Photon

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  • Optical computing could benefit from new 'whispering gallery' fiber

    by 
    Sharif Sakr
    Sharif Sakr
    12.15.2011

    It's a spooky feature of Grand Central Station that if you whisper something against the wall, your voice can resonate around the perimeter of the building and sneak up on you from behind. The same 'whispering gallery' principle is crucial to next-gen optical computing: light signals have to be sent on extremely circuitous journeys through 'microresonators', which temporarily bottle up the beams and thereby serve as memory. So far, microresonators have generally been made from silicon wafers etched with the a long series of loops. However, even the most precise etching leaves imperfections, which quickly cause the signal to lose its strength and fade away. Now, researchers at OFS Laboratories in Somerset, N. J., have come up with a different type of microresonator that could potentially hold onto light 100 times longer. The new technology diverts light onto a stretch of optic fiber that has been specially manufactured with tiny step-changes in its diameter. When the signal hits this abrupt change, it reverses and goes back the opposite way -- and, if it hits another diameter change, it will effectively enter a whispering gallery inside the fiber, bouncing up and down with only minor attenuation. The OFS scientists claim their microresonator could appear in "specialized devices" in just two or three years, which is good to hear, because electronics is starting to get old.

  • Motorola Electrify coming to US Cellular this month as a rebranded Photon 4G

    by 
    Brad Molen
    Brad Molen
    09.13.2011

    We shouldn't be completely shocked by the news, but it's great to hear regardless. US Cellular announced the upcoming availability of the Motorola Electrify, which is essentially its rebranded version of the Photon 4G -- sans WiMAX, of course. The device will be ready for your purchase sometime later this month for $200, which is the same starting cost as Sprint's variant provided you don't factor in the initial $100 mail-in rebate. The Electrify is a 1GHz dual-core handset with Android 2.3, a 4.3-inch qHD display, webtop support and 8MP rear / VGA front-facing camera set. We definitely love seeing powerhouses like this make it to the smaller carriers, so if you're an interested US Cellular fanboy or girl, just be sure that you're not dying to see what the company will offer when its LTE network launches. [Thanks, ChuckyTee]

  • Motorola Droid Bionic to include Webtop accessories

    by 
    Lydia Leavitt
    Lydia Leavitt
    08.29.2011

    Back when we first caught a glimpse of the Droid Bionic, we speculated that the post-Atrix placement of the micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports might make it compatible with the updated Photon Webtop dock and accessories. Judging by the screenshot grabbed by Droid Life, we might have a winner as the add-ons look to be interchangeable, possibly a first step towards CEO Sanjay Jha's promised improvements. The product page also says the accessories will be "affordable" for those "curious about the Webtop application" -- count us in. [Thanks, Chris]

  • Engadget Mobile Podcast 100 - 08.21.2011

    by 
    Trent Wolbe
    Trent Wolbe
    08.21.2011

    We're 100. 100! If you're like us, you totally can't believe it's been more than two years since we first started Mobile Podcasting but you totally can believe it at the same time because that's just how we roll: dedicated. To celebrate we've brought along Engadget Chinese editor Richard Lai and Noah Kravitz of TechnoBuffalo to weigh in on stuff like the Xiaomi phone and Symbian Belle leaking its way into the world. And...a couple of other things. We're old. It's a mobile party. You just got your pentaband invite to click on the play or download links below. Don't sleep on it: before you know it we'll be 200.Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad MolenGuests: Richard Lai, Noah KravitzProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Daestro - Light Powered (Ghostly International)00:02:45 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group00:21:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility00:42:45 - Motorola's new Droid HD makes cameo alongside Droid Bionic01:04:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review01:05:43 - AT&T streamlining individual messaging plans August 21st, leaving unlimited as the sole survivor01:15:00 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)01:25:40 - Symbian Anna now available for download on Nokia N8, E7, C7 and C6-0101:26:30 - Symbian Belle download leaked to N8 community, quickly pulled from site (update: Anna available on NaviFirm)01:30:57 - CNET: RIM in talks to squeeze out BlackBerry music service01:32:50 - Motorola Photon 4G review01:36:53 - Samsung Hercules, HTC Ruby available from T-Mobile on October 26th?01:38:56 - Samsung Hercules gets its Telus on in leaked glamour shots01:39:38 - HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)01:45:55 - Why is LTE equipment being installed in an Apple Store?Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastpodcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.Follow us on Twitter@tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile

  • Engadget Podcast 253 - 08.19.2011

    by 
    Trent Wolbe
    Trent Wolbe
    08.19.2011

    Sometimes, you just can't handle it all. There is so much to learn about consumer electronics every week that you simply can't handle the stress. Don't despair: we, The Engadget Podcasters, are here to help. Let us do the tough work of digesting acquisitions, spinoffs, Grids, Xiaomiphones, and a pocketful of BlackBerrys while you lay on the chaise and have grapes fed to you by your loved ones...or whatever it is you people do to relax these days. Just make sure to listen, let the news wash over you, and feel the knots in your neck and back go the way of the TouchPad.Host: Tim Stevens, Brian HeaterGuests: Dana Wollman, Josh FruhlingerProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: S&M00:02:30 - Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP's webOS devices00:03:38 - HP may spin off PC business, shift focus to software and services00:05:10 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group00:22:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility00:28:45 - Verizon embraces Google's Moto Mobility deal, hopes for an end to patent disputes00:38:30 - TabCo reveals itself as Fusion Garage, unveils Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone (update)00:41:25 - Fusion Garage Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone hands-on00:46:48 - The Engadget Interview: Fusion Garage's Chandra Rathakrishnan00:53:11 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review00:55:25 - BlackBerry Torch 9850 review00:56:30 - BlackBerry Torch 9810 review00:58:14 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)01:02:07 - Motorola Photon 4G review01:02:58 - The NYC Engadget Reader Meetup is less than two weeks away!01:04:43 - The Engadget Show returns Friday, August 19th -- win a ticket to the taping!01:09:28 - Listener questionsHear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastSend your questions to @tim_stevens.Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005)E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot comTwitter: @tim_stevens, @bheater, @fruhlinger, @danawollman

  • Refresh Roundup: week of August 8, 2011

    by 
    Brad Molen
    Brad Molen
    08.14.2011

    Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Acer took to its Facebook page in Malaysia to announce that the Honeycomb 3.2 OTA update for the Iconia Tab A500 has been delayed until August 25. [via Phandroid] The LG G-Slate is starting to receive Honeycomb 3.1. [via AndroidCentral] We've also heard the HTC Flyer's on the receiving end of a 2.3.4 bump in Germany. [via HTC Inside (translated)] Motorola's announced that Honeycomb 3.1 has arrived on the Xoom in Europe, after several months of waiting. [via ITProPortal] Tomorrow, Sprint's pushing out a maintenance fix known as RD.00.02 for the Motorola Titanium. From a leaked screenshot, the main "enhancement" is correcting a bug that kept users from dialing from a meeting on the Exchange calendar. [via SprintFeed] Android 2.3.4 is making its way to unbranded HTC Sensation units in Europe this week as an OTA update, and will likely spread to carrier-branded devices over the next couple weeks. [via Phandroid] Both Bell and Virgin Mobile Canada are rolling out Gingerbread to its Galaxy S Vibrant. The download is available to any of its users by accessing Samsung Kies. [via MobileSyrup] HTC began pushing Gingerbread to the Inspire 4G on Monday. If you still haven't received your update OTA yet, instructions can be found on how to do it manually via its website. [Thanks, Brian] Are you an HTC Desire owner that's been eagerly awaiting Gingerbread? It's here now, but the manufacturer isn't going to push it out OTA -- rather, you'll need to do it on your own, so head to the via for a video tutorial on how to do it step-by-step. [via PocketNow] T-Mobile has announced that its OTA Gingerbread rollout for the G2x is now officially over. If you missed your opportunity, you may still download it using the LG updater tool. [via TmoNews] This is definitely a rumor, but an HTC support rep apparently emailed a concerned Incredible user to assure them that Gingerbread was still indeed in the plans for the year-old device. No timeframe was given, however. [via Phandroid] AT&T took to its Twitter account to state that the Infuse 4G is on track to receive Gingerbread sometime this month. [via AndroidCentral] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc. hackery We heard last week that the Motorola Photon 4G had been rooted, but it required the use of the phone's fancy (and expensive) HD dock. This obstacle has since been removed, and you can root your brand new phone without it. [via AndroidCentral] Speaking of the Photon 4G, a System Boot File (SBF) is now available for the device. The SBF is a backup that comes in handy if something goes awry and your phone ends up getting bricked. By using the SBF, your phone will be restored back to its original factory defaults. [via SprintFeed] A dev preview of CyanogenMod 7 for the HTC Sensation 4G is now being shown at a YouTube near you. Did someone say CyanogenMod 7? Well, this week also witnessed a user updating their Motorola Triumph to Android 2.3.5, but almost nothing works properly on it; since the kernel source hasn't been released for it yet, the update isn't quite up to par. CM7 is also said to be coming to the Motorola Atrix 4G and LG Optimus 3D soon as well. [via Phandroid] Other platforms The tools used to flash Windows Phone Mango's RTM version has been leaked, and you can find instructions on how to get it on this XDA thread. Remember that you do this at your own risk. [via WMPowerUser] A few rumors circulated the web this week that Mango would be released on September 1. WP7's own Joe Belfiore was the one responsible for shooting down that rumor via Twitter. [via WMPowerUser]

  • Refresh Roundup: week of August 1, 2011

    by 
    Brad Molen
    Brad Molen
    08.07.2011

    Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Verizon and Motorola have finally begun rolling out the Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X2. [via PCMag] Sticking with Verizon, the LG Revolution is in the process of receiving maintenance update VS910ZV6, which consists of a few new features and bug fixes. This is not a major refresh. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Desire Z has been updated to Gingerbread in the UK. As of now, only those devices without carrier branding are seeing the OTA show up. [via PocketNow] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, Neo, and Arc should soon be added to the CyanogenMod repository. Once approved, we'll likely see nightlies appear in the near future. [via PocketNow] Did somebody say Xperia Play? Yes, we did. It looks like the phone's finally been rooted, and the bootloader's been cracked. [via Droid-Life] The Motorola Photon 4G came out last Sunday, but XDA was able to root it within a couple days. [via SprintFeed] XDA's also the provider of a Froyo update to the Samsung Continuum. [via XDA] Along with an official update for the Droid X2, an SBF is now available for download. [via Droid-Life] Other platforms The Dark Forces Team has released tools to enable custom ROMs to be used on your first-gen Windows Phone device. Currently, the supported phones are: the HTC Mozart, HTC Surround, HTC Trophy (excluding Verizon's version), and the HTC 7 Pro (excluding the HTC Arrive). [via Windows Phone Hacker] Shortly after this, the HTC HD7 also got its first custom ROM courtesy of XDA. The downloadable package consists of a ChevronWP7 unlock, a Mango Beta 2 update, and the ROM. Head over to XDA to grab it. [via Windows Phone Daily]

  • Scientists prove cosmological speed limit, time travel moves a little further out of reach

    by 
    Terrence O'Brien
    Terrence O'Brien
    07.25.2011

    The cosmological speed limit remains unbroken. A team of researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, led by Du Shengwang, claim to have proven that a single photon is incapable of traveling faster than light. The support for Einstein's special theory of relativity all but rules out the simplest form of time travel -- breaking the universe's traffic laws to condense time within a vessel. Don't get freaked out though, this doesn't mean time travel is impossible, only that it will be much more difficult than firing up a warp drive. General relativity still holds hope for bending and ripping the space-time continuum to meet our eon-hopping desires. Looks like it's time to get working on our flux capacitor technology.

  • Motorola Photon 4G gets the bargain bin treatment at Wirefly, Walmart

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    07.15.2011

    Pew pew. Those are the sounds we instantly hear whenever we come across Motorola's Photon 4G. Sadly, the soon-to-be dual-core star of Sprint's smartphone lineup won't come pre-loaded with a laser soundboard on July 31st, but it can be pre-ordered now -- for a significant markdown. All it takes is a quick internetting trip to either Wirefly or Walmart, where this WiMAX handset's up for a $20 - $40 discount. It's not a massive price chop on par with free, but it should move some yellow-tinged operator inventory. If walking the straight and narrow's your bag, you could still always opt for the direct carrier two-year contract option -- but why? Hit the source to get yourself in line for this cut-rate beast.

  • Motorola's Photon 4G ships to Sprint on July 31st: $200 on contract

    by 
    Brad Molen
    Brad Molen
    07.13.2011

    Too often, "expected summer launches" translate into "the very last day possible," so we were happy to learn that Sprint's latest collaboration with Motorola, the Photon 4G, will be available July 31st for the usual $200 on contract. To say the upcoming Android device will come loaded is an understatement: it'll ship with Gingerbread, a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz CPU, one full GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display, dual cameras (8 megapixel rear, VGA front) and 16GB of internal memory. Not surprisingly, Sprint's also integrating its signature Sprint ID feature into the user interface. While the device will be available to the general public on July 31st, Premier Customers will have the golden opportunity to get it online three days earlier. If you were perched on the fence about the HTC EVO 3D, this may be the only Sprint phone that's ready to push you in either direction. Full PR following the break.

  • Motorola's 4.3-inch Photon 4G brings Tegra 2, kickstand magic to Sprint (video hands-on)

    by 
    Brian Heater
    Brian Heater
    06.09.2011

    You know something big is about to go down when you can get the CEOs from two major tech companies to sit down together for lunch. As suspected, today's Sprint / Motorola event, presided over by Dan Hesse and Sanjay Jha, marked the debut of the rumored Photon 4G. The handset packs a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in memory, and pre-installed Gingerbread -- plus, for better or worse, the latest version of Blur. The skinny new smartphone's got front and rear facing cameras (the latter of which is eight megapixels), a dedicated camera button, and micro-USB and HDMI ports, which will hook into a soon to be announced docking device. The handset is the first from a US carrier to offer up global 4G connectivity, and it's also got 3G support, should you need it (that's CDMA / WiMAX in the US and GSM internationally). Enterprise functionality, traditionally a bit of an oversight with Android handsets, is present too, thanks to business-minded tools built into Blur and increased security, courtesy of the manufacturer's acquisition of 3LM ("Three Laws Mobility" to its friends). Sprint's influence shines through as well, with the inclusion of a built-in active kickstand on its rear, a first for a Motorola device. Flip it open, and the display will automatically switch to landscape mode for optimal viewing. We managed to get a little hands-on time with the device prior to the announcement, and by and large, the touchscreen and software seemed quite responsive. The handset itself is both skinny and narrow and feels good in the hand, though the smooth back doesn't offer much in the way of traction for those prone to dropping their phones. The buttons on the device were a bit stiff and sunken, though we'll have to hold off on passing judgment on that front, since this is a pre-production unit -- hopefully we'll get out hands on something more final in the near future. The Photon 4G is set to hit Sprint this summer -- an exact date and price point have yet to be announced. %Gallery-125865% Dana Wollman contributed to this report.

  • HTC's 2010 roadmap goes on display?

    by 
    Chris Ziegler
    Chris Ziegler
    12.06.2009

    Those among us with minds like steel traps might recall that HTC's 2009 was leaked with shocking accuracy way back in January of this year, which lends some credibility to this already-believable series of slides we have seemingly showing off most of the good stuff we can expect out of the company in the coming months. The stuff we're privy to here was allegedly presented at a meeting in Vienna back in October, with both Windows Mobile and Android designs broken up into four target demo categories: Design / Lifestyle, Social, Performance (we like the sound of that), and Productivity -- but don't take our word for it. Follow the break for everything you need to know about this very real-sounding downpour of specs and renders. %Gallery-79710%

  • CERN's Large Hadron Collider started -- are we still here? (updated with video)

    by 
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    09.10.2008

    Hello? Tap, tap, tap, this thing on?CERN's $9 billion, 17-mile long atom smasher was just turned on and we're awaiting reports on how the tests have gone. The Large Hadron Collider did experience "small electrical problems" overnight. However, these were not expected to delay the first test firing at 9:30am CEST. As such, the clockwise and counter-clockwise firing of particles should already be in progress.Remember, no smashing will be done today, for that we'll have to wait until later this month. We'll update you here as things progress.09:49 -- Confirmed, the first beam of protons has been fired! It took 48-seconds for the pulse to generate and then a tiny flash of light on a computer screen indicated a successful firing around the first 3-km of the 27-km ring -- they will methodically extend the range throughout the day.10:25 -- The beam just completed the full ring (in stages) in less than an hour. Things are going much more quickly than expected. Counterclockwise test next.12:18 -- CERN estimates that the LHC will be fully operational for physics work in the next few months. Added NASA-like video of the reaction to the full-loop, first beam success after the break (watch for two flashes on the left-most screen).Note: Insert, the following string into VLC to watch live: mms://qstream-live.qbrick.com/00862live80910 Read -- small electrical issuesRead -- webcast (currently down)Read -- First beam fired

  • Third-gen Zune to hit in 2009, make it to Europe

    by 
    Nilay Patel
    Nilay Patel
    03.13.2008

    Seeing how long it took the Zune to make it over the northern border and into Canada, it shouldn't be any surprise that it's going to take even longer to get to Europe -- not until late next year, according to the director of Microsoft France. The wait should be worth it, though: that's when the third generation of Zunes will be released, as well as a Europe-friendly version of the Zune Marketplace. There are also some sketchy rumors that Windows Mobile 7 devices will be able to take advantage of Zune content and services, but it doesn't look like Microsoft has anything to say about that yet -- but if that goes down you know a Zune phone is right around the corner.[Via Anything But iPod]

  • Blazing fast image viewing with Photon 1.0.2

    by 
    Brett Terpstra
    Brett Terpstra
    01.03.2008

    Photon just loaded 839 JPEG image previews for me in under 2 seconds. That's expletive worthy speed. And when it loads the full image, it's just as fast, even with RAW format images. And it loads every pixel of a RAW image. If you set the preview mode to fit-to-screen, clicking the image gives you a loupe-style zoom to full resolution. It reads photos–from folders or directly from cameras/memory cards–with a feature they call "Instant Import". I plugged in a camera and by the time I had looked back at the screen, it had recorded all of the images on the card. Photon serves one purpose, but serves it well. It helps you do a rough cut of large batches of images before heading into Lightroom or Aperture for more advanced procedures. It lacks any form of image flagging, has limited viewing of metadata fields (the columns in the HUD aren't individually expandable or adjustable) and no search feature of any kind. It basically provides a very fast, very streamlined interface for creating collections ("stacks") of images and–once you've bought the full version–exporting them with options to convert the format to jpg, png, psd and more. It does provide histograms, which is handy for deciding on which RAW images you're planning to keep. A demo of Photon is available for download, and costs $49 to purchase. That's shown as a markdown from $69, but I'm unsure if that's a limited-time offer.

  • Call/Recall unveils multi-terabyte optical storage solution

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    06.29.2007

    There was a brief moment in time when unveiling an "optical storage technology that can provide 40 times the capacity of Blu-ray and over 200 times the capacity of DVD" would be momentous, but unfortunately for Call/Recall, it's just one of the herd at this point. Nevertheless, the company is pushing forward in its development of "2-photon 3D technology" that can purportedly stuff many terabytes of data onto a "DVD-sized disc" or even cram 50GB onto a one-inch disc aimed at cellphones and mobile media players. The system relies on a "2-photon recording process to record bits in a three-dimensional volume in a disk," which can stuff multiple layers atop one another in order to give users more room to work with. As expected, there's little to be said about an actual mainstream release of the so-called solution, and besides, we're having a hard enough time swallowing the pricetags of existing high-density storage drives.

  • Bae Institute crafts magical photonic laser thruster

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    02.24.2007

    Now that humans have shot themselves up into space, frolicked on the moon, and have their own space station just chillin' in the middle of the galaxy, what's really left to accomplish out there? How about cruising around at light speed? Apparently, a boastful group of scientists at the Bae Institute in Southern California feel that they're one step closer to achieving the impossible, as the "world's first photonic laser thruster" was purportedly demonstrated. Using a photonic laser and a sophisticated photon beam amplification system, Dr. Bae reportedly "demonstrated that photonic energy could generate amplified thrust between two spacecraft by bouncing photons many thousands of times between them." The Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT) was constructed with off-the-shelf parts and a bit of fairy dust, and it's said that this invention could eliminate the need for "other propellants" on a wide range of NASA spacecrafts, theoretically savings millions on energy costs and enabling longer missions. So while this may be an incredibly novel idea, the chances of this actually working outside of a laboratory seem relatively small, and make sure we're not the guinea pigs strapped into the first craft that utilizes this mystical method of launching, cool?[Via Wired]

  • Monster's Einstein Home Control System walkthrough

    by 
    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    01.11.2007

    After meeting up with B. Gates here at CES again our next goal was outfitting the official Engadget offices like his famously automated home. To that end, we checked in with Monster Cable and its Einstein Home Control System, previously sighted at CEDIA, in more fleshed out form. This completely customizable setup, based on what Monster claims is a totally open API that should allow other manufacturers to easily create compatible devices, promises to deliver whatever media you desire to any room in the house. Pictured above is the Nucleus, the all in one DVD player, VOIP phone and remotely accessed control center of the Einstein system. Pricing depends on what components are installed, but should come in under other similar setups, Check out the galleries for a closer look at the rest of the components. Monster's Einstein Control Center Walkthrough

  • Monster's Linux-based network media and automation devices

    by 
    Erik Hanson
    Erik Hanson
    10.06.2006

    Monster Cable, the company best known for its, um, cabling, has announced more information about its network media and home automation devices recently displayed at CEDIA. Everything in the Monster Einstein system is controlled by the Nucleus head-end, which runs the home automation and control elements, using Z-Wave and Bluetooth to control sensors and devices throughout the home, as well as interfacing with the media devices on the network. It has gigabit Ethernet and 802.11n network capabilities as well as a VOIP interface, and should retail for around $4000. The $2500 Electron components are the client end points and connect to the televisions and receivers on the network. You'll want at least one Photon 200-disc DVD changer in the system, because even though they're $2400 they have dual transports, meaning two different discs can be played simultaneously over the network. Also plan on attaching one or more of the $4900 Neutron RAID5-capable storage boxes -- each comes with 960 gigs of storage standard but can scale up to 7.2 terabytes. Other devices in the chain include the $1500 Astro Sirius satellite radio tuner with three zones, and the $1300 Tron seven-inch touch panel. Keep reading for more specifics, as well as another shot of the "monster" Photon changer...

  • Some deets on the future of Windows Mobile laid bare

    by 
    Ryan Block
    Ryan Block
    04.24.2006

    Brighthand appears to have unearthed a few details on what's up with Windows Mobile 5.0 and beyond, as laid out in a Microsoft "Tech Days" presentation given in Switzerland (which we can only presume they didn't expect to make it into the wild -- oh come now, sillies). There isn't much to work with here, but the document makes mention of "Crossbow," what might otherwise be remarked as WinMo AKU3. We know, we know, you probably still don't have AKU2 yet, but with Crossbow you might be able to look forward to "Great mobile messaging," "Advanced Business and Enterprise propositions," a "Strengthened phone experience," "Faster, easier application development and distribution," and a "Q1/Q2 '07 Marketing Launch."  Yeah, that doesn't really tells loads. As for Photon: "New, Flexible Shell," "Modular Containers," "'Yamazaki' CE kernel," and "Q1/Q2 '08 Marketing Launch," meaning it could be mid to late 2008 to see the true successor to WinMo 5.0. Dems the breaks, ladies and gents, we're just letting you know what we find.[Via MGN]Update: Reader Uni points out you can snag the PowerPoint presentation here.