NVIDIA Goes to the Moon with CUDA and Tegra 3

While there is a lot of discussion on forums what manufacturer does what, regardless of if we talk about cars or soccer teams, there is no denying that sometimes, something magical is happening with the semiconductor products.

A privateer team called Synergy Moon is getting ready for their entrance for the Google Lunar X-Prize challenge, a $30 million competition of privateer teams who are working on launching a rocket into space putting human crew in an orbiter around Earth. This is followed by a sending a rover to land on the Moon.

In order to develop the lunar rover, Team Synergy Moon was joined by Martin Peniak, young scientist famous for his work on the Mars Rover Simulator developed in conjunction with ESA (European Space Agency). Impressed with an article about neural network using NVIDIAs GPU acceleration, Martin selected CUDA to be the base of all future work.

One of his projects is the Tesla Lunar Rover and Tesla Surveyor, both of which are going to utilize multiple Tegra systems to achieve autonomy of movement while

Currently, the launch is scheduled for December of next year, consisted out of Earth orbiter inhabited by astronauts such as team leader Mr. Miroslav Ambrus-Kis and documentary producer Nebojsa Stanojevic, while the autonomous Lander packing several Lunar Rover will be launched from the orbiter to the moon, where it will utilize Martins patterns running on NVIDIA Tegra 3 hardware.

There is still a lot of work to be done, but seems like NVIDIA-powered hardware just might win the $30 million prize.

Xilence Updates XQ PSU Series

Xilence XQ PSU series

Xilence has released the SPS-XP350.XQ (350W) and SPS-XP400.XQ (400W), adding on to its XQ line of PSUs. Both PSUs are encased in white enclosures, 80Plus Bronze certified(efficiency of up to 86%), have active PFC and “five integrated safetycircuits”. Backed by a five year warranty, they can be purchased fromauthorized resellers and e-tailers at a MSRP of 59 Euro (SPS-XP350.XQ)and 69 Euro (SPS-XP400.XQ) by mid-February 2010.

News via [Techconnect]

PowerColor Radeon X1900 Series

Tul Corporation, provider of industry-leading PowerColor graphic cards, todayintroduces PowerColor X1900 CrossFire Edition, X1900XTX and X1900XT, the latestseries of extreme performance graphic cards. These cards demolish previousbenchmarks to set new standards in hard-core 3D gaming.

The PowerColor X1900 Series utilizes the latest ATI Radeon R580 core. TheX1900XTX clocks at an astounding 650MHz , 1.55GHz memory clock and 512MB ofDDR3. It also features an unprecedented 48 pixel shader processors, three timesof the previous X1800 models. To maximize performance to the limit, CrossFireTMenables an additional card for even more power.

The PowerColor X1900 series supports Open GL 2.0, DirectX 9.0c and ShaderModel 3.0; enabling anti-aliasing with HDR for incredible visual effects. AVIVO™engine is also included for accelerated video decode and encode of the latestvideo formats and support for High-Definition (HD) videos. The latest series ofX1900 graphic cards sets unprecedented new heights in high-end gamingperformance. These cards appeal to enthusiasts and hard-core gamers, looking forthe best visual experience. PowerColor X1900 CrossFire Edition, X1900XTX andX1900XT are available immediately, please contact local distributor for pricing.

Product Name

X1900 CrossFire

X1900XTX 512MB

X1900XT 512MB

Core Speed

625MHz

650MHz

625MHz

Memory Speed

1.45GHz

1.55GHz

1.45GHz

Memory Size

512MB DDR3

512MB DDR3

512MB DDR3

Memory interface

256bit

256bit

256bit

Pixel Shader Processors

48

48

48

@

@

@

@

VGA Output

-

By DVI to VGA converter

By DVI to VGA converter

TV Output

-

S Video

S Video

DVI-I

DVI-I x 1, VHDCI x 1

DVI X 2

DVI X 2

VIVO (Video In/Video Out)

-

YES

YES

HDTV Support

YES

YES

YES

DirectX® Compliant

9.0c

9.0c

9.0c

OpenGL®

2.0

2.0

2.0

Shader Model

3.0

3.0

3.0

AVIVO Support

YES

YES

YES

Crossfire Support

Crossfire Ready

Crossfire Ready

Crossfire Ready

H.264 Support

YES

YES

YES

Software Bundle

Cyberlink DVD Solution 8-in-1

Cyberlink DVD Solution 8-in-1

Cyberlink DVD Solution 8-in-1

NVIDIA GeForce 7800GT Has 20 Pipes

VR-Zone has learned that the upcoming GeForce 7800 GT will be 20 pipes instead of 24 pipes as intially reported. The vertex shader could probably stay at 8 and ROP at 16. The core clock for 7800GT is 400MHz instead of 335MHz initially thought. It will be interesting to see if the 4 hidden pipes can unlocked on the 7800 GT to become GTX. The 7800GT is slated for launch on 11th Aug at Quakecon 2005 and MRSP for this card is US$ 449. Also NVIDIA won't release their 7800 Standard yet until their 6800 inventory are cleared.

Multi-Plugs Reinvented - PowerBridge

A Korean designer, Hyuk Jae Chang, has reinvented themulti-plugs we use in our everyday lives. Looks really chic and should these eventually make it to Giant or Carrefour at an affordable price, I will certainly grab a handful of them.

Article via [COROFLOT]

Kingmax New Color Module Series

The typical green printed circuit board (PCB) is an unsightly jungle of holesand crevices, with black IC chips scattered about like cockroach eggs and 33antennae traversing in various directions. Is it really necessary for the memorymodule inside your computer to have such an unattractive external appearance?

Recently, more and more manufacturers have been adding flashing lights andbrightly-colored layers to their heat dispersion chips to make their memorymodules more visually attractive. Although these manufacturers claim that suchadditions allow for more effective heat dispersion in their memory modules, inactuality their main motive is to attract buyers.

Kingmax, a leading innovator and creator of the revolutionary Tiny BGA packagingtechnology, has just released the Color Module, a new memory module sure toimpress its users for both its performance and looks. This memory module employsa special packaging technology to color the outer shell of the Tiny BGA-packagedIC chip, eliminating the need to cover the heat dispersion chip with anotherlayer for color. Colorful memory modules are making a comeback, and Kingmax'snew Color Module has IC chips of a refined red color embedded within a vibrantgold PCB -- a product that will surely catch the eyes of the consumer.

In addition to its attractive appearance, the Color Module also offerssubstantial internal features. Every module that leaves our factory undergoes athorough production process with the Kingmax Group's own equipment andprofessional personnel, from the packaging and testing of red IC chips, to theSMT line fabrication and strict product testing stages. Thus, Kingmax is able toharness the full potential of its vertically integrated production processes,guaranteeing that every Color Module is 100% effective in terms of performance,stability, compatibility V a strong formula for full customer satisfaction.

The Kingmax Color Module supports dual channel transmission, and for theconvenience of our customers who wish to experience dual channel effectiveness,the Color Modules are being packaged in pairs. Kingmax's "twin" set ofattractive memory modules provide the best in performance and visual experience.

The Kingmax Color Module

184-pin 4000MHz (PC-3200) DDR module
CAS Latency 2.5
Voltage: 2.5V
Available memory capacity: 512MB/pair, 1GB/pair
Package of very small physical size
Superior performance and heat dispersion
Global warranty for length of product life

LG Launches Cooking Portal To Teach You How To Create World-class Cuisines In Your Kitchen

LGhas announced the launch of an online cooking portalwith over 100 recipes ofdishes from select countries. Packed with useful features and expert cooking tips for amateur and advanced cooks alike, the portalis designed as a guide for cooking enthusiasts in creating world-class cuisines at the comfort oftheir own kitchens.

"Cook As You Are" is one of thesite's innovative feature wherebya usercan request recommendation by choosing specific options among six categories: Cultures, Occasions, Courses, Ingredients, Methods and Expertise. The user’s choices will be used to determine the right recipe recommendation from various cultures.Users will also be able to view recipe recommendations from renowned personalities such as Guy Martin, a three-star Michelin chef from France.

In another section of the site titled "Choose Your Kitchen", consumers can experience many international dishes -- up to 100 cultural recipes -- as well as professional cooking tips and techniques from world-renowned chefs. The recipes are broken down into step-by-step details and matched with photos to make it as convenient as possible for home cooks to bring famous international dishes to their tables. The site will also offer insights on ways to maximize LG cooking appliances to improve the recipe or to make the cooking process more convenient.

Check outLG’s new cooking portal atwww.lg.com/cooking. The site is currently available in English and Korean but will also be offered in German and French later this month.

Source: Korea Newswire

London 2012 Olympics embraces social media

The London 2012 Summer Olympics is embracing social media, including live athlete questions and answers, blogs of the events, and feeds from a wide variety of websites, including Facebook and Twitter.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set up the Olympic Athletes Hub, which aggregates a variety of social streams. The Inside the Olympic Village page provides a live Q&A with athletes, keeping fans in touch with their favourite competitors.Instagram is collaborating with the IOC for “Faces of Olympians,” which will show a collection of athlete photos throughout the Games. With over 30,000 followers in just 60 days, this medium will be a huge outlet for Olympic fever.The Olympic Challenge social game will launch soon, allowing fans to make predictions for the outcome of each event. A leaderboard will show who is making the most accurate forecasts, and integration with Facebook and Open Graph means predictions can be shared and friends can compete with each other for the winning outcome.More Olympics coverage will be found on Tumblr blogs, a special Olympic Ticket badge can be obtained on Foursquare, free tickets are up for grabs on Facebook, and athletes are engaging fans on Google+.“The Athletes’ Hub has already compiled Twitter and Facebook feeds of over 2,000 verified Olympians. The additions we are announcing today further demonstrate the IOC’s continued efforts to socialize the Olympic Games and create a better, more engaging experience for fans and Olympic athletes around the world,” said Mark Adams, Director of Communications for the International Olympic Committee.“Social media has been a great way to connect with fans and share not just my stories but the stories of other amazing people and athletes,” said Oscar Pistorius, South African sprint runner. “I regularly use it to share my experiences and provide inspiration for those who are overcoming obstacles or just need an extra push to remember that hard work pays off. I am truly blessed and thrilled to be participating in the 2012 London Olympics and look forward to sharing my Olympic experiences with the social media community and inspiring young athletes to do amazing things.”Check out the Olympic Social Media Hub, or find the Olympics on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram (via @Olympics), and Foursquare.

iPhone 5 battery will have a higher capacity

A lot of iPhone parts and details have been leaking onto the internet lately, and the most recent is the battery pack which is reported to have a higher capacity compared to the iPhone 4S.

(The new battery pack looks like it has been redesigned to have a slimmer enclosure, and a smaller connector.)

9to5Mac has obtained a picture of the new purported iPhone 5 battery pack, which boasts a new voltage of 3.8 and a 1440 mAh capacity. The battery pack in the iPhone 4S had a voltage of 3.7 and a capacity of 1430 mAh, so the changes may seem minuscule.

However, we cannot neglect the fact that Apple may have done a lot of tweaking and hardware optimization to improve battery life. Rumors are floating around that Apple may integrate the latest version of the Qualcomm Gobi, which will supposedly drain less battery during data usage.

There are no official words from Apple as to when an announcement will be made regarding the iPhone 5, but recent speculations have pointed to September for the announcement and launch of the latest Apple smartphone.

Monster introduces Immersion first in-ear headphone of new iSport line

Monster has announced “Immersion” – the first in-ear headphone in the company’s new iSport line designed to offer superior audio performance for atheletes. The Monster iSport In-Ear Headphones feature patented proprietary in-ear clip design that fits the curve of the inner ear to anchor securely and provide maximize comfort to listeners. It is washable, incorporates noise isolation to block out distractions, and has a special adjustable ear pipe on the headphone housing. The Monster’s new iSport Immersion headphones also feature the company’s ControlTalk an innovative control system that gives users music and movie playback control of their Apple, iPad and iPhone. The integrated high-grade microphone and answer button allows users to access their music and answer phone calls without having to reach into their pocketbook, backpack or pocket.

Initially available in both blue and black versions, the unique, sweatproof Monster iSport Immersion in-ear headphones will also come in a variety of different colors, themes and models in the coming months. The Monster iSport Immersion Headphones is available at Alpha Audio, Digivue , Farle Innovation, Harvey Norman, HMV, Sprint Cass and all Stereo outlets at S$290.

MacBook Pro Update Enables 3Gbps SATA Transfer

The newer batch of Apple'sMacBook Pros all have a standard issue if it is shipped with a standard SATA hard disk drive.

You get 1.5Gbps transfer rate only, despite having a SATA-II capable hard disk. The recent update, however, addresses that.

Don't ask us why this 3.0Gbps transfer mode was disabled in MacBook Pro, it was enabled on those that came with SSD. The new MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 has a size of3.35MB and requires OS X 10.5.7 to be installed.

Kodak Tries to Remain Relevant The ITC Says It Isn't

For the past several years, photography pioneer Eastman Kodak has been engaged in a battle with Samsung, LG, Apple, and Research in Motion over intellectual properties relating to digital photography. Based upon a patent that Kodak filed in 1997, the company alleged that it was entitled to large sums of money because the patent extended to the use of digital photography in mobile phones. The United States International Trade Commission, however, ruled that Kodak was wrong.

Initially, things looked good for Kodak. In 2009, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issued an initial determination that Samsung and LG had infringed Kodak patents relating to previewing images on LCD screens. While the companies could have awaited a final determination, and even appealed that in federal court, they decided to pay one-time royalty payments. Samsung agreed to pay $550 million, while LG agreed to pay $414 million.

The ALJ, however, did not rule on the claims against Apple and RIM. This allowed those companies to continue the legal fight rather than pay a massive settlement. Luckily for them, the ITC ruled on Friday that there was no infringement; the only costs that they have accrued are legal fees. These fees are likely substantial, but they are nowhere near the hundreds of millions of dollars that Samsung and LG agreed to pay.

As a result of this Hail Mary attempt by Kodak to remain relevant, Samsung and LG paid nearly one billion dollars, whereas Apple and RIM escaped virtually unscathed.

Massive Energy-Generating Wind Tower proposed for Japan

In the harnessing of wind power, it is best to maximize the wind capturing area of the structure. The 50 meter-tall hexagonal tower is able to capture wind coming from all directions like a giant scoop, compressing and running the fast-flowing air through a series of power generators.

The wind capturing area of this revolutionary design dwarfs that of conventional wind turbines. The designs are still at its infant stage, and will include a desalination plant and on-site energy storage facilities which employ technologies relatively new to the industry.



While the design is still conceptual, if realized, it might just be our answer to the efficient harvest of wind-energy. Zena Systems, the Japan based company behind this ambitious project has picked a location in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan for the massive project.

Source: Inhabitat

Micron CEO Steve Appleton has passed away

Sadly, weve just heard that Microns CEO and chairman Steve Appleton has died at 51 years of age on Friday morning as the result of a small plane crash at Boise, Idaho. its been reported that Appleton was flying alone in his Lancair fixed-wing single-engine stunt plane when something caused the plane to malfunction and plummet to the ground.

Appleton had already aborted a previous flight that morning soon after takeoff when realising something was wrong with the plane. Yet only 8 minutes after returning from that flight and into the hanger, he was heading back into the sky once again, of which a very short time later the ill-fated event unfolded.

Appleton narrowly escaped his peril back in 2004 when he crashed an aerobatic aircraft over an Idaho desert. He was renowned for his love of planes and athletic interests in general. It all started with Steve when he held a tennis scholarship at Boise State University before graduating and joining Micron in 1983. He was appointed president and chief operating officer for the company in 1991 and was listed as the third youngest CEO in the Fortune 500 list after taking over the reins from retiring Micron founder, Joe Parkinson at the age of 34.

Despite some challenging times for the company through recent economic turmoil, Appletons leadership allowed Micron to maintain its position in sales figures as one of the top 20 global semiconductor manufacturers.

Micron said in a proceeding statement, Our hearts go out to his wife, Dalynn, his children and his family during this tragic time. Steves passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron, the Idaho community, and the technology industry at large".

Micron has not yet formally named a long term successor to Appleton. As it stands now, the company president and Chief Operating Officer, Mark Durcan takes over as interim chief executive officer.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Steves family.

Madobe Yuu and Ai put a cute twist on Japanese Windows 8

Promotion for new tech software in Japan isnt really that different from how it is done here. You present the softwares capabilities, show its potentials, and market to the people how they could use it efficiently. However you may want to know that once you hit Tokyos Akihabara district, the "otaku" center of Japan, promotion for almost anything takes on a slightly different, cuter level.

On October 12, 2012, Microsoft Japan announced that reservations can now be taken for Windows 8 orders. At least two weeks before the official worldwide release, tech shops around Japan have already begun accepting pre-orders and reservations of the announced Windows 8 product packages.

While there are no significant changes in standard distribution packages, Microsoft Japan has actually prepared a little nifty bonus for those who are into the "Akiba-kei" (Akihabara-style) culture. Extra Windows 8 DSP (fresh install) packages that feature two new "moe" mascots, Madobe Ai and Madobe Yuu, will be presented as an exclusive OS theme. The package will include various custom media and installation files, as well as other extra stuff, for those who are interested to have more than just an OS to their new PCs.

Using these "moe" mascots to generate higher amount of interest to a specific group of potential customers isnt new in Japan. In fact, Microsoft Japan has already done it at least 3 years ago with Madobe Nanami, the "moe" mascot for Windows 7. Special bonus packages for the Japanese version of Windows 7 also included exclusive media and installation files that would let the user have Madobe Nanami become a resident of their computer unit.

These special Windows 8 DSP packages will include a Microsoft Wedge Touch mouse, and will be available at around 18,000 to 20,000 yen (around 230 to 255 USD).

Source: GDM, Akiba-PC (JP)

Microsoft unveils Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface in Singapore

Marc Hopstein, director for APAC Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft Singapore. said that about 93% of their customers are very satisfied with the Windows Phone 7, and about 90% are recommending the phone to friends and families.

"We have been building on the concept of smartphone for easier communicating, education and Internet that are important for consumers looking for Windows Phone. And Mango is taking applications and Internet, how people interact with each other to the next level. Communication today is not just about phone calls, emails or a short message;its more of a proliferation of communications that go across social networks, blogging and other interactions with each other. Microsoft is summarizing the ways people interact with each other through people and groups of people, rather than going in and out of individual application. Communication has become people-centric," Hopstein said.

Microsoft showcased some of the new features of Windows Phone "Mango" which include Twitter, LinkedIn and Viadeo integration in the People Hub,and built-in barcode reader (above pic)that will showthe link to the website or content almost immediately. According to the software giant, Nokia will launch their Windows Phone 7 with Mango in the Mango official release time frame - Q4 this calendar year. Also look out forWindows Phone 7 from other manufacturers including Fujitsu, Acer, Toshiba and ZTE.

Somanna Palacanda, director for Microsoft Surface, also introduced the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface which offers massive multi-touch, direct interaction, object recognition and supports multiple users. The SUR40 is the second-generation Microsoft Surface device and is scheduled to be official available in late September at US$8,600. It is a fully-embedded PC with a high definition display, targeting at various industries including retail, hospitality, auto-mobile, healthcare and financial.

Heres a short demo videoon what the Microsoft Surface can do:-

Lego launches 'official' Lego thumbdrive

LEGO-inspired devices are a dime a dozen in various online shopping sites, but the fact remains that most, if not all of the aforementioned devices do not have a license from the LEGO Group to make use of the likeness of its popular toy construction bricks. However, it seems that the LEGO Group has finally started to realize that there is a market for LEGO-branded products featuring its likeness, and has since moved to launch its own line of thumbdrives based off the Minifigure often found in its construction bricks.

According to the official LEGO online store, the Classic LEGO Minifigure USB thumbdrive sports a capacity of 2GB and comes preloaded with a copy of the LEGO Ninjago video clip for your viewing pleasure. Last but definitely not least, using the Classic LEGO Minifigure USB thumbdrive on your PC is also a snap; all you have to to is to yank its legs off, as shown in the image below.

If this thumbdrive has tickled your fancy, you might be interested to know that the LEGO-branded thumbdrive is available for sale at the online LEGO store for the handsome price of US$24.99. Well, that is the price one has to pay for official LEGO products, no?

Source: LEGO Shop via Technabob

Lenovo Unveiled ThinkPad X300 Notebook

SINGAPORE, February 27, 2008 – Lenovo today unveiled its highly-anticipatedThinkPad X300 notebook PC, designed for today's most demanding road warriors,and the thinnest and lightest full-function notebook in its class1. Theultra-thin, ultraportable ThinkPad X300 notebook measures less than 19millimetres at its thinnest point, and has a starting weight as low as 1.33kg2.

The ThinkPad X300 combines a number of leading technologies such as solid-statedrive (SSD) storage, a LED backlit display, ultralong battery life and enhancedwireless connectivity. Rated 'Gold' by the Electronic Product EnvironmentalAssessment Tool (EPEAT) for its superior environmental attributes, it alsofeatures a number of environmentally-conscious technologies, such as low-voltageprocessors.

“The ThinkPad X300 notebook marks a major milestone for the ThinkPad family,"said Ronnie Lee, Country Manager, Relationship Business, Lenovo Singapore.“ThinkPad has been pioneering notebook PC design for more than 15 years, raisingthe bar on innovation, and focusing on the core needs of ThinkPad users, namelyquality, reliability and functionality. Our customers told us that they wanted anotebook that was amazingly thin and light, but that they still wanted theirbattery options, their USB ports and of course, their DVD burner. Well, thewaiting is over, and it’s all there in the ThinkPad X300, our thinnest andlightest ThinkPad ever."

Designed for Maximum Mobility & Performance
The versatile ThinkPad X300 notebook PC offers models that can be configured forextreme portability starting at just 1.33kgs or maximum battery life of up to 10hours3 or a balance between the two with a convenient built-in DVD burner. Withits compact, thin and light design, the notebook packs a powerful punch,providing a full suite of innovative features to meet users’ mobile computingneeds.

Expanded Multimedia: The ThinkPad X300 notebook offers an optional built-in 7millimetres slim DVD burner for easy, flexible, on-the-go multimediacapabilities. It also includes stereo speakers, a digital microphone and anintegrated camera.

Extreme Durability: Constructed with advanced carbon and glass fiber, theThinkPad X300 notebook’s Next Generation ThinkPad Roll Cage helps protect thenotebook from falls and drops that can occur in mobile environments. These samematerials are used in building airplanes and Formula One race cars to helpreinforce their structure without adding additional weight.

Ultimate Wireless Connectivity: Users have a variety of connectivity optionsat their fingertips including models designed for WLAN4 and GB Ethernet.

Clearer, Crisper Viewing Experience: The notebook’s 33.8 cm LED backlight WXGA+high resolution display provides brighter and more energy-efficient performancethan LCD displays.

Enterprise-Level Security: Equipped standard with an integrated fingerprintreader, I/O port disablement and 32-byte password protection, the notebookoffers a layered security approach to help protect data and unauthorized access.

Enhanced Performance and Data Protection: The notebook comes equipped with a 4.6cm 64 GB SSD that provides more than twice the performance of a regular 6.4 cmhard drive.. With no moving parts, the technology offers more than four timesgreater shock resistance as well as greater energy efficiency than traditionalhard disk drives and contributes to the notebook’s thin and light design.5 Thenotebook also comes with the latest Intel® Centrino® with vPro™ technology, upto 4 GB memory and Lenovo’s ThinkVantage Technologies.

“The challenge we shared with Lenovo in its development of the ThinkPad X300 wasin making things small without losing key capabilities, such as performance andbattery life," said Mooly Eden, corporate vice president and general manager,Intel Mobile Platforms Group. "Intel's contribution included developingpackaging technology that enabled us to shrink the Intel Centrino platform bymore than 50 percent, yet retain its high performance and low energyconsumption."

In its first big test out the gate, the ThinkPad X300 notebook PC will supportteam members on the official aircraft of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay asit launches a demanding 137,000-kilometer, five-continent "marathon" next month.Often departing from torch relay cities late at night and arriving at the nextcity in the early hours of the morning, and with no margin for error, the torchteam will rely on ThinkPad technology to support nearly 22,000 torchbearers, inmore than 130 cities worldwide.

Designed for the Environment
Rated Gold by EPEAT, the ThinkPad X300 notebook stands out as one of the mostenvironmentally-responsible PCs in the industry. Lenovo designed the notebook toinclude environmentally-conscious technologies such as energy-efficient SSD andarsenic-free LCD glass and mercury-free LED displays. The energy-efficient LEDdisplay helps the ThinkPad X300 notebook achieve up to 35 percent lower powerconsumption than previous models. Lenovo also uses recyclable packaging.

Pricing and Availability
The ThinkPad X300 notebook starts at SGD 4,412. It is available immediatelythrough Lenovo business partners.

Intel New Mobile CPUs amp; Price Cut On Sept 2nd

Intel plans to lower the mobile processors pricing and introduce some newprocessors on Sept 2nd. On this date, 7 new processors will be launched and theyare X7900, T7800, T7250, L7700, U2200, U2100, 550.

Microsoft Fixes Windows XP SP2 Laptop Battery Drain Problem

The Core Duo battery drain saga that was originally reported by Tom's Hardware has resurfaced. Anand Shimpi later correctly proved that the battery drain bug had absolutely nothing to do with Core Duo, but was actually a problem with Windows XP SP2. Just yesterday, Microsoft got around to publishing a fix for the problem.

The problem apparently plagues Windows XP notebooks that cannot correctly enter into processor idle sleep states, or C-states. When the processor cannot enter these states, the processor idles, but at a higher state. The result is wasted battery life and a slightly warmer CPU.

There are many reasons why Windows XP SP2 does not let the CPU enter into the correct state, but the one reason seemed to revolve around notebooks that have USB controllers that do not turn off. The original ASUS Core Duo notebook, for example, had an integrated web camera that would leave a USB controller enabled at all times. Microsoft stresses that the patch does not fix notebooks with that particular problem -- it only repairs the ACPI driver that governs which C-state the processor should reside.

The patch only exists for x86 versions of Windows XP, Service Pack 2.

Lenovo to scrap Thinkpad X300 series

If you have been a fan of Lenovo's X-series notebooks, or more specifically, the X300 series, you might want to start getting one of them very soon, even if they command a huge price premium over the competition. Notbecause we at VR-Zone are getting any commisions from the sale of X300 notebooks, butbecause Lenovo is reportedly planning to let the entire X300 line go the way of the dodo rather soon.

According to a report by Xbit Labs, Lenovo is making the move in order to focus its efforts on the ultraportable X-series (which will be the X100 and X200) and the performance-oriented T-series, instead of competing in the ultraslim 13-inch segment, which is already crowded upwith various big names such as Apple, Dell and Acer.

Xbit Labs also quoted Wang Liping, marketing director for Lenovo, as saying that the company's 12-inch business notebooks make up 45% of global business notebook sales. While it should be noted that Lenovo is currently the only computer maker in the world to market 12-inch notebooks for business use, the fact notebooks of such size were able to capture a significant share of the business segment can only mean that busy professionals are more receptive to smaller notebooks instead of larger, more powerful machines.

In fact, Lenovo also believes that the market for 13-inch notebooks is set to shrink even further now that the performance gap between ultraportables and full-sized notebooks is starting to diminish, and its current X-series lineup is proof of that: the 11-inch X100e already packs in a respectable AMD Athlon Neo X2 processor clocked at 1.6GHz, while the X200 are already sporting Intel's i3, i5 and i7 processors, effectively nullifying the 'performance issues' usually associated with ultraportables.

According to Wang Liping, the X300 series'slow demise is set to take place in 'late 2010', with no specific date given. However, considering that it is already July (which is technically considered as the later half of the year), it might not be unreasonable to say that the phasing out of the X300 series is already underway.

Source: Xbit Labs

Logitech Unveils MK520 Wireless Desktop

Well known Swiss peripheral-device maker, Logitech, has announced the MK520 wireless desktop, adding on to its line-up of mice and keyboard combos. The keyboard features low-profile Logitech Incurve keys, one-touch mediabuttons, and boasts a three year battery life. The mouse features an“ambidextrous design”, soft rubber side grips, a high-performance lasersensor, two buttons, a scroll wheel, and a one year battery life. Theset, bundled with an ultra-compact 2.4 Ghz wireless Unifying receiver(range of up to 10 meters), can now be pre-ordered online from majore-tailers at a MSRP of USD $59.99.


"When you're using a laptop, the Logitech Wireless Combo can makeeverything you do on your computer more comfortable," said Anne-MarieGinn, Logitech. "The MK520 keyboard and mouse combo is designed to feelgood hour after hour."


News via [Logitech]

Japan to start selling Microsoft's new Touch Mouse next month

Approximately seven months ago, we ran a story describing what was essentially Microsofts answer to Apples multitouch-capable Magic Mouse, the Microsoft Touch Mouse, which first debuted at CES, and was touted to be capable of supporting gestures made by up to a maximum of three fingers. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not release any concrete details about the mouses release date at that point of time, preferring to simply claim that consumers could expect to see the device hit retail shelves starting from the second half of the year.

Fast forward to the present, and it seems that the long wait for Microsofts new Touch Mouse might soon be at an end, especially if this latest announcement made by the the Redmond giants Japan office is of any indication. Apparently, the Touch Mouse is expected to be made available for sale in Japan come September this year, and that it will reportedly be retailing at the price of 7980 yen, or approximately US$103.

The specifications of the mouse have remained mostly unchanged since its initial debut way back at CES this year; it makes use of Microsofts signature BlueTrack technology, which is reportedly capable of allowing users to utilize the Touch Mouse on virtually any surface, while a nano receiver serves as the link which connects the mouse to ones PC. In addition, the touch sensors on the Microsoft Touch Mouse are also said to be capable of recognizing different finger sizes, a trait which could potentially allows users to map various flicks and gestures to different fingers.

Last but definitely not least, ITmedia has claimed that the Microsoft Touch Mouse draws power from two AA batteries and is reportedly capable of providing up to three months of uptime on a fresh set of batteries. Oh, and it is available in any colour you want, as long as it is black.

Source: ITmedia

Microsoft offers cut-down Windows for old PCs

After officially cutting support for Windows 98 and Windows ME last week, Microsoft has unveiled a trimmed-down version of its flagship operating system dubbed Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. Windows Fundamentals is based on the Service Pack 2 release of Windows XP Embedded, a spin-off of Windows XP Professional aimed at embedded devices. According to an older report by CNet, Windows Fundamentals—previously code-named Eiger—is essentially a thin client that can only run a few programs locally. Such programs include Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and anti-virus software. However, the limited functionality allows the operating system to be squeezed onto much older systems than vanilla versions of Windows XP: CNet says Fundamentals can run on machines with original Pentium processors and just 64 MB of memory.

According to Microsoft, Windows Fundamentals is aimed at customers who have older computers, are unable to upgrade their hardware, but still need up-to-date security features. Since Microsoft will no longer be providing security patches for Windows 98 and ME, an upgrade to Windows Fundamentals may be a more viable option for some organizations than moving to Linux or coughing up the cash for new machines. Microsoft says Fundamentals is only available to its Software Assurance customers, though, and it doesn't reveal how much the operating system costs. Thanks to reader Shinare for the tip.

iOS 4.1 security flaw iPhone passcode lock can be bypassed

A forum member over at MacRumors recently discovered a security flaw in iOS 4.1: one can still make phone calls even when an iPhone has been secured with a passcode.

All you have to do is to randomly input something, like ###, make the call and then immediately press the Lock button. What happens next is the Phone app will magically appear, granting access to the dialer and that particular iPhone's contact list, call history, and voicemail.

You can get full access to the iPhone's photo albums by sharing a contact and then hitting on the camera icon. Voice Control is also accessible and you can call up songs that are stored in the phone too.

This flaw affects both non-jailbroken and jailbroken iPhones.

The discovery of this flaw means there is no way to prevent unauthorized people from using the iPhone if it has been misplaced or stolen.No official word fromApple yet, andwe are getting conflicting responses whether this issue was already known and whether it has been fixed in iOS 4.2from various sources.

Update: An Apple spokeswoman has emailed in response to CNET, that the security flaw will be fixed as part of the iOS 4.2 software update. iOS 4.2 is due in November.

References: MacRumors, Engadget

Intel to launch MeeGo tablets in June

MeeGo devices have been delayed for the longest time. And while details of the Nokia N9 smartphonehave beenleaked, it seems that we may not see it in stores anytime soon; Nokia may be dropping the N9 for MeeGo tablets indeed.

Withmore tablet devices flooding the market this year, Intel has revealed that it will be launching MeeGo tablets in June and we should see the final products in August.According to reports,the Intel’s App Up center for tablet should also be ready in Q3 2011.

Source: Fudzilla

Japan Plans to Criminalize Computer Virus Authoring

If you are planning to pack your bags and move to Japan for an extended period of time for various reasons (such as work commitments or simply migrating over), it might be a good practice to start maintaining your operating system and ensuring that the installed antivirus is up-to-date with the latest virus definitions.

Of course, you may be scratching your head, wondering why one must take so many precautions with a PC just to enter Japan. This is because Japan is starting to adopt a no-nonsense stance against malware: the Japan Ministry of Justice is reportedly planning on submitting a bill to the Diet which "criminalize the creation and distribution of all computer viruses".

This move was apparently made because Japanese law enforcement often found themselves powerless in attempting to bring malware authors to justice. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, the current legal system in Japan does not grant prosecutors the authority to directly charge such people for the damaged caused by their virus. As such, law enforcement agencies usually have to resort to various loopholes and workarounds in order to push charges against authors and distributors of such virus, which needlessly complicates the legal process.

The fact that the bill has also singled out "distributors" of computer viruses means that the normal user will be affected should it pass through the Diet. After all, the average users are generally unaware if their PCs have been hijacked as part of a botnet or not. And since these people are unknowing distributors of malware, it remains to be seen how the bill will addresssuch issues to ensure that users will not have to be wrongly accused by the law due to ignorance. But until then, the best way to safeguard oneself from being wrongfully charged by the law is to just simply be more mindful of computer security.

Source: Yomiuri Shinbun