Digital Tech News - Digital Technology & Consumer Electronics

AMD LIVE! PC and AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite Announced

We first heard about AMD Live! last January, and today AMD (Advanced Micro Devices Inc.) have announced the AMD LIVE! PC and AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite.  The AMD LIVE! PC is a full-featured media center PC, designed to enable consumers to organize, distribute, share, and enjoy their content collection throughout the home and on the go. AMD LIVE! PCs, powered by the award-winning AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processor are on the way from Acer, Alienware, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gateway, HP, Sahara, and others starting in June. The AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite is a collection of services and applications designed to enhance the PC experience, and is also available today at www.amdlive.com.

“The AMD LIVE! PC and AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite represent the culmination of industry-leading companies collaborating around open standards to deliver compelling entertainment solutions,” said Bob Brewer, corporate vice president, Desktop Business, AMD. “With the AMD LIVE! PC, AMD begins delivering on its vision for merging broadcast TV content with interactive, personalized broadband applications and services, all without disrupting the devices already accepted and used by consumers in their homes today.”

Fujifilm FinePix Z3 Zoom Digital Camera

The Fujifilm FinePix Z3 Zoom digital camera is the 3rd generation of Fujifilm's ‘Z’ series design. This time there's also a pink version that should appeal to style conscious women out there, or Silver, and Metallic Blue if you prefer. The FinePix Z3 Zoom is a 5.1-megapixel, 1/2.5-inch CCD, with 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, an xD Picture card slot, and 640 x 480 videos recorded at 30fps.    

Toshiba GigaBeat V30T PMP with DMB TV Tuner

The Toshiba GigaBeat V30T PMP with DMB TV Tuner (One-Seg)) is a Windows powered device with a Microsoft Portable Media Center OS that supports WMV files, and can also record TV in WMV. The GigaBeat V30T plays WMA, WAV, and MP3 audio files. There's a good sized 30GB HDD, and a 3.5" QVGA screen, making for some serious entertainment possibilities in the palm of your hand. Look-out for more details and pricing soon.

via | Akihabara News

Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac Computers

For Apple Mac users who want to add a new twist to their set-up, Microsoft has announced the availability of the Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac. The Mac-specific desktop includes a wireless Comfort Curve Keyboard and a wireless high definition laser mouse. Don't worry Mac users, the keyboard design is consistent with Mac keyboards, customized with Mac-specific keys and easily programmable hot keys.

Windows Live OneCare Antivirus and Security Software Release

Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare antivirus and desktop security software is now available in top retail stores nationwide in the U.S. and as a direct download from Microsoft at http://onecare.live.com at a cost of $49.95 per year, which covers licenses for three Windows XP PCs. Windows Live OneCare includes firewall, antivirus, backup software, and Windows Defender antispyware technology.

Windows Live OneCare is described as an "all-in-one, always-on PC care service" from Microsoft. It works quietly in the background on your computer, so you don't have to worry about viruses, spyware, hackers, and other unwanted intruders. The software also backs up all your important files, cleans and tunes up your PC to help keep it running at top speed.

via | PC World

The Windows Live OneCare Team Blog is celebrating the release and sharing some inside info on OneCare.

SlingPlayer Mobile Streaming TV on a Motorola Q Smartphone - The Video

Just a week after Sling Media announced a beta version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone based devices, Mobileburn points us to a video (via YouTube) that shows the way it all works on the new Motorola Q.  In case you don't know, Sling Media's SlingBox is a device that allows you to access your home TV content from a remote location using the PC based SlingPlayer application, while SlingPlayer Mobile makes it possible stream your video / TV to a compatible PDA or phone. Anything you can watch on your home TV, you can now watch on-the-go!  Let's call it "mobile-placeshifting."

SlingPlayer Mobile beta application is available as a free download and the final version will be made available for free to SlingBox owners who registered their SlingBox before April 26th. Those that do not qualify for the free copy of SlingPlayer Mobile will be able to purchase one for US$29.99.

Also read:

Sling Media SlingPlayer "Place Shifting" for Ultra-Mobile PCs

SlingPlayer Mobile = Slingbox Mobile TV

Slingbox Personal Broadcaster Now Available - Review

Seoul Digital Forum 2006 - Digital Intelligence Revolution and Trends

Global Digital leaders gathered last week at the 2006 Seoul Digital Forum to discuss the "Digital Intelligence Revolution" and digital trends taking place around the world. 

The world of digital technology is now moving toward the next phase of the ‘Digital Intelligence Revolution’. Previously, digital devices and services were merely capable of responding to demanded requests. Now we are entering an era where these digital devices and services, equipped with intelligence are capable of actively enhancing the comfort of its users. With robotics and smart devices marking the beginning of the intelligence revolution, the future holds infinite possibilities.

Seoul Digital Forum 2006 speakers, and session videos are now available online, including “The Future Digital Home : Evolving from Simple Networking to Digital Living”,  “New Trends in Global Mobile Contents”,  “Gaming : For Mere Fun or Something Else?”,  “Media War : Who will Lead?”, and much more thought provoking digital trends and ideas.  All make for some smart information that will show you the future of our digital world, and perfect viewing for this long weekend.

Dell PCs get Googled

Google has announced a deal with Dell Inc. to bundle some of its software, including Google's desktop search software and toolbar on future Dell PCs.

Dell will install Google's desktop search software and its toolbar while preserving a space for the search engine in a side panel of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 browser. The home page on the browser will also be programmed to go to a Web page cobranded by Dell and Google, providing another springboard to feature advertising. 

With millions of Dell computers shipping with Google software, Google's rivalry with Microsoft Corp. should heat up even more.

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Windows Media Photo

CNET reports that Microsoft revealed details of a new image format called Windows Media Photo at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference. Microsoft intends to replace the popular JPEG image format with their own Windows Media Photo, which will be supported in the forthcoming Windows Vista OS, and will also be available for Windows XP. The widespread popularity and use of the JPEG image format will not make it easy for the new Windows Media Photo format to rise to the top, but time will tell.

In his presentation, Crow showed an image with 24:1 compression that visibly contained more detail in the Windows Media Photo format than the JPEG and JPEG 2000 formats compressed at the same level.

more | Cnet News

Windows Media Photo Specification

History Channel's Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge Winner

It's always interesting to see what inventions people can come up with, and this week Apple computer co-founder Steve Wozniak had the honor of awarding the grand prize for this year's Invent Now competition. There were 25 inventions selected as finalists from 4000 entries in the History Channel Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge, with the 2006 Modern Marvel of the Year awarded to the Strawjet, which was invented by David R. Ward. The Grand Prize was $25,000.

The Strawjet processes straw that's left over after harvests into a mat, similar to a very large bamboo window blind, which can be used to construct eco-friendly composite building panels. Along with the other 24 inventions, the Strawjet is on display until Friday, May 26, at Grand Central Station's Vanderbilt Hall in New York City.

via | Gear Log