Todays & Tomorrows Technology

We already know that the ASUS Eee PC 1005HA trades a little of its 1008HA Seashell brethren’s waifish slenderness for a full sized VGA port and removable battery, and now we’ve got the first unboxing video. Liliputing acquired a 1005HA a little in advance of the imminent US launch; check out their video after the cut.

It’s early days for feedback on performance, but we’re expecting pretty mainstream things (for netbooks, anyway) from the Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard-drive. More interesting is ASUS’ claim of up to 10.5hrs runtime from the removable battery; we’ll be eagerly waiting for Liliputing’s benchmarks on that.

Otherwise it’s more of the same which, if you’re a fan of ASUS’ teardrop-shape chassis and super-glossy displays, isn’t particularly likely to disappoint. We’re not entirely sure on when the Eee PC 1005HA will arrive in the US; one would-be buyer has apparently been told it’ll be late-August or early-September by a company representative.

The latest batch of new laptop and ultraportable rumors are spilling out of the Far-East, tipping new touchscreen models running Windows 7 and at least one ultra-thin from LG. According to industry sources, HP, Acer and Lenovo have all placed orders with Taiwanese capacitive touchscreen manufacturer Cando; meanwhile MSI are said to be supplying LG with an ultra-thin notebook that will ship in the second half of 2009.

The Cando touchscreens in question are the company’s 12.1-inch model, which have recently become the first such panel to receive Windows 7 compatibility certification. That means Microsoft agree that the panels will work with Windows 7’s extensive multitouch technology. Shipments are expected to begin in August, with Cando currently capable of producing 400,000 to 500,000 panels per month, rising to 1m per month in 2010.

As for the LG ultra-thin notebooks, no hardware specifications are known but according to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News report the company is in talks with telecom providers regarding bundling WWAN connectivity. That would imply that the notebook will have integrated 3G.

Microsoft and NVIDIA are working together to optimize Windows CE for Tegra-based Smartbooks, with NVIDIA exec Mike Rayfield describing Android as having a “rough user interface”. Windows CE, meanwhile, has a “low memory footprint and a good collection of apps” and “is a rock-solid operating system that has been shipped billions of times” claimed the general manager for NVIDIA’s mobile business unit.

Their work centers on best balancing Windows CE’s use of the 750MHz ARM11 processor and the 1080p high-definition capable graphics chipset that make up Tegra. The upshot will be longer battery life and improved graphical capabilities, such as 1080p output via HDMI. NVIDIA is still working with Google to develop a Tegra-friendly Android build, but it will be around a year before there’s a version suitable for Smartbooks he suggests.

One of the key drawbacks for Android in Tegra implementations is its lack of hardware graphics acceleration support. All video and graphics rendering is currently done in Java code, which Rayfield says is too slow for HD; Google would not comment on Rayfield’s statements.

Rayfield also declined to comment on recent claims that Microsoft have decided to use NVIDIA’s Tegra platform for their upcoming Zune HD PMP. “Microsoft hasn’t confirmed that,” he told Computerworld, “so until they comment, I can’t.” However he did confirm that NVIDIA are working to optimize Tegra for use with Windows Mobile, a fact which will likely reignite speculation that upcoming Microsoft smartphones might use the HD-capable platform.

Logitech have announced their latest Guitar Hero peripheral, a wireless controller for the Xbox 360. Like the company’s existing guitar controller for PS2 and PS3, the new Xbox 360 version has a wood neck, rosewood fingerboard and metal frets.

The wireless technology is promised to be plug-and-play with the Xbox 360, while its range is quoted at up to 30 feet. The strum-bar and fret buttons are “virtually silent”, using the same technology as on Logitech’s keyboard range, and there’s a touch-sensitive slider on the neck.

Logitech’s Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox 360 will launch in August in both the US and Europe, with an MRSP of $199.99. It’s licensed for use with all the Guitar Hero titles, including the World Tour version.

Intel have announced that it will be rebranding its CPU range to supposedly simplify the lineup, focusing on the “Intel Core” prefix and transitioning the Centrino brand to cover the company’s WiFi and WiMAX products. Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 will eventually replace Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad, distinguishing different feature sets; somewhat confusingly, some processors will slot into multiple i-prefix categories, depending on their capabilities.

For instance, the upcoming Lynnfield desktop processor will be an Intel Core chip, but have various models that slot into the i5 or i7 segments. Broadly speaking, i3 is an entry-level chip, i5 is a mid-level chip and i7 is the flagship high-level processor. It’s not all change, though, as the Celeron and Pentium brands limp on to cover “affordable entry-level” and “basic computing” respectively.

Finally, one of the most popular chips over the last twelve months, the Atom range, will also survive, and vPro technology will be offered on certain i5 or i7 chips. There’ll also be a new star-system, shown under the Intel Core logo, which indicates whether its feature-packed or not.

It’s not just the Dash 3G that T-Mobile USA are talking about today. The carrier’s usual PR preamble to the HTC Snap-rebrand announcement included confirmation that T-Mobile would “share more details about its next Android-powered phone” next week. That device is expected to be the myTouch 3G, also known as the HTC Magic.

“Next week, T-Mobile will share more details about its next Android-powered phone, the follow-on device to the T-Mobile G1 with Google. More details on additional T-Mobile smartphones for this summer will follow.”

The myTouch 3G is set to be just the first of T-Mobile’s new smartphone range, seemingly, with more models promised after its announcement. According to the PR-speak, while we may only be seeing a debut, not a launch, of the next Android smartphone next week, it’s set to arrive sometime over the summer.

The phone is expected to be little different from the HTC Magic already on sale in Europe, though obviously with the necessary T-Mobile USA 3G band support.

T-Mobile have officially announced the Dash 3G, the HTC-made Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone, with a full QWERTY keyboard and WiFi b/g. The Dash – which is also known as the HTC Snap - has a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 non-touchscreen display and trackball for navigation.

There’s also Bluetooth and WiFi b/g, together with GPS and support for T-Mobile USA’s MyFaves service. Around the back there’s a 2-megapixel camera that supports video recording, and assuming T-Mobile have requested no changes, inside 256MB ROM and 192MB RAM plus a microSDHC card slot.

The standard battery is a 1,500mAh pack, which HTC have previously rated for up to 8.5hrs GSM talktime (5hrs WCDMA) or up to 15.8 days GSM standby (20 days WCDMA). No word on pricing, but the T-Mobile Dash 3G will arrive sometime in June.

Super Talent have announced a new range of solid-state drives, promising higher read and write rates thanks to a new 8-channel controller and more cache. The 2.5-inch Super Talent MasterDrive SX SSDs range in capacity from 64GB to 256GB, made up of MLC NAND flash, and the company is quoting sequential read speeds of up to 220 MB/sec and write speeds of up to 200 MB/sec.

Each of the drives have 128MB of DRAM cache and use a 3Gbps SATA-II interface. Power draw is down to 0.5W during reads and 0.15W while idle, and they’re also tipped to be more rugged, too, thanks to an aluminum shell.

The new Super Talent MasterDrive SX SSDs are available now, through retailers such as NewEgg and SuperBiiz. So far the only price we’ve seen is around $359 for the 128GB mid-range model.

So, the iPhone 3GS will be coming out Friday and sure, it looks just like the iPhone 3G, but it does sport some serious differences, and some serious plusses you should know about. And while this model isn’t perfect, we think it’s a step in the right direction for Apple.


Let’s start out with the good stuff. The iPhone 3GS is fast. The simple most important upgrade to this iPhone model is the speed. And while it might sport similar feature set to the 3G, the 3GS’ speed boost makes it worth it. The screen has an oleophobic coating, that’s meant to repel grease and fingerprints. And while it might not look much different in the grease department than the 3G, it really does work better, even if totally coated.

Everything loads much faster now. That includes turning on the phone and loading up apps. This also means there are more opportunities for apps and games now, with a 600MHz processor and 256 RAM.

Other new features that are pros in our opinion includes the updated 3-megapixel camera, which sports auto focus and video recording capability. Of course, the lack of flash is still disheartening, but the video is pretty impressive. It’s capable of 30fps and really smooth in motion. There’s even limited clip cropping abilities on the phone.

The Compass is simple and easy to use. It detects North easily, no matter how you hold the phone and syncs up nicely with Google Maps, showing you precisely where you are at any given time. More good news is that Voice Control works pretty well. It recognizes what you’re saying fairly well, though background sound tends to cause issues.

Battery life has improved a bit, though calls still drain it quite heavily. The only real negative we’ve noticed so far on the iPhone 3GS is the price it’ll cost you to upgrade if you’re still on an AT&T plan and the AT&T network in general. With numerous problems with the network, it’s kind of a shame such a high-featured phone is limited to a feature-lacking network. Also, if you already have the iPhone 3G, this model might not feel like a big enough upgrade to you to justify buying a whole new phone.

The first image and set of rumored specs for the ThinkPad T400s was leaked a few days ago. While Lenovo is still mum about the release date, price or specs come these two videos of the T400s. The first video demonstrates just how well built and tough this thing is. No worries, I won’t spoil the ending for you – just make sure to click on over to watch it get run over by a 26,000 pound DOW truck. The second video shows the T400s getting physically abused by the “tornado chasing” team members. It’s a crime treating such a great laptop this way!

According to the rumor mill, this new model is only 0.83-inches thick, bringing down the size considerably from the 1.12-inch thick original T400 model. It comes with a 2.4GHz or 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, an integrated 4500MHD graphics processor, 2GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive. The display is 14.1-inch LED-backlit featuring a 1,440 x 900 resolution.

Expect the T400s to come preloaded with Windows Vista Business, has a DisplayPort, eSATA port, Ethernet, a 5-in-1-card reader, Bluetooth, a 3G radio and a fingerprint scanner. Pricing information or a release date is forthcoming.

Well this is pretty cool, if I do say so myself. If you get tired of the same old electronic-tinged voice providing you with instructions on your GPS, then you’ll be pleased to hear TomTom has added one certain famous cartoon dad to their offerings.

That’s right. Now, Homer Simpson can provide you with directions to your next destination. He says fun things like, “Whoo-hoo, you have reached your destination.” Other staples include, “At the end of the road, turn left, then take the motorway, hee-hee-hee.”

So, voice skins aren’t a new thing, I know, but personally, Homer beats everything else out there by a long-shot. Though, I’d imagine listening to “D’oh!” a million times during a cross country trip could become quite irritating. You can get the new Homer voice skin now for $13.

If you’ve been looking for a gaming notebook that captures the power of a desktop computer, you might just be in luck. CyberPower just announced their Xplorer X7-Xtreme S1 gaming laptop and this thing packs a punch.

Featuring an Intel Core i7 processor, a 17-inch LCD display with a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and up to 6GB of DDR3 Tri Channel Memory, this is no ordinary laptop model, that’s for certain.

Other features include an Intel X58 chipset, a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M video card and a 320GB hard drive. This laptop comes with a Blu-ray player, Windows Vista Home Premium and a 3.1-megapixel webcam to boot. However, all of these specs can be fully customized, if you wish. The base price for the CyberPower Xplorer X7-Xtreme S1 is $2,335.

Casio announced a new projector to go along with their other slim models called the XJ-S43W today. The biggest change? This model works much better with widescreen and HD sources when compared to previous models.

Specs include a brightness of 2,500 lumens, a 1,280 x 800 resolution, a 1,800:1 contrast ratio and a super slim form factor, measuring in at only 1.7-inches at the thickest spot. Inputs include HDMI and VGA.

You can scale up images to 300-inches if you’d like, or shrink them down to just 2.8-inches. You should be able to get your hands on the Casio XJ-S43W starting in September for $999.

Disney announced today that they plan to team up with computer maker Asus to produce a new netbook called the Netpal. This new netbook is targeted at kids between the ages of 6 and 12 and will offer them up simple yet useful features.

Modeled after the Eee PC, this netbook will have Wi-Fi, an Intel Atom processor, Windows XP and an 8.9-inch display. The interface, however, will feature custom Disney themes like Cars, Toy Story, Mickey Mouse and others.

Parental controls are included as well, allowing you to control web browsing, e-mail and more. Other programs include a memo pad, stopwatch and calculator plus access to Radio Disney. There’s a 16GB SSD and a 160GB HDD version and several color options including “Magic Blue” which features Mickey Mouse logos on a blue background and “Princess Pink” which features a pink base with flowers. You can get the Netpal in July for $349.99.

Samsung announced a brand new LCD monitor not too long ago called the VC240, but this is no ordinary display. In fact, it’s configured to work as a video conferencing tool. Made by an affiliated company called Radvision, this display is 23.6-inches and has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution.


But this monitor also comes with a noise-canceling microphone and a 5-megapixel camera. 3W speakers are built-in. The camera is capable of a 720p resolution and 30fps live video streaming.

Other features include 300cd/m2 brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a 170-degree and 160-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angle, respectively and a 5ms response time. It also features V2oIP, SIP, MCUs and MS. Inputs include VGA and DVI-I. You’ll be able to get your hands on this display sometime in the fall for $1,999.

Sanyo revealed two brand new projectors today called the PDG-DET100L and the PLC-WTC500L DLP. Both of these projectors feature a pretty high brightness rating and sport numerous features.


The PDG-DET100L has a brightness rating of 7,500 lumens with two 330W lamps and a 1,400 x 1,050 resolution. Other features include a contrast ratio of 7,500:1, a 4:3 aspect ratio, HDMI 1.3, DVI-D, S-video and RGB. Additionally, it has a DICOM Simulation Mode, which means it can be used to project X-rays in medical environments.

The PLC-WTC500L on the other hand has a brightness of 5,000 lumens, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, dual-lamps, 16:10 aspect ratio and a PJ Net organizer connector. Both models share a 10-filter roller and picture-in-picture. Both will be available later this month for $14,995 and $6,995.