HardwareDaily

Kogan Launches World-First Laptop Powered by Google's Chromium OS

2011-06-03T13:04:00.001+01:00

Kogan Launches World-First Laptop Powered by Google's Chromium OS

London, United Kingdom, 3 June 2011 - Kogan today released the world's first laptop powered by Google's Chromium OS, available for sale and ready to be dispatched.

The Kogan Agora Laptop powered by Chromium OS goes on sale today for £269 in the United Kingdom and $349 in Australia and ships direct to customers next week.

Kogan's Chromium OS Laptop is based on the popular Agora hardware, adds a Solid State Drive, lets users operate entirely in the cloud, and boots in 4.5 seconds.

Ruslan Kogan said the world-first product was testament to Kogan's efficiency and agility.

"We've been able to beat the rest of the world to bring the first commercially available laptop running Google's Chromium OS.

"Google's Chromium OS is an open source project, making it a constant work in progress. This means the system will improve over time and new features and improvements will keep getting introduced by the open source community.

"While Chromium is still in its early stages, we know the operating system is innovative technology which represents the future of computing. It may take some getting used to for some to operate entirely in the cloud, but the massive benefits for the end user are driving acceptance of entirely web-based services.

"What we've found from talking to our customers is that many of them are already using cloud services without even realising it. They're uploading photos to services like Flickr, storing all their contacts in Gmail, and even hosting files on DropBox.

"Loading up a laptop with Google's open source software can be strange at first. However it's clear that everyone from casual users to pros are embracing cloud services with all their personal computing needs.

"The real beauty is that no matter which Chromium powered computer you're on anywhere in the world, it will appear exactly as you expect, tailored to your needs. Google is also working hard to ensure that Chrome integrates seamlessly with all Android based devices.

"Samsung and Acer announced Chromebooks based on Chromium OS last month, but we've beaten them to market. Kogan is the most agile consumer electronics manufacturer in the world. We react faster to market trends than anyone else.

"The first Kogan Agora Laptops powered by Google's Chromium OS will be in customer's hands next week and we're very excited. Our business has already been operating entirely in the cloud for years!" Kogan said.

For more information on Google's open source Chromium OS project, which powers the Kogan Agora Chromium OS Laptop: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os

The full specifications of the Kogan Agora Laptop - Powered by Chromium OS are available here:

Kogan Agora Chromium Laptop - United Kingdom

Kogan Agora Chromium Laptop - Australia

About Kogan

Kogan is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of consumer electronics. Kogan's streamlined business model allows us to bring the latest and best consumer electronics and home appliances direct to the door of smart shoppers through kogan.com.au and kogan.co.uk. We engage our customers through our blog, Facebook and Twitter, and release new products based on the feedback we receive. We believe there is always a better way to create and deliver the technology people want.

Kogan has received many awards for success in Australian and International markets including:

BRW 2010 Fast 100
BRW 2010 Young Rich List
BRW 2010 Fast Starters list
Australian Retail Association 2010 Retail Innovator of the Year
T3 magazine most influential people in technology
The Age Top 100 most influential people in Melbourne
BRW 2009 Young Rich List
BRW 2009 Fast Starters list
Anthill Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs
My Business 2010 Best Young Gun in Business
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Category, Southern Region

High Definition Entertainment the Lite Way

2011-06-02T18:51:00.001+01:00

Lite-On have announced the launch of their first external slim-design Blu-ray Combo drive, the eSEU206.

"With the eSEU206, Lite-On is launching its first slim and portable Blu-ray solution to the market", says Maarten Souren, Marketing Manager at Lite-On. "Finally there is an elegant Lite-On Blu-ray solution to connect to your laptop, notebook, or netbook to experience Blu-ray movies wherever you travel." adds Souren.

The eSEU206 drive offers 6x speed Blu-ray playback alongside DVD and CD writing. With a slim and lightweight design, and conveniently powered by USB, it is perfectly sized to pack into your bag to stay productive and entertained away from home.

Key Features:

* 6x Blu-Ray playback

* 8X DVD- and 24x CD Writing

* USB Powered

* Only 21mm thick and 350g

* Full Cyberlink PowerDVD Suite

* Lightscribe disc labelling

The eSEU206 Blu-ray COMBO drive can read high definition Blu-Ray discs at 6x speed, and bundled with the full CyberLink PowerDVD software suite with 3D playback, it is optimised for smooth, flawless Blu-ray enjoyment.

With Lightscribe functionality, the eSEU206 drive adds a creative touch to discs, without the need for extra hardware or fussy marker pens. The easy-to-use and smudge-free disc-labelling system 'etches' greyscale designs onto Lightscribe media; simply write the data, flip the disc then burn the label for a colourful and consistent finish.

The eSEU206 will be approximately £110 SRP and is available this month from a selection of retailers.

For full specifications and information please visit:

www.liteonit.eu

www.twitter.com/LiteOnEurope

www.facebook.com/liteoneurope

About PLDS:

PLDS (Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions) is a joint venture between Royal Philips Electronics and Lite-On IT Corporation, established in 2007 and active in the market of Optical Disc Drives (ODD). The combination of a strong R&D-focus and access to enormous production capacity makes PLDS an industry leading company. PLDS has the brands Lite-On, HP (under exclusive license) in its portfolio.

UK Trade Authorized Distributors:

CCI Distribution

Tel: +44 (0) 1423 704700

www.ccidistribution.co.uk

Ingram Micro

Tel: +44 (0) 870 1660160

www.ingrammicro.co.uk

Avnet (former Bell Micro)

Tel: +44(0) 1344 662000 www.ts.avnet.com/uk

Enta

www.entaonline.com

Sales Enquiries:

Maarten Souren

PLDS

Tel: +00 31 40 250 8000

maarten.souren@pldsnet.com

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. PLDS cannot be held responsible for any technical errors or omissions contained herein.

Is 3D TV worth it? Kogan lets customers decide with a new crowdsourcing project

2011-05-26T15:17:00.000+01:00

Kogan, UK consumer electronics vendor and retailer, today began a 3D TV crowdsourcing project.

There has been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of 3D TV. Kogan is the first in the world to let the customer decide.

Based on reactions from the UK public, Kogan will decide whether or not to create a 3D TV in 46" - 55" sizes.

Kogan is the first company to openly and transparently discuss the cost of 3D technology, and the first to offer customers choice when it comes to 3D, rather than forcing the technology on everyone.

For more on this, see Kogan's official statement here: http://www.kogan.co.uk/blog/2011/may/26/do-you-want-kogan-make-3d-tv/.

Newly Invented 'GadgIT-Mat' Launches, Price £20

2011-05-26T15:15:00.001+01:00

PRESS RELEASE

May 26th 2011

For Immediate Release

Newly Invented 'GadgIT-Mat' Allows you to use your Mouse with a Laptop Anywhere you Like

Using a laptop without a mouse when out and about or away from your desk can be a tricky affair. Whilst some people are happy to cope with a track-pad there are millions more who prefer the ease, speed and accuracy of the trusty mouse.

Now, thanks to a simple and inspired invention called GadgIT-Mat (www.gadgit-mat.com) we can all use our mouse wherever and whenever we need.

GadgIT-Mat is quite simply a well-designed laptop mouse platform that's lightweight but sturdy and can be securely fitted quickly to most makes and models of laptops, and even some Netbooks. You need only set up the device once and then simply attach to your laptop when required and it's ready to use in a matter of seconds.

Up until now when a flat surface was not available the only option would be to use the track-pad or find something like a book to rest your mouse on. The arrival of GadgIT-Mat is now set to change the way we use our laptops. You could be relaxing at home on your sofa or bed, commuting on a train, travelling on an airplane or catching up on some work in a coffee shop or hotel lobby.

GadgIT-Mat has been designed to be used by both right-handed and left-handed people and benefits from a gel wrist support to provide added comfort while also helping to alleviate the common problem of repetitive wrist strain. The product has been specially designed to leave the laptop's ports and utilities free and fits onto most laptops which are between 13mm and 26mm thick.

The new GadgIT-Mat is the first product to market from the new UK based inventions outfit Healey & Brown Innovations Ltd, and will be followed by a number of other products and accessories. Already scheduled is a range of great looking mouse mat and gel wrist rest sets which will be available in 5 vibrant colours followed soon after by a protective case.

GadgIT-Mat will be available to buy from 10^th June 2011 and will cost just £20 and can be ordered directly from their website www.gadgit-mat.com or for further information Email: info@gadgit-mat.com

Solar charge mobile gadgets including the Apple iPad with the new FreeLoader Classic

2011-03-02T11:41:00.000Z

Note: The following news release is provided without any guarantee of any of the claims made. A full evaluation is planned in due course. Reader comments are welcome.

Solar charge mobile gadgets including the Apple iPad with the new FreeLoader Classic

Gloucestershire, UK. 2nd March 2011. The new FreeLoader Classic from Solar Technology International is a solar charger with new super powerful solar panels collecting 25% more power and the ability to provide charge for the Apple iPad.

The FreeLoader Classic is capable of powering the world’s most popular mobile devices. It can deliver power to an iPod / iPhone for 18 hours, a smart phone for 44 hours, a PSP or DS for 2.5 hours and an iPad for 2 hours. Ready for action direct from the box, 9 connector tips are supplied as standard including the new ‘standard’ micro USB, and a USB socket provides a direct input for the standard USB cable supplied with many gadgets, such as the white cable supplied with all Apple devices.

The new FreeLoader Classic is small and light, will easily slip into a pocket or backpack, and is housed in a hard-wearing and stylish silver aluminium skin. When the sun hasn’t got its hat on, the FreeLoader Classic can be charged via USB in just 3 hours.

The FreeLoader Classic also features a built-in LCD data panel which provides useful information about battery level, power input and connectivity. The data gives a clear and concise overview of the FreeLoader Classic’s status at all times, so there are no idle times and users can be more intuitive with the charging process to ensure that there is always charge stored up for a rainy day.

The Freeloader Classic has a number of accessories, notably for hard-core requirements, the Supercharger, which is designed to freeload more of the sun’s power and consequently powers up the FreeLoader Classic in super quick time. The Supercharger is tough, weather resistant and can be fitted to the outside of a rucksack or on bike panniers. The Supercharger can be purchased individually or can be bought bundled with the FreeLoader Classic as the Globe Trotter package.

The Freeloader Classic is available now from www.solartechnology.co.uk and various retailers (such as Firebox) for £39.99 inc. VAT. You can follow Solar Technology on Twitter @SolarTechInt

Additional Info:

*Existing FreeLoader owners with end of life batteries can upgrade to the FreeLoader Classic for a small charge. Contact Solar Technology for further details.

Technical Description:

150mA premium quality crystalline solar cells
1200mAh environmentally friendly Li-ion battery.
Charge Freeloader Classic using its solar panels in 8 hours or via a PC in 3 hours
Supplied with a master cable and nine adaptors to fit the following:
Mini USB – Motorola, Blackberry, Smartphone, iMate etc
Micro USB – Motorola, Blackberry, Nokia etc – the new “standard phone adaptor”
4mm straight jack – PSP, TomTom, EBook etc
Nokia 3.5mm straight jack
Nokia 2mm straight jack
Sony Ericsson – wide adaptor
Samsung – G600 series adaptor
LG – Chocolate, Prada etc
DS – DS Lite
USB socket in built to allow connection from devices with their own USB charge cable – e.g. Apple products.
Aluminium body
Supplied with detailed user manual

Size – 123x62x17mm
Weight – 124g

Bring Multitouch Gestures to your Windows 7 PC with the new Touch Mouse

2011-02-22T23:04:00.000Z

Bring Multitouch Gestures to your Windows 7 PC with the new Touch Mouse

Acer unveils big-screen smartphone • reghardware

2011-02-15T09:57:00.000Z

Acer unveils Android-powered big-screen smartphone • reghardware:

The Iconia Smart's screen is a big 4.8in, 1024 x 480 resolution.

The Smart runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, packs in tri-band HSPA 3G, 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS and an FM radio.

It has a 2Mp video call camera, and a second, 8Mp job on the back for stills and 720p video. It'll play 720p content out through its HDMI port, but not higher resolution footage.

No price yet, but May delivery is promised.

Vodafone signals own-brand handset refresh • reghardware

2011-02-15T09:50:00.000Z

Vodafone signals own-brand handset refresh • reghardware:

The Vodafone 252 is a cheap-as-chips handset with minimal spec, boosted by the presence of M-PESA - a system for making payments with a phone. That system is only active in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Fiji, although India will join that list in the near future.

The 351 is the company's most affordable mobile internet phone. It comes with Opera Mini, an FM radio, a 0.3Mp camera and MicroSD expansion.

The Vodafone 455 is claimed to be the most affordable touchscreen on the market. It also runs Opera and comes with a 2.4in screen, 1.3Mp camera, FM radio and music player.

No word on prices or availability as yet.

Black day for LG's Android range • reghardware

2011-01-18T11:58:00.000Z

Black day for LG's Android range • reghardware:

LG has announced the Optimus Black, its latest Android smartphone. At only 9.2mm thick tapering to 6mm and sporting a 4in touchscreen, the company claims it’s the world’s thinnest smartphone with a display of this size.

LG's Optimus Black

Rated at 700nits, the Optimus Black’s Nova display is also among the brightest available on a mobile, With indoor use, LG reckons on reduced power consumption of up to 50 per cent compared to conventional LCD touchscreens.

The Optimus Black is also first mobile to offer a 2MP front facing camera and Wi-Fi Directfor data transfer between mobile devices. The handset will be available with Android 2.2 Froyo, and will be upgradeable to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. ®

LG dual-core smartphone to hit UK in March • reghardware

2011-01-18T11:56:00.000Z

LG dual-core smartphone to hit UK in March • reghardware:

LG's Optimus 2x Android smartphone - a handset equipped with Nvidia's 1GHz dual-core Tegra processor - will be out in the UK in March.

So says online retailer Expansys.com, which is quoting 21 March as the day the "superphone" will become available.

It wants £500 for the unlocked smartphone that comes with a 4in display, 8Mp camera and its own Ennio Morricone theme tune.

Confirmation of sorts comes from Carphone Warehouse. Its website simply states "March 2011" as the date the Optimus 2x will arrive in its stores, though cautiously it adds small print to the effect that this date isn't completely certain.

Laplink offer a USB Device to Speed Up Your PC

2011-01-13T22:37:00.001Z

The following notice is posted as it has been received. Since the product has not been evaluated we cannot guarantee any of the claims made. Reader comments are welcomed.

Laplink has partnered with Spotmau to bring you a special offer on their software - eBoostr 4. Now a USB device can boost your computer's speed! Take advantage of this special offer for Spotmau eBoostr 4. Buy today for only $29.99 and save 25%! Offer Expires 2/12/2011.

Laplink Software

Specifications

Price:	~~$39.99~~ $29.99
Platform:	Windows XP/Vista/W7
Requirements:	UBS 2.0 port/USB 2.0 flash device or memory card

click to view screenshot

click to view screenshot

click to view screenshot

Did you know a USB device can boost your computer's speed?
Only $29.99 for eBoostr - Save 25%

One USB device is equal to adding an extra 4GB of memory and doubling the CPU of your computer!

It's not a joke. Today we want to introduce you to eBoostr. It can turn your spare USB device into the power horse for your computer. Simply plug in your spare USB device and you can get an extra 4GB of memory for your computer. eBoostr supports up to 4 USB devices.

Let's check out the lab testing results demonstrating how much eBoostr can enhance your computer. The following data shows the dramatic differences for these popular applications and startup time before and after the use of eBoostr.

Adobe Reader:	55% times faster
Adobe Photoshop:	75% times faster
iTunes:	53% times faster
Microsoft Power Point:	38% times faster
Microsoft Word:	20% times faster
Microsoft Excel:	18% times faster
IE 8:	10% times faster

Three easy steps to turn your USB device into an extra 4GB memory with eBoostr.
Step 1. Download and install eBoostr after your purchase
Step 2. Plug in your USB drive to your computer
Step 3. eBoostr automatically detects your USB device and speeds up your computer instantly!

Leading Technology of eBoostr
eBoostr can create an intelligent buffer on solid state memory and this buffer is created utilizing resources from the computer's processor, RAM and USB 2.0 memory in tandem. eBoostr will keep track of what programs are used most frequently and store relevant data on this buffer. Rather than have to search large sections of your hard drive, your computer will simply access the intelligent buffer and load the data from there. Unlike the hard drive, all information located in eBoostr's memory buffer is readily accessible.
See how the Leading Technology works.

Features & Benefits

Greatly enhance your computers performance
Uses hidden RAM
Easy one-step process allows you to configure and manage cache size
Add extra memory for your Windows operating system
No hardware upgrades needed
Less expensive than upgrading hardware
Utilize your spare USB devices
Supports up to 4 USB devices
The most convenient computer upgrade solution for busy people

It only takes 1 spare USB device to get this economical and convenient computer upgrade solution. Take advantage of this limited time offer!

Prices are listed in US dollars only, and may not include shipping, taxes, and/or certain other fees that may be applicable. This offer may not be used in conjunction with past promotions or purchases. Please note that Laplink Software, Inc. does not provide technical support for the third party products offered in this promotion.

Laplink Software, Inc.

ATTN: Customer Service
14335 NE 24th Street, Suite 201
Bellevue, WA 98007
U.S.A.

Copyright © 2010 Laplink Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Laplink, the Laplink logo and Connect Your World are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Laplink Software, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks, product names, company names and logos are the property of their respective holder(s).

Bose Bluetooth headset

2011-01-13T22:32:00.001Z

The first Bluetooth® headset from Bose » | See this email online »

Hear and be heard clearly - even in noisy environments - with the first Bluetooth headset
from Bose. Exclusive technology senses noise around you and automatically adjusts volume.
It's light and compact, with our own StayHear® ear tip for comfort and stability. And simple
controls make it easy to place and receive calls.


	www.bose.co.uk		Call 0800-081-3650		Find a Bose retail store

Not a Bose subscriber? Sign up to receive our emails
Subscribe|Unsubscribe|Privacy policy

You received this email because you are subscribed to receive Bose email updates. To unsubscribe from this list or to change your email address, please click here or call 0800-081-3650. For customer service and all other inquiries please call 0800-081-3650.

Bose Limited, Registered office, 1 Ambley Green, Gillingham Business Park Gillingham, Kent, ME8 ONJ.
Tel: +44 (0) 1634 385 900 - Fax: +44 (0) 1634 385 901
E-mail: info_uk@bose.com - Website: www.bose.co.uk
Place of registration and registration number: England 1187672 - VAT number: GB204555780

Android-powered touchscreen Wi-Fi headphones offered • The Register

2011-01-13T20:31:00.000Z

Android-powered touchscreen Wi-Fi headphones offered • The Register:

With approximately 10⁶ headphone manufacturers battling for mindspace in the marketplace, Nox Audio has come up with a gimmick that hooked our jaded eyes and ears: headphones that run Android.

"The Admiral is a product like no other," said Julie Ma, Nox Audio's president, in a press release promising that her hefty cans will "unleash an audio revolution."

Not content with Android in your smartphone or tablet? Try the Admiral Touch (source: Engadget)

The Admiral Touch features a 2.4-inch touchscreen display that you can poke and stroke to use the Android OS to access the wireless headset's different modes, adjust volume, and switch tracks. The prototype shown at last week's Consumer Electronics Show was running Android 2.1, but who knows what version it'll be running when – if? – it ships in late 2011.

According to Nox Audio, the headphones' Wi-Fi capability will support not only standard audio sources, but also content streamed from Pandora Radio, and VoIP apps such as MSN chat and Skype. Into the chunky cans will be crammed noise-cancelling 7.1 surround sound, and the earpieces can be rotated outward to function as speakers.

With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, and standard 3.5mm audio-jack connectivity, Nox Audio promises that the set will "offer maximum versatility and compatibility with PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PCs, personal music players such as the iPod, home theaters and cell phones and all other electronic devices."

Although the company suggests that the Admiral Touch's removeable and recharageable lithium-ion battery will provide over five hours of audio pleasure, it remains to be seen how long it can truly handle a 2.4-inch display that's powered by an ARM11 processor and supported by 1GB of flash storage, 256MB of RAM, and a microSD card slot.

If the Admiral Touch should catch on, we wouldn't be surprised if another headphone vendor who's seeking recognition will offer a set into which you could slip your 1.54-inchApple iPod nano. ®

3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Android Device Faster « OzTech

2011-01-11T12:27:00.000Z

3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Android Device Faster « OzTech:

1: Disable running services

2. Don’t overdo the widgets

3. Root it!

Dunno about that last one. Doing it wrong can turn a brilliant phone into an unusable brick. Not for newbies!

Cambridge Audio’s NP30 Network Music Player scoops a coveted ...

2011-01-07T16:47:00.001Z

The following release has been received from Cambridge Audio. The product has not been submitted by the manufacturers for eval. Reader comments are welcomed.

Home | Products | Reviews | Dealers

Dear Karl,

Another key Cambridge Audio launch for 2011 has just scooped a coveted CES Innovations Award.

The NP30 unleashes the potential of digital music stored on computers and home networks delivering premium quality 24-bit playback through any hi-fi or home entertainment system. In addition, the NP30 offers fast and easy access to a range of streaming music services and over 20,000 Internet radio stations via its in-built UuVol Radio internet portal.

Digital music collections
• Share music across the home from PCs, laptops, Macs or network storage devices in radically enhanced quality
• "Better than CD" 24-bit/96kHz studio quality playback of 24-bit WAV or FLAC downloads

Music streaming services
• Experience the world's best streaming services in premium quality

Internet radio
• Fast, easy access to over 20,000 internet radio stations, Podcasts and "listen again" shows 24-7!
• Search by genre, country, language or quality

Usability and set-up simplicity
• Experience the power of UuVol Remote App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
• Wired or wireless connection to any home network

Further establishing Cambridge Audio's reputation as one of the most progressive specialist hi-fi manufacturers, the NP30 is the first in a range of network music players and we're delighted to have been recognised with this excellent award.

You can read all about the NP30 by downloading the full press release and hi-res images www.cambridgeaudio.com/press

Username - CES2011
Password – Showtime

Simon Hewitt
Director of Marketing and Press Relations
Cell +44 7974 227574

--
Posted By Karl to SoftwareDaily on 1/07/2011 04:41:00 PM

Wireless HD video sticks demoed • The Register

2011-01-06T07:51:00.000Z

Amimon has been showing off its HDMI stick, which converts any HDMI source into a WHDI transmitter. WHDI has some advantages: it operates at 5GHz so can pass through walls – unlike the 60GHz WirelessHD and WiMedia standards. Also, as it is focused on uncompressed video, it requires very little processing on reception, while avoiding the introduction of artifacts from repeated compression.

The full report can be viewed at Wireless HD video sticks. demoed • The Register

D-Link have announced new media routers for home networks

2011-01-05T13:47:00.000Z

The following release comes from D-Link in USA and all dates, prices etc relate to the US market. No information is available for UK or other markets as of yet.

HD Media Routers prioritize application content for Smooth, Seamless A/V Experiences — Even with Huge Files and 1080p Content

D-Link is launching a new breed of DLNA-certified HD Media Routers incorporating HD Fuel technology, a Quality of Service (QoS) engine, to prioritize High Definition traffic for uninterrupted video streaming with services like YouTube HD, Netflix and VUDU throughout the home. The HD Media Routers come with an SD card slot to easily share media files across the home network or remotely and two HD Media Routers come with a USB 3.0 port for smooth HD content streaming from USB hard drives.

The new HD Media Router family includes:

HD Media Router 1000 (DIR-657) is configured with single band 300Mbps Wireless-N, SD card slot, four built-in Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a USB 2.0 SharePort Plus port.
HD Media Router 2000 (DIR-827) is configured with simultaneous Dual Band 300Mbps Wireless-N, SD card slot, four built-in Gigabit Ethernet ports and USB 3.0 technology for 2 Gbps transfer rates (10 times faster than USB 2.0).
HD Media Router 3000 (DIR-857) is configured with simultaneous Dual Band 450Mbps Wireless-N, SD card slot, four built-in Gigabit Ethernet ports and USB 3.0 technology.

The HD Media Router 1000 was selected as a CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Award honoree in the Home Networking product category.

D-Link HD Media Routers guarantee video quality for wireless streaming across set-top boxes (like Tivo, Slingbox, and Boxee Box by D-Link), network storage devices and PC-to-PC traffic. Consumers have had access to rich content for some time, but it's been difficult to provide a consistent streaming experience in the home.

The D-Link HD Media Routers feature a new sharing platform made available through a partnership with miiiCasa. miiiCasa enables household members to easily and freely organize, play and share their content among any IP-connected device. It's like a secure cloud for the home. The technology is specifically designed for people with little technical background, with everything managed via a simple browser interface.

miiiCasa completely eliminates the need for configuring storage settings, using FTP servers, disk mounting, or tweaking user access controls. It's embedded in new D-Link HD Media routers, and it integrates seamlessly with D-Link storage solutions.

D-Link Patented "SmartBeam" Technology integrated in new Whole Home Routers and Wi-Fi Booster to Eliminate Dead Spots and Boost Performance

D-Link is showcasing a new line-up of "SmartBeam" Wireless-N Routers and a Wi-Fi Booster that significantly extends the wireless range in the home and boosts performance. SmartBeam solutions are ideal for consumers looking to solve "dead-spot" issues, ensure seamless Wi-Fi coverage across their property and crank up the speed of network throughput for large-file multi-media downloads, multi-media streaming, and bandwidth hungry applications for any conceivable device (iPad, iPhone, Android phones, laptops, entertainment devices like the Boxee Box by D-Link, and more).

The equipment is breaking new ground for 2011. D-Link's solutions are the only devices designed with smart antennae technology, offering consumers best-in-class advantages with very little incremental cost above conventional Wireless-N routers.

D-Link Whole Home Routers and Wi-Fi Booster feature:

D-Link "SmartBeam" multi-element antennae to direct signal transmission directly to the highest bandwidth devices for optimal performance
Greater signal gain for better coverage
Reduced interference levels
Efficient, low-power consumption

SmartBeam solutions being unveiled this week include:

Wi-Fi Booster with SmartBeam Technology (DAP-1525) can be added to any existing router to instantly boost a Wi-Fi signal. Configured with switchable 2.4GHz/5GHz wireless bands, 6-element directional antennae, 4 Gigabit ports, Bridge and Access Point mode support, and multiple SSID support for different applications.
Whole Home Router 1000 with SmartBeam Technology (DIR-645) is configured with a single-band Wireless-N 300, 6-element directional antennae, 4 Gigabit ports, USB 2.0 with SharePort and WMM for application quality.
Whole Home Router 2000 with SmartBeam Technology (DIR-845) is configured with all the features of the 1000 series, but employs simultaneous dual band antennae (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz) for creating two networks at once.

All models employ QoS to ensure consistent, reliable signal quality for each application or service.

Their stylish designs make them subtle additions to existing home electronics equipment and decor.

Powerful 500Mbps PowerLine and Hybrid Home Network Solutions Deliver the Best of Wired and Wireless Networks

D-Link is delivering fast 500Mbps networking solutions that tap into the existing power outlets and electrical wiring in a home for connecting devices at the entertainment center and bringing network connections to any outlet in the home.

The 500Mbps line of solutions includes:

PowerLine AV 500 4-port Gigabit Switch (DHP-540) with up to 500Mbps PowerLine performance and 4 Gigabit ports — ideal for connecting multiple devices in the entertainment center. Simply plug in this small 4-port switch and enable networking over existing electrical wiring in your home.
PowerLine AV 500 Adapter (DHP-500AV) and PowerLine AV 500 Adapter Kit (DHP-501AV) provides a single adapter and two adapters to configure a PowerLine network across existing electrical wiring in your home.

D-Link's new PowerLine AV Combo Router (DHP-1320), merges PowerLine 200Mbps technology with a Wireless-N router and Ethernet ports offering customers three connectivity options to reach all the devices in the home with the optimal speed and bandwidth without messy cables or dead spots.

When combined with D-Link PowerLine Adapter at the client device station, the solution can push content such as multi-media, VoIP, or any other robust network traffic from the router to the device via the home's existing electrical outlets.

It's a simple way to ensure optimal coverage throughout the home.

All these D-Link solutions are designed to let users work, play, connect, entertain, share and view anything they like, whenever they want to, and wherever they prefer within the home.

Price and Availability

HD Media Routers:

HD Media Router 1000 (DIR-657) will be available at the end of 1Q/2011 with a street price expected to be under $140.00.
HD Media Router 2000 (DIR-827) will be available in 2Q/2001 with pricing to be announced.
HD Media Router 3000 (DIR-857) will be available in early-3Q 2001 with pricing to be announced.

D-Link Whole Home Routers and Wi-Fi Booster

Wi-Fi Booster (DAP-1525) will be available in 2Q/2011 with a street price expected to be under $140.00.
Whole Home Router 1000 (DIR-645) will be available in 2Q/2001 with pricing to be announced.
Whole Home Router 2000 (DIR-845) will be available in 3Q 2001 with pricing to be announced.

PowerLine Products:

PowerLine AV 500 4-port Switch (DHP-540) will be available late-1Q/2011 with pricing to be announced.
PowerLine AV 500 Adapter (DHP-500AV) will be available 1Q/2011 with a street price expected to be $79.99.
PowerLine AV 500 Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-501AV) will be available in 1Q/2011 with a street price expected to be $139.99.
PowerLine AV Combo Router (DHP-1320) will be available in February 2011 with a street price of $99.99.

------------------

I'm using Opera Unite to post audio of my songs, poems, interviews etc on the web. With all the recordings I've done over the past half century or so, it's a lot of sorting out to do, but check out this link to lend an ear to this work in progress. The page opens with some miscellaneous items, followed by a series of folders which you can use for navigating through the clips.

Go well.

Karl Dallas

HTC Desire offered by Expansys with FREE Digital Photo Viewer

2010-09-30T17:46:00.001+01:00

Note:

HardwareDaily does not endorse any of the claims made in this announcement. Reader comments are welcomed.

Prices and availability subject to change, www.expansys.com website price and availability always applies.
All prices exclusive of VAT unless stated. Terms and Conditions apply, E&OE. ©2010 eXpansys plc.
eXpansys UK Limited is registered in England, Company Number 02870061
Registered Office at Unit 16, Rutherford House, 40 Pencroft Way, Manchester Science Park, Manchester, M15 6SZ, United Kingdom.

Latest Smartphones set to unsettle the market

2010-09-30T17:42:00.000+01:00

Press release from Outsourcery. HardwareDaily does not endorse the claims made in this announcement.

30.09.10

Latest Smartphones set to unsettle the market

Smartphone wars have commenced with the announcement that the BlackBerry Torch 9800 will go on sale tomorrow - with the Windows Phone 7 and the Nokia N8 to be released in the UK shortly. All three phones are designed to eat into the dominance of Apple's iPhone and Google's Android platform, as part of a fierce battle to gain market share in the highly lucrative hand-held devices market. Whilst in the consumer space hand-held devices are becoming commoditised, in the business sector there is still money to be made with all the key players jostling for position by preparing to introduce new features all aimed at luring people away from Apple and Android devices.

Smartphones empowering remote working

The Windows Phone 7 which will allow users to edit SharePoint (Microsoft's web portal technology) documents on the move is an attractive feature for people who need access to documents whilst they work on the go. However most of the new features of this phone are around consumer multi-media capabilities and consumer software applications linking the phone with Microsoft Live, Microsoft's consumer web platform.

Following the recent CEO change, Nokia is widely being viewed as a rising star in the market with its aggressive pricing which many experts believe will deliver considerable market share. The new Nokia N8 due out shortly is powered by the new Symbian 3 software and has the Unified Communications software pre-installed which is a boon for businesses wanting to use Microsoft's Unified Communications Technology. It also has improved multi-tasking (another business feature) however many of the new capabilities are targeted at the consumer such as improved graphics, multi-point touch and multiple home screens. The BlackBerry Torch 9800 runs the new OS 6 and again has many improved consumer features such as an improved 5MP camera and integrated social networking and although it features a slide out QWERTY keyboard, the touch screen interface features heavily.

Nevertheless, these phones are able to compete with Apple on a large market scale, Mark Seemann, CTO for Outsourcery said,

"From a business perspective, both Microsoft and Nokia have been historically strong but their market shares have weakened lately. RIM's BlackBerry devices have seen continued success within the business market and with the imminent launch of the BlackBerry Torch its success could continue into the next year."

Smartphones are not the only market that RIM is looking to compete in, with the announcement of the launch of their tablet device (Playbook) at the 2010 BlackBerry Developer Conference this week (27-30 September). Like its rival, Apple, BlackBerry is determined to ride on the back of the wave.

Seemann added, "The key driver for smartphones is the growing demand for people wanting to work remotely and it is this flexibility that has fuelled the growth in sales of Apple's iPad which is effectively a Hybrid PC/smartphone. BlackBerry is determined to capitalise on this market with its imminent launch of its own 'Playbook."

About Outsourcery

Outsourcery is the UK's leading provider of unified communications (UC) and hosted IT solutions for business. The company has its own state-of-the-art data centre and hosting infrastructure to provide managed services and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) IT solutions such as hosted Microsoft Exchange 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft Office Communication Server, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 and UC solutions using the leading BroadWorks® platform from BroadSoft®.

Microsoft named Outsourcery in the 2010 Worldwide Partner Awards, held in Washington DC, as their 'Hosting Solutions Partner of the Year'. As the UK's number one provider of hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, Outsourcery was also named as 'Microsoft Dynamics Hosting Partner of the Year' and named in the Presidents Club for Microsoft Dynamics; an elite group of strategic partners whose sales achievement ranks them in the highest echelon of the Microsoft Dynamics global network of partners. Outsourcery is also Microsoft's UK launch partner for UC.

A Microsoft Certified Gold Partner with a total of seven competencies, the company employs more than 230 staff based in three UK offices. With an annual turnover of circa £44 million, Outsourcery is the UK's No.1 independent provider of business mobile solutions. It supports the customer bases for Vodafone and O2, providing mobile voice and data solutions to approximately 10,000 organisations and over 100,000 business end-users.

Outsourcery is the UK's first carbon neutral UC and hosted IT solutions company, and was awarded the celebrated'Comms Business Green Channel Company Award 2010' for offsetting its carbon emissions to replace open cooking fires in the Kisumu region of Kenya with energy efficient Rocket stoves.

For more information, please visit www.outsourcery.co.uk

For more information on becoming carbon neutral, visit www.co2balance.uk.com

Follow Outsourcery at http://twitter.com/outsourcery

Plustek Nominated At Document Manager Awards 2010

2010-09-18T11:48:00.001+01:00

NOTE: This manufacturer's announcement is forwarded for the interest of readers of HardwareDaily, which does not endorse or reject any of the claims in it. MobileOffice S420 is currently being evaluated.

Plustek Nominated At Document Manager Awards 2010
MobileOffice S420 acknowledged for outstanding document management capabilities

TELFORD, 15th September, 2010 - Plustek Technology Inc., a manufacturer of consumer, prosumer, professional and office imaging devices (including portable scanners, sheetfed/flatbed scanners, wide-format scanners and IP surveillance equipment), is delighted to announce that is nominated for 'Hardware Product of the Year' at the forthcoming Document Manager 2010 Awards.

The is the latest member of Plustek's MobileOffice series of scanners. Delivering high speed scanning capabilities, it also comes with a stand which enables the device to be shared around busy workgroups. With the MobileOffice S420, information sharing becomes easy.

The DM Awards are a chance for the readers of DM Magazine to reward the outstanding products, suppliers and projects in the document management industry. Now in its fourth year, the evening has rapidly become established as the 'must-attend' calendar date for the sector. This year's award winners will be announced at a ceremony on 14th October 2010 at Tower Guoman Hotel, London.

Shooping Lin, Plustek's Sales Director, said: "The DM Awards honour the best of breed document management products and suppliers, so to reach the final is especially gratifying given the very competitive nature of this industry. We have been increasing investment into our document capture products to ensure that our solutions remain market leading, and hope our loyal customers vote for us in these all-important awards."

Plustek's document management and imaging solutions enable an organisation to improve its efficiencies and business processes while reducing costs. Its wide range of centralised and mobile scanning solutions can feed a wide variety of paper types in addition to providing high quality images and maintaining data security.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The MobileOffice S420 is available now from Micro-P. The Recommend Retail Price (RRP) is £198 (inc. VAT). Technical details and images of the MobileOffice S420 can be found at www.plustek.com/product/s420.asp.

About DM Awards 2010

The DM Awards are a chance for the readers of DM Magazine to reward the outstanding products, suppliers and projects of the Document Management Industry. Now in its fourth year, the evening has rapidly become established as the 'must-attend' calendar date for the sector, and at the same time the DM Awards process itself has grown beyond all the expectations of the team behind it. Success stories from the world of healthcare, government, private sector and finance, among others, are judged by a carefully selected group of consultants and academics. For more information, visit www.dmawards.com.

About Plustek
Respected as one of the world's leading image solution providers, Plustek manufactures and delivers high quality imaging and security products to buyers worldwide. In business since 1986, Plustek began as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for many large companies, creating an innovative array of products including scanners, IP cameras, servers and imaging-related devices. Through a combination of design innovation and strict attention to usability and manufacturing quality, Plustek has grown to become one of the largest image solution providers in the world. From home to back offices, to libraries or paperless offices, Plustek has a tool to get the job done quickly and affordably. For more information on Plustek and its products, visit www.plustek.de/uk/.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/dydlRZ
Twitter: @plustekUK

New iPod nano with Multi-Touch.

2010-09-18T11:43:00.000+01:00

NOTE: The product in this announcement has not been evaluated by HardwareDaily. Readers' comments are welcomed.

Shop Online | Find a Store | 0800 048 0408

Multi-Touch comes to iPod nano.
Tap, flick and swipe your way through songs, artists, Genius playlists, radio stations and more. Learn more

Let Genius be the DJ.
The Genius feature on iPod nano and in iTunes makes it easier than ever to create great music mixes you'll love. Learn more

Tune in to FM radio.
Listen to your favourite radio stations. And tap Live Pause to take a break and pick up right where you left off. Learn more

Meet your fitness goals.
The built-in pedometer keeps track of your steps. And with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, iPod nano gives you real-time voice feedback.* Learn more

New and regrooved.
Learn more about the new iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle.

Free engraving on iPod.
Personalise your iPod only at the Apple Online Store.

Only at the Apple Store.
Choose iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition and join the fight.

* Nike + iPod Sport Kit is sold separately.

Radio frequency shown is for illustration only and is not available in all areas.

Prices are as of 01/09/2010. Prices include taxes but may not include shipping. Free shipping is available on all iPod models and on orders over £78 inc VAT. For more detailed information on the Apple Online Store terms and conditions, please click here.

Some products and promotions are not available in all countries. Product specifications are subject to change.

The iTunes Store is available only to persons aged 13 or older in the US and many other countries; click here to see the list of countries. Requires iTunes, compatible hardware and software, and Internet access (fees may apply). Terms apply. Click here for more information.

Content sold separately. Available on iTunes. Title availability is subject to change.

Messages engraved on iPod touch and iPod classic are limited to two lines, 29 characters each; on iPod nano and iPod shuffle, one line, 30 characters. Engraving and gift wrap are not available for refurbished iPod models.

Apple Sales International, Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork, Ireland. Company Registration number: 15719. VAT number: IE6554690W.

All-new Kindle from Amazon UK

2010-09-18T11:40:00.001+01:00

NOTE: HardwareDaily has not evaluated this product. Reader comments are welcomed.

Link for purchase of the newest Kindle hardware:

http://amzn.to/c1t5h8 (UK)
http://amzn.to/aYN9Z6 (US).

Get Unlimited Free One-Day Delivery Now! › Amazon Prime

MP3

Deals of the Week

See all departments

The all-new Amazon Kindle is now available to order in the UK.

Learn more

BT introduces unlimited free Wi-Fi

2010-09-18T10:31:00.001+01:00

http://www.staysure.co.uk/article-bt-introduces-unlimited-free-wi-fi?utm_source=Newsletter17Sep&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Newsletter67

New iPod shuffle.

2010-09-18T10:23:00.000+01:00

Note: This is an official Apple announcement. None of its claimns have been tested or evaluated. Reader comments are welcomed.

Shop Online | Find a Store | 0800 048 0408

It talks to you.
Press the new VoiceOver button and iPod shuffle speaks the song title, playlist name or battery status.* Learn more

Multiple playlists.
Carry different playlists and Genius Mixes so you can have the perfect music for every mood. Learn more

New and regrooved.
Learn more about the new iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle.

Free engraving on iPod.
Personalise your iPod only at the Apple Online Store.

Take iPod home.
Find an Apple Retail Store to get your hands on iPod.

* Available in selected languages.

Prices are as of 01/09/2010, and are subject to change. Prices include taxes but may not include shipping. Free shipping is available on all iPod models and on orders over £78 inc VAT. For more detailed information on the Apple Online Store terms and conditions, please click here.

Some products and promotions are not available in all countries. Product specifications are subject to change.

Apple Sales International, Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork, Ireland. Company Registration number: 15719. VAT number: IE6554690W.

UAE to cut off BlackBerry users [printer-friendly] • The Register

2010-08-03T09:50:00.000+01:00

UAE to cut off BlackBerry users [printer-friendly] • The Register: "UAE to cut off BlackBerry users
Best before 11 October
By Bill Ray

Posted in Mobile, 2nd August 2010 09:12�GMT

The United Arab Emirates will impose a ban on the email service on RIM's BlackBerry devices from October 1st this year because it's just too secure to be allowed to exist.

BlackBerry-fumblers will however still be able to make phone calls, use SMS and MMS and browse the web freely."

Android surges past iPhone in smartphone sales [printer-friendly] • The Register

2010-08-03T09:48:00.000+01:00

Android surges past iPhone in smartphone sales [printer-friendly] • The Register: "Android surges past iPhone in smartphone sales
RIM and Windows Mobile continue to slide
By Rik Myslewski in San Francisco

Posted in Mobile, 2nd August 2010 21:43�GMT

Sales of Android-based smartphones are surging, tearing chunks of market share out of Apple, RIM, and Windows Mobile's hides.

According to a report�[1] released Monday by the analysts at The Nielsen Company, although RIM and Apple still hold their number one and two positions as the top two suppliers of smartphones in the US, Android phones are catching up — fast."

Sharp launches Android netbook - in Japan

2010-07-21T12:09:00.001+01:00

According to the Register (http://www.reghardware.com/2010/07/20/sharp_arm_netbook/), "On 23 July, Sharp will release Lynx, a 5in clamshell smartphone that combines a Qwerty keyboard and a touch-sensitive 960 x 480 screen, though there's also a trackball. . .
". . . the Lynx - model number SH-10B - also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on board. It has a GPS pick-up too.

"There's a 5.3Mp camera on the base of the Lynx that's been designed for snaps and scanning barcodes. A front-facing 0.4Mp camera can be used for video calls."

No info on availability outside Japan.

--
Posted By Karl to Fandroid on 7/21/2010 04:04:00 AM

20 Andoid

2010-05-15T09:49:00.001+01:00

http://htcdev.net/topic/6079-google-expect-18-android-phones-by-year%e2%80%99s-end/

Tweetdeck for Android

2010-05-15T09:45:00.001+01:00

http://htcdev.net/topic/11316-tweetdeck-brewing-up-an-android-app/

Taking time off

2010-03-23T09:25:00.001Z

Following two bad bouts of flu I'm taking a couple of weeks off. If urgent, please call my cellphone.

Pure Audio Blu-ray - msm-studios push back the boundaries

2009-11-24T16:46:00.001Z

Events over recent years in the audio market have proved that a wider more commonly accepted base is needed rather than a pure audio HD format.

Whilst DVD-Video is no longer state-of-the-art and does not meet market expectations in terms of video or audio resolution, there is a growing movement within the professional audio industry that promotes Blu-ray Disc as a potential HD replacement for the audio CD. Full.HD has spoken to Stefan Bock, managing director of Munich-based msm-studios about their ground-breaking work developing Blu-ray as an HD audio only carrier. "At MSM, we believe the future for the music industry includes Blu-ray," explains Stefan Bock. "It offers consumers access to high resolution audio but unlike other recent developments it's not just a format for the high end market. "Blu-ray is the successor to DVD-Video and it could well serve as the successor to SA-CD and DVD-Audio. It does not need any adaption - basic Blu-ray serves us well today," he continued.

But is Blu-ray an audio format? "Well, not exactly," Stefan commented. "Primarily, the format is designed around video content; however there are ways to create audio discs using custom-developed Java programming. Such a Pure Audio Blu-ray Disc can be played back without a TV screen and it will deliver top quality audio on every standard Blu-ray player. It can easily switch between stereo and surround play back and it provides CD-like remote control operation."

msm-studios believes that the Pure Audio Blu-ray concept offers such potential that it has proposed it as a standard to the AES (Audio Engineers Society). Furthermore, the studio has developed a web kit which enables content owners to create their own Pure Audio Blu-rays with a little help from msm-studios. All a content owner needs to do is to encode their audio masters, generate a PQ sheet, prepare the list of track titles and supply their sleeve artwork. msm-studios will then create an audio Blu-ray Disc capable of playing on any BD player without a TV screen.

mShuttle - for those that find it all too physical

Another interesting development at msm-studios sees the launch of mShuttle - a feature that enables the content owner to load compressed versions (MP3, AAC, etc) of the same music on each Blu-ray alongside the high resolution audio data. "Once the Blu-ray player is IP connected to your home network you can access these compressed files and copy them to your music servers, iPods and other portable devices," Stefan Bock explains. "No illegal downloads - just local shuttles within your own LAN." "Blu-ray has the potential to rejuvenate the packaged music market - it can offer great high resolution market today and it can provide the convenience of downloadable music all from one disc."

For more information, go to www.pureaudio-bluray.com.

Eee PC 1201N Multimedia Netbook with dedicated NVIDIA ION Graphics

2009-11-20T11:11:00.001Z

Priced at £399 SRP inc. VAT, the Eee PC 1201N breaks boundaries of what is possible on the netbook platform, owed to the dual core processor and dedicated NVIDIA® ION™ graphics chip.

The two technologies combine to bring the user the fastest netbook performance currently available, and high definition media support both at home and on the move.

PRESS RELEASE:

ASUS deliver unprecedented netbook performance with the Eee PC 1201N multimedia netbook featuring dedicated NVIDIA® ION™ graphics

ASUS have announced the Eee PC 1201N netbook with dual core processor and dedicated NVIDIA® ION™ graphics chip.

The two technologies combine to bring the user the fastest netbook performance currently available, and high definition media support both at home and on the move.

Rene Haas, general manager for notebook GPUs at NVIDIA said, "The ASUS Eee PC 1201N delivers exceptional performance for a netbook. This ION-powered Eee PC is ideal for anyone who wants a netbook with the ability to watch HD video, share and edit photos, play casual games, and convert video to a portable media player. With the upcoming Flash Player 10.1 from Adobe, it will soon handle streaming HD video as well as a high-end desktop PC."

The Eee PC 1201N will be available in the UK around mid January with an SRP of £399 Inc VAT.

Key Features and Benefits

* 12.1in high definition display for stunning visual clarity

* Intel® Atom™ 330 Dual Core Processor

* NVIDIA® ION™ dedicated graphics for full HD media support

* 750GB hybrid storage (250GB hard drive and 500GB online Eee storage – easy to save all your favourite media)

* Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 for seamless connectivity

* Up to 5 hours battery life

* Built in web-cam for easy video calls to friends and family

* HDMI port to play media on larger external HDTV screens

* Built in card reader for easy data transfers

* Available in black or silver

* Windows 7 operating system

* Priced at £399 SRP inc. VAT.

As the first netbook to integrate both the Intel® Atom™ 330 dual core processor and the NVIDIA® ION™ graphics, the Eee PC 1201N shatters previous single-core netbook constraints and delivers the best of both worlds to users seeking mobility and multimedia performance.

Dedicated graphics bring full HD media functionality to netbooks:

The four most popular uses of the Internet are Search, Social Media, Video and E-mail. An increasing number of websites (such as the BBC with their iPlayer Platform and now YouTube with 1080P HD videos) have recognised this trend and now offer High Definition media via Adobe Flash for increased user enjoyment.

Adobe Flash was previously handled entirely by a device's CPU, but Adobe and NVIDIA have developed Flash 10.1 technology to be handled by the Graphics chip instead. The result is that the 1201N, with dedicated NVIDIA® ION™ graphics, can now handle streaming HD video as proficiently as a high-end desktop PC.

Versatility for viewing HD content both away and at home:

Visual performance is boosted by the preinstalled ArcSoft SimHD technology which takes standard definition content and scales it up to a high definition quality – dramatically enhancing the quality of images across a wide range of file formats.

The Eee PC 1201N gives users total flexibility for how and where they enjoy video content. On the move, the 12.1" high definition display provides a smooth and portable platform for viewing videos in stunning clarity, whilst at home the HDMI output makes it a breeze to play video on a larger HDTV screen to experience full 1080p HD video and true-fidelity 7.1 audio.

Huge 750GB hybrid storage solves the dilemma of where to save large digital media files:

The Eee PC 1201N eliminates the need for users to worry about whether they will have enough room to save their HD content files. With 250GB of HDD storage and 500GB of WebStorage, there is ample space for all the high quality pictures, music and movies.

ASUS WebStorage not only makes it easy for users to share media with friends and family, but also offers a simple drag-and-drop interface for downloading free content such as games, wallpapers and software.

Specifications available online at:

www.tru-pr.co.uk/press/clients/asus/ASUSEeePC1201NPRFinal.pdf

Sales enquiries:

ASUS Sales Team

t: +44 (0) 1442 202720

www.asus.co.uk

www.youtube.com/asus

www.twitter.com/asusuk

NOTE: This product has not yet been evaluated. An in-depth review will be posted in due course. Reader comments are welcomed.

* Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations. For more information, please visit http://eeepc.asus.com/global/computing.html. The estimated maximum battery life in Windows® 7 is measured with MobileMark® 2.

** Availability is dependent on selected model, country or operator support. Check with your local ASUS website for more details.

*** Complimentary one-year 500GB ASUS WebStorage trial. Please visit www.asuswebstorage.com for more details.

Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more information.

Blackberry Storm 2 video preview

2009-10-16T09:24:00.002+01:00

Is this the iPhone killer that Storm 1 failed to be?

Amazon's Kindle on sale to non-US customers Oct 19, 2009

2009-10-08T16:18:00.004+01:00

Amazon.Com announce that from October 19, they are now able to ship the Kindle eBook device to United Kingdom for $279 (with free shipping). According to the announcement on the Amazon website, "Customers in United Kingdom will enjoy:

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Think of a book and you could be reading it in under a minute

Free Wireless: Free 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle. No monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. For non-U.S. customers, there are also no additional charges for wireless delivery outside your home country.See Coverage Map. See Wireless Terms and Conditions

Large Selection: Over 280,000 English-language books to choose from; plus U.S. and international newspapers and magazines

Low Book Prices: New York Times® Best Sellers and New Releases are $11.99 to $13.99 (prices include VAT), unless marked otherwise. You'll also find many books for less - over 70,000 titles are priced under $5.99
Learn more about Kindle features on the Kindle product page

Important Product Information for Your Country

Your international shipment is subject to customs duties, import taxes and other fees levied by the destination country. We will show you these fees upon checkout. Learn more
Kindle ships with a U.S. power adapter and a micro-USB cable for charging your Kindle via a computer USB port. The U.S. power adapter supports voltages between 100V - 240V.
You can transfer personal documents to your Kindle via USB for free at anytime. Service fees for transferring personal documents via Whispernet are currently $.99 per megabyte. Learn more
Wireless download times can vary based on 3G or EDGE/GPRS coverage, signal strength and file size.
Kindle books, newspapers, and magazine are currently priced and sold in United States dollars
Blogs and the experimental web browser are currently not available for your country.

At present Kindle can only be purchased on the Amazon US website.

We hope to evaluate this product very soon. Reader comments are welcome

Livestream Launches Livepack - satellite TV truck in a backpack

2009-09-25T08:28:00.000+01:00

Livestream Launches Livepack – The World's First Solution for Wireless Live Streaming at HD Quality

A satellite television truck in your backpack!

	Turnkey hardware solution available today directly from Livestream
	Built in wireless connection, encoder, battery and touch screen
	Six load balanced 3G/EVDO modems included with data contract
	Power up, plug any DV camera and press one button to go live
	Highest Quality - Up to 1Mbps H.264
	Ideal for sporting events, city hall meetings, paparazzi, university graduations, transmission from a moving car, weddings, ceremonies and a variety of enterprise applications.

How Livepack Works

The technology aggregates the bandwidth from six built-in 3G modems in order to get the highest possible available bit rate. Maximum redundancy and reliability is achieved even if one or two of the networks are not available or have very poor connectivity (i.e. the technology can usually get a high quality stream out to the Livestream Platform).

Fully Integrated with the Livestream Platform

	Free or Premium Works with Livestream Free and Livestream Premium (learn more).		Dedicated IP Stream directly to your Livestream channel with a dedicated IP address.
	Camera Mixing Your feed appears just like any camera source in the Livestream Studio - ready for mixing with other live sources.		Archive Your live stream is recorded on the Livestream server for on-demand replay.

Photos

More Info

Details

Livestream Livepack is available for monthly or yearly rental directly from Livestream.
Typical delivery within a week.
Livepack includes : Hardware unit to encode and transmit, Custom designed backpack, Dedicated IP address to stream to your Livestream channel, Firewire cable, all 3G/EVDO network contract and charges included in rental price.
Optional : External batteries (Up to 3 hours of autonomy)
Not included : DV camera, tripod (Inquire for recommendations).
Currently available in US only (Inquire for other countries).
Up to 1Mbps uplink connectivity

Pricing

Month to month rental (no commitment) $2,500/month + shipping cost.
Yearly rental (12 month commitment) $1,500/month + shipping cost.
Special LiveU pricing for use with Livestream Platform only
Includes 30 hours of streaming uplink time per month - all 3G telecom charges included.
Payment method : Visa, Mastercard, AMEX.
Deposit : First month payment and one month deposit required before shipping.

Actual Live Coverage Recordings

New York Fashion Week Roaming Camera (On-demand recording - seek to 30min to see actual fashion show)
MTV Video Music Awards 2009
Harry Potter London Premiere
Pixie Lott Live

To order, or to get more info, email us at getlivepack@livestream.com.

Find our more about the Livestream Livepack here.

Thanks,

— The Livestream Team

You are receiving this email because you signed up for our service or newsletter. You can unsubscribe here.

Cambridge Audio unveils the Azur 650R 7.1 AVR with HDMI 1.3c reception and processing

2009-09-10T18:18:00.003+01:00

Cambridge Audio unveils the Azur 650R 7.1 AVR with HDMI 1.3c reception and processing, suggested retail price $1799 (USD) / £ TBC / € TBC Available late 2009

The new 650R AV receiver featuring full HDMI 1.3c reception and processing decodes all the latest surround sound formats and its video capability is coupled with 7 x 100 Watt audiophile grade discrete amplifier stages.

Using a completely new Cirrus Logic / Crystal chipset with the latest twin core 32-bit DSPs, Cambridge Audio has enabled full support for Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution and the superb new Lossless Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats.

DTS speaker re-mapping allows the playback of DTS-HD High Resolution or Master Audio formats with encoded height information on standard 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setups.

A new video PCB with digital-domain video transcode means the 650R can also transcode analogue video inputs to HDMI for simplicity and flexibility, requiring just one cable to the TV screen.

The 650R is also the first to feature Cambridge Audio Mic Controlled Auto Set-up (CAMCAS) with a supplied microphone for extremely quick and easy installation. And completing the perfect picture, LipSync audio delay means the user can simply adjust for processing delays in the source or TV.

Cambridge Audio truly believes the new 650R to be its best sounding AV receiver to date. Key features:
• Full HDMI 1.3c reception with 3 fully assignable HDMI inputs for Blu-ray/DVD players, HD satellite receivers and games consoles
• Latest generation Cirrus CS49700 chipset features twin 32-bit DSP cores for compatibility with the latest CODECs including Dolby Digital Plus, DTS- HD High Resolution and the Lossless Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats
• Full support for analogue or digital legacy formats - LPCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS, DTS ES Matrix, DTS ES Discrete, DTS 96/24, Neo:6, ProLogic II, ProLogic IIx, in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 variants
• DTS Speaker re-mapping allows the playback of DTS-HD High Resolution or Master Audio formats with encoded height information on standard 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setups
• Fully supports multi-channel PCM over HDMI for DVD-A/SACD and other external audio formats
• 24/192kHz capable DACs for all channels
• 24 bit A/D conversion for digitally processed analogue modes
• Pure Analogue Stereo Direct mode for audiophile playback of analogue stereo sources
• Full post-processing of 2.0, 5.1 or 6.1 material is also possible with PLIIx or DTS Neo:6 to turn these formats into full 7.1
• Analogue to digital video transcoding (composite, S-video and component video to HDMI)
• True power output of 7 x 100 Watts rms per channel, 8 ohms all channels driven
• Analogue stereo direct mode for audiophile stereo sources (pure analogue, no DSP) - 120W output
x 2
• Oversize low flux toroidal transformer
• Cambridge Audio Mic Controlled Auto Set-up (CAMCAS) with microphone supplied
• On-Screen Display (OSD) available on all video outputs
• Adjustable LipSync delay feature
• New optional bi-amping mode for front left/right with surround back left/right in 5.1 set-up
• FM/AM tuner with RDS
• X-Tract™ Forced/Convection Heat Tunnel for virtually silent performance
• Fully specified for custom install applications:
o Cambridge Audio Incognito Ready™ / A-BUS™ multi-room outputs o RS232 port, IR emitter In, Control Bus In/Out
• Navigator style Azur remote which also controls:
• Clear Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
• Completely new wrap-around casework with substantially thicker front panel and an ultra rigid, acoustically dampened chassis
• Available in silver or black finishes

A full range of digital and analogue inputs enables connection of a plethora of source equipment including the latest Blu-ray players such as Cambridge Audio's own 650BD. The 650R subsequently decodes inputs into stereo, stereo and sub or the latest digital surround formats including Dolby Digital Plus, DTS- HD High Resolution, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1. It's also capable of decoding analogue or digital stereo sources in Dolby Pro Logic® II or IIx and DTS Neo:6, again in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 variants for a convincing and effective surround experience from a matrix encoded stereo source. Postprocessing of 2.0, 5.1 or 6.1 digital material is also possible with PLIIx or DTS Neo:6 to turn these formats
into full 7.1.

The 650R carries a 5.1/ 6.1 /7.1 channel analogue input for connection of a DVD Audio or SACD player equipped with a 5.1 output and is also compatible with future external 6.1 or 7.1 audio formats. Multi-channel PCM over HDMI is supported for playback of lossless content. As well as the full complement of audio inputs, the 650R performs composite, S-video and component video input switching and transcoding to HDMI. The component video inputs and outputs are progressive scan and HDTV compatible and the unit features full On Screen Display on all video outputs.

X-Tract™ cooling.
Another crucial aspect of the 650R's audiophile pedigree is Cambridge Audio's proprietary Forced / Convection Heat Tunnel - X-Tract™. This custom design enables the company's flagship AV powerhouse to operate extremely quietly and at a low temperature. A careful balanced combination of forced cooling and natural convection effectively draws heat away from the 650R's substantial toroidal transformer and output stages.

Multi-room compatibility is featured for connection to Cambridge Audio's Incognito system or other custom install applications. Additionally, an RS232 port, IR Emitter In and Control Bus In/Out make it easy to fully integrate the 650R into more complex custom install systems.

A fresh new look
A completely redesigned wrap-around casework adds significant appeal and is augmented by a substantially thicker brushed aluminium front panel. This matches Cambridge Audio's new 650BD Blu-ray player and the recently introduced 650C CD player - it is not uncommon for Cambridge Audio AVR customers to prefer a dedicated CD player to make the most of their music collection. All this proprietary engineering is housed within a new low resonance, acoustically damped chassis featuring dual layer damped feet all of which contribute to better resonance control. A highly ergonomic navigator remote handset also offers full control of the 650R's wide range of features and functions and can be used to control iPods.
http://www.cambridge-audio.com/
Cambridge Audio is a brand of Audio Partnership Plc Registered Office: Gallery Court, Hankey Place, London SE1 4BB,
United Kingdom.
Registered in England No. 2953313
Note: This product has not been tested by HardwareDaily. If evaluation sample is received from the makers, a more detailed review will appear in due course.

Introducing the new iPod nano. Now with video recording.

2009-09-10T15:50:00.002+01:00

Price £115 (8Gb); £135 (16Gb)

Shop Online Find a Store 0800 048 0408

Shop online for free shipping or pick one up today at the Apple Retail Store.

Video recording with effects
The new video camera in iPod nano lets you shoot video and even add video effects, wherever you are. Yet it's still the same ultraportable size. Learn more

Genius Mixes
Genius acts as your personal DJ, searching your iTunes library to find songs that go great together, then organising them into mixes you'll love. All automatically. Learn more

		FM radio with Live Pause The new built-in FM tuner has amazing features like Live Pause so you can pause a live broadcast without ever missing a beat. Learn more

		Pedometer and Nike + iPod Count every step you take with the new built-in Pedometer feature. Or add a Nike + iPod Sport Kit so your iPod can track your fitness progress. Learn more

See the latest iPod models.
iPod nano isn't the only iPod that just got better. Check out the new iPod touch and the new colours of iPod shuffle. Buy now

Download the new iTunes.
The newly redesigned iTunes introduces great features like iTunes LP, Home Sharing and Genius Mixes. Download now

Great iPod. Great cause.
Choose a (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition iPod nano and a portion of your purchase price goes to help fight AIDS in Africa. Available only from Apple. Buy now

Personalise iPod nano free.

Pick up iPod nano today.

Order an iPod nano from the Apple Online Store, including Apple Store exclusive colours and get free laser engraving. Shop now

Choose from all the brilliant colours, including some that are exclusive to Apple, at your favourite Apple Retail Store. Find a store

iTunes Tagging is currently available only in the U.S. on radio stations that support iTunes Tagging. Radio frequency shown is for illustration only and is not available in all areas.

iPod models are not available in all colours at all resellers.

Nike + iPod Sport Kit is sold separately.

Messages engraved on iPod classic and iPod touch are limited to two lines, 29 characters each; on iPod nano, two lines, 29 characters each; on iPod shuffle, two lines, 14 characters each. Engraving and gift wrap are not available for refurbished iPod models. Some products and promotions are not available in all countries.

The mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and represents neither an endorsement nor a warranty. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these vendors or products.

The iTunes Store is available only to persons age 13 or older in the U.S. and many other countries; click here to see the list of countries. Requires iTunes, compatible hardware and software and Internet access (fees may apply). Terms apply. Click here for more information.

Content sold separately. Available on iTunes. Title availability is subject to change.

NIKE and the Swoosh Design are trademarks of NIKE, Inc. and its affiliates, and are used under licence.

iPod and iTunes are for legal or rightholder-authorised copying only. Don't steal music.

Prices and product specifications are subject to change.

Prices include taxes but may not include shipping. Free shipping is available on all iPod models and on orders over £76 inc VAT. For more detailed information on the Apple Online Store terms and conditions, please click here.

Celebrity endorsement not implied.

Apple Sales International, Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork, Ireland. Company Registration number: 15719. VAT number: IE6554690W.

If you would prefer not to receive commercial email from Apple, or if you have changed your email address, please click here.

£100 Asus Eee ebook reader due this year

2009-09-09T14:28:00.001+01:00

Asus Eee e-book reader to arrive this year

Taiwan-based Asustek Computer Inc, a leading provider of computers, communications products and consumer electronics, plans to launch an e-book reader under its Eee brand by the end of this year, according to China Knowledge.

Asus will provide two Eee Reader models, a basic version and a deluxe version with more functions, said Asus president Jerry Shen, adding that the deluxe model will have an integrated web browser and will support 3G functions.

Asus' e-book readers will have two displays joined by a hinge in an arrangement similar to traditional books. Both screens will be color. Users may be able to make phone calls over the Internet using speakers, a webcam and a microphone integrated into the device.

The low-end model will be priced at £100. The price for the high-end model has not been disclosed.

Sony and Amazon are currently the top players in the e-book market, but other enterprises hope to compete as well. Toshiba revealed that it is developing ebook reader products and that will be available in mid-2010.

The global ebook reader market is estimated to exceed US$2.5 billion by the end of 2013.

DataViz Releases Documents To Go 2.0 for Android

2009-08-12T06:34:00.001+01:00

New version adds support for Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe PDF files, enhancements for Microsoft Word and Excel files, plus a free viewer edition for all Android-based devices

Milford, CT, - August 11, 2009 – DataViz®, Inc., a Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner and provider of Microsoft Office compatibility solutions is now shipping Documents To Go® 2.0 for Android™. The new version brings a feature rich, enterprise-grade productivity tool to devices based on the Android platform.

The 2.0 update enhancements include:

Microsoft PowerPoint® File Support
The new Slideshow To Go® component allows viewing, editing and creating of PowerPoint presentations. With support for the latest file formats, including Microsoft Office 2007, business travelers can effortlessly "flick" through slides, review notes, rehearse timing and make any last minute modifications when on the go.
Adobe® PDF File Support
The PDF To Go® component provides high-fidelity viewing of Adobe PDF files with options for page view, word wrap, multiple zoom levels, auto-rotate, bookmarks, search, select and copy text, and support for password-protected files. With PDF To Go, knowledge workers can keep all important reference materials at their fingertips.
Enhancements for Microsoft Word & Excel® File Support
Documents To Go 1.0 offered robust viewing and editing of Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) and Microsoft Excel (.xls, xlsx) files. Version 2.0 extends the feature set by adding find and replace, word count, number formatting, sheet formatting, contextual menus, improved selection modes and scrolling, optimizations for touch, and a 'Live Folder' for instant access to recently used documents.
FREE Version for All Android-based Devices
A non-expiring, free version of Documents To Go 2.0 that provides all Android-based device users with the ability to view Microsoft Word and Excel files and attachments is now available. Customers using this free version can unlock the complete feature set described above by purchasing a 'Full Version Key.'

Pricing and Availability

Documents To Go 2.0 is available exclusively through the Android Market for FREE in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The 'Full Version Key' which unlocks the premium features is also available through the Android Market for $29.99. Customers who previously purchased Documents To Go version 1.0 will receive the 'Full Version Key' at no charge. Supported devices include the T-mobile G1, HTC Dream, HTC Magic, T-mobile myTouch 3G, HTC Hero, Google Ion, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung i7500 and other devices running Android OS. For more information on Documents To Go and RoadSync for Android: www.dataviz.com/GetAndroid

About DataViz
Founded in 1984, DataViz develops and markets Office compatibility and productivity solutions across many platforms including Android™, BlackBerry, Java®, Linux, Palm OS®, Symbian OS™, Windows Mobile®, Windows® and Macintosh®. DataViz partners include Microsoft®, Motorola®, Palm®, RIM, Samsung, Sony Ericsson® and other industry leaders. For more information: www.dataviz.com/About

All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. ©2009 DataViz, Inc
Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions.

August International All-In-One Freeview TV Recorder & Media Player

2009-08-10T12:06:00.003+01:00

August International (www.augustint.com), has announced the launch of the August DA900C, a 9in-screen digital TV and media player providing analogue and digital TV, as well as a music, photo and movies player all-in-one.

The August DA900C offers digital and analogue TV with integrated card reader and USB jack. It receives over 40 Freeview channels, and five analogue channels as well as all digital radio stations. It also plays video, music, photos in MP3, WAV, MPEG4, AVI, JPEG formats directly from memory cards, USB sticks and from external media with USB interface.

It can also record Freeview TV via USB port on to a USB memory stick or external hard drive – claimed to be the first of its kind to support this facility in the UK.

The DA900C is also able to output TV, video and photos to a large sized screen in the home working as a Freeview box and digital media player, as well as being used as a monitor for game consoles and other video players.

Available now at £139.95

NOTE: This post is based on a press release. We plan to fully evaluate the product in due course.

CBHD challenges Blu-Ray

2009-08-05T15:00:00.003+01:00

According to Znet blogger Robin Harris, Blu-Ray is faced with a new competitor in the high-def video market: a revitalised Toshiba HD DVD, marketed by a Chinese company as the China Blue Hi-definition Disk (CBHD). Toshiba has licensed its HD DVD to them and Harris predicts it will be the unit world leader in HD optical technology in just 12 months.

The Times Online reports that the CBHD players are already outselling Blu-ray in China by 3-1 and the CBHD disks cost a quarter of Blu-ray.

Like HD DVD, CBHD discs have a capacity of 30 GB and can use existing DVD production lines. Warner Bros plans to release 100 CBHD titles in China this year, such as the Harry Potter, The Golden Compass and Speed Racer selling for between $7.25 and $10.15 (50-70 Yuan).

Harris says: "CBHD is a double win for the Chinese government: billions saved in royalties; and a much cheaper, locally manufactured, luxury item for the restless masses. Blu-ray is simply collateral damage.

"English is the #2 language in Asia, so English-language CBHDs will be popular. Shanghai vendors will happily sell CBHD players and disks on Ebay. The economics are irresistible and, other than the studios, who will turn down HD content at DVD prices?"

His conclusion: "CBHD will be the world’s #1 format in unit volume by next year."

Who'll be first to launch a CBHD writer? Toshiba launched an HD DVD writer two years ago, but is it still available? And, if so, will it play CBHD discs?

* Meanwhile
Pioneer is promising a 400Gb Blue-Ray disc that will play back on regular Blu-Ray players (though some firmware upgrade may be necessary, since the new discs will be 16-layer, compared with today’s dual-layer discs, and will utilise a smaller pitch and beam wavelength).

Toshiba 3.5in 1TB external drive

2009-08-05T08:56:00.002+01:00

According to The Register, Toshiba's not saying where it's sourcing the drive in its new 1-terabyte external drive. But an illustration on Amazon clearly shows it's a Western Digital device.

Which is interesting, because Amazon also sell a WD 1Tb external drive at a slightly lower price (£68.95 compared with £74.99 for the Toshiba).

The drive comes with USB 2.0 and eSATA connectivity. No CD is required for installation, since all softare is bundled on the drive. This can be used to back up and restore files, and also the entire attached PC system. The drive comes with a USB cable and an AC adaptor and is both PC and Mac-compatible.

WindowsXP on a memory stick (US only)

2009-07-31T10:53:00.001+01:00

MyPocketXP is an installation of Microsoft Windows XP on a keychain. MyPocketXP runs applications such as Microsoft Office™, Apple iTunes®, Web browsers or VPN clients on any PC that is running Windows™. MyPocketXP's patent pending architecture also ensures that thesystem installation stays 'clean' at all times.

How does it work?

MyPocketXP runs on all editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. Support for MacOS is currently under development.

MyPocketXP is based on virtualization technology from Microsoft or VMware: A software program that runs on your computer emulates a virtual machine which you can imagine as a 'computer in a computer'. You can run a second Operating System (OS) in this virtual machine. For MyPocketXP the virtual machine runs Windows XP from a USB flash drive. The virtualization software is installed on the system MyPocketXP is plugged into. Hitting the key combination Right ALT-Enter (Virtual PC) or clicking on the maximize symbol of the virtual machine window (VMWare) switches to full screen mode, meaning that MyPocket XP takes over the entire screen. The installation takes about a minute and does not require a system reboot. All data is removed after disconnecting.

MyPocketXP offers two networking options: bridged networking and networking through Network Address Translation (NAT). With bridged networking MyPocketXP behaves like another computer that is connected to the network the host computer is connected to. In this case MyPocketXP is assigned a dedicated network address in the network the host is connected to. With NAT MyPocketXP accesses the network through a virtual gateway on the host system. With this configuration MyPocketXP is not visible in the network the host is connected to.

Mouse pointers, keyboards and wireless network cards that are connected to the host system through a USB port are usable by MyPocketXP. However, Microsoft Virtual PC does not provide direct access to USB ports for MyPocketXP. USB connected printers or external storage devices for example are not recognized by MyPocketXP if it is running in Microsoft Virtual PC. VMware Player provides access to USB ports.

All applications tested so far have worked without any problems. This includes applications such as Microsoft Office, Cisco VPN client, Apple iTunes, OpenOffice.

MyPocketXP offers 3GB of space for applications in addition to Windows XP.

MyPocketXP is $179 (to US customers only). More information at http://www.mypocketxp.com/.

When Will Windows 7 RTM Be Available?

2009-07-31T08:22:00.001+01:00

According to this Windows Team Blog posting, Volume License (VL) customers with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 7, 2009 via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks following the English release. For IT professionals who are not part of the VL program, if you have a TechNet subscription, you will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6, 2009, and the remaining languages by October 1, 2009. Evaluation versions of Windows 7 Professional for IT professionals will be made available via the Springboard Series shortly after RTM.

Windows 7 Upgrade Paths
For a quick view of the supported and unsupported upgrade paths for Windows 7 SKUs, download the Windows 7 Upgrade Paths document that outlines possible upgrade scenarios from older versions of Windows. For a Web version of this document, see Windows 7 Upgrade Paths in the Windows Client TechCenter Library.

Windows 7 RTM Announcement

2009-07-29T08:53:00.001+01:00

Announcing: Release to Manufacturing

It's almost here! We're very happy to tell you that we've hit the last big milestone on the way to Windows 7: Release to Manufacturing. We're packaging copies and manufacturers are putting it on new PCs. On October 22, you'll be able to get the final shipping product. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done; you helped make this an operating system we're all going to enjoy.

Don't miss the good stuff. With the final release rapidly approaching, make sure you learn about special offers and other news including details about launch events in your area. A great way to keep up with what's going on is to sign up for one of our free newsletters. Not only will you get the scoop on the Windows 7 launch, you'll get useful news throughout the year.

-	If you're interested in general Windows topics, Exploring Windows is the best choice.
-	Want technical guidance and resources? Sign up to be a Springboard Series Insider.
-	Developer? Get MSDN Flash.

Meanwhile, RC's downloads are still available. You can get the release candidate download until August 20, 2009. After that, you won't be able to get the download, but if you have the software, you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (Keys will be available till March 2010. To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

We're listening. Tell us what you think. If you're using Windows 7 Release Candidate, please go http://input.microsoft.com and tell us what you think. You'll be able to give feedback on various aspects of the operating system.

Got the RC and need help? Experts on the Windows 7 Forum can help answer your questions. The forum also gives you a way to share what you've learned with other people.

Essential resources

-	The Installation Instructions give you the info you need to get started.
-	To get more information about Windows 7, such as feature descriptions, visit the Windows 7 website.
-	Looking for technical help or information? Here are a few sources:

			-	The Windows 7 online forums are a great place to start.
			-	You can keep up to date on news about Windows 7 on the team blog.
			-	Find essential "getting ready" info at Microsoft Answers.

Thanks again for your investment in Windows 7.

The Windows 7 Team

Resources:

•	Download Page

•	Installation Instructions

•

FAQ

•	Windows 7 Forum

•	Get Windows Live

You are receiving this important message about Windows 7 because you downloaded the Beta or RC from either TechNet, MSDN or the Windows web site.

Microsoft respects your privacy. Please read our online Privacy Statement.

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington, USA

PRESS RELEASE: Music mobility with a green conscience

2009-07-21T12:01:00.001+01:00

Solar powered wireless Bluetooth speakers launch in UK

The UK's first solar powered wireless Bluetooth speaker launches today, thanks to leading independent UK consumer technology company, Devotec Industries.

The compact, portable 'Solar Sound' are the first portable stereo speakers to combine integrated Bluetooth technology with solar powered battery support. Bluetooth connectivity allows listeners to send their music wirelessly to the
speaker via their phone or Mp3 player and enjoy the ease of remotely sending 'commands' between the connected device and speaker, and vice
versa.

Superior sound quality is also on offer thanks to the unit's 2 x 2W speakers. Listeners can now enjoy significantly higher volume and quality stereo sound, which has historically been lacking from direct mobile or MP3 playback.

The Solar Sound is compatible with the majority of phone models, including Nokias, Blackberries and the iPhone (with use of the iPhone 3.0 software update). Plus, thanks to the included retractable headphone Solar Sound cable, any Mp3 player can be connected ensuring maximum flexibility.

The environmentally inspired speakers feature an integrated 150mA solar panel – indicated via the illuminated yellow logo when charging. This supports the built in Lithium-Ion 1500mAh battery, giving eight hours continuous play at medium volume or four hours at maximum volume.

Designed with travel in mind, it boasts a compact size (16.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 cm), light weight (260g/0.5lbs) and a 3.5mm retractable cable for added connectivity; an AC-DC plug and charging cable. Furthermore, the unit's sleek design offers additional features including modern touch screen remote controls, including forward, rewind and volume, in addition to a
built in microphone allowing it to be used for hands free communication when driving.

The unit, including a stylish protective case, is available from www.DevotecIndustries.co.uk from today, price £59.99.

Dell sets Aug 23 date for UK launch of Vostro all-in-one

2009-07-20T08:55:00.005+01:00

iMac-like biz machine for cramped office desks

According to The Register, Dell will bring its new iMac-alike business desktop, the Vostro All In One, to the UK next month.

The AIO is not listed on the Dell website yet, but media reports state it will come with a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processors and a range of memory, storage and graphics options, including integrated WiFi.

There's an optional Vesa mount (see picture), for fixing the AIO above your desk.

The Vostro All In One goes on sale in the US on August 11, and in UK on August 23. US prices start at $629 (£384/€448). No UK price is listed yet.

Other reports on the Vostro AIO (via Google search):

1. Dell Vostro all-in-one desktop revealed - SlashGear

www.slashgear.com/dell-vostro-all-in-one-desktop-revealed-1649623/

2. Dell's Vostro all-in-one desktop - Specs, reviews and prices.

www.mobilewhack.com/dells-vostro-all-in-one-desktop/

3. Dell's Vostro All-in-One Kinda Classes Up Office Cubicles - Dell ...

gizmodo.com/.../dells-vostro-all+in+one-kinda-classes-up-office-cubicles

4. Dell Announces Vostro All-in-One Desktop PC - Tom's Hardware

www.tomshardware.com/.../dell-vostro-all-in-one,8283.html

5. Dell Vostro All-in-One profile by Obsessable

www.obsessable.com/desktop/dell-vostro-all-in-one/

6. Electronista | Dell adds Vostro All In One desktop

www.electronista.com/articles/09/07/.../dell.vostro.all.in.one/

7. Direct2Dell - Direct2Dell - DELL COMMUNITY

en.community.dell.com/.../direct2dell/.../vostro-all-in-one-helping-entrepreneurs-reclaim-their-desks-one-desktop-at-a-time.asp...

Amazon's Kindle due for Christmas

2009-07-17T09:17:00.001+01:00

According to The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/16/uk_kindle/) "Amazon's Kindle e-book reader will apparently be launched in the UK by Christmas, complete with a virtual network operator and GSM compatibility".

Register continues: "Amazon is about to finalise a launch date, but has been having trouble finding a network operator prepared to host the Kindle's Whispernet connections which make the device so unique in the marketplace.

"Whispernet is basically a mobile phone connection, data only, via which the Kindle downloads electronic magazines and books - but the existing Kindle models are using Sprint's US network, which is CDMA-based. Kindle users know nothing about that, of course; Amazon pays Sprint and the user just pays for the books or periodicals to which they've subscribed.

"In Europe all our mobile phones use GSM technology. . .

"Getting GSM connectivity into the Kindle isn't trivial, but . . . Qualcomm is directly involved in the production of a UK model of the Kindle. Qualcomm already runs the back end for Whispernet in the US, including handling the billing between Amazon and Sprint, but the company also has its Gobi chipset - a single chipset that can support both CDMA and GSM technologies, including 3G, and could enable a cross-Atlantic Kindle to exist."

US readers can order the Kindle from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00154JDAI?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwkarldallas-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00154JDAI.

Windows 7 Release Candidate downloads will end August 20

2009-07-16T10:19:00.001+01:00

Windows 7 is about to be released for manufacturing (RM), for sale
from October 22.
Free downloads of Release Candidate (RC) vesions will cease on August 20.
Previously downloaded RCs can still be installed after that date and
keys will be available from Microsoft's downloads page.

MAP Toolkit 4.0 for Win 7

2009-07-16T09:58:00.001+01:00

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 4.0 for Windows 7
and Windows Server 2008 R2 has been announced for those planning to
deploy Windows 7 on existing desktops.
This multi-purpose solution accelerator may be used to determine if
existing PCs meet the Windows 7 hardware requirements and to check for
device compatibilities.
In addition, MAP offers Window Server 2008 R2 hardware compatibility
assessments and Hyper-V server virtualization candidate assessments.
The MAP Toolkit 4.0 is a free download.

Test message from Live Mail

2009-03-17T10:53:00.001Z

Test message from Live Mail

Beyond Hotmail — see what else you can do with Windows Live. Find out more!

Test message

2008-05-20T21:43:00.001+01:00

This is a test of emailing a posting.

The 'WareDaily Awards 2007

2008-01-02T15:54:00.000Z

3mobile, for producing a Skype-compatible mobile phone which also has:
3G; Bluetooth; camera phone; colour screen; GPRS; FM radio; music player; picture messaging; vibrating alert; WAP. Price is £49.99 for pay-as-you-go (free on contract). (But see under BadWare©.)
BT for its free 80Gb BT Vision Freeview recorder (only for BT broadband customers).
David S. Platt, for his wonderful book, Why Software Sucks, about which nothing else need be said by way of a review cos the title says it all. Check out a specimen chapter at http://www.whysoftwaresucks.com/ if you don’t trust our judgement.
- Buy it from Amazon UK
- Buy it from Amazon US
MovAVI for their powerful video converter software (fully-featured free trial downloadable from http://movavi.com/videoconverter/buynow.html). This is one of the few products to take advantage of Intel Pentium D Dual-Core Processor and AMD Athlon 64 X 2 Dual-Core processors, resulting in claimed 3x conversion speed.
Quentin Brown, for MP3Soundstream, the best way of adding audio to a webpage (downloadable from http://mp3soundstream.com/).
Skype, for at last making a Vista-compatible version (download from http://www.skype.com/go/downloading). (What took you so long?)
Sony for providing such a wide range of price- and ability-options for its superb audio and video editing software, ranging from £44.99 each for Vegas Movie Studio and Sound Forge Audio Studio to £299.95 for Vegas Pro 8.
X1 (http://www.x1.com), for the best desktop search engine.
XRayz Software, for ClipCache, the best clipboard extender you can buy from http://www.xrayz.co.uk/clipcache/.

3 network, for advertising "free" calls on its new Skypephone when you have to top up by at least £10 a month to call other Skype users.
Adobe, for clumsily cluttered workspace in Audition (pre-Adobe CoolEdit was much cleaner and easier to use.)
Apple, for hyping the iPhone as the very latest thing, when it’s only a 2G device, shortly to become less available to O2 iPhone users when Ofcom takes away half of O2’s 900MHz spectrum in 2009.
Ashampoo for loss of lipsync when downloaded YouTube files are converted from .FLV using their ClipFisher application.
Ashampoo, for poor after-sales service and failure to deal with user queries.
BT for a user interface for BT Vision order menu which makes it seem that it’s impossible to have its Freeview recorder without signing up for a monthly package. Not true.
Carphone Warehouse, for limiting pay-as-you-go customers for £49.99 SkypePhone to any colour as long as it’s black. Contract customers get free handset (minimum rental £12 a month) plus choice of black or white. Explain, please.
Dell, for making it impossible to enable stereo mix recording on Inspiron laptop.
Epson, for not making available a download of PrintCD software. Who else would want it but owners of an R220 or its successors? And, while we’re at it, why doesn’t PrintCD remember its settings? We’ve already got enough misprinted coasters.
http://www.iphoneteam.co.uk/ for claiming to be able to unlock your iPhone for use on any network. Avoid any rip-off site which offers you this. The iPhone can NOT be fully unlocked (yet!) but for less than UKP30, http://www.free-your-iphone.co.uk/ will allow you to modify the phone so you can use pay-as-you-go on O2, avoiding their expensive 18-month contract. They also promise you full unlocking when (if?) it ever becomes possible.
Of course, non-UK subscribers can get unlocked iPhones in Germany and France, for €999 or €749 respectively (in France, phones it’s illegal to tie phone sales to specific networks). Or you could rent an unlocked iPhone in UK for £29 a day.
Laptop manufacturers, for that stupid touchie-feelie non-mouse thingie, which requires two hands (at least) to use, and still skitters all over the screen uncontrollably. The only hardware mouse substitute that ever worked was on the IBM Thinkpad (the one with the little red clitoris in the middle of the keyboard) and they’ve stopped making them.
Microsoft, for removing control of video hardware acceleration from Vista.
Nokia, for removing the tracking feature from Nokia Maps when users upgrade the N95 firmware.
Palm, for its 500 Treo Smartphone, which has no stylus or touchscreen, no Wi-Fi, no HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access).
Pinnacle, for its Dazzle TV tuner/capture device which can’t find BBC4, and does not allow manual tuning to digital frequencies.
Skype, for making us wait so long for a Vista-compatible version.
Sony for otherwise superb SoundForge 9, which doesn’t allow creation of multi-channel mix-downs from scratch, though capture of surround-sound via 4+ channel sound card is permitted.
Tenebril, for producing an excellent memory organiser in MemoryBoost, but which requires Vista users to continually unlock the program every time it runs. (Downloadable from http://download.tenebril.com/pub/bin/mbsetup.exe.)

Wishlist

CoolEdit-style multi-track in Sony SoundForge

Palm Treo 750v copy/paste from/to SMS messages?

BadWare and GoodWare Awards 2007

2007-12-22T16:00:00.000Z

Karl Dallas, publisher editor of HardwareDaily (http://hardwaredaily.blogspot.com) and SoftwareDaily (http://software-daily.blogspot.com) is assembling his BadWare and GoodWare awards for 2007. Among those companies who have been nominated (sometimes in both categories) are 3mobile, Adobe, Ashampoo, Carphone Warehouse, Dell, Epson, Microsoft, MovAVI, Skype, and Sony Creative Software.
Anyone wishing to nominate hardware or software as being either notably good or bad may do so by posting a comment to this message.
The complete Awards listing will be published on January 11, 2008.

Guided tour of Apple's iPhone

2007-11-07T13:03:00.001Z

For a guided tour of Apple's new iPhone, go to:
http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/gettingstarted/guidedtour.html?cid=CDM-EU-1525

Guided tour of Apple's iPhone

2007-11-07T13:03:00.000Z

For a guided tour of Apple's new iPhone, go to:
http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/gettingstarted/guidedtour.html?cid=CDM-EU-1525

Hitachi breakthrough promises 4TB drives by 2011

2007-10-17T09:45:00.000+01:00

Click here for full story
Published: October 15, 2007 - 01:30PM CT

Hitachi announced today that it has developed the world's smallest hard drive read heads, and that it expects the new technique to eventually quadruple hard drive size within four years.

Scaler intros Teleglass T4-N video glasses

2007-10-11T14:11:00.000+01:00

On Sat Oct 06 01:04:22 PDT 2007, "Tauseef ... ... ..." wrote:

Published: Saturday, October 6, 2007 12:06:49 AM
Headline: Scaler intros Teleglass T4-N video glasses

It looks like Scaler has found a bit of room for improvement in its Teleglass T4 video-playin' shades, with the company now offering a new "limited edition" T4-N model. These ones boast a 640 x 480 resolution and, like before, promise to give the effect of watching a 45-inch display from six feet away. As you can see, the shades have also been given a few cosmetic refinements, although we're guessing it'll still take a certain sort of fearless individual to rock these in public. Those that think they can pull it off will have to act fast, however, as only 500 of shades are being made available for the time being, with them setting you back ¥134,400 (or roughly $1,150) apiece.

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylc=X3oDMTI4dDZoZ21xBFJfYWlkAwRSX2RtbgNlbmdhZGdldC5jb20EUl9maWQDYTEyNWExZmQzYzJjZTM4MTY1YWJjMTc1OGRmNjNkMTIEUl9sdHADMQ--/SIG=123d1k9t7/**http%3A//feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/165832471/

Samsung CX940UX USB monitoravailable October

2007-09-26T09:47:00.000+01:00

I’ve received the following message from Samsung’s PR people:

The specs are available here - http://www.samsung.com/uk/products/monitors/businessdisplaysolutions/digitalsignage/ls19ubpesqedc.asp

We are awaiting for official pricing, but believe it will be in the UK from October.

Samsung's CX940UX USB monitor

2007-09-24T11:07:00.000+01:00

There's no official information as yet on Samsung's CX940UX USB monitor (apart from a rather cheesy picture), but it seems rather interesting, especially to application users (gamers will probably find it's too slow).
USB2 is 480MBits so even one monitor per port would be limited to AGPx2 (533Mbits) speeds.USB3 (due next year) could up this to 4.8 Gbits per second. PCI-Express 16x is the current graphics standard and is capable of 2500Mbits.
It is a 19 inch PC monitor, from the Syncmaster family, that you can plug directly into your computer through the USB port. This monitor can control 6 others, all linked via the PC, and apparently you won't need any additional graphics card or new drivers to manage the multiple screens operations, their baby will do it all.If that wasn't enough, the "CX" sports a couple USB ports so it can also be used as a mini-hub.

Look - no steering wheel!

2007-09-24T10:55:00.000+01:00

This is the new Mercedes Benz SCL600. (Yes, I know I don't usually cover cars, but this one is really different. It has neither steering wheel nor pedals. Everything is controlled from a joystick, which may be fine for people brought up as joystick-literate gamers, but may be hard for some adults to come to terms with. I anticipate some autobahn pile-ups!
Probably, it's just a concept (Merc showed a concept car with TWO joysticks at the Paris motorshow a couple of years back).