IT-Code-News: IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 04/06/2010

Skype iPhone 3G App Downloads Approach 5 Million Mark
It's only been four days since Skype launched a new version of their Web app for the iPhone platform, and already it has been downloaded nearly 5 million times. The latest release allows iPhone owners to make and receive Skype-to-Skype calls over their 3G data connection, as well as call mobile and landlines at low rates. According to Reuters, demand for the updated app has been spread around three main regions, including Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific region. Despite the immense popularity, however,
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Kindle Invades Target Stores this Sunday
Shipping to stores in plenty of time for Father's Day (which falls on June 20th this year), Amazon's Kindle ebook reader will be available in all Target locations starting this Sunday, June 6th, the retail chain announced this week. Target will become the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry the Kindle. "Our guest’s response to Kindle has been overwhelmingly positive," said Mark Schindele, senior vice president, Target. "We are thrilled to bring guests nationwide this incredibly light, portable, easy-to-read
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Steve Jobs: The iPhone Was Born From The iPad, Not Vice-Versa
No one can ever debate the significance of the iPhone. It has changed society, it has changed the smartphone landscape, and it has changed the expectations of people when dealing with technology in general. Regardless of whether you personally dig the iPhone or not, there's little doubt that it's a game changer. But did you know that the iPad, which has sold 2 million units but still can't claim to have changed the world quite yet, had more to do with the iPhone than vice-versa? It's a pretty crazy thought,
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HTC Droid Incredible Review
The Android operating system has enjoyed a tremendous boom in popularity since the Motorola DROID was released. Since then, many additional Android-powered phones have come to market. One of the latest new Android phones is the Droid Incredible by HTC. The word "incredible" certainly invokes high expectations, so you can bet users will demand great things from this phone or there will be plenty of complaints. Given that the phone is made by HTC, a long-time and very popular player in the smartphone space, and
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Antec Goes for the Gold (Certification), Launches New PSU Series
The race for higher wattage power supplies has finally reached a tipping point where it's no longer feasible to keep cranking out higher rated units. Instead, PSU makers have shifted their focus to other areas in the PSU design process, most notably in efficiency. With that in mind, Antec becomes the latest to release a new line of 80 PLUS Gold certified power supplies. Antec says their new High Current Pro lineup uses a unique full-bridge phase-shift topology for fast response time and high efficiency without
Read More ...

Intel Expects Moorestown To Compete In Smartphone Space Early Next Year
NVIDIA has Tegra, ARM has the Cortex line, and Qualcomm has the Snapdragon family. These are the major players in the smartphone CPU war right now, and there seems to be plenty of options to go around. But of course, as a microprocessor company, Intel isn't going to just sit around on the sidelines while everyone else wins business in a growing category. The Atom platform is being tweaked and expanded to include Moorestown, which is a new low-drain arm of Atom that will work nicely in MIDs, smartphones and even
Read More ...

VIA Introduces Dual-Core Nano DC Processor For Nettops
VIA makes tons of processors that you probably never really think about. Embedded stuff, stuff that ends up in factories, point-of-sale machines and small, integrated computers. Not often do VIA chips make their way out into the land of the average tech consumer, but a few of them have managed to power low-drain handheld devices, nettops, netbooks, etc. But now, VIA is looking to make a serious push into the desktop realm...or at least the small desktop realm. At the Computex trade show in Taiwan, the company
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AMD Aims To Merge GPU/CPU With Fusion APU
AMD has been pushing "Fusion" for about as long as we can remember, and the idea of merging the CPU and GPU certainly sounds good. Other companies are definitely trying to accomplish similar goals with rivaling technologies, but the main problem for AMD has been producing a working product that can be shipped on existing products. At the Computex show in Taiwan this week, AMD put their biggest stamp of approval yet on Fusion by introduction the Fusion APU technology. The announcement was followed by the launch
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Panasonic Adds To Lumix Line With New Compact
Panasonic released the newest addition to its Lumix line of high-end compact cameras. The new Lumix DMC-FX75 is a 14.1 megapixel shooter with a 24-120mm ultra-wide-angle f2.2-f5.9 lens and a 5x optical zoom. This camera can also record 720p HD video in the AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) Lite format. Other features include a 3-inch touchscreen interface that controls most of the camera functions, a new Motion Deblur mode, Intelligent Zoom mode, and a so-called Happy Mode which increases the saturation
Read More ...

AT&T Puts An End To Unlimited Data Plans
AT&T is rolling out new data plans for smartphones and tablets. Starting next Monday (the same day Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone), AT&T will begin offering new data plans with preset amounts of monthly data access. This also means that the current $30-per-month unlimited data plan will no longer be available to new users. The new data plans will offer users three options: DataPlus: This $15/month plan will provide for 200MB of data, which AT&T says will be enough to send/receive 1,000
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Intel Core i7-875K and i5-655K Unlocked
Once upon a time, not very long ago in fact, Intel vehemently frowned upon overclocking. There were even times leading up to new processor and chipset releases when it was rumored that Intel would bring an end to overclocking altogether. Thankfully, the rumors of overclocking's death were greatly exaggerated and we enthusiasts continue to practice its black magic to this very day. Intel's distaste for overclocking has obviously dwindled over the last few years, however. Whereas before, all of the company's processors
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Steve Jobs: The iPhone Was Born From The iPad, Not Vice-Versa

No one can ever debate the significance of the iPhone. It has changedsociety, it has changed the smartphone landscape, and it has changed theexpectations of people when dealing with technology in general.Regardless of whether you personally dig the iPhone or not, there'slittle doubt that it's a game changer. But did you know that the iPad,which has sold 2 million units but still can't claim to have changed theworld quite yet, had more to do with the iPhone than vice-versa?

It's a pretty crazy thought, but according to Apple's own CEO, it's atrue story. The iPad idea actually came first, with the iPhone conceptsimply growing from that. Chicken before the egg? Maybe, but on anothertrain of thought, this really makes sense. During the eighth annual AllThings Digital conference in California this week, Steve Jobs took thestage for an interview--one that was highly anticipated in the wake ofthe Foxconn events and the iPhone 4G leak. The questions were varied,and Jobs touched on quite a wide array of topics. But one thing he saidreally surprised us: the idea for the iPad was first at Apple, and theiPhone was second. Of course, they came to market in the opposite order,but that's the truth from the man himself.

Jobs said that Apple had an idea for getting rid of the keyboard andgoing to a multi-touch display in the early 2000s, and when a mockup of atablet was delivered to him, he stated: "My God, we can build a phoneout of this." And that's how it all began. A tablet brought about anidea for a phone, and the iPhone came about long before the iPad eversaw the light of day. This may explain, however, the rumors of an Appletablet that went back many, many years. The fact is that there was aconcept tablet or two floating around Apple's campus well before theiPhone came to light, but it was put on the shelf for awhile duringwhich Apple focused their resources on perfecting a phone.

So, on that note, does anyone have any guesses as to what wild productApple will introduce five years from now? We bet there's a crazy storyalready in the works.

Antec Goes for the Gold (Certification), Launches New PSU Series

The race for higher wattage power supplies has finally reached a tipping point where it's no longer feasible to keep cranking out higher rated units. Instead, PSU makers have shifted their focus to other areas in the PSU design process, most notably in efficiency. With that in mind, Antec becomes the latest to release a new line of 80 PLUS Gold certified power supplies.

Antec says their new High Current Pro lineup uses a unique full-bridge phase-shift topology for fast response time and high efficiency without the high pitched whine that's all too common in higher powered PSUs. The new series comes available in four different flavors, including the HCP-750 (750W), HCP-850 (850W), HCP-1000 (1000W), and HCP-1200 (you get the idea). All of these purportedly offer Continuous Power with at least 87 percent efficiency percent, 50 percent, and 100 percent loads, and that includes when temperatures ramp up to 50C.

Look for these to be available in July with prices to be determined at a later date.

New Series Features Four 80 PLUS^Â®Â Gold Certified Power Supplies, Attaining Highest Level of Efficiency and Performance Ratings
FREMONT, CA--(Marketwire - June 2, 2010) - Â Antec, Inc., the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets, today announced its newest premium line of consumer power supplies, the High Current Pro series. Available in four 80 PLUSÂ® Gold certified models, the High Current Pro series boasts unrivaled server-grade efficiency and reliability for powering the most demanding system builds.
The High Current Pro uses a unique full-bridge phase-shift topology for fast response time, superb efficiency and none of the annoying pitch noise typically found in higher-power PSUs. The HCP-750, HCP-850, HCP-1000 and HCP-1200 with 750 watts, 850 watts, 1000 watts and 1200 watts of Continuous Power, respectively, all achieve the highest 80 PLUSÂ® certification level, Gold, delivering their rated Continuous Power with least 87% efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% loads, even at up to 50Â°C -- a rare distinction in energy efficiency attained by very few other power supplies. In addition, Active Power Factor Correction (Active PFC) on all models, with a power factor above 0.9 helps reduce electrical waste and further increases efficiency.
Reliability-boosting PSU features on the High Current Pro include all Japanese-brand capacitors, DC-to-DC voltage regulators, and unique high-amperage High Current outputs that assure graphics card compatibility. Together, these features provide the performance and rock-solid stability required for cutting-edge gaming and professional systems.
"Antec's High Current Pro series is the optimal choice for users seeking a first-class solution to power demanding system builds," said Scott Richards, senior vice president of Antec. "With all four models achieving 80 PLUSÂ® Gold certification, providing unequaled efficiency and performance, on all levels, and using top-notch components, the HCP series once again demonstrates Antec's leadership in power supply design and innovation. "
The High Current Pro series' high levels of power are delivered over overcurrent-protected +12V rails -- four rails on the HCP-750 and HCP-850, five rails on the HCP-1000 and a massive eight rails on the HCP-1200, all with specialized High Current outputs, heavy-gauge 16 AWG high-current lines at the PCI-E sockets and unique 10-pin High Current Hybrid Cable Management connectors to deliver high power along with low power losses to wiring resistance.Â
Additional features include Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) double-ball bearing fans for operation up to 50 percent quieter than traditional voltage-controlled fans -- 135 mm on the HCP-750, HCP-850 and HCP-1000 and a specially configured, noise-optimized rear 80 mm fan configuration on the HCP-1200, Advanced Hybrid Cable Management to reduce cable clutter and improve airflow throughout the chassis, and double layer printed circuit board on all models -- with abundant dual double-layer PCBs on the HCP-1200 -- allow for heavy-duty components and larger traces that dissipate heat better, improving reliability and extending overall life.
The High Current Pro series includes support for Intel quad core, Core i3, Core i7 and Core i5 CPUs, as well as AMD Phemon II X6 CPUs and quad GPUs. All models are NVIDIAâ„¢ SLIâ„¢-Ready, (including Triple SLIâ„¢ certification on the HCP-1200 model) and ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ certified.
The entire High Current Pro series will be available through major retailers, e-tailers and distributors in July 2010 and is backed by Antec's AQ5 Antec Quality 5-Year limited warranty on parts and labor.
About Antec, Inc.
Antec, Inc. is the global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself markets. Founded in 1986, Antec is recognized as a pioneer in the industry and has maintained its position as a worldwide market leader and international provider of quiet, efficient and innovative products. Antec has also achieved great success in the distribution channel, meeting the demands of quality-conscious system builders, VARs and integrators.
Antec's offering of enclosures includes a wide range of cases, such as its advanced Performance One Series, economical New Solution Series and VERIS family of media components designed for the home theater PC market. Antec's products also include front line power supplies, such as its premium Signature Series, powerful TruePower Quattro Series and EarthWatts, one of the most environmentally friendly power supplies available. PC gamers are an increasingly significant consumer of performance components, and many Antec products are designed for the gaming demographic, like the premier gaming enclosure, the Nine Hundred. Antec also offers a line of computer accessories comprising many original products, including its patented LED fans and notebook cooling solutions.
Antec is headquartered in Fremont, California, with additional offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as well as in Germany, China and Taiwan. The company's products are sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Please visitÂ www.antec.comÂ for more information.

Intel Expects Moorestown To Compete In Smartphone Space Early Next Year

NVIDIA has Tegra, ARM has the Cortex line, and Qualcomm has theSnapdragon family. These are the major players in the smartphone CPU warright now, and there seems to be plenty of options to go around. But ofcourse, as a microprocessor company, Intel isn't going to just sitaround on the sidelines while everyone else wins business in a growingcategory. The Atom platform is being tweaked and expanded to includeMoorestown, which is a new low-drain arm of Atom that will work nicelyin MIDs, smartphones and even tablet PCs.

But it's going to be quite some time before Intel's ready to compete inthe space. During the Computex show this week, the company stated thatthey wouldn't be ready to ship a Moorestown-based smartphone beforeearly 2011, with tablets and slates to get the platform "first." Wearen't too surprised at the notion; shipping first in a tablet, whichhas less strict power and heat requirements due to the larger size,makes sense, and it will give Intel time to work out the problems withthermals.

But what will the smartphone landscape look like in 7-8 months? AnotherCPU will enter the fold (the A4 CPU expected in Apple's next generationiPhone), and we're certain that Qualcomm's dual-core 1.2GHz chip will betoasting benchmarks everywhere. Does the world really have room foranother smartphone chip? According to Intel, yes. Moorestown is shapingup to be the most powerful smartphone platform yet, with the ability totruly multi-task, play back 1080p video and even handle games like Worldof Warcraft right on your phone. Of course, we will have to wait until aproduct ships before blows are thrown, but next year's smartphone warsare bound to be exciting. We're guessing a MeeGo phone (or a Moblinphone) will be first to test Moorestown, but who knows--maybe Androidwill make a surprise appearance.

Motorola FLIPOUT Provides Most Unique Android Form Factor Yet

After the RAZR, Motorola basically fell out of favor with consumers in the cellphone world. There were simply too many other great options from Apple, HTC, Samsung, LG, etc., and Motorola was largely viewed as a "has-been" in the industry. All of that changed when the DROID was launched, and the company has been on a roll ever since. The newest from Motorola isn't a hardcore smartphone for hardcore power users, but the unique form factor is perfect for casual surfers and the younger crowd who doesn't much care for the "standard" full-touch-panel look.

The new FLIPOUT phone is yet another Android-based Motorola with MOTOBLUR on top, but the unique square design is a big differentiating factor. It's compact, light, and atypical, and it's expected to launch first in Europe later this quarter. It has a five-row QWERTY keypad and it features up to seven customizable home screens, live wallpapers and added security for exchange server users. It'll also be available in a variety of colors, but those will be region-specific.

Another unique feature of the phone is the CrystalTalk PLUS, which is said to "improve a caller's voice quality while filtering out background noise for better conversations." There's also a second microphone for picking up voice even better, and there's an optional web/photo browsing experience with full support for Adobe Flash. Few other details are being shared just now, but it's certainly one of the more interesting devices to launch this year. Look for it to land on AT&T eventually, but no one is saying when just yet.

BASINGSTOKE, UK â€“ June 2, 2010 â€“ Motorola (NYSE: MOT) today announced Motorola FLIPOUTTM with MOTOBLURâ„¢, a stylishly square and compact smartphone that's as individual as its users.

Launching in Europe from Q2 2010, FLIPOUT runs on Androidâ„¢ 2.1 and features an innovative square pivot design that opens to reveal a five-row QWERTY keypad with a separate row for numeric keys. FLIPOUT features up to seven customizable home screens, live wallpapers and added security for exchange server users. It also offers enhanced MOTOBLUR features making it easier to follow who and what really matters to you.

"FLIPOUT merges Motorola's design heritage with Android to deliver a new take on the typical smartphone form. In an incredibly compact square, FLIPOUT fits neatly in your palm, purse or small pocket, making it fun and easy to stay connected while on the go," said Ralf Gerbershagen, vice president and GM, Mobile Devices, Western Europe, Motorola. "For fans of social networking, FLIPOUT also features enhancements to MOTOBLUR, allowing users to connect with their networks however they want."

FLIPOUT's array of colors will be country-specific and could include Licorice, Fairway Green, Raspberry Crush, Brilliant Blue, Poppy Red, Saffron or White.

Enhanced MOTOBLUR
MOTOBLUR is Motorola's exclusive Android experience that syncs contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more - from sources such as FacebookÂ®, MySpace, Twitterâ„¢, Gmailâ„¢, work and personal e-mail, and last.fm - and automatically delivers them to the home screen. MOTOBLUR automatically backs up contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations and e-mail to a secure server and provides remote data wipe for lost or stolen devices. One username and password restores contacts, messages and connectivity to prior networks and email providers.

FLIPOUT offers enhanced MOTOBLUR functionality and features, including:
â€¢ Happenings and Messages widgets â€“ filter by social networking account, by contact(s) or by contact group to only see the information you want
â€¢ Screen customization â€“ move and resize preloaded widgets on up to seven home screens
â€¢ Battery Manager â€“ manage battery consumption by operating in one of three performance modes
â€¢ Data Manager â€“ monitor data usage from the home screen to better manage pay-as-you-go and limited data plans
â€¢ Personal and Corporate e-mail â€“ pushed directly to the device
â€¢ Re-tweet capabilities

Hear and be heard
FLIPOUT includes CrystalTalkTM PLUS which improves a caller's voice quality while filtering out background noise for better conversations. Building on Motorola's proprietary microphone and speaker configuration, CrystalTalk PLUS adds a second microphone to provide even clearer voice quality, while cutting down background noise.

Web & Multimedia
FLIPOUT brings optimal web and photo browsing to the palm of your hand with multi-touch pinch to zoom, and is AdobeÂ® FlashÂ® enabled which provides access to most content-rich websites.

For music fans, FLIPOUT's connected media player offers full screen lyric support, integrated song ID and a social solution for knowing what people around you are listening to.

Additional multimedia features include a 3MP camera with digital zoom and KODAK PERFECT TOUCH technology for better, brighter pictures and gallery mode for tagging and labeling of photos. One-touch uploads to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and Photobucket make sharing your images quick and easy. Also included are video capture, playback and streaming options along with BluetoothÂ®1 capabilities for wireless calls and music.

FLIPOUT features full Googleâ„¢ services including Google Searchâ„¢, Google Mapsâ„¢, Gmailâ„¢ and access to thousands of apps on the Android Market.

Availability
Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR will be introduced to Europe from Q2 2010. For more information about availability, please contact your local Motorola representative. To learn more about the device visit YouTubeâ„¢ or here. To experience MOTOBLUR, please visit www.motorola.com/motoblur.

FLIPOUT with MOTOBLURâ„¢
Talk and Standby Time: 275mins / 377 hrs WCDMA, 357mins / 365 hrs GSM
Bands/Modes: WCDMA 900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (Category 7/8) EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12, HSUPA 2.0 Mbps, eCompass/aGPS, Version 2.1+EDR
Weight: 120g
Dimensions: 67.00 x 67.00 x 17.00 mm
Size: 76 cc
OS: Android 2.1
Battery: 1170 mAh
Connectivity: 3.5mm headset jack, USB 2.0 HS, Wi-Fi, NGP
Display: 2.8 inch display 320 x 240 pixels, QVGA TFT
Messaging/Web/Apps: MMS, SMS, Email (Corporate Sync, POP3, IMAP, Push Email), Instant Messaging
Audio: FM Radio Receive, AAC, AAC+, AAC+ Enhanced, AMR NB, MP3, WMA v9
Video: Capture/Playback/Streaming, H.264, MPEG4, WMV v9
Camera: 3 megapixel, digital zoom, fixed-focus
Browser: Android HTML WebKit, AdobeÂ® FlashÂ® enabled
Memory: 512MB internal memory with removable 2GB Micro SD card (included); supports up to 32GB MicroSD (optional)
Form Factor: Rotator QWERTY
Antenna: Internal
Address Book/Calendar: MOTOBLUR aggregates FacebookÂ®, MySpace, TwitterTM and GmailTM; Syncs and merges your work contacts, email and calendar
Location Services: aGPS (assisted), eCompass

Linaro Group Forms To Hasten Time To Market For Linux-Based Smartphones

You don't really have to keep a finger on the pulse of the smartphone landscape to know that ARM and Freescale are bitter rivals, and Samsung and Texas Instruments are constantly vying for similar business. So honestly, you probably wouldn't expect four companies who are generally considered enemies to ever really be friends. And you definitely wouldn't expect them to join together for the greater good. But that's exactly what has happened.

ARM, Freescale, IBM, Samsung, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments have pushed aside their differences long enough to form a new non-profit company called Linaro, which aims to "unite industry leaders to foster innovation in the Linux community through a common foundation of tools and software." While there still seems to be a lot of vagueness in the general long-term goals of these companies, one thing is pretty clear: they're all interested in investing as a group in order to provide unified middleware that will enable Linux-based operating systems (like MeeGo, LiMo, WebOS, Android, etc.) run on a variety of SoCs from various companies.

Each six months, Linaro will publish an approved set of updated tools for the partner vendors to use, which will supposedly cut down on inefficiencies today and speed the time to market for other Android/Meego/etc. devices. Basically, if there's less middleware work to do, you can bring out a new Linux-based phone with less wait time. The first release is expected this November, with initial optimizations for the latest range of ARM Cortex-A family of processors. Will the consumer ever known that Linaro had a part in their next phone? Probably not, but if they get it faster and it works smoother, they may grow to appreciate the efforts that they cannot see.

News highlights

ARM, Freescale, IBM, Samsung, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments have created the not-for-profit company, Linaro, committed to providing new resources and industry alignment for open source software developers using Linux on the worldâ€™s most sophisticated semiconductor System-on-Chips (SoCs).

Linaro will invest resources in open source projects that can then be used by Linux-based distributions such as Android, LiMo, MeeGo, Ubuntu and webOS.

Linaro will provide a stable and optimized base for distributions and developers by creating new releases of optimized tools, kernel and middleware software validated for a wide range of SoCs, every six months.

Linaroâ€™s base of software and tools will be applicable to a wide range of markets, helping reduce time-to-market for products such as smart phones, tablets, digital televisions, automotive entertainment and enterprise equipment.

Linaroâ€™s first software and tools release is due out in November 2010, and will provide optimizations for the latest range of ARMÂ® Cortex^TM-A family of processors.

Innocomm Launches TV Tuner-Equipped "Shark" Android Smartphone

Mobile TV and Android meet at last, but for most of America, it probably won't matter. At least not yet, and at least not without a legitimate mobile TV service that the masses can take advantage of over-the-air. But that little issue isn't stopping Innocomm from introducing one of the world's first Android 2.1 smartphones with a mobile TV tuner (and antenna) inside.

At the Computex Taipei trade show this week, Telegent Systems announced a new partnership with Innocomm in order to unveil the "first 3.5G touchscreen smartphone based on the Android operating system to incorporate Telegent mobile TV technology." The phone itself is called the Shark, and it features a 3.2" WVGA (800x480) display, capacitive touchscreen, 8 megapixel autofocus camera, 3.5G connectivity, Wi-Fi and analog TV tuner. It's definitely one of the nicest phones to date based on specifications alone, and it certainly offers one killer feature that most others leave out.

The analog TV tuner provides access to TV programs the same way that they're picked up via OTA antennas in the household. There's even the ability to record a show to MicroSD card, take a screen capture of a program and there's already plans in place to support digital TV broadcasts in the future. No pricing or release information was available, but it should ship soon on a worldwide basis.

Â At Computex Taipei 2010 today, Telegent Systems, the company that makes television mobile, and Innocomm, a Taiwan-based provider of broadband wireless solutions, announced the introduction of the first 3.5G touchscreen smartphone based on the Android operating system to incorporate Telegent mobile TV technology. Â

The Innocomm Shark, which features a 3.2 inch WVGA (800x480) display, capacitive touchscreen, 8 megapixel autofocus camera, 3.5G connectivity, Wi-Fi and analog TV, is designed to address the growing interest in feature-rich touchscreen smartphones while entering the category at a price significantly lower than current comparable models.Â According to Gartner Dataquest, the smartphone market is expected to grow by nearly 50% in 2010 and 2011, outperforming basic handset growth over the next five years. Â

Innocomm is among a growing number of mobile device developers to build in Telegent's free-to-air mobile TV technology as a competitive differentiator.Â The Shark's analog TV feature provides consumers with mobile access to the same free-to-air television programming that they view on conventional TV sets, delivering ready access to news, sports and other preferred programming while on the go.Â The handset's large, high quality display combined with touchscreen controls allows for a high quality viewing experience.Â The model also incorporates the ability to record TV clips to a microSD card. Innocomm plans to add digital TV capability to future models.

"We expect the phone's price and feature profile to appeal to operators seeking to addÂ 3.5G Android smartphones to their portfolio and to leverage 3G as a strategic growth platform," said Paul Wang, President at Innocomm.Â "The combination of analog TV with Android's feature-rich platform allows us to deliver both operator and consumer extraordinary value in markets in Asia, Latin America and parts of Europe."Â

Skype iPhone 3G App Downloads Approach 5 Million Mark

It's only been four days since Skype launched a new version of their Web app for the iPhone platform, and already it has been downloaded nearly 5 million times. The latest release allows iPhone owners to make and receive Skype-to-Skype calls over their 3G data connection, as well as call mobile and landlines at low rates.

According to Reuters, demand for the updated app has been spread around three main regions, including Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific region. Despite the immense popularity, however, Skype's long-term plans haven't been sitting well with uses. At the time of the app's release, Skype said it would explore pricing options, details of which will be announced in the coming months. For the rest of 2010, at least, usage on 3G will be free, but that won't be the case in 2011.

"We're not going to want to price ourselves out of the market," Russ Shaw, Skype's general manger form mobile, told Reuters. "I can't ignore the fact that consumers (currently use us for free."

Kindle Invades Target Stores this Sunday

Shipping to stores in plenty of time for Father's Day (which falls on June 20th this year), Amazon's Kindle ebook reader will be available in all Target locations starting this Sunday, June 6th, the retail chain announced this week. Target will become the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry the Kindle.

"Our guestâ€™s response to Kindle has been overwhelmingly positive," said Mark Schindele, senior vice president, Target. "We are thrilled to bring guests nationwide this incredibly light, portable, easy-to-read product that allows them to get all the news and books they want."

The Kindle in Target will carry the same $259 price tag as it does through Amazon and go toe-to-toe in the brick-and-mortar space with the Nook. Barnes and Noble has been selling the Nook in-stores for some time now, and just recently announced that, for a limited time, they would be handing our $50 gift cards with each Nook purchase, which also sells for $259. Let the ebook reader wars begin.

HTC Droid Incredible Review

The Android operating system has enjoyed a tremendous boom in popularity since the Motorola DROID was released. Since then, many additional Android-powered phones have come to market. One of the latest new Android phones is the Droid Incredible by HTC.

The word "incredible" certainly invokes high expectations, so you can bet users will demand great things from this phone or there will be plenty of complaints. Given that the phone is made by HTC, a long-time and very popular player in the smartphone space, and the fact that the Incredible is hitched to Verizon Wireless' network, the phone certainly has a few things going for it...

HTC Droid Incredible Review

VIA Introduces Dual-Core Nano DC Processor For Nettops

VIA makes tons of processors that you probably never really think about.Embedded stuff, stuff that ends up in factories, point-of-sale machinesand small, integrated computers. Not often do VIA chips make their wayout into the land of the average tech consumer, but a few of them havemanaged to power low-drain handheld devices, nettops, netbooks, etc. Butnow, VIA is looking to make a serious push into the desktop realm...orat least the small desktop realm.

At the Computex trade show in Taiwan, the company demonstrated a newdual-core CPU meant for low-drain desktops, the Nano DC. It was runningat 1.6GHz and supported DDR3 memory, and while it was built around a65nm process technology, the company says it will be built on a "nextgeneration" platform when the final version is ready to ship in aroundsix months.

The dual-core Nano has been around in VIA's labs for awhile now, and ithas been seemingly delayed as the Atom has gained strength in thenetbook market. But the Atom really needs competition; AMD has a fewlow-drain chips in a few netbooks, but a third player would truly shakethings up. The demo showed the CPU playing back a 720p movie with ease,but it still isn't quite ready for notebook use. Getting it out intonettops would be a great first step, and thermals can always be tweakedonce a finalized product is made available.

Panasonic Adds To Lumix Line With New Compact

Panasonic released the newest addition to its Lumix line of high-end compact cameras. The new Lumix DMC-FX75 is a 14.1 megapixel shooter with a 24-120mm ultra-wide-angle f2.2-f5.9 lens and a 5x optical zoom. This camera can also record 720p HD video in the AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) Lite format. Other features include a 3-inch touchscreen interface that controls most of the camera functions, a new Motion Deblur mode, Intelligent Zoom mode, and a so-called Happy Mode which increases the saturation and brightness of images in-camera.

Panasonic also announced a new 8mm/f3.5 fisheye lens for its Lumix G line of Micro Four Thirds cameras. This new lens has a 180-degree field of view. Pricing and availability for the LUMIX G Fisheye 8mm/F3.5, the H-F008, lens will be announced 30 days prior to shipping.

PANASONIC UNVEILS THE ULTIMATE SLIM AND STYLISH HYBRID LUMIX
DIGITAL CAMERA THAT SHOOTS HD VIDEO

New LUMIX FX75 Records AVCHD Lite HD Video and Features a 24mm Wide-Angle
Â Bright Leica Lens to Capture High-Quality Still Photos

SECAUCUS, NJ (June 1, 2010) â€“ Panasonic announced today the new LUMIX DMC-FX75, a super-slim digital camera that packs big features, including a 24mm ultra-wide-angle F2.2 bright LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens with 5x optical zoom, which Â can be used while shooting High Definition video. The slim and stylish LUMIX FX75, a 14.1-megapixel digital camera is one of Panasonicâ€™s high-performing hybrid models with the ability to not only take high-quality still photos, but can also record HD video in the AVCHD Lite format.

â€œThe Panasonic LUMIX FX75â€™s 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens is a rare feature to have on a compact camera â€“ especially one this small, so we are packing a lot of value and quality into this slim and stylish digital camera,â€ said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. â€œMost consumers value the benefits of a long zoom, but understanding the importance of a wide-angle isnâ€™t as known. With a 24mm ultra-wide angle like the one on the LUMIX FX75, photographers have a wider range of composition possibilities with approximately 213% larger viewing space compared to that of a 35mm camera.â€

The LUMIX FX75 can record HD video in the AVCHD Lite format, which allows almost double the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. Â When recording in AVCHD Lite, the content is perfect for viewing on an HDTV, like a Panasonic VIERA Plasma.Â To complement the high-quality video, the LUMIX FX75 also features Dolby Digital Creator to record high quality audio. For those users who are recording HD video to view on a computer screen, they also have the option to record in Motion JPEG, as well as WVGA (848x480) and VGA (640x480).

The LUMIX FX75 adopts full touch-screen operation, which allows for Auto Focus (AF) to quickly be set to the subject by simply touching the large 3.0-inch 230,000-dot LCD. Also, the user can click onto a subject with a single touch, and the FX75 then tracks the subject with the AF tracking feature â€“ even when moving. The touch-screen operation is fluid and smooth â€“ whether in record or playback mode.Â Â While recording, once the frame is composed, users can simply touch the area they want focused before pressing the shutter button. In playback mode, users can drag the image across the screen with their finger to browse the collection of photos, as though it is a page in a book.Â Â

Panasonicâ€™s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, a hallmark on all LUMIX digital cameras, is further advanced in the LUMIX FX75 with the addition of a new Motion Deblur mode*1 Â by updating the motion detection (Intelligent ISO Control) and brightness control (Intelligent Exposure) to gain the highest shutter speed possible. Combined with the outstanding brightness of the lens and the POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), the LUMIX FX75 reduces blur created from handshake or the subject moving. The iA suite of technologies include: POWER O.I.S., Face Recognition, Face Detection, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure â€“ all which are engaged when in the iA mode.Â Panasonicâ€™s iA is also available while shooting video and include: AF Tracking, POWER O.I.S., Face Detection and Intelligent Scene Selector.

The Panasonic LUMIX FX75 features the Venus Engine HD II image processor, which helps assure superb image quality in both photo and video recording. It also incorporates Intelligent Resolution technology to perform the optimum signal processing based on the part of a picture to give a whole image outstanding, natural clearness with fine details. Â At the same time, the multi-task image-processing engine Venus Engine HD II supports a super-fast response time. The shutter release lag time is as short as approximately 0.005 of a second in 1-area AF, and the camera's quick response makes it easier to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities together with the Sonic Speed AF.

With the Intelligent Resolution technology, three areas â€“ outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation â€“ are examined pixel by pixel and automatically detected to enhance any degradation created during the digital zoom process or in high-sensitivity shooting. The outline areas are enhanced effectively to give the edges more clarity, while simultaneously giving a moderate accent to the textured areas so they look accurately detailed. To soften gradation areas, such as a face, the increased noise reduction system of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it appear smoother.Â Â As a result of Intelligent Resolution, images are naturally clear and crisp in both photo and video recording.Â Â The Intelligent Resolution technology powers Panasonicâ€™s new Intelligent Zoom feature, which extends the cameraâ€™s zoom ratio by approximately 1.3x while maintaining picture quality â€“ and enhancing the digital zoom and making it comparable to the quality of an optical zoom. With Intelligent Zoom, the Panasonic FX75 can reach up to 6.5x.

Other features include:

Cosmetic Mode â€“ takes portraits with the userâ€™s favorite skin tone (soft skin, natural skin, summer look) and can add a degree of transparency of skin detail (low, standard, high), making it possible to take portraits with different skin tones, for example, look more sun-tanned.

Happy Mode â€“ option in iA that optimizes color, saturation and brightness to make both photos and movies more vivid and true to the color of the scene you memorized.

Battery Life â€“ the high performance Venus Engine HD II is also more energy efficient compared with the conventional Venus Engine HD, extending the battery life up to 360 shots (***) on a single charge.Â

Pricing and availability for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX75Â will be announced 30 days prior to shipping date.Â Â For more information on these LUMIX models, please visit:Â www.panasonic.com/lumix.

AT&T Puts An End To Unlimited Data Plans

AT&T is rolling out new data plans for smartphones and tablets. Starting next Monday (the same day Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone), AT&T will begin offering new data plans with preset amounts of monthly data access. This also means that the current $30-per-month unlimited data plan will no longer be available to new users.

The new data plans will offer users three options:

DataPlus: This $15/month plan will provide for 200MB of data, which AT&T says will be enough to send/receive 1,000 emails (no attachments), send/receive 150 emails with attachments, view 400 Web pages, post 50 photos on social media sites, and watch 20 minutes of streaming video. Should you exceed the 200MB allotment, you'll receive an additional 200MB for use within that same billing cycle for an additional $15. AT&T claims that 65 percent of its smartphone customers use less than 200 MB of data per month on average.
DataPro: For heavier data users, the DataPro plan costs $25 per month and includes 2GB of data. Should you exceed the initial 2GB allotment, you will get an additional 1 GB of data for $10 for use in the cycle. AT&T says 98 percent of its smartphone customers use less than 2 GB of data per month on average.
Tethering: If you want to use your smartphone as a modem, you'll have to pay an additional $20 per month. AT&T said tethering for iPhones will be available when Apple releases iPhone OS 4 this summer.Â Â Â

The new plans include unlimited access at no additional charge to more than 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots in the U.S. To help users manage their data usage, AT&T plans to send free text messages after customers reach different usage intervals. The carrier will also provide online tools including a smartphone app that shows monthly usage information.Â

For now, current AT&T smartphone customers will be able to keep their unlimited data plans if they like. Current iPad customers with the $29.99 per month unlimited plan will be able to keep that plan or switch to a new $25 per month plan that includes 2 GB of data.

In announcing the new plans, AT&T said that it believes the new options will make it more affordable for more people to enjoy mobile Internet access.

AMD Aims To Merge GPU/CPU With Fusion APU

AMD has been pushing "Fusion" for about as long as we can remember, andthe idea of merging the CPU and GPU certainly sounds good. Othercompanies are definitely trying to accomplish similar goals withrivaling technologies, but the main problem for AMD has been producing aworking product that can be shipped on existing products. At theComputex show in Taiwan this week, AMD put their biggest stamp ofapproval yet on Fusion by introduction the Fusion APU technology.

Theannouncement was followed by the launch of the AMD Fusion Fund, aprogram to support development of new, enhanced consumer digital experiencesby helping to further advance an ecosystem that promotes CPUandGPU collaborative computing. It's a great idea to start something thatwill initiate strategic investments in companies working on solutionsenabled by the accelerated computing capabilities of the upcoming AMDFusion family of Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) products, but wecan't help but wish that these investments were already lined up.

Asof now, Fusion APU is still more of an idea than a product, though AMDdoes say that projects for consideration include a range ofnext-generation and accelerated computing capabilities enabled by AMDFusion APU products, including application software and tooldevelopment, unique device designs, PC components and innovative ideaswhich extend the reach of collaborative computing on the CPU and GPU.The good news is that a demo has already been shown, and it looks verypromising. A true integrated GPU/CPU would definitely change thelandscape of mobile computing (andÂ beyond), and we can't help but lookahead to next year's Computex to see how far this project moves forward.

There is certainly no shortage of technology companies that will tell us their product is the first, the best, the most revolutionary, the greatest of all time, and so on. And 99% of the time our eyes glaze over when we hear those words. To truly reshape an entire industry, you need more than just a product. You need that product to seize the market at exactly the right time. You need an ecosystem of partners and customers to align with you. And, more often than not, you need to focus less on being revolutionary, and more on being evolutionary. Today, we took another step towards evolving the way we think of a PC and what it can do for us.

Today, the AMD Fusionâ„¢ family of APUs came to life.

To recap, at Computex in Taipei, I took the stage with Microsoft and showed the world that AMD Fusion APUs are no longer just an idea on paper. An AMD Fusion APU â€“ delivering powerful CPU and GPU capabilities for HD, 3D and data-intensive workloads in a single-die processorâ€“ demonstrated APU accelerated Internet Explorer 9 and DirectX 11 rendering and special effects, which you can see here.

And, in doing that, history was made.

First and foremost, this is a testament to the brilliant engineering minds within AMD. In all of my years in the computing industry, Iâ€™ve never seen anything more technologically sophisticated, and we couldnâ€™t wait any longer to show you an AMD Fusion APU in action.

But, for those of you who are less concerned with the circuitry and design, and are more concerned about a computer thatâ€™s fast, runs your favorite apps, plays and manipulates HD video, has a great user interface, etc. this demo applies to you too. The demo shows us what is possible in the cool, sleek devices we all love. Iâ€™m talking about ultrathin notebooks, touchscreens, new low-power PC form factors, and the list goes on. Quite simply, with AMD Fusion APUs and the support of our technology partners, those devices (and ones we havenâ€™t even dreamed up yet) can get a whole lot better. More than ever before, what weâ€™ve all typically thought of as â€œthe futureâ€ is right in front of us â€“ within reach.

Ceedo vs prayaya v3

Ceedo and prayaya v3 both have advantages over the other..
Ceedo has more "configurability" to it than prayaya v3, BUT, I like some of the apps for prayaya v3 better.
In my opinion, prayaya v3 is much better than ceedo.

First ,Ceedo doesn't leave no traces on the host computer while PRAYAYA V3 does (it is very important in the line of work i'm in).

Secondï¼Œthe biggest advantage is the many apps you can use on the prayaya v3.

Third, sometimes long loading time with ceedo gets me angry while prayaya v3 not .

I bought prayaya v3 and I am more than satisfied.
Just my opinion.....
http://www.prayaya.com/

http://www.ceedo.com/

http://world-portable-applications.blogspot.com/

Friday, June 4, 2010

IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 04/06/2010

New Series Features Four 80 PLUS^Â®Â Gold Certified Power Supplies, Attaining Highest Level of Efficiency and Performance Ratings

No comments:

Friday, June 4, 2010

IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 04/06/2010

New Series Features Four 80 PLUSÂ®Â Gold Certified Power Supplies, Attaining Highest Level of Efficiency and Performance Ratings

No comments:

New Series Features Four 80 PLUS^Â®Â Gold Certified Power Supplies, Attaining Highest Level of Efficiency and Performance Ratings