A snazzy infograph shows us what a day in the internet looks like (get ready for huge numbers).
[Lifehacker]
Showing posts with label mobile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile. Show all posts
A Day in the Internet is Mindblowingly Overwhelming [Information]
A snazzy infograph shows us what a day in the internet looks like (get ready for huge numbers).
[Lifehacker]
Dolphin Browser Adds Multitouch Support for Droid
If you’re a Droid owner, you’ll want to check out the recently updated Dolphin browser. After hanging out in the Android Market for a few months, the web browser just picked up a few enhancements, most notably, multitouch support. Since Droid does allow for multitouch in third party apps, the developers decided to bake that into the latest build of their web client. Until the WebKit browser comes with 2-finger support, Dolphin looks to be the best choice.
Dolphin bills itself as social, smart, and fast. Judging by the short clip below, we’d also like to add “feature rich” and “intuitive” to the list.
Among the features found in Dolphin:
- Quick access to Google services (Search, Gtalk, Gmail, etc)
- Fast windows switching
- All-in-one start page
- Sync with Google bookmarks
- RSS detection and subscription
LG announces GW820 ‘eXpo’ smartphone w/ 1GHz processor and optional projector
LG has announced a new Windows Mobile 6.5-based smartphone, the eXpo. But unlike other 6.5 smarties on the market, the newest member of the LG family is packing just about everything but the kitchen sink including a 1GHz processor, a built-in fingerprint sensor, and an optional Pico Projector you can slap onto the back with an 8-foot projection distance.
The projector adds another 1.8 ounces, and as you can see, a bit of an ass to it. Besides the 1GHz goodness, the slider's running Windows Mobile 6.5, has a 3.2-inch touchscreen and a 5MP camera for $200 on contract. Specifically a "minimum $69.99 plan." The projector add-on's $180, though it'll follow the phone's Dec. 7 drop date by a few weeks.
Did Samsung Just Announce Another Mobile OS? [Samsung]
They're calling it 'Bada,' which means ocean in Korean. And it's got an SDK! After sifting through hundreds of words of deliberately vague press release, this is all we really know about Samsung's new mobile OS. Well, almost.
Samsung is as aware as any company of just how many smartphones OSes there are in the world, since they license almost all of them, from Windows Mobile to Symbian to Android. Throwing another OS into the mix seems like it might confuse things, but at first glance, that's exactly what it looks like they're doing:
In order to build a rich smartphone experience accessible to a wider range of consumers across the world, Samsung brings bada, a new platform with a variety of mobile applications and content.So, a new OS with an emphasis on apps. But why the awkward language about 'smartphone experiences' and 'accessibility?' On the project's website, Samsung's a little more clear:
More and more people want rich and connected application-experiences that are currently available only for smartphone consumers. Samsung has developed bada to make these exclusive smartphone experiences available to everyone.Ah! So it's probably not a full-fledged smartphone OS, but a feature phone OS with an SDK. Samsung is a huge company, so this can't be ignored, but it doesn't mean that smartphones are about the get more confusing. If anything, it means that feature phones are about to get better.
Or not at all! We won't know for sure until Samsung stop being cryptic for sport, or whatever it is they're doing here. [Samsung]
Samsung Launches Open Mobile Platform:[Gizmodo]
Samsung bada – The Next Wave Of The Mobile Industry
Developers get the chance to create mobile applications
for millions of new Samsung handsets
November 10th, 2009, Seoul, Korea – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the launch of its own open mobile platform, Samsung bada [bada] in December. This new addition to Samsung's mobile ecosystem enables developers to create applications for millions of new Samsung mobile phones, and consumers to enjoy a fun and diverse mobile experience.
In order to build a rich smartphone experience accessible to a wider range of consumers across the world, Samsung brings bada, a new platform with a variety of mobile applications and content. The name ‘bada', which means ‘ocean' in Korean, was chosen to convey the limitless variety of potential applications which can be created using the new platform. It also alludes to Samsung's commitment to a variety of open platforms in the mobile industry. Samsung bada also represents the fresh challenges and opportunities available to developers, as well as the entertainment which consumers will enjoy once the new platform is open.
Based on Samsung's experience in developing previous proprietary platforms on Samsung mobile phones, Samsung can create the new platform and provide opportunities for developers. Samsung bada is also simple for developers to use, meaning it's one of the most developer-friendly environments available, particularly in the area of applications using Web services. Lastly, bada's ground-breaking User Interface (UI) can be transferred into a sophisticated and attractive UI design for developers.
Samsung will be able to expand the range of choices for mobile phone users to enjoy the smartphone experiences. By adopting Samsung bada, users will be able to easily enjoy various applications on their mobile.
Samsung bada also offers an easy-to-integrate platform for mobile operators so that mobile operators can provide unique and differentiated services to their customers. Samsung established its mobile application ecosystem through the launch of Samsung Mobile Innovator in 2008 and the Samsung Application Seller Site followed by Samsung Application Store as another key element of this offering.
Dr Hosoo Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics said, 'By opening Samsung's mobileplatforms we will be able to provide rich mobile experiences on an increasing number of accessible smartphones.' He added, 'bada will be Samsung's landmark, iconic new platform that brings an unprecedented opportunity for operators, developers and Samsung mobile phone users around the world.'
The official website (www.bada.com) will open on November 10th and will feature a range of information on bada including updates onproduct launches, features, and event notices. Samsung will also host an official launch event for bada in London, UK in December and will also unveil its bada software development kit (SDK) to developers for the first time on this date.
Portable scanner looks like a pen, is way more expensive
I've never needed to scan a document or photo while sitting in a plane seat, but if you ever have, there's a gadget for that. The unfortunately named DocuPen is a portable scanner made by PlanOn, about the size of one of Harry Potter's magic wands. Just roll the scanner along the document or photo you want to scan, and it'll capture it in JPEG format. Pretty impressive for something that weighs only a couple of ounces.
The DocuPen X-Series, new today, has 64GB of internal memory, which you can add to with a MicroSD card. You can transmit your scans via Bluetooth to your phone or a portable printer and it can capture color scans up to 600 dpi (true). A power-saving OLED display helps you navigate through wireless and USB transfers. We checked out one of the new DocuPens yesterday, and a JPEG photo scan looked surprisingly good, with detail on par with some desktop scanners.
I can see this being useful for mobile-business warriors or anyone who wants a scanner but doesn't have the desk space for a flatbed. But the price — $369 — is pretty insane. I realize there's a whole load of processing and storage in this micro scanner that doesn't exist in desktop models (since they rely on the PC for all that), but that's a lot of coin to part with for something you could lose between the couch cushions.
[DVICE via PlanOn]
Toshiba launches new BSI 14.6Mpix CMOS for mobile devices.
Toshiba today announced the launch of a new CMOS image sensor that will bring 14.6 million pixels to digital still cameras and to mobile phones supporting video imaging. The sensor, the latest addition to Toshiba’s “DynastronTM” line-up, is also the company’s first to integrate the enhanced sensitivity offered by backside illumination technology (BSI). Sampling of the new sensor will begin in December and mass production will follow from the third quarter of 2010 (July--September).
BSI brings new levels of responsiveness to CMOS imaging. Lenses are deployed on the rear of the sensor on the silicon substrate, not on the front, where wiring limits light absorption. This positioning boosts light sensitivity and absorption by 40% compared to existing Toshiba products, and allows formation of finer image pixels.
Toshiba has made full use of the advantages of BSI to realize image pixels with a pitch of 1.4 microns, and to pack 14.6 million of them into a 1/2.3-inch sensor that meets the high level imaging and processing requirement, and that will also bring a new level of image quality to mobile phones. Toshiba will use the new sensor to promote its full-scale entry to the digital camera market, and will continue to develop BSI products as a mainstream technology.
Toshiba has made full use of the advantages of BSI to realize image pixels with a pitch of 1.4 microns, and to pack 14.6 million of them into a 1/2.3-inch sensor that meets the high level imaging and processing requirement, and that will also bring a new level of image quality to mobile phones. Toshiba will use the new sensor to promote its full-scale entry to the digital camera market, and will continue to develop BSI products as a mainstream technology.
GE's New Ultra Small Ultrasound May Become as Ubiquitous as Stethoscope
Yesterday at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, GE showed off their new handheld ultrasound device.
The Vscan looks like a cross between an iPod and a cell phone, making it possibly the world's smallest ultrasound. Later today we'll be attending GE's healthymagination technology showcase in New York where further details and specs will hopefully become available.
For critical care clinicians, Vscan can offer an immediate look beyond patient vital signs with the potential to identify critical issues, like fluid around the heart, which could be a sign of congestive heart failure. And for cardiologists, Vscan provides a dependable visual evaluation of how well the heart is pumping at a glance, so they can treat patients more efficiently.[Medgadget]
Android 2.0 First Look: Fresh Face, Sick Speed [Android]
While Android 1.6 is still writhing around in amniotic fluid, BGR had the nerve to publish shots of version 2.0 'Eclair,' which doesn't even have a formal due date yet. They look great. Sorry, 1.6: I'm already over you.
You're best off trudging through the entire gallery here, since not all the changes are all that visual, and BGR has annotated each shot with description. That said, here are some of the highlights (keep in mind that some of these could be subtle features of Donut, or handset manufacturer add-ons:
• The whole system feels much faster, especially the browser. Apparently it renders about as fast as the 3GS's, though part of that could be down to the hardware (What is it, BG?).
• The browser also gets double-tap-to-zoom (some ROMs already come with this)
• Facebook friends are integrated right into the contacts system
• Voice control has been scattered through the whole system, and even gets its own dedicated dashboard
• There's an upgraded version of Google Maps, with layer support
• Native MS Exchange support
• There's now a unified email inbox
• A YouTube homescreen widget, which enables two-click uploads
• A 'Car Home' app offers larger shortcuts for functions you might need while driving, as well as easy access to voice control
In any case, the earliest we can expect to see this on a phone is when Motorola's barely-not-mythical Sholes decides to materialize in store, which could be as soon as Christmas. More shots at [Gizmodo via BGR]
Unfurl The Rolltop (The Flexible OLED Display Laptop)! [Concept]
Holy crap, one day I could roll my laptop up just like my yoga mat?! I don't care if this is just a concept for now, Orkin Design's Rolltop is freaking awesome.
The video shows it all but the 'laptop' has a flexible OLED display that is also capable of multitouch. When rolled out it becomes a 17-inch flat screen but can also be folded into a 13-inch tablet of sorts. I'd like to think that by the time we see something like the Rolltop we will have wireless power, but the detachable stand stores the tablet's stylus, power adapter and USB ports. I will never look at my yoga mat the same way.
[Gizmodo via Orkin Design]
Mercury ups its 2.5″ external HDDs to 1TB
If you feel like riding the wave (and are made of money), look no further than the newest configuration of Mercury On-The-Go Pro, which is the first that I know of to put a 2.5″ 1TB HDD in a bus-powered enclosure. Sure, there are 1TB units already available (for under a hundy, even), but they use 3.5″ drives, making them bulky and rarely bus-powered. These Mercury ones are the only truly portable terabyte drives out there.
Problem is, they’re not exactly speedsters: 5200RPM means they’re sluggish even for HDDs, and if you want a fast interface you’ll be paying extra. In fact, even just USB will set you back $300, and if you want FireWire 800, you’re looking at an extra $60 on top of that.
It’s the early adopter tax, and I don’t know if it’s worth it when surely WD and Seagate and everyone else have theirs coming down the pipe. Still, I’ve always liked the clear enclosures, and it’s available now. That’s got to be worth something.
[CrunchGear]
Horizon's Cheap Personal Fuel Cell Now On Sale—Charge Gadgets Cleanly and Cheaply [Fuel Cells]
First seen at CES years ago, Horizon's MiniPak has (finally) gone on sale for $100. It's the first personal, portable fuel cell—if you don't count the Japan-only Toshiba one—and is like a mini power plant for charging gadgets.
It eats refillable cartridges (coming bundled with two), with each cartridge giving the equivalent of 1,000 AA batteries. At $100, you can see it's going to end up saving you quite a bit of money. Not to mention help save the environment, with fuel cells being a clean and cheap way to generate energy. More on that can be explained here.
A bunch of connectors are included, so your smartphone/gaming console/other portable device should be supported, with up to 2W of power surging through a USB port. It's dead-small too, fitting in the palm of your hand, only slightly larger than the object you're charging up.
[Gizmodo via MiniPak via GizMag]
Microsoft Employee Shows Off Prototype Windows Phone 7 Series Smartphone From LG [Windowsphone7]
Aaron Woodman, the director of consumer experiences for Microsoft's mobile division, was a guest on today's Engadget Show, and he had a nice surprise for everyone: a prototype of LG's Windows Phone 7 Series phone.
There's not a whole lot in the way of details—it's a slider that's a bit thicker than the iPhone, it has a 5MP camera, and sports six hardware buttons—but it's still exciting to see the new operating system on a branded device for the first time.
Woodman wouldn't confirm nor deny if Windows Phone 7 Series would support Mac OS, only mentioning that it was a topic the team was currently discussing. Hey, at least the notion hasn't been shut down out of hand, so we'll take this as a no news is good news type of thing for now.
Head over to Engadget for more pictures and a quick video clip of the LG phone in the round.
[Gizmodo via Engadget]
TI's OMAP4 Chipset Promises Insane Performance and 145 Hours Battery Life [Guts]
TI's new dual-core OMAP4 mobile chipset, the sequel to the OMAP3 series that powers the Droid and Palm Pre (among others), claims crazy performance: Three independent displays running 1080p video, for example, and an estimated 145-hour battery life for audio.
Basically, TI made up a kind of demo unit (pictured) to show what the OMAP4 can do, which is not inconsiderable. The demo unit is a portable device running Android, equipped with two screens and HDMI-out as well as a 12MP camera, pico projector, plus all the wireless protocols and sensors you can imagine. It's a fantasy device, most certainly not intended for market, but it's a pretty effective way to get our hearts racing.
The ARM A9-based chipset will be competing with the Apple A4 and Tegra 2 in tablets and smartbooks, but it's also small enough and energy-efficient enough to power handhelds—good news, since it's got some pretty serious muscle. The demo unit uses a dual-1GHz-core version, and supports 1080p video recording at 24/30fps, three simultaneous independent displays (why you'd need that is beyond me), 20MP image processing, and more memory bandwidth than the Tegra 2 (for better multitasking). Besides that, TI's built in image stabilization and "universal decoding," which means it should be able to (software permitting) play back just about any media file you throw at it. TI claims that with a 1000 mAh battery, it can hit 145 hours of audio playback, which sounds freaking insane—the current OMAP3 can only get between 30 and 40.
It's slated to hit the market either in late 2010 or early 2011, aimed first at smartphones and later possibly larger devices like ereaders or tablets. We'll report on it more as it gets closer to release, but even if the chip can only hit 75% of what it claims, it'll still be damned impressive.
[Gizmodo via Slashgear]
Samsung Producing First Integrated Touchscreen AMOLED Panels Starting Next Month [OLED]
Samsung Mobile Display has announced that they're going to begin mass production of the world's first 3.3-inch touch-embedded AMOLED panels next month. That means goodbye heavy glass display, and hello thinner, lighter, brighter phones.
The technology Samsung has developed places .001mm thin touch sensors on-cell on a 3.3-inch WVGA AMOLED, between the panel's substrate and the bottom polarizer film. The result is that you don't need the touch-sensing glass panel that currently sits above your phone's display anymore. The technology could also be integrated into cameras to provide a brighter display and/or longer battery life.
We've been enamored with AMOLED before, but this is the first time we've seen such a practical application hit mass production. Exciting! More so when we actually start to see some of these products hit the market—and see how much they cost.
[Gizmodo via Korea IT Times via OLED Info via Engadget]
Qualcomm's Dual-Core 1.5GHz Snapdragon: Smartphones Are About to Go Hyperspeed [Guts]
Qualcomm's current 1GHz Snapdragon is the muscle that makes the Nexus One so fantastically speedy, but Qualcomm isn't sitting on their laurels—they just announced two new chips that are going to power the next great mobile devices.
First up is the single-core Snapdragon 8X50A, a 45nm chip that's essentially the next version of the 1GHz chip in the Nexus One. It's clocked at 1.3GHz. But what we're really excited about is the dual-core 8X72, which uses two Scorpion cores to achieve 1.5GHz. Luis Pineda, Senior VP at Qualcomm, assures that the 8X72 is suitable for smartphones (not just smartbooks or netbooks) and can handle 1080p video. Both the 8X50A and 8X72 will be out this year, going head to head with the Tegra 2.
[Gizmodo via Hexus via Slashgear]
NVIDIA unveils the next generation Tegra processor
NVIDIA unveiled the next generation of its Tegra mobile processor at CES yesterday, promising to deliver tablets, smartbooks and smartphones with a blazing web browsing experience, HD video, Flash 10 support and multi-day battery life. Rather than go on and on, we will simply let the Tegra 250 specs speak for themselves:
- The world’s first dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU running up to 1GHz
- Eight independent processors to handle web browsing, HD video encode and decode and mobile 3D gaming
- 10x faster than the processors used in smartphones today, and up to 4x the performance of the previous generation Tegra processor
- Advanced TSMC 40nm process with active power management to provide amazing battery life (140 hours audio and over 16 hours of HD video playback) despite being always-on and always-connected
- Support for 3D touchscreen user interfaces
- Up to 1080p video encode/decode and support for HD Web streaming formats and complete HW accelerated HD multimedia engine for visually stunning movie playback
- Adobe Flash Player 10.1 acceleration for streaming video and 3D mobile games
- Resolutions ranging from four-to-eight times that of smartphones
- Form factors and screen sizes ranging from 5-15 inches
[BGR]
