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HP launches its TouchSmart tm2t series tablet PC that comes with a 12.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with LED-backlight and 1280×800 resolution. Starting at $949.99, the tm2t series is boosted by Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300/SU9600 CULV processor, up to 8GB of RAM and either integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD or 512MB ATI Mobilty Radeon HD4550 graphics card.

The new TouchSmart tm2t is equipped with up to 500GB hard drive and a 8X DVD SuperMulti burner. It comes with webcam, optional fingerprint scanner, built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers, 5-in-1 card reader, and support for WiFi. This tablet has a brushed aluminum in argento blush finish.

French site blogeee.net shows us some documents of Asus’ upcoming EeeTop PC ET2010PNT all-in-one desktop PC that is equipped with NVIDIA’s ION2 Geforce G310 graphics card with hardware video decoding.

The ET2010PNT gets Intel Atom Pine Trail D510 dual core processor and runs Windows 7 OS. It has a 20-inch 1600×1200 HD LCD display.

If you frequently travel to a lot of different places, then you are doubtless familiar with one of the biggest challenges facing today’s jet-setter - finding a decent cup of coffee.
Well, help is on the way. In fact, scratch that, it’s here. Danish fancy-gadget-seller Stelton is now offering the world’s smallest battery-powered espresso machine.

Called Simply Espresso, this caffeine-lover’s steamy-dream-come-true was designed for Stelton by French tech company Nielsen Innovation. It is reportedly quite easy to use, and even reaches a pressure of 16 bar, just like the big boys. And at just 23 x 8 centimeters (9 x 3 inches), the stainless steel beauty will easily fit in a suitcase... you might have to pack a couple less pairs of underwear, but priorities are priorities. (MD)

From the first time we saw Nokia's N900 handheld computer we thought that it would be the ultimate communications device.
With a large screen, fast processor, open OS and Firefox based browser, it seemed destined to become one of Nokia's major success stories. This was early September 2009, Nokia was showing off the device at their NokiaWorld conference, along with a new version of their N97 Symbian smartphone, and it looked like the N900 was the flagship product the the N97 SHOULD have been when it came out a few months earlier. We jumped on the bandwagon and were early supporters of the device.

Fast forward to the end of 2009 and it seems like the N97, now with its 2.0 firmware, is the better device despite all the power user advantages that the N900 should be enjoying. Meanwhile Nokia can't seem to get the N900 software stable enough for executives and power users to depend upon.

We also really like the way that Nokia has opened up the Maemo OS platform to developers. But it's just impossible to ignore the fact that Nokia isn't able to put enough power behind Maemo to compete with Google and their Android OS. In the same time that Nokia has managed to soft launch one Maemo device, there have been a dozen Android devices from multiple vendors, and 40 or 50 more scheduled for 2010. Additionally, there are over 20,000 applications available from third parties already for Android. There's a few quality applications for Maemo, but honestly you can count them on your fingers and toes, and none of them are really mission critical.

The software
Nearly all of our disappointments, with the exception of battery life which we'll address separately, are software related - although Nokia is putting out updates regularly. While the core applications are good, they show a general lack of maturity, and left us thinking that two thirds of the things that you'd like to be able to configure and change just weren't configurable.

In a recent example that it is being proactive on the software front, Nokia released a firmware update the adds support for the still widely used Exchange 2003 E-mail/calendar/address book (previously there was only support for Exchange 2007).

Advanced messaging including Skype, Google Talk, and SIP (VoIP) has been beautifully integrated into the native address book, dialer, and SMS/IM client, but isn't polished or configurable enough. For example, Skype is fully integrated as a core service for the N900. It works wonderfully for making Skype calls via WiFi, and offers Skype "chat" as well. This integration is so complete that the Skype status of you Skype contact shows up in the address book and on desktop icons.

It's impressive and powerful, but it also comes with address book integration problems that cause multiple entries for your contacts, and while these can be "merged" together using a feature of the N900 address book, these merged entries don't sync back to Exchange correctly. And good luck trying on "un-merge" two entries if you make a mistake during the merging process.

There's also the issue that any instant messaging "conversation" you have (including Skype chat) sets off your N900's alarms with every line of text received. In a more mature product there would be some way to have it "beep" when the conversation was started, but keep quiet after for subsequent messages. There's a general lack of font selectability in e-mail and chat applications, which is something that would add to usability but just isn't configurable. We could make an exhaustive list, but there's little point; the platform needs more time to mature.

Impressive browsing
Despite its shortcomings, there is potential with the N900, and it shines as a mobile browsing device. Nokia based the native browser on Mozilla's Firefox and it's the closest thing to a desktop browser we've ever seen before in a mobile device. In fact many of the add-ons built for the desktop version of Firefox will work with minimal changes on the N900. Multi-tasking support allows multiple applications to be running at once, and multiple browser sessions to be running at the same time. Switching between windows is fast and simple, and it's easy to launch new tasks without disturbing your existing ones.

Battery life
The N900 is approximately 20% bigger than Nokia's N97 flagship Symbian device, has a larger screen (800x600 vs. 640x360), and a faster processor, yet for some inexplicable reason Nokia chose to equip it with a smaller battery. While using the N900 configured for exchange syncing and with moderate calling and browsing, we found that we couldn't last a full day on a charge. It's almost as bad as an iPhone in this respect, but at least with the N900 you can swap in a second battery, the iPhone gives you no such option.

Overall, we'd have to say we're frustrated with the N900. We had high hopes for the device, and it seems that there's a lot of work still needed to bring the Maemo platform to maturity. The key to this will be to have core applications that are rock solid and to attract third party developers that will write applications for the platform. Nokia really isn't there yet with either of these, and frankly we're not sure how they can win the hearts and minds of the developers with the lead the Apple and Google have with their platforms. For now we're just going to wait and see how quickly Nokia can shave off the sharp corners on Maemo, improve the core applications on the N900, and generally make the device more usable. Until then, Nokia's N900's potential remains, for the most part, unrealized. (MD

Helsinki: Nokia said it would defend itself vigorously against Apple's new complaint to the United States International Trade Commission.
The two phone giants are in the midst of a major legal battle, which started last October when Nokia charged Apple for using its patented technologies without paying for them. Apple filed the new ITC complaint on Friday.

"Nokia will study the complaint when it is received and continue to defend itself vigorously," said a company spokesman.

"However, this does not alter the fact that Apple has failed to agree appropriate terms for using Nokia technology and has been seeking a free ride on Nokia's innovation since it shipped the first iPhone in 2007," he said.

In late December Nokia also filed a claim with the ITC, alleging Apple infringed seven of its patents in "virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers" sold.

"The fact that two such prominent companies have now filed complaints will likely mean the ITC will seek to deal with this as a matter of urgency," said Ben Wood, head of research at British consultancy CCS Insight.

"That said, a lengthy legal battle is almost inevitable irrespective of a decision from the trade commission," he said.

The ITC can ban selling products in the United States -- a market crucial for Apple, but Nokia makes only a fraction of its sales there.

Analysts say it could take years to solve the legal battle. "This dispute is still in its infancy. I don't think Nokia is finished with evaluating the infringements by Apple, it might be just the surface," said Steven Nathasingh, chief executive of U.S. research firm Vaxa Inc.

Nokia, along with Ericsson and Qualcomm, holds many key patents for making mobile phones.

Nokia has stumbled badly in the fast-growing smartphone sector and relative newcomer Apple has gained ground against the market leader thanks to the iPhone, but still trails Nokia in smartphones sales.

The legal dispute, potentially involving hundreds of millions of dollars in annual royalties, reflects the shifting balance of power in the mobile industry as cellphones morph into handheld computers that can play video games and surf the Web.

Apple, which entered the industry in mid-2007, overtook Nokia in the September quarter as the cellphone maker generating the highest total operating profit. (Reuters)

Perhaps the best piece of advice I never got was "leave your flashlight in an obvious, easily accessible place”, because the one time you’ll really need it will be during a power outage or a blown fuse and the last thing you want at that time is wonder where the heck you put it.
Oh, and keep it fully charged (you know why). While the mPower Emergency Illuminator won’t insist you keep it close by, it does have some impressive features – battery technology that will last up to 20 years (though not if you use it continuously) and a USB outlet which lets you charge other devices.

Designed by the Porsche Design Studios and manufactured by mPhase Technologies, the mPower Emergency Illuminator LED flashlight has two separate battery “tubes” – one is for normal use and holds two CR123 batteries, while the other has what mPhase Technologies calls the OnCommand Reserve Battery. If the regular CR123 batteries run down, the Reserve Battery takes over – even after laying idle for 20 years.

Though not rechargeable, you can grab a replacement battery for your mPower unit for around US$25 (let’s just hope they’re still making them in 20 years time).

The trick will be to get hold of one before you find yourself sitting in your living room during a black out trying to read a newspaper with only a solitary candle.

mPhase Technologies has been named an International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree and expects the product to become available in March 2010. (MD)

The company claims to have produced for the first time, a notebook from an aluminum unibody enclosure, which makes the MacBook thinner, lighter, durable and yes more appealing.
Apple has the reputation of never failing to please its customers and the new Apple MacBook is the proof!

Apple has included a comfortable and responsive keyboard, making your typing activities stress free. The two available models are the 2.0 GHz MacBook and the 2.4 GHz MacBook. The latter like the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, comes with an illuminated keyboard, which efficiently helps you in low light conditions. The trackpad now with the Multi-Touch gestures also serves as the button. The absence of the buttons means you have greater space to move your fingers around the silky smooth glass surface. You can use two fingers to scroll up and down a page, pinch to zoom in and out and experience the three and four finger swipe gestures.

The 13.3 inch LED backlit screen enchants the user with its glossy display. The aluminum casing is well combined with the glass that extends to the corners of the notebook, without any integrated metal. The LED backlit display produces a better display quality and is more power saving than the ordinary display screens.

The MacBook makes it possible to play 3D games, view movies with a rich array of colours and use graphic-intensive applications such as iPhoto and iMovie at high speeds. Thanks to the built-in NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphic card, graphic performance is now delivered up to five times faster.

A hard drive of up to 320 GB allows you to carry all your favourite movies and songs and important documents on the go. You can even upgrade to a 128 GB solid-state drive, consisting of immovable parts, which greatly enhances the disk’s durability. The SuperDrive enables you to burn your movies or data, taking the load off your notebook and making room for more storage.

The machine encloses the grand Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has the 2.0 GHz or 2.4 GHz running speed, depending upon the model. A 2 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SD RAM lets you run multiple applications simultaneously without slowing down your notebook. In addition, there are two included So-DIMM slots that support up to 4 GB of RAM. A promising combination of the processor and RAM ensures a faster performance laptop, meeting up to your demands.

The MacBook features the Mac OS X v10.5 leopard, which also comes with installed softwares like Quick Look, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD player, Photo Booth and X Code Developer Tools.

There are two USB 2.0 ports, through which you may connect any desired accessory, be it your printer, scanner or a USB mouse. A Mini Display Port is included in the notebook, which allows connection for the new Apple LED Cinema Display. The MagSafe power port protects your system and valuable data through a trip-proof connection. In addition to this, you can even safeguard your MacBook, battery and hard drive via the Kensington lock slot. Audio line in and out slots also accompany these expansion slots.

At the top of your MacBook, rests the iSight camera- which is almost hidden. You can use it to capture pictures and videos or use it as a web cam. You can add effects to your photos by using the iSight with the Photo Booth.

The MacBook offers Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet technology, all integrated in its perfectly designed board. The battery can support up to 5 hours of wireless connectivity. Bluetooth can be very handy at times, especially when you want to connect a keyboard or mouse but don’t want the wires to restrict your movements. Apple itself offers many wireless keyboards and mice, which connect you to your notebook via the Bluetooth.

Last but not the least; Apple MacBook is greener than any of its competitors. The notebook is not only mercury and arsenic free, but also completely eliminates the use of chlorine and bromine compounds throughout its manufacture. Made up of glass and aluminum only, almost whole of the MacBook can be recycled.

I would highly recommend the Apple MacBook, which serves as your iPod, your iPhone and your notebook, brought together into one piece of machinery on your lap. Its ideal combination of durable hardware and software makes it a compact, portable and efficient laptop. True, Apple has given us the taste of the next generation notebooks, with no doubt that MacBook would be one of the leaders. (MD)

There's not a lot that's particularly remarkable about the MD80 mini spy camera - it's pretty tiny, it records reasonable 640x480 video in AVI format at 25 frames per second, and it can be set to standby for up to 250 hours until it's activated by a sound, making it a good little spy cam unit.

It's pretty similar to any number of helmet cam/mini video cam units but for one fact - it costs less than US$25 on eBay. For the price it's an outstanding product and the sort of thing you could habitually carry around in your car, recording driving conditions for an instant evidence stockpile in case of an accident or incident. And more broadly it's an example of how Chinese design and manufacturing can get a competitive, quality product to market at a price point that absolutely annihilates the competition, to the point where if you're still concerned about quality, you might just as well buy five of the things in case four break. Which they're not doing nearly so much these days.

You can set it up in a room on audio-activated standby mode, where it will happily sit for nearly two weeks on a single battery charge, waiting for a noise to start it recording. It uses microSD, which means you can store up to 16GB of footage on it, and it plugs into your computer via USB (which also charges it) to let you transfer files.(MD

A common problem with most MP3 players, portable game systems, and Bluetooth headsets is earbuds that don’t stay in your ear.
Many earpieces, like the ubiquitous white iPod earbuds, are designed to be “one-size-fits-all” but simply do not stay put when you’re exercising, gaming, or walking through the airport. Yurtopia aims to fix that problem with their Yurbuds custom-sized earbud enhancers.

Yurbuds are soft silicon-rubber covers that fit over your existing earbud-style headphones. Using Yurtopia’s scanning technology, the company says they can guarantee an earpiece that will not fall out, and will stay comfortable for hours. The company claims that the design of the Yurbuds helps improve sound, and because they channel sound directly into the ear canal, Yurbuds also allow you to reduce the volume on your audio device.

To get the proper fit, you must submit a picture of your ear with an iPod earbud or an American coin shown for scale. Yurtopia then uses their FitScan technology to analyze your photo and determine the proper size Yurbud for your ear. You can take your photo with any digital camera, phone camera, webcam, or Yurtopia’s new iPhone app.

To install the Yurbuds, simply slide the right and left covers over the appropriate earpieces on your headphones. Some Bluetooth headsets and in-canal style earbuds may require a “Yuradapter” for compatibility. Once the Yurbuds are installed, simply insert them into your ear with a small twist.

Yurbuds are available at www.yurbuds.com, BestBuy.com, and Best Buy Mobile stores for US$20.00. (MD)

There’s been a lot of talk on forums regarding iriver’s solutions and apple’s alternatives.
Since we have iriver’s S10 and Apple’s Shuffle with us, let’s just go along and compare them rather than making baseless conclusions and flaming.

Sound:
First of all, sound, the most important feature that everyone considers before buying any digital mp3 player. In comparison with shuffle, I have to be honest with you here, S10 sounds far better than Shuffle. Although it might sound a bit biased but it’s true. If I were to describe it, the output is vivid or more electrifying, kind of happening sound rather than dull or normal like shuffles’. The shuffle’s sound isn’t as bad as your everyday $20 mp3 player either it just isn’t good enough. When you compare two things, it is evident which one’s better and here, iriver’s S10 takes the cake.

Display:
S10 wins hands down. There is simply no display here in shuffle. No Display = no picture viewer, no on hand custom eq and so on.

Usability:
This is something you would find interesting. iPods are acclaimed for their easy to use interface but what good an interface would do when your product doesn’t even have a display to work with. As I stated before, iPod’s shuffle lacks a display so you might have to work around the whole list to find that specific song you want to listen. While in S10, just go back by pressing left and highlight the song from the list you want to listen and press right. Simple as that. Thus S10 wins here as well.

Wearability:
Shuffle takes the prize here. The S10 is wearable however compared with Shuffle’s Clip, it’s just one of those hanging players. When working out or doing some road work, you need something that doesn’t hit your chest everytime you take a step. However S10 can be improvised to be worn using the earphones’ clip but it isn’t actually designed to be worn that way. It’s possible that sooner or later you might break the clip.

Software:
Both of these players carry resourceful softwares to help customer’s need. But it’s fact that itune’s feature list outgrows that of Plus 3’s. Therefore, it can rightfully claim to be one of the best Mp3 Player associated software from manufacturer in the world. While Plus 3 is all out simple and basic software support system for it’s mp3 product lines. Offering features like editing, identifying and making ID3 Tags and copying, editing and creating playlists in .pla format. That seems to be the basic functionality that I would want in any associated software. Apple’s iTunes on the other hand seems to cover more bases than iriver’s plus does. It supports other features like reducing the bitrates and randomly selecting songs and other features that just make it better to use. Not to mention the 99c shop. iTune wins the battle here. However having so many features can make iTunes a bit unstable and incompatible with some systems, Plus 3 on the other hand works fine and dandy with most systems I tested with.

Compatibility:
Now this is where the fun begins. iPods can’t play music without iTunes or any other open source programs, S10 on the other hand can do that. I mentioned before that S10 just needs to be connected to a computer and that’s it. Dump any mp3 or supported file format in here and you’re done. The S10 will pick it up. So if you’re at your friend’s place and like this particular song and forget to put your little itune software in your shuffle, you’ll have to copy the song on the shuffle’s storage, head back home and make iTunes recognize it. On the other hand, S10 will pick the song up as soon as it’s copied on its drive. In truth, any player more compatible than Apple’s iPod.

Conclusion:
Overall, iriver’s S10 is way better than Apple’s iPod shuffle even though they share the same “i” nomenclature. The difference is too big. The S10 has colored OLED screen that shows what song you’re listening to and not to mention the visualization, which I really adore by the way. S10 or any other digital mp3 player in its category has such “similar” visual display and at its price? I don’t think so or atleast I couldn’t find one at review time. Other than that, sound quality is just better than the shuffle. Better than shuffle, certainly better than made in China $20 mp3 player. S10 sounds healthier, enhanced and detailed than shuffle’s. Other feature’s as stated above make small but valid differences like the compatibility, usability and capacity size per feature ratio just makes it a better choice.
However, with an added OLED Color screen there comes a price. S10 is a tad more expensive than the apple and other players in its category. But the reason why it’s expensive is the added 1.15” OLED Color display and in my opinion paying Rs. 900 over the Shuffle 1GB’s PKR 6,000 (£ 55.00) is worth it. While an S10 1GB, on the other hand, costs somewhere around PKR 6,900. In short, iriver’s S10 can be termed as one of the best small miniature mp3 players ever introduced in Pakistani market. Globally, there are many choices to consider however iriver’s S10 still is a distinct product among them. The only thing that this player needs is a bit of theme customization and added accessories to along with it.

Pros:
- Display
- Easier Controls
- Better Compatibility
- Amazing Sound
- Neat Visualizations
- Better Time Keeping
- Fast and Bugfree Software

Cons:
- Neck Earphones can be a little annoying
- Simplistic Software
With that in mind, we give this amazing little product our Award of Innovation. iRiver has really come through with an interesting yet nifty little product. This Player has most of the attributes which an Mp3 player of its magnitude should have. (MD)

If you haven’t previously heard of TuneBug, that’s because it is a new company and although its portable speaker solutions were shown at CES 2009, they are only just now making their way to market.
The products are all based on patented NXT speaker technology which generate sound waves that pass through the surfaces the speakers (aka “sound generators”) rest on, effectively turning those surfaces into speakers. Predictably, there’s a desktop solution which sits on your desk. Now there’s also a helmet-top solution which sits on your helmet, giving you a kind of ambient bone dome surround sound like you’ve never had before – ideal for skateboarding, bicycling, skiing and motorcycling.

TuneBug speakers are highly portable sound generators that connect to audio sources via a 3.5mm input or Bluetooth to transform several flat surfaces into loudspeakers. TuneBug Vibe, which uses the 3.5mm input, is available now while the Bluetooth-enabled version, TuneBug Shake, launches January 30.

The Shake is the one which interests us most, as there are plenty of desktop speakers on the market, but a distinct dearth of solutions for listening to music whilst wearing a helmet, and none of them offer the ability to hear your ambient surroundings at the same time as your music. The Shake appears to offer this latter feature and given that you’re presumably wearing a helmet for good reason, situational awareness in dangerous situations is an extraordinarily good idea, particularly at just US$120.

The Shake is a small attachable device for bike, ski and skateboard helmets which create surround sound inside of the helmet by “exciting” the entire helmet surface which then becomes a speaker.

The Tunebug Shake has a rechargeable battery with about five hours of playtime and charges via the included USB cord. (MD)

Times in the computer industry are changing and are changing fast, not only the cpu components are changing at rapid pace but the components attached are evolving, thus revolutionizing the way most of us interact with computer.
At a certain point in time a 17” display would be considered an over kill, but now people are not even bothered to take them as scrap. They were replaced by bigger and heavier monitors, which in turn were further put to shame by LCD’s.

It was not long before this technology further evolved and today we are witnessing the flooding of computer industry with high definition, high contrast feature rich display panels whose impression is nothing but jaw dropping.

In order to get the customer’s attraction companies from virtually all corners of the globe are jumping in the band wagon just to show off their technological advantage over the other. But there are certain companies that put them at a distance, by making certain innovations in this particular field, and SAMSUNG is one of them. Before I get into details please allow me to tell you that I am coming from a regular flat 19” screen and this is totally out of the world experience for me, I could straight away made up my mind that this is going to be my next big thing.

When it comes to resolutions everyone has his preference, some people prefer smaller screens with higher resolutions or vice versa, but one this is for sure, no matter what we think of resolutions, companies like Samsung are trying their level best to make the lager dot pitch the default options, and it wouldn’t be long when we would see regular monitors in museums.

Well moving to the subject that we have the Sync-master 226BW, it not only looks really cool but the feature it packs, are enough for high definition geeks as well as high definition gamers to attract to.

Only half an inch of shiny black body covers the entire screen from top to the left and to the right, except at the bottom where the finishing touch is really cool looking silver lining that holds the power button and the entire menu system, thus making a recipe for a really attractive looking display.

Although SAMSUNG 226BW has a viewing angle of 160degrees horizontal and 160 degrees vertical, but I would recommend to place Samsung 226BW a little higher than your keyboard, so that the screen comes right in front of your eyes and you don’t have to tilt it to see better.

Like any other display, the SAMSUNG 226BW comes with both D-sub analog and DVI-D digital connectors, but i am sure most of you would be interested in going to DVI-D digital way and not the D-subway.

OSD that comes with the Sync-master is comprehensive enough for you to try and explore it out to adjust the screen to you satisfaction. Apart from the usual brightness, contrast and sharpness, there are a number of other features that are quite interesting when it comes to screen adjustment and color correction.

Here it is, right in front of you, if I were you and I was looking for a really nice upgrade to my RIG, then I would look no further than the SAMSUNG SYNC-MASTER 226BW. It certainly belongs to the upper league of 22" displays and i think it will be there for quite some time.

The native resolution is large enough to do any sort of graphical work like photoshop, flash etc, you would be left with plenty of space, I tell you.

I can easily recommend it to anyone regardless of what one’s requirements are. The person buying this will be more than satisfied, I am sure and it is a money worth spent. (MD)

Throw away your keyboard – well almost - the PEREGRINE USB glove can be customized for over 30 user-programmable actions allowing you to react more quickly in intense gaming situations.
The glove allows the wearer to carry out those time sensitive gaming commands with a twitch of a finger by utilizing the touch sensitive pads embedded in the fingers and palm of the glove.

The glove has three Activator Pads – one on the thumb tip, another on the middle of the thumb, and one on the palm. Whenever these Activator Pads make contact with a Touch Point on a finger, a “keystroke” is instantly sent to the game. Each finger has five Touch Points. It connects to a PC via a USB cable connected to a magnetic break-away pod that sits on the back of the hand and detaches so you don't pull your gaming rig off your desk when throwing your hands up in triumph after winning a hard-fought battle.

The PEREGRINE has micro-wound, stainless steel, spring contact wires running up the face and back down the side of each finger. The glove's magnetic connector pod senses where exactly you're touching along these contact wires. When you calibrate The PEREGRINE, you tell it which area on the wire you want to touch (Touch Points) and assign a character to that Touch Point. When the thumb makes contact with a specific Touch Point, the pod instantly triggers that character

The PEREGRINE is most effective in RTS games but can be used for any game requiring the use of hotkeys and fast responses.

As the glove is essentially a keyboard on your hand it can also be configured to trigger all sorts of non-gaming applications. When using Photoshop, Maya or Autocad for example you could trigger shortcuts with the PEREGRINE on one hand while operating a mouse or tablet with the other. The PEREGRINE handles modifier keys like CTRL, ALT and Shift and you can even type with it on. (MD)

Now that 3D is finally taking off again at the movie theatre - thanks in large part to James Cameron's evangelism in the lead up to his groundbreaking Avatar film, it's clear that immersive video technologies are big business again.
And if the latest 3D stuff doesn't put you in the picture enough, how's this: Immersive Media has adapted the same 360-degree cameras used by Google's Street View cars to shoot video. That means you can actually look around as you watch the video... Which can feel absolutely bizarre, as in the case of the BASE jumping video after the jump.

The technology seems understandable enough - a Street View-style 360-degree camera that's adapted to shoot video. The video is played through a custom flash player that stitches the footage together and allows you to use your mouse to look around as the video plays.

Naturally, this sort of thing would make a great fit for security camera installations, where the 360-degree video could eliminate black spots between camera viewpoints and allow easy tracking of all the action.

But the entertainment prospects for immersive media - and companies like... Immersive Media - are very exciting as well. Play this kind of video back through a pair of goggles with motion sensing accelerometers, and you've suddenly got a movie you can really look around in, turning your head to change your viewpoint. Imagine going 3D with it, using a couple of cameras; that's if you could stop them getting in the way of one another too much. (MD)

Samsung announced its 64GB moviNAND embedded flash memory device and 32GB microSD memory card. These new memory solution are based on the company’s 32 gigabit (Gb) NAND flash. The new moviNAND packs 16 30nm-class 32Gb MLC NAND chips and a controller. It is just 1.4mm in height and is available in 64GB, 32GB, 16GB, 8GB and 4GB capacities.

Samsung’s 32GB microSD gets eight 32Gb NAND components and a card controller. It uses 30-nm class 32Gb NAND flash memory technology.

Dell confirmes the rumored 5-inch Android tablet concept, called the Mini 5, joining the Mini 3 smartphone and Mini netbooks. The Mini 5 gets a 5-inch multitouch touchscreen and a 5 Megapixel main camera and a front camera. Other than WiFi, the 5-inch tablet supports 3G network as well.

In the game of cricket, the express bowler holds a special place – the fastest of the fast deliver the ball at around 100mph – it’s scary to watch, because at those speeds, 5.75 ounces (163 g) of leather and cork can kill you and rearing fast balls aimed at the throat are a commonly used method of unsettling the batsman.
In most English-speaking countries, the names of the fastest, most intimidating bowlers down the years have become part of common knowedge - Harold Larwood, Typhoon Tyson, Wes Hall, Jeff Thomson, and more recently, Shoiab Akhtar and Brett Lee. Since the first radar guns were used to measure ball speed, the public has been fascinated with the ongoing quest to be labelled the “fastest bowler in the world” fought out between Lee and Akhtar. Now you no longer need a radar gun to get an accurate reading of your speed with a new cricket ball produced that puts the measuring technology inside the ball so any budding Brett Lee can work on their speed.

Stand at square leg or point (at 90 degrees to the direction of travel of the ball) when Brett Lee bowls, and you’ll see the slips fieldsmen waiting for a snick are most of the way back to the fence. When the ball leaves the bowlers hand, it is travelling at its fastest – then aerodynamic drag slows it down until it bounces, which slows it down further, and then it travels onwards, slowing further until it reaches the wicketkeeper’s gloves. By the time the ball has reached the batsman, the speed of the ball has dropped by at least 10% compared to the point at which it has just left the bowler’s hand.

The AUD$55 (U.S.45) Speedsensor by Kookaburra is the official size, shape and weight of a standard cricketball, with a small LCD readout on one face. What makes it special is its ability to sense and display the speed the cricketball has been bowled.

Radar guns seek a reading in the area between the point the ball leaves the bowler’s hand and strikes the pitch, where the ball is travelling fastest. The Speedsensor measures speed by measuring the time between the bowler’s hand and when it hits something (the pitch or the nets, or that all-purpose, readily-available wicket, the trash can.

There’s only one catch – you must program in how far the object is away before you bowl it. This is difficult if you’re aiming at a cricket pitch, because pitching it beyond the target, say 10 metre mark, by one metre will give you a 10% slower speed.

The manufacturers claim the ball is very accurate if the distance is exact, but warned against hitting the ball with a bat or anything other than a motionless object. If you’re aiming to measure speed, Kookaburra told us that they recommend bowling in the nets and covering the wire netting with a blanket to avoid damaging the ball. Mark out the point at which you will let go of the ball exactly the distance you program into the ball, and you should be right to get a good reading.

Speed measurement was one of the first applications of new technology for television broadcast enhancement and bowling speeds have been well documented since then.

Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan sent down the fastest delivery ever recorded in cricket: a 161.3 Kph or 100.2 mph. Akhtar was also the first person to break the 100 mph mark in New Zealand on April 27, 2002 when he nudged through the 100 miles-per hour (160.9344kph) barrier with a ball registering 161 km/h. (MD)

Lenovo introduces a new smartphone called the LePhone, which is made for the Chinese WCDMA 3G market. Boosted by Qualcomm’s SnapDragon 1GHz processor, the LePhone runs a customized Android 1.6 software, instead of the OPhone platform developed by China Mobile.




The 1GHz handset features a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, a 3 Megapixel main camera, a front camera for video call, A-GPS support, WiFi connectivity, a 3.5mm audio jack and a 9-pin connector. The LePhone will probably be released in May 2010. Lenovo has also created a snap-on keyboard accessory that turns the LePhone into a QWERTY device.

California: Yahoo is selling the e-mail service Zimbra to VMware as part of an effort to focus on the Internet services that generate most of its revenue.
Financial terms of the deal announced Tuesday weren't disclosed.

Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, California, bought Zimbra for $350 million in September 2007. Zimbra manages more than 55 million e-mail boxes for businesses, universities and Internet service providers.

The acquisition opens a new product line for VMware, which sells software that enables a single computer to function like multiple machines. Yahoo is retaining the right to draw upon Zimbra's technology to run its own Web-based e-mail service.

The sale is expected to close by the end of March. (AP

San Francisco: Intel Corp is again expected to surpass Wall Street forecasts when it kicks off tech sector earnings this week, but analysts worry about a stock sell-off if its 2010 outlook isn't rosy enough.
Chipmakers, whose products are found in everything from personal computers and cars to smartphones, are emerging from the industry's worst downturn in decades and are expected to benefit from renewed spending on technology by corporations in 2010.

Analysts also point to the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in February -- a season of high spending in the world's third largest economy -- as an indicator of robust end demand.

But some investors worry about a potential, short-lived correction in semiconductor counters. Shares in Intel, which gained more than 8 percent over the holiday quarter, have risen 30 percent over the past six months, bolstered by increased consumer spending in the absence of corporate demand.

"We're on the cusp of an enterprise spend cycle this year. We're on the cusp of improving consumer sentiment and consumer spending for notebooks," said Wedbush Morgan analyst Patrick Wang. But "Intel is cheap," he said, adding its valuation of about 11 times forward earnings for 2010, minus cash, was a historic low based on his data.

Intel, whose chips are found in more than three-quarters of the world's PCs, is expected to report earnings per share of 30 cents, excluding items, up from 4 cents a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Distant runner-up Advanced Micro Devices Inc is expected to post a loss per share of 18 cents, excluding items, up from the year-ago loss of 69 cents, as it works to pay down debt and finish spinning off chip manufacturing arm Globalfoundries.

TD Ameritrade chief derivatives strategist Joe Kinahan said that as of Monday's close, Intel's options prices are implying about a 5 percent share price move in either direction post earnings, based on current volatility levels.

"As Intel is the first tech bellwether in the earnings season, there is also some extra anxiety and any type of positive report can send the shares significantly to the upside," he said. (Reuters)

FaceVision introduces the FC TouchCam N1, the world’s first Skype certified webcam for 720p HD video call. The N1 features an auto focus wide angle lens with 78-degree and is equipped with H.264 codec chip for recording 720p HD video at 22fps. It can also record WVGA (768x 480) video at 30fps.

The FV TouchCam N1 has unidirectional dual microphones for enhanced sound. It uses USB 2.0 interface. It will be released in February for $119.

Nintendo Wii SUPREME, iPod touch SUPREME, iPhone 3G SUPREME, all not your cup of tea? How about this Nokia SUPREME, another luxury creation by Stuart Hughes. The Nokia SUPREME is basically a Nokia 8800 encrusted with 12.5 cts of Pink diamonds, a magnificent circa of approximately 1225 individually set sparkling gems all of which include a 3ct single cut flawless center diamond.

It’s veneers were made with 8 platinum screws as well as the diamond mount for the navigation buttons all weighing an immense 83 grams of platinum. The Nokia SUPREME is priced at GBP99,995.

Some may call it a sophisticated alarm clock, but the truth is that the Dash presented by Sony at CES 2010 is simply much more than that.
A one-of-a-kind "personal Internet viewer," this device is designed to let you pull all sorts of information off the Internet from its 7-inch touch screen even when you don't have a PC at hand.

It has the look and feel of a tablet PC, but it's not meant to be one. The Dash, in fact, is not portable: it's designed to be placed in your bedroom, kitchen or office, where you can choose among 1,000 (and counting) completely free applications that can get different bits of information using your Wi-Fi Internet connection.

Examples of the content it can display include real-time traffic information on a custom route, calendars, movie trailers, YouTube videos, Internet radio (via Pandora), photo albums, custom news feeds, flight timetables, weather forecasts, and more. You can even have multiple sources of content streaming at once so, for example, you can listen to Internet radio while browsing through an online photo album.

To be clear, the Dash doesn't include a fully-fledged Web browser, and can only access content through its many applications. It does however come with built-in stereo speakers, a headphone output jack, as well as a USB port for easy connection to many external devices such as digital cameras.

An internal accelerometer allows you to use it upright, ideal for a table or nightstand, or tilted, ideal for a countertop. It also supports multiple user profiles and channels, so different household members can create and maintain their own customized views of the Internet and check for them in an easy way.

Sony says the Dash is scheduled to hit the stores in April, when it will be available for USD$199. (MD

Increasingly, people are carrying a multitude of hand-held devices including perhaps a cell phone, MP3 player and even a GPS and keeping these devices charged whilst on-the-go is an ongoing problem.
There could be a simple solution - Easy Energy, Inc has brought its clever YoGen charger to CES 2010. This unique and easy to use, hand-powered charger is a pocket-sized dynamo. It is designed to charge small portable devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players and unlike other battery-free chargers this one doesn't rely on the sun for its power - it uses 'elbow grease' instead.

The YoGen charger works a little bit like the friction cord on the back of a talking doll – you simply repeatedly pull the T-handle and the internal alternator starts spinning. This eventually creates enough power to charge the batteries of most small, portable electronic devices. The ergonomic design of YoGen offers extended charging effort with little operator fatigue. Importantly, it provides 100% green energy and mostly charges devices with only a few minutes of pulling and releasing the T-bar.

It is rugged and tough enough to put up with constant use and there’s a convenient LED indicator that shows the actual charging of the device the YoGen is attached to. At 2.1" W x 3.5" L x 0.9" D, it is small enough to carry in your pocket and it has a spiral master cable and interchangeable connector tips to suit most cell phones and other devices. It also contains a built-in power manager that prevents users from overcharging and damaging their electronic devices. The device retails for USD39.99 and is available from YoGen. (GM

Mad Catz Interactive has unveiled a new range of premium Cyborg gaming mice which will begin shipping in Q2 this year.
The new range takes all the same principles normally applied to ergonomic fully adjustable flight sticks, and incorporates them in gaming mice. For the first time ever on a mouse, the key points of contact between the gamer’s hand and the mouse are fully adjustable allowing it to be customized for any grip preference. Cyborg claims they are the most comfortable gaming mice in existence, but who cares, because they are the coolest you’ll ever see.

The USD$130 top of the range Cyborg R.A.T. Gaming Mouse has specifications to match its looks in that it’s wireless with rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries, fully adjustable and fully programmable, has a 5600dpi laser and has a removable weight system.

The company’s stated strategy is to “develop products that evoke a passionate consumer response” and the Cyborg R.A.T. definitely achieves that goal. (MD

If you’re looking for new headphones the path to aural nirvana may be as close as one of the new models announced this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Monster, in conjunction with Dr Dre, Sean “Diddy” Coombs and Miles Davis Properties, introduced the Beats Spin, Beats Solo HD, Special Edition Beats Solo HD, Diddy Beats, and Miles Davis Tribute.
Diddy Beats: a new portable audio experience
Easiest on your pocket (MSRP $179.95) are the high performance in-ear Diddy Beats headphones which integrate Dr. Dre’s club-level bass, clarity and sonic power into an elegant in-ear design. Created in conjunction with music entrepreneur and fashion icon Sean “Diddy” Combs the Diddy Beats feature high-tech aluminum and leather-wrapped housing and high-polished enamel, combining sound quality with style. They also come with an assortment of ear tips to fit every wearer.

The Diddy Beats are available with Monster’s ControlTalk™ headphone cable, which can be used with iPhone™ and iPod® for music playback control as well as to take hands- free calls with iPhone and many smartphones. The special Monster ControlTalk™ headphone cable features an integrated high-grade microphone and answer button and allows users to access their music and answer phone calls without the need to dig around in pockets or backpacks.

Beats Solo HD: the next evolution
Next up, with a SRP of $229.95 is the Beats Solo HD with ControlTalk™ High Definition On-Ear Headphone, the new kid in the hugely popular Beats™ by Dr. Dre™ headphone family.

Beats Solo HD headphones build on the acclaimed sound of the original Beats Solo headphones with the "big speaker headphone sound", adding several key acoustic enhancements such as newly redesigned drivers.

Additional features include a tri-fold design and carrying case. The headphones also offer ControlTalk™ headphone cable*. Beats Solo HD headphones will be available in March 2010.

A special edition Monster (PRODUCT)RED™ version of the Beats Solo HD will also be released with $5 from the sale of each pair donated to the Global Fund to help AIDS programs in Africa. The initiative is a joint effort by Monster, Beats™ by Dr. Dre™, Lady Gaga and (RED)™.

Noel Lee, the Head Monster said “Monster has always been committed to developing products and technologies that make music sound better, but we’re also a family business that feels just as strongly about doing everything we can to share the success we’ve had and give something back. That’s why we’re so pleased to be able to join in offering the (PRODUCT)RED™ Special Edition Beats Solo Headphone. This launch allows us to share a product with the world that will help people not only get more enjoyment from the music they love, but know that they have contributed to helping make the world a better place.”

Beats Spin: "...these are the cons"
Monster and Beats new pro over-ear headphone is the Beats Spin (SRP $349) designed for working DJs, producers, engineers and musicians, both in the studio and onstage. Beats Spin features and capabilities include:

•Unprecedented Durability: every aspect of Beats Spin headphones was designed for rock-solid durability. All components of the headphone hinge are made of metal, unlike the plastic components used by other pro headphones.
•Sound Isolation: to recreate the quietness of an isolated recording studio listening experience, Beats Spin headphones feature a variety of ambient noise-isolation capabilities, allowing the user to hear the music clearly, even in the noisiest environments.
•On-the-Fly Mixing and Sharing with Monster Patented Input/Output Jacks: both Beats Spin earpieces feature specially designed Monster patented jacks that can serve as both inputs or outputs. This unique configuration frees users to quickly and easily send and accept signals from a soundboard or share creative mixes with fellow artists.
•“No More Tangle” Cord Management, Plus ControlTalk™: no more tangled cables thanks to a long 6-foot cord, with a 3” long (expandable to 1-foot) coiled section. A second cord option provides added flexibility.
Both ear cups swivel back easily for greater flexibility and can be easily removed for washing. This same swivel mechanism also plays a role in helping make Beats Spin headphones super compact when folded away for storage.
According to Dr. Dre: "Our first headphones delivered what we wanted: to hear the music the right way, the way I do. Now we're introducing headphones that let you use them the way I do. We created headphones that are specifically designed for the people on the frontlines: engineers, producers, DJs...I basically wake up with headphones on."

MIles Davis Tribute: the essence of cool
Miles Davis fans (and indeed any audiophiles) will appreciate the Miles Davis Tribute high-performance in-ear headphones (MSRP: $499.95), the first audio hardware product to bear the official name and signature of the legendary musician Miles Davis.

The individually numbered limited edition headphones are tuned to reproduce the subtle nuances of music, with advanced sonic technologies engineered to deliver reference- quality audio.

They come with multiple sizes of Monster’s new high performance “SuperTip™” eartips that offer superior noise isolation, while improving the overall performance by preventing sound leakage. The key to the effectiveness of SuperTip eartips is a patent-pending engineered material that provides a secure custom seal to help eliminate unwanted noise. Monster says the end result is astoundingly clean, tight audio response and great-sounding music that can be listened to without fatigue for hours and hours. A cable slider and clip keeps weight off the headphones so they stay snug in the your ears.

The Miles Davis Tribute headphones feature a striking gold/brass finish based on the actual trumpet played by the artist, as well as a Miles Davis silhouette and gold-etched signature on the earpiece, a ”kind of blue” cord and a uniquely designed “musical instrument” carry case.

They come with a Onetime Limited Lifetime Replacement Guarantee - even if you accidentally break the headphones themselves, Monster will replace them once for no charge!

Buy the headphones and you will also receive the official “Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition" boxed set of the artist’s seminal album “Kind of Blue.” The set includes: 2 CDs, a collectible blue vinyl LP, an 81-minute "Celebrating the Masterpiece" DVD which includes rare excerpts, interviews and performances, a 57-page hard cover book with historic photos and Grammy-winning liner notes by Francis Davis and a collectible black and white poster of Miles in the studio. (MD)

Las Vegas: The company behind the magicJack, the cheap Internet phone gadget that's been heavily promoted on TV, has made a new version of the device that allows free calls from cell phones in the home, in a fashion that's sure to draw protest from cellular carriers.

The new magicJack uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses.

YMax Corp., which is based in Palm Beach, Fla., said this week at the International Consumers Electronics Show that it plans to start selling the device in about four months for $40, the same price as the original magicJack. As before, it will provide free calls to the U.S. and Canada for one year.

The device is, in essence, a very small cellular tower for the home. The size of a deck of cards, it plugs into a PC, which needs a broadband Internet connection. The device then detects when a compatible cell phone comes within 8 feet, and places a call to it. The user enters a short code on the phone. The phone is then linked to the magicJack, and as long as it's within range (YMax said it will cover a 3,000-square-foot home) magicJack routes the call itself, over the Internet, rather than going through the carrier's cellular tower. No minutes are subtracted from the user's account with the carrier. Any extra fees for international calls are subtracted from the user's account with magicJack, not the carrier.

According to YMax CEO Dan Borislow, the device will connect to any phone that uses the GSM standard, which in the U.S. includes phones from AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA. At a demonstration at CES, a visitor's phone with a T-Mobile account successfully placed and received calls through the magicJack. Most phones from Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. won't connect to the device.

Borislow said the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don't extend into the home. AT&T, T-Mobile and the Federal Communications Commission had no immediate comment on whether they believe the device is legal, but said they were looking into the issue. CTIA — The Wireless Association, a trade group, said it was declining comment for now. None of them had heard of YMax's plans. (AP)

Dell rolls out the Studio XPS 8100 desktop PC to replace the Studio XPS 8000. The new desktop gets Intel’s new Core i5 or Core i7 processor up to Core i7-870 2.93GHz, and features the THX TruStudio PC to enhance music and movies.

The Studio XPS 8100 can be equipped with up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, dedicated ATI or NVIDIA graphics card, up to 3TB of hard drive capacity, Blu-ray drive or DVD SuperMulti burner. optional Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi sound car and optional WiFi. It has a 19-in-1 media card reader and an eSATA port.

The Dell Studio XPS 8100 runs Windows 7. The price starts at $649

LG unveils its CF3D, the world’s first Full HD, 3D Single Lens Type Projector that utilizes Sony’s SXRD technology. Based on 0.61-inch SXRD sensor, the CF3F offers Full HD 1920×1080 resolution, TruMotion 120Hz for smoother images, 7000:1 contrast ratio and 2500 lumens brightness.


LG CF3D features also Dual Engine and 3D Auto Picture Calibration technology. It has two HDMI 1.3 and a USB port. It is expected to be released in March 2010.



Also introduced is the LG HX300G compact, lightweight projector that uses an LED light source. It features XGA resolution, 300 ANSI lumens brightness, 2000:1 contrast ratio, 30,000 lamp life and wireless FM transmitter. The HX300G has built-in All File Viewer function for opening all Microsoft Office® files and there is a USB port for direct playback of “HD” DivX, MP3 and JPEG files.

LG brings several display monitors to the CES 2010, including commercial-grade LCD displays, LED displays and 3D gaming monitor.


The LG E50 series, available in 20-inch, 21.5-inch and 23-inch screen sizes, is the company’s flagship LED model series. The E50 is just 0.69-inch thick. It features up to 1080p Full HD resolution, Mega contrast ratio and Smart+ package (Dual screen, Auto bright, Cinema mode, Original ratio). The LG E40 series incorporates all the same core functionalities of the E50 and comes in 23-inch size.



The W46 series business monitors blends a narrow bezel for convenient viewing and simple square-shaped head design. The W46T and W46PM models both feature 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 5ms response time, 250 nit brightness and 170/170-degree viewing angle.

LG’S W2363D is a 3D Full HD display with 120Hz refresh rate, Full HD resolution, 70,000:1 contrast ratio, 3ms response time, Noise Reduction, and built-in SRS Tru-Surround HD speakers.

The LG M62D is a Full HD LCD Monitor TV that is available in 23-inch and 27-inch screen sizes. It offers HDMI, DVI-D and D-sub port.

Lastly, the 22-inch W2220P LCD monitor offers 1680×1050 resolution, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 300nits brightness, 6ms response time

London: Thought touch-pad screen phone was the pinnacle of mobile technology? Well, here’s some news for you – Breath-controlled technology has hit the science town.

The new revolutionary technology, Sensawaft, developed by Zyxio, an American company, could soon aid hands-­free mobile phones apart from other gadgets.

"You can move a cursor or character around a screen with as much accuracy as a finger moving a mouse,” Celine Vignal, the co-founder of the company as said.

She added: "We think the possibilities are endless. It even has potential for the military and factory assembly workers, who need to use both their hands continually, but would benefit from functionality.

"And with video games, just imagine playing a Harry Potter game, and blowing to cast a spell. It would be great."

Sensawaft is supported with microelectromechanical systems involving tiny chips that can be embedded in other devices, such as a video game or hands-free mobile phone headset.

The users basically need to blow on the screen to use applications. Kat Hannaford, contributing editor to the Gizmodo website, said: "It is certainly intriguing and I can see it has enormous potential.

"But for it to get any traction it needs a major manufacturer to adopt it. And do video gamers really want to be huffing and puffing away into a headset? I am not so sure." (ZN)

The Ultra GT Cordless Optical Mouse features a its unique "in-air" motion-sensing capability that allows the user to accurately control the cursor with movements more akin to waving a wand than using a mouse.
The Ultra GT can be used on the desk or at a distance of up to 10 metres and includes software that allows consumers to assign commonly used computing tasks to in-air gestures.

Designed to relieve problems associated with repetitive mouse movements, the latest Gyration "in-air" wireless mouse has an increased range and an RF receiver half the size of the previous version and there's no line-of-site requirement.

The Ultra GT Cordless Optical Mouse is available as a standalone or packaged with a choice of two multimedia keyboard options. The Ultra GT Cordless Optical Mouse is available from www.electroboard.com.au and costs AUD$199. A professional version that doubles as a remote for presentations to a range of 30 metres is also available. (MD)

Wireless media streaming seems to be one hot topic at CES this year, and Slingbox has had another feather added to its cap via DISH Networks.
The broadcast-anywhere solution first surfaced in 2005 and has since been superceded with a PRO-HD model and mobile versions for the iPhone. It now seems to be working on integration with set-top boxes and other devices, and a recent partnership with DISH has resulted in its new TV Everywhere service.

In a nutshell, the concept involves streaming or ‘slinging’ media from a television receiver in a living room to remote computers, mobile phones and other portable wireless-enabled devices, all features that can be found in DISH Network’s new HD DVR and TV Everywhere service.

The package consists of an adapter with 1TB of storage, a Wifi Monitor and a remote access application, offers 720p HD streaming in widescreen format and the ability to view and manage recordings from afar. iPhone and iPod touch users will be able to use their handheld as an all-in-one remote with the system, and a virtual remote control is available through a web browser on a PC or other mobile device.

"DISH Network is proud to introduce the first and only comprehensive solution for consumers to pay once for content and then remain connected to their TV everywhere," said Ira Bahr, Chief Marketing Officer for DISH Network. "DISH Network customers will be able to enjoy their favorite live and recorded shows throughout their home and on the go, using the same program guide, menu and navigation they are familiar with on their home TV." (MD

If you remembered the LG’s watch phone, a slim watch with a touchscreen phone, camera, 3G and Bluetooth capability.
It went to sale in Europe for around $1,500.

This W Phonewatch from Kempler & Strauss combines a touchscreen interface with basic phone functionality, and you can use it while biking or hiking. This unlocked GSM phone can work both AT&T and T-Mobile, but it doesn’t have 3G capability or Wi-Fi. It has a microphone and a speaker, but the company recommend that the phone be paired with a Bluetooth headset.

It has a digital clock, but with a single touch, you can see icons for phone, messages, address book and calendar on the watch face. And it also features include a 1.4-megapixel camera for still photos and videos.(MD)

ASUS – once known mostly as a motherboard manufacturer – has chosen CES 2010 to introduce some innovative laptops and futuristic concepts.
Not content with showcasing a laptop designed in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen’s chief designer, it has also introduced three Waveface design concepts.

The range includes a portable device worn on the wrist, a widescreen display that is both an entertainment center and internet portal and a touch-sensitive machine that can be used as a single-screen tablet or conventional keyboard – all designed by ASUS to allow the user to fully embrace the digital life…perhaps even by using one’s own physiological and emotional state as a source of data. Well, I did say “futuristic concepts”.

ASUS’s aim is to use every element in a user’s environment, including for example, their emotional state, as a means to gather data that will deliver the right information and services at the right time. The first of the concepts is the Waveface Casa – it’s a widescreen display that can be used as an internet portal or an entertainment center. It sounds as though it’s designed to be incorporated into the modern home as, when it’s not in use, a flexible decorative cover obscures most of the screen. The remaining areas of the screen are used to display contextually-relevant information.

The Waveface Light is described as an interface to the cloud which has a touch-sensitive screen. It is backed by a soft, flexible material and can be used in a conventional screen-keyboard configuration or flattened to become a single-screen tablet.

Finally, the Waveface Ultra – a portable device designed to be strapped to the wrist and much like a smartphone will provide the user with access to information at anytime and in anyplace.

These concepts could become actual products within five years – sounds like when it comes to portable PC design - ASUS is well and truly looking into the future. (MD)

Dane-Elec introduces the myDitto internet connected hard drive, consists of the myDitto Key and the myDitto Server. Users plug the myDitto Server to the router and they can then access files on the Server using any computer with the myDitto Key plugged.


The myDitto Server is basicaly a two-bay storage device supporting up to 4TB of capacity. It supports 3.5-inch SATA 1/II hard drive in RAID 0/1 setup. It offers a Ethernet LAN port for connecting router and two USB 2.0 ports.

Dane-Elec myDitto will be released in March and the 1TB model is priced at about $249. Both myDitto Home and myDitto Business are available.

Following the 103-inch plasma and 50-inch 3D plasma, Panasonic announced at the CES 2010 that it has developed the world’s largest 152-inch 4K x 2K definition Full HD 3D plasma display. Panasonic’s new PDP technology is capable of delivering 3D images, with virtually infinite 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

The new 152-inch plasma uses the full HD x 2 frame sequential method that displays time sequential images, alternately reproducing discrete full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) images for the left and right eyes on the display frame by frame. It also features cross-talk reduction that enables clear images.

Sony is going to release in Japan the PlayStation 3 ‘Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT’ Spcecial Pack that include the PS3 console with 120GB hard drive and Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT on Blu-ray Disc. The special pack is priced at 33,500 Yen and will be released on 27 January 2010.

Slingbox, part of EchoStar, introduces the 700U device that offers a quick way to add Slingbox capabilities to an existing internet-connected set-top box. The Slingbox 700U allows US television service providers to offer “TV Everywhere” services easily and at low cost.

The Slingbox 700U is powered by via a USB connection.

Panasonic is going to release in February 2010 the company’s first 64GB (RP-SDW64GE1K) and 48GB (RP-SDW48GE1K) SDXC memory cards, which are Panasonic’s largest-sized GOLD cards with Class 10 speed specification.

SDXC is the next generation SD memory card that offers up to 2TB of capacity. Panasonic’s new Class 10 SDXC cards offer maximum data transfer speed of up to 22MB/s. The 64GB SDXC and 48GB SDXC are priced at $599.95 and $449.95, respectively.

Las Vegas: Intel Corp released a flurry of new computer chips on Thursday as it seeks to maintain its dominance over rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc and prepare for an expected rise in demand.
The new microprocessors, designed to power desktop and laptop PCs, are the first of a new generation of chips featuring smaller transistors that Intel said will juice performance and improve energy efficiency.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Chief Executive Paul Otellini said the company hopes to capitalize on new opportunities presented by a world of hyper-connected products of every stripe.

"Every electronic device will eventually connect to the Internet," he said. Otellini demonstrated advances in 3D movies, consumer electronics and personal computers, and plugged the forthcoming "Moorestown" platform for smartphones and mobile devices.

"We're on the cusp of a new era in computing," he said. "An era of personal computing essentially where we have many devices for every person, where computing is increasingly integrated into every aspect of our lives."

He also unveiled a test version of an application store aimed at netbooks, the Intel AppUp Center. Apps in a variety of categories can be downloaded for free or bought through an Intel website, and the company plans to expand it to other products such as PCs, smartphones and TVs.

Intel released new chips ahead of arch-foe AMD, which is not due to field chips featuring the smaller 32-nanometer circuits until 2011.

"The juggernaut is rolling on, if you will," said David Kanter, an analyst with Real World Technologies. "It's important because it's their first 32 nanometer products, but if you're looking at what they're releasing in notebook and desktop, this is where they already have a lead over AMD."

Intel, the world's No. 1 chipmaker, had an 81.5 percent share of the PC and server microprocessor market in the third quarter, according to Mercury Research. AMD had 17.8 percent.

The introduction of the new processors come on the heels of the release of Microsoft Corp's new Windows 7 PC operating system software, which Intel expects will prompt consumers and businesses to upgrade to more powerful PCs.

The new processors are the first to include basic graphics capabilities, which the company said will support high-definition video playback and more casual 3D games. Typically, computers are sold with basic graphics capabilities designed onto separate cards.

Intel also said it is producing chips targeted at automated teller machines as well as medical and communications and other equipment, as the company continues its bid to extend the reach of its chips into new markets. (Reuters)

Sharp introduces at the CES 2010 its AQUOS LC-60E88UN, a 240Hz 60-inch LCD HDTV. It utilizes the Sharp’s Full HD 1080p X-Gen LCD panel with UV2A technology and 10-bit processing and combines it with 240Hz Fine Motion Advanced technology to provide clear, high definition image.

The Sharp AQUOS LC-60E88UN has four HDMI inputs as well as PC input, component, s-video and RS-232C. It will be released in February.

Motorola made its Backflip with MOTOBLUR Android smartphone official. The device is the company’s second phone, after the CLIQ/DEXT to have MOTOBLUR equipped. Instead of sliding QWERTY keyboard, the Backflip features a reverse-flip QWERTY keyboard. It includes also the BACKTRACK touch panel on the other side of the device.


Motorola’s Backflip has a 3.1-inch 320×480 touchscreen, a 5 Megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash, Bluetooth 2.0 , aGPS and WiFi 802.11b/g. It supports H.263, H.264, MPEG4 playback and recording. There is a 3.5mm audio hack and a microSD card slot.

The Backflip with MOTOBLUR runs Android 1.5. It supports tri-band WCDMA/HSDPA and quad-band GSM networks. This Android phone will be available in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia beginning in Q1 2010