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Color Picker Pen brings Photoshop eyedropper to life

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If you’ve ever wished for a real-world version of Photoshop’s eyedropper tool, you’re not alone. Korean designer Jinsu Park has created this “Color Picker Pen” concept, coupling an optical scanner with an RGB ink cartridge that can mix up any hue you zap.

Grabbing a particular shade of red, then, such as in the apple above, would be as straightforward as holding the optical sensor end of the Color Picker Pen to the fruit and pressing the single control button. Park envisages a slim display on the side of the pen showing which color has been picked up; the three tiny ink cartridges inside then mix together the right shade of ink for you to draw or write with.

Obviously this is all just a concept at the moment, but it’s one that could be feasible. Optical color scanners exist, and printers work on the same ink-mixing principles; problem is, we’re unlikely to see such a compact device anytime soon.

PQI Cool Drive U360 released

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PQI announced the release of their Cool Drive U360 today, which works by connecting computers by means of the USB port. This gadget makes it so file transfers can be completed between the computers at speeds of up to 17MB/s.

The U360 will be available in sizes spanning from 4GB to 16GB and contains software that’s meant to allow folders between computers sync up. It can also apparently sync Outlook information.

This device can support both PC and Mac operating systems including Windows ME up to Vista and Mac OS X 10.1 or newer. We don’t know the price or release date for the Cool Drive U360 from PQI yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

Kingston unveils 128 GB DataTraveler flash drives

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Kingston announced a brand new flash drive series yesterday called the DataTraveler 200, which sports a 128GB capacity for the very first time. Other models are 32GB and 64GB, rounding out the line up nicely.
These flash drives feature added security by means of the Password Traveler software. Other specs include a capless design with a retractable USB connector. It’s also compatible with the ReadyBoost feature on Windows Vista.

These flash drives will work with both PCs and Macs. Available now, the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB DataTraveler 200 flash drives cost $120, $213 and $546, respectively.

HTC confirm no Sense upgrade for T-Mobile G1 or Vodafone Magic

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HTC have confirmed that they are looking to develop an upgrade package to deliver HTC Sense, their latest UI as demonstrated on the new Hero smartphone, to earlier Android models. However, due to licensing issues, devices which are “with Google” branded – such as the T-Mobile G1 and Vodafone Magic – will not get the upgrade.

The limitation comes as part of Google’s three-tiers of Android deployment, and their insistence that anything branded with their name should deliver the full, unmodified Android experience. That insistence has meant that other HTC developments, such as Exchange support on the Magic, have not made it to Android devices officially on sale in the US and Europe. The upcoming T-Mobile myTouch 3G will also be a Google-branded phone, and as such not get Sense.

According to HTC, there are potential logistical and R&D cost issues that might scupper a more limited Sense roll-out to non “with Google” existing devices, however, so an upgrade is by no means definite. It may be that cracked ROMs are the only way for existing owners to beautify their Android device.

Original news posted by Chris Davies

HTC unveiled Hero Android cell phone

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At a press event in London on Wednesday, HTC unveiled its latest Google Android device, the HTC Hero, featuring a new user interface called HTC Sense.

The HTC Hero will be available in Europe starting in July and in Asia later this summer, while a “distinct” North American version will ship later in 2009. However, pricing was not announced at this time.

Like the T-Mobile G1 and Google Ion/HTC Magic, the HTC Hero has the signature curve at the bottom, but it’s a bit more svelte at 4.4 inches tall by 2.2 inches wide and 0.5 inch thick. In addition, it features a 3.2-inch HVGA touch screen with an antifingerprint screen coating.

However, the real beauty of the smartphone lies beneath the surface. The new Sense UI allows users to customize the device to their needs and give them more access to the information they want at a glance through widgets, customized profiles, and consolidated views of all communication with a contact, whether it be e-mail, text or multimedia message, Facebook status updates, or photos. In addition, HTC said that all of its future devices will use Sense UI.

Other highlights of the HTC Hero include GPS, a digital compass, gravity sensor, a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD expansion slot. A dedicated search button on the phone provides a more contextual search, looking through not only your contact list and e-mail but also Twitter and other areas of the device.

Finally, similar to the Asia-specific HTC Magic, the Hero is not a “Google experience” phone, so HTC has been able to add Microsoft Exchange support to the handset, which will be huge for corporate customers. News Source: Cnet

LG ultra-slim “Full LED” 55-inch LCD HDTVs

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LG have unveiled two new ”full LED” HDTVs, each with 55-inch LCD panels and 240Hz refresh rates. The LG 55LH95 and LG 55LH93 both use 3,360 individual LEDs and boast a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1; the company’s backlighting technology can individually control 240 sections of the display, dimming or brightening as suits the image on-screen.
Despite sliding in all those LEDs, the new HDTVs are still slimline. Depth is just 24.8mm, despite the company also fitting in wireless connectivity; it’s unclear from the press release exactly which format LG have selected, but considering they’re boasting zero degradation we’re assuming it’s some type of ultrawideband HDMI.

The two new sets will be released in July, priced at around $5,500 for the 55LH93 and around $5,900 for the 55LH95. Smaller 42-inch and 47-inch “full LED” sets will follow by the end of 2009, though they won’t be as slimline as these 24.8mm flagship models.

Press Release:

LG Electronics Announces the Official Start of the Ultra-Slim Full LED LCD TV Era

Seoul (Korea Newswire) June 25, 2009 02:00 PM — LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, today unveiled two new ultra-slim “full LED” LCD TVs in Seoul. The new 55-inch screens –- models 55LH95 and 55LH93 respectively –- lead the market in terms of picture quality, design and convenience.

“These products were designed specifically to target the high-end segment and offer unmatched quality and design,” said LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company President and CEO, Simon Kang. “These new models will change the LED LCD TV market landscape and we expect these devices to reinforce the premium image of LCD TVs in general,” said LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company President and CEO, Simon Kang.

LG’s ambitious new product line offers a brighter and clearer screen than competing products thanks to backlighting that employs a total of 3,360 LEDs –- seven times more than existing edge-lit LED TVs. LG’s full LED LCD models also features a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio through enhanced dimming technology that divides the screen into 240 blocks. And with a refresh rate of 240 Hz, these TVs maintain a vibrant, smooth image even during fast-paced action scenes.

LG’s newest ultra-slim full LED LCD TVs employ patented technology that helps keep the overall chassis thickness down to just 24.8mm. This proprietary technology allows the LEDs to be spread-out horizontally and minimizes the distance between the LEDs and the screen. Another innovation offered for the first time in the new LED LCD TV is the enhanced wireless feature which eliminates the need for image compression. Content can be sent from DVD players, game consoles or home-theater units wirelessly without any degradation.

LG’s ultra-slim full LED LCD TV is priced at around KRW 7 million (approximately US$ 5,500) for the 55LH93 and around KRW 7.6 million (approximately US$ 5,900) for the 55LH95 model which will be launched in July 2009.

LG plans to aggressively expand the LED LCD TV business and is aiming for three to four million unit sales next year. Three different models of full LED LCD TVs will be offered to suit different market segments. The ultra-slim model will be positioned as the premium product with additional products in this category being announced later this year. The company will unveil less expensive 42-inch and 47-inch full LED LCD TVs by the end of the year without the ultra-slim feature.

LG is forecasting that the global LED LCD TV market will grow to 30 million units by next year and to 68 million by 2011, up from 3.1 million this year. LG is aiming to become the world’s second biggest seller of LCD TVs and predicts that the proportion of LCD TVs that feature LED technology will also grow from 2.6 percent this year to 20 percent next year and to 40 percent by 2011.

Microsoft Windows 7 pricing revealed: pre-orders kick off June 26th

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Microsoft have announced official pricing for Windows 7, their next-gen OS which will arrive on October 22nd. Both upgrade and full prices have been revealed, the latter being $199.99 for Windows 7 Home Premium, $299.99 for Windows 7 Professional, and $319.99 for Windows 7 Ultimate.

More price details – plus upgrade prices – after the cut


Those upgrading from Windows XP or Vista will pay slightly less: the Home Premium upgrade is $119.99, the Professional upgrade is $199.99, and the Ultimate upgrade is $219.99. From Thursday June 26th, Microsoft will be offering cut-price pre-orders to those in the US, Canada and Japan, where buyers will be able to get the Home Premium upgrade for $49.99 and the Professional upgrade for $99.99. Similar deals will start from July 15th in the UK, France and Germany. However availability at these discounted prices is limited, though Microsoft are keeping quiet as to how many licenses they’ve set aside.

As HP have already announced, there’ll also be a Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, which will begin on June 26th. Participating retailers and OEMs will be offering free (or reduced cost) upgrades to Windows 7 for machines bought between the 26th and October 22nd. More @ microsoft...

Original post produced by Chris Davies

Buffalo, D-Link, LaCie & Seagate sign up to offer Marvell Plug Computers

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Various companies have partnered with Marvell to offer Plug Computers in multiple form-factors. These range from Axentra, who have a new touch*mediacenter mini designed to store and share digital content, Eyecon Technologies, who are positioning their version as a multi-source UPnP/DLNA aggregator, and CodeLathe, whose TonidoPlug is a home server offering local and remote access to documents, apps and media. Ionics have taken a more general approach, positioning their Plug Computer as a tiny Linux PC, while ProSyst have integrated OSGI and Java to their version, to enable developers to more easily port existing apps and create new software. Finally, WebTView have loaded their own software to discover and play internet TV.

The various form-factors include a simple box that closely resembles the original SheevaPlug prototype, together with more streamlined and even circular designs. Of course, as well as the development device from Marvell themselves, the first retail device based on the reference design is already available, in the shape of the PogoPlug.

According to Marvell, a Plug Computer uses less than one tenth of the power of a regular home server PC. It supports multiple Linux 2.6 kernel distributions, and is available to developers now for $99.


Press Release:

Marvell Introduces Plug Computing to Europe

SheevaPlug Now Available to Developers in Europe; Ecosystem Partners Commit to Retail Products for Consumers

Santa Clara, CA (June 24, 2009) —Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL), a leader in storage, communications, and consumer silicon solutions, today announced that developers in Europe can now purchase SheevaPlugTM development kits, outfitted for regional electrical specifications, through www.plugcomputer.org from Ionics EMS, Inc. and Globalscale Technologies. In addition to broadening the outreach to application developers, Marvell is growing the plug computing ecosystem by working with retail vendors such as BUFFALO INC., D-Link, LaCie and Seagate, who plan to launch retail versions of the plug computer for the consumer market.

“The Plug Computer is one of the more amazing technologies that have come out this decade and it has the potential to change the world,” said Rob Enderle Principal Analyst for the Enderle Group. “The open plug platform gives European developers the opportunity to create applications, services, and solutions that are only limited by their imaginations.”

Marvell introduced the Plug Computing initiative to make high-performance, always on, always connected, and environmentally friendly computing readily available for developers and end-users. A Plug Computer is small enough to plug directly into a wall socket and is designed to draw so little power that it can be left on all of the time. Unlike other embedded devices in the home, it contains a gigahertz class processor that is designed to offer PC class performance.

“The wide range of applications created from the open-developer SheevaPlug platform serves both retail product partners and service providers,” said Dr. Simon Milner, Vice President and General Manager of the Enterprise Business Unit, Consumer and Communications Business Group at Marvell Semiconductor. “We are thrilled to introduce SheevaPlug to the European developer community and look forward to seeing many new applications and new consumer product ideas developed and brought to market. Moreover, Marvell is delighted to collaborate with retail partners such as BUFFALO INC., D-Link, LaCie and Seagate on delivering new levels of user experience to consumers”

The plug computing ecosystem is rapidly expanding to include a full value chain of product partners, application developers and educational institutions. A full list of ecosystem partners is available at www.marvell.com
About the SheevaPlug Development Platform

The SheevaPlug development platform uses a Marvell KirkwoodTM processor based on an embedded 1.2GHz Sheeva™ CPU equipped with 512 Mbytes of FLASH and 512 Mbytes of DRAM. Connection to the home network is via Gigabit Ethernet. Peripherals such as direct attached storage can be connected using a USB 2.0 port. Multiple standard Linux 2.6 kernel distributions are supported on the SheevaPlug development platform enabling rapid application development. The enclosure is designed to plug directly into a standard wall socket and is designed to draw less than one tenth of the power of a typical PC being used as a home server.


Ebola Virus Infections Stopped in the Lab The viral agent does not spread in certain cultures

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Ebola is one of the most deadly viruses on the face of the Earth, and, although it has mostly been eradicated from most parts of the world, it still poses a threat of infection, if new strains appear. Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston have recently taken the first steps towards creating an extraordinary new vaccine that can stop the viral agent, when they have discovered the two biochemical pathways that Ebola uses to infect its host cells. In their investigations of the two pathways, the researchers discovered what chemicals best stopped the spread, and applied them to the strain. The virus failed to infect more cell cultures after the treatment was applied.

This means that, if the results can be translated to humans as well, we could soon have the first complete treatment for the deadly disease, which affects its victims with severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. In some of the worst outbreaks recorded, the viral agent had a kill rate of over 90 percent, which means that most of the people who got it died shortly after. Additionally, Ebola outbreaks occur naturally (Uganda in 2008, the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007), and are potentially very hazardous in the hands of bioterrorists.

Therefore, having a tool of ensuring that a potential infection can be stopped dead in its tracks, so to speak, is crucial. At the forefront of this struggle now sits the new research from Texas. “The premise for this work is that the virus is essentially nothing without a cell. It needs to rely on many cell proteins and factors for it to replicate. The idea is that if we can suppress the expression of those cell proteins for just a short time, we can then stop the disease in its tracks,” UTMB Microbiology and Immunology Associate Professor Robert Davey explains. He has been the leader of the research, and also the lead author of a new study detailing the find, appearing in the June issue of Drug Discovery Research.

For the experiments, the research team ran large-scale screening experiments, in which they injected small interfering RNA (siRNA) in over 735 different genes, coding the production of various types of proteins that might have aided the development of Ebola. Then, they infected the cultures with a special form of the disease, made of the viral proteins, seated on top of a nucleus taken from another virus. This made the final product safe enough to work with inside a normal lab, without extra security. “We got a number of hits, quite a lot of places where the virus wasn't infecting the cells. The problem was then to understand what those hits meant,” Davey adds.

Following the study, the PI3 kinase pathway and the CAMK2 pathway were identified as the most important for Ebola to multiply. After they were identified, the researchers found chemicals that interfered with their proteins, and moved their research in the UTMB BSL4 “spacesuit” lab, where they worked with the Ebola Zaire viral strain itself, the deadliest form of the virus in existence today.

“With the real virus in the BSL4, we found that the PI3 kinase inhibitor dropped virus titers by 65 percent, and if we used drugs which block CAMK2 function, it was just killed – stopped dead. This is really, very, very interesting because this pathway has a lot of potential for future pharmaceutical exploitation,” the expert concludes.

22Moo GameBone Pro controller for iPhone and iPod touch

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We’re not entirely convinced by the name 22Moo, but now that iPhone OS 3.0 supports third-party peripherals we’re sure we could find some bag-space for their GameBone Pro controller. Intended to be used with an iPhone or iPod touch, the GameBone Pro hooks up via Bluetooth or Apple’s dock-connector, and has an 8-way D-pad plus six buttons.

There’s also a 2,000mAh Li-Ion battery, which not only powers the GameBone Pro’s functionality but – if you use the wired connection – can recharge your iPhone or iPod touch, too. A row of LEDs shows charge status.

The controller also has integrated speakers, a microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s set to hit shelves in mid-September, but we don’t know price yet; 22Moo are asking potential customers to suggest what they’d pay for the GameBone Pro, which seems like an obvious way to find your shiny new peripheral now costs fifty cents.

Wireless modem Huawei E583X, competition for MiFi

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We first heard about Huawei’s E583X wireless modem back in February, and now the company has been showing it off at CommunicAsia in Singapore. A MiFi rival, the E583X – also known as the i-Mo – packs an HSPA modem and WiFi router into a palm-sized battery powered box.

Runtime is tipped at up to 5hrs, after which the E583X recharges from a USB port. You can also leave it plugged in and use it as a standard USB modem, though only with that one computer. As with the MiFi it supports up to five simultaneous WiFi connections and has a microSD card slot, though the Huawei apparently only supports microSD access via direct USB connection, not by any WiFi client as on the MiFi.

Still, it looks to be a little smaller than the MiFi, which may sway some users who are short on space. We’d say this one will come down to which carriers offer the Huawei and which plump for the Novatel rival; the E583X is set to land in Europe come July, though there’s no word on which networks have signed up.

Samsung unveils massive 32 GB DDR3 RAM

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Supposedly, Samsung has done something completely different yesterday by announcing their 32GB DDR3 RAM stick. In fact, the company is claiming this is the first 32GB DDR3 RAM, ever, which is pretty impressive.

It is by using a 50-nanometer process that makes this possible. Then, 16-gigabit memory chips are placed on both sides of the stick. These chips are 2GB and stacked, then are lined up to make nine in total. This adds up to that beloved number of 32GB.

Even better, this memory stick uses 20-percent less power that the pervious models made by the company, with the new stick using 1.35V and the old using 1.5V. This Samsung offering is designed for use in servers, not regular computers. We don’t know a release date or pricing yet, but you can rest assured this will be quite costly.

EA Details NFS: Shift Exclusive Driver Profile System

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Electronic Arts announced details on the exclusive driver profile system in Need for Speed SHIFT. Driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver's experience. Extending through the single player career and online multiplayer modes, driver profile gives each player a unique game experience based on the way each player drives on the track.

Driver profile is a tailor-made career mode based on four key game play components:
  1. Personality - a player's driving style determines whether they are an aggressive or precise driver.
  2. Success - as in every race, the ultimate goal is to finish at the top of the podium.
  3. Profile points - every car passed, every corner mastered, every opponent taken out generates profile points.
  4. Badges - these unique icons bring individuality and style to each player's driver profile, as each player races and completes top achievements.

As a player's driver profile develops through the course of the game, it creates rivalries, triggers specific challenges and even unlocks vehicles and customization options. Need for Speed SHIFT's multiple reward systems keeps players in each race regardless of their position.

"The new driver profile feature in Need for Speed SHIFT gives players full control of how they progress through game," said Patrick Soderlund, Senior Vice President of EA Games Europe. "In SHIFT, how you drive is who you are behind the wheel."

Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and Patrick Soderlund. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2. The PSP version is being developed by EA's Bright Light studio.

Need for Speed SHIFT is scheduled for release in the UK on September 18 on the PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PC and PSP.

Intel Future Branding Strategy Explained

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Over the last year or so, Intel has been quietly working behind the scenes taking a hard look at our brand structure and exploring ways to make it more rational and easier to understand," Intel's corporate communications manager, Bill Calder, wrote on the company's official blog. "The fact of the matter is, we have a complex structure with too many platform brands, product names, and product brands, and we've made things confusing for consumers and IT buyers in the process."

Bill then explained that from now on, Intel will classify its Core processors into one of three main catagories: Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7.

"It is important to note that these are not brands but modifiers to the Intel Core brand that signal different features and benefits. For example, upcoming processors such as Lynnfield (desktop) will carry the Intel Core brand, but will be available as either Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 depending upon the feature set and capability. Clarksfield (mobile) will have the Intel Core i7 name," he explained.

"So the key here is there will be a range of features and capabilities within the Intel Core family - our flagship brand representing the highest performance and the latest technology - but simplified into entry-level (Intel Core i3), mid-level (Intel Core i5), and high-level (Intel Core i7)."

"We [Intel] will still have Celeron for entry-level computing at affordable price points, Pentium for basic computing, and of course the Intel Atom processor for all these new devices ranging from netbooks to smartphones. For PC purchasing, think in terms of good-better-best with Celeron being good, Pentium better, and the Intel Core family representing the best we have to offer."

Firefox 3.5 RC 1 as Close to Release as Possible

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The first Release Candidate for Firefox 3.5, formerly version 3.1, is as close to availability as possible, reveals Mozilla. The next iteration of the open source browser is on the verge of evolving from Beta to RC. However, although downloads are just around the corner, Firefox 3.5 is not live yet.

The best that users can hope for, at least for the time being, is to grab a pre-RC nightly build. And while Mozilla is gearing up to take Firefox 3.5 RC out of the baking oven, it is also cooking another test day for the browser.

“I'm here to inform that we're going to be holding another Fx3.5 RC1 Testday event on Friday, June 5th, from 7AM - 5PM PDT! It'll be a concentrated mozQA Community day committed to testing Firefox 3.5 RC 1. This time around we should have the real builds out this Friday,” revealed Aakash Desai, QA Engineer at Mozilla Corporation. “MozQA is holding a Testday for the rollout of Firefox 3.5 RC 1 which is as close to a release as possible! I don't need to remind everyone of how important this phase is, so we're going to need your awesome testing skills to make sure its as polished as possible.”

It now appears that users will be getting Firefox 3.5 RC1 ahead of Firefox 3.0.11. Mozilla identified a regression issue with the latest security and stability update for Firefox 3.0, and postponed the release to a date yet to be announced. By contract, on June 3, 2009, there were only two blockers left for Firefox 3.5 RC1.

Blockers are generally referred to as show stopping issues, bugs severe enough to prevent the browser from advancing to the next stage in its development process. Mozilla estimated a couple of days ago that it would have resolved all Firefox 3.5 RC1 bugs by today, June 5. At the same time, Mozilla indicated that anticipation for RC1 was great, with over 800,000 users running the Beta 4 development milestone of Firefox 3.5.


Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 and Firefox 3.0.10 for Windows
Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 and Firefox 3.0.10 for Linux Binary
These are Dev releases and not recommended for normal usage. Dev are release for testing purposes only.

Adobe and NVIDIA Announce GPU Acceleration for Flash Player

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A new partnership between Adobe and Nvidia provides users with a better viewing experience

Adobe has just announced a new collaboration with Nvidia to enable some features of its Flash Player to be hardware accelerated using the latter’s technology. The joint venture is part of the Open Screen Project, Adobe's partnership program with major OEMs, chipset vendors, content providers and developers whose aim is providing a consistent feel and functionality for Flash Player across all platforms and devices it is available for.

“Nvidia and Adobe share precisely the same vision – visually compelling applications running on every device,” mentioned Michael Rayfield, general manager, Handheld Business at Nvidia. “Consumers don’t have to sacrifice streaming video performance on small inexpensive platforms such as netbooks. A Tegra-based platform enables the rich, smooth playback they expect from a desktop PC.”

The new collaboration will enable users running Nvidia products to benefit from the hardware acceleration capabilities their graphics processors provide. This feature will be available for a multitude of devices including netbooks, tablet smartphones and other portable devices and Flash Player will be able to make use of all Nvidia processors including the recently launched Tegra. The chip maker's hardware acceleration will enable users to watch full H.264 video playback as well as enjoy other rich content on devices that normally wouldn't have the processing power to handle it.

This is very good news for users of netbooks and other low-spec or mobile devices as it will allow them to view higher-quality content and not having to sacrifice performance for mobility. “Nvidia’s unique expertise makes it an ideal partner for Adobe to integrate cutting-edge graphics and video acceleration into the Adobe Flash Platform, benefiting all types of devices,” added David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “Flash Player will leverage the power of the GPU to provide a rich, desktop-compatible Web experience on a wide range of devices.”

GPUs with HD Video Playback Acceleration Enable Compelling Delivery of Flash Technology Based Web Content and Applications

Adobe Flash Player will be accelerated across the range of NVIDIA processors, enabling users to enjoy uncompromised Web browsing, full H.264 video playback and rich, consistent Flash technology based content any time, any place and on any platform.

NVIDIA is also participating in the Open Screen Project, a broad initiative of 25 industry leaders to deliver a consistent runtime environment across devices. Led by Adobe, the Open Screen Project is dedicated to enable Web content and standalone applications across desktops, netbooks, mobile devices, televisions and other consumer electronics that take advantage of Adobe Flash Platform capabilities. For more information, visit www.openscreenproject.org.

“NVIDIA and Adobe share precisely the same vision – visually compelling applications running on every device,” said Michael Rayfield, general manager, Handheld Business at NVIDIA. “Consumers don’t have to sacrifice streaming video performance on small inexpensive platforms such as netbooks. A Tegra-based platform enables the rich, smooth playback they expect from a desktop PC.”

“NVIDIA’s unique expertise makes it an ideal partner for Adobe to integrate cutting-edge graphics and video acceleration into the Adobe Flash Platform, benefiting all types of devices,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “Flash Player will leverage the power of the GPU to provide a rich, desktop-compatible Web experience on a wide range of devices.

Part of Post fired By Lucian Parfeni, Web News Editor
6th of June 2009
Adobe Press Release or PDF Article

Exclusive Image of Ironhide from 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'!

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Cinematical has just received this exclusive image of the Transformer Ironhide from the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which arrives in theaters on June 24.




In the previous film, Ironhide appeared as a modified GMC Topkick C4500 pickup truck. He's Optimus Prime's oldest friend; a weapons specialist for the Autobots. He's a tough soldier who's been through many battles and suffered many injuries (see the scar on his right eye). He's a big boy who likes to play rough,

Hacker Joins the Homeland Security Advisory Council Jeff Moss sworn in as member by DHS Secretary

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano swore in the sixteen members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) yesterday. Amongst them is Jeff Moss, the founder of the Black Hat and DEFCON hacking conventions.

Moss, who is known to his fellow hackers as "Dark Tangent," has a BA in Criminal Justice from Gonzaga University. His professional career involves working in the Information System Security division at Ernst & Young, LLP and being a director at Secure Computing Corporation, now part of McAfee

According to its own charter (PDF), "The HSAC shall provide organizationally independent, strategic, timely, specific and actionable advice to the Secretary and senior leadership on matters related to homeland security." The appointed Chairman of the Council is former CIA and FBI Director Judge William Webster.

Just to get an idea of Dark Tangent's select company on the Council, here are some of its members: Leroy Baca, Sheriff of Los Angeles County; Norman Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp and former chairman and principal officer of the American Red Cross; Jared Cohon, president of Carnegie Mellon University; Manny Diazm, mayor of Miami and president of the United States Conference of Mayors; Raymond Kelly, police commissioner of the City of New York; Martin O’Malley, governor of Maryland; Joe Shirley, Jr., president of the Navajo Nation; Sonny Perdue, governor of Georgia.

"In order for the Secretary to fully leverage broad-ranging experience and education, the HSAC must be professionally, technically, and culturally diverse. These members shall all be national leaders found within diverse and appropriate professions and communities from around the Nation," is also noted in the HSAC charter. But, clearly no one thought that this would include hackers that played "spot the fed" every year at DEFCON.

Even world-renowned hacker and former FBI fugitive Kevin Mitnick declared himself surprised of the appointment of Jeff Moss on the Council and noted that he expected cryptography guru Bruce Schneier to be one of the people chosen. According to CNET, Moss said that he was "fantastically honored and excited to contribute."

"I congratulate the members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council on their appointments. As we work to fulfill the Department’s core mission of securing the country against the many threats it faces, the unique insights and expertise of this diverse council will be a valuable resource," said Secretary Napolitano at her first meeting with the new HSAC yesterday.

Android 2.0 to Come in 2009, Packs Impressive Features

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Google seems determined to offer the users of its Android operating system more and more reasons to rejoices, since it already started work on the upcoming version of the platform, Android 2.0. Although Android 1.5 Cupcake has been around for only a short period of time, the next iteration, codenamed Donut, is expected to become available in three to six months from now.


In case the development process of the Android 2.0 is on schedule, we might be able to see the Donut available on the market before the end of the ongoing year, which also means that the update will come to users faster than Cupcake did. And given the large number of mobile phones that are expected to come this year running under Android, the fact that Google moves forth with the development of the platform sounds like a great thing.

Some of the features that Android 2.0 is expected to come around with have already been unveiled to the world, and we can count here stuff like universal search, new speech-to-text API's, and handwriting gesture capabilities. According to some voices over the Web, some more features should be included in the firmware update, yet there are not too many details on this at the moment.

For what it's worth, one thing that Android should include before the end of 2009 comes from Adobe in the form of Flash, which the company says that will be ported both to this operating system and to other mobile platforms as well. Adobe's move seems to have been determined by the fact that the smartphone area has gained more and more ground on the market lately, taking in both feature phones and personal computers.

According to the news over the Internet, Adobe is “reengineering its software so that Flash-based games and videos can run on different handsets without being modified.” In addition, the company is also reported to have made new deals with chip designers and phone makers, and it offers “millions of dollars to developers willing to write programs for mobile devices that use its software.”

We should sit back and wait quietly for true Flash to make it into the world of mobile phones, but, in case Adobe is really determined to offer users a leveraged experience, things might turn out pretty well in the end.

SVOX speech tools coming to Android

Last week, Zurich, Switzerland-based SVOX announced that it has joined the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), and will provide technology that would enable speech user interfaces on Android. Although it was not explicitly stated, the SVOX technology (see diagram below) appears to be related to the "Donut" text-to-speech API.


SVOX architecture

SVOX is contributing its "speech output solution," called the SVOX Pico TTS engine, to OHA. The Android version of SVOX Pico is said to include six language packages, including U.S. and U.K. English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. The product also includes tools that can be used to create new languages and voices, says the company.

Stated SVOX CEO Martin Reber, "SVOX is committed to bringing high quality speech to the mobile market, with first-class support and integration services. This is the first step in our mission to bring natural-language technology to the Android community."

"Search Engines" Bing Is No. 2 in Search, Yahoo Down, Google Next In the U.S.

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Microsoft Bing has skyrocketed to the number two position in search on the US market, surpassing Yahoo. According to statistics provided by StatCounter, Bing has climbed higher on the cadaver of Live Search in just a week after the Redmond company started the rollout worldwide than the now defunct search engine has ever managed in its years of life. StatCounter has Bing overtaking Yahoo with a market share of 16.28%. Yahoo, the traditional runner-up to Google, has slipped into third place with a share of 10.22%, while the Mountain View search giant still accounts for 71.47%. Globally Yahoo isn't faring all that better, with a share of just 5.13%, compared to Bing's 5.62% and Google's 87.62%.

The worldwide rollout of Bing started on May 28, 2009, and ended June 3rd. On June 1st, market analysis firm Net Applications indicated that within hours of the new Microsoft search engine going live it grabbed a market share of over 6%. Undoubtedly the hype associated with the launch of the new search engine is responsible for the Bing market share explosion. It will be interesting to see whether Bing can maintain the same growth momentum, which is highly unlikely, or at least whether it will be able to convert Yahoo and Google users.

In April 2009, ahead of the launch of Bing, comScore had Google at 64.2% of the US market, Yahoo at 20.4% and Live Search at just 8.2%. For the same month Nielsen Online credited Google with 64.0% of the search engine market in the US, Yahoo with 16.3% and Live Search with 9.9%. But fact is that Yahoo represents nothing more than a stepping stone for Microsoft. Leapfrogging past Yahoo is a bitter sweet victory for the Redmond company, as with the audiences from the two search engines combined the Yahoo-Bing(Live Search) Frankenstein would have been a force worthy to challenge Google.

Once the hype will be over and the dust will have had a chance to settle on Microsoft's new search engine, only then will Bing debut on its Sisyphean journey to catch up with Google. And Google has quite a head start, since it's nothing short of synonymous with Internet search. Still, Microsoft might have a panacea for this. It is slapping a label of information overload on all Internet search before Bing via marketing, and Google is bound to be the heaviest hit.

"PSP go" Officially Announced And Detailed

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Sony Computer Entertainment today unveiled PSPgo (PSP-N1000), a new evolution of PSP handheld entertainment system, specifically designed to suit the digital lifestyle of consumers who enjoy downloadable content on the go.

PSPgo will become available in stores on October 1, 2009, in North America, Europe/ PAL territories and Asian countries and regions at a recommended retail price (RRP) of US$249 and €249, and on November 1, 2009, in Japan at a RRP of 26,800 yen (including tax).

PSPgo is ideal for today's on-the move consumers who prefer not to carry around disc-based content and are looking for on-demand entertainment. With the steady expansion of broadband network infrastructure, the number of users who download and enjoy digital entertainment content has been increasing remarkably. To address this growing trend, PSPgo replaces the UMD drive with 16GB of flash memory*.

PSPgo, smaller and lighter than ever with a sophisticated design featuring an easy sliding display panel, is truly pocket-sized and can be taken everywhere. PSPgo will be available in Piano Black and Pearl White, two of the most popular colors since the launch of the PSP system in 2004.

In order to meet the needs of the growing number of PlayStationNetwork users looking for digital entertainment content, SCE along with third party developers and publishers will continue to enhance the content line-up within PlayStationStore for the launch of PSPgo, scheduled this fall. More and more new and attractive titles will become available for download from PlayStationStore as well as on UMD. This broad content offering across all genres includes new games, free-demos, PS one classics for PSP, add-on items for game titles, and trailers.

In addition to accessing PlayStation Store directly from PSP using the built-in wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) feature or through the PLAYSTATION3 (PS3), users will also be able to access and download a variety of entertainment content via their PCs using Media Go, a new software application. Media Go will enable users to access and download entertainment content on PlayStation Store via their PCs as well to easily manage PSP content on PCs, including games, videos, photos, and music. This easy to use software application will be available on a CD-ROM bundled with PSPgo.
Also this fall, a new music application specific to PSP that uses the "SensMe channels" music recommendation feature, developed by Sony, also becomes available for download on PSP. With this music application, users will be able to enjoy their favorite music stored on their PSP through a rich user interface, designed exclusively for PSP. "SensMe channels" is a mood based music recommendation system that categorizes music content into channels such as "Relax," "Dance" and "Upbeat," and recommends music playlists for users.

Other features are

  • Easy Sliding Display Panel and Original Applications
PSPgo offers a variety of exciting entertainment options by taking advantage of the sliding panel. When the panel is open, users will be able to enjoy various entertainment content with the familiar button control as PSP-3000, when closed, original applications for PSPgo, such as a clock and calendar is displayed on the screen. Users can also enjoy video and music when the panel is closed.

  • Game sleep function
PSPgo has unique features such as game sleep function which enables users to operate XMB (XrossMediaBar) while pausing gameplay temporarily.

  • Bluetooth function
Bluetooth function will also allow users to connect Bluetooth standard peripherals such as head-phones and head-set as well as PS3 wireless controller (DUALSHOCK3 and SIXAXIS) to be used when watching video content on TVs via PSP at home.

  • Peripheral line-up
One of the products within PSPgo's peripheral line-up is a new Cradle (PSP-N340) that will become available in stores worldwide concurrently with the release of PSPgo. This new Cradle enables users to charge the PSPgo battery and also enjoy watching video and listening to music. Also included in the peripheral line-up are video-out port cables that enable users to enjoy games and videos on their TVs at home.

Google Chrome for Linux Is Officially Available

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Though Linux users could test the popular browser for a couple of months through unofficial Chromium builds, yesterday, June 4th, Google announced the first official release of Google Chrome for Linux. The version 3.0.183.1 is still very unstable and lacks a lot of features that are otherwise present in the Windows package.

One of Chrome's main advantages over other web browsers is the way it handles tabs as separate processes. Why is this important? Well, if a web page crashes, it doesn't take the whole browser with it, but only the tab it was opened in, significantly increasing overall stability.

Also, Google Chrome makes browsing more efficient and ergonomic by placing modules on each new tab that you open. Instead of having a blank page, you will now have six thumbnails displaying the most visited webpages, a history search bar and even the last three closed tabs. Do not worry though, as this customized page will open just as fast as an empty one.

The Google Chrome interface is simple and clean, allowing websites to benefit from the increased screen space. The tab bar is placed on top of the multi-functional main address bar, rather than below it, as we see in most browsers. Why multi-functional? Because you can not only direct Chrome to a certain address, but also perform history or Internet searches.

Another exciting feature of Google's browser is the Incognito mode. Available through the settings menu or by using the CTRL+Shift+N shortcut, this private browsing method will make sure no traces of your Internet activity (history, cookies, etc.) are left on the computer.

In the end, a few words and a warning from Mike Smith and Karen Grunberg, product managers for Google Chrome: "In order to get more feedback from developers, we have early developer channel versions of Google Chrome for Mac OS X and Linux, but whatever you do, please DON'T DOWNLOAD THEM! Unless of course you are a developer or take great pleasure in incomplete, unpredictable, and potentially crashing software.[...] Meanwhile, we'll get back to trying to get Google Chrome on these platforms stable enough for a beta release as soon as possible!" Seeing how fast Chrome evolved on the Windows platform, we should expect speedy releases from this point onwards.

Debian/Ubuntu DEB i386

NEC CRV43 43-inch curved LCD arrives July for $8k

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NEC’s huge CRV43 LCD display - which offers a gently curving 43-inch 2,880 x 900 resolution panel - has finally got a release date and price, though don’t expect much change from $8k. Intended for graphic designers and command/control users, the CRV43 runs at double-WGXA resolution and connects with a single DVI-D or HDMI 1.3 connector.

Contrast is 10,000:1, while the CRV43 puts out 200 cd/m2 brightness and has a 0.02ms response time. Those wanting this for design work rather than just desk boasting rights will be pleased to hear that it offers 100-percent coverage of sRGB and 99.3-percent coverage of Adobe RGB.

As well as the DVI-D and HDMI ports there’s a USB 2.0 hub. As you can see in the gallery below, however, there’s more to the CRV43’s chassis than you might first expect: this is a surprisingly deep LCD display. Expect it to carry a $7,999 sticker when it lands in July 2009.

Press Release:

NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS DELIVERS UNMATCHED VIEWING EXPERIENCE WITH 43-INCH SEAMLESS CURVED DISPLAY

June 4, 2009

CHICAGO - June 4, 2009 - NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading stand-alone provider of commercial LCD displays and projectors, today announced the 43” NEC CRV43 ultra-widescreen specialty desktop display, designed for use in applications such as professional graphics, higher education, government, financial, command & control and home office.
The NEC CRV43 curved display can be seen at InfoComm 09 (Peerless Booth No. 5441) on June 17-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

The unique NEC CRV43 curved display provides a much wider field of view and greater dynamic range with its double WGXA resolution (32:10 aspect ratio). The user’s taskbar is extended natively and setup is made easy to configure with one input. These features make it an ideal solution for simulation, digital imaging and command & control.

“The NEC CRV43 curved display provides an excitingly immersive viewing experience for any type of user,” said Keith Yanke, Director of Product Marketing for NEC Display Solutions. “Its lightning-fast response time coupled with its seamless curved screen provides enhanced comfort, decreased frustration and increased productivity. The monitor eliminates the bezel and screen gap issues that have complicated users’ work environment for years.”

The NEC CRV43 curved display includes the following features:

Seamless curved screen, which eliminates bezel and screen gap issues for increased productivity and decreased frustration (according to Center for Human-Computer Interaction - Shupp et al, presented at Graphics Interface 2006)

2880 x 900 double WXGA native resolution

200 cd/m² brightness

0.02ms Rapid Response

10,000:1 contrast ratio

Wide color gamut with 100% coverage of sRGB and 99.3% coverage of Adobe RGB

Single link DVI-D and HDMI 1.3 input connectors

USB 2.0 connectivity for easy use of peripherals

Front panel controls

On Screen Display (OSD®) and software-based GUI, which enables advanced display control options

The NEC CRV43 curved display is backed by a 3-year parts and labor warranty including the backlight and will be available for July 2009 shipment with estimated street price of $7,999.

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.

Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD displays, professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, professional, education, medical and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the Web site at www.necdisplay.com.

Sony Ericsson Goes Greener With Two New Phones

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Sony Ericsson Thursday introduced two new environmentally friendly handset phones, the C901 GreenHeart and Naite, which Sony Ericsson said will be sold in smaller packaging, come with all-digital user manuals, use recycled materials and consume less energy overall with lower-power chargers.

According to Sony Ericsson, the C901 GreenHeart's phone casing is made from at least 50 percent recycled plastics and its color comes from a water-based paint. A light sensor changes the brightness of the C901 GreenHeart's display, Sony Ericsson said, to adjust to its surroundings and consume less energy. The C901 GreenHeart includes a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, Xenon flash and smile-shutter, and also has a 2.2-inch, 240 x 320 display, A2DP Bluetooth, a Memory Stick Micro M2 card slot and Google Maps installed.

The Naite phone, pronounced "night-tee," also uses smaller packaging and is built from recycled plastics. It comes with a charger, EP300 GreenHeart, that uses 30 miliwatts, a fraction of the 200 milliwatts seen on most phone chargers. According to specs provided by Sony Ericsson, the phone has basic e-mail and texting abilities and can support video phone calls. The Naite includes a 2-megapixel camera.

Sony Ericsson hopes the GreenHeart technology reduces company carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent within six years and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent within the same time period.

"Building on the established heritage of our parent companies, Sony Ericsson has worked continuously to become an industry leader in the area of removing harmful substances from the core of its phones and in creating industry-leading energy-efficient chargers," said Dick Komiyama, President, Sony Ericsson, in a statement. "Today we are announcing the next step in our sustainability strategy--the GreenHeart pioneer products-- which launch with two innovative new phones and a commitment to roll out these innovations across the broader portfolio in 2010 and 2011, allowing us to build a more sustainable business."

Both the C901 GreenHeart and Naite phones will start shipping in the third quarter of 2009. Sony Ericsson also used the launch to mention its ongoing take-back program, in which consumers can send back used mobile phones that are then taken to specialized recycling centers

Original Post
By Chad Berndtson, ChannelWeb
7:34 AM EDT Thu. Jun. 04, 2009

Need For Speed Shift

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After a long stint as an arcade racer, Need for Speed is heading into simulation territory with Need for Speed: Shift. Announced in January as part of a three-game announcement that includes Need for Speed: Nitro and Need for Speed World Online, Shift takes a new, more realistic approach to racing and will be going head-to-head against seasoned pros Gran Turismo and Forza for the attention of serious racing fans.

Thankfully it looks like the franchise is in good hands, with London-based Slightly Mad Studios (formerly Blimey Games) heading up development duties. According to Shift's producer, Suzy Wallace, Slightly Mad is SimBin--the team behind the high-scoring GTR FIA Racing, GTR 2, and GT Legends games--in everything but name after most of the original team left to form their new studio, and the team is working closely with EA Black Box executive producer Michael Mann and EA Games Europe senior vice president Patrick Soderlund (cofounder of DICE) to ensure that Shift, currently in a pre-alpha build, meets the franchise's standards.

One of the immediately obvious innovations in Shift is the way it tries to simulate crashes; the development team is trying to re-create the jarring, often fear-filled experience. In addition to motion blur, you'll experience some violent camera shake--not too dissimilar to an onboard camera during crash replays--and you'll also experience temporary vision blur after crashes. This is accompanied by the typical audio effects involved in a high-speed collision, but also additional sound effects from your driver, such as a stress-induced spike in heart rate and even a sharp gasp of breath before impact. Lots of other small effects have gone into making Shift feel as realistic as possible, including tunnel vision at high speeds, subtle reflections coming off the windshield, and heat haze emitted from engines.

Shift is all about your experience as a race driver. The action will take place on existing, licensed racetracks, on new racetracks created for Shift, and on street circuits. There is no open-road racing this time around, and we were promised you won't be pursued by the police or have to take part in old-fashioned street races. Instead, Shift will feature 15 real-world locations in addition to fictitious tracks. We got a chance to see the Brands Hatch Race Circuit in Kent and a new London street circuit. The Brands Hatch course looks to be a faithful re-creation of the ex-Formula One racetrack, with a mix of long straights, sweeping curves, sharp corners, and hairpin turns offering variety throughout. Zipping around it with an Audi RS4 was a great introduction.

The London circuit is even more formidable than the purpose-built track, with the streets throwing in some particularly tight turns, all re-created in impressive detail. The location is instantly recognisable for anyone who has visited London. The circuit runs through the Thames' South Bank and the Victoria Embankment to the north, with dozens of famous landmarks flying past you, including the London Eye, County Hall, Houses of Parliament, and the Blackfriars and Westminster bridges. Shift has a dynamic weather condition, and this course looked brilliant at sunset. However, there's no word on whether you will be able to change the time of day manually or if there will be night races.

Unlike in some simulation racers, in Shift the focus is more on the driving experience than on amassing a sizable car collection, although it's unconfirmed if all of the vehicles in the game will be unlocked from the beginning. What is certain is that Shift will offer some exotic and highly tuned models, including the Porsche 997 GT 2, the Audi RS4, the Lotus Elise 111R, the Shelby Terlingua (a highly modified Ford Mustang made specifically for the Need for Speed series), the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and the Pagani Zonda F. The game will feature more than 70 different cars in total, including hatches, classics, and exotic imports, and while we didn't get to see all of these, we did manage to get behind the wheel of the RS4 and the Terlingua and found them to look, sound, and feel incredibly authentic and true to life, complete with full race-day liveries. In fact, the car models looked so good that we almost found ourselves wanting to look more at the cars than at the road in front of us. In addition to creating realistic visuals, Slightly Mad is going for realistically performing cars, forgoing the rubber-band catch-up of arcade racers for damage modelling, with penalties to your car's physics, performance, and appearance should you hit too many obstacles in your way. The environments are also promised to be realistic, with animated crowds, race marshals, and LCD screens helping to re-create the race-day atmosphere.

If you fancy an in-cockpit, first-person view, you'll be pleased to know that the insides of the cars look as meticulous as the outsides, with highly detailed dashboards, driver animations, and even full working instruments. In fact, you can get rid of the heads-up display entirely and rely solely on the car's gauges if you so desire, and you can peer around the cockpit or even out of the window. The team has also tried to make you feel like you're connected with the car in external camera views by having the camera jerk back when you accelerate and shunt forward when you're braking. Additionally, the HUD shakes when in bumper view to give you a feeling of speed and vibration.

Shift's AI drivers will range from aggressive hotheads to cool, calm, and collected drivers, and the game's grudge system will ensure that aggravated drivers with a personal vendetta will seek out their revenge. Despite this, you won't have to worry about the marshals getting in the way with drive-through penalties or yellow flags. You'll also be able to compete against other humans. Though we didn't get to experience Shift's multiplayer, the game will support 16 players in online races. Need for Speed: Shift combines impressive real-world locations and cars, solid simulation gameplay, and some interesting additions to help immerse you in the racing experience. It's currently set for an autumn 2009 release on the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PSP.

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