Nikon Coolpix s1000pj: 1st Digital Camera with a Built-In Projector

The guys at PhotoReview have unveiled four new Nikon Coolpix digicams, including the S1000pj—the first to include a built-in digital projector. This backs up earlier rumors about the camera formerly known as the VP650.

The Coolpix S1000pj is the first digital camera with a built-in projector that lets users project photos or movies clips on any flat surface at up to 40 inches in size. A handy projector stand is included, as is a remote control that can be used to operate the projector, release the shutter, and more. This model features an effective resolution of 12.1 megapixels and a 5x Zoom-Nikkor lens with 28mm (equivalent) wide-angle coverage, along with a similar image stabilization system to the Coolpix S640.

Although a release date is still up in the air, the S1000pj is expected to drop sometime in the near future for an RRP of $699 AUD or $587 US. That's all well and good, but is this even a good idea? It's kind of a throwback to the days when your grandfather would bust out the projector and show home movies in the attic (while wearing a sweater and clenching a pipe between his teeth no doubt). It seems a little redundant to me when you can easily view the files on tv or computer screen, but then again, I was never one for torturing relatives with pictures from my vacation. Check out PhotoReview for details on the entire lineup.

source : gizmodo.com
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Samsung's WiMAX Phone Mondi Comes on August 1

Mobile phone maker Samsung announced on Tuesday that Samsung Mondi, the Mobile WiMAX-enabled handheld device it already announced for the US market, would become commercially available in the country starting August 1, 2009. The new phone has been designed to work with Clearwire's Clear Mobile WiMAX service, and its availability comes in line with the recently announced launch of the 4G network in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Portland.

According to the company, the new Samsung Mondi (the Latin word for “world”) is capable of delivering double the download speeds that comparable devices would be able to deliver on 3G networks. Not only that the phone will benefit from the extended availability of WiMAX, but it will also offer Wi-Fi connectivity, so that users will enjoy strong connectivity at all times.

The upcoming phone features a solid black finish, a horizontally sliding full QWERTY keyboard, fast access to E-mail, Internet, video content and business applications, multimedia capabilities, and support for a wide range of services, including Fring, Gypsii and Windows Live Messenger. We also have to mention the GPS receiver it packs, along with a 4.3-inch touchscreen display, the 3-megapixel camera, the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 OS, or the Opera 9.5 that it comes pre-loaded with.

“The Mondi is a perfect example of the powerful and stylish innovation that Samsung is bringing to the U.S. mobile market,” said Omar Khan, senior vice president of Strategy and Product Management for Samsung Mobile. “The Mondi packs productivity tools, entertainment options and content management applications into a compact device that is flexible and intuitive.”

Users will also find that the Samsung Mondi comes with enhanced customization options, delivering a set of widgets users can place anywhere they like on the home screen. In addition, it offers easy connection to Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile and other business applications. “With the Samsung Mondi, people can take advantage of powerful broadband speeds to access familiar, easy-to-use software like Microsoft Office Mobile on a sleek, new mobile Internet device,” said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager of the Business Experiences Team at Microsoft Corp.

While currently available on Samsung's website and at the company’s authorized distributors, the new phone will become available for purchase through Clearwire's retail outlets starting August 1. In addition, customers will also find it available in select Best Buy stores located in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Portland. The handset will feature a price tag of $449, or $349 with a 2-year service agreement with Clearwire.

source : softpedia.com
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Games on the iPhone 3GS is no big rush and would perform better

The iPhone 3GS is already wooing game developers with its faster, more powerful platform, but don't expect a ton of games fully taking advantage of it to flood the App Store--yet.

Though 1 million iPhone 3GSs sold in one weekend, the latest Apple mobile device is essentially still a niche product, compared to the 40 million original iPhones, iPhone 3Gs, and both iPod Touch models already sold. And those won't be able to run games with the same efficiency and speed as the new iPhone 3GS.

In short, it's still too early to declare the era of iPhone 3GS games officially arrived. Some game makers are waiting, or not creating games to take advantage of the device at all. Some say it's "not wise" to play specifically to what is still a small slice of the audience combing Apple's App Store for the latest downloads. For example, Pop Cap, the company behind Peggle and Bejeweled for the iPhone, said its games are benefiting from the faster load times the 3GS offers, but it has no plans to create games that are iPhone 3GS-specific.

This wait-and-see approach may be contrary to what some expected. The iPhone 3GS was essentially an update to the iPhone 3G. The "S," we were told, stands for "speed." Indeed, there's a faster processor, a PowerVR SGX graphics chip that can handle 3D rendering, and support for OpenGL ES 2.0, a standard use for creating 2D and 3D graphics. It also has a magnetometer and a video camera, unlike other Apple mobile devices.

At the device's world premiere at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller promised that games on the iPhone 3GS would perform better, and, in the parade of developers brought up on stage to demonstrate apps for the new device, the only category among education, health, games, books, and music to be repeated were games.

"Our philosophy is not to take advantage of technology just because it's there," he said. "The other thing to keep in mind: Apple has sold 1 million 3GSs, but there are 40 million devices already in market. By focusing specifically on 3GS, you're leaving a huge potential market untapped at that point," said Stein.

Independent developer Kuan Yong is already hard at work on updating his AirCoaster 3D game, which has sold 100,000 copies since February on the App Store. AirCoaster is a 3D roller-coaster simulator. For earlier iPhone and iPod Touch models, it uses the accelerometer to allow the player to gain momentum on the roller-coaster track. But now, with the iPhone 3GS's magnetometer inside, the phone can be moved along vertical and horizontal axes to tilt view, like a compass.

So even though the iPhone 3GS has been on the market for a little over a week, and while developers are clearly eager to see what the new device can offer for games (many of the people we met in line the first day were independent game creators) the flowering of super-powerful, intense 3D graphics won't take place until more devices capable of running them are on the market. While iPhone 3GS sales will certainly pick up, if previous iPhone model sales are any indication, the device that will blow open this market for game makers isn't an iPhone.

source : cnet.com
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HTC HERO™ , the latest Android phone

HTC Hero is the world’s first Android-based phone with a
customized user interface

HTC Sense to be integrated across a portfolio of
phones beginning with HTC Hero

LONDON – HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile phones, today debuted HTC Sense™, an intuitive and seamless experience that will be introduced across a portfolio of phones beginning with the new HTC Hero™. With its distinct design and powerful capabilities fully integrated with HTC Sense, Hero introduces a unique blend of form and function that takes Android to new heights.

HTC Sense is focused on putting people at the centre by making your phone work in a more simple and natural way. This experience revolves around three fundamental principles that were designed by quietly listening and observing how people live and communicate.

"HTC Hero introduces a more natural way for reaching out to the people and accessing your important information, not by following the status quo of todays phones, but by following how you communicate and live your life," said Peter Chou, Chief Executive Officer, HTC Corporation. "HTC Sense is a distinct experience created to make HTC phones more simple for people to use, leaving them saying, it just makes sense."

HTC Hero
HTC Hero continues HTCs leadership in cutting-edge design that focuses on introducing a variety of distinct devices to represent your own individuality. Boasting bevelled edges and an angled bottom, the HTC Hero is contoured to fit comfortably in your hand and against your face while youre on a call. The HTC Hero is built to last beginning with an anti-fingerprint screen coating for improved smudge resistance and a longer lasting, clearer display. The white HTC Hero includes an industry-first, Teflon coating, resulting in an improved, durable white surface that is soft to the touch.

With its 3.2-inch HVGA display, the HTC Hero is optimized for Web, multimedia and other content while maintaining a small size and weight that fits comfortably in your hand. It also boasts a broad variety of hardware features including a GPS, digital compass, gravity-sensor, 3.5mm stereo headset jack, a 5 mega-pixel autofocus camera and expandable MicroSD memory. HTC Hero also includes a dedicated Search button that goes beyond basic search, providing you with a more natural, contextual search experience that enables you to search through Twitter, locate people in your contact list, find emails in your inbox or search in any other area in Hero.

Here are specification for HTC Hero :
Processor Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz

Operating System Android™

Memory ROM : 512 MB

RAM : 288 MB

Dimensions (LxWxT) : 112 x 56.2 x 14.35 mm ( 4.41 x 2.21 x 0.57 inches)

Weight : 135 grams ( 4.76 ounces) with battery

Display : 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 320x480 HVGA resolution

Special Features: G-sensor & Digital Compass

Network HSPA/WCDMA:

*900/2100 MHz
*Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

*850/900/1800/1900 MHz

(Band frequency and data speed are operator dependent.)

Device Control : Trackball with Enter button

GPS : Internal GPS antenna

Connectivity : - Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP
- Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
- HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
- 3.5 mm audio jack

Camera : 5.0 megapixel color camera with auto focus

Audio supported formats : MP3, AAC(AAC, AAC+, AAC-LC), AMR-NB, WAV, MIDI and Windows Media® Audio 9

Video supported formats : MPEG-4, H.263, H.264 and Windows Media® Video 9

Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1350 mAh

Talk time: *Up to 420 minutes for WCDMA
*Up to 470 minutes for GSM

Standby time: *Up to 750 hours for WCDMA
*Up to 440 hours for GSM

(The above are subject to network and phone usage.)
Expansion Slot microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
AC Adapter Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz
DC output: 5V and 1A

source : www.htc.com

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Archos 9 mini tablet PC with Windows 7 OS

Archos has announced the Archos 9 mini tablet PC, which comes with a 9 inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600.

The Archos 9 features an Intel Atom Z515 processor, 1GB of RAM, built in 802.11 b/g WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel camera, VGA out, and the option for 3G connectivity and a DVB TV tuner.

Following up its lacklustre Archos 10 netbook, the French PMP maker has decided 9-inch tablet computers running a full-blown Windows 7 installation is the way forward. And we've got to admit, that's new.

The grammatically questionable Archos 9 pctablet is powered by an Intel Atom Z515 CPU, coupled with up to 120GB of hard-disk storage and Wi-Fi. With built-in DVB-T antennas it should pick up and record UK Freeview TV no problem. A 12-inch version will launch in 2010, but this 9-inch model goes in sale in the UK in the autumn, with prices still to be announced.

The important question is why would you want a tablet? The Archos 7 is essentially a tablet, but Archos pulled it off by giving it a media-centric custom OS built to be used on a touchscreen, and it worked well. Our own PC editor Rory Reid claims using tablets is essentially "like using a disabled PC", which while arguably true, isn't very PC at all*. But we shall not judge until we use.

Also announced at a recent Archos event in France was the Archos 10s and 13s netbook/mini PC/laptop models. The 10s is a thin little 10.2-inch netbook, running Windows XP atop an Intel Atom 1.6GHz chip, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard disk, with either a questionably low-capacity three-cell battery, or a slightly better six-cell option. A bunch of free software comes pre-loaded for you to have immediate fun uninstalling upon purchase, and while all very average in netbook terms, will probably bode well with the patriotic types in France.

The Archos 13s is more interesting. It's a 13.3-inch ultra-portable, powered by Intel's 'Ultra Low Voltage' Celeron CPU, which should offer decent battery performance over many 13.3-inch models. It's got the latest Wi-Fi technology (802.11n), an LED-backlit screen, HDMI output and 160GB of hard disk space. It's also an impressive 27mm thick. The Archos 9 will run Windows 7, and comes with a 120GB hard drive, it will go on sale in October for around $700.

source : cnet.com
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T-Mobile to sell new Google phone using Android in August

NEW YORK - T-Mobile USA will begin selling a new smartphone using Google Inc's Android operating software in August, facing off against high-end devices such as Apple's latest iPhone and the Palm Pre.

T-Mobile, an arm of Deutsche Telekom and the No. 4 U.S. mobile service, said the myTouch 3G phone is a slimmer and more advanced version of the G1, which was also made by Taiwan's HTC Corp and based on Android technology.

The new phone will cost $199, the same as the 16-gigabyte model of Apple Inc's iPhone 3GS and Palm Inc's Pre after a rebate for a two-year service contract.

MyTouch's advantage is that the phone can be personalized, such as with custom home screens and widgets, T-Mobile said. The Android platform can also learn user preferences and offer recommendations.

"The story is personalization," said Andrew Sherrard, vice president of product innovation at T-Mobile. The iPhone had a "beautiful aesthetic, but you can't change it," he said.

Cupertino, California-based Apple introduced the iPhone two years ago, and it quickly became a consumer phenomenon and upped the game for other phone makers, including the more business-oriented BlackBerry from Research in Motion Ltd.

Apple's latest iPhone, 3GS, hit stores last Friday with new features and faster speeds, intensifying competition in the high-end mobile device market. Apple and its U.S. carrier partner, AT&T Inc, also cut the price of an older iPhone model.

With more and more models on the market, there are questions what the market can support.

An outlook by RIM on Thursday that fell short of some investors' expectations stoked concerns about consumer spending and fears that the smartphone market has become more cluttered with alternatives.

T-Mobile's Sherrard acknowledged the economy has been weak, but said consumers will continue to seek feature-rich phones.

"We're still living in a recessionary environment," he said. "But people have hung onto their wireless devices. It's become the way they communicate."

The myTouch features a touch-screen display, and a 3.2-megapixel camera, a music player, and video capabilities to make it easier for users to share pictures and videos on sites like YouTube and Picasa.

The phone is also more lightweight in design compared to the G1, and will have longer battery life, T-Mobile said. It will come in white, black and wine red.

Customers already using T-Mobile can pre-order myTouch from July 8 onwards, and begin receiving the new gadget from July 29, the company said, adding that the price for upgraded users has not yet been finalized. T-Mobile expects more than half of the new phone's buyers to be existing customers.

source : reuters.com
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iPhone 3GS will be closer to 1 million sales over the weekend

With Apple’s iPhone 3G S hitting stores on Friday analysts are starting to guess how many units will be sold over the weekend. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is guessing Apple will sell 500,000 iPhone 3G S units over the weekend, that’s half of what the iPhone 3G did over three days last year.

In a research note (Techmeme), Munster wrote:

Apple will begin selling the new iPhone 3G S in 8 countries. We expect Apple to sell 500k iPhone 3G S units over the weekend. This would compare to 1m iPhone 3G units in the launch weekend last year, and 270k units in the original iPhone launch weekend. Several factors lead us to believe Apple will sell less iPhone 3G S’s at launch than it did for the iPhone 3G including a less dramatic change in value proposition and fewer available countries at launch.

Here’s Munster’s launch comparisons:
Here’s why Munster is expecting less drama:

* The iPhone 3G S will run you $199 just like it’s predecessor. The 3G launch introduced a better phone at half the price of the previous model.
* The iPhone 3G launched in 21 countries compared to the 8 that will feature the 3G S.

Munster’s forecast is a bit lower than other prognostications. RBC estimates Apple ships 500,000 to 700,000 iPhone 3G S units the first weekend.

In other words, the iPhone 3G S ramp will be slower that its predecessor, but still deliver sales as more countries are rolled out. And relative to the Pre launch the Apple iPhone 3G S should win the unit wars easily.

So how about you, what is your prediction? I think the App Store is great, but an original iPhone all the way through the 3GS can use it. Another factor is that some people might give or sell their iPhone, to get the 3GS, but I could easily give mine away to someone and sort of prevent a sale of the new one to those people. I'm not going to, however, but some will. I think half a million is too low, but not far off the mark.

source : zdnet.com
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Apple announces The iPhone 3G S !!

The rolling rollout of the iPhone 3G S is under way. Apple's latest iPhone has been going on sale Friday at 7 a.m. local time in each time zone where it's available.

Are people lining up the way they have for past iPhone launches? Is the phone everything they expected it to be? Does it really take just 10 to 15 minutes to get set up? Tune in and find out as the day goes along.

Why are these people waiting in line for the iPhone 3GS? It's the same iPhone but faster, there will be plenty available in stores everywhere, and you won't be any cooler for having it now because nobody will notice.

I guess if you're on the early line for preorders, or if you couldn't get a preorder and are desperate to get to the later, non preorder line, you might feel a bit desperate. But even at the launch of the original and 3G, we learned great respect for Apple's ability to keep hot product in stock. They forecast and they forecast well. Better than the weather man. So line waiting has largely become a non issue.

And this time around, why would you feel you had to have it right away? It's the same old design and of course the fact that most iPhone 3G users are not eligible for the reduced-price upgrade. I suppose first time and first gen buyers are dying for a taste, though, like those people buying iPhones in 2007 .

We'll sit in line again when the tablet comes.

Source : Gizmodo.com
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iPhone OS 3.0 wide release

Many of the iPhone's long-awaited features will finally become reality Wednesday when Apple rolls out iPhone OS 3.0.

Current iPhone owners can download the software from iTunes for free, and iPod Touch users can get it as well, but for a fee of $9.95, just like the last OS update. What time exactly, we don't know yet. Apple will only say iPhone OS 3.0 will come out sometime Wednesday.

The update includes many functions other phones have had for a while, including multimedia messaging (if supported by your carrier--AT&T won't offer it until later this summer), voice recording, buying and renting movies and TV shows over the air, full system search, tethering (again, if your carrier allows it), and push notifications.

Apple has also bundled in some extras, like landscape virtual keyboard for certain apps, more extensive parental controls, in-app purchasing, and a feature for MobileMe customers called Find My Phone.

There will also be stereo Bluetooth available, as well as the capability to create applications specifically for interfacing with third-party hardware. That could lead to a boon in the accessories market for the iPhone as well as the iPod Touch, as my CNET colleague Donald Bell has pointed out.

As anticipated as Wednesday's OS 3.0 launch is, it's only the second most important product rollout for Apple this week. The new iPhone 3G S is scheduled to hit stores Friday morning. In the meantime, check out our First Take of the new iPhone and our detailed look at OS 3.0.

source : cnet.com
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Nokia release E72 business smartphone

Nokia on Monday unveiled the E72, the successor to its popular E71 business handset.

The updated version of Nokia's QWERTY-keyboarded candybar phone includes an optical navigation key. According to Nokia vice president Ilari Nurmi, the new input method allows for "more intuitive scrolling through menus, e-mails and fast panning of images."

Another enhancement visible on the front of the Series 60 phone is the ability to turn the handset into a flashlight with a single press of the space bar key.

The E72's camera is a 5-megapixel affair, while the E71 only had a 3.2-megapixel camera. The device also appears to have a new speaker at the back of the phone.

Nokia says the E72 uses active noise cancellation to make calls clearer. The handset also has a 3.5mm headphone jack -- unlike its predecessor -- so standard headphones can be used without an adapter.

In terms of its dimensions, the E72 is almost identical to the E71 -- it is the same height and thickness, but is 1mm wider and a gram heavier.

The E72's 3G data connectivity specifications are superior to those of the E71, which has 3.6Mbps HSDPA. The updated handset takes that downlink speed to 10.2Mbps, and also has HSUPA uplink speeds of up to 2Mbps.

A new version of the QuickOffice productivity suite is included, offering compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 formats. Preinstalled e-mail clients include Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveller.

The E72 will go on sale at the end of the third quarter for 350 euros before tax and operator subsidies.

source : cnet.com
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Motorola Rival offers QWERTY, touch, visual voicemail

Motorola introduced the new Motorola Rival messaging phone today for Verizon Wireless, offering a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, “touch key” interface and visual voicemail.

The candybar phone, which is available today in a silver-and-red or purple-and-black finish, is intended for the multimedia-minded who aren’t ready to pony up the cost and data plan commitment of a true smartphone.

It’s e-mail and IM-ready, and offers smartphone-like features such as touchscreen dialing, IM-style threaded text messaging, a 2 megapixel cameraphone, emoticon support, GPS navigation, visual voicemail and, of course, a sideways-sliding, backlit full QWERTY keyboard.

(The phone has Motorola’s usual good attention to fit and finish and feels solid. I’ll post my full review of it later today on this blog, so keep your eyes peeled.)

Full specs:

* Backlit QWERTY keyboard for faster messaging; keyboard lights up either characters, numbers or symbols based on entry mode
* Holds up to 500 text messages in inbox and outbox
* 2.0 megapixel camera
* 3.5 mm headset jack and up to 8 GB optional removable memory (microSD)
* AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger with Mobile IM
* Mobile Email allows access to popular e-mail services such as Yahoo!, Hotmail, AOL and Windows Live
* Supports Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music with Rhapsody service for DRM-free music ($14.99/mo.)
* Supports VZ Navigator for audible turn-by-turn directions ($2.99/mo.)
* Visual Voice Mail allows users to view, delete, reply, listen to and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions ($2.99/mo.)

The Rival is available today in Verizon stores or on Verizon’s website for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year contract. (You’ll receive the rebate in the form of a debit card.)

source : zdnet.com
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New Software, New iPhone, New Steve? Liveblogging the Apple Extravaganza

In the pantheon of corporate hooplas, Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference lies somewhere between the TV-network upfronts and a model-railroading convention. Every year since 1983, Apple has invited its software developers to preview the company’s upcoming technologies and get personal guidance from Apple engineers on how to navigate its code base.

But recently the WWDC, held in San Francisco, has become more high-profile, as it has become Apple’s venue of choice to introduce to the world the latest version of its hottest product, the iPhone.

There has been a tad more drama this year than most. Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, is expected back at the company later this month after a six-month medical leave, and some have wondered if he will make a surprise appearance today. Apple is also expected to announce the release date of its new OS 3.0 software for the iPhone, demonstrate the latest version of the Mac operating system, OS X Snow Leopard, and—oh yeah—unveil the third generation iPhone.

The keynote presentation that kicks off this three day confab will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time and will be lead by Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. We will be covering the news and developer response right here on Bits as the presentation unfolds. Stay tuned.

source : bits.blogs.nytimes.com
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RIM (Research in Motion) warns a security vulnerability

BOSTON/WASHINGTON (June 3) - BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd has issued a security patch for the popular device, whose users include U.S. President Barack Obama, warning that it is vulnerable to attacks by hackers.

Research in Motion issued the security warning last week in a bulletin on its web site, but officials could not be reached to comment on details of the patch.

If the patch is not applied, security experts said, there is a risk that hackers could exploit the vulnerability, though they have not done so yet.

Such problems are not unique to Research in Motion. Technology companies constantly battle to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated hackers. Every time a vulnerability is identified, there is potential for hackers to exploit it.

"It is a serious problem. You need to read the advisory and implement a fix before the hackers try to take control," said Graham Cluley, a senior researcher with anti-virus software marker Sophos.

When companies publicize security flaws, criminals rush to exploit them because it can take weeks or months for users learn of such problems and protect against them.

Businesses often hold off on installing patches so they can test them to make sure that the new software is compatible with other programs in their network. Sometimes a patch can cause other types of software to malfunction.

The newly disclosed vulnerability could allow hackers to take control of servers running BlackBerry systems by sending emails with tainted attachments in Adobe Systems Inc's PDF format, according to computer security researchers.

If the device's user opens one of those attachments, it would seek to install malicious software on the server at the data center that runs a company's BlackBerry network. Hackers could then covertly use that server to send spam or steal corporate data.

"All kinds of nastiness could occur," Cluley said.

A spokesman for Symantec Corp, the world's biggest maker of security software, said the cost of such an attack would be greater than the value of the BlackBerry since it would hit the far bigger corporate network itself.

Research in Motion issued patches to resolve similar problems in January.

The Canadian company pays close attention to such issues because it prides itself in security, counting intelligence agencies and top executives at the world's largest corporations among its customers.

Research in Motion suggests that businesses block their users from opening attachments until they install the patch.

source : reuters.com
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Sony lifts curtain on tinier PSP games device

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp unveiled on Tuesday the latest in its Playstation Portable line of hand-held devices, the PSP Go, as it races to catch rival Nintendo in the mobile gaming arena.

Sony's gaming chief Kaz Hirai displays the new Sony PSP Go at the Sony E3 media briefing in Los Angeles June 2, 2009. The gadget goes on sale October 1 in North America and Europe for about $249, before hitting stores in Japan November 1.

Executives at the E3 videogames conference in Los Angeles said it will be half the size of Sony's current PSP 3000 and 40 percent lighter.

Sony aims to sell 15 million units of the PSP -- which competes with Nintendo Co Ltd's DS -- in the financial year to March, up from 14.1 million units a year earlier.

Nintendo's gaming consoles and hand-held devices have in past months outsold its rivals' products. Its DSi, released in the United States on April 5, sold roughly 800,000 units in the month, far outpacing Sony's PSP handheld.

The DS franchise overall sold more than 1 million units.

Nintendo's core "Wii" console was also the top-selling platform in April, even though sales fell by half to 340,000 units alongside a dive in consumer spending, according to research group NPD.

source : reuters.com
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Palm Inc's Launchs The Palm's Pre

NEW YORK (June 2) - It's no iPhone-killer, but the launch this weekend of Palm Inc's "Pre" could well become the brightest event this year for a gloomy industry.

Palm Inc's smartphone may not attract lines around the block like past Apple Inc iPhone launches. But its launch will be seen as a badly needed shot of adrenaline for Palm and exclusive provider Sprint Nextel Corp.

Plenty could go wrong. Executives have warned of shortages. Scathing reviews could smother not just Palm's hopes, but also Sprint's. And investors might have to wait a long time for the device to boost Palm's financials.

But the hope is Pre -- with touchscreen control, a slide- out keyboard and an operating system designed for trendy Web services such as social networks -- wows consumers enough to stem Palm's loss of market share and customer defections at Sprint.

The Palm Pre has a touch screen like the iPhone, but also has a slide-out keyboard and runs on Palm's new webOS software, which can run several applications at once, unlike an iPhone.

The original Palm Pilot was all about organizing the user's personal information, and the Pre will take that idea further by synchronizing contacts from Facebook, Gmail and Outlook into a single list — something else the iPhone can't do. The Pre will connect with Apple's iTunes software and download music and photos as an iPhone or iPod can, which may be a first for a device not made by Apple.

Since the Pre made its debut at the Consumer Electronics show in January, excitement over the device has intensified. Even arch rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc both say they want to sell it after Sprint's exclusivity runs out at the year's end.

If it takes off, Palm may even be an acquisition target.

"If you're buying (Palm shares) now, definitely what you're looking at is that they're going to have the most valuable asset in the industry. At some point, somebody will want to pay a premium for that," Pacific Crest's James Faucette said. "From a products perspective, the impact on the market is probably as important as iPhone."

Sprint and Palm are David to Apple and AT&T's Goliath,

with some casting Pre as the first credible iPhone rival.

Some analysts had fretted about the timing of Pre's June 6 launch, days before Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone. But several now see Apple announcing an iPhone that is not radically different from previous models.

About 623,000 Pres are expected to move in Palm's fiscal first quarter ending August, five analysts polled by Reuters said. Estimates ranged from 500,000 to 865,000 phones.

That would be a fraction of Apple's launch-quarter sales of 6.89 million for the iPhone that started selling around the world last July. But it's still an ambitious estimate for one phone at Palm, which had third-quarter phone sales of 482,000.

"My sense is that there will good pent-up demand," said Avian Securities analyst Matthew Thornton. "(Palm) is a company that's really gearing up for a complete product refresh."

source : reuters.com
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Microsoft unveils new Xbox technology, enlists Facebook

LOS ANGELES - Microsoft Corp on Monday offered a glimpse into a future where the Xbox 360 console is the centerpiece of any living room, and games, social interaction and communications are controlled with the wave of a hand.

At a star-studded event at the annual E3 video game conference that drew appearances by Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg, the company unveiled "Project Natal," which uses a camera to track a user's movements via full skeletal mapping. It also recognizes voices and vocal commands.

The technology obviates the need for a controller or remote device to enable a player for instance to drive a car in a game, interact with a character on screen or show pictures and information to other Xbox 360 users over the Internet.

"You are the controller," Shane Kim, Microsoft's vice president of strategy and business development for videogames, said in an interview in Los Angeles.

"That's a very powerful piece of technology -- full body gesture tracking, not just two hands."

On Monday, Microsoft also said it planned to boost its Xbox 360 gaming console by integrating music-streaming service last.fm, Web social network Facebook and microblogging site Twitter into its Xbox Live online community.

The announcements underscore how the interactive gaming industry, a growing business with estimated annual sales of about $50 billion despite the economic downturn, is looking into ways to attract new gamers while retaining their core audience.

Perhaps with an eye on the economy, Don Mattrick, senior vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, said the "Natal" technology can refresh the gaming experience without making consumers buy a new device, which typically costs $250 to $500. Microsoft would also avoid hefty manufacturing and marketing costs.

"We can leap into a new era of interactive entertainment without launching a new console," Mattrick told reporters.

Kim declined to detail when "Project Natal" games and service will be available, saying only that "it's not a 2009 thing."

IN LIVING COLOR

Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft's Game Studios, said the technology has been well received by software developers.

"It's pretty obvious that the controller is not going away, but the ability to augment the gaming experience that people are used to is one of the paths that people will take," he said.

For now, Microsoft is focusing on beefing up its fledgling Xbox Live service.

Users of Xbox Live will be able to keep tabs on and communicate with friends using popular Internet services such as Facebook and Twitter, without needing to use a computer.

source : reuters.com
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Special BlackBerry Storm packages from Indosat

Gadget freaks wanting to get their hands on the latest BlackBerry Storm are probably screaming in agony now as Indosat’s recent event called BlackBerry Touch Experience has just ended.

It’s painful because at this event, held in Promenade Senayan City from May 18 to 24, Indosat was offering a 50 percent discount on various applications developed specifically for this gadget, including Quick Dial, Anti-Theft Software, i-Berry themes, digital Koran and hadith, IDX Mobile for stock, Arena Games and Arena Music.

Even so, the good news has yet to turn sour, as Indosat is also giving out Storm packages until June. For those intending to purchase a BlackBerry Storm, do so between May 18 and June 30. The price tag during this period is only Rp 8,550,000 and without cash, its one year credit payment program is just as intriguing.

Included in the promo is a price reduction to Rp 1 per month for all BlackBerry services, 100 minutes worth of free calls to Indosat numbers for a month and 100 free SMSes every month for a year. Don’t you just love being geeky? Read More...

RIM and Google: The Perfect Storm?

A “Perfect Storm”: The Linux-based Android OS, and tight integration with Google’s web services, running on BlackBerry hardware and connected to RIM’s corporate messaging/calendar syncing infrastructure would be an unstoppable mobile enterprise device platform that not even Apple’s iPhone, Windows Mobile or Palm webOS could dare to challenge. But could the marriage ever be consummated? (GoogleBerry Storm concept by Spidermonkey)

In my previous piece about Palm and the potential for webOS to be used for derivative tablet-sized devices, I talked a bit about Google’s problem with having to brand Android and finding a major device manufacturer with brand and sex appeal to attract customers in order to make a major commercial success of the platform.

It occurred to me that the perfect manufacturer, brand and partner for Android devices already exists: Research In Motion.

There is of course, the issue that RIM already has it’s own software platform, the BlackBerry OS, which has been under development for about 8 years.

While Android is Linux based, and Blackberry is completely proprietary, both share quite a bit in common from the developer perspective, in that the applications are written in Java. There are of course some religious differences as to how Java is implemented on both systems — BlackBerry uses a licensed derivative of the Sun J2ME JVM and version 4.x implements a subset of MIDP 2.0, whereas Android’s Dalvik is an Open Source re-implementation of Java that uses a unique Google-developed bytecode that is incompatible with that of J2ME, so it cannot be certified as “true” Java. Nevertheless, from a developer perspective, the two systems are very similar in terms of skill sets that are needed to create software that would run on either device.

Still, in order to develop Android and Blackberry apps today, developers need to maintain separate code bases and separate developer platforms. However, if BlackBerry and Android ran on the same JVM, they could in fact share the same developer environment. Developers would not need to prioritize which platform to develop for — their application development target would in fact be the same.

How could this be done? Either by porting Dalvik natively to the BlackBerry OS, so that Android apps could run side by side with conventional BlackBerry apps and eventually phasing out the licensed Sun J2ME JVM over time, or by having RIM move to Android and port all of their enterprise messaging/calendaring integration services for BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) to that platform, adding any branding and UI customizations required in order to make it more “BlackBerry-like” and including the legacy J2ME JVM on the device to provide legacy app support during that transition period. In terms of level of effort, the second option would probably make a lot more sense.

There are a number of reasons why RIM might want to consider abandoning their own in-house OS for Android. For starters, both RIM and Google are facing three competitors that are encroaching on their space rather quickly — iPhone, Windows Mobile and Palm webOS, and to a certain extent in the European and Asian markets, Symbian. A strategic alliance between the two where BlackBerry becomes the premier mobile Android platform for enterprise and heavy messaging users and would include tight integration with Google’s web services would send shockwaves down Infinite Loop and Microsoft Way.

A RIM/Google alliance would not preclude the existence of other Android devices on the market, such as the T-Mobile G1, but presumably only RIM Android devices would be BES capable. RIM could also run their own Android store with apps that take specific advantage of RIM Android devices, maintaining the unique value of what makes a BlackBerry a BlackBerry.

RIM could also take advantage of Google’s massive datacenter infrastructure, and enlisting Google’s help in order to provide redundant NOCs, as opposed to the single NOC in Ottawa which they maintain now. This would render BlackBerry system outages a thing of the past, or at least much more infrequent than they occur now.

Would a RIM and Google alliance make sense and result in a “Perfect Storm” for their competitors, or are the two companies incompatible?

source : zdnet.com Read More...

AT&T says to double mobile data speeds by 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - AT&T Inc said on Wednesday it would double its wireless data network speeds as part of an upgrade that it aims to kick off later this year and complete in 2011.

The second biggest U.S. mobile service said its plan, which includes the expansion of its existing wireless data network from 350 metropolitan areas to 370 this year, would be covered by its previously announced capital spending budget of $17 billion to $18 billion for 2009.

The increase to its mobile Web surfing speeds involves an upgrade of a network technology known as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) that AT&T already uses. The upgrade is expected to increase AT&T's theoretical network speed to 7.2 megabits per second from current levels of 3 megabits per second, the company said.

However, actual network speeds can vary hugely once a network is loaded with customers. AT&T said it would have multiple laptop network cards and smartphones available to take advantage of the upgrade later this year.

The company also said it would start tests for its next network technology upgrade with a technology known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) in 2010 and plans to start building LTE into its network in 2011.

Its bigger rival Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, plans to already start installing LTE into its network later in 2009, a year ahead of AT&T.

Clearwire Corp is building a rival high-speed network based on WiMax, another emerging technology. Read More...

Microsoft to launch new Zune later this year

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp plans to launch a new version of its Zune portable media player later this year in the United States, incorporating high-definition video, touch screen technology and Wi-Fi connection.

Microsoft said on Tuesday the new Zune, its answer to Apple Inc's popular iPod digital music player, will also come with an Internet browser and a built-in HD radio receiver that offers higher-quality sound than traditional radio.

It did not give a price or a specific date except to say it was due in the fall.

The company added new features to Zune's music service last year, enabling users to download music wirelessly and buy songs they hear on the device's built-in FM radio.

source : reuters.com Read More...