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Archive for the ‘Hardware’ Category

Could Microsoft Office Go Multi-Platform For Mobile?

September 8th, 2010 |

Windows Phone 7 Office Image via Microsoft.

Traditionally, Microsoft has been a software company, leveraging its office suites and operating systems, but selling applications for any compatible hardware and platform. For smartphones in particular, its strategy has been to supply the software and let other companies worry about developing the phones. So why not go all the way and sell its software for every device on every platform?

That’s what Business Insider’s Dan Frommer proposes the company do: “Microsoft should develop Office apps for the iPad, Android, Chrome OS, BlackBerry tablet, and any other computing platform that is likely to become popular over the next 5-10 years,” adding that “if Microsoft wants to keep people tied into its Office suite, it needs to go where the people are going.”

Office is integrated into the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 OS, but would compete on several fronts in smartphone and tablet platforms, including iWork on Apple’s iPad, Google Docs on the mobile web, and Dataviz’s multi-platform Documents To Go, just acquired by Blackberry maker RIM.

Frommer sees RIM’s purchase of Documents To Go as a defense against the possibility of Microsoft introducing an Office app for Blackberry. Ironically, if RIM stops active development of Documents To Go for other platforms, that could create just the multi-platform opening needed to entice Microsoft to swoop in.

New iPod Touch Has a Vibrator

September 7th, 2010 |

Author: Troy Barnes

Steve Jobs wasn’t kidding when he called the iPod Touch the “iPhone without a phone”. We have been calling it that for years, of course, but with each iteration the two iOS devices get closer and closer in terms of features. Now a vibrating alert has been added to the the Touch.

The first iPod Touch was a chunky slab of metal and glass, and didn’t even come with a hardware volume-control. As the product-line has evolved, Apple has added not only a volume switch but a speaker (the latest version has a proper speaker, not the tinny thing hidden in the headphone socket like last year’s model), a pair of cameras, a gyroscope and a microphone. The only the Touch now lacks are the cellular radio, the GPS and the mute-switch on the side.

The vibrator shows up as an alert for FaceTime on the iPod accessibility page:

If somebody wants to start a video call with you, you’ll receive an invitation — along with a vibrating alert — on your iPod touch asking you to join.

The obvious use though (no, not that one) is for games. Tactile feedback has been around on bigger consoles for years, and as the Touch is being pushed as a gaming device, adding in a vibrator seems like a great idea.

Which makes me wonder how long it will be before the Touch really is a phone-less iPhone. Is it possible that the next step is to add in cellular data, just like the iPad 3G, leaving out only the actual telephony hardware? That would still suit Job’s other nickname for the Touch, which is the “iPhone without a contract.” Couple that with FaceTime and who needs a cellphone anyway?

Video calling with FaceTime [Apple via MacRumors]

Photo: FCC

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New iPod Touch Has a Vibrator

Samsung Galaxy Tab Will Cost Over $1,000

September 7th, 2010 |

Author: Charity Woods

How much will Samsung’s Galaxy Tab cost? The guesses range from $300 up, but a listing on Amazon Germany puts the 7-inch tablet at €800, or $1,020. If this actually turns out to be true (and I suspect it will), then the device will almost certainly be a mainstream flop.

Say what you like about the iPad, but don’t argue that it isn’t cheap. The entry-level model is just $500, which is somewhat miraculous for what it packs in, and even more surprising given that Apple likes to make a good chink of change on its hardware sales. Still don’t agree? Take a look at the Dell streak, a tablet with a much smaller screen which runs Google’s Android OS. It costs $550.

As a smaller tablet, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab needs to have a smaller price. Lets be generous for a moment and say that Amazon is listing the 32GB model (the page doesn’t say if it has 16GB or 32GB storage). Next, we’ll take the price of the 32 GB iPad Wi-Fi+3G (the Tab has 3G as standard): $729.00. The Tab is almost $300 more.

I’m sure there will be a market for this little device: it certainly looks good, and Samsung has sold over a million Galaxy S smartphones in just a month and a half. But is it too late? It seems like nobody can yet beat the iPad on price (hell, nobody can beat the iPod Touch on price, and that’s been around for years). Given that the one thing that rivals had over the iPod was price (the iPad was always a little more expensive than other MP3 players) and they still could’t crack Apple’s hold on the market, things don’t look good. And that’s before we even get to the apps.

Samsung Galaxy Tab [Amazon. Thanks, Sascha!]

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Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab Will Cost Over $1,000

Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: Brandon Zimmerman

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A collection of Galaxy Tabs

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After weeks of leaked photos and videos, Samsung’s 7-inch tablet called the Galaxy Tab is finally here. Samsung has announced the launch of the tablet that could become the first major Android-powered challenger to the Apple iPad.

The Galaxy Tab runs Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and has a 7-inch LCD display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. At 0.8 pounds, the device weighs just about half as much as the iPad. It also supports Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1 so it can display web pages that run Flash — something the iPad can’t.

Samsung hasn’t announced a price yet for the Galaxy Tab.

Since Apple launched the iPad in April, almost every major consumer electronics maker has said it is working on a slate of its own. Yet only a few have yet made it to the market.

Earlier this month, Dell launched the Streak, a device with a 5-inch display that has been billed as a tablet but is priced and acts like a phone. Dell plans to introduce more tablets. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion and HP are also reportedly developing tablets. The JooJoo tablet, launched in March by a former partner of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington, debuted to negative reviews, has not sold well and is embroiled in legal wrangling.

Meanwhile, Apple has sold more than 3 million iPads.

The Galaxy Tab has a smooth, slab-like design that’s similar to the iPad. It packs in a powerful Cortex A8 1.0-GHz processor and supports HD video. The device has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video telephony over 3G and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera to capture images and video. It will offer 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage and will have microSD expansion for up to 32 GB of additional storage.

The Galaxy Tab will support 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with push e-mail. It will not offer voice-calling features (except via VoIP apps).

Android OS fills out a smart hardware package

Hold the Galaxy Tab and the first thing that strikes you is how compact the device is. The Galaxy Tab has a smaller screen than the iPad and that translates into a lighter device.

The tablet’s smaller size also makes it easier to hold it in just one hand as you would with an e-reader like the Kindle or the Nook. The 7-inch display means the device is small enough to slip into the pocket of a suit or a purse.

The Galaxy Tab runs Android, an operating system that so far has done best on smartphones.

But Samsung seems to have done a good job of making the Android OS work on the tablet form factor. Samsung has an attractive calendar app for the Galaxy Tab and the e-mail app on the tablet is comparable to that on the iPad.

The Galaxy Tab also includes an e-reading application powered by Kobo — the e-reader sold at Borders. The tablet has a Media Hub for video clips and movies, which Samsung hopes to offer as rentals or downloads that users can buy.

Almost all independent apps in the Android Market will work for the Galaxy Tab, says Samsung. So users can buy the tablet and immediately have apps they can download and play with. But we will have to test this to see if it will work for all apps in the Market.

Samsung plans to launch the device in Europe in mid September, and in the United States and Asia shortly thereafter.

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Photos: Samsung

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Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: Markus Smith

<< Previous
|
Next >>

A collection of Galaxy Tabs

<< Previous
|
Next >>

View all

After weeks of leaked photos and videos, Samsung’s 7-inch tablet called the Galaxy Tab is finally here. Samsung has announced the launch of the tablet that could become the first major Android-powered challenger to the Apple iPad.

The Galaxy Tab runs Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and has a 7-inch LCD display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. At 0.8 pounds, the device weighs just about half as much as the iPad. It also supports Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1 so it can display web pages that run Flash — something the iPad can’t.

Samsung hasn’t announced a price yet for the Galaxy Tab.

Since Apple launched the iPad in April, almost every major consumer electronics maker has said it is working on a slate of its own. Yet only a few have yet made it to the market.

Earlier this month, Dell launched the Streak, a device with a 5-inch display that has been billed as a tablet but is priced and acts like a phone. Dell plans to introduce more tablets. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion and HP are also reportedly developing tablets. The JooJoo tablet, launched in March by a former partner of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington, debuted to negative reviews, has not sold well and is embroiled in legal wrangling.

Meanwhile, Apple has sold more than 3 million iPads.

The Galaxy Tab has a smooth, slab-like design that’s similar to the iPad. It packs in a powerful Cortex A8 1.0-GHz processor and supports HD video. The device has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video telephony over 3G and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera to capture images and video. It will offer 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage and will have microSD expansion for up to 32 GB of additional storage.

The Galaxy Tab will support 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with push e-mail. It will not offer voice-calling features (except via VoIP apps).

Android OS fills out a smart hardware package

Hold the Galaxy Tab and the first thing that strikes you is how compact the device is. The Galaxy Tab has a smaller screen than the iPad and that translates into a lighter device.

The tablet’s smaller size also makes it easier to hold it in just one hand as you would with an e-reader like the Kindle or the Nook. The 7-inch display means the device is small enough to slip into the pocket of a suit or a purse.

The Galaxy Tab runs Android, an operating system that so far has done best on smartphones.

But Samsung seems to have done a good job of making the Android OS work on the tablet form factor. Samsung has an attractive calendar app for the Galaxy Tab and the e-mail app on the tablet is comparable to that on the iPad.

The Galaxy Tab also includes an e-reading application powered by Kobo — the e-reader sold at Borders. The tablet has a Media Hub for video clips and movies, which Samsung hopes to offer as rentals or downloads that users can buy.

Almost all independent apps in the Android Market will work for the Galaxy Tab, says Samsung. So users can buy the tablet and immediately have apps they can download and play with. But we will have to test this to see if it will work for all apps in the Market.

Samsung plans to launch the device in Europe in mid September, and in the United States and Asia shortly thereafter.

See Also:

Photos: Samsung

View post:
Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

With Arc Touch and XBox Play & Charge, Microsoft Makes Mighty Morphin’ Power Peripherals

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: Tiffany Shoman

Arc Touch Mouse Promotional Photo from Microsoft.com

Microsoft has made two new controllers — one for your computer, one for your XBox 360 — that can switch into different shapes depending on your needs or preferences. The well-leaked, much-anticipated Arc Touch Mouse is shipping now; the new wireless XBox Play and Charge kit will be out stateside in November.

Exactly a month ago, Microsoft Hardware teased their new mouse on Twitter with a partial image and a riddle/tagline: “Don’t be so touchy… flat is where it’s at.” Most people guessed it was a new mouse or trackpad, but as John Paczkowski noted, “the composite image also looks like the back of a smartphone or media player…or a remote control…or an electric razor…or a pancake griddle.” What was this new mystery device?

Well, it’s a highly mobile, lightweight, touch-sensitive mouse that arcs to fit in the palm of your hand while you’re using it and packs flat so you can stuff it in a pocket on the go. It’s targeted for laptop users who don’t like their always-flat trackpads.

In a press release titled “Think the Mouse is Dead?“, Microsoft Hardware’s Brett Ostrum wrote that even as trackpads and other input devices have evolved, the market for mice has only grown: “The reasons people need external mice will not change: comfort and precision.”

There are some nice concessions to the trackpad model here, though: the Arc Touch has a touch strip instead of a scroll wheel. Instead of a perfectly smooth drag, the strip vibrates to simulate to simulate a wheel’s click-click bumps. I hope you can toggle this feature on and off — I imagine some people enjoy, or at least have gotten accustomed to, the finger-on-glass feel of a trackpad or touchscreen.

(Here’s a promotional video of the Arc Touch in action. If only Microsoft could invent a Silverlight video that could flat-pack into HTML 5 for easy embedding!)

The XBox 360 has a new wireless controller, too, but its flat-packing profile tweak is more subtle. Its directional pad can pop up into a “plus” for raised directional controls, or snap flush into a “disc” for easy Street Fighter II-style thumb-drag joystick moves. (Sorry for the outdated game reference. I’m old.)

There are plenty of other nice things in this model, including wireless (of course) and a new silver-gray look. But I think the versatility of the d-pad is the real item of interest here. As we start using remotes for game consoles to do more and more things, whether as media players or web browsers, we’re going to want controllers that can morph to match.

Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: admin

Reformat the Planet

Reformat the Planet, the documentary film examining both the annual Blip Festival and the community that it celebrates, has just been released as a 2 DVD set. With improved audio, supplementary footage and a brand new short, it’s a more intricate examination of the chiptune scene than even its original critically acclaimed form.

REFORMAT THE PLANET (RTP) is a feature-length documentary that delves into the movement known as chip music, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using obsolete video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, RTP maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-pumping melodies, trailblazers of the chip music idiom descended upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music. Since its debut at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival, RTP has played to audiences around the world, continuing to expose new fans to the chip music movement.

For this ultimate home release, Portland’s 2 Player Productions, the same team behind “Penny Arcade: The Series,” joined forces with online specialty retailer Fangamer to ensure that the design and packaging properly reflected the passion and creativity of the film itself. This double DVD is available now – though the site itself still lists it as a pre-order – for a scant $15 American, and Fangamer also provides a number of interesting value-added bundles. (I mean, who doesn’t love Game Boy papercraft?!)

Whether you’re a die-hard chiptune fan or a new listener just discovering the scene, Reformat the Planet is all but required watching. Snag your copy today. For a better tomorrow.

REFORMAT THE PLANET trailer from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

View post:
Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: Tyler Evans

Reformat the Planet

Reformat the Planet, the documentary film examining both the annual Blip Festival and the community that it celebrates, has just been released as a 2 DVD set. With improved audio, supplementary footage and a brand new short, it’s a more intricate examination of the chiptune scene than even its original critically acclaimed form.

REFORMAT THE PLANET (RTP) is a feature-length documentary that delves into the movement known as chip music, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using obsolete video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, RTP maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-pumping melodies, trailblazers of the chip music idiom descended upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music. Since its debut at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival, RTP has played to audiences around the world, continuing to expose new fans to the chip music movement.

For this ultimate home release, Portland’s 2 Player Productions, the same team behind “Penny Arcade: The Series,” joined forces with online specialty retailer Fangamer to ensure that the design and packaging properly reflected the passion and creativity of the film itself. This double DVD is available now – though the site itself still lists it as a pre-order – for a scant $15 American, and Fangamer also provides a number of interesting value-added bundles. (I mean, who doesn’t love Game Boy papercraft?!)

Whether you’re a die-hard chiptune fan or a new listener just discovering the scene, Reformat the Planet is all but required watching. Snag your copy today. For a better tomorrow.

REFORMAT THE PLANET trailer from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

See original here:
Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: Trixi Anderson

Reformat the Planet

Reformat the Planet, the documentary film examining both the annual Blip Festival and the community that it celebrates, has just been released as a 2 DVD set. With improved audio, supplementary footage and a brand new short, it’s a more intricate examination of the chiptune scene than even its original critically acclaimed form.

REFORMAT THE PLANET (RTP) is a feature-length documentary that delves into the movement known as chip music, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using obsolete video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, RTP maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-pumping melodies, trailblazers of the chip music idiom descended upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music. Since its debut at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival, RTP has played to audiences around the world, continuing to expose new fans to the chip music movement.

For this ultimate home release, Portland’s 2 Player Productions, the same team behind “Penny Arcade: The Series,” joined forces with online specialty retailer Fangamer to ensure that the design and packaging properly reflected the passion and creativity of the film itself. This double DVD is available now – though the site itself still lists it as a pre-order – for a scant $15 American, and Fangamer also provides a number of interesting value-added bundles. (I mean, who doesn’t love Game Boy papercraft?!)

Whether you’re a die-hard chiptune fan or a new listener just discovering the scene, Reformat the Planet is all but required watching. Snag your copy today. For a better tomorrow.

REFORMAT THE PLANET trailer from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

Read the rest here:
Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

September 2nd, 2010 |

Author: William Miller

Reformat the Planet

Reformat the Planet, the documentary film examining both the annual Blip Festival and the community that it celebrates, has just been released as a 2 DVD set. With improved audio, supplementary footage and a brand new short, it’s a more intricate examination of the chiptune scene than even its original critically acclaimed form.

REFORMAT THE PLANET (RTP) is a feature-length documentary that delves into the movement known as chip music, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using obsolete video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, RTP maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-pumping melodies, trailblazers of the chip music idiom descended upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music. Since its debut at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival, RTP has played to audiences around the world, continuing to expose new fans to the chip music movement.

For this ultimate home release, Portland’s 2 Player Productions, the same team behind “Penny Arcade: The Series,” joined forces with online specialty retailer Fangamer to ensure that the design and packaging properly reflected the passion and creativity of the film itself. This double DVD is available now – though the site itself still lists it as a pre-order – for a scant $15 American, and Fangamer also provides a number of interesting value-added bundles. (I mean, who doesn’t love Game Boy papercraft?!)

Whether you’re a die-hard chiptune fan or a new listener just discovering the scene, Reformat the Planet is all but required watching. Snag your copy today. For a better tomorrow.

REFORMAT THE PLANET trailer from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

More:
Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

Archive for the ‘Hardware’ Category

Could Microsoft Office Go Multi-Platform For Mobile?

Related Posts:

New iPod Touch Has a Vibrator

Related Posts:

Samsung Galaxy Tab Will Cost Over $1,000

Related Posts:

Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

Android OS fills out a smart hardware package

Related Posts:

Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad

Android OS fills out a smart hardware package

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With Arc Touch and XBox Play & Charge, Microsoft Makes Mighty Morphin’ Power Peripherals

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Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

Related Posts:

Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

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Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

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Chiptune Documentary Reformat the Planet Now Available on DVD

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