The Daily tech news: April 29nd 2010,Nexus One,iPad

e. SlashGear The Daily Slash: April 22nd 2010 April 23, 2010 at 12:52 AM We're one day away from the weekend, so we've got to make tonight special. You know, because it's one day before the weekend. And that's got to be a holiday somewhere. So, with that in mind, we'll start the Best of R3 with a bit of Vodafone UK Google Nexus One goodness, and then some Hulu iPad talk, and then some bad news for the Nexus One. And then in in the Dredge 'Net, we've got a watch made from the Ash of a volcano, Microsoft finally releases some touch goodness, and ARM executives letting everyone know they don't need to be bought. The Best of R3 Media the daily tech news till us that :Google Nexus One Hit Vadafone UK in April: that is what the website says. Sure, it's already the end of April, so that's not stopping the mega wireless carrier across the pond from posting up that the device is coming this month. It's been coming soon for quite some time now, so it's good to finally get a month listed. Even if it is over in a week and a half. [via Android Community] Hulu's Getting an iPad App: Never y0u mind that the iPad's only been in your hands since the third of this month. Hulu is one of those apps that should have been on the tablet from day one. And while many would think that free would be the better way to go about things, Hulu executives believe that Hulu Plus, for $9.95 a month, is a much better idea. So, even if you can already get ABC shows for free from their own application, Hulu's hoping you'll drop a monthly fee to watch it again. [via Everything iPad] Nexus One's 3G Issues No Longer Important: So, Google is giving up on the whole 3G technical issues on the Nexus One, according to a Google spokesperson speaking on the company's blog. If you were one of the unlucky ones to have some issues, and the fixes that Google wanted you to try didn't work, then it looks like you'll just have to live with the spotty 3G coverage. Of course, you could try to turn your phone upside down . . . Or move. Yes, that's what Google thinks you should try now; we didn't make that up. [via SlashPhone] The Dredge Net Watch Includes Ash from Recent Volcano Eruption: Unless you've been under a rock for the last few days, then you know about the volcano that erupted in Europe. If you didn't get to experience it first hand, then maybe you should think about buying this watch that includes rock and ash from the eruption. Yep. The watch is designed by Romain Jerome, and he's made a watch in the past from moon dust, so this seems normal compared to that. The E-DNA comes with a certificate of authenticity, but there isn't a price tag attached to the watch, and considering the contents, we'll go ahead and assume it's going to be expensive. [via DVICE] Windows 7 Touch Pack Available for Free: And you can download it right now, believe it or not. The one feature that folks with Windows 7 and a touchscreen have been aching for is finally here, available for free from Microsoft's website. It should be a quick download, at only 239MB, and it features things like Microsoft's Surface Globe, Surface Collage, and a game that's Pong-inspired called Rebound. There's some extras, too, so if you've got the touchscreen to run the software, it's definitely worth taking a look. [via Microsoft] ARM CEO Says No Reason to Buy Company: Is there a point to buying a company that doesn't actually do anything except supply things to other companies? It's definitely an interesting point, and it's one that ARM CEO Warren East felt the need to address. Despite the fact that today's rumors about Apple thinking about buying ARM caused a major, major increase in the company's stocks, he wanted to make sure that everyone understood ARM's role in the markets they reside: they create things that other company's can alter to see fit. Basically, their "business model is an excellent way for technology companies to gain access to our technology." Truer words have (probably) never been spoken. Though, that's not stopping the stock from climbing, so we'll have to see what happens next. [via mocoNews] Relevant Entries on SlashGear AT&T Employees Blocked From Vacationing in June Xbox 360 USB storage update arrives today The Daily Slash: April 19th 2010 HTC EVO 4G Makes an ! Appearance in Sprint Inventory System SlashGear Guns N' Roses feud reportedly turns nasty Microsoft Announces Third Quarter Fiscal Results April 22, 2010 at 5:43 PM It must be that time of the year, because we've got corporate results coming up all over the place. First we heard from Apple, and then we got some corroborating information from AT&T after they released their own results. Now it's time for Microsoft to reveal their third quarter fiscal earnings, and although they've got a few drops, for the most part it seems that the Redmond-based company is doing pretty well for itself. The top of the cake goes like this: revenue reaching $14.5 billion for the quarter ending March 31st, which results in a total net income of $4.01 billion. That beats the Wall Street analyst's expectations, so that's good news for Verizon Wireless in of itself. Those results include $78 million that Microsoft gave to Yahoo!, but do not include $305 million deferral relating to Microsoft Office 2010. Continuing on the incline would be Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, which reported a $165 million in earnings. Compare that to the $41 million lost year-over-year, and that's some good numbers. However, Microsoft's Online Service Division recorded a $713 million loss, which stacks alongside a $411 million loss last year. But, we can't go out on bad news, so we'll add that Windows Live and Windows are still the products raking in the cash for Microsoft: they recorded a $3.061 billion operating income. Basically, oodles and oodles of money. We'll have to wait and see what happens after the launch of the Kin One and Kin Two devices, along with Windows Phone 7 devices later this year. And let's not forget Project Natal. All these devices should only help the company in the long-run. [via All Things D] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Apple posted record Quarterly Revenue and Earnings BioShock 2 confirmed for 2009 release Apple Posts $3.07 Billion Profit in Second Quarter 2010 Lenovo announce $16.4bn sales in last year Palm downgrade revenue expectations over "slower than expected" sales Sprint Premiere Customers Get a Chance to Win an HTC EVO 4G April 22, 2010 at 3:51 PM There's definitely something about being a member of something, no doubt about that. If you happen to be a Sprint Premiere Customer, then you've just got a ticket to one of the best giveaways to date. You've heard about the HTC EVO 4G, right? It's Sprint's first 3G/WiMAX device, and it's the sibling to the HTC HD2, so we understand that you might be excited about it. So, if you fit the bill, you might want to read on. Sprint is offering Premiere Customers the chance to win one of 10 HTC EVO 4G handsets, plus a lot more. But, before you get too excited, here's what you'll have to do: write up 150 words (or less, if you're creative enough) and tell the judges what you can do "really fast," just like Sprint has done with their latest 4G commercials. We'd be willing to bet that if you're collection of words is entertaining enough, or memorable, you've got a better shot at winning the ultimate prize. Ten people will win the handset, plus a year's worth of free service, and you'll even get the chance to blog about your experiences with the Android 2.1-loving handset on an official Sprint page all the way up to the end of August. But, four of those ten will get a vacation to a Sprint 4G-enabled city for an extended Summer weekend. Keep in mind that you've got to be Premiere Customer to even qualify, and winners will be notified on May 18th. And you've only got until May 9th to enter, so make it snappy. Check out our hands-on with the HTC EVO 4G below if you need a refresher. [via Sprint] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sprint rebuttals – Customers let go were looking for a free ride Motorola C290 for Sprint Network Sprint decides to drop bothersome customers Sprint teams up with Clearwire to build WiMAX network Update: LG Rumor issues Bungie Unveils Three Halo Reach Game Editions April 22, 2010 at 3:35 PM Bungie's ultimate Halo franchise is nearing an end, as the final title in the sweeping saga is set to release later this year. And while it may not feature the series' main protagonist, there's no doubt that the game has players all over the world waiting with pent-up anticipation. There's an open Beta starting May 3rd, so hopefully you're getting ready for that. But, if you're more interested to see what the final product will launch in, Bungie has pulled the curtain off the three editions. The first of which is the standard edition, which, pretty standard, features the video game and manual. There's nothing special about this, other than you're getting your hands on Halo Reach. The next version up is the limited edition. The game disc will be housed in a recovered ONI "black box," an artifact bag containing Dr. Halsey's personal journal, which focus on detailing previously held secrets of the Halo Universe. Also, it includes an exclusive in-game Armor permutation for the Elite player model. And finally, the Legendary Edition. This features everything that the limited edition has inside, but it also comes with a statue of the Noble Team (the main characters of the game) standing in front of a rock, which has been created by MacFarlane Toys. The entire packaging is ornate and UNSC-themed, and finally there's an extra exclusive multiplayer Spartan armor effect. Basically, if you're going to get an edition, the Legendary version is probably the way to go. Price wise, you're looking at $59.99 for the regular edition, $79.99 for the limited edition, and $149.99 for the Legendary Edition. And, as always, the limited and Legendary editions are going to be "while supplies last," so act accordingly. [via Bungie] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Bungie Might Not Be Finished With Halo, or They Might Be Halo Free Gold Days – Three days of Xbox Live Gold courtesy of Best Buy and Bungie Bungie hooks mistreated gamer up with tons of swag Rumor: Bungie leaving Microsoft Free Halo 3 from Bungie Barnes & Noble Launches New nook Advertising Campaign April 22, 2010 at 3:08 PM The Apple iPad is apparently a pretty good eReader. And, it has a pretty impressive (if still ultimately lacking) book store under its belt, so why wouldn't the two other mainstays in the eReader department be changing things up? We already heard that the Amazon Kindle is heading to Target, so now it's about time for Barnes & Noble to step things up. And, if we have to wait for that nook 2, we can deal with some new advertising, if we have to. According to the press release, Barnes & Noble are pressing forward with a major new advertising campaign, which is going to focus on the fact that Barnes & Noble has been around since about forever, and the new commercials will go out of their way to elaborate that point. The first commercial is going to be called "My Story," and it tells the tale of a customer that grows up with books being part of her life along the way. The commercial will end with her taking her books with her, where she'll read her nook on the beach, and then download a new title right there on the spot. Basically, the commercials should convey two things: "the only eBook reader from the bookstore you've grown up with," and "take your story wherever you want it to go." The national campaign is set to kick off today, and you should be able to see it at some point during the day if you watch American Idol, Good Morning America, House, or Dancing With the Stars, among others. You can also check out the spot on nook's website, if you're so inclined. Of course, you can find the nook in Best Buy stores starting this week, along with Barnes & Noble stores or online at their website. It will run you a cool $250, and it features the Android Operating System, along with a color display under the standard e-ink display. [via Barnes & Noble] Relevant Entries on SlashGear B&N nook in-store availability this week; "More In Store" content launching Barnes & Noble nook Lite Will Supposedly Feature WiFi Only Barnes & Noble nook locator reveals which stores have demos Nook 1.1 Firmware launches, most problems remain Nook 1.1-update enables connection to Barnes & Noble stores and performance improvements Kakai dual-display tablet sets sights on students April 22, 2010 at 12:40 PM Stealthy start-up Kakai have had their project scooped by AllThingsD, who have discovered that they are working on a Linux-based foldable dual-screen device targeted at the education sector. Intended – as we've heard about Microsoft's Courier tablet – to feel like a mixture between a notepad and a book, the unnamed tablet would be paired with a custom software suite and interlinked website. In fact, AllThingsD refer to the Kakai project as "essentially a Kindle for students," though their integration of multimedia and note-taking seems more ambitious than Amazon's system. Kakai was started by the same entrepreneur as behind the online textbook rental company Chegg, presumably a fact which helped the start-up secure almost $10m in funding. Apparently a demo device is "several months" away, and so far beyond the vague descriptions of those familiar with the project it's unclear what it looks like, what display technology it uses and what the rest of the spec-sheet might contain. We're guessing something along the lines of the Astri MID shown above, but will have to wait to find out. [via Electronista] Relevant Entries on SlashGear CES 2008: e-detail show Tablet PC Slates with secondary touchscreen sub-displays HP tx2500z Tablet PC reviewed: excellent budget option Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook T1010 entry-level Tablet PC Apple iPad Hitting Every Seton Hill University Full Time Student Sapphire unveils HD 2600 Dual ASUS N61JV brings NVIDIA Optimus to UK April 22, 2010 at 12:28 PM ASUS USA may have beaten them to it when it comes to getting a NVIDIA Optimus notebook on the market, with the U30jc, but ASUS' UK arm has a 16-inch machine of their own that takes advantage of the automatic graphics switching tech. The ASUS N61JV packs a 2.27GHz Core i5-430M CPU along with 4GB of DDR3 memory, but of course the interesting part is the dual-GPU thanks to both Intel GMA 4500MHD and NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M 1GB graphics. There's also a 500GB HDD, Blu-ray combo drive, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. Connectivity includes gigabit ethernet, a USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, HDMI and VGA, along with audio in/out, ExpressCard and an 8-in-1 memory card reader. Since it's not the smallest machine in the world, ASUS have found room to fit in a separate numeric keypad and Altec Lansing speakers along with the 1.3-megapixel webcam, though we're a little disappointed that the screen resolution is a mere 1366 x 768. Still, the most bizarre thing is that, while ASUS liberally talk throughout their press release about how much of a difference Optimus makes on battery life, they don't actually say how long you can expect the 6-cell battery to last. The ASUS N61JV is on sale in the UK now, priced at £949 inc. VAT ($1,466). Press Release: Powerful Graphics Held in the Balance ASUS Launch NVIDIA® OptimusTM Notebook ASUS have today announced their first notebook in the UK to feature the exceptionally smart NVIDIA® OptimusTM technology – the N61JV. NVIDIA® OptimusTM balances high performance graphics and extended battery life. The fully automated technology sits in the background ready to switch between discrete and integrated graphics based on which programs are being used – and with no user intervention required, it presents the perfect option for even novice users to find the ideal balance with their notebook. Users can now enjoy high definition media and other performance applications without having to worry about manually switching between two graphics processors or re-booting the application. The N61JV is available now from a range of retailers and e-tailers at a price of £949 SRP. Key benefits of Nvidia® OptimusTM: NVIDIA® OptimusTM technology intelligently optimises your notebook PC, providing the outstanding graphics performance you need, when you need it, all the while extending battery life for longer enjoyment. • Optimus technology is completely automatic allowing you to experience longer battery life and amazing visuals without having to manually change settings. • Behind the scenes and with no interference to what you're doing, Optimus seamlessly figures out how to best optimise your notebook computing experience. • NVIDIA graphics you've come to expect, with improved performance thanks to NVIDIA® CUDATM technology, allows you to enjoy your applications and games without interruption or worry. NVIDIA® OptimusTM delivers smart and unbeatable graphics performance to users when they need it most: The new N61JV model is the first in the ASUS UK portfolio to offer the intelligent NVIDIA® OptimusTM, a highly innovative technology which runs in the background and monitors which programs are being launched at any given moment. As any program opens, NVIDIA® OptimusTM switches to either discrete or integrated (onboard) graphics, depending on the performance needs of the application. 􏰀 Discrete graphics are chosen for intense applications such as games or movies 􏰀 Onboard/Integrated graphics are chosen for less-intense tasks such as emails or editing documents The clever part is that unlike previous archaic solutions, it doesn't require a reboot, and the user doesn't need to do anything at all – the transition is entirely automated, making it a favourable option for users who don't have the technical know-how to change graphics settings, but who still desire the optimum balance between battery life and stunning visual performance. NVIDIA® OptimusTM offers the perfect performance balance to maximise battery life and energy efficiency: Thanks to NVIDIA® OptimusTM technology and the unique process of switching between discrete (high performance) and onboard (low performance) graphics, users can be reassured that the ASUS N61JV notebook is only using as much power as it needs to at any one time, making it highly energy efficient and extending the battery life far beyond previous limitations placed upon a multimedia powerhouse. USB 3.0 technology for even faster data transfers: With the huge popularity of high definition content, it's no surprise that file sizes are becoming increasingly huge – and previous data transfer technologies are becoming cumbersome and slow to work with when moving files between media devices. The new USB 3.0 technology on the N61JV offers data transfers of up to 10 times faster than previous USB 2.0, ensuring a speedy and efficient solution for working with files anywhere, anytime. Specification – N61JV • 16″ HD TFT (1366 x 768, Color-Shine) display • 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium • Intel® CoreTM i5-430M (3MB cache, 2.27GHz) • NVIDIA® OptimusTM graphics technology with GeForce® GT325M (1GB dedicated graphics memory + Intel GMA 4500MHD) • 500GB (5400rpm) • 4096MB (2048×2) DDRIII 1066 RAM • Integrated Blu-ray Combo drive (Blu-ray read and DVD re-write) • 802.11 B/G/N WiFi • Integrated 1.3megapixel webcam • 6-cell battery • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR • ASUS Express Gate • Integrated numeric keypad • 10/100/1000 Ethernet • 8 in 1 card reader (SD, MMC, MS, MS-Pro, XD, Smart Media, mini SD w/ adapter, MS-Duo) • Built-in speaker and microphone • Altec Lansing® speakers • SRS Premium Sound • Ports o 1 x Express card o 1 x Microphone-in jack o 1 x Headphone-out jack (S/PDIF) o 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor o 1 x USB 3.0 ports o 2 x USB 2.0 ports o 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert o 1xHDMI o 1 x WLAN On/Off Switch o 1 x E-SATA • Dimensions 38.4 x 26.5 x 2.79~3.73 cm (W x D x H) • Weight 2.80 kg (with 6 cell battery) • 2-year global collect and return warranty • SRP £949 inc VAT Relevant Entries on SlashGear NVIDIA Optimus teases frugal discrete notebook graphics NVIDIA drops Optimus automatic graphics switching on notebook world ASUS U30jc arrives with Optimus, Core i3 and $900 tag NVIDIA Ion 2 officially announced: 10x graphics grunt & 10hr battery life Huge Optimus Prime Birthday Cake ASUS Eee Keyboard gets video unboxing April 22, 2010 at 12:11 PM Only yesterday were we gaping in slack-jawed amazement at the sight of an Amazon preorder page for the ASUS Eee Keyboard, and then today an unboxing video of one of the first review units – complete with final packaging, we're told – shows up. Netbooknews are the lucky recipients, and they waste no time in whipping out the innovative nettop. Video unboxing after the cut Their particular model is the 16GB SSD version, with an MRSP of $549; the unit on Amazon, meanwhile, has a 32GB SSD and is $599. Both get Intel's Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and a Broadcom AV-VD905 video decoder for HD playback, together with WiFi b/g/n, gigabit ethernet, HDMI and VGA and a battery rated for up to 4hrs use. Also in the box is an external WiFi/UWB antenna and an HDMI-toting receiver, which apparently allows you to use the Eee Keyboard with your HDTV from up to five meters away, streaming 720p HD video. Previous tips have suggested the Eee Keyboard will begin shipping on April 23rd. Relevant Entries on SlashGear ASUS Eee PC 1101HA gets video unboxing New Apple Keyboard unboxing ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell gets video unboxing ASUS Eee PC 1005HA gets video unboxing ASUS Eee Keyboard video touchscreen demo Diamond BVUMD3 USB Display Adapter supports 1080p HD April 22, 2010 at 11:27 AM DisplayLink adapters capable of outputting 1080p Full HD are relatively rare beasts – so far we've spotted a Lenovo model on the market, for a heady $129 – so Diamond Multimedia's $75 BVUMD3 USB Display Adapter Plus tickles us exactly where we want it to: in our wallets. The compact device allows you to hook up a DVI or VGA monitor to a regular USB 2.0 port on your PC, notebook or netbook, and you can plug in up to six at any one time. As well as the display output there are three powered USB 2.0 ports for using the BVUMD3 as a mini docking station of sorts. Up to 1600 x 1200 and 1920 x 1080 (wide) 32-bit True Color resolutions are supported, and you can either mirror your notebook's display or extend it. It's worth noting that, since the DisplayLink drivers take a toll on your CPU, you won't be able to run six of these from, say, a regular netbook. Still, for adding a third screen when you're already using your notebook's normal display output, $75 seems something of a bargain. Press Release: DisplayLink and Diamond Create New Twist on Docking Stations, Combines Mini Display Adapter and USB Hub PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DisplayLink USB virtual graphics technology has enabled Diamond Multimedia's BVUMD3 USB HD Display Adapter Plus to provide plug-and-play capabilities for additional displays to laptop or desktop computers, while providing additional USB ports for peripheral connectivity and giving a new twist to the traditional universal docking station. "DisplayLink's DL-165 USB virtual graphics chip has enabled us to offer our customers a means to connect multiple monitors to a single device, along with many other multimedia capabilities" Using DisplayLink's USB virtual graphics chip, the DL-165, Diamond's BVUMD3 USB HD Display Adapter Plus packs a lot into a small 4.0 x 2.6 x .8 inch device. It supports DVI or VGA interfaces, offering high quality digital imaging up to 1600 x 1200 and 1920 x 1080 (wide) 32-bit True Color resolutions and allows users to mirror or extend the display in any direction. The BVUMD3 can determine the type, resolutions and key features of any display, ensuring a fast and error free setup. Furthermore, it is fully integrated into the Windows operating system and is managed by the Windows Control Panel interface. "DisplayLink's DL-165 USB virtual graphics chip has enabled us to offer our customers a means to connect multiple monitors to a single device, along with many other multimedia capabilities," says Louis Kokenis, the Product Engineering Manager for Diamond Multimedia. "The BVUMD3 also uses 80% less power than a discrete solution." In addition to the USB graphics adapter, the BVUMD3 provides three DisplayLink USB virtual graphics powered USB 2.0 high speed ports that can be used as a mini universal USB docking station for netbooks, notebooks and Macbook peripherals. "Diamond's USB HD Display Adapter Plus is another example of USB universal docking stations gaining momentum in the market and how they have unlimited potential to enhance the notebook/netbook computing experience," says Dennis Crespo, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for DisplayLink. "The USB HD Display Adapter Plus offers big productivity and organizational benefits in a small package." Diamond's BVUMD3 USB HD Display Adapter Plus is available now for $75 from Diamond's online partners, including Amazon.com, Buy.com, CircuitCity.com, CompUSA.com, NewEgg.com, TigerDirect.com and retail outlets such as Fry's and Micro Center. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Stream from PC to TV wirelessly via Wisair's USB Adapter Sewel USB to DVI adapter adds more external display to your laptop Best Buy unveils Rocketfish RF-WHD100 WirelessHD Adapter Sprint HTC Touch Diamond: Video Unboxing Broadcom BCM7632 single chip Blu-ray solution supports 3D Hanwha HM-TL7T touchscreen sub-display packs HDMI April 22, 2010 at 11:01 AM Secondary sub-monitors designed to give your IM window, Twitter client or Photoshop toolbars somewhere to live aren't new, but the Hanwha HM-TL7T distinguishes itself not so much by virtue of its touchscreen but by its connectivity. Rather than hooking up via USB, the 7-inch HM-TL75 has both HDMI and VGA connectors as you'd find on a regular monitor. Otherwise you're looking at a pretty regular display, running at 800 x 480 WVGA resolution and coming with a panning, swivelling mount. Our guess is that this might be a better match to lower-powered nettops, who might find the strain of running DisplayLink virtual video card drivers saps CPU cycles that could be better put to use elsewhere. Unfortunately there's no sign of pricing for the display, nor word on whether it might ever be available outside of Japan. [via Akihabara] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Hanwha launches monitors with Bus-power Hanwha 7-inch LCD uses D-Sub, not USB connection CES 2009: ASUS Eee Keyboard with integrated touchscreen ASUS Eee Top ET2002T and ET2203T Ion all-in-ones confirmed for US Sony's 10 megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-N2 Psyko Audio 5.1 PC Gaming Headset promises perpetual sweet-spot April 22, 2010 at 10:35 AM When your company is called Psyko Audio Labs then we guess you have to fill your press release with threatening phrases like "Psyko ushers in the dawn of audio as a weapon", but frankly we'd be happy if the distinctive Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset System sounds as good as they promise. The magic, they reckon, is in the five speakers integrated into the headband – front left, center, front right, rear left and rear right – together with a subwoofer in each earphone, which basically create a miniature surround sound gaming environment around your head. Video demo after the cut Because you're wearing the speakers you're always in the sweet-spot for the best surround effect, and there are closable flaps on each earphone to let you switch between open and closed cups. In the box there's a removable microphone boom together with a 5.1 channel headphone amp. End result, Psyko say, is a system which better delivers precise surround sound effects to where you want them to go, adding up to a more immersive, accurate gaming experience. That's a good thing, as for $299.99 it's about the same price as a regular entry-level big box surround sound system. Press Release: Psyko Audio Labs Announces the Immediate Availability of Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset System to USA and Canada Revolutionary PsykoWave 5.1 surround sound technology delivers a new layer of gaming immersion with precise 3D sound, instant positional awareness, and improved reaction times and kill ratios Psyko ushers in the Dawn of Audio as a Weapon Calgary, Alberta – April 22, 2010 – Psyko Audio Labs Inc., a leading innovator in PC Gaming headphone technology, is ecstatic to unleash the dawn of audio as a weapon through the immediate availability of the highly anticipated Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset System to USA and Canada. Psyko's patented PsykoWave Technology empowers PC Gamers with an unfair advantage over the competition through precise 3D sound that drastically heightens awareness of your gaming surroundings. Players can instantly identify and locate every gun shot, footstep, and explosion allowing for faster reaction times, higher player performance, and the most immersive gaming experience to date. "Psyko 5.1 completely rethinks conventional headphone design and puts PC gamers directly in the sweet spot of a 5.1 room" remarks James Hildebrandt, CEO of Psyko Audio Labs. "You get natural surround sound with no latency, no simulation, and no hassles. This technology will completely shift the current landscape of gaming audio and usher in a new era of fully immersive gaming where audio is now a deadly weapon." The Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset System is now available for $299.99 in the USA and Canada at major online stores such as Tigerdirect, Newegg, CompSource, and more, as well as in retail shops such as Frys Electronics. For additional information and a brief video demonstration, go to http://www.psykoaudio.com/ PsykoWave Technology – Psyko headphones deliver true 5.1 sound from 5 speakers strategically placed in the headband. The sound is channeled and flows to each ear in a natural way which allows everyone to enjoy true 5.1 sound. o The headphone bridge houses 5 audio speakers (front left, center, front right, rear left and rear right) with a subwoofer in each ear cup for a total of 7 speakers. o Sounds from each speaker carry throughout the Wave guides to pass over the front and back of both ears, giving users natural, not simulated, surround sound. For a demonstrational video on how this works, click HERE. o Precise Simplicity – Another significant advantage to gamers is the simplicity and accuracy of speaker setup. Rather than the normal compromises in speaker positioning typical to 5.1 room systems, the speakers are in exactly the right spot automatically. You literally just put them on and you are in the optimal "sweet spot" of the 5.1 surround sound experience. Gamers often hear directional sound more accurately wearing the Psyko 5.1 headphones than they do with their 5.1 room system. o Optimal Comfort– Psyko 5.1 gives the user control to either block outside sounds, or open the ear cup to vent their ears for cooling and to hear conversation in the room during game play. The headset is fully adjustable and provides maximum cushioning using fabric rather than faux leather or vinyl which gets slippery and itchy with sweat. Marathon gaming sessions have never been so comfortable. o Psykowave Custom Sound Control – The Psyko 5.1 PC headphone amplifier allows control of the volume and bass levels as well as being the first headphone system to have lights that provide a visual indication of the direction of every sound. These amplifier lights provide a simple way to see if your computer is in stereo mode or using the full 5.1 surround sound mode. o Removable Microphone – Psyko 5.1 comes with a removable microphone. Psyko Audio Labs Inc. is a private, Calgary-based consumer electronics company, started in 2007 to revolutionize gaming headphones. Their main product, the Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset with its patent pending PsykoWave technology, helps gamers instantly and accurately hear where everything is around them. Psyko 5.1's natural abilities to create true surround sound provide a significant advantage over the alternative, where all sounds must be pre-processed to simulate directionality. www.psykoaudio.com Relevant Entries on SlashGear Creative Fatal1ty X-Fi USB Headset Astro A40 gaming headset details Motorola Gaming Headset X205 Two Australian men make perpetual motion machine Samsung Modus HM3500 Bluetooth headset debuts Cowon D3 PMP tipped to run Android April 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM Cowon's niche has generally been PMPs that offer significantly higher audio quality than rivals, but according to the latest rumors they could be throwing in some fashionable Android action with their next model. Journal Du Geek reckons that the Cowon D3 – the replacement to the venerable D2 – will eschew the company's proprietary OS and replace it with Google's open-source Android platform. Now, beyond that there's no more information, but we're assuming that – like Archos have done with their Internet Tablets – Cowon will be reskinning Android in some way to better suit a PMP. The D2 has a mere 2.5-inch resistive touchscreen, so if Cowon are planning to use the same sort of form-factor they'll need to do some work making Android finger-friendly for an interface that size. Still, if they can get that right and the audio quality to the same standard as previous Cowon PMPs, there's no reason the D3 shouldn't be a success. We're hoping it looks a little more like the luscious AMOLED-screen J3, frankly, which gives the iPod touch a run for its aesthetic money. [via Anything But iPod - Thanks Pete!] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Cowon L2 – GPS, DMP, and PMP Combo Cowon introduces the iAudio 7 with over 60 hours of battery life Cowon D2 covers all your mobile media bases Cowon iAudio 6 Cowon S9 MP3 player hits U.S. Pogoplug v2 Review April 22, 2010 at 10:14 AM Network-attached storage is seldom eye-catching, rarely interesting and not normally cheap, and in that sort of market the Pogoplug is guaranteed to stand out. Currently in its second generation – with a fair few software upgrades along the way – the bright pink box promises to take regular USB hard drives and have them shared across a network for both local and remote access within minutes. Too good to be true? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Compared to the sober first-gen Pogoplug adapter, which looked little more than a wall-wart AC adapter with a couple of ports, this second-gen hardware is quite the departure. Around the size of a thick hardback book standing on its edge, it's a distinctive combination of white and clear plastic with a bight pink stand-cum-cable-tidy. Where the original had a single USB 2.0 port, this model has four: one on the front panel, above the status indicator LED, and three on the back above the gigabit ethernet port. The AC power brick has been subsumed into the main body of the Pogoplug, which is a neat touch, and with no fans it's a silent box that, even powered on 24/7, doesn't get more than warm. Where regular NAS boxes integrate one or more drive bays into a single box, as well as the network connectivity, the Pogoplug keeps things more modular. Reasonably inexpensive USB external drives are used instead, or even USB memory sticks, and while there are four ports to choose from you can also throw in a USB hub and hook up even more storage. The benefit is that you can repurpose existing HDDs and make them network-visible, while adding capacity is the simple matter of plugging in another drive rather than having to open up a NAS chassis. Pogoplug promises a 60-second installation, and while we weren't quite that fast it was nonetheless straightforward getting set up. The Pogoplug hooks up to your router via the included ethernet cable, to the mains with the power cable, and then you plug in at least one USB 2.0 drive. The company's setup site automatically recognises the drive and prompts you to create a username and password, before giving you access to the online control panel. It's all reasonably intuitive, with the system automatically scanning for movie, photo and music content on any attached drives and lumping them together under straightforward headings. Alternatively you can browse by files added or modified today, from the past week or past month, or go into specific volumes (including separate partitions on individual drives) and browse in a more granular fashion. It's also possible to upload new files directly to one of the attached drives, though you can't drag & drop across from a local folder to the web UI. More usable, then, is the local software app, available for Windows or Mac, and which mounts the Pogoplug volumes as simple drives which can be navigated, copied to and from, and generally handled as normal. Our only issue with the local app was when online with our test MacBook Pro while outside the home network; whenever we attempted to use a photo upload service (unconnected with Pogoplug) the browser would hang. We soon realised this was due to the upload tool trying to check the Pogoplug drives every time; shut down the local app and the problem went away. Pogoplug also promises to make sharing more straightforward, and there's a prominent "Share This" button which, when clicked, allows you to invite people via email to look at the contents of the folder(s). There's an address book for dealing with frequent contacts (though it doesn't link into your computer's address book) and you can add a personal message before sending the invite. Alternatively you can set the folder to automatically publish to one or more social networks, including Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, as an RSS feed, or as a public folder which doesn't require a specific invite. Finally there's an option to resend an invite whenever the contents of the folder changes. The most obvious use is sharing multimedia content with friends and family. Rather than emailing out a huge ZIP of holiday photos, add them to a shared Pogoplug folder and invite people to view them remotely; keep a single folder of baby photos and let Pogoplug automatically alert grandparents whenever there's a new batch to be coo'd over. Best of all, rather than a barebones FTP interface, contacts are presented with a dynamic gallery, streaming photos, audio and video straight into their browser. The online UI has a simple "Files I Share" pane to show what you're offering at any one time, and there's also a "Shared With Me" pane which, if you know someone with another Pogoplug, displays content from those remote drives. The latter could be useful if you have a Pogoplug at home and at work, for browsing media and documents from a single UI rather than logging in and out of two accounts. There's also sharing functionality for home use, with one of the recent Pogoplug firmware updates adding PS3 and Xbox 360 media streaming. A console on the same local network or connected remotely can see the drives automatically. The same update also brought with it updates to Active Copy, which is a basic folder/drive duplication tool. Originally, Active Copy used the Windows/OS X app to monitor one or more folders on your computer and automatically duplicate any new files to folder(s) on a Pogoplug drive. Now, in addition to that, you can have folders be automatically duplicated between Pogoplug-attached drives, plus if you've more than one Pogoplug you can have an attached drive (or a folder on a drive) be automatically copied from one Pogoplug to the other, handy for remote backups. It's useful, certainly, but it falls short of the kind of data security a proper RAID array would offer. RAID – where, in most configurations, drives are mirrored so that should one experience hardware failure the data is preserved on at least one other disk – is quicker at duplication, thanks to not having the USB 2.0 bottleneck to contend with, and it's automatic across the whole volume, rather than being on a selective folder-by-folder basis. Of course, the benefit to Pogoplug's system is that you can choose to duplicate only certain, particularly important folders, and the drives don't – unlike RAID – need to be the same size. You could feasibly set up the Pogoplug to automatically copy any files on a USB memory stick plugged into the front panel port to a bigger HDD, for instance, offloading day to day documentation. There's also nothing stopping you from plugging in a USB RAID array, which are rarer than NAS ! RAID storage but not impossible to find. We touched on the USB 2.0 bottleneck, and that's a point worth returning to. While it's theoretically capable of 480 Mbits/s, in day to day use USB 2.0 is unlikely to ever get that high. That means transferring large files (or large numbers of smaller files) will take longer than on a regular NAS, and it's worth pointing out that, when we tried to move around a few particularly large videos, the system froze and required a power-cycle. You'll also probably want to make sure your router has gigabit ethernet ports, too, if the drives are likely to be accessed by several people simultaneously. It's disappointing that the Pogoplug only has USB 2.0 and not FireWire, eSATA or even USB 3.0 connections, but perhaps that's asking too much for the $129 sticker price (and, arguably, unlikely to be required by the mainstream consumer who is a big part of Pogoplug's target audience). The takeaway message is that if you're looking fo! r the fastest way to backup or access files across a network, or to stream high-definition content, then you should probably choose a more normal NAS. Most "normal" NAS don't come with a range of mobile clients, however, and that's another big plus in the Pogoplug's favour. Currently there are iPhone and Android apps (the former being compatible with the iPod touch and the iPad) which allow you to log into your Pogoplug from the handset, browse folders, view video, audio and photo slideshows, and even – handset depending – upload files like photos directly to the remote storage. The apps work well, though we did have a couple of crashes on the Android version, but it's worth noting that there's currently no iPad-formatted version. Instead you can either use the regular iPhone app, doubled in size, or log directly into the online control panel which Pogoplug have – as an interim measure of sorts – made fully HTML5 compliant so you can still stream video and audio despite the lack of Flash support. We're guessing there's a native iPad versio! n on the way, though there's no public timescale for its availability. Still, if your media gallery exceeds the storage capacity of your mobile device then it's a handy way of having access to masses of content with very little headache. "Very little headache" is actually a good way to describe the Pogoplug. If you're looking for a set-and-forget backup system then it's not quite ideal – RAID duplicates everything on the drive, after all, whereas you'll need to make sure your Active Copy folders are set up correctly on the Pogoplug – and the freedom to use regular USB drives comes with a sacrifice in speed. However, for most home users (and perhaps some small business ones too), network backup is only part of what they're expecting from a NAS-style solution, with media sharing, painless online access and an affordable entry price all carrying equal import. On those fronts the Pogoplug does much better, with a straightforward UI and a sharing feature that should be usable by all but the most tech-phobic grandparents. Our guess is that a USB 3.0 version is on the cards somewhere down Pogoplug's roadmap, but that's likely far off in the distance and, for the moment, USB 2.0 is probably fast enough for home users. It's the ease of use that makes the Pogoplug such a success, though; if you're a netbook user, have picked up an iPad or iPhone with limited onboard storage but still want a big catalog of video to choose from, or simply prefer to keep your files locked up at home rather than on a notebook or memory stick that could be lost or stolen, Pogoplug represents a straightforward workaround. And hey, if you really do find the color that offensive, you can always hide it under the desk. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Pogoplug iPhone app makes external HD's accessible from anywhere Pogoplug allows users to remotely access their external hard drives Pogoplug add Xbox 360 & PS3 media streaming, remote backup Addonics NASU2 USB drive network adapter reviewed: Simple, but rivals circle Iomega iConnect hands-on Sears sells pillow with hooters for lonely geeks April 22, 2010 at 9:18 AM I never in a million years would have though Sears of all places would sell a risque pillow. Yet here we are and there are no pigs flying. Sears has a new pillow for lonely geeks that has a set of boobs and an arm. The pillow is called the DeluxeComfort.com Girlfriend Body Pillow. It has a couple hooters and a big fat arm that wraps around your neck. I guess the point is to make the lonely person feel like someone is willing to sleep with them. Let's be honest though, if you buy this and actually succeed in getting a girl to your house and into your room, a pillow with boobs will kill any chance of procreation you might have had. This would be a fantastic gag gift though. You can get one for $9.95 from Sears right now. Relevant Entries on SlashGear The inflatable Music Pillow Pillow Pod speakers Samsung 3D TVs landing at Sears locations in March with demo systems in stores For the lazy lover-The Cardiac Rest Pillow Zaky Infant Pillow – Creepy hands to cradle your baby Elecom adapter turns notebook power adapter into an outlet April 22, 2010 at 9:09 AM Finding an empty plug in my office is sort of like striking gold. All my outlets are full and several of them have surge protectors plugged into surge protectors to power all my gear. Elecom has a new adapter called the AC Adapter Tap T-ACTAP22 that can help solve the plug dilemma for me. The thing is so cool and simple, I am surprised that no one has done this before. I see enough notebooks in my line of work to know that the cord that runs from the wall to the AC adapter has the same connector to the adapter no matter the brand. The Elecom adapter has that same notebook port on one end in female and a male version of it on the other. It simply plugs in between the power cord and the adapter and adds two two pin outlets and you can get the three pin style with the ground pin as well. Versions with one plug or two plugs are available. That means instead of losing one of your outlets, you can one. I don't know how much the things will cost, but I want a handful. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Elecom ASP-S750 portable speakers Charge your USB devices from any wall outlet Smaller MacBook Pro MagSafe Power Adapter Innergie mCube Mini is world's smallest laptop charger for auto and air use MacBook Pro Joins the Mile High Club LG Display invests $225M to triple OLED making capacity April 22, 2010 at 8:57 AM OLED screens have a lot to offer the electronics world and are mostly found in smartphones and other smaller devices today. There are a few TV makers using OLED screens. The reason OLEDs are interesting is that they use less power than a LCD and promise better colors, the downside is cost. One of the big OLED screen makers is LG Display and the company has announced that it plans to invest $225.7 million in its OLED manufacturing facility to triple the production capacity of its line. This is interesting considering this week rumors turned up that the next iPad would use OLED screens. Higher production of OLED screens means that prices should fall, if yields are decent. LG Display has announced that it plans to offer a 30-inch OLED screen in the middle of 2011. Apple already gets screens from LG Display, so this triple capacity could be a ramp up to the new iPad. There I go starting rumors. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Mitsubishi unveils massive 149-inch OLED display Transparent OLED Kodak $999 OLED Wireless Frame gets video review LG 32-inch OLED TV to hit market in 2012 GE displays First-Ever OLED Christmas Tree Fisheye lens looks like Oscar the Grouch built it April 22, 2010 at 8:46 AM Lenses for cameras can get very expensive with some lenses costing as much or more than the cameras you attach them too. If you want a cool fisheye lens for your digital camera, but don't want to drop the big bucks to buy one, you might follow this DIY recipe. The recipe should work well considering the dude behind it works as a research engineer for Industrial Light and Magic. The lens uses a single element film projector lens picked up at a yard sale for $3, a wide-angle peep hole costing $6, some foam, and an empty soda can. A hose clamp and an adapter to fit the works onto his camera from eBay round out the materials. In the end, the lens looks like something Oscan the Grouch would cobble together, but the images speak for themselves. Not bad at all for what appears to be under $20 in materials. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sunex SuperFisheye does full circular capture for crop-factor DSLR Lensbaby adds Fisheye Optic and Soft Focus Optic to line Canon EF 24mm f1.4L Mark II : Wide angle lens for prime shooter Tamron AF18-250mm is now AF-motor-driven : Wish granted for Nikon D40 users No Vibrating Pet Massager for my dogs! Nokia smartphone sales up, but Symbian^3 delayed; MeeGo device due this year April 22, 2010 at 8:30 AM Nokia have announced their financial results for the last quarter, and the Finnish company reported a quarterly decline in both cellphone and smartphone sales though an increase in comparison to the same period a year ago. Overall 107.8m handsets – 21.5m of which were smartphones – were sold in the three month period, up from 93.2-percent in Q1 2009, but down from 126.9-percent in Q4 2009. Meanwhile, Nokia have confirmed that they will be delaying the release of Symbian^3 handsets until Q3 2010, with the first announcement expected sometime in the first half of this year. "Nokia is planning to deliver a family of smartphones based on the Symbian^3 software platform that is targeted to offer a clearly improved user experience, a high standard of quality, and competitive value to consumers. We plan to launch the first smartphone based on Symbian^3 during the second quarter 2010, with shipments expected during the third quarter 2010." Nokia financial report That delay has had a knock-on effect with Symbian^4's release, which is now not expected until sometime in 2011. Meanwhile Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has confirmed that the company's first MeeGo device – running the OS based on Nokia's Maemo platform and Intel's Moblin – is due for release later on this year. When they do arrive, the smartphones will likely be cheaper than their predecessors too; Nokia report the average selling price for a smartphone in the past quarter was €155 ($207), down from €186 ($248) the previous quarter and from €190 ($253) in Q1 2009. Sales of devices with touchscreens or QWERTY keyboards were up 300-percent from Q1 2009, to 18m devices. As for software, while it may lack the headline-grabbing allure of Apple's App Store, the Nokia Ovi Store is apparently seeing 1.7m downloads per day. Making Ovi Maps Navigation a free download has obviously helped that; Nokia have seen 10m downloads of the PND app since. Nonetheless, Nokia shares are down this morning, as the market reacts primarily to the Symbian delay. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Intel and Orange to collaborate for MeeGo devices MeeGo Available Now for Download Onto Your N900 MeeGo for N900 and Atom netbooks later this month Nokia N900 in-store sales delayed in UK Nokia N8-00 12MP smartphone breaks cover Onkyo unveils new DP312 nettop and DC213 minimumPC netbook April 22, 2010 at 8:13 AM Nettops and netbooks are everywhere today with the vast popularity of the machines on the market. Everyone is in the netbook market today it seems, even a lot of companies who have no interest in the computer market traditionally. One of those companies in Onkyo, more known in the home theater market. Onkyo (PDF) has unveiled a couple new computers today including the DP312 and the DC213. The DP312 is the more interesting of the two, and fits with the companies offering in home theater more. The nettop is aimed at the HTPC crowd, runs Windows 7 Home Premium, and uses the older Atom N270 processor. It can be had with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 500GB of storage. The DP312 supports 1080p video, but lacks ION graphics. Exactly what GPU the machine uses is hidden inside a PDF in Japanese. The DC213 runs Windows 7 Starter and uses an Atom N450 CPU. The machine has 1GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD along with a DVD player and a 10.1-inch screen. A DVD drive is uncommon in the 10.1-inch space. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Onkyo DE411 all-in-one: Full HD display & NVIDIA Ion Onkyo Sotec DC204A3 is latest netbook offering Onkyo DX-Series upgrade dual-display netbook with more pixels Onkyo P305A3 Ion nettop with detachable DVD burner Onkyo BX 407A4 is rebadged, expensive UMID mbook M2 Fujifilm offers adapter for viewing Real 3D camera images on TV April 22, 2010 at 7:57 AM The first 3D camera that we have seen and talked about was the Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D camera. The camera first turned up back in July of 2009 and was pegged at a retail price of $600. The special camera uses two lenses to capture 3D images. Fujifilm has a new adapter that is coming soon for use with the 3D camera called the HDP-L1. The adapter allows the viewing of 3D images taken from the Real 3D digital camera on your HDTV. The device sells for 4,000 yen in Japan. The adapter also allows the user to watch 3D and 2D video on the living room screen. The adapter connects to the TV via HDMI and supports 720p resolution. The adapter will launch on April 27. Relevant Entries on SlashGear FujiFilm s5200 Digital Camera PMA 2009 : Fujifilm 3D Real Image System hands-on, video Fujifilm releases special IS Pro $600 Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D cam! era expected September [Video] Fujifilm 3D camera promises 3D HD video by 2009 launch AMD 6-core Phenom II X6 1055T and 1090T Black Edition CPU pre-orders April 22, 2010 at 7:40 AM We have already been talking about the new AMD 6-core CPUs that are inbound in the past. Pricing for the new parts showed up last month with the 1090T BE for $295 and the 1055T at $199. Earlier this month we also talked about some of the CPUs already landing for sale on Chinese retailer sites. These CPUs on the Chinese sites are certainly not authorized. Amazon.com is now taking official pre-orders on the 1055T and 1090T Black Edition CPUs. The 1055T runs at 2.8GHz/3.3GHz on Turbo core. The 1090T Black Edition runs 3.2GHz/3.6GHz Turbo core. Both CPUs have 9MB of cache, the 1055T is selling for $222.29, and the 1090T is $324.65. [via ComputerMonger] Relevant Entries on SlashGear AMD Phenom II X6 CPU pricing turns up AMD Phenom 9600 Black Edition tested AMD Phenom X4 Black Edition CPU plus two eco-chips announced AM! D Phenom II X6 hexacore CPUs already up for sale Details of new AMD "Thuban" CPUs leak US set to launch new $100 bill in February 2011 April 22, 2010 at 7:22 AM I can still remember when the new currency bills that are in circulation today with the larger pictures of the presidents launched. At the time all the new security features were supposed to thwart counterfeiters, yet they still counterfeit currency today. According to the government, the most counterfeited bill outside the US is the $100. To stop counterfeiters, the US is getting a new $100 bill ready with some cool new high-tech 3D security features built-in. The new $100 will go into circulation on February 10, 2011. The new bills will retain all the security features of existing currency and add some cool new 3D tech to make counterfeiting harder. One of the new security features is a 3-D Security Ribbon. This ribbon is has images of bells and 100s that move and change from one to the other as the bill is moved. A second feature is called Bell in the Inkwell. The bell has special ink that changes color from green to bronze when the bill is moved. The old bills will remain in circulation, which seems to defeat the purpose of launching a new bill to me. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Senate tries second DTV delay bill: Broadcasters would decide on switch CES 2008: Goodbye Bill Gates, from SlashGear with love Bill Gates Interview yields interesting statements Bill Gates 2008 CES Keynote Live (sort of) New Bill to Raise Energy Efficiency and Encourage Saving Measure Dire Fermi GPU yields will cost NVIDIA market share predict analysts April 22, 2010 at 7:12 AM NVIDIA's Fermi-based GeForce GTX 470/480 cards are on sale now, but according to analysts the rumored yield issues have seriously impacted availability. X-bit labs quotes analysts Needham and Company, who believe NVIDIA's Fermi yield is just 20 to 30-percent, and that they currently have just 10,000 chips on the market. Financially, the analysts believe NVIDIA could "lose market share" from 2H 2010, claiming to have discovered from their channel checks that Fermi "is not ramping well" and could in fact face further product delays. A shortage of chips thanks to lower than expected yield was tipped in the run-up to the new GeForce cards' release, and NVIDIA reduced the number of active cores in both the GTX 470 and GTX 480 so as to reportedly salvage what usable chips they could. The delay also had an impact on reference board design availability, leaving second-tier manufacturers hoping to produce Fermi video cards waiting until after the first batch went on sale. NVIDIA have apparently declined to comment on the analysts' report. [via Expreview] Relevant Entries on SlashGear NVIDIA Fermi coming March 2010 tips insider NVIDIA drops names of first Fermi video cards — GTX 470 and GTX 480 NVIDIA Fermi GeForce GTX 470/480 cards scarce at launch? NVIDIA Fermi GPU delayed until March 2010? Maingear SHIFT gets Fermi video card option NZXT offers cool camo Tempest Evo PC case April 22, 2010 at 7:07 AM Back in November of last year I talked a bit about the new NZXT Tempest Evo PC case that had debuted. NZXT has now unveiled a new version of the Tempest Evo that adds a new color and keeps the same features as the original. The original case that debuted last year was a plain black unit that looked good enough. The new version of the Tempest Evo is much better looking though with a cool black, white, and gray camo pattern on the entire outer surface of the case. Under the camp pattern is the same chassis NZXT offered last year, which isn't a bad thing. The case supports ATX and several other size mainboards. It is made from steel and plastic and has three external 5.25″ drive bays, eight internal 3.5″ bays, and seven expansion slots. It also ships with a robust cooling system including six fans. The chassis sells for $149.99 on Newegg. Relevant Entries on SlashGear NZXT Tempest Gaming Chasis is the 'Airflow King' Slashgear Review – NZXT Tempest NZXT unveils Tempest Evo computer chassis NZXT announces the Guardian 9! 21 Gaming Chassis SlashGear Review – NZXT Performance Power 800 MiLi debuts Power Skin battery case and PocketPal charger April 22, 2010 at 6:58 AM At one time or another, there are two things that most iPhone users will need. We will need protection for our device from drops and we will need more battery life. A new product from a company called MiLi offers both. The device is called the Power Skin and claims to be the world's thinnest external battery and protective case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The case has a pass through USB port for charging the case and the phone at the same time. It also has a 1200 mAh battery with double the capacity of the iPhone battery alone. The Power Skin also comes in eight different two tone color combos. Along with the Power Skin, the company has also unveiled a new charger called the PocketPal. It claims to be the world's smallest mobile phone charger and has a folding plug for easy carrying. The device sells for $19.95 alone with the Power Skin retailing for $69.95. A combo kit with both devices sells for $79.95. Relevant Entries on SlashGear BeamBox MiLi universal charger offers twin USB power BeamBox MiLi Evolution iPhone Projector gets bargain price-tag Oncore's 6-bay Battery Charger keeps you powered USB charger gives your battery a boost Duracell USB Charger debuts Marvell Moby MED multi-display medical tablet outlined [Updated] April 22, 2010 at 6:52 AM Marvell have already shown us one new Android tablet reference design, the Marvell Moby, but the company have a second concept, the Moby MED which sounds a whole lot more interesting. Targeted at "telehealth" use, Marvell envisage the Moby MED as having "multiple simultaneous" LCD or e-paper displays, together with 1080p Full HD encode and decode, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and an integrated camera for web conferencing and remote diagnosis. Updated with official Marvell Moby MED image. The Moby MED would be based on a Marvell 600 Series chipset, such as the ARMADA 618 we saw demonstrated at MWC 2010 a few months back. The company were showing two potential setups, one simultaneously driving a PMP display and an HDMI connected 1080p HDTV, and the other having two LCD panels running independently. Potential OSes include Windows Mobile and Android, complete with Flash support. It's unclear whether the Moby MED would have more than one display built-in, or if Marvell intend it to connect – either wired or wirelessly – to individual displays throughout, say, a hospital or clinic. Unfortunately there's no imagery of the reference design, nor a price; we're guessing it'll be higher than the roughly $99 tag suggested for the Moby. [via Linux for Devices] Press Release: Marvell Drives 'Telehealth' Revolution with Moby MED — Always-On Medical Tablet Healthcare-focused Tablets With Multiple Simultaneous Viewing Screens Including Video Conferencing and Live TV Allow Consumers to Manage Medical Records, Conduct Live Physician Consultations, View 3D Images and Sonograms, Collect Real-Time Data From Personal Monitoring Devices, Access Information From Online Sources, and More Santa Clara (Apr 21, 2010) Marvell (Nasdaq: MRVL) a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, today announced a bold new healthcare initiative to drive high performance mobile tablets based on its leading silicon solutions. Marvell's Moby MED initiative promises to give consumers much greater command over their own healthcare and proactive wellness information and decisions. The Moby MED tablet platform is an always-on, high performance multimedia reference design featuring live, real-time content, 1080p full-HD, 3D capabilities, and full Flash Internet. Marvell's Moby MED tablet platform is designed to allow physicians to consult with patients remotely in real-time, allow consumers to manage their own health histories in a highly-secure, encrypted environment, make it possible to send and read high-resolution diagnostic imagery, and give consumers access to online medical information in a light-weight, long-running device. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070411/SFW034LOGO) "Passage of the National Healthcare Reform bill was only the beginning. We as individuals now must take much more responsibility for our healthcare and wellness decisions — including connecting with personal physicians and proactively managing our private health histories. I believe the Marvell Moby MED tablet platform will empower patients to take proactive control of their healthcare, and will enable doctors to save more lives," said Weili Dai, Marvell's Co-founder and Vice President and General Manager of Marvell Semiconductor's Consumer and Computing Business Unit. "I believe the Moby MED solution could ignite a telehealth revolution in America. The Moby MED tablet platform features a built–in camera for live video conferencing and multiple simultaneous viewing screens allowing patients — no matter where they are in the world — to have real-time consultation with a physician while examining an x-ray image, referencing an online me! dical encyclopedia and order a prescription from a nearby pharmacy. The Moby MED tablet platform provides everything needed in a mobile medical tablet – from keeping track of blood pressure rates, glucose levels and other vital data to serving as a virtual medical station in remote parts of the world. With the Moby MED, doctors could once again make house calls—without leaving the office—and provide a much higher, more personalized quality of care." Marvell's Moby MED tablet platform will also help deliver on a US "telehealth" strategy as recently defined in the Federal Communications Commission's national broadband plan. The FCC's national broadband strategy contains a 25-page chapter on telehealth, and calls upon the Department of Health and Human Services to make "e-care" projects a top priority. As part of the plan, clinics, hospitals and doctors' offices will be encouraged to put health records into a secure database that can be remotely accessed by patients and their authorized care givers. In addition to saving lives, video consultation and other telehealth techniques can save money by giving facilities remote access to world-class specialists. National adoption of electronic health records systems accessible from devices powered by the Moby MED tablet platform can save more lives by alerting physicians and patients of dangerous drug allergies and drug interactions when prescriptions are written. According to one study cited by the FCC report, these alerts alone could result in a net savings of as much as $371 billion for hospitals and $142 billion for physicians over the next 15 years. Launch of the Moby MED tablet platform comes just weeks after Marvell announced its breakthrough reference design for a $99 Moby tablet (read more) aimed at powering affordable mobile tablets for the world's two billion students. The high performance, low cost reference design concept has rapidly captured worldwide interest from publishers, educators and governments looking to replace today's outdated and expensive printed textbooks. About the Marvell Moby MED Tablet Platform Specifically designed for healthcare, the Marvell Moby MED tablet platform drives development of high-performance low-power medical tablets with a built–in camera for live video conferencing and multiple simultaneous liquid crystal display (LCD) or electronic paper display (EPD) viewing screens for convenient viewing of information. Powered by a high-performance, highly scalable, and low-power Marvell® ARMADA™ 600 series of application processors, the Moby MED tablet platform features gigahertz processor speed, 1080p full-HD encode and decode, intelligent power management, power-efficient Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM/GPS connectivity, 3D graphics capability and support for multiple software standards including full Adobe Flash, Android™ and Windows Mobile. Optional platform features include Marvell's leading storage and wireless solutions such as embedded MMC, which is a handheld device optimized SSD-type technology, and Marvell Mobile Hotspot which allows Wi-Fi access that supports up to eight concurrent users connected to the Internet via a cellular broadband connection. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Marvell Shows Off Android Tablet, Could Ship Later This Year Lenovo X60 Uber-Tablet video reviews Toshiba Rx Medical Tablet concept has promise Panasonic Toughbook Medical Tablet outed as Intel's secret slate Fujitsu ESPRIMO MA Mobile Medical Companion with 3G & RFID Cedar Trail M next-gen Atom CPUs getting 1080p Wireless Display April 22, 2010 at 6:27 AM Fresh details on Intel's upcoming Cedar Trail M platform – the replacement to the current Intel Atom N4×0 Pine Trail processors – have emerged courtesy of Fudzilla, and it seems that Intel are looking to push HD video performance with their new netbook chips. Cedar Trail M processors CPUs will apparently support 1080p HD video streaming courtesy of Intel's Wireless Display system, currently available on select Calpella-based notebooks. Wireless Display – or WiDi – at present only supports 720p HD, but the second generation of the technology will apparently increase that to Full HD. The system requires a special set-top box adapter for the HDTV, such as the Netgear Push2TV, which is priced at $99.99. Once that's plugged in, hooking up the devices is a matter of hitting a button or two, and the netbook will be streaming content wirelessly to the TV screen. Since it's a straight reproduction of what's on-screen on the computer, it bypasses content restrictions such as not being allowed to play DRM-encrypted media downloads through DVD players or media-capable HDTVs. As for availability, Cedar Trail M chips are predicted to get WiDi 2.0 in the second half of 2011. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Intel Cedarview 2011 Atom platform detailed: 32nm & DDR3 support Intel Pine Trail next-gen Atoms detailed: 20% lower power consumption Intel Pine Trail nettop chips, plus Core i3 and Core i9 CPUs co! ming Q1 2010? Pine Trail still on course for 2009 launch claims Intel NVIDIA Ion 2 GPU for Pine Trail confirmed for Q1 2010 Sony PS3 3.30 firmware preps for 3D, quietly updates TOS April 22, 2010 at 5:28 AM Sony are pushing out a new PlayStation 3 firmware update, which – among the changes – supposedly "preps" the console for the upcoming addition of 3D stereoscopic gaming. PS3 3.30 System Software makes trophy sorting more straightforward, with new ways to view achievements, but the firmware supposedly brings with it an updated Terms of Service (TOS) agreement to which PS3 users must agree. Among the TOS changes are apparently permission for Sony to automatically update or change content, services and functionality on PS3 or PSP hardware, without requiring owner permission. From time to time, it may become necessary for SCEA to provide certain content to you to ensure that Sony Online Services and content offered through Sony Online Services, your PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system or other SCEA-authorized hardware is functioning properly in accordance with SCEA guidelines. Some content may be provided automatically without notice when you sign in. Such content may include automatic updates or upgrades which may change your current operating system, cause a loss of data or content or cause a loss of functionalities or utilities The change, it's suggested, is being made to minimise future arguments such as those Sony encountered in removing the "Other OS" functionality in the last PS3 update. As for the 3D support, that's expected to be fully enabled in time for the first Sony 3D BRAVIA HDTVs arriving over the summer. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sony Alpha A700 gets a Firmware Update to 3.0 Sony releases PS3 firmware version 2.0 In-game XMB confirmed for 2.40 firmware PSP 2.71 Firmware Cracked PS3 Firmware Version 2.3 goes live, features DTS-HD Google bought Agnilux for tablet frugality expertise? April 22, 2010 at 5:03 AM It's a morning of acquisition talk today, with Google confirming that they've bought Agnilux, a company started by ex-PA Semiconductor employees. The move has caused much speculation as to what exactly it is Agnilux have been working on; initially there was talk of low-power server chips, obviously of interest to Google since the company has massive server farms driving its various search and cloud-based services. More recently, however, someone familiar with the deal told the NYTimes that in fact Agnilux is made up of "systems guys focusing on hardware-software integration … not chip design" that could help Google make more efficient tablets. The source went on to suggest that the company specialises in"getting software platforms to work on different kinds of hardware with lots of obscure back-end technologies," and that Google's interest was in getting Chrome OS and Android running smoothly on tablets and set-top boxes. In fact, a further source has claimed Agnilux have particular knowledge of a "modular semi technology that allows you to regulate power more efficiently on the tablet form factor," potentially allowing upcoming Google tablets to run for longer on a single battery charge. [Image is of Notion Ink's Android-based Adam tablet] Relevant Entries on SlashGear DANGER bought by Microsoft Google acquire On2 video compression specialists Google Optimizes Web Applications Just in Time for iPad Launch Google tablet runs Flash & Chrome browser tips Schmidt Google Chrome OS tablet rumors reignite Hulu Plus $9.95 subscription streaming due May 24th? April 22, 2010 at 4:53 AM We've been hearing talk of Hulu paywalls since the start of the year, but according to The LA Times the date we should be circling in our diaries is May 24th. They've heard – from "people with knowledge of the plans" – that Hulu are planning $9.95 per month access to "Hulu Plus", a service which would offer a more extensive catalog of Glee, Lost and other TV show episodes. According to the sources, Hulu would continue to offer the five most recent shows free of charge, but users would be able to optionally sign up for back-catalog access. It's unclear whether Hulu would continue to show adverts during the subscription titles. Hulu has prompted controversy in recent months by blocking services such as Boxee and Kylo from showing content through their TV-friendly interfaces, a move which many saw as paving the way for paid functionality. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Hulu $4.99 paywall rumored: Could this pave way to official Boxee support? Disney buys a stake in Hulu Boxee update: Hulu RSS, auto-update & app store Xbox 360 Hulu integration rumored Boxee gets Linux update: Hulu & App Box, still no Netflix ARM CPU roadmap leaks: Taurus Cortex-A8 in 2010, quadcore 1.2GHz Cortex A9 in 2012 April 22, 2010 at 4:44 AM The City may be warbling about Apple acquisitions, but may be ARM too busy planning their mobile processor roadmap to care. A leaked Samsung document acquired by EETimes has confirmed multiple generations of CPUs between now and 2013, including the single-core 1GHz S5PV210 "Taurus" Cortex-A8 tipped to hit mass production in Q3 2010, a 1GHz "Hercules" dual-core Cortex-A9 expected to arrive Q1 2012, and a 1.2GHz "Aquila" quad-core Cortex-A9 which should drop in 2012/2013. There's also the "Orion", an 800MHz Cortex-A9 expected Q1 2011, the "Pegasus", a single-core 1GHz Cortex-A9 due Q4 2011, and the "Mercury", a 600MHz single-core Cortex-A5 (Sparrow) chip predicted for sometime later this year or in 2011. The Aquila, meanwhile, will be accompanied in 2012/2013 by the 600MHz Cortex-A5 dual-core "Venus" and the 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 dual-core "Draco". As for Samsung's part in all this, the company looks to be planning to use the ARM chipsets instead of Intel processors in their upcoming netbook ranges, together with A/V equipment and smartphones. It's unclear what GPU Samsung will be pairing the chips with, whether they'll continue to use the PowerVR series as found in the iPhone 3GS, or switch to ARM's Mali GPU. [via NotebookItalia] Relevant Entries on SlashGear ARM shows off roadmap and reveals ARM Eagle ARM Cortex-M0 processor: smallest, most efficient for SoC GlobalFoundries 28nm ARM Cortex A9 promises speed & frugality boost 2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core processor unveiled ARM officially launches Cortex-A5 MPCore processor for embedded applications Apple ARM acquisition rumored April 22, 2010 at 4:25 AM After rumors that Apple and AMD execs had been holding clandestine meetings, presumably whispering about CPUs and GPUs while nibbling on illicit biscotti, the city speculation now moves on to the possibility of an ARM acquisition. According to the London Evening Standard, investors have been gurgling about how bringing the mobile chip manufacturer in-house "would make a lot of sense for Apple" since it would allow them to "stop ARM's technology from ending up in everyone else's computers and gadgets." In the process, they've valued ARM at more than $5.2bn, and suggested that Apple is the firm's biggest customer (though we're not sure how they've worked that out). ARM chips have found their way into the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, and it's possible that Apple could use one of the newer, HD-capable chips to replace the ageing 1GHz Intel Pentium found in the Apple TV. Of course, Apple would likely have to run the gauntlet of antitrust investigation if they did in fact plan to pick up ARM. Even if the acquisition was approved, it's possible that they wouldn't cut off other company's access to the chips; despite acquiring PA Semiconductor, the firm continued to supply processors to their clients. [Image via iFixit] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Google's Acquisition of AdMob On the Rocks Leaked Image of Apple's Rumored Subnotebook Mac? Ex-ATI GPU designer hired by Apple Is Apple losing money on the Apple TV? Apple iSlate eschews Intel for PA Semi chips insists analyst Dell Looking Glass tablet, Smoke & Flash smartphones all rock Android April 22, 2010 at 4:00 AM It's not just a Windows Phone 7 handset that has come gushing out of Dell's leaky spigot; there's also a healthy gobful of Android devices that have spattered up against Engadget's tipbox too. On the cards are the Dell Looking Glass – a 7-inch Tegra 2 based Android tablet – together with a pair of distinctive smartphones, the Dell Smoke and the Dell Flash, each motoring on Qualcomm's new 800MH! z MSM7230 chipset. The Flash is tipped as Dell's "mainstream" handset, a 3.5-inch WVGA touchscreen 11mm-thick candybar with triband 850/1900/2100 HSPA (14.4Mbps/5.6Mbps capable), a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with image stabilization, microSD card slot and WiFi. There's also TV-out and a 3.5mm headphone socket, Bluetooth 3.0 and Android 2.2 Froyo, with a release for AT&T tipped in Q1 2011. Meanwhile the Smoke gets a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen, HSPA, microSD and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, along with a 5-megapixel camera and noise cancellation. Of course, the most distinctive thing is the QWERTY keyboard, despite the 12mm thick casing, which should pull in some corporate Android 2.2 lovers in Q2 2011. Finally, the Looking Glass is the 7-inch Streak tablet that leaked recently, and a bigger brother to the Dell Mini 5. It runs Android 2.1 on NVIDIA's second-gen Tegra chipset, with an optional ATSC/DVB-T TV tuner, 800 x 480 touchscreen, 4GB each of RAM and ROM, and an SDHC slot for up to 32GB cards. Finally a 1.3-megapixel camera, WiFI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and optional 3G HSPA round out the main hardware details; expect it to drop in November 2010. [via Android Community] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Michael Dell says (again) Dell phone is coming in 2010, and may use platforms other than Android Dell Android Tablet Concept (aka Streak) gets brief demo Dell Mini 9 to have Adobe Flash on Android platform? Rock Band Stage Kit coming soon? Dell XT Tablet PC confirmed, by Dell Thi