TechViewz.Org

DELL XPS 14z: Thin and fully loaded

2011-12-10T20:33:00.001-11:00

DELL has expanded its thin-and-powerful family of laptops with the XPS 14z.

Aimed at demanding mobile professionals, this performance model with its latchless design is less than an inch thick and features an anodised-aluminium finish.

It has a unique design that maximises screen size by delivering a 14in edge-to-edge widescreen in a 13in form factor. The stylish notebook also houses a backlit, spill-resistant Chiclet keyboard and a magnesium alloy palmrest in dark gray.

Weighing in at 1.98 kg, the XPS 14z can be configured to include a second-generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, a slot loading DVD drive, an nVidia GeForce GT 520M 1GB and up to 750GB in storage space.

Touting more than six hours of battery life, it also features a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam with dual array of microphones and stereo speakers.

As part of the XPS range, the model comes with the Dell Stage user interface, which offers one-click access to your favourite content along with SyncUP which is powered by Nero. The program keeps content and personal information synched with other Stage-enabled Dell PCs and mobile devices within a home WiFi network.

BlackBerry maker fires two for inflight fracas

2011-12-06T20:28:00.000-11:00

TORONTO: Two employees of Research In Motion (RIM), whose rowdy behaviour caused Air Canada to divert a China-bound flight, have been fired.

George Campbell and Paul Wilson were removed from the Toronto-to-Beijing flight by police last week after the flight made an unscheduled stop in Vancouver.

The men later pleaded guilty to one count of mischief, received suspended sentences and were ordered to pay C$71,757 in compensation to Air Canada, police said.

"RIM expects that its employees conduct themselves in a manner reflective of our strong principles and standards of business behavior," the company said on Monday.

"RIM does not condone behaviour that conflicts with applicable laws and employees are expected to act, at all times, with integrity and respect. The individuals involved in this incident are no longer employed by RIM."

RIM did not say what positions the two men held at the company.

10 Billion Android Market downloads and counting

2011-12-05T21:44:00.000-11:00

One billion is a pretty big number by any measurement. However, when it’s describing the speed at which something is growing, it’s simply amazing. This past weekend, thanks to Android users around the world, Android Market exceeded 10 billion app downloads—with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month. We can’t wait to see where this accelerating growth takes us in 2012.

To celebrate this milestone, we partnered with some of the Android developers who contributed to this milestone to make a bunch of great Android apps available at an amazing price. Starting today for the next 10 days, we’ll have a new set of awesome apps available each day for only 10 cents each. Today, we are starting with Asphalt 6 HD, Color & Draw for Kids, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, Fieldrunners HD, Great Little War Game, Minecraft, Paper Camera, Sketchbook Mobile, Soundhound Infinity and SwiftKey X.

Of course, none of these apps would have existed if it weren’t for the developers who created them. Every day, these developers continue to push the limits on what’s possible and delight us in the process. For that, we thank them.

Please join us in this 10-day celebration and check in every day to see what new apps our developer partners are making available on Android Market—for only a dime.

Are you looking for a hip and trendy Android smartphone?

2011-12-03T21:29:00.000-11:00

Samsung has added two new stylish models to its Galaxy family, the Y and W.

The Galaxy Y is a compact and slim smartphone that's just 11.5mm thin and its back cover comes in five colours - white, black, orange, pink and silver.

It has a 3in QVGA screen and runs on a 832MHz processor. On the back is has a 2-megapixel camera that takes pictures and videos.

The Galaxy Y even has its own multi-platform chat application called Ch@tON for keeping in touch with friends.

For those seeking a stylish yet powerful Android device there's the Galaxy W which features a large 3.7in LCD screen and runs on a 1.4GHz processor.

It also has 5-megapixel camera with LED flash that records HD videos at 30fps (frames per second).

Both smartphones, which run on the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), support SD memory cards of up to 32GB is size.

Leica Review: A new D-Lux 5

2011-12-01T20:39:00.000-11:00

LEICA has updated its premium compact camera, the D-Lux 5, with a new special limited edition model, the D-Lux 5 Titanium.

The D-Lux 5 Titanium is not really made of solid titanium but is instead titanium anodised to give the camera a more elegant-looking finish.

The feature set is the same as before - it has a 10-megapixel image sensor with a Leica Summicron 24-90mm equivalent lens, 3in (460k-dot) LCD and the ability to shoot 720p AVCHD Lite or Motion JPEG format videos.

All the niceties of a modern compact camera are also present, including face detect autofocus and autofocus tracking to keep your subjects in focus, along with the usual exposure modes including program, aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual.

The D-Lux 5 also supports recording images in Adobe's DNG raw format for the best possible quality, in addition to the usual JPEG format files.

Apple could overtake HP in 2012

2011-11-28T20:44:00.000-11:00

APPLE could overtake Hewlett-Packard next year as the world's top personal computer maker, HP's chief executive Meg Whitman said in an interview with a French daily.

If one includes Tablet computers then Apple could overtake HP in 2012, according to the French-language Figaro daily quotes Whitman, who took over HP's helm in September, as saying.

Whitman, who took over HP's helm in September, told the French-language Figaro daily that if one includes Tablet computers then Apple could overtake HP in 2012.

She told the paper that the Palo Alto, California-based HP will try to regain the top spot in 2013 and that it will release a new Tablet using Microsoft's Windows 8, saying HP wanted to concentrate on the important Tablet market.

Citing disappointing sales, HP announced on August 18 that it was discontinuing its TouchPad Tablet - just seven weeks after it hit the market - and abandoning the webOS operating system acquired from Palm that powered the device.

Pentax launches its Q camera

2011-11-13T20:13:00.001-11:00

Pentax recently launched its Pentax Q mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC), which tries to outdo its competitors by being the smallest mirrorless ILC around (at least as of June 2011).

Looking like a spy camera from the 1960s, the Pentax Q can actually be hidden in the palm of most people's hands and has a range of tiny lenses to complement the system.

The secret to its small size is the fact that it uses a relatively small 12.4-megapixel 1/2.3in backlit CMOS sensor, which is similar to the sensor used in high-end compact cameras and much smaller than the sensors used in any other mirrorless ILC out there.

While it can be used as a simple point-and-shoot camera, Pentax has packed in a bunch of advanced features for those who need it, including the ability to shoot in 12-bit DNG RAW format, sensor -shift image stabilisation, 1080/30p video using the H.264 recording format, in-camera HDR and even a nifty digital bokeh control to simulate a pro DSLR's telephoto background blur.

The Pentax Q uses a new mount called, appropriately, the Q mount, and comes with a range of lenses with built-in shutter systems. The the kit lens is a 5-15mm zoom (equivalent to 27.5-83mm in 35mm format) but there are also four other optional lenses, namely an 8.5mm f/1.9 (equivalent to 47mm), a 3.2mm f/5.6 fisheye (equivalent to 17.5mm), 6.3mm f/7.1 toy telephoto (equivalent to 35mm) and an 18mm f/8 toy telephoto (equivalent to 100mm). Yes, they're called toy telephotos simply because they're so small.

Price for the Pentax Q with the standard 5-15mm zoom lens is USD 833. There is also a two-lens bundle that gives you Pentax Q, the kit zoom lens and the 8.5mm f/1.9 for USD 1100. The three other lenses, i.e. the 3.2mm f/5.6, 6.3mm f/7.1 and 18mm f/8 can only be bought as a bundle for USD 333.

Apple releases iPhone battery drain software fix

2011-11-10T20:20:00.000-11:00

Apple Inc has released a software update for its iOS 5 operating system to fix complaints on the performance of the new iPhone 4S battery.

After facing a rash of complaints on the new phone's short battery life, Apple had promised earlier to release an update to address the issue.

The software update also addresses some security issues, including a flaw in the operating system that may allow hackers to build apps that secretly install programs to steal data.

Setting up your email signature in Entourage – with images

2011-10-25T20:16:00.000-11:00

Lately we have set up a client with Entourage as his email client. Previously we set up the IMAP email for him and now we were setting up the signature. Here is how to set up your email signature in Entourage.

Update: Entourage 2008 doesn’t allow you to link, so if you are using Entourage 2008, you can’t link the images to a website/urls. If you are using Entourage 2008, please view the section down the bottom for using a text link.

Setting up the Entourage Signature

Open Entourage
Click on Tools > Signatures
Click on New
Give the signature a name

Type in the signature text (your name, email, phone, website etc)
Click on File>Save

If you want to insert an image (company logo etc) you can open the logo in preview, Select all, go edit > copy and paste it in the signature box

Linking the Signature to your Entourage Email Account

Now go to Tools > Accounts
Double Click on your email account
Click on options
On default Signature you can now pick this

Other Cool things you can add to your signature in Entourage

Facebook Tag
Facebook Like Button linked to your facebook profile
Company Logo
Your linkedIn profile button

So how do you set these up?

Facebook Profile link in Entourage

Save a facebook icon on your computer and open it in preview. If you can’t find a good one, you can use this image.
Select all
Click on Edit > Copy
Paste it in the signature box
Select the image and click on link icon to link it to your facebook profile.

Facebook Fan Page for Business link

Save a facebook icon on your computer and open it in preview. If you can’t find a good one, you can use this image
Select all
Click on Edit > Copy
Paste it in the signature box
Select the image and click on link icon to link it to your facebook fan page.

Twitter Link

Save a twitter icon on your computer and open it in preview. If you can’t find a good one, you can use this image
Select all
Click on Edit > Copy
Paste it in the signature box
Select the image and click on link icon to link it to your twitter profile

LinkedIn Link

Save a linkedIn icon or image on your computer and open it in preview. If you can’t find a good one, you can use this image
Select all
Click on Edit > Copy
Paste it in the signature box
Select the image and click on link icon to link it to your linkedin profile. To view your linked in profile, log into linkedin, view your profile and copy the public profile link

Hopefully this helps

Update: Entourage 2008 – making it look pretty

Since there is no way of making an image a link, here is what you can do

Use Url Shorteners

You can use url shorteners so that your links look neat and tidy and not loooooooooooooong. The two that I recommend are bit.ly and goo.gl . This way you can sign in with them and then later track how many people are clicking on your signature links as well. Ever wonder if the links on your signature work? This is the way to find out

Use One Link

Use a social media profile aggregator so that you only have one link on your email and then your customers can click on it and view all your details there.

An example of a site like this is xeesm.com (paid), about.me etc

We can also help you set up a page with all your social media details so that you can link directly to that page (there will be a small fee for this so please contact us at ben@techviewz.org for this. We can also put Google Analytics tracking behind it so that you can view who is viewing your signature link, from where etc, this service is roughly $30 )

Hopefully this helps give you a better idea.

10 security problems you might not realize you have

2011-10-10T14:48:00.000-11:00

IT administrators are often so busy just trying to keep up with the obvious security threats that many more problems fly under the radar. Here are 10 security risks you may have in your organization that you are not aware of.

1: Your employees

Your own employees are your biggest source of security risks. Sometimes, it is deliberate; sometimes, it is not. Employees have the most access and the most time. We expend a lot of effort worrying about external threats, but in all honesty, all it takes is an employee bringing in a virus from a home PC on a USB drive to nullify all your forward-facing firewalls and measures. Disgruntled employees sometimes express their anger by hurting your computer systems. And of course, it is possible for a well-meaning employee to make a major mistake. Good governance, education, setting (and enforcing) policies, and knowing your employees are your best steps to closing the holes here.

2: Common coding mistakes

Certain mistakes in programming still get made despite years of warnings and education. Most common are SQL injection and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. I still see these issues from time to time even in major software packages that you would think are trustworthy (WordPress is a good example). It’s hard to change software once you’ve installed it, so you need to keep these packages up to date even though it is quite a hassle.

3: Unauthorized machines

I’ve seen this one too many times. Someone decides to bring in an old PC and put it on the network to do something your existing infrastructure doesn’t allow them to do. They think that they are being helpful, working around the limitations of the IT department. After all, if IT won’t build a Web site for their group, it’s just “doing them a favor” to set up an old PC in the corner with a Web server on it, right? Wrong. The best way I’ve found to keep these rogue machines in line is with rigorous IP address audits and policies and scanning the network to create a list of machines. If machines can’t get IP addresses, they can’t do much harm.

4: Ancient “rock solid” servers

We all have them — that server buried deep in the data room that “just won’t quit.” Usually, it’s running some software package that is impossible to migrate to another machine. Sadly, these machines are often major security risks because they typically are no longer getting patches or we fail to patch them out of fear of breaking them. In addition, those older versions of operating systems often come with inherent security holes that no patching can fix. You need to replace these servers one way or the other. The best first step is to virtualize them. From there, it is a lot easier to try to update them.

5: Legacy applications

It’s not just the old servers that are big security risks; it is also the applications running on them, as well as other legacy applications you may have running. These applications would be a lot less problematic if they were current with their patches, but usually they aren’t. All too often, we miss a major version update because the upgrade is so difficult, and then we’re so far behind the ball that it’s impossible to catch up. Or perhaps the applications are completely discontinued. It’s painful to say it, but the best thing you can do is find a migration path to a recent version or another package entirely.

6: Local admins

We all know the dangers of allowing users to run with escalated privileges. Still, we occasionally end up with users being granted local admin rights inappropriately. In my experience, this often happens while troubleshooting a problem: We make the user a local admin to see if it fixes a problem and we forget to undo it. Regardless of how it occurs, it is a ticking time bomb for security. Use your central administration tools to make sure that the local admin list gets reset on a regular basis to the proper users and groups.

7: Incorrect share/file permissions

File permissions are tricky things, and most users are not even aware of how to set them. So what happens? Users create sensitive files in their usual networked location and those files get the default permissions, which are “collaboration friendly” to say the least. The next thing you know, everyone can read the documents, which are supposed to be confidential. Your best weapon is to pre- establish a share and file structure with the correct permissions. For example, give everyone a home directory for personal documents and create shares or directories around roles, projects, and teams with the appropriate permissions. The hard part is then educating them to use the correct locations — but that is much easier than trying to teach them permissions.

8: Hidden servers within applications

I have seen more and more applications lately that use a local Web server as an administration console. Sometimes, these applications are installed by users without permission. But occasionally, the IT department just does not realize what comes with an application. While these servers can be locked down so that they are not a risk (and with luck, they get installed like that), you need to verify that the applications are secured properly before allowing them to be installed on users’ machines.

9: VPN clients

Some users figure out how to set up VPN access on their personal machines. For a power user, it isn’t too hard to do. But you have no control over that machine, and once it is on the VPN, problems with the unauthorized machine can easily spill over onto the VPN. One thing you can do is audit the VPN systems to see who is connecting from what PCs and compare it to your list of authorized systems. Also, you can put additional firewalls around VPN clients to quarantine them. Finally, there are various systems to ensure that the clients connecting are on a preapproved list.

10: Disabled security software

Security software often puts up roadblocks to getting work done, so the “logical response” from many users is to find a way to work around it. For example, I’ve seen people set up anonymizers at home to sidestep IT policies. Power users (especially developers and system administrators) often know how to circumvent security tools. They may also be local administrators because of a technical need, which makes disabling software and changing settings even easier.

Combatting this is tough because these users often assume that they are “too smart” to be a security risk. What they fail to realize is that the modern crop of security threats do not require the user to make a mistake, like going to an obviously suspect Web site or downloading pirated software. Every Acrobat file, for example, is a potential plague rat at this point. Start looking for unusual trends, like large amounts of consistent traffic to an IP address and use centralized tools to ensure that settings are at the right levels and are reset periodically. Also, take any unnecessary local administration rights and firewall entire groups onto their own network segment to limit damage if those groups have a legitimate need for lower security.

iPhone still the hottest ticket around

2011-10-06T18:31:00.000-11:00

The iPhone 4S wasn't exactly Apple's brightest moment. Yet it will probably still outshine the competition this holiday season.

And people seeking to commemorate the legacy of Apple's iconic co-founder Steve Jobs, who died on Wednesday, may scoop up the last iPhone to be unveiled in his lifetime.

The latest smartphone from Apple Inc landed with a thud on Tuesday, outraging fans who had hoped for a revolutionary new design after a wait of more than 15 months.

But Wall Street analysts were still forecasting that software enhancements - and a sprinkling of cool new features - would keep Apple's leadership of an ever-growing pack of competitors intact.

Then the bombshell dropped when Jobs died. Fans abruptly switched from complaining about Apple across the Internet to praising Jobs and his life's work.

Apple was unwittingly pushed into an even bigger spotlight just a day before the Oct 7 start of pre-orders for its latest device, and right before its most crucial holiday season in years.

The timing may boost sales, but the extent remains to be seen.

"Store traffic will increase and there's going to be some sentiment-related purchases," said Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Bill Choi.

But any sales boost would be small compared with music sales after the death of an entertainment superstar like Michael Jackson, he added. Jackson died in 2009.

Bill Kreher of Edward Jones, said Jobs place in pop culture will cause a sales boost.

"But over the long run the products will stand on their merit," he said.

Above the fray

Apple's iPhone - seen as the market's gold standard - is its highest-margin product and accounts for 40% of its annual revenue.

It is the world's biggest selling smartphone, maintaining a slim market share lead on Samsung's Galaxy, at 18.4% vs 17.8%.

The iPhone 4S hits store shelves on Oct 14 in select countries including Japan and the United States.

It will have to compete for attention with not just a host of Google Android-powered gadgets like Samsung's Galaxy, but also new gadgets likes Amazon.com Inc's US$199 Fire, a Tablet.

But analysts say Apple will have one of its best holiday quarters on record this year with brisk sales of a cheaper version of iPhone 4 and a free iPhone 3GS on top of iPhone 4S sales to customers who want the latest device.

The iPhone 4S remains among the fastest smartphones out there. It will be available on more than 100 carriers by year's end, and a free-with-a-contract older-generation model will draw in new users, analysts say.

Then there's the "Siri" voice-command software that has pundits gushing over its ease of use versus rivals' offerings.

"The iPhone 4S maybe isn't the most compelling upgrade," said Morningstar analyst Michael Holt. "But people on the 3GS and other phones, those people are ready to upgrade. It will sell well."

Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek said he received one phone call from a person who told him they would probably get an iPhone 4S to commemorate Jobs.

But more importantly, he said, a large number of existing iPhone customers may be eligible for a discounted phone upgrade if they renew with their wireless provider, as their two-year contracts will expire in the next 12 months.

"The bigger thing is that 50 million to 70 million people will be coming off contract in the next year," Misek said.

Apple shares fell heavily after the iPhone 4S announcement. But analysts point out that, although the transition from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS was similarly incremental, that didn't stop buyers from buying it up in record numbers.

Ticonderoga analyst Brian White called the initial outcry "a knee-jerk reaction" and expects Apple to sell 27 million iPhones in the October-December quarter.

Globally, iPhone shipments are likely to be 83.6 million units in 2011, rising to 112.5 million in 2012 and up to 169.0 million in 2015, according to a forecast by IHS iSuppli Design.

Total sales of all iPhone models may reach 28 million in the fourth quarter, of which 10 million or more are likely the new iPhone 4S, Brad Gastwirth, co-founder of ABR Investment Strategy, an independent research firm, said. Apple sold over 20 million of the iPhone 4 in the April-June quarter.

Software upgrades - including voice commands for everything from sending messages to searching for stock prices - may be enough to keep people hooked on iPhones, on top of the surge in attention around Jobs' personality.

"I don't think they need it but they will get some of that bump," said Hudson Square analyst Daniel Ernst.

Steve Jobs, we owe you

2011-10-05T13:32:00.000-11:00

Well, all I can say is that definitely no one expected what Jobs "did" this morning. My Twitter timeline, like many others, was filled with tributes to Jobs. Honestly, I was in denial at first. Then it hit me. He really has left us.

We've lost a visionary who changed not only the computing landscape, but also redefined a whole new computing culture.

I've never met Jobs personally, but like many others, we feel that we know him. Why? Because he has touched our lives in ways that few people can or ever will.

New iPhone excitement put on hold

2011-10-04T19:28:00.000-11:00

CUPERTINO (California): Apple Inc's newest iPhone left Wall Street and fans wishing for more than a souped-up version of last year's device, igniting a rare storm of criticism and disappointment on the Internet.

Newly minted CEO Tim Cook ably helmed his first major product launch without former boss Steve Jobs, but failed to ignite the sort of excitement and buzz that the charismatic Apple co-founder once did.

Expectations were high at this critical juncture, when Android phones by Samsung Electronics and other rivals are closing in on Apple's lead and the important holiday shopping season gets started.

Investors and fans, looking to be blown away by some amazing surprise, sent the shares down as much as 5% before they recovered with the market to close down 0.6%.

Cook, who took over from Jobs in August, and his executive team showed off a device that comes with voice recognition and a better camera, but looks identical to the last phone and does little to lift the bar for smartphones.

While the gadget wasn't as tricked out as some had hoped, analysts liked its voice-enabling technology that helps users vocalise everything from stock price searches to sending messages - more easily than on Android phones or Research in Motion's (RIM) Blackberries.

"It's been 16 months and all you've got is an A5 processor in the existing iPhone 4," said BGC Partners' analyst Colin Gillis. "It's a mild disappointment, but they're still going to be selling millions of units."

Some shareholders and analysts hoped for a cameo appearance by Jobs, now chairman. The pancreatic cancer survivor, who took his third medical leave in August, did not appear.

In some ways, Apple may have been a victim of its past success. Its launches are some of the hottest events on the tech calendar. Tuesday's "Let's talk iPhone" show marked Cook's unofficial debut since taking over from Jobs in August.

Analysts say it is more crucial than ever to sustain the popularity of its aging iPhone 4. Apple sold more than 20 million units in the third quarter ended June 25.

"It's kind of funny - if they have gone and called it the 5, the stock would have been fine, but they're calling it the 4S, which is a disappointment to some," said WP Stewart portfolio manager Michael Walker.

The iPhone, which accounts for more than 40% of Apple's sales, has been a success since it came out in 2007, making Apple into one of the world's leading consumer electronics companies.

Intensifying competition

On a brighter note, the company would seem to be making inroads into potentially pivotal new markets.

It said more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies are testing or using its iPhones and iPads, expanding its presence in a corporate market dominated by RIM.

RIM shares trading on the Nasdaq stock market slid nearly 3% before ending 2.4% higher. Google shares finished 1.3% up.

The two-generation-old iPhone 3GS will be offered free, as long as users sign a contract. Analysts said that would help to expand its market in lower-end Asian and developing markets.

"Apple is hitting Nokia when it's vulnerable. How many billions of people in emerging markets would love to have an iPhone? These are a growing demographic," said YCMNet Advisors CEO Michael Yoshikami.

Tuesday's iPhone event took place at Apple Central - the same venue where the iPod first was introduced years ago - versus the larger, splashier venues of more recent choice such as downtown San Francisco's Moscone centre.

Heading in to the event, many on Wall Street had questioned Cook's ability lead the company as Jobs did. In terms of stage presence, Jobs was a tough act to follow, but analysts say Cook acquitted himself well.

Twitter users were not impressed with the phone, though.

"Please note I will be selling some 'S' stickers for $0.99 so iPhone 4 owners have a cheaper upgrade option," wrote HAL9000 on Twitter.

Tomlinsonr tweeted, "I'll have a double helping of 'meh' with a side of 'whatever'." The latest version of the iPhone comes as the economy slows and competition intensifies. People activate more than 550,000 Android-based devices - including Tablets - each day. Nielsen data shows the iPhone was No. 2 in the United States with a 28% market share, with Android at 43%.

Globally, iPhone shipments rose 9.1% in the second quarter while Nokia's plummeted more than 30%, handing the top spot to Apple with a market share of 18.4%, according to IHS iSuppli.

Samsung, whose shipments grew faster, is coming on strong with a market share of 17.8%.

Despite disappointment online, analysts said the phone is superior to many rival offerings.

"Voice recognition has been on Google and Blackberry devices for years, but Apple will make it much more usable," said Morgan Keegan analyst Tavis McCourt. - Reuters

10 things you must teach new Linux users

2011-10-01T14:51:00.000-11:00

1: It’s just an operating system

Only two years ago, this issue wouldn’t even have been mentioned. The thing is, the vast majority of work now is done through a Web browser. This makes the operating system almost irrelevant. So long as the operating system can run a browser, it will most likely live in the background, working away without so much as being noticed. Of course, this should be the case anyway, as an operating system is nothing more than a layer between user applications and hardware.

2: It’s not Windows

Many new users aren’t exactly aware that there is a difference between Windows, Linux, and Mac. But they need to know that they shouldn’t always expect Windows-like behavior. When a user expects an operating system to behave like another operating system, trouble will most certainly ensue. Does this mean you need to give them the rundown on every difference between the operating systems? No. They just need to be prepared to encounter different behaviors from what they expect.

3: There is no “C”

Windows users are accustomed to a file system structure that never really made sense. Linux, on the other hand, has a perfectly logical directory hierarchy. This is one issue users will need to understand. However, there really is only one main directory they need to know about: /home/USERNAME (Where USERNAME is their name). Most modern distributions create the following directories within the users home directory: Documents, Pictures, Music, Video. Those subdirectories speak for themselves, and new users only need know where they are located to function properly. They also need to know that their home directory is the only place on the file system where they can save files.

4: Installing software is a different process

This one can trip up the new user more than anything. PC users are accustomed to searching for software on the ‘net, downloading the .exe file, double-clicking it, and waiting for the software installation to complete. So they need to understand that Linux distributions come complete with their own special tool that will do all of that for them. All they have to do is open the Add/Remove Software tool (such as the Ubuntu Software Center, PackageKit, or Synaptic), search for a piece of software, and install it. New users tend to love the sheer amount of software that’s available to install. Naturally some of it is useless, but the majority of those titles are good pieces of software that serve their purpose.

5: The command line is not necessary

When new uses are handed a Linux box, one of the first things to come out of their mouths is often, “Am I going to have to learn a bunch of commands?” The answer is no. In fact, modern Linux distributions are created in such a way that users could live their entire Linux lives and never touch the command line. This is now a non-issue. The command line is there (and always will be), but only those who want to use it need ever open up a terminal window. Outside of that, users can rest assured that they will not have to grep, ls, mkdir, chmod, or chown. Nearly every action in Linux can be handled through a GUI.

6: There’s no need to worry about infection

We’re no longer dealing with Windows — so all that concern for viruses and malware is a thing of the past. You don’t see AVG or SEP in the notification tray? That’s normal. Your machine will not be at risk without them. But it’s still important to make sure users know that their colleagues may still be using Windows, so they shouldn’t be cavalier about forwarding email attachments to them. Just because those attachment won’t harm the Linux box doesn’t mean they won’t harm the Windows box.

7: It’s free

I’m always shocked at how much trouble users have understanding the concept of open source and the fact that most open source software has no cost attached. “Well then it must not be any good!,” is most often the reaction. Not so. Of course, a consumerist society would have trouble with the idea that “free can be good,” but it’s one we should get used to. In many cases, open source software is not only better for society, it’s better for your computer.

8: If you don’t like it, you can change it

This is another strange concept for new users, but one they should understand. Unlike Windows and Mac, if you don’t like a Linux desktop, you can change it. Granted, this isn’t something a new user is going to just automatically do. But knowing that it is a possibility helps new users understand just how much flexibility they have. Besides, working with a desktop you don’t like can make for a frustrating experience. I prefer to demonstrate for new users the types of desktops available for them and let them choose. Most times, they will go with what they’re somewhat familiar with (KDE being a good choice for most), but on occasion a new user will go with something completely different just for the experience.

9: Not all hardware is created equal

That’s right — not every piece of shiny new hardware will actually function properly with the Linux operating system. This is not nearly the issue it once was, but for some pieces of hardware (such as multi-function printers, some wireless cards, and laptop displays,) the problems still persist. For those pieces of hardware, it is sometimes as simple as downloading proprietary drivers (something new users won’t mind, but you will want to take care of). Other times, it may be as involved as switching to a different distribution all together. The good news is that Linux has come a long, long way in this area and continues to expand and improve.

10: Google is your friend

The single most important thing you can do for yourself and your new users is to ensure that they understand just how helpful Google can be. When there is a problem or an aspect of Linux they don’t understand, they should know that someone else has probably documented this issue, and helpful info is just a search away. Show new users how to make the most out of a Google search so they are not inundated with worthless results. In the end, they might come to you with fewer request, and even more important — they’ll be learning along the way.

Easing the transition

People fear change. And it’s become clear that the more things do change, the more people react. (Just watch Facebook long enough and you’ll see this in action.) But change doesn’t have to be avoided or handled improperly. With just a little preparation on your part, the new Linux user will have a positive experience and will most likely not look back.

Intel, Samsung get behind new Linux phone software

2011-09-28T19:32:00.000-11:00

Two Linux software groups have joined forces to develop a new operating system for cellphones and other devices in collaboration with Intel and Samsung Electronics.

However, analysts said the new Tizen platform is likely to struggle to attract wider developer and manufacturer support to compete with the dozen or so other mobile operating systems in a market dominated by Apple and Google's Linux-based Android.

Even industry majors Nokia and Hewlett-Packard have ditched their mobile platforms this year.

"The best hope for them is that big operators get worried by Android's increasing smartphone dominance and decide to consciously switch their allegiances to rival platforms to restrict Google's huge influence over the mobile market," said analyst Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics.

LiMo Foundation and the Linux Foundation said the new Tizen platform is an open-source, standards-based software platform that supports multiple devices including smartphones, Tablets, smart TVs, netbooks and in-vehicle 'infotainment' systems.

The initial release is planned for the first quarter of 2012, enabling the first devices using Tizen to come to market in mid-2012, the two groups said.

The world's largest semiconductor firm Intel, which also has its own MeeGo Linux system, and Samsung Electronics, the second biggest maker of cellphones and one of the key contributors to LiMo, will head the technical steering committee developing Tizen.

"Tizen aims to unify a number of marginalised Linux based platforms," said Geoff Blaber, an analyst at London-based telecoms industry consultancy CCS Insight.

"There is a willingness to create an independent alternative to Android but history tells us that willingness doesn't necessarily equate to success," he added.

Samsung is the leading user of the Android platform, but some other makers of Android-operated phones have begun to look at alternatives since Google agreed to buy Motorola Mobility last month for US$12.5bil.

"Samsung might be further tempted to try a new system as Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility raised uncertainty over the future of Android," said Song Jongho, an analyst at Daewoo Securities.

A spokesman for Samsung said: "We've been a core Linux partner and this is in line with our strategy of supporting many platforms."

Earlier this month Intel and Google launched a development partnership to adapt Android for Intel's Atom processor chips, with a view to having the first Anroid phones featuring Intel chips in the first half of next year.

Linux is the most popular type of free, or open-source, computer operating system which allows the public to use, revise and share. Linux suppliers earn money selling improvements and technical services.

McAfee adds protection for mobile gadgets

2011-09-25T19:35:00.000-11:00

Computer security firm McAfee will launch a service that unifies defences for computers, smartphones and Tablets.

McAfee billed AllAccess as an unprecedented offering for co-ordinated protection of desktop, laptop and netbook computers along with smartphones or Tablets powered by Android, Symbian, or BlackBerry operating systems.

"Most consumer households now own a combination of PCs, Macs, and mobile devices, but haven't kept up-to-date by adequately protecting all of them," said McAfee co-president Todd Gebhart.

AllAccess lets users manage security, limit Internet surfing, and back up data on devices from a central console.

McAfee announced the new service along with the results of a global study that found people placed an average value of US$37,438 on their total "digital assets," including pictures and music collections.

2011-09-14T21:11:00.000-11:00

Intel said it is reinventing the personal computing experience once again with the creation of a new mobile computing category dubbed the Ultrabook.

"Not since the introduction of Centrino more than eight years ago have we witnessed such a fundamental transformation of personal computing," said Intel's PC Client Group vice-president and general manager, Mooly Eden.

Eden, who delivered the second keynote of the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, then proceeded to run through the basic features of the Ultrabook.

Its characteristics include a thin and light design that is less than an inch thick and below 1kg in weight, and doesn't sacrifice anything in the way of performance.

In fact, Eden ran through a series of demonstrations that showed off the responsiveness and solid security features that are built into the Ultrabook platorm.

Among them included Intel's Rapid Start technology that managed to jolt an Ultrabook out of hibernation mode in about four seconds as compared to as long as a minute in some current notebooks.

Security is also a major feature in the Ultrabooks and Intel showed off its processor-based Identity Protection feature that can thwart hackers even if they have managed to get hold of your login and password information.

Intel-linked McAfee will also have an antitheft service for the Ultrabooks next year that will take advantage of Intel chip-level technologies and will provide device and data protection such as device lock, data wipe and location tracking.

Multi-year vision
Eden said that the Ultrabook vision is a multi-year, industry-wide effort that will roll out in three phases.

"Today's devices powered by our second generation Core processors are already giving people a personal computing experience that they've never had before and we won't stop there."

The first Ultrabooks will be available in time for the holiday season later this year and will be powered by Intel's second generation Core processors, also commonly known as Sandy Bridge.

Incidentally, Eden said that Sandy Bridge is the fastest-shipping processor in the company's history with 75 million shipped since it was introduced earlier this year.

Phase two will begin next year and this is when Intel's next generation Ivy Bridge processors will come into play.

Ivy Bridge is built on a 22nm (nanometre) process and has 1.48 billion 3D tri-gate transistors as compared to 32nm Sandy Bridge processors that have 1.16 billion transistors. In essence Ivy Bridge processors will be more power efficient and will deliver better graphics and media performance as well.

Eden said that Ivy Bridge can even deliver better performance than existing laptops despite being a low voltage chip thanks to Intel's boosted Turbo mode that allows a 17-watt Ivy Bridge processor to reach the same frequencies as a regular 35-watt Sandy Bridge mobile processor.

In fact, Eden clarified that Ivy Bridge is actually a "tick plus" in Intel's "tick-tock" cadence roadmap as it is not merely a die shrink of the 32nm Sandy Bridge but has graphics and media delivery improvements.

TINY BUT POWERFUL: The third generation Intel Core processor, codenamed Ivy Bridge, will power the 2012 Ultrabook devices. - Intel.

Eden also shared the stage with Brett Carpenter from Microsoft's Windows Ecosystem Group to show off the Windows 8 operating system working and running several applications on Intel-based Ultrabook devices.

They highlighted the broad collaboration between the two companies and pointed to the future opportunities that Windows 8 will present across multiple compute devices such as Tablets, hybrids and new form factors like the Ultrabook.

In fact, Carpenter started off his demo with a prototype Intel-based Tablet running Windows 8 before turning his attentions to the Ultrabook.
Intel also turned the spotlight on the Thunderbolt I/O technology, which enables high-speed storage, media capture devices and displays to all connect via a single, thin cable.

According to Eden, Thunderbolt will find its way to some Acer and Asus Ultrabook models next year.

Vision realised
While the announcements of Ivy Bridge were impressive enough, Eden pulled a rabbit out of his hat (figuratively of course as the colourful Intel vice-president is seldom pictured without a beret) by showing off a working next-generation Haswell processor at the end of his keynote.

Due out in 2013, the 22nm Haswell chip is designed to offer 10 days of connected standby battery life and a full day's worth of usage on a single charge.

According to Eden the goal is to achieve standby connected power usage that is 20 times lower than current Sandy Bridge processors. What this means is that your Ultrabook will be able to last 10 days in standby mode where it would still be working in the background, getting your e-mail, social network and message updates.

Eden demonstrated Haswell running multiple applications simultaneously and said that it would "complete the Ultrabook revolution" once it starts finding its way into Ultrabooks two years from now.

Top Android apps for men and women

2011-09-13T21:20:00.000-11:00

NEW YORK: There are many apps that both male and female Android smartphone owners use frequently, but recent statistics from market analyst Nielsen show that women are using Facebook and men are using mapping and mail apps like Google Maps and Gmail much more than the opposite sex.

Facebook, Google Maps and Gmail were among the most used applications by Android users over the age of 18 in the United States but when it came to male vs female application use, Nielsen's figures show a gender divide.

Over the last month Facebook's overall active reach (the percentage of Android owners who used an app within the last 30 days) was much higher among women (81%) than men (66.9%).

Women were also slightly more likely to use Twitter than men.While women were busy social networking, men were looking up directions and checking their mail. Men were more likely to use Google Maps (77.1% vs 71.9%) and Gmail (75.5% vs 73.4%) than their female counterparts.

Interestingly, Google's social networking app Google+ had more than double the reach among men (15.8%) than women (7.2%)."Outside of social media, apps like Amazon's Kindle and Words With

Friends showed higher active reach among women," said Nielsen, "while apps like Quickoffice Pro and the Amazon Appstore had higher active reach among male Android smartphone owners."

Google-made apps ranked highly within Nielsen's top Android applications. Google's own Android Market app had the highest overall active reach among all users, female and male.

An April report by app store analyst Distimo found that Apple-made applications such as iBooks, Pages and Numbers ranked highly in the all-time most popular free and paid applications in the Apple App Store for iPhone.

Top 20 most used Android applications in the US according to Nielsen (overall active reach):

Android Market (90.5%)
Google Maps (74.6%)
Gmail (74.5%)
Facebook (73.5%)
Google Search (71.9%)
YouTube (51.4%)
Angry Birds (25.9%)
QuickofficePro (25.3%)
Pandora Radio (23.9%)
The Weather Channel (17.8%)
Amazon AppStore (17.7%)
Words With Friends (16.0%)
Talk - Text to Voice (16.0%)
Twitter (14.9%)
Barcode Scanner (13.9%)
Adobe Reader (13.9%)
Angry Birds Rio (13.6%)
Kindle (12.4%)
Google+ (11.8%)

HP accuses former exec of stealing its secrets

2011-09-06T18:35:00.000-11:00

Hewlett-Packard Co has filed a lawsuit against a former executive over allegations he took trade secrets with him when he went to work for rival Oracle Corp.

The case against Adrian Jones, who was a senior vice-president in HP's server, storage and networking division in Asia, shows the growing rancor between the Silicon Valley technology titans.

HP's and Oracle's decades-long partnership is being strained by growing competition between the companies.

The company said Jones resigned Feb 16, before he was about to be fired for allegedly violating HP's standards.

He is accused in the lawsuit of failing to disclose a "close personal relationship" with a subordinate, and of submitting thousands of dollars in expenses for visiting the subordinate that didn't have a legitimate business purpose.

HP alleged Jones downloaded hundreds of files and thousands of e-mail messages detailing HP's secrets before he quit.

The company, based in Palo Alto, said the lawsuit "seeks to prevent Jones from using the theft of confidential HP documents to place HP in an unfair competitive disadvantage."

A phone number for Jones could not immediately be located.

The HP-Oracle rivalry kicked off with Oracle's US$7.3bil acquisition last year of Sun Microsystems, a server computer seller that competes with HP.

It ratcheted up with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's ridiculing of HP's board in the fall for firing his friend and HP CEO Mark Hurd over inaccurate expense reports.

The rivalry continued with Oracle targeting Hurd's replacement, Leo Apotheker, in a separate court case involving the theft of trade secrets and his former employer, SAP AG.

Google's patent play: RM37.5bil for Motorola Mobility

2011-08-16T14:17:00.001-11:00

It may be boldest move yet by a company known for being audacious: Google is spending US$12.5bil to buy Motorola Mobility. But the big prize isn't Motorola's lineup of cellphones, computer Tablets and cable set-top boxes.

It is Motorola's more than 17,000 patents - a crucial weapon in an intellectual arms race with Apple, Microsoft and Oracle to gain more control over the increasingly lucrative market for smartphones, Tablets and other mobile devices.

If approved by federal regulators, the deal announced on Monday could also trigger more multibillion-dollar buyouts. Nokia Corp, another cellphone manufacturer, and Research In Motion Ltd, which makes the BlackBerry, loom as prime targets.

The patents would help Google defend Android, its operating system for mobile devices, against a litany of lawsuits alleging that Google and its partners pilfered the innovations of other companies.

In addition to the existing trove of patents that attracted Google's interest, Motorola, which introduced its first cellphone nearly 30 years ago, has 7,500 others awaiting approval.

Phone makers and software companies are engaged in all-out combat over patents for mobile devices. The tussle has been egged on by the US patent system, which makes it possible to patent any number of phone features.

Patents can cover the smallest detail, such as the way icons are positioned on a smartphone's screen. Companies can own intellectual-property rights to the finger swipes that allow you to switch between applications or scroll through displayed text.

Apple, for example, has patented the way an application expands to fill the screen when its icon is tapped. The maker of the iPhone sued Taiwan's HTC Corp because it makes Android phones that employ a similar visual gimmick.

The iPhone's success triggered the patent showdown. Apple's handset revolutionised the way people interact with phones and led to copycat attempts, most of which relied on the free Android software that Google introduced in 2008.

Legal cover
Android revolves around open-source coding that can be tweaked to suit the needs of different vendors. That flexibility and Android's growing popularity have fuelled the legal attacks. About 550,000 devices running the software are activated each day.

Many upstart manufacturers, like HTC, had only small patent portfolios of their own, leaving them vulnerable to Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp.

Getting Motorola's patents would allow Google to offer legal cover for HTC and dozens of other device makers, including Samsung Electronics Co, that depend on Android.

The deal is by far the largest Google has pursued in its 13-year history. Motorola Mobility's price tag exceeds the combined US$10.2bil that the company has paid for 136 previous acquisitions since going public in 2004, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Buying Motorola also would push Google into phone and computer Tablet manufacturing, competing with other device makers who rely on Android. The largest makers of Android devices are all supporting a deal that Google CEO Larry Page said was too tempting to resist.

"With mobility increasingly taking centre stage in the computing revolution, the combination with Motorola is an extremely important step in Google's continuing evolution," Page told analysts in a conference call on Monday.

Google pounced on Motorola less than two months after a group including Apple and Microsoft paid US$4.5bil for 6,000 patents owned by Nortel, a bankrupt Canadian maker of telecommunications equipment.

Leaving no doubt about the mounting antagonism among the companies, Google's top lawyer lambasted Apple and Microsoft for their legal manoeuvring earlier this month in a blog post titled "When patents attack Android."

"We believe this acquisition was solely driven by the ongoing patent war," Sanford Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu wrote in a research note, referring to the Google deal.

Apple and Google were once so close that Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, sat on Apple's board. But Google has since rolled out Android and provided hardware makers a way to counter the iPhone and iPad. Schmidt resigned from Apple's board two years ago.

Microsoft, for years one of Google's most bitter rivals, is desperately trying to make inroads in the mobile device market. John McCarthy, an analyst with Forrester Research, said Microsoft may try to counter Google by pursuing a long-rumoured takeover of its partner, Nokia.

Oracle Corp is seeking billions of dollars from Google in a federal lawsuit alleging that Android owes licensing fees for using the Java programming language that Oracle acquired from Sun Microsystems.

Cash rich
Buying patent protection offered by Motorola Mobility will be expensive. Although Google has US$39bil in cash and can easily afford it, the price translates to US$40 per share, 63% above Motorola's stock price before the deal was announced.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc's stock soared 56%, or US$13.65, to US$38.12. Google Inc lost about 1% and closed at US$557.23.

The deal will test Page's ability to avoid a clash of cultures while he is still learning the nuances of the CEO job, which he took only four and a half months ago. With 19,000 workers, Motorola Mobility's payroll isn't that much smaller than Google's 28,800.

It's a coup for Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha and the company's largest shareholder, billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who had been pressuring Jha to cash in on the patent portfolio. With an 11.4% stake in Motorola Mobility, Icahn is in line to be paid more than US$1.3bil.

Motorola Mobility, based in Libertyville, Illinois, has been struggling to come up with a product that has mass-market appeal since it introduced the Razr cellphone in 2005.

The company had some success with the Droid, one of the first phones to run on Android, but it now ranks a distant eighth in the smartphone market, with 4.4 million units shipped in the second quarter, according to research firm Canaccord Genuity. By comparison, the market-leading iPhone shipped about 20 million.

An attempt to counter the iPad hasn't paid off for Motorola Mobility, either. In an effort to drum up more demand, the company recently cut the price on the WiFi-only version of its Tablet, the Xoom, to US$499 from US$599.

The troubles saddled Motorola Mobility with a US$56mil loss in its latest quarter, sinking the company's stock price to one of its lowest points since its January spinoff from the old Motorola Inc.

The remaining part of that company now runs as Motorola Solutions Inc. In contrast, Google earned US$2.5bil in its most recent quarter ending in June.

MyEmail 1Malaysia: The Malaysian Citizen Inbox

2011-08-05T15:18:00.005-11:00

Malaysian government has launched a new initiative in ICT advancement for a citizen email program: MyEmail 1Malaysia. This program lead by the government agencies so called MAMPU, PEMANDU and developed by a collaboration of Tricubes Ltd and Microsoft Inc.

Tricubes Ltd is a local company that capable to roll out this state of the art innovation and committed to deliver the whole infrastructure and integration.

I'm more interested to review the concept of having a citizen email. This project actually can be formal medium of communication between the citizen and the government. I'm totally agree with that statement, because, from now on I can't found any free email system out there (i.e: gmail, yahoo mail, facebook) can validate the real user. Technically impossible to validate that. Gmail can terminate your gmail account if we violate their terms and conditions without your consent.

Do you really believe that brad.pitt@gmail.com really belongs to the famous actor Brad Pitt. Or michael.jackson@yahoo.com really belongs to the late Michael Jackson, king of pops ?

I don't believe that. So many cases happen on identity theft with gmail, yahoo. Anybody can pretending be someone using other people real name.

Or the dangerous part is, we can't complaint to gmail or yahoo mail if our email been hacked or been misused by others. The famous case happen is, when your gmail account been hacked, the hacker will send an email to your colleague or relatives.. asking financial help and urgent. Damn ! You are in big trouble then. Google and Yahoo wont help you much to solve this matters.

I have been informed that, this citizen email is tagged with Malaysian Social ID number. We can verify and validate that, we are the owner of that email. So now, we can ensure that the owner of that email is really belong to that real person.

If one day, you received an email from ben.escurado@myemail.my ... yes ... that is me. You can verify it with related government agencies in Malaysia.

How about company email ? can it be validated ? Sometimes yes... jobs@apple.com is belong Steve Jobs. But what happen if you change job ? you might have another new email right ?

So, what is the advantage of having a personal validated email ? Good question mark

Couple of months ago, Aruba Networks introducing a technology so called MOVE. Aruba Networks predict, next generation lifestyle will be in a hyper dynamic mode. People are moving around. Today you might be in Boston, tomorrow you might be at Texas or New York or Chicago. Who knows.

Aruba got a solution for VBN (Virtual Branch Network) where we can do a remote office any where we go. That is how people move in the future.

If the next generation lifestyle change into a hyper dynamic mode, for sure we need something that follow us anywhere we go.. something like document follow us. Now people are talking about cloud computing. We can store all the important document (digital format) into the cloud.

How about to receive confidential electronic document from government agencies or other similar parties such as banking and insurance.

Look back at the history of email. Email been developed for a military usage (DARPA Project). The military want to sent some confidential message to someone direct to their personal mailbox. The US military can sent message direct to US President personally. Very efficient and confidential.

If we want to received an important or confidential document... can we trust gmail, yahoo! mail ? Or do the related agencies believe that, that is your real email ?

When the Malaysian government announce about this initiative, I said wow ! I heard, Singapore government also want to follow this concept. I believe, other country also will follow later. Since, Tricubes Ltd is the pioneer for this initiative, they can provide consultation to other countries that interested to have this such programs.

With this validated email, and full integration of e-government system, I can see that, in the future, we can simply request what ever confidential and important documents, which traditionally been sent via post (where it takes 1 - 3 days of delivery period) to online systems direct to our citizen inbox. For instance a utility bills, bank statement, tax statement, medical document/prescription, land and property docement and others direct to my validated inbox. I can retrieve it anywhere and I can keep it in a secure cloud. I can use this email for the whole of my life.

In addition, I believe that I can received important notice or announcement from the government, municipal or state governor direct to inbox. (i.e incident, flood, natural disaster, traffic congestion etc etc)

This is part of Green Technology initiative. Truly paperless concept. Save the trees and save the earth.

Everything will be in electronic document. For sure, the concept offers high efficiencies and security. Mr. Obama, please look at this initiatives and try to create something similar to what the Malaysian did. Talk to Bill Gates on how link our social ID and email. No Scammer No Jammer.

The funny things about MyEmail is.... the Government agencies who maneuver this project is really unrealistic in getting the number of subscriber within a short period. The mentioned agency is known as MAMPU. Their target is about to have 9 millions subscriber within a year. Really unrealistic target. Malaysia only got 27 millions population. At most we can assume... active internet user probably 30% = 8 millions. Are they able to meet and convince every 8 millions people just within a year ? Google world wide also start very slow during their initial start.

Statistically, the online subscriber grows exponentially for certain period of time. Be realistic when targeting something. Everybody in this world believe that, majority of the government worker only know to talk but not know how to walk.

Apple, Samsung outdo Nokia in smartphone sales

2011-08-04T17:04:00.000-11:00

Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co zoomed to the top of the list of global smartphone makers in the second quarter, blowing past Nokia Corp and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd.

South Korea's Samsung made the biggest jump, from No 4 in the first quarter to No 2 in the second, on the strength of its Galaxy phones, which run Google Inc's Android software.

It sold 17.3 million smartphones in the second quarter, up from 10.8 million in the first, according to research firm IDC.

Apple rose to No 1, taking the spot from Nokia, by selling 20.3 million iPhones, up from 18.7 million in the first quarter.

That relegated Finland's Nokia, the long-time leader, to third place. Apple has yet to top Nokia's high-water mark of 28.1 million phones in a quarter.

"But given Apple's momentum in the smartphone market, it may not be a question of whether Apple will beat that milestone, but when," IDC said.

Remarkably, Apple's sales record comes nearly a year after it released its latest model, the iPhone 4, and it's still selling millions of the even older iPhone 3GS. Competitors such as Samsung put out new models every few months.

Nokia sold 16.7 million smartphones, a sharp drop from 24.2 million in the previous quarter. The company has struggled to come up with an answer to the iPhone.

Nokia is now transitioning to smartphone software from Microsoft Corp, but it's first Windows Phones won't be on sale until late this year, at the earliest.

Canada's RIM fell from third to fourth place, as it saw a decline in BlackBerry sales from the first quarter to the second.

Like Nokia, it has been struggling to update the high end of its line to compete with touchscreen phones such as the iPhone. It unveiled five new models with updated software this week.

HTC Corp of Taiwan remained in fifth place, but it's seeing rapidly growing sales. Like Samsung, it has bet on Google's Android software for its phones.

New touchscreen BlackBerrys being launched

2011-08-03T17:13:00.004-11:00

Research In Motion Ltd unveiled five new BlackBerry phones with touchscreens, as it hopes to revive the line's dwindling appeal in the face of competition from the iPhone and Android smartphones.

The new phones had been expected earlier this year, but were delayed. Though the company is profitable and seeing growing sales, it is increasingly seen as a has-been that missed the chance to parlay the BlackBerry's popularity as a corporate e-mail device into mass-market dominance.

The Canadian company, which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, is updating its high-end Bold models to include touchscreens. It's also launching two Torch models with big screens but no physical keyboards, mimicking the basic design of the iPhone.

RIM launched a keyboard-less touchscreen phone called the Storm in 2008, more than a year after the first iPhone, but the Storm's quirky design and poor software made it a flop.

"The all-touchscreen Torch has been a while coming as a natural successor to the disappointing Storm, particularly when the smartphone market has gone touchscreen mad over the past 18 months," said Malik Saadi, an analyst at Informa.

The phones run a new version of the BlackBerry operating system, which RIM said is much faster, particularly for web browsing.

The Bold models will be the first BlackBerrys to include so-called Near-Field Communications chips, so they can be used in place of credit cards by swiping them across properly equipped payment terminals.

Many companies, including cellphone carriers like AT&T and web companies like Google Inc are promoting the idea of using phones as digital "wallets."

Skype releases online calling app for iPad

2011-08-02T17:09:00.000-11:00

LUXEMBOURG: Skype has released its online calling app for Apple Inc's iPad Tablet computer.

The new app, which can be downloaded at Apple's iTunes store, lets users make free voice and video calls from their iPads to other Skype users over WiFi or 3G wireless connections.

The app also allows users to send instant messages and text messages, and to make calls to landlines and mobile phones for a small fee. - AP

Why Lithium-Ion Batteries?

2011-07-19T16:59:00.000-11:00

No doubt about it. Battery technology is one of the keys to electric mobility. For years battery life and range was seen as a major hindrance to the wide spread use of electric vehicles. But the potential of the lithium-ion battery is rapidly changing this perception, making electricity an effective alternative to petrol or diesel.

A breakthrough in battery technology has made lithium-ion batteries meet the specific energy, power, mass and durability requirements of cars designed for practical everyday use like the Opel Ampera.

While the majority of conventional hybrids (hybrid-electric vehicles or HEVs) out on the road today use nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology, the Opel Ampera is powered by a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack comprised of more than 200 lithium-ion cells .
Lithium-ion batteries provide nearly two to three times the power of a NiMH battery in a much smaller package. It also offers a higher energy-to-weight ratio, an important consideration in automotive applications since excess mass affects efficiency.

Lithium-ion batteries suffer little or no memory effect (lazy battery). Everyone who uses rechargeable batteries is familiar with this phenomenon, which can occur when batteries gradually lose their maximum energy capacity if they are repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged. Lithium-ion batteries also have a low loss of charge when not in use so they will hold their charge when they’re parked in the lot at the office.

Battery testing is progressing as planned with no significant roadblocks in lab or on-road testing. Our team of engineers have completed more than 1.5 million kilometers and four million hours of validation testing on the battery cells, modules, and packs since 2007. The development, validation and test teams have met thousands of specifications and validated each of the Ampera battery’s 161 components to ensure we deliver on the reliability, safety and durability you expect from us.

The battery itself is T-shaped, and is located centrally in the chassis . This keeps the centre of gravity optimally low, an absolute must for balanced handling. It also means that it does not compromise the load space area . Which is why the Ampera actually has over 300 liters of trunk space and seats four grownups. Perfect for everyday driving.

Google Chrome edges its way up

2011-07-05T13:07:00.000-11:00

In June 2011, Google's Chrome browser exceeded 20% of the worldwide browser market for the first time, closing in on rivals Internet Explorer and Firefox.

According to recent figures from Internet tracking service StatCounter, Chrome grew by 2.8% over the year to take 20.7% of the global market while Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) fell from 59% to 44% and Firefox dropped slightly from 30% to 28% during the same period.

"It is a superb achievement by Google to go from under 3% two years ago to over 20% today," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO of StatCounter. "While Google has been highly effective in getting Chrome downloaded, the real test is actual browser usage which our stats measure."

IE is still king in a majority of regions around the globe while Firefox reigns in second place. Chrome, however, has made some notable gains in places such as South America, where it recently overtook Firefox to become the second most popular browser on the continent.

Chrome is now firmly cemented in second place in South America, reaching 29.7% of the market in June. Firefox and IE captured 24.6% and 44.1% of the South American market during the same period.

In Britain, Chrome is nearing equality with Firefox with 21.1% and 21.7% of the market respectively. IE still has a stronghold on Internet users in the region with a 46.4% market share.

Users in the United States are even more reluctant to switch from market leader IE to Chrome. Google's web browser is used by just 16% of Internet users while IE and Firefox command 46.5% and 24.7% of the market respectively.

Google+, Transformers buzzing on the Web

2011-07-04T19:14:00.000-11:00

Google's new social network and challenger to Facebook's crown contributed to three of the Top 10 search terms with the biggest increase in growth over the last seven days.

There was also a big buzz surrounding the latest instalment in the Transformers franchise, with related search terms appearing twice in the Top 10 results.

Google+ is the new social network from the Internet giant. It was unveiled on June 28 and is currently being rolled out to Gmail users around the world.

Essentially Google+ is a social networking site, allowing users to share photos, news and thoughts with others.

The launch represents a direct challenge to the current ruler of the social networking realm, Facebook, which is reportedly planning to team up with Skype in order to provide integrated video chat to users of the site.

Facebook is expected to announce this partnership this week.

However, despite rumours of the Facebook/Skype partnership, the launch of Google+ clearly generated the most online buzz over the seven days prior to July 4.

According to Google Insights, searches for the social networking site achieved "breakout" status, or growth of over 5,000%, and variations of Google+ appeared three times in the Top 10 search terms over the last seven days.

Quick review of Lenovo ThinkPad X1

2011-07-01T14:31:00.001-11:00

Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkPad X1 laptop for users who demand better performance and entertainment while on the road.

The X1 measures less than 17mm thick and weighs 1.72kg, which makes it light and easy to carry around. The laptop has a 13.3in display which is made of Corning Gorilla Glass that is scratch-resistant.

The notebook is designed with mobility in mind - it uses Enhanced Experience 2.0 software which starts up the notebook in just about 20 seconds on average, so users can start working on it quickly.

The X1 also features RapidCharge battery technology that charges the battery to 80% in just 30 minutes.

The X1's four-cell battery is rated to last up to five hours.

Users can also opt to purchase a RapidCharge external battery for the X1 to double its battery life to 10 hours.

The company has also made changes to the keyboard's appearance by eliminating legacy keys such as SysRq while keeping dedicated multimedia and voice-calling controls buttons.

Also, the keys are backlit so that users can work on the X1 in any lighting conditions.
The X1 can be configured to run on a second-generation Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processor and up to 8GB RAM.

Standard features include Dolby Home Theatre enhanced audio, HDMI port and a fingerprint reader for authentication.

The price for the X1 starts at USD 2,999 and it's expected to be available next week.

Quick review of new MSI C-Series laptops

2011-06-27T12:54:00.000-11:00

MSI has recently updated its C-Series notebooks with four new models, namely the CX640, CR640, CX480 and CR480, all of which come with the latest second generation Intel Core processors.

The notebooks come with F1 racecar-inspired styling, with an F1-style push start power button and a sleek "crystal diamond" finish.

The C-Series comes with either 14in (CX480) or 15.6in screens (CX640 and CR480), and runs on either the built-in Intel graphics or the nVidia GeForce GT250M graphics card.

Other notable features include SRS PCV Sound for high-fidelity audio, optional USB 3.0 ports for fast data transfer speeds, optional Bluetooth 3.0 and up to eight hours battery life. Prices start at USD 666 for the base model with an Intel Core i5 processor.

Archos gives the home phone an Android upgrade

2011-06-27T12:51:00.000-11:00

Pioneers of Android Tablet devices, French company Archos has turned its hand to the home phone in a bid to push the aging product into the digital age.

To create its sleek and desirable Archos 35 Smart Home Phone, Archos streamlined the often-outdated device to match smartphone standards, added the Android operating system and refreshed it with forward-thinking technology.

"Compatible with any ADSL box or phone line and using standard DECT protocols the Archos 35 Smart Home Phone is a light and stylish home phone that brings users contact sharing with their Android smart phone, MP3 ringtones, caller photo display as well as access to thousands of Android apps, web surfing, emails and video calling," said Archos.

The handset is equipped with a built-in front-facing webcam that enables consumers to use the device to make high definition video conference calls, to watch over their baby monitor from a separate room or as a remote surveillance device.

It also features a 3.5in touchscreen, email access, WiFi connectivity, and the ability to download games and applications.

During a press event in Paris, the company also took the wraps off a less-useful hybrid Tablet and music player product called the Archos 35 Home Connect. The clunky-looking Android device follows in the footsteps of Sony's Dash personal Internet viewer and the Chumby 8 - great products if you want an expensive feature-rich alarm clock or photo viewer, less enticing if you were hoping for a portable, full-featured Tablet.

Gadget charges cellphone from boiling water

2011-06-27T12:45:00.000-11:00

A Japanese company has come up with a new way to charge your mobile phone after a natural disaster or in the great outdoors - by heating a pot of water over a campfire.

The Hatsuden-Nabe thermo-electric cookpot turns heat from boiling water into electricity that feeds via a USB port into digital devices such as smartphones, music players and global positioning systems.

TES NewEnergy, based in the western city of Osaka, started selling the gadget in Japan this month for 24,150 yen, and plans to market it later in developing countries with patchy power grids.

Chief executive Kazuhiro Fujita said the invention was inspired by Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left 23,000 people dead or missing, devastated the northeast region and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

"When I saw the TV footage of the quake victims making a fire to keep themselves warm, I came up with the idea of helping them to charge their mobile phones at the same time," Fujita said.

The pot features strips of ceramic thermoelectric material that generate electricity through temperature differentials between the 550 degrees Celsius at the bottom of the pot and the water boiling inside at 100 degrees.

The company says the device takes three to five hours to charge an iPhone and can heat up your lunch at the same time.

"Unlike a solar power generator, our pot can be used regardless of time of day and weather while its small size allows people to easily carry it in a bag in case of evacuation," said director and co-developer Ryoji Funahashi.

TES NewEnergy was set up in 2010 to promote products based on technology developed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan's largest public research organisation.

It also makes and markets equipment to transform residual heat from industrial waste furnaces into electricity.

The company says the pot will be used mainly in emergency situations and for outdoor activities, but also has uses in developing countries.

"There are many places around the world that lack the electric power supply for charging mobile phones," Fujita said.

"In some African countries, for example, it's a bother for people to walk to places where they can charge mobile phones. We would like to offer our invention to those people."

Review of Nokia transferring 2,800 staff to Accenture

2011-06-22T16:29:00.000-11:00

NEW STRATEGY: Nokia is outsourcing its Symbian software development to Accenture and transferring 2,800 workers to the firm as the Finnish handset maker pushes ahead with plans to introduce its first Microsoft Windows phone this year.

Nokia Corp has completed a deal to outsource its Symbian software development to Accenture, including the transfer of 2,800 workers to the global management-consulting firm.

The announcement came two months after Nokia disclosed the plan as part of its aim to cut costs by US$1.5bil by 2013, including 7,000 global layoffs, and catch up with top rivals in the tough smartphone market.

The Finland-based company faces strong competition from Research in Motion's Blackberry, Apple's iPhone and Google's Android, as it continues to see market share fall. Last month it issued a big profits warning.

Nokia's share price has plunged in recent months and recently has been trading at multi-year lows of around US$6.05.

Nokia said Accenture PLC will provide it with software services through 2016 with the personnel transfer expected in October when the deal closes. Half of the workers are based in Finland with another 1,400 in China, India, Britain and the United States.

Besides the personnel transfer, Nokia has said it plans to lay off 4,000 people by the end of next year, mostly in Denmark, Finland and Britain.

Another step
In another move to improve services, Nokia will integrate its NAVTEQ mapping unit with social location services operations to develop "a new class of integrated social location products and services for consumers."

The struggling company, which claims more than 1.3 billion mobile customers, said it wants to provide new products and support for bringing the Internet "to the next billion."

It said the plan includes to develop platform services and local commerce services for device manufacturers, application developers, Internet services providers, merchants and advertisers.
CEO Stephen Elop said that focusing on location and commerce was "a natural next step" for the company.

"We will provide next generation social-location applications and commerce to differentiate Nokia," Elop said. "We also aim to extend our content and services offerings to all consumers by making them available to partners and customers on a wide variety of devices and operating systems."

Since 1998, Nokia has been the biggest seller of cellphones, but in the first quarter of this year Apple overtook it as the world's top handset vendor in revenue terms - reaching sales of US$11.9bil on shipments of 18.6 million devices against Nokia's revenue of US$9.4bil on shipments of 108.5 million units.

Although Nokia sold 432 million devices last year - more than its three closest rivals combined - its market share continues to fall. At 29% in the first quarter, it's at its lowest level since the late 1990s.

Wait and see
Even more damaging has been Nokia's inability to meet modern challenges of the smartphone market, the lucrative sector in the handset industry, where Nokia used to be the leading innovator.

Although it sold 24 million smartphones in the first quarter, 13% more than in 2010, its share in the sector plunged to 24% from 39% a year earlier.

Nokia has unveiled its N9 smartphone, based on its new MeeGo platform, but the handset received mixed reviews as markets are waiting to see the company's first Windows Phone.

Elop has said that the Windows-based phone will be launched later this year with bulk sales expected in 2012.

In February, Nokia announced a major strategy shift when it partnered with Microsoft Corp, saying it will gradually replace Symbian and MeeGo platforms with the Window-based software that will become the main software used in its cellphones.

Sony Ericsson goes Android with new phones

2011-06-22T16:21:00.000-11:00

Mobile-phone maker Sony Ericsson unveiled two new Android models in a bid to grab more of the burgeoning smartphone market.

The company, a joint venture between L.M. Ericsson and Sony Corp, plans to launch the Xperia ray and Xperia active models during the third quarter, its chief marketing officer Steve Walker announced.

The new models should help the company expand its 11% market share of the Android segment, Walker said.

"Android smartphones is a rapidly growing part of the market, and we see our share within that market growing," Walker told The Associated Press.

London-based Sony Ericsson, which saw its phone unit sales drop 23% in the first quarter from a year earlier, is moving away from cheaper phone models and seeking to take on Apple Inc's iPhone, Research in Motion's Blackberry and Nokia Corp's N9 in the higher-priced smartphone segment.

By 2015, about 60% of mobile phones sold in the Asia-Pacific region will likely be smartphones, up from 20% in 2010, Walker said.

"We made quite a fundamental shift in strategy and decided to focus a large part of our effort into smartphones, to focus on the mid- and high-end part of the business," he said. "In many markets, we see a dramatic shift from feature phones to smartphones."

The company said in April that smartphones accounted for more than 60% of its sales during the first quarter.

Sony Ericsson's latest models that run on Goggle Inc's Android platform, the Xperia ray and active, will likely be priced below the high-end Xperia arc, Walker said.

Xperia active is water resistant and works if fingers are wet or sweaty, while the Xperia ray seeks to combine a sleek design with a device that is 9.4mm thick.

Sony Ericsson also plans to introduce a less expensive model that highlights the texting service and is aimed at teenagers, Walker said.

Quick review of Sony's NEX-C3 camera

2011-06-20T16:29:00.001-11:00

Sony's latest mirrorless camera, the NEX-C3, is touted to be the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera.

Sony said the reduced physical size of the NEX-C3 has made the camera very light - it weighs 225g which is about 6% lighter than the NEX-3. It also has a rounded design and a streamlined grip shape for easy handling.

Additionally the NEX-C3 has a tiltable 3in LCD screen for composing shots at different angles.
On the inside, the camera has a large APS-C sensor that takes 16.2-megapixel pictures with quality that is on par with a regular DSLR camera, Sony claimed. Aside from that it also records 720p HD videos.

The camera will come with a new Photo Creativity interface that has simplified photography terminology for novices, though the traditional interface for aperture/shutter priority and manual functions are still available for experienced users.

There's also a new picture effect setting that lets users preview a variety of effects like Toy Camera, Pop Colour, High Contrast and Posterisation before snapping the picture.

On top of that, other notable features include 3D sweep panorama, Auto HDR, Handheld Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur. The NEX-C3's battery has also been improved to offer 400 shots per charge.

The camera will be available here next month but no official price has been announced yet.

Internet braces for not-coms

2011-06-20T14:23:00.000-11:00

WASHINGTON: Coming soon to the Internet - website addresses that end in ".bank," ".Vegas" and ".Canon."

The organisation that oversees the Internet address system is preparing to open the floodgates to a nearly limitless selection of new website suffixes, including ones in Arabic, Chinese and other scripts.

That could usher in the most sweeping transformation of the Domain Name System since its creation in the 1980s.

More than 300 suffixes are available now, the bulk of them country-code domains, such as ".uk" for Britain and ".de" for Germany.

Hundreds or even thousands more suffixes could be created, categorised by everything from industry to geography to ethnicity.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will meet today in Singapore to vote on its expansion plan for domain names.

If ICANN approves the plan as expected, new domains could start appearing late next year.

The new system could bring innovative branding opportunities and allow all sorts of niche communities to thrive online.

But businesses worry that they'll have to grab their brand names before others do. New suffixes could also create confusion as consumers navigate a Web with unfamiliar labels.

It's also possible that the new names won't make much difference because many people these days rely on search engines and mobile applications to find what they are looking for online.

Consumers don't type web addresses into browsers nearly as much as they did 15 years ago when talk of a domain name expansion began.

"Most people don't pay a lot of attention to website addresses anyway these days," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Land, a website that covers the search industry.

From a technical standpoint, domain names tell computers on the Internet where to find a website or send an email message. Without them, people would have to remember clunky numerals such as "165.1.59.220" for "ap.org."

The monikers have grown to mean much more, however. Amazon.com Inc has built its brand on its website address, while bloggers take pride in running sites with their own domain names.

ICANN has already allowed two major expansions of the addressing system. In 2000, it approved seven new domains, including ".info" and ".biz." It began accepting new bids again in 2004. It has approved and added seven from that round, including ".xxx" for pornography sites this past March.

Under the expansion plan now before ICANN, future applications would be streamlined and open to all companies, organisations and individuals.

That has set off a virtual land rush.

Organisations that operate new suffixes will be able to collect registration fees from websites that want names. The fees could add up to millions of dollars a year if a website is popular enough.

A group of entrepreneurs in Las Vegas is vying to operate a ".Vegas" suffix. They have the city's endorsement and consider ".Vegas" a way to unify local merchants, entertainment venues, residents and even businesses beyond Sin City.

Former professional hockey player Ron Andruff is working with international sports federations to bid for ".sport." He expects sports leagues, teams, athletes, equipment makers and fans to want websites with a suffix that defines them better.

Two groups - one backed by the Sierra Club and the other by Greenpeace and other environmental organisation - are separately seeking the right to operate a ".eco" suffix.

Big business will stake claims, too. Printer and camera maker Canon Inc plans to apply for ".Canon". Trade groups for bankers and financial-services companies are working together to explore bids for ".bank", ".insure" and ".invest" for their member companies.

Issues a-plenty

New domains offer fresh branding possibilities for companies to identify themselves online in "a more relevant or a more localised" way, said Pat Kane, a senior vice-president at VeriSign Inc, which operates ".com" and ".net."

Although suffixes added over the past decade haven't been as popular as ".com," there has been demand for an expansion because nearly all of the most desirable ".com" addresses have been taken. There are more than 94 million registered under ".com."

The thinking is that new businesses setting up shop online might prefer a simple name that ends in ".bank" rather than "TheBankDownTheStreetFromTheSupermarket.com."

The expansion plan before ICANN had been delayed, however, largely because of concerns that new suffixes could infringe on trademarks and copyrights.

There's also worry that new suffixes could deceive consumers, create new platforms for hate groups or lead to website addresses ending in obscenities. ICANN spent years crafting guidelines and creating procedures for objecting to applications.

ICANN already has approved rules for some countries to claim suffixes that spell their names in languages other than English. The new plan opens that up to Chinese and Arabic versions of ".bank" and ".sport" as well.

It won't be cheap to operate a domain name suffix. The application fee is US$185,000, and winners will have to pay US$25,000 annually after that.

Disputes are likely as different groups go after the same domain. ICANN may auction off domains if multiple parties have legitimate claims. Legal fees could also pile up as trademark owners and governments file objections to certain applications.

Trademark holders, in particular, fear they would have to register a lot of addresses they don't need or want simply to keep others from using them. Microsoft Corp, for instance, would not want websites addresses such as "Microsoft.software" and "Microsoft.computer" used to commit fraud or sell pirated goods.

Copyright owners, too, worry they would have to devote more resources to fighting online piracy with a proliferation of websites ending in ".movies" and ".music" that distribute copyrighted content illegally.

ICANN has crafted rules meant to give trademark owners a first shot at claiming their brands. It would also have a process to quickly disable addresses that are clear violations.

But Steven Metalitz, a lawyer for a coalition of movie studios, recording labels and other copyright holders, fears ICANN won't be aggressive enough in enforcing the rules.

Still, supporters of the expansion believe it will create opportunities.

Juan Diego Calle, whose company operates the existing ".co" suffix, said that with more alternatives available, more businesses and groups will see that they can set up shop online with a catchy, easy-to-remember website that doesn't end in ".com." - AP

Quick review of Aztech HomePlug

2011-06-14T19:58:00.000-11:00

Aztech has announced its latest HL112E Mini HomePlug AV Ethernet adapter. which the company said fits snugly into a power outlet without blocking the power switch.

The networking solution is designed to work out of the box with with no setup required - all it takes is a press of the "Simple Connect" button to activate it and it will secure the network with a 128-bit AES encryption.

The new HomePlug adapter is rated to maintain a 200Mbps high-speed connection to support bandwidth demanding activities like IPTV, HD media streaming, video-on-demand as well as VoIP telephony.

The device has an effective range of up to 200m within a single powerline grid to connect network-enabled devices to your high speed Internet line, Aztech said.

Quick review of Nokia-Graphene Technology: Super-material of the future

2011-06-14T13:02:00.001-11:00

Graphene is a super-material that Nokia believes will revolutionise gadgets and "change the world." Nokia explains, "Graphene is an allotrope of carbon and its 2D structure measures just one atom thick.

Nokia Morph in Phone Mode

While being thin, it's the strongest material ever tested, having a breaking strength 200 times greater than steel and is also the lightest material ever, best intrinsic conductor and super-flexible, too. It's predicted to replace silicon as the base for all electronics."

This thin, light, super-strong, flexible material may be the key to developing revolutionary devices, such as Nokia's "Morph," that up until now have only been envisioned as far-fetched concepts.

"We're not just talking about mobile phones here, we're talking about the technology in its vastness. Once the technology exists, your TV could - in theory - just be unrolled and pasted to your living room wall, like a roll of wallpaper," adds Nokia in a June 14 post on its Conversations blog.

While the possibilities for Graphene-based gadgets are mind-boggling there is still a lot of research to be done.

Nokia is teaming up with four Nobel laureates: Dr Andrea Gelm, Dr Konstantin Novoselov, Dr K. von Klitzing and Dr A. Fert to further the technology as part of the Graphene Flagship programme.

The Chalmers University of Technology, the University of Manchester, the University of Lancaster, the University of Cambridge, AMO Gmbh, the Catalan institute of Nanotechnology, the Italian research council, and the European Science foundation will also be involved in the programme.

Nokia Morph in Wrist Mode

The Graphene Flagship programme was launched on May 4 in Budapest with the goal of bringing "this most-promising material to the real-world." It is part of an ambitious science-driven, research initiative in the EU called the Future and Emerging Technology (FET) Flagships project. A video of Nokia's Morph concept can be seen here

Quick review of New MacBook Air

2011-06-14T12:46:00.001-11:00

The latest model of Apple's ultra-light MacBook Air is scheduled to hit the market by the end of this month, media in the computer manufacturing hub of Taiwan reported.

The first shipment of the next-generation MacBook Air - the thinnest line of Apple's notebook computers, shorn of a hard drive and optical disc player - will be 380,000 units, the Taipei-based Economic Daily News said.

An 11.6in model will account for 55% of the units in the first batch, and a 13.3in model the rest, according to the paper.

It said that about 90% of MacBook Airs would be assembled by Taiwan's Quanta Computer, a leading contract computer manufacturer

Review of Steve Jobs biographical comic book

2011-06-13T15:39:00.000-11:00

Steve Jobs, the public face of Apple Inc, is getting a biographical comic book.

Publisher Bluewater Productions Inc will bring a 32-page biography - titled Steve Jobs: Co-Founder of Apple - of the iconic CEO to comic book shops, bookstores and online retailers on Aug 24, detailing his life and career.

"His innovations command front page news, speculation of his health affects the stock market. Not bad for a college dropout," Bluewater president Darren Davis said.

The book, written by C.W. Cooke and drawn by Chris Schmidt, profiles the technological innovator who helped co-create Apple and then oversaw its resurgence with products including the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad.

"Admire him or hate him, Jobs' vision and business acumen revolutionised the world," Cooke said.

"Between Jobs and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, "you would be hard pressed to find someone with greater influence over how we communicate, interact and do business over the last 30 years."

The comic is part of the Vancouver, Washington-based publisher's wider series of looks at contemporary figures ranging from Lady Gaga to Sarah Palin to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

"There are definitely some similarities between Zuckerberg and Jobs. It takes a certain kind of drive and a certain kind of genius to move society the way they have," Cooke said.

"The idea behind both efforts is to show the person behind the personality and that it is never what you'd expect."

Bluewater said the success of its Zuckerberg comic - it sold out - led the company to look at Jobs as a subject.

"His story, and that of Apple, is epic," Davis said.

Quick review of Panasonic Lumix GF3

2011-06-13T12:53:00.000-11:00

Panasonic has unveiled its smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens system camera yet.
The Lumix GF3 follows in the footsteps of its GF2 and GF1 siblings, cramming high-tech features into a compact body.

Weighing just 222g and measuring 4.24in (10.8 cm wide), 2.64in (6.7 cm) tall, and 1.28in (3.3 cm) deep, the body of the Lumix GF3 is slightly smaller than Sony's diminutive and recently announced Alpha NEX-C3 interchangeable lens camera (the body of which measures 11 x 6 x 3.3cm and weighs 225g). The GF3 also manages to fit in a built-in flash.

The Panasonic Lumix GF3 features full HD 1080/60i video recording, a DSLR-sized 12.1-megapixel image sensor, a 3in touch-enabled display and touch-controlled menus, a Dust Reduction System, a wide selection of creative effects, and is compatible with Micro Four Thirds System lenses (including Panasonic's own 3D lens).

The GF3 will be available in the United States for US$700 with a 14mm lens kit system in July or for US$600 with the 14-42mm lens kit system in late August.

Panasonic said the GF3 would be available South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand) somewhere in August but could not confirm the pricing.

Quick review of Duke Nukem Forever

2011-06-12T15:02:00.001-11:00

It may have seemed like forever, but Duke Nukem Forever, the shooter game first announced in 1997, has finally arrived.

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc, which publishes the game, launched in Europe and Australia on Friday. The game makes its debut on Tuesday in the United States, Canada and Mexico for the PlayStation3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Despite the long wait, the game launched to tepid reception from critics. The website Metacritic.com, which aggregates reviews, gave the Xbox 360 version a score of 55 out of 100. The game did better on the PC with a "metascore" of 76 out of 100. There is no score currently available for the PS3 version.

After promising for years that the game would be released "when it's done," its developer 3D Realms closed up shop in 2009 citing lack of funding.

The game was resurrected by Randy Pitchford, the founder of Gearbox Software, the developer of Borderlands, which is also published by Take-Two.

Japan develops technology to stop standby waste

2011-06-12T12:57:00.001-11:00

Japanese researchers said they had developed the technology to stop power being consumed by personal computers, televisions and other electronic devices when they are in standby mode.

NEC Corp and Tohoku University said they aim to bring the new semiconductor technology into practical use within five years, potentially reducing the estimated 2% of household electricty wasted through the standby mode.

Currently, electronic devices that are plugged into power outlets receive a constant flow of electricity to hold data - even when switched off.

The new technology is based on "spintronics" which exploits the intrinsic spin of electrons and its associated magnetic moment. Electrons act as magnets that can read and write data.

The data is retained even if the flow of electricity is completely cut off. NEC said it hoped that the new technology would help cut power consumption by "around 25% at large data centres" equipped with many computers.

Hackers steal Citibank card data

2011-06-09T15:06:00.000-11:00

About 200,000 Citibank credit card customers in North America have had their names, account numbers and e-mail addresses stolen by hackers who broke into Citi's online account site.

Citigroup Inc said it discovered that account information for about 1% of its credit card customers had been viewed by hackers. Citi has more than 21 million credit card customers in North America, according to its 2010 annual report.

The New York-based bank, which discovered the problem during routine monitoring, didn't say exactly how many accounts were breached. Citi said it was contacting those customers.

The bank said hackers weren't able to gain access to social security numbers, birth dates, card expiration dates or card security codes. That kind of information often leads to identity theft, where cybercriminals empty out bank accounts and apply for multiple credit cards.

That can debilitate the finances and credit of victims. Citi customers could still be vulnerable other problems.

Details about their bank accounts and financial information linked to them could be acquired using the e-mail information and account numbers hackers stole.

Federal regulators have taken notice and are asking banks to improve security.

The Citi data breach was the latest in a series of recent high-profile data attacks against a number of major firms.

On June 1, Google Inc said that the personal Gmail accounts of several hundred people, including senior US Government officials, military personnel and political activists, had been breached.
On May 30, broadcaster PBS confirmed that hackers cracked the network's website and posted a phony story claiming dead rapper Tupac Shakur was alive in New Zealand.

On May 28, defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp said it had detected a "significant and tenacious attack" against its computer networks. The company said it took swift and deliberate actions to protect the network and the systems remain secure.

Worrisome
In April, media and electronics company Sony Corp's PlayStation Network was shut down in April after a massive security breach that affected more than 100 million online accounts.

Also in April, hackers penetrated a network operated by a data marketing firm Epsilon. The company handles e-mail communications for companies like Best Buy Co and Target Corp.

The number of data breaches in the last two months sets a "high water mark," said John Ottman, CEO of Application Security Inc, a New York-based firm that specialises in securing databases, the big repositories companies use to organise account information and other data.

"Attackers have realised that most organisations have not properly protected databases," Ottman said.

The fact that the Citi hackers only got a few pieces of personal data on customers may limit what crooks can do with the information, said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection at Consumer Federation of America, a consumer advocacy group.

"But any ID theft is worrisome for consumers," she said. She believes companies are responsible for protecting their customers' information from internal and external abuse.

In an e-mailed statement, Sean Kevelighan, a spokesman for Citi said the bank is contacting affected customers and enhancing procedures to prevent a similar security breach from happening again.

"For the security of these customers, we are not disclosing further details," he said.

Full Review of CSL Android-based Slim Mi410

2011-06-06T18:26:00.000-11:00

CSL hopes to make headway in the premium smartphone space with the Android-based Slim Mi410.

CSL is well known for its budget phones that cost below RM500 on average but that hasn't stopped the company from dabbling with premium models.

The latest is the Slim Mi410, an Android 2.2 (Froyo) smartphone encased in a sturdy candybar housing with a big 4.1in touchscreen.

The smartphone runs on Android 2.2 and the company has spiced it up with a few extras such as MapKing, Blueberry Messenger, Azan alarm and Kiblat compass.

The front of the Mi410 is mainly taken up by the bright 4.1in capacitive touchscreen with a WXVGA (800 x 480-pixels) resolution.

Design
When we first held the Mi410, we didn't realise that we were looking at a CSL device. The differences aren't just cosmetic when compared to the other CSL models - the Mi410's dark grey plastic and aluminium housing is not only nice but also solid.

IMHO, the design and build quality is far better than most CSL phones. Anyway, we wouldn't have expected anything less from a higher-end phone.

Moving on, the device's front is mainly taken up by the bright 4.1in capacitive touchscreen with a WXVGA (800 x 480-pixels) resolution. The screen is a fingerprint magnet but thankfully the rest of the device isn't.

The screen has good viewing angles which is great for watching videos and playing games.
The virtual keyboard also looked good on the screen and it wasn't cramped. We found it to be quite responsive but the word prediction feature is still sloppy. More often than not it guessed the wrong word especially when we typed fast.

Besides the requisite power and volume rocker buttons on the side, there are four haptic-based touch-sensitive buttons just below the display to access the Back, Menu, Home and Search functions.

Hardware
The Mi410 runs on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and has 512MB RAM which should be enough to power the device.

We had no trouble running most applications - both the preinstalled apps and those downloaded from the Android Market worked fine. Also, it was a breeze to view multimedia files and even 720p HD movies on the Mi410.

However, it was not all smooth sailing for the device. We encountered a few hiccups especially with the capacitive screen. It behaves erratically sometimes and the device lags when switching between homescreens.

There were even times when some apps refused to load. We had to tap on the app's icon several times before it finally worked.

Also, the unit stopped working twice and the only way we could rectify the problem was to do a hard reboot - we had to remove and reinsert the battery before restarting the smartphone.
However, the problems could be unique to the review unit.

The phone also has a HDMI port which makes it easy to hook it up to a HDTV to view images and videos. We tried it and it worked without a hitch.

The HDMI port is located next to the similar-looking USB2.0 port at the bottom, more often than not, we plugged in the charging cable to the wrong one especially when in a hurry.

However, we didn't like the location of the HDMI slot. It's located next to the USB port which also looks similar and it's too easy to accidentally plug the charging cable to the wrong port especially when you are in a hurry.

Camera
The Mi410 packs a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and built-in LED flash along with the standard Android features to help you take better pictures.

We found both the picture and video quality were nothing to shout about but they were on par with most camera phones in the market.

One thing to take note - the bezel around the lens cover doesn't protect it enough. If you are unlucky enough to rub it over something rough, the protective glass will get scratched and we weren't surprised that our review unit's lens cover was already damaged.

In terms of battery, the phone hardly lasted a day before needing a recharge. Even when used sparingly, the battery usually ran out of juice after just half a day.

We were not able to get the official standby and talk time for the phone but it's still not normal for a phone to run of charge so fast.

Conclusion
We really want to like CSL Slim Mi410 because we want to be proud of a local product. However, it has a lot of flaws that needs fixing and hopefully the problems can be eliminated with a software patch. For instance, the screen wasn't responsive enough and the device suffered from two hard crashes.

Overall, the CSL Slim Mi410 has a reasonable price tag but it's let down by a number of problems.

Pros: Solid design; big screen; virtual keyboard is responsive; HDMI connectivity.
Cons: Touchscreen can be erratic; noticeable lag when switching between homescreens; bezel doesn't protect lens cover; short battery life.

SLIM MI410
(CSL)
Android smartphone
NETWORK: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 900/2100
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 2.2 (Froyo)
DISPLAY: 4.1in touchscreen (480 x 800-pixels)
CAMERA: 5-megapixels camera with autofocus; secondary 0.3-megapixel camera
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth, WiFi, USB 2.0
MEMORY: 2GB internal storage
EXPANSION SLOT: MicroSD
OTHER FEATURES: FM radio tuner, geotagging, accelerometer, digital compass, proximity sensor, Kiblat compass, azan alarm, records 720p HD video
DIMENSIONS (W X D X H): 112 x 66 x 10mm
WEIGHT: 143g
WEBSITE: www.spicei2i.com
PRICE: RM1,299
RATING: 2.5

What is iCloud ?

2011-06-06T18:12:00.000-11:00

A cloud is actually just one cloud. It is the cloud (sometimes even seen with a capital C). As one wry observer put it recently on Twitter, the cloud is basically a fancy term for the Internet. It’s the space up out there in the ether that doesn’t exist on your computer or your mobile phone but on some mega servers stored in undergroud, climate controlled conditions in places like Texas with more real estate than fertile land.

So, when Steve Jobs talks about iCloud, he means a space waiting on Apple’s servers for you to use as you will; somewhere to store files, back them up or actually just use as a bridge between all your devices.

What can I put on iCloud
Well, it’s not quite as simple as that. iCloud isn’t just a free locker of space for you to bung in all your gubbins until you have to lean on it to get it closed. It’s not like that at all. It’s more about having a space available for nine of your apps to automatically work with, without you having to bother, manage or organise the toings and froings of pretty much any of it.

Which apps ?
Good question. These are they - Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Photo Stream, Backup, iTunes, Books, Apps and Documents in the Cloud (Keynote, Pages & Number - commonly known as iWork). That’s your lot.

And what do they do?
Sync, largely.

Sync...?
As in “synchronize”. The crux of it is this. You have a phone. You also have a computer. You might even have another computer, and maybe even a tablet and it’s what’s technically known as a massive ball ache when you have to get cables out and start shifting files you’ve bought or downloaded from one to the other.

Instead, iCloud works with those apps so that anything you have on one of them, you’ll be able to call down onto another device over the air. No cables. So long as you have a Wi-Fi or 3G connection.

Documents in the Cloud

It works in slightly different ways for each of them. For your iWork, any documents you’re working on automatically save up to your iCloud space as you’re editing them. Turn on another device in your collection and your iCloud will then push down these files and save any changes you make to them before getting synchronised again across all the devices you own via the iCloud once more. Capiche?

Contacts, Calendar & Mail

It’s a similar story with Contacts and Calendar. Any dates and meetings you add in, remove or edit; any new people whose details you take; all of this will be sent up to the iCloud automatically and synchronised across all your devices - laptops, tablets, phones etc - so long as they support iCloud, of course. As for Mail, what you send, receive, draft and delete will match up across the board too.

Music, Books & Apps

It’s slightly different with Music, Books and Apps. You might not necessarily want all of your music synced up on all of your devices. You might have some massive collection on your laptop and not enough space for it on your phone. So, instead, iCloud will sync the fact that you own these files by listing them on all of your devices but not actually hosting them.

Next to them on the lists, you’ll see a cloud symbol. Tap on that symbol and it will pull down the entire book, song or app for you to use on that device. If this seems a pain for music, you can select to automatically download any track bought on any other piece of kit that you own.

Camera Roll

Your Camera Roll is a slightly different kettle of fish. Naturally, videos and photos that you take on your iPhone and iPad are quite big, so to sync every single one and keep it up there in the iCloud space and on all your devices could be a bit of a storage issue. So instead, iCloud will keep hold of and push out your last 1,000 shots. That means you can have your last 1,000 iOS device taken snaps and vids with you on your laptop, phone, tablet and even Apple TV wherever you are.

iCloud will store new photos for 30 days before forgetting about them and not pushing them out any more. They will still exist on the device you took them on and on any other if you remove them from the iCloud synchronised album that they turned up in. On a Mac, that’s a specific album in iPhoto and on a PC it’s a folder in Pictures.

Backup

Last of all is the Backup app. Backup saves your device settings, app data, SMS and MMS messages, ringtones, home screen and app organisation as well as the files from your iOS device into the iCloud space. Should you change phones or tablets, you can call it all down automatically without having to set everything up from scratch again along with your apps, books and music.

Is that it?
Not quite. There's also the small matter of iTunes Match. iTunes Match is a service where the iCloud computers can scan your iTunes library and detect not only music that you’ve bought from the iTunes Store but also tracks you’ve got from elsewhere and added yourself.

Anything that you’ve got that is also sold in the 18 million track-strong iTunes Store is automatically accessible on any of your other Apple devices in the same way as your iTunes bought music, and that's without having to upload it. Any song it can’t match, however, it will upload to your iCloud for you.

The idea behind this is to save you having to spend weeks uploading your massive personal music library as well as saving Apple storage space at the other end.

All the music that you pull down from the iCloud onto your devices will come in as a non-DRM AAC file at 256kbps bitrate regardless of the type or quality of the original file that it matched from your machine. Great if you have a bunch of shoddy, badly compressed tunes. Not so good if own some superstar FLACs.

How much space do I have?
The short answer is 5GB, but it’s not as simple as that. Your music, photos and videos, books and apps don’t take away from that. It’s really just for your Mail, Docs and Backup preferences and it should be plenty for the average user.

Which devices does iCloud work on?
You can sync with iCloud on your iPhone (3GS & 4), iPod touch (3rd & 4th gen), iPad (1 or 2), Mac (OS X Lion), and even Windows PC (Vista and Win 7) to an extent too, as well as your Apple TV - again to a degree.

When is iCloud available?
Some of the features are available now but you’ll have to wait for Autumn 2011 for the lot. Those available in beta are - Books, Apps and Music but without iTunes Match. You’ll need iOS 4.3.1 running on your devices and iTunes 10.3. The arrival of iOS 5 will bring the rest.

How much does it cost?
All of the iCloud features apart from iTunes Match are absolutely free. Match will set you back $24.99 per year but that’s for as many songs as you own to a limit of 25,000, not including those purchased from the iTunes Store.

What about MobileMe?
MobileMe is no more. It’s done. Finished. The three apps it represented - Mail, Calendar and Contacts - have all now been re-written from the ground up and subsumed into the larger iCloud set up, and the idea of MobileMe as a $99 per year paid for has been service thrown out onto the streets as one of Apple’s few mistakes. Bereft of life, it rests in peace.

Apple launches iCloud

2011-06-06T18:00:00.000-11:00

Apple officially launched its much-hyped iCloud suite of services at its Worldwide Developer Conference Monday, and although the capabilities are sure to be the talk of the town among consumers, it’s Apple’s cloud infrastructure that makes it all work.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs said as much during his WWDC keynote by closing with an image of — and shout-out to — the company’s new iDataCenter in Maiden, N.C.

Details about the technology that will power iCloud have been sparse, but those who’ve been watching it have uncovered some interesting information that sheds some light on what Apple is doing under the covers.

The service acknowledges a well-known fact - that most music on iPods, iPhones and iPads was ripped or swapped. Apple reached a deal that gives recording companies more than 70% of the new fees, addressing a dark secret that has crippled the music industry, and provides them with some economic payback.

Where Apple is able to identify and match songs from its 18 million-song database, it will transfer them into the user's iCloud, a storage area housed on servers, including those at a massive new datacentre in North Carolina.

Full Review of Motorola Xoom (Android 3.0)

2011-06-03T15:25:00.001-11:00

The first Android 3.0 Tablet computer is here. Will the Motorola Xoom be able to take on the iPad 2? I don't think so...

The Motorola Xoom has the distinction of being the first "true" Android Tablet to be released this year. It's the first to be powered by Google's native Tablet operating system, Android 3.0, also known as Honeycomb.

Since last year, smartphone makers have attempted to make Android Tablets that ranged from 5in to 7in in size. However, many of the attempts felt half-baked as they were nothing more than oversized devices running on a smartphone OS.

So, is the Xoom the next stage of the Tablet evolution? Is it the iPad killer that many expect it to be? Read on to find out.

Design
Aesthetically, the Xoom bears a slight resemblance to the iPad 2 in shape and design although it is a tad longer because of its slightly larger 10.1in (1,280 x 800-pixel resolution) touchscreen. The back is also more curved than the iPad.

The widescreen is great for watching movies but its width makes it feel unwieldy to hold and perform actions like typing on it.

Nonetheless, the display looks nice, crisp and reasonably bright although the colours aren't as vivid as the iPad 2's.

Strangely the screen has an unnatural blue tint when compared to another Android Tablet, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer.

Also, we found the auto- brightness option a bit extreme - the device dims the screen so much that it's too dim to use sometimes.

On the bright side, even though it isn't an IPS panel, the Tablet still has decent viewing angles.

The Xoom's design is minimalistic with almost no buttons at all on the device save for the power button located on the back (a rather odd place in our opinion) and volume adjustment buttons on the left side of the Tablet.

On the back you'll also find a 5-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash. The speakers are also located here and they are pretty loud. There's also a 2-megapixel camera on the front for video chats.

At the top there are slots for SIM and microSD cards. The review unit is a WiFi-only model, so the SIM card slot doesn't actually work. Currently the 3G/LTE and WiFi model is only available in the United States.

Strangely, the Xoom's microSD slot is also not usable. There is a tiny plastic placeholder in the slot that says the slot will only be activated in a future firmware update.

Still, the 32GB of built-in storage should be sufficient for everyday use.

At the bottom, there is also a mini HDMI jack for mirroring images on a larger screen, a micro USB port and charging port. A charging dock is also available for the Xoom but it's sold separately.

The overall build quality is pretty good and the Tablet felt solid. It weighs 708g which is not too bad but it may strain your hand if you're holding the Tablet for extended periods of time.
User interface

What makes the Xoom special is Android 3.0 and Motorola hasn't decked out the OS with any custom interfaces, so what you get is Honeycomb in its purest and unadulterated form.
The Honeycomb interface will be both familiar and foreign to Android users because it features a lot of changes.

Possibly the biggest change is that there are no physical buttons unlike the Android phones which have Back and Home buttons.

Instead, the Xoom uses virtual buttons located on the lower left corner of the screen.
Also, there isn't a menu bar at the top for you to drag down to show notifications.
The options for WiFi, battery status and clock are now tucked away in the corner of the screen.

What feels familiar are the multiple homescreens (you can have up to five) that you can populate with applications and widgets.

Adding applications to the homescreen is quite intuitive and easy as all you have to do is drag the widgets and apps to the homescreen of your choice.

Multitasking is also present on the Xoom although you can only switch between the last five applications you've launched.

Not surprisingly, the Tablet's preinstalled programs mostly consist of apps for accessing Google services such as Gmail, Maps, Gtalk, Voice Search and YouTube.

Sadly, the Xoom is really lacking in applications because at the moment there aren't many apps optimised for the Honeycomb on the Marketplace.

Another sore point - it doesn't come with Flash preinstalled out of the box, a feature that has been trumpeted as one of the Xoom's key selling points.

What's even worse is that we couldn't download Flash - a free app, mind you - from the Android Marketplace because it's currently not available for this region.

We were greeted with the same message when we tried to download many other free applications.
At the moment we are not sure what is the reason behind this. However, Google is working with the Android device manufacturers to rectify the issue.

Still, it's very disappointing that early adopters of Android 3.0 devices will not be able to install many new apps for their new toy.

Performance
The Xoom's dual-core Tegra 2 processor and generous amount of memory (1GB RAM) give it enough firepower to cope with most tasks.

The Tablet was generally responsive and applications loaded really fast.

We ran the Quadrant Benchmark and the Xoom pretty much blew every other Android device out of the water. However, the comparison is a little unfair because the other devices were all smartphones.

Web browsing using Chrome on the Xoom was really smooth - pages loaded really quickly and sometimes faster than the iPad 2. Chrome supports tabbed browsing but the features are pretty basic.

Also, typing on the virtual keyboard isn't so bad considering that the default Android smartphone keyboard wasn't that great. The one on the Android 3.0 is a marked improvement.
The Xoom has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera on the back which is good enough for taking casual shots but we wouldn't recommend it for anything other than that.

Pictures shot in dimly-lit areas looked horribly grainy, so this camera is best suited for places with proper lighting.

The dual-LED flash is handy in areas with insufficient light but it's far more useful as a light source for HD video recording.

Speaking of videos, the Xoom produced passable HD videos but a compact camera with HD video recording capability will easily fare better.

The only real benefit to shooting videos on the Xoom is that you can edit them directly with the preinstalled Movie Studio app. Although it works similar to iMovie on the iPad 2, it doesn't run as smoothly or perform as well.

The Xoom's video player only supports a few formats such as MP4, H.263 and H.264.

It can't play most common formats such as AVI, MKV, MOV, AVHCD which is a shame because it is quite a hassle to transcode movies into a compatible format.

We converted a 720p HD movie in MKV format to MP4 using Handbrake on a Mac to play it on the Tablet's video player.

The playback started fine but after awhile the player started to drop frames and the performance was erratic. The frame drops increased for scenes with a lot of action.

In terms of battery life, the Xoom fared fairly. With average use for web surfing and watching a video or two, the device lasted between eight to nine hours.

Conclusion
The Android platform has a large following and Motorola is quick to take advantage of it with a proper Android Tablet computer.

Also, the much talked about Honeycomb OS is well designed for the Tablet. It has a slick interface for managing applications and widgets, and it's great for surfing the Web.

Unfortunately, the Motorola Xoom feels like a rushed product and not everything is in place yet. For example, even though it has a microSD slot, you won't be able to use it until it gets activated in the next firmware update.

But the biggest detractor is the lack of apps optimised for the Tablet and this is made worse by fact that the Android Marketplace is not fully working at the moment. It looks like the Xoom has a way to go before it can match the iPad 2. We recommend waiting until Google sorts out the issues with the Android Marketplace.

Overall, the Motorola Xoom is a decent Android Tablet that needs a bit of time for the platform to mature first.

Pros: Android 3.0, Chrome is fast; dual-LED flash useful for video recording; large 10.1in screen.
Cons: A tad heavy; MicroSD slot needs firmware update to work; Android Marketplace issues; pricey.

Xoom
(Motorola)
Android Tablet computer
PROCESSOR: 1GHz ARM Cotex-A9 dual-core chip (nVidia Tegra 2)
MEMORY: 1GB RAM
DISPLAY: 10in (1,280 x 800-pixels) touchscreen
GRAPHICS: Ultra-low power GeForce GPU (nVidia Tegra 2)
STORAGE: 32GB
CONNECTIVITY: WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1
PORTS/SLOTS: Headphone jack, micro HDMI out, micro USB
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)
OTHER FEATURES: 5-megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, 2-megapixel front-facing camera
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 167.8 x 12.9x 249.1mm
WEIGHT: 708g

Man who exposed laptop thief online gets his MacBook back

2011-06-02T17:30:00.000-11:00

Kaufman holding up his MacBook laptop
outside of his office in San Francisco
The images began arriving in Joshua Kaufman's inbox. The grainy photos are low-lit and intimate: a man curled up on a couch, sound asleep; the same man propped up against pillows on a bed, shirtless.
Who was this stranger sitting with Kaufman's stolen laptop? Kaufman collected the images and took them to police, who did not help him. So he went online, publishing the pictures on Twitter and in a blog titled "This Guy Has My MacBook" (thisguyhasmymacbook.tumblr.com)
"People who followed me on Twitter retweeted it. It got picked up by social media and the press. It went super viral," he said. On the same day that he posted his website on Twitter, police came calling. Police on Tuesday arrested a 27-year-old cab driver, Muthanna Aldebashi. On Wednesday, Kaufman picked up his laptop from the police.
Kaufman said he was "surprised and amazed" when he began receiving images of the man using his laptop. Kaufman's case is the latest example of people, not police, using technological tools to help find their own stolen property such as cars, cellphones and digital cameras. Sequence of events
CAUGHT ON WEBCAM: An image showing a man later identified as Muthanna Aldebashi, seen via a webcam on a laptop owned by Kaufman.
Kaufman had just moved to a new apartment in Oakland when a burglar broke in, taking the laptop, a bag, an electronic book reader, and a bottle of gin on March 21. He activated theft-tracking software he had installed, which began sending photos taken by the computer's built-in camera of the unauthorised user three days later.
"I wasn't sure if it would work because I never tested it before," he said. Most of the images "were honestly really boring photos - people staring into the screen. But some were definitely more humorous."
Among them was a screenshot of the man logging onto his Gmail account, which showed an email that appeared to include the name of a business, Kaufman said. A quick Internet search revealed it was a cab company in nearby Berkeley, which Kaufman assumed was the man's workplace. Kaufman submitted the information to police, but said they were unwilling to help and didn't respond to numerous follow-up emails.
"I know a stolen computer is small in the larger scheme but it would be nice to feel like you actually cared," he tweeted three days after the break-in.
Kaufman said he turned to the Internet because he became "frustrated and thought I should try and get some attention from the media." He posted some of the photos, including captions such as "I really don't want to know what this guy is doing with my MacBook" for the image of the shirtless man in bed. Kaufman said he received a call from Oakland police spokeswoman Holly Joshi on the day he included a link to his blog.
Joshi said she first heard about the case after receiving calls from media outlets Tuesday. "From that point on, they seemed to be on my side completely," he said of police. "They were apologetic, and they continually told me that they would be doing something about it immediately."
Joshi blamed the large volume of theft reports Oakland police receive - about 2,400 a month for three theft investigators - and human oversight for the department's failure to follow up on Kaufman's leads.
"It was filed away," Joshi said. "It had leads, so it shouldn't have been filed away." Police arranged a cab ride from Aldebashi and nabbed him when they recognised his face, according to Kaufman.
Hidden benefits
The laptop's return was the culmination of a one-man crusade of online sleuthing, social networking and moments of voyeuristic creepiness aided by the software called Hidden.
The software - part LoJack, part nanny cam - is equipped with location positioning software. A representative for the product's London-based developer, Flipcode Ltd, did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Many portable electronics, including some digital cameras, are now equipped with wireless Internet capability and automatic geographic tagging on any photo taken - a helpful tool when trying to see where a thief has been hanging out. It's a step beyond the LoJack system invented two decades earlier that emitted a signal from a stolen vehicle.
Joshi said investigators did not know whether Aldebashi burglarised Kaufman's apartment, noting that stolen merchandise often changes hands.

Swapping wallets for smartphones

2011-05-25T14:00:00.003-11:00

Google Inc is trying to nudge consumers and merchants into a world where the smartphone has replaced the wallet as the container for credit cards, coupons and receipts.

In Google's vision shoppers will touch their phone screen to select a card, then tap the phone to a credit-card reader in a store or restaurant. Google would make money by selling coupons and advertising that come along with the experience.

It's a goal shared by others. The Internet search and advertising company faces tough competition from cellphone companies, payment card issuer Visa Inc, eBay Inc's PayPal payment service and others. All of them want to play the central role of tying together phones, retailers and banks into a new payment system.

This isn't Google's first attempt at electronic payments. The company, based in Mountain View, California, introduced an online payment service called "Checkout" five years ago. It hasn't posed a serious threat to PayPal.

Google views its digital wallet as a way to sell advertising at a pivotal moment: When shoppers are in stores, ready to spend money and even more receptive to coupons and other discount offers.

Nick Holland, an analyst at Yankee Group, said that although all parties stand to benefit from Google's system, Google itself has the most to gain. That's because the Google Wallet would allow the company to "own" the market for advertising that's tied to the user's location.

Google said it's launching a Google Wallet trial in San Francisco and New York in co-operation with Visa rival MasterCard and Citibank. It will open up the system to consumers later in the summer. It then plans to expand across the country.

There has been talk of smart payment systems for years, and Google faces the same hurdles that have stifled previous trials.

One is that Google Wallet will initially work on only one smartphone, the Google Nexus S 4G carried by Sprint Nextel Corp.

Several smartphone makers, including Research In Motion Ltd, maker of the BlackBerry, are ready to bring out more phones with chips for so-called Near-Field Communications, or NFC, but it's uncertain if they'll work with Google's system.

Another hurdle is getting retailers to invest in terminals that can talk to the phones. Google Wallet will connect only to MasterCard PayPass terminals. There are more than 135,000 of those in US stores and restaurants, but that's only a small fraction of the total number.

Google's carrot is that retailers will be able to put loyalty cards and coupons in the Wallet, helping them track and engage with their customers. Partners in the trial include Macy's, RadioShack, Subway, Toys R Us, Duane Reade and Walgreens.

Hurdles

Yet another problem: Google needs to get cellphone companies on board. Its partner Sprint is the country's third-largest. AT&T Inc, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA, the rest of the four biggest national carriers, have formed their own consortium to create a wallet that will compete with Google's.

The final obstacle is persuading consumers to take the leap. Phones might one day offer slightly faster checkouts, but the benefit would be small.

Google calls Wallet a "single-tap solution," but in a demonstration on Thursday at Google's New York office, a Google executive had to tap his phone twice to a terminal provided by retail partner American Eagle Outfitters Inc, then sign on the screen to get a purchase of a pair of denim shorts through.

Osama Bedier, Google's vice-president of payments, said it was up to the retailer to decide if the shopper has to sign on the screen.

"Consumers and businesses don't have a compelling need for changes in payment methods," a recent study by the Federal Reserve said. It nevertheless concluded that there are substantial benefits to reap for everyone involved if mobile payments become a reality.

One of the potential benefits is increased security compared to cards with magnetic strips, which can be copied surreptitiously.

The Wallet will initially work with a MasterCard from Citigroup Inc and with a prepaid debit card issued by Google, but the intent is to let the wallet accept any card.

"This is about creating a compelling model and asking folks to join," Bedier said.

Banks and payment processors such as MasterCard and Visa like the idea of mobile payments, but have their own designs on the space.

Visa already has announced plans for its own wallet. MasterCard is collaborating with Google but is working on its own projects.

"Today's announcement is another early salvo in what will be a long and hard-fought battle to change consumers' payment behaviour and, as a potential result, the makeup of the payments landscape," said Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin

Internet rules at centre of e-G8 forum

2011-05-24T07:04:00.001-11:00

Schmidt says policymakers should tread lightly at regulating the Internet and avoid "stupid" rules.

France wants better regulation of the Internet. Google's executive chairman said policymakers should tread lightly and avoid "stupid" rules.

Bridging such differences about how the Internet could or should be more regulated took centre stage at an "e-G8" meeting.

The meeting aimed to parlay the digital world's growing economic clout into a cohesive message for world leaders at the Group of Eight summit later this week in Normandy.

The two-day Paris gathering has brought together Internet and media world gurus such as Google Inc executive chairman Eric Schmidt, News Corp chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

And the discussion includes issues such as protecting children from "evil stuff" online, preventing illegal downloading of copyrighted materials and shielding Facebook users from unsolicited invitations.

The e-G8 comes amid concerns in the industry that some countries - including several in Europe such as France - have taken measures or enacted laws that could curb Internet freedoms.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, kicking off the conference, said governments need to lay down and enforce rules in the digital world - even as they need to foster creativity and economic growth with the Internet.

It's unclear whether he'll win over digital executives with this argument, or whether the G-8 summit - which doesn't include countries such as China, a major source of online activity and online regulation - will agree on a single policy going forward.

Sarkozy said he faced mistrust over his push for the "e-G8" when Japan's earthquake, fiscal troubles in Europe, and the Arab world revolutions are likely to dominate the G-8 summit in Deauville on Thursday and Friday.

Listen up

Conflicting visions about the Internet - notably about how regulated it should be - has pitted companies such as Amazon.com and Google against governments about how to protect privacy and copyrights online.

"We need to hear your aspirations, your needs," Sarkozy told hundreds of business executives, creative minds and journalists at Tuileries Gardens here. "You need to hear our limits, our red lines."

Policymakers such as Sarkozy say the blistering pace of growth has often left regulators behind. He said a "balance" needed to be struck to prevent misuse of the Internet - such as to protect children online - while boosting its potential as a driver for economic growth.

While praising the executives, he said regulatory curbs are needed.

"Don't let the revolution that you've begun threaten everyone's basic right to a private life and full autonomy," said Sarkozy. "Full transparency ... sooner or later runs into the very principle of individual freedom."

Google's Schmidt said technological changes have led to a "shift in power" toward individuals - whether to illegally release secret documents or transfer copyrighted material, or rally against their repressive regimes.

"My own opinion is that most governments are having trouble with that shift in power," he said. "So rather than sort of complaining about it, which is what everybody does, why don't we see if we can harness it?"

During an e-G8 panel talk, Schmidt said: "You want to tread lightly on regulating brand new, innovative industries .... Clearly you need some level of regulation for the evil stuff. But I would be careful about overregulating the Internet.

"I cannot imagine any delegate in this conference (who) would want Internet growth to be significantly slowed by a government that slows it down because of some stupid rule that they put in place," he said.

Issues

Last week, the United Nation's independent expert on freedom of speech said governments that curtail users' access to the Internet are violating a basic human right - regardless of the justification.

Britain last year joined France by announcing it would cut off Internet access to people who illegally download copyright-protected material. The French Government has so far issued only warnings under the "three strikes" formula for possible penalties.

Privacy concerns have also raised hackles in Europe.

In January, Facebook and German officials reached a deal over unsolicited invitations sent to non-members of the social networking site through its "Friend Finder" feature - which allows Facebook to send e-mail invitations to potential users through current members' address books.

The feature came under fire in Germany for violating privacy laws by allowing unauthorised access to information of third parties. The agreement allows Facebook members more control over the e-mail addresses they share.

Johannes Caspar, a data protection official in Hamburg who negotiated the deal for the Germans, said US laws under which Facebook operates tend to be more laissez-faire than those of Europe about privacy issues.

He said Facebook has co-operated with German investigations about possible privacy law violations, and the onus now is on Europe "to make things clearer" about the rules companies face on the continent.

Govts must never block Web access

2011-05-19T15:35:00.000-11:00

The United Nation's (UN) independent expert on freedom of speech says governments that cut users' access to the Internet are violating a basic human right "regardless of the justification provided."

Frank La Rue says blocking Net access is "disproportionate," whether it is a blanket ban imposed during times of political unrest or against individuals for violating specific laws.

Britain last year announced it planned to follow France's lead to cut off Internet access to people who illegally download copyright-protected material.

La Rue's report also urges governments to decriminalise all forms of defamation and ensure Internet users can express themselves anonymously.

The report will be discussed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.

e-Book sales surpass printed books

2011-05-19T15:33:00.000-11:00

Amazon.com Inc said that after less than four years of selling electronic books, it's now selling more of them than printed books.

The online retailer said that since April 1, it has sold 105 e-books for every 100 printed books, including printed books for which there is no electronic edition.

The comparison excludes free e-books, which would tip the scales further if they were included.
Printed books include both hardcover and paperback books. Amazon said in July that e-book sales had outstripped hardcover sales. It's now selling three times as many e-books as it did a year ago.

Analysts estimate that Amazon accounts for about two-thirds of US e-book sales.

Amazon also said the latest and cheapest version of its Kindle e-book reading device is the best-seller of the line, five weeks after it was introduced.

The Kindle with Special Offers costs US$114, and shows ads in standby mode.

Lenovo unveils new machines: Z370 and S100

2011-05-17T15:35:00.000-11:00

Lenovo has unveiled its first slim tower desktop called the H330, which the company said is around half the size of standard desktop computer. Despite its size, the H330 will meet all your computing needs whether it is for work or home use, Lenovo said.

The machine is powered by an Intel Core i3-2100QM (3.1GHz) processor, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1TB SATA hard drive, an 8-in-1 card reader and a 1GB Radeon HD6450 discrete graphics card. The H330 runs Windows 7 Home Premium and comes with an optional monitor.

The company also unveiled its latest mobile device, the IdeaPad S100 netbook. The S100 is powered by Intel Atom N570 (1.66GHz) processor. It has a 10.1in backlit LED display and an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 graphics card.

Other features of the netbook include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 320GB SATA hard drive. The S100 runs Windows 7 Starter and comes with the DirectShare application that lets users sync their files with another Lenovo computer without connecting to the Internet.

The S100 weighs less than 1kg and comes with a six-cell lithium-ion battery. Lenovo also unveiled other IdeaPad notebooks, namely the Y470, Z370, and Z470.

The Y470 is optimised for a mobile multimedia experience - it features the OneKey Theatre II feature, which automatically maximises advanced audio-visual settings at a touch of a button, and SRS Premium Sound with JBL-designed speakers to provide users with a richer audio experience.

The Y470 is powered by an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor and comes with 14.1in WLED HD display. Other specifications include 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750GB hard drive, three USB ports, one USB/e-SATA combo port and an HDMI port.

On the other hand, the Z370, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-23100M processor, comes with a 13.3in LED display and Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics card. Other features include 2GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 750GB hard drive.

Meanwhile the Z470 is powered by Intel Core i5-2410M processor, comes with 14in WXGA LED display, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM and a 640GB hard drive. All of the three notebooks run on Windows 7 Home Premium.

Cisco narrows focus with new business structure

2011-05-06T18:53:00.000-11:00

The CEO of Cisco says that the company will be making bold decisions to narrow its focus

Cisco Systems Inc will undergo a number of structural changes following several challenging quarters as the networking behemoth attempts to become more efficient in bringing products to market.

Cisco, which last month killed off its Flip Video camcorder business, has tried to narrow its focus as competition intensifies. It now wants to focus on five priorities: core routing, switching and services; collaboration; datacentre virtualization; architectures and video.

Last month, CEO John Chambers acknowledged criticism that the company has attempted to compete in too many areas. He sent employees a memo vowing to take "bold steps" to narrow the company's focus.

Chambers warned of "tough decisions" ahead for the company.

Spokesman Kristin Carvell declined to comment on whether there would be layoffs or executive departures.

Cisco said it will organise worldwide field operations according to three geographic regions. Its services business will organise around key customer segments and delivery models.

The company is also streamlining its engineering organisation and will now have three "councils," which at Cisco have traditionally formed around each of the company's top priorities. Those councils will focus on enterprise, service provider and emerging countries.

The changes will take place over the next 120 days, the company said.

Chinese tech giants fight over 4G phones

2011-05-04T19:04:00.000-11:00

Two of China's biggest technology companies have launched a court battle in Europe over mobile phone patents in a rare public clash between firms Beijing is promoting as national champions.

The fight between Huawei Technologies Ltd and ZTE Corp highlights the challenge for communist leaders who need to manage Chinese corporate ambitions as they try to create global competitors in telecoms, energy and other fields.

It is the first case of its kind between major Chinese companies, which usually settle disputes in private.

"We're going to see more of this in this industry and others," said David Wolf, a technology marketing consultant in Beijing. "The government will find, wow, we've got these national champions, but now they're trying to kill each other."

The dispute centres on fourth-generation mobile technology, which companies that are developing it say will deliver more stable connections, wireless broadband and other advances. It is in limited use in the United States and being tested elsewhere.

Control of key patents could help decide which equipment suppliers are positioned to reap billions of dollars in sales once it is rolled out in other markets.

Huawei and ZTE make network gear, the core of phone systems. They have multibillion-dollar annual sales in China, Africa and Latin America and see themselves as potential global 4G leaders. That fits with Communist Party hopes to transform China from a low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology.

Huawei has filed patent infringement lawsuits against ZTE in France, Germany and Hungary. ZTE rejected the claims and said it has asked a French court and Chinese regulators to invalidate a Huawei patent.

Huawei and ZTE are among China's first wave of fledgling multinational companies. They compete with Nokia-Siemens Networks, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent and have a small but growing US and European presence.

Their dispute comes amid mounting complaints by foreign business groups about Beijing's industrial policy. They say China is improperly supporting favoured companies by limiting market access and providing low-cost loans and other support.

Huawei's lawsuits accuse ZTE of infringing patents for data cards and improperly using a Huawei-registered trademark on some of its products.

"We will do whatever is required to ensure that the use of Huawei's intellectual property by any company is based on internationally accepted protocols and practices," said Huawei's chief legal officer, Song Liuping, in a statement.

ZTE said its lawsuit accused Huawei of infringing its 4G patents. The company said it also has asked a French court and China's State Intellectual Property Office to invalidate Huawei's patents for a rotary USB connector used to exchange data between devices.

"ZTE respects the intellectual property rights of other companies, but it will not stop protecting its own intellectual property rights," said a company statement.

Huawei, founded in 1987 by a former Chinese military engineer, has 110,000 employees and reported 2010 revenues of 182bil yuan.

Apple update fixes iPhone tracking "bugs"

2011-05-04T18:57:00.007-11:00

Apple released updated software for iPhones to fix "bugs" that resulted in location data being unencrypted and stored for up to a year.

A note included with the update said that the cache of saved data on devices was reduced and that location information would no longer be backed up at iTunes on people's computers.

Turning off the location services feature on an Apple gadget will cause location data to be deleted, the update promised.

The changes came in an iOS 4.3.3 software update for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices.

According to British researchers, iPhones and iPads running iOS 4, the latest operating system, were storing latitude and longitude coordinates in a hidden file along with a time stamp and the data was easily retrievable.

"By passively logging your location without your permission, Apple made it possible for anyone from a jealous spouse to a private investigator to get a detailed picture of your movements," they said.

The Cupertino, California-based company has staunchly denied tracking iPhone users, maintaining that location data gathered by the smartphones was used for services such as navigation or targeted ads.

Apple said the iPhone was not logging a user's location but maintaining a database of nearby WiFi hotspots and cell towers to "help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested."

Apple said the location data the researchers were seeing on the iPhone is "not the past or present location of the iPhone, but rather the locations of WiFi hotspots and cell towers surrounding the iPhone's location, which can be more than one hundred miles away from the iPhone."

Eye-Fi card makes cameras talk to phones

2011-04-19T16:53:00.009-11:00

If you are old enough, you probably used to marvel that digital cameras could show a picture right after it was shot, eliminating the need for a trip to the photo store. Now, they look nearly as dated as fax machines, as smartphones allow instant sharing of photos through the magic of wireless uploads and Facebook.

But there is a way for the good old-fashioned digital camera to catch up a bit and remain relevant. A company called Eye-Fi Inc makes an SD memory card that fits most cameras. Through a nifty bit of engineering, it can send images directly to smartphones and Tablet computers as they are shot.

You get the benefits of a standalone camera - its zoom, its strong flash, its high-resolution sensor and other features that trump the smartphone - with the ability to post photos right away. It works with videos, too.

Well, you get all that under ideal circumstances. In testing the Eye-Fi card and its new Direct Mode, I encountered some problems.

It's still worth a look, though.

The Eye-Fi is designed to send photos to iPhones, iPads and devices that use Google Inc's Android software. Working with an iPhone and iPad proved cumbersome and unreliable. The process was much easier on an Android phone or Tablet, but I still had glitches.

The stamp-sized Eye-Fi card, which starts at US$50, works like a miniature Wi-Fi router, producing a "hotspot" that stretches about 10ft around the camera. The phone or Tablet then latches onto that hotspot, and the free Eye-Fi application starts pulling over the photos (or video).

Images end up in the phone's Gallery or Camera Roll, where photos shot with the built-in camera also go. From there, they can be e-mailed, picture messaged or posted to photo-sharing sites.

On the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S 4G phone and Motorola Xoom Tablet, this mostly worked elegantly. The Eye-Fi app on the Android device stayed in the background, sensing when the camera was trying to communicate. It automatically made a wireless connection to the memory card's hotspot and notified me when the pictures had been transferred. In the meantime, I could use other apps.

However, the app on the Xoom often crashed, forcing me to wipe out my settings and start over.
Apple's devices are much less friendly to the Eye-Fi. Apple doesn't let apps do much in the background, while other apps are working. To start a transfer, you have to first make sure the device is connected to the hotspot, then start the Eye-Fi application. Only when the transfer is done can you close out of the app.

This gets extra fiddly if you're using another Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access because you have to switch the connection back and forth between that hotspot and the camera's. Even when I went through this whole ritual, the Eye-Fi often failed to send photos to my iPad.

The reasons are unclear, but the problem highlighted another weakness in the system. The camera doesn't give you the slightest bit of help in figuring out what's going on because it was never designed to work with the Eye-Fi.

There are no camera controls and no screen indicators to tell you a transfer is ongoing, or if not, what the problem is. The most you can do is turn the camera on and off to see if that might fix it, which was about as effective as kicking a vending machine.

This lack of responsiveness is particularly galling when using the Eye-Fi in the way it originally launched.

The Eye-Fi has been on sale for a few years - it's just the Direct Mode that's new. In the original mode of operation, rather than create a hotspot, the cards connect to an existing one, such as your home WiFi router. It then transfers the images to a website or a folder on your computer. But the camera doesn't give you a clue whether this is happening or not.

Because Direct Mode frees the cards from being tied to particular hotspots, I expect it to be the default mode for users from now on. Older cards can be upgraded to Direct Mode capability as long as they have an "X2" designation.

I should point out that even if the Eye-Fi fails to transfer your photos wirelessly, they're not lost. The Eye-Fi works like a standard memory card too, storing every photo that's shot. The only caveat is that it may not work in your PC's built-in SD card slot because of differences in the electronics. You may need to use a card reader, which is included and sticks into a USB port.

There's another limitation to the Eye-Fi as well. Don't expect to be able to see every pixel in your high-resolution photos just because you've moved them over to a Tablet with a big screen. The photos are moved over in full resolution, but won't display on the phone or Tablet that way. This will disappoint photographers who want to check details and sharpness.

Despite its lack of reliability and some shortcomings, I think you'll find the Eye-Fi useful if you're a camera bug and have an Android phone.

Owners of iPhones and iPads will be better served by Apple's Camera Connection Kit, which costs US$29. It's simply a memory-card reader that attaches to the USB port, so there's no need to fiddle with a camera that has no idea it's been kicked into the future and is now a wireless device.

Quick review of Nokia X7 and E6

2011-04-10T15:36:00.001-11:00

Nokia Corp launched its first smartphones to run on the updated Symbian software with new icons, enhancements and a faster browser.

Nokia X7

It said the two models - the E6 and X7 - have longer battery life, better text input and new Ovi Maps applications with improved search and public transport routes.

The Nokia E6, with a standard Qwerty keypad and high resolution touch display, is aimed at corporate customers, while the Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused handset with a 4in (10cm) display made for games.

The world's largest cellphone maker did not price the handsets.

Markets seemed unimpressed by the announcement, which comes as Nokia continues to struggle against stiff competition, especially from Apple Inc and Research in Motion Ltd.

More than 200 million phones, with 150 million more expected on the market, use Symbian technology, seen by some developers as clumsy and dated. At the end of last year, it was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software.

Nokia said the new, faster Symbian software, known as Symbian Anna, will be available for previously released top models, including the N8, E7, C7 and C6-01 devices "in coming months."

In February, Nokia and Microsoft surprised the industry by announcing they were joining forces to challenge major rivals.

Nokia said it will use Microsoft Corp's Windows Phone software as the main platform for its smartphones but will continue to develop and use the new Symbian software.

But they have a tough battle ahead.

The iPhone has set the standard for today's smartphones and Research In Motion Ltd's BlackBerrys have become the favourite of the corporate set.

More recently, Google Inc's Android software has emerged as the choice for phone makers that want to challenge the iPhone.

In trail
A key challenge will be to produce quality devices with a hip factor that helps position Windows Phone as an attractive alternative in a market where image plays a central role.

Nokia E6

Windows Phone 7, launched last year, has a lot of catching up to do both in the number of users and "apps" available for the phones.

Nokia, which claims 1.3 billion daily users of its devices, said it hopes the partnership with Microsoft will lead to capturing the next billion users to join the Internet in developing growth markets.

Last year, the Finnish firm retained its No 1 spot as the world's top mobile phone maker - a position it has held since 1998, selling 432 million devices - more than its three closest rivals combined.

But market share has continued on a downward spiral - from a high of 41% in 2008 to 31% in the last quarter of 2010.

Also, its share in smartphones has plunged - to 30% at the end of 2010 from 40% a year earlier.

And, at the end of last year Nokia and the Symbian platform was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software, according to Canalys research firm.

Nokia, an Espoo-based company, near Helsinki, employs 132,500 people.

iPads take a place in kindergarten

2011-04-09T15:28:00.001-11:00

Kindergarten classes are supplementing crayons, finger paints and flashcards with iPads, a development that excites supporters but that detractors worry is wasted on pupils too young to appreciate the expense.

Next fall, nearly 300 kindergartners in the central Maine city of Auburn will become the latest batch of youngsters around the country to get iPad2 touchpad Tablets to learn the basics about ABCs, 1-2-3s, drawing and even music.

"It's definitely an adventure, and it'll be a journey of learning for teachers and students," said Auburn kindergarten teacher Amy Heimerl, who received an iPad ahead of the full deployment in the fall. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this can take us and our students."

But the US$200,000 that Superintendent Tom Morrill is proposing to spend on iPads - which retail for around US$500 each - might be better spent on some other school programme, said Sue Millard of Auburn, who has children in the fourth grade and high school.

She also questions whether kindergartners are old enough to appreciate the effort. "I understand you have to keep up with technology, but I think a five-year old is a little too young to understand," she said.

Maine was the first state to equip students statewide with computers when it distributed Apple laptops to all seventh- and eighth-graders in 2002 and 2003. The programme has since expanded, with laptops parcelled out to about 50% of high school students.

The state Department of Education says it believes Auburn is the first school district in Maine that will give iPads to kindergartners. The school board has unanimously approved the plan to give all kindergartners iPads next fall.

iDea
The iPad is a powerful education tool with hundreds of teaching applications, Morrill said. With its touchpad screen, it's simple to use and can bring learning to life with imagery and sounds, he said.

"It's a revolution in education," Morrill said.

Apple spokesman Trudy Muller declined to comment on how iPads are being used in schools, but dozens of school districts around the country have been giving iPads to students.

Schools in Omaha, Nebraska; Columbiana, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Paducah, Kentucky; Charleston, South Carolina; and Scottsdale, Arizona, are among the places where kindergarten pupils are using them.

Angus King, the former Maine governor who launched the state's laptop programme, said the idea of iPads in kindergarten wows him. Anything that holds the attention of pupils will help in the learning process, he said.

TESTING IT: A kindergarten teacher trying out a program for learning letters
on an iPad in Auburn, Maine. Five kindergarten teachers were given iPads to
try out in preparation for next year when nearly 300 kindergarteners will be
given their own iPad2s.

"If your students are engaged, you can teach them anything," King said. "If they're bored and looking out the window, you can be Socrates and you're not going to teach them anything. These devices are engaging."

Morrill is convinced that in the end, using iPads to teach kindergarten will lead to improved student proficiency scores.

Heimerl, one of five kindergarten teachers in the district who got the iPads early, was impressed as she checked out apps for phonics, building words, letter recognition and letter formation.

"The more education teachers have using these tools the better we can enhance children's learning and take them to that next level," said Heimerl, a teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School.

Not convinced

Not everyone is sold. Larry Cuban, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University and the author of Oversold and Underused: Computers in Schools, said there's no proof that computers bring learning benefits to pupils that young.

"There's no evidence in research literature that giving iPads to five-year-olds will improve their reading scores," he said.

Peter Pizzolongo of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, based in Washington, said iPads can be an effective supplement to 3D objects, whether they be books or building blocks.

"We can't say whether what the school district in Maine or anywhere else is doing is good or not good, but what we can say is when the iPad or any other technological tool is used appropriately, then it's a good thing for children's learning," he said.

The best use of iPads is probably in elementary and special education classes because the devices are so easy to use, said Nick Sauers of Iowa State University's Centre for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. There are hundreds of education apps to choose from with a touch to the screen.

Sauers expects a boom soon, with most current iPad initiatives being billed as pilot or experimental programmes.

"I think next year is when we'll see our first big bubble," Sauers said. "There will be districts next year that implement it school-wide, whether it be at the high school level or elementary level."

Morrill said most of the criticism has been about the costs during tough economic times - not about whether Tablet computers are age-appropriate.

He said he plans to raise the money needed for about 325 iPads and teacher training from foundations, the federal government, the local school department and other sources.
As bullish as he is on the kindergarten iPad, he cautions that it needs to be properly supervised and isn't a panacea.

"I'm not saying they should be on this 24-7," he said. "The students still need to move, get up, dance, socialise."

Quick reveiew of Dual-core LG Optimus 2X

2011-04-09T15:25:00.001-11:00

LG Electronics recently announced that its latest Android 2.2 smartphone, the Optimus 2X, will be locally available next month.

The Optimus 2X features a 4in touch-sensitive display (480 x 800-pixels) that is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass material.

An 8-megapixel autofocus camera, complete with geo-tagging, face and smile detection, adorns the back of the camera. It is also able to record 1080p HD videos at 24 frames per second.

Additionally, the phone has a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for making video calls.

LG said the smartphone features a new 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor to deliver higher performance when playing video and audio as well as allow users to multitask without any lag. The faster processor also enables the smartphone to play graphics intensive games smoothly and deliver a faster, smoother web browsing experience.

Other notable features of the Optimus 2X includes 1080p HD video playback through HDMI on a larger screen. Content can also be connected wirelessly to any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible HDTV.

MINI Inspired by Goodwood: Rolls-Royce limited edition

2011-04-07T15:01:00.003-11:00

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate in luxury, so a MINI blessed with the feel and smell of a Rolls should be a highly coveted luxe accessory with no lack of takers – it’s the perfect partner to that limited edition LV bag! Say hello to the MINI Inspired by Goodwood, a 1000 unit collaboration of the two BMW owned British brands that some say might be priced as high as £50,000.

This little dose of the good life from Goodwood comes with a bespoke cabin supervised by Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard. Here, the standard MINI interior is covered with materials that Phantom and Ghost owners are familiar with, including walnut burr veneers on the instrument panel and door pulls, Corn Silk beige leather on the fascia, seats, centre console, door cards and pillar trim. Also check out those deep lambswool fleece carpets.

There’s more. The roof lining, sun visors and boot cover are not in standard fabric, but coated in a Rolls-Royce-spec cashmere blend. The instruments feature RR fonts. The standard colour is RR’s Diamond Black, but one can opt for Reef Blue metallic by MINI.

It’s based on the Cooper S, so you’ll get a twin scroll turbo 1.6L that makes 184 hp and 240 Nm of torque, or 260 Nm on overboost. Sorry, the Rolls-Royce V12 couldn’t fit!

Gallery after the jump.

HP accuses former exec of stealing its secrets

2011-04-06T14:56:00.001-11:00

Nokia Drop allows wireless sharing

2011-04-06T14:51:00.001-11:00

Nokia's user can now transfer URLs and photos from their computer to their mobile device without syncing their phone thanks to an experimental service called Nokia Drop.

"Nokia Drop allows you to ditch the Bluetooth dongle or the data cable and instead send links or photos from your computer browser with one click of the mouse and watch them magically and instantly appear on your Nokia device," explains Nokia.

The wireless file sharing solution comes in two parts: an application for your phone and a plug-in for your browser (Chrome and Firefox only for the moment).

Google offers a similar service for Android smartphones.

Introduced in mid 2010 for smartphones running Android 2.2, the Chrome to Phone extension "seamlessly pushes links, maps, and currently selected text and phone numbers to your Android device."

While Google's Chrome to Phone has been tried and tested for months, Nokia warns that its app is still in testing and "may change or disappear after the trial period."

Nokia Drop is currently available for free for Nokia N8-00, C6-01, C7-00, E7-00, X6-00, 5228, 5230, 5235, 5530, C6-00, N97 and N97 mini phones.

WiFi Galaxy Tab price, release date reviewed

2011-04-05T14:48:00.001-11:00

Samsung announced its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab will arrive in selected retail stores and websites in the United States from April 10. The 7in device will be sold for US$349.99, US$150 cheaper than Apple's least expensive iPad 2.

"The 7in Galaxy Tab is the first truly mobile Tablet on the market, allowing users to comfortably hold the device in one hand while typing or navigating the Web with the other," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile in an a statement announcing the Tablet's price.

The WiFi-only version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab arrives in a market that is fast filling with competing Android Tablets - devices that are mostly still trying to prove their worth against Apple's popular iPad 2.

While we are yet to see the start of cutthroat Tablet price wars, carriers in the United States are already reducing the price of Samsung's 7in (3G-enabled) Galaxy Tab by up to US$200; the Tablet can now be purchased for US$199.99 on a two-year contract.

Industry insiders are questioning if the price cuts signal that the 7in Galaxy Tab is reaching the end of its life.

"Carriers need to make way for newer Tablets like this summer's larger-screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9, and the Sprint Evo View (the Sprint 4G variant of the HTC Flyer)," explains PC World's Melissa Perenson.

Full Review of Sony Ericson Xperia Arc

2011-04-05T01:23:00.000-11:00

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is a beautiful Android smartphone with a lot to offer.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, the latest model to join the Xperia family, is a stylish, ultra-lightweight smartphone that will turn heads.

At first glance, you will be impressed by how slim (8.7mm) and lightweight (117gm) it is. The sleek, super-slim Arc is so light that it makes the iPhone 4 feel bulky in comparison.

The smartphone boasts a 4.2in Reality display with Mobile Bravia Engine, and is flat in front but sports an unusual concave back, hence the name.

It is Sony Ericsson's largest screen on a handset to date. The large screen takes up most of the front because the Home, Back and Settings buttons take up very little space at the bottom.

Take off the flexible plastic back cover and you'll find the Li-ion BA750 battery, 8GB microSD card and SIM card slot. The wafer thin plastic cover is light, but can be easily scratched.

So ladies, try to not chuck this beauty into your handbag if you want to keep it scratch-free.

Speedy smartphone

This sleek phone houses a 1Ghz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor (Snapdragon) and an Adreno 205 graphics processor which is the same pairing used in the Xperia Play, a model catered for gamers.

So this smartphone not only looks stylish, it also packs a punch in terms of display quality, performance and speed.

The Arc comes with the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). This will certainly excite almost any Android user because the latest version of Google's OS comes with a slew of improvements.

As a fairly new Android user, I am impressed with its tight integration with Google Apps and native applications for Gmail, Google Talk, and Google Calendar.

For instance, you can easily manage your Gmail by adding and removing labels, just like you would do on your desktop PC. Watch your contact list magically populate as Android intelligently grabs your friend's profile photo from your social media accounts.

The Arc works well enough as a phone. It's easy to make and receive calls, and send text messages. You can even create shortcuts to your favourite contacts on the homescreen.

The Xperia Arc also holds up well in terms of speed and touchscreen sensitivity. You can switch from the homescreen to the applications drawer quickly without any lag.

Surfing the Internet is a joy on the Xperia Arc because of its ultra-sharp display and Android's Voice Search feature.

Impress your friends by simply speaking the name of a website and a list of matched websites will appear. Voice Search works best with popular websites such as Google, Yahoo! and, of course, The Star Online. Also, the nifty Voice Search allows you to speak instead of typing out commands such as "send text," "listen to," "navigate to," "call" and "send e-mail."

Pinch-to-zoom which was introduced first with the Xperia X10 works well on the Arc too. However, the grey resize bar (showing the plus and minus sign) which appears and blocks part of the display when you are pinching and zooming is somewhat redundant.

Snappy shooter

The Xperia Arc comes with an 8.1-megapixel camera that is comparable to any point-and-shoot camera phone. The array of features the camera offers are impressive.

You can control exposure value, toggle image stabiliser, adjust white balance and even switch on geotagging to add location information to your photos.

The camera also offers scene selection and comes with Landscape, Night portrait, Sports, Portrait, Night scene, Beach and Snow, Party and Document modes. You can even select up to three types of shutter sound. Now that's a whole lot of customisation for a camera phone.

You can capture photos in 4:3 or 16:9 resolutions. However, zooming is only allowed when shooting in 2-megapixel mode.

When holding the phone in landscape mode, you are able to take pictures by pressing down the tiny camera button on top or use the touchscreen mode to capture shots.

I prefer to use the latter because you would need to really hold the smartphone firmly and depress the camera button fully to take a shot. Using the camera button would cause you to shake the camera in most instances.

There is no front-facing camera on the Arc, so you can kiss your self-portrait moments good bye!
Video recording is adequate and it supports autofocus during recording. It takes a few seconds for the camera to adjust itself when an object comes into view.

The smartphone also comes with a port for HDMI output so all you have to do is hook it up to a HDTV to view your HD videos.

Other features

Sony Ericsson phones are generally known for their music playback capability. The Arc carries on this tradition by providing simple playback controls and comes with a wide selection of preset equaliser settings.

Also, setting your favourite MP3 song as ringtone is as simple as selecting it by clicking on the Settings button during music playback.

Timescape lets you view all your communications at a glance. You can check your missed calls, text messages, Facebook and Twitter updates from a single location.

You can also drag down the Notifications Bar to easily view updates on missed calls, messages, social media and network connections.

The downside to having such a thin, feather-weight phone with a large screen is the short battery life.

With moderate use of Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, and snapping the occasional photo and sharing it on Picplz (sorry, no Instagram on the Android), the Arc allowed me to enjoy six hours of battery life.

You can disable vibrate mode and Haptic feedback to further save battery.

The phone heats up slightly if the vibrate mode is left on and notifications keep coming via Google Talk, Twitter or Facebook.

Conclusion

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc will appeal to the style conscious or gadget lover who doesn't mind spending a little extra for a beautiful product. The attractive phone will surely make heads turn and fuel many conversations.

However, the big turn off to most people would be the short battery life but this is only expected from a phone with a 4.2in screen.

The Arc is one of Sony Erisscons' most feature-packed smartphones and is worth checking out if you looking for an Android phone running the latest version of the OS.

Pros: Incredibly stylish, slim and lightweight; large ultra-sharp screen; display is great for viewing videos and playing games; lots of handy features.

Cons: Start and camera buttons are tiny and unresponsive; heats up easily; short battery life.

Xperia arc
(Sony Ericsson)
Android smartphone

NETWORK: GPRS, EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
DISPLAY: 4.2in (854 x 480-pixels)
CAMERA: 8.1-megapixels
CONNECTIVITY: HDMI out, aGPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
MEMORY: 320MB
EXPANSION SLOT: MicroSD (8GB card included)
STANDBY/TALKTIME: 400 hours/7 hours
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 125.0 x 63.0 x 8.7mm
WEIGHT: 117.0g

Quick review of Fujitsu Lifebook SH761

2011-04-04T15:02:00.001-11:00

Positioned as the "technology flagship" model in the Lifebook line, the SH761 is a showcase of all the latest technology that Fujitsu has in the 2011 models.

At only 1.6kg with a magnesium alloy body, the SH761 has a claimed battery life of five hours of actual usage, or eight hours with the extended battery.

The SH761 runs on an Intel Core i5-2520M (2.50GHz) or Intel Core i7-2620M (2.70GHz) CPU, has a 13.3in (1,366 x 768-pixels) display, up to 4GB RAM, nVidia GeForce GT 520M graphics chip, up to 640GB hard disk drive, a DVD Writer and a fingerprint sensor.

The notebook also features one USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports. One of the USB 2.0 ports can be used to charge mobile devices even when the notebook is off.

The SH761 is one of the models that comes with the 0-Watt AC adaptor.

The adaptor communicates with a chipset on the notebook to monitor the battery status and only switches on the adaptor when the notebook needs to charge.

When fully charged, the adaptor, true to its name, consumes almost no power

Alfa Romeo 159 gets new interior and 136 hp 2.0 JTDM diesel

2011-04-03T15:14:00.002-11:00

To keep things fresh and kicking, Alfa Romeo has dressed up the interior of its 159 sedan for 2011, as well as introduced a new engine variant into the lineup – the new motor is a 136 hp 2.0 JTDM unit. The Euro 5, variable geometry turbocharger-equipped diesel block offers 350 Nm of torque from as low as 1,750 rpm.

Interior-wise, the 159 now features new sports cloth upholstery or sports leather in black or natural, depending on the trim level chosen (there are three – Turismo, Lusso and the sporty TI). Elsewhere, the cabin gets dressed up with elegant chrome-plated three-layer treatment or brush black aluminium inserts on the dashboard, on the mouldings and on the central console.

Bagging a TI variant not only gets you the sport bits, all replete in black and aluminium, new carbon fibre inserts on the central console and steering wheel may be ordered as optional items to complete the sport theme.

Quick review of Nikon D5100

2011-04-03T14:59:00.001-11:00

Nikon D5100, the successor to its D5000 DSLR, has been refreshed with a creative Special Effects mode and a more convenient 3in swing-out LCD screen.

The 16.2 megapixel entry to mid-level DSLR is largely comparable to Canon's EOS 600D, with both sporting similar specs and price tag.

The D5100 comes with full manual controls, a wide ISO range of 100-6400/25600, and full 1080p HD recording with full-time autofocus and manual exposure control but Nikon seems most excited about the camera's new range of on board creative effects.

Included in the Special Effects menu is an HDR (high dynamic range imaging) mode, a Color Sketch mode, a Miniature (tilt-shift) mode and a Night Vision mode, all of which can be applied to both photos and movies.

"Now more than ever, consumers want to pack only one device with them when travelling on excursions both far away and close to home," said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc.

"By providing consumers with a simple path to creative freedom for both stills and movies, the Nikon D5100 is designed to become an essential camera for capturing all of life's occasions."

Microsoft skewers Google in EU antitrust complaint

2011-04-03T13:07:00.000-11:00

Microsoft Corp escalated its attack on Google Inc by complaining to European regulators on Thursday that its fiercest rival is an Internet bully that abuses its dominance of online search and advertising.

The allegations against Google crystallise the piecemeal gripes that Microsoft has been making about Google's business practices for the past few years.

It's also an ironic twist for Microsoft, whose control over how software operates on most personal computers has made it a frequent target of the types of complaints it's now making against Google.

This marks the first time that Microsoft has lodged a formal antitrust complaint with a government agency against one of its own rivals.

In doing so, Microsoft hopes to encourage the European Commission to dig deeper into an investigation opened four months ago into Google's business practices.

The European inquiry was spurred by complaints made by several smaller websites. They contended Google was unfairly burying them in search results and highlighting the company's own services instead.

The sites behind the initial complaints included Ciao, an online-shopping site owned by Microsoft, and Foundem, a price-comparison site that belongs to a technology trade association backed by Microsoft.

Given that, Google said Microsoft's latest complaint was unsurprising.

"We continue to discuss the case with the European Commission, and we're happy to explain to anyone how our business works," Google spokesman Al Verney said.

Although the specifics of Thursday's European complaint were confidential, Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith outlined the basics in a blog posting.

Microsoft has made most of these accusations before in public statements or forums.

List of gripes

It contends Google is making it difficult for mobile phones that rely on its Windows software to access Google's YouTube video site. Google is promoting its own phones software, Android, and has been accommodating with Apple Inc's iPhone, according to Microsoft. Google CEO Eric Schmidt was on Apple's board when the iPhone was introduced in 2007.

Microsoft also accused Google of making it difficult for advertisers to transfer their data used to manage online marketing campaigns to rival search engines. And Microsoft said Google has programmed its search formulas in ways that drive up prices that its rivals have to spend to buy ads shown alongside Google's search results.

The complaint also paints Google as a hypocrite. Microsoft says Google has made it increasingly difficult for Microsoft's Bing and other search engines to index the videos on YouTube, an apparent contradiction to Google's crusade to make content openly accessible.

Google has been particularly critical of Facebook's refusal to open up data within its social network. Microsoft owns a 1.6% stake in Facebook, and Bing has been granted better access to Facebook profiles.

"Unfortunately, Google has engaged in a broadening pattern of walling off access to content and data that competitors need to provide search results to consumers and to attract advertisers," Smith wrote in his blog post.

Microsoft has a business incentive to undermine Google, which processes about two out of three every search requests in the United States. and an even higher ratio in other parts of the world, including many countries in Europe.

Partnership

After investing billions in its search technology during the past few years, Microsoft is desperate to close the market gap. Toward the end, Microsoft teamed up with Yahoo! Inc last year and, together, they now have nearly 30% of the US market.

To protect its search engine, Google previously has complained about the way Microsoft had set up its market-leading web browser, Internet Explorer, to make it less likely that people would install software known as toolbars from competitors.

"Antitrust has become a competitive weapon used by both companies," said Boston University law professor Keith Hylton, who specialises in antitrust issues. "This is troubling because you never know quite what to make of the complaints."

Previous complaints against Microsoft had thrust that company into a court battle with the US Justice Department in the late 1990s. European regulators have imposed heavy fines for anti-competitive practices involving its Windows operating system and Internet Explorer.

Google has been fined in France and admonished in Canada for inadequate privacy controls but so far hasn't been penalised in an antitrust investigation. If European regulators conclude Google engaged in anti-competitive behaviour, it could fine the company up to 10% of annual revenue, which is expected to surpass US$35bil this year.

Microsoft's move could exacerbate the legal and public-relations troubles already facing Google, which is based in Mountain View, California.

Bad time

The filing comes a week after a federal judge rejected a proposed legal settlement that would have given Google the digital rights to millions of out-of-print books. The judge concluded the agreement would have walled off its Internet search rivals from valuable content.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice is reviewing whether Google's proposed US$700mil acquisition of airfare tracker ITA Software would give it an unfair advantage in online travel.

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, came out against both deals as part of broader coalitions. The state of Texas is also looking into Google's business practices.

Microsoft's decision to get involved in Europe's Google probe is a natural step, said Federico Etro, an economics professor at the University of Venice who has studied the case.

But he doesn't see this as merely another round in the jousting between two companies that don't like each other. He said online search is very complex market, with multiple consumer and economic issues to sort out.

Japan disaster sparks social media innovation

2011-04-03T13:02:00.000-11:00

TOKYO: As Japan grapples with an unprecedented triple disaster - earthquake, tsunami, nuclear crisis - the Web has spawned creativity and innovation online amid a collective desire to ease suffering.

Once the magnitude of the March 11 disaster became clear, the online world began asking, "How can we help?"

And for that, social media offered the ideal platform for good ideas to spread quickly, supplementing efforts launched by giants like Google and Facebook.

A British teacher living in Abiko city, just east of Tokyo, is leading a volunteer team of bloggers, writers and editors producing Quakebook, a collection of reflections, essays and images of the earthquake that will be sold in the coming days as a digital publication.

Proceeds from the project will go to the Japanese Red Cross, said the 40-year-old, who goes by the pseudonym "Our Man in Abiko."

The entirely Twitter-sourced project started with a single tweet exactly a week after the earthquake. Within an hour, he had received two submissions, which soon grew to the 87 that now comprise the book.

Quakebook involves some 200 people in Japan and abroad, and the group is in negotiations to sell the download on Amazon.com.

It didn't take long for others to notice. Twitter itself has sent out a tweet about Quakebook, as has Yoko Ono. Best-selling novelist Barry Eisler wrote the foreword for the book.

"I just thought I want to do something," he said in a telephone interview. "I felt completely helpless."

Another project, "World's 1,000 Messages for Japan," is an effort to convey thoughts from around the globe. Writers can leave short notes on Facebook or through e-mail, which a group of volunteers then translate into Japanese. The translations are then posted on Twitter as well as the group's website.

"The news of the earthquake, tsunami, and meltdown in Japan has mostly been horrifying. But it has also served as a reminder of the strength and resolve that comes out of Japanese culture," said one recent message on the project's Facebook page.

The calamitous events that transfixed people worldwide led to a jump in traffic among social networking sites - typical after recent major disasters elsewhere.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster that likely killed more than 18,000 people, phone and cellular networks were either down or overwhelmed with traffic.

So people turned to the Internet to track down friends and family, and connect with those who saw the disaster unfold firsthand. In Tokyo, which suffered minimal damage, commuters wanted to know if their trains were running, and whether their neighborhoods would be subject to rolling electricity blackouts due to damage to nuclear and conventional power plants.

Figures released this week show that millions flocked to sites like Twitter following the earthquake and tsunami. Its audience grew by a third to 7.5 million users during March 7-13 compared with the previous week, according to the Nielsen NetRatings Japan.

Video streaming provider Ustream and Japanese video-sharing platform Nico Nico Douga also saw viewership climb. Ustream's audience more than doubled to 1.4 million, driven largely by public broadcaster NHK's channel featuring live coverage online, the report said.

Concerns

The numbers underscore the increasingly valuable role that social media, particularly Twitter, can play in the wake of natural disasters. The microblogging site helped drive fundraising after the earthquake in Haiti last year, and it served as a critical communication tool after the New Zealand earthquake in February.

Twitter was already a big hit in Japan, where more than three-quarters of the population is connected to the Internet. The earthquake convinced even more users of its value as a communication lifeline.

"Many people signed up for Twitter after the earthquake, and that's because they wanted to exchange information," said Nobuyuki Hayashi, a prominent Japanese tech journalist and consultant.

"Twitter played a great role in the first few days" after the quake, he said. He added, however, that the surge of activity also brought to light some of Twitter's shortcomings during disasters.

As helpful as Twitter was after the quake, it also helped propagate a number of unfounded rumours and fears. A post-quake fire at an oil refinery east of Tokyo led to a torrent of tweets that incorrectly claimed the blaze would result in toxic rain.

Some people moved to Facebook "because they can access more trusted information and engage in more topic-based conversation," Hayashi said.

That's something that concerns web designer Qanta Shimizu as well. But he sees a greater good in embracing social media in times of crisis.

In 1995, when a massive earthquake devastated the western city of Kobe, the Internet was in its infancy and the mass media controlled the flow of information. National consciousness of the disaster shifted too quickly, Shimizu said, as the media moved on to new topics.

"Society has changed now, and through the Internet, I wanted to find a way to offer support indefinitely," he said.

Shimizu created a Twitter application to remind Internet users to do their part, however small. Setsudener - a play on the Japanese term for "save energy" - automatically darkens a user's profile picture from 5pm to 8pm, symbolising the need to cut back on power consumption during peak demand.

Japanese web developer Yusuke Wada created Anpi Report to gather and organise information posted on Twitter about missing individuals. Through Facebook and Twitter, he has found more than 200 volunteers to manually sift through tweets to enter into a database.

Anpi Report hopes to expand in the near future by linking its information with Google's "person finder" database for people who are either seeking information about a missing person or have information to provide about someone affected by the disaster.

For others, especially local governments and agencies, simply venturing onto social media has been a big step.

Mitaka city in western Tokyo decided to start a Twitter account after the earthquake. Announcements of the possible rolling blackouts led to a huge spike in traffic on the city's website that it could not handle, said spokesman Shinichi Akiyama.

One of the city's recent posts informed residents that The Tokyo Electric Power Co had called off blackouts for Wednesday - an essential piece of information for businesses and households. The information is posted on the city's website, but putting it out on Twitter enables the city to keep residents informed in real-time, Akiyama said.

"We're using social media a bit differently than what it was probably intended for, like having a conversation," he said. "But it has helped us realise that it's possible to use social media as a tool."

Mitaka's neighbours took note almost immediately. Nearby cities like Musashino and Koganei have also signed up for Twitter, as have numerous municipalities in the hardest-hit areas of northeast Japan. - AP

Ford to introduce 15 new models in China by 2015

2011-04-01T15:14:00.000-11:00

According to a Reuters report, Ford is set to introduce no less than 15 new models into the Chinese market by 2015 as part of its agressive expansion plans in the world’s number one automotive market.

The company said in a statement that it will be doubling its dealerships in the country from the 340 now over the next five years, and is looking to add 1,200 employees into its workforce there.
The blue oval already makes the Mondeo, Fiesta and Focus, among others, in China, in partnership with Chongqing Changan Automobile and Mazda, and also holds a 30% stake in light commercial vehicle manufacturer Jiangling Motors.

Ford sold 53,440 units in China last month, a 20% increase from the same period in 2010, a significant percentage rise in an overall market that has only grown 5.4% for the month, year on year, the report adds. It’s still a ways away from catching top dog GM though, which sold just over 233,000 vehicles in March. Undoubtedly, it’s looking at closing the gap in a big way over the next five years with the introduction of all those new models.

Quick review of Fujitsu Lifebook NH751

2011-03-31T15:10:00.001-11:00

Lifebook NH751

For more hardcore gamers, Fujitsu has the Lifebook NH751, which is a premium mobile gaming rig featuring a choice of the highest performing 2nd Generation Intel Quad-core i7 processors.

Of course, a gaming rig wouldn't be complete without a beefy discrete graphics option, and the NH751 features an nVidia GeForce GT525M graphics chip with 1GB memory.

The notebook can be configured to include a 17.3in (either 1,680 x 945-pixels or 1920x1080-pixels) , 4GB RAM, up to 500GB hard disk drive, a DVD writer or Blu-ray drive, and four USB 2.0 ports, one of which can also function as an eSATA port.