AdminSpy Latest Gadgets and Gizmos

SanDisk launches 32-Gigabyte Solid State Drive

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

SanDisk launches a 32-gigabyte, 1.8-inch solid state drive (SSD) as a drop-in replacement for the standard mechanical hard disk drive.

Solid State Drives Initially aimed at enterprise users as the first step toward mass consumer adoption, SanDisk SSD offers field-proven durability to keep mobile PCs working in the toughest of conditions and improves the overall user experience.

Previously, large capacity flash-based drives had been used primarily by the military, aerospace and telecom industries, which demanded high performance and reliability under challenging environmental conditions. But now the declining cost of NAND flash memory has made SSD a viable and economically attractive alternative to existing technologies in a wider variety of applications, including mobile PCs aimed at enterprise and consumer users.

Using NAND flash enhanced by SanDisk’s patented TrueFFS flash management technology, SanDisk SSD delivers two million hours mean time between failures. With no moving parts, it does not need to spin into action or seek files in the way that conventional hard disk drives do.

These characteristics, combined with SanDisk's advanced flash management technology, make it possible for SanDisk SSD to deliver excellent performance compared with hard disk drives and competing solid state drives.

Article Source SanDisk launches 32-Gigabyte Solid State Drive

Online Movie Pioneer Sues Apple, Google and Napster

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

A U.S. pioneer in online movie distribution is suing Apple, Google and Napster, claiming they infringed on its on-demand online-movie patent.

Intertainer "was the leader of the idea of entertainment on demand over Internet platforms before Google was even thought up," Intertainer founder Jonathan Taplin told The New York Times.

The Santa Monica, Calif., company, founded in 1996 to distribute movies on demand through cable and phone lines for viewing on televisions and personal computers, shut down operations in 2002, but still has Taplin and a secretary on staff.

Taplin, a former film and TV producer, wants unspecified damages for the Web sites' alleged infringing on his August 2005 patent that covers commercial distribution of audio and video over the Internet, court papers say.

Intertainer claims irreparable harm and also asks the court to prevent Apple Inc., Google Inc. and Napster from using Intertainer's technology.

The three companies declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Article Source Online Movie Pioneer Sues Apple, Google and Napster

Ford Cars to feature Windows

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In what might be the start of an exciting technological future for cars and trucks, Ford Motor Co. and software giant Microsoft Corp. are expected to jointly announce soon that new Windows Automotive software soon will be available in Ford vehicles.

The new technology (dubbed "Sync") will finally bring together two industries that have long been expected to cross paths, allowing consumers to use their vehicles as computers in key ways, such as hands-free cell phone calls or downloading music or receiving e-mail.

Ford and Microsoft are expected to reveal the project during media days at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which begins Jan. 7, and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which opens to the press a day earlier.

Microsoft officials have acknowledged a joint announcement will be made during the shows, but Ford officials refused to comment publicly on the reports.

Several Web sites have been reporting about the expected announcement in recent days.

The Wall Street Journal published a report Friday about the companies' plans, as well, saying the technology will debut next year as an option on at least two Ford models that are to be freshened next year, the Focus and Five Hundred. Sync will be available on all Ford models starting in 2008 and will be phased in to Lincoln and Mercury models later.

According to a concept Hummer H2 vehicle shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2004, the Microsoft technology works through a computer located on the vehicle that runs Windows Auto software. The computer uses Bluetooth to connect wirelessly with a mobile phone in the car, which in turn connects to the Internet. Motorists communicate with the system through a microphone embedded in the roof of the car.

On Dec. 12, Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, was asked why Bluetooth technology was not available on important new models, such as the Ford Edge, and he hinted that something better was coming.

"I think you'll see us ... getting a lot more aggressive on those types of technologies," he told a small group of journalists who were reviewing the company's still-secret new products in Detroit.

Microsoft already has been working with Fiat, which does not sell vehicles in North America, to use Windows Automotive software in cars -- an infotainment project that was unveiled at the 2006 Geneva auto show and labeled "Blue&Me."

Article Source Ford Cars to feature Windows

Samsung to launch a Laptop That ‘Runs a Month’

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Samsung is taking fuel cell technology for notebooks to the next level by showcasing a new DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) dock that can power a Q35 ultraportable notebook for 8 hours a day for a full month. According to Samsung press release, the fuel cell has an energy density of 650Wh/L and total energy storage of 1,200Wh.

Samsung has also made many improvements to its fuel cell system that reduces noise levels. The South Korean electronics giant made the demonstration on its Sense Q35 laptop. Assuming a laptop usually runs for eight hours a day five days a week, the fuel cell can operate it for a month.

The fuel cell system is also said to be very quiet, the level of noise emitted being close to an actual laptop. Although fuel cell batteries have been demonstrated before, the mass production was hindered by the noise and the dimensions and weight of such devices, which would cancel the notion of “portability” for laptops. Samsung is also prepping a mini version of the fuel cell which uses around a coffee cup's worth of fuel, but can still power a laptop for over 15 hours.

Samsung plans to mass-produce the new energy system sometimes at the end of 2007, when all the safety standards are ready.

Article Source Samsung to launch a Laptop That ‘Runs a Month’

HD-DVD AACS decrypted !!!

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Great news!! A thread on the Doom9 forum contains links posted by user Muslix64. They lead to a YouTube video and source download for a piece of java code to be employed in the breaking of Advanced Access Content System (AACS) encoded video. The encoding used for HD DVD content.

One minor requirement is for the owner is to find and add their cryptographic keys for the disc being copied. Muslix64 does provide help in that area.

If this becomes wide spread, what will it mean for the fledgling new High Definition home entertainment arena? Well it could go a number of ways.

Firstly there may be a small swing towards HD DVD players by consumers, if there was not already a swing in that area. This may be spurred by the availability of “cheap backups” of original High Def content.

It could also mean that the now divided movie studios move away from HD DVD to Blu-ray, but We doubt that the decisions that have already been made in Hollywood board rooms, will be that simple to shift, based on one forum post.

Most likely this situation will be short lived; We expect that if this Crack proves to be accurate, a similar Blu-ray Crack (given it uses the same AACS DRM) will be only a short period away. Meaning that we will be back to status quo in the format wars.

Article Source HD-DVD AACS decrypted !!!

Samsung Develops Gigabit-density Mobile DRAM

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Samsung Electronics announced that it has developed what it calls the industry's first 1Gbit mobile DRAM for mobile products, using 80nm process technology. The Korean chipmaker said it plans to mass produce the new device in the second quarter of 2007.

The new chip, also known as low-power DDR (double data rate) or synchronous DRAM, will be more cost effective than other high density mobile solutions and used for a wide range of advanced handset applications as well as for digital cameras, portable media players and portable gaming products, Samsung noted.

Samsung said this monolithic 1Gbit mobile DRAM is a highly competitive choice for mobile applications over the double-die stack, 1Gb memory solution widely used today, as the electric current in the new chip drops a full 30%, according to the company.

Although this new Samsung 1Gbit mobile DRAM chip uses the same packaging technique as the 512Mbit double-die stack 1Gbit package, Samsung introduces a new temperature-sensing feature in this solution resulting in a reduction of power drain in standby mode by 30% over conventional memory chip designs, claims the company.

In terms of size, Samsung said the new 1Gbit mobile DRAM chip is at least 20% thinner than a multi-stack package of 512Mbit dies, allowing a single high-density package solution of 1.5Gbit or even 2Gbit mobile DRAM memory. Samsung also offers 1Gbit mobile DRAM with flash memory in multi-chip packaging (MCP).

Article Source Samsung Develops Gigabit-density Mobile DRAM

Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia) to launch search engine

Sun, 24 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia says his planned Internet search engine, Wikiasari, could rival Google and Yahoo!.

Jimmy Wales told The Times of London his search engine, planned to launch with Amazon.com, will use the same user-based technology as Wikipedia. The commercial version of the search engine will be developed through San Mateo, Calif.-based Wikia Inc., with a provisional launch planned for the first quarter of 2007, he said.

Wikiasari gets its name from 'wiki,' Hawaiian for 'quick,' and 'asari,' Japanese for 'rummaging search.'

Earlier this year Wales said he secured multimillion-dollar funding from Amazon.com and a separate cash infusion from a group of Silicon Valley financiers to finance Wikia projects.

Wikipedia, online since 2003, is written by thousands of contributors worldwide using free, open-source software. Wales said he wants to use the same network concept and free software to create his search engine.

Mr Wales, a 40-year-old former options trader, believes that, as the popularity of Google has grown, obvious flaws in its search engine technology have become apparent.

“Google is very good at many types of search, but in many instances it produces nothing but spam and useless crap. Try searching for the term ‘Tampa hotels’, for example, and you will not get any useful results,” he said.

Spammers and commercial ventures are also learning how to manipulate Google’s computer-based search, he added.

Article Source Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia) to launch search engine

Four Years in Jail for German Computer Hijackers

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Two men from Germany who established an online scam estimated to have defrauded internet users of 12 million euros (17 million dollars) were jailed by a German court Wednesday for up to four years.

A trojan-horse software spread between July 2002 and September 2003 infected as many as 100,000 computers, mainly in Germany. The computers were manipulated to use an expensive dial-up service.

Germany's main phone company charged for the service and unwittingly handed over huge commissions which ended up in the pockets of the two men, now aged 31 and 35.

After the scam was exposed, the German phone system had to be re-wired to block similar abuse.

The sentences to 48 and 39 months in jail are not likely to end Germany's biggest-ever internet-crime case, as both prosecution and defence said in the northern city of Osnabrueck that they were not happy with the outcome and might appeal.

Both men were convicted of organized fraud and computer fraud. The software, known as an autodialer, chose one of the most expensive dial-up connections possible in Germany, normally used to serve up online pornography.

The owners innocently thought they were using ordinary connections to surf the internet until the bill arrived and they realised their computers had been hijacked.

The court said the software was carefully designed to remain hidden in a computer.

"It was nefarious," said one judge.

Prosecutors failed to win a court order forcing the head of the firm to repay 7 million euros to the victims.

Earlier this year, suspended jail terms were handed down on two other persons connected with the scam.

Article Source Four Years in Jail for German Computer Hijackers

Linksys Launches iPhone

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

A net phone called the iPhone has been launched by Linksys just weeks before analysts were expecting Apple to release a similarly-named device.

Linksys is announcing a series of Web-enabled telephone handsets designed to work with Internet calling services such as Skype, and other services, including SIP Phone's Gizmo Project.

Products in the iPhone product line integrate Skype and Yahoo! Messenger with Voice and can toggle between the VoIP calling options and traditional landline service with the click of a button.

The iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype (CIT400) embeds the client into a cordless phone base station that is attached directly to the home network via Ethernet, allowing the user to place calls to other Skype users, mobile phones, or landlines without turning on a computer.

The iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype (WIP320) makes Skype portable by integrating it into a Wireless-G handset, allowing consumers to place calls from anywhere they can connect to a wireless access point.

Both new iPhones products allow voice calls in addition to real-time contact list access and presence information that lets the user know if the intended call recipient is available. The new phones also support Skype calling services, such as SkypeOut, SkypeIn and voicemail.

The iPhone product family (though not all yet branded as such) also includes products like the Wireless-G IP Phone (WIP330) that integrate the SIP VoIP protocol. Consumers can use the WIP330 to access music, photos, and streaming video from sources on the Internet so they can combine the product with wireless video cameras like the Linksys Wireless-G Compact Video Camera (WVC54GC).

iPhone products are expected to retail for between $79.99 and $369.99.

Article Source Linksys Launches iPhone

Skype founders to launch web TV

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

In 2003, Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom launched Skype, an online communication tool that has forced some of the world’s largest telecommunications groups to rethink their business models. Now they are hoping to do the same for television.

Skype founders are close to launching a global broadband television service offering "the best of the internet with the best of TV".

Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström said the service, codenamed The Venice Project, will offer "near high definition programmes" which users can personalise or discuss with others.

Unlike other video-on-demand websites like YouTube, the Venice Project will offer channels and "high-quality and full-screen video", Friis told the Financial Times.

He said that the peer-to-peer technology used in the service would make it possible to serve “tens of millions of users”.

A source close to Warner Music confirmed that it was using the service to create channels for some of its artists, including Paris Hilton.

The service is expected to launch next year. It has reportedly attracted a few big-name channels,but the company would not dislose its partners.

Article Source Skype founders to launch web TV