Products
Microsoft it’s introducing a new way of marketing for their new home operating system, Windows 7 Home Premium. This version will the optional “Family Pack”, that represents the possibility, with a small fee, to include up to 3 computers from the same house to have this operating system installed.
Basically if you buy a Windows 7 Home Premium + Family Pack, you will have licenses for 3 home computers. The specific licensing terms are:
“b. Family Pack. If you are a “Qualified Family Pack User”, you may install one copy of the software marked as “Family Pack” on three computers in your household for use by people who reside there. Those computers are the “licensed computers” and are subject to these license terms. If you do not know whether you are a Qualified Family Pack User, visit go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=141399 or contact the Microsoft affiliate serving your country.”
Actually Windows Vista included this optional feature but for a very short period of time, that apparently did not have the right impact among users; but you don’t have to be genius to figure this one out, anything that was related to Vista did not have any positive impact among users.
The pricing of Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack it’s not official, but the speculations say that would be around $189.
At least once a week we hear an iPhone rumour, ranging from new updates, faults, releases and Apple news in general where the devices name is uttered as an afterthought. Now however, it seems that the latest rumours may hold water.
On the 2nd of July, Apple filed patents for what seem like very interesting features for the iPhone. With the 3G S barely onto the market as it is, it seems like Apple is thinking ahead already.
These patents filed revolve around the fingerprint idea and how a touch screen recognizes them. This could be used for security reasons (which would make an iPhone pretty darn secure) and also for basic control of the device. For example, a touch with the little finger may be preset to bring you back to the homepage while the middle finger could launch the internet browser.
All this seems very complex and as such is unlikely to make an appearance to the market for a few years as apple don’t want to over complicate what it already a very revolutionary device. Still, it’s good to know that the Smartphone market will still be alive and competitive two years down the line.
As we’ve announced a while ago, Microsoft and Zune are getting ready to take an important step: the release of Zune HD. Now, there are some more news about it, this Zune HD will include Nvidia Integra system-on-chip.
This chip was build, of course, specially for smartphones, PDAs and MIDs. There are several type of processors within this chip: Tegra APX series (2500 and 2600) specially designed for smartphones; Tegra 600 and 650 designed for smartbook and MIDs.
Naming some of the features that the new Zune will include:
- Will use flash memory instead of an internal hard drive. Remember that flash memory it’s quite faster than normal hard drives.
- OLED multi-touch screen.
- Wi-Fi enabled. No confirmation yet about if will include a support on 802.11n.
- HD radio. High quality sound available.
- Output available 1280×720 (720p). Will not support 1080p.
- Internet browser optimized for multi-touch functionality.
We are still waiting on official release date and pricing.
Yes, I know, you probably didn’t even think about a walkman in a long time; and most likely it’s been a real while since you’ve seen one, but Sony’s is -NOT- celebrating the release of their first Walkman 30 years ago.
Sony is still trying to make a revolutionary product release that they didn’t have particulary since the first portable audio player hit the market. They are having a rough year (first annual loss balance in 14 years) and they don’t have so great expectations for next year either. Most of the hopes are placed in PlayStation 3 (mainly based on two things, the release of the slim version and waiting for the blu-ray to become a real home standard), and also the portable new console PSP Go!
Getting back to the walkman’s story, here’s a quick and funny image that a friend of mine sent me today:
The Wall Street Journal reports that Dell has been developing a Mobile Internet Device (MID) based on Google’s Android operating system. The device is reportedly slightly larger than Apple’s iPod touch, with which Dell’s offering would presumably compete in many respects should it eventually be released.
Another person who was briefed on the company’s plans said Dell may begin selling the device later this year, though this person said the plan could be delayed or scrapped entirely.
The development effort is one of the first experiments by a big-name PC maker in a nascent category of products known as mobile Internet devices, or MIDs,which are designed to fill a perceived gap between mobile phones and laptop computers.
Dell is expected to use ARM processors for the new device, the same platform that powers the iPhone and iPod touch. Back in 2003, Dell introduced its “Dell DJ” music players to compete with the iPod, but the line was discontinued by the end of 2006.
The world over there is a common word that we all understand when it comes to virtual messages…spam! That same concept can be related to the countless pieces of junk mail we receive in our snail mail boxes. In an attempt to curb physical mail, Zumbox was created as a way to save paper and go greener.
Zumbox is a virtual mailbox that is accessible from anywhere in the world, and all your mail can be directed to this. No major warehouses needed with hundreds of scanners, it simply takes your mail from teh database that your mail is created in and sends the file directly to your account. You can browse your mail just like you would browse it in your home after checking your mailbox.
It’s a great idea, and I’m completely behind it, but the one drawback is immersion. This concept would have to be fully accepted for Zumbox to saturate the market and reduce 100% of all physical mail. Still it’s a great start and I encourage you to at least input your address. The service is free, it’s easy, accessible, and leaves less of an imprint on the planet then all the junkmail you receive. With special filters, reduced junk mail, checking your “mail” may actually be fun again…save for the bills.
One user on a French forum posted that the overheating is “Unbearable” and the “phone much be shut down” as soon as it switches to EDGE instead of 3G or GPS is in use.
Indeed, it seems like things are heating up over the new iPhone but not in a good way. Reports are springing up all over the internet of people having a scorching hot iPhones in their pockets, seeing red traces around the lithium battery and even fearing the device may catch on fire.
One user said “I have a black 32 GB 3GS and recently I experienced overheating when I was using GPS. Every time I use GPS it somehow overheats, however mild it may be. But in a region where 3G is out of reach and phone switches to Edge, the overheating is unbearable. You must shut down the phone”
For what is now the most well-known smart phone in the world, Apple needs to resolve these complaints about their lead product quickly. When things like this occurred with other manufacturers such as Dell and Toshiba due to overheating caused by Lithium batteries the companies were highly embarrassed, lost sales and had to write checks amounting to tens of millions to fund a gigantic recall of the faulty products in question.
So far, from what I can see it is the GPS, Internet and Battery that are having the blame placed on them. Others are also saying that the root cause of it all (if indeed this is as widespread of a problem as it’s made out to be) is that the new OS on the 3G S has poor power management.
Whatever the cause, Apple better hop to it to smooth this one over quick to either fix the problem or assure customers that no such problem exists. If this catches onto the mainstream consumer radar iPhone 3G S sales may plummet.
Dean this morning wrote a very interesting article about Sony turning their PSP into a phone. However, we have now found some very interesting information that I just had to show all our readers. Its the drawing of the product itself.
The PSP is by no means the most successful handheld gaming device. It trailed behind the DS for all of its life and now even the iPhone has it beaten when it comes to the selection of games, even though the PSP had a three year jump on the iPhone.
However, recently stories have emerged that seem to indicate the next PSP will have smart phone capabilities. Reuters revealed that Ericsson and Sony Entertainment have been drawing up plans to create the phone even before their latest invention; the PSP Go, has been released.
The current PSP already has some communication capability with Wi-Fi allowing internet browsing and Skype chat. However, if this plan was to proceed we would likely see 3G, a touch screen and a host of other smart phone features thrown into a PSP. The main problem with this would of course be battery life, but with an electronics company such as Sony I’m sure they could come up with something.
Sony are reported to be putting together a team to begin creating this PSP smart phone as early as July and are engaged in talks with British telecom to bring voice and video chat to the PSP. However, I wouldn’t get my hopes up just yet. Plans like these have a tendency of falling through due to overcrowding in the market or just a really bad finished product.
There has been a lot of speculation about this for a long time, but Microsoft announced officially the pricing that is related with Windows 7 in retail and upgrade versions. And guess what? It will be cheaper than Vista.
The difference isn’t all that much with the original pricing in Vista, but still the operating system is different and I’m sure you won’t regret the money invested in this OS as you may regretted with Vista. Here’s the detailed pricing:
Retail Versions
- Windows 7 Home Premium – $199.99 – [Vista Home Premium - $249.99]
- Windows 7 Professional – $299.99
- Windows 7 Ultimate – $319.99 – [Vista Ultimate - $319.99]
Upgrade Versions
- Windows 7 Home Premium – $119.99 – [Vista Home Premium - $129.99]
- Windows 7 Professional $199.99
- Windows 7 Ultimate – $219.99 – [Vista Ultimate - $219.99]
But wait, there’s more. There are some more good news about pre-ordering Windows 7 and getting 50% discount over the pricing mentioned above.
Amazon and other sites are offering discounts for those that purchase their Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional versions before July 11th:
- Windows 7 Home Premium – $50.00
- Windows 7 Professional $100.00
Check Amazon Windows 7 site.
It was leaked a few days back and I think intentionally. Windows 7 box packaging is here and here is a quick look at what it is going to look like. Now the official Windows Team Blog has confirmed that this is the official box packaging for Windows 7. Windows Team blog says that the packages are made simple clean design, easy to open, and reduces waste. The Windows 7 logo is made more bolder and easy to read and each edition has a different box color to easily distinguish itself.
There once was a time when if you wanted to surf the web, check you e-mails and text a buddy on the move you bought a Blackberry. They took care of everything for you and became so popular the brand name was a synonym for ‘Smartphone’. However, the competition has been heating up in the Smartphone market ever since the iPhone was introduced last year. Samsung are meeting it head on with their i900 and the Nokia N97 will give it a run for its money. With all these new releases, each one promising more than the other you’d expect Blackberry, the old giant of the Smartphone world to come out with a good model. You’d be wrong.
Instead, they throw the Tour 9630 out there. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good phone. Good shapes like the Blackberry Curve, nice and wide, QWERTY keyboard and a 480×360 screen. It also has 3G, GPS mapping, good browsing speed and a 3.2 megapixel camera. However, I ask you – does any of this surprise you. When the iPhone came out everyone gasped when GPS mapping was so well incorporated, when the touch screen was so easy to operate and when the internet was just that – the internet. But the upcoming Blackberry Tour 9630 just doesn’t offer anything new.
In fact, it has taken away a few features including one very important one – WiFi. This will deter the typical consumer who doesn’t particularly want to pay 3G charges and use their home WiFi instead. For this reason, the 9630 is only really a good phone for the business person, not for the average consumer. I think that Blackberry has cut out a large chunk of the market by leaving out WiFi. Are Blackberry floundering under the pressure of a new Smartphone market or are they ramping things up for a big release? Let’s hope for the latter because it would be a shame to see a once strong giant disappear so quickly with barely a whimper from phones like the 9630
