Nokia’s N-Gage to be blessed with Konami Games
Tuesday, Nokia plans to put in games from Konami to its N-Gage mobile games platform later this year. The first title will be stealth action game Metal Gear Solid, Nokia said Tuesday.
By now Konami sells games for other mobile phone platforms. The title take account of Silent Hill, Frogger Evolution, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Castlevania — Aria of Sorrow, so those titles would be primary candidates for upcoming N-Gage releases. Based on a number of different game franchises Konami also plans to supply Nokia with screen wallpapers and ring tones.
Last month Nokia relaunched its gaming platform. It allows users of phones including the N81 8GB, N82, N95, and N95 8GB to download games.
Currently, N-Gage users can make a choice between ten games, including FIFA 08, World Series of Poker Pro Challenge and car game Asphalt 3: Street Rules. According to the N-Gage website the list of another nine games including Brothers in Arms and Pro Series Golf which are tagged as “Coming Soon”. Besides Konami, Nokia has big names like Electronic Arts and Vivendi Games on board.
Dell: Determined to launch Greener PCs by 2010
Saturday, Albert Esser, Dell’s vice president of power and infrastructure solutions, said in a statement that “Our customers are inspiring us to address the environmental challenges facing our planet. We’ve listened to them and are designing next-generation technologies that dramatically reduce energy consumption, drive meaningful cost savings and help achieve a low-carbon economy.”
The Company is working with its vendors to get additional energy-efficient components, like memory, power supplies and chipsets. Dell noted in a release that it plans to trim down the energy usage by altering the circuit designs, fans and power management features in its computers. Dell chairman and CEO Michael Dell said last month that the company is effective on a desktop computer that will make use of 70 percent less energy and be 81 percent smaller than a standard machine which is currently in use. The innovative machine will be the “company’s smallest and most environmentally responsible consumer desktop PC,” and will come in recycled and recyclable packaging.
Samsung Debuts World’s First “Blue-Phase” LCD Panel for High-Speed Video
Souk Jun-hyung, Executive Vice President and the head of LCD Business’ Display R&D Center, said that “Our Blue Phase mode is a major evolutionary development beyond conventional liquid crystal modes. Samsung’s development of the technology provides a tremendous opportunity to move image quality of LCD screens much closer to that of a real moving image.”
Unlike today’s most widely used LCD modes such as Twisted Nematic, In-Plane Switching or Vertical Alignment, Samsung’s “Blue Phase” mode does not require liquid crystal alignment layers. Developed with an extremely cost-efficient design, the new Blue Phase mode can make its own alignment layers, eliminating the need of any mechanical alignment and rubbing processes which reduces the number of required fabrication processes, resulting in considerably savings on manufacturing costs. Moreover, the Blue Phase panel reduces the possibility of staining the LCD panel interface whereby pressure on the screen can impair unvarying brightness.
Since many academic and corporate institutions researched this new liquid crystal mode, Samsung has become the first to unveil a commercially viable product prototype using the “Blue Phase” technology. Currently overdrive circuits are applied to each LCD panel to perk up the video image quality in premium LCD TVs, which are driven at 120Hz. The Blue Phase mode features a better response rate, allowing images to be reproduced at 240Hz or higher without the need for any overdrive circuit. The term “Blue Phase” was coined when the technology’s developers observed bluish hues while watching their new liquid crystal mode in operation.
Samsung expects to start in on mass producing its Blue Phase LCD in 2011. The LCD panels will be mainly used in TVs that have need of high-speed video reproduction. The company is planning to unveil a 15” model of its Blue Phase LCD panel at the SID (Society for Information Display) 2008 international Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition, which will be held in Los Angeles from May 18 to 23.
10 More Languages Added TO Google Translate
If you’re thinking of writing a mail to that Romanian, non-English speaking Internet friend of yours, Google just made life simpler for you Google Translate (beta), the translation service from the company, now offer translation services for 23 languages. The newly featured languages take in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian and Swedish. These join the list of existing languages including English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Users can now translate text and web pages as well as operate upon cross-language searches between any two languages that Google offers.
Google has also added an option of “Detect Language” that automatically helps the user to identify the language of the text they’re trying to translate. The longer the text, the more precise it will be. For those who have set in the Google Translate My Page gadget in their website to grant it global reach, these new languages will automatically come out.
Not only can you translate typed-out text with the help of this service, you can also perform cross-language searches, translate Web site text to any of the languages that the service supports.
So go ahead and tell your friend to write you a mail in Dutch, or any other language that you can have a handle on!
AMD Unveils low-power Opteron Processor
Advanced Micro Devices Monday reveals five low-power quad-core server processors. The x86 Opteron HE processors are designed to run in a 55-watt ACP thermal envelope available in 2300 and 8300 series product lines for two-, four- and eight-way rack servers and blades. The company also added that manufacturers are planning to use the chips in both blade and rack-mounted servers.
Randy Allen, a corporate Vice President and General Manager for AMD, said that the new quad-core AMD Opteron HE processors were intended to help the data center managers who see power consumption and virtualization as the keys to split their overall performance equation.
Late in April, AMD released two 45-watt, energy-efficient Athlon desktop processors – the Athlon X2 4450e and the Athlon X2 4050e. Both are dual-core processors designed to trim down power consumption and promises greater performance for each watt. And early in March, the company announced it was shipping a 45-watt, X2 4850E chip. Earlier this month, AMD announced that its 45-nm “Shanghai” server chip is on track to begin production in the second half of this year and it will include coherent HyperTransport 3.0 for processor-to-processor communication, an increased shared Level-3 cache of 6MB instead of 2MB, as well as core and instruction-per-clock (IPC) enhancements.
By 2010, AMD expects to bring in a third-generation Opteron processor Socket G34 platform that will contain DDR3 memory qualifications and the AMD RD890 chipset for non-coherent HyperTransport 3.0, with an additional HT link. Also AMD updated its server roadmap and new to its lineup is the 6-core server processor “Istanbul,” which AMD said fits within the current socket F1, and will be available in the second half of next year, aimed at allowing OEMs to preserve platform investments while increasing system performance-per-watt. “Istanbul” is planned to be on hand for configurations of 2P and supports AMD’s Direct Connect Architecture.
Microsoft: From Personal Computers to Personal Cars
In the past, telematics was for high-end, luxury cars only. But Last week Microsoft and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group announced that the companies will “co-develop” the “next generation” of “infotainment systems.” In other words, you’ll be able to get ‘Microsoft Auto’ (name of the operating system) in Hyundai’s cheap cars by 2010.
All car manufacturers can customize and re-brand the system for its customers. The new operating system for cars does not include an end-user UI, which is developed by the car makers using Microsoft tools and specifications.
Currently “Microsoft Auto” customers are driving Ford or Fiat cars using a Microsoft Auto-based, Ford co-developed system branded “Sync” in Fords and “Blue&Me” in Fiats. Ford Sync allows users to integrate MP3 players and cell phones with their cars, allowing for hands-free calling and voice-controlled music selection. There are no particulars yet about what features will be on hand, but we can look ahead to similar functionality to Ford Sync, along with anything else Microsoft can come up with in time for the assembly line. The most recent version of Microsoft Auto3.0 lets you stream music from — and control — mobile phones, iPods, Zunes, Zens and other players via Bluetooth. You can also surf the Internet via Internet Explorer. It also supports GPS. All this is voice-controlled via technology developed by Nuance.
Head of general manager of Microsoft’s Automotive Business Unit, Mr. Martin Tall accentuates that the latest announcement only covers the strategic partnership, and doesn’t feature about the models that might carry the new system, or even how Hyundai Kia will brand it. He also added that Microsoft is keen to develop a strong speech experience with its automotive platform, and looks for a potential where the platform becomes the head unit in vehicles. He also suggested that the car manufacturers are searching for low-cost navigation, and suggested a solution of using dashboard left/right indicator lights for route guidance, rather than an expensive LCD.
YouTube Goes Desi
Wednesday, Google launched its popular video-sharing site YouTube in India. YouTube crosses the threshold with a number of partners, together with Zoom channel from the Bennet Coleman & Co, UTV and Rajshri Group. All uploaded content on YouTube is confined by its digital hash technology for copyright protection.
The YouTube International Manager Sakina Arsiwala said on Wednesday that the technology makes things difficult for people to copy and reload the same content, thus curbing piracy. The company also announced what she called as company’s `zero tolerance’ policy towards security of its users online against objectionable content, including porn.
YouTube users have been growing by 200,000 every month and India becomes the 20th locality to have a country-specific community and domain. There has been rumor about an India launch for YouTube since last late last year when the company got YouTube.in and YouTube.co.in domain registered for approximately Rs 2.44 lakhs. The Internet giant is expecting a huge gush in usage from India with the Indian-specific YouTube.co.in along with a country-specific video search for the content trendy and relevant in India.
Established in February 2005, YouTube is one of the key players in online video. YouTube received financial support from Sequoia Capital in November 2005 and was officially launched a month later in December. Chad Hurley and Steve Chen proceeded to become the earliest members of the YouTube management team and presently serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer respectively. In November 2006, within a year of its launch, YouTube was bought by Google Inc in one of the most talked-about acquisitions.
YouTube has struck copious partnership deals with content providers including CBS, BBC, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, Warner Music Group, NBA, The Sundance Channel, the list is too big
XP SP3, Vista SP1 Geared Up for the Second Time:
Windows XP Service Pack 3 is now available for download from Microsoft’s Download Centre, and is also being released via Windows Update. Last week, XP SP3 and Vista SP1 were held back after Microsoft discovered an incompatibility between both XP SP3 and Vista SP1, and Microsoft Dynamic Retail Management Software (RMS), a point-of-sale and store management software designed for small and midsize businesses. Tuesday, the company added a filter to the download sites to keep away the RMS users from service packs.
HTC to Lure Consumers from better – known rivals Apple’s iPhone
High Tech Computer on Tuesday launched a more appealing version of its popular Touch smartphone. The Touch Diamond, which supports carriers’ 3G broadband-like networks, enters the market with its new feature that focuses on Web browsing and checking e-mail. The device, which runs on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, includes a 2.8-inch VGA touch screen that provides high quality display.
The smartphone’s Web browser can zoom and pan Web sites. Moreover, turning the device sideways automatically shifts to Landscape view. HTC has also developed its own YouTube application to watch video from the trendy site. The software also optimizes the use of Google’s mobile mapping service to have a better access to the street maps and getting traffic data. The Touch Diamond weighs less than 4 ounces loaded with a 3.2-megapixel camera. Having 4 GB of storage, the devise supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies. Talk time is up to four hours on a fully charged battery, according to HTC. Its size is roughly 4 by 2 by 0.4 inches.
The Apple iPhone already has comparable features to the Touch Diamond, but the latter goes one superior by promising faster 3G networks. Apple, however, is predictable to add that feature in the next version of its iPhone, which is likely to ship this year, says Analysts. As a contract manufacturer for others, HTC is one of the leading makers of Windows Mobile smartphones. The company’s profits last year increased 15% to $949.4 million on $3.8 billion in revenue, which was 13% higher than the previous year.
LENOVO’S LATEST REVELATION- technosmart laptop hits Indian Market
Now think twice before you go to a face change if you are going to buy new Lenovo’s Ideapad U110. You don’t have to bother about remembering those tricky stupid passwords as the new Lenovo U110 Ideapad allows you to log on to your most secured virtual world with its inbuilt VeriFace and Face Recognition System. .
Ideapad U110, Lenovo’s latest inclusion, available in red and black color on an 11-inch frameless display. With only 1.13 kg in weight, the new laptop is designed for high mobility. The model is configured with Dolby Home Theatre and the MultiMedia Control Center just to ensure enhanced sound outputs with flexible multimedia navigations.
Microsoft’s Windows Vista Home Premium ready Ideapad U110 supports Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6 GHz processor with 120GB hard drive and 3 GB memory, Intel’s GMA X3100 integrated graphics chipset, optional Ethernet and Bluetooth connectivity, WLAN, a built-in camera, a dual-layer DVD burner, etc. amongst others. A single charge of U110’s battery will allow you to play with your system for a long eight hours, certainly a guaranteed backup bonus for the Indian consumers!