Raytheon Unveils iPhone App For The Battlefield
Joining the "yeah, there's an app for that" party is yet another previously unexpected guests: war companies. Raytheon, which is considered a US defense contractor, has just recently made public information that shows their efforts to make new iPhone applications that could morph the smartphone into a battlefield necessity. Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard that the iPhone could make a great tool out in the warzones, but it's easily the first case of a major company backing such an endeavor. The
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Blu-ray 3D Specification Is Final: 1080p Through Goggles Coming Soon To The Living Room
With just about everyone hopping on the 3D bandwagon (firms like Sony and NVIDIA included), we figured it was only a matter of time before the powers that be granted the 3D specification for Blu-ray the approval it needed to move forward as a serious, backed format. Sure enough, that is exactly what has happened this week, and just in time for the demonstrations at CES to begin in early 2010. The Blu-ray Disc Association, which obviously oversees the forward progress of the BD format, announced that the Blu-ray
Read More ...
NorhTec Gecko Surfboard: The $99 Full-Sized Keyboard With A PC Within
The Eee Keyboard has been on our minds since Asus first announced it months upon months ago. We've heard a few release dates, and we've watched the days go by as delays set in. As of now, the device seems to have slipped from most everyone's mind. We're sure it'll make a revived push for attention when Asus finally does get everything worked out so it can produce it for the masses, but until then, you can expect smaller names to jump at the chance to ride the wave that has already been created for it. Take NorhTec,
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Asus Eee PC1005PE, Atom N450 Pinetrail Platform Launch
If you consider Intel's design execution over the past 12 months or so, you'd have to admit it's nothing short of impressive. Not only did we see the launch of a new desktop chip with the Core i7, but Intel then ramped up clock speeds, introduced lower cost mainstream variants of the platform, and then drove that technology down into the mobile market with the introduction of Clarksfield, otherwise known as Core i7 mobile. Of course all of that execution was centered around more powerful computing platforms
Read More ...
WebWill To Manage Your Digital Demise
Have you ever wondered what is going to happen to all the digital traces of your life after you pass away? To be honest, most of it will probably be available, and searchable, at least until they are de-indexed by search engines. However, a new start-up called WebWill hopes to at least close off the social networking parts of your life.WebWill is a Swedish start-up. Here's how they describe themselves in a blurb on their homepage:We live an increasing amount of our lives on-line, but what happens after we are
Read More ...
Dell Announces Quick-Boot System Called Latitude On Flash
Business users who want instant-on access to productivity tools without having to boot into the operating system will be interested in Dell's latest Latitude ON | FLASH offering. This optional memory module can boot up a computer in seconds. As the latest addition to the Latitude ON family, Latitude ON | FLASH runs on a special flash memory module that snaps into an internal mini-card slot on supported systems. The original Latitude ON is an OMAP-based add-in card that delivers instant access and all day battery
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SNL Skewers AT&T And Its Connection Issues
You know you're in trouble if your issues with coverage and signature product becomes the butt of Saturday Night Live, right? Very reminiscent of how John McCain knew his campaign was in trouble when SNL made jokes about Sarah Palin by using her own words, virtually verbatim. Thus, the iPhone and its issues became a highlight on SNL's Weekend Update Saturday night.It was a short blurb, but it made its point very well, as anchor Seth Meyers said:"It was reported this week that Google would soon launch its own
Read More ...
Apple Surpasses Windows Mobile To Take No. 2 User Base Slot In U.S.
According to research firm comScore, Apple's iPhone now has the second largest user base in the U.S. smartphone market, having surpassed Windows Mobile based phones. Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry still holds the No. 1 spot and enjoyed pretty significant growth throughout the year. Mark Donovan, senior analyst with Virginia-based comScore, said in the three months ending in October, nearly 9 million Americans used Apple's iPhone as their primary phone. In the study, nearly 15 million people identified
Read More ...
Asus Eee PC1005PE, Atom N450 Pinetrail Launch
If you consider Intel's design execution over the past 12 months or so, you'd have to admit it's nothing short of impressive. Not only did we see the launch of a new desktop chip with the Core i7, but Intel then ramped up clock speeds, introduced lower-cost mainstream variants of the platform, and then drove that technology down into the mobile market with the introduction of Clarksfield, otherwise known as Core i7 mobile. Of course all of that execution was centered around more powerful computing
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Survey: Wii Fit Doesn't Actually Get Families To Exercise Or Lose Weight
Nintendo has always marketed their Wii console as the one to get ifyou're looking to get up off of the sofa and start moving. Indeed, manyhave been inclined to move about somewhat with the wildly popular WiiSports title that Nintendo (smartly) includes in the bundle, but ifyou're looking for so much movement that you'll shed a few pounds, youmay be looking in the wrong direction. A not-so-shiny research reportfrom the halls of Ole Miss found that the Wii Fit title--a game thatlets users select a workout regimen and then do those exercises byinteracting with the Wii controller and Wii Balance Board--doesn'tactually encourage families to exercise nearly as much as previouslyexpected.In fact, the study found that "the console has little effect on familyfitness." The research was conducted by Scott Owens, an associateprofessor of health and exercise science at the university. He startedthe research in the fall of 2008, looking to see if Wii Fit could helpfamilies get into the habit of exercising. Naturally, the study wasdone with the rising level of obesity in mind, with a six-month look ateight families giving him the data he needed to draw his conclusions.
The findings? Well, his elaborate record keeping saw that kids did infact display "significant increases in aerobic fitness after threemonths with the Wii Fit," but three months of Wii Fit use "produced nosignificant changes in daily physical activity, muscularfitness, flexibility, balance or body composition for families as awhole." So much for exchanging your gym membership for a video game,huh?
Furthermore, his research found that "daily Wii Fit use per householddeclined by 82 percent, from 22 minuteper day during the first six weeks to four minutes per day during thesecond six weeks, leading Owens to conclude that the Wii Fit had littleimpact on daily fitness and that that “modest amounts of daily Wii Fituse may have provided insufficient stimulus for fitness changes." Theuniversity seems pretty confident in the findings, and based on whatwe've seen in families that own the title, we agree. It's a hot andnovel toy at first, but it doesn't take long to grow old. Andregardless of the difficulty setting, nothing we've seen can reallymake the user burn a great deal of calories. Time to bust (back) outthe weights, we guess.
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Raytheon Unveils iPhone App For The Battlefield
Joining the "yeah, there's an app for that" party is yet anotherpreviously unexpected guests: war companies. Raytheon, which isconsidered a US defense contractor, has just recently made publicinformation that shows their efforts to make new iPhone applicationsthat could morph the smartphone into a battlefield necessity. Ofcourse, this isn't the first time we've heard that the iPhone couldmake a great tool out in the warzones, but it's easily the first caseof a major company backing such an endeavor.The program is set to be called One Force Tracker (or OFT, for short),and it will utilize features that are already a vital part of thetouch-screen based phone. According to Tushar Patel, head of AdvancedPrograms and Technology at Raytheon's Network Centric Systems: "We havedeveloped a situational awareness application based on militarymessaging standards that provide multimedia access, audio and textualpoint of interest, free text messaging, collaborative planning, spotreports and emergency call for fire. Raytheon is a leader in securedwireless networking. Combining thatwith Apple's expertise allows us to provide rapid, low-risk andaffordable interoperable system solutions."
We know that all sounds like a bunch of fluff, but here's the detail inall of it: the software could use cell tower, Internet data andaccelerometers to react to physical positioning, and it could also beused by medical practitioners, firefighters and other emergencyemployees answering to adversity. As you might expect, the companyseems to be keeping the exact purpose(s) of the app close to theirchest. We're guessing they don't want any copycats hitting the AppStore before they have their own out, but now the real question iswhether or not Apple can convince the military branches that iPhonesare needed for field work. We can't imagine too many soldierscomplaining about the idea, though.
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Blu-ray 3D Specification Is Final: 1080p Through Goggles Coming Soon To The Living Room
With just about everyone hopping on the 3D bandwagon (firms like Sonyand NVIDIA included), we figured it was only a matter of time beforethe powers that be granted the 3D specification for Blu-ray theapproval it needed to move forward as a serious, backed format. Sureenough, that is exactly what has happened this week, and just in timefor the demonstrations at CES to begin in early 2010.The Blu-ray Disc Association, which obviously oversees the forwardprogress of the BD format, announced that the Blu-ray 3D specificationhad finally been finalized and readied for release. According to it,the spec will "enable the home entertainment industry to bring the 3Dexperience into consumers’ living rooms on Blu-ray Disc," but we stillhave to wonder how many Blu-ray owners will be willing to watch filmson their players with goggles. There's no question that 3D is beingforce-fed to consumers, and in cinemas, it seems to be generatingmostly positive buzz. Getting the same type of hype into the livingroom could prove to be much more difficult, but having a Blu-ray 3Dspec around is definitely great news for advocates.
The spec will allow for full 1080p content to be displayed in 3D, andit should work on any display (plasma, LCD, etc.) We're told that thepaperwork should be printed and ready for release "shortly," thoughthere's no word on how quickly manufacturers can wrap this stuff intotheir next wave of products. A few highlights are listed below.
“From a technological perspective, it is simply the best available platform for bringing 3D into the home,†said Benn Carr, chairman, BDA 3D Task Force. “The disc capacity and bit rates Blu-ray Disc provides enable us to deliver 3D in Full HD 1080p high definition resolution.â€
The Blu-ray 3D specification is also designed to allow PS3 game consoles to play back Blu-ray 3D content in 3D. Additionally, the specification supports playback of 2D discs in forthcoming 3D players and can enable 2D playback of Blu-ray 3D discs on the large installed base of Blu-ray Disc players currently in homes around the world.
“In 2009 we saw Blu-ray firmly establish itself as the most rapidly adopted packaged media format ever introduced,†said Matsuda. “We think the broad and rapid acceptance Blu-ray Disc already enjoys with consumers will be a factor in accelerating the uptake of 3D in the home. In the meantime, existing players and libraries can continue to be fully enjoyed as consumers consider extending into 3D home entertainment.â€
The Blu-ray 3D specification calls for encoding 3D video using the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) codec, an extension to the ITU-T H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) codec currently supported by all Blu-ray Disc players. MPEG4-MVC compresses both left and right eye views with a typical 50% overhead compared to equivalent 2D content, and can provide full 1080p resolution backward compatibility with current 2D Blu-ray Disc players. The specification also incorporates enhanced graphic features for 3D. These features provide a new experience for users, enabling navigation using 3D graphic menus and displaying 3D subtitles positioned in 3D video.
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NorhTec Gecko Surfboard: The $99 Full-Sized Keyboard With A PC Within
The Eee Keyboard has been on our minds since Asus first announced itmonths upon months ago. We've heard a few release dates, and we'vewatched the days go by as delays set in. As of now, the device seems tohave slipped from most everyone's mind. We're sure it'll make a revivedpush for attention when Asus finally does get everything worked out soit can produce it for the masses, but until then, you can expectsmaller names to jump at the chance to ride the wave that has alreadybeen created for it. Take NorhTec, for example. These guys have been known for producinglower-end, lower-cost goods that don't do much else other than spruceup an already thriving market, but oftentimes it's companies such asthis that end up making out after bigger firms have shelled outmillions to make something come together. The Gecko Surfboard is anear-rip of the Asus Eee Keyboard, but there are two main differences.For starters, this device lacks a built-in screen, and secondly, it hasa price tag of just $99.
As you'd expect, a full PC lies within the confines of the keyboardcase, with a 1GHz CPU powering things and working alongside an SD/SDHCcard slot, a 2.5" IDE hard drive, 512MB of RAM, an Ethernet port,Wi-Fi, two USB 2.0 ports, a serial socket, audio in/out jacks andVGA/composite outputs. The board is expected to make a formal debutshortly at CES 2010, with the Linux version to ship early next year for$99 and the Windows XP version for around $150. Anyone planning to snagone just to tinker with a new HTPC setup?
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Asus Eee PC1005PE, Atom N450 Pinetrail Platform Launch
If you consider Intel's design execution over the past 12 months or so, you'd have to admit it's nothing short of impressive. Not only did we see the launch of a new desktop chip with the Core i7, but Intel then ramped up clock speeds, introduced lower cost mainstream variants of the platform, and then drove that technology down into the mobile market with the introduction of Clarksfield, otherwise known as Core i7 mobile. Of course all of that execution was centered around more powerful computing platforms with larger form factors and the thermal and power budgets that go with them. These products, though huge contributors to Intel's bottom line, didn't cater to the ultra-mobile set of device Intel affectionately calls "Netbooks" and "MIDs" (Mobile Internet Devices) - the now cash-cow that Intel CEO, Paul Otellini holds near and dear to his heart, along with the company's investors.
Today we're here to give you a taste of the next generation of Atom processors that will execute on a plan of attack that Intel's rival, AMD, has been waving around as something called "fusion" for a long time now, but has yet to deliver. The Atom N450 processor is being launched today and it's comprised of a single core Atom chip with on-die graphics. This level of integration, as we've shown you recently, is also coming to Intel's notebook platforms, but today Atom gets it first for netbooks. In the pages ahead we'll take a closer look at a new Eee PC from Asus with this new low-power Atom technology under its hood...
Asus Eee PC1005PE, Atom N450 Pinetrail Platform Launch 
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Apple Surpasses Windows Mobile To Take No. 2 User Base Slot In U.S.
According to research firm comScore, Apple's iPhone now has the second largest user base in the U.S. smartphone market, having surpassed Windows Mobile based phones. Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry still holds the No. 1 spot and enjoyed pretty significant growth throughout the year.Mark Donovan, senior analyst with Virginia-based comScore, said in the three months ending in October, nearly 9 million Americans used Apple's iPhone as their primary phone. In the study, nearly 15 million people identified RIM as the maker of their primary smartphone. Microsoft's Windows Mobile phones were used by an estimated 7.1 million people during the same survey period. Based on comScore's research, approximately 36 million Americans own a smartphone, while around 196 million use a traditional cell phone.
Every three months, comScore compiles its results for a smartphone survey that collects data from thousands of U.S. consumers. This latest report focuses on the three-month period which ended in October of this year.
As Donovan cautioned, there's a difference between sales and user base: "The surveys aren't a measurement of sales velocity in the last quarter, but of the installed base using the phone as their primary." Donovan acknowledged that the iPhone has been outselling Windows Mobile phones for some time. "But there has been a large installed base of Windows Mobile phones out there, which accounts for its strength until recently."
Additional research from comScore indicates that Windows Mobile may be in for some additional hurt: Prospective smartphone buyers are leaning toward buying iPhones and Google Android-based phones in the next 90 days. Based on the data, 20% of users who plan to buy a smartphone in the next three months are likely to buy an iPhone, while 17% intend to buy an Android device. Of the group of prospective Android buyers, 8% specifically tagged Verizon's Droid as their expected buy.
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Dell Announces Quick-Boot System Called Latitude On Flash
Business users who want instant-on access to productivity tools without having to boot into the operating system will be interested in Dell's latest Latitude ON | FLASH offering. This optional memory module can boot up a computer in seconds.As the latest addition to the Latitude ON family, Latitude ON | FLASH runs on a special flash memory module that snaps into an internal mini-card slot on supported systems. The original Latitude ON is an OMAP-based add-in card that delivers instant access and all day battery life for business users of select notebooks. This latest addition fits in the middle of the Latitude ON options, between the Latitude ON Reader and the full OMAP version.
In a blog entry on Dell's Web site, Lionel Menchaca explained one of the benefits of Latitude ON | FLASH: "By running on a low-cost memory card Latitude ON | FLASH delivers a broad level of functionality at a significantly lower price point than the original Latitude ON OMAP-based offering." However, as Menchaca also points out, since the software doesn't run on a dedicated processor that requires significantly less power, you won't get the same multi-day battery life benefits that you would otherwise get with an Arm processor.
Dell is offering Latitude |ON FLASH as an option on new Latitude E4200, E4300, and Z machines for a $50 upgrade (hardware and software included).
Key Features include:
- Fast boot in 8-10 seconds
- Wi-Fi and LAN 10/100/1000 networking capabilities
- Secure environment with Multi-user login, strong password, and a locked-down environment that is tamper proof and malware/virus resistant
- Thin client capabilities with Web access or Citrix, VMware and RDP clients to access remote desktops.
- Chat and VoIP Chat capabilities supporting ICQ, MSN, Google Talk, AIM, Yahoo Messenger services.
- VoIP allows text, voice or video chat (using built-in webcam if present)
- Read Microsoft Office 2000, XP, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010 docs. Also, Adobe PDF 8.1 (requires internet connection)
- Edit Microsoft Office 2000, XP, 2000, 2003 and 2007 documents (requires internet connection)
- Supports IT pushed upgrades. User policies include Remote delete/wipe data, lock screen (after specified inactivity), force password change, delete accounts, failed password lockout
- Supports JAVA, Adobe Flash, Remote Desktop – Citrix, Remote Desktop – VMware, and Remote Desktop – RDP
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WebWill To Manage Your Digital Demise
Have you ever wondered what is going to happen to all the digital traces of your life after you pass away? To be honest, most of it will probably be available, and searchable, at least until they are de-indexed by search engines. However, a new start-up called WebWill hopes to at least close off the social networking parts of your life.WebWill is a Swedish start-up. Here's how they describe themselves in a blurb on their homepage:
We live an increasing amount of our lives on-line, but what happens after we are gone? What will happen to all our photos, blogs and social network accounts? Until now our digital identities have lived on without us, leaving our loved ones powerless to control them or wind them down. Webwill is a new service to change that, putting you in control even in the afterlife.The site is still pretty bare, but the company has a video explaining the program (below). The service will run on a "freemium" model, whereby simple deactivation of your accounts will be free. The paid version, about $30 annually, or $200 as a one-time fee, will add customization, such as delete this account, or put a final photo or post up on MySpace, and the like.
Sweden and Germany have a national registry that tracks people living in the country. In those areas, WebWill will cross-check their own database against the national registries weekly. In countries like the U.S., they will use verifiers: two people who will inform them of your demise; they will also need a death certificate. The company will launch in private beta next month in the U.S. and Sweden.
It's definitely a niche market, and the question is will anyone buy into it? There are people who are super-devoted to their social networking presence who might opt for this. If there was a way to ensure that passwords for online banking and other financial accounts were made available to survivors, we know of several who might be interested. آ Currently that information is track manually by these folks, and it is becoming a bit unwieldy. It does seem, from their description, that sort of functionality might be available.
Watch a video by the founders explaining WebWill. In this video they call the program "MyWebWill," which is their site's URL, but the site calls it WebWill.
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SNL Skewers AT&T And Its Connection Issues
You know you're in trouble if your issues with coverage and signature product becomes the butt of Saturday Night Live, right? Very reminiscent of how John McCain knew his campaign was in trouble when SNL made jokes about Sarah Palin by using her own words, virtually verbatim. Thus, the iPhone and its issues became a highlight on SNL's Weekend Update Saturday night.It was a short blurb, but it made its point very well, as anchor Seth Meyers said:
"It was reported this week that Google would soon launch its own cellphone as a challenge to the iPhone. Also a challenge to the iPhone? Making phone calls."Realistically, though, if the Google Phone were to launch on AT&T, it would have the same issues. This is an AT&T issue, not an Apple issue. آ At the very least, it's an issue involving both, as some have theorized.
Watch the video:
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you guys here and your family. Hope you have a safe and enjoable time and wish you all well! Oh yeah Happy New year just in case I cant near an internet connection and Happy Bday to me Thursday!!!
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