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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Wi-Fi Detecting Bumper Sticker Helps Out the Wardriver Behind You

From Gizmodo -

Instructables has instructions on how to modify a Wi-Fi-detecting t-shirt into a Wi-Fi-detecting window decal.

Peewee Gets An iPad!

Stephen Colbert has an iPad!

The Killer App: iPad Board Games

From I4U News -

Actual board games take up way too much space and are a pain to clean up. With the iPad, the board game may have found an ideal platform. Imagine loading up digital copies of all your favorites games into just one tablet. Just as the Kindle does away with physical bookshelves, the iPad can do away with physical boxes. Moreover, it allows playing in a moving car. In a nutshell: the iPad is a potential goldmine for family entertainment.

Asus Eee PC 701 running Mac OS X Leopard

A bit old but still fascinating -

Turn Your iPhone and iPod touch into iPad

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Asus Eee 1201n netbook EVE Online

Friday, January 29, 2010

MSI plans to launch an US$500 tablet

From Digitimes -

Per MSI sales director Sambora Chen, her company is set to launch a Nvidia Tegra-based tablet  the second half of 2010 priced US$500. It will feature a 10" color touchscreen with wireless support and will be light-weight and thin for mobility, while featuring all the functions of a regular notebook.

Apple iPad may take away netbook demand

From Digitimes -

Per Paul Peng, executive VP of AU Optronics' global business unit, the Apple iPad may take away some demand from the netbook market because of the same price point.
iPad's US$499 starting price is very competitive and should provide Apple a chance to achieve annual sales of 10 million units, which is a significant since the current tablet PC market size is only about three million units a year. However, sales may be impacted by component shortages.

Unexpectedly low Apple iPad price forces notebook vendors to re-evaluate their tablet PC strategies

From Digitimes -

After the launch of Apple's iPad, which came in starting at way under the expected $1,000 pricepoint, leading netbook makers Asus and MSI are now forced to re-evaluate their strategies for the tablet PC market. The companies originally planned to offer their competing products at 20-30% lower than the Apple iPad. But the $499 entry-level price has caught them by surprise. But since they are used to, in fact, they tend to focus on price wars, we can expect the emerging tablet market to be fought on low prices.

The iPad's New Gestures

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Rest easy, iPad roamers: O2 and Orange have micro SIM orders, too

An anonymous tipster has informed Engadget that there are actually a couple of international mobile carriers will soon be using the same microSIM card used by the iPad. Apparently SIM card supplier Gemalto has revealed both O2 and Orange have micro SIM orders in the pipeline. While that doesn't necessarily mean that Apple is going to be partners with them, at least users can opt to use their microSIM cards since the built-in modem is unlocked.

Apple's iPad -- a broken link?

The Adobe Blog's Adrian Ludwig posted his thoughts on the iPad, or rather the lack of Flash on the iPad -

"It looks like Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices that limit both content publishers and consumers. Unlike many other ebook readers using the ePub file format, consumers will not be able to access ePub content with Apple's DRM technology on devices made by other manufacturers. And without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of video on the web.

If I want to use the iPad to connect to Disney, Hulu, Miniclip, Farmville, ESPN, Kongregate, or JibJab -- not to mention the millions of other sites on the web -- I'll be out of luck.

Adobe and more than 50 of our partners in the Open Screen Project are working to enable developers and content publishers to deliver to any device, so that consumers have open access to their favorite interactive media, content, and applications across platform, regardless of the device that people choose to use."

Tech Experts Debate The iPad

Aspect Ratio


 At 1024x768 resolution, the iPad's display has an aspect ratio of 4:3. The trend these days actually is going towards 16:9 and represents a step back. However, given the orientation of the Apple logo on the back, the iPad is probably meant to be primarily to be used in portrait mode and a 9:16 aspect ratio would have been too narrow for the screen.

Curiously, as Lonely Sandwich pointed out in the graphics above, the iPad in portrait mode is equivalent in aspect ratio to two iPhone screens stacked in landscape mode. This definitely makes for some interesting possibilities...

iPad Commercial video Leaked

Obama: State of the iPad Address

Alienware's M11x netbook gets a base price: $799


From Engadget -

The M11x netbook, which features a 11.6-inch display, Nvidia GT335M switchable graphics and 6.5 hour battery life and which was announced by Alienware back at CES now has a price - $799. Given the affordable price as compared to the company's offering, it is not surprising Alienware tucked it away in the webpage's code:

"The Alienware M11x, with over 6.5 hours of battery life and weighing under 4.5 lbs. will start at an amazing $799! Leave it to the folks at Alienware to enable truly mobile performance gaming at an affordable price."

Funny thing is Alienware has an ongoing Guess the Price contest. You can join the contest here. :)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Android to be number-2 mobile OS by 2013

From Digitimes -

Per IDC, by 2013 worldwide shipments of smartphones will surpass 390 million units, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 20.9% for 2009-2013, and Android will become the number-two mobile operating system (OS), with Android-powered shipments reaching 68.0 million units, starting from just 690,000 units in 2008, for a CAGR of 150.4% for the said period. Symbian, through Nokia phones, will retain its market leadership.

Meanwhile Linux and Palm's webOS shipments will struggle throughout the same forecast period, with the latter capturing only limited market share due to limited deployment and availability of devices across multiple carriers.

iPad, Funny Name

And the name jokes have started...

These are from a thread in Tsikot.com, a Philippine-based automotive oriented forum.

PS The Amazon ad is intentional. :)

 

Apple iPad's 'Micro SIM' explained


From Engadget -

One of the surprises of the iPad is its use of a microSIM card card instead of the more common SIM. The SIM card is a special type of Smart Card, 15 x 25mm in size, that is used to hold both account info and sometimes contact info and messages in GSM handsets.  The newer microSIM, aka 3FF SIM, is smaller at 12 x 15mm, about 52% smaller. Obviously it's not physically compatible with current phones as it is intended for even smaller units.

The iPad is not exactly tiny so it is quite difficult to understand why Apple chose the newer format since every new phone carriers offer it at this time and neither is there an aggressive push for conversion. So unless you are the type who knows how to format SIM cards and transfer data from one to another (i.e. standard SIM to microSIM), the move to the smaller format has almost the same effect as locking the 3G modem to AT&T only. Thankfully though T-Mobile has announced it will make the microSIM available in the US this year. At least it expands the available choices for carriers.

iPhone OS 3.2 is iPad-only, potential camera support

From AppleInsider -

The new iPhone OS 3.2, simultaneously announced with the iPad, is for the new device only. Interestingly, while the iPad, as launched, does not include a camera, the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK "simulator" includes support for a camera. In fact, the native Contacts application offers the option to take a photo, in addition to choosing an existing one.

The option could be a sign that the shipping product could support a camera, perhaps through an external attachment to the iPad's 30-pin connector port. Or, it could just be something carried over from the iPhone, which does have an integrated camera.

iPad vs Developers

More iPad photos and details


This time from AppleInsider

Size and weight

* Height x Width x Thickness: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm) x 7.47 inches (189.7 mm) x 0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
* Weight: 1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model; 1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display

* 9.7" (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
* 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch
* Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Wi-Fi model

* Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Wi-Fi + 3G model

* UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
* GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz)
* Data only
* Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Location

* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
* Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
* Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)

Other features:

* 30-pin Dock connector (same as iPod and iPhone)
* 10-hours of battery life (Over one month standby time)'
* Full capacitive multi-touch interface
* 16-64GB of Flash memory storage
* 1 GHz Apple-branded A4 chip (developed in-house)
* Built-in Mic and Speaker

In the Box:

* iPad
* Dock connector to USB cable
* 10W Power Adapter
* Documentation

Record breaking design time? Tom Bihn bags announces two iPad products


From Gadling -

Tom Bihn has announced two iPad cases a mere 3 hours after the intro of the new Apple i produt.

The first is the $110 Ristretto - a vertical messenger bag with a 6mm open cell foam protection is available now. The second is the $30 Cache - a foam padded sleeve designed for the iPad on its own, or inside the Apple case/stand. It will ship within 10 days of the iPad release. Both bags comes with a lifetime warranty.

What the Apple iPad is really all about and its effect

Of the countless blogs and posts about Apple's new i product, the iPad, I think the most accurate is the one offered by Joystiq's Chris Grant as quoted in Engadget's editiorial - "this is simply Cupertino's answer to the smartbook executed with typical Apple spit and polish, and whether anyone really needs the world's slickest smartbook remains to be seen."

As for me, I think I shall never look at a certain women's hygiene product the same way again when I see it on the shelves in stores.

iPad can run all iPhone apps unmodified, new iPhone SDK out today lets developers tweak apps for iPad use


From Engadget -

The iPad can run traditional iPhone apps completely unmodified, and can even zoom them up to full screen. In addtion a new iPhone SDK is out today to allow developers to tweak their apps for the iPad.

iPad

Now for something light - a hilarious spoof -

Five ways the Apple iTablet could change our lives

From Telegraph UK -

It will make us fall in love with the printed word again: Some industry experts believe the launch of the iTablet could represent an "iPod moment" for books, newspapers and magazines; in the same way the iPod changed the way we consumed music, so too could the iTablet reinvigorate our interest in periodicals and novels by presenting content in new rich and exciting ways.

It will simplify the home entertainment experience: iTunes will be at the heart of the new tablet and will help to make the iTablet a compelling entertainment device. Indeed, the tablet might even replace Apple TV.

It will introduce new ways of interacting with the world around us: Augmented reality – where real-world images are overlaid with data and information –is set to be huge in 2010, and the tablet could be one of the key drivers behind this technology going mainstream. The tablet's large screen makes it ideal for really clever augmented reality apps; a price comparison site, for example, could release an app that allows shoppers to hold their tablet up in front of shelves of DVDs, books or the latest gadgets, and find the cheapest place to buy that item, as well as comprehensive reviews. The tablet will, of course, need a camera for this to work, and opinions are divided as to whether the device will feature a camera.

It will be a whole new gaming platform: Apple has invited video games journalist to its event on Wednesday, a clear sign that the iTablet will be more than simply a productivity tool. The huge success enjoyed by games on the iPhone and iPod touch caught Apple by surprise, but it will be a different story with the tablet. From the outset, Apple has been working with the likes of EA to develop content for the platform. The key selling point is the large touch-screen, which will likely be able to process input from fingers and hands touching the screen simultaneously, opening up the possibility of even greater control over characters, vehicles and other elements in video games. Music games, in particular, could benefit hugely from this development, and Ge Wang, co-founder of Smule, the company behind Ocarina, is said to be excited by the possibilities.

It will be the rising tide that lifts all boats: The Apple iTablet is could cost somewhere between £800 to £1,000 when it goes on sale – out of reach for many cash-strapped consumers. But the good news is that other consumer electronics manufacturers will be paying close attention to what Apple unveils on Wednesday. Where Apple innovates, others follow, and so some of the tablet's best ideas and coolest features will eventually be found in one form or another in other tablet devices in the coming months. Much as the launch of the iPhone forced phone companies to think harder about design and usability, it also bought about the app revolution, which dozens of handset makers and network operators are desperate to cash in on. Likewise, expect the tablet to force rival computer makers to buck up their ideas, and work a little harder to win over consumers.

NBC News Report On Apple's New iPad

Apple Announces iPad with $30 a month no-contract unlimited 3G


Per Wireless Info the Apple iPad will be available with GSM 3G connectivity at $15 a month for 250MB, or $30 a month for unlimited use, with no long-term contract. The innovation, of course, is in the no long-term contract. Unlike typical 3G bundle plans that usually require 2-year contracts, the iPad allows users to buy data in one month blocks from AT&T. The pre-paid plans also include unlimited use of AT&T WiFi hot spots.

In addition, the 3G modem is unlocked, so it will work with any GSM network that supports the 850, 1900 and 2100 Mhz frequencies, anywhere in the world. However, it uses the new micro SIM cards, which is not widely used yet. These microSIM cards are smaller than existing SIMs, so you won't be able to just remove the SIM from your iPhone or other phone and use it in an iPad.

Apple iPad Video

Apple details iPad tablet specs


From TG Daily -

Finally, details on Apple's iPad -

It weighs just 1.5 pounds

It uses Apple's next gen A4 SoC system-on-a-chip and offers a battery life of up to 10 hours.

It features a 9.7", LED-backlit (IPS) multi-touch display with a ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle.

It has an "intelligent" soft keyboard. 


It offers 12 native multi-touch apps that function in both portrait and landscape, automatically switching between views as the user rotates the iPad.

It can be used for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games and reading e-books. 


It runs almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone or iPod touch.

It syncs with iTunes using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable.

It connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

It includes iBooks app for the iPad, which allows users to browse, buy and read books from major and independent publishers.

It will be available in two versions - one with (802.11n) Wi-Fi (available late March) and one with both Wi-Fi and (AT&T) 3G (April).

Pricing:
* 
Wifi+3G - $630 16GB, $730 32GB, $830 64GB.
* WiFi (only) - $500 16GB, $600 32GB, $700 64GB.

* Unlimited AT&T data plan for $30 a month, free use of AT&T WiFi hotspots, no contract cancel anytime.

Apple iPad is 'an incredible experience'

Apple iPad first hands-on!


Engadget's hands-on notes on the Apple iPad -

* It's not light. Feels just like a huge iPhone in your hands.
* The 1024 x 768 screen is stunning.
* It is fast.
* There's no multitasking at all.
* The ebook implementation is good.
* No camera.
* No SMS app.
* It's running iPhone OS 3.2.
* The keyboard is good, not great.
* No Flash confirmed.

iPad: Steve Jobs presents Apple's new tablet

Acer executive confirms Chrome OS netbook launch in 3Q10

From Digitimes -

Acer Senior Corp VP Jim Wong has confirmed earlier Digitimes reports his company will launch Chrome OS-based netbooks Q3 2010. Per Wong, Acer aims to ship one million Chrome-based netbooks this year, which will account for 6.7-8.3% of its annual shipments projection of 12-15 million netbooks. He however, declined to identify the CPU nor would the OEM.

ASUS Eee 1005PE Atom N450 Netbook Is Amazon Bestseller

From I4U News -

The Asus Eee 1005PE presently Amazon's bestselling netbook. It features ASUS' Super Hybrid Engine (SHE). A hot key lets you instantly set the processor to run faster for more performance or slower to lengthen battery life up to 14 hours.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Dell Mini 10 with Broadcom Crystal HD Accelerator review


Engadget has a review of a new $425 Dell Mini 10 that features an overhauled chassis, Intel Pine Trail processor, and, starting Feb) Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator (full HD playback on a high-res 1366 x 768 display).

Key question was whether the Atom-based Mini 10 can actually rival Ion-based netbooks? Quick answer - "Kind of". Flash support is erratic and Broadcom only supports Windows Media Player which doesn't support Blu-ray playback. There is also no HDMI support.

Full review here.

SPECIAL REPORT! The HP Slate

Samsung NC10 second PCI-e slot hack


From Slashgear -

graemem of The Samsung Netbook Community forum hacked his NC10 to add a second PCI-e slot for a Broadcom HD decoder card for 1080p HD playback. Since the mainboard already had the holes and wiring for a second PCI-e port, it was pretty much a straightforward process. graemem however had to deal with potential issues such as the BIOS not recognizing a second PCI-e device but in the end everything worked as Graeme hoped.

Samsung Netbook Community forum thread here.

Apple iTablet: the obvious name?

From Engadget -



Engadget received the above photo from a trusted source and is believed to be authentic. It supposedly shows an Apple Store employee's corporate email re the time and place of Wednesday's Apple event. Under attachment is the name:  "itablet." While it may be a personal term, it may also pertain to Apple's naming preference for a 10-inch tablet computer.

At any rate, Amtek currently holds the US trademark (and itablet.com domain) for "iTablet". But then Cisco's ownership of the iPhone trademark didn't stop Apple from announcing naming its phone iPhone.

Update: It appears the name originated in a post from Pocket-lint.

Monday, January 25, 2010

SnowyWindOSX!!! Get it now!

Dalton63841 of InsanelyWind forum has just posted what has to be the most user-friendly hacked Snow Leopard distro for a hackintosh netbook to date. Intended for the MSI Wind U100 series as it name suggests, SnowyWindOSX was originally conceived by Mars478 of the late msiwind.net forum and released back in October 2009. While it worked, it wasn't at all user-friendly and required some terminal work just to make it boot.

Now Dalton63841's version is pretty much a plug-and-play installer. Pretty much a download, burn, and install procedure and you get a under $400 Hackintosh. I am very sure a lot of users will be interested in trying this out. After all, the price disparity between a MSI Wind and the cheapest Macbook is enough encouragement.

By the way, I presume the distro, although it does not need it, assumes that you have a legal copy of Snow Leopard OS X :).

Insanely Wind forum thread here.

Dalton's blog and download link here.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

PDFmyURL – Instant web page pdf maker


From Red Ferret -

The PDFmyURL website generates a pdf of any webpage. Go there, enter the URL of any page, then download the pdf. There’s even a Bookmarklet so you can save it to the toolbar for fast access. Awesome!

Scholastic Administrator evaluates the Asus Eee PC 1005HA

Nokia N900 dual booting Maemo 5 and Android

Sungworld Making ''Apple-style'' 7'' Android MID


From I4U News -

Talk about making a clone of a product that technically does not exist yet. Per Cloned in China, the 7" Sungworld MID will have an "Apple style user interface."

But beyond the claimed similarity in UI, hardware specs will probably differ much from the iSlate - ARM926, 512 MB RAM,2 GB SSD, WiFi, 1080p video, and HDMI-out. It also runs on Android. Given that Sungworld brought us the $73 netbook last year, the MID will probably have a low price, too.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Why Amazon won't launch its own tablet, but will use Apple's

Per Ars Technica, recent moves by Amazon pertinent to its Kindle reader indicate Amazon is unlikely to launch its own tablet.

The company recently offered royalty fees to ebook publishers and then followed it up by announcing the availability of an SDK and the launching of a Kindle app store. And while EA Mobile's participation in the Kindle app store has led some analysts to suggest Amazon may have a non E-ink-based tablet capable of video waiting in the wings, Ars Technica's Jon Stokes thinks otherwise.

Part of the Kindle's success is Whispernet, the pre-paid, unlimited Internet access that comes with it. This model has worked because the Kindle's E-Ink display's combo of low resolution and slow refresh rate ensures the bandwidth load that any app can put on Whispernet is very low. But it would not be true of a media tablet that would have to rely on WiFi or 3G, the price of which would be high.

Moreover an Amazon tablet would simply be another me-too product in a deepening sea of Wifi-enabled, portable media players, including a myriad of generic models from China. Amazon's hopes to distinguish it will rely on making it the exclusive platform for its Kindle store. But that in turn would only isolate the Kindle store against competitors like Google Books, Barnes & Nobles, and Hearst who are making their contents available on as many devices as possible.

Furthermore, Amazon has just bought e-book reader software maker Lexcycle, so it's likely the company plans to bring the Kindle Store to many different mobile devices than it is that they'll launch their own tablet.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Windows 7 vs Linux Xubuntu Netbook Shootout

The Future of Netbooks with Buzz Bruggeman

Asus Chairman Jonney Shih talks about the Asus ARM based Smartbooks in the works

ASUS DR-950 e-reader spotted in the 'wilds' of ASUS UK's office


From Engadget -

It looks like the Asus DR-950 touchscreen reader is near to becoming available with the ASUS UK providing some shots. The device has a 9" grayscale SiPix e-paper display and looks pretty great under these idealized lighting conditions.

The myth of the Sony 'kill switch'

From Telegraph U.K. -

For nearly 20 years, a surprising number of Japanese consumers believe that Sony products have a kill-switch that destroys them to break as soon as the warranty expires. Not surprisingly, the 2006 recall of 4.1 million Dell laptop batteries gave renewed life to the rumor and catapulted it to urban legend. While the company has periodically issued denials, sales has been effected. The Playstation 3 though remains popular as it is perceived to be exempted from the kill switch but VAIO laptops are generally avoided.

Now new rumors allege the timers are controlled remotely by Sony and are set off just when a new model is released. Things got more interesting when it was revealed that a bug in selected E-Series Bravia TVs made them last only 1,200 hours, before refusing to power on or off. This conveniently adds up to about 3 hours watching per day for one year, the exact period of the television’s warranty. Sony has issued a software patch to fix the problem.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

First YouTube, Now Vimeo: How HTML5 Could Finally Kill Flash Video

From Gizmodo -

Vimeo has followed YouTube's lead in making its library compatible with HTML5 video. HTML5 video, which currently only works with Safari and Chrome, is expected to become standard feature in all major browsers in a few years' time.

The current video standad, Flash, actually performs terribly on Mac OS X and Linux, is not available in some popular mobile devices and is not even native in browsers that do support it. HTML5, on the other hand, allows video to be rendered in the browser natively, like JPEGs or GIFs are now. It's also simpler and more efficient In fact it would be the obvious choice, notwithstanding the massive investment in Flash video.

However, YouTube, which accounts for probably the most substantial library of Flash video, has also already rendered them in HTML5-friendly h.264 format for the iPhone and Android devices. So with smaller sites like Vimeo joining the bandwagon, the switch may be sooner than expected.

Amazon releases Kindle Development Kit

SEATTLE, Jan 21, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — (NASDAQ: AMZN)—For the past two years, Amazon has welcomed authors and publishers to directly upload and sell content in the Kindle Store through the self-service Kindle publishing platform. Today, Amazon announced that it is inviting software developers to build and upload active content that will be available in the Kindle Store later this year. The new Kindle Development Kit gives developers access to programming interfaces, tools and documentation to build active content for Kindle—the #1 bestselling, most wished for, and most gifted product across all categories on Amazon. Developers can learn more about the Kindle Development Kit today at http://www.amazon.com/kdk/ and sign up to be notified when the limited beta starts next month.

"We've heard from lots of developers over the past two years who are excited to build on top of Kindle," said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "The Kindle Development Kit opens many possibilities—we look forward to being surprised by what developers invent."

The Kindle Development Kit enables developers to build active content that leverages Kindle's unique combination of seamless and invisible 3G wireless delivery over Amazon Whispernet, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper, and long battery life of seven days with wireless activated. For example, Handmark is building an active Zagat guide featuring their trusted ratings, reviews and more for restaurants in cities around the world, and Sonic Boom is building word games and puzzles.

"As the leading worldwide publisher of mobile games, EA Mobile has had the privilege of collaborating with many dynamic and innovative companies in bringing exciting gaming experiences to new platforms," says Adam Sussman, Vice President of Worldwide Publishing, EA Mobile. "Working with Amazon, we look forward to bringing some of the world's most popular and fun games to Kindle and their users."

Starting next month, participants in the limited beta will be able to download the Kindle Development Kit, access developer support, test content on Kindle, and submit finished content. Those wait-listed will be invited to participate as space becomes available. The Kindle Development Kit includes sample code, documentation, and the Kindle Simulator, which helps developers build and test their content by simulating the 6-inch Kindle and 9.7-inch Kindle DX on Mac, PC, and Linux desktops.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Quanta to build iPhone-type smartbook

From Fudzilla

According to Qanta Chair Barry Lam his company is planning to build a smartbook under its own label. He describes the product as a "computer in an iPhone form factor." It will have a 3.5-inch touchscreen display and will have the ability to make voice calls as well as access the Internet. However Qanta has not decided whether to use ARM or Qualcomm for the chipset.

Quanta is an OEM for both Apple and HP.

Asus Eee PC 1005PEG Has WiMax


From Netbooked -

 The ASUS Eee PC 1005PEG, anounced at the recent CES, not only uses the new Pinetrail platform but also features UMTS 3G or WiMAX. Other than that, the specs don't differ much from the older 1005PE -  Atom N450 processor, 10.1” 1024 x 600  display, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 6-cell 48Wh battery and Bluetooth.

While there is no word yet on pricing and availability, the WiMAX feature makes it something interesting to wait for.

HP Mini 210 Netbook on Sale at Amazon

Amazon has the HP Mini 210 netbook on sale right now. Standard specs include Intel Atom Processor N450, 1.66GHz, Windows 7 starter, 10.1” 1024 x 600 display, 1 GB RAM, 160GB SATA HD,802.11b/g, and Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150.

Several configurations are available with the HP210-1030NR with 9.75 hours of battery life listed at $333.51 and the HP Mini 210-1010NR with 4.25 hours at $304.96.

40% Coupon for a Dell Adamo 13.4in Ultra-portable Laptop


From The Gadgeteer -

LogicBUY
has a 40% discount on ONYX or PEARL colored Dell Adamos with list prices of $1,999 $1,499 plus FREE shipping. Act fast as the offer can end at any time.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Samsung considering taking on Taiwan netbook vendors in their home market

From Digitimes -

Samsung Taiwan confirmed that its mother company is considering entering the Taiwan netbook market, but the company currently does not yet have any official plans. Samsung's brand name should not have problem drawing Taiwan consumers, as the company already does well in the market with its handsets, LCD TVs and printers. But it may find it difficult to gain a share in the netbook market since Acer and Asus together already have a 60% market share and it will also need to compete against vendors such as MSI, Hewlett-Packard), Toshiba as well as Taiwan-based second-tier vendors.

HTC abandons plans to put out tablet PC

From Electronista -

Per HTC marketing director Anthony Petts, his company has stopped all work on a planned tablet PC and instead will focus on developing a new generation of smartphones, including ones using Google's Android. Rumors of an HTC-made touch tablet had been rampant prior to this year's CES.

Sony's VAIO Z Laptops On Sale in March


From Gizmodo -

The Sony VAIO Z series announced at CES will be on sale at the end of March, with prices starting at around $1,000. The new models, made from carbon fiber and aluminum and weighing less than 1.45kg each, feature Quad SSD drives capable of writing data in parallel for speeds at 6.2x faster, Intel Core i7-620M processors, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M chips, 13.1" LED backlit screens, optical Blu-ray drives and HDMI-out.

Two models are available for pre-ordering now, the VAIO VPCZ11Z9E and VAIO VPCZ11X9E. The former has a 2.66GHz chip (upgradeable to 3.33GHz), 6GB DDR3 SDRAM, 256GB Quad SSD, 13.1" 1920 x 1080 display and weighs 1.43kg. The latter has a 2.4GHz chip (upgradeable to 2.93GHz), 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 128GB Quad SSD, 13.1" 1600 x 900 screen and weighs 1.41kg.

Eee PC 1008P Seashell Karim Rashid Edition hands-on video

Monday, January 18, 2010

Take a Look at App Up! A Netbook App Store on Moblin too!

Lego Router (WRT54GL)


Uploaded by tfvlrue -

Built a case for the Linksys WRT54GL router out of LEGO bricks. Here is the obligatory time lapse video :)

More information and pictures at http://tfvlrue.wordpress.com

LEGO® and Linksys® are trademarks of their respective companies and do not sponsor or endorse this project.

ITG xpPhone gets a price, more pretty pictures


Per ITG's email to Engadget, their xpPhone will cost 3,000 - 4,500 Chinese RMB (about $400 - $650), depending on options.Given that the device supports HSDPA,HSUPA and EVDO and can achieve seamless upgrade to support WiMax and the 4G internet standard-LTE and functions like a mini-netbook, the price is just about right. In fact, it is quite appealing.

ITG xpPhone website.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

LG shows 19-inch flexible e-paper prototype


From Electronista -

LG Display has announced a 19" e-paper flexible display that measures just 0.01 inches (0.3mm) thick and has a TFT array and a thin metal foil that helps it recover its original shape (It cannot be totally folded). The ePaper display measures 9.8 by 15.7 inches and uses similar technology to the 11.5-inch Skiff reader. No word yet if or when LG will commercialize the 19-inch display.

The Tainell T500: A Revolutionary Tablet Keyboard?


From I4U News -

The Tainell T500 has the standard MID features - 1.6 GHz Atom Z530 processor, 5" touchscreen, 1 GB RAM (max 2 GB), a 32 GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, 1.3MP camera and 3G. But what sets it apart is its soft unconventional keyboard (see photo above). The keyboard is perfectly designed for thumb-typing. It is utterly, brilliantly intuitive.

Now let's hope they get the pricing right also. :)

Laptops Averatec's Lookie is medium power in a small package




From Engadget -

Averatec has released its Lookie laptop in Korea. At a touted 0.5 cms and 1.4kg, it definitely falls into the thin and light category. However its specs are quite decent - Intel Core 2 Duo, 250GB HDD, Windows 7, HDMI port, and six hours of battery life - except for the price. At 799,000KRW it is about $711.

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Ultimate Guide to Ebook Readers Gizmodo Cares About


Gizmodo has a pretty good post-CES guide on ebook readers although they notably left out any conclusions. Which is fine by me as I personally think the whole hullabaloo will eventually die down, sooner than expected, when netbooks start adopting newer screen technology more suitable for ebook reading. Then stand-alone ebook readers will go the way of stand-alone PDAs.

Sapper, Stradivarius and Skylight




David Hill of Design Matters (Lenovo Blog) has posted an interested read on Lenovo's Skylight smartbook project, especially since it provides fascinating details on how the design team, including Richard Sapper, of Thinkpad fame, approached the project from the first vision to the final design.

Full article here.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Asus weighing up Chrome versus Android

Asus chair Jonney Shih has informed ZDNet UK his company has prototype Android and Chrome OS smartbooks and is currently deciding whether to release an ARM-based device to complement its Intel-based Eee PCs. They are still not sure if users would sacrifice Windows compatibility for a lower-cost subnotebook running a Linux-based OS on a non-Intel compatible ARM chipset. In addition, they need to choose between Google's two operating systems, Android and Chrome OS.

Android is targeted towards smartphones while Chrome OS is cloud-centric and based on the Chrome web browser. The former is faster but is suited more for smaller screens while the latter has multi-windowing.

Home Videos Channels Change Player Size Watch this video in a new window Hivision demonstrates cheap 7" Android Laptop at CES 2010

Acer Aspire One 532h review




Engadget has posted its review on the new $299 10.1" Aspire One 532h. Specs include Intel Atom N450, 1GB RAM, Windows 7 Starter, 160GB HD and a six-cell battery.

The conclusion? Acer will sell loads of Aspire One 532hs. But not because it's the best but because it's the one with the best price.

Full review here.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Mobinnova Unveils Tiny NVIDIA Tegra-based Netbook




From I4U -

Mobinnova has unveiled a new 8.9" 1024 x 600 netbook powered by an ARM 1GHz Corex A9 and the NVIDIA Tegra platform with support for AT&T 3G HSPA 7.2 and 5.1 Mbps, UMTS 850/1900/2100 and GPRS EDGE. It comes with 512MB RAM and 512MB NAND for OS storage.with the OS being Android. Other specs include 8-64GB SSD storage expandable with SD cards of up to 64GB, WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB ports, HDMI out, and 3.5mm jacks for headphones and mic. Pricing and availability is unknown.

Mobinnova website here.

Facebook's Universal Password and Other Unsettling Insider Info

Gizmodo has a very unsettling report about an interview with an anonymous Facebook employee that revealed the company had, as recently as just three months ago, a universal password that let its employees log in to any account. Although, the password only worked from within the Facebook offices, employees still have access to all sorts of info about any user, including deleted information, regardless of any profile setting.

You can read the original interview here.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Samsung's new netbook line goes hands-on, Moblin makes a cameo


From Engadget -

Samsung showed off its new N210, NB30 and N150 models at CES. While specs and styling are the usual stuff, notable is the shift to chiclet keys, which felt a little plastic and shallow. At least the NB30 has an excuse, having a water-resistant keyboard tray. Most interesting is the N127 (see photo above), which runs Moblin at a lightning fast pace, has the old-type keyboard. While Samsung has not decided if it will release the model, but if it does, the N127 is expected to be priced below similarly configured Windows models.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Asus Eee PC 1005 Touchscreen Mod

Sent in by Alan Girard -

How to mod your Asus Eee PC into a touchscreen.





CES 2010: Google Phone, Lenovo Tablet, Sexy Zebra Ladies

Intel Moorestown Demo on an Tablet

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Apple Tablet Has No Intel Inside

From TheStreet -

With production time of its Tablet approaching, Apple has been making its final decisions on the components. There has been speculation that Intel's new gen of Atoms was in the running, but Apple has selected a processor developed by P A Semi, a chip shop it acquired two years ago.

With the closely-watched Apple Tablet expected to redefine the mobile computing market, the snub would be significant for Intel. It currently has a lock on the netbook market with its Atom processors and was widely assumed to win the contract as well but might end up in the sidelines with the Apple Tablet's release in March.

ASUS Eee PC 1008P Karim Rashid Hands On at CES 2010 - Deutsch

CES 2010: New iTablet Killer + MultiTouch the Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t

DELL Touchscreen Android leaked on film - CES 2010

MSI's Dual-Screen Tablet Concept




From Gizmodo -

MSI is demonstrating a dual-screen, Windows 7 tablet at CES 2010 but it is clearly not meant for actual release as the touchscreen is very temperamental. The device is also super slow. It is more of a proof of concept more than anything else. But the hardware is surprisingly nice as it is super thin and light with the two 10-inch screens keeping it netbook-size.

Video here.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Acer AO532h Atom N450 Netbook Is Available For Pre-Order

From I4U News -

Acer unveiled its new 10'1" AO532h on Monday and it is now available on pre-order at Amazon for $349.00 Specs include the new Atom N450, Intel GMA 3150 graphics, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, memory card reader, WiFi, webcam, multi-gesture track pad, and three USB ports. It is also available in different battery configurations starting at $299.99. Available color options Garnet Red, Onlyx Blue and Matrix Silver.

Toshiba Brings T100 Laptops To CES 2010




From I4U News -

Toshiba has unveiled their ultra-thin multi-media T100 laptop line at CES 2010. All models are less than one inch thick and weigh under four lbs, with full-sized keyboards, hard drive impact sensors and a USB port with "Sleep and Charge" technology.

The T135D features either a AMD Turion Neo X2, Neo X2, or Athlon Neo MV-40, a 13.3" backlit LED, Windows 7 Home, ATI Radeon 3200 graphics, 4GB DDR2 RAM, and up to a 320 GB HDD, Wifi b/g/n, 10/100 Ethernet, 6 hours 6 cell battery, HDMI out, a 5-in-1 ard reader, webcam with face recognition, and 2 normal USB ports. Its smaller sibling, T115D, has the same features except for the 11.6" screen and 2 GB DDR2 RAM.

Chinese Ubuntu Windows XP GUI clone

For those who want their Ubuntu with the familiarity of Windows XP, you can check out the YMLF OS, an Ubuntu distro that clones the look and feel of Windows XP. The only catch is it is Chinese, being developed by a group in China.

YMLF OS website.

iTablet rumors: March arrival, learning curve

From Ars Technica -

Several sources have reported that Apple will announc its tablet in the last week of January (either Tuesday or Wednesday of that week), with the product going on sale in March. Per French site Mac4Ever, Apple is also expected to unveil an SDK and tablet "simulator", which may already be in the hands of a select number of developers asked by Apple to modify existing iPhone apps to work with a larger screen. Those apps are expected to be demoed at the product announcement.

That developers could modify existing iPhone apps to work on the tablet suggests that it will have a user interface very similar to the iPhone. However, the tablet is expected to have some new UI  features and will require a steep learning curve.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t up for Pre-order too




Lenovo S10-3t 0651-37U 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black)Netbook Reviews has reported the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t is now on pre-order at Amazon. Specs include a 10 inch capacitive, multi-touch screen that can be rotated 180 degrees and folded down over the keyboard to be used as a tablet, 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450, 1 GB RAM and 250 GB hard drive for $499.99 There is a better S10-3t with a 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470 processor and more RAM; however, that version has not shown up for pre-order yet. It should be priced at $599.99.

Lenovo's IdeaPad U1 Is One Smart Laptop/Tablet Hybrid




From Gizmodo -

Lenovo's IdeaPad U1 is a clever combination of multi-touch tablet and laptop. As a stand-alone tablet, the screen uses a custom version of Linux and a Qualcomm ARM Snapdragon processor, allowing to maximize battery life. When both halves are together, it runs on Windows 7 on the more powerful Intel Core 2 Duo SU processor. Other features include 4GB RAM (512MB in slate/tablet mode), two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, VGA, HDMI, 4-in-1 memory card reader, and a 1.3-Megapixel camera. Not too bad for about a thousand bucks.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Apple to Ship Tablet Device in March

According to the The Wall Streeet Journal, Apple will unveil a new multimedia tablet device later this month, but isn't planning to ship the product until March. The new product will come with a 10 to 11-inch touch screen, and will likely be priced at $1,000, possibly including a WiFi subscription.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Pine Trail spawns Toshiba, Gateway Netbooks

From CNET -

The number of Pine Trail netbooks continue to grow as Toshiba and Gateway are expected to intro their respective models at the upcoming CES. Listings for both in fact have appeared on the Canadian reseller Web site Future Shop featuring similar specs: the 1.66GHz Atom, 160GB (Gateway) or 250GB (Toshiba) HD, a 10.1" screen, 1GB RAM, Intel GMA 3150 Express graphics, and Windows 7 Starter. The Gateway Netbook is listed at $299 Canadian, or about US$285. Toshiba's Netbook is listed at $459 Canadian, or $US438.

Ebooks outsell paper ones on Christmas Day

From TG Daily -

Amazon has announcemd that on Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Kindle books outsold paper ones. While its claim that the Kindle is "the most gifted item in Amazon's history" seems pretty implausible, the numbers do show is that e-books are becoming mainstream. And when all those people ordering on Christmas Day have finished their current book, they'll be back to the store for more.

Enigmatic Apple tablet looks like a bigger iPhone




From TG Daily -

Per Kaifu Lee, ex-president of Google China, Apple's upcoming tablet device will feature a 10.1"h screen, webcam and an "awesome UI. The tablet combines the functions of both netbook and Amazon's Kindle e-reader. It has virtual keyboard for text entry and a webcam for video conferencing. To add credence to the claim, iPhone developers were reportedly told to prepare their apps for an upcoming demo that would run at full-screen resolutions, rather than the standard 320x480 iPhone format.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Asus to close Eee Stick and LCD divisions?

From Digitimes -

Asus is reportedly considering closing down the departments that handle its Eee Stick, LCD TV and monitor product lines due to unsatisfactory shipments and profits. The opto-mechatronics department was formerly the optical drive department when the company was still in partnership with Pioneer. But it has not generated any significant results with the Eee Stick product lines and its staff is now down to 20 from the original 100. And while Asus has landed new orders for LCD monitors, the price war has resulted in losses.

Asus was rumored to be scaling back on Eee PC development but apparently has decided to focus on Pine Trail-based netbooks in order to keep its market share.

The company has denied the rumors.

Shipments of 9.7" e-book readers to grow 300% in 2010

From Digitimes -

With shipments for larger-size 9- and 9.7" e-book readers projected to surge in 2010, ebook panel producers Prime View International and AU Optronics will concentrate on larger-size production, including 7-, 8-, and 9.7" models, this year.

Currently, market leader Amazon offers the 6" Kindle and 9.7-inch Kindle DX readers. Sony has a 5-inch model. Barnes & Noble's Nook has a 6" panel but the company is working with Plastic Logic to launch a larger-size model (8.5-inch x 11-inch) using plastic substrates later this month.

Global e-book reader shipments were expected to reach 3.5-4 million units last year.

HTC To Launch Apple iSlate Competitor

From SmartHouse -

Aside from the Nexus One smartphone HTC and Google are expected to launch on January 6, the partners are now also rumored to be launching an Android Tablet. Google has sent out invites for an "Android press gathering" in Mountain View although it has declined to give any details.

The two companies have been working closely the past 18 months and are said to have several working models of a touch tablet, one or some of which will shown privately to core HTC customers at the CES Show.

Friday, January 1, 2010

HTC Bringing Android Tablet To CES 2010?




From I4U News -

SlashGear has reported that HTC is working on a Qualcomm-based Chrome OS-powered Android device tablet. HTC has been rumored to be working with Adobe on the tablet, so this could mean  Android/Flash functionality is included. Word is the tablet will be shown to a select group of HTC customers at the upcoming CES 2010.

Android Powered 7-inch ‘Home’ Tablet




From Cloned in China -

Midbbs.cn has reported on an Android tablet from a Chinese manufacturer. The device is still under development so the "Home" name might just be a product code. What is known is that it is powered by Android OS, has a 7" 800 x 480 display and looks similar to the RAmos W7 Android powered MID.