News Archive for 09/11/11
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MOTU has introduced its latest device, the UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid audio interface. Musicians can choose from both FireWire and USB 2.0 connection options, while the hardware supports Mac and Windows platforms. The interface provides two mic/instrument inputs, six line-level analog inputs, ten channels of analog output, S/PDIF digital output and a headphone port.
Garmin and Asus have announced that the nüvifone M20 has been updated with Microsoft's latest Windows Mobile 6.5 software. The software provides a revamped home screen, with touch-optimized icons and access to the variety of apps available through the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Users can also take advantage of Facebook and Microsot's My Phone service.
Leaked screenshots show several new features expected in the upcoming PlayStation 3 firmware, including Facebook integration and the ability to change Gamercard colors, according to Scrawl. The images have allegedly been confirmed to originate from the UK PlayStation site, although they were quickly removed.
AMD in its annual analyst event provided details of some of its future processors and platforms. The highlight for the semiconductor firm is "Bulldozer," a major revision for both desktops and notebooks that should be much more efficient at multithreaded codethan existing designs. It will be particularly optimized for pairing with graphics chipsets and will be supplemented by "Bobcat," a variant of Bulldozer tailored to ultraportables.
HP in a late afternoon update said it had bought 3Com in a cash deal the equivalent of $2.7 billion. The deal is meant to help HP's involvement in the server and networking businesses and turns the PC builder into a near-total source for datacenters and other large-scale server environments. The two partners are still waiting on government approval but hope to complete the deal sometime in the first half of next year.
InFocus has released two new DLP projectors meant for the business and educational markets with the IN3902 and IN3904. The main difference between the two is the former's native 1024x768 resolution and the latter's 1280x800 resolution. Shared between the two is compatibility with InFocus' LiteBoard technology, which allows users to interact with the projectors, annotating, appending and highlighting projected content with a wireless remote called the LiteBoard Wand.
iBuyPower took its turn at adding a Core i7 notebook to its gaming portable mix. The Batallion 101 W870CU has its pick of every current mobile Core i7 chip, ranging from the 1.6GHz Core i7 to the 2GHz Core i7 Extreme. It also carries a GeForce GTX 280M on all configurations and can run many games smoothly at the 17.3-inch desktop replacement's native 1080p resolution.
A UK SimplicITy branded desktop computer is being made for first-time PC and Internet users who are over 60 years old. The simple interface has just six buttons that lead to commonly used tasks or applications such as e-mail, chat, documents, and the Internet in a main screen labeled Square One. There is also an About Me and video tutorial page.
Rumors of a dual-network iPhone gained fuel on Wednesday with an analyst report from Northeast Securities claiming to know of the device. Pointing to checks within the parts chain, the analyst group expects an iPhone with both CDMA and WCDMA support to be ready by the summer of 2010. The change would let the phone work on Sprint, Verizon, and a handful of other international networks while still having the WCDMA foundations needed for UMTS and HSPA 3G on AT&T and most worldwide cell providers.
Samsung has introduced a new monitor that doubles as a TV on Wednesday with the 27-inch SyncMaster P2770HD. The display is Samsung's largest with an HDTV tuner built-in and can natively display 1080p video. The integrated picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture features let users compute while watching TV.
Walmart said on Wednesday that it will offer buyers of the BlackBerry smartphones it carries a $100 gift card to use in store for whatever they want. This promotion will only last one week, and will start at 8am on November 14th. The BlackBerry handsets will also need to have two-year contracts attached to them from either AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon.
Despite stereotypes, Mozilla's Firefox is significantly more vulnerable to web attacks than any of its rivals, a Cenzic study (PDF) claimed late yesterday. About 44 percent of the 3,100 exploits tracked by the researchers attacked the open-source browser where only 15 percent of them would work in Internet Explorer. Safari is notably much closer to Firefox in vulnerability as 35 percent of exploits could affect the platform, while Opera's small market share left just 6 percent of attacks putting it at risk.
The "look and feel" of the Windows 7 interface borrows from Macs, according to a Microsoft partner group manager, Simon Aldous. "One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it's very graphical and easy to use," explains Aldous in an interview. "What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 -- whether it's traditional format or in a touch format -- is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics."
Vimeo on Wednesday announced plans to extend its movie service onto the iPhone and Android platforms, according to CNET News. All of the site's content from the staff picks and HD video showcase have already been converted to formats optimized for mobile handsets.
Sanyo on Wednesday revealed its new Eneloop Stick Booster. The device is a battery pack that can plug into consumer electronics devices with miniUSB or USB ports such as cellphones, portable gaming consoles and MP3 players. What makes this different from other dry-cell chargers is that, thanks to Sanyo's Eneloop batteries, it can charge devices that require a high current for charging, such as an iPhone.
Acer and Apple are the two primary computer makers gaining share in Europe at a time when most are bleeding sales, Gartner revealed in a research note today. Acer extended its lead in the summer to 28.3 percent of the Western European market, or 4.73 million PCs, based primarily on its netbooks and full-size budget PCs. However, Apple was one of the few others to gain significant share and was one of the "biggest winners," along with Samsung, despite being outside of the top five in the region.
T-Mobile on Wednesday started shipping the webConnect Jet modem and its T-Mobile Tap handset, first introduced over a month ago. The USB modem connects to T-Mobile's 3G network and also provides access to T-Mobile's Wi-Fi hotspots. It doubles as a flash drive through a microSD card slot.
Gaming peripherals maker Razer has began shipping its Abyssus gaming mouse. Rather than focus on extra buttons, the wired mouse is designed for simplicity first and improves only behind-the-scenes features. The ambidextrous three-button mouse has a 3,500DPI infrared sensor that gives it added precision in different types of games. Users get two switches, allowing them to set the sensitivity and speed of the mouse.
Microsoft hopes to price Project Natal low enough that virtually every gamer can add it, a major rumor claimed on Wednesday. Alleged sources of MCV's argue that the Xbox 360 motion controller is being designed with a price target of £50 (about $80) or less with 14 games, presumably mini-games, included in the box. The target is such that Microsoft hopes for "impulse buy" customers and may even drop to £30 ($50).
Microsoft has sped up the release schedule for Windows Mobile 7 to less than a year after 6.5, a leak hinted today. The company is reportedly set to launch a test program in early 2010, codenamed "Maldives," that will let smartphone makers check the mobile OS against their hardware relatively early. Timing would be such that the OS would reach shipping phones by summer where 6.5 was unveiled this past winter but didn't ship until the fall.
Nokia said on Wednesday it will soon bring three new CDMA handsets to its market in China. This includes the Nokia 6316s, Nokia 3806 and Nokia 1506. The 6316s is the most advanced device, sporting support for China Telecom's 3G data network, a built-in GPS receiver and media playback with dedicated controls on top of the slider.
Microsoft today quietly added its promised 3D games to the Zune Marketplace. The new mix brings games that better take advantage of the Zune HD's Tegra graphics chip and are highlighted by Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition, Vans Sk8: Pool Service and AudioSurf Tilt. Other games have also been added to the small catalog, such as Lucky Lane Bowling and Piano.
Bang & Olufsen on Wednesday introduced a new addition to its BeoVision 7 HDTV lineup in the form of a 55-inch model. It becomes the largest BeoVision 7 offered, readily beating out the 40-inch set available in North America. Most notably, Bang & Olufsen has doubled the panel's refresh speed to 120Hz but has also added motion compensation. There is also a new LED backlight with progressive scanning and local dimming that improves the contrast ratio.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in a talk today denied that handhelds like the DSi LL compete with the iPhone and iPod touch. While he uses an iPhone himself, Iwata explained to the Wall Street Journal that comparisons between the DS series and Apple's devices make him "uncomfortable" as he sees the two targeting different audiences. The DS experience considered unique, particularly as games like the Mario series won't be found on other handhelds.
Samsung senior VP Don Joo Lee today confirmed rumored plans that it will dismiss Symbian from its smartphones. The executive expects Android and Windows Mobile to remain but will completely phase out Symbian in 2010, replacing it with Samsung's in-house bada. A previous analyst forecast had Samsung scaling back its Symbian use to just a small percentage next year but had only anticipated a complete exit in 2011.
AMEX Digital today put out an internal Blu-ray drive upgrade kit for owners of current generation Mac minis. The slot-load SATA drive gives the Mac the option of burning Blu-ray discs in apps that support it as well as reading Blu-ray media at up to 4X speeds; although Macs can't yet play Blu-ray movies directly, AMEX suggests using VLC to load the raw video files. Boot Camp gives access to regular movie playback.
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