News: January 2007 Archives

Sony answers the big three & more…

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on January 31, 2007 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sony has today announced the latest addition to the VAIO family with the G11- Series powered by the Intel Ultra Low Voltage Core Solo U1500 (1.33GHz) processor.

A new batter design and use of Carbon Fibre Laminate means that they VAIO G11 which weighs 1.12Kg is much lighter, improving its overall mobility. The battery has been on the receiving end of the designers touch and is shorter end to end than a pen weighing 170g, traditionally batteries have been very bulky – its size aside, the battery can deliver 9-hours of use, more than sufficient for the average working day.

Sony claim that the laptop is capable of withstanding a fall from up to 90cm, and should the G11 be powered up at the time the hard drive senses the acceleration and will automatically lock down its drive heads in a fraction of a second which prevents damage & data loss.

Continue reading Sony answers the big three & more….

Sony's Vaio UMPC

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on January 31, 2007 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sony have announced the VAIO UX1 Ultra Mobile PC - a tiny device with PC functionality. Powered by Windows Vista Business, the UX1 is capable of playing music and movies as well as general office productivity.

The 4.5' touchscreen display with a staggering 1024x600 resolution is capable of stylus and touch-typing control, but there is also a sliding keyboard for easy text entry. There are two onboard digital cameras - one at the front for videoconferencing, and a higher quality 1.3-megapixel camera on the back for taking photos. The UX1 even has fingerprint recognition as a security interface.

Powered by a 1.33GHz Intel processor with 1GB of memory, this is a powerful UMPC. Measuring in at 95 x 150.2 x 32.2mm, it's pretty small too - and it only weighs in at 480g. The 32gb integrated flash drive eliminates noise and vibration, as well as speeding up file access considerably. On top of 802.11 a/b/g wireless networking, the UX1 packs Bluetooth connectivity a USB 2.0 port, a Memory Stick Duo slot, and microphone and headphone ports...

Continue reading Sony's Vaio UMPC.

New Casio Compacts

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on January 31, 2007 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Casio today announced the release of two new digital cameras. The EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1050 is a slim colourful 10.1-megapixel aluminium-chassis compact with a bright 2.6' display, 3x zoom and a maximum exposure rate of 7 shots per second. The EXILIM Zoom EX-Z75 (pictured right) is a high-performance 7.2-megapixel model with a 2.6' display and Anti-Shake DSP - it also includes an easy mode for simple shooting with intuitive menus.

The EX-Z1050 is available in silver, pink, gold, black or blue from Spring for £229 in the UK. The EX-Z75 comes in silver, pink, black and blue for £179 from February.

Shuffle available in new colours

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on January 31, 2007 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The iPod Shuffle has already undergone a recent makeover to become the worlds smallest music player , but not content to leave it at that Apple have today announced 4 sparkly new colours for the more fashion conscious buyer.

The overall specification of the 1Gb iPod shuffle has not changed this is purely a cosmetic change. Just as a quick recap the music player dimensions are 1.62 × 1.07 × 0.41 inches. With its 12-hour playing time, the player clips on to your clothing. The original metallic grey Shuffle is joined by pink, blue, orange and green options.

Available at a cost of £55 Apple are also offering free engraving on all models ordered via the apple store.

Vista Released

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on January 30, 2007 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Windows Vista has now been officially released to the public worldwide.

Head on down to our sister site Vista Sector for all the latest information on Windows Vista.

Unique design & quality Sound

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on January 29, 2007 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Theses days you are as likely to play your music on your PC as your are to get out a CD and play in on your audio equipment, yet if like me, you probably rely on the very average speakers provided when you first purchased your pc. If you haven’t thought of upgrading perhaps the SRS-DZ10 from Sony might change your mind.

The layout free 2.1 channel system consists of a subwoofer, two desktop satellite speakers and a compact desktop control unit with integrated headphone socket which is capable of a maximum 32W output. The speakers benefit from Sony’s sigma-type speaker driver, which promises a deep bass sound.

Continue reading Unique design & quality Sound.

Olympus SP-550 UZ

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on January 29, 2007 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Olympus has announced the first wide 18x optical zoom with the launch of the Olympus SP-550 UZ. According to the specifications supplied the SP-550 UZ focal length spans 28mm-504mm (in 35mm camera equivalent terms).

The SP-550 UZ includes double protection against camera shake with Dual Image Stabilization. Even at high magnifications or when capturing fast-moving objects, this technology ensures results are significantly sharper.

The general specification of the 7.1 megapixel SP-550 UZ reveals a 2.5-inch LCD screen and 15fps, BrightCapture for improved low light photography, internal memory plus XD-Picture card slot and 25 picture modes. The camera runs of 4 AA batteries.

Also the rugged 7.1 megapixel MJU 770SW, designed for those with the slightly more active lifestyle...

Continue reading Olympus SP-550 UZ.

Samsung Music Store Announced

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on January 26, 2007 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Samsung is poised to challenge the dominance of Apple in the digital music arena by taking the fight to them with the announcement of it’s own online digital music store, imaginatively named the Samsung Media Studio (SMS).

SMS provides access to 2.6 million licensed songs, including content from all major record labels and more than 40,000 independent labels. In addition to this new service Samsung have added to its MP3 player range with the launch of both the slim T3 and the wireless capable (Bluetooth) K9 that are now available on the high street.

Depending on your proclivity for digital music Samsung have provided users three options – the first two falling under the ‘pay-as-you go’ formula with single tracks available from 79p and albums from £7.99, although what really stands out is the ‘all you can eat’ option for those with an insatiable appetite for digital music, with unlimited downloads for £14.99 a month.

Continue reading Samsung Music Store Announced.

Kodak announces V1003

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on January 25, 2007 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kodak announced the launch of the V1003 it's 10 megapixel digital camera, coming in at a snip under £200 (well £199.99 to be precise). The camera will be available on the UK high street from March 2007.

Like a list of ‘the usual suspects’ the V1003 features 3x optical zoom, 2.5in LCD and 30fps VGA and ISO setting of up to 1600, on camera panoramic photo stitching and 22 shooting modes. If you aren’t a whiz with Photoshop then the automated touch up technology called ‘Perfect Touch’ will be very useful as it can be used to improve image detail by adjusting the brightness in the darker areas of shots.

We will look to get our hands on this sooner rather than later to deliver you our verdict… and let you know if ‘size’ really does matter.

PS3: 300,000 Units for UK Launch

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on January 25, 2007 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since Sony's announcement that the long and eagerly anticipated PS3 is launching here in the UK on the 23rdMarch, the guys over at ThreeSpeech (semi-official PS3 blog) have been quick to do a little number crunching.

Based on how much of the UK accounts for European business they have confidently predicted that at the word ‘go’ UK retailers will have around 300,000 units. In comparison using the same math this figure should equate to more than the combined number of Wii and 360 consoles that were initially shipped.

If you want to get your hands on one you will have to get that pre-order in sooner rather than later. What has yet to be confirmed is whether Sony is going to do the allocation as was the case with PS2 (i.e. you only get one if you have your official letter from Sony). Watch this space for more information.

PS3 Final Details

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on January 25, 2007 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

23rd of March 2007 is the date gamers across the UK and Europe have been waiting for. Sony has today confirmed the 23rd as the official launch of the Playstation 3. This is the last in the trio of next generation consoles, gamers have been waiting for, following on from the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005 and the Nintendo Wii in November 2006.

The Playstation 3 has been available since early November over in the US and Japan but Sony saw fit to make European gamers wait just a little long – due mainly to a problem with the manufacturing of lasers for the Blue Ray disc drives.

Due to demand from both Retailers and Consumers only the 60GB (WiFi ready) console will available at a cost of £429 – this move was likely influenced by Microsoft’s launch of the Xbox 360 who launched with both their Premium (Incl. of Hard-drive) and Core packs which led to an unexpected demand for peripherals which they struggled to cope with. Later on in the year depending on demand we can expect to see a 20GB version on the shelves.

Continue reading PS3 Final Details.

World of Warcraft’s Record Breaking Expansion Pack

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on January 23, 2007 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Blizzard Entertainment today announced that World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade shattered the day-1 sales record to become the fastest-selling PC game ever in North America and Europe, with a worldwide total of nearly 2.4 million copies sold in the first 24 hours.

By the end of the first day 1.7 million players had logged in and upgraded World of Warcraft to play The Burning Crusade. Retailers are continuing to report sustained demand, so if you want a copy get your skates on otherwise you could be in for a wait.

“The excitement and sense of anticipation generated by the huge crowd at The Burning Crusade launch event far exceeded our expectations,” said Tim Ellis, Head of Games for HMV, UK. “And in terms of units shifted, this was HMV’s biggest launch event ever, and that includes Audio and DVD events.”

Continue reading World of Warcraft’s Record Breaking Expansion Pack.

LG: Fulfil your fantasy

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on January 23, 2007 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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LG has unveiled its latest chic and stylish monitor, the Jar due to launch in the UK as part of its Fantasy monitor series.

The Jar combines cutting edge technology and design, for the more fashion conscious consumers and allows you to add a touch of luxury to the home or workplace. Louise Walsh, Product manager for LG comments “Technology is rapidly moving away from being purely functional to being a statement of style and class,”

The Jar’s uniquely designed base emits a soft red light and carries the sleek black screen houses the latest screen technology, providing: Ultra high contrast ratio of 2000:1, giving crisper images, response time of 4ms, making the monitor ideal for watching sports, computer games and movies, video signal input connector (DVI-I) for sharper picture quality and a high resolution (1280 x 1024), superior brightness (300cd/m2) and wide viewing angle (H: 170°, V:170°).

Continue reading LG: Fulfil your fantasy.

Nintendo fastest selling console in Europe

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on January 22, 2007 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Nintendo DS in less than two years has become the fastest games console in European history with units sold hitting 10 million. To highlight the growing success of the DS, the console managed to prise open 1.7 million wallets during December of 2006.

Driven by Nintendo’s range of Touch! Generations’ games, targeting non-traditional audiences, titles such as Nintendogs and Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How old is your brain? have proved to be massive hits whilst traditional titles including New Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart DS, and Animal Crossing have all proved to be successful.

Nintendo fans can look forward to a host of new games during 2007 including Mario Slam Basketball, Star Fox Command, Actionloop, and the highly anticipated legendary Final Fantasy III from Square-Enix.

Continue reading Nintendo fastest selling console in Europe.

LG launches Prada Phone

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on January 19, 2007 5:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

LG has unveiled their completely touchscreen phone - the KE850, branded as The Prada Phone. This unique, sophisticated and elegant mobile phone has the first complete advanced touch interface on the market, and is set to be an early competitor to Apple's iPhone.

LG and PRADA have worked closely together on every aspect of the product, from handset development to marketing combining the attention to detail and uncompromising quality of PRADA design with the trademark technological innovation of LG mobile. PRADA’s involvement extends beyond exterior aesthetics to the key elements of the user experience such as the advanced touch interface, ring tones, pre-loaded content, mobile phone accessories and the exclusive leather case, inspired by the classic Italian craftsmen tradition.

Continue reading LG launches Prada Phone.

Samsung gets tactile

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on January 18, 2007 5:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Samsung have today announced the availability of the SCH-W559 featuring Immersion's VibeTonz technology, which provides 'tactile control' for the touchscreen handset. Showing that iPhone will face a great deal of stern competition once it comes to market.

The SCH-W559 uses a large 260,000-colour QVGA LCD touchscreen display to replace the traditional mechanical keypad as the primary input mechanism. Users receive confirming tactile cues when they press graphical onscreen controls, and they can customise the response by selecting one of five feedback profiles for these cues.

The VibeTonz allows touchscreen-displayed buttons to feel more like mechanical keys. The tactile feedback helps to improve overall usability in situations where controls are obscured by fingers or washed out by glare.

Continue reading Samsung gets tactile.

New Sony Cyber-Shot W35 and W55

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on January 18, 2007 4:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sony has today announced the launch of two new compact digital cameras - the Cyber Shot W35 and W55.

The W35 and W55 on paper look to be very similar devices with a 7.2 effective megapixel sensor, Real Imaging Processor and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 1000 to help reduce blurring and improve photos taken in low light. TheW55 is the 'fashionable' best friend to the W35 with its brushed aluminium facing which is available in Pink, Black, Silver and Blue (as pictured right). It also has a 2.5-inch screen compared with the W35s 2-inch screen.

Other useful to know information includes a 3x optical zoom, 6x digital zoom and finally a 14x Smart Zoom. Both cameras include 56mb internal storage capacity although you can use Sony Memory stick should this be insufficient space and he overall battery life (rechargeable) is around 380 shots.

Continue reading New Sony Cyber-Shot W35 and W55.

PS3: March 23rd

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on January 15, 2007 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Advertising agency TBWA has indicated that Sony will likely release the PS3 in Europe on March 23rd. The company, who deal with advertising for large global brands such as the Playstation, Apple and Adidas said that advertising for the PS3 would start towards the end of March, backing up suggestions from other senior retail sources.

Speaking to GI.biz, a spokesperson for advertising agency TBWA said the marketing campaign for the console 'launches towards the end of March' - which would suggest that an early March date is unlikely. Therefore if Sony are to believed about their March launch date the 23rd would make a suitable candidate.

A source speaking to gamesindustry.biz said that Sony would make the official announcement within the next fortnight.

Source: Neowin

iPhone For £600

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on January 15, 2007 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Apple iPhone is going to dent your bank account a bit more than expected. The 4GB model will come in at a shade under £600 while the 8GB could be as much as £660 according to some early, pre-order prices on Amazon Germany [thanks Jan]. This compares to approximately £255 and £306 in the US.

When you’re finished choking you might also want to consider some of the other things that are taking the shine of the latest ‘hot’ mobile phone. Most of these are confirmed, while others fall into the ‘maybe’ category.

The iPhone will be 3G when it arrives in Europe but it will not arrive for a year – not the end of 2007 as expected.
It will be a closed device and will only run software released by Apple.
It will use Apple’s DRM software FairPlay which, ironically, no one thinks is fair, at all. This will stop users from playing anything other than music bought via iTunes.
Apple could win the right to use the iPhone name in Europe, thanks to a loophole says Outlaw.com

Source: Neowin

Epson: Digital Media On The Go

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on January 15, 2007 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Epson's latest offering is this all-in media device - the P3000 - combines media storage and playback with a camcorder functionality. Any of you that remember the old Sharp Handi-cams will recognise this familiar styling – it won’t win any award for looks but its neat and compact.

The P3000 has 40GB of storage, a 4-inch LCD screen with four colour filter system, and camcorder feature, which allows you to capture video in MPEG-4 format (also supports DivX), ideal for uploading your footage to YouTube. In truth there better camcorders available on the market, but if you are looking for an all-round media player this has bags of features

For additional back-up the P3000 has built in both compact flash and SD memory card slots and with a continuous battery life of around 3 hours the battery isn’t like to die on you part way through the film you were watching. I also like the fact that you can print photos direct to any compatible Epson photo printer via USB 2.0.

Tomtom To Launch FM Transmitter

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on January 15, 2007 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

TomToms FM Transmitter Mount will provide seamless integration of the TomTom GO range and in car sound systems. This will enable turn by turn navigation instructions, hands free calls and music all through your in-car sound system.

If you have ever wondered what if any the point of the TomTom GO 910 purpose in life actually was, with its 12Gb of storage capacity the packaging points you towards music (3000 songs to be precise). Until now you would have been forgiven to sticking with the cars fitted sound system the TomTom sound quality for music play back is hardly likely to get you jumping out of your seat and you probably didnt want a million and one cables hanging around.

The FM Transmitter Mount broadcasts navigation instructions and music from a TomTom GO device over the air to the car radio, like a short range radio station. TomTom GO users simply dock their Sat Nav on the new FM Transmitter Mount, tune the car radio to an unused FM frequency and select the same frequency on the TomTom.

Continue reading Tomtom To Launch FM Transmitter.

Take Control..

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on January 15, 2007 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kameleon recently announced the UK availability of its Generation III One For All universal remote control including a world first in the form of new light control features.

The Kameleon Generation III has the functionality to work with all the latest home theatre technology including HDTVs, PVRs (Sky +), DVD recorders, surround sound systems and stereo equipment. In addition this latest offering is the first to include light controls that will work with any compatible systems

You cab educate your remote to provide control at the touch of a button using the new macro system; press one button to switch off your stereo, turn on your DVD, boost your surround sound and dim the lights around the television ready to watch that thriller!

Continue reading Take Control...

Pack Up And Go With The I-station Traveller

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on January 15, 2007 9:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the launch of Apples 2nd generation iPod nano late last year, many third party manufacturers have released new accessories in matching colours and Logic3 are no different.

Logic3 will add to their growing offering with another i-Pod add-on, with the forth-coming launch of its i-Station Traveller. The system will provide a total output of 4 watts whilst not likely get you an ASBO for noise pollution these ultra compact speakers are definitely small enough to slip unnoticed into your travel bag and will let you listen to your iPod or MP3 player whilst on holiday.

The battery operatied i-Station Traveller will be available in a ranger of colours including red, blue, pink, green, silver and black and will retail for £19.99 at stores including HMV and Comet.

www.logic3.com

Seagate FreeAgent Data Movers

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on January 12, 2007 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The new FreeAgent data movers from Seagate are not just storage solutions, they actively connect the user to their data in a variety of ways. Not only does it shift files, but settings, emails. favourites and more. Shift all your PCs settings onto a USB memory stick, access all your documents from the web and even get all your outlook contacts onto your iPod,

'It's literally about being able to escape the confines of your desktop or your laptop – and have your content available to you where you need and when you need it.'

Continue reading Seagate FreeAgent Data Movers.

Toshiba delivers elegance & performance

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on January 11, 2007 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Toshiba today announced its first Windows Vista based notebook providing the latest technology and iconic design, the Portégé R400. The ultra-portable notebook housed in a striking white and black colour scheme has yet to confirm which proccesor will power it.

However we do know that the Portégé R400 includes a world's first in the form of an email push service using Microsoft Active Notifications. This gives users real-time alerts, email and calendar updates over a 3G network and eliminates any need for to repeat the ‘send and receive’ process. Instead, the Portégé R400 automatically checks and downloads full emails with attachments, as well as checking, updating and synchronising calendar items, even when the notebook is closed or the operating system is in suspend mode.

Also found on the Portégé R400 is a secondary display at the front edge of the notebook called the Toshiba Edge Display. The digital display works by delivers alert notifications, email headers and calendar updates. The Toshiba Edge Display enables users to easily monitor their inbox and calendar activity without opening the notebook.

Continue reading Toshiba delivers elegance & performance.

It's Good To Talk..

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on January 10, 2007 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BT has announced WiFi phones as part of its BT Fusion converged mobile/fixed line service.

The WiFi-ready handsets from Nokia (6136), Motorola (A910) and Samsung (P200) will be available from the Phones4U outlets up and down the country from today, with a further 20 or more WiFi handsets expected during 2007.

Using your wireless setup at home or any of BTs OpenZone hotspots and Wireless Cities, the WiFi-ready handsets give you greater flexibility for keeping in touch whether that’s via your broadband connection or BTs mobile network. From a longer term perspective one can assume that the ‘home phone’ will become obsolete and be replaced with BT Fusion like packages.

Continue reading It's Good To Talk...

Apple finally announces iPhone

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on January 9, 2007 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After months (even years) of media speculation on the next big breakthrough from Apple, they have just officially announced the long-awaited iPhone. Even though Cisco had trademarked that name a while ago, Apple are using it. The iPhone is also a widescreen iPod and networking device. The best technology in this is the 3.5-inch wide Multi-Touch screen - that can accept input from multiple fingers (useful when typing) and can understand gestures.

Incorporating a 2 megapixel cam, 8 GB of storage, Bluetooth with EDR, WiFi, and quadband GSM radio with EDGE, powered by OSX, also running iTunes, into a 11.5mm-thick case. Apple quotes 5 hours of battery life for talk or video, with a full 16 hours in music mode.

An iPod costs $199, a smartphone $299, and he's combining them so its a 4GB for $499 with a two-year contract from Cingular, and 8GB for $599 . Releasing in the US in June, Europe in Q4, and Asia in 2008.

More images after the break.

SOURCE: Engadget

Continue reading Apple finally announces iPhone.

Gatekeeper Helps Home Security

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on January 9, 2007 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Protecting your home PC/Laptop has just become that bit easier. A new consumer security appliance from Yoggie which can be used to protect your pic-nic-basket (If you live outside of Jellystone Park then your PC/laptop) has just been announced.

With so many security software packages offered by retailers today is it any wonder that consumers get confused as to what they should and shouldn’t buy. But no more messing about at PC world asking an assistant who baffles you with acronyms and phrases you have never heard.

Aptly named the the Gatekeeper works by physically isolating your PC/Laptop from known and unknown security threats. The bonus with Gatekeeper is that security threats never actually find their way onto your PC/Laptop unlike security software which can only deal with the problem once its inside system.

Continue reading Gatekeeper Helps Home Security.

CES: SanDisk shows flash DVD player

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on January 8, 2007 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The latest news from the Consumer Electronics Show 2007 in Las Vegas

Sandisk have used CES as an excuse to launch a whole host of new technology, the most exciting of which was this new flash DVD player that will bring digital downloading of video to a broad spectrum of new consumers who prefer viewing on their TV sets rather than on a PC screen

USBTV is an industry-wide initiative that'll hopefully make transferring DVD content from PC to TV much easier. Sandisk have created the first DVD flash drive, which plugs into a PC by USB and into a television by a new USBTV interface.

Sandisk are working with TV manufacturers including LG, Mitsubishi and Pioneer to encourage the inclusion of these USBTV ports on new televisions. Until then, an adaptor cradle will allow you to connect USBTV devices into regular A/V ports instead. USBTV players are expected to be available in Spring 2007. More info at USBTV.org

CES: Sandisk's pocketable video player

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on January 8, 2007 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The latest news from the Consumer Electronics Show 2007 in Las Vegas

SanDisk the original inventor of flash storage cards has turned its attention to widescreen digital media players. SanDisk today introduced its first widescreen portable media player dubbed the “Sansa® View.” The flash-based Sansa View is a sleek, yet simple video player that supports a wide array of content formats and comes equipped with a flash memory expansion slot.

Laying claim to the 'slimest' media play available todate the Sansa View comes complete with a 4”widescreen display, integrated speakers & DVD-like quality video experience. In addition the Sansa View can display photos (up to 16 megapixels) and play music. The only bug bear I have with the Sansa View its the removable Li-Polymer battery which has only 4hours of play back before it needs a charge.

Continue reading CES: Sandisk's pocketable video player.

VoIP - Talk is cheap...

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on January 8, 2007 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Canyon targets UK consumer VoIP market with the launch of its VoIP Station. It has a very attractive RRP of £39.95 and its black iPod like design means it looks the business.

The VoIP Station makes teleconferencing more accessible, bringing it from the boardroom to the home. With the same quality technology as high-end business systems for a fraction of the price, the VoIP Station uses Voice over IP to enable free calls across home internet connections.

Now whilst rather sceptical at the consumer need for such a product, I can see this being very popular for the SoHo and SMBs market. With many employers deploying VoIP as a means of flexible working for its employees, providing them with a more flexible working environment I can see the VoIP Station wangling its way onto more than a few home office desk this year.

The VoIP Station's is currently available from a number of retailers including John Lewis.

CES: LG Super Multi Blue

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on January 8, 2007 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The latest news from the Consumer Electronics Show 2007 in Las Vegas

LG have debuted the Super Multi Blue Player (BH100) - the industry's first dual-format high-definition disc player. Incorporating both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats, LG are bridging the gap between the technologies. This digital divide is causing many technical and entertainment companies to choose sides, so we're all in favour of combined technology.

The Super Multi Blue Player should be available in the first quarter of 2007, at a cost of $1,199. Also launching are the Super Multi Blue disk drive that is compatible with Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD read/write and HD-DVD-ROM (read); and the BH100 that just reads HD-DVD and Blue-Ray disks.

Continue reading CES: LG Super Multi Blue.

CES: Nokia takes the Internet with you

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on January 8, 2007 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The latest news from the Consumer Electronics Show 2007 in Las Vegas

Nokia has unveiled it next generation internet tablet with the announcement of the 770 successor, the N800. Albeit not quite the makeover that was expected it has however smartened up its act in terms of aesthetic appeal with an eye catching silver chromo finish and comes complete with numerous decent looking features.

Avid followers of Nokia will be glad to hear that basic functionality hasn’t changed a great deal. It still harnesses Wi-Fi, or a mobile phone connection, to access the web, and comes with a solid selection of features including an RSS reader, email client and a camera.

Continue reading CES: Nokia takes the Internet with you.

Mobile power in a pouch

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on January 7, 2007 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Your mobile battery is flat, you've spent the day shopping in London and need to sort your saturday night out before you get home but what to do - Mobcharger (www.mobcharger.com) has the answer, a disposable phone charger now available on the UK high street shops

The credit card sized battery fits easily in your pocket or slips conveniently in your handbag and is available for around £5 amd provides 60 minutes instant talk time and 480 minutes standby

Currently available for Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Samsung, also available is a mini USB which is compatible with all new mini USB phone connectors such as the Motorola RAZR.

You can find the Mobcharger at ASDA, WHSmith Travel Stores, BP Connect and One Stop shops.

FujiFilm launches FinePix Z5fd

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on January 7, 2007 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FujiFilm has announced its FinePix Z5fd digital camera, the first in the 'Z' range to offer a hardware-based Face Detection technology.

Available in three colours, Raspberry Red, Mocha Brown and Silver, the FinePix Z5fd is the flagship in Fujifilm's ultra-slim compact line-up, alongside the FinePix Z3 and Z2.

Judging by the announcement this slim and stylish offering from FujiFilm is packed full to the rafters with features including 3x optical zoom, 6.3 megapixel, ISO 1600, intelligent flash, and a new blog mode 'for the MySpace generation' that will adjust image settings for posting online. It has a 2.5 inch scratch resistant LCD screen.

Continue reading FujiFilm launches FinePix Z5fd.

Luxpro's Shuffle Ripoff

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on January 6, 2007 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What's that on the right? An iPod shuffle? No, it's the Super Tangent, previously known as the Super Shuffle, from Luxpro. Apple have been fighting the ~~resemblance~~ blatent design theft for the past couple of years, but Luxpro have just won an Apple-filed lawsuit in California, where Shihlin District court decided that the two devices were sufficiently different to not be worth a ban.

It still comes in 512MB or 1GB flavours and has a built-in FM tuner, a digital voice recorder function, and a shuffle mode. The controls are less of a copy than the previous version, for obvious reasons. The player also now comes in both black and red, in additon to the original white.

With one win in the bag, Luxpro plans to countersue Apple to the tune of $100M for the sales it lost due to the injunction. This won't be the last you hear...

Metal Storm Weapons

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on January 6, 2007 1:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Metal Storm Weaponry involves multiple rounds stored in multiple barrels, fired by igniting propellant between the rounds with electricity. This computer-controlled assault, developed by O'Dwyer, was capable of 1.62 million rounds per minute

O’Dwyer constructed a triple-barrel, a nine-barrel, and a 36-barrel firing prototype design that he lovingly named Bertha. “The reason for the 36 barrels was simply to indicate to ourselves and to others the future versatility of this system, in that with the 36 barrels we had 540 rounds on board and, based on the 45,000-round-per-minute rate per barrel, that gave us a maximum firing rate of 1.62 million rounds per minute,” the inventor says

Read on for a Video explaining the weapon systems...

Continue reading Metal Storm Weapons.

Creepy Trotting Robot

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on January 6, 2007 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Boston Dynamics have created this creepy quadropedic robot named BigDog which can ~~trot~~ canter at 3.3mph and clime a 35º slope whilst carrying 120lbs. Not only that, but you can see it get kicked, stumble, but retain its balance. A well-bred human being can't even do most of that.

BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight. It has an on-board computer that controls locomotion, servos the legs and handles a wide variety of sensors. BigDog’s control system manages the dynamics of its behavior to keep it balanced, steer, navigate, and regulate energetics as conditions vary. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a laser gyroscope, and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine temperature, rpm, battery charge and others.

Watch the creepiest video ever...

Continue reading Creepy Trotting Robot.

Shuttle's 55mm tall Media Centre

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on January 4, 2007 7:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today, Shuttle introduced a new 55mm tall PC, called the Shuttle XPC mini X 200. They introduced 2 types of models, the XPC mini X 200MA which is built for Windows MCE users, and the XPC mini X 200BA which will be used especially for office activities.

The X 200MA carries a Core2Duo processor, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB harddisk, it also comes with a nice MCE remote control. The X 200BA is a bit less multimedia orientated and carries a Celeron-M 420 processor, and, like the MA, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB harddisk.

The pricelabel of the X 200MA says 948 Euros, the BA costs 743 Euros, which is roughly 200 Euros less.

Solid State Disk goes Mainstream

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on January 4, 2007 6:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SanDisk have today announced that they will be entering the mobile computing space, with the introduction of a 32GB 1.8' Dolid State Drive (SSD) to replace the hard drive within a PC. Flash memory has significantly gone down in price recently, enabling the public release of drives such as these, which were previously kept to the military and aerospace organisations.

The SanDisk SSD announced today achieves a sustained read rate of 62 megabytes (MB) per second and a random read rate of 7,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) for a 512-byte transfer – more than 100 times faster than most hard disk drives. Taking advantage of this performance, a laptop PC equipped with SanDisk SSD can boot Windows®Vista Enterprise in as little as 35 seconds. It also can achieve an average file access rate of 0.12 milliseconds, compared with 55 seconds and 19 milliseconds, respectively, for a laptop PC with a hard disk drive.

Continue reading Solid State Disk goes Mainstream.

Siren's New Screamer

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on January 3, 2007 7:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Some of you may remember the now-deceased Rio brand of audio hardware. Many of its ex-employees are now in a gadget company called Siren, which is releasing two home media streaming devices. The Screamer (pictured) transmits audio from a PC to a stereo up to 150ft away at up to 1.5mbps on the 2.4GHz spectrum, and also comes with stereo RCA Phono jacks as wekk as a 1/8th-inch stereo connector. The other product is the Siren Wireless Headphones, which can receive audio from the aforementioned Screaming and they also have a microphone which can communicate with a PC for use with VoIP software such as Skype. They operate between 20Hz - 20kHz, with 32 Ohm impedence, and 110dB sensitivity; and they should last up to 5 hours with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Both devices are due in early March - the Screamer for $130 and the headphones for $99.

Thermal-Controlled Cup Holder

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on January 3, 2007 10:04 AM | Permalink |