Microsoft's 2nd gen Surface, SecondLight, gets a second projector

Microsoft is playing it straight with the next generation of its Surface table. Called SecondLight, it will be just that — an upgraded Surface table with a second projector. The added projector will allow the Surface to layer one screen over another, so a satellite overlay could be projected onto a city map, or a render of a completed building over a set of blueprints, and so on.

In addition to the second projector, Surface 2 will also have higher definition cameras and infrared sensors that can interpret gestures, so you may not even have to touch the table at all. Really, though, it's that added projector that sounds exciting — but tossing a lot more of those in there would probably bump the Surface 2 up higher than its predecessor's already high $10,000 price tag.

If you forgot how fun it is to throw pictures around on the Surface, click Read More to see a video of just that.



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Super Talent debuts UltraDrive SSDs up to 256GB

Super Talent has released the UltraDrive ME and UltraDrive LE families of solid state drives (SSDs), with capacities ranging from 32GB to 256GB. The UltraDrive ME is claimed to offer read speeds of up to 200MB per second and write speeds of 160MB per second. The UltraDrive LE features improved transfer rates, with a maximum read speed of 230MB per second and write speeds up to 170MB per second. Internal testing indicated sequential read IOPS of over 13,000 and sequential write IOPS of almost 16,000.

The UltraDrives connect via SATA-II and are designed for notebook computers or other applications requiring 2.5-inch drives. Compared to standard hard drives, SSDs potentially provide improved shock and vibration resistance, along with a wider tolerance to extreme temperatures. The devices also integrate edge error correction (ECC), wear leveling and bad block management to protect against malfunction.

The UltraDrive ME is available with capacities between 32GB and 256GB and street prices ranging from $130 to $645, while the LE family offers capacities between 32GB and 128GB. The drives are compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux systems and come with a manufacturer's warranty.


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Ricoh launches high dynamic range CX1 camera

Ricoh has taken its turn at pre-PMA introductions today and has unveiled the CX1. Rather than solely increase the resolution, the company has opted to give the 9.3-megapixel camera an emphasis on image quality. By using a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor instead of a typical CCD and including a new imaging engine, Ricoh hopes to significantly reduce the amount of noise and also to expand the dynamic range. An algorithm that interpolates pixel color values from the sensor gives the camera about 1 EV (exposure value) more of range than typical cameras.

The company also has a double-shot mode designed to generate high dynamic range images and creates the equivalent of 12 EV by overlapping two shots from the same scene. Action photography is also given an assist through continuous shooting modes that capture between 15 and 120 frames per second for the last one or two seconds before the shutter release and can appropriately catch exact moments.

Other touches include a relatively powerful 7.1X, 28-300mm equivalent lens as well as a unique multi-target autofocus mode that detects seven different AF points and shoots a sample of each, helping in macro shots or other situations where the automatically detected focal point isn't necessarily ideal. Ricoh hasn't detailed full availability, though the camera should be available in both the company's native Japan as well as Europe in mid-March. UK pricing sits at about £299 ($426) after tax.

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Verizon leak shows LG Versa, Nokia Intrigue

Verizon appears to be preparing to launch the LG 9600 Versa, Nokia 7205 Intrigue, HTC Touch Diamond and a CDMA version of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, according to a leaked presentation caught by Engadget. An earlier report suggested the Versa initially would launch at Best Buy Mobile on February 22nd, with a Verizon Wireless release expected around the same time. The handset can be used as a clamshell with a full QWERTY keyboard and a small external display, or the keyboard can be detached to use the device as a touchscreen phone only.
The Intrigue offers a cross-shaped directional pad similar to the Toshiba Gigabeat. Leaked information suggests the handset supports EVDO Internet access, a 2-megapixel camera, 180MB of internal memory and a microSD slot for expansion.

The Pearl Flip 8230 should offer many of the same features as the GSM variant, the 8220. Exact specs and pricing have not yet been announced, but the 8220 offers Wi-Fi, EDGE data and a 2-megapixel camera. The EDGE data would likely be traded for EVDO support, while recent CDMA BlackBerries have swapped Wi-Fi for GPS functionality.

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Nokia outs new Comes With Music phones

Nokia on Friday used one of the last days before Mobile World Congress to add multiple new phones to the Comes With Music roster. In addition to existing phones that come with the year-long unlimited music subscription, such as the N96, an introduction of the service into Singapore is also bringing both high- and low-end phones into the mix with the N79, N85, 5800 XpressMusic, 5320 XpressMusic and 5220 XpressMusic all getting the same option. The addition has the same rights as in other countries and lets owners keep any music they've downloaded once the subscription is over.

The cellphone maker has so far had a limited rollout of Comes With Music and has mostly focused on the UK, where the 5310 XpressMusic, N95 8GB and N96 are currently the only devices that support the feature. The US and other areas are expected to get the option later this year.In addition to the new phone choices, Nokia has also launched its music store in Austria and Switzerland. Those in either country can now buy songs both directly from their phones or from a PC, where they can be sideloaded to phones later. Songs and albums cost 1 and 10 Euros respectively in Austria; in Switzerland, the equivalents cost 1.50 and 15 Francs.

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Seagate intros 2TB Constellation enterprise HDD

Hard drive manufacture Seagate has introduced its first 2TB hard drive on Tuesday, which is part of the 3.5-inch, 7,200RPM Constellation ES family that also includes versions with 1TB and 500GB capacities. At the same time, Seagate has announced the release of two 2.5-inch, 7,200RPM Constellation drives with the lowest power consumption in their class and 500GB and 160GB capacities. All five drives in both new lines are meant for enterprise applications, working under heavy workloads in business servers.
The Constellation ES drives are the first 7,200RPM, 3.5-inch units to be offered with an SAS 2.0 interface for 6Gbps transfer speeds. They can also be had with a 3Gbps SATA connection.

Of the two regular Constellation drives, only the 500GB model can be had with the SAS 2.0 interface, with either available with the SATA connection. Seagate promises the 500GB Constellation will be the first SAS 2.0 enterprise drive on the market when it launches this quarter. To achieve their record-low energy consumption, the drives include Seagate's PowerChoice management that is said to reduce energy use by some 54% in enterprise environments.

The SAS models of these drives can be ordered with government-grade Self-Encrypting Drive security software.

While pricing for any of the new Seagate products has not been announced, the Constellation ES drives are expected to start shipping sometime this summer initially in Xyratex storage equipment, while the Constellation drives will be available before April, at first in Dell computers. Western Digital recently announced the release of its own 2TB drive, the Caviar Green 2TB, pricing it at $299.
Seagate Constellation

Seagate Constellation ES

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Blu-ray disc player prices to drop to $150 in 2009

The prices of entry-level, off-brand Blu-ray disc players are expected to fall to the equivalent of about $150 during 2009, according to a Tuesday DigiTimes report. Lite-On IT, Taiwan's largest maker of half-height optical disc drives, will enter the market of standalone Blu-ray players with its own entry and price it at about $150, says local Chinese daily, the Economic Daily News.

The daily paper turns to research numbers that say about five million Blu-ray disc players were sold worldwide in 2008, and the number is expected to more than double for 2009, rising to 11 million units. During this past holiday season, many Blu-ray palyers were priced at or near the $200 mark, with as many as four Blu-ray movies included as part of a bonus bundle.


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Nikon unveils 24X zoom P90, 15X L100 cams

As part of its launches ahead of the PMA photo expo, Nikon today released a pair of high-zoom COOLPIX cameras. The P90 is Nikon's most powerful non-SLR camera and centers on a 24X zoom lens with a rare 26-624mm coverage that lets it both accommodate wide-angle shots as well as very distant telephoto shots. The camera maker has also detached the LCD from the body and gives the P90 a swiveling 3-inch display, though it depends on an electronic viewfinder for head-on previews. The 12-megapixel shooter is also notable for a very high-speed, 15 frames per second shooting mode at a stepped-down 1080p resolution (up to 3 seconds) and can also up the light sensitivity as high as ISO 6,400 by capturing at 3 megapixels. Nikon further touts four-way hardware image stabilization, an improved face detection system that recognizes off-angle faces, motion detection that can auto-tune shutter speed and ISO, and smile detection.


The 10-megapixel L100 is a budget cousin of the P90 and has a 15X, 28-420mm lens along with a fixed LCD. It shoots at a slightly slower 13 frames per second (for 2.3 seconds) and can boost to at most ISO 3,200.

Nikon plans to ship the P90 first, with a March arrival and a $400 price. The L100 appears in April but will cost $280.

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Revamped Panasonic Toughbook 19 and 30 Laptops Introduced

Panasonic has announced the revamped version of its Toughbook 19 and Toughbook 30 laptops.

Both the upgraded versions now flaunt 1000 nit LCD bright screens, circular polarization technology, anti-glare (AG) and anti-reflective (AR) screen support for continuous operation of up to 10 hours even in low lit environments.

In addition, both the Toughbooks come with a distinct concealed mode that allows users to turn off all the lights with the help of the function (Fn) key. Users can also customize the screen, LEDs, backlit keyboards, volume and wireless connections according to their requirements.

The updated notebooks are powered by Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology and feature expanded memory capabilities and larger capacity hard drives along with optional 32 GB SSDs. The laptops support various connectivity options like Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/draft-n, Bluetooth and Gobi global mobile internet (WWAN).

Besides, the Toughbook 30 and 19 are complaint with Mil-Spec-certification and comply with UL1604 Class 1 / Div. 2 certification, ensuring the capability to survive hazardous environments.

The clamshell Toughbook 30 sports a 13.3-inch touch screen display, while the Toughbook 19 rugged convertible tablet comes with a 10.4-inch LED backlit display with a digitizer and a touch screen.

Backed by a three-year limited warranty expandable up to 5 years, the upgraded Panasonic Toughbook 30 and Toughbook 19 are available for a starting price of $3,649 (approx. Rs. 178,745) and $3,749 (approx. Rs. 183,645), respectively.

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AirLive launches POE-200CAM DOME and POE-100CAM IP Cameras

AirLive has expanded its IP Camera range with the launch of two new 1/3 sharp CCD Dual Stream IP Cameras, namely the AirLive POE-200CAM DOME and POE-100CAM.

Offering immense security, both the cameras are perfect for professional indoor surveillance and security applications. Users can watch videos from IP Cameras over the Internet to keep a check on their offices or house.

Equipped with PoE port, the AirLive latest IP Cameras get connected to network activity through one RJ45 network cable for high-performance.

Both the camera solutions feature remote recording function that easily records the videos and save them on any another physical location.

The AirLive POE-100CAM and POE-200CAM DOME are compatible with two-way audio function and allow users to view the recorded video from their mobile phone for enhanced scrutiny.

There is no word on the pricing and availability as of now.

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Acer Ferrari 1200 Notebook Introduced

Acer announces the launch of its latest Ferrari 1200 notebook.

Combining elegant design and feature-rich functionality, the Acer Ferrari 1200 offers an carbon-fibre cover - a material actually used in racecars, anodized-metal touchpad that resembles the brake and acceleration pedals of a Ferrari car, soft-touch coating and the velvety texture of the interior that give the feel of a Ferrari car.

It packs in a 12.1-inch Acer CrystalBrite LCD with white LED backlight display, integrated slot-loaded DVD SuperMulti optical drive, 2nd generation Dolby Home Theater and Bluetooth wireless mouse.

In terms of connectivity, the Ferrari 1200 is equipped with Acer InviLink Wi-Fi Cerfitied network connection, SignalUp technology for easy connection to any 802.11 based networks. Besides, the notebook also allows easy communication with the included Acer Videoconference solution, the Acer CrystalEye webcam, optional Acer Xpress VoIP phone and Acer PureZone technology.

Based on the powerful AMD Turion X2 Ultra dual-core mobile technology, the Ferrari 1200 travel notebook supports AMD’s innovative Direct Connect Architecture and incorporates the AMD M780G chipset, up to 4 GB of dual-channel DDR2 system memory and a large capacity Serial ATA hard disk.

Additionally, the notebook also comes with an Acer Bio-Protection fingerprint solution for enhanced network and data protection. For physical safety, the computing device is compatible with Acer’s enhanced DASP that claims to offer damper-like protection on the X, Y and Z axes, insulating the hard disk from damage in all directions.

The Ferrari 1200 notebook supports Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Home Premium operating systems.

The price and availability of the Ferrari 1200 notebook are yet to be announced.

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Vista SP2 release candidate to ship this week

The Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista is being released this week in a candidate escrow build after Microsoft has moved up its release schedule for the software, according to a recent TechArp report. The initial wave of the software is now expected to be released a little sooner than previously expected, now at sometime late in April or early in May in its Release to Manufacturing version if no further delays are incurred. In-between, the final release candidate build is now due to be distributed on February 16th. SP2 includes support for new hardware and emerging standards. The update will allow users to record Blu-ray media natively, have an updated Bluetooth 2.1 feature pack, and add Windows Search 4.0 for faster and more efficient file finding, among others. in Windows Vista. It will also support 64-bit processors from VIA and improve Wi-Fi performance after returning from sleep mode. New capabilities will be added to DirectX, with audio and video performance enhanced to better handle high-definition content.

SP2 is believed to the last major update to the software, meant to give users incentive to upgrade the current Windows operating system before Windows 7 launches in the near term.

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Verizon ships, prices Hub touchscreen phone early

Verizon its own schedule by shipping its Hub to stores early. Originally slated for Sunday, the device is available today and is Verizon's attempt to revitalize the declining home field. The hardware uses an Ethernet VoIP connection to make calls and shares unified calendars, contacts and messaging with four cellphones along with Internet-based Verizon services like GPS mapping and V CAST news data. A touchscreen makes all the information visual, including voicemail, news widgets and a digital photo frame mode. Pricing has also been revealed for the Hub and puts the phone at $200 after a rebate and signing a special, two-year Digital Messaging plan that for $35 gives unlimited calling from the Hub within the US and Canada. While a single cordless handset is bundled with the phone, extra ones are also available for $80. A router with Wi-Fi and wired connections is also available separately for $70, though any standard third-party router should work.

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Sony: PS3 price drops hinge on manufacturing costs

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief David Reeves in Eurogamer interview published today has defended the absence of PlayStation 3 price cuts during the holidays as a necessary measure to protect Sony's business. The executive acknowledges that price cuts will likely be needed to spur sales but that the goal has been to turn the PlayStation group profitable and that economic conditions will likely force Sony to be defensive with pricing in the future.

Pricing may change on the PS3, which costs $399 in the US, but is only likely to happen if the cost of building the system itself allows. Sony has significantly reduced the price of making the expensive Blu-ray system since its 2006 launch but is still losing money on systems alone and so can't afford to widen the price gap.

"It is possible that as the cost [of manufacturing] comes down, we will be able to [drop the price]," Reeves says. "But we're protecting ourselves with a very hard shell to get through the next one or two years of an economic situation... I'm not going to say we're going to do anything short term or anything long term on the price. At the moment, we have a value-added strategy."

The PS3's base price has largely remained unchanged since a drop in 2007. In 2008, the company kept prices the same while upgrading the hard drives and has routinely sold fewer consoles in key areas than either Microsoft and Nintendo, whose least expensive systems were priced at $200 and $250 respectively by the end of the year.

Reeves additionally notes that there isn't any immediate talk of a PS4 in the works. "I have never even heard it mentioned," he says. "I think people are concentrating so much on what's happening now that they're not even thinking about it."

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Marantz outs reference-standard Blu-ray player

Home entertainment electronics maker Marantz has recently unveiled its first Blu-ray player, the BD8002, which is capable of 1080p video playback at 24 frames per second and will upconvert standard DVDs to near high-definition quality. What Marantz is touting as a reference-grade video player, the BD8002 sports a 12-bit/297MHz video chipset along with a 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta processor with HQV system for upconverting standard DVDs. Video connections include a single HDMI 1.3a input, along with a composite, component and S-video inputs. Up to 7.1-channel audio decoding is supported in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats.

The BD8002 will play back VCDs, SVCDs and discs with DivX, MP3 and WMA files in addition to Blu-ray discs. An SD card slot will let users view the above formats along with any JPEG photos. The BD8002 only supports Profile 1.1, however, and will therefore can't access the Internet to take advantage of the BD-Live features offered by Profile 2.0.

The Marantz BD8002 is available now for £1799 in the UK only, which equates to about $2,565. There is no indication of when or if Marantz will bring the flagship Blu-ray player to North America.

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Samsung to intro entry-level S3500 handset

Samsung is expected to bring out an entry-level sliding handset under its Anycall brand in Asian and European markets with the S3500. The quad-band GSM phone sports a 320x240 resolution screen and a couple of other basic features such as a 2-megapixel camera, built-in FM tuner and digital audio playback capabilities. Users will be able to transfer music files to the built-in 35MB of memory via a USB connection, but more can be added to the handset via a microSD memory card. The handset will also include a built-in browser and e-mail client. Hinting at the possibility of the S3500's possible release in North America is an approval by the FCC and the handset's support of the 850MHz band, though no other detailed information is known, including pricing information or release dates for any market.
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Sony Ericsson outs Cyber-shot, Walkman KDDI phones

As part of a sweeping update to KDDI's phone lineup, Sony Ericsson has launched a pair of handsets that both have features often left out of non-Japanese cellphones. The Cyber-shot S001 has the 8-megapixel camera still rare for the company but centers on an extremely sharp, 854x480 OLED display with enough color saturation to help previewing photos or watching 1Seg digital TV. The camera itself also has features closer to dedicated cameras with shooting up to the equivalent of ISO 1,600, image stabilization and detection of both faces and smiles. A new BRAVIA Postcards feature creates TV-friendly photo postcards optimized both for widescreen sets and for more recent Japanese Sony Ericsson phones. The phone comes with a 1GB microSD card for storage and supports both GSM and 3G for use outside of its home country. Sony Ericsson promises a release on KDDI in late March.

The Premier3 (Premier Cube) is an unusual approach to Walkman phones that has an LCD with the same resolution as the S001 but in a swiveling design that converts into a notebook-like form factor for watching video. It comes with a more conventional 3.2-megapixel camera but promises better-than-average audio quality and a dedicated external remote for controlling music without reaching for the phone itself.

Like the S001, the Premier3 also has 1Seg TV tuning and world GSM/3G support but comes with a larger 2GB card to hold more music. However, the Premier3 ships much later and isn't due until September.

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British Airways permits in-flight texting on limited routes

There's a good chance that you'll be able to use your cell during a flight pretty soon. British Airways is going to let passengers on selected flights between London and New York send text messages. The flights aren't very packed — the A318s the airline is using are arranged in a 32 seat layout — and it hasn't yet been decided whether the privilege will cost more than the price of the seats.

In-flight WiFi was the first amenity to get implemented (well, and showers), and now airlines are experimenting with texts. So what's next, full calling? I for one don't want to get packed in like a sardine next to someone gabbing away, but so it goes. Then again, I've enjoyed having in-flight WiFi — is the freedom to use your phone at all times one you'd find useful even at the expense of another's (and your own) comfort?

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General Mobile preps 5MP, dual SIM Android phone

General Mobile has provided an early glance at a high-end smartphone that may be the first of its kind for Google's Android platform. The DSTL1 has cosmetic similarities to HTC's Touch Diamond but will have a 5-megapixel camera with flash as well as twin SIM card slots that will let it run on two separate providers as is often the case in Eastern Europe and Asia. The 3-inch touchscreen is lower resolution at 400x240 but is countered by a faster, 627MHz processor versus HTC's slower offering. The phone should also have 4GB of internal storage plus a microSDHC card slot and will have Wi-Fi for short range wireless; the existence of 3G is unknown but is likely to exclude the North American 850MHz band as it already lacks similar support for calls. While the presence of Android isn't yet confirmed, General Mobile acknowledges that the phone's OS is based off of a Linux kernel, similar to its counterpart.

A formal launch is planned for next month's Mobile World Congress and will have the phone shipped during the summer.

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