Mini computer priced at S$44 sells out in hours

Updated 02:16 PM Mar 01, 2012

 

CAMBRIDGE - The Raspberry Pi, a credit card-sized gadget that was created by volunteers at a charitable organisation, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, was launched yesterday and is aimed at encouraging children to learn how to programme and code.

The introduction of the £22 (S$44) Raspberry Pi computer caused such excitement that the firm was forced to shut down its full website in favour of a more basic version to ration bandwidth. It seems that the Raspberry Pi is attracting a crowd of hackers and 1980s nostalgists.

"It has been six years in the making; the number of things that had to go right for this to happen is enormous. I couldn't be more pleased," Mr Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi Foundation founder, told the BBC.

Launched yesterday via two suppliers, Premier Farnell and RS Components, the Raspberry Foundation announced the former had sold out within hours with the latter adding new orders to a waiting list.

The credit card-sized Raspberry Pi essentially consists of a circuit board, sockets for a keyboard, monitor and Ethernet cable, and an all-in-one "system on a chip" to do all the number crunching, graphics and memory work. The processor within the chip is based on the same ARM architecture found in Apple's second generation iPhone 3G, which was released in 2008.

The ARM architecture can trace its heritage back to the BBC Micro in the 1980s, an initiative which Raspberry Pi seeks to emulate by prompting a similar boom in hobbyist programming.

The Raspberry Pi runs versions of the Linux operating system - stored on an SD card - and by default supports Python, which is seen as a good programming language for novices to tackle. Any other language compatible with the ARM architecture can be used, however.

The device is by no means unique; there are already a range of cheap, bare-bones computers available. But none has generated the buzz around Raspberry Pi, which among others enjoys the backing of Mr David Braben, a British programmer best known for creating the 1980s space adventure video game Elite.

He and the Raspberry Pi team are sincere in their aim to inspire a new generation to take up programming. The question is whether, once the Raspberry Pi reaches the education market it was originally created to serve, the early enthusiasm among Linux hackers will be replicated among schoolchildren more familiar with touch screens than command lines. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120301-0000168/Mini-computer-priced-at-S$44-sells-out-in-hours

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Are your iPhone photos safe?

Apple loophole gives developers access to photos

Updated 01:59 PM Feb 29, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO - The private photos on your phone may not be as private as you think.

The Apple iPhone 4S.
According to app developers, after a user allows an application on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to have access to location information, the app can copy the user's entire photo library, without any further notification or warning.

It is unclear whether any apps in Apple's App Store are illicitly copying user photos. Although Apple's rules do not specifically forbid photo copying, Apple says it screens all apps submitted to the store, a process that should catch nefarious behavior on the part of developers.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

The first time an application wants to use location data, for mapping or any other purpose, Apple's devices ask the user for permission, noting in a pop-up message that approval "allows access to location information in photos and videos".

"It's very strange, because Apple is asking for location permission, but really what it is doing is accessing your entire photo library," said Mr John Casasanta, owner of the successful iPhone app development studio Tap Tap Tap, which created the Camera+ app. "The message the user is being presented with is very, very unclear."

On Apple devices, full access to the photo library was first permitted in 2010 when Apple released the fourth version of iOS. The change was intended to make photo apps more efficient.

As the Apple Store has grown to include more than 600,000 apps, and with Apple facing pressure from Google and Android, some worry that the company is becoming less vigilant about monitoring app developers, exposing users to unnecessary risks and shoddy apps.

This recent discovery occurs right after developers of applications for Apple's mobile devices, along with Apple itself, came under scrutiny this month after reports that some apps were taking people's address book information without their knowledge. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120229-0000130/Are-your-iPhone-photos-safe?

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Microsoft sees future in Windows 8

Updated 12:55 PM Feb 29, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO - Microsoft is scrambling to preserve what is left of its kingdom.

Since the company released its Windows operating system in 1985, most of the sequels have been variations on the same theme. Not that it mattered much. Regardless of the software's quality, Microsoft managed to remain at the center of the personal computing universe.

BLOOMBERG
The stakes are much different as Microsoft puts the finishing touches on Windows 8 - perhaps the most important piece of software the company has designed since co-founder Bill Gates won the contract to build the first operating system for IBM's personal computer in the early 1980s.

A test, or "beta", version of the revamped operating system will be unveiled today in Barcelona, nudging Windows 8 a step closer to its anticipated mass market release in September or October. The company will offer the most extensive look at Windows 8's progress since it released an early version of the system to developers five months ago.

Microsoft designed Windows 8 to help it perform a difficult balancing act. The company hopes to keep milking revenue from a PC market that appears to be past its prime, while trying to gain a stronger foothold in the more fertile field of mobile devices.

It is a booming market that, so far, has been defined and dominated by Apple's trend-setting iPhone and iPad and Google's ubiquitous Android software.

"Microsoft's future path is riding on Windows 8 and its success," said Gartner analyst David Cearley. "This is a chance for Microsoft to re-establish itself in a market where it's becoming increasingly irrelevant."

If Windows 8 is a hit, it could also help lift the fortunes of struggling PC makers, including Hewlett-Packard and Dell Besides giving businesses and consumers a reason to consider new PC purchases, Windows 8 is expected to spawn a new breed of hybrid machines that will be part tablet computer, part laptop.

If Windows 8 is a flop, however, it will increase the pressure on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. His 12-year reign has been marred by the company's troubles adapting to an Internet-driven upheaval. As Microsoft has stumbled, faster-innovating companies such as Apple and Google have elbowed their way into a position to steer the direction of computing for the next decade or two.

Windows 8 is radically different from its predecessors. The system will not even have Microsoft's familiar "Start" menu.

All applications are spread across a mosaic of tiles, as part of a design Microsoft calls "Metro". The tiles, which resemble road signs, can be navigated with a swipe of the finger on the display screen or with a keyboard and a computer mouse. The tiles also provide a glimpse at the activity occurring in applications connected to the Web, such as email.

The system also is expected to enable users to easily back up their pictures, movies, music and other files on a Microsoft storage service called SkyDrive, which will compete against Apple's iCloud.

The operating system's versatility means it can be used to power computer tablets, as well as traditional PCs.

Microsoft badly wants a piece of the tablet market that has been cutting into PC sales since Apple introduced the iPad two years ago. AP

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120229-0000115/Microsoft-sees-future-in-Windows-8

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Sony unfolds new Tablet P

The clamshell tablet offers all the connectivity you need, at half the size

by Peter Yeo

04:46 AM Feb 29, 2012

 

Sony has got its fingers in almost every entertainment pie you can think of: TV, movies, games and music. So when the tech giant decides to build a tablet, you can be sure it is as entertainment-ready as they come.

Sony Tablet P at work. PHOTO COURTESY SONY

After the launch of the Sony S Tablet in October, Sony has now unveiled the clamshell Sony Tablet P. That's right, a clamshell.

The most obvious benefit of a clamshell design is its size. Being able to fold down a tablet means you can slip it in your jacket pocket, or back pocket, hence freeing up your hands to, I don't know, carry groceries.

While we haven't yet laid our hands on the Tablet P, Sony said the tablet with dual 5.5-inch TFT screens (with a resolution of 1,024 x 480-pixel each) lets you watch a movie on one screen with the controls on the other - read emails on one screen and type a response on the other.

The Sony Tablet P weighs 372g, runs on Android 3.2 operating system - with over-the-air upgrade to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich when it becomes available - a super-quick NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor, and is Playstation certified, with access to the Sony Entertainment Network. A check on Sony's Singapore website said the Tablet P will even come preinstalled with "games with Playstation certified devices".

The Tablet P also connects seamlessly between media with Sony's Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). The tablet is also 3G- and Wi Fi-ready, and comes with 4GB storage memory with expansion via a microSD port. Sony will throw in an additional 2GB microSD card.

It also has a Web front camera and an HD rear camera powered by "Exmor for mobile", at an effective 5-megapixel resolution.

The Sony Tablet P is now available at all Sony stores and authorised outlets for S$848. PETER YEO

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120229-0000003/Sony-unfolds-new-Tablet-P

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Sony's XBA range of earphones struck a note with us

Hardy little things, Sony's latest range of earphones is nothing short of wow

by Christopher Toh

04:45 AM Feb 29, 2012

 

 

Sony's head executives showing the range of XBA earphones.

 

Say what you like about Sony's sound products, you can't deny that they've had some pretty firsts in the headphones arena, like creating the world's first in-ear headphones (in 1982, mind you), the world's first 5.1 digital surround headphones and the first ever digital noise-cancelling headphones. And this month, their latest line of in-ear headphones - the XBA series, featuring 11 models - have finally come to our shore. There are four "regular" models for your music players, four smartphone versions, a Bluetooth version, a noise-cancelling version and a "sporty" model. Using balanced armatures instead of their familiar dynamic drivers, the folks at Sony said that this would be the start of a new direction that the company would be taking.

When we visited their showroom in Tokyo some months ago - where we got a chance to try out all the models - two models stood out for me. The first was the XBA-3. Powered by three balanced armatures (one tweeter, one "full range", and one woofer), the XBA-3 really did live up to the brochure's claim that it would provide a "rich expression through all frequencies". Every little nuance across the frequencies was richly detailed, which was really great for someone who, like me, likes to pick apart the different musical components of a song. (The XBA-4 contains an added "super woofer" armature, although I felt that was a little unneccesary, because really, do we need that in headphones?)

Unfortunately, the XBA-3 was the first one I tried, which meant that when I heard the base model, the XBA-1, which features only one balanced armature, for "full range", it made the music sound a little thin.

Another model that caught my eye was the sporty XBA-S65, meant for those who like to listen to their music while they workout. It has a few things going for it. One, it has an adjustable strap that ensures the in-ear headphones stay in the ear, no matter what type of ear shape you have, and no matter what activity you engage in. I jumped, jogged on the spot, shook my head and those babies were snug as a bug. I've always had problems with in-ear headphones because my ears are of different shapes, so that's a boon. Also, it's doesn't have those annoying, stiff clips that always dig into the back of your ear, which means you can actually wear this for long periods of time.

Another cool factor: It's washable and waterproof (we tested it by dropping it into a bowl of water) so even if you're sweating buckets, you won't have to worry about moisture affecting the internal electronics.

The downside is that the setup is the same as the XBA-1, but I did ask Sony if they were going to release a version that blended the functionality of the XBA-S65 with the internal make-up of the XBA-3. Sony's reply: "We can't tell you for sure, but we also appreciate all feedback."

Ah, well, we all can dream, right?

The XBA range starts from S$109 for the XBA-1.

Source:www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120229-0000001/Sonys-XBA-range-of-earphones-struck-a-note-with-us

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Nokia debuts phone with 41-megapixel image sensor

by Hedirman Supian

Updated 09:18 PM Feb 28, 2012

BARCELONA - Nokia has announced a phone with a 41-megapixel image sensor and new smartphones to expand its Lumia range of Windows Phone-based devices.

The Nokia 808 Pure View built-in camera has a 41-megapixel image sensor. PHOTO COURTESY NOKIA




The Finnish mobile phone maker debuted its new offerings at the annual Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain - the world's largest trade show for mobile phones.

At presentation held to introduce its new devices, Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop said the Finnish company is "demonstrating the actions necessary to improve the fortunes of Nokia".

Nokia unveiled the 808 PureView smartphone (picture), which has a built-in camera with a 41-megapixel image sensor - the largest to be included in a phone so far. During its presentation, it showed audiences large-scale prints that demonstrated the high image quality of photos shot with the camera. The phone maker displayed how high-resolution photos taken with the camera would allow users to crop, zoom or reframe the images with little degradation in detail or quality. The camera also includes optics made in collaboration with lens maker Carl Zeiss. The 808 PureView has a 4-inch screen, a 1.3GHz processor and runs on the Symbian Belle operating system. According to Nokia, the 808 can also record audio at "CD-like levels of quality".

The phone's high-resolution imaging system will be introduced in upcoming devices, said Nokia's executive vice president of smart devices, Jo Harlow: "We are planning to bring this technology to other devices in our future portfolio."

Nokia also introduced a version of its flagship smartphone, the Lumia 900, which retails 480 euros (S$810), that will be available globally in the second quarter of 2012. The Windows Phone-based device was earlier launched in January and was aimed at the US market, with its initial support for LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks - the next generation standard for ultra-fast mobile connectivity. The new version of the Lumia 900 that was announced can support current 3G networks and is capable of download speeds of up to 42.2 Mbps. Apart from its fast connectivity, the phone features a 4.3-inch touch display, an 8-megapixel camera and is powered by a 1.4GHz processor. It is also the only phone in Nokia's Lumia line that features a front-facing camera.

It also debuted the Lumia 610 (189 euros), its most affordable Windows Phone-based smartphone yet. The smartphone features a 3.7-inch touch display, runs on an 800MHz processor and includes a built-in 5-megapixel camera.

Both Lumia smartphones will be available in the second quarter of 2012.

Nokia also launched three new 2G phones - the Asha 202, 203 and 302 - which aims to bring games, support for Microsoft Exchange and touch screens to consumers in emerging markets at low price points. The phones run on Nokia's Series 40 operating system and range from 60 to 95 euros in price.

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120227-0000159/Nokia-debuts-phone-with-41-megapixel-image-sensor

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Samsung rolls out projector phone

BARCELONA - Samsung's new Galaxy Beam phone includes a projector that can show films and pictures at up to 50-inches.

The Beam is the first mainstream phone to directly incorporate projector technology, which has become increasingly common on top-of-the range compact digital cameras cameras.

Photos and videos can be viewed on any flat service, and Samsung claims the 15-lumens projector is even useful outdoors.

So-called pico projectors have long been slightly too big to incorporate into mobile phones. At 12.5mm thick the Beam is slightly larger than other models, which are sometimes under 8mm, but well within the range existing phone consumers routinely purchase.

It features a 5MP camera, and runs Google's Android 2.3 software on a 1.0GHz dual-core processor. The projector is run through a dedicated application, and the phone features a large 2000mAh to cope with some of the extra demand.

The Beam announcement was one of the first to be made at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, where the largest phone companies demonstrate their forthcoming products. Samsung has already announced that its widely anticipated follow-up to the popular Galaxy SII smartphone will, however, be announced at a separate even later in the year. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120227-0000134/Samsung-rolls-out-projector-phone

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