hardware

Sony just loosed a bevy a new headsets in Japan. The ¥3,098 ($26) MDR-LE30LW comes in the additional colors of blue, white, and black and offers a double-retraction system for both the headphones and audio player cable. You'll be the envy of the janitorial boys when slung from your beltloop along side your keys.

Also on the retractable tip come the 16.5-mm thin, 38-gram model MDR-Q38LW (¥2,468 / $20) and 43-gram model MDR-Q68LW (¥3,675 / $30) headphones. They offer 104dB/mW with 20Hz to 24kHz range or 108dB/mW with a slightly wider range of 16Hz to 24kHz, respectively. Like the MDR-LE30LW, the MDR-Q68LW offers double-cable retraction at the push of single button.

ASUS MW221U and MW201U LCD Monitors Receive Microsoft Windows Vista Certification

ASUS's MW221U and MW201U widescreen monitors have passed the WHQL tests and are both certified for Windows Vista Premium version. Both monitors will bring a more plentiful graphic experience to users. The ASUS MW221U 22" widescreen monitor, which delivers a high resolution of 1680 x 1050 and wide viewing angles, can fit two A4 size pages side by side on screen. This means that there is ample space for displaying multiple windows simultaneously and perfectly complements the new functions of Windows Vista such as Windows Sidebar and Internet Explorer 7.0. Microsoft is also building support for HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) into Windows Vista as its OCPM (Output Content Protection Management). Both the Asus MW221U and MW201U support HDPC and have built-in DVI input; which is one of requirements for being certified for Windows Vista Premium version. Coupled with built-in stereo speakers and earphone jacks, the Asus MW221U and MW201U will bring multimedia enjoyment to users with ease.

The Asus MW221U and MW201U both incorporate ASUS's exclusive Trace Free Technology, which accelerates response time to 2ms to enable smooth video quality without ghosting and video delays. The MW221U is currently the fastest and most responsive 22" widescreen in the market. Both monitors display 16.7 million colors and adopt ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology for more spectacular Vista experiences making the MW221U and MW201U the best choices for visually upgrading the system.

Eastman Kodak Company today entered the consumer inkjet industry with a revolutionary new product line for the home. The KODAK EASYSHARE AiO Printers feature exclusive KODACOLOR Technology that enables consumers to cost-effectively print crisp documents and KODAK lab-quality photos. KODACOLOR Technology is a combination of four key elements—pigment-based inks, micro-porous photo papers, color and image science, and the Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) print head—that deliver outstanding results for general-purpose printing of text and graphics and stunning color photos that are sharp and vibrant. The PICTBRIDGE compatible entry level model KODAK EASYSHARE 5100 All-in-One Printer ($149.99 US MSRP), featuring print, scan and copy capabilities, and can print and copy up to 32 pages per minute in black and 22 pages per minute in color. The mid range KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer ($199.99 US MSRP) builds on the 5100’s features by offering a 3-inch color LCD display that enables photo viewing and cropping directly from the printer.

Memory card slots provide an additional quick and simple way to print digital pictures without a PC. The top end model KODAK EASYSHARE 5500 All-in-One Printer ($299.99 US MSRP) in addition to sharing the features of the 5100 and 5300 printers, the 5500 has fax functionality and includes a 2.4-inch color LCD display, an automatic document feeder and a duplexer attachment.

Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation today announced the LifeBook P7230 notebook, an ultra-portable that elegantly blends mobility with complete functionality for mobile professionals who need full computing power while on the road. Weighing less than three pounds, the LifeBook P7230 notebook, available in chic Leather Black or trendy Leather White, features an even slimmer 1.17-inch silhouette with a 10.6-inch LED lit widescreen display.

Equipped with the powerful yet energy-efficient Intel Core Solo U1400 Ultra Low Voltage Processor and fully loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Professional, the reliable LifeBook P7230 notebook delivers exactly what professionals on-the-go require. With an LED-lit Crystal View XGA TFT wide format display, the LifeBook P7230 notebook presents an incredibly crisp view of presentations, DVDs, and other digital media. Digital dual array built-in microphones and dual built-in stereo speakers, along with a new optional built-in web-cam for taking still pictures or capturing video, add a novel dimension to the LifeBook P7230 notebook. The optional built-in camera, centered above the display, is ideal for visually demonstrating a complicated procedure over the web or illustrating items to clarify key points.

Staying connected while mobile is easy with a seamlessly integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 3945b/g Network Connection or Atheros Super AG Wireless LAN, modem, Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth wireless option. The LifeBook P7230 notebook offers two conveniently placed USB 2.0 ports, an IEEE 1394 port, full-sized video port, modem, LAN and audio in and out jacks. Accessing photo or video files is easy via a combination of Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick PRO and xD card slots.

The Genius SlimStar 820 is one of a kind keyboard that includes a solar panel to draw on energy from light sources and then to recharge the unit's built-in battery. The panel located on the top right is adjustable to absorb as much light as possible. Other than this unique feature, the SlimStar 820 seems like an ordinary $15 keyboard with tons of multimedia hotkeys. One more thing. The keyboard is hybrid powered. In the absence of any light, the USB cable charger can take over. The solar-panel doesn't recharge the 1600dpi laser mouse which uses 4 AA batteries that are pretty harmful to the environment. The good news is the batteries last up to 15 months.

Samsung Electronics which holds the record for selling more than a million sets of their Bordo LCD TV’s in the shortest time has launched 32-inch and 40-inch 2007 Bordo LCD TVs. The concept of the new design of the 2007 Bordo LCD TVs which is sure to attract the admiration of worldwide customers is “Beauty”. The products imitate in a stylish way an image of wineglass through the use of a soft and transparent bezel design in the lower part. Breathtaking clarity, stunningly vibrant colors, rich acoustical depth, and seamless multimedia integration make Samsung Bordo LCD TV a leader in LCD TV technology. In addition, the front, frame and rear parts of the LCD TVs are high-glossy coating treated, bringing up the image of black pearl coating, coupled with a soft touch-based control button of a shiny jewelry-like detailed design, maximizes the beauty of TV.

The thrill of optimized game mode; true-to-life surround sound; and sharp definition of even fast-moving images etc makes Samsung Bordo LCD TV’s a class of its own.

Without much fanfare, HP has started offering an upgrade to its sleek and sexy Pavilion dv9500t notebook that's sure to please multimedia mavens: an HD DVD-R drive. While the previous dv9500t had the ability to play HD-DVD movies, the updated dv9500t can now burn HD content as well.

The notebook, which starts at $1,174, features Windows Vista Home Premium, a 1.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 17-inch WXGA+ display, 1GB of RAM, a webcam and mic, 160GB hard drive, 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi, and the required Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card to complement the HD DVD-R drive. The HP Pavilion dv9500t with HD DVD-R is available now.

HP Pavilion dv9500t Notebook specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5450 (1.66 GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB), 17.0″ WXGA+ BrightView Widescreen (1440×900), Vista Premium, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, 1GB SDRAM, 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support, PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection, 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery, Microsoft Works 8.0, Free Microphone/Webcam, one-year limited warranty.

Fujitsu announced two new additions to its notebook lineup, and neither are traditional notebooks: The Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 is a convertible Tablet, and the Fujitsu LifeBook U810 is a UMPC.

Featuring a bidirectional swivel hinge, the 12.1-inch, 3.5-pound Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 makes great use of its 1280 x 800-pixel backlit display that's optimized for both indoor and outdoor use. Internal components include your choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 1GB of RAM (upgradable to 4GB), a shock-mounted and two-level password-protected hard drive (ranging in size from 60GB to 160GB for a traditional HDD, or a 32GB solid state drive), 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, a PC Card slot, and 3-in-1 memory card reader. The security conscious will appreciate the inclusion of a fingerprint reader, TPM, a Smart Card slot, and BIOS password protection; and the clumsy will appreciate the spill-resistant keyboard. Purchasers can also select either the Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating systems. An HSDPA mobile broadband option will be offered in Q1. The LifeBook T2010 starts at $1,599.

At just 1.5 pounds, the incredibly lightweight Fujitsu LifeBook U810 is what Fujitsu hopes will be the handheld that makes business users give up their BlackBerrys. Powered by an Intel A110 processor this mini-UMPC has 1GB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, 5.6-inch Crystal View WSVGA display, 0.3-megapixel camera for snapping photos and Web conferencing, an SD Card reader, pointing device, illuminated keyboard, and a modular bay that can be outfitted with one of several optical drives. The system also comes with a slew of security features (BIOS Lock, a fingerprint reader, and TPM) and two wireless options (Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi). The U810 comes preinstalled with Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. The system starts at $999, but in the first quarter of 2008, a HSDPA mobile broadband option will bring the price to approximately $1,300.

The Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 is available for purchase now, and the Fujitsu LifeBook U810 will begin shipping September 18th.

Price: $999 (Fujitsu LifeBook U810); $1,599 (Fujitsu LifeBook T2010)

LG will demonstrate next generation 1920 x 1080/60p full HD video content at IFA 2007. LG’s next generation full HD TVs can display 60 frames per second at a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The “p” in 60p stands for progressive scan. These 60p TVs differ from 1920 x 1080/30p TVs that show only 30 frames per second and 1920 x 1080/60i or interlaced TVs that only refresh half the lines of resolution at a time. 60p-capable TVs can display a larger amount of information per second than any other type of televisions. Sixty-frame per second progressive scan technology dramatically reduces moiré effect and image noise, creating sharper images.

The edges of round objects are clearer and free from jaggedness that has sometimes been evident with existing content. Moiré effect is an optical illusion that causes the appearance of lines across an image, degrading video quality and resolution. LG used its LF75 full HD LCD TV, to the test the 60p content; this model is set to be launched globally in this month.

AOpen launches miniPC Duo MP965-DR to equip Santa Rosa platform. The third generation miniPC Duo MP965-DR from AOpen adopts the latest Intel GM965+ICH8M chipset. The complete 64 bit-based design combined with Intel Core 2 Duo (Merom) 64 bit central processor and Microsoft Windows Vista 64 bit version operational system allows consumers to experience the truly ultra-high performance of a 64-bit computer system. AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR enables customers who require complex computing and high performance to enjoy the convenience and compact design without sacrificing size for performance and cooling. In addition, AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR supports Intel Turbo Memory technology. Combined with Microsoft Windows Vista ReadyBoost functionality, it can further enhance the performance of system computing.Adopting two, brand new sets of miniCard architecture in expanded interface, new AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR provides customers options such as traditional TV turner, digital TV, Bluetooth modules and wireless network modules.

Press Release:

AOpen launched its latest generation of miniPC -- AOpen miniPC Duo ( model name MP965-DR). Expanding beyond exclusive features from previous generations, such as power saving, whisper-quiet operation and small form factor, the third-generation miniPC adopts a new Intel® GM965+ICH8M chipset and Santa Rosa platform architecture and fully supports the high-performance Notebook central processor with Socket P --Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme (Merom), and duo-core 64 bit processors, such as Intel® Core™ 2 Duo (Merom). The greatly enhanced operational performance enables miniPC to meet the requirements of highly demanding computing environments.

"Now, AOpen's miniPC Duo series has formally entered into a whole new era. With its industry-leading development capabilities in mini PCs, AOpen successfully integrates the most advanced Intel ® Core™ 2 Extreme (Merom) notebook central processors and 64 bit-based Intel® GM965+ICH8M chipset into a compact 1.36 liter package without sacrificing performance and superior cooling features. It allows AOpen miniPC Duo to deliver desktop-like performance," said Tony Yang, AOpen's senior marketing director and spokesman. "Meanwhile, MP965-DR's built-in miniCard interface can effectively solve the peripheral expandability of AOpen miniPC Duo and provide customers more options in peripheral accessories."

New AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR adopts the latest Intel® GM965+ICH8M chipset. The complete 64 bit-based design combined with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo (Merom) 64 bit central processor and Microsoft® Windows Vista™ 64 bit version operational system allows consumers to experience the truly ultra-high performance of a 64-bit computer system. Moreover, AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR provides strong support for advanced Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme (Merom) processors. It enables customers who require complex computing and high performance to enjoy the convenience and compact design of AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR without sacrificing size for performance and cooling. In addition, AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR supports Intel® Turbo Memory technology. Combined with Microsoft® Windows Vista™ ReadyBoost functionality, it can further enhance the performance of system computing.

Adopting two, brand new sets of miniCard architecture in expanded interface, new AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR provides customers options such as traditional TV turner, digital TV, Bluetooth modules and wireless network modules, enhancing the application flexibility of AOpen miniPC Duo. The four USB 2.0 expanded sockets on the front and back panels can satisfy consumers' requirements for connecting common peripheral devices such as keyboards, mouse, MP3 players, and printers. Furthermore, AOpen miniPC Duo MP965-DR has the functionality of TV signal output and 5.1-channel audio output. Combined with 64-bit high performance, it is well qualified to be the digital audio and video hub in every household.