Archive for September 19th, 2005
Samsung has increased the capacity of one of the more arcane parts of the flash memory market - the multi-chip package (MCP).
You may not have heard of them, but you might have one in your mobile phone, or even your mp3 player. If you’ve got a Sony PSP you definitely have one. MCPs hold more than one chip in the same unit (nothing unusual there), but can also mix and match the type of chip depending on the application.
The MCP announced by Samsung today holds two 4GB NAND flash memory chips, four 512MB DRAM chips and four 256MB NOR flash memory chips for a total capacity of 11GB. The MCP inside the PSP has a capacity of 64MB and consists of 256Mbit NAND flash memory and high-speed mobile DRAM memory.
The world’s MCP market is expected to expand from last year’s US$4.2 billion to US$4.9 billion this year, and again to US$7.6 billion by the year 2008.
September 19th, 2005
Sprint, the third-largest wireless carrier in the United States, and RealNetworks today announced the launch of Rhapsody Radio on the Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Service.
Available nationwide, Rhapsody Radio provides Sprint customers high-quality streaming radio stations from Real’s award-winning Rhapsody online music service, streaming podcasts, “Beats N Breaks” (a new freestyle rap service), and music news and videos.
“Sprint customers now have more choices for all their entertainment and music needs,” said Jeff Hallock, vice president of consumer product marketing and strategy for Sprint. “The addition of Rhapsody Radio gives customers a popular catalog of commercial-free streaming music, music news and independent music videos which will allow Sprint customers a new way to discover artists.”
“We are delighted to make some of the popular stations in Rhapsody Radio available to Sprint PCS customers,” said Dan Sheeran, Senior Vice President of Premium Consumer Services, RealNetworks. “This is an important step in our plan to make Rhapsody available to consumers any time from any device.”
Rhapsody Radio includes “Urban Hitz Radio,” “Alternative Radio,” “Country,” “70s Station” and “Pop Hits,” as well as “Beats N Breaks,” which features the beats from many of today’s most popular songs and allows subscribers to “freestyle” rap to the instrumental tracks. Customers can also enjoy streaming podcasts from KCRW - Santa Monica 89.9 FM (KCRW.com), National Public Radio’s Southern California flagship station, including “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” which showcases live recordings of in-studio performances by independent and unsigned artists and the popular “Le Show” with satirist Harry Shearer. Customers will also receive music news and reviews and music videos from IMNTV(TM) (OTCBB:GMUS), part of the Global Music International Company and leading international aggregator of R&B, Hip Hop, International, Rock and Pop videos.
Rhapsody Radio is the latest joint offering from Sprint and Real. The two companies currently offer a variety of steaming video content via Real - rTV.
Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Services is available nationwide to customers with a Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Phone, and channels, like Rhapsody Radio, can be purchased a la carte through the phone by going to Menu/ Media Player and then selecting from a category of choices, including Music & Radio, Entertainment, News & Weather, and many more. Rhapsody Radio is the latest of four streaming music channels available to Sprint customers.
Customers can purchase Rhapsody Radio by typing in channel 39 in the Sprint Media Player or by going to the Music & Radio folder and selecting the new channel; the cost is $6.95 per month for unlimited access.
September 19th, 2005
Techsmec.com has often wondered why computer peripheral manufacturers appears to be able to squeeze a DTV decoder into a case the size of a cigarette packet, but consumer electronics designer like to give you something you can see from anywhere in the room.
Bush has resolved that paradox with the Idaptor, claiming to be the ‘World’s First Plug and Play digital Freeview TV adaptor the size of a pack of cards!’
Resembling nothing more than a slightly over-large SCART plug, the Idaptor provides access to all 30 UK free-to-air DTV channels, as well as a 7 day EPG and remote control.
We like!
September 19th, 2005
Toshiba has announced that it has developed two prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units and begun tests to validate their operation with mobile audio players. Each unit integrates the DMFC that Toshiba announced in June 2004, the world’s smallest, bringing its practical use a major step closer.
The new fuel cell units have an output power of 100mW and 300mW and have been applied to a flash-memory-based digital audio player and an HDD-based digital audio player, respectively
The 100mW unit, similar in shape and size to a pack of gum at a compact W23mm x L75mm x D10mm, can power the flash-based player for approximately 35 hours on a single 3.5ml charge of highly concentrated methanol, the fuel that drives the electricity producing chemical reaction in the fuel cell. The 300mW unit is W60mm x L75mm x D10mm and delivers enough power to keep an HDD-based audio player running for approximately 60 hours on a single 10ml charge.
Both prototype players include components related to the testing and are W35mm x L110mm x D20mm (flash memory) and W65mm x L125mm x D27mm (HDD) with the fuel cell units. These sizes can be reduced substantially by removing the extra components and applying optimal design for commercial products.
The design of the fuel cell units reflects current moves toward international standardization of micro fuel cells and meets the International Electrotechnical Commission’s draft safety standards now under review.
Toshiba’s DMFC features a passive fuel supply system that is suited to smaller fuel cells and use with a highly concentrated methanol solution. Fuel cells usually mix methane with water in a concentration of less than 30%, a dilution that supports generating efficiency but which requires a fuel tank that is much too big for portable equipment. Through durability and reliability tests with the new units, Toshiba will accelerate technology enhancements, including development of production technology, to support integration of DMFC into commercial products expected to appear in and after 2007.
September 19th, 2005