Sprint Launches Dual-Mode 3G and 4G USB Dongle
This morning Sprint announced a new mobile broadband solution that supports both its 3G EV-DO network and 4G WiMAX networks. The U300 is the first USB dongle of its type, and it costs $149 with a two-year contract at local Sprint stores in Baltimore and surrounding areas. What makes this device attractive is that, typically, you wouldn’t want to purchase a WiMax broadband card unless you lived in a coverage area like Baltimore where Clearwire (formerly XOHM) exists.
This new solution, designed by Franklin Wireless, provides makes 4G more attractive to travelers; you can use a 3G connection back at home in Washington, D.C., and every time you travel to Baltimore, you’ll be able to surf at faster speeds without having to buy additional hardware. A single $79.99 data plan will cover surfing on either network, too. That’s a $20 premium over a single 3G broadband connection.
During our initial tests of the XOHM WiMAX network in Baltimore, built by Sprint, we averaged 3.05Mbps during a 25MB FTP download test and 2.4Mbps upload throughput. That’s smack dab in the middle of Sprint’s claims that this card will offer 2-4Mbps downlink speeds, but it’s still a good improvement over the typical 600 - 1.4Mbps you could expect from a 3G broadband connection.
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Nikon hits 24.5 megapixels with D3X
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Though almost everything you need to know about the new Nikon D3X leaked Friday, the 24.5-megapixel dSLR Nikon dubs its "extreme professional" model formally debuts today, November 30. What didn't leak was the price: $7,999.95. Start saving your pennies now.
There's quite a bit of speculation as to how similar the sensor in the D3X is to that in the Sony Alpha DSLR-A900; Nikon says it's "a Nikon designed sensor" that may (or may not) be manufactured by Sony, which usually means they're pretty similar. However, the A900's sensor has a pixel pitch of 5.9 microns, while Nikon's is surprisingly smaller--5.49 microns. So, they're pretty much different sensors, with different performance characteristics. The D3X's sensitivity range runs from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, with a Lo 1 of ISO 50 and Hi 1 and 2 of ISO 3200 and ISO 6400. The camera will also offer a 5:4 (8x10) crop mode at 20.4 megapixels, along with the same 10.5-megapixel DX crop mode as the D3, and support.
With all that extra data to process, it's no surprise that the D3X isn't quite the speed demon the D3 is for burst shooting, though 5 frames per second at full resolution is certainly zippy enough for most. (Nikon didn't provide info on the number of frames, however.)
The rest--body, AF system, viewfinder, and Expeed image processor--is all identical to the D3, and Nikon claims you should expect similar performance. It's also compatible with the D3's accessories.
Pitting the D3X against the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III when the Nikon becomes available in late December will certainly make my cold winter days a little more interesting.
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Macbook Pro (2008)
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Redesigned with a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook is thinner and lighter than its predecessor as well as stronger and more durable. But Apple didn't stop innovating with the body's design. The MacBook also includes a new 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glass display (instead of an LCD panel) and a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) and features includes Apple's Multi-Touch technology.
Under the hood, the MacBook is powered by a powerful 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (with 3 MB L2 cache and 1066 MHz front-side bus), which runs applications faster and more efficiently as well as helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. And the MacBook features the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor, which delivers outstanding 3D game play with up to five times faster graphics performance than the previous generation.
It's pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which enables easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter. It also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications--including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes--and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser. Other hardware features include a 160 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 4 GB), an 8x combo Superdrive (for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs), built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
(Enhanced Data Rate), and Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections).
The New MacBook Design
Traditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the new MacBook all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.
The standard aluminum electro-static trackpad has been replaced with a new glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent more tracking area than before. Use two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing you to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.
The keyboard has also been improved, with the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to hold the keys, which are curved to perfectly fit fingers.
The 13.3-inch display is made of edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass for a smooth, seamless surface and features LED backlighting for brilliant instant-on performance that uses up to 30 percent less energy than its predecessor. The ultra-thin displays provide crisp images and vivid colors which are ideal for viewing photos and movies
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.
Video Processing & Output
The new MacBook uses a graphics processor that economizes space without sacrificing battery life. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M is great for gaming, providing up to a 5x performance boost. Enjoy faster, smoother, more responsive gameplay as you power your way through the 3D environments of Quake, Call of Duty, and Spore. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory.
The MacBook includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays
Hard Drive and Memory
The 160 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 2 GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 4 GB.
Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.
Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the glass display is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.
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Report: Flash Memory Confirmed For Xbox 360 ‘Jasper’ Models
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Microsoft has apparently confirmed reports that Xbox 360 consoles featuring the new ‘Jasper’ motherboard also include 256MB of flash memory storage.
"We are constantly updating the console's more than 1,700 internal components," an unnamed Microsoft spokesperson told consumer site Xbox 360 Fanboy. "We can confirm that we are moving to internal memory for the Xbox 360 Arcade. The physical internal memory is the same size as the previous external memory units - 256MB."
The statement appears to imply that the internal storage is only utilized in the Xbox 360 Arcade, which is not bundled with a hard drive. Its presence should remove the need for the Arcade model to rely on external memory cards for storage – the same solution used for the Wii, which has 512MB of internal flash memory.
First rumored in October of last year, the Jasper board is intended to replace the current ‘Falcon’ models, in an attempt to reduce production costs and improve reliability. The Falcon, in turn, was introduced to replace the original ‘Zephyr’ board, which has been most prone to the infamous "red ring of death" problem.
Microsoft has always been reticent to detail or confirm the hardware changes, and new hardware packaging does not make them easily identifiable. However, sightings of the Jasper model began in U.S. stores late last month, and users reported the presence of the flash memory.
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Asus N10JC
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ASUS has put out its fair share of mini-notebooks, but its latest, the $649 N10Jc—despite its 10-inch screen and Intel Atom processor—is not a member of the growing Eee family. The N10Jc, ASUS’ first corporate netbook, is more concerned with security and performance features than being “easy to learn, work, and play.” Sporting several features not commonly found on other systems in its class—including a glossy screen, switchable Nvidia 9300M GS graphics, ASUS’ instant-on Express Gate, an HDMI port, a fingerprint reader, and a two-year warranty—the N10Jc packs plenty of perks. However, this mini-notebook’s punchy performance and solid graphics also means that it is chunkier and pricer than the others.
Design
The N10Jc looks more like a traditional ultraportable, like the ASUS U2E or U6V, than an Eee PC. Its glossy taupe lid branded with the ASUS logo and its silver hinge exude a professional look. The design isn’t as flashy as the Eee PC S101 (it lacks the Swarovski crystals) but looks classier than the Eee PC 1000, MSI Wind, and Samsung NC10.
While the N10Jc is smaller than most full-featured notebooks, it is the chunkiest in the netbook class. Measuring 10.8 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches and weighing 3.4 pounds with the six-cell battery, this is the largest 10-inch netbook on the market, mainly because of its inch-thick screen bezel, which also makes the screen look smaller. Compared with its distant cousin the Eee PC 1000H, which is one of the larger 10-inch netbooks on the market, the N10Jc is 0.1 inches thicker and 0.2 pounds heavier. Nevertheless, the system and its AC adapter, which brings the total travel weight to 3.8 pounds, fit nicely in a Targus portable DVD player traveling case and didn’t feel heavy on our shoulder.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard on the ASUS N10Jc is by far the best keyboard we have seen on any ASUS netbook. Unlike the Eee PC 901 or 1000H, the keyboard isn’t stricken with flex and the keys provide nice feedback without heavy clicking. Nevertheless, as happy as we are with the feel of the keys, touch typists may be bothered by the awkward placement of the right Shift key, which is shrunken and positioned next to the Up arrow. For this reason, we still prefer the keyboard on the Samsung NC10 and the HP Mini 1000.
We were similarly pleased with the feel of the N10Jc’s touchpad, which is spacious and similar in size to those on mainstream laptops. It offered a textured feel as we navigated around the desktop, and the two mouse buttons below are easy to click, unlike the rock-hard buttons on the Eee PC 1000 and 901. A fingerprint reader is nestled between the right and left mouse buttons but didn’t interfere with our navigation.
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Nokia N97 Announced - Full details and release date for Nokia N97
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We heard about it at the end of last week, but we had no idea just how exciting Nokia’s announcment would be! Christmas has come early this year as Nokia has revealed their brand new N-series handset, the N97 - and we couldn’t have wished for anything better! Take a look at the headline features:
Key Features of the new Nokia N97
- Touch display (3.5″ of it) which slides and tilts to reveal a full QWERTY kepboard plus d-pad for easy navigation.
- 5 Megapixel Camera
- Carl Zeiss integrated optics coupled with a dual LED flash
- A massive 32GB of internal memory with MicrSD support for further memory expansion
- Integrated Assisted GPS
- WiFi and HSDPA
- DVD quality video capture and 16:9 display
The N97 is a cutting edge smartphone that includes support for their OVI service as well as the Nokia Music Store. Nokia have called the N97 “the most advanced mobile computer” and have done well to keep ahead of current mobile phone usability trends. With more and more people using their phones to browse the net, to access email accounts and share photos online we expect that the likes of the N97 will become the most demanded everyday phone. GPS has also become a standard on handsets and more and more people are expecting their phones to have integrated GPS. App developers are also aware of this and the number of cool GPS reliant applications is growing at a phenomenal rate.
Nokia have divulged that the expected release date for the N97 is in the first half of 2009 and is expected to hold a pre-tax price tag of 550 Euros. So if you are wanting to get this handset soon after public release expect to take out a higher tariff package if you want it for free.
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Pioneer showcases 16-layer 400GB optical disc
( Source from: Digitimes )
Pioneer is exhibiting its super multi-layer read-only optical disc which features 16 separate layers on a single side with 25GB storage capacity on each layer for a total capacity of 400GB at the IT Month fair taking place in Taipei.
The technology of the super multi-layer read-only disc is based on Blu-ray Disc (BD) with a breakthrough in material of reflective layers, according to Pioneer High Fidelity Taiwan. The specifications of the pick-up head (PUH) of the disc is the same as those for the PUH of blank BD discs, and therefore the Pioneer discs can be read on BD players, the company said.
According to Pioneer's internal roadmap, its super multi-layer technology development is read-only (ROM) discs in 2008-2010, rewritable discs in 2010-2012 and 1TB (1,000GB) disc in 2013, the company indicated.
| Comparison of main specifications between BD and Pioneer's super multi-layer | ||
| Specification | BD | Pioneer's super multi-layer |
| Storage capacity and number of layers | 25GB for single layer; 50GB for double layers | 400GB for 16 layers; 500GB for 20 layers |
| Material of reflective layers | Metallic | Dielectric |
| Track pitch | 25nm | 10&14nm |
| PUH | 405nm, 0.85 | 405nm, 0.85 |
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Sanyo to launch new electric hybrid bicycle
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A model demonstrates Japanese electronics giant Sanyo Electric's electric motor assisted bicycle "Eneloop bike" in Tokyo.The new electric hybrid bicycle can triple the user's pedal power to make it easier to climb hills.(Credit: physorg.com)
Japan's Sanyo Electric Co. on Monday unveiled a new electric hybrid bicycle that can triple the user's pedal power to make it easier to climb hills.
Equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the "eneloop bike" takes the crossover between a normal bicycle and a moped one step further, aiming to tap growing interest in tackling global warming.
The system harnesses energy from braking when the bike goes downhill, and can add extra power equivalent to double the rider's pedal force for going uphill, in line with relaxed government restrictions on such systems.
The eneloop bike can travel 1.8 times faster than conventional bicycles thanks to the motor powering its front wheel, the company said.
Sanyo, which has rebranded itself as a purveyor of green technology, hopes to increase its market position in power-assisted bicycles, demand for which has almost doubled over the past eight years to hit about 283,000 last year.
The bicycle sells for 136,290 yen (1,430 dollars) and will be in stores in Japan from February 2009. A company spokeswoman said the firm also aims to launch the new bike overseas at some point in the future.
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