2008 March 13 | official tech blog

Mar 13 2008

Improved LED backlights for your keyboard on the way

Posted by: admin in Tech And Life

This company Global Lighting Technologies is working on providing better LED-based backlighting for keyboards and other devices like the Razer Lycosa above. They’re hoping to use fewer LEDs so there’s less of a power draw, as well as making the backlight layer thinner. I think I actually prefer an amber or sort of wine-colored glow, […]

This company Global Lighting Technologies is working on providing better LED-based backlighting for keyboards and other devices like the Razer Lycosa above. They’re hoping to use fewer LEDs so there’s less of a power draw, as well as making the backlight layer thinner. I think I actually prefer an amber or sort of wine-colored glow, blue is a little too “extreme gamer” for me.

Global Lighting launches LED-based keyboard backlight [Digitimes]

Mar 13 2008

Audeo Neckband Translates Your Thoughts into Speech, Voicelessly [Voiceless Spea

Posted by: admin in General Tech News

The science-fiction sounding Audeo can apparently detect nerve impulses your brain sends to your vocal cords, and then translate them into meaningful electronic speech without a sound escaping from your mouth. While secret agents everywhere are presumably rejoicing at the idea, it’s actually intended to help people whose disabilities mean they can’t speak. Don’t believe it? The designers recently demonstrated it by making a cellphone call at a Texas Instruments conference, and recorded it on video.

For the brain to send the right nerve impulses, it apparently requires the user to think about speaking in a particular way—one designer calls it “a level above thinking.” Despite the learning curve this causes, requiring users to go through lots of training, it brings another benefit: you can intersperse talking normally with voiceless speech.

The company has been working on the technology for a while, starting by using it to control an electric wheelchair. For the time being, though, the speech system is a technology in its infancy. The processing delay is evident from the video, and it has a limited vocabulary of only 150 words and phrases. By the end of 2008, the company is hoping to release a new version that recognizes the phonemes that comprise normal words, effectively giving it an unlimited vocabulary. [New Scientist]

Via [Gizmodo]

Mar 13 2008

Asus says XPEee will outsell regular Eee

Posted by: admin in Tech And Life

Take a look around the cubicles at Asustek headquarters and you’ll see nary a March Madness bracket worksheet in sight. No, the good folks at Asus are making a much more massive, bolder bet. A bet that will shock and amaze all who dare to entertain the thought of — wait for it — an […]

news03052008 Take a look around the cubicles at Asustek headquarters and you’ll see nary a March Madness bracket worksheet in sight. No, the good folks at Asus are making a much more massive, bolder bet. A bet that’ll shock and amaze all who dare to entertain the thought of — wait for it — an Eee loaded with XP outselling an Eee loaded with Linux.

Dun-dun-DUUUUN!!! And with that, I’ve tried my best to make an amusing and provocative post out of relatively dry information. The delicious caramelized onions of the story include the following factoids; first, Asus says that the XP version will outsell the Linux version by a 6 to 4 ratio. I’m pretty sure they could have just made that a 2 to 3 ratio but hey, tomorrow’s Friday.

Second, the Windows version will cost around $408 or $473 depending upon which of the two models you select. The Surf XP will have a 650MHz processor and the 4G XP will have a 900MHz processor, plus an integrated webcam and about 45 minutes more battery life. Both will come with 512GB of RAM and a 4GB hard drive, according to IDG News Service. I’m surprised that the more costly one wouldn’t have a full gigabyte of RAM and I’d think that the costs here in the US (the $408 and $473 figures are calculated against Taiwanese dollars) would maybe be $399 and $499.

The launch date for these devices was supposed to be sometime in February or March, so they should be here soon. The 8GB version with the 9-inch screen running XP is apparently launching in April though, according to Brighthand, so I’d probably hold off until then. It’s supposed to come out at around $500, which would make purchasing the 4GB 7-inch model kinda silly whether it’s $473 or $499 or whatever.

Windows Eee Personal computer Will Outsell Linux Version, Says Asus [PC World]

Mar 13 2008

Midway reveals new Mortal Kombat is on the way

Posted by: admin in Tech And Life

Capcom is set to release Street Fighter IV soon, but does anyone remember another arcade fighter from the same era? “Get over here!” Ring any bells? Well, Midway has revealed that a new Mortal Kombat title is coming this year! I remember playing on the PC and it was darn fun. I pwnd everyone with […]

Capcom is set to release Street Fighter IV soon, but does anyone remember another arcade fighter from the same era? “Get over here!” Ring any bells? Well, Midway has revealed that a new Mortal Kombat title is coming this year! I remember playing on the Personal computer and it was darn fun. I pwnd everyone with Sub-Zero and had many a flawless victory.

Details are extremely limited on this one, but it will most likely find its way onto the Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms. Ed Boon, the genius behind MK hinted that the new installment would be unlike anything we’ve seen before. I can’t wait!

I’m still undecided as to which game had the superior movie, Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. Thoughts?

“Next-gen” Mortal Kombat this year [CVG]

Mar 13 2008

Three new PowerShot cameras from Canon

Posted by: admin in Tech And Life

I present to you three new Canon PowerShot cameras. They are, from left to right, the PowerShot SD890 IS, the PowerShot SD790 IS, and the PowerShot SD770 IS. Each has “Motion Detection Technology, Optical Image Stabilization, Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology, and Canon’s proprietary DIGIC III imaging processor.” More specs and pricing after the jump. PowerShot […]

canons

I present to you three new Canon PowerShot cameras. They’re, from left to right, the PowerShot SD890 IS, the PowerShot SD790 IS, and the PowerShot SD770 IS. Each has “Motion Detection Technology, Optical Image Stabilization, Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology, and Canon’s proprietary DIGIC III imaging processor.”

More specs and pricing after the jump.

PowerShot SD890 IS Digital ELPH Camera

Features 10-megapixel resolution and a “5x zoom lens that expands…the focusing range from a maximum wide-angle equivalent of a 37mm lens to its maximum optical telephoto equivalent of a 185mm lens.” Also has a 2.5-inch LCD screen and an optical viewfinder. It’ll be available in early April for $399.

PowerShot SD790 IS Digital ELPH Camera

Features 10-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, three-inch LCD, and is “smaller than a deck of playing cards.” Available at the end of this month for $349.

PowerShot SD770 IS Digital ELPH Camera

And last but not least, the SD770 IS takes 10-megapixel photos and “boasts the thinnest body of any optically image stabilized ELPH model ever produced, featuring a slimmer yet higher capacity battery pack.” The battery’s good for 300 snaps on a single charge. There’s also a 3x zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, along with an optical viewfinder. It’ll be out in mid-April for $299.

Press Release [Canon.com]

Mar 13 2008

New Casio G-Shocks Love Solar, Color, World Peace, Etc [Watches]

Posted by: admin in General Tech News

Continuing our obsession with recapturing the worst of the ’80s in wristwatch form, these new Casio G-Shocks are more than a tiny fantastic. Aside from their classic G-Shock form, a solar panel under the face constantly recharges the watch so it’s ready to automatically illuminate whenever you check the time.

Our friends over at Homotron disagree with our love for everything ’80s and Casio. But as we’ve told them once before, that just leaves more fun for us, baby! [Casio via crunchgear]

Via [Gizmodo]