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Sony Vaio Y11, S11 and F11 leaked ahead of launch, Z and CW series refreshed

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:24:07 PST

It appears that the Vaio T's return is only the tip of a giant iceberg of refreshes coming out from Sony HQ this month. Greek e-tailer Compuland has a trio of new models listed seemingly prematurely for sale: the Vaio Y11 (pictured) is a relatively standard 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 machine with 4GB of DDR3 memory and 320GB of storage, and its nomenclature seems to fit given that its specs land somewhere between the underpowered X and fully-equipped Z series. Speaking of the latter, Sony is adding a Core i5-520M to its refreshed Z line, as well as to the new 16-inch F11 model which adds a half terabyte storage drive just for kicks. The lesser Core i3-330M Arrandale chip finds a home in the new 13-inch S11 laptop, which may or may not be replacing the SR series we know and love, as well as a freshened up CW number. Hit the read links for early pricing and more details, and if you hope really hard maybe we'll get proper announcements from the official channels some time soon.

Researchers develop tiny, autonomous piezoelectric energy harvester

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:54:30 PST

Folks have long been using piezoelectric devices to harvest energy in everything from dance floors to parking lots, but a group of European researchers have now shown off some novel uses for the technology at the recent International Electron Devices Meeting that could see even more of the self-sufficient devices put to use. Their big breakthrough is that they've managed to shrink a piezoelectric device down to "micromachine" size, which was apparently possible in part as a result of using aluminum nitride instead of lead zirconate titanate as the piezoelectric material, thereby making the devices easier to manufacture. Their first such device is a wireless temperature sensor, which is not only extremely tiny, but is able to function autonomously by harvesting energy from vibrations and transmit temperature information to a base station at 15 second intervals. Of course, the researchers say that is just the beginning, and they see similar devices eventually being used in everything from tire-pressure monitoring systems to predictive maintenance of any moving or rotating machine parts.

Plethora of new HP laptops, desktops leak ahead of CES

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:52:13 PST

Holy smokes! A ton of unannounced HP laptops and desktops just came across our desk, in addition to those Envy models we saw just a few days back. Ahead of what we presume will be their formal announcement next week right around CES, we've got some details on 14 new models some more interesting than others. Now, before you get too excited, we don't have full specs on any of these, but we do have pricing information, and here are some highlights: the 14-inch HP Pavilion dv4i, a Windows 7 laptop with a flush display and fingerprint reader that should run about $785. Up next is the 10-inch Mini 210 HD Edition, which will come in red, black, silver and blue, boast Intel's brand new Pine Trail platform (a 1.66GHz N450 CPU), plus GMA 3150 graphics. Another goodie here is that this one is expected to ship with Broadcom's Crystal HD video playback chip. The Mini 210 HD is expected to cost around $330. Logic Buy (the point of origin for all this info) is reporting that these models should ship on or around January 7th, though keep in mind that all of this information is extremely unofficial, so don't blame us if it all changes. If you simply can't get enough, hit the gallery for a look at a few of the systems.

An Android Phone That Can Beat the iPhone?

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:56:24 PST

Android phones are being thrusts into the consumer market from all angles these days. In this podcast, the panel goes into detail on Android phones’ strengths and why these new smartphones are more than just an ‘iPhone wannabe.’ With every Android phone that comes out there is always something unique and new about it. That panel digs deep to predict what Android phone will be the next ‘it’ phone, and what carrier and marketing efforts will be needed for an Android phone to out sell the iPhone.

LaCie Brings USB 3.0 to Dual-Drive RAIDs

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:49:13 PST

Lacie's 2Big USB 3.0 will offer throughput of up to 275 MB/s and capacities up to 4 terabytes.

Peripheral and storage vendor LaCie has announced its 2Big USB 3.0 dual-drive RAID system, which the company claims is the first of its kind on the market. The 2Big USB 3.0 offers a dual disk configuration supporting up to 4 TB of storage and RAID 0 and RAID 1 support—and, thanks to a USB 3.0 bridge controller from Symwave—can push up to 275 MB/s, which is the kind of number that makes high-definition video editors get a gleam in their eye.

“Our customers have long awaited a robust, super fast interface to enable a better workflow. Symwave’s industry-leading dual SATA bridge controller enabled us to address this demand, and to achieve the highest speed ever obtained with a dual-disk solution,” said LaCie marketing director Minh Lê, in a statement. “LaCie intends to lead the market transition to USB 3.0 technology and will launch a full range of products in the coming months.”

LaCie plans to ship the 2Big USB 3.0 in early 2010, and will have the drive on show at CES in January. No specific ship date, capacity options, or pricing information has been announced.

Nokia ships E72 and 5800 Navigation Edition to the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:15:01 PST

We know it's the N900 you're jonesing for, but if you're looking to let those "other guys" put Maemo 5 through the ringer while you continue to use an OS that's been around the block, Nokia's got two more for you to choose from starting today. Both the QWERTY-packin' E72 ($407) and eager-to-route 5800 Navigation Edition have started to ship to America (according to the company, anyway), with the former listed as "coming soon" on Nokia's webstore and as "in stock on December 10th" over at Amazon. The latter is available to order now for $299 sans contract, so good luck holding off for Google Maps Navigation to make this thing look dated.

Update: Seems this is the second time Nokia has stated that its E72 was available in the US, so we'd probably wait for at least another notification or two before pulling the trigger. Can't ever be too careful!

[via: E72, 5800 Navigation Edition ]

ZyXEL to debut 'world's first' LTE router at CES 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:11:47 PST

If we're able to avert this looming "spectrum apocalypse" we've heard so much about, it looks like 2010 will be the year that many of you get to partake in LTE. What better way to indulge your lust for airborne data than ZyXEL's newest, the ZLR-2070S LTE CPE/SOHO router? Apparently "the world's first," this guy features two VoIP ports, a four port 802.11n wireless switch, a USB port for storage or printer sharing, and data rates up to 50Mbps. Not bad, eh? We expect to hear more about this one in short order it will make its society debut at next year's CES.

IEEE will push next 802.11 to 1Gbps speeds, two-letter designations in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:06:02 PST

WiFi, you've come a long way, baby. Since those groovy days of plain 'ol 802.11, to your first single-letter designation, all the way up to your latest 802.11n ratification you've gotten faster, broader, and almost everywhere. Best of all, you've still got room to grow. If all goes well and Cusack's documentary doesn't prove accurate in 2012 you'll grow to 802.11ac, delivering a blistering 1Gbps and beyond. That's more wireless bandwidth than we'd know what to do with right now, but we'll find a way to use it. We always do. Together.

Haier's Theater PMP sports a 3-inch touchscreen, recession-friendly price

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:59:58 PST

There are PMPs in every shape and color, and while we've never been particularly fond of Haier's contributions to the segment, its latest might just find a home in that all-important lower-end of the spectrum. It packs a three-inch capacitive touchscreen of undisclosed resolution, an FM tuner, voice recorder, support for plenty of audio formats, a rather more spartan list of video formats (apparently just AVI and MPEG4), and comes in either four or eight GB sizes. Earth-shattering? No, but at prices of $89 and $99 it's a good value. well, the bigger of the two is, anyway. Who wouldn't drop another $10 for twice the capacity?

Intel's Larrabee graphics processor delayed, downsized to mere software development platform

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:04:37 PST

Well. NVIDIA has to be loving this. Intel has announced today that not only is its Larrabee graphics chip delayed, that chip which promised to usher in a new era of post-GPU computing, but that it's been downgraded to a "software development platform." Intel isn't even saying what that "software development" will be aimed at, though we have to assume it would be some future version of the hybrid GPU / CPU chip. As to when the kit itself might arrive is anybody's guess, Intel is merely saying "next year." Meanwhile we can look forward to Intel's first example of a GPU / CPU hybrid in the upcoming Pineview Atom processor, which kicks those lackluster integrated graphics to the curb and moves everything onto the CPU. Who knows if that will be enough to quell the NVIDIA's quiet takeover of the higher-end netbook space with its ION graphics, but with Intel's current track record in the graphics space, we doubt it.

[via: Cnet]

Dell creates communications division for push into handheld market

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:58:02 PST

Turns out Mini 3i is only the beginning. Dell has announced plans to create a new Communications Group with a focus on mobile phones and similar portable devices. Current consumer division head and former Motorola exec Ron Garriques will take the helm. Not much else to say at this point, but make no mistake, Dell is now officially in the phone business for the long haul.

[via: The Wall Street Journal]

ViewSonic Releases Two New IPS Panel LCD Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:31:01 PST

ViewSonic announced the commercial availability of its 23” VP2365wb and 26” VP2655wb IPS panel LCD displays. The company says the monitors leverage the power of “true IPS panel technology,” making them ideal for professional designers, manufacturers, and even movie production. The 23” VP2365wb IPS true color monitor couples wide viewing angles with 1920×1080 full HD resolution, while the 26” VP2655wb IPS monitor offers 118% NTSC wide color gamut by OptiColor, super wide 178/178 degree viewing angles and 1920×1200 resolution.

“IPS panel technology is a must have for professionals in image-rich industries, such as graphic artists. Without enhanced viewing angles and accurate color reproduction, they simply cannot do their jobs,” said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic North America. “Our new LCD monitors are designed with these professionals in mind, providing them with a true picture and color quality to make projects come alive.”

ViewSonic says these two monitors have their strongest pixel performance guarantee and come with a three-year limited warranty on parts, labor and backlight. The monitors are now available with the VP2365wb for an ESP of $399 and the VP2655wb for a respective $1,299.

Fujitsu LifeBook UH900 has multitouch, world-beating ambitions

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:49:46 PST

What's in a name these days? If we didn't call this a UMPC or told you it can run Windows 7, it could just be a pretty huge clamshell smartphone. The freshly announced LifeBook UH900 sports a 5.6-inch "vivid glare screen," (we'll put that down to a bad translation), 3.5G wireless connectivity, and even goes so far as to lay claim to being the world's smallest multitouch-capable PC. Take that, VAIO P! Still, the 62GB SSD and WXGA display resolution obviously set it apart from the phone crowd, as will the Atom Z530 inside -- it might outperform your ARM CPU, but will also ensure you never leave the house without a charger (just 3-hours in eco mode). Fujitsu has yet to spill pricing details, but CNET informs us the non-UMTS version will be ready in January, with the more advanced hotness coming at a later date.

Nokia X6 Comes with Music and capacitive touchscreen: shipping now

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:39:13 PST

What are you thankful for today? If you live in Finland or the UK and pre-ordered a X6 then you might be obliged to Nokia for having just set your new handset free. That's right pilgrims, Nokia's new flagship Comes with Music handset is now shipping. The X6 you'll recall, introduces S60 5th to a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen riding 32GB of storage, a 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, TV-out, and tweaked homescreen with a media/social-centric layout. The X6 lists for €450 (pre-tax and pre-carrier subsidies) a price that ultimately includes the cost of Nokia's struggling "all-you-can-eat" music service. Perhaps this is the device that finally gives the service legs? Maybe, but we'd start by following through on plans to strip the DRM.

MSI X-Slim X430 gets an Athlon Neo CPU, Windows 7 and Blu-ray

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:33:18 PST

AMD spoiled MSI's surprise a bit by snagging an X-Slim X430 early for its VISION gala back in September, but now that Windows 7 is out and about, MSI has decided to officialize its latest thin-and-light. Unlike most of its rivals, this one shuns Intel's CULV lineup and instead relies on a dual-core AMD Athlon Neo X2 CPU, and with Win7 Home Premium at the helm, performance shouldn't be too much of an issue when it comes to handling basic tasks. There's also a 14-inch display (1,366 x 768), 2GB of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI / VGA sockets, an SD card slot, a 320GB or 500GB HDD and even an optional Blu-ray drive (albeit an external one). 4 and 8-cell batteries will also be available, and at 3.3 pounds, we're guessing you won't need to bulk up before slapping this in your knapsack.

LG tosses X120 netbook into the US market

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:03:21 PST

We may not be getting those rather odd Levi’s special edition LG X120 netbooks that were spied in Korea back in July, but we are getting the plain X120 netbook. LG announced today that it was offering the X120 in America.

The X120 is basic netbook fare with a 10.1-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, Intel Atom processor, and a 160GB HDD. The screen is LED backlit and has a built-in 1.3MP webcam. Rather than Windows 7, the machine still uses Windows XP Home and has integrated WiFi.

Mobile broadband access is available via the AT&T 3G mobile network. The netbook will be offered at Radio Shack stores around the country for $179.99. That price is the subsidized figure after you spend $60 per month on a new data plan with AT&T.

Twelve South's BassJump subwoofer improves your MacBook experience via USB, not parachute

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:56:15 PST

The speakers on the MacBook line are generally quite good -- for a laptop. Rock your world they won't, but Twelve South's BassJump might just add that low-frequency kick your unibody workhorse has been missing. The solitary speaker connects via USB and, through an analog-styled tuning app, augments the built-in speakers of the laptop with much-needed bass. If the styling didn't clue you in this is only for MacBooks and, at $80, seems to come at quite a premium over your average set of portable speakers. It's certainly nicer looking.

Olympus Pen E-P1 spoiled by Swarovski

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:51:51 PST

You know how to ruin a luxurious shooter already steeped in fine retro-styling? Slather on the Swarovski crystal, that's how. This £1,999 CrystalRoc bastardization of Olympus' E-P1 Micro Four Thirds wundercam more than doubles the price of the de-iced original. So sad then again, maybe you like it.

Fujitsu LifeBook MH380 netbook becomes the latest climber on Intel's Pine Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:46:53 PST

We still have nothing but leaked roadmaps and insider information about the details of Intel's Pineview processor and Pine Trail platform at this point, but that's not stopping a number of manufacturers from prepping their products for the supposedly upcoming unveiling. There was a nettop last month, Lenovo's latest IdeaPad last week, and now, thanks again to the FCC, we know there's a new netbook coming from Fujitsu packing the 1.6GHz Atom N450 processor. The LifeBook MH380 sports a 10.1-inch LCD with a resolution of 1366 x 768, 802.11b/g/n wireless, and, well, that's all our government-funded spies have revealed so far. We're guessing CES will be a time of great knowing.

Datel sues Microsoft, wants its Xbox 360 market back

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:44:07 PST

Seems like we just can't go a week without some corporate power plays or mudslinging making our pages. Back in October, Datel promised it would "remedy" the situation created by Microsoft's forthcoming (now present) Dashboard update locking out its higher capacity memory modules. The accessory company was the first (and only) third-party supplier of memory cards for the Xbox 360, but it seems that MS took a dislike to the MicroSD-expandable Max Memory units and has since taken the unusual step of downgrading the console to being able to read only chips up to 512MB, essentially taking Datel's 2GB+ wares out of commission. Yeah, classy. Datel's retaliation is in the finest Anglo-Saxon legal tradition, namely to assert antitrust concerns and to claim its right to act as a competitor to Microsoft in the memory market for Redmond's own console. It all sounds rather silly to us too, and could probably have been avoided by a rational compromise, but what's the fun in that?

TomTom to Update iPhone GPS App for Free

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:59:38 PST

IPhone users may be getting an update for TomTom's GPS app.

TomTom announced today it will provide a free update to its iPhone navigation app—if it ever gets approved by Apple. That’s right, these updates have yet to be approved by Apple, but TomTom assures iPhone users that the application will soon be available. The new features are being submitted for review today. TomTom says that these advanced features will please iPhone and TomTom fans alike. Here’s the list of hopeful new features for the update:

-Advanced lane guidance giving drivers extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions. For the first time this is in both landscape and portrait mode.

- Text-to-speech helping motorists to keep their eyes on the road by enabling street names and places to be read aloud as part of the spoken instructions.

- “Help Me” providing direct access to emergency numbers and directions to the nearest emergency providers.

- Updated map and safety camera database**.

- Customizable audio warnings when approaching safety cameras or driving over the speed limit, increasing driver safety and saving money.

- iPod player control ensuring drivers can conveniently control their music from within the application.

[Picture provided by Engadget.com]

PlayStation 3 Still Beating Xbox In Console Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:56:11 PST

Although the Nintendo Wii remains the top-selling console, NPD says the PS3 continued to outsell the Xbox 360 in October.

Media metrics firm NPD has released its figures for October sales of video games and video game systems in the United States, and the news was again good for Sony. During the month, the PlayStation 3 continued to outsell Microsoft’s Xbox 360, moving 321,000 units during the month compared to 250,000 units for the Xbox 360. The Nintendo Wii still remains the console to beat—selling some 507,000 units during the month—but the Wii looks to have peaked: compared to October of 2008, saled of the Nintendo Wii are down 37 percent.

“Hardware sales were down 17 percent in units for the month,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier, in a statement. “Compared to last month, which was a five-week month as compared to four weeks this month, Wii, PSP, and NDS sales increased on an average sales per week basis, while the PS3 and Xbox 360 declined.”

Amongst handheld gaming units, the Nintendo DS continued to massively outsell the PSP, with the DS moving 458,000 units during the month compared to 118,000 for the PSP.

However, while the Xbox 360 might now be bringing up the rear in console sales (beating only the PlayStation 2), Microsoft’s Xbox 360 did account for five of the 10 top-selling software titles for the month: Borderlands, NBA 2K10, Halo 3 ODST, Forza Motorsport 3, and FIFA Soccer 10 for the Xbox 360 accounted for 44 percent of all units sold. However, the top-selling titles for the month were Uncharted 2 for the PS3 (moving 537,000 units) and Wii Fit Plus (which sold 441,000 units).

Overall, the PlayStation 3 was the only console to see year-on-year growth in sales, although that may have more to do with the PS3’s previously weak sales than anything else. A bright spot for Nintendo was that about half the sales of Wii Fit Plus will full versions with a Balance Board, indicating many buyers were new to to franchise.

YouTube to Support 1080p HD Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:49:08 PST

YouTube announced that it will soon display its online videos in high definition.

YouTube says starting next week it will support the same high-resolution video that can now be seen on flat screen TVs.

The online video unit of Google Inc. said Thursday it will support video playback in the full high-definition format known as 1080p, upgrading from the current 720p.

After engineers tested its system, YouTube spokesman Chris Dale said the company is not worried about infrastructure problems or higher costs associated with supporting bulkier files.

Videos uploaded from regular users will still have a 10-minute limit, although the maximum file size will likely get a boost from 2 gigabytes.

Videos that had already been uploaded at 1080p will be automatically re-encoded to play back at the higher resolution.

CrunchPad is 'steamrolling along' will cost between $300 and $400

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:38:43 PST

the term "steamrolling along" as it applies to device launches, but apparently it's good news for Michael Arrington's CrunchPad tablet. Mike dropped the news on a recent episode of Steve Gillmor's "Gillmor Gang" podcast (like "Gilmore Girls," but with less inter-generational drama), saying that he's not sure where the rumor of cost being too high came from, since costs continue to come down. The "$300 to $400" price range he's quoting is a bit higher than we'd heard previously, but it still sounds pretty good for a 12-inch touchscreen device. He also made mention of "soft revenue" and "sponsorships" on the device, akin to the revenue Firefox gets from its Google search box, and added that it won't impact the user experience. Outside of those tidbits Mike says they're working on making it "perfect," and that there should be some big news about the device coming shortly.

How would you change Garmin-Asus' nuvifone G60?

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:34:32 PST

The nüvifone G60 took nearly two years to go from introduction to on sale at AT&T, and just weeks after its introduction, it has been nearly completely forgotten. Smartphones like Motorola's Droid and HTC's Droid Eris have already snagged the spotlight, and of course, that $300 (on contract) price tag that it debuted with didn't help attract any eyes, either. That said, we're sure at least a few (couple?) of you bit the bullet post-price drop, and now we're overly anxious to hear how you feel about it. After two years, does this thing really live up to the expectations? Are you satisfied with the navigation capabilities? Is the lackluster battery life worrying you yet? Should Garmin-Asus even bother with a second-gen device?

[via: Engadget]