Wondering where all the posts are? Well – we’re on vacation until next Monday and yes as you can probably tell, I’m heading off to England for some work and pleasure. Hopefully I’ll send a couple of blog posts here and there but not likely. Until then, have a great rest of the week everyone!!

Technorati Tags: Vacation, Site News

The problem at hand? The Virtual DOS machine can be exploited to enable “unprivileged 16-bit programs to manipulate kernel stacks so attackers could get their own code executed at system privilege levels”. CVE has the following description for the vulnerability:

“The kernel in Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 through Windows 7, including Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Windows Server 2008 Gold and SP2, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges by crafting a VDM_TIB data structure in the Thread Environment Block (TEB), and then calling the NtVdmControl function to start the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (aka NTVDM) subsystem, leading to improperly handled exceptions involving the #GP trap handler (aka nt!KiTrap0D).”

In a Microsoft security advisory, Microsoft claims it is “not aware of attacks that try to use the reported vulnerability or of customer impact at this time.”

Should you be concerned? Not really (unless of course you have a tendency to run 16 bit applications for some awful reason). If you’re really concerned, just disable your system’s DOS and WOWEXEC subsystems.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Windows security, 16 bit windows

The latest problem comes on the heels of Toyota’s massive recall of vehicles that could suffer from sticking accelerator pedals. No Prius models, including the 2010 Prius, were associated to the sticking pedals problem (although early Prius models were associated to a separate recall involving problems with floor mats).

Braking problems for the new 2010 Prius were reported as early as two months after the car went on sale in May, with problems being reported both here in the U.S. and in Japan. Toyota claims to have received 77 reports of braking problems related to the latest Prius model.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Toyota, 2010 Prius, Braking problems

Motorola brings MOTOBLUR to Verizon Wireless with today’s announcement of the upcoming availability of the Motorola DEVOUR Android handset in March. In case you’re not familiar with MOTOBLUR, it’s Motorola’s unique content delivery service bringing together contacts, personal email, status updates from social networking sites, photos, and more into easily managed streams on the home screen.

Features and specs to the Motorola DEVOUR include:

• Touch-sensitive navigation pad
• 3.1 inch capacitive touch-screen display
• Pre-loaded apps including Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube, Google Search, and Google Maps with Google Maps Navigation
• Access to Android marketplace
• “Happenings Widget” – MOTOBLUR automatically pushes status updates, wall posts, and photo updates from social networking sites to the Happenings Widget. Users flick through updates and send out replies
• Universal inbox for texts, social networking messages, and emails
• Backup data to secure MOTOBLUR portal. Portal also allows users to use the built-in aGPS to help locate the phone if its misplaced. Remote Wipe feature clears information on the handset if it’s deemed lost
• 8 GB microSD card pre-installed
• Bluetooth with support for A2DP, HID, HSP, HFP, AVRCP and GAP profiles

No word on pricing as of yet.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola DEVOUR, Verizon Wireless, Android smartphone, MOTOBLUR

Here are the pictures of the Dell Studio 14:

Dim Sum Plum:

Hot & Spicy:

Jade is the New Black:

Red My Fortune Cookie:

Meet Me on the Star Ferry:

Suzi Says Feng Shui:

Here are pictures of the Dell Inspiron Mini 10:

Dim Sum Plum:

Hot & Spicy:

Jade is the New Black:

Meet Me on the Star Ferry:

Suzi Says Feng Shui:

Technorati Tags: Dell, QPI, Dell Inspiron Mini 10, Dell Studio, Dell Design Studio, Hong Kong Collection

Shinobii Technologies announces the release of the new Xcross Remote designed to be an alternative to the Wii Remote for the Nintendo Wii game console. The Xcross Remote comes with a wide directional pad for better control in games and is fully compatible with all nunchuk controllers and additional accessories such as MotionPlus.

Features include:

• Fully compatible with all Wii hardware
• Built-in accelerometer for full motion control
• Wide direction pad
• 5 meter wireless range
• Built-in speaker and vibration
• Compatible with Wii MotionPlus accessory
• Powered by 2 AA batteries (not included)
• Includes free silicon sleeve and wrist strap

The Xcross Remote will be available this month in Europe with a price of €29.95.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Shinobii Technologies, Xcross Remote, Nintendo Wii

NEC Display Solutions of America introduces their latest 17 inch eco-friendly LCD display, the AccuSync AS171. Replacing the ASLCD73VX-BK display, the AS171 is a standard-aspect display designed for small-to-medium sized businesses.

Some of the “green” features of the AS171 include a 21 percent reduction in power consumption and 50 percent less mercury compared to previous models, EPEAT Silver Rating, ENERGY STAR 5.0 and TCO 5.0 compliance, and a 2-step ECO Mode providing two energy-saving modes to users.

Specs include:

• 1280 x 1024 resolution
• VGA and DVI connectivity
• 900:1 aspect ratio
• 5 ms response times
• Tilt adjustability
• Carbon footprint meter for tracking of carbon savings

The NEC AccuSync AS171 will ship this month at an estimated price of $159 dollars.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: NEC AccuSync AS171 LCD display

According to senior analyst Jeff Orr,”Apple’s iPad is not the first media tablet..But it does help define this new device category. The main focus of media tablets is entertainment.”

Furthermore, Orr expects tablets to remain as a “premium or luxury product for wealthy industrialized markets for at least several years” with units not expected to replace laptops, netbooks, or even mobile phones.

Of course things could very well change in a short order especially if additional third party vendors jump into the ring with cheaper, capable devices. We know Windows 7-based tablets will continue to grow but you can be sure Google Chome-based tablets will enter the fray within the next year or two.

On the flipside, Orr believes third party manufacturers will have a hard time generating awareness of their products among consumers/buyers.

“New entrants to this market are at a disadvantage since they lack the retail relationships and network operator agreements already built by the more mature vendors. Surprisingly, Apple may have done them a favor by raising the public profile of the whole media tablet category.”

It’s certainly not surprising when you consider what Apple did for the smartphone industry. Until the advent of the Apple iPhone, smartphones were relegated to the tech-savvy and business-oriented audiences. Now, it seems like everyone has an iPhone or at least some sort of touch-based smartphone.

In our heads, the real question isn’t how many units will ship. The real question is – does anyone actually need a tablet? Forget the price, or units shipped, or availability but focus in on purpose. Buying an iPhone makes sense since nearly everyone needs or wants a mobile phone. Buying an iPod makes sense since most of us enjoy the concept of portable music. A tablet? The case for one still stands on shaky ground – at least until a real killer application or purpose is made available.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: ABI Research, Tablets

All five bags feature an exclusive Girard print on the inside as well as a love heart charm. The bags are also stain resistant and hand-washable (simply drip dry).

Shoulder Bag:

• Made of extra-thick expandable neoprene
• Inside snap pocket
• Reinforced shoulder strap
• Stores flat
• Measures 14.5 x 22.5 x 6 inches
• MSRP of $70 dollars.

Lunch Purse:

• Insulates up to 4 hours (time varies depending on exterior temps)
• Made from extra-thick neoprene
• Inside pocket and zip closure
• No vinyl or PVC used
• Stores flat
• Measures 12.75 x 15.75 x 6.5 inches
• MSRP of $45

Phone Sleeve:

• Protects iPhone and iPod touch
• Made from extra-thick neoprene
• Elastic opening for easy access
• Measures 3 x 5.25 x 0.5 inches
• MSRP of $25 dollars

Digital Case:

• Extra thick neoprene stretches to fit cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, and cell phones
• Detachable wrist strap included
• Hard EVA back for extra protection
• Built-in pocket for accessories
• Water-resistant
• Measures 4 x 5.5 x 0.75 inches
• MSRP of $35 dollars

Laptop Sling:

• Available in 14-15 inch sizes and 12-13 inches
• Made from extra-thick protective neoprene
• Hourglass design secures laptop in place
• Adjustable shoulder strap
• MSRP of $50 dollars

Technorati Tags: BUILT, Alexander Girard, Shoulder Bag, Lunch Purse, Phone Sleeve, Digtal Case, Laptop Sling

Acer America announced a new high-end GD235HZ display yesterday supporting full HD 3D when combined with NVIDIA 3D Vision active-shutter glasses and appropriate 3D content.

The GD235HZ combines a high contrast ratio of 80,000:1 with Acer’s Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM) which “allows users to adjust images frame by frame to optimize contrast by enhancing detail and gradation.”

Key specs to the GD235HZ include the following:

• 23.6 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 resolution display
• 2ms response time
• 0.2715 pixel pitch
• 120Hz refresh rate
• 80,000:1 Max (ACM)/1000:1 (native) contrast ratio
• 300 cd/m2 brightness
• 170 degree horizontal and 160 degree vertical angle
• Support for 16.7 million colors
• 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI, 1 x VGA input
• VESA 100m wall mount
• Internal power supply

NVIDIA’s 3D Vision is a combination of wireless active-shutter glasses, a wireless USB transmitter, and advanced software.

Expect the Acer GD235HZ early this month at an MSRP of $399.99. The NVIDIA 3D Vision Kit is available for $199.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Acer GD235HZ, NVIDIA 3D Vision

Samsung announces their latest environmentally-friendly hard disk drive for the desktop market in the form of the EcoGreen F3EG hard drive. Offering two terabytes of disk space spanning across four 500GB platters, the F3EG utilizes Samsung’s EcoTriangle technology providing eco-friendly components, low-power and low-noise operation technology.

“Green” features of the F3EG include:

• Eliminates halogen compound and brominated flame retardant from the PCBA
• Model produced from eco-friendly materials
• Meets environmental regulations including RoHS
• Utilizes low-noise operation technology SilentSeek and NoiseGuard for quiet operation
• 40 percent lower in power consumption in idle mode and 10 percent lower in reading/writing mode than competing drives
• Zero percent failure rate in unstable voltage environment test

Specs include:

• 3.0 Gbps SATA interface
• Native Command Queuing features
• 16MB/32MB buffer memory

The 3.5 inch F3EG drive is available in 1.5 TB and 2 TB capacities in the U.S. and EU markets with an MSRP of $179.99.

Technorati Tags: Samsung EcoGreen F3EG Hard Drive

The FinePix XP10 is the first in a new line of Fujifilm rugged digital cameras designed to be waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, and dustproof. A result from redesigning the FinePix Z33WP, the XP10 has the following features and specs:

• Ergonomic “Extreme-Proof” digital camera housed in a metal uni-body with a tactile grip finish
• 12 megapixel CCD sensor
• Periscopic 5x optical zoom lens from Fujinon with a reinforced lens barrier
• One-touch HD movie capture
• 2.7 inch high-contrast LCD display
• Waterproof up to 3 meters underwater
• Survive a 1 meter fall
• Survives winter temps down to max. -10°C (14°F).
• Advanced full-metal high quality body
• High sensitivity ISO1600 support
• Shoot 720p HD video
• 6 scene SR AUTO including Portrait, Landscape, Night, Macro, Night Portrait, and Backlit Portrait
• Detect up to 6 faces
• Couple and Group Timer
• One touch underwater movie recording
• Movie editing modes
• Tracking auto focus
• Upload to YouTube and Facebook
• Edit specifically for blogs using built-in tools
• Micro thumbnail view
• Red eye removal during playback
• Available in silver, green, and black

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm FinePix XP10 digital camera

Above is the new Fujifilm FinePix Z70 – the latest update to the popular FinePix Z series of digital cameras. the Z70 features one-touch HD movie capability, LED illuminated operation keys, and tagging with automatic upload to YouTube and Facebook.

Features and specs include:

• 5x zoom Fujinon lens
• 12 megapixel resolution
• Digital image stabilization
• High sensitivity up to ISO1600
• Capture 16:9 images
• Capture 720p HD videos at 30fps
• 6 scene SR AUTO including Portrait, Landscape, Night, Macro, Night Portrait, and Backlit Portrait
• Face detection technology
• Red eye removal in detected faces
• Detect up to 6 faces
• Couple and group timer
• Tracking auto focus support
• Post capture editing using in-camera functions
• Add special images designed especially for blogs
• Image search and micro thumbnail view
• Red eye removal during playback
• SD/SDHC memory card slot
• Measures as thin as 18.1 mm
• Full metal body
• Available in four colors – Pink, Black, Blue, and Silver

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm FinePix Z70 digital camera

Fujifilm will also be showing off the new FinePix Z700EXR the first time at the upcoming PMA2100 conference. The Z700EXR is the first in a new class of EXR touch-screen digital cameras featuring a new dual direction GUI, and dual image display. Dual direction GUI detects the camera’s orientation and adjusts the menu orientation accordingly. Dual image display splits the screen to allow for multiple image viewing.

Other features include:

• 3.5 inch 460K dot high-contrast LCD touch-screen display
• 12 megapixel Super CCD EXR sensor and 5x zoom lens
• Face Detection – detect up to 10 faces
• Red Eye removal in detected faces
• Pet detection for dogs and cats
• Couple and group timer
• Share HD videos on YouTube and Facebook
• Image search support
• EXR AUTO automatically recognizes the scene and selects the best shooting mode. It also switches the sensor to the perfect capture mode for the conditions
• EXR Priority allows you to manually switch the sensor to one of three capture modes
• Super Intelligent Flash
• Film Simulation Mode with 4 different types – PROVIA/Standard Mode, Velvia/Vivid Mode, Black and White Mode, and Sepia Mode
• Dual Image Stabilization
• SD/SDHC card slot
• Sensitivity – Auto / ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 (up to 6M)
• 720p HD video recording

The FinePix Z700EXR will be available in three colors – red, black, and silver.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm FinePix Z700EXR

The Fujifilm HS10 is the latest addition to the company’s lineup of big zoom “bridge” cameras – offering the versatility and performance of a DSLR system without the bulk or expense typically found in such a system.

The HS10 features:

• 30x Long Zoom Lens
• 10 megapixel BSI (Back Side Illuminated) CMOS sensor
• Continuous 7 frame shooting mode with 10 fps at full 10 megapixel resolution
• Best Frame Capture Mode – half-press the shutter to start recording pictures until you find that perfect shot. Once you find it, fully press the shutter button and the HS10 will capture that frame along with the previous 7 shots
• Shoot at super high speed movie mode – at up to 1000 fps
• Motion panorama support
• Motion Remover – captures five successive shots, analyzes them, and removes moving subjects
• Multi-Motion Capture – capture action from 5 successive shots and combine them into a single 2 megapixel image
• Pro low-light mode – take up to 4 high-sensitivity and low-noise exposures and combine them into an image with less noise
• Triple image stabilization
• Tracking auto focus locks in on a subject
• Zoom bracketing mode – take three shots with different zoom magnifications (original image, 1.4x zoom, and 2.0x zoom)
• Instant Zoom – press a button, track and capture an object, and the image is saved at 1.4x or 2.0x digital zoom
• Versatile shooting modes
• Electronic viewfinder with “Eye Sensor”
• 3 inch tilting LCD display
• Built-in HDMI port
• Capture 1080p video
• Image search by date, by face, by scene, and by type of data
• Micro thumbnail view
• Slideshow support
• Red eye removal during playback

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Fujifilm will be introducing the new FinePix F80EXR digital camera at the upcoming PMA 2010 conference. The F80EXR features a 12 megapixel super-CCD EXR sensor, 10x wide-angle optical zoom lens, a 3.0 inch high-contrast LCD display, face recognition, pet detection, and HD movie capture with HDMI interface.

The full specs include:

• SD/SDHC memory card support
• Approximately 40 MB of internal memory
• Records video in Motion JPEG format
• Records photos in JPEG format
• Records audio in WAVE monaural format
• Fujinon 10x optical zoom lens, F3.3 (Wide) – F5.6 (Telephoto)
• Aperture: Wide: F3.3 / F9.0, Telephoto: F5.6 / F16.0 with ND filter
• Sensitivity: Auto / Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400 / 12800 (Standard Output Sensitivity)
• Automatic scene recognition
• 3 inch 230K dot TFT color LCD display
• Record 720p HD videos
• Functions include: EXR mode (EXR AUTO, RESOLUTION PRIORITY, HIGH ISO & LOW NOISE PRIORITY, D-RANGE PRIORITY), Film Simulation, Face Detection, Auto red-eye removal, Power management, Framing guideline, Frame No. memory, Silent mode, Face recognition

The FinePix F80EXR is encased in a sculpted metal shell with a lacquer finish and measures a mere 22.9mm thick.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR digital camera

iLuv iCC806 Leather Case available in black or pink for $39.99.

iLuv iCC805 Casual Fabric Case with Band Holder available in three colors for $39.99

iLuv iCC803 Ultra Think Clear Case for $29.99

iLuv iCC804 Ultra Thin Case with Tatz Graphics in pink, red, or black for $34.99

iLuv iCC802 Flexi-Clear (TPU) case with dot wave pattern for $29.99

iLuv iCC801 Silicone Case in a variety of colors for $24.99

iLuv iCC1190 Clear Protective Film for $14.99

iLuv iCC1191 Glare-Free Protective Film for $19.99

iLuv iCC1192 Mirror-type Protective Film for $19.99

iLuv iBG2000 water-resistant neoprene sleeve available in several colors and designs for $19.99

Technorati Tags: iLuv, iLuv iPad cases

Technorati Tags: Shuttle

Golla announces the new TARIF bag for the recently announced Apple iPad slate device. The TARIF features a separate EVA-cushioned padded compartment dedicated for the Apple iPad as well as additional zipped pockets for other peripherals and equipment. Other features include a magnetic closure and an adjustable shoulder strap with non-slip padding.  Expect the TARIF this spring once the iPad launches.

Technorati Tags: Golla TARIF bag, Apple iPad

Sanjay Jha, Motorola’s co-CEO, confirmed on a conference call with analysts yesterday that the company was planning to release 20 smartphones this year including “one direct-to-consumer device with Google.”

According to EnterpriseMobilityToday.com, a Google spokesperson confirmed that a Motorola phone was indeed planned but declined to offer additional details.

The announcement of the Motorola Google Phone was a small bright spot for Motorola as it announced that fourth quarter revenue dropped 20 percent year over year to $5.7 billion. Mobile phone sales dropped even further, down 22 percent to $1.8 billion.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Motorola Google Phone