From IB Times -
The tech specs of the rumored Google Chrome OS-based netbook are out and it appears to be a high performance machine. Possible specs include Chrome OS, Nvidia Tegra chipset, ARM CPU, 10.1" TFT HD-ready multi-touch display, 64GB SSD, WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, Ethernet port, USB ports, webcam, 3.5mm audio jack, multi-card reader, among others.
It is expected to launch in Q4 2010, will reportedly have preinstalled Google apps such as Google Map, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calender and Google Search by Voice. The netbook will be subsidized at a sub-$300 price and sold directly to consumers by Google. However, Google will tie up with one or more network operators and sell it as part of a 3G bundle.
Uploaded by wzamen01
"The face tracking feature of the HP web cam will not recognize or track black faces."
From Electronista -
Per rumors going around, the Asus Eee Pad will use some form of NVIDIA's Tegra chipset, including the next-generation model, giving the 4- to 7-inch device at least 720p HD and possibly 1080p. In addition, per Netbook News, multi-touch input is as good as confirmed thus implying the use of Android 2.x as the operating system since neither Windows CE nor Mobile supports that while Windows 7 does not support ARM processors.
From I4U News -
Boy Genius reports that an exceedingly reliable tipster has informed them there is a "100% chance" of a 7" Apple tablet coming and it will be officially announced in January 2010.
From I4U News -
Ford's new Sync in-car connectivity system allows you to plug your mobile broadband USB modem into the Sync's USB port to produce a secure wireless connection throughout the vehicle. All of your passengers will then be able to access the Internet, effectively turning your vehicle into a mobile WiFi hotspot. Best part is the Sync WiFi system has no monthly cost of its own and works with just about any mobile Internet service. In addition , its default security will be based on WPA2, allowing the driver to approve or reject any connection.
From Digitimes -
Asus has announced it plans to introduce three additional business notebook lineups as well as one series of business all-in-one PCs in 2010. The B series will be high-end models that feature a docking station as well as unique industrial designs, the PL mid-range ultra-thin models and the PL the P series entry-level models.
The company will also intro its touchscreen-based Eee Top series all-in-one PCs.
From I4U News -
Cherrypal is introducing its 7" netbook for $99. Dubbed the Africa, its 400MHz processor is paired with 256GB RAM, 2GB flash storage and can run either Linux or Windows CE.
In addition, Cherrypal has also announced a new updated Bing netbook. The new model includes a 13.3-inch screen, an Atom N280, 1GB RAM, 160GB HD, a 1.3MP webcam and Windows XP for $389.
Both machines are available at the Cherrypal Open Store.
From Yahoo! News -
Asus plans to develop an affordable educational robot for kids called the EeeBot. The robot uses software based on the Android mobile OS as part a Taiwan government project to promote Android. The company will work on hardware and software as part of the project, which will focus on building content and services around the robot. Technologies involved include human robot interaction (HRI), voice and visual technologies, as well as positioning and navigation, in addition to software and other hardware.
From Engadget -
And here we go. With the Nook rooted and plenty of Android devs at the ready to exploit the device's free 3G data and semi-useful WiFi connection, it's officially open season on Barnes & Noble's new e-reader. Within the last few hours the Nook has been given a web browser to join the Pandora hack just announced by NookDevs. A trick that adds plenty of functionality to the Nook including the ability to login to public WiFi hotspots and read the news on an RSS aggregator (pictured right with Google Reader). Better yet, the rogue band of devs have already ported AndTweet and the Facebook app from the Android Marketplace. Unfortunately, the Google Maps port failed due to some missing libraries within the Nook's Android implementation. Naturally, none of this has been packaged for the everyman yet, but at this rate we might have off the shelf Nook homebrew before those January Nook orders can be delivered. Hey Barnes & Noble, welcome to the wild west of consumer electronics.
From TG Daily -
Russian hacker teateam claims to have restored support for Atom-based Hackintoshes running Snow Leopard 10.6.2.
Apple had previously disabled the processor in a revision to the kernel in 10.6.2. The changes removed support for the Atom, leaving updated netbooks in a useless state.
teateam has successfully patched the new kernel with many users reporting success. However, executing the Atom crack is not a "point-and-click" operation.
Hack details here.
From TG Daily -
Per Wired, a team of hackers has successfully rooted the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader, allowing users to connect it to a computer and freely access the OS using Google's Android developers kit. The hack, which involves mounting the unit's Android OS MicroSD card on a PC (via a card reader) and altering the init.rc file, transforms the Nook into a color touchscreen computer running a full Android install, with free wireless over 3G from AT&T plus Wi-Fi, and a battery that lasts days. It also has multi-media messaging service (MMS) support, as well as support for a speech recognition engine. Which all means it is just the kind of platform killer apps will be developed for.
More details of the hack here.
From TG Daily -
Per Digitimes Acer chairman JT Wang has blamed Dell and HP for failing to back the ultrathin notebook category. Wang said HP and Dell are in a fierce price war over mainstream notebooks, undermining the demand for ultrathins. He is worried Intel might think demand for them is weak. Per Wang, ultrathins will account for 30% of Acer's total notebook shipments in 2010.
From Digitimes -
Per IDC, there are currently 450 million mobile Internet users worldwide. The number is expected to more than double by the end of 2013, driven by the popularity and affordability of mobile phones, smartphones, and other wireless devices. Currently, about over 1/4 of the world's population, or 1.6 billion, use the Internet. By 2013, over 2.2 billion are expected to be online. This year, more than 1.6 billion devices, including phones and game consoles, were used to access the Internet in 2009. By 2013, this number will increase to more than 2.7 billion.
China continues to have more Internet users than any other country, with 359 million in 2009. This number is expected to grow to 566 million by 2013. The US had 261 million Internet users in 2009, a figure that will reach 280 million in 2013. India will have one of the fastest growing Internet populations, growing almost two-fold between 2009 and 2013.
You can read more details here.
Intel has inform Ars Technica that it is not working on a fix for the Moblin incompatibility of its GMA500 graphics chip, more commonly known as Poulsbo. It is used in popular netbooks like the Acer Aspire One and certain Dell Mini models
Moblin is a Linux-based platform targeted for small form-factor mobile devices the company launched back in 2007. Since then, Intel has been erratic in its support for it. The most glaring omission is the Poulsbo driver problem. The open source portions are unmaintained and haven't been updated since March 2008, despite not being able to work with recent versions of the Linux kernel.
Yet Intel has simply dismissed criticisms, incredibly arguing through its MoblinZone blog that open drivers aren't needed in the mobile and embedded space because products in that market don't have to be user-upgradeable. Intel has been courting the Linux community with the hope of expanding its involvement in Moblin. But it doesn't seem to feel any responsibility for making sure the hardware that it sells to OEM's is fully compatible with the Moblin platform.
Digitimes has reported that Asus will be launching a new MID/tablet named Eee Pad with a 4- to 7-inch panels. No other details are available at this time.
From I4U News -
Pocket-Lint reports that Dell will be launching its Android OS-based tablet at the upcoming CES 2010. It is rumored to have a 5" screen, with specs similar to the Archos tablet and a price point lower than the JuuJuu.
From Engadget -
While the Onkyo DX is actually a rebadge of the Kohjinsha DZ dual-display, it does it better with an upgraded pair of 10.1" 1,366 × 768 pixel LCD screens from the original 1,024 x 600 panels. Other specs remain the same though: 1.6GHz Athlon Neo MV-40 CPU, ATI Radeon HD 3200, 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and 3 USB ports. The DX however includes 2GB (not 1GB) RAM expandable to 4GB, a 320GB 5,400rpm disk (instead of 160GB), Gigabit Ethernet, and 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. The best part is it is priced at just ¥84,800 (about $966) compared to the Kohjinsha at ¥79,800 / $909.
From Silicon Valley Insider -
Per NY Times' David Pogue, Barnes & Noble's Nook should not have been released. Bottom line, it is a maddeningly slow, half-baked ripoff of the Kindle, and its supposed benefits all have drawbacks. In Poque's own words, "... it’s slower than an anesthetized slug in winter."
It takes three seconds to turn a page, 3x longer than the Kindle does, which is surprising since it uses the same E-Ink screen that the Kindle and even Sony Readers use. And it even longer to do other trivial tasks, such as opening the Settings panel, accessing the bookstore, or even just opening an ebook for the first time.
Per Engadget the Barnes & Noble Nook is now being shipped to customers. Above photo was sent in by Engadget reader Peter.
From Electronista -
The IEEE has taken the first steps of voting on a major improvement to Wi-Fi due in two years. The 802.11ac standard should upgrade 802.11a to use 80MHz or even 160MHz channels that provide much more bandwidth. Cooupled with about a 10% increase in efficiency for modulating the actual frequencies, the speedup should improve the theoretical transfer speeds to as much as 1Gbps, or more than three times that of 802.11n. As the technology is still in the debate phase, its specifications are likely to change. However, it should become usable as a draft standard by late 2011 and completely approved by December 2012.
From Engadget
Google has released beta versions of its Chrome browser for the Mac and Linux platforms. At the same time, it is launching extensions for the Windows and Linux versions, with Mac on the way. The initial batch consists of at least 300 extensions with a lot more expected from third party developers.
From Engadget -
Ex-Psion employee Paul Pinnock is now marketing the Windows XP-powered DigiCube MIDPhone-50, which resembles the Psion Series 5 of the 90s, as the newly rebranded PsiXpda. It now being marketed as the Series 5 successor, it features 3G, WiFi, a 1.1GHz Atom, and 2-4 battery life. Price is about £500 (about $830) lighter.
You can order yours here.
From I4U News -
Slashgear reports that Camangi has opened up pre-orders for its new 7" resistive touchscreen Webstation Android Slate. The device has e-reader functionality, full browser support, and a claimed stand-by time of 4 days (4-5 hours with use). It is powered by a Marvell 624 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM, 265 MB flash memory, supports SD cards (8GB MicroSD card included), WiFi b/g, and Android 1.5. The price is $399 with free shipping, and a guaranteed ship date before the end of the year. You can pre-order now at their website.
From Digitimes -
Asus, Acer, Lenovo and MSI are all set to launch their Atom N450-based netbooks on January 11, 2010, complying with their agreement with Intel to only launch after January 10. MSI had originally planned to launch this month. In addition, the upgraded Atom N470 will be launched in March 2010.
Three versions of the Atom N450-based netbooks using different operating systems will be introduced – Windows 7 Starter, Moblin Linux and Windows XP Home Edition – with the most expensive Windows 7 Starter expected to be the most popular choice. Google Chrome OS will become available mid-to-late 2010.
With the pending launch of the new Atom netbooks, Asus, Lenovo and MSI have all dropped the prices of their current 10-inch models to as low as NT$10,000 (US$311) to clear inventories.
From Gizmodo -
As reported by Digitimes (see Vendors to launch Atom N450-based netbooks on January 11, 2010) several vendors will be launching their Atom N450-based netbooks next month, with 2GB RAM equipped N470-based models expected in March. Unfortunately, the new models will not be able to handle HD video natively. Apparently they will need an extra chip like the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, which should add about $30 to the overall price.
On the other hand, Nvidia recently demo'd an Ion-powered 11.6" HP Mini 311 playing stutter-free YouTube HD video on an external monitor. Other Ion-powered models include the 12.1" Lenovo IdeaPad S12 and the 11.6" Samsung N510. The downside is that they are still using the Diamondville-class Atoms. And while Intel has claimed that Pineview processors will be compatible with Ion, no netbook of that combo has been previewed. Fact is, Nvidia has reportedly said that its next gen Ion 2 chipset will be available end of the year.
The upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in January should reveal the positioning strategies of the vendors. Ion-powered Pineview-based netbooks are a distinct possibilities, while one or two models with the Ion 2 chipset might make their appearances. In addition, AMD will market its Congo platform, aimed at competed with Intel's ultra-low voltage platform (read 12" to 13").
A lot of activities is also expected in the smartbook subsegment, with ARM pushing its Android-based smartbook platform, Nvidia its competing ARM-based Tegra chip, and Google with its Chrome OS down the line.
From Crave -
Fujitsu today announced its latest LifeBook, the UH900, which is also possibly its smallest and lightest handheld to date, weighing at just 500g and a footprint of 204 x 106.5 x 23.8mm. The UH900's elongated form factor somewhat resembles the Sony Vaio P series, although its 5.6" screen is smaller than the Sony's 8" display. The WXGA resolution however minimizes scrolling when surfing the Web or handling documents.
Like the Sony, it uses also the Intel Atom Z530 and SSD storage. In addition it comes with multitouch capabilities, and a full suite of wireless connectivity options from Bluetooth to 3.5G. It will be available in Mocha Black, Fiery Red and Vintage Gold.
From Pocketables -
The Sharp NetWalker PC-Z1 is a digital dictionary that also doubles up as a tiny UMPC, with Ubuntu as the OS but with relatively meager specs as compared to the more common Intel-based models. It obviously is a niche product but one that will play well in its target market of Japan.
The dictionary is referred to as "Kouzien Sixth Edition" and "Dictionary of New Hidekazu," which is on a microSD card. Other ebooks may be bought from the the online ebookstore Sharp is launching later this month.
Specs include a 800 MHz ARM Cortex A8 (same as in the iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre), 512MB RAM, 4GB flash storage, and a 1024x600 touchscreen.
From I4U News -
According to Netbooked the new Pine Trail Asus Eee PC 1008P is actually a "designer" edition built by Karim Rashid. Specs include a chiclet keyboard, removable battery, Pine View Atom N450 1.8 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB HD, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1.3 MP webcam, a 10.1" display, and Windows 7 starter edition. It'll be available February 2010 in Hot Pink or Gold Brown. Pricing will probably be in the $300-$400 range.
Extremetech presents an interesting discussion on the possible effects of Chrome OS in hastening the end of desktops.
While there's still another year before Chrome OS is finally released, Google has made the code open source and available now. The OS has been designed for low-power computers (read: netbooks), using flash memory for super-fast boot-up times and running exclusively cloud-based apps. Thus it requires little local storage and minimal hardware - the perfect description for the portables that have increasingly become lighter, less inexpensive, and more appealing to end-users.
In fact, laptops have already outsold desktops starting last year, even before cloud computing started to take hold. But with Chrome OS and other recent innovations like Nvidia's RealityServer (cloud computing for 3D) becoming not only available but more efficient, could desktops finally become obsolete?
You can read the entire discussion here.
From Ars Technica -
The man who designed the 105-frame Windows 7 boot animation is a self-taught designer with an English literature degree. Rolf Ebeling was a creative director for Newsweek.com in New York before joining Microsoft in April 2008. He is now a senior user experience lead for the User Experience Design and Research Team for Windows and also helped with the appearance and functionality of the calculator. He's already confirmed that he'll be working on the next version of Windows. Although the sketches of the early boot animation concept pictured above don't show it, Ebeling said he looked everywhere for inspiration, including street lights in the rain, light reflecting off water, and fireflies.
