Latest news from the World of Hardware
Panasonic will launch the worlds largest Rewritable Blu-Ray Disks this month, with a capacity of 100GB the new BD-RE XL also carries a whopping price tag of $118 US for each. These Blu-Ray Disks will be available on the 15th of April in Japan. and the newer version of the BD players from Pioneer and Buffalo already support these.
Samsung in Russia has informed that they will launch a new version of the popular Galaxy S Android smartphone next month.
The Galaxy S 2011 edition will ship with Android 2.3 and a new metal back cover.
The phone packs
No news on Launch in India or other countries.
[Samsung Russia]
Kobian / Mercury has just launched the new PerfectView LED Monitor in India. Model 2060TWG has
The 24′ & 26′ LED are scheduled for the launch by May,2011. No Info on Price.
Sony today in India launched the New Vaio S Series Laptops. These laptops were announced back in Feb 2011, and as promised have been launched in India end of MarchThese laptops carry a new structured design along with the latest in tech specs. The Design of the new Vaio S changes from a rounded to a flat type design, following a minimal yet gadget look of 2011.
All the Above models are available now.
While its still a long way from launch, the super slim and sleek new Galaxy S 2, was recently making an appearance at CTIA and folks from AndroidCommunity took a quick video of the devices accelerometer based zoom functionality.
Check it Out
Kingston Digital, has announced the launch of its 4GB and 8GB Class 10 microSDHC card, joining the previously released 16GB Class 10 card.
“Kingston’s Class 10 microSDHC cards are compatible with many of the latest mobile phones including Android smartphones and BlackBerry devices, hi-def cameras and the increasingly popular tablet PCs,” said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. “The Class 10 speed provides faster data transfer rates and the various capacities help satisfy storage needs for users with both light and heavy memory needs.”
In addition to the Class 10 cards, Kingston currently ships the microSDHC card in a Class 4 specification as both a standalone and part of the Mobility/Multi-Kit in capacities up to 32GB.
Kingston microSDHC Class 10 Features and Specifications:
We are happy to see that all future Smart phones in India will be welcome with a barrage of already compatible accessories.
We have had this device for quite some time, and we are now ready to tell you how this device fares in the market.
Lets start with the usual suspects
The Galaxy Ace is possibly the best built Samsung Galaxy phone in India, till date. We feel, that the device is better built than the Galaxy S /Sl and all the lower end Galaxys put together (3,5, pop, etc). The back panel of the Galaxy Ace is the best texture we have seen on any device and the chrome metal side bezel squares off the phones looks with the likes of the iPhone 4. Solid and rigid, beautiful glass front and great styling.
In terms of Hardware the device features a whole bunch of interesting specs including a 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches Capacitive touch screen which is very-very responsive. A snappy 800 MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset which is quite capable of handling the phones processing and delivers good gaming and graphic performance. A 1350 mAh which despite its size fared out well.
The device is missing the standard Android search button like the FIT and the POP.
Quadrant Score : 595
Although 320 x 480 is no Retina display and is nowhere near high resolution, the display is simply stunning and the less pixel count is actually no problem, the text is clear and vivid the 16m color resolution does the display justice and in this price bracket, delivers a whole lot more than one can expect. The touch screen is also super smooth and performs excellently. Kinetic scrolling and pinch to zoom in and out, all of which are displayed in the video review, work great.
The sound quality from the loudspeaker is not as great as the sound volume. You can really blast the audio from the speaker. The speakers are great if the volume is moderately controlled.
The bass is well matched along with mids, but, start to clip at high volumes and you are left with a squeaking sound. This will also only happen on audio files which are tweaked to sound louder, regular music plays fine. Video quality is excellent, with a tiny bit of shuttering when the video clip loads, everything after that is as smooth as butter.
Video looks good and there is no denying the fact that every Android user will watch atleast a video per week on his phone, and you will love it on the Samsung Galaxy Ace.
The Device is missing a dedicated camera shutter button! Why Samsung? why is it so difficult?
The camera is a performance star, the auto focus is good and the light density on the sensor is excellent. Low light compositions are pretty decent, not as great as they could have been if Samsung had placed the flash a little further away from the camera, a surge of white crosses the camera , and the pictures come out faded when the led is on. When its offa low light compositions look passable. So either way the pictures are average in low light, Impressive in daylight / Apt lighting.
Video however is poor and HD video is missing from the whole circuit. 320×240 (QVGA) (20 fps) video is just as bad as the numbers look, and we are sorry to say you will not be making any videos with the camera. We also tried several other Camera apps from the Android marketplace, but to no avail video quality was poor throughout. we will soon have a sample video up.
The Samsung Galaxy Ace handles Cellular networks beautifully and with 3G connectivity we got good download speeds up to 2.5Mbps (network constrained) in prime areas of Delhi. No relative call drops , actually one in about 3 weeks of testing. The call quality was superb, a whole lot more than we expected this device to deliver. Earpiece and mic are well balanced and perform brilliantly.
Messaging is fast with the built in Swype Keyboard, If you don’t like it well you can download literally a dozen other keyboards from the marketplace and test them. Choose the one you like and keep it. The key factor however here lies in the touch sensitivity of the screen. The accuracy with which the device handles touch inputs is far superior than the likes of HTC wildfire and Dell XCD 35. But, those are last gen phones anyway. Keyboard performance is excellent mainly because of the touchscreen.
Battery life on the Galaxy Ace was also shocking, with tweaked performance the device gives about
With the market flooded with Android devices we are yet to see a device in the 15k bracket that will live up to our expectations. But, then again our expectations are ever increasing and the market always fails to deliver. The Samsung Galaxy Ace however comes pretty close, and then falls back. The lack of a simple dedicated camera button, no HD video, a missing dedicated search button are simple things that could have been included.
Price : INR 15, 499/-
In an ideal scenario this device would have all the above and a bit more juice.
[xrr rating=3.75/5 label=”We Rate it” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
Check out remaining pictures and FULL REVIEW VIDEO
Did you buy an iPhone 4 with the latest baseband? or if you are one of those unlucky few who updated their iPhones back in October and are waiting for an Unlock? Well then a US$ 70 solution might be a relief for you. This generic chip comes with a custom tray, you have to attach the chip with your sim card and insert it into your iPhone 4, Much like the earlier popular TURBO SIM.
This chipset is supposedly going to unlock your iPhone 4 no matter what baseband or OS you are on. Check out a video of it in action below
HTC has just announced the new HTC HD7s, A successor to the HD7 which has only a minor improvement in tow, which actually turns out to be a major improvement. The HD7s adds a Super LCD to the mix making the display even more eye-friendly and much better in drastic situations. Thic change will also improve the battery life of the unit and make using the device a better experience.
Our Sources at HTC India say this device will hit as a quiet Update in June-July 2011 in India. Pricing Similar to the existing model is expected.
Sadly, if you’re waiting for the updated iMacs, there has still been no news on a 2011 Apple iMac refresh as yet. The last iMac refresh was in July 2010 and current prices start from $1,199 and we know that if you are thinking of purchasing an iMac but don’t want to make the move if an upgrade will be out shortly.
Apple for its Computers unlike the iPhone/iPod/iPad follows a 10 month refresh cycle. In that scenario the new upgrade could be out anywhere from April to May 2011. Current iMacs have screen sizes of 21.5-inches and 27-inches, there are certainly rumors of new screen sizes. Of course we would expect the new ThunderBolt (Light Peak) technology. Possibly a 30-inch option, improved graphics cards, 8GB base memory, and SSD options.
What do you expect from a iMac Refresh this year?
Before we begin to talk about this next piece of hardware, let me tell you that we want one! The Samsung ambient light based transparent LCD shows what technology has achieved today. What we saw in movies and SCI-FI flick is becoming real day by day.
What you see here is a prototype 46-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and ten-finger touchscreen capability. The device generates is power from surrounding light, much like our calculators.
Whats impressive is the fact that Samsung has been able to make a working prototype of a Huge touchscreen TV which along with its solar cells, efficiently generates power from your wall light bulb, enough to sustain itself.
Makes you want to throw your calculator doesn’t it? well even your TV/Monitor.
Whats more, there are some rumors of Samsung using this technology to develop larger panels than the ones currently in existence. The biggest panels that the company currently releases is a 65-inch model.
Looking to buy a Lenovo Thinkpad you might want to wait on for some time, the company’s website which currently is set to update to the newer versions of Thinkpad devices, already contains the sales and specs catalogue of their new Lenovo Thinkpad X220.
Major Specs Include
Check out the full specs in the Sheet Below, or visit the link on the site below for the full marketing goods.
[Lenovo]
WD is one of the worlds best hard drive manufacturing and selling companies and they have just announced a deal to acquire one of its primary competitors, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, will join WD at closing as president. In the deal the acquisition will include $3.5 billion in cash and $750 million in WD common stock.
The takeover is said to be finalized by Q3 2011.
Official Press
Western Digital to Acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
Combination of Hard Drive Companies Will Create Industry’s Broadest Product Portfolio and a Significant Pool of Resources for Innovation
IRVINE, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT / TSE:6501) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The proposed combination will result in a customer-focused storage company, with significant operating scale, strong global talent and the industry’s broadest product lineup backed by a rich technology portfolio.
Under the terms of the agreement, WD will acquire Hitachi GST for $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WD common shares valued at $750 million, based on a WD closing stock price of $30.01 as of March 4, 2011. Hitachi, Ltd. will own approximately ten percent of Western Digital shares outstanding after issuance of the shares and two representatives of Hitachi will be added to the WD board of directors at closing. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company and is expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2011, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. WD plans to fund the transaction with a combination of existing cash and total debt of approximately $2.5 billion.
WD expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis, excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and amortization of intangibles.
The resulting company will retain the Western Digital name and remain headquartered in Irvine, California. John Coyne will remain chief executive officer of WD, Tim Leyden chief operating officer and Wolfgang Nickl chief financial officer. Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, will join WD at closing as president, reporting to John Coyne.
“The acquisition of Hitachi GST is a unique opportunity for WD to create further value for our customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers and the communities in which we operate,” said John Coyne, president and chief executive officer of WD. “We believe this step will result in several key benefits-enhanced R&D capabilities, innovation and expansion of a rich product portfolio, comprehensive market coverage and scale that will enhance our cost structure and ability to compete in a dynamic marketplace. The skills and contributions of both workforces were key considerations in assessing this compelling opportunity. We will be relying on the proven integration capabilities of both companies to assure the ongoing satisfaction of our customers and to bring this combination to successful fruition.”
“This brings together two industry leaders with consistent track records of strong execution and industry outperformance,” said Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. “Together we can provide customers worldwide with the industry’s most compelling and diverse set of products and services, from innovative personal storage to solid state drives for the enterprise.”
Hiroaki Nakanishi, president, Hitachi, Ltd. said, “As the former CEO of Hitachi GST, I always believed in the potential of Hitachi GST to become a larger and more agile company. This is a strategic combination of two industry leaders, both growing and profitable. It provides an opportunity for the new company to increase customer and shareholder value and expand into new markets. Additionally, it is important to us that WD shares common values with Hitachi GST to create a more global company that is well positioned to define a broader role in the evolving storage industry.”
WD’s exclusive financial adviser on the transaction is Bank of America Merrill Lynch; its lead legal adviser is O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Goldman, Sachs & Co serves as financial adviser to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST. Legal advisers to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST are Morrison Foerster LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, respectively.
Scientists at the 
University of Massachusetts Lowell have managed to squeeze over a thousand processor cores onto a single chip. We’ve heard a lot about the potential for future desktop-sized supercomputers, but more than anything else this research proves that in the not-too-distant future it’s likely to be a reality. Interestingly enough, there’s also a green angle to this idea: FPGA chips can be more power efficient than their competitors, and if less computer time is needed to process complex tasks, then the overall power consumption of computers using the tech could be impressively low.
The advance was made by Dr. Wim Vanderbauwhede’s team, who programmed an advanced chip called a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). FPGA systems have been around for a while, and their strength is that they can be programmed “in the field” to best suit whatever task they’re needed for, unlike the hard-coded silicon ship designs you’re probably imagining. The UM team’s innovation was in working out how to program the FPGA to act as mini processor cores, since the tech is typically difficult to work with. This has traditionally been a barrier to their use in desktop PCs, although small FPGAs are often found inside devices like LCD TVs.
Once the 1,000 individual CPU cores had been programmed onto the chip, the scientists took the necessary next step to prove how useful their innovation is: They ran an intensive algorithm through it to test how powerful it was, and they chose a tricky one too–at the core of motion MPEG video processing, used in many online video systems. The results speak for themselves. Using the kilo-core FPGA computer, the team was able to process 5 gigabytes per sec of movie files, which is about 20 times the rate that existing high-end computers can manage.
MSI has expanded their Wind line-up with the launch of the Wind U160MX netbook, a product called by MSI as the “dream machine”.
The Wind U160MX has
The lappy also features TDE (Turbo Drive Engine) technology, which increase the CPU clock to boost the performance, and a power-saving function that extends the battery life up to 8.5 hours without charging.
Information on pricing was not revealed.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
MSI’s stylishly sexy Wind U160MX is gorgeous, slender, and light. It features the Intel Atom N455 processor which supports up to 2GB of DDR3 memory and sports MSI’s exclusive TDE technology, ECO Engine power-saving technology, Easy Face biometric software, Easy Viewer photo manager, the S-Bar tool bar, and up to 8.5 hours of battery power.
Taipei—MSI has unveiled the beautiful 10.1-inch Wind U160MX netbook which packs Intel’s dual-thread architecture-supporting Atom N455 CPU, DDR3 memory, and MSI TDE technology. The U160MX is powerful and its battery runs up to 8.5 hours on just one charge.
Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, explains that the U160MX netbook is less than one inch thin and tips the scales at just one kilogram including the battery. The U160MX has a unique circular display axle and is sheathed in a brush finish black coating that protects against smudging. This elegant netbook also comes with a Chicklet keyboard, MSI’s ECO Engine power-saving technology, Easy Face biometric software, the Easy Viewer photo manager, and the S-Bar tool bar. Stunningly beautiful and equipped with powerful MSI applications, you’ll fall in love with it.
Ultimate in high tech
In a class of its own: The feather-light Wind U160MX features a display axle with a power button recessed into one end and an independent Chicklet keyboard set off by the shimmering silver glow of the touchpad mouse buttons. Meticulously crafted inside and out, the Wind U160MX is an elegant piece of work in a class of its own.
Chicklet keyboard: The U160MX also comes with MSI’s Chicklet keyboard with each key independent from the others for solid, silent typing. Each stroke of the keyboard underscores the dedication put into the design and production of every detail.
10.1-inch LED screen refreshes in just 8 milliseconds: The Wind U160MX comes with a power-sipping 10.1” LED backlit display that refreshes in only eight milliseconds—more than twice as fast as traditional laptops, so it offers a smooth, clear, crisp picture when you watch movies and animation as well as better detail and richer colors. Now, you can have cinema-quality visual entertainment on a netbook.
High performance, extended battery life*
Intel’s latest Atom N455 processor: The Wind U160MX employs Intel’s new generation Atom N455 processor and supports DDR3 memory. At 6.5 watts, it not only sips power, but also enhances performance by 10% and extends battery life by 15%.
TDE turbo technology: MSI’s TDE (Turbo Drive Engine technology) instantly kicks the Wind U160MX into overdrive, so the system doesn’t bog down when processing heavy-load applications, like image processing software.
ECO engine power saving technology: MSI’s exclusive ECO technology allows the user to extend the Wind U160MX’s battery life with the touch of a finger. You can choose from among five power management scenarios—Video Game, Film, Presentation, Word Processing, and Turbo Battery, effectively maximizing battery life. Actual tests show that the MSI Wind U160MX can run up to 8.5 hours on one charge. *Actual battery time will vary with differences in computer use and settings.
i-Charger: The U160MX netbook also comes with MSI’s i-Charger technology which pumps more power through USB slots, so you can recharge devices up to three times faster. Now, while others are waiting for their mobile devices to recharge, you can be enjoying yours.
Exclusive applications
Easy Face biometric software: The Wind U160MX comes equipped with MSI’s own facial recognition software which works in concert with the high definition webcam to protect data biometrically. Easy Face remembers passwords for MSN accounts as well as login passwords for websites and systems and can integrate all passwords for your personal accounts under one lock and key—your unique facial features. It remembers passwords, so you don’t have to. What’s more, the U160MX comes with Webcam Companion (an Internet webcam application), Visual Effect 2 (a conferencing application), and Print Creation (for printing), so this one machine can meet all of your needs.
S-Bar: The Wind U160MX boasts MSI’s S-Bar toolbar, which consists of shortcuts for major OS programs and hardware as well as MSI’s own applications. It allows you to control all system functions, auxiliary programs and applications as well as an array of programs, such as applications to save power and boost performance as well as MSI’s multimedia software and the webcam, the projector, the wireless, Bluetooth, volume control, screen brightness, and standby mode. Operating multimedia was never easier.
U160MX Spec
Processor Intel Atom Processor N455 Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Starter Memory DDR3-667MHz up to 2GB Display 10.1″ WSVGA LED backlight Graphics GMA 3150 Video Output 1x VGA Hard Disk Drive 250GB/320GB Optical Disk Drive N/A Interfaces 3x USB 2.0, 2-in-1 card reader Sound Stereo Speakers with Intel HD Audio Communication 802.11 b/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, 1x 10/100M LAN Webcam 0.3M Battery 3-Cell Li-Ion Dimension (WxDxH) 265 x 165 x 19.8~25.4mm Weight 1kg (w/3-cell Battery) Other Features EasyFace, S-Bar, i-Charger
