- A new addition to the range of track-inspired models. Outsole inspired by the suction cups of the Titan from 1972. Upper is inspired by adidas sprint shoes from the past.
- Upper features plush suede leather. The suction cup outsole is directly inspired by the Titan track spike. Visible EVA heel in forefoot and heel area raises the shoe higher off the ground.
- This shoe is a hybrid of the 1972 Titan and a classic Adidas sprint shoe
- Visible EVA midsole adds cushioning and gives the shoe a slightly higher profile
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| Nokia Tests Cellular Wi-Fi Phones |
| 08.01.06 (3:11 am) [edit] |
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Nokia, the world largest handset maker, has begun testing technology in a Finnish city that lets users to make calls on both cellular and Wi-Fi networks and switch between networks without interruption. Nokia's new 6136 phone automatically transfers voice or data connections from GSM networks to Wi-Fi when the device recognizes a compatible wireless network, Doug Dawson, a spokesman with Nokia, says. And, vice versa, when users make a call or data transfer via Wi-Fi and step out of the Wi-Fi network's coverage area, the connection is transferred to a GSM link without interruption. Around 50 people in Oulu, Finland, are testing the new service as part of a two-month pilot initiated by Nokia in cooperation with Finnet and the City of Oulu. The city has been offering free access to Wi-Fi hot spots since last year as part of a project to spur wireless Internet service. UMA Technology The Finnish vendor is one of several vendors, including Motorola, to offer handsets with UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) technology, which enables a "seamless" handover of voice and data connections between GSM mobile and Wi-Fi or other local wireless networks. BT Group, which launched one of the world's first UMA commercial services last year using Bluetooth technology, plans in the third quarter of this year to extend its service to Wi-Fi networks with Motorola's A910 UMA-enabled phone. TeliaSonera in Sweden and Finland and T-Mobile USA plan UMA service in the coming months. UMA allows consumers to enjoy better indoor coverage and lower calling charges when within range of a compatible Wi-Fi terminal, by having it carry their calls over the fixed broadband network using VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) technology. UMA handsets such as Nokia's 6136 create a secure tunnel to the network operator's UMA Network Controller, which uses the handset's SIM (subscriber identity module) to authenticate the caller with the operator's billing system just as it would over a cellular network. The new Nokia 6136 phone, which Nokia announced in February, will be available in the third quarter, according to Dawson. The phone, to cost $350, will be equipped with a 1.3 megapixel camera and removable micro SD format memory card. |
| Review: HP Pavilion dv8230us Notebook PC |
| 08.01.06 (3:05 am) [edit] |
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Very few mid-priced notebook computers come with all the bells and whistles of a pricey desktop computer. But then, most portable computers cannot measure up to the HP Pavilion dv8230us. This model has more than enough power to handle advanced gaming, multimedia, and professional-strength computing tasks. Look and Feel HP Pavilion notebooks generally look sturdy, and this big widescreen model is no exception. It measures 11.1 x 15.6 x 1.5 inches. The Pavilion's hefty 8.1 pounds, a bit heavier than similarly sized notebooks, is attributed to a second hard drive and a battery that's good for just over three hours of DVD movie watching. Features Few notebook computers are configured with more than an 80-GB hard drive. Some come with 100 GB. This model is configured with a pair of 80-GB hard drives. The nearly double-sized storage capacity is a great bonus if you work with music files and digital photography. Having a total of 160 GB available makes it easy to store data purely separate from the drive that holds the operating system and executable files. The Windows XP Media Center operating system will be put to good use on this portable, especially if you attach a TV signal directly to the built-in TV tuner or to a TV set using the S-video, VGA monitor, or component video connectors. For those so inclined, the second hard drive can conveniently store recorded TV shows and movies for playback while on the road. A 6-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader handles Secure Digital cards, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, and xD-Picture Cards. Additional access comes through four USB 2.0 ports, one Expansion Port 2, and one Firewire port. The only minor drawback we found was the somewhat mediocre sound emanating from the two stereo Altec Lansing speakers. This speaker system is a staple in HP portables and usually produces pleasing audio. But in this model, we were disappointed with its lackluster sounds. Performance Two things make the dv8230us an outstanding performer. It comes with an excessive amount of RAM and a top-of-the-line video card. The 1.66-GHz Intel Centrino Core Duo processor is a speed demon. We usually prefer the performance tweak that comes with a 64-bit AMD processor. But this high-end Intel chip works well here with the extra RAM built into this model. Many laptops and desktops are configured with half the memory that is the base level in this portable Pavilion. The installed 1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz can be doubled for maximum speed performance. But that should not be necessary for all but extreme tasks. The Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 video card is a top performer. This configuration packs double the usual video memory capacity. The card itself has 128 MB of video RAM. It can share up to 128 MB of additional memory from system RAM. We were greatly impressed with the images displayed on the huge 17-inch high-density widescreen LCD. The Brightview technology produced a native resolution of 1,440 x 900 pixels. One of our favorite games, "EverQuest II," was stunning in widescreen mode, even in sunlight. Perhaps the ultimate test of a killer media laptop is its battery life. With a fully charged battery, we played a 90-minute movie and then kept the hard drives spinning through a series of software installations. The battery indicator showed 50 percent power remaining at the movie credits. After installing and configuring our array of test software over the next hour, we still had 15 percent running time left. The Verdict The HP Pavilion dv8230us is an ideal notebook computer with all the power and extras to compete with a mid-priced desktop computer. The large infusion of memory, 17-inch widescreen LCD, and better-than-average video card make this model a great all-purpose multimedia portable. You could spend several hundred dollars more and have a lot less computer. HP Pavilion dv8230us Notebook PC Specs: Intel Centrino Core Duo T2300 processor; 1 GB RAM; Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics card; two 80-GB hard drives; LightScribe DVD�RW and CD-RW combo drive; 17-inch, high-density widescreen LCD Pros: Lavish storage and memory, large LCD, advanced graphics, TV tuner. Cons: Mediocre audio. Verdict: Plenty of media extras and lots of storage and memory make this model an ideal desktop replacement for professional use. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Price: $1,649.99 www.shopping.hp.com |
| RCA WHP140 900 MHz Wireless Headphones |
| 07.30.06 (6:12 am) [edit] |
Technical Details * Connects with virtually any audio source * Transmits 900MHz stereo signal through walls and floors * Unique compact base serves as both a charger and a stand * Lightweight design with adjustable headband, soft earpads for comfortable listening These RCA WHP140 900 MHz Wireless Headphones will help you enjoy your favorite tunes without the hassles of wires. Featuring a comfortable over-the-head design, a 900 MHz radio frequency and an operating distance up to 100 feet, you'll quickly wonder why you have spent so much time dealing with wires while listening to music. What's in the Box RCA WHP140 wireless headphones, DC power adapter, 2 AA batteries, and Y-shape cable adapter. Product Description These RCA Wireless Stereo Headphones will help you enjoy your favorite tunes without hassling with the wires on the headphones! Featuring 900 MHz Radio Frequency and an Operating Distance up to 100 feet, you'll wonder what you did without these headphones! |
| adidas Originals Men's Dragon Leather Running Shoe |
| 07.30.06 (6:11 am) [edit] |
* Classic 1970s sneaker style * Rugged sole for running on any surface * Flexible and durable leather upper * Retro, three-tone coloring * Low-cut design for maximum mobility Product Description Product Description This shoe is where classic and cool meet. Bursting onto the running scene in the early '70s, the Dragon quickly became one of the most popular trainers of the era. The sleek silhouette is timeless and the fresh colors give it a modern edge. The nylon upper allows for improved ventilation while the EVA wedge midsole provides ultimate comfort. |
| I love my Nokia N91 |
| 07.29.06 (9:00 pm) [edit] |
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Advertisement Link: Live music for Nokia N91 Add this slideshow to your Myspace/Blog 4 GB internal memory, Good build quality, USB 2.0 Mass storage, Stereo connector with controller, Standalone music player, Symbian OS 9.1, 2 MP camera, WLAN, Loud Speaker, Good Battery Life, Heavy, Stingy keypad, Slow UI, Poor camera quality, Very expensive, Slight weight imbalance issue. Nokia is planning to treat the masses with the release of its N-Series. The N-Series was branded as a revolution in the mobile phone segment; a level above what all the competitors could offer. Now that is a statement only Nokia could live up to, keeping in mind the high market share they controlled for quite sometime, and while doing so also faced the risk of failing to deliver. The N-Series is marketed as a bunch of premium phones with high quality features like music capabilities, Carl Zeiss camera optics, and superior connectivity opened further to an array of options with the latest in Symbian OS version 9.1. These features are more or less modified and stick around throughout the N-Series. Today, we have the N91, a premium music player from the N-Series. Let's see if the N91 can live up to the expectations that Nokia claims to deliver. It boasts of 4 GB of internal memory and excellent music quality when accompanied with BOSE or Sennheiser headphones sold optionally. A look at the Package Nokia N91 Nokia Stereo handsfree with remote control 900 mAh Li-Ion battery Travel Charger USB Cable Stereo Audio Cable Desk stand PC Suite CD Manual, Quick start guide, and Application guide Feature Rich The Nokia N91, as said earlier, has an internal memory capacity of 4 GB. With that much of memory at hand you won't feel the need for more, though it's human to want more. But Nokia believes that 4 GB is enough and has skipped the card slot. The N91, being a music phone, provides a standalone controller for music playback. The phone comes with a 2 MP camera, which is not really up to the mark. The phone features a list of connectivity options like Quad band for network selection while also supporting WLAN, 3G, and EDGE along with GPRS, Bluetooth 1.2 and USB 2.0. The phone features a large TFT 256K color display of 176 x 208 pixels. Finally, icing on the cake; it's installed with Series 60 UI Symbian OS 9.1. Physical Run Through The N91 is built with utmost sturdiness, with stainless steel all over it. Its dimensions contribute to taking the weight of the phone to a whopping 164 grams. I feel like I'm talking about some heavy-weight champ here; but even with such a bulky being, it has the potential to throw its weight around (read strong contender). The phone, though built sturdy, is an off-balanced one i.e. the top end of the phone is very heavy and the lower part of the phone is light. Thus you feel like the phone would slip out of your palm when trying to open the slider. The whole of the N-Series seem like a bunch of mobile phones not realizing the fact that they are meant to be mobile; the entire design screams that it is missing the basic idea of being mobile. While all other manufacturers like Motorola and Samsung are battling to get slimmer, Nokia have gone in the opposite direction. Now it's time for a detailed run through the phone. Below the large 256K color display is placed the standalone music controller which is designed in a rectangular shape with curved edges. The audio controller consists of five buttons four of which are the usual play/pause, stop, previous and next, one on each side of the rectangle. The fifth button is placed at a tilt in the top right corner, its function is to get the "Now Playing" display on the screen no matter what work you are doing on the phone except for when you're receiving or making calls. Slide the controller downwards to reveal the keypad which is well lit by cool blue LEDs. The keypad of the phone is not exactly user friendly. The keys are pretty thin and will be a nuisance typing out an SMS or e-mail, though you will manage to type out phone numbers with a little bit of pain. The phone has a joystick and four buttons on the outside other than the audio controller, two of which are selection and options buttons and the other two are to make and receive calls. The phone has a button at the top right side for revealing the main menu and a volume control on the top left under which is placed a decent loud speaker. The upper side of the phone has a "hold slider" like those seen on MP3 players basically to lock the keypad. There is also a power button which doubles as a profile selection and a stereo handsfree jack or headset connector. Flip the phone over and you'll find a 2 MP camera fitted on the top. There is a miniUSB port at the bottom along with a charger point. The charger point design is new though it's similar to the standard charger except that it's very very thin. Music Playback The N91 has excellent music quality; so good that even companies like BOSE and Sennheiser are willing to shell of a bit of the price tag on their headphones optionally sold with the N91. The phone has a standard audio jack so you can plug-in any of your personal headphones. That said, the phone has a similar arrangement of music like in a standard music library. The phone's music player reads ID3 tags and uses these tags to arrange the music. The player is fit with standard equalizer presets and a preset named "Bass Booster" which is a try at replicating the "MegaBass" of the Walkman's. There is also a custom equalizer option. Now that's that, but when you compare all of this to the Sony Ericsson Walkman series the N91 doesn't match up to that level. The Walkmans produce more crisp music than the N91. In the Bass Booster Vs MegaBass, the "MegaBass" is a clear winner, while the Bass Booster causes the supplied earphones to crack. Maybe the BOSE or Sennheiser headphones would have done the trick (we didn't get those for testing), but for that, you would have to shell out another 6-7K. The Remote on the N91 headset is a bonus, something perfect for a music player phone. This remote will prevent the event of actually removing you're bulky phone out of your pocket (if it fits in there) and changing the track or increase/decrease the volume. This remote is something I miss on my W800i though it's available through Sony Ericsson online stores. The phone has an FM player as well so you can tune into a radio station after your bored or done listening to 4 GB of music that's literally 1000 songs. The FM requires the headset to be connected which acts as an antenna. The reception was quite good and really nothing much to be said here, just that you can store 20 channels. Camera The N91 has a 2 MP camera which is not a Carl Zeiss. This camera does perform well over the phones in the market which are either a 1 MP or a 1.3 MP. The performance of the camera is no where close to that of the Sony Ericsson K750i. The color reproduction and the noise levels put the camera quality behind the K750i. In spite of the phone being so bulky, it doesn't have a flash light which would have really enhanced pictures taken in the dark. The camera has a 12x digital zoom (I'm totally confused). Why should a 2 MP camera have 12x zoom in the first place, that too digital zoom. Digital zoom only tends to degrade the quality of the picture taken when zoomed. A reasonable 4x zoom like the one seen on the K750i would be more than enough. So all said and done the camera quality is bad; no not entirely. The N91 can record videos as well and the 2 MP camera does well here and better than the other 2 MP camera phones available. The reason being the video is recorded in CIF (Common Intermediate Format) i.e. 352 x 240 pixels while the Sony Ericsson's record in QCIF (Quarter CIF) i.e. 176 x 120 pixels. The better resolution makes the N91 videos look way better than videos taken by a Sony Ericsson K750i or W800i. Finally the Phone Okay now leaving the music and camera behind its time to have a look at the phone after all that's the basic thing that we are supposed to be looking at. The phone is quad band though it really doesn't make sense to us as yet. It is meant for someone who is going to buy the phone and travel abroad or use it for maybe say three to five years. Anyway, those extra bands are for the rest of the world. The phone has an additional 30 MB memory for your contacts, SMS, MMS, etc. The phone has WLAN and 3G capabilities though we didn't get to use them since none of the service providers offer these facilities. The N91 is a 3rd Edition Series 60 UI phone which runs on Symbian OS 9.1. The interface of the phone is pretty slow compared to the other Series 60 phones; no doubt Symbian OS does demand but that shouldn't matter much when you have enough of space to hold a mini processor within the phone. The worst was when the phone runs through the entire 4 GB while you search for a song you have to literally wait 2 sec for an alphabet to show on the screen (this was with just 1.5 GB of music and no other data). That's the major problem of having 4 GB and being Symbian as well. The other is a compatibility issue; the OS version 9.1 is a new release and will take time for coders to release software for this version. The older software won't work and I recommend you don't even experiment (it might make your phone even more sluggish). Phone and PC There is a Nokia PC suite provided in the box but that is only meant for those who want to synchronize your contacts, calendar etc. For transferring files, you can just attach your phone to the PC via USB cable provided and drag-n-drop files. Transfers are pretty fast because it's USB 2.0 supported. The phone opens a menu when you connect it to the PC asking you to choose between Media Player, PC Suite and Mass Storage. The Media Player function enables you to connect to the Media Player of your PC but that requires you to install additional drivers whereas the Mass Storage option doesn't. The Bluetooth of this phone is a bit of a drawback because it's v1.2 which calls for a slightly slow Bluetooth transfer. Battery Life The phone has a real good battery life. It will provide you with more than 3.5 hours of talktime. This talktime is expected to change according to the variations in use of the phones music features. The phone has a 900 mAh Li-Ion battery which is charged through a rather new charger from Nokia (I did mention about it earlier) or through the desk stand provided in the bundle. Conclusion Keeping in mind all that has been said, I don't think it's worth paying Rs. 26,500 if the music capabilities of the phone are what have got you interested. Instead I'd go ahead and buy a W700i/W800i/W810i and add a memory card to it since I love music and I'm not business minded to want a Symbian OS or WiFi. But if you are looking at all of the above and 4 GB of space and you are a Nokia fan boy, I don't think you have too many options other than to flaunt this heavy-weight performer. _ |
| Mobile Phones Have Changed The Way We Live |
| 07.29.06 (7:03 am) [edit] |
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The Mobile Life Report, the biggest ever social study to examine how mobile phones have changed the way we live, is published today, by The Carphone Warehouse in association with The London School of Economics and Lord Philip Gould. Over 16,500 people were surveyed by polling organisation YouGov, revealing some new insights into how we live our lives today. The report is the first of a series of initiatives being launched by Mobile Life, a forum set up by The Carphone Warehouse to study how mobile phones change the way we live. Headline Findings * Young adults say their mobile phone is more important to them than television * Texting has overtaken talking as the most popular way to use mobile phones * The majority of young women use their mobile phone to deter the unwanted advances of men * Approximately 1 in 10 people have had a mobile phone stolen. The figure rises to nearly 1 in 5 for young women * Half of people would use their mobile to record a crime, and more than a third would use the camera or video on their mobile phone to snap a celebrity or newsworthy event * Almost half of mobile phone-users think they are too much at the beck and call of their employer as a result of using their mobile phone for work * One in five people stop and turn their mobile phone off before sex * Six tribes of mobile phone users identified – Generation Mobile, Phonatics, Practical Parents, Fingers & Thumbs, Smart Connecteds and Silver Cynics “We wanted to find out what impact the mobile phone has had on all aspects of our lives,” said Charles Dunstone, chief executive officer, The Carphone Warehouse Group plc. “After all, who else is in the unique position of having such an independent and wide ranging view of the market in the UK and Europe.” “One of our four founding principles, which we believe is central to our continued success, is the ability to offer customers a better mobile life by anticipating and catering for their needs at every turn. We need to make sure we understand our customers and the way they live their lives, which is changing and evolving faster than ever. Establishing Mobile Life just seemed to make sense to us,” continued Dunstone. Key Trends The Mobile Life Report looks at the impact of the mobile phone on society at large, family & relationships and work. The Mobile Phone Overtakes TV as a Technology Icon For young adults 18-24 years old, their mobile phone (26%) matters more to them than television (11%). Interestingly, among 18-24 year-old women, the proportion jumps to 32%, well ahead of television (11%). Men in this age group are not quite as attached to their phones as women, but 19% still name it as their most important technology product, well ahead of television. Texting Revolution Our ‘talk ratio’ is falling. On average people send 3.6 mobile text messages a day vs. making 2.8 voice calls a day. Among 18-24 year olds the texting revolution has had the biggest impact: for example, 51% of 18-24 year-olds send/receive at least six text messages a day – but only 15% have six or more mobile phone conversations a day. This trend also applies, though less dramatically, to the 25-29 year old mobile phone users. Mobile Phones Used to Deter the Unwanted Advances of Men In our parents’ day, a book or newspaper prevented unwanted approaches in public. Today, 21% of respondents agreed that “I sometimes use my mobile phone in public situations to deter people from approaching me”. This applies especially to women under 25, where the total reaches 55%. Women More Susceptible to Mobile Crime Approximately 1 in 10 people (9%) have had a mobile phone stolen. Young adults aged between 18 and 24 are most at risk, with 17% of women in this age group having had their phone stolen compared with 10% of men. Citizen Journalism on the Increase People were asked if they have ever used or considered using the camera or video on their mobile phone to record evidence of a crime, or to actually record a crime. Exactly half, 50%, said they would record evidence, and almost as many, 47%, would record a crime in progress. Additionally, more than a third, 36%, of people said they would use their mobiles to snap a celebrity or newsworthy event if the situation presented itself. Switching off From Work Mobile Life found that 41% of mobile phone-users think they are too much at the beck and call of their employer as a result of using their mobile phone for work. In addition, almost half of workers (47%) never, or hardly ever, turn their phone off. There is also widespread opposition to using a mobile phone on holiday for work-related calls. 57% consider it unreasonable to take a mobile phone on holiday to speak frequently to work colleagues. Mobiles, Sex and Relationships The research has shown that more than 1 in 4 people (21%) stop to nullify their mobile phones before sex. 1 in 7 (14%) switch their phones off, and 11% switch them to silent –25% in total. As the subject of sex and relationships is looked at in more depth, we can see an evolution of the way in which young adults interact. Over half of the 18-24 year old age group have sent or received a sexually explicit text (54%) and a quarter of this group has sent or received a sexually explicit picture or video (25%). Mobile Life also investigated the dating game and found over half of all mobile phone-users aged 18-24 have either sent or received an invitation to a date by text (57%). In addition, over a fifth of the 18-24 year old category have sent or received a text to end a relationship. Exactly one quarter of all mobile phone-users think that sending a flirty text to someone is not a form of cheating. In Mobile Life The Carphone Warehouse has identified six tribes or groups of mobile phone users. These are Generation Mobile, Phonatics, Practical Parents, Fingers & Thumbs, Smart Connecteds and Silver Cynics. Unique trends by these tribes are revealed in the report. Generation Mobile are single, students or first jobbers, aged 18-24 and are one of the most style-conscious of the tribes. Phonatics are single, employed, aged 18-34 and regard their mobile phone as their most important electronic possession. Practical Parents are young, cost-conscious families aged 18-34 who choose their mobile on the basis of price, rather than style or function. # Smart Connecteds are affluent families and professionals aged 25-44 who use their mobile to organise their busy work and social lives. # Fingers & Thumbs are married, middle-aged or retired with children or grandchildren. # Silver Cynics are affluent, married with children and coming up to retirement. The Mobile Life Report is the first of a number of Mobile Life initiatives. The Carphone Warehouse will publish two additional studies later this year, including a teen report and real-life experience study. |
| Mitac Mio A700 |
| 07.29.06 (7:03 am) [edit] |
 Triband Pocket PC phone with GPS Camera: 1.3-megapixels Operating System: Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC Phone Edition Display (internal): 2.8in 65,536 colours, 240 x 320pixels TFT LCD Messaging: MMS, SMS, e-mail Connectivity: infrared, Bluetooth and GPRS Phone memory: 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM Expansion slot: Secure Digital (SD) Battery type: Lithium-ion 1,320mAh Standby/talk time: 200/4 hours Other features: Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer Mobile, Java applications, integrated SiRFstarIII GPS chipset Weight: 150g Dimensions (w x d x h): 21.8 x 59 x 117mm Price: RM2,688 Website: www.mio-tech.com Communicate and navigate – that is what the A700 promises. LOOKING at the Mitac Mio DigiWalker A700, I was suddenly struck by the thought that if E.T. (from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) had one of these devices, he wouldn’t get lost and even if he did, he wouldn’t have had to rely on Elliot to help him “phone home.” Yes, if you haven’t already guessed, the A700 is one of a new breed of multifunction devices that combine a Pocket PC with a phone and GPS navigation in one compact device. What you get for the money, then, is possibly the most useful device that a road warrior can get – something to keep you connected to others and, when lost, to show the way. In the box I don’t normally dwell on what’s in the box, but in this case, there’s quite a number of things supplied with the A700 that I thought was worth listing here. Other than the unit itself, the A700 comes with an AC adapter, a car charger, a suction cup holder that sticks to your car’s windscreen and a stereo handsfree kit. Other than an SD (Secure Digital) storage card that is pretty much all the accessories that you will need. Now before we get on with the review, it’s worth mentioning that unlike most GPS units on sale out there, this Mitac does not come with any GPS software and maps bundled, which means that the GPS will not work out of the box. However, there are a number of GPS applications and maps available that will work with the A700 – most notably, MapKing or the Garmin Que software coupled with the very detailed local maps from http://malsingmaps.com. Also do note that whatever software you get, you need to find compatible GPS maps that will work with the software – GPS maps made for a particular application are not compatible with another. Design THE Mio DigiWalker A700 is a pretty small device for what it offers – in fact, it’s only slightly longer than an O2 XDA II Mini and has the same 2.8in LCD screen. The design of the A700 – finished in black and silver and with the GPS antenna on the top of the device – is not outstanding, although certainly not ugly. Strangely enough, Mitac makes a version of this device called the A701, which has identical specifications except that the A701 has a nicer external design – why the A701 isn’t sold here instead of the A700 is beyond me but to be fair, the difference is purely cosmetic. On the front of the A700 is a directional pad in the centre, flanked by a green Call button, a red hang up button, and two tiny customisable buttons below, which are by default mapped to Windows Media Player and the GPS function. The SD slot is situated on the right side, along with the camera button and a stereo headset port. Unfortunately, the stereo port only accepts the smaller 2.5mm stereo jack, which rules out the more common 3.5mm earphone jack, so you’re pretty much stuck with the integrated stereo earphone/microphone combo that comes with the A700. On the positive side, the audio quality on the stereo earphones is quite acceptable, though not outstanding. The left side of the device only has the audio volume control buttons. Phone The A700 works quite well as a phone, once you have all the proper settings set up on it. Unlike the O2 Pocket PC phones, this device does not come with an application to set up your GPRS, SMS and MMS settings, which means you’d really have to be a geek to be able to do it yourself. Even I had some problems setting up the MMS on this device, because of the strange quirk of Microsoft’s operating system where, for some reason, you can only find the MMS settings by first tapping on New MMS and then getting into the options screen from there (instead of in the main Inbox screen). Weird. Once set up, however, the phone worked without any problems and there are some nice touches like a speakerphone function for when you don’t have the handsfree kit handy. One strange thing about this device is that it doesn’t have a button to put the device into sleep mode and instead, the only way to disable the screen and buttons is to hit the Device Lock virtual button onscreen. It would have been nice if there was a button to put the device into sleep mode, with the screen off and the buttons disabled instead of always making sure I hit the device lock option before slipping it into my pocket. GPS Much like the phone part of the device, the A700 requires a bit of know-how and research to set up properly, since it doesn’t come bundled with any software for GPS at all. I tested it with a variety of applications and all of them worked well, although setting each up is of course a little different depending on the application. This Mio has a GPS settings manager which can create a virtual COM port for any GPS application to access – to put it simply, the GPS settings manager will tell any application where and how to find the GPS hardware in the Mio. I set it up for COM4 and directed all applications wanting to access the GPS to that port – I told you it might be a little confusing for the non-techie. Once the software was properly set up, the A700 performed admirably, thanks to the SiRFstarIII GPS chip inside. The GPS locked onto satellites very fast and the speaker on the device was just loud enough for the spoken directions in my GPS application once I pushed up the volume of the A700 to maximum. Other The operating system that comes with the A700 is the latest Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC Phone Edition, which means it has all the applications that come with the operating system which will allow you to e-mail, surf the Internet and work on Excel and Word files, amongst other things. Performance is actually quite good and no wonder – unusual for a Pocket PC Phone Edition device, this baby runs on a speedy 520MHz Intel XScale processor, which means it’s actually powerful enough for almost all your needs. Another feature worth mentioning is that the A700 uses a standard mini USB port for synchronisation and charging and it will charge when connected to the USB port without having to plug in the charger at the same time. Battery life was actually pretty good – I’d say that the batteries would last you an entire day of typical use. Even rather heavy use (other than playing videos or games for extended periods of time) should get you through an entire day. like most Intel XScale-based Pocket PCs, there is an option in the power settings to have the machine automatically adjust speeds for optimum performance and battery life. Unfortunately, the A700 doesn’t come with WiFi and only has support for plain-Jane GPRS (not even EDGE is supported) so your surfing is pretty much limited to much slower speeds, unless you plug in an optional WiFi card into the SD slot. Conclusion The Mitac Mio DigiWalker A700 is a pretty powerful and feature-packed device but the amount of setting up required before you can take advantage of all its features means that it will only be truly usable if you know what you’re doing. Of course, if you’re an alien from a more advanced civilisation (like I sometimes believe myself to be! LOL) then using this device should be no problem at all for you. Pros: Lots of features; small size. Cons: GPS software not bundled; some quirks of the operating system. |
| Nokia 6131 |
| 07.29.06 (7:00 am) [edit] |
 Introduction By the time I got halfway, I was tired of doing this review. I stopped using the phone as in the end, no matter how much of a punch this phone packed, it just couldn't replace my w810i.....the phone that has single-handedly become my MP3 player for the GO Train trips, my camera w/macro mode for those snap and send moments or the fun factor with interesting themes and games. I will put a lot of comparisons because that helps put things in a relative perspective. The unit I have is made in Hungary. Firmware: Nokia 6131 v 03.50 31-03-06 RM-115 Reception No problems noticed so far. One thing I can comment on is that this phone doesn't drop calls on the GO train ride from Union to Mississauga as my w810i has. In fact, for a 30 second period around Mimico GO Station, while the Rogers branded w810i was not getting ANY reception, my 6131 and Blackberry 8700r were both able to make and receive calls (to each other albeit). All 3 phones were within a 1 meter radius. Speakers (Sound Quality) The Ear Speaker is louder and clearer than a Nokia 6682 (which is loud and clear). It is comparable to an unbranded Sony Ericsson w810i. Calls are clear and crisp. One weird thing is that the phone made a hiss noise in an 850mhz only zone for 2 out of 4 outbound calls. (Hartom can attest to this as Carsmovies, Hartom and I were trying the phone out in Carsmovies basement.....1900mhz-only phones don't work down there) I haven't noticed the hiss since, during regular usage. It's a subtle hiss though, not as audible as the 3120b or 3220b. The Loudspeaker is extremely loud and clear. The Mic is very receptive and clear. When the loudspeaker is activated, callers can hear you fine even though you may be several feet away. Keypad At first, after touching the phone for like 30 seconds, I had maintained to Hartom and Carsmovies that the 6170 had a better keypad. After using the phone for a few days, I have to concede that the 6131 has the best keypad I've ever used. Text messaging without looking is so easy it's not even funny. The buttons recede about half a millimeter or so and while make a nice click you feel, make virtually no audible sound. The w810i makes a slightly louder click. The side buttons are well recessed and very accessible. Motorola can take a tip from Nokia on this one. The buttons wont be pushed accidentally while you're holding the unit as they are flush with the phone's frame. However, unlike a w810i, which has braille-like dots to identify it's side keys, you wont be able to find these buttons while the phone is in your pocket. Battery Life Unfortunately, battery life will not survive a day of use. The phone must be charged every day (if you use the phone daily). I recommend getting a car charger and/or an extra battery for this unit. The BL-5C will not fit into this and I can't be bothered to chip and chisel off pieces of a battery just to force a fit. I don't even think the back cover will slide over a modified BL-5C anyways. The battery will fully charge from empty to full in less than 2 hours. Ergonomics (The Feel) This phone is fun to hold. It's comfortable, ergonomic, lightweight, and compact in the hand and against the ear. The back can get a little hot though during a long conversation. The flip hinge can extend back a little if you press the phone to your head. I wish I had a razr to compare it with but I don't so too bad....The RAZR is a little thinner though. This phone is about as thick as a w810i when closed. Display Screens Both display on the Nokia 6131 is phenomenal. They're definitely one of the best in terms of phones with 850mhz. The quality of the internal display is laptop-like with 16 million colours packed in the internal display. Images are sharp and well defined on it as it make photographs look like photographs. I've never been so impressed. The external display boasts 262K colours but isn't as bright as it could be. I wish you could adjust the brightness here as it's a nice display as well. The display is as bright as the w810i but much sharper. The difference is crystal clear in this comparison. Camera Quality I'm not impressed with the camera here. There is no flash, pictures are grainy indoors and pictures always darker than reality. The camera is set to the finest quality and all appropriate settings are on. Night mode should be renamed "Indoor mode" as you almost always need it to capture a clear image when indoors. Coming from a 2 megapixel w810i or even a 1 megapixel 6682, this camera just doesn't make the cut. Here is a pic of an overcast day outdoors. Here are some comparison shots of the same object. All cameras were set to the finest/highest quality, set to automatic lighting mode (if applicable) and taken from the same distance indoors under an incandescant office lamp: Nokia 6131 (1.3 Megapixel) Nokia 6682 (1.23mp) Motorola v635 (1.23mp) Sony Ericsson w810i (2.0mp) (I don't even know why there's a black bar on the side in the 6131 shot) You can draw your own conclusions. Ringtones, MP3s & Music Player Applications The Loudspeaker is extremely loud on this phone and plays back ringtones, voice and music very well. It's about as loud as the w600i believe it or not. Music through the headphones sounds clear. I have no complaints here. Unfortunately there's no "MEGA BASS" option on this phone so I can't go crazy with DJ headphones or anything. While it has expandable memory the ability to playback MP3's, I would not consider this to be a MP3 phone. The music player application is not very efficient when it comes to sorting music and playlists. There is no option to sort by ID3 tag (ie. Genre, Artist, Album, etc). In fact, the only time ID3 tags are used is to show the name and artist. I'll have to do a Series 40, version 3 review for a more thorough description of the Music Player Sony Ericsson, and even Motorola has a far better MP3 Player application with more options, an easier interface and dedicated music keys (featured in phones from the "Walkman" portfolio) The 6131 however, plays through your Bluetooth headset, unlike Motorola and Sony Ericsson... Connectivity This phone is loaded with fast Bluetooth, IrDA (Infrared), EDGE and USB cable connectivity. It also uses Micro SD cards (aka. TransFlash) that, coupled with an adaptor, is cross-compatible with tons of electronic products from most popular brand names. Huge plus here. The Micro SD is hot-swappable which means you can insert it or remove it while the phone is on. If you save your wallpapers on your memory card, you'll lose it if you remove the memory card and have to manually reset it once you put the card back in. I find the 512mb card slows down the phone's performance. The unit has already reset twice while I was playing music and using the phone's menus. Looking through your picture gallery can also be a frustrating experience with a 512mb card in... Bluetooth transfer is fast and works well. It automatically connects to Nokia's PC Suite when in range but this is ok as it'll stay connected to your headset as well if it's on or you turn it on. I believe that's one advantage of Bluetooth 2.0. Other features like Organizer, PhoneBook, Active Standby, Menu & Interface customization can be found in my Series 40, version III review here: Stability For the v03.50 firmware that I have, here are some issues that I've noticed during my use with the phone: # phone has reset a couple times while listening to music and operating the phone's menus. It happened twice to me while listening to MP3s, once I tried to open a pic and the 2nd time I tried to open an SMS from my inbox. The phone starts up very quick so it isn't as bad as restarting on a 6682 or other Symbian models. # just discovered that black bar on my picture above of the Gummies. No idea how that got there and it didn't happen with any of my other phones # everytime you type 'it's' or 'what's', the T9 defaults to capitalizing the first letter so that it's like 'It's'. this is annoying and shouldn't override the previous capitalization precursor on the phone. I don't think you can save this into the T9 dictionary either since you can't save punctuation, numbers or spaces in a word... # the picture caller ID feature, while improved over previous Nokias, is still lacking. the picture will appear as a thumbnail when you're dialing out but as an almost full-sized image when receiving a call. The full-sized image seems to be magnified version of the thumbnail so the picture is so blurry, it's not even worth looking at. # unlike other phones, if your wallpaper(s) is saved on the memory card, you will lose your wallpaper when you take the card out. you'll have to reset your wallpapers when you re-insert your memory card Conclusion If you're looking for an excellent quality phone with high-end features, don't care about the camera, and are well-equipped with extra chargers & batteries for the home, office and/or car then this is for you. This phone, it's opening mechanism and screen quality is a refreshing change for Nokia. It's too bad it's lacking in the music playback and imaging departments..... If you care about MP3's, look at Sony Ericsson's new lineup. If you're interested in camera quality, look at Nokia's Carl Zeiss Optical cameras (N90, N93, etc) or Sony Ericsson's w810i or k790i/K800i. |
| Nokia N80 |
| 07.29.06 (6:56 am) [edit] |
At A Glance: Price: RM 2699 Local Distributor: Nokia Malaysia (M) Sdn Bhd. Contact: 1-300-88-1600 Build quality: 9/10 Applications: 10/10 Interface: 9/10 Value-for-money: 8/10 Overall rating: 9/10 + Built in WiFi + Mini-SD slot + 3MP camera + Great music player - WiFi hangs occasionally - Shoot delay in camera The slider form of the mobile has always been a viable alternative to candybars and clamshells. If you make the slider smooth and sturdy, then the phone really does feel good to hold. Anyway, we had the chance to take a look at the new Nokia N80 for a couple of months, and here is what we found. In the box # Handset Transceiver # Battery (standard battery) # Charger # Headset # Carry Case # User manual Exterior The Nokia N80 is a slider phone, and although it was a little thicker than I had expected, nevertheless, its size is only a fair price to pay for having a 3MP camera in the phone. The unit that was sent to us for review was in Black, and we took it for a long trip to take pictures in Europe. For the most part, the N80 did very well, up to the point where it became rarely necessary to use a proper digital camera. The memory card slots into the left side of the device, behind a flip-open cover. The back of the device is just simple black, and the flash is curiously below the lens of the camera. The secondary camera is at its usual place on the top right of the screen, and this one is mainly used for receiving 3G video calls. Buttons/Screen The keys on the N80 are black with white text, and the backlight for the keypad is also white. The central navigation button is a square of silver, and the softkeys and menu buttons are on the upper part of the phone just beneath the lower portion of the screen. The keys are a little small, and I wished that the slider could go up higher and thus provide more surface for building larger keys. However, this might have caused the phone to be a little less stable physically, so I guess that I can’t complain much here. The rest of the buttons are silver, and I found that the landscape toggle knob on the rear of the phone got caught on the clothes a lot. Other than that, this was a very impressive package even before we turned the device on. The 262K screen was able to display the pictures taken in quite good detail. Of course, at 416 x 352 pixels this is one of the better screens that you can have in a mobile device at this point of time. Software/Messaging This version of the Symbian OS is version 9.1, and the Nokia interface is known as the Series-60. It is frequently confused, so I must also point out that the Series-80 devices, which are mainly the Nokia Communicator also run on the Symbian OS, as does the Series-90 device called the Nokia 7710. The messaging is fast as one can expect to find in a Symbian device, but I frequently hit the wrong key due to the close spacing of the keys to the bottom edge and to the protruding top half of the phone. PIM The PIM here can be described as the contacts list, the notes application, the calculator application and the calendar. There is also a QuickOffice suite of programs which is sufficient for doing simple things when you are on the go. Camera/Video The camera is something else though. At three megapixels, this is currently the best one on the market as the 5MP ones have yet to be widely available. Anyway, I would prefer to have a good 3MP device from one of the top three brands than to have a 10MP device from an unknown brand that may not last beyond the end of the month. The 20x digital zoom is also quite impressive, but you have to hold still for a bit after you press the shoot button as there is a slight delay before the N80 records the picture of whatever you were aiming the device at. The video is also quite good, and can shoot up to 30 fps which is really very impressive considering the size of the device that is doing the recording. I’m sure that we will soon have more of those ‘fight’ videos of school bullies if mobile video gets this small and affordable. Multimedia/Voice This is one of the Nokia ExpressMusic range of devices, which means that there is a hotkey that activates an entertainment section that allows that use to play stored music or radio. You can also view images or go surfing the web from this section. The music from the loudspeakers was simply superb for a device this small, and plugging in the provided earphones turns this device into a mini-radio so good that it makes you wonder what all the fuss is with the iPod. Connectivity The Nokia N80 has infrared in addition to built-in Bluetooth connectivity. A Pop-Port connector is located at the bottom of the phone. The usual applications are there – WAP 2.0, Java MIDP 2.0 and an xHTML browser. However, what everyone is raving about is the built-in WiFi ability that allows users to hook into a local network. The detection was quite good as it managed to find WiFi networks in many places that I went to, such as at airports and in the city. However, it was quite difficult to configure the N80 to work with the network, and it did crash a couple of times in the process. I would say that WiFi phones are great, but it would take another couple of years of tweaking just like Bluetooth until it gets easy enough for just about anyone to use it. Games There is a card deck application with six mini-games that run from within this program. Solitaire is missing, but a few other games should make up for this. However, 3D snake is one amazing and addictive game. If you remember, Snake was a groundbreaking game for mobiles and it was first introduced by Nokia, after which it was repeatedly placed in succeeding generations of Nokia devices. The latest version takes some getting used to, but the graphics is quite something you need to see for yourself. Editor's Opinion The N80 is simply the current pick of the crop. Everyone is talking about it, and with good reason too. Except for a full keyboard, everything else you could possibly want from a handset is found right here inside the casing. Of course, the price is a little hefty but not when you consider that the Nokia Communicator models debut at a higher price. Anyway, there is little to complain about except perhaps the battery life. If only t was possible to swap batteries without having to reboot the phone. Oh, the reboot takes quite a while to achieve, so it would appear that it is either time for a more efficient program or a faster processor. I still think hat this one is a good buy. There is plenty of bang for your buck and the camera is so good that you will immediately graduate to this 3MP specification and wonder how you ever got by with something less. |
| Motorola C113 |
| 07.29.06 (6:54 am) [edit] |
Dual-band phone Display: Monochrome, 128 x 160pixels Messaging: Short message service (SMS) Battery type: 920mAh lithium-ion Standby/talk time: 450/10 hours Other features: Alarm clock, calculator, currency converter, stopwatch Weight: 80g Dimensions (w x d x h): 101 x 48 x 22mm Price: RM199 Website: www.motorola.com Review unit courtesy of Motorola Malaysia (03) 7880-0580 ZAM KARIM gives up his smartphone for a day to go back to basics with the Motorola C113. WHEN was the last time you saw In.Tech review a basic phone? Maybe years ago, at a time when only the rich could afford a mobile phone – basic or not basic. Obviously, there is simply nothing new to highlight when it comes to a basic model mobile phone like the Motorola C113. A phone like this usually only allows you to make calls and send short text messages. There might also be a few simple features such as alarm clock, calculator and stopwatch. Since there’s nothing much in terms of features to talk about – this review will basically be an account of my experience when I used the phone over the last weekend. 8:00am: The experiment began. I switched off my Sony Ericsson P910i, removed the SIM card and slotted it into the C113. Frankly, this sent a shiver down my spine ? a day without my smartphone. Shudder. 9:00am: Went out to get breakfast. Carried the C113 around in my pocket. Measuring 101 x 48 x 22mm, the phone was quite comfy to hold and at 80g, it was quite light too. 10:00am: Next stop was the nearby hypermarket for some grocery shopping. There, I’ve received my first call for the day. The monophonic ringtone rang loud enough to get my attention despite the noisy shoppers, and surprisingly the voice quality was good. Unfortunately, I had to cut short my shopping as I just realised that I didn’t bring the grocery list. You see, I always keep the list in my P910’s Jotter (notepad) application. 11:00am : A quiet period. No calls and SMS. 12:00pm : Went out for lunch at a nice cosy restaurant where I set the C113 to vibrate mode – in case somebody calls, I didn’t want its ear-piercing ringtone to cause other customers to choke on their spaghetti. The food presentation was really nice and the taste was equally good. I wished I could snap a picture and send it via MMS to my friend, though. He loves good Italian food. Unfortunately both functions are not available on this phone. Sigh. 1:00pm: Received a few short messages. Suffice to say the vibrate mode worked like a charm. The keypad, although responsive, is a bit stiff for my liking. I don’t think I would want to type long replies because I will definitely get a sore thumb afterward. 3:00pm: My brother’s family paid us a visit. My 15-year-old nephew wasn’t really thrilled when I showed him the C113 since it has no colour screen and couldn’t play MP3 songs. This was quite understandable. After all, he already owns a more advanced, full-featured mobile phone, which was a birthday gift from his father. Kids these days! Perhaps, this phone is more for his father’s generation. My brother is one of those people who owns a feature-packed phone but he only uses it to make calls. Heck, he even has a black address book to keep all his contact numbers as he doesn’t know how to store the numbers on his phone. As expected, he sort of liked the C113 but the dull and small screen put him off. 7:00pm: After my brother’s family left, I called a friend and talked for about half an hour. The earpiece volume was adjustable but I wish it came with a handsfree kit because it was quite tiring holding the phone up for too long. 9:00pm: Went out to a nearby foodcourt for dinner. After finishing my meal, I whipped out the phone and planned to kill time by playing some built-in games before heading home. Unfortunately, the C113 only comes with a few really boring games so I decided play around with the phone’s calculator to plan my budget for next month before getting my salary. At least this function works nicely. 12:00am: Time to go to sleep with the phone alarm set to 6:30am. 6:30am: Woke up immediately when the alarm rang. It was really loud as I forgot to reduce the volume earlier – I’m pretty sure the racket woke up the neighbours as well. 7:59am: The review period ended. Thank goodness. The phone works exactly as advertised but as a smartphone user, I found it to be inadequate for my daily use. However it would be ideal for those who don’t demand much out of his or her phone. One advantage of having no power-consuming features is that the phone can last a lot longer. Yup, the C113 is rated to last almost 20 days on standby mode and up to 10 hours of continuous usage on a single charge. Pros: Very affordable; easy to use; long battery life. Cons: None if making calls and sending text messages is all you use a phone for. |
| BlackBerry Connects Sony Ericsson M600i |
| 07.29.06 (6:52 am) [edit] |
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Jakarta, Indonesia and Waterloo, ON - Indosat, Sony Ericsson and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the availability of BlackBerry® Connect™ on Sony Ericsson’s latest M600i mobile phone in Indonesia. The 3G-enabled Sony Ericsson M600i with BlackBerry Connect will allow customers to choose and enjoy the feature-rich capabilities of the mobile phone together with RIM’s popular BlackBerry services. Supported BlackBerry features include “push”-based wireless email access, wireless email reconciliation and attachment viewing through BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ and BlackBerry Internet Service™. Additional features supported through BlackBerry Enterprise Server include: * wireless calendar synchronization; * remote look-up of corporate email address directory; * Triple DES encryption; and * IT policy enforcement and commands (such as remotely disabling or wiping data from a device in the event it is lost or stolen). “Mobile professionals around the world are increasingly recognizing the personal productivity and organizational benefits derived from the push-based BlackBerry platform," said Norm Lo, Vice President, Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. “RIM is pleased to work with Sony Ericsson and Indosat to bring the BlackBerry services to the M600i for customers in Indonesia. With BlackBerry Connect, M600i users will enjoy optimized wireless connectivity based on the unique and proven BlackBerry architecture.” “Last year we successfully launched BlackBerry Connect on the P910 in joint effort with RIM and Indosat in Indonesia,” said Alino Sugianto, Country Manager, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communication International AB, Indonesia Representative Office. “We are now looking forward to offering BlackBerry Connect on the M600i. Sony Ericsson is committed to working with partners such as RIM and Indosat to provide empowering mobile solutions for business customers.” “We are working with Sony Ericsson and RIM to provide customers with a broader choice of handsets that can leverage the unique strengths and reliability of the proven BlackBerry platform,” said Wahyu Wijayadi, Marketing Director of Indosat. “With the successful launch of BlackBerry Connect on the P910 last year, we are confident that the new Sony Ericsson M600i with BlackBerry Connect will be well-received in the market.” For corporate customers, BlackBerry Enterprise Server software tightly integrates with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM Lotus® Domino® and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based wireless access to email and other data. For individuals and smaller businesses, BlackBerry Internet Service allows users to access multiple corporate and personal email accounts (including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and most popular ISP email accounts) from a single device. The M600i provides email capability and a mobile phone together in an extremely stylish, slim device featuring a touch-screen display and handwriting recognition software. The M600i is the first Sony Ericsson mobile phone on Symbian OS 9.1 and UIQ 3.0, offering users great customization opportunities and the ability to purchase personal productivity and other applications online. At just 15mm thick, it is one of the slimmest business 3G devices. |
| ACDSee Pro Photo Manager |
| 07.29.06 (5:34 am) [edit] |
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$129.99 USD OverviewIn today’s world of professional digital photography, workflow is the name of the game. That’s why we created ACDSee Pro Photo Manager: To give you unparalleled speed in every facet of your digital photography management—from photo capture to final print. View, process, edit, organize, catalog, publish, and archive your photo collections with the precision and control demanded by professional photographers around the globe. Get full RAW support and RAW processing, powerful organizing tools like customizable folders and categories, quick editing features, visual tagging and full color management support for ICC and ICM profiles to meet all of your professional needs. If you’re looking for an end-to-end digital photo software solution for all your photography workflow needs, ACDSee Pro is the answer. The people that inspired ACDSee Pro’s design.
Photographs are the core of your business, so having a seamless workflow is priority number one. When you’re dealing with thousands of photographs for clients, you don’t have time to fumble through a cumbersome, awkwardly designed software program. ACDSee Pro is quick and easy to learn. There’s no steep learning curve, so you’ll be whizzing through its features in no time. You’ll also appreciate its intuitive and customizable user interface that doesn’t slow you down with cluttered menus or poorly positioned toolbars. View your photographs at full size with uncompromised speed and resolution, browse thumbnails quickly and easily, and process large files with unrivaled speed. If you’re looking to streamline your workflow and increase productivity, this is the software for you. Top Features in ACDSee ProDesigned to inspire.
Browse and view large collections with uncompromised speed.Get instant full screen viewing, fast browsing of thumbnails in more than 100 different file formats including JPEG, BMP, GIF, PSD, PCX, PNG, TIFF, RAS, RSB, SGI, TGA, RAW NEF, CRW, and much more. Take a look at the complete list of supported file formats here. View RAW files faster than ever before.ACDSee Pro photo software displays RAW photos faster than ever before, so you’re never stuck waiting for your photographs to appear on screen. ACDSee Pro also allows you to view your RAW files as quickly as your JPEGs. Get industry-leading RAW format support.ACDSee Pro supports the DNG (Digital Negative Specification) format—a widely available archival RAW format, guaranteeing you’ll always be able to access and view your RAW images quickly and trouble free. It also ensures you’ll be able to view your RAW files in the future, despite changes made to industry software and camera technology. ACDSee Pro supports a wide range of RAW formats from Nikon, Canon, Konica Minolta, Olympus, Fuji, and Pentax cameras, including popular new DSLR models like the Nikon D2X, Nikon D70s, Nikon D200, Nikon D2Hs, Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II N, EOS 5D, EOS Digital Rebel XT, EOS 30D, Olympus E-300 and E-330. Take a look at the complete list of supported RAW formats here. Save valuable time by comparing multiple photographs at once.The Compare Images tool is a fast and highly productive way to highlight both similarities and differences in the properties, metadata, and pixel-intensity levels in a group of photographs you select, helping you pick the best shot from a number of similar photos. Save your preferred photographs to a new location on your hard drive, tag the photos, or assign a rating or category for future reference. Then you can easily delete, move, rename, or alter the photographs. The Compare Images tool displays the file properties below each photo. Differences in properties are bolded, while similarities are displayed in regular font. The Compare Images tool includes:
Get fully integrated color-management support.View and print accurately with full color management support for ICC and ICM color profiles. For increased productivity, remove or convert the color profiles of multiple files simultaneously. _ |
| Cool wireless mac mouse |
| 07.28.06 (7:30 pm) [edit] |
How do you improve on the mouse that has everything? Remove its tail. Mighty Mouse — the mouse that changed the way you scroll — has gone wireless. Now you can take that seamless, touch-sensitive, 360-degree scrolling design with you wherever you go.
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| Cheating in game not good :( |
| 07.28.06 (4:49 pm) [edit] |
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At times like this, when you see a headline like that on a blog, you usually assume there will be a picture or video of some person’s significant other in either a very compromising position or engaging in some kind of photoshopped act with an animal along with a piece of text about how he/she is a dirty piece of something. Sorry to break it to you all, but there will be no pictures of Jason doing such things with said post. He and I are forever, bitchez. I will, however, show you a pretty interesting video off YouTube about what Counterstrike players who cheat do and how their cockery appears on their screen. And, FYI, this is the reason I don’t play CS, so know I don’t condone this, only want to you show you how n00bs do their thang. |
| Registration for WCG 2006 Grand Final Referee |
| 07.28.06 (3:25 pm) [edit] |
Hi. We want to let all WCG friends know about another opportunity to participate in WCG. This year's WCG Grand Final will be held in Italy's Monza from Oct. 18th to 22nd. In order for WCG to succeed, the tournaments must be run smoothly and reliably. The referees are the most important people that can make that happen. One can say that referees played a huge role in the success of past WCG events. Join WCG as a referee that represents the games rather than as a representative of a country and make new memories. WCG is awaiting your application. - Event Venue: Autodromo, Monza, Italy - Event Period: Oct. 18th~Oct.22nd - Games 1. Half-Life: Counter-Strike 2. FIFA Soccer 06 3. Need For Speed: Most Wanted 4. StarCraft: Broodwar 5. WarCraftIII: The Froze Throne 6. Dawn of War: Winter Assault 7. Dead or Alive 4 8. Project Gotham Racing 3 - Benefits 1. Accommodation (Check-in: Oct. 16th. Check-out: Oct. 23rd) (* NOTE: Each referee is responsible for making Travel arrangements to Monza, Italy. WCG will not cover your travel fees) 2. Food 3. Daily expenses during the grand final period (5 days) 4. Receive referee certification for WCG official games To apply for WCG referee position go to WCG website for more details and start your registration process. If you have any questions, please send e-mail to shiva@icm2k.com. * WCG will review the applications, and notify the referees by e-mail. Please enter a valid e-mail address when registering. |
| Rca Wsp150 900 Mhz Wireless Speaker System | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 07.28.06 (8:27 am) [edit] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No more drilling, tucking cables under carpet, and fiddling with endless tangles of cable. Wireless technology from RCA brand can give you freedom from wires. Fill and surround your house with sound from our 900 MHz Wireless Speaker systems. And unchain yourself from the stereo with our RCA Wireless Headphones. FEATURES
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| Emergency Crank Radio & Cell Charger |
| 07.28.06 (8:23 am) [edit] |
Nothing provides peace of mind in an emergency like Eton's new self-powered Emergency AM/FM/Shortwave Radio and Cell Phone Charger. This versatile, all-in-one compact radio needs no electricity to bring in local AM/FM radio and shortwave broadcasts from around the world, and has a cell phone charger, flashlight, and emergency siren built right in. It contains a rechargeable battery pack that powers up in minutes through the radio’s side hand crank (just 90 seconds of cranking gives you up to an hour of use). Also operates on three AA batteries (not included), and has input for AC adaptor (adaptor not included). Has a rugged ABS plastic water-resistant exterior, fine control four-band tuning, rotating antenna, 2” speaker with excellent sound quality, and carrying handle. Includes an earphone jack (earphones not included), shortwave listening guide, and nylon travel case. (6¾ x 6½ x 2½”; 26 oz) (From the makers of Grundig) |
| Swiss Army™ Knife |
| 07.28.06 (8:19 am) [edit] |
Swiss Army™ Knife “Luckily, I had my Swiss Army™ Knife...” Every travel book lists a Swiss Army Knife as a “must” to pack. Ours is genuine Victorinox, with Swiss precision engineering and all the tools most needed by travelers. Includes a large and small blade, can opener, corkscrew, tweezers, three screwdrivers (including one for eyeglasses), wire stripper, reamer, key ring, tweezers, toothpick and even an LED flashlight! (Be sure to pack it in your checked luggage.) |
| adidas Originals Women's adi Speed Suede Running Shoe |
| 07.28.06 (8:13 am) [edit] |
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| Man gets rack of cash for inventing flash |
| 07.28.06 (1:05 am) [edit] |
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Toshiba to shell out FUIJO MASUOKA was awarded ¥87 million ($749,225) by a Tokyo court with Toshiba picking up the tab. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said that while Masuoka had wanted ¥1.1 billion for inventing flash memory, the award is nevertheless the third biggest ever awarded in employee patent cases. Masuoka, who is now a professor at Tohoku University, had clocked up an astonishing 500 patents when he worked at Toshiba. Toshiba paid six million yen to him while he was working there to transfer the patents. The flash patents represent a mere 41 out of the 500 he transferred. |
| Motorola newest gadget, a big MOJO! |
| 07.27.06 (12:09 am) [edit] |
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At a July 25 analyst powwow, CEO Ed Zander unveiled follow-ups to the hit RAZR and promising deals involving video on demand, India, and China Ed Zander stood on the stage of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., late in the day on July 25. Weary but still smiling, the chief executive officer of Motorola (MOT ) asked one last time whether the Wall Street analysts and investors gathered for the company's annual analyst meeting had any questions. One woman spoke up and wanted to know what Zander's plans for the company were "once you reach Nokia in market share?" Zander couldn't hide a quick grin. Motorola is the second-largest maker of mobile phones, but it's gaining ground fast on Finland's Nokia (NOK )(see BusinessWeek.com, 7/20/06, "Does Motorola Have Nokia's Number?"). "I think I'm in the first inning of a nine-inning game," he said. "That's the way I feel about where we're going." It's been a pretty good first inning. Since former Silicon Valley hotshot Zander arrived at Motorola in January, 2004, it has gone from a declining power in the wireless industry to one that's contending with Nokia for preeminence. On July 19, Motorola reported another quarter of stellar financial performance. Net income for the second quarter was up 45%, to $1.4 billion, while revenues rose 29%, to $10.9 billion. Even more impressive: Motorola gained market share for the seventh consecutive quarter. It estimates its share at 22% now, up from 17% a year earlier. According to researcher Strategy Analytics, Nokia holds 33.3% of the market. SHARPER THAN THE RAZR? At the analyst meeting on July 25, Zander and his executive team laid out their plans for gaining even more ground. The company introduced a series of new phones that build on the success of the company's ultra-thin RAZR, which has sold 50 million units so far. They are the KRZR, the RIZR, and the Motofone. The company's KRZR is the closest relative to popular RAZR. The new phone is a clamshell, like the RAZR. But it's a tad narrower, at 42 millimeters wide, compared with the RAZR's 54 millimeters. The KRZR is, however, slightly thicker. The new RIZR is 46 millimeters wide, again slightly narrower than the RAZR. However, it's a slider phone, so the display slides up from the body of the phone to reveal the keypad. The third phone unveiled at the analyst meeting, the Motofone, is designed specifically as a low-cost option for emerging markets. A mere nine millimeters thick, the phone is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of this year. The immediate reaction to the new phones was positive. "The buzz is that it's a hot product," says Bob Laikin, chief executive of Brightpoint (CELL ), which distributes phones for Motorola, Nokia, and other manufacturers. TAPPING EMERGING MARKETS. Yet the new phones could be the least significant of Motorola's announcements at the confab. The company also announced that it would spend an undisclosed sum for Broadbus Technologies, which makes technology for video on demand. Motorola has also struck a deal with India's Wipro Technologies, the tech services arm of Wipro (WIT), to create a joint venture for building, managing, and supporting telecom networks. And it signed a pact with Huawei Technologies of China to develop and market high-speed wireless equipment. "I think the Huawei relationship is the most significant announcement," says Christin Armacost, an analyst with Lazard Capital Markets. Why? In contrast to its status in the mobile-phone business, Motorola is a relatively small player in providing base stations and other network equipment to telecom companies, such as Verizon Communications' (VZ ) wireless business. Huawei is one of the fast-rising players in that market, in part because of its low costs. NETWORK TINKERING. The two companies will cooperate on developing equipment for the next-generation technology based on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), the dominant standard in Europe. "We look at what is the road map for the future—where do we want to invest and how do we fill gaps so we can get there. The Huawei partnership accomplishes that," says Padmasree Warrior, chief technology officer at Motorola. By cooperating, Motorola may get access to more customers, particularly in emerging markets like China, and Huawei will get more credibility with customers leery of working with a newcomer. Huawei has had several disputes with Cisco Systems (CSCO ) over intellectual property. Motorola had also struck a tentative deal with Nortel Networks (NT ) to cooperate on equipment but that deal fell apart earlier this month. "The possibilities [with Huawei] are very interesting," says Armacost. Analysts are hardly betting that Motorola's network equipment business will become a star performer like its mobile-phone business. In fact, there continues to be speculation that Zander will sell off the network business because its prospects are not as bright as those for some other operations. But Zander is getting plenty of latitude to try new things in the equipment business and elsewhere. After the past two and a half years, investors figure that he's earned it.  Interested email adfunk at gmail.com title buy link or msn reckno6 at hotmail.com or ym abg_hensem1 at yahoo.com |
| Nigeria to buy 1m Negroponte laptops |
| 07.26.06 (6:42 am) [edit] |
The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative for the developing world is gaining ground in Africa, with Nigeria announcing the acquisition of one million laptops, reports InfoWorld. But the Microsoft/Intel EduWise consortium is also making headway in the same market.  The OLPC is the product of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab co-founder Nicholas Negroponte which in May this year announced it had finalised the hardware and software for the low-cost machines. InfoWorld yesterday reported that while the OLPC laptops were "initially touted as being priced at $100 ... OLPC participants now say the price may fluctuate. In any case, they will be the cheapest ever sold in Africa, and several African countries are going for the idea." One of the countries keen on the idea is Nigeria where the Nigeria Communication Commission has already committed to ordering one million of the OLPC machines. "Egypt has said it is almost ready to commit itself to buying the laptops but has not said how many it is prepared to order. Zambian officials say negotiations to buy the machines are progressing well and that the country may soon announce the number of machines the country intends to order," reports InfoWorld.  The OLPC machines demonstrated in May this year have a 800x480 screen that can be run at a respectable 1200x900 resolution. The new models, in orange, blue, yellow and the now-familiar lime-green, featured concepts like wifi aerials that cover the USB and audio ports when folded away and a nifty carrying handle.The rival EduWise project -- a collaboration between Microsoft, Intel, HP, Oracle and Cisco -- is also making headway with a partnership with the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and having already supplied computers to schools in Uganda. Interested email adfunk at gmail.com title buy link or msn reckno6 at hotmail.com or ym abg_hensem1 at yahoo.com |
| Live traffic maps on cell phones by Google |
| 07.26.06 (3:54 am) [edit] |
 SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG - news) said on Tuesday that the company has begun offering mobile phone users in more than 30 major U.S. cities the capacity to view highway maps with "live" traffic data. The Mountain View, California-based company said that Google Maps for Mobile would allow mobile phone users to chose a destination within Google Maps and select "show traffic," said Gummi Hafsteinsson, product manager of Google Maps for Mobile. Google Maps calculates the route to the location. Highway traffic information is sent to the phone, with road conditions highlighted in three colors: -- red for congested, yellow or orange for slowdowns, and green for smooth sailing. The service can be found on mobile phone Web browsers at http://google.com/gmm. Rival Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) offers live traffic conditions on its computer-based map service, but it does not yet provide a mobile phone version for Yahoo maps. Google said it is offering comprehensive data on traffic conditions in more than 30 major U.S. metropolitan areas and partial information in an unspecified number of other areas. Traffic data is available only in the U.S. market. Interested email adfunk at gmail.com title buy link or msn reckno6 at hotmail.com or ym abg_hensem1 at yahoo.com |
| Pulsar Men's Tech Gear Flight Computer Watch PM7001 |
| 07.23.06 (10:31 pm) [edit] |
 Product Features
Product Description Pulsar balances technological innovation with streamlined design in its PM7001 Tech Gear Flight Computer watch, which features a large bold black face which features an EL backlight function and both analog and digital displays. The watch displays the time for 77 cities and 4 U.S. time zones--perfect for the man on the go. The black anodized bezel includes a bidirectional E6B pilot's slide rule. This watch contains a chronograph with two alarms and the 1/100 stopwatch feature records elapsed time up to 24 hours. The tapered bracelet band is composed of interlinked stainless steel pieces. Other features include day, date, and month display, screwdown caseback, luminous hands, water resistance to 100 meters (330 feet), a scratch-resistant mineral crystal, and precise Japanese quartz movement. It measures 1.6 inches in diameter and 0.5 inches thick. Warranty |
| Machine Race |
| 07.23.06 (10:18 pm) [edit] |
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You raced to catch your flight, but the weather's taken a turn for the worse, leaving you stuck at the gate for hours--and all the power outlets are taken by PSP- and iPod-toting kids. Will your laptop battery hold out? If you have one of these marathon machines, it just might. These notebooks provide roughly between six and eight hours of battery life, meaning you get more time running on battery than it takes to fly from New York to Los Angeles or to (literally) run a marathon. CNET Labs does extensive testing on every laptop we review. For battery life, we measure how long a laptop with a fully charged battery is able to run typical productivity apps, such as Microsoft Office, McAfee VirusScan, and Adobe Photoshop. The tests conclude when the battery is drained. The longest-lasting notebook we've seen in the Labs is the Lenovo ThinkPad X60s. When configured with the high-capacity battery, its 8 hours, 16 minutes of life can get you through an entire workday. The Dell Inspiron E1405 ran for 7 hours, 21 minutes; the Panasonic ToughBook 74 lasted 7 hours, 18 minutes; and the Lenovo ThinkPad R60 went for 6 hours, 25 minutes on a charge. The inexpensive HP Compaq nc2400 also performed well, clocking out after a lengthy 6 hours, 6 minutes. Check out the laptops below to find out which can give you the most time to work away from a wall outlet--whether work is crunching numbers in Excel on a cross-country flight or watching the original Star Wars trilogy at the park. |
| Sony KDF-46E2000 46 |
| 07.23.06 (8:47 pm) [edit] |
From the Manufacturer Packaged in a compact, two-color exterior with subtly located speakers, the Grand WEGA 3LCD rear projection TVs are now available in a larger range of sizes, including 46", 50" and 55" screens. The televisions feature high-detail picture quality, and deliver natural color reproduction and exceptional brightness levels thanks to 3LCD technology. And deep black levels along with outstanding contrast are hallmarks of the Cinema Black Pro function. Featuring enhanced connectivity via dual HDMI input and PC input through HDMI, Sony’s Grand WEGA LCD projection televisions provide quality playback of nearly every connected device. 3LCD Panels Digital Reality Creation (DRC) Multifunction Technology
Cinema Black Pro HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and PC Connectivity Steady Sound What's in the box |
| Colin McRae: Dirt - realistic WRC at your home |
| 07.21.06 (6:55 pm) [edit] |
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Supporting Resources Fans of Colin McRae will be pleased to know that developer Codemasters has spilled the beans on the upcoming installment of the series titled Colin McRae: DIRT, that’ll be available in 2007 for the PC, PS3 and the Xbox 360.
Head on over to the game’s official site for more. |
| GOOGLE VISION - POINT AND AIM |
| 07.20.06 (6:28 pm) [edit] |
 Get lost? Do you? Well, yet another bright young designer from the U.K is developing a system that will have tag and name exactly what your staring at. Google Vision is a conceptual product developed by Callum Peden, for the worlds favorite search engine. The product provides the user with a truly unique information hub by combining GPS, OLED technology and advanced image recognition in the form of a retractable screen device. The Global Positioning System will see the end of wondering the streets asking for directions and the small roller ball will allow for easy navigation of the flexible screen. Brilliant for identifying landmarks whilst on holidays, Google vision acts as a personal; tour guide. As well as this, advanced image recognition will mean Google Vision can target well known landmarks. Then using the increased coverage of wireless internet, provide the user with information on their surroundings wherever they may be. |
| The man to thank for keeping us cool |
| 07.20.06 (6:05 pm) [edit] |
 One of the great ironies of the heatwave is that, invariably, the best place to head is indoors. Offices, many shops and cinemas provide a respite all thanks to one of the great unsung wonders of the modern age, an invention more than a century old yet which we Britons still treat with a puritan disdain — air conditioning. Britain sizzles to record temperature of 36.3C Willis Haviland Carrier is one of my heroes, and also to 300 million Americans. And, in this sweltering summer — rightly so. Carrier, you see, was the original father of cool, the man who worked out how to compress and pump gases and create a chilling effect to ameliorate the worst effects of the American summer. Thanks to Carrier’s marvellous invention, life in this furnace we are having to endure can be bearable. Try telling the inhabitants of, say, Nashville this week that aircon is an unnecessary luxury and that they should just open the windows. There, it has hit 43c (109f) and scarcely drops below 32c at night. Unlike us, Americans take the great invention of air conditioning seriously. It is the one thing, I would maintain, that the Yanks do right. Just about every office, shopping mall, church, school and factory is equipped with it. Air conditioning is something most of us think of as extremely modern, high-tech and complex. Yet, in fact, it is a technology that dates back to the year King Edward VII was crowned. The history of air conditioning is the history of 20th century America. Carrier’s ‘Apparatus for Treating Air’ (U.S. Patent # 808897) was first tested in 1902, the year in which humanity could be said finally to have severed its dependence on the whims of the weather. Carrier’s air conditioner was, in essence, quite simple — and uses the same principle as the domestic refrigerator. A gas, such as Freon or butane, is compressed by a pump and then allowed to expand. As it does so, it loses heat, and this cooling is used to chill the air passing the refrigerator tubing. The invention may have been straight- forward, but the impact of aircon was complex and dramatic. For a start, the southern U.S. states were, at a stroke, rendered habitable. Before the 1920s, when the domestic air conditioner was perfected (the first unit was used in a printing works that had been plagued by temperature and humidity changes), states such as Florida and Georgia were poor and predominantly rural. Searing, humid summers made life intolerable, and any kind of industrial work impossible. Even Washington DC was unbearable for a third of the year. Before the invention of aircon, politicians from northern states moaned incessantly about the Washington summers, and when the weather got seriously hot the city was virtually abandoned. A poignant illustration of how bad life could be without aircon comes from the aftermath of the assassination attempt on President James Garfield on July 2, 1881. After he was shot, he was bundled off to the White House, a bullet lodged in his spine. While his doctors fretted, the temperature soared — until it was well over 40c (105f+) and punishingly humid. Because it was so unbearably hot, those caring for the ailing president were forced to resort to a primitive form of ‘air conditioning’, whereby air was drawn over thousands of blocks of ice, covered with linen. In the week or so before he eventually succumbed to his bullet wound and died, the White House consumed more than 1,000 tons of ice in a futile effort to keep Garfield cool. Thanks to Carrier’s invention, the southern states saw a population boom in the 1940s and 1950s as cities that could be lived in and worked in all year round became possible. Gone were the primitive wooden houses of old — in came towering office and apartment blocks that could accommodate air conditioning units. So air conditioning even played a role in changing the face of American architecture. Significantly today, the states of Texas, North and South Carolina and Florida are leading the U.S. economic and population boom. But back in those early days, people began to demand that the ability to control their climate should not stop at the door of their houses and offices. In the 1930s, several automobile companies experimented with air conditioning, and some of the fabulously expensive 130mph Duesenbergs, favoured by the Hollywood A-list of the time, were fitted with a primitive, water-cooled air-chilling system. But it wasn’t until 1940 that Packard introduced the first true automobile air conditioning — a boom in the desert states, where temperatures inside cars in midsummer can easily exceed 70c (158f). Now, thankfully, there are signs that things are changing this side of the Atlantic. If global warming experts are right, summers such as this one and 2003 will become more common. We will have to fall in love with the air conditioner. Three-quarters of new cars sold in Britain are equipped with aircon. While few British homes have something America has taken for granted since the 1950s (Cherie Blair has complained that the flat above No 11 Downing Street experiences sauna-like heat and that something must be done), the portable air conditioner is the new must-have gadget. I bought one yesterday — a cheap model that does only one room, but at least it makes sleeping possible. Of course, the ecological purists protest that air-conditioned comfort comes at a price. And it is true. The summer cooling bill for the typical U.S. home is usually about the same as the heating bill in the winter. All this adds up to a lot of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. But it is no longer the case that air conditioners poison the skies: these days, they use benign, ozone-friendly refrigerants. Yet despite its benefits, many in this country remain suspicious of air conditioning — just as, until recently, we were suspicious of central heating. Some rile against air conditioning — it dries the skin, they say, makes you cough and gives you a cold. It is notable, however, that most of its opponents work in nicely air- conditioned buildings. Those unlucky enough to be broiled can only wish that they had the luxury of worrying about dry skin. |
| No Matter the Gadget, Tech Support Isn't There |
| 07.20.06 (6:00 pm) [edit] |
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ATLANTA -- There's a fatal flaw built into any new computer you buy - Macintosh or PC. The same flaw can be found in the new HDTVs at the store, the fanciest cellphones and even in the brand new HDTV DVD recorders. The flaw is that decent technical support doesn't exist anymore. No matter how good the product, you're going to need help someday. My guess is you're not going to get it. The best tech support I've seen lately is barely acceptable. The very worst is like running on a treadmill. It's just exercise. That wasn't always the case. It's easy to see what happened. Profit margins narrowed, and companies eliminated or crippled domestic call centers. The mission of tech support went to overseas call centers, or to e-mail and online support. If you've tried to get help during the last year or so, you know what I'm talking about. You call the 800 number, listen to canned music for a while and then explain your problem. The tech support person is following a carefully prepared script that forces him or her to assume you're a complete idiot. (I'll admit that can be a lucky guess at times.) So you'll spend the first five minutes making sure your gadget is plugged in and turned on. I just described the scenario for those lucky enough to find what passes for good customer service these days. You never hear from the bad guys at all, or you'll receive an e-mail that repeats the problem and asks you to wait 24 hours. You'll wait for an eternity. This sad state of affairs has created a boom in businesses that come to your home to perform computer repairs. I've spent time with several of these companies - the service is almost always good and the level of competence is high. So is the bill. You can pay $300 to get a $1,200 computer fixed. If you used that same ratio for car repairs, you'd expect to see routine repair bills of $7,500 for a $30,000 automobile. Don't get me wrong. I've recommended these firms. My wife uses them for her business. The way things are now, they're a good choice. But for those of you who - like me - would like to keep the maintenance costs to a minimum, there are ways to make the best of a bad situation. Here's a checklist when you need to contact what Clark Howard, the radio consumer advocate, correctly calls customer nonservice. Before you call: Gather all the information you need and put it in writing so you can quickly answer the expected questions. Include the model of your computer or other gadget, the serial number, and - with computers - the amount of RAM memory and the kind of operating system you are using. In the case of a computer - if it's working - you can get much of the information you need by clicking on the Start button and selecting Run. Then type MSINFO32. Obviously you also need a quick and precise description of the problem, including any error messages you're seeing. When you call: Make sure you are sitting at the ailing computer or have the gadget that needs help with you. If you don't, you may be told to call back when you've done that - putting you at the rear of a long queue of callers. How to act: Be polite and obliging. Like I said, you may be asked to check some things that seem obvious. The tech support person has to gear his spiel to the lowest common denominator. Complaining and offering rude comments may make you feel better for a moment, but it's a surefire way to get even worse service. And keep it clean. Most tech support people are allowed to hang up on profane callers. When things don't work out: If you've patiently tried everything tech support suggested and still have a problem, politely ask to speak to a supervisor. Tech support centers often organize support groups in what they call tiers. Routine calls get tech support people with the least amount of training. Tier one experts are called in when lower-level support can't help. When things do work out: Write a note to the company praising the tech support person by name. It's in your interest to make sure courtesy and expertise are rewarded. I've saved my most important tip for last. Don't give up, even when the experience has been frustrating and nonproductive. For instance, I've been told that a defective product can't be replaced, or that a problem wasn't the fault of the manufacturer. In almost every instance, I've continued up the ladder politely asking for that decision to be overruled. Most times I win. In one case my wife, who does not share my last name, ended up calling the president's office of a huge worldwide corporation. She explained the problem and shared the answers she got at lower levels. She got the help she needed. Unfortunately, most of you should save this column. You're going to need it. |
| Green machines make an appearance |
| 07.20.06 (5:58 pm) [edit] |
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The green theme, it's fair to say, isn't that big at the Motor Show. A pity, given the state of the planet. All car makers have to deal with the challenge of climate change. But it might be easier if they had a little help from us car buyers. There are lots of ifs... If we were happy to use smaller, more economical cars; if we could drive electric cars; if the government offered even the slightest fiscal incentive to go greener. If we buyers changed our habits, the car makers would be happy to oblige. Yet we do not, and it is going to be difficult to change our ways. There are so few green "stars" at the Motor Show this year because there doesn't seem to be that much demand for them. An electric version of the excellent little Smart city car is being unveiled, and will be made available to selected corporate customers at least at first. It promises a range of 70 miles. The only other new vehicle for the British market is from the appropriately named Nice Car Company. Its electric car is in fact a version of an existing Aixam design, from France, but it too is a welcome addition to the narrow range of green cars. To get the basics right: Plug the Nice into the mains and it will offer a top speed of about 40 mph and a range of 50 miles. It costs pennies to "fill up" by charging from the mains, and, if the power it consumes is from renewables then it is about as green as you can get without pedalling or walking. It also looks, to most eyes, more "normal" than its principal competitor, the G-Wiz, which will also be at the Motor Show. Priced at less than $20,877, the Nice is not cheap, especially when stacked against the $17,746 G-Wiz. Both cars will take a long time to recoup their initial purchase price. More real-world alternatives to a plug-in electric car will also be at the show. Toyota's perennial Prius has been given a gadget that apparently lets the car park itself; Honda's recently launched Civic Hybrid offers conventional saloon-car styling with the new technology. There is also a bigger range than ever of big hybrids from Lexus. The millionth Focus made by Ford will also be presented to its owner at the show. It is a bioethanol or "Flexi-Fuel model" that runs on carbon-neutral bioethanol or petrol. So green can be practical. It can be sexy, too, according to Saab, which will be proudly showing what it claims to be the world's first fossil-fuel-free hybrid, the Saab 9-3 Convertible. Combining pure bioethanol with electric power on demand, the Saab 9-3 Convertible BioPower Hybrid Concept is also the world's first hybrid soft-top. The Energy Saving Trust's presence at the show betokens at least some interest from the authorities in greener driving. The EST is the quango, part-funded by the government, that used to run the Powershift scheme, which gave drivers a grant of about $1,255 toward buying a green car or converting to a greener fuel. Now the scheme has gone and the EST spends its time advising us. It is doing excellent work with fleet managers and individual drivers alike. Fine, but the only thing that will really have us driving around in electric cars is a decent financial incentive. |
| JanSport Alt Pack |
| 07.20.06 (5:56 pm) [edit] |
 Backpack with iPod integration. Supported iPod Models: 3rd-Generation (4 Horizontal Buttons) 4th-Generation (Click Wheel) 5th-Generation (Video) iPod mini iPod color/iPod photo iPod nano Review: (The following is an excerpt from a Playlist article on iPod apparel; you can read the full article at the link below.) JanSport's $299 Alt Pack holds a bit less cargo overall than the $100 Audio Pack, also reviewed on Playlist, but has gadget caché to spare; in fact, you could get lost in all of its pockets, pouches, and compartments. Made of slightly thicker nylon than the Audio Pack, the Alt Pack is available in black and weighs 2 pounds, 11 ounces empty. The rear-most compartment includes a rigid, removable laptop sleeve that accommodates laptops up to 15.4-inches (screen size), although the sleeve isn't quite long enough for 15-inch widescreen laptops and is a bit loose for Apple's thin MacBook Pro. (If you have your own favorite laptop sleeve, you can use it instead.) With a laptop in the sleeve, there's still room for magazines and files, or a thick book. In front of the laptop section is a second large compartment with a generous organizer panel and two wide pouches (one zippered). In front of that is a smaller padded pocket for a non-iPod portable player, a mobile phone, a small digital camera, or even a Sony PSP. In front of that -- I told you there were mucho pockets -- is another larger pocket, padded and divided into two sections, perfect for larger gadgets, laptop batteries, and AC adapters. Finally, in the very front of the bag is another large pocket with two elastic mesh pouches inside; this pocket is sizable enough to hold a small pair of shoes or a folded jacket. On the right side of the pack is a vented, soft-lined pocket (I'm not sure what the vent is for), and on the left side is a similar pocket with a mesh extender; when open, the latter holds a good-sized water bottle. A nice bonus: A zipper on the very bottom of the Alt Pack reveals a "rain coat" that covers the entire outside of the bag -- after all, if your pack is full of gadgets, you need to keep them dry. The Alt Pack uses the same iPod connections and controller as the Audio Pack: You place your dockable iPod in a zippered pouch at the top of the bag. Two plugs -- one for your iPod's dock-connector port and the other for its headphone jack -- connect your iPod to the bag. (You'll want to enable your iPod's Hold switch to prevent bumps to the Click Wheel from affecting playback.) Near the top of the right-hand shoulder strap is a standard stereo miniplug, into which you plug your headphones; lower on the strap is a set of soft-button iPod controls: Play/Pause, Volume Up, Volume Down, Forward, and Back. These buttons worked well and were easy to use, while resisting minor bumps -- I was surprised how infrequently I accidentally hit a button while using the backpack. Another feature that I really liked was the small elastic pouch at the very top of the right shoulder strap (near the shoulder) that can be used to store your earbuds. The pouch is too small to fit your earbuds and all of their cables without some effort, but for quickly stashing the earbuds themselves, leaving the cables free, it worked well. But the Alt Pack also includes Bluetooth connectivity. Why would a laptop backpack include Bluetooth? If you're listening to your iPod, you can't exactly be expected to pause playback, remove your headphones, take your phone out of the bag, and answer it, can you? (JanSport's answer would be "no," by the way.) Instead, you pair your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone with the bag -- a small Bluetooth button and indicator light can be found on the left-hand shoulder strap. When your phone rings, press the Bluetooth button and your iPod pauses, your phone's audio comes through your headphones, and a microphone hidden near the Bluetooth button picks up your voice. Press the Bluetooth button again to hang up; your iPod resumes playback. A small (2-by-3.5-inch) battery/Bluetooth pack fits in a pouch in the laptop compartment of the bag; Bluetooth functionality requires 3 AAA batteries. Although the Alt Pack's Bluetooth support worked well overall, I did experience one minor issue. Like most Bluetooth "headsets," the Alt Pack's Bluetooth LED blinks regularly to indicate that Bluetooth is on and the bag is paired with a phone. However, sometimes I heard a faint noise through the headphones whenever the blink occurred; a sort of low "blip." (JanSport told Playlist that this isn't normal. The company is sending another Alt Pack for us to test; we'll update this article with the results of that test.) There are also a couple minor improvements I'd like to see in the bag in general. Unlike the Audio Pack, the Alt Pack's iPod pouch isn't padded; given that the pocket is on the outside, it should offer more protection. And considering how expensive the bag is, and how many (possibly heavy) gadgets you can stuff inside it, better padding on the shoulder straps (similar to that of the Audio Pack's straps), along with chest and waist straps, would make this a killer backpack for the gadget-laden road warrior. |
| Sprint Mobile Broadband |
| 07.20.06 (3:29 pm) [edit] |
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At a glance * Editors' rating: 7.3 Very good * Editor's take: Sprint's new EV-DO-based Mobile Broadband service is a nice amenity for traveling professionals, and you may even find that it's indispensable for your job or business. * The good: Sprint's Mobile Broadband service gives you relatively fast throughput anywhere within the carrier's growing coverage area. * The bad: Compared to landline broadband services such as cable and DSL, Sprint Mobile Broadband is relatively pricey, and it isn't available in all areas. * The bottom line: For mobile professionals, Sprint Mobile Broadband offers a compelling alternative to hot-spot services. DSL and cable broadband are great when you happen to be sitting in a room with an activated modem, but what are you supposed to do when you're away from home or the office and need a fast Internet connection? Well, look no further. Sprint's Mobile Broadband service lets you access the Internet via the wireless carrier's relatively small but growing EV-DO network. EV-DO, which stands for Evolution Data-Only, is one of a handful of 3G technologies that cellular carriers have been rolling out over the past couple of years. EV-DO is faster than Cingular's EDGE service but slower than the new HSPDA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) services that are beginning to appear in a few cities. Today, Sprint's Mobile Broadband service covers most major metropolitan areas and a lot of places off the beaten path as well. Check out Sprint's coverage maps to see if the service is available in the areas where you travel. At $59.99 per month for unlimited data transfers, Sprint's Mobile Broadband service is a bit more expensive than DSL and cable, but not by much. Considering the flexibility you gain with a mobile connection, the price difference is acceptable. In fact, mobile professionals currently paying for a Wi-Fi hot-spot service for connectivity on the road may find this a better, cheaper alternative: better because they won't have to hunt down a local cafe or the like to get a connection; cheaper because they can consolidate their home and hot-spot services into a single mobile data service and arrive at a lower total cost. That said, Sprint's mobile service isn't perfect. As with any cell-phone or cellular data service, Sprint's Mobile Broadband offering is prone to isolated weak and dead spots within the service areas, and you won't be able to use it in places such as subways, where cell phones don't work. I used the service on my daily bus commute across San Francisco. With CNET's Bandwidth Meter, I measured throughput ranging from 250Kbps to 1.3Mbps, which was fast enough for me to maintain a solid VPN connection to my office at CNET and take care of morning e-mail and other chores. Using Skype, I was even able to make a conference call with friends in Germany for free. I used Sprint Mobile Broadband on an Averatec 3715 laptop equipped with a Novatel Wireless Merlin S620 PC Card modem. Sprint also offers the service for the Sierra Wireless AirCard 580. If you prefer a handheld device to a laptop, you can access the service with a Sprint PPC-6700. |
| Fujitsu LifeBook S7110 Notebook |
| 07.20.06 (3:19 pm) [edit] |
 With dual execution cores, the Fujitsu LifeBook S7110 Notebook featuring Intel Centrino Mobile Technology is optimized for multi threaded applications and multitasking. The 14.1" SXGA+ screen provides ample room for any tasks, and the LifeBook S7110's security modules ensure that your work and data will be protected. A modular bay allows you to switch out the optical drive for an optional modular bay battery or a convenient weight saver. Packed into a light, go anywhere magnesium body, the Fujitsu LifeBook S7110 Notebook is the right choice for any professional. Features
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| Business Mobility Benefits Follow Expansion of Sprint Power Vision(SM) Mobile Broadband Service |
| 07.20.06 (3:17 pm) [edit] |
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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. --Sprint (NYSE:S - News): Service Now in 141 Major Markets and over 250 Airports Covering More Than 90 Million People (143 Million by Year-end) New Devices Bring Variety to Remote Access Solutions Industry's Best Value Pricing Includes Free Card Offer Enterprise customers are seeing new business mobility benefits as Sprint (NYSE: S - News) continues an aggressive build-out of its Power Vision(SM) high-speed network. Launched in July, the Power Vision EV-DO (evolution, data optimized) wireless service has expanded to more than 141 major markets and more than 250 airports nationwide, and will be accessible on various devices to about 150 million people in over 220 major markets by early 2006. With increased coverage and new devices, Sprint helps enterprises to wirelessly enable mobile workers and others who desire information access on the go. "Our customers are rapidly gaining new means and places to be productive," remarked Vicki Warker, Sprint vice president for business solutions marketing. "With our network momentum we're adding millions of people to our network coverage area weekly. The Power Vision network meets the remote connectivity needs of the mobile broadband customer and will help widen Sprint's industry leadership in wireless data." Among the early beneficiaries is American Republic Insurance of Des Moines, Iowa, which began a pilot program using Sprint's Power Vision service. "Our initial results were exceptional and we are reviewing rolling out the technology to 500 field sales people who often go to customers' homes," said Randy Cairns, assistant vice president for distributed technology. "Having online access when talking to prospective customers is a big benefit. With average connection speeds of between 480 Kbps and 960 Kbps, our sales people have excellent response times and are more productive. We haven't run into a single issue and have been pleased with the low cost and ease of the mobile broadband data deployment." Sprint's mobile broadband service, devices and applications can change how and where business is done while providing the additional advantage of the industry's best value pricing. Various devices provide users faster speeds to download e-mails and leverage mobile applications when in Power Vision (EV-DO) coverage areas, such as the Sprint PCS Vision(SM) Smart Device (PPC- 6700, the only Windows Mobile 5.0 smart phone on the market) and laptop connection cards from Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless. A third card manufactured by UT Starcom, the Sprint PCS connection card (PC-5740), will become available later this month. Flexible pricing plans start at $39.99 per month or $59.99 monthly for unlimited access (with a voice subscription) coupled with a free connection card offer until Dec. 31, 2005.* "Sprint's high-speed wireless offering can bring measurable benefits to businesses in terms of remote access and improved productivity," commented Gene Signorini, director, Yankee Group. "There's more to broadband wireless as a foundation for business mobility. Sprint has also been aggressive in providing the applications and services that rest on the network foundation, which business customers need to fully realize the transformational power of wireless." The Sprint Power Vision Network is based on state-of-the-art EV-DO CDMA technology. Users with EV-DO capable devices will be able to access wireless data at average download speeds of 400-700 kbs and a peak rate of up to 2 Mbs. EV-DO is up to 10 times faster than the current Sprint Nationwide PCS network. Sprint Power Vision mobile broadband information can be found at http://www.sprint.com/wireles... About Sprint Nextel Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com. *New $59.99 Promotional Plan The new promotion providing unlimited data service for $59.99 per month is available to new and existing Sprint customers (both business and consumer customers) who sign a 2 year service agreement on an Unlimited Data Plan along with any nationally available voice plan from Sprint. This limited time offer is available through Sprint business sales channels and in Sprint Retail stores. Customers without a voice plan can receive the Unlimited Data Plan for $79.99/mo. In addition to the Unlimited Data Plans, Sprint also offers the Flexible Data Plan starting at $39.99/month for 40 MB of data. On the Flexible Data Plan additional usage is charged at $.001 per kilobyte. After reaching $89.99 dollars of usage, additional usage is free. (A two year service agreement is required for Business customers, a one-year service agreement is required for Consumer customers) FREE Connection Card Available now through 12/31/05, Sprint will also provide free Wireless High-Speed Data (EV-DO) connection cards to business customers who sign a 2 year service agreement and select the $59.99 Unlimited Plan or the $79.99 Unlimited Plan. Non-business customers can receive the card for $99.99 after rebates. |
| AT&T launches Homezone |
| 07.20.06 (3:12 pm) [edit] |
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We first caught wind of AT&T's Homezone service back in April -- you know, the one that combines satellite TV from Dish Network, film downloads from MovieLink, and a DVR that can be programmed from the web -- and now the company has begun rolling out the set top boxes that make it all happen to select customers in Ohio and San Antonio. Hooking the box up to your home network not only gets you those $5 MovieLink downloads, but also allows you to stream content such as photos and music from your PC -- similar to the functionality of a networked TiVo. Future plans for Homezone include support for video-on-demand from Akimbo as well as a high-definition version, which should put the HDMI port located on the back of current-gen boxes to better use. While the $10-a-month service does seem to offer some compelling features, it feels like somewhat of a stopgap solution until AT&T is able to introduce its U-Verse IPTV offering in more markets; so unless you just gotta have access to downloadable flicks in your living room, you may want to hold out for the more integrated option. |
| T-Qualizer (medium) |
| 07.20.06 (3:02 pm) [edit] |
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The T-Qualizer incorporates a sound activated device and a fully functional EL (Electro Luminenscence) panel stiched on the front of the T, that displays alterations in noise through EQ bars – just like a real equaliser! It’s incredible to see as the different musical frequencies reflect through the EQ bars! You’ll see the T-Qualizer commanding attention on dance floors across the world, in Clubs from Ibiza to Bali! The T-Qulaizer comes with a detachable battery pack that fits snugly into a pocket within the inside of the T itself. This can be detached when washing the shirt. |
| Wolf Claw Type II Keyboard |
| 07.20.06 (2:52 pm) [edit] |
 Supporting Resources offshore IBC aged ready-made offshore companies British Virgin Islands IBC BVI IBC IBC Belize Seychelles IBC Seychelles company registration Seychelles company formation Seychelles Offshore IBC Panama companies formation Panama offshore Gibraltar offshore Gibraltar IBC There was this guy I knew when I was a consultant who would get drunk and make this weird claw thing with his hand an go up to my female friends and say "Da CRRRRRRAW is coming!," but this appears to be nothing like that. The Wolf Claw keyboard is a special FPS input device, a la Belkin's Nostromo, that supposedly improves reaction times or something. It's got left-hand dedicated controls for movement and weapon selection and works silently, which actually is a strike against it. We hackers like our clicky keyboards. I'm wondering what happens if you're need a different keyboard configuration. Only available in Singapore right now, but I wouldn't be surprised if they brought the CRRRRRRAW to our shores. Get the keyboard |
| Phone thefts fuel robberies' rise |
| 07.20.06 (1:48 pm) [edit] |
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MP3 players are increasingly a target for robbers A rise in young people carrying mobile phones and MP3 players is being blamed for street robberies and muggings jumping by 8% last year. The latest crime figures include a 10% rise in gunpoint robberies. But the government says the statistics show both violent crime and crime overall has remained "stable". They come as Home Secretary John Reid prepares to unveil plans to "rebalance" the criminal justice system away from offenders in favour of crime victims. He is expected to announce more prison places, longer sentences for crimes like carrying a knife and more discretion for judges. Concerns shared According to police figures, the number of robberies in England and Wales rose in 2005/6 to 98,204 from 90,747 the previous year. It was the first jump since Tony Blair started the Street Crime Initiative in 2001, when offences reached a peak of 121,000. Crime figures in England and Wales At-a-glance Data from the British Crime Survey - a survey asking 45,000 people about their experience of crime - suggests a 22% rise in robberies to 311,000, its highest level for four years. Mr Reid said he "shared the concerns of many people that the numbers of violent offences recorded by the police have increased, particularly robbery", and pledged to buck the trend. "This is largely driven by a rise in the numbers of young people carrying expensive goods, such as mobile phones and MP3 players," he said. "Whilst this is a reason, it is not an excuse. "I am determined to reverse the rise in recorded robbery and am already taking action to address it." 'Low risk' victim status The Home Office is already working with 27 areas with particular robbery problems, he said. And the government says almost half of the recorded robberies were in London. RECORDED CRIME Overall crime down 1% Violent crime up 2%, with robberies up 8% House burglaries down 7% Handguns used for crime up 7% Murders and manslaughters down 12% Drug trafficking up 5% Vehicle theft down 3% Serious woundings down 4% MP3 players are increasingly a target for robbers Cannabis possession offences up 36% 'I was robbed at gunpoint' But there were rises in some other regions, with robbery up 28% in Bedfordshire, 24% in Gloucestershire and 22% in both Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. However, Mr Reid says the risk of becoming a victim of crime overall is the lowest since 1981. He welcomed a 7% fall in recorded house burglaries, a 3% drop in vehicle theft and a 12% decrease in the number of homicides, despite 52 people being killed in last year's London bombings. It is the third year running that murders and manslaughters have fallen, which officials say is significant given the constant rise in homicide since the 1960s. But 765 homicides last year is still higher than the 739 seen in 1997 when Labour came to power. There was been a 59% rise in people caught with cannabis, but the government says this is due to policing changes, not more people using the drug. Gun killings Total recorded crime fell by 1% to 5,556,513 offences, although the separate British Crime Survey suggested the total was up 1%. The number of crimes where somebody was charged and either cautioned or penalised was up 3% to 24%. This is a direct consequence of the government's failing policy of tying up our police in red tape, instead of putting them on the streets to deter and catch criminals David Davis Shadow home secretary Violent crime overall rose 2% last year, with use of handguns in crime up 7% to 4,652 offences. The number of gun killings fell 40% to 46 cases, but serious injuries from firearms incidents were up 16%. The figures are the first to give any indication of the impact of the new licensing laws which allow pubs to open for longer. But Home Office statistics chief Jon Simmons says the laws appear to have no effect on violent crime levels. Mr Simmons also said a rise in police catching people for possession of cannabis was because officers were able to give people new "formal warnings". "It does not mean more people are using cannabis," he insisted. 'Tough talk' However, shadow home secretary David Davis said: "It is shocking enough that drug offences have increased so much since the government declassified cannabis. "It is a double betrayal of a whole generation of young people that so many of these offences were merely punished with a warning." He said he was also alarmed by the rise in robberies. "This is a direct consequence of the government's failing policy of tying up our police in red tape, instead of putting them on the streets to deter and catch criminals," he said. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesman, said: "The rise in these violent offences is fuelling the fear of crime which runs deep in the public consciousness. "After 10 years of tough talk and confused legislation the government still has no idea how to halt the rise in violent street crime. It's no wonder that people still feel so unsafe." |
| Nice information regarding Router |
| 07.20.06 (2:39 am) [edit] |
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A router is a computer networking device that forwards data packets across an internetwork toward their destinations, through a process known as routing. Routing occurs at layer 3 (the Network layer e.g. IP) of the OSI seven-layer protocol stack. Function A router acts as a junction between two or more networks to transfer data packets among them. A router is different from a switch. A switch connects devices to form a Local area network (LAN). One easy illustration for the different functions of routers and switches is to think of switches as neighborhood streets, and the router as the intersections with the street signs. Each house on the street has an address within a range on the block. In the same way, a switch connects various devices each with their own IP address(es) on a LAN. However, the switch knows nothing about IP addresses except its own management address. Routers connect networks together the way that on-ramps or major intersections connect streets to both highways and freeways, etc. The street signs at the intersection (routing table) show which way the packets need to flow. So for example, a router at home connects the Internet Service Provider's (ISP) network (usually on an Internet address) together with the LAN in the home (typically using a range of private IP addresses, see network address translation) and a single broadcast domain. The switch connects devices together to form the LAN. Sometimes the switch and the router are combined together in one single package sold as a multiple port router. In order to route packets, a router communicates with other routers using routing protocols and using this information creates and maintains a routing table. The routing table stores the best routes to certain network destinations, the "routing metrics" associated with those routes, and the path to the next hop router. See the routing article for a more detailed discussion of how this works. Routing is most commonly associated with the Internet Protocol, although other less-popular routed protocols are in use. [edit] History The first router was created at Stanford University by a staff researcher named William Yeager [1] in January of 1980. His boss at the time told him that he was the "network guy" and to find a way to connect the computers in the computer science department, medical center and department of electrical engineering. He first wrote a network operating system and routing code to run on a DEC PDP11/05. He used Alan Snyder's Portable C compiler but it generated too much code so he modified the compiler to improve the code generators. That still wasn't good enough so he wrote an optimizer for PDP11/05 assembler that reduced the code size further. [edit] Types of routers In the original era of routing (from the mid-1970s through the 1980s), general-purpose mini-computers served as routers. Although general-purpose computers can perform routing, modern high-speed routers are highly specialised computers, generally with extra hardware added to accelerate both common routing functions such as packet forwarding and specialised functions such as IPsec encryption. Other changes also improve reliability, such as using DC power rather than line power (which can be provided from batteries in data centers), and using solid state rather than magnetic storage for program loading. Large modern routers have thus come to resemble telephone switches, with whose technology they are currently converging and may eventually replace, whilst small routers have become a common household item. A router that connects clients to the Internet is called an edge router. A router that serves solely to transmit data between other routers, e.g. inside the network of an Internet service provider, is called a core router. A router is normally used to connect at least two networks, but a special variety of router is the one-armed router, used to route packets in a virtual LAN environment. In the case of a one-armed router, the multiple attachments to different networks are all over the same physical link. In mobile ad-hoc networks every host performs routing and forwarding by itself, while in wired networks there is usually just one router for a whole broadcast domain. In recent times many routing functions have been added to LAN switches (a marketing term for high-speed bridges), creating "Layer 2/3 Switches" which route traffic at near wire speed. Routers are also now being implemented as Internet gateways, primarily for small networks like those used in homes and small offices. This application is mainly where the Internet connection is an always-on broadband connection like cable modem or DSL. These are routers in the true sense because they join two networks together - the WAN and the LAN – and have a routing table. Often these small routers support the RIP protocol, although in a home application the routing function does not serve much purpose since there are only two ways to go - the WAN and the LAN. In addition, these routers typically provide DHCP, NAT, DMZ and Firewall services. Sometimes these routers can provide content filtering and VPN. Typically they are used in conjunction with either a cable modem or DSL modem, but that function can also be built-in. Modern routers support wireless networking (generally using 802.11 standards) and can come with a variety of features, including USB ports for connecting plug-n-play printers, jacks for connecting stereo systems, etc. [edit] Pronunciation The pronunciation of the word is sometimes a point of contention. British speakers pronounce the word as 'ruotə(r) while American and Australian speakers tend to call it a 'raootə(r). [edit] Manufacturers of routers There are a number manufacturers of routers including: * 2Wire (www.2wire.com) * 3Com (www.3com.com) * Adtran (www.adtran.com) * Alcatel (www.alcatel.com) * Apple Computer (termed 'AirPort Base Stations') * Asus (www.asus.com) * Belkin (www.belkin.com) * Buffalo Technology (www.buffalotech.com) * Billion (www.billion.com) * CANYON (www.canyon-tech.com) * Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) * Cyclades Corporation (www.cyclades.com) * D-Link Systems (www.dlink.com) * Draytek (www.draytek.com) * Enterasys Networks (www.enterasys.com) * Extreme Networks (www.extremenetworks.com) * Funkwerk Enterprise Communications GmbH (www.bintec.net) * Foundry Networks (www.foundrynet.com) * Hawking Technologies (www.hawkingtech.com) * Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com) * Huawei Technologies (www.huawei.com) * ImageStream (www.imagestream.com) * Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net) * Lightning MultiCom (www.lightning.ch) * Linksys (www.linksys.com) * Lucent Technologies (www.lucent.com) * Mikrotik (www.mikrotik.com) * Motorola (www.motorola.com) * MRV Communications (www.mrv.com) * Net-coneX Technologies (www.ncxti.com) * NetComm (www.netcomm.com) * NETGEAR (www.netgear.com) * Nortel (www.nortel.com) * PacketFront (www.packetfront.com) * Pivotal Networking (global.acer.com) * Redback Networks (www.redback.com) * Siemens AG (www.siemens.com) * SMC Networks (www.smc.com) * Tellabs (www.tellabs.com) * U.S. Robotics (www.usr.com) * uSysCom (www.usyscom.com) * Zoom Telephonics (www.zoom.com) * Trendware (www.trendware.com) * ZyXEL (www.us.zyxel.com) [edit] "Software" routers With the proper software and 2 or more network cards, ordinary PCs, even old ones, can be made into routers. Most Unix-like operating systems include all necessary software to perform routing: * LEAF Project (leaf.sourceforge.net) * Coyote Linux (www.coyotelinux.com) * FREESCO (www.freesco.org/) * GNU Zebra (www.zebra.org) * SmoothWall (smoothwall.org) * m0n0wall (m0n0.ch/wall) * FreeBSD (www.freebsd.org) * NetBSD (www.netbsd.org) * OpenBSD (www.openbsd.org) * IPCop (www.ipcop.org) * The Linux Router Project (www.linuxrouter.org) * fdgw (www.fml.org/software/fdgw/) * ClarkConnect (www.clarkconnect.com/ The list includes only some examples that specialise in routing. Network Address Translation or NAT has been a built-in function of the Linux kernel since version 1.3. Originally an option that needed to be compiled into the kernel, most modern versions have NAT as a module that merely needs to be turned on. See List of Linux distributions, BSD, Unix-like for more. Other solutions include: * Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing (only some routing capabilities) * WOOWEB-PRO (Windows software) * Mac OS X Internet Sharing |
| Webroot Spy Sweeper 5 |
| 07.19.06 (6:07 am) [edit] |
 Webroot's Spy Sweeper is well known for being one of the better paid spyware detection-and-removal programs, and the previous version, 4.5, finished near the top in testing done by CNET Download.com. New in version 5 is a complete interface makeover, a keylogger shield, and four specialised scan engines to make sure your PC is free of malware. Spy Sweeper costs AU$59.95 at the start, plus there's an annual subscription fee to keep your signature files updated beyond one year. A 30-day free trial is available, but the trial version will not remove any spyware it detects; for that, you'll need to purchase the product, a practice we think is just plain wrong. Despite the many improvements in Spy Sweeper 5, our recommendation for the best antispyware application remains Lavasoft Ad-aware, which offers a fully functioning free version. Setting up and installing Spy Sweeper is a snap, though you will have to reboot. After downloading a copy from the Internet or loading one from a CD, an installation wizard will walk you through a series of questions. Because some of Spy Sweeper's tools reside in the system kernel of the Windows operating system, it is one of the few antispyware apps that requires a system reboot upon install. Leading up to this release, Webroot spent time on user-interface testing, and the results are on the screen. Spy Sweeper's new interface is cleaner, leaner, and more in league with that of other security applications, such as ZoneAlarm. By displaying vital information, such as signature file dates and dates in which scans were last run, in one convenient location, Spy Sweeper eliminates the need to drill down for such information. Spy Sweeper also fills in what had been just white space in previous versions, balancing the information on the screen. Individual tool pages have also been redesigned. For example, the Sweep page not only offers step-by-step instructions for finding and removing spyware, it also marks your process by highlighting one of three tabs across the top of the page. Like the free apps Spybot and Microsoft Windows Defender, Spy Sweeper includes proactive shields that scan for new pests that try to infest your system while you surf or download files. Spy Sweeper 5 now includes 13 proactive shields, including one devoted to blocking keyloggers. On the redesigned tools page, the shields are grouped by category (such as Windows System, Internet Explorer) so that you can see what those individual shields can do for you and toggle various options on or off. Spy Sweeper is proactive, stopping you from accessing Web sites known to host spyware. While you are working or surfing the Internet, Spy Sweeper flags all new software installations with a brief pop-up over the taskbar in the lower-right corner of the screen and asks later whether to accept or remove the installed components. Oddly, we found Spy Sweeper to be noisy. Whenever we launched Windows, Spy Sweeper slashed the desktop with its logo screen, and when we were working, Spy Sweeper's pop-up alerts require us to take immediate action, such as registering our product or confirming that we did indeed install a new program to our desktop. While we appreciate the vigilance, we also prefer the quietness of Spybot Search and Destroy and Microsoft Windows Defender Beta, both of which work proactively but without the noise. However, unlike Spybot Search and Destroy and Microsoft Windows Defender Beta, almost all of Spy Sweeper's functions can be automated. It can scan your system, update spyware definitions, delete quarantined files after a set time frame, and check all incoming files without you having to lift a finger. Given the late availability of Spy Spweeper 5, we do not yet have new testing data for this release. The context-sensitive, built-in help system within Spy Sweeper is very complete. If you still have questions, Webroot offers good online options, including extensive FAQs and e-mail technical support. Spy Sweeper 5 makes serious strides forward toward keeping your system clean of spyware while offering a user-friendly interface. We wish that the free trial actually removed spyware to better convince users their AU$59.95 will be well spent upon purchase. Perhaps that'll come with the next release. |
| Sagem my400v |
| 07.19.06 (5:55 am) [edit] |
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Design The Sagem my400v's best features are its snappy slimline design and modern appearance. Its gloss and glamour and has a certain "je ne sais quois" coming with a standard chrome face and sleek lines. It measures 105 x 46 x 14mm with an adequate screen size. Unfortunately the soft plastic face lacks durability; keeping your phone in mint condition means either regular face replacements or using a phone sock/protector because it is easily scuffed. This is a real issue when the design seems to be the phone's most alluring feature. The screen is decent with 65K colours (128 x 160 pixels) but lacks definition and struggles in sunlight. The chrome modern look comes with a reasonably sized numerical keypad and backlit buttons for easy navigation. Below the screen, four shortcut keys surround a circular navigation pad and selection key. The number keys are relatively difficult to press as all are set level with the phone and the corner keys are at times unresponsive. This is particularly frustrating for the text obsessed and you can kiss easy smiley faces goodbye. The menu navigator at the base of the display is also a little tricky to get used to with the four-way directional pad flush with the flat select button in the centre. This leads to all kinds of annoying message aborts and accidental selecting. Same is true of the position of the Vodaphone live! access button (see features below) right above the power button. This position combined with the fact that the button occasionally acts as the back button means that the phone is forever dropping what its doing to try to connect to Vodafone's services page. All that said, once the dialing is done, the Sagem my400v is a comfortable phone to hold -- the ergonomics are something the French phone maker got right. While its comfortable in your hand, it's also small enough to sit in a jeans pocket or handbag with no chunky antennas or odd angles. With its light weight of 85 grams you hardly know it's there. Features The my400v has a VGA camera with four zoom settings and a short video function. This works well for the most part and comes complete with a timer function for self-portraits and a few photo effects such as Black & White and Sepia. Photos can be attached to caller IDs or compiled into screensavers. The camera turns out a relatively good quality picture that should be downloaded to a PC through USB as the phone's display does not do them justice. Similarly, the videos we took on the my400v tended to be of poor quality when viewed on the phone's screen, and only marginally better on a PC monitor. Infrared connectivity is built-in, which is of some use in data transfer but not as convenient or as fast as Bluetooth. USB makes the phone far more useful from a multimedia perspective but unfortunately a cable isn't included in the box. Purchasing a cable separately allows you to upload wallpapers and ring tones from Sagem's mobile content Web site. The my400v supports the Vodafone live!, which gives you access to news, sport and weather through your phone as well as new sounds such as polyphonic ring tones. This could be considered somewhat of a sly feature as the phone itself comes with very few optional sounds or ring tones, so any customisation is going to come out of the user's pocket. A selection of basic games are available for download for a fee though playing them through the keypad takes some of the fun away. The phone only sports basic features such as nine speed dialling slots, calendar, organiser, Java support and multimedia messaging. Of some interest is the currency converter where, assuming you know the exchange rates, the my400v will do the maths for you. Performance The Sagem my400v did not wow us with its performance under normal conditions. Sagem states the phone supports four hours of talk time and 350 hours of standby. While standby time was good lasting around six days, talk time varied between two and four hours in our tests. |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X60 |
| 07.19.06 (5:20 am) [edit] |
 Lenovo's latest ultra-portable, the ThinkPad X60, has certainly got its work cut out for it as it's set to replace the popular and highly successful ThinkPad X32. Like the X32, the X60's rugged design coupled with advanced security features and a great warranty make it ideal for the mobile professional. Upside With dimensions of 268(W) x 211(D) x 20(H) mm and a weight of 1.67kg, the X60 has been built from the ground up with the mobile business user in mind. Naturally, it includes Lenovo's trademark security features, such as a fingerprint reader for identification and a security lock slot. It's also been designed to withstand more than a few hard knocks, thanks to the rugged chassis design and metal skeleton that protects the internal components. Internally, the X60 isn't as powerful as some of the other launch-ready Centrino Duo products, but it's still fairly competent for an ultra-portable. Specifically, it's got a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 512MB DDR2-667 memory and a meagre 60GB Serial ATA hard drive. The display measures 12.1" and offers up a resolution of 1024x768, reasserting that the notebook is most definitely not designed to be a multimedia machine. Furthering this notion is the 0.5W internal speaker, which is only realistically suitable for basic Windows sounds. The X60's extensive array of connectivity options should keep you online wherever you go. These include 802.11a/b/g wireless, Gigabit Ethernet, Infra-Red and a plain old 56K modem. Bluetooth isn't supported, however. Perhaps the X60's most impressive feature is its Express Service Warranty, which covers parts and labour for three years. Downside As mentioned, the X60 will have difficulty satisfying your multimedia needs due to its low-resolution screen and meagre speakers. Obviously, gamers are also left out since the notebook only includes basic integrated graphics. That said, this won't be a significant issue for the product's target market -- highly mobile, business users. Outlook The X60's lightweight yet rugged design, advanced security features and great warranty make it ideal for the mobile professional. |
| New feature: Gmail Pictures |
| 07.19.06 (5:08 am) [edit] |
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Gmail's "What's New" page has changed and tells us of a new feature that will be launched shortly — Gmail Pictures. The new feature basically lets you see who has emailed you — almost like an avatar in instant messengers. The new feature won't be available for all users at once, it will be rolled out slowly just like the chat feature did. From the Gmail Pictures help page: What are Gmail pictures? Gmail pictures allow you to put a face to a name, by showing user-selected pictures when you roll over a name in your inbox, Contacts, or Quick Contacts list. You can choose your own photo for yourself and for your contacts, suggest a photo for a contact to use, or see what your friends have selected for themselves. Gmail pictures can be configured to show to all users who you email or who email you, or they can be limited to only those users who are able see when you're online. You can see a full list of users who can see your online status from the All Contacts tab of your Contacts page – they'll be listed with a colored ball next to their name. |
| MacBook: In Picture | ||||||||
| 07.17.06 (10:12 am) [edit] | ||||||||
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Supporting Resources
Apple Computer's latest laptop looks sleek, runs fast and should give makers of Windows-based notebooks considerable cause for concern. The MacBook, which replaces Apple's iBook consumer notebooks, is the last of the mobile Macs to make the switch to Intel chips that have powered Windows PCs for years. With extra software, the newer Macs can run Microsoft's Windows as well as Apple's Mac OS X. This could spell trouble for notebook makers who can't offer the best of both worlds, particularly in light of the MacBook's starting price of $1,099. I tested a black, 2-gigahertz MacBook, which with no customization retails for $1,499. My loaner had a $100 upgrade that doubled the amount of memory to 1 gigabyte. Apple claims the new laptops are up to five times faster than the previous PowerPC-based iBooks. While I can't confirm it performed as fast as claimed, the MacBook felt significantly speedier than the PowerPC-based system it replaced. Running Windows XP via Apple's free Boot Camp program, the system felt as fast as any generic laptop PC. (To run Windows, however, you need to buy a copy of the operating system. Prices start at $199.) Programs designed for the new Macs in OS X were just as zippy. Older software designed for PowerPC Macs, however, runs in a slower emulation environment. Some of the most popular Mac programs, like Microsoft Office and Adobe Systems' Photoshop, still are being converted to run natively on Intel-based Macs. You'll want to check to see if your favorite programs have been converted. So far, many have, including Mozilla's Firefox browser, Bare Bones Software's BBEdit and Apple's iLife suite. My only major complaint about the MacBook is that at 5.2 pounds, it's heavier than I would like. But it's still lighter than the MacBook Pro, which starts at 5.6 pounds. Aside from the weight issue, the computer's other dimensions are perfect for users who need to have a truly mobile laptop. At just over an inch thick, the MacBook is 20 percent thinner than the iBook. The MacBook also is the first consumer laptop from Apple to sport a glossy display. The colors on the 13.3-inch screen look crisper than older Mac laptops. An anti-reflective coating has been added to reduce glare. The screen is capable of displaying 1,280 pixels by 800 pixels, providing an ample amount of workspace. Apple claims the MacBook battery will provide up to six hours of life before needing recharge. I found the battery lasted a little more than five hours while watching movies and surfing the Web. The computer's integrated graphics system shares the main memory. Though my MacBook ran games and other applications without a hitch, gamers will probably want to buy a system with a dedicated graphics card, like the MacBook Pro. Apple includes a DVI video port on the MacBook that is capable of driving a 23-inch Apple Cinema display, so the machine has no need for a docking station like many PC laptops. It also can connect, via an optional cable, to regular television sets. Combined with the included remote control and the Front Row software, it's a sweet multimedia center to display your music, movies and photos. The MacBook includes two USB ports, one FireWire port and audio ports. It does not, however, include an expansion-card slot. Wi-Fi support is standard on all the MacBook models, and connecting to wireless networks was no problem. The antenna range seems greatly improved over previous Apple notebooks: I was able to pick up wireless signals on the MacBook that simply didn't register with a 17-inch MacBook Pro or an older G4-based 17-inch PowerBook. Overall, the new MacBook is a well-priced laptop that could fit the needs of most consumers. After all, it comes with the simplicity and security of Mac OS X and has many features still in the works for Microsoft's next-generation OS, Windows Vista. It also comes with the iLife suite that includes iTunes, iPhoto and iMovie plus a built-in iSight camera for video conferencing. Combine the MacBook's ability to run Windows at native speed with Apple's renowned knack for elegant hardware and software, and it's a formula that should give other PC makers nightmares. Technorati tags: macbook pro black review apple mac white 17 case |
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| Seiko Men's Arctura Kinetic Auto Relay Watch |
| 07.16.06 (6:15 pm) [edit] |
 Product Description Futuristically styled and technologically advanced, the kinetic Seiko SNG043 stainless steel men's watch contains its own internal electrical generator--operated by natural wrist movements--making it independent of conventional storage batteries. It also features Seiko's unique Kinetic Auto Relay, which automatically resets the watch to the correct time--even if the watch hasn't been worn for up to 4 years. If the watch senses inactivity for more than three days, it automatically stops the hands to conserve energy, then continues to compute the time internally. The brushed silver watch case flows seamlessly into the stainless steel bracelet band, which features polished accents at the center. The navy blue dial background has a mix of silver Arabic numerals and thin stick markers and silver-tone baton hands (with second hand). Other features include a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, date function at 3 o'clock, and water resistance to 30 meters (100 feet). Warranty |
| Canon Powershot A620 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom |
| 07.16.06 (6:09 pm) [edit] |
 Technical Details
From the Manufacturer With 7.1 megapixels, the A620 incorporates a host of high-end features normally reserved for G-series PowerShots. The DIGIC II processor drives a fast, responsive performance, and--in combination with the camera's 4x optical zoom lenses--delivers superior image quality. A wide range of manual, automatic, and special scene modes offer flexibility, creative control, and simplicity when required. The camera also features a 2.0-inch vari-angle LCD, My Colors, and a macro mode that allows photographers to get as close as 1 centimeter. VGA movies at 30 frames per second can be created. A complete range of optional accessories, including wide and tele-converters and waterproof case, extends shooting flexibility. (Accessories not included--must be purchased separately.) A comprehensive software suite is provided as standard. The A620 is equipped with a Print/Share button, PictBridge printing, as well as ID Photo Print and Movie Print. USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connections provide for high-speed transfer of image data. Improved resolution, zoom, and image quality The precision Canon zoom lens in this new camera follows the design and construction of G-series lenses, with eight elements in seven groups, and incorporating two aspherical elements. The upgrade to a 4x optical zoom provides a 35-140mm focal length (35mm equivalent). With a maximum aperture range of f2.8 (W) to f4.1 (T), the lens is impressively bright at the telephoto end. In addition, focusing performance in low light has improved by up to 2 stops, resulting in greater freedom when shooting in dim conditions. The lenses' spectral characteristics have been optimized specifically for the configuration of the lens and sensor, providing accurate colors and significantly reducing the chromatic aberrations (such as purple fringing) often found with lower quality lenses. Advanced processing and focusing The new PowerShot still features Canon's 9-point AiAF for fast, accurate focusing even when subjects are not centerd. FlexiZone AF/AE allows free scrolling anywhere within the frame's auto focus area to select the desired subject, for which exposure is weighted accordingly. Manual focus selection is also available. Increased versatility The A620 incorporates a total of 20 shooting modes, including full Manual mode, a Custom mode for allocating preferred shooting settings, and a shutter speed priority mode, with shutter speeds ranging from 15 seconds to 1/2500 second. Eight scene modes--such as Night Snapshot, Snow, and Underwater--maximize results in a variety of shooting situations. The Stitch Assist mode facilitates shooting pictures for panoramas, which can be joined together easily with the supplied PhotoStitch software. My Colors--located on the mode dial--allows the expansion of creativity in digital photography. Special effects, such as Color Swap or Custom Color, which allows users to select their preferred color balance for any given shot, can be performed in-camera and viewed on the LCD while shooting stills and movies. These effects could previously only be achieved using PC software after shooting. High-quality movies are selectable from VGA (30/15 frames per second), QVGA (30/15 frames per second), Fast Frame Rate (for slow motion replays in camera), and Compact Mode (for clips that are ideal for e-mailing). Advanced printing When connected to the latest range of PictBridge compatible PIXMA printers, image enhancement is possible with functions such as Noise Reduction and Vivid Photo, as well as the new Face Brightener feature. Also new is Captured Info print, which prints shooting data such as shutter speed, aperture and shooting mode within the photo border. Printing images without having to connect to a PC is kept simple with the Print/Share button, which also acts as an easy upload button for Windows XP and Mac OS X. Comprehensive software Purchasers of the cameras are eligible for membership of Canon iMAGE Gateway , which offers 100 MB of online space for uploading and sharing images, and supports My Camera, which allows users to further customise their camera settings. Supported operating systems are Windows 98 (SE), Me, 2000 (SP4), XP (SP1/2) and Mac OS X v10.2-v10.3. The cameras support PTP for driverless transfer to supported Windows XP or Mac OS X. What's in the box |
| New Stuff: LG VX8300 (Verizon Wireless) |
| 07.15.06 (11:37 pm) [edit] |
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The VX8300's GPS chip and location-determination software offer turn-by-turn instructions to help you find your way to unfamiliar locations. While this may be just the thing for music-happy road warriors in a hurry to get somewhere, everyone else should bear in mind that Verizon's new VZ Navigator service costs an extra $10 per month. The LG VX8300 is the latest high-speed phone to join Verizon's growing stable of handsets capable of downloading music tracks and video clips. This phone has arrived just in time for Verizon Wireless subscribers to take advantage of a new program called VCast Performances, which will soon serve up clips of popular artists in concert. Look and Feel Measuring 3.58 x 1.93 x 0.92 inches and tipping the scales at 3.88 ounces, the charcoal gray VX8300 sports a clamshell case with rounded corners. A camera lens sits above an external display contained within an oval on the handset's surface. This deceptively simple combination of design elements gives the phone a very elegant look. The VX8300's 65,000-color external display is based on a new technology called organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, that does not require any backlighting and thus minimizes the power drain on the handset's battery. The downside is that sunshine tends to wash out the OLED display. By contrast, the handset's internal display, 262,000 colors at a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels, is bright, bold, and beautiful. Features Under the hood, the LG VX8300 integrates a Bluetooth radio, a GPS navigation chip, 28 MB of internal memory, a 1.3-megapixel camera with flash and self-timer, a micro-SD expansion card slot, and a full duplex speakerphone. On the software side, the new handset incorporates a Mobile Web 2.0 client for accessing e-mail and surfing the Internet. Support for text, multimedia, and instant messaging is also on tap, together with the requisite advanced voice recognition (AVR) technology that enables the handset to respond to spoken commands. The Bluetooth radio connects with monaural headsets, hands-free car kits, and a wireless Performance The handset's battery delivers an ample 230 minutes of talk time or more than 15 days of operation in the standby mode. The location of the handset's expansion card slot on the right-hand side of the casing makes it easy to swap out memory cards on the fly. And the keys on the exterior of VX8300's clamshell case provide easy access to VCast music controls. The VX8300's GPS chip and location-determination software offer turn-by-turn instructions to help you find your way to unfamiliar locations. While this may be just the thing for music-happy road warriors in a hurry to get somewhere, everyone else should bear in mind that Verizon's new VZ Navigator service costs an extra $10 per month.To transfer music files from a PC to the handset, you must purchase Verizon's Music Essentials Kit, sold separately for $19.99. You will also need to purchase a memory card if your goal is to port several albums' worth of music onto the phone. On the plus side, the LG VX8300 sports a pair of surprisingly good speakers with more than enough moxie to really rock anyone's mobile world. The Verdict Priced at $99.99 after rebate, the LG VX8300 seems inexpensive enough at first blush. However, Verizon's basic tier of VCast video and audio clips commands a $15-per-month fee on top of monthly charges for calls and high-speed data access. Moreover, additional charges are incurred each time any VCast subscriber downloads a music track or premium video clip to the phone. Consumers with deep pockets who are ready to rock 'n' roll will find the VX8300 to be an excellent choice. On the other hand, standalone devices such as the video iPod can deliver similar, or even superior, multimedia capabilities without breaking anyone's bank account. LG VX8300 from Verizon Wireless Specs: Dual-band EVDO-capable radio; Bluetooth radio; GPS navigation chip; external 65,000-color OLED display (96 x 96 pixels); internal 262,000-color LCD (176 x 220 pixels); 28 MB of internal memory; 1.3-megapixel camera with flash and self-timer; micro-SD expansion card slot; full duplex speakerphone. Pros: Vibrant internal display; exceptional stereo sound from built-in speakers; optional GPS navigation capabilities; expansion card slot is easily accessible. Cons: Requires extra software and connecting cable to be PC-ready; the OLED external display washes out in bright conditions. Verdict: 4 out of 5. Price: $99.99 after rebate (with two-year service contract). |
| New Stuff: Toshiba M105s3004 Notebook PC |
| 07.15.06 (11:24 pm) [edit] |
 The Express Media Player provides instant access to DVDs and CDs without having to go through a full system boot. Most portable PCs do not offer this feature. But on computers running the Windows XP Media Center operating system -- like this one -- it makes sense. The Toshiba M105s3004 is a thin and light notebook PC with lots of storage capacity and memory. It has many of the features multimedia users depend on while traveling. But disappointing video performance and a persistent glare on the display might make you think twice before starting any heavy-duty computing tasks. Look and Feel If you have to carry a computer around, you will appreciate the thin and light form of this Toshiba portable. Its widescreen LCD provides extra room for an uncluttered keyboard design. The unit measures 13.5 x 9.53 x 1.5 inches and weighs 5.42 pounds, making it smaller and lighter than other models in the 14- and 17-inch-screen category. Features We were pleased to see that Toshiba decided to buck the growing trend of hiding reinstallation files on the hard drive. Instead, Toshiba includes all the system and restoration files on a separate DVD. This not only is a great convenience, but it also saves space on the hard drive. Sparing the hassle of burning backup copies is much-appreciated. Another nice feature is the Express Media Player, which provides instant access to DVDs and CDs without having to go through a full system boot. Most portable computers do not offer this feature. But on computers running the Windows XP Media Center operating system -- like this one -- it makes sense. We think the choice of optical drives is a bit lightweight. While the DVD/CD combination drive has dual-layer technology for saving up to 8 GB of data per blank disc, the drive records in DVD mode at half the speed (4x for DVD-RW, 8x for DVD-R) of other units. The Type I/II PC Card Slot accepts the thick, older PC Card hard drives. The TypeI/II compatibility enables continued use of this hardware as a backup or alternative storage device, which should appeal to consumers upgrading from earlier equipment. Other data-access features include a multicard reader that accepts SD, Memory Stick, MultiMedia, Memory Stick Pro, and xD cards. There are also four USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire port, and an S-Video out connector. Performance A 1.66-GHz Intel Core Duo processor is great for multitasking; you will not experience any lag while using a word processor when the DVD writer is burning data, for instance. We were pleased with the ample supply of memory Toshiba included in this model: 1 GB of fast DDR2 SDRAM. Too many notebooks in this price range skimp by only providing 512 MB. If you're going to buy a system built around Windows Media Center, you had better have lots of memory. The 100-GB hard drive is similarly generous, and battery life clocks in at an impressive four hours.One weak point, however, is in the video performance. This model lacks a dedicated video card. Instead, it uses an integrated staple, the Intel 945GM Express chipset, built into the motherboard. This integrated video approach, sharing between 8 MB and 128 MB of system RAM, in theory equals the display capability of dedicated video cards. But we think this less-expensive approach is a drawback. Another weakness is the lack of antiglare technology for the 14.1-inch widescreen LCD. This forced us to reposition the screen angle numerous times to counteract simple overhead lighting. In direct sunlight, the controls could not make the screen bright enough to see text without squinting. We were impressed, however, with the onboard fingerprint reader, located below the first row of keys. Should the notebook be misplaced or stolen, no one else can boot it up or access its data -- unless they also have your finger, of course. The Verdict Thin and light, Toshiba's M105-s3004 notebook PC is a good performer, but its underwhelming video setup and lack of antiglare technology detract from an otherwise impressive package. Toshiba m105s3004 Notebook PC Specs: Intel 1.66-GHz Core Duo processor; 1 GB RAM; 100-GB hard drive; 14.1-inch widescreen LCD; integrated Intel 945GM Express graphics; CD/DVD with dual-layer DVD±RW; Realtek ALC861 stereo speakers. Pros: Ample system memory, large storage capacity, fingerprint scanner. Cons: Average audio and video; excessive glare on LCD. Verdict: Thin and light, this model is a good performer as a portable, but its screen makes using it in bright lights and outdoors bothersome. Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Price: $1,299.99 |
| This Computer May Be Too Smart |
| 07.15.06 (11:16 pm) [edit] |
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The Cambridge professor is adamant that his mind-reading computer won't discern someone's innermost thoughts. Instead, he says it will let computers adapt to users' needs by monitoring their moods. In the future, Robinson's machine may even shed some light on the emotional state of the British. The British aren't usually known for displaying their emotions. But they may start revealing their moods -- and much more -- thanks to a University of Cambridge scientist. Professor Peter Robinson has developed a "mind-reading" computer that can interpret reactions and feelings by analyzing a person's facial movements. Developed in conjunction with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the computer uses a camera to capture people's facial expressions and then applies sophisticated pattern-matching technology to recognize emotions ranging from confusion to concentration. The potential applications go well beyond an interesting experiment. Automakers, online retailers, and teachers are interested in the potential commercial and educational benefits of the mind-reading computer, which could enable the use of more personalized and adaptive products, services, and learning experiences. It could even be a boon to people with autism or Asperger syndrome, by helping them interpret the emotions of others. Orwellian? To be sure, some critics find the whole idea pretty creepy. "The technology itself raises privacy issues relating to the increased collection of personal information," says Gary Ruskin, the executive director of Commercial Alert, a U.S.-based group that monitors the relationship between civil society and commercialism. He adds that computer interpretation of emotions could lead to 1984- type scenarios for marketers and governments. Still, that's a ways off. Computers that are truly emotionally aware are still more science fiction than fact. But Robinson is confident that his machine can correctly gauge a limited range of human feelings. "The computer is 85% accurate when analyzing data provided by actors," Robinson said while unveiling the computer at the Royal Society in London in early July. At present, the machine is only correct 65 percent of the time when evaluating the emotions of regular people in real world situations. Robinson and his team plan to improve this figure by creating a database of everyday events that the computer can interpret. The key to the computer's swami-like powers is its ability to identify 24 facial feature movementss -- from an raised eyebrow to a furrowed brow -- that, when combined, allow it to identify a person's mood. Wake-Up Call Robinson is excited about the practical applications of his invention, and is working with several companies to transform the mind-reading computer from laboratory experiment into a money-making reality. In particular, he is in talks with an unnamed Japanese car manufacturer to incorporate the technology over the next five years into future models. With a camera built into the dashboard, the car could monitor a driver's emotional state and react to unforeseen problems. For instance, if a driver started to nod off, the car could emit a loud noise to awaken him. Connected to a car's satellite navigation, the system could provide directions and adapt itself to how a person is feeling. "The system has the potential to prevent accidents by improving driver safety," Robinson says. Stress Relief Automakers are also interested in integrating Robinson's computer into their new models to enhance the driving experience: When you're sad, the car could play happy music, or if you're confused, it could turn off distracting gadgets. Robinson's technology also isn't the only one auto makers are investigating. Toyota is reportedly working with researchers from Stanford University and Edinburgh-based Affective Media to incorporate mood sensitivity into cars. By monitoring the tone of drivers' voices, the technology senses if drivers are stressed, angry, or sleepy -- and reacts, for instance, by playing soothing music or proposing better routes to escape traffic. At this point, Robinson concedes, his Japanese partner is focusing more on the invention's aesthetic qualities than on safety benefits. "It would be more a prestige thing," he says. "An extra fancy gadget" to be included on luxury cars. 'Neuromarketing' Robinson also has gotten inquiries from online retailers and computer service providers, such as IBM, who envision tailoring their products to the emotional state of consumers. While surfing the Web, for instance, your computer could determine if you liked certain products and then modify content to your individual tastes or alter advertising to fit your mood. The use of Robinson's emotionally aware technology to improve company sales represents the latest advance in neuromarketing -- the study of the brain's response to marketing to measure consumer preferences. "Neuromarketing can help predict what products people are going to choose," said Dr. Gemma Calvert, director of Neurosense, a British consulting firm. Another application for the mind-reading computer is as an "emotional hearing aid" to help people with autism and Asperger syndrome, who have difficulty reading others' emotions. Robinson's MIT partners are designing a prototype headset that informs the wearer of people's moods, and are currently improving its accuracy by recording individuals' reactions to everyday events. Eyes Everywhere Robinson is keenest about his invention's applications in online teaching -- an area he has been focusing on in his Cambridge lab. By analyzing students' emotions, a computer could calculate whether they understand what is being taught and then tailor lesson plans to improve comprehension. Scenarios such as these invariably raise questions about privacy and a Big Brother-like society. Commercial Alert's Ruskin charges that the technology could permit marketers and governments to gather information about people without their knowledge. It's "a chilling thought," he says. Of course, people could cover up the cameras on their own computers, but escaping the watchful eye of a discreet public camera could be more difficult. The Cambridge professor is adamant that his mind-reading computer won't discern someone's innermost thoughts. Instead, he says it will let computers adapt to users' needs by monitoring their moods. In the future, Robinson's machine may even shed some light on the emotional state of the British. |
| Valve is on episode 2 includes Team Fortress 2 and Portal |
| 07.15.06 (11:12 pm) [edit] |
 Supporting Resources Türkçe Bilgi offshore company formation offshore company offshore bank account offshore company incorporation offshore shelf company IBC offshore registered agent New Movies BIZ-KING DIRECTORY SLEEK DIRECTORY BIZ-GIANT LINK EXCHANGE DIRECTORY Includes Team Fortress 2 and Portal, Heading To PC and Next Gen Console Bellevue, WA - Valve®, developer of the blockbuster series Half-Life® and Counter-StrikeTM, unveiled Team Fortress® 2 and Portal, two new games to be included in its next release, Half-Life® 2: Episode Two. In addition, the studio announced its plans to deliver these products, plus enhanced versions of Half-Life 2 and Episode One, in one tremendous package for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. "By evolving our development process to an episodic approach, we're able to reduce risk from things such as schedule and funding and invest more in new types of gameplay," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "This allows us to produce innovative titles such as Portal and Team Fortress 2 and deliver them in a timely fashion to customers along with Episode Two." Episode Two advances the 16-million unit selling franchise, as Valve's trilogy of episodic single player releases continues the award-winning story of Half-Life 2. Armed with new weaponry and vehicles, Dr. Gordon Freeman must race through a countryside riddled with an increasingly fierce Combine threat. Team Fortress 2, an all-new version of the title that spawned team based multiplayer action games, features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. Players choose from a range of unique character classes such as medic, spy, sniper, or engineer and must work together to complete a variety of tactical objectives. Portal is a new type of single player game that changes how players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in a given environment in a manner similar to how the Gravity Gun changed our approach to how an object may be leveraged in any given situation. Team Fortress 2 and Portal will be included with all retail and Steam versions of Episode Two for the PC. In addition, these products plus Half-Life 2 and Episode One will be available in one tremendous offering for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. New videos from Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 will be released next week. |
| The Top 10 Internet/Email Scams |
| 07.15.06 (7:55 pm) [edit] |
 Supporting Resources Articles Directory offshore incorporation offshore company formation offshore company registration aged offshore shelf companies offshore ready made companies Offshore Incorporations BIZ-KING DIRECTORY SLEEK DIRECTORY BIZ-GIANT LINK EXCHANGE DIRECTORY SEO Company Pakistan 1. 1) The Nigerian scam, also known as 419 2. 2) Advanced fees paid for a guaranteed loan or credit card 3. 3) Lottery scams 4. 4) Phishing emails and phony web pages 5. 5) Items for sale overpayment scam 6. 6) Employment search overpayment scam 7. 7) Disaster relief scams 8. 8) Travel scams 9. 9) “Make Money Fast” chain emails 10. 10) "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!" 1) The Nigerian scam, also known as 419 Most of you have received an email from a member of a Nigerian family with wealth. It is a desperate cry for help in getting a very large sum of money out of the country. A common variation is a woman in Africa who claimed that her husband had died, and that she wanted to leave millions of dollars of his estate to a good business. In every variation, the scammer is promising obscenely large payments for small unskilled tasks. This scam, like most scams, is too good to be true. Yet people still fall for this money transfer con game. They will use your emotions and willingness to help against you. They will promise you a large cut of their business or family fortune. All you are asked to do is cover the endless “legal” and other “fees” that must be paid to the people that can release the scammer’s money. The more you are willing to pay, the more they will try to suck out of your wallet. You will never see any of the promised money, because there isn’t any. And the worst thing is, this scam is not even new; its variant dates back to 1920s when it was known as 'The Spanish Prisoner' con. 2) Advanced fees paid for a guaranteed loan or credit card If you are thinking about applying for a “pre-approved” loan or a credit card that charges an up-front fee, ask yourself: “why would a bank do that?” These scams are obvious to people who take time to scrutinize the offer. Remember: reputable credit card companies do charge an annual fee but it is applied to the balance of the card, never at the sign-up. Furthermore, if you legitimately clear your credit balance each month, a legitimate bank will often wave the annual fee. As for these incredible, pre-approved loans for a half-a-million dollar homes: use your common sense. These people do not know you or your credit situation, yet they are willing to offer massive credit limits. Sadly, a percentage of all the recipients of their “amazing” offer will take the bait and pay the up-front fee. If only one in every thousand people fall for this scam, the scammers still win several hundred dollars. Alas, far too many victims, pressured by financial problems, willingly step into this con man's trap. 3) Lottery scams Most of us dream of hitting it big, quitting our jobs and retiring while still young enough to enjoy the fine things in life. Chances are you will receive at least one intriguing email from someone saying that you did indeed win a huge amount of money. The visions of a dream home, fabulous vacation, or other expensive goodies you could now afford with ease, could make you forget that you have never ever entered this lottery in the first place. This scam will usually come in the form of a conventional email message. It will inform you that you won millions of dollars and congratulate you repeatedly. The catch: before you can collect your “winnings”, you must pay the “processing” fee of several thousands of dollars. Stop! The moment the bad guys cash your money order, you lose. Once you realize you have been suckered into paying $3000 to a con man, they are long gone with your money. Do not fall for this lottery scam. 4) Phishing emails and phony web pages This is the most widespread Internet and email scam today. It is a "sting" con game. "Phishing" is identity and password theft based on convincing emails and web pages. These emails and web pages resemble legitimate credit authorities like Citibank, eBay, or Paypal. They frighten or entice you into visiting a phony web page and entering your ID and password. Commonly, the guise is an urgent need to "confirm your identity". They will even offer you a story of how your account has been attacked by hackers to lure you into entering your confidential information. The email message will require you to click on a link. But instead of leading you to the real login https: site, they will to a fake website. The fake website is often very convincing looking. You then innocently enter your ID and password. This information is intercepted by the scammers, who later access your account and fleece you for several hundred dollars. This phishing con , like all cons, depends on people believing the legitimacy or their emails and web pages. Because it was born out of hacking techniques, “fishing” is stylistically spelled "phishing" by hackers. Tip: the beginning of the link address should have https://. Phishing fakes will just have http:// (no “s”). If still in doubt, make a phone call to the financial institution to verify if the email is legit. In the meantime, never click on the link in any suspicious email. 5) Items for sale overpayment scam This one involves an item you might have listed for sale such as a car, truck or some other expensive item. The scammer finds your ad and sends you an email offering to pay much more than your asking price. The reason for overpayment is supposedly related to the international fees to ship the car overseas. In return, you are to send him the car and the cash for the difference. The money order you receive looks real so you deposit it into your account. In a couple of days (or the time it takes to clear) your bank informs you the money order was fake and demands you pay that amount back immediately. In most documented versions of this money order scam, the money order was indeed an authentic document, but it was never authorized by the bank it was stolen from. In the case of cashier's checks, it is usually a convincing forgery. You have now lost the car, the cash you sent with the car, and you owe a hefty sum of money to your bank to cover for the bad money order or the fake cashier's check. 6) Employment search overpayment scam You have posted your resume, with at least some personal data accessible by potential employers, on a legitimate employment site. You receive a job offer to become a "financial representative" of an overseas company you have never even heard of before. The reason they want to hire you is that this company has problems accepting money from US customers and they need you to handle those payments. You will be paid 5 to 15 percent commission per transaction. If you apply, you will provide the scammer with your personal data, such as bank account information, so you can “get paid”. Instead, you will experience some, or all, of the following: * identity theft, * money stolen from your account, or * may receive fake checks or money orders for payments which you deposit into your account but must send 85 – 95 percent of that to your “employer”. Soon you will owe much money to your bank! 7) Disaster relief scams What do 9-11, Tsunami and Katrina have in common? These are all disasters, tragic events where people die, lose their loved ones, or everything they have. In times like these, good people pull together to help the survivors in any way they can, including online donations. Scammers set up fake charity websites and steal the money donated to the victims of disasters. If your request for donation came via email, there is a chance of it being a phishing attempt. Do not click on the link in the email and volunteer your bank account or credit card information. Your best bet is to contact the recognized charitable organization directly by phone or their website. 8) Travel scams These scams are most active during the summer months. You receive an email with the offer to get amazingly low fares to some exotic destination but you must book it today or the offer expires that evening. If you call, you’ll find out the travel is free but the hotel rates are highly overpriced. Some can offer you rock-bottom prices but hide certain high fees until you “sign on the dotted line”. Others, in order to give you the “free” something, will make you sit through a timeshare pitch at the destination. Still others can just take your money and deliver nothing. Also, getting your refund, should you decide to cancel, is usually a lost cause, often called a nightmare or mission-impossible. Your best strategy is to book your trip in person, through a reputable travel agency or proven legitimate online service like Travelocity or Expedia. 9) “Make Money Fast” chain emails A classic pyramid scheme: you get an email with a list of names, you are asked to send 5 dollars (or so) by mail to the person whose name is at the top of the list, add your own name to the bottom, and forward the updated list to a number of other people. The author of this scam letter painstakingly explains that, if more and more people join this chain, when it’s your turn to receive the money, you might even become a millionaire! Bear in mind that, most times, the list of names is manipulated to keep the top name (the creator of the scam, or his friends) on top, permanently. As with the previously circulating snail-mail version of this chain, the email edition is just as illegal. Should you choose to participate, you risk being charged with fraud – definitely not something you want on your record, or resume. 10) "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!" Although not a full blown scam, this scheme works as follows: You send someone money for instructions on where to go and what to download and install on your computer to turn it into a money-making machine… for spammers. At sign-up, you get a unique ID and you have to give them your PayPal account information for the “big money” deposits you’ll “soon” be receiving. The program that you are supposed to run, sometimes 24/7, opens multiple ad windows, repeatedly, thus generating per-click revenue for spammers. In other scenario, your ID is limited to a certain number of page clicks per day. In order to make any money whatsoever from this scheme, you are pretty much forced to scam the spammers by hiding your real IP address with Internet proxy services such as “findnot”, so you can make more page clicks. I won’t even go into the discussion about what this program will do to your computer’s performance... it is a true tragedy if you get conned into this scam. |
| ZUNE - IPOD biggest rival! |
| 07.15.06 (7:09 pm) [edit] |
 This is the Latest news breezing everywhere — The official name for the Microsoft’s iPod competitor is supposedly going to be the Zune. The picture on the left is repoted as the final design for the Microsoft’s MP3 player Gizmodo has reported that: Our mole also says there’s no game menu to be seen on the device, putting those rumors of portable gaming from Xbox branding in possible jeopardy. More game options possibly coming in the 2nd iteration. There’s also mention of a black version of the Zune, being shown on a music video for the band CSS, and the brown version on the cover for “Band of Horses”. You can display Album covers for the song you’re listening to on the screen, which is “big enough” and looks “pretty good”. Paul Oakenfold also has a tie-in deal. |
| Leatherman k502x ToolLeatherman k502x Tool |
| 07.15.06 (5:14 pm) [edit] |
 You can't be a man and not appreciate the usefulness of Leatherman's products. Unfortunately, some of them have grown so big that they can no longer be carried daily in a pocket. That's why we're eyeing the Leatherman k502x ($70). It's a sleek lockback folding knife that incorporates some essential tools, namely a bit driver (with six screw bit tips), can opener, and a carabiner clip that doubles as a bottle opener. Like Leatherman says: the k502x provides maximum usefulness with minimum bulk. |
| Juicy Couture Light Wool Blazer |
| 07.15.06 (5:12 pm) [edit] |
 Just because it's been miserably hot so far this summer doesn't mean you can't sport a stylish blazer in the evenings. This Light Wool Blazer by Juicy Couture ($398) features a lightweight build, nice slim fit, and an ever so dashing plaid finish that we love. If you need a little push to break out your credit card, the folks at Standard Style will give you 15% off this blazer and any other item on their online store if you use the coupon code "uncrate" at checkout. |
| Samsung A640 |
| 07.15.06 (4:50 pm) [edit] |
 With their growing line of excellent electronics such as TVs and video components, Samsung's list of desirable items gets longer and longer — and now they've got a new phone to add to it. The Samsung A640 ($200) operates on Sprint's network, and features a 128x160 main screen, a 80x64 OLED outer screen, the requisite VGA camera, Bluetooth, and compatibility with Sprint's Ready Link service. The sleek black front is complemented by the OLED outer screen, which keeps its background black to match the rest of the phone, making this one of the best looking Sprint phones out there. |
| Oakley Montefrio |
| 07.15.06 (4:43 pm) [edit] |
 We're always on the lookout for cool shades, and although we've covered several pairs of Oakleys here on Uncrate, these deserve a look. The Oakley Montefrio ($100) was co-designed by Oakley and snowboarding champ Shaun White, and features a cool contrasting stripe on the stems. As always, they feature Oakley's great optics and come in several different color combinations, including the polished black/grey pictured here. Whether you're hitting the slopes or the beach, they'll be ready. |
| Wooden Memory Sticks |
| 07.15.06 (4:19 pm) [edit] |
 Ok, this is getting ridiculous. USB memory sticks seem to be entering a world of one-up-man-ship when it comes to design. We've already had USB sushi, but this time Dutch company Ooms has taken the literal meaning of "stick," and created a USB drive that is exactly that, a genuine wooden stick. According to Ooms, "The sticks are picked from the woods and are manually selected on their natural beauty." The sticks come in three sizes with relative pricing; 256MB (€45), 512MB (€60) and 1GB (€70). What's next in the battle of memory stick design? My suggestions: the USB "Memory Mug" - "Have a data drink, backup your files while enjoying a hot cup of coffee", or the "Flash Cap" - "Wherever I lay my hat (that's my homepage)" Go to Oooms for the memory sticks, or if you're a company wanting to manufacture my incredible ideas, use our contact page. |
| The NY Times Deluxe Touch Screen Crossword Puzzle | |||
| 07.15.06 (4:09 pm) [edit] | |||
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The ultimate for the sophisticated crossword puzzle lover! Give or get the greatest crosswords—1,000 puzzles, all from the world-famous New York Times collection—in this luxurious, high-tech computer from Excalibur Electronics! No pencil, papers or books for you to carry. Its touch-sensitive screen works with a stylus, just like expensive PDAs. Slip this handheld computer into your pocket, bag or briefcase—you’ll never notice the space it takes! Using it is the crossword enthusiast’s dream. Its big, lighted screen makes it easy to read, even in the dark! An ultra-light metal housing protects your computer.
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| Nike+ iPod Sport Kit hits the shops |
| 07.15.06 (1:19 pm) [edit] |
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Apple and Nike announce the UK retail availability of the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit today. To get the full experience you'll need a pair of Nike+ shoes that house a wireless component that talks to the iPod nano Sport Kit adaptor, which is attached to your iPod. With this triumvirate in place, your running performance can be analysed, down to distance covered, pace, and even calories burned. Results are displayed both on-screen and can be read aloud to you by pressing the centre button. And if you find yourself hitting the pain barrier earlier than you'd hoped, you can preset a 'power song' to help drive through it. Your running data can then be uploaded to your account on the Nike+ site, where you can track your runs and set goals to achieve: putting in a certain number of runs for example, or burning so many calories. There's also the chance to measure yourself against other runners in the community section of the Nike+ portal with a leaderboard and mapping service so you can see fellow runners located near you. The upsell on this is the opportunity to suggest more music on iTunes to the runner that might inspire better performances. Available today, the Sport Kit adaptor costs £19 inc VAT, while the trainers start at £65 inc VAT in the form of the Nike Air Zoom Moire. A further nine styles will also be added to the range, as will a range of clothing with an iPod pocket. |
| NY Times launch social bookmarking service, The MyTimes |
| 07.14.06 (1:05 am) [edit] |
 NYTimes.com has launched a limited beta of a personalized news site called MyTimes.com (screenshots via PaidContent), an RSS play that looks more like MyYahoo than it does the recent Newsgator partnerships with MyUSAToday and MyNewsweek. Unlike in those services, it does not appear that users can add sources from outside the recommended feeds to their MyTimes page. If that’s the case then it’s a real shame - I think that the practice of major media companies offering what are effectively branded RSS readers with editorial control over a default OPML file is better than this tame use of RSS. (Update: this may not be the case, but I still don’t care for the format of this service for the reasons below.) PaidContent reports that MyTimes is currently limited to 5,000 users who have already expressed interest but will be opened for public use later. RSS founding father Dave Winer says he wants to do a seminar on how to design interfaces for RSS readers. It’s hard to know for sure how this will work until it’s open for use; but when only a few of the most recent items in a limited number of feeds can be viewed then popular adoption of RSS is gained at the loss of huge functionality. I love RSS and feel really ambivalent about things like this. Yes RSS enables widgets (even MyTimes calls them that) but it can do a whole lot more. Even if the MyUSAToday and MyNewsweek sites are a little clunky and not as pretty, they are really useful for serious reading. The ability to add your own sources is key, impress me with the platform and insight of your community editors. Enabling a river of news means that readers can view items according to what’s most recent across all sources - that’s key because once you’ve selected your sources then the time that individual items appear can become more important than which source they came from. Displaying news like a field of discrete building blocks is a crude way to relate to a just-in-time world. Widgets are great for many things, but don’t tell me to view the whole world’s news through them. Here’s more on Newsgator’s vision for RSS. Isn’t it ironic that the NYTimes is offering a more sterile RSS experience than USAToday? |
| Apple offers refurb Mac mini, PB |
| 07.13.06 (3:52 am) [edit] |
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Apple is offering refurbished Mac mini systems featuring the 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo with 512MB of memory, a 60GB SATA hard drive, a combo drive, built-in AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0, and an Apple Remote for $519, an $80 discount; as well as the 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo with 512MB of memory, an 80GB SATA hard drive, a double-layer SuperDrive, built-in AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0, and an Apple Remote for $699, a $100 savings. Apple is also offering its 12-inch 1.5GHz G4 PowerBook with 512MB of memory, an 80GB hard drive, an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics card with 64MB of video memory, and AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0 for $1,199, a $500 savings; its 15-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook with 512MB of memory, an 80GB hard drive, an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card with 128MB of video memory, AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0, a backlit keyboard with a scrolling trackpad, and dual-link DVI for $1,349, a discount of $650; its 17-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook with 512MB of memory, a 100GB hard drive, an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card with 128MB of video memory, AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0, a backlit keyboard, and dual-link DVI for $1,849, $850 off; and its 17-inch 1.67GHz G4 PowerBook with 512MB of memory, a 120GB hard drive, an ATI Mobility Radeon graphics card with 128MB of video memory, AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth 2.0, a backlit keyboard with a scrolling trackpad, and dual-link DVI for $1,999, a savings of $1,000. |
| Nokia 9300 nice collective color. |
| 07.11.06 (11:37 pm) [edit] |
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The Nokia 9300 Is a Nokia Series 80 Symbian Smartphone much like the Nokia 9500 with some minor changes. The 9300 was released shortly after the 9500. The 9300 is silver in colour and slightly smaller than the 9500 and therefore has a smaller keyboard which was dubbed a Thumbboard and also a smaller sized battery. The smaller phone was probably released because the 9500 and other communicators were traditionally nicknamed "The Brick" and the size put a lot of people off from buying them. This is also the first time Nokia made a smaller Communicator. [edit] Differences from 9500 * Smaller - 132 x 51 x 21 mm compared to the 9500's 148 x 57 x 24 mm * Physically smaller screen with 9500's resolution that can be tilted full 180 degrees * No Wi-Fi * No built-in camera * Smaller battery - 970mAh compared to the 9500's 1300mAh Other than that listed above it is technically the same as the 9500, It has the same 150MHz processor, accepts MMC memory cards, same amount of memory and the resolutions and colour depth of both screens are the same. Both phones run the same Symbian OS. The 9300's successor, the Nokia 9300i, adds Wi-Fi back. |
| BlackBerry® on a Nokia 9300 |
| 07.11.06 (11:31 pm) [edit] |
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Now Available. The Nokia 9300 with BlackBerry Connect™. Now you can combine the power of the Nokia Series 80 on Symbian OS with BlackBerry Connect. Send and receive e-mail like a BlackBerry. Synchronize calendars, contacts and tasks with Nokia PC Suite Software. The Nokia 9300 has everything you need to stay organized and productive away from the office.
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| Mobile device security: Safety everywhere |
| 07.11.06 (8:28 am) [edit] |
 Technology and mobile computing has liberated thousands of information workers from their cubicles, dramatically increasing productivity. It has changed the way organisations do business with their customers and engage their employees as well as shareholders. It has also brought down operational costs, mostly by converting the traditional paper-based system to an electronic one. The decreasing cost of telecommunications services is also contributing to the lower operating costs. Today, peer-to-peer Internet-based phone calls are virtually free. It all sounds just great but what of the hidden costs to businesses – information and system security? Whether you use technology on a personal basis or if you’re a corporate employee with a mobile device, security should always be a key consideration. Mobile security should be high on everyone’s list, as most people today own some sort of mobile device that contains sensitive data. Mobile devices today such as Pocket PCs and Smartphones, for instance, are capable of storing large amounts of data and connecting to a broad spectrum of networks making them as important, and vulnerable, as PCs. There could be a disgruntled employee who leaks or sells sensitive data stored on his or her device. Or, if the device has a number of connectivity options installed which allows users to freely connect to a variety of networks, it could also possibly lead to virus or worm infections that could not only damage the device but the entire corporate network the next time the device connects to it. As information workers become increasingly mobile, organisations should consider reviewing their security policy and ensuring that it covers mobile devices as well. Many chief technology officers (CTOs) today are adding specific corporate policies which dictate that once a device synchronises with any work-related system, its use should fall under the organisation’s mobile security policies. However, there are no surprises that employees resist, and sometimes resent this “corporate police” approach. But the inconvenience and cost of prevention pales in comparison to the consequence where organisations stand to lose information, data, and intellectual property worth millions if there is a security breach, not to mention the legal liability. Wiped, locked, blocked Organisations choosing a mobile computing platform on which to work should remember that not all mobile devices were designed with enterprise-class security in mind. The Windows Mobile platform, however, was designed for enterprise solutions and has incorporated security options and documented programming interfaces for security applications in every generation of Windows Mobile-based devices. Organisations deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 will enjoy enhanced security solutions with Microsoft Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for Windows Mobile 5.0. MSFP gives network administrators powerful new tools to enforce corporate security policies and to take preventive and remedial action. Three are worth highlighting. Firstly, it includes native support for biometrics – which is essentially the use of fingerprint and thumbprint scanners. This feature adds security on the device by allowing users to activate their mobile device differently from the traditional alphanumeric PIN or password method. In some mobile devices, the user can combine both methods to authenticate identity. Secondly, its Local Wipe feature enables network administrators to enforce policies that lock the device after a number of incorrect attempts to enter a password. This safeguards the data on the device if it is lost or stolen. Thirdly, the Remote Wipe feature provides a higher level of protection in which network administrators can issue a command to remotely wipe data from a device that is lost or stolen. Secure computing, whether on a desktop PC, laptop or mobile device, is a shared responsibility where users and system administrators all play a part in ensuring that the assets of their organisation remain protected. Though mobile computing has given everyone more ways to be productive and efficient, it has also opened up more avenues for committing unscrupulous deeds. Windows Mobile-based devices offer a wide range of security options enabling organisations to protect both their sensitive data and their networks from these potentially harmful situations. |
| Sony Ericsson M600i |
| 07.11.06 (8:10 am) [edit] |
 At long last, I finally got my hands on the Sony Ericsson M600i test unit, at 1st glance it reminds of a calculator during my secondary school days but the similarity stops there. This is Sony Ericsson latest models to sport the Symbian/UIQ series to take over the successfully P900/910i series and a cousin (ok lah poor step cousin) to the powerful P990i, and this model seem to be targeting executives which needs an PDA phone while camera function is not a must or sensitivity of the job scope. This model is built-in with UMTS (i.e. 3G) network capable but without the front camera in-place, one may wonder why Sony Ericsson markets this as a 3G phone without the capability of 2-way video calls. The device built-in 80MB memory after initial boot up and default installations around 52MB are left for user to utilize. Memory and Battery For expandable memory Sony Ericsson has replace its Memory Stick Duo series on this device with the Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) card series and will available in 256MB and 512MB versions in March and a 1GB version due in July. Pricing for the M2™ are targeted around existing MS Duo price as I was told but being Sony Ericsson Proprietary design M2™ can only means 1 thing EXPENSIVE!! Battery is the BST33 series and the SIM card is inserts into the holder and to remove user will need to slide out the metal holder. Stylus looks very flimsy and toy-like but the stylus color is to match the keys color. Screen and size The screen is an 262,144-colour TFT with 240x320 pixel are bright and is around the size of most PDA and it even display itself very well under direct sunlight. But hey which joker will stand under sunlight and keep looking at the phone? Careful that lamppost!! The M600i at 112g is light to the feel and its size is quite comfortable to hold and use. Located on the left side of the phone the jog-dial is now a 3-way jog in place of the P910i 5 way jog and directly below the jog-dial is the back button. On the right side are the stylus, desktop button and the Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) slot. The location of the back and desktop buttons on both sides of the device facilitates the use of the handset with just one hand operation. This device seems to cater mainly to right-handed user like me and I can’t imagine the handicap of using this device with just my left handed alone. Sony Ericsson unique QWERTY Next the M600’s unique QWERTY keypad design seem to be Sony Ericsson ways of saving space while not sacrificing the QWERTY keyboard concept in place of the traditional mobile handset or QWERTY keypad standard design. Its design is that 1 key share with 2 letters and alphabets are activated by pressing the side of the key and the response are fast. The keys are large enough so that user with fat fingers will not be accidentally pressing 2 buttons at the same time as evident on device with the traditional QWERTY pads (keypad are cramp). Thumbs up for the Sony Ericsson designer who has incorporated ergonomics thinking on this keypad concept. Symbian OS / UIQ Interface / Application like said, the Symbian OS/UIQ interface are easy and quick to get use to (me being an Pocket PC user), Sony Ericsson has bundle the QuickOffice suite, PDF+, into the M600 and also throw in quite a few useful applications into it, Converter s/w that is very useful with its normal calculation on Distances, Weights, Temperatures etc that evens list the Chinese measurement in it, Sony Ericsson now even throw in the currency function into the convert software, Stop watch, WorldTime are also included. For those that doesn’t know what is QuickOffice suite about, this software allows you to create/edit new or existing Excel, Words or PowerPoint documents right on the M600, more info -> here The unit I tested on is still on prototype firmware and is still being tweaks before mass release, so bugs and hanging issues is top of the day. New firmware has been released but sadly I do not have the time to upgrade it and test its new features. Some of the new features on the M600 which I like are the Task Manager which user can switch task as and when and actually close/end running programs, which was sourly miss on the P-series but Ajax did came out the wonderful Sman (I hope they will do for the UIQ 3 series). Somehow or rather Sony Ericsson software developer has left out the sms counter again as did the P900/910 series which would be useful for user. (Or is it just me wanting this feature) Media Player Next the built in media player are nice and the speaker are loud enough to be heard in the office place, Sony Ericsson Mega Bass™ are also included in the equalizer function as is on all Sony Ericsson models. The media player is also able to support video at 30fps playback. This device supports 3D gaming and the Golfing game inside is truly spectacular on the 3D part. And Sony Ericsson finally adds AD2P to its phone. It means streaming music to BT headset that Moto/Nokia user has taken for granted. Also any files transfer over to the phone via bluetooth connection gets listed in the Inbox of the messaging function, existing P-series owners will knows this all too well but new owner may not know and though the files are lost. Conclusion There is practically not much UIQ 3 software on the market right now and therefore not much to review on the UIQ stability, but Symbian OS/UIQ platform is well known for their stability and usage so new user need not affraid on problems/stability face by Pocket PC user like me. Sony Ericsson has strangely left out the built in WIFI in this model, which I feel would be best suited for surfing or checking Email but final price may play a part in this option. Of coz Blackberry is another alternative but for convenient sake WiFi built in would be attractive option, if not expansion slot for external WIFI card would be ok but Sony Ericsson being Sony Ericsson (Stubborn Engineer?? cannot take the pill or though of using SD slot)... enuff said. P990i drool potential user may not even want to think about buying this model as the lack of CAMERA, WIFI, and maybe M2 card are a letdown (right?) not mentioning form factors but then again this calculator opps PDAphone are targeted at different segment of the market. Executives looking for a no frills PDA phone which run on alternatives platform other than PPC (eeekkk) or Palm may want to consider the M600. Many have said that the M600 is just an interim model by Sony Ericsson to capture market while waiting for P990. I can't help to think of consumer being guinea pig to test/iron out firmware on the mass market on UIQ-3 platform so as to layout the ground work for P990, but may not be true as Sony Ericsson is going all out to capture more market segment and leap frog from its current 5th position as phone manufacturer. The M600 has a walkman series cousin in the form of the W950 and is similar in function but with the Walkman Branding, HPM-70 earphones and a standard mobile phone keypad. M600 Colors avail are * Granite Black * Crystal White and should be available around July 06 Enuff blabbing by me I leave u people with photos and until the P990 review…… Many thanks to Lobang for providing the handset |
| Mobile phone gamer get what they want |
| 07.10.06 (10:44 pm) [edit] |
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When games arrived on mobile phones many hailed them as the next big thing. But several years on and with more games than ever to choose from, has it become the money maker US phone companies thought it would? Mobile phone game Games may be more sophisticated, but do users want them? In a very short time mobile games have improved thanks to better screens and higher processor speeds on handsets. Indeed the 3D graphics on today's phones have been compared to those seen on the PlayStation console. But according to one analyst, phone gaming has stagnated in the US. M:Metrics's Seamus McAteer says: "Game downloads, on a monthly basis, are relatively flat, so the market is relatively flat even though we're continuing to see the launch of a lot of new titles being made available on mobile phones." M:Metrics say that in March this year 2.7% of US cell phone subscribers downloaded games, compared to 4.2% in the UK. We need to change the consumer experience Greg Sauter, Nokia Less then 1% of new subscribers tried games, and most did not go back for more. Consumers cite cost and quality as the biggest concerns. Phone makers say they know users are unhappy. Nokia spokesman Greg Sauter said: "We don't change the industry and we need to change the consumer experience. "You're going to hear a lot about experiences from Nokia, but we need to change that overall end-to-end experience. We can't be in a situation where in any particular case 30% of the people downloading mobile phone games aren't getting it, or it doesn't work, or they're dissatisfied." Niche gaming Mobile phone screen showing a game downloading Downloading games can prove to be too costly for some users In the US games cost up to $10 (£5.40) each - a very high price if users only play a few times before getting bored. Some consumers have been burned by the alternative method of payment - a monthly subscription that quickly adds up. One way out, say some, is in marketing to small groups of users. For instance, Limelife targets women with its "Girls Night Out" selection. Limelife's Marci Wiesler says: "We have done a lot of proprietary research. Limelife as a company really thinks a lot about research and making sure we're not making assumptions based on our own opinions. "One of the things that came out of some of the research that we've done in-house is that a lot of women don't like to play against the clock. So we've made it a feature of our applications that if there is a clock you can actually turn it off so you can take your time, play at your leisure. "A lot of women have interruptions while they play and you don't want that to happening to you." Platform intergration When it comes to gameplay most of us treat the mobile as a standalone device, but not if Bill Gates has his way. He says: "You can start a game on Xbox, continue it on the phone, there are games that will work that way. Schedule things to happen from your phone; a download that you might want to set up on a different device." Big game manufacturers are snapping up their mobile counterparts quickly In Microsoft's vision a racing game might be played on the Xbox 360, edited on the PC and tweaked on the phone. But for that to be a reality, Windows mobile needs to dramatically increase its customer base around the world. Telephia's Jerry Rocha says: "Microsoft has their own way of doing things and I think that they want to see that happen. Whether that will happen or not is a little bit unclear. "Obviously, Windows controls the desktop world, and they are ahead on the console side with the new generation. The mobile side is still a little bit unclear because the Microsoft operating system for the phones is still a very small part of what's happening in the mobile world." Meanwhile, the big game manufacturers are snapping up their mobile counterparts quickly. Electronic Arts recently bought mobile game maker, Jamdat, in a deal worth nearly $700 million (£380 million). Overpriced, said some analysts, unless EA can re-ignite the mobile market. Apart from the odd world record attempt here and there, it may be that the platform has peaked and casual gamers no longer want quiz games or Tetris. And serious gamers may be saving their cash to splash out on one of the new high definition console epics due soon rather than wrestle with a cut-down version of a title they already know. |
| Why Firefox popularity is being questioned? |
| 07.09.06 (11:10 pm) [edit] |
 Recently, I have been pondering why is Firefox so darn popular? This is a question that I honestly ask myself sometimes, often while browsing the web from within the browser itself. The real trick is that there are so many different ways to answer this.To be honest, I believe it has a lot to do with value accompanied by perception. The value is obvious to any one person who has used Firefox for more than a few days. It's stable and has proven to be a viable alternative to its archrival, Internet Explorer. When considering how it handles downloads, the absence of ActiveX, the total lack of Firefox users complaining about excessive spyware infestations and even the fact that the browser has allowed for such great extensions to be created by motivated Firefox users is an exciting achievement. Another side of it likely comes from the grassroots end of the web browser itself. We need to first consider that people don't just like this web browser, they are in love with it. As we have seen in other cases, when a large enough group of people become motivated about something, grassroots media is not all that far behind. This might very well explain the success behind the Spread Firefox campaign. It's viral based on the video content and locating motivated producers has proven pretty easy based on its community focus What strikes me as totally amazing is that Firefox has in many ways succeeded in breathing life into the open source movement where other projects have failed. Who would have thought that when "Firebird" first rolled out into the web market that it would one day become the scorn of Microsoft's Internet Explorer? These days, I feel as if we take having a real viable choice for web browsing totally for granted. Oh sure, we had Netscape and even its cousin, the Mozilla Suite as an option way back when. But in the real world, no one was all that impressed. Why? What makes this browser so much better than Netscape/Mozilla Suite? Well, while I may not be able to speak for everyone, I do have a few ideas that I would like you to consider: - Firefox is not bloated. Both Netscape Navigator and Mozilla Suite are quite bloated. This by itself likely presented enough of a challenge on people running machines that may not have done all that well with running such a bloated program. - Firefox allows and encourages user created add-ons. Open source or not, Firefox really opened the doors and allowed for extensions whereas Netscape did not. Granted, the Mozilla Suite also allowed for extension creation, but its other shortcomings prevented many of these extensions from ever being as popular as they ought to of. - Firefox has been made accessible on Linux, Windows and the Mac platforms from the early days of the browser. At no time were people being told what special circumstances needed to happen in order to use their product. Hardcore users know that Firefox has been about choice from the very beginning. What's Next for the Browser That Started a Revolution? Even though Firefox has been met with tremendous success, they still have other challenges to meet. One of these challenges would be to see some bundling with a major PC manufacturer such as Dell. Dell is a major player and could very well give Firefox the numbers they need to gain a larger share in the mainstream market. While the numbers the browser has are nothing to be sneezed at, a sweet bundling deal does allow for some pretty spectacular possibilities. Another item that has begun to show its head is the "based on Firefox" world. This includes, but is not limited to, the Flock browser, and of course, the Democracy media player. By hedging their bets with Firefox browser code, projects such as these have seen some fair success of their own. It is my belief that over time, Firefox will become less about the browser itself and more about how it has made an unsafe surfing environment a lot less scary thanks to their common sense design. My only complaint is that some company has yet to harness the power of the Firefox extension concept and made this a lot easier to participate with for the little guy. It may sound silly to those of you who are developers, however, I can tell you for certain that I would pay a lot of money for something that would allow for next to brainless extension creation. Think it's impossible? I beg to differ... |
| Mozilla Firefox the beginning |
| 07.09.06 (10:47 pm) [edit] |
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Maintainer: Mozilla Foundation/Mozilla Corporation Stable release: 1.5.0.4 (June 1, 2006) [+/-] Preview release: Bon Echo Alpha 3 (2.0a3) (branch builds) and Minefield (3.0a1) (trunk builds) (daily) [+/-] OS: Cross-platform Use: Web browser License: MPL, MPL/GPL/LGPL tri-license Website: www.mozilla.com/firefox Mozilla Firefox is a free, open source, cross-platform, graphical web browser developed by the Mozilla Corporation and hundreds of volunteers.[1] Beginning as a fork of the Navigator component of the Mozilla Application Suite, Firefox has since become the foundation's main development focus (along with the Thunderbird mail and news client), replacing the Mozilla Suite as the foundation's official main software release. Before the 1.0 release, Firefox had already gained acclaim from numerous media outlets, including Forbes[2] and the Wall Street Journal.[3] With over 25 million downloads in the 99 days after the initial 1.0 release, Firefox became one of the most downloaded free and open source applications, especially among home users.[4] On October 19, 2005, Firefox had its 100 millionth download, less than 1 year (just 344 days) after the release of version 1.0.[5] Firefox 1.5 was released on November 29, 2005, with more than 2 million downloads within the first 36 hours. Firefox includes an integrated pop-up blocker, tabbed browsing, live bookmarks, support for open standards, and an extension mechanism for adding functionality. Although other browsers have some of these features, Firefox became the first such browser to include them all and achieve wide adoption. Firefox has attracted attention as an alternative to other browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Apple Safari, which are included as standard browsers with versions of Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X respectively. This is the main stumbling block for competing browsers as many novice users are still unaware of alternatives. As of January 2006, estimates suggest that Firefox's usage share is around 10% of overall browser usage (see market adoption below), with its highest usage in Finland (nearly 40% as of January 2006). The development of Firefox 2.0 is currently underway, under the codename Bon Echo. Bon Echo is in the Alpha 3 stage. All Firefox branding, including icons, was removed to discourage end-users from downloading it. [6] [7] [8] History For more details on this topic, see History of Mozilla Firefox. About * Main article * History * Features * Criticisms Community and Customization * Spread Firefox * Extensions (Main category) Custom Distributions * Portable Firefox * Torpark * Madfox This box: view • talk • edit Dave Hyatt and Blake Ross began working on the Firefox project as an experimental branch of the Mozilla project. They believed that the commercial requirements of Netscape's sponsorship and developer-driven feature creep compromised the utility of the Mozilla browser. To combat what they saw as the Mozilla Suite's software bloat, they created a pared-down browser, with which they intended to replace the Mozilla Suite. Mozilla Firefox retains the cross-platform nature of the original Mozilla browser by using the XUL user interface markup language. Through Firefox's support of XUL, users may extend their browser's capabilities by applying themes and extensions. Initially, these add-ons raised security concerns, so with the release of Firefox 0.9, the Mozilla Foundation opened Mozilla Update, a website containing themes and extensions "approved" as not harmful. The Mozilla Foundation intended to make the Mozilla Suite obsolete and to replace it with Firefox. On April 12, 2006, the Foundation announced that official releases of Mozilla would cease with version 1.7.13. [3] The Foundation continues to support the 1.7.x branch because of its continued use by many corporate users, and because producers of other software continue to include the product. The Mozilla community (as opposed to the Foundation) continues to release new versions of the suite using the product name SeaMonkey to avoid any possible confusion with the original Mozilla Suite. [edit] Naming The project which became Firefox started as an experimental branch of the Mozilla Suite called m/b (or mozilla/browser). When sufficiently developed, binaries for public testing appeared in September 2002 under the name Phoenix. The Phoenix name survived until April 14, 2003, when it changed because of trademark issues with the BIOS manufacturer, Phoenix Technologies (who produce a BIOS-based browser called Phoenix FirstWare Connect). The new name, Firebird, provoked mixed reactions, particularly since the free database software Firebird uses the same name. In late April, following an apparent name change to Firebird browser for a few hours, the Mozilla Foundation stated that the browser should always bear the name Mozilla Firebird in order to avoid confusion with the Firebird database server. However, continuing pressure from the FLOSS community forced another change, and on February 9, 2004, Mozilla Firebird became Mozilla Firefox (or Firefox for short). The Mozilla Foundation chose the name "Firefox" for its similarity to "Firebird" but also for its uniqueness in the computing industry. To avoid any potential further name changes, the Mozilla Foundation began the process of registering Firefox as a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in December 2003.[9] As "Firefox" already existed as a registered trademark in the United Kingdom, the Mozilla Foundation licensed the name from the trademark's owner. [edit] Branding and visual identity The adoption of a new visual identity marks one of Firefox's most visible enhancements from its previous versions. Some people have noted that free software frequently suffers from poor icon and user interface design and from a lack of a strong visual identity. Such opinion held that the early releases of Firefox sported "reasonable" visual designs but did not regard them as of a standard equivalent to many "professionally" ; released software packages. The release of Firefox 0.8 in February 2004 saw the introduction of new branding efforts, including new icons. Jon Hicks designed the icon for Firefox 0.8 and up. The logo depicts a stylized fox, since the Red Panda (to which the term "Firefox" originally referred [10]) did not "conjure up the right imagery" for Hicks.[11] The specific logo won selection because it makes an impression while still not "shouting" with overdone artwork. The Firefox icon functions as a trademark used to designate the official Mozilla build of the Firefox software. Although Firefox uses open source core software, free licensing does not extend to the artwork. For this reason, software distributors who distribute patched or modified versions of Firefox cannot use the Firefox icon. [edit] Release history Firefox has developed considerably since its first release as Phoenix on September 23, 2002. Pre-1.0 releases suffered many issues with extensions, as the code for handling them changed from version to version. Throughout its development, Firefox versions have had internal codenames. These have a basis in real locations, with codenames such as Three Kings, Royal Oak, One Tree Hill, Mission Bay, and Greenlane all referencing suburbs in Auckland, New Zealand, and the name Whangamata coming from a small seaside town on the Coromandel Peninsula, southeast of Auckland in New Zealand. Ben Goodger, the lead developer of Firefox, who grew up in Auckland, chose these codenames. The other codenames included in the Firefox roadmap derive from an actual roadmap of a journey through California to Phoenix, Arizona, United States.[12] Several builds codenamed "Deer Park" were released in 2005. According to Goodger, "Deer Park is not Deer Park, Victoria, but just a symbolic name. I was riding LIRR a few weeks ago and saw the name go by and I thought it sounded nice." Therefore, this name probably references Deer Park, New York, a CDP on Long Island, United States. "Deer Park" was originally destined to become Firefox 1.1. However, Mozilla Foundation decided to change the version number of the next major release from "1.1" to "1.5", since it contained more new features than originally planned. In an attempt to dissuade end-users from downloading the preview versions, "Deer Park" versions do not use the standard Mozilla Firefox branding. As of the release of Firefox 1.5.0.2 on March 8, 2006, Deer Park 1.6a1[4] is the only 64-bit version of Firefox, though it is still in alpha and is quite buggy. On November 29, 2005, Firefox 1.5 was officially released. Some of the changes: * An improved Software Update System that will ease distribution of important security patches and help keep users up-to-date.[13] * Firefox supports a subset of SVG, but not any of the official profiles (Tiny, Basic, Full). This makes Firefox the second major browser to support some form of SVG natively (Opera 8.0, released on April 19, 2005 supports most of the SVG 1.1 Tiny Specification). See Firefox 1.5's SVG status page. * Support for the WHAT-WG's canvas HTML element. * A new, reorganized options dialog box for changing settings of the browser (similar to preferences windows in Mac OS X). * A "Clear Private Data" action to allow a person to clear their privacy related information without manually clicking the "Clear All" button. Users will have the option of clearing all privacy-related settings simply by exiting the browser or by using a keyboard shortcut, depending on their settings. * Gecko 1.8, an updated version of Firefox's rendering engine * Firefox 1.5 also includes a backlog of bug fixes that were fixed between the 0.9 and the 1.0 release which were previously unavailable due to branching from the trunk around the 0.9 release. [edit] Future development According to the roadmap, future Firefox development will include version 2.0 and version 3.0. Development for version 2.0 will occur on the Gecko 1.8 branch from which version 1.5 was released, with release coming off of the Gecko 1.8.1 branch, while development on version 3.0, which will be based on Gecko 1.9, occurs simultaneously on the Mozilla trunk. Mozilla is developing versions 2.0 and 3.0 simultaneously in order to ship front-end innovation in version 2.0 built on a more stable back-end, while completing major architectural and user interface changes for version 3.0. [14] Goals for Firefox include:[15] * Tabbed browsing improvements * Site-specific options * Extension system enhancements * Find Toolbar, Software Update, Search enhancements * Accessibility compliance * Session Restore * Download resuming across browser sessions, detection of signed executables * Improvements to the search service * Anti-phishing features * Cairo as the rendering layer instead of GDI+ Mozilla Firefox 1.5 and future releases of Camino will also include the Java Embedding plugin,[16] which allow Mac OS X users to run Java applets with the latest 1.4 and 5.0 versions of Java (the default Java software shipped by Apple is not compatible with any browser, except its own Safari). [edit] Version 2.0 Wikipedia with the new Bon Echo Alpha 3 release using SuSE Linux 10.1 Enlarge Wikipedia with the new Bon Echo Alpha 3 release using SuSE Linux 10.1 The development name for Mozilla Firefox 2.0 is Bon Echo. The intended date for the release of Firefox 2.0 is September 2006 [17]. The alpha (2.0a1) version became available on March 21, 2006 and the second major alpha build (2.0a2) was released May 12, 2006 [5], and is aimed primarily at the developer and testing community. There are still some bugs present and it is not feature-complete. The third alpha (2.0a3) was released on May 27th [18]. Among the additions to the Bon Echo Alpha browser so far are: * Close buttons now appear on every tab, and the close behaviour is slightly different * Inline spell checking in text boxes * Automatic restoration of your browsing session if there is a crash * Search suggestions now appear in the search box auto-complete for Google and Yahoo! * New search plugin manager for removing and re-ordering search engines * Improved support for previewing and subscribing to web feeds * New microsummaries feature for bookmarks * Combining the extensions and themes managers into an "Add-ons" manager * Updates to the extension system to provide enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions * New search service that supports Sherlock and OpenSearch engines * Support for SVG text using svg:textPath * Client-side session and persistent storage * New anti-phishing features * New installer using the Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS) "Bon Echo", like other Firefox development names, is the name of a public park: Bon Echo Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. [edit] Version 3.0 The development name for Mozilla Firefox 3.0 is Gran Paradiso[19]. The release timeframe for Firefox 3.0 is first quarter 2007.[20] "Gran Paradiso", like other Firefox development names, is an actual place. "Gran Paradiso" is the name of a public park in Italy. Due to Microsoft's decision to end support for Windows 98 and Windows Me on July 11, 2006, and because Cairo does not support Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me or Windows NT 4.0, Firefox 3.0 will not run on those operating systems. [6] [7] [edit] Features For more details on this topic, see Features of Mozilla Firefox. The developers of Firefox aim to produce a browser that "just works" for most casual users. Those interested can add (as extensions and plugins) many features not packaged with Firefox. [edit] Usability and accessibility Screenshot of performing "Find as you type". The user typed "ency" and the browser highlighted the first matched text found with green. Enlarge Screenshot of performing "Find as you type". The user typed "ency" and the browser highlighted the first matched text found with green. Developers put in a large amount of work towards simplifying Firefox's user interface. The design of Firefox's option panels leaves many of the infrequently used options found in the Mozilla Suite not visible in Firefox. Firefox supports tabbed browsing, which allows users to open multiple web pages in the same browser window. This feature originated in the Mozilla Suite, which in turn had borrowed the feature from the popular MultiZilla extension for Mozilla. Firefox also belongs in the group of browsers which were first to adopt customizable pop-up blocking. It also supports various forms of keyboard navigation such as tabbing navigation and caret navigation (and in some builds, spatial navigation). Firefox 1.5 (Windows version) is also the first browser to meet US federal government requirements that software be easily accessible to users with physical impairments. The browser has several features which help users find information. First, Firefox has an incremental find feature known as "find as you type". With this feature enabled, a user can simply begin typing a word while viewing a web page, and Firefox automatically searches for it and highlights the first instance found. As the user types more of the word, Firefox refines its search. Also, if the user's exact query does not appear anywhere on the page, the "Find" box turns red. Unfortunately for Wikipedia users, this feature does not extend to the text edit boxes that are used to update articles. As a result, there is no convenient way to search for text in large articles as they are being edited with Firefox. Firefox also has a built-in search toolbar with an extensible search engine listing. By default, Firefox allows users to search Google, Yahoo!, Amazon.com, Creative Commons, Dictionary.com, and eBay. Users may download more search plugins (including one for Wikipedia) from the Mycroft project or remove any unwanted ones. Additionally, Firefox supports the "custom keyword" feature introduced by the Mozilla Suite. This feature allows users to access their bookmarks from the location bar using keywords (and an optional query parameter). For example, using a custom keyword, a user can type "google apple" into the address bar and be redirected to the results of a Google search for "apple". Custom keywords are provided "out of the box" for Google Search, Google Stock Search, Dictionary.com, Urban Dictionary and Wikipedia. When a user enters a keyword into the address bar that is not recognized by Firefox (for example, simply typing "apple"), it automatically redirects the user to the first result yielded by a Google search for the word (or words). [edit] Customizability The design of Firefox aims at high extensibility. Through extensions (installed via XPInstall modules), users may activate new features, such as mouse gestures, advertisement blocking, proxy server switching, and debugging tools. Many features formerly part of the Mozilla Suite, such as the ChatZilla IRC client and a calendar, have become Firefox extensions. The extension system can be viewed as a ground for experimentation where new functionalities can be tested. Occasionally, an extension becomes part of the official product (for example tabbed browsing, a feature which proved popular through the MultiZilla extension, eventually became part of standard Mozilla). Firefox also supports a variety of themes/skins, which change its appearance. Themes consist of packages of CSS and image files. The Mozilla Update web site offers many themes for downloading. Beyond adding a new theme, users can customize Firefox's interface by moving and manipulating its various buttons, fields, and menus, and likewise by adding and deleting entire toolbars. A Firefox installation can keep all extensions and themes available on the Mozilla Update site up-to-date through Firefox's interface, which periodically checks for updates to installed themes and extensions. Additionally, Firefox stores many hidden preferences that users can access by typing about:config in the address bar. This mechanism enables features such as single-window mode and error pages, or speeding up page rendering by various tweaks. Experimental features like HTTP pipelining are often hidden in the about:config menu. [edit] Support for software standards The Mozilla Foundation takes pride in Firefox's compliance with existing standards, especially W3C web standards. Firefox has extensive support for most basic standards including HTML, XML, XHTML, CSS, ECMAScript (JavaScript), DOM, MathML, DTD, XSL and XPath. As of March 2006, however, no Firefox release has succeeded in passing the rigorous Acid2 standards-compliance test, which has been passed by the browsers Safari, Konqueror, Opera (9.0), and iCab, as well as the program Prince. However, an in-development Firefox version passes the test. [8] Firefox also supports PNG images and variable transparency. Mozilla contributors constantly improve Firefox's support for existing standards. Firefox has already implemented most of CSS Level 2 and some of the not-yet-completed CSS Level 3 standard. Also, work continues on implementing standards currently missing such as APNG and XForms and improving support for SVG. Some of the Mozilla standards like XBL are also making their way to open standards (via WHATWG). [edit] Cross-platform support Mozilla Firefox runs on a wide variety of platforms. Releases available on the primary distribution site support the following operating systems[21]: * Various versions of Microsoft Windows, including 98, 98SE, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, and Server 2003. A version for USB Smart Drives exists (see "Portable Firefox" below). * Mac OS X. Mozilla Firefox Version 1.5.0.2 was officially released as a universal binary. Various unofficial builds were created earlier, including one made by Apple programmers for the 2005 Worldwide Developers Conference. * Linux operating systems using the X Window System. For many distributions, Firefox is shipped as the default web browser. Firefox does not officially support Windows NT 3.51, nor Windows 95, but reportedly functions properly after the application of a few tweaks.[22] Since the Mozilla Foundation makes the Firefox source code available, users can also compile and run Firefox on a variety of other architectures and operating systems. Operating systems not officially supported by the Mozilla developers but known to run the browser include: * Solaris (x86 and SPARC) * OS/2 and its successor, eComStation * AIX[23] * FreeBSD[24] * IRIX * NetBSD * OpenBSD * BeOS/Haiku/Zeta * SkyOS * RISC OS (ARM)[25] Builds for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition also exist. 1 Support is under development for Amiga as well. [edit] Internationalization and localization Contributors throughout the world have collaborated in translating the Firefox browser into many frequently used languages/locales, including some of the least often supported locales, such as Chichewa, but excluding Latvian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, Hindi and Persian. Because of the use of DTD and property files for storing the string literals displayed to users, even users without a programming background can easily complete part of the internationalization and localization process, requiring only a simple text editor. [edit] Web development tools Like the Mozilla Suite, Firefox comes with two web-development tools: a DOM Inspector and a JavaScript Console. While not installed by default, the DOM Inspector becomes available via a "custom" install. Firefox supports several extensions that assist in web development, including the powerful Venkman JavaScript debugger and the integrated web development toolkit named "Web Developer". [edit] Other features Live bookmarking allows users to dynamically monitor changes to their favorite news sources. It is powered by RSS or Atom feeds. When this feature was first introduced in version 1.0 PR, some users worried that Firefox was beginning to include non-essential features and succumbing to bloat, much like the Mozilla Suite. However, use of web feeds has grown tremendously recently making RSS-support an essential feature for a growing number of people. Firefox also includes a customizable download manager. Users can configure the browser to either open downloaded files automatically or save them directly to the disk. By default, Firefox downloads all files to a user's desktop on Windows and Mac OS X or to the user's home directory on GNU/Linux, but users can easily configure it to prompt for a specific download location. [edit] Security Some of Firefox's key security features include the use of the sandbox security model[26], same origin policy and external protocol whitelisting [27]. Open source advocates argue that an important characteristic of Firefox security is that anyone can see its source code; it therefore must rely upon sound security mechanisms rather than security through obscurity. At least one person besides the coder reviews proposed software changes, and typically another person carries out a "super-review". Once placed in the software, changes become visible for anyone else to consider, protest, or improve.[28] In addition, the Mozilla Foundation operates a "bug bounty" scheme: people who report a valid critical security bug receive a US$500 cash reward (for each report) and a Mozilla T-shirt.[29] According to the Mozilla Foundation, this "bug bounty" system aims to "encourage more people to find and report security bugs in our products, so that we can make our products even more secure than they already are."[30] Also, all users can have access to the source code of Mozilla Firefox, to the internal design documentation, to forum discussions, and to other materials that can help in finding bugs. Bug bounties have been paid out numerous times.[31] The Mozilla Foundation has implemented a policy on security bugs in order to help contributors to deal with security vulnerabilities.[32] The policy restricts access to a security-related bug report to members of the security team until after Mozilla has shipped a fix for the problem. This approach aims to minimize the exploitation of publicly known vulnerabilities and to give the developers time to issue a patch. While similar to other "responsible disclosure" policies operated by software vendors such as Microsoft, this policy falls short of the full disclosure principle favored by some security researchers. As of April 2006, Secunia has only reported 3 unpatched vulnerabilities out of 30 Secunia advisories, with 1 partial fix in Firefox 1.x. The most serious advisory listed is rated "less critical." Firefox uses SSL/TLS to protect communications with web servers using strong cryptography. It also supports smartcards for secure login to web servers. [edit] Criticisms Main article: Criticisms of Mozilla Firefox [edit] Startup time Some note that Firefox takes longer to launch than other browsers such as Internet Explorer or Opera on Windows. Other Gecko-based browsers such as K-Meleon, which use platform-native user interface implementations, generally run faster than Firefox. IE also launches slightly faster than Firefox on Microsoft Windows since many of its components are built into Windows and are loaded at startup.[9] [edit] Memory use A small percentage of users complain that Firefox uses much more memory than other browsers. This has been reported as memory leaks [33]; Mozilla developers claim it is sometimes at least partially an effect of the fast backwards and forwards (FastBack) feature. [34] Another known cause of memory problems is misbehaving extensions, such as Google Toolbar and Adblock. [35] [edit] Webpage rendition Users switching from Internet Explorer sometimes find that certain websites do not render as expected in Firefox. This, however, is rarely a Firefox-specific problem and is usually caused by the respective websites using code that does not adhere to W3C standards — such as code specific to Internet Explorer, utilizing ActiveX controls or VBScript scripts, which are both proprietary Microsoft technologies and are not W3C standards. There is a Firefox extension called "IE Tab" that allows the Internet Explorer rendering engine to be embedded into Firefox on the Windows platform. This aims to solve rendering issues for those pages that use Microsoft specific technologies, but it puts the user at risk from vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer.[10] [edit] Windows installer support Mozilla Firefox does not provide an MSI package, although some third parties created one. Administrators who want to deploy Firefox on many Microsoft Windows computers at once would need an MSI installer to do it centrally, without having to manually install it on each computer. The absence of this feature makes it difficult to rapidly distribute the browser on large networks (as in a corporate setting), and is cited frequently as an obstacle to the wide adoption of the browser in professional workgroups [11] [12]. [edit] Market adoption Usage share Statistics reference: Usage share of web browsers Web-surfers have adopted Firefox rapidly, despite the dominance of Internet Explorer in the browser market. Internet Explorer has seen a steady decline of its usage share since Firefox's release. According to several sources (as listed in statistics reference), by January 2006, Firefox had around 10% of global usage share. Europe, according to a study released by the firm XiTi on 2006-01-08, generally had higher percentages of Firefox use, with an average of 20%. [edit] Download count Cumulative downloads increased in a near-linear fashion during the first quarter of 2005. In other words, the download rate remained fairly stable. None of the Mozilla Foundation's previous product releases experienced that kind of growth. Downloads of Firefox 1.x since November 9, 2004 Date Number of days Downloads (millions) References November 10, 2004 1 1 1,000,000+ downloads on day 1 February 16, 2005 99 25 firefox 25,000,000 April 29, 2005 171 50 celebrating 50 million firefox downloads October 19, 2005 344 100 firefox hits one hundred million downloads March 3, 2006 479 150 150 million and counting! Downloads of Firefox 1.5.x since November 29, 2005 Date Number of days Downloads (millions) References November 30, 2005 1.5 2 more than two million January 24, 2006 56 20 Firefox 1.5 passes 20 million mark These download counts did not include downloads using software updates and downloads from third-party websites. The download counter is available as an RSS feed, so that the Firefox download can be added on websites to keep track of the number of downloads in near-realtime. It should be noted that a download count is not a user count, as a single download can be installed over many machines, or one person can download the software multiple times. [edit] Spread Firefox campaigns Main article: Spread Firefox The rapid adoption of Firefox apparently accelerated in part because of a series of aggressive marketing campaigns since 2004. For example, Blake Ross and Asa Dotzler organized a series of events dubbed "marketing week". On September 14, 2004, a marketing portal dubbed "Spread Firefox" (SFX) debuted along with the Firefox Preview Release, creating a centralized space for the discussion of various marketing techniques. The portal enhanced the "Get Firefox" button program, giving users "referrer points" as an incentive. The site lists the top 250 referrers. From time to time, the SFX team or SFX members launch marketing events organized at the Spread Firefox website. [edit] Industry adoption Since the pre-1.0 stages, several well-known websites and web applications, including Gmail, have supported (and in some cases, required) the use of Firefox. Since March 30, 2005, the Google search engine has utilized the link prefetching feature of Firefox for faster searching. Link prefetching involves a standards-compliant optimization technique that utilizes the browser's idle time to download or prefetch documents that the user might visit in the near future. Google, Inc. also recommends Firefox as the browser for its Blogger.com weblog service.[36] On May 18, 2005, eBay announced support for Firefox for its eBay Picture Manager.[37] The community website Vampire Freaks also recommends use of the browser.[38] Search engine companies including Google, Yahoo! and A9.com now also offer Firefox extensions for accessing their services, in addition to their original Internet Explorer add-ons. Google has released four Extensions for Firefox, further affirming the company's interest in Firefox. Several commercialized versions of the Firefox browser have developed outside the not-for-profit Mozilla Foundation. The current version of Netscape, known as Netscape Browser or Netscape 8, combines the functionalities of Firefox and Internet Explorer. Flock plans to build enhancements for Firefox.[39] Firefox is used by the 3B browser, which browses the web as a 3D city of web sites or a 3D store. According to a CNET article published on May 12, 2005, about 30,000 of IBM's staff (about 10% of the total) already use Firefox. IBM encourages its employees to use Firefox as the company's standard web browser; support is provided by the company's help desk staff. In December 2005, it was announced that Dell UK would start shipping the Firefox browser pre-installed on their PCs. [40] [edit] Institutional adoption During the FOSDEM 2005 conference, Tristan Nitot, the president of Mozilla Europe, said that he knew "a few companies" that had deployed the Firefox browser or the Thunderbird mail client across a million seats. Those companies remained reluctant to publicize the migration because of in-house concerns that this might damage their relationship with Microsoft.[41] The Networking Services and Information Technology department of the University of Chicago started to include both Firefox and Thunderbird in its connectivity package for all incoming students on the third quarter of 2005.[42] Boston College and Kansas State University recently adopted Firefox as official web browsers across the campus network. Boston College encourages all students to switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox on all student dorm computers, citing increased usability and better security features. [edit] Portable Firefox Portable Firefox is a repackaged version of Firefox designed to run from a USB flash drive, iPod, external hard drive or other portable media. It arose out of a mozillaZine thread in June of 2004. John T. Haller released the first packaged version and has led its further development. It includes a specialized launcher that adjusts extensions and themes to work as it is moved from different computers. There is also a portable version of Firefox available for Macintosh computers. [13] Haller has started development work on Portable Firefox Live, which aims to run on CD-R or other read-only media. Many applications are already using Portable Firefox Live to deliver a browser and HTML-based content from CD. The full distribution of Firefox has been built and runs on the Sharp Zaurus Linux-based PDA platform under the pdaxrom environment. [edit] Response from the competition Despite Firefox's apparent gains on Internet Explorer, Microsoft head of Australian operations, Steve Vamos, stated that he did not see Firefox as a threat and that there was not significant demand for the featureset of Firefox amongst Microsoft's users. Vamos stated that he himself never used it personally.[43] Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has used Firefox, but he has commented that "so much software gets downloaded all the time, but do people actually use it?"[44] However, according to a Microsoft SEC Filing on June 30, 2005, it acknowledged that browsers such as Mozilla are competitive threats to Internet Explorer: "Competitors such as Mozilla offer software that competes with the Internet Explorer Web browsing capabilities of our Windows operating system products."[45] [edit] Footnotes 1. ^ Mozilla contributors list, Mozilla.org 2. ^ Forbes, September 29, 2004. 3. ^ Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2004. Walter Mossberg wrote : "I suggest dumping Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser, which has a history of security breaches. I recommend instead Mozilla Firefox, which is free at www.mozilla.org. It's not only more secure but also more modern and advanced, with tabbed browsing, which allows multiple pages to be open on one screen, and a better pop-up ad blocker than the belated one Microsoft recently added to IE." 4. ^ Stross, New York Times. December 19, 2004. The article states that "With Firefox, open-source software moves from back-office obscurity to your home, and to your parents', too. (Your children in college are already using it.)" 5. ^ Mozilla Firefox Download Counts 6. ^ Mozilla Firefox 2.0a1 Bon Echo. Bon Echo 7. ^ Bon Echo Alpha 2 Milestone. Mozilla Developer Center. Retrieved on 2006-05-16. 8. ^ Bon Echo Alpha 3 Milestone. Mozilla Developer Center. Retrieved on 2006-05-26. 9. ^ Firefox trademark, USPTO 10. ^ Mozilla Firefox - Brand Name Frequently Asked Questions. Mozilla.org 11. ^ Branding Firefox. John Hicks' weblog 12. ^ Mozilla Firefox Roadmap (see also: Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Roadmap) 13. ^ Ben Goodger discusses the Firefox update system (May 2, 2005). 14. ^ 1.8 alpha 6 around the corner (December 26, 2004). Source: Asa Dotzler's weblog. 15. ^ Mozilla Wiki. Retrieved on 2006-05-16.. A table that lists and links the intended features for Firefox 2. 16. ^ Mozilla to include Java Embedding plugin. MozillaZine. 17. ^ Firefox 2 development calendar. 18. ^ Bon Echo Alpha 3 Milestone Released 19. ^ [1] 20. ^ Mozilla Release Roadmap. 21. ^ Firefox System Requirements. Mozilla.org. 22. ^ Run Firefox in Windows 95 (and Windows 98 original release). Source: John Haller's website. Details a procedure to install Firefox on Windows 95 and the original release of Windows 98. 23. ^ Firefox release notes for the 1.x series. Mozilla.org. 24. ^ FreshPort entry on Firefox. freshports.org. 25. ^ Firefox Port to RISC OS project page 26. ^ Extensions, however, are not sandboxed at all. After installation, they have full access to the operating system (with the user's privilege level) via XPCOM-interfaces. 27. ^ External Protocol Whitelisting. Neil Turner's weblog. 28. ^ Hacking Mozilla. Mozilla.org. 29. ^ Mozilla Security Bug Bounty Program. Mozilla.org. 30. ^ Mozilla Security Bug Bounty FAQ. Mozilla.org. 31. ^ Mozilla Pays Bug Bounty. InformationWeek: (March 31, 2005). 32. ^ Handling Mozilla Security Bugs. Mozilla.org. 33. ^ Firefox 1.5: Not Ready For Prime Time?. InternetWeek. 34. ^ Bug 319262 - Significant memory leak. Mozilla.org Bugzilla. 35. ^ Problematic Extensions. MozillaZine Knowledge Base. 36. ^ Where can I upgrade my browser? Blogger Help. 37. ^ eBay Picture Manager Enhancements. eBay. 38. ^ [2]. Vampire Freaks . 39. ^ Round Two looks to launch enhanced Firefox. MozillaNews. 40. ^ Firefox shipping on Dell UK. blakeross.com. 41. ^ Firefox sneaks into the enterprise. ZDNet UK. 42. ^ UChicago to Distribute Firefox and Thunderbird. Inside Aebrahim's Head. 43. ^ Microsoft: Firefox does not threaten IE's market share. ZDNet. 44. ^ The assault on software giant Microsoft. BBC News. 45. ^ Firefox a threat. MozillaZine. [edit] References * Goodger, Ben (2004). Mozilla Firefox Development Charter. Retrieved on 2004-09-22. * Hesseldahl, Arik, "Better Browser Now the Best", Forbes, 2004-09-29. * Markham, Gervase, "Firefox Language Coverage", Hacking for Christ, 2004-11-30. * Mossberg, Walt. "How to Protect Yourself From Vandals, Viruses If You Use Windows", Wall Street Journal, 2004-09-16. * Schmidt, Jürgen, "Chrome-plated holes. Mozilla's security concept is not invincible", c't magazine, 2005-07-13. 14/2005, page 202. * Stross, Randall, "The Fox Is in Microsoft's Henhouse (and Salivating)", New York Times, 2004-12-19. * Weber, Tim, "The assault on software giant Microsoft", BBC News, 2005-05-09. [edit] Books * Granneman, Scott (2005). Don't Click on the Blue E!: Switching to Firefox. O'Reilly. ISBN 0-596-00939-9. * Hofmann, Chris; Marcia Knous, & John Hedtke (2005). Firefox and Thunderbird Garage. Prentice Hall PTR. ISBN 0131870041. * McFarlane, Nigel (2005). Firefox Hacks. O'Reilly. ISBN 0-596-00928-3. * Reyes, Mel (2005). Hacking Firefox : More Than 150 Hacks, Mods, and Customizations. Wiley. ISBN 0-7645-9650-0. * Ross, Blake (2006). Firefox for Dummies. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-74899-4. * Yeow, Cheah Chu (2005). Firefox Secrets: A Need-To-Know Guide. O'Reilly. ISBN 0-9752402-4-2. [edit] See also Portal:Free software Free software Portal * Flock * Mozilla (from which the Firefox project descends) * Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail application * Mozilla Update * Mozilla Foundation * Mozilla Corporation * Comparison of web browsers * User Agent strings for Mozilla Firefox * List of web browsers * List of Firefox extensions * IE Tab * Netscape Navigator * Criticisms of Mozilla Firefox [edit] External links Wikibooks Wikibooks has a manual, textbook or guide to this subject: Mozilla Firefox Wikinews Wikinews has news related to: Mozilla Commons logo Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mozilla Firefox * Mozilla Firefox homepage – For end-users. * Mozilla Firefox project page – For developers. * Mozilla Firefox with Google Toolbar included * Firefox Addons * Firefox Flicks * SpreadFirefox * Firefox section of the MozillaZine Knowledge Base * Collection of all Firefox Extensions * Portable Firefox * Portable Firefox for Mac OS X * Firefox Extensions Guide Extensions for users and developers and some useful hacks. * The Burning Edge – Developments in nightly builds of Mozilla Firefox. * FireFix - Automates the process of downloading and installing the latest Mac-compatible Firefox Nightly build and creates a backup copy of the previously installed build. (Mac OS X-only) * Secunia advisories for Mozilla Firefox * Mozilla "Deer Park" 64-bit Firefox-based web browser * Firefox older versions - All of the old versions from version 0.8 to the latest one * Optimized Firefox for Mac OS X - User-contributed optimized Firefox builds for Apple G4, G5, and Intel processors. This is a featured article. Click here for more information. Categories: Gopher Clients | Mozilla Firefox | Portable Application | Free web browsers | Windows web browsers | Internet history |
| High End CPU's vs High End Graphics cards |
| 07.08.06 (4:30 pm) [edit] |
 Hello and welcome, now weeks ago both ATi and NVIDIA suddenly released a new family of graphics cards on the market, obviously we reacted immediately,you've seen our previews. So you think a Pentium 4 2.8 Gigahertz with 1 Gigabyte DDR400 memory would be sufficient for the hottest graphics cards ? Think again, as it is not fast enough at all. So we worked tirelessly through the night thinking up excuses ... for not bothering to test them ;) So here's the thing, our recent reviews where showing a lot of CPU limitation on cards like Radeon x800 Pro and XT, GeForce 6800 GT and Ultra. What I noticed was simple, a lot of scores where close together or even equal. That's usually a strong indication that the GPU can't go any faster as it's awaiting data from the CPU, the processor. Our recent GeForce 6800 GT review for example showed that the GT and the Ultra are extremely close together when it came to the end-result which made me believe that the Ultra was not working at it's maximum capability. Was a 2.8 Ghz system actually holding back performance of the new generation graphics cards ? Oh yeah, definitely. Make no mistake with such a system you'll get your 90% maximum performance, yet the new graphics cards are limited by such a CPU. In today's article we are going to look at the behavior of the new generation graphics cards by placing them in one of the fastest rigs available. After I explained my little worry towards AMD they agreed to shop out an Athlon 64 3800+ which I could use to experiment a little with for a few weeks. The results are quite shocking We took the Radeon x800 Pro and Radeon x800 XT, GeForce 6800 GT and GeForce 6800 Ultra and started measuring performance on that Pentium 4 2.8 GHz system and then did the exact same thing on the Athlon 64 3800+. Now before we beging I need to make clear that you need to see things in relation to the processor. A faster CPU obviously means a newer platform thus a newer mainboard and memory utilisation also. Primary the advantage will come from the CPU though. If you like to learn more about the graphics cards used in this article then you can find the reference reviews with all technological explanations here: GeForce 6800 GT preview, GeForce 6800 Ultra Preview, Radeon x800 Pro & XT (PE) preview. This article is not so much a shootout of both brands graphics cards, no contrary it has been made with one thing in mind. To observe the effect of the fastest processor around on the new graphics cards. We'll dive immediately into the benchmarks .. first up the test systems and then we'll start off with Splinter Cell. The Test System Let me show you our test systems. Test system System #1 * Albatron PX865PE PRO II (AGP 8x enabled) * 1024 MB DDR400 - Dual Channel * Radeon x800 Pro, XT, GeForce 6800 GT, Ultra * Pentium 4 class C 2.8 System #2 * ASUS A8V (AGP 8x enabled) * 1024 MB DDR400 - Dual Channel * Radeon x800 Pro, XT, GeForce 6800 GT, Ultra * Athlon 64 3800+ System Software: * Windows XP Professional * DirectX 9.0b * Detonator 61.34 WHQL Candidate for GeForce cards * Radeon Catalyst 4.6 WHQL for ATI cards * Latest reference chipset and graphics card drivers * RivaTuner 2.0 (tweak utility) Benchmark Software Suite: * Far Cry v1.1 SM2 patched Guru3D config & timedemo * Splinter Cell (Guru3D custom timedemo) * Return to Castle Wolfenstein - Checkpoint DM60 * 3DMark 2003 * AquaMark 3 * Quake III Arena ( Guru3D custom timedemo) * Unreal Tournament 2004 (Guru3D custom timedemo) * For four of these games we are making use of a custom time demo. Neither NVIDIA nor ATI knows what time demo we are using. These are non-public tests that were recorded for us only. We are not going to make them public either as they are and will remain internal material. Therefore the chipset manufacturer will not have the chance of optimizing it to that specific benchmark time-demo. We will do our very best now and in the future to keep a close eye on optimizations and cheats, we need to be able to show you objective results. However in the end this should be a responsibility for the chipset designer, if that entity fails to do so, then it'll lose consumer's trust and will dig it's own grave. Small remark - Image Quality between the cards is about equal. Since ATi has enabled Trilinear optimisations in their x800 series we enabled that option for the GeForce 6800 series also. The Anisotropic filtering setting that enables itself in the ForceWare drivers when you enable AF/AA settings has been disabled by us to make the bechmarks as objective as they can be. All tests where made in 32-bit color in resolutions ranging from 800x600 pixels up to the Godfather of all gaming resolutions: 1600x1200 with several performance/quality settings. Enough talk, let's have a look at the benchmarks. Splinter Cell New in our Benchmark suite is the very popular game Splinter Cell. Making a believable world for a spy to play in is quite a daunting task, but the levels are varied, filled with appropriate objects, and designed so that you usually don’t have to choose between too many paths. It would’ve been great if you could’ve had several points of entrance and that way get a lot more replay-value. Sam and the rest of the characters do look terrific, with high polygon models and both crisp and appropriate looking textures. What really separates Splinter Cell from most recent action games is the use of shadows. Splinter Cell uses the Unreal engine, which we’ve seen in several great looking games the past months, but UbiSoft also added improved lighting. By using real-time cast shadows, lightmaps, etc, this title gives you some of the best looking shadows to date. In response to the growing use of sophisticated digital encryption to conceal potential threats to the national security of the United States, the NSA (National Security Agency) has ushered forth a new dawn of intelligence-gathering techniques. This top-secret initiative is dubbed Third Echelon. Denied to exist by the U.S. government, Third Echelon deploys elite intelligence-gathering units consisting of a lone field operative supported by a remote team. Like a sliver of glass, a Splinter Cell is small, sharp, and nearly invisible. You have the right to spy, steal, destroy and assassinate, to ensure that American freedoms are protected. If captured, the U.S. government will disavow any knowledge of your existence. You are Sam Fisher. You are a Splinter Cell. Splinter Cell is a DirectX 8/9 title and can handle Pixel Shaders if your card supports it. The downside of this nice piece of software is that it has different modes for different classes of hardware. We designed a configuration that is nearly the same for all graphics cards, however any low-end graphics card that does not support Pixel Shaders will reproduce a slightly different score. Secondly Splinter Cell has two shadowing techniques, Projector and Buffer mode. We force Projector mode in high detail on all graphics cards. Again, graphics cards without shader capabilities will run into a problem as they do not support it. We are talking about GeForce4 MX and earlier models (excluding the GeForce 3 series) only. With that in mind this software really is an excellent benchmark. Small sidenote, we are not using the standard timedemo's. We made one ourselves that stresses the fillrate of a graphics card and will utilize a CPU very little. Let's take a look at some of the benchmark numbers. Unlike some of the future games Splinter Cell doesn’t use per-pixel lighting, so the framerate should be quite good even for owners of mid-end PCs. Splinter Cell 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 72 70 60 54 x800Pro 3800+ 87 78 63 55 6800GT 78 77 67 58 6800GT 3800+ 98 87 68 58 6800U 78 77 71 63 6800U 3800+ 106 94 74 63 x800XT 73 73 71 67 x800XT 3800+ 105 99 81 71 Now then, first off a small explanation on how to look at the results. When you see 3800+ then these of course are the results of the graphics card measured on the Athlon 64 3800+ test system. The other (lower) results come from the Pentium 4 2.8 GHz system. The higher a graphics card will go in resolution, the harder it'll be for it. Now what you need to observe is simple, look at the 10x7 resolution. If you notice a huge difference in performance then the graphics card was CPU limited. All cards clearly could use a faster CPU other then a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4. As you can see the x800 XT from ATI is the card that is most CPU dependant as even in 1600x1200 it showed a noticeable difference in overall FPS. Let's go towards a heavy on the GPU game .. Far Cry. Far Cry If you haven't played the demo or the game, well shame on you! Far Cry's story centers on Jack Carver, who has put a mysterious past behind him in favor of a less stressful life chartering boats in the South Pacific... or so he thinks. After delivering a female journalist to an uncharted island, Jack's boat is attacked and he subsequently finds himself stranded against a group of mercenaries, at which point his adventure begins. Graphically Far Cry is amazing; the action takes place in a huge, brightly colored environment with dense jungle style shrubbery, peacefully quiet beaches and large indoor areas. The excellent shadow effects simply bring the game to life with reflections on walls and even on your own weapons as you creep through the trees. It’s like something straight out of a movie, helped along by the lighting and tight, crisp textures. For Far Cry we did things a bit different then normal. First off, the game has been patched towards version 1.1 build 1256. Secondly we made sure that the graphics cards are forced to run Shader Model 2 as fair base of comparison. Next to that we are using our own Guru3D.com constructed timedemo to prevent driver cheats. The results (frames per second) that you see below are a lot lower then in normal conditions as we modified configuration settings and make it as rough as it can get on the graphics card. All in all, at this time and moment, this is one of the best tests we can offer you to benchmark DirectX 9 compatible graphics cards. As Antialiasing results where not consistent between different brands we can't use them in the part of the benchmark results.It's impossible to play Far Cry without being completely blown away by the graphics; the game engine is THAT good. Far Cry 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 55 54 45 x800Pro 3800+ 66 64 52 6800 GT default 58 56 55 6800GT 3800+ 71 70 58 6800U 57 57 57 6800U 3800+ 71 70 64 x800XT 55 54 54 x800XT 3800+ 66 66 65 Now with Far Cry we see something REALLY interesting. When you look at the Pentium 4 2.8 GHz test you can see the 6800 Ultra and even GeForce 6800 GT beat the x800 XT in Far Cry. As the previous benchmark already showed, the x800 XT is very CPU dependant. On the 3800+ the x800 XT became the fastest thing available and is beating the GT easily in 1600x1200. The difference towards the 6800 Ultra is neglectable though. Let's have a look at synthetic benchmarking with Aquamark. AquaMark 3 The latest graphics cards on the market are all DirectX9 compatible these days, and we also see an increasing number of games utilizing the new DX9 features. To be able to see how well a graphics cards is performing in this new challenging DirectX 9 environment, AquaMark was developed. The AquaMark3 benchmark delivers scores for specific hardware components as well as an overall score for the entire system. AquaMark3 is highly qualified to meet the needs of gamers because it's as close as possible to a typical game application. The AquaMark benchmarking series is based directly on the huge code and data base of the AquaNox games and the underlying krass™ game engine." In the past we have used AquaMark 2.3 in our benchmark suite and although still a reputable application, Massive figured it was time for the next best thing. This is AquaMark 3, a benchmark that will utilize some of the finest DirectX 9 capabilities like Pixel and Vertex Shaders 2.0, and yet is by far not as Shader dependant as, for example, Half-Life 2 is. You will notice this in the overall results later in this article. AquaMark 3, however, is not solely a DirectX9 benchmark; if you are working with a DirectX 8 or 7 compatible graphics card, you will still be able to use it just with a lot of graphical features missing. Make no mistake, AquaMark3 is a DirectX 9 benchmark. But since it's based on a real game engine it has fallbacks to DirectX 8 and even DirectX 7 that makes this software not a 100% DX9 benchmark. Download: Aquamark 3 (63 MB) AquaMark 3 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 54 51 47 41 x800Pro 3800+ 64 60 53 46 6800GT 61 59 55 50 6800GT 3800+ 72 68 62 54 x800XT 54 53 50 47 x800XT 3800+ 67 64 59 53 6800U 63 61 58 53 6800U 3800+ 75 71 66 59 Again we can observe tremendous performance shifts when the graphics card is running on a faster system. And again things change towards ATI's side when we enable a few IQ settings like 4xAA and 8x AF: AquaMark 3 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 6800GT 54 48 39 31 6800GT 3800+ 60 51 40 32 6800U 57 51 42 34 6800U 3800+ 64 56 44 35 x800Pro 50 46 40 34 x800Pro @ 3800+ 58 52 45 37 x800XT 53 45 44 38 x800XT @ 3800+ 63 58 50 43 Aah, the Radeon x800 series show their sheer power. They are just so efficient with their image quality settings. Although in most cases the Radeon series are a bit faster with IQ then NVIDIA we can only see this huge difference with Aquamark 3 though. going back to CPU scaling, again we see that the XT needs to most hefty processor. but when it has just that .. it shows off it's power alright. 3DMark 2003 Professional The latest in the 3DMark benchmark series built by Futuremark Corporation (formerly known as MadOnion.com). More than 5 million benchmark results have been submitted to Futuremark’s Online ResultBrowser database. It has become a point of great prestige to be the holder of the highest 3DMark score. A compelling, easy-to-use interface has made 3DMark very popular among game enthusiasts. Futuremark’s latest benchmark, 3DMark03, continues this tradition by providing a Microsoft DirectX 9 benchmark. The introduction of DirectX 9 and new hardware shader technologies put a lot of power in the hands of game developers. Increasingly realistic 3D games will be available over the next year and a half. The use of 3D graphics will become more accessible to other applications areas and even operating systems. In this new environment, 3DMark03 will serve as a tool for benchmarking 3D graphics. 3DMark03 default 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 9400 5169 3859 2959 x800Pro 3800+ 10116 5450 4019 3076 6800GT 10864 5555 4572 3518 6800GT 3800+ 11327 6242 4633 3572 6800U 11705 6092 4974 3851 6800U 3800+ 12282 6804 5082 3913 x800XT 11508 6776 5208 4023 x800XT 3800+ 12343 6848 5143 3982 Let me explain how to read the results. Default is of course the standard 1024x768 test run from FutureMark. Then you'll see 1024x768 up-to 1600x1200. These are the numbers measured at 4xAA and 8xAF. This benchmark is not based on any game. Please remember this, never buy a graphics card based solely on the 3DMark score. I'm not bashing the 3D Mark suite here, it's good software but definitely not the sole basis for you to make an informed decision on to buy a graphics card. Especially after what happened in 2003. For the sake of it I'm including a few scores. Well you have to admit, the importance of these results can be discussed in many way and varieties, yet according to one of our recent polls what you want to see are the scores and the scores are simply fantastic. As you can see, again the Radeon x800 XT is benefiting from the faster system the most. Differences however are really, really marginal. Between the Ultra and the XT, I'd say that's a tie. Return to Castle Wolfenstein This game is powered with a highly optimized Quake III engine. We test the graphics card with high detail settings and of course a heavy duty time-demo. Powered by the Quake III Arena engine, the Wolfenstein universe explodes with the kind of epic environments, A.I., firepower and cinematic effects that only a game created by true masters can deliver. The dark reich's closing in. The time to act is now. Evil prevails when good men do nothing. A highly decorated Army Ranger recruited into the Office of Secret Actions (OSA) tasked with escaping and then returning to Castle Wolfenstein in an attempt to thwart Heinrich Himmler's occult and genetic experiments. Himmler believes himself to be a reincarnation of a 10th century dark prince, Henry the Fowler, also known as Heinrich. Through genetic engineering and the harnessing of occult powers, Himmler hopes to raise an unstoppable army to level the Allies once and for all. That being said, RTCW boasts very nice textures, impressive effects and fantastic character models. Well now, one of the most CPU dependable games in our benchmark suite has to be RTCW, het makes sense it's the oldest game. RTCW 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 128 127 127 127 x800Pro 3800+ 168 168 168 165 x800XT 128 128 128 128 x800XT 3800+ 169 169 169 169 6800GT 125 135 135 135 6800GT 3800+ 174 174 174 174 6800U 135 135 135 135 6800U 3800+ 174 174 174 174 Hah, and you know what .. we still have CPU limitation :) Things will toughen a bit up when we make it more difficult for the graphics card, so we again enable a plethora of image quality settings: 4xAA 8xAF 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 127 127 121 107 x800Pro 3800+ 168 164 144 116 x800XT 128 128 126 121 x800XT 3800+ 168 168 160 142 6800GT 135 135 134 133 6800GT 3800+ 173 176 171 164 6800U 135 135 134 133 6800U 3800+ 174 173 172 166 Nope, that won't do it. This game is eaten alive by all high-end graphics cards and that makes sense as it is aging. It remains a fantastic game though. Unreal Tournament 2004 Added into our wide benchmark suite is Unreal Tournament 2004. The developers of UT2004 don't want to split hairs with this game. It is still using the same engine and the majority of gameplay elements will be very familiar to players of the 2003 version. If you hated the first game, you'll probably hate this. Sorry, but that's how it is. This large-scale, vehicle-focused game concentrates and focuses the action so that 12 players can have as much fun as 32. It includes several different gameplay modes including Onslaught, where each team has a power core that they need to protect. Between the teams' power cores are a number of smaller power nodes scattered across the map. Buggies, hovercraft, tanks, trucks, space fighters, air fighters… all feature prominently in Unreal Tournament 2004, and huge maps have been made to accommodate them. Basically what we did was record three timedemo botmatch maps, we run all three on set resolutions with Maximum detail settings enabled and the results then are compiled to an average. All cards are clearly CPU limited on the 2.8 GHz rig. A faster CPU will increase the overall score bigtime. Let's have a look at the results when we enable 4 levels of AA and 8x AF. UT 2004 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024 1600x1200 x800Pro 117 117 115 92 x800Pro 3800+ 167 160 135 100 6800GT 120 119 116 102 6800GT 3800+ 172 154 125 106 6800U 120 119 116 104 6800U 3800+ 174 163 136 116 x800XT 117 117 115 102 x800XT 3800+ 167 167 154 118 Here we can see it again, the XT takes a marginal lead over the 6800 Ultra in the highest resolution thanks to a faster test-system where it was slower on the Pentium 4 rig. Let's move on towards the conclusion. Conclusion Well, this was certainly an interesting experience. This article clearly shows the importance of a faster CPU versus the fastest graphics cards around. The faster test-system proved that performance wise things will shift in advantage for the x800 XT series over the Ultra. It's really a tie though, both cards are just so close to each other. But when we look purely at performance rankings in the highest resolution this would be the end-result : on the 4th place the x800 pro, 3rd place the 6800 GT, 2nd place the GeForce 6800 Ultra and at the first place the x800 XT, although a shared first place would probably be better wording. Remember I'm only talking about 1600x1200x32 here. On a somewhat slower system (I refuse to call a 1 gig, 2.8 Ghz system mid-end) the results however are way closer to each other and definitely in favor of the GeForce 6800 series. The x800 XT is hungry for a faster processor that's for sure. If you are to buy a new system or graphics card then bare in mind that you really need to match everything to get the best bang for your bucks. Right now I look at it this way, up-to a 3000 MHz you simply are better suited with a Radeon x800 Pro or GeForce 6800 GT. If you have a faster than 3 GHz (3000+) system and want the best of the best, then and only then I can recommend you the GeForce 6800 Ultra or the Radeon x800 XT. That system would be ridiculously expensive though and you need to consider whether that's worth all that hard earned dough. |
| New Windows mean more money for graphic cards |
| 07.08.06 (4:16 pm) [edit] |
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Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, which is due to go on widespread release in January 2007 will make big demands of your computer's graphics capabilities. Only high-end graphics cards will get the best out of Vista In the old days the PC did not have much in the way of graphics. On WordStar, just about the first ever word processor for the PC, you could have any colour you liked - as long as it was green. For PC users that has all changed, the world is full colour and funky is now the watch word. Of course if you are a Mac user you are obviously sitting there smug in the knowledge that you have been funky for ages, but for PC users funky now means lots of horsepower and a graphics card. These days the only real reason for more powerful graphics on the PC is to play games. They all need lots of power and today's graphics cards have that in spades, but under the fans, heat sinks and brightly coloured designs, the chip looks just like most other chips. The new cards are seriously powerful. You can now get a card array as powerful as the IBM Deep Blue computer that beat Garry Kasparov at chess in the 1990s - and that is pretty powerful. But despite this awesome power, it only really shows itself in the subtleties of the image and in the realm of physics. New concept "What we're looking for is new usage scenarios," said Terry Makedon of ATI. "There is no longer a need just a need for a graphics card to display things on a screen; you can do other things on it, such as physics, advanced lighting, advanced shader problems are now going to be solved. Adam Foat The effects that you get in Windows premium are absolutely fantastic. It means your operating system will look completely different to any OS you've seen before Adam Foat "The whole physics market is in its infancy. It's a brand new concept, it's something that a lot of people are not familiar with. "It does add a brand new level of realism to gaming." Adam Foat from nVidia said: "The best way to think about physics is actually how things move in the real world. "Imagine if we had a pile of tin cans that we knocked over, you couldn't tell how those tin cans were going to fall because it would all depend upon how you hit them, which angle you hit them at, and how they fell to the ground and how they reacted with each other, fell off the table and onto the floor. That's physics." He added: "What we have to do is create an engine that actually reflects that, actually recreates that on the PC. "In other words, trying to make it a random engine, trying to make the PC understand that if you tell it to knock those tin cans in a different angle in a different way, it will react as it would in real life." Welcome to the world of the computer gamer where you get a new graphics card and concept every six months or so. Compatibility problems But that is changing, the term Aero Glass may not mean much to a lot of you at the moment but it is the name that defines the new, less violent world of graphics. AERO REQUIREMENTS Aero Glass 1 GHz processor 1 GB of system memory Graphics processor supporting DirectX 9 128 MB of graphics memory 40GB hard drive with 15GB free It is the 3D front end for Windows Vista, Microsoft's new operating system, which is due next year. "The effects that you get in Windows Premium are absolutely fantastic," said Mr Foat. "It means your operating system will look completely different to any OS you've seen before." "There are some very cool visual features in there, the main one being what we call Aero Glass. This allows the windows to be transparent and you can move them around in a 3D environment." But the not so good news is that not everyone will have a PC that will be compatible. "A lot of people buy PCs that do not have a separate and discrete graphics card," explained Mr Makedon. "They have something called integrated graphics, which is basically built into their motherboard. "Typically today you may buy an Intel PC that has graphics built in. That's where the questionable part may be - it may or may not work with Aero." But of course if you buy a card yourselves you will be fine. |
| Dopod 818 Pro |
| 07.06.06 (3:42 am) [edit] |
 Design If mimicry is, indeed, the best form of flattery, then the revolutionary O2 mini must have its head among the clouds. Despite a glut of mini doppelgangers like its sibling, the Dopod 838, and O2's own Atom, the 818 Pro is the closest clone yet. This isn't particularly surprising, since both the 818 Pro and O2 mini are produced by the same OEM company, High Tech Computer (HTC). As a result, you still get a clean, sleek-looking metallic frame that's smooth to the touch, fingerprint-resistant and retails with a choice of five color shades. Slightly differing is the smooth rubber lining along the circumference instead of the mini's ridged version, though both offer sufficient and comfortable grip. Likewise, we have no gripes with the Dopod's size and weight. Traditional phone users thinking of going convergent may inevitably compare this with pint-sized clamshell phones and find it goliath-esque. For our money, though, you can't get a sweeter form factor for a PDA-phone at the moment without sacrificing either its portability or display. Screen real estate is another critical point when choosing a PDA-phone. While large screen PDAs such as the Dopod 900 along with its full-sized QWERTY may be better suited for business professionals who do a lot of Internet surfing or documentation on-the-go, most other users should find the 818 Pro's 2.8-inch TFT display sufficient. On the downside, compared with the sharp VGA screens of other PDAs, the 320 x 240-pixel, 65K-color display here seems slightly less vibrant and detailed. The 818 Pro's camera, volume and wireless manager controls are located on the left, while the power button and infrared port sit on the opposite side of the set. With the Dopod resting on the palm, all these are easily accessible and controllable. The cheaper and more common SDIO expansion option is a welcome choice for most users as compared with the costlier miniSD format. Below the display sits a circular five-way navigational pad, two calling buttons and four soft keys, two of which are devoted to activating the start menu and OK option, and the other two for Windows Mobile 5.0 menu navigation. The pad itself is easy to use and responsive, while all the other buttons provide excellent tactile feedback and are comfortably spaced out. The reverse of the handset houses a 2-megapixel camera sensor which can be switched between normal and macro shots by slightly rotating the metal ring around the lens. Unfortunately, along with a reflective metallic circle for taking self-portraits, the speaker grill is also located behind, forcing us to consciously rest the device face down or risk muffling the sound and missing calls. Features Like other Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA-phones, the Dopod comes with souped-up Office applications such as Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile. Although PowerPoint slides still cannot be edited on the Dopod, you can at least view and rehearse that deal-clinching presentation on the commute to work. Setting up a user profile and synchronizing Outlook data via Microsoft ActiveSync 4.0 was a breeze. Connecting via a mini-USB cable simultaneously charges the device as well. Kudos to the Dopod's TI OMAP processor. Operating at 195MHz, despite clocking in at less than half the speed of the Xda Atom, the 818 Pro actually seems speedier, generally more responsive and with shorter loading times than the O2. With Windows Mobile 5.0, tapping the cross on the top right-hand of the program only closes the window with the program still running in the background. Thus, even though the 818 Pro comes with a generous 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, users can still benefit from freeing up valuable resources allocated to open but seldom used programs by clearing them from memory via the Settings page. Without a dedicated keypad, you can choose to use traditional ways of inputting text such as Block Recognizer, the Pocket PC equivalent of Palm's Graffiti, or a miniature on-screen keyboard which certainly isn't for the myopic. Like the O2 Xda II mini, though, the phone pad method, which displays a classic 0-9 keypad onscreen, allows users to tap away as if they were using a T9 predictive text input on their typical mobile phone. Also, take note to soft-key lock the device by tapping on the Today screen 'Lock' option, since the 818 Pro doesn't come with an external locking switch. Like the Atom, the 818 Pro comes equipped with built-in Wi-Fi, the one thing that O2 critically left out with the mini which prevented it from being a no-brainer purchase for some PDA users. One press of the wireless manager button, one tap of the Wi-Fi tab, and we were off and running, be it chatting with friends on MSN Messenger, surfing Web sites or checking email. Commendably, the imaging function of the 818 Pro is well-implemented. The camera activates fairly rapidly, with about 4 seconds of boot-up time, though a 2-second shutter lag leaves room for improvement. Picture quality is pretty decent for a PDA-phone, though color reproduction is still somewhat lacking. The macro mode is also a plus, allowing for sharper close-ups shots previously unachievable with a PDA-phone's camera. Settings and tweaks are minimal, though, limited to capture format, picture size and ambience. Video capture at 176 x 144 pixels is mediocre and nothing to shout about. Sound quality is decent and perfectly acceptable for casual listeners, but as Windows Media Player 10 Mobile still doesn't offer any equalizer settings, the slightly bass-heavy and treble-thin sound may appeal to some but put off others. You won't find an FM tuner with this model, as well. Video playback, on the other hand, is rather choppy with an unstable frame rate. Again, the choice of employing a 2.5mm audio jack means you'll have to use an extra converter in order to plug in your favorite earphones. Performance Disappointingly, the phone once hung when we attempted to make a phone call, needing a soft reset. Other than that, the OS was stable without any error reporting messages. Running on a 1,200mAh battery, the Dopod managed to last about 1.5 days on average usage before calling it quits. Thankfully, the latest OS offers persistent storage, so users don't have to worry about vital data being lost when the PDA runs out of juice. Heavy usage of wireless or multimedia features will expectedly drain the power much faster, so regular charging is recommended. Although you can set your favorite MP3 or WAV files as ringtones, the speaker volume is a tad too soft and muffled. Coupled with a rather weak vibration alert, we found ourselves missing a few calls during our testing. Besides being a quadband phone, which effectively makes it a global companion, the 818 Pro is also EDGE-enabled, though local providers in Singapore currently do not support this service. In addition, 3G fans will have to make do with the Dopod 900 instead, the only 3G-enabled PDA-phone available in the market for now. Conclusion Perhaps the biggest selling point of the 818 Pro is its price. At S$938 with a two-year plan, it's considerably cheaper than the O2 Atom while offering almost the same feature set. All in all, although it doesn't sport any new tricks or killer applications, the 818 Pro is a value-for-money choice for those looking for a convergent device that's portable and versatile. |
| XtremeMac MicroBlast iPod nano Speakers |
| 07.05.06 (10:32 pm) [edit] |
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[RETAIL: $120] When the MicroBlast showed up in the Lab, I was psyched -- I've been listening to my iPod nano on a pair of shelf-system speakers for months. Out of the package, the thing looks great -- it's sleek, black, and even comes with a white interchangeable frame in case you're feeling more yang than yin. And it's thin at 7.5 x 5 x 1 inch, which is barely noticeable on most desktops. Unfortunately, the same held true for its output. Three watts per channel and tiny woofers pump out tiny audio. Cranking up the volume on my nano just made it worse -- at around three-quarters volume, the treble peaked out badly, making the Wu-Tang Clan sound more like the Alvin and the Chipmunks. Still, the best part about the MicroBlast is its portability -- I recommend using this feature to transport these speakers as far away from you as possible. |
| Nikon Coolpix S6 |
| 07.05.06 (10:32 pm) [edit] |
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[RETAIL: $400] Fashion or function? Why not both? Sorority girls will love this 6-megapixel Nikon's 0.8-inch-thick, 5-ounce form. Smart girls will love its Wi-Fi connection. And everyone will love the pictures. It easily handled varied lighting conditions, and the huge 3-inch screen previews shots in stunningly crisp fidelity. A one-touch portrait button turns on red eye reduction, giving your friends the best exposure possible. The camera can also take a handful of shots with every click, letting you pick the best of the bunch. It makes good use of its wireless connection, automatically downloading photos to computers on your network, giving you a memory card as large as your PC's hard drive. (It'll print to networked printers, too.) It is hard to configure, though, so make sure you're fluent in MAC addresses or subnet masks. |
| Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder |
| 07.05.06 (10:30 pm) [edit] |
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[RETAIL: $300] The Wired staff recently said good-bye to a dear friend and beloved editor, Rebecca Smith Hurd. So we had to celebrate with a few cocktails. Hot for blackmail material, I took video of the whole night with this handy camcorder. But the 20-gig device isn't just a 1.2-megapixel videocam -- it's also an MP3 player, a digicam, and a gaming device. The Gmini comes with a USB host port, allowing me to transfer pics directly from my full-size digicam. It can also be connected to a television for big-screen viewing, a nice feature since its tiny 2.2-inch screen made me cross-eyed after a while. The interface is a little clunky, and there's no optical zoom, but my pictures were OK. So, even if my vision was blurry at the end of the night, at least the pictures were sharp. |
| Sprint Fusic by LG |
| 07.05.06 (10:29 pm) [edit] |
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[RETAIL: $180 with two-year plan] My work commute used to be dreary, but this clamshell is so much fun that it's impossible to get bored. Sprint's Power Vision Network gets my morning started with speedy EV-DO access to weather, news, baseball scores, and videoclips from Cartoon Network and lots of other channels. Walking to work from the train, I can jam to songs from the Sprint music store. The phone also has dedicated Play, Pause, and Track buttons on the outside of its case, so the sound is always under control. And if I get a ride home from a coworker, I can keep the tunes pumping with the FM transmitter that wirelessly pushes my music to his car stereo -- the first phone in the US with this feature. And if my driver gets lost, no problem -- I can use the phone's built-in GPS to get back on track. Now that's a commute I can handle. |
| Cars |
| 07.05.06 (1:18 pm) [edit] |
 PC Computer Game Race to the finish line as you live all the fun and excitement of the Walt Disney Pictures presentation of the Pixar Animation Studios film Cars. Play as all your favorite characters as you help Lightning McQueen capture the coveted Piston Cup Championship. With over 30 races and more than 10 characters to choose from, take on your friends in multi-player mode, or go it alone on this full-throttle adventure that relives key moments of the movie along the way. |
| Apple MA045G/A iPod Universal Dock |
| 07.05.06 (1:16 pm) [edit] |
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| Apple MacBook MA254LL/A 13.3 |
| 07.05.06 (1:13 pm) [edit] |
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| Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black |
| 07.05.06 (1:09 pm) [edit] |
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| SanDisk SDSDB-1024-A10 1 GB Secure Digital Card |
| 07.05.06 (1:04 pm) [edit] |
 From the Manufacturer The SD Card is a highly secure stamp-sized flash memory card. Jointly developed by Matsushita Electronic (best known for its Panasonic brand name products), SanDisk and Toshiba, the SD Card weighs approximately two grams. The SD Card can be used in a variety of digital products; digital music players, cellular phones, handheld PCs (HPCs), digital cameras, digital video camcorders, smart phones, car navigation systems and electronic books. Product Description This highly secure, stamp-size SanDisk 1G SD Memory Card weighs a mere 2 grams, yet has a high storage capacity. The SD card can be used in a variety of digital products such as digital music players, cell phones, handheld PCs, digital cameras and video camcorders; smart phones, car navigation systems, and electronic books. Features a fast transfer rate for reliable copy/download/backup; user selectable mechanical write-protect switch on the exterior card casing; and it is a non-volatile storage solution that resists breakage as they are not affected by extreme heat or cold. |
| Acer's 20-Inch Notebook |
| 07.04.06 (9:00 pm) [edit] |
 The Acer Aspire 9800 laughs at your 17-inch MacBook Pro. Its screen is not 18, not 19, but 20 inches diagonally. 20.1 if you want to split hairs, and the girth of the Aspire 9800 means it can certainly split them, along with your back, your briefcase, and the wood on your desk. If you don't buy it, check out the photo. That's the Aspire on the right, a standard 15-inch Toshiba on the left. The Aspire practically wants to eat that little Toshi. Here's what's under the hood: Intel Core Duo CPU at 2.16GHz. 2GB of RAM. Dual 120GB hard drives. Integrated camera. Nvidia GeForce Go 7600. Bluetooth and 802.11g wireless. And, most interestingly, an HD-DVD optical drive, the first I've ever seen in a notebook. Performance is faster than anything I've ever encountered to date: 242 points on Sysmark 2004 SE, about 20 percent faster than the best-performing notebooks I've tested (and I've benchmarked about 25 new models in the last month). The enormous screen is a joy to behold: Big, bright, and unmatched on any notebook. The speakers are louder than anything I've heard on a portable, ever. What's not to like? That snazzy new HD optical drive is buggy as hell. Simply playing a DVD (which offered a surprising hour-plus of battery life) was a frustrating exercise of skips, crashes, and reboots. Mainly this is due to Acer's half-baked custom power management system. Frankly, Windows does a better job on its own. As for the HD player, it probably contributes its share of problems, too. Then there's the issue of sheer bulk. The screen is actually as thick as the base, making the entire machine about 2.7 inches thick. The screen itself is so heavy that a sturdy plastic stabilizer juts out the back of the base. Without it, the notebook would tip over backwards when it was opened. The weight, 17.3 pounds, is more than our three-month-old child. And he's enormous. Coupled with the dimensions of this computer, simply getting it from one room to another is a real chore. The Aspire is set to be released "this fall" for a price of $2,799. That's incidentally the same price as a 17-inch MacBook Pro, but the Aspire is nearly three times the size. If you're buying by the pound, the Aspire is definitely the way to go. Anyone looking for something that even hints at portability will want to shy away. |
| Black & Decker LP1000 Alligator Lopper Electric Chain Saw |
| 07.03.06 (12:59 pm) [edit] |
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Technical Details * Innovative Clamping Jaws Grab and Cut in One Easy Motion * 4.5 Amp Motor for Powerful Fast Cutting * Heavy Duty Cutting Bar and Chain Fast Cutting of Thick Branches and Logs * 4" cut capacity for cutting heavy branches too big for manual pruners and loppers * Storm clean up, Pruning tree branches, Cutting up fallen branches into manageable pieces Product Details * Shipping Weight: 9.00 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) * Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. * Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply. & nbsp; Yesterday: #7 in Tools & Hardware Manufacturers, merchants, and enthusiasts: Submit a product manual for this item. Service Plans and Accessories Buy this product and add any of the following... To add any of these additional products to your purchase, select the appropriate check boxes and click Add to Shopping Cart below. Black & Decker LP1000 Alligator Lopper Electric Chain Saw $89.99 Service Plans 1-Year Replacement Plan for Power Tools $9.99 2-Year Replacement Plan for Power Tools $19.99 Accessories Fuel 90989 High Performance Safety Glasses with Steel Blue Frame $18.95 Black & Decker RC600 6" High Performance Replacemant Chain $17.99 Coleman Cable 01288 50' 16/3 SJEOW All-Weather Yellow Extension Cord with Lighted End $19.72 Product Description From the Manufacturer Take a big bite out of fallen trees, tree limbs and brush with the new Alligator Lopper, a revolutionary new cutting tool that provides chainsaw-like cutting performance in an un-intimidating and easy to use tool. With its scissor-like action, the Alligator Lopper's rugged metal jaws clamp onto logs and thick branches, as well as smaller tree limbs and vines and then saws through them with ease. Once limbs and branches are on the ground, the Alligator Lopper is perfect for chopping them up into manageable pieces to throw away or into your fireplace. The Alligator Lopper is ideal for tree pruning, clearing brush, storm clean-up, cutting firewood and more, and is a great alternative to chainsaws, manual loppers, handsaws and clippers. The Alligator Lopper's jaws offer the ultimate in controlled cutting. The rugged metal guards that cover the jaws protect you from the cutting chain and immediately snap back over the blades once the cut is complete. The Alligator Lopper's jaws also mean it does not skip around like chainsaws when starting to cut. The Alligator Lopper cuts side-to-side instead of from top to bottom as with traditional chainsaws. This sideways cutting prevents burying the cutting chain in the dirt as the chain cuts though, which can quickly dull a regular chainsaw. The Alligator Lopper also makes it much faster and easier to cut logs since you don't have to prop them up on saw horses or other logs. Just grab them in the Alligator Lopper's jaws and cut right through. The Alligator Lopper's auto chain tensioning keeps it in top cutting form. Just loosen the bar retainer bolts with the included wrench and the bar automatically takes out the slack and adjusts the chain's tension perfectly. Product Description A lonely gator meets an alluring chainsaw. They fall in love, marry and bingo! They make short work of all those pesky tree branches hanging around. The Black & Decker Alligator Lopper is the happy ending to this story. It’s a foolproof, can’t-hurt-yourself , tree-limb devouring tool with a 4.5-amp motor, a heavy-duty cutting bar and innovative clamping jaws (aw, just like his dad) that grab and cut in one easy motion. It’s truly a yard-pruning fairy tale that might just bring a tear of joy to Dad’s eye this Father’s Day. 25.25Lx8.12Wx9.38H". |
| Panasonic ES8152NC Rechargeable Pivot Action Pro Curve Wet/Dry AC/RC Men's Shaver with Linear Motor |
| 07.03.06 (12:04 pm) [edit] |
 Product Features * The first ever 30 degree angle inner blade for the closest shave in the industry * The 13,000 RPM linear motor provides a smooth and comfortable shave * Adjustable Pivot Action head with three stage comfort selector adjusts the amount of pivot based on your personal preference. * Turbo Cleaning Mode for quick and easy cleaning. Press and hold the on/off button to shift from 13,000 RPM to an impressive 17,000 RPM's in this mode. * 5 stage battery monitor / Automatic voltage Conversion / Cord charging system - 1 hr quick charge Product Details * Shipping Weight: 1.00 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) * Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. * Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item. * ASIN: B0002VAUGQ * Item model number: ES8152NC * Average Customer Review: based on 93 reviews. (Write a review.) * Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15 in Health & Personal Care (See Top Sellers in Health & Personal Care) Yesterday: #20 in Health & Personal Care You Might Also Like Buy this product and add any of the following... To add any of these additional products to your purchase, select the appropriate check boxes and click Add to Shopping Cart below. Panasonic ES8152NC Rechargeable Pivot Action Pro Curve Wet/Dry AC/RC Men's Shaver with Linear Motor $59.99 Philips Norelco BG2020 Men's Bodygroom $34.99 Product Description Product Description ES8152NC. Shaves wet or dry. Adjustable pivoting head for a comfortable shave. Sharpest blades for closeness. Fastest shaver for smooth, clean shaving. Triple blade shaving plus high speed linear motor; Turbo mode for easy cleaning; 5 Stage battery monitor; 1 Hour quick charge and automatic voltage conversion; Slide-up trimmer. Wet/Dry - Rinses clean. Adjustable pivoting head for a comfortable shave. Pivoting head rocks up and down and back and forth to follow the contours of your face. The pivot action selector adjusts the amount of pivot based on your preference. Now you can get the maximum comfort and support that you need for a clean, close shave. Fastest shaver for smooth, clean shaving. Panasonic's patented linear motor offers a frictionless, clean shave. At 13,000 RPM it is the fastest shaver ever. This shaver effortlessly powers through even the thickest of beards. 30 Degrees sharpest inner blades for close shaving. Turbo cleaning mode for easy maintenance. Easy to hold ergonomic design. It is recommended that you replace the outer foil at least every year and the inner blade at least every two years to maintain your shaver's cutting performance. Convenient 5-stage LED battery indicator. Slide-up trimmer. Electronic power switch. Soft touch rubber grip. Washable. Counter directional inner blades. UL Listed. One Year Limited Warranty. Product Description Featuring an adjustable pivoting head for a more comfortable shave. The pivoting head rocks up and down and back and forth to follow the contours of your face. You can even adjust the amount of pivot based on your preference with the Pivot Action Selector. Now you can get the maximum comfort and support that you need for a clean close shave. |
| Garmin Forerunner 205 Wrist-Mounted GPS Personal Training Device |
| 07.03.06 (11:59 am) [edit] |
 Technical Details * Sleek wrist-mounted sports performance monitor with high-sensitivity GPS receiver and training software * Monitors speed, distance, pace, and calories burned for smarter, more effective conditioning * Powerful GPS navigator provides faster acquisition times and improves tracking under trees and near buildings * Delivers detailed post-workout analysis on bundled Training Center PC software (connects to PC via USB) * Includes rechargeable lithium-ion battery; measures 2.1 x 0.7 x 2.7 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty › See more technical details Product Details * Product Dimensions: 8.0 x 10.0 x 6.0 inches ; 2.0 pounds * Shipping Weight: 2.00 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) * Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. * ASIN: B000CSQJ8C * Item model number: 010-00466-00 * Average Customer Review: based on 16 reviews. (Write a review.) * Amazon.com Sales Rank: #557 in Electronics (See Top Sellers in Electronics) Yesterday: #421 in Electronics * Date first available at Amazon.com: March 27, 2006 Product Manuals * Submit a product manual. Product Description Just when you thought Garmin had cornered the market on powerful, affordable, and effective wrist-mounted GPS devices, here comes the Forerunner 205. The release of this device is a major achievement from a design and technology perspective. This isn't just marketing-speak; the Forerunner 205 is the most accurate, most reliable wrist-mounted performance and GPS tracking tool we've ever tested. Yes, it's that good. While no device this compact can do everything (yet), the 205 pushes the boundaries of what is possible from something strapped around your wrist. While the 205 doesn't offer heart rate monitoring, or connectivity with Garmin's wireless speed and cadence sensor -- for that, you'll need to step up to the Forerunner 305 -- but it's a great way to get basic GPS location and performance data. View Garmin's Forerunner demonstration video. Choose from 12 data fields to display on the 305's screen. View larger. The design cleverly integrates the GPS antenna and aims it towards the sky when you're running or walking. View larger. The Virtual Partner function makes your workouts more competitive. View larger. Choose from three workout modes that help you target your training goals. View larger. The 305 features rudimentary mapping and location marking functions. View larger. Design The 205's design is a radical departure from Garmin's previous generation of wrist mounted GPS devices, which reached a pinnacle with the Garmin Forerunner 301. While the 301 delivered accurate heart rate monitoring, good performance tracking, and decent GPS reception, it didn't quite deliver in the design department. The form factor was bulky and wearing it wasn't much different than duct taping a full-sized GPS device to your wrist. Not so with the 205. Garmin's engineers obviously burned the midnight oil and have come up with a waterproof design that, while certainly not as small as a sports watch, feels just as comfortable. The curved casing allows the unit's antenna to face the sky when you're running, while the widescreen display is perfectly positioned for viewing when you need it. And the display certainly deserves a few kudos. While it's smaller than the display found on previous Forerunners, its resolution is far higher, offering incredible clarity and crispness. Garmin has smartly given the 205 a simple button layout and the buttons have a nice tactile feel with good pressure response. The right side houses the menu selection and enter buttons, while the left houses a power/backlight button and a mode button. This simple and elegant solution is a big improvement over the sometimes confusing button functionality of previous Forerunners. View button layout. The underside of the 205 is pretty nondescript, except for a row of contacts that interface with the included charging and data cradle. The cradle is small and unobtrusive and its single mini-USB port connects to either an included AC adapter, or a USB cable that connects to your PC. In addition to data transfer with the USB cable, you can also charge the 205's embedded lithium-ion battery via a powered USB connection from your computer. GPS Performance The big news about the Forerunner 205 is that it features an integrated, high-sensitivity SiRFstar III GPS receiver. What does this mean? It means that the 205's ability to both track, and maintain a lock on, your position is better than anything before it. After an intial battery charge, our product tester had the 205 on his wrist and was tracking speed and distance with GPS satellites within 3 minutes. The next time we used the 205, satellite acquisition was nearly instantaneous. A run through dense trees didn't faze the unit either; tracking remained true and steady. Performance on a bike was equally impressive. Whatever witchcraft has been cooked up by the designers of the SiRF technology, we like it! The simple docking cradle makes charging and data connectivity a snap (Forerunner 305 model shown). While the Forerunner 205 isn't billed as a GPS navigation device, it does have some rudimentary mapping, waypoint marking, and routing capabilities. In addition to marking locations along your journey, you can zoom in or out of a simple map that displays your current direction and path. There's also a "go to location" feature that routes you back to your starting location, or to any location you have defined. Once you have defined several locations, you can save this information as a route, allowing you to travel the same path in the future. As you'll see below, the 205's new "Courses" feature gives you new levels of control over how you define your favorite runs and rides. Training Functions The 205 is first and foremost a training tool, and its ability to organize a ton of data types into a user experience that is intuitive and simple is no small feat. Whiz-bang technology aside, if you can't use it and make it a natural part of your exercise routine, it's worthless. When it comes to these factors -- and here's the take home message on the 205 -- this device is successful where many other devices fail. The heart and soul of the 205 can be found on the data screens, which give you real-time information about all aspects of your workout. In fact, the 305 can display a dizzying array of data, such as calories burned, distance, elevation, grade, and heading, as well as multiple lap and pace modes. Thankfully, the device makes it easy to define how much or how little data you want to view during a workout. You can arrange the data that's most important to you and then make that data appear front and center on the device. Indeed, within a few minutes of skimming the manual and fiddling with the device setup, you'll have your most important data displaying just the way you like it. Garmin's Virtual Partner function was cool feature of previous Forerunners and they've decided to keep a good thing going with the 205. If you're the type that performs best when you've got a competitor egging you on, you'll love this function, as it allows you to set up virtual running or biking companions that compete against you. If you're looking for an complicated workout with a variety of intervals and intensity levels, or just a quick three-mile jog against your best time last week, the 205 has you covered. Navigating to the Workouts menu on the device yields three options: Quick Workouts, Interval, and Advanced Workout. A quick workout is just that; set the distance and time, distance and pace, or time and pace of your planned workout and off you go. Interval workouts are just the same, but they allow you to add repetitions and rest between them. When you really want to get fancy with your exercise, you can step up to advanced workouts, which include goals for each workout step, as well as varied distances, times, and rest periods. You can use the Garmin Training Center software to set up these workouts and then upload them to the device. PC Connectivity and Software Garmin has been outfitting their devices with USB connectivity for some time now -- a welcome move for those who struggled with serial port connections in the days of yore. Thanks to USB, the 205 integrates seamlessly with the Training Center software and we quickly had workout history uploaded and stored on the PC (Sadly, Training Center is not Mac-compatible). In a first for the Forerunner series, the Training Center software also lets you define courses on your PC that you can upload to the device. When course information is combined with uploaded workout information, the Forerunner becomes a complete guide, telling you where to go, when to make a turn, and what kind of workout to do when you're on the road or path. Back on the PC, the software's ability to overlay workout data on maps of the course makes it easy to see where the course offers up the tough hills and the easy recovery spots. Plus, the ability to track historical performance on a given course is a great way to measure your improvement. The 205 is also fully compatible with Garmin's MotionBased service, which takes your training to another level by connecting your data with the Internet. While we weren't able to use the service, the promise of sharing courses, maps, workouts, and performance data with other users is intriguing. And if you're a serious endurance athlete, you'll be glad to know that the 205 is also compatible with TrainingPeaks.com, an easy-to-use web based training system designed to help athletes train for any event. Pros * Radically new design is better in every way * Amazing accuracy and fast satellite acquisition time * So simple to set up and use, you will actually use it Cons * No Mac OS compatibility * Okay, it's bigger than a sport's watch -- but so much more powerful What's in the Box Forerunner 205, Garmin Training Center CD-ROM, docking cradle, expander strap, A/C charger, USB cable, owner's manual, quick start guide. Product Description Package Includes: Forerunner 205, docking cradle, expander strap, AC charger, PC/USB interface cable, Quick start guide, Garmin Training Center CD & owner's manual With the Garmin Forerunner 205, form meets function with a sleek and stylish personal trainer. Designed for athletes of all levels, this running partner and personal trainer tracks your every move with a super-sensitive GPS. The GPS tool even works on tree-covered trails and near tall buildings. It continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. Don't let their good looks fool you -- these taskmasters will continually push you to do your personal best. Virtual Partner lets you train against a digital person at specified time, distance or pace goals AutoScroll cycles through data pages during a workout Auto Pause pauses and resumes training timer based on a specified speed Easy to use - No calibration required, just turn it on and go Multi-sport capability lets you transition between sports without resetting -- you can use it for running, biking, and more Customizable screens let you view up to 12 data fields on 3 data screens for immediate feedback Lap Memory - 1,000 laps Rechargeable internal lithium ion battery - life of 10 hours (typical use) Waterproof - Submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins. Transfer data from Forerunner to your PC for a detailed analysis of your workout Create, schedule and download workouts to your Forerunner View data for each workout, including your heart rate, time, distance, speed, pat Display Size(WxH) - 1.3 x 0.8 (33 x 20.3 mm) Physical Size(WxHxD) - 2.1 x. 7 x 2.7 (53.3 x 17.8 x 68.6 mm) Weight - 2.72 oz. (77 g) |
| What Kind of iPod Am I? A Secure One |
| 07.02.06 (12:23 am) [edit] |
 It's an iPod world, and that makes Apple's popular music player a target for thieves. Police departments around the country have reported a surge in thefts of iPods and other portable music players, and the New York Police Department says iPod robberies have helped push up crime statistics in the subway. To foil iPod snatchers, Targus recently introduced the Mobile Security Lock for iPod. The company makes many security devices for computers, the most common being a steel cable and lock that attach to the security slot found on just about every laptop. IPods do not have a security slot, so Targus is making use of the docking connector to help secure them. The Targus device has a thick plastic case that can be tied, clipped or strapped to a backpack, belt or purse. A combination lock, which is attached to the case by a cable, pops out of the case's center and hooks into the dock connector. The lock, available at www.targus.com, sells for about $40. It will soon be available at the usual online stores and major electronic outlets. Perhaps it will help wipe out one form of music theft. |
| IPod nano |
| 07.01.06 (11:47 pm) [edit] |
 Manufacturer Apple Type Digital audio player Connectivity USB 2.0 First available September 7, 2005 Operating System iPod nano software 1.2 / June 28, 2006 Camera N/A Media N/A Input Click Wheel + Hold Switch Power 340mAh Li-poly battery CPU ARM Display 1.5" LCD Touchpad N/A The iPod nano is Apple's fourth digital audio player combining features of the iPod shuffle and iPod. It was introduced on September 7, 2005, replacing the iPod mini, which was discontinued on the same day. The replacement of the mini took Macintosh websites and the press completely by surprise since, although there were rumors about a new flash memory-based iPod, there was no prior notice of the mini being discontinued. Work on development of the new design of the iPod nano started only nine months before the launch date. The iPod nano has more flash memory storage than is used in the iPod shuffle and has a miniaturized version of the color screen and click wheel found on the full-sized iPods. The screen also has a higher resolution than the old grayscale iPod, allowing one more line of text than the mini's screen. The battery and other internal parts were also reduced in size. The surface of the click wheel is slightly rough, allowing greater tactile feedback for out-of-sight operation.[1] Overview Advertising emphasizes the iPod nano's small size: it is 1.6 inches (40 mm) wide, 3.5 inches (90 mm) long, 0.27 inches (6.9 mm) thick and weighs 1.5 ounces (42 grams). Its stated battery life is 14 hours. The screen is 176 x 132 pixels, 1.5 inches (38 mm) diagonal, and can display 65,536 colors (16-bit color).[2] The iPod nano works with iTunes on Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows (third-party software is available for platforms that Apple does not support). It connects through the same proprietary dock connector as the third-generation iPod, the fourth-generation iPod, and the iPod mini, using a USB 2.0 port on the user's computer. Although it uses the same connection of Apple's FireWire iPod Cable and can charge its battery over FireWire, the iPod nano does not support synchronizing over a FireWire connection. The iPod nano includes a stop watch and a multiple time zone clock function. There is also a combination lock feature that makes use of the click wheel to lock the iPod, and serves to secure the user's calendar and contact information. It was also the first iPod to include a new lyrics screen, modifiable using iTunes. The nano was launched in two colors (black or white) with two available sizes: 2 GB (roughly 500 songs) for $199 USD and 4 GB (1000 songs) for $249 USD. On February 7, 2006, Apple updated the lineup with the 1 GB model (240 songs) sold at $149. Apple also released some accessories, including armbands and silicone "tubes" (possibly a play on "nanotubes") designed to bring color to the nano and protect it from scratches, as well as a combination lanyard-earphone accessory that hangs around the neck, and avoids the problem of tangling earphone cords. The iPod nano uses flash memory instead of a hard disk. As a result, it has no moving parts, making it immune to skipping and far more durable than disk-based players. Testing by technology-enthusiast website Ars Technica has shown that even after being driven over twice by a car, the unit's screen was damaged but that it could still play music.[3] The unit finally stopped playing music after being thrown 40 feet into the air. Although the iPod nano costs more than the iPod mini range it replaced, it should be noted that the iPod nanos are priced exactly the same as the iPod minis (2 + 4GB) were when they were first launched back in 2004. Unlike previous iPods, Apple is not offering an optional FireWire cable for the iPod nano (nor the fifth-generation iPod). The lack of the remote connector found on the top of the iPod mini and Generations 3 and 4 of the iPod meant that a number of third-party accessories will not work with the iPod nano. However, since the removal of the remote connector from the main iPod line to the switch of the Universal Dock connector, manufacturers have been forced to develop alternatives to accessories that used it. The nano also lacks the TV-out and voice recording options of the larger iPods. Apple has also said that, unlike other iPods capable of storing photos, the iPod nano will not work with either Apple's iPod Camera Connector or any camera connectors from third-party manufacturers.[4] [edit] Electronics The iPod nano uses general-purpose integrated circuits (IC) instead of smaller, low cost custom developed chips, possibly to reduce time-to-market. This design, however, increases the number of electronic components and increases the cost. Japanese engineers estimated the component cost of the 2 GB nano as between JPY22000 and JPY27000, which is high compared to the retail price of JPY21800. The cost of 2 GB NAND flash memory is about JPY14000. Apple opted for the higher cost 0603 (0.6 x 0.3mm) components, the latest surface mount technology, as opposed to cheaper but larger 1005 (1.0 x 0.5mm) components. In fact, there remains available real estate on the motherboard.[5] [edit] Consumer reactions iPod nano Enlarge iPod nano The initial consumer response to the iPod nano was overwhelmingly positive and sales were heavy.[6] The nano sold its first 1 million units in only 17 days and has helped to drive Apple to a record billion-dollar profit in 2005.[7] Apple's release of the iPod nano as a replacement for the iPod mini is viewed by many as a risky move. The mini was not only Apple's most popular MP3 player, it was still the world's best-selling player up to the end of its lifespan; and sales of the mini did not appear to be slowing down. Steve Jobs has argued that the iPod nano is a necessary risk since competitors are beginning to catch up to the iPod mini in terms of design and features, and believes the iPod nano will prove to be even more popular and successful than the iPod mini. Analysts see this as part of the corporate culture of Apple, which relies heavily upon innovating to continue appealing to consumers. Within days of the nano's release, some users reported damage to the nano, suggesting that the LCD screen had become so scratched that it was unreadable, even when the backlight was on. Other owners reported that their nano's screen cracked with no provocation.[8] On September 27, Apple confirmed a small percentage ("less than 1/10 of 1 percent") of iPod nanos shipped with a faulty screen and agreed to replace any nanos with cracked screens, but denied the iPod nano was more susceptible to scratching than prior iPods.[9] Apple started shipping iPod nanos with a protective sleeve to protect them from scratches. In October 2005, a class action lawsuit was filed against Apple, with the plaintiffs seeking reimbursement for the device, legal fees, and "unlawful or illegal profits" from sales of the iPod nano. Lawyers for the plaintiffs claim that the devices "scratch excessively during normal usage, rendering the screen on the nanos unreadable, and violating state consumer protection statutes".[10] Similar lawsuits were later filed in Mexico and the United Kingdom.[11] Some commentators such as BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl have criticized the lawsuits. Hesseldahl dismissed them as "stupid" and suggested that they benefitted "no one but the trial lawyers," but also suggested that Apple could have avoided litigation by offering "full refunds on unwanted nanos" instead of charging a re-stocking fee and lengthening the return period from 14 (if bought online) or 10 (if bought at retail) to 30 or 60 days.[12] Following the release of the 1GB iPod Nano in February 2006, Apple also made a slight change in the design of the front panel.[citation needed] The display in the new models was set into the case, thus resulting in a surface that isn't completely flat. This was done in order to protect the screen from harm while exposed to surfaces, but consumers complained that protective products such as plastic foil that can be stuck along the surface of iPod nano became unusable, because the unflat surface caused formation of air pockets beneath the foil. The settings page also differed from previous versions. Pope Benedict XVI owns a white 2GB iPod nano, becoming the first Pope to own an iPod.[13] [edit] Manufacturing Please expand this article. Further information might be found in a section of the talk page or at Requests for expansion. Please remove this message once the article has been expanded. An iPod nano has around 400 parts which cost an estimated US$75[1]. Cheap labor is believed to be important in order to keep the price competitive. [edit] Trivia Pope Benedict XVI owns an iPod Nano; he is the first Pope to own an iPod. [edit] See also * iPodLinux * Rockbox [edit] External links Wikinews has news related to: Apple unveils iPod nano * Apple: iPod nano o Apple: iPod nano technical specifications o Apple Introduces iPod nano — press release o iPod nano Webcast unveiling — Watch Webcast by Apple CEO Steve Jobs announcing the new iPod nano o Apple: iPod nano TV advertisement o Apple Unveils New 1GB iPod nano at $149 * Stevie's Little Wonder — Lev Grossman writing for Time Magazine (September 12, 2005) * iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma - written by Charles Arthur for The Register (September 23, 2005) * Apple Maintains Margin with iPod Nano - Ed Oswald writing for BetaNews (September 23, 2005) [edit] References 1. ^ Grossman, Lev (September 19, 2005). "Stevie's Little Wonder". TIME Magazine. 2. ^ Apple (September 7, 2005). iPod nano. "Technical Specifications". accessed March 7, 2006. 3. ^ Cheng, Jacqui; Ecker, Clint (September 11, 2005). "iPod nano". Ars Technica. 4. ^ Horwitz, Jeremy (September 7, 2005) "Super First Look: Apple Computer iPod nano". iLounge. 5. ^ Itoh, Hirotaka; Asakawa, Naoki (December 2005). "Looking Inside iPod nano, Game Boy Micro". Nikkei Electronics Asia. 6. ^ Myers, Michelle (September 10, 2005). "Apple store buzzes with Nano fever". CNet. 7. ^ Turner, Daniel Drew (October 11, 2005). "Apple Hits $1 Billion in Profit for 2005". eWeek. 8. ^ Angell, Larry (September 25, 2005). "iPod nano screen complaints abound". iLounge. 9. ^ Dalrymple, Jim (September 27, 2005). "Apple responds to iPod nano screen concerns". Macworld. 10. ^ Jade, Kasper; Marsal, Katie (October 21, 2005). "iPod nano owners sue Apple over screen issues". AppleInsider. 11. ^ Unknown Author (November 8, 2005). "Nano lawsuit goes international". BBC News. accessed May 10, 2006. 12. ^ Hesseldahl, Arik (October 27, 2005). "iPod nano Lawsuits: Who Wins?". BusinessWeek. 13. ^ Glatz, Carol (March 3, 2006). "Vatican Radio employees present pope with specially loaded iPod nano". Catholic News Service. Apple hardware since 1998 Consumer Macs: iMac | iMac G3 | iMac G4 | iMac G5 | iMac Core Duo | Mac mini | eMac | iBook | MacBook Professional Macs: Power Mac G3 | Power Mac G4 | Cube | Power Mac G5 | Xserve | PowerBook G3 | PowerBook G4 | MacBook Pro iPods: iPod | iPod mini | iPod photo | iPod shuffle | iPod nano Accessories: AirPort | iSight | Cinema Display | Xserve RAID | Mighty Mouse | iPod Hi-Fi Categories: Article titles with lowercase initial letters | Information appliances | Articles with unsourced statements | Articles to be expanded | IPods | Flash-based Players |
| IPod nano |
| 07.01.06 (10:32 pm) [edit] |
|
Manufacturer Apple Type Digital audio player Connectivity USB 2.0 First available September 7, 2005 Operating System iPod nano software 1.2 / June 28, 2006 Camera N/A Media N/A Input Click Wheel + Hold Switch Power 340mAh Li-poly battery CPU ARM Display 1.5" LCD Touchpad N/A The iPod nano is Apple's fourth digital audio player combining features of the iPod shuffle and iPod. It was introduced on September 7, 2005, replacing the iPod mini, which was discontinued on the same day. The replacement of the mini took Macintosh websites and the press completely by surprise since, although there were rumors about a new flash memory-based iPod, there was no prior notice of the mini being discontinued. Work on development of the new design of the iPod nano started only nine months before the launch date. The iPod nano has more flash memory storage than is used in the iPod shuffle and has a miniaturized version of the color screen and click wheel found on the full-sized iPods. The screen also has a higher resolution than the old grayscale iPod, allowing one more line of text than the mini's screen. The battery and other internal parts were also reduced in size. The surface of the click wheel is slightly rough, allowing greater tactile feedback for out-of-sight operation.[1] Overview Advertising emphasizes the iPod nano's small size: it is 1.6 inches (40 mm) wide, 3.5 inches (90 mm) long, 0.27 inches (6.9 mm) thick and weighs 1.5 ounces (42 grams). Its stated battery life is 14 hours. The screen is 176 x 132 pixels, 1.5 inches (38 mm) diagonal, and can display 65,536 colors (16-bit color).[2] The iPod nano works with iTunes on Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows (third-party software is available for platforms that Apple does not support). It connects through the same proprietary dock connector as the third-generation iPod, the fourth-generation iPod, and the iPod mini, using a USB 2.0 port on the user's computer. Although it uses the same connection of Apple's FireWire iPod Cable and can charge its battery over FireWire, the iPod nano does not support synchronizing over a FireWire connection. The iPod nano includes a stop watch and a multiple time zone clock function. There is also a combination lock feature that makes use of the click wheel to lock the iPod, and serves to secure the user's calendar and contact information. It was also the first iPod to include a new lyrics screen, modifiable using iTunes. The nano was launched in two colors (black or white) with two available sizes: 2 GB (roughly 500 songs) for $199 USD and 4 GB (1000 songs) for $249 USD. On February 7, 2006, Apple updated the lineup with the 1 GB model (240 songs) sold at $149. Apple also released some accessories, including armbands and silicone "tubes" (possibly a play on "nanotubes") designed to bring color to the nano and protect it from scratches, as well as a combination lanyard-earphone accessory that hangs around the neck, and avoids the problem of tangling earphone cords. The iPod nano uses flash memory instead of a hard disk. As a result, it has no moving parts, making it immune to skipping and far more durable than disk-based players. Testing by technology-enthusiast website Ars Technica has shown that even after being driven over twice by a car, the unit's screen was damaged but that it could still play music.[3] The unit finally stopped playing music after being thrown 40 feet into the air. Although the iPod nano costs more than the iPod mini range it replaced, it should be noted that the iPod nanos are priced exactly the same as the iPod minis (2 + 4GB) were when they were first launched back in 2004. Unlike previous iPods, Apple is not offering an optional FireWire cable for the iPod nano (nor the fifth-generation iPod). The lack of the remote connector found on the top of the iPod mini and Generations 3 and 4 of the iPod meant that a number of third-party accessories will not work with the iPod nano. However, since the removal of the remote connector from the main iPod line to the switch of the Universal Dock connector, manufacturers have been forced to develop alternatives to accessories that used it. The nano also lacks the TV-out and voice recording options of the larger iPods. Apple has also said that, unlike other iPods capable of storing photos, the iPod nano will not work with either Apple's iPod Camera Connector or any camera connectors from third-party manufacturers.[4] [edit] Electronics The iPod nano uses general-purpose integrated circuits (IC) instead of smaller, low cost custom developed chips, possibly to reduce time-to-market. This design, however, increases the number of electronic components and increases the cost. Japanese engineers estimated the component cost of the 2 GB nano as between JPY22000 and JPY27000, which is high compared to the retail price of JPY21800. The cost of 2 GB NAND flash memory is about JPY14000. Apple opted for the higher cost 0603 (0.6 x 0.3mm) components, the latest surface mount technology, as opposed to cheaper but larger 1005 (1.0 x 0.5mm) components. In fact, there remains available real estate on the motherboard.[5] [edit] Consumer reactions iPod nano Enlarge iPod nano The initial consumer response to the iPod nano was overwhelmingly positive and sales were heavy.[6] The nano sold its first 1 million units in only 17 days and has helped to drive Apple to a record billion-dollar profit in 2005.[7] Apple's release of the iPod nano as a replacement for the iPod mini is viewed by many as a risky move. The mini was not only Apple's most popular MP3 player, it was still the world's best-selling player up to the end of its lifespan; and sales of the mini did not appear to be slowing down. Steve Jobs has argued that the iPod nano is a necessary risk since competitors are beginning to catch up to the iPod mini in terms of design and features, and believes the iPod nano will prove to be even more popular and successful than the iPod mini. Analysts see this as part of the corporate culture of Apple, which relies heavily upon innovating to continue appealing to consumers. Within days of the nano's release, some users reported damage to the nano, suggesting that the LCD screen had become so scratched that it was unreadable, even when the backlight was on. Other owners reported that their nano's screen cracked with no provocation.[8] On September 27, Apple confirmed a small percentage ("less than 1/10 of 1 percent") of iPod nanos shipped with a faulty screen and agreed to replace any nanos with cracked screens, but denied the iPod nano was more susceptible to scratching than prior iPods.[9] Apple started shipping iPod nanos with a protective sleeve to protect them from scratches. In October 2005, a class action lawsuit was filed against Apple, with the plaintiffs seeking reimbursement for the device, legal fees, and "unlawful or illegal profits" from sales of the iPod nano. Lawyers for the plaintiffs claim that the devices "scratch excessively during normal usage, rendering the screen on the nanos unreadable, and violating state consumer protection statutes".[10] Similar lawsuits were later filed in Mexico and the United Kingdom.[11] Some commentators such as BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl have criticized the lawsuits. Hesseldahl dismissed them as "stupid" and suggested that they benefitted "no one but the trial lawyers," but also suggested that Apple could have avoided litigation by offering "full refunds on unwanted nanos" instead of charging a re-stocking fee and lengthening the return period from 14 (if bought online) or 10 (if bought at retail) to 30 or 60 days.[12] Following the release of the 1GB iPod Nano in February 2006, Apple also made a slight change in the design of the front panel.[citation needed] The display in the new models was set into the case, thus resulting in a surface that isn't completely flat. This was done in order to protect the screen from harm while exposed to surfaces, but consumers complained that protective products such as plastic foil that can be stuck along the surface of iPod nano became unusable, because the unflat surface caused formation of air pockets beneath the foil. The settings page also differed from previous versions. Pope Benedict XVI owns a white 2GB iPod nano, becoming the first Pope to own an iPod.[13] [edit] Manufacturing Please expand this article. Further information might be found in a section of the talk page or at Requests for expansion. Please remove this message once the article has been expanded. An iPod nano has around 400 parts which cost an estimated US$75[1]. Cheap labor is believed to be important in order to keep the price competitive. [edit] Trivia Pope Benedict XVI owns an iPod Nano; he is the first Pope to own an iPod. [edit] See also * iPodLinux * Rockbox [edit] External links Wikinews has news related to: Apple unveils iPod nano * Apple: iPod nano o Apple: iPod nano technical specifications o Apple Introduces iPod nano — press release o iPod nano Webcast unveiling — Watch Webcast by Apple CEO Steve Jobs announcing the new iPod nano o Apple: iPod nano TV advertisement o Apple Unveils New 1GB iPod nano at $149 * Stevie's Little Wonder — Lev Grossman writing for Time Magazine (September 12, 2005) * iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma - written by Charles Arthur for The Register (September 23, 2005) * Apple Maintains Margin with iPod Nano - Ed Oswald writing for BetaNews (September 23, 2005) [edit] References 1. ^ Grossman, Lev (September 19, 2005). "Stevie's Little Wonder". TIME Magazine. 2. ^ Apple (September 7, 2005). iPod nano. "Technical Specifications". accessed March 7, 2006. 3. ^ Cheng, Jacqui; Ecker, Clint (September 11, 2005). "iPod nano". Ars Technica. 4. ^ Horwitz, Jeremy (September 7, 2005) "Super First Look: Apple Computer iPod nano". iLounge. 5. ^ Itoh, Hirotaka; Asakawa, Naoki (December 2005). "Looking Inside iPod nano, Game Boy Micro". Nikkei Electronics Asia. 6. ^ Myers, Michelle (September 10, 2005). "Apple store buzzes with Nano fever". CNet. 7. ^ Turner, Daniel Drew (October 11, 2005). "Apple Hits $1 Billion in Profit for 2005". eWeek. 8. ^ Angell, Larry (September 25, 2005). "iPod nano screen complaints abound". iLounge. 9. ^ Dalrymple, Jim (September 27, 2005). "Apple responds to iPod nano screen concerns". Macworld. 10. ^ Jade, Kasper; Marsal, Katie (October 21, 2005). "iPod nano owners sue Apple over screen issues". AppleInsider. 11. ^ Unknown Author (November 8, 2005). "Nano lawsuit goes international". BBC News. accessed May 10, 2006. 12. ^ Hesseldahl, Arik (October 27, 2005). "iPod nano Lawsuits: Who Wins?". BusinessWeek. 13. ^ Glatz, Carol (March 3, 2006). "Vatican Radio employees present pope with specially loaded iPod nano". Catholic News Service. Apple hardware since 1998 Consumer Macs: iMac | iMac G3 | iMac G4 | iMac G5 | iMac Core Duo | Mac mini | eMac | iBook | MacBook Professional Macs: Power Mac G3 | Power Mac G4 | Cube | Power Mac G5 | Xserve | PowerBook G3 | PowerBook G4 | MacBook Pro iPods: iPod | iPod mini | iPod photo | iPod shuffle | iPod nano Accessories: AirPort | iSight | Cinema Display | Xserve RAID | Mighty Mouse | iPod Hi-Fi Categories: Article titles with lowercase initial letters | Information appliances | Articles with unsourced statements | Articles to be expanded | IPods | Flash-based Players |
| Eight ways to turn your Nano into a weapon |
| 07.01.06 (9:14 pm) [edit] |
|
Apple computers. Apple iPods. Apple...weaponry? Excuse me? Enter ex-Marine Brad Collum, who thought up eight unusual ways to murder someone using an iPod Nano. His humorous suggestions were rounded up and published in a column in the journal McSweeney's. Who knew the little device could be so dangerous? Apparently, Collum did, or maybe his aggressive side made him see the Nano in a new light. Either way, we found his suggestions hilarious. Some of Collum's methods are rather graphic, so here are some of the tamer ones. • Try shining the reflective part into someone's eyes while he's driving (or operating heavy machinery). The light will either be blinding or distracting. Regardless, it will be deadly. • If you find yourself with more resources than just your iPod, as well as a lot of time, dig a hole, find about 15 sticks and sharpen the top of each. After sticking the sticks in the ground, pointing upward, across the diameter of the hole, lay a bed of leaves and branches, placing the iPod Nano as bait in the middle. Then watch for entertainment. This may not necessarily kill the enemy, in which case, you may be forced to run. • Should your enemy be enamored with tea, try rubbing the contents of a tea bag with the Nano's battery (after breaking into the device). The tea will then be poisonous, and you can return the contents of the bag so the next unfortunate person to drink the tea will be killed. • Employ the Nano's intended purpose as a music player and place the Carpenters' song "We've Only Just Begun" onto the Nano. Subsequently, you may offer the enemies your iPod, insisting they listen to the song 100 times, on repeat. Apparently that has the power to kill. |
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