Apple iPad - The Start of a Digital Revolution?

Well, yesterday (27 January, 2010) saw the release of Apple's long awaited iPad, which will probably take the term mobile connectivity into a completely new sphere - never mind a new dimension. The device is smaller than a laptop, but larger than an iphone, so if you thought of your laptop as the ideal instrument for mobile connectivity, and could not quite get used to browsing the web on a cell phone, then this might be the ideal solution for you.

The iPad is different in two main areas - as mentioned it is smaller than a laptop, but in addition to that, it also did away with the traditional keybord. Everything is now accessible through the iPad's responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch™ display. The iPad looks more like a tablet than a 'Pad'. It is sturdy in design - 0.5 inches thick and weighs a mere 1.5 pounds, and includes 12 new applications designed specifically for the device.
“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”The device has been designed to work in both portrait and landscape modes, automatically rotating the views depending on which way the user holds the device. Although the physical keybord has been removed, you still need this function though, and apple have solved the dilemma by incorporating the keybord into the screen as an almost full-size 'soft' keybord.
High definition is enabled, and one can use the device to do most things you would normally do on a PC - like browsing the web, watching movies, store digital media such as your favorite photos and albums, and view these as an elegant slide show, you can even read your current favorite e-book, and of course - there's music too. A new application called iBooks has also been developed for the iPad, which enables you to buy and read books on a mobile device.
Along with all the new applications, Apple also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, which is the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. It also features Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers®, allowing you to create beautiful documents, presentations (with animations and transitions). The screen is a brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display, and features IPS technology for those clear, crisp images - and also - an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle which will display consistent color. According to Apple, the Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive. In addition to the 'soft' keybord, you will also be able to plug in the new iPad Keybord Dock, which as you can imagine, is a full-size traditional keybordThe new A4 chip is responsible for excellent graphics and processor performance, with a battery life of up to 10 hours. Apple claims the device is good for about 1000 charges over a typical 5-year lifespan. There are two types of iPad available - one with Wi-Fi, and the other with Wi-Fi and 3G. The 3G versions can handle speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks.

Pricing and availability
The device will be available as of late March 2010 worldwide. Suggested retail prices: $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.

The TeraStation ES - Technology That Delivers Reliability

Buffalo Technology in Austin Texas recently announced the TeraStation ES - the latest edition of high performance storage devices built for small business. As you may derive from the name, this device, specifically designed to boost storage capacity, is available with the following storage capacities: 2TB, 4TB, 6TB and 8TB models. All in terabytes.

Seems like just recently Gigabytes were still the norm, now Terabytes seem to be the next stage of both internal and external storage capacity. The TeraStation is designed to deliver high quality at low cost, with built-in features to equip businesses with disaster recovery as well as business continuity. Data can be backed up, shared and managed quickly if the need ever arises.

The TeraStation is a reliable RAID-based network storage solution, designed for businesses of all sizes - from small to large budgets.
The device features an over sized cooling system, 128-it AES encryption and a heavy duty power supply. All of these ensure increased reliability and of course also: security for data.

“In this information society, small business’ digital asset management is vital, and SMBs are in need of a solution that supports the quick storage, backup and management of data in an efficient and cost effective manner.” said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. “With an attractive price tag and a fantastic array of features, we are confident that the new TeraStation ES is the perfect data management solution for any small business.”

The TeraStation ES has an intuitive web-based GUI, which makes setting up and maintaining file sharing very easy. Two Ethernet ports enable load balancing and port-trunking, and the drives can also be swapped out in case of a component failure, enabling continued use of the device.

NETGEAR Push2TV - View Media From Your PC On Your HD TV

Sharing your favorite photos and videos is a great way to bring people together. However, crowding around a 17 inch screen is not the right way to do it. NETGEAR has taken notice and is offering the Push2TV digital media receiver. What this does is it transmits your PC's display to your HDTV wirelessly. To do this, you need one tiny thing: a WiFi-enabled computer that uses Intel's wireless display technology. It sounds simple, but this means that you need the newest Intel-based computers with an i3, i5, or i7 processor. Translation: the Push2TV is not backwards compatible or for folks with AMD processors.

Setup is real easy. Just find an open outlet and a HDMI input to hook it up. Everything else is done on the PC you're using with it. While the Push2TV is meant for home use, the receiver itself is light enough to take on the road as well. Imagine going to the hotel that you're staying in and being able to watch whatever you can find on the net, blown up onto the HDTV in your room. For some it may not mean much, but NETGEAR's wireless receiver would help those who have WiFi, but can't get certain channels (or stuck with bad TV reception).

As far as what you can view through the Push2TV, you're only limited by the PC you use with it. The WiFi connection ensures the best for transmitting the PC display, but you might see some short hiccups from time to time. Aside from that, picture quality on the Push2TV just about matches what you see on the computer. Some may have to adjust the resolution to fit their TV screen properly, but it's nothing too difficult to do.

The fact that NETGEAR didn't make this backwards compatible or AMD friendly is a shame. It's the only thing that keeps the Push2TV recommendable to everyone. However, if you have the right Intel processor, this wireless receiver works as promised. The connection is stable, but make sure to stay in the same room to keep the entertainment going.

NETGEAR may have shot itself in the foot, but their Push2TV media receiver is a great product for those that have the right processors from Intel. Plus, you don't need to spend an hour to hook it up to the TV like some of their rivals. The price is around $200 and will be available in stores this year. Yes, this still hasn't been released yet, but many websites have already gotten one and tested it vigorously. However, you don't need a review to know that this won't work with some computers. NETGEAR just let it out and even state that this will only work if you have the right hardware. So, if you have the right stuff, the Push2TV media receiver is a great buy. For everyone else, there are plenty of others that will work just as well or even better.

The Acer Aspire One 532G

Acer netbooks have been one of the most highly sought after products in the computing world in recent years and have continued to soar in popularity. They have found a particular place amongst writers and those among us that like to stay mobile. Originally they were adequate for their task but lacked the power to be much else. All of this is changing with Acer's latest entry into the Aspire One product line.

The Acer Aspire One 532G is the newest and possibly most powerful netbook class laptop currently on the market. The major drawback of all netbooks up to this point and time has been their graphics capability. While netbooks aren't meant for playing games they have enough ram and processing capability to play anything made before 2004. Many of us have fond memories of these older games and may wish to play them from time to time.

Unfortunately, current integrated graphics chipsets just aren't up to the 3D demands of even these old games. Acer has heard the consumer complaints on this subject and has designed their latest model with a dedicated Nvidia Ion Graphics card. This card is meant to provide the power and performance of a dedicated card whilst still being affordable to manufacture.

While not a graphical powerhouse it does allow for playing of older games and can process HD video. This is where most users are going to see the greatest benefit. As more of the streaming video on the internet becomes optimized for HD video integrated and outdated cards just simply won't be able to keep up. This means that users are going to have to upgrade their systems eventually and they need an affordable yet powerful option.

You would think that all of this power would come at a cost to battery life but once again Acer has foreseen this problem. The 532G comes with a smart power system which changes the power drain on the battery to fit with the needs of the system. This means that if you're watching a video it will give power to the Ion graphics chip but if you're surfing the web it will switch over to the onboard graphics chip.

Charging the unit has also become much easier with a newly designed ac plug that has interchangeable converters. Simply put no matter where you go you can charge your netbook without having to buy another adaptor. A single charge for the unit will last about 10 hours provided you're not using it heavily.

The weight and size of the unit have also been streamlined with a thickness of one inch and a total weight of around 1 kilogram. The screen features and LED backlight meaning that you don't have to worry about mercury being used in the construction of your screen. The 532G will ship at the end of Q1 2010 and comes in several contemporary colors for your customization.

The Acer Aspire One 532G is truly an impressive netbook and its performance is better than some full sized laptops currently being marketed. The new Nvidia Ion graphics coupled with the advanced power features on the unit make it one of the most advanced units on the market. The only major complaint that you can lodge against it is that it's so small you might actually be able to lose it if you're not careful.

Hitachi Releases Most Powerful Hard Drive To Date - The 7200 RPM 2TB, Ultrastar A7K2000

This week, on August 11, 2009, Hitachi announced the release of the latest addition to their family of Enterprise-Class Hard Drives, the new Ultrastar A7K2000.

It delivers enormous capacity, combined with 7200 RPM performance, reliability and enterprise-class mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) of a whopping 1.2 million hours.

The Ultrastar A7K2000 has been designed with the best interests of the environment too, offering highly competitive power efficiency. The Hitachi GST Ultrastar A7K2000 is the fourth generation, high capacity hard drive rolling off Hitachi's production lines, and is clearly in a class of its own with its 2 Terrabyte (2TB) storage capacity.

While the storage capacity has doubled from its predecessor, the A7K1000, its size has not increased. In fact, the A7K2000 has been outfitted with its massive 2TB storage capacity, without taking up any more space than the original 3.5 inch A7K1000 drive. Same size, double the capacity.

The Ultrastar A7K2000 is reported to be the 'industry’s first enterprise-class, 7,200 RPM 2TB hard disk drive' according to Todd Gresham, senior vice president, Networked Storage Solutions, Xyratex.

The (double the capacity) Ultrastar A7K2000 can be integrated into existing storage systems with no hassle, due to the fact that the 3.5 inch encasing occupies the same size as its predecessor, while drawing less power. Same size, double the capacity, requiring less power - not a bad combination of attributes I would say.

Couple that with Hitachi GST's five year warranty, and its reputation as a reliable, global storage partner among users around the world, and the new drive may very well be a popular choice among users. The size and capacity make it ideal for use in data centers, and at an operating speed of 7200 RPM, the overall performance is better than drives operating at a lower RPM - and it uses less power than these slower RPM drives.

So how much better you ask? Compared to the Ultrastar A7K1000, Hitachi claims impovements of 155 percent in data transfer rates, and a massive 120 percent improvement in watts-per-GB. A 36 percent reduction in power consumption during low RPM idle mode, means data centers will most likely save a significant amount in terms of cost for temperature control within the data centers, which need to be cooled to maintain a constant temperature for optimum hardware and equipment performance.

Furthermore, the Ultrastar A7K2000 is RoHS compliant, and also halogen free. The 2TB Ultrastar A7K2000 is now available globally, while the 1TB and 500GB versions should be available soon.

Kindle DX - Larger Screen, New Features

During the first week of May 2009, the founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos introduced their newest version of the popular e-reader, the Amazon Kindle.
The Kindle DX is the third edition of the device, preceded by the Kindle 2 which was released just three months earlier. The Kindle 2 was an improved version of the original device which was released in the United States on November 19, 2007.
This latest version has a 25 centimeter (250 millimeter) screen, which is bigger than it two predecessors, with the first two editions featuring a 15.2 centimeters (152 millimeters) screen. This means the latest Kindle DX has an almost 10 centimeter (100 millimeter) bigger screen than the two predecessors.
T he new version is able to display 16 shades of grey, and features a 1200x824 pixel resolution screen. Initial reports suggest the Kindle DX will retail for around $489.

This model is also the first to feature a built-in accelerometer. This means that the pages will automatically rotate between portrait and landscape orientations, depending on how a person chooses to hold the device. First availability of the device is said to be around the third quarter of 2009. It seems more features are being added, with the latest model also boasting a basic web browser, and MP3 files can also be played in random order.
A number of other e-book readers are also on the market currently. E-book readers in general seem to be gaining popularity, driven partly by the ease of use, mobility and of course the fact that no trees have to be cut down in order to manufacture paper. On the face of it, this technology seems to be a step in the right direction when one views the concept from an environmental perspective.
The Amazon Kindle DX is available for pre-order, and judging by the fact that the previous model sold out in less than 1 day, it might be a good idea to get in line early if you're interested in obtaining your very own Kindle DX.

Bluetooth 3.0 + HR now up to 7 times faster

For the past 11 years, Bluetooth technology has played a very significant role in the way we transfer data between our electronic devices, and now Bluetooth technology will be getting an even faster version.

The new Bluetooth 3.0 + HS is said to have transfer speeds of approximately 24Mbps. That is up from the current 3Mbps for the 2.0 + EDR version, which means the new version will be approximately 7 times faster than the current version.

This is likely to open up a whole new range of applications for the nifty little device. As might be assumed, computer and mobile manufacturers are already showing interest, but that's not all: The device is also attracting attention from television manufacturers.

Bluetooth 3.0 + HS will not only boast an increased transfer rate, but it will also run on a more energy efficient system, thus saving mobile devices power that have the device installed. One could call this an evolution of sorts. Imagine your mobile device, whether it be a laptop or a mobile phone transferring data files like photos and music up to 7 times faster, yet using less power. That's efficiency.

It is estimated that Bluetooth 3.0 + HR should be available within about a year, so we should see the device making its way onto the market during, or just after, the 1st quarter of 2010.

It seems that Bluetooth technology is one of those technologies that are likely here to stay, given its worldwide use.

Bluetooth is widely used in electronic and mobile devices such as mobile phones and laptops, and gives the user the ability to wirelessly transfer large files such as music or media between two compatable devices without the need to connect the devices with a cable or connecting wire.

"Microrings' - New Technology May Pave The Way For Ultimate Wireless Communication

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University researchers have developed a miniature device capable of converting ultrafast laser pulses into bursts of radio-frequency signals, a step toward making wires obsolete for communications in the homes and offices of the future.

Such an advance could enable all communications, from high-definition television broadcasts to secure computer connections, to be transmitted from a single base station, said Minghao Qi, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.(Article continues below)"Of course, ideas about specific uses of our technology are futuristic and speculative, but we envision a single base station and everything else would be wireless," he said. "This base station would be sort of a computer by itself, perhaps a card inserted into one of the expansion slots in a central computer. The central computer would take charge of all the information processing, a single point of contact that interacts with the external world in receiving and sending information."
Ordinarily, the continuous waves of conventional radio-frequency transmissions encounter interference from stray signals reflecting off of the walls and objects inside a house or office. However, the pulsing nature of the signals produced by the new "chip-based spectral shaper" reduces the interference that normally plagues radio frequency communications, said Andrew Weiner, Purdue's Scifres Family Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Each laser pulse lasts about 100 femtoseconds, or one-tenth of a trillionth of a second. These pulses are processed using "optical arbitrary waveform technology" pioneered by Purdue researchers led by Weiner.
Findings have appeared online in the journal Nature Photonics and were published in the February print issue of the magazine. The research is based at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center in the university's Discovery Park.

"What enables this technology is that our devices generate ultrabroad bandwidth radio frequencies needed to transmit the high data rates required for high resolution displays," Weiner said.

Such a technology might eventually be developed to both receive and transmit signals.
"But initially, industry will commercialize devices that only receive signals, for 'one-way' traffic, such as television sets, projectors, monitors and printers," Qi said. "This is because the sending unit for transmitting data is currently still a little bulky. Later, if the sending unit can be integrated into the devices, we could enjoy full two-way traffic, enabling the wireless operation of things like hard-disc drives and computers."
The approach also might be used for transmitting wireless signals inside cars.

The researchers first create laser pulses with specific "shapes" that characterize the changing intensity of light from the beginning to end of each pulse. The pulses are then converted into radio frequency signals.
A key factor making the advance potentially useful is that the pulses transmit radio frequencies of up to 60 gigahertz, a frequency included in the window of the radio spectrum not reserved for military communications.
The Federal Communications Commission does not require a license to transmit signals from 57-64 gigahertz. This unlicensed band also is permitted globally, meaning systems using 60 gigahertz could be compatible worldwide.
"There is only a very limited window for civil operations, and 60 gigahertz falls within this window," Qi said.

Ordinary computer chips have difficulty transmitting electronic signals at such a rapid frequency because of "timing jitter," or the uneven timing with which transistors open and close to process information.
This uneven "clock" timing, or synchronization, of transistors does not hinder ordinary computer chips, which have a speed of about 3 gigahertz. However, for devices switching on and off at 60 gigahertz, this jitter prevents proper signal processing.

Another complication is that the digital-to-analog converters needed to convert pulsing laser light into radio frequency signals will not work at such high frequencies.
To sidestep these limitations, researchers have previously created "bulk optics" systems, which use mirrors, lenses and other optical components arranged on a vibration-dampened table several feet long to convert and transmit the pulsed signals.

However, these systems are far too large to be practical.
Now, the Purdue researchers have miniaturized the technology small enough to fit on a computer chip.

"We shrank the size of the bulk optical setup by thousands of times," Qi said.

The system is programmable so that it could be instructed to produce and transmit only certain frequencies, he said.
The researchers fabricated tiny silicon "microring resonators," devices that filter out certain frequencies and allow others to pass. A series of the microrings were combined in a programmable "spectral shaper" 100 microns wide, or about the width of a human hair. Each of the microrings is about 10 microns in diameter.
The microring filter can be tuned by heating the rings, which causes them to change so that they filter different frequencies. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship program from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Purdue filed a provisional patent in January for the technology, which is at least five years away from being ready for commercialization,This diagram shows the design for new silicon "microring resonators," miniature devices used in a system that converts ultra fast laser pulses into bursts of radio-frequency signals. The innovation is a step toward making wires obsolete for communications in homes and offices. Such an advance could enable all communications, from high-definition television broadcasts to secure computer connections, to be transmitted from a single base station. The microring filter can be tuned by heating the rings.

NETGEAR Push2TV - View Media From Your PC On Your HD TV

Sharing your favorite photos and videos is a great way to bring people together. However, crowding around a 17 inch screen is not the right way to do it. NETGEAR has taken notice and is offering the Push2TV digital media receiver. What this does is it transmits your PC's display to your HDTV wirelessly. To do this, you need one tiny thing: a WiFi-enabled computer that uses Intel's wireless display technology. It sounds simple, but this means that you need the newest Intel-based computers with an i3, i5, or i7 processor. Translation: the Push2TV is not backwards compatible or for folks with AMD processors.

Setup is real easy. Just find an open outlet and a HDMI input to hook it up. Everything else is done on the PC you're using with it. While the Push2TV is meant for home use, the receiver itself is light enough to take on the road as well. Imagine going to the hotel that you're staying in and being able to watch whatever you can find on the net, blown up onto the HDTV in your room. For some it may not mean much, but NETGEAR's wireless receiver would help those who have WiFi, but can't get certain channels (or stuck with bad TV reception).

As far as what you can view through the Push2TV, you're only limited by the PC you use with it. The WiFi connection ensures the best for transmitting the PC display, but you might see some short hiccups from time to time. Aside from that, picture quality on the Push2TV just about matches what you see on the computer. Some may have to adjust the resolution to fit their TV screen properly, but it's nothing too difficult to do.

The fact that NETGEAR didn't make this backwards compatible or AMD friendly is a shame. It's the only thing that keeps the Push2TV recommendable to everyone. However, if you have the right Intel processor, this wireless receiver works as promised. The connection is stable, but make sure to stay in the same room to keep the entertainment going.

NETGEAR may have shot itself in the foot, but their Push2TV media receiver is a great product for those that have the right processors from Intel. Plus, you don't need to spend an hour to hook it up to the TV like some of their rivals. The price is around $200 and will be available in stores this year. Yes, this still hasn't been released yet, but many websites have already gotten one and tested it vigorously. However, you don't need a review to know that this won't work with some computers. NETGEAR just let it out and even state that this will only work if you have the right hardware. So, if you have the right stuff, the Push2TV media receiver is a great buy. For everyone else, there are plenty of others that will work just as well or even better.

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IPAD

The best way to exerience the web, email, photos, and video. Hands down

All of the built-in apps on iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen and advanced capabilities of iPad. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things with these apps that you can’t do on any other device

Ipod

See more of your music.

The big, beautiful iPad display lets you browse your music collection by song, artist, album, genre, or composer with the touch of a finger. See your music as full-size album art. Flip through all your albums and tap to choose what you want to hear. It’s as natural as flipping through CDs.

Safari

Get the whole story.

The Safari web browser on iPad puts the Internet in your hands — literally. View whole web pages in portrait or landscape on the large Multi-Touch screen with vibrant color and sharp text at a size that’s actually readable. When you rotate iPad to landscape, the page you’re viewing rotates, too, then expands to fit the display.

Photos

Tap, pinch, and flick through your photos.

With the built-in Photos app on iPad, you can see and touch your photos in intuitive new ways. Your photo albums appear as tidy little stacks you can pinch to preview. Tap a stack, and the whole album opens up. From there you can scroll through thumbnails. Tap to view full screen. Or flip through photos one at a time.

Your own personal big screen.

A beautiful 9.7-inch high-resolution display makes iPad perfect for watching any kind of video: from HD movies and TV shows to podcasts and music videos. Since iPad is essentially one big screen — with no distracting keypad or buttons — you feel completely immersed in whatever you’re watching. And you can keep watching for up to 10 hours, thanks to the lithium-polymer battery in iPad.*

You Tube

Watch more.

The YouTube app is designed specifically to take advantage of all the capabilities of iPad. The high-resolution screen makes YouTube videos look amazing, especially those in HD. Content is organized in a new way, so it’s easy to navigate and watch. Tap what you want to see, and the video automatically appears full screen. Use your fingers to play, pause, and advance through a video. Turn iPad sideways and it plays in widescreen.

ITunes

Instant music, movie, and TV show gratification.You’re in a coffee shop and you hear a song you just have to have. Or you’re in an airport, wishing you had a good movie to watch. With Wi-Fi access and one tap of the iTunes icon, you can discover new music, movies to buy or rent, TV shows, and podcasts. Then download it all wirelessly, right to your iPad. Wherever you happen to be.

How to Increase Your Internet Speed without Changing Your ISP

Noticed that your Internet connection has been slow lately? Not sure what the matter is? Here are a few action steps you could put to use before calling your Internet Service Provider or switching to a new one.

Test Your Internet Connection with a Speedometer

Are you getting the speed you’re being promised? There are many Internet connection speedometer sites to help you determine this. Test with a few speedometers. If the test shows your connection speed way below your subscribed level, you should consider contacting your ISP.

But before that you should check the ISP website to find out whether any maintenance work is going on. If there is, then you should just wait for connection to be restored to the normal level.

You can also check with friends who use the same ISP whether they are experiencing the same problem.