MY TECHNO SPOT

Senin, 30 Mei 2011

Angry Birds Magic demo shows off NFC capabilities [video]

We can’t say this is the most exciting use of NFC technology we’ve seen in recent history, but at least the team behind Rovio’s Angry Birds franchise is trying to breathe new life into the lab’s aging fowl. Last week at the MeeGo conference, Rovio was on hand showing off a new game called Angry Birds Magic. While details are slim for the time being, the firm did show off a nifty new feature — by simply tapping two Nokia C7 smartphones together while running the new Angry Birds game, five new levels are instantly unlocked. The implementation is neat but the concept isn’t overly exciting, so we hope Rovio can fan things out a bit and add some more novel NFC functionality before launching the game. Hit the break for a video of Angry Birds Magic’s NFC capabilities in action.

Android 3.1 update for ASUS Eee Pad Transformer leaks out

ASUS' official Android 3.1 update should be coming soon enough, but Eee Pad Transformer users that just can't wait now have another option at their disposal. A seemingly final version of the update leaked out over the weekend and, by all accounts, it appears to work just fine. Of course, there aren't a ton of surprises considering that it's stock Android 3.1, but the early reports suggest that performance and general responsiveness have been improved (with the exception of JavaScript performance, which has actually taken a bit of a hit), and the 3.1 upgrade also enables a new firmware update for the Transformer dock, which brings with it some bug fixes and a new power saving mode. Hit up the source link below for all the information you need to install it.

LG V300 does multitouch, 3D, all-in-one

A show as packed to the walls will shiny new technology as Computex could surely benefit from a few space saving devices, like, say, this new all-in-one from LG. With the high-end configuration you'll get a second generation Intel Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics, a 750GB hard drive, 8GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray player all packed inside the system's slender 1.8-inch thick frame. The V300's multitouch 23-inch Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR)-enabled display offers up 3D with the aid of polarized glasses. The AIW is set for a Korean launch in July, followed by trips to Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia. No word on if or when it'll hit desks in the States, but at least you won't have to find much room on your desk when it does.

TransPhone pairs tablet and handset, emerged before ASUS Padfone

While ASUS' Padfone was being launched with much sticker-clad-model fanfare at Computex today, CMIT's TransPhone was apparently enjoying its third day of life, having first appeared on the web as early as Saturday. Both tablets include built-in docks with smartphones to match, but are otherwise unique in appearance and features. The TransPhone includes a bluetooth headset and a slide-in smartphone dock, while the Padfone's handset is completely hidden by a flip-up rear door. The CMIT device reportedly packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and SVGA display, along with USB and HDMI ports, though we're still unclear on which OS will be running on the tablet. There's also no word on pricing or availability, but the TransPhone is in good company there, so don't get ready to ditch those standalone gadgets just yet.

Shuttle tablets at Computex 2011 (hands-on)

Computex 2011 is fast approaching here in Taipei, and today Shuttle introduced a trio of Android-based tablets to complement its fleet of small form factor computers. The 10-inch (WXGA) N10CN12 and 9-inch (XGA) N09CN01 models are both based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 CPU paired with 1GB RAM, and target the consumer market. The 8-inch (SVGA) V08CT01 -- a ruggedized tablet for education -- features an 800 MHz Texas Instruments Cortex A8 processor and 512MB of memory. Pricing and availability are still up in the air -- no surprise considering the Froyo-running devices we handled still felt very much like prototypes. Take a look at our hands-on gallery below and hit the break for the full press release.

Shuttle tablets at Computex 2011

BlackBerry 'Apollo' gets manhandled on camera

It's not exactly the most exciting device in RIM's pipeline, but the Curve "Apollo" is shaping a solid workhorse of a BlackBerry. The still-unannounced smartphone popped up on Tinh te, with the Vietnamese tech showing off some solid hands-on time with the device, putting it through its paces on video, and ending up genuinely impressed with the aesthetics and speed of the hardware. According to the site the new Curve is 11mm thick (a couple millimeters thinner than the 8900 it's juxtaposed with), packs a 800Mhz Marvell Tavor CPU MG-1 processor, and has a touch-insensitive 480 x 360 screen. Swipe that thumb touchpad after the break for a video tour of the phone, then dig the source link for more close up images.

HP TouchPad available at OfficeMax on July 17th?

Here's something to add to your long list of webOS-related rumors: OfficeMax may be getting the HP TouchPad this July. If the above document is to be believed, HP's new 9.7-inch tablet will be available at the retailer on July 17th in both 3G and 4G versions -- which is a bit puzzling, considering the company hasn't made any mention of WiMAX or LTE compatibility. As for that earlier Walmart gossip, another tipster provided PreCentral with a screenshot of the big box's database (after the break), which corroborates the $600 price tag we've been hearing about for the 32GB model. If this proves true, it'll be another month before we find out whether the slate truly lives up to HP's exceedingly high expectations.

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO to come with glassesless 3D IPS display

Remember how we speculated that the final Eee Pad MeMO may come with a 3D display, courtesy of its teaser? Turns out we were right after all, as ASUS' Jonney Shih has just confirmed a glassesless 3D, 1280 x 800 IPS display for this 7-inch Honeycomb slate, which is now dubbed Eee Pad MeMO 3D. We're also told that the accompanying MeMIC Bluetooth headset will be thrown into the box, though we're still waiting on dates and prices. Until then check out the gallery below and hear our ~~first~~ ~~second~~ third impressions in the video after the break.

Asus Eee Pad MeMO hands-on at Computex 2011

If pads and phones are the fastest growing categories in consumer tech, surely a Padfone would be the ultimate combo? That's what ASUS thinks, and it's just introduced an Android smartphone device that comes with a tablet it can dock into. Display switching is done dynamically, so that reading emails or browsing the web on the phone portion expands itself seamlessly once it's connected into the pad. Also expanded will be battery life, with an extra cell included in the slate. The mockup ASUS is showing the world today includes a 4.3-inch smarpthone and a 10.1-inch tablet dock, but the company says it hasn't yet settled on the final dimensions of the eventual retail product. Other details, such as the particular version of Android, are still light on the ground, but we'll try to squeeze more info out while we're at Computex.

Update: And now we have more pics of Jonney Shih showing off the Padfone, along with the press release and ASUS' promo video after the break. Enjoy!

Update 2: Our buds at Netbooknews caught Jonney Shih's unveiling of the Padfone live on video. Watch with wide-eyed wonderment after the break. How you like them magics, Apple?

ASUS Padfone eyes-on

ASUS Padfone press shots

ASUS announces the Padfone

The thickest part of this new laptop is 17mm, its entire body is built from an aluminum alloy (weighs 1.1kg / 2.4lb), and the CPUs can be specced as high as Core i7. Anything else you need to know before drooling all over yourself? How about a two-second resume from sleep, thanks to ASUS' proprietary software, a SATA III SSD, USB 3.0 connectivity, and the ability to hibernate for up to one week? The trackpad is made out of glass, while the keyboard keys are all metal. ASUS projects the launch of its shiny new UX21 in September, and you can see more of it in the gallery below or video after the break.

ASUS UX21 hands-on