Jan 14 -Microsoft's Gates Touts Concept Of Seamless
Computing During Pre-Ces Keynote Presentation. Thousands of consumer
electronics executives closed out an exciting eve of the 2004 International
CES with a riveting speech by Microsoft's Chief Software Architect
Bill Gates. Gates' Pre-CES Keynote Address helped fuel an already
action-packed day of CES exhibitor press conferences and partner programs
held throughout the day. The 2004 International CES opens today and
runs through Sunday in Las Vegas, Nev.
"The hotels are over-sold, the flights are full to capacity
and thousands of technology executives finally have arrived in Las
Vegas to experience the digital world of consumer electronics products
and technology here at CES," said Gary Shapiro, president and
CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the producer of
CES. "The energy pouring out of the Las Vegas Convention Center
these last two days has truly set the stage for what we have been
waiting for since last January, the 2004 International CES –
the World Cup of Consumer Technology."
Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect for Microsoft Corp.,
utilized the 2004 International CES to launch his concept of seamless
computing last night. The theme of seamless computing, explained Gates,
is the ability to bring devices together into one connected world.
Gates explained that software and broadband technology are the building
blocks to making seamless computing a reality.
Much to the surprise of the CES audience, Gates introduced world
renown talk show host Jay Leno to the stage to help promote MSN.com,
a personalized homepage full of the customized information, photo
sharing and streaming video capabilities, as well as top content from
such providers as NBC, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Weather Channel and
others. Gates then segued into MSN Direct, a new service that connects
with SPOT technology offering personalized information such as news,
sports, stocks and weather to consumers' SPOT-enabled watches.
Keeping in theme with seamless access to content, Gates switched
gears to discuss briefly the concept of seamless entertainment. Central
to this concept is the ability of various entertainment devices such
as DVD players, audio players and digital imaging technology to interconnect
throughout the home via the MSN Media Center.
Playing off that concept, Gates introduced Windows Media Vision HD,
a powerful piece of technology allowing content available on your
PC to be transmitted into high-definition. The stage then was set
for a demonstration of a new Portable Media Center allowing consumers
to transfer their movies, music, photos, and other content from a
PC to a portable device the size of a wallet. Gates briefly touched
on the Xbox Media Center Extender Kit that allows the Xbox to connect
to a PC and access content for playback through the gaming console.
Gates' keynote complimented a morning presentation by Chief Xbox
Officer Robbie Bach at the first-ever Digital Games Summit, produced
by iHollywood Forum in conjunction with CES. Bach spoke of consumers'
digital lifestyle wish-list where people demand access to the content
they own whenever and wherever they please. The approach to meeting
this demand, Bach explained, is to utilize the PC as the gateway to
the home to store, manage and access content anywhere in the home
in any format. As Gates later reinforced in this speech, Bach stated
software and services will help make this easier to accomplish.
Some of the exciting news announced by exhibitors already at CES
illustrates the industry's movement to portable digital content.
Audiovox launched new Jensen and Advent home audio products, the first
since Audiovox acquired the two brands.
LG Electronics introduced the first Blu-Ray recorder, combining the
new high-capacity recordable digital media format and a 200-gigabyte
hard drive capable of recording high-definition content.
Philips Electronics introduced the Streamium television that allows
consumers to access video and audio content through a wireless or
wired Ethernet connection. Entropic Communications and Toshiba demonstrated
a revolutionary method of networking high-definition television (HDTV)
throughout an average home over coaxial cable.
Thomson unveiled an array of RCA Scenium ultra-thin digital cable-ready
integrated rear-projection HDTV sets. Sharp Electronics launched the
45-inch Aquos, the world's largest widescreen liquid crystal HDTV
set.
And, Deja View and Toshiba announced first-quarter availability of
the world's first wearable camcorder.
About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade
association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through
technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of
business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 1,300
corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing,
distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics,
wireless and landline communications, information technology, home
networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related
services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's
members account for more than $90 billion in annual sales.
CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org,
the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics
industry.
Jan 14 - Michael Dell on `The Dell Effect,'
the Digital Home and Delivering Value to Customers. Michael Dell
today told Consumer Electronics Show attendees that customer demand
for relevant technology continues to drive "The Dell Effect,"
the price-drop and increased-value scenario that typically occurs
when Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) enters a new product category.
Mr. Dell also described how the company's move further into the digital
home benefits consumers and makes solid business sense for Dell, driving
profitability and growth.
Mr. Dell expects "The Dell Effect" to continue to gain
momentum as the company adds value in consumer electronics and other
product categories. Dell last fall debuted its line of standards-based
consumer electronics, including LCD televisions and digital music
players. The products are designed to work easily with Dell's core
offerings of desktop and notebook computers.
"Through our direct relationships with customers, we're listening
to what they want and working hard to get them the right products
at the right price," said Mr. Dell. "Customer experience
sets Dell apart from others in our industry, and we're setting the
bar very high."
Mr. Dell was joined on stage by John Hamlin, senior vice president
and general manager of Dell's U.S. Consumer Business. Dell recently
was recognized by U.S. consumers as the most trusted technology brand
in the United States, and the company's repurchase rate continues
to lead all major PC brands.
Mr. Hamlin cited Dell's innovation of personal printer ink management
as a recent example of the company's efforts to innovate on the customer's
behalf. "Instead of searching through aisles for often out-of-stock
printer cartridges, Dell customers can call us or visit dell.com and
have their order shipped right away," said Hamlin. "With
Dell, customers know they'll get the cartridge they need, shipped
the same day, with no hassles."
Mr. Dell added that Dell continues to innovate the way customers
shop and buy via the Internet, with offerings like Dell's new high-speed
Internet tool, which allows U.S. customers to compare and select a
local Internet provider via dell.com. "Logging on to dell.com
and shopping for digital home products and services is far easier
than dealing with the hassle of retail," said Mr. Dell. "We
believe that shopping for your digital music player should be as easy
as downloading your favorite song."
About Dell
Information on Dell and its products can be obtained at www.dell.com.
Jan 14 - Intel Uses Moore's Law to Lead
Transformation Inside and Outside the Home. Intel Corporation
President and COO Paul Otellini today said Intel is working to bring
the benefits and power of computing technologies to the world of consumer
electronics. The goal of this effort is to create products that work
simply and easily together, provide greater flexibility and offer
increased power and usefulness for consumers. By applying advanced
silicon technology and helping to advance open standards, Intel is
working to bring increased benefits to consumers and provide new opportunities
for the consumer electronics industry.
"The same dynamics that drove the PC revolution are moving to
consumer electronics," said Otellini at an Industry Insiders
speech at the International Consumer Electronics Show. "As the
world of consumer electronics and content shift from analog to digital,
there is a great opportunity to advance the rate of improvement in
performance, cost and integration of features in CE devices. Think
of this as Moore's Law applied to yet another industry.
"Our goal is to eliminate boundaries between electronic devices
inside and outside the home and we're working with the PC and consumer
electronics industries to make this a reality. For Intel in 2004,
this effort will receive as much focus as the work we did last year
to advance wireless technologies for mobile computing."
Intel plans to apply its focus on silicon innovation and open platforms
to the digital home in order to help create a new era of consumer
electronics -- allowing individuals to have access to digital content
anytime, anywhere, on any device. The company is augmenting its product-related
activities with a $200 million digital home fund. Announced yesterday,
the Intel Digital Home Fund will invest in companies that complement
Intel products and accelerate development of key technologies and
content which enhance and simplify the digital home experience. The
fund will be an important component of the company's strategic investment
program known as Intel Capital.
In addition to this substantial investment, Intel will apply its
wireless expertise and ability as a silicon innovator to develop new
technologies for consuming and managing digital content. Examples
include the company's development work on a device called the Entertainment
PC -- a slim form factor PC connected to a television screen. Entertainment
PCs can be used to organize, consume and enjoy digital content such
as music, movies, TV programming, gaming and high-definition video.
The devices will be capable of sharing content wirelessly and operated
with a remote control instead of a keyboard. They will include a TV
tuner and act as digital media adapter with a silent fan and consumer
audio and video connections. Entertainment PCs, which can also serve
as wireless network access points, are expected to be available mid-year
from a variety of PC manufacturers and sell for less than $800.
Other innovative technologies include the company's Liquid Crystal
on Silicon (LCOS) capability, designed to dramatically improve the
appearance of large-screen displays at lower cost. Code-named Cayley,
Intel's LCOS technology is expected to be available in large-screen
displays as early as this year. The displays are anticipated to decline
in cost to achieve price points of less than $2,000 next year.
The company is also providing fundamental technology for advanced
set top boxes, digital imaging devices, portable media players, digital
media adapters and other devices that provide increased power, flexibility
and choice in the way digital content is enjoyed.
"Our objective is to provide the essential building blocks that
will enable consumers to enjoy the best entertainment experience possible,"
Otellini said.
In order to ensure consumers can take advantage of the silicon technology
Intel is delivering, the company is helping lead the development of
open industry specifications that will be essential to sharing content
across multiple consumer devices. Intel's role as a founding member
of the Digital Home Working Group -- which includes the PC industry,
content providers and the consumer electronics industry -- will help
drive technology specifications for the benefit of consumers.
"By helping to shape standards along with providing advanced
silicon technology, we believe we can significantly improve the way
consumers use technology," said Otellini. "The development
of industry standards in consumer electronics will enable more rapid
innovation at lower cost -- the same positive impact that standards
have had in the PC industry."
In another example of industry cooperation, the development of Digital
Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol (DTCP/IP) technology
by Intel and other companies will enable home users to wirelessly
share protected entertainment content among a variety of devices in
the home. Through collaboration with content providers such as Warner
Brothers and others, this technology is likely to be a cornerstone
to expanding digital home entertainment.
"Broadband Internet connections, the home PC and wireless technology
combined with the ability to share premium content wirelessly means
in the future individuals will be able to watch first run movies at
home the same day they premiere in the theater," Otellini said.
"In our view of the digital home, it's not so much about a place,
but an ability to share content across handheld, mobile and large-screen
devices so that consumers can enjoy digital content the way they want
it, when and where they want it."
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer
of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information
about Intel is available at www.intel.com.
Jan 14 - HP Announces Digital Entertainment
Strategy. HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced an array of products and
partnerships aimed at transforming the way people experience music,
movie, TV, photographs and digital entertainment content. The company
also outlined its strategy for adding value across the entire digital
entertainment value chain from the creation and protection of digital
content to the distribution and consumption of content.
"Much of the attention in the industry has been focused on the
devices we hold in our hands or hang on our walls," said Carly
Fiorina, chairman and chief executive officer, HP. "But the digital
entertainment experience is about much more. It's about the creation,
distribution, management and enjoyment of all kinds of digital content
from all kinds of sources. Today, the challenges of cost, complexity,
connectivity and manageability get in the way of a great experience
and they can't be addressed by focusing solely on gizmos and gadgets.
That would be like trying to tell the story of television by focusing
solely on the TV set, or trying to tell the story of movies by focusing
solely on the projector.
"What matters now is making all of the various digital entertainment
products and content work together in a way that creates simple, enjoyable,
intuitive digital experiences at a price that allows everyone to participate.
HP will apply its innovation and systems expertise to addressing the
challenges in the digital entertainment realm."
At the heart of HP's digital entertainment strategy is a comprehensive
digital entertainment system that makes it easy to create, manage,
transfer, share and enjoy all forms of entertainment content across
a range of devices and component technologies. System components include:
HP entertainment hub
Starting this fall, HP will introduce an entertainment hub designed
to put consumers in control of all of their entertainment content.
The entertainment hub will serve as the single, central storage repository,
distribution and access point for all music, photo, video and movie
collections in the home.
Additionally, consumers will be able to watch and pause live TV and
record their favorite TV shows from any source, including cable, satellite
or HDTV. The new device will be sleek and stylish and work great with
existing devices in the home, but will offer an even better experience
in combination with the other components of the HP Digital Entertainment
System.
HP digital displays
HP previewed its new 30-inch LCD and 42-inch plasma digital displays
due out in June. HP displays will offer a superior audio and visual
experience with a state-of-the-art imaging engine developed by HP
that displays true-to-life images. HP's displays will feature advanced
panels that offer deeper black levels, vibrant colors and high-definition
resolution.
HP projectors
HP announced plans to introduce a new generation of digital projectors
in the fall that serve as a cost-effective home theater component
to its digital entertainment system.
HP LightScribe technology
HP announced an innovative new technology to address the problem
of labeling CDs and DVDs. HP LightScribe technology allows consumers
to create silk-screen quality labels on their CDs or DVDs by burning
text and graphics directly onto a disc, eliminating the need for adhesive
labels. HP will begin making this new capability available to consumers
in HP PCs in the second half of 2004.
HP Digital Music Player
HP is partnering with Apple Computer to provide an exceptional digital
music experience to consumers as part of its larger digital entertainment
system offering. Starting this summer, HP will deliver an HP-branded
digital music player based on Apple's iPod, the No. 1 digital music
player in the world, and Apple's award-winning iTunes digital music
jukebox and pioneering online store to HP's customers. As part of
the alliance, HP consumer PCs and notebooks will come preinstalled
with Apple's iTunes jukebox software and an easy-reference desktop
icon to point customers directly to the iTunes Music Store, ensuring
a simple, seamless music experience (see separate news release issued
today).
HP iPAQ
Starting this summer, in addition to being a complete organizer,
the HP iPAQ is going to become an intelligent remote control that
consumers can use to control all of their entertainment devices and
access all digital content including music, photos and videos, either
locally, streaming or remotely.
Support for Microsoft's Media Center Extender technology
HP said it will begin supporting Microsoft's Media Center Extender
technology for its Media Center PCs in the second half of 2004. The
new technology enables consumers to wirelessly display all music,
photo, video and TV content stored on their Media Center PC in the
study or home office in the living room.
Protecting intellectual property
As part of its overall digital entertainment strategy, HP is taking
a strong stance on protecting the intellectual property of artists
and creators of content. Starting today, HP is stepping up its commitment
to building, acquiring or licensing the best content protection technologies
for HP devices that will set secure copyrights without sacrificing
great consumer experiences - and will strive to build every one of
its consumer devices to respect digital rights.
For example, HP will build support for a technology called Broadcast
Flag into its TVs, media hubs and Media Center PCs in products rolled
out after June. The Broadcast Flag signals that the content must be
protected and cannot be shared indiscriminately over the Internet.
The technology does not prevent consumers from making multiple copies
of digital content and sharing it within a home network or storing
it on physical media such as DVDs.
Partnering with content creators
HP also announced a series of partnerships with content creators:
-- HP is working with the Sundance Institute to provide the backbone
technology for the Sundance Film Festival and is powering the Sundance
Online Film Festival - a creative discovery, distribution and delivery
portal all in one hosted entirely on an HP hosting platform. Consumers
can experience the spirit of Sundance -- right from their own PC or
mobile device - and watch over 40 short-subject films, vote for favorite
movies and watch a bio of an emerging filmmaker. During this month,
HP and Starbucks are teaming up to bring deliver the Sundance Online
Film Festival free of charge at any of the wirelessly enabled Starbucks
in North America. CES conference attendees can also view it in the
HP booth at CES or at www.sundance.org.
-- HP announced it will be the "Presenting Sponsor" of
Project Greenlight this year, working with Project Greenlight founders
Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Chris Moore to provide access to the digital
tools that will inspire a new generation of filmmakers.
-- HP is partnering with CBS to help fans experience the magic of
the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in digital-quality picture and sound.
-- HP is also working with Getty Images - the world's leading provider
of imagery, film and digital services - which has designated HP its
exclusive technology provider, to expand and power its digital image
archive and respond faster to customer demand.
"To truly bring the digital revolution home, it's going to take
a fundamental understanding of how content is created, distributed,
shared and enjoyed," said Fiorina. "It's going to take an
understanding of how complex systems work together in a simple, affordable
way to deliver great end-to-end experiences. And it's going to take
relationships and partnerships across the industry. HP will apply
its scope and scale along with its innovation and partnership capabilities
to transform the digital entertainment realm."
About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and
institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure,
personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging
and printing. For the fiscal year ending on Oct. 31, 2003, HP revenue
totaled $73.1 billion. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.
Jan 14 - PNY Delivers Premium
Performance and Price with the New Verto GeForce FX 5900 SE. Introduced
today at CES, PNY's Verto(TM) GeForce(TM) FX 5900 SE delivers the
most affordable, high-performance graphics card in its class. Based
on the NVIDIA(R) GeForce FX 5900 XT GPU (graphics processing unit),
PNY's Verto 5900 SE will be available through Fry's, CompUSA, TigerDirect
and Circuit City starting January 25 with a manufacturer's suggested
retail price of $229.99.
"PNY's Verto GeForce FX 5900 SE challenges the
market with an insanely fast card at an aggressive price point,"
said Craig Wiener, PNY's senior marketing manager for consumer graphics
cards. "This latest introduction targets gamers and PC enthusiasts
who require a high-end PC graphics card that is capable of delivering
stunning cinematic graphics without breaking the bank."
The Verto 5900 SE is equipped with NVIDIA's CineFX(TM) 2.0 Engine
incorporating advanced vertex and pixel shaders for enhanced cinematic
effects plus faster and smoother game play. With a 390MHz GPU clock,
a 350MHz memory clock (700MHz memory data rate) and 256-bit memory
interface, the PNY's Verto GeForce FX 5900 SE delivers the power to
run the latest games and applications at blazing speeds.
Additional key features include:
-- A PNY designed GPU cooling system with an advanced copper heat
transfer system for maximum GPU heat dissipation;
-- 128MB's of DDR memory;
-- Memory heat sinks;
-- The recently released Call of Duty full version CD video game,
a $50 retail value, FREE, in the box;
-- VGA, DVI and S-Video output ports; and
-- A DVI-I-to-VGA adapter, an S-Video cable and a 'Y' adapter power
cable.
PNY Technologies offers a lifetime replacement warranty and toll-free
tech support. For more information, technical product support, FAQs
and the latest up-to-date drivers, please visit PNY's Web site at
www.pny.com.
Jan 14 - Toshiba Introduces
World's Smallest Hard Disk Drive. Toshiba Storage Device Division
(SDD), the industry pioneer in small form factor storage, today announced
the development of a 0.85-inch hard disk drive (HDD), the first drive
to deliver multi-gigabyte storage in a sub-one-inch form factor. Expected
to be available in 2GB and 4GB capacities, Toshiba will start sampling
the new drive in summer 2004, with mass production to begin in late
2004.
"Hard disk drive technology has migrated from the computer to
digital music players to mobile phones and other portable gadgets
that require meaningful storage capacities in a pocket-size form factor,"
said Amy Dalphy, manager, HDD business unit, Toshiba SDD. "Toshiba
continues to lead and enable the market by expanding storage possibilities
with gigabytes of capacity packed into a tiny hard disk drive that
fits on your fingertip."
Measuring only a quarter of the size of Toshiba's 1.8-inch drive,
the 0.85-inch HDD is expected to boost the functionality of a new
generation of products, including mobile phones, digital audio players,
PDAs, digital still cameras, camcorders and external storage devices.
Toshiba initially plans to introduce capacities of 2GB and 4GB, and
anticipates achievement of even higher densities in the 0.85-inch
form factor.
Toshiba Creates the Market
Toshiba set the stage for small format HDDs in 2000 with a removable
1.8-inch PC Card HDD in a 2GB capacity. The company has subsequently
rolled out a series of products that consistently helps customers
to create groundbreaking, innovative and necessary products for today's
mobile environment. Toshiba's 1.8-inch embedded drives are now available
in 5GB, 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB and 40GB capacities and are the storage
devices enabling some of the hottest portable products on the market.
A prototype of the 0.85-inch HDD will be shown at Toshiba's booth
(#12214) on the CES show floor January 8-11, 2004. For more information
about Toshiba's 2.5-inch, 1.8-inch and 0.85-inch HDDs, visit www.harddrives.toshiba.com.
Jan 14 - Dolby Technologies Featured
in Wide Range of Products at International CES. At 2004 International
CES, Dolby Laboratories' premiere audio technologies are featured
in a wide range of new products in the consumer electronics, personal
computer, automobile, and game industries. These premiere audio technologies
will be showcased in the Dolby booth (LVCC South Hall #17214), and
numerous hardware exhibits throughout the show.
"As a leader in sound entertainment, Dolby consistently develops
new and exciting technologies that enrich the entertainment experience
in a variety of listening environments. To date, Dolby technologies
have been integrated into more than 1.4 billion products worldwide.
Dolby technologies are successful not just because of their innovative
nature, but also because consumers can experience them in products
found around the world," said Ron Vitale, Director, Consumer
Marketing, Dolby Laboratories.
The following highlights describe Dolby's successes that will be
featured at the International CES show.
Dolby Pro Logic II and Dolby Pro Logic IIx
Dolby® Pro Logic® II and Dolby Pro Logic IIx technologies
bring the full cinema surround sound experience to the home theater.
Dolby Pro Logic II has become the standard for matrix surround technology,
providing five full-bandwidth channels of surround sound playback
from home theater and in-car entertainment devices. Dolby Pro Logic
II unlocks directional cues in stereo (two-channel) audio content
and processes them into independent five-channel surround sound. Dolby
Pro Logic IIx expands upon Dolby Pro Logic II by providing up to 7.1
channels of audio to the listener.
Dolby Pro Logic II
- Dolby Pro Logic II is now featured in four car models: the Volvo
XC90, Volvo S40, Volvo V50, and the Aston Martin DB9. The Volvo XC90
will be displayed in Dolby's International CES booth.
- Dolby Pro Logic II can also be found in new aftermarket car products
from such manufacturers as Alpine, Eclipse, and Kenwood.
- According to retail data from the NPD Group, 80 percent of top selling
titles this holiday season featured Dolby Pro Logic II technology,
including Nintendo's Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Electronic Art's Medal
of Honor: Rising Sun, and Square Enix's Final Fantasy X-2. Dolby Pro
Logic II is featured on the Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube,
and in well over 100 game titles.
- Content encoded in Dolby Pro Logic II is also being broadcast over
the air. ABC, Fox, and CBS have already added Dolby Pro Logic II encoding
to their stereo feeds for professional football broadcasts, and the
CMA Awards Program in November 2003 was also broadcast in Dolby Pro
Logic II.
- More than eight million receivers incorporating Dolby Pro Logic
II have been sold since the format's introduction in 2000.
Dolby Pro Logic IIx
- Introduced in September 2003, Dolby Pro Logic IIx technology has
been adopted by more than 14 manufacturers and will be featured in
more than 25 products this year. Companies displaying new products
at CES featuring Dolby Pro Logic IIx include Arcam, Denon, Fosgate
Audionics, Marantz, Meridian, Onkyo, Pioneer, TAG McLaren, Yamaha,
and many more.
Dolby Headphone
Dolby Headphone technology allows users to listen to music, watch
movies, or play video games with the dramatic surround effects of
a 5.1-channel soundtrack, through any set of headphones.
- At CES, Delphi and Kenwood will be demonstrating the first automobile
rear-seat entertainment DVD-Video implementations of Dolby Headphone.
- Dolby Headphone technology can be found in new hardware products
from Denon, Harman Kardon, Philips, and Pioneer as well as in PCs
made by Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Sharp, and Sony.
- Dolby Headphone technology is featured in software DVD players from
CyberLink, InterVideo, and Nvidia.
Dolby Virtual Speaker
Dolby Virtual Speaker technology simulates a highly realistic 5.1-speaker
surround sound listening environment from as few as two speakers.
- At International CES, Dolby Virtual Speaker will be featured in
new hardware products from Denon and Harman Kardon.
- Dolby Virtual Speaker is also integrated in software DVD players
from CyberLink and InterVideo.
- Personal computers from Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Sharp, and Sony include
Dolby Virtual Speaker technology.
Dolby Digital Stereo Creator
Dolby Digital Stereo Creator technology enables consumers to create
the highest quality DVDs from original content such as home movies.
Dolby Digital Stereo Creator optimizes the available recording space
and the production quality of recordable DVD-Video media, enabling
users to store up to 25 percent more content on a disc than is possible
with software.
- Dolby Digital Stereo Creator will be included in new products from
InterVideo, MediaStream, Sonic, Sony, and Ulead.
Dolby Digital Recording
Dolby Digital Recording technology is an efficient audio encoding
technology used to record stereo audio content onto writeable DVD-Video
discs and hard-disk drive (HDD) based personal video recorders (PVRs).
Dolby Digital Recording optimizes recording space, making it possible
to store more high-quality content on recordable DVD-Video discs and
PVRs.
- Dolby Digital Recording technology will be featured in new products
from Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, and Sony.
DVD-A with Meridian Lossless Packing
DVD-Audio, the successor to the compact disc, is the most technically
sophisticated audio delivery format developed. DVD-Audio combines
the physical properties of DVD with MLP LosslessTM coding from Dolby
Laboratories to deliver music with full 5.1-channel surround sound
and fidelity that is 500 times better than that of the CD. With MLP
Lossless coding, DVD-Audio content, upon playback, is bit-for-bit
identical to the studio master tapes, and is reproduced with a warmth
and natural timbre not available from compact disc technology.
- Automobiles now offering factory-installed DVD-Audio players include
the Toyota Brevis (Japan only) and Acura's 2004 TL (worldwide). The
Acura TL will be showcased in Dolby's International CES booth.
- More than 50 products from 20 manufacturers are currently on the
market.
- Four models of aftermarket car audio products offer MLP Lossless
for DVD-Audio from manufacturers Alpine, Eclipse, Kenwood, and Pioneer.
Alpine's F#1 Status technology makes its debut at International CES.
- Approximately 530 DVD-Audio titles have been released worldwide.
- DVD-Audio playback is now offered in consumer electronics, portable
electronics, personal computers, and automobiles.
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, the versatile audio encoding/decoding technology
from Dolby Laboratories, is the sound standard for virtually every
new home entertainment and broadcast delivery format around the world.
With its ability to deliver mono, stereo, or up to 5.1 channels of
superb audio quality, Dolby Digital is a designated standard for DVD
worldwide and in North America for digital terrestrial broadcasting,
as well as a de facto standard for satellite (DBS) and digital cable
systems.
- More than 35 million Dolby Digital 5.1 receivers have been sold.
- More than 48 million Dolby Digital decoders for satellite and television
have been sold.
- More than 155 million DVD-Video playback units with Dolby Digital
technology have been sold.
- As of December 2003, 36 currently scheduled series and more than
100 scheduled movies are presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 on networks
such as ABC, CBS, Fox, HBO, Showtime, STARZ!, and HDNet. A myriad
of HD channels also offer Dolby Digital 5.1 to their viewers.
- Dolby Digital is the audio standard on the Microsoft Xbox, and was
featured in every top selling game for the Xbox this holiday season,
including Take 2 Interactive's Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack.
- More than 14 thousand DVD-Video titles are available.
For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies,
please visit www.dolby.com.
Jan 14 - Netscape Launches Low-Cost
Internet Access Service. Netscape, one of the original pioneers
of the Internet, today announced the introduction of a new, affordably
priced dial-up Internet service for consumers who want a reliable
and low-cost way to get online. The Netscape® service costs $9.95
per month for unlimited use and is available now at www.getnetscape.com
or the Netscape® portal (www.netscape.com).
With a simple approach of "Just the Net You Need," the
Netscape Internet service offers e-mail with built-in spam filters,
a convenient start page with news headlines, Internet search enhanced
by Google™ technology and unlimited dial-up Internet access through
an extensive nationwide network with thousands of access numbers,
allowing subscribers across the country to get online easily and stay
reliably connected. And, with the new service, Netscape.com e-mail
addresses are available publicly for the first time, giving subscribers
a unique opportunity to create a personalized online address at a
renowned Internet brand.
Joel Davidson, Executive Vice President for AOL® Access Businesses
said: "The new Netscape Internet service focuses on three elements
- simplicity, reliability and affordability - to give people just
the Net they need. Extensive consumer research has told us that many
people are looking for just the basics from an Internet service: reliable
connections, safe e-mail, and a great search product.
"We'll also soon be adding features that will enable users to
enhance these basic Web needs with increased surfing speed and online
safety and security. The Netscape brand has always been synonymous
with innovation on the Web, and the new Netscape service is set to
become the new value leader among low-cost Internet services."
Jan 13 - Transmeta Announces Industry-Wide
Support for Ultra-Personal Computer (UPC) Platform. Transmeta
Corporation (NASDAQ:TMTA), the leader in efficient computing, today
announced industry-wide support to develop and deliver Ultra-Personal
Computers (UPCs), a brand new product category, into the computer
marketplace. This collaborative initiative is comprised of a core
group of leading technology companies including OEM manufacturers,
key component developers and major software vendors.
UPCs deliver the power and performance of a desktop computer, the
functionality of a laptop computer and the ability to run a full version
of Microsoft Windows® XP in a handheld PDA-sized form factor.
The emergence of the UPC product category is made possible by the
low power consumption and reduced heat dissipation characteristics
of the Transmeta Efficeon™ and Crusoe® families of high-performance
processors.
"With the growing list of companies supporting the UPC category,
we see the potential for a revolution to take place in the computer
industry," said Dr. Matthew R. Perry, president and CEO of Transmeta.
"Not only are more and more companies designing new innovative
ways to use our processors in Ultra-Personal Computers, but additional
companies are offering support in software, hardware and peripherals
for the UPC segment, which may ultimately bring the benefits of UPC
computing to millions of users world-wide."
UPCs address the growing needs of consumers and enterprise users
who need a single, portable device capable of running all of the applications
that they already use on their desktop and notebook PCs. Users require
generous storage capacity for large documents and media, robust email
capabilities for receiving and reading large email attachments and
the ability to download and view multimedia files any place at any
time.
"We are pleased with Transmeta's focus on continuing to enhance
the power and performance of Windows-based mobile PCs," said
Larry Engel, general manager of the Mobile PC Business Unit for Microsoft.
"They are working to enable the full power of Windows XP into
an increasingly mobile form factor, allowing users to work smarter
and faster, from more places."
Additionally, UPCs will allow users to have a single operating system
for all of their data, eliminating or dramatically simplifying the
synchronization between multiple devices. No longer will users have
to spend hours every month keeping their data synced, or be forced
to use partial-functionality file formats on their mobile devices.
This advance enables seamless portability of modern multimedia content
and ultimately can save both time and money for consumers and the
enterprise market.
"It is our opinion that the Ultra-Personal Computer is a valuable
product category and has real potential for growth within various
enterprise and consumer markets," said Tim Bajarin, president
of Creative Strategies. "Our projected forecasts see a tremendous
adoption rate for this category and expect sales of UPCs to grow from
350,000 units in 2004 to 1.8 million units in 2006."
About the Transmeta Efficeon Processor
The Transmeta Efficeon processor is designed to provide power efficiency,
design flexibility, performance-on-demand and low cost to meet the
need of the next generation of mobile, wireless, and embedded devices.
It includes three new high performance bus interfaces: an on-chip
HyperTransport™ bus interface for increased input/output efficiency,
an on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM memory interface for increased
throughput, and an on-chip AGP graphics interface for high performance
graphics solutions.
These new interfaces allow Efficeon to achieve more work per clock,
which results in greater energy efficiency and longer battery life
for mobile computer users. The Transmeta Efficeon processor's dynamic
LongRun® power management features and integrated architecture
are designed to give system designers and marketers a wide range of
choices in creating products that deliver added value, functionality,
security, comfort, reliability, and cost savings to end users.
To learn more about Transmeta, visit www.transmeta.com.
Jan 13 - Apple Introduces iPod
mini. Apple® today introduced iPod™ mini, the smallest
portable music player ever to hold up to 1,000 CD-quality songs.
iPod mini is encased in an ultra-portable, lightweight
anodized aluminum body available in five stylish colors—silver,
gold, pink, blue or green—and features a patent pending, touch-sensitive
Click Wheel for easy, one-handed navigation. iPod mini features the
same award-winning user interface as its “big brother” iPods
and works effortlessly with Apple’s iTunes® Music Store,
the world’s number one digital music service, and the iTunes
digital music jukebox software for seamlessly buying, managing and
listening to digital music collections.
“iPod has revolutionized the way people listen to music,”
said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPod mini joins the iPod
family of best-selling digital music players, offering customers the
same 1,000 songs in your pocket as the original iPod in an innovative
design that’s half the size. We think its going to be pretty
popular, especially with younger music lovers.”
iPod mini is the perfect combination of ultra-portable design, storage
capacity, ease-of-use and audio performance. iPod mini is smaller
than most cell phones and weighs only 3.6 ounces. Building on the
success of the original touch wheel, iPod mini features an innovative,
new Click Wheel that combines the ease and simplicity of a touch wheel
with the precision of mechanical buttons for precise, one-handed navigation.
iPod mini users can transfer a song per second from their Mac®
or Windows computer and conveniently charge iPod mini with either
the included FireWire or USB 2.0 cable.
iPod mini is the ultimate fashion statement with a choice of five
stylish colors—silver, gold, pink, blue or green—the hallmark
white headphones and a new belt clip. With a backlit, recessed screen
and lightweight, yet durable anodized aluminum, iPod mini is the ultimate
portable digital music player. Users can purchase an optional arm
band, in-ear headphones or a dock to enhance their iPod mini experience.
iPod mini features Apple’s patent pending Auto-Sync technology
that automatically downloads an entire digital music library onto
iPod mini and keeps it up-to-date whenever iPod mini is plugged into
a Mac or Windows computer using FireWire or USB 2.0.
Pricing & Availability
iPod mini for Mac and Windows will be available in the US in February
for a suggested retail price of $249 (US), and will be available worldwide
in April, in a choice of a silver, gold, pink, blue or green 4GB model
with a belt clip. iPod mini will be available through the Apple Store®
(www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores
and Apple Authorized Resellers.
All iPod minis will include earbud headphones, an Apple iPod mini
power adapter, a 1.2m 30-pin to FireWire cable, a 1.2m 30-pin to USB
2.0 cable, and a CD with iTunes 4.2 for Mac and Windows computers.
Jan 13 - Apple Introduces
Xserve G5. Apple® today introduced Xserve® G5, the most
powerful Xserve yet, delivering over 30 gigaflops of processing power
per system, about 60 percent more than the PowerPC G4-based Xserve.
Xserve G5 features the same revolutionary PowerPC G5, 64-bit processor
used in Virginia Tech’s cluster of Power Mac® G5s—the
world’s third fastest supercomputer. With unparalleled performance
and manageability in a 1U rack-mount enclosure, Xserve G5 is the perfect
server for today’s UNIX-based applications.
Xserve G5 includes a new system controller with up to 8GB of PC3200
error correcting code (ECC) memory; three hot-plug Serial ATA drive
modules that deliver up to 750GB of storage; optional internal hardware
RAID; dual PCI-X slots, supporting 133 MHz PCI-X cards with over 1
GBps of throughput; and dual on-board Gigabit Ethernet for high-performance
networking.
“Xserve G5 delivers just what our customers have been asking
for,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president
of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With dual G5 processing power
and up to 8GB of ECC memory, Xserve G5 is affordable, easy to manage
and easy to cluster. Starting as low as $2,999, no one can offer better
price performance in a 1U rack-mount design.”
Available with either single or dual 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processors,
the Xserve G5 architecture is based on an execution core that features
massively parallel computation for an unprecedented 215 in-flight
instructions, full symmetric multi-processing, two double precision
floating-point units and an optimized Velocity Engine. Xserve G5 has
the industry's fastest front side processor bus—running at up
to 1.0 GHz and delivering 8 GBps per processor.
Building on the engineering feats first introduced in the Power Mac
G5, Xserve G5 squeezes the incredible performance of dual PowerPC
G5 processors into an ultra-thin 1U enclosure. An innovative copper
heat sink design effectively removes heat from the processors while
eight high-performance fans provide airflow for cooling the system.
The fans are individually managed and monitored by a dedicated fan
control processor; if a single fan fails the others speed up to compensate.
The 1U enclosure has an array of over 30 sensors, including eight
dedicated to temperature control, that continually monitor all critical
system functions throughout the server.
Xserve G5 is the ideal server solution for cross-platform file and
print, workgroup management, video streaming, database applications,
high-performance computing, and web and mail serving. Apple also offers
a cluster node configuration specifically designed for high-performance
computational clustering that delivers the compute performance of
dual G5 processors without the cost of additional components, such
as a CD-ROM drive.
Xserve G5 will be available in February through the Apple Store®
(www.apple.com) and Apple Authorized Resellers.
Xserve will come in three standard configurations or can be fully
customized to meet specific customer requirements.
Jan 13 - Consumers Focusing More On Features
and Functionality of DVD Recording Equipment. Now that DVD recording
has become a mainstream technology, consumers will begin focusing
more on the features and functionality of the DVD recording equipment
they buy, the chief spokesperson for the DVD+RW Alliance said today.
And one of the most exciting developments in DVD recording in 2004
will be the introduction this spring of single-sided, double-layered
DVD+R drives and discs capable of storing up to 8.5 Gbytes of data
or up to 16 hours of VHS quality video on a single DVD, said Maureen
Weber, general manager of HP’s Optical Storage Solutions Business
and chief U.S. spokesperson for the DVD+RW Alliance.
“What a difference a year makes,” Weber told reporters
and analysts in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. “A
year ago at CES, most of the conversation about DVD recording focused
on a single question: When will prices come down enough to make DVD
recording equipment attractive to mainstream consumers? Well, that’s
happened. And the conversation has become much more interesting because
consumers are beginning to ask about features and functionality. We’re
pleased by that because Plus excels in features and functionality.”
Features already in, or expected to appear in, DVD+RW products in
2004 include items such as electronic programming guides, one-button
home movie authoring, single-step VHS conversion, digital camcorder
inputs and more. Such features will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
The Plus format, always strong in the personal computer market because
of support from HP and Dell, is becoming stronger in the consumer
electronics market. More than two dozen companies displayed Plus-formatted
DVD recorders last summer at IFA, a major European consumer electronics
trade show. And a number of companies will show Plus-formatted recorders
at CES.
“We think Plus has become the format of choice for discerning
users of DVD recording equipment because of its superior functionality
and simplicity,” Weber said.
About DVD+R/+RW
The DVD+R/+RW format is capable of recording up to 4.7 gigabytes
of digital video, images or data. This equates to the storage capacity
of up to seven CD-R/RW discs and the potential to store thousands
of digital photographs or approximately two hours of digital video.
The primary benefits of DVD+R/+RW include its functionality, simplicity
and two-way compatibility, meaning that DVD+R and DVD+RW media can
be played in most DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives in use today.
Further details about the DVD+RW Alliance and supporting companies
can be found at www.dvdrw.com.
Jan 13 - Consumer Experiences Digital Radio
Revolution With Sale Of First Hd Radio™ Receiver. International
Consumer Electronics Show - (January 7, 2004) – iBiquity Digital
Corporation announced today that an Iowa buyer became "first
in the nation" to purchase an HD Radio tuner.
Nathan Franzen purchased a Kenwood KTC-HR100 HD Radio tuner from
the Ultimate Electronics store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Monday, January
5, 2004. Following installation in his 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, Franzen
tuned to KZIA-FM Z102.9, Cedar Rapids' home for today's hit music,
becoming the first consumer nationwide to personally experience the
CD-quality sound of HD Radio receiver, the biggest revolution in radio
since the advent of FM broadcasting more than fifty years ago.
"Our community is known as the home to radio pioneers,"
said The Honorable Paul D. Pate, Mayor of Cedar Rapids. "It's
fitting that the first consumer to purchase an HD Radio receiver in
the United States should purchase it in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The transition
of the radio industry into the digital age provides enormous potential
for all broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers and consumers throughout
America."
The sale comes on the eve of HD Radio's commercial introduction during
this week's 2004 International Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas
and follows a decade of development and testing by iBiquity and its
numerous industry partners with the FCC approving the technology for
broadcaster use in October 2002. The technology's commercial introduction
will allow AM and FM radio stations to reap the benefits of this 100%
digital technology as listeners can now take advantage of the vastly
improved sound quality and the host of new, user-based features offered
by HD Radio.
KZIA-FM executive vice president Rob Norton commented, "We are
very proud to be the first HD Radio signal heard on the nation's first
HD Radio receiver. Today puts Cedar Rapids in the history books with
yet another radio first, just as our very own amateur radio pioneer
Arthur Collins did in the 1920s."
Cedar Rapids, Iowa was selected partly because of its heritage as
the hometown of Arthur Collins and the Collins Radio Company. In 1925,
Collins, as a fifteen-year-old, received radio transmissions for the
first time from Greenland. He eventually founded Collins Radio, which
provided voice communication technology for every American traveling
in space.
Robert Struble, iBiquity Digital's president and chief executive
officer, said, "With today's purchase of an HD Radio receiver,
AM and FM radio has officially launched in the consumer marketplace.
Soon many more Americans will be able to experience their local AM
and FM radio stations in subscription-free digital sound, without
the static and hiss associated with analog broadcasts. Our employees
and partners have spent years developing HD Radio technology, and
I am extremely proud to be here today making radio history in Cedar
Rapids."
HD Radio technology transforms today's radio experience by allowing
AM and FM broadcasters to seamlessly transmit digital signals with
superior audio and new data services alongside today's analog-based
broadcasts. Nearly 300 radio stations in 100 U.S. markets across 38
states have licensed HD Radio technology.
"The HD Radio revolution has arrived for consumers," said
Dave Workman, president and chief executive officer of Ultimate Electronics.
"Ultimate prides itself with firsts. Just as we sold the first
HDTV, it is a privilege to partner with iBiquity Digital and Kenwood
to sell the first consumer HD Radio receiver in the country. As the
HD Radio format continues to expand its reach, we will aggressively
showcase this technology for consumers in our retail locations."
"Kenwood was the first licensee of HD Radio technology, and
we are now the first manufacturer to sell an HD Radio receiver,"
said Dan Petersen, executive vice president of Kenwood USA. "All
of us at Kenwood are proud of our role in this historic day for broadcasters,
retailers and consumers."
For more information please visit: www.ibiquity.com.
Jan 12 - NVIDIA nForce3 Primed
and Ready for New AMD Athlon64 Processor. NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq:
NVDA), the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, today
announced that its NVIDIA nForce™3 media and communications processors
(MCPs)—which have been lauded by major industry publications
and technology Web sites for their stability and performance—fully
support the new AMD Athlon64 Processor 3400+ announced earlier today.
“Our close working relationship with AMD has allowed us to design
NVIDIA nForce3 as a scalable architecture that can take full advantage
of AMD’s current and upcoming product roadmap,” said Drew
Henry, general manager of platform products at NVIDIA. “The new
Athlon64 Processor 3400+ extends AMD’s performance lead in the
desktop PC market, and is a perfect match to our entire line of NVIDIA
nForce3 MCPs, including our upcoming NVIDIA nForce3 250GB MCPs, which
features the industry’s first native Gigabit Ethernet solution.”
The NVIDIA nForce3 MCPs integrate hardware and software technologies
that expand PC desktop, gaming, and digital media functionality. By
providing built-in connections for high-speed Gigabit networks; Serial
ATA disk controllers; up to eight USB 2.0 ports; and integrated RAID
solutions, the NVIDIA nForce3 MCPs deliver accelerated performance
for multiple computing environments. All NVIDIA nForce3 MCPs support
the robust NVIDIA® ForceWare™ Unified Software Environment
(USE), which provides enhanced functionality and performance, including
utilities for monitoring system performance, networking configurations,
audio environments, and more.
NVIDIA has a full family of NVIDIA nForce MCPs for both 64-bit and
32-bit desktop PC markets, including NVIDIA nForce3 Professional for
the 1P and 2P workstation and professional segments; NVIDIA nForce3
Go for the mobile notebook market; and NVIDIA nForce2 for the mainstream
computing markets.
PC systems and motherboards based on the NVIDIA nForce MCPs are
currently available from leading manufacturers, including: ABIT Computer
Corp., AOpen, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Biostar Microtech Int’l
Corp., Chaintech Computer Co. Ltd., DFI, EPoX International Inc.,
Giga-Byte Technology, Jetway Information Co. Ltd., Leadtek, MSI, Shuttle
Computer Group, Inc., Soltek Computer Inc., and XFX.
For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.nvidia.com.
Jan 12 - AMD and Mediabolic to Enhance
Functionality of Mobile Entertainment Devices. Advanced Micro
Devices, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) and Mediabolic, Inc., today announced that
the two companies are working together to create platforms for mobile
entertainment products.
The complete package of hardware and software is designed to enhance
the user experience by managing entertainment data, including video,
audio and picture files, regardless of where they are stored on a
home network. The AMD Alchemy™ Mobile Handheld Reference Design
Kit (RDK) and the Mediabolic One platform allow designers to create
mobile devices for users to manage and use data matching their individual
lifestyles.
Utilizing the combined technology from AMD and Mediabolic, devices
now have the ability to download networked media to a mobile device
for use on the go. The ecosystem developed through the mutual support
of AMD and Mediabolic is driving the market for mobile devices that
are networked and support multiple media platforms.
Built on the vision of a fully networked home, the Mediabolic One
platform is a software solution enabling entertainment products to
be networked, extending a unified view of media files and providing
access to these files through any device. The platform is optimized
for entertainment devices and enhances the accessibility of media
files for users to take media on the go.
Built using open industry standards, the software is designed to
support multiple hardware and operating system platforms. When combined
with the AMD Alchemy Au1100™ processor, manufacturers can also
capitalize upon the high-performance, low-power, high- integration
system-on-a-chip (SOC) technology. Together, the companies allow Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the entertainment market to develop
low-cost, high-performance, mobile devices on a versatile platform
that can be quickly brought to market.
“We are excited to work with a company like AMD. The Au1100
processor extends our ability to develop cutting-edge software that
meets the changing needs of the mobile entertainment marketplace,”
said Daniel Putterman, CEO of Mediabolic. "The AMD Alchemy Au1100
processor is a natural fit, as our platform can leverage its high-performance,
low-power features in a mobile device.”
The low-power, high-performance features of the Au1100 processor
also enable Mediabolic to provide a full-featured media experience
to handheld devices. The AMD Alchemy Au1100 processor is now added
to Mediabolic’s existing support of AMD processors, which includes
the AMD Alchemy and AMD Geode™™ family of processors.
“Mediabolic’s innovative technology and strong focus on
exceeding customers’ expectations make this an important relationship
for AMD,” said Phil Pompa, AMD's vice president of marketing
for the Personal Connectivity Solutions group. “The company’s
vision for a networked home is closely tied to AMD’s vision of
providing products that are designed around human-centric computing.
We are delighted with the remarkable applications for the home that
Mediabolic is creating with the Au1100 processor and the ability to
quickly bring customers’ products to market.”
For more information on the AMD Alchemy Au1100 processor, please
go to: www.amd.com/connectivitysolutions.
For more information about Mediabolic, please visit: www.mediabolic.com.
Jan 12 - iBIZ Technology Launches 1st
Standalone Virtual Laser Keyboard for PDAs. iBIZ Technology Corp.
(OTC Bulletin Board: IBZT - News), a leading manufacturer and distributor
of accessories for personal digital assistants (PDA) and hand-held
devices, announced that its Virtual Laser Keyboard is now shipping.
The innovative device attaches to PDAs and projects the image of a
full-size keyboard onto the surface of the desk where the PDA is placed,
making it easy to input text without a physical keyboard.
"The Virtual Laser Keyboard leverages the power of laser and
infrared technology and projects a full-size keyboard onto any flat
surface," said Ken Schilling, President and Chief Executive Officer
of iBIZ Technology Corp. "As you type on that projection; it
realizes what you're typing by the coordinates of that location."
Unlike many small snap-on keyboards for PDAs, the Virtual Laser Keyboard
provides a full-size QWERTY keyboard. It is also smaller and more
convenient to use than the folding-type keyboards made by some manufacturers
and similar to them in functionality.
"There are no mechanical moving parts whatsoever in the Virtual
Laser Keyboard," said Ken Schilling. "It provides a projected
image that is the perfect portable input device for PDAs. It's similar
in responsiveness to regular keyboards, but extremely futuristic looking."
The Virtual Laser Keyboard requires no special training. The keyboard
employs a USB/serial cable connection to communicate with the PDA
or PC. Future models will incorporate Bluetooth and/or IR Wireless
Connections to a variety of devices. The light weight device weighs
two ounces and is similar in size to a disposable cigarette lighter.
The Virtual Laser Keyboard includes a self-contained, rechargeable
lithium ion battery. It provides the Virtual Laser Keyboard with its
own internal power supply, so it doesn't drain any battery power from
the PDA or PC. The battery lasts three to four hours, more than enough
time to do some instant messaging and SMS messaging from the handheld
device or to update calendar and phone book entries.
The Virtual Laser Keyboard is ideal for well-lit offices. It's also
an excellent choice for any workplace that has clean rooms and medical
facilities, and any industry that requires a dirt-free environment.
In the education industry keyboards are the highest single point of
failure due to the constant abuse they receive on a daily basis. The
classroom keyboard also harbors an incredible amount of debris and
germs. Our Virtual Keyboard will eliminate not only the cost of maintaining
mechanical keyboards in volatile locations, but will help to maintain
a healthy environment as well.
The Virtual Laser Keyboard is compatible with Palm, Pocket PCs, laptops
and desktop PCs. An upcoming version for cell phones will be available
in 4th quarter 2004. The Virtual Laser Keyboard will be available
for $99.99 from major retailers, e-commerce sites, and iBIZ Technology's
own e-commerce site, www.ibizcorp.com.
Jan 12 - Epson Unveils
Widescreen HDTV Projection Televisions With Integrated Digital Photo
Center. Epson America Inc. expands its presence in the home entertainment
market with its introduction of two Epson Livingstation HDTV LCD projection
televisions – the EPSON Livingstation LS47P1 and EPSON Livingstation
LS57P1. Home entertainment enthusiasts can take advantage of superior
image quality and true digital output with its 720p resolution, thanks
to Epson's patented LCD technology. Additionally, with Epson's proprietary
Photo On Demand™ capability, users can now view, print and store
their digital photos from an easy-to-use universal remote control.
Epson is a recognized industry leader in LCD technology and the Livingstation
capitalizes on this expertise and delivers a dramatic and vivid cinematic
experience to the consumer in two screen sizes, 47 and 57 inches.
With three LCD panels, 1280 x 720 native resolution and a 16:9 native
aspect ratio, the Livingstation's wide screen produces unparalleled
image quality. Additionally, the Livingstation has one of the thinnest
profiles of any rear projection television currently available, measuring
only 14.9 inches deep for the 47-inch model and 16.3 inches deep for
the 57-inch model.
Proprietary Photo On Demand™ Technology
Epson's Photo On Demand™ technology is a first, enabling consumers
to view, print and store their digital photos directly from the TV
without the need for a PC. Slots for popular memory cards, including
SD™ memory card/MultiMediaCard™, Memory Stick®, Compact
Flash™ and SmartMedia™ enable users to quickly and easily
view their digital photos. A very quiet, built-in dye sublimation
photo quality printer produces borderless 4"x6" prints.
Archiving is made simple with the included CD-R/RW drive. Photo On
Demand enables users to enjoy and manage their digital photos from
the living room, making digital photography a social experience.
"Epson's reputation for outstanding digital imaging solutions
make the Livingstation line a logical next step," said Rajeev
Mishra, director, Home Entertainment Division, Epson. "The stunning
video quality, elegant thin profile design, and built-in digital photo
lab make the Livingstation a unique convergence device and an ideal
display hub for the home entertainment center."
Shipping in March 2004, the estimated retail prices for the 47- and
57-inch models are $3,499 and $3,999, respectively. For more infromation
visit www.epson.com.
Jan 12 - New Automatic Defragmenting Technology
Eliminates The Need For Manual Defragmenting. Executive Software®
announced the release of its new Diskeeper® 8.0 for consumers.
This new version of Diskeeper eliminates the need to remember to defragment
a computer system and runs in "Set It and Forget It®"
mode. This new Diskeeper has a special algorithm that will automatically
defragment your system when it needs it most and comes all set up
for consumers. Diskeeper is also the first defragmenter to quantify
the effects of fragmentation on performance of Windows systems.
Studies indicate when users rely on the built-in manual defragmenter,
routine maintenance is not getting done resulting in crippling system
slows and performance problems which can lead to other system maintenance
troubles.
"Users want fast systems and faster games", said Manny
Salinas, Diskeeper Product Line Manager. "The only workable solution
for defragmenting is to use an automatic defragmenter like the new
Diskeeper 8.0, the most popular defragmentation utility for Windows
rather than the slow built-in."
Diskeeper enables users to work on their computer and maintain peak
performance without having to remember to run a vital maintenance
program to defragment. Diskeeper is also is able to rapidly handle
the very large drives that are now shipping with most home systems.
Diskeeper 8.0 ships as specialized editions designed for each 'flavor'
of the Windows platform and for desktop editions from Windows 95 and
upwards. New Diskeeper 8.0 Editions are now available for sale and
can be purchased through your favorite reseller. More information
on Diskeeper is available at: www.executive.com/diskeeper.
Jan 11 - Sunday Shopping
Watch.
Best Sunday Deals - See our Best Sunday
Ad Deals Table below for specific system prices.
Weekly Comparison. After Christmas shopping deals
continue on computers and peripherals.
This Sunday's Special Discounts and Financing.
In addition to sales on specific items, the following store-wide sales
are advertised this week. (Note that these
ads are for the Dayton, Ohio area. Prices or offerings may be different
where you live.)
Best Buy is offering 12 month no-interest financing on all desktop
and laptop purchases, and $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops
and up to $150 mail-in rebates on advertised desktop packages.
Circuit City is offering
12 months no interest financing on advertised desktop packages and
notebooks, and up to $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops and
desktop packages.
Office
Depot
has no store-wide promotions this Sunday but has some very good sale
prices on computers.
CompUSA is offering 12 months
no interest financing on notebook purchases of $799 and higher, up
to $150 mail-in rebates on advertised laptops, and a computer trade-in
program.
Staples has no store-wide promotions
this Sunday.
Compare
to Online Prices - Compare the Sunday ad prices to
those being offered at DealTime, it searches over 160 online computer
stores.
InfoHQ Related Shopping Pages
Shopping Alerts
- Our latest shopping advisories on buying digital cameras and camcorders,
desktop computers, laptops, and other computer items.
Windows XP
Upgrade Guide - All about upgrading to Windows XP.
What You Need to Know
About Dial-up Internet Service Rebates - The pros and cons of
'free' Internet service deals. Also see our latest InfoHQ Tech Watch
Newsletter; Free
PC and Free Internet Deals.
Definitions. A complete desktop system/package/complete
package is defined as a computer with monitor and printer
or scanner.
A build-to-order system is customized at the retailer
and then ordered from a computer manufacturer. In addition to the
computer's stated price, you still pay sales tax and shipping charges
(if you order direct from the vendor without going through the chain
store, you may not have to pay sales tax and you could get a better
warranty).
Caution about advertised prices.
When reading advertisements, read the fine print of the ad to make
sure you know what is being advertised and what it cost. For example,
many advertisers will show a complete system with computer, monitor,
and printer but advertise a price for the computer only.
* Prices discussed in this article. We report
prices after rebates and discounts are subtracted.
Items highlighted in Black are good deals.
Items highlighted in Red means prices have
gone up and the system is not a good buy this week.
Items in normal text means prices are about the same as the previous
weeks.
|
Best Sunday Ad Deals
|
|
Category
|
Product Description
|
Price* (see above)
|
Prices up or Down this Week
|
Store
|
|
1. Best Celeron Deal
|
eMachines 2.6 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$378
|
-
|
Office Depot, Circuit City ($389)
|
|
2. Best Celeron Deal
|
eMachines 2.7 GHz complete system with
17" monitor
|
$439
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Pentium 4 System
|
Sony 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 complete system
with HT Technology, 15 inch flat panel, and DVD-RW
|
$1179
|
-
|
Circuit City, Best Buy($1249)
|
|
1. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
Compaq Athlon 2800+ complete system with
17 inch monitor
|
$639
|
-
|
Best Buy, Circuit City
|
|
2. Best AMD Athlon XP System
|
HP Athlon 3200+ complete system with
15 inch flat panel
|
$1099
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Compaq 2.8 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$899
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
2. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
Toshiba 2.6 GHz Celeron with DVD/CD-RW
|
$849
|
-
|
Circuit City, CompUSA
|
|
3. Best Low-cost Laptop
|
HP Athlon 2500+ with DVD/CD-RW
|
$999
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
1. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba Pentium 4 2.8 GHz with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1149
|
-
|
Office Depot
|
|
2. Best High-end Notebook
|
HP Pentium 4 2.66 GHz with DVD-RW
|
$1399
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
3. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba widescreen 1.4 GHz Centrino
with DVD/CD-RW
|
$1349
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
4. Best High-end Notebook
|
Compaq widescreen 1.4 GHz Centrino with
DVD/CD-RW
|
$1399
|
|
CompUSA
|
|
5. Best High-end Notebook
|
Toshiba widescreen Pentium 4 2.8 GHz
with HT Technology, and DVD-RW
|
$1799
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
|
|
Peripherals and Software
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Western Digital 80 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
with 8 MB buffer
|
$59
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Seagate 80 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive with
8 MB buffer
|
$49
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
|
$89
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Seagate 200 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
|
$99
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro All-in-Wonder 128
MB
|
$199
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
XFX GeForce FX 5200 128 MB
|
$69
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Circuit City
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
BFG GeForce FX 5200 256 MB
|
$119
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
BFG GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128MB
|
$149
(after rebates)
|
-
|
CompUSA
|
|
Best Sunday Deal
|
Pioneer 4X DVD-R/RW Drive
|
$249
(after rebates)
|
-
|
Best Buy
|
|
|
Additional Information. For additional technical
information, advice on how to buy a laptop or desktop, and vendor
and manufacturer links, please see our Computer
Buying Advice page.
About Sunday Shopping Watch. Sunday Shopping
Watch appears every Sunday (except some holidays like Easter and Christmas)
in our News and Rumors
Read
Our Latest Tech Watch Newsletter