Western Digital intros 2.5-inch 10,000RPM VelociRaptor HDD

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344087406/

Filed under: Storage

Western Digital has been flaunting its VelociRaptor for some time now, but the drive you've been slamming into towers is now available for low-power, high-performance blade server applications. The 2.5-inch, 10,000RPM enterprise SATA drive (WD3000BLFS) is specially designed to fit snugly within 1U and 2U rack servers, and aside from consuming 35% less power than the previous Raptor drive, this one is available with up to 300GB of capacity. You'll also find 16MB of cache and a 1.4 million mean time before failure rating, though you won't be able to procure one until later this month for an undisclosed price.

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Intel announces EP80579 system on a chip for MIDs and consumer electronics

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344651554/

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Laptops, Media PCs

Intel is looking to simplify things by adding more processors. Yeah, doesn't sound all that sensible to us, ether, but stay put. Okay. Ready for some acronyms? Their just-announced EP80579 Integrated Processor features a system on a chip design that integrate the Pentium M core with a Memory Controller Hub (MCH), I/O hub (ICH) and data path acceleration engines (among other things dependent upon model). They believe these new Integrated Architecture (IA) chips will simplify consumer electronics like set-top boxes and MIDs due to their consolidated design that will reduce incompatibility issues. Intel also says portable devices will benefit from the new processors' energy efficiency. Speeds run from 600MHz on up to 1.2GHz and all sport a 256KB L2 cache. As for when this new tech will end up in your cable box or MID, no news on that just yet. In other words, don't call your provider just yet.

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Toshiba working on a netbook / UMPC that's actually interesting

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344757984/

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

We're almost totally over the whole netbook craze, but Toshiba's latest prototype shows there's still interesting things possible, even if it isn't a traditional laptop. The 5.6-inch touchscreen handheld runs Vista on Intel's Atom processor with a 64GB SSD and a GPS chip -- which like an awfully expensive setup, but Toshiba says they're aiming for netbook pricing. Of course, that means almost nothing, since netbooks are all over the map -- and that probably explains why Tosh says it's identified "six or seven" segments of the netbook / UMPC market, and that it might not compete directly with Eee-class machines. Sure -- but isn't an expensive handheld touchscreen netbook just a straight UMPC? Nice try, guys.

[Thanks, Pete]

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Samsung's i8510 INNOV8 gets official in Europe, shown off on video

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344814471/

Filed under: Cellphones

We've already gotten word of most of the details of Samsung's i8510 INNOV8 (get it?) smartphone, but things just got a whole lot more official for the device in Europe and, coincidentally, a number of sites recently got to spend some time with the phone in NYC (despite the lack of an official US release). Of course, there's not a whole lot of surprises to be found, but it certainly seems like the phone will get the job done and then some, with its built in camera not only boasting an impressive 8 megapixels, but auto-focus, image stabilization, and a flash as well. The rest of the specs aren't too shabby either. Head on past the break to check out one video of the device courtesy of MobileBurn, and be sure to hit up the Laptop Mag link below for a second, higher-quality look at it.

Read - Press Release
Read - MobileBurn, "Samsung's i8510 Innov8 S60 smartphone"
Read - Laptop Mag, "Hands-on with the Samsung i8510"

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Intel getting ready to release Moblin source, working on Moblin 2

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344858018/

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds, Laptops

Intel's got big plans for Moblin, that Linux-based "core stack" that's being optimized for all sort of mobile devices, from MIDs to carputers, and a big part of those plans is letting the community play a part in its development -- the company is just about to release the source for the first version of Moblin, with an alpha-level release of Moblin 2 to follow. Intel says its focus right now is decidedly on Atom, but that it's looking forward to seeing the community drive Moblin in other directions. There's no word on what Moblin 2 will offer, but it sounds like Intel is hoping that by getting Moblin out in the open, it'll become a de facto standard. Not a bad idea, but we'll see how it goes.

Read - Intel getting ready to release Moblin source
Read - Intel working on Moblin 2

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Gigabyte's M912 swivel screen netbook gets unboxed on video

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344919574/

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

If you've been patiently awaiting the arrival of Gigabyte's M912 convertible tablet / netbook hybrid, seeing some lucky fellow far, far from where you are unbox it isn't apt to make the wait any easier. Still, there's at least some level of comfort in knowing that these are indeed filtering out, and besides, it gives you a chance to really size up what you're about to get yourself into. Hop on past the break and press play whenever you're ready.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Gigabyte's M912 swivel screen netbook gets unboxed on video

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Eee hard drive, optical drive, and 3G card continue to reduce meaning of Eee brand

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/344943064/

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless, Storage

Okay, so there's clearly a tube that dispenses marshmallows to the ASUS marketing department whenever it comes up with another product to slap the Eee brand on, because this just getting silly. In addition to the countless Eee laptops, Eee Box desktop, Eee monitor, Eee televisions, and other Eee-branded crap, we're hearing the company is working on a line of accessories, including an external hard drive, optical drive, and WWAN card. None of this is official quite yet, but knowing ASUS, it'll be out in 30 different varieties by the end of the month.

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HP mulling lower cost Mini-Note laptop

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/345006362/

Filed under: Laptops

It was inevitable, was it not? With the success of HP's 2133 Mini-Note, it was pretty obvious that the outfit would be working up a second edition, and according to Jerel Chong, HP Australia's Market Development Manager for Notebook PCs, it's already "looking at a similar device but at a lower cost." Reportedly, the lower cost low-cost laptop will be ready for budget-conscience consumers sometime before 2009, though we have no idea what corners will be cut in order to hack down the price. Mr. Chong did mention that the cheaper edition would be less "durable," but considering that we never viewed the original as a Toughbook replacement, we're not so sure what he's really getting at. Nevertheless, those looking seriously at the more business-minded 2133 may want to hold off, but good luck suppressing that insatiable desire to be instantly gratified.

[Via TheGadgetSite]

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Intel's dual-core Atom 330 processor to ship in Q4 2008

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/345052859/

Filed under: Laptops

Bad news, Atom fans. That dual-core nugget of netbook-powering goodness that you were so looking forward to seeing in Q3 won't begin shipping until Q4. According to some data picked up by Fudzilla, the Atom 330 will only be debuting in Q3 (September 21st, to be precise), but it isn't scheduled to get a shipping label until a few months later. Also of note, we're told that the chip will sell (at some place in the supply chain) for $43, but don't count on those savings being completely passed onto you.

[Thanks, sinai]

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Networks of carbon nanotubes find use in flexible displays

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/345322131/

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Carbon nanotubes may very well kill you (okay, so that's very much a stretch), but you'll have a hard time convincing the dutiful scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to stop their promising research. Put simply (or as simply as possible), said researchers have discovered that "networks of single-walled carbon nanotubes printed onto bendable plastic perform well as semiconductors in integrated circuits." So well, in fact, that the nanotube networks could one day "replace organic semiconductors in applications such as flexible displays." Granted, there is still much to do before these networks are ready for product integration, but you can bet these folks aren't hitting the brakes after coming this far.

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Plastic Motor Powered Directly By Light, No Solar Middleman Necessary [Engines]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/344234452/plastic-motor-powered-directly-by-light-no-solar-middleman-necessary

Professor Tomiki Ikeda, along with his research team at the Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a plastic motor that runs on direct light. Unlike solar power, there is no need for storing energy before conversion. The motor can achieve this feat thanks to a plastic compound containing azobenzene which contracts when exposed to ultraviolet light and returns to its original shape when exposed to visible light. By making this material into a belt and wrapping it around two wheels of different sizes, movement can be generated when the larger wheel is exposed to ultraviolet light and the smaller one to visible light.

According to Ikeda, the material is not very efficient at converting light into energy, but he is confident that it will improve in time. He also noted that the material is about 4 times more elastic than human muscle, and it maintained its strength during a test despite contracting and expanding every 7 seconds for 30 hours. He hopes that one day the technology will come of age to the point that we will all be driving around in light-powered plastic automobiles. Maybe—if by "we" he means our grandchildren and great grandchildren. [Pink Tentacle via DVICE]

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Dell E (aka Mini-Inspiron) Specs Uncovered, Actually Called Inspiron Mini? [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/344234451/dell-e-aka-mini+inspiron-specs-uncovered-actually-called-inspiron-mini

Zumo thinks they got a peak at the specs for Dell's first cheap mini-laptop on a recent trip to Dell's Texas facilities. They say that it'll be called the Inspiron Mini, contrary to previous reports it'll it's the Dell E. What's supposedly inside sounds reasonable, and what you'd expect out of a suitable Eee killer, especially if it's really only $299.

Zumo says it's got a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, Intel's 945 Express Graphics chipset, an 8GB SSD, Wi-Fi and a memory card reader, with a 1240x600 resolution screen (that looks a bit off—1024x600 seems more likely). Reportedly, mass production of a Linux model with extra Dell productivity apps starts next month (in time for back to school). It all seems reasonable enough (and a steal for $299 if true), though I wouldn't consider this dipped-in-blood solid, yet. [Zumo]

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