Sony Alicia Clamshell Walkman Rumor

The C905 Shiho from Sony Ericsson is an extremely useful 8.2 megapixels camera, which, if treated nicely with a decent voice plan will also work as a phone. I guess the phone thing is optional. What we see in these leaked pictures (see below also) might be the next Walkman from Sony, the Alicia, which will also might work as a clamshell phone when you aren’t listening music to it.

I like the exterior and I imagine that circle will offer some walkman controls. As for other specs we’ll just have to wait one more week or two when the Alicia, and possibly the Shiho will be announced.

Which one do you prefer? I would choose the camera power of the Shiho over the musical abilities of the Alicia.

via se-nse

Mozilla Will Go Firefox Mobile

Firefox Mobile Concept Video from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

This is a happy day. Mozilla Firefox
is my favorite browser and I’ve gone though some while searching for a
better and better one. It was time they went mobile. Why not use the
same friendly browser both on your PC and your smartphone?



Mozilla’s Head of User Experience Aza Raskin has posted the video
above. Basically Firefox Mobile will run on any smartphone capable of
Internet browsing. Whether it’s a touch screen or it has only buttons
to push, Firefox will adapt and will improve your on the go Internet
experience.

I’ll be waiting for this one to come out. I wonder how Firefox Mobile will measure up to Safari Mobile or to Opera 9.5 which are good mobile browsers.

No-Key Touch Keyboard Made of Glass

Not the most complicated keyboards I’ve seen, but certainly one of the best looking. This No-Key Touch Keyboard is indeed made out of glass and it will add coolness to your working environment. I’d have trouble matching it to the rest of my gear but I’d blog from it, no question’s asked. I wonder if it works for video games. Like everyone, I’ve had my share of multiplayer video-gaming where a good, dependable keyboard was needed.

How this works? There’s a light source and a camera. When you touch the glass surface, the camera picks it up and transmits it accordingly to your PC. Simple as that. I’d need a glass mouse to go with this keyboard and we’re settled. And a price? Anyone?

via YankoDesign

Vodafone and Airtel to Bring iPhone to India

No sooner has Steve Jobs unleashed the new 3G iPhone at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco than back home, not one but two carriers -- Bharti Airtel and Vodafone -- have announced, in conjunction with Apple, that they will be bringing the iconic device to India later this year. However, neither has specified the launch date or pricing of the 3G iPhone in India.

And now that the wraps are finally off of the much-hyped 3G iPhone, a quick recap of the stuff it's made of. iPhone II marries all of the features of iPhone with 3G networking to make the device "twice as fast" as the first-generation iPhone. iPhone II features built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services and iPhone 2.0 software with support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, and is capable of running hundreds of third-party applications already built with the recently-released iPhone SDK.

Vodafone and Apple will bring iPhone 3G first to Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and Portugal on July 11. In these markets, Vodafone will make available iPhone 3G on both prepaid and contract price plans that will include value data bundles. Vodafone will then, later this year, make iPhone 3G available in other markets including the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, South Africa, Turkey, and most importantly -- India. Details of specific launch dates and price plans will be made available in the respective countries by individual Vodafone operating companies. Vodafone customers in all of these markets including India can pre-register online and in retail stores in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Airtel customers who wish to receive more information on the Apple iPhone can send an SMS with keyword "iPhone" to 54321 (toll-free number). Airtel will announce details regarding pricing and availability at a later date, the company said.

Announcing the Apple-Vodafone partnership, Frank H R Vekamp, global CMO of Vodafone Group, said, "We are very excited to bring iPhone 3G to many of our customers across Europe and emerging markets this summer. Vodafone's extensive, high-speed, and reliable networks mean customers can enjoy a great Internet and communications experience on their iPhone 3G."

On a similar note, Manoj Kohli, president and chief executive officer of Bharti Airtel, said, "We are delighted with the opportunity to bring the innovative iPhone 3G to India. As India's leading telecom operator, Bharti Airtel has always stood for innovation and customer delight. With our reach across the country and iPhone's revolutionary features, we have a valuable proposition for our customers in India."

Meanwhile, Tim Cook, chief operating officer of Apple said in separate announcements that they are thrilled to work with both Vodafone and Bharti Airtel and can't wait to get this revolutionary product in the hands of even more people around the world.

Techtree had previously reported about the possibility of Apple going multi-carrier in India. Now that it's indeed official, we asked some people for their views on the same. "Vodaphone has an international tie-up with Apple for the iPhone in a lot of countries, so it is little wonder that they got roped in for India as well. This seems to be purely from a goodwill point of view. Bharti Airtel on the other hand has a huge reach in India, and they've been roped in as well by Apple. This is purely from the business point of view," said a hard-core techie we know. A Vodafone customer said, "I'm rather more interested in knowing when they are launching the iPhone in India and what will it cost". Meanwhile, an Airtel subscriber had this to say, "I'd like to see attractive schemes like special tariffs on voice-GPRS services along with better network services and support."

All said, both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone are established names in telecom; Bharti Airtel is known as India's leading integrated telecom services provider while Vodafone is known as the world's leading international mobile communications group. It will be interesting to see how the carriers' respective associations with Apple play out, to say the least.

Unveiling the new iPhone and more: WWDC 2008

So after hundreds of rumors and insider stories all over the wonderland (www), here we have the faster & cheaper - 3G iPhone. The new iPhone comes in two colours Black and White.

Here is the quick Specs:

• 3G - Apple claims 3G is faster than Nokia and Treo.
• Same camera - NO improvements
• The 3.5mm headphone jack is normal. So no fussy adapters required. Plugin your favourite earphones freely
• Better battery life
• 8GB version $199 and 16GB version $299
• Weight goes down by 2gms, thicker by 2mm. But thinner edges.

Looks like Apple has been keen on making the iPhone affordable and being powered by iPhone Firmware V 2.0, the loads of software’s and games (official this time!) makes the package much more interesting. Many of thee software are Free. Mobile Blogging Apps, Sega Games (Amazing Graphics) and more have been demoed. Also this time the New iPhone’s will launch in multiple countries simultaneously.

More on the iPhone 2.0:

1. Contacts search now available. So the conventional style of looking up contacts by typing the initial few letters is IN.

2. The new iPhone 2.0 firmware is free for the iPhone and leaves the iPod Touch users with a charge of 9.95$.

3. Ms office is not supported fully by iWork docs.

4. The Apple App Store now in 62 countries (up from 22 earlier)

5. Mobileme service: Syncs all your info across your PC, Mac and the iPhone over the air. keeping all of them up to date and synced. (www.me.com)

Apple iPhone in India - Your Questions on Unlocked iPhones

Want to buy an Apple iPhone in India ? Not sure if unlocked iphone works in India. Read this quick iPhone Guide before you purchase the iPhone from Indian mobile phone dealers.

1. Is the Apple iPhone available in India - Yes. you can easily purchase iPhone phones here.

2. If iPhone is available where can I buy i Phone in India - Apple hasn’t introduced iPhone officially in India but you can grab one from Palika Bazaar of Delhi or Heera Panna shopping complex of Mumbai. Alternatively, some online sites are also selling unlocked iPhone in India. The iPhone was earlier expected to debut in India via Reliance Retail. Most online iPhone suppliers in India do not share their contact address.

3. Will Indian iPhone work with the GSM SIM card of Airtel, Idea, BSNL or Vodafone? Yes but you cannot use the Visual Voicemail feature of iPhone. Also, iPhone is GSM based so it may not work with Tata Indicom or Reliance CDMA network.

4. Can I buy an unlocked iPhone in US and use it in India - Yes, the iPhone bought in US (or UK or Canada) will be compatible in India - you can just buy a local SIM card in India and replace the AT&T SIM. Make sure you read the Apple policies as this may break the warranty.

5. What about HCL and Wipro selling iPhone in India legally? There was a rumor that iPhone may be available in India through a legal route from Wipro and HCL as they were expected to sign a distribution deal soon with Apple for selling iPhone in India. No confirmation still.

6. Does Apple official sell an unlocked iPhone - Yes, they have launched an unlocked iPhone in France and it could soon be available in India. No need to pay mobile phone dealers for unlocking iPhone cell phones.

7. What about Apple Store - The first store will open in Bangalore for selling Macbooks, iPod, Apple TV and other Apple products but they won’t stock iPhone.

8. What is the price of iPhone in India - It varies but the time of writing, the unlocked 4GB iphone was around 20k while the 8GB unlocked iPhone was 30k. (includes shipping and taxes)

9. Should I wait for iPhone or invest in BlackBerry or Nokia N95 ? Read this comparison of smartphones - iPhone vs Blackberry, N95

10. I have bought an iPhone and manage to unlock it. Now what - If you are connecting to iTunes for transferring music, videos and photographs from the computer to the iPhone, iTunes may suggest that you upgrade the iPhone firmware to version 1.1.1 - Cancel and do not allow iTunes to update your iPhone as it will get locked again and become useless. Update: The new unlocked iPhones are shipping in India with firmware version 1.1.1.

11. I bought an iPhone in US and traveling to India on a business trip. How can I save on iPhone international roaming charges while making phone calls in India - Do not use the AT&T call service, instead make phone call over VoIP using the Wi-Fi option of iPhone. You can use Jajah or even Skype to make cheap international calls over the internet.

iPhone is a quad-band GSM mobile phone so it will working internationally in countries outside the US though you’ll have to ask AT&T to turn on international roaming on the iPhone and that the places you’re going offer GSM coverage. If you want to learn more about iPhone, here are iPhone books and iPhone tutorial DVDs that you may buy from Amazon.

iPhone 2 aka 3G iPhone Review

Though we can’t speak much without having the device in hand, there is a lot that we can sense. Using the 1st Gen iPhone for such a long period helps me visualize the changes that are needed. Apple has taken the feedback on its original iPhone quite seriously.

Looks: Great finishing. Apple always steals the show with the looks. To make up for the added weight of the GPS, 3G etc etc, the back of the new iPhone is plastic instead of Aluminum. Result the weight of the new iPhone is 2gms less than the original one.

3G: The obvious and much needed upgrade to the original EDGE iPhone. Add to that the Apple claims of faster loading compared to the Nokia N95 and the Treo.

GPS: A-GPS, this is good. This would drain the battery but then to handle that there is a upgraded battery from Apple. And with all this added the device still manages to remain as slim as the original iPhone.

iPhone 2.0: The 2.0 firmware is awesome. Checkout the cool upcoming games and apps. Many of these would be free!!

Camera: The same camera! This is bad. So wait untill 2009 for the 3rd Gen iPhones. lol

Battery: Wow, Now this is probably the best part. 5hrs 3G internet surfing, 24Hrs Mp3 playback, 7 hrs video playback, 5hrs 3G talktime, 10hrs 2G talk-time.

MobileMe subscription provides seamless integration of all your data between your PC/Mac and the iPhone.

Also not to forget Photo geotagging, iWork supports Ms Office (Word, Excel & Powerpoint), Contacts search and more.

Apple forbids navigation apps on iPhone 3G (except its own)

The Internets are abuzz with the announcement of an all-new iPhone, and with features like 3G data connections, new applications and GPS navigation, we're excited too. If you've been making plans to produce your own navigation app for iPhone 2.0, however, you may not be all that thrilled. A closer look at the iPhone SDK agreement shows that creating software for "real-time route guidance" is forbidden. This may mean that the creative kids at Cupertino aren't going to let anyone compete with the the Google maps solution it's already settled on. If true, companies like Garmin and TomTom, the latter of which has already confirmed that it's created a navigation app, would be unable to create salable navigation software for the popular touch-screen phone. Then again, you also can't do automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management software; or use the iPhone for emergency or life-saving purposes.

Our friends over at Engadget may be on to something, however, when they note that Apple may just be covering its rear-quarters in the event people start suing for bad directions. Lets hope it's just a liability thing, because competition is always a good thing when it comes to new technology, and we want some TomTom on our new iPhone.

Sanyo Xacti DMX-HD1010 digital movie camera

The light-weight Full HD Xacti digital movie camera DMX-HD1010 from Sanyo is packed with advanced and improved features for even more beautiful video and still recording, simple playback and storage with the ‘Xacti Library’ through intuitive menus and functions. The Sanyo Xacti DMX-HD1010 with 2.7 inch, Low-temperature polysilicon TFT color LCD display with 7 level brightness adjustments uses SD /SDHC Memory Card for recording (up to 32GB). Other features include-10x optical zoom, built in stereo microphone and mono speaker and built in neutral density filter. The Sanyo Xacti DMX-HD1010 is the camera of choice for anyone who enjoys taking high definition videos and high resolution stills with one unit, and will be on sale in Japan from June 20, 2008.The Sanyo Xacti DMX-HD1010 measures 90.0 x 112.6 x 54.5mm, weighs 311 g (with card and battery).

SMK prototype No Battery Remote Control!

SMK a leading remote control manufacturer, prototyped a TV remote control shaped like a water gun that eliminates the need for a battery. The channels, volume control and On/Off power switch is controlled by operating the trigger. The remote control incorporates an electromagnetic induction coil, high speed rotation gears, a power circuit, an infrared light emitting unit, etc. When the user pulls the trigger on the remote control, the coil rotates at a high speed by means of the built-in gears. The electromagnetic induction of the coil generates power to perform smoothing and other processing in the power circuit before turning on the LED. The coil momentarily generates a current of approximately 20-30mA, which can transmit signals between several meters via infrared light.

When the user pulls the trigger, the remote control changes the channel. Two consecutive pulls will turn the TV on or off. Volume control can be performed by pulling the trigger while pushing another button at the same time. Energy saving technologies are currently being highlighted in connection with global warming.

STMicroelectronics Image Signal Processor for mobile phones delivers exceptional quality images

STMicroelectronics has introduced a new high-performance, stand-alone Image Signal Processor with dual-camera support that brings DSC-like performance to mobile imaging applications. Capable of controlling the entire imaging subsystem in a mobile phone, ST’s newest digital image processor supports a wide range of camera modules including SMIA-compatible (Standard Mobile Imaging Architecture) sensors with up to 5-megapixel resolution. The advanced processing algorithms enable the STv0986 to deliver images of exceptional quality. The image signal processor supports special image-orientation effects such us mirroring, flip and rotation, as well as color features including sepia (brown-shade) and black & white.

In addition to mobile phones, the STv0986 is suitable for use in PDAs, mobile games, security cameras and video phones.The advanced autofocus (AF) control loop enables the STV0986 to provide still and video autofocus with a very fast lock time of 0.6 seconds. The STv0986 mobile imaging processor is in volume production now, with samples priced at $4.

Super Talent Launches Worlds fastest 1GB DDR3 for Next Generation Laptops

Super Talent today announced immediate availability of DDR3 SO-DIMMs. Super Talent’s new 1GB DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM supports transfer rates up to 10,664 MB/sec. That equates to 66% higher bandwidth than DDR2-800 SO-DIMMs, making this the world’s fastest production DDR3 SO-DIMM. In addition to the faster speed, DDR3 SO-DIMMs require only 1.5V, compared to 1.8V for DDR2, resulting in power savings of up to 20% and less heat output.

The 204-pin Supertalent1GB DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM is available now at street prices under $99.

LaCie 4X d2 Blu-ray Drive

LaCie has doubled burn speeds to 4X for it d2 Blu-ray Drive and has updated the aluminum alloy case and software suite. The drive records, rewrites and reads 25 gigabytes (GB) or 50GB BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable), as well as DVD±RW DL and CD±RW. The LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drive come fully equipped with Roxio burning software and dual FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces.

Press release After The Jump

LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drives come with full-featured Roxio software including Easy Media Creator for Windows, and Toast Titanium for Mac. LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drives are available now and widely available via LaCie’s specialized dealer network at the suggested retail price of $649.99.

LaCie Doubles d2 Blu-ray Burn Times to 4x Speeds

May 27, 2008

Professional HD Video Recording Solution
Capacity up to 50GB per double-layer disc
Multi-format Blu-ray and DVD/CD writer in one
Durable d2 design; whisper-quite operation

LaCie announced today that is has doubled burn speeds to 4x for it d2 Blu-ray Drive and has updated the aluminum alloy case and software suite. The drive records, rewrites and reads 25 gigabytes (GB) or 50GB BD-R (recordable) and BD-RE (rewritable), as well as DVD±RW DL and CD±RW. The LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drive come fully equipped with Roxio burning software and dual FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces.

“In early 2007, LaCie was the first vendor to ship worldwide an external solution for professional Hi-Def video recording for both Mac and Windows. Since that time, Blu-ray technology has proven to be the dominant source for video recording and playback,” said Patrick Salin, LaCie Business Development Manager. “Burning up to 50GB of data can take a reasonable amount of time, so doubling burn speeds not only increases work performance, but provides a cost-effective, long-term archival process for storing data to sturdy scratch-resistant media.

LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drives come with full-featured Roxio software including Easy Media Creator® for Windows, and Toast® Titanium for Mac. Easy Media Creator and Toast Titanium products are easy-to-use burning applications that provide a timesaving solution for regularly backing up important files at an impressive data transfer rate.

Blu-ray 50GB discs offer 10x more capacity than a single layer DVD. This increased capacity gives professionals the freedom to choose much higher bit rate codecs when mastering content, ultimately improving picture quality. For increased audio quality, Blu-ray technology allows for up to eight channels of 192kHz/32 audio streams.

Availability
LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drives are available now and widely available via LaCie’s specialized dealer network at the suggested retail price of $649.99. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com

, motherboard with energy saving

In order to cater to users who require a high-performance motherboard
that still saves energy, Asus, worldwide leader in motherboard
production, has released the Asus P5N72-T Premium motherboard. Equipped
with the Asus exclusive EPU technology for astounding energy savings,
this high performance motherboard supports enhanced specifications of
the front side bus and memory – able to reach an FSB of 1600MHz (O.C.)
(originally 1333MHz) and 1200MHz(O.C.) for memory (originally 1066MHz).
Press Release After The Jump

Asus P5N72-T Premium motherboard also provide amazing graphical
performances with the NVIDIA 3-Way SLI support; and includes the ROG
SupremeFX II audio card for realistic and exceptional sound effects –
making playing games more engaging. What's more the well-known
Kaspersky anti-virus software package with 1-year license is included
in the giftbox – providing protection against malicious viruses.

Taipei, Taiwan, May 27, 2008 – In order to cater to users who
require a high-performance motherboard that still saves energy, ASUS,
worldwide leader in motherboard production, has released the ASUS
P5N72-T Premium motherboard. Equipped with the ASUS exclusive EPU
technology for astounding energy savings, this high performance
motherboard supports enhanced specifications of the front side bus and
memory – able to reach an FSB of 1600MHz (O.C.) (originally 1333MHz)
and 1200MHz(O.C.) for memory (originally 1066MHz). It is also able to
provide amazing graphical performances with the NVIDIA 3-Way SLI
support; and includes the ROG SupremeFX II audio card for realistic and
exceptional sound effects – making playing games more engaging. What's
more the well-known Kaspersky anti-virus software package with 1-year
license is included in the giftbox – providing protection against
malicious viruses.

ASUS EPU for Outstanding CPU Power Savings

The new ASUS exclusive EPU is the world's first intelligent on-demand
power saving microprocessor. This intelligent automatic energy saving
chip is more stable than software-driven solutions, and provides users
with superior performance while in energy-saving mode in comparison to
other solutions. By utilizing an innovative power technology, the EPU
is able to digitally monitor current CPU usage and automatically
fine-tune the CPU power supply with improved VRM efficiency to suit any
loading. The EPU is thus able to provide users with the ability to
moderate power for higher performance if required, or save CPU power
under low processing periods for the best possible performance with the
least amount of power – achieving industry-leading power savings.

Great Gaming Experiences with 3-Way SLI and HD Audio

The P5N72-T Premium allows enthusiast gamers to fully immerse
themselves into their gaming worlds with support for NVIDIA’s 3-Way SLI
technology in PCI-E 2.0 mode. With a 3-way SLI setup that consists of
three high-end video cards running with full x16 lanes to deliver
smoother, scalable 3D performances, higher 3DMark world records and
smoother gameplay with higher frame rates and better antialiasing will
result for a better gaming experience.

On the audio side, the ROG SupremeFX II audio card delivers an
excellent high definition audio experience to gamers. Featuring unique
virtual surround audio innovations that work with gamers' headphones –
this audio card allows gamers to easily spot enemies in 3D environments
during game play – allowing them to fully enjoy their gaming
environments. SupremeFX II also provides gamers a special tool to
emphasize human voices in games – helping make dialogues clearer and
more audible.

BenQ T850 Worlds slimmest 8-mega-pixel digital camera

BenQ announced today the launch of the world’s slimmest 8-mega-pixel digital camera, the intelligent BenQ T850.The BenQ T850 digital camera is the most intuitive touch screen digital camera on the market today, with 1600 ISO, 3x optical zoom and smc PENTAX lens. Sleek and compact at 14.9mm thick, the BenQT850’s chic stainless steel casing (available in black or red) reflects the minimalist operating ease of the camera. Exceptional efficiency and user-friendliness are made possible by the highly intuitive photo taking and photo editing functions, which center around smartly organized circular touch buttons on the 3” TFT LCD screen. Almost all camera functions can be accessed and engaged by using one of three simple finger movements: tap, circle and swipe.

Press Release After The Jump

The BenQ T850 standouts among touch screen cameras as the only one employing a natural “swipe” gesture for viewing photos and video. A comprehensive selection of options including “Smile Catch”, Auto Face Tracking, Z Lighting, advanced photo art, scribble & scrawl and Quick Bar make the T850 a fabulously fun companion for bringing enjoyment and quality to today’s digital life. BenQ T850 measures 91.0 x 59 x 16.9 (14.9 slimmest) mm and weigh 120 g (without battery & SD card).

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, May 29, 2008 – BenQ announced today the launch of the world’s slimmest 8-mega-pixel digital camera, the T850 with 1600 ISO, 3x optical zoom and smc PENTAX lens. Sleek and compact at 14.9mm thick, the T850’s chic stainless steel casing (available in black or red) reflects the minimalist operating ease of the camera. Exceptional efficiency and user-friendliness are made possible by the highly intuitive photo taking and photo editing functions, which center around smartly organized circular touch buttons on the 3” TFT LCD screen. Furthermore, almost all camera functions can be accessed and engaged by using one of three simple finger movements: tap, circle, swipe. In fact, the T850 standouts among touch screen cameras as the only one employing a natural “swipe” gesture for viewing photos and video. A comprehensive selection of options including “Smile Catch”, Auto Face Tracking, Z Lighting, advanced photo art, scribble & scrawl and Quick Bar make the T850 a fabulously fun companion for bringing enjoyment and quality to today’s digital life.

Photo Taking So Simple, It’s Second Nature!
Spontaneous, quick, spur-of-the-moment. Such is what defines that special moment so precious to capture in a photo. And that’s exactly what defines the T850: controls and menus so simple and second nature that capturing a spontaneous moment is a snap. No pressing button after button to navigate through multiple menus. The T850 has pared down complex camera operations to a minimalist, logical approach. Circular touch buttons (just the size of the fingertip), which can be pulled up instantly on the extra-large screen, get users to the right setting fast so the moment isn’t just a memory. Plus, the T850 features a Quick Bar that gives users even faster access to 80% of all photo taking needs. For customized convenience, users can add three of their favorite functions to the Quick Bar. Intelligently designed touch-screen icons that clearly represent their functions further eliminate the confusion typical of other complicated camera menus.

Tap, Circle, Swipe for Easy Navigation and Photo Editing
Once pictures are taken, users can easily view and enhance photos via three types of finger motions on the screen. To reset the focal point, simply tap the preferred spot on the screen, and the T850 will re-center and automatically refocus the image. To enlarge a specific portion of the image, simply draw a circle around the location with your fingertip. The T850 will instantly perform a 12x zoom to the circled area. Plus, by using the picture cropping mode, users can save the enlarged image as a new image. Playback is no longer a pain with the T850’s ingenious functionality, which includes “swipe” recognizing ability – it’s the only camera currently available to perform functions with a simple finger swipe across the screen. While reviewing pictures, swipe a finger right to left across the screen to see the next picture; swipe left to right to see the previous image. When playing video or audio content, users can tap the playback bar forward (advance) thus eliminating the hassles of restarting the content from the beginning every time.

The T850 is also equipped with advanced photo art functions. Touch screen capability lets users free-hand scribble and scrawl fun captions and drawings to photos. In addition, users can select from a numerous callout balloons and photo backgrounds/frames.

User-Friendly Conveniences
Despite a minimalist approach for operational ease, the T850 is packed with an array of thoughtful features for picture-perfect results. A high ISO 1600 lets users take pictures in dim lighting without artificial flash. “Z Lighting” enables users to adjust the image’s lighting after the photo has already been taken. The T850’s brilliant “Smile Catch” mode captures every elusive smile by automatically shooting in rapid succession, stopping only when the shutter button is pressed again. Competitors’ similar function can only shoot up to six times in succession. And for capturing life in fractions of second – such as for action shots – a “12 Burst” feature snaps 12 pictures in one second! Crisp, clear, well-defined pictures are guaranteed with a Super Shake-Free setting and Auto Face Tracking, which can fine-tune up to nine faces in one frame – perfect for scenes with many people. The T850’s 30 preset modes range from standard auto and video to more exact settings such as "Museum," "Party," "Beach" and "Fireworks."

The T850 will be available worldwide mid-May in China and select countries in Asia and Europe.

Samsung Soulb with astonishing state-of-the-art design

Samsung announced the launch of Soulb, “Sprit of Ultra” (Soul) in bar form factor. By containing all the merits of Soul DNA, Soulb outstands from all of the other bar type handsets available in market today, setting a brand new standard for bar handset category. An embedded 3-megapixel camera with Power LED, office document viewer and editor, full speed internet browser and Bluetooth v.2.0 will fully support convenience users need without compromising style. Quality entertainment features such as music player, video editor and recorder and FM radio with RDS are also embedded within Soulb. 1GB internal memory and microSD slot provides sufficient space for users to store all the music and pictures they love.

Samsung Soulb is fully covered in an elegant metallic body which is softly brushed with hairline pattern. Soulb‘s trim graceful outline with mere 9.9mm thickness undoubtedly resembles the sleek silhouette of Soul. Just as its precedent, Soulb once again amazes the viewer with its utterly splendid yet minimalist design. Samsung Soulb will be available in five luscious colors, Soul Grey, Platinum Silver, Metallic Black, Soul Pink and Amethyst Violet. Soulb will first become available in Germany early June

VIA Nano Processor Family Launched

VIA Technologies today announced that the new VIA Nano processor family, formerly known as “Isaiah”, is now available for OEMs and motherboard vendors, while systems featuring this CPU are expected to hit the market in Q3 2008.

“The VIA Nano processor family leverages Fujitsu’s advanced 65 nanometer process technology for enhanced power efficiency, and augments that with aggressive power and thermal management features within the compact 21mm x 21mm nanoBGA2 package for an idle power as low as 100mW (0.1W), extending the reach of power efficient green and silent PCs, thin and light notebooks and mini-notes around the world,” the press relase says.

The VIA Nano family includes the L-series processors for mainstream desktop and mobile PC systems and the ultra low voltage U-series for small form factor desktop and ultra mobile devices such as mini-notes. The chips have clock speeds ranging from 1GHz to 1.8GHz, 1MB of L2 cache, an 800MHz front side bus, and a maximal power consumption from 5 to 25 watts, depending on model.

Product and Model Name	Clock Speed	VIA V4 Bus	Maximum Power (TDP Max)
VIA Nano L2100 processor	1.8GHz	800MHz	25W
VIA Nano L2200 processor	1.6GHz	800MHz	17W
VIA Nano U2400 processor	1.3+GHz	800MHz	8W
VIA Nano U2500 processor	1.2GHz	800MHz	6.8W
VIA Nano U2300 processor	1.0GHz	800MHz	5W

The Nano CPUs support 64-bit computing, and are pin-to-pin compatibe with current VIA C7 processors.

ASUS debuts bamboo computers

Asus has debuted an unusual series of concept computers that rely on alternative case materials. Asus is committed to green computing, and this new lineup of concept products serves to keep users in touch with the future of environmentally friendly technology. Asus ' Bamboo concept series stands to bring cutting edge products that are sensational in all senses and forms. In nature, bamboo carries a touch of spiritual warmth with its unique tactile surface and its refreshing fragrance. In the Chinese culture, this unique character symbolizes a serene wisdom that takes the soul through a journey of aesthetic realms. It's this poetic quality of bamboo that the Asus designers strived to convey in their product designs.

 

Press release:
Providing performance that doesn't harm the earth is becoming the common ideal. All of Asus' notebooks comply with RoHS regulations Directive 2002/95/EC (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment), and utilize substituted materials for various heavy metals to help curb environmental pollution.

Taipei, Taiwan, March 7, 2008 – The huge numbers of visitors present at ASUS' booth during CeBIT 2008 were treated to a dazzling display of innovative technology that included the ever-popular Eee PC, the ASUS-Lamborghini PDA handphone, and the exclusive EPU energy saving technology in the motherboard range. In addition to these new product lineups, ASUS has also included new concept products at this year's CeBIT 2008 exhibition. A leading company in the new digital era, ASUS has brought forth a new concept line that focuses on alternative material design aimed at helping save the earth. ASUS is committed to green computing, and this new lineup of concept products serves to keep users in touch with the future of environmentally friendly technology.

ASUS Bamboo Concept Series – A Mix of the Old and the New
ASUS' Bamboo concept series stands for our continuous commitment to bring cutting edge products that are sensational in all senses and forms. In nature, bamboo carries a touch of spiritual warmth with its unique tactile surface and its refreshing fragrance. In the Chinese culture, this unique character symbolizes a serene wisdom that takes the soul through a journey of aesthetic realms. It's this poetic quality of bamboo that the ASUS designers strived to convey in our product designs.

Innovative Use of Alternative Materials
With limited resources and ever increasing demand, it is vital that everyone – consumers and hardware providers included; strives to protect the environment in every possible way. ASUS' commitment to green computing has resulted in the research of alternative materials in its production of components and products. With such innovative technologies, ASUS has created an image of the future for computing – showcasing environmentally friendly designs for notebooks, LCDs and Mini PCs with bamboo as an alternative material in the manufacturing process.

Technology with the Environment in Mind
Providing performance that doesn't harm the earth is becoming the common ideal. All of ASUS' notebooks comply with RoHS regulations Directive 2002/95/EC (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment), and utilize substituted materials for various heavy metals to help curb environmental pollution.

Acer Aspire One Mini Notebook Revealed

Acer is going to release the Aspire One low-cost 8.9-inch notebook based on the upcoming Intel Atom processor, according to a forum post at NotebookReview.com.

The initial Aspire One 2.17-pound mini-laptop model is based on the Atom N270 CPU at 1.6GHz and the Intel 82945GMS chipset. The system has 512MB of main memory, and an 8GB solid state drive. The 8.9″ display has a resolution of 1024-by-600 pixels and LED backlight.

Other features include a built-in web camera, 95% full size keyboard, touchpad, 802.11b/g wireless module, Ethernet LAN port, three USB ports, a VGA output, 5-in-1 media card reader, and SD card slot.

The Acer Aspire One is powered by a 3-cell battery and runs a highly modified Acer Linux operating system.

The mini-laptop is expected to cost around $400 in the United States, but there is no information on its availability date.

The forum post says the PC maker will launch a Windows XP version of the One “after about a month of time after the first release”. It will have 1GB of RAM, 80GB of hard drive storage, and a price tag of around $620.

AppleApple MacBook Air, the world's thinnest laptop

Apple has unveiled the MacBook Air ultraportable, the world’s thinnest notebook, at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco.

“The MacBook Air measures an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of 0.76-inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks,” the company’s press release says.

Along with a “spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe”, the Apple’s ultraportable has a 13.3-inch (1280×800) LED-backlit widescreen glossy display, a full-size backlit keyboard, an aluminum enclosure, and a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing. The MacBook Air is powered by a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache, and includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive or an optional 64GB solid state drive, 802.11n wireless network support, Bluetooth 2.1 technology, the Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics, a micro-DVI port, and a single USB port. Ethernet LAN port and modem connection are provided via external USB adapters.

The MacBook Air, which weighs 3 pounds, has no built-in optical drive. Instead, users can buy an external DVD burner, called the MacBook Air SuperDrive, for $99. The SuperDrive is powered by MacBook Air’s USB port, eliminating the need to carry a separate power adapter.

According to product specifications, the notebook’s battery provides up to 5 hours of run time.

The new MacBook comes with Mac OS X Leopard operating system and will be shipping in two weeks through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $1,799.

The MacBook Air $1,799 configuration includes:

- 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with 1280×800 resolution;
- 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache;
- 800 MHz front-side bus;
- 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM;
- 80GB hard disk drive with Sudden Motion Sensor;
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
- Micro-DVI port (includes Micro-DVI to VGA and Micro-DVI to DVI Adapters);
- built-in iSight video camera;
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
- one USB 2.0 port;
- one headphone port;
- multi-touch TrackPad with support for advanced multi-touch gestures including tap, scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe; and
- 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options and accessories include the ability to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; 64GB solid state drive, MacBook Air SuperDrive, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork ‘08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 1.5.
 

Dell XPS M1530 Notebook

Dell completed the overhaul of its XPS notebook line by introducing the XPS M1530. The system is one of Dell's few high-end 15-inch notebooks and is aimed at the same audience that would otherwise seek slim, stylized portables such as Apple's MacBook Pro: the minimalist system is 0.9 inches deep at its thinnest point and uses a slot-load optical drive (like the M1330) in place of the usual tray-loading option. A minimum 128MB GeForce 8400M GS graphics chip provides dedicated 3D acceleration even on the least expensive model, which also includes a 2-megapixel webcam and a fingerprint reader.

A base system starts at as little as $999 by using a 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB of memory, and a 120GB hard disk backed by a DVD burner. Buyers can custom-order the notebook, however, to use as much as a 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo as well as 4GB of memory, 250GB of storage, a Blu-ray burner, and faster 256MB GeForce 8600M GT graphics. The M1530 can be colored with a black, red, or white outer shell and is available to order now, but should ship by mid-December. The price tag starts from $999 depending on the kit.

The specs of the XPS M1530:
* Display – 15.4” 1280x800 pixels
* CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo T5250/T5450 (1.5 GHz/1.66 GHz)
* DDR2 SDRAM 1 or 2 GB
* HDD - SATA 120/160/250 GB (5400 rpm)
* DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write) with slot start up
* Video card - 128 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS/256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
* Wi-Fi Dell Wireless 1490 802.11a/g or Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N
* Bluetooth 2.0
* 2-megapixel web-camera
* Dimensions – 357x263x23.7-35.1 mm
* Weight – 2.62 kg
* OS - Windows Vista Home Premium

MSI GX-620 and the GX-720 Concept notebook

MSI will show its Green Concept notebook product design with Anion technology! Anion technology is a technology to purify the air and remove toxic substances. MSI is the first to combine anion technology with the advance computer technology to create World’s First Anion Notebook. Notebooks are often used in indoor spaces with insufficient ventilation; the MSI Anion notebook can provide users the benefits of clean air anywhere.

MSI developed the MSI PR620 Anion Notebook, which makes it world’s very first notebook that is capable to release anion to better your health. Using the latest in technology, the MSI PR620 Anion Notebook can release up to five hundred and fifty thousand ions/cc (50 cm from the air vent)*. This is more than if you were right next to mountains or the beach. The Anion module can also contain concentrated ozone lower than 0.02ppm. (UL & TUL regulations must be lower than 0.05ppm; high ozone concentration can be harmful to human bodies).
 

Play Multiplayer Pong with your iPhones

Who said that the iPhone or iPod Touch can’t be great games consoles? As you can see from the picture above, you can play Pong with your friends from your iPhones. Just install the software and go head to head. It’s like playing Air Hockey only cooler as Apple is involved.

I always like to see what people can come up with. Especially when they go and use their smartphones for anything different than what it can already do. Remember the iPhone watering plant device? What about the surveillance iPhone system? Congrats to all those people inventing these “gadgets”.

As for the Pong software we still don’t know when and where it will be available and for what price. But I’d sure like go 2 out of 3 with some of my friends.

Motorola Phone Pictures Leaked

At first I thought this is the ZN5 Motorola handset which is rumored to have a 5 megapixel camera from Kodak. But this is a slide phone so could it be a different model?

Anyway, here’s what this “ZN5″ is supposed to feature:

• MOTOMAGX Linux platform,
• 5 megapixel camera without autofocus
• quad-band EDGE
• Bluetooth,
• Wi-Fi,
• 100MB of internal memory,
• microSD slot,
• “ROKR” type touch wheel which also serves as the 5-way navigational pad.

Ok, wait a minute, no 3G? No autofocus? What is all of this Motorola?

A Decoy Phone from LG

I love some of the new names phones have this day. Touch a Diamond? A BlackBerry that is Curve but might be Bold, depending on your needs. And a Decoy slide phone from LG. That’s its name, Decoy. But what’s in a name anyway…

And most importantly I am interested on what’s inside a Decoy from LG as this phone is rolling out on June 16th from Verizon Wireless. And let’s check out some of its specs for you:

• CDMA dual band,
• QVGA 240 x 320 pixel display,
• 2.0 megapixel camera,
• video and mp3 playback,
• expandable microSD slot,
• built-in removable Bluetooth earpiece.

Nothing really special but just the right phone for some budgets. The full price is $349 while if you get a 1 year plan from Verizon you’ll have the Decoy for $249. Add one more year and buy the phone for just $179

To Buy or Not to Buy the Eee for $650

To Beers or Three Beers, this is the question! No, wait, I got it wrong, it must be the weekend.

To Buy or Not to Buy the Eee? This is the question of the week, day, minute. And I am not talking about the Eee in general as a concept but by the upcoming, Atom processor powered Eee PC. It’s rumored that anytime next week Asus will release the Eee PC containing an Atom processor. But the price rizes up to $650.
Here’s an idea, let’s throw in a DVD combo, let’s widen the screen to 13-15 inch and let’s give it an Atom processor and a 80GB HDD. We’ll conveniently call it Eee PC 1301-1501 and sell it for a little over $700. What do you guys think?

I guess we will know more about the Atom Eee next week.