Monday, May 31, 2010

Nokia's first Meego device has an ARM chip

DESPITE MEEGO being a Linux based operating system created in a collaboration between Nokia and Intel, the Finnish phone company does not expect its first device powered by the software to use an Intel processor.

Speaking to The INQUIRER at the Open Mobile Summit in London Nokia's Meego computing vice president Alberto Torres expects his company to have its first device ready for the market later this year. Torres emphasised "rich multimedia" as a key feature for the device. µ

Note: We apologise for the sightly dark video picture.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 Debut: EVGA, Zotac

It has been about two months since NVIDIA officially unveiled their first pair of DirectX 11 graphics cards based on the highly anticipated Fermi architecture, the flagship GeForce GTX 480 and the GeForce GTX 470. As is typically the case, when NVIDIA--or ATI for that matter-- releases a new high-end GPU, lower-end, more affordable derivatives are eventually introduced to maximize yield of the chips. Today's launch of the new GeForce GTX 465 is just such a move. The GeForce GTX 465 features the same GF100 GPU as its higher-end cousins, the GTX 480 and GTX 470, but a few of its functional units have been disabled. The result is a somewhat less powerful, but also less expensive, Fermi-based graphics card. Take a look at the GeForce GTX 465's specifications alongside the GeForce GTX 470 and 480 below, and then read on for the full scoop...

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465
Specifications and Features


As the specifications show, the GeForce GTX 465 is essentially a pared down GeForce GTX 470. And to see the cards side-by-side, they look nearly identical. The GeForce GTX 465, however, features fewer active Graphics Processing Clusters, fewer Streaming Multiprocessors, and hence CUDA cores. The GeForce GTX 465 also sports a narrower 256-bit memory interface, a smaller 1GB frame buffer, and fewer Texture and ROP units. The GeForce GTX 465's GPU clocks are right in-line with the 470, but it's memory clock is slightly decreased.

Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come?

So, we already assume Amazon's thinking touch for the Kindle, what with that recent Touchco acquisition and word of similar behind-the-screen touch tech being on PVI's roadmap. PVI owns E Ink, and is naturally bullish about its upcoming products, but what about E Ink in the new Kindle? If you're into reading the tea leaves of job postings, Amazon might be telegraphing its intentions. It's looking for a "Hardware Display Manager" who, among many other things, is supposed to have "Significant exposure to high volume manufacturing environments; you will know the LCD business and key players in the market." That might have you thinking the next Kindle will go LCD, but the requirements also mention a "deep knowledge of current display technology and potential future technologies," and nothing about the role seems exactly prescriptive of an LCD expertise -- more of a general focus on displays and product design, whatever tech might come. Pixel Qi or Mirasol, anybody? Amazon's also looking for all sorts of software expertise, including a "Software Design Engineer" who will be responsible for radio stacks "including but not limited to" 3G and WiFi. Again, these are requirements (among many) for a role, not necessarily implications of a Kindle 3 spec sheet, but there's one thing clear: Amazon's gearing up for something.

Microsoft Research’s Pinch-the-Sky Dome takes multi-touch interactivity to 3D space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHdr4bWrsBc&feature=player_embedded

Minority Report and Iron Man 2 may have set the benchmark for multi-touch interaction for years to come but Microsoft Research is never far behind. At the CHI (Computer-Human Interaction) 2010 conference last month, MSR publically showed off a technology it’s been working on for at least a year now, conservatively dubbed the “Pinch-the-Sky Dome”.

Unlike mainstream 2D multi-touch systems or even Microsoft’s Spherical Surface, this system projects omni-directional imagery spanning 360 degrees onto the dome immersing the user. It allows them to navigate the virtual space using multi-touch gestures anywhere in 3D space. Since the system utilizes infrared camera that see wherever the image is projected, the user does not have to wear gloves, use special tracking devices and is not limited to gestures on a flat (physical or virtual) surface.

As the name might suggest, an obvious use for this technology is viewing astronomical imagery from WorldWide Telescope. In addition, naturally omni-directional imagery including 3D panoramic photos and 3D visualizations also work very well. Could you imagine this with Natal for a first person shooter?

Although in the demos the controller conducts his gestures fairly close to the projector/camera casting a fairly large shadow, it is explained they are looking to enable much more natural gestures like pointing to something in the virtual space to navigate there.

If you find the official video demo above a little too slow-paced, the following CNN video report gives a better overview of the system.




Apple Sells Two Million iPads in Less Than 60 Days

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2010-Apple® today announced that iPad™ sales have topped two million in less than 60 days since its launch on April 3. Apple began shipping iPad in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK this past weekend. iPad will be available in nine more countries in July and additional countries later this year.

“Customers around the world are experiencing the magic of iPad, and seem to be loving it as much as we do,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We appreciate their patience, and are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.”

iPad allows users to connect with their apps, content and the Internet in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before. Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds-thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook-and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.*

Developers have created over 5,000 exciting new apps for iPad that take advantage of its Multi-Touch user interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. iPad will run almost all of the more than 200,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II, then reinvented the personal computer with the Macintosh. Apple continues to lead the industry with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system, and iLife, iWork and professional applications. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices