Tuesday, October 19, 2010

CTL announces Windows 7 2goPad tablet



 
This year has seen a slew of Android-based tablet computers being snapped up by eager buyers, but for PC users wanting the more familiar environment of Windows 7, CTL has announced the 2goPad SL10. The 10.1-inch device features an Atom processor, WiFi and Bluetooth, a couple of gigabytes of memory and 250GB of hard disk storage. There is of course full Flash support, a built-in webcam for video conferencing, and USB connectivity is joined by SD card reading capabilities, to cater for storage expansion or to show off a prized photo collection.
Rather than offer its users access to an app store to satisfy their mobile computing needs, running on Windows 7 allows the 2goPad SL10 to open the door to Microsoft's entire catalog instead. The 0.72-inch (18.28mm) thick device also promises to take multi-tasking in its stride and offers full Flash support. All the action takes place on its 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600 resolution capacitive multi-touch screen and the tablet is powered by Intel's Atom N450 processor running at 1.66GHz.
 
There's also a 250GB SATA hard drive and 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 802.11b/g/n wireless and wired ethernet LAN, Bluetooth connectivity (although exactly what flavor isn't stated), a media card reader and a couple of USB ports. An included 1.3 megapixel video camera, built-in stereo speakers and an omni-directional microphone should help satisfy any video-conferencing needs a user might have. Its Lithium-ion battery is said to give five hours of typical use between charges.
It's not the only Windows 7 tablet computer out there, but it has quite an impressive feature set for the price. Currently going for US$499 via CTL's online shop, the 2goPad SL10 carries a suggested retail of US$599 and comes bundled with a VGA adapter and carry case.






 
Both Seagate and WD have announced 3 TB external drives, and now WD has broken new ground with a 3TB internal hard drive. The WD Caviar Green 2.5 and 3 TB hard drives are bundled with an Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI)-compliant Host Bus Adapter (HBA) that allows both 64-bit Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard, along with 32-bit Vista and Windows 7 platforms to make full use of the new drives.
Because of limitations to 32-bit Windows operating systems and motherboards in many computers, drives bigger than 2.19 TB can't be fully utilized. The Advanced Host Controller Interface adapter solves this issue by enabling the operating system to use a known driver with correct support for large capacity drives.
The 3.5-inch, 750 GB-per-platter areal density drives also promise low power consumption, lower operating temperatures and quiet operation.
The 3 TB WD Caviar Green SATA hard drive is priced at US$239. The 2.5 TB version costs US$189.




Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Kno: A giant double-screen tablet to replace giant textbooks


 
Huge, heavy reference tomes are still a major part of modern study and research. If you've ever wished that those textbooks in front of you could come to life and offer a more engaging experience than just reading through reams of text, then the Kno could be what you're looking for. Weighing in at 5.5 pounds, the dual-screen electronic textbook will offer students access to a wealth of published educational material as well as wireless access to the internet and multimedia content such as high definition video. Just like with its paper cousin, the Kno will also allow for note-taking, highlighting and bookmarking.
At the start of the development process, the creators of the Kno wondered why digital textbook technology was slow to enter the seat of learning. In talking to students, they discovered that although convenient, digital readers didn't offer the kind of tactile and visual interaction that physical books did. Simple things like the ability to see two large pages at once, annotate and highlight or leave sticky notes on important passages or even placing a finger at a particular part of the text whilst looking up something else, were all lacking to varying degrees in electronic text readers.
 
Originally to be called the Kakai, the Kno will feature two connected 14.1 inch 1440 x 900 anti-glare capacitive touchscreen displays connected via a flexible hinge, running on a Linux embedded browser-based platform and powered by NVIDIA's Tegra T20 architecture. There'll be 16GB of onboard storage and battery life is said to last a full day of active campus use (around six to eight hours).
This configuration is geared towards providing students with a textbook-like page display rendering "the complex layouts designed by authors" without the need for scrolling, but also lends itself to the creation of completely new educational tools. To this end, the company has arranged a beta program with four higher education publishers, including McGraw-Hill Education, to provide select content for upcoming trials in major U.S. universities and colleges.
 
The Kno will support multiple e-Reader formats of course as well as popular document types such as PDF and cater for highlighting, bookmarking and note-taking. WiFi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity add potential for cloud-based study, immediate reference checking and high definition multimedia interactivity too.
For example, users encountering an unknown word, phrase or concept would currently either seek out another reference text or boot up a portable computer to search the internet. With the Kno, all that's taken care of with the one device. As the company puts it, the device: "blends textbooks, course material, note-taking, web access, educational applications, digital media, sharing and more into a more powerful and engaging educational experience."
 
Further information on the Kno will be revealed when the device enters the student beta program later in the summer, which is also when pricing will be confirmed.
The following video overview offers a visual guide to most of the features expected to be on offer:







Casio unveils next gen graphing calculator


 
A quarter of a century after introducing the world's first graphing calculator, Casio has announced its next generation model that's been designed to deliver graphs and statistical data as they appear in color textbooks. The PRIZM gets a new, modern body design, offers high resolution color graphics and gives students the opportunity to plot graphs over background image curves and then discover the math functions used to create them.
Casio's new PRIZM (fx-CG10) graphing calculator's outer shell now benefits from a more modern, mobile phone-like appearance. Above the rows of input buttons is a high resolution 82,944 dot, 3.7-inch color LCD screen that's said to offer a textbook-like display. There's 61,440 byte program and 16MB storage capacity and the power consumption of 0.6W is claimed to translate to 140 hours of use on four AAA-sized alkaline batteries.
Casio has included something called the Picture Plot function which enables "students to experiment by creating their own graphs over pictures of real-life scenes, and then understand the functions from the graphs that they created on their own." Once the graph has been plotted over any one of 55 types of color images of real-life curved shapes such as the parabola of jets from a water fountain, the student can then perform regression calculations to help them understand what math functions were used to generate the graph overlay.
The PRIZM comes pre-loaded with 40 images which can be used in eight of the calculator's 15 applications and also features a Color Link function that matches spreadsheet values to colors used in graphs to help students better understand changes in trends and values.
The 0.81 x 3.52 x 7.42-inch (20.57 x 89.4 x 188.46mm) graphing calculator has a USB 2.0 port for hooking up to Casio's GREEN SLIM data projectors for display to the whole class or direct connection to a computer to allow students to share calculations using Casio's manager software.
Casio says that the PRIZM will be available from January 2011 for a suggested retail price of US$129.


Firmware upgrade gives Samsung NX10 i-Function lens compatibility




 
Samsung has announced a firmware upgrade to its small interchangeable lens NX10 mirrorless camera that gives it compatibility with the company’s new i-Function lens technology. Making its first appearance recently on the NX100, the i-Function lens communicates with the camera body to allow photographers to control camera settings using the lens. Samsung also announced that all NX system lenses launched from now on will feature i-Function capability.
i-Function lenses feature a one-touch button that activates common shooting controls like aperture, shutter speed, ISO and white balance. Shooting parameters are displayed on the camera’s display and users can cycle through settings and change values by rotating the lens’s manual focus ring. Samsung has implemented the system to allow photographers to keep the camera focused firmly on their subject while making changes to the camera settings.
 
The 1.20 firmware upgrade provides compatibility with a range of lenses, including a compact-zoom 20-50mm lens and a 200mm wide angle Pancake lens. The upgrade also gives a boost to the NX10’s AF speed, includes Lens Distortion Compensation (LDC) and updates the camera’s GUI to support the i-Function lens technology.
We want to ensure that all NX system range users can experience the same pioneering technology,” said Mr. SangJin Park, President of Samsung Digital Imaging Business, Samsung Electronics. “All NX system lenses launched from now on will feature the groundbreaking i-Function capability, so all our customers have the perfect picture at their fingertips.”

Heavyweights team up to create Sony Internet TV, powered by Google TV




 
In May, Sony and Google announced a strategic alliance to develop new Android-based hardware products. The partnership is bearing fruit in the form of Sony Internet TV, powered by Google TV. It seems that most premium new release HDTVs come with Internet connectivity these days but one of the big differences offered by Sony’s Internet TV devices is a Dual View feature that lets viewers watch TV and surf the web at the same time.
Sony Internet TV is available in integrated LCD HDTV models as well as a Blu-ray Disc player that brings Sony Internet TV functionality to an existing HDTV. Built on the Android platform, it runs the Google Chrome browser and is powered by an Intel Atom processor. All the TVs include 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, USB ports, DLNA, UPnP and 8 GB of built-in storage. As well as Sony’s Video On Demand powered by Qriocity streaming service and a variety of pre-installed apps including CNBC, Napster, NBA, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter and YouTube, from early 2011 the devices will also let users access and add applications from the Android Market.
 The ability to surf the web to find the name of some actor, tweet about what they’re watching or check their gmail without losing a minute of their favorite show will no doubt appeal to many people and that’s just what Dual View does. However, the Dual View function doesn’t split the screen 50/50 or let the user decide whether the TV picture or Internet content will dominate. Instead the TV picture is relegated to a small Picture-in-Picture (PIP) in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Making sure the on screen text was large enough to read and the aspect ratio of the widescreen format probably didn’t make things easy in this regard but it would be nice to see an update that at least lets users easily switch which content is relegated to the PIP.
 
The ability to browse the Internet also means a chunky remote in the form of an RF QWERTY keypad that incorporates an optical mouse. The remote’s layout and size means that, although it might be convenient for surfing the web, it’s probably going to be too big for one-handed surfing of the channel variety. Users of select Android phones will also be able to control the TV with an app that will be available from the Android Market in a few months.
The Sony Internet TV line includes the 24-inch NSX-24GT1 (US$599.99), the 32-inch NSX-32GT1 ($799.99), the 40-inch NSX-40GT1 ($999.99), and the 46-inch NSX-46GT1 ($1,399.99). Those looking to get onboard with Sony Internet TV but don’t want to buy a new TV can opt for the NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray Disc Player ($399.99). All the TVs feature distinctive white backs with black gloss bezels, while the Blu-ray player features white front and sides and gloss black top. All come with the QWERTY keypad and all will be available from Sony Style from October 16 and at Best Buy shortly after.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Google TV breaks out with Logitech's Revue





 
Smart TV has landed. Logitech has announced a full line of products to allow users to make the most of Google TV, including what used to be referred to as a set-top box with a specially designed keyboard controller, a high definition camera that fits on top of the HD television and a smartphone app that will turn an iPhone, iPad or any Android device into a system remote. Users will already need to have a HD television, a satellite or cable provider and a broadband line to benefit from the unit and accessories, but can then look forward to additional online content played through the TV and seamless search across all available programming.
Google TV offers users access to all the familiar programming from a cable/satellite provider along with additional content from around the web and seamless search across everything. Users can surf the web with an included full browser and be able to use a host of Android apps.
 
The Revue box connects via HDMI to a TV, is linked to broadband Internet and is hooked up to a cable or satellite content provider. After a brief onscreen setup, the Revue offers users access to a host of preloaded Google TV and Logitech applications in addition to the usual programming schedule. Access and interaction control over the new content is provided courtesy of an included keyboard which wirelessly links up to the main box using Logitech's own wireless technology.
The keyboard controller has a familiar QWERTY keyboard layout and includes a laptop-like touchpad. Buttons to control the TV, AV receiver and DVR also feature and user customization and command mapping is also catered for. Amongst the functions activated by the keyboard is a useful dual view mode that allows users to surf the web while watching a TV program, which will no doubt prove useful for looking up answers to questions during quiz shows or finding out background information on a favorite sports team.

 
Also on offer are a couple of other ways to take control of the Revue box. There's a palm-sized mini controller that also sports a touchpad and keyboard, with back-illuminated keys that change color depending on the mode being used. Like its bigger brother, the mini controller also allows users to control TV, AV receiver and DVR functionality. Its Li-ion battery said to give up to two weeks of use between charges.
Logitech says that: "as an open platform, the additional power of Google TV lies in its potential to deliver new possibilities for the living room through the development of innovative applications." To this end, the company has created an app for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad and Android devices. The Harmony app not only allows control of onscreen activity using gestures but users will also be able to activate voice searches.
The company has also unveiled a TV Cam and Vid HD service that offers 720p high definition video calling through the system. The TV Cam connects to the Revue via USB and features Carl Zeiss optics, a wide-angle lens to help get everyone in the frame without squeezing into an armchair, 5x digital zoom and a couple of directional microphones. The webcam also uses the company's RightLight 2 technology that is said to automatically adjust image settings so that users are always captured in a flattering light.
Logitech Revue with Google TV will be available by the end of October for a suggested retail price of US$299, the mini controller will cost US$129 and the TV Cam is set at US$149. Although the keyboard controller is bundled with the Revue, it can also be purchased separately for US$99. The smartphone apps are free to download.
Sony is also releasing Google TV ready products – a HD Television and Blu-ray player.



Six times the luxury with Gresso’s Luxor World Time phone



 
Camera phones are pretty much de rigueur nowadays but what about clock phones? Sure, your mobile phone no doubt displays the time but does it simultaneously give the time for six different time zones using six separate clock faces on the rear of the phone? Unless you own one of Gresso’s Luxor World Time phones, I’m guessing not.
The Luxor World Time phone is obviously designed for jet-setters who know that time is money and can’t spare a single second to open one of the myriad of world time apps available for even the most basic smartphone. It features six independent Swiss clockwork mechanisms on the back panel of the phone, displaying the time for the five world business centers of Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, London and New York, with the sixth able to be set by the user – presumably for the holiday house on the French Riviera.
If you’re thinking the phone is nothing but a cheap gimmick, you're wrong on at least one count. The phone’s screen and clock-face are fringed with two 97-carat sapphire crystals with high gloss coating, while the case is made of a specially developed ultrastrong and lightweight titanium alloy that is coated with ceramics to prevent tarnish and discoloration.
The front panel is offset with a bezel made of planished steel with black PVD coating, while the back panel features genuine Italian leather. The luxury materials don’t stop there, with each key of the keypad made of a single sapphire crystal that has been manually polished with a diamond tool to make it pleasant to the touch.
If you want to use the phone as something other than a clock then unfortunately the non-time related specs are decidedly average. There’s a 240 x 320 pixel TFT display, 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, FM radio, voice recorder, voice commands, WAP, GPRS, EDGE, internal modem, Java support, an organizer and media player supporting MIDI, WMA, WAV, AVI, ASF and WMV formats. Storage is also pretty limited with only 30MB of internal memory expandable via microSD cards of up to 2GB.
The phone measures 116 x 46.5 x 16mm (4.5 x 1.8 x 0.6-in) and weighs 120g (4.2 oz). Its lithium-ion battery is good for around 5 hours of talk time and up to 300 hours on standby, while a separate power backup for the rear clock faces should keep them ticking for 10 years.
If you’re familiar with any of Gresso’s previous offerings, which in addition to mobile phones, includes an MP3 player, USB Flash drive pendants and a mobile phone customization service, you’ll no doubt already be bracing yourself for the pricing details. So here it is – Gresso is selling the Luxor World Time phone through its website for US$6,000.






Saturday, September 25, 2010

Sony's new Walkman S750 goes super-slim





Nowadays most of us take portable media players pretty much for granted, but back in the 1980s, when Sony released its first personal cassette player, they were revolutionary. Thirty years on and cassettes have all but gone and, despite numerous other worthy contenders, Apple holds the media player crown. For many, however, the Walkman is still regarded as the media player of choice and Sony has just revealed a new addition to its iconic family, the supermodel-thin S750. The audio and video player features noise canceling, audio enhancement technologies, a Karaoke mode and 50 hours of audio enjoyment on a single charge.

To some, the very first Walkmans were just annoying, tinny noise on an otherwise fairly quiet subway train. To those lucky enough to own one, though, they provided freedom from interfering radio DJ chatter, the ability to listen to a personal track list and a means to escape the dreary conversations of those around you. Sony has now announced the next addition to the brand, the S750 video MP3 player.
The player is shipped with EX vertical in-ear headphones and features digital noise canceling which is claimed to cut out about 98 per cent of background sound, allowing users to turn down the volume without losing audio clarity. Also included is a special adapter for air travelers who want to make the most of the Walkman's noise canceling capabilities while enjoying the in-flight entertainment.

 To some, the very first Walkmans were just annoying, tinny noise on an otherwise fairly quiet subway train. To those lucky enough to own one, though, they provided freedom from interfering radio DJ chatter, the ability to listen to a personal track list and a means to escape the dreary conversations of those around you. Sony has now announced the next addition to the brand, the S750 video MP3 player.
The player is shipped with EX vertical in-ear headphones and features digital noise canceling which is claimed to cut out about 98 per cent of background sound, allowing users to turn down the volume without losing audio clarity. Also included is a special adapter for air travelers who want to make the most of the Walkman's noise canceling capabilities while enjoying the in-flight entertainment.

All of these multimedia features, along with a battery claimed to give 50 hours of audio or 10 hours of video playback, has been squeezed into a form factor just 0.283-inch (7.2mm) thin. The Walkman S750 will be available in either 8GB or 16GB from October, although Sony's Japanese site also shows a 32GB version. There will also be a splash-proof dock available at the same time.

ideal for iPhone and iPad





Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard

 

To maximize portability, mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad eschew the traditional keyboard for on-screen versions. While on-screen keyboards may be tolerable for typing the odd text message or entering a few words into a search engine, their shortcomings quickly become obvious. With mobile devices now packing processors powerful enough to handle word processing and other more intensive tasks there is a market for physical keyboards to turn an iPad or even a smartphone into an ultraportable computer. One of the better solutions we’ve seen to fit this bill is the newly announced Jorno Bluetooth keyboard from Cervantes Mobile.
The Jorno Bluetooth keyboard is a physical full QWERTY keyboard boasting a full complement of function keys that folds down from its full size of 8.5 x 3.5 x 0.3 inches (21.59 x 8.89 x 0.76cm) to a pocket-friendly 3.5 x 3.5 x 0.9 inch (8.89 x 8.89 x 2.28cm) package weighing 8.8 ounces (250g). It is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that will give up to one month of wireless usage per charge based on normal usage and is recharged via an included Mini USB charging cable. Running with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR ensures compatibility with a wide range of mobile devices including Apple iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, RIM and Symbian devices.
 Cervantes Mobile is currently only taking preorders for the Jorno Bluetooth keyboard from the U.S. and Canada, with the asking price of US$79. After December 24, 2010 the price will increase to $99 with the device expected to ship early in 2011.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

New Technology in 2014




The Astonishing Tribe recently explored the future of touch screen technology, researched in captivity following an invitation to two weeks for an initiative called open innovation.
Without doubt, we the landscape of display technology in recent years had changed dramatically. The video above is a prediction for the year 2014, combined expandable screens, transparent screens and other interfaces for the exchange to be integrated into our daily lives.
Under the title “The future of display technology, this production is essentially” a video experience that the future of display technology displays for televisions elastic, transparent and displays e-ink displays, to name a few. “Continue reading to watch.

T-Mobile G2 official




T-Mobile G2 official, sports HSPA+ and Android 2.2

 

The follow-up to the Google sanctioned G1 smartphone is on the way and T-Mobile has released official details. The T-Mobile G2 gets Android 2.2, an 800 MHz Snapdragon MSM7230 CPU, applications like Google Voice Actions built-in and 4G speeds via the carrier's HSPA+ network2. The HTC-designed handset also includes a 3.7-inch multi-touch screen, an optical trackpad, a new hinge design for the full QWERTY keyboard and a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video capture.
HSPA+ support is built into the processor to achieve 4G speeds, with T-Mobile citing a theoretical peak capability of 14.4 Mbps on a network that currently "covers 100 million Americans in more than 55 major metropolitan areas."
What else? The integrated Voice Actions feature is worth noting (and as we reported earlier in the week, voice is really starting to go places), Android 2.2 brings seven customizable home screen panels and Flash support, there's 4GB of internal memory and support for up to 32 GB of external memory (with an 8GB micro SD card pre-installed), Swype text input, a 3.5mm headphone jack and the camera has an LED flash and autofocus.
There's no confirmation of a release date or pricing yet (the predictions are for a cost of US$200 on contract and $500 without) – T-Mobile says it will start taking pre-orders from existing customers later this month.

iPad rides shotgun




iPad rides shotgun thanks to car mount from Thanko

 Released this week, Thanko's Car Laptop Holder for iPad is a twist on the company's Car Laptop Holder from a few years back. We have to admit that the method of attachment is not the most elegant, but if you're a driver who needs an iPad in the cab then this might be for you. Just make sure you don't have the WiFi iPad, otherwise you'll probably be hanging out in the garage or parking next to Starbucks all the time.

Of course, drivers should always keep distractions to a minimum and one of the benefits of Thanko's solution is that it mounts on the passenger side (note that the pictures are from Japan, which has right-hand driving). The installation process looks a little tedious, as the kit is essentially an arm system that affixes to the rails underneath your passenger seat – though it's certainly a more favorable solution than some clumsy suction cup or windshield mounts on the market. The arm measures about half a meter (about two feet) and the angle can be adjusted in three places to create the best viewing position.
While Thanko is marketing this as an iPad mounting kit, it can also be used to hold things like digital cameras or camcorders, or you can even use it as a table. It will set you back 7980 yen in Japan (that coverts to just under US$100), so this is probably not a purchase you'll be making on a whim unless you truly have a need for it.
Personally I like Scosche's more elegant iPad mount far better, though I'm not sure it would be in my best interests to have an iPad mounted in the center of the dash. While it would be wonderful to have access to Google Maps on such a big display, I'm not sure that I'd want a screen display so high up in my field of vision.
Perhaps a wiser option would be to move your iPad to the backseat, particularly if you have kids back there prone to getting bored on long car trips. Luckily Thanko also has an iPod mount for the backseat. This set-up has a relatively sturdy attachment that connects to the headrest's metal supports. And while sturdy is generally a good thing, it might be wise to make sure your kids are buckled in nice and tight in case any sudden braking throws them forward and into your iPad.
This backseat kit will cost 3980 yen or about US$47 at the current exchange rate (15 year low at the moment, for dollar vs yen). Griffin makes a seat-back video case that's well worth a look too, at US$39.

Robots taught to deceive






Robots can perform an ever-increasing number of human-like actions, but until recently, lying wasn’t one of them. Now, thanks to researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, they can. More accurately, the Deep South robots have been taught “deceptive behavior.” This might sound like the recipe for a Philip K. Dick-esque disaster, but it could have practical uses. Robots on the battlefield, for instance, could use deception to elude captors. In a search and rescue scenario, a robot might have to be deceptive to handle a panicking human. For now, however, the robots are using their new skill to play a mean game of hide-and-seek.
Regents professor Ronald Arkin and research engineer Alan Wagner utilized interdependence theory and game theory to create algorithms that tested the value of deception in a given situation. In order for deception to be deemed appropriate, the situation had to involve a conflict between the deceiving robot and another robot, and the deceiving robot had to benefit from the deception. It carried out its dastardly deeds by providing false communications regarding its actions, based on what it knew about the other robot.

What it all boiled down to was a series of 20 hide-and-seek experiments. The autonomous hiding/deceiving robot could randomly choose one of three hiding spots, and would have no choice but to knock over one of three paths of colored markers to get there. The seeking robot could then, presumably, find the hiding robot by identifying which path of markers was knocked down. Sounds easy, except that sneaky, conniving hiding robot would turn around after knocking down one path of markers, and go hide in one of the other spots.
In 75 percent of the trials, the hiding robot succeeded in evading the seeking robot. In the other 25 percent, it wasn’t able to knock down the right markers necessary to produce its desired deception. The full results of the Georgia Tech experiment were recently published in the International Journal of Social Robotics.
“The experimental results weren’t perfect, but they demonstrated the learning and use of deception signals by real robots in a noisy environment,” said Wagner. “The results were also a preliminary indication that the techniques and algorithms described in the paper could be used to successfully produce deceptive behavior in a robot.”
The project was funded by the Office of Naval Research.



Electric bicycle




Electric bicycle range reaching the 100 mile mark
 Remember when the Segway was launched in 2001? The company proclaimed that it was going to revolutionize personal transportation, but... well, although Segways are still around, they’re hardly a common sight. What could soon be a common sight, however, are electric bicycles. While a variety of styles were on display at this year’s Eurobike show, commuting ebikes were by far the most common. An electric drive makes sense on a commuter – you still get some exercise and don’t have to register it as a scooter, yet you also don’t arrive at your destination all hot and sweaty. As with all electric vehicles, however, range is always an issue. That is now being addressed, however, with ebikes that can travel up to 160 kilometers (99.4 miles) on one charge. If your commute is longer than that, you really might want to consider, you know... driving.

The tradeoff with batteries has always been one of weight vs. range. Batteries with less cells tend to be lighter and less expensive, so they’re generally the way to go, unless you want to travel longer distances. German manufacturer Kalkhoff has kept this in mind with its new line of ebikes, which was presented at this year’s show. The bicycles are available with your choice of an 8, 12 or 18 amp-hour battery. Riders who just use their bike for popping up to the store could go with the 8, while more serious riders could get up to 140 kilometers (87 miles) out of the 18.
Giant bicycles is employing a similar strategy with its 2011 Twist ebike. Instead of swapping batteries, however, the rider can add a second one, to extend their range up to 160 kilometers. This figure has, not surprisingly, been disputed in at least one review.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

New Upcoming Mobile Phones from different companies



Upcoming New Mobile Phones
BenQ-Siemens Black Box concept phone   
GREEN PHONE
 BenQ-Siemens’ another concept phone
 Sony Ericsson Concept phone-I
 Sony Ericsson Concept phone-II
 Nokia Archive
NOKIA MORPH
NOKIA E97 ENVELOP
 NOKIA 888
 Nokia Aeon
 NOKIA KINETIC
 NOKIA SCREEN CHANGE CONCEPT
NOKIA REMADE
NOKIA 9900
 NEC Tag concept phone
 MAPLE WOOD PHONE
PLICA CONCEPT