Intel WiGig wireless technology, 10x faster than 802.11n

WiGig, which is backwards compatible with 802.11, will support beamforming

Many home and business local area networks (LANs) built around the 802.11n standard are starting to buckle under the strain placed on them by an ever-increasing number of wireless devices clamoring for bandwidth. A new technology known as WiGig is looking to clear the bottleneck by offering transfer rates 10 times that of the fastest 802.11n networks. At its Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2012 in San Francisco, Intel demonstrated WiGig multigigabit wireless docking technology that has the potential to remove almost all wires trailing to and from a computer.
Operating over the unlicensed 60 GHz frequency band, WiGig is designed to deliver data transfer rates of up to 7 Gbit/s. This will allow it to wirelessly transmit video and audio data from a source to a display or speakers in addition to wireless LAN capabilities. Intel demonstrated just such an application by wirelessly connecting an Ultrabook laptop to an external HDD and then playing a video from the HDD on a monitor connected only over WiGig.
"Even multiple displays can be docked at one time," said Intel Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner in his keynote last Thursday, adding, “I look forward to the day when docking my Ultrabook or tablet will not even need to be a conscious exercise – it will be as simple as dropping the device anywhere on my desk and having it automatically connect to a display and peripherals, no wires attached.”
WiGig is backwards compatible with 802.11 and will also support beamforming, allowing connectivity over 10 meters (33 ft).
Dr. Ali Sadri, President and Chairman of the Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Alliance, the not-for-profit standards organization responsible for developing the technology, says that WiGig technology is nearly ready, with chips from a number of WiGig member companies already in production. The WiGig standard is expected to be certified in mid02013, after which Sadri foresees a “real explosion in the number of WiGig devices coming to market.”
Sources: Intel, WiGig Alliance, Gizmag

Wii U launch details

Nintendo has announced a number of key details regarding the release of its upcoming Wii U home console. The release date, launch line up and pricing were all confirmed by the company during a series of detailed broadcasts on the Nintendo Direct website.

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The company today confirmed that the system will launch worldwide within a three week time-frame. The US will be the first region to get access to the system, with the launch day confirmed as November 18. Europe will follow shortly after on the November 30, and the system will hit Japan on December 8.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told IGN that the gamepad will not be available as a stand-alone accessory in the US, at least not at first. “If I were to take additional gamepads and make them available as an accessory, then I would have less Wii U console hardware to sell into retail,” he said, adding some credence to the rumors surrounding manufacturing difficulties.

Hardware

It was also revealed that Nintendo will release two versions of the console, the Basic and Deluxe models. The former of these will come in at US$299 and will include a white console with 8 GB of memory, as well as a gamepad, HDMI cable and sensor bar.

The Deluxe package will cost $349 and comes with the black version of the console, featuring 32 GB of storage. In addition to everything that's included in the Basic package, the more costly version also comes with a charging cradle and stands for both the gamepad and console. It will also include the Nintendo Land game.

Interestingly, the EU edition of the Basic model will not include the sensor bar, with the company claiming that a large number of users will already have the item, having purchased the original Wii console.

Games

The launch line up for the system was also confirmed for Europe, with the US line up likely to be largely the same. A total of 51 titles were confirmed, including Nintendo Land, FIFA 13, ZombiU, Rayman Legends, Mass Effect 3and Darksiders 2. In addition to this, New Super Mario Bros U, Call of Duty Black Ops 2 and Alien: Colonial Marines were also confirmed.

The biggest surprise of the day came in the form of Bayonetta 2. While the title won't hit the launch window, its announcement as a Wii U exclusive will go some way to assuaging fears that the system is relying too heavily on ports and rehashes of titles already available on competing systems.

Lastly, Nintendo confirmed in its EU presentation that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate will be released on the system and will feature cross functionality with the company's popular 3DS handheld device.

Nintendo's US launch reveal presentation can be seen below.

Sources: Nintendo and IGN and Gizmag

Acer's Windows 8 V5 Series notebook with 10-point touch display

Computer makers are having to reconsider laptops design to coincide with the new features of Windows 8. Acer has just shown off its new offering, and it is clear that the company had the Windows 8 philosophy in mind when it designed the Aspire V5 laptop. The V5 features a 10-point touch display and a larger trackpad, both of which are designed for better interaction with the features Windows 8 has to offer.

Why a 10-point touch display? Well we have ten fingers, so with this screen technology, all ten of them can be touching something different and the screen will be able to read the inputs of each one. This technology offers great flexibility for interacting with a computer.

Acer is putting a great emphasis on making the V5 as thin and light as it possibly could without losing features. Generally, when a company makes a laptop thin, the first thing to be cut is the optical drive. Acer managed to keep the DVD drive in both sizes of the V5 and still retain a thin profile The 14” model is .83” (21 mm) thick and the 15.6” model is 0.90” (23 mm) thick.

In terms of weight, the 14” display comes in at 4.63 lbs (2.1 kg). The larger 15.6” model weighs in at 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg). While not the lightest laptop on the market, these are certainly on the lighter side.

Making a thin, light laptop does not do anyone much good if it is not packing a punch in terms of speed and performance. The new Windows 8 V5 comes equipped with Intel Core family processors and NVIDIA GeForce GT series graphics. Acer did not release the exact specs, but we can only assume that it will vary depending on the price point and model chosen. The screen is also ready for HD. That, plus the NVIDIA graphics cards could make this a viable laptop for gamers as well as casual computer users.

The V5 features a LAN/VGA combo port. Of course, the new laptop also includes USB 3.0 ports, which is quickly becoming the standard for high-speed data transfer between devices.

Source : 

ASUS TAICHI dual screen ultrabook!

There's no denying that tablet computers have carved out quite a substantial niche over the past couple of years, but they're not exactly an ideal productivity solution for those of us who spend much of our lives tapping away on a keyboard. Lenovo generated a flutter of excitement at CES 2010 when the company revealed its intention to combine tablet convenience with the power of a notebook in the form of the U1. Sadly, this concept hasn't yet made it beyond prototyping, but ASUS actually delivered somewhat similar functionality with its Eee Pad Transformer series. Now, the company has revealed a new ultrabook that also has a multi-touch tablet on the outer face of the lid. Full specs for the TAICHI are a little thin at the moment, but here's what we do know.

ASUS says that its TAICHI ultrabook/tablet will come in 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch form factors, although the pre-production prototype introduced by the company's Jonney Shih at Computex 2012 in Taipai, Taiwan earlier this month was of the former size. The lid of both models is home to dual FHD/IPS panels, each at 1920 x 1080 resolution, which are said to utilize the same hardware, but are independent of one another.

This effectively means that users will be able to mirror the notebook display on the multi-touch tablet panel on outer surface of TAICHI's lid, useful for cozy business presentations, sharing video chat sessions with friends or family, or showing of home videos and photos without having to squeeze in front of a screen. That glossy outer surface does look to be quite the fingerprint magnet, though, but that's perhaps a small price to pay for such functionality.

The tablet panel will support stylus input, which is thought to have been made possible courtesy of N-trig technology, a grid-based system which supports up to 256 pressure levels – although there's been nothing official on this from ASUS.

The ASUS TAICHI is reported to weigh about the same as an ASUS Zenbook Prime, is powered by 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, features SSD storage and DDR3 system memory, and comes with built-in dual-band 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and DisplayPort connectivity.

There's a full-size, chiclet-style backlit QWERTY keyboard and trackpad, front and rear HD cameras and B&O ICEpower and ASUS SonicMaster audio. It's also been made NFC-capable, and has an e-compass and gyroscopic sensors.

Have a look at the following video introduction from the ASUS Techinstyle.tv folks: 

It's a little early for pricing and availability information, but rumor has it that the TAICHI could be delivered as soon as October of this year. We'll certainly be keeping a close eye on this interesting device and will bring news as it surfaces.

Source: ASUS and Gizmag

4th generation Intel Ultrabooks include voice recognition and gesture interfaces

As computers become more sophisticated, they sometimes seem almost human – especially when they refuse to download a page when you’re in a hurry. At the Intel Developer’s Forum in San Francisco, Intel revealed that it is taking that a step further by giving their new line of Ultrabooks “human-like senses to perceive the user's intentions” thanks to a new generation of processors.

The new Ultrabooks will use low-power fourth generation Intel Core processors based on Haswell microarchitecture. According to Intel, these have an idle power 20 times that of the second generation processors. Scheduled to be introduced into Ultrabooks and other PCs in 2013, they promise longer battery life and increased processor, graphics and media performance.

Intel sees the new processors as not only the way to faster, lighter, thinner cooler and more secure Ultrabooks, but also as a means of opening the door to a raft of new mobile designs and interactive softwares. One idea that Intel is actively promoting is to make its Ultrabooks into highly interactive platforms with advanced senses that allow for more intuitive, natural interactions between computer and user.

As part of this effort, Intel will release its Intel Perceptual Computing Software Development Kit beta to developers early next year. The idea behind perceptual computing is to provide the Ultrabook with human-like senses to allow the computer to perceive the user's intentions. Key to this is Intel’s Creative camera, which is a screen-mounted system that includes a low-power HD 760p image sensor designed to work at close range, along with a 3D depth array and dual microphone array.

With the Creative camera, Intel hopes that software developers will come up with advanced applications to enhance user interactions. One area is speech recognition, which Intel wants to move beyond today’s "barking orders" stage to more natural functions, such as real-time language translation. Another is facial analysis for facial recognition, determining a user’s age and gender, facial tracking and even something as simple as knowing when the user is smiling or not.

Other uses for perceptual computing involve giving users a virtual interface. By providing the Ultrabook with close-range tracking, users can reach out and manipulate objects on screen or control applications by simple gestures. Related to this is 2D/3D tracking that will allow user images to blend into the action on the screen. As the computer tracks the user’s hands or facial features, it will be possible for users to go beyond manipulating objects to doing things like trying on glasses in a virtual environment.

These are still more wish list than reality, but if you should someday see someone in the coffee shop gesturing wildly at their laptop, keep in mind that they aren’t raving mad.

Source: Intel and Gizmag

Nvidia announces new Quadro K5000 GPU for Mac

People tend to have this idea that Macs are not upgradeable, and while it may be true some models, it is certainly not the case with the Mac Pro. NVIDIA just announced that its ultra powerful Quadro K5000 video card is coming to Mac Pro computers later this year.
The Quadro K5000 is built on the Kepler design and is "the most powerful professional-class GPU ever for the Macintosh," according to NVIDIA. Based on the specifications announced for this monster, that is quite believable.
The new video card supports up to 4096x2160 resolution, which has close to four times as many pixels as 1080P. This card exists so video producers can work on their craft in the highest resolution possible.

This card also includes a new engine that allows it to support up to four displays simultaneously. To support all those displays at such a high-resolution, the card needs to be powerful, and with that in mind, NVIDIA included 4GB of dedicated graphics memory. They also designed it so a single Mac Pro can support two K5000 cards.
Another key feature of the K5000 is ability to use Boot Camp to run Windows without losing any performance. This is critical if your workflow requires certain programs that are not available on OS X.
NVIDIA says that the K5000 "is ideal for professional applications such as video editing, color correction, compositing, design visualization and GPU-accelerated ray-traced 3D rendering." This is not the graphics card for the casual Mac Pro user, and it comes with an estimated US$2,249 price tag to match.
Source: NVIDIA  and Gizmag

New gadgets released to counter Apple Iphone 5

It was a big week for gadget announcements as Amazon, Nokia and Motorola all tried to generate interest in their products before Apple's expected announcement of a new iPhone next Wednesday. Amazon announced four new Kindle Fire models and a new line of stand-alone e-readers on Thursday,

a day after Nokia and Motorola unveiled five new smartphones between them. Makers of consumer electronics are refreshing their products for the holiday shopping season. Apple's rivals are hoping that a head start on the buzz will translate into stronger sales.
Nokia and Microsoft, in particular, are trying to generate interest in a new Windows operating system out next month. The two phones announced Wednesday by Nokia are its first to run Windows Phones 8.
Sales of Apple's iPhones are still strong, though the company lost the lead in smartphones to Samsung this year. Samsung Electronics Co. benefited from having its Galaxy S III out in the U.S. in June, while Apple was still selling an iPhone model released last October. A new iPhone is expected as early as this month, allowing Apple to recapture the attention and the revenue.
Apple dominates the market for tablet computers. Seven out of every 10 tablets shipped in the second quarter were iPads, according to research firm IHS iSuppli.
Rivals have been trying to compete with smaller, cheaper models — such as Amazon's Kindle Fire. On Thursday, Amazon announced new models, including ones with screens nearly as large as the iPad's.
Now there's speculation that Apple will be coming out with a smaller iPad as well.
Here's a look at what to expect:
NEW IPHONE
Apple Inc. has come out with a new iPhone each year, and that's likely to continue. The new model is expected to work with fourth-generation, or 4G, cellular networks that phone companies have been building. That capability is something the S III and many other iPhone rivals already have. A bigger iPhone screen is also possible.
Apple will host an event in San Francisco next Wednesday. The topic wasn't disclosed, but the email invitation contains a shadow in the shape of a "5'' — a sign that the iPhone 5 is coming. Sales usually begin a week or two after such an announcement.
One thing is known: Apple plans to update its phone software this fall and will ditch Google's mapping service for its own, as a rivalry between the two companies intensify.
SMALLER IPAD
Apple has done well selling its full-sized tablet computer, which has a screen that measures nearly 10 inches diagonally. Many companies have tried to come out with iPad alternatives, but the ones that have had moderate success have tended to be those with smaller, 7-inch screens and lower price tags.
There's speculation that Apple will come out with a mini iPad this fall — possibly with a 7.85-inch screen — to compete with those competitors. It's not as much a certainty as a new iPhone, though. Apple hasn't said anything about its plans.
REKINDLING THE FIRE
Amazon.com Inc.'s 7-inch Kindle Fire is one of the smaller tablets with decent sales. Starting next Friday, it will sell an updated version with a faster processor, more memory and longer battery life. It will also cut the price to $159, from $199, making it far cheaper than the iPad, which starts at $399 for the 2011 version still on sale. (The most recent ones start at $499.)
Amazon is also releasing higher-end models under the Kindle Fire HD line. A 7-inch one will go for $199, while an 8.9-inch one will go for $299. There's also a $499 model that can use the 4G cellular networks that phone companies have been building. A data plan will cost an extra $50 a year. The smaller HD model will start shipping next week, while the larger ones will be available Nov. 20.
Amazon also refreshed its line of stand-alone e-readers, offering the Paperwhite, with its own light source. Tablets such as the iPad and the Fire don't work as well in bright light because they are lit from the back. Amazon says the light on the Paperwhite is directed down at the display.
Barnes and Noble Inc., which makes the 7-inch Nook Tablet, may have an update this fall as well.
MOTOROLA'S RETURN
Though it's a pioneer in the cellphone industry, Motorola hasn't had a hit since the Razr phone came out in 2004. Under new owner Google Inc., Motorola Mobility is trying to change that.
On Wednesday, Motorola announced three new smartphones bearing the Razr name. Verizon Wireless started taking orders for the first of the new phones, the Droid Razr M. It's a cheaper, smaller phone than the Razr that Motorola launched last year. The $99 Razr M will be in stores next Thursday, the day after Apple's announcement.
Motorola will have two high-end models, the Razr HD and Razr Maxx HD, later this year. It's emphasizing long battery life — up to 21 hours of talk time for the Maxx HD, or 10 hours of video streaming.
These are the first major products from Motorola since Google bought the company for $12.4 billion in May. Google, meanwhile, continues to sell a 7-inch Android tablet, the Nexus 7, made in partnership with AsusTek Computer Inc.
CALLING ON WINDOWS
Microsoft Corp. will release a new version of the Windows operating system on Oct. 26, one that's designed to work on both traditional computers and tablet devices. A new version of the Windows Phone system is coming out, too.
Once-dominant phone maker Nokia Corp. has been struggling in the shadow of Apple and Android, and it's counting on the new Windows system for a revival. On Wednesday, Nokia and Microsoft unveiled two new devices under Nokia's Lumia brand — the 820 and the 920.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop says the new phones will go on sale in the fourth quarter in "select markets." He didn't say what they would cost or which U.S. carriers would have them. Investors were disappointed, and Nokia's stock fell 16 percent on Wednesday.
Samsung, which surpassed Nokia as the world's largest maker of mobile phones in 2011 and overtook Apple in smartphones this year, showed off a Windows 8 phone last week. It didn't announce an availability date either.
SURFACE
Microsoft plans its own tablet computer, too. It's new territory for Microsoft, which typically leaves it to others to make devices using its software. Now, it will be competing against its partners.
The Surface tablet will come in two versions, both with 10.6-inch screens, slightly larger than the iPad's. One model will run on phone-style chips, just like the iPad, and will be sold for a similar price. A heavier, more expensive version will run on Intel chips and be capable of running standard Windows applications. The Surface will go on sale on Oct. 26.
NEW BLACKBERRYS
A year ago Research In Motion Ltd. disclosed that it was working on a next-generation phone system for the BlackBerry, which now looks ancient next to the iPhone and Android devices. It was supposed to be out in time for this year's holiday season. That won't happen.
In June RIM pushed the release of BlackBerry 10 devices into early next year, saying it wasn't ready. That means RIM will not only compete with the new iPhone and Android devices out this fall, but it will also have to contend with the new Windows devices.

3 HP windows 8 machines unveiled

Two new ENVY additions and a Spectre XT update have been chosen to represent the brave new world of touch-centric computing, including another dip into tablet territory (although HP did seem a little reluctant to use the "T" word, no doubt still feeling the pain of the TouchPad disaster).
The HP ENVY x2 is a hybrid tablet/notebook or, if you prefer, a tablet that includes its own physical keyboard dock. The tablet features an optimized Windows 8 touch interface on an 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 pixel resolution IPS multi-touch display panel with a reported brightness of 400-nit. There's also an optional stylus available for improved onscreen accuracy and to help keep grubby fingerprints on the glossy screen to a minimum.

The x2 has a mobile phone-like press-and-hold power button to the back – rather than the side – of the tablet part and a volume rocker over on the right, plus there's a Beats Audio logo in the bezel which signals the inclusion of Dr. Dre's and Jimmy Iovine's vision of how audio should be delivered, along with an HD webcam to the front and an 8-megapixel snapper round the back. On its own, the x2 tablet weighs a not-too-unpleasant 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg), which increases to 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg) when docked.
Docking and undocking from the keyboard is really smooth and easy. A small connector interface in the keyboard base plugs into the tablet part of the device and two additional magnetic struts secure it in place. It's released from the vice-like grip of the base via a magnetic toggle positioned above the comfortable chiclet-style keyboard. The base also includes its own battery for extended use, and benefits from an SD card slot, an HDMI output and two USB ports.
HP told us that although the company is still in the process of finalizing benchmarks for battery performance, users can expect a full working day in tablet mode or 1.5 days in notebook (docked) mode. The unit will come with 64 GB of SSD storage and includes a new HP Connected Photo app that syncs images across multiple devices, while also offering basic editing and social network sharing capabilities. Near Field Communication technology also features for content sharing between devices with a quick tap.
Up close, the aluminum finish lends the ENVY x2 a well constructed, stylish look and feel. The display is bright, crisp and responsive and the physical keyboard not too cramped. Both our intrepid product tester and the HP rep at IFA did seem to be having issues bringing up the Windows Charms menu bar by dragging a digit from the right of the screen, but this may have been a technique rather than a hardware problem.
The only information we were given about the processor in the tablet part of the hybrid notebook is that it's of the Intel X86 variety. It is also worth noting that the version of Windows 8 running on the x2 is the full version and not RT.

In the looks department, the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook may have MacBook Pro users crying foul at the general similarities but given HP's attention to detail and obvious build quality, perhaps that's not such a bad thing. This model sports a 15.6-inch multitouch Radiance Full HD IPS display with edge-to-edge glass. There's a Windows 8-optimized glass touchpad, backlit chiclet-style keyboard (that we found very comfortable to use) and tilted speakers with Beats Audio.
The new 17.9-mm (0.7-inch) thin, 4.77-pound (2.16-kg) Spectre XT is HP's first notebook to sport Intel's Thunderbolt I/O technology, and also includes two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI out and Gigabit LAN. It will be powered by the latest generation Intel Core processor with integrated HD4000 graphics, come with solid state storage, and will include full versions of Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10 to help satisfy any photo and video editing needs you might have. It will also be capable of charging USB-connected devices even when the notebook is powered off.
The last of the three new Windows 8 products unveiled at IFA is the ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4. HP has taken all of the best bits from the ENVY Ultrabooks launched earlier this year and added some multitouch magic. This 23-mm (0.9-inch) thin model features a 14-inch multitouch HD display, a backlit keyboard, up to eight hours battery life and a built-in subwoofer to make the most of the Beats Audio experience.

The latest Intel Core processors will run the show and system configurations will include solid state storage options, plus there will also be the option to include an AMD GPU with 2 GB of built-in video memory.
Only the SpectreXT has been given a firm release window of December 2012 with a starting price of US$1,399. The other two models can be expected in time for the holiday shopping season.
Source: HP
Gizmag

5 Innovative writing tools!

Well for all pencil lovers, these 5 here are a real treat..... and for those that do not fall in the previous category, well you'll love these still!! ;)

1. PENCIL SPROUT





For all the environment enthusiasts who use their pencils to their limits (to save wood and all) and still sulk while throwing the miniscule stub away, this is a welcome innovation for sure. With a seed at its base, what you need to do is just plant the stub in a well manured soil, and you get to grow your own pencil plant!

2. PENCIL PRINTER


Now for those tech lovers who didnt feel at home with the first one, this is one beautiful printer for sure (as it can be seen in the pic). This amazing concept printer uses the graphite from pencil (stubs) to form its ink, and print on pages... while the eraser to simply erase off what has been printed!!! That's one thing i surely want at my desktop!


3, OFFICE WASTE PAPER PROCESSOR


We have seen many new business ventures setting up which intend on recycling office supplies for some cool remakes, but this pencil maker, using office waste paper, is portable, and can be used in the office itself.
Of course its for those art lovers, who want designer pencils for themselves as well!


4. SHORTY MECHANICAL PENCIL


We all at some point in our creative ventures (or some of the not so creative ones as well) feel totally defeated when our basic tool - the pencil- gets its nib broken. This self-sharpening pencil helps you keep your thoughts flowing without annoying, lead-related interruptions. And because it’s ergonomic, your hand won’t even cramp up during your idea-jotting marathon.


5. PENCIL cum PEN cum HIGHLIGHTER cum STYLUS



This is my favorite of 'em all! I mean, we see different color pens in single one, and sometimes with a pencil it as well. But this is new... and this is helluva amazing, with an addition of highlighter, ruler and a PDA Stylus. (that's what I call a true pen, with the booming touchscreen industry obliterating 'untouchable' stuff). Its a boon for lazybones like my dear self, who don't even find the energy to take anything except a single pen (that too with utmost difficulty) xD.. and of course with everyone else, as a cool thing to showoff as well as a great utility tool!


So these were the 5 new pencil innovations here.. do comment if u have more, or your comments regarding them!

Source : via Brit Co
 

[GALAXY Note II] First Hands-on Video

 

Well here is the first hands on Video Official by samsung for the upcoming Galaxy Note II , with a 1.6GHz quad core processor, 2 gigs of RAM, 5.5 inch SAMOLED screen and some really cool features!!
So just check it out, and comment  your views regarding it!!