I-Techie

Viliv S7 hits Dynamism from $629

2009-09-17T11:57:00.001+06:00

Importers Dynamism have released pricing and specification details for the Viliv S7, the latest ultraportable touchscreen device from the Korean company. Coming after the surprisingly popular S5 and well-received X70, the S7 adds a QWERTY keyboard and uses a more traditional netbook-style form-factor; according to Dynamism, when it drops in the US it’ll be priced from $629.

That gets you the entry-level S7 complete with Intel’s 1.33GHz Z520 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 60GB hard-drive. Next up is the S7/32ssd, which as the name suggests switches out the HDD for a 32GB SSD, for $659. Finally there’s the S7/32ssd/3G, which adds in an integrated HSPA modem along with the 32GB solid-state drive, for $799. That 3G modem is expected to be voice-capable, so you could feasibly – and assuming you have deep pockets in every sense – leave your cellphone at home and rely on the S7 for calls.

No exact word on when Dynamism will get their stock in, but we’re hearing from several bloggers in North America and Europe that demo units are flying out from Viliv themselves. That would certainly suggest that the S7 is imminent.

Intel Jasper Forest embedded Xeon CPU

2009-09-17T11:54:00.001+06:00

Intel have been teasing with some pre-show chip information in advance of their IDF (Intel Developer Forum) kicking off September 22nd. As well as talking up their manufacturing expertise – Intel describe themselves as “by far the most advance of any semiconductor manufacturer in the world” – they’re also tipping their upcoming Jasper Forest embedded processor platform.

Jasper Forest will be built on 45nm processes but use 32nm technology for 27W system power savings, together with incorporating the I/O hub onto the processor. That will allow for PCI Express 2.0 ports, RAID 5 and 6 support and Intel 3420 chipset connectivity directly from the CPU. Intended for use in embedded, communications and storage equipment – such as routers, VoIP systems, NAS and wireless infrastructure systems – Jasper Forest offers Nehalem-based Xeon 5500-series processor performance but in a more economical, cooler package.

The first hardware partners using Jasper Forest will be revealed at the IDF, together with further detail on how Intel’s 32nm CPU processes have been certified. CPU wafers for the company’s Westmere platform are expected to go into revenue production in Q4 2009; that will be accompanied by “smarter System on Chip” production.

JVC HD Everio GZ-HM400 camcorder

2009-09-17T11:52:00.001+06:00

Camcorders are one of the devices that just about everyone has today. Parents use them to shoot miles of footage of their kids, mostly hoping to get something humiliating they can hold over their kids heads when they grow up. JVC has unveiled a new full HD camcorder for video fans called the GZ-HM400.

The camcorder is available now and stores video to SD/SDHC cards and has 32GB of internal storage as well. The CMOS sensor on the camera is a 10.3MP unit providing 1080p video resolution. The camera is also capable of recording at 600 frames per second for slow-motion playback of sports and other action.

The camera uses Konica Minolta HD Lens technology and a JVC developed optical image stabilization system. The camcorder also features Face Detection for up to 16 faces and one touch uploading to YouTube. The camera is available now for $999.95.

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

2009-09-17T11:48:00.001+06:00

Archos has gone all official with its new Archos 5 Internet Tablet. Te tablet has a large screen that supports HD resolution for media and has a built-in TV recording function. GPS is also built into the device and it runs the Android operating system. The screen is a 5-inch high resolution unit with a full internet browser to rival the surfing experience you get on a computer. The Archos 5 is available with up to 500GB of storage capacity for movies and apps.

Archos has also announced its own app store called AppsLib Store that provides access to free and paid applications developed specifically for the 5-inch screen device. The tablet will also ship with several apps preinstalled as well. The tablet also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for accessing the internet via a mobile phone.

The processor is an ARM Cortex A8 from Texas Instruments and the screen has a resolution of 800 x 480. The tablet will be available in late September starting at £199.99 and going up to £349.99 depending on the configuration.

Nokia N900

2009-09-17T11:39:00.009+06:00

Definitely, Nokia wants to reveal all the surprises before the Nokia World with Nokia N900. In fact, Nokia has hardly anything about his potential as a phone, which obviously does, but focuses mainly on the possibilities of Internet access, in the execution of applications and storage.

Features

The specifications of the Nokia N900 will cause no problems to compete with other models in the market. In fact, not far removed from those who have the N97. We found a 3.5 inch touch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and, inside, an ARM Cortex-A8 processor at 600 MHz, making it compatible with OpenGL ES 2.0, therefore, with games and 3D applications.in the market.

Offers 256 MB of RAM, while storage is identical to the N97, 32GB of internal memory expandable with microSD cards to 16GB. Besides the physical QWERTY keyboard sliding type of disposal, also allows its use with a virtual keyboard on screen, something that many users will appreciate.

The camera is not the most powerful with 5-megapixel, coming with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. Do not forget either the GPS receiver compatible with A-GPS and Maps application preinstalled Ovi.

Operating System

The main innovation of the Nokia N900’s Maemo operating system 5, based on Linux, support for multiple desktops, where you can create shortcuts to contacts, and applications. In addition to installing widgets that display information to us or allow us to control some of its functions.

Internet

Internet surfing will be one of the strengths of this device. This has several points of support, both in point hardware and software. For connectivity we can use the 3G support with support for HSPA, or Wi-Fi.

When browsing, the resolution of your screen will help, but also the software that integrates, as the browser is based on Mozilla code. In addition, we see the content in full screen to maximize space. To this is added support for Flash 9.4, allowing you to play videos from sites like YouTube or Vimeo.

Multimedia

With 32 GB of storage space and resolution, multimedia features take on special relevance. Obviously, including music players, video and photos, compatible with multiple formats and also will allow tuning to Internet radio stations.

It adds to the FM transmitter, allowing us to hear the sound through radio, DLNA compatibility, to send the content to our television and the mentioned media formats, including MP3, AAC, WMA, MP4, AVI, WMV, H.264, XviD, …

The Price and availability in the market

Although it might seem, by specifications, the price of the Nokia N900 is not an exaggeration, at least when compared with other models from this manufacturer. It will cost 500 euros before subsidies and taxes, so we might find more or less accessible to an operator and data plan is almost essential.

Nokia N900 will be from October this year when it became available and I believe that a giant step forward for Nokia. Freed from the burden of S60 and little to offer good development tools and shop applications, this phone and its successors may become serious competitors.

MSI AE2200 all-in-one PC

2009-09-17T11:39:00.007+06:00

All-in-one PCs are very popular right now and there are more and more of them being introduced every day. MSI has announced a new Wind Top called the AE2200 that features a 22-inch screen with full 1080p resolution.

MSI crams a TV tuner and HDMI into the PC as well. MSI will ship the system with Windows Vista, but it will include a free upgrade coupon for Windows 7. The CPU of the machine is an Intel Pentium dual-core and the computer uses the Intel G45 chipset.

Graphics for the machine are via Intel GMA X4500HD with up to 256MB of shared memory. System memory is 4GB of DDR2 and storage is to a 500GB HDD. A tray loading DVD super multi drive is built-in along with a memory card reader, Wi-Fi, a 1.3MP webcam and 5W speakers. Starting price for the AE2200 is $799.99.

HP Envy 13

2009-09-17T11:39:00.005+06:00

HP Envy 13 and Envy 15 are the new banners of HP’s portable design with aluminum casing and exquisite finish. The 13-inch model comes with only 1.7 kg weight and a thickness of 2 cm. On the model of 15 inches, his weight up to 2.3 kg and thickness less than an inch, ie about 2.5 cm.

Another very positive point of these new computers are HP Envy batteries, replaceable and autonomy of 7 hours for Envy 13 Model, but we can go to incredible 18 hours with an external battery. This battery is sold together with a Blu-Ray external drive for only $ 200. The HP Envy 13 Notebook Series does not have an optical drive.

But things are not there. The brightness of the display of the new HP Envy 13 is 400 nits and the trackpad is glass and supports gestures. For audio, HP has partnered with Monster to provide sound Beats these new notebooks.

The HP Envy 13 has a screen resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels in series but we can choose the model with higher resolution, 1600 × 900 pixels. Both models have screen brightness.

The processor of this computer is an Intel Core 2 Duo with ATI 4330, 3GB of RAM, HDMI output and is priced at $ 1,700. A but you only have two USB ports.

The HP Envy 15 is the real monster beautiful dress. Putting aside her angelic appearance, the processor that you can mount is one of the new Intel Core i7 with up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM. Also join Radeon HD 4830 with 1GB and two SSDs in RAID 0 and you can imagine what we get laptop.

There are two display options to choose from, both the 15.6-inch LED technology, one with 1080p resolution and brightness of 300 nits. The webcam has been designed with night vision LED for ease of use in the dark. As for the battery, an extra thin and we could give up to 7 hours of battery life.

The HP Envy 15 can be from our $ 1,800.

VIA NetNote 1080p HD

2009-09-17T11:39:00.003+06:00

VIA have announced their latest ultraportable reference design, the NetNote, which the company describes as “a mashup between the netbook and the traditional notebook.” Based on VIA’s Surfboard mainboards, using either VIA C7-M or Nano CPUs, the NetNotes will have screens ranging from 10.2-inches to 12.1-inches and play back Full HD 1080p video.

Other possibilities include an HDMI port, hardware video acceleration and integrated 3G, all from VIA’s Surfboard platforms. Positioned as an OEM solution (rather than being marketed directly to end-consumers), the NetNotes could also have an FM transmitter, digital TV receiver with extendable antenna, or even an externally-controlled MP3 player which wouldn’t require the NetNote to be booted up.

From our talks with VIA about the platform, it seems they’re not so much focussed on kick-starting a new niche with NetNotes – in fact it’s more of an internal name – but instead wanting to draw attention to netbooks with performance. The VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems will have their formal debut at ShenZhen TechForum Autumn 2009 next week, where the company is promising 35 designs together with pricing and availability information.

Press Release:

VIA Unveils SurfBoard Platforms and Turnkey Systems for New NetNote Category

NetNote blends the portability and affordability of netbooks with the functionality and HD video capabilities of notebooks to define a new sweet spot in the mobile computing market

Taipei, Taiwan, 16 September 2009 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced additions to its growing range of VIA Surfboard mainboards along with turnkey systems designed to enable a new category of NetNote mobile computing devices.

A mashup between the netbook and the traditional notebook, the NetNote combines the portability and affordability of a netbook with the functionality and HD entertainment capabilities of a notebook in a light, high performance clamshell mobile device with long battery life, screen sizes of between 10.2” – 12.1”, and support for flawless playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video.

“NetNotes are illustrative of the type of device that is possible after artificial restrictions on screen size, resolution and connectivity are removed,” said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Light, snappy ultra mobile devices with notebook-level functionality are what consumers want and what the NetNote category of device provides.”

Combining the highly-integrated VIA VX855 media system processor with a choice of VIA C7™-M ULV or VIA Nano™ processors, two new VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms provide high-quality, energy-efficient and feature-rich “ready to build” solutions for manufacturing NetNote devices.

Additionally, complete VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems offer customers a quick, low cost approach to entering the mobile computing market or expanding their current product portfolio.

Along with support for hardware acceleration of a broad variety of leading video standards including H.264, MPEG-2/4, VC-1 and WMV9, NetNotes come with a host of other advanced features including an optional HDMI port and a choice of integrated 3G connectivity modules.

VIA GMB Alliance – Harnessing the China Growth Engine

The new VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition platforms and VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems have initially been made available to members of the VIA Global Mobility Bazaar (GMB) Program – an alliance of leading China hi-tech manufacturers focused on harnessing the country’s emerging manufacturing base and rapid domestic growth to bring innovative mobile computing devices to China and other fast-emerging markets around the world.

Over 40 companies in the VIA GMB Alliance have developed more than sixty mobile systems based on VIA SurfBoard platforms since its establishment in October 2008. All have expressed support for the new NetNote category, and the first NetNote products are expected to be introduced into the market later this month.

Through the provision of high quality, high performance building blocks such as VIA platforms and turnkey systems, the VIA GMB Alliance aims to build up the mobile device ecosystem in China ultimately enabling manufacturers to offer innovative, affordable mobile solutions to global markets.

The new VIA NetNote platforms and systems will be on show at the next VIA Global Mobility Bazaar Alliance event to be held on Friday 25 September in Shenzhen, China. Further details can be found at: www.via.com.tw/en/company/events/2009gmb-techforum-autumn

About VIA NetNote Platforms and Systems

Designed for 10.2”-12.1” NetNote devices, the feature-rich yet highly power-efficient VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms feature a choice of VIA C7-M ULV or VIA Nano processors supporting an 800MHz FSB, combined with the VIA VX855 media system processor with its support for a wide range of digital media technologies and I/O.

The advanced graphics of the VIA Surfboard NetNote Edition Platforms is powered by the high performance VIA Chrome9 HCM IGP and allows for flawless playback of 1080p HD video at amazingly low processor utilization levels. The boards also feature HDMI ports that can be used to deliver HD content to external displays.

The latest high definition audio is supported through VIA Vinyl 8-channel HD audio, and a rich range of connection options includes support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G for unparalleled flexibility.

More information about the VIA SurfBoard NetNote Edition Platforms may be found on the VIA website at: www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/netnote-edition-platforms

VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems not only boast the full functionality and larger keyboard and screen sizes more commonly found on standard notebook devices, but also incorporate innovative features such as an integrated, externally controlled MP3 player that doesn’t require the user to boot the OS, an extendable aerial used to receive digital video broadcast from both satellite and terrestrial transmitters, and the ability to act as an FM transmitter allowing users to tune in car radios or cell phones to pick up NetNote broadcasts.

More information on the VIA NetNote Turnkey Systems may be found on the VIA website at: www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/netnote-turnkey-system

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA’s global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world’s top OEMs and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

8GB Hamburger Flash Drive

2009-09-17T11:39:00.001+06:00

Another cool gadgets with make me hungry, the Hamburger Flash Drive available with the capacity 8GB version, the material of the flash drive is made of high quality ABS plastic.

This USB 2.0 speed is compatible with Windows and Mac platforms. Each 8GB Hamburger Flash drive has a retails price for about $29.99.

Motorola Dext, Android OS

2009-09-17T11:38:00.009+06:00

Motorola Dext is the expected first-time leader your phone in the world with the Android operating system.

The American brand has not neglected the full QWERTY keyboard despite the Motorola Dext has a touchscreen. And like many other manufacturers, has put his personal touch and distinctive which has called MotoBlur.

Before going to know what you mean Motoblur, talk of the terminal itself. The Motorola Dext is a slider-type phone that hides a full QWERTY keyboard beneath its 3.1-inch touch screen and 320 × 480 pixels resolution. Dext weight is 163 grams, with a thickness of 15.6 mm.

The camera is another highlight of the Motorola Dext. It has a resolution of 5 megapixels with autofocus and let us send photos directly to us to make social networking sites like Facebook, Picasa and MySpace. If instead we want to send video pictures, the camera also shoots video at 24 fps.

For communication with the Internet is not a punishment, the Android phone has HTML browser, 3G and WiFi connectivity. As for storage space, we must have microSD memory cards up to 32GB. The phone includes a 2 GB standard.

Of the remaining specifications highlight its connection 3.5 mm audio, accelerometer and integrated GPS.

Despite being a phone with Android, Motorola has sought to give his touch and has called Motoblur. This is a skin which can synchronize contacts, social networking, calendar and email from the same screen. Users can access an integrated manner all the updates to their personal accounts at Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, Yahoo or LastFM, and their personal and work email.

Stated more clearly, Motoblur are widgets technology for various topics such as Events, Messages, Calendar State and where information is grouped globally irrespective of their origin. We in the message folder to receive both social networks, friends via SMS and other communication modes.

The Motorola Dext is priceless yet.

Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet PC & T400s

2009-09-17T11:38:00.007+06:00

The touch screen force begins to arrive at computer screens, especially the all in one and laptops. And it does, then you better do multitouch, Lenovo will have thought. They introduced the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet PC and the Lenovo ThinkPad T400s.

In both models, touch screens are optional, so we can get them also without them if needed. The Lenovo X200 comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.4 GHz, 160 GB hard drive, 12.1 inch screen and, oddly, only 1 GB of RAM, although its operating system, now is Vista.

Obviously, when it launches Windows 7 this will be the option chosen for a laptop. For now, this configuration is offered for $ 1654 but will only be recommended to increase the RAM in a couple of GB more. Something can stay short the 4-cell battery included, but promise a range of up to nine hours with 8 cell.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T400s has a base price of $ 1999 and comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 14.1-inch screen, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB hard drive and a 6-cell battery. Both models have the softare SimpleTap from October 22.

With him we have access to different functions usually performed by hardware, since toggle the Wi-Fi to adjust the volume or put the PC into hibernation. This function is activated by pressing twice on the screen and turns off with a single touch.

BeoVision 7-40 Blu-ray

2009-09-17T11:38:00.005+06:00

Bang & Olufsen goes to one of their TVs to Blu-ray truck. The BeoVision 7-40 Blu-ray increases the options we can choose this model, to integrate into the TV itself reader Blu-ray, which also includes all the technologies we expect from a player of this type.

It has BD-Live compatibility, thanks to the Internet including, but not the only novelty of this device, because the TV has been updated to run while incorporating a DTT tuner high definition, prepared by both for the future, when issues of this kind in our country.

Screen also BeoVision 7-40 Blu-ray gets better, because it has integrated image processor 100 Hz, which adds to FullHD panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz which is available on television. As there, it still includes Clear Vision Technologies and Automatic Picture Control, which improves image quality and adjusting the brightness of the light that is in the room.

Of course all these features are reserved for the few, because as any devices that offers Bang & Olufsen, this is a very high price for most of us. BeoVision 7-40 Blu-ray is available in six different colors and costs from 11,713 euros.

Sony NW-A840, Walkman

2009-09-17T11:38:00.003+06:00

Sony just introduced which will probably be the best player in its Walkman range, the Sony NW-A840, which only fails him, in my opinion, the colors offered in black and brown. Browsers do not look here, touch screens or Wi-Fi, we’re talking about a media player, focusing on the audio, which does what it has to do.

Allow playback both audio and video, the latter in an OLED screen with a resolution of 400 × 240 pixels and a size of 2.8 inches. It’s not ideal for watching movies, but slightly shorter clips. If we have a small screen, the TV out lets you play at 720 x 480 pixels.

Sony has decided to finally get rid of proprietary software to upload files to their players, and this model allows drag and drop from the file browser of your computer. Thus, we can rip music in MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV and video in H.264, MPEG-4 and WMV support more than enough in most cases.

In these features, the Sony NW-A840 adds FM radio tuner, a digital S-Master amplifier, noise cancellation and comes with quality headphones. Its battery provides a range of 29 hours of audio playback and 9 hours in video playback.

She puts Sony NW-A840 on sale in Japan in late October in various capacities. The 16GB model of Sony NW-A840 will cost about 180 euros, while the 32 GB up to 225 euros and the 64 GB to 300 euros

Dell Studio XPS 8000

2009-09-17T11:38:00.001+06:00

The Dell Studio XPS 8000 is a team that can meet high expectations for users with an average profile-advanced. It has the Core i5-750 to 2.66 GHz and, like all Dell computers, is highly configurable: up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory, up to 1.5 TB of internal capacity and the ability to configure the graphics card, among which include The GTX260 from NVIDIA in consideration of ATi, the model introduces only ATi 4350. There are other options in between.

We also find the possibility of installing a Blu-Ray drive, most advanced sound cards, TV tuner or even NVidia 3D Vision system, all configurable at the time of purchase the equipment.

Another possible configurations of the Dell XPS Studio 8000 is found in the microprocessor. While by default comes with the Core i5-750, there are extensions to the new Core i7 860 and 870, which also presented the past day and used on the same plate that the i5.

The initial price for the Studio XPS 8000 is about $850

Acer G24HQ 24-inch Full HD monitor

2009-09-17T11:37:00.009+06:00

Acer has introduced a new monitor within the high range for the domestic market. It is the Acer G243HQ, with a size of 23.6 inches and resolution of 1920 × 1080, which begins to be quite common on the monitors of upper-middle range and size from the 22 inches.

The Acer monitor has a TN type panel, 80.000:1 dynamic contrast and 2 millisecond response time, the lowest in monitors for the home. It comes fairly complete in terms of connections, because it integrates HDMI (with support for HDCP), DVI and VGA. It also includes the typical manufacturer’s own technologies, as eDisplay Management, eColor Management, and Adaptive Contrast Management.

The final prices have not yet been made public, although we expect to be much lower than the 400 euros that some are being asked by the first G24. In addition, there are already similar to the Acer G243HQ monitors but with some gaps (more response time, less dynamic contrast) for about 200 euros, approximately, but not have a copper colored frame.

LG GM750 with Windows Mobile 6.5

2009-09-17T11:37:00.007+06:00

LG is about to release LG GM750 mobile for October, powered by Windows Mobile 6.5, which these days is what touches announce the Windows Mobile. What is LG has made an alliance with Vodafone to launch a European level as an exclusive phone, the new be sold in 5 countries on the same day, October 6, and in December in all countries where Vodafone is present.

The LG mobile phone has a 3 inch touch screen, resolution 240 × 400 pixels, with a modified interface based on S-Class, with GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, 5 megapixel camera, compatible with HSDPA / HSUPA, card slot microSD to use as main memory and FM radio.

This LG GM750 be available in Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK, but also in France with SFR operator, did not announce the price, probably because Vodafone offers will differ depending on country. We have to wait until October.

Canon Powershot G11 and S90

2009-09-17T11:37:00.005+06:00

Canon has introduced two advanced compact camera models. The Canon PowerShot G11 is the most prominent. Successor of the Canon G10 is featured with 10-megapixel sensor and 2.8 inch screen covers, and can also rotate. The 5x optical zoom, manual controls and support for a photograph in RAW data are other highlights of this advanced compact camera.

The lower-resolution sensor in conjunction with the Digic IV image processor promises improved dynamic range and noise at high sensitivities content in this Canon G11 goes from 80 to 3200 ISO.

The price of the Canon G11 will be around 500 euros, we do not seem so if the HDMI output had been accompanied by video footage in high definition, an absence that do not understand.

Caught us by surprise, the PowerShot S90. The highlight of this new model is the luminosity of its objective, f2-4.9. The zoom of 3.8 increases with an equivalent focal length of 28-105 mm.

The Canon S90 also features manual controls and use the RAW format. On the screen is 3 inches, with resolution of 460,000 pixels and HDMI port. Its price will be around 400 euros.

Mimo 720-S, 7-inch touchscreen

2009-09-17T11:37:00.003+06:00

We had previously talked of a couple of screens Nano. These devices are characterized by small additional screens for your computer.

The Nanovision Mimo 720-S still does not launch date, but its features are already known: we are talking about 7-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 800 × 480 pixels and can rotate the screen 90 degrees. Interesting connection, since this is done only via the USB cable into your computer, and without any other additional power connectors.

The Mimo 720-S will have a little sister, the 710-S to be like the 720 except the touchscreen technology.

As for prices, Mimo 720-S has not yet been put up for sale, but the 710-S can be reserved for $ 150, just over 100 euros to change. The 720-S is obviously more expensive, maybe around $ 250.

Samsung WB5000 with 24x zoom

2009-09-17T11:37:00.001+06:00

Without being a DSLR, the Samsung WB5000 some features that are often more typical of these, but with one point more than outstanding, an incredible 24x zoom magnification equivalent to a 26-624 mm, with its Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

Also lets you take photos in RAW format and has a full manual mode, to reflect the most to our liking and take maximum advantage of its possibilities. That it also offers other features more typical of the compact, such as face recognition or automatic mode intelligent.

The sensor resolution is about WB5000 Samsung increasingly amazing 12.5 mega pixels, but we like even more to offer the possibility to record movies in high definition.

So far the Samsung WB5000 has not been officially announced, so it is unknown what the approximate price of this model and when it will release, but these data should arrive during the fourth quarter.

ViewSonic PJD2121 Compact Projector

2009-09-17T11:36:00.009+06:00

ViewSonic PJD2121 model can create images with sizes up to 60 inches although the projector placed near the screen, but being compact we find an occasional inconvenience. The first is resolution, which can only be 800 × 600 but can natively connect sources to give us up to 1080i video. The other hits of this type of product is the luminosity, well below normal.

In this projector from ViewSonic would be speaking to 400 lumens compared to 2,000 on average to be found in a traditional projector. However, the result will be satisfactory if we do not use in bright environments, because with only 100 lumens projections have gotten good in our tests.

An interesting accessory that came with the projector is the WPG-350 bridge. If you connect to the VGA port on your projector, we will have a WiFi connection with a computer if they want. This accessory does well at resolutions up to 1024 × 768 pixels.

The price of compact projector ViewSonic PJD2121 is $ 500, costing $ 200 WiFi adapter.

Acer Veriton Z280G, computer all in one

2009-09-17T11:36:00.007+06:00

The computers all in one also want to get a more professional environment, at least that is the intention of Acer with the model presented, the Acer Veriton Z280G. In fact, there is not much that differentiates it from other computers in this range, except in the software.

Its specifications include an Intel Atom N270, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Wi-Fi connectivity and Ethernet, five USB 2.0 ports, memory card reader and an optical drive with DVD burning. All integrated on a screen of 18.5 inches.

The computer screen offers a maximum resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels, a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a response time of 5 milliseconds, with a 16:9 format. It is accompanied by a keyboard and a mouse, in this case are not wireless.

Included with operating system is Windows XP, but we can choose to view through the recovery CD that comes with. Acer Veriton Z280G will go on sale in the U.S. with a price of $ 499.

MSI Wind Top AE2010

2009-09-17T11:36:00.005+06:00

MSI has upgraded its computer all in one with a new model, the MSI Wind Top AE2010, changing its concept quite as well as its design specifications for the fall within a range altogether.

And so far is that if offered an ultraportable computer specifications, ie Intel Atom, this has been replaced in the new model by an AMD Athlon X2 Dual-Core, which comes with 4GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive and an ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card.

The screen of this MSI Wind has a size of 20 inches and a resolution of 1600 × 900 pixels, so that content playback in high resolution should be no problem, taking into account the processor incorporates.

As additional specifications of MSI Wind Top AE2010 find an integrated webcam, six USB ports, a memory card reader, speakers with SRS. All with a price of $ 650, plus the option to purchase touchscreen.

Asus Monitors T1 Series

2009-09-17T11:36:00.003+06:00

Asus today has spectacular new T1 series monitors. Two models of 22 and 24 inches, which feature digital and analog hybrid tuner and FullHD resolution.

Asus T1 Series enters the range of computer monitors so in demand lately. These are teams with great diagonals that will serve us both to use as a computer screen to have a small TV. This feature 1080p resolution and Freeview tuner. Too bad that he has opted for a hybrid analog / digital when the topic of the most practical switch-off would have been giving it dual digital tuner to watch one program while recording another. Even one of them had been in high definition.

T1 Series also includes virtual surround sound through a pair of 7W speakers and an almost total connectivity, two HDMI ports, two Scarts, component input, composite video, S-Video, VGA, RCA and digital audio output S / PDIF .

In its technical specifications can talk 20.000:1 contrast, the response time of 5ms and image enhancement with Splendid Video Intelligence technology.

Asus T1 Series comes with remote control, with rates of 250 and 300 euros respectively.

Queen of the house, the Roomba

2009-09-17T11:36:00.001+06:00

No appliance better than the classic geek Roomba to finish this special edition so good times has brought us this August.

Roomba is a classic appliance has for years in the market iRobot. With the return home after the summer, leaving new Roomba vacuum cleaner market with a mission as always: keep your house clean with just one click.

Roomba is a series of robots with the AWARE system, an application that controls the vacuum and independently performs the housekeeping in all soil types.

It is also effective, safe vacuum, since the machine is disconnected at the time that is lifted off the ground. For furniture and other objects / animals that are in the room that is clean do not worry: Roomba navigates wisely, reduce their speed when approaching any obstacle, even with his anti-drop system stops when it reaches a ladder and turns.

The combination of circular brush and the two brushes that rotate in opposite directions on the sides make it easy for the inner tank was filled with dirt from the floor. Its small size makes it easy to be introduced under the furniture.

Something that we loved when we tried a Roomba was the programming system that makes the vacuum back to base to recharge without the need to act, or when it has finished its task of cleaning that we have entrusted.

Asus uBoom Series portable speakers

2009-09-17T11:35:00.001+06:00

Asus uBoom Series improve the sound quality offered by our computer, be it laptop or desktop computer.

He does so with a pair of compact models but offer a 2.1 system, that is, come with an integrated subwoofer, improving the response in low frequencies. The first one is the ASUS uBoom Sound-bar, with a rather peculiar design and connecting to the computer via a USB port.

This Asus uBoom Series model is not intended to carry it anywhere, it weighs about three pounds, but its shape allows it to function as portable elevator, making it more comfortable to wear and dissipates heat better than appears from this. It also requires an adapter to power for operation.

LG GW620 1st Android phone

2009-09-17T11:08:00.001+06:00

Though it already broke cover at IFA out in Germany a few days ago, LG's just sealed the deal on its very first Android phone -- the GW620 landscape QWERTY slider. Interestingly, the "Etna" name seen at IFA is missing from the official press release, but otherwise, the 3-inch touchscreen mentioned lines up nicely with what we'd previously known. Camera specs aren't mentioned here, but as far as we know, it's going to clock in at 5 megapixels and the phone looks to be loaded with a very bone-stock Android build sans LG-specific enhancements like an S-Class port. Interestingly, the GW620 flies in the face of LG's super-cozy relationship with Microsoft and its commitment to concentrate on WinMo in its smartphone line, but you can tell that the company's wording in the release is very carefully-chosen: the phone is geared at "making the smartphone experience more accessible for typical users" and "young professionals who demand a full QWERTY keypad," which we guess makes WinMo a more business-savvy platform in LG's eyes. We think we're comfortable with that characterization -- for now, anyway. Look for the GW620 to start showing up in "select European markets" in the fourth quarter of the year.

Hercules unveils eCafe EC-1000W netbook

2009-09-17T11:01:00.001+06:00

Hercules is a company more known for video game controllers and other peripherals than anything else. With the netbook category of the PC market booming lots of companies not traditionally associated with full computer systems are entering into the market. Hercules is the latest to jump on the netbook bandwagon

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Today Hercules announced its new eCafe EC-1000W netbook, and as much as I am surprised to say it, the machine offers some features that you don’t see often on netbooks. Namely, Hercules has crammed 250GB of storage into the machine. The system will also ship with Windows 7 starter edition in October.

Other features of the netbook include a 10.1-inch LCD with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and it runs an Intel Atom N270 processor. Along with the 250GB HDD, Hercules also offers 50GB of online storage. Wireless networking is integrated with 802.11n tech and a 6-cell 4400 mAh battery pack powers the entire works. One of the more impressive features is the price of the machine at $399; it’s a good value for what you are getting

HTC Touch 2

2009-09-07T12:19:00.001+06:00

Smartphone announced : HTC introduced the HTC Touch 2 Smartphone, a compact and stylish multimedia handset that is one of the first Windows phones. Utilizing Windows Mobile 6.5 and new services like Microsoft My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, HTC Touch 2 smartphone delivers a full touch experience that enables you to do all the things you want on your mobile phone easily. The Touch2 expands HTC’s portfolio of touch-based phones and is focused on delivering an advanced touch experience to a broader group of people.

HTC Touch 2 Smartphone
With the re-designed Internet Explorer Mobile, the HTC Touch 2 accurately displays desktop style internet pages, allowing users to experience content in the way it is meant to be viewed. The HTC Touch 2 smartphone includes a zoom bar for reflowing text to an optimum size. In addition, you can pan and zoom to find and enjoy what you are looking for more easily. Internet Explorer Mobile also supports Adobe Flash, enabling Flash video content, like YouTube, to be viewed easily.

Advanced Smartphone
The HTC Touch2 ensures that everything is at your fingertips in a compact design that fits comfortably in your hand. An advanced smartphone with everything you expect and more, the HTC Touch2 includes a variety of HTC enhancements including TouchFLO, an enhanced user interface that includes integrated weather updates and quick touch access to a variety of the most popular applications. In addition, the Touch2 includes Google Maps for Mobile, YouTube and more.

New Windows Smartphone
As a new Windows phone, the HTC Touch 2 showcases the powerful messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities delivered by Windows Mobile 6.5. Offering a best in class e-mail experience complete with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, you have the ability to check and manage multiple e-mail accounts. With a Windows phone you can now easily find and download a wide variety of applications onto the HTC Touch 2 via the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Microsoft’s new My Phone service enables you to automatically back up and synch photos, music, contacts and text messages for free from the HTC Touch 2 to the web.

HTC Touch 2 mobile phone
“The new HTC Touch 2 Smartphone delivers a familiar touch experience that millions of people have come to expect and rely on from HTC in their daily lives,” said Peter Chou, Chief Executive Officer, HTC Corporation. “Whether it’s making a phone call, checking in with a friend or simply responding to an important e-mail, the HTC Touch 2 handset puts you in touch and in control.”

The HTC Touch 2 will initially be available to customers on October 6 with broad availability in a variety of European and Asian markets in early Q4 2009. As soon as we receive a HTC Touch 2 test sample, we will publish a photo gallery with high resolution pictures, followed by an in-depth HTC Touch 2 review.

HTC Touch HD review

2009-08-28T11:56:00.001+06:00

Having switched from Windows Mobile to the iPhone nearly one year ago to the day I have been waiting for a device with a similar form factor without all the restrictions and frustrations that an Apple device brings along with it. Sure the iPhone does a fantastic job at making usability simple but with it comes a straight jacketed approach that really frustrates me. Welcome to the HTC Touch HD, can it live up to all the hype, is it really the device that can pull me away from the iPhone 3G and condemn it to my sock draw, read on to find out.

What’s in the box

HTC Touch HD

8GB microSDHC card

AC Adapter (UK)

USB Cable

Stereo earphones with mic

Pouch Case

Battery (1350mAh)

Additional Stylus

Screen Protector

Getting Started CD

User Manual CD

On the outside

This device screams minimalistic from all angles so don’t expect lots of hardware buttons. On the top we have a 3.5mm headphone socket, not recessed at all and fits all headphones with a 3.5mm jack, nice one HTC about time too. To the left of that we have a simple on/off button and a tiny green led which flashes when you have a missed call etc.

The bottom has the mini USB charging port, this is not the normal HTC mini USB charging port as on this occasion all it supports is charging and connectivity to a PC etc, no audio headsets or TV Out functionality. Next to this is the small circular opening for the microphone.

The left hand edge of the phone has one long button however this is a rocker type button for the volume up and down controls. The right edge is totally free of anything but at the lowest point is the access for the stylus, this is similar to the HTC Diamond as it is magnetically drawn into position with a satisfying click when your done. Again when you remove the stylus the device is intelligent enough to know that you need the screen to come on, and come on it does.

The front of the phone has an ear piece speaker grille at the top centre, to the right of that is the front facing video call camera, under that is a fantastic 3.8″ 800 x 480 screen finished at the bottom with four touch sensitive symbols, I say symbols as they are not physical buttons but when selected give a haptic feedback buzz so you know you have activated them. The symbols are call, home, back and end. Strange omission is illumination of the buttons, you cannot see them in the dark and there is no back lighting at all.

The rear plate of the device is a two tone black with a raised brushed chrome effect camera lense housing which proudly announces a 5.0 mega pixel auto focus camera.

Under the cover we have the battery compartment, SIM Card slot and MicroSD card slot. The soft reset button is the small red button.

Software

Ok we have had a look at the outside what about switching it on. To turn the device on a short press and hold of the top button is required, the unit buzzes and starts to boot up with Smart Mobility and the HTC logo shortly followed by the Windows Mobile 6.1 splash screen, total boot time from an off position is approximately 60 seconds however the first switch on needed some setup and probably took around five minutes with customisations etc for specific carrier data settings and screen calibrations. The first thing that strikes you when TouchFlo 3D appears on the screen with the big clock is just how clear crisp and bright this display is, it really does take you by surprise, it just looks fantastic.

One of the best features of the phone is the sensitivity of the touch screen. Windows Mobile devices use a resistive touch screen which reacts to pressure where as the iPhone and recent Google Android G1 handsets use capacitive touch screen’s which react to electrical pulses. Because of this normally you need to press much harder on a resistive screen however this pressure has been massively reduced on the Touch HD although it is still a long way from being as easy to use as the iPhone it is a great improvement. Some would argue that resistive is the better technology as it gives you more accurate input and a choice of finger or stylus, its open to debate.

TouchFlo 3D for those that don’t know is HTC’s overlay on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 that is supposed to make finger navigation easy, does it succeed, until now I would say no, however the large screen and TouchFlo 3D are made for each other, selecting icons, scrolling, flicking, tapping all work perfectly and holding one of the dock icons and moving your finger left to right changes the display in a fluid and consistent way. You can also swipe left to right or right to left across the screen to switch between tabs. One of the original criticism’s of TouchFlo 3D was how deep it went into the Windows Mobile OS or should that be how shallow it went, well that hasn’t changed drastically and go a little way into the OS and again your faced with tiny menus and you struggle to hit a down pointing arrow to open a menu with your finger nail and you have to admit defeat and pull out the stylus, what a shame.

The TouchFlo 3D includes tabs and finger friendly version screens as below:-

Home Screens

Lovely home screen with flip over clock, call history and up to three appointments shown, the dock is at the bottom of the screen with all the tabs for easy access via touch or pressing down on one of them and dragging left or right.

People and Messages

The People tab is where you can add quick dial numbers with pictures, click on a photo and you can easily access options to call, email,SMS, MMS etc. The messaging tab lets you flick through your recent text messages or create new ones.

Mail and Internet

The mail tab is very similar to the messaging tab but purely concentrates on email, here you have access to your email inboxes, I have three shown but they have no titles so you have to guess which one is which until you get to know their order, you can create new messages from here and also click individual messages which opens up the standard Windows Mobile Outlook screens. As this is a Windows Mobile device the email integration is top draw with support for full HTML email and if you have an Exchange account, push email, contacts and agenda all work flawlessly. This is where Windows Mobile excels.

The Internet tab has quick access to the pre-installed Opera 9.5 Browser, YouTube application and favourite bookmarks. The browser works well and renders pages as fast as the iPhones’s Safari browser but I found the interface mainly due to the resistive screen to be harder to use, maybe practice will change my perspective. When your used to pinching and expanding two figures to zoom in and out having to pull up a toolbar and a slider to do the same does not seem as natural to me. The browser although being a newer version than the one seen on the HTC Diamond or the Touch Pro still has no support for Flash.

Stock, Photos and Video

The Stock tab shows the latest stock prices which is updated as and when required, obviously aimed at the business sector, not something that interests me. The Photo tab has quick access to your stored photos which again you can flick through with swipe gestures and very light flicks at that. Click a photo to open it, zoom in by drawing a clockwise circle on the screen with your finger and out and again with anti-clockwise motion all works really well. You can also access the still camera and video camera from this tab.

Weather and Music

The Weather tab is stunning on the 3.8″ screen, it updates as soon as you select the tab and the graphical representation of the current climate conditions looks fantastic, due to the resolution of the screen you are now able to see the next four days forecast right underneath, up to seven cities can be set, there is no better weather app for me.

The music tab is somewhat basic but does show album artwork although somewhat fussily if that is a word but you can setup repeats, shuffles and playlists as well as access the audio boost settings. You can flick through albums by swiping the screen vertically up or down.

Settings and Programs

The settings tab gives you easy access to various system settings as well as a new option which allows you to change the order and display options of the tabs themselves, a nice addition.

Programs is a simple but highly ef
fective launch grid where you can add shortcuts to your most used programs, simply click on a free space and it opens a list of installed programs, select the one you want and it appears on the grid, reminds me of an iPhone home screen and is very usable

Other additional software over and above the Windows Mobile core worth mentioning is the YouTube application, this like the iPhone gives you access to flash based YouTube videos as the browser cannot handle them. You can search for videos easily as well as look at featured or most watched, a menu allows you to select them based on various different viewing options. Once selected the screen flips to landscape and the video is streamed, works very well over WiFi or HSDPA.

Google Maps, no street view as yet but again the screen shows this application in the best possible light, full satellite imagery in glorious 800 x 480 resolution looks simply stunning, GPS seemed to work fine for me without any of the lag problems others are reporting. I also loaded up TomTom and a free map and tested the GPS and all seemed perfectly fine to me, no different from the stand alone version I have and it kept up without any noticeable lag.

Text entry was my major concern, well HTC have included various onscreen keyboard configurations, Phone Keypad, Compact QWERTY, Full QWERTY, and the usual Windows Mobile Transcriber, Block Recognisers etc. Now these keyboards all serve a function but they are not that great for consistent text entry, the main problem is when you press the key it is hidden along with the keys around it by your finger tip so your never sure you have hit the right key, another problem is the text error correction is very basic compared to other phones I have used and found myself correcting mistakes that the OS should have spotted and been intelligent enough to rectify on the fly.

These are the keyboard screen captures, top left is the Compact QWERTY, top right is the Phone Keypad, bottom left is the Full QWERTY and bottom right is the preferred SPB Keyboard which is actually slightly bigger taking up more space on the screen. As you can see the HTC version highlights the key all around it which is still obscured by your finger where as the SPB version highlights the key above your finger making it easy to see whilst you press the button.

I have been fortunate enough to be testing out the SPB Keyboard latest version, now imagine the iPhone keyboard where the letters when pressed jump above your finger tip so you can confirm that you have hit the correct key and that’s how this version performs, text entry in this way is as easy as the iPhone’s, a big relief for me. I have also been trying Touchpal and it takes a little getting used too but again is much better than the HTC included options.

Sound Quality

Being able to use a 3.5mm set of headphones is a major plus as we no longer have to use stock headphones or buy adaptors and it also gives you the option to try out the device’s sound quality with a good pair, I have a set of Bose in ear headphones and the sound playback through the device was very clear and had a lovely strong bass to it, volume was not the highest even at maximum for me but that is my preference as I love my music loud and always have to up the gain in iTunes before synching to my iPhone so I can get some extra volume. All in all very nice sound quality.

Video Playback

The screen on Touch HD should be amazing for watching videos on the go, I tested it with Core Player and a VGA resolution DivX file and it played well without any noticeable stutter, WMV files of higher resolution were not so successful and HD content in WMV format was a non starter, now why is this device called HD? More testing is required here but I am not a big video watcher on the go so I will leave that for others to try out.

Signal Strength and Call Quality

Well this is where I was very pleasantly surprised after using the Xperia X1 a few days earlier and being very disappointed with it’s ability to hold a consistent signal and even losing the signal in my home regularly. The HD proved to be more than capable where I live with its patchy signal strength. Not one dropped call, no signal jumping around just a solid 4 bars at all times, great sound quality in a call and switching between 3G and 2.5G areas again no dropped calls, very pleased with this result. The best phone radio signal of any device I have used. The phone application is the standard HTC keypad we have seen before but again we have no proximity sensor so the phone screen switches off during a call so you have to physically switch it on again to check anything during a call.

Bluetooth connectivity options cover everything I can think of, handsfree and headset profiles, A2DP, AVRCP, DUN and many others, something Android and the iPhone could learn from.

Camera

The camera on the Touch HD is a 5 megapixel camera and should produce great results, again I am no expert when it comes to quality s
o I have taken a few shots at different light conditions and close ups so you can judge for yourself. Unfortunately no flash so night time shooting is a no go. The camera also shoots video in MPEG4 or H.263 format with unlimited recording as long as you have spare storage.

Battery Life

This device has a 1350mAh battery, it’s not that big and that worried me as the screen is so large, now having used it I am not so worried, with the same usage pattern as my iPhone, voice calls, push email and two other half hour automatic Gmail accounts, web browsing etc the Touch HD was much stronger than the iPhone and with casual use I am sure you could manage two days without a charge.

Conclusion

The HTC Touch HD is without doubt the best Windows Mobile experience I have ever had, the screen is simply stunning, TouchFlo 3D works for what it does, the sensitivity of the screen is excellent and the most sensitive that I have used. The form factor of the device is big but not too big and the build quality is good but it is very plasticy and lacks the quality of the first generation iPhone or the recently reviewed Xperia X1.

Now to the crunch, the same old problems still remain in my opinion and it’s not HTC’s fault but Microsoft’s. HTC have pushed the boundary’s as far as possible with this device and given Windows Mobile diehards a device that they will no doubt love, but I don’t think it is going to be enough for me. If you want this device as a business phone, the Outlook integration is unmatched on any other platform no question and the telephony is brilliant, but if your after a device to access your media easily then that is a whole different ball game. Windows Mobile just does not do a good enough job at organising and synching your media or allowing easy access to it at this moment in time in my opinion. Compared to the iPhone’s excellent iPod interface with easy one handed usage it is too far ahead for me to consider changing to this device unless a third party application can deliver that experience. From what I have tried third party developers have failed to deliver anything like what Apple have produced either, with the iTunes media synching capabilities and organisation. Sure by choosing Apple over Windows Mobile you lose a lot of features and that is the question you have to answer. Are you a media lover or a power user?

If you want the freedom that Windows Mobile gives you and can live with the interface then no question you will like this device, in fact I would go as far as to say you will love it. If however you want something that is easier to use but comes with a lot of restrictions then the iPhone may be a better alternative for it’s media prowess, it is for me for now anyway, until Windows Mobile 7 comes out and hopefully delivers the media experience matched to the already great business features with an easy interface, unless of course Microsoft surprise us all and embed the Zune software in the Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade, now that would make this decision one to revisit if a ROM upgrade would be available. Final verdict is the HTC Touch HD is a brilliant device let down by the same old Windows Mobile problems, if you can overcome them this is a fantastic device, make no mistake.

Pros

3.8″ 800 x 480 Sensitive screen

Email and messaging

Opera Browser

Form Factor

5 megapixel Camera

TouchFlo 3D

Battery life

Proper GPS with ability to use turn by turn software

Cons

Access and use of media

Depth of TouchFlo 3D exposing Windows Mobile non finger friendly interface

Specs

Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

Qualcomm MSM 7201A 528 MHz

RAM – 288 MB

ROM – 512 MB

3.8-inch (480×800WVGA) TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen

HSDPA/WCDMA – Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz. Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds.

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g

Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets

HTC ExtUSB

3.5 mm audio jack

GPS and A-GPS ready

microSD™ memory card (SDHC capable)

FM Radio

Touch sensitive front panel buttons

5 megapixel colour camera with auto focus.

Front facing VGA CMOS color camera.

Rechargeable Lithium-ion or. Lithium-ion polymer battery with a capacity of 1350 mAh

115 mm x 62.8 mm x 12 mm

146g

Warranty 2 Years

LG X130 Netbook

2009-08-19T16:03:00.001+06:00

Finally we come to more accurate data of the new LG netbook. Known as the LG X130, with 10 inch screen and will be sold in several countries for a price $632 respectively.

Some of its features are:

10.1-inch LCD screen
Resolution 1024 x 600 pixels
Intel Atom processor N270 at 1.6GHz
1GB of RAM
160GB hard drive capacity
Connectivity Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g/n
Autonomy of the battery in approximately 12 hours in active mode

The nerbook does not come with an integrated modem while they will be managed by Windows XP Home.

As mentioned at the beginning, LG X130 come to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East Africa for a price of around $ 632.

Dell Inspiron 11z CULV notebook

2009-08-19T16:01:00.005+06:00

With little fanfare, Dell this morning has launched its first notebook based on Intel's CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) platform. The Inspiron 11z costs as much as a netbook but uses an ultra-low voltage 1.2GHz Celeron that Dell estimates is about 40 percent faster than a 1.6GHz Atom. It also has a larger 11.6-inch, 1366x768 screen and faster GS45 integrated graphics, but isn't tangibly bulkier at about 1 inch thick and just over 3 pounds in weight.

Moving to the faster platform pushes Dell to use Windows Vista Home Premium instead of the older, smoother-running XP, but in return the PC builder outfits a stock $399 system with 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Costs are largely kept down by using a basic 3-cell battery and 802.11g Wi-Fi, though the system does have a 1.3-megapixel webcam and HDMI output as standard.

At present, few options exist for the 11z outside of an external DVD burner, though as a consequence the notebook is considered one of Dell's FastTrack systems and should ship almost immediately.

Gigabyte TouchNote T1028

2009-08-19T16:01:00.003+06:00

The new Gigabyte TouchNote T1028 is another more notebook PC, the specifications of which are showing the most esots models, but with one striking difference: a touch screen.

This screen, with a size of 10.1 inches, with hinged and can be rotated, is LED and has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Arguably, it’s like any other team in the industry, but the touch screen (not multitáctil) makes the T1028 can be turned into a Tablet PC.

It is clearly a competitor against the Asus Eee T91, the first that took the first big tech touch screen for an ultraportable. The main differences of the last gigabyte model are compared to the T91 size, 8.9 to 10.1 inches in front of the T1028.

The remaining features are most often Atom processor N270 or N280, depending on the model chosen, with 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Highlight the 6-cell battery, which is becoming increasingly easy to find on netbooks.

The price of the Gigabyte TouchNote T1028 is at $ 680, and is currently for sale on the Amazon site.

MSI Bravo EX628

2009-08-19T16:01:00.001+06:00

MSI launch their new portable computer system with the name MSI Bravo EX628. The 16-inch screen notebook equiped with new Ati Mobility Radeon HD 4670.

It is powered by an Intel Vore 2 Duo processor, HD resolution of 1366 x 768 and, the DDR2 memory can be up to 4GB. If you like to chat using video webcam, you can use its 2.0 megapixel webcam.

Other features we can mention:

1.56K Fax/Modem
LAN
Bluetooth V2.0+EDR
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
3 in 1 card reader
HDMI port
Three USB 2.0 ports, as well as e-SATA
160, 250 and 320 GB SATA Hard Drive
six or nine cell baterry.

The price of MSI Bravo EX628 is not confermed yet, there is no information also about the release date.

RIM Bluetooth watch

2009-08-19T15:58:00.001+06:00

,

We're not sure why we didn't hear more about this way back at RIM's WES conference way back in May, but it was apparently mentioned by VP Antoine Boucher at the time that they're working on a Bluetooth-enabled watch. Furthermore, it's said to be more advanced than the models Sony Ericsson has put forth so far, featuring streaming audio (3.5mm jack on the watch, perhaps?) and Twitter / Facebook updates in addition to the usual things like caller ID and text messages. Note that the image floating around today of this thing isn't real -- it's just a Sony Ericsson MBW-100 with a swapped logo -- so it remains to be seen what this magical wrist accessory will look like, assuming it's real and coming to retail. It seems Boucher also mentioned a high-end Bluetooth headset codenamed "Alpha 1" that'll allow you to stream music and get navigation directions through some sort of totally awesome silicone earpiece boasted to possibly be "the best solution on the market." It's pretty hard to pique a lot of interest these days with something as vanilla and ubiquitous as a headset, but at any rate, it's interesting to see the depth of RIM's apparent commitment to the accessory market right now.
[Via techfresh.net]

Lenovo Q100/Q700 nettops, D400 server

2009-08-19T15:54:00.001+06:00

Lenovo this afternoon put an end to speculation and launched its IdeaCentre Q series of mini desktops as well as its first Windows Home Server. The Q110 is Lenovo's first home nettop and gets NVIDIA's Ion chipset, giving it enough power to decode 1080p in hardware as well as render reasonably modern 3D as well as accelerate some heavily optimized tasks like video encoding. Its other specs aren't known but involve HD video output and should be based on an Intel Atom chip at its $349 price.

The Q100 is closely related to the Q110 but uses Intel's graphics instead to lower the price to $249. As a consequence, it loses HD video support and is limited to VGA for output. These ship in mid-September.

Today's launch also more formally confirms the previously seen Q700, a full-power mini desktop that uses a 2.5GHz Pentium dual-core (though Core 2 Duo is mentioned), GMA 4500 graphics that can handle 1080p, and storage that ranges from 320GB to 1TB along with a DVD drive. It sells now for $499.

An endcap to the releases comes in the IdeaCentre D400, the Windows Home Server and considered the storage hub for a typical home. Its full specs aren't available but are known to include four 3.5-inch drive bays that, like a Drobo, don't require symmetric storage sizes and can be hot-swapped while the system is running; it can't automatically redistribute data, however. Five USB ports and a one-button data copy button give it room for common removable storage, and a single eSATA port provides a faster alternative. Remote web access to content is also a virtue of the D400, which will cost $499 when it's ready in mid-September.

Q100/Q110

Q700

D400

Microsoft intros 720p LifeCam Cinema

2009-08-19T15:52:00.001+06:00

Microsoft has introduced what it calls the first true HD consumer web camera for PCs, with its LifeCam Cinema. Capable of taking 720p resolution video at 30 frames per second, the webcam sports a glass lens, autofocus, 4x digital zoom and an integrated noise-canceling microphone. The body of the camera is aluminum, while its stand can grip both desktops and notebooks. A Windows Live call button will fire up the cam for use with Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Movie Maker or Windows Live Photo Gallery.

The camera interfaces via USB 2.0, and will officially be compatible with Windows 7 in addition to Vista and XP. The LifeCam Cinema is expected to become available on September 9th, priced at about $80.

iHome iHMP5 headphones

2009-08-19T15:50:00.001+06:00

iHome has released a set of full-ear headphones that sport an integrated in-line amplifier and can be converted into portable speakers rather than strictly operating in a private mode. The iHMP5 set includes a battery-powered, louder amplifier when users want to set it up in speaker mode while still providing a reduced amount of power at all times for regular headphone use. The 50mm (nearly 2 inches) drivers deliver the sound, and there is a volume control clip.

The speakers/headphones feature a common 3.5mm audio jack. Available in red, blue or silver, the iHMP5 can be purchased now, priced at $70

HTC confirms fix for early Hero woes

2009-08-19T15:48:00.001+06:00

Phone maker HTC will soon release an update for its Android-powered Hero handset, says a Tuesday SlashGear report, which owners will be able to download via the company's support site. Exactly what the update will bring remains unknown, but faster performance is expected, since many owners are complaining of slowdowns in the Sense UI.

"HTC will be providing a software update for the HTC Hero," HTC said in a statement,"which will be available via the HTC website in the coming weeks."

A customer support representative then went on to say that a partial update will be available in 10 days, while a major release is due in mid September, complete with local language support. The updates are also expected to bring with them various bug fixes and minor changes.

Sony Ericsson Jalou

2009-08-19T15:43:00.001+06:00

Sony Ericsson announced its latest phone, the Sony Ericsson Jalou, which is inspired by precious stones, is a compact mobile phone that has a mirror to the main screen.

The Jalou supports GSM / EDGE 900/1700/2100MHz and WCDMA / UMTS, 3G, Bluetooth, FM radio with RDS and AGPS. It also has 3.2 megapixel camera with video capture and video light, compatibility with Microsoft ActiveSync, Google Maps, YouTube and a pedometer built.

MicroSD cards will be compatible with this model and have the deluxe version of Dolce & Gabbana, including a silk bag to carry the mobile phone and charger and headphones from the mark.

Both Sony Ericsson Jalou come in the fourth quarter at a price that has not yet been confirmed.

Acer Windows 7 touchscreen devices

2009-08-19T15:42:00.001+06:00

Acer are working on three touch-enabled devices, according to a project manager from their mobile computer department, which will take advantage of Windows 7’s native touchscreen support. While no specific product details were mentioned, the employee did suggest that touch-sensitive netbooks could better take market share if they were positioned as “cheaper alternatives to tablet PCs”, which may indicate that one or more of the Acer devices are just such a netbook.

The talkative manager in question, Shih Hung-wu, also discussed in-cell touch panel technology and its potential to reduce overall device cost. Rather than adding on a touch-layer to an existing LCD TFT or other type of display, in-cell panels combine the TFT and touch layers during the initial manufacturing process.

Acer will, Shih continues, be looking to adopt in-cell touch panels once mass production begins, though he gave no estimates of timescale for that taking place. Earlier this week, MSI were tipped to be preparing Windows 7 netbooks based on Intel’s next-gen Pine Trail-M platform with touchscreen technology, for a release in December this year.

Nuviphone M20 GPS smartphone

2009-08-19T15:41:00.003+06:00

It seems that the Nuviphone M20 will leave from August 19, but in Taiwan for the moment. With Windows Mobile operating system, here is some its characteristics:

3.5G and Tri-band GSM Network
Wi-Fi
Touch screen 2.8-inch TFT
4 GB or 8 GB storage
3 Megapixel Camera
Opera Browser, HTML, WAP 1.2.1/2.0

There is no information regarding the price, and we still have to wait if Garmin Nuviphone M20 come to europe.

Tainell T500

2009-08-19T15:41:00.001+06:00

Tainell T500 comes with a 5-inch screen and a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

The new PMP also offers an Atom Z510 with 1.1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and an 32GB of disk SSD. For connections have WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth, 3G and built-HDMI output.

In addition Tainell T500 comes with GPS navigation and Windows XP.

ASUS Eee Top ET2002T with NVIDIA

2009-08-19T15:40:00.001+06:00

Ion and 20-inch touchscreen debuts

The ASUS EeeTop ET2002T first shown back in June at Computex has apparently made its official debut in France, with Blogeee spotting the full spec-list and some press shots. As expected, the ET2002T brings with it a 20-inch 1,600 x 900 touchscreen display along with a DVD burner and – most interestingly – NVIDIA’s Ion GPU.

There’s also a dual-core Atom 330 1.6GHz processor inside, paired with 2GB of RAM, and a 250GB 5,400rpm hard-drive. Connectivity includes gigabit ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, four USB 2.0 ports, a card reader, and an HDMI input which means the ET2002T can be used as an external display should you want to hook up your new PS3.

All that – along with the matching wireless keyboard and mouse – are being offered for €598 ($845), or at least they will be once the Eee Top ET2002T goes on sale. We reviewed the all-in-one’s predecessor, the Eee Top ET1602, back in December last year, and this new model would seem to address all our main complaints: screen size, processing power and optical drive. Color us excited about this new model.

MSI X-Slim X600

2009-08-11T15:58:00.001+06:00

With official photos, full specifications, an unboxing and demo video behind us, all that’s left for MSI’s X-Slim X600 – before a post eventually saying it’s been retired, of course – is a full review. Happily LaptopMag are on hand to deliver just that, putting the 15.6-inch CULV ultraportable through its paces to see if it’s more than just good looks or falls flat like its smaller X340 sibling

.

The X600’s dimensions can’t be ignored, and that’s partly down to shedding an internal DVD burner in favor of an external one, and partly thanks to MSI’s using an Intel 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500 ULV processor that requires less in the way of cooling. Of course, the payoff to that is reduced performance, significantly below that of traditional 15-inch notebooks, but the graphics – from the ATI Radeon HD 4330 GPU – put in a reasonable performance, squeezing 25fps from Far Cry 2 at 1,024 x 768 resolution.

For $799 LaptopMag are quietly impressed by the X600. You’re choosing size and portability over performance or multimedia capabilities – for the same money you can get a Sony VAIO NW with integrated Blu-ray drive – but it certainly doesn’t disappoint like the X340 has.

Gigabyte T1028X TouchNote

2009-08-11T15:54:00.001+06:00

It's only been a few months since Gigabyte unveiled the 1028M netbook / tablet hybrid, but its successor is already available to buy in Europe. Announced in Hong Kong last month, the 1028X ups the resolution to 1366 x 768 on the 10.1-inch swivel display and bundles a 6-cell 7650 mAh battery for a purported six and a half hours of juice. There's also an utterly meaningless 60MHz CPU upgrade from the Atom N270 to the N280, but the most surprising thing of all might be the price: €622 ($877). That's an awful lot of damage for what is still very much a netbook, but then if you simply must have a touchscreen display in that specific size range, there isn't much competition going around. At least for now.
[Via Slashgear]
Read -- Gigabyte product page

Logitech Harmony 900 universal remote

2009-08-11T15:52:00.001+06:00

Logitech have unveiled their latest universal remote, the Harmony 900, an RF unit that – with the three bundled IR blasters – can control devices in other rooms or enclosed in cabinets. The Harmony 900 remote has a full-color touchcreen as well as numerous backlit hardware buttons, and can be set up via an online wizard; Logitech claim battery life of up to a week.

Logitech bundle the Harmony 900 with three IR blasters: two “mini blasters” and a main unit that has the RF receiver. These can be spread among the shelves of your AV rack and control multiple components, as opposed to traditional IR emitters that must be adhered to the IR receiver of a device.

Up to fifteen remotes can be supplanted by one Harmony 900, and the remote comes with a docking station for easy recharging. The Logitech Harmony 900 is available to preorder now, priced at $399.99

Nanovision’s new MIMO 710-S USB LCD

2009-08-10T18:37:00.001+06:00

After mentioning Nanovision’s new MIMO 710-S USB LCD sub-display last week, we’ve now heard from the company themselves that there will indeed be two versions of the 7-inch 800 x 480 monitor. The range kicks off with the 710-S, as expected, but also includes the Nanovision MIMO 720-S, a touchscreen version.

Both models feature the same patented dual-hinge, which allows them to not only be positioned in portrait or landscape orientation, but folded flat for transport. The MIMO 710-S and 720-S are each slimmer than the existing MIMO displays that we reviewed previously, and are compatible with both PCs and Macs.

The Nanovision MIMO 710-S is available for preorder priced at $149.99, while the MIMO 720-S is yet to go up for pre-order. We’re hoping to get the new display in for review soon, so keep reading for all our coverage.

Hannspree ST-series

2009-08-10T18:36:00.001+06:00

Hannspree have announced a new range of 1080p-capable displays, the ST-series, offering entry-level sizing with budget price tags. The ST251 and ST281 are 25-inch and 28-inch HDTVs respectively, with 10,000:1 dynamic contrast and two HDMI ports apiece.

The ST251 has a 16:9 aspect ratio, 300cd/m2 brightness and 2ms grey-to-grey response time. As for the ST281, that has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 400cd/m2 brightness and 5ms response time. Each also has composite, component, VGA and dual SCART inputs, together with dual 10W speakers.

Both sets are available in the UK now, priced at £269 ($449) for the 25-inch ST251 and £329 ($549) for the 28-inch ST281. Hannspree promise larger models in the ST-series later in the year.

Press Release:

HANNspree unveils the new ST series of HD TVs

A whole new level of audio visual entertainment from HANNspree

Hemel Hempstead, 10th August 2009. Consumer electronics specialist, HANNspree, today unveils its new line of HD TVs. The new ST series, which boasts ultra stylish, minimalistic design and breathtaking audio visual performance, promises to deliver a whole new level of entertainment from HANNspree.

Top 5 Must Know Features of the new ST series:
1) Full 1080P HD Resolutions
2) X-Contrast and X-Celerate Technologies
3) Multiple Input Options
4) Multiple Aspect Ratio Support
5) 10Watt Advanced Audio System

The new HANNspree ST series of TVs includes Full HD 1080P resolutions and features HANNspree’s new X-Celerate and X-Contrast technologies. Developed to dramatically improve 3D rendering and the fluidity of dynamic images, HANNspree’s X-Celerate technology reduces response time to ensure sharper images without motion blur, whilst HANNspree’s exclusive X-Contrast technology delivers 10000:1 ultra high dynamic contrast by providing darker black colour and brighter white colour. Picture quality is also enhanced by three key performance features; built-in 3D Comb-Filter and 3D Deinterlace technology which filters out scattered colour signal to produce more saturated colour and life-life image quality, Digital Noise Reduction to improve the overall clarity and sharpness of a picture, and built-in 3.2:2.2 Pull-down Processing which corrects errors in frame rates to ensure smooth, flicker free pictures.

The new ST TVs also feature Multiple Aspect Ratio Support. To avoid any image distortion, the ST series supports a variety of display options such as; Full, Wide, Panarama, Zoom, Subtitle, Auto and Normal views. For example, using the intuitive interface, it is simple to transform an image which may appear stretched in the standard 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio into the perfect 4:3 aspect ratio. This ensures different images (especially from different input devices) are displayed for the optimum viewing experience.

Also taking care of the plethora of input devices your TV plays host to are multiple input options. The ST TVs are 1.3 HDMI compatible and include two HDMI ports to deliver the best HD image quality from the latest HDMI equipped devices such as Blu-Ray players, games consoles and HD camcorders. The series also include the more traditional SCART connectivity, Component and Composite inputs, as well as, VGA support allowing a PC to be hooked-up to transform the TVs into PC monitors for the ultimate media centre set up.

The new ST series also boasts a 10Watt advanced audio system which delivers superior sound quality and provides users with intuitive personalised audio settings (Standard/Music/Movie/Speech/User) for a powerful stereo home studio experience.

The first TVs to launch from the new HANNSpree ST series will be the ST251 and the ST281, 25” and 28” respectively. The new ST251 and ST281 have been designed to enhance contemporary surroundings. Radiating exclusive quality, both feature a sleek, stylish, modern look with softening curves, mirror black bezels and an ultra thin profile giving a truly minimalistic impression (ideal for wall mounting). Larger ST TV sizes will launch later in the year.

The new ST251 and ST281 from HANNspree are available now from www.misco.co.uk and are supplied with a 2yr Collect and Return warranty.

The new ST range will be on display at IFA 2009. For full details on HANNspree’s presence at IFA 2009 visit: http://www.theprroom.com/NEWS/HANNS_IFA09.html

-ENDS-

Additional Information

Main Specifications:

ST251
Display Size: 25” (24.6” Viewable)
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (PC Mode 1920 x 1080)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Brightness: 300cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 10000:1 (X-Contrast)
Response Time: 2ms (GtG)
Viewing Angles: H/V 170º/160º
Speakers: 2x 10W
Inputs: Composite, Component, 2x HDMI, VGA, 2x Scart
MHEG5
Teletext: 500 Pages
2yr Collect and Return Warranty
RRP: £269 inc. VAT

ST281
Display Size: 28” (27.5” Viewable)
Resolution: 1920 x 1200 (PC Mode 1280 x 1024)
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Brightness: 400cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 10000:1 (X-Contrast)
Response Time: 5ms
Viewing Angles: H/V 170º/160º
Speakers: 2x 10W
Inputs: Composite, Component, 2x HDMI, VGA, 2x Scart
MHEG5
Teletext: 500 Pages
2yr Collect and Return Warranty
RRP: £329 inc. VAT

Wi-Tribe Wireless Broadband

2009-08-10T18:34:00.001+06:00

Launched in Pakistan – Get Online with No Line

I was very happy that PTCL took the initiative after WorldCall to introduce Wirless Broadband in USB Adapters in Pakistan but it was obvious that other companies will also enter into the competition. And now here is Wi-Tribe, a wireless broadband service provider. Although the charges of Wi-Tribe are high and limited packages (less speed) as compared to World Call and PTCL but they are giving a money back guarantee of 7 days to unsatisfied customers.

There is no unlimited package like PTCL and WorldCall wireless braodbands. Instead there is Data limited per month which makes Wi-Tribe expensive. But I think we will give Wi-Tribe some time. One thing, that will help them is Customer Support Service. PTCL Customer Support Service is not at all satisfactory. If you encounter an issue at night, no body is there to pick your call. A better customer service brings better and long lasting customers

Nokia RX-51 Tablet

2009-08-10T18:32:00.001+06:00

Only yesterday we reported that a mysterious Nokia device passed the FCC and as quickly as today that device was spotted in the wild. Although many expected it to be a phone, we had a hunch that it’s a tablet or a mid. Well, we are pleased to inform that it’s a tablet, but you can call it a MID. The Nokia Tablet is a slider device with a 800 x 480 screen, 128MB DDR Samsung internal memory, FM transmitter, and Maemo 5.

About six weeks ago Nokia and Intel signed a partnership which will see both giants work on the next-gen mobile devices. Today we learn that this Nokia Tablet is powered by an OMAP3 ARM processed with frequency scaling report developed by Texas Instruments which is very surprising. Besides that the sliding tablet unveils a slick QWERTY keyboard similar to the one found at the Nokia N810, 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, LED flash, autofocus which shoots pics at a maximum resolution of 2608 x 1966 pixels.

In the FCC filling the tablet is slated as Nokia RX-51, but other details are scarce. In the leaks the Nokia Tablet is rumored to feature WiFi 802.11b/g and an accelerometer.

We are very disappointed by this tablet because it brings nothing new. Consumers (and us) would like to see something new because they can already choose from a plethora of sliders, and we think that Nokia should do something else in order to draw some attention. The Nokia RX-51 Tablet doesn’t impress us in any way, but the key may be the Maemo 5 platform. Let’s just wait for more information before we jump into conclusions.

P.S. This device might be the Nokia N900 as you can spot “Nokia NSeries” on the packaging. Or it could be the Rover.

Via Soft Sailor

Stealth outs NW-2000 tablet PC

2009-08-10T18:29:00.001+06:00

Stealth Computer has recently released a new addition to its Notebook Warrior series of rugged notebook tablets with the NW-2000. Meant for outdoor use, it meets MIL-810F specifications for resistance to submersion in water, shock, sun and other hazards. The magnesium alloy chassis has weather-protected doors for all inputs and outputs, and the 13.3-inch sunlight-legible screen sports a 1280x800 resolution. Hooking up compatible external monitors lets users reproduce resolutions up to 2048x1536

The screen has a built-in touch screen sensor that will read finger or stylus inputs. Processing power is courtesy of an 1.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ultra low voltage chip. For typing in low-light conditions, there is an 86-key backlit keyboard. To keep data from being lost due to shock, the 160GB hard drive is shock-mounted, and users get a fingerprint scanner and TPM module for secure access.

Users otherwise get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and an optional HSDPA module. A standard gigabit Ethernet port connects to the web, and there is a GPS sensor, along with a DVD burner and PC card slot.

The notebook weighs 9.04lbs and promises to offer six hours of runtime from its 7,800mAh battery. The Stealth NW-2000 rugged hybrid PC is currently available, with prices starting at $4,895.

LG GD910 watch phone

2009-08-10T18:27:00.001+06:00

As promised, Orange France today began selling the GD910 watch phone. Still the first phone of its type to use 3G calling and data, the device still functions as a world clock and stopwatch but, through a touchscreen, can perform both the usual calling and messaging as well as handle music playback and take VGA-sized photos. Bluetooth is instrumental to the GD910; it comes with a designer headset for calls and supports optional Bluetooth stereo headphones.

The upscale, waterproof design carries a high premium and will sell for €899 ($1,291) on a 1- or 2-year contract. LG hasn't said how soon if ever it will export the GD910 to the US, though without price cuts would be more likely to show only as an unlocked device; it supports quad-band GSM and EDGE and should work for at least calls and 2G data in North America. [via cellular-news]

Averatec's N3400

2009-08-10T18:25:00.003+06:00

Averatec probably isn't the first name that pops into your head when you think of cleanly designed thin laptops, but if the $800 N3400 is any indication of things to come, that could change. Laptop had a chance to review the 13-inch machine and found its slim, aluminum body compares favorably to the MacBook Air -- despite being nearly a full inch thick. The 1,280 x 800 glossy display was rated as "decent," the dual-core 2.16GHz Intel T3400 processor paired with 3GB of RAM gave very good performance, but unplugged longevity was where it all went wrong. Just over three hours was the mark this machine achieved and, while the battery is replaceable, a screwdriver is required to do the deed, meaning it probably isn't an operation you want to attempt whilst sitting in coach. So, if you need a powerful ultraportable that won't break the bank, this looks to be it -- so long as you aren't planning any long trips.

The Lenovo Ophone Mobile Phone

2009-08-10T18:25:00.001+06:00

The Ophone Lenovo or O1 is Lenovo Mobile phone that have a 3.5 inch touch screen and resolution of 480 × 240 pixels, there is also a 5 megapixel camera and a 624 MHZ processor.

Within the most common high-end mobile phones. Regarding connectivities, we find 3G, integrated GPS and WiFi, although regarding the latter technology is said to come off, because the Chinese government, which initially will be available, to boost the uptake of mobile data networks.

Will come to the market in next September, there is no information for the price, and for the first is only available at China. Ophone Lenovo will be the first Lenovo Mobile with to Google Android system, with a good list of custom applications by Lenovo plus a redesigned interface system, like the HTC Sense of the Hero which we seen.

Lenovo IdeaPad U350

2009-08-10T18:24:00.007+06:00

If you have laptop needs but only a netbook-sized cavity in your carry-on, you need one of the growing number of notebooks that slot in between the eee-clones and pricey ultraportables. Lenovo's IdeaPad U350 is the latest, a svelte, 13.3-inch machine with a funky rubberized back and sophisticated design. It's been hitting test benches at various places and is getting good but not quite great reviews. Laptop Magazine loved the design and the $679 starting price, but found battery life (3.5 hours) to be disappointing. Computer Shopper was a bit more positive, knocking its performance but calling the system "feather-light" and its 1,366 x 768 screen "gorgeous." Finally, StarkSilverCreek's review is the least flattering, including concerns about excessive heat and a system fan that hardly ever turned off. Overall it seems like a decent choice if you don't mind a warm lap and can't quite swing a T400s, but if you're looking for alternatives perhaps you'd be interested in a Timeline 8000 or the like.

Read - Laptop Magazine

Read - Computer Shopper

Read - StarkSilverCreek

Nokia E72

2009-08-10T18:24:00.005+06:00

Say you've got a Nokia E71. Say, further, that you fully intend to upgrade to the E72 the moment it's available (we can't say we blame you). If you'd like to know more about the phone by the time it arrives on your doorstep than most people do in the lifetimes of their devices, we might recommend grabbing pork sandwich, a 64-ounce Coke, and your favorite blankie and curling up with mobile-review's epic "first look." Spec-wise, the new model is an outright slam dunk over the one it replaces, and it seems that mobile-review generally agrees -- sticking points were few and far between though he seems ambivalent on the optical d-pad, and it's also worth noting that the keyboard is now based on the E63's design rather than the E71's. Even if you don't want to read through the somewhat roughly-translated text, it's hard to argue with mobile-review's great photography -- and it's not like you're seeing an E72 in the flesh today, so you may as well have a look, eh?
[Via Nokia Experts]

What CTA's iPhone steering wheel

2009-08-10T18:24:00.003+06:00

For many users, any game that ends up installed on an iPhone is something of an after-thought: It sits there, quietly, waiting for a spare moment in the dentist's waiting room or on the train. But CTA Digital, a company known for its various game controllers, has a vision of the future that includes people lugging around little plastic steering wheels with an iPhone-sized hole in the middle. We don't know how much this "Basic Steering Wheel for iPhone and iPod Touch" will actually bring the "feel of driving a real vehicle" to Ferrari GT, but the guy in the video sure looks like he's having fun. Allegedly works with most horizontally configured racing games, and includes adapters for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPod Touch, and iPod Touch 2G. See for yourself after the break.

Dell launches widescreen LCD monitors

2009-08-10T18:24:00.001+06:00

As has annoyingly become the norm with Dell LCDs, the outfit has seemingly just thrown three new ones onto the world's platter tonight with nary a peep from its press line. Up first is the 23-inch ST2310 (shown above), a slick widescreen panel with a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution, narrow bezels, a curved rear, DVI / VGA / HDMI inputs, 250 nits of brightness, a useless 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, five millisecond response time and audio in /out ports for good measure. The 22-inch E2210H and 20-inch E2010H (shown after the break) both tout an all-business motif, with the former pushing a Full HD native resolution and the latter handling just 1,600 x 900 pixels. The whole trio looks to be available right now, with retail marks set at $229, $199 and $139 in order of mention.
Read - Dell ST2310 monitor [Via LogicBuy]
Read - Dell E2210H monitor [Via LogicBuy]
Read - Dell E2010H monitor [Via LogicBuy]

Pentax Optio P80,s

2009-08-10T18:11:00.001+06:00

Pentax has also shown for various models, a pair of traditional, the Pentax E80 and Pentax P80, and a thought for the summer, the Pentax WS80.

We started picking off the Pentax Optio P80, a very thin camera with good performance for the price to put up for sale. With a 12 megapixel sensor, a maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400 and an optical zoom of 4 increases, it also allows video recording at 720p and 30 frames per second.

It also includes a face detection function able to detect up to 32 at the same time in less than 0.03 seconds, even if these are not fully addressed. The smile detection and blink are also its other features.

The rear screen of the Pentax Optio P80 is 2.7 inches, as is the simplest model, the Pentax Optio E80, which reduces the resolution of the sensor to 10 megapixels and optical zoom increases to 3, in addition to decreasing the Video 15 frame per second. The first one will cost $ 200, while the second will cost $ 130.

The Pentax Optio WS80 have said that is meant for the summer because it is a waterproof model, allowing to take pictures up to 1.5 meters deep and withstand inclement weather.

In addition, almost all the features of the P80, although its optical zoom is 5 increases and is priced at $ 250.

Sharp's AQUOS DX2 HDTVs

2009-08-10T18:09:00.001+06:00

So, Sharp, you introduced the world's first HDTV line with integrated Blu-ray players last year, what are you going to do next? Only naturally, the Japanese lineup of DX2 series one-ups the original DX by adding Blu-ray recording as well. It doesn't appear that these pack the LED backlighting of the new X-Gen based displays headed our way this fall, so for now buyers will have to make do with the 15,000:1 contrast ratio shared with the other D-series televisions. Still, the big deal here is that the 1080p (52-, 46- and 40-inch) and 720p (32- and 26-inch) displays will burn up to 30 hours of HD video on dual-layer Blu-ray discs, by way of transcoding and compressing to MPEG-4 format without any messy external boxes or wires. The price range from ¥170,000 ($1,740) at the low end to ¥480,000 for the largest size when these ship September 15 but don't count on seeing them on this side of the Pacific (or the Atlantic.)
[Via AV Watch]

Sony laptops can't use Windows 7's XP

2009-08-10T18:06:00.001+06:00

Bad news for VAIO owners out there hoping to use Windows 7's XP mode or run any other hardcore virtual machine applications -- Sony disables the required hardware virtualization features of its laptops for "security reasons." That means XP Mode won't work on any VAIOs, but there's hope yet: Sony's Xavier Lauwaert says that the company will re-enable VT on "select models." We'll see what that means going forward -- XP Mode is a niche feature, but it's still pretty lame for Sony to be intentionally disabling hardware features.
Read - The Register
Read - Xavier's post on the Windows Partner Blog (scroll down to his comment)

Motorola Sholes Comes with Android

2009-08-05T15:55:00.005+06:00

From Russia were first leaked images of what could be the second mobile Motorola Android, Motorola Sholes. It is a slider phone with QWERTY keyboard and a very sober and elegant design that could make this the most desired phone with Android.

They have also appeared some of the technical features of the phone, including the 3.7 inch screen with a resolution of 480 × 854 pixels, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus.

But that’s not all, this mobile phone have a 512MB memory expandable to 16GB with microSD or microSDHC cards, apparently the model is sold with a 8GB card included, 256MB RAM, GPS, USB, Bluetooth 2.0 and WiFi.

It also has a size of 60 × 115.8 × 13.7 mm and weighing 169 grams, while the battery will last 450 hours standby and 420 minutes talking.

According to these rumors, Motorola Sholes should be put on sale next October, but the price unknown.

LG Chocolate LG-BL40

2009-08-05T15:55:00.003+06:00

Another impression mobile phone from LG named LG Chocolate LG-BL40, very classy and artistic design.

LG Chocolate LG-BL40 with a resolution of 800 x 345 pixels and is 4.0 inches LCD. Large enough if we compare with other competitors is offering. Its has 21:9 aspect ratio will guarantee the quality of the screen when viewing the photo. Other features is a Dual Screen UI will allow you to display two different types of content simutaniously.

Don’t miss it, will be available in 3Q 2009.

Blackberry Curve 8520

2009-08-05T15:55:00.001+06:00

The new Blackberry Curve 8520 is RIM last attempt to the market. This Blackberry device is presented as a general profile, with poor screen resolution (320 × 240 pixels) and 2 megapixel camera. Very little in line with what the company offers with its new more advanced models.

They even waived the traditional trackball so comfortable to use and risky for an optical trackpad that may not be able to match the efficiency of the famous ball of the Blackberry.

At least Blackberry Curve 8520 no longer compensate for the WiFi connectivity is not a computer or 3G and enhanced function keys dedicated to multimedia. However, without touch screen interfaces, or spectacular, it is difficult to convince.

Altec Lansing Expressionist

2009-08-05T15:54:00.009+06:00

Plus FX3021

Altec Lansing has released to market a new speaker system within its range Expressionist. The new team is called the Altec Lansing Expressionist Plus FX3021 and is a 2.1 system. that incorporates a subwoofer integrated into the conical base, with a 5.25-inch driver with a range up to 50 Hz

The Altec Lansing speaker is complete with two 2-inch satellite speakers that provide 33 W of total power. The set can be adjusted through the system Audio Alignment.

The speaker system is an interesting option to place it near the computer as it does not take much. We can connect any sound source through the connection of 3.5 mm. The control team is in the system with the controls. Nothing as remote.

The price of the Altec Lansing Expressionist Plus FX3021 is 100 euros.

Kodak M1093

2009-08-05T15:54:00.007+06:00

Another budget pocket camera from Kodak, with 10 megapixel sensor Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS has a 230,000-pixel 3-inch LCD and support high-definition video recording.

Here is the specifications of the camera:

10 MP Sensor
3648 x 2736 Pixels Resolutions
3-inches LCD
Supported Format: SD, SDHC
35-mm Equivalent (Wide): 35
35-mm Equivalent (Telephoto): 105

The dimensions of M1093 IS 2.25 x 3.65 x 0.78 inches, the weigth is 5.12 ounces including the battery and SD card. This good loking camera offers a 3x optical zoom lens and the focal length of 35-105mm. The maximum aperture of f/3.1 to f/5.7 and has the optical image stabilization.

Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS expected price is about $159.95.

Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera

2009-08-05T15:54:00.005+06:00

Kodak has unveiled an impressive Digital Video Camera the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video. Its advanced features including take the full HD 1080p, 2.5″ LCD, USB port fast transfering, uploading, sharing. YouTube and joining it Facebook support, too.

The Zi8 is a sleek design, high-quality Full HD and built-in electronic image stabilization able to take 5 Mega Pixel 16:9 wide screen HD pictures.

Kodak Zi8 Digital Video Camera also suports an SDHC card slot. It will be available on September this year, can choose from aqua, raspberry and black and it cost about $179.95.

JVC Everio GZ-HM400

2009-08-05T15:54:00.003+06:00

Full HD Camcorder

Japanese companies release JVC’s latest Full HD camcorder, the Everio GZ-HM400 model. The new camcorder uses 32GB flash memory for storage, it also supports SDHC memory cards up to 32GB, so it would be able to capture video for 6 hours.

The full HD camcorder JVC equipped with a 1,029-pixel CMOS sensor, can make video 1920 x 1080i with the supported format MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. And for the audio, there is two channel microphone with Dolby Digital 2ch audio.

Other features would be:

10x optical zoom
Konica Minolta HD lens,
9-megapixel still shots,
HDMI interface support HDTV
600 fps slow-mode recording
Dimensions: 135mm x 72mm x 67mm

The price of JVC Everio GZ-HM400 Full HD Camcorder will cost at around 1,157 Euro.

BenQ MK2442 23.6-inch LCD TV

2009-08-05T15:54:00.001+06:00

Are you viewers from Benelux? There is one more option for you. BenQ has just launch the BenQ MK2442, it has 23.6-inch LCD TV / computer monitor that suports a 5ms response time.

MK2442 is a full HD at 1920×1080 / 1080p / 24Hz, an HDMI 1.3 interface, and something named Senseye Human Vision Technology (a proprietary image enhancement engine that, you know, “mimics the human eye” for “deeper, richer and more detailed images”).

BenQ MK2442 will be vailable on this August 2009 in Europe, there is no information regarding the price. [Via: Engadget]

Onkyo HT-S7200 & HT-S6200

2009-08-05T15:53:00.005+06:00

Theater System

Onkyo has new 7.1-channel home theater systems, Onkyo HT-S7200 and HT-S6200. The home theater has HDMI 1.3a inputs and compatible with 1080p HD video.

Here is some features will found:

Dolby TrueHD
DTS-HD Master Audio
ProLogic IIz
Dual-drive front speakers
3 1.4-inch woofers
1-inch balanced dome tweeter
Audyssey 2EQ
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
U-Port iPod dock

What about the price? The Onkyo HT-S7200 cost arround US$ 899, while the Onkyo HT-S6200 cost arround US$ 699.

Nikon D300S DSLR

2009-08-05T15:53:00.003+06:00

Nikon today has announced its Nikon D300S DSLR camera with HD recording. We can use an external microphone for stereo recording, Capture Video. HD recording able to make 720p and only 24fps, and then edit the video directly from the camera.

The features almost same with its rumored will found:

Dual Card storage
Live View buttons
Quiet drive mode
Virtual horizon for your camera tilters
Optional GPS Unit GP-1

We have new entry model in the range of Nikon digital SLR. Potential customer of the Nikon D3000 is the same as the D40, a camera that was used by many to venture into the world of the SLR with a cost-adjusted to make it affordable.

It is intended to provide a range of benefits that provide the most advanced user can take good pictures, in addition to doing so for the learning process. Will guide their way to help this, showing step by step instructions on 3-inch LCD screen, indicating the recommended adjustments to the current scene and viewing the photos would be like with different settings.

Once we have captured the photos, the D3000 camera will allow retouched from the camera itself, using a variety of effects such as color changes, thumbnail mode, filters, … always keeping a copy of the original image. The images can be captured in both RAW and JPEG from, the camera can create videos with Stop-Motion, joining a number of shots made.

If we jump to the technical section, the Nikon D3000 sensor is type CCD has a resolution of 10.2 megapixels, coming together with the system EXPEED image processing. offers an ISO 100 up to 1600, an autofocus system 11 points, a system to compensate for shadows and images with high contrast and reduction of dust on the sensor.

The Nikon D3000 arrive in August this year with a price of $600, accompanied by the traditional objective 18-55 millimeters, and in other low-end models from this manufacturer is the AF-S type, ie which incorporates the motor Focus on it

The expected price of Nikon D300S DSLR will be $1799.

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s

2009-08-05T15:53:00.001+06:00

Lenovo combine the powerful and slim design notebook, with the name announced Lenovo ThinkPad T400s. Its powered by Intel 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processors.

Other features will found as mentioned below:

250GB Hard Drive
Optional up-to 128GB SSD
9.5mm DVD Burner / Blu-Ray Player
Ethernet
Wi-Fi
34mm Express Card Slot
5 in 1 Card Reader
6 Cell Battery
USB/eSATA Port
VGA connectors
Lenovo ConstantConnect and Protect technology

The ThinkPad T400s will be on sale to the market start from 1,599 USD.

Sony A850 24.6 Megapixel

2009-08-05T15:52:00.003+06:00

Sony A850 seems to be the next SLR camera officially manufacturer by Sony. The next A850 camera will be the second model of the brand that goes into the field of full frame sensor.

This sensor will have a full 24.6 megapixel resolution and offer a range of sensitivities that range from 100 to 1600 ISO. The camera will clean itself and the sensor comes with SteadyShot stabilizer system in the body.

With a weight of 850 grams, almost the same specifications as the Sony A900, Sony A850 is expected that the price of this model is lower and closer to the pockets camera than the current full-format cameras.

Kodak EasyShare Z950

2009-08-05T15:52:00.001+06:00

The Kodak EasyShare Z950 is the most prominent of a trio of conventional compact cameras that Kodak has made.

As noted, the Kodak Z950 is the most comprehensive, with a 12 megapixel sensor, 3 inch screen and a 10x zoom of to increase accompanying the highlights of the model, the Smart Capture mode, makes decisions on adjustments the camera for us in each scene. The camera also able to records video in high definition, but without specifying the quality, so we are 720p.

The other two models (Kodak M341 and Kodak M381) are more discreet, with screens of 2.7 inches and 3x zoom increases of 5x zoom and 3 inches screen respectively.

Medion Akoya P6620

2009-08-05T15:51:00.001+06:00

Medion will launch its new laptop with the name of Medion Akoya P6620. The 16-inch device will go on sale on August 9. Its widescreen size will look strange carrying such a big laptop, isn’t it?

The 16 inch screen have a resolution of 1366 x 768. Using Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, up to 4GB of memory, graphich support by NVIDIA GeForce GT220M DirectX 10 graphics card, and the 8 cell Li-ion battery will keep it longer in working time.

Other features are:

320GB Hard Disk
DVD burner
USB/eSATA port
VGA
HDMI
Webcam
Microphone
Ethernet LAN
Two speakers

The Medion Akoya P6620 is support Windows 7 OS, and will be available on the market about £ 499.99.

Panasonic Lumix FZ38

2009-08-05T15:34:00.001+06:00

Panasonic has chosen today to announce new cameras Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 the most prominent is undoubtedly its new flagship in the range of compact long zoom also hosts win the role of video recording in high definition.

18 increases the zoom equivalent to 35 mm a 27-486 mm zoom is the element that draws more attention on its spec sheet loaded, and not just for along the way but by starting at an angle of 27 mm, somewhat to highlight in a very compact camera that price. F2.8 brightness accompany this signed by Leica.

With such a powerful zoom, the stabilizer is basic. This Lumix FZ38 has opted for the Power OIS, optical stabilizer that says fold reduction movement with respect to the classic Mega OIS. This new camera also incorporates the system of advanced scene modes that are responsible for determining the best settings for each photo you want to do. Added a way to Close-Up kind of macro photography and enhances the recognition of faces with labeling people who have already identified in the camera. Furthermore, the Burst mode lets us take 2.3 pictures per second with 12.1 megapixel resolution. And the photographs are stored in RAW format.

The screen of the Panasonic FZ38 is 2.7 inches, a little small for our taste. But our focus in the second feature of this camera: video recording in HD using the AVCHD format Lite.

In the video recording HD can choose three levels of quality: SH (17 Mbps), H (13 Mbps) and L (9 Mbps) when recording at full resolution, which is 1280 × 720 pixels. The sound recorded with Dolby Digital Stereo Creator to improve the outcome. In addition, the zoom remains active when recording video.

The price of the Panasonic FZ36 is 400 euros.

Samsung 8500 Series LED HDTVs

2009-08-05T15:33:00.001+06:00

Samsung has launch for the US market of its new LED HDTV 8500 Series, there will available in 46 Inch and 55 Inch.

With the white LED, this HDTV Series able to have contrast ratio of 7,000,000:1 so you will enjoy more detailed and image depth.

Here are the other features will found:

Wide Color Enhancer Pro
Ultra Clear Panel
Auto Motion Plus
240Hz refresh rate
Audio with integrated woofer
SRS TruSurround HD
Medi@2.0 suite, allowing to Internet@TV -
Wireless DLNA
HDMI (HDMI-CEC) version 1.3 inputs
USB 2.0 inputs
Ethernet connection
Optical audio output
PC input

If we look at the features above, the cost will be high for this Samsung LED HDTV 8500 Series, available to the market in September 2009 with price around US $3,599.99 and $4,499.99.

iPhone OS 3.0.1 update released, fixes SMS vulnerability

2009-08-05T14:58:00.001+06:00

Looks like Apple pulled the trigger on patching that nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability a little earlier than we expected -- the iPhone OS 3.0.1 update just hit iTunes. It's not some lightweight, either: you're looking at 280MB of love here, so get downloading, friends.

Update: Here's what Apple rep Tom Neumayr had to say about this little episode.

We appreciate the information provided to us about SMS vulnerabilities which affect several mobile phone platforms. This morning, less than 24 hours after a demonstration of this exploit, we've issued a free software update that eliminates the vulnerability from the iPhone. Contrary to what's been reported, no one has been able to take control of the iPhone to gain access to personal information using this exploit.

Well... what do you know about that?

BlackBerry App World 1.1

2009-08-05T14:56:00.001+06:00

If you've been using your BlackBerry in the last 24 hours or so, you've probably noticed that red star plastered on the App World icon, signaling it's time for an upgrade. Yes, RIM's version of the app store has hit version 1.1, and the bulk of the update concerns better navigation options -- new categories, top downloads for free and premium apps, and the ability to sort search results by name, release date, rating, price, and developer. Outside of that, we've also got the option to now archive apps on SD card or other memory, but unfortunately there's no option to run those programs without reinstalling to internal memory. The update is available for all countries, including the recently-introduced group of ten. Full details after the break.

This mobile client update includes:
Enhanced discovery

View the catalog by free vs. paid top downloads
Additional categories and sub-categories

Customers can sort their search results by:

Newest
Highest Rated
Price (lowest/highest)
Developer (alphabetical)
Application Name (alphabetical)

Archive apps: Customers can now archive their apps to SD Card or on-device storage memory and reinstall when they want to use them.

New customers can go to Mobile.BlackBerry.com or BlackBerry.com/AppWorld to download BlackBerry App World 1.1. Current users will be notified of the new version a red star (splat!) on the BlackBerry App World icon.
Available to download in five languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish), BlackBerry App World 1.1 is also now available to customers in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal and the Channel Islands, as well as those in the U.S., UK and Canada.

Window W26 Sorcerer’s Stone PMP

2009-08-05T14:54:00.001+06:00

Jumping a little late on the Harry Potter bandwagon, Window has just announced its “Philosopher’s Stone” (”Sorcerer’s Stone” in the U.S.) portable media player. I can’t find the official specs of the W26 and it seems to be too hot off R&D for official pricing. Based on the appearance, I doubt if it will give you immortality.

Cisco IP Communicator

2009-08-05T14:52:00.001+06:00

Free IP phone software are abundant nowadays. But them being free means there are many things that you can’t do with it like calling numbers that you can call using your ordinary phone. With Cisco IP Communicator you can call both IP and non IP phone numbers depending on your configured phone policy.

The Cisco IP Communicator looks like the real thing. The interface completely resembles the real IP Phone:

How to fix an IP address conflict

2009-08-05T14:50:00.001+06:00

Ever get the following message when turning on your computer or taking it out of sleep mode?

There is an IP address conflict with another system on the network

You may also see a different error message for the same problem:

This IP address is already in use on the network. Please reconfigure a different IP address.

This occurs when two computers on the same LAN network end up with the same IP address. When this occurs, both computers end up not being able to connect to network resources or perform other network operations.

Nikon Coolpix S1000pj

2009-08-05T14:49:00.001+06:00

Man, the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj has gone from crazy rumor to seemingly-real to whoa-here's-the-press-release in record time -- the compact cam with the integrated projector was just officially announced, along with the three other cams we saw leaked earlier today. Leaked specs for the S1000pj were dead-on: a 12.1 megapixel sensor with ISO 6400 sensitivity mounted behind a 5x wide-angle zoom lens with five-way VR stabilization, and that LED-powered projector that'll put up a 40-inch image for slideshows complete with music, effects and transitions. We're a little less excited about the $430 list price this thing will carry when it hits in September, but on the whole it's a pretty terrific idea and we're completely intrigued -- looks like we'll be saving our pennies this month. Pictures of everything in the gallery, deets on the other cams and a video of the S1000pj after the break.

More keyboard shortcuts - Windows Logo key shortcuts

2009-08-05T14:44:00.001+06:00

Last week I wrote a post on Microsoft Word shortcuts and thought I would throw in another post on more shortcuts, this time Windows Logo key shortcuts. These can be very handy for quickly accessing system control panels or to search for files. The Windows logo key is usually on the left side of the keyboard on the bottom row.

Windows: Display the Start menu

Windows Logo + D: Minimize windows or restore all windows

Windows Logo + E: Brings up My Computer (Windows Explorer)

Create your own logo using Photoshop

2009-08-05T14:42:00.001+06:00

Previously, I wrote about a free online service called LogoMaker that lets you create and design your own logo online. However, making a good looking text logo is easy using Photoshop. In this tutorial we will apply duplicated layers, opacity and some rasterizing techniques to create a text that looks like the one below.

Begin with an empty Photoshop document. Create a new layer and create a text on the document using the Text tool. In your background layer create the text by clicking on the Text Tool of Photoshop then click and drag it in your background layer to your desired size. You can also select the font, size, and colour of the text that you want to use.

How to use conditional formatting in Excel

2009-08-05T14:40:00.001+06:00

Conditional formatting is a very nice functionality in Excel wherein you can use up to three rules to automatically set a format of a cell. If you have cells in Excel that you want to be color coded or shaded depending on the rules you set then this is post is for you.

For the example below I will use below sheet with 2 columns:

To use conditional formatting on Column B labeled “PERCENTAGE” just click the column “B” to highlight the entire column:

Improve the quality of help & support in XP

2009-08-05T14:39:00.001+06:00

The Help and Support Center in Windows XP has never been the greatest resource for trying to troubleshoot complicated issues.

First Open Help and Support by clicking on Start >> Help and Support.

The Help and Support Center window will open up. From here under the Pick a task header click on Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems.

Next under the Tools section on the left side select “My Computer Information”.

Soften shadows using Photoshop dodge tool

2009-08-05T14:38:00.001+06:00

Sometimes we take pictures at the wrong time of the day; the sun could be too high that it is casting shadows at your subjects or you could have very poor lighting at the area. Using Photoshop we can digitally soften the shadows using the Dodge tool. See the example below with huge shadows of trees casting on the brick path.

What is ctfmon.exe

2009-08-05T14:35:00.001+06:00

recently learned about a process running on my computer named CTFMON.EXE because whenever I would restart my computer, it would hang and I would have to end the program by killing the process. Pretty annoying!

So what is ctfmon.exe? It’s actually a process that always runs in the background and that monitors the active program in case the program needs support for speech recognition, handwriting recognition, or other alternative user input services.

Remove Excel Passwords

2009-08-05T14:29:00.009+06:00

Excel Password Remover 2007 is a freeware program that you can use to remove/crack/break/unlock a password on an Excel workbook or sheet. However, you still have to be able to open the file itself. If the file is protected in that you cannot even open the file without typing a password, I’ll mention another program that you can use to crack that Excel password.

However, for most Excel password protection

, it’s usually on the workbook or sheet so that someone can view the file, but not make structural changes to the file or changes to the cells. If this is your case, download the add-in and double-click on it. Excel will open and you’ll be asked whether to enable or disable the macros associated with the add-in. Of course, enable it.

Then go ahead and open the Excel workbook that has the password on it that you would like to get rid of. There will be two new menu options under Tools, called Unprotect Sheet and Unprotect Workbook.

I created a test workbook and protected both the sheet and the workbook with a simple password at first. The program worked perfectly and it removed the protection very quickly!

However, I decided to see how well it worked with a fairly complex password set to the workbook! I used 9 character password that had a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and a symbol to put the Excel password remover to the test and I was quite surprised that it actually managed to crack it after about 2 minutes! Not bad at all!!!

Note, however, that this program only works with Excel 2000, XP and 2003. Excel 2007 has much stronger encryption and this little tool would take centuries trying to crack that.

Locked folder in Windows XP

2009-08-05T14:29:00.005+06:00

If you’ve come across this page looking for a way to create a password protected, secure, hidden or locked folder in Windows XP for free, you’ve come to the right place. Unfortunately, Windows XP does not have any user-friendly built-in tools to create secure folders on computers with multiple users. Of course, you can encrypt data on your hard disk, but this only helps if your computer is stolen.

In a previous post, I wrote about how you can hide a folder in Windows XP using a rudimentary built-in feature. This method is useful if you want to hide a folder or file and you’re pretty sure that anyone who is using the computer will have no idea how to un-hide the data. If you’re dealing with someone a little more computer savvy, there is another way to create a secure locked folder without having to buy any 3rd party software.

It basically involves using a script to morph the folder into something completely different so that it’s still visible, but nothing inside the folder is accessible. In order to view the data, you have to run another script to morph it back. Anyone who clicks on the folder will be brought to the Control Panel and simply think it is a shortcut.

Here are the steps to create the protected folder in Windows XP:

First create a folder that you will use to store your confidential data. For example, I have created a folder called Fonts at the root of my D drive. Since the hidden folder will bring you to the Control Panel, it’s best to name the folder as one of the programs inside there.

In the same location where you created the new folder, create a new file in Notepad, copy the following below into it, replace Fonts with the name of your folder and save it as loc.bat.

ren Fonts Fonts.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

To save the file as a .bat file in Notepad, just put the whole thing in quotes, like “loc.bat” and then click Save.

Now you should have a bat file named loc in the same directory as your Fonts folder, not inside the Fonts folder.

Create another NotePad file and type in the following listed below and save it as “key.bat”.

ren Fonts.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} Fonts

Now you’ll have loc.bat and key.bat along with your folder. Go ahead and double-click on loc.bat and your folder will turn into the Control Panel and nothing inside can be viewed. Clicking on it will simply bring you to the Control Panel. You’ll notice the icon should have changed also.

To view the data inside your folder again, click on key.bat and your folder will return to normal! Pretty simple!

Of course, keeping the key.bat file in the same folder will defeat the purpose of securing the folder, so it’s best to move the key.bat file somewhere else, or even better, put it on a USB stick or CD that only you can access.

Most people will be probably look at the folder and simply ignore it since it has the control panel icon and it links directly there. Of course, if someone knows this trick also, they can create their own key.bat file, etc and open it back up. However, if you’re dealing with someone who can do all of that, it’s best you check out more advanced 3rd party software to lock down a folder.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD:

If you’re having trouble with the above-mentioned method (from what I can see from the comments, a good number of people), then here’s another quick and free way to create a secure folder in Windows XP. There is a very nice program called Free Hide Folder from Cleanersoft that allows you to easily hide your private folders.

Your folders are completely hidden and you must supply a password to open the program to unhide the folders. The personal edition is free, just click the Skip Registration button unless you’re using it for commercial purposes.

I’ve tried this program myself and I cannot access the hidden folder via Windows Explorer nor the command prompt. So if the above method is not working, give this a shot!

Excel into a Word doc

2009-08-05T14:29:00.001+06:00

Ever need to insert an Excel worksheet into a Word document and have them linked so that when you update the main Excel worksheet, it automatically updates the one in the Word document?

There are actually two ways to insert an Excel object into Word, linking and embedding. When you embed an Excel worksheet, the worksheet will not be updated when you update the main Excel file.

When you insert a linked worksheet, whenever you open the Word file, the linked Excel sheet will update it’s values to match the main external Excel file.

How to blog from Word 2007

2009-08-05T14:28:00.003+06:00

Office 2007 has a lot of improvements and, as a blogger, I particularly noticed its new ability to handle blog posts. In this post I will show you how to post and edit blog posts using Word 2007.

First, open Word 2007 then click New Document. Choose New blog post as a template:

On first use, it will ask you to setup your blog account. Enter the following information: Blog Post URL (i.e. this should be your own blog account’s URL, for example www.wordpress.com or www.blogger.com), user name and password. Check the remember password if you want this to be saved for your future blog posts. If you have many blog accounts, you can add more later.

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500

2009-08-05T14:28:00.001+06:00

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 is the latest incarnation of HP’s all-in-one printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine. With an original price of $499, it’s close to the cost of a lower-end color laser printer.

However, they have recently reduced the price to $369 using an instant savings of $130. You can check the latest price here. You can also get it on Amazon.com for a lower $269.

Here are some of the major specs on the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 all-in-one printer:

ASUS Eee PC 1000HE

2009-07-27T17:40:00.001+06:00

Netbook ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is not just a lightweight upgrade from ASUS netbook 1000 series. Powered by Intel Atom N280, although not bring a significant change from the preceding Intel N270.

Increasing the power of use, the 6 cell battery of this asus netbook make very long endurance battery life, can even say netbook that has the the longest battery than the others on the market.

Specifications as follow:

Intel Mobile Atom N280 Processor
1GB DDR2 Memory (2GB Maximum)
160GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
10-inch WXVGA (1024 × 600) Wide LCD with 1.3 Megapixel Webcam
Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
Fast Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth
Three USB 2.0, VGA, 4-in-1 Card Reader
10.5″ x 7.5″ x 1.5″ @ 3.2 lbs.
Windows XP Home

In addition, ASUS change keyboard layout by putting among the “shift” in a more easy to reach. Other features is a 802.11n wireless connectivity and Bluetooth. With the abundant and light weight features, Eee PC 1000HE could be a netbook with a relatively cheap price.

Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM

2009-07-27T17:39:00.001+06:00

CQ60-419WM laptop has 15.6-inch with 1366×768 resolutions, equiped with 2.10 GHz AMD Sempron SI-42 Processor and up to 4096MB Ram, the graphic useNVIDIA GeForce 8200M with Up to 1407MB memory, the storage media will have 160GB hard-drive.

Other features found on this laptop as follow:

SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW Double Layer
WiFi 802.11b/g Connectivity
Altec Lansing audio
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit)

If you are interested with this Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM, Walmart has announce limited promotions with a good deal at only $289.

Pioneer SE-CLX50

2009-07-27T17:38:00.001+06:00

Pioneer has already made official launch of its new headphone, the Pioneer SE-CLX50 distinguished by their shell-type Flex Nozzle flexible thanks to the design of the headphones fit in the ear hole, thus avoiding the loss of sound.

Headphones Pioneer SE-CLX50 adapters also carry four sizes that adaptation is as much as possible. It depends on the sound and not lose the use of them is comfortable. So too we will not have to raise the volume to achieve the same result.

The frequency response of these headphones from Pioneer is 5 to 24,000 Hz. The price of the SE-CLX50 eartags is 60 euros.

Maingear's eX-L 18

2009-07-27T17:35:00.001+06:00

You know, this whole "most powerful laptop" game is pretty hilarious. Back in '05, CompAmerica's (who?) Orca 9098 held the title with a cutting-edge 3.8GHz Pentium 4, and over the years, we've watched outfit after outfit pull the award back and forth, much like those tugging games we used to play as tots. Regardless, it seems as if Maingear's down for the fun, today rolling out the planet's all new "world's most powerful gaming laptop" in the eX-L 18, which arrives with an undisclosed Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme processor, twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, up to three 2.5-inch SATA or SSD drives, an optional Blu-ray drive and a screen that's probably larger than your mother's desktop LCD. And by that, we mean 18.4-inches with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. If you're down with lugging around this beast, you can get one headed your way provided you've got at least $2,999 you're willing to see off.

MAINGEAR Unveils the World's Most Powerful Gaming Notebook

eX-L 18 laptop delivers unprecedented performance with Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs with NVIDIA SLI technology, GPU Computing with NVIDIA CUDA, 1080p HD resolution support and an Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU

Union, New Jersey – July 23, 2009 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of high performance custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, is proud to announce the world's most powerful desktop replacement notebook, the eX-L 18. Featuring dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics processing units (GPUs) with NVIDIA SLI technology, the eX-L 18 brings your games and multimedia to life with brilliant 3D graphics and movies in 1080p HD resolution. With powerful Intel Core 2 mobile processors, eX-L 18 delivers breakthrough multi-core performance and dual-channel DDR3 memory.

"MainGear has equipped the eX-L 18 with the world's fastest notebook graphics solution," said Rene Hass, General Manager of the notebook business unit at NVIDIA. "With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, MainGear's customers will experience breathtaking in gaming physics from titles such as Terminator Salvation or Darkest of Days and are ready for GPU computing applications such as Badaboom, vReveal and Arcsoft SimHD."

NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 280M GPUs are the fastest GeForce notebook GPUs ever. Built-in support for NVIDIA® PhysX™ technology enables a new world of ultra realistic gaming effects from lifelike explosions to natural water. Stay on top of your game with the highest performance using the latest notebook drivers direct from NVIDIA.com. When you're not gaming, NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology offers breakthrough performance in compute-intensive tasks like video transcoding and photo editing, delivering up to 10x faster performance compared to traditional CPUs. Watch high-definition videos come alive with sharp images and vibrant colors supported by NVIDIA® PureVideo® HD technology, which enables extended battery life so you never miss a scene.

The eX-L 18 is chock full of expansion potential, with up to 3 2.5" SATA or SSD drives configurable in RAID formations. eSATA, HDMI, USB 2.0, and FireWire ensure that you can use the eX-L 18 just

like you would a desktop and without compromise. Additional features include a 3 Megapixel video camera provides high definition video conferencing, and a full sized keyboard with a number pad, and programmable gaming buttons.

"With the increasing demand for mobile high performance computing solutions, we wanted to offer our customers with the most powerful gaming desktop replacement possible" said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. "With the co-processing power of the Intel Core 2 CPU and dual NVIDIA GPUs , you're able to get the same cutting edge technology available to desktop users in a balanced computing configuration that is ideal for today's GPU computing environment ."

The eX-L 18 also features MAINGEAR's M.A.R.C. custom laser etching technology. Customers can upload the image or logo of their choice and MAINGEAR will customize your notebook to specifically fit your personal style or corporate brand.

Consumers can purchase the MAINGEAR eX-L 18 at MAINGEAR's Web site www.maingear.com or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price $2,999. eX-L 18 comes standard with MAINGEAR's standard 14 month warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team

Nuvifone G60

2009-07-27T17:31:00.001+06:00

Garmin-Asus confirms nuvifone G60 for sale this month in Taiwan, M20 soon after

Is this really happening? Are we all collectively in some sort of lucid, dreamlike state where Garmin-branded cellphones flow like water, or is this the real deal? Correct us if we're wrong, readers -- but if we're reading this press release correctly, Taiwanese folks will have a crack at Garmin-Asus' nuvifone G60 come the 27th of this month, just a few days from now; Singapore and Malaysia will have theirs meanwhile by the end of August, and Europe and the US are "on schedule" for the second half of the year (we hesitate to associate the phrase "on schedule" with this product, but we'll let it slide this time). If WinMo is more your cup of tea, the M20 will be coming to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia in August as expected -- the US isn't on the roadmap for this one, but Europe should have it later this half. These phones have taken so long to arrive that they'll be fighting an uphill battle against irrelevance -- but with the reality that handsets will be all but replacing dedicated portable nav units in the coming years, it's a play that Garmin's gotta still be eager to make nonetheless.

HP Mini 5101

2009-07-27T17:30:00.001+06:00

HP Mini 5101 netbook approved for use by mini executives

The Mini 5101, or Mini Executive as HP would have it, is now available to purchase, with prices starting at $399.99. While still a netbook at heart, the 5101 has an impressive array of accoutrements: aluminum and magnesium shell for lightweight (2.64 lbs) sturdiness, flat chiclet keyboard, 10.1-inch LED-backlit display, and at an extra cost, 128GB SSD and 1366 x 768 resolution upgrade options. The build quality and keyboard got high marks from us when we handled the machine back in June, and now a couple of online scribes have put together timely in-depth reviews of the device. They share the impression that HP has a strong business product on its hands, highlighted by a class-leading WiFi signal of 37.7 Mbps at 15 feet, though they were also concerned that neither pricing nor battery life (between 5 and 7 hours) are the best available. Hit up the read links for all the delectable details.
[Thanks, Knifex4]
Read - HP product page
Read - Laptop Mag review
Read - PC Mag review