Acer's new smartphone range!

Acer for years was developing computer gear and now they are after cell phone market cut. Four presented devices, DX900, X960, F900 and M900, are touch screens running Windows Mobile 6.1, but basing on specs they will not necesserely be in the same price category. The question now is when and where Acer will put the handsets for sale first - in Asia or in Europe?

Touch screen feature and Windows Mobile 6.1 are not the only things that unite Acer's smartphones.All of them have a microSD card slots, Bluetooth 2.0, same samsung 533 MHz strong S3C processors and what's more important - Internet over WLAN. Networks are also basically the same. GPRS, quad-band GSM / EDGE for all of them and only DX900 lacks EGPRS.

DX900 is the least equipped of four. Sharing the same 2.8" VGA TFT LCD touch screen display with X900, it hasn't got its camera. 3.2 MP for X960 and 3MP dead for DX900. But in the meanwhile DX900 is the only one to hit a double SIM card slot.

Just like the first pair, M900 and F900 have the same screen, but in their case it is a whole inch bigger 3.8" WVGA TFT LCD touch screen. F900 however has a poorer 3 MP camera while M900 is a far ahead with an auto-focusing and flashlighting 5 MP gadget.

Mind you also that Windows Mobile 6.1 Acer installs on its fresh handsets is now waiting for its descendant - WM 6.5. That makes us eager to find out whether they are WM 6.5 capable, or are they priced reasonably if they don’t.

Motorized Pro-Motion keyboard

Computer experience is a truly hazardous thing to human's health in long-term outlook. No need to name all the harm day-to-day hours at computer can do. It comes from practically every gear whether it is a monitor, or a keyboard and even system units can get on nerves with too loud sound or even smell sometimes. However, a probable solution to cure RSI and CTS we normally get from our keyboards have already arrived. RSI and CTS are medical terms for Repetitive Strain Injury and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Overall they mean that wrists are harmed by computer work and there hardly is a cure except for giving up PC work maybe. This is much easier to prevent this sort of things rather then to cope with as they occur, so Smartfish Technologies made their own user-friendly keyboard. It is called the Pro-Motion keyboard.

Researches from Smartfish Technologies decided to fit a keyboard with motors, which may sound quiet funny.But the Pro-Motion keyboard should be taken seriously and there is nothing similar to compare it with, so Smartfish Technologies are plausibly opening a new branch in keyboard evolution. Pro-Motion keyboard is able adjust itself basing on personal particularities each person has. Doing a small study, Pro-Motion keyboard can move up, down, change the angle and so on. Motors are being operated by a Dynamic Positioning Controller. It requires installing some software and that's about it. All the advantage of having HSS' (Hospital for Special Surgery) experience in work is set up. Such a way, Smartfish Technologies say, it eliminates any risk of getting RSI or CTS as time passes.

Pro-Motion keyboard is compatible with both: Mac and PC.Gadget is connected via a USB port and can also download software upgrades from the Internet. Smartfish Technologies provides the whole product support and gives five year warranty. All for about 130 USD and Pro-Motion keyboard is already available.

Announced user-friendly abilities are not yet tested by a neutral lab, but there seem to be no doubts in their success. And also, we haven't mentioned stylish design of the aluminum finished body. The thing is though, a lot of computer work is done in offices but employers are not going to provide staff with Pro-Motion keyboards, so bring yours.

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.

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.