Shuttle: 7 Inches Touchscreen Integrated Into Mini-PC Barebone

Shuttle Inc., market leader in the mini-PC segment and manufacturer of Multi-Form-Factor solutions, today announces the availability of the Shuttle Barebone D10 which was presented at IFA. As the first mini-PC of its kind, the D10 comes with a 7″ touchscreen display integrated into its front panel.

As a multimedia control centre for home automation, home servers or in the field of video surveillance, the Shuttle Barebone D10 opens up a wide range of possible applications. The innovative factor for a Shuttle mini-PC is its stand-alone operation without requiring an additional monitor or input device. Thanks to the integrated screen, it plays back MP3 files or a radio stream without having to switch on a large, power-consuming flat-screen television. The touch-sensitive screen in this cuboid measuring just 30.5 x 20 x 18.5 cm (DWH) is a real eye-catcher and acts as a control panel.

“In future, it will become more and more common for us to input contents without a keyboard or a mouse, for instance with a touchscreen,” says Tom Seiffert, Head of Marketing & PR at Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH. “The aim of this trend is to make it far easier to operate many electronic devices in everyday life.”

On the basis of the Intel G31 Express chipset, fast Core 2 Duo processors and up to 4 GB of DDR2 memory can be used. The two SATA interfaces allow for connecting large hard disks. Modern TV or video capture cards fit into the PCI-Express x1 slot. The package is rounded off by Gigabit LAN network, six-channel audio and four USB connectors. A heatpipe cooling system keeps the device and its components cool while the necessary power is provided reliably by an effective 100-Watt power supply.

The Shuttle Barebone D10 is available from specialist retailers immediately. Shuttle’s recommended retail price is EUR 332 (ex VAT). Suppliers can be found on Shuttle’s European website.

Fully-configured solutions based on the Shuttle Barebone D10 with Windows Vista are available online and can be customized to meet individual requirements on eu.shuttle.com/systems.

VuNow! Another media playing device.

These little media devices seem to be sneaking up all over. Last week it was the Western digital device, this time its the VuNow media device. There are some differences this time around. For example, the VuNow connects to your network wirelessly (or wired) and have the capability of streaming internet video to your TV. You can also stream media from other PCs on your network, and like the western digital device, you can plug in a USB thumb drive or USB harddrive to view your media stored there.

The VuNow will cost you $99 bucks when it releases in December (15th). It comes in 2 flavors: HDMI only or S-Video only. Check out the VuNow website for more info.

iCEphone Handset

iCEphone Handset is a device which features advanced technologies that support multimedia functions that will provide users with entertainment, connectivity, and office solutions.

This device features a design much like a micro-notebook which allows people to perform various computer applications anywhere they go. And to provide convenient usage, this has been designed with QWERTY keyboard that will allow users to type words much faster compared to numeric keypads.

Another impressive feature is the GPS and navigation tools which can help to travel more conveniently. With GPS receiver, local operators can provide users with exact mapping details with relevant information regarding destinations.

One of the most notable media functions of this handset is the entertainment solution that has been specifically designed to maximize users’ gaming experience. This device features multi-directional keys, joystick, set of function buttons, and widescreen display, allowing people to be immersed from their games.

Considering the needs of business people (especially those who travel a lot), this smartphone provides a wide selection of office applications with its Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional.

To further increase work productivity, the phone allows people to use email and Instant Messaging apart from its other messaging features including MMS and SMS.

Featuring a touchscreen display and a viewing area of 38.88 x 64.8 mm, the iCEphone Handset allows convenient viewing and applications for its users. And to further complement these featured designs, the device can support up to a maximum of 264K colors which provide images in high resolution.

Another media feature is the 3.1-megapixel camera which provides multiple photo editing tools and programs while also supporting video calls.

Meanwhile, this phone also supports BlueTooth Technology.

In terms of physical features, the phone has a total dimension of 127 x 60.8 x 23.3 mm and weighs approximately 210 g. Also, this features a 3-panel design and has been made available in four colors: black, amber, pink, green, and amber.

According to the company’s website, this multimedia phone will be introduced in the second quarter of next year (the price has not yet been disclosed).

Eton FR500 Solarlink Emergency Radio / Phone Charger

Eton offes the FR500 Solarlink that is a Solar-powered emergency Radio and phone charger. The Eton FR500 Solarlink is a AM/FM/Shortwave Radio with NOAA Weatherband, Flashlight, Siren. It can be used to charge your mobile phone of MP3 players.

Features:
- AM (520-1700 KHz), FM (88-108 MHz), Shortwave (6000-12100 KHz)
- NOAA weather – all 7 channels plus “Alert”
- Siren and Flashlight
- Can be powered from four different sources:

• From the built-in rechargeable Ni-MH battery that takes charge from the dynamo crank and from an AC adapter (not included)
• From 3 AA batteries (not included)
• From the AC adapter alone (not included)
• From solar power

- Analog frequency dial with digital display
- Built-in cell phone charger
- Digital clock function

Gmail Home page got Themed too

Themed Home Page for Gmail

After Gmail Accounts got Themes looks like today The home page of Gmail has been themed too. Well you can not change it but I guess the theme should be location dependent. Do you something different ?

Nokia premieres its newest research laboratory, in Hollywood, USA

Nokia today announced its newest research laboratory has been established in the Hollywood area of California, US.

Nokia Research Center Hollywood will work with members of the media & entertainment industry including new technology companies and creative talent, together with leading universities in the region to drive long-term research activities to further strengthen Nokia’s leadership position in the convergence of internet and mobility.

“Hollywood has an enormous variety of academic institutions, innovative media businesses and unique creative talent. It offers exactly the right ingredients for research into topics that will be vital for Nokia’s business in the future. The link with the movie industry is naturally strong, however the entertainment concepts we will be working on at the NRC Hollywood laboratory are even more diverse. The laboratory will explore new entertainment experiences that combine the physical and digital worlds. Our research work will focus on mixed reality experiences, with a strong community flavor. We will develop new user interfaces that fully explore the role of the human body and human motion for more natural forms of interaction. Mobile devices will play a central role in this,” commented Rebecca Allen, Laboratory Director of NRC Hollywood.

The new NRC Hollywood laboratory will research on many technologies surrounding the media industry: film, music, games, web and TV. With a strong emphasis on entertainment and associated experiences, research topics will include mixed reality, content creation and user interface experiences, among others.

In addition to recruiting from and collaborating with the Hollywood entertainment, media and art communities, the laboratory plans to further collaborate with the leading universities in the region such as University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of Southern California (USC).

“Opening our latest laboratory in Hollywood is a key milestone for Nokia. Engaging more actively with the entertainment and media community and establishing a research force there is a significant step for Nokia as we continue to build our position as a leader in the converging worlds of Internet and mobility”, said Henry Tirri, Head of NRC.

Nokia Research Center collaborates with world-class universities and research institutes around the globe, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University in the US, the University of Cambridge, UK and Tsinghua University, China. This year Nokia Research Center announced a joint research program with two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology in Lausanne and Zurich (EPFL and ETH Zurich) and opened a lablet on the campus of Helsinki University of Technology in Finland.

About Nokia Research Center
Nokia Research Center (NRC) looks beyond Nokia’s existing business and product development to challenge current strategies and to stimulate renewal in the company’s direction. Working closely with all Nokia business units, NRC’s research explores new frontiers in digital services, physical-digital connections, human interaction, data and content technologies, device architecture, and access and connectivity. NRC promotes open innovation by working on research projects in collaboration with universities and research institutes around the world. For more information, see our website: http://research.nokia.com.

Epson EH-TW4000 projector

Epson in Japan has announced the EH-TW4000 projector, a high-end projector in their Dreamio series. It comes with Full HD resolution based on a new “D7/C2FINE” panel, a brightness of 1,600 lumens, a contrast ratio of 75,000 to 1 with “DEEPBLACK technology” for an improved black level and HDMI 1.3a support (2 ports). The EH-TW4000 projector is going to be priced at $3700 when it hit stores in Japan this 28th November.

Environmental Smart Cars: The CityAnts Concept

Traffic coupled with sky-soaring noise levels had become an inevitable part of a commuter’s life. While some churn the technology refinery to bring out flying Cars, others test the potential of the tech-design frontiers. The CityAnts is one such Conceptual Car to do away with size issues and banks on an electric hub for the daily dose of power.

It compliments the idea of rental services as in the case of bicycles. The intended user will have to take it from a car station, drive it up to the required destination and then drop it at a station in the vicinity. I believe this concept is used to avoid lining up of vehicles and thereby save space with respect to parking lots.

ES-116P (16-port Desktop Ethernet Switch)

Cost-Effective Performance for Home & Small Office Networks

- 16 autosensing 10/100 full duplex ports
- Internal power adapter available
- Full wire-speed store-and-forward technology support
- Auto-MDI/MDI-X functions support

Benefits :

Better Performance and Efficiency

The full range of the Desktop Ethernet Switch, with 8/16/24-port and internal power adapter, is designed to boost your network with better performance and efficiency. With the N-way auto-negotiation function, the ES-108P/116P/124P connects the network counterparts with the highest possible network speed and activates duplex mode automatically.

Transmission Reliability

Unlike shared 10/100 Mbps networks, the ZyXEL Desktop Ethernet Switch series eliminates congestion by providing dedicated bandwidth. Its duplex mode doubles the effective bandwidth by enabling two-way communications. Store-and-forward service brings low latency and error-free packet delivering. The plug-and-play and multiple network protocol compatibility of the ES-108P/116P/124P make the installation and management easier and faster than ever.

Compact Size Fits Your Working Environment

The compact size fits into any working environment. In addition, ES-116P/ES-124P supports rack mountable design which increases the installation flexibility. No matter how intensive your network demands, ZyXEL's Desktop Ethernet Switch series, with internal power adapters, supports your needs with an affordable and reliable network solution designed especially for SOHO and Small Office.

Specifications :

System

Standards

• IEEE802.3 10BASE-T Ethernet
• IEEE802.3u 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet
• ANSI/IEEE802.3 Auto-negotiation
• IEEE802.3x Flow Control

Data transfer rates

• Ethernet 10M/20Mbps(half/full duplex)
• Fast Ethernet 100M/200M(half/full duplex)

Interface

• 16 10/100BASE-T Ethernet ports

Network Cables

• 10BASE-T: UTP Cat.3, 4, 5 (100 m) EIA/TIA-586 100-ohm STP (100 m)
• 100BASE-TX: UTP Cat.5 (100 m) EIA/TIA-568 100-ohm STP (100 m)

Media Interface Exchange

• MDI-II/MDI-X auto-adjustment for each port

System Requirement

• Network card for each PC
• Network Cables

Status LED

• Per Port Link/Activity
• Per unit: PWR

Performance

Back Plane

• Non-Blocking full wire-speed forwarding rate: 3.2Gbps
• Packet Forwarding Rate:
  • 14,880PPS for 10BASE-T
  • 148,800PPS for 100BASE-TX

Switching Method: Store-and-forward

• Data Buffer: 1.25Mb
• MAC Address Table: 8K entries

Physical Specifications

• Dimensions: 215(W) x 133(D) x 42(H) mm
• Weight: 867g
• Rack mountable type

Environmental Specifications

• Operating temperature: 0°C~50°C
• Operating humidity: 10% to 90% (Non-condensing)
• Input voltage of AC: 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz
• Power consumption: 6.44W (max)

Certification

• FCC Class B
• CE
• C-Tick

System Mechanic 8

Use System Mechanic by iolo technologies to fix PC problems, boost performance, eliminate crashes, defend against spyware threats, and much more. The award-winning System Mechanic provides a wealth of tools that keep PCs running in peak condition. Over time, system clutter, speed and performance drains, insufficient security protection, and corrupted settings can all degrade a computer's operation. Rather than purchasing dozens of individual utility products, System Mechanic can be used to remedy all of these issues and more. Over 30 tools and wizards work together to diagnose system operations, optimize settings, repair problems, clean out clutter, and protect against Internet threats. The popular "Total Solutions" incorporate all the essential repairs and optimizations into single easy-to-use tools. The analysis and diagnostic capabilities not only keep you informed of the condition of your PC, but are used to generate specific repair and improvement recommendations that are tailored to your computer's needs. The simple, user-friendly interface provides intuitive categories and fast access to all of System Mechanic's optimization, repair, security, and monitoring tools. The new ActiveCare technology monitors PC performance behind the scenes, and then instantly runs any needed repairs on-the-spot, all without user intervention. The Problem Task List allows you to easily manage any problems, and gives you total control over running repairs. The repair and optimization wizards give your total control over what repairs and optimizations are run, with the settings that you specify. The system configuration tools allow users to monitor, control, and fine-tune settings so that their PC is tailored to their specifications. The diagnostic tools provide detailed system reporting and allow for advanced troubleshooting. The IntelliStatus feature provides real-time statistics for those key system components that impact performance, allowing for robust performance-tracking.