Transcend 128 GB 2.5″ SSD Enters the Indian Market

Transcend has rolled out its latest 128 GB high speed 2.5-inch Solid State Disk (SSD) in the Indian market. The MLC-supported disk offers a powerful new controller, virtually non-existent (0.2ms) latency and promises to provide outstanding sustained reading speed of up to 145 Mbps and writing speed of 92Mbps, irrespective of file size. Austin Huang, Regional Head - Sales, SAARC & APAC, Transcend, said, “With the ever-increasing popularity of compact notebooks and high-end portable devices, the demand for solid-state disks (SSD) is greater than ever. Transcend is poised at the forefront of this new solid-state revolution, offering a new all-new high-speed range of SSD products with a fresh new look and phenomenal read/write speeds.” The RoHS-compliant SSD ensures faster and smooth access to software applications and games. It is based on the industry-standard SATA-II interface and 2.5″ form factor that helps in easy and straightforward user installation for notebooks and conventional PCs. Supporting reliable NAND flash memory, the SSD contains no moving parts, resulting in no mechanical failure due to vibration, shock and heat. The built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) functionality and wear-leveling algorithm ensures highly reliable transfer and durability of data. The Transcend 2.5″ Solid State Disk is available in both SATA-II and IDE versions. Transcend offers a variety of storage capacities, ranging from 8 GB to 128 GB. Backed by a two-year warranty, the Transcend 128 GB 2.5” SSD has hit the Indian shores for Rs. 20,000 through Supertron Electronics and Mediaman Infotech.

Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition Announced

Logitech unveils its latest addition to the diNovo keyboards, a Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition. Apart from Logitech’s PerfectStroke key system, this cordless Keyboard also offers a 3-year battery life and an integrated number pad. “With the recently released diNovo Edge, Mac Edition, and now this diNovo Keyboard, Mac Edition, Logitech is giving people more options when it comes to choosing a keyboard that perfectly complements the Mac design,” said Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for Logitech’s keyboards and desktops. “While the diNovo Edge keyboard is rechargeable and includes a TouchDisc and touch-sensitive volume control, our newest diNovo keyboard has a full-size layout and nineteen shortcut keys that provide quick access to Safari, iTunes , Expose , iChat and much more.” The diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition adorns the classic diNovo design. It is .87 inches sleek with high-gloss, semi-translucent Plexiglas frame, sharp angles and built-in brushed-aluminum palm. It equips 2.4 GHz wireless technology. This diNovo keyboard allows one-touch access to Mail, Safari, iTunes, Exposé, Cover Flow, Dashboard, QuickLook and Spaces while the media controls are further simplified with play, pause, mute and volume buttons. (Some features require the Logitech Control Center software installation). It is compatible all Mac computers including MacBook Air, iMac, MacBook or MacBook Pro. The Logitech diNovo Keyboard, Mac Edition is expected to hit the US and Europe markets for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (approx Rs. 4,814).

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Sony PSP 3000 Launched in India

At the recent PlayStation Expo held at Mumbai, Atindriya Bose, country manager, Sony Computer Entertainment, announced PlayStation Portable 3000 for Indian Market just one month after it was announced in Japan. Also plans to introduced 80GB PlayStation 3 console were shared. The Sony PSP has been in news recently for its bright and antiglare screen but same battery life as of PSP Slim and Lite (PSP 2000). Gaming community also refers PSP 3000 as PSP Brite due to its crisper screen. Priced at Rs. 9470, the gaming device features new PSP button replacing the HOME key and in-built microphone for Skype support. The handheld comes without any games and features TV-out but the cables aren't bundled.

Gmail Chat With Voice And Video Support

Google has added voice and video support to the Gmail chat application within the browser. Previously, only voice support was available through the GTalk application-the standalone GTalk client. With this addition, Google has finally provided a much needed feature. The two functions can be added by installing a plug-in. To install the plug-in, select any contact and then click on the "Video & More" option. After installation, you can initiate voice or video chat by clicking on the "Video & More" link. Your friend at the other end will receive a ring, with an option to accept or deny the chat request. The remaining functions are similar to that existing in the earlier Gmail chat application. You have the option to open the chat in a separate window as well as increase or decrease its size. Justin Uberti, a Google software engineer, in Blog Post says, "The video function was designed via open standards, which means that third-party applications and networks can choose to interoperate with Gmail voice and video chat. The offering was developed by Google teams in the U.S. and Sweden, so collaborating across continents and time zones is a fact of life for us, and it sure is easier (and greener) to click 'Start Video Chat' than to get on a plane!" Voice and video chat is available on Macs running Mac OS X v10.4 or later versions and PCs running Windows XP or later versions.

iPhone Firmware 2.2: On November 21?

It's rumor time again. A Greek site has reported, on the basis of information from 'reliable sources,' that iPhone's much awaited firmware v2.2 will be out sooner than expected. According to them, the destined date is November 21. Although the list of updates is still unconfirmed, a few notable additions expected are over-the-air podcast downloads, Google Street View, revamped App Store, and the ability to turn off the auto-correction feature.

Apple Plans To Use Carbon Fiber In MacBook Air?

When Apple came out with MacBook Air, they claimed that it was the thinnest and lightest notebook. The new MacBook Air has a unibody enclosure made from a single aluminum block, which is similar to those of the new MacBook and MacBook Pro. However, the company is planning to reduce MacBook Air's weight to less than three pounds. AppleInsider reported that Apple may adopt carbon fiber to produce MacBook Air's enclosure. Carbon fiber is extremely lightweight. Microscopic crystals are aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber to form strong composites. Aerospace, sports, and racing car sectors use carbon fiber to build the outer body and other components of products. Only the bottom cover and the top cover (with the Apple logo) of MacBook Air might be built with carbon fiber. A pre-production unit made with carbon fiber, in native black, was said to resemble Air's current bottom cover. The dissection experts at iFixit have given out the weights of different components. The unibody chassis weighs 260 grams, while the combined weight of the top and bottom cover is 363 grams (211 grams + 152 grams), and the heaviest component is the battery, weighing 287 grams. You can check out the weight of various components in the image. Kyle Wiens, iFixit chief executive, said, "The current machines feel extremely solid. Apple wouldn't want to sacrifice that at all, hence the willingness to spend more on carbon fiber." Since the newly introduced MacBooks are solid and sturdy, it's unlikely that Apple might move to carbon fiber in the near future. HP's VooDoo PC also plans to roll out lighter and thinner notebooks. Technology innovates at a rapid pace. Adoption of carbon fiber might be Apple's plan in the long run.

DoT Fixes License Fee For Indian 3G Operators

The Telecom Commission has recommended the imposition of a license fee of three percent of the average gross revenue on mobile operators who will provide standalone 3G mobile services in the future. Current 2.5G operators like Airtel and Vodafone will have to pay one percent over and above their present fee when they start offering 3G services. Apart from this, the commission has also recommended an increase of one percent for slabs up to 8 Mhz and two percent for slabs above 8 Mhz. The decision on imposing a one-time spectrum enhancement fee on the 6.2 Mhz slab has been deferred. The new announcement also sees the introduction of a three-year lock-in period on stake sales and the issuing of a special dividend during the three years.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Gets Cloned

Even though the world awaits Nokia's first touchscreen phone the 5800 XpressMusic Chinese have already come up with a clone. The phone dubbed as Li 5800, looks very much like the Nokia 5800 but surely falls behind in features. Unlike the Nokia 5800's 3.2-inch touchscreen, the Chinese handset has a 3-inch screen with 240 x 400 pixels resolution. On features front, the Li 5800 comes with a camera, video playback support, FM radio, video recorder, 256MB internal memory and support for TF memory cards of up to 2GB. There is no word on the pricing and also even if it will be available anywhere else in the world besides China! So, let's wait and lay our hands on the original which has been competitively priced by Nokia.

Contact with extraterrestrial life by 2025?

If you're one of the many people who doubt there's intelligent life anywhere else in the universe, or even someone who thinks there is but that it will take centuries to find it, get ready to be surprised. "We'll find E.T. within two dozen years," senior SETI astronomer Seth Shostak said Tuesday night at an event held at Yahoo's Brickhouse here. That is, he said, if the assumptions of many researchers within the SETI Institute are correct, assumptions that are based on a collision of computing power under Moore's Law and the distance into space we can look with new instruments that will be available to researchers in the years to come. Shostak's talk was largely theoretical and was a quick recap of the history of the SETI project. He explained that it had originally been a NASA project, but that it had been canceled in the 1990s by a Nevada senator unhappy with its lack of success. Now a private nonprofit based in Mountain View, Calif., SETI is the primary organization looking for intelligent life in outer space. And Shostak estimated that if the assumptions about computing power and the strength of forthcoming research instruments are correct, we should be able to search as far out as 500 light years into space by 2025, a distance he predicted would be enough--based on scientist Frank Drake's estimate of there being 10,000 civilizations in our galaxy alone capable of creating radio transmitters--to find evidence of life intelligent enough to broadcast its existence. The main tool for this research, he added, could be the Allen Telescope Array, a project funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and run by the UC Berkeley radio astronomy lab (RAL) and SETI. The array, made from dozens of small antennas, could become strong enough by 2025, Shostek said, to look deep enough into space to achieve what mankind has been attempting almost as long as we've been curious enough to look into the sky.

Google now tracking flu trends via search

Google on Tuesday unveiled a new site to track the progress of the common cold. Using the same keyword tracking technology found on Google Trends, it keeps an eye on people searching for queries involving the word "flu" and tracks them both by date and location. What makes the technology so fascinating is that its data set goes back to 2003, and has been cross-referenced with the last several years of survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Google says that because its own system is based on a constant flow of searches as opposed to surveying techniques it's able to provide results one to two weeks faster than the CDC. The same trending technique could be used in tandem with other organizations to track contagious viruses or threats besides the common cold, including AIDS, bird flu, and Africanized honey bees. One limitation of the current system is that it does not track worldwide flu traffic. There is, however, quite a bit to discover from data from years prior--especially when you get several years that stack up on top of each other with similar rises and falls during certain parts of the year. According to Google's chart, we're about three weeks from hitting the heavy season, which goes until early January.

Windows 7: A better Vista?

Microsoft on Tuesday offered up far more details on Windows 7, successor to the company's oft-maligned Windows Vista. In particular, Microsoft is focused on improving the time it takes for Windows to start up and shut down. In addition to its own work, Microsoft has been working directly with computer makers to address all of the factors that affect system performance. As far as other features, Windows 7 features support for multitouch input and a new taskbar that makes it easier to manage multiple open Windows. "The focus is on making sure the things you do (today) are easier and that the things you always wanted to do are possible," Corporate Vice President Mike Nash said in an interview Monday. "There's a lot of work we've done to just make things easier and faster. The early, prebeta version being handed out to developers at the Professional Developer Conference here has all of the programming interfaces that will be in the final version but only some of the planned features. Several enthusiasts who have been checking out the new code for the past couple of days praised the stability of the release, particularly for an operating system, at this early stage. With Windows 7, Microsoft has changed the way it approaches building early releases. In the past, Microsoft included features at various stages of development. With Windows 7, features are included in the main Windows build, only after they are fully baked. Microsoft is clearly looking to leave a far different first impression than it did with Windows Vista, which made major changes under the hood and led to considerable incompatibilities. With Windows 7, Microsoft is not introducing any major changes to the Windows kernel and is keeping much of the other plumbing substantially similar to that of Vista. The software maker has also tried to reduce some of Vista's other annoyances, such as the frequently criticized User Account Control feature, which some complained led to too many annoying dialog boxes. With Windows 7, users will be able to choose for themselves how often the system warns them of changes being made to their computer. The next external release of Windows 7, a feature-complete public beta, is slated for early next year. Nash wouldn't say whether the company plans more than one beta version before its final release. "We'll see how the first one goes," he said. The company has said it will have the release out within three years of Vista's January 2007 mainstream release, however, CEO Steve Ballmer has said he wants Windows 7 out next year.

Windows Server 2008 R2

After two weeks of focus on the desktop version of Windows 7, it's server counterpart finally got a day in the sun. Vice President Bill Laing began on Thursday pointed out the obvious difference between the products that would use the server software, as compared to Netbooks and other PCs built on Windows 7. "We actually use forklift devices to bring our toys," he said, pointing to several refrigerator-size servers that were on stage with him. Laing traced the company's progress in developing its various server operating systems, which now span from its Windows Home Server product to the data center and high-performance computing versions of Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 is now in technical beta, he said. Next week, the company plans to launch the small and midsize business versions of its server products--Windows Small Business Server 2008 (formerly code-named Cougar) and Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (formerly code-named Centro). But the main focus was on the server version of Windows 7, known as Windows Server 2008 R2. It's noteworthy because, on the server side, Microsoft is characterizing Windows 7 as a minor release, while the desktop Windows 7 is being called a major release--albeit one with fewer low-level changes than came with Vista. As for Windows Server 2008 R2, Laing confirmed its statement that it will be 64-bit only. Other features include support for more processors--256 compared to 64 in Windows Server 2008--as well as live migration and the next version of its PowerShell scripting language. Live migration was a feature originally planned for the first release of Windows Server 2008, but the plan was scrapped as Microsoft aimed to get the product out the door. WinHEC attendees received a prebeta version of the new server operating system alongside their copy of desktop Windows 7. Microsoft said on its server blog that the prebeta is available only to those at WinHEC or the TechEd EMEA conference, while everyone else will have to wait until the beta is released early next year.

New features of Windows 7

Seven things you may not know about Windows 7 While Windows 7 has gotten plenty of attention over the past two weeks, there are some features in there that haven't gotten as much attention. I wrote on Friday about a new programming interface for location-based services. Here are seven more features that caught my eye. 1. Standard approach to mobile broadband Windows 7 treats cellular modems as a standard connection, much like a Wi-Fi network, popping them up in the same available wireless networks dialog. Sierra Wireless has already said it will support the new approach, which should make life much easier for road warriors (myself included). One of my few gripes about the prebeta Windows 7 laptop I'm using is that it doesn't recognize my relatively new USB Sprint modem. 2. Help with public Wi-Fi spots. This was a little feature I discovered on my own. With many public Wi-Fi hot spots, once you connect to the network, you have to do something in your browser, such as agree to certain terms or enter a password. Windows 7 pops up a notification that tells you that, although you have to be connected to the network, more action may be needed and it gives you a direct link to open your browser 3. Windows Troubleshooting Sure, it would be better if your computer worked problem-free. But, acknowledging that's not the case, Microsoft has added a central place in Windows 7 to try to figure out what went wrong and why. Among the kinds of problems that Windows Troubleshooting aims to help solve are issues with networked printers, detecting hard drive problems, and even some proactive things, like figuring out how much life a laptop battery has before it will likely need to be replaced with a new battery. 4. New sensor support Windows 7 adds base-level support for all kinds of sensors, from GPS, to ambient light sensors, to accelerometers. Light sensors, for example, can now be used not only to light up a keyboard, but an application could sense daylight and make type larger so that it's easier to read. At WinHEC, Microsoft handed out 700 free sensor developer kits that included a light sensor, touch pad, and accelerometer. The kit was a big hit with the developers, prompting one of the only long lines of the show. 5. Improved battery life and playback of DVDs Microsoft is trying to do a couple things to make the DVD-playing experience better in Windows 7. First and foremost, it has changed things so that DVD movies just start playing, as opposed to bringing up a long list of options. Second, the company has worked to adjust power settings while playing back movies to enable better battery life. "I'm hopeful it will have battery life equivalent to a portable DVD player," Microsoft's Jon DeVaan said in an interview. The issue is personal, he said. If Microsoft can reach its goal, he might be able to only bring a laptop on outings. "I hope to spare my back on family trips," he said. 6. Windows Biometric Framework According to a press release from fingerprint sensor make AuthenTec, the operating system features improved biometric support that should enable a more standard way for fingerprint management applications to work with fingerprint readers in Windows 7. "This provides ease of fingerprint sensor integration for PC manufacturers and a more consistent user experience," AuthenTec said in its release. 7. Enhancements to Windows Media Center Microsoft hasn't given up on its dream of having Windows gain a prominent spot in the living room and its main effort in this area--Windows Media Center--is back in Windows 7. BetaNews has a look at some of the new features, including support for H.264 video, an on-screen keyboard, and better method of scrolling through large libraries.

InfoWorld says Windows 7's not that fast

While many of those who have played around with the early version of Windows 7 have noted that it feels pretty zippy, especially for a pre-beta version, InfoWorld says early benchmarks show the software is just on par with its predecessor. In an article on Monday, InfoWorld said that Windows 7 is a "virtual twin" of Vista when it comes to performance. On the one hand, this could be seen as bad news, considering Microsoft's efforts to position Windows 7 as better performing. At the same time, this is a pre-beta version. Early releases often lag in performance since optimizations tend to be among the later steps in operating system development. For its part, Microsoft is encouraging folks to withhold judgment. "Microsoft consistently encourages people to hold benchmark tests until software is finished and ready for broad release," Microsoft said in a statement to CNET News. I've been using Windows 7 for a couple of weeks on a loaner machine from Microsoft (a Lenovo X300). It does feel considerably faster than my work machine, but that's a several-year-old IBM ThinkPad T42. And, as a colleague points out, a new Windows image often feels fast, until you load all of your usual add-ons and third-party software on top of it. I will say, the new Windows has been incredibly stable for an early build. I used it a bunch at PDC and WinHEC and am currently using it as my main machine. Most things I have tried are working, including the software I use every day, such as iTunes and several IM programs. On the not-so-hot list, I haven't gotten it to work with my Sprint wireless broadband card. I also haven't been able to connect to CNET's VPN, meaning I've been using Outlook Web Access as opposed to the real thing. But to me, the testament to Windows 7 is that I still want to use it, even though Outlook Web Access is way less convenient than Outlook itself. I'll be interested to see if Microsoft continues in the right direction with its broad beta, which is slated to be released early next year, as well as whether it hits its internal goal of shipping Windows 7 in time for next year's holiday shopping season.

Argentine judge: Google, Yahoo must censor searches

If an Argentine sports fan tried searching Yahoo Argentina for one of his country's most beloved athletes--soccer star Diego Maradona--these days, he'd be out of luck. Both Yahoo and Google are locked in a legal battle with dozens of fashion models and other public figures like Maradona over whether the Internet companies should have to censor search results relating to those persons' names. The result so far: since last year, Internet users have been left with abbreviated search results from Yahoo Argentina and Google Argentina, as a result of temporary restraining orders handed down by Argentine judges. The restraining orders against Google and Yahoo mean the search companies must censor search results from their Argentine sites for information about the plaintiffs, such as their names. The court orders do not apply to the U.S. sites Google.com and Yahoo.com. The move effectively holds the search companies responsible for content on other Web sites, a legal maneuver that would not be possible in the United States or the European Union, according to a Google representative. In the United States, federal law generally says that search engines are not responsible for the content of pages they index. Google first received an injunction to block references to the individuals on its Argentina search engine in mid-2007, after refusing to do so voluntarily, said Alberto Arebalos, Google's director of Latin America global communications and public affairs. A group of about 70 fashion models, represented by the same lawyer, initially asked the Internet company to block all search results with their names with the intent of blocking pornographic sites that used the models' pictures. Google responded that it would only block specific problematic links, provided it could notify users, Arebalos said. The matter was taken to court, and judges in Argentina have so far sided with the models. Other public figures--including Maradona and Judge María Servini de Cubría--have in recent months sought out the same lawyer to successfully block search results about them on Google and Yahoo as well. The move amounts to a class action suit against the Internet companies, although there's technically no such thing as a class action suit in Argentina. The lawyer representing all the plaintiffs, Martin Leguizamon Peña, has sought damages between 100,000 and 400,000 pesos for his clients (about $30,000 to more than $121,000). Both Google and Yahoo have unsuccessfully appealed the restraining orders and are now complying with them while the underlying lawsuits filed by Peña's clients are pending. Peña probably "thought we'd make a deal out of court, but we don't want to do that because it's not a good deal," Arebalos said. "We will fight because we think this is a good fight." Multiple restraining orders have been filed for some individuals. In some cases, the restraining orders require the search engines to censor results for certain keywords or URLs. In other instances, however, they call for broad restrictions such as censorship of "scandalous material." Such broad restraining orders compelled Yahoo to remove all search results for certain plaintiffs such as Maradona, the soccer star. A search for "Diego Maradona" on Yahoo Argentina brings up only news results and a notification that--translated from the Spanish--reads, "On the occasion of a court order sought by private parties, we have been forced to temporarily remove some or all of the search results relating to it."

Verizon to offer mobile app for Disney vacationers

Verizon Wireless and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are teaming up to create a new mobile application to help families plan their trips and get the most out of their Disney vacations. With more than 90 percent of its guests walking through the gates with mobile phones, Disney Parks and Resorts executives see cell phones as a perfect way to connect with their customers. On Wednesday, Disney will announce it has entered into an exclusive multi-year agreement with Verizon Wireless. The two companies will develop an application, which will be hosted by Verizon. Also as part of the deal, Verizon has agreed to boost network capacity and coverage within the Disney theme parks to ensure optimal coverage and performance of its service. The new application will be available for download from Verizon's "Get It Now" store in early 2009. Initially the application will only work for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. The companies will add support for other Disney resorts later. Specific details about what the application will actually do haven't been announced yet. But some of the likely features include the ability to make reservations for restaurants, hotels, and even attractions right from a Verizon handset. Using GPS-based location services, subscribers will also be able to access a Disney character map that will pinpoint exactly where Minnie Mouse is at any given moment, thus saving scores of parents from running around the park all day looking for their kids' favorite characters. There will also be information about show times and the best places to view characters and other attractions. Disney will also offer mobile games and fun facts that can be downloaded inside the park to provide more information about what people are seeing and doing on their vacation.

Google, T-Mobile too mum over Android security?

When it comes to telling customers about security weaknesses, there's a fine line between alerting customers and inviting attacks. With T-Mobile G1, the first phone to run Google's Android operating system, I think the companies are erring on the side of inadequate disclosure. I've been testing a review model of the G1, and an update arrived first on November 1 and then a second a week later. Only by dint of much pestering and more than a week of waiting did I find out from Google what was in those two Android patches. And T-Mobile has been pretty quiet, too. (I'm waiting for comment from the company about its choices.) I'm not the type to blithely ignore patches. Sure, I'm not convinced the security patches I download for Adobe Reader, Microsoft Windows, and Firefox are flawless, but I think the odds are good enough they'll be an improvement that I install them. But with the Android phone, I couldn't even tell if the patches were security related, much less how important they are, much less what they actually do. The closest I could come was figuring out what operating system build I had installed, then using that nugget of information to snoop around the T-Mobile forums, the Android bug-reporting system, and assorted Web sites to see if I could piece together what was going on. In short, even if companies are generally looking out for their customers' best interests, I think it behooves them to keep the customers better informed. It prevents us from feeling like disempowered pawns. It helps us make intelligent choices with our products. And it can even make us happy, when pesky bugs are stamped out or useful features are added. Even Microsoft, which hardly has a reputation for coddling its users, does a better job of keeping people in the loop. It gives a heads up a few days in advance about what's coming on its next monthly "patch Tuesday" upgrades.