HP HDX16 and HDX18 notebook PCs and TouchSmart IQ800 series desktop PCs announced

HP has announced new HDX16 and HDX18 consumer notebook PCs and TouchSmart IQ800 series desktop PCs, pushing the boundaries of personal computing design that makes it even easier for people to enjoy photos, music and other important content with anyone and anywhere.

“HP’s new consumer notebooks and TouchSmart PC deliver smart and creative ways to engage the wealth of photos, videos, music and entertainment that was previously stuck on our PCs gathering digital dust,” said Stephen DeWitt, senior vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP is developing new products and solutions that help make connecting to people and information simple and fun and create a truly personalized computing experience.”

The new HP Notebook PCs come with striking new designs and amazing features for the demanding users who want access to friends and family, TV, photos, movies, music, games and online information wherever they are.

These notebooks bundle up vivid bright 1,080-pixel displays, built-in TV tuners, HP MediaSmart, Blu-ray disk capabilities, built-in Wi-Fi networking and home-theater-quality audio/video options like Altec Lansing speakers, an HP Triple Bass subwoofer and Dolby Home Theater software.

The HP HDX16 sports a 16-inch diagonal widescreen and 1,080-pixel resolution display while the powerful and visually captivating HDX18 comes with an 18.4-inch diagonal Ultra BrightView 1,080-pixel screen. It also equips graphic capabilities.

The HP TouchSmart IQ800 series PC features a 25.5-inch diagonal high-definition widescreen, user touch interface of the HP TouchSmart, crop, edit and share photos, watching TV with a tap or swipe of a finger, image resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, Blu-ray player.

The HP IQ800 series also equips a powerful, energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo processor, HP power management technology saves 45 percent energy compared to other PCs, webcam, colored HP Ambient Light, media card reader, high-speed hard drive, Pocket Media Drive Bay and premium speakers.

The starting price of HP TouchSmart IQ804 PC is $1,899 (approx Rs. 87,837) and is expected to be available on September 21 while the HP TouchSmart IQ816 PC starts at $2,099 and is said to be available on October 12. The HP HDX16 comes at a starting price of $1,299(approx Rs. 60,100) while the HP HDX18 carries a starting price of $1,549 (approx Rs. 71,890). They are expected to be available later this month.

Asus Zest touchscreen smartphone in the works?

According to rumors, Asus is apparently planning to introduce its latest full-touchscreen smartphone, dubbed Zest aka Glaxy 7. The upcoming device is expected to compete against the likes of Apple iPhone and Samsung Omnia.

Apparently, powered by Windows Mobile 6, the Zest phone will include Asus’ custom Glide 1.5 interface, a 3.5-inch touchscreen that is capable to display 800×480 pixels, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 5-megapixel digital camera with autofocus sans Flash and is expected to be compatible with video formats MPEG-4 and H.264.

Moreover, the Zest smartphone also said to feature up to 4 GB of internal memory with a support for MicroSD card, a USB connection and GPS with a Blackberry-like trackball for navigation.

Looking at the leaked specs and design, the stylish smartphone can surely give a touch competition to the existing touchscreen models.

There has been no official announcement of the Asus Zest smartphone yet. However, the touchshcreen device is expected to debut by November 2008. Price is not yet clear.

Packard Bell unveils ipower GX Gaming Laptop

Packard Bell introduces its latest gaming laptop, dubbed the iPower GX.

The street-art designed notebook features a 17-inch HD screen that delivers a resolution 1920 x 1200 piexls, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a 5-in-1 card reader, 3 USB ports, FireWire, one-touch media controls and optional Bluetooth.

Claimed to be the most powerful processor Intel has ever made, it comes pre-loaded with Intel’s new Core 2 Quad processor Q9100. It also includes an Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS graphics card, 1GB of dedicated GDDR3 VRAM and 640 GB dual e-Sata hard drives.

The ipower GX also bundles an integrated fingerprint security device and an optional Blu-ray drive.

Packard Bell will start selling the ipower GX gaming laptop from October with a price tag of €1499 (approx. Rs. 99,275).

Toshiba 400GB USB 2.0 portable external hard drive announced

Toshiba today added a new 400GB model to its line of personal storage devices offering for high-capacity storage and backup for music libraries, home videos, personal data and other digital memories. Sporting a sleek and glossy finish with contemporary graphics, the Electric Blue & Black 400 GB hard drive joins the league of Carbon Grey, Hot Rod Red and Gecko Green personal storage hard drives.

Weighing 6 ounces, the new 400GB Toshiba USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive can store up to 114,000 digital photos, 105,000 MP3 music files, 177 hours of DVD videos or 47 hours of high-definition videos.

Toshiba’s personal storage line offers easy and hassle-free back up solution with its NTI Shadow software.

“With the constant influx of cherished digital content stored on home computers, consumers are looking for a fast and easy way to protect their libraries with little to no maintenance,” said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. “Toshiba’s click-free, switch-free and button-free backup solution caters to the average digital consumer — but with advanced features and high capacities that also appeal to the sophisticated technophile.”

The personal storage line also comes with an internal shock sensor and ramp-loading technology. Toshiba 400GB USB 2.0 portable external hard drive will be available in October. It comes with a 3-year limited warranty. There has been no word on the pricing.

New Averatec Buddy netbook Unveiled

Trigem USA has announced the introduction of the latest companion netbook, that expands the Averatec brand dubbed Averatec Buddy.

The ultra-portable personal computer is based on the Intel Atom processor (N270 1.6Ghz) and comes equipped with a generous keyboard, 10.2-inch LCD screen and 160 GB of storage memory.

“The timing and launch of Buddy is a welcomed addition for our customer base. Buddy as well as our all new 18.4″ All-In-One desktop will clearly emphasize our commitment to our customers and our desire to be on the leading edge of these emerging computer trends,” said Darren Lee, Director of Marketing at Trigem USA.

It runs on Windows XP Home operating system and sports a 1 GB of system memory and an integrated WLAN.

Priced at $449.99 (approx. Rs. 20,455), the Averatec Buddy netbook will hit the market soon and will be available through major online resellers and Averatec online.

Sony Ericsson debuts MBW-200 range of Bluetooth watches

Sony Ericsson has introduced the latest and unique Bluetooth watch for ladies, called the MBW-200, which comes in three sophisticated designs. This elegant collection of Bluetooth watch comes in Sparkling Allure, Contemporary Elegance and Evening Classic designs.

Promising to carry forward all the possible phone-features, the watch utilizes Bluetooth technology to display the caller ID, vibrate at the time of incoming call and SMS, and even allow you to reject or mute the call. As an option, you can use the Bluetooth headset for operations instead of a button on the watch.

“The MBW-200 series is the next step in the development of Bluetooth wireless technology. Now women can buy a Bluetooth watch that gives them both wireless functionality and an opportunity to express their personal taste. We’re all looking for products that make our lives more convenient. With a glance at your watch you can see who is calling, what the time is and with a push of a button you can change your music or use it as a music remote control when your phone is on the other side of the room– all in one stylish device,” commented Karmen Mandic, Product Business Manager, at Sony Ericsson.

The Sony Ericsson MBW-200 Bluetooth watches sport:
# Ability to operate within 10 m range
# Discreet yet clear caller ID - OLED display
# Play, pause, stop or skip a track on your phone’s music player
# Quartz movements for exact time keeping – both digital and analogue
# Auto pairing - easier to connect the watch to your phone
# Water resistant up to 3 ATM
# Allergy safe stainless steel
# Mineral crystal scratch resistant face with antiglare coating

Apart from features, here are the stylish designs that Sony Ericsson offer:

The glamorous yet sporty Sparkling Allure Edition comes bundled with trendy white leather strap, Rose gold rim and a display with crystal décor stones. It is designed for funky youngsters.

Next is the dazzling Contemporary Elegance Edition, which is created for the young professionals. It helps the targeted audience to stay focused on the job and stay connected concurrently. It features the stainless steel body and crystal décor stone.

Lastly, the classic yet casual Evening Classic Edition comes packed with stylish leather strap, black dial with crystal décor, and black detail on crown.

Sony Ericsson will roll out the MBW-200 Bluetooth watches for ladies in selected markets by early Q4 2008. Price is not yet known.

Dell Studio and Studio Slim Desktops Released in India

Recently, we reported on the latest Dell Studio desktops. Now, the company has announced the global launch of the series, which inlcudes the Indian market. Called the Studio and Studio Slim Desktops, both the models offer home entertainment functionalities and multimedia activities.

Sporting a sophisticated, glossy black design, the Studio desktop PC omes with a traditional mini-tower chassis for easy upgradation, whereas the Studio Slim has a tower, a sleek and compact design for space-constrained environments.

Compatible with standard graphic support for DirectX 10, the latest models from Studio series feature an integrated HDMI port for easy connections to HDTV, the state-of-the-art technology and the ability to offer super-size picture viewing, MP3s playback or Internet TV streaming on an HDTV.

In terms of specs, both the desktops feature six USB 2.0 ports, a built-in 1394a port for quick sync with digital video cameras, and a gigabit Ethernet for faster uploading and downloading speed.

While the Studio desktop comes equipped with 16-in-1 media card reader and 350 Watt power supply, the Studio Slim includes optional 19-in-1 and 250 Watt power supply.

Both the Studio desktops also come with optional ATI video card, Blu-ray Disc drives, 802.11n Wi-Fi, a TV tuner with remote control, wireless keyboard and mouse.

The Dell Studio desktop PC line-up has a starting price of Rs 53,400. The computing devices are available across India.

MOTOYUVA W388, A810 and ZN200 Phones Launched in India by Motorola

Expanding the YUVA portfolio, Motorola has launched three new multimedia mobile phones in the Indian market, namely MOTOYUVA W388, A810 and ZN200.

According to Lloyd Mathias, senior director and head of Sales and Distribution, India and South West Asia, Motorola Mobile Devices, “Our YUVA range of mobile phones offers Indian consumers a diverse range of affordable options. The YUVA W388 is a multimedia candy bar phone, YUVA A810 is a touch screen phone, and the YUVA ZN200 is a slider imaging phone. There’s a YUVA phone to suit everyone’s style this festive season.”

The MOTOYUVA W388 is an entry-level multimedia phone which sports a wide range of music features such as a dedicated music button, an improved MP3 player, MusicID application for song recognition, and an FM radio with radio data system (RDS) functionality, along with support for MicroSoft Windows Media player. The included functionalities help users to record excerpts of songs from the FM radio, and listen to music by using earphones or speaker phone. It also inlcudes Motorola’s pioneering CrystalTalk technology, promising better voice clarity on calls through noise cancellation.

Additionally, the candy bar handset flaunts an optional 2 GB microSD removable memory card, an ability to block unwanted callers, a simple keyboard for easy messaging, a built-in VGA camera with 4x zoom, and Java to play games.

Dressed in either white or black color, the MOTOYUVA A810 multimedia touchscreen handset comes equipped with advanced handwriting recognition, stylus to sketch, draw and doodle on the large screen, an integrated photoeditor to edit photographs, a 2 megapixel camera with in-built video player to encode video at 30 fps, Bluetooth with MMS support. Furthermore, the A810 includes FM radio, an in-built MP3 player with multiple visualizers, up to 2GB memory with an optional MicroSD card, an array of connectivity options such as GPRS with EDGE support and USB 2.0.

The multifunctional phone also boasts its unique applications that enable users to get news on cricket and access a variety of printed publication on the screen. In terms of cricket updates, the A810 can run live cricket text commentary, cricket masala news, wallpapers and cricket video downloads. The device can even display WAP version of printed publications including Hindustan Times, Financial Express, Indian Express, and Deccan Chronicle via the ‘Daily News’ link. Other features include three pre-loaded cricket games, ability to book flight tickets or railway tickets directly from the mobile.

Last but not the least, the MOTOYUVA ZN200 is a media-optimized phone which incorporates a 2 megapixel camera with 8X digital zoom, video recording capabilities, 1.9-inch TFTscreen with 176 x 220 pixel, ability to display images in both portrait and landscape modes, CrystalTalk technology and simple and intuitive interface.

The slider phone offers the best-in-class audio and comes embedded with a series of status LED icons, and Bluetooth wireless technology. It has a 30 MB onboard memory with up to 2 GB expandable memory.

Expected to hit the Indian market by the first week of October, the MOTOYUVA A810 carries a price tag of Rs 8,119 and the ZN200 costs Rs 6,719. The MOTOYUVA W388 that retails for Rs 3,640.

Latest Series of HP Compaq Notebooks Announced in India

Hewlett-Packard India has introduced its latest series of Compaq notebooks, sporting trendy and stylish designs in the Indian market.

The Compaq range of laptops is comes packed with multimedia features such as backlit keyboard, finger print reader and HDMI 1.3 along with a built in TV tuner card, Blue ray drive and an infra red remote control.

“This astounding product is a result of HP’s extensive research, focusing on user preferences amongst the youth. Keeping in mind the priorities of today’s young generation, HP has factored in features like the flush glass finish and the 3D drive guard. A unique blend of looks and durability, the new range is both attractive and sturdy. Now, the generation next can not only enjoy the multimedia experience but flaunt their notebook with a oodles of style” commented Rajiev Grover, Director - Consumer Products, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard India.

The new range of HP Compaq notebooks carries a price tag between of Rs. 26,990 to Rs. 48,990. This series will be available via HP stores, multi-brand outlets and large format retailers.

Samsung Pixon aka M8800 - 8 MP Camera Phone Details

After the Samsung Omina phone, the company is expected to launch its latest handset dubbed Pixon aka M8800. Looking at the handsets specs, it makes us wonder whether the phone has camera capabilities or the camera has phoning functionalities. Read on to know more about the device.

The elegant handset sports an 8 megapixel camera. Other camera features includes Auto Focus, 16 x Zoom and dual power LED flash. It also incorporates face detection, smile shot, ASR (Advanced Shake Reduction), WDR (Wide Dynamic Range), Photo Browser (Accelerometer Sensor), Photo Browser (Accelerometer Sensor), and High Speed Video Capture and Playback. It supports DivX, WSVGA and VGA video recording at 30fp.

At just 13.8mm thinness, the other features of the Samsung Pixon include a 3.2-inch Full-Touch Screen display, 7.2 Mbps high-speed HSDPA Quad-Band connectivity, Online Widget for easy access to frequently used functions, and SRS (surround sound system) Virtual 5.1CH. The Pixon is said to be Samsung i8510 INNOV8’s successor, the smart device also comes along with GPS geo-tagging support, microSD expandable memory, Bluetooth 2.0 sans Wi-Fi, USB 2.0 and FM radio.

The phone gives up to 7 hours of talktime and 16 days standby time.

The release date and pricing information of the upcoming Samsung Pixon phone are still under wraps

Sonoro Cubo Elements alarm clock announced

The new Sonoro Cubo Elements alarm clock is stylish and features a slick design. Sporting a black high-gloss lacquered finish, it has an easy to use brushed metal LED-illuminated dial.

This alarm clock lets you wake up by listening to your favorite tune from an MP3 and comes with an AM/FM as well. It packs in an aux-in jack, optional external iPod recharging dock, speaker with adjustable bass and treble settings.

The Sonora Cubo Elements alarm clock comes with an Internet version which lets you wirelessly stream over 10,000 different online radio stations.

The pricing and availability is not yet revealed.

Backyard Babies Limited Edition Neonode N2 Touch-Screen Phone Unveiled

Neonode has partnered with Backyard Babies to release the Limited Edition Neonode N2 multimedia touch screen phone.

The handset features the new and self named hit album, “Backyard Babies,” and other multimedia content like music video, bonus track and numerous ringtones and Backyard Babies themes.

“The Neonode N2 is a real odd bird compared to its competitors, but that’s just what we like. The N2 has a cool design and an alternative feel. We especially like the rugged black surface and that it has the form factor of an actual dog tag,” expressed Dregen, Backyard Babies’ lead guitarist.

The Backyard Babies Edition Neonode N2 phone sports a 2.0-inch color screen that is capable of delivering 176×220 pixels, 2.0 megapixel fixed focus camera to take still images, video playback that supports MPEG and WMV file formats, and a MP3 player with MP3, WMA and Wav files compatibility.

Based on Neno user interface, the GSM quad band-enabled phone includes GPRS connectivity, up to 32 GB MiniSD card, Calendar and Address book synchronized by using ActiveSync, FTP profiles-compliant OBEX, and headset with stereo sound, mono loudspeaker and vibration engine.

Measuring 47 x 77 x 14.7mm (WxHxT) and weighing 60g, the Neonode N2 also supports various T9 languages.

The Backyard Babies Limited Edition Neonode N2 phone is available through the company’s online shop for $353/€250/£200 (approx. Rs. 16,798).

LG KP500 Touchscreen Handset Officially Announced

LG has announced the availability of its latest affordable touchscreen mobile phone, dubbed KP500, in the European market.

“The feedback we receive from consumers around the world indicate that there’s more people who wish to try the latest touch screen phones. We want to reach out to this group and LG KP500 is our answer to deliver a high quality full touch screen phone that is easy to use and much easier to afford. Within reach of many consumers, we hope that more people will experience the joy of using the latest touch screen technology with LG KP500,” mentioned Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

Featuring GSM connectivity, the phone flaunts its compatibility with four frequency bands for a wide reach in reception range. It supports around 39 languages and provides vivid and intuitive user interface for ease of operation.

It comes equipped with 3.0-inch screen, QWERTY onscreen keyboard and auto rotating display for accurate navigation. It also bundles an embedded stylus pen that supports handwriting recognition program for users to easily and quickly write memos and text messages as well as edit images on the screen.

By using the latest UI, users can attach a friend’s photo for the speed dial feature. The KP500 also incorporates motion sensor games that expect users to turn, flip and shift the handset for a more active and fun gaming experience.

Sporting slim-profiled and lightweight, the LG KP500 comes in black, Vandyke brown, Anodizing silver, and Elegant gold.

Although the price has not been revealed, the LG KP500 is scheduled to hit the European market by October.

New Limited Edition 007 Range of Sony Products Unveiled

The upcoming James Bond film is all set to hit the theaters in November. Sony announced that it will be offering limited edition licensed 007 products. The bond products comprise of a VAIO notebook computer, a Reader Digital Book and Micro Vault USB storage media.

First in the line is the limited edition VAIO TT notebook that comes embedded with a 007 logo on the palm rest and a harmonizing leather protection case. Sony will make only 100 units of this notebook available in the US market.

Second in line is the Special Edition Bond Reader Digital Book. It sports an imprinted cover with a 007 logo and coupon codes for free downloads from the Sony eBook Store of Ian Fleming’s novels Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

Next is an exclusive 007 USB Micro Vault, which comes in 8 GB and 16 GB storage capacities. Moreover, the USB drive comes pre-loaded with the Quantum of Solace movie trailer and bonus contents.

The limited edition 007 products by Sony will be available through the company’s Style retail stores and online store in the American market.

Gigabyte GSmart MW702 and MS802 phones launched

Gigabyte launches two new GSmart handsets named MW702 and MS802. Sporting an identical look the handsets are aimed at business users, the MS802 supports 3G HSDPA network while the MW702 supports older EDGE network.

The GSmart MW702 and MS802 features a 3-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth2.0 connectivity with mini USB2.0 port, microSD memory card slot, 2.8 inch TFT LCD with 240 x 320 resolution, 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM and GPS module that allows geotagging of photos. The GSmart phones offer Smart Touch II user interface’s advanced version and runs on Windows 6.1 Professional OS.

Gigabyte offers an improvement Smart Touch interface and more intuitive and personal control. It automatically adds contacts from a SIM card that can be accessed by sliding up the screen just by dragging your finger across the screen.

The pricing of the GSmart phones is not yet revealed. The phones are expected to release initially in Hungary.

Sony announces VAIO NS1 series of Laptop and JS1 All-In-One PC

Sony has announced to introduce its NS1 series of notebook and JS1 series of All-In-One PC for home users.

Hidetoshi Takigawa, Marketing Director for VAIO of Europe, said, “These products make Sony’s overall quality and distinctive design available to a wider audience than ever. The focus is on ease of use and the specifications and features that people need at this level, and that means excellent overall value. They are a great introduction to the VAIO brand and all it stands for”.

The sophisticated VAIO NS1 features an X-black technology-based 15.4-inch LCD widescreen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, a built-in Motion Eye webcam for video chat and blogging, four USB ports, integrated speakers, a Blu-ray Disc Combo drive and super-fast ‘Draft-N’ wireless networking.

While the VAIO JS1-Series all-in-one PC comes equipped with 20.1-inch screen that runs at 1680 x 1050 resolution. Its other features include a compact keyboard, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 802.11n/g/draftn Wi-Fi, 3 GB of memory and a 500 GB hard disk.

The VAIO JS1 also comes pre-loaded with SonicStage Mastering Studio software that re-masters the DSD signal into 5.1 Super Audio CD for superior audio performance.

Pricing and availability details of both the Sony VAIO NS1 and JS1 series are yet to be disclosed.

ZTE U990 - the World’s First HSDPA TD-SCDMA Handset Showcased

ZTE announced the launch of its latest U990 mobile phone. The company claims that it’s the world’s first high-end HSDPA TD-SCDMA mobile handset.

Elaborating on the U990 mobile phone, He Shiyou, Executive Vice President of ZTE Corporation, expressed, “We are proud to be the first company in the industry to offer HSPDA mobile handset with TD-SCDMA intelligence, truly another significant achievement for our handset business. Our technology know-how and excellent product offering reaffirm our leading position in the mobile handset area. We are introducing this home-grown technology to worldwide market to provide end users the best mobile experience.”

Based on Windows Mobile 6.0 operating system, the U990 offers high-speed transmission rate of up to 2.8 Mbps for downlink transmission and 384kbps for uplink transmission. It is compatible with dual mode TD-SCDMA/EDGE networks, enabling users to effectively shift between the two networks.

Developed for business travelers, the U990 sports enhanced touch-screen technology and supports both GPS and AGPS navigation technologies.

The pricing information is yet to be announced.

HP Pavilion dv3500t notebook PC available in US

HP announced the availability of its new 13.3 inch Pavilion dv3500t notebook PC in the US. Sporting a liquid metallic HP Intersect Imprint design and bronze finish, it delivers ultimate mobile entertainment.

This 4.12 pound notebook bundles up an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS 512MB video card, max 8GB RAM, 400GB hard drive, 1,280 x 800 resolution and DVD burner.

It also features built-in HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection, password management with an integrated fingerprint reader (optional), eSATA combo port, an additional USB 2.0 port, 802.11n wireless connectivity, built-in Wi-Fi, ExpressCard slot, 5-in-1 memory card reader, HDMI 3.1 port and is ENERGY STAR qualified, with environmentally friendly packaging.

The HP Pavilion dv3500t will be available for a starting retail price of $999.99 (approx Rs. 46,317). It comes with one-year hardware warranty, a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007 Edition, 60 days of complimentary live updates to Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 and 90 days limited software warranty.

iPhone-look-alike Meizu M8 Phone to Reach India and China in December?

The Taiwan-based distributor Meizu had introduced its M8 aka MiniOne mobile phone during mid-2008. Now, there are rumors circulating on the web stating that the iPhone-look-alike phone will hit the Indian markets by December after its launch in China.

Apparently, Geek IT will operate the phone’s retail operations in India. The much-anticipated Meizu handset is expected to be priced somewhere between Rs. 18,000 and Rs. 22,000 for the 8 GB model.

In terms of specs and features, the M8 sports a 3 megapixel camera, 3.2-inch touch screen LCD, media player, an in-built FM radio, EDGE support and Bluetooth. It also supports AVI, MPEG4 and WMV files.

Other features of the phone include Windows CE, DMB Tuner to connect TV or projector, video output and GPS.

Sagem Porsche P9522 Mobile Phone Introduced

Sagem and Porsche are back together! The car manufacturer and the maker of mobile phones have unveiled P9522 mobile phone. After P’9521, Sagem has re-entered the mobile phone arena with Porsche.

Designed by Porsche, the Sagem P9522 phone has a simple yet elegant look and appearance. It possesses the Porsche font on the handset.

The candy bar P9522 handset sports a 5 megapixel camera, a 2.8-inch touch screen with reinforced mineral glass. It also boasts an integrated fingerprint reader, Wi-Fi connectivity, a built-in GPS receiver and a microSD card slot sans 3G network.

Although the handset appears to be quite basic in terms of technology, it has a very sleek and glossy aluminum chassis.

Coming to the pricing, the Sagem Porsche P9522 mobile phone will be available by October for a suggested price of $875 (approx. Rs. 40,528). The cost of the branded phone is in the price range of a smartphone. However, the brand should get the ultra-chic phone selling!

LG Renoir aka KC910 8 MP Camera Phone Announced

Recently, we reported about the official announcement of LG KC910. Now LG Electronics has finally released the details of the LG KC910 camera phone aka Renoir.

LG Renoir camera phone

This slim yet fully-featured mobile phone flaunts a super-sharp 8 megapixel camera with Touch Shot, Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics and a Xenon flash. It also includes auto and manual focus, sensitivity up to ISO 1600 and geo-tagging. Users can edit pictures and directly share them online or get them printed.

The company also incorporates some value-added functionality such as Special shot modes to give a special look to pictures, Beauty Shot to eliminate spots and imperfections, from people’s faces, and Art Shot to apply a number of creative preset effects.

Elaborating on the artistic Renoir mobile phone, Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, mentioned, “Renoir is much more than a camera phone. It truly puts everything at your fingertips and provides a multi-sensorial experience through sight, sound and touch. The 8 megapixel camera is only one aspect of the phone. Its unique combination of features, including a full touchscreen interface, Dolby Mobile for Music and built in support for Wi-Fi and A-GPS, allow Renoir to be used in equally unique ways.”

Besides the camera capabilities, the touchscreen phone also features an on-screen QWERTY keyboard, picture-based speed dial for easy navigation by just a touch of a finger. It even sports the latest 3G HSDPA networks, Wi-Fi, web 2.0 experience while browsing, online widgets to instantly access various live contents, and A-GPS with online mapping support.

In addition, the 8 MP Renoir also boasts the Dolby Mobile to take advantage of a host of audio processing technologies for superior music playback, a noise-free microphone for crisp audio while watching moving-images that are compatible with DivX and Xvid encoded video. With video recording ability, users can capture super-high-quality video at 120 fps.

LG Renoir aka KC910 camera phone will debut in Europe by October, followed by Asia, Latin America and CIS in November. The company plans to release the stylish touchscreen phone in the Middle East and Africa in December, and China in January of 2009. Price is still unannounced.

Seven 3D Mobile Games Launched by 7Seas Technologies

7Seas Technologies Limited has announced the launch of seven 3D mobile games. The newly introduced games are 3D Sudoku and Planets of Sudoku 3D (puzzle), Neetu – The Alien Killer and Great Elude (action), Treasure Trove3D (adventure), and Derby 3D and Kraze (racing). These 3D mobile games are targeted at high-end Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola.

“We have put in a lot of effort and investment of USD 1 million to develop these games for worldwide gamers. It took around 18 months for us to develop these games.With the penetration of high-end mobile handsets that support 3D mobile games increasing day by day and the prices decreasing drastically, our focus going forward would be on 3D Mobile Games,” stated L. Maruti Sanker,Managing Director of 7Seas Technologies Limited.

In the ‘Neetu-The Alien Killer’ game, the lead character kills different aliens who try to eliminate the human race. This lead character is played by Bollywood actress Neetu Chantra. The game also offers exclusive wallpapers, screensavers and images of the actress.

The racing games – Derby3D and Kraze – are both single and multi player. The Great Elude, Planets of Sudoku 3D and Derby 3D are multi-lingual games that support English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and German languages.

8 MP Samsung Innov8 Mobile Phone Launched India

A few days back, we reported about the 8 megapixel Samsung Pixon camera phone. Now, Samsung has launched its latest camera phone, dubbed Innov8, in the Indian market.

“Samsung Innov8 is made for users who want to enjoy the best possible multimedia entertainment with their mobile phone. With the 8-megapixel camera, pre-embedded 3D games, high speed data connections and much more, users can experience the true benefits of mobile entertainment,” commented Sunil Dutt, Country Head, Samsung Mobile.

Innov8 sports an 8 megapixel camera that features various functions like smile shot, blink shot and face. The other camera functionalities include image stabilizer, auto-panorama shot, smart reader and Wide Dynamic Range (WDR).

Users can personalize, edit and watch the photos and videos on the Innov8’s 2.8-inch 16M color LCD screen by using Movie Maker and Story Board applications. The phone supports DivX / H.263 / H.264 / WMV and MP4 video playback formats and is capable of recording QVGA video at 120 fps and VGA video at 30 fps.

In order to enhance the multimedia experience, the stylish slider camera phone includes external dual speakers and 3D surround sound by DNSe 2.0. The high-end audio performance can also be enjoyed through FM Radio with RDS, Music Player that supports MP3/ AAC / AAC+ / eAAC+ / WMA / AMR and RealAudio formats. It is also compatible with Bluetooth stereo headset, 3.5pi output and USB connectivity.

The Samsung Innov8 phone has 16 GB internal memory and comes pre-loaded with two movies and games.

Supporting 7.2 Mbps HSDPA high-speed internet and Wi-Fi, the Innov8 ensures the best ever mobile web browsing experience. It also comes equipped with an optical mouse and 4-way navigation key for enjoying PC-like navigation. The other features include A-GPS technology with geo-tagging service, and the Symbian OS V9.3, S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 for easy downloading of a wide range of applications.

Powered by 1200mAh, the Samsung Innov8 provides up to 300/510 min of talk time, and up to 330 / 310 hrs of standby.

The 8 megapixel Samsung Innov8 phone in India carries a price tag of Rs. 45,999.

Gigabyte GA-P35-S3G Motherboard Released in India

Gigabyte launches its latest motherboard dubbed GA-P35-S3G, in the Indian market.

Powered by Intel Core 2 multi-core 45nm processors, the newly launched motherboard works on the Intel P35 chipset, PCI Express x16 to deliver exceptional graphics performance, a built-in SATA 3Gb/s and High Definition Audio, and supports Dual Channel DDR2 1066 memory for excellent system performance.

It boasts to offer outstanding performance and higher energy efficiency through Intel’s chipset with optimized system memory capabilities, Intel Turbo Memory technology. The motherboard promises to provide great output while running next generation applications like high-definition video and 3D visualization.

Supporting Windows Vista Premium, the motherboard ensures fresh and unique desktop experience. The GA-P35-S3G takes advantage of Conductive Polymer Aluminum Solid Capacitors for the CPU VRM (voltage regulator module) that offers a longer lifespan, enhanced stability and superior heat resistance.

In addition, it also features Gigabit LAN connectivity that assures data transfer rate up to 1000 Mbps, RoHS compliant, intelligent over-clocking and over-voltage software settings, Download Center, @BIOS, Q-Flash, Xpress Install, Boot menu, and Smart Fan. For safety, it sports excellent hardware design reinforced BIOS protection through Gigabyte Virtual Dual BIOS Technology and Gigabyte BIOS Setting Recovery Technology.

Gigabyte GA-P35-S3G motherboard is priced at Rs. 5990.

SouthWing SH241 Bluetooth headset introduced

SouthWing introduces its new SH241 Bluetooth headset that lets you listen to news on the go. This new headset can tap into AT&T’s VoiceInfo news and information service just by a touch of a button.

The SH241 bluetooth headset allows AT&T customers to access latest headlines, travel, sports, news and weather information through any AT&T Bluetooth-capable mobile phone.

Additionally, the system is voice-activated, thus the users have to simply speak their selections to tunnel down into the news of their choice.

AT&T’s VoiceInfo service is also known for its Instant Alibi feature that allows the users to arrange a perfectly timed rescue call that enables them to get out of a meeting or social situation.

The SouthWing SH241 now retails for $39.99 (approx Rs. 1,915) at AT&T.

Asus Launches Ultra-Slim S101 Netbook

Asus has introduced its latest netbook, dubbed S101.

Boasting to be ultra-slim and super-portable, the S101 netbook weighs just 1kg and measures 10.4 x 7.1 x 0.7-1 inch.

It is powered by 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU and runs on either Windows XP or Linux operating system. Besides, the latest netbook also comes equipped with a 10.2-inch WSVGA display with LED-backlight that delivers a resolution of 1024×600 252K display, up to 64 GB SSD, Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.0.

Additionally, the S101 also incorporates a VGA quality webcam with VGA output, a 4-in-1 card reader and three USB 2.0 ports, multi-touch trackpad and up to five hours of battery life.

The Asus S101 netbook comes in three different shades such as brown, champagne and graphite.

The S101 netbook is offered in two configurations; the first model comes with a 16GB SSD, Windows XP and an additional 16GB SD card. It retails for $699 (approx. Rs. 33,210). The other version bundles a Linux-operated system with a 32GB SSD and costs $699 (approx. Rs. 33,210), whereas a Linux-operated system with a 64GB SSD has a price tag of $799 (approx. Rs. 37,963).

Verizon Samsung Sway phone now available for order

Verizon and Samsung have announced the Samsung Sway phone which will be available for order at the Verizon Wireless Communications Stores as well as at Verizon’s website. The stylish Samsung Sway is packaged in a slim slider design with a silver finish and is said to hit the stores on Oct. 14.

The Samsung Sway is media center-capable and lets you download games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services etc. It is also mobile web-capable allowing you to customize and enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports and weather.

The Samsung Sway bundles up mobile IM capabilities, text, picture and video messaging, supports Bluetooth, 2.0 megapixel camera with NightShot, microSD card slot up to 8 GB, camcorder, bilingual user interface (English and Spanish), calculator, calendar, alarm clock, world clock, stop watch and notepad.

Verizon Wireless customers can use the Sway as an MP3 player that provides access to more than 5 million songs from V CAST Music with Rhapsody.

Measuring 4.15″ (h) x 1.96″ (w) x 0.47″ (d) and weighing about 3.56 ounces, Samsung Sway also features a 2.2″ display. Its battery offers usage time up to 270 minutes or standby time up to 312 hours.

The Samsung Sway phone will be available on the Verizon’s network for $69.99 (approx Rs. 3,364) after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

Nyko Media Hub+ for PS3 Introduced in North America

A few months back, we had reported about the Nyko Media Hub for PS3. Now, Nyko has announced the release of device in North America.

Supporting all PS3 models, the Nyko Media Hub + empowers the PS3 with its three USB ports and multi-card reader slot that supports SD card and memory sticks.

Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies, mentioned, “The 40GB model is the best-selling version of the PS3 console in North America but it sacrifices several USB ports and the media card reader. We saw the Media Hub+ as an opportunity to provide users of this model with an option to expand their console’s multimedia capabilities with the additional USB ports and media card reader, all at an affordable price.”

The main attribute of the Media Hub+ is that it eliminates the need of tools or internal modifications and gets installed instantly. It is capable of using power directly from the PS3. Moreover, it has the ability to effortlessly attach various other peripherals such as flash drives, PSP, MP3 players and additional controllers to the available USB port.

The Nyko Media Hub+ for PS3 can be purchased for $19.99 (approx. Rs. 970).

New HTC S740 Smarthpone flaunts 12-key with QWERTY Keyboard Design

HTC today unveiled its latest smartphone, dubbed S740. The slim, compact and stylish smartphone features a traditional 12-key layout along with the company’s signature sliding full QWERTY keyboard which offers flexibility in effective messaging.

While the 12-key design allows users to enjoy super fast one hand messaging, the full QWERTY keyboard enables users to take benefit from a two handed messaging experience. Both the keypad designs assure competent and precise typing experience. These input capabilities are compatible with POP3, IMAP and Exchange push email along with instant messaging and SMS functions.

“Demand for high-performance, smart, mobile devices continues to see strong growth globally and HTC is well positioned to meet the varying needs of our diverse customer base. The HTC S740 combines a powerful, premium phone with a full slide-out keypad in a compact and sleek form factor. Clearly, one size does not fit all and the S740 will play an important role in expanding our growing portfolio of devices,” mentioned Dr. Florian Seiche, Vice President of HTC Europe.

Ensuring fastest broadband capabilities, the HTC S740 supports a maximum download speed of 7.2 Mbps that is up to 18 times faster than 3G

Measuring 116.3 x 43.4 x 16.3 mm, the S740 phone sports a 2.4 inch QVGA display, a 3.2 megapixel VGA camera with fixed focus, 256 MB flash; 256 MB RAM onboard memory, 802.11b/g WLAN, 2.0 Bluetooth with EDR and HTC ExtUSB interface that supports mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed.

Based on Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard OS, the latest HTC S740 smartphone weighs 140g. It also includes GPS/AGPS navigation, FM radio, Qualcomm MSM7225, 528 MHz chipset, and is compliant with GSM/GPRS/EDGE in addition to WCDMA/HSDPA network.

Powered by 1000 mAh battery, the HTC S740 provides up to 320 minutes of talk time and 400 hours of standby time on WCDMA network. The GSM network offers up to 380 minutes of talk time and 280 hours of standby time.

The HTC S740 smartphone is expected to be released in the Europe by September 2008.

New Nokia N79 and N85 Mobile Phones blend Technology with Style

Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia today announced the launch of two new handsets expanding its N series, termed as N79 and N85.

Both the new N series phones share most of the features which include 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and bright dual LED flash along with geotagging capabilities to see specific locations, a built-in FM transmitter, high-speed 3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Users can also capture DVD-quality videos, high-end photographs and save it on the supported 4 GB expandable memory card of N79 and 8 GB expandable memory card of N85.

Supporting Ovi and third party services, the new mobile phones also come loaded with 10 made-for-mobile N-Gage gaming titles. In terms of navigation, the latest Nokia handsets come equipped with A-GPS navigation with Nokia Maps application that supports a host of point-of-interest to access.

According to Juha Kokkonen, Director, Nokia Nseries, “The Nokia N79 packs cutting-edge technology into a compact design - a characteristic of the iconic Nseries - that allows people to discover, create and share their passions with others. It has been designed for those who want a device that is as appealing as it is powerful and comes with interchangeable covers that have automatically matching screen themes. This balance of performance and style means that it is a powerful and defining step forward from the popular and very successful Nokia N72 and Nokia N73.”

Encased in the Xpress-on smart covers, the candy-bar Nokia N79 comes in five different colors such as Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red.

“The Nokia N85 was created to be more than the sum of its parts, offering a complete mobile entertainment package designed for connecting, sharing and discovering. The iconic Nokia Nseries dual slider design has evolved to become smaller and sleeker while integrating the newest features and services to deliver the best mobile experience to date,” stated Juha.

Resting in a smooth, sleek finish, the slider N85 phone bundles an eye-catching 2.6-inch OLED screen, 3.5 mm audio jack to connect with superior quality headset, and shows compatibility with Nokia Music Store in addition to other online music vendors, as well as USB cable to sync with PC and mobile music libraries.

Expected to reach the markets by October 2008, the Nokia N79 and N85 mobile phone carry a price tag of EUR 350 EUR 450, respectively.

Albatron Tee PC mini Tablet PC Introduced

Albatron Technology has announced the launch of its first tablet PC, called the Tee PC. This latest mini Mini Tablet PC boasts its ‘ready-to- use straight out of the box’ attribute as it comes with all the required hardware and software.

Based Windows CE 6.0 operating system, the tiny computing device bundles a WordPad, MediaPlayer and Internet Explorer along with a docking station, power adapter and a touch pen.

At just 343 grams, the Tee PC sports a 400 MHz ARM926 CPU, 128 MB of Nand flash memory as well as 128MB of SO-DIMM DDR memory, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and an SD Card expansion slot with two USB 2.0 connectors.

Measuring just 18.8×11.3x 1.3 cm, the tiny Tablet PC comes equipped with 7-inch widescreen that delivers a resolution of 800×480 pixels. It also integrates software-based keyboard for data input. However, a standard USB keyboard can also be attached for superior convenience. It comes with a swivel camera of 0.3/1.3 megapixel resolution to record video at 30 fps (supportive H.264, MPEG4). To enjoy video chatting, the built-in speakers in the docking station or external speakers or earphones can provide a precise interactive experience.

By using the touchscreen and touch pen, users can navigate through Windows interface and even access internet for web browsing, email. Working on 10.8W battery, the Tee PC also supports a docking station for charging.

Albatron Tee PC mini Tablet PC’s pricing and availability details are still not announced.

Exit Games Neutron technology comes to the iPhone

Exit Games announce that their cross-platform multiplayer gaming service called Neutron is now compatible with the iPhone. The game developers can now integrate online multiplayer and social gaming features into the iPhone games by using the Neutron technology and the cross-platform capabilities.

The Neutron multiplayer and social gaming platform features billing and in-game microtransactions, real-time, turn-based and tournament multiplayer options, Game lobbies, buddy lists, leaderboards, profiles, in-game voice and text chat.

“The iPhone presents a very unique opportunity for mobile online gaming as it is both specifically designed for online services and comes with the App Store, an already successful and accessible distribution channel”, said Christof Wegmann, CTO of Exit Games. “Neutron’s support of this new and innovative mobile device will ensure that iPhone game developers have a means to take advantage of its wireless connectivity and add social gaming features.” Wegmann further adds, “The iPhone will surely establish itself as a dominant mobile gaming platform and we’re pleased to support multiplayer and social features in games developed for the device.”

The Neutron 5.0 SDKs provide a wide range of connectivity features, along with the hosting services it enables the game developers to integrate excellent online features with minimum cost and investment.

Neutron leverages large user communities, supports online gaming on the mobile, PC and console platforms like J2ME, BREW, Windows Mobile, Flash Lite, Blackberry, Win32, J2SE, .NET, Flash (Web, Wii, PS3). Now, the next one to join the league is the iPhone.

Palm Treo Pro Smartphone Officially Announced

Previously, we had reported about the leaked of the new Treo Pro, today Palm has finally officially announced the Treo Pro smartphone. The device will be available in Europe through Vodafone and O2, Australia via Telsia in addition to Asia Pacific and United States.

Developed for business users, the Windows-enabled Treo Pro combines sleek simplicity and robust productivity for effective and efficient operations.

Supporting Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the latest smartphone possesses essential attributes such as email, Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities, allowing IT managers to enhance their mobile work force and at the same time secure their management, corporate network and other information. It is now easy to response to emails, browse internet, use 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and access GPS from high-resolution color touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard.

“Businesses want the control and savings that Windows Mobile affords, in an innovative and elegant package that keeps their users happy. That’s where Palm comes in. Everything about Treo Pro — from the hardware design to the packaging and accessories — embodies the elegant and simplified end-to-end experience that our customers expect from Palm,” stated Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer, Palm, Inc.

Powered by a removable battery, the Treo Pro smartphone delivers up to five hours of talk time. There is also all new voicemail indicator function that enables users to know that they have received a voicemail.

Talking about the partnership with Palm for Treo Pro smartphone, Andrew Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business, mentioned, “Windows Mobile is delivering mobile solutions that help businesses address the changing competitive landscape. The Treo Pro smartphone brings together a powerful combination of Palm’s feature innovations and Windows Mobile 6.1, providing access to the information people need when away from the office.”

Users can take advantage of Microsoft Direct Push Technology that ensures a direct connection to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or 2007 to recive up-to-date email, contacts and calendars. Here are few of the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional application: Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, high-speed UMTS/HSDPA network capabilities, Palm shortcuts, and familiar Windows experience to use the Palm Treo Pro as a mobile computing device.

In the Treo Pro box, you will find an international power charger, microUSB cable and a stereo headset (3.5mm). It also comes bundled with other accessories (sold separately), including a vehicle power charger, leather side case, travel microUSB cable, cradle, extra battery, TTY audio adapter, and replacement styli.

Priced at $549 (approx. Rs. 23,838), the Palm Treo Pro smartphone will soon be available in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, followed by worldwide launch.

3 Skypephone S2 with easy access to internet services

The new 3 Skypephone S2 lets you easily access internet services including Facebook, Google and Windows Live Messenger. Successor to the 3 Skypephone, the 3 Skypephone S2 features elegant metal keys and a steel back. Sporting a premium finish, the handsets comes with an improved 2.2″ QVGA screen, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, expandable memory up to 4GB and HSDPA capabilities.

The 3 Skypephone S2 equips a revolutionary ‘carousel’ interface with a switcher key on the side of the handset that enables quick and intuitive movement between applications. Thus eliminating the complex and jumbling menus.

It offers a fully integrated Skype that lets you make Skype to Skype calls as well as send Skype instant messages to other Skype users worldwide absolutely free. All you need is a 3’s monthly price plan or your Pay As You Go credit with 3. All your Skype contacts are integrated into your phonebook along with the regular contacts without any additional charges.

The device also offers ‘plug and play’ capabilities and in-built modem drivers. You can go online using its 3 network with HSDPA broadband speeds. It also provides instant access to various Internet services that includes the pre-installed Facebook application. Keep up with your favourite blogs and news services by tracking up to 30 RSS feeds at once.

The 3 Skypephone S2 is available for pre-order from August 19 and will be available online from August 27. You can purchase it from the in-store from September 1.The 3 Skypephone S2 comes free with any 3’s Mix & Match tariffs and is priced at £69.99 (approx Rs.5,686) on Pay As You Go. If you sign up to one of 3’s internet add-ons from £2.50 then you can browse the mobile internet.

Nokia N96 smartphone launched in India

Nokia unveils its new Nokia N96 phone in India, an addition to its NSeries. This dual-slider is a perfect blend of style and supreme technology. Providing optimum web access and entertainment, N96 offers 16 GB memory that can be extended up to 24 GB.

N96’s huge 24GB (16+8) memory stores up to 18000 songs, 20000 images, 60 hours of video or 20 full length movies. It features a 2.8″ screen, multifunctional media keys, music, games and movies at the touch of a button. It comes with a kickstand that allows hands-free viewing.

The N96 offers Wave Secure feature exclusively for India, this S60 unique security application tracks the handset when stolen or lost. It also creates a backup for phone data through the internet.

For the Indian consumers, the N96 comes pre-loaded with the Bollywood Blockbuster flick “Om Shanti Om”, evergreen Hindi songs, 3 N-Gage games and free navigation licence of 8 cities across India.

“Nokia’s range of multi-function, converged devices clearly demonstrates that convergence is no longer an industry buzzword - it is a reality for consumers and business users today. In 2007, the Nokia N95 became an icon for convergence of Internet and mobility. With over 10 million units sold to date, the N95 has changed the way people use their mobile device,” says Devinder Kishore, Director-Marketing, Nokia India, “Today, in the Web 2.0 Era, the new Nokia N96 places the power to shape the Internet in your hands, in addition to being to the ultimate entertainment gadget”.

Nokia N96 smartphone also equips a 5 megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics, DVD-like quality video capture at 30 frames per second, built-in 3D stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm headphone connector, a dual LED flash and video light. You can surf, find, create, transfer and share multimedia files with its high-speed USB 2.0 connection and WLAN and HSDPA support. It equips Navigation and the Nokia Maps 2.0 application, thus providing detailed and richer maps. You can also upgrade to turn-by-turn, pedestrian mode, voice-guided car navigation and City Guides. It comes with an integrated A-GPS.

You can not only enter the N-gage arena but also play as well as blog about your favourite games. Chat online with other gamers.

The Nokia N96 phone will hit the Indian markets starting September. Nokia also announces a pre-booking scheme starting 20 August that offers users an opportunity to secure the N96 in advance. You can pre-book the N96 by logging on to the Nokia website and selecting your city and outlet. The concerned Nokia outlet will then call you in an hour. You will have to deposit a booking amount of Rs. 4000.

Lenovo IdeaPad U8 Mobile Internet Device Launched

Recently, we reported about Lenovo IdeaPad U8 that was presented at CES 2008. Now, the mobile internet device has received an official debut at the Beijing Olympics.

Weighing just 10.6-ounce, the all-in-one device is powered by an 800MHz Intel Atom Z500 processor, and employs 1GB of RAM (up to 2GB supported), 6 GB SSD as well as dual cameras.

Possessing an ability to deliver 5-hour battery life, the mobile internet device enables users to access mobile TV, 802.11b/g wi-fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and EDGE for a superb connectivity to the hilt. Before we forget, the U8 also incorporates a 3G network support and WiMAX Internet access.

Measuring 21 x 174 x 84mm and weighing 350g, the latest Lenovo IdeaPad U8 is compatible with China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB) digital television through the USB dongle that enables users to take advantage of free, live coverage of the Olympic Games and also receive other broadcast signals.

Lenovo will release the IdeaPad U8 mobile internet device in near future. However, the pricing and availability details are yet to be announced.

MSI Unveils its R4870-T2D1G Graphics Cards

MSI announced to introduce its latest graphics cards for 3D gaming. Named R4870-T2D1G, the graphics card comes integrated with 1 GB DDR5 memory that offers superb computing capability, encouraging game enthusiasts to enjoy the DirectX 10 high-capacity 3D games easily and smoothly. The company has introduced two versions of R4870, in 1 GB and 512 MB memory capacity.

Based on the 2nd generation of 55nm GPU, the high-end level graphics card comes bundled with the ATI PowerPlay power-saving technology which delivers twice the performance development with the same wattage. Thanks to the MSI (ECOlution) environmental protection theory of evolution objective, the R4870-T2D1G meets the demand of the environmental energy conservation worldwide initiative.

Some of the other essential features of the MSI R4870-T2D1G graphics card include superior UVD 2.0 video decoder core, an incorporated HDCP key encryption that shows compatibility with Blu-Ray and HD DVD movie disc playback. It boasts to make 100% complete hardware acceleration to the MPEG-2/VC-1/H.264 video format. It promises to shrink the load on the CPU and the UVD 2.0 can simultaneously decode two videos in PIP (Picture-in-Picture) Mode.

Moreover, the latest MSI R4870-T2D512 also supports the DirectX 10.1 framework of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and provides 800 stream processors that boost to reach the exceptional levels teraflop (1000Gflops) computing capability.

Compliant with CrossFireX technology, the MSI graphics card and CrossFire ready mainboard collectively enables 2~4 graphics cards to work at the same time that significantly delivers attractive gaming performance.

The 1 GB DDR5 graphics memory claims to reduce lagging. The GDDR5 uses lower voltage and higher clock, reduce the noise and ensure excellent visual quality. The graphics card is compatible with 7.1-channel surround sound and takes advantage of a single HDMI connector output audio and video for transferring.

MSI hasn’t announced the price and availability date of the R4870-T2D1G Graphics Cards yet.

New Sony NWZ-E435, NWZ-E436, NWZ-E438 PMPs Spotted

On the Sony’s New Zealand website information of a new E series of Sony Walkman player was released. The PMP’s will apparently be available in three variants, specifically NWZ-E435 (2GB), NWZ-E436 (4GB), and NWZ-E438 (8GB).

At just 50 grams, the E series portable media player features a 2.0-inch QVGA TFT LCD screen that supplies 262,144 colors, a FM tuner, and codec support for MP3 / WMA / AAC / Linear PCM along with drag-and-drop interface.

Compatible with Windows Media Player and iTunes, the latest Sony E series Walkman players provide seven hours of video battery life at 384kbps video and 4h at 768kbps. It is said that the battery life for audio is rated 1150 songs/76h 40m (48kbps), 885 songs/59h (64kbps), 440 songs/29h 20m (128kbps), 220 songs/14h 40m (256kbps), 175 songs/11h 40m (320kbps).

The 2GB NWZ-E435 comes in two color options such as black and pink, whereas the 4GB NWZ-E436 will be available in black, blue, pink or red; and the 8GB NWZ-E438 shines in black.

Currently, there is no word on the price and availability of the E series Sony Walkman players.

AOC W861 series 19″, 26″ and 32″ HDTVs unveiled

AOC unveils its Envision Series with three new high definition LCD TVs namely a 19” L19W861, 26” L32W861 and 32” L32W861.

“This line of HDTVs are designed to fit the needs of consumers in an urban living environment, with sizes and resolutions specifically tailored for optimum viewing with limited space,” said Robert Velez, Marketing Manager of AOC. “They are designed to look cool in any room and meet the demands of how today’s consumers use TVs, such as HD gaming in a bedroom, watching TV in the kitchen, or a movie in the den,” added Velez.

The new AOC HDTVs feature HDMI video input, PC input with audio, digital ATSC and clear QAM tuner and a swivel base. The L19W861 has 1440×900 resolutions while L26W861 and L32W861 offer 1366×768 of resolution.

The L19W861 HDTV has been designed keeping the small space constraints in mind. It works great with small spaces like home office or kitchen and can be used as an HD PC monitor too. It is awesome for gamers, watching movies and everyday use. The L19W861 carries a price tag worth $299 (approx Rs. 12,800).

The sleek L26W861 TV is apt for medium spaces and sports an elegant look. This high quality TV comes at an affordable price of $499 (approx Rs. 21,362).

The AOC L32W861, designed for large urban spaces gives you an amazing viewing experience. This high definition TV is available at a reasonable price of $599 (approx Rs. 25,643).

Gateway P-7811FX notebook PC announced

Gateway intros a new member to its P-Series FX Edition called P-7811FX notebook PC. It claims to be ideal for gaming, entertainment and digital media including photography and video editing.

The Gateway P-7811FX is powered by Intel Centrino 2 processor technology delivering breakthrough performance and an improved energy efficiency.

“The Gateway P-7811FX is a great choice for customers such as students and professionals who want a notebook that can handle all of their computing needs - from creating videos and playing games to tackling work, school and home projects,” said Todd Titera, senior manager, notebook product management. “And while the new notebook is ideal for demanding gamers and enthusiasts who want the latest technology, its affordable price also makes it perfect for digital media hobbyists and casual PC game players.”

The Gateway P-7811FX utilizes the latest NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS graphics solution with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, thus providing remarkable graphics and real-time 3D visuals. On combining with the Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, the graphic card eventually offers awesome mobile performance and realistic video displayed.

Its HDMI v1.3 media connection allows you to connect the notebook to a display device like TV. You can access the frequently viewed audio and videos with the illuminated multimedia keys that are integrated into the keyboard and touch control volume slides.

The P-7811FX also features 1.3 megapixel webcam, 802.11 Draft-N with expanded wireless features, 5-in-1 media card reader, three USB 2.0 ports and an IEEE 1394 port.

The Gateway P-7811FX notebook equips leading-edge technology which includes 4GB of memory,a 200GB hard drive, second drive bay, a multi-format dual layer DVDRW and comes with Microsoft Windows Home Premium 64-bit Edition. It is priced at $1399.99 (approx Rs. 59,919).

HP TouchSmart IQ500 series PC Rolled Out in India

Hewlett-Packard India today unveiled its latest all-in-one PC line-up, called HP TouchSmart IQ500 series PC in the Indian market.

The PC features HP software designed specially for touch. With just finger tapped or swept across the screen users can access information, entertainment and social networks. Without using a keyboard or mouse, users can play music and create playlists, zoom in or out of photos, and quickly check the weather or watch TV.

The newly launched HP TouchSmart IQ500 PC series possess a simple yet sleek design and natural user interface that advances the style and elegance of the device.

“HP engineers have created a fun, engaging and simple touch experience for the home that nobody else offers today. We’re changing personal computing from just feeds and speeds to an experience influenced by consumer trends and design that anticipates customer’s needs. The HP TouchSmart PC is all about reinventing the personal computer experience,” said, Richard Walker, Senior Vice President and Worldwide Head, Consumer PC Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard Company.

Powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the IQ500 PC features in-built DVD burner, premium stereo speakers, webcam and microphone.

The other features include 4 GB onboard storage space, a media card reader, a large-capacity and high-speed hard drive, 22-inch diagonal, high-definition, widescreen adjustable display, low-profile wireless keyboard and integrated WLAN.

According to Rajiev Grover, Director - Consumer Products, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard India, “The introduction of a touch computer with such a strong focus on digital entertainment opens the door to an entirely new way for consumers to engage with their content. HP TouchSmart PCs will allow people to interact with their photos, videos, music and games in unique ways, plus they do everything that you’d expect from a traditional PC.”

Housed in a piano-black finish with elegant espresso side-panel highlights, the HP TouchSmart PCs are ENERGY STAR compliant as they have used new packaging that greatly reduces plastic foam cushioning materials. The included HP Ambient Light assures to set a mood and see the keyboard in the dark.

The HP TouchSmart IQ500 series PC are available in India for the price Rs. 87,990.

Pricing and availability of C902 Bond Phone revealed

Lately we had reported about the Sony Ericsson C902 Bond Phone available in Titanium silver edition. Well, this UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 spy-style C902 phone is all set for a worldwide launch, available for an attractive price of Rs. 20,995.

It equips an exclusive pre-loaded spy-style game, trailers and behind the scenes of the James Bond film Quantum of Solace and exclusive content like ringtones and wallpapers.

Apart from the exclusive content, the C902 Cyber-shot possesses some quality features. Brushing through some of its features like a 5MP camera, slide-out lens cover, illuminated touch icons, PictBridge, BestPic, 160MB built-in memory, Memory Stick Micro (M2), Photo flash technology, USB card reader CCR-70, Bluetooth headset, video stabilizer, image stabilizer, media player, video streaming, 3D games, video calling and RSS feeds.

Well, Sony Ericsson had also launched the limited edition James Bond Casino Royale silver K800i Cyber-shot camera phone in August 2006.

Lennard Hoornik, Corporate Vice President and Global Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson comments, “We are excited to announce the continuation of our relationship with the James Bond films and unveil James Bond’s new phone for this year - the limited edition version of our C902 Cyber-shot TM phone. With the rich array of content both on the phone and preloaded on a memory card bundled with the C902 Titanium silver limited edition, fans of the secret agent will only get more James Bond with Sony Ericsson.”

The Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber-shot phone will be available at leading mobile retail outlets and Sony Ericsson Experience Stores

Intempo Fusion iPod dock with FM player and alarm clock introduced

Intempo unveils a new sleek and curvy iPod dock called Fusion. Tech Digest helps us know more about this dock. Bundled up with an FM player, Fusion serves as an alarm clock too. It looks pretty decent, worth considering.

The Fusion unit features two 25 watt speakers, an in-built subwoofer, DAB and FM radio. The controls are provided through the tactile buttons on the unit or its full-functioned remote control unit. It can dock any iPod without eliminating the access to the controls.

Putting aside the traditional rectangular look, Intempo has carved this unique ipod dock. Fusion is easy-to-use with its convenient control functions.

The Intempo Fusion iPod will be available in mid-September for £99 (approx Rs. 7,968).

Intel Nehalem will be called Core i7 processors

Intel’s latest Nehalem desktop processors based on the new microarchitecture will be branded as Intel Core i7 processors which include an extreme edition version. It features the Intel Hyper-Threading Technology also called as simultaneous multi-threading that is capable of handling about eight software “threads” on four processor cores.

“The Core name is and will be our flagship PC processor brand going forward,” said Sean Maloney, Intel Corporation executive vice president and general manager, Sales and Marketing Group. “Expect Intel to focus even more marketing resources around that name and the Core i7 products starting now.”

The devices equipped with this new microarchitecture will offer high performance and energy efficiency.

The renowned Intel Core processor brand name has gained preference over several years. The new Intel Core i7 processor aims at high-performance desktop PCs and carries a different black logo for Intel’s high-end extreme edition, processor model numbers will be included to differentiate each chip.

Devices based on this microarchitecture are said to be in production in the fourth quarter of this year.

Logitech V550 Nano Cordless Laser Mouse Launched in US

Developed for notebooks, Logitech’s latest V550 Nano Cordless Laser Mouse eliminates the burden of connecting and detaching the mouse from a laptop while transporting from one place to another. With the help of the Clip-and-Go dock, the V550 mouse gets connected to the laptop and delivers a convenient mobility.

Supporting Macs and PCs, the V550 Nano mouse comes equipped with advanced 2.4 GHz wireless technology to offer a powerful, reliable signal that effectively eliminates delays and dropouts. Claiming to deliver remarkably vigorous signal, the technology helps to exchange data between the receiver and the mouse 300 times faster as compared to the traditional 27 MHz wireless technologies-based mouse.

Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices business unit, mentioned “To meet the demands associated with increased mobility, the V550 mouse offers a complete set of features to make it easier to use a mouse with a notebook when moving from the kitchen to the living room or from one’s desk to a meeting. Now, you won’t have to choose between grabbing your mouse or a cup of coffee.”

In addition, the plug-and-forget nano-receiver protrudes just 8 mm that enables users to let the V550 mouse be unplugged when the laptop is put to off. Moreover, the battery life is also no-worry anymore; it provides up to 18 months of battery life. Logitech claims to save additional power by automatically turning off the cordless laser mouse is docked or stored inside the mouse.

The included scroll wheel shows its capability to spin freely for quick access through long documents and Web pages. By pressing down on the wheel, the mouse switches to click-to-click scrolling mode that allows users to scroll precisely through lists, slides or photos. In order to switch between applications, they need to press button directly below the scroll wheel.

Available in two colors, namely silver with grey and silver with cool-blue accents, the Logitech V550 Nano cordless laser mouse for notebooks retails for $59.99 (approx. Rs. 2,558) and is schedule to hit American market by end of this month.

Soundmatters SLIMstage40 Surroundbar announced

Soundmatters introduces its new high-performance all-one-surround speaker/amplifier/processor console called SLIMstage40. It offers a 5.1 surround experience without ambiguous a/v receivers and unsightly speakers.

Measuring 3.3” (H) x 3.4” (D) x 39” (W), SLIMstage40 features 170 watts from eight internal amplifiers, 3.5” tall, 5.1 signals without reflecting walls and articulate bass. It equips the EuphonyHD virtual surround technology, producing a well-developed virtual 5.1-channel virtual surround soundstage and a clear center channel image. The EuphonyHD effortlessly reproduces Dolby Digital and DTS imaging.

Comments Marketing VP Lee Adams, “Most single-cabinet surround systems typically require reflective walls to optimize a sonic image, but with SLIMstage, we’ve effectively removed this barrier by incorporating patented surround and speaker technologies that don’t rely on walls or subwoofers to produce a pinpoint surround-sound image. And our patented technologies have allowed us to develop a super-slim cabinet which unlike others has bass, and nearly disappears on furniture or under a flat-panel TV.”

The Soundmatters SLIMstage40 also packs in 13 speaker driver array which includes three analog inputs, three digital audio inputs and virtual surround headphone output jack. It comes with a high-contrast LED backlit panel display, an IR remote, RS-232 port, front panel controls and a wall bracket.

The SLIMstage40 is available at a retail price of $899 (approx Rs. 38,333). Incase you opt for a SLIMstage40 with SUBstage100 subwoofer than it will cost you $1199 (approx Rs. 51,125).

Orbitsound T3 speakers with personal stereo aura

The new Orbitsound T3 speaker creates revolutionary personal stereo aura as well as fills the entire room with spatial stereo sound. It lets you listen to amazing stereo by simply wearing the T3 around your neck and plugging it in your iPod, Walkman, music phone, personal media player or PSP.

The personal stereo aura is powered by airSOUND ‘single point stereo’ technology and the BODYSOUND effect further enhances the sound.

Measuring 107 x 60 x 27 mm, the orbitsound T3’s lithium rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours of play time. It weighs merely 130 g and hangs around your neck on a lanyard with a cool hold and release grip. It also offers high quality sound system on a laptop, TV, desktop, music and video player.

The T3 has a compact form with sense of minimalist cool which belies the technology beneath its skin. Its silver color with metallic finish enhances its iconic status further. The Orbitsound T3 speaker is available for a retail price of $170 (approx Rs. 7,249).

BlackBerry Javelin Smartphone Images and Details Leaked

Apparently, after the BlackBerry Bold and Thunder smartphones, RIM will launch a new phone, called Javelin.

According to rumors, Javelin will be the latest addition to the BlackBerry range of smartphones. It is said to be powered by 512 MHz Processor and is expected to feature 256 MB onboard flash memory, Hot-swappable microSD slot to store up to 8GB of data, a 480 x 360 high-resolution HVGA+ display with an integrated lens/LCD technology, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and a Micro USB charging/syncing port.

The BlackBerry Javelin phone will be WiFi and GPS compliant but strangely will not support 3G.

Some rumors speculate the phone to release in January 2009.

Lenovo ThinkPad W700 with an in-built digitizer and color calibrator

Lenovo introduces new ThinkPad W700, a 17-inch widescreen mobile workstation with a built-in digitizer and color calibrator. The ThinkPad W700 equips NVIDIA Quadro FX mobile graphics and supports the upcoming Intel mobile quad core processor.

The ThinkPad W700 workstation features optional dual hard drives with RAID configurations, DDR3 memory up to 8 GB, wireless connectivity options and awesome multimedia capabilities like an optional Blu-ray DVD burner/player.

“Lenovo has engineered a new breed of mobile workstation with the ThinkPad W700,” said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Notebook Business Unit, Lenovo. “No other PC manufacturer has a mobile workstation that delivers the sheer power, performance and cutting-edge innovation that Lenovo has packed into the ThinkPad W700. The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation flat out delivers the command performance our customers demand at the desk as well as in the field.”

As the expansion of the digital content creation, computer-aided design and manufacturing, digital photography, industries and science fields, the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation is becoming increasingly demanding.

Lenovo and Intel have collaborated to integrate the color calibrator and digitizer into the ThinkPad W700. The digitizer helps to easily configure an image by either mapping it to the entire screen or to an area defined by the user.

The Intel mobile quad core processor will enable the multimedia designers and animators to experience a remarkable quad-core processor performance and true color replication.
Lenovo offers workstations with Intel vPro technology for supreme manageability. It can also be equipped with dual internal hard drives like solid state drive storage.

Offering both NVIDIA Quadro FX 2700M and 3700M Open GL graphics processors up to 1 GB of dedicated video memory, the hard drives can be configured for RAID 0 which lets you save the data faster or RAID 1 for mirrored data redundancy.

It also features WiFi wireless connectivity, WiMAX, Bluetooth, optional 400-nit WUXGA display, 72 percent wide color gamut, 7-in-1 multicard reader, five USB ports, optional mini-dock and flash reader.

The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation has a starting price of $2,978 (approx Rs.1,26,177) and will be available in September.

NZXT Avatar Gaming Mouse introduced

NZXT introduces its gaming mouse Avatar specially designed to provide gamers with an ultimate crafted gaming armor. The Avatar mouse comes in a smaller form and is ideal for the gamers.

This gaming mouse equips a 2600 DPI optical sensor which provides maximum sensitivity and its LED DPI indicator gives you improved usage and feedback. A 4 Speed DPI switch allows a slow sniper movement to a faster attacking movement in a couple of seconds.

It comes with 7 programmable keys allowing the users to customize their configuration for first-person shooters, real-time strategy or massive multiplayer online role-playing games.

The NZXT Avatar mouse also features a hardware implemented DPI switch which allows compatibility with any game while the Avatar interface offers all types of customization including macros and 9 customizable buttons. Its ergonomic design is convenient and easily usable by both right as well as left handed gamers. You can easily plug it into any available USB port.

It comes with a rubber grip that avoids slipping during gameplay and the Teflon mouse feet ensure better accuracy and smoothness. The NZXT Avatar mouse is available for $59.99 (approx Rs. 2,541).