Happy New Year

Wishing You All...Great, Prosperous, Blissful, Healthy, Bright, Delightful, Mind Blowing, Energetic, Terrific & Extremely HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009.

Let's pray it will be a year with New Peace, New Happiness and abundance of new friends.

Cherish each moment and Celebrate the blissful New Year.

May all your dreams come true.


Malini Gupta

Asus AIR3 Offers iPod Speakers with Internet Radio

Asus has announced AIR3, which integrates an iPod speaker with Internet radio. The AIR3 is equipped with HDSS (High Definition Sound Standard) certified speakers, and the ETL (Embedded Transmission Line) module within the chambers that provide natural, real and clear sound quality.

The AIR3 is compatible with all iPods (except iPod shuffle) and charges the iPod concurrently while playing audio files. It includes S-Video and composite video outs to display movies and photos from the iPod on TVs and LCD monitors connected. Multimedia players can be connected to the AIR3 via an Aux-In jack located at the back of the AIR3 and the bundled cable.

The internet radio feature is accessed over Wireless LAN 802.11b/g and gives users access to about 10,000 radio stations worldwide with a wide range of categories. It supports UPnP sharing, and thus allows for easy sharing of music with connected computer or users. It also provides weather forecasts for major cities around the world via the Internet.

We are yet to hear about the release date or the price of AIR3.

Super Talent Announces Enterprise Class UltraDrive SSDs

Super Talent has announced a new line of UltraDrive solid state drives (SSDs), the UltraDrive LE and the UltraDrive ME. Super Talent claims these enterprise class SSDs are twice as fast as the world’s speediest SATA hard drives.

Super Talent says the UltraDrive LE outperforms 10,000 RPM hard drives with sequential read/write speeds of 230/170 MB per second. The UltraDrive LE supports very high transaction speeds (IOPS). , the UltraDrive LE is based on SLC NAND Flash and is offered in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities.

According to Super Talent, UltraDrive ME SSDs represent the fastest available 2.5-inch internal storage solution for SATA-II notebooks with sequential read/write speeds up to 200/160 MB per second. UltraDrive ME use company’s third generation MLC NAND based SSD and is available in capacities up to 256 GB.

While the pricing is yet to be announced, Super Talent says both the UltraDrive LE and ME SSDs will be available in January 2009.

OCZ Unveils Vertex Series of SATA II Solid State Drive

OCZ has unveiled the Vertex SATA II 2.5” Solid State Drive (SSD) Series, offering high-performance and cost-efficient SSD for the enthusiasts demanding the latest technology.

The 2.5-inch SATA II SSD is MLC NAND-based and 200MB/sec read and 160MB/sec write speeds, and features up to 64MB onboard cache. OCZ says the Vertex Series is ideal for energy-efficient mobile computing to extend battery life and increase access time.

The OCZ Vertex drives feature a durable yet lightweight alloy housing. OCZ claims Vertex Series SSDs offer ultimate reliability with an excellent 1.5 million hour mean time before failure (MTBF). All Vertex Series SSD drives are backed with a two year warranty.

“The new Vertex Series of SSD drives are a premium MLC based SSD solution that are designed for consumers that require fast, rugged, and reliable solid state storage,” commented Eugene Chang, Director of Product Management for the OCZ Technology Group.

Vertex series SSD drives are available in ample storage capacities of 30GB, 60GB, 120GB, and 250GB for $129, $249, $469, and $869 respectively.

CyberPower Announces Power Video HD Workstations

CyberPower has announced Power Video series of custom-built desktop workstations, three models: the XE, XT and high-performance XI. Designed for videographers and video enthusiasts, the Power Video series have been custom-configured to provide a solid platform for high-def video playback, editing and rendering.

All Power Video series feature the Intel’s multi-core processor technology and nVidia or ATi graphics solutions with 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB of DDR2 or DDR3 memory. The PC can then be further customized with a range of SATA II hard drives or hard drive arrays as well as Blu-ray disc burners.

Standard features on each model include IEEE 1394 (DV iLink) and USB ports, a multi-format media card reader, support for 8.5 Dual-Layer DVD burning capability, and Asetek’s Liquid CPU Cooling System for efficient heat dissipation.

The standard configuration on the Power Video XE offers Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 at 2.4GHz, NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 16X PCI Express video card and 500GB SATA-II 7200RPM hard drive.

The Power Video XT features Intel’s Quad-Core 2 Quad Q9550 CPU at 2.83GHz, ATI Radeon HD 4850 PCI-E 16X 512MB video card and a one terabyte, SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM hard drive. An LG Blu-ray burner is included, along with a Sony Blu-ray player.

The pro-model Power Video XI includes a 2.93GHz Core i7 with 12GB of RAM. Both are set on Intel's X58 mainboard with SLI/CrossFireX support. It also offers 12GBs of DDR3 Triple Channel Memory and an ATI Radeon HD 4870 PCI-E 16X 512MB DDR5 video card. It includes a pair of one terabyte SATA II hard drives and a 64 BG 2.5-inch SATA SSD. Standard optical drives include LG’s 6X Blu-Ray Disc Rewriter and a Sony 2X Blu-Ray Player.

All three Power Video systems are available direct from CyberPower, with the XE prices starting at $985, the XT at $1,675 and the XI priced from $2,719.

LG Unveils Sunlight illuminated LCD Display

LG has announced a 14.1 inch LCD panel for notebook PC that is illuminated by sunlight instead of the backlight unit when used outdoors.

LG says the use of selective reflection plates in existing backlight panels enables the switch from reflective mode in a high luminance setting (sunlight) to transmissive mode in a low luminance setting (indoors and at night). The LCD panel allows users to easily switch from backlight use (transmissive mode) to outdoor reflective mode with the touch of a button.

It also provides a significant increase in battery life as the display’s outdoor energy consumption falls to one fourth the level of indoor energy consumption. The display also resolves visibility issues with a contrast ratio exceeding 9:1 when used outdoors in reflective mode.

LG Display will showcase its new 14.1 inch sunlight Illuminated LCD at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2009.

Asus Brings Completely Redesigned Eee PC 1002HA Netbook

Asus now offers the stylishly redesigned Eee PC 1002HA featuring a brushed aluminum LCD cover and palm rest, allowing it to feel exceptionally solid despite its thin stature.

Powered by Intel Atom N270 processor, Eee PC 1002HA is available with both Linux and Windows XP Home edition operating systems. It features a 10” LED-backlit display (1024 x 600 pixels), a digital array microphone, 1.3 megapixel built-in webcam and a built-in 4-in-1 card reader capable of reading MMC, SD, Memory Stick and MS-PRO media formats.

In addition to its 160GB of primary storage, Eee PC 1002HA comes with an exclusive 10 GB of file-encrypted online Eee Storage that allows you to store, share and access documents and multimedia easily on the move. It offers the latest wireless technology, including support for Bluetooth and blazing-fast 802.11n wireless connectivity.

A Multi-touch touchpad provides intuitive interactions between users and their multimedia via finger motions. It also offers a F9 Fast Recovery Key providing system recovery at a single touch.

Asus claims the Eee PC 1002HA can provide users with up to 5 hours of unplugged computing time. It weighs just 1.2kg with the battery attached and measures in at only 1-inch thick, thus offering users the legendary Eee PC mobility with ease of use.

The Asus Eee PC 1002HA is now available for $499.99.

Turn your email into a Google doc with Gmail

Have you ever thought an email would make a great starting point for a document. Gmail now brings to you an experimental feature for Gmail Labs that does just that: with one simple click, "Create a document" converts an email into a Google Docs document.

No more copying and pasting the text from your email -- just open the message you wish to convert, click the "Create a document" link on the right side of the page, and voila, you have a brand new document which you can then modify and share!



Even if you're not interested in converting any of your current messages into documents, you can easily open up a blank doc by hitting g and then w (just make sure you have keyboard shortcuts on).


To turn on this feature, go to the Gmail Labs tab under Settings, select "Enable" next to "Create a document" and hit "Save Changes" at the bottom.

Read more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.

Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Turn an email into a Google doc

Turn your email into a Google doc with Gmail

Have you ever thought an email would make a great starting point for a document. Gmail now brings to you an experimental feature for Gmail Labs that does just that: with one simple click, "Create a document" converts an email into a Google Docs document.

No more copying and pasting the text from your email -- just open the message you wish to convert, click the "Create a document" link on the right side of the page, and voila, you have a brand new document which you can then modify and share!



Even if you're not interested in converting any of your current messages into documents, you can easily open up a blank doc by hitting g and then w (just make sure you have keyboard shortcuts on).


To turn on this feature, go to the Gmail Labs tab under Settings, select "Enable" next to "Create a document" and hit "Save Changes" at the bottom.

Read more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.

Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Turn an email into a Google doc

Gmail offers fast PDF viewing right in your browser

When you receive a PDF, you may not always want to save it. Now Gmail offers you the facility to view the PDF in your browser.

You'll see a new "View" link next to PDF attachments you get in Gmail:


Clicking "View" quickly opens the PDF inside your browser, complete with the graphics and formatting you expect to see in a PDF.

If you want, you can still view in plain HTML from a link at the top of the new viewer. And if you want to download, save, and view your PDFs later while offline using client software, you can still do that by hitting the "Download" link.

Read more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.
Official Gmail Blog: Fast PDF viewing right in your browser

SanDisk Offers Secure USB Flash Drive For Mac

SanDisk reaches out to Mac users with SanDisk Cruzer Enterprise, the first secure USB flash drive to fully support Apple Mac OS X computers.

Cruzer Enterprise in Mac OS X and Windows PC environments has the same features and data security- even if used in both environments. Cruzer Enterprise safeguards all files stored on the drive with advanced hardware-based 256-bit AES USB encryption, combined with advanced password protection.

Features include log in and shut down access to the encrypted storage area, change and manage passwords. Users can also change contact information, language and other preferences, and also launch online support, view current firmware and drive information.

Available in 1, 2, 4 and 8GB configurations, Cruzer Enterprise supports Apple Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.4 ‘Tiger’ and Mac OS X 10.5 ‘Leopard.’

Existing Cruzer Enterprise can also be upgraded by downloading a firmware update available at http://www.sandisk-enterprise.com/macupdater.

Zepto Launches 12.1-inch Notus A12 Ultraportable

Zepto, after announcing the world's fastest 14-inch notebook with its Nox A14, is now offering 12.1-inch Notus A12 notebook.

The Notus A12 offers a screen resolution of 1,280 x 800. The heart of the system is an Intel Low Power CPU running 800MHz. It features 1GB of DDR2 RAM, an 80GB 4,200RPM SATA hard drive. It includes gigabit Ethernet, Wireless LAN 802.11 a/b/g. Operating system options include windows XP or Windows Vista.

Notus is designed to withstand accidents like the spilling of water on the keyboard. Zepto claims the 6 cell battery will last between five and ten hours of run time, depending on the usage.

The Zepto Notus A12 is priced at €1068.59 ($1,360) for the base configuration.

Send SMS from Gmail Chat

Gmail now offers a new Labs feature that lets you send SMS text messages right from Gmail. It combines the best parts of IM and texting: you chat from the comfort of your computer, and your friends can peck out replies on their little keyboards.

Just click on Settings, and go to the Labs tab. Scroll down until you see "Text Messaging (SMS) in Chat" and select Enable and Save Changes.

Currently works for cell phones in the United States only right now.

Read more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.

Official Gmail Blog: Really new in Labs this time: SMS Text Messaging for chat

Gmail Offers To Do List WIth Tasks

Gmail team now gives you a To Do list you can use right from within Gmail.



Take entering a new task: just click in an empty part of your list and start typing. No buttons to click and it's saved automatically. Hit Return and you've got a new task right there.

You can also easily convert emails into tasks: select one or more messages and go to More Actions > Add to Tasks. (Or turn on keyboard shortcuts and use + t.)



To enable Tasks, go to Settings, click the Labs tab (or just click here if you're signed in). Select "Enable" next to "Tasks" and then click "Save Changes" at the bottom. Then, after Gmail refreshes, on the left under the "Contacts" link, you'll see a "Tasks" link. Just click it to get started.

Read more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.

Get your free Gmail stickers

So you want the Gmail stickers! The Gmail team has designed and printed up a whole bunch.



There's the standard Gmail m-velope -- dressed up in glitter. One of three bookplate style stickers you can stick on anything from the inside of a favorite book to your laptop or your skateboard. And there's a sheet of keyboard shortcut stickers intended as a tool to help people learn Gmail's shortcuts. The adhesive is a bit more removable than standard stickiness, so you can take them off once you've trained your fingers.

So how do you get your stickers? Just send a self-addressed stamped envelope (along with a note if you're so inclined) to:

Send me some Gmail stickers already
P.O. Box 391420
Mountain View, CA 94039-1420

Make sure to include enough postage to return a sticker pack via U.S. mail. It's less than one ounce, so a standard $0.42 stamp will do if you're in the United States; enclose an international reply coupon (IRC) if you're outside of the U.S.

Nokia Unveils N97 With Touch Display Keyboard

Nokia has unveiled the ‘the world's most advanced mobile computer’ with N97.

The Nokia N97 offers a large 3.5" touch display with a full QWERTY keyboard, providing an 'always open' window to favorite social networking sites and Internet destinations.

The Nokia N97 offers 32 GB of on-board memory, expandable with a 16 GB microSD card, continuous playback time of up to 1.5 days. 5-Megapixel camera with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics, 16:9 and DVD quality video capture, and support for services like Share on Ovi for immediate sharing over HSDPA and WLAN, making it a ‘true mobile computer’.

The 16:9 widescreen display can be fully personalized with frequently updated widgets of favorite web services and social networking sites. The physical QWERTY and virtual touch input ensures efficiency in blogging, chatting or emailing. The integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass help the intuitively understands where it is. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information.

"From the desktop to the laptop and now to your pocket, the Nokia N97 is the most powerful, multi-sensory mobile computer in existence," said Jonas Geust, Vice President, heading Nokia Nseries. "Together with the Ovi services announced today, the Nokia N97 mobile computer adjusts to the world around us, helping stay connected to the people and things that matter most”.

Nokia says it expects to begin shipping N97 in the first half of 2009 at an estimated retail price of EUR 550.

Gmail now on your Google Desktop

Google now offers Gmail gadget at Google Desktop for Windows.

It covers the basics such as reading, searching, and sending messages. You can star messages and use the same keyboard shortcuts. It doesn't take up much space in your sidebar or desktop, and you can also resize it to show as few or as many messages as you'd like.



The Gmail gadget currently works with the latest release of Google Desktop for Windows. Try it out and please let us know what you think.

Official Gmail Blog: Gmail on your Google Desktop

Blockbuster 2Wire Launch MediaPoint For Movie Downloads

Blockbuster has introduced the 2Wire MediaPoint digital media player, offering movie fans instant access through their television sets to thousands of titles from the latest movie releases to classic favorites.

The MediaPoint player is being offered free with advance rental of 25 Blockbuster OnDemand films for $99. After the initial 25 rentals, movies will be available for as little as $1.99 each.

The MediaPoint digital media player works seamlessly with any broadband connection, either wirelessly via built-in Wi-Fi or wired via Ethernet cable. The player uses progressive playback, not streaming, so the video quality is consistent irrespective of the internet connection. Movies can be played right away or saved to watch later. Additionally, the player supports HD video content and can be connected to HDTVs. It can be integrated seamlessly into home entertainment systems through composite cable, HDMI, component cable, or Toslink.

"The MediaPoint digital player, featuring BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND, is entertainment made easy. We are bringing Blockbuster, and the thousands of movies in our digital library, straight to customers' televisions," said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO. "The player is simple to use, delivers DVD quality video, and there's no monthly subscription commitment.”

Toshiba To Introduce 16GB microSDHC

Toshiba has reinforced their memory card line-up with the launch of a 16GB microSDHC card. Toshiba further announced the addition of ultra fast read/write 8GB and 16GB SDHC cards to its line-up.

Weighing 0.4g, the 16GB microSDHC card supports class 2 SD speed with a maximum write speed of 6MB per second. It can store 270 hours of music at a bit rate of 128kbps.

All of the new SDHC memory cards comply with the SD memory standard Ver. 2.00. The two new SDHC cards support class 6 ultra fast read/write speed with a maximum write speed of 20MB per second.

Toshiba says the mass production of the new SDHC cards will start in December, while the production of new microSDHC card is slated to start in January 2009.

Fujitsu Siemens Offer New Theft Protection Solution For Notebooks

According to a survey, more than 50% of all business travellers have confidential company data on their notebook and 65% do not take any security precautions at all against loss or theft. As the number of notebooks with sensitive data being stolen is increasing rapidly in recent years, Fujitsu Siemens Computers has offered its latest security package based on the latest anti-theft technology from Intel and Computrace.

The complex anti-theft protection, that uses the security solutions SystemTrack and DataProtect, meets the increasing requirements of its customers for effective security concepts and company data protection. It will be available as an option in select ESPRIMO Mobile models and in the Lifebook T5010 and Lifebook E8420.

The users are required to register their laptops with the Computrace Customer Centre. In case of a theft or a loss, the customer can report to Computrace Customer Center directly by telephone or online, just like the loss of a credit card. While the SystemTrack tracks stolen hardware in real time and detects its location as soon as the device is connected to the Internet or Intranet, DataProtect is used for particularly sensitive data.

The support desk can access the system and save the confidential data centrally in the system or completely delete the data. If the device is returned to the customer, he can remove the protection and boot the system again using a special password.

FSC says the anti-theft protection solution will be available in selected models from the first quarter 2009.

HP Offers World’s First Multi Touch Consumer Notebook

HP has brought the multi-touch technology to consumer notebooks with TouchSmart tx2.

Described by HP as the industry’s first convertible notebook PC with multi-touch technology designed for consumers, TouchSmart tx2 is build upon the touch innovation developed by HP for its TouchSmart desktop PCs.

The tx2 gives customers the choice to set aside the keyboard and mouse in favor of a more natural user interface - the fingertip. The HP MediaSmart software suite on the tx2 allows users to more naturally select, organize and manipulate digital files such as photos, music, video and web content by simply touching the screen.

With the ‘capacitive multi-touch technology,’ the tx2 enables the use of gestures such as pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press and drag, and single and double tap. The convertible design with a twist hinge allows consumers to enjoy the TouchSmart in three modes: PC, display and tablet.

Hp’s tx2 is powered by the AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor or AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor and is built on Windows Vista Home Premium. It offers a 12.1-inch diagonal BrightView LED display.

The HP TouchSmart tx2 is available for ordering in the U.S. with a starting price of $1,149.

Syncing your Google Calendar

Google Calendar now supports the CalDAV protocol -- an evolving, open standard for calendar synchronization. So you can synchronize your calendars with a number of mobile devices and desktop applications.

Apple iCal and Mozilla Sunbird
You can now sync your calendar with applications that support CalDAV, such as Apple's iCal and Mozilla's Sunbird.

Microsoft Outlook
Google Calendar Sync for Outlook lets you sync events between Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar. You determine the direction of information flow, as well as the sync frequency. It's compatible with Microsoft Outlook versions 2003 and 2007, and operating systems Windows XP and Windows Vista.

BlackBerry mobile devices
Google Sync for BlackBerry synchronizes your device's native calendar with Google. It automatically runs in the background, so you can attend to other tasks and still be reminded of your appointments.

Android devices
It's easy to connect an Android-powered phone to Google Calendar using the phone's preloaded Calendar application. New events are pushed in real-time to your phone and any changes you make on-the-go are immediately available on the web.

Read the complete post at Official Gmail Blog: Syncing your Google Calendar

Read about more tech news at Best Software & Utilities.

Vers Introduces 1.5R iPod Clock Radio

Vers has introduced the new Vers 1.5R radio/alarm clock for iPod. Finished by hand, each Vers system takes over a week to build and each one is unique.

Slightly more compact than the company’s Vers 2X system, the 1.5R is designed with wood selected from managed plantation sources, 100% post-consumer recycled packaging materials and energy-efficient components.

The precision digital tuner, large, backlit LCD, and 15 watt full range speaker give the Vers 1.5R big system features and sound quality in a surprisingly compact package.

"We have to give credit to our customers for the 1.5R idea," says David Laituri, co-founder of Vers. "They asked for a compact AM/FM/iPod sound system with the natural 'Vers sound,' so we built it for them. We think of it as a 'hybrid' design, since it's a great bedside sound system, but really works well in any room of the home."

It plays and charges all docking iPods (except generation 3 iPod). It comes with an 18-function IR remote. Users can choose to wake to AM/FM radio or to music in their iPod.

Available in Cherry, Natural Walnut, Dark Walnut, Bamboo, Black Gloss and White Gloss, Vers 1.5R is priced at $200 -$220 depending on the finish.

Read more tech and gizmos news at getonweb.blogspot.com

Gmail now spiced up with colors and themes

Gmail is now offering 30 odd themes to spice up your inbox. There's a shiny theme with chrome styling, another one that turns your inbox into a retro notepad, nature themes that change scenery over time, weather driven themes that can rain on your mailbox, and fun characters to keep you in good company.




To customize your inbox, go to the Themes tab under Settings.

Read further at the Official Gmail Blog.

Read more gizmos news at Best Software & Utilities.

ASUS Unveils World’s Fastest Business PDA Phone

Asus has introduced the ASUS P565, powered by an 800 MHz processor, making it the fastest business PDA phone in the world.

This is a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional phone, featuring ASUS’ latest touch-driven user interface Glide, that Asus claims delivers ‘graphics and system performance beyond anything else on the market at present’. The fast processor renders the P565 particularly amenable to multitasking, while Glide enables users to switch between tasks rapidly with their fingertips.

The 2.8" touchscreen offering a resolution of 480 x 640 pixels, delivers clarity for both personal photographs and spreadsheets. It also offers 3 MP camera, 256MB flash memory and 128MB of DDR SDRAM, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, and a microSD slot with SDHC support.

The P565 also comes with a potent suite of business-oriented features and software, including push mail, business card recognition and Microsoft Office Mobile. Other useful applications such as Anytime Launcher and Multi-Home enable users to view their calendars, the times of local and visiting cities, weather reports, online news and much more. The talk time is 3 hrs with 3G and 4 hrs with 2G.

There is no word on availability or pricing yet.

Dell Expands Art House Series With Three Exclusive Product Red Designs

Dell has expanded its Art House offerings with the unveiling of the (Product) Red artwork for the Dell Studio laptops, supporting The Global Fund’s fight against AIDS.

The artwork exemplifies the unique visions of artists passionate about fighting AIDS in Africa. The artwork is permanently infused into the Dell Studio laptop’s display back. Dell says it is extremely durable, resists scratches and won’t fade.

Customers can personalize their Studio laptop with original artwork by three artists: Joseph Amedokpo, Siobhan Gunning and Bruce Mau.

“Dell continually innovates through offering unique ways for people to pursue their passions and express their individual style,” said Michael Tatelman, vice president, Dell global consumer sales and marketing. “By bringing these amazing artist designs together with a meaningful cause and our technology, we create new opportunities for self-expression.”

The Dell Studio 15 starts at $649 and the Dell Studio 17 starts at $799. Dell’s (Product) Red portfolio also includes the new XPS One 24 desktop, the Dell V505W all-in-one printer, XPS and XPS M1530 laptops.

For each Dell (PRODUCT)RED design purchased , Dell contributes $20 to the Global Fund, helping to save lives and eliminate AIDS in Africa.

Nokia Launches E63 Messaging Device

Nokia has announced the latest addition to its Eseries range with the new Nokia E63. Nokia says it has been designed for people who need to manage their business and personal lives equally well. Build on the foundation of the successful E71, the Nokia E63 brings the QWERTY keyboard form factor to a broader audience at a great price.

"The amazing response we have seen to the Nokia E71, which has very quickly become the best selling model in its category, let us know that we are heading in the right direction. People want a rich experience when using messaging, social networks and the Internet. With the Nokia E63 you can enjoy the web, update your status and work meaningfully with multiple email accounts," says Soren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Nokia.

With a single key press, users can switch from a view of corporate mail, appointments and intranet data, to a personal mode with a picture of friends, personal email and shortcuts to favorite hobby blogs or websites.

Nokia E63 includes Wi-Fi connectivity, easy access to Mail for Exchange and dedicated key access to contacts, calendar and email. Users can record and view images and videos on bright landscape display. They can listen to music downloaded from the Nokia Music Store, or other sources, via the standard 3.5 mm audio jack.

The Nokia E63 users also get free access to 1GB of online file storage on Ovi. It allows them to get remote access to their PC files even when their computer is offline.

Available in ruby red or ultramarine blue options, the Nokia E63 is expected to start shipping in the next few weeks for EUR 199, excluding taxes and subsidies.

Flip Intros MinoHD World’s Smallest HD Camcorder

Pure digital now lets you capture and share HD video in an easy and affordable way with its latest introduction - the Flip MinoHD.

The world’s smallest high definition camcorder, Flip MinoHD can record up to 60 minutes of HD video at 1280 x 720 resolution onto four gigabytes of onboard memory. The on-board application installs directly when connected to any PC or Mac. Drag-and-drop interface allows for easy browsing, playback, organizing and video archiving. You can also capture still photos from any standard or high definition video.

“Consumers have embraced Flip Video because it delivers on the promise of making video simple, affordable, and fun,” said Jonathan Kaplan, Pure Digital’s chairperson and CEO. “Flip MinoHD, along with our new FlipShare software, now make it easy for anyone to capture and share their stories in stunning HD quality.”

Flip claims the MinoHD is the first and only “designable” HD camcorder. Customers can choose from thousands of professional designs or custom-design their own Flip Mino or MinoHD at TheFlip.com with no extra cost.

You can also get your MinoHD in black at Amazon, BestBuy, WalMart and other leading retailers for $230.

Saitek Introduces Eclipse III Backlit Multimedia Keyboard

Saitek has unveiled the Eclipse III Backlit Multimedia Keyboard, a sleek backlit keyboard featuring touch-sensitive lighting and volume controls, and ergonomically placed shortcut keys.

The new Eclipse III Backlit Multimedia Keyboard features adjustable, multi color backlighting highlight key controls. The touch-sensitive control panel lets users change settings quickly and easily. Color and keyboard settings remain even after system reboot.

The two stage height adjustment and removable wrist rest increase user comfort. Offering laser-etched, soft touch, durable keys, the USB plug and play device includes pass through headphone and microphone audio ports for simple connectivity.

The pricing for the new Eclipse III Backlit Multimedia Keyboard has not unveiled yet by Saitek.

Cygnett Offers GrooveNeo iPod Speaker Alarm Dock

Cygnett has unveiled GrooveNeo dock, an iPod accessory that works as a speaker system and alarm clock. With GrroveNeo, you can wake up to your favourite iPod tracks, AM/FM radio or buzzer

It features large format digital time displays and touch-sensitive keys for easy programming and operation. The dual 2.75” full-range speakers bring power & energy to every track on your playlist with real-time bass response. The easy dock & play system charges your iPod while it plays.

A full-function remote is also provided to control both your iPod and GrooveNeo. The GrooveNeo dock is available now for $90.

ViewSonic Introduces Two Sleek 8 inch Digital Photo Frames

ViewSonic now offers you an excellent gift for anyone on your list, including yourself. It has introduced two new 8-inch digital photo frames, the DPG801BK and the DPG807BK. The digital photo frames include cutting-edge SwifTouch touch-screen technology to provide a clutter- and smudge-free display.

The digital frames sport 800x600 high resolution screen to displays your photos in beautiful color and vivid detail. 512MB of internal memory provides ample photo, video and music storage. You can enjoy your favorite MP3 music along with your photos.

Pictures can be easily uploaded to the frames through a thumb drive, memory card, USB cable or computer. You could also zoom in up to 16 times, browse thumbnails or create an image slideshow with transition effects and audio. The hidden control buttons illuminate to show your menu selections only when needed.

The DPG801BK can display Motion JPEG, while the DPG807BK can display MPEG1, MPEG4 and Motion JPEG for video.

The DPG801BK is available for $119, while you can have DPG807BK for $159.

Honda Unveils Experimental Walking Assist Device

Honda has unveiled its second experimental walking assist device that helps support bodyweight. It helps reduce the load on the user's legs while walking, going up and down stairs, and in a semi-crouching position. Honda claims the device is designed for people who are still capable of walking on their own.

The product has a relatively simple structure consisting of seat, frame, and shoes, and the user can put it on by simply wearing the shoes and lifting the seat into position. The structure to position the device between the user's legs minimizes the required footprint, therefore making it easier for them to maneuver.

Honda says the walking assistant offers a natural walking experience, which is achieved by changing the amount of assisting force applied to the right and left legs through the control of two motors based on the information obtained though sensors in the shoes of the device.

The company has been doing research on walking-assisted devices since 1999. Honda developed the knowledge required to develop the walking assist device from its thorough study of human walking represented by the research and development of Honda's advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO. Honda will now begin testing the device in real-world conditions to evaluate its effectiveness.

MSI Offers EX623 16-inch Notebook

MSI has recently introduced its 16-inch EX623 notebook. Based on Intel Centrino 2 Processor Technology, EX623 boasts a powerful NVIDIA Geforce 9500M GS graphic card with 512MB VRAM.

The 16:9 golden theatrical ratio display sports a 1366x768 resolution. A built-in 2.0 mega pixel webcam and an internal mic enables you to engage in real-time sharing and wireless communication.

MSI's Exclusive Cinema Pro Technology offers consumers the finest movie viewing experience. With a simple touch of the exclusive Cinema Pro button; you may immediately switch to Movie Mode. With ECO touch sensor, you can switch among the 5 different modes - Gaming mode, Movie mode, Presentation mode, Office mode, and Turbo Battery mode.

The standard 320GB hard disk drive comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium. EX623 is also equipped with up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi b/g/n, eSATA port, stereo speakers, subwoofer, a 3-in-1 card reader, and USB 2.0 port x3.

There is no word on availability and pricing as yet.

OCZ Introduces Solid Series 2.5" SSDs

OCZ has launched its new Solid Series of solid state drives offering consumers the latest storage technology at an affordable price. Solid series SSD drives are available in capacities of 30GB, 60GB, and 120GB. The drives feature a 2.5" design, measuring 100 x 70 x 9.3mm and weighing 77g.

With 155 MB/s and 90 MB/s read/write speeds and seek times of less than 0.35ms, OCZ claims it makes Solid series up to 10x as fast on a seek-time basis than the best performing 2.5” HDDs on the market.

The new Solid Series supports RAID and are shock resistant. The addition of a mini-USB port also makes it possible for customers to update firmware when the new version becomes available. This ensures compatibility with future platforms.

All Solid Series SSD drives are backed a two year warranty. These are not recommended for use in laptops models purchased prior to 2007.

Gmail now offers voice and video chat

Google has launched voice and video chat -- right inside Gmail. It is an easy-to-use, seamless experience, with high-quality audio and video -- all for free.

All you have to do is download and install the voice and video plugin. Once you install the plugin, to start a video chat, just click on the "Video & more" menu at the bottom of your Gmail chat window, and choose "Start video chat." You'll have a few seconds to make sure you look presentable while it's ringing, and then you'll see and hear your friend live, right from within Gmail. You can click the "pop-out" iconto make the video larger, or click the fullscreen iconin the upper left-hand corner for a fully immersive experience.

The feature has been designed using Internet standards such as XMPP, RTP, and H.264, which means that third-party applications and networks can choose to interoperate with Gmail voice and video chat. It could take a day or so for this feature to be available in all Gmail and Google Apps accounts. If you want to download the plugin right away, visit http://gmail.com/videochat.

And if you need a webcam, there are a few models with special discounts through November 30th.

Read more at Official Gmail Blog: Say hello to Gmail voice and video chat.

Panasonic Unveils Toughbook H1 For Medical Professionals

Panasonic has announced the Toughbook H1, the first fully-rugged mobile clinical assistant (MCA) designed specifically for the medical professionals. The new Toughbook H1 integrates the low power Intel Atom processor with six hour battery life, standard daylight viewable screen and integrated Gobi technology in a sealed and easily-sanitized package.

The Toughbook H1 has been designed for easy disinfection, reducing the risk of germs being spread from patient to patient. The device is the first MCA to offer a fanless design and also features a smooth surface with sealed buttons, a gapless LCD screen and no exposed ports.

The rugged H1 is MIL-STD-810F tested and is capable of withstanding three foot drops. It is water-, rain- and dust-resistance and can easily handle being repeatedly sprayed and wiped with disinfectant.

Other features include 80Gb of storage, 1GB of RAM, a 10.4-inch XGA screen that is touch sensitive, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The base H1 model is expected to start at $2,999 in the U.S. The Panasonic Toughbook H1 will be available worldwide in January 2009.

Alienware Unveils M17 Notebook Featuring Crossfire X Technology

Dell’s premier high-performance PC gaming brand Alienware has introduced the all-new M17 notebook. The 17-inch Alienware M17 offers High-Definition 1920 x 1200 resolution display for remarkable Blu-ray Disc and HD video playback.

Powered by the world’s first mobile quad-core processor, the Intel Core2 Extreme QX9300, Alienware M17 is their first notebook with ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU technology, featuring dual ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 cards.

More tech news at Best Software and Utilities.

Alienware Unveils M17 Notebook Featuring Crossfire X Technology

Dell’s premier high-performance PC gaming brand Alienware has introduced the all-new M17 notebook. The 17-inch Alienware M17 offers High-Definition 1920 x 1200 resolution display for remarkable Blu-ray Disc and HD video playback.

Powered by the world’s first mobile quad-core processor, the Intel Core2 Extreme QX9300, Alienware M17 is their first notebook with ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU technology, featuring dual ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 cards.

Users can configure up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, and up to 1TB of storage in RAID 0. Other options include Blu-ray, HDTV tuner, and a facial recognition sensor. In addition, all Alienware 7200RPM drives feature Free Fall Sensor technology to further protect your valuable data.

“By incorporating the all-out performance of CrossFireX graphics and quad-core processing into Alienware’s award-winning notebook lineup,” says Frank Azor, executive vice-president for Alienware’s Product and Marketing Groups, “the M17 delivers an impressive feature set at a price point that doesn’t break the bank.”

Alienware M17 is now available at a starting price of $1399.

Google Earth Now Available For iPhone and iPod Touch

The world just got a little bit smaller. Google Earth is now available for the iPhone and iPod touch, allowing you to fly to the far reaches of the world from the palm of your hand.

The touch interface of iPhone is a very natural way to interact with the Earth. Just swipe your finger across the screen and you fly to the other side of the globe; tilt your phone and your view tilts as well. You can pinch to zoom in or out, or just double tap with one finger to zoom in and two fingers to zoom out.

You can use the 'Location' feature to fly to your current location and also search for places, businesses, and landmarks around the globe with Google Local Search. You can even browse millions of geo-located photos from around the world or read Wikipedia articles.

The software is now available for download in 18 languages and 22 countries via iTunes App Store.

Read more at Official Google Blog: Introducing Google Earth for iPhone

Dell Announces New Line Of Business Desktops

Dell today announced a new line of OptiPlex commercial desktops. The new OptiPlex systems feature innovations in serviceability, manageability, security and power consumption.

The company is introducing four new platforms:

• OptiPlex 960 - Dell’s flagship, heavy-duty desktop enables up to 43 percent less power consumption to reduce energy costs over previous generation of OptiPlex desktops. The optional QuietKit technology reduces noise by as much as 60 percent. Available in three chassis styles (mini-tower, desktop and small form factor), the OptiPlex 960 starts at $863.
• OptiPlex 760 - Offering mainstream security, productivity and energy efficient features with improved management capabilities, the OptiPlex 760 starts at $593.
• OptiPlex 360 - It enables the performance needed to help customers build their business and drive essential office productivity. The OptiPlex 360 starts at $476.
• OptiPlex FX160 - Dell’s first thin client; supports embedded or streamed operating systems for virtual desktop implementations. The FX160 starts at $399.

Dell's new OptiPlex desktops are available worldwide, according to the company.

Dell offers Bigger Bolder XPS One 24

Dell has launched the XPS OneTM 24 and continues the (PRODUCT) RED program that contributes to the fight against AIDS in Africa. The updated design boasts a 24-inch, edge-to-edge 1080p HD display and premium JBL dual stereo speakers and sub woofer for immersive entertainment experiences.

The XPS One 24 is an all in one desktop PC integrating an array of sought-after features, including HDTV, DVR, optional Blu-ray Disc player and recorder, component stereo system, video phone, and media library.

The XPS One 24 features NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT video graphics for eye-popping visuals, while Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 quad core processor handles complex multimedia activities.

Each purchase of an XPS One 24 (PRODUCT) RED system contributes $50-$80 (depending on the configuration) to the Global Fund, which helps fight HIV and AIDS in Africa.

The XPS One 24 is available in the U.S. with price starting at $1,699.

OCZ Announces First 15” DIY Centrino 2 Gaming Notebook

OCZ has unveiled their latest 15”Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Gaming Notebook based on the Intel Centrino 2 platform. The laptop offers enthusiasts and gamers options to perfect their own mobile powerhouse for their own applications.

Featuring the Intel Centrino 2 platform, the 15.4-inch, 1280x800 notebooks OCZ DIY notebook comes equipped with ATI Raedon HD3650 GPU with 512MB of dedicated memory and DirectX 10.1 compatibility.

User-definable options include up to 8GB of DDR2 memory, along with a choice of hard drives ranging from 80 to 500GB at 5400/7200RPM. There is also a choice of optical drives between a dual-layer DVD drive and Blu-Ray player.

The rest of the specs include HD surround sound, A4-sized keyboard with a Vista key and a 6-cell battery.

OCZ is offering one year of warranty for the notebook, as well as LCD and the battery.

Your Gmail, wherever you are on the web, with Toolbar

If you're using Google Toolbar 5 for Internet Explorer (or Toolbar's Firefox version), you can add the Gmail custom button to make your life easier. With the Gmail button, you can get new message alerts, see previews of your mail and use Toolbar's search box to find any message no matter what page you're on.


Google Toolbar also has a "Send to" feature: when you click on the "Send to" icon, a Gmail compose window opens that automatically includes a link to the page you're currently on and any text you have highlighted on that page. This makes it easy to email your friends interesting pages you come across as you browse the web.

You can also add Google gadgets to your Toolbar to bring your favorite websites and online services closer to you.

Read complete post at Official Gmail Blog.

Google delays SMS Text Messaging for chat

Google had rolled out a new feature to Gmail Labs that lets you send SMS text messages right from Gmail. It combines the best parts of IM and texting: you chat from your computer and reach your friends no matter where they are.

But they found a glitch. When you'd try to turn it on, it wouldn't fully enable. So they've pulled SMS chat back to fix it. It will probably be back within 2 weeks, so stay tuned.

Read more at Official Gmail Blog: Almost new in Labs: SMS Text Messaging for chat

Samsung Announces I7110 Smartphone Based On Symbian OS

Samsung has announced the I7110, the latest slim and sleek bar type smartphone based on S60 and Symbian OS.

The I7110 offers a 2.6” AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen, to deliver outstanding experiences in navigation, multimedia, and connectivity. The AMOLED screen provides sharp images even under intense sunlight.

It also offers 5 megapixel camera featuring auto focus and LED flash, offers advanced video recording and play features and supports multi-codec formats including DivX. 50MB of internal memory and a SDHC-supported micro SD slot allows users to store digital contents up to 16GB.

It also boasts geo-tagging and navigation capabilities in pedestrian and driving modes. The FM transmitter enables drivers to receive the voice navigation guide via car speakers. The I7110 comes equipped with HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity. The smartphone’s 1,200 mAh battery can facilitate up to 11 hours of talk time and extended multimedia experience.

While the price has not been revealed, Samsung is planning to release their new Symbian based i7110 smartphone in Russia from November 2008.

Hammer Introduces Morespace Portable Hard Drive storage

Hammer Storage has introduced morespace Portable, a compact, lightweight portable hard drive that allows users to instantly add more space to both PCs and Macs.

With a skinnable face and compact design, morespace Portable features a 2.5 inch drive with capacities ranging from 160GB to 750GB. The USB 2.0 device weighs just 5 ounces and is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket, allowing consumers to take data with them wherever they go.

Morespace Portable sets itself apart by the use of customizable skins - which also protect it from scratches. One skin is included with the morespace Portable unit to get consumers started.

"Morespace Portable is the perfect answer for the consumer that needs more storage capacity immediately, and needs to be able to take it with them and access it in multiple locations. Hammer Storage is able to break down cost barriers by utilizing Bell Micro's market leadership in hard disk drives and storage, giving us the ability to offer morespace Portable at the extremely competitive price point of less than 26 cents per GB of storage," said Andy Dorian, retail value add manager for Bell Microproducts.

While the price has not been revealed, Morespace Portable is expected to be available in early 2009.

Google Now Indexes Scanned Documents

Google has announced that it is now indexing scanned documents. It is now able to perform OCR on any scanned documents that is stored in Adobe's PDF format. This Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology is able to convert a picture (of a thousand words) into a thousand words -- words that can be searched and indexed, so that these valuable documents are more easily found.

This is a small but important step forward in making all the world's information accessible and useful.

Scanning is the reverse of printing. Printing turns digital words into text on paper, while scanning makes a digital picture of the physical paper (and text) so you can store and view it on a computer. The scanned picture of the text is not quite the same as the original digital words, however -- it is a picture of the printed words. Often you can see telltale signs: the ring of a coffee cup, ink smudges, or even fold creases in the pages.

To people reading these documents, the distinction between words and pictures of words makes little difference, but for a computer the picture is almost unintelligible. Consider a circle. Should it be read it as a zero, the letter 'O', just a circle, or the ring from my coffee cup? People learn to answer this kind of question very quickly, but for the computer it is a painstaking and error-prone process.

To see the new system at work, click on these search queries. Note the document excerpt in the search results, along with the full text presented after the 'View as HTML' link:

[repairing aluminum wiring]
[spin lock performance]

Read the complete post at Official Google Blog: A picture of a thousand words?

Google Earth Now Available For iPhone, iPod Touch

The world just got a little bit smaller. Google Earth is now available for the iPhone and iPod touch, allowing you to fly to the far reaches of the world from the palm of your hand.

The touch interface of iPhone is a very natural way to interact with the Earth. Just swipe your finger across the screen and you fly to the other side of the globe; tilt your phone and your view tilts as well. You can pinch to zoom in or out, or just double tap with one finger to zoom in and two fingers to zoom out.

You can use the 'Location' feature to fly to your current location and also search for places, businesses, and landmarks around the globe with Google Local Search. You can even browse millions of geo-located photos from around the world or read Wikipedia articles.

The software is now available for download in 18 languages and 22 countries via iTunes App Store.

Read the complete post at Official Google Blog: Introducing Google Earth for iPhone

New in Gmail Labs: Calendar and Docs gadgets

Gmail team has launched a few Labs experiments that let you add gadgets to the left-nav, next to Chat and Labels.

To get you started, they have worked with the engineers from the Calendar and Docs teams on two highly requested features: a simple way to see your Google Calendar agenda and get an alert when you have a meeting, and a gadget that shows a list of your recently accessed Google Docs and lets you search across all of your documents right from within Gmail.


There's a third Lab that allows you to add any gadget by pasting in the URL of its XML spec file (e.g. http://www.google.com/ig/modules/youtube_videos.xml).

A couple of notes:

(1) Try out Anatol's Navbar drag and drop Labs feature so you can easily re-order all the boxes on Gmail's left hand side.

(2) Not all gadgets are fully compatible with https, so if you're connecting to Gmail via https, you may see mixed content warnings caused by parts of the gadgets being served over http.

Read the complete post at Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Calendar and Docs gadgets

Gmail offers new emoticons

Gmail present, in all their technicolor glory, emoticons in your mail.

No more will you have to settle for a ;) when you can have a . Out with the "XOXO" and in with the . And of course, when the bad news smells really bad, transcends all words.

Raise your and welcome in the colorful new world of Gmail

Read more at Official Gmail Blog: A picture is worth a thousand words.

Motorola Aura Luxury Phone Inspired By Luxury Watches

Motorola has introduced the Aura, a handset inspired by luxury watches and fine handcrafted design.

It offers world’s first 16 million color, circular display with 300 dpi resolution. It has Swiss-made main bearing, which serves as the foundation, while the 62 Carat Lens is created from Grade 1 62-carat sapphire crystal - one of the most scratch-resistant materials on earth.

The Stainless steel housing has chemically etched textures and patterns. Its custom-engineered rotating mechanism is composed of more than 200 high-precision individual parts.

It comes with Motorola’s CrystalTalk technology that takes AURA to the highest level of audio clarity on every call.

“AURA is Motorola’s latest endeavor into the high-tier mobile device space and is the result of our continued inspiration to innovate in design, imagination and state-of-the-art handcraftsmanship,” said Jim Wicks, corporate vice president and director of Consumer Experience Design, Mobile Devices, Motorola. “From the moment AURA owners hold their phones, they elevate their own experience in luxury and unmatched quality.”

AURA is expected to be available around the globe beginning in Q4 2008.

More changes to Gmail contact manager

Gmail has made some changes to it's contact manager. Up to this point, if you emailed someone five times, the contact was moved into My Contacts. Now, it will no longer be automatically added to your My Contacts group. Instead, you can go to Suggested Contacts, select the contacts you'd like and move them into My Contacts. All of your contacts -- whether they're in My Contacts or Suggested Contacts -- will continue to show in auto-complete as you're composing messages.

You can read the complete post at Official Gmail Blog: More changes to Gmail contact manager.

Gmail Labs Now Offer Canned Responses

Gmail labs now offer the latest Labs feature: Canned Responses, or email for the truly lazy.

If you're sick of typing out the same reply every time someone emails you with a common question, now you can compose your reply once and save the message text with the "Canned responses" button. Later, you can open that same message and send it again and again.





Turn on Canned Responses in Labs, and you can set a filter to grab one of your saved responses, create an automated reply, and hit the Send button for you.














You can also set up different automated messages for different keywords. Ain't that cool!

Now you just have to turn on Canned Responses in Labs.

Read more at Official Gmail Blog: New in Labs: Canned Responses