After unveiling Surface (touch screen) technology for large size displays, Microsoft has joined hands with Mitsubishi to work on a small display. According to Microsoft Touch, input on small screen of a mobile device is problematic because a user’s fingers occlude the graphical element he wishes to work with. LucidTouch is a mobile device that addresses this limitation by allowing the user to control the application by touching the back of the device. Sounds very similar to the patent filled by Apple last month. Looks like everyone is working on the same touch technology but with slight modifications. LucidTouch also supports multi-touch input, allowing user to use all the fingers simultaneously to operate the device. According to Microsoft’s initial study, results indicate that many users found touching on the back to be preferable to touching on the front, due to reduced occlusion, higher precision and the ability to make multi finger input. Well 5 years back Microsoft’s study also found out that everyone will prefer Tablets to Laptops, and two years back they said UMPC will replace most ultra portable laptops but we are yet to see that happen.

The A1 comes with 3” 16:9 display and supports MP3, WMA and WAV audio. It also supports AVI (XviD) 320 X 240 resolution video at 20 frames per second. Other file formats it can handle are Windows DRM9, JPEG, BMP and TXT files. The player comes in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities and has SD card slot. A1 has built-in speaker, Internal microphone and FM tuner. Price and availability of the player is yet not known.

Trekstor will be releasing few new players at this year’s IFA and i.Beat is the sexiest of the bunch. It will come with 2GB or 4GB memory, 1.3” LCD screen, FM tuner and voice recorder. The i.Beat will support MP3, WMA, OGG and WAV audio formats. It will also support SMV video format and will have a battery life of 15 hours for audio playback. The player will be priced EUR 119.99 ($163) for 2GB and EUR 149.99 ($200) for 4GB.

Ars Technica's Jacqui Cheng reports Apple will release new line of iPods in first week of September specifically 5th September. Apple typically releases its product on Tuesday but because of the long holiday weekend event will take place on 5th (Wednesday). Ars Technica’s source verified AppleInsider’s report that four new iPods will be released most of which will be Flash based and there will be major evolution of both iPod video and iPod nano. There are no other details about what other product if any will be released on 5th September. According to Ars technica’s source this event will be a Wow level event (may be a iPhone Nano). Well I am sure that we will see new iPods very soon but what else Apple has up it sleeve we will find out on 5th September.

The $100 price cut on 60GB PS3 worked its magic and the PS3 sales were up 61 percent in US for month of July according to NPD Group. But PS3 wasn’t able to pass Xbox 360 in sales, it fell short by 11,000 units. Over all Microsoft sold 170,000 Xbox 360 where as Sony sold 159,000 PS3 units. Nintendo sold 425000 Wii units that’s more then double what Microsoft sold. The bad news for Microsoft is that the number of Xbox sold declined from 198,400 units that were sold in June. In portable player market Nintendo sold 405,000 DS units and Sony sold 214,000 PSP units.

Though Apple didn’t mention exactly what “bug fixes” were there in the software update V1.0.2. Many users are reporting that their WiFi signal seems better, WiFi connection in general is faster and Safari is faster over WiFI. The camera’s live video feedback has also become snappier. Earlier, even a slight hand movement would completely blur the screen but now the refresh rate has increased and hence less blur when you move your hand.

This sexy PMP in a shiny metal box is 0.45” thick (bit fat compared to today’s standards). It has a 2.4” LCD screen and DMB tuner for watching TV. It plays AVI, MP3, OGG, WMA and WAV. It also supports JPEG, BMP and Text files. The battery lasts 25 hours for music playback, 5 hours for video and 4 hours for TV. No word on price and memory capacity yet.

According to 9to5mac the new iPod flagship model (iPod Touch) will have same form factor as iPhone but with few exceptions: Outside rim will be black and the top surface will be more like 5.5G iPod and not like iPhone (rounded), no ear speaker or microphone (its an iPod not iPhone) and bit thicker then iPhone.
It will have few things in common with the iphone like it will run on OSX, 480 X 320 screen resolution, Coverflow and home button like iPhone. According to 9to5mac they have spy-shots of the upcoming iPod video/touch but they have been sent the notice too. (Apple’s legal team’s warning).

The Shuttle XPC Barebone deluxe features an integrated fingerprint scanner, WLAN, Bluetooth, Dolby Digital Live, DTS Connect and HDMI. The system is based on NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV / nForce 630a chipset, AMD AM2 and future AM2 multi-core. The system supports up to 4GB DDR2-800 RAM. There are 6 USB 2.0, 2 firewire, 2 SATA2 and 2 eSATA ports.  The system will be available soon for EUR 315.

This  laptop targeted towards gamers will have a 17” screen and weigh just under 11 pound. The M1730 will be based on Intel’s Santa Rosa Chipset (PM965) and will be available with following Core 2 Duo options T7300, T7500, T7700 or X7800. NVIDIA GeForce Go 8700M GT will handle the graphics department. The other features on the laptop are up to 4GB RAM, Blu-Ray drive (optional), 2-megapixel webcam, 802.11 a/b/g/n, ExpressCard slot, Bluetooth, USB port, DVI out, Firewire and S-video. The most notable option is an Ageia PhysX controller. The laptop will also feature a small gaming LCD just above keyboard and will have customizable external LED lighting. The system will be available online starting 27th August.

According to Engadget, Gizmodo and few other sites, Apple's legal team called demanding they take the shot down, claiming ownership of the photo, and that it was “stolen” from the company. It looks like the shots were real and the new iPod nano will be “squarish”. I just hope the Nano looks better in person then what it looks in those spy-shots. We will definitely come to know in about a month’s time.

According to Vgchartz data Wii have passed Microsoft’s Xbox 360 on a worldwide basis as of August 23rd. Vgchartz data is based on sample data from retailers all over the world indicates that Nintendo’s Wii currently stands at 10.57 million consoles sold over Xbox 360’s sales of 10.51 million units, making Nintendo the new market leader. These numbers are meant to project consoles sold not consoles shipped. Weekly data from vgchartz shows that Wii outsold Xbox 360 by a margin of 2.3:1 on average each week since its release. It took Wii only 10 months to accomplish what Xbox 360 did in 22 months.
You can read more on: Vgchartz

This brilliant ad has an LCD that can be painted up by your Bluetooth phone, as it allows passers to use there Bluetooth enabled mobile phone as spray can to design there own graffiti. There is no word on whether it can take multiple inputs or not.

Via Engadget

Venzero’s LINQ will come equipped with WiFi, allowing you to listen to internet radio on the go, as well as stream music from your PC. The player has 4GB onboard memory, MicroSD expansion slot, 2.4” LCD screen, FM Tuner and Voice recorder. The player supports MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, WAV, AVI (video) and MPEG-4 (video). The player will go on sale in September for $199.

Razer 3G is one of the fastest mouse with 4000 DPI resolution and 100” per second tracking. Though the mouse is mainly designed for gaming it doesn’t have interchangeable weights like Microsoft Sidewinder or Logitech gaming mouse. The other features on this mouse are 32kb onboard memory, 1000Hz ultrapolling, 1millisecond response time, Always-on mode and gold plated USB connector. To get hold of one of these, you will have to pay $79 and it will be available in October in Phantom White and Banshee Blue color.

Pentax released two new compact digital cameras including 8-megapixel Optio Z10 and 10-megapixel Optio S10. Both cameras have 7X optical zoom, face recognition, 2.5” screen and both will cost $250. The main difference between the two cameras is that S10 is a DivX certified camera, which can record Divx videos at 640X480 resolution.

Sony introduced HDV camcorder HVR-HD1000U for entry-level professionals like freelancers or educational video creators. The unit supports both HDV and standard def DV formats. The camcorder has Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonner T 10X optical zoom lens and features Super SteadyShot technology. The unit is based on Sony’s 1/2.9 inch ClearVid CMOS sensor that can capture stills of up to 6.1-megapixel. You can get this HD goodness for $1900 in December.

The Olympus Stylus 820 is a $250 digicam, which has 8-megapixel CCD sensor, 5X optical zoom, 2.7” screen, 20 scene modes and 47MB built in memory. It will be available in September. The Stylus 830 has a 2.5” screen, 8-megapixel, 5X optical zoom and 15MB built in memory. Additionally it has two underwater scene modes and will cost you $330. The top of the line Stylus 1200 has a12-megapixel sensor, 2.7” screen, 3x optical zoom, ISO range up to 6400 and 47 MB built-in memory. Stylus 1200 will be priced at around $350. Stylus 1200 and 830 will be available in October. All three cameras are All-weather cameras (not Shock/waterproof).

If you plan to take your camera for a swim, then you should consider Olympus Stylus 790SW. This shock and waterproof camera can withstand 5 feet drop and 3 meters deep dive. Other features except diving are 7.1-megapixel resolution, 2.5” screen, 3X optical zoom, ISO range of 80 to 1600, and 23 scene modes. The camera will be available in September for $300.

The flagship of FE Series is FE-300 that has 12.0-megapixel resolution, 3X optical zoom, 2.5” screen, face detection technology, 17 scene modes, and TurePic III image processor. The next in line is FE-290, which has 7.1-megapixel resolution, 3” Screen, 4X optical zoom and 15 scene modes. The third in line is F-280 that has 8.0-megapixel resolution, 3X optical zoom, TruePic III image processor, 2.5” screen and 20 scene modes. The last in line is FE-270 that has 7.1-megapixel resolution, 3X optical zoom, 2.5” screen and 15 scene modes. The new FE series cameras will be available in September and the price is not yet known.

This superzoom camera features a TruePic III image processor, 8-megapixel 1/2.35 inch CCD sensor, 18X wide-angle zoom lens, mechanical image stabilization, up to ISO 6400, 15 frames per second burst and 2.5” screen. The camera has face detection technology and runs on four AA batteries. It will be available in October for $450.

Nikon also announced two new Nikkor lenses, the first one AF-F NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens is one of the fastest 14mm ultra-wide angle zoom lenses and is priced $1,799.95. The second lens AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED is a highly versatile lens ideal for broad range of applications and lighting conditions, it will be priced $1699.95. Both lens feature Extra-low Dispersion glass element for minimal chromatic aberration and will be available in November.
Three Super-photo lenses were also announced the AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8 ED VR, AF-S NIKKOR 5000mm f/4G ED VR, and AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VD the prices are $8799.95, $7899.95 and $9499.95 respectively and will be available in November.

Nikon today unveiled the 12.3-megapixel D300 that is as fast as the newly introduced D3 SLR.  According to Nikon the camera power ups in 0.13 second and has a 45-millisecond shutter lag. Nikon is using the same EXPEED image processing system, which is used in their flagship D3. The camera has 51-point auto focus, shoots eight frames per second and can deliver continuous bursts of up to 100 consecutive shots. The camera also has 3D tracking with automatic focus point switching that takes advantage of 51 AF points as it uses color and light information to track the subject. You can grab this more affordable camera for $1800 in November.

Nikon today introduced D3, the new flagship digital SLR that has 12.1-megapixel resolution and Nikon new FX format CMOS sensor (23.9 X 36mm) that is nearly identical to 35mm film size. The camera can shoot 9 frames per second in full FX-format resolution. The D3 has the new EXPEED image processing system and a normal ISO range of 200 to 6400 as well as expanded ISO range of ISO 100 or ISO 25,600 using special modes. According to Nikon the new camera has “the fastest startup time, shortest viewfinder blackout time, and shortest shutter lag of any digital SLR camera.” The D3 features 51 points auto focus system with Nikon’s 3D focus tracking feature and two new LiveView shooting modes. Nikon claims a shutter lag of only 37 milliseconds and a start up time of 0.12 seconds. The camera can shoot 64 consecutive frames in full FX format. The D3 also features a new Active D-lighting mode that, when enabled, provides real time highlight and shadow correction with optimized image contrast. You can get this excellent camera in November for $5000 only.

The GO! Branded video download service which is a joint venture between Sony and British Sky Broadcasting will be launched in early 2008. This will be the first official PSP video download service in Europe. The very latest premier movies and high profile sporting events will be available on a pay per view basis. Customers will be able to download their choice of program direct to their PSP via WiFi connection or transfer content that they’ve downloaded to their PC. Another Sony announcement just for Europe.

PlayTV is a TV tuner and Personal Video Recorder for PS3. The twin channel TV tuner and PVR software turns PS3 into TV recorder, allowing you to watch, pause and record live TV. PlayTV can also record individual programs or the whole series to PS3 hard drive and you can transfer this contact to PSP. The PlayTV works on DVB-T (won’t work in US) and uses EPG2 (Electronic programming guide) for programming the PVR features on PlayTV. PlayTV’s two TV tuners are HD read and supports 1080p for viewing, recording and playback. The recorded TV shows are quickly transcoded from high quality to PSP quality for viewing on PSP. PlayTV will be available in Europe starting early 2008 no word on whether Americans will see a similar device for their PS3.

Intel today announced the Core 2 Extreme X7900 processor based on 65-nanometer technology. The X7900 has 800 MHz front side bus and runs at 2.8GHz. TDP rating of the processor is 44W and its possible to overclock the processor up to 3.2 GHz. This is the same processor Apple has been using in the new iMacs, which were released on 7th of August. The release date for other PC manufacturers is yet know known.

Engadget has posted details about the up coming Dell XPS 420. The XPS 420 will have hardware MPEG-4 encoder and Vista SideShow display up top. The other features of the system are Core 2 Duo Extreme or Quad processor, Intel X 38 chipset with DDR2 800, Dell Xcelerator hardware MPEG-4 encoder, ten USB ports, two 1394 ports and audio ports in front and back. The MiniView (SIdeShow) up top shows time, date, calendar, system stats and controls for media access.
You can read more on: Engadget

DVD player with HDD recorder is news if Bang & Olufsen releases its sexy DVD 2 player. The DVD 2 player has a built in analog TV tuner to capture programming on either writable DVD or the 250 GB hard drive. It support Guide Plus+ EPG, includes a timer for scheduling recordings and has HDMI output. Bang & Olufsen’s are more known for their sexy looks then technical specification. There is no word on price or availability.

Logitech today unveiled the 5.1 surround sound speaker system that features 360-degree surround sound with dual Matrix modes for gaming. The two Matrix modes help to turn the stereo (two channel) sound into surround sound. The G51 speakers have two Frequency Directed drivers in each satellite speaker. The total RMS (root mean square) power on the system is 155 watts. The Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker System is expected to be available in October for a suggested retail price of $199.99.

The SideWinder mouse allows gamers to personalize their mouse by adjustable weight tray, changeable mice feet, DPI control and new software features. The SideWinder mouse lets gamers record their own macros by tying a sequence of actions into one press of a button. Microsoft SideWinder mouse will be available in October for a retail price of $79.99.
You can get more details about the mouse here: Market Watch

9to5mac has posted spy shots of what they are calling the 3rd generation iPod Nano. The same website had previously reported about the up coming colors of the new iPod Nanos.  Even though the spy shot doesn’t look real I just wish Apple didn’t release anything looking like that. I am definitely sure we will see new iPods very soon whether it will be iPod Nano or a snazzier Video player is still left to the guesswork.

This little device from Samsung has 10X zoom, 720p resolution, records on SD cards and supports MPEG 4 (H.264). According to Samsung it’s their smallest HD camcorder. The price and availability are yet not known.

The prototype LCD developed by Sharp is just 20mm thick has a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 and power consumption of 140kWh/year for a 50” TV. The LCD TV reproduces 150% of NTSC color gamut and weighs 25 kg. According to Sharp “consumers in the future will be seeking even higher image quality, larger screen sizes, completely new designs that will revolutionize living spaces, and advanced environmental performance.”

Sprint today launched Motorola V9m (RAZR 2) for $250 with two years contract. The V9m comes with Touch sensitive buttons on external display, supports sprint music store, microSD card slot, Bluetooth, 2.0-megapixel camera, Voice activated dialing and 3G support.

Verizon has launched Windows Mobile based Motorola Q9m for $350 with two years contract. But you can get a $100 rebate if you buy it on Verizon online store. The Q9m has V CAST support, Bluetooth, 1.3-megapixel camera, miniSD card slot and EV-DO.

Toshiba today announced 16GB SDHC card that will be available in October for $350. But the real news is the 32GB SDHC card that would be available in January for $700. Toshiba also released a 8GB microSDHC card that will be available soon. I don’t know of any phone, which supports microSDHC card as of now, but definitely microSDHC is the way to go for future.

iRobot has totally redesigned the new Roombas, which helps the vacuum system to pick up grime more effectively. The 560 has Virtual Wall Lighthouse system which gets activated with the help of 2.4GHz RF. The Lighthouses are RF based tracking system that is placed on each doorway and it helps Roomba to track which rooms are done. The scheduling is now built into the robot. The Roomba 560 is $350 and 530 is $300, they are available now.

This new Alto has a wireless keyboard but you don’t get a mouse with the system. Alto cordless can elevate your laptop for some more comfortable viewing. The alto will be available next month for $100, if you need powered USB ports then you will have to buy an optional $20 power adapter.

The Loewe’s Connect Series aims to transform the TV into an intelligent, networked media center. The sizes ranges from 32” to 42” and there are three different models. Loewe Connect Series TV has a built in network media player, integrated HD tuner, a USB port and Ethernet/WiFi module. If you opt for Connect Media DR+ you will get a built in Hard drive recorder to archive OTA programming. Price and availability is not known.

JAYS says that q-JAYS are the smallest earphones on the market. But then also they have dual micro armatures drivers and the bass enhancing AirBooster. The q-JAYS have variety of different sized silicon sleeves for different ear sizes and a flexible cable setup.  The q-JAYS comes with a white leather case, two extension cords and a flight adapter. The earbuds will be released in Europe very soon for $180.

Philips is releasing the Perfect Pixel HD processing engine based 32” LCD (32PFL9632D) in Europe. The TV has a DVB-T tuner, which won’t work in America. The LCD has WXGA resolution (1366 X 768), 100Hz Clear LCD technology, three Millisecond response time, two channel active Ambilight, USB port, three HDMI ports, 550 cd/m2 brightness and four built in speakers. You can get this TV in Europe for 999 pounds.

So it was Canon’s day yesterday and today its Sony’s turn. Sony announced two 8-megapixel ultra-compact point and shoot cameras. The T200 has a 3.5” LCD, 5X optical zoom and comes in silver, black and red, whereas the T70 has 3” LCD screen, 3X optical zoom and comes in silver, black, white and pink. They both have 16:9 aspect ratios and have ISO of up to 3200. The price is not yet known but you can pre-order them starting 23rd August.

Sony today updated it CyberShot DSC-H2 model to the new DSC-H3 model. The new CyberShot has a 2.5” screen in place of 2” screen, its bit slimmer and has lower price. The new DSC-H3 has 8.1-megapixel instead of 6-megapixel and it had 10X zoom down from 12X. According to Sony the camera should cost less the $300 (say $299) when it ships in September.

Flash players have 98% share in online video market, most of the sites like YouTube, ABC and CNET favor flash over other competing formats. The high-def standard that Adobe will use is H.264 and ACC audio standard, which is the same format used in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. H.264 is an open standard and the result of an industry consortium. Apple added H.264 support to Quicktime two years ago and has been using it for its iTunes store’s TV shows and Movies. The new version of Flash with support of H.264 and ACC well be available for download today on Adobe’s website.

Apple has signed contract with mobile operators in Europe, the contract requires that the operators hand over 10% of revenue made by iPhones. The contract was signed by T-mobile for Germany, Orange for France and O2 for UK. The operators are set officially to announce the partnerships at IFA trade in Berlin at the end of August.

You can read the complete article here:  Financial Times

The real truth is MTV URGE service never really took off even thought it had Microsoft’s blessing. After Microsoft went for Zune it was best for MTV to find another partner, as URGE was not strong enough to stand on its own two feet. MTV and Real announced a new company Rhapsody America. Beginning immediately, URGE customers can use their username and passwords to access Rhapsody. Rhapsody customers can access programming from MTV, VH1 and CMT. Verizon will eventually send duplicates of songs purchased on V CAST directly to a customer’s Rhapsody account. The service also will allow transfer of subscription music from rhapsody account to a mobile phone. In short, this is a desperate attempt by two weak companies to save themselves with additional support provide by Verizon.

It’s a known fact (rumor) that Apple will soon release new iPods and it is about time that Apple did that. In his note to clients, the USB analyst said that he expects Apple to refresh its iPod video and iPod Nano sometime next month. Among the expected introductions are higher capacity iPod Nanos at aggressive price points, as well as flash based widescreen video iPod likely using multi-touch technology for less then $300. USB analyst also said  “ our checks and discussion with Apple and AT&T store representatives indicate relatively solid demand for iPhone and the unit estimate for this quarter is conservative when compared to number of iPhones sold daily by each store we visited or called.”

IOGEAR's Digital Scribe is the first device ever to capture natural handwriting from any surface, and store it directly onto your computer. Based on an electronic pen that uses ordinary ink refill and writes on any paper, the Digital Scribe stores handwritten notes, memos or drawings onto your computer screen for easy editing right away or save it for a later time. The Scribe can also act as a substitute for your mouse making it easy to switch between applications you wish to write in.  The pen can also supplement your keyboard for text input and speed up your work in hundreds of software applications that let you customize and create shortcut features. Digital scribe will cost you $99 only and works with both XP and Vista.

Samsung announced its new highest capacity yet 1.8” Hard disk which is smaller than a business card but can hold 160GB. Spinpoint N2 is 4200rpm drive with 15ms seek time and consumes less then 1W power. No word on price and availability. Waiting for 160GB iPod.

Wal-Mart today announced that it is now selling digital music downloads through it website without DRM (copy-protection). Universal and EMI will be offering their music DRM free through Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will be selling DRM free MP3 downloads for 94 cents compared to $1.29 charged by Apple’s iTunes for DRM free songs. The move puts Wal-Mart in closer competition with Apple’s iTunes online store.  The MP3 files are encoded at 256kbps and can be played on any mp3 player or any computer.

Japan’s Communications Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday that Japan will start research and development on technology for a new generation of network that would replace the Internet. According to Suga, the Internet has increasing constraints in achieving higher throughputs of data as well as ensuring data security. He envisions a network, which is faster and more reliable for data transmission, has more resilience against computer viruses and breakdowns.

Apple today released software update versioin 1.0.2 for iPhone software. According to information provided by Apple the software update doesn't bring any new features but it's just for bug fixes.

Toshiba today announced the world’s first 320GB 5400 rpm 2.5” and 200GB 7200rpm 2.5” hard drives. Toshiba will ship these in November. I am positive that Samsung will release a 350 GB 2.5” drive to compete in the market real soon. The new drives have improved read-write heads and enhanced magnetic layer to boost area density and achieve higher storage capacity. The 7200rpm drives have 16MB buffer memory where as the 320gb 5400rpm drives have 8MB buffer memory.

Today Nokia announced a new 3G (WCDMA) based handset, which has a QVGA screen (16 million color), a camera with 6x zoom, 30MB on board memory and microSD card slot. The phone will be available next month for around 200 Euro ($270). It’s not yet known in which countries the phone will be released and what band it will use.

IBM has been supporting MRAM (magnetic memory) but the company has been having trouble shrinking the transistors on these chips. According to IBM’s Bill Gallagher “ As you make that device (MRAM) smaller, you need to increase the magnetic field, and to continue to write data, it becomes impractical. To scale beyond 65 nanometer, we have to find a new mechanism to write information.”  The new technology that IBM and TDK will develop together is called Spin Torque Transfer RAM (STT-RAM). In STT-RAM an electric current is applied to a magnet to change the direction of the magnetic field. The direction of the magnetic field causes a change in resistance, and the different levels of resistance register as 1s or 0s. IBM and TDK will develop the first 65-nanometer prototype within four years.

Skype released their official Statement in which they pointed their finger on Microsoft Windows Update for Crashing the Skype network.
SKYPE OFFICIAL STATEMENT:
On Thursday, 16th August 2007, the Skype peer-to-peer network became unstable and suffered a critical disruption. The disruption was triggered by a massive restart of our users' computers across the globe within a very short timeframe as they re-booted after receiving a routine set of patches through Windows Update.
The high number of restarts affected Skype's network resources. This caused a flood of log-in requests, which, combined with the lack of peer-to-peer network resources, prompted a chain reaction that had a critical impact.
Normally Skype's peer-to-peer network has an inbuilt ability to self-heal, however, this event revealed a previously unseen software bug within the network resource allocation algorithm which prevented the self-healing function from working quickly. Regrettably, as a result of this disruption, Skype was unavailable to the majority of its users for approximately two days.
The issue has now been identified explicitly within Skype. We can confirm categorically that no malicious activities were attributed or that our users' security was not, at any point, at risk.
This disruption was unprecedented in terms of its impact and scope. We would like to point out that very few technologies or communications networks today are guaranteed to operate without interruptions.
We are very proud that over the four years of its operation, Skype has provided a technically resilient communications tool to millions of people worldwide. Skype has now identified and already introduced a number of improvements to its software to ensure that our users will not be similarly affected in the unlikely possibility of this combination of events recurring.
The Skype community of users has been incredibly supportive and we are very grateful for all their good wishes.

After launching 8 new cameras early today Canon has now launched 12 new printers. There are two compact photo printer, two basic photo printers and eight all-in-ones. The PIXMA mini320 is a compact inkjet based printer for $179 where as the SELPHY CP740 is a Compact photo printer based on Dye-sublimination and is available for $99. The two basic photo printers are PIXMA iP3500 and PIXMA iP4500, which costs 79.99 and 129.99 respectively. Then Canon has released three office all-in-one printers PIXMA MX300 for $99.99, PIXMA MX310 for $129.99 and PIXMA MX700 for $199.99.Canon also released five photo all-in-one printers PIXMA MP210 for $79.99, PIXMA MP470 for $99.99, PIXMA MP520 for $149.99, PIXMA MP610 for $199.99 and the last one PIXMA MP970 for$299.99.

Toshiba today launched two new ultra portable laptops weighing less than 4 pounds. There is little difference between the Satellite U300 and Satellite Pro U300. The U300 features a metallic onyx-blue casing where as the Pro U300 has titanium silver casing. Both have Intel Centrino Duo processors, 13.3” WXGA TruBrite Screen, 1.3 megapixel web camera, Dual layer DVD burner, multi-card reader and WiFi. The standard model has larger hard drive and increased memory and the Pro has Vista Business and Toshiba hard disc drive protection system. The Satellite U300 starts at $1150 and the Pro U300 starts at $1300.

Tilera today announced Tile64, a RISC based processor clocked between 600MHz and 1GHz aiming for integration in embedded application such as routers, switches, appliances, video conferencing systems and set-top boxes. Its manufacturer claims that the processor can out perform Intel Core Duo processor by a factor of 10X in performance and 30X in power efficiency. What I don’t understand is how can you compare a general-purpose processor like Core Duo to an Embedded Application processor. The Tile64 has a total bandwidth of 32Tb/s and each core has 500Gb/s bandwidth. Each tile integrates two 8 KB L1 caches (8 KB iL1, 8 KB dL1) as well as a 64 KB L2 cache. The manufacturer states that each tile consumes a maximum of 300 mWatt, which translates into a maximum power consumption of 19.2 watts per Tile64 chip. The Chief Technology Officer Anant Agarwal said that he believes that the company has solved a "huge problem" of multi-core architectures and therefore has a substantial advantage: "We know how to get to hundreds of cores. This means that we are way ahead of the competition."

AMD officially launched the new Athlon 64 X2 6400+ black edition. The processor runs at 3.2GHz with 2MB of L2 cache and 125W TDP. The processor supports DDR2-800 memory and will be available for $239 in quantities of 1000 units. AMD is positioning this processor against Intel’s Core 2 Duo E6850, which is available for $280. It has been said that the 6400+ will be perform 10% to 15% below Intel’s E6850. AMD needed this boost before their Phenom series is released as their present 6000+ processors were not even able to keep up with Intel’s E6700.

Sony today announced their 12.4-megapixel CMOS image sensor, which offers enhanced image quality with reduced noise. The sensor shoots 10.39 frames per second and is available in sample quantities for $350.

Starting today, you can buy a Dell XPS 410 with single or Dual ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuners. You will add $236 per tuner to your total if you select the option when configuring your machine.

Canon today added A650 IS a 12.1-megapixel camera and A720 IS an 8-megapixel camera to its A-series. Both cameras have 6X optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, DIGIC III image processor, 2.5” Vari-angle LCD screen, 4X digital zoom and 19 shooting modes. The A650 IS will cost $400 and the A720IS will cost $250 and will be available in September.

Canon today introduced a brand new PowerShot line the SX series and the first camera in the line up is ultra-zoom PowerShot SX100 IS, which has 10 X optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer technology and 19 shooting modes. The camera comes with 8-megapixel resolution, DIGIC III image processor, Face Detection Technology and 2.5” LCD screen. The SX100 will cost you $299 and will be available in October.

According to Canon “The PowerShot G9 digital camera brings our highest levels of performance and usability to the G-series.”  Canon positions this camera towards Prosumers who want the many functions a digital SLR offers at  an affordable price. The new G9 has 12.1-megapixel resolution, 6X optical zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer, Advanced Face Detection technology, 23 shooting modes, DIGIC III image processor and 3” PureColor LCD screen. The G9 is compatible with Canons wide-angle, telephoto and micro lenses as well as EOS Speedlite flashes and waterproof case. The camera will be available in October for $499.

Canon PowerShot SD870 IS has 8.0-megapixel resolution, 3.8x wide-angle optical zoom with optical image stabilization and a DIGIC III processor with Advanced Face Detection Technology. Canon is positioning this camera as a fashion accessory with the option of a black or silver lens ring. The camera has wide-angle zoom lens and 3” PureColor LCD screen with scratch-resistant and anti-reflection coating. You can get the camera for $399.

The Canon PowerShot SD950 IS is the top of the line point and shoot compact camera from Canon. The PowerShot SD950 IS Digital ELPH camera is equipped with upgraded features such as 12.1-megapixel resolution, 3.7x optical zoom with optical image stabilizer (OIS) for steady shooting and a next-generation version of Canon's Genuine Face Detection technology. This camera has a DIGIC III image processor, red-eye correction, an optical viewfinder and a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD screen with scratch-resistant and anti-reflection coating for easy viewing at any angle. The Camera will be available for $449.99.

The EOS-1 series represents the best in Canon’s line of SLR cameras and this camera is no different. The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR has a new 21.1-megapixel full frame Canon CMOS sensor, dual DIGIC III image processors, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, 3” LCD monitor with Live View Function and 45 points AF (Auto Focus) system. The camera support CF Type I and Type II cards, SD/SDHC Memory card and External media via an optional wireless file transmitter. The camera is compatible with Canon EF, TS-E and MP-E lenses. The supported file formats are JPEG and RAW, you can get shooting speed of 5 frames per second.

Canon officially releases details about the up-coming EOS 40D digital SLR. EOS 40D will feature Integrated Cleaning System, Live view Function, DIGIC III image processor, 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 3” LCD monitor and shooting speed of 6.5 frames per second. The camera will support Compact flash type 1 and type 2 cards and external media like USB 2 hard drive via optional wireless file transmitter (WFT-E3A). The 40D will be compatible with Canon EF, EF-S, TS-E and MP-E lenses. The camera will support JPEG and RAW file types and will be available in September for $1299.

Apple released their new line of iMac on 7th of this month. The aesthetics of the new iMac are undeniably sexy and the new keyboard adds to the sleek look of the new iMac. The two main areas of concern were the new glossy screen and the new keyboard. Like the Macbook keyboard the new keyboard has chiclet like keys, it takes a little time to get used to before you start liking the keyboard (same as Macbook). Personally I am not a big fan of glossy screen but the screen is bright and has very good color reproduction. The black bezel around the screen and the metal case makes the screen look brighter and gives the iMac super elegant look. The iMac has limited but strong configuration options. In terms of performance the new iMac is very strong and is priced competitively to other available options. In fact it is one of the lowest priced all-in-one desktop. I don’t see any reason that should stop you from buying the new iMac unless you belong to the rare breed of top-notch gamers or upgrade enthusiasts.
For more information you can read the following detailed reviews

Ars Technica (8 out of 10)
    CNET (8.2 out of 10) Editor’s Choice
    PC Mag (4.5 out of 5) Editor’s Choice
    MacWorld (4.5 out of 5)