Category: Platforms

Gateway’s Wireless, XP Media Centre-aware, DVD Player

Gateway have released an upgrade to their wireless DVD player – and it seems to be a world first. The ADC-320 Wireless Connected DVD Player will take a wide range of content from your PC and show it on your TV. Ideal for watching all those TV programs you recorded with the Windows Media Centre PVR.

The 802.11g enabled player will connect to a PC up to 300 feet away, and is compatible with Windows Media Centre as well as ordinary Windows boxes. Interestingly, multiple ADC-320s on the same wireless network can “listen in” on a media stream and display the same content in multiple locations – handy for events and large parties. Consequently, the DVD player incorporates security features to enable it to comply with secured networks, supporting WEP and WPA encryption.

The player also supports a large range of formats: MP3, MPEG1, 2 and 4, Windows Media , Microsoft PVR and AVI files.

This new hardware is essentially the previous ADC-220 with a firmware upgrade and a 802.11g card in the back – in fact, Gateway are already offering an upgrade path to the 320 through their website.

An ADC-320 will set you back US$199 (€166), and is available now.

More about the ADC-320

N-GAGE 1.5: Back for a Beating

Nokia has announced the next iteration of their mobile gaming platform in the form of the N-GAGE QD. It’s backwardly compatible with the existing N-GAGE games, but there have been a few refinements and changes, all based on what Nokia have been learned since the first model was released.

Nokia’s Senior Vice President of Games (now there’s a crrrrrrazy job title), Ilkka Raiskinen said “After six months on the market with the N-Gage platform, we wanted to expand our device portfolio based on the feedback we’ve received. With improved gaming ergonomics, gamers can now start to play games at the push of a button and enjoy the increased responsiveness of the game keys. We also added support for hot-swap MMC and extended the battery life.”

N-GAGE Arena is pushed to the fore this time, and it’s a smart move too, as it was the multiplayer functions that made the console stand out from other hand-held gaming platforms out there. The QD now has a Arena Launcher allowing gamers to communicate, view score rankings and download content via a GPRS connection.

The N-GAGE QD has also incorporated some of the features that the (admittedly few) purchasers of the first system requested – particularly the improvements to gaming controls. As Nokia insisted that the first N-GAGE was a gaming platform first, phone second many saw the awkward placement and size of the controls as a bit of a howler.

Another welcome change is the positioning of the microphone and speaker – Raiskinen added: “For phone calls, we reoriented the speaker and microphone to support ‘classic talking’.” Previously, if you wanted to make a phone call, you had to hold the handset at a right angle sticking out from your head. At the very least, this would make you look somewhat foolish. However, we can’t imagine anyone getting mugged for an N-GAGE.

With greater emphasis on multiplayer gaming and improved ergonomics, it could be that they’ve got it right this time, especially since Nintendo and Sony’s next hand-held gaming platforms will almost certainly not support GPRS gaming.

Nokia on the new N-GAGE QD

Yahoo on the story

Apple’s Faster, Cheaper eMacs

Apple has revised its eMac computer line with two new models. At US$799 and US$999 the two additions are faster, a bit cheaper and have a lot more features than previous versions.

Both of the new models have 1.25GHz G4 processors and 128mb of memory, and incorporate beautiful 17” displays. The more expensive of the two models has an 80gb hard drive (the cheaper only has 40gb) and has Apple’s SuperDrive built in. Both computers have Radeon 9200 graphics with 32mb of its own video memory. It might be because I’m sitting here with a 256mb 9800 that 32mb seems a bit mean, graphics memory wise. But then, I’m sure my card doesn’t even need to wake up to render my typing in OpenOffice.

The new Macs come with iLife ’04, Apple’s digital lifestyle application – see our previous write up on features like GarageBand.

Apple is heavily promoting their AirPort extreme technology for wireless networking with the new eMacs, though it is not included as standard.

Apple Store on the new eMacs

Intel Announce New Mobile Multimedia Processor

Intel has announced a new processor for the mobile phone industry – the PXA27x, previously codenamed “Bulverde”.

With clock speeds from 312MHz up to 624MHz, the processor is geared towards high quality video playback for next generation mobile phones. This new chip can encode 30 frames per second at 320×240, or 15 fps at 640×480.

The new processor also includes the option of a new security subsystem, the Wireless Trusted Platform, allowing users to access their corporate networks via VPNs. The security system also enables sophisticated media DRM on phone. Content providers can specify exactly how music and movies are used on phones featuring the processor.

Intel has also adapted their SpeedStep technology for the new mobile processors, enabling phones to get more out of their batteries by underclocking the chip where appropriate to save power. Figures from Intel imply that the chip can use 50% less power than their previous offerings.

Factory door prices for the PXA27x are $32, should you require them in quantities of 10,000.

Intel’s product briefing

Nintendo Top of the Charts. In Japan.

Nintendo sold some 6.5 million software units in Japan during the financial year to 31st March, placing at the top of the charts. But for how long? The future of the GameCube in the US and Europe looks bleaker every day and Sony are about to launch an assault on Nintendo’s strongest market area: the portable games console.

The Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3, Los Angeles, May) will be the battle of the handhelds: Sony and Nintendo will be unveiling their new portable hardware to expectant crowds. We already know a lot about Sony’s PSP: the disk format, connectivity, what it looks like, even down to the wrist strap. But what about Nintendo’s “DS”?

Details of the new Nintendo offering are sketchy and strange: it has two screens, one of which may be a touch screen. The Nintendo DS is touted as a new game play experience, but may end up dividing their market still further between products: the GBA, GBA SP and the new DS. Consumers are still confused as to what the two screen experience will bring – and Nintendo isn’t spoiling the surprise. Connectivity details are still sparse: Sony has been promoting connectivity with its PS2, PSX and PS3 products, but Nintendo have had a series of disappointments with GBA/GameCube link ups, and it’s never fully reached their expectations. Except with Animal Crossing of course, and only if you don’t use an GBA SP.

We’re are somewhat unsure of the new Nintendo offering, at least until much more is known about the console. There have been some unfortunate comparisons with Nintendo’s own VirtualBoy, which also promised a new game play experience (with two screens, oddly enough). The VirtualBoy died a horrible death, but like many doomed consoles is popular on eBay.

We’ll soon have the full picture: Nintendo are rumoured to be announcing 30 DS titles at E3, and the console itself will be out, at least in Japan, by the end of the year.

With Sony’s PSP looking to be a winner, at least in the West, the future is uncertain for Nintendo’s hand held dominance.

Piecing together the DS at Wired
PSP technical specs
Reuters on Nintendo’s success

UK Train Company Offering WiFi Trains

GNER, a UK train operator, will be rolling out WiFi access to all 302 carriages of its Mark 4 fleet. This follows a successful trial launched in December.

Named the GNER Mobile Office, the first trains to run the service will be between Kings Cross and destinations in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland.

The on-train WiFi network is connected to a satellite to provide internet access. But what happens when you go into a tunnel? The network drops back to a GPRS connection.

The service is free to first class customers, everyone else pays £4.95 (€7.53) per hour.

“We are confident that the new service will encourage more people to take the train instead of driving or flying,” GNER CEO Christopher Garnett said. Cleaning the toilets once in a while might also be a good low-tech way of getting people to take a train too – just a suggestion.

GNER Mobile Office

Sharp Introduce SL6000 PDA to US

Featuring IBM enterprise software to allow remote access to systems, the SL-6000 is a Linux-based PDA intended for enterprise users.

The SL-6000 is the latest addition to Sharp’s Zaurus range and they’re touting it as a complete laptop replacement. This focus on features, reliability and enterprise use is reflected in the price: US$700 (€578).

The PDA has a bright, four inch 640×480 (VGA) display, 802.11b WiFi and built-in slide out keyboard. Memory expansion is through CF and SD slots. The display is so good because it is one of the first to feature Sharp’s CD Silicon technology. This new display is said to make the best of both transmissive (back lit) and reflective (front lit) screen modes.

The PDA uses a 32 bit Linux kernel to enable true multitasking – users can send and receive data to different applications simultaneously, rather than making background programs dormant.

IBM WebSphere middleware allows users to connect securely to corporate networks, whether on site or connecting through a mobile phone link.

Amazon on the SL6000

World’s First Customised Multimedia Mobile

Emblaze Mobile of Israel have produced a new multimedia handset, and it’s the first time that a network provider, in this case Partner Communications, has had almost complete control over the specification of a mobile and it’s applications.

Considering that the Alpha 8 is Israel’s first attempt at a mobile phone, the handset is amongst some of the most sophisticated handsets out there. Designed by Emblaze in tandem with Partner, the phone is based around video and gaming functions – it can record 30 minutes of video, play Java games and play MP3s. The user interface is via a 2.2 inch TFT screen which displays 65,000 colours.

Partner Communications, which trades under the Orange brand in Israel are hoping to provide a video on demand portal for subscribers – the phone can play back video at up to 30 frames per second, and can record at 15.

Emblaze are hoping to take the phone to other world markets – notably Europe and Asia: “It’s Israeli-based and we are producing cellphones, but we are selling across the world. Our intent is not just to work with Partner in Israel. We are looking at big names and all the number one (mobile) operators in Europe. We are talking to each one and we are in various stages and hoping to close deals,” said Emblaze’s Doron Cohen.

Emblaze Mobile

Korean Music Industry Demands Poor Quality MP3 Phones

Manufacturers like Samsung and LG are of course resistant to the idea, but the Korean Association of Phonogram Producers (KAPP) and Korean Music Copyright Association (KMCA) are demanding that new phones can only play MP3 music at low-fidelity, radio quality.

This demand is after a compromise – KAPP and KMCA originally required phones to only play MP3 files that had been purchased legally. In a market where 95% of MP3 files are said to be illegal, phone manufacturers felt that this would put consumers off.

The battle has become so embittered that Samsung has decided to delay the launch of their new MP3 Anycall handset.

Amid claims that MP3 players and pirated CDs have halved the value of the Korean music market, phone with music playback are expected to be extremely popular – there will be 150 new phones launched in Korea next year, and half the population already carry a mobile.

Yoon Seong-woo, a director of the Korea Association of Phonogram Producers said in a statement: “Our industry has been in a nose-dive since the release of MP3 players in 2000. At that time, we felt hopeless because Korean people were insensitive to copyright issues and we did not have any unified organization that could cope with the situation. Because the MP3 phone market is big enough to destroy the music industry, we’re struggling to defend it.”

It’s somewhat striking that the music industry should expect handset manufacturers to develop and sell inferior product to save their dwindling sales.

There are no currently legal download music services in Korea – surely giving consumers the option of buying music from an attractive, easy to use, reliable source would be far better? Samsung certainly think so and is looking to partner with a music site to provide a download service for its phones.

The Korea Herald on the story

Simputer Finally On Sale

With computer ownership in India running at ~0.9%, the market for a cheap device to get users on the internet and provide them with email and note taking software is potentially huge. Enter Bharat Electronics and the Amida Simputer, the first computer to be designed and manufactured in India.

Sadly, the development and launch of the device was hampered by a lack of interest and investment by large computer manufacturers.

With a 206MHz processor, six hours of battery life and 64mb of Flash memory, it’s a lot like a PDA – and is ideal for bringing the internet to rural India. The cheapest of the three models has a monochrome screen, but with pen input interface and Linux OS it’s just like an early Handspring. Apart form understanding Hindi and Kannada, the interface is purely point and click – the Simputer Trust believes that this will increase accessibility: “It has a special role in the third world because it ensures that illiteracy is no longer a barrier to handling a computer.”

Internet access is through a land line or Reliance CDMA phone – the browser is fully-featured and beautifully thought out. It even allows tabbed browsing! Connectivity is through two USB ports – so owners can expand memory with a USB key and connect it to other devices: a very neat solution.

Retailing at US$240 for the basic model, sales projections are still modest at 50,000 in the first year – we hope that this device takes off as the potential is staggering and we can’t wait to see what new uses people think up for it, and create with it.

Amida Home

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