All Tech News
April 30, 2007
According to a survey by M:Metrics, the mobile market authority, over 50% of US mobile phone users now have a camera phone, representing a total of 106 million phones, while in the UK 75% of mobile phones have a camera.
The boom in camera phones has led to a ...
75% of UK mobile phones feature a camera
by Janet Harris
According to a survey by M:Metrics, the mobile market authority, over 50% of US mobile phone users now have a camera phone, representing a total of 106 million phones, while in the UK 75% of mobile phones have a camera.
The boom in camera phones has led to a ...BT introduces USB Balance control for PCs
by Jan HarrisBT, the telecoms group, is developing a USB unit called Balance, which allows users to control a laptop, tablet or ultra-mobile PC by simply by moving it around. The unit, which plugs into a spare USB port, contains a set of motion sensors similar to the detectors used by Nintendo in its Wii Remote game controller. Feedback from the sensors is ...
April 27, 2007
SubRosaSoft is distributing MacLockPick, a USB thumb drive which can extract passwords, Internet history, and system settings from an OS X user just by plugging it into a USB drive. The drive, which is only available to law enforcement officials, can pull every piece of private information off an OS X computer, including passwords, internet history, email account information and ...
SubRosaSoft distributes MacLockPick
by Jan HarrisSubRosaSoft is distributing MacLockPick, a USB thumb drive which can extract passwords, Internet history, and system settings from an OS X user just by plugging it into a USB drive. The drive, which is only available to law enforcement officials, can pull every piece of private information off an OS X computer, including passwords, internet history, email account information and ...
T-Mobile has announced the immediate availability of the Sidekick iD smartphone, initially in the US.
The phone, which is designed for younger consumers, has an easily customisable exterior with removable and replaceable panels in a variety of colours, shades and patterns.
Its rich communications capabilities include voice calling and a variety of options for messaging.
The phone has a 2.4-inch swivel ...
April 26, 2007
Sony has announced the PlayStation Eye - a new camera with built-in microphone designed to work specifically with the PlayStation 3. The device, a digital camera with a built-in noise-cancelling microphone, caters for those who want to communicate with others through the PlayStation Network via functions such as voice, video chat and social gaming. The PlayStation Eye features a frame rate ...
Sony announces USB camera for PlayStation 3
by Jan HarrisSony has announced the PlayStation Eye - a new camera with built-in microphone designed to work specifically with the PlayStation 3. The device, a digital camera with a built-in noise-cancelling microphone, caters for those who want to communicate with others through the PlayStation Network via functions such as voice, video chat and social gaming. The PlayStation Eye features a frame rate ...
DoCoMo phones feature motion-sensing technology
by Janet Harris
NTT DoCoMo of Japan is embedding EyeMobile gesture-recognition technology from GestureTek into two new FOMA 904i series handsets.
The new phones will be released in Japan this month. They will initially use the motion-sensing technology for games and will be able to use gesture-sensing for map browsing later in the year.
The ...
April 25, 2007
EPOS announced its latest Digital Pen and USB Flash Drive at the 2007 CES event. A user simply writes or draws with the pen and everything is wirelessly transmitted to the USB flash drive. When the flash drive is connected to a PC the handwritten information can be saved as a PDF or JPG, or converted into text with standard handwriting-recognition ...
EPOS announces Digital Pen and USB Flash Drive
by Jan HarrisEPOS announced its latest Digital Pen and USB Flash Drive at the 2007 CES event. A user simply writes or draws with the pen and everything is wirelessly transmitted to the USB flash drive. When the flash drive is connected to a PC the handwritten information can be saved as a PDF or JPG, or converted into text with standard handwriting-recognition ...
Digital camera sales to peak in 2010
by Janet Harris
Market intelligence company IDC expects digital camera sales to reach 114 million units in 2007, an increase of 8%, but to peak in 2010 as the market reaches saturation point.
Traditional film cameras are rapidly being replaced by digital cameras, and camera manufacturers are already promoting products for customers who ...Is everything just a joke to the media?
by BGonaSTICK
On the potentially historic day when astronomers announced what could be one of the greatest and most meaningful discoveries in the near-universe (and the day that sadly saw the loss of 1966 hero Alan Ball :( ) Yahoo have to poke fun at it by linking it to a story about 'Little Green Men'. ...
April 24, 2007
AM Micro has launched Mouse Jiggler, a USB dongle from WiebeTech which makes sure a mouse keeps moving so a computer doesn't shut down mid-download. The device is portable and automatic with no software to install or run. It simply plugs into a USB port and is ready to go. Mouse Jiggler is designed to help with tasks such as downloading ...
USB mouse jiggler stops computers falling asleep
by Jan HarrisAM Micro has launched Mouse Jiggler, a USB dongle from WiebeTech which makes sure a mouse keeps moving so a computer doesn't shut down mid-download. The device is portable and automatic with no software to install or run. It simply plugs into a USB port and is ready to go. Mouse Jiggler is designed to help with tasks such as downloading ...
Joint venture develops anti-reflection lenses
by Janet Harris
Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and Ito Optical Industrial Co Ltd are jointly developing a technology for low cost mass-production of resin lenses with an anti-reflection function.
A microstructure of metal nanoparticle is formed on the surface of the die used for injection moulding of the resin lens, ...
April 23, 2007
Industrial Computers of Easthampnett, West Sussex, has launched the Archer Field PC/PDA.
The device is designed to be durable in extreme environments. It is compact in size and weighs less than 17 ounces, making it ideal for those in need of a pocket-sized Field PC for rugged applications.
The sturdy casing is made ...
Industrial Computers introduces Archer Field PC/PDA
by Janet Harris
Industrial Computers of Easthampnett, West Sussex, has launched the Archer Field PC/PDA.
The device is designed to be durable in extreme environments. It is compact in size and weighs less than 17 ounces, making it ideal for those in need of a pocket-sized Field PC for rugged applications.
The sturdy casing is made ...T-Mobile and Vodafone compete with USB modems
by Jan HarrisT-Mobile has announced an HSDPA enabled USB modem identical to a similar device from Vodafone, but costing a substantially lower price. T-Mobile will sell the modem for as little as £30 compared to Vodafone's £50, depending on the length of contract. The company is targeting consumers who don’t have landlines or internet at home but would like to be able to ...
April 20, 2007
Sanyo Electric Co Ltd has launched a new USB battery charger - the Sanyo eneloop N-MDU01S. The charger is believed to be compatible only with Sony's own AA or AAA-sized eneloop NiMH rechargeable batteries, which were first launched in late 2005. The eneloop batteries differ from regular NiMH batteries. They are designed to reduce self-discharging and to improve recyclability. Sanyo claims that ...
Sanyo launches USB AA battery charger
by Jan HarrisSanyo Electric Co Ltd has launched a new USB battery charger - the Sanyo eneloop N-MDU01S. The charger is believed to be compatible only with Sony's own AA or AAA-sized eneloop NiMH rechargeable batteries, which were first launched in late 2005. The eneloop batteries differ from regular NiMH batteries. They are designed to reduce self-discharging and to improve recyclability. Sanyo claims that ...
Samsung i600 available from Orange
by Janet Harris
Orange is planning to sell the Samsung i600 handset in the UK.
The i600 smartphone is a slim, streamlined handset with a host of features including a 1.3 megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom and video recording capabilities, a full QWERTY keyboard, auto flash, advanced MP3 player and a large colour screen.
The ...
April 19, 2007
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has released a new battery charging specification which defines how devices should draw current through USB from wall chargers or PCs. The Battery Charging Revision 1.0 specification defines a mechanism for devices to detect whether they are attached to an AC charger, host or hub. It was devised in response to the growing trend among ...
USB-IF releases USB battery charging standard
by Jan HarrisThe USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has released a new battery charging specification which defines how devices should draw current through USB from wall chargers or PCs. The Battery Charging Revision 1.0 specification defines a mechanism for devices to detect whether they are attached to an AC charger, host or hub. It was devised in response to the growing trend among ...
EMI & Warner in camera software deal with ShoZu
by Janet Harris
EMI Music and Atlantic Records UK have separately entered into deals with mobile content provider ShoZu, to allow selected artists to instantly upload live video footage and photographs from their phones onto social networking websites.
ShoZu's patented technology uses data replication, which allows content to synchronise in the ...IPTV Getting Heavy Investments
by Kathryn LangWith the IPTV continuing to chip away at the telecommunications market, providers will have to make a larger investment in infrastructure. Currently, the connections for most homes is too slow to appreciate (or in some cases even view) the IPTV opportunities that are already filling the Super Highway. There is hope for the many consumers out there that are forced ...
New VOIP Service from BT
by Kathryn LangBT has introduced its own VOIP service that will allow users to access Microsoft Office documents and applications while they are away from their computer and on the move. Office Anywhere is a service that combines Microsoft Office with IP calling from WiFi connections. This will be a great addition to the existing VOIP features for many of the ...
April 18, 2007
NEC Electronics Corporation has announced that its uPD720170 Wireless USB host controller for PCI interfaces and uPD720180 Wireless USB device wire adapter (DWA) are among the first products to be certified by the USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (USB-IF). The uPD720170 host controller supports all eight data transfer rates, from 53.3 up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps). The uPD720180 DWA chip ...
NEC Electronics announces wireless USB chips
by Jan HarrisNEC Electronics Corporation has announced that its uPD720170 Wireless USB host controller for PCI interfaces and uPD720180 Wireless USB device wire adapter (DWA) are among the first products to be certified by the USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (USB-IF). The uPD720170 host controller supports all eight data transfer rates, from 53.3 up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps). The uPD720180 DWA chip ...
Nokia announces 6120 Classic with HSDPA
by Janet Harris
Nokia has introduced the Nokia 6120 Classic, a compact phone with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) to provide downloads up to 10 times faster than possible over usual WCDMA networks.
The phone features a 2.0-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, flash and panorama mode for taking high-quality ...
April 17, 2007
The United States is set to go digital as of 2009, which had been great news for HDTV fans. Regulations are in place that will force all content providers to begin broadcasting in digital. In March of 2007, all televisions that were manufactured or imported into the country had to be HD ready. Those people not on-board ...
HDTV by 2009 – Maybe Not
by Kathryn LangThe United States is set to go digital as of 2009, which had been great news for HDTV fans. Regulations are in place that will force all content providers to begin broadcasting in digital. In March of 2007, all televisions that were manufactured or imported into the country had to be HD ready. Those people not on-board ...
VOIP is Going Mobile
by Kathryn LangVOIP is working its way into the mainstream of life. Fortunately, companies are aware of this trend and are working towards a system that will combine society’s attachment to the cell phone with the new technology of VOIP. WiFiMobile is launching a new service that will allow users of some Nokia mobile phones to be able to ...
April 15, 2007
After a month of in-space testing and commissioning work, the Insat-4B satellite is now fully operational, and will soon begin broadcasting direct-to-home (DTH) programming to the vast Indian market.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said that Insat-4B had now reached its target orbital location of 93.5 degrees East, and is ready to go to work.
Insat-4B was launched on 12th March from the European Space Centre at Kourou, French Guiana aboard an Ariane-5 ECA rocket.
“Within one month, we have made it fully operational," ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters in Bangalore.
Insat-4B is the second satellite in the Insat-4 series. Weighing 3,025 kg at lift-off, it is designed to supplement both the existing C-band and Ku-band communications capacity for the area. It carries 24 transponders, 12 C-band and 12 Ku-band, and has an expected life span of around 12 years.
Insat-4B joins the in-orbit Insat-4A whilst Insat-4CR (a direct replacement for Insat-4C, destroyed on launch in 2006) is now scheduled for launch “by the middle of this year†Madhavan Nair confirmed.
Insat-4B and Insat-4CR will allow ISRO to fully meet its commitments for clients' DTH transponder capacity.
Among ISRO’s major clients are DTH providers Reliance's Blue Magic, Bharti, Doordarshan's DD Direct and Sun TV's Sun Direct. All are in the race to acquire as many of the 24 Ku-band transponders on Insat-4B and Insat-4CR as possible.
These DTH providers are expected to take between 7-10 transponders each, said industry analysts. Each transponder is capable of providing between 15 and 30 channels depending on its frequency capacity. There are only two satellites with a pan-Indian footprint capable of providing the Ku bandwidth required for DTH services: Insat-4A and SES Global's NSS-6. Both satellites, however, have been fully booked by TataSky (all 12 on Insat-4A), DD Direct (five on NSS-6) and Dish TV (seven on NSS-6).
ISRO’s Insat-4B now operational
by BGonaSTICK
April 14, 2007
Cleaning a HDTV isn’t as simple as cleaning the tradition television set. Depending on the screen, there are many things that ordinary cleaning products can do to permanently ruin the delicate screens on most HDTV sets. With spring cleaning fever on us today, many people are looking for ways to make their HDTV screens look like new. Unfortunately, ...
Cleaning the HDTV Screen
by Kathryn LangCleaning a HDTV isn’t as simple as cleaning the tradition television set. Depending on the screen, there are many things that ordinary cleaning products can do to permanently ruin the delicate screens on most HDTV sets. With spring cleaning fever on us today, many people are looking for ways to make their HDTV screens look like new. Unfortunately, ...
IPTV Causing Hollywood Nightmares
by Kathryn LangHollywood is fretting over IPTV. Not because of the competition that it will generate, but because of the nightmares that stem from security. The movie industry is gearing up for a battle against piracy much like the recording industry faced a few years back. As the use of IPTV moves into the mainstream, Hollywood studios are looking for ...
VOIP Pioneer Vonage Still Fighting
by Kathryn LangVonage customers are beginning to worry over the VOIP provider’s recent court losses. The last hearing on the current injunction was just one more nail in the giant’s coffin. Although Vonage is allowed to keep current customers (at least for now), the court order prevents the company from acquiring new customers. Many current subscribers are preparing for the ...
April 13, 2007
Imation Corp, the removable data storage media specialist, has added capacity to its USB flash drives. The Imation Swivel Pro Flash Drive has been released and further models will be launched throughout the year. The portable, rugged drives provide up to 8GB of capacity to store, protect and transfer data. The added capacity enables the storage of over 16,000 digital photos; 2,400 ...
Imation adds capacity to USB Flash Drives
by Jan HarrisImation Corp, the removable data storage media specialist, has added capacity to its USB flash drives. The Imation Swivel Pro Flash Drive has been released and further models will be launched throughout the year. The portable, rugged drives provide up to 8GB of capacity to store, protect and transfer data. The added capacity enables the storage of over 16,000 digital photos; 2,400 ...
New LG Shine KE770 launches in Russia
by Janet Harris
LG has announced the KE770 Shine phone in Moscow, prior to its debut in Russia in May.
The handset, at 9.9mm, is thinner than previous Shine models, but the phone has a similar specification.
It features a 262k colour, 240 x 320 display, megapixel camera with auto-focus; Bluetooth standard; ...HDTV Rides the Wave
by Kathryn LangThere is a new wave hitting the shores of HDTV technology. Let It Wave® has announced a new standards converter on a single chip device. It was developed for broadcast, post and live production equipment manufacturers. This new chip has the ability to convert intermediate HDTV frames into a higher quality HD image. Let It Wave was ...
VOIP in the Business Community
by Kathryn LangVOIP is drawing some of the business community, but they are not abandoning traditional telephone service as some experts initially predicted. Most companies are choosing to step into the new technology lightly, with almost half of them keeping the traditional service as well. It is likely that the adoption of VOIP by businesses will continue to grow. This ...
April 12, 2007
Mandriva's Flash 4GB provides Mandriva Linux 2007 KDE 32bit without the need for installation. The system is ready to boot off a USB 2.0 stick. There is no need to copy any files to the host's hard drive and no traces are left on the host PC. Flash 4G includes all the required firmware, plus drivers for common PC video ...
Mandriva provides Linux USB stick
by Jan HarrisMandriva's Flash 4GB provides Mandriva Linux 2007 KDE 32bit without the need for installation. The system is ready to boot off a USB 2.0 stick. There is no need to copy any files to the host's hard drive and no traces are left on the host PC. Flash 4G includes all the required firmware, plus drivers for common PC video ...
Dell drops Axim PDA range
by Janet Harris
Dell has withdrawn the latest Axim X51 product family from direct sale and has no plans for a successor.
The Axim X51 has been removed from Dell.com, although a number of third-party handhelds, including GPS devices and unlocked smartphones from leading manufacturers that feature the latest technology are available.
Dell is continuing to ...
April 11, 2007
Micron Technology, Inc. has developed a 1/4-inch, 3-megapixel complete camera system-on-chip (SOC) sensor for mobile handsets with an anti-shake feature which reduces image blurring.
Blurry images can occur when pictures are taken in low-light conditions where the shutter remains open for a longer period of time to collect ...
Micron Technology develops SOC sensor with anti-shake feature
by Janet Harris
Micron Technology, Inc. has developed a 1/4-inch, 3-megapixel complete camera system-on-chip (SOC) sensor for mobile handsets with an anti-shake feature which reduces image blurring.
Blurry images can occur when pictures are taken in low-light conditions where the shutter remains open for a longer period of time to collect ...Hip-IP.com unveils Mobigater Skype/GSM gateway
by Jan HarrisHip-IP.com has launched the MobiGater - a Skype to GSM and GSM to Skype Gateway developed and manufactured by Eurodesign BG Ltd. MobiGater connects a PC and mobile phone with a USB cable and connects to a cell phone via a SIM card placed inside it. The device forwards Skype calls to a mobile phone without the use of SkypeOut ...
April 10, 2007
UBiQUiO announced the UBiQUiO 503G at CTIA Wireless 2007 in Florida. The quad-band phone is unlocked for use on most cellular networks.
It is powered by a 520MHz Intel Bulverde processor and features HSDPA 3G wireless technology, which supports speeds up to 3.6 Mbps. It also features Windows Mobile 6 ...
UBiQUiO announces 503G Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone
by Janet Harris
UBiQUiO announced the UBiQUiO 503G at CTIA Wireless 2007 in Florida. The quad-band phone is unlocked for use on most cellular networks.
It is powered by a 520MHz Intel Bulverde processor and features HSDPA 3G wireless technology, which supports speeds up to 3.6 Mbps. It also features Windows Mobile 6 ...PayPal considers USB Security Tokens
by Jan HarrisPayPal, the online-payments provider, is considering using USB tokens embedded with smart card technology to enhance e-commerce security for its customers. PayPal is collaborating with smart card vendor Gemalto on the USB devices. An announcement by Gemalto on its deal to supply tokens to Paypal is expected in June. PayPal is also considering other types of authentication tokens and has launched a ...
IPTV Providers Taking It Slow
by Kathryn LangMany subscribers are hungry for providers to roll out new IPTV services, but the industry doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to meet these needs. The number one hold up to the new technology is security. Providers and broadcasters are trying to find ways to protect the information that will be projected over the internet. The two ...
VoIP Inc Standing Its Ground
by Kathryn LangVoIP Inc is looking to protect Intellectual Property that surrounds its web-based calling services. The company has sent out notices to parties it feels is infringing at this time to let them know it is taking the initial steps to stop them. VOIP is becoming a more widely used as the web-based calling services begin to emerge and spread. ...
April 6, 2007
VOIP is running into problems that are more than just the recent patent cases - this is according to some experts in the industry. Not only have many of the providers been struggling financially (including Vonage, one of the largest providers), but with recent patent losses in court, the situation is only going to get worse. For a long ...
VOIP Struggling to Survive
by Kathryn LangVOIP is running into problems that are more than just the recent patent cases - this is according to some experts in the industry. Not only have many of the providers been struggling financially (including Vonage, one of the largest providers), but with recent patent losses in court, the situation is only going to get worse. For a long ...
April 5, 2007
The USB Implementer's Forum (USB-IF) is establishing a working group to initially define a USB Personal Healthcare Device Class specification, and then to implement USB onto medical devices such as blood pressure cuffs. USB connectivity will allow medical staff to more easily track and archive changes in a patient's history. It is also expected to facilitate communication between patient and ...
USB-IF developing specification for health-related devices
by Jan HarrisThe USB Implementer's Forum (USB-IF) is establishing a working group to initially define a USB Personal Healthcare Device Class specification, and then to implement USB onto medical devices such as blood pressure cuffs. USB connectivity will allow medical staff to more easily track and archive changes in a patient's history. It is also expected to facilitate communication between patient and ...
LG Prada phone features AMD Imageon technology
by Janet Harris
AMD has announced that the new touch-screen KE850 Prada phone by LG Electronics includes AMD multi-media technology.
The sleek phone, which is just 12 mm thick, features a 2 Mpixel camera with a Schneider-Kreuznach lens, video player and MP3 music player, all of which are powered by the AMD Imageon ...IPTV is the Key to Triple-Play
by Kathryn LangIPTV is becoming the center of the battle for the triple play business. Companies are looking to this internet technology to bring the bundled services of phone, television, and internet to their customers in one complete package. With the interest in IPTV growing world wide, the revenues from these subscribers is up for grabs. IPTV offers a new ...
VOIP and Cisco
by Kathryn LangCisco is making a move into the VOIP small business market. The area of the industry it is targeting will focus on resellers. Cisco will make the announcement of the new endeavor on Tuesday. The new VOIP will be called the Smart Business Communication System. It will offer a variety of integrated voice systems and it will ...
April 4, 2007
Icron Technologies has announced the WiRanger Cable Free USB 2.0 Hub - the first wireless USB 2.0 hub in the world which is based on an industry standard 802.11g radio. The WiRanger 4-port hub-and-dongle set wirelessly connects USB devices, including printers, scanners, hard drives, digital cameras, and MP3 players to either PC or Macs throughout a building. WiRanger uses ExtremeUSB technology ...
Icron announces world's first wireless 2.0 Hub
by Jan HarrisIcron Technologies has announced the WiRanger Cable Free USB 2.0 Hub - the first wireless USB 2.0 hub in the world which is based on an industry standard 802.11g radio. The WiRanger 4-port hub-and-dongle set wirelessly connects USB devices, including printers, scanners, hard drives, digital cameras, and MP3 players to either PC or Macs throughout a building. WiRanger uses ExtremeUSB technology ...
Nokia N95 now available
by Janet Harris
With the new Nokia N95 phone you can leave your standalone camera at home. The device features a 5 mega pixel, Carl Zeiss-designed camera and a video which takes 30 frames per second.
The camera's specification is impressive - Resolution: 2582 x 1944 pixels; CMOS sensor; Mechanical shutter:1/1000 to 1/3s; Focal length: 5.6 ...IPTV Has Been Hi-Jacked
by Kathryn LangThere is a new IPTV program aimed for men who like the extreme. Unlike many of the original programs that are surfing the web, www.Jack9.com is pushing the cutting edge of this new mass technology. Viewers and advertisers are starting to take notice. With its high concentration on things like Mixed Martial Arts, Extreme Sports, and Street Sport ...
HDTV – Still More Guides
by Kathryn LangIf you haven’t made the HDTV leap just yet, you should get ready. Time is running out on the federal deadline for all broadcasts to be digital. This means that by 2009 you will be HD whether you want to or not. Because of all the jargon covering HDTV, many consumers have been reluctant to get into the ...
VOIP Coverage Could Be Expanding
by Kathryn LangOne of the downfalls of VOIP has been consumer concern over network coverage. Many subscribers felt like there was just not enough of it for most individual use. This is changing and the coverage is expanding every day. VOIP is being offered by many companies as an alternative to the traditional land line telephones. Larger cities tend ...
April 3, 2007
Computer peripherals manufacturer, Plextor, has introduced the PX-HDTV500U Mini Digital HDTV Receiver, a USB-based device which provides over-the-air HDTV programming to a computer. The two-part antenna/software system can pick up both analog and HD signals. When used with Microsoft’s Media Center software it allows for PVR and time shifting. It will receive video in MPEG-2 in either a 16:9 or ...
New USB-based HDTV receiver from Plextor
by Jan HarrisComputer peripherals manufacturer, Plextor, has introduced the PX-HDTV500U Mini Digital HDTV Receiver, a USB-based device which provides over-the-air HDTV programming to a computer. The two-part antenna/software system can pick up both analog and HD signals. When used with Microsoft’s Media Center software it allows for PVR and time shifting. It will receive video in MPEG-2 in either a 16:9 or ...
