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ASUS UX21 and UX31 laptops gain Elan Touchpad, new colors and improved resume / standby times
Not a lot new happening in the Zenbook world here at the 2012 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show, but for those thinking of splurging on a UX21 or UX31, we've a pinch of good news to share. ASUS has informed us that the UX series as a whole is now shipping with the Elan Touchpad, not to mention updated drivers that improve resume and standby times. Moreover, the range is available in Rose Gold and Hot Pink, neither of which should be possible to resist. In fact, let us know which hue's tickling your fancy in comments below.
Apple pays $5 million to settle Elan lawsuit
Apple has reportedly opted to settle a patent dipute with Elan to the tune of US$5 million. The settlement allows the company to avoid a trial and possible ban of Apple products. Elan's complaint was over two multi-touch patents. Early last year, an International Trade Commission judge decided in Elan's favor when Elan brought a complaint that Apple had used its multi-touch patents in the iPhone. At the time, it was estimated that Apple could pay as much as $70 million in the case. With that bargaining chip off the table for Elan, it received significantly less this week. Apple did counter-sue Elan, but this settlement has brought that to an end, too.
Elan: 'Apple's paying us $5 million for multitouch patents'
Remember the longstanding patent punch-up 'twixt Cupertino and Elan Microelectronics? No? Well, Taiwan's Elan said that Apple infringed two of its multitouch patents, which the ITC disagreed with -- the judge stating he found no infringement and therefore no cause for an outright ban on sales of iDevices. Now, in a rather strange twist, and perhaps just to extricate itself from the case completely, The Haus of Tim is paying $5 million to Elan in an out-of-court settlement. Aside from the relatively paltry sum of cash, the settlement also allows the companies to cross-license each other's relevant patents -- a deal which might arguably serve Elan better than it serves Apple.
ITC judge sides with Apple in Elan multitouch patent dispute
It's not over just yet, but Apple has now scored a significant victory in its longstanding dispute with Elan Microelectronics. As those with a long memory for patent-related matters may recall, Elan had claimed that Apple infringed on two of its multitouch-related patents in its various iOS devices, and it asked the ITC to impose an outright ban on the sale of those devices until the matter was settled. That obviously hasn't happened, and ITC Judge Paul Luckern has now ruled that it shouldn't happen in the future either, as he found that Apple did not violate the patents in question. That now leaves the final decision in the hands of the full International Trade Commission, which is expected to issue its ruling in August.
ITC judge rules Apple did not violate Elan multi-touch patent
Reuters reports that an International Trade Commission judge sided with Apple in a patent fight brought on by Elan Microelectronics Corp. Elan alleged that that Apple had infringed on one of its multi-touch patents and used technology from the patent in the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Yesterday, the ITC judge ruled in Apple's favor, stating there was no violation of Elan's patent. When the case began Elan had asked the judge to bar all iPhones, iPads and iPod touches from being sold in the United States. Though this is a win for Apple, the judge's decision will not be final until the full International Trade Commission decides to uphold or reject the decision in August.
Palm Elan to be the next webOS smartphone, heading to AT&T?
Here's a little spicy rumor for you Palm fans on this tranquil Sunday: according to TopTongueBarry who claims to work for AT&T, his company has just finished certification tests with GSM flavors of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus ahead of a possible April 26th launch -- a date not far from what we've heard earlier. However, the bigger news from Barry is that the big A will soon be testing a third mysterious webOS device by the name of Palm Elan, which may greet us mere mortals on May 10th (but possibly in Europe first). Another forum member Shadow-360 also dug up some cached pages that claimed to have accessories for the non-existent device, as pictured above. Of course, this could be just a crude joke for a keyboard-less Palm device that many of us seem to desire -- as reminded by the good folks at PreCentral, Elan is also the name of the company that sued Apple over multitouch patents last April. So, any thoughts on this leak? Are we all ready for a new webOS phone? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Turns out the Elan may just be the Pixi. Or it could be your wildest dreams about to come true.
Elan g! home automation system is heavy on hype, light on details
Home automation and multiroom A/V remote controls might still be a relatively niche and nascent segment of the electronics market, but that hasn't stopped Elan from proclaiming its new g! series to be groundbreaking. Then again, its software includes irrigation controls, so what do we know -- maybe the company's talking literally. Building on the software legacy of HomeLogic, the interface is said to be consistent across all platforms, which include an OLED display as part of the hardware package, as well as iPhone, PC and TV integration for a truly flexible control scheme. In terms of pricing, this is aimed at competing with Control4 setups, and we're told that a "decent" multiroom system could be had for $5,000. Full details are set to be unveiled on January 1, which should give you enough time to decide if you can continue living with an un-automated pool.
ELAN Awards heading to San Diego next July
The traditionally Canada-based ELAN Awards today announced intentions to bring the show to San Diego next July 17–19, ending just before the San Diego Comic Con kicks off. Celebrating "video games, animation and visual effects," the fourth year's show makes it's US debut with two days of lavish events before culminating in the actual awards ceremony on the 19th. Though the event's promoters promise everything from a welcome pool party to a red carpet engagement, we're most excited about something called the "sexiest party ever thrown for video games." Aside from knowing that it's a "street party" taking place in the "historic gaslamp quarter" of San Diego, we're just as flummoxed as you are as to what a sexy party for game industry folks could possibly be. With all those nerds in one place, though, it's assured that iPhones will capture the whole thing in all its confusing, clumsy, awkward glory.
Mobinnova élan renamed Beam, headed for mysterious carrier in January 2010
Mobinnova's élan, or the Beam as it's reportedly known as now, is a curious beast. It runs Windows CE, yet it's packing NVIDIA's Tegra graphics technology. Thus, it's not really a netbook, but calling it a smartbook might be short-changing it. Whatever the case, a recent interview with Mobinnova's CTO Mark Anderson has unearthed plans to launch the machine at CES 2010 with an undisclosed mobile carrier (or more, maybe) in America. We're also told that it should last between five and ten hours when playing back HD video, or up to 24 hours if it's just sitting around looping an iTunes playlist. Needless to say, our interest is definitely piqued -- hit the read link for a gallery of shots, and keep an eye right here for the rest of the story direct from Vegas.[Via Slashgear]
Video: Mobinnova élan sporting a custom Tegra UI
Although we get irked by all the names assigned to netbooks, smartbooks, or in this case, viewbooks, we are still pretty excited about the élan's 1080p capabilities, and now the Netbook News crew are adding to our enthusiasm with a pair of videos investigating the machine's chassis and software. The UI they looked at is notable for being supplied by NVIDIA, and may therefore give a good indication of what future Tegra-based devices of all shapes, sizes and naming nomenclatures may look and feel like. We like the media-centric approach, which complements the platform's strengths well, and the chunky navigation icons avoid the pitfalls inherent in a screen of this size (8.9-inches). Click through for the vids, but be warned: super-glossy screens and pink laptop enclosures lay ahead.
Video: Tegra-based Mobinnova élan running Windows CE rocks our world
To quote our Engadget Chinese editor, Andy Yang, "Tegra really rocks!" Our team in Taipei grabbed a video of the 8.9-inch Mobinova Elan in action and came away seriously impressed. NVIDIA is really pushing the HD playback and gaming capabilities of this Tegra-based netbook smartbook machine. In fact, we saw it running a 1080p trailer as smooth as silk. Now we know what you're thinking, Windows CE... ugh. Remember, CE (and Android for that matter) runs on the ARM-based Tegra whereas XP, Vista, and Windows 7 won't. Besides, NVIDIA was showing a custom UI with an OS X-like application launcher along the bottom. No word on price yet or availability but we'll update you when we've got more. Video after the break.
Mobinnova élan smartbook powered by NVIDIA Tegra
Ready for the smartbook revolution? Too late, cause here they come -- and the first officially-announced product we've got is the Mobinnova élan netbook, a NVIDIA Tegra-powered machine that weighs in at just two pounds but can pump out 720p video on its 8.9-inch screen. It's not at all clear what OS this guy's running, but we're told that it has an "innovative 3D graphical user interface," supports hardware-accelerated Flash video -- which is huge freaking deal, if you ask us -- has WiFi and 3G, and can play video for five to ten hours on a single charge. That's pretty impressive, but we'll wait to see what pricing looks like -- if it's cheaper than the sub-$300 10-inch netbooks that are starting to arrive we'd say it could be a huge winner. That's not all for Mobinnova's Tegra announcements either: there's also the T8 tablet, which repackages the élan in a 10.1-inch tablet form factor with GPS and HDMI out. Definitely interesting -- check the full presser after the break.
MicroSD-to-USB Mobidapter is a smartphone's best friend
Okay, so maybe it's just a microSD-equipped smartphone's best friend, but you get the idea. Unlike traditional [insert flash format here]-to-USB adapters, Elan's Mobidapter provides a direct bridge from your microSD slot to your external USB hard drive. The result? Dead simple phone backups and file transfers, all without the use of a PC in the middle. Elan asserts that the currently unpriced device will begin shipping in mid-June, and if you're still baffled about how this thing operates, check the yawn-inducing demonstration vid after the break.
Elan turns the tables on Apple, sues for multitouch patent infringement
Remember all the fun everyone had watching Palm and Apple's legal wordplay regarding multitouch patents? If you missed it, Apple delivered a very thinly veiled threat to Palm, flouting how it had touch-sensitive intellectual rights up the wazoo to protect itself from the competition. Apple, though, may be due for a heaping helping of humble pie, as it's now on the receiving end of a lawsuit from Elan Microelectronics claiming infringement on two patents -- both involving multitouch. Elan, best known for its keypads found in Eee PCs everywhere (along with some other diversions), won a court injunction against Synaptics for infringement on one of those patents, and seems like it may actually have a shot of shaking down the house of Jobs. It's also seeking an injunction against Apple to prevent it from selling the MacBook, iPhone, and iPod Touch until everything gets legally sorted. That seems like a long-shot, but anything could happen. Oh, and Palm corporate officers, try not to look too giddy today, yeah? Read -- Apple sued over touch-screen rightsRead -- Injunction quote [Warning: requires subscription]
Elan demonstrates Smart Remote Controller, the touchpad pair desperately seeking a home
If you have an Eee PC you're probably familiar with the name Elantech and how making multi-touch gestures on the company's tiny touchpads is easier said than done. Looking for a little more room to be creative, Elan has created a prototype it calls the Smart Remote Controller. It's basically two touchpads on a wireless device with a pair of buttons in the middle, able to act as a gamepad, mouse replacement, virtual keyboard, and even a remote control that looks even less intuitive than Logitech's 1100. No word on when or if this will ever see the light of day at retail, but after watching the video below you may or may not be too heartbroken if it never does.
WotLK cinematic picks up Elan award nomination
Throw another nomination on the list for Wrath of the Lich King -- Blizzard's cinematic team has been nominated for an Elan award for the WotLK cinematic in the category of Best Animated Short Subject. And the nom is well deserved: while the trailer broke with the tradition of showing the various races and classes of Warcraft doing battle with each other, Blizzard's choice to instead recap the story of Arthas and the Lich King while he summoned Sindragosa worked well and looked amazing.Unfortunately, Blizzard missed out in the actual game nominations -- for best PC game, the expansion was overshadowed by Fallout 3, Crysis Warhead, Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, and Left 4 Dead. You can argue amongst yourselves whether that's justified or not. But we're sure Blizzard is happy with the animation nomination anyway -- their competition there is Turbo Dogs, so they'll probably do fine when the awards are announced on April 25th.[via BlizzPlanet]
ELAN kicks off its Elios architectural speaker line with 19 models
ELAN Home Systems is bringing a classic formula to its new Elios lineup of 19(!) in-wall and in-ceiling speakers: innovative construction, new materials and "voicing" by ear. The easy-to-use drywall clamping system and baffles that can be aimed to direct sound into the listening area are nice, but don't really get our non-installer blood pumping. The metallic nano coating used on the tweeters that promises to combine the strengths of both soft dome and metallic drivers, however, does sound interesting. Top this all off with designs that incorporate actual listening during development (as opposed to simulated in a computer), and these speakers might just warrant a listen if you're shopping for some in-wall/ceiling speakers. With 19 models (for now) and prices ranging from $200 - $1,500 per pair, there's probably something that will fit your requirements; pity there's no THX certification at the expensive end of the range, though.
ELAN ships $3,350 XP-8.4 WiFi touch panel
If Embedded Automation's mPanel is the exception to high priced touch panels, ELAN's XP-8.4 is the rule. Granted, it does feature an 8.4-inch touch screen and it doesn't have to be mounted in your wall, but $3,350 is a lot of scratch no matter how you spin it. The WiFi-enabled device is now shipping (months ahead of schedule, mind you) to dealers, and aside from controlling just about every aspect of your digital home, users can also browse the web (Flash support included!) on the unit itself. It comes bundled with a tabletop docking / recharging cradle with Ethernet / USB ports and a built-in rechargeable battery pack, but it's too bad that the picture above is about as close as we'll ever get to owning one.
ELAN ships 10-inch VIA! Valet10.0-EM home automation panel
If you thought Control4's 7-inch POE touch panel was on the large size, get a load of this. ELAN has just started shipping its 10.2-inch widescreen VIA! Valet10.0-EM, which will obviously look mighty peculiar in all but the most spacious of dens. Not surprisingly, ELAN even affirms that yes, this ginormous (comparatively speaking) display can indeed double as a video monitor, which certainly opens up even more possibilities. The unit features rear-placed Ethernet, power and sense input triggers needed for installation, but unless you've got $2,000 laying around unclaimed, that image above is as close as you'll get.
Vero ENB-100 Bluetooth kit offers solar-powered hands-free calling
Those that make a habit of chatting it up all day in their vehicle may want to consider Elan's new Vero ENB-100 device, which the company claims is the "world's first" solar-powered Bluetooth hands-free car kit. As you can no doubt surmise, it promises continuous charge-free operation as long as there's sunlight, and it'll even give you 15 hours of operation on a single charge if the weather isn't cooperating. Otherwise, you can expect the usual array of hands-free calling features, including a noise-canceling, omni directional microphone, a 1 watt "high-performance" speaker, and a voice dialing feature to let you keep your hands on the wheel. From the looks of it, however, this one's only available in the U.K. at the moment, where it'll set you back £60 (or about $120), although there's nothing to stop you from ordering one.[Via Crave]
