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.”

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