Posted Mar 12th 2008 3:13PM by Nilay PatelFiled under: cellphonesUh-oh, Indian Blackberry users — better get ready for some major disconnection anxiety. Apparently the Indian government is demanding that RIM either allow it to snoop on its encrypted email service (or worse, drop down to 40-bit encryption), or shut down the entire Indian blackberry network at the end of the month. That’ll cut off an estimated 400,000 subscribers, so the carriers, RIM, and government officials are due to meet and try and hammer out a solution on the 14th, but the issue probably won’t be easy to solve — ISPs are now concerned that if RIM complies, all encrypted wireless data will be open to spying, which would make things like ecommerce virtually impossible. (Read the full post about ‘Indian Blackberry network to be shut down unless RIM allows government snooping’…)
You Remember the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 (photo gallery)? We showed it to you at CES 2008, and it is a digital camera that can capture photos at super-high-speed (60fps) and movies at ultra-high speed (1200fps). It will be released on March 28th in Japan. The U.S release date is still unknown… Tags: M4A, amps, cool gear, consumer electronics (Read the full post about ‘Casio Exilim EX-F1 to be Released in Japan on March 28th’…)
Posted Mar 12th 2008 1:43PM by Nilay PatelFiled under: Misc. gadgets Sure, electronic voting has had its fair share of troubles, but there’s not denying that it’s the wave of the future — and we’re always intrigued by plans like the one being floated in Poland right now that would allow citizens to vote online from their homes, since that seems like a great way to increase participation. (Read the full post about ‘Former Polish prime minister opposes online voting, says Internet users are all watching porn’…)
The Reppo II backpack is in fact a boombox, with speakers and an amplifier. If you’re the outdoor party type or if you simply like to share your noise music. It was created by Joonas Saaranen, an industrial design student from Germany, but don’t rush to order: it is not mass-produced right now. Tags: hi fi, Ogg, computers, gizmos (Read the full post about ‘Reppo II Backpack, Boombox’…)
YouTube is doing some changing. Not satisfied with being just a destination for user generated content, it announced it is updating its APIs to become a video server for your applications. No longer will YouTube video be confined to the familiar chromed player skin, now developers can stick the videos into non traditional players. YouTube’s latest API offerings allow anyone building a website or software application that is connected to the Internet to upload videos straight to YouTube; let users comment, rate and favorite the videos; and customize and control the Flash player in which the videos are played. EA Games, U. Berkley, Tivo and Animoto are all said to be using the new APIs to build interesting advances. (Read the full post about ‘YouTube’s big play: service’…)
Seems online shops are jumping the gun and making up some numbers on what to sell the HTC updated Advantage phone/micro laptop device. Currently listed as pre-order the prices range from $550 to $1300. HTC has not set an MSRP yet. HTC updated the Advantage with more memory, an improved keyboard that is now magnetic and detachable with haptic feedback as our Robert Nelson reported on last month. The new machine looks hot. Pre-ordering is available at the following links: On The Go Solutions Smart Mobile gadgets Clove Technology in the UK Additionally, it is listed on Google Product Search to non-linked pages. Looks like an HTC pricing announcement is imminent. (Read the full post about ‘Updated HTC Advantage out for pre-order’…)
As we mentioned earlier in the week, Hulu has, as promised, opened their doors to the public. “Today we are excited to leave our private beta and open Hulu.com to everyone in the U.S.. Our streaming video service is free - anyone in the U.S. with a broadband internet connection and a computer can just press play to enjoy.” The launch brings with it over 50 content providers and includes full TV shows such as The Simpsons, The Office, The Incredible Hulk, Miami Vice, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Arrested Development, Firefly, Friday Night Lights and also over 100 full-length movies. If you are looking for a large content selection along with a nice looking and easy to use interface then Hulu would be a great place to check out. (Read the full post about ‘Hulu has officially opened, no more a private-beta’…)
Microsoft Corp cut the prices of its Xbox 360 video game console in Europe by up to 28 percent on Monday to try to spur sales in a key battleground in the fast-growing industry. This is the second price cut for the Xbox in Europe in less than a year. Last August, Microsoft shaved 7 percent off the euro price of its low-end model and 13 percent off the main Premium model. The 80-euro decrease results in cuts of 18 percent to 28 percent across the three Xbox 360 models, bringing the cheapest Arcade version to 200 euros ($307) and the high-end Elite to 370 euros ($568). (Read the full post about ‘Microsoft Xbox 360 is cheaper by 80-euro in Europe from today!’…)
Dolby Laboratories unveil its next-generation PC Entertainment Experience program, a suite of Dolby audio postprocessing and connectivity technologies. The latest updates to the Dolby PC Entertainment Experience program consist of second-generation Dolby Home Theater, which places listeners in the middle of the action, giving their PCs a powerful set of tools to deliver a cinema-style experience in vivid surround sound, and second-generation Dolby Sound Room, ideal for environments where using surround sound speakers is not practical. Also new, Dolby Control Center is a user-friendly graphic interface that makes it easy to configure and control the listening experience. (Read the full post about ‘Second-generation Dolby PC Entertainment Experience’…)
Posted Mar 12th 2008 5:36AM by Joshua TopolskyFiled under: Displays, Household Researchers at GE have created the world’s first roll-to-roll manufactured OLEDs — a newspaper printing-like process that is the first step to plentiful, cheaply produced, flexible lighting. Production of the thin, organic materials in this manner could lead to a wide array of innovations in the use of lights, sensors, and displays, and could make a noticeable impact on the efficiency and environmental performance of lighting and electronics. The company envisions a new playing-field for businesses, architects, and lighting designers who need access to cheap, energy-conscious materials, and see this research as a first step to an emerging field of commercialized OLED lighting. (Read the full post about ‘GE researchers create printable, flexible OLEDs’…)
