Posted 09/25/2008 at 06:35:24pm

In an attempt to latch on to Dell’s green coattails, HP announced today it’s plans to release an series of notebooks featuring the brighter and more energy efficient Illumi-Lite LED display, making the company’s entire notebook line mercury-free by 2010.

HP also promises that its new line of EliteBooks will feature a tough encasing that meets military standard durability tests, built for the “corporate road warrior.” The laptop’s new, modernized look will also feature HP SpareKey and HP File Sanitizer, which will help keep the keyboard and hard drive shock and spill resistant.

Never in the company’s history has such a broad and innovative product lineup been announced. HP’s latest business strategy implements both style and mobility, but not without mentioning that the new notebooks are designed with the environment in mind, using energy-efficient features and select materials for easy recycling.

Posted 09/23/2008 at 06:55:13pm

There seems to be no other device more inane than a pocket-sized projector. But then again, the only thing that could save a swanky cocktail party from total failure is whipping out that compact projector and flaunting last Wednesday’s financial report you so diligently put together. Everyone in attendance will be so impressed by your Powerpoint skills (look at the way that text swivels!). And fortunately for you and the rest of those lackluster cocktail parties you’re sure to attend, Toshiba plans on releasing an ultra compact projector the size of an iPod, so it’ll be easier to take your presentations with you on the go.

The prototype was on display earlier this month at Berlin’s IFA 2008, one of the biggest consumer electronics trade shows. The projector is small enough to fit comfortably inside any pants pocket and runs solely on battery. The device radiates a luminance of about 7lm and can display images as big as 50 inches.

Toshiba hopes that it will be successful at introducing the product in 2009. Afterwards, the company can focus on increasing the specs of the projector, gearing it up with more power and more capabilities. The projector may cost an upwards of $400 USD. Specifications may change before the device’s official release.

Posted 09/23/2008 at 01:20:52pm

SanDisk is teaming up with major music labels, including Sony BMG, to offer “slotMusic”; 1GB memory cards preloaded with full length albums.

The albums will be sold at retailers likes Wal-Mart and Best Buy and will be encoded in high quality mp3 format. The microSD cards will have no DRM restrictions, allowing the music to be easily downloaded to a computer or loaded onto an mp3 player. SanDisk also anticipates that be offering 1GB cards, artists will take the liberty of offering more than just an average 11-track album, maybe even venturing to offer music videos, interviews, album art, bonus tracks, and other premium content.

This business venture is an interesting one, especially considering that SanDisk seems to be attempting to revive physical media. This could prove to be a difficult endeavor, especially with companies like Apple being ahead of the game with iTunes. There’s speculation that this is SanDisk’s way of trying to offset the takeover bids from Samsung and Toshiba, though analysts say there is little the company can do to try to stay independent.

Posted 09/16/2008 at 01:10:23pm

HP released two new high definition notebooks today, adding to a variety of model releases from the company this year.  The notebooks were designed for high-def entertainment purposes, with one model boasting a full 1080p display while the other has 780p.

Both notebooks are packed with hardware, including an Intel Centrino 2 processor, an Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics card, and up to 4GB of RAM. The HDX18 (which has an 18” screen) and contains dual HDD bays with 250GB SATA drives in each and a LightScribe Blue-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Double Layer. The HDX18 costs $1550, while the HDX16 costs $1300. Both models contain two headphone jacks, HDMI and VGA plug-ins, and a remote control.

Posted 09/11/2008 at 04:28:58pm

Michael Arrington of Tech Crunch had a chance to talk to Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Product and User Experience at Google, about her “search is 90-95% solved” story in the LA times.

Mayer said in the original article that “Search is an unsolved problem. We have a good 90 to 95% of the solution, but there is a lot to go in the remaining 10%”. Mayer also alluded that Google still has some mountains to climb before its search has fully adapted to the internet and its growing trends, such as embedded video, maps, and electronic books. Arrington agrees that internet search is still “in its infancy.”

Mayer ended the conversation with saying that the ideal search engine is the user’s “best friend”; it should tailor answers to you based on preference and existing knowledge, and ask, “What do you want?” Hopefully, this is an indication of what’s to come to the Google search engine.

Posted 09/09/2008 at 05:19:38pm

You gotta give some credit to the Zune, who despite weaker-than-expected sales and the inevitable release of new, updated players from Apple’s popular iPod lineup (as well as an iTunes upgrade), attempts its hand at persuadable marketing with new emphasis on the media player’s wireless capabilities.

According to Microsoft, the Zune promises to take music discovery “to the next level” by offering users the ability to wirelessly download and stream millions of song from wireless hot spots around the country. Zune’s software and firmware updates will allow users to purchase music directly from the built-in FM radio as well as wirelessly access the Zune store on the go. And if wireless isn’t available, the media player will queue the download until the user is back in a connected area.

Microsoft is attempting to take advantage of the fact that its player has wireless capabilities and the user can purchase the song as soon as he or she discovers it from the radio, in a store, from a commercial, etc. Zune customers will also have the option to pay for music per song or by purchasing a Zune Pass.