December 22, 2008

Recyclable temporary hard Drive Concept by Cagnina

What does it come to mind when one thinks of an external hard drive, the shape and size that comes to mind is the ugly square boxes with cables and other connecting device. Enter innovation in the form of the new external hard drive concept by Kansas based Argentine Industrial designer Franco Marino Cagnina is cool and funky to say the least. One would be mistaken for it to be a tumbler, but this designer has really carved out the extra ordinary out of the ordinary design and the other encouraging advantage is that it’s recyclable thus environment friendly. So the next time one finds a need to carry data, just take a glassful of it! The company only announced about this concept and no more details are available about this product. hope this will make a evolution in the field of computers. Some pics of this concept model area available and I'm uploading two of them.


Wireless USB - no wires, same speed


Wires are getting out of fashion really fast these days. Even though they are going along their path of progress, speeding up data transfers step by step and introducing innovative silicon optical fibre technologies, they still don't fit perfectly in modern day lifestyle. That is because they are a burden to any electronic gadget. For example, Bluetooth hands free devices are popular for not having fibers and so is WiFi and Mobile Broadband. However, Japanese enthusiasts have introduced some amazing stuff in this field – Wireless USB kit. Yes, it is a kit, not a single device. WUSB was primarily designed for Notebooks is planned to be released in the mid Decemeber '08, which is about now, so be ready to go for it if you like it, and if you live in Japan.

The manufacturer of the Wireless USB is well known in Japan Ratoc Systems. The full name of their product is Wireless USB Adapter Kit REX-WUSB1. Besides its technical part, for using it a software installation is required. There is not much information about compatibility, but it is sure compatible with Windows XP 32 bit and Windows Vista 32 / 64 bit, running on machines with CardBus PC's card slots. The installation I was previously talking about is a WUSB driver, and the USB Gadget doesn't need anything to be done it, except for plugging it in Wireless USB hub. Its serial number is WD-HUB01. In it its turn, in the computer's or laptop's USB hub fits with above named Wireless USB CardBus PC Card WH-CBA01 and there you go. Now any USB device is acknowledged by the PC without any cables our fibers. It is all up to you how to use it, starting from data backups to printing documents. The WUSB by Ratoc Systems costs 31.500 Yen on the Japanese market.

Intel's new technology - Anti-Theft Protection


Owning a hi-tech device is undoubtedly a big pleasure and joy for most of users. Common mobile phone – a gadget that probably every modern society's member has already got used to. No wander, but the issue is that every piece of technology in our pockets is a bait for a mugger. While smartphones are able to run specialized antivirus and anti-thieft software, notebooks are remaining unprotected basically. Thankfully, Intel has fixed the problem and they will present the salvation scheduled on the summer '09. What they have introduced into a common notebook is a new pack of software that is aimed to protect personal data on a stolen or forgotten notebook, as well a notebook its self. The new Intel technology is called Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology, and I personally thing it will have its future.

You might have probably figured out already what sort of services Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology can provide. First of all, if a laptop gets stolen or forgotten somewhere, to take steps to protect it, the gadget must be equipped with a mobile broadband. Actually Ericsson is currently working very closely with Intel to both: develop the protection service and to make sure that Ericsson Mobile Broadband Modules will be working with it without any collisions. So, this is how the whole thing works: when you want to activate this Intel feature in any case, send then a SMS on a particular number, so it comes on the notebook, interferes with the Protection center and the computer is now blocked and reports its location via GPS. Blocked means that it won't boot until it receives another SMS, confirming that the danger is behind. If it happens so that the lost or stolen laptop was turned on before the blocking SMS was sent, on receiving it, Anti-Theft will delete cryptographic keys so the data on HDD becomes unreadable. It doesn’t say how to recover these key, though, Intel promises it will work. To get a laptop back to normal after blocking, it has to sign in Absolute Monitoring Center successfully.

December 3, 2008

Pen-shaped wireless mouse


There is no need to explain the importance of a mouse as a controlling device for any PC user. It's hard to imagine that there may be an alternative to this well-known device that we've got accustomed to. Yet, it's not the fact that the traditional shape of the mouse is the most convenient and efficient one. Thus, some designers think that there is a possibility to change the way mouse looks.

The proposed gadget being a wireless mouse looks like a standard pen. Actually this unique device functions as a simple pen as well enabling you to put down everything you want, but when you detach the receiver and insert it into your USB port, the pen turns into a wireless mouse. So functionality and portability of the concept represents its key advantages in comparison with a usual mouse.

It has three buttons positioned on its side in the row. So the user can still have the three buttons to use. However, it does not have a scrolling wheel, which reduces its usability.

I have no doubts that this gadget is great for casual browsing; however, if you deal with graphics design or something like this, you will probably encounter some problems, at least at the first dash. No information is available about refillable cartridges, but I hope that the pen comes with them, because otherwise it would be a waste of money to purchase a new unit each time you need one. Nevertheless it is quite a decent idea that most likely will have its proponents.

November 23, 2008

Futuristic and Cool mobile phone designs by Mac Funamizu

Many cell phone users like to use phone with new design and impressive looks. This designer has tried to give a fresh new look to the mobile phones in different shapes and sizes. Some of the shapes are incredibly cool and sleek. Each and every mobile phone comes with different mechanisms for inputting data and soft key layouts. If you are searching for an innovative slider design with an impressive feature set then you might get one in these designs.






November 13, 2008

Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 made especially for Windows Vista




Finally when Vista Software is out on the market the Microsoft Corporation has released its new wireless mouse and keyboard. The Microsoft Wireless Entertainment desktop 7000 is a set of a keyboard and rechargeable mouse.

The mouse is the Microsoft's first rechargeable mouse and they have made it great. First of all, the mouse and the keyboard work using Bluetooth technology. They can work from up to 30 feet away from you computer. Not bad for a keyboard, huh.

Why is it made for Vista? Additional buttons like multimedia and some gadget buttons are placed on the keyboard. These buttons will work only with Windows Vista because only Vista has a "gadget" side-bar. And there are a lot of them, in addition to multimedia buttons that have become usual for a keyboard. The multimedia buttons will let you remotely control all the devices that are connected using Windows Media Center; this makes your keyboard a cool remote control.

Mouse keys are specially created for Vista too. For example, pushing the middle button (scroll) will let you see the thumbnails of all the windows that you have opened. The other cool function that is added: You can magnify a portion of the screen. This will help you when viewing some pictures, or reading small fonts.

Being made in grey colors the keyboard and the mouse will match any computer white or black. Besides, the keyboard is made thin and the buttons are pressed easily and don't make much noise.

The first rechargeable mouse made by Microsoft? Yes it is. The mouse has a rechargeable battery and you can charge it when you do not use the mouse. I think that would be at night, or when you are at work.

November 8, 2008

The Lord of the iRing



Nowadays great efforts are made in order to simplify our life activity. Thus, there is no need to spare a lot of time in order to perform any operation because just a single touch is enough for modern devices to understand what exactly you want them to do. However, we should never stop at what has been accomplished.


Victor Soto who designed a new interesting gadget also adheres to this principle. His concept iRing represents a high-end ring, which helps you by means of Bluetooth technology and a tiny touch screen to control Apple devices, such as iPod and iPhone. Although it's available just in two colors - black and white - it can be considered as a very stylish device with well-known Apple symbol on it. This Apple symbol serves as an indicator that shows a current state of a device, which is under iRing's control. There is no need to take iPod out of your pocket in case you want to change track. Built-in battery will ensure a few days of continuous functioning. So, you can charge it just two or three times a week.

The significant advantage of this gadget is the fact that it is hard to lose it. Moreover, those who have some Apple things most likely will love it because they will be able to control their favorite devices by means of a single ring. Yet, sometimes they will be forced to take their iPods or iPhones out in order to perform more complex operations.

November 4, 2008

New silicon fiber technology will be most likely used in PCs



There seems to be no stopping progress in data transferring technologies. The optical fiber cables haven’t yet replaced all the old-fashioned copper cables where it is possible – in the phone lines,television cables and Internet providers' networks, and now high-speed fibers have been unexpectedly upgraded. The latest novelty has been first seen in South Carolina at Clemson University where scientist managed to expand optical fiber's bandwidth and other stats, which were already big enough.

So what could scientists apply to an already thought out technology? What they did, is a simple and small switch between materials that are used in optical fibers. Inside of the standard mass produced fibers is a special type of glass. Glass is exactly that element which makes optical fiber transparent. This glass was changed for a better use of silicon. Silicon made practically all parameters grow in a better way. Among them are data transfer speed, energy consumption, bandwidth, etc. Unfortunately we don't have any numeric results because the concept is not yet finished. Researchers face a problem with production technology. To substitute glass with silicon they used an old one, which is standardized for the glass. When they will come up with a technology specialized for silicon, the results will grow further.

How ever that may, there is some more to tell about silicon optical fiber. The fact that bandwidth is expanded greatly gave researchers a clue to use it in some other hi-tech fields. It may now be used in lots of electronic gadgets as silicon allows a much better data transfer speed in different wavelengths. Primarily it will be useful in PCs of course. Silicon optical fiber is able to decrease electricity consumption and processing time.All that is expected, but not in the nearest future unfortunately. Developers of the technology hope to start sales in a year or more.

November 1, 2008

USB stick which makes Online Banking safer


Online banking is a very popular thing nowadays, mainly because it is very convenient - you can make any kind of transaction right from your home computer, without need to go to nearest bank.However, this convenient way of managing your finances has its flaws, one of them - security problem. There is a big variety of viruses and hacks, so any information that remains on your computer can be potentially stolen or erased. When we are talking about bank accounts this threat seems serious. So, what should we do to protect ourselves from being robbed by an anonymous hacker? Today, IBM presented its vision on Online Banking Security , which will do all online banking functions bypassing user's PC. Details follow.

This device looks just like the ordinary USB Stick , with a display and smartcard slot, that needs to be connected to user's computer. Then, it creates secure connection channel to bank's online transaction server. This connection completely bypasses user's PC, which means that no information is saved or stored on it. That way, even if PC is infected with unknown virus or malware, no precious information will be harmed - this is what this device is about. Built-in display could be used for transaction log and validation, and smartcard slot add an extra layer of security and protects transmissions from man-in-the-middle interceptions.

The cure for online banking paranoia is called Zone Trusted Information Channel, and it works by running the Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer (TLS/SSL) protocol, including TLS engine and a networking proxy. This was made to completely remove any risks of data interception by viruses on host PC, so even if PC is heavily infected, there will remain nothing from your online banking session to be worried for.

This USB Gadget has many advantages; with it you can make online transmissions from virtually any PC without worrying about safety of your account information. One of the greatest advantages is that it is fully based on existing security protocols, which means that there is no need for upgrading bank servers - no changes required. Developers claim that this security device will be compatible with all major operating systems, and it is ready for bank trials.

October 22, 2008

Motorola Aura - 16 million colors on the round screen


Motorola is now on her new quest for applause and for our money saved for Christmas presents. The latest announcement Motorola has made today is stunning. The new mobile phone Motorola Aura is breathing on us with its glam and exclusivity from every picture, from any angle. A perfect gadget for a bragger, but Motorola Aura is not only a fancy wrap-up with poor technical implementation, as one might have probably thought for instance, - no, Aura – is a record breaker. That round spot with a deep red shine is a first screen to go beyond all the limits set for even best of smartphones.

Design and technology bound together in an everyday gadget a juicy piece of smartphones' market. Such a way Motorola Aura appears to be a rival to many other phones including Nokia 8800 and others. Will Aura succeed? Probably yes, because sales round the globe start in December – right when everyone is thinking hard over another set of New Year presents for their families. But I think Motorola Aura is more like a present for your girlfriend rather that for someone else. Anyway, 2000 USD is an enormous sum of money for a smartphone, even if is close to a work of art.

There is a lot to tell about how Motorola Aura is built, so the first glance is mostly attracted by its body. Stainless steel housing panels are decorated with patterns and fancifully crossing lines. This beauty will last through ages because materials are really of a high quality. The coating around the moving parts is a PVD one – the same technology is used in producing Swiss watches.Aura's keyboard is one of the most intricate keyboards out there. Every key on it is being lined up one by one and carefully polished.

Rotating form factor that was chosen for Motorola Aura by designers became a headache for technicians. To make the rotary mechanism work stable after thousands of openings and closings, more than 700 unique components were tested. Aura doesn't share any of its parts with other Motorola products.

The final part – display and lens – are actually record breakers. Motorola has installed in Aura the first ever screen with 16 million colors in it. Resolution is 300 dpi. The whole ensemble is sheltered with a sapphire crystal lens. It weights 62 carats and will prevent the record-breaking screen from being scratched.

October 21, 2008

New "Apple" speakers



At the moment there are a lot of different speakers that have original design. Moreover, due to the fact that many designers and producers have a great deal of new ideas the variety of these devices will go on increasing. So taking into consideration impressive supply of speakers it should be mentioned that a device has to possess at least one distinctive feature in order to be sold.

Thus, Chinese designers have recently invented new speakers in the form of an apple. It's quite possible that they wanted to make consumers think that their newly-made device is an Apple product. But in fact it doesn't really matter because given gadget is very stylish and original as it is. Besides that the price of this concept will probably be moderate enough, so the majority of customers will be able to afford it. As regards available colors there is possibility to choose between green and red.

Of course, new Chinese "Apple" USB speakers won't ever replace iPod Hi-Fi, but they could possibly be useful as a travel accessory for that ultra-modern laptop of yours. In addition, the compact size of the given gadget can be considered as a significant advantage, because it's very easy to find a place in your baggage or back pack for a usual "apple".






Hide a movie in your pocket with Aiptek gadget


Have you ever missed your TV while going to a distant place with not many up-to-date electronics around? Or have you missed a home theater if you have one of course? Probably yes, and if so, you should know that now there is a new cool gadget that can help you. It is Aiptek Pocket Cinema that can bring a pleasant cinema atmosphere anywhere. However that may be, Pocket Cinema gadget is not a naturally born tourist - it is a delicate device. Delicate and small enough to fit in your pocket just like an average mobile phone. In spite of its small dimensions, it allows to display images or movies on a wall or screen or any other clear surface in fact. In work Aiptek Pocket Cinema is specified to show a 50 inch picture with not even slight distortion or bloom effect.

Aiptek Pocket Cinema can be a really good entertaining gadgets if you follow the entire manual guide notifications. Thing is that Aiptek has designed a very interesting, useful and stylish device, but unfortunately it is user unfriendly in a range of aspects. Let's start with the image quality. It is an Aiptek Pocket Cinema's weak spot. It will make a nice clear and bright image on a prepared surface. 50 inches (approximately 120 centimeters) in diagonal are not bad, and the VGA resolution is suitable enough – 640 x 480 pixels. This is a maximum size for 6 feet (180 centimeters) distance between the projector and the image. The minimum size is 6 inches (15 centimeters) in only 8 inches (20 centimeters) of distance. A proper adjustment is done easily with the help of a tripod in the kit.

The list of formats that Aiptek Pocket Cinema is able to playback wouldn't allow a good half of buyers to use it as freely as a PC. It reads MPEG4, ASF or AVI audio / video formats and only JPEG for images. Me myself, I think it should read FLAC or APE also.

In order to synchronize Pocket Cinema with computer you need: Windows Vista / XP / 2000 operating system and to have at least 800 Hz processor , 256 Mb RAM. Once you have loaded its 1 GB internal memory (pretty poor rate, but the problem can be solved with an SD or flash drive), operate it with a remote control . You can also plug Aiptek into a DVD player for a movie that is bigger than 1 GB, but iPod or iPhone synchronization is not available.

For a small portable gadget as the Aiptek Pocket Cinema is, the battery life is very important. Small dimensions didn't allow designers to build in an appropriate memory card, and the battery seems to be tiny to. It can only last 1 hour on the full charge which is a bigger half of an average movie, but not the whole one! Make sure you can charge the portable projector with a USB hub or an AC adapter if you are not going to watch cartoons before bedtime.

Well, even though Aiptek Pocket Cinema doesn’t seem to be a bestseller with a 520 USD sticker, but it can still be a helper in the office routine or at home. One of the best things I liked about it is not portability or something like that, but an instant romantic atmosphere. Think about it if you want to make a good impression on someone.

October 17, 2008

Mozilla Firefox 3.1. New features. Solid Security
















With the latest and greatest release of Firefox 3.1 Alpha 2 delivered in the first half of September 2008 and the feedback incorporated in the development process, Mozilla is gearing up for the next stage of Shiretoko.

The delightful new Firefox 3.1 is now available for download. Mozilla is offering the nightly trunk of Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 Pre-signaling that the release of the first Beta development milestone of codename Shiretoko is just around the corner. In this regard, September 30 was synonymous with the code freeze of Firefox 3.1, but although Mozilla indicated that the Beta 1 build would be delivered in October, it failed to pin point a specific deadline.

“It’s time to test the Firefox Nightly Trunk Build in preparation of the Firefox 3.1 Beta 1! We are on the road to Firefox 3.1 Beta 1, so there is plenty to test! If you want to test your favorite Firefox Feature, great! But you can also run some more tests in Litmus and try out the Nightly Build and the other great new Firefox improvements,” revealed Mozilla’s Carsten Book.

According to Mozilla, Firefox 3.1 is set up to deliver a range of improvements across the table. Shiretoko will feature an enhanced Awesome Bar delivering superior control to end users as well as privacy enhancements. In addition, Mozilla is cooking a performance boost for Firefox 3.1, and the much publicized evolution from the JavaScript rendering engine to TraceMonkey is an illustrative example in this context.

Firefox 3.1 will also feature Private Browsing Mode, which Microsoft introduced in Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, support for Windows Vista’s Aero Glass, but also closer integration with Ogg Vorbis and Theora codecs, native JSON, CSS 3 and HTML 5. Following the release of Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 in October, Mozilla will make available at least one more beta in November 2008.

Google Android Phones on kick start



Google’s ties with Apple regarding the iPhone have added much speculation to the unavoidable impact that Android will have on the Apple/Google relationship when the smoke clears. Time will tell whether an official gPhone ever comes out. Google has also declared the Android Marketplace, where users will be able to download software applications, several of them free, for their Android phones. These applications will vary from games to navigation tools to travel guides and other reference software.

Google has disclosed on its Android Developer’s Blog that its nascent OS will include access to an application marketplace, similar to the App Store related to with Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch devices. This is so-called “Android Market,” however, will differ from Cupertino’s offering in at least one substantial respect, in that there’s no approval process needed for developers wishing to submit a program. Google has decided to go the route of effectively developing their own version of Java, by writing keys parts in a non-standard way. E.g., Android has a completely non-standard user interface toolkit. In the last couple of months there has been a wild amount of speculation and rumor that Android would be delayed until the first part of 2009.




Google is a very influential company these days, but getting into a totally new market means that the firm should offer the best device possible. With the first Android device, Google will have to rival Apple’s iPod as well as vast family of Nokia business and multimedia phones. Google web searches use Google Suggest technology to offer related, current suggestions. Other applications, like YouTube or Gmail, suggest queries you have previously made so that it’s easier to find and share results that you’ve found before. Google is burned into our lives more than Apple. Between the free press and word of mouth this phone will acquire decent attention.

Google claims the platform will be open to third-party developers—a rarity among mobile phones in general and a stark contrast with Apple, which has made headlines for its new development platform. On the other side, Apple’s iPhone SDK and App Store make for a very smooth buying experience from the consumer perspective, and the process for distributing software to Android devices hasn’t been disclosed yet. Google’s done pretty well thus far, how about we actually wait till the freakin’ OS is available before we start proclaiming it a failure!

AMD Puma



AMD has launch PUMA, its latest mobile platform. Embedding its latest chipset and ATI graphics together with 802.11n WLAN, AMD is taking the fight right up to Intel’s new Centrino 2.


At the heart of PUMA, lies the AMD 780G chipset which can deliver DirectX 10 graphics acceleration, full high definition H.264 decoding with both HDMI and Display Port outputs and 5GHz PCI Express ports. This combined with the new AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile CPU and the ATI Radeon HD 3000 Series embedded graphics, givs it a huge leap in 3D performance and HD playback image quality. Combined with a discreet ATI graphics, not only can it support up to 4 monitors, users will also benefit from ATI CrossFireX Technology which according to AMD boast 3D graphic performance up to 70%.

AMD is also claiming 70% increase in battery life with AMD Enhanced Power Now! and ATI Power Xpress technology which shuts off core logic parts of the CPU when not in use and automatically switches from discreet graphics to integrated graphics when on battery power.

Notebooks utilizing AMD’s PUMA are now available from OEM manufactures such as HP, Compaq and Acer.

October 6, 2008

Super Talent SSD


Super Talent company does not want to make its fans to wait too long for new models to appear. After those 5 models from MasterDrive DX series, two new models from MasterDrive LX series of 2,5 inches where launched with the capacity of 64 GB and 128 GB respectively and a SATA -2 interface of 3 Gb/sec.

It is well-known the fact that Hard - Diks are more preferred than SSD yet because of the report between the price and the storage capacity that is favorable for the first ones. New MasterDrive LX could be the beginning of the change in this dispute because of the low prices that offer this two new produces: 179 USD for 64 GB and approx. 300 USD for 128 GB.

The sequential reading speed is maximum 100 MB/s and the one for writing is maximum 40 MB/s. These two storage units have an integrated error corrector (EEC) and a better one administration of data transferring. Their names are the same cryptic as previous ones: FTM64GO25H and FTM28GO25H. And their selling has already begun this week.

October 5, 2008

“O” Personal Computer Project is Trying to Reduce The Amount of CO2

Do you know the amount of CO2 that your computer generates during its production? Check out this new and unique “O Project” for sustainable computers, designed by Luis Luna. This project is encouraged by the oxygen and the whole cycle of photosynthesis. It decreases a tiny amount of CO2 generated by your computer and can be used lifelong until they become completely waste. This stylish CPU is designed by keeping mind the Green Life Style by having a decorative piece to remove the plentiful visual noise that usual PC’s create. So, you will surely like to have this Plant based CPU on your computer table to have a fresh look.


“O” is the project inspired by the oxygen and the whole cycle of photosynthesis, trying to contribute and reduce a tiny amount of CO2 that computers generate during their production and life use until they become waste. The main idea of this project is to design a CPU that is more concerned about “green thinking’ and ‘life style’ by having a decorative piece to eliminate the abundant visual noise that regular pc’s create.

It has a biodegradable skin composed of polymers based on cornstarch and bamboo. Its components can be returned to the producer to be re-utilized or recycled if you don’t want it as a flower pot or accessorize in your home.

October 4, 2008

LG is launching Renoir a phone inspired from art


LG electronics announces an official launching of multimedia terminal LG -KC910 with a full touchscreen and a camera with a resolution of 8 Mp. The new art inspired model known as Renoir is endowed with a number of characteristics as WiFi , Dolby Mobile for music and camera functions surpass the ones on many digital cameras.

Renoir can make photos at a resolution of 8 Mp. The images that are made can be edited by functions of the camera for online sending or printing. Some of the functions of the Renoir camera as Schneider-Kreuznach certificated lenses, xenon flash, manual and automatic focus, ISO 1600 and geo-tagging are mostly available only on professional individual cameras.

One of the most important advantages of the Renoir is a full touchscreen and a camera of 8 Mp with unique touch functions. One of the characteristics, Touch Shot, makes possible a very exact photographing allowing to the user the fixation of the object by a simple touch of the screen. The photographing is being realized immediately after the finger is removed from the screen. Touch Shot function is available for the first time on a mobile phone. This function stabilizes also automatically the image and deletes the need of a special button for this.

LG chose the name of Renoir for the Viewty successor to reflect the personality of the phone and the level of the multimedia functions. We can only add that Renoir is just is 13,5 mm thick.


    Specifications:

  • Network: EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900
  • Connectivity: HSDPA connection at 7.2Mbps, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, USB / PC sync V2.0
  • Battery: 1000m Ah, LI-Ion
  • Memory: 70Mb (Micro SD up to 8 Gb)
  • Dimensions: 107.8 x 55.9 x 13.95 mm
  • Weight: 110g
  • Screen type: External display, TFT touchscreen
  • Dimensions of the screen: 240 x 400 pixels
  • Camera characteristics: 8 Mp, Schneider-Kreuznach lenses, xenon flash, 16x digital zoom, automatic and manual focus, Touch Shot, Remote Shutter, creative shots modes (Art Shot, Beauty Shot, Continuous Shot, Panorama Shot), Smile Shot, Blink Detection, removal of the red eyes effect, Backlight Compensation, image stabilization, geo-tagging.
  • Video: Slow-Motion video recording at 120 fps/ Fast-Motion video recording at 5 fps; DivX/ Xvid video playback; Video Codec (MPEG4/WMV/H.263/H.264), Noise-free Microphone, TV-out support
  • Music: Mp3 (Dolby Mobile), FM radio, Music Player (MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC++/WMA)
  • Messaging: SMS/EMS/MMS/Video MMS, E-mail, Predictive Text Input
  • Advanced functions: A-GPS (Navigation, Jogging Buddy), games with a movement sensor,
  • Online Widget, Document Viewer

Logitech diNovo Mini Keyboard



Designed for people who have connected their PC to their TV, the compact and stylish Logitech diNovo Mini keyboard makes it easy to control the PC from the sofa.

The mini-keyboard uses Bluetooth 2.0 wireless technology for unfettered use from the sofa or anywhere in the living room.

The Logitech diNovo Mini features a keypad with dedicated hotkeys for media players and web browsers, as well as prominent Page Up and Page Down buttons, which allow users to scroll when surfing the Web as well as zoom in and out of documents and images.

The keyboard even offers a ­dedicated button that launches Windows Media Centre, as well as a row of media controls that allow users to adjust volume and easily play, pause, stop, fast forward and rewind.

For easy navigation, the Logitech diNovo Mini features backlighting and a ClickPad, which can be used as a touchpad to point, scroll and click or as a directional pad to navigate menus and make ­selections.

The ClickPad features two ­backlight modes. When in touchpad mode, the ClickPad is backlighted in orange.

When in media-remote mode, the ClickPad’s directional buttons are backlighted in green.

Because Bluetooth technology provides long-range wireless control from up to 10m from the PC, users can chat online, enter URLs and search-text queries, as well as navigate Windows Media Center from across the room.

The keyboard runs on rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and lasts up to a month on a single charge.

MSI RX3850 Graphic Card Review



This month we see more red, because we have the RX3850 on review and it is the 256MB plus overclocked version of the card. As usual the card sports a red PCB that is a signature of ATI cards. There isn’t any enclosure really, just the cyborg themed sticker with a rather large fan with an equally large heatsink. The cooling system seems no different from the that of the reference card though. It works though since heat doesn’t get trapped so it’s cooler and the design of the cooling system will ensure that fan noises are kept to a minimum.

MSI was pretty frugal in the packaging though with the price point this is understandable. Other than the mandatory driver CD, a DVI/D-Sub adapter, DVI/HDMI adapter, and a S-Video to composite cable were included. The card has two DVI ports so it definitely supports dual-link DVI. You can actually get another adapter in case you need to support two monitors that only supports VGA ports. The fan is situated in the middle of the PCB and the large heatsink is designed that it’ll dispersed heat evenly and since no heat is trapped, as we mentioned earlier, the temperature for this card is relatively low at only 37°C to 57°C.

The RX3850 has CrossFire support as well as a whole slew of MSI’s own software to enhance the performance and usability of the card such as MSI’s DOT Express, Vivid image technology, the Live Update Online, and the MSI GoodMem. Nothing to explain about CrossFire as most of you should already know. The others are tools and utilities created by MSI and bundled with the RX3850 within the CD given. The DOT Express or Dynamic Overclocking Technology Express is an advanced overclocking tool for not only overclocking but also “cooling and de-noise performance”. Vivid is a tool to enhance image quality, it is said to help users get better image quality when viewing digital photos, documents, and games. Then there’s Life Update Online, which helps you to automatically download and update the BIOS and driver whenever there’s a new version online.

This is an overclocked version so of course the clockspeeds were increased though in this case only slightly so. The core clock speed is bumped up from the reference card’s 670 MHz to 690 MHz, nothing else was changed. However, if you want to you can always change the settings with the DOT Express tool.

This card is has decent performance and it’s few selling points would include low temperature, being near-noiseless, and of course the few useful utility and programs bundled along with the CD. It has a lot of useful features as does the other card, so it’s really up to your own discretion on which card you should choose.

Multimedia mouse


Do you have to change your mice too often, do you think that your mouse is not comfortable enough for you? What is the ideal mouse for you?

The ideal mouse for me is the La Feel mouse that is a multimedia mouse. How many keys do you think a mouse should have? Maybe two buttons or three, or maybe it should have five buttons?

The creators of this gadget mouse have decided to place a whole bunch of buttons. Ok, there are two main buttons. Also this gadget has the possibility to scroll vertically and horizontally. So you will be able to view any big web page or whatever you need to view very easy and move the picture fast without using any special buttons on the screen.

The most interesting part of this gadget is the top of it. The La Feel has some multimedia buttons to control your audio, video, or picture viewing and other things. There are buttons for playback/pause, next/ previous, and the volume control. This way you will be able to control you multimedia without taking your hand off the mouse or the keyboard.

This mouse would be very useful especially for those who have no multimedia buttons on their keyboard and need them very much. I think that it is the best place where you could place the multimedia buttons.

Having the great functionality this mouse also looks very cool and they come in several different colors. Its resolution is 800 dpi which is a standard nowadays. Well you get a cool looking mouse with great functionality.

The only drawback that this mouse has is its wiring. It is not a wireless mouse and I think that this should be corrected. Because, when they make it wireless you get a cool remote control for you computer and will be able to control it from the distance.

Samsung reveals Pixon - new phone for photography addicts


Samsung made a bunch of interesting announcements this year, including Samsung Instinct, Omnia and others. This time they announced new cell phone model, Samsung Pixon, which is aimed at camera functionality, and is made in the same form factor as Instinct or Omnia. Not only phone has a camera boosted up to 8 megapixels, it also has a lot of other interesting features, like handwriting recognition and others.

Samsung Pixon, previously named Bresson, is a new model in the Samsung cell phone lineup, and carries model number M8800. Although it looks like Omnia, it is a simple phone with no smartphone functionality. However, it is a feature packed phone indeed. It features big bright 3.2 inched LCD with 240 x 400 resolution, Bluetooth, GPS features, microSD slot for memory expansion, office viewer for Office files, accelerometer (it looks like it is a new fashion nowadays - placing accelerometers in mobile multimedia devices).

However, the main function of this phone is its camera, which is by far the most superior part of this gadget. Its resolution - 8 megapixels, is enormous for a mobile phone, and other parameters are amazing as well. Overall, it has 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, double LED flashlight, image stabilization feature, smile and face recognition, geotagging and video recording - ability to record videos in WVGA (720 x 480) and VGA (640 x 480) resolution in 30 FPS. It also has ISO 1600, which is a very high sensitivity for mobile devices. Phone works on a TouchWiz interface, same is on Omnia, except that it is not a Windows Mobile shell.

Music lovers won't be discouraged either: phone is multimedia oriented so there is a FM radio with RDS inside, alongside with a multimedia player that supports many audio and video formats. It is interesting, how such number of features became united in this size - 107.9 x 54.6 x 14.9 mm and weight - 110 g. Unfortunately, it lacks Wi-Fi support, so user is limited to EDGE or 3G connectivity only. Maybe this move was made to promote Omnia, which is almost the same, only it is based on Windows Mobile and has Wi-Fi.

This curious model is scheduled to release in the beginning of November. Announced price is 550 Euros (800 USD) which is pretty expensive. Maybe it is better to purchase Windows Mobile communicator for almost the same price? If you want hugely increased functionality over boosted camera - this is the best choice.

October 3, 2008

Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept phone review


There are approximately two and a half billion mobile phones in the world, and time in cooperation with conscious dictates us that they all need to be recycled somehow or at least their batteries need to be recycled in order not to cause environmental pollution. There were not many telecom gadgets that where made from 100% safe materials that could be easily recycled without science intensive facilities. Luckily sight of such kind of environmentally friendly gadget has been recently cached. Greenheart concept cell phone from Sony Ericsson was seen last week in the capital of Denmark on another brand event. Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept is not a pre-production model as far as we know, it is just probing, first attempts to imagine what our favorite gadgets would look like in a few years, and, of course, gaining experience.

Judging by the picture, Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept looks quite finished and thought-out over all. It is important to mansion that in Greenheart cellphone the most important issue so far is its technical component, features of its materials. Software and design development don't make any problems for Sony Ericsson's production models. So, what is the most special thing about Greenhouse phone? I think it is its battery. It was designed to keep charge as long as possible. Comparison with any trendy mobile phone shows the results. Typical phone spends 37 mW on its standby mode, 30 mW at best. Greenheart Concept uses 3.5 mW. We are not sure how it will influence total battery life because its capacity and type are yet unknown. Device's body and keypad are made of recycled bio-plastic. Used type of "green" plastic can be recycled at one of world's 500 drop-off areas. Even user's guide (as if phone would be sold) will be offered in an HTML source – that will save some trees to clean air, not to be seized for wood.

In addition I want say, as far as I understand, a big touch screen with no physical keyboard must be even more efficient in this case. Such form factor requires less materials and easier structure. Anyway Sony Ericsson Greenheart Concept phone is a very first serious environmentally friendly cell phone prototype. Only time will show what will be more appropriate for this new hi-tech area.

New Nokia concept phone


Looking at the functionality of the modern cell phones , it seems that something really innovative can hardly be designed. However some designers just go to show that their creativity knows no bounds. Kimberly Hu who created Nokia Scentsory concept phone can be reckoned among such designers as well.

The concept of Nokia Scentsory can be considered as an overwhelmingly innovative one. It represents a mobile communication device that works with the senses of smell , sight, hearing and touch. So, besides basic audiovisual features, Scentsory is able to detect, transmit and emit smells as well. In addition to this it can also radiate colours, lighting, and temperature from the caller's environment.The dual-screen mobile has a LED touchpad, speakers, hidden camera and temperature sensors. Nanotechnology has played an important role in the development of this original device. Using highly sophisticated sensors, the electronic 'nose' samples the odour of the caller's environment and transmits it to the recipient electronically.

Given gadget has three different working modes that distinguish from each other according to the available functions. When the phone is in 'flat mode', the LED touchpad, two screens and stereo speakers for audiovisual calls are accessible. In 'open mode', two screens with a hidden camera and stereo speakers, interior scent detectors, emitter and exterior temperature sensors are exposed. In 'closed mode', the phone's slim profile suits traditional voice calls. The LED screen on the lower folding surface alerts the user to incoming calls.

Thus, at present the creation of such a device seems to be unreal. Yet if this phone appears in the near future, it will be very popular for sure.

Two-part cell phone is real - change device's form factor on the fly!


There were many interesting mobile phone concepts,and their numbers increase every year. However, they share one big problem - close to zero possibility for them to be released in mass production. Unfortunately, they are too futuristic or expensive to manufacture, so many good ideas are buried until right time comes. It is amazing to see a curious concept being made as a real prototype - at the CEATEC exhibition Fujitsu and DoCoMo presented a real working prototype of conceptual cellphone, which is made of two absolutely independent parts, and can be shaped in whatever form factor you want, from slider to rotator!!

The whole idea about this cell phone is that you are free to use it whatever way you want- both parts of it are equipped with sensor display,magnets and bluetooth connection., so they are working in pair even while not connected to each other. This makes this phone truly universal: you can make it a slider, with a full QWERTY keyboard under screen, you can place the screen vertically and use the horizontal part as a joystick in games, you can even use second part as a Bluetooth remote while watching movie on the first! You are limited with only your imagination. Not sure, will it have the second Bluetooth module to be able to connect with other devices, but it seems that it will have the most modern hardware including wireless and connectivity abilities.

This phone is a revolutionary idea that went a long road from concept into a working prototype. Great example of how good ideas should be handled. However, there will be a long road to mass production ahead, because now exists one unit only and Fujitsu have no plans to release it in near future. This was only a demonstration of abilities and possibilities,"Proof of Concepts"in some sort. Nevertheless, it demonstrates possibilities of a true phone of the future - great flexibility of usage and outstanding customization options.

Nokia 5800 (Tube) released - new model is officially presented


Nokia 5800, previously known as Tube, gained much attention because it was the first Nokia answer to Apple iPhone - not a rival, but a phone with similar looks and interface.Touchscreen thumb-controlled devices are getting more and more popular, and Nokia's first attempt in this market - Nokia 5800 release - promises to be successful one. As was announced earlier, at October 2 Nokia finally presented its first multimedia touchscreen smartphone on Symbian - Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. We dug into details, which are described below.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic most interesting side is that it is working on a first Symbian S60 made especially for touchscreen control and big resolutions - S60 5th Edition. It is designed to be controlled either by thumbs or stylus, with ability to choose what you prefer the most (unlike Windows Mobile , S60 5th Edition is fully optimized for thumb usage - although, f you like, you can take the stylus and work with it with no problems. On Windows Mobile all thumb operating features are just a shell that works above stylus-oriented OS). Interesting enough, Nokia oriented this smartphone not as a premium class smartphone but as a middle-class music phone.


It comes with 3.2 inched sensor display with 640 x 360 resolution, which is bigger than the iPhone's and is capable of displaying movies or images very crisp and bright, 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and double LED flashlight,GPS.Wireless features include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which, in combination with its high-resolution display, makes 5800 great for web surfing. Built-in accelerometer adjusts image on screen if the position of smartphone is changed from portrait to landscape mode, this feature is present in almost every modern multimedia smartphone, so it is not a WOW factor anymore.

While aimed at music lovers, smartphone has all that needed for listening in comfort - 3.5 minijack slot for connecting almost every model of headphones to the device (no adapters or proprietary accessories is needed;, powerful multimedia player that runs smoothly and benefits hugely from the display's size - album arts look lovely, especially if saved in high resolution; expandable memory via microSD cards - up to 16 GB is supported, 8GB card is bundled with the phone. Text input is done fully via touchscreen and virtual keyboard - it has two modes of operation, one for thumb input and one for stylus. Needless to say, phone supports 3G networks and has all that is needed for video calls.

First version of this interesting smartphone will be released pretty soon - models in black, red and blue colors will be sold for attractive price - 279 Euro (approximately 380 US dollars), with special edition "Nokia Comes With Music" launching in the beginning of 2009. It is curious, how it will be compatible with great amount of S60 applications and games that are already released. In any case, expect to see many great applications written to use all of Nokia Tube possibilities.

Microsoft is launching a mouse that can be used on any surface


BlueTrack represents the most advanced tracking technology as Microsoft says.Microsoft confirmed assumptions in connection with Say Goodbye to Laser company by launching a new mouse technology called BlueTrack.

American company says that this one combines the power of optic technology with the precision of the one based on laser, allowing to this new type of mice usage on almost any kind of surface excluding mirrors and transparent glass.

This technology is based on the combination of two modern technologies - a LED with a blue light that has a pack light, which is more than 4 times wider than a laser on a simple mouse, and a special optical architecture in addition with a new image sensor , created by Microsoft and new pixel geometry also. This combination produces an image with a high contrast of the surface on which the mouse is used. It allows a very high accuracy for the movement detection of the mouse.

So, this mouse can be used on the surfaces that were inaccessible until now as a carpet or the surface of the marble or granite.Microsoft affirms also that this kind of mouse is less predisposed to accumulate dust and cloth.

BlueTrack will appear in November with two models of mice – Microsoft Explorer Mouse at a price of 99 dollars and Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse at a price of 79 dollars.

September 30, 2008

Fabric wireless keyboard


Have you ever seen a soft keyboard? When I say soft I really mean it; this high-tech keyboard is made of Fabric and is very flexible. It has been created for people like me who has lack of space for such things and who has to travel a lot on business.

The material it is made of feels like usual cloth, but thicker one, it is very soft but durable. Besides, it can be connected to almost any device you need. It can be connected to a computer of course. Or you can connect it to your laptop or cell phone if you need to.

Besides it has Bluetooth technology built in so you can connect it to anything that has the same Bluetooth technology. This gadget needs only 2 AAA batteries to work and these two batteries will last for several hours so it is very convenient to use such a keyboard in a plane or on a road trip. Besides, you can easily roll it up to a size of a remote control of your TV. When you are camping or something like that you can easily fit it into you backpack and it will not take much space.

Num Pad Mouse


Sometimes, the computer-themed gadgets can be curious. Like this device, that is a hybrid of mouse and num pad. This interesting solution to num pad users makes their life easier.

You don't need to get your hand off the mouse to type some mathematical expressions or simple numbers - all needed buttons are already present on your mouse. Help in calculations, or even playing games - why don't use this buttons to bind some game's actions to them? Not sure how they would be pressed though, but with proper training they can be pressed with your palm, I think. Training also is needed to prevent accidental button pushes when you are in a middle of a fight.

This gadget can be very useful for people, who use calculator a lot, and for skillful gamers, which can use additional buttons as a useful bonus. For casual PC user, this is only a funny result of how a cross between keyboard and mouse could look like.

A new Nokia concept: fan phone with a flexible screen


In case you were impressed with the Morph concept, then we are ready to strike you again, now with a phone concept Open.

So far, we know only that Nokia Open support connectivity 4 Gb and includes flexible display, which we have already admired a year ago produced by Sony. The gadget has a fan form, and it seems that it will be rather difficult to carry it in the pocket, because of it's fragility. As we can see, the handset is equipped with a camera, and probably a virtual keypad on the touch screen.

The image of this gadget was discovered on the Flickr after what appeared on the Concept Phones, but Nokia haven't made any comments in connection with this concept. In case it works in this gadget we may see it in sale after 2015, because Nokia Morph is programmed for launch in 7 years.

Solar Mobile Charger - best for summer days



It's hot summer already. Best time to go camping with friends or family. Think of a solar charger for your mobile phone,PDA or iPod now. With one of the latest models offered for sale you may finally find yourself independent of electricity supply anywhere. Pocket solar mobile charger has come out in July and has already gathered lots and lots of positive comments.

New Solar Mobile Charger is small enough to fit in any pocket (9 x 6 x 1.5 cm), and it won't disturb you while walking or sitting. Gadget also has an additional slider solar charging panel (5.5V /300MA) for double speed charge of ran down mobile phone's battery,PDA, MP3 player, notebook, portable radio, iPod, etc. The Solar Mobile Charger’s list of compatibility is really very huge so it doesn’t need to be presented. Owner of any mobile phone or other gadget will easily find a proper connector in the kit (perfect for those who travel a lot and have to work with a number of electrical gadgets).

Another useful thing Solar Mobile Charger is equipped with an accumulator built in the device. Even if you don't need an extra charge for your gadgets at the moment, you can leave it on the sun to imbue it up full. Such a way an assured piece of electric energy will be ready when the sun goes down. Solar Mobile Charger accepts another way of charging its batteries. Beforehand going somewhere, simply connect it to your PC via USB (required cable is presented). It will charge your gadget as well.

Mobile Internet - Fast, Portable, Convenient


Internet is becoming a part of our everyday life.You send mails via Internet, chat, work using Internet, buy different products over the Internet. Why has it become so popular? It is easy: because it is very convenient to sit home and do many things online. How about making all those things while you are on the go?Mobile Internet is the right solution for that.USB dongles for mobile internet have become very popular in 2008 because of fast connection speeds that can now be achieved wirelessly.

In order to connect your laptop to mobile internet you just simply need to plug the dongle into USB port and you are ready to surf. Mobile Internet dongles work using the same networks that GSM phones use to access the Internet and have become very popular in almost every country.They have a SIM card too and you can even make phone calls using them.

The last question remaining is which package to use. There are so many companies that can provide you with very good mobile Internet and it is sometimes hard to choose one for yourself. Anyway, mobile Internet is very convenient to use and they do have good coverage, you can access the internet anywhere your cell phone has network coverage.

September 29, 2008

Baseball cap that is as useful at night as in the day


"We are burnin' daylight" we got used to say as a proverb when we want to speed up someone and not lose time any more. A very high appreciation of the sunlight our ancestors put in this simple sentence sounds today in a totally new way. We should not only use sunny hours wisely, but to store energy from the sun when possible.Solar Cells are now installed in many devices, buildings and gadgets to save energy. Even your had can become a part of it. This cap is also equipped with a solar panel. It is right on its peak. You will never feel it while walking in your baseball cap or draw any public attention (which you may find either good or bad) before you turn it on after sunset. Then you will get two LED Light rays right in front of you.


This gadget is very simple.Solar Cells are installed in its brim and charge a battery when the sun shines on the cap. It takes four hours to charge it from to zero to full. On the full charge cap can last shining in the brightest mode up to same time it was charging, which is four hours at its best. Power of light is regulated with a help of a button. In the most economic mode it will shine up to 36 hours. Sun has yet never been gone for so long. Two LED limelights under cap's peak are maybe not powerful enough to illuminate several meters of your way but you will surely see what is there on the ground in the dark and you will be visible if you appear to walk along a road.

Best Powered USB Hub


This is the most stylish and best powered USB hub we've ever seen. The Medusa Hub supports four USB 2.0 ports up to 480Mbps, two Firewire 400 ports up to 400 Mbps and comes with a USB fan and USB light attached. Works in most Windows, Mac, and Linux OS and available now from ThinkGeek.

Medusa was a mythical creature, a Gorgon woman with snakes for hair that was so ugly she's turn anyone who looked at her into stone. While we don't think anyone will turn to stone gazing upon this stylish and functional USB gadget, we do think it would look awesome if each tentacle had a Master Chief USB Drive plugged in, dangling in mid-air with their little USB heads missing.

September 28, 2008

Backlit Keyboard for Night Crawlers


Some of us often sit behind PC the whole night. However, it is so hard to type in the dark, especially when the keyboard is stylish black. Moreover, when for some reasons you cannot turn the lights on; it becomes a real pain to read those symbols from buttons using dim light from monitor. Everglide found a solution for this problem – a backlit keyboard!

Everglide DKTBoard is designed with those night crawlers in mind. It features a soft blue backlight, which does not harm eyes when in the dark. A compact laptop design makes it small and easy to place anywhere on the table; in addition, brushed aluminum chassis looks extremely cool.

It is interesting how the desktop keyboard began to look smaller and smaller, sometimes making the typing uncomfortable. However, this is not that case, the typing is fast and easy.Do not worry anymore about typing in the dark, now it will be more comfortable than ever. Moreover, you will not disturb anyone with bright light. It is a question for us though, why laptops are not usually equipped with such backlit keyboards; this simple addition will hugely help when you are sitting with your laptop all night long.