technicalupdates

BlackBerry Torch 9810 review

2011-08-20T01:58:00.000-07:00

In the fall of 2010, AT&T stores nationwide installed a mysterious shroud housing some sort of exhibit. Even employees didn't even know what was inside, and anyone caught tampering with the makeshift wall in order to find out was terminated. What was this strange hype-building marketing ploy? A new iPad? Perhaps it was some secret Android device that nobody had heard of? The atmosphere was thick with suspense. When the curtain was finally lifted, it turned out to be... a BlackBerry Torch 9800.

This curious marketing attempt must've worked at least to some extent, since Research in Motion decided to tempt fate a second time with the Torch 9810. Known in its early days as the "Torch 2," the new version of the portrait QWERTY slider was released to much less pomp and circumstance. This time it was unveiled alongside two new BlackBerry BFFs: the Bold Touch 9900 / 9930 and the Torch 9850 / 9860. The 9810 in particular wasn't a surprise because we'd been given the opportunity to preview the device in May. Though it's nearly identical to the original, it packs a processor that nearly doubles the speed -- a behind-the-scenes upgrade culminating in a night-and-day contrast. But how does it fare against the blooming market of superphones that are flooding the market? And is this the best BlackBerry you can buy today? Let's find out.

ViewSonic ViewPad 10pro: a Windows 7 tablet that also runs Android

2011-08-20T01:53:00.000-07:00

Life would be so much easier if you could just switch operating systems depending on what you need, wouldn't it? That's the thinking behind ViewSonic's ViewPad 10pro, a "dual OS" tablet that runs Windows 7 and Android 2.3. The Wi-Fi enabled device comes with Intel's new 1.5 GHz Atom Z670 CPU, a 1024 x 600 display, 2GB of memory, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, HDMI capabilities and a microSD slot. We had a hands-on in May and found out that the 10.1-inch device runs Android with Bluestacks' virtualization layer for Windows, though we noticed that performance left a little to be desired. The base model comes with Windows 7 Home Premium and a 16GB SSD for $599, while an extra Benjamin gets you Windows 7 Professional and a 32GB SSD. If you want one soon, best get a move on, as "limited numbers" are currently available. For more information you can sonically view ViewSonic's press release.

Xiaomi Phone hands-on

2011-08-20T01:46:00.000-07:00

In case you're still skeptical about the $310 Xiaomi Phone, our brief hands-on with a prototype just now suggests that little should be worried about this Foxconn-made device (not Motorola as previously rumored). While the 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz dual-core phone is a tad thicker and heavier than many other flagship smartphones these days, the soft back felt nice in our hands -- a bit like the HTC Sensation but smaller. The overall build quality was surprisingly solid, though we won't comment much on the software since it was a non-final build (we had a little crash while filming, and the three touch buttons didn't light up). Leaving those issues aside, we're definitely looking forward to this nicely priced, feature-packed Android in October. Hands-on video after the break.

Apple's OS X Lion USB sticks now available online, for $69

2011-08-20T01:37:00.000-07:00

After more than a week's worth of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally released its OS X Lion USB thumb drive, available now at its online store. This little stick offers a physical media alternative to Cupertino's otherwise App Store-centric distribution model, providing access to OS X Lion for $69. One caveat, however, is that users who download the software via thumb drive won't be able to re-install it using the recently released Lion Recovery Disk Assistant, but will have to rely upon the USB stick, instead. The other caveat, of course, is price, as just $29 will get you the exact same OS, via the App Store. To grab one for yourself, hit up the source link, below.

Sprint's BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Torch 9850

2011-08-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

Hav you been waiting for some more details about those BlackBerry 7-sporting handsets coming to Sprint? Well, wait no more friend -- August 21st will be the day of days for WiMAX fans and BBM addicts. The Bold 9930 and Torch 9850 will arrive together for the carrier in the bumblebee suit, at $250 and $150 respectively -- though the Torch price is after a $50 mail-in rebate. You'll find a few more details in the PR after the break and, if you need a refresher on what to expect from the latest RIM devices, check out our hands on coverage.

Dell Vostro 360 revealed, shows off all-in-one specs

2011-08-20T01:31:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of grayscale technical drawings? Or perhaps you're in the market for an all-in-one desktop, but don't own an educational institution? Dell's satisfying those key constituencies -- and more! -- with support documents for its upcoming Vostro 360. Ahead of any official announcement of pricing or availability, the PDF lets us glean a few specs: we're looking at an Intel h61 Express chipset with Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors - or, if you're feeling especially nostalgic, you can opt for a Pentium Dual Core. The system will max out at 8GB of memory, with integrated Intel graphics or a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M, and a touchscreen option, if you'd rather let your fingers do the computing. Oh, and there's a built-in camera privacy cover you can glue shut the next time you disgustedly swear off Chatroulette.

Samsung Celox

2011-08-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

The Samsung Galaxy II-esque LTE handset got the blurrycam treatment on its way to Korean carrier SK Telecom. only with the carrier's logo tacked on for good measure. The front, on the other hand, has been redesigned and is now sporting four capacitive keys -- not an unusual move for a carrier branded version of one of the company's smartphones. In light of SK Telecom and Verizon's use of both LTE and CDMA, perhaps the Celox will join T-Mobile's rumored Hercules as the other 4.5-inch screened Galaxy S II variant for the US? Fingers crossed.

Garmin-Asus nuvifone M10 Windows smartphone

2010-04-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

Free business and tech insights at www.LouRG.com. Discover how you can reduce your tech costs without sacrificing quality. LouRG.com

Garmin-Asus announced the nuvifone M10 navigation phone last february and is presented at the 2010 MWC. Now the compnay introduce the M10 smartphone in india which will be the first Windows Mobile 6.5.3 phone to debut in the country.

While coming to the details of nuvifone M10 windows Smartphone, the Garmin-Asus M10 features a 3.5 inch WVGA touchscreen display. The phone comes powered by 600MHz Qualcomm 7227 mobile Processor , a 512MB RAM, a 512MB ROM and is equipped with a 5 Megapixel autofocus Camera, accelerometer, A-GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth.

The phone gets a 4GB internal memort and supports microSD card upto 32GB. The phone offers 62 major Indian cities map, lane assistance, and Garmin turn-by-turn navigation. The new Garmin-Asus M10 NuviFone Windows Smartphone will now be available in India at a price of Rs.19,900

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Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 Android 2.1 Smartphone

2010-04-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Samsung introduces its new Android Smartphone - Galaxy S GT-I9000 at the CTIA 2010 show. The new Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 is considered to be the most powerful Android Gadget now available in the market. The Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 Android Smartphone gets a 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display.

The Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 Smartphone will comes powered by the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon processor and has 8GB or 16GB internal memory and supports microSD up to 32GB. The phone runs the latest Android 2.1 Mobile Operating System. The Samsung Galaxy Android Phone comes equipped with mDNIe technology, a 5 Megapixel camera with auto focus, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, inbuilt A-GPS support and 720p HD video recording.

Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 Android 2.1 Smartphone measures about 64.2 x 122.4 x 9.9mm and weighs just 118g. Samsung offers the smartphone in Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia, and Asia soon.

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ViewSonic 23" VT2300LED HDTV

2010-04-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

ViewSonic has begun shipping the 23-inch VT2300LED TV that was initially previewed in January at CES. The ViewLED device features edge-lit LED backlighting, which is claimed to offer a 30-50 percent reduction in power consumption compared to earlier models. ViewSonic lists a 1000:1 static contrast ratio, 5ms response time, and 300 cd/m2 brightness.

The 1080p HDTV integrates a range of inputs including VGA, S-video, composite, HDMI with HDCP, and TV/cable. The LCD panel supports a 170-degree horizontal viewing angle, while the included stand allows users to tilt the TV down by 5 degrees or up by 15 degrees.

The VT2300LED is currently available for an MSRP of $400.

Sony 7.4-inch OLED panel

2010-04-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

Sony has recently introduced its PVM-740, a 7.4-inch OLED monitor for video professionals. It sports a 960x540 resolution, and can be used for post-production, studio editing, or similar tasks in the office or out in the field, as it is said to be viewable in strong ambient light. The device can be rack-mounted and has an AR coating that protects it from scratches while still enabling a high transmission rate of light.

Sony says the monitor is well-suited to 3D image acquisition when two are used, as it can flip a picture horizontally or vertically without frame delay. It can be connected to the camera systems directly without an external signal converter to make system integration easier.

There are also DC and AC power hook-ups, assignable buttons, a camera focus button, an 8-channel audio level meter and a wave form monitor, among other high-end functions.

As it's meant for professionals, the device has a composite video input, 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs and a more traditional HDMI interface. It's due for a release later in April, priced at $3,850

ASUS Eee Box EB1007

2010-04-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

ASUS has quietly added a new entry nettop to its mix. The Eee Box EB1007 carries a 1.66GHz Atom desktop processor using Intel's newer Pine Trail platform but, stepping below the EB1501, just uses Intel's integrated graphics. It still carries 802.11n Wi-Fi and the usual complement of expansion, although the simpler graphics limit it to VGA for video output.

Just one trim level is available so far and carries 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and Windows XP. Pricing and a US ship date haven't been mentioned, but the system is likely to cost closer to $300 than $400 given the pricing of ASUS' netbooks.

Sony water-resistant Walkmans

2010-04-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

Sony introduced two new Walkman series portable media devices, including the water-resistant W250 and entry-level B150. The former can be had in 2GB or 4GB capacities and can even be worn in the shower or during a workout. The B150s can be had in the same capacities, and both share features, including ZAPPIN technology that plays a short sample of each song to let listeners pick based on audio cues.

The W250 has no display, while the B150 gets a 3-line LCD screen. An FM radio with a voice and FM recorder is built into the B150.

The devices can also be charged to provide 90 minutes of listening time in just three minutes, while a fully charged battery will endow the W250 with up to 11 hours of listening time. The B150 can last as long as 18 hours on a full charge.

The W250 will ship in late May in Europe. Available colors will include white, black, green and pink. The B150 can be had in black, blue, pink and red, with shipments starting in June in Europe, though pricing has not been revealed.

The W250 will arrive in North America before month's end, priced at $60 and only available in the 2GB capacity. There is no word on a North American launch for the B150.

Panasonic Micro Four Thirds pro camcorder

2010-04-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

Panasonic took an uncommon turn in its pro video cam lineup tonight by launching the first-ever Micro Four Thirds camcorder. The AG-AF100 uses the mirrorless capturing but SLR-sized sensor to shoot 1080p30 video with the same depth of field and wide angles as a 35mm film camera but in a much smaller size than either film or most digital cameras. Choosing MFT provides an extra perk for optics: movie makers still have the option of interchangeable lenses, including adapters to use lenses from Leica or even rivals like Canon and Nikon.

Unlike the home-oriented Lumix G2, the AF100 packs pro input and output with HD-SDI for relaying uncompressed video and two XLR inputs that can generate Dolby AC3-ready audio. Its sensor isn't a direct echo of the still-oriented MFT range and shoots natively in a cinema-friendly 16:9 ratio. Video is captured directly to AVCHD at up to the spec's maximum 24Mbps bitrate and allows for 60FPS shooting at either 1080i or 720p. Equally new to the camera format are timecodes on video and dual SDXC slots that, combined, can handle at least 128GB of total storage and more as larger memory cards ship.

As with many of its more recent introductions, Panasonic isn't supplying a price and has only said that the AF100 will ship before the end of 2010. Costs are likely to be relatively low as the company is aiming the camera at "independent filmmakers" and others with tight budgets.

Sanyo Xacti camcorders with 1080p, SDXC

2010-04-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

Sanyo brought out two new Xacti camcorders in its home country in a likely preview of their US launches. The vertical CG100 and traditional GH1 both capture 1080p at up to 30 frames per second at 1080p and can move up to 60 frames at 720p. Either adds SDXC and can now take on 64GB or more of removable storage.

The two have 5X lenses with a unique dual-mode configuration that can accommodate wide-angle shots between 40-240mm and telephoto distances at 80-480mm. They can handle 14-megapixel still photos, face detection and on-the-spot color adustjment. Sanyo is shipping both the CG100 and GH1 to Japan on April 16th for an equivalent to $374 and is likely to port them over to the US in the near future

ViewSonic two 6-inch e-book readers

2010-04-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

ViewSonic on Friday introduced two new e-book readers for Europe, a first for the company. The two share the same 6-inch monochrome E Ink panels, though only the VEB 625 gets touchscreen capability. Both it and the VEB 620 have 2GB of built-in storage, an SD card slot and an accelerometer for rotating pages automatically.

The VEB 625 will be the only one to get a Wi-Fi connection as well. Battery life for the 625 is rated at 8,000 page turns and 6,200 for the 600. If users listen to MP3s while reading, however, this will decrease. Supported file formats include PDF, Epub, FB2, HTML, TXT and RTF.

The devices are now being sold in Europe, priced at the equivalent of $269 for the VEB 620 and $315 for the VEB 625. No word has been given on when or if they are due in North America

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Microsoft 64GB Zune HD

2010-04-21T04:52:00.000-07:00

Despite the promise of launching the 64GB version of its Zune HD personal multimedia player on Monday, April 12th, Microsoft is already selling the device. Its capacity lets users store about 20 hours of 720p HD video, or 6,400 songs at 320Kbps. The price compares favorably to an iPod touch of the same capacity, which costs $400.
At the same time, Microsoft dropped the prices of the other models, with the 32GB version now costing $270 while the 16GB model will cost $200. All can be had in one of seven colors, or users can purchase one of the special engravings for an extra $15.a

Each ships alongside firmware 4.5, which adds more codecs support, including DivX, access to Microsoft's Marketplace apps and music store via the AV dock connection and Smart DJ. Smart DJ lets users select an artist, album or song and hear a playlist of similar songs or genres.

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Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 Processor

2010-02-26T06:26:00.001-08:00

Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 Processor

The Intel Core 2 Duo processors are built in several of the world's most advanced, high-volume output manufacturing facilities using Intel's leading silicon process technology. The processor family is based on the revolutionary Intel Core microarchitecture, designed to provide powerful yet energy-efficient performance. With the power of dual cores, or computing engines, the processors can manage numerous tasks faster. They also can operate more smoothly when multiple applications are running, such as writing e-mails while downloading music or videos and conducting a virus scan.

Intel Core i7 Processor 2.80 GHz 8 MB LGA1156

2010-02-26T06:24:00.000-08:00

Intel Core i7 Processor 2.80 GHz 8 MB LGA1156 CPU I7-860BOX
Specifications: Mfr Part Number: BX80605I7860, Process Type: Intel Core i7 Processor i7-860, Frequency: 2.80 GHz, Bus Speed: 2.5 GT/s, Cache: 8 MB, Process: 45 nm, Socket: LGA 1156, Power Consumption: 95 W, Package: Retail, This processor is a Quad Core Processor, This processor supports Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology, This processor supports Hyper-Threading Technology, This processor supports Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T), This processor supports Intel Virtualization Technology, This processor supports Enhanced Halt State (C1E), This processor supports Execute Disable Bit

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 3 GHz

2010-02-26T06:22:00.000-08:00

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 3 GHz 1333MHz 6 MB LGA775 CPU BX80570E8400

Manufacturer Product Description Built for mainstream users who might occasionally require some additional performance, Intel® Core™2 Duo processors featuring Intel's exclusive 45nm architecture are ideal for users interested in surfing the Web, checking email, shopping online, manipulating images, downloading, and watching videos—all at the same time. Robust multitasking capabilities ensure that a computing platform featuring the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo processor won't slow down, even when running multiple software applications simultaneously.

Intel Core i5 Processor 2.66 GHz

2010-02-26T06:19:00.000-08:00

Intel Core i5 Processor 2.66 GHz 8 MB LGA1156 CPU I5-750BOX

Specifications: Mfr Part Number: BX80605I5750, Process Type: Intel Core i5 Processor i5-750, Frequency: 2.66 GHz, FSB: 2.5 GT/s, Cache: 8 MB, Process: 45 nm, Socket: LGA 1156, TDP: 95W, Package: Retail, This processor is a Quad Core Processor, This processor support Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology, This processor supports Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T), This processor supports Intel Virtualization Technology, This processor supports Enhanced Halt State (C1E), This processor supports Execute Disable Bit Capability

Current Health

2009-12-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

healthkut.com is a health blog provides latest buzz on current health events and current health . its also a leading platform for informative articles on various diseases and conditions, womans health, infertility etc wide range of health and medical topics.

State Auto Insurance

2009-12-01T22:20:00.000-08:00

State Auto Insurance allows you to compare several insurance quotes from the leading auto insurance companies in the U.S. The State Auto Insurance form is very easy to fill out and will take you only a few minutes to get free quotes upon completion of the user friendly Farm Auto Insurance.New yark Auto Insurance allows you the freedoms of choice to choose the Auto Insurance policy that is right for you and buy today if you wish. You will not go uninsured for any amount of time. You can fill out the Insurance form, review your 4 Free Quotes and purchase your policy all within 10 minutes from the convenience of your computer. Auto insurance is a necessity and requirement in all states Auto Insurance will then allow you to choose the policy that is right for you and buy today. You will not go uninsured for any amount of time.

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Netgear ultra-speedy WNDR3700 dual-band router

2009-09-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

If you've grown increasingly incensed by those annoying dropouts caused by your 80s-era wireless router, it looks like Netgear has your cure. Though, we must say, there's at least a decent chance you don't have the coinage to procure said medicine. At $190, the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (WNDR3700) is one of the pricier WLAN routers on the market, though the amenities list is pretty impressive. The ReadyShare feature enables any USB hard drive to be viewed on the network, while the DLNA support and "real-world" throughput of 350Mbps shines up an already glistening device. There's even a broadband usage meter for those unfortunately dealing with Comcast caps, and if you actually use this as a remote media server, you'll definitely want to keep an eye on that.

Samsung X420, X520 CULV laptops

2009-09-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Now, details are slightly thin here (as well as machine translated), but we're getting word of two new Samsung laptops on the horizon -- the 14-inch X420 and the 15.6-inch X520. The X420 will supposedly boast a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium dual-core SU2700, Intel GMA X4500M graphics, 3GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive, with not an optical drive in sight. Similarly the X520 will also feature the ultra-low power consumption SU2700 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB HDD. The X520 will weigh in at 2.09 kg with its 6-cell battery, while the X420 will supposedly weigh 1.7 kg. We're hearing these bad boys are coming to European soil in mid-October, and while we don't have any solid pricing information -- both have been estimated to run somewhere in the €700 range (around $1,000).

Sony adopts Chrome as default browser for VAIO line

2009-09-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Google's Chrome was already the default browser on the VAIO NW we handled a month ago, and now the Financial Times delivers confirmation of a wider distribution deal between the search giant and Sony. According to the report, new VAIO laptops and desktops will come with Chrome preinstalled -- an "experimental" arrangement -- and, most importantly, will default to Google for both their homepage and search queries. Pair this with the agreement to bring over a million Google Books to Sony's e-readers, and you start to see some clear lines being drawn in the sand. Intriguingly, Google is said to be pursuing similar distribution pacts with other manufacturers, which would place Internet Explorer's stranglehold on the uninitiated user under threat. Your move, Microsoft.

Samsung's WB5000 24x camera

2009-09-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, remember that squat WB5000 superzoomer that got spotted over the weekend? Samsung has seen fit to make it official, with specs that line up perfectly with the earlier report, including a 12.5 megapixel sensor, a 24x optical zoom lens (26mm - 624mm equivalent), and the ability to shoot 720p video recorded in H.264. It also includes a suite of intelligent modes for detecting faces, smiles, dimples, beards, and genetic abnormalities (just kidding about those last three) and can capture them all to JPEG or RAW files. Samsung hasn't officially announced availability details, but word on the street is this one will ship later this month (yes, it's September already) at a price of around $550.

WD 7200RPM 2TB desktop hard drives: Caviar Black and RE4

2009-09-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Surely you recall Western Digital's earlier 2TB effort, the Caviar Green -- right? While said drive was just perfect for the casual storage junkie, performance gurus know that it left something to be desired on the speed front. Thankfully, WD is looking out for that crowd too with a new pair of 7200RPM 2TB drives: the Caviar Black (shown left) and RE4 (shown right). Both four-platter drives boast 64MB of cache, a dual stage actuator, 3Gbps SATA interface and an integrated dual processor. The latter also promises 1.2 million hours MTBF, Active Power Save, a multi-axis shock sensor and a few other high-end advancements designed for enterprise users seeking long-term reliability. The pain? Try $299 for the now-available 2TB Caviar Black, while the RE4 awaits an MSRP as it's "being qualified by OEMs." Check the full release just past the break.

Black Wii remote bundle coming to North America, no matching console in sight

2009-09-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Oh Nintendo, you tease. You still won't give us that jet black Wii console bound for Japan, but you've got no problem giving us in North America a taste of the dark side with a black Wiimote and Motion Plus bundle, coming this holiday along with a black nunchuk sold separately. With any luck this is just the sign of things to come, and should the Wii's sales momentum drop, we're sure quite a few new colors will start shipping their way over here (light blue, anyone?). On the more portable side of things, the DSi will be adding pink and white to its repertoire on September 13th. Unless the House that Mario Built is feeling particularly nasty, prices should be the same as their pre-existing color counterparts -- you wouldn't put a premium on a palette swap, right Nintendo?

BenQ endows S35 and S43 Joybooks with CULV

2009-09-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

It's not quite on the scale of the netbook revolution, but the CULV ultraportable uprising does seem to be gathering steam. Latest on the scene is BenQ, with its 13.3-inch S35 and 14-inch S43 Joybooks, sporting a choice between a single core SU3500, dual core SU7300, or some old and busted Celeron 723 / 743 chips. From what Acer's Timeline series has shown, the 1.4GHz SU3500 is a major step up from Atom machines, while making for ridiculous battery longevity. BenQ claim you'll be able to squeeze more than five hours of juice from the default batteries and there's an eight cell option on the S35 that is rated for 11+ hours. Hard drives clock in at 500GB, Bluetooth, WiFi and the like are all present, and the S43 also gets an ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 GPU option to make it stand out. The announcement is for Asia only so far, but we see no reason why these laptops shouldn't make it to more familiar shores as well.

ASUS EeeBox EB1012 teases home theaters with dual-core Atom and Ion graphics

2009-09-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Looks like our dreams of a discrete, low cost home theater PC are about to be realized. ASUS has a new EeeBox PC EB1012 touting a dual-core Atom N330 (just as rumored), NVIDIA MCP7A ION graphics, a 250GB SATA hard disk, 2GB of DDR2-800 memory expandable to 4GB, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi, S/PDIF 5.1 audio jack, and HDMI out. As such, this little 222 x 178 x 26.9mm box should handle your hardware accelerated 1080p content just as readily as it does full-screen Flash video from Hulu and beyond -- a place where single-core Atom-based Ion nettops fail. It also features an eSATA jack, 4x USB ports, and an SDHC card reader for plugging in more media. No word on price or ship date but we'll keep an eye out.

Nokia Comes with Music US launch smartly pushed back to 2010

2009-09-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Not that most Americans could care, but Nokia is pushing back the US launch of its DRM-laden Comes with Music service into 2010. CWM, you'll recall, is Nokia's "free" all-you-can-eat music service that bundles the 12-18 month music subscription cost into the inflated handset price -- although like any DRM music scheme, solutions already exist to break the CWM shackles. The delay is probably a wise move considering the weak state of Nokia's US partnerships required to offset consumer costs, lukewarm response to its latest handsets, and the fact that most US consumers share a broad distaste for DRM music. We'd rather see Nokia launch late but with a compelling proposition than launch now in blind adherence to a timeline.

Hitachi ships 500GB Travelstar 7K500: 7200RPMs in a 2.5-inch form factor

2009-09-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Itching for a speedy and spacious new upgrade for your laptop? Ain't got the cheddar required to pop in a 512GB SSD? Then have a look at Hitachi's latest, a half-terabyte drive that spins at 7200RPMs yet draws just 0.69 watts when idle and 1.8 watts during read / write operations. The Travelstar 7K500 plays nice with the SATA interface and promises 16 percent better application performance than its predecessor, and for the paranoid in attendance, you can rest easy knowing that a BDE (Bulk Data Encryption) option enables users to have each and every byte encrypted as it's written. As of now, it's only shipping in "limited quantities" to top tier OEMs, but whenever it strolls into retail it'll land for $159.99.

GSM Pre to launch on O2 in UK

2009-07-08T03:44:00.001-07:00

The Palm's baby will launch on O2. That makes perfect sense, O2 owner Telefonica reportedly secured broad global rights to the Pre back in March. Of course, this is all yet to be official, but with actual GSM handsets floating around out there and an announcement expected next week, we're guessing we don't have too much longer to wait.

Microsoft's "Pink" smartphone

2009-07-08T03:40:00.001-07:00

Microsoft's "Pink" smartphone to be Microsoft-branded?

Ready for even more rumors about Windows Mobile 7 and Microsoft's mysterious "Pink" smartphone project? Good, cause we've got a few -- and the first is potentially huge. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley says her best understanding of "Pink" is now that it's a Microsoft-branded phone running a custom UI on top of Windows Mobile 7, developed by what's left of the Danger team and targeted at the Sidekick market. Yep, Microsoft-branded -- as in, the exact thing Microsoft has been denying for ages now. What's more, Redmond wouldn't be letting third parties use this new UI -- Pink would be manufactured only by Sharp or Motorola, who've made Sidekicks in the past. It all makes sense, even if it does feel a bit like MS is knifing its partners in the back -- companies like HTC and Samsung have been equally aggressive in layering their own UIs like TouchFLO 3D and TouchWiz on top of WinMo, but it's another thing entirely to compete against Microsoft itself, especially now that AdWeek says Microsoft's selected an agency to develop a Pink ad campaign. Yeah, things are starting to get a little wild -- we haven't even mentioned the open questions of whether the Zune HD is running Tegra because it's based on Windows Mobile 7 Chassis 1, or whether Pink will launch on Verizon, or whether Zune will appear on other phones, or... you get the idea.

Tags: Microsoft's "Pink" smartphone, Windows, Windows Mobile 7, microsoft smartphones, smartphones,Pink smartphone, microsoft windows mobile 7, Microsoft's mysterious "Pink" smartphone project

Olympus E-P1

2009-07-08T03:39:00.001-07:00

The Micro Four Thirds camera just seems to breed gadget lust amongst the staff, combining the best of modern tech with a throwback retro style that is somewhat irresistible. Of course, no one wants to drop $800 on a digicam unless it's actually capable of taking a decent shot.

Elonex launches 6-inch eBook reader through Borders UK

2009-07-08T03:35:00.000-07:00

Elonex has been dabbling in small screen wares for quite some time now, so it's not a huge surprise to finally see it join the likes of BeBook, Sony and Amazon by introducing its very own eBook reader. Design wise, the 6-inch reader looks an awful lot like that played-out OEM model that everyone seems to start with, but hey, you won't find us kvetching about competition. The device is launching exclusively at Borders UK, and with that comes the new Borders eBook Download Store. With a 4GB expansion card, there's room for some 8,000 ebooks, and the 9 millimeter-thin frame ensures that this one won't bog you down too much. Interested consumers over in the UK can snap this one up right now for £189 ($311), and that price nets you 100 free ebooks, a charger, data cable and a great sense of pride.

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eMachines introduces ET1300-02, ET1810-01 and ET1810-03 desktop PCs

2009-07-08T03:31:00.001-07:00

Just a few short weeks after eMachines outed its EL1300 line of SFF PCs, the company is hitting us up again with a new trio of full-size desktops. The ET1300-02, ET1810-01 and ET1810-03 are all encased within a luminous white mini-tower and ship with a matching LCD monitor, speakers and a keyboard. As for specs, the $449.99 ET1300-02 checks in with an AMD Athlon X2 4850e (2.5GHz) CPU, Vista Home Premium, NVIDIA's GeForce G100 (512MB), 3GB of DDR2 memory, a 160GB hard drive, 18x SuperMulti DVD burner, multicard reader, HDMI / DVI / VGA outputs and an 18-inch E182H display. The $369.99 ET1810-03 steps to a 2.2GHz Pentium E2210 CPU, GeForce 7500 integrated graphics and just a single VGA port, while the $299.99 ET1810-01 cranks it down to a 1.6GHz Celeron 420 and 2GB of DDR2 RAM.

Tags: emachines, Emachines ET1300-02, Emachines ET1810-01,Emachines ET1810-03, emachines Desktop pcs, desktop pcs, Nvidia,

LG New Stylish, LED-backlit 22-inch W2286L LCD HDTV

2009-07-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

LG's Latest LCD HDTV. It's 22-inches, can ouble as a PC monitor, It consumes some 40 percent less power than the average Earth-hating 22-inch LCD.There's also a pair of HDMI sockets, a DVI port and a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution,and automatic brightness sensor that responds to ambient light.

Jabra Go 6400 and Pro 9400

2009-07-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

The Jabra Go 6400 (pictured above) and Pro 9400 look to be standard noise-cancelling Bluetooth and DECT headsets, respectively, with a multifunction button to answer/reject/redial/mute calls and adjust the volume. However, these headsets are paired with an industry first touch-screen base for call management. The 2.4-inch capacitive LCD displays caller ID, call records, and lets users switch between their mobile, desk, and corporate softphones via a spin of the carousel. Fun sure, and exceedingly geeky, but hardly worth the $199 to duplicate functions already built-in to the headsets or accessible via the displays on the devices it connects to. Then again, these are aimed at office professionals (read: corporations) when they launch in September and $199 is nothing when you're spending someone else's money.

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Pentax K-7 review

2009-07-08T03:22:00.001-07:00

We have some reviews on New K-7."Photography Blog" praised the K-7 for its weatherproofing and for having "one of the best LCD screens" they've ever seen on a DSLR, while "ePHOTOzine" were impressed by the image quality and Wired found the package of features and specs exceedingly robust given the $1,300 asking price. Some
shortcomings were found, such as the slightly unintuitive interface and noise levels at higher ISO settings, but impressions were overwhelmy positive.

Tags: Pentax, Pentax K-7 Review, K-7, Pentax camera, Pentax LCD Screen, ephotozine

BenQ Joybook Lite U102

2009-07-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

BenQ's just dropped word of its newest -- the Joybook Lite U102.10.1-inch baby boasts a 16:9 WSVGA backlit LED, an Intel Atom CPU, and a 250GB HDD, with a 90 percent-sized keyboard.super-shiny black shell also makes it decently attractive.The BenQ Joybook Lite U102 will be available any day now in Taiwan, Thailand, and China.

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Mushroom Networks announces new wireless "Broadband Bonding" technology

2009-07-08T02:31:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Networks has been in the "Broadband Bonding" Business for quite a while now,Now
they are with their new wireless broadband gear, which promises the fastest cellular-based internet connection to attract more customers. Like the company's previousPortaBella device, its new rig can combine up to four different cellular data cards into a single high-speed connection, but this one is fully portable and, perhaps most importantly, it has an optional battery pack that'll let you be truly mobile with it.That, Mushroom says, makes the device ideal for a whole range of applications that can be a bit tricky with a single modem, like mobile TV broadcasting or temporary offices set up in a disaster area.

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Lenovo's ThinkPad T400

2009-06-20T10:10:00.001-07:00

Lenovo is apparently slimming down its T400 series ThinkPads, with the new T400s being caught in the wilds of technologyland. Despite looking nearly a century old in these hands-on shots, the laptop seems to be pretty modern under the hood, with SSD, DisplayPort, eSATA, WWAN, a 14.1-inch WXGA+ LED backlit display, 5-in-1 multicard reader... the list goes on. It's all packed in at around 0.83-inches thick (including a built-in disc drive), and under four pounds, which makes Apple sound a little silly for crowing about packing a little SD card slot into its latest unibody lineup. Word is that the build quality hasn't been traded in for the slimness, and while there's no word on price, hopefully it won't be too much more than the T400, which currently starts out at $750.

New AMD Neo Athlon / Turion chips emerge in HP Pavilion dv2z

2009-06-20T10:06:00.001-07:00

HP's newly unveiled Pavilion dv2z just so happens to have a bit of fresh silicon within, as AMD's latest Neo chips are front and center in the configuration options. The thin-and-light machine can be ordered with single- or dual-core AMD Athlon Neo and Turion Neo dual-core processors, and if you're looking for specifics, you'll find the new 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 L335 and 1.6GHz Turion Neo X2 L625. Other specs on the 12.1-incher include a LED-backlit WXGA panel, optional Blu-ray drive, discrete ATI Radeon graphics, up to 500GB of HDD space, a built-in webcam, WiFi, optional WWAN (Verizon, Sprint or AT&T) and a 6-cell battery. It's up for order right now starting at $599.99, but if you're looking to leave that aged Neo MV-40 behind, you'll have to pony up a bit more than that. Full release is after the break.

Compal Intel-based KAX15 MID

2009-06-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

We're not so sure that being the "world's smallest Windows-based MID" is really a benefit for those who appreciate keys that are large enough to mash and screens that are large enough to see, but whatever the case, Compal seems pretty proud of its accomplishments here. Shown off along with scores of other me-too MIDs at Computex, the KAX15 is based around Intel's existing Menlow platform and sports the polarizing tilt-and-slide mechanism for unmasking the QWERTY keyboard. As for specs, we're told that it packs an 800 x 480 display and an 800MHz processor, but further details have yet to flow. There's a hands-on vid just past the break if you're somehow intrigued with shoving Windows in your left cargo pocket.

Samsung's 12 megapixel WB1000

2009-06-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

While it's not the first name you think of in digital cameras, Samsung makes a decent piece of kit and its SL820 took the top prize in our recent summer shootout. So we figured you'd want to know that its WB1000 compact with those smokin' analog battery and capacity gauges is now on sale for KRW548,000 or about $418 closer to home. The 12.2 megapixel WB1000 features a 24-mm wide-angle 5x zoom Schneider-KREUZNACH lens and 1/2.33-inch CCD with 720p video record mode in H.264 format, max ISO 3200 sensitivity (at 3 megapixel resolution), and Samsung's Dual IS optical and digital image stabilization to compensate for hand jitter. The viewer won't disappoint either with a full 3-inch 480x260 AMOLED display rocking the backside. Why should you care? Check the video after the break to see how AMOLED compares to the TFT-LCD found on the Canon SD990 IS under different lighting and viewing angles

Casio's EXILIM EX-H10

2009-06-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

Casio's just pushed another 10x zoom compact camera into the market with its EXILIM EX-H10. Here we've got a 24-mm wide-angle lens stabilized by a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD-shift sensor with up to ISO 3200 sensitivity, a 3-inch LCD, and the ability to grab Motion-JPEG video at 720/24p. EXILIM 4.0 image processing and a 10 frames per second burst mode for 1,280 x 960 pixel images too in a point-and-shoot measuring just 102.5 x 24.3 x 62-mm. Watch for it to hit Japanese retailers first starting next month for ¥40,000 (about $400). Pink rear-end after the break.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 Silver

2009-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Reaction to the rumored X2 pictures leaked this far has been lukewarm at best, but hold up -- it's looking a whole lot different (and arguably better) in silver. We can certainly buy that this is dead-on real, since... well, it looks real, and also because the X1's also available in both shades. We're still not convinced it outshines its predecessor for sheer sex appeal, but an 8.1 megapixel camera upgrade is hard to argue with, isn't it? Anyhow, with this many units seemingly floating around in the wild, let's hope we're not too far off from an official announcement.

Toshiba REGZA ZV650 and SV670 HDTV

2009-06-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

If you're not down with waiting for Toshiba's internet-connected range of HDTVs -- which, by the way, should be out before the dawn of 2010 -- here's a bit of excellent news: the REGZA ZV650 and SV670 series are now shipping. Both of the sets were initially announced way back at CES, and the latter of the two is Tosh's first-ever LED-backlit HDTV. Said set also packs local dimming, ClearScan 240 dejudder technology, PixelPure 5G 14-bit video processing and that questionably useful Resolution+ system. There's also a USB socket, four HDMI connectors, IR pass-through, a PC input and REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC). As for the other guys (yeah, there's more), head on past the break and take notes on the ones relevant to your interests.

Sony New Bluetooth headphone

2009-05-01T01:20:00.000-07:00

They're not exactly breaking down any barriers of style or function, but those looking for some straightforward Bluetooth headphones may want to consider one of Sony's latest offerings, which come in both in-ear and over-the-ear varieties. On the in-ear front, Sony has the DR-BT100CX (pictured after the break), which includes some USB charging capabilities, a promised eight hours of playback time, and three different silicon ear buds to ensure a snug fit. Those looking for something a little less discreet can opt for the DR-BT101CX, which offers the same USB charging, a slightly better 12 hours of playback time and, most notably, a 30mm neodymium driver for a bit more oomph. No word on pricing just yet, but it looks like both should be available any day now -- in Europe, at least.

Averatec debuts 12-inch $699 N2700 ultraportable

2009-05-01T01:18:00.001-07:00

If it's fancy you're scouting, you needn't look here. If you're fine with a classic design, a relatively low price and plenty of oomph to handle everyday tasks, you've got your eyes right where they need to be. Averatec's latest rig is a 12-inch ultraportable that gets powered by a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, a WXGA panel, 4GB of DDR2-800 RAM, a 250GB SATA hard drive, 8x SuperMulti dual-layer DVD writer, WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, FireWire and audio in / out. Furthermore, you'll find a VGA output, 4-in-1 card reader, GMA X4500HD graphics set, 1.3 megapixel camera and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. This four pound lappie will set you back $699, and if you're already sold, we're happy to inform you that it's shipping right now.

Android Dev Phones

2009-05-01T01:16:00.000-07:00

While mere mortals will most likely have to wait until May to get at Cupcake (probably even stooping so low as to refer to it as Android 1.5, those commoners), the proud, good-looking possessors of Android Dev Phones can get at the update right this instant from HTC's website. Naturally, we'd assume somebody's going to figure out how to get these images onto rooted G1s before long, but we wouldn't want to over estimate the intelligence or temerity of the proletariat.

Samsungs R522 laptop

2009-05-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

Waiting for official confirmation on that R522 that was spied a few weeks back? It doesn't look like you're going to get it, at least not yet, but that hasn't stopped TrustedReviews from giving one a proper once-over regardless. The site's 15.6-inch review unit sports a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB disk -- plenty of power in a fairly small and nicely styled package. Decent battery life, too, clocking nearly 3.5 hours under mixed use. However, cable-free connectivity options were somewhat less impressive, lacking 802.11N, Bluetooth, and any sort of cellular wireless. So, a solid choice if you're not looking for the latest in connectivity options or don't mind toting along an external adapter. Prices are said to be between £550 and £600 ($800 to $875) with availability over there starting next month. Samsung's still staying mum about a release on these shores.

Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android

2009-05-01T01:11:00.001-07:00

Anticipated for months, Samsung's first Android phone is finally a (paper) reality after being flushed through the rumor mill just hours ago. Launching "in major European countries from June," the 11.9-mm slim quad-band GSM, tri-band 7.2Mbps HSDPA (900/1700/2100MHz) candybar packs a 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 pixel AMOLED touchscreen, WiFi, GPS, 5 megapixel camera with Power LED, 1,500mAh battery, 8GB of storage (plus MicroSD expansion for up to 32GB more), and a standard 3.5mm heasdset jack. Step aside HTC, you had your chance, let's all welcome Samsung to the Android party. Another picture and full press release after the break.

P.S. Although no US announcements have been made, that 1700MHz HSPA frequency could make T-Mobile USA customers very happy.

Samsung Omnia Pro with landscape QWERTY

2009-05-01T01:07:00.001-07:00

This is totally unsubstantiated, but also totally plausible -- likely, even -- so we wanted to pass along a hot rumor out of Italian site hdblog.it claiming that there'll be a QWERTY-equipped Omnia Pro hitting the market in the coming months, and they've even crafted a mockup looking like the offspring of an F700 and an original Omnia to illustrate their point. Specifically, the rumor suggests that the Omnia Pro will run Windows Mobile 6.1 upgradeable to 6.5 -- which might explain Sammy's decision to back off the OmniaHD branding for the Symbian-powered i8950 -- along with a 5 megapixel cam and sweet 3.5-inch WVGA AMOLED display. Considering that the old Omnia is widely considered to be one of the company's better (and more successful) smartphones in recent memory, it certainly stands to reason that they'd want to carry on the legacy -- and slapping on a sliding landscape keyboard seems like a no-brainer way to do it. To top things off, gossip has this sucker launching this summer for something in the range of €500 ($662), which throws it face-first into this summer's superphone smackdown alongside the N97, the GSM Pre, and whatever Apple has up its sleeves. Fun time to be alive, isn't it?

NVIDIA's GT300 specs

2009-05-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

NVIDIA's been dabbling in the CPU space behind closed doors for years now, but with Intel finally making a serious push into the GPU realm, it's about time the firm got serious with bringing the goods. BSN has it that the company's next-generation GT300 will be fundamentally different than the GT200 -- in fact, it's being hailed as the "first truly new architecture since SIMD (Single-Instruction Multiple Data) units first appeared in graphical processors." Beyond this, the technobabble runs deep, but the long and short of it is this: NVIDIA could be right on the cusp of delivering a single chip that can handle tasks that were typically separated for the CPU and GPU, and we needn't tell you just how much your life could change should it become a reality. Now, if only NVIDIA would come clean and lift away some of this fog surrounding it (and the rumored GTX 380), that'd be just swell.

RED blows away small room of videophiles with 4k RED RAY footage at half the bitrate of MiniDV

2009-05-01T00:59:00.000-07:00

While RED has been pretty tight-lipped about its planned RED RAY product, some footage shown off at RED's NAB party gave a sizable hint that RED RAY could be much more than meets the eye -- specifically a $1,000 device that can play cinema-quality 4k video off of standard DVDs. At the party they played an uncompressed showreel of 4k footage on a Sony 4k projector, which clocked in at 1.3GB per second, and then showed that exact same footage under the "RED RAY" codec at a mere 10Mb/s (megabits, not bytes; about half the bitrate of SD DV), at a compression rate of 700:1. Attendees claimed they could see zero visible compression, though a projector in a ballroom isn't exactly the best case scenario to test that sort of thing. Unfortunately, there's little other info about how they're achieving this (we hear "wavelets" come into the equation at some point), or to what nefarious aims, but with compression like this the implications for content distribution are pretty stunning: 1080p+ streaming for all. Naturally, the down side of all of this is probably some pretty hefty processing power on the consumer end, but we'll cross that I/O bridge when we come to it.

ASUS P565

2009-05-01T00:57:00.001-07:00

Lazarus be praised! The last time we heard about ASUS' P565 was back in February, when we mourned its sad and supposed demise. Turns out that's not the case, as we've now got a hands-on with the GPS / PDA phone from Polish site ASUSPDA, who claims (at least via machine translation) that it's been on sale for several months. The plethora of product / unboxing / interface pics look mighty legit, and as for the impressions, the reviewer seems very quite fond of it. Compliments are given for its general performance and design, though he does note the Glide interface isn't as seamless as you'd expect with a 816MHz processor inside. If you're interested in finding out for yourself, it looks like you can order the GSM / WCDMA-enabled device from Qbit for around $566.