Windows Codename Mojave

Microsoft has thrown the old Windows Vista in the same arena of public perception as a "new Windows operating system codenamed Mojave." And surprisingly, Windows Vista won. Well, the new Windows Vista at least, now complete with Service Pack 1, not the RTM version that hit the shelves on January 30, 2008. Microsoft's latest Windows operating system is finally getting a much needed breath of fresh air, with the Redmond company focusing to generate positive publicity around the platform, in a move that is long overdue.

"94% of respondents rated Mojave higher than they initially rated Windows Vista before the demo. 0% of respondents rated Mojave lower than they initially rated Windows Vista before the demo," Microsoft revealed. In fact, that Mojave experiment was nothing more than masquerading Windows Vista as the next version of the Windows operating system.

But what the Mojave Experiment really shows is Microsoft's failure to build a brand out of Vista. At this point in time, the characteristics that have become inherently associated with the Vista brand are too well rooted into public perception to be dislodged by any marketing campaign. Microsoft is at a juncture where it might as well throw buckets of money at marketing campaigns and run experiments labeled after all the deserts in the world, Vista will remain Vista.

The Mojave experiment is about 140 people. But not counting the 180 million users that have already made the jump to Windows Vista, the largest past of the 1 billion Windows users will not be that easy to convince, or reach for that matter.

"Of the 140 respondents polled the average pre-demo Vista score was 4.4. The average post-demo Mojave score was 8.5. Many said that they would have rated it higher, but wanted more time to play with it themselves," Microsoft added.

But the Redmond company is right to assume that public perception has impacted and hurt Windows Vista like nothing else. But at the same time, it might just be too late for Vista. But not for Windows 7, the real next version of the Windows client. Experiments like Windows Mojave could at least give Windows 7 a clean slate, because, having Windows Vista at its basis, the next Windows platform is bound to inherit its sins.

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Steve Wozniak on Humans and Machines

Steve Wozniak will be one of the speakers at the next Intel Developer Forum (IDF) held August 19-21 at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco, according to MacsimumNews. The subject of debate will be "Crossing the chasm between humans and machines". Schedule and other sessions are disclosed below.

More than 180 leading companies will feature hands-on demonstrations of their newest innovations and future technologies at the IDF Technology Showcase, spanning sessions like "Inspiring innovation," "Where will 'on-the-go' go?", "MIDs: platform for innovation," "I love TV," and "Developing for the future of computing".


Enlarge picture"Intel Developer Forum (IDF) is where Intel and the ecosystem come together to share their latest innovations and vision for the future of technology," says Intel. "Come hear industry news, learn about trends, and discover opportunities to integrate what is discussed into your projects."

Some of the reasons one could be interested to attend the IDF include the chance to hear breaking news from senior Intel leaders in the seven Forum Keynotes, accessing more than 170 hours of invaluable expert training on the latest processor technologies, digital enterprise, ultra mobility, software etc., and discussing technology with the companies present at the Technology Showcase. "If you are ready to develop the next innovative product, to maximize the capabilities of your current projects, to invent the new reality, your next action is clear: register for IDF today," Intel advises.

Steve Wozniak, aka "Woz," will speak on Day 3 of the IDF alongside Justin Rattner, Intel chief technology officer, about "Crossing the Chasm between Humans and Machines". On the same day, Dr. Moira Gunn of NPR's "Tech Nation" and "BioTech Nation" will have "a candid conversation with one of the most influential pioneers of the technology industry," according to CDRinfo.

Steve Wozniak is an American computer engineer and the co-founder of Apple Computer, now known as Apple Inc. He has contributed greatly to the personal computer revolution of the 1970s, creating the Apple I and Apple II computers in the mid-1970s, with the latter gaining a good dose of popularity, eventually becoming one of the best selling personal computers of its time.

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Microsoft Applauds Victory Over Linux

Once the traditional anti-open source poster child, Microsoft is slowly seeing this aura eroding replaced as a direct consequence of the rise of new, more pressing, rivals such as Google and Apple. Furthermore, the Redmond company, once the epitome of the proprietary software business model, while still retaining its overall strategy, is more and more embracing open source with its own solutions mainly through its new found commitment to interoperability. Microsoft's relaxed approach to what used to be regarded as a fierce potential competitor was on display at the company's Financial Analyst Meeting 2008 the past week. The Redmond giant stopped nothing short of declaring an all out victory over Linux and open source.

"In the industry-standard computing space, a number of years ago we faced the challenge of what was going to happen with Linux and the growth of open source. And fundamentally we made a decision that business customers make rational business decisions, and the reason they choose an open source product is because they can solve the problem better than they can with a Windows-based product. So when you put it in those sorts of terms, the way we compete against Linux is very simple: we build a better product and we have a great value proposition. Today our customers know Linux isn't free and the overall cost of the solution is in fact in most cases quite a bit higher than a Windows-based solution. And if we can offer a better solution at a great price, then customers choose Windows -- and they are. So we are growing strongly," stated Bob Muglia, Senior Vice President, Server and Tools Business.

But Muglia wasn't the only Microsoft top executive to indicate that Windows and the Redmond company's products now have the upper-hand compared to Linux and open source. A similar perspective was offered by Kevin Turner, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer. Turner revealed that Microsoft considers the face-off with open source over the last couple of years nothing short of a success. The statement was based on the fact that the software giant managed to grow its shipments at a rate three times faster compared to Linux and open source.

Turner also added that Microsoft is by no means declaring peace. "And we're really getting the message out about the fraudulent perception of free in the marketplace as it relates to open source. IT pros and decision-makers are starting to get it, that it's not free, that there's a lot of TCO that goes along with that, and there's also substantial security risks that go along with it. And so we're really making some traction in this area, and we're going to continue to hit the gas and go more and more aggressive as it relates to winning share," he stated.

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Ballmer tackled the same issue during his presentation. The company's CEO talked about the threat of open source technology and business model in the past tense. Ballmer pointed to five years back to open source as a potential threat. Additionally, the Microsoft CEO pointed out that Microsoft's focus is shifting away from keeping open source down and toward Software + Services and the online search and advertising markets.

"Today we live in a world where I think people worry about the risks in software plus services, and advertising. And what do I tell our people, the only way to really win this game is to go out there and do it every day. Nobody talks as much today about the risks in our business that come from Linux and open source. They're still there, they're going to be there every day, and yet we've done a very, very good job, I think, in the marketplace versus those risks," Ballmer stated.

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Internet Explorer 8 Reliability

"For Internet Explorer, reliability means that the browser should always start quickly, perform well, connect to the Internet, and show Web sites without crashing or hanging. Most users want their browser to work, recover smoothly after a crash, and display the Web correctly. Users are not as concerned with what causes the problem, whether that be a poorly functioning add-on or poorly performing website. As part of our ongoing commitment to improve reliability, we have done a great deal of work in IE8 to make the browser more robust in all of these areas: performance, recovery and display," stated Andy Zeigler, Program Manager Reliability and Privacy.

Internet Explorer 8 will deliver, starting with the second Beta build, planned for August 2008, two critical features when it comes down to ensuring reliability: Loosely-Coupled IE and Automatic Crash Recovery. Both could have made the life of IE7 users much easier, but Microsoft is betting on "better late than never" with the introduction of the two items into IE8. However, the availability of the two features only in IE8 will continue to preserve and perpetuate the perception that Microsoft is still playing catch-up to rival products, especially the open source Firefox browser from Mozilla.

Loosely-Coupled IE is the foundation for IE8 Automatic Crash Recovery, and a feature which ensures that the browser is handled as a sum of its active components, with the tabs virtually isolated from the frames. Thanks to this architectural attribute, a crash caused by a website opened in a tab will not kill the entire browser process, but only that specific problem-area. IE8 Beta 2 will deliver Frame Process Merging, additional tab processes and virtual tabs.

"Automatic Crash Recovery: in the event of a crash, Automatic Crash Recovery is designed to get you back to browsing as quickly as possible. It uses LCIE’s tab isolation to help localize the failure to your tab," Zeigler added. "When you crash, we tear down the old tab process, create a new tab process and recover the stored data back into the tab. For many website this works well; however, there are other websites, such as sites with web forms, or sites that you need to login to, that we didn’t recover successfully," he continued revealing that with Beta 2 IE8 would be capable of recovering login information via session cookies and form data.

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New Apple iPhone

Shoppers lined up outside stores around the country this weekend to get their hands on the new Apple iPhone, and Vicksburg was no different. But, for many, they showed up too late.

"Hopefully next week," is all Cedrick Hubbard, 39, had to say Saturday morning as he walked out of the local AT&T store on Pemberton Square Boulevard. AT&T is the exclusive carrier for the new iPhone 3G, which went on sale in 21 countries Friday.


Hubbard, a Vicksburg resident, said he had gone to the store Saturday after a failed attempt at getting the new iPhone the day before.

Shoppers lined up outside stores around the country this weekend to get their hands on the new Apple iPhone, and Vicksburg was no different. But, for many, they showed up too late.

"Hopefully next week," is all Cedrick Hubbard, 39, had to say Saturday morning as he walked out of the local AT&T store on Pemberton Square Boulevard. AT&T is the exclusive carrier for the new iPhone 3G, which went on sale in 21 countries Friday.


Hubbard, a Vicksburg resident, said he had gone to the store Saturday after a failed attempt at getting the new iPhone the day before.

He went to the store at 7 a.m. Friday, about an hour before the it opened. Hubbard said he was wrong in thinking he'd gotten to the store early enough to get the new phone before he had to head to his daughter's soccer camp.

"There were already a lot of people in line, and eventually I had to leave," he said.

Hubbard said he later learned that the local store had sold all of its 40 iPhones that morning, and he was told to come back the next day when the store would have a new shipment.

But Hubbard was told Saturday at the store that the shipment didn't come in and he would have to wait seven to 10 days.

"I should have stayed in line Friday morning, I guess," he said, laughing.

While managers at the Vicksburg AT&T store would not comment on the iPhone shortage, Sue Berry, a spokesman for AT&T in Mississippi, said she didn't think it was as much due to a limited number of phones as it was an unprecedented number of customers.

"Vicksburg doesn't have a very big store," she said. "Apple sends us the shipment that we get. We did not expect in some of our smaller markets people lining up in the wee hours of the morning."

Meanwhile, as the iPhone flew off store shelves Friday it also hit a glitch. Customers across the nation were unable to get their phones working due to a global problem with Apple's iTunes servers that was preventing the phones from being fully activated in-store. Buyers were told to perform the last step at home by connecting their phones to their own computers.

However, iTunes servers were equally hard to reach from home, leaving phones unusable except for emergency calls.

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Premium drum set for Rock Band

We're still enjoying Guitar Hero at my office but I would be willing to move the Wii to a more spacious location in order to accomodate this awesome new Ion Audio drumset for Rock Band.
Contrary to popular belief, San Francisco is not a great music town, at least not if you are a drummer and want to practice in your house. Unlike the east coast (and presumably elsewhere) where basements are plentiful, the bay area is lacking in-home practice areas.

We're still enjoying Guitar Hero at my office but I would be willing to move the Wii to a more spacious location in order to accomodate this awesome new Ion Audio drumset for Rock Band.
Contrary to popular belief, San Francisco is not a great music town, at least not if you are a drummer and want to practice in your house. Unlike the east coast (and presumably elsewhere) where basements are plentiful, the bay area is lacking in-home practice areas.

Generally speaking electronic drums are not that satisfying, but bring some video games into the mix and I'm on board. During a trip to Japan I sat down at the full-size drum machine game and played along to Crazy Train. All the kids thought I ruled until I told them I actually knew how to play.

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BIC Phone Is No Throw-Away Gadget

Bic is an awesome gadget company. I’ve been using their quality ball-point pens and even a disposable razor or two for years. I’m not quite sure if I can trust them yet when it comes to anything too technological. I mean, they don’t really have a reputation as a tech company. But luckily, with this dip in the mobile market pie, Bic has a little help from their friends.

Bic has teamed up with Orange France to release the first ever Bic Phone, a cell which is sold with a pre-charged battery and made to be thrown away after a chunk of usage. The Bic Phone comes with a SIM card already set-up and roaring to go, with activation being the only needed step. Each Bic Phone will also offer 60 minutes of free talk time. But you can always add more minutes if you’re so inclined.

Bic is an awesome gadget company. I’ve been using their quality ball-point pens and even a disposable razor or two for years. I’m not quite sure if I can trust them yet when it comes to anything too technological. I mean, they don’t really have a reputation as a tech company. But luckily, with this dip in the mobile market pie, Bic has a little help from their friends.

Bic has teamed up with Orange France to release the first ever Bic Phone, a cell which is sold with a pre-charged battery and made to be thrown away after a chunk of usage. The Bic Phone comes with a SIM card already set-up and roaring to go, with activation being the only needed step. Each Bic Phone will also offer 60 minutes of free talk time. But you can always add more minutes if you’re so inclined.


Don’t be turned away so easy. We don’t want you to worry that Bic hasn’t had any help along the way with hardware. As it turns out, Alcatel manufacturers the phones themselves, with the telephone number included in the packaging. So while it might be an extremely low-end phone (it’s made for strictly calls and texting only), at least Bic has a known hardware co-dependent backing them up.

The Bic Phone will be available in France starting August 7. There will be two color choices: Citrus Orange and Lime Green. The phone itself will cost €49 (£39/$80). It’ll be interesting to see how the disposable phone idea works, especially from a name not associated with the mobile industry at all up until now.

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Camera Phone

Alcatel has introduced a budget price camera phone for anyone who just wants an uncomplicated phone to stay in touch with family and friends.

Priced at just £14.99, the OT-S520 is a candybar phone offering a VGA camera that can be used as a webcam, and a 1.8-inch colour screen.

Alcatel has introduced a budget price camera phone for anyone who just wants an uncomplicated phone to stay in touch with family and friends.

Priced at just £14.99, the OT-S520 is a candybar phone offering a VGA camera that can be used as a webcam, and a 1.8-inch colour screen.

It measures just 11mm thick and provides up to 10 hours of talk time, 400 hours of standby, MP3 ringtones, 2MB memory, 800 phone number entries and conference calling.

The OT-S520 is available exclusively from Woolworths on the Virgin network.

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iPhone killer-app is letting users choose software

SAN FRANCISCO - The first iPhones won praise for their sleek design and elegant touchscreen, but Apple's new computer phones, arriving this week, will use the power of software to make the device like no phone ever seen.

Whether it's faster Web speeds, security for business users or using the phone's direction-finding capability to let it act as a game controller or location-aware device, it's software, not hardware, that should define the iPhone from here out.

"The emphasis on software shifts the debate from how cool a device it is to what it can do for you," says Tim Bajarin, an analyst with industry research firm Creative Strategies of San Jose, California, and a veteran Apple-watcher.

"It's basically redefining what a phone is," said Raven Zachary, open source software analyst for industry research firm The 451 Group and founder of iPhone Dev Camp, a conference for independent developers of software for iPhones.

Get over how it looks. It's the power of the computer inside, combined with supporting technologies that let it perform many powerful tasks no phone has managed before.

SAN FRANCISCO - The first iPhones won praise for their sleek design and elegant touchscreen, but Apple's new computer phones, arriving this week, will use the power of software to make the device like no phone ever seen.

Whether it's faster Web speeds, security for business users or using the phone's direction-finding capability to let it act as a game controller or location-aware device, it's software, not hardware, that should define the iPhone from here out.

"The emphasis on software shifts the debate from how cool a device it is to what it can do for you," says Tim Bajarin, an analyst with industry research firm Creative Strategies of San Jose, California, and a veteran Apple-watcher.

"It's basically redefining what a phone is," said Raven Zachary, open source software analyst for industry research firm The 451 Group and founder of iPhone Dev Camp, a conference for independent developers of software for iPhones.

Get over how it looks. It's the power of the computer inside, combined with supporting technologies that let it perform many powerful tasks no phone has managed before.

IS THAT A COMPUTER IN YOUR POCKET?

IPhone gaming features are a good example. A built-in accelerometer lets the device know when it's being tilted or swung, allowing it to act like a Nintendo Wii game controller, not just an input device where the user punches buttons in four directions to control game movements.

Similarly, the iPhone's Global Positioning System (GPS) chip allows software to go far beyond obvious functions like maps. Web search or photo-sharing sites can now assume a user's location and adjust what they see to their local surroundings.

San Francisco start-up Stitcher (http://stitcher.com/) introduced software in February that detects what streaming audio news iPhone users like and lets them "stitch" audio programs into personalized radio stations.

With GPS, Stitcher can deliver local news, weather or sports, co-founder Mike Ghaffary said, calling it "YouTube for audio" -- for when users are driving or unable to watch video.

The iPhone 3G also works on faster networks, so software runs twice as fast as the first-round devices. This makes it more effective at running complex software with functions that trip up phones on slower networks, forcing users to hop on standard computers to get any real work done beyond replying to e-mail or quickly scanning the most vital work documents.

ONE-BUTTON SOFTWARE STORE

Furthermore, Apple is eliminating the complexity for users to install and run software on phones.

The new AppStore, offering one-button access to buy and install programs on iPhones, is expected to transform what is expected from software on phones. Unlike PCs, phones tend to offer little or no choice of what programs run on them.

Apple's iPod followed a similar trajectory. When introduced in 2001, the device that would redefine how music is sold was derided as just another digital music player -- and an expensive one at that, albeit slicker-looking and lighter in weight, recalls Gartner Inc industry analyst Mike McGuire.

But it was not until 2003, when iTunes began offering a seamless way to shop for, install and play music, eliminating many technical hurdles, that the impulse era of digital song buying began and iPod sales soared. The AppStore promises to bring that same spontaneity to software use, analysts say.

"It was the first inkling that the iPod wasn't just a music player. It became a gateway that opened up to a larger set of services," said Web consultant Peter Merholz of the photos and movies and other features that followed.

Merholz is co-author of a book called "Subject to Change" arguing how iPhones are an example of how companies should stop thinking about products as products and instead see them as ways to connect customers to useful services. He is president of Web design firm Adaptive Path and perhaps best known for coining the term "blog" in 1999.

Apple resisted opening up the iPhone to software developers at first, meaning that only Web-based software could run on it. But a change of heart by Apple since October has brought software developers flooding in to take advantage of new powers to run programs on the phone rather than, slowly, via the Web.

The changes mean software can store data on the iPhone. It means passwords and "virtual private networks" -- secure pipelines over the Internet into office networks that companies require to gain access to sensitive business data -- now work.

"From the Palm days up to now, the smartphone market has suffered because the average consumer does not understand how to load software on a phone," said Paul Moreton, vice president of product management for Quickoffice, the most widely distributed productivity software for use on smartphones.

Quickoffice is a package of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software that comes pre-installed on 60 million Symbian software-based phones from handset makers including Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

Taking advantage of the high-resolution iPhone screen, Quickoffice has created a version of its software that lets iPhone users view full-screen PowerPoint presentations or zoom in to read or edit individual characters in the document.

(Additional reporting by Sinead Carew in New York and Duncan Martell in San Francisco; Editing by Braden Reddall)

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New Smart Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D

The Canon Digital Rebel XTi/400D is an ideal camera for first-time digital SLR users. Unfortunately if you don't know photography lingo you might find yourself never veering from your camera's default settings and into all the cool features that help you take outstanding photos. This book takes care of that problem. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D For Dummies comes to the aid of new and inexperienced XTi/400D users by walking them through all the features of their camera. The book not only explains that camera's controls, but also demonstrates how each feature contributes to creating great photos. Illustrated with hundreds of full-color photos, this guide helps you get up-to-speed on the XTi/400D and in control of this popular camera.

The Canon Digital Rebel XTi/400D is an ideal camera for first-time digital SLR users. Unfortunately if you don't know photography lingo you might find yourself never veering from your camera's default settings and into all the cool features that help you take outstanding photos. This book takes care of that problem. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D For Dummies comes to the aid of new and inexperienced XTi/400D users by walking them through all the features of their camera. The book not only explains that camera's controls, but also demonstrates how each feature contributes to creating great photos. Illustrated with hundreds of full-color photos, this guide helps you get up-to-speed on the XTi/400D and in control of this popular camera.
Key Topics Covered:
- Getting the Lay of the Land.
- Taking Great Pictures, Automatically.
- Controlling Picture Quality.
- Reviewing Your Photos.
- Taking Creative Control.
- Getting Creative with Exposure and Lighting.
- Manipulating Focus and Color.
- Putting It All Together.
- Downloading, Organizing, and Archiving Your Photos.
- Printing and Sharing Your Photos.
- Ten Fast Photo-Editing Tricks.
- Ten Special-Purpose Features to Explore on a Rainy Day.
SOURCE: Research and Markets Ltd.

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New Smart Kodak camera

We have got used to many features from digital cameras – that they know to focus in on faces, they know to keep still when the photographer’s hand is a bit shaky, that they know how to make the best of bad lighting conditions etc. If you believe what Kodak claim, everything should be even easier with their new EasyShare M1093 IS. This SmartCapture feature should be able to work out the theme of the photo and adjust the setting accordingly. Aside from all of this though, this is still a pleasing little camera.

This new compact camera has a 10 megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom and a 3inch display. It goes without saying that it also includes standard features such as image stabilising and face recognition.

We have got used to many features from digital cameras – that they know to focus in on faces, they know to keep still when the photographer’s hand is a bit shaky, that they know how to make the best of bad lighting conditions etc. If you believe what Kodak claim, everything should be even easier with their new EasyShare M1093 IS. This SmartCapture feature should be able to work out the theme of the photo and adjust the setting accordingly. Aside from all of this though, this is still a pleasing little camera.

This new compact camera has a 10 megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom and a 3inch display. It goes without saying that it also includes standard features such as image stabilising and face recognition. It has a maximum ISO of 3200, and the digicam can record videos, even in HD resolution in 16:9 format (1280 x 720). Those who also buy the dock to go with the camera can watch videos directly on the TV.

The internal memory, which is only 32MD, can easily be increased using SD or SDHC memory cards. It should be available from September in red, silver and black - Kodak’s RRP is around £160.

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New 3G Apple iPhone

GADGET fans queued from the early hours in the city centre this morning to be sure of getting their hands on the new 3G Apple iPhone.

Rumours of limited supplies meant dozens were happy to wait in the rain outside O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores for the chance of being one of the first with the new technology.

The new version of the iPhone has faster download speeds for surfing websites, as well as more memory and extra applications like GPS.

And the proud owner of the first iPhone in Manchester was 34-year-old IT manager Darren Sellers, who waited outside the Market Street O2 store from 4.45am.

He said: “We have all been talking about it at work. Lots of people have been waiting for the 3G version.

“I am out here queuing because I tried to pre order one online but I wasn’t quick enough.

“I will use it for email and surfing the web.

“It can also tell me instantly if any systems go down at work.”

Also in the queue was 36 year old holiday company director John Pollard, from Prestwich.

GADGET fans queued from the early hours in the city centre this morning to be sure of getting their hands on the new 3G Apple iPhone.

Rumours of limited supplies meant dozens were happy to wait in the rain outside O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores for the chance of being one of the first with the new technology.

The new version of the iPhone has faster download speeds for surfing websites, as well as more memory and extra applications like GPS.

And the proud owner of the first iPhone in Manchester was 34-year-old IT manager Darren Sellers, who waited outside the Market Street O2 store from 4.45am.

He said: “We have all been talking about it at work. Lots of people have been waiting for the 3G version.

“I am out here queuing because I tried to pre order one online but I wasn’t quick enough.

“I will use it for email and surfing the web.

“It can also tell me instantly if any systems go down at work.”

Also in the queue was 36 year old holiday company director John Pollard, from Prestwich.

He said: “I go all over the world with my job and I need access to the internet and email.

“I already have an iPhone, but with 3G version the internet will run three or four times faster so I won’t need to travel with my lap top.”

But with queues of up to 50 people at each store, and rumours that there might not be enough iPhones to go around, it looked likely that some would be leaving disappointed.

An O2 spokesman said: “We havn’t got specific numbers for each store, but on average each one is getting a few dozen.

“There will be numerous restocks in the coming weeks.”

Sarah Henderson, a 44-year-old company director from Rochdale, said: “I wasn’t going to queue but I heard that they only had 30 in the shop.

“I have been here since 7am.”

It costs anywhere from £159 with a £30 a month contract for 18 months, to free if you sign up for a £75 monthly fee.

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Nnew Apple iPhone In Hongkong

HONG KONG (AFP) — Apple fans across Asia queued for hours to get their hands on the new iPhone Friday, looking to be the first to own a gadget the company hopes will be as big a worldwide smash as the iPod.

More than 1,000 people, many waiting through the night, besieged a store in downtown Tokyo as the iPhone went on sale for the first time in Japan, where having the latest gizmo is almost a national obsession.

Some Japanese began camping out days before the launch for the thrill of being the first to buy the new smartphone -- described as twice as fast and half as expensive as the original iPhone, which was never sold in Japan.

Apple is rolling out the much hyped iPhone 3G in cities around the world on Friday, but New Zealanders got the first chance to buy it when stores opened just after midnight.

Shoppers braved the cold winter weather to queue in the main cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, waiting for three stores to open especially for the occasion.

HONG KONG (AFP) — Apple fans across Asia queued for hours to get their hands on the new iPhone Friday, looking to be the first to own a gadget the company hopes will be as big a worldwide smash as the iPod.

More than 1,000 people, many waiting through the night, besieged a store in downtown Tokyo as the iPhone went on sale for the first time in Japan, where having the latest gizmo is almost a national obsession.

Some Japanese began camping out days before the launch for the thrill of being the first to buy the new smartphone -- described as twice as fast and half as expensive as the original iPhone, which was never sold in Japan.

Apple is rolling out the much hyped iPhone 3G in cities around the world on Friday, but New Zealanders got the first chance to buy it when stores opened just after midnight.

Shoppers braved the cold winter weather to queue in the main cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, waiting for three stores to open especially for the occasion.

Auckland student Jonny Gladwell, 22, was first in line outside his local store, having queued since Tuesday after friends promised to pay for his phone if he lasted the distance.

"I'm going to go home, put this on charge, have a play with it and have a nice big sleep," a weary Gladwell told Television New Zealand after securing one of the first iPhones sold in the world.

But many potential customers expressed outrage over the cost, with the cheapest price, 199 New Zealand dollars (150 US), tied to a two-year calling contract costing 250 dollars a month.

Pricing is expected to be key to the success of the iPhone 3G, which boasts faster Internet access and file transfer than the first version and also has a built-in iPod.

In Australia, a few hundred people spent a chilly evening outside a Sydney store which got a jump on its competitors by opening at midnight.

First through the doors was business analyst Brett Howell, who said he had been surprised to find himself at the head of the queue when he turned up about 11 hours earlier.

"I was shocked that no one had lined up," he told reporters. "I'm not a super geek, but apparently I am. I'm Australia's super geek."

Enthusiasm ran higher in Japan, where white smoke shot up in front of the flagship store of Softbank Mobile in Tokyo, with curtains pulled back to reveal huge iPhone 3G images as the countdown to the launch ended.

"This is great, there is nothing more to say, this is great. I have made a call to my girlfriend," said the person who got the first iPhone, priced at 23,040 yen (215 dollars).

"Finally, finally. At last!" yelled English teacher and gadget freak Charles Browne from his camping chair minutes before the launch. He already owns seven Apple Macintoshes and five iPods.

Experts have said the iPhone could face an uphill battle in Japan, where handsets allow users to watch television and pay for goods like they do with a credit card -- neither of which the Apple phone can do.

Nonetheless, IT worker Yuki Kuroda spent a night outside the store to be one of the first Japanese to own an iPhone -- despite saying he was "not an enthusiastic Apple fan."

"But you should get this kind of gadget on the debut day. It loses value day by day," Kuroda said.

In Hong Kong, more than 60,000 people have already ordered the iPhone 3G, but only around 1,500 pre-chosen customers were able to pick up their handsets on Friday.

One of the lucky 1,500 told a local TV station he had thought about selling the gadget, but "nobody is interested in buying."

Black market debut-version iPhones are already widely available in Asia, serviced by countless shops that "unlock" their software to allow them to operate.

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New GPS gadget for digital SLR cameras

Amateur Photographer: A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver designed to attach to the hotshoe of digital SLRs is predicted to help trigger a ‘geotagging’ revolution.

Geotagging allows photographers to automatically assign GPS data to their pictures. Its protagonists expect such technology to win mass market appeal – making life easier for photographers by helping them manage their collection and quickly search their image database, based on the location data embedded in the image file.

Geotate’s €100 device, called Kato, uses its own built-in memory (to store GPS data) and a rechargeable battery.

Geotate hopes that such ‘instant GPS camera technology’ will trigger an explosion in location tagging of images.

Amateur Photographer: A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver designed to attach to the hotshoe of digital SLRs is predicted to help trigger a ‘geotagging’ revolution.

Geotagging allows photographers to automatically assign GPS data to their pictures. Its protagonists expect such technology to win mass market appeal – making life easier for photographers by helping them manage their collection and quickly search their image database, based on the location data embedded in the image file.

Geotate’s €100 device, called Kato, uses its own built-in memory (to store GPS data) and a rechargeable battery.

Geotate hopes that such ‘instant GPS camera technology’ will trigger an explosion in location tagging of images.

‘We think [automatic geotagging] will become a standard feature on cameras,’ said Paul Gough, Geotate’s senior director for product development.

Geotate draws on research predicting that the GPS camera sector will increase five-fold by 2011.

Though GPS accessory units for cameras are nothing new, Geotate claims its ‘USB GPS logger capture device’ offers key advantages over other GPS units in that it frees up picture taking and uses less power.

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LG KS360

LG has added to its collection of slider phones, but there's a twist – the LG KS360 packs a side-loading full QWERTY keyboard.

It's aimed at the serial communicators out there who can't let a minute go by without updating their facebook status, twittering or texting.

For a slider it's not too flabby either, clocking 16.8mm on the chub-o-meter.

There's a 2MP camera on board so you can attach jaunty snaps to your mobile missives. It comes with 15MB internal storage and will take up to a 4GB MicroSD card.

Internet duties are taken care of by a GPRS/EDGE connection. For everyday dialling, digits can be plugged in on the touchscreen, without having to haul out the full keyboard every time.

LG has added to its collection of slider phones, but there's a twist – the LG KS360 packs a side-loading full QWERTY keyboard.

It's aimed at the serial communicators out there who can't let a minute go by without updating their facebook status, twittering or texting.

For a slider it's not too flabby either, clocking 16.8mm on the chub-o-meter.

There's a 2MP camera on board so you can attach jaunty snaps to your mobile missives. It comes with 15MB internal storage and will take up to a 4GB MicroSD card.

Internet duties are taken care of by a GPRS/EDGE connection. For everyday dialling, digits can be plugged in on the touchscreen, without having to haul out the full keyboard every time.

Essentials
LG KS360
Price: £TBA
On sale: August
Contact: LG

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Gadget-hungry UK consumers

Gadget-hungry UK consumers are storing an average of £600 worth of photos, films, music and games, new research estimates.

The YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found that the average tally of digital content per head on audio players, PCs and cameraphones includes 502 songs, 466 photos, 14 films and eight games.

The survey suggests that users of digital devices place a high monetary value on digital storage.

But over two fifths have more of an emotional connection, saying that their collections are 'valuable' or even 'priceless'.

This is not surprising, according to the report, when almost one in 10 have over 2,000 photos and more than one in 10 have over 2,000 songs.

The poll found that one in five consumers are 'high capacity' users requiring more than 200GB of storage.

Gadget-hungry UK consumers are storing an average of £600 worth of photos, films, music and games, new research estimates.

The YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found that the average tally of digital content per head on audio players, PCs and cameraphones includes 502 songs, 466 photos, 14 films and eight games.

The survey suggests that users of digital devices place a high monetary value on digital storage.

But over two fifths have more of an emotional connection, saying that their collections are 'valuable' or even 'priceless'.

This is not surprising, according to the report, when almost one in 10 have over 2,000 photos and more than one in 10 have over 2,000 songs.

The poll found that one in five consumers are 'high capacity' users requiring more than 200GB of storage.

A third of the respondents feel that they need devices with storage capacities that provide at least twice as much space to keep everything that they would like, while one in five reckon they need an 'infinite' amount.

Brits aged 18-34 with an electronic device are not dissimilar to their American and Asian contemporaries when it comes to possessing a voracious appetite for digital media, particularly music.

UK adults in this age group store 1,056 songs, or about three times more than the average UK consumer, but are outpaced by their peers in America who store 2,065 songs.

But those young Americans are in turn eclipsed by young Asians who keep a whopping 3,195 songs.

"Storage needs keep going up and up," said Nick Kyriacou, director for EMEA at Hitachi GST, which commissioned the research.

"Just over 20 years ago people thought that five megabytes was more than enough, but that is enough space for only one or two songs today."

As consumers have demanded more, the technology has enabled terabyte hard drives that allow consumers to store and carry large amounts of data, including high-definition video.

"There is an insatiable appetite for storage capacity and we would estimate that the average value of stored content has gone up almost 50 per cent over the past three years and is continually increasing," added Kyriacou.

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gadget sales soar saving money

NEW YORK — With fuel prices soaring, sales of products designed to boost gas mileage are also rising — even though the government says they're not worth the money.

The products range from devices that fit inside an engine's air intake valve to fuel additives. Their makers claim they boost mileage by helping gasoline burn more efficiently.

"The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has tested hundreds of these products," said Laura DeMartino, a Federal Trade Commission attorney. "Even for the few that worked, the gas savings was so small it didn't justify the price."

But that's not discouraging people from searching for ways to eke extra mileage out of their vehicles when gas prices are hovering above $4 a gallon nationally.

"Our sales have probably close to doubled," over the past year, said Dan Baxley, founding partner of Automotive Research Laboratory LLC, which makes the Vortec Cyclone, a device designed to boost gas mileage by improving an engine's air flow.

NEW YORK — With fuel prices soaring, sales of products designed to boost gas mileage are also rising — even though the government says they're not worth the money.

The products range from devices that fit inside an engine's air intake valve to fuel additives. Their makers claim they boost mileage by helping gasoline burn more efficiently.

"The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has tested hundreds of these products," said Laura DeMartino, a Federal Trade Commission attorney. "Even for the few that worked, the gas savings was so small it didn't justify the price."

But that's not discouraging people from searching for ways to eke extra mileage out of their vehicles when gas prices are hovering above $4 a gallon nationally.

"Our sales have probably close to doubled," over the past year, said Dan Baxley, founding partner of Automotive Research Laboratory LLC, which makes the Vortec Cyclone, a device designed to boost gas mileage by improving an engine's air flow.

The $40 device fits inside a car's air intake hose, where it, "creates a swirling mass like a tornado," Baxley said. That creates a finer gas-air mix than normal, which burns more efficiently. Some Vortec Cyclone users have claimed a benefit of as much as 6 miles per gallon, though most see an improvement of 1 to 2 mpg, Baxley said.

Kevin Shaw, vice president of development at The Coffee Beanery, has tested it on four of his company's vehicles.

The coffee chain found that it improved the performance of two of his service vans by 2 miles per gallon, while one passenger car's fuel efficiency rose by 1 mile per gallon. The fourth car saw no improvement, but Shaw said three out of four is enough to convince him that the device is well worth the money.

"I have nine on order right now," said Shaw, who believes the devices will save his company at least $1,400 a year per vehicle in fuel expenses.

Like other companies that sell gas-mileage-improvement products, Baxley is used to skepticism.

He says his company's tests prove that the Vortec Cyclone improves gas mileage, and Automotive Research Laboratory backs its product up with a money-back guarantee. Returns run only around 5 percent of sales, he said.

Automotive Research Laboratory has never received a complaint from the FTC, which declined to comment on specific products.

National Fuelsaver Corp., which makes Platinum Gas Saver, can improve fuel mileage by 22 percent, said company owner and technical director Joel Robinson. The product, which the company started selling nearly 30 years ago, injects a small amount of platinum into a vehicle's air intake system. The platinum molecules boost the amount of fuel burned by the engine, company press materials say. The remainder is expelled as vapor and burned off by the catalytic converter.

Robinson said he has been contacted by the FTC and some state attorneys general. But he's been able to defend his product thanks to his victory in an early 1980s lawsuit brought by the U.S. Post Office, which said he was trying to obtain money through the mail by making false claims.

"They all thought we were frauds until I sent them the judge's decision," Robinson said.

Robinson produced data that, he says, show Platinum Gas Saver works. But he also notes that — aside from his product — there is merit to the FTC's warnings.

"Except for ours, I think there's a lot of truth to it," Robinson said. "The problem in selling this product is that in the last 10 years there have been 10,000 phony fuel savers."

Platinum Gas Saver costs $150 for a 30,000 mile supply. Robinson declined to disclose annual sales.

Another company, Magnetizer Industrial Technologies Inc., has stopped selling a $150 gas-savings device to the general public, citing high costs to fulfill individual orders and the general skepticism that surrounds any kind of magnetic gas savings device.

"There is a technology here that can benefit," said Ron Kita, director of research, but "there has been a lot of negative press."

Magnetizer's magnets work by changing naturally formed chemical associations, "into a single, potentiated molecular state," which burns more efficiently, the company's Web site explains. The company still sells the system to fleet operators as an emissions reduction device.

The government's advice to people looking to save on gas: Drive the speed limit, use cruise control, combine errands and remove excess weight from the trunk.

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O2 launch of Apple iPhone set

Tomorrow's UK launch of the new iPhone is threatening to descend into chaos, with limited supply of the gadget set to leave hundreds of thousands disappointed.

According to the website of O2, Apple's network partner for the much-anticipated handset, sales of iPhone 3G will be limited to one per customer and two for business customers.

"We are experiencing unprecedented demand for the device and whilst we are confident that all customers who want iPhone 3G will get one by the end of this summer, initial supply is limited and will be for some weeks," says a website update about the combined music player, web browser and mobile.

O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores will have limited numbers of iPhone 3G this Friday, July 11. On average, O2 will only have "a few dozen" iPhone 3Gs per store. Some O2 stores will open at 8.02am tomorrow, others "a bit later".

Tomorrow's UK launch of the new iPhone is threatening to descend into chaos, with limited supply of the gadget set to leave hundreds of thousands disappointed.

According to the website of O2, Apple's network partner for the much-anticipated handset, sales of iPhone 3G will be limited to one per customer and two for business customers.

"We are experiencing unprecedented demand for the device and whilst we are confident that all customers who want iPhone 3G will get one by the end of this summer, initial supply is limited and will be for some weeks," says a website update about the combined music player, web browser and mobile.

O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores will have limited numbers of iPhone 3G this Friday, July 11. On average, O2 will only have "a few dozen" iPhone 3Gs per store. Some O2 stores will open at 8.02am tomorrow, others "a bit later".

O2 is also out of stock of iPhone 3Gs via its on-line store, and has issued a grovelling apology to customer that experienced problems with its online store on Monday as a result of unprecedented demand for the gadget.

Cheryl Black, customer service director for O2 writes on the site that "an amazing 200,000 people registered" their interest in the new phone, the price of which has tumbled in an attempt to take it to the mass market. That figure includes many people who wish to upgrade their existing iPhone.

She adds: "Apple can only supply us with a small proportion of that number to start with, but with weekly deliveries, we're confident that everyone who wants an iPhone will be able to get one by the end of the summer. Until then, we realise that some people will be disappointed...

"Because we were so open about where and when you could pre-order your iPhone, the online shop was always going to be busy. We tried to prepare for this by increasing the online shop's capacity to 250 times its normal rate and testing it over and over again before the launch.

"It wasn't enough. I'm really sorry if you couldn't get your order in. We weren't prepared for the speed and volume of people. I'm not sure any website could have been."

O2 said it was working closely with Apple to get more of the gadgets, which have received rave reviews.

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Apple's iPhone goes on sale in Japan

TOKYO: The iPhone went on sale at a Tokyo store Friday, making its debut in Japan, amid swirling smoke after a 30-second countdown chanted by hundreds of people lined up, some for days, snaking around the block.

The store in downtown Tokyo of Japanese carrier Softbank Corp.'s store, started selling Apple Inc.'s much awaited cell phone five hours ahead of the other stores in the nationwide chain.

The celebration, which included a digital clock display ticking away over the entrance, was part of a global rollout in 22 nations of the 3G, or third-generation, wireless connecting iPhone, an upgrade of the model that went on sale last year in the U.S. and several other nations.

TOKYO: The iPhone went on sale at a Tokyo store Friday, making its debut in Japan, amid swirling smoke after a 30-second countdown chanted by hundreds of people lined up, some for days, snaking around the block.

The store in downtown Tokyo of Japanese carrier Softbank Corp.'s store, started selling Apple Inc.'s much awaited cell phone five hours ahead of the other stores in the nationwide chain.

The celebration, which included a digital clock display ticking away over the entrance, was part of a global rollout in 22 nations of the 3G, or third-generation, wireless connecting iPhone, an upgrade of the model that went on sale last year in the U.S. and several other nations.

Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong are the other Asia-Pacific countries getting the new phone.

"This is the year that the cell phone becomes an Internet-connecting machine," Softbank President Masayoshi Son told the crowd at the countdown ceremony. "Today is that day that will make it real, and it's a historic day."

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Gadget accessories

It's a hot summer, and hopefully, most of you are heading down to the pool or beach to cool off . But before you throw your gadgets into a backpack, make sure they're suited up in protective cases that will keep them safe from surf and sand. The beach is not the most ideal place for your gadgets, so here are a few must-have iPod accessories for wired beach bums:

iPhoneArmor: The iPhone is the perfect beach companion, but it's also an expensive one, so waterproof it before you head to the beach. Otterbox has plenty of cases, but I liked the iPhone Armor because this one is waterproof, dustproof, dirtproof, sandproof and drop-proof so you can take your iPhone with you just about anywhere and not worry about damaging it. The best part is you can still use the screen, have access to the headphone jack and click button through the case. This case fits most iPhone models, and is available in black or yellow.

It's a hot summer, and hopefully, most of you are heading down to the pool or beach to cool off . But before you throw your gadgets into a backpack, make sure they're suited up in protective cases that will keep them safe from surf and sand. The beach is not the most ideal place for your gadgets, so here are a few must-have iPod accessories for wired beach bums:

iPhoneArmor: The iPhone is the perfect beach companion, but it's also an expensive one, so waterproof it before you head to the beach. Otterbox has plenty of cases, but I liked the iPhone Armor because this one is waterproof, dustproof, dirtproof, sandproof and drop-proof so you can take your iPhone with you just about anywhere and not worry about damaging it. The best part is you can still use the screen, have access to the headphone jack and click button through the case. This case fits most iPhone models, and is available in black or yellow.

iSH2-Waterproof Headset: Pricey, but great for swimmers, the iSH2 Waterproof Headset from H20 allows you to listen to your second and third generation iPod shuffles underwater. The headset's case gives you full access to your iPod, and includes goggle clips and water canceling silicon earbuds. H2O has plenty of waterproof cases and headphones for other iPods, so check them out if you're someone who spends way too much time in the water.

PODillow: There are plenty of iPod and phone accessories out there that will keep the sand away from your gadgets, but habitual tanners looking for a practical solution now have the PODillow. This pillow with a funny name has a base with a storage compartment that keeps your gadgets dry and out of sight. It's perfect for tanning facedown, since you can still hear the phone ring or listen to your music player, without worrying about getting your stuff stolen if you happen to doze off.

Do you have any other suggestions? Share them in the comments section.

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Google Top Software in Africa

Approximately three weeks after Facebook crowned the winner of the first-ever Facebook Developer Garage, Google is set to conclude their inaugural Google Gadget Competition.

Both competitions have students in mind. But as the Google Gadget Competition, which began in February, comes to a close next week, the question that begs an answer is why the software developers are so keen on East African students.

There is a huge market here crying to be tapped. Google says that through the competition, they want to reward and encourage students in East Africa to envision, design, and develop gadgets that can impact consumers globally. It is all about numbers.

The scope of the Google competition is much wider compared to the Facebook one, as it involves the East African market. Students will create functioning applications of their own designs. The official website of the competition says that the gadgets should be small, simple applications that run on web pages.

There are gadgets for easy e-mail access, to-do lists, football results, and other fun uses. They’re simple to develop, provided you have some knowledge of HTML and ideally XML and JavaScript.

It further says: You might build a calendar of school events, an interactive quiz, or anything you can dream up for a web page. If you’ve never taken a web design class, you can probably create a gadget in a few weeks.

Chris Kiagiri, the Tech Lead, Google Kenya, says one of the major reasons for targeting students is the energetic and intellectual curiosity that they exude.

“Students represent a large part of the so-called ‘Internet generation’ in Africa. These students will form the backbone of the workforce over the next decade and beyond, and since both Google and Facebook view themselves as platforms for Internet usage, it makes sense to give as much exposure as possible to as many members of this generation as possible,” says Mr Kiagiri.

But keeping in mind that both Google and Facebook were founded by university students in their hostels, and they are now multi billion enterprises, institutions of higher learning have traditionally been hubs for research activity and innovation.

Approximately three weeks after Facebook crowned the winner of the first-ever Facebook Developer Garage, Google is set to conclude their inaugural Google Gadget Competition.

Both competitions have students in mind. But as the Google Gadget Competition, which began in February, comes to a close next week, the question that begs an answer is why the software developers are so keen on East African students.

There is a huge market here crying to be tapped. Google says that through the competition, they want to reward and encourage students in East Africa to envision, design, and develop gadgets that can impact consumers globally. It is all about numbers.

The scope of the Google competition is much wider compared to the Facebook one, as it involves the East African market. Students will create functioning applications of their own designs. The official website of the competition says that the gadgets should be small, simple applications that run on web pages.

There are gadgets for easy e-mail access, to-do lists, football results, and other fun uses. They’re simple to develop, provided you have some knowledge of HTML and ideally XML and JavaScript.

It further says: You might build a calendar of school events, an interactive quiz, or anything you can dream up for a web page. If you’ve never taken a web design class, you can probably create a gadget in a few weeks.

Chris Kiagiri, the Tech Lead, Google Kenya, says one of the major reasons for targeting students is the energetic and intellectual curiosity that they exude.

“Students represent a large part of the so-called ‘Internet generation’ in Africa. These students will form the backbone of the workforce over the next decade and beyond, and since both Google and Facebook view themselves as platforms for Internet usage, it makes sense to give as much exposure as possible to as many members of this generation as possible,” says Mr Kiagiri.

But keeping in mind that both Google and Facebook were founded by university students in their hostels, and they are now multi billion enterprises, institutions of higher learning have traditionally been hubs for research activity and innovation.

Forbes magazine declared Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion.

Openworld chief executive officer Dorcas Muthoni says international software developers’ keen interest in East Africa can only lead to a win-win situation for the region, software developers and of course participants in the competition.

Wilfred Mworia, the winner of the Facebook Garage Competition says, several international software developers have approached him. He has also enrolled for the Google competition.

ImageMs Muthoni says one of the major returns on investment for companies sponsoring such competitions would be identifying talent. The IT world has been plagued by skills shortage, leading to massive talent wars characterised by heavy poaching.

Mr Kiagiri adds that Google gadgets are primarily used to customise one’s Internet browsing experience via the personalised Google home page at www.google.com/ig.

At present, there are few relevant gadgets for the East African region, which means that the customised home page is not as valuable to local users as it is to users in places like the US and Europe, for example.

“We would like this competition to be a catalyst for changing that,” he says. Ms Muthoni says that for Kenya to stand out as an IT services hub, and as the country gears up for the fibre optic cable era, such competition would put the nation on the IT map.

Africa has been dubbed “the last frontier” when it comes to Internet penetration and usage.

Within the continent, Kenya being an English-speaking country with a relatively well-educated and progressive workforce, makes a favourable entry point for international companies.

Specifically, Nairobi has always been the logical business hub for the East African region, as evidenced by the presence of many multinationals and organisations such as the UN.

Launching pad
With Kenya being the launching pad for most international companies eyeing the African market, it is important for the country to up its game.

“The government should look for ways to harness ideas coming from universities as well as encourage innovation,” says Ms Muthoni. When the Google Gadget Competition winner is announced in mid August, five students will bag a $350 stipend while one student will receive a $600 stipend.

The leading search engine firm envisages more than 1,000 entries, with over 500 from Kenya. Some examples of Google gadgets that are popular among iGooogle users are To Do, which allows one to note down what they need to do, move the items around, and delete individual items when tasks are completed.

The Earth From Above was created using images by renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Betrand and a feed of environmental information from GoodPlanet.org. Not only is it an attractive gadget, it also carries serious messages, updated daily.

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Maker of Solio gadget

Better Energy Systems, maker of the sun-powered Solio gadget charger, snagged $5 million from TBL Capital on Monday.

The Berkeley, Calif., company produces the petal-shaped, fold-up Solio for powering iPhones, digital cameras, MP3 players, GPS, and other mobile devices. Its unique design often turns heads at trade shows.
The Solio Classic models fold up for portability.

The Solio Classic models fold up for portability.
(Credit: Better Energy Systems)

"Almost half the world's population has limited access to consistent electricity; Solio not only offers an advanced solution to that inequity, but does so in an entirely sustainable manner," Joe Marshall, principal at TBL Capital, said in a statement.

Better Energy Systems, maker of the sun-powered Solio gadget charger, snagged $5 million from TBL Capital on Monday.

The Berkeley, Calif., company produces the petal-shaped, fold-up Solio for powering iPhones, digital cameras, MP3 players, GPS, and other mobile devices. Its unique design often turns heads at trade shows.
The Solio Classic models fold up for portability.

The Solio Classic models fold up for portability.
(Credit: Better Energy Systems)

"Almost half the world's population has limited access to consistent electricity; Solio not only offers an advanced solution to that inequity, but does so in an entirely sustainable manner," Joe Marshall, principal at TBL Capital, said in a statement.

The Solio's lithium ion battery is meant to take up to 10 bright daylight hours to charge fully. An hour of battery juice would enable 40 minutes of listening time for an MP3 player and 15 minutes of talking on a cell phone. The Solio also can be plugged into a wall outlet.

Better Energy doesn't sell chargers powerful enough for laptops, but has expressed the aim to do so.

Solio models at between $80 and $200 are pricier than some competing solar chargers for personal electronics (photos).

As electronics makers turn to "greener," more energy-efficient gadgets and funders eye opportunities in the developing world, off-grid power options are growing in popularity.

With $50 million under management, TBL Capital of Sausalito, Calif., launched last fall specializing in social entrepreneurs. Its portfolio includes Numi organic tea, LaLoo's goat's milk ice cream, and Mission Research software.

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Boingo Gadget Hotspot Application

by Glenn Fleishman
The folks at Boingo Wireless play their own game of Katamari Damacy, rolling up
hundreds of disparate Wi-Fi hotspot networks and tens of thousands of hotspots
around the world into one flat-priced footprint. They now support Mac users
through a lightweight application - GoBoingo - designed to make it easier to
connect to hotspots that are part of their network than typing in a user name
and password.
Before the GoBoingo client was released officially today, you could sign up for
a Boingo account and at most hotspots in the company's network enter your
credentials manually. I have been subscribing to Boingo most recently since
January, and have used dozens of hotspots in that more tedious method.
(Typically, you have to look for a partner link on the main gateway page for a
hotspot, then select Boingo, and then enter your user name and password.)
GoBoingo has no user interface as such. Once installed, it runs in the
background, and alerts you when a Boingo partner network is in the vicinity. You
then enter your login details - if you haven't connected before - and you're
informed about cost if your plan requires a payment.

by Glenn Fleishman
The folks at Boingo Wireless play their own game of Katamari Damacy, rolling up
hundreds of disparate Wi-Fi hotspot networks and tens of thousands of hotspots
around the world into one flat-priced footprint. They now support Mac users
through a lightweight application - GoBoingo - designed to make it easier to
connect to hotspots that are part of their network than typing in a user name
and password.
Before the GoBoingo client was released officially today, you could sign up for
a Boingo account and at most hotspots in the company's network enter your
credentials manually. I have been subscribing to Boingo most recently since
January, and have used dozens of hotspots in that more tedious method.
(Typically, you have to look for a partner link on the main gateway page for a
hotspot, then select Boingo, and then enter your user name and password.)
GoBoingo has no user interface as such. Once installed, it runs in the
background, and alerts you when a Boingo partner network is in the vicinity. You
then enter your login details - if you haven't connected before - and you're
informed about cost if your plan requires a payment.
Boingo has two recurring unlimited service options: $22 per month for about
60,000 hotspots in the U.S., or $39 per month for about 100,000 hotspots
worldwide. The company requires no contract. With a Boingo account, you can also
purchase 24-hour passes to the network for $8, and have it billed to whatever
credit card is associated with your Boingo account.
Readers with long memories will recall that Boingo did have a slightly more
complicated Macintosh client a few years ago (see "Boingo for Macintosh
Launches," 2005-01-10). That software apparently continued to work through Mac
OS X 10.4 Tiger, but didn't function under Leopard.

Read More......

New Accessories iPhone 3G launch

By: IRVINE

Incipio Technologies, Inc. in its typical first-to-market approach for portable device accessories, has announced the imminent launch of several key new accessories for the updated iPhone 3G. Owing to its recent distribution agreement with TESSCO Technologies Incorporated (NASDAQ: TESS), Incipio will soon deliver four accessories to a major Tier I Carrier across the country to coincide with the iPhone 3G deliveries.

“We’re grateful to be partnered with TESSCO and have the opportunity to be a part of this amazing launch. TESSCO provides a tremendous degree of market penetration for our new line of iPhone accessories,” said Incipio President Andy Fathollahi. “We expect consumers to snap these products up as they seek to accessorize their new iPhone 3G.”

A sampling of the products on offer for the new iPhone 3G at launch include: the SILICRYLIC case for iPhone—an innovative design that combines a soft silicone core with a durable clear acrylic outer shell available in a black and white two-pack; the soft silicone dermaSHOT in two colors—magenta and black absoluto; and the ECO|case, a natural cotton, eco-friendly case. More products are in the product pipeline for release in coming weeks and months.

By: IRVINE

Incipio Technologies, Inc. in its typical first-to-market approach for portable device accessories, has announced the imminent launch of several key new accessories for the updated iPhone 3G. Owing to its recent distribution agreement with TESSCO Technologies Incorporated (NASDAQ: TESS), Incipio will soon deliver four accessories to a major Tier I Carrier across the country to coincide with the iPhone 3G deliveries.

“We’re grateful to be partnered with TESSCO and have the opportunity to be a part of this amazing launch. TESSCO provides a tremendous degree of market penetration for our new line of iPhone accessories,” said Incipio President Andy Fathollahi. “We expect consumers to snap these products up as they seek to accessorize their new iPhone 3G.”

A sampling of the products on offer for the new iPhone 3G at launch include: the SILICRYLIC case for iPhone—an innovative design that combines a soft silicone core with a durable clear acrylic outer shell available in a black and white two-pack; the soft silicone dermaSHOT in two colors—magenta and black absoluto; and the ECO|case, a natural cotton, eco-friendly case. More products are in the product pipeline for release in coming weeks and months.

ABOUT INCIPIO: Continually fusing fashion with function, Incipio is a leading manufacturer of a wide range of products designed to enhance and protect the mobile devices that have become a part of today’s active lifestyle. Incipio prides itself in designing and developing award-winning products that support a range of Apple, Microsoft, RIM, and HTC devices including notebook computers, music players, mobile phones, and smartphones. Incipio was founded in 1999 by a group of gadget-obsessed designers. Incipio products are available directly online and in dozens of countries around the world with distributors and retailers in the US, Asia, UK, the EU, Australia and Latin America. Incipio Technologies, Inc is a privately held firm based in Irvine CA, with offices in Hong Kong and Tennessee.

Read More......

iPhone buzz to draw fans

By: Melissa Dunn

Despite a flurry of negative publicity over the high-priced plans that are mandatory if you want an iPhone in Canada, expect Apple fans to come out in droves Friday to get their hands on one, a University of Windsor assistant business professor predicts.

"The general buzz of the product is positive," said David Bussiere, who specializes in marketing at the U of W. "The product has improved since it was first released in the States.... It's the package that Rogers is offering that has caused a backlash."

More than a year after the iPhone hit U.S. stores, the popular device makes its Canadian debut amid growing controversy over the mandatory plans attached to the phones.

Rogers is currently the only Canadian carrier providing the iPhone 3G.

Irate Canadians are crying foul at the differences between the plan Rogers is offering and what customers in the States are being charged.

Earlier this month Rogers revealed details of its iPhone pricing plan, offering up four voice-and-data combo packages for the iPhone 3G, ranging in price from $60 per month to $115 a month, all requiring a three-year contract.

The plans immediately sparked a massive outcry.

By Monday afternoon more than 46,000 names, as well as many profanity-laced posts, were gathered on the site www.ruinediphone.com.

"The Rogers iPhone plans are ridiculous!! They are way too expensive for the features available," wrote Elanor Monday on ruinediphone.com. "I have been waiting and waiting for the iPhone for over a year now. And finally the iPhone gets released in Canada with insane plans. Disappointed!"

By: Melissa Dunn

Despite a flurry of negative publicity over the high-priced plans that are mandatory if you want an iPhone in Canada, expect Apple fans to come out in droves Friday to get their hands on one, a University of Windsor assistant business professor predicts.

"The general buzz of the product is positive," said David Bussiere, who specializes in marketing at the U of W. "The product has improved since it was first released in the States.... It's the package that Rogers is offering that has caused a backlash."

More than a year after the iPhone hit U.S. stores, the popular device makes its Canadian debut amid growing controversy over the mandatory plans attached to the phones.

Rogers is currently the only Canadian carrier providing the iPhone 3G.

Irate Canadians are crying foul at the differences between the plan Rogers is offering and what customers in the States are being charged.

Earlier this month Rogers revealed details of its iPhone pricing plan, offering up four voice-and-data combo packages for the iPhone 3G, ranging in price from $60 per month to $115 a month, all requiring a three-year contract.

The plans immediately sparked a massive outcry.

By Monday afternoon more than 46,000 names, as well as many profanity-laced posts, were gathered on the site www.ruinediphone.com.

"The Rogers iPhone plans are ridiculous!! They are way too expensive for the features available," wrote Elanor Monday on ruinediphone.com. "I have been waiting and waiting for the iPhone for over a year now. And finally the iPhone gets released in Canada with insane plans. Disappointed!"

Despite the anger being unleashed on the Internet, Bussiere doubts Rogers will be hurting for iPhone customers on Friday.

"My son (who is 19) wants one badly," said Bussiere, 43. "If he were upgrading right now he would definitely get an iPhone."

For people in Bussiere's demographic the gadget may not be such an easy sell.

Like many middle-aged, mid-career, Canadians Bussiere already has a Blackberry provided by his employer for work purposes.

And the like many of his friends and colleagues, he has no intention of trading in his corporate device for a "cooler" gadget anytime soon.

"What I'm after is compatibility," said Bussiere. "That I can easily turn to the tech guys (at the U of W) if I have a problem."

Gilberto Canizales was shopping for a new cellphone at Devonshire Mall with his young son last week, but was not interested in an iPhone.

"I've seen the iPhone ad on TV, but I don't really know what it does," said Canizales, outside of the Wireless Wave store at Devonshire Mall Friday. "I don't want to get stuck in a plan.... I had a Samsung before it got water damage. I think I'll stick with Samsung."

Despite the wave of negativity, staff at a number of Windsor Rogers stores say they have fielded many calls about the iPhone and customers seem genuinely excited about the launch.

The iPhone combines a phone, a widescreen iPod and an Internet device, with such features as GPS mapping. It will cost $199 for the eight-gigabyte model and $299 for the 16-gigabyte version.

Rumours were swirling on Daniel Smith's Smithereens blog Monday that Apple may be shipping fewer 3G iPhones to Canada and diverting them to Europe as a result of the negative publicity surrounding the "unfair" charges.

Rogers disputed that rumour on BetaNews Monday: "I can confirm that Canada's inventory of iPhone 3G has remained the same throughout our announcements," said spokesperson Elizabeth Hamilton.

As of Monday afternoon Rogers had not bent to pressure to change its iPhone plans.

Rogers and Apple Canada could not be reached for comment Monday.

Customer service staff at a few Windsor Rogers stores had previously heard "rumours" that some local stores would open at midnight Thursday to start selling iPhones. But on Monday, staff at those stores said they would not be opening early.

While Bussiere does not expect lineups down the street, akin to the lineups when the iPhone was first launched in the U.S. last year, he predicts diehard Apple fans will remain loyal despite the recent controversy.

"The iPhone does not offer anything you can't get with any other phone, but it does deliver it in a nicer, cooler package," said Bussiere. "Sales will be fine on Friday."

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Bluetooth convert

by Steven Musil

Thanks to California hands-free phone law, I have been dragged into Bluetooth land. It's not somewhere I really ever saw myself landing. I never really saw a need; I don't use my cell as frequently as anyone I know, and my car tends to sit in the garage undriven for days, sometimes weeks.

With the enforcement of laws beginning in California and Washington last week, Bluetooth earpieces have become the rage--even when people aren't behind the wheel. Sorry in advance if I offend, but this strikes me as a bit dorky--maybe not as dorky as the Bat Utility Belt look of a decade ago when the "tech savvy" would stock their overstressed belts with pagers, cell phones, and PDAs, but certainly in the same league. So that option wasn't very attractive.

However, about six months ago, I upgraded the stereo in my car to a model that also happened to support Bluetooth cell connections. The stereo I replaced was the factory double-din that came with it when bought the car 13 years ago. The CD player was skipping like crazy, and my wife was about to give birth to our first child, so this seemed like the right time to spend money on a new stereo for a car I seldom drove and expected to drive even less after the child was born (it's a two-seat convertible).

So I dove into research models, options, and prices. I ended up buying a Dual XHD6425 off Amazon.com for about $100. An installer at Best Buy said he didn't think the deck would fit in my car, but a handy tool at Crutchfield.com told me different (guess who was right).

This little unit does things I wish my $300 Onkyo TX-SR605 home receiver did: in addition to playing mp3 and WMA CDs, it also receives HD radio signals, has an auxiliary input for your mp3 player, and a USB input for flash memory drives. It also has a connector wire at the back of the unit that will plug into Dual's BTM60, a Bluetooth module that transmits voice signals to your cell phone. The audio from the person you are speaking with is broadcast over the car speakers.

Since Dual already sold a module specifically designed for my deck, the choice was an easy one. New modules that used to retail for $99 can be found on eBay for less than $25 if you are patient. Mine was delivered Saturday, and like a kid on Christmas morning, I had it up and running in less than an hour.

Installation could not have been easier--it's practically plug and play. The module itself is about the size of two wine corks and attaches to the visor like your garage door opener (that location is actually much closer to your mouth than anywhere you could place it on your dashboard), and the connection to back of the deck just snaps into place with the guidance of arrows on the ends of each wire.

by Steven Musil

Thanks to California hands-free phone law, I have been dragged into Bluetooth land. It's not somewhere I really ever saw myself landing. I never really saw a need; I don't use my cell as frequently as anyone I know, and my car tends to sit in the garage undriven for days, sometimes weeks.

With the enforcement of laws beginning in California and Washington last week, Bluetooth earpieces have become the rage--even when people aren't behind the wheel. Sorry in advance if I offend, but this strikes me as a bit dorky--maybe not as dorky as the Bat Utility Belt look of a decade ago when the "tech savvy" would stock their overstressed belts with pagers, cell phones, and PDAs, but certainly in the same league. So that option wasn't very attractive.

However, about six months ago, I upgraded the stereo in my car to a model that also happened to support Bluetooth cell connections. The stereo I replaced was the factory double-din that came with it when bought the car 13 years ago. The CD player was skipping like crazy, and my wife was about to give birth to our first child, so this seemed like the right time to spend money on a new stereo for a car I seldom drove and expected to drive even less after the child was born (it's a two-seat convertible).

So I dove into research models, options, and prices. I ended up buying a Dual XHD6425 off Amazon.com for about $100. An installer at Best Buy said he didn't think the deck would fit in my car, but a handy tool at Crutchfield.com told me different (guess who was right).

This little unit does things I wish my $300 Onkyo TX-SR605 home receiver did: in addition to playing mp3 and WMA CDs, it also receives HD radio signals, has an auxiliary input for your mp3 player, and a USB input for flash memory drives. It also has a connector wire at the back of the unit that will plug into Dual's BTM60, a Bluetooth module that transmits voice signals to your cell phone. The audio from the person you are speaking with is broadcast over the car speakers.

Since Dual already sold a module specifically designed for my deck, the choice was an easy one. New modules that used to retail for $99 can be found on eBay for less than $25 if you are patient. Mine was delivered Saturday, and like a kid on Christmas morning, I had it up and running in less than an hour.

Installation could not have been easier--it's practically plug and play. The module itself is about the size of two wine corks and attaches to the visor like your garage door opener (that location is actually much closer to your mouth than anywhere you could place it on your dashboard), and the connection to back of the deck just snaps into place with the guidance of arrows on the ends of each wire.

The most time-consuming part was hiding the wire between those two points. It wouldn't easily pinch against the windshield, so off came the weather stripping and convertible top anchor to allow access to the driver-side A-pillar cover. After threading and squeezing the wire behind the pillar cover, tying up the wire slack under the dashboard, and replacing the weather stripping and convertible top anchor, it was time for the easiest part of installation: pairing the cell phone to the stereo deck.

he phone and module did most of the work for me--I just had to hit a few buttons when prompted.

And it worked from the get go, syncing up my cell phone as soon as I turned the key and delivering audio quality that sounded as good as the cell phone, at least in the comfort of my garage. But how about on the road, with the top down? Just as good, although you may have to adjust the speaker volume on the dash deck to hear your calls better.

When a call comes into your cell, it rings across your car stereo. You simply push the button on the module to pick up the call. You can also use the in-dash deck to place the call, although I think it will be some time before I master that skill.

Now I saw plenty of people driving around town this holiday weekend with cell phones plastered to the side of their face, so I am not sure how well obeyed the new hands-free law is going to be. After all, the fine if you get caught is only $20, but it can be 10 times that with other court costs factored in. That's more than my entire stereo upgrade.

So there you have it: Bluetooth functionality without the dork factor--unless you consider talking to your visor and allowing the other drivers stopped at traffic signals to listen in on your phone conversations.

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