The first HTC handset to come out with Beats audio is the Sensation XE, not the Vigor as previously rumored. The Taiwanese phone maker confirmed that the HTC Sensation XE will be the first to get Beats branding. It will ship with a special pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones and an 8GB or 16GB microSD card. When the headphones are plugged, the phone automatically activates a Beats-optimized sound profile.
The specs of the Sensation XE have been bumped. The CPU gets upgraded from 1.2 GHz to 1.5GHz dual-core processor, internal storage is bigger at 16GB, and battery is now 1,730mAh. The Sensation XE will have the same 4.3 qHD Super LCD screen, 8MP rear-facing and VGA front camera and 768MB RAM.
On the inclusion of Beats audio, HTC has this to say:
The audio quality is a very important factor in mobile sound experience and we are working to push the boundaries not only for speech reception, but also for music, video and games up fully,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of global sales and marketing at HTC Corporation. ”The HTC sensation XE delivers a truly incredible audio experience and is a further proof that we want to offer customers the best possible mobile experience.
The HTC Sensation XE will have a built-in remote control for Beats playback. The HTC Sensation XE will be available late September.
TechCrunch is quite certain that Amazon will be releasing an Android tablet.
Here are the details of the Android tablet revealed to TechCrunch:
It’s called simply the “Amazon Kindle”.
It has a 7-inch capacitive touch screen that’s multi-touch and back-lit.
It runs Android but it’s a customized version.
It looks like a BlackBerry Playbook.
There are no physical buttons on the surface of the device.
This initial version of the device will be WiFi-only.
There is no camera.
There’s no Android Market.
Only a 7-inch Kindle tablet will be launched now, and launch date is end of November.
It will cost only $250.
Here are details that are still unconfirmed:
Processor is single core.
Internal storage is 6 GB.
There is an SD card expansion.
TechCrunch went as far as creating a mockup image of the device as Amazon does not want to release images of the device yet. The mockup image is what you see below.
For impressions, I quote hereunder the article from TechCrunch.
The Android on the Kindle looks nothing like the Android you’re used to seeing.
The interface is all Amazon and Kindle. It’s black, dark blue, and a bunch of orange. The main screen is a carousel that looks like Cover Flow in iTunes which displays all the content you have on the device. This includes books, apps, movies, etc. Below the main carousel is a dock to pin your favorite items in one easy-to-access place. When you turn the device horizontally, the dock disappears below the fold.
Above the dock is the status bar (time, battery, etc) and this doubles as a notification tray. When apps have updates, or when new subscriptions are ready for you to view, they appear here. The top bar shows “YOUR NAME’s Kindle” and then the number of notifications you have in bright orange. It looks quite nice
On the same day Smart Communications launched the Netphone 701, Globe decided to launch the m.Globe service which is something it claims is a “free all-in-one mobile portal”. Globe is marketing the m.Globe as a “one-stop gateway to easy and content-rich mobile surfing in every phone”.
As an obvious jab at Smart’s Netphone, Globe uses this tagline:
With m.globe, no need to spend for a new internet phone.
So what does the service offer? Globe listed these features of m.Globe:
Load checking while surfing
Access to Facebook and Twitter
Sending and receiving of emails
Free news feeds from top sites, plus exclusive content
Direct searching via Google
Watching live UAAP games on mobile
Movie previews, skeds and reviews
Free music download
The service is now available to all Globe subscribers, postpaid or prepaid. Here’s how to register for m.Globe.
1. Type M.GLOBE on your mobile phone and send to 2910 2. Wait for the confirmation text from Globe with the link for m.globe. 3. Copy or type the link to your mobile phone’s web browser. 4. Type your Globe mobile phone number and submit. 5. Wait for the verification code which will be received via text. 6. Enter the verification code on the mobile phone’s web browser.
What’s good about the m.Globe portal is it works on all phones that have internet capability. It can be accessed through WAP, which means that you don’t need a smartphone to use the portal. Android users can get a widget for the m.Globe portal but only Android 2.1 versions and higher are supported. It’s free to access the m.Globe portal via the Android app but using Facebook and Twitter or accessing websites are charged
TDK recently launched a slew of audio products including the Boombox and the WR700 and ST-800 headphones. What I have on review is the ST-800, a stylish looking headphone that reminds me of the 80’s. Read on and find out if the ST-800 deserves your hard earned money.
TDK ST-800 Headphone Technical Specifications
Power Source: 2 AAA batteries (included)
Drivers: 50mm
Sensitivity (IEC): 104 ± 3dB
Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
Cord Length: 1.22m (4ft)
Plug Type: 3.5mm
Packaging and Unboxing
The TDK ST-800 tries to grab your attention through its packaging. The headphone is housed in a big dark box that looks and feels premium. The half part pulls out to reveal the ST-800 nestled in velvet. Under the suede holder you will find an extension cord and an adaptor plug. The other half contains the instructional manuals.
Here’s a short unboxing video.
Design and Build Quality
The ST-800 tries to achieve a retro look while still looking modern and hip. It uses black and gold as primary colors, and what gives it the retro look is the textured leather material used on the band stretching over the cups. Covering the cups are gold colored plastic material that feels cheap, belying the appeal it gives out when combined with the leather finish. The ear cups themselves are cushioned by soft leather that houses a sufficiently thick foam underneath. What holds the leather cushions are black plastic that attach to the golden covers. The ear cups move but not by much. The band can be expanded by pulling it down, revealing a thin silver metal.
The cable on the ST-800 is the braided cloth type. It’s a plus for durability but in terms of comfort, it doesn’t really help. It’s unruly when tangled and quite heavy compared to the rubber type. But in terms of aesthetics, it complements the retro design of the ST-800. The cable is only 3 feet long but TDK thankfully provided a free cable extension.
The size of the ST-800 is something that’s worth mentioning here. The cups are thick and huge and look quite comical when worn. They are also heavy on the ears and could cause some stress over time, although they are comfortable on the ears though and don’t have unwanted pressure points. With the size of the ST-800 headphone, I don’t recommend it if you are looking for something that’s easy to lug around.
Unique Features
The TDK ST-800 has two nifty features I like — an equalizer (EQ) control on the cord and a volume knob on the right ear cup.
The EQ control has a small display that let’s you control and customize the bass and treble levels up to 5 steps. This, I believe is the selling point of the ST-800. The EQ remote gives the user the convenience of adjusting the bass and treble and finding the right mix for the music playing. There’s no need to reach out for the player and look for the perfect EQ preset. It works on two AAA batteries though, so you might need rechargeables if you intend to use the EQ control frequently.
The volume knob on the right earcup also offers added convenience. Instead of getting your player out to adjust the volume, you can control the volume through the rotating ear cup. This feature however depends on the EQ control so when it’s off, the volume knob will not work. The ear cup on the left, on the other hand, hosts the two AAA batteries that run the EQ control.
Sound Quality and Performance
What I love about the TDK ST-800 is the sound isolation. With cups as big as this headphone’s, I expected nothing less than near total isolation. Under average sound volume, external sound is perfectly muted, allowing the listener to focus on the track playing.
With the EQ off, the sound quality of the ST-800 is already quite capable. These cans excel on bass-heavy tracks, pumping out deep, thumping base that’s a pleasure to listen to. I therefore encourage you to turn up the volume when playing R&B and rap tracks. On details-heavy tracks though, the ST-800 doesn’t deliver as well. Although the sound is decent when the volume is just right, turning it up a notch reveals quite distorted details or broken elements.
Using the EQ control improves your listening experience on the TDK ST-800. If you need more bass power on that Black Eyed Peas track, hit the EQ button and you’ll get the bass you want. Don’t overdo it though as full bass power on the ST-800 tends to drown out the rest of the sounds. The treble booster on the EQ does not deliver the same power as the bass. Even on full, the treble doesn’t have the piercing sharpness you would expect from a headphone this big. Just adjust the bass and treble until you get the perfect levels. On most tracks, I was comfortable raising the bass up two levels and the treble about three levels.
The EQ control has one irritating flaw. It does not power up fast. I you turn it on while a track is playing, you get a delay before the screen comes alive.
Wrap-Up
The TDK ST-800 is a nice-looking headphone with a design that brings you back to the 80’s. The overall appeal is premium and I like the leather finish on the band. The golden accents complements the textured leather, completing that retro look it tries to achieve. The quality is not well-balanced though. While the leather finish and the leather-covered ear cups feel solid, the gold covers that act as volume rocker and battery cover feel cheap.
In terms of performance, the TDK ST-800 delivers good sound, although it is not consistent. It delivers strong, powerful bass even with the EQ control off making it perfect for bass-heavy tracks. It’s not as good in handling other types of music though. Rock and alternative music still sound decent on the ST-800 but you get the feeling that some details are lost or broken especially when volume is increased.
But I take my hat off to TDK for the two unique special features of the ST-800. The EQ control is a welcome feature and I’m sure the volume rocker on the ear cup will also gain some fans.
Overall, the TDK ST-800 is a well-designed headphone that delivers good sound. In my opinion, the price of Php6,500 (about US$150) is just right for this headset.
HTC Titan Features 4.7-Inch Display, Runs Windows Phone 7 Mango
Handsets are getting bigger and bigger. Samsung recently unveiled the Galaxy Note, a 5.3-inch phone and HTC also has a giant new phone in its hands in the HTC Titan. The Titan is the first from HTC to run Windows Phone 7 Mango and appears to be an update of the HD7.
The HTC Titan’s 4.7-inch display is of the SLCD kind. The titanic handset features an 8 megapixel rear shooter and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera. The front camera would be nice to use on the Skype app integrated in Mango. Processor is single-core with 1.5GHz speed, while RAM is 512MB and storage is 16GB.
HTC Titan Windows Phone 7 Mango Specifications
4.7-inch Super LCD display with 480×800 resolution
Windows Phone 7 Mango OS
1.5GHz Scorpion processor (Snapdragon S2)
Adreno 205 GPU
Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset
16GB internal storage
512MB RAM
HSDPA 14.4Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/, DLNA
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
microUSB 2.0 port
8MP autofocus camera w/ LED flash, 1.3MP front-facing camera
Chips in Space: Let’s look inside ARISSat-1 (part 1)
It’s been a little over one week since ARISSat-1 was deployed from the International Space Station and it has been operating beautifully. Radio amateurs are submitting signal reports, telemetry and Slow-Scan TV (SSTV) pictures. See for yourself at the ARISSat-1 SSTV Gallery.
Many of you are curious about what’s inside ARISSat-1. In the next two to three blog posts, I’ll introduce you to each of the subsystems. Following that, I’ll relate some of the challenges we faced in the development of these. After examining the design challenges and how we overcame them, I’ll conclude the blog by filling you in on what we are learning from ARISSat-1’s journey through space, as we analyze the telemetry and SSTV photos. Though this was designed as a limited series blog, I’ll post from time to time after that, as interesting developments occur with ARISSat-1, and when it eventually burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Let’s get started…
A cross-sectional diagram of our satellite.
From the cross section diagram, the box labeled IHU contains four PCB assemblies:
Inter-Connect Board (ICB)
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Integrated Housekeeping Unit (IHU)
Software Defined Transponder (SDX)
The 'Stack' – Inter Connect Board, Power Supply Unit, Integrated Housekeeping Unit and Software Defined Transponder
IHU Lid
'The Stack'
In the above photos you can see 'The Stack', as we have come to affectionately call it, mounted on the lid of a Hammond Manufacturing 1590F die-case aluminum box. Connectors are mounted to the lid.
Inter-Connect Board (ICB) The ICB started as a passive assembly, serving as a signal distribution and mounting system for the rest of the assemblies. But it quickly gained the active components required to drive the latching relays and part of the safety system (you can see the relays to the left in the photo). The safety system is a series of interconnects and timers to inhibit the electrical system and radio transmitter. The timers were set to inhibit the transmitter for sixteen minutes. This gave the cosmonaut time to flip the switches and deploy the satellite before it started transmitting.
Bottom view of the Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Next up in 'The Stack' is the PSU. As the name suggests, the PSU’s job is all things power related. It interfaces to the six Maximum Peak Power Trackers or MPPT’s (more on them in a moment) and 28-volt Silver-Zinc battery. The PSU monitors the charging of the battery and the performance of the power supplies, and is the primary recovery system if the IHU or SDX "latch up" due to the space environment. The PSU regulates +5 volts for the experiments, IHU, SDX and onboard MCU, and +12 volts for the cameras.
The PSU is commanded by the IHU via a serial communications link. The IHU can turn on and off, via the PSU, the experiments (up to four of them) and the cameras. (ARISSat-1 only has one experiment aboard.) The PSU monitors voltages and current to the various subsystems, and these values are reported in the telemetry stream transmitted down to Earth.
There are two 8-bit microcontrollers on the PSU: a Microchip PIC16F887 manages all of the PSU functions while a PIC16F690 acts as a serial expander interface for the PIC16F887 to the six MPPTs. Communications to the MPPTs are done through serial RS-485 communications links.
Top view of the Integrated Housekeeping Unit (IHU)
Integrated Housekeeping Unit (IHU)
Continuing to move up “The Stack,” the IHU is the brains of the satellite. It sequences all the events of the satellite, such as when to take a picture, transmit a greeting from space, or turn on the experiments. The IHU microcontroller is a 32-bit Microchip PIC32MX. The IHU encodes telemetry into the BPSK bit-stream, provides the raw audio data for all the FM missions (Voice, SSTV) and generates the CW on-off key from telemetry and a stored list of call signs.
The camera circuitry is resident on the IHU board and consists of a four-channel video input processor from Philips-NXP-Trident Microsystems (SAA7113H), an Altera MAX II CPLD (EPM570T144C5) and a 16 MB SDRAM device from Micron Technology (MT48LC8M16A2). The cameras are off-the-shelf security cameras. To take a picture, the analog output of the cameras is fed into the video input processor where the photo is digitized and stored in the SDRAM. The CPLD is the glue logic between the video input processor, the SDRAM and the PIC32MX MCU. The PIC32MX reads out of the SDRAM the colors and converts them to Robot 36 SSTV tones that are transmitted on the downlink to Earth.
Finally, the greetings from space were recorded, edited and stored on an SD memory card. The IHU PIC32MX retrieves them and sends them to the SDX via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) link for transmission.
Top view of the Software Defined Transponder (SDX)
Software Defined Transponder (SDX)
On the top of “The Stack” is the SDX. The SDX gets its name from a combination of Software Defined Radio technology and its function as a satellite transponder. The SDR technology is a quadrature sampling detector (QSD) on the uplink (receive) and quadrature sampling exciter (QSE) on the downlink (transmit).
The SDX interfaces to the RF receiver and transmitter subsystems via the 10.7 MHz intermediate frequency (IF). The IF is sampled up/down to audio baseband frequencies and digitized by a Texas Instruments TLV320AIC23BIPW CODEC. The actual radio modulation and demodulation functions are processed by a Microchip PIC32 MCU.
Chips in Space: Let’s look inside ARISSat-1 (part 2)
Welcome to Part 2 of our dive into each of ARISSat-1’s subsystems, where I will focus on the solar and battery power systems that are managed by the Power Supply Unit board discussed last week. It’s going to take a total of three parts to cover everything, and next week’s blog post will wrap up the remaining subsystems.
ARISSat-1 has been in operation for two weeks now. Last week the battery failed, causing the satellite to go silent during eclipses. However, once its solar panels are back in the sun, the systems power up and it begins operation. The Mission Elapsed Time (MET) sent in the telemetry is reset to zero each time the satellite falls into eclipse. I explain more about the battery below. All other subsystems are working nominally.
X, Y and Z Axes Labeled
In previous blog posts, I showed you the cross-sectional drawing of ARISSat-1. Above, I am showing you the axes labeled. In the telemetry transmitted down, several of the subsystems are labeled -X, +X, -Y, +Y, -Z and +Z. The axes are often associated with the solar panels, MPPTs and cameras. This way you will know which way is up (and for those that have read Ender’s Game, remember, the enemies’ gate is down).
Solar panel on the - X axis
Solar panels
The six solar panels were donated to the project by NASA. These are space-rated solar panels that were left over after the Small Explorer (SMEX) satellite program ended. Each panel measures 19-inches by 10.5-inches and consists of 50 cells. In full sunlight, each panel can produce about 50 volts open-circuit and more than 19 watts of electrical power. A panel is mounted on each of the six surfaces of the space frame.
Maximum Peak Power Tracker (MPPT)
Maximum Peak Power Trackers (MPPTs)
The six MPPTs are intelligent, SEPIC, switching power supplies that will either boost up the solar-panel voltage (when the sun is low) or buck down the solar-panel voltage (when the sun is high) to the battery voltage of approximately 28 volts. The minimum operating voltage is 15 volts, and the maximum is 100 volts. The peak operating point of the panels is specified as 45 volts. So far, telemetry is showing that the panels are running between 15 and 46 volts. Each MPPT uses a PIC16F690 8-bit MCU as its SMPS controller. The algorithm running in the PIC16F690s quickly shifts the operating point of the SEPIC up and down, to hunt for the peak power point. As the satellite was expected to tumble, the MPPTs must hunt very quickly and then track the fast-moving peak power point. Each panel is expected to have six seconds between sunrise and sunset.
Silver-Zinc (AgZn) type 825M3 battery
Battery
The battery was donated by RSC Energia. This is a type 825M3, and is the same exact type used to power the Russian Orlan space suits. It internally consists of eighteen rechargeable, Silver-Zinc (AgZn) cells and is specified for 14 ampere hours at 28 volts.
The battery has failed much earlier than we expected. This particular battery is not constructed to be a long-life battery. It is only rated for five charge cycles. We knew this going in. Since this was the battery we were given, we did our best to prolong its life through shallow charging. Now the battery is not holding a charge, and thus goes silent and resets all of its circuitry during eclipse. When ARISSat-1 returns to sunlight, the satellite begins operating after the 16-minute safety timers expire. The Mission Elapsed Time (MET) telemetry is reset to zero each time. This can be seen by monitoring the telemetry.
Chips in Space: Let’s look inside ARISSat-1 (Part 3)
Welcome to my third and final chapter on the ARISSat-1’s subsystems, which covers all of the Cs: communications, cameras, control and cabling, along with the university experiment that hitched a ride. Next week’s blog post will begin a discussion of the challenges we encountered while designing the satellite—and how we solved them—followed in later posts by a summary of the lessons learned from ARISSat-1’s deployment and operation.
ARISSat-1 has been in operation for three weeks, now. The most up-to-date status information can be read at http://www.arissat1.org/v3/ and the AMSAT Bulletin Board. The battery is surely dead. ARISSat-1 orbits the Earth every 90 minutes. On each orbit, when it enters eclipse, no power is generated by the solar panels and the systems effectively reset. Otherwise, operations continue to be nominal.
Let’s finish up the description of the subsystems…
Interior View of the Receiver RF PCB
RF
The RF module has a 2-meter-band communications transmitter for the downlink, and produces a total of 500 milliwatts of power. The input to the downlink transmitter is a 10.7 MHz intermediate frequency (IF) signal that is generated by the Software Defined Transponder (SDX). (See Part 1 for more info on the SDX.)The RF module also has a 70-centimeter-band communications receiver, and its output is a 10.7 MHz IF signal that is fed to the SDX.
Concept Drawing Showing the 2-meter Antenna at Top and 70-cm Antenna at Bottom
Antennas
There are two antennas. The 2-meter downlink antenna is mounted to the top, and the 70-cm uplink antenna is mounted to the bottom. As mentioned in my deployment update blog of August 3, 2011, the 70-cm antenna appears to be broken off in the video of the deployment. We may never know what happened to that antenna, but to our pleasant surprise, radio amateurs are still able to communicate with ARISSat-1 just fine using 1 Watt on the uplink.
Interior view of the camera module
CamerasWe used Hunt Electronics’ HTC-2N3 Series CCD Sensor type cameras. There are four cameras, each pointing in a different axis. If you take a look at the ARISS SSTV Gallery site, note that the call sign RS01S is in four different colors:
• Red: -Y pointing camera, side view, mirror reverses image
• Green: +Z pointing camera, top view (you can see the tip of the 2-meter antenna)
• Blue: -Z pointing camera, bottom view
• Magenta: +Y pointing camera, side view, mirror reverses image
The output is NTSC video that is digitized by the four-channel video input processor on the Internal Housekeeping Unit (IHU), which was also discussed in Part 1.
Exterior view of control panel
Control panel
The control panel allowed the cosmonauts to activate the satellite. It is an important component of the safety system. Upon flipping the three toggle switches, power was applied to the satellite and the safety timers were enabled, giving the cosmonauts 16 minutes to safely deploy the satellite before it started transmitting.
One of the First Pictures ARISSat-1 Took (captured by Mike Rupprecht, DK3WN)
Once ARISSat-1 was powered up, it started taking pictures. Two of the photos captured the cosmonauts handling the satellite. Here’s one that was captured by Mike Rupprecht, DK3WN, of Germany.
Photo of the Kursk University experiment
Kursk experiment
To the right of the control panel on the top plate is the Kursk science experiment. This experiment was developed by students at the Kursk State University in Russia, and is intended to measure the vacuum of space. The experiment was started 30 minutes after deployment, and will run once each day for a complete orbit. Telemetry from the experiment is transmitted on the downlink.
Interior View of ARISSat-1 Showing the Cabling
Cabling
No satellite is complete without cabling. Cables are something that you wish to minimize because they are not easy to assemble, are very labor intensive and take a long time to assemble. They are also prone to vibration failures, if not carefully laced with connectors secured in place. The cable harness was handmade. Individual strands of insulated wire and connectors were assembled according to the length of the cable run and the placement of the connectors. This makes for a nice, neat installation. It also facilitates the cable-harness tie downs, which keep the cable harness in place.
Samsung Galaxy Z
A variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II is coming. The Samsung Galaxy Z, said to be an under-spec’d Galaxy S II, has just been revealed a little early by a Swedish telecom site. The phone looks somehow similar to the more powerful Galaxy S II, sporting a polished metal home button and back cover. The phone is be 9.5mm thin and weighs 135g.
Instead of a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy Z’s display is only 4.2 inches and is of the Super Clear LCD variant. The processor is still 1GHz dual-core but the make is not yet known. The phone will run on Android 2.3 OS and will have Wi-Fi, GPS, FM Radio, 5MP camera with LED flash, HD video recording support, 8GB internal memory, and microSD card slot up to 32GB.
Samsung Galaxy Z Specifications
Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread processor
4.2-inch SLCD capacitive touchscreen at 480 x 800 pixels
Dual-core 1GHz processor
1GB RAM, 2GB ROM
8GB storage
up to 32GB via microSD card
5MP auto-focus camera with LED flash
1.3MP front-facing camera
720p video recording
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP
GPS with aGPS support
FM radio
Li-Ion 1650mAh battery
The phone is available for pre-ordered at Three Sweden and is priced at 3,995 Swedish kronor, which is about $US630 (about Php27,000). This is quite expensive but the price may be cheaper when it finally lands in the Philippines
IBM scientists demonstrate computer memory breakthrough
For the first time, scientists at IBM Research have demonstrated that a relatively new memory technology, known as phase-change memory (PCM), can reliably store multiple data bits per cell over extended periods of time. This significant improvement advances the development of low-cost, faster and more durable memory applications for consumer devices, including mobile phones and cloud storage, as well as high-performance applications, such as enterprise data storage.
With a combination of speed, endurance, non-volatility and density, PCM can enable a paradigm shift for enterprise IT and storage systems within the next five years. Scientists have long been searching for a universal, non-volatile memory technology with far superior performance than flash – today’s most ubiquitous non-volatile memory technology. The benefits of such a memory technology would allow computers and servers to boot instantaneously and significantly enhance the overall performance of IT systems. A promising contender is PCM that can write and retrieve data 100 times faster than flash, enable high storage capacities and not lose data when the power is turned off. Unlike flash, PCM is also very durable and can endure at least 10 million write cycles, compared to current enterprise-class flash at 30,000 cycles or consumer-class flash at 3,000 cycles. While 3,000 cycles will out live many consumer devices, 30,000 cycles are orders of magnitude too low to be suitable for enterprise applications (see chart for comparisons).
“As organizations and consumers increasingly embrace cloud-computing models and services, whereby most of the data is stored and processed in the cloud, ever more powerful and efficient, yet affordable storage technologies are needed,” states Dr. Haris Pozidis, Manager of Memory and Probe Technologies at IBM Research – Zurich. “By demonstrating a multi-bit phase-change memory technology which achieves for the first time reliability levels akin to those required for enterprise applications, we made a big step towards enabling practical memory devices based on multi-bit PCM.” Multi-level Phase Change Memory Breakthrough
To achieve this breakthrough demonstration, IBM scientists in Zurich used advanced modulation coding techniques to mitigate the problem of short-term drift in multi-bit PCM, which causes the stored resistance levels to shift over time, which in turn creates read errors. Up to now, reliable retention of data has only been shown for single bit-per-cell PCM, whereas no such results on multi-bit PCM have been reported.
PCM leverages the resistance change that occurs in the material — an alloy of various elements — when it changes its phase from crystalline — featuring low resistance — to amorphous — featuring high resistance — to store data bits. In a PCM cell, where a phase-change material is deposited between a top and a bottom electrode, phase change can controllably be induced by applying voltage or current pulses of different strengths. These heat up the material and when distinct temperature thresholds are reached cause the material to change from crystalline to amorphous or vice versa.
In addition, depending on the voltage, more or less material between the electrodes will undergo a phase change, which directly affects the cell's resistance. Scientists exploit that aspect to store not only one bit, but multiple bits per cell. In the present work, IBM scientists used four distinct resistance levels to store the bit combinations “00”, “01” 10” and “11”.
To achieve the demonstrated reliability, crucial technical advancements in the “read” and “write” process were necessary. The scientists implemented an iterative “write” process to overcome deviations in the resistance due to inherent variability in the memory cells and the phase-change materials: “We apply a voltage pulse based on the deviation from the desired level and then measure the resistance. If the desired level of resistance is not achieved, we apply another voltage pulse and measure again — until we achieve the exact level,” explains Pozidis.
Despite using the iterative process, the scientists achieved a worst-case write latency of about 10 microseconds, which represents a 100× performance increase over even the most advanced Flash memory on the market today.
For demonstrating reliable read-out of data bits, the scientists needed to tackle the problem of resistance drift. Because of structural relaxation of the atoms in the amorphous state, the resistance increases over time after the phase change, eventually causing errors in the read-out. To overcome that issue, the IBM scientists applied an advanced modulation coding technique that is inherently drift-tolerant. The modulation coding technique is based on the fact that, on average, the relative order of programmed cells with different resistance levels does not change due to drift.
Using that technique, the IBM scientists were able to mitigate drift and demonstrate long- term retention of bits stored in a subarray of 200,000 cells of their PCM test chip, fabricated in 90-nanometer CMOS technology. The PCM test chip was designed and fabricated by scientists and engineers located in Burlington, Vermont; Yorktown Heights, New York and in Zurich. This retention experiment has been under way for more than five months, indicating that multi-bit PCM can achieve a level of reliability that is suitable for practical applications.
The PCM research project at IBM Research – Zurich will continue to be studied at the recently opened Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center. The center, which is jointly operated by IBM and ETH Zurich as part of a strategic partnership in nanosciences, offers a cutting-edge infrastructure, including a large cleanroom for micro- and nanofabrication as well as six “noise-free” labs, especially shielded laboratories for highly sensitive experiments. A History of Pioneering Memory Technology
In 1966, IBM Fellow, Dr. Robert Dennard invented dynamic random access memory — DRAM — which, when combined with the first low-cost microprocessors, opened the door to small personal computers. Today, every PC, notebook computer, game console and other computing device is loaded with DRAM chips. DRAM also powers mainframes, data center servers and most of the machines that run the Internet. In 1988, Dennard was awarded the US National Medal of Technology for the invention of DRAM. As IBM celebrates its Centennial this year, the company celebrates DRAM as one of its 100 greatest innovations.
In a possible attempt to wrest some market share from Apple’s Macbook Air, Sony will make its Vaio Z laptop thinner than its predecessor. Sony just revealed the details of the upcoming ultrathin Vaio Z laptop to the European press.
The new Vaio Z is a 13.1-inch notebook that weighs under 1.2kg and has a 21.8mm thin profile. It has a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, and 1600×900 resolution screen, with up to 7 hours of computing power. The Vaio Z features a Power Media Dock, which has an AMD Radeon 6650M GPU with 1GB of dedicated memory connected via Light Peak. The dock has one USB 3.0 and additional USB, VGA and HDMI ports, and a slot for a DVD or Blu-ray drive. The Vaio Z is also the first laptop, apart from Apple, to have the new Thunderbolt technology.
The Vaio Z will ship by the end of July in Europe. The rest of the world will probably get a glimpse of this ultraportable soon thereafter. Price will most likely go north of P100,000. VAIO Z Specifications
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2620M 2.70GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 3.40GHz)
OS: Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64bit) with Service Pack 1
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1333Mhz SDRAM
Drive: 256GB SSD Flash memory (RAID 0)
Screen: 33.2cm (13.1″) VAIO Display Premium (1600×900) with wide (16:9) aspect ratio
On-board graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 3000
Optical drive: DVD SuperMulti Drive (included with VGP-PRZ20C Power Media Dock)
Others: WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n; 3G WWAN; Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR; USB 2.0 x1, docking station/USB port x1 (supports USB 2.0/3.0 compatible devices); HDMI™ out (3D supported); stereo speakers with Dolby® Home Theater® v4; HD web camera powered by ‘Exmor’ (1.3 effective megapixels); Web, VAIO and Assist buttons; touchpad with gesture support; fingerprint sensor; Quick Boot
Dimensions: 210 x 16.65 x 330mm
Weight: 1.18kg (with standard internal battery)
Power Media Dock Specifications
Graphics Accelerator: AMD Radeon™ HD 6650M
Video RAM: 1GB DDR3
Max. resolution: Analogue RGB: 1920 x 1200
HDMI: 1920 x 1080
Optical drive: VGP-PRZ20C: DVD SuperMulti Drive
VGP-PRZ20A: Blu-ray Disc™ Drive with DVD SuperMulti
LAN port: 1000BASE-T/100BASE-T/10BASE-T x1
USB port: Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) Type A Connector x2, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) x1
Archos Arnova7 is a$99 Android tablet with Decent Specfications
A 7-inch Android tablet which only costs $99 (about Php4,500) is something that’s too good to be true. If there is something this cheap, we would immediately suspect that it is one of those cheaply made tablets from China. But what makes it really quite unbelievable is that the tablet involved is from Arnova, a company that is related to Archos. We know Archos produces some of the more affordable tablets but not this affordable.
The Arnova 7 is a tablet that does not skimp on features. Although the processor is still a mystery as of this writing, the revealed specs and features already make the Arnova 7 an interesting tablet. It has a 4GB internal memory which is expandable via a microSD slot, it has Wi-Fi capabilities, has decent display and plays HD videos up to 720p resolution. Screen type though is resistive and not capacitive. What makes it really interesting is that it runs Android. Although it ships with Android 2.2 Froyo, this Android version is already very sufficient. If this arrives in the Philippines, I may be one of the first to buy a unit. Archos Arnova 7 Specifications
• High resolution touch screen, 800×480 pixels, 7″ TFT LCD, 16 million colors
• Touch screen with virtual keyboard
Video Playback1
• H.264 up to 720p resolution – 30 fps / 5 Mbps.
• MPEG-42 – 30 fps / 2.5 Mbps.
• Realvideo™ up to 720p resolution – 30 fps / 2.5 Mbps
With the above codecs, the device can play video files with the following extensions: .avi, .mp4, .mkv, .mov, and .flv
Audio Playback1
• MP3, WAV3, APE, OGG, FLAC
Photo viewer4
• JPEG, BMP, GIF
Interfaces
• USB 2.0 Slave: Mass Storage Class (MSC)
• USB 2.0 Host: Mass Storage Class (MSC) – Connect a mass storage device or keyboard & mouse
• Micro SDHC card
Communication protocols
• WiFi (802.11 b/g)
Miscellaneous
• Built-in speaker
• Microphone
Power source
• Internal: Lithium Polymer battery
• External: Power adapter/charge
Battery life5
• Video playback time: up to hours
• Music playback time: up to hours
Dimensions & weight
• 193.3 mm x 120 mm x 12.6 mm (7.6” x 4.7” x 0.5”) – 340 g / 12 oz
Compatibility
• Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, 7 or higher, Mac OS or Linux in mass storage mode
Computer Interface
• USB 2.0 interface
Package includes
• ARNOVA 7, Standard USB cable (micro B/A), power adapter, User Guide, legal and safety notice
The Pentax Q is the World’s Smallest Interchangeable Lens Camera
Pentax just launched the Q camera, the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera. It is so small yet it’s a full featured camera with DSLR features. Pentax used a newly designed PENTAX Q-mount lens system for the Q. Lenses for the Q include prime, zoom and fish-eye.
The mirrorless Pentax Q uses a 12.4 megapixel backlit 1/2.3-inch CMOS image sensor. The Q can do 125-6400 ISO and shoots on several modes such as Program, Aperture/Shutter Priority, and Metered Manual, Bokeh Control, Smart Effects and HDR. Pentax Q is also able to record 1080 Full HD at 30fps which you can view on an HD screen via an HDMI connector.
Pentax managed to fit a 3-inch LCD display in to the Q. It also has a customizable Quick Dial, built-in pop-up flash, and a Dust Removal II mechanism. To protect what’s inside the camera, Pentax opted for a lightweight, scratch resistant magnesium alloy body.
The Pentax Q is being offered in white and black colors and comes with a standard prime lens when purchased. The Q will be released around September of this year and price is pegged at $800.
STMicroelectronics Unveils Fast-Write Memory for Low-Cost Black-Box Recorders
Super-fast page-write time for proven Non-Volatile Memory technology simplifies design of emergency data storage
Geneva, June 28, 2011 -
A global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications and the world’s leading supplier of EEPROM memories for electronic equipment, has introduced a new memory with a unique ultra-fast recording feature for storing important data during unexpected events. Its uses will include recovering system data when a sudden power failure occurs, and ‘black-box’ recorders that help identify the causes of equipment failures or accidents.
A system using the M35B32 EEPROM is able to store a significant amount of vital information (2Kbits) in less than one millisecond, and hence can react when the onset of a system failure or an accident is detected. In cases such as a power failure, this super-fast data storage can save the information needed to recover the system before the power supply voltage falls to an unusable level.
Major applications for this high-speed memory include games, battery powered gadgets, utility meters, smart-grid equipment, industrial systems and medical devices. Compared to alternative non-volatile memories, the M35B32 is about forty-times faster than a standard 32-Kbit EEPROM and matches the write speed of Flash. Consuming approximately one-tenth the energy of Flash, ST’s new memory allows designers to specify a voltage supply backup capacitor of one-tenth the size needed to operate the memory long enough to finish writing if system power is lost unexpectedly. This translates into significant savings both in cost and printed-circuit-board area. The M35B32’s EEPROM technology also has cost and quality advantages compared to high-speed FRAM technology.
The M35B32 has a 32-Kbit capacity, which is divided into two sectors for event recording and regular system EEPROM. The sector sizes are user adjustable to suit various application requirements. The large page size of 256 bytes allows a large amount of data to be written in a single page-write cycle and, when addressing the event recording sector, this information can be programmed in less than 1ms. This enhances system performance and saves software overhead. The M35B32 is accessed via a standard SPI serial connection, and so can be used as a direct replacement for standard SPI serial memories.
The M35B32 is in production now, in SO8N, TSSOP8 and FPN 2 x 3mm compact surface-mount packages, priced at $0.65 for 1000 pieces. Alternative pricing options are available for larger quantities. Automotive-qualified devices will be released at the beginning of 2012, and will simplify the design of equipment such as vehicle ABS.
The principle of wireless charging has been around for over a century, but only now are we beginning to recognize its true potential. First, we need to be careful about how liberal we use "wireless" as a term; such a word implies that you can just walk around the house or office and be greeted by waves of energy beamed straight to your phone. As Space Age-ish as it sounds, that kind of stuff actually is in the works, but it's still a long ways from getting to market -- and even further from turning into a mainstream solution. So for the universe as we see it today, the word merely refers to not using cords. Ginormous difference.
We're referring, largely, to inductive charging -- the ability to manipulate an electromagnetic field in order to transfer energy a very short distance between two objects (a transmitter and receiver). It's limited to distances of just a few millimeters for the moment, but even with this limitation, such a concept will allow us to power up phones, laptops, keyboards, kitchen appliances, and power tools from a large number of places: in our homes, our cars, and even the mall. And that's just for starters.
Sounds so 21st century, doesn't it? We've seen this "advanced" technology in elementary gizmos like electric toothbrushes and shavers for decades, but it wasn't until 2009 when companies like Palm and Powermat began generating a fair amount of public interest for some of our everyday devices. The major drawbacks so far? The cost of the accessories are almost as much as the phones themselves; they've typically involved bulky cases that barely fit into your pocket, and even now are compatible with very few devices.
This isn't always going to be the case. We're starting to notice a rapidly growing trend heading directly into cord-cutting. In the last year we've witnessed tremendous breakthroughs in clever services like "the cloud," mobile devices syncing media and backups via WiFi, and NFC. Bluetooth, as another example, has been around for a much longer time but is still increasing in popularity. With such ideas rapidly becoming not only reality but commonplace, wireless charging now has some serious clout with Joe the Plumber. The three handsets on Verizon's LTE lineup now offer dedicated back covers to lead the charge (pun intended) to general consumer acceptance, and dozens of other companies are working to integrate inductive charging surfaces into everyday items like furniture, desktops, or the middle of your car. This tremendous opportunity extends into so much more than just phones, but you have to start somewhere, right?
In a nutshell, inductive charging involves a surface that acts as the transmitter, with coils built-in underneath to transfer energy to a willing receiver. This could be a phone, laptop, a can of soup. There's intrigue in this type of charging because as long as you have the proper sleeve or battery cover attached, you can easily charge your gizmo just by placing it on a compatible pad. And maybe -- just maybe -- we won't always have to rely on additional (and typically bulky) accessories to make this happen.
It's a great idea, but one reason why this wireless tech has been restricted to nothing but a glorified conceptualization (until recently, anyways) is because no standard had been set. Each company was left to fend for itself, coming up with its own proprietary accessories for individual products. The bill of materials can rack up quickly when there's no standard and no interoperability, so how can such a ragtag operation really succeed?
Wireless charging standards
Enter the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), the masterminds behind Qi (pronounced 'Chee'). Sound familiar? If so, that's probably because it's getting into everything. Qi is a set of guidelines for inductive charging units that WPC is hoping will become the universal standard. It's rounded up 84 manufacturers, semiconductors, and telecom providers under its wing so far, a number which no other organizations have come close to matching. Qualcomm and CEA are still busy nailing down their own standards, both of which are set to hit the market sometime this year, so Qi is the current default. Even when the WPC finally has official competition, it's got an astronomical head start.
With so many businesses hopping on the bandwagon, this leaves more room for innovation and specialization of products. Interoperability of this magnitude can offer a large number of benefits: it's easier to market a product when you're backed up by an established protocol that everybody else uses, and the cost to consumers is much lower to get set up since everything is compatible. In a niche market, proprietary (or standalone) product lines are much more difficult for consumers to get behind. But once the vast majority of legit tech companies -- Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Energizer, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson are among WPC's list of members -- begin integrating Qi into phones, laptops, DSLR cameras, keyboards, kitchen countertops, and furniture, chances are you're a lot more tempted to buy a Qi-compatible product than something from a random yahoo. Think about it this way: we'd be much more inclined to board a train if it already has a destination, passengers, and enough manpower to get somewhere, rather than one that's empty and just sitting around waiting for people to show up. The Qi train looks entirely more salacious.
Our earlier video and the image above will hopefully demonstrate why interoperability matters; we were able to take an Energizer Qi-compatible charging pad, and use it to power up both a Samsung Droid Charge (with the inductive battery cover attached) and an iPhone 3GS with the Energizer sleeve. It doesn't matter which company made the product, any item that's Qi-certified will do the trick.
The WPC set certain guidelines for Qi because it not only wants to keep everything compatible, it's also ensuring its members will comply with certain safety rules, software guidelines, and other procedures that make it the most efficient charging option available. When your phone is plugged into a standard wall outlet, it's still soaking up way too much power even when the battery is full. Qi has set a guideline to cut the consumption levels down in this case. As a side effect, however, this method limits the amount of power transfer taking place even during a regular charge, which means it takes a bit longer to power something up completely. Fortunately, the transmitter and receiver can even send data to each other to determine if a battery is full and needs to stop charging. There are other useful ways Qi devices can take advantage of this ability, which we'll touch upon shortly.
When the standard was established last year, the WPC came out with only one power setting for Qi: low. With a maximum power output of 5W, the low standard's only enough to power the smaller gadgets -- phones, media players, and anything else that doesn't require much of a charge. The medium setting, currently in the works, will take care of anything in the 5W - 120W range like notebooks, netbooks, tablets, and cameras. According to Pavan Pudipeddi on TI's battery management solutions team, it's taking longer to get this standard wrapped up, due to a conundrum that's taking extra time to solve: the difference between 5 and 120 is substantial, so how does a Qi surface tell between tablets (that require 25-30) and power-hungry notebooks (65-90)?
By no means is Qi the only wireless charging standard in development, but it definitely has a head start over the competing organizations. Here's a few of its main competitors:
WiPower: This standard under development by Qualcomm involves near-field inductive charging with flexible couplings, so that it can transmit up to two inches (compared to Qi's few mm distance). It can also cover an 5- x 3-inch area so that multiple devices can fit on one square, rather than requiring one coil per device. The longer distance will be a strong advantage for WiPower, as it means you'd just have to stick a coil underneath a table or desk instead of taking Qi's method of integrating it directly into the surfaces -- a much more expensive approach, to be sure. This standard also offers a more flexible range, so you can take your laptop and move it around a little without it being stuck on your desk in one specific spot. Once it launches, it could prove to be a worthy adversary to keep Qi from floating away with the "Universal Standard" trophy.
UL: Underwriters Laboratories announced last year that it was building its own low-power inductive charging standard called UL 2738. Catchy name, right? There's a tricky thing about this particular standard -- it will be mandated. This may sound like a familiar idea to you; if you've taken a close look at power supplies or light products, you may have seen a UL label printed somewhere on them. The standard is wholly safety-based, which means it's completely separate from the other protocols. Fortunately, everyone can co-exist with the UL in perfect harmony. We can't stress enough how crucial this is to paving the way to the tech's future; wireless chargers that need mandated certifications from the UL are a huge indicator that there is a very strong interest in this type of service becoming mainstream, available on every street corner.
CEA: Similarly, the CEA created the Wireless Charging Working Group to begin work on its own standard, which should be ready to be submitted to the CEA management board by the end of this year, and then on to get approval from the IEEE. Its guidelines will be much broader in scope than the WPC and include a wide range of technologies. Also, in a similar fashion to UL, this particular standard will be inclusive of other protocols, and several members of the WPC -- such as Qualcomm, Intel, GM, Powermat, and Motorola -- have joined with this working group.
As a side note, we could only find one company that has pledged support and membership with all four major protocols: Powermat. This won't mean its products will change from its proprietary charging method and become universal per se, but it does opens up the door for it to work in conjunction with these protocols and partner with multiple manufacturers. It also offers the company additional flexibility if any change in strategy is necessary.
Health implications
A huge point of concern when developing these kinds of standards is how it will affect our health. When thinking about wireless, it's easy to envision radioactive waves zapping us as they float around in the air -- and we have every right to know if this type of charging will cause us any type of harm. In the case of inductive charging, however, we won't need to worry about trying to duck the attack of invisible rays. The WPC established guidelines to ensure its products won't expose us to levels of radiation or ionization that could cause any harm to human tissue.
As an example, the WPC quotes the ICNIRP, a scientific committee that has published its own guidelines on exposure limits. It states: "there is no substantive evidence that adverse health effects, including cancer, can occur in people exposed to levels at or below the ICNIRP limits." According to the studies conducted by this committee, so long as Qi and the other standards see to it that products don't exceed the max exposure, we shouldn't be concerned. Check out More Coverage at the bottom to get more details on these studies.
Where can inductive charging take us?
In the here and now, all inductive charging seems to do is come up with a clever way to power up our phones. But looking past the immediate horizon, there's a whole new universe of possible ideas on how to add convenience to our lives. Just the fact that these transmitters and receivers could send data -- not just energy -- back and forth to each other opens up a myriad of opportunities. Let's break some of these ideas down.
In the home:
Use your Qi-compatible kitchen counter to power your George Foreman grill, a blender, or boil a pot of water. The sensors in the counter work to keep the pot boiling, even though the surface itself is cool to the touch. If the pot needs to boil for ten minutes and then simmer for two, you'll be able to program it to do so without need for manual adjustments.
Grab a can of soup and place it on the same inductive countertop. The can has an embedded receiver; once it heats up to its desired temperature, a light on the can flashes red, indicating that it's ready to eat.
Integrate Qi charger pads into the desktop in your office or study, and use them to power up your computer monitors, keyboard and mouse, and DSLR. As your camera charges, it sends a signal telling the Qi to commence syncing your images via WiFi to your computer.
Install a puck-sized Qi charger into your furniture, and use it to power up your Kindle or tablet as you get more and more engrossed in your latest novel.
In the car:
Courtesy of Powermat, several 2012 models made by General Motors will have wireless charging pads embedded somewhere inside the car for easy access, such as the center console or right in between the front seats. There's a good chance we'll begin seeing Qi-compatible charging pads built into specific cars as well.
As demonstrated by Fulton Innovation at CES 2011, we may also begin seeing electric-powered vehicles get powered up via a manhole-sized charging pad. Not only would this be great in your garage, you'd also be able to top off your car's battery in special parking spots at the mall or other public venues. With these, you'd pay a certain rate to charge your car as you finish your shopping or grab a bite to eat and control these payments through a smartphone app.
When shown off in January, Fulton claimed this form of charging was 80 percent efficient at the time, and with some adjustments this number could get bumped up to as high as 89 percent. This isn't too bad, compared to the 96 percent efficiency seen in wired cars.
In the office:
Imagine a conference room in which the table is hooked up with Qi. Every person's laptop can be getting fully charged during the presentation, eliminating the need to have several surge protectors or power outlets scattered up and down the room with dozens of accompanying cords. One seat at the head of the table would be set up to control the projector; the presenter sets his or her laptop on this charging point and it mirrors the computer screen onto the projector.
In the store:
At the grocery store, you tell a smartphone app which items you need to pick up. The app not only shows you which aisle it's located on, each product would sit on top of a Qi pad that triggers an electrolumiscient label on the item, lighting it up as you approach it. This could be done with any item for any reason -- if a product is on sale, for instance. There's a whole lot of great marketing opportunities available thanks to inductive charging units.
Milk could flash different colored labels when it gets closer to (and eventually reaches) its expiration date, making it much easier for employees to identify and get rid of it.
In public:
If you're heading to the coffee shop, chances are you're bringing your laptop or tablet. Having charging pads embedded into the tables will keep you from lugging extra cords around, leaves extra room for you (and others) to enjoy, and keeps others from tripping on your wires. Your lawyer will thank you.
The same goes for airports, where Qi is already starting to get integrated into seats and tables. If you've done a fair amount of traveling, it's no secret that open outlets are the airport equivalent of a unicorn, so adding extra places in the terminal for us to charge our phones and laptops wirelessly will be a huge incentive to buy. And just to take things a step further, how wonderful would it be to take your netbook onto the plane with you and have a way to charge it up wirelessly during the flight?
A lot of these scenarios sound incredibly tantalizing, but we're likely still at least a couple years away from experiencing most of them. Some may never even happen at all, and others are actually ready to go (Powermats are already installed in a few airports, for instance). Regardless, we're going to see a huge spike in interest over the next two years because standards will have been finalized, manufacturers are starting to embed these types of chargers in their products, and we'll begin noticing Qi logos popping up in airports, cars, and coffee shops. It's basic marketing: the more visible it is to the public eye, the quicker it will be adopted and accepted.
To be honest, we're not going to see as much value in forking out all this extra cash just to charge our handheld gadgets in a cool way, but the trend has to start growing somewhere. Phones and media players are the natural places to begin because it's a low price point that has high market saturation potential, which will help the average Joe / Jane become informed. Wireless charging units won't be too expensive to integrate directly into handheld devices -- at least, once it starts picking up speed and more units get ordered. It'll be a different game when a multitude of Qi-compatible consumer products flood the market and significantly reduce the manufacturing cost.
Besides inductive charging, what else is there?
We get it -- inductive charging may not be so exciting, especially right now as it involves clunky sleeves and other expensive accessories. While standards such as Qi and WiPower are sure to improve power efficiency and cost as they continue developing, there will always be the limiting factor of short distances. That's fine for kitchen appliances and desktop computers, but let's face it: for phones and other handheld devices, it doesn't really add that much extra convenience to our lives if we can't actually pick them up and use them while they're getting charged "wirelessly."
Magnetic induction is a step in the right direction and has the capability of doing all the things you read about above, but it can only take us so far. Several other methods of wireless charging are currently in development, however, all of which can transmit varying degrees of power over longer distances.
WiTricity: Originally founded and designed by a team at MIT in 2007, WiTricity relies on long-field magnetic resonance to transfer energy over much longer distances than induction. Instead of millimeters or inches, it has the ability to stretch out as much as eight feet. While some efficiency is lost as you move further away from the power source, it still exceeds 95 percent power efficiency for devices within a couple feet. Toyota announced a partnership with WiTricity in April to begin working on using this longer-distance resonance technology to power up its vehicles, but no timeframe was set on when this capability may be available.
Powercast: Using a creative technique to take advantage of radio waves, Powercast has found a way to grab RF transmissions and convert them into DC power. The idea is to install a transmitter somewhere in the house that broadcasts RF energy in the 850-950MHz range, which an embedded sensor can pick up and convert into a trickle charge from up to 40 feet away. It can also technically grab any other errant RF waves that happen to wander by. The shortcoming here is that government regulations limit the amount of power that can be emitted using RF to 3-4W, which restricts its use to more low-power applications like humidity and light sensors, keyboards, flashlights, and GPS modules. The trickle charge that Powercast transmitters use would be too little for power-hungry devices. Powerbeam: This alternative uses optical "beams" to transmit energy wirelessly up to 40 feet away. Much like Powercast, the amount of energy that can be transmitted currently is around 5W, so it's great for powering up lights, security cameras, digital picture frames, and other smaller devices. It technically can charge devices up to 10W, but don't plan on using this tech for anything larger than a phone or tablet -- not efficiently, anyway. It's great for putting objects in hard-to-reach places that you wouldn't have otherwise considered; however, one huge disadvantage is that since it involves a beam of optical energy, it doesn't go through walls, and the power gets cut off if an object moves in between the transmitter and receiver. Still, this would definitely come in handy for large rooms. RCA Airpower: Very little information has been brought to light in the past year about this particular technique, but RCA has been said to be working on a wireless charging solution that could grab and harness the little bits of WiFi energy floating around and convert it into power. If this does come to market, we'd likely see it first come out in portable chargers. There are tons of creative ways we can power up all of our portable gear. Due to limitations and inefficiencies, most of these techniques wouldn't see the light of day for anything that requires anything more than a trickle of power, but the hamster wheels are turning now and we imagine this is only the beginning of what the cunning mind can come up with.
RIM's BlackBerry 9900 is the device that the BlackBerry diehards have been hoping, wishing, and waiting for since the original Bold launched way back in 2008. However, this time around the company has added in a capacitive touchscreen, swapped the trackball of yesteryear for an optical trackpad, and slimmed the whole thing down into a 10.5mm thick package. We were lucky enough to get a prototype device from our friends over at Negri Electronics, and have manhandled the thing till we were blue in the face. Head on past the break for an exclusive preview of the device RIM is praying will stalwart its competitors until the first round of QNX-equipped devices lands in 2012.
BlackBerry Bold 9900 preview!
The Bold 9900 bears a striking resemblance to the original "big Bold" 9000, and fans of that device's large but sturdy form factor will absolutely love the 9900. Gone is the faux-leather back cover, which has been replaced with a slick carbon fiber-esque flat battery door. Interestingly, whereas the entire back of the device could be removed and swapped on the 9000, only the part of the housing that covers the battery itself comes off on the 9900. The carbon fiber midsection is surrounded by soft touch black rubber finishes that taper the outer edge of the device slightly, resulting in a really nice overall form factor.
This Berry's front face is split between a 640 x 480-pixel capacitive touchscreen up top and a full-sized QWERTY keyboard down below. The screen size has been bumped to 2.8-inches from the 2.6-incher on the 9000. The display is bright and vibrant, and boasts superb viewing angles and clarity. As with the Torch 2, touch sensitivity also seems to be quite good, with the screen registering even slight touches on its nearly edge-to-edge surface. Overall, we're quite impressed with the screen on the 9900, as we were with the Torch 2's.
So far as we can tell, the keyboard is the same size as that of the OG Bold, though the buttons seem to be a bit more 'clicky.' It's kind of difficult to explain, but the keyboard feels more firm than mushy -- but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We also noticed that the four main navigation buttons for the BB OS (send, menu, back, end / power) are all flush with the device and backlit, rather than having splits between then. There's also the now ubiquitous trackpad located front and center, and it has a nice white backlighting that helps make it stand out against this BlackBerry's murdered-out facade. When the screen shuts off for standby mode, the trackpad glow rem for an extra few seconds before fading back into darkness.
On the inside, the 9900 boasts a 1.2GHz processor, which is bumped from the 624MHz of the 9780. In fact, we're pretty sure that the guts of the 9900 are identical to those of the Torch 2 -- just crammed into a thinner, non-sliding enclosure. We've known the specs on this bad boy for a while now, but after playing with one for day or so, we're impressed with the real world translation into performance. It's noticeably more snappy than current BlackBerry devices on the market, and the fading transitions of BlackBerry 6.1 OS 7 didn't seem to stutter in regular use. Of course, this is still BETA software -- and from what we've heard, our build is quite a bit older than what's currently on demo devices -- so performance is subject to change.
A five megapixel shooter is located on the backside of the device, but it's been relocated to the upper left corner as opposed to the centered position on the 9000. Again we're convinced that this camera is identical to the one in the Torch 2, which means it's capable of capturing 720p HD video. If you want to see some performance of this shooter, head back to our Torch 2 preview -- what you get on the 9900 isn't vastly different.
BlackBerry 7 OS screenshots
The 9900 will ship with BlackBerry 7 OS, and we won't bore you with the details of this marginal upgrade to the OS. (We went over many of them when we showed you the Torch 2). We will say that the performance improvements we noted on that device seem to have made their way to the 9900, and that many of the mundane tasks that used to bring up the dreaded hourglass of doom no longer do so.
Overall, the 9900 is definitely a sexy slab of circuitry, but we still can't skirt around the fact that RIM has been making the same device for years now. We're glad to see the improved specs and solid hardware, but it doesn't detract from the fact that the OS is virtually unchanged except for some visual flair and new APIs. We're hopeful that despite rumors to the contrary, RIM will be able to get this device out the door during its promised "summer" time frame, and we know it won't be good if it misses that self-imposed deadline. Still, the fact of the matter is that RIM desperately needs to get something radically new out the door as soon as humanly possible, or else users will continue flocking to other platforms. It hopes it has a winner on its hands with the 9900, and while we'll reserve judgment until the thing finally ships to end users, we do think it's yet another step in the right direction
The first HTC handset to come out with Beats audio is the Sensation XE, not the Vigor as previously rumored. The Taiwanese phone maker confirmed that the HTC Sensation XE will be the first to get Beats branding. It will ship with a special pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones and an 8GB or 16GB microSD card. When the headphones are plugged, the phone automatically activates a Beats-optimized sound profile.
WiPower: This standard under development by Qualcomm involves near-field inductive charging with flexible couplings, so that it can transmit up to two inches (compared to Qi's few mm distance). It can also cover an 5- x 3-inch area so that multiple devices can fit on one square, rather than requiring one coil per device. The longer distance will be a strong advantage for WiPower, as it means you'd just have to stick a coil underneath a table or desk instead of taking Qi's method of integrating it directly into the surfaces -- a much more expensive approach, to be sure. This standard also offers a more flexible range, so you can take your laptop and move it around a little without it being stuck on your desk in one specific spot. Once it launches, it could prove to be a worthy adversary to keep Qi from floating away with the "Universal Standard" trophy.
CEA: Similarly, the CEA created the Wireless Charging Working Group to begin work on its own standard, which should be ready to be submitted to the CEA management board by the end of this year, and then on to get approval from the IEEE. Its guidelines will be much broader in scope than the WPC and include a wide range of technologies. Also, in a similar fashion to UL, this particular standard will be inclusive of other protocols, and several members of the WPC -- such as Qualcomm, Intel, GM, Powermat, and Motorola -- have joined with this working group.
