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Thursday, September 1, 2011

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HTC Titan and Radar WP7 Mango phones revealed, we go hands-on

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT

HTC just threw two new Windows Phone handsets down on the table and politely requested that we be impressed. The high-end Titan (previously leaked as the 'Eternity') is indeed an awe-inspiring brute, wielding a 4.7-inch SLCD display, 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing snapper to take full advantage of Mango's newfangled Skype integration. Its over-sized guts include a single-core 1.5GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and up to 16GB of fixed flash storage. Meanwhile, the Radar (which also recently leaked out as the 'Omega') comes significantly less pumped in order to meet a lower price point and -- we suppose -- the expectations of a more mainstream audience. It can be seen as an updated Trophy, with similar weight and dimensions, plus the same 3.8-inch LCD, 1GHz processor clock speed, 5MP rear camera resolution, RAM and maximum 8GB fixed storage. The key upgrades involve the cameras: HTC says it has an improved wide-angle lens on the rear, plus of course there's the VGA front-facer. Although HTC intends to update its existing WP 7 range to Mango starting in mid September, the Titan and Radar will be the company's first innately Mango-fied devices when they arrive in early October. What do we make of them? By all means, click past the break to find out.
HTC Titan hands-on

HTC Radar hands-on


Titan


We ought to clarify that the software on both new devices was pre-release and still had bugs to be ironed out, so we can only focus on the hardware here. Head over to our Mango preview if you want a better idea of the update has in store, but for now the Titan's colossal figure gives us plenty to talk about.


For a start, the question must arise as to whether 4.7-inches is too big for a smartphone. That's an easy one to answer: the Titan feels just fine in the hand and not too bad in the pocket either, thanks to its 9.9mm (0.39-inch) profile and reasonable 160g (5.6-ounce) weight. Even the 70.7mm width and 131.5mm height don't seem too problematic, unless you're a member of the skinny jeans brigade or your pockets suffer from diagonal phone syndrome -- you know, where it just won't sit right and the corners jut out everywhere. It's also worth pointing out that this phone is not the biggest we've seen (the Acer Iconia Smart is 4.8 inches, for example), and judging from the just-announced Samsung Galaxy Note (which is admittedly not a phone), manufacturers are banking on this big-but-skinny form factor becoming all the rage.


More importantly, the Windows Phone OS and its vertically-scrolling live tiles are particularly well suited to a greater screen acreage: almost every bit of it is put to good use, but Microsoft's minimalist design stops it from feeling overcrowded. The WP onscreen keyboard also comes to life at this size, turning what was already one of the best typing experiences around into something even more special.

There is one major let-down however: the screen is just 800x480, which is lower than the Iconia Smart and the same resolution as the Radar's screen. We have to admit, we didn't notice a great deal of pixellation on the SLCD panel, which was generally sharp, bright and had great viewing angles. That said, HTC is a plain cheap skate for boosting size so massively without adding a single pixel.



We're almost prepared to forgive this, however, thanks to the Titan's build quality. The black-painted metal unibody case feels fantastic, with just a small bit of plastic at the bottom to allow the aerial to do its job. The way the case peels off to reveal the core of the device is also distinctly pleasurable. The only weakness we spotted with the build was the paint job: we saw a device that had been used by an HTC person as their regular phone and the paint had chipped off at the corners to reveal the aluminum glistening underneath.

Radar


Where the Titan stomps, the Radar merely beeps. It's doesn't strike us as a bad phone by any means, but there just isn't a great deal to say about it. The 10.9mm thickness is adequate, while the 137g weight, 61.5mm width and 120.5mm height are all par for the course. Below is the grey Radar side-by-side with the older Trophy on the left.


Like the Titan, the rear camera claims an f2.2 maximum aperture along with a back-lit sensor to aid low-light performance and there's also an LED flash and 720p video recording -- but we can't judge it until we get some proper review time. It's too late in the game to get excited about the front-facing camera, which Windows Phone ought to have supported from the get-go. Making the camera VGA was a miserly decision in any case. Some people will also be put off by the lack of a removable battery and the grey variant's dull coloring -- the white version actually looked a lot more lively, if that's your thing. Ultimately, one of the best aspects of this camera is the fact that it's designed to work with the latest and greatest version of WP7 -- an update that we expect will do a lot to improve the appeal of Microsoft's mobile OS.


One last tidbit before we go: both the Radar and the Titan will have optional dock accessories, which will help them to function as alarm clocks while they're charging overnight.

Boogie Rip eWriting pad stylus-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 11:07 AM PDT


Hey, remember that new product from Improv Electronics that we told you about yesterday? We managed to sneak in some time with the device today at IFA, and we have to say, we like what we see. The Rip (that's "Record. Image. Preserve.") is the latest addition to the Boogie eWriter line, devices that let you scribble notes and drawings and can be wiped away with the press of a button (think a more legible Etch A Sketch). The Rip ups the ante with the addition of a microUSB port, which lets you transfer notes as PDFs to your computer.

Improv was careful to point out that the device is currently in prototype mode, so we won't hold too much again the company for the product's plasticy feel -- though, if its predecessor is any indication, the final version likely won't be too far from this one, and the company confirmed that the final version will have the same charcoal color. And while the product is indeed plasticy, it certainly feels sturdy. More after the break.
Boogie Board Rip eWriting pad hands-on

Writing on the thing is quite simple for anyone who has ever used a stylus before (you know who you are), and erasing is done quite simply, with the push of a button. There's also a Save button, which let's you hold onto notes for posterity.

All in all, this is a pretty exciting device for those who want simple note taking functionality, but don't want to go all out with, say, a Samsung Note. Pricing hasn't yet been finalized on the device, but it will be a bit more expensive than its predecessor at a little over $100. It should be available around November. Check out a hands-on video below.


Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Invoxia NVX 610 desktop VoIP phone for iPhone and iPad hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 10:43 AM PDT


If we're going to spend $599 on a phone for our phone, it needs to offer unparalleled audio quality, absolutely seamless device integration, and a drop-dead gorgeous design. Invoxia, a new entrant to the world of VoIP telephony, claims to have created just that, with its NVX 610. The desktop unit uses an iPhone (or iPod touch or iPad) app as its control interface -- the hardware itself includes only touch-sensitive volume, mute, speakerphone, and voicemail keys. With the exception of accessing your iOS device's address book, however, all of the phone's hardware is self-contained. Calls are processed using the built-in ARM Cortex-A8 processor, and can be made via Skype or any third-party SIP. You can also take incoming iPhone calls using the handset or speakerphone, but all outgoing calls are processed using VoIP, not your iPhone's mobile network. We took a peek at the NVX 610 at IFA, and definitely liked what we saw. Jump past the break for our initial impressions, and a (somewhat noisy) intro video from Invoxia CEO Serge Renouard.
Invoxia NVX 610 Desktop VoIP Phone for iOS (hands-on)


From what we saw, the NVX 610 appeared to be conceptually sound, though because of connectivity issues we were only able to listen to a simulated demo mode. The device connects to your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad using the 30-pin dock connector, or over Bluetooth (a built-in connector and attachments can fit a variety of iPhones and iPod touches, and you can connect your iPad using an Apple-supplied dock connector cable). Renouard insisted that audio quality was identical when making actual phone calls, and if that's really the case, we could easily see this replacing both corporate desk phones, which can sometimes cost close to the 610's $600 retail price, and conference room speakerphones, which occasionally cost even more. And since the device can access your iPhone or iPad's address book, being able to use multiple phones in the office while maintaining access to all of your contacts could prove invaluable.



One of the phone's most useful features is its position-based audio in speakerphone mode. If both callers are using the 610 and this mode is enabled, it uses eight microphones and eight speakers to differentiate between users based on where they're sitting in a room. Callers sitting to the left of their phone will be heard from the left speakers, for example -- particularly helpful when you're talking to multiple people speaking from the same conference room. There's also a similar mode for music playback (yes, you can play music from iOS as well). Pink Floyd's Money definitely offered fuller sound in this multi-position mode, though it's difficult to provide a more detailed analysis since our demo was in the construction zone that surrounded the Invoxia booth. It's easy to imagine the 610 providing better sound in a quiet office, and music playback obviously isn't a key feature of a VoIP phone.




Overall, the Invoxia NVX 610 is an elegant desktop VoIP solution. All of the hardware is self-contained -- iOS is really only used to manage the address book, display visual voicemail, adjust settings, and dial phone numbers. It's more than just a speakerphone and handset dock -- all calls are processed within the desktop device itself. $599 is far more than you'll want to spend to install this at home (Renouard says a cheaper home unit is in the works), but for businesses used to spending at least this much for each enterprise user, we could see this being a hit. The phone is now available on Invoxia's website, with an "introductory" $499 price tag.


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The desktop phone meets Darwin.

invoxia - telephony's year one.

Today, 135 years after the telephone was invented, invoxia is finally revolutionizing the desktop phone. By selecting the iPhone to serve as its interface, invoxia has reconciled the world's smartest mobile solution and the requirements of sedentary business. Ease of use, revolutionary ergonomics, sleek design, amazing acoustics, dramatic sound spatialization and disruptive technologies are all hallmarks of this wholly new tool, marking the advent of sensory telephony. With this, invoxia is determined to set a new global benchmark for the office desktop phone.

Invoxia has decided to turn the world of business telephony on its head and create an aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly object more consistent with the world we live in.

Says Serge Renouard, Invoxia co-founder: "Eric Carreel and I made the observation that business telephony had never really moved forwards. Existing devices are highly complex and, surprisingly, unable to provide levels of service comparable to what consumer mobile handsets - such as the iPhone - can offer. With Invoxia, we are seeking to create a device featuring the best technology in order to achieve unparalleled efficiency and quality".

The invoxia NVX 610 is the first desktop IP phone that uses the iPhone as its control interface to radically simplify business telephony. With its ultra-innovative acoustic design, it offers unparalleled sound quality in both handsfree mode and personal communications (using the handset).

The invoxia phone features 8 wide-bandwidth speakers and 8 digital microphones. When used in "conference" mode, it will have the capacity to perform virtual placement of remote speakers in the room, as well as automatic local speaker localization to create the feel of a physical conversation. Users benefit from the full potential of In Vivo Acoustic technology, with its echo and background noise cancellation systems.

While regular office phones come with hundreds of keys and features that no one understands, invoxia features only the essential: a control to pick up incoming calls in speaker mode and adjust the volume, and a mere two touch-sensitive "mute" and voicemail keys. With the iPhone as an interface and free application available from Apple's App Store, using the invoxia could hardly be more intuitive.

The invoxia unifies your mobile and professional contacts in the same directory, and lets you pick up calls to your mobile directly from its high-quality handset. The phone seamlessly handles incoming calls on both the mobile and landline.

Its exclusive design makes it uniquely well suited to modern office environments. For added fun, invoxia comes with a set of 3 smart holders (magnetic handset holders) that can be changed to suit your mood or style.

The product is available from www.invoxia.com priced at 417.22 € excl. VAT ($599 excl. VAT). invoxia is made for iPod touch (3rd & 4th generation), iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2 and iPad.

The fast-changing world of telephony

VoIP has so far been considered merely as a way to keep costs down, and it is true to say that it has now taken a foothold in almost every home and business. But more than this, VoIP also offers a chance to drastically improve the audio quality of phone conversations by leveraging the Internet's resources and IT devices' computing power. invoxia has explored these new capacities in a bid to turn business telephony on its head and introduce totally new levels of quality in phone sound and user experience.

The user at the centre of a revolution in usages

Apple's global success - notably that of the iPhone - is evidence of the triumph of the user. In massively adopting the iPhone, users have voted for a high-quality, ergonomic and intuitive device. This revolution has significantly reshuffled the cards, with leading Telco's dominant position now under threat.

Devices for the general public outperform professional tools

When Apple started to offer truly intuitive, powerful and user-friendly devices that won over the general public, a rift appeared with the business world, where users gradually gave up the professional devices supplied by their management and started using their own smartphones. Today, about half of all smartphones and 70% of iPads used for work are purchased by employees themselves. A Forrester survey released in July 2011 shows that within the next few years, touch-screen smartphones and tablets will be the norm in business environments, with 60 million tablets and 175 million smartphones used at work by 2015.

Employees imposing their own preferences

In the US, as in Europe and Asia, the iPhone and iPad – although see as costly – are experiencing high growth in business environments. Today, even CIOs in large companies - not to mention small and micro-business – are letting employees get their hands on an iPhone: Disney, Deutsche Vermögensberatung, the Financial Times, Korean Telecom, M6, Novartis, Hyatt Hotels... The iPhone has even been selected as the sole smartphone across Total group, and is now enjoyed by 5 000 executives of the French oil major.

Business telephony can no longer afford to ignore Evolution

Like some sort of fossil from the past, business telephony has experienced very little change over the decades in terms of design and features. Quite naturally, the gap in ergonomics and quality between our desktop and smartphones has become blatant. What do users make of the massive dinosaurs sitting on their desks, even more so as actually using them remains a mystery? (Office phones offer up to 300 features - but even an advanced user, at best, hardly knows how to forward a call...). That's why invoxia is setting out to put an end to this historical and technological aberration!

Matchless sound quality and performance

High-definition sound technology delivers acoustic comfort yet unparalleled in a phone. The device reflects the subtle nuances of the speakers' voice. This comfort is most perceptible in a conference setting, when the phone renders voices in spatial way all around the room. All of the speakers seem to be seated at the same table: conversations are easier to follow, less exacting, more focused on the essentials. The ability to distinguish sounds, to filter out background noise and concentrate what people are saying, even in motion, also helps to optimise listening comfort.

Ultra-intuitive navigation

The desktop phone's operation is based on the iPhone (or iPad / iPod touch). Through its user- friendly, smart and intuitive invoxia application, the user moves in a familiar environment. Its unified interface brings together all contacts (mobile and office) and all incoming calls are received on the same device (iPhone or invoxia desktop phone). Landline/mobile convergence increases the productivity and ease of use of business communication tools.

Ease of use

The invoxia phone leverages all of the iPhone's unique features, which cuts down on the need for multiple interfaces, such as screens or keyboards, while offering innovative and accessible services. In a time when office phones are becoming increasingly complex, this device goes against the flow and focuses on useful core features, such as call forwarding, conference mode or voice mail...

Automatic setup

The invoxia application - available free from Apple's App Store - is designed to maximize user experience. It will reflect a constantly-changing selection of Voice over IP providers. When creating their invoxia settings, users will simply tap on their operator's tab to obtain an automatic connection, as simply as with the email setup on Apple devices. Invoxia is compatible with any operator using SIP technology.

A smart object

The connected device can perform all software updates remotely. It's an ever-changing appliance, not made obsolete by technology, but constantly improved and enriched with new services and applications. It is also a durable device that will change with the user as it follows the iPhone's own evolutions.

Invoxia does its share in protecting the planet

Particular attention was given to energy usage throughout the design process. For instance, ARM processors were selected for their notoriously low power consumption. The use of noble materials such as stainless steel and glass encourages recycling. In standby mode with an Ethernet connection, the phone consumes nothing at all. Product packaging also makes extensive use of recycled materials.

Technical specs

• In Vivo Acoustic Technology:
o 8wide-bandwidth speakers,
o 8digitalmicrophones.
• Full duplex hands-free
• Background noise cancellation
• Wired handset with High-Definition sound
• Bluetooth® 2.1
• Incoming GSM call answer in hands-free mode or on the wired handset.
• Unified corporate/mobile phonebook
• 2 Ethernet Gigabit ports with built-in PoE
• 2 USB ports
• Support for the main wideband codecs

1-year guarantee

Designed by invoxia in Paris Assembled in China

Meizu tablet case patent application hints at slate plans

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 10:25 AM PDT

Meizu Tablet Case
Like most other mobile companies out there, it appears Meizu is looking to branch out from cellphones to tablets. It's a little too early to say for sure what the manufacturer's plans are, but a recent patent filing by Jo Young Soo, Meizu's lead designer, with China's SIPO (State Intellectual Property Office) gives a hint that a slate may be in the works. The application isn't for a tablet, per se, but for a protective case that holds a tablet and keyboard. Now, it's quite a leap from case to tablet, but Meizu doesn't seem like the type of company to suddenly jump into the third-party iPad accessory market. Obviously we'll just have to wait and see what happens, but don't be shocked if the Chinese manufacturer hops into the Honeycomb fray soon.

Pogoplug Mobile hands-on

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 10:03 AM PDT


The cloud is huge (well, infinite, really), and everybody wants their piece. Pogoplug has been a player since the beginning, albeit with a somewhat convoluted setup process, so it's no surprise that the drive-to-web plug appliance company is ready to push out a smartphone-friendly version. Pogoplug Mobile, as it's to be known, brings much of its big brother's functionality (you won't be able to "mount" remote drives) to smartphones, tablets, and dedicated desktop apps. Want to load some photos from your 4 terabyte hard drive in San Fran while you're on the subway in Tokyo? Simply launch an app, sign in with the username and password you registered during the seconds-long setup process, and you're on your way. You can even email photos (links to images on your remote drive -- you won't be using data), post them to social networking sites, or transfer new ones that you shot with the phone. The concept is certainly familiar, but we got to take a look at Pogoplug's interpretation at IFA in Berlin. Jump past the break to see what we thought.
Pogoplug Mobile (hands-on)

The first thing you'll probably notice is that this Pogoplug isn't a plug at all, much like the Pro. Instead, it's a standalone device (similar in size, though not in shape to the latest-gen Apple TV), with external power adapter and all. There's an Ethernet port, along with a pair of USB ports (one can be used to connect a WiFi dongle, though you won't find it in the box). External design obviously isn't all that critical, since you'll (hopefully) never see the device again once it's all set up. Inner beauty is what we're looking for here, and in our somewhat limited time with the Mobile, the interface looked to be fast, intuitive, and efficient.

While the original Pogoplug is marketed towards power users, the Mobile model has cloud newbies in mind, providing a dead-simple setup process and mobile interface. There are mobile apps for Android and iOS, and Mac and Windows desktop apps as well. You can access all of your files -- from MP3s to PDFs to proprietary doc formats -- remotely. Compatible media can be viewed with the app, while more obscure files can be downloaded, posted online or emailed. You can read Microsoft Office files, but you'll need a desktop app to edit them, then save changes to the cloud -- sadly there's no-file-too-obscure magic editor. We accessed a remote Mobile during our IFA demo, and images appeared almost instantly, likely because the Pogoplug automatically creates all the necessary thumbnails whenever you add an image, so original photos aren't sent -- unless you choose to download them, of course.

There's certainly nothing groundbreaking here, though this is definitely a logical next step for Pogo. But if you already have the storage and really want the cloud (including a way to access files from your mobile devices), the $79 Pogoplug Mobile will be ready to join your interconnected arsenal on October 1st.
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Pogoplug Introduces New Hardware - Pogoplug Mobile

Enables streaming of photos, music and video libraries from home to mobile phones and tablets, and offers automatic, secure backup of mobile content

San Francisco, California – September 1, 2011 – Cloud Engines, Inc., creators of the Pogoplug multi-media streaming service, today unveiled their first mobile-focused hardware product with a sleek new design. Pogoplug Mobile serves as a mobile cloud companion, freeing devices from storage limits by allowing users to stream entire libraries of photos, music and movies from their homes to their mobile phones or tablets. The device also enables users to share unlimited amounts of photos, videos and other content from mobile devices with friends and family-instantly and privately.

Pogoplug Mobile's extreme multi-media capabilities are optimized for iOS and Android devices. Pogoplug Mobile offers Android users a unified streaming and sharing service and enables automatic home backup of all photos, movies, music and other documents. Pogoplug provides iOS users with unlimited, instant streaming of entire media libraries.

"People today have an almost unlimited need to create and consume multimedia content on their mobile devices," said Daniel Putterman, CEO and Founder of Cloud Engines. "Unfortunately, their devices just can't keep up; mobile storage remains too expensive. Pogoplug Mobile solves this problem by providing an incredible streaming and at-home backup solution that turns any mobile device into an limitless media library."

Pogoplug Mobile includes a number of key features:

Stream entire libraries of music, movies and photos to an iPhone, iPad, or Android device
No storage limits

No need to re-download the same content to multiple devices

Permanent storage and backup of all photos and videos taken using the mobile device

On Android, automatically back up photos and movies from your hand-held device to your Pogoplug Mobile wirelessly. Content trickles back to Pogoplug Mobile in the background with no action required by the user

Pogoplug Mobile device works seamlessly with the Pogoplug desktop software and Pogoplug mobile apps (iPhone, iPad and Android 2.2 and later)

Pogoplug Mobile provides users with a streamlined interface for viewing and managing content on their device, while maintaining all of the great sharing and data access solutions provided by the original Pogoplug hardware and software solutions.

Using Pogoplug desktop software, Pogoplug mobile apps, or the browser-based my.pogoplug.com account, users can access and stream files from anywhere in the world, to anyone in the world. All of these features come packaged with Pogoplug Mobile.

"With iCloud on the horizon, the timing for Pogoplug Mobile couldn't be better," continued Putterman. "If you're an iOS user, Pogoplug Mobile will be a perfect at-home iCloud companion. For Android users, it's at-home iCloud for Android."

Pricing and Availability

Pogoplug Mobile will be available in October 2011 for a suggested retail price of $79.99 USD. Pre-orders are currently being accepted at HYPERLINK "http://www.pogoplug.com/mobile" www.pogoplug.com/mobile. Pogoplug's iOS and Android apps are FREE and available for download in the iTunes and Android app stores, respectively.

Toshiba updates STOR.E external hard drives for PCs and TVs

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 09:48 AM PDT

STOR.E TV PRO
Toshiba's STOR.E line of hard drives just got a bit of a refresh, and a dash of color, at IFA. It's CANVIO models come in sizes up to 1TB and sport one those spiffy USB 3.0 connectors, while weighing in at under half a pound in your choice of black, green or red. The BASICS line sports all the same features and options, except the pre-installed backup software, but only comes in black. The STOR.E PARTNER is another basic external drive with a USB 3.0 connection, but it's designed to match Toshiba's NB500 series of netbooks and has the color options to match (black, blue, lime green and orange). Much more interesting are the STOR.E TV 2 and STOR.E TV PRO -- a pair of devices with HDMI ports and a GUI all their own that will blend in with most home theater setups. While the TV 2 sticks with a traditional hard drive in sizes up to 2TB, the PRO opts for 8GB of flash storage. Both sport SD card readers, USB 2.0 and support for a broad range of codecs, but the PRO adds a Bluetooth remote with a QWERTY keyboard and full fledged web browsing capabilities. The STOR.E TV 2 and TV PRO will land in Europe during Q4 alongside the PARTNER, BASICS, and CANVIO lines. Check out the pile of PR after the break.
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TOSHIBA EXTENDS USB 3.0 HDD RANGE TO MEET HIGH CAPACITY, FAST ACCESS STORAGE DEMANDS

New range of external drives deliver instant-access, high capacity portable storage

Neuss (Germany), 1st September 2011 – Toshiba Europe Storage Peripherals Division, today announced a new series of USB 3.0 external hard disk drives (HDDs) that meet the high capacity, fast access storage demands of the data-hungry digital generation. The new STOR.E HDD series offers two products, the STOR.E BASICS and the STOR.E CANVIO, with (500GB, 750GB, 1TB1) capacities to provide users with flexibility according to their digital needs. Along with high capacities, the USB 3.0 interface delivers fast transfer rates of up to 5 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps), ensuring the quickest access times to your data. Both HDDs come fully equipped with an Internal Shock Sensor and Ramp Loading Alert, which are essential features to protect data against accidental knocks whilst carried around in bags or pockets. The drives come in a range of exciting STOR.E CANVIO colour options, including black, red, green, and blue.

In today's IT/CE environment, data is being produced at a frenetic rate, with 1.8 zettabytes expected3 to be created this year alone, so it's essential that irreplaceable photos, videos and music are backed up and easy to access.

The STOR.E BASICS HDD can accommodate even the biggest digital libraries and is ultra simple to use, with no need to install any STOR.E BASICS software. Weighing just 150 grams (500GB and 750GB model) and 180 grams (1TB model) respectively, its sleek post-card size with plug
and play functionality and a simple user interface make it perfectly suited to the digital media needs of users on the go. For users with more demanding storage requirements, the STOR.E
CANVIO enables the transfer of large media files at blazing fast speeds, whilst providing peace of mind with full system backup and recovery, offering a practical way to keep large amounts of precious data safe. Sleek and compact, like the STOR.E BASICS, the STOR.E CANVIO HDD is ultra-portable. Its unique pre-loaded software available on STOR.E CANVIO enables data to be backed up seamlessly, so provides additional peace of mind. The pre-installed NTI® Backup Now EZTM software scans your computer and recommends the best storage options. You then decide between backing up your files to the STOR.E CANVIO HDD, or to online storage in cloud, or choose both for the most comprehensive coverage.

The 1 Terabyte (TB) HDD is an ideal storage solution for media hoarders. It's capable of storing up to 285,000 digital photos4, 263,000 digital music files5, or 820 downloaded digital movies6. The STOR.E CANVIO's Drive Space Alert monitors the drive and indicates when it's getting close-to-full. Arnaud Bonvarlet, Director EMEA, Storage Peripherals Division, said: "The new STOR.E HDD range provides an easy storage solution for backing up valuable data and freeing up storage space on overloaded laptops, PCs or games consoles. The extension of our 3.0 USB
external HDD range demonstrates our commitment to delivering cutting-edge storage solutions. Toshiba's new STOR.E 3.0 portable hard drive range makes backup fast and simple, with a digital safety net against system failure." The HDD range will be available in Europe from early forth quarter 2011 and comes with a two year warranty. A demonstration of the

STOR.E CANVIO HDD series can be seen at this year's IFA in Berlin, Germany, 2-7 September 2011, the global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm. Toshiba Europe GmbH, headquartered in Neuss, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo.
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External hard disk drive STOR.E PARTNER matches the fresh looks of Toshiba's mini NB500 netbook series

STOR.E PARTNER features pre-installed backup software

Neuss (Germany), 1st September 2011 – Toshiba Europe GmbH, presented the new external hard disk drive series STOR.E PARTNER today. The design of the STOR.E PARTNER's casing echoes the young and fresh mini NB500 series design. The external USB 3.0 hard disk drive features a capacity of up to 1TB. STOR.E PARTNER will be available during the fourth quarter 2011 in Europe.

The design of Toshiba's STOR.E PARTNER perfectly matches the netbooks' young and fresh looks with subtle metallic reflections, engraved dots and rubber texture. It comes in the same funky colours as the mini NB500 series devices – black, blue, lime green and orange. High capacity for even large media libraries The storage capacity of the external hard disk drives of up to 1TB is large enough to house huge digital media libraries. It ideally suits those consumers who make extensive use of the netbooks' excellent sound quality powered by harman/kardon® stereo speakers and Dolby® Advanced Audio .

Via its USB 3.0 port, STOR.E PARTNER is able to transfer large media files quickly to a connected USB 3.0 laptop with a data rate of up to 5 Gigabits per second. Computers and peripheral devices with USB 2.0 only can still be used with the new external hard disk drives.
Back-up software on-board The pre-loaded Nero® BackItUp & Burn Essentials software comfortably and reliably backs up and restores files and folders and recovers damaged or accidentally deleted data.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm. Toshiba Europe GmbH, headquartered in Neuss, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo.
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STOR.E TV PRO: connecting TVs to the Web

Toshiba's new multimedia console turns plain TVs into smart TVs and brings the online world to the sofa

Neuss, Germany, 1st September 2011 – Today at IFA 2011 in Berlin, Toshiba Europe GmbH premiered the new STOR.E TV PRO. The multimedia console turns plain TVs into smart TVs connected to the Web. Featuring full browsing capabilities and a video conferencing mode, it brings the online world to the largest screen in the house. STOR.E TV PRO will be available in the fourth quarter 2011 in Europe.

Door opener to the Web experience on TVs "The vast majority of TVs in the home do not provide web access", said Marco Perino, General Manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba Europe GmbH. "We've been looking for a plug-and-play approach to connect these 'stand-alone' TVs to the web and designed the multimedia console STOR.E TV PRO." According to Display Search's analysts, nearly 75% of all flat panel TVs shipped in 2011 are expected not to have any form of internet connectivity.

Relaxed browsing on the sofa
The multimedia set-top box with its sleek, minimalistic look simply needs to be connected to the TV via an HDMITM port to open the door to the web. Thanks to the newly designed graphical user interface navigation through the on-screen menu, browsing is easy and convenient. Toshiba developed an innovative remote control that connects to the STOR.E TV PRO via BluetoothTM. On one side it offers a full keyboard for typing web addresses and a trackpad for pointer control. On the other side it features everything that is needed for standard remote operation including a four way navigation button.

Easy access to value added services
Via STOR.E TV PRO, users not only get access to the web but also to Toshiba Places, Toshiba's web based content and services platform. Plus, STOR.E TV PRO supports a webcam connection
which can be used to hold a video conference on the large screen in the living room.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm. Toshiba Europe GmbH, headquartered in Neuss, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo.
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Toshiba expands its multimedia hard drive offering with STOR.E TV 2

STOR.E TV 2 stores and organises all multimedia data in one place and offers an intuitive one-click access to the files

Neuss, Germany, 1st September 2011 – Today, Toshiba Europe GmbH presents the new STOR.E TV 2. The HD multimedia storage drive has a storage capacity of up to 2 Terabytes and a broad range of connectivity options supporting most video, photo and music file formats. STOR.E TV 2 comes in an elegant design with rounded edges. The easy-to-use multimedia hard drive will be available in matt black and matt white from fourth quarter 2011 in Europe.

STOR.E TV 2 stores all media files in one place
STOR.E TV 2 can store all media files in one place and allows everyone to enjoy photos, videos and music in the comfort of the living room by simply connecting the device to a TV. The multimedia storage device even plays music whilst displaying a photo slideshow on the TV screen. When a camcorder is connected via USB to STOR.E TV 2, content can be streamed from the camcorder directly to the TV without the need for an additional computer.

Ensuring great picture and sound quality
STOR.E TV 2 features digital technologies and interfaces such as HDMI, H.264 and the surround sound audio codecs Dolby® Digital and dts 2.0+Digital Out to ensure great picture and sound quality.

Graphical user interface for intuitive operation
The new intuitive graphical user interface, operated by remote control, makes navigation easy. The user simply browses the folders in the on-screen menu on the TV screen to locate a file and play the footage. Content can be neatly organised by creating playlists, media folders and slideshows.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm. Toshiba Europe GmbH, headquartered in Neuss, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo.

Toshiba announces Camileo Clip, X200 and X400 camcorders

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 09:32 AM PDT

Not surprisingly, Toshiba is covering all the bases at IFA today, with it now also announcing its latest batch of camcorders. That includes the Camileo Clip pictured above (which actually has a clip 'round back for hands-free shooting), as well as the more traditional Camileo X200 and X400, all three of which record 1080p video and rely exclusively on SD cards for storage. The X200 and X400 also, of course, steps things up quite a bit in terms of features, the standout ones being a 12x optical zoom on the X200 and a 23x zoom on the X400. Still no word on prices for any of them, but Toshiba says they'll be available sometime in the fourth quarter of this year (in Europe, at least). Hit the PR after the break for the complete list of specs.
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Hands-free filming: Toshiba presents the new mini camcorder CAMILEO CLIP

Toshiba's small and lightweight H.264 Full HD camcorder CAMILEO CLIP can easily be clipped to clothing for hands-free filming

Facts & Figures
• Video resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080 (30fps)
• Digital H.264 HD video camcorder
• 3.8cm (1.5'') LCD monitor
• Video stabilisation EIS
• 5 MP CMOS sensor with BSI (back side illumination) technology
• Still pictures: up to 16 MP
• 10x digital zoom (720p)
• Card slot: micro SD / SDHC / SDXC up to 64 GB
• Connectivity: miniHDMI®, Mini-USB 2.0
• Weight incl. battery: 85g
• Size: 46.5mm x 80mm x 16 mm (19.5mm with clip)
• CAMILEO Uploader software
• Self-timer, webcam functionality, video editing function
• Colours: dark blue, hot red, bright yellow, snow white
Facts & Figures
• Video resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080 (30fps)
• Digital H.264 HD video camcorder
• 3.8cm (1.5'') LCD monitor
• Video stabilisation EIS
• 5 MP CMOS sensor with BSI (back side illumination) technology
• Still pictures: up to 16 MP
• 10x digital zoom (720p)
• Card slot: micro SD / SDHC / SDXC up to 64 GB
• Connectivity: miniHDMI®, Mini-USB 2.0
• Weight incl. battery: 85g
• Size: 46.5mm x 80mm x 16 mm (19.5mm with clip)
• CAMILEO Uploader software
• Self-timer, webcam functionality, video editing function
• Colours: dark blue, hot red, bright yellow, snow white

Look, no hands!
At only 85g and 46.5mm x 80mm the CAMILEO CLIP is Toshiba's first Full HD mini camcorder. Thanks to its ruggedized and splash-proof casing, the CAMILEO CLIP is a tough companion for all outdoor activities – in both good and bad weather, while sailing or biking for instance. Attached to the jacket with its robust clip on the rear side, the camcorder takes action shots from the user's point of view while leaving the hands free for action. The CAMILEO CLIP is always in place to capture great moments.

Bright and brilliant results even at twilight
The embedded 5 Megapixel CMOS sensor with back side illumination technology (BSI) catches wild adventures and beautiful scenery in Full HD quality and bright and natural colours – even at twilight. A 10x digital zoom allows for far-off shots in video and photo mode. The electronic image stabiliser (EIS) provides for high-quality recording and avoids blurry clips.

A reliable companion
The CAMILEO CLIP supports micro SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards with a capacity of up to 64GB. The CAMILEO Uploader software offers an easy way to upload clips and photos direct to social platforms. miniHDMI® and Mini-USB.2.0 interfaces provide for hassle-free connectivity to electronic devices like TVs, notebooks, and tablets.

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.
Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.
Toshiba Europe GmbH, headquartered in Neuss, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo.


Toshiba introduces new power-zoom Full-HD CAMILEO
camcorders

CAMILEO X200 and CAMILEO X400 feature advanced easy-to-use
applications and technologies providing stunning video results

Neuss, Germany, 1st September 2011 – Today, Toshiba Europe
GmbH introduced two new digital Full HD camcorders expanding the
CAMILEO X series. The compact CAMILEO X200 and CAMILEO
X400 are both packed with features for advanced filming like 1080p
Full HD video resolution, Electronic Image Stabiliser (EIS) and the
possibility to take snapshots while recording videos. The new
CAMILEO camcorders are a good choice for ambitious users who
appreciate the benefits of first-class video technology and clever highend features.

The glossy black CAMILEO X200 and the matt black
CAMILEO X400 will be available in the fourth quarter 2011 in Europe.
Simply point the camera at the scene – technology does the rest
The new camcorders can be easily operated through the menu
displayed on the large 16:9 touchscreen. Featuring a wide selection of
useful tools, the CAMILEO X200 and X400 allow the camera operator
to focus on the scene. The face tracking and smile detection
application makes it easy to capture perfect videos and photos of
people in front of the camcorder: it automatically tracks faces in video
mode and shoots photos when someone smiles.

CAMILEO X200: Great for making memories last
The powerful zoom makes the CAMILEO X200 the right choice for
high-quality footage. The camcorder features a 12x optical zoom and
a 20x advanced zoom providing detailed portrait and landscape
videos in stunning quality.

CAMILEO X400: High-quality videos even in low light conditions
Thanks to the CAMILEO X400's 23x optical zoom and the 120x digital
zoom, film makers can capture scenes that are beyond the reach of
most camcorders. The new camcorder also meets the challenge of
filming in low light conditions as its 5Megapixel CMOS sensor features
back side illumination technology (BSI). It significantly increases the
sensor's light sensitivity and allows brilliant and vivid videos to be
captured at twilight or in rooms with artificial light.

Video editing made easy
The CAMILEO X200 and X400 both feature the video editing
application Cut 'n' Save that makes film editing easy. Plus, a
dedicated pause button makes it possible to pause the recording and
to continue with a different scene within the same clip – also easing
editing.

Facts & Figures
CAMILEO X400
Video resolution: Full HD
1920 x 1080 (30fps)
Touch sensitive 7.6cm
(3'') 16:9 LCD display
5 MP CMOS sensor with
BSI (back side
illumination) technology
Zoom: 23x optical / 120x
digital
Electronic Image
Stabiliser (EIS)
Still pictures: up to 16 MP
Card slot: SD / SDHC /
SDXC up to 128 GB
Connectivity: miniHDMI®,
Mini-USB 2.0
CAMILEO Uploader
software
Microphone slot
Pause button
Face tracking, smile
detection, motion
detection, slow motion
Video editing function
Cut'n'save
Weight with battery: 326g
Size: 120mm x 54mm x
62mm
Colour: black (hairline
finish)

About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified
manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning
digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems,
including nuclear

Samsung i727 shows off at the FCC, confesses its AT&T LTE secrets

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 09:14 AM PDT

Looks like Sammy's prepping to bring one of its big Galaxy guns to AT&T's 4G race. The handset, bearing the same SGH-i727 model number as Rogers' Galaxy S II LTE and the FCC ID A3LSGHi727, just popped up on the Commission's databases giving us a glimpse into its guts and bolts. While there's no clear indication of the phone's screen size, it's likely to follow suit with a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, adding to its beastly arsenal the orange-colored carrier's 850 / 1900 WCDMA and HSPA bands, 700MHz LTE and (surprise) LTE AWS -- helpful if that T-Mobile acquisition gets pushed through. Of course, there's the usual WiFi and Bluetooth mention in the docs, with the device powered by a 1500mAh battery. Could this be one of the OEM's recently announced wunderkind Galaxy R devices, or just a 4G update to its premiere S series? We'll keep an eagle eye out for this one's inevitable in-the-wild debut.

Lenovo announces IdeaPad A1, the $199 Android tablet, we go hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Lenovo announces IdeaPad A1, the $199 Android tablet, we go hands-on (video)
If you thought you couldn't get a real Android tablet from a brand you've heard of for less than $200, think again. Lenovo's just announced the IdeaPad Tablet A1, a 7-inch Android unit that we got a sneaky first glimpse of back in July. Now it's real, and it's cheap, it's running Gingerbread, and while it doesn't hold a candle to the Galaxy Tab 7.7, it honestly feels like something far above its price point. Read on for our impressions.
Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet A1 hands-on
There are plenty of cheap Android tablets out there, but most have sketchy construction and many are locked out of the Android Market -- meaning no Gmail app, no Maps, and none of the other built-in Google goodies. That's not the case with the A1, which is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a single-core Cortex A8 processor. It has front- and rear-facing cameras (the back one rated at three megapixels) and a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 display.


Again, those are specs that don't compare to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, but something tells us you won't be able to score one of these for the $199 asking price that the A1 starts at. For that you'll get 8GB of storage, but a 16GB model will go for $249, 32GB for $299. We're told only the 16GB and 32GB models will be shipped to the US, which is a bit of a shame, as with both microSD and SD expansion it'll be fairly easy to add more. Connectivity is limited to WiFi, but there is a GPS in there, so it could make for a passable navigation device.


This certainly isn't the slimmest tablet on the market, but it's very comfortable to hold in the hand, and Lenovo says it has the same sort of magnesium alloy rollcage inside as used on ThinkPads, here adding durability and stiffness. Also, it's available in pink, and you don't see that every day on a tablet. We did find the blue a bit more fetching, but we won't think less of you if you opt for the more refined black or white options when this thing ships sometime later this year.

Update: In case you're wondering, yes, we asked if it would be upgraded to Honeycomb. We didn't get a straight answer, but it didn't seem particularly likely.

Parallels Desktop 7 plays nice with Lions and cameras and developers, oh my!

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:38 AM PDT

Today sees the release of Parallels 7, the newest version of its popular, competition beating virtualization software. This edition plays nicely with Lion, runs multiple virtual machines and has received several performance tweaks -- for the number obsessed, you'll enjoy knowing that it resumes Windows 60 percent faster than Parallels 6. Gamers will notice a 40 percent bump in 3D graphics rendering and video-chatters will find that Windows can now access your Mac while it's being dictated by OS X. Low end users who don't have Windows 7, fear not -- you can use the "Windows on Demand" service to buy a license via an "easy-to-use wizard" like, erm -- Clippy. Mobile fans will also see Parallels' iOS app give you remote access to your home machine, but be quick -- the price is leaping skyward from $4.99 to $19.99 soon. You can grab the standalone edition for $80, but folks already using versions 5 or 6 can level-up for $50.
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Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac Makes Windows Programs Roar with Mac OS X Lion Features; New Parallels Mobile App Delivers OS X and Windows Control Plus Flash Videos with Sound

Launch Pad, Full Screen and other supported Lion features plus 90 enhancements make the No. 1 selling and best performing software for running Windows on Macs better than ever

Renton, WA - September 1, 2011 – Parallels® today announced the September 6th availability of Parallels Desktop® 7 for Mac (www.parallels.com/desktop/seven), the fastest, most intuitive and immersive version yet of the No. 1 selling software for running Windows and Mac applications side-by-side on a Mac without rebooting. Over three million current Parallels Desktop users can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 starting today. More than 90 new and enhanced features in Parallels Desktop 7 include Mac OS® X Lion integration, performance boosts and a powerful new Parallels Mobile app and My Parallels services platform for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices. Parallels Desktop 7 is packed with features most desired by users, extending its lead as the best solution for businesses and consumers worldwide.

"As Macs have become more popular than ever, a growing number of Mac users, including enterprises, find they need to run critical Windows programs on their Macs. Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac lets you run popular apps like Windows Internet Explorer, Access, OneNote, Quicken and more, even the most demanding graphical programs, without rebooting and without compromise on speed and usability. Run Windows applications like they were made for your Mac," said Parallels CEO Birger Steen. "The people have spoken and Parallels listened to make the best even better. Whether you're a business, individual or student, Parallels Desktop 7 gives you the best Windows on Mac performance plus mobility from any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch."

According to results from more than 4,000 benchmark tests conducted by independent publisher MacTech, Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac outperformed its closest competitor in 92 percent of 3D graphics tests and 84 percent of general performance tests.¹ Parallels Desktop 7 performance is even faster. It outpaces its competitor by 120 percent when copying files within Windows, and 40 percent when starting and resuming Windows, according to testing conducted by Parallels. It is also 60 percent faster than Parallels Desktop 6 for resuming Windows and up to 45 percent faster for 3D graphics in some applications.
Parallels Desktop 7 delivers the most immersive and integrated Windows on Mac experience ever so customers can enjoy the full benefits of the Mac hardware they love. Highlights include:

- Enjoy Lion functionality including Full Screen, Launch Pad and Mission Control, for your Windows programs
- Run multiple copies of OS X Lion or Windows and their applications on your Mac
- Use your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to watch and listen to Flash videos in Windows on your Mac; access and run your OS X, Windows, Chrome, Ubuntu and other operating systems, their applications and files on your Mac anytime from anywhere
- Windows on Demand - purchase and automatically install Windows on your Mac right from Parallels Desktop 7 in the U.S. – Parallels does all the work for you!

For people who want to switch from PC to Mac, Parallels also announced the availability of Parallels Desktop 7 Switch to Mac Edition™, which includes Parallels Desktop 7 plus Parallels High Speed USB transfer cable, as well as almost two hours of video tutorials that make it easy to learn how to use your new Mac. Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition (www.parallels.com/desktop/enterprise) empowers businesses and IT departments to support Windows based business applications for Mac users with a configurable, policy-compliant solution that easily fits into existing business processes and helps reduce the cost of deploying and maintaining client-based software.

Today Parallels also separately announced (www.parallels.com/press) the new Parallels Mobile app with My Parallels service for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices works with Parallels Desktop 7 and is for sale in the App Store on (or shortly after) September 6th. The new Parallels Mobile app lets you remotely access and control both your Mac and Windows applications, and files from anywhere. Its new Windows features include audio support for Flash and the ability to copy and paste text between Windows programs on your Mac and your Apple mobile devices. Details are available at www.parallels.com/mobile.

Parallels Desktop 7 has more than 90 new and improved features including:
Simple Switching, Simple Daily Use

- You asked for it: New look and feel delivers on top customer requests for usability
- Make Windows programs roar: Enjoy Lion functionality including Full Screen, Launch Pad and Mission Control, for your Windows programs.
- Keep your routine: Run Windows programs like they were made for your Mac, with seamless integration, improved virtual printing, shared folders and more.
- Moving to Mac made easy: Move your programs, files, and user settings – even browser favorites – from your PC to your Mac with a complete set of switching tools. Make your new Mac just as familiar as your old PC.
- Webcams: Enjoy using your Mac's iSight or FaceTime HD camera in both OS X Lion and Windows programs
- Windows on demand: U.S. customers can purchase and automatically install Windows on your Mac right from Parallels Desktop 7 – Parallels does all the work for you²

Speed and Performance
- Fastest ever: Start, stop and resume Windows more quickly than ever. Access and work faster with Windows and Mac files.
- Brilliant graphics: Experience Parallels' maximum speed and performance for 3D and graphic intensive applications with improved full screen support and up to 1GB of video memor
- Richer audio: Enjoy music, movies, videos and games more than ever before with support for 7.1 surround sound and a new 5.1 sound driver

Mobility and Manageability
- Get more done: Work or play longer with improved battery life performance
- Connect anytime, anywhere: Access Mac or Windows applications and documents from your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with the new Parallels Mobile app – including new capabilities such as audio support and cut-and-paste within Windows applications running on your Mac
- Flash video with sound on the go: New audio integration with Flash means you can watch and listen to Flash videos on your iPad and iOS devices by remotely running Windows Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player on your Mac with the new Parallels Mobile app
- Multiple virtual machines: Run multiple copies of OS X Lion or Windows and their applications on your Mac. Easily open virtual machines created by other Parallels products as well import virtual machines created in third-party software.
- Anti-Virus and Internet Security for both Mac and Windows: Enjoy peace of mind with a free 90-day trial of Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Windows.

Availability and Pricing
Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available today as an upgrade for current Parallels Desktop users. It will be available to the general public, both a downloadable version and packaged software for delivery, from www.parallels.com starting on September 6th. Packaged software will also be available starting September 6th at Apple retail stores, Apple.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, MicroCenter and hundreds of other retail locations nationwide.

The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is $79.99 and a student edition is available for $39.99. Parallels Desktop 7 Switch to Mac Edition is $99.99. Special pricing of $49.99 is available for customers currently using WMware Fusion who want to have a solution that is fully compatible with Lion. Upgrades are available now for existing Parallels Desktop for Mac customers for $49.99. Details are available online at www.parallels.com. Volume pricing and site-license opportunities for Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition are available by contacting the Parallels Sales Team at http://www.parallels.com/desktop/volume-licensing.

Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. Additional localized versions will soon be available in, simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean, Czech, Polish and Portuguese.

A free trial of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac is available starting September 6th, along with in-depth information, videos and screenshots of the new features at www.parallels.com/desktop/seven.

Customers who purchased Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac from an authorized reseller on or after August 1, 2011, are eligible to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac at no additional cost. If you purchased from parallels.com or have registered your product activation key you will automatically be emailed instructions on how to upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 at no additional cost.

The new Parallels Mobile app is available in the App Store on (or shortly after) September 1 with a $4.99 introductory price; the standard retail price is $19.99. Current users of the free Parallels Mobile app will receive a free upgrade to the new Parallels Mobile app when it becomes available by simply updating the Parallels Mobile app on their mobile devices.

About Parallels
Parallels is a global leader in hosting and cloud services enablement and desktop virtualization. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with more than 800 employees in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.parallels.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ParallelsMac and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ParallelsDesktop.

Parallels and Parallels Desktop are registered trademarks of Parallels Inc. Switch to Mac Edition is a trademark of Parallels Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

¹ MacTech Labs: Virtualization Benchmarks, Jan. 5, 2011, www.mactech.com/2011/01/05/virtualization-benchmarks
² English-language version only, United States

Toshiba AT200 hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:28 AM PDT

Toshiba knew what we wanted at today's IFA press conference, and naturally, it saved the best for last. The company unveiled its AT200 tablet at the show today, and really, as predicted, the thing does seem like a serious competitor to Samsung's popular Galaxy Tab 10.1. The tablet is quite thin and well-built (it was on lock down, so we can't quite attest to its "lightest" claims), unlike a number of its Android brethren. The brushed metal backing also adds a level of sturdiness lacking in the Galaxy Tab 10.1's plastic rear. More details and a video after the break.
Toshiba AT200 tablet hands-on

The AT200 runs Android 3.2, and those who love the Galaxy Tab, but aren't huge fans of Samsung's habit of skinning everything with its TouchWiz UI will also find a lot to like in this device, which stays truer to the standard base Android operating system. The 1.2GHz processor sounds downright slow, given all of the 1.4GHz devices rolled out by Samsung earlier, but as we all know you can't compare straight clock speeds these days. Regardless, the machine seemed to handle the basic tasks we ran it through like video playback with a good deal of ease.

Toshiba's got a rather nice device on its hands, a world away from the super chunky Thrive. It may well prove a threat to the Galaxy Tab 10.1, as long as it manages to get the pricing right. No word on release date either yet, but it will likely ship before 2011 is out.



Zach Honig contributed to this report.

ViewSonic launches ViewPad 7x and 10pro, budget-friendly 7e to follow in Q4

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:22 AM PDT

ViewSonic 7x
Viewsonic has been taunting us a slew of slates for months, one of which we even got to manhandle way back in February. It seems the company is finally ready to deliver its ViewPads to the public though, and announced the availability of three models at IFA. The ViewPad 10pro has been around the block a few times by now and, after a limited run earlier, the Android 2.3 and Windows 7-running tablet will hit shelves on September 5th starting at €499 ($714) for the WiFi only version. Next up is the oft-teased ViewPad 7x, a 7-inch slice of Honeycomb that sports the custom, 3D ViewScene skin. A definitive date hasn't been set for this 8GB, Tegra 2-powered device, but it's expected to land before the end of the month for €349 ($499). Last, is the budget-minded ViewPad 7e. We don't know much about this device, outside of the fact that it sports a 4:3 screen, most likely of the 7-inch variety, but it seems safe to assume we're looking at another Android device. One with relatively low-power internals considering its estimated €169 ($242) price when it lands sometime in Q4.

Lenovo announces U300s Ultrabook, U300 and U400 IdeaPads, we go hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Lenovo announces U300s Ultrabook, U300 and U400 IdeaPads, we go hands-on (video)
The unchallenged reign of the MacBook Air on the thin-and-light domain is nearing an end -- the Ultrabooks are coming, and the Lenovo U300s looks to be one of the strongest competitors we've yet seen. It's a new entry to the IdeaPad lineup, the thinnest and lightest of a redesigned and reborn U Series that will also include the slightly stockier 13.3-inch U300 and the even bigger but even more serious 14-inch U400. All three are shipping in October, and we recently got a chance to try out the tiny trio. Read on for full details and our full impressions.
Lenovo U Series hands-on
Intel's long-vaunted Ultrabooks are finally coming to market, and while they're going to be shipping with a range of price points and designs, they're all going to be very thin. The U300s is naturally the thinnest, 14.9mm thick at the front and the rear thanks to a book-inspired design that is slightly concave around the edges. That's actually 2mm thinner than the Air, but of course the Air has that delicious taper making it seem thinner overall (as you can see in the comparison photos in the gallery, and below). But, really, they're both very, very thin indeed.


The U300s takes many design inspirations from the Air, including a glass trackpad and a machined aluminum body, but it's been given a sandblasting and an anodization that Lenovo pledges will make it more scratch resistant than the competition. We didn't get a chance to put that to the test, but the build and construction did indeed feel good on the unit we got our hands on. Again like the Air the bottom of the U300s lacks vents, with air being sucked in through the keyboard. That keyboard is rather unfortunately not backlit, but it is still spill-proof -- another claim we'll have to take Lenovo's word for.

The U300s weighs in at 1.34kg (2.95 pounds), while the still 13.3-inch but 18.3mm thick U300 clicks in at a slightly heavier 1.58kg (3.48 pounds), and the 14-inch U400 is 22.6mm thick and 1.98kg (4.36 pounds). That last one is the only one with dedicated graphics, AMD Radeon HD5470M HD6470M to be specific. All three models have 1,366 x 768 displays (the same as the 11-inch Air, but less than the 1,440 x 900 13-incher) and all also support WiDi tech, for wirelessly beaming video to external displays. Finally, they all sport HDMI output -- not to mention USB 3.0.


When it comes to storage all models can be configured with up to 256GB SSDs that, on the U300s at least, enables 10 second bootups and up to eight hours of battery life. The U300 and U400 also have an array of platter-based storage options up to 1TB and have six and seven hours of battery life, respectively. The U300s maxes out at 4GB of DDR3 memory and can be configured with Intel Core i5 2467M or Core i7 2667M processors, while the other two can double the memory and offer Core i5 2430M or Core i7 2620M silicon. Only the U400 has an optical drive, a slot-loading DVD-RW unit.

All are said to be shipping in October, most in gray but the U300s will have a delectable Clementine Orange color, a limited edition spec for early adopters. The U300s will start at $1,195 while the U300 can be had for $799 and the U400 $849. We'll be back with full reviews then, but if you'd like the full details check out the PR below.

Update: There appears to be a typo in the press release. We're looking at 6470M graphics on the U400, not 5470M.

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Lenovo Gets Glam with Three New Fashion-Forward Ultraportable Laptops

Slim Design and Ultra-Responsive Performance Combine for the Must-Have Style Laptops of the Season

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – September 1, 2011: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) sashays into the fashion world with three new luxury laptops, the IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook™, and the U300 and U400 laptops. Bridging haute couture with superior technology, these laptops are designed for fashion-minded consumers who want a product that is stylish, yet also powerful and productive; the ultimate fusion for individuals who take technology and fashion seriously.

"The new IdeaPad U Series laptops from Lenovo provide style mavens everything they need in a slender, mobile and super chic package," said Yao Yingjia, vice president, Innovation Design Center, Lenovo. "The U300s, U300 and U400 laptops are the perfect luxury accessory this season, liberating consumers on the go to combine productivity and entertainment in one stylish device."

"People will be wowed with the new U Series systems from Lenovo that combine incredible performance in beautiful and stylish designs," said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group. "Powered by our 2nd Gen Core processors, this system will deliver great capabilities with a wonderful user experience and long battery life that people increasingly want. We're particularly excited by Lenovo's innovation and as one of the leading time to market partners in the new ultrabook category with the U300s device that combines a no-compromise, must-have mobile experience with performance, security, responsiveness and style."

IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook

The spectacularly slim U300s Ultrabook™, made possible with Intel, is a unique statement for consumers that equally value style and responsiveness. Featuring up to 2nd generation Intel ® Core™ i7 processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, and boot up in as little as 10 seconds with Enhanced Experience 2.0 RapidDrive SSD technology1 , the U300s is ready to roll no matter what the task. The U300s has a 13.3" ultra-slim 16:9 widescreen HD display, 4GB DDR3 memory and up to 256GB of SSD storage. At just 0.6 inches (14.9mm) thick2 , the U300s is built from a single-piece aluminum shell to create a sleek and lightweight product weighing in at less than three pounds. Available in Graphite Grey or limited-edition Clementine Orange – the trendy colors have been applied through an electrolytic process, and sandblasted to create a perfect, scratch-resistant coating. Other smart technologies include the one-of-a-kind Breathable Keyboard, an Intel ® Advanced Cooling Technology that allows air to flow in through the keyboard and out of the sides and rear hinge. This design removes the need for vents on the underside of the notebook – making it ideal for long periods of use on your lap or even on a pillow! , Despite its ultra-slim design, with the Lenovo Long Life Battery, the U300s provides up to eight hours of productive use or an incredible 30 days on standby. And with Lenovo RapidCharge its battery can be charged to 50% capacity in just 30 minutes. Also included is Bluetooth®, high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectors, as well as an integrated 1.3M (720p HD) webcam.

IdeaPad U300 and U400 Ultraportable Laptops

The IdeaPad U300 and U400 are the epitome of stylish, ultra-slim laptops, brimming with intelligent technologies that let consumers do more, with less. The U300 and U400 laptops come with 2nd generation Intel ® Core™ processors and feature boot up times of under 17 seconds thanks to optional RapidDrive SSD technology. The U300 features a 13.3" HD display while the U400 has a 14" HD display and AMD Radeon™ HD5470M 1GB graphics. Both models can be specified with up to 8GB DDR3 memory, up to 1TB HDD storage and up to 256GB SSD storage. The U400 also has an integrated slot- loading DVD-RW drive.

The Long Life Battery on the U300 lasts for up to six hours of productivity and up to seven hours on the U400. Both models also feature the same Breathable Keyboard technology as the U300s.

Entertainment Abounds

The IdeaPad U300s, U300 and U400 all feature HD graphics support, a HDMI output and integrated stereo speakers with SRS® Premium Surround Sound™ for an immersive sound experience when watching "Devil Wears Prada" on DVD, streaming Mary Ma's latest runway show online or listening to Beyonce! Plus, you can bring computer content to life-sized magnitude wirelessly on a big screen from the U300s Ultrabook™ or the U300/U400 ultraportables with Intel ® Wireless Display (WiDi) Technology3 .

Blog the Night Away with Lenovo's Fashion Night Out at Saks: During Fashion's Night Out (FNO) in NYC on Thursday, September 8, stop by the Lenovo Connections Lounge on the 4th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue to check-in and update fans and followers about the most fashionable night of the year, right from the most fashionable laptops! Lenovo will have the latest IdeaPad U Series laptops available during the event for anyone to Tweet their latest celebrity sighting or update Facebook friends on a stellar FNO designer purchase. Additionally, Lenovo will be giving away FIVE IdeaPad U300s laptops at the event! The Lenovo Connections Lounge will be up and running throughout all of fashion week, and there will be one additional PC giveaway each night from September 9-15.

Pricing and Availability

All three laptops are available in a cool Graphite Gray color, and the U300s also comes in limited-edition Clementine Orange. Starting prices for these laptop models start at $1195 for the U300s and $799 and $849 for the U300 and U400, respectively. They will be sold through select retailers and on www.lenovo.com beginning October 2011.

Toshiba's glasses free 3D TV launches in Europe as the ZL2 this December

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:56 AM PDT

If you've been waiting for someone to take the glasses part out of the current 3D TV viewing experience, Toshiba has finally put a launch date on its glasses-free 3D TV. The world's first to be available to the public at the size, the ZL2 will take its place at the top of the company's range of sets when it launches this December in Germany (no word yet on other European countries, or anywhere else for that matter) complete with an LED-backlit QuadHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160) LCD panel and Cell-processor based CEVO engine technology within. Check out the press release after the break for more of the specs, no word yet on how much it will cost but the glasses-based 3D ZL1 it's replacing was rocking a £4,000 price tag.

Update: We have a price, as Toshiba's German press site currently mentions the set will cost 7,999 euros when the 55-inch version launches. We're figuring you can afford a couple of pairs of active shutter glasses instead at that price, but at least it's still a 4K screen, right? [Thanks, Daniel]
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Toshiba unveils world's first1 large-screen glasses-free 3D TV*

The 55ZL2 offers innovative first-class technology in a premium design delivering a 3D experience without the need for 3D glasses
Neuss, Germany, 1

GmbH announced the launch of the world's first large-screen glasses-free 3D TV. The 55ZL2 has a screen of 139cm (55") in diagonal and does not require glasses to experience 3D. Plus, the 55ZL2 is the world's first TV targeted at consumers that comes with a Quad FullHD screen. This enables the 55ZL2 to offer a 3D TV experience that can be enjoyed by a large group of viewers and displays 2D contents in four times (Quad) Full HD resolution. The 55ZL2's glasses-free 3D application is powered by Toshiba's high-performance multi-processor platform CEVO-ENGINE which also allows for many more innovative applications including PERSONAL-TV, enabling the consumer to personalise TV settings, and SMART-TV applications such as USB recording and access to Toshiba Places. It also comes with an Auto Calibration feature to achieve studio level picture quality. The 55ZL2 will be available from December 2011 in Germany with release dates to be confirmed in other European countries

st

September 2011 – Today, Toshiba Europe

A new era for 3D TV

Toshiba engineers used their skills in designing software algorithms

and developing powerful consumer electronics processor technology

to calculate multiple viewpoints from stereoscopic images, combined

with the ability to display them at high picture quality on a large

screen. In the 55ZL2, they deployed an array of lenticular lenses that

are found for the first time in such a large-screen device ready for

market.

Sophisticated lenslet technology delivers multiple views

The glasses-free 3D technology is based on the stereoscopic principle

of simultaneously delivering a picture for the left eye and another one

As of September 1st, 2011 for digital high definition LCD TV in consumer markets. (Source:Toshiba)

1

with a small offset (parallax) for the right eye – these are then

superposed in the viewer's brain to get the 3D effect. To achieve 3D

without glasses, it is essential that the lenses guide the dedicated

images to the viewer's eyes. The Integral Imaging technology,

powered by the CEVO-ENGINE, applied to the 55ZL2 delivers nine

views which create multiple wide-angle viewing zones in front of the

glasses-free 3D TV. This allows several viewers to enjoy the 3D

experience at the same time without wearing glasses.

Face tracking optimises glasses-free 3D experience

To optimise the viewing zones in respect to the viewers' actual

positions in front of the TV, the 55ZL2 features a face tracking

application. At the push of the remote, it detects the viewers' position

and sets up the total viewing experience.

Quad Full HD screen for excellent picture quality in 3D and 2D

Delivering nine views from a screen in high definition picture quality is

technically challenging. Toshiba therefore embedded a panel with

3,840 x 2,160 pixels, equivalent to a Quad Full HD resolution, to allow

up to nine views to be displayed simultaneously. An additional bonus

of the 55ZL2's high resolution screen is the ability to display 2D

contents in Quad Full HD resolution. In other words: photos captured

with an 8 Mega-Pixel camera can be displayed on screen without

compromising the image quality.

By using complex algorithms, Toshiba's Resolution+ technology

converts content such as TV programmes in SD or HD resolution - as

well as DVD or Blu-rayTM content in four times Full HD resolution - to

make full use of the high definition of the Quad FHD display.

A smart and personalised window to the world

The 55ZL2 delivers much more than glasses-free 3DTV. It also

features advanced SMART-TV functions providing access to Toshiba

Places, Toshiba's online platform offering streaming, purchasing and

sharing Web-based content. Plus, it supports the HbbTV® (Hybrid

broadcast broadband TV). Last but not least, the 55ZL2 allows USB

recording of digital broadcasting on an external hard disk drive

connected to the TV via USB. Thanks to Toshiba Apps Connect,

iPhone® owners no longer need to reach for the remote control but

can control the TV using their smartphone.

The 55ZL2 also features PERSONAL-TV applications: The TV is able

to store personal picture settings and a personal channel list for up to

four users and it supports personal grouping of recorded content. In

addition, the TV set is able to remember the volume level of each user

after switching off.

CEVO-ENGINE: the powerhouse behind the innovative features

The CEVO-ENGINE, Toshiba's high-performance multi-processor

platform, is the powerhouse behind the 55ZL2. The CEVO-ENGINE's

outstanding technology is able to deliver the depth information needed

to create the 3D effect and then calculates nine different views. It is

the only engine available in the TV market today that is able to deliver

the huge calculation power required to manage the complex

algorithms that implement the glasses-free 3D technology and

applications.

Auto Calibration: picture quality at studio level

The 55ZL2 exploits the CEVO-ENGINE's performance to further

increase picture quality. It powers the Auto Calibration 2 tool, which

optimises the display's settings to show movies with exactly the

colours and grey scale as intended by the films' directors. Until now,

the colour-analyser3-based approach was only used by professionals

and required an external computer. Now the CEVO-ENGINE can

carry out all calculations internally.

BlackBerry Bold 9900 now available on T-Mobile, still late to the 7 OS party

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:40 AM PDT

We knew this day was coming, so there are no surprises here. BlackBerry's latest addition to its portrait QWERTY family, the Bold 9900, is on sale now at T-Mobile stores. The chrome trimmed, 14.4Mbps HSDPA capable handset'll run you $350 (before a $50 mail-in rebate) with a two-year commitment, or you can always fork over the full $600 if you'd rather steer clear of the carrier's contract chains. In case you were in need of a refresher, the phone packs a zippy 1.2GHz processor, 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and runs BlackBerry 7 OS. Feeling like it's time to update your crackberry habit? Then head to the source below to get your order on.

Toshiba's Portege Z830 is an ultraslim, ultrasexy Ultrabook

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:34 AM PDT

Ready for your first helping of Ultrabook? Because it's here. Behold: Toshiba's Portege Z830. Checking in at 2.5 pounds and 0.63 inches thick, the 13.3-inch magnesium-clad beaut that lies before you is 20 percent lighter and 40 percent thinner than its (relatively) svelte sibling, the R380. But don't be fooled by that diminutive profile, as Toshiba still managed to cram some serious silicon (an optional Core i7 CPU), up to 6GB of RAM and an eight-cell 47Wh battery inside. On top of those guts resides a keyboard that's both backlit and spill-resistant (!), a 1366 x 768 display and a 1.3 megapixel webcam in the lid. Also onboard are three USB ports -- one 3.0 and two 2.0, one of which does sleep and charge -- an Ethernet jack, HDMI and VGA output and an SD card slot. There's also the obligatory 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio, along with optional Intel Wireless Display.

We're still waiting for a full rundown of the various configurations and specs, but Toshiba did tell us that the Z830 line will start at under $1,000 when it goes on sale come November. Until then, hop past the break for some brief impressions of a prototype unit.
Toshiba Portege Z830

Toshiba Portege Z830 hands-on

Unfortunately, the pre-production model we played with lacked the company's honeycomb ribbed internals, so we can't make assumptions on rigidity or how sturdy it'll be. The company did assure us that it was aware of the Ultrabook's squishy nature, and that production units would be much more rigid. Regardless, we were smitten with the Z830's thickness (or lack thereof) and its comely magnesium skin, which compares favorably to the existing thin and light champion, the MacBook Air. We also liked the crisp and bright matte LED backlit display, but felt the bezel was a bit burly, particularly after seeing what Samsung's done with its Series 7. Another pleasant surprise was the chiclet keyboard which boasted keys that were surprisingly springy, with a nice throw depth that ended in a satisfying click with each stroke. A definite improvement over the grid on our Portege R705, and something we weren't expecting on a notebook this thin. We like what we've seen so far, but we can't wait to get our hands on a finished product and really see what this featherweight can do.

Michael Gorman contributed to this report.
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TOSHIBA UNVEILS PORTÉGÉ Z830 SERIES OF ULTRABOOK SYSTEMS

The World's Lightest 13.3-inch Platform, Sub-2.5 Pound Portégé Z830 Series Match Style, Supreme Portability and Enhanced Functionality at Affordable Prices

IRVINE, Calif. - Sept. 1, 2011 - Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today unveiled the Portégé® Z830 Series, the company's first UltrabookTM using 2nd Generation Intel® CoreTM processors. Weighing less than 2.5 pounds1 and featuring a 0.63-inch (15.9 mm) profile, the Portégé Z830 Series is about 20 percent lighter and 40 percent thinner than the award-winning ultraportable Portégé R830 Series. These new systems offer unprecedented portability, durability and essential features with visibly smart style and responsiveness - and start at under $1,000 MSRP2.

Supporting the latest 2nd Generation Intel Core processors3 and ultra-fast DDR3 memory, the Portégé Z830 Series provides the performance needed for work and entertainment plus improved power management for great battery life. The Ultrabook device's 128GB solid state drive4 delivers an extremely responsive experience, increased durability and increased energy efficiency. Paired with Toshiba's new exclusive Hi-Speed Start Technology, the Portégé Z830 can power on and get users up and running at work or home in just seconds.

"The Portégé Z830 Series sets a new standard for thin and light systems, not just in portability, but also in affordability for such cutting-edge designs," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "Toshiba's engineering achievements and expert craftsmanship have resulted in a brilliant and fully thought-through innovation that exceeds expectations, perfect for both mobile business professionals and consumers."

The Portégé Z830 Series is built with a host of convenience-driven features such as a full-size LED Backlit and spill-resistant keyboard that makes typing easy in low light conditions and helps guard against accidents. The Ultrabook also includes Toshiba's USB Sleep & Charge5 technology to give users the freedom to power up their smartphones even while the system is powered down. Stereo speakers with enhanced audio technology from Waves Audio make the Portégé Z830 ideal for listening to music, watching movies and video chatting.
The Ultrabook devices feature a light, yet durable magnesium alloy casing that is reinforced with an enhanced Honeycomb Rib design and new internal structures that provide shock absorption and increased rigidity. The systems also feature Toshiba's EasyGuard® Technology, designed to address the security, reliability and durability issues mobile users encounter.

Availability
Portégé Z830 Series Ultrabook systems will be available in November 2011 at select retail stores as well as through select Toshiba Preferred Partner Program resellers and directly at toshibadirect.com.

Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/PortegeZ830Series

Connect with Toshiba on Twitter at twitter.com/ToshibaUSA, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToshibaUS, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/ToshibaUS.

About Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS)
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide digital products, services and solutions, including industry-leading portable computers; televisions, TV/DVD Combination products, Blu-ray Disc and DVD products, and portable devices; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and IP business telephone systems with unified communications, collaboration and mobility applications. TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. For more information on TAIS visit us.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba Corporation
Toshiba Corporation is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 490 companies, with 203,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$77 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

Toshiba announces AT200 tablet, 10.1-inch display and only 7.7mm thick

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:20 AM PDT

Toshiba announces AT200 tablet, 10.1-inch display and only 7.7mm thick
Looks like the Galaxy Tab 10.1 might finally have some real competition on its hands, with Toshiba announcing the AT200 tablet -- which we've been hearing rumors about for the past few days. It's a 10.1-inch Android tablet that measures in at just 7.7mm thick -- that's nearly a full mm thinner than the Samsung. The 10.1-inch LCD is 1,280 x 800 and is powered by a TI OMAP 4430 processor at 1.2GHz that can be paired by up to 64GB of memory -- augmented by microSD. There's a five megapixel webcam around back, a two megapixel shooter facing forward, and up to eight hours of battery life is promised. What hasn't been promised is a price or a release date, but we're told it'll ship sometime before the end of the year.

There's another picture after the break, plus full details in the press release. We'll be back with full hands-on when possible.


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Toshiba unveils its world-class, ultra-thin, ultra-light tablet

Toshiba AT200 tablet built to exceed expectations at only 7.7mm thin and 558g with full 10.1" screen

Neuss, Germany, 1st

September 2011 – Toshiba Europe GmbH unveiled an exciting new product today – the ultra-thin 25.7cm (10.1'') AT200 tablet. Despite measuring only 7.7mm from front to back, the Toshiba AT200 delivers a broad range of essential ports and interfaces. It offers an amazing wide-view display for comfortable content consumption plus full web browsing capabilities to meet the preferred usage for tablets. Every bit as powerful as it is stylish and robust, this tablet is built to exceed expectations. The Toshiba AT200 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2011 in Europe.

Ultra-thin, ultra-powerful

"The new ultra-thin 25.7cm (10.1") tablet Toshiba AT200, featuring Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb, is the latest in a long line of Toshiba products that are masterfully engineered", said Marco Perino, General Manager DS Digital Products Division. "With a thickness of only 7.7mm and a weight of just 558g, the elegant Toshiba AT200 is highly mobile yet extremely smart and powerful."

All essentials on-board

To connect with other devices the ultra-slim tablet comes with all essential interfaces and ports onboard: amongst them micro-USB, micro-SD, Wi-Fi™ and Bluetooth®. The micro-HDMI ®-port allows streaming HD content to the large screen of a TV. Front and back HD cameras are ideal for video conferencing and augmented reality applications.

High-quality media consumption - no matter where you are

The Toshiba AT200 allows users to enjoy videos at home and while out and about. It features a brilliant 25.7cm (10.1") high-definition screen that displays pictures with crisp colours and in full detail.

Despite being ultra-thin, it allows up to eight hours of video consumption.

Sound quality at its best

To complement the first-class video capabilities the new Toshiba tablet with stereo speakers allows for a high quality sound playback. The Adaptive Sound Device Enhancer's sophisticated algorithm maximises sound quality to achieve a quality that normally only can be found with large speakers. Plus, a technology called Sound Masking Equalizer identifies and enhances sound that is being masked or distorted by surrounding noise. The result is a well- balanced, powerful playback of music and video sounds even under high ambient noise levels.

Endless usage possibilities

Toshiba's new tablet also offers a rich web browsing experience including support of Adobe® Flash® Player, access to more than 250,000 apps on Android Market™ and Toshiba Places for endless possibilities.

Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:01 AM PDT

Creative isn't nearly the aural force it once was, but it's still a respected name when it comes to headsets and -- gasp! -- sound cards. Here at IFA, the outfit has busted out a new range of Sound Blaster (yeah, seriously) gaming headsets for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Mac platforms. The 360-friendly Sound Blaster Tactic360 Sigma is being revealed with a steel core headband design and 50mm audio drivers, not to mention separate voice and game audio controls. Moving right along, the Tactic360 ION slims down with a pair of 40mm drivers, while the Tactic3D Wrath Wireless caters to Mac / PC users who'd rather not sweat the whole "cable" thing. The Tactic3D Omega Wireless does likewise for console gamers, and for those infatuated with three-dee, the outfit's new Recon3D audio platform / sound cards sound give you reason to celebrate. Full details are posted up after the break, for those who find themselves strangely intrigued.

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CREATIVE UNLEASHES SOUND BLASTER RECON3D - A NEW AUDIO PLATFORM POWERED BY SOUND CORE3D - THE WORLD'S FIRST QUAD-CORE AUDIO AND VOICE PROCESSOR
Sound Blaster Recon3D Sound Cards to be Unveiled at 2011 IFA Berlin

SINGAPORE - 1 September 2011 - Creative Technology Ltd today announced its Sound Blaster® Recon3D audio platform and sound cards, powered by the groundbreaking new Creative Sound Core3D quad-core sound and voice processor. Designed to deliver hardware-accelerated THX TruStudio Pro™ and CrystalVoice™ audio technologies for games, music and movies, the new series of Sound Blaster Recon3D sound cards will be previewed from 2-7 September at the 2011 IFA Berlin, at the Creative stand 111, Hall 17, Messe Berlin.

"We are leveraging our expertise of designing and selling more than 400 million Sound Blaster audio solutions to break new ground with the power and performance of Sound Core3D, establishing the next standard of sound and voice quality for the PC, Mac, console gaming systems and consumer electronics devices," said Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman and CEO of Creative Technology Ltd. "We designed Sound Core3D with its revolutionary quad-core design to even further expand our leadership in audio innovation beyond the PC to transform all digital entertainment. This enables us to develop our most exciting and versatile line of Sound Blaster products yet, while we pursue new market opportunities by providing our OEM partners with the flexibility to power PC products and consumer electronics devices with Sound Core3D."

Leveraging the Power of Sound Core3D

The stunning audio and voice performance of the Sound Blaster Recon3D sound cards is powered by Creative's new Sound Core3D, the world's first quad-core sound and voice processor. Designed by Creative's in-house team of audio scientists and engineers, Sound Core3D is engineered for low power consumption and high performance. It incorporates Creative's innovative patented Quartet digital signal processor (DSP) with four independent processor cores, and is the first processor to integrate an array of DSP cores with high-quality HD audio codecs of over 100dB on a single chip, giving it tremendous versatility for PC and embedded configurations.

Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion

Immediately recognizable by its stunning design and glowing red Creative Sound Core3D processor, the Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion sound card provides hardware-accelerated THX TruStudio Pro audio technologies for unparalleled audio playback quality. The Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion includes a convenient and cool-looking I/O drive with headset mini-jacks, volume control and audio input connectivity options. The card also includes a high-quality beam-forming microphone, which leverages CrystalVoice Echo Cancellation, CrystalVoice Focus and CrystalVoice Active Noise Reduction to enable gamers for the first time ever to use speakers and a desktop microphone while gaming without any sound other than the gamer's voice being transmitted through the microphone. Designed to deliver crystal clear vocal fidelity in multiplayer games, online chats and video conferencing, CrystalVoice technologies also provide a compelling voice communications option for VOIP solutions such as Skype. The Sound Blaster Recon3D Fata1ity Champion software enables quick and easy switching between multi-channel speaker settings and headsets or headphones. The card is slated for availability in Q1 of 2012.

Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional

Designed with the same powerful THX TruStudio Pro and CrystalVoice audio technologies of the Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion, the Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional sound card features I/O connectivity on the sound card itself, for users who don't wish to use an I/O drive. This card also includes the high-quality beam-forming microphone, allowing advanced voice communication without the need for the headset by leveraging CrystalVoice Echo Cancellation, CrystalVoice Focus and CrystalVoice Active Noise Reduction.

Sound Blaster Recon3D

Providing phenomenally accurate positional 3D audio over headsets or speakers, the Sound Blaster Recon3D sound card is also powered by the new SoundCore3D quad-core audio and video processor. It provides hardware-accelerated THX TruStudio Pro and select Crystal Voice audio technologies. The Sound Blaster Recon3D sound card is slated for availability later this year.

The Sound Blaster Recon3D PCI Express sound cards feature 6-channel 24-bit 102dB DACs, 4-channel 24-bit 101dB analog-to-digital (ADC) converters, integrated headphone amplifier-out, digital microphone interface, S/PDIF inputs and outputs and general purpose inputs and outputs (GPIO).

THX TruStudio Pro - Featured in Every Sound Blaster Recon3D

* The THX TruStudio Pro Crystalizer™ enhances in-game sound, music and movies by restoring low and high end frequency curves lost to compression
* THX TruStudio Pro Surround™ delivers a 360 degree surround sound gaming experience so gamers can hear sounds clearly from the front, back, above and below
* THX TruStudio Pro Smart Volume™ addresses the problem of abrupt volume level changes in games, music and movies by intelligently applying gain and attenuation to deliver consistent volume levels
* THX TruStudio Pro Dialog Plus™ enhances voices in games and movies for clearer dialog, allowing listener to hear the dialog over the rest of sound track and over ambient noise in the listening environment
* THX TruStudio Pro Bass™ fills in the missing low frequency tones and give the extra impact for a better entertainment experience

CrystalVoice is comprised of:

* Acoustic Echo Cancellation - Eliminates echoes and enables whoever is speaking to listen to the other party clearly. Echoes are a common problem present in voice communication systems that disrupts conversations by making it difficult to hear the other party
* Noise Reduction - Enables who is speaking to be heard clearly over background noise by constantly monitoring the environment and eliminate the unwanted noise that interferes with the conversation
* Smart Volume - Automatically adjusts the loudness of a voice to maintain a consistent volume level. This makes it convenient for the speaker to converse normally, regardless of whether the speaker is close to or far away from the microphone
* FX™ - Enables alteration of voice with a variety of effects, which can be used to enhance the tone of a voice, create interesting accents, or enable someone to sound like a completely different person

More information about the new Sound Blaster Recon3D audio solutions will be posted in coming weeks to soundblaster.com.

________________

Creative Unveils New Sound Blaster Gaming Headsets at 2011 IFA Berlin

Bold New Designs and Compelling Audio Technologies for PC, Mac and Console

BERLIN, GERMANY – 1 Sept., 2011 – Creative Technology Ltd. today announced that it will unveil the next generation of Sound Blaster® gaming headsets for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC and Mac at 2011 IFA Berlin, at the Creative stand 111, Hall 17, Messe Berlin.

Sound Blaster Tactic360 Sigma Gaming Headset – Designed for Xbox 360

Designed around the award-winning Sound Blaster Tactic3D Sigma gaming headset, the Sound Blaster Tactic360 Sigma features a sturdy steel core headband design with massively powerful 50 mm audio drivers. Its powered headset amplifier with separate voice and game audio controls deliver an exhilarating gaming experience on the Xbox 360.

The Sound Blaster Tactic360 ION Gaming Headset – Designed for Xbox 360

With its durable, lightweight design and powerful 40 mm audio drivers, the Sound Blaster Tactic360 ION Gaming Headset includes a powered headset amplifier with separate voice and game audio controls to ensure pulse-racing gaming audio at the great price of only €49.99.

Sound Blaster Tactic3D Wrath Wireless Special Edition Gaming Headset – Designed for PC and Mac

The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Wrath Wireless Gaming Headset delivers a powerful PC and Mac gaming audio experience with massive 50mm drivers and a killer design featuring red illuminated ear cups. The included software enables users to dramatically improve their audio playback quality and experience with THX TruStudio Pro™, a suite of audio enhancements developed by the collaborative expertise of Creative and THX audio engineers. Engineered for professional-grade gaming, the Sound Blaster Tactic3D Wrath features a steel-core headband, plush ear cups, rechargeable lithium battery, and a detachable microphone.

Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega Wireless Gaming Headset – Designed for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC and Mac

The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega wireless gaming headset connects wirelessly to an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC or Mac, and delivers phenomenal audio quality via massively powerful FullSpectrum™ 50mm drivers for a completely immersive gaming experience. The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Omega also features a detachable noise-canceling microphone for crystal-clear voice communications. With the included software, PC and Mac gamers can experience THX TruStudio Pro audio technology to customize their own gaming audio settings and profile. The wireless transmitter connects easily via standard USB or Aux-In.

More information about the new Sound Blaster gaming headsets will be posted in coming weeks to soundblaster.com.

Amazon's @author lets you tweet, pester your favorite writers via Kindle

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 06:40 AM PDT

If the Amazon Kindle's passage-sharing Twitter integration wasn't social enough for you, the outfit just unleashed a new option: @author. The new feature uses Twitter as a springboard to connect writers to their fans, giving users a chance to nitpick their favorite authors line-by-line. If you've ever shared a quote using the Kindle, you know the drill: highlight some text and type out your tweet -- just make sure you preface it with the @author marker. This limited beta is launching with only a handful of writers, but between Robert "Rich Dad" Kiyosaki and Brad "Identity Crisis" Meltzer, we're sure you can find something to ask.

iHome's AirPlay iW1 wireless speaker system available on September 26th, for $300

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 06:19 AM PDT

It's been a while since we first got our hands on the iW1 AirPlay, but it won't be too much longer before iHome's wireless speaker system hits the market. Yesterday, the company announced that the iW1 will be available on September 26th, for $300. For that price, you'll be able to stream music from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, using the system's two three-inch woofers and duo of one-inch tweeters with Bongiovi processing. The six-pound iW1 also boasts a rechargeable lithium ion battery, allowing you to easily tote it to your next house party, and can be wirelessly connected using iHome's Home Connect app, available for free on iTunes. Blast past the break for the full press release, or hit up the source link for more detailed information.
Show full PR text
iW1 AVAILABLE BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 26!

Today, iHome officially announced that their highly anticipated AirPlay speaker system, the iW1, will be available for purchase throughout North America starting September 26, 2011.

In advance of its wide release, a very limited quantity was offered for sale today exclusively on iHomeAudio.com to iW1 email subscribers on a first-come first-serve basis. Supplies were limited and sold out within 45 minutes

Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the iW1 enables a truly wireless listening experience and employs Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station (DPS) technology and four (4) active speakers for premium audio performance in a compact design.

Using AirPlay, users can wirelessly stream music simultaneously from iTunes, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to multiple AirPlay-equipped iHome speakers over Wi-Fi. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 4.2 or later.

Sprint to double Upgrade Fee to $36 starting September 9th?

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 05:55 AM PDT

It's time to either find your favorite teddy bear or pinch a few hundred pennies. In today's second bout of unfortunate news coming from Overland Park, SprintFeed is reporting that we should brace ourselves for yet another hike in one-time charges on September 9th. This time, it's the oh-so-beloved Upgrade Fee that's the victim of inflation, getting beefed up to $36 for any existing customer who desires a new phone; if you're hoping to renew contracts on multiple lines, Sprint is graciously willing to cap the fees at a maximum of $150. There's speculation that these bumps may have something to do with the latest rumor coming out of Cupertino, but it may also simply be a routine policy change. Regardless of the motive, it means anyone holding out for the next best thing should start looking under every couch cushion they sit on, in hopes of scrounging up a few extra bucks.

Creative keeps stabbing at the MP3 market, reveals bantam ZEN X-Fi3

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 05:29 AM PDT

Another IFA, another minuscule ZEN X-Fi media player. And somehow, they manage to get less and less impressive with each passing year. This go 'round, we're looking at the ZEN X-Fi3, equipped with a 2-inch LCD, 8/16GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 2.1, a built-in microphone / FM radio / speaker and a battery that should last up to 20 hours when playing back audio alone. As with prior ZEN units, this one also supports a multitude of file formats (FLAC, AAC, MP3, WMA, Audible, etc.), and for those kosher with watching Alf reruns on a thumb-sized panel, MPEG-4 / WMV9 / DivX video files are also capable of being played back. This guy's slated to ship at the end of October across Europe, but with $99.99 (8GB) / $139.99 (16GB) price tags, we're guessing most are bound to just collect dust. For shame.
Show full PR text
The Latest Incarnation of the ZEN X-Fi Delivers Premium Wireless Audio On-the-Go Through X-Fi Restoration, Lossless Music Support, the apt-X Codec and Bluetooth -- All at an Incredibly Affordable Price

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, USA – 1 September 2011 – Creative Technology Ltd today announced the launch of the Creative ZEN X-Fi3 music, photo and video player with X-Fi audio technology-enabled Bluetooth wireless audio playback and support for lossless audio and a wide range of other music formats. Just 65 x 45.5 x 12.5 mm in size, the Creative ZEN X-Fi3 is packed with features including a microSD card slot, video-out, and 2" TFT screen with touch-buttons, and it is priced from only US$99.99. The Creative ZEN X-Fi3 will debut at IFA 2011 in Berlin from 2 – 7 September 2011.

Key Features of the Creative ZEN X-Fi3

* Superior Wireless Connectivity with Bluetooth 2.1 and apt-X

The built-in apt-X codec allows users to enjoy superior wireless Bluetooth music transmission (that sounds as good as a wired connection) when Creative ZEN X-Fi3 is used with all compatible stereo Bluetooth devices such as Creative's comprehensive line-up of Bluetooth headphones and speakers.

* X-Fi Quality Audio

Creative ZEN X-Fi3 lets users re-experience their music in pristine crystal clear quality and detail through the revolutionary power of X-Fi. With X-Fi Crystalizer, users will experience their digital music the way it was meant to be heard, with lost details restored. With X-Fi Expand, users will enjoy the most natural sound staging available in headphone audio today.

* X-Fi Crystalizer
Digital Music today pales in comparison to the real thing.

That's because important details disappear in the high and low ranges when users rip their CDs into digital music. X-Fi Crystalizer intelligently restores lost details instantly to amazing clarity.

* X-Fi Expand
X-Fi Expand intelligently moves a conventional left/right earphone stereo source away from a user's ears, virtually expanding it for an audio experience with a breathtakingly realistic depth of field. Users will feel as if they were listening to their music from a pair of high-end speakers.

* Support for a Wide Range of Audio Formats that Include Lossless Audio

Creative ZEN X-Fi3 allows users to enjoy their music even in lossless audio formats (FLAC files) besides accessing all their content and music in various formats such as MP3, WMA and Audible 4. In addition, the player also supports iTunes Plus – also known as unprotected AAC (.m4a).

* Additional Space for Music with microSD Card Slot
Users can add up to 32GB* of music on top of the player's built-in memory

* Video-out

Users can enjoy movies or share images with family and friends on a larger screen, when they connect Creative ZEN X-Fi3 to a TV via the player's video-out connector (A/V cable available separately).

"With Creative, you will always get best value performance when it comes to portable media players. Earlier this year, we introduced the ZEN Style M300 that surprised everyone with how many features one could pack into a tiny device at such a low price point," said Ting Lai Chu, Vice-President of the Advanced Multimedia Group at Creative Technology Ltd.

"Now here at IFA Berlin 2011 with the ZEN X-Fi3, we're all set to amaze everyone once more, but this time with a portable media player that delivers the best possible wireless audio experience in the market. ZEN X-Fi3 will set a new benchmark in what premium audio performance should be for a portable media player."

Technical Specifications of the Creative ZEN X-Fi3

* Display: 2" TFT with 262K colors
* Capacity(1) : 8GB , 16GB
* Wireless: Bluetooth 2.1 (supports apt-X, AVRCP & A2DP)
* Audio formats(2): FLAC, non-protected AAC (*.M4A) from iTunes Plus® , MP3, WMA (DRM9), WAV(IMA-ADPCM), Audible Format 4, Audible AAX
* X-Fi™ Audio Enhancement : Adjustable Crystalizer / Expand effects
* Video formats(3) : WMV9, MPEG4-SP, AVI (DivX4/5, XviD)
* Video / Audio out : PAL or NTSC / Stereo (via A/V cable sold)
* Photo formats: JPEG
* Built-in Microphone for Voice Recording
* Built-in FM Radio with 32 station presets
* Built-in Speakers for sharing music out loud
* Battery Playtime(4) :
o up to 20 hours of audio (mp3,128kbps)
o up to 5 hours of video (640x480, stereo(128kbps))
* Dimensions: 65 x 45.5 x 12.5mm (est.)
* Weight: 45g (est.)

1. Availability may differ in different regions.
2. Non-protected AAC (.M4A) from iTunes Plus ®. Supports FLAC of up to 1.1Mbps.
3. This product is not certified by DivX Inc. and may not play all DivX 4 and DivX 5 files. XviD encoded files are playable if they are encoded as standard MPEG-4 Simple (SP) or Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) without GMC and QPEL support. Appropriate codecs must be preinstalled.
4. Actual battery life and playtime will vary with use and settings. Battery has limited recharge cycles.

* 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Available capacity will be less. Reported capacity will vary.

Pricing and Availability

The Creative ZEN X-Fi3 portable media players will be available at the online store at creative.com/shop in Europe from end Oct 2011 onwards at the following suggested retail prices:

· Creative ZEN X-Fi3 8GB US$99.99

· Creative ZEN X-Fi3 16GB US$139.99

For in-store availability, please refer to local authorised dealers.

For more information about Creative ZEN X-Fi3 portable media players, please visit www.creative.com/purewireless.

Samsung Wave 3 hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:59 AM PDT

Had enough Samsung this morning? Well, how about a little more Samsung, then. Also on the company's laundry list of new devices is the Wave, which was announced earlier this week. The Wave 3 is the highest end of the three new devices carrying that name, packing a zippy 1.4GHz processor, which seems to handle tasks with ease. Like most of the rest of the products introduced here at IFA, the screen is the centerpiece of the device, a brilliant 4-inch WVGA unit. Also like the rest of Samsung's handsets, the hardware is really terrific on the Wave, glossy screen complimenting a brushed aluminum back.

The handset runs Bada 2.0, which means that we're not likely to be seeing the thing in the US any time in the near future -- Samsung has largely backed away from US support for the mobile operating system, though it promises to expand its selection of applications from third-party app developers. Also new on the software front is ChatON, a mobile messaging service which we were unfortunately unable to give a spin here in Berlin.

Click on past the break for a hands-on video.
Samsung Wave 3 hands-on


Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Samsung Galaxy Note hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:37 AM PDT


How excited is Samsung about the new Galaxy Note? The company is convinced that the device heralds a whole new space for the industry, something in between the smartphone and the tablet. And what's the space called? The Note, of course. At 5.3 inches, the thing does feel a lot more like a cell phone than a tablet -- albeit a really large one. It's still reasonably portable, certainly more so than the also recently announced Galaxy Tab 7.7, but the added screen real estate might not be worth the extra pocket space for those who don't use their portable devices to watch movies.

Interestingly, the major application here actually seems to be enterprise users. While Android 2.3 isn't particularly known for being a great business OS, the ability to scribble notes with the stylus, the "S Pen," harkens back to the old PDAs and will likely appeal to users sick of typing with their fingers. That said, we had some difficulty mastering the pen in the short time that we spent with it. Despite Samsung's insistence on the thing's accuracy, the stylus was quite slippery on the device's glossy screen, and we had a lot of difficulty being precise for simple drawings -- as you can see in the scribble above.

All in all, it's hard to envision the Note as a whole new space, and it remains to be seen whether the S Pen can indeed give the aged stylus new life. Check on our hands-on video after the break and see for yourself.
Samsung Galaxy Note hands-on


Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:18 AM PDT


Samsung may have been talking up the Galaxy Note as the hottest new piece of hardware for this year's IFA, but it's the Galaxy Tab 7.7 that's got us really excited. The device is the latest entry in Samsung's popular Android-based Galaxy Tab line, and the thing is pretty darn slick. The 7.7-inch screen is in keeping with the company's push toward devices that straddle the line between the tablet and smartphone spaces (see also: the Note), and it is indeed a terrific form factor. This isn't going to replace your laptop or iPad (or Galaxy Tab 10.1) for lengthy multimedia marathons, but it's a great size for watching quick videos and basic computer like checking your email. It's also exceedingly portable at 0.74 pounds.

Like so many other devices launched by Samsung this year, the screen is the thing, and indeed, that 7.7-inch 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED Plus display is quite sharp and extremely bright -- in fact, we had to turn the thing down while doing the below hands-on video. Also new with the device is the addition of Android 3.2 -- we didn't notice all that much different on that front, however, seeing as how the tablet is still skinned with the familiar TouchWiz UX UI. There weren't really any noticeable changes from the newly updated version for the 10.1.

Check out our hands-on video after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 hands-on


Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Live from Samsung IFA 2011 press event

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:01 AM PDT


6:07AM Thanks all! It's time to get some serious hands-on action. Look for more coverage.


6:06AM Hey, the lady from all of the interstitial videos is here. She's the special guest, apparently. Also, we're getting some more man on the street videos. Looks like this press conference is over, people.




6:05AM What do you think, is Samsung talking a step back with the Stylus? We're going to be losing a lot of S Pens in the coming year.


6:05AM Styluses for all, we say!

6:04AM Andrew's showing off accessories. An S Pen holder! Make your stylus feel special!



6:04AM Swiping your hand across the display will take a screen shot and covering the display will play and pause media. Interesting, yes. Groundbreaking, meh.




6:03AM Works with schedule management. Seems like Samsung is really pushing for the enterprise space with the Note.



6:03AM Sammy will be opening the SDK up to third party developers.

6:02AM So the S Pen is the secret to getting third party app developers on board, hey Samsung?


6:02AM This is meant to display notebooks -- the paper kind. Remember those?


6:02AM So it does handwriting recognition. That's useful, for sure.


6:01AM You can open the S Memo application for any screen. I don't know Andrew, you're not really selling this pen.


6:01AM Okay, he's talking about the S Pen. The stylus for the thing. This is the surprise? Pretty lame, Samsung




6:00AM He's talking about having minimum screen transition, certainly a problem with mobile devices. It IS a slick looking screen.




5:59AM It's got a 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED display.


5:59AM Andrew is calling it a new category. Again, we've heard all of this before.


5:58AM I have three Galaxy Tabs on me at all times.


5:58AM Andrew Coughlin is talking about the problem with carrying multiple devices. Fair enough.




5:57AM What's the surprise? We've seen this before, guy.




5:57AM Hey, it's the Galaxy Note again. Deja Vu.



5:56AM It's gotta be good to beat that slick looking 7.7.

5:56AM Ooh, the biggest surprise is coming. Galaxy Tab 11? 12? 900? The possibilities are endless!


5:55AM There's a microSD card slot on it. It runs Android 3.2 and Samsung TouchWiz -- of course it's all skinned up.




5:54AM It's got a 1.4GHz processor, WiFi Channel Bonding for high speed transfers, and a 4G LTE option.


5:54AM Looking slick, Sammy. Want to play with it right now.



5:53AM It's thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Figures.


5:53AM It's got the highest pixel density among tablets.



5:53AM It's bright, for sure. Even in front of that giant projection screen. It's got Super AMOLED -- words we're hearing a lot today.






5:51AM Looking good, Samsung.

5:51AM And it's the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.

5:50AM Already, it's time for the next tablet. Thing's got 4G LTE. You're missing out, people in the hall.


5:50AM Chat On is a new messaging service for Samsung devices. Send multimedia messages. Supports Android and Bada. Will be on phones, tablets, and PCs.




5:49AM This is definitely a downer after all of the Note talk. Sorry Thomas.


5:48AM You can connect wirelessly to play games. It does multitasking. But again, it's Bada.


5:48AM It's another Bada 2.0 phone, so, you know...


5:48AM It's got a metal unibody design. It's the phone for design-conscious consumers. Has a Super AMOLED display.




5:47AM Here we go, it's the Wave 3. Thanks Thomas.



5:46AM Man, people are super antsy to check out the Samsung Note. We've got some portfolios to discuss, folks.

5:46AM Thomas Richter is talking to a migrating audience now.


5:45AM Nope, it's not over, even though a bunch of people just left.

5:45AM That looks like it's it. People are heading out. We've got some gadgets to look at.



5:44AM Is the Note the new iPad? Sammy sure thinks so.


5:44AM He's really talking up this new category. We've got tablets, smartphones, and the note. What screen is that now? The fifth screen. It's hard to keep track, really.



5:43AM It's a digital notepad and diary. You can read emails while you're moving -- we don't recommend that, however. Especially not with these crazy bike lanes in Berlin.




5:42AM The Galaxy Note. It's got a 5.3 inch Super AMOLED screen. Big screen, smartphone portability. 1.4GHz processor. It's got a longer battery life. And a pen input. Yep, a pen.





5:41AM It's a new category, people get ready.


5:41AM Spit it out already, DJ.



5:41AM And one more -- he's taking his time on this one.

5:40AM And here's the Galaxy Tab 7.7. It's got a Super AMOLED screen like the Wave. It's the thinnest and lightest in the industry, apparently.



5:40AM Working to make Bada one of the top platforms in the industry. We're not holding our breath on that one.



5:39AM It's got a four inch Super AMOLED Screen.



5:39AM Samsung Wave 3 with Bada 2.0. Don't suspect we'll be seeing this in our neck of the woods.


5:38AM Three new devices. Okay, here we go.





5:38AM DJ Lee is taking the stage -- not an actual DJ (we think).

5:37AM Okay, looks like we're finally getting into the tablet/smartphone section. This is indeed what the people want.


5:37AM Samsung is really into these man on the street videos this year. Giving the people what they want, apparently.

5:36AM Also, it's like 90 degrees in here. Is it hot, or is it just Samsung? Hard to know for sure.


5:36AM Announcing partners for the SUR40, including Fujifilm. So, look out for that, I guess.



5:35AM Hey, it's the Microsoft Surface.



5:34AM The screen is super bright and anti-reflective. Hard to tell in here, however.


5:34AM So the 14 inch is 15 inches, and so on.


5:34AM The bezel size has been knocked down, giving an extra inch of viewing.



5:34AM It's gonna be 13, 14, and 15 inches.


5:33AM Liking the aluminum design.


5:33AM It's got Express Cache to reduce booting time by 45 percent.


5:32AM New Intel Core processors, up to i7.




5:32AM The Series 7 Chronos. High performance AND power?


5:31AM And the Samsung Series 9 has company.


5:31AM Anyone out there hoping for some more Chromebooks?



5:30AM Patrick Povel is here now. And it's notebook time. He's talking up the Series 9.



5:29AM Looks like it's notebook time now.

5:28AM And that's it for cameras.


5:28AM The display is three inches, VGA AMOLED.



5:28AM iFunction 2.0 is built in. The smart panel makes taking pictures easier.


5:27AM It's compact and lightweight, with a premium metallic design.


5:27AM Does seven frame per second continuous shooting.


5:27AM Pretty good for low light and moving targets.


5:26AM It's go a 20.3 megapixel sensor.




5:26AM The NX200 is looking pretty good, if we do say so ourselves.

5:26AM The new Samsung NX200, thanks Ms. IFA.


5:26AM Well, a followup to a followup, that is.

5:25AM Looks like we're getting an NX10 followup.



5:25AM It's got picture-in-picture and live panorama. It's also got things called Funny Face and Magic Frame.



5:24AM 16 megapixel, 5x optical zoom, 26mm wide angle lens. It also has Smart Touch 3.0 wallpaper.



5:24AM It will appeal to style conscious consumers (like Ms. IFA, we imagine).


5:23AM Does 180 degree flips, so you don't have to.



5:23AM It's got a three inch flip out touchscreen display.



5:23AM Hey, it's Ms. IFA. She's everywhere this week.

5:22AM Life from all angles, according to Samsung.


5:22AM The Samsung Multiview Envy 800 is being announced. Cue flashy intro video.


5:22AM Malcolm Andre will be talking digital imaging. Maybe they'll explain why there was a Sony camera in the intro video.



5:21AM You can't win 'em all, we're afraid.

5:20AM Samsung is not introducing a retro TV set, sadly.



5:19AM We're making sure that the past doesn't get left behind. They're showing how new technology works on old-timey TVs.


5:19AM It's a tube TV set! Fun!


5:18AM Michael's coming back with something fun...


5:18AM The Philharmonic loves Samsung home entertainment products.


5:18AM Ah, Bobby Dylan here is from the Berlin Philharmonic. That explains the lack of a harmonica.




5:17AM Alright, enough Samsung Smart TV content. Let's talk about products!




5:16AM We don't think, at least. He does look like a rolling stone, however.


5:16AM Fernanda Montoro and Robert Zimmerman. Not THE Robert Zimmerman.


5:15AM 3D and 5.1 surround coming to Maxdome Smart TV. Thanks Rene.




5:14AM Rene Rummel is on now. Dan's feeling generous with stage space.




5:13AM Dan Saunders is all about the apps today.



5:12AM We're talking about the Samsung TV App Store now. Should reach 1,000 apps by the end of the month with 10 new apps every business day.


5:12AM It's the center of your connected home. Got that?


5:11AM Smart TV is user friendly and has animations. Fun.




5:09AM We'll be getting a hands-on, naturally...


5:09AM YouTube is launching 3D content exclusively on Samsung smart TVs.


5:07AM They are the number one TV manufacturer globally. Pretty good, Samsung.


5:07AM Lots of talk about all of the awards Samsung has won in the space. It's a bunch, apparently.



5:06AM This is the era of one design, apparently.



5:06AM Michael Zoller will be talking TVs.



5:05AM People on the screen are talking about what they want from TVs. We want new products, that's what we want.




5:05AM They're rolling out a giant flat screen.

5:04AM We're starting off with some television news, apparently.



5:04AM And Samsung will once again demonstrate its commitment to the Olympic games, with help from David Beckham. No sign of Posh in the audience, sadly.



5:02AM We're excited.

5:02AM An exciting new mobile communication service is coming.




5:01AM We're going to see a new PC, apparently.



5:00AM He's talking about the company's history of firsts. Let's get to the future already.


4:59AM Samsung is working to become number one in the global market. Bring it.


4:58AM Some exciting new updates: smart TV and 3D offerings. Mobile too.


4:58AM We are going to experience a smarter life today. Pumped!


4:57AM Boo-Keun Yoon is taking the stage.

4:56AM It begggggginnnnnns.
Another day, another IFA live blog. We're here, and the place is positively packed -- people are literally pushing their ways through the door to get the best seats. This is easily one of the hottest tickets in town. Read along after the break.

Photos by Zach Honig.

Samsung's Smart TV update will feature YouTube 3D videos

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Today at IFA 2011, one of Samsung's many announcements is an update to its Smart TVs that will place YouTube's library of 3D videos front and center for users to stream. So far one of the major issues for 3DTV owners has been a lack of content, but since it launched support for 3D videos two years ago, YouTube has accumulated quite a library of both professionally developed and user generated videos for viewing. HDTVs from LG added access to the site's 3D content earlier this year, and the update is expected to appear across the Samsung lineup across the second half of 2011. We spoke with one of the engineer's responsible for the initial rollout of YouTube's 3D support, Pete Bradshaw, and he mentioned the project's genesis as one of Google's famous "20 percent" projects that was worked on on the side, but has now drawn the support of a multiperson team to support, and a rapidly expanding number of viewers and content creators uploading videos to the service. The intent is to make viewing 3D just as easy as watching anything else, once users film in 3D with their phone or camera, they can upload it to YouTube and watch on TV (or mobile device) without worrying about the formatting and technology involved. We're still a few steps away from the magic bullet that removes the current hurdles for wider 3D acceptance in the market, but if you're one of the (not so early at this point) adopters with the hardware to handle it, you'll probably appreciate anything that makes more content available easily. Check after the break for the press release and a few sample videos to check out.



Show full PR text
Samsung First to Launch YouTube™ 3D content for Smart TV at IFA 2011

Samsung Smart TV Zone to exclusively exhibit newly updated YouTube on TV
application featuring YouTube 3D content for Samsung booth attendees at IFA 2011

Berlin, Germany – September 1, 2011 – Today at IFA 2011 (Booth No. 101) Samsung
Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies,
announced it will partner with YouTube™ to be the first to exhibit the YouTube 3D content within
the re-vamped YouTube on TV application for Smart TVs from the Samsung booth's "Samsung
Smart TV Zone." YouTube 3D content, brought to you exclusively at IFA by Samsung's Smart
TV platform, provides users with an entertaining, intuitive, social and visual home entertainment
experience like never before.

The 3D device industry has long lacked a source for content until now-with this new YouTube
on TV app, anyone can view 3D content on a Smart TV. Consumers will now be able to enjoy
thousands of 3D videos,-allowing friends and family to more realistically share and enjoy each
other's life moments via YouTube and Samsung Smart TV. YouTube uses standards-compliant
video formats to enable the sharing of 3D content with 720p HD video quality across an array
of devices, including Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, mobile phones and gaming
consoles.

"Samsung is glad to be a partner in bringing YouTube 3D experiences to TV space for the
first time in the world at IFA 2011," said Kyungsik Kevin Lee, vice president of Visual Display
Business, Samsung Electronics. "Samsung Smart TV is an ideal platform for YouTube to
convey the beautifully visual user interface and 3D experience that consumers will now have
at their fingertips for watching and sharing of 3D content worldwide-this partnership will
contribute to the continued growth of both the 3D and Smart TV industries."

Using an updated, intuitive user interface specifically optimized for large screen devices and
Smart TVs, YouTube on TV has simplified login and search screen functionality-allowing
consumers to more easily browse, view, save and rate their favorite content. The service now
includes a "personalized profile" which provides users with tailored recommendations based on
their individual interests and previous search terms. The YouTube on TV service for Smart TV
provides consumers with an expanded home entertainment experience-one that is completely
customizable, interactive, immersive and can be enjoyed from the comfort of the home.

"The launch of YouTube on TV underscores one of YouTube's core missions: to make high
quality video available anywhere and on any device," said Francisco Varela, YouTube's Global

Head of Platform Partnerships. "In addition to our efforts in web and mobile, 3D videos on
YouTube can now also be and shared and enjoyed through high-quality/large-screen enabled
Smart TVs."

As a continuous market leader, Samsung Smart TV provides the perfect mix of rich content, rich
experiences, and convenience to consumers. Much more than just a connected TV, Samsung
Smart TV creates an entirely new way to view television through Smart Hub, Smart Design,
and Smart 3D functionality. This is further matched by intuitive user experiences and content
driven by apps and services made specifically for the TV. Bringing these intelligent features
together, Samsung Smart TV serves as the entertainment hub of the home by connecting to not
just the Internet, but a variety of other home network devices. Much like user-created content
helped in the growth of the smartphone market, YouTube's 3D content for Smart TV service is
a testament to the already thriving Smart TV industry. Attendees of IFA 2011 can experience
Samsung Smart TV hands-on at Booth No.101 in Samsung's Smart TV Zone.

The new YouTube on TV app with 3D will be available on 2011 Samsung Smart TV and BD
Player globally in the 2nd half of 2011.

Samsung MV800 MultiView camera hands-on (video)

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT


There's nothing all that exciting about most point-and-shoot cameras. You point, they shoot, end of story. But Samsung has been shaking things up as of late. First, the TL220 and TL225 added a second, 1.5-inch LCD to the front of the camera, making up the company's 2009 lineup of DualView cams. We've never actually seen anyone using them on the street, but Samsung reps insist that they've been an absolute hit. Well alright then. This year, CES brought the company's remote-shooting-enabled SH100, which lets you use a Samsung-branded Android smartphone to frame, zoom, and capture images over WiFi. A rather obnoxious delay doesn't make this a blockbuster feature, but still, this is pretty imaginative stuff.

Now this week at IFA, the company just introduced yet another completely original (and practical) camera design with its MV800. The camera's image quality isn't much to speak of (though we've only had a chance to use a pre-production model), but its MultiView flip-up LCD is pretty darn fantastic -- in concept, at least. The 16.1 megapixel cam's entire 3-inch capacitive touchscreen flips from flush with the rear up to a 180-degree angle (and anything in between), making it possible to not only shoot perfectly framed self-portraits, but also to have a direct view of the display when shooting both below, and above eye level. We love to see manufacturers continue to push the envelope when it comes to innovation, but how did the $279 MV800 perform overall? Jump past the break for our impressions.
Samsung MV800

When viewed directly from the front, the MV800 looks just like any other mid-level Samsung point-and-shoot camera. There's a 26-130mm, f.3.3-5.9 5x optical zoom lens, a super-thin built-in flash, and one of those little orange light things that's supposed to help the camera focus in low-light. Yeah, the one that alerts your subject of an imminent candid shot, that's, well, not so candid anymore. There's also a power button, shutter release, and zoom slider up top -- all pretty standard stuff. But flip to the back, and you'll notice a hinge just above the 3-inch WQVGA display. That hinge is the only point of contact for the display, letting you rotate the thing so it's inverted above the lens facing forward, position it at a 90-degree angle, a 45-degree angle, or any other position on that single axis. That'll let you see your subject when holding the camera above your head, for shooting at concerts or at crowded events, or for when you need to be really sneaky, and want to shoot with the camera well below eye level. It's a very, very cool feature, and since it's useful for more than just self-portraits, it'll come in handy for just about any type of photographer.



Beyond that cool little hinge, the display itself has a capacitive touchscreen, which makes it just as responsive to touch as a smartphone. This is key for a touchscreen camera -- all manufacturers need to pay attention here, and never, ever release another camera with a non-capacitive touchscreen. Things seem to go downhill from there, unfortunately. While innovative, the display is low-resolution, with a relatively sluggish response rate. A display of this quality isn't all that uncommon for a camera in this price range, but we'd really love to see Samsung step it up a notch. In fact, if it weren't for the magical hinge and capacitive touch, this display would have been a complete dud. There is one more pretty nifty feature: you can tap and hold a top-level menu icon and drag it around, reordering main menu options to your liking. A rather minor detail, but one that we do like very much.



While we loved this new display concept (though not necessarily the display itself), the MV800 is definitely not a class-leader when it comes to image quality. In fact, it probably wouldn't even score in the top half of its class. Many images we shot weren't in focus, flash-lit images were uneven, and pictures have a significant amount of noise when shot in low light (in "Smart Auto" mode). Whenever we brought up image quality with Samsung reps, they immediately redirected the conversation to the camera's interface -- which is, admittedly, among the best we've seen, but can't compensate for poor image quality (UI makes a tablet, IQ makes a camera). The sample that we tested is pre-production, however, so it's quite possible that the version you pick up this fall will have vastly improved performance (we can dream, can't we?).

If you're buying a camera for the user interface, and a not-so-gimmicky adjustable touchscreen, then you'll want to pay close attention here -- the MV800 may just be a winner. But if image quality reigns supreme, this certainly wouldn't be our first choice in the sub-$300 price range. Scroll on below for many more details from Samsung, and our very brief hands-on video, shot just a few miles from the IFA exhibit halls in Berlin.


Show full PR text
Innovative Samsung MV800 Camera Offers Great Photography From All Angles

Features 3.0" Wide Flip-out touch display for camera users to shoot, record and view life from all angles

IFA - BERLIN, Germany – September, 1, 2011 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today unveiled the Samsung MV800 camera, an ultra-compact point & shoot with a 3.0" touch-screen Flip-out LCD display. In combining the Flip-out LCD with an impressive suite of creative features, the MV800 enables users to capture life's moments from any angle and create images that reflect their unique perspective on the world.

The MV800 camera offers enhanced picture quality, capacitive touch screen technology, as well as many innovative and user-friendly features to ensure that all users can relax and enjoy their shooting experience. Consumers can be confident they will be able to capture even the most challenging shot whether they are behind or in front of the lens.

The MV800 camera builds on the success of Samsung's DualView technology and is the first premium compact model to feature a 3.0" Wide Flip-out touch-screen LCD Display. Samsung has designed the device in response to evolving consumer demands for maximum flexibility, ease-of-use, creativity and style.

The 3.0" Wide Flip-out display opens up a world of artistic possibilities. Whether it is capturing the perfect self portrait to polish an online profile or snapping photos from very high or very low angles -the MV800 allows users to capture images they've never even considered before. The unique screen tilts up and down so users can frame every shot, and easily view the images from any perspective. For fashion-forward consumers who place a premium on style, the device's ultra-slender design and contemporary metallic finish promise to make a lasting visual impact.

The Samsung MV800 camera offers an impressive 16.1 megapixels for premium picture quality, along with a 5x optical zoom and a 26mm wide-angle lens. By packing this technology into a sleek and slim device, the Samsung MV800 is the ideal camera for premium-quality image capture on the move.

While the flip-out display enables users to take shots from all angles, the unique Smart Touch 3.0 user interface ensures highly intuitive operation. Users can drag and scroll through menu options to launch the required feature with only one touch. Smart Touch 3.0 also keeps it fun by letting users customize their background image or wallpaper.

The innovative Live Panorama function, meanwhile, enables easy photography of large groups by simply holding down the shutter button, then previewing the whole scene that's being captured, via the LCD. Moreover, by simply connecting the Samsung MV800 to a 3D HDTV, images and panoramic shots can be viewed in outstanding 3D in-depth quality instantly.

"Our aim is to continually be at the forefront of digital compact camera innovation and the Samsung MV800 is the embodiment of that goal," said Mr. Myoung Sup Han, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Imaging Business, Samsung Electronics. "The Samsung MV800's unique ability to capture images from any angle, combined with its stylish and ultra-slim design demonstrates unparalleled Samsung innovation which we believe will appeal to every photographer, and establish a new benchmark for the industry."

Get Creative with Magic Frame and Picture-in-Picture Shot

The Samsung MV800 has been designed as more than just a camera - it is a creative tool for users to extract maximum enjoyment from every photographic opportunity. The Magic Frame feature includes 12 fun background templates, as well as the ability for users to customize their own. The camera's Picture-in-Picture function, meanwhile, lets users insert one image into another. The Flip-out display even allows consumers to snap a self-portrait and put themselves in the picture!

Maximize enjoyment with Smart Filter and Funny Face Features

Smart Filter allows users to express their own creativity, through a menu of 14 artistic effects, including the newly added Water Paint for a stylish watercolor finish or the Cartoon capability, transforming any photo into a fun animated film format. The fun doesn't stop there - Funny Face allows users to bend, stretch and manipulate portraits of loved ones by tapping and dragging to radically distort facial characteristics, ready to share and enjoy.

Capture the Perfect Portrait with Ease

The built in Pose Guide function advises users how to best get into position with line drawings on the LCD screen, so consumers can capture the optimum image from any angle. The device also provides the perfect picture in real time, with the easy-to-navigate Photo Editor function, allowing users to edit and rotate the image on the move. Loved ones and friends will also appreciate the Beauty Shot feature which edits out any imperfections, resulting in a flawless photo one can treasure and share forever.

Create a Story

The Samsung MV800 essentially allows the user to become the creative director of their own life, with innovative Storyboard Maker. Users can prepare a storyboard from the images they've shot by simply selecting the layout, and then placing the photos in order. Whether the MV800 is being used to create a movie of a night out with friends or fantastic family holiday, the photos can be laid out on the display as clearly as one imagines them.

Creative Intelligence at the User's Fingertips

To ensure users capture the best image possible to enjoy, share and impress, by simply snapping a wide-angle shot of a friend, the Samsung MV800 automatically searches out and captures two other strong images at different zoom ratios, giving users three great photos with one simple click! The photographer can choose which of the three to select – or simply keep them all.

HD Movie Capability in the Palm of the User's Hands

The Samsung MV800 also boasts HD recording capabilities, within a compact body that will fit into the palm of the user's hand. Enjoy consistently clear and crisp video with technology that allows consumers to capture special memories with a recording time of up to twice as long as standard MPEG4. The innovative zoom noise reduction technology, meanwhile, ensures that the only sound recorded will be the laughter and conversation of loved ones, not the whirring of the zoom.

The Samsung MV800's combination of industry-leading innovation, sophisticated design and the ultimate in user-friendly features, ensure total mobility, premium picture quality and maximum enjoyment. The Samsung MV800 is the perfect tool to not just capture an image but to tell a fun and creative story on the move.

Samsung's NX200 camera: 20.3 megapixels, interchangeable lenses, full HD video

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Samsung continues its camera announcements today with the NX200, a 20.3 megapixel interchangeable lens system using the company's proprietary APS-C CMOS sensor. It also features a high-speed continuous mode that shoots up to 7fps and full HD video recording, 1920x1080 at 30p. If those specs aren't enough, notice the wide ISO range, from 100 to 12800, covering seven stops. Availability hasn't been announced yet, but pricing should run about $900 with an 18mm-55mm zoom lens and on-camera flash -- a number of other lenses will roll out in the coming months. Give your eyes a feast with the gallery below, and check out the full PR after the break.
Samsung NX200
Show full PR text
Premium Style Meets Professional Performance with the Samsung NX200 Interchangeable Lens Camera

Capture memorable images in the best picture quality, with the Samsung NX200

IFA - BERLIN, Germany - September 1, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the launch of the NX200. The new compact system camera delivers professional image quality with ease of use that lets users unleash their creativity. The NX200 includes a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and other premium features such as high-speed continuous shooting (7fps (max) with 100ms Advanced Auto Focus), wide range ISO (100-12,800), Full HD movie recording, and Samsung's unique i-Function lens. With exceptional performance and functionality built into a compact metallic form factor in the NX200, users no longer have to trade off camera style for image quality.

The NX200 is the perfect combination of design and professional performance, delivering DSLR image quality in a camera that is compact and easy to use. The camera incorporates a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor developed in-house by Samsung, ensuring image quality that highlights even the smallest detail and puts performance at the fingertips of all photographers. To allow for high-speed continuous shooting, the NX200 features 100ms Advanced AF. Thanks to the fast start-up time and seven fps continuous shooting, it's the perfect way to capture that split-second action in an instant. Additionally, users will never miss a moment, with the ability to move from shot to shot in only 400ms.

The camera's wide range ISO (100-12800, covering seven stops) gives life-like color and sharp details, even in dark environments or when capturing still images of moving objects.

To capture movement on video, the NX200 also features 1920x1080/30p (H.264) HD movie recording for exciting and vivid video with stereo sound. All this is incorporated into a compact and sleek body with a premium metal design, light enough to be carried in a jacket pocket and stylish enough that anyone will be proud to be seen with this camera.

The NX200 also enables state-of-the-art usability through Samsung's i-Function 2.0 lenses, which allow users to control a range of parameters from the lens without having to take their eye off the shot. The NX200 is fully compatible with the wide range of nine different i-Function lenses which enable toggling between shutter speed, aperture, exposure value (EV), white balance (WB), and ISO quickly and easily through the button and ring on the lens. With the upgraded i-Function 2.0 on the NX200, users can also control six different Smart Filters and the intelli-Zoom function from the lens while in Lens Priority Mode. New lenses for the i-Function system include 18-200mm, 16mm, 60mm and 85mm focal lengths.

"With the NX line, we have pioneered the compact system camera to allow any user to get the results that they've always wanted from their pictures without complicated controls or the need to carry heavy, clunky equipment," said Mr. Myoung Sup Han, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Imaging Business, Samsung Electronics. "The NX200 is the next step in providing the ambitious photographer with first-class picture quality through the combination of professional-standard features such as a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, high speed capture, wide-range ISO and HD movie capabilities. With technology like this built into a stylish and compact body, the NX200 is the ultimate tool for achieving professional quality in a compact camera. The NX200 represents Samsung's continued commitment to lead the way in producing cutting-edge technology that fits the needs and knowledge of the consumer, proving photography does not need to be complicated in order to deliver great results every time."

Effortless creativity
One of the key ways in which Samsung's NX200 stands out is by making it easy for users to realize their own creativity through a range of fun and easy-to-use features and settings. The camera features ten different Smart Filter effects, six of which can be easily accessed through the i-Function lens, allowing the user to capture a uniquely creative image of their subject without having to take their eye off it to change the filter. The new NX200 also includes Magic Frame technology, which enables the user to encapsulate their pictures with thirteen different stylized frames, from magazine covers to holiday themes for fun photos to share with family and friends.

Professional standards made simple
With its Smart Panel feature, the NX200 makes taking pictures simple and fuss-free, even for first-time users. The high-quality images captured can be viewed in brilliant quality on the 3.0" VGA AMOLED display. The camera's Smart Panel also offers intuitive control thanks to a Hot Key button that enables users to switch to key functions without the need to scroll through confusing menus to get to the desired shot.

Expanding horizons
The NX200 enables users to capture even more from their experiences by using exciting new features and cutting-edge Samsung technology. The new Panorama function means that users can take lengthened shots of large objects or turn the image into a 3D scene, bringing the object to life. To capture even more of the moment for posterity, Samsung has also added the Sound Picture function to the NX200, so that a snippet of sound can be recorded to accompany a still image to add even more memories to a photograph.

For more information about the Samsung NX200, visit www.samsung.com/NX

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung unveils WB750 camera, with long zoom for all your paparazzi needs

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Sometimes a photographer needs to get really, really close to his or her subject. And sometimes that requires a little help from a friend. Samsung has just that situation in mind with its new WB750, which features an 18x optical zoom with 24x Smart Zoom -- that's the longest zoom in the company's compact portfolio. The camera also sports a 12.5 megapixel CMOS sensor with Sammie's proprietary BSI (Back Side Illuminated) technology, and a redesigned image sensor, lens, and image processor. In addition to still photos, it also shoots 1080p HD video; a dual capture function allows you to shoot video alongside 10 megapixel pictures. Or, if you'd rather, you can take up to 10 frames per second in high-speed continuous mode. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced, but we have our fingers crossed it arrives before our next safari. See more pictures in the gallery below, and check out the full PR after the break.
Samsung WB750
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Samsung's New WB750 Takes You Further and Faster than Ever Before

Get even closer to the action without compromising on quality
with Samsung's latest long zoom offering

IFA - BERLIN, Germany - September 1, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the launch of the WB750 camera – featuring a proprietary BSI (Back Side Illuminated) CMOS sensor that ensures consistent professional images and video. Featuring a newly-redesigned image sensor, lens and image processor, the WB750 brings to bear a range of new technologies to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and ease-of-use. The WB750 also features an 18x optical zoom with 24x Smart Zoom technology, making it the longest ever zoom in Samsung's compact camera portfolio.

Thanks to its 12.5 Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, with the WB750 it's easier than ever to produce consistently high-quality images and video. Introduced to Samsung's compact camera range for the first time, this pioneering BSI CMOS technology works to significantly reduce image noise and distortion, delivering clear, precise photos and video even in low light conditions. The WB750 is the perfect compact digital camera to have on hand when there is a need for speed, as it can capture stills at up to 10 frames per second in high-speed continuous mode.
dslr
"We recognize that consumers want a point and shoot that allows them to get up close to the action and capture images with stunning detail and clarity. We believe that the WB750's increased zoom and ultra wide angle certainly meet these demands," said Mr Myoung Sup Han, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Imaging Business, Samsung Electronics. "Its portable design makes it the ideal travel companion, putting even more of the world at the consumers' fingertips and ensuring it can do justice to the most memorable journeys. The unique features of the WB750 offer a rare combination of quality, fun and creativity, particularly for those on the move."

The WB750 offers users the best of both worlds: high-quality digital photos as well as Full HD video for incredible depth of color and detail. Samsung's sophisticated Dual Capture function seamlessly unites the two, allowing users to take 10 Megapixel photos while simultaneously recording video in full 1080p HD quality.

The camera's, Creative Movie Maker feature allows users to create movie clips in Full HD quality, complete with a range of creative special effects, right on the camera itself. Rather than needing to upload content to a PC, this feature allows users to get creative by collating photos and videos into one themed file on the device itself, adding impressive effects and music instantly.

Breathe life into images
With its range of Panorama features, the WB750 helps convey a sense of dynamism to images. Action Panorama, for example, tracks a moving person or object with a static background to record movement within a single, still photo, whereas the Live Panorama function allows users to easily capture large groups of people simply by holding down the shutter button and sweeping the camera across the scene. The 3D Panorama, works to bring photos to life even further, using one lens and one sensor to create a 3D image, to give family and friends a more realistic appreciation of the photographer's trip when they return home.

Consistent quality at the user's fingertips
The camera's innovative HDR (High Dynamic Range) provides an abundance of colors which give an outstanding richness to the WB750's images, opening up the color spectrum for the most vibrant results. Providing the opportunity to take hyper-realistic images without the use of photo editing software, HDR brings an added level of clarity to images, whether the user is capturing a lake at sunset or a tree-lined street in the morning sun. The WB750 merges multiple exposures of shots to ensure images have an artistic finish, while creating a greater range of luminance results in perfect exposure across all areas. The camera's HDR feature ensures that WB750 users capture their creative visions through the latest cutting-edge technology.

With Smart Auto 2.0, the camera can recognize and automatically select the most appropriate setting from a choice of 16 still-image modes and four movie-clip settings, helping users achieve stand-out results. So, even when users are caught-up in the moment, the WB750 will capture every special moment of the user's journey.

Customize the world
Creating stand-out images is even more effortless with the WB750, thanks to its Smart Filter 3.0 feature. The extensive variety of effects and color options lets users customize shots easily. New special effects include: Oil paint, Cartoon, Ink Painting Color and Cross Filter. Users can enjoy the effects of these features both in preview mode and after taking a picture. In addition, Zooming Shot, which can be used in scene mode, makes creating unique shots even easier. By experimenting with the focus of images, users can highlight the center of a shot while blurring the rest, thereby selecting the part of the image the photographer wants to stand out.

Staying in creative control
For more advanced, or more adventurous photographers, the WB750 offers a full range of options designed to place more control in the user's hands, including full manual mode. Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority settings let users experiment with shutter speeds and depth of field, so shooting fast-moving images in low light has never been easier.

Keeping it fun
Magic Frame further builds on the WB750's creative suite, allowing users to express themselves through adapting photos to reflect one's mood and personality. Frame templates include Wall Art, Old Film, Ripple, Full Moon, Old Record, Magazine, Holiday, Classic TV and more, and are incredibly simple to achieve. Just point the camera at the desired subject, fit it within the on-screen template, capture and - like magic - the frame appears.

Intelligent Face tracking
When the subject starts moving, it can be hard to keep the camera focused. This ceases to be a problem with Intelligent Face tracking, which automatically recognizes, follows and focuses upon a person's face when they start to move. So, even if the photographer is trying to capture special images of friends dancing at a party, or a child taking his first unsteady steps, they'll never miss a perfect shot.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung Galaxy Note announced: 5.3-inch display, built-in-stylus, custom 'S Pen' apps

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Until a few days ago we'd heard surprisingly little about the Galaxy Note, a handset rumored to be launching alongside the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Wave 3 at IFA. It's ironic, really, because of all the phones to have kept a low profile, this is a memorable one. Behold, a 5.3-inch handset with a stowaway pen for note-taking, drawing and grabbing screen captures. In other words, a Dell Streak-esque hunk of a device that blurs the lines between phone and tablet. You're looking at a Gingerbread-running HSPA+ handset with a 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED display, dual 8MP and 2MP cameras, a removable 2,500mAh battery and the same Samsung-made dual-core 1.4GHz processor you'll find in the just-announced Galaxy Tab 7.7. For a phone this gargantuan, it's actually quite thin at light, at 9.65mm (0.38 inches) thick and a reasonable 178 grams (6.3 ounces). We had a few minutes to handle the phone in advance of today's press conference, and found it surprisingly easy to grip, even in our small hands. As with the Infuse 4G --whose own 4.5-inch screen once seemed impossibly sprawling -- the thin shape makes it tenable, as does the lightweight, textured plastic lining the back.

As you'd expect, Android 2.3 comes layered with TouchWiz on top and, in this case, seven home screens and a touch-optimized interface dubbed "S Pen" designed to take advantage of that pen. These include S Planner, a native calendar and to-do list app, from which you can drag and drop appointments, changing time slots without having to open an entry. S Memo for note-taking, meanwhile, accepts voice, photo, text and handwritten input. We also got a quick glimpse of Virtual Whiteboard, a more collaborative form of note-taking. On top of that, Samsung says it's releasing the S Pen SDK to third-party developers, and the company's banking on more apps for organizing photos and drawing, among other things. For now, this is merely a global launch: Samsung says it's still in discussions with carriers worldwide, so depending on your neck of the woods it might be awhile before you hear anything definitive about pricing or availability. Find the some fancy press shots (and a promo vid) after the break, and stay tuned for our hands-on.
Samsung Galaxy Note


Show full PR text
Samsung writes the next chapter of the mobile industry with the Samsung GALAXY Note

GALAXY Note combines the market's largest HD Super AMOLED display, supreme portability and advanced S Pen interface, creating a new type of smartphone

BERLIN, Germany - September 1, 2011 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the launch of the GALAXY Note.

The GALAXY Note is a new category of product, developed through Samsung's deep consumer understanding and insight. It combines core on-the-go benefits of various mobile devices while maintaining smartphone portability, to create a whole new user experience.

The GALAXY Note has a 5.3" display which is the largest screen size with smartphone portability. It features the world's first and the largest 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display, an expansive high-resolution screen that provides an immersive viewing experience. Taking full advantage of the large display, users will be able to do more tasks to create and consume more, with minimum scrolling and screen transitions, while on the go. An advanced pen-input technology, called the S Pen, is combined with the GALAXY Note's full touch screen to introduce a new type of user-experience. Through this, consumers are able to freely capture and create ideas while on the go.

"The GALAXY Note is a device borne of our insight and innovation. We examined the fundamental elements of mobile culture, entertainment and communication in order to bring together the best experiences in a single, elegant device," said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. "The huge, 5.3" HD Super AMOLED screen is the largest, highest quality display available in any phone; the touch screen and S Pen combine to produce a uniquely accurate level of control and finesse, along with rich expressions across the GALAXY Note experience, enabling the introduction of new smartphone experiences."

"The artistic freedom of a paper notebook is coupled with the benefits of Samsung's smartphone technology and services, allowing users to create, edit and share with more style than ever before," Shin added.

State-of-the-art Display

The GALAXY Note features Samsung's own 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display providing vivid clarity that is superior to conventional HD displays. This ensures the best viewing experience for video, photo, document and web on the go with deep blacks and bright colors. The superior screen also offers a 180 degree viewing angle, allowing contents to be shared comfortably.

At 5.3" the best-in-class display is the largest ever included in a primary mobile device; measuring just 9.65mm thick, the GALAXY Note fits comfortably in a pocket to offer true portability.

Full Screen Utilization

The high resolution display ensures that PowerPoint presentations, web-pages, news apps and e-books can be viewed comfortably with minimal scrolling or zooming. Minimizing the need to switch between applications, the GALAXY Note's HD super AMOLED screen is large enough to allow meaningful split-screen operation in the most frequently used native apps.

Samsung has also included S Planner, a smart professional planning tool that makes full use of the device's large screen. The management planner integrates the phone's To-Do list and schedule; control and navigation is intuitive, helping users to comprehensively organize their lives.

Free Capture & Creation

The GALAXY Note's advanced pen input functionality is combined with the full touch screen to create a new input experience. The incorporated digital S Pen can be used for accurate sketching and artwork, and instantly capturing ideas freely before they float away.
The GALAXY Note features S Memo, a multimedia application designed to record all forms of user-created content. Pictures, voice recordings, typed text, handwritten notes or drawings can all be captured via a single application and converted to a 'memo', to be edited, annotated and shared as desired.

A one-step screen-capture function also allows users to instantly capture any screen; captured images can also be freely and accurately annotated using the S Pen before being filed or shared.

The S Pen functionality has been deeply integrated into the GALAXY Note's native applications to provide a richer interactive experience. Users will benefit from increased accuracy and control when editing or personalizing captured videos or photographs; and users will be able to draw and send handwritten images and notes via text message, email, and Samsung's ChatON communication service.

Broadening the opportunity to create new user experiences, Samsung plans to release the S Pen SDK allowing app developers to create fundamentally new applications and services incorporating the pen functionality.

Superior Usability, Powerful Performance

The 1.4GHz dual-core processor ensures the device is incredibly fast and a smooth user interface ensures seamless usability. Lightning fast network speeds are enabled through the HSPA＋ and LTE-enabled device's super-fast connection, ensuring a quick and seamless browsing experience. This means that users can stream videos in real-time or engage with their friends through online gaming platforms.

Samsung is enhancing enterprise capabilities of the GALAXY Note through its partnership with Juniper Networks. Juniper's Junos Pulse SSL VPN provides secure remote access to corporate network resources. The SSL VPN enables large enterprise and service providers to meet high-volume secure access and authorization requirements, protecting corporate data with centralizes control and supporting employees' personal device efficiently.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 official: dual-core 1.4GHz CPU, Android 3.2, HSPA+

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Here it is, official as official gets: Samsung just announced the Galaxy Tab 7.7. As the name suggests, it has a 7.7-inch (1280 x 800) display -- specifically, a Super AMOLED Plus panel. Like so many other 7-inchers hitting the market, it runs Android 3.2 and yes, that's a skinned flavor of Honeycomb, with Samsung's tablet-optimized TouchWiz UX layered on top. Inside, it runs the same Samsung-made dual-core 1.4GHz processor found in the new Galaxy Note, along with an HSPA+ radio promising theoretical download speeds as high as 21Mbps. Other specs for the 0.74-pound (335-gram) tablet include 16GB to 64GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, a 5,100mAh battery rated for 10 hours, 802.11n WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0 and dual 3MP and 2MP cameras. In a nutshell, it's the in-between-sized do-over a lot of folks have been awaiting since the original Galaxy Tab grew stale -- a slate that promises faster speeds and some seriously improved viewing angles. We'll be the judge of that in our review, but in the meantime stay tuned for some early hands-on impressions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
Show full PR text
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, World's First Mobile Tablet Featuring
Super AMOLED Plus Display Unveiled at IFA 2011
Pioneer of the 7-inch mobile tablet introduces next generation Galaxy Tab, delivering the ultimate in viewing quality and portability

BERLIN – Sept. 1, 2011 –Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading provider and innovator of award-winning consumer electronics, today announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, the world's first tablet to feature the brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display. The powerful Galaxy Tab 7.7 with a 1.4GHz dual core processor measures just 7.89 millimeters thin and weighs only 335 grams (12 ounces), making this tablet one of the most portable devices in the market.

"The new Galaxy Tab 7.7 demonstrates Samsung's commitment to offering consumers the most choice in the mobile tablet market," said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. "The Galaxy Tab 7.7's ultra-thin design and WXGA Super AMOLED Plus display are impressive differentiators in the tablet marketplace and pillars of our ultimate goal of meeting a wide variety of consumer needs."

Brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the first tablet that incorporates Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus display technology, delivering brilliant, high-contrast colors and a beautiful, crisp viewing experience. The Super AMOLED Plus display allows for a wider range of colors with greater separation between lights and darks, making images incredibly vivid.

Sleek Design with Ultimate Portability
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 provides ultimate portability and viewing quality within the Galaxy Tab portfolio, featuring a brighter display combined with a thinner and lighter design that easily fits in your jacket pocket or purse. The elegant, linear design features a stylish metal casing and rounded edges for a sleek look that's comfortable to hold while you're sitting or walking.

Impressive Speed, Power & Battery Life
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 features HSPA+ 21 Mbps network for faster uploads and downloads. It also supports Wi-Fi Channel Bonding, bonding two channels into one for improved network connection and data transfer at up to twice the speed. The device is powered by a 1.4 GHz dual core application processor for fast web-loading, seamless multitasking and superior multimedia performance. Thanks to a 5,100 mAh battery providing up to 10 hours of video playback time[1], the Galaxy Tab 7.7 does not sacrifice battery life for its ultra-thin design.

Latest 3.2 Honeycomb OS with "Samsung TouchWiz UX"
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is powered by Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb, Android 3.2 has been optimized for a 7-inch tablet with a new compatibility zoom mode. This optimizes applications that are not designed to run on larger screen sizes, so they fit on the entire screen without distortion. In addition, the tablet supports MicroSD cards of up to 32 GB for direct media files transfer.

Samsung's TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu for customizing the home screen of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds.

In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a "Mini Apps" tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are already in use. The clipboard feature allows users to copy and paste texts and images.

Powerful Multimedia
Galaxy Tab 7.7 lets you enjoy video clips without limitation, featuring 1080p full HD playback, DivX included multi codec and Micro SD. The device also includes Universal Remote Control functionality, allowing control of the entire home entertainment system – TV, Set top box, DVD, Blu-ray player, AV audio system – from one device.

Samsung Hub Services [AVAILABILITY DEPENDS ON MARKET]
Samsung's Hub Services offers easy access to content including games, eBooks, music and more. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the first mobile tablet to include a pre-loaded Game Hub, complete with easy social games, all delivered with lightning fast graphics. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 also features access to Samsung's Music Hub service, which offers 15 million songs for preview, download and play. The Readers Hub service features a robust library filled with more than 2.3 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 3,000 magazines in up to 49 languages, and Samsung's Social Hub service aggregates email, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface.

Voice and Video Support for Better Communication
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 offers both voice and video calls for better communication. There is no need to bring a headset and BT for voice calls. In addition, it is possible to call privately in public places with Receiver Mode.

Google™ Mobile Services
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is preloaded with the full suite of Google Mobile Services including access to more than 250,000 applications on Android Market™, Gmail™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ 5.7 with 3D maps, and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat.

Global Internet Speedup pushes DNS optimization, wants to bring content closer to you

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:25 AM PDT

When you think of factors affecting Internet speed, domain name servers probably don't top your list. But a consortium including Google, OpenDNS and a number of content delivery networks believes otherwise, and wants to draw attention to DNS optimization. To that end they've proposed the Global Internet Speedup initiative. What's that, you ask? The group wants to append truncated IP addresses to typical webpage requests: that will provide geographic information, letting providers make better choices about how to serve their users.

For example, if a user in Kalamazoo, Michigan happens to have a DNS server in San Francisco, that server might pass the request off to the nearest content network – also in San Francisco. That means having to push data from SF to Kalamazoo, which is obviously a longer trip than necessary. If the DNS server knew just where its requests originated, geographically, it could make smarter choices about content providers: that Kalamazoo user, say, might instead use a Detroit content network.

Not everyone's on board with the plan; Akamai isn't impressed, saying there are better ways to speed up the net. But you'll surely earn geek cred for bringing up DNS optimization at your next cocktail party.

Zero1.tv's Voomote Zapper brings remote-controlled universality to iOS users

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:40 AM PDT

Back in July, we caught a glimpse of the Voomote One -- Zero1.tv's universal remote adapter for iPhone and iPod Touch users. Now, the company has just announced a slimmer, iPad compatible successor to its bulky peripheral, with the Voomote Zapper. Slated to debut at IFA later today, this paperclip-sized dongle attaches to your iDevice's 30-pin connector, allowing you to remotely control any A / V gadget with the help of Zero1.tv's free and customizable iOS app. The Zapper's Room Control feature also lets you catalog all your infrared devices by location, while controlling multiple systems with a single button, thanks to its One View function. Its iPad-optimized TV Guide, meanwhile, allows you to fire up your favorite shows with even greater ease, using the app's graphically-displayed programming schedules. No word yet on pricing or availability, but you can zap your way past the break for the full press release.
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Zero1.tv Unveils New VooMote Zapper at IFA 2011, Offering an Unparalleled Universal Remote Control Solution and TV Guide Functionality

Elegant, lifestyle-inspired dongle transforms your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad into a digital hub with ease, flexibility, and style

Berlin, Germany (August 1, 2011) – Zero1.tv, leading provider of user
interfaces for home entertainment solutions, reveals its new ground-breaking solution, VooMote Zapper, at the IFA show in Berlin today. This device, like the VooMote One, effortlessly converts your iOS device into an impressively smart universal remote that controls virtually all of your A/V gear and allows you to conveniently find your favorite TV shows.

This next generation remote control is designed to be light-weight and
convenient, for maximum pocket-ability and ease of use. It is as small as a
paperclip and easily plugs into the 30-pin connector on your iOS device. Once you download the free app you have full control over hundreds of thousands of electronic devices. This intuitive set up means no manuals, websites cords or PCs are necessary. With the VooMote Zaper, you have the ability to control almost any A/V device in just seconds.

The VooMote Zapper is also iDevice agnostic, making it incredibly versatile and mobile. The app itself is fully customizable, allowing you to optimize the layout of your remote. Users can also utilize the Edit Mode to create macros that execute functions with one touch. This tailor-made touch screen will create a user interface that is optimized just for you. The Room Control and One View features made popular by the VooMote One are also found in VooMote Zapper, meaning you can categorize your infrared devices by room location and also control multiple devices with the touch of a button on your touch screen.

Another attribute that sets the VooMote Zapper apart is the TV Guide feature. The innovative TV guide depicts your programming graphically for an enjoyable view of your favorite shows schedules. You can navigate to find TV shows on you iPad, and enjoy the luxury of its grander sized display screen for optimal guide viewing.

Redsn0w 0.9.8b7 gets tutorial for jailbreaking iOS 5 beta 6, iOS 4.3.5 and 4.2.10

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:32 PM PDT

Just like the Sn0wbreeze project, redsn0w recently added support for a tethered jailbreak of iOS 5 beta 6. While support for the iPad 2 still isn't in the mix, the latest version -- 0.9.8b7 -- adds additional support for Apple's latest beta on the original iPad, and the folks at Smash iPhone have provided a tutorial for those who move to the beat of a different drum. While redsn0w supports a tether-free solution for iOS 4.3.3, if you want to partake in Cupertino's freshest fruits, you'll be required to connect your phone or tablet to your computer whenever you power up the device. Also, while download links for iOS 4.3.5 and 4.2.10 are in the tutorial, if you're not a developer, it'll be on you to scrounge up the latest beta. Best of luck with the foray.

Fujifilm announces X10 camera with 12 megapixel CMOS sensor, optical viewfinder, f/2 lens

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 10:00 PM PDT


Retro designs seem to be the latest thing when it comes to high-end point-and-shoot cameras, and Fujifilm is helping to lead the pack with its rather limited (and pricey) X100. The company's just-announced X10, however, appears to expand upon its well-received cousin with a mighty fast f/2-2.8, 28-112mm manual zoom lens with a proprietary "Electron Beam Coating" that promises excellent image quality, even at the edge of the frame. The camera features a black magnesium alloy housing -- we have to admit, it's a very elegant look. There's also a 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor with sensitivity up to ISO 12,800, 1080p video, an optical viewfinder, 10 fps continuous shooting (7 fps at full res), a pop-up flash, and a full-size hot shoe. Advanced photogs will appreciate the shooting mode, focus mode and exposure compensation dials, along with dedicated buttons to adjust a variety of other settings, including activating RAW capture. Fuji is mum on price, but we're certain to get an update before this hits stores in early November. Jump past the break for the full feature rundown.
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FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES THE NEW PREMIUM COMPACT FUJIFILM X10 DIGITAL CAMERA: LARGE SENSOR, BRIGHT LENS AND WIDE OPTICAL VIEW FINDER IN A RETRO BLACKOUT DESIGN

FUJIFILM X10 Features a 2/3" EXR CMOS Sensor with a Maximum F2.0 Aperture
and 4x Manual Zoom

Valhalla, N.Y., September 1, 2011 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the all new premium compact FUJIFILM X10 digital camera, featuring a new larger 2/3" 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor and a bright, high-definition FUJINON1 F2.0 wide-angle to F2.8 telephoto, 4x manual zoom lens (28-112mm)2 with a proprietary Super EBC (Electron Beam Coating) that produces superb image quality from edge to edge.

The sleek X10 is a sophisticated compact digital camera that follows in the footsteps of the multi-award winning FUJIFILM X100, and it now combines a trim and refined blackout design, an easy-to-use manual barrel zoom lens and a traditional optical viewfinder with a wide 20° field of view for exceptional image composition.

The X10's stunning body is built from lightweight, yet ultra strong, die-cast magnesium alloy and has an upper control deck with mode dials and an aluminum milled, textured finish lens ring. The 4x manual zoom lens ring doubles as an on/off power switch, ensuring fast start times to capture even the most fleeting shooting scenario.

"Fujifilm is dedicated to elevating the art of digital photography, and the X10 premium compact underscores that commitment by offering first-class image quality, beautiful styling and the innovative technology that exceeds consumers' expectations," said Go Miyazaki, division president, Imaging and Electronic Imaging Divisions, FUJIFILM North America Corporation.
"The X10's thoughtfully laid out design, large EXR CMOS sensor, bright lens and manual zoom make it an outstanding choice when image quality simply cannot be compromised."

Exceptional Image Quality

The X10 features a newly-developed, larger 2/3" 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor that combines Fujifilm's proprietary EXR technology with CMOS technology to provide bright, sharp images in all shooting conditions. The intelligent EXR CMOS sensor automatically selects the optimum shooting mode from a total of 99 different variations to capture every type of scene perfectly, even in the most difficult photography situations.

The X10's EXR CMOS sensor selects the optimum shooting mode for any lighting situation:
SN (Signal to Noise) High Sensitivity and Low Noise – produces clear and sharp high-sensitivity images while keeping noise levels low, which is ideal for capturing night scenes or indoor situations with poor lighting.

DR (Dynamic Range) Wide Dynamic Range – delivers an increased dynamic range (up to 1600%) to deliver rich gradations and detail in both shadows and highlights.
HR (High Resolution) – takes full advantage of the 12 megapixel resolution to reproduce the finest details in landscape and portrait scenes, perfect for use on bright clear days.

The X10's fast EXR processor also delivers high-speed continuous shooting –
up to 7 frames per second – at the full 12 megapixel resolution (L size), and 10 frames per second at the reduced resolution M size.

Bright Optical System

The X10 features a newly-developed high-definition FUJINON 4x manual zoom lens (28-112mm) with a Super EBC (Electron Beam Coating) that achieves superb image clarity from edge to edge. By treating all of the lens elements with the multilayer Super EBC, the X10 expertly reduces ghosting and lens flare and delivers an impeccably sharp image.

The lens consists of 11 glass lens elements in 9 groups, including 3 aspherical glass lens elements (6 sides) and 2 extra-low dispersion lens elements. Together with its wide-angle maximum aperture of F2.0 to a maximum telephoto aperture of F2.8, the X10 delivers beautiful, bright images with outstanding clarity.

In its spacious glass optical viewfinder, the X10 uses an arrangement of 3 aspherical lenses plus a special 2 glass prism configuration to give the photographer a composition experience that is marked by superior brightness and superb field of view with its extra wide 20° viewing angle.

X10 Premium Shooting Experience

In less than one second, photographers can be ready to shoot in almost any situation thanks to the X10's power switch that has been aptly integrated into the manual zoom barrel. This smart and simple design feature allows faster photography response times and helps to avoid missed photo opportunities.

Once ready to shoot, the X10's all-metal lens barrel and smooth zoom rotation helps you compose photos quickly and easily, and its remarkably quick shutter-release lag time of approximately 0.01 seconds lets you capture even the most momentary of photography scenarios.

The X10 also features a newly developed Optical Image Stabilization mechanism that all but eliminates motion blur by maximizing sensor performance, and its 49-point matrix contrast auto focus provides high-speed and high-precision focusing thanks to the fast CMOS capabilities and the advanced EXR Processor system.

The X10's lens is capable of taking super-macro shots as close up as 1cm, and combined with its 7-blade aperture, the X10 generates a stunning soft-focus "bokeh" effect that makes it the ideal choice for shooting perfect portraits.

The X10 is proudly manufactured in Japan, and as a mark of true quality, it prominently features the words "made in Japan" along the rear of the chassis near the viewfinder.

X10 Key Features:

4x manual optical zoom featuring Fujifilm's new Intelligent Digital Zoom technology that doubles telephoto capabilities and provides up to 8x zoom

Fast power start-up; the X10 is fully ready to shoot in approximately 0.8 seconds using the on/off power switch built into the lens ring (must be in Quick Start mode)

High-contrast and wide viewing-angle 2.8" 460K dot high contrast LCD screen that provides excellent viewing even outdoors and in bright sunlight

Diverse manual shooting modes that can be selected according to scene type (Program / Aperture Priority / Shutter Speed Priority / Manual)

Four diverse auto bracketing functions for exposure, ISO sensitivity, dynamic range and film simulation

RAW shooting and in-camera RAW processing (SilkyPix RAW conversion software supplied in-box)

Best-in-class3 1080p Full HD movie recording capabilities

Film Simulation Modes (eight setting are available, including Velvia / PROVIA / ASTIA)

Manual pop-up flash with a range of 7 meters (approximately 23 feet)

Electronic horizon leveling gauge to ensure that the camera is being held level, and histogram display to check image gradation

Motion Panorama 360° for seamless 360-degree panoramic shooting

Premium Accessories

To perfectly complement the look and first-class feel of the X10 camera body, the following premium accessories will be available:

Case – a retro-style "quick shot" case with matching strap made from luxurious leather (LC-X10)

Lens Hood – precision milled from metal, the lens hood with adapter ring is also compatible with commercially sold 52mm filters and lens caps (LH-X10)

TTL Flash – Fujifilm External Automatic Flashes EF-20 (Guide Number:20) and EF-42 (Guide Number:42) are compatible with the X10

The X10 will be available in early November 2011.

Hulu launches streaming in Japan for about $20 US monthly

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 09:35 PM PDT

Hulu may not have a new owner yet, but it does have an international presence now that it launched a subscription service in Japan today. Hulu.jp brings "hundreds of premium feature films and thousands of episodes of popular TV shows" to bear, for ¥1,480 per month ($19.19 US). The service is appears to be bringing an American flavor to the island, with film selections like Pirates of the Caribbean, Armageddon and Men in Black and TV shows including Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, Fringe and Grey's Anatomy. Overall the list looks more like Netflix than Hulu's free or Plus services in the US do. So far Japanese users can stream the content directly to Panasonic TVs, iOS and select Android devices, with Panasonic Blu-ray players, Sony Blu-ray players and TVs, Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles and Android tablets all relegated to the "coming soon" list. Check the press release after the break for a full list of content providers signed up so far or just hit the source link to try out a free month so you can decide whether or not it's worth your yen.
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Hulu Launches Subscription Service in Japan

Launch Marks First International Market for Hulu

LOS ANGELES & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Hulu officially launched a new subscription service in Japan, a move that marks the first international expansion for the company. Starting at launch and in the weeks following, Hulu's first-of-its-kind service will offer entertainment fans in Japan unlimited instant access to hundreds of premium feature films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Armageddon, Men in Black, Troy, and As Good As It Gets and more; and thousands of episodes from previous seasons of TV shows including 24, Bones, Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, Fringe, Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Heroes, LOST, NCIS, Private Practice, Prison Break and Ugly Betty and more. Subscribers will be able to instantly access these shows and movies on demand on a wide variety of internet connected devices including connected TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones, without advertising, for ¥1,480 per month.

"Since launching Hulu in 2008 in the U.S., we have been working hard to bring our service to consumers outside our home market and become a global brand. Today, we are taking a first, but important step to make good on our aspiration to serve customers all over the world"

"Since launching Hulu in 2008 in the U.S., we have been working hard to bring our service to consumers outside our home market and become a global brand. Today, we are taking a first, but important step to make good on our aspiration to serve customers all over the world," said Johannes Larcher, SVP of International for Hulu.

For the launch of the subscription service in Japan, Hulu has secured licensing deals with top film studios and TV networks including CBS, NBCUniversal International Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company (Japan) featuring content from Disney/ABC Television Group and The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Additional content will be rapidly and continually added to the service, including Japanese-produced content and content from across the Asian region.

With the launch of Hulu in Japan, subscribers will be able to instantly watch thousands of U.S. TV episodes and hundreds of feature films on internet connected living room devices including TVs, Blu-ray players, and gaming and entertainment consoles, as well as PCs, tablets, and smartphones. No matter when and where an entertainment fan wants to watch popular TV shows and films – whether it's in the office, in the living room, or on the go – Hulu will be there:

Connected TVs and Blu-ray players: Panasonic VIERA TVs; and coming soon: Panasonic DIGA Blu-ray recorders, and Sony's BRAVIA® HDTVs and connected Blu-ray Disc™ Players.
Gaming and Entertainment Consoles: Coming soon: Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation®3, and Microsoft's Xbox 360®.

Smartphones, Tablets and other Mobile Devices: Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, select Android phones from Fujitsu, HTC, NEC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Sony Ericsson; and coming soon: select Android tablets.

Like the U.S. service, the Hulu service in Japan is simple and easy to use. Accounts travel with the user from device to device – seamlessly moving from TV to PC to mobile phone. Subscribers can start watching a show on their phone, and finish watching it on their internet connected TV.

For the launch, Hulu has entered into an exclusive mobile marketing partnership with Japan's largest mobile network, NTT Docomo. Details of this relationship will be unveiled shortly. Subscribers in Japan will be able to use Hulu on any mobile carrier or internet service provider on supported devices. There are no long-term contract and no minimum subscription commitments.

Hulu is offering Japanese users one free month to try the Hulu subscription service. Entertainment fans in Japan can go to www.hulu.jp to subscribe.

About Hulu

Hulu is an online TV service whose mission is to help people find and enjoy the world's premium content when, where and how they want it. As we pursue this mission, we aspire to create a service that users, advertisers and content owners unabashedly love. Hulu was founded in 2007 and is operated independently by a dedicated team with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Tokyo and Beijing. NBCUniversal, News Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, Providence Equity Partners, and the Hulu team share in the ownership of the company (www.hulu.com).

Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi confirm plans for government-backed LCD joint venture

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 09:07 PM PDT

We had a pretty clear indication that some official word was coming soon, and Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi have now confirmed that they intend to pool their LCD manufacturing efforts and form a new joint venture (expected to be completed by the spring of 2012). That effort is getting a $2.6 billion shot in the arm courtesy of a Japanese government-backed investment fund, which itself will own 70 percent of the new company -- to be dubbed Japan Display -- while Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi will each get a 10 percent share.

Boogie Board Rip eWriting pad lets you jot down notes, save and export them too

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 08:29 PM PDT

It's been a few months since Improv Electronics updated its line of Boogie Board eWriters, and tomorrow at IFA the company's set to show off its latest variant, dubbed Rip ("Record. Image. Preserve."). The 9.5-inch pad is slightly improved from Improv's previous iterations, as it'll allow you to actually save any scribbles you've jotted down. Better yet, you'll be able to export your doodles to a computer via its onboard micro-USB port. On the device you'll find an erase lock to ensure your notes don't get deleted, along with a stylus holder in case you're prone to misplacing things. Similar to IE's other Boogies, the Rip's reflex LCD uses power only to erase what you've written, meaning you'll get about a week's worth of battery life per charge. There's no word on pricing yet, but we'd imagine it'll be a bit easier on the pockets than a Wacom Inkling -- we shall find out when it ships out on November 1st. Full PR past the break.
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Improv® Electronics Slated to Unveil Highly Anticipated Boogie Board™ eWriter with Save Capabilities at this Week's IFA Show in Berlin

Kent, Ohio, USA – Wednesday, August 31, 2011: Improv Electronics, the makers of Boogie Board LCD eWriters, will be introducing the long-awaited model with save capabilities at tomorrow night's Showstoppers @ IFA media event in Berlin, Germany.

Named the Boogie Board Rip™ LCD Writing Tablet, it is the newest model to join the rapidly growing line of paperless, environmentally-friendly eWriters from Improv Electronics that utilize Kent Displays Reflex™ No Power LCDs. The Boogie Board Rip tablet (Rip stands for Record Image. Preserve.) combines the exceptional writing experience inherent of all Boogie Board tablets with the ability to save notes or illustrations and then transfer them to a computer for editing, organizing, archiving and/or sharing. Saved images are stored as .pdf files in the tablet's internal memory and can be uploaded to a PC through its micro USB port.

"The introduction of ePaper as a paper replacement, both in its most recognized use as a dedicated eReader, and now as a dedicated eWriter, is a momentous step forward not only for Improv Electronics but for environmentally- conscious consumers all over the world." said Improv Electronics/Kent Displays CEO Dr. Albert Green. "Since the introduction of the original Boogie Board 8.5 LCD Writing Tablet in 2010, we have been inundated with requests to make a version with the ability to save what is written or drawn on the tablet's writing surface. Because of the high demand, other entities announced plans of their own to launch a similar product. These plans failed to materialize, and we are very excited that we are the first to bring a product of this type to market."

The Boogie Board Rip tablet's paper-saving and productivity benefits will have the most pronounced impact in education and workplace environments, where note taking activities are most prominent. It will replace wire-bound note books, loose-leaf paper, work books, essay books, composition books and sketch pads. Like other Boogie Board tablets, it is also an excellent replacement for memo pads, sticky notes and smelly dry erase boards in both schools and offices. Additional applications for the Boogie Board Rip tablet are also expected to emerge as users discover new ways to leverage its unique functionality and characteristics.

"Boogie Board Rip tablet users can save page after page of handwriting and drawings including lecture/meeting notes, design concepts, homework assignments, tests/quizzes, etc." Dr. Green continued. "This functionality, and the ability to upload saved content to a computer, takes the Boogie Board Rip tablet well beyond the limits of ordinary paper and provides a cost-effective vehicle to save enormous amounts of it."

In addition to its save capabilities, the Boogie Board Rip tablet features a 9.5" writing surface (measured diagonally), a thin, durable and lightweight all-plastic construction, an integrated stylus holder, an erase lock button and rechargeable batteries that last more than a week between charges. An integrated software application expands the tablet's functionality even further and opens the door for an increasingly robust user environment. The Boogie Board Rip tablet requires no power to generate or retain an image, and only a small amount to erase, save or upload stored files to a computer.

The Boogie Board Rip tablet will begin shipping on November 1, 2011 for purchases made through improvelectronics.com. It will also be available for purchase from select global retailers shortly thereafter. A preorder period for purchases through improvelectronics.com will be announced in the coming weeks.

Toshiba's rumored ultra-thin tablet plays peek-a-boo at IFA?

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 07:17 PM PDT

Well, would you look at that? It appears someone just can't manage to stay out of our field of vision. The shot you see above is apparently the same ultra-thin tablet we ran across two days ago in what appeared to be leaked renders. Now, it's reportedly peeking out of a booth at IFA. From what we (and now you) can see, it's running Android and sporting a front facing camera. Rumor has it, the slate will also carry a TI OMAP4460 dual-core 1.5GHz processor, micro-USB, micro HDMI and microSD slots. Of course, we'll just have to wait see if things shake out, but we'll be here at IFA trying our damndest to get this skinny sucker to come out of hiding.
at 11:55 AM

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