Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, February 16, 2009

SmartQ 5 PMP Swallows Several iPhones, Could Take On Cowon P5 With Lower Pricing [PMPs]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/4YKJnozcVHQ/smartq-5-pmp-swallows-several-iphones-could-take-on-cowon-p5-with-lower-pricing

Chinese electronics companies taking design cues from Apple is nothing new, so we won't dwell on it here. Instead, the SmartQ 5 could (stress could) match the Cowon P5 with similar features and better pricing.

The only trouble with that is, as the link to the P5 shows, Cowon has had a few months head start. The P5 also has a bigger screen (SmartQ 5 checks in at 4.3 inches—why not 5?), although the two devices share the same 800x480 resolution. Both devices also come standard with wifi, Bluetooth, GPS via USB and all the other little PMP features we expect today, like touchscreens. Oh, the exception is 3G, which is unavailable on both devices. Boo.

So what's the big differentiators here? Well, there's only one we can seen, and it relates to price. PMPtoday speculates the SmartQ 5 will surprise PMP fans with its comparatively lower price point. Is that enough? [zol via PMPToday]

V12 Design Dual-Screen Laptop Gets a Bit More Real With Estari Partnership [Laptops]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8Y16YDj1Ms8/v12-design-dual+screen-laptop-gets-a-bit-more-real-with-estari-partnership

The Canova dual screen LCD laptop from V12 Design we profiled back in July is slowly exiting the concept phase and could actually be headed for the all-important production stage of development.

The boost in street cred is due entirely to the fact that V12 Design has hooked up with an American firm called Estari to help with development. Estari, as you may know, is in the business of developing all sorts of dual screen computer things, including a 2-VU dual screen laptop from way back in 2007.

Today, in 2009, their web page has changed to reflect the news that they've teamed up with V12 Design to make a laptop that looks like what the OLPC XO-2 would look like if it mated with a Lambo.

But will this revolutionize the laptop, as Estari's marketing suggests? Judging by the fact that many of you are probably reading this on a traditional laptop, coupled with the fact that Estari's 2007 effort seems to have been lost sometime in 2007, I'm skeptical, at best.

[Notebook Italia via Engadget, Estari]

Sony Ericsson Idou Arrives In Second Half 2009 With 16:9 Touchscreen, 12MP Camera [Idou]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Vk-uKRGnOaY/sony-ericsson-idou-arrives-in-second-half-2009-with-169-touchscreen-12mp-camera

Sony Ericsson kicked of the MWC show a bit early today with a press conference for a slick new phone: The enigmatically named Idou.

With an OS based on Symbian, the Idou continues the cameraphone megapixel pissing match with an impressive 12 megapixel camera/Xenon flash combo.

Once you snap those gorgeous cellpone photos, they'll be presented to you on a sizable 3.5-inch 16:9 touchscreen that Sony Ericsson claims is capable of "full media consumption" (so it eats all media? Interesting...).

Idou is just a codename for now, Sony claims, but the release window is certain: Second half of 2009. Did I say certain? I mean hazy and ambiguous, like all long-term tech release dates.

[BGR, Sony Ericsson]

Nokia Hybrid Slider E75: For People Who Enjoy Lots of Buttons [Mwc'09]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/miuK4G9cwBQ/nokia-hybrid-slider-e75-for-people-who-enjoy-lots-of-buttons

The long-since-leaked E75 has been announced by Nokia, offering bring a new form-factor to Nokia's smartphone lineup.

We've known about the E75 since November, but here's the rundown: a 2.4in, 240x320 screen, S60 OS, full 3G capabilities (CDMA and GSM), 3.2-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage with room for expansion via SD, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Gallery+full spec list below.

Technical Profile
System: WCDMA 850/1900/2100
WCDMA 900/1900/2100
GSM/EGSM 850/900/1800/1900
User Interface: S60 platform
Dimensions: 111.8 mm x 50 mm x 14.4 mm
(L x W x H)
Volume: 69 cc
Weight: 139 g
Standby time: Up to 11 days (GSM), 11 days (WCDMA)
Talk time: Up to 5.4hours (GSM), 4.2 hours (WCDMA)
Main display: 2.4" QVGA (320x240), up to 16 million
colors
Battery: BL-4U, 1000 mAh, Li-Po
Memory: Up to 50 MB internal memory, 4 GB card on
board, support for up to 16 GB microSD
memory card
Camera
Image capture: Up to 3.2 megapixels (2048 x 1536 pixels)
Video capture: Video recording in VGA quality
Data Services & Connectivity
•HSDPA class 6 up to 3.6Mbits
•384 kbps uplink
•WLAN (IEEE 802.11b/g)
•EGPRS multislot class 32, max download 296 kbps;
upload 177.6 kbps
•High-Speed micro USB 2.0 which supports charging
•Bluetooth wireless technology 2.0 with
A2DP stereo audio, enhanced data rates (EDR)
•3.5 mm AV connector
Recommended Nokia Original Accessories
Car: Mobile Holder CR-109
Car Kit CK-600
Headsets: Bluetooth Headset BH-904
Data: 16 GB microSD Card MU-44
Power: Extra Power DC-11
Special: Bluetooth DVB-H Module SU-33W
Inbox Colors Silver black, Red and Copper yellow
Key Features
•Design! ed for t he best email experience via pre-
installed email clients and full qwerty keyboard
•Full integration between contacts, email, home
screen and calendar with full synchronization
•Two customizable home screen views for both
business and personal usage supporting several
email accounts
•Ovi Files service for accessing files and documents on
your PC, even if it is offline
•Integrated A-GPS and preloaded maps on memory
card offers you great navigation experience
•3.5 mm standard audio plug
Additional features
•Easy three step email set-up
•3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash and
mirror
•Music player, Media player, FM & Internet Radio
•Nokia Maps
•Quick access to applications with one-touch keys
(Home, Calendar, Camera, Email)
•Nokia Eseries optimized Email, Calendar and Contacts
•Intelligent input with auto-completion and
correction, learning capability ensuring fast and
error-free typing
•Built-in mobile VPN for convenient intranet access
•Data encryption for both phone memory and
microSD card
Email
•Nokia Messaging service
•Mail for Exchange (pre-installed)
•IBM Lotus Notes Traveler
•POP/IMAP
•Support for a number of 3rd party email solutions

Samsung OMNIA HD Makes Calls, Shoots 720P Video [Mcw'09]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/K_OYy8jY6Sw/samsung-omnia-hd-makes-calls-shoots-720p-video

Samsung is working hard to up the ante on cellphone camera resolution. But forget digital cameras. With their 8MP Omnia HD (spotted yesterday), Samsung is going after camcorders.

The new Omnia HD features a 3.7-inch (360x640) screen, HSUPA, GPS, Bluetooth and either 8 or 16GB of storage along with an additional MicroSDHC slot. But what's more exciting about this Symbian phone is that it features an 8MP camera (complete with the works like smile detection) and the ability to shoot 1280x720 video at 24fps. You can even do some light editing to the clips before playing them right off the Omnia HD onto your HDTV. The world of independent film just got a whole lot lamer or more awesome. We haven't decided yet.

Samsung OMNIAHD Dazzles at Mobile World Congress with Its HD Brilliance
Barcelona, Spain, February 16, 2009 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today unveiled its ultimate multimedia powerhouse with HD brilliance. OMNIAHD is Samsung's first Symbian full-touch handset, and features the world's first 720P HD video recording and decoding on mobile, as well as the world's largest AMOLED screen on mobile. Samsung launches OMNIAHD at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as part of its portfolio of innovative mobile devices that incorporate the latest multimedia features and fastest data communication, to offer a complete media solution for consumers.

Samsung OMNIAHD is the newest, high performance full-touch screen phone that brings together style, multimedia and business performance in one device. The mobile follows on from the phenomenal success and heritage of the OMNIA last year and extends Samsung's mark! et leade rship of all-in-one full-touch phones. Samsung OMNIAHD has a stunning design with a sleek finish and delivers the ultimate in digital entertainment thanks to its HD capability and 3.7" AMOLED screen. The Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) touch screen offers unrivalled sharpness of tone, vivid colours and greater clarity in direct sunlight as well as less power consumption.

"Samsung OMNIAHD is an incredibly exciting product for us as it is a mobile perfectly suited to the needs of today's consumers who want exciting multimedia experiences on the move," said JK Shin, Executive Vice President and head of Mobile Communication division in Samsung Electronics. "OMNIAHDdemonstrates our vision for the Samsung mobile business, which is to provide premium phones for users who desire functionality, style, usability and entertainment in one innovative device. With Samsung Mobile, I believe that our users can enjoy being at the forefront of work and play, staying connected anytime, anywhere."

Brilliant HD

The HD video recording feature enables you to capture precious moments in HD (720p) quality, enjoy HD content on HD TV via DLNA technology and share real-time live video as users shoot it via qik.com. The 16: 9 screen of QHD display with 16M colour and dual stereo speaker reveal a whole new world of mobile multimedia experiences on the move, enabling users to enjoy SD (Standard Definition) /HD (High Definition) videos in cinema-scale quality with caption.

Brilliant Convergence

Allied to the industry-leading 8MP camera which allows you take digital camera-quality photographs on your phone, the Samsung OMNIAHD ensures you capture the best possible photographs of your friends and family.

Users can enjoy super-fast internet access of HSUPA 5.76Mbps and HSDPA 7.2Mbps that enables you to download or upload a 4MB MP3 song in less than 10 seconds and a 40MB movie in 1 minute(※). 3.7" Auto-Rotating Display on the large screen means that you can enjoy PC-like web-s! urfing o n your phone. [※ Based on theoretical values]

GPS with integrated compass makes OMNIAHD suitable for both pedestrians and drivers, and the navigation touch control and voice guidance via dual stereo speaker provide drivers with easy and safe navigation.

The generous internal memory (available in 8GB and 16GB capacity options), with the addition of a 32GB microSD card, allows you to store up to 48GB, which translates to 35 DVD-quality movies or 18,000 8MP photographs.

Brilliant Interaction

With its easy to use and intuitive 3D interface, OMNIAHD offers effortless and convenient viewing, allowing users to move around and multi-task seamlessly. Motion-enabled features including 3D games make it intuitive and exciting to enjoy the best ever mobile multimedia experiences. Moreover, Samsung Mobile Widget delivers up-to-date information of your choice with just one touch, creating a personalized interface with which to access the infinite wealth of web content.

HP Mini 1000 Mi gets video review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/15/hp-mini-1000-mi-gets-video-review/

HP's Mini 1000 Mi has been up for order since CES, but for those still waiting (and waiting) for a proper overview of the system before buying in can finally say that their patience has paid off. The netbook lovin' crew over at jkOnTheRun has taken the time to showcase the aforementioned machine on video, going over the basics, the not-so-basics and the pros / cons of ownership. We're going to warn you up front, though -- the clip is darn near 20 minutes long, so you'll certainly want to snag some cookies and milk before diving into the read link. That said, you'll be hard pressed to find a better look at the Mi software without actually removing your keister from your chair, so it's probably worth your while.

Filed under: Laptops

HP Mini 1000 Mi gets video review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo Constant Connect brings BlackBerry email to ThinkPads automatically

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/lenovo-constant-connect-brings-blackberry-email-to-thinkpads-aut/

After two years in development, Lenovo Constant Connect is finally here. A groundbreaking new tie-up between Lenovo and RIM has led to the creation of a $150 54mm ExpressCard -- which slots into any ThinkPad from around Summer '08 onward -- and automatically pulls down any email sent to your BlackBerry via Bluetooth, even if the laptop is completely powered down. The idea here is to always have your most recent inbox available within eight seconds of opening your machine, and thanks to the card's dedicated Bluetooth radio and 500MB of inbuilt storage, it can pull down and send out emails so long as the card and your 'Berry are within 30 feet or so from one another. Aside from needing an ExpressCard slot, you'll also need a handset with OS 4.2 or higher. It's designed to work with Exchange, Outlook, POP and Gmail, with Lotus Notes support coming in 2H 2009; as for availability, the card will be available through Lenovo and its partners in early Q2 here in America, while those elsewhere in the world will have to wait until the latter half of the year. Full release and demo video is after the break.

Continue reading Lenovo Constant Connect brings BlackBerry email to ThinkPads automatically

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Peripherals

Lenovo Constant Connect brings BlackBerry email to ThinkPads automatically originally appeared on Engadget on M! on, 16 F eb 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel and LG partner up for some hot MID action

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/intel-and-lg-partner-up-for-some-hot-mid-action/

Intel's been talking up MIDs for a while now, and it looks like LG's ready to buy in -- the two companies just announced that they'll be cooperating on a series of devices running Intel's Moblin OS on the Moorestown platform. Interestingly, the release says the first product will deliver the "functionality of today's high-end smart phones," which seems to suggest that Intel's willing to shift some product definitions around. Still, we wouldn't expect a straight-up phone out of this one -- we're hoping for something more like Intel's crazy concept MID shown here. We'll see what these two come up with over the next year, it should definitely be interesting.

Filed under: Handhelds

Intel and LG partner up for some hot MID action originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nvidias-tegra-to-power-99-mids/

NVIDIA's really promising the moon here, and if they even halfway deliver we could have a real "game changer" (as they say in the business) on our hands. What's on offer is a theoretical $99 slide-out keyboard MID, running a Tegra 600 chipset and Windows CE -- NVIDIA, as usual, offers the innards and the concept, but will leave it to manufacturers to create (and price) the actual units. The device could handle HD video playback, "days" between battery charges and always-on wireless connectivity. This form factor lands in between NVIDIA's Tegra APX chipset for smartphones and ION GeForce chipset for netbooks, and if it actually delivers it seems like it could actually make MIDs viable in the market. Of course, there's the question of what sort of Windows CE skin it'll take to make this fun to use for the target market -- perhaps the fact that Tegra is coming to Android in the near future is enough to make this all moot, but we're willing to give the $99 MID a fighting chance.

Gallery: NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs

Filed under: Handhelds, HDTV

NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nvidias-tegra-jumps-on-the-android-bandwagon/

We've been hearing all kinds about NVIDIA's Tegra the last couple weeks, and have all been quietly wishing and hoping that we'd see Android getting some action -- and we will, and how! Apparently while the initial focus is Windows Mobile, NVIDIA sees Android surpassing Windows Mobile sales into 2012 and has decided to put some serious grunt into the new OS's development. The NVIDIA Tegra 2600 part is being developed with an optimized and accelerated Android release aimed squarely at OEM development and set for release sometime in Q2 this year. We've no idea how long it takes from reference to finished-in-our-hands-product, but the briefing hints at a couple mystereious sets, the "IAC S2" in Q3 and a "Yulong N8" by Q4. This guy is under glass over at NVIDIA's H.Q. here at MWC, so expect more once we stroll over for a look-see. Few more pics after the break.

Continue reading NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, HDTV

NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S3 crams DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI onto $70 Chrome 540 GTX

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/s3-crams-displayport-hdmi-and-dvi-onto-70-chrome-540-gtx/

While the future seems bright for DisplayPort, it's still tough to find a GPU out there with a DisplayPort socket -- and the search becomes increasingly difficult when hunting one down that's affordable. Enter S3, who is expanding its Chrome 500 series with the Chrome 540 GTX. Hailed as the "world's most connected high-def card," this PCI Express card boasts 256MB of GDDR3 memory, compatibility with DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.0, support for Blu-ray playback and a trifecta of interfaces: DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. The best part? It comes bundled with WinDVD 8 for BD playback and can be procured today for the low, low price of $69.95.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

S3 crams DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI onto $70 Chrome 540 GTX originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nokia-e75-qwerty-slider-announced-with-nokia-messaging-built-in/

Nokia's second phone of its MWC presentation is the E75, a full QWERTY side-slider that we've seen more than a few times in the past few months. It's the first phone to come equipped with Nokia Messaging built-in. It ships next month for 375 euros, and if you're eager, pre-orders are being accepted starting today on Nokia's site.

Update: Some more details from its fact sheet: The display is a 2.4-inch QVGA, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3.2 megapixel camera, built-in VPN, HSDA, 802.11 b/g, EGPRS, Bluetooth, and support for up to 16GB microSD card. Standby time is 11 days, and talk time is 5.4 hours on GSM, 4.2 hours on WCDMA, and yes, official colors are silver black, red and copper yellow.

Gallery: Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus PC 3D Viewer Kit: perfect for up-and-coming stereoscopic stars

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/olympus-pc-3d-viewer-kit-perfect-for-up-and-coming-stereoscopic/

Like it or not, 3D is back. Er, it's attempting to be back, though we'd argue the jury is still out on whether it'll stick around for any meaningful amount of time this go 'round. At any rate, those who are already sold on the mesmerizing powers of stereoscopics should probably give this one a look, Olympus' PC 3D Viewer Kit is one of the first consumer-level packages designed to give 3D content creators a look at their work on a standard LCD. The bundle will be comprised of a BenQ E2400HD 24-inch LCD (1,920 x 1,080 resolution), 3D media player software, 3D shutter glasses and a controller box -- just enough to get you proofing without having to rent out a visual effects studio. There's no word on a price for the currently Japan-only package, but really, you can't put an MSRP on the third-dimension.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Filed under: Displays

Olympus PC 3D Viewer Kit: perfect for up-and-coming stereoscopic stars originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/tikitag-renamed-touchatag-adds-qr-codes-to-repertoire/

We haven't heard much from Tikitag since they showed up on the scene last September, sticking RFID tags to everything in sight. The Alcatel-Lucent Venture-backed company's popped up on the radar again, only this time it's taken on a more tactile-focused name, Touchatag, and is now touting 2D barcode support, including do-it-yourself tag creation system for adding some QR ciphers to your business cards or anything else you wish to lay claim. No word on the new pricing -- a Tikitag RFID set was supposed to cost $50 in October -- but if you're interested in testing the service out, there's a sign up to join the developer community on their main site.

Read - Press Release
Read - Touchatag Developer Network

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E75 hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nokia-e75-hands-on/

Here she be, up close and personal, Nokia's newly official E75 QWERTY slider. We're still not seeing much of the 9000 series heritage Nokia mentioned in its presser, but it's one sexy wide-QWERTY phone, any way you slice it. There's video after the break!

Gallery: Nokia E75 hands-on

Continue reading Nokia E75 hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia E75 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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