Filed under: Robots

Manufactured by NEC, this new FeliCa payment terminal (seen here at iEXPO 2008 in Tokyo) is designed for amusement parks, arcades, or any place where a whimsical touch-screen device might trick you into spending more money than you normally would. And if handing control of your e-wallet to an android wasn’t bad enough, in addition to selling tickets and dispensing data the device boasts integrated facial recognition for identifying and profiling park visitors — a feature to be used for determining your demographic information and pointing you towards appropriate “amusement,” such as a restaurant for Ma or a wave pool for the kiddies. What could possibly go “wrong,” you ask? Have you even seen Westworld?

Robot ticketer greets amusement park visitors, offers frightening glimpse of the future originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via [Engadget]

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The $280 Eee PC 900A can make a dead president smile

Filed under: Laptops

If you thought that a $300 Eee PC 900A price was tempting then how about this: $280. Best Buy just dropped the price of this bare-bones Eee PC by a full Jackson. No catch, no limited time offer, just an 8.9-inch, Atom N270-based netbook with 4GB of flash SSD storage ready for the gift giving season.

[Thanks, Matt]

The $280 Eee PC 900A can make a dead president smile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG, Sharp and Chunghwa Fined $585 Million For LCD Price Fixing [Price Fixing]

After nearly three years of investigation, LG, Sharp and Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd have admitted to participating in a cartel between 2001 and 2006 that fixed prices of LCD screens affecting “millions of American consumers who use computers, cell phones and numerous other household electronics every day.” The Justice Department has ordered the companies pony up $580 million in fines—$400 million from LG, $120 million from Sharp and $65 million from Chunghwa.

According to the Justice Department, these price fixing schemes specifically targeted TFT-LCD panels sold to Dell for their computers, Motorola for the Razr and Apple for the iPod. So, by screwing them they screwed us all. I just hope that a portion of that cash is headed my way for the five or six iPods I have purchased over the years. [Broadcasting and Cable]

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Super-Speed USB 3.0 Formal Unveiling Next Week, Windows 7 Won’t Support Natively [Usb 3.0]

We’ve learned about some of its specifications, and had a first look, but it looks like USB 3.0 is going to get a proper unveiling next monday with an announcement of its final protocol specifications at the first SuperSpeed USB Developer Conference. But at WinHEC last week there also emerged a rumor that Windows 7 won’t support version 3.0 natively, due to the time constraints involved…unless the OS suffers delays perhaps. The logo got a reveal there too—something we should all get used to. We’ll all get comfy with the speeds of the new connection: at 4.8Gbps it’ll shift a 25GB HD movie file in 70 seconds. USB 2.0 takes 13 minutes and USB 1.0 over 9 hours. [Who, in the name of all that is holy, good, and properly kerned, who the heck designed this logo? Jimmy Carter’s campaign graphic designer? —jd] [EverythingUSB]

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Catching Up: Surfwise! [Off Topic]

Jason, just to warn you, this post has absolutely nothing to do with gadgets because I am currently bored and disgusted with gadgets: I saw this great movie the other day called Surfwise and it blew me away.

It’s basically about a Stanford educated doctor who quits the rat race and gets in a camper and surfs all around the continent with his 8 kids. You’d think kids like that, without school, would end up homeless but they all did well and got to surf every day of their youth. My friend Brendan works for the company that produced it, Mekanism, strangely enough the same guys who did the Spore viral creature creator campaign. Here’s a NY Times review of the movie. What about you, what have you been watching lately, and on what? Also, here are my favorite links from today.

• Homemade Wasp Sucking Machine Creates a Wasp Holocaust
• HUD Photoshop contest!
• 3M Pico projector review
• We’re putting on an artMega Gadget Gallery in NYC this December!

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Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 5 is a Reasonable Media Controller (For Your Megayacht) [Bang & Olufsen]

When Bang & Olufsen, maker of very expensive things that use electricity, let slip a photo of their upcoming BeoSound 5 home media controller, I saw a lot of potential. The interface looked nice, the hardware classy, and the screen crisp — in other words, if this thing connected with network music shares and played nice with a variety of home A/V equipment, it could be a winner. Well, we’ve got our hands on the official announcement, and it looks like we might have been a little optimistic.

The control unit is as stunning as the early, blurry pics had implied. With a sharp 1024×768 screen, a brushed aluminum control knob and an attractive, minimalist interface it would be a treat to use as a home media controller. Unfortunately, if predictably, it is only compatible with one product, which is, you guessed it, a Bang & Olufsen server. Called the 500GB BeoMaster 5, the box is a largely unchanged followup to the company’s $2700 BeoMedia media center PC.

In other words, the BeoSound controller is just that — a gutless remote. Without the BeoMaster, which it connects to via DVI, it’s just a screen with a pretty dial. B&O haven’t given any clues as to the price of the unit yet, but the BeoSound and BeoMaster will be, shall we say, luxury items. They’re set for sale in May, you can find more detailed info at the B&O forums, or glance the presser below. [Bang & Olufsen via Acquire]

The BeoSound 5 are two components which make up the new audio master media player which was launched on 11th November 2008 The Beomaster 5 is intended as the a replacement for the Beomedia 1 and subsequent to the launch the Beomedia 1 will be discontinued.

The Beosound 5 has the following Key Features and Spec:-

* Graphical User Interface which provides the user the ability to navigate their entire music collection
* The users music files now resided on the 500GB hard drive located in the Beomaster 5 unit which has a physical size and appearance of the Beomedia 1
* When the music comes to an end, BeoSound 5 will continue to play ‘More Of The Same’ (MOTS) – that is, it will find other music on your system that complements what you’ve already been listening too.
* There’s an aluminum wheel that enables you to scroll smoothly and quickly through tracks and a 10.4” LCD with 1024 x 768 screen resolution that displays crisp graphics and album covers. You have your entire digital music collection plus thousands of internet radio stations available to you
* Mount it flat on a wall; or on a wall bracket with stand so you can tilt and angle it; or simply place it on a pedestal on an aluminum floor stand
* Designed by Anders Hermansen
* Cabinet finish is Aluminum/black
* Dimensions and weight is 12” x 7” x 3” and 5.8 lbs (31cm x 19cm x 8cm and 2.65 kg)
* Connections are via three which go to the BeoMaster 5 (DVI, Power, USB)
* An Aluminum and black wall bracket is included with the Beosound 5 and as an option you can have an extended wall bracket, a table stand in black and a floor stand in aluminum

Beosound 5 Overview

The BeoMaster 5 uses a VIA 2.0 Ghz processor made by VIA Technologies Inc with 1GB of random access memory and a 500GB hard drive and runs an embedded Microsoft Windows XP SP2.

The unit has DVI-I, S-Video and YPbPr for TV along with Masterlink, two Powerlink sockets, two USB sockets and a 10/100 Mbit/second ethernet.

BeoMaster 5 provides power to the Beosound 5 as well as infra-Red and USB mini. Display resolution via DVI-I is 1920×1200 and supports HD 1920×1080p

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First Look At the New USS Enterprise [Star Trek]

Entertainment Weekly’s got an exclusive first picture of the new Enterprise, also known as the old Enterprise, also known as Kirk’s Enterprise. It looks quite Enterprisey—a sort of mashup between the old sensibilities of TOS, the more advanced special effects of the USS Enterprise E (Picard’s latest ship) and Scott Bakula’s lousy junker. Looking at it again, those fat nacelles make it seem more like a cross between the Enterprise A and the Enterprise B. In any case, a high five to JJ Abrams and his effects crew for making a ship we’re looking forward to seeing go “pew pew pew” next year. [EW]

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Pharos Unveils Traveler 117 and 127 Unlocked WinMo GPS Smartphones [Pharos]

Rumors have been floating around for a few weeks now, but today Pharos has officially unveiled two new additions to their Windows Mobile GPS smartphone lineup—the Traveller 117 and 127. Generally, another GPS-enabled phone is nothing to get all that excited about, but tri-band 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 2-megapixel cam / front VGA cam and a VGA touchscreen (on the 117 / QWERTY on 127) isn’t half bad for an unlocked Windows Mobile 6.1 phone priced at $530. As for the GPS itself, Pharos Smart Navigator throws in traffic updates, dynamic POI and FollowMe services and can be purchased separately for $100. Both phones and the software will be available starting on December 1st.

Pharos Debuts Hybrid Navigation Services on Sleek New GPS Smartphones
Pharos Traveler 117 and 127 offer full-featured navigation and lightning fast 3.5G connectivity on an unlocked, Windows Mobile handset

TORRANCE, Calif. — November 12, 2008 — Pharos Science & Applications, Inc., a leading provider of location-based information and services, today introduced two new GPS smartphones that feature the award-winning Pharos Smart Navigator software, the first hybrid navigation system designed specifically for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices. With Smart Navigator onboard, the Traveler 117 and 127 deliver voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions and a suite of real-time location information services on a sleek, stylish handset. Able to operate on any Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, the Traveler 117 and 127 give users the freedom to use the network of their choice and the power to take advantage of download speeds up to 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps). The Traveler 117 and 127 carry a suggested retail price of $529.95 and will be available on December 1, 2008 from major online retailers including Amazon.com, Dell.com eXpansys.com and Newegg.com.
“Windows Mobile provides the flexibility and customization to enable partners like Pharos to consistently deliver innovative navigation solutions for our devices,” said Tim McDonough, senior director, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft.  “The Traveler 117 and 127 provide our customers with an exciting new way to navigate on a Windows Mobile device all the while staying connected to the things in life that matter most.”
“The Traveler 117 and 127 represent a leap forward in how we provide satellite navigation on a smartphone,” said James Oyang, PhD, President of Pharos. “The unique, hybrid nature of Smart Navigator enables us to provide more accurate and reliable navigation customized for a handset’s compact screen size.”
Traveler 117
With 3.5G connectivity and a roomy, 2.8 inch touch screen, the Traveler 117 is a powerful smartphone that is ideal for making calls, surfing the web or watching videos. With the touch of a finger, users can access work or personal e-mail or find the latest gasoline prices, movie show times, weather conditions or news headlines through Microsoft Live Search. Smart Navigator provides users with robust navigation support, including real-time traffic, maps on demand, dynamic points of interest (POI) search and an innovative Follow Me service that enables groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet.

Traveler 127
Sporting a QWERTY keyboard for rapid text entry and a 2.5 inch touch screen, the Traveler 127 is designed to meet the heavy messaging requirements of the mobile professional. Able to download content at speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, the Traveler 127 takes advantage of the fastest broadband speeds available to deliver an unrivaled mobile office experience. Users can access work e-mail and the complete suite of productivity applications in Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition. The Traveler 127 includes a dedicated camera for video conferences as well as satellite navigation to help users find their next meeting while on the road.

Smart Navigator
Smart Navigator offers reliable, easy-to-use navigation software augmented by real-time location information services. Just yesterday, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) awarded Smart Navigator its prestigious “Best of Innovations” award in recognition of its groundbreaking design and engineering. For more information about Smart Navigator, please visit http://www.pharosgps.com/buzz/buzz_pdf/smartnavigator.pdf.

Traveler 117 and Traveler 127 Specifications

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201-90, 400MHz
Memory: 256MB Flash ROM, 128MB SDRAM
Phone: unlocked GSM quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS
3.5G tri band 850/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS 384Kb/s, HSDPA 7.2Mb/s, HSUPA 2Mb/s
Talk time: up to 4 hours talk time and 200 hours standby time
GPS: NMEA0183/AGPS compatible
Wireless: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth™ v2.0+EDR
Camera: 2.0 megapixel camera for picture or video; 0.3 megapixel front camera for video conferences
Battery: 1410 mAh Li-Ion, rechargeable/replaceable
Weight: 4.8 ounces

Traveler 117
Size: 4.44” (L) x 2.28” (W) x 0.60” (T)
Display: 2.8″ Resistive TFT LCD, 480 x 640 VGA with 18-bit 262K color capability

Traveler 127
Size: 4.57” (L) x 2.44” (W) x 0.60” (T)
Display: 2.5″ TFT LCD with touch panel, 320 x 240 QVGA with 16-bit 65K colors

Pharos Pioneers Hybrid Navigation for Smartphones and Personal Digital Assistants
Consumer Electronics Association hails the release of Pharos Smart Navigator with a “Innovations” award

TORRANCE, Calif. — November 12, 2008 — In a move that continues its tradition of breaking new ground in the navigation market, Pharos Science & Applications, Inc., a leading provider of location-based information and services, today unveiled Pharos Smart Navigator, the first navigation software plus services product designed specifically for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices. Smart Navigator offers a unique hybrid approach that combines onboard navigation software with real-time location services for traffic, maps, incremental map update, dynamic points of interest (POI) search and the innovative Follow Me service. Smart Navigator makes its consumer debut on Pharos’ new Global Positioning System (GPS) smartphones, the Pharos Traveler 117 and 127, also announced today.
“Pharos continues to develop innovative GPS solutions that expand the navigation possibilities on a Windows Mobile device,” said Tim McDonough, senior director, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. “Smart Navigator is a great example of an application that combines precise, consistent navigation with the familiarity and flexibility that Windows Mobile users have come to expect.”
“GPS is becoming a standard feature on mobile devices, but it requires smart, easy-to-use software to unlock the potential of satellite navigation on a pocket-sized device,” said James Oyang, PhD, President of Pharos. “Smart Navigator gives customers consistent access to full-featured navigation optimized for Windows Mobile devices.”

Smart Navigator
Smart Navigator is the first navigation software to seamlessly combine on a Windows Mobile device navigation capability with real-time location information services including traffic, dynamic POI, maps and Follow Me, a service that enables groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet. With Smart Navigator, users can instantly access maps of the United States (US), Canada, or other countries; intelligent route calculation, and turn-by-turn route guidance, via graphic and text instructions as well as voice prompts. Smart Navigator will navigate using maps resident on the device, or if needed, will download maps on demand wirelessly from Pharos. Its routing calculation can occur either on the smartphone or on Pharos’ server.

Smart Navigator Real-Time Navigation Services
Follow Me: Allows groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet.

Smart Traffic: Provides real-time traffic incident and speed data as well as video feeds derived directly from State Departments of Transportation, highway patrol agencies and other sources.

Smart Finder: Finds nearby business or attraction locations, addresses and phone numbers from the Pharos POI server whenever and wherever users need it. Pharos POI hosts approximately twelve million POIs including national parks, beaches, forests, earthquake faults, and many other natural and historical features from the US Geologic Survey.

Maps On Demand: Enables users to download regional maps based on their GPS position location or corridor maps based on routes to their destinations. Dynamically cut maps ensure that the user is centered on the requested map area, and the program automatically calculates a new route when users have strayed off course and then displays the newly mapped route. Maps can be downloaded for $1.99/one day of access, $4.99/one week of access, $6.99/one month of access or $49.99/one year of access.
Key Features
Automatically selects day or night display mode based on local sunrise and sunset
Automatically upgrades over the wireless Internet
Intuitive object and task-oriented on-screen menu
Advanced multiple-stop routing to plan and optimize schedule
Route calculation by specified address, intersection, POI, Outlook contact, saved favorite, recent destination with options of by shortest distance, fastest path, avoiding highways or toll roads, or pedestrian mode
Screen displays next turn direction, next street name, distance to next turn and distance or estimated time of arrival to destination (as well as current street on full arrow view)
Records trips and displays a bread crumb trail
Exports trip records to Microsoft Virtual Earth or Google Earth by using Pharos Trips & Pics software (free download for Smart Navigator users)
Pricing and availability
Smart Navigator will be available to consumers in December from major vendors for a suggested retail price of $99.95. Bulk licenses of Smart Navigator for device manufacturers and mobile operators can be obtained directly from Pharos.

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Lenovo’s IdeaPad U330 reviewed: nice for the price

Filed under: Laptops

After launching this summer, we’re heard way more about netbooks than Lenovo’s shiny IdeaPad U330. For those who’ve refused to forget about it, the aforesaid rig has been reviewed by the kind souls over at Laptop Mag, and impressions were fairly positive overall. The biggest boon here is likely the price — we mean, $1,199 for a 13-inch lappie of this stature isn’t half bad. As with most of the other IdeaPads, the design was applauded, the mix of features and performance was satisfactory and the size (4.4-pounds) was just right. Critics did slam the mushy touch buttons and the below-average battery life, but even so, the U330 was deemed a “a compelling thin-and-light notebook that offered plenty of style and strong performance” for the price.

Lenovo’s IdeaPad U330 reviewed: nice for the price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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