Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 6:38 AM
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The Daily Slash: April 14th 2010
April 15, 2010 at 12:04 AM |
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It's the hump day that we discussed yesterday, 3nd hopefully you've survived to see the other side. And tonight's Daily Slash, of course. But that goes without saying. Tonight we've got a nice assortment of stories, ranging from the moderately ridiculous, to the just plain awesome. Up first, within the Best of R3, we've got a 55-inch TV that's running Android, iPads being confiscated, and the sixth largest wireless carrier in the United States getting very lucky. And then in the 'net, we're happy to bring you a snowmobile to destroy all other snowmobiles, a charger that will juice up your gadgets, an egg that needs a nest of paperclips, and finally a keyboard that's perfect for the office.
The Best of R3 Media
This 55′ LCD TV Runs Android, but Not the Anroid We Want: We're fans of big TVs here, an we love big TVs that have plenty of features. A great feature that a TV can have, for the record, is a mobile Operating System as powerful as Android. And, while this isn't the first Android-based TV to make an appearance recently, it doesn't make this one l00k any less attractive. Featuring things like a USB port, HDMI, S-Video Out, a backlit LED 120MHz display, and an ARM Cortex A8 processor under that very thin hood, it makes us wish this was actually coming to the United States. Instead, you'll have to be in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, or Finland (or six other countries this bad boy is heading) to get your hands on it. Oh, and the bad news? It's running Android 1.5. We know, we know. It almost ruins the whole thing, doesn't it? [via Android Communit! y]
The iPad Isn't Allowed in Israel Right Now: Were you planning on taking your brand new Apple tablet to Israel on your next trip over there? Were you planning on doing it any time soon? If so, you might want to rethink your travel destination, because it looks like you're likely to get your iPad confiscated when you go through Customs. That's right, the Communications Ministry of Israel has issued a ban on iPads, and they're completely blocking any and all imports of the tablet from entering Israel. The reason is the lack of compliance with the country's WiFi, apparently, and the Ministry's engineers don't want to address the situation quite yet. So, no iPads in Israel. And no buts! [via Everything iPad]
US Cellular is Getting the HTC Desire. Wait, what?: US Cellular is what you'd call a regional carrier here in the United States. Regional carriers, for all intents and purposes, aren't necessarily known for carrying the latest and greatest when it comes to cell phones. Sure, there's some exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, it just doesn't happen. And it especially doesn't happen with a device that's one of the best of its kind, and only available in Europe. But, if a recently leaked US Cellular rebate sheet is to be believed, the HTC Desire is indeed hitting the sixth largest wireless carrier in the States. There's no official launch date, obviously, but the rebate form says that if people want to take advantage of the rebate, they need to purchase their Desire between April 16th and July 15th. Yeah, that's soon. [via SlashPhone]
The Dredge Net
Meet the Snowmobile from the Snowpocalypse, Only in Russia: A few months back, the East Coast of the United States was literally pummeled by a ridiculous amount of snow. Subsequently, the locals started referring to the ensuing snow storms as the "snowpocalypse," and it just fit. Now, after seeing this snowmobile, we think this would have been perfect for travelling over those growing dunes of white powder. Created from scrap metal, and configured with an old Yamaha motorcycle engine, this snowmobile is light enough to grace atop snow piles, and get you where you need to go in just about the coolest way imaginable. Basically, we want one. [via DVICE]
The FreePlay ZipCharge Gives Hours of Charge in Just 60 Seconds: If you're a fan of technology like we are, then there's probably been a few times where you've stepped out of your house, got to wherever it was you're meant to be, and then realized the gadget in your pocket is dead. Yeah, it's a terrible situation to be in, and we hate it as much as you do. Thankfully there's superchargers like the FreePlay ZipCharge, which can give your iPod 2 hours of music playback, or 15 minutes of talk time on your phone. Which, oddly enough, is 8 hours of standby time. If you're feeling frisky, you can plug your device into the ZipCharge for ten minutes, and you'll get a charge good for up to 10 hours talk time, or 20 hours of music playback on that iPod (or other MP3 player, that, you know, can get up to 20 hours of music playback in general). The supercharger is only available in the United Kingdom right now (shuc! ks), and it goes for a cool £49.95. Think it's worth it? [via Gizmodo]
The Paperclip Nest Needs an Egg, Thankfully You Have One: From the sound of that little title, you'd suggest that there's some kind of crazy nest of paperclips out there, and we think you should get an egg that fits right into it. Well, you'd be wrong. Instead, you should get this crazy magnetic egg, and then build your new egg a nest of paperclips. Yes, that's right. It's the only way it will keep warm, and you need to baby that egg. The display art says so. We're not sure the last time we actually used a paperclip, but we know there's plenty of people out there still trying to get their little clips in order, and this is a great way to do it. After all, it's an egg, and you get to build it a nest. Wouldn't that make you feel accomplished? It's designed by Feng Cheng-Tsung and Wang Bo-Jin, and right now (well, after we finish typing this), we're giving them a round of applause. [via Yanko Design]
Simpsons Keyboard Sports a Great Message for Office Workers: Honestly, there isn't much to actually talk about here, but you've just got to appreciate the irony here.
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Or, at least, love the Simpsons as much as we do, and think these are just about the coolest keyboards we've seen in a long time. They're designed by Keyscaper, and they've actually given you options to choose from. There are three wired keyboards, and three matching (although wireless) mice. You can actually order your very own right now, but the price may make you waver: $50 gets you a keyboard, and $35 gets you one of the matching mice. Though, with an image like the one displayed above, we might say it's perfectly reasonable. [via Nerd Approved]
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Apple MacBook Pro (Core i7) mid-2010 unboxing
April 14, 2010 at 8:13 PM |
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Officially launched yesterday, Apple's Core i7 15-inch MacBook Pro has arrived on the SlashGear testbench and is crying out for an unboxing. Sticking to the same unibody aluminum style of its predecessors, the new MacBook Pro throws out the 0ld Core 2 Duo CPUs and replaces them with a choice of Core i5 and Core i7 chips paired with NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics.
Our particular review unit has the 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 processor paired with 4GB of DDR memory and GeForce GT 330M 512MB graphics. There's also Intel's HD graphics with Automatic Switching Graphics (ASG) between the two, a 500GB 5,400rpm hard-drive and slot-loading DVD burner. Other specs include:
- 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
- Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
- AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- Gigabit Ethernet port;
- iSight video camera;
- Two USB 2.0 ports; one FireWire 800 port
- SD card slot
- Audio line in (analog/digital); Audio line out/headphone (analog/digital)
- Glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard
- Built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery
We'll be putting the new MacBook Pro through its paces with some benchmarking and real-world impressions, and have a full review for you very soon. Until then, enjoy the unboxing video and hands-on gallery!
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Optoma GameTime Projectors Available Now
April 14, 2010 at 8:08 PM |
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Optoma is one of those projector manufacturers that keeps popping up in our stream, and we're kind of glad about that. Sure, they've stuck to their pico-projectors like they were the last projectors in the world more often than not, but there's nothing small about these GameTime Projectors. And, what's best of all, is that they're actually under $1,000! Score one for the rest of us, right?
The Optoma GameTime projectors are aimed specifically at computer and console gamers, with the introduction of three new models to satiate any particular style of gaming you partake. GT720 and GT360 are equipped with short-throw lenses, have a 2,500-lumen brightness rating, and have a 3,000:1 contrast ratio. Both of these models also include a 10W built-in speaker, just in case you're not taking full advantage of that surround sound system. The GT360 is designed for the Wii, surprisingly enough, as the projector has a native resolution of 800×600, and it's meant for a standard definition unit, even if it can receive an HD input, and is compatible with Macs and PCs.
The GT700 utilizes DLP display technology from Texas Instruments, and has a resolution of 1280×800; but its lumen rating is 2,300, and it has a contrast ratio of 2,500:1. With these lower specifications, it's no surprise that the 700 has a lower price tag as well. As for the GT720, the resolution comes in at 1280×800 for 720p resolution, so it's perfect for your Xbox 360 and PS3. Each of the new Optoma GameTime projectors weighs in at 6 and a half pounds. The GT360 costs $599, while the GT700 rings in at $749, and finally the GT720 will run you $799. Anyone out there going to order one for yourself?
[via Optoma]
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Intel Light Peak Could Replace USB 3.0 in 2011
April 14, 2010 at 7:40 PM |
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USB 2.0 ports are a pretty common denominator when it comes to your PC or Mac, and so it becomes obvious that we should already be talking about the next logical step in the technology, right? Actually, in this case, we're looking beyond even that, and talking about what Intel sees as the successor to USB 3.0: Light Peak. The upcoming Intel standard was originally meant to bridge other upcoming standards, but according to Kevin Kahn –an Intel senior company fellow–, all of that could change with the implementation of the Light Peak standard.
Intel's Light Peak standard is a 10Gbps peripheral standard, which, as noted above, was meant to suitably link up other standards; but as Kahn put it, while speaking at Intel's Developer Forum in Beijing, he sees it as a replacement to the 5Gbps standard of USB 3.0. When will this change occur? He sees it starting to take hold in 2011. Also noteworthy, Kahn seemed to believe that not only would Light Peak replace USB 3.0, but also any other standard that may be released in the future.
As for release dates of the Light Peak standard, Kahn made sure to note that component makers would get their hands on it in late 2010, and consumer-ready PCs would be ready to go by some time early in 2011. Seen as a complementary standard to USB 3.0 right now, it's mainly utilized as a method to reduce the number of connections inside a computer. There are some that believe that Light Peak may be utilized in upcoming Apple devices, such as the iPhone 4G (or whatever it's going to be called), which could mean syncing to iTunes would only take a fraction of the time it currently does on USB 2.0. Our fingers are crossed that this turns out to be true.
[via Electronista]
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KYE Factory in China Using Underage and Underpaid Employees
April 14, 2010 at 7:20 PM |
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The working conditions of those all over the world has been a hot topic over the years, as reports are issued more often than they should be regarding underage, underpaid, and overworked employees. The trouble is, these employees are always tied to the things we buy here in the States, most notably the electronics, gadgets, and pieces of tech we employ every day (and love so much). In the case of KYE Factory, this latest report from the National Labor Committe is much like all the others: abysmal work conditions, and even worse payment plans for those that create the things that have become so integral to people's lives.
ASUS Eee PC 1005PR with Broadcom HD decoder up for $400 preorder
With this latest report from the National Labor Committee, which details the working conditions of those employed with the KYE Factory in Dongguan City, Guangdong, China, there's a plethora of tech-based companies caught up in the mess. ASUS, HP, Best Buy, Samsung, and Foxconn are just some of the companies that utilize KYE Factory to manufacture outsourced products. However, the biggest name looks to be Microsoft, where the Redmond-based company uses the factory to manufacture its mice. The report, unfortunately, outlines how the factory aims to employ teenagers, usually between the age of 16 to 17, and make them work extraneous hours, which can reach up to 15 hours a day, every day of the week. Some workers are even told to stay in their working areas, even if they do not have work to do.
Additionally, the report details how the factory almost always employs women, under the age of 25, because they are easier to control. The factory is said to use a "work study" program for these employed teenagers, and have even managed to employ students that are only 14 and 15 years old. On top of everything else, the workers are provided with only 65 cents per hour, and the meals that they eat in the work compound are not included, which means the take-home income equals about 52 cents an hour.
Right at the top of the report, there is a quote from one of the workers, saying that they are "like prisoners," and that they do not have a life, but only work. Not surprisingly, the KYE Factory in China has stated that it is socially responsible, and has denied the claims presented by the NLC's report. While Microsoft, on the other hand, has not out-right denied the claims, but has stated that they are launching an investigation into the matter. The other companies, some of which were listed above, have not commented on the new charges implicated by the NLC. It's illegal for companies to hire underage workers, and to work them so exhaustively, but obviously companies either lie about their employees' age and circumstances, or the law is not being fully enforced in certain areas. Hopefully, more monitoring services can be implanted in troubling areas, so situations such as this can be easily taken care of, and in a faster fashion.
[via NLC]
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Scosche reVIVE II Brings USB Charging for the iPad on the Go
April 14, 2010 at 4:52 PM |
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 If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of folks to pick up the iPad a little over ten days ago, then you've probably noticed that your new tablet has some trouble charging while plugged into a PC's USB port. While Apple has pulled together a helpful page to fix your concern, we understand if you're tired of bringing around that AC wall plug with you everywhere you go. It would be much better to charge while you're driving, right? Then the Scosche reVIVE II with its iPad-optimized USB port is the perfect gift for you.
Scosche introduced their reVIVE II accessories a few days after the launch of the iPad, but as the communication grew around the lack of charging via PC USB ports, there's never been more of a reason to showcase them here. With a wall charger and a car charger to choose from, you'll probably be fully covered if you buy both (despite the fact Apple happily includes an AC plug for you, in the box). Both chargers come with two USB ports, one of which is of the higher powered sort, so that you can actually charge your iPad while on the go. The other port is for every other mobile device that you can charge with a USB cable.
So, if you've been staring at that whole "Not Charging" logo at the top-right of your iPad while you're syncing your new tablet to iTunes and you're teeth can't stand the grinding anymore, go ahead and pick up these two accessories. You can order both of them right now: the home charger will cost you $29.99, while the car charger will pull a cool $24.99 out of your wallet. You decide whether or not that's too expensive.
[via Hot Hardware]
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Library of Congress Will Archive All Public Tweets
April 14, 2010 at 4:37 PM |
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Are you a Twitter user? Have you been known to put down 140 characters of complete nonsense, all for the sake of getting it out of your system, because you knew no one important would ever get to see it? You're probably not the only one. So, reading this little bit of news about the Library of Congress is going to acquire the entire Twitter archive may freak you out a bit.
You read that right. Every tweet, of the public nature, that has ever been tweeted since March 2006 is now being swallowed up by the Library of Congress. That's just part of their current 167TB of digital data that's being stored under the roof. And, yes, as soon as the acquisition is finished, anyone will be able to go through the logs and see all the clever remarks from hundreds of thousands of Twitter users out there.
Ironically enough, the acquisition was announced by the Library's official Twitter account early this morning. Apparently, the Library's personnel sees this as a great way to emphasize some kind of scholarly notion, along with improving research. If you're researching the general populace, we're not sure if Twitter is the best place to start, but, we can see why it would be worthy of a look through. But of course, there's some important tweets out there, like the first tweet ever from Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, along with a few other gems that we're sure the research type would love to get their hands on.
[via TG Daily]
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DARPA's Transformer TX Combines Humvee With Helicopter
April 14, 2010 at 3:24 PM |
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DARPA is one of those agencies that must have a room filled with geniuses, all sitting around trying to come up with the latest and greatest in technology and equipment. Of course, we don't think they get to see the most recent science-fiction movies, and that's why these ideas seem to always feel a little too reminiscent of something we've seen before, but we won't hold that against them. This time around, they've got something planned that will bring together the military's juggernaut vehicle, the Humvee, and combine it with something like a helicopter. Or a hover craft. Or just a flying car from Sim City 2000.
This ambitious project, which was found in Pentagon budget documents last year but now made public thanks to a PDF, is called, right now at least, the Transformer TX, and for good reason. If you read the below quote close enough, there's a bit of key language in there that makes us think this thing might actually be way too similar to a Hasbro-like Transformer:
The Government's envisioned concept consists of a robust ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL [Vertical Take Off and Landing] air vehicle with a maximum payload capability of approximately 1,000 lbs. Now, we understand that flying cars is something that we all want, and that we've all wanted since well before the year 2000 disappointed everybody, but this wording makes us think that DARPA has something else planned for their little hover-Humvee. Instead of just saying the Humvee will have the ability to fly around and carry 1,000 pounds, they say it will "configure into" a VTOL. That makes us think this will be a Humvee by day, and turn into a hover-car by night (minus the night and day specific configurations, of course).
Size wise, this is going to be a bit bigger than your traditional military-grade Humvee. It has to be less than 30 feet in length, and should be about nine feet in width. DARPA also wants the Transformer TX to travel up to 250 miles on one tank of gas, and they want it to reach up to altitudes of 10,000 feet when it's flying around. Best of all, though, while they know pilots are still the best way to navigate flying things, the Transformer TX would also be equipped with remote piloting, just in case a certain situation is too hairy for a crew.
Science and the development of technology is one of the reasons that military's can remain pertinent, but this is a little out there. We imagine that DARPA isn't going to stop the crazy schemes any time soon, but if this does indeed come to fruition, we hope it's not going to cost millions of dollars to create, or keep maintained for that matter. (Though, we know that's not likely.) Nevertheless, from a completely tech standpoint, this is ridiculously awesome, and we hope we get to see some video of a flying Humvee soon. Especially if they get that working prototype working by 2015, like they want.
[via The Register]
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Nokia "large screen" device getting Fishlabs game
April 14, 2010 at 11:30 AM |
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Talk of a potential Nokia tablet has been pretty nebulous when it comes to anything more official than analyst speculation, but comments from game developers Fishlabs have reignited the rumors. According to the company's blog, Fishlabs "are working on a AAA title closely together with Nokia featuring OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics for a large screen." There's no suggestion of exactly how big that screen is, however, leaving us unclear on whether the device in question is a smartphone or a tablet.
If a smartphone, the most obvious candidate would be the Nokia N8, tipped to have a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen. However, whether that qualifies as a suitably "large screen" is arguable; it's also possible that Fishlabs have been developing for a new tablet device from Nokia. Either way, it's good to see the Finnish company are looking to gaming for whatever models are on the horizon; that's proved to be a lucrative avenue for Apple and a persuasive tool for drawing in mobile users.
[via IntoMobile]
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O2 Dell Mini 5 launch tipped by Dell/Telefonica alliance?
April 14, 2010 at 10:44 AM |
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With a headline like "Dell and Telefonica form strategic alliance", we'd forgive you for skipping past this latest press release and onto shinier things. Still, we've a feeling it's potentially hinting at far more exciting news: an imminent Dell Mini 5 launch on O2 in Europe, perhaps?
The press release, with phrases like "enhanced data-first experiences," certainly seems to point to a device like the Mini 5, which – although it can be used for voice calls – primarily uses its 3G connectivity for data services. The Android-based MID has a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen and a customized, widget-heavy interface, and you can see it cavorting with an iPad here.
We've pestered our contacts at Dell, but unfortunately their lips are well and truly sealed on this one. At the very least, we can probably expect O2-connected data modules in upcoming Dell netbooks and notebooks.
Press Release:
Dell and Telefónica Form Strategic Alliance to Deliver Innovative Connectivity and Communication Solutions
April 14, 2010 10:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time
MADRID & ROUND ROCK, Texas–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Dell and Telefónica today announced a strategic alliance that marks the beginning of a new collaboration effort to develop future products and services designed around enhanced data-first experiences, enabling customers to interact with family, friends and businesses whenever and wherever they choose.
"And we are very excited to work with Dell to develop these solutions."
"The demand for pervasive, instant-on, web-connected devices is everywhere," said Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions Group. "We are excited to align with Telefónica and leverage our combined strengths to create products and services that provide a simple and seamless experience for our customers."
"The new digital ecosystem, under construction, creates huge opportunities and advantages for all industries that transform and adapt to the digital world, and not only in terms of productivity, but also in terms of new lines of initiative, new applications and new business opportunities," said Vivek Dev, Director of Innovation at Telefónica. "And we are very excited to work with Dell to develop these solutions."
The alliance with Telefónica is part of Dell's continued focus on developing smart mobile products and services through value-added relationships with leading operators.
The Alliance focuses on three areas:
Provide customers with choices they value most now
Deliver next generation solutions first
Enhancing the digital customer experience and driving information communications technologies to market
About Dell
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to its customers and uses that insight to make technology simpler and create innovative solutions that simplify daily activities and help people stay entertained, connected and in touch. Learn more at www.dell.com.
About Telefónica
Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation. Its activities are centred mainly on the fixed and mobile telephony businesses with broadband as the key tool for the development of both. The company has a significant presence in 25 countries and a customer base that amounts to 265 million accesses around the world. Telefónica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy. Telefónica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Learn more at www.telefonica.com.
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Verizon confirm Droid Incredible by HTC preorders April 29th
April 14, 2010 at 10:31 AM |
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We won't lie; the HTC Incredible is one of the devices we're particularly looking forward to this quarter. Packing similar specs to the Google Nexus One, only with a higher resolution, 8-megapixel camera and HTC's Sense UI, Verizon have just confirmed that the Android smartphone go up for preorder on April 29th as the Droid Incredible by HTC.
Specifics about the phone are left to our imagination, however. There's no sign of an actual release date, nor how much the handset will cost, and we're in the dark about monthly plans (though it seems a safe assumption that Verizon's regular smartphone plans will apply).
However, thanks to a recent spec sheet leak we do know all the specs, including the 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, EVDO Rev.A, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth. There's also 8GB of onboard storage, an optical trackpad and microSD card slot.
[via Android Community]
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Slim Xbox 360 bundle with Natal by end of year tips analyst
April 14, 2010 at 10:11 AM |
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 That Microsoft are working on a slimmer Xbox 360 update doesn't seem all that surprising, given we've already seen leaked images of the mainboard along with the console itself, but Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachte reckons Microsoft will be doing more than just putting the console on a diet. "At a minimum," he wrote in a recent research note, "we anticipate the introduction of a more feature-packed Xbox 360 as the standard SKU in late 2010 (likely with! a 250GB hard drive) at the same $299 price point." However he also reckons it's more probable that Microsoft will want to get Project Natal in there too.
"It is far more likely that we will see a slim version of the Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive and with Project Natal bundled into the box while maintaining the $299 price point," he continues, pegging the updated package with the new motion-tracking hardware at the same cost as the current Xbox 360 Elite 120GB. Project Natal is due to make its official debut at E3 come June 13th 2010.
[via Tech Ticker]
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weaKnees TiVo Premiere gets up to 640hrs HD recording
April 14, 2010 at 10:02 AM |
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Biggest headache with the new TiVo Premiere has probably been the sluggish HD UI, but coming up in second place is likely the mere 320GB hard-drive the company fit as standard. That's good enough for up to 400hrs of SD content or 45hrs of HD, but if that's going to put a dampener on your home entertainment experience then head over to weaKnees. The official TiVo retailer has come up with some custom models of their own, offering up to 317hrs of HD recording.
$299.99 bags you a basic, stock TiVo Premiere, but for $499.99 you can get an upgraded one with a bigger hard-drive good for up to 2070hrs of standard definition content or 236hrs of HD. Step up to $699.99, meanwhile, and an even bigger HDD upgrade makes for a whopping 2777hrs of SD or 317hrs of HD.
Finally, $999.99 gets you the biggest TiVo Premiere system of them all, pairing the upgraded DVR unit with an external hard-drive for up to 5600hrs of standard-def or 640hrs of high-def. Despite the upgrades, the boxes are still eligible for TiVo's Lifetime Service, and if you use the promo code "ZNF" – negotiated by Dave Zatz – you can save 5-percent on the sticker price.
[via Zatz Not Funny]
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Sleek Audio SA7 in-ear monitors revealed
April 14, 2010 at 9:38 AM |
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Sleek Audio have been promising a new set of high-end in-ear monitors for some time now, and courtesy of Pop-Sci magazine we now have a better idea of what's in store. The Sleek Audio SA7 IEMs slot in above the SA6's, keeping the user-adjustable VQ system for tweaking treble and bass, but now machined from a single block of aluminum with a carbon fiber shell held on by titanium screws.
Inside, meanwhile, there are dual balanced armature transducers wrapped in shock-absorbing silicone that can apparently resist up to 14,000Gs. Whether you'll experience that sort of shock in your general listening is a different argument, of course, but at least you won't have to worry about dropping them in your bag and bumping them around a bit.
They're also paired with the Kleer wireless system, though looking at the single photo above it seems Sleek have a new controller which has track skip buttons and other playback keys; that presumably means you'll be able to control your PMP without having to whip it out of your pocket. Expected pricing is apparently in the $350 to $400 range, with the Kleer system another $100 on top; look for them to hit shelves within the next few months.
[via Head-Fi and via Sleek Audio Facebook page]
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HTC HD mini Review
April 14, 2010 at 9:16 AM |
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It sounds like a recipe for success: take the surprisingly popular HTC HD2, shrink it down some, and offer it as a more pocketable alternative. Yet out of the three devices HTC announced at Mobile World Congress in February, the HTC HD mini has prompted the least interest. The HD mini has to convince prospective buyers not only of its own merits but that it's worth buying into an ageing OS that's just months away from replacement. Can it deliver? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
At its launch, HTC told us that the HD mini embodies their new "Hidden Power" design ethos, where the structural form of a device is embraced by its aesthetic rather than hidden away. Most obvious are the four exposed screw heads that emerge through the rubbery back cover, being not just decorative but what's actually holding the whole phone together. The front, meanwhile, is a single pane of glass, with a 3.2-inch HVGA 320 x 480 capacitive touchscreen and five touch-sensitive buttons for Call, Home, Start, Back and End. On the side there's a volume rocker while up top a small power button doubles as the lock key; on the very bottom there's a microUSB port.
Take off the rubberised back plate and you'll find HTC have finished the entire rear of the phone with a bright yellow finish, complete with matching battery. It's eye-catching, certainly, but we can't help but wish you could see it without having to open the whole thing up. HTC expect transparent or colored aftermarket cases to show up shortly after the HD mini launches, but they'll need to be more than just silicone skins since the antenna is embedded into the lower section of the cover. It remains to be seen whether HTC's business market will see the appeal.
HTC HD mini unboxing:
Inside, where the HD2 gets Qualcomm's 1GHz Snapdragon chipset, the HD mini makes do with a more mundane 600MHz processor such as you'd find in the HTC Legend. That's paired with a Europe/Asia-Pacific friendly dualband HSPA/WCDMA 900/2100MHz radio (with quadband GSM/EDGE), WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and GPS. So far there's no talk of a US version, so if you decide you're desperate to use the phone in North America then you won't get 3G speeds. ROM is 512MB and RAM 384MB, and there's a microSD slot content with up to 32GB cards. Overall performance proved nothing to write home about, with the CPU running out of breath when trying to deal with data-heavy apps.
As for that ageing OS, the HD mini is HTC's latest Windows Mobile 6.5 device, toting the HTC Sense interface on top. As is common knowledge now, Windows Mobile is due to be replaced by Windows Phone 7 by the end of 2010, with handsets running the new platform expected to be on sale in time for the holiday shopping season. Lacking sufficient screen resolution, processor grunt and physical controls, there's pretty much zero chance that the HD mini will see an official Windows Phone 7 upgrade option, though of course there'll be plenty of unofficial hacked ROMs if that's the path owners want to take.
Windows Mobile 6.5 has been well criticised, and it's certainly not the most pleasing OS on the market today. It does have a few strengths, however, not least the decent baked in Exchange support which makes hooking the HD mini up to a corporate network an indecently simple proposal. As for usability, just as we've seen on the HD2, HTC's Sense system goes a long way in improving matters. The regular homescreen is replaced by a finger-friendly UI that allows you to flick between different task-specific tabs, such as the preloaded Opera browser, Footprints GPS photo-tagging app and HTC's own Peep Twitter client. It also does a decent job of hiding some of Windows Mobile's less attractive dialog boxes and settings pages.
Nonetheless, in comparison to the flexibility of Android or the intuitive nature of webOS, Windows Mobile 6.5 feels clunky. Sense might pull in Facebook, Flickr and other information into your contacts, and link together different communication records – all emails, SMS, calls and other contact – per individual, but other platforms simply do a slicker job of it. The HVGA display also falls short, and while it's color-rich it's also noticeably grainy in comparison to the (WVGA) screen on the HD2. That undermines media playback, and it makes for frustrating web-browsing too, demanding plenty of panning and zooming if you want text to to be readable. The onscreen keyboard, meanwhile, does a decent job of auto-correcting errors and predicting words, but we prefer the experience on the Legend which, despite having the same size 3nd resolution display, we found we were more accurate on.
Photos from the HD mini's 5-megapixel autofocus camera are passable, if nothing outstanding. There's no hardware shortcut, just as on most HTC phones, but at least when you finally get to the camera app it loads relatively quickly. Images demand more light than we've found on other recent handsets from the company, and there's no LED flash (though, to be fair, we generally aren't impressed with their performance anyway). Once you've snapped a shot you can upload it with relative ease to Facebook or Flickr.
As a phone, we experienced some issues with the HD mini's call quality. Both us and the people we were calling experienced static and audio drop-outs, and the audio performance generally fell short of what we've come to expect from HTC devices. We weren't alone in our disappointment, either; we know other reviewers who have found the HD mini falls short in this department. Hopefully this is a pre-production flaw that will be ironed out by the time the handset ships.
Battery life, meanwhile, was certainly enough to get through a full day, even with push email turned on and regular Twitter polling. HTC reckon you'll see up to 435 minutes of GSM talktime from the 1,200mAh battery, or alternatively up to 500hrs WCDMA standby (340hrs GSM), up to 8hrs video playback, or up to 12hrs audio playback. With more casual use we reckon you could see your way through a couple of days, in fact, which given we're used to nightly recharges (or even mid-evening top-ups for some greedier devices) is a serious plus for the HD mini. HTC preload their excellent WiFi Router app – which allows you to share the phone's 3G connection with WiFi devices like a netbook or iPad – but be warned that sucks down power considerably.
There's no disguising that we've been impressed with the recent HTC smartphones to cross our desk, but we need a little extra convincing with the HD mini. It's not so much that it's a bad device – though we hope the call quality issues are addressed before production models go on sale – but rather that it lacks that all-important spark. Where the HD2 has enough hardware-wow – the speedy processor, the huge display and the fulsome multimedia handling – to offset the lacking appeal of Windows Mobile 6.5, the HD mini's more mundane specs can't quite manage the same.
If you're wedded to a particular app that demands the current Microsoft smartphone platform – and it's worth noting that Windows Phone 7 breaks backward compatibility with Windows Mobile 6.5 titles – or you want their solid Exchange support, the HD mini might still appeal; we'd point you to the company's own HD2, however, which while more expensive offers a far more impressive user experience. Had HTC released the phone this time last year, the outlook for the handset could be very different; faced with a significantly more appealing OS right around the corner, and a wealth of tempting rivals running different platforms on shelves today, the HTC HD mini doesn't offer enough to warrant buying into Windows Mobile 6.5.
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TVLogic debuts new LEM-150W 15-inch OLED monitor and TDM-150W 3D OLED
April 14, 2010 at 9:06 AM |
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A company called TVLogic has pulled the wraps off a pair of cool OLED displays for computer users. Both of the screens are 15-inches and use OLED tech inside. The first screen is the LEM-150W and is a 2D monitor.
It has a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 180-degree viewing angles, HDMI input, DVI input, and more. The screen is compatible with 1080p 60 and 4:4:4 with an optional 3G/Dual-link feature. The really cool screen is the TDM-150W.
This monitor is the same 15-inch OLED but has support for stereoscopic 3D content. The screen has 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 180-degreee viewing angles and all the same features as its 2D brother. Pricing and availability are unknown, but these things will not be cheap.
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Turn your iMac into a steampunk dream with a custom cover
April 14, 2010 at 8:56 AM |
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We have covered out fare share of steampunk gear here on SlashGear. The thing that most of the gear has in common is that they are each a custom built one of a kind devices made by the user. A dude going by the name Woodguy from Old Time Computer is showing off some cool covers for the iMac that gives it that Steampunk look.
The covers apparently slip right over the top of the iMac and leave the camera and screen exposed and don't interfere with the use of the machine. The covers are available in a couple colors and styles.
A Shaker Style or Maplewood style are the options. Shaker style is cherry wood with square peg and crown trim. You can get a painted marble base or optional solid cherry trim for the keyboard as well. The Maplewood version is made from maple with a maple base. There is no word on pricing at this time.
[via Yanko Design]
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International iPad launch delayed until end of May
April 14, 2010 at 8:39 AM |
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Bad news for would-be international iPad buyers. Apple have just announced that they are postponing the launch of the iPad outside of the US by one month, with the touchscreen tablet now not expected to arrive internationally until the end of May.
As for the reason, Apple say they've been surprised by the US demand for the iPad that was "far higher" than they predicted and "will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks." That, combined with the "large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models" has obviously had a knock-on effect for stock availability.
Apple will announced international pricing on Monday May 10th, and they'll begin to accept preorders on the same day. They're hoping – somewhat in vain, we'd expect – that international customers will take heart for the reasons behind the decision, however: "we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason–the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far."
Press Release:
Apple Media Advisory
CUPERTINO, Calif., April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple today released the following statement:
Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad(TM). We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.
Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May. We will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders on Monday, May 10. We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason–the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.
© 2010 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh and iPad are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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HP makes installing printers much easier
April 14, 2010 at 8:26 AM |
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One of the things that many people who are not familiar with computers have a hard time doing is installing new peripherals like printers. This is particularly true for in the baby boomer generation who are getting their first computer.
HP has announced the industry's first plug and print laser printers. The plug and print technology means that the user needs no drivers or CDs to get the printer to work. The simply plug the USB cable in and the printer installs itself.
HP printers supporting this feature include the new LaserJet Pro P1100, M1130 and M1210 MPF laser printers, and the P1566 and P1606dn laser printers. The LaserJet P1100 is also hailed as the most energy efficient laser printer and has auto on/off tech that only turns the printer on when a print job is detected.
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TDK unveils EB900 headphones and announces WR700 US availability
April 14, 2010 at 8:17 AM |
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TDK is a brand that has been around for a long time. Most of us will remember the company as one of the big brands of blank cassette tapes back in the day. TDK announced a new set of wireless headphones in February called the WR700 that we talked about.
At the time, they were announced TDK offered no information on the US launch or price of the WR700 wireless headphones. TDK has now announced that the WR700 headphones are available in the US for $249.99. The headphones work with any device using a 3.5mm headphone jack.
TDK has also announced a new set of in-ear earphones called the EB900. The EB900 earphones have 8.5mm micro drivers for dynamic sound and bass. The earphones ship with three different silicon ear tip sizes and comply foam tips for $89.99.
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Addonics unveils new Network Attached USB adapter
April 14, 2010 at 8:05 AM |
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If you have a network in the home or office being able to share USB devices like scanners, printers, and webcams can save lots of money and install hassles. The catch is that some network devices cost a lot more than other devices lacking integrated network capability.
Addonics has unveiled a new network attached USB adapter than lets anyone connect USB devices to their network and have them accessible to any computer that has network connectivity. The adapter sells for about $50.
The adapter works with all sorts of USB devices including webcams, speakers, external storage, optical drives, and any other USB device. The adapter has a gigabit network connection and can transfer data at up to 30MB/s.
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Nokia N8 launch date gets pushed back according to rumor
April 14, 2010 at 7:49 AM |
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We have been hearing about the Nokia N8 for a while now. An image of the device leaked a while back and last month we heard the device was set to debut in April and then launch in September. If you were intrigued by the device, you will have to wait longer if rumors prove true.
GSMArena reports that a tip was received that claims the N8 launch date was pushed from late May to mid-July. The publication believes that the person offering the tip works for O2 UK and claims that the device is on the stock update for the carrier.
Specs are still unconfirmed for the device. Rumors peg the handset to have a 12MP camera capable of recording 720p HD video. The handset is also expected to run the latest version of the Symbian OS with touch functionality.
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Rekimoto Lab shows off interesting and odd mobile tech
April 14, 2010 at 7:41 AM |
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We all tell little white lies each day. Most of them aren't to be dubious or mislead people; they are out of a desire to be nice. You know what I mean, like when your wife asks if you like her new shirt and you hate it, but you don't want to hurt feelings. New and strange tech for mobile phones has turned up on Rekimoto Labs that will out your white lies.
The tech for cell phones uses the same stuff found in lie detectors. The idea is that it would use a sensor on the phone to tell the person on the other end of your call how you really feel. No thanks. The company does have an interesting way to zoom though. The iPhone lets us pinch to zoom, but the Rekimoto tech lets you press to zoom. The harder you press the more zoom you get.
The strangest bit of tech form the lab is a system that lets your cat Tweet. I can only imagine how this tech would fuel the Lolcats movement. The device is worn on the cat's collar and uses a camera, mic, accelerometer, Bluetooth and GPS to tweet the cat's location and what it is doing. I can see the Tweet now "On Ur Couch sharpening my clawz." The same company also had tech way back in 2004 that was going to change game controllers for the better that was never commercialized.
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Cables to Go offers TruLink 29670 Wireless HD Kit
April 14, 2010 at 7:25 AM |
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 One of the biggest problems with setting up a home theater for many people is getting the signal from a cable box or other input from the device to the TV. Long HDMI cables can be expensive and if you need to run them to the other side of the room, they can be ugly too.
Cables to Go has announced a new wireless HD kit called the TruLink 1-port 60 GHz Wireless HD kit. The kit has a single HDMI port and can send the full 1080p HD signal across the room with no wires up to 33 feet from the transmitter.
The system only works with line of sight so it can't be used to shoot a signal to another room. The kit can be pre-ordered now for $499.99 and is set to ship on June 1.
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Appeals court overturns ruling against Nintendo in patent case
April 14, 2010 at 7:14 AM |
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Nintendo was sued by a company called Anascape Ltd way back in 2008. Anascape alleged that Nintendo controllers for the Game Cube and the Wii infringed on its patent. The case was originally heard in an East Texas court and this case was one of the early cases that lead many more tech firms to file their patent suits in the same East Texas court.
Nintendo has announced that its appeal of that original jury verdict has lead to the court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to overturn the jury verdict in the case. The patent at the heart of the suit was No. 6,906,700. The jury in the original case found that the Nintendo Wii Remote and Nunchuk did not infringe on the patent, but ruled that the Classic Controller infringed on the patent held by Anascape.
The jury verdict has now been overturned and Nintendo has been cleared of infringement. "In 2008, the jury determined that the Wii Remote and Nunchuk did not infringe," said Nintendo of America General Counsel Rick Flamm. "Today the Federal Circuit's ruling confirmed that none of Nintendo's controllers infringe. We appreciate that our position has been vindicated."
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New Samsung 3D LED TVs to feature InstaPort S tech
April 14, 2010 at 6:59 AM |
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I hate waiting on inputs to change on my TV. One of the older sets in my house takes a good 10 seconds to switch between each input and you have to go one input at a time down the list rather than directly to the input. That means if you want to go from HDMI 2 to HDMI 1 you have to thumb through each of the inputs in the list and each one takes about ten seconds to switch. It drives me crazy.
Silicon Image has announced that Samsung's new line of 3D LED TVs will feature its InstaPort S technology. We talked about the original InstaPort tech back in 2008. The tech makes switching inputs and actually seeing an image much faster.
Silicon Image claims that the Samsung sets can switch between HDMI connected devices in a single second. That is much less than the typical four to seven second delay most sets have.
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DXG-321 3D camcorder ideal for your budget Avatar homage
April 14, 2010 at 6:44 AM |
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 3D is certainly the latest buzzword in home entertainment, and if you'd like to replicate the success of James Cameron but on a slightly more affordable budget, DXG may have the camcorder for you. The DXG-321 packs twin lenses that can record 3D video content – albeit only at VGA resolution and in Motion JPEG format – or take 5-megapixel stills, and the company even includes the necessary display to view your footage on.
The camcorder itself has a flip-out 3-inch preview screen, but for more leisurely viewing there's a 7-inch digital video viewer (we're guessing it's a modified digital photo frame) that apparently allows you to see the 3D content without special glasses.
DVICE reckon the stereoscopic effect – likely from a lenticular LCD panel – is pretty convincing, though of course it does mean you can't really take the footage and show it on your 3D HDTV.
DXG's camcorder arrives in June 2010, priced at $400 including the standalone display. The company also has a trio of 2D-only models, the DXG-A85 HD (coming March for $300), the DXG-A80V HD (arriving this week for $250), and the DXG-590V HD (on sale now for $200) which simultaneously record in upload-friendly QVGA resolution and HD resolution.
[via Electronista]
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Intel Tunnel Creek Atom SoC debuts
April 14, 2010 at 6:31 AM |
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Intel have outed their latest Atom based SoC, Tunnel Creek, at IDF 2010 this week, a combined chipset intended for embedded applications, straightforward consumer electronics and making previously dumb devices – like printers – "intelligent". Tunnel Creek takes a standard Atom processor core, complete with display controller, GPU, memory controller and audio, and allows manufacturers and OEMs to link to it directly via a standard PCI Express interface; according to Intel the GPU packs 50-percent more graphics performance than existing Menlow chipsets.
It's also smaller and cheaper than Menlow, and yet adds in things like hardware video encode acceleration and active noise cancellation DSP. Intel reckon it'll find a place in IP phones and in-car entertainment systems, which will take advantage of its low power consumption, increase in overall processing power compared to Atom Z5xx series chips, and home information systems like intelligent energy monitors.
Tunnel Creek is expected to arrive in Q4 2010. Meanwhile Intel also announced a partnership with Chinese car company HawTai which will see Intel processors power MeeGo based in-car multimedia and navigation systems.
[image via Carrypad]
Press Release:
Intel Plans New Intel® Atom™ Processor-based System-on-Chip; Unveils Car, Telecom Wins in China
Intel CTO Rattner Outlines Research Challenges in Home, Car and Network Energy Consumption
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- Intel unveils upcoming "Tunnel Creek" System-on-Chip (SoC) for IP phones, printers and in-vehicle-infotainment systems for cars
- China carmaker HawTai plans to incorporate Intel Atom processor and MeeGo software in future in-vehicle-infotainment platform
- Intel partners with China Mobile; additional telecom companies adopting Intel processors for next generation networks
- Intel Labs shows off new smart electrical sensor and home energy dashboard that can learn and display how homes and businesses consume energy in real-time
BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)–INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM
"We're cooperating closely with local companies in China to provide smarter and better connected computing solutions for cars, homes, businesses that provide infrastructure to power a more mobile and faster Internet experience."
Two Intel executives today outlined the latest Intel system-on-chip (SoC) products for embedded applications and described new research to allow homes and small businesses to better use and manage energy. The forthcoming SoC product features an Intel® Atom™ processor core that, for the first time, will let other companies create PCI Express*-compliant devices that directly connect to the chip, which offers new flexibility for embedded applications.
Intel also highlighted work with HawTai*, a major Chinese car maker that plans to use Intel Atom processors and MeeGo* software for their in-car infotainment systems. In addition, China Mobile*, the world's largest wireless telecommunications company, will adopt Intel chips for targeted platforms powering its wireless networks.
"Intel is committed to focus our technologies on innovative new applications in China," said Doug Davis, corporate vice president and general manager of Intel's embedded and communications group. "We're cooperating closely with local companies in China to provide smarter and better connected computing solutions for cars, homes, businesses that provide infrastructure to power a more mobile and faster Internet experience."
Davis disclosed details on a future Intel product code-named "Tunnel Creek" during his speech. This SoC for embedded applications, such as in-vehicle-infotainment and IP media phones, will use a standard interconnect to the processor. The highly integrated SoC combines an Intel Atom processor core, the memory controller hub, graphics engine and video engine into one chip.
The chip will also enable companies to connect their own custom-built silicon to the Intel chip as long as it is a PCI Express compliant. The flexibility in this highly integrated one-chip solution helps reduce bill of materials and saves on board real estate for embedded applications.
China Wins in Cars, Telecom
Davis also welcomed an executive from major Chinese auto manufacturer, Rongcheng HawTai Automobile* to join him on stage. HawTai announced that its new B11* luxury sedan will incorporate the Intel Atom processor and open-source MeeGo software platform in its in-vehicle-infotainment systems.
"With an infotainment solution that utilizes the Intel Atom processor, we are leveraging the well-established and latest Internet technologies, and re-using existing software that has been developed on MeeGo based Linux platform," said Mr. Wang Dian Ming, vice chairman of HawTai Automotive. "It saves us application development costs, and enables new services to be introduced quickly with high reliability."
As more computers and PC-like devices connect to the Internet, telecommunications companies are seeking ways to more efficiently and cost-effectively accommodate growing network demand. Davis outlined Intel's vision of applying the IT industry's compute and cloud model to the telecom industry by consolidating network workloads on a single architecture. He said worldwide telecom leaders are endorsing Intel architecture for targeted platforms in their next generation infrastructure, including Alcatel-Lucent*, Ericsson*, Hauwei* and ZTE*.
On stage, Dr. Cui Chunfeng, manager of wireless research labs, department of wireless communications, China Mobile Research Institute discussed how the largest wireless company in the world will partner with Intel in developing its next generation wireless network infrastructure to help move China Mobile into a 'compute and cloud' model.
"China Mobile has been researching a new Radio Access Network architecture that is intended to provide our broadband wireless network the benefits of world class energy efficiency, reduced total cost of ownership, and high performance, while having the flexibility to allocate infrastructure resources to varying network load conditions," said Dr. Cui. "To accomplish this vision we want to utilize Intel architecture in our next generation infrastructure, and tap into the flexibility, scalability and fast rate of innovation of using a software-defined architecture."
Personal Energy Management
Following Davis on stage, Intel Chief Technology Officer and managing director of Intel Labs, Justin Rattner, discussed how smarter technology at home and at work can reduce and better manage energy consumption. Rattner said the company's goal is to apply Intel technology in ways that empower consumers and small businesses to make better energy choices.
"Consumer empowerment is critical," said Rattner. "Individual consumers must have the information, tools and incentives to conserve scarce energy resources, minimize their carbon impact and keep their energy budgets under control. If we can make energy more personalized with real-time information and offer visual tools that engage entire communities, it will lead to valuable changes in behavior and save staggering amounts of energy."
Researchers at Intel have invented a new wireless device to make the collection of energy data easy and inexpensive for consumers. The experimental, low-cost sensor need only be plugged into the house wiring to instantaneously measure and wirelessly report the power consumption of each electrical load in the home. The technology could be easily deployed by consumers to analyze energy usage of devices and appliances throughout a home.
Rattner also demonstrated a working prototype of an Intel-powered home energy display that when coupled with the wireless energy sensor, would monitor performance, recommend solutions for more efficient usages, set goals, and reward success. The pair of devices forms the heart of a personal energy management system that could help a U.S. household save up to $470 per year in electricity costs. Given that the U.S. has 113 million households, the potential savings is over $50 billion a year. If only one percent of U.S. households were to realize this savings, it could reduce annual coal demands by 371,000 tons and reduce carbon emissions by 2.4 million metric tons, or the equivalent of taking 535,000 cars of the road. Intel's CTO went on to describe how to improve personal energy management of electric cars. He said as the volume of electric cars increase, strain will be placed on the local electric grid at night when most are recharging. Intel Labs is looking at how to b! etter coordinate charging times to reduce peak loads, which would reduce the need to upgrade local electrical distribution facilities and save significant amounts of money.
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Apple iPhone 4th-gen reveal planned for June 22nd?
April 14, 2010 at 6:02 AM |
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We're all expecting Apple to out their fourth-generation iPhone sometime this coming summer, but according to ModMyi the exact date might be June 22nd. They've been peering through the diary at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in San Francisco, the venue where Apple have announced previous generations of iPhone, and have turned up a reservation by the company on just that date.
There's no confirmation from Apple themselves, obviously, and we won't see any invitations – going on past behavior – until just a week or two in advance of the event itself. It's also somewhat later in the month than previous years; 2009's iPhone 3GS event took place on June 8th, while the iPhone 3G made its debut on June 9th.
[via Gizmodo]
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ASUS Eee PC 1005PR with Broadcom HD decoder up for $400 preorder
April 14, 2010 at 5:46 AM |
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Interest piqued by ASUS' Eee PC 1005PR, which carries the Seashell style but pairs it with a 10.1-inch 720p capable display and Broadcom's BCM 70015 HD Decoder chipset for accelerated high-def video playback? Amazon have put the new Eee PC up for preorder, and $399.99 gets you an Atom N450 1.66GHz processor, 1GB of memory, a 250GB hard-drive and WiFi b/g/n.
There's also a 0.3-megapixel webcam, Bluetooth and a battery good, ASUS reckon, for up to 11hrs of runtime. Thanks to the Broadcom chip you can expect YouTube HD to play smoothly, unlike on a regular netbook, together with Flash 10.1 support. No word on when it might ship, but we're guessing the release is imminent.
[via Netbooked]
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Spring Design Alex ships today
April 14, 2010 at 5:27 AM |
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If you eschewed Kindle, nook and iPad last month and instead slapped down your money for Spring Design's Alex dual-display ereader, then the good news is that your new toy is expected to ship out today. Up for preorder since March 16th, the $399 Alex runs Android and – unlike the nook – allows for full internet access over its WiFi connection. Spring Design have also confirmed that their international multi-language versions will be made official "shortly".
Those multi-language models will support Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Korean and Hebrew, while Spring Design are also preparing 3G/EVDO versions for release in June or July this year. As we heard from Spring Design's Eric Kmeic, the company is negotiating iPad-style data plans for those who want to use the WWAN connection for getting online, while simple book downloads will be included in the original purchase price.
The 3G version is expected to add roughly $80 to $100 to the $399 sticker price, making for a pretty expensive ereader; it's entirely possible that those users looking for a more general device will look to the iPad instead. The Spring Design preorder page is here, and it's available in black and white.
Spring Design Alex hands-on:
Press Release:
Spring Design to Ship Alex eReader Wednesday April 14
International Versions to Be Announced Shortly
FREMONT, Calif. – April 13, 2010 – Spring Design today announced that the dual screen multimedia Alex™ eReader, available online at www.springdesign.com, will begin shipping to customers as planned tomorrow, April 14.
Weighing only 11 ounces, the Android-based Alex eReader supporting eBooks in EPUB, PDF, HTML and TXT formats offers full Internet browsing using WiFi connectivity, and later this year will also feature 3G and EVDO/CDMA connectivity.
Alex offers multitasking, enabling users to enjoy music while they read, supplement their eBook on the EPD screen with video on the LCD screen, search the Web or use email so users may connect with each other in book clubs and social media.
The Alex eReader costs $399 and measures 4.7″ by 8.9″ and less than a half inch deep. It comes with headphones, AC connector, USB cable and protective cover. The USB 2.0 connector makes it easy to transfer photos, videos or other files to the Alex MicroSD card offering expansion of user libraries up to 32GB. Spring Design will offer periodic over the air updates for the Alex.
Spring will shortly being to announce multi-language versions of Alex for countries speaking Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Korean and Hebrew. Alex is the first eReader to offer international versions of the product through its local country partners connecting to local bookstores.
About Spring Design:
Spring Design Inc., founded in 2006, designs and delivers eReader products to the eBook market. Its Alex eReader is the first multimedia, Android-based, dual-screen eReader with a full-function browser. It offers a hyperlink publishing tool, "Link Notes", that links eBook text to related video, audio, notes or web addresses. Spring Design Inc. is located in Fremont, California with engineering offices in Taiwan and China. Spring Design's innovative patented technologies incorporate the seamless interaction of dual display and multi-online access in a single device, benefiting and leveraging the technology and resources of the Web to enhance the reading experience. For more information please see www.springdesign.com.
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Toshiba Tecra M11 gets Core i3/i5 from $879
April 14, 2010 at 5:06 AM |
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It's obviously a week for laptop processor upgrades, and while Toshiba's Tecra M11 notebooks aren't quite as eye-catching – or as fast – as Apple's new MacBook Pro machines, they're a whole lot cheaper. The 14-inch Tecra M11 packs Intel's latest Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs, together with up to 3GB of DDR3 memory and standard Intel HD graphics; if you're willing to splash out on the top-spec model, you get NVIDIA NVS 2100M graphics instead.
Connectivity, meanwhile, includes WiFi a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and a combo USB/eSATA, along with an ExpressCard slot, memory card reader and both Mini DisplayPort and VGA outputs. There's also an integrated DVD burner, 6-cell battery and both Windows 7 and XP.
Toshiba reckon the 6-cell battery will last for around 4hrs, which considering the M11 will probably end up on office desks isn't so bad. Prices for the new Toshiba Tecra M11 models kicks off at $879 for a Core i3 machine, with a preconfigured M11 Core i5 with discrete NVIDIA graphics coming in at $1,299.
Press Release:
Toshiba Announces Tecra M11: a Powerhouse Laptop for Road Warriors
Business Laptop Delivers Performance, Durability and Security with New Stylish Design and Three-Year Limited Warranty
IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the availability of the new Tecra® M11 Series, high-performance business laptops designed to meet the demanding needs of mobile professionals. With an all-new look featuring a unique textured finish in Charcoal Black that helps reduce fingerprints, the Tecra M11 perfectly balances performance, durability, security and style.
"Mobile professionals cannot sacrifice productivity on the road, needing all the conveniences of the office no matter where they are"
The Tecra M11 laptop features a vibrant 14-inch diagonal high definition LED backlit anti-glare display, which brings presentations to life with bright and crisp colors. Equipped with Windows® 7 Professional, all-new 2010 Intel® Core™ processors, ultrafast DDR3 memory, high-speed hard drives and optional discrete graphics, Tecra M11 laptops offer the performance necessary to maximize productivity.
"Mobile professionals cannot sacrifice productivity on the road, needing all the conveniences of the office no matter where they are," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "The Tecra M11 Series represents our ability to provide the latest mobile technologies, smart features and comprehensive security in a highly portable and affordable package. These laptops are built with our renowned quality and enhanced durability and we back the laptop with a generous three-year limited warranty to assure businesses can buy with confidence."
Travel Easy. Smart Features.
At less than one-and-a-half inches thick and just over five pounds, the Tecra M11 is built for travel and includes smart features ideal for business on the road. The laptop includes Toshiba's eSATA/USB combo port with Sleep and Charge, which enables users to charge a smart phone or other USB device even when the laptop is turned off and transfer files up to five times faster than via a standard USB port1. Advanced wireless and a built-in webcam and microphone enable more effective communication and collaboration with colleagues.
Work securely. Move freely.
A multitude of security features on the laptop helps safeguard sensitive business data. Multiple-level passwords, plus a fingerprint and SmartCard reader help thwart unwanted access and a Trusted Platform Module offers high-level data encryption. The Tecra M11 laptops also include Toshiba's advanced EasyGuard® technology to protect the PC from accidental bumps and spills and come standard with a standard three-year international limited warranty.
More information and detailed specifications can be found at:
laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/tecra/M11.
Pricing and Availability
Tecra M11 Series laptops start at $899.00 (MSRP2) and are now available through authorized WSCA/NASPO resellers, select Toshiba Preferred Partner Program resellers, e-tailers and directly at toshibadirect.com. More information about WSCA and Toshiba's mobile solutions can be found at laptops.toshiba.com/wsca.
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Xbox LIVE for original Xbox & games axed today
April 14, 2010 at 4:54 AM |
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 It's April 15th 2010; do you know where your Xbox LIVE service is? If you've been using the online gaming system on a first-gen Xbox console, or playing original Xbox titles on your Xbox 360, the answer is that Microsoft are turning it off. As announced back in February, the original service is being discontinued so that Microsoft can update it with functionality the first-gen Xbox games simply can't support.
Those changes will include boosting friends list capacity, but otherwise Microsoft are keeping pretty quiet as to how they envisage developing the online gaming service. More immediately, it means an end to online multiplayer titles like Battlefront 2, Crimson Skies and Halo 2.
However, Marc Whitten of the Xbox Live team also dropped hints that the change includes more integration with the upcoming Project Natal hardware, which certainly has us curious. It bears repeating that Microsoft aren't shutting off Xbox Live for the 360, nor the titles released solely for that console, so don't start weeping and rending your clothes thinking the whole thing is going away.
Original Statement:
Dear Xbox LIVE Members,
On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn't a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.
Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we've since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.
There's no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the "Halo" franchise. "Halo 2″ has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games. And while it's difficult to see that run come to an end, the "Halo" franchise continues to act as the benchmark for multiplayer gaming in this generation, with "Halo 3," "Halo 3: ODST" and soon "Halo: Reach" on Xbox 360.
Your Xbox LIVE community has grown to 23 million strong. And as we look down the road, we'll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the service that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games. We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities. We view you as a partner in this process.
We'll share more details soon, but in the meantime I want to assure you that the best is yet to come for Xbox LIVE. I believe we'll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn't be more excited about what we have in store with "Project Natal" and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it's because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.
See you on LIVE,
Marc Whitten [via Kotaku]
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Samsung AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 projector phone arrives in Korea
April 14, 2010 at 4:28 AM |
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Samsung seem to be leading the charge when it comes to cellphones with integrated pico-projectors, with yet another new model from the company. The Samsung AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 has a 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera and a 9 lumen projector module capable of up to 50-inch images.
Samsung reckon the AMOLED Beam W9600 is 1.5x as bright as its predecessor, the SPH-W7900. Like that model, there's support for showing photos and video (either recorded with the phone's camera, or preloaded onto it), and the W9600 can also display Microsoft Office documents and play back DivX-encoded video.
Elsewhere there's a DMB terestrial digital TV tuner, HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and a front-facing camera for video calls, while onboard memory totals 11GB with a card slot for adding up to 16GB more. The whole thing measures 56 x 116 x 15.7 mm. No word on whether we might see the AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 reach the US or Europe, but we're guessing we'll probably get the Samsung Beam I8520 instead.
Press Release:
Samsung Illuminates the Future With the AMOLED Beam, Its Latest Beam Projector Mobile Phone
Equipped with high quality AMOLED display and advanced beam projector features, the AMOLED Beam brings a stunning mobile experience to the Korean market
SEOUL, Korea – April 15, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today introduced the AMOLED Beam (SPH-W9600) to the Korean market. The successor to the Samsung Haptic Beam (SPH-W7900), the world's first full-touch beam projector phone, the AMOLED Beam delivers an enhanced viewing experience and richer image projection.
Moving the mobile phone experience from personal use to social engagement, the AMOLED Beam allows users to project and share multi-media entertainment, games, video and pictures captured on the 5.0 megapixel camera. Business users can use the AMOLED Beam to swiftly and simply deliver professional presentations wherever and whenever required.
The AMOLED Beam provides an exciting mobile experience by projecting any content to a maximum screen size of 50 inches. The phone also boasts a display 1.5 times brighter than that of previous model, the Haptic Beam. Featuring a lightweight and compact design, the AMOLED Beam offers optimized features such as Microsoft Office and DivX codec support for convenient use, 3.3" WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, and Terrestrial DMB.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 188,000 people in 185 offices across 65 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
AMOLED Beam (SPH-W9600) Product Specifications
Network:
Display:
- 3.3" WVGA AMOLED (800×480)
Camera / Video:
- 5.0 megapixel Camera + VGA Video Telephony Camera
- DivX support
Audio:
Value-added Features:
- WVGA Projector (9 Lumen @ 1W)
- Terrestrial DMB
Connectivity:
Memory:
- 8GB + 3GB, external memory slot (Up to 16GB)
Size:
Battery:
* Product specifications are subject to change without notice.
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The Daily Slash: April 13th 2010
April 14, 2010 at 12:20 AM |
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Tuesday is one of the days that, the moment it starts, you're wondering how fast it's going to end. After all, it's the day before Wednesday, and hopefully that means you're half way done with your work week. That's one of the reason we're so happy to bring you the Daily Slash, where we can let you wind down with the day's ending topics, so you can feel rejuvenated for your hump day challenges. As for what's on tonight's platter, which of course we focus on the Best of R3 first, is an Android-based handset that's coming direct from a wireless carrier, the latest and greatest when it comes to virtual desktops for your iPad, and the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 gets reviewed. And then in the 'net, we've got new chips from Intel, an Iron Man 2 goodie that's great for all ages, a hoodie with a little bit of light, and finally one of the greatest looking eBooks we̵! 7;ve ever seen. So let's not waste any more time, shall we?
The Best of R3 Media
Orange Calls its First Android Phone Boston, We Approve: Android is an open source mobile Operating System, and it's specifically designed for anyone who wants to take a crack at it, to, well, take a crack at it. And with that in mind, take the Orange-branded Boston for what it's worth. It's not necessarily a low-end device, as it features a 3.2-inch 480×320 touchscreen, 600MHz processor, 5MP camera on the back, and it has 802.11 b/g WiFI. However, the real appalling feature is the fact that it's going to ship with Android 1.6. That just doesn't cut it in our books. [via Android Community]
Citrix Receiver Brings a Virtual Windows Desktop to Your iPad: While we brought you a different kind of way to multitask last night, this method may be a far safer, and much more rational way to go about bringing multitasking to your iPad. With the Citrix Receiver iPad application, you connect that with the XenDesktop application you download to your Mac or PC, and have at it with the virtual goodness. You'll be able to utilize multiple applications running in the virtual PC, and what makes it all worth it, is the fact that the company created an iPad-like User Interface, so you still get that ease of use you're accustomed to, even if you are running Windows 7. [via Everything iPad]
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Gets Reviewed: Even if you can't go pick up your very own X10, with its Rachael User Interface, at least you can head over to SlashPhone and check out their in depth review of the handset. Much like every other cell phone (or gadget, for that matter), it's not going to be for everyone, but we know that someone out there will like the X10. With its Timescape and Mediascape applications, and the fact that the Rachael UI brings a whole new level of custom skinning to a mobile Operating System, the X10 certainly stands out. But, does it do it in a good way? Go read and find out. [via SlashPhone]
The Dredge Net
Intel Suggests Dual-Core Atom Chip is Coming to Netbooks: As it stands right now, most netbooks out there are running a single core Atom chip (if they're running an Atom chip at all, mind you), but it looks like Intel wants to change that, and soon. By the second quarter, Intel CEO Paul Otellini wants to have a dual-core Atom chip running in netbooks and other small form factors. And while the Atom chip may not be anything to write home about, at least not in its single core iteration, we're pretty confident that a dual-core chip could definitely be something to get excited about. [via CNET]
Iron Man 2 Saves Your Data: Who better to store your data than Iron Man, right? That whole JARVIS system should do wonders for your spreadsheets and word documents. If you're a fan of the Iron Man movie franchise, and you want to see the new movie, maybe you should show your excitement by picking up this USB drive. It comes in a 4GB capacity, and it will cost you $39.50, so we're assuming you're paying a little bit of overhead due to the fact it's Iron Man related. But hey, it's cute, right? [via Chip Chick]
The Skôn is a Hoodie With a Light: Skôn means nice, in Swedish and Dutch, and we're pretty sure that title fits this piece of tech really well. You have what looks to be a normal hoodie, but then bam, there's a light that outlines the hood. There's a knitted variable resistor within the fabric of the hood, so the more you play with it, the brighter the light will become. So, if you find yourself in a dark tunnel, the more you nervously knead the rim of your hood, the brighter your path will be lit. [via Yanko Design]
Alice eBook Makes All Other eBooks Want to be More: While the iBooks application brings a sense of realism to reading your electronic book, with that whole slow page turning and what not, just watching this video demonstration of this Alice in Wonderland eBook blows our minds. It's so interactive, with its pop-up 2.0 features, that we can't wait to get our hands on it. And, in point of fact, we really can't wait to see what comes next. Just watch the video and see how you can literally interact with the story, and make certain set pieces within each page move, or shake, or tumble around. We can see how this will make millions of kids out there want to read. [via The Daily What]
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