SanDisk Announces 16GB microSD and M2 Cards

SanDisk announced what it claims to be the world's largest capacity microSD and M2 cards today with 16GB of storage each. The card will be available from Verizon Wireless stores and Best Buy Mobile stores.

The 16GB microSDHC card retails for $19.99 and the 16GB M2 card retails for $129.99. Both cards will be available in November and Best Buy and Verizon are the only two stores that will carry the card in 2008.

“Handsets have become far more than just phones - they’ve become mobile jukeboxes, mobile offices, even mobile movie theaters,” said Avi Greengart, Research Director for Mobile Devices at Current Analysis. “Flash memory cards have increased in storage capacity, but even an 8GB card may be too small for anyone with GPS map data, a few movies, a game or two, a presentation file and other applications. There is an acute need for more mobile storage capacity. 16GB gives consumers the ability to carry their digital content with them and still have room to do more with their mobile phones.”

SanDisk is the same company that fended off a buyout offer from Samsung recently. It also, somewhat boldly, introduced a new music-media format.

Called slotMusic, the music distribution format pre-loads an album onto a microSD card. The point of slotMusic, for which all the major labels are onboard, is to allow users to buy and use music without being dependent on a PC or internet connection. They simply insert the card into their microSD-enabled device to hear it.

The music is DRM-free, of high quality (320 kbps), and can be used instantly with any MP3 player, cell phone, etc. with a microSD slot. The cards will be packaged with a tiny USB sleeve, so they'll be easy to use and compatible with PCs (Windows, Linux and Mac) as well.

HP launches Compaq Notebooks Announced in India

Hewlett-Packard (HP), a leading consumer Notebook PC brand in India, today announced the launch of its new series of Compaq notebooks targetted at young customers, a growing market segment for portables.

The nine series designed with preferences of the youth in mind and their needs for connectivity, entertainment and productivity, has factored in features like built in TV tuner card, blue ray drive and an infra red remote control.

The Compaq range of laptops is comes packed with multimedia features such as backlit keyboard, finger print reader and HDMI 1.3 along with a built in TV tuner card, Blue ray drive and an infra red remote control.

“This astounding product is a result of HP’s extensive research, focusing on user preferences amongst the youth. Keeping in mind the priorities of today’s young generation, HP has factored in features like the flush glass finish and the 3D drive guard. A unique blend of looks and durability, the new range is both attractive and sturdy.

Now, the generation next can not only enjoy the multimedia experience but flaunt their notebook with a oodles of style” commented Rajiev Grover, Director - Consumer Products, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard India.

Speaking on the growing size of laptops from around 80,000 in 2003 to an estimated 2.4 million in 2008, he said that the customer profile of those purchasing portables had changed.
“It is no longer just the middle-aged or mid or senior management personnel who were purchasing it. The customer profile had shifted to the young.”

The new range of HP Compaq notebooks carries a price tag between of Rs. 26,990 to Rs. 48,990.

Apple selling unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong

Apple Inc. has begun selling unlocked iPhones in Hong Kong that can be used with any cell phone carrier.

The move appears to depart from the company's previous strategy of selling the popular device capable of working with 3G, or third-generation cellular networks, through specific service providers, usually with a required service contract. On its Hong Kong Web site, the Cupertino, California-based company is advertising unlocked iPhones, saying people can "buy directly from Apple" and choose their own carrier.

"iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier," the Web site says. With free shipping, the 8-gigabyte phone sells for HK$5,400 (US$695) and the 16-gigabyte version costs HK$6,200 (US$798).
Apple's Hong Kong office could not be reached for comment Saturday. Previously, Hong Kong buyers could only officially purchase the phone from Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd.

with a two-year contract, although the device was widely available on the gray market. In the U.S., Apple sells 8-gigabyte iPhones for US$199 and 16-gigabyte models for US$299, both with a required two-year service contract with AT&T.

Toshiba is launching new Dynabook NX Series notebook

Toshiba introduced a new Dynabook NX Series notebook. Notebook comes with a 12.1’’ LED back lighted LCD screen with WXGA resolution (1280x800), an Intel Core 2 Duo SU9300 CPU (1.20GHz), 2GB of RAM (up to 3GB), 128GB of SSD or 160GB of SATA HDD, as well as DVD Super Multi Drive, Wifi b/g/n, three USB ports, e-Sata port, and SD card slot. As per Akihabara News HDD version will run you about €1200 (or around $1736), while the SSD model will clock in at a hefty €1930 ($2793). The laptop is due out in late October, so if this sounds like your cup of tea, you might start saving the pennies right now.

The Imation Apollo Pro WX WUSB hard drive comes equipped with incremental backup software that allows consumers to automatically backup their notebook

Allen, Texas - WiQuest Communications, Inc., the acknowledged worldwide leader in WiMedia-based ultrawideband (UWB) solutions, today announced that WiQuest’s complete Wireless USB solution has been selected by Imation for the company’s new Apollo™ Pro WX external hard drive – a high-performing, wireless personal area storage device that offers a secure, no-touch, wireless backup solution for hassle-free back-up and storage of personal data.

“In a mobile notebook PC environment, the frequency in which consumers perform important incremental backups is affected by the hassle of finding and plugging in a USB cable”, said Steve Dwyer, hard disk business manager, Imation. “Now, the Apollo Pro WX drive offers Wireless USB enabled WiQuest technology, coupled with Imation’s integrated backup software. This solution allows consumers to take advantage of the simplicity of USB plug-n-play for mass storage devices, along with automatic backup of personal data – without the hassle of cables.”

The Apollo Pro WX comes equipped with incremental backup software that allows consumers to automatically backup their notebook PC. As the notebook PC comes “into range,” of the WUSB hard drive, the software can either perform an immediate backup upon wireless connection or perform the backup at the next scheduled time.

The Apollo Pro WX will utilize WiQuest’s complete WUSB solution. Compared with other multivendor Wireless USB solutions, WiQuest reduces time to market and risk by providing every component of the solution including silicon, reference designs, application software, firmware and drivers.

“By supporting Imation’s next generation mass storage devices, WiQuest continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing field proven Wireless USB solutions to expand the Wireless Workspace,” said Todd Brown, vice president of sales at WiQuest. “The integration of WiQuest’s proven Wireless USB technology with Imation’s data storage expertise delivers an exciting new class of easy to use wireless devices.”

The Apollo Pro WX will be available in Q4 where WUSB enabled laptops are sold and at authorized Imation distributors, wholesalers, resellers and etailers.

S2309W 23-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor

The S2309W 23-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor from Dell™ is a brilliant choice when you need exceptional clarity and vibrant color. Featuring a 1000:1 typical contrast ratio and 300 cd/m² brightness, the monitor boasts excellent color accuracy and uniformity. Additionally, a resolution of up to 1920x1080 pixels provides quality entertainment and an exhilarating multimedia experience.

A blazing response time of 5 ms that helps prevent smearing and ghosting, whether you are playing a game or watching the latest swash-buckling thriller. The cable management feature helps to keep desk clutter-free. Moreover, the wide viewing angle lets you view from a sitting or standing position, or while moving from side to side. Dell branded monitors undergo exhaustive testing for performance, reliability, durability and compatibility with Dell systems.

Highlight Dell S2309W

• On-Screen Display (OSD) adjustments for ease of set-up and screen optimization.
• 300 cd/m² brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio delivers high color accuracy and uniformity.
• Offers a viewing angle of 170° horizontal and 160° vertical.
• Provides tilt adjustment capability.

Toshiba Launches 256GB Solid State Drives with MLC

Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba) and Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)*, its subsidiary in the Americas, today announced enhancements to their line up of NAND-flash-based solid state drives (SSD) with the addition of an industry-leading 256-gigabyte (GB)(1) SSD and the launch of small-sized Flash Modules for netbook computers, ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) and other mobile and peripheral applications. The new drives will be showcased at CEATEC in Makuhari, Japan, from September 30 to October 4.

Samples of both the 256GB SSD and the Flash Modules are available now, with mass production following in the fourth quarter (October to December) of the year.

Toshiba's new high density SSD brings 256GB of capacity to a 2.5-inch drive form factor with an advanced Multi-level Cell (MLC) controller that achieves higher read-write speeds, parallel data transfers and wear leveling to optimize performance, reliability and endurance. Alongside this, Toshiba provides support for the growing market for small, netbook computers, UMPCs and other personal equipment with the launch of small SSD Flash Modules supporting 8GB, 16GB and 32GB densities.

The new 256GB SSD mounts NAND flash memory on a 70.6mm (L) x 53.6mm (W) x 3.0mm (H) platform. The drive offers performance characteristics essential for today's mainstream notebook PCs: highly reliable, high density data storage and support for fast data transfer rates, with a maximum read speed of 120MB per second (MBps)(2) and maximum write speed of 70MBps, via a SATA 3.0Gb per second (Gbps)(3) interface.

Flash Modules are fabricated on a 50mm x 30mm platform, and offer maximum read and write speeds of 80MB and 50MB per second(2), respectively. Flash Modules are also compatible with the SATA interface and will support continued development of the fast growing market for netbook PCs, UMPCs and mobile and peripheral applications by offering developers a wider range of SSD for integration in differentiated products.

Toshiba will continue to promote innovations that widen the horizons of the NAND Flash market and support its continued leadership in that market. The company will spur demand for SSD in notebook PCs, laptops and digital consumer products by enhancing its lineup, offering products with different densities and interfaces in a range of packages, while advancing device performance.

LG KC780 Slider mobile phone with 8 Megapixel Camera

LG KC780 is the next LG cameraphone that will have an 8 megapixel camera. While it's exciting to see yet another high-res cameraphone, it seems LG have not put a lot of effort in making its design stand out.

The KC780 is a slide phone that, as seen in the photo, really doesn't have that certain something to make you go “wow.” Come to think of it, it actually looks kind of ordinary. As revealed on the FCC website, it has already gone through the paces and was approved for GSM1900 and Bluetooth emissions.

Other features of the phone, as put together from various other sources, include quad band GSM/GSM/GPRS and EDGE connectivity. No 3G on this one, it seems. It will also support a microSD card, which should add pretty nicely to the existent 140 MB of internal memory, and USB 2.0 connectivity, along with Bluetooth 2.0.

Features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity
• 8 megapixel camera with autofocus
• Red eye reduction
• Face recognition
• 30fps video recording
• 140MB internal memory
• Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0 connectivity
• microSD memory card slot

Verizon Wireless Quietly Launches Flash-Based Storefront

Verizon Wireless has quietly released Dashboard, a new storefront found on its phones using Adobe's Flash technology, mocoNews has learned. So far, Dashboard has launched on the *LG* Chocolate 3, and more phones are expected by the end of the year, making it one of the largest mobile implementations of Flash in the U.S., both Verizon Wireless and Adobe confirmed. Todd Murphy, Verizon Wireless's director of digital media programming, explained to us the platform stands alongside the carrier's Get It Now platform, and is designed to be an easy place for consumers to find both content from Verizon's deck, but also links that take you to the mobile Web, "It's a dynamic real-time store. It's one click up on the Chocolate 3. We have a system on the back end that allows you to merchandise and change things every couple of hours."

he launch of Dashboard comes just before Adobe's CEO Shantanu Narayen keynoted at CTIA, where he pleaded for more standards in the industry, so that content can be developed once and published across many mobile devices and also the Internet and TV. However, operators in the U.S. have been slow to adopt Flash, even though it's embedded in a lot of handsets. Lack of Flash is a constant complaint about the iPhone. Verizon has been one of the more aggressive companies on that front, providing a Flash Lite extension to its Brew platform, which features content from game companies, such as Smashing Ideas and Mobitween, but also videos from MTV's Atom Entertainment. Anup Murarka, Adobe's director for technical marketing, who also appeared at CTIA, told us: "In terms of Flash Lite, Japan has been the first and foremost, and then Europe and now it is gaining in the U.S." For instance, little do people know that Flash is used on some of the popular phones, including the LG Shine, Venus and Voyager. "We can enable these experiences to be richer, or more engaging, and the end-user doesn't even know it...You'll see additional examples over the next six to nine months."

With one click, a user with the right handset can launch the Dashboard, which features a number of widgets or channels, such as news, entertainment, music, ESPN Fox Sports, Weather, games and search. Each channel has an animated ticker that scrolls across the screen, detailing more information about the channel. Murphy said this will not replace anything they currently have, but will compliment both the browser and Get It Now. "Flash is a powerful programming language, but it's not as powerful as J2ME and Brew as a run-time development. You couldn't do a deep application—you couldn't build VZ Navigator."

Murphy said the key is the user interface. It provides one place where you can feature links to both Get It Now and links to the mobile Web, which "is a significant achievement for us...There's

" For example, when you click on the Comedy Central widget, a user might have the choice of Joke of the Day and other features, but then also links to wallpapers and other content for sale. "Now you can merchandise mobile Web stuff right next to Get It Now stuff." Dashboard also has a search feature where people can find content by keyword, or if Verizon is featuring a sponsorship with Lil' Wayne, for example, they can provide a link, which would return a list of results for everything Lil' Wayne, from news to wallpapers and to ringback tones. That service is being provided by Medio Systems, which will be part of Verizon's overall search strategy going forward with Google but also has a downloadable search application on Get It Now.

The ultimate strategy is to have a platform that can run across all of Verizon's three screens: mobile, TV (via FiOS) and Internet. "We are part of the Open Screen Project, and we are very dedicated to working with them on getting a consistent run-time of Flash across all of our technologies...We aren't at that point where there's consistent run-times—they are fairly different—but Adobe is starting to scale the production of the tools."

ASUS Eee PC 901 3G-enabled in October

ASUS is planning to sweeten the offer for its 8.9-inch Eee PC 901 model by adding a 3G card. The improvement is going to allow Eee PC users to download and upload stuff on the Internet at speeds of up to 7.2 and 2 Mbps, respectively. Eee PC users will only need to subscribe to a mobile broadband service, which they will be able to use with their favorite small-sized netboook system.

The news comes to confirm that Eee PCs and other netbooks should provide a better support for an Internet connection, including 3G. The ASUS Eee PC 901 equipped with the 3.75G card will offer users an alternative to all those standardly equipped netbooks, which only provide support for 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Frequent travelers will particularly welcome the timely addition of 3.75G support, which comes as service providers around the globe are ramping up their adoption of 3.75G High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). This means that they will be assured of a reliable, high-speed mode of Internet access in many destinations around the world.

Features an 8.9-inch LCD screen, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space, based on a NAND flash-based solution. In addition, the Taiwanese manufacturer is also going to equip the netbook with a Windows XP operating system. The 3G-enabled Eee PC should become available sometime in October.

MOTORAZR VE20 is now available on Alltel network in US

MOTORAZR VE20 is now available on Alltel network in US. The MOTORAZR VE20 features a large external screen with touch-sensitive controls to give the user easy access to recent calls, music and messaging, without ever having to open the phone. Users can connect and disconnect the Bluetooth function from the external touch screen. The VE20 also features 250 minutes of talk time and 360 hours of standby time.

Motorola Razr VE20 from Alltel would feature a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, GPS, a microSD card slot, and 3G EV-DO support. 32MB of onboard memory expandable via microSD, speakerphone and a 3.5 mm jack for listening to music with any headphones. The device also provides up to 250 minutes of talk time and up to 360 hours in standby mode, along with an address book with a 600-name capacity. The phone is only 99 x 51 x 15.2 mm, which will make fitting it in any pocket quite an easy task. Furthermore, at only 368.6 grams, it just might be the lightest RAZR phone ever.


“The RAZR is one of the most popular wireless handsets of all time, and Alltel's next generation RAZR, the VE20, will impress anyone seeking form, function and fun in their wireless device. This latest addition to our handset lineup continues our mission of providing our customers with the phones they want at the prices that they can afford, ” said the vice president of device strategy at Alltel Wireless, Brian Ullem.

The Motorola VE20 is set to be priced at $99.99 with a 2-year commitment, after a $50 mail-in rebate.

MySpace launches DIY ad-targeting site

MySpace looks to be kicking off a new do-it-yourself service for creating and placing ads on its site.

The service, called the Self-Serve Ad Service and still in beta, lets anyone capable of filling out a basic Web form promote a band or business on MySpace.com.

Users can choose to either upload their own ad or create one using MySpace's system. After selecting from a few dozen templates and uploading an image to place in the ad, users get to select their target audience: gender, age, region, city/state, and interests. For instance, you could target your ad to women ages 27-52 who live in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and who love the book Brave New World.

Next, you set your budget--that is, the amount of money you're willing to spend on the overall ad campaign (minimum: $25), and how much you're willing to spend per click (minimum: 25 cents). After reviewing the details of your ad campaign and giving up your credit card number, you're up and running.

Presumably, people who fit the profile you set will get served your ad and directed to any Web site specified by you during the process. Click-through rates on ads served to 27-52 year olds who live in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and who love the book Brave New World were not available at the time of publish.

Source : Cnet

Movea announced Gyration Air Mouse

Movea, Inc., the leader in motion-sensing technology for business communications, home entertainment and mobile computing, today announced the retail availability of its new Gyration Air Mouse with MotionSense technology. The compact, wireless mouse was created with the mobile professional in mind, and is designed to work in the air or on a flat surface like a desktop.

Movea's MotionSense technology provides precise in-air motion tracking, so users can control the mouse cursor intuitively and with ease, whether delivering a PowerPoint(TM) presentation or watching online videos. Precision motion sensors guarantee faithful responses to natural hand movements whether in the boardroom, the living room or a cramped space, such as a seat on an airplane or train. A simple flick of the wrist will command presentations, enhanced with Movea's GyroTools(TM) presentation effects, or control multimedia entertainment on a laptop, allowing users to change the volume or skip a song on iTunes(TM), or flip a TV channel on Slingbox(TM).

Weighing less than four ounces, the Air Mouse is compact enough to fit in a messenger bag, briefcase or purse, and versatile enough to be integrated with a PC or laptop from wherever a user wants to work or enjoy digital entertainment. With a sleek, ergonomic design, the Air Mouse works very comfortably for left- or right-handed consumers.

"The market for notebooks is transforming, as more people are buying them equipped with wide screens and media features, and using them not only for traditional business applications but also for entertainment access," said Greg Smith, Vice President for Marketing at Movea Inc. "The Air-Mouse was designed with such people in mind, providing mobile workers and entertainment buffs the freedom to control their PCs whether they're at home or on the road."

Using a proprietary radio frequency (RF) technology, the in-air controls are effective up to 100 feet and work through walls. The Air Mouse includes a laser sensor for precise desktop tracking, making it ideal for working at a desk or other flat surface. The RF USB dongle stores conveniently inside the mouse, which ships with an elegant travel case and, due to its small size, easily packs into the smallest of handbags.

The device will be available for purchase in early October with a suggested North America retail price of $99.99.

Yahoo board approves AOL talks

Yahoo's shiny new board has decided to move forward with talks with Time Warner about the future of its AOL division, according to the Financial Times.

Citing an unnamed source familiar with the company, the report says active negotiations are not taking place yet--just that Yahoo could sit down to the table over the matter.

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes confirmed last month that the company will split up AOL's media and Internet access groups. And there has been wide speculation that the company may just ditch the ailing business unit altogether.

Earlier this year, talks between Yahoo and Time Warner heated up as Yahoo looked for ways to thwart Microsoft's unsolicited takeover bid. At that time, reports suggested that Yahoo might buy AOL or that Time Warner might invest in Yahoo.

The decision came at Yahoo's first board meeting since Carl Icahn and a few of his posse took seats at the board table.

Source : Cnet

Amazon : Get Easy Access to Over 6 Million DRM-Free Songs from Amazon MP3 On New T-Mobile G1 Powered by Android Software

Today announced that the Amazon MP3 music store will be pre-loaded on the T-Mobile G1, the world's first Android(TM)-powered mobile phone in partnership with Google. T-Mobile G1 users can search, download, buy and play music from Amazon MP3, which offers over 6 million DRM-free MP3 songs from all four major music labels and thousands of independent labels that can be played on virtually any hardware device and managed with any music software.

"Amazon wants to make it easy for customers to discover, buy, and play their music wherever they happen to be--whether sitting at their computer or on the go," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice President for Digital Music and Video. "We look forward to the release of the T-Mobile G1, which will put Amazon MP3's vast selection of low-priced DRM-free music at the fingertips of even more customers in more places."

The T-Mobile G1 comes pre-loaded with an Amazon MP3 application, giving customers a phone-optimized version of the Amazon MP3 store and the immediate gratification of buying and playing their favorite music. Amazon MP3 has worked to make its DRM-free music available through numerous products and services, such as Pandora MySpace Music, and now Android and T-Mobile G1.

Downloading music from Amazon MP3 using the T-Mobile G1 requires a Wi-Fi connection but searching, browsing, listening to samples and buying MP3s can be done wherever customers are connected to the T-Mobile network. Downloaded MP3s can be played anytime on the T-Mobile G1, PCs, Macs or any other MP3 music player.

Launched in September 2007, Amazon MP3 offers a massive selection of DRM-free MP3 music downloads with more than 6 million songs from thousands of record labels. Every song and album in the Amazon.com digital music store is available exclusively in the MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM) software, enabling customers to play their music on virtually any personal digital music-capable device, including PCs, Macs(R), iPods(R), iPhones(R), Zunes(TM), Zens(TM), and to burn songs to CDs for these customers' personal use. Amazon MP3's 100 bestselling songs are 89 cents, unless otherwise marked, with over 1 million songs available at 89 cents. Amazon MP3's 100 bestselling albums are $8.99 or less, unless otherwise marked. Most albums are priced from $5.99 to $9.99, with more than 80 percent of Amazon MP3's album catalog priced at $8.99 or below.

The T-Mobile G1 is the world's first Android-powered mobile phone in an exclusive partnership with Google. The T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google services that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps with StreetView, Gmail, YouTube and others. With a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, the T-Mobile G1 is also the first phone to provide access to Android Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.

Android is an open, free mobile platform developed by the Open Handset Alliance. It includes everything a manufacturer or operator needs to build a mobile phone. Android was designed from the ground up to enable the best user experience possible on a mobile phone. It leverages web and Internet content to provide advanced services such as Mobile Mash-ups.

Songs and albums on Amazon MP3 are generally sold by Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Google and T-Mobile have launched the G1 smartphone at $ 179

T-Mobile USA will sell the first phone powered by Google Inc's Android operating system for $179, slightly cheaper than its rival, Apple Inc's popular iPhone, the wireless service said on Tuesday.

That price competes with the entry-level price of $199 for the iPhone, with a two-year contract. T-Mobile's new G1 phone is seen as Google's answer to the iPhone and is the Web search leader's biggest push yet in the cell phone market.

The phone will go on sale next month for $180 -- about $20 cheaper than its archrival, Apple's (AAPL) iPhone. We're still sorting through features and details, but overall, the phone looks impressive.

The G1 phone, made by Taiwan's HTC Corp , will debut on October 22.

G1 users will have free push GMail, wireless syncing with Google calendar, and support for YouTube. Additionally, the Google Maps feature has a built-in compass which enables users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by moving the phone with their hands.

But non-Google app users can still use the G1 for communication as it syncs with most other POP3 or IMAP e-mails. There's no support for Microsoft Exchange at the moment, but executives said there's plenty of opportunity for a third-party developer to create a product.

The G1 will have integrated Wi-Fi for surfing and checking e-mail, and users can also hop onto T-Mobile's expanding 3G network for mobile Web access. There's also a GPS chip that can use cellular data for assisted GPS services such as location-based searches.

There's a full HTML browser on board that's built on the same underlying technology as the recently released Chrome desktop browser. The G1 version, or "Chrome Lite," uses the WebKit engine and has been tailored for the mobile screen.

The handset will have a multimedia player, and it comes preloaded with an Amazon application that enables users to search, download, and buy music from more than 6 million DRM-free tracks. The G1 also has Bluetooth capabilities, a dedicated search button, and users will be able to download applications from the Android Market.

The new phone will feature Android Market, where customers can find and download applications to expand and personalize their phone.

Google, which first revealed its plans for Android in November last year, aims to differentiate itself by letting multiple independent vendors offer applications to Android users.

"Because the platform is open we think Android is somewhat future proof," said Andy Rubin, Google director of mobile platforms, speaking at the launch event.

A similar strategy helped increase the buzz around Apple's second-generation iPhone, which can support more than 3,000 applications that can be downloaded from Apple's iTunes store.

Google is well ahead of rivals Yahoo Inc and Microsoft in Web search on computers and is looking to use Android to retain its dominance in search related ad sales as cell phone Web use gains prominence. But so far no clear winner has emerged for the mobile Web.

Microsoft has been gaining ground solidly with its operating system for advanced cell phones, some of which are also made by HTC.

Nokia offers mobile Web services through Symbian, the leading mobile operating system for smart phones with around 60 percent of the market. Nokia accounts for 40 percent of the global mobile device market.

Plantronics announced Voyager 835 Bluetooth Headset

Plantronics has announced another new Bluetooth headset called the Voyager 835. The headset uses AudioIQ technology with two microphones to help remove extraneous sounds that could affect call quality.

The headset also includes an in-car charger and can be paired to two phones at the same time. The ear loop is a slim line design that allows for all day comfort. The headset weighs less than 12 grams. Talk time is up to 5 hours and standby is up to five days. The headset will be available in October for $119.95.

n the car, on the street or at the airport, be heard above the noise with the Plantronics Voyager 835 Bluetooth headset. Dual-mic AudioIQ noise canceling technology provides clear sound by separating and enhancing your voice to minimize distracting background sounds. Windsmart technology reduces the wind noise your callers would otherwise hear. A comfortable, contoured eartip channels sound directly into your ear, so you can focus on what’s important—your conversation. Plantronics QuickPair technology lets you easily pair your headset with your Bluetooth phone and multipoint technology lets you stay connected with two Bluetooth phones—like a PDA and personal phone— all from one lightweight headset.

NBC iTunes Downloads Top 1 Million Since

Lots of great things were revealed at the Let’s Rock event this month. We received updated iPods, saw the unveiling of iTunes 8, and another highlight was Steve Jobs’ announcement that NBC would be returning to iTunes. Naturally, the news was received with much enthusiasm by NBC fans, and I quickly went to download some of the classic TV shows on my MacBook Pro, such as The A Team and Alfred Hitchcock. iTunes users flocked to the NBC offerings since the announcement, as NBC shows have been downloaded over one million times. Now, that’s impressive.

Taking the stage at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Steve Jobs announced the arrival of HD TV shows on the iTunes Store. Not surprisingly, the shows were priced at $2.99 a piece. "We're adding new content to iTunes. HD TV shows,” Jobs said. “You can buy them for $1.99 in SD, HD will be $2.99... and you can watch them on your computer." But Apple also revealed that NBC was returning to the iTunes Store with its most popular shows, some of them in HD.

Relations between Apple and NBC have been strained since 2007, following the duo's disagreement when trying to settle on the pricing for the TV shows. However, George Kliavkoff later emphasized that NBC was keen to get its content back up on iTunes. Therefore, Jeff Zucker, President and CEO at NBC Universal, announced the official return of their shows to Apple's iTunes Store on September 9.

World of Apple points out that, before NBC’s pull-out, the company's shows accounted for some 40 percent of all iTunes video sales. It seems NBC is just as popular now, as it was back in 2007, among iTunes users, with Hollywood Reporter stating that over 1 million NBC TV shows have been downloaded through Apple's iTunes Store, since the network's return on September 9.

It is worth noting that a good deal of the 1 million downloads can very well be HD giveaways such as Battlestar Galactica (Season 4), The Office (Season 4), Heroes (Season 2), In Plain Sight (Season 1), Monk (Season 7) and others.

Apple Calls In iPhone 3G Ultracompact USB Power Adapters

Apple has announced that, under certain conditions, the ultracompact Apple USB power adapter’s metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating the risk of "electric shock". Therefore, the company has announced the “Ultracompact USB Power Adapter Exchange Program”. Apple will exchange every ultracompact power adapter for a new, redesigned adapter, free of charge, starting October 10.

Apple claims to have received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold. While no injuries have been reported, Apple has determined that the new ultracompact Apple USB power adapters are faulty. Seemingly, the metal parts that go inside the outlet can break off, potentially spawning hazardous situations.

“We have received reports of detached blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported,” Apple states on the Support section of its web site. “Customer safety is always Apple’s top priority so [Apple] has voluntarily decided to exchange every ultracompact power adapter for a new redesigned adapter, free of charge,” says the company. According to Apple, the ultracompact USB power adapters were supplied with every iPhone 3G sold in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and several other Latin-American countries.

If you purchased an iPhone 3G in any of these countries, Apple says you're likely to own a faulty ultracompact USB adapter. Even if you have purchased the adapter as a standalone accessory, you may (and should) also use the Adapter Exchange Program. However, if you purchased an Apple Ultracompact USB Power Adapter as a standalone accessory and do not have an iPhone 3G, you will have to contact Apple Support or an Apple Retail Store for a replacement. Replacement adapters have a single green dot on the bottom .

The program kicks off Friday, October 10, 2008. To exchange your current ultracompact Apple USB power adapter for a new one, you can order your replacement unit here. Apple requires that you enter your iPhone 3G serial number. If you don't know where to get it, Apple will tell you how, on the same page. Alternately, you can visit your local Apple Retail Store with the adapter and iPhone 3G in hand to get the adapter replaced.

Source: Softpedia

Sonica Audio release HUSH-RT4 Workstation

Sonica Audio labs has introduced its latest workstation called the HUSH-RT4. The device has Intel Q9950 quad-core processor running at 2.83GHz. the machine also features Corsair memory and more. The system is tested for compatibility with professional audio software.

Tested apps include Pro Tools, Sonar, Live and many more. The workstation is inside a brushed aluminum case and can support dual 30-inch displays.

Maximun number of plug-ins: Available as 4U rack, the HUSH-RT8 is the most powerful audio optimized computer system to date. Record in real time at 32 buffers and run more plug-ins and VST instruments than ever before. Very high performance and EXTREME low latency: 10% CPU utilization, no clicks or pops @ 32 buffers / .7 ms latency / 44.1K / 24 bit audio, when running the THONEX audio benchmark. Capable of addressing up to 32 GB of high speed memory.

Audio Friendly 0 db (A) Graphics by ATI with support for 30" Displays : Ignite your imagination with the technology that makes distant worlds erupt with vibrant textures rendered in High-Definition clarity a reality. The HD3470 is Microsoft Windows XP and VISTA compatible, with awesome power of 40 stream processing units. Unified Video Decoder (UVD) for Blu-ray and HD DVD at full HD 1080p is included. DVI to VGA and HDMI adapters are also included.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional or VISTA tuned for Audio Production: Perfectly tuned for audio production with Microsoft's most stable operating system ever. Any services that are not necessary to the operation of recording, editing and mixing audio, have been either switched off or eliminated, while maintaining compatability with other Windows XP or Vista applications.

RF Wireless Desktop: The 2.4 ghz RF wireless cordless desktop is a perfect match for today's digital studio. Its innovative flatter keyboard design gives you a consistent desktop look as well as an amazingly high level of comfort.

Other features include a wireless keyboard, three 500Gb HDDs, ATI graphics, 4GB of RAM and much more. The OS is Windows XP Pro. The MSRP for the system is $2272.95.

E-ZCharge Dock Wrangles Charge Cords

E-ZCHARGE is a convenient, inexpensive way to cradle cell phones, iPods, and Bluetooths while they charge - with no more long, messy wires to deal with.

“Tangled wires and cords were everywhere in my house and the idea hit me one day when I tripped on one that was lying on the floor,” said Rick Shuster, inventor and founder of the E-ZCHARGE “I then started noticing that my kitchen countertop was neat except for all those wires. I knew I couldn’t be the only one bothered by this. So I asked around and I found a lot of other people had the same annoyance. There’s also a safety benefit to keep long wires away from children and pets who play with and gnaw on these wires.”

E-ZCHARGE is an innovative non-electrical plastic stand that, with commercial-grade heat-resistant, double-sided tape, affixes to the charging module of small personal electronic devices. The excess cord that is on charging devices gets wrapped around the post, and the end of the wire is held in place by a patented hook. It is small at 2”x 21/2”x1/2”, lightweight (1 oz.), travels well, and is inexpensive. It comes in black, white, and grey colors and retails for $9.99.

Trojan masquerades as iPhone game

Security firm Sophos warned on Thursday that e-mails being circulated on the Web that purport to offer a free iPhone game instead are carrying a Trojan that can take control of infected Windows machines.

The e-mails have subject lines like "Virtual iPhone games!" and "Apple: The most popular game!" The attachment is called "Penguin.Panic.zip," which refers to the iPhone game of the same name.

The Trojan has been identified as Troj/Agent-HNY, Sophos said.
Sophos has not yet seen versions that run on Mac OS X, Apple iPhone or other mobile devices.

Source : Cnet

NVIDIA plans to cut Off 6.5% of Its Employees

Graphics chip developer Nvidia plans to lay off 6.5 percent of its workforce, the company announced Thursday.

About 360 people worldwide will lose their jobs by the end of October, Nvidia said. The Santa Clara, California, company plans to offer severance, counseling and job placement services for the affected workers.

In a statement, Nvidia said the layoffs will allow it to continue to invest in strategic growth areas, including its CUDA (Computer Unified Device Architecture) parallel computing technology and its Tegra mobile single-chip computer. The move will also help the company become more competitive and boost its financial performance, it said in the statement.

Nvidia will take a US$7 million to $10 million charge in the third quarter of fiscal 2009 to cover severance and other costs related to the reduction.

The layoffs come about a month after Nvidia took a one-time charge of $196 million against its second-quarter revenue to cover the cost of replacing bad chips used in Hewlett-Packard and Dell laptops.

Nvidia also faces a lawsuit that was filed in California alleging that it hid a series of defects in its chips that caused the chips to fail.

The company did not indicate that the layoffs were related to the recent costs associated with replacing the bad chips.

AMD Starts "Fusion" Campaign

AMD, which is currently the number two competitor in the computer processor market, has announced today the introduction of its new corporate brand campaign, which follows a catchy new tagline, "The Future is Fusion." As the company explained, the new campaign is meant to provide users with details on AMD's products and technologies and how they can be combined to ultimately improve the performance of today's computer systems.

"Fusion is AMD’s way to express how we blend our customers’ needs, dreams and desires with our unique passion for enabling innovation," said Nigel Dessau, Advanced Micro Devices senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "While this unique approach has always been our practice, ‘Fusion’ is the most focused articulation yet of how AMD marries innovation with collaboration in ways that can yield benefits to the marketplace greater than the sum of its parts."

The company also announced that at the heart of the new 'Fusion' campaign and brand concept lays a collaboration between AMD's people and technology, and those of its partners. Fusion is ultimately intended to improve the computing experience for its customers and deliver higher performance for computer systems based on the company's processors and graphics. In addition, Fusion is also about the company's upcoming Fusion Architecture, which is planned as a solution that combines the graphics capabilities of the company's Radeon GPUs and its CPUs.

AMD also relesed the AMD Fusion utility today. Addressed to desktop users and gamers and available today for download, the AMD Fusion for Gaming utility beta2 is designed to allow gamers to experience greater performance on AMD processor-based PCs with a simple click of a button. It works by temporarily reducing resource-consuming background services while boosting compute performance with acceleration technologies, including:

• Auto-Tune for AMD processors and chipsets, which is designed to optimize platform performance while maintaining system stability;
• Clock Multiplier Control and Advanced Clock Calibration from within the AMD Overdrive utility allows gaming enthusiasts to customize the performance level of their processor and platform.
• AMD Overdrive is able to monitor the temperature, frequency and stability of the processor and platform to allow users to find the optimal settings for the task at hand;
• Auto-Tune for ATI graphics from within the Catalyst Control Center software, providing complete control of the performance and visual quality of ATI Radeon graphics; and
• Hard Drive Acceleration to decrease data seek time and increase hard drive performance.

This tool is currently being released in a beta form. Advanced users may then customize profiles by selecting specific processes for temporary disablement and degrees of hardware tuning depending on usage scenarios.

Download the AMD Fusion for Gaming

Reliance launched Prepaid BlackBerry Services in India

Reliance Communications today launched the country's first prepaid Blackberry services on both GSM and CDMA models. This has extended the reach of Blackberry smartphones to over 200 million prepaid users in India, a RCom statement said here.

So far, Blackberry is available only on the postpaid connections of Vodafone Essar and Bharti Airtel. The company has introduced two tariff plans for it-Plan Rs 1,299 and Plan Rs 1,599. In both the plans Reliance to Reliance mobile local and intra-circle calls are free.

n Plan 1,299 call charges range from 49 paise to 99 paise for local and STD calls from Rcom to other networks. The international calls range from Rs 6.90 a minute to Rs 40 a minute depending on the country.

A first of its kind 'pay as you use' pricing model in India is in line with Reliance Communications' strategy to extend BlackBerry services to customers who are looking for cost-effective options, flexibility and control over their expenses for wireless services, it said.

"We recognise the needs of customers and believe a prepaid option enabled by Reliance Communications will significantly broaden the consumer interest in BlackBerry smartphones and expand our business opportunity," Reliance Communications President, Mobile Data and Content Services, Mahesh Prasad said.

The new prepaid services are available on lots of BlackBerry smartphones from Reliance's lineup, including:

• BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, the handset that can operate both on GMS and CDMA networks
• BlackBerry Curve 8330 GSM
• BlackBerry Curve 8330 CDMA
• BlackBerry Pearl 8100 GSM
• BlackBerry Pearl 8130 CDMA
• and the old(er) BlackBerry 8703e CDMA

Basically, with the introduction of prepaid services, Indian mobile users will be able to buy BlackBerry smartphones without having to sign any contract agreement with Reliance.

Canon's release New PowerShot SD990 and SD880 Digital ELPH Cameras

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced, the PowerShot SD990 IS and PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH cameras. Loaded with a host of advanced features, such as Optical Image Stabilization and Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor, these cameras are ideal for the trendsetting techie looking for functionality or style-conscious photo enthusiasts who want their gadgets to keep pace with their style. In addition, to commemorate the 100 millionth compact digital camera manufactured, Canon created a limited-edition PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH camera in red.

“The introduction of DIGIC 4 imaging processing and a variety of color creations, continues to build on Canon’s mantra of incorporating substance and style into everything we create,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “We recognize that if we continue to make digital cameras easy to use and easy to take along wherever one goes, people will carry them, not just for their style and compactness, but because of the image quality.”

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH Camera

The PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH camera showcases enhanced specifications such as 14.7-megapixel resolution, 3.7x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilization and Canon’s new Quick Shot Mode for even faster shutter speed.

Reminiscent of a sporty race car, with its curved design and brilliant metallic topcoat, the PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH camera is available in black or silver. Still small enough to fit in a shirt pocket or suit jacket, this compact, cutting-edge camera is an anytime, anyplace must-have.

Canon has produced a limited-edition red PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH camera.

Canon PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH Camera

The successor to Canon’s widely popular PowerShot SD870 IS Digital ELPH camera, the PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH camera boasts improved specifications such as 10.0-megapixel resolution and 4x wide-angle Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilization. In combination with the latest DIGIC 4 image processor and Motion Detection Technology, the wide-angle zoom lens has been improved, enabling consumers to capture large and small group shots with ease, while on vacation or attending social gatherings.

Available in stylish two-toned body colors of black and silver or gold and brown, the Canon PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH camera functions as a fashion statement, as well as a feature-rich powerhouse. Additionally, four large and distinctive convex buttons are positioned to the right side of the large 3.0-inch PureColor LCD II screen to make camera operation and menu navigation even easier. The LCD screen’s contrast ratio has been greatly improved as well, offering more accurate color and viewing from any angle.

Canon DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor

The newly upgraded DIGIC 4 image processor, a proprietary technology, accounts for the camera's higher performance levels, including significantly improved signal processing speed and higher image quality.

One of the most important new features made possible by the DIGIC 4 image processor is Servo AF, which is a form of continuous focus tracking for moving subjects. By pressing the shutter button half-way, the camera can track subject movement up to the instant of exposure, resulting in sharper photographs. Additionally, the processor’s high ISO speed noise reduction processing has improved substantially to enable consumers to shoot high-quality images, even in extremely dark situations without the use of a flash. The new Intelligent Contrast Correction function automatically improves image quality in high contrast shooting situations.

The Genuine Canon Face Detection technology has evolved even further, thanks to DIGIC 4. Improved features include the ability to recognize human faces at most angles. Another innovation is the Face Detection Self-Timer, which automatically takes a photo two seconds after a new face enters the scene.

Information about Availability and Pricing

Scheduled to be available in October, the Canon PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH and PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH cameras will have estimated selling prices of $399.99 and $299.99, respectively. Kit contents will include a memory card, battery, charger, wrist strap, USB and A/V interface cables, Canon Digital Solutions Software CD, and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty.

Sony Ericsson HCB-108 Bluetooth speakerphone launches

Sony Ericsson in England on Tuesday unveiled its newest cellphone accessory, the Bluetooth HCB-108 car speaker. The portable speaker comes with a clip that lets users put it on the sunvisors of their vehicles and connect with Bluetooth-enabled phones to deliver hands-free conversations.

Claiming to have the longest talk and standby time on the market, the unit offers a month of standby and 25 hours of nattering. The HCB-108 attaches to your car's visor with no wires, or can be used on your desk as a speakerphone.

Sound-wise, Sony Ericsson says the gadget has "superior true duplex audio quality" with echo reduction, noise cancellation and Digital Signal Processing.

The HCB-108 will be available in selected markets from early-Q4 in black and silver. Sony Ericsson simply announcing the HCB-108 will be available early on in the fall of 2008 in select markets at an unspecified price.

Sony Plannning for Netbook Debut

Not long ago, word in the industry had it that Sony was planning its entrance on the increasingly demanding market of netbooks. However, since the first rumors surfaced, no other details regarding a possible Vaio netbook have been made available, which, naturally makes us wonder if all those rumors were true to start with. Fortunately, just recently, more details regarding a possible Vaio netbook have surfaced – nevertheless, things are still rather sketchy.

By now, almost everybody knows how popular netbooks have become, which goes to explain the high number of system vendors that have already introduced their products. The initial rumors of Sony also joining the rapidly growing netbook market were somewhat to be expected, but, unfortunately, while vendors have already released theirs, Sony's rumored netbook has failed to make it mediated appearance.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the company has no plans of releasing such a product whatsoever. As proof of a possible Sony Vaio netbook, we have a quote from Laptopmag, which had a chance to ask Senior Vice President of Sony Information Technology Products Mike Abary if such a product was part of the company's roadmap.

“Stay tuned,” was Mr. Abary’s response, who, as you can see, refrained from either confirming or downright denying the existence of such a product. However, he also said that, “we are letting the pioneers in the market make the mistakes. Sony has to participate because consumers are our core competency. We have to participate.”

“Stay tuned,” was Mr. Abary’s response, who, as you can see, refrained from either confirming or downright denying the existence of such a product. However, he also said that, “we are letting the pioneers in the market make the mistakes. Sony has to participate because consumers are our core competency. We have to participate.”

Despite no official release date or specifications being available, the fact that Sony will also be joining the netbook market is almost a certainty at this point.

DTH monthly subscription at Rs.100 in India

In order to tempt the existing cable subscribers to shift to the direct-to-home (DTH) platform, the DTH operators have reduced the entry-level price of monthly subscriptions on DTH platform to Rs 100. This means that the average monthly subscription charges of watching the cable channels on DTH platform has come down to Rs 182-249, almost at par with the existing monthly cable charges paid by consumers to their local cable operators.

Earlier, the average monthly outgo for subscribing to the DTH services was Rs 280-300 (inclusive of price of a DTH settop box, hardware and monthly subscriptions).

Leading DTH operator Dish TV (3.75 million subscribers), an Essel Group venture, has now launched the largest offering of channels and services (125 channels) at Rs 100 per month just days after its rival Tata Sky (2.5 million subscribers) launched an entry-level subscription offer of Rs 99 per month (53 channels).

Both these DTH operators have dropped their monthly subscription prices significantly after Big TV from Reliance ADAG launched its services with one of the starting offers at Rs 100 (44 free-to-air channels) last month.

This means that any cable consumer can now shift to Dish TV's DTH connection by paying Rs 2,190 one time (an average of Rs 182 per month) for the Dish TV hardware, set-top box and receive 12 months of subscription of 125 channels that include entertainment channels, movie channels, sports channels and others.

Similarly, to get a Tata Sky connection, a consumer needs to pay Rs 2,999 (monthly average of Rs 249) and will also get an annual subscription of 53 channels including pay channels like Star Plus, Sony TV and active services.

The recently-launched Big TV is also offering the entry-level subscription at Rs 2,490 that includes the hardware, set- top box and various channel packages.

However, if a consumer only wants to watch free-to-air channels, that can be bought by paying a one-time fees for the hardware (Rs 1,490) and a monthly subscription of Rs 100 for 44 free-to-air channels including the Doordarshan.

"Our offer is in line with our overall target of acquiring five million DTH subscribers by March 31, 2009. At Rs 100 per month, we are offering the largest bouquet of channels — something for everyone in the house. This will help us speed up the subscriber acquisitions," Vinay Agarwal, chief executive, Dish TV, told Business Standard.

On its part, Tata Sky is aiming to enter more Hindi-speaking markets with its Rs 99 per month subscription offer. "Tata Sky stands for a premium DTH service. Perhaps, because of this impression, a number of potential subscribers were finding us a little expensive. Now the Rs 99 'super hit pack' will help us get these very subscribers," Vikram Mehra, chief marketing officer, Tata Sky, said.

Apple Re-Releases iTunes 8 for Windows

Apple Discussions has been a popular place for Windows users (that's right) who have downloaded and installed the new version of Apple's media player application, iTunes 8. According to many forum posters, plugging in an iPod or iPhone caused Vista to crash and then display the nightmarish "blue screen of death," in short – BSOD.

The critical error, best-known for its blue background, tagged an Apple-provided USB driver ("usbaapl.sys" in the 32-bit version of Vista, "usbaapl64.sys" in the 64-bit edition of the OS) as the culprit. Microsoft's OS identifies the respective driver as "Apple Mobile Device Support" in Vista's uninstaller.

Symptoms

After installing iTunes 8 for Windows, some users may see a blue screen error message when connecting iPhone or iPod to a Windows Vista computer. In some cases, the computer may immediately restart when connecting iPhone or iPod to the computer.

Resolution
Solution 1
1. Disconnect your iPhone or iPod from Windows Vista.
2. Uninstall iTunes and Apple Mobile Device Support
For Classic View

• Choose Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features.
• First select Apple Mobile Device Support, click Uninstall.
• Select iTunes, click Uninstall.

For Control Panel Home View

• Choose Start > Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a Program.
• First select Apple Mobile Device Support, click Uninstall.
• Select iTunes and click Uninstall.

2. Restart the computer.

3. Re-download and install the updated iTunes 8 installer from www.apple.com/itunes/download. Important: Do not use the iTunes8Setup or iTunes864Setup file you previously downloaded.

Sony Unveils New Blu-Ray Notebooks

Sony today introduced two notebookswith Blu-ray Disc(TM) technology the VAIO(R) NS and CS models. The newly announced notebooks are part of the company's NS and CS series, and have been designed to provide an impressive high-definition quality.

"With these new units, Sony is now offering consumers a host ofmulti-media PC options to choose from," said Mike Abary, senior vice presidentof VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. "And with a starting price ofaround $1,000 for the NS model, we're expecting a new audience to experienceHD entertainment on their computers."

The VAIO NS notebook features an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive that isideal for viewing HD content. It also has the added convenience of DVD and CDread/write functionalities. The PC is equipped with a 15.4-inch (measured diagonally) widescreendisplay, and Sony's own XBRITE-ECO(TM) LCD technology for sharp details andvivid colors.

The NS model easily accesses your music, movies and the Internet. Itsintegrated A/V mode features a dedicated menu, putting entertainment withineasy reach by letting you select up to nine programs, such as a favorite website, from one location.

Equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 processor, it can support a maximum of 4GB of DDR2 memory. The notebook weighs approximately 6.4lbs with standard battery, and comes with a Microsoft Windows Vista Home OS. It will be available for prices ranging from $650 for the basic model, and $1,000 for the Blu-Ray-equipped versions.

The VAIO CS notebook is available in four glossy colors sangria,cosmopolitan, dove and black. A standard black matte finish is also available. The unit is equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display andXBRITE-ECO(TM) LCD technology for sharp images. Matched with an optionalBlu-ray Disc-ROM drive, the CS model is ideal for watching HD entertainmenton-the-go.

Its instant A/V mode lets you kick off your entertainment with ease. Gostraight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos with the touchof a button. A built-in A/V slide control also lets you control all functions(play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, eject, etc.) all with one-touch ease.

The CS model will start at about $920, while the BD model will go foraround $1,070.

Motorola Launched W388 and W231 Two Music Phones in Brazil

Motorola has just announced that it launched two new music-oriented phones in Brazil: Motorola W388 and Motorola W231. To make the handsets more attractive for Brazilian mobile users, the American company has teamed up with NXZero, a popular rock band from Sao Paolo. In consequence, both the W388 and W231 come with a 1GB memory card in the package, where music fans will be able to find tracks from the band's "Incontrolavel" album.

Motorola W388 is a square-ish candybar that brings the following features: dual-band GMS connectivity with GPRS, a 1.8 inch TFT display with 65K colors and 160 x 128 pixels, a VGA photo camera, Music player (supporting MP3, AMR, MIDI and iMelody), Music manager, dedicated music keys, stereo FM radio with RDS and recording function, CrystalTalk technology for a clear audio reception, SMS, MMS and EMS capabilities, Picture caller ID, WAP 2.0 browser, USB 1.1 and microSD card slot (supporting up to 2GB).

"We are committed to offering innovation as well as the best-possible mobile music experience, for all tastes and pockets. The characteristics of these new phones make them ideal for users who want a device with good mobile entertainment features and an affordable price," stated Edson Bortolli, director of products, Motorola Brazil.

Motorola W231 also comes in a candybar form factor, but it has a rounded overall shape. Its features include MP3 player, dedicated music keys, FM radio with RDS, CrystalTalk technology and expandable memory up to 2GB.

The W388 has a suggested retail price of 249 reais ($ 140 ), while the W231 is a bit cheaper, coming for 199 reais ($110 ).

iTunes 8 causes problems with Windows Vista

Not everyone is rocking to the new iTunes 8 released Tuesday. An informal poll on ZDNet suggests that a problem with the latest edition of the Apple media player is affecting some, but not all, users of the software on Microsoft's Windows Vista.
Users on an Apple forum reported seeing the so-called blue screen of death (BSOD) on their desktops running Windows Vista with iTunes 8 installed. The BSOD problem occurs shortly after connecting their iPods and iPhones.

A second, more subtle effect is that their CD/DVD drives "disappear."

ZDNet's Ed Bott offers a look at the upgrades or changes in iTunes 8.

Removing other USB devices, such as Webcams and printers, appears to resolve the problem, for the moment. Users on the forum speculate that there is an incompatibility between Apple and USB products from LogicTech and HP, as well as disc-burning software from Roxio.

Source : Cnet

Windows 7 Beta 1 Available in December 2008

The constant wave of Windows 7 Beta chatter from Redmond, even without an official confirmation from Microsoft, is a clear indication that the company is gearing up to move the next iteration of the Windows client beyond the development milestone (M) stages. With the Windows 7 roadshow approaching at a fast pace, as Microsoft is getting closer and closer to events such as the Professional Developer Conference 2008 (October), Windows Hardware Engineering Conference 2008 (November) and TechEd 2008 EMEA (November), the first Beta build of the operating system is starting to take contour. Still, Windows 7 Beta 1 will not make it to the October and November conferences, as it is planned for availability in mid-December 2008.

On September 10, Microsoft acknowledged that it plans to use its Connect site to sign up potential Windows 7 testers at some point. From a posting to the Windows 7 Engineering blog by Christina Storm, a program manager on the Windows Customer Engineering feature team:
“When we release the Windows 7 beta we will also be collecting feedback from this (Windows Feedback) panel and asking for participation from a set of Windows 7 beta users.Our current plans call for signing up for the beta to happen in the standard Microsoft manner on http://connect.microsoft.com. Stay tuned!”

If Microsoft does release Beta 1 of Windows 7 in mid-December, that will mean the company is aiming to deliver the final Windows 7 product less than a year after the official beta begins.

The Redmond giant released the first taste of Windows 7 back in December 2007. At that time, Milestone 1 was virtually indistinguishable from Windows Vista. Moving forward into the development process, the Redmond company has also produced a Milestone 2 Build of Windows 7, which was kept tight under wraps and wasn't leaked like M1. The next move as far as the evolution of Windows 7 is concerned is a Milestone 3 release, which in its turn will be followed by the first Beta build of the platform. One thing is for sure, under the leadership of Steven Sinofsky, Senior Vice President, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, Windows 7 will have a short Beta life, approximately a year. Microsoft is reportedly not preparing a wide release of Windows 7 Beta until the client is either feature-complete or very close to the final version.

Source : Softpedia

Macvide 3gp Converter Version 1.7

Macvide has updated its 3gp Converter for Mac OS X. Currently at version 1.7, the mobile-video conversion utility only got some performance tweaks and bug fixes, but the update is recommended to all Macvide 3gp Converter users.

Macvide 3gp Converter is designed exclusively for Mac OS users. This converter enables you to convert all popular video formats including: AVI, WMV, MOV, MPG, MP4, ASF, etc. to 3GPP (.3gp) or 3GPP2 (.3g2) format for use on mobile devices, such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), and other 3G network mobile devices.

Main features of Macvide's 3gp Converter for Mac OS X include: convert AVI, WMV, MPEG video to 3gp; time line with ZOOM feature; crop video area to remove the black video sides; easy to use interface.

Macvide 3gp Converter is available for download.

Yahoo! oneConnect on iphone

Get Yahoo! oneConnect—a revolutionary social address book that brings together your people, your life, and all the ways you communicate. Yahoo! oneConnect makes it easy to stay connected and in the loop from a single application.

• Get a full-featured phone book that can integrate contacts from your Yahoo! Address Book, iPhone, and your social networks.
• Connect with your friends via Yahoo! Messenger or SMS. Have fun with emoticons, avatars, and photos.
• See what's happening on your favorite social networks with an at-a-glance view of status updates, photo uploads, and more.
• Find your favorite people quickly and call, message, or send an e-mail with one tap.

Get Yahoo! oneConnect at the iPhone App Store

Note: If you do not have a 3G iPhone, you need to upgrade to the iPhone 2.0 Software Update.

SanDisk Corporation announced the 32-gigabyte (GB) SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash (CF) card

SanDisk has announced the 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash (CF) card, the latest addition to its SanDisk Extreme III line. It’s designed for professional digital videographers and photographers.

SanDisk’s New Card Caters to Video Professionals“High-definition camcorders require high-capacity memory cards, and our 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards offer video professionals longer record times and improved data transfer rates,” said Susan Park, director of consumer product marketing for SanDisk’s performance cards. “Our award-winning SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards carry a tradition of excellence, and the recent series-wide speed increase to 30MB/s advances their legacy as professional-grade storage devices.”

Reinforcing SanDisk’s position as a leading innovator of flash memory technology, the 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card provides increased capacity for longer-duration filming, and its 30MB/s (200x) read and write speeds 2 enable users to record and transfer content quickly and reliably, thus maximizing critical workflow. These complementary features make the new card especially attractive to field producers and camera crews who typically operate under tight deadlines.

“The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards are a great fit for our Infinity DMC 1000/10 and DMC 1000/20 camcorders,” said Scott Sheehan, director of marketing for new and emerging markets at Thomson. “Our customers want a choice in media that meets the needs of their file-based workflows. Solid state memory provides the fastest access to such content, and with SanDisk CompactFlash it’s also affordable. Using SanDisk’s 32GB Extreme III CompactFlash card, our customers can record more than 80 minutes of 100 MB/s, 10-bit, 4:2:2 HD video at the high performance needed for today’s professional video applications.”

The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF memory card will be featured at the Thomson Grass Valley booth at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam Sept. 12-16. Thomson will showcase its line of professional camcorders in conjunction with SanDisk’s new 32GB card, and demonstrate the practical applications of the card’s increased storage capacity and speed.
Increased Storage Capacity Proves Advantageous to Photographers The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card benefits professional photographers, who often shoot strictly in RAW format. RAW images demand up to ten times as much space as regular JPG images. Photographers often use continuous shooting mode during high-action situations such as sporting events or theatrical performances, and the high resolution photos add up quickly.

The 32GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price in the United States of $299.99. Worldwide availability of the card is targeted for October.

Apple release New iPod Shuffles

iPod shuffle, “the world’s most wearable music player,” is now available in new vibrant blue, green, pink, and red color versions. Apple decided to put the old color models behind it, as they were starting to look a little pale, what with “nano-chromatic” out in the wild.

Wear up to 500 songs on your sleeve. Or your belt. Or your gym shorts. iPod shuffle is a badge of musical devotion. Now in new, more brilliant colors. Intensely colorful anodized aluminum complements the simple design of iPod shuffle. Now in blue, green, pink, red, and original silver.

Battery life is no problem for the shuffle, as it sports a built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery that can hold up to 12 hours (when fully charged). The device charges fully in about four hours via the included USB dock. If you're planning to get one, note that, as a Mac user, you will need an USB 2.0-enabled computer, Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later, and iTunes 7.7 or later.

Windows system requirements include a PC with USB 2.0 port, Windows Vista or Windows XP Home, or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later, and iTunes 7.7 or later (for Windows).

You can get the 1GB model for $49 and a 2 GB shuffle for just $69.


Technical Specification

Size and weight

• Height : 1.07 inches (27.3 mm)
• Width : 1.62 inches (41.2 mm)
• Depth : 0.41 inch (10.5 mm) including clip
• Weight : 0.55 ounce (15.6 grams)

Capacity

• 1GB or 2GB flash drive²
• Holds up to 240 or 500 songs in 128-Kbps AAC format³
• Stores data via USB flash drive

Audio

• Skip-free playback
• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
• Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), WAV, and AIFF

Battery and power

• Built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery
• Playtime: Up to 12 hours when fully charged
• Charging via included USB dock
  
• Full-charge time: about 4 hours

Now Nokia Maps and N-Gage in Canada

Nokia announced today that Rogers Wireless, Canada's largest mobile carrier, is the first to offer the Nokia Maps and N-Gage services to Canadian customers. Both services are available for some time now in Europe, the US and on other markets, but Canada just did not get the chance to have them.

When using Nokia Maps, you can enjoy an advanced car navigation system that features turn-by-turn, voice and visual guidance. Also, paired with GPS and Location Based Services, Nokia Maps allows users to easily navigate around the world as well as in their home city. The Maps cover more than 160 countries as well as millions of POIs (points of interest).

Nokia's N-Gage, on the other hand, is all about fun. The N-Gage platform lets you easily browse, find and play a wide range of mobile games. You can connect to other players (via N-Gage Arena), meet new people, chat, participate in exciting tournaments and so on.

Talking about the new services, Richard White, general manager and head of country operations for Nokia Canada, said, "The Canadian telecom market is going through tremendous change and consumers are increasingly demanding advanced multimedia devices and services. Through this agreement with Rogers we are excited to deliver on that need, offering consumers compelling experiences on Nokia's devices delivered over Rogers' wireless high-speed network".

John Boynton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Rogers Wireless, added, "This agreement with Nokia gives Rogers customers a rich mobile gaming experience that is unique in the marketplace and an unparalleled mobile mapping application. It makes tremendous business sense for Rogers because these are two of the most in-demand applications for mobile devices.

Nokia Maps and N-Gage are currently offered in Canada only via Nokia N95 8GB, the high-end Symbian S60 smartphone. Available in Canada exclusively from Rogers, the N95 8GB is offered for as low as 199.99 CAD (187 USD), together with a contract agreement for three years.