Mar/100
Netgear’s HD streamering AV adapters
Another month, another blockbuster trade show. CeBIT’s show floor doesn’t open up until tomorrow (and yeah, we’ll be storming it like no other), but Netgear’s wasting precisely no time in unveiling its latest wares. The two pieces that are nearest and dearest to our hearts are the WNHDB3004 and WNHDB3004, the former of which is an 802.11n HD Home Theater Kit and the latter of which is a universal WiFi adapter that adds wireless support to any AV product with an Ethernet jack. Users interested in streaming “multiple, simultaneous, jitter-free 1080p HD video streams wirelessly throughout the home” should certainly give the first a look, as it enables instant wireless streaming from your existing router to any component with an Ethernet port; think of this as the beautiful alternative to running a 50 foot patch cable through your living room and simultaneously eroding your relationship with Mr. / Mrs. Significant Other. The outfit also doled out a few SMB-centric ReadyNAS devices and a couple of HomePlug AV boxes with AC outlet passthroughs, all of which are detailed there in the source links.
Mar/100
Final Version of the Eee Keyboard Showcased at CeBIT 2010
Now, this right here is a geeky gadget and I am talking, of course, about the Eee Keyboard PC EK1542 showcased by Asus at CeBIT yesterday. Although until now, there used to be computer peripherals like a keyboard or a mouse, now it seems like a whole PC system can be a peripheral to a regular-sized keyboard. This nano technology evolves so fast that the poor keyboards have been left behind.
The Eee Keyboard PC is a different approach to computing, with the side 5-inch touchscreen attached to a regular sized keyboard. It has some good specs and some of its features will be extremely useful for future users, because of the small-sized screen the EK1542 has. My colleague says it is rather tiny to use.
I have an observation to make before I get to tell you the specs of this device and I am pretty sure that most of you will agree with me. If you make a keyboard-related product, because let’s face it, the keyboard is the most viewable component of this system, why make it so that it looks like the keyboards that other laptop manufacturers usually build and not come up with an original one.
I am not saying that Sony patented the last year keyboard models used in their Vaio series, or the brushed metal look, but this separate key layout and general aspect simply reminds me of those laptops.
Now, what this baby can do is wirelessly connect via the 802.11 b/g/n tech to the internet from any hotspot and can upscale HD videos on any HD-ready display you might have. So that it keeps a slim and light profile, Asus has integrated in the EK1542 both a 16 GB SSD storage solution and a 32 GB SSD one, depending on your needs.
Mar/100
Mac mini with HDMI
A Mac mini with HDMI. Makes sense, right? Well, it hasn’t to Apple so far, but it looks like it just might be ready to change its tune. That’s according to AppleInsider, at least, which has it from “two people familiar with the matter” that prototypes of a Mac mini with an HDMI port have been seen making the rounds in the usual inner circles. At least one of those prototypes was also said to be based on NVIDIA’s MCP89 chipset, which means that any forthcoming Mac mini revision would pass over the latest Core i3, i5 and i7 processors in favor of older Core 2 Duos if it is indeed the chipset used in the final product. Unfortunately, there’s nothing more specific than “this year” in terms of a rumored release date, and this is still just one rumor about what would be a fairly big shift in Apple’s strategy — so, you know, keep that in mind before you start ripping apart your current HTPC setup.
Feb/100
ATI’s six-screen Eyefinity reviewed
Along with its introduction of the HD 5830, ATI announced the HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 card yesterday, which predictably comes with six DisplayPort outputs and enables that hallowed six-screen gaming overload that the Eyefinity branding has been about since the beginning. Some lucky scribes over at PC Pro have been treated to a live demonstration of what gaming at 5,760 x 2,160 feels like, and their understated response was to describe it as “far more immersive.” No kidding. They did raise the spectral figure of those monitor bezels, however, pointing out that bezel correction — where the image “behind the bezel” is rendered but hidden making the overall display look like a window unto the game world — habitually obscured text and game HUD elements. In their view, the sweet spot remains a triple-screen setup, and we’re inclined to agree (particularly if they look like this). For those interested in getting their multi-monitor gaming up and running, we’ve linked an invaluable guide from HardOCP below, which breaks down how much you can expect from ATI’s current HD 5000 series of cards, and also provides a video guide to setting your rig up.
Feb/100
Sagem Orga Developed the World’s First SIM Card with Wi-Fi Embedded
This is just one of those technologies that have been brought up in the form of a “What if” question in many technology-related discussions between most of you and your friends. Now, it is possible, thanks to Sagem Orga, to get a Wi-Fi connection from a simple SIM card. Imagine what this will do to the USB-modem market. Not good, I know.
Sagem Orga will prove the existence of this really great invention during the Mobile World Congress next week and demonstrate how the USIM card with embedded Wi-Fi radio actually works. The world’s smallest hotspot creator should be the name of the SIMFi. What will we do if anybody is able to have a Wi-Fi connection at all times?
“We strongly believe that SIMFi, with its unprecedented functionality for wireless access, will significantly improve the user experience,” explained Remy Cricco, Technology Innovation Manager at Sagem Orga. “If customers can connect their notebooks to the Web anytime and anywhere by simply using what they have with them most of the time and what is the most trusted secure device – the SIM card – adoption can be expected to be enormous.”
Yeah, laptop, UMPC or MID users, for example, are the main targets of SIMFi. The SIM toolkit applets handle the SIMFi’s working system, so there is no need for installation, special software, handset specific configurations or anything. It will simply give you HSPA/W-Fi connection at all times. Activate an access point on the machine you want internet connection on and then Plug and Play comes into play. The producers say that the SIMFi can be inserted in any type of normal phone. What everybody decides to do with this new power is everybody’s business, but please use the limitless connectivity solution by Sagem Orga and Telefonica wisely.
Feb/100
The Pulse Mini
Recent developments at T-Mobile UK include the addition of Android-powered mobile phones as they seem to be quite popular there. The latest addition to the collection is the sixth phone of this kind, the Pulse Mini, which follows the launching of LG TouchMax (GW620) and Samsung Galaxy Portal (i5700).
Nicola Shenton, Head of Handset and Device Marketing, T-Mobile UK, said that “We want to make sure all our customers get the chance to experience Android, which is why we’re expanding our family of Android devices. The Pulse Mini will no doubt prove a big hit with customers looking for cutting-edge smartphone features without the commitment of a monthly contract.”
Also built by Huawei, the Pulse Mini is quite similar to the Pulse phone. It just makes you think of the Pulse when it was a kid, with its 2.8-inch touch screen, instead of the 3.5-inch of the older brother. Don’t worry too much about the display’s size, as it comes with some extras that most users will appreciate.
The 3.5 mm headphone jack, for instance, was not present on the Pulse and it is quite the practical addition, since most users like to listen to music via their own headsets. T-Mobile UK has also updated the Pulse Mini so that it will support up to 16 GB of memory. Also a pay-as-you-go phone, the newly announced Pulse Mini will use the 2.1 version of the Android OS for its regular tasks, as well as snap photos with its 3.2-megapixel camera with LED Flash.
T-Mobile UK brags about the Android Market’s popularity and even has a recent study from IDC, which estimates that there will be 50,000 to 75,000 applications available for the Android OS by the end of 2010. This is the reason why they are releasing the Pulse Mini phone. The Android 2.1 is a fun operating system, it’s true, but it will be the Brits’ decision if they wish to spend 99 pounds sterling on it.
Feb/100
SIMFi merges WiFi with SIM cards, turns any phone into a hotspot
Smart card expert Sagem Orga (Safran group) and Telefonica, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, are enhancing mobile broadband services by offering “SIMFi,” the first SIM card with integrated Wi-Fi. Using the SIM as a hotspot is expected to have the potential of becoming the next killer application.
Millions of subscribers are using netbooks and notebooks to surf the Internet while on the move, and this has become a strategic market for mobile operators. To enable Internet access, all of these mobility devices use the USIM card to authenticate the user on High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) networks, but there are some drawbacks that are slowing down market penetration. These include complex 3G modem and driver set-ups the user must perform, the use of accessories and cables such as USB modems, PCMCIA modems, handsets and certain software, and the complexity of service use.
By turning the SIM card into a Wi-Fi hotspot, Sagem Orga and Telefonica have developed a solution without all these hurdles. An embedded WLAN modem in the SIM card, driven by the SIM toolkit applets running in the SIM, will enable Telefonica to broadcast High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) Internet access through Wi-Fi to notebooks and netbooks. The new generation USIM card “SIMFi” can be inserted in any type of classic handset to act as a universal and interoperable HSPA/Wi-Fi router for any device.
“We strongly believe that SIMFi, with its unprecedented functionality for wireless access, will significantly improve the user experience,” explained Remy Cricco, Technology Innovation Manager at Sagem Orga. “If customers can connect their notebooks to the Web anytime and anywhere by simply using what they have with them most of the time and what is the most trusted secure device – the SIM card – adoption can be expected to be enormous.”
Feb/100
Humax HD-FOX first Freeview HD box in the UK,
When you think back to the dark ages of the nineties — just four terrestrial channels and the inevitable snowflakes on your screen if you were in a poor reception area — it just wasn’t a very good time for free television in the UK. Fast forward to today, and dirt-cheap Freeview boxes are getting their inevitable, in fact somewhat belated, upgrade to HD. The Humax HD-FOX T2 will cost a predictably hefty £170 ($270) at launch, but as its kind starts to infiltrate the market that price should suffer an equally appropriate precipitous fall. Offering decent media streamer capabilities via wired Ethernet, the T2 stands out with its attractive GUI and blisteringly fast channel scanning, while giving you pretty much exactly the performance you’d expect from a high-quality Freeview HD box. The UK HD rollout is set to start in earnest this March and you can learn more about it at the links below.
Jan/100
Option’s iCON505M 3G USB Modem Achieves 16MB/s Read Speed Thanks to QuickLogic CSSP
QuickLogic Corporation, one of the leading providers of low power programmable solutions, has proudly announced that its Customer Specific Standard Products have been adopted by Option Wireless in a line of 3G Cat9 (10.1Mbps) and Cat10 (14.4Mbps) HSDPA USB modems for wireless communications over cellular networks. Option is one of the global leaders in the wireless technology field, and focuses on design, development and manufacture of innovative solutions to meet the needs of consumers and businesses in what regards high-quality wireless broadband access to Internet, virtually anywhere and anytime.
The latest products from Option, the iCON505M series of 3G USB modems provide users with the ability to add up to 32GB storage capacity via micro SD memory to the modem, in order to increase versatility in sharing of downloaded content with smartphones, smartbooks, netbooks and other consumer electronic devices, as well as simplify exchange between different PCs and transfer between digital cameras and PCs. The overall customer demand is for higher transfer rates of multimedia files, a demand that is much harder to be met today than in the past.
Nevertheless, in an industry standard performance benchmark test, the Option iCON505M model with the QuickLogic CSSP went up to 16MB/sec in reading speed and 7.4MB/sec in write speed, when transferring files between a notebook PC and the microSD memory card in the modem, while a competitor modem that lacks the QuickLogic CSSP was rated at under 1MB/sec in both write and read. Last, I will leave Martin Croome, Option’s vice president of marketing, tell you something.
“We are thrilled to hear the results of the QuickLogic benchmark test. This confirms Option’s strategy to use quality solutions, such as QuickLogic’s CSSPs, to deliver high performance 3G USB Modems. This is particularly important in view of Option’s strong strategic orientation toward value-added services and applications, such as uCAN Move. The uCAN Move application allows professionals and consumers to access their applications, content and personal internet connection with one click from any PC.”
Jan/100
An Interesting New PMP from Sungale—Kula TV
Sungale, makers of all sorts of modern gadgets such as digital photo frames or LED lamps, recently updated their portable media player device, named Kula TV, to integrate an adjustable, foldable Wi-Fi antenna.
“The newly designed pocket sized Kula TV will enable customers to view hundreds of local and international programs from anywhere in the world using a Wi-Fi network with fewer interruptions and smoother channel displays along with the same slim design and quality that Sungale prides itself on,” said Ningjun Sun, President and CEO of Sungale. “We aim to create highly innovative products that our customers can afford and use in their daily lives”.
This player has some standard features, like the 4.3-inch display that you will find on most of the portable media players out there, but the fact that it will stream TV for you makes it a little different from what we are used to seeing on the market. Its design isn’t one of the best or most original, but the simple form factor can be an advantage for minimalists. Also, the fact the Wi-Fi antenna can be retracted is a plus. Not to mention that the display is touch sensitive.
Users can arrange their TV stations according to preferences (Sports, News, etc.). No info about supported formats (photo, music or videos alike) but we do know that the Kula TV will only have 2 GB of internal memory. Storing might have been an issue for the new PMP from Sungale, but it does have an SD slot, so there shouldn’t be any problems if you decide on one of these.
Don’t rush into it, though, because it will be available starting with March for the price of 199.99 USD. The pocket-sized Kula TV PMP will come with a 90-day subscription to over 500 TV stations.