inc., whose 66 million members make it the Internet's second largest social network behind News Corp.'s MySpace.
Gates is among Facebook members, although he reportedly stopped using the site recently because he was tired of sifting through the thousands of requests from requests from strangers who wanted to befriend him. Microsoft declined to comment Wednesday about Gates' status on Facebook.
LinkedIn offers privacy controls that will enable Gates to block requests to connect with him on the network.
Gates probably will want to use that tool because LinkedIn members have a keen interest in the billionaire. Even before he set up his LinkedIn profile, Gates was the most searched person on the site, edging out Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.Source
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
MacBook Pro upgraded to Penryn
Apple today updated its popular MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook lines with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo "Penryn" processors, larger hard drives and 2GB of memory standard in most models. In addition, MacBook Pro includes NVIDIA graphics processors, now with up to 512MB of video memory, and Apple’s Multi-Touch trackpad, first introduced in MacBook Air.The new MacBook Pro features an Intel C2D 2.6 GHz processor with 6MB of shared L2 cache; up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory and up to a 300GB hard drive, plus NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with up to 512MB of video memory. Every MacBook Pro now includes a trackpad with Multi-Touch gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe, which allows users to zoom and rotate photos in iPhoto or Aperture 2 or browse web pages in Safari. The laptop also sports an illuminated keyboard that makes it ideal for dimly lit environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls and a built-in ambient light sensor, which automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the brightness of the display for optimal visibility.The new Macbooks now come in three models and include faster processors and larger hard drives across the line; sleek white 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz models with 120GB or 160GB 5400 rpm hard drives and a black 2.4 GHz model with a 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, previously only available as an option. The 2.4 GHz MacBook models ship with 2GB of memory standard, expandable up to 4GB across the line. The LCD panel common to all these 3 laptops is a 13-inch glossy widescreen display,
Apart from these changes, Every MacBook and MacBook Pro includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go; Apple’s MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord and safely disconnects when under strain; the latest generation of 802.11n wireless networking for up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g; built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking; Bluetooth; analog and digital audio inputs and outputs; USB 2.0; FireWire and a built-in Super Drive. Source
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Color Desktop Printer by Lexmark
Lexmark's color desktop printer, the Z1320, is now available in India. This compact inkjet printer is mainly intended for home use.The printer offers print resolutions of upto 1200 x 1200 pixels (Black) and 4800 x 1200 pixels (color). It promises print speeds of up to 22ppm Black and 16ppm color. The printer comes with an optional six-color printing feature, and claims to be capable of creating color photos and professional-quality text and graphics, as well as borderless prints up to 5-inches x 7-inches. It can print on transparencies, envelopes, and photo paper. The Z1320 comes with high-yield Black and color cartridge, and has an option for additional higher capacity ink cartridge as well, which offers users best cost-per-page among printers of its class, says the company.
The printer's package includes "Lexmark Software Suite" which includes the "Lexmark Imaging Studio" software to edit images. Through this, users can crop, rotate, and resize photos, manage colors on the photo, and enable red eye reduction as well.
Supporting Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, XP Professional x64, and Apple Mac operating systems, Lexmark Z1320 promises a duty cycle of 3000 pages per month, and comes with a one-year limited exchange warranty.
The Z1320 will be available with Cyberstar Infocom at a price of Rs 2,900 from March 2008 onwards.Source
EN9600GT Graphics Cards by ASUS
Asus has introduced over-clocked versions of the latest Nvidia GeForce 9600GT GPU; the EN9600GT series graphics cards.There are two models; EN9600GT TOP/HTDI/512M and EN9600GT/HTDI/512M. The EN9600GT TOP version claims to offer 10 percent engine clock improvements for gaming. While the EN9600GT version claims to turn a PC into a visually-stunning multimedia system that is capable of driving DirectX 10 games and high-definition movies.
Vinay Shetty, product manager (Component Business) of Asus India, said, "The EN 9600GT TOP/HTDI/512M graphics card is designed to synchronize the strengths of the chipset and Asus innovation and technology to give users that little extra when it comes to performance and quality."
According to Asus, with the EN9600GT TOP, gamers can expect core, shader, and memory clock performance boost from 650MHz up to 720MHz, from 1625MHz up to 1800MHz, and from 1.8GHz up to 2GHz -- respectively.
The new series of graphics cards integrates the SmartDoctor feature that allows users to tweak the Shader Clock on GPUs for better graphical performance, according to Asus.
Asus plans to upgrade both graphics cards with the newest thermal solution -- the Glaciator Fansink that will dissipate heat away from the GPU to help lower temperatures -- much like real-life glacial storms.
The Asus EN9600GT TOP/HTDI/512M graphics card will be available for an approximate price of Rs 13,500, while the EN9600GT/HTDI/512M version will be available for an approximate price of Rs 12,000.Source
3 new Walkman Video MP3 Players by Sony
All three NWZ-S710F, NWZ-A720 and NWZ-A820 Walkman players come with Sony's EX series in-ear-buds with 13.5 mm drivers that passively block out ambient noise. The devices have a standard user interface and the video players have a large QVGA LCD screen that displays video at 30 frames per second.The battery life is up to 33 hours of music playback for NWZ-S710F models and up to 36 hours for NWZ-A720 and NWZ-A820 models, as claimed by the company.The compact and lightweight NWZ-S710 players have a 1.8-inch QVGA (320 by 240 pixels) LCD screen and include an FM tuner with 30 presets that make it convenient to listen to the radio on the go.
The NWZ-A720 series has a bigger 2.4-inch QVGA (320 by 240 pixels) LCD screen. With the same look and feature set as the NWZ-A720 series, the NWZ-A820 and NWZ-A820K series adds Bluetooth technology. This will enable streaming music from the MP3 device to headphones or other devices with Bluetooth technology.
Targeted at fitness enthusiasts, the NWZ-A820K Walkman player comes bundled with both the EX-series earbuds and the DR-BT21G Bluetooth wireless technology enabled headphones. This headset has built-in remote control features that play, pause and forward tracks.
"Achieving the highest audio quality is one of our top priorities when designing our players," said Steve Haber, senior vice president of the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics.These devices also support A2DP and support security-enhanced Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as non-secure AAC, linear PCM and MP3 music formats, plus JPEG files or photos, in addition to the AVC (H.264/AVC) Baseline Profile and MPEG-4 video codecs.The NWZ-S716F comes in silver, red and black with 4GB for $150, while the NWZ-S718F player has8GB of internal storage and comes in black for $200.The 4 GB NWZ-A726 player comes in black and pink and costs $150, while the 8 GB NWZ-A728 player comes in black and pink and costs $200. The 16 GB NWZ-A729 player comes in black, and costs $300.The NWZ-A828K comes in black, has 8GB of internal storage, and costs $270, while the NWZ-A829 comes in black has 16GB of internal storage, and costs $320.Source
Delhi prepares for Mobile Asia 2008....
Mobile Asia 2008, India’s largest consumer exhibition on mobility will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from February 29 to March 3, 2008. The expo will showcase innovative new products and services being offered by telcos and handset manufacturers. Among those displaying their products and services will be the likes of Airtel, ASUS, i-mate, Intex, LG, Molife, Motorola, Nokia, Nuance, Radical Software, RPG Cellucom, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony Ericsson, Vodafone, 
World Phone and World Space Radio. Users will also be able to avail of attractive offers on a variety of products and services, which will be available at the event.
Mobile Asia 2008 will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit on February 29, 2008. The theme running through the event will be GenNext, as exhibitors will showcase products and technologies that will change lives not just today but in the coming years too. Explaining this, Pankaj Mohindroo, National President ICA (Indian Cellular Association), said, "The next wave of growth in mobile subscribers will be primarily from the younger generation. Mobile Asia 2008 therefore aims to provide a platform for the industry and trade to interact and communicate with GenNext.”Mobile Asia 2008 is the fourth in the line of mobility expos organized by ICA, which is committed to protecting the interests of the industry players as well as the consumers.
Speaking about Mobile Asia 2008, Mr. Lloyd Mathias, Chairman, Mobile Asia, said: This year, Mobile Asia will focus on GenNext to ensure consumers see the latest in mobiles - the world's largest convergent device.
Apart from newly launched and innovative handsets and mobile services, Mobile Asia 2008 will also showcase the latest innovation in various technologies related to the mobile industry.Source
World Phone and World Space Radio. Users will also be able to avail of attractive offers on a variety of products and services, which will be available at the event.Mobile Asia 2008 will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit on February 29, 2008. The theme running through the event will be GenNext, as exhibitors will showcase products and technologies that will change lives not just today but in the coming years too. Explaining this, Pankaj Mohindroo, National President ICA (Indian Cellular Association), said, "The next wave of growth in mobile subscribers will be primarily from the younger generation. Mobile Asia 2008 therefore aims to provide a platform for the industry and trade to interact and communicate with GenNext.”Mobile Asia 2008 is the fourth in the line of mobility expos organized by ICA, which is committed to protecting the interests of the industry players as well as the consumers.
Speaking about Mobile Asia 2008, Mr. Lloyd Mathias, Chairman, Mobile Asia, said: This year, Mobile Asia will focus on GenNext to ensure consumers see the latest in mobiles - the world's largest convergent device.
Apart from newly launched and innovative handsets and mobile services, Mobile Asia 2008 will also showcase the latest innovation in various technologies related to the mobile industry.Source
Xbox 360 will have HD DVD Players no more...!!
Finally, after much dilly-dallying, Microsoft has publicly conceded to stopping making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 gaming console.
However, the company said it will continue to provide standard warranty support for its HD DVD players. With this move, the last of the support to the dying (now dead) HD DVD format has ended. During the time the format lasted, Toshiba, Intel, NEC, and Microsoft were arguably its main proponents.
Actually, HD DVD's downfall began quite some time back when major Hollywood studios, including Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Bros Entertainment chose rival Blu-ray over HD DVD for distributing their high-definition content.
This was followed by nearly all of USA's major retail chains, the likes of Best Buy, Target, and 'last but not the least' Wal-Mart Stores, pledging support to Blu-ray over HD DVD
With Toshiba's public withdrawal of the format, the fate of HD DVD was more or less sealed, leaving Blu-ray the unchallenged victor.
Now that Microsoft has said it will stop making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 console, Blair Westlake, a Corporate Vice President with the company's media and entertainment group, further said they will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of DVD movies that they already own.
Just how are they planning to do this?
With HD DVD players firmly out of the way, is Microsoft now going to make attachable Blu-ray players for its Xbox 360. In any case, Sony's PS3 gaming console already has built-in Blu-ray playback capability.
Or is the company now going to increase high-definition downloads on its Xbox Live service, as it said earlier. Source
However, the company said it will continue to provide standard warranty support for its HD DVD players. With this move, the last of the support to the dying (now dead) HD DVD format has ended. During the time the format lasted, Toshiba, Intel, NEC, and Microsoft were arguably its main proponents.
Actually, HD DVD's downfall began quite some time back when major Hollywood studios, including Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Bros Entertainment chose rival Blu-ray over HD DVD for distributing their high-definition content.This was followed by nearly all of USA's major retail chains, the likes of Best Buy, Target, and 'last but not the least' Wal-Mart Stores, pledging support to Blu-ray over HD DVD
With Toshiba's public withdrawal of the format, the fate of HD DVD was more or less sealed, leaving Blu-ray the unchallenged victor.
Now that Microsoft has said it will stop making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 console, Blair Westlake, a Corporate Vice President with the company's media and entertainment group, further said they will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of DVD movies that they already own.
Just how are they planning to do this?
With HD DVD players firmly out of the way, is Microsoft now going to make attachable Blu-ray players for its Xbox 360. In any case, Sony's PS3 gaming console already has built-in Blu-ray playback capability.
Or is the company now going to increase high-definition downloads on its Xbox Live service, as it said earlier. Source
Samsung, Spice introducing Cheap Phones
Telecom companies, Samsung and Spice have come up with entry-level handsets for the Indian market.Samsung's "Guru100" is a stylish bar-shaped handset equipped with features such as MP3 ring tones, mobile tracker, 9 hours talk time, and up to 500 phone-book entries. The handset sports a 3.86cm LCD screen and a speaker phone for hands-free comfort. It also includes a Hinglish sms feature that recognizes both English and Hindi words.
Priced at Rs 1,949, "Guru100" weighs 78 grams and measures 104 x 44 x 16.3mm.
Meanwhile, Spice's new entry-level camera phone, "S-585" features FM Radio, VGA camera, and music player.
The one-touch FM Radio and MP3 player comes along with inbuilt speaker phones. Users can also watch videos on the 65K TFT color display. The memory slot is expandable up to 1 GB.
The S-585 comes with essential accessories, including a dual-corded headset and USB cable, and is priced at Rs 2,999.Source
Monday, February 25, 2008
Nanotech Mobile designed by Nokia and Cambridge
Nokia may not be too funky with their mobile phone designs for mass production but you have to admit, their concept designs are something that look, quite literally, out of this world. Morph, a joint Nanotechnology concept, developed by Nokia Research Center (NRC) and the University of Cambridge (UK) - was launched today alongside the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition, on view from February 24 to May 12, 2008, at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Morph features in both the exhibition catalog and on MoMA's official website.Morph is a concept that demonstrates how future mobile devices might be stretchable and flexible, allowing the user to transform their mobile device into radically different shapes. It demonstrates the ultimate functionality that nanotechnology might be capable of delivering: flexible materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. Dr. Bob Iannucci, Chief Technology Officer, Nokia, commented: "Nokia Research Center is looking at ways to reinvent the form and function of mobile devices; the Morph concept shows what might be possible".
Dr. Tapani Ryhanen, Head of the NRC Cambridge UK laboratory, Nokia, commented: "We hope that this combination of art and science will showcase the potential of nanoscience to a wider
audience."The partnership between Nokia and the University of Cambridge was announced in March, 2007 - an agreement to work together on an extensive and long-term programme of joint research projects. NRC together with the University of Cambridge have decided to work on more projects that, to begin with, are centered on nanotechnology.Elements of Morph might be available to integrate into handheld devices within 7 years, though initially only at the high-end. However, nanotechnology may one day lead to low cost manufacturing solutions, and offers the possibility of integrating complex functionality at a low price. Hopefully it won't take that long.Source
Cordless Wave Desktop introduced by Logitech
Logitech has unveiled its "Cordless Desktop Wave" comprising a cordless keyboard with 'Comfort Wave Design', and a cordless laser mouse.
The keyboard, according to Logitech, combines three elements; namely, a wave key-frame design, U-shaped constant curve, and cushioned contoured palm rest. While the ambidextrous laser mouse is designed to complement the striking curved style and comfort of the keyboard. The keyboard's 'Comfort Wave Design' addresses the fundamental principle that fingers vary in
length, and cradles them in a shape or contour supporting their actual lengths.
The keys are placed high at the A and Enter keys that are typically hit by the little finger. Moving inward towards the pointer finger, the keys decrease in height reaching the D and K keys that are typically hit by the longer middle finger.
The keys then move up again in height to accommodate the pointer finger at the G and H keys. The maximum distance between the keys' peaks and troughs, the lowest and highest keys, is 4 mm, the company said.
The U-shaped constant curve, Logitech claims, features a 5-degree curve that allows users' hands to open up and take a natural position instead of forcing the wrists to bend.
The keyboard also offers large, hot keys that can be mapped to launch folders, Web pages, or applications with the help of software. For Windows Vista users, shortcut keys activate Flip 3D as well as Windows Sidebar and gadgets.
Meanwhile, the cordless laser mouse features pixel-precise laser tracking and a soft rubber grip. Both the mouse and the keyboard feature a battery indicator light that alerts users when battery power is low, eliminating the hassle of unexpectedly losing power.
Logitech's "Cordless Desktop Wave" is priced at Rs 4,995, and comes with a three-year warranty.Source
The keyboard, according to Logitech, combines three elements; namely, a wave key-frame design, U-shaped constant curve, and cushioned contoured palm rest. While the ambidextrous laser mouse is designed to complement the striking curved style and comfort of the keyboard. The keyboard's 'Comfort Wave Design' addresses the fundamental principle that fingers vary in
length, and cradles them in a shape or contour supporting their actual lengths.The keys are placed high at the A and Enter keys that are typically hit by the little finger. Moving inward towards the pointer finger, the keys decrease in height reaching the D and K keys that are typically hit by the longer middle finger.
The keys then move up again in height to accommodate the pointer finger at the G and H keys. The maximum distance between the keys' peaks and troughs, the lowest and highest keys, is 4 mm, the company said.
The U-shaped constant curve, Logitech claims, features a 5-degree curve that allows users' hands to open up and take a natural position instead of forcing the wrists to bend.
The keyboard also offers large, hot keys that can be mapped to launch folders, Web pages, or applications with the help of software. For Windows Vista users, shortcut keys activate Flip 3D as well as Windows Sidebar and gadgets.
Meanwhile, the cordless laser mouse features pixel-precise laser tracking and a soft rubber grip. Both the mouse and the keyboard feature a battery indicator light that alerts users when battery power is low, eliminating the hassle of unexpectedly losing power.
Logitech's "Cordless Desktop Wave" is priced at Rs 4,995, and comes with a three-year warranty.Source
16GB JetFlash V60 by Transcend
Transcend's latest high-capacity USB flash drive, the 16GB JetFlash V60, is now available in the country.About the size of an AA battery (61 x 18.6 x 9.8mm), the JetFlash V60 offers 16GB of data storage and is equipped with software tools for easy data transfer. The JetFlash V60 bundles the JetFlash Elite software suite, which can be installed to run directly from the JetFlash drive when plugged in. This software suite includes eight time-saving data management functions such as Web site AutoLogin, PC-lock, mobile favorites, secret-zip encryption, mobile email, DataBackup, online update, and the My JetFlash browser.
The new flash drive supports Windows 98 SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS 9.0/OS X, and Linux Kernel 2.4.2 or later, allowing seamless data exchange between different operating systems.
The JetFlash V60 16GB is available through Mediaman Infotech and Supertron Electronics for a MRP of Rs 4,400. It comes along with a lifetime warranty.Source
2.5" Hard Disk Drive with World-Class 500 GB Capacity
Fujitsu Limited today announced the release of its new series of MHZ2 BT 2.5" hard disk drives with world-class capacity of up to 500 GB. Sales of the new series will begin at the end of May 2008.The new series responds to the growing need for hard drives in the 2.5" form factor that can handle high-volume storage for such products as digital video recorders and external hard 
drives.The MHZ2 BT series requires only 1.8 W of power for read and write operations, ranking it among the most power-efficient drives in its class. The series is one of many new products announced as part of Fujitsu's Green Policy Innovation program, unveiled in December 2007 to promote energy-efficient products and services as a way to help customers lower their ecological footprint.With the global spread of digital broadcasts and Internet-based video distribution, along with the increased storage requirements stemming from the higher image quality of video content, there is an increasing need for high-capacity hard disk drives that can handle high-volume data storage.But with growing worldwide concern over global warming and other environmental problems, there is a demand for hard disk drives that consume less electricity.Fujitsu has responded to these needs with hard disk drives that have storage capacities of up to 500 GB for use in personal computers, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), Set Top Boxes (STB), and external hard disk drives, representing an environmentally friendly choice for customers who need hard disk drives with large storage capacities.As an environmentally friendly product, these hard disk drives use 1.8 W for read and write operations, ranking them among the most power-efficient 2.5" HDDs in the industry. They are also manufactured in compliance with the EU's RoHS Directive, which limits the use of hazardous substances.In addition, the series also supports the Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s interface for high-speed data transfers. Moreover, capitalizing on the vast experience and reputation for reliability that Fujitsu has accumulated through over 40 years of HDD development, the series delivers the superior quality that customers have come to expect from Fujitsu.Source
drives.The MHZ2 BT series requires only 1.8 W of power for read and write operations, ranking it among the most power-efficient drives in its class. The series is one of many new products announced as part of Fujitsu's Green Policy Innovation program, unveiled in December 2007 to promote energy-efficient products and services as a way to help customers lower their ecological footprint.With the global spread of digital broadcasts and Internet-based video distribution, along with the increased storage requirements stemming from the higher image quality of video content, there is an increasing need for high-capacity hard disk drives that can handle high-volume data storage.But with growing worldwide concern over global warming and other environmental problems, there is a demand for hard disk drives that consume less electricity.Fujitsu has responded to these needs with hard disk drives that have storage capacities of up to 500 GB for use in personal computers, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), Set Top Boxes (STB), and external hard disk drives, representing an environmentally friendly choice for customers who need hard disk drives with large storage capacities.As an environmentally friendly product, these hard disk drives use 1.8 W for read and write operations, ranking them among the most power-efficient 2.5" HDDs in the industry. They are also manufactured in compliance with the EU's RoHS Directive, which limits the use of hazardous substances.In addition, the series also supports the Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s interface for high-speed data transfers. Moreover, capitalizing on the vast experience and reputation for reliability that Fujitsu has accumulated through over 40 years of HDD development, the series delivers the superior quality that customers have come to expect from Fujitsu.Source
Cool and Colourful DAPs by SONY
People love variety and Sony seems to love people. Their latest range of MP3 players – the NW-E-Series are available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB versions. But that’s not all; the new series are also available in a slew of colors and interchangeable panels. They support ATRAC/MP3/WMA/AAC formats and also come equipped with an integrated FM radio. Like most Sony Walkman DAPs the new series also incorporate USB for their data transfer and charging. They are light weight and weigh just about 28g.Sony’s new NW-E-Series will be out soon in Japan for about in Rs. 5,925 (¥16,000) for the NW-E026F which is the 4GB model, Rs. 4,813 (¥13,000) for the NW-E025F 2GB model and Rs. $4,073 (¥11,000) for the NW-E023F which is the 1GB model.Source: Tech2
Thursday, February 21, 2008
"Ultra Mini" Desktops by ACER.......
Acer's new ultra-small form factor desktops have arrived in the Indian subcontinent. They're being called "3-litre" desktops because of their volume -- pretty small. The "Ultra Mini" Aspire L5100 and L3600 are designed for home users with a yen for style, ergonomics, and portability -- with a generous dose of processing power thrown in.Both models sport a sleek, Steel-Black frame. Acer claims the frame is about a tenth of the size and a quarter of the weight of a conventional tower desktop. External features include a 19-inch TFT display and a slim keyboard with soft-touch keys, blue LED lighting, 17 hotkeys, and a volume knob. The L3600 is powered by an Intel Pentium E2140 dual-core processor @ 1.6 GHz, while the L5100 is powered by an AMD Athlon64 X2 4000+ @ 2.1 GHz.
Both systems have 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160 GB, 7200 rpm SATA hard disk. Both come with Linux installed, and come with a 16x DVD-R/W Super-Multi Drive.
The desktops both support Multimedia Card (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), xD-Picture Card (xD), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), and Memory Stick (MS). They are available at all of Acer's registered retail and channel outlets. Together with an optical mouse and USB 2.0 speakers, the Aspire L3600 retails at Rs 26,999, and the Aspire L5100 at Rs 24,999.Source : Techtree
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
1 GB Ipod Shuffle for just $49 !!! A 2 GB model also unveiled.....
Apple has announced that its iPod shuffle is now priced at $49 and that it is introducing a new 2GB model of the iPod shuffle for $69.The iPod shuffle is half a cubic inch in volume, weighs half 
an ounce, features an aluminum design with a built-in clip and comes in five colors - silver, blue, green, purple and a RED special edition."At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle."
an ounce, features an aluminum design with a built-in clip and comes in five colors - silver, blue, green, purple and a RED special edition."At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle."The $49 1GB iPod shuffle is available immediately through the Apple Store , Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers while the 2GB iPod shuffle will be available later this month for a suggested retail price of $69.InfoCourtesy: Tech2
ASUS P527 PDA With GPS launched in India
Asus India along with IDLDPL, (India Digital Life Style Distributors Pvt. Ltd.) has launched their latest PDA phone, the P527 in the Indian market. Among the host of functions, Travelog and Location Courier have been crowned as the most unique features on the P527. While Travelog enables users to record travel routes and export data to Google Earth, Location Courier serves as an S.O.S. device to send a user's GPS position to five preset phone numbers. In such cases of emergency, SMS messages will be delivered to the preset receivers with a touch of a button.The P527 can record and share users' traveling pictures, routes, Points of Interests (POIs) and memos with the built-in Travelog feature. This xfunction supports the Google Earth satellite maps format – allowing users to create a diary of events during their travels. The timely GPS navigation with GPS Catcher allows users to find their location xwherever they are in the world – allowing them to navigate to their next destination with ease. The Location Courier feature of the P527 will also help prevent users from getting lost by accurately and periodically reporting
their position to their pre-defined friends' contacts. Even in locations with vast, open country, the global GPS network will be able to locate the user.Utilizing the Windows Mobile 6 Professional Operating System, the P527 provides Office functions and synchronizes Outlook emails, edits Word and Excel documents and views PowerPoint slides.
Additionally, the new station feature allows users to receive the latest news reports and website information through RSS related settings. The Business Card Recognition feature also makes it easy to capture the details of a business card without tediously keying in the data. With the built-in FM Radio Receiver, a 2 Mega-Pixel Camera (Auto-Focus) and Windows Media Player, users will be able to enjoy more multimedia enjoyment; while the built-in Windows Live function allow access to Hotmail, MSN, Spaces and. The P527 is a slim 15.4mm handset with a silver-gray aluminum cover. It’s equipped with 8 dedicated hotkeys and 5 directional front jog dial with a 3 directional side jog wheel. It’s 2.6 inch TFT, touchscreen display has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. It supports microSD cards for external memory. The con about this phone is it only supports EDGE connection.
The new ASUS P527 PDA phone is priced at Rs. 17,900 and is now available in India through IDLDPL.Source: Tech2
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Mobile-Net Usage Easier made easier by Ericsson
Ericsson launched the Ericsson Multimedia Communication Suite (MCS) - bringing to consumers popular services they already enjoy on the Internet in a new and enhanced mobile way. The intuitive user interface will be integrated into select new Sony Ericsson devices such as the W760.With the Ericsson MCS, mobile operators will be able to offer their customers a suite of attractive services. Consumers will be able to access new and existing services from the address book - with an interface including rich presence functionality such as avatars, photos and personal free text. The solution also keeps track of friends and their applications so consumers will always see who is available for different applications. The user has full control over what type of information is available.The intuitive user interface integrates new MCS applications such as chat and file transfer with existing voice, video call, SMS and MMS services.Ericsson MCS will initially be available for selected Sony Ericsson feature phones. The MCS is built on IMS architecture and is aligned with the industry initiative Rich Communication Suite (RCS) that aims for broad industry acceptance by utilizing standardized IMS service features. RCS is a group of key operators, infrastructure and device vendors comprised of Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, TeliaSonera, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung, who have joined in an effort to facilitate the evolution of mobile communication toward rich communication.Info Courtesy: Tech2
"Centrino 2" to be introduced by Intel in June
Intel is all set to launch its fifth-generation 'Montevina' processor coming June. The new mobile platform processor will be branded as "Centrino 2" when announced at the Computex Taipei 2008 Conference (June 3-7, 2008).Along with the "Centrino 2" platform, Intel will launch six 45nm notebook CPUs, all with a 1066MHz FSB (Front Side Bus) and core speeds ranging between 2.26GHz and 3.06GHz.
"Centrino 2" is Intel's newest revision of its 'Centrino' mobile platform processor. 'Centrino' has had four generations prior to this --- Carmel, Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Rosa.
The reason why Intel is adopting the brand name "Centrino 2" and not 'Montevina' is because they reckon consumers have had difficulty in understanding considerable improvements in various 'Centrino' processor generations. Intel believes its new marketing strategy will help boost sales as the suffix "2" represents a significant upgradation for consumers to comprehend.
Meanwhile, the six 45nm notebook CPUs are expected to be priced between $209 and $851 per 1000-unit tray quantities.
After the "Centrino 2" launch during the second quarter this year, the third quarter will bring seven 45nm SFF (Small Form Factor) notebook CPUs from Intel. These will be similar to those used in Apple's MacBook Air, and other soon-to-be-seen ultra-portable notebooks.
According to Digitimes.com, Intel has shipped over 100 million notebook CPUs in 2007. Shipments are expected to increase to 123 million units by the end of this year.Source: Techtree
Monday, February 18, 2008
A Competitor for Macbook Air
Apple's much-hyped "MacBook Air" may finally have found its competitor in Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 -- at least that's what analysts are saying.
Like the MacBook Air, the ThinkPad X300 boasts an ultra-thin frame though it weighs in at around 3.12 pounds, which is heavier than the very light-weight MacBook Air.
Both the Air and the ThinkPad X300 sport a 13.3-inches wide-screen and a full keyboard.
But the Air lacks: an optical drive, a network port, extra USB ports (it has only one), and removable battery. By contrast, the ThinkPad X300 is a typical road warrior -- what with a built-in DVD drive, three USB ports, and a removable battery.
MacBook Air users cannot upgrade memory on the device, and there's no integrated support for EV-DO or HSDPA. By comparison, the ThinkPad X300 comes with an Ethernet networking jack, and can be customized with a cell-phone modem or GPS.
There's yet another advantage for ThinkPad X300 users; they have the option to choose between either Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Meanwhile, Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 comes with a 64GB SSD (Solid State Drive) only, which might be the reason for the ramped up price; somewhere between $2,500 and $2,800. By comparison, Apple's MacBook Air, when equipped with a 80GB hard disk drive (HDD), carries a lower price tag, i.e. $1,800.
However, add to the MacBook Air a 64GB SSD, and it comes for not less than $3,000, which is higher than the price of the ThinkPad X300.
While the ThinkPad X300 has almost all the features required to beat the hell out of Apple's MacBook Air; there's one drawback -- its processor speed. The notebook includes a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor. Whereas, the MacBook Air incorporates 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo processors.
All said, the X300's 12W processor is believed to be more power-efficient than the Air's 20W processors, in turn leading to greater battery life.
Citing from a Business Week report, the development of the ThinkPad X300 has taken nearly 20 months from the original concept to production. The mandate for the notebook is not so much to be a revenue spinner for Lenovo as it is to be a "halo" product for the company, somewhat like a MacBook Air is for Apple Computer.
In a statement, Lenovo Chairman, Yang Yuanqing said that they want to send out the message that if there's any company in the industry that can continuously develop the most inventive and best-quality products with efficiency, it has to be Lenovo. Besides, they also want to send firepower against arch rivals, HP and Dell. Of which, Dell is believed to feel not at all threatened by Lenovo, not at least in the US market.
There's no word yet on availability and pricing of this notebook. Info Courtesy: Techtree
Like the MacBook Air, the ThinkPad X300 boasts an ultra-thin frame though it weighs in at around 3.12 pounds, which is heavier than the very light-weight MacBook Air.
Both the Air and the ThinkPad X300 sport a 13.3-inches wide-screen and a full keyboard.
But the Air lacks: an optical drive, a network port, extra USB ports (it has only one), and removable battery. By contrast, the ThinkPad X300 is a typical road warrior -- what with a built-in DVD drive, three USB ports, and a removable battery.
MacBook Air users cannot upgrade memory on the device, and there's no integrated support for EV-DO or HSDPA. By comparison, the ThinkPad X300 comes with an Ethernet networking jack, and can be customized with a cell-phone modem or GPS.There's yet another advantage for ThinkPad X300 users; they have the option to choose between either Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Meanwhile, Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 comes with a 64GB SSD (Solid State Drive) only, which might be the reason for the ramped up price; somewhere between $2,500 and $2,800. By comparison, Apple's MacBook Air, when equipped with a 80GB hard disk drive (HDD), carries a lower price tag, i.e. $1,800.
However, add to the MacBook Air a 64GB SSD, and it comes for not less than $3,000, which is higher than the price of the ThinkPad X300.
While the ThinkPad X300 has almost all the features required to beat the hell out of Apple's MacBook Air; there's one drawback -- its processor speed. The notebook includes a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor. Whereas, the MacBook Air incorporates 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo processors.
All said, the X300's 12W processor is believed to be more power-efficient than the Air's 20W processors, in turn leading to greater battery life.
Citing from a Business Week report, the development of the ThinkPad X300 has taken nearly 20 months from the original concept to production. The mandate for the notebook is not so much to be a revenue spinner for Lenovo as it is to be a "halo" product for the company, somewhat like a MacBook Air is for Apple Computer.
In a statement, Lenovo Chairman, Yang Yuanqing said that they want to send out the message that if there's any company in the industry that can continuously develop the most inventive and best-quality products with efficiency, it has to be Lenovo. Besides, they also want to send firepower against arch rivals, HP and Dell. Of which, Dell is believed to feel not at all threatened by Lenovo, not at least in the US market.
There's no word yet on availability and pricing of this notebook. Info Courtesy: Techtree
A Bluetooth Headset for the Hearing Impaired
In a bid to develop mobile phones for people with hearing difficulty, Japanese telecom operator NTT DoCoMo have launched their ultra-slim Bluetooth handset called "Sound Leaf Plus" during 
the recently-concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The mobile receiver-microphone combo works using the "bone-conduction" principle. When pressed against the bone just below the ear, it sends sound vibrations to the auditory nerves through the cranial bones.
Weighing only 45gm, "Sound Leaf Plus" connects through the Bluetooth link or a hard wire to the cellular phone service. It is said that this is the first attempt when bone-conduction technology has been used in combination with a telephone coil.
Contemporarily, bone-conduction has been used mostly in specialized, military devices in the form of throat microphones or diver communication sets to provide hand-free operation for pilots and underwater operators. However, this technology has been in the news even before for consumer products like Aliph's JAWBONE Bluetooth headset and Pantech's A140PTA clamshell phone.
Meanwhile, NTT DoCoMo's new Bluetooth handset has been developed by NEC/Tokin, and includes a high-frequency switch that improves sound articulation. In addition to those with age-related hearing problems, the device is also useful for those with normal hearing when they're in noisy environments, said a NTT DoCoMo spokesperson.
"Sound Leaf" will be available to DoCoMo subscribers in Japan for a price of $116 or 13,000 Yen. For the rest, here's hoping this useful device reaches the Indian consumer in the near future!Source:Techtree
the recently-concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.The mobile receiver-microphone combo works using the "bone-conduction" principle. When pressed against the bone just below the ear, it sends sound vibrations to the auditory nerves through the cranial bones.
Weighing only 45gm, "Sound Leaf Plus" connects through the Bluetooth link or a hard wire to the cellular phone service. It is said that this is the first attempt when bone-conduction technology has been used in combination with a telephone coil.
Contemporarily, bone-conduction has been used mostly in specialized, military devices in the form of throat microphones or diver communication sets to provide hand-free operation for pilots and underwater operators. However, this technology has been in the news even before for consumer products like Aliph's JAWBONE Bluetooth headset and Pantech's A140PTA clamshell phone.
Meanwhile, NTT DoCoMo's new Bluetooth handset has been developed by NEC/Tokin, and includes a high-frequency switch that improves sound articulation. In addition to those with age-related hearing problems, the device is also useful for those with normal hearing when they're in noisy environments, said a NTT DoCoMo spokesperson.
"Sound Leaf" will be available to DoCoMo subscribers in Japan for a price of $116 or 13,000 Yen. For the rest, here's hoping this useful device reaches the Indian consumer in the near future!Source:Techtree
A $20 phone by SPICE...!!!
A lot of things happened at the Mobile World Congress last week. Significant among them; Spice Telecom unveiled a $20 mobile phone targeted at Indian users.
Being called a "People's Phone", the Spice phone is basically like a landline with all mobile phone
features minus the add-ons. The company has done away with the screen, and instead, has integrated an audio program that announces the digits dialed by the user.
IANS quoted B K Modi, chairman of Spice Telecom, as saying that in spite of taking various measures to cut down on the price of the handset, they believe the handset will still be a technologically advanced instrument. In Modi's view, the phone will not only prove that India is equipped to give the best in technology but also the cheapest and at the most competitive price.
When it launches commercially, the $20 phone will have a range of color options to choose from, and will be compatible with all types of SIM cards.
Spice also announced that a Braille version of its phone will be introduced around the same time for visually impaired users.
Additionally, Spice has unveiled a movie mobile phone touted as the world's first phone targeted at entertainment freaks. This phone sports a 2.8-inches TFT screen, and can be loaded with removable optical mini-discs to enjoy up to 3.5 hours of DVD-quality movies. From: Techtree
Being called a "People's Phone", the Spice phone is basically like a landline with all mobile phone
features minus the add-ons. The company has done away with the screen, and instead, has integrated an audio program that announces the digits dialed by the user.IANS quoted B K Modi, chairman of Spice Telecom, as saying that in spite of taking various measures to cut down on the price of the handset, they believe the handset will still be a technologically advanced instrument. In Modi's view, the phone will not only prove that India is equipped to give the best in technology but also the cheapest and at the most competitive price.
When it launches commercially, the $20 phone will have a range of color options to choose from, and will be compatible with all types of SIM cards.
Spice also announced that a Braille version of its phone will be introduced around the same time for visually impaired users.
Additionally, Spice has unveiled a movie mobile phone touted as the world's first phone targeted at entertainment freaks. This phone sports a 2.8-inches TFT screen, and can be loaded with removable optical mini-discs to enjoy up to 3.5 hours of DVD-quality movies. From: Techtree
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A "Hydrogen Cell" Mobile battery by Motorola !
What if you could power your mobile phone with nothing more than good old H2O? That would really be something! Angstrom Power and teammate Motorola seem to have developed a way to power cellphones with a hydrogen fuel cell. Of course, it's still in the testing phase, with a prototype, but the concept is certainly interesting. Imagine, all you’ll need to do is fill up your cellphone with water – and voila, it’ll start working again.Angstrom has already developed an LED Flashlight that runs on a similar concept of a hydrogen fuel cell. The good thing is perhaps we can look forward to a cleaner planet in the not-so-distant future.
Source: Tech2
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Aerosmith to featre in GUITAR HERO next....!!!
In a move that marks a change in direction for their billion-dollar franchise, Activision has launched "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith", the latest iteration of their popular 'Guitar Hero' series.
"Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" focuses on a single band, Steven Tyler's Aerosmith, the same band that belted out hits like Jaime's Gotta Gun, Sweet Emotion, and Dream On.
The new game is slated to hit the stands this Summer. It will feature nearly 30 Aerosmith songs plus others from acts that have opened for the band.
Kai Huang, head (RedOctane Unit) of Activision, which guides development of the franchise, said the idea was to cover the 30-plus years of Aerosmith, right from high school days to rock superstardom.
Meanwhile, since its launch in late 2005, the 'Guitar Hero' franchise has seen the rise of games that feature dozens of artists across multiple music genres, including classic rock, grunge, metal, punk, and so on.
With the spotlight now trained on a single band, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" marks a pleasant diversion for the hitherto roadmap of the franchise. Not to mention a treat for countless fans of Aerosmith. Huang described it as "a completely new way to interact with the music and with Aerosmith".
Meanwhile, the goss (gossip) is that this is Activision's way of countering rival music game, "Rock Band" from MTV and Electronic Arts (EA). Incidentally, "Rock Band", whose popularity has been soaring lately, includes drums, a microphone, and a guitar; and offers new songs for download onto gaming consoles every week.
Like other 'Guitar Hero' games, in "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" too, players must hit the colored buttons on the guitar-shaped controller in time for the songs to play properly to earn points along the way.A bundle with the game and the controller costs between $80 and $100, while the stand-alone game costs $40 to $60.
As for Aerosmith, they recognize the game as a new distribution platform for their music. And to give a sense of the real, the game tries capturing the on-stage in-concert moves of energetic frontman, Steven Tyler, and lead guitarist, Joe Perry.
Source:Techtree
"Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" focuses on a single band, Steven Tyler's Aerosmith, the same band that belted out hits like Jaime's Gotta Gun, Sweet Emotion, and Dream On.
The new game is slated to hit the stands this Summer. It will feature nearly 30 Aerosmith songs plus others from acts that have opened for the band.
Kai Huang, head (RedOctane Unit) of Activision, which guides development of the franchise, said the idea was to cover the 30-plus years of Aerosmith, right from high school days to rock superstardom.
Meanwhile, since its launch in late 2005, the 'Guitar Hero' franchise has seen the rise of games that feature dozens of artists across multiple music genres, including classic rock, grunge, metal, punk, and so on.With the spotlight now trained on a single band, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" marks a pleasant diversion for the hitherto roadmap of the franchise. Not to mention a treat for countless fans of Aerosmith. Huang described it as "a completely new way to interact with the music and with Aerosmith".
Meanwhile, the goss (gossip) is that this is Activision's way of countering rival music game, "Rock Band" from MTV and Electronic Arts (EA). Incidentally, "Rock Band", whose popularity has been soaring lately, includes drums, a microphone, and a guitar; and offers new songs for download onto gaming consoles every week.
Like other 'Guitar Hero' games, in "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith" too, players must hit the colored buttons on the guitar-shaped controller in time for the songs to play properly to earn points along the way.A bundle with the game and the controller costs between $80 and $100, while the stand-alone game costs $40 to $60.
As for Aerosmith, they recognize the game as a new distribution platform for their music. And to give a sense of the real, the game tries capturing the on-stage in-concert moves of energetic frontman, Steven Tyler, and lead guitarist, Joe Perry.
Source:Techtree
New DataTraveler Micro by Kingston
Kingston Technology Company has launched the DataTraveler Micro Reader, an all-in-one USB Flash drive and reader that can store, transfer and read content on mobile memory cards.
"We believe the DT Micro Reader will be well received by the mobile community as a smart single-solution to navigate the plethora of devices and card formats on the market today," said Jean Wong, Flash memory product manager, Kingston.
The DataTraveler Micro Reader is enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost, and features onboard Flash memory up to 4GB and an expansion slot to read microSD, microSDHC, or Memory Stick Micro cards. Data can be simply dragged and dropped onto the DT Micro Reader.
The DataTraveler Micro Reader is backed by a five-year warranty and legendary Kingston service and support. The 1GB version will ship in the US this month and will be priced at approximately Rs 762 ($19.25), followed by the 2GB version, priced at Rs 1,080 ($27.25 ) and a 4GB version priced at around Rs 1,665 ($42).
Source:Tech2
"We believe the DT Micro Reader will be well received by the mobile community as a smart single-solution to navigate the plethora of devices and card formats on the market today," said Jean Wong, Flash memory product manager, Kingston.
The DataTraveler Micro Reader is enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost, and features onboard Flash memory up to 4GB and an expansion slot to read microSD, microSDHC, or Memory Stick Micro cards. Data can be simply dragged and dropped onto the DT Micro Reader.The DataTraveler Micro Reader is backed by a five-year warranty and legendary Kingston service and support. The 1GB version will ship in the US this month and will be priced at approximately Rs 762 ($19.25), followed by the 2GB version, priced at Rs 1,080 ($27.25 ) and a 4GB version priced at around Rs 1,665 ($42).
Source:Tech2
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Onkyo APX-2 HD Audio PC
This mini PC from Onkyo is called “APX-2″. As a HD audio PC, you can expect APX-2 to deliver a high-quality sound to your ear. It is powered by a built-in digital audio amplifier — which is the same amp on Okyo PCI-200 audio card — along with Vista-certified volume mixer function and pre-installed Pure Direct Audio Path (PDAP) that enhanced HD audio quality in Vista environment. And to ensure that the busy hard drive won’t give you too much unwanted noise, Onkyo attached the HDD on a Super Floating HDD Unit, guarantee the PC would work as silent as possible. Regarding hardware, Onkyo APX-2 HD Audio PC boasts an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz) processor, a 1GB of main memory, and a 500GB of hard drive.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Extenal Card Reader introduced by SONY
Sony Electronics has introduced its new external memory card reader, the MRW62E-S2, which is primarily targeted at home, SOHO, and professional users.With dimensions of 86 x 50 x 15.7mm (width x depth x height), the MRW62E-S2 promises to be very convenient to ferry around. It has a USB 2.0 interface, and no additional power is required, which makes it one of the easiest card readers to use, according to Sony.
The MRW62E-S2 is capable of reading different types of cards, including: Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick Micro, CompactFlash, Microdrive, SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card, SD Memory Card, mini SD Card, Multi Media Card, and RS-MNC.
Introducing the MRW62E-S2, Edmund Tan, assistant manager (Sales and Marketing - Computer Peripherals Products) of Applications and Devices Marketing (Singapore-based division of Sony Electronics), said that today, when most users use one or the other type of memory card, it becomes vital to introduce an external card reader that can be carried and used easily anywhere.
Adding to it, Kapal Pansari, director of Rashi Peripherals, said that today, Indian users largely prefer smart phones and digital cameras over any other device, and to get the maximum out of these, they need extra storage which various cards are able to provide. To get data on to the PC or laptop, you need to have a good quality card reader.
The Silver colored MRW62E-S2 will retail for around Rs 700.
Info Courtesy: Techtree
BlackBerry Pearl 8110 hits the INDIAN market...!!!!
A day after Valentine's Day, Vodafone and Research in Motion (RIM) have launched the stylish BlackBerry Pearl 8110 smart phone in the country.
Highlights of the new Pearl are: built-in GPS, rich multimedia features, and powerful communication capabilities of the BlackBerry solution, to name a few.
The elegant Black-colored BlackBerry Pearl 8110 pinpoints a user's location using GPS capabilities, and according to RIM, offers out-of-the-box support for a variety of location-based applications and services including Google Maps.
The smart new phone is capable of accessing up to ten supported email accounts using the BlackBerry Internet Service, and corporate email and data systems via the BlackBerry enterprise server.
Another lifestyle edition of the BlackBerry, the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 makes it easier for professionals on the move to make calls, email, surf the net, take and send photographs, listen to music, and access their organizer and a range of other applications for both work and play. By inserting a microSD card, videos can be recorded on this smart phone.
Specifications of the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 smart phone from Vodafone include: support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity; built-in GPS to support location-based applications and services; 2 mega pixels camera with 5x digital zoom and enhanced Flash; video capture in two resolutions (240 x 180 and 176 x 144) for sharing via MMS; BlackBerry Desktop Software that includes Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry and Roxio Photosuite 9 LE; support for Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP); supplied standard 3.5mm stereo headset jack; Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD); Bluetooth 2.0 support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, and Bluetooth peripherals; externally accessible microSD/SDHC card slot for additional storage; trackball navigation system; and RIM's SureType keyboard system including word completion and spell checker.
Speaking at the launch, Harit Nagpal, director (Marketing and New Business) of Vodafone Essar, said, "The sleek new BlackBerry Pearl 8110 is yet another convenient and stylish smart phone solution for our customers. With its novel features, the new model is designed to support our customers' business and personal needs."
The BlackBerry Pearl 8110 is available across Vodafone Stores in the country for a price of Rs 24,990.
Source: Techtree
Highlights of the new Pearl are: built-in GPS, rich multimedia features, and powerful communication capabilities of the BlackBerry solution, to name a few.The elegant Black-colored BlackBerry Pearl 8110 pinpoints a user's location using GPS capabilities, and according to RIM, offers out-of-the-box support for a variety of location-based applications and services including Google Maps.
The smart new phone is capable of accessing up to ten supported email accounts using the BlackBerry Internet Service, and corporate email and data systems via the BlackBerry enterprise server.
Another lifestyle edition of the BlackBerry, the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 makes it easier for professionals on the move to make calls, email, surf the net, take and send photographs, listen to music, and access their organizer and a range of other applications for both work and play. By inserting a microSD card, videos can be recorded on this smart phone.
Specifications of the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 smart phone from Vodafone include: support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity; built-in GPS to support location-based applications and services; 2 mega pixels camera with 5x digital zoom and enhanced Flash; video capture in two resolutions (240 x 180 and 176 x 144) for sharing via MMS; BlackBerry Desktop Software that includes Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry and Roxio Photosuite 9 LE; support for Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP); supplied standard 3.5mm stereo headset jack; Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD); Bluetooth 2.0 support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, and Bluetooth peripherals; externally accessible microSD/SDHC card slot for additional storage; trackball navigation system; and RIM's SureType keyboard system including word completion and spell checker.
Speaking at the launch, Harit Nagpal, director (Marketing and New Business) of Vodafone Essar, said, "The sleek new BlackBerry Pearl 8110 is yet another convenient and stylish smart phone solution for our customers. With its novel features, the new model is designed to support our customers' business and personal needs."
The BlackBerry Pearl 8110 is available across Vodafone Stores in the country for a price of Rs 24,990.
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
New Hardcore Mobile Processor launched by AMD
If Nvidia thought it would be alone in delivering hardcore handheld devices with high-tech hardware, it will seriously have to reconsider. AMD has also announced an expanded portfolio of 
products and technologies to enable popular, media-rich applications such as mobile TV, 3D games and high-fi audio, delivering immersive entertainment to tomorrow’s mobile phones and handheld devices. All this was showcased at this year's GSMA 2008 World Mobile Congress.
AMD has enhanced its established line of open-standard handheld device technologies with upcoming AMD Imageon processors, as well as next-generation 3D and vector graphics cores, available for licensing. These new offerings are designed to allow device manufacturers and network operators to support today’s most popular applications, as well as cutting-edge applications that will thrill tomorrow’s mobile consumer."Today’s mobile consumers demand devices and services capable of providing outstanding entertainment. AMD is committed to enabling advanced graphical interfaces that deliver the Ultimate Visual Experience on the go," said Adrian Hartog, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s Consumer Electronics Group. "Our latest handheld technologies allow AMD to better address new and emerging applications, such as 3D gaming and mobile TV, as well as satisfy today’s consumers who crave portable music players and full-function touchscreen mobile phones."
The new technology will be available for OEMs and silicon supplier licensees to sample beginning this month. Features enabled by these new products and technologies are expected to start appearing in mobile devices in late 2008 and 2009.
Data and Image source: Tech2
products and technologies to enable popular, media-rich applications such as mobile TV, 3D games and high-fi audio, delivering immersive entertainment to tomorrow’s mobile phones and handheld devices. All this was showcased at this year's GSMA 2008 World Mobile Congress.AMD has enhanced its established line of open-standard handheld device technologies with upcoming AMD Imageon processors, as well as next-generation 3D and vector graphics cores, available for licensing. These new offerings are designed to allow device manufacturers and network operators to support today’s most popular applications, as well as cutting-edge applications that will thrill tomorrow’s mobile consumer."Today’s mobile consumers demand devices and services capable of providing outstanding entertainment. AMD is committed to enabling advanced graphical interfaces that deliver the Ultimate Visual Experience on the go," said Adrian Hartog, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s Consumer Electronics Group. "Our latest handheld technologies allow AMD to better address new and emerging applications, such as 3D gaming and mobile TV, as well as satisfy today’s consumers who crave portable music players and full-function touchscreen mobile phones."
According to analyst firm iSuppli, premium mobile content such as music, games and video is gaining momentum as a key revenue driver for network operators. In fact, mobile content now surpasses messaging as the largest data segment, representing 51 percent of total data revenue.
As a leading supplier of media processors and graphics cores for the handheld market, AMD works with an ecosystem of device makers, software developers, and baseband suppliers to deliver innovative technology solutions that can yield truly immersive mobile content.
The latest technology offerings to broaden the popular family of AMD Imageon processors will include:
- AMD Imageon D160 mobile TV solution, a complete hardware and software package that will enable OEMs to design cutting-edge mobile devices that receive over-the-air broadcast TV signals transmitted in the DVB-T and DVB-H standards. This turnkey, antenna-to-display solution also will enable mobile TV functionality to be designed in a USB-powered device for watching live television on notebook PCs, PDAs, portable media players and other USB-enabled handheld devices.
- AMD Imageon M210 audio processor is designed to enable a high-definition, fully integrated audio subsystem capable of delivering more than 100 hours of music playback in airplane mode.
- AMD Imageon A250 application processor for feature phones will combine the best of AMD’s latest multimedia technology for video recording and playback, photo imaging, and high-res displays while maintaining long system battery life.
- AMD Z180 OpenVG 1.x graphics core offers the only available hardware-accelerated native vector graphics solution, ideal for advanced user interfaces, navigational systems and portable devices optimized for animation and Flash-style content.
- AMD Z460 OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics core will deliver fully programmable shader models for realistic 3D graphics, designed to revolutionize the mobile gaming experience for portable devices.
The new technology will be available for OEMs and silicon supplier licensees to sample beginning this month. Features enabled by these new products and technologies are expected to start appearing in mobile devices in late 2008 and 2009.Data and Image source: Tech2
Presenting the winners.....!!!!!!
The just-concluded GSMA 2008 in Barcelona, Spain, served to open consumers' and developers' eyes to the vast array of devices and platforms available. As in the years past, categories for awards this year included Best Mobile Game, Best Mobile Messaging service, Best Billing and Customer and Customer Service... and of course, the one we’ve been anxiously waiting for: Best Mobile Handset.
It gives us great pleasure to report that our very own Bharti Enterprise got two distinct awards: the GSMA Chairman's Award (given to Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder, Chairman & Group CEO Bharti Enterprise); and Best Billing and Customer Solution Award (for Bharti Airtel's mChek on Airtel Mobile Payment Service). Brilliant job; way to go Bharti!
As expected, the night was quite star-studded, with the presence of writer and producer Isabella Rossellini, Bollywood actress Sherlyn Chopra, and, from the music world, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, all of whom were at hand to present the awards.
"As we celebrate 20 years since the foundations for global mobile communication were laid, this year's winners demonstrate not only how far we have come, but also the limitless possibilities of where innovation and inspiration can take us in the years ahead," said GSMA CEO Rob Conway.
It gives us great pleasure to report that our very own Bharti Enterprise got two distinct awards: the GSMA Chairman's Award (given to Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder, Chairman & Group CEO Bharti Enterprise); and Best Billing and Customer Solution Award (for Bharti Airtel's mChek on Airtel Mobile Payment Service). Brilliant job; way to go Bharti!The Best Mobile Game Award went to Cellufun's Call of the Pharaoh and Glu Mobile's My Hangman, while the Best Mobile Enterprise Product or Service went to Microsoft, for its Windows Mobile 6.
Finally, the Best Mobile Handset award went to the Sony Ericcson W910i. If you’re shocked, get in line.
Modular Mobile Phones by Modu Pioneers
Yesterday, Modu announced a fundamental shift in the mobile handset industry by launching the world’s first modular mobile phone, supported by variety of ecosystem partners. Along with the handset, the company will also make available a variety of modu jackets and modu mates. The jackets are nothing but 'shells' that phones fit into, giving them a completely different look.
Data Source : Tech2
The first modu products will be available sometime in Q4 2008. Modu has tied up with mobile network operators (MNOs) such as Telecom Italia’s mobile division TIM, BeeLine (VimpelCom) of Russia and Cellcom in Israel, along with mainstream consumer electronics manufacturers who will develop modu mates such as MP4 players, digital photo frames, cameras and DECT phones.
One of the first such partners is car multimedia and navigation leader Blaupunkt. Lifestyle, entertainment and fashion brands – including the Universal Music Group – are also part of the modu ecosystem, partnering with modu to design stylish and customized modu jackets.
Dov Moran, modu’s CEO and founder, said, "The mobile phone industry is ready for a revamp. There are hundreds of handset models on the market: the trouble is that as a consumer you can only have one at a time and you are usually tied to a long and expensive contract. modu is challenging that with a solution that offers freedom, boundless possibilities and the opportunity to change your phone without it costing a fortune."Data Source : Tech2
3 New phones unveiled by Motorola at GSMA 2008
The Mobile World Congress at Barcelona saw Motorola introducing three new models: MOTO Z6w, W181 and W161.
Moto Z6w
The Wi-Fi enabled MOTO Z6w is fully compatible with Windows Media Player 11 on the PC, works on high-speed USB 2.0, and features a 2.0 megapixel camera and video capture, and has up to 4GB
of optional removable memory."We're proud to add our latest Wi-Fi enabled handset to our growing portfolio, delivering a compelling wireless experience to consumers anywhere they go," said Rob Shaddock, senior VP, feature and mass market handsets, Motorola Mobile Devices. "The new W series handsets offer both great mobile phone basics and a solid music experience, in a candybar form factor that you can show off with pride.”
The W161 and W181
The new candybar W161 and W181 come with the patented Motorola CrystalTalk technology, and also feature FM radio.
The MOTO Z6w is expected to hit the market in Q2 2008, while the W161 and W181 will be available in Q1 2008. Prices are yet to be announced.
Info Courtesy: Tech2
Moto Z6w
The Wi-Fi enabled MOTO Z6w is fully compatible with Windows Media Player 11 on the PC, works on high-speed USB 2.0, and features a 2.0 megapixel camera and video capture, and has up to 4GB
of optional removable memory."We're proud to add our latest Wi-Fi enabled handset to our growing portfolio, delivering a compelling wireless experience to consumers anywhere they go," said Rob Shaddock, senior VP, feature and mass market handsets, Motorola Mobile Devices. "The new W series handsets offer both great mobile phone basics and a solid music experience, in a candybar form factor that you can show off with pride.”The W161 and W181
The new candybar W161 and W181 come with the patented Motorola CrystalTalk technology, and also feature FM radio.
The MOTO Z6w is expected to hit the market in Q2 2008, while the W161 and W181 will be available in Q1 2008. Prices are yet to be announced.
Info Courtesy: Tech2
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The JS1 Controller unveiled by Zeemote
Zeemote is a creator of user interface technologies, has brought to the world the Zeemote JS1, a wireless controller that enables console like game play on multimedia mobile phones.
Created by the team that gave us the first force feedback joystick for PC gaming, the Zeemote
JSI controller offers freedom from the limitations of the mobile phone keypad, providing the comfortable and intuitive interaction of an analog joystick with the mobile phone.
Measuring at a small 95 x 35 x 20mm and weighing 47g, the Zeemote JS1 controller has a thumbstick and four assignable trigger buttons. It offers real analogue control, enabling users to engage with mobile games.
According to Mike Yuen, senior director (Gaming Group) of Qualcomm, the Zeemote JS1 is one of the most innovative devices to come along for mobile gaming, as it greatly helps improve game playability on mobile phones versus traditional d-pads.
The controller has a wireless remote technology that interacts with mobile phones in as natural a way as a mouse does with a conventional PC. It communicates with mobile phones via Bluetooth. According to Zeemote, the technology platform has been validated for use on a wide range of phones from major manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericson, and LG.
Some of the major game developers and publishers including Eidos, Finblade, Fishlabs, and SEGA of America, have already adapted popular games such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Helistrike 3D, and Sonic The Hedgehog to utilize this new technology.
Finblade has even created Fireworks, the first two-player game specifically designed for use with the Zeemote JS1 controller. The company has not yet decided on a price for the device. They plan to bundle the controller with games and new high-end phones; and start mass production in May.
Created by the team that gave us the first force feedback joystick for PC gaming, the Zeemote
JSI controller offers freedom from the limitations of the mobile phone keypad, providing the comfortable and intuitive interaction of an analog joystick with the mobile phone.Measuring at a small 95 x 35 x 20mm and weighing 47g, the Zeemote JS1 controller has a thumbstick and four assignable trigger buttons. It offers real analogue control, enabling users to engage with mobile games.
According to Mike Yuen, senior director (Gaming Group) of Qualcomm, the Zeemote JS1 is one of the most innovative devices to come along for mobile gaming, as it greatly helps improve game playability on mobile phones versus traditional d-pads.
The controller has a wireless remote technology that interacts with mobile phones in as natural a way as a mouse does with a conventional PC. It communicates with mobile phones via Bluetooth. According to Zeemote, the technology platform has been validated for use on a wide range of phones from major manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericson, and LG.
Some of the major game developers and publishers including Eidos, Finblade, Fishlabs, and SEGA of America, have already adapted popular games such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Helistrike 3D, and Sonic The Hedgehog to utilize this new technology.
Finblade has even created Fireworks, the first two-player game specifically designed for use with the Zeemote JS1 controller. The company has not yet decided on a price for the device. They plan to bundle the controller with games and new high-end phones; and start mass production in May.
Range of Mobiles launched by LG at GSMA 2008
LG Electronics unveiled some new products and future technologies at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It officially launched the LG-KF700, a new handset with an optimized user interface that makes use of touch technology. Other handsets from LG featuring touch technology included the convenience oriented LG-KF600, the slim and stylish interactive touch-lighting LG-KF510, and the professional level camera phone-equipped LG Viewty.
LG-KF700
Combining three separate input methods, the LG-KF700 provides easy access to multimedia
features, which includes a full web browser, digital audio and video players, and handy widgets. The high-res 3-inch full touchscreen LCD provides an optimized interface for watching video content. A shortcut dial on the rear of this 3G, HSDPA-enabled handset offers an easy and intuitive way to switch among applications. There's a sliding alphanumeric keypad for calls. Other features include a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, support for microSD cards, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
LG- KF600
The LG-KF600 won a 2008 iF Product Design Award. It’s equipped with a 3 megapixel camera, MP3 player, and video recorder. This slider, like the Samsung soul, has a smaller touch-sensitive display under its 2-inch TFT display. The phone supports Bluetooth, USB, and microSD cards for external memory, and is EDGE-enabled.
LG VIEWTY ( LG KU-990)
The LG Viewty includes features found on many high-end standalone cameras, including a manual focus option, image stabilizer, and ISO up to 800 for indoor or night shooting. The 5.0 megapixel camera can record video at up to 120 FPS, the highest speed ever for a handset camera, and the files can be edited and uploaded directly to YouTube. A 3.0-inch touchscreen and Mobile XD engine provide vivid display while a jog wheel on the back maximizes usability. An attached stylus allows users to digitally 'write' on photos and edit files.
LG KF510
Gradated Metallic Stardust Dark Gray and Sunset Red color schemes form the basis for the design of the KF510, reinforced by a dynamic touchpad with interactive touch-lighting and emotional animation. The LCD includes a power-saving auto luminance control and is covered by tempered glass, which gives the phone durability. The Smart Camera has image stabilization, LED flash, and red-eye reduction, plus a startup time of around one second. Rounding up the features are an MP3 player and the ability to record and play back QVGA video.
LG KS20
The updated LG-KS20 slim smartphone is designed to enrich the mobile Internet experience. It features full Internet browsing capabilities, and downloads everything from music and video clips to push email at a speed of 3.6 Mbps through HSDPA. It also allows for video-conferencing. The intuitive touch input technology and large LCD screen maximizes Internet usability. The handset is powered by Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6 software.
LG-KT610
The LG-KT610 runs on a Symbian OS and looks quite like the E90 Communicator with a fully QWERTY keypad when it opens up. Other features include Bluetooth, USB, 3G HSDPA support, microSD card support for external memory, and built-in GPS receiver. It comes equipped with a 2 megapixel camera and has a 2.4 inch internal display with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, in addition to the external 1.4-inch monochrome display.
Info Courtesy: Tech2
LG-KF700
Combining three separate input methods, the LG-KF700 provides easy access to multimedia
features, which includes a full web browser, digital audio and video players, and handy widgets. The high-res 3-inch full touchscreen LCD provides an optimized interface for watching video content. A shortcut dial on the rear of this 3G, HSDPA-enabled handset offers an easy and intuitive way to switch among applications. There's a sliding alphanumeric keypad for calls. Other features include a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, support for microSD cards, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.LG- KF600
The LG-KF600 won a 2008 iF Product Design Award. It’s equipped with a 3 megapixel camera, MP3 player, and video recorder. This slider, like the Samsung soul, has a smaller touch-sensitive display under its 2-inch TFT display. The phone supports Bluetooth, USB, and microSD cards for external memory, and is EDGE-enabled.LG VIEWTY ( LG KU-990)
The LG Viewty includes features found on many high-end standalone cameras, including a manual focus option, image stabilizer, and ISO up to 800 for indoor or night shooting. The 5.0 megapixel camera can record video at up to 120 FPS, the highest speed ever for a handset camera, and the files can be edited and uploaded directly to YouTube. A 3.0-inch touchscreen and Mobile XD engine provide vivid display while a jog wheel on the back maximizes usability. An attached stylus allows users to digitally 'write' on photos and edit files.LG KF510
Gradated Metallic Stardust Dark Gray and Sunset Red color schemes form the basis for the design of the KF510, reinforced by a dynamic touchpad with interactive touch-lighting and emotional animation. The LCD includes a power-saving auto luminance control and is covered by tempered glass, which gives the phone durability. The Smart Camera has image stabilization, LED flash, and red-eye reduction, plus a startup time of around one second. Rounding up the features are an MP3 player and the ability to record and play back QVGA video.LG KS20
The updated LG-KS20 slim smartphone is designed to enrich the mobile Internet experience. It features full Internet browsing capabilities, and downloads everything from music and video clips to push email at a speed of 3.6 Mbps through HSDPA. It also allows for video-conferencing. The intuitive touch input technology and large LCD screen maximizes Internet usability. The handset is powered by Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6 software.LG-KT610
The LG-KT610 runs on a Symbian OS and looks quite like the E90 Communicator with a fully QWERTY keypad when it opens up. Other features include Bluetooth, USB, 3G HSDPA support, microSD card support for external memory, and built-in GPS receiver. It comes equipped with a 2 megapixel camera and has a 2.4 inch internal display with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, in addition to the external 1.4-inch monochrome display.Info Courtesy: Tech2
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