Sony Vaio VGN UX50 microPC

The first generation UMPCs which everyone and his father were producing were too boring for you? Sony brings you the Vaio VGN UX50 micro PC for those with the dollars lying around.

Well, Sony wants to call it a micro PC. We don't care what they call it, but we want one.

Initially, when the first pictures of the Vaio VGN UX50 popped up, many thought these were fakes - Photoshop creations. It was revealed only 2 days back tthat the VGN UX50 was indeed official - and that Sony preferred ot call it the Micro PC. Probably the name, we think, is justified. Lets explain.

The Sony Vaio UX 50 weighs 520 grams. That's good. You have a Centrino 1.06 Ghz processor inside. Decent. It runs - not some little Origami or whatever - but Windows XP. Even better.

The screen is a 4.5 inch one, and you get a resolution of 1024 X 600. So you get real good resolution there, and plus, there is a quick zoom which can help you enlarge the screen quickly for a better reading experience. UMPCs are usually at 800 X 600s, but they have a 7 inch screen. So this one is smaller in size than your average UMPC too.

And it has a frame made of carbon fibre! That, plus the extremely good looks isa killer, we say. We would like to have one delivered to us, right now, hear us, Sony?

The Sony Vaio VGN UX50 MicroPC boasts a startup time of 5 seconds! That is real fast for anything running Windows XP. Thought I suspect that once you download and install a few programs of your owna nd the startup folder gets a little packed, we are going to see real slow startup times. That's what happens with all Windows XP PCs, and I dont think the Vaio VGN UX50 is going to be any exception.

If you are in a country where you have GPS driving directions and navigators available, there is a Bluetooth GPS unit which will turn it into a driving companion. Neat.

What I don't like much is the price. At $ 1800, the VGN UX50 is a little on the expensive side. Now, that is the kind of money I would spend if I really like the looks of somethng, and it really does all that it promises to do. So far, reviews of the VGN UX50 seem to indicate that it really is good - the only two complaints seem to be the thickness, as well as the keys which don't seem to move much and thus reduce any tactile feedback.

Overheating problems in Macbook acknowledged by Apple

And just how! Don't keep your Apple Macbook in your lap, or its overheating could be bad for your privates!

Yes, we have all had laptops, and we have all kept those laptops or notebooks once in a while in our laps while working. You never thought that would be too much of a problem, did you? Well, I am sure some of the more paranoid among you did. Anyway, Apple nowadays tells you explicitly to keep your pretty Macbook away from any 'uncovered part' of your body.

Ever heard of any notebook manufacturer ever coming out with such a specific warning? Nope. But Apple has gone ahead and done it, and all for your own good. Here is the full text of the warning from the Apple manuals: "Prolonged contact with your body could cause discomfort and potentially a burn". Uh oh.

The macbook oveheating problem has been widely discussed over the last few weeks - and some say it is shoddy application of thermal paste inside that has created the problem. So guys and gals, don't keep your Macbooks in your lap. Most of you are not in the habit of working your laptop while naked below the waist - so the warning from Apple about overheating really may not seem to apply to you. Your lap is hardly likely to be an uncovered part while working, and the heat may not be felt through your trousers and boxers, and it may still take a while to cook your privates, so why take that risk? Keep that overheating Macbook on the table, I say.

Motorola Q to take on Blackberry

Motorola Q has QWERTY phone, slim form factor of Razr, and EV-DO capability.

U.S mobile carrier Verizon will start selling the much awaited Blackberry beater from next week onwards. The new Motorola Q features Windows Mobile 5.0 and comes with a QWERTY keyboard. It comes in a slim form factor, which is by now popular with the RAZR design.

The other major features include Outlook Mobile, which can sever up to eight e-mail accounts and Exchange Server 2003 synchronization. It also features integrated Bluetooth, audio and video playback and thumbwheel navigation.

The Motorola Q, which is expected to be a competitor to Blackberry and Palm Treo, will use Verizon's high-speed EV-DO network. Says Ed Zander, CEO, Motorola, ""On Verizon Wireless’ broadband EV-DO network, the Moto Q brings together all of the converged solutions you need to work, stay in touch or have fun."

From May 31st onwards, the Moto Q can be bought from verizon's site and it will reach the stores by early June. "With the best voice, data and design technology in one ultra-thin, intelligent, hard-working device, the Moto Q allows you to be productive and entertained wherever you go," says Zander.

The new Moto Q will be priced at $199.99 with a $100 instant credit and a qualifying voice and data plan and two-year agreement.

Samsung launches flash based PCs

Samsung flash PCs use NAND flash instead of traditional hard disks.

Samsung is all se to rewrite history with the launch of the world's first flash based PCs. Samsung flash PCs use NAND flas instead of traditional hard disks. Samsung has announced a PC and a laptop which uses the flash memories.

The Q1-SSD is an Ultra Mobile PC which comes with a 32-GB flash based solid state disks (SSD). The Q30-SSD is a 12.2-inch laptop which comes in the same configurations. Since they have no moving parts, the performance offered by SSDs are something which the hard drives cannot dream about.

The SSD can read 300 percent more quickly than a normal drive at 53 MB/s. It can write 150 percent faster at 28MB/s. Samsung had recently launched a hybrid hard drive with flash on it. The SSD also weighs a bit lower than the normal hard drive and it can also boot Windows XP at 25 to 50 percent faster than traditional hard drives. Since they do not spin, there is no sound also.

The only thing that goes in favor of normal hard drives is their price. Q1-SSD costs about $2430 and Q30-SSD costs about $ 3700. Though the analysts are excited about the technological advances they offer, they are not too happy about the price and the lighter capacity. Since a major percent of the total drives that are sold today are of high capacity, it can go against the SSDs.

Other PC manufacturers are also anxiously looking at this new piece of tech. Meanwhile Sony has already announced that it will include an SSD in its new UX50 portable PC. The Samsung PCs are expected to be available in korea by June.

Apple and Nike to sell iPod shoes

Nike Air Max Moto+ amd Air Zoom Moire will be able to communicate to iPod.

Apple and Nike have signed a deal which targets both iPod users and Nike runners. Using the iPod you would be able to understand the data collected by your Nike shoes. So far, the only thing iPod was meant for was - music. Now, your iPod is your coach and your personal trainer.

You require two things other than your shoes and nano. A small in-shoe sensor and an iPod receiver. The sensor is 0.23 ounce and the receiver is 0.12 ounce, which can be connected to the iPod.

The prices for the Nike+iPod compatible shoes start from US$85 (Air Max Moto+, available 1 June) to US$130 (Air Zoom Moire, 13 July). The shoe sensor and the receiver are part of a Nike+iPod sport sit, which comes at a price of US$ 30.

Using the iPod+Nike combination, you would be able to get information on time, distance, calories burned and pace. These data can then be stored in the iPod. Well, if you want real time stats, then turn on your iPod and the information can be displayed on screen. Or else, you can hear it through your earphones. We can transfer the stored data to a Mac too. The signal used is a 2.3 GHz signal to transfer information between the shoe and the iPod.

Emsydel launches LPG safety device from Innotek, USA

Innotek Corp. has tied up with Emsydel-Myageri to manufacture and distribute LPG safety devices in India.

American LPG safety device manufacturer, Innotek Corp., has tied up with Bangalore-based Emsydel-Myageri Electronics Pvt. Ltd.to manufacture and distribute a proprietary Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) safety device, in India.

The company will launch two models. The first is a portable safety device that gives an audible alarm when it detects a dangerous level of gas leakage. It is handheld and is activated at the push of a button. It shuts off when not in use, to conserve battery. The battery can last up to 8 hours of continuous use.

The second, is a fixed gas alarm device that is akin to an industry standard smoke detector. The fixed safety device also gives an audible alarm when it detects a dangerous level of gas leakage. Unlike the first model, this device is always active. It is connected to the standard 230V AC outlet.

The alarm is designed to alert users to the presence of gas leaks much before they reach dangerous levels. The gas alarm monitors the air continuously for the presence of radon, butane, propane and natural gas. If detected, the alarm sounds until the gas is no longer present, allowing enough time for immediate ventilation and evacuation of the affected area.

Emsydel-Myageri has a capacity to make 2000 units per day and will expand this depending on the need. Mr.Giridhar Myageri, the managing director of the company, said the company has started marketing and sales operations and expects to finalize the manufacturing operational details and begin manufacturing by October 2006. According to Suresh Doraiswamy, the executive director of the company, the two models will be launched across the country in in May 2006. The prices of the two models will be at par with US prices.

Innotek Corp., have been in the safety business since 1997 and were the first to introduce handheld LPG safety devices in the world. This is the first time that the company is making a foray outside America.

The reasons for the keen interest in India is the 30-million domestic LPG user base in India as well as the potential to outsource manufacturing, given its traditional manufacturing strength, engineering skills, the ability to produce quality goods, and the ability throw up all this in required numbers.

Qualcomm's UBM chip to suport SVB-H, ISDB-T and its own FLO

UBM chip from Qualcomm to support multiple standards.

Qualcomm has announced a chip that supports world's three leading industry standards. The single chip universal broadcast modem will support Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld (DVB-H), one-segment Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting - Terrestrial (ISDB-T) and its own FLO technology. These three are the world's leading mobile broadcast standards.

This chip will act as a platform through which the mobile phone manufacturing companies can meet different standards. Although the new UBM is made as a close companion of Qualcomm's Mobile Station Modem (MSM) baseband chipsets, it can be made compatible with other products too.

The UBM allows transmission across the full UHF bandwidth, 470MHz to 862MHz using 5, 6, 7 or 8MHz channels. It will also work with single and multi frequency networks. Though the UBM will support these transmission techniques, it wont support the 3GPP's Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) which will be available both for GSM/EDGE and WCDMA. It is expected that Mobile TV based services based on MBMS would be available by 2008.

The UBM chip is compatible with CDMA2000 and WCDMA/UMTS equipments. The chip will be available for sale by the first quarter of 2007.

MobiBlu B153 music player

The MobiBlu player will have a 153 hour playback capability.

MobiBlu has released its B153 flash based music player with a 153 hour playback. As the name suggests, it comes with an amazing 153 hour MP3 playback facility. MobiBlu is available in different models - 512MB (white, $89), 1GB (black, $100), and 2GB (black, $130) capacities.

The MobiBlu B153 features a two colour LCD display and weighs 2. 3 ounce. It includes a small joystick which can be five way navigated. It also features a headphone jack and a lanyard loop. There is a proprietary USB port too.

This MP3 player does not offer video or photo playbacks. The player comes preloaded with a podcast ready software. The B153 offers compatibility with Windows PCs and Macs. It comes with a built-in FM radio and a voice recorder. The other major features include an SRS Wow sound enhancement effects, a lyrics reader, and line-in recording.

The MobiBlu B153 supports both MP3 and WMA files. The player boasts off its battery life, which is almost 3 times than its competitor. The major competitors that the MobiBlu will have to face in the market are Apple iPod and Cowon iAudio.

BT Glide Bluetooth Cordless Home Phone

BT Glide Bluetooth phone to help connect PDAs, PCs, mobiles and handsets.

The BT Glide is a cordless phone which uses Bluetooth to connect various other communication devices in your home. The BT Glide can be synchronized with the home phone in order to keep the phones up to date. A vast range of devices can be connected with the BT Glide including PDAs, PCs, mobiles and headsets.

The phone comes in a slide action fashion. Almost all the features that come with an ordinary mobile phone are included in this phone. It includes a 200 name and number directory and integrated answer machine. If we want, we can synchronize the phonebook with our Bluetooth mobile.

The BT Glide has a 5 level volume adjustment options. It also includes 15 ringtone melodies to choose from. the dialled calls memory will save up to 20 last dialled numbers. It can also save up to 50 received and missed calls list.

The answering system includes call screening, indefinite back-up of messages and private playback via handset. It features a handset locator and call transfer facility. This phone is priced at £199.99.

Alcatel OT E260 mobile phone

Middle of the road OT E260 slider mobile phone from Alcatel.

Alcatel has uncovered the first slider mobile phone from the company. Combining style and elegance, this phone is not for the high-end user since its lacks the features that the high-end phones usually do.

Coming in a 87 x 45 x 26 mm dimension, the OT E260 is pretty handy when it comes to functionalities. It weighs just 77 grams. The camera feature is omitted to make the E260 more affordable and more fashionable. The colour display is pretty good and it offers 102 x 80 pixels resolution. There are a range of 16 polyphonic ringones to choose from.

The multimedia features are missing from this product from Alcatel. It does not have a camera, video recorder or a music player. The usual basic features like alarm clock, calculator, calendar, Currency converter, Date and time notation, Games and Phonebook with groups are included in this mobile phone.

The Alcatel OT E260 offers a talk time of 600 minutes. There is no GPRS, EDGE or 3G technologies available with this phone. There are no card slots or Bluetooth facility. It does not have WLAN or USB ports. The phone offers a stand-by time of 270 hour and the battery used is Li-Ion 650 mAh Standard battery. The pricing of the product is not known.

Rumors about iPod gaming

iPod games and gaming soon? Web and blogs gossip about new Apple iPod gaming rumor.

Only weeks after Steve Jobs said that Apple will market new products every year in the market, the rumors are again spreading. This time it is Apple iPod gaming. It is heard that iPods are going to get some real hi-fi gaming action. The bloggers have already started to play with the new idea, coming up with their own takes on the rumor.

Bloggers say the news is coming out from an a hotshot gaming software engineer, a software engineer recruiter and an Apple recruiter. The coders are turning down offers from other firms, supposedly because they are being hired by Apple in large numbers.

Another fact which adds more fuel to the fire is that, Mike Lampell, an Apple hiring manager, is hiring software professionals with skills in C/C++. The professionals are also required to have a "gaming background". As this project is also a super secret as all other projects by Apple, no official word on the iPod gaming is out yet.

Sony VAIO VGC-VA1 PC Desktop

With a price of £1,337.00 - £1,435.00 the VAIO VGC VA1 is a heavy.

Sony has launched its all new Vaio VA1 desktop PC. This is an all in one system which includes a top specification PC, television, DVD player and hi-fi system. It also includes a wireless keyboard, mouse and remote control.

The new Sony Vaio PC runs Windows XP Media Center edition. The LCD panel is 20 inch and is pretty big. It comes in a 16.9 aspect ratio and X-black technology. The PC has an Intel Pentium D 820 processor and analog and digital TV tuners.

The VGC-VA1 desktop PC comes with a dual layer DVD+/-RW drive which can record up to four hours of TV. Windows XP Media Center means that you can record shows and watch later. It uses Intel 856GV chipset and the installed memory is 1GB DDR2 SDRAM. The 20 inch flat panel inch LCD makes it a pleasure watching movies.

The bus speed is 800 MHz and the RAM memory can be extended up to 2 GB. It has a 4 x 184 Pin DIMMs memory slots. The infrared remote control for use with the Media Center is quite easy to use and is not that heavy. The hard drive offers capacity up to 250 GB and the hard drive interface used is Serial ATA.

For networking, Sony Vaio VGC-VA1 employs Integrated 10/100 Network Card and also integrated wireless LAN. It supports Ethernet , Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g protocols. The price range of this high-end product from Sony is £1,337.00 - £1,435.00.

Microsoft releases Wireless Desktop for Mac and mouse

Wilress Desktop for Mac keyboard and mouse are compatible with Powerpc and Intel Macs.

Microsoft is planning to release its first keyboard - Wireless Desktop for Mac (WDM) - and mouse for Macs. The price is estimated to be $99.95. The products are expected to be released by this summer.

The WDM (Wireless Desktop for Mac) will be the first product from Microsoft specially for Macs and the first keyboard which will not have the Windows Start button. The keyboard layout will be such that it will be compatile both with Apple's Power-PC based and Intel based Macs.

Analysts see this move from Microsoft as a part of extending their businesses. Says Matt Surgent of Current Analysis, "That segment of the Mac market tends to be very lucrative. Mac users spend more than Windows PC users on these kind of peripherals."

This latest mouse from Microsoft will feature its Intelligent Tracking System which is specifically designed to track smoothly without interruptions or skipping over variety of surfaces. The mouse will also have a Tilt Wheel for better navigation when it is on use among documents and spreadsheets.

Another feature of this Wireless Desktop for Mac keyboard is the "My favourite keys" feature, a set of ive keys that can be configured for launching favourite photos, folders, files and Web pages. It also includes an Eject key for the ejection of CDs and DVDs. The Wireless Desktop for Mac keyboard also features Hot Keys for immediate access to e--mail, chat, music, photos and the Web.

The keyboard is a stylish Comfort Curve keyboard and the mouse is a wireless High Definition mouse. A futuristic silver finish is also provided to give it a Mac compatible look. Using the zoom slider feature, users can zoom in to a particular spot and get a better look. The Wireless Desktop for Mac keyboard will feature Hot Keys to have access to Mac programs such as iTunes and iPhoto.

Fujifilm FinePix Z3 Zoom camera

The FinePix Z3 Zoom camera offers 5.1 megapixels.

Fujifilm has launched the FinePix Z3 zoom camera which features 5.1 million pixels and a 36-108mm lens. The camera is released as a marginal update to the Z2 and the upgrades include a Intelligent-Flash mode and 2.5 inch screen with high resolution.

The FinePix Z3 will be available in three colors- silver, metallic blue and light pink. The colors suggest that the product is targeted at ladies. The Z3 comes as the extension of the 3rd generation Z series. The features of FinePix Z3 include Super CCD and Real Photo processor II.

The Z3 offers high sensitivity of up to ISO1600 with minimum noise and a faster shutter speed which is more thann the conventional cameras. The Intelligent Flash system helps us to get a clear picture woith better backgrounds. The Dual shooting mode shoots two pictures at a time, one with flash and another without flash, thus giving the users the unique choice of selectin between the two pictures.

The Real Photo processor II reduces the noise to the maximum by enhance double noise reduction. The antiblur button helps to serve high shutter speed thus minimising the number of blurry images. The FInePix Z3 sports a non-extending refractive zoom lens with 3x optical zoom.

The Fujfilm camera comes wrapped in a monocoque rear shell and features continuous shooting mode.The FinePix Z3 has a 10MB internal memory. The camera is also PictBridge compatible for direct printing.

Toshiba HD-XA1 and HD A1 HD DVD player

Almost nine years after the release of DVD, another format HD DVD is making news. The new HD DVD players from Toshiba offer a transfer rate of 35.5 mbps and advanced codecs, which includes VC-1 and H.264. The first models are manufactured by Toshiba, the HD-A1 ($499) and HD-XA1 ($799).

The performance of both the models are the same, but the HD XA model comes with a better enclosure, a motorized door, RS-232, and a backlit remote. The application-specific home theater PC has a 2.5-gigahertz Pentium 4 processor and 1 GB RAM. It is expected that the future models will have a application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The HD XA-1 can play both DVDs and HD DVDs.

Though the layout of the buttons on the remote control is a bit odd, the overall appearance is good. The remote control is backlit and has a motion sensitive lamp activation. The audio formats supported by the pr

DiamondTouch tabletop PC from Mitsubishi

Multi-user touchscreen tabletop computer interface from Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi has unveiled a hi-tech tabletop which enables group collaboration and gives you the freedom to make your moves by gesture control. Named the DiamondTouch, it features multi-user, touch and gesture activated screen for communicating among a small group of people.

The DiamondTouch is a screen on the top of a table. There is an electric discharge flowing through the chairs and so the users can use their fingers to make and manipulate projected virtual objects. The equipment will understand whose fingers do what and depending on that, it takes apropriate action.

Mitsubishi believes that the DiamondTouch will be a good tool for games, for governments and education, and in every field where people wants to communicate regularly, says Masakazu Furuichi, chief engineer, Mitsubishi.

Though the price of this tabletop is a bit high- almost $10,000, considering the possibilities that it can be used for, its not that high." It's a futuristic way to use a computer without a keyboard or a mouse. It's simple to use for everybody, including older people and others who aren't very used to handling computers."

The DiamondToucc includes a 42-inch panel and it is housed in a 47-inch tabletop. The DiamondTouch also includes antennas and touch sensors, and all these things are embedded into the tabletop. The users can maintain eyecontact while interacting with the display. A unique electric current passes through each of the person sitting near the table and the system identifies each current passing through each person.The signals are then connected to a computer which in turn shows the table in diferent colours.

The prices is a bit high and the DiamondTouch is available only through order.

Scientist from southern India thinks red rain contains extraterrestrial bacteria

Dr Godfrey Louis believes the red rain contained microbes from outer space which lacked DNA.

In the summer of 2001 in Kerala, South India, a red colored rain, aptly named the "blood rain" caught the attention of scientists and common people alike. Several theories followed after the blood rain and several people did many tests to find out what exactly the red colored matter was. Now someone has come out with a theory about the blood rain, which is intriguing, precise and it has already started to get noticed.

Dr. Godfrey Louis, a scientist of the Mahatma Gandhi university in Kerala, South India has published a paper in the Astrophysics and Space Science journal in which he states that the red-colored matter contained in the rain was microbes from outer space. He has discovered cell-like structures of about 10 micron size and are thick-walled and red-tinted. His further experiments suggest that the particles may lack DNA and are still able to reproduce.

Dr Godfrey Louis' theory is that the particles contain extraterrestrial bacteria from outer space which have adapted to the conditions of space. He also says the particles might have traveled through the space and then the atmosphere on a comet or a meteorite. The comet or meteorite might have broken down into pieces above India, and merged with the rain clouds that rained over Kerala.

If Godfrey Louis' theory is proved correct, then this could be the first substantial evidence that aliens exist in this universe. This may also lead to clues about how life on earth began. To prove his theory is correct, Louis sent some particles to astronomer Chandra Wickramasinghe and his colleagues at Cardiff University in Wales. They are now conducting experiments to replicate the particles.

Though several theories have been around regarding the origin of red particles, the lack of DNA could well add some strength to the new theory. Life as we know it on earth contains DNA. No DNA, no life. However, if the cells are living and are able to reproduce without a DNA as Dr Godfrey Louis believes, our entire concept of life would have to be reworked.

Gryphon parachute system for military

The Gryphon is a glider parachute system that paragliders will die for.

A new parachute system called known as Gryphon has been developed by Germany based ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Dräger. This is specifically targeted for military use. From a plane, the parachutists can be dropped near the landing zone, almost 40 kms away. The parachutist can then glide silently towards the landing zone, unnoticeably and thus can be saved from the eyes of any radar on the ground.

The Gryphon system equipment is so strong that the parachute can carry almost 100 kg of equipment together with him. The companies are planning to include a jet for better take offs and landings. The Gryphon can also be considered as a personal flight system, if the facilities to go straight up in the air is not easy to get.

The addition of new jumbo turbo jets are considered to be the next step in moving Gryphon parachute models forward. The companies have already started working on that and one can expect the times when we can stretch our wings and go gliding through the skies are not far.

Accupix DMB glass works with PSP

The Accupix DMB glasses gives you a huge screen and offers compatibility with media players and DMB phones.

Accupix has announced its DMB glass which gives you the freedom to watch a 30 inch screen 2 meters away. The FMB glass offers good compatibility with portable media players and DMB phones. The most interesting thing is the compaibility with Sony PlayStation (PSP).

The Accupix DMB glass can be used with your glasses, if necessary. With the introduction of new technologies such as WiBro and DMB, the demand has seen a steep rise for such devices.

Hanil Ko, CEO, Accupix says that it decreases the fatigue caused to our eyes when we watch a small screen for quite a long time. Accupix will launch a new model of the DMB which gives us the experience of a 47" VGA screen.

The battery included in the glass is Lithium Ion battery and offers 6 viewing hours. Weighing 95 grams, the dimensions of the Accupix DMB glass are 175 x 64 x 72mm. The pricing of the glass is yet to be announced.

Sony Alpha DSLR-A1000

The Alpha DSLR A1000 is Sony's first professional digital SLR camera.

Sony has launched its new high-end ALPHA DSLR-A1000 for professional photographers. The 10 mega pixel DSLR camera offers Image stabilization and anti-dust technology. The DSLR-A1000 comes with a 2.5 inch LCD screen and features eye start auto focusing.

The Alpha DSLR-A1000 has a 9 point auto selection and has 3 frames per second burst mode. The pricing is fixed at $ 999.95 USD together with the new 18-70mm lens.

The 18-70mm lens comes included with the camera. The lens is best suited for snapshots, portraits and interiors. The high-end features from Sony such as high-sensitivity shooting with Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization and dynamic range optimizer are included in this DSLR. The dynamic range optimizer feature helps to give more detail in pictures particularly in the dark and bright areas.

The anti-dust technology will keep the CCD imager clean so that better and more high quality pictures can be taken. The eye start auto focus system will help the users to get better camera response. The Sony Alpha DSLR-A1000 comes with Minolta's SLR technology. Auto focus and anti-shake techniques are included in the camera for getting high-resolution pictures thus minimizing the number of blurred pictures.

The lens featured in the camera is a Carl Zeiss lens. The processor is a Bionz Image Processor, which is equipped for higher responses. The camera offers a wide range of shooting conditions in different modes such as Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Exposure Compensation modes.

Uranium jeans displays messages over Uranus

French brand Uranium Jeans has created jeans which displays scrolling text messages on the backside.

Sorry about the headline. Better we write it before someone else does it.

We have all been unaware of this particular beand of jeans. Uranium? Means, are there uranium mines, and these are jeans which workers in such uranium mines would wear? We have no idea.

Anyway what we have here is jeans that have 'embedded flexible micro screens'. I suppose it means that even if you sit on Uranus (sorry!), the micro screens are not going to break. These micro screens in Uranium jeans will display scrolling text messages on the backside. Those customers who buy these jeans with screens will be able to download, we suppose, smart-alecky comments from the Uranium jeans website, or alternatively, display text messages using SMS from their mobile phones.

French are known for their taste. Whatever got them into something like this? We have heard that Uranium jeans with these display messaging capability will be available for US $ 300 in the US of A, though we can't be sure on that.

Who would the potential customers be? I can instantly think of traffic policemen with 'STOP' messages on their backsides, but cops don't wear jeans. Perhaps a Gwen Stefanie fan, with her refrain 'this my **it' over her Uranus? Possibilities, possibilities!

New iPod U2 from Apple

Another year, another U2 iPod from Apple.

A new model of the U2 iPod is in the market, which gives you 10 more gigabytes of space at a low price. The new update of the U2 iPod was launched by Apple on Tuesday.

While the earlier U2 iPod offered a capacity of 20GB for the special edition it was priced at $349. It was launched in 2004 and could carry 5000 songs. The new update to the U2 iPod can carry almost 7500 songs at a price of $329. The new U2 iPod will display video and photographs.

An offer for the U2 fans from Apple is already in place. The U2 users can get 30 minutes of video from iTunes music store by using a coupon code and this can be redeemed electronically. There is not much difference in the design of the new iPod with the older one. The new case is made of black stainless steel and has a red click wheel.

Using the new iPod U2, podcasts can be downloaded to the device. this functionality was there in the older model too. Apple claims that the battery life of the new iPod is about 14 hours.

HP recalls Photosmart R707 digital camera due to faulty software

Burning cameras from HP!

Hewlett Packard has started to recall its Photosmart R707 digital camera because of an error in the software. The error can cause the camera to burst into flames when it is used with a non-rechargeable battery. Because of the error in the software the battery charging functions would not work properly, says Mercury News.

HP on Tuesday announced the recall of its software together with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. HP has sold almost 679,000 digital cameras of the type and of those, 224,000 have beed sold to U.S customers.

HP offers either a CD or a download to fix the problem along with the faulty software. The price of the camera is between $250 and $400. It was earlier thought that the cameras would work with non-rechargeable batteries , but the tests conducted later suggest that the canera can ignite when connected with non-rechargeable batteries.

The Duracell non-rechargeable CP-1 battery can cause the camera o burst into flames when it is connected with an AC charger or a docking station. An incident has been reported where a camera exploded while charging , but no harm was done to the user.

BlackBerry launches the 8707v

BlackBerry has launched the BlackBerry 8707v, its first 3G phone in the market. The 8707v comes as an extension of the 8700 series. The BlackBerry 8707v comes with support for UMTS 2100.

The "v" in the BlackBerry 8707v indicates that it is a Vodafone device. The new mobile phone from BlackBerry comes with a QWERTY keyboard. The cutting edge technologies like Bluetooth 2.0 and EDGE technologies are included in the phone.

The BlackBerry 8707v does not have Wi-fi facility and the memory is not expandable. The internal memory of the 8707v is 64MB of flash memory and 16MB dynamic RAM. The BlackBerry 8707v lacks an MP3 player and camera, a signal which indicates that the phone is mainly for the businessman on the fly.

The BlackBerry 8707v features a display of 320x240 pixel and includes a web browser and PIM functions. The other major features of the BlackBerry include standard internet email protocols and BlackBerry push email. The phone has support for files such as Microsoft Office, Corel WordPerfect and Adobe PDF files.

The download speed of the 8707v is quite good. The BlackBerry can be used as a modem and can be connected directly to your notebook. The price and the availability of the pone is not known.

iFire HDTVs lose weight and thickness

iFire debuts HDTVs at less than an inch thickness.

iFire, the HDTV manufacturer has announced its plans for making an HDTV that will set new standards for the usual HDTVs. The thin skinny HDTV from iFire makes use of a phosphor based flat panel technology. The new HDTV, iFire claims, would just be able to hang in the wall.

The new HDTV will be very thin, just .78inches and the panel will be a 37inch one. Unlike most HDTVs in the market today, iFire HDTV will be of just 2.2 pounds. For attaining this weightlessness, the company uses a technology called thick-film dialectric electroluminescent technology or TDEL. In this technology, most of the materials used would be lightweight and the glass used in the panel will be ultra thinner. The HDTV will feature fewer electronics than plasma.

The iFire HDTV will have no backlighting, like the one used in LCD monitors. The screen gets energy from a sheet of blue phosphor, which energizes fluorescent pigments that emit green or red light. The RGB (red, green and blue) video is attained by combining the blue with the green and red light.

When iFire starts the mass production of the HDTVs, the pricing of the model would be almost $300 per screen. iFire hopes to start the mass production of their low-weight HDTVs by next year.

Sony launches Vaio T laptop with digital TV tuner

New Sony Vaio T laptop debuts.

Sony has launched its new laptop, Sony Vaio T which comes with a digital TV tuner. The model has support for video recording also. The new model from Sony comes as an extension to the popular Vaio Series.

For maximum memory capacity, Sony has included a 80GB hard disk drive in the model. Using this memory up to 222 hours of programming can be done on the PC. The Sony Vaio T is powered by an Intel Core Solo U1400, U1400, U1300 or Celeron CPU at 1.06 Ghz. It offers 1. 5 GB of RAM.

Sony has included a hard drive protection system to prevent the damage caused by external shocks. The Sony Vaio T comes with a fingerprint sensor and Wireless LAN(a/b/g) functionality. The USB port used is USB 2.0 x 2. Bluetooth technology is inbuilt in the laptop for enhanced communication. FireWire and Ethernet support is also included i n the product. The other components that come with the product include a SD / MMC / Memory stick reader.

The monitor featured in the product is a 11.1 inch TFT with 1,366x768 resolution. The battery life of sony Vaio T is around 7 to 10 hours, but it also depend on the processor and RAM used. It also offers 4 hours of TV viewing.

The dimensions of the Sony Vaio T are 272x195×21 and it weighs 1.27 kg. The model will be available in the Japan market from June 24 onwards. The price of the model is 159,800 Yen ($ 1400).

Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu Ray player shipped to US

Samsung Electronics' Blue-ray optical disk player will be sold in the US for $999.99 starting June 25.

According to Samsung Electronics, it has shipped the industry's first Blue-ray optical disk player to the U.S. for sale starting June 25.

The BD-P1000, as the player is called, had been delayed because of incomplete testing. The product is aimed at customers interested in adding high-definition disks on their existing HDTVs.

The BD-P1000 plays Blu-ray software titles via a native 1,080p HDMI output for films digitally mastered in 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. It also upconverts conventional DVDs to 1,080p through the HDMI digital interface. As a result of which, DVD picture quality is more detailed when played by the disk player.

The BD-P1000 plays both standard DVDs and CDs, apart from existing DVD formats. There is a 10-in-2 multimemory card interface that supports all the major formats including Compact Flash, Secure Digital, XD Picture Card, and Memory Stick.

The BD-P1000 supports audio formats such as Dolby Digital & Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, MP3 and 192-KHz LPCM. The connectivity features include HDMI, Component, S-video, and composite outputs.

According to Samsung, the Blu-ray Disc spec is backed by Sony, Matsushita, Philips and Dell on the hardware side. Seven of the eight major movie studios, including Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and LionsGate Pictures support Blu-ray.

The BD-P1000 will be priced at $999.99.

Sony's Blu-ray to make debut next week

The much awaited new DVD format, the Blu-ray will make its debut next week. The hype around the new format has been for quite some time. The Blu-ray is expected to make a quiet debut next week, says the industry experts. The device launch has been delayed many times and consumer confusion is also said to be one of the reasons for its muted launch.

Sony has said that it will start to offer different titles in the Blu-ray format to retail from June 20 onwards. This is also the same day when Samsung's first Blu-ray DVD player and Sony's (SNE) own Blu-ray compatible VAIO PC comes to the market.

Other than Sony, Pioneer Corp has also delayed the launch of its Blu-ray DVD player till August. Sony has delayed its set-top Blu-ray DVD player from July to August. Pioneer Corp has also delayed the North American launch of its Blu-ray DVD player to June. It has also cut down its price from $1,800 to $1,500.

The main competitor for the Sony backed Blu-ray is the HD DVD from Toshiba. Both the formats are expected to increase the capacity of the current DVDs. The home video market around the world is expected to be worth $24 million.

Nokia introduces a new range of cellphones

Nokia 6151 3G phone, 6275 and 2875 CDMA phones introduced.

Nokia has unveiled their latest range of handsets. The range includes a 3G camera phone and two CDMA handsets. The model 6151, which is the 3G phone comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera. The CDMA phones are also equipped with camera and the models are 6275 and 2875. It includes an entry level camera phone which is the 1110i and the mid-range camera phone is the Nokia 6080 mobile.

Nokia has extended its managed services deal with Hutchisson Essar Ltd to five years, said Nokia.

The 3G camera phone from Nokia, the Nokia 6151, weighs 98 grams and offers a talk time of up to 4.5 hours and a stand-by time of up to 10 days. The Nokia 6151 will be available in a wide range of colours including black, pearl white, orange, light blue and lime green. The Nokia 6151 supports WCDMA 2100 and GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900 networks. The 3G pone comes with 30 MB of user memory and which can be expanded.

The Nokia 6151 also includes Music player, stereo FM radio and Visual Radio. The phone also has Push to Talk technology and is also equipped with Bluetooth technology.

The Nokia 6275/6275i phone has advanced features like Bluetooth and a 2 mega pixel camera with flash and video capture capability. The phone supports a 2 GB microSD memory card and features a digital music player. The formats supported by the phone include MP3, AAC and eAAC+. The Nokia 6275/6275i mobile phones from Nokia also features advanced features like an integrated FM radio, support for streaming audio and video content, and the ability to play back MP3 and eAAC+ "real music" ring tones.

The new Nokia 2875/2875i mobile phone from Nokia supports features which are designed to deliver maximum personalization. It supports MP3, AAC and eAAC+ formats. It also hs a state-of-the-art internet browser and supports video streaming support. It is equipped with an integrated FM radio allow for immediate access to audio, video and web-based entertainment and informational content.

T-Mobile launches Sidekick 3

T-Mobile Sidekick 3, the multi-function cell phone will be available for sale from June 28th onwards. The highly popular all-in-one mobile lets users to have e-mail on their cell phone and at the same time have instant messengers included.

Using the T-Mobile Sidekick 3, users can browse the net, receive and send e-mail and experience a wide variety of other services. Users can also chat through AOL, Yahoo and MSN messengers through the phone.

The new mobile, Sidekick 3, is much lighter and smaller than the eariler versions. The two major things that were missing in the earlier versions were the Bluetooth connectivity and MSN Messenger. Now T-Mobile has included both these in the new handset.

The Sidekick 2 also lacked MMS feature. But the new Sidekick 3 has also included that too in the new model. The Sidekick 3 also incorporates a built-in MP3 player. The mobile also comes with mini-SD card port that can support up to 2GB. It also comes with a 1.3 mega-pixel camera.

The charges for the Sidekick 3 are $350 with a one year contract and $300 with a 2 year contract .

Ace Motors of India launches battery powered electric bike

The Ace Motors electric motorcycle runs 200 km on a 6-8 hour charge.

Before you jump up and down, let's say that it is slow. It is electric, it uses a battery, the word bike is used interchangeably for motorcycle in India.. this little electric vehicle shoud ideally be called an electric moped.

Pune based Ace motors is the manufacturer of this e-bike and the majority of the components of this bike are imported from China.

The name 'bike' could make you think of substituting your 100-150 cc motorcycle with this. No such chance. You get an e-bike, which weighs 60 kg, takes 6-8 hours for a single charge that can take it up to 220 kms, and the maximum speed is 25 kilometer per hour. Isn't there some law in India that says that two wheelers not exceeding 25 kmph do not require the rider to have a license?

The price for the battery powered e-bike is Rs 26,250 ex showroom.

The e-bikes from Ace Motors weigh almost 60kg. The bike offers a load-carrying capacity of 100-140 kg. To cover a distance of 220 km, you need to charge the bike for 6 - 8 hours at 220 volts. A little disappontment for the speed buffs, the speed of the bike is only 25 km/hr.

“The e-bike is virtually maintenance free. It has no gears, no engine, no belt or chain drive, zero emission, no pollution, electronic start and accelerator, besides it is exempted from the Central Vehicles registration act by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and does not require any registration or license," says Kumar Raval, managing director, Ace Motors.

The partner of Ace Motors in this venture is Changtong E Bike Company Ltd from China. Both the companies plan o launch a series of bikes that are more powerful than the e-bikes in the future.

Plen - the Skateboarding robot

Plen is Bluetooth-enabled and and can turn a mean trick or two on a skateboard.

A robot which can be controlled by the Bluetooth of your mobile phone has gone on sale. The Skateboarding robot named Plen is now available in Japan.

Plen is a small robot with only 23cms height, but the flexibility of the robot is above average. The power for Plen comes from a 32 bit ARM7 CPU at 33MHz. The Plen contains 18 movable joints and thus offers a greater amount of flexibility.

Plen can be connected and controlled by the PC via a USB. But the good thing about Plen is that, it can be controlled by a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. The contents of the kit include a Lithum ion battery pack, charger and a USB cable to connect with the PC. A pair of Roller Skates are also included in the kit.

The battery is not so powerful, it saves power for just 25 minutes of walking time for Plen. The company is manufacturing only 50 quantities and the Plen is priced at 262,500 Yen for Japan.

Lipstick pepper spray for women

Another weapon to women' self protection arsenal.

At a time when women around the world are taking up arms against the 'stronger' sex, here is another weapon to add to your arsenal. The Lipstick Pepper spray helps the ladies in protect themselves from eve-teasing or even when they are attacked. Using the Lipstick Pepper spray, you can make a person helpless for 40 minutes.

For all those who are worried about self-protection, here is the perfect remedy. The Lipstick pepper spray looks like an ordinary lipstick, but contains a 10% concentrated pepper spray. All you have to do is remove the cap of the spray and aim it at the face of the nasty guy. The users can even spray the pepper spray from a distance of 6 to 10 meters.

The powerful pepper spray works by shutting the eyes and inflaming the respiratory tissues. This is enough to make you choke for the next 40 minutes, guys. The invisible UV marker helps the police to identify the attacker. The lipstick pepper spray is barely three inches long and none will notice the thing in your hand.

To get an appearance of the real lipstick, the spray is available in 5 different colours, red, silver, pink, blue and black. The lipstick pepper spray is quite cheap, it costs from $9.97 to $19.95.

Nike+ iPod sports kit goes on sale

Sales of the Nike+ iPod sports kit start today, Nike Air Zoom Moire+ and the Nike Air Zoom Plus+ by July end.

Nike and Apple has officially announced the launch of Nike+ iPod sport kit from today. This brings together the world of music and sport for the high-end fans. The sports kit marks the first product developed jointly by the companies.

The Nike+ iPod sports kit allows the user to communicate between the iPod Nano and the Nike+ footwear using a sensor fitted in the Nike+ footwear. A receiver is attached with the iPod Nano to receive the data sent from the Nike+ footwear.

Using the Nike+ iPod sports kit, will user will get to know the distance he has run, the amount of calories burnt and the data about speed. The user will receive audible updates about all these data throughout his run.

By the end of July, Nike is also expected to sell Nike Air Zoom Moire+ and the Nike Air Zoom Plus+. These will be the first of the six models compatible with the Nike+ iPod sports kit.

The Nike+ iPod sports kit is priced at $29 for retail. All Nike+ enabled footwear will cost $80-$100 for retail.

Finger mouse from LG

After the Mighty mouse from Apple, it is the turn of LG to introduce a new state-of-the-art mouse. And they have done just that with the new LG Finger mouse.

The size of the LG Finger mouse is very small and is of the size of your finger. The finger mouse is optical and looks pretty good. The good thing about the LG Finger mouse is that it has a dual action button on the mouse.

The dual action button serves the dual purpose of both the left mouse button and the right mouse button. The top part of the dual action button functions as a left mouse button and the bottom part of the button functions as a right mouse button.

The right side of the Finger mouse is fitted with a tiny scroll wheel to scroll through the pages. The scroll wheel is fitted on the right side if the finger mouse. The pricing and availability of the LG Finger mouse is unavailable.

The Room Defender/ Room Blaster

Another interesting robot defender makes its debut.

For those who thinks that their security or privacy is at risk, here is the perfect robot that you can fulfill you wishes. The robot always keep an eye on your room and if any any intruder tries to invade its territory, then the robot will attack the intruder. The name of the robot is Room Defender and the robot keeps your bedroom safe from prying eyes.

All you need to secure privacy is that, keep the Room Defender such that it points to the door of your room. The Room Defender will stay there waiting anxiously for its prey. The robot is armed with motion sensors to sense any suspicious move.

As soon as the Room Defender detects some movements, the robot blasts the intruder with a salvo of 16 foam disks. But dont worry , the attack os not at all lethal. Considering the fact that the intruder can be your son or father, there are different modes of attack to determine the intensity of the attack. The modes are Target, Ambush, Warning and Assault.

The Room Blaster/ Room Defender is priced at £24 ($ 45).

Keyboards and mouse with Superman Returns themes

For all those Superman fans, who miss their favourite flying hero even when they are on their PC, here is the perfect remedy. Superman Returns themed keyboard and mouse have gone on sale.

The Superman Returns themed keyboard and mouse are the only officially licensed keyboard and mouse available now. The keyboard and the mouse are not contained in a single package, both are sold separately. The Superman Returns themed keyboard and mouse are available in a wide range of colours.

The Superman Returns themed keyboards are available for pre-order at the moment. The USB scroll mouse has a 3 button feature and also has an 800dpi optical sensor. The keyboard can also be connected via the USB. Special hot keys for instant accessing of the Internet are also provided.

The Superman Returns themed keyboard and mouse are priced at $ 39.95 and $ 32.95 respectively.

Spybot from MacroSwiss has flapper wheels to go anywhere

MacroSwiss has released its new Spybot, the new robot. The Spybot weighs only 6kgs or 13lbs. The Spybot can do a number of things that the other robots cannot and can go a lot of places where the other robots cannot.

The macroSwiss Spybot uses its "Flapper Wheels" to go places. Though the mechanism looks a bit absurd , the thing is really capable of doing some amazing things.

Some of the amazing that the Spybot can perform are climbing 45 degree slopes, going down the stairs and be tossed up to 30 feet. The paddle like wheels of the Spybot helps it to go through water. The Spybot is also able to handle quite a handful of payload.

The pricing and availability of the Spybot is not known.

Panasonic announces the PZ600 range of HDTVs in Japan

The Panasonic Viera PZ600 range of HDTVs are all set to make their debut in Japan. The highlight of the PZ600 HDTV range is the huge 103inch Plasma TV from Panasonic.

The TH-103PZ600, the 103 inch Plasma TV from Panasonic, is expected to take TV viewing to the next level with its high quality technnology and viewing features. The Panasonic PZ600 range of HDTVs will have models of 50", 58" 65" and 103" sizes.

All the models in the Panasonic PZ600 series will have 1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 image ratio and 4000:1 contrast ratio. The models will also feature 16 bit image processing and an Analog/Digital tuner.

The 103 inch TH-103PZ600 plasma TV will be available in Japan from September 1st onwards and is priced at 6000,000 ($ 51,000). Panasonic will manufacture almost 50 units of the giant TH-103PZ600 plasma TVs.

The other models in the PZ600 range are priced at 690,000 ($ 5800) for TH-50PZ600 - 50" , 56" for 850,000 ($ 7200) and 65" for 990,000 ($ 5400).

The Dewey Weber Twin motor skateboard

Here is a skateboard which offers you just amazing power. The Dewey Weber Twin motor skateboard has a variable high speed torque and has a 400 watt electric motor. The motor helps you attain a speed of 20mph in just 4 seconds.

There are two electric motors which are fitted at the front and reat if the Dewey Weber skateboard for pushing and pulling. The wheels of the skateboard are 4 inch thick and hence, offers a high degree of stability.

The Dewey Weber Twin Motor Skateboard also comes with a Cable Connected remote control gun for reliable, precise, power and braking without interferance. Almost 12 -15 miles can be achieved after a single recharge.

The Dewey Weber Twin Motor Skateboard is priced at $ 559.

The Gizmodiva toys

It is heard that women like impractical and useless gifts. But yes, here are some gifts which will surely get the attention of the women and they are not so useless too.

The Smoy Photo Cuffs, is a photo frame which lets us save the photo of our loved ones in a cute tiny frame. The Smoy Photo Cuffs is a true piece of art and the creativity is just awesome.

The DoCoMo Foma P702iF is a cell phone which is highly feminine. the cell phone is flesh coloured and has features like a recipe book and a cooking timer. FireJewel, is a futuristic evening jewellery which defies the night and which looks astonishingly beautiful.

Logitech launches QuickCam Ultra webcam

Logitech has unveiled a high-end webcam which promises ultra quality images. the Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision offers double quality images to that of a typical webcam, thereby offering a true-to-life video calling experience.

The Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision comes with a large, glass lens with a low f-stop setting. The precision-engineered glass lens increases the amount of light entering the lens, thus producing high quality sharp images.

The Ultra Vision features a 1.3 mega-pixel sensor and has support for HD ( high-definition) video format. This facility allows the user to shoot video clips and watch the entertainment on a big screen. A unique technology which hepls the camera to adapt the camera's settings based on the environment, is used in the Logitech webcam.

The Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision is priced at $ 129 and will go on sale in the U.S and Europe.

Sony launches TAV-L1 LCD TV and home theater system

Sony has released the TAV-L1 LCD TV and Sony's Home theater system. The all-in-one home theater system features an HDTV and the other components of the home theater system.

The Sony home theater system features a motorized audio unit which slides down automatically , just with a button push and reveals the 32 inch flat-panel HDTV. The Sony TAV-L1 LCD TV and Home Theatre system incorporates a drive which can read DVD/CD/SACD and two powerful subwoofers to cancel the vibration.


Sony TAV-L1 LCD TV and Home Theatre system also feature Sony's S-Master digital amplifier, and Sony's S-Force Pro virtual surround sound processing for realistic surround sound without rear speakers. The unit comes with a pre-programmed remote control and Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II and dts processing. The unit also has an HDMI input.

The Sony TAV-L1 LCD TV is priced at $4,000 and will be available from August onwards. From September onwards, optional speaker grills will also be available in several colours such as warm gray, burgundy, green, metallic orange and silver. The grills are priced at $100.

Kenguru car for the disabled

A new car for the physically disabled has been produced in Hungary under the name Kenguru. The car, which is specially designed for the disabled, is quite stylish and offers a lot of easiness for the wheelchair user. The Kenguru car is electric powered and is quite small in size.

The car provides a new mode of local transportation for those who have to go to hospitals or other places regularly. There is no front seat in the car, instead there is a specially designed space for the person in the wheel chair. The person in the wheelchair just need to roll down to the position and the wheelchair gets locked up automatically.

The car's controls can be easily reached from the position and the controls are centered on a joystick. The main objective of the designer of Kenguru was to make a vehicle for the disabled persons, one that offers minimal maintenance and reliable operation.

Once fully charged, the Kenguru can travel up to 60 kilometers or 35 miles. Since this car specifically aims at the market for the disabled, the speeds are not very high. It can go up to 40 km/hr.

The Kenguru was a nominee for the 2005 INDEX design award in the "Community" category . The price of the Kenguru is $ 12,500 in Hungary and the car is also available as free with healthcare if the person qualifies for it.

Toshiba to launch RD-A1, the world's first HD DVD recorder

Toshiba has announched the launch of its first HD DVD recorder, the RD-A1, in Japan.

Toshiba has announced that it will launch the first high-definition optical HD DVD recorder on July 14, in Japan. Called RD-A1, the recorder will provide a 1-terabyte hard disk and two TV tuners for digital and analog. The RD-A1 can record two programs at the same time. In March, Toshiba has launched the first HD DVD player.

The RD-A1 provides support for recording to 15 GB-single layer and 30GB dual-layer HD DVD-R discs, that can store HD material for up to 115 minutes and 230 minutes, respectively.

Apart from HD-DVD, the RD-A1 supports DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW formats.

The RD-A1 outputs images via the digital HDMI connection at 1080p resolution and provides Internet connectivity via Toshiba's Net de Navi software. It enables existing DVD titles to be converted to HD resolution. The RD-A1 supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD codecs.

You can control the RD-A1 remotely through e-mail over the Internet or by using an online electronic programming guide.

Recently, Sony and Samsung launched the rival Blu-ray format in the US. Toshiba's high-defintion HD DVD optical disc technology competes with the Blu-ray format. Right now a full-scale war between the two formats is being played out, with no unified format that can be used. In both the formats, the core is blue lasers that have a shorter wavelength than the red lasers that are usually used in DVDs. The shorter wavelength enables discs to store data at higher densities that is required for high-definition programmes.

The RD-A1 will be priced at 98,000 Yen in Japan or $3,466. As of now, Toshiba has no plans to sell the RD-A1 outside Japan. The company is looking at selling 10,000 units of RD-A1 by December. However, it will eventually look at the overseas market. Many feel that the product will definitely hit the US markets soon as there is a huge demand for the product.

Panasonic to launch DMP-BD10 Blu-Ray player

Panasonic will launch its first Blu-ray disc player together with a matching receiver and speaker system for home theatre fans. The new Blu-Ray player, DMP-BD10, will be a bit expensive. The player will be available at a price of $1,300 USD.

Panasonic has announced that the DMP-BD10 player, along with SA-XR700 receiver and SB-TP1000 speaker package will be available for sale from September onwards. The delay is expected to give Blu-Ray its first foot-hold in the market, since the Blu-Ray is an absolutely new technology.

The Blu-Ray movies from Sony are expected to reach the stands this week itself. The rival format of the Blu-Ray, the HD DVD had a better start ahead of Blu-Ray with some models from Toshiba going on sale. The company will sell only 10000 units for its launch.

Although the new models may bring a lot of exciting features, they are yet to make a strong impression among the common people. The reasons being stated are high cost and the shift to a completely new platform.

The Panasonic DMP-BD10 player comes with a 296MHz, 14bit video D/A converter with 4x oversampling for 1080i/720p output. The DMP-BD10 player is also backward-compatible, which means that the normal CDs and DVDs will work on the player. Using the Blu-Ray player from Panasonic , older movies can be upconverted to 1080p.

Reid Sullivan, Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company's Entertainment Group said, "Panasonic is proud to be a leader in the development of cutting edge Blu-ray technology, which is the most significant technological advance in home entertainment since the arrival of the DVD almost a decade ago."

Microsoft Ultimate keyboard pictures

As keyboards go, The Microsoft Ultimate Keyboard is pretty smart.

Microsoft has released the ultimate in keyboards with its all new Microsoft Ultimate Keyboard. Experts say that this is the most exciting keyboard after the release of Optimus Organic LED keyboard.

The Microsoft Ultimate keyboard is wireless and has rechargeable functionality. The Ultimate keyboard is backlit and has a swanky look to it. the Microsoft Ultimate keyboard comes with a matted black finish and is a pleasure to watch. The Ultimate keyboard also features a sleek design with authentic metal accents.

The most attractive thing about the Ultimate is that it offers an easy way for the user to charge both the keyboard and the mouse at one go. the Microsoft Ultimate keyboard also has ambient backlighting which can be adjusted to the room's lighting conditions. The keyboard has a proximity sensing functionality which turns the lights on, when a user approaches.

The wireless keyboard also features Bluetooth connectivity and can be used from a 30 foot range. So distance will not come in between with the all new Microsoft Ultimate keyboard. the price of the Ulitmate keyboard is not known at the moment. The keyboard will be released later in 2006.

Blue Bird launches BM-300 PDA

Blue bird has launched its new PDA, the T-DMB PDA. The PDA sports a slim and sleek design. The Blue Bird BM-300 looks similar to the LG Chocolate phone.

The processor is an Intel Bulverde CPU running at 520 MHz. The RAM used in BM-300 is 64 MB and the ROM is 128 MB. The display of this PDA has touchscreen functionality. The 2.8 inch wide touchscreen of the Blue Bird BM-300 supports a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels.

For the high-prifle users, the connectivity options provided are WLAN 802.11b/g, Bluetooth and USB. For further memory expansion, an SD card slot is provided.

The Blue Bird BM-300 uses Windows Mobile 5.0. As an add-on option, the support for car navigation is also added. The BM-300 is very slim when compared with other PDAs in the market.

But there is a bad news too. The PDA will initially available for the Koreans only. The Koreans may get this PDA by October 2006.

Panasonic 103V- world's largest HD Plasma TV

The world's largest HD Plasma TV is out for sale. The manufacturers of this TV giant is Panasonic USA. The Panasonic 103V inch Plasma TV was first showcased at CES in January. The TV had lot of curious onlookers to get a better look at the 103 inch wide screen Plasma TV.

The Panasonic 103V inch Plasma Tv supports a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and has a contrast ratio of 3000:1. The pixel pitch of Panasonic 103 inch plasma TV is 3.8".

The demand for large screen Plasmas are very high in the USA says Panasonic. Panasonic plans to produce 5000 of these giant Plasma displays every year. The manufacturing will be carried out in the factory at Amagasaki,Japan.

North America will get a majority of the shares, 50%. 20% will be sold in Europe and the rest goes to Asia and Japan. The pricing of Panasonic 103V is not available yet.

Maltron keyboard to increase efficiency

The Maltron keyboard is sure to take you by surprise. Even the look of it is a bit absurd. But dont get carried by the awkward look, because this keyboard promise to increase your typing efficiency by 20%. But since efficiency comes at a huge price, the Maltron keyboard is also a bit expensive.

In a normal keyboard, only 8 out of the 10 fingers are of use. But in Maltron keyboard, we can use all our fingers. So naturally, the efficiency increases. The Maltron keyboard also promises to prevent RSI( reprtitive stress injuries).

The Maltron keyboard contains a sophisticated key switch. These are the Cherry MX switches, which are known as the best switches in the world. A Cherry MX is capable of addressing 50 million strokes per key.

The Maltron keyboard promises to reduce the stress injuries caused to our fingers by activating the Cherry MX switches halway through the stroke. This lessens the pressue on the finger and inturn reduces the chance of RSI.

The Maltron keyboard can be connected to PS/2 and USB interfaces. the leyboard also works with PC's, Mac, Unix, and Linux computers. As said earlier, efficiency comes at a price as seen by the fact that the Maltron keyboard is priced at $ 490.

Axes launches the VP8360-B/100 PMP

A 100 GB media player for your music and movies!

The Axes Corporation has introduced a PMP for the media buffs to combat against the iPod video. The VP8360-B/100 boasts of an amazing 100GB of memory to store your favourite movies and music. The Axes PMP sports a 3.5 inch TFT LCD which supports a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.

The Axes VP8360-B/100 PMP supports a wide range of video formats such as AVI, MOV, MPEG-1 and MPEG-4. An additional feature to support Video recording via microphone and in line terminal is is also included in the PMP.

The PMP supports audio formats such as MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV. Other than the usual PMP functions, the Axes VP8360-B/100 can also made to work in conjunction with Compact Flash, Memory Stick Pro/Duo/Pro Duo, SD card, Mini SD cards, MMC and Micro drives.

Files can be copied to the hard disk first and can then be transferred to the memory card. Another feature of the Axes VP8360-B/100 is that it has an FM tuner with recording functionality.

The output from the PMP can be taken out and then can be viewed on a big TV screen. For this purpose, an additional TV out is also provided. The dimensions of the PMP are 72 x 135 x 23mm and it weighs just 236 grams. The Axes VP8360-B/100 PMP will go on sale in July in Japan for a price of 69,800 Yen ($ 610).

Samsung introduces VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H cleaning robots

Samsung Korea has intoduced vacuum robots that can clean your house. All you have to do is just pick up the phone and dial your homeline. The Roomba-like robot recognizes your voice and you can order the robots to clean up your dressing room, dining room or kitchen.

The cleaning robots from Samsung Korea, the VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H are intelligent robots that can work on their own. The VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H are designed by designer Zairo.

Unlike the other cleaning robots in the market, this one is really smart. In case, if you forget to charge the battery, the robot will charge the battery by itself if the battery level falls below 20%. The the VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H can go back to their charging point and recharge themselves.

Both the Samsung robots has voice recognition features, so that you can call your home and order the robots what to do.

At the moment, the Samsung VC-RS60 and VC-RS60H cleaning robots are available in Korea only. The robots are priced at 890,000 KRW ($ 945) for the VC-RS60. For the VC-RS60H, the price is fixed at 990,000 KRW ($ 1050) for premium model. If you are in the rest of the world, you might have to wait a while to buy one of these.

Robonova-1 robot from Hitec corporation

A robot which can do a lot of amazing things has been released by Hitec corporation. The Robonova-1 robot from Hitec, can walk,run, kick and can stand on one leg. The most interesting thing is that Robonova-1 will also dance for you.

The Robonova-1 is powered by 16 powerful servomotors and this robot will do several things that the ones in the market cannot do. The acrobatic maneuvers performed by the Robonova -1 is sure to take the owners by surprise.

The Robonova-1 can be made to lie down, turn a flip, do push-ups and the robot does all this with the press of a button on the wireless remote control. The Robonova-1 uses a rechargeable 5-cell NiMH battery, and with a 1 hour recharging the Robonova-1 will work for almost 45 minutes.

Along with the robot, the owner will also get some additional programming tools which can be installed on our PC and the Robonova-1 can be configured to do some additional movements and sequences. With the kit, we would also be able to add expandable features when they are available.

The Robonova-1 from Hitec corporation is priced at $1,199.95.

Nokia 330 GPS Auto Navigation Unit

Nokia enters European can navigation device market with Nokia 330 GPS.

The world's largest phone makers Nokia have decided to make their way into enter the booming European car-navigation market. For long the rumors were flying right left and center about the Nokia 330 dedicated navigation device, but now the company has come out clean and made an official announcement to release its 330 Auto Navigation device with preinstalled Europe-wide map data from Netherlands-based navigation firm Route 66. The Nokia 330 is capable of playing music and displaying photos and videos. This particular feature is also available on competitors GPS units. But it does not function as a phone. Reports suggest that it to be available in the fourth quarter, retailing for $456 (360 euros), excluding taxes.


The Nokia 330 looks pretty similar to many of the GPS devices on the market. But it lacks some features that other GPS units offer. Take the example of Navman GPS units, which comes with an inbuilt camera to take photos of your destination. This is done so that you can easily navigate back to the destination by image alone. Another feature which lacks and which comes a surprise is the non-availability of built-in Bluetooth. The built-in Bluetooth can be used as a speakerphone with your Bluetooth phone when driving around. It has an astounding memory of 2GB, pre-loaded with Europe-wide maps. The unit has 2D and 3D maps built-in. A brilliant day and night mode, which enables users to navigate easily at any time of the day. It also offers turn-by-turn navigation across countries coupled with clear spoken and on-screen directions as you’d expect from any competent GPS device today. A wide 3.5 inch touch screen LCD screen with a range of controls on the right hand side of the screen.

Nokia as face some stiff competition from some established players on market today. The likes of Navman, Garmin, TomTom, Mio and Road Angel have strong hold in the GPS units sold worldwide. Then there are also fringe players like Voxson, Uniden, Sony and LG. Not to mention other might be on their way too. Currently market leader Netherlands-based Tom Tom. Tom sells these GPS units for about $760 to $890, including taxes. For the time being Tom Tom do not have to worry much till 2007, but Nokia's entry in the navigation market does make them some handful problems to deal with. Nokia as plans to offer navigation on cell phones as well as standalone devices. To survive the stiff competition Nokia as to come out with something innovate and different. The prices are as good as everyone else. It has got its strategy in place and has clearly defined it as an opportunity. Not to forget the fact that Nokia sells tens of millions of mobile phones every year, more than Apple sells iPods. So there is a thin chance that they can not make into the GPS unit market and crack it.

Suzuki MIO wheel chair prototype is fuel-cell powered

The fuel cell uses methanol to power the wheelchair.

On Nov 6, 2006, Suzuki unveiled a wheel chair prototype powered by fuel cell technology by the name of MIO. This wheel chair uses methanol as fuel source. This small and compact wheelchair comes at 1200mm long, 650mm wide, and 1000mm tall. Designed to be swift, the tank has the capacity of 4 liters of fuel, which gives a ride of 25 mile (40 kms). Even though, the wheelchair runs on methanol, the large Li-on back up battery acts as a store and gives the boost till the time you re-fuel your wheelchair.

The designers of Suzuki MIO have taken care in terms of safety as well as comfort of the user. The wheelchair has armrests on both the sides, with handlebars designed for a full steering lock with minimal effort. The seats are comfortable and cozy with mesh type fabric who provides extra comfort and good aeration.

The people at Suzuki believe in future people would buy get into buying automobiles running on bio-diesel or something which is environment friendly for short distance travel for a couple of people. And that's where the MIO comes into picture. Besides being environment friendly, the MIO comes with a large LCD display, which shows fuel levels and power sources. This is a very useful tool, when you are left with no fuel and are let stranded at some distance from home.

The MIO is expecting response from the customers and as per reports the production of MIO would start only after the positive response it gets from the customers. Price of this funky looking wheelchair was not disclosed and will not disclosed till the time, the customers making a bee-line to buy the MIO.

Today, Suzuki Motor Corporation is one of the biggest automobile makers from Japan. The company was founded by Michio Suzuki in 1909 and its headquarters are located at Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. Suzuki's product lineup is huge and impressive right from small automobiles, motorcycles, and outboard motors to a variety of other products. The company has a foothold and production facilities in 22 countries around the globe. The company's motto is "value packed products" and develop that promote better living conditions and satisfy people's needs.

Transystem i-Blue 757 Bluetooth solar powered GPS

Transystem of Taiwan has introduced the i-Blue 757 Bluetooth solar powered GPS. The main feature of this GPS device is that it is GPS enabled too. The solar powered GPS device, together with its Bluetooth funstionality makes it a worth buy.

The Transystem i-Blue 757 Bluetooth solar powered GPS has a 16 channel Nemerix GPS receiver and an embedded rechargeable 1000mAh Li-Ion battery. The solar powered GPS device from Transystem can work up to 100 hours once it is fully charged in the Sun.

If we cant charge it in the Sun, then the inbuilt battery will work for up to 30 hours. There is a permanent Standby feature which will stay active even when there is no active connection.

The Transystem i-Blue 757 Bluetooth solar powered GPS comes alive when an active connection is established with your PocketPC or Smartphone or Notebook and it will get connected with the GPS receiver part. The pricing details of i-Blue 757 GPS device is not known yet.

Handheld germ-eliminating light

If you are truly careful about your health and getting rid of all the germs around you, then go for this one. The Germ-eliminating Handheld light looks much like a handset, but does something much more than that. This small piece of gadget keeps your environment free from germs and in turn helps you remain healthy.

The handheld germ eliminating light kills nearly 100% of all the bacteria in your surroundings, thus making it clean. It uses nanotechnology to do this.

Even bacteria such as E-coli and salmonella wont be able withstand this powerful handheld germ eliminating light. So far, this technology have been used mainly by hospitals to keep the surroundings germ-free, Now, it is coming to your home with the same aim.

All you need to do to have a germ-free environment is to keep this light ¼” to 4” away from the source and the device sucks all the bacteria that could be harmful to you.

Wii controlled USB missile launcher

The Nintendo Wii caught the attention of the gamers mainly because of the innovative remote. Now apart from gaming, here comes something serious. Here comes the USB missile launcher which can be controlled by the Wii remote.

The Wii remote controlled missile launcher can be used to aim distant objects with precision. The Wii controlled USB missile launcher uses Bluetooth technology to do this.

Using the Wii controlled missile launcher, we can aim, change direction and fire, thanks to the advanced Bluetooth technology.

Compass Smart Remote with Wi-Fi

The Compass Smart Remote catches the attention of the TV users with its greatest plus point, the Wi-Fi feature. All the essential components such as big-screen TV, cable box, DVD player and audio amplifier can be controlled with a single remote.

Also, we can receive automatic updates through the wireless networks and the same applies to RSS feeds. All these can be viewed on the mini screen. The user will also have the facility to get the latest on sports, weather and news provided by click365, on the Remote’s color display.

The Compass Smart Remote with Wi-Fi is Windows embedded and so, compatibility is not an issue. With the Compass Smart Remote with Wi-Fi, we can also browse the personalized TV program guide on the screen.

LeaderTone GPS3000

LeaderTone, the Chinese maker has introduced the Leadertone GPS3000. The GPS3000 has a 3.5 touchscreen LCD display with 65000 colour support. The battery included in the LeaderTone GPS3000 is a 1200mAh battery.

The LeaderTone GPS3000 supports WMA, ASF and AVI video files and WMA9, MP3 and WAV audio files. This device also supports image files such as JPG, GIF, BMP and PNG.

The LeaderTone GPS3000 can also be used to read TXT files. It can be used with the onboard chip that is available or can be indpendently mounted by connecting to an external GPS receiver.

Sanyo NVM-4030 GPS

Sanyo has launched its latest GPS tracking system, the Sanyo NVM-4030 GPS. This complete GPS system has a 4" display which looks absolutely stunning. The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) technology directs the user to the desired destination without fail. To get the minutest details of the path towards destination, Sanyo uses ground transceiver stations together with satellite systems.

To enhance easy viewing, a choice of viewing angles are provided and to provide interaction facility, voice guidance capabilities are also provided.

The Bluetooth functionality included in the Sanyo NVM-4030 GPS helps us to connect the device with the cellphones. Also, the speaker can be used as the hands-free for the device. The Sanyo NVM-4030 GPS supports file formats such as MP3, WAV and WMA.

When in playback mode, the details of the particular song which is being played will be displayed on the screen. Also, a database which saves the contacts is included in the Sanyo NVM-4030 GPS and can be used to save up to 500 contacts.

Where2 GPS to be launched in Canada today

From today onwards, the Canadians will have the all new Where2 GPS system to help them with real-time traffic conditions and alerts along with Bluetooth capability. The equipment, called Where2, is built by Garmin, which is a leader in GPS navigation.

The Where2 Global positioning system, which is being rolled by Avis and Budget group, will be fully portable and will be available at rental locations on Canada from today onwards. Where2 GPS will be available from Avis at airport rental locations in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, St. Johns, and Halifax. Budget will offer Where2 GPS at the airport rental locations in Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.

What makes this debut a history is that Where2 will be the only GPS service provider in the Canadian highways which is available for rent. The Where2 system will alert the drivers about the traffic delays and will also help them with appropriate directions too.

The major features incorporated in the Where2 GPS system are Bluetooth hands-free calling capability, directions spoken in English, French, and a variety of other languages, 3-dimensional maps, a high-bright display and a high-sensitivity GPS receiver.

William Boxberger, vice president and general manager of Avis Budget Group, Canada, said, We are committed to enhancing the productivity of business travelers, and making leisure travel more convenient. In addition, as drivers use the new service they will enjoy the added safety benefit that comes from being able to keep their eyes on the road at all times since the directions are 'spoken' to the driver. We're very excited to introduce Where2 to Avis and Budget customers in Canada.".

DreamColor from HP, Dreamworks in HP DesignJet Z2100 and Z3100

Also available as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop.

One issue had been dogging professional photographers and designers till date. That has also been solved, thanks to Hewlett-Packard and DreamWorks Animation.

The two majors have unveiled a new technology that will help professional photographers and designers print the exact colors they see on their monitor. Christened HP DreamColor, the technology will be integrated from creation through printing. It will also enable designers to print accurate color proofs of what they can expect to see in a final product for large-scale commercial projects, said a report.

HP's joint efforts with DreamWorks to develop colour calibration technology for Shrek, has given birth to the technology. The animated film series stood out with vibrant colours and the new colour sync technology came up trumps. It will now be available in the HP Designjet Z2100 (8-ink) and Z3100 (12-ink) photo printers, which will both feature built-in spectrophotometers. It will also be available in the form of an HP plug-in for Adobe Photoshop 7.0, CS and CS2 applications for printing directly from the photo-editing application to the HP Photosmart Pro B9180 pigment ink photo printer, the report said.

HP's Indigo 5000 and ws4500 presses will also be integrated with the software, which HP says will produce colour prints better than or equal to the color quality of commercial offset printers. HP IndiChrome software will allow accurate viewing and production of Pantone colors, according to HP, it added.

With this the problem faced by professionals and amateurs have been wiped off. The release of HP DreamColor technology into HP's digital-imaging products will initially be at the professional level, the report added.

Asus A626 PDA with WiFi

Asus has released its latest PDA, the Asus A626, which is ultra slim and ultra stylish. The design of the PDA is just awesome and to cater to the needs of the tech-savvy, Asus includes all the personal accessories with it.

Using its wireless capability ( Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g), the Asus A626 PDA keeps the user connected to the internet and e-mail. Through the Bluetooth connectivity, data connections with digital peripherals (phones, printers). The Bluetooth 2.0 included is the advanced version of the older Bluetooth and hence data speeds much higher than the conventional speeds can be achieved through this connection.

The Remote Presenter feature included in the Asus A626 PDA helps us to link and control presentations on a remote computer using Bluetooth connectivity. The good thing about the Asus A626 PDA is that all the data is being stored in the Flash memory and so you don't need to worry about the power failure, as all information in the Flash memory will remain intact.

The Asus A626 PDA weighs less than 158g and is exceptionally slim.