Archive for September, 2005
Opera has long been winning plaudits for its fast, secure web browser, but the problem was, only the most dedicated web-head had ever tried it. Standing in the way of world domination was a) convincing people that IE wasn’t the only browser on the planet (difficult) b) the fact that you had to pay for it, or put up with a version strwen with advertising.
That’s all changed with an ad-free, fully-featured Opera browser is now available for download – completely free of charge – at http://www.opera.com.
“Today we invite the entire Internet community to use Opera and experience Web browsing as it should be,” said Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. “Removing the ad banner and licensing fee will encourage many new users to discover the speed, security and unmatched usability of the Opera browser.”
“Opera fans around the globe made this day possible,” said von Tetzchner. “As we grow our userbase, our mission and our promise remain steadfast: we will always offer the best Internet experience to our users - on any device. Today this mission gains new ground.”
Cynics have suggested that the move to make Opera free was because it could not compete with other browsers on the market which have always been free. Opera deny this, claiming instead that the browser have acheived such a high level of market penetration that they can now afford to fund the software through affiliates alone.
Who knows where the truth lies. All we care about is that another great alternative to IE is now freely available.
About the Opera Browser
Already regarded as the world’s fastest, most secure browser, Opera speeds up your Web browsing with these innovative features:
- Navigate quickly using intuitive mouse gestures and browser tabs
- Start from where your last browsing session ended or save your entire session
- Access downloaded files quickly with the transfer manager
- Protect against identity theft and phishing with integrated security features
- Speak up: surf the Web hands-free using voice commands
- Shop Amazon, browse Ebay, and search the Web with Google right from the address bar
- Set reminders for Web pages you visit with the notes feature
September 21st, 2005
We love the look of the new Dell iPod Shuffle rival, but we hate the name - Dell DJ Ditty. What are they thinking of? The iPod is all style and no substance, but by branding their mp3 player like a kid’s ‘my first music box’ Dell have missed a trick.
The DJ Ditty itself looks like a solid offering. 512MB capacity allows the storage of up to 220 mp3 or WMA files, and it has a nice 26×11mm blue-glow screen to allow you to actually see what is playing (one up on the Shuffle there). It’s based on the Creative FX120, so features a 2.5 hour recharge time over USB 2.0.
The equivalently priced Shuffle only holds 120 songs, so the DJ Ditty stacks up well against its rival. The Dell also has a built-in FM tuner, so it wins all round. The only downside is its incompatibility with iTunes which rules it out of a large part of the market.
The Dell DJ Ditty will probably fail to dent the iPod’s market share despite its feature set. If only Dell had come up with a better name.
September 21st, 2005
Ah, bless Microsoft. Just as TechSmec.com was considering switching our ‘mega-corporation of the month’ allegience from Sony to the halls of Redmond’s favourite tennant, we discover that that they are planning on region-coding games for the Xbox 360.
Of course, this should be of no surprise to us as the orignial Xbox was similarly hamstrung, but recent activity from Sony (they didn’t bother to region code games on the PSP) had given us some hope that a new precedent had been set.
Nintendo?
Source: TeamXbox
September 20th, 2005
In a unique combination of style, power and advanced features, the PURE DMX-50 is the world’s first DAB and FM microsystem to include support for SD memory cards, bringing all the advantages of digital technology to a compact and stylish audio system. It will be on sale before Christmas 2005 for £230.
With PURE’s ReVu technology DMX-50 listeners can pause and rewind live DAB digital radio and record multiple tracks or complete radio programs to SD card. Users can listen later on the DMX-50 itself, or when they are out and about using a compatible device such as the PURE PocketDAB 2000. MP3 collections can be played back from SD card or from MP3 CD, with full support for subfolders.
Sound-engineered by the same team who developed the multi-award-winning PURE DRX-series of tuners, with 40 Watts RMS output power per channel and custom-wound 5 1/4″ woofers and 19mm Mylar-dome tweeters, DMX-50 offers audio reproduction of the highest standard. The DMX-50 features a stylish metalised facia and is accompanied with wooden speakers in a Rosewood coloured finish with removable grills.
Says Kevin Dale, GM, PURE Digital: “DMX-50, with its wide range of digital audio features, will be the heart of its users’ audio entertainment. Impressive sound is a pre-requisite and we’ve put a lot of time into perfecting the system; but it’s the advanced ReVu functionality and the ability to record to and play back from SD memory card that sets DMX-50 a level above other micros.”
With a sleep timer, alarm and remote control, DMX-50 sits just as comfortably in the bedroom as it does in the lounge.
A large graphical display shows date, time and other program-related information in a variety of user-selectable screen options as well as vertically scrolling DAB digital text. Menu-sensitive buttons provide a uniquely simple user interface for even advanced features.
DMX-50 provides both DAB digital radio and FM with RDS, as well as CD Audio including support for CD text. For the few stations not transmitting on DAB, FM with RDS provides station name listing and RadioText. DMX-50 stores FM station names to allow alphabetic display and selection by station name. MP3 files are playable from SD card or CD including support for subfolders. Two auxiliary inputs make DMX-50 the ideal companion for an iPod and other portable music player when users are at home. Digital SD card storage supports multiple recordings.
The DAB transmission standard provides high quality, interference-free digital audio without the hiss, crackle and fade of AM/FM broadcasts. Fast autotune locates all available DAB stations and users simply select stations by name. DMX-50 will list them alphabetically or in the order users listen to them most.
Up to twice as many stations are available in many areas as via FM. UK stations broadcast digitally include national BBC Radios 1-4, BBC Radio 5 Live, Classic FM, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio, plus local and unique-to-digital stations. 99 DAB and 99 FM presets enable users to easily tune to favourite stations.
Whether it’s enhancements to the DAB standard or new features from PURE, the DMX-50 is USB Upgradeable, enabling users to download the latest product enhancements from www.pure.com/support.
DMX-50 is covered by a 2-year warranty. See www.pure.com for stockists or call 01923 277488.
September 20th, 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
Panasonic today debuted the world’s first 3-CCD digital video cameras SDR-S100 and SDR-S300 that record MPEG2 pictures onto SD Memory Cards. The new “SD Video Camera” series expands Panasonic’s digital video camera lineup to meet a wide range of consumers’ needs. The SDR-S100 will be available in Japan on October 15 and SDR-S300 on November 15.
The SD Memory Card based S100 and S300 offer the mobility and convenience of a tape-less video camera. They also feature three CCDs (charge-coupled devices), the MEGA O.I.S. (optical image stabilizer) and MPEG2 Engine to deliver high picture quality.
The two models are the first products to utilize Panasonic’s proprietary integrated platform for next-generation consumer electronic devices. “With this platform, the cameras simultaneously combine less power consumption, higher performance and compactness,” said Mr. Naruo Yoshikawa, General Manager of Camcorder Category, Panasonic AVC Networks Company.
By adopting the postage-stamp sized SD Memory Card, Panasonic has succeeded in making the digital video cameras more compact, lightweight and mobile. The card also increases connectivity with other AV products. The S100 measures 49.9 × 96.7 × 80.4 mm and weighs 242 g without the battery, making it the smallest and lightest 3-CCD video camera to date.
As they do not require moving parts for storing data, the S100 and S300 are impervious to shocks and vibration as well as offering resistance to environmental extremes. The SD Memory Card reduces warm-up time, allowing a start-up of amazing 1.5 seconds. The card also makes recording easy - the cameras automatically find blank memory areas to stop users accidentally recording over images.
The two models can record video and still images in the widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. Even after shooting, they offer the convenience of high-speed data transfer without using a cable. For example, when the SD Memory Card is popped into a card slot on the DVD recorder, the video data can be transferred to the hard disk drive eight times faster than normal speeds. Once the video is saved on the DVD recorder, it can be enjoyed on a large-screen VIERA TV with family and friends. When used with the included USB2.0 high-speed cable, the pictures (LP mode) can be transferred 22 times faster to the PC for editing.
Mr. Yoshikawa said, “The SD Memory Card is a de facto market standard in flash memory, accounting for 40 percent of the market. We are continuing to work on expanding the memory capacity and lowering the cost of this highly reliable and secure card.”
The 3-CCD system, commonly used in professional video cameras, is employed to capture each of the primary colors of light, red, green and blue, for color accuracy. The Crystal and MPEG2 Engines process and detect image information to reproduce highly precise and true-to-life images.
Panasonic’s MEGA O.I.S. (optical image stabilizer), a must for any compact cameras, detects and suppresses a slightest handshake, promising foolproof pictures. They feature the Leica Dicomar lens that captures clear and crisp images with detail and contrast.
Embodying Panasonic’s ideas for comfort and ultimate operating ease, the main control buttons are arranged symmetrically - right-handers or left-handers can therefore operate it easily in one hand.
The S100 and S300 feature a large 2.8-inch LCD for easy viewing. They are identical except that the S300 has a more rugged design with carbon reinforced polymer used for the grip and LCD exterior.
They come with a 2-gigabyte SD Memory Card which can hold about 100 minutes of MPEG2 video (LP mode) or 1,280 3.1-megapixel (2,048 × 1,512) still pictures (fine mode).
“We believe solid-state memory based video cameras present an ideal solution for both professionals and consumers,” said Mr. Yoshikawa.
September 16th, 2005
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have discovered a way of snooping on typists by analysing the sounds of the keyboard being used. The technique is allegedly 96% accurate (more than enough to get the gist of a document or email) and requires only 10 minutes of calibration.
The technique is simple and familiar to cryptographers everywhere. The sound of a typist hitting the ‘e’ key is different to the ’s’ key and so on. By analysing the different sounds, snoopers can woks out the relative frequency of use for each key. From that point on it’s simply a case of knowing what language the typist would be using and applying a statistical formula along the lines of ‘most common sound must be the e as that is the most common letter’. Think of it as a normal substitution cypher.
Of course, there’s a little more to it than that and the researchers also applied spelling and grammar rules to the text to refine it, however, the technique is apparently easy enough to duplicate with a home set up and for that reason the source code of the software is being kept under wraps.
The researchers are also convinced they that aren’t breaking new ground here. “If you believe the [National Security Agency] hasn’t done this already, you’re naive,” they are quoted as saying in PC World.
September 15th, 2005
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