IT-Code-News: IT News HeadLines (TechConnect Magazine) 21/11/2009

Nokia to cut 330 R&D positions
Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer, has revealed today its intention to cut some R&D (research and development) staff employed in Finland and Denmark. This move, which is said to be in line with the company's "focused portfolio of future products," will affect about 230 employees in Oulu (Finland) and 100 people in Copenhagen (Denmark) getting the pink slip.

Nokia claims that it will try to find other positions within other divisions for as many of the cut staff but it's probable that most will have to make due with a severance package. The phone company currently has a global R&D workforce of over 17,000 people.

Noiseblocker BlackSilentPro fans go on sale
Blacknoise Germany has now announced that its Noiseblocker BlackSilentPro series case fans are shipping and have become available in stores. The BlackSilentPro family includes five models - two 120mm and three 140mm fans, which feature a low-noise NB-NanoSLI bearing, are bundled with two (20 and 50cm) sleeved cables, a rubber, anti-vibration frame, and are backed by a 6-year warranty. For a more detailed look see the specifications below.

- NB-BlackSilentPro PL-1 (120mm) | 900 RPM (speed) | 11 dBA (noise level) | 68 m3/h (airflow) | 180,000 hours MTBF (mean time before failure @ 25 degrees Celsius)

- NB-BlackSilentPro PL-2 (120mm) | 1400 RPM | 20 dBA | 96 m3/h | 160,000 hours MTBF

- NB-BlackSilentPro PK-1 (140mm) | 700 RPM | 9 dBA | 49 m3/h | 180,000 hours MTBF

- NB-BlackSilentPro PK-2 (140mm) | 1200 RPM | 20 dBA | 93 m3/h | 140,000 hours MTBF

- NB-BlackSilentPro PK-3 (140mm) | 1700 RPM | 27 dBA | 153 m3/h | 120,000 hours MTBF

The 120mm BlackSilentPro fans are priced at 12.49 Euro, while the 140mm fans can be found @ 14.98 Euro.

Dane-Elec intros the Micro Mate compact flash drives
Before it gets to deliver some USB 3.0 storage solutions, Dane-Elec is releasing a new line of flash drives that makes use of the ol' USB 2.0 standard. Called Micro Mate, the fresh drives measure just 1.7cm x 3cm x 0.3cm, have a shiny metal casing, a flip mechanism that protects their USB connector, are backed by a 5-year warranty and deliver read and write speeds of up to 35 MB/s and 6.5 MB/s, respectively.

The Micro Mate line includes 2, 4 and 8GB models which have recommended price tags of أ‚آ£9.99, أ‚آ£19.99 and أ‚آ£34.99, respectively.

Opera 10.10, one step closer to release
The final version of Opera 10.10 (which includes Opera Unite) is closer than ever with the release of a post-RC3 build that is obviously ready for testing. This almost final snapshot is available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux and it brings the following changes and tweaks:

Core/UI

- Removed Inconsolata.otf and info-header.png from opera: pages
- Fixes to select the default Speed Dials and bookmarks from custom/locale
- Fixed Bug DSK-271292 ("No message selected" text missing)
- Fixed Bug DSK-271097 (Opened widget does not get focus on double-clicking it in the widgets panel)

Unite

- Fixes some string and translations issues
- Fixes to the translation of the activity feed
- Cookie infinite loop fix
- Some small tweaks to the Photo Sharing application
- Added a string "Preparing..." behind the main image
- Changed the loading spinner to an image count for the thumbnails
- Fixed Bug DSK-271007 (Spinner animation stretched in Unite config dialog)
- Partial Fix to Bug DSK-271038 (Generating images in the Photo Sharing application is slow/cpu excessive in opera)
- Fixed Bug DSK-271145 (Downloaded applications are set to invisible in upnp/asd/search engines by default)
- Fixed Bug DSK-271306 (Unite password not protected by master password)
- Fixed Bug DSK-271394 (Crash on toggling account creation section in Unite configure dialog after logging in once)
- Fixed Bug DSK-271444 (Upgrading an uninstalled app doesn't ask to choose a folder)

Microsoft Surface SDK available to everyone
At its Professional Developers Conference 2009, Microsoft has officially announced the truly general availability of Surface SDK, the package required by developers to build applications for the multi-touch device. Previously, the SDK was offered for free only to partners and MSDN members but now practically anyone can get the software and start making Surface apps on their PC, but only if it runs Windows Vista as that's the only OS supported currently. Worry not though, an updated version of the SDK, with Windows 7 support, will be released soon.

Available for download here, the Surface SDK, Workstation Edition includes a simulator that replicates the Microsoft Surface user interface on a PC and Microsoft Visual Studio project templates which enable people to test out their apps without actually having a Surface unit (which costs about $12,500).

Englide reveals the n.zero hydro case fan family
Hungary's own Englide Technologies has this week introduced its newest cooling solutions, three case fans (one 80mm, two 120mm) part of the n.zero hydro series. Detailed below, the fans feature hydrodynamic bearings for an extended life-span, have sleeved cables and are backed by a three-year warranty. As for their specs:

- n.zero hydro 80 | 1500 RPM (speed) | 17 dBA (sound output) | 19.2 CFM (airflow)

- n.zero hydro 120 | 980 RPM | 17 dBA | 36 CFM

- n.zero hydro 120 1.2K | 1200 RPM | 20 dBA | 47 CFM

The n.zero hydro 80 and 120 models have been found listed at about $10 and $12.7, respectively.

OCZ to show off USB 3.0 external SSD at CES 2010
OCZ's solid state drive push, which has most recently seen to the Colossus line announcement, will continue undisturbed in the next few months as the company will unveil its first SSDs equipped with SandForce controllers, and, at CES 2010 (early January), will showcase a USB 3.0-supporting external SSD.

It doesn't have a name yet but the USB 3.0 drive certainly looks good in the rendering below, slim figure, metal casing, two NAND rows on the visible side. OCZ hasn't said anything about the SSD's capacity options, controller, speed, but that's the case with these teasing moves. Expect more info to become available at CES or maybe even a bit earlier if a leak is to happen.

Picture courtesy of PC Perspective.

AOpen presents the XC Mini GP7A-HD ION-based barebone
AOpen has today unveiled a new offering targeting those who'd like to built a mini PC based on the ION platform, the XC Mini GP7A-HD barebone. Coming in a case measuring 61 (W) x 166 (D) x 180 (H) (when installed vertically), the system has support for mobile Core 2 processors (with a TDP of up to 35W), two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots for up to 4GB of RAM, GeForce 9300M integrated graphics, one 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, and includes a dual-heatpipe cooling solution that makes use of SilentTek technology.

The system can also boast a slot-in DVD-RAM or DVD-RW drive, and has a 6-in-1 card reader, D-Sub and HDMI outputs, Gigabit Ethernet, 5,1 channel audio, and an eSATA port.

The XC Mini GP7A-HD is expected to become available, at least in Japan, as of around mid-December.

Sony plans to launch online media distribution service next year
Japanese heavyweight Sony has confirmed that 2010 will see it rival Apple's iTunes with a new online service that will distribute music, movies, and also books and mobile applications. Called Sony Online Service, the upcoming distribution system is said to be based on the PlayStation Network, the free, console-bound service which celebrated three years of age earlier this week.

With more losses expected for the months to come, Sony is obviously hoping that the new service will bring in much-needed revenue and help it establish a solid digital distribution base to which other companies could rally.

Currently there's no time line regarding the Sony Online Service launch.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

IT News HeadLines (TechConnect Magazine) 21/11/2009

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