AVADirect Clevo X8100 Core i7 Gaming Notebook Review
There are two main types of road warriors in this world. First, there are the ones who value portability over all else. These users are more concerned with battery life and ease of transportation than they are with raw performance, and it's because of them that netbooks -- the very epitome of portability -- have become such a popular market segment. At the other end of the spectrum sit the users who crave as much performance as they can get, and they're willing to trade battery life and lightweight designs to
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Acer To Demo Netbook With Google's Chrome OS
Acer plans to show off the first netbook that operates on Google's Chrome OS at a trade show in early June. According to various news reports, Acer will show the device at the Computex Taipei show on June 1-5. Acer hasn't confirmed these reports, but has said the company will be one of the first hardware manufacturers to offer a Chrome OS-based device. Google plans to release the OS in the later part of this year and has confirmed that Chrome OS-based netbooks will begin appearing by year's end. Announced late
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Dell CEO Shows Off Android-Powered Streak
Following months of speculation, leaked photos, and even a hands-on preview from several months back, Dell has finally gone and announced its Streak mini-tablet, though not by way of a press release. Instead, Micheal Dell surprised attendees at the Citrix Synergy conference when he went on onstage for his keynote speech, shoved his hand in his pocket, and whipped out the Streak for the device's first-ever public demo. "The device we use to access our information shouldn't matter anymore," Dell said as he prepared
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Bluebox Avionics Reveals World's First iPad In-Flight Entertainment System
Apple's iPad is the talk of the tech world. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, and whether or not you think leaving Flash support out was a smart move, Steve Jobs and Company have managed to re-capture the attention of the public in a way that hasn't happened since the days of the original iPhone. Everyone is captivated, and everyone is looking to take advantage. Including a company that you've probably never heard of before: Bluebox Avionics. This company has leaped into the mainstream by making one
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Another Foxconn Worker Falls Off Building and Dies
Nobody seems to know what's going on at Foxconn's China operations, only that something isn't right. According to a Reuters report, yet another Foxconn worker has fallen off a building and died, prompting speculation as to the real cause. Depending on who you listen to, this is either the seventh (Reuters) or ninth (DigiTimes) time an employee has fallen from a Foxconn dormitory to his death. Foxconn, who some of you might remember for its own-branded motherboards and videocards before switching focus to serving
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HTC Unveils Android 2.1-Based Wildfire Smartphone
Who could have seen this coming? HTC, the maker of the Nexus One and about 500 other smartphones, has introduced yet another smartphone. Crazy! We're kidding, but HTC really are breaking out more smartphones than the average human can keep count of, and the Wildfire is just the latest in what feels like a never-ending string of new devices. Just as soon as one new HTC hits the market, another one comes along to make you wonder if you should have waited. In this case however, the Wildfire isn't a new top dog.
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Dell Introduces AMD-Powered Inspiron M301z Ultraportable
AMD's latest CPU launches have just about everyone in the CPU world excited, even those that aren't generally fans of AMD. These new chips provide serious competition in a world owned by Intel, and that's exactly what we need if we want prices to sink and innovation to thrive. Dell has been known to include AMD options in their computers before, but lately, they've been hard to find. Now, a new ultraportable from the company is bringing the duo back in action, with the Inspiron M301z offering users the choice
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MSI Debuts 15.6" CX623 Multi-Media Notebook With Core i5
We've gone nearly two whole weeks now without a new notebook from MSI, and that just seems extraordinarily long. MSI agrees. That's why the company is breaking their laptop silence today with yet another classic mainstream option, the CX623. It's the latest machine in the company's growing family of multi-media notebooks with this one having a traditional 15.6" LCD along with newer components from NVIDIA and Intel. Within, there's a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 310M on the GPU front, while a Core i5 processor is available
Read More ...
Albatron Makes Any LCD A Multi-Touch Panel With EM215
We figured it would only be a matter of time before this happened, and now that touch panels are really taking off, Albatron is looking to take advantage of a huge market opportunity. Today, the only (easy) way to enjoy a touch experience is to totally upgrade your machine; you either have to buy a new touch-ready all-in-one PC, a new touch-ready notebook or a new touch-ready LCD. Basically, you're looking at a new investment in hardware at the very least. But Albatron has a solution that's far cheaper than
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Many Wireless Subscribers Are Going Commitment-Free
There has been a significant increase in the amount of people that are opting for commitment-free cell phone plans. According to the New Millennium Research Council, about one in five Americans with a cell phone is using a prepaid plan. In addition to the benefit of not being tied to a contract, many users have found prepaid plans that cost less per month than contract plans. Many of today's most popular phones such as the iPhone and DROID require a contract. Given the cost savings, many customers are foregoing
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Palm Pre Plus Goes On Sale At AT&T: $149.99 On 2-Year Contract
The timing is strange, but regardless, WebOS has finally, officially landed on AT&T. The Palm Pre Plus isn't the newest smartphone on the market, but it's WebOS' first landing on America's largest GSM carrier. What's odd, though, is no one really knows about the future of WebOS, and the future of Palm as a whole lies entirely in the hands of HP, who decided to acquire the company a few weeks ago. Just under a week ago, AT&T confirmed that the Pre Plus was coming "soon," and today the phone officially
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Dell Doesn't Think The Smartphone Will Kill The PC
Now this is interesting. Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell, Inc., apparently feels that the smartphone will never kill off the PC, yet he himself has recently invested loads of company funds while breaking into the already saturated smartphone market. This is also coming from the man who has a 5" Slate PC on the horizon (the Dell "Streak"), and who has been scaling back desktop manufacturing for months on end. So, why the mixed words? Well, Michael was caught showing off the slate we mentioned above at the Citrix
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Microsoft Likens Internet Explorer 6 To Spoiled Milk
Here's something you probably already knew: Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser has been around awhile, with varying editions carrying on through the years. IE 6, for whatever reason, was a version that saw huge adoption, and with so many non-upgraded Windows XP machines still in use, it's no surprise that a huge majority of Web surfing still goes on via Internet Explorer 6. But IE6 is old. Way old. And even Microsoft knows it. The world, including Microsoft, has moved on, but legions of Web users have not.
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AVADirect Clevo X8100 Core i7 Gaming Notebook Review
There are two main types of road warriors in this world. First, there are the ones who value portability over all else. These users are more concerned with battery life and ease of transportation than they are with raw performance, and it's because of them that netbooks -- the very epitome of portability -- have become such a popular market segment. At the other end of the spectrum sit the users who crave as much performance as they can get, and they're willing to trade battery life and lightweight designs
Read More ...
Dell Doesn't Think The Smartphone Will Kill The PC
Now this is interesting. Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell, Inc., apparently feels that the smartphone will never kill off the PC, yet he himself has recently invested loads of company funds while breaking into the already saturated smartphone market. This is also coming from the man who has a 5" Slate PC on the horizon (the Dell "Streak"), and who has been scaling back desktop manufacturing for months on end.So, why the mixed words? Well, Michael was caught showing off the slate we mentioned above at the Citrix Synergy user conference in San Francisco, where it was loaded with a "Citrix receiver that allowed him a choice of several desktop environments, as well as native Android apps and social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter." His point was to show that people don't want a new device to rule them all, they simply want varied devices to access the same data. To quote:
"What's converging is the data, not the device. It's not clear that one device replaces another. Some are better for carrying with you. Others are for consuming content, others are better for creating content. There is an application infrastructure growing up significantly around devices like the iPad. Does this create new uses, new demand, or does it replace something else? Seem to me it creates new uses.Amazingly, it seems as if the head of Dell and the head of Apple agree on something here. At the original iPad launch even, Steve Jobs stated that the iPad was a "third device." Something that fit in-between the iPhone and the personal computer. Dell tends to agree in that smaller, more powerful mobile devices aren't actually in the running to replace PCs, but to simple provide another avenue of exploration into content. To some extent, we agree. But we still think that hardware convergence is real. Now, no one needs a clock if they have a smartphone. No one needs an MP3 player if they have a smartphone. No one needs a pager if they have a smartphone. The list goes on and on, but sure enough, we can't actually say that no one needs a PC if they own a smartphone. So after all that, yeah Dell, we guess you're right.
When it comes to desktop virtualization, some people say, Dell, you're a PC guy, so you don't want this. But when something comes along that is very valuable for customers, if you stand in the way, you do so at your own peril. Server virtualization, client virtualization -- we embrace them."
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Albatron Makes Any LCD A Multi-Touch Panel With EM215
We figured it would only be a matter of time before this happened, and now that touch panels are really taking off, Albatron is looking to take advantage of a huge market opportunity. Today, the only (easy) way to enjoy a touch experience is to totally upgrade your machine; you either have to buy a new touch-ready all-in-one PC, a new touch-ready notebook or a new touch-ready LCD. Basically, you're looking at a new investment in hardware at the very least.
But Albatron has a solution that's far cheaper than any of those other options. The EM215 is expected to launch in a few weeks at Computex in Taiwan, with this External Multi-Touch Module allowing consumers to make their existing monitor touch-ready "within one minute." 60 seconds may be a stretch (or maybe not, we suppose), but at any rate this should do the trick pretty quickly.It's reportedly tool and driver-free, and it supports standard Windows gestures. The only catch is that you need a 21.5" LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio, but that's generally a fairly common size. We also think the company could eventually ship multiple sizes of these devices if there's demand, since the technology should be scalable. No pricing details were mentioned, but if you're interested, keep an eye out for news to come straight from Computex.
Upgrade LCD monitor to Touch monitor by yourself ~ Albatron External Multi-touch module – EM215
Albatron,Taipei 2010/05/15 – Do you wanna experience touch monitor in the fastestand economic way? Albatron Technology is going to launch an ExternalMulti-touch Module – EM215 during Computex 2010. EM215 adopts withoptical technology, and compatible with Windows touch structure;furthermore, you can easily install EM215 within 1 minute.Windows 7 supports touch technology perfectly; however, mostusers cannot enjoy touch technology unless they buy the new PC ormonitors that are “touch readyâ€. In order to make more users can enjoythe benefit of touch technology, Albatron, the optical touch monitormanufacturer designed the “External multi-touch module – EM215â€. Byhanging EM215 on existed LCD monitor, you can upgrade your LCD monitorto touch monitor easily.
To comparewith others touch module, EM215 has the advantages of the followingfeatures:
- EM215 is the first external touch module that designed for multimedia LCD monitor by its 16:9 aspect ratio.
- Tool & driver free; easy to install.
- Supports Windows standard gestures.
- No need to use specific stylus, user can input touch signal by finger, pen or ruler as stylus. Even when wearing glove, user can still use touch function.
- Optical touch structure; ultra durable & extreme accurate.
- Covered with tempered glass, scratch free.
EM215 isdesigned for all 21.5†LCD monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio and compatiblewith all 16:9 or 4:3 monitors that have small display area than478mm*269mm. with EM215, even children and elders can operation PC withintuition.
Specification
Principle
Optical structure
Sensor refresh rate
120 frames/ sec
Touch resolution
32767*32767
Tempered glass thickness
1.9mm +0.1/ -0.2mm
Calibration
In-factory calibration, user calibration free
Interface
USB HID multi-touch digitizer
Power
Operation
Suspend
OS
Microsoft Windows 7 (multi-touch, driver free)
Windows XP/ Vista(single touch)
Compatible monitor
Best for 21.5â€/ 16:9 LCD monitor
Compatible with all 16:9 & 4:3 LCD monitor that display area
smaller than 478mmx269mm
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AVADirect Clevo X8100 Core i7 Gaming Notebook Review
There are two main types of road warriors in this world. First, there are the ones who value portability over all else. These users are more concerned with battery life and ease of transportation than they are with raw performance, and it's because of them that netbooks -- the very epitome of portability -- have become such a popular market segment. At the other end of the spectrum sit the users who crave as much performance as they can get, and they're willing to trade battery life and lightweight designs to get it. At the extreme end, we call these mobile PCs 'desktop replacements,' which is exactly what they are.
Boutique system builder AVADirect deals with PCs of all shapes and sizes, and the one we're looking at today -- the Clevo X8100 -- is every bit a desktop replacement rig, and then some...
AVADirect Clevo X8100 Core i7 Gaming Notebook Review
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Google Gives Users A Reason To Hang On To Educational Email Addresses
In the past, invites for Google's Voice service could take anywhere from a few hours to several months to arrive after a user signs up. Recently, however, the company announced that it would give priority to users with an .edu email address. In fact, the company has promised that if you cough up an email address that ends in .edu, you'll get a Google Voice invite within 24 hours. You can visit google.com/voice/students to submit your address.
Google Voice invites for students
We’ve found that Google Voice can be useful in many different ways to many different people. But one group of people that it’s especially well-suited for is students. We’ve heard college students in particular really appreciate getting their voicemail sent to their email, sending free text messages and reading voicemail transcriptions rather than listening to messages (especially handy while in class).
But since Google Voice is currently only available by invite, a lot of students are still listening to voicemail and sending text messages the old-fashioned way. As a recent college graduate, I can’t think of anything more painful! So starting today, we’ll be giving priority Google Voice invites to students. To get an invite, just visit google.com/voice/students and enter an email address that that ends in .edu.
So if you’re a student, submit your email address and a Google Voice invite will arrive in your inbox within 24 hours. Keep in mind that only one invite will be sent per email address and Google Voice is currently only available in the U.S. And if you’re new to Google Voice, check out our introductory videos at youtube.com/googlevoice.
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Dell CEO Shows Off Android-Powered Streak
Following months of speculation, leaked photos, and even a hands-on preview from several months back, Dell has finally gone and announced its Streak mini-tablet, though not by way of a press release. Instead, Micheal Dell surprised attendees at the Citrix Synergy conference when he went on onstage for his keynote speech, shoved his hand in his pocket, and whipped out the Streak for the device's first-ever public demo."The device we use to access our information shouldn't matter anymore," Dell said as he prepared to show off the Streak. "Whether it's a phone, or a notebook, a netbook, or a desktop PC, your client image can follow you everywhere.
"Actually, I've got a new little device here," Dell continued as he pulled out the Streak. "I've got my Citrix Receiver on here; we can log in an capture our desktop. I've got six different desktop planes here, I've got my Android applications, I can see what's going on at Twitter and Facebook."
Dell went on to say that the Streak will be available in Europe next month, followed by a U.S. launch later this summer through AT&T. While the final specs weren't revealed, the prototype Engadget played with back in February sported a 5-inch 800x480 capacitive display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G support, 1.63GB of storage, microSD slot, and a 5MP camera with Flash.
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Another Foxconn Worker Falls Off Building and Dies
Nobody seems to know what's going on at Foxconn's China operations, only that something isn't right. According to a Reuters report, yet another Foxconn worker has fallen off a building and died, prompting speculation as to the real cause. Depending on who you listen to, this is either the seventh (Reuters) or ninth (DigiTimes) time an employee has fallen from a Foxconn dormitory to his death.Foxconn, who some of you might remember for its own-branded motherboards and videocards before switching focus to serving customers like Apple and Sony Ericsson, has come under fire for the welfare of its employees after what some have speculated are a spate of suicides. Whether or not that's the case with this latest incident isn't yet known (again, depending on who you ask), but that's something the police are investigating, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
If all this isn't bizarre enough, DigiTimes is reporting that the victim was found with four knife wounds to the chest, adding that local police have indeed ruled it a suicide saying that the wounds were self-inflicted.
Foxconn owns a factory base in Shenzhen where some 300,000 employees work in around the clock shifts producing parts and devices for some of the world's biggest computer and phone companies.
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Acer To Demo Netbook With Google's Chrome OS
Acer plans to show off the first netbook that operates on Google's Chrome OS at a trade show in early June. According to various news reports, Acer will show the device at the Computex Taipei show on June 1-5. Acer hasn't confirmed these reports, but has said the company will be one of the first hardware manufacturers to offer a Chrome OS-based device. Google plans to release the OS in the later part of this year and has confirmed that Chrome OS-based netbooks will begin appearing by year's end.
Announced late last year, the Chrome OS has become an attractive option to some manufacturers because it doesn't require a ton of resources. This lightweight, browser-based platform enables devices to boot almost immediately. Holding true to Google's vision of cloud computing, the Chrome OS has a strong emphasis on cloud-based applications and storage. As we reported last month, Chrome could help users cut the cord with their printers forever by enabling cloud-based printing. The Chrome OS uses a Linux kernel derived from Ubuntu.
Acer isn't the only manufacturer that is planning to offer devices built around the Chrome OS. Samsung, ASUS, and Lenovo are also expected to launch Chrome OS devices. In addition, Dell has shown a demo of Chrome running on a netbook.
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MSI Debuts 15.6" CX623 Multi-Media Notebook With Core i5
We've gone nearly two whole weeks now without a new notebook from MSI, and that just seems extraordinarily long. MSI agrees. That's why the company is breaking their laptop silence today with yet another classic mainstream option, the CX623. It's the latest machine in the company's growing family of multi-media notebooks with this one having a traditional 15.6" LCD along with newer components from NVIDIA and Intel.
Within, there's a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 310M on the GPU front, while a Core i5 processor is available on the CPU end. There's also a pair of DDR3 RAM slots, a 1366x768 resolution panel, 2.5" hard drive slot (320GB/500GB available), a 4-in-1 card reader, a six-cell battery, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v2.1, 1.3MP webcam, internal speakers and a variety of ports including VGA, HDMI eSATA, USB 2.0 x 2, mic-input, headphone-output, Ethernet, and a Kensington lock port.
As with many other notebooks these days, MSI is shipping this one with a chiclet-styled keyboard, and the cover/wrist areas are covered in the company's film print coating to protect these high-use areas from wear and tear. There's no mention of a price yet, but it should (hopefully) provide quite a value when it ships in the next few months.
MSI CX623—Enjoy Next Generation Multimedia Today
MSI just unveiled the newest member of its Classic series of notebook computers—a 15.6" model with a high end nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card (DDR3 1GB VRAM) and the all new Intel Core processor, so you can enjoy next generation multimedia performance today.
Taipei—The CX623, the 15.6†laptop with discrete graphics card recently added to MSI's Classic series arsenal, just hit the market. Equipped with the latest Intel Core processor and the nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card (DDR3 1GB VRAM), the CX623 offers the best multimedia processing capabilities out there. What's more, the CX623 comes with MSI’s own color film print coating with cross-hatch design and MSI's chiclet keyboard, accentuating its minimalist, stylish exterior.
MSI Marketing Director Sam Chern explains that the CX623 employs the latest Intel Core processor with nVdia discrete graphics card and MSI's exclusive GPU Boost technology. The nVdia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card enables the CX623 to automatically detect the load status of applications currently being used and to perform intelligent dynamic switching between the discrete graphics card and integrated display chip. It works hand in hand with MSI's ECO engine power saving technology, which allows you to select from among five power management levels, so you use just the right amount of power for the task at hand, allowing the CX623 to strike the ideal balance between quality multimedia performance, processing performance, and maximum battery life.
Next generation multimedia pleasure
All new Intel® Core™ processor: The CX623 comes equipped with Intel's latest Arrandale platform with advanced Intel® Core™ processor and HM55 chipset with Intel Hyper-Threading technology (Intel Core i5 processor model) and integrates the graphics core into the processor for less power consumption than previous generations of processor platforms, giving it 15% more battery life. The vastly enhanced integrated graphics core performance gives the CX623 unparalleled multimedia and processing performance.
nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card (with DDR3 1GB VRAM): The CX623 comes with nVidia's latest GeForce 310M discrete graphics card with 1GB DDR3 of display memory. Graphics core performance is better than that of previous generations, offering a superior visual experience with enhanced display performance consisting of crisper picture and sharper colors.
HDMI: MSI's CX623 notebook also features an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) digital multimedia port that delivers 5GB of video bandwidth at 1080p resolution for video content. It gives clean, true-to-life images.
New generation power saving technology
Intelligent GPU Boost technology: The CX623 offers MSI's own intelligent GPU Boost technology which finds a balance between performance and battery life. Aided by the nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card, the GPU Boost technology detects the graphics performance load status of the application currently being used and automatically switches between the discrete graphics card and integrated display chip, so when the system is performing high resolution tasks, like 3D games and graphics processing, the GPU Boost automatically selects the discrete graphics card mode to provide optimal image processing performance. When you're doing less power-hungry tasks, like word processing or cruising the Internet, the system switches back to the integrated chip mode to optimize battery life.
ECO engine power saving technology: The CX623 comes with MSI's exclusive ECO engine power saving technology which allows you to select from among five power management levels—Game, Film, Presentation, Word Processing, and Turbo Battery, automatically adjusting image brightness, on/off switch, and sleep mode settings, maximizing battery flexibility to give you the most battery time per charge.
Classic minimalism—the epitome of MSI craftsmanship
Color film print coating with chic cross-hatch design: The cover and wrist rest areas of the CX623 are graced with MSI's stylish color film print coating with cross-hatch design to protect it from scratches and wear. This 15.6" machine with shimmering exterior and 45-degree beveled edges tips the scales at less than 2.5Kg. It's the ideal partner for mobile entertainment.
MSI's own chiclet keyboard: The CX623 comes with the latest independent chiclet keyboard, so whether you’re engaged in word processing or instant messaging, you’ll find yourself impressed by solid touch of the keys and you'll find that you don’t hit the wrong keys by mistake as much. The color film print coating with cross-hatch design on the cover and wrist areas combine with the chiclet keyboard to underscore the CX623's unparalleled minimalist tastefulness.
Classic design touchpad: Chic and unassuming, the CX623 is equipped with MSI's unique touchpad and sophisticated color film print coating with cross-hatch design for a more comfortable experience. The wrist area and touchpad come together to make the CX623 laptop the perfect blend of technology and art.Â
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HTC Unveils Android 2.1-Based Wildfire Smartphone
Who could have seen this coming? HTC, the maker of the Nexus One and about 500 other smartphones, has introduced yet another smartphone. Crazy! We're kidding, but HTC really are breaking out more smartphones than the average human can keep count of, and the Wildfire is just the latest in what feels like a never-ending string of new devices. Just as soon as one new HTC hits the market, another one comes along to make you wonder if you should have waited.
In this case however, the Wildfire isn't a new top dog. Instead, it's a mid-range smartphone that could eventually sell for under $100 on contract in the States, joining phones like the LG Ally in the new sub-$100 sector, while phones like the Droid Incredible launch at the $199-on-contract price point. But calling this phone mid-range is somewhat of a disservice. There's plenty on the Wildfire to love and appreciate, with Android 2.1 onboard, HTC's Sense user interface, a 525MHz Qualcomm MSM7225 processor, 3.2" QVGA touch display, Bluetooth v2.1, a 5MP camera, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, GPS/A-GPS, 512MB of Flash emory, 384MB of RAM, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD slot.
The Wildfire (great name, don't you think?) is expected to catch fire and spread like crazy in Europe/Asia later this year, though we suspect it will eventually make its way to America as well.
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE WITH HTC WILDFIRE
Share apps, updates and experiences with the latest social powerhouse from HTC
LONDON – 18 May, 2010, 07.00 CEST – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced HTC Wildfire™, a new HTC Sense-based Android phone that integrates the most popular social networks to help bring your friends closer to you. HTC Wildfire closely follows the success of the acclaimed HTC Desire and makes the company's signature HTC Sense experience accessible to a younger audience.
"Today's social networks provide an essential forum for friendship with more than 400 million users* – many of whom are young adults – actively sharing their lives with their friends through Facebook," said Florian Seiche, Vice President, HTC EMEA. "HTC Wildfire makes the HTC Sense experience available to young mobile users for the first time. It brings all your communications into one place, whether it's through Facebook, Twitter, text messages, images or email, ensuring that you are never far away from the conversation and always close to your friends."
HTC Wildfire helps you stay connected with those who are most important to you through HTC Sense, a user experience focused on putting people at the centre by making phones work in a more simple and natural way. You won't miss out on the fun as HTC's Friend Stream application seamlessly gathers and displays content from social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr into one organised stream of updates. HTC Wildfire enables you to stay up to date with your friends' posts, comments, alerts and photos, wherever you are.
In addition, each contact viewed in HTC Wildfire's address book includes a thread of recent communications with that person, including when you last spoke, recent text messages and emails, and social network updates. When your friend calls, HTC Caller ID displays their Facebook profile photo and latest update, as well as a reminder if their birthday is fast approaching.
Thanks to a new app sharing widget, HTC Wildfire enables you to recommend an application by email, text message or over social networks. Your friends will receive a link allowing them to find the application on the Android Market with a single click and download it to their phone.
Florian Seiche continued, "We understand that people need a better way to navigate their way through the tens of thousands of applications that are currently available on the Android Market. In fact, our own independent research found that consumers are not only hungry for the latest and most popular applications that their friends are using, they want an easier way to find and download them. For the first time ever, you can recommend the newest and coolest apps to a friend or group of friends with HTC Wildfire. With so many applications to choose from, there's a world of content to discover and pass along to your friends."
HTC's latest advanced smartphone is great for viewing and sharing photos on Flickr and for surfing the internet thanks to its 3.2-inch capacitive touch screen. A five-megapixel camera with auto focus and LED flash allows you to capture special moments, while a 3.5mm audio jack and micro SD card slot mean you are never without your favourite songs.
Availability
The new HTC Wildfire will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets from Q3 2010.
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Wearable Woofer Looks Awesome,......
This is an idea that an Iranian student had when neighboring student's computer sound systems were 'drowning him out' while they played games in the dorms. His device doesn't bother others at all.
It works by pumping sound vibrations directly into your ribcage and give you the feeling of 'totally being there'. Everyone who has tried it wants one. I'm gonna buy one of these as soon as they are available in July.
This is what they have to say on their website:
Kor-FX from Immerz takes PC gaming, movie viewing and music enjoyment to a whole new level. The technology is platform-independent and works with any device that has an audio output. The portable, lightweight device sits comfortably over the user's shoulders. Using entirely new acousto-haptic technology, the unit sends low-frequency vibrations into the chest cavity. The result? Users actually feel the experience. Gamers, in particular, benefit from KOR-fx because of its unique ability to provide directional feedback, creating an uncanny "7th Sense" awareness of where the next move is coming from, which can mean the difference between victory and defeat in a competitive virtual environment.
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Microsoft Likens Internet Explorer 6 To Spoiled Milk
Here's something you probably already knew: Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser has been around awhile, with varying editions carrying on through the years. IE 6, for whatever reason, was a version that saw huge adoption, and with so many non-upgraded Windows XP machines still in use, it's no surprise that a huge majority of Web surfing still goes on via Internet Explorer 6.But IE6 is old. Way old. And even Microsoft knows it. The world, including Microsoft, has moved on, but legions of Web users have not. In an effort to get those laggards to "get with the times," Microsoft has launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign to get people to upgrade from IE6, and they aren't even being coy about it.
The company has created the image you see here to express just how sour an experience using IE6 can be in 2010, with this tagline stealing the show: "You wouldn't drink 9-year old milk, so why use a 9-year old browser?" It makes a lot of sense, even if the parallel is a stretch. Here's Microsoft's official line on the matter, but before you even read it, we hope you take the time either toss IE entirely and opt for Firefox or Safari, or if you must, simply upgrade to the (still not perfect) IE8. Happy Surfing, old chaps!
When Internet Explorer 6 was launched in 2001, it offered cutting–edge security – for the time. Since then, the Internet has evolved and the security features of Internet Explorer 6 have become outdated.
With the latest state–of–the–art security features, Internet Explorer 8 is designed to cope with today's modern cyber crime. In fact, research studies prove it.
In a study by NSS Labs, Internet Explorer 8 caught socially engineered malware 85% of the time compared to Firefox 3's 29%,
Safari 4's 29% and Chrome's 17%.
To keep yourself safe,
don't use an out–of–date browser.
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Bluebox Avionics Reveals World's First iPad In-Flight Entertainment System
Apple's iPad is the talk of the tech world. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, and whether or not you think leaving Flash support out was a smart move, Steve Jobs and Company have managed to re-capture the attention of the public in a way that hasn't happened since the days of the original iPhone. Everyone is captivated, and everyone is looking to take advantage. Including a company that you've probably never heard of before: Bluebox Avionics.This company has leaped into the mainstream by making one of the smartest choices ever: integrating the world's most-talked-about Tablet PC into their next in-flight entertainment solution. Bluebox is a company that helps create and implement the in-flight entertainment solutions you see on long-haul flights, and the Bluebox Ai solution involves the iPad. It's a brilliant marketing tool, even if the idea really never takes off.
Basically, they're introducing the "world's first iPad in-flight entertainment system," saying that it's coming "sooner than you think." Details beyond that are hard to come by (the mystery builds the buzz, you know), but the only thing we can think of is that Bluebox-equipped flights will actually be handing out iPad devices to those who fly, and they can they select programming to watch or tune into various audio streams. But giving patrons a device to hold seems like a terrible idea. What if they drop it? What if they lose it? Do children get one? What if someone jailbreaks the thing onboard? What if someone "forgets" to return one? There are simply too many terrible scenarios for us to count, but we aren't counting these guys out until we've heard every detail on implementation.
One thing is for sure: we would be a lot more likely to give a certain airline a second look if we knew we could have a loaner iPad on-board for the entire flight. And if they coupled that with in-flight Wi-Fi, we'd pretty much be sold. We're suckers like that.
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Dell Introduces AMD-Powered Inspiron M301z Ultraportable
AMD's latest CPU launches have just about everyone in the CPU world excited, even those that aren't generally fans of AMD. These new chips provide serious competition in a world owned by Intel, and that's exactly what we need if we want prices to sink and innovation to thrive. Dell has been known to include AMD options in their computers before, but lately, they've been hard to find. Now, a new ultraportable from the company is bringing the duo back in action, with the Inspiron M301z offering users the choice of an AMD "Nile" Dual-Core Athlon II Neo K325 (1.3GHz) or a Turion II Neo K625 (1.5GHz).
The 13.3" widescreen machine ships with an HD display panel (1366x768), an AMD RS880M chipset with SB820 south bridge, integrated ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 graphics,, up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, Windows 7 Home Premium or Home Basic (64-bit), built-in speakers, a standard 320GB hard drive (7200RPM), 6-cell battery, 1.3MP webcam, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v2.1 and a Kensington lock slot. There's also HDMI-out a 7-in-1 card reader, audio jacks, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, a mini-DisplayPort output and a starting weight of just 3.89lbs.
Right now, the machine is only listed on Dell's Singapore website, but it should be available in other markets shortly. Pricing is expected to start around the $1000 mark, which--for an ultraportable as well-equipped and striking as this--isn't that unreasonable.
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Palm Pre Plus Goes On Sale At AT&T: $149.99 On 2-Year Contract
The timing is strange, but regardless, WebOS has finally, officiallylanded on AT&T. The Palm Pre Plus isn't the newest smartphone onthe market, but it's WebOS' first landing on America's largest GSMcarrier. What's odd, though, is no one really knows about the future ofWebOS, and the future of Palm as a whole lies entirely in the hands ofHP, who decided to acquire the company a few weeks ago.Just under a week ago, AT&T confirmed that the Pre Plus was coming"soon," and today the phone officially went on sale. For all intentsand purposes, this is the exact same phone that launched on VerizonWireless a few months ago, except with a GSM radio instead of a CDMAradio, of course. What's not aligned, however, is the pricing.
Verizon Wireless has had the phone so long that they have reduced thepricing to just $29.99 with a two-year contract, and users get MobileHotSpot thrown in for free. This allows users to turn on the datasignal on their Pre Plus, and up to five devices can "tether" over theconnection via Wi-Fi. Usually, carriers change an extra $30 on top ofthe $30/month for a normal data plan, but VZW throws it in for free.AT&T, on the other hand, will still charge you another $30/monthfor the extra tethering. And you'll pay significantly more up-front forthe phone itself: $149.99 on a two-year contract.
So, in the end, you're looking at an extra $120 up-front over Verizon,plus you don't get the Mobile HotSpot feature for free (a $30/monthvalue). We can't really imagine who would opt for this Pre Plus overthe one on Verizon, but it's available if you can think of a reason.The Pixi Plus, the Pre Plus' little brother, is scheduled to go on saleon AT&T June 6th.
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Many Wireless Subscribers Are Going Commitment-Free
There has been a significant increase in the amount of people that are opting for commitment-free cell phone plans. According to the New Millennium Research Council, about one in five Americans with a cell phone is using a prepaid plan. In addition to the benefit of not being tied to a contract, many users have found prepaid plans that cost less per month than contract plans.
Many of today's most popular phones such as the iPhone and DROID require a contract. Given the cost savings, many customers are foregoing the "cool" phones and opting for a basic phone without a two-year contract and a lower monthly fee.
A prepaid plan with unlimited calls and text messages is available for $45 per month. That's approximately half of what you'd pay on a two-year contract for a similar plan through Verizon Wireless or AT&T. Furthermore, many prepaid users don't need unlimited talk and text messaging as part of their plans. Customers at Tracfone, the largest independent provider of prepaid service, pay an average of $11 per month. Other users have found prepaid accounts with a small amount of minutes and unlimited text messaging best suit their needs.
In the past, prepaid plans were primarily marketed towards users who did not qualify for contract-based plans due to poor credit. As the economic recession has forced many people to cut costs, prepaid service has become more appealing to many users. In addition, many prepaid services have begun to offer better deals in recent years.
Considering there aren't a lot of new customers who are willing to sign contracts, it's possible prepaid service will get even more attractive due to greater competition. In the first quarter of this year, the seven largest wireless carriers in the U.S. expanded the total number of contract subscribers by just 230,000 people. In comparison to the entire customer base of 280 million, that number is fairly negligible. The seven largest prepaid carriers added about 3.1 million new subscribers in the first quarter. These trends have changed over the past couple of years. Two years ago, wireless carriers added 3 million subscribers under contract, and 2.3 million to prepaid plans.
The prepaid wireless market changed dramatically in January 2009 when Boost Mobile announced  a prepaid plan with unlimited minutes for $50 a month. Since then, Virgin Mobile, Tracfone, and a few other carriers have announced similar offerings.
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