Techno Babble

Is it a Laptop or is it a Tablet ?

Actually it’s both.

Using an Intel Atom N550 processor, it comes with 2GB Ram and a choice of 250GB – 320GB hard drive.

It has a 10.1 inch Widescreen HD WLED display providing a resolution of 1366 x 768 and, of course, with Multi-Touch.

pre-installed OS is Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit).

Overall dimensions are: Width 285mm x Height 26.2mm-28.7mm and Depth 194.5mm and an overall weight of 1.54Kg

The Duo is available today, starting at £449 in the UK, from Dell.

Beyond is a research project by Jinha Lee (and Hiroshi Ishii) from the MIT Media Lab.

http://tangible.media.mit.edu/person.php?recid=81

The full title of the project is Beyond  - A collapsible Input device for Direct 3D Manipulation beyond the Screen.

http://tangible.media.mit.edu/project.php?recid=139

It explores a technique for drawing in 3D on a 2D surface using an input device which collapses onto itself,  giving the impression of being pushed into the screen – watch the enclosed video to get a better idea of what’s happening.

It will be interesting to see whether this technique will be of any use in 3D CAD software. Towards the end of the video ( 1:41 ) is a demonstration of how to create simple extruded shapes.

Toshiba have recently announced a new Ultra Mobile Device (UMD)  to celebrate  Toshiba’s 25th Anniversary of Laptop Innovation. The libretto W100 Demonstrates a Next-Gen Ultra-Mobile PC Design With Full Windows 7 Functionality.

http://laptops.toshiba.com/laptops/libretto/W100

It seems similar to the Courier tablet concept (which was recently cancelled by Microsoft)

http://www.kf12.com/blogs/techno/2010/01/microsoft-courier/

The libretto W100 consists of 2 hinged 7 inch LED LCD touch-screens and can be used in a traditional laptop configuration with one screen being used to provide a virtual keyboard. The “keyboard” provides vibration feedback to give a physical response when keys are pressed.

Alternatively, you can use it vertically which may be more convenient for reading eBooks.

The device includes

• Intel Pentium U5400 @ 1.2GHz
• 62GB SSD
• 2GB Memory
• Integrated Bluetooth 2.1
• WiMAX wireless communication
• 1.02 Megapixel webcam
• Weight 699g ( with a standard battery pack giving 2 hours usage)
• Dimensions: 7.95″ x 4.84″ x 1.2″

Details from the Press Release indicate that “a limited number of libretto W100 Concept PCs will be available for purchase later this summer from select retailers“.

Apple has recently released an updated version of its Mac Mini computer.

The first thing to notice is the ultra-compact nature of the device with overall dimensions of  3.6cm x 19.7cm x 19.7cm  The power supply is built-in eliminating the need for an external PSU brick. Also provided is a removal panel on the base that allows access to the internals where you can easily upgrade the memory if necessary.

Features include:

• Processor is a 2.4GHz or 2.66GHz Intel core 2 Duo
• built-in power supply
• 2GB of RAM in the standard configuration and the 2 SO-DIMM slots support up to 8GB
• Choice of a 320GB or 500GB Serial ATA hard disk drive
• 8x slot-loading CD/DVD SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor supporting a resolution up to 2560×1600 pixels
• 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR , 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet
• Mini display port, HDMI port, DVI output via HDMI to DVI adapter
• 1 xFirewire 800 port, 4xUSB 2.0 ports and SD card slot

Want to see what it looks like from the inside? See the ifixit teardown …

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac-Mini-Mid-2010-Teardown/3094

Just before the opening of the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, Microsoft revealed Kinect for the Xbox 360 – previously this was known under the banner Project Natal.

Kinect makes you the controller by sensing your body movements and using these to control the application running on your Xbox. You can simply use a single gesture, wave of the hand or your whole body to interact with the game being played.

The Kinect sensor uses a full body tracking system, interpreting data captured from a VGA motion and Depth camera also has voice control.

Scheduled to be available in November 2010.

Read a few more details at

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Kinect-Sensor-for-Xbox-360/product/C737B081

The new iPhone 4 was announced during the Apple WWDC 2010 Keynote Address

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/wwdc10/index.html

With more than 3 years of experience behind them, the designers were able to build on what they’d learned so far in creating the latest and greatest iPhone offering.

In brief, hardware features include:

• size, 4.5in x 2.31in x 0.37in (115.2mm x 58.6mm 9.3mm)
• weight, 4.8 ounces (137 grams)
• capacity 16GB of 32GB
• case designed from engineered ultra-durable scratch resistant glass with fingerprint resistant coating
• backlit display providing  a resolution of 960×640  at a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch
• Apple A4 processor
• 3-axis gyroscope for advanced motion sensing
• accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors
• 5 megapixel camera, HD video recording and built-in LED flash
• additional forward facing camera on the front
• dual microphone system

Picture courtesy of Apple

Improved software (iOS 4.0) features include

• multi-tasking
• iBooks application
• Folders for applications
• built-in noise suppression when making calls
• improved versions of Mail and Safari

Watch the video at

http://www.apple.com/iphone/design/index.html#design-video

and read detailed information at

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Availability is scheduled for 24th June

SHOW WX is the codename for a full colour laser based pico projector from Microvision, which is likely to be launched under another brand name. WX stands for Wide Experience which refers to the wide image format, wide colour range and wide, always-in-focus operation.

A pre-production model was shown at the recent Macworld Conference and Expo 2009 and CES 2009.

SHOW WX Pico Projector

All specifications are “targets” and subject to change in the final production version, the resolution is aimed to be 848 x 480.

“SHOW WX is a major milestone on the transition path to product launch of our first PicoP enabled consumer product later in 2009,” said Alexander Tokman, President and CEO of Microvision.

http://www.microvision.com/showwx

Have you ever dreamed of moving an object with the power of your mind ?

Mindflex, one of the products shown on their booth at CES 2009, claims to make that dream a reality.

Mindflex

A lightweight headset containing sensors for the forehead and earlobes measures your brainwave activity. When you focus your concentration, a small foam ball will rise on a gentle stream of air. Relax your thoughts and the ball will descend. By using a combination of physical and mental coordination, you must then guide the ball through a customizable obstacle course – the various obstacles can be repositioned into many different configurations. Mindflex^TM combines advanced technology with the power of thought to create an interactive experience unlike any other – a game where players compete in the ultimate mental marathon! 

I wonder if it comes with an application developers kit?

In another report they announced a transformation of their online strategy to create the Mattel Digital Network, a portal providing access to their powerhouse brands and a central point of access.

Phase one for the Mattel Digital Network will:

• Discern the age of a child and provide a different experience depending on gender, interests, and level of active participation.
• Be a kid-safe environment with content that is screened, approved and appropriate for children at each age.
• Provide tools to harness the creativity of brand fans to make it not just a place to consume content, but also to provide content.
• Deliver on being a site “for the kid in all of us” – from ensuring our channels will support the personality of each to providing a shopping solution for gift givers.