Archive for February, 2006
Don’t let the size of Sony’s 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo(TM) media card fool you. This product has the largest storage capacity of any Memory Stick flash media card on the market.
At one-third the size and half the weight of the standard-size Memory Stick® card, the 4GB PRO Duo media is designed to store large amounts of rich, multi-media content, including movies, music and high-resolution digital photos.
“As we’ve increased capacity, the Memory Stick format has advanced beyond serving primarily for storage of digital still images” said Mike Kahn, senior manager for Memory Stick Media at Sony Electronics. “With our postage-stamp sized 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo media card, people can store all of their vacation photos and wedding videos, along with their favorite movies, music and even game-scores from a PlayStation Portable device.”
The new media card is compatible with a wide selection of currently available devices, including Sony’s Cyber-Shot T Series and W Series cameras, Handycam camcorders and the PSP system.
For added versatility, all Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo media cards are sold with an adapter for devices with a standard-size Memory Stick® media slot. It also offers the industry’s highest durability with a standard operating temperature range of -13 F to +185 F.
Like all Memory Stick media products, the 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo card incorporates MagicGate copyright protection technology to allow for secure distribution of commercial content such as digital music and downloaded movies.
February 26th, 2006
Roxio today released MyDVD 8 Premier, which introduces significant enhancements including advanced video editing capabilities and authoring tools, high-quality transitions and effects, customizable menu templates, and support for high definition (HD) video. MyDVD 8 Premier will have particular appeal to the tens of millions of existing MyDVD users looking for more creative control and greater authoring flexibility. MyDVD 8 Premier is available today at www.roxio.com and www.sonic.com for $69.99.
MyDVD 8 Premier includes everything users need to present personal photos and videos in a professional fashion. Automated video editing features allow users to create polished video productions in a few mouse clicks, while straightforward authoring tools enable them to generate DVDs with attractive motion-video menus, animated buttons, and Dolby Digital sound. MyDVD 8 Premier’s DVD engine is built on the same technology that is trusted by Hollywood studios and high-end post-production facilities to ensure DVDs created will play back on the widest possible selection of set-top players and computers.
Key features and enhancements
– Hollywood -style authoring - MyDVD 8 Premier makes it easy for users to create personalized DVDs with custom designs and full-motion, multi-chapter menus with advanced navigation. It features a new project tree viewer, which provides a hierarchical view of the DVD project layout, allowing users to easily navigate through project layers during the DVD creation process. MyDVD 8 Premier gives users full control over menu and submenu customization, as well as navigation, including the ability to define play sequences for titles, chapters, button properties and actions. Output options include standard and widescreen formats to allow users to optimize discs to take full advantage of modern living room entertainment systems.
– Breathtaking slideshows - MyDVD 8 Premier allows users to easily import and create photo slideshows with up to 999 photos in full-screen or widescreen format, and add transitions, motion effects (pan and zoom) and audio tracks. It also enables users to touch-up photos if needed using the built-in photo editor, which includes functionality for making common adjustments such as removing red-eye, rotating, cropping (including a predefined 16:9 widescreen setting), and AutoFix.
– Powerful, flexible video editing - MyDVD 8 Premier gives users the freedom to choose how much control they would like over the video editing process. It includes the automated CineMagic(R) Editor, which quickly turns raw video footage into a professional-looking video production complete with soundtrack and effects , as well as Storyline and Timeline Editors, which offer richer, hands-on control for detailed editing. The powerful Timeline Editor provides users with finite, multi-track editing control and even greater flexibility with in-place editing and video alignment control.
– New, refined user interface - MyDVD 8 Premier features an elegant new interface, designed to maintain ease-of-use without sacrificing power. It also includes MyDVD Home, an intuitive launch pad providing easy access to all components and task assistants such as CineMagic and SlideShow Assistant, which provide step-by step guidance.
– Easy video capture - MyDVD 8 Premier now enables users to easily capture high definition video from HDV camcorders . In addition, it provides unparalleled HD video file support - including DivX HD and MPEG -2 HD - as well as support for a wide range of analog and digital camcorders and video formats, including MPEG -1/2, DV-AVI, TiVo, WMV, and DivX 6. MyDVD 8 Premier also includes SmartScan, which allows users to quickly capture specific scenes from their DV camcorder , and Plug & Burn(R), which automatically transfers the entire contents of a DV camcorder tape to DVD with a few clicks.
– Artistic transitions and effects - MyDVD 8 Premier includes a library of more than 300 Hollywood -style transitions, 2D/ 3D effects and overlays. Transitions can be automatically added to buttons, slideshows and tracks, as well as applied to individual clips or to entire video projects. In addition, MyDVD 8 Premier allows consumers to use multiple video overlays to create dramatic picture-in-picture and chroma key effects .
– Attractive new templates - MyDVD 8 Premier provides exciting new menu template designs for the creation of attractive, customizable DVDs that rival professionally produced DVDs . Each new style features an entire family of coordinated menus, and can be customized with users’ personal videos and photos. In addition, MyDVD 8 Premier now includes professional-quality 16:9 (widescreen) motion menu templates in addition to 4:3 (full-screen) templates.
– Robust media management and sharing - MyDVD 8 Premier offers a number of new capabilities to help users better manage, organize, and access their digital video and photos. This includes support for UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) sharing, allowing users to easily access their media stored on any UPnP-enabled device on a home network, and LiveShare(TM), which allows users to permit family and friends to easily browse and download their photos to a PC using any Web browser. In addition, enhanced Windows Media Center file support and TiVoToGo(TM) capabilities allow users to easily create DVDs of their favorite TV programs and play them back on a notebook or DVD player.
In addition to MyDVD 8 Premier, Roxio today also introduced MyDVD 8 Essentials, designed for entry-level users and individuals requiring basic authoring and light editing features. MyDVD 8 Essentials offers the same elegant user interface, new styles, transitions and effects as MyDVD 8 Premier, and supports standard definition camcorders and formats.
February 26th, 2006
Sony shed light today on its new “Share Everywhere” program, which will give ImageStation members photo sharing capabilities through web-enabled camera phones, televisions, computers, and portable entertainment systems.
One element of the program is Sony’s new Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition 2.0 (J2ME) application developed for distribution through wireless carriers. With this application, ImageStation members can use their web-enabled camera phones to access, view, upload and share photos and video clips through an easy-to-use interface. The application will also be compatible with handsets that are not compatible with J2ME.
“People want to enjoy the convenience of sharing photos from all of their devices — their phone, TV, PlayStation Portable, or computer — and be able to access them anywhere, anytime whether they are at home, at work, or on-the- go,” said Bob Nell, vice president of ImageStation at Sony Electronics. “This is one of our new applications to make Sony ImageStation an integral part of people’s lives.”
According to Nell, “With this latest application, wireless service providers, handset manufacturers, and mobile service aggregators can attract new customers who are looking to enhance their mobile lifestyle.”
The application is currently scheduled to be available for wireless providers beginning in April.
Another element of the “Share Everywhere” program is compatibility with Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Media Center Edition 2005. Customers using this software on a PC can access their photos for viewing on a compatible television. This application is bundled with the Sony VAIO(R) VA series TV PCs. A link to upgrade previous versions of Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Media Center Edition is available at http://www.imagestation.com/mediacenter.
February 26th, 2006
iTunes have been counting down over the last few days to their one billionth sale and a day ago it finally hapenned. The lucky buyer will be showrered with Apple gifts including $20,000 of iTunes vouchers, an iMac and a spanking new iPod.
The beneficiary of these prizes is a resident of Michagan, USA. Alex Ostrovsky won’t be able to grab the loot and return to obscurity however, as Apple will set up a scholarship to the world-famous Juilliard School of Music in New York in his name, something that will probably fox students in years to come. The billionth song “Speed of Sound” was purchased as part of Coldplay’s “X&Y” album.
Apple thanked all their users in a statement. “Music lovers like you in 21 countries around the globe have purchased 1 billion songs from the iTunes Music Store,” the note read. “And for helping us reach this massive milestone in digital music history, we’d like to thank you.”
Steve Jobs himself also weighed in with an attack on music piracy and a slap on the back for iTunes for slowing the march of illegal downloading. “I hope that every customer, artist and music company executive takes a moment today to reflect on what we’ve achieved together during the past three years. Over 1 billion songs have now been legally purchased and downloaded around the globe, representing a major force against music piracy and the future of music distribution as we move from CDs to the Internet.”
February 26th, 2006
My new coffee table isn’t quite as fancy as the one that has just emerged from HP’s labs. For instance, my table has a wooden top instead of a large display, which makes it perfect for supporting cups of tea, but not so great for gathering round to look at the latest holiday snaps. My table is not touch sensitive. If I press it I leave a fingerprint on its polished surface. If you touch ‘Misto’ from HP then it will interact with a PC engine inside its frame and do something clever. My table is great for playing board games, but you need to actually have a board first. Misto will let you play virtual board games.
Is Misto ever going to hit the shops? Apparentally so, according to HP.
Read more here.
February 23rd, 2006
Like your PSP games quirky? We have news of two of the oddest on their way to Sony’s portable platform soon.
First up is LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, the sequel to one of the best-selling video games of 2005 on the PS2.
With a comical take on the Star Wars Trilogy that revolutionized pop culture forever, LEGO Star Wars II follows the Rebel Alliance’s battle to dismantle the Galactic Empire and rebuild a galaxy in pieces. From Darth Vader’s pursuit of Princess Leia aboard her Blockade Runner to a showdown on the reconstructed Death Star, the game includes even more of the family-friendly LEGO action, puzzles and humor that earned the original LEGO Star Wars such popularity and acclaim.
And much more new to offer, it still has. For the first time ever, levels feature vehicles and creatures that players can ride or exit at will. Also, in LEGO Star Wars II’s Free Play mode, gamers can customize more than 50 new playable characters by mixing and matching body parts, to build their own LEGO Star Wars heroes. And on certain platforms, a game save from the first LEGO Star Wars can unlock as many as 56 additional characters for Free Play - that’s more than 100 characters total, plus millions of possible creations! Other exciting additions include the ability to Free Play with vehicles, cool new character-specific attacks and maneuvers, playable mini-kit vehicles, an optional advanced mode for experienced players and more.
If Lego versions of your favourite Star Wars characters isn’t quirky enough for you then look at LocoRoco which was shown at the Tokyo Game Show last year, and as is the way with many a Japanese platformer, seemed destined to not get a release in Europe.
However, Sony has confirmed that the quirky game will get a release outside of Japan in Spring.
It really defies description. The graphics are reminscent of Lemmings, but the object is to roll your jelly-like creatures (the eponymous LocoRocos) from one end of the level to the other by tilting the landscape with the PSP’s shoulder buttons. On the way you pick up objects and other powerups to help you on your way, while avoiding pesky spikes and other traps. At opportune moments you can split your LocoRoco up like some kind of dividing ameoba (with a smiling face) to fit through small spaces.
One to watch.
February 14th, 2006
Specialty PC manufacturer xVx has just put even more power into its most powerful laptop. The company today announced the addition of the brand-new AMD dual-core FX 60 processor to the xVx Monstruo-m A650 laptop
In other words, the Monstruo-m A650 - already a fast machine - is faster than ever. For gamers and those working in digital media, that’s good news. And the FX 60 processor joins an impressive array of features: the Monstruo-m A650 still comes with dual CD-ROM drives and the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 GTX PCI Express 256MB DDR3 - the fastest video card on a laptop to date. For memory, the system offers up to 2GB of DDR400.
Those wanting a little more out of their systems can opt for extra performance in the form of advanced Serial ATA (SATA) technology, which allows for up to 150MB per second. Users can select dual SATA hard drives for RAID 0 or 1 configurations - and with capacities up to 240GB, data is quick to access and even quicker to recover if needed.
A 17-inch ultra-high contrast widescreen display supporting a maximum resolution of 1920×1200 pixels makes the Monstruo-m A650 easy on the eyes as well. Offering the same viewing area as a 19-inch CRT monitor, the display’s fast video response, color reproduction, clarity and contrast are unsurpassed. What’s more, xVx is one of the few companies in the industry to offer a free guarantee of no partially lit or dead pixels during the system’s warranty period.
Just above the display sits a state-of-the-art video camera. Fully integrated into the display, the camera requires no cables, connectors or complicated software and features 640×480 resolution, wide-range shutter speeds, high-quality optics, extremely low light operation capability, auto focus and auto exposure.
As for sound, the Monstruo-m A650 includes four surround-sound ultra-high- fidelity speakers and a subwoofer with Sound Retrieval System®, or SRS. The system also supports high-resolution virtual eight-channel audio output. As with all xVx products, the Monstruo-m A650 includes xVx’s award-winning, round-the-clock lifetime tech support and customer service.
“This unit is all about speed,” said xVx president and CEO Edgar-Joel Intriago. “The xVx Monstruo-m A650 is powerful and portable, providing the functionality of a desktop and the mobility to go wherever you want.”
February 14th, 2006
Just as the capacity of flash memory is starting to infringe on hard drive territory, Seagate has unveiled a 12GB disc drive which is only 1 inch across. The company has even made it smaller than existing 1 inch drives by removing the connector and packaging, so we now have a 12GB drive that is smaller than its 8GB predecessor.
The drive is intended for use in mobile phones and portable music players. It uses perpendicular recording technology to cram more data onto the same size platter. Normal hard drives store data by placing charges horizontally on the disc. Perpendicular drives place the charges ‘upright’ meaning that more can be placed into the same area. The new ST1.3 Series also has 30% less power consumption than previous models.
“Portable, on-demand video is driving the next wave of revenue opportunity for the mobile phone and entertainment communities. As consumer adoption drives the demand for the availability of video content anytime and anywhere, the need for tiny, high-capacity hard drives becomes more apparent,” said Brodie Keast, Seagate’s general manager of consumer electronics.
However, at the same time as Seagate was trumpeting the ST1.3 at 3GSM in Barcelona, rival firm Cornice was unveiling 8GB and 10GB versions of its Dragon Series drives, which although smaller in capacity than the Seagate offering, have an even smaller form factor.
Look out flash ROM…hard disc technology isn’t quite dead yet.
February 14th, 2006
Sony Ericsson today announces the K610, a slim, lightweight and affordable UMTS imaging phone that opens up the world of 3G for a much wider population. Just 17mm thick and weighing 92 grams, the K610 is the size and weight of a typical 2G stick phone and will be one of the smallest and lightest 3G phones to come on the market. It packs into its slender frame a suite of advanced communications, business and entertainment applications plus a 2 Megapixel camera, Memory Stick removable storage and Bluetooth connectivity.
“The K610 is a classic Sony Ericsson design reminiscent of the iconic and much loved T610 with a balance of form and function that makes it pretty irresistible,” said Jan Wäreby, Corporate Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing
The K610’s pure lines combine with a solid, quality feel to make it a pleasure to hold and use. It is also incredibly practical and easy to use, with bright illumination plus large keypad and 262K colour display.
UMTS connectivity and a 2 Megapixel camera makes the K610 an ideal tool to shoot images and share them instantly – whether for business or pleasure. Creating a photoblog is easily done by just adding text to images and posting them to the Internet, or images can be quickly sent by email or MMS.
High speed email, web access and a range of business-friendly applications make the K610 the ideal partner for the productive mobile office. Standard push e-mail support (P-IMAP) sends messages direct to the phone without having to download them, and a flight mode allows users to work offline.
The phone’s practical use as a business tool is further strengthened by a comprehensive connectivity suite that keeps the user always in touch. UMTS is supplemented by Bluetooth, Infrared, USB 2.0 mass storage and Memory Stick Micro (M2) support,. USB 2.0 can be used to synchronise with Microsoft Outlook to ensure calendar and contacts are always up-to-date the handset.
Browsing the Internet on the K610 is a graphic-rich experience that is very similar to using a PC, thanks to the NetFront browser. HTML pages are presented in full with photos, video, words and graphics adapted to fit the 1.9” colour display, making it easy to scroll, browse and follow links between sites. New support for RSS Feeds allows users to subscribe to news services to receive updates direct to the phone.
The K610’s integrated music player makes listening to music on the move simple. Music files can be stored on Memory Stick Micro (M2), which can be expanded to 1GB, It is easy to create and manage playlists and supplied software handles transfer of music files between the user’s PC and the phone. The player delivers a top notch listening experience, helped along by the phone’s high quality stereo headphones and built-in equaliser.
The Sony Ericsson K610 is a Dual Mode UMTS handset commercially available in Evening Red and Urban Silver colours and starts shipping during Q2 2006.
K610i - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa
K610c - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Mainland China. (Launch for mainland China dependent on availability of 3G services.)
K610 – Features at a glance:
Imaging & Messaging
* 2.0 Megapixel camera
* 2 x digital zoom
* Horizontal camera user interface
* Video call (integrated VGA camera)
* Video record and play
* Video streaming
* PictureDJ™
* SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* 262,144 color 1.9” TFT
* 176 x 220 pixels
Entertainment
* Disc2Phone ripping software
* WAP 2.0 XHTML/HTML
* Java MIDP 2.0
* Media player (supports MP3, AAC and E-AAC+)
* Music download
* Polyphonic ringtones, 72 voices
* MusicDJ™
* 2D and 3D gaming
Connectivity
* USB cable
* USB 2.0 mass storage, full speed
* Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™)support (up to 1 GB ) Bluetooth™
* Dual mode UMTS and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
Business
* Standard Push e-mail (M-IMAP)
* Speakerphone
* Modem
* PC synchronization
* File manager
* Talk time: Up to 7 hours GSM, up to 2.5 hours WCDMA
* Standby time: Up to 400 hours GSM and up to 350 hours WCDMA
* Size: 102 x 45.2 x 16.9mm
* Weight: 92 grams
February 13th, 2006
NVIDIA today unveiled the NVIDIA GoForce 5500 handheld graphics processing unit (GPU) - the industry’s first handheld GPU to enable true, fluid digital TV, high-fidelity surround sound, rapid multi-shot photography, and console-class 3D graphics. For many years, these capabilities have been the domain of function-specific devices such as the home entertainment system, the digital still camera, or the Sony Playstation. Today, claims NVIDIA, this new GPU brings all these features, and more, to the mobile phone.
“High-quality multimedia services are a key revenue growth driver for the world’s carriers and content providers and we believe we’ll see significant uptake of these services in 2006,” said Mario Morales, semiconductor analyst for IDC. “Companies like NVIDIA, whose products deliver compelling and tangible improvements to the overall end user experience of these new services, are well placed to take advantage of this surge in demand.”
The newest member of the NVIDIA GoForce family of handheld GPUs, the NVIDIA GoForce 5500 delivers a host of multimedia features, including:
True, fluid digital TV and video
* The industry’s first handheld GPU to playback H.264, WMV9 and MPEG-4 video up to D1 resolution(1) at 30 frames per second (fps)
* Compatible with major mobile TV standards including DVB-H, ISDB-T, and DMB networks
High Fidelity Surround Sound
* The industry’s first handheld surround sound processor to deliver an immersive audio experience in the palm of a hand
* Crossfade and multistream technologies help to prevent annoying breaks between songs and music cut out when the ringtone is activated
Console-class 3D gaming
* Experience console-class games, such as Quake III Arena, at unrivalled speeds on a handheld device
* 3X the performance of the previous generation(2)
* Sharp, crystal clear digital photography
- Rapid multi-shot capabilities so users never miss a photo
- Support for up to 10 megapixel resolution
* Ultra-low power consumption
- Dedicated low-power hardware design delivers more hours of entertainment on the phone with less drain on the talk time
“The introduction of the NVIDIA GoForce 5500 handheld GPU marks the beginning of a new era for 3G mobile phones,” said Michael Rayfield, general manager of the handheld GPU group at NVIDIA. “The NVIDIA GoForce 5500 GPU delivers high-quality video playback and capture, high-resolution camera support, and stunning 3D graphics — all at impressive performance levels that we believe consumers are going to demand in the next generation of mobile devices.”
Phones based on the NVIDIA GoForce 5500 handheld GPU are expected to be available from key handset manufacturers before the 2006 holiday season.
February 13th, 2006
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