Looking to get in on the hot low-price notebook market, Lenovo is launching its own bargain laptop offering to compete with small notebooks, such as the MSI Wind and Eee PC. The new laptop, the IdeaPad S10, will ship in October in time for the Christmas season. It will retail starting at $399.

The new notebook features a small footprint with a 10.2 inch LCD screen. The dimensions of the notebooks are 9.8 x 7.2 inches. Weight is 2.4 pounds with the lightest configuration. The notebook is also "super-slim", according to Lenovo, measuring in at approximately 1 inch thin. The device features a slightly-shrunk keyboard which is 85 percent of the size of a standard full-function PC keyboard.

As far as looks, the IdeaPad looks rather slick with a variety of finishes. It can be ordered in "classic white", "bold black", or glossy "ruby red". The white models will have a grayed base.

A couple steps are taken with the design to insure long battery life, a big concern for ultra-portables. First, it uses LEDs to backlight the LCD more effectively than traditional designs. Secondly, it uses Intel's popular Atom processor, in particular the 1.6 GHz N270 with a 945 GSE express chipset.

As the laptop is designed to be used primarily as an internet/word processing machine, connectivity is another major focus. Lenovo added WiFi (b/g), Bluetooth, Ethernet, and an Express Card slot, in order to allow users to get broadband by a variety of methods. The device will also feature 2 USB ports, a 4-in-1 multi-card reader, and a built-in web camera for video messaging. Graphics will be provided by an Intel Integrated Graphics GMA 950 chip.

The notebook will be sold in two different configurations. The first has 512 MB of memory and an 80 GB hard drive. The second, which likely be priced somewhat higher, ups the memory to 1 GB and features a 160 GB hard drive. No solid state drive options have been announced yet. Both configurations come with Windows XP preinstalled, courtesy of Microsoft's stay of retirement on XP for ultra-portables.

The notebooks will be available through a number of major retailers, through Lenovo's partners and direct through Lenovo's website.

Liu Jun, senior vice president, Consumer Business Group, Lenovo states, "IdeaPad netbooks are the latest in a string of recently announced Lenovo products, designed specifically for consumers worldwide and developed through our heritage of technological innovation and exceptional engineering. As rapidly as the technology changes, today’s consumers are looking for mobile products that feature the best of basic computing functions in an extremely compact and affordable form, and Lenovo designed the IdeaPad netbooks for that purpose."

Lenovo also hinted that some countries will have 9 inch screen smaller version available and that Linux preinstalls would also be available in some countries. It is unclear whether the U.S. will get any of these options.

One key factor in the notebook's success or failure will be the battery life. Initial metrics place the life at around 3 hours with 3-cell battery, and up to 6 hours with 6-cell battery, but final measurements remain.

Lenovo's computer lineup, for those unfamiliar, is actual derivative of IBM's former offerings. The Chinese company purchased IBM Personal Computing Division from IBM and rebranded it to launch its computing efforts, back in 2005.

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The Cell processor first debuted in the Sony PS3 and now is starting to see uses outside of the PS3 gaming console.
Toshiba announced a pair of laptops that will use processors derived from the Cell processor used in the PS3. The Toshiba Qosmio G50 and F40 notebooks will use four of the Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE) from the Cell Broadband Processor. By comparison, the Cell processor in the PS3 has eight of the SPE cores (seven functional) and uses a Power PC main processor.

The modified Cell processor SPE cores will handle the heavy calculations required to handle processor-intensive duties like processing HD video. The main processor in the pair of notebooks will be an Intel Core 2 Duo.

PC World says that by integrating the modified Cell processor into the notebooks Toshiba will be able to offer features not seen on competing notebooks. The new features will include the ability to upscale standard definition video to HD, real-time transcoding of digital video to MPEG4 and the ability to burn video to DVD in half the time needed by current machines.

One particularly interesting feature the Cell processor allows is called face navigation. The notebooks will be able to recognize faces in a video and display them as thumbnails allowing users to find chapters and scenes using faces.

PC World reports that the Cell processor will also allow the onboard webcam to be used to control video playback with hand gestures. The Qosmio G50 will have an 18.4-inch screen, GeForce 9600M graphics, 500GB HDD, dual digital TV tuners and more with a retail price of $2,700. The F50 will use a 15-inch screen and have a 250GB HDD with a retail price of around $2,300. The notebooks will be sold in Japan, but details on the launch are unavailable.

IBM’s record breaking Roadrunner supercomputer also takes advantage of a modified Cell processor to speed its performance.

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Microsoft has been making the rounds lately with news of its Xbox 360 price cut. The Redmond, Washington-based company dropped the price of its 20GB Xbox 360 from $349.99 to $299.99. In addition, the company announced that a new 60GB Xbox 360 would occupy the $349.99 price once stock of the 20GB models is depleted.

Not to be left out, Sony today announced some product shuffling of its own. The “non-special edition” 80GB PS3 is returning to the lineup in September – but this time, the console will be priced at $399.99. The 80GB “Core Pack” as it will be called will mirror the existing 40GB model in everything but maximum storage capacity.

The $399.99 price doesn't leave much room for the existing 40GB which occupies the same price point. Sony could make a move similar to Microsoft and reduce the price of the console to $299.99 until the stock is depleted, and then drop the SKU altogether. On the other hand, the company could set the price permanently at $299.99 and leave the SKU in the product mix.

No matter what option Sony ends up choosing, better-equipped and cheaper consoles are a win-win for consumers.

[Source]

The future of mice arrives this year

It’s not every day that you see a mouse design that really makes you do a double-take. Truth be told, many mice do little to excite. While some performance-oriented gaming companies have debuted special mice with adjustable weighting, high accuracy scanning, and extra buttons; most mice look remarkably similar.

Among these modest mice department, as well as in gaming, Microsoft has long done quite well, with a solid line of utilitarian offerings. Now Microsoft is looking to go in a different, more radical direction, and is sending shock-waves through the peripherals market following its announcement of a wild new design.


A picture of the arc mouse in action -- the new mouse will be about standard size, with a hollowed out underbody, which will allow it to fold for storage. It will retail for $59.95. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft will release an unusual design appropriately titled the arc mouse. This wireless mouse features a curved form that is hollowed on its underside, allowing it to bend closed for ultra-compact storage. The new design will debut in time for the 2008 holiday season.

While the new mouse will likely operate in a pretty standard fashion, it's the look that really stands out. The design almost leaves one to wonder whether the mouse will tip or have balancing issues during use. However, if Microsoft can perfect its design, it may have the iPod of the mouse world ready for sale just in time for the holiday season.

[Source]

The launch was truly an intriguing global phenomenon.

The lines were shorter than the original iPhone release at Apple's 5th Avenue store in New York, according to initial reports, but the crowd exuded a much stronger sense of desperation. Apple employees were on hand to start wild rounds of cheering, whipping the crowd of Apple lovers into a frenzy.

In New Zealand, first to get the iPhone due to time zone mechanics, huge crowds formed. The typically sedate Kiwis went wild, some of them camping out, forming crowds as the moment approached. Japan was among the next to get the phone, with even larger crowds of up to 1,000 forming. Reporters spotted many of the ever-studious Japanese youth reviewing textbooks while they waited.

Across Europe, in Sweden, the Netherlands and elsewhere, similar excitement was seen. In Europe iPhones were delivered by armored car and handed off to the store manager.

The exception seemed to be Canada. In the normally busy city of Calgary, the Canadians seemed somewhat apathetic towards the launch, perhaps due to recent dissatisfaction with Rogers, Canada's leading service provider who picked up the cell phone. Or perhaps it was the hailing storm that pelted the city overnight. Nonetheless, citizens reported small crowds camping out over the course of the night. Quebec was similarly quiet.

One curious phenomena that arose was the iPhone EDGE model fire sale. Patrons of the iPhone were offering their obsolete models for as little as $50 to would be buyers. While some might be wary, it seems that it might be a fair deal for some, living outside AT&T's more limited 3G coverage, but within the EDGE network coverage.

Finally getting their sweaty palms on the new iPhone, Apple fans were perhaps a bit surprised to discover it looked amazing like... their old iPhone. Perhaps among the cuts that dropped the price from $399 to $199 was the removal of the chic aluminum casing. In its place is a shiny black (or white, optional on the 16GB model) plastic, a magnet for fingerprints. The move to plastic may also have been made to deal with Apple's ever growing list of radio frequencies supported -- GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS.

In the end, the phone still looks pretty much like an iPhone, and people report the plastic to feel solid, and not at all flimsy. The phone is now curved, fatter at the center and thinner at the edge, a popular design trick to give the illusion of thinness. Unfortunately, this means that when tapping out an email on a table, the phone rocks back and forth.

In a move that angered some, Apple replaced the old dock, which is no longer compatible with the iPhone. After Apple "sells" customers on the iPhone, they are in its clutches and it slams them with a $30 fee for their new phone. Another minor gripe is that the phone does not automatically detect GSM or 3G networks, the user must configure it themselves.

The new phone sports noticeably better quality on 3G and GSM, according to early adopters. Battery life weighs in close to expectations from Apple with 10 / 5 hours talk on GSM / 3G (respectively), 5 hours 3G data, 6 hours WiFi, 24 hours music and 7 hours video. The camera is reported to be slightly sharper, but unimpressive, overall.

Music fans will be happy -- the iPhone now has a flush 3.5mm jack. This will allow normal headphones to be used. The speaker, which many complained was too quiet, has also been pumped up.

IPhone tests have showed it to be a speedy performer, with data rates of 300 - 500Kbps in the U.S. and 700-800Kbps on faster foreign networks. The GPS is also very fast, supplementing satellite acquisition with cell phone tower triangulation. Also the GPS uses Skyhook's proprietary WiFi-based location system, the only known phone on the market to do so. Microsoft Exchange, now supported, works well for email, but can only support personal/corporate coexisting accounts, not personal/enterprise. PowerPoint presentations now can open automatically on the phone as well.

In other iPhone related news, the 2.0 Firmware for the iPhone/iPod Touch which enables the new Apps feature and such goodies as Nike+Apple was leaked for free. It has now been officially released for $9.99, but it is still floating around for free. There have been some reports of problems with the free version. Expect a rapid crackdown from Apple as well.

All in all it was a busy day for Apple worldwide. No real surprises, no riots, but still the iPhone launch was an impressive display by Apple of its market might.

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Belkin announced the FlyWire HD device that does two things for the home theater user. First it allows for three HDMI sources to connect to the TV via one HDMI port on the TV, projector, or other display device. The other thing the FlyWire does is allow for custom-looking installs without having wires run from the TV to the components.
Belkin says that its FlyWire device operates in the open 5GHz band and manages its own wireless connection. It is capable of adjusting both the frequency and power to avoid interference on the available bandwidth and to overcome interference and impedance that might affect image quality.


Belkin says that thanks to this management technology that users can stream video games wirelessly to a TV without any lag being introduced due to wireless streaming. The FlyWire will be introduced in two models: the FlyWire and the FlyWire R1. The normal FlyWire will be available in October and the FlyWire R1 will be available in Q1 2009.

The FlyWire will retail for $999.99 and offers range suitable for operating in the entire home through walls and windows. The device has an IR backchannel to allow the control of AV devices hidden inside closets or other areas. An included remote allows for control of inputs and components. Those preferring their own remotes can use the IR receiver and IR blaster.

The FlyWire R1 is an in-room solution that includes a remote for switching inputs and automatic frequency hopping. Both versions of the FlyWire require the use of a FlyWire receiver that connects to the TV. The devices can support resolutions on 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, and 480i. In addition to the three HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, the devices also have two component and one composite or S-Video input.

The FlyWire is significantly more expensive than systems like the Philips Wireless HDMI, but the FlyWire offers a wealth of features not seen on the Philips system.

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Samsung announced that its latest SSDs are now in volume production. The new SSDs will be available in 128GB and 64GB capacities. The capacity isn’t what sets these drives apart, rather it’s the multi-level cell (MLC) technology used in the Samsung SSDs.

According to Samsung the new MLC SSDs are capable of providing read speeds of 90MB/s and write speeds of 70MB/s -- performance on par with SSDs using single-level cell technology. The difference is that SSDs built on the MLC technology offer about a 20 times improvement in the typical 4-5 year lifespan of a PC hard drive. Power consumption is another big feature of the MLC SSDs with requirements for 0.2 watts in standby and 0.5 watts in active mode.

Jim Elliott, VP memory marketing for Samsung Semiconductor said in a statement, “With the 64 GB and 128 GB MLC SSDs, we are satisfying the density requirements of most business users and many PC enthusiasts, who will appreciate not only the performance gains and added reliability, but also the more attractive pricing.”

Samsung says that the MLC SSDs will use a 3 Gbps interface and that the 128GB uses 64 MLC NAND flash memory chips of 16 gigabits each and is enclosed in a brushed metallic casing measuring 100mm x 69.8mm and 9.5mm thick. Samsung declined to comment on the pricing of the SSDs.

Samsung first announced the 128GB MLC SSD in January and it is just now entering mass production.

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When ASUS first launched its Eee PC the term netbook was coined to describe the small, low-cost systems with roughly enough power to only surf the net. As time has gone by, ASUS and other manufacturers have introduced new models with more features and the price for a netbook has slowly began to creep up into real notebook territory.
Laptop Magazine sat down with ECS vice president of sales Henry Kwan to get some information on what the ECS G10IL netbook will bring to market to set itself apart from the netbook masses. Kwan says that the G10IL will feature EDGE, HSUPA, and HSPDA mobile broadband support, but will not feature support for WiMAX.

The ECS netbook entry will be produced in 8.9-inch and 10-inch size systems, but the version most likely to hit the U.S. will be the larger 10-inch version. The ECS G10IL will hit stores in the U.S. in September with prices for basic systems lacking mobile broadband capability starting at $399.

The G10IL will be available in versions running Linups Lite 9.4 Linux on an 8GB SSD -- likely to be the $399 version -- and systems will also be sold with an 80GB HDD running Windows XP. ECS says that the G10IL is the first netbook designed specifically for the business user, not the education customer.

DailyTech first reported on the specs of the ECS G10IL in March of 2008 when specifics were scant and pricing was rough. Later in March DailyTech confirmed the ECS netbook would use Intel’s Atom CPU.

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Creative added a new color (White) to its 4GB MuVo T200 line-up. This white Muvo T200has similar specs to black Muvo T200 4GB (there is also a 2GB version) like MP3/WMA compatible, Bass Boost function, FM Radio Tuner, Built-in mic. The White Muvo T200 4GB will be available this month with 40 EUR price tag.

Canon announced this week that it would be adding a new D-SLR camera to its line in the U.S. and other countries. The new camera will be the Canon EOS Rebel XS. The Rebel XS will replace both the Rebel XT and XTi.
The Rebel XS gets a 2.5-inch LCD, 10-megapixel sensor and Live View feature. Live View allows you to frame a shot with the LCD and see the image live just like you would through the view finder.

The XS has a 7-point autofocus system and can shoot bursts at 3 fps until your memory card fills up. The camera saves images to SD/SDHC cards rather than the much more expensive CompactFlash cards of higher-end D-SLR cameras.

The kit lens included with the Rebel XS is an image stabilized EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Bundling a lens with image stabilization will help first time users of DSLR cameras get better shots. The Rebel XS will sit in the Canon line directly below the Rebel XSi.

Other features of the Rebel XS include integrated sensor cleaning system, shutter speed of 30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second and 12-bit analog to digital conversion. The battery used by the Rebel XS is a LP-E5 with 1080 mAH and the XS is compatible with a wired remote.

Pricing for the new Rebel XS is not yet announced, but its big brother the Rebel XSi retails in the $799 to $899 range. That would likely put the Rebel XS at about $200 less than the XSi. The EOS Rebel XTi the Rebel XS is replacing was first introduced way back in 2006.

Source from DailyTech

New binoculars use brain waves to activate enemy detection algorithms based on threat response

The enemy is the area. You scan the perimeter alert, tense. Your pulse races.

In the past such situations called for constant surveillance via binoculars either discrete or in headgear to try to spot the approaching enemy. However, such binoculars were limited by reaction times and luck, and the skilled enemy could sneak up on friendly forces and catch them unaware.

Northrop Grumman Corporation, a major defense contractor, is looking to solve this problem and take binoculars and imaging technology into the next century. The company is leading a consortium of academia and industry that has just received an award to begin design prototypes of its panoramic binocular day/night system that uses brain wave monitoring to trigger target detection and alert soldiers of threats.

Brain wave monitoring is nothing new. The consumer industry this year received some device sporting the technology in the form of brain mice. Users found the new mice to be particularly handy in first-person-shooter games, but also handy in analyzing stress responses for mediation and athletics.

The new Cognitive Technology Threat Warning System program, or CT2WS, is a logical extension of these ideas and is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Its goal is to not only provide the soldier with an extremely wide, panoramic field of view, but to also implement a neuro-optical interface to trigger target detection for fast-moving, elusive targets. The first phase of objectives for the project is to develop the basic circuit model for the device on a breadboard and to complete the Human-aided Optical Recognition/Notification of Elusive Threats (HORNET) system, which will include the brain interface and the threat detection algorithms.

The HORNET utilizes special electro-encephalogram electrodes sandwiched in a custom helmet against the scalp. These electrodes provide constant monitoring of the soldier's electrical brain activity. Over time, the system will learn and be trained. By accepting whether a soldier is in a threatening situation or not, and comparing it to their brain response, the system will learn to recognize combat situations and react appropriately.

Michael House, Northrop Grumman's CT2WS program manager states, "Northrop Grumman's HORNET system leverages the latest advances in real-time coupling of human brain activity with automated cognitive neural processing to provide superior target detection. The system will maintain persistent surveillance in order to defeat an enemy's attempts to surprise through evasive move-stop-move tactics, giving the U.S. warfighter as much as a 20-minute advantage over his adversaries."

The system will be put to use both at home and abroad. Among its possible uses are border patrol, IED detection, and active combat in areas like Iraq. The initial phase of development will take 12 months and will grant up to $6.7 million to the project.

Among the many collaborators with Northrop Grumman on the project are SAIC, San Diego, Calif.; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga.; Theia Technologies LLC, Wilsonville, Ore.; Sensics, Inc., Baltimore, Md.; L-3 Communications Infrared Products, Dallas, Texas; Georgetown University, Wash., D.C.; Portland State University, Portland, Ore.; and the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.

Source from DailyTech

With all the hoopla surrounding the announcement of the iPhone 3G, it’s pretty easy for other new products to get lost in all the madness. HP is looking to generate a bit of buzz of its own with two new computing products, but it unfortunately doesn’t have the power of the press to generate the insatiable tongue wagging that comes with a new Apple release.

That being said, HP’s latest new high-end products cover both the desktop and notebook fronts in the form of the Voodoo Omen gaming desktop and the Voodoo Envy 133 business laptop.

For gamers that have no limit on how much they are willing to spend on a gaming rig, look no further than Voodoo Omen. The towering desktop features a customizable, all-aluminum case design which can be optioned with Voodoo Allure paints and glass, leather, or wood side panels. Other exterior adornments include a 7" color auxiliary display (800x480) built into the front of the case to display game stats, movies, music videos, etc.


Other features include the ability to rotate the motherboard to plug in system cables from the top of the case, tool-less side panels, eight Voodoo Ink laser engraving designs, RGB accent lighting, and the ability to choose from five different colors for the liquid coolant.

When it comes to hard specs, the Voodoo Omen comes equipped with an ASUS Striker Extreme II motherboard which is paired with either an Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core 3.20GHz QX9770 or 3.00GHz QX9650 processor. Up to 8GB of 1600 MHz CORSAIR PC-14400 DDR3 can be ordered with the system as well. As expected with a high-end gaming rig, the Voodoo Omen supports NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX graphics options.

For those that truly want to splurge on storage options, the Voodoo Omen can be equipped with up to six 64GB Samsung single-level cell (SLC) solid-state drives (SSDs).

The customizable nature of the Voodoo Omen's chassis and the wealth of hardware choices mean that the gaming rig starts at a whopping $6,500. Checking off every option on the spec sheet will cause the price to balloon to $20,000.

On the notebook side of things, Voodoo is also announcing its 13.3" Envy 133. The notebook is just 0.70 inches thick (making it thinner than a MacBook Air) and weighs 3.373-pounds. Despite its thin chassis and light weight, Voodoo managed to cram quite a potent processor under the hood along with enough connectivity options to make certain Mac owners a bit jealous.

Processing power comes from either an Intel Core 2 Duo SP7000 (1.8GHz) or SP7500 (1.6GHz) processor. The 13.3" WXGA display is LED-backlit and is powered by an integrated Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor. Storage options include your choice of an 80GB 4200 RPM HDD or a 64GB SDD while optical duties are handled by an eSATA Super-Multi drive.

Voodoo also takes a page from Apple's playbook by including a gesturing touchpad which supports “multiple finger tracking, supporting chiral scrolling, pinch and momentum gestures”.

When it comes to port selection and wireless options, Voodoo doesn't disappoint. The Voodoo Envy comes equipped with one USB 2.0 port, one eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, an ExpressCard 34 slot, and HDMI. Wireless duties are handled by an Intel 802.11n adapter and Bluetooth 2.0 is also included -- integrated mobile broadband is optional. As an added bonus, the Voodoo Envy's power adapter doubles as a WiFi access point.

The Voodoo Envy starts at $2,099.

Source from DailyTech

OCZ Barbone Gaming Notebook in-stock at Buy.com for $669.99 after mail-in rebate.

In mid-May, DailyTech broke the news that OCZ would be entering the DIY notebook market with its Barebone Gaming Notebook. Less than a month later, the notebook is finally hit e-tailer store shelves.

"For years consumers have wanted to build their own mobile computing platforms, but the product offerings and market simply did not serve them as they did in the desktop do it yourself segment," said OCZ Systems Solutions Product Manager Eugene Chang back in May. "With the OCZ Do-It-Yourself Notebook initiative, OCZ empowers with the resources like validated component guides, documentation, tech support, and a warranty to allow consumers to configure and build a true gaming notebook with the exact specification that matches their unique requirements."

Buy.com now has the OCZ Barebone Gaming Notebook (OCZNBIAS15DIYA) in stock for $719.99 with free shipping. Buyers can send off for a manufacturer's mail-in rebate to drop that price to $669.99.

That price will get you the actual 15.4" notebook, requisite Intel PM965 chipset, 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT mobile GPU, 8x DVD burner, and 9-cell battery. The processor, memory, HDD, WiFi/Bluetooth adapters, and operating system must be provided by the buyers which would easily push the price close to, or over the $1,000 mark.

It's nice to see that OCZ is giving buyers a choice with a system that they can configure and put together themselves, but many may wonder what if any cost savings can be realized by going this route considering the steady drop in pricing for notebook computers.

Source from DailyTech

Dell and MSI talk of their upcoming mini-notes

ASUS may have created the low-cost, mini-note category with its Eee PC 701 4G, but more and more companies are looking to jump in with their own entries. Over the past week, Dell confirmed the existence of its "Inspiron Mini" and MSI officially announced the Wind which will be available June 16.

Dell recently gave some in the media a chance to look at a pre-production Inspiron Mini that was decked out with a glossy black lid instead of the glossy red lid featured in the original press photos. The pre-production unit also had some minor difference in the keyboard lettering and Function modifiers.

Speaking of the keyboard, Dell Consumer Group Senior VP Alex Gruzen went on to discuss the missing feature that had many potential customers up in arms when the firsts images were revealed online: the lack of a top row of Function keys.

"This was a trade off so the rest of the keys could be bigger," said Gruzen. "The reason we were later to the market is we’ve been working on getting the right keyboard."

The keypad design accommodates as best as possible the best user experience for this class of products."

Maybe Dell knows something that the rest of us don't, but the lack of a top row of function keys could be a deal-breaker for some people in what looks to be an otherwise attractive machine. In its current iteration, the Function keys are eliminated due to the intrusion of the battery.



In other mini-note news, MSI is already talking about the next generation Wind. The current model, which was officially announced earlier this week, has seen rave reviews from around the web.

The 10" notebook is already quite small, weighing only 2.2 pounds in its base configuration. MSI is not content, however, and wants to launch a thinner, lighter version during the first quarter of 2009. The new version would be targeted at business customers and will use the same processor/chipset as the current Wind.

MSI is also looking at yet another variant that would be even smaller and more in line with Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). The device is expected to have a screen of 7" or smaller along with a slide-out keyboard.

Source from DilyTech

Star Trek technology yet again actualizes in the real world

A new portable imaging tool, which held over the patient's skin, allows quick and unobtrusive scanning of tissues. The device bears an unmistakable resemblances to the palm sized medical scanners known as "tricorders" in the Star Trek science-fiction universe. And like many other Star Trek technologies that seemed far out at the time like voice recognition software and positron beams, the device has been realized in the real world.

The new, wallet-sized scanner, developed by researchers at Georgia Tech, uses something called a narrowband filter mosaic. The mosaic includes photosensitive pixel sensors that observe different wavelengths, allowing for multispectral imaging. The filter mosaic improves the use and functionality of medical scanning techniques, allowing for subsurface characterization.

Normally cuts, bruises, and erythema are hard to diagnose in severity, particularly for untrained personnel. Lighting and skin color can skew results even for the trained eye. The new device will allow even untrained personnel to assess the severity of an injury.

Other applications of the filtering technology used in the scanner would be military imaging/target classing, manufacturing quality inspections, food contamination examinations, remote sensing for mining, and atmospheric monitoring. In the medical field they hold promise for diagnosing early stage cancers and tumors.

The new technology was pioneered by the Georgia Tech’s Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA). The tech will first be put to use in diagnosing and preventing pressure ulcers. Victims of paralysis or other conditions that render the body immobile often suffer from these severe secondary afflictions. Early pressure ulcers begin with erythema (broke capillaries) which the scanner detects. Medicare spending on pressure ulcer treatment is conservatively estimated to account for $1.34B USD annually.

The scanner could also be used to detect bruise early to help catch abuse cases.

The filter mosaic can also be laminated with digital camera sensor chips. The CATEA researchers have filed for a patent and are exploring commercialization options.

With the low cost involved, the field of multispectral imaging may finally start to see commercial interest soon. Says Dr. Stephen Sprigle, director of CATEA and professor of industrial design and human physiology, "Although multispectral imaging has matured into a technology with applications in many fields, clinicians and practitioners in these fields have generally stayed away from it due to extremely high costs and lack of portability. Now, the possibilities are plentiful."

Perhaps before long you might see one of these tricorder-like devices in a medical office you visit.

Source from DailyTech

MSI delivers a knockout punch with the Wind

It looks like MSI has finally delivered on the promise of an "Eee PC Killer". Details of MSI's new netbook first came to light in mid-May and the specs and pricing were enough to capture the attention of many potential customers.

As announced in May, the MSI Wind is equipped with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor paired with an Intel 945GMS northbridge and ICH7M southbridge. The Linux model will come standard with 512MB of DDR2 memory, while the Windows XP Home model ups that figure to 1GB (2GB maximum) -- both come standard with a 2.5" 80GB 5400 RPM HDD.

Other niceties of the include a 10", 1024x600 display, 1.3MP webcam, 4-in-1 media reader, three USB 2.0 ports, GbE, 802.11b/g wireless, and standard Bluetooth (Windows XP version only). The 2.2-pound Linux model will come standard with a 3-cell battery and the 2.6-pound Windows XP model is equipped with a 6-cell battery (rated at 5.5 hours).

Now comes the part that everyone will want to know about -- pricing. Andy Tung, MSI's Director of U.S. sales stated in May that the Linux and Windows XP versions of the Wind would be priced at $399 and $549 respectively -- those figures weren't entirely correct. While the Linux model is indeed priced at $399, the Windows XP version will slide in at a reasonable $499.

At that price, MSI looks to have a winner on its hands. The 2.6-pound Wind with Windows XP stacks up nicely against its immediate competition (Eee PC 900/901, HP 2133 Mini-Note PC, etc.) as well as notebooks costing more than three times its price. The long battery life and Bluetooth put it over the top.

Laptop Magazine gave the Windows XP version a glowing review as it received 4.5 out of five stars with the main complaints being the single mouse button and below average wireless throughput. The editors, however, had plenty to like about the machine including its TurboDrive feature which can overclock the system to 1.9GHz in AC mode or drop the clock down to 1.1GHz on battery mode for improved battery life.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

Source from DailyTech

The Eee PC 1000 carries on the same new design introduced with the Eee PC 901, albeit on a larger scale. The biggest change notable should be the significantly larger keyboard. The original Eee PC 701 and Eee PC 900/901 featured a tiny, cramped keyboard that many have complained about. The Eee PC 1000, however, joins the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC with a 92% full-size keyboard.

The increased dimensions of the Eee PC 1000 make it a bit closer in size to the MSI Wind which has garnered a lot of attention over the past few weeks. The increased physical dimensions also mean that weight is also up significantly for the newest Eee PC family member.

Whereas the original Eee PC 701 and Eee PC 900 hovered around the two-pound mark, the Eee PC 1000 weighs in at a "hefty" 3.19 pounds. This compares to 2.42 pounds and 2.88 pounds respectively for the 3-cell and 6-cell versions of the MSI Wind.

As reported this afternoon, the Intel Atom-powered device will support up to 2GB of DDR2 memory and can be equipped with an 80GB HDD. Windows XP Home and Linux version of the Eee PC 1000 will be available for purchase as is the case with previous Eee PC models.

today ASUS officially launched its Eee PC 1000 and Eee PC 1000H. The Eee PC 1000 will be available with up to a 40GB SSD while the Eee PC 1000H will be available with up to an 80GB 2.5" 5400RPM HDD.

The Eee PC 1000/1000H and Eee PC 901 are all equipped with an Atom processor and include ASUS's Super Hybrid engine which allows for easy manipulation of CPU speed, CPU voltage, and screen brightness to extend the life of the battery. When running in its most extreme mode, the Super Hybrid Engine can extract 7.8 hours of battery life from the new Eee PCs.

In addition, ASUS is also providing its new Eee PC family with 20GB of dedicated online storage (per machine) to perform backups or store personal data.

Source from DailyTech

ASUS 7-inch digital photo frame acts as SideShow display

Computex 2008 is underway on its first day and OCZ is out of the gate with a barrage of stuff, some of which you will expect to see from OCZ like RAM and flash drives, some of the gear is new for OCZ.

OCZ is launching a new DDR3 RAM product for its Flex series called the Flex II PC3-17000. OCZ is tight lipped on the specs like timings for the RAM so all that is known right now is the speed. OCZ is also releasing some new gaming peripherals including two keyboards and a mouse.

TweakTown has some pics of the new OCZ gaming peripherals including a new gaming mouse pad, gaming mouse and new keyboards. It’s unclear if OCZ will offer the new mouse pad for retail sale or if it will only be bundled with some of the gaming notebooks that are forthcoming.



The OCZ gaming mouse is called the Dominatrix and is a wired design that looks to be ambidextrous. Specifications for the mouse are unavailable. OCZ also has a pair of new keyboards one appears to be called the Alchemy Elixir and looks exceedingly similar to the Razer Tarantula right down to the blue keys in rows on the side of the keyboard. I’m wondering if it’s a rebrand of the Tarantula. Another OCZ keyboard on display looks enough like the Logitech Di Novo Edge to give me pause. The main difference is that the OCZ version appears to be larger and is wired.

OCZ is also showing off a couple new flash drives with one called the Spyder that is tiny and looks a bit like a slightly enlarged mini Kart with 8GB of storage. OCZ also has a larger standard style flash drive called the Diesel with 16GB of storage space.

Asus has introduced a new photo frame with a feature that will make it much more interesting. The UFOTO UF735 digital photo frame can be used as a SideShow display for Windows Vista users. The frame is a 7-inch unit and uses a USB plug to connect to the host PC. PC Magazine reports that the device also can accept photos from USB keys and CF/SD/MMC/MS/xD memory cards. Pricing is unknown at this time.

Source from DailyTech

A case of déjà vu sets in with VIA's OpenBook Mini-Note reference design.

The low-cost notebook market has exploded in recent months following the launch of the ASUS Eee PC. Many of the big names in the business have already launched products to compete in the sector (Hewlett Packard, Everex) while others are putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming entries (Dell, MSI, ECS).

VIA doesn't want to be left behind in what is seen as a growing market and today launched its OpenBook mini-note reference design. The OpenBook is based around VIA's venerable C7-M processor (1.0GHz to 1.6GHz) and features the new VX800 integrated chipset (VIA Chrome9, DirectX 9.0) to handle graphics duties.

The OpenBook comes equipped with an 8.9" display -- like many of its competitors -- and features a resolution of 1024x600. Other features include three USB 2.0 ports, 4-in-1 media reader, 2MP digital camera, VGA connector, WiFi, and Bluetooth. The OpenBook can also be optioned with WiMAX, HSDPA, or EV-DO depending on your usage needs. Users can also choose from a variety of HDD or solid state disk (SSD) storage options.

Another thing to take note of is the "open" part of the OpenBook -- VIA gives manufacturers full access to the CAD plans of the notebook so that they can develop their own notebooks thanks to a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license.

"The VIA OpenBook builds on the great success of the VIA NanoBook reference design launched last year, which has been widely adopted by numerous customers around the world," remarked VIA's VP of Corporate Marketing, Richard Brown. "Our unique open approach to case design customization and wireless connectivity flexibility, coupled with the higher levels of performance, further extends VIA's leadership in the global mini-note market."

If all of this sounds familiar, it should come as no surprise that an eerily similar product was announced by Everex in early April. Although VIA informed us that the "[Everex] CloudBook Max was designed by a different company," one only needs to look at the pictures and the specifications to see that the two notebooks are virtual twins.

That being said, the VIA OpenBook will be compatible with Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows XP, and Linux when it ships later this year. Pricing has not yet been announced for notebooks using this reference design, but expect them to occupy the $400 to $600 price range depending on communications and storage options

Source From DailyTech

Alienware takes a 3.2GHz QX9770 processor and overclocks it to 4.0GHz.

When it comes to Alienware's desktop computers, more is always better. That philosophy holds true with the relaunch of the company's Area-51 ALX desktop system.

The Area-51 ALX is now offered with a quad-core, Intel Extreme Edition QX9770 processor overclocked to a whopping 4GHz. The Area-51 ALX uses an efficient water cooling system with a rear-mounted radiator to keep heat levels in check at 4GHz. Alienware also uses innovative cable management to keep the case interior free of obstructions and provide proper ventilation for the internal components.

"The performance packed into the Area-51 ALX desktop is flat-out unheard-of," says Marc Diana, Alienware's Product Marketing Manager. "Alienware has always been committed to building only the fastest, most powerful systems available, and that’s exactly what we’ve done with the new ALX."

"By enabling the Area-51 ALX to operate at blazing speed with a great mix of performance and energy efficiency, the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 is the heart of a system sure to excite any Alienware user," added said CJ Bruno, Intel VP and GM of Americas Sales and Marketing.

While the 4GHz quad-core processor is no doubt impressive, it comes at price -- an extremely hefty price. The Area-51 ALX starts at a "mere" $4,599 with an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor, but you'll have to fork over $5,509 to even get your foot in the door with the overclocked QX9770 processor. That price will get you a 1GB ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics card, 2GB of Corsair Dominator DDR3 memory, 1TB of storage space (two 500GB HDDs in RAID-0), dual-layer DVD burner, 1200W power supply and Windows Vista Home Premium.

Source from DailyTech