Samsung intros 14.1-inch X460 slim notebook

Samsung on Tuesday introduced a new notebook computer, the X460, which combines a 14.1-inch, 1280x800 LCD screen with a weight that is just under 4.2lbs. Other key specs of the X460 include a 45nm Intel Centrino 2 CPU of various processing speeds and support for up to 4GB of RAM memory. The smallest hard drive is sized at 120GB, while the largest optional HDD is 320GB in capacity. Samsung is trying to position the X460 as a stylish offering users would want to be seen with, and to this end, included a magnesium alloy casing offset with a brushed aluminum panel on the lid that is available in a choice of colors. The laptop also include NVIDIA‘s GeForce 9200M GS graphics chipset with DirectX 10 support. A slim Light Scribe optical drive is standard fare, as are five USB ports for expandability. Bluetooth 2.0+EDR or the integrated multi-card reader allow users to quickly transfer files to and from the notebook, while connecting to the Internet is done via an Ethernet jack or the built-in Wi-Fi connection.

Samsung also deemed it fit to include a fingerprint scanner for security, along with a 1.3-megapixel webcam for video conferencing. An antibacterial keyboard is meant to minimize the build-up of bacteria and thus decrease the likelihood of users getting sick. Other connections the notebook sports include eSATA, DVI, SIO and an HDMI port. The removable 6-cell battery promises to deliver five hours of life when fully charged.

The X460 will launch in October in certain European and Asian countries, with no word on a US release. No pricing information has been released.

Sony prepping VAIO TT ultraportable for Monday?

Sony is gearing up to launch a likely Centrino 2-based update to its VAIO TZ ultraportable notebooks, according to evidence from an FCC filing and a string of forum posts. Called the VAIO TT, the computer would be one of the last remaining systems to launch with Sony's design update and is known to be too powerful to represent Sony's upcoming netbook; most specifications are unavailable, but the notebook will have 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional 3G access over EVDO. A listing at online retailer B&H for a privacy filter which supports both the TZ and TT also pushes the system into the ultraportable class with an 11.1-inch display.

While yet to be confirmed, claims have been made that the new VAIO would be introduced on Monday, lining up roughly with wider availability of ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo processors that will be necessary for the update. Exact configurations are unknown but will likely include carry-over options from the TZ, such as solid-state drives.

Firefox mobile web browser scheduled for 2010

Chicago (IL) – Mitchell Baker, chairperson of the Mozilla Foundation, recently outlined the goals for Mozilla for the next two years. This list includes a somewhat surprising but long overdue product: Firefox for mobile devices code-named Fennec.

The post divides the proposals for Mozilla’s 2010 goals into four main areas – deepen Mozilla’s role on the Internet, assume “leadership” in helping people control their data and making anonymous, aggregate “usage data” more of a public resource, increase Firefox market share and focus on mobile devices.

By 2010, Baker said, there should be an “effective [Firefox] product in the mobile market”, which should “demonstrate that ‘mobile’ is part of one, unified, open web.”

Following Baker’s post, Mozilla explained on its developer blog that it has begun working on getting its upcoming TraceMonkey engine to run on ARM processors. First results of this work have been published on Vladimir Vukicevic’s blog. Users will be able to get a first-hand look at TraceMonkey for ARM in the next alpha release of Fennec, which is the code-name of Firefox Mobile.

There was no information when Fennec will become available for download.

Pentax leaks info on new DSLR, lenses

Camera builder Pentax has accidentally leaked information on a new camera, according to reports. Thought to be called the K-m (not pictured), the camera would allegedly be an entry-level DSLR, similar to Nikon's D60 or Canon's Rebel XS. Specifications pulled from Amazon UK point to a 10-megapixel CCD sensor with sensor-shift stabilization, and ISO sensitivity up to 3200. It is expected to shoot in PEF or DNG RAW formats at up to 3.5fps, and come equipped with a 2.7-inch LCD. Unlike most DSLRs, it is also believed to be powered by four AA batteries, not a proprietary lithium-ion design.

Pentax is further said to be preparing two new L-series lenses, with plastic mounts and weight reductions made with the K-m in mind. A kit with a single bundled lens would cost €500, while one with two lenses would be priced at €600. A November release date is anticipated.

Other Pentax gear rumored to be in development include DA 15 f/4, 60-250, and "super-telephoto" lenses, as well as an SDM 1.4x converter, and a ring flash dubbed the AF160 FC.

BenQ intros slimmest 10MP camera with 3-inch LCD

BenQ on Friday unveiled the thinnest digital camera, at less than 0.7 inches (16.8mm) thick at its slimmest point, to have a 3-inch LCD screen, the 10-megapixel E1050. The E1050 has 32 distinct still image or video shooting modes as well as a red eye remover feature. The 3x optical zoom lens and the E1050’s software allows 16:9 aspect ratio, 848x480 videos to be captured for a proper fit on today’s HDTVs. Another setting sizes videos for direct YouTube uploads. A maximum ISO rating of 3200 is available only with 3MP images or smaller and otherwise, at full 10MP resolution, tops out at 1600. The BenQ E1050 comes with 10MB of usable built-in memory with expansion coming courtesy of an SD card slot, expanding it by as much as 16GB. The camera’s self-time can be set to 2- or 10-second delays, or into a burst and double modes.

The BenQ E1050 will be available in metallic grey only, although prices or release dates have not been announced.

NVIDIA announces worldwide job cuts

NVIDIA on Thursday announced that it would cut 360 jobs across its worldwide operations, which accounts for nearly 6.5 percent of its entire workforce. The company officially announced the cuts are being made to let it invest in key areas of growth, though they are likely related to the company’s recent financial trouble stemming from faulty graphics chips, the resulting lawsuit, and increased competition from the Radeon HD 4000-series graphics card. The job cuts are expected to take effect by October 26, with employees receiving severance packages, counseling and job placement services. Despite the cutbacks, NVIDIA representatives said the company would continue to pour resources into its CUDA parallel computing technology and Tegra mobile single-chip computer. As a direct result of the job cuts, NVIDIA is expected to take a charge of between $7 and $10 million in the third quarter of the 2009 fiscal year. The pre-tax amount will be charged against the company’s operating expenses.

The graphics chipmaker wrote down a near $121 million dollar loss in the second quarter of 2008, the first one in five years, due to graphics cards that would overheat in users’ systems.

Canon signals DSLR smackdown with 21.1-megapixel EOS 5D

Chicago (IL) - Think the Canon EOS 50D DSLR announced a few weeks ago was a big deal? Canon pulled out a even bigger rabbit today with the announcement of the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera. This 21.1-megapixel monster, out by the end of November, will set you back around $2700 for body only or around $3500 with an accompanying EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens.

The highlight of top level features from Canon of the new EOS 5D include "the ability to capture full HD video clips at 1920 x 1080 resolution ... a 21.1-megapixel full frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and significantly lower noise, with an expanded sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 25,600." Need some fast, continuous shooting? Try this on for size - "continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second (fps) for an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEGs to the capacity of the memory card or up to 14 RAW images in a single burst when using a UDMA CF card."

What else do we have? Canon says the EOS 5D includes "a 15-point Autofocus (AF) sensor with nine selectable AF points plus six additional Assist AF points (three center AF points sensitive to f/2.8 lenses) with enhanced light source detection and AF microadjustment." This is on top of a high-magnification optical viewfinder providing 98 percent coverage, 150,000-cycle shutter durability, three Live View AF modes and "peripheral illumination correction when shooting JPEG images." This latter feature is said to even "brightness across the image field, making an image of a blue sky even toned throughout and reducing light fall-off at image edges."

There's a lot more obviously to this camera, but you get the idea it is really loaded. The proof is in the pudding, of course, but I think the EOS 5D Mark II might be enough to get Canon lovers to at long last put down their 2005 EOS 5Ds.

Update: FBI investigates Palin email hack

Chicago (IL) - Rick Davis, lobbyist in chief for John McCain, described the hacking of Sarah Palin’s Yahoo email account as “shocking invasion” in the Governor’s privacy. The FBI confirmed that it is looking into the matter, while Palin cannot prevent the events from turning into a huge mess as it appears that the Governor of Alaska conducted state business using her private email account.

"This is a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy and a violation of law," Davis said in a statement and noted that "the matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these e-mails will destroy them. We will have no further comment."

Yesterday, a hacker group named Anonymous took credit for hacking into the email account and publicizing screenshots, picturesd and other data from Palin’s Yahoo account. An index of the e-mails contained in Sarah Palin’s inbox include the sender, the subject line, and the date and time the e-mail was sent also indicates that Palin was in fact receiving e-mail from her aides and some of them indicated that she in fact used the account for certain messages relating to official business.

FBI spokesman Brian Hale today said that "the FBI is aware of the alleged hacking incident involving Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and is coordinating with the United States Secret Service on the matter."

Among the emails were an e-mail from her press secretary Meghan Stapleton, with the subject line “Motor Fuel Tax Suspension”. Additionally, an e-mail from Randall Ruaro, Palin’s deputy chief of staff was titled “Draft letter to Governor Schwarzenegger”; another from Ruaro also said “Please approve” and a third had the subject line “Court of Appeals Nominations”.

There were e-mails in her inbox that are believed to be about different budget and employee issues with the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

There were e-mails from Janice Mason, Palin’s schedule coordinator that indicated they were in regards to Palin’s schedule during the week of August 10th.

Michael Nizich, Palin’s chief of staff sent her e-mails on August 22, using the subject “Using Royalty Oil to Lower the Cost of Fuel for Alaskans”, and on another date sent her an e-mail titled “Confidential Ethics Matter”.

The fact that Governor Plain used her private email account to discuss state matters, will obviously raise eyebrows and questions whether there was the need to hide any information from the public. Whether this was or was not the case, it is somewhat obvious that the hackers may not remain the only ones being investigated. It is already a PR disaster and somehow we believe that this mess cannot be cleaned up anytime soon.

Canon SX1 IS adds CMOS sensor, 1080p video

As a counterpart to its SX10 IS, Canon has announced the SX1 IS, a version with some performance enhancements. While both cameras have DIGIC 4 processors, 20x image-stabilization lenses and a 10-megapixel ceiling resolution, the SX1 uses a CMOS sensor instead of CCD, something which Canon claims will let it shoot at up to 4fps in full resolution. The camera also uses a slightly larger LCD, measuring 2.8 inches instead of 2.5. Also included is 30fps, 1080p video recording, a feature borrowed from the EOS 5D Mk. II. An HDMI output is provided for displaying images on TVs. Pricing and release dates have not been announced, but it is believed that the camera is unlikely to appear in North America.

MSI prepping U91, U120 Wind netbooks

MSI has plans to expand its Wind netbook range past the U100, according to an interview. Beyond the current system, the company says it is developing the U91, a new 8.9-inch computer whose other specifications are as yet unknown. Also in development is the U120, a system with a 10-inch screen and built-in HSDPA reception.

The company says it eventually intends to adopt dual-core Atom processors into its netbooks, but due to the extra power consumption, this will not happen in the near future. MSI is similarly hesitant to switch from Windows XP to Vista, primarily because it is thought to consume too much RAM for a netbook.

Casio FH20 brings low-cost 40FPS shooting [U]

Casio on Tuesday unveiled the Exilim EX-FH20, a lower-end alternative for the Pro EX-F1. It offers users a higher-resolution 9.1 Megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor focused through a 20x lens but also makes a slight degradation in continuous frame rate, dropping from 60 frames per second for the F1 to 40 (at seven megapixels) in the FH20. The ultra-quick burst movie mode has likewise dropped from 1200 frames per second to 1000. The EX-FH20 nonetheless keeps sensor-shift image stabilization and a pre-shot buffering ability to capture the moment just before the shutter press. The change in design also has the upside of shrinking the camera and rendering it more portable overall. Size has dropped by 27 percent from the F1 while weight has dropped almost proportionately, by 28 percent.

Casio has announced US shipping details and puts the FH20 well below the price of the flagship Exilim Pro EX model, with a $600 price tag accompanying the camera when it ships to stores in October.

100 Tesla magnet being constructed, biggest reusable magnet in the world

Tallahassee (FL) - Researchers working at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MHMFL) in Florida are putting the final touches on what will be the largest reusable magnet ever constructed. It's a nearly six foot diameter outer case with an 8" center core. Capable of producing magnetic fields roughly 100 times more powerful than an MRI or two million times more powerful than a refrigerator magnet, each $20,000 core will withstand around 100 1200-megajoule pulses, with the $8 million outter case withstanding around 10,000. Previous "big magnet" research efforts like this have lead to the creation of neodymium magnets which enable our cell phones and cordless hand tools.

The world's most powerful magnets ever constructed have been approximately 2x to 10x more powerful than this magnet. However, those were called "one use magnets" as they destroyed themselves while in use. In fact, this magnet will also destroy itself during testing, although it's being designed to withstand as many tests (pulses) as possible. The pressures exerted on a 90-100 Tesla field strength magnet are enormous, roughly 30x greater than those experienced at the bottom of the ocean, or the equivalent of 200 sticks of dynamite going off simultaneously.

The wires used in the center core are comprised of copper and silver, a chemical mix design to act like concrete. While the copper is very strong it cracks easily, just like concrete. The silver acts as reinforcement to keep the copper intact for a longer time, but even with the reinforcing, it's only a matter of time until the magnet core explodes. In fact, the explosion will be so massive that the whole buidling has to be evacuated when the magnet is in use to protect nearby researchers from teh expected deafening sound.

The magnet's reusable design consists of two parts, an outer section, or outsert cylinder, that is nearly six feet wide and five feet tall, and an 8" diameter insert comprised of nine separate coils. Together, they weigh nearly 18,000 lbs. The wires used within the coils are as small as 100 atoms in diameter. The entire device will be supercooled to "high-temperature superconductor" levels when in use, drawing 7% of Tallahassee's available power supply.

It is believed the research will ultimately enable the creation of some unexpected products, such as high-tension power lines that do not generate heat using materials achieving high-temperature superconductivity, as well as more obvious products like higher definition MRI scans and better cellphones.

In truth, the concept of having a reusable magnet of this strength is very exciting to the researchers. The ability to have a controlled, scientific approach to reproducible experiments in this field at these levels is unprecedented.


Notes

One Tesla is a very large gauge of magnetic strength, named after physicist Nikola Tesla . A typical MRI would only use around 1 Tesla. The Earth's magnetic field is about 0.00005 Teslas (though it is slowly decreasing over time for reasons not yet known). Another perhaps more well known gauge of magnetic strength is Gauss, named after the German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855). The 100 Tesla magnet would represent about 1,000,000 Gauss. Typical handheld bar magnets are about 100 Gauss. Cordless drills are around 25 Gauss. Very strong laboratory magnets are 100,000 Gauss. And just to show that mankind does not outdo nature, the surfaces of Neutron stars are believed to be 100 million Teslas.

The MHMFL builds on a history of previous high density magnets. In 1994, for example, the operation of a 27 Tesla magnet was first achieved on their site. It was built atop a DC facility with a 1 meter thick concrete base. After that, the lab achieved additional records over time of 30, 33, 35, then hybrid magnets of 45 and pulsed magnets of 60 for long-pulse; 77.8 tesla short pulse and ultimately the 85 Tesla multi-shot magnet. Construction of this magnet is not yet completed, though it is currently in operation at around 90 Teslas.

UC Irvine given $100,000 to study WoW players

Irvine (CA) – The National Science Foundation has given $100,000 to the University of California at Irvine for a study on World of Warcraft players. Bonnie Nardi, a UCI informatics professor, will examine the differences in play habits and culture between WoW players in the United States and China. She already has some interesting observations.

Nardi observed Chinese WoW players mainly in Internet gaming cafes while visiting China. She told the Orange County Register that the Chinese tend to play a “more challenging” version of the game and also use less modifications and add-ons to the WoW interface. According to Nardi, 95% of the Chinese play on this version of Wow versus 50% in the United States.

While we don’t know exactly what Nardi meant by a more challenging version of Wow, she’s probably referring to Player versus Player or PvP servers which allow players to kill each other without warning. PvE or Player versus Environment servers lets players battle each other only upon agreement.

Nardi also says the Chinese WoW players are basically regular people and are unjustly stereotyped by the media. “The vast majority of Chinese players are not gold farmers,” she told the OC Register.

There are approximately five million Chinese WoW players compared to 2.5 million players in the United States. Blizzard manages the game servers in the USA and contracts out to a Chinese company for the servers in China. Chinese players pay mostly on a per hour basis, while Americans either subscribe monthly or pay with store-bought game cards.

Windows 7 Beta delayed until mid-December

A blog entry by Mary-Jo Foley posted on Thursday suggests Microsoft will not make the Beta version of its Windows 7 operating system available to testers at either its October Professional Developers Conference or November’s Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, as expected by many in the industry. While the software giant is likely to unveil new information about the new operating system that is to be Vista’s successor, the actual Beta 1 versions aren’t likely to be released until the middle of December, Foley claims, citing industry sources familiar with the schedule who do not want to be named.

Foley goes on to say small groups of testers who are sworn to secrecy got M-designated (for Milestone) builds and interim updates, and the Windows team is working on an M3 build as well. There are no indications of a pre-beta version, such as a Community Technology Preview build, and instead Foley's sources suggest a wider distribution of Windows 7 bits aren’t likely until the OS is nearly complete with features.

What the delay means is that Microsoft will have less than one year if its promises of a late 2009 release for the final Windows 7 release are accurate, which may be too short a time to get all the bugs worked out, but are not unprecedented in the history of the Office team, Foley suggests.

Back in September, Microsoft promised to release the Windows 7 beta via its usual method, via the Connect site.

The delay suggests a small amount of initial trouble for Microsoft's replacement for Windows Vista, which itself was delayed by three years after security worries pushed the company to effectively restart development of the OS from scratch in 2004. Microsoft officially doesn't expect to launch Windows 7 until sometime in 2010.

More specs on Canon 5D Mark II revealed

A French Canon DSLR news site claims to have the newest updates on the specifications of the upcoming Canon 5D Mark II. The new report has the camera using a 24MP, 24x36mm CMOS sensor and a new grip making up the magnesium alloy case. Like the recently unveiled D90 from competitor Nikon, the 5D Mark II allegedly offers a similar movie recording mode, previously reported as being capable of recording HD content. The same DIGIC IV sensor that debuted on the 50D, which was unveiled in late August, will also be used on the 5D MkII.

Other tidbits include a maximum light sensitivity ISO setting of 25,600 and a new battery that recognizes the automatic operation of the camera. The Live View functionality that allows users to compose a shot via the LCD and is standard fare on other new Canon DSLR is also present, as is an integrated cleaning system. Lenses from Canon’s EF-series and Speedlite EX will bolt up to the new body.

Finally, the report confirmed the camera will debut on September 17, which would have it out about one week before the start of the Photokina 2008 show, where plenty of demos of the new shooter are expected.

Earlier reports also said the new DSLR will be fully sealed against the weather and sport a 3.2-inch high-resolution LCD. An HDMI output is also likely to be accounted for.