Todays & Tomorrows Technology

We just bumped into the MakerBot industries folks and got a quick look at the CupCake CNC rapid prototyping machine (3D printer, for us luddites). The thing extrudes Lego-type plastic into fairly detailed shapes, and MakerBot sells it as a kit for $750, or fully assembled for $2,500. What's most exciting is that the MakerBot folks are now working on a 3D scanner kit, which once combined with the CupCake CNC will make a full-on homegrown replicator. Diamond Age, here we come! A quick demo of the CupCake is after the break.

While you're replacing your household incandescent light-bulbs with LEDs in a bid to save energy and possibly cash (over the 40,000-hour lifespan) you might want to consider these remote-controlled lamps from Sharp. The DL-L60AV gives you on/off and dimming functions as well as the ability to adjust the light in seven shades of white to warm up or cool down the glow. Best of all, they screw into a standard E26 socket for a one-to-one exchange with your existing ocean warmers. The features of the remote control are still unclear (lighting zone support, range of operation, etc.) but it appears to work with multiple-lamps in parallel which is a nice touch. However, we'd like to see Sharp integrate a Z-Wave or ZigBee chipset so we could link these directly (without special wall-switches) into a tricked-out home automation and power managment system. The DL-series start at ¥3880 (about $40) for simple LED lights before hitting ¥7980 (about $82) for the fully-equipped DL-L60AV and begin shipping July 15th in Japan.

Casio's just pushed another 10x zoom compact camera into the market with its EXILIM EX-H10. Here we've got a 24-mm wide-angle lens stabilized by a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD-shift sensor with up to ISO 3200 sensitivity, a 3-inch LCD, and the ability to grab Motion-JPEG video at 720/24p. EXILIM 4.0 image processing and a 10 frames per second burst mode for 1,280 x 960 pixel images too in a point-and-shoot measuring just 102.5 x 24.3 x 62-mm. Watch for it to hit Japanese retailers first starting next month for ¥40,000 (about $400). Pink rear-end after the break.

As a leader in home cinema systems, it's always a good idea to keep tabs on Epson's core technologies as a preview of what's coming up in next generation home theater projectors. Today Seiko-Epson announced the start of volume production for its 0.94-inch HTPS-TFT LCD capable of a WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixel) resolution for 3LCD projectors pushing 1080p. The panel supports a brightness of 5000 lumens (or more!) using Epson's D7 process technology while achieving "higher than ever contrast" through its C2 Fine inorganic alignment layer tech. What this means is simple: expect to see a new brightness and contrast champion PowerLite Home Cinema projector announced at the end of Summer, as CEDIA tradition dictates, with product shipping by end of the year.

While it's not the first name you think of in digital cameras, Samsung makes a decent piece of kit and its SL820 took the top prize in our recent summer shootout. So we figured you'd want to know that its WB1000 compact with those smokin' analog battery and capacity gauges is now on sale for KRW548,000 or about $418 closer to home. The 12.2 megapixel WB1000 features a 24-mm wide-angle 5x zoom Schneider-KREUZNACH lens and 1/2.33-inch CCD with 720p video record mode in H.264 format, max ISO 3200 sensitivity (at 3 megapixel resolution), and Samsung's Dual IS optical and digital image stabilization to compensate for hand jitter. The viewer won't disappoint either with a full 3-inch 480x260 AMOLED display rocking the backside. Why should you care? Check the video after the break to see how AMOLED compares to the TFT-LCD found on the Canon SD990 IS under different lighting and viewing angles. The winner is clear, no?

Concept cars are a dime a dozen around these parts -- but concept lawnmowers? A little more rare, and the latest from Husqvarna looks to be about as closely related to that rusty John Deere in your shed as Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes McLaren F1 car is to your boss's E-Class. It has paddles on the wheel for adjusting three independent mowing blades, a "sophisticated" LCD display that displays speed and obstacle proximity, and a rechargeable lithium-phosphate battery with enough staying power to trim your yard for two hours straight, all shown in a soothing and thoroughly rendered promo video after the break. The one thing it can't do, apparently, is tame the wild locks of Swedish male models.

Clearly not content with just pumping out one iPod alarm clock after another, iHome has decided to broaden its horizons a bit by creating a new LifeWorks line of input peripherals and computer accessories. Slated to launch in earnest sometime this summer, the new line contains just a few standout inclusions. The iPhone-friendly iConnect Keyboard (pictured above) and HTPC-centric Media Keyboard both look like formidable options for those needing a new set of keys, and there are also a gaggle of mice, webcams and headsets to choose from if those items are more your style. Unfortunately, true innovation is still few and far betwixt, but at least your USB ports will appreciate the effort.

We're not so sure that being the "world's smallest Windows-based MID" is really a benefit for those who appreciate keys that are large enough to mash and screens that are large enough to see, but whatever the case, Compal seems pretty proud of its accomplishments here. Shown off along with scores of other me-too MIDs at Computex, the KAX15 is based around Intel's existing Menlow platform and sports the polarizing tilt-and-slide mechanism for unmasking the QWERTY keyboard. As for specs, we're told that it packs an 800 x 480 display and an 800MHz processor, but further details have yet to flow. There's a hands-on vid just past the break if you're somehow intrigued with shoving Windows in your left cargo pocket.

Well, well -- what have we here? HP's newly unveiled Pavilion dv2z just so happens to have a bit of fresh silicon within, as AMD's latest Neo chips are front and center in the configuration options. The thin-and-light machine can be ordered with single- or dual-core AMD Athlon Neo and Turion Neo dual-core processors, and if you're looking for specifics, you'll find the new 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 L335 and 1.6GHz Turion Neo X2 L625. Other specs on the 12.1-incher include a LED-backlit WXGA panel, optional Blu-ray drive, discrete ATI Radeon graphics, up to 500GB of HDD space, a built-in webcam, WiFi, optional WWAN (Verizon, Sprint or AT&T) and a 6-cell battery. It's up for order right now starting at $599.99, but if you're looking to leave that aged Neo MV-40 behind, you'll have to pony up a bit more than that. Full release is after the break.

Lenovo is apparently slimming down its T400 series ThinkPads, with the new T400s being caught in the wilds of technologyland. Despite looking nearly a century old in these hands-on shots, the laptop seems to be pretty modern under the hood, with SSD, DisplayPort, eSATA, WWAN, a 14.1-inch WXGA+ LED backlit display, 5-in-1 multicard reader... the list goes on. It's all packed in at around 0.83-inches thick (including a built-in disc drive), and under four pounds, which makes Apple sound a little silly for crowing about packing a little SD card slot into its latest unibody lineup. Word is that the build quality hasn't been traded in for the slimness, and while there's no word on price, hopefully it won't be too much more than the T400, which currently starts out at $750.

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a set of Radius Atomic Bass Silver Aluminum Earphones for iPhone W/ Built-in Mic ready to rock your skull and let you chat it up. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff! Oh, and for those who miss out, coupon code 'engadget' will net you 20 percent through Google Checkout at Radius' site.

The ARCHOS 3 vision is the latest in a new line of MP3 players, with an impressive 3” tactile screen that covers the whole surface of the device. You can access all your favorite features with the brand new virtual wheel selector, which provides a whole new browsing sensation. No matter where you are in the media library your favorite feature is only a spin away.

The ARCHOS 3 vision is extremely compact and lightweight and will easily fit in pretty much any kind of pocket. Yet it’s so pretty you may want to show it off instead of hiding it there.

Pick your favorite use : You can listen to up to 4,000 songs, stored on a 8GB flash drive, and enjoy superb audio quality for up to 14 hours. Or you can view back photos in a great panoramic view; Or you can choose to do both, with music slideshows; why compromise?

If you add to that a voice and audio recorder, a stopwatch and a calendar, what you’ve got here is just the perfect tool at the perfect price.

Archos is currently having an event in France, and while we're still expecting some sort of Android announcement, the company's leading off with the Archos 9, a nine-inch Windows 7 tablet. It's basically a netbook in tablet form, with an Atom Z515 processor, 80GB disk, Bluetooth, and dual DVB-T antennas -- yep, Archos has brought back the UMPC. No word on pricing or availability yet, we'll let you know.

Update: Sounds like a 1.2GHz processor -- not exactly a rocket, but probably adequate for a stripped-down Windows 7 build. We're also hearing September / October availability, in line with Windows 7, and a €450 ($633) pricetag.

Update 2: So much for our hopes -- the event is now over and no Android announcements were made. Charbax from techvideoblog (who is at the event) says we'll see more info on September 15.

Update 3: As you'd expect, ArchosLounge is on the scene and they've nabbed some hands-on pics. Check a couple after the break -- we think it looks sort of gigantic, but maybe that's what the world's been waiting for.

LG's LH-series wireless HDTVs just made their debut in South Korea last month, and it looks like they're on their way to a Stateside launch soon -- there's the 55LH85, sitting pretty in Uncle Sam's FCC workshop. Of course, the real noise with these sets is the ASW1000 Media Box, which has three HDMI jacks, a pair of component inputs, antenna in, and VGA, all of which it can wirelessly send to your set from 10 meters (32.8 feet) away at 60GHz. Sadly, you can't just tuck it away, since it needs line of sight or close to it to work -- it'll bounce the signal off walls, but placing it right next to the TV won't work so great, according to the manual. Still, it's definitely cool tech -- let's hope ol' Sammy gets through with it soon so we can try it ourselves.

So this really doesn't look anything like that Bigfoot we saw a little while ago, but we can sorta see the familial resemblance if we squint really (really, really) hard. According to Boy Genius Report, what we're looking at here is allegedly Samsung's Android-powered Bigfoot for T-Mobile, said to be attacking the high end of the carrier's smartphone line thanks to a 3-inch capacitive AMOLED display, full QWERTY, 3 megapixel camera, and naturally, HSDPA. If we had to guess, this is probably a newer version of the same product concept that we'd seen in that roadmap a few weeks back -- Sammy probably started with its Beat DJ (or an Ocean 2) and worked backwards from there to get to the retail version they wanted to launch. We're told it'll launch "like, really soon," so would-be G1 or myTouch 3G buyers might want to hold on for a hot second.

Fujifilm has laid a little low since it stormed into CeBIT and PMA with its latest slate of cameras, but it looks like it's now back to slowly trotting out new models one at a time, like this just-announced FinePix Z300. As you can see above, this one stays fairly close to the previous Z200fd model in terms of design, with the notable exception of a touchscreen on the backside that seems to replace just about every button but the bare essentials. Otherwise, you can expect the same 10-megapixels and 5x optical zoom as before, along with image stabalization, an apparently improved macro mode, ISO settings up to 1600 and, of course, your choice of four different colors. No word on a release 'round here just yet, but folks in Japan will be able to pick this one up on June 20th for ¥40,000, or just about $400.

We've seen a few devices that claim to cure insomnia with expensive lights and magnetic headgear, but if you're serious about getting some sleep you should definitely check out Zeo's Personal Sleep Coach. At night a SoftWave sensor-equipped headband collects data pertaining to your sleep habits (or lack of), which you can then parse on your PC (via SD card). It's like having a University sleep clinic right there in your flop house! And if that isn't enough, the device's SmartWake alarm clock can be set to get you out of bed at your "natural awakening point," decreasing the grogginess one feels when waking from Deep sleep. Order now for $399 and get free shipping. Sort of pricey, sure, but much more cost effective than that $1.5 million dollar floating bed -- which doesn't actually look that comfortable, at all. Video after the break.

It’s seems to be a morning of digital cameras, with Casio the latest to whip out their pocket-snapper. The Casio EXILIM EX-H10 has a 12.1-megapixel CCD paired with a 24mm 10x optical zoom, and while it may not have the AMOLED panel of the Samsung WD1000 it does manages to squeeze a similarly-sized 3-inch LCD into its sub-1-inch thick chassis.

In fact Casio are claiming to have created the thinnest and lightest camera of its class, which basically means other 10x optical zoom models. If marketing hyperbole doesn’t excite you, then perhaps the 1,000-shot battery life or automatic Motion JPEG animation tool will tickle your fancy.

Elsewhere there’s a new “Landscape Mode” which will automatically juggle the settings depending on whether you tell it you’re snapping a misty or a vivid scene, and a “Dynamic Photo” mode in which you can piece together a person or object from one shot into the background of another.

The Casio EXILIM EX-H10 will begin shipping in mid-July, with an MRSP of $299.99.

Samsung have unveiled a new digital camera that rocks its distinctive dual-analog-gage indicators. The Samsung WB1000 has a 12.2-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD paired with a 24mm wide-angle Schneider-KREUZNACH lens and 5x optical zoom, together with a 3-inch AMOLED 480 x 260 display around the back.
The two retro gages show battery life and capacity, and are intended to be more intuitively read at-a-glance. Meanwhile the WB1000 is also capable of recording 720p H.264 video, which also takes advantage of the camera’s dual optical and digital image stabilization.

Maximum ISO is 3200, though that scales down the frame resolution to a mere 3.2-megapixels, and the WB1000 stores either to its 76MB of internal capacity or up to 8GB SDHC cards (bigger may be supported, but not officially). No word on official launch dates or pricing, but it’s expected to arrive later this month for around $400.

Reviews of the Palm Pre have been generally positive, teething problems notwithstanding, but a common source of complain among reviewers and owners alike is the smartphone’s battery. Accessory manufacturer Seidio are never one to let an opportunity like that slim them by, and so they’ve announced that an extended battery for the Palm Pre, offering nearly twice the capacity of the standard pack, is in development.
Right now there are no exact figures being talking about. We’re assuming the image above is of a generic Seidio battery, because you can make out “1,350mAh” written on it and that certainly falls short of double the Pre’s standard 1,150mAh pack. Nor are the company discussing runtime estimates, though we’d hope for roughly a double lifetime which should guarantee the Pre all-day stamina.

A new, rubberized battery door which makes the Pre thicker “only by millimeters” will also be included, so if you already think the Palm smartphone is too plump then maybe this isn’t for you. No word on pricing or availability, but we doubt this will be the only aftermarket battery alternative to choose from.

FujiFilm have announced their latest compact camera, the FinePix Z300, a 10-megapixel point-and-shoot with a 5.7x optical zoom and 3-inch touchscreen preview screen. Capable of recording VGA quality video at 30fps, the FinePix Z300 measures 92 x 56.5 x 18.5 mm and weighs 150g.

There’s also touch-focus control, automatic scene selection and face detection for up to 10 individual faces; the Z300 can even recognize faces when they’re in profile, oblique and upside-down. Onboard storage is 31MB, augmented by an SD/SDHC card slot.

The FujiFilm FinePix Z300 also supports PictBridge photo printing and you can organize, browse and re-order images directly on the camera’s touchscreen. It’ll go on sale in Japan on June 20th, no word on pricing as yet.

iriver’s P35 PMP has been quietly upgraded, introducing a most-welcome 32GB top-spec version. The touchscreen PMP, which is currently available in Korea and which will arrive in the US come the fall, has a 4.3-inch WQVGA display and a microSD slot for up to 16GB cards.


The Korean version also has an optional DMB digital TV tuner, a feature unlikely to be carried over to the US model. More likely is that iriver will use the mid-range WiFi-enabled version of the P35, which includes an internet browser and the company’s “Magazine” UI.

The 32GB iriver P35 retails for 488,000 South Korean won ($389) in its home country. No word from the company on how the PMP will be priced once it reaches the US.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 leaking continues, and after the black handsets we’ve seen it’s a nice change to spot not only a silver version but one switched on. Running Windows Mobile 6.5 as tipped in the earlier spec sheet, there’s no telling whether the X2 actually has an OLED display or plain old LCD, but the D-pad does look to be an optical mouse.


The original X1 had an optical mouse, where an on-screen cursor is controlled by rubbing a thumb across the D-pad. Now, no optical mouse was mentioned in the last batch of specifications for the X2, but it seems strange that Sony Ericsson would change the whole color-scheme for the silver model and yet leave the select-button for the D-pad black.

Otherwise there’s nothing so much new here as just pleasant to look at. The XPERIA X2 is believed to have an 8.1-megapixel autofocus camera capable of 30fps video recording, A-GPS and of course that slide-out hardware keyboard.

We’re still getting to grips with what the new Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch offers, but if you’re less interested in benchmarks and more in seeing the notebook’s parts spread across a bench, iFixi have the breakdown for you. They’ve dismantled Apple’s newly-promoted notebook, to highlight any differences between it and the last-gen unibody version.


The biggest difference, of course, is the non-user-replaceable battery, and the good news is that while it’s certainly less accessible than in the old design, getting access to it isn’t exactly a terrible chore. The 10.95V 60Wh Li-Poly pack - rated for up to 7hrs use - can be disconnected by pulling off a wire and removing two screws.

Ironically, Apple describe the hard-drive as “user-replaceable”, but it sounds like it’s actually trickier to do that than it would be switch out the battery (Apple will charge $129 for the new battery and the labor involved in changing it). Getting to the hard-drive takes a large number of screws; happily the RAM is more easily addressed.

Tiny gadgets have an unmistakable allure, so a 5.5 x 2 x 2 cm camcorder is always going to catch our eye. The Muvi Micro Camcorder is apparently the smallest in the world, but marketing hyperbole aside it does offer a compact way to capture VGA 640 x 480 25fps video to microSD card.

There’s also an optional voice-activated mode, which will start recording if noise over 65dB is heard. The casing is metal, and Firebox offer an Extreme Sports Pack with the necessary brackets to attach the camcorder to a helmet, bike or handglider.

Recharging is done via USB, and the Muvi Micro Camcorder is compatible with up to 8GB microSD cards. It can also be used as a webcam over the USB connection. It’s on sale now, priced at around £79.95 ($131); the Extreme Sports Pack is around £19.95 ($33).

Now this is pretty cool. Apparently, gadgets that can change their color just by pressing a button are on the horizon for tech geeks everywhere. Yes, that means you can make your handheld any color you want on the go. Can you sense the anticipation?


By utilizing cholesteric liquid crystal display technology, or chLCD, gadgets will be able to change color automatically. These special displays have been modified to wrap around any object–a cell phone in this case.

By using three layers of red, green and blue chLCD, the device can be wrapped in the displays with resin in between each layer. This makes them strong and impervious to breakage. Then, all you do is press a button and a electric current changes the color of the screens. The color stays the same–even when the device is powered off–until you press the button again. Apparently, displays capable of up to 4,000 colors will be made in the future by Kent Displays. It remains to be seen if this tech will be used in next-gen devices, but we don’t see why not.

Toshiba began shipping their Regza HDTVs today, which were initially shown off at CES earlier this year. However, another series was added to the line up today, called the XV648, which is certainly worth learning about.

First up is the SV670, which features an LED backlight, a 240Hz panel, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 14-bit color processing and more. It is available in a 46-inch and a 55-inch version that cost respectively, $2,300 and $3,000.

Next is the ZV650, which features a CCFL backlight rather than LED and has a 240Hz panel and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. It’s available in sizes ranging from 42-inches to 55-inches and costs from $1,300 to $2,400. Last, there’s the XV648, which is new to the Regzas series, and features a CCFL display, a 120Hz panel and a CrystalCoat display for better contrast. It will be available in August in sizes ranging from 40-inches to 52-inches for $1,100 to $2,000.

If you’ve been looking for a good quality portable keyboard you might just be in luck. Econo-Keys just announced the EK-76-TP mobile keyboard, which actually has a touchpad on the back for greater flexibility.

The only real problem here is if you want to use the keyboard and the touchpad at the same time. I could see that presenting a serious problem. Even so, it’s small and lightweight, measuring in at 9″ x 3.5″ x 0.4″.

Likewise, it’s compatible with Linux and Windows operating systems, has USB connectivity and is resistant to water and dust. It’s washable as well. You can get the Econo-Keys EK-76-TP mobile keyboard now for $131.40.

With rival carrier Orange France rocking their Tabbee WiFi tablet, SFR are retaliating with a compact companion device of their own. The SFR Hubster is currently in trials across France, offering a compact touchscreen, streaming photos, music and video, together with internet access over WiFi or a wired ethernet connection.


Other features include a voice recorder that’s linked into the Hubster’s timer; after recording a message you can program in a time for it to be replayed. Podcasts, MP3 files or the radio can also be used as alarms, and there seems to be TV support though it’s unclear whether this is streaming over the internet connection or from an actual TV tuner; the former seems more likely.

Onboard storage is courtesy of SD/SDHC/MMC cards, and the Hubster is happy with MP3, WAV, WMA and RA audio files, and FLV and MP4 video files. The SFR Hubster will go on sale in France from June 15th, priced at €129 ($182).

SiRF have announced their latest platform, SiRFatlasIV, a chipset which bundles one of the company’s GPS receivers with a multimedia processor. Intended to be used in mobile devices, the chipset offers both the same 64-channel location system as in their standalone SiRFprima receiver, and a 500MHz ARM11 processor for application and video crunching.

The SiRFatlasIV has a hardware video post-processing accelerator for T-DMB-DVB-H and CMMB, among other things, together with an integrated NAND and SD controller. Meanwhile a high-sensitivity GPS core means that smaller antennas can be used, again keeping end-device size down and prices cheap.

To that end, the SiRFatlasIV also has a touchscreen controller, 10-bit ADC, video input and USB 2.0 PHY. SiRF’s new chipset has been picked up by ASUS, Foxconn, Navigon, Wistron and Nextar, among others, and is used in the Navigon 3300 max, Nextar Q4-MD and YF International 82A, among other products.

Virgin Mobile USA have announced a pay-as-you-go mobile broadband service, which will be exclusively available through Best Buy Mobile. Broadband2Go uses a Novatel Wireless EVDO Rev.A USB modem, and offers contract-free data from as little as $10; however, there are limits over how that data access can be used.

The USB modem itself will be priced at $149.99 when it goes on sale from late June. On top of that, you can buy 100MB of data use for $10, 250MB for $20, 500MB for $40 and 1GB for $60; all but the 100MB package expire after 30 days, with the cheapest offering needing to be used within 10 days. Virgin Mobile have designed a new monitoring site, which can be used to track data use, when your package will expire, and to buy more access.

Compatible with Macs and PCs, the dongle also includes a microSD slot happy with up to 16GB cards. Virgin Mobile USA use Sprint’s data network, so anywhere they have coverage you should be good to go. This is really a deal for anyone unwilling or unable to sign a data contract: for the money, regular users will get a better deal committing to two years.

You wait for a high-end Nokia phone and two come along at once. Nokia’s N97 has been a long time in coming, but the North America version of the touchscreen QWERTY smartphone should be reaching buyers today; at the same time, the company has announced that their N86 8MP cameraphone, unveiled back at Mobile World Congress, is also now shipping globally.


Pricing for the N86 8MP is yet to be confirmed; it’s not even up for preorder on Nokia’s webstore at time of writing. As for the N97, that’s listed for $699 unlocked and contract-free.

For hands-on video with the Nokia N86 8MP, check out our demo video here; there’s also a full live gallery here. As for the Nokia N97, head over to our demo video here.

It may not put the fear of the Empire into any nearby planets, but steaks and chicken thighs should begin quivering at Bryan Tate’s custom Death Star grill. Currently up for auction on eBay, the grill has a vent built into the weapon-dish and a neat little Imperial Cruiser handle.

Bryan took two Weber grills, painting the inside with Krylon barbecue paint for heat-resistance and the outside with grey engine enamel. The vent on the top opens up and was custom-made, plus there’s a second vent underneath.

The auction ends on June 14th, and as of writing is just over $100 (having not met the reserve). Be warned, though, shipping the grill is going to add significantly to that: after all, it’s 36lbs in weight.

Eye-Fi have announced their latest wireless memory card, the 4GB Eye-Fi Pro. Using the SDHC format, the new Eye-Fi Pro offers the usual automatic wireless transfer of images from digital cameras to a computer or website; however it also adds new file-type support, increased control over which images are synchronized, more flexible WiFi connectivity and video functionality.

The Eye-Fi Pro 4GB now includes “Selective Transfer”, which allows users to choose which photos and/or videos are uploaded. This bypasses the issue with the older cards where every shot was transferred; according to Eye-Fi all users will now be able to use Selective Transfer, not just those with the Pro 4GB. Images are selected by locking them through the camera’s own menus.

Meanwhile the Pro 4GB also supports RAW images, making it more appealing to pro-photographers, which like the JPEG images can be geotagged automatically. WiFi ad-hoc connections directly between the camera and a computer can be used for peer-to-peer transfer, too.

Users also get access to more than 10,000 Wayport hotspots, together with any open WiFi hotspots they may come across, and the system supports in excess of 25 online photo/video sharing sites. Of course, media is also stored locally in the card’s own storage too. The Eye-Fi Pro 4GB is available now, priced at $149.

Sony Japan have announced that they are working on WiMAX enabled versions of their VAIO Z ultraportable and VAIO P netbook. Expected to land in Japan before the end of this month, the notebooks will take advantage of Intel and UQ Communications plans to blanket the country with WiMAX access.

Other specifications for the notebooks are expected to stay the same, which means Japan’s broad range of processor options for the VAIO P and higher-power Intel chips for the larger VAIO Z. Both models are currently available with integrated 3G connectivity; it’s unclear whether that will remain or be supplanted by their WiMAX abilities.

Toshiba, Panasonic and Onkyo have all signed up to use Intel’s WiMAX/Wi-Fi Link 5150, an embedded WiFi/WiMAX module; Sony’s selected chipset is unnamed. No word on pricing, nor whether we’ll see US versions of the WiMAX VAIOs.

According to those talkative “industry sources”, Intel is preparing to phase out the Atom N270 processor in October by launching its replacement, the Atom N450. Better known by its codename, Pine View, the N450 will be a single-core chip built on Intel’s 45nm processing line and have an integrated northbridge. That timescale was last tipped from manufacturing leaks back in May, when it was also revealed that the N280 also faced the chop.

The N270 is best known for being a mainstay in most netbooks, low-cost ultraportables usually 10-inches or smaller. While the processor is neither the most economical nor offers the greatest performance, Intel’s combination of pricing and chipset support has seen it adopted by most manufacturers.

The Atom N450 will be paired with the new NM10 chipset, codenamed Tiger Point, which will also launch in October 2009. According to the sources Intel will be issuing a last-order notice for the N270 in Q1 2010, and supplies of the processor will dry up before the end of July 2010.

Prepare for more Palm Pre carrier confusion, as the Wall Street Journal reports that their source tips a Pre launch on Verizon Wireless come January 2010. The leak comes mere days after Sprint CEO Dan Hesse suggested that rival Verizon may like to “check its facts” over the length of the Pre exclusivity deal Sprint has signed with Palm.


That retort came after Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam’s well-publicized suggestion that handsets “like the Palm Pre” would be showing up on their shelves in the next six months. The comment led to speculation that Palm and Sprint had arranged a six month exclusivity deal that would likely run up until the end of 2009.

The WSJ doesn’t name its source, only claim it is a “person familiar with the situation”. As we pointed out on Friday, Hesse’s comments did not lay out exactly the length of the sole-provider agreement, nor did it confirm or deny that it was any longer or indeed shorter than six months. Sales of the Pre over its launch weekend set new records for Sprint, but the freshly-announced iPhone 3G S and the ongoing talk of a Verizon version may dampen enthusiasm over the rest of 2009.

A newer, more capable graphics processor in the Apple iPhone 3G S will likely prompt the App Store to segment into one version for high-performance apps, such as complex games, that will only run on the newer handset, and another version for software that still supports previous models like the iPhone 3G. The component in question is the PowerVR SGX which, unlike the iPhone 3G’s PowerVR MBX, supports Open GL ES 2.0. That’s good news for developers looking to push the boundaries of current mobile device graphics, as 2.0 supports more refined shading and textures; unfortunately, apps coded for 2.0 won’t necessarily be compatible with Open GL ES 1.1.

OpenGL ES is the cut-down version of OpenGL, offering 3D rendering APIs, and in its 1.1 format is already supported by the iPhone and iPhone 3G. ES 1.1 apps will run on the new iPhone 3G S, as 2.0 is backward compatible, but ES 2.0 apps will simply refuse to run on the older phones. One workaround is ES 2.0 emulating ES 1.1’s fixed-function graphics pipeline using its new shader technology, but that will require developers to specifically code a dual-version app.

Apple have already quietly confirmed that the App Store will soon be made up of software titles that don’t necessarily run on both existing iPhones, seemingly presuming that many coders won’t bother to produce a dual-version app with the necessary shader emulation. In their iPhone SDK documentation.

Every sale of Active Media’s new WWF Penguin USB flash drive may prompt the company to send off a 5-percent donation to the WWF, but we’re hoping it won’t encourage owners to grab poor, innocent penguins, snatch off their upper-bodies and attempt to ram the remainder into the nearest USB port. Real penguins don’t come in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB or 16GB capacities, after all.

Neither do they have PVC-free non-toxic silicone rubber bodies, like the Active Media penguins have. The company also claims that their drive is free of lead and mercury.

No matter how many they sell, Active Media are pledging to give at least $25,000 to the WWF fund, so even if you’re lazy and apathetic about your novelty flash storage it’s nice to know the animals will still get a donation. The penguin drives are available now, priced between $12.95 and $42.95.

Photos of LonMID’s M100 engineering prototype showed up before Computex, but now the convertible MID phone has made its official appearance on the company’s site. The obvious change is the color-scheme (the prototype was black and gold) but there are other differences too, not least the fact that the external phone keypad has been omitted.


Still, it’s a 6.2 x 3.5 x 1.1 inch chunk with a 4.8-inch WVGA touchscreen inside and a smaller, 2.4-inch QVGA display inside. Underneath there’s a flat panel which could use backlit, touch-sensitive buttons; LonMID haven’t released close-up images of the M100 turned on yet.

Other specs confirm the same 800MHz Intel Atom Z500 processor, paired with up to 1GB of RAM, a 4GB SSD and the Midinux Linux OS. Wireless connectivity includes WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and some sort of 3G modem, judging by the SIM slot, while there’s also a microSD card slot, USB 2.0 port, miniUSB port and a headphone jack, plus a microphone. No word on when we expect to see it go on sale, nor where.

Computex 2009 may have finished last week, but the final few glossy surprises are just now emerging. One of the last new netbooks we’re seeing from the show is, strangely, one of the most attractive; the J&W Minix 811 is tipped as the thinnest netbook there, despite packing an internal 3G modem.

The dimensions are aided by the fact that the Minix 811 is made from aluminum alloy, rather than plastic. That’s on the plus side; the negative part is that J&W could only find space for a tiny little 3-cell 2,200mAh battery pack. No official word on battery life, but estimates suggest around 2.5hrs of runtime; there’s also talk of a 6-cell pack, though that wasn’t at the show.

Inside there’s a 10-inch 1024 x 600 resolution display with non-glossy finish, and OS is to be a choice of Linux, Windows XP or Windows 7. The keyboard is rated highly, but we’re not sure what processor lurks inside; an Atom N-series seems likely, either the N270 or N280. No word on pricing or specific availability.

We’re hearing that Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus accessory is beginning to ship from Amazon, with preorder customers receiving emails telling them their Wiimote add-on is on its way. The MotionPlus dongle, which clips onto the base of the Wii’s controller, went up for preorder back at the start of May, priced at $19.99; it brings with it greater motion recognition accuracy.

That extra accuracy will mean that upcoming titles supporting the MotionPlus will be far better at tracking gamer movement. At launch, said-titles will include Virtua Tennis 2009, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Grand Slam Tennis and Wii Sports Resort. All are sold separately, though Nintendo will be offering a bundle of Sports Resort and the MotionPlus for $50.

However, the hackers who have already found the Wiimote to be a useful motion-controller for their own projects will also likely find some use from the MotionPlus. Long-time SlashGear tipster Robert Oschler points us to the WiiLi modding community, who are looking to develop a low-cost telemetry suit (where you move, and the robot moves with you; as opposed to in the video below, where movements are triggered by gesture recognition). Currently telemetry suits are expensive and specialist; the MotionPlus could be the first step in turning that around.

Palm’s “webOS Reset Doctor”, the tool intended to be used to reflash broken or bricked Palm Pre handsets, has leaked, and with it the full webOS ROM. Intended only for internal use, the ROM has already been cracked over in the PreCentral forums, and it’s throwing up not only some interesting tidbits about Palm’s intentions for the Pre but about the rumored Eos second device said to be launching later this year.

Mention has been found in the code of both “castle”, assumed to be the Pre’s internal codename, and “pixie”, which has previously been tipped as the codename for the Eos. Palm have never hidden the fact that the Pre is to be the first device of many to use webOS, but the presence of “pixie” in this first-gen code does seem to suggest that the handset is set to arrive sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere in the ROM, icons for MSN and AOL have been unearthed, together with a Java Virtual Machine. There are also plenty of comments left by webOS’ developers, including the somewhat worrying “# what the hell does this do?”

It was arguably the unofficial developer community that accelerated the original iPhone to success: while Apple were attempting to corral programmers into creating simple webapps, those with access to the hacked (aka jailbroken) core of the iPhone could use the same functionality that Apple’s own apps did. Might this be the turning point for the Pre, too?

Apple’s new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks were a surprise for their WWDC 2009 keynote, not least because most people were only expecting the iPhone 3G S. Still, we won’t turn our noses up at new unibody machines with boosted specifications, and so when Apple invited us to check out their new MacBook Pros we gladly accepted. Check out our hands-on first impressions after the cut.


You could say that the two new MacBook Pro machines are more of the same. They each keep the unibody casings of their predecessors, making them thin and light, but they now use non-user-serviceable batteries as in the MacBook Air and the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Apple say this allows them to squeeze high-capacity Li-Poly cells in there, boosting runtime to up to 7hrs; we won’t know whether that pans out until we’ve spent more time with our review units.