Phoenix
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Video: Phoenix Instant Boot BIOS starts loading Windows in under a second
Phoenix is showing off a few interesting things at IDF, but the real standout is their new Instant Boot BIOS, a highly optimized UEFI implementation that can start loading an OS in just under a second. Combined with Windows 7's optimized startup procedure, that means you're looking at incredibly short boot times -- we saw a retrofitted Dell Adamo hit the Windows desktop in 20 seconds, while a Lenovo T400s with a fast SSD got there in under 10. It's pretty slick stuff, and it should be out soon -- check a video after the break.
Phoenix Freeze turns your Bluetooth phone into a proximity lock
It may not be the ideal solution for those in need of some military-grade security, but those simply looking to keep their co-workers from snooping on their laptop may want to consider Phoenix's new Freeze application, which promises to turn any old Bluetooth-enabled cellphone into a proximity lock. What's more, you can apparently even use one phone to control multiple laptops, and configure the application to switch the laptop into a power-saving mode when the phone moves outside the proximity zone (which can also be configured to suit your needs). Best of all, the application is available as a free download right now (Windows XP and Vista only, unfortunately), and Phoenix seems to have some even grander plans for the future, with it now apparently busily courting computer manufactures in the hope of getting it offered as a standard option on new laptops.
Phoenix Motorcars undergoing restructuring, still committed to EV space
With proven success stories like Tesla struggling to keep those electric car dreams alive in today's economy, it's no shock to hear that at least one little guy (that'd be Phoenix Motorcars) has caved to the pressures. After reviving itself once already late last year by nailing down a partnership with the absolutely stunning state of Hawai'i, it seems the company hasn't been able to progress as planned with its intentions to bring EVs and an electric vehicle infrastructure to the island of Maui. According to a filing on April 27th, the flagging automaker has pegged the soft economy (surprise!) as well as a $5.3 million arbitration apparently won by former drivetrain supplier UQM as the main contributors to its demise. In an update to the situation, however, its CEO has replied to AutoblogGreen in order to reaffirm that it "has not abandoned the alternative fuels transportation space." Unfortunately, that could mean absolutely anything... or nothing at all.Read - Original filingRead - Update from Phoenix MC
Axxana Phoenix backup system promises to withstand earthquakes and other disasters
It's not exactly for everybody, but those looking to spare no expense when it comes to protecting their data may want to strongly consider adding Axxana's elaborate Phoenix backup system to their shopping list (just below the Bond villain hideout and above the robot army). At the heart of the system is the Phoenix Black Box pictured above, which houses an SSD array that stores your essential data, and packs both WiFi and 3G connectivity to let you retrieve it even if the box itself is inaccessible -- which it may well be, considering that it's designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, and other disasters (including shocks up to 40 Gs and temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit). Of course, the system also gets paired with a remote backup service for an added layer of protection, and you'll have access to a full range of management tools to keep an eye on your data at all times.[Via OhGizmo]
Closing Time: Ensemble's unannounced titles revealed
Cue the Semisonic, folks. After nearly 15 years, Dallas-based strategy developer Ensemble Studios has closed its doors for good. While its library of classic releases are well known to gamers worldwide, a host of concept images for unannounced games were spotted during a recent studio tour by Gamasutra. Among the titles left to collect dust with so many cardboard boxes are a fantasy-adventure RPG called Sorcerer, a platformer called Bam and a game described as "Diablo in space," called Nova. Also revealed in the tour was a concept for a game named Phoenix, which would eventually become the upcoming RTS Halo Wars. Fun fact: Phoenix is a regularly used codename by Bungie Studios according to its official podcast, but Ensemble's use of the name was purely coincidental. It isn't completely bad news for some of Ensemble's former staff, as many will help establish a new studio headed by Ensemble co-founder Tony Goodman. As big fans of the Age of Empires series, we here at Joystiq wish everyone leaving Ensemble Studios the very best of luck and continued success with future projects. [Via BigDownload]
Phoenix Technologies HyperSpace instant-on OS coming to ASUS laptops
We already knew that Acer was signed on to load Phoenix Technologies' HyperSpace instant-on OS onto some of its machines, and we had a hunch that ASUS would be next in line. Today, the aforesaid outfit has affirmed our suspicions by announcing that the company responsible for the overpopulation of the Eee will "incorporate HyperSpace into its next generation laptops." Oh, and we get the idea ASUS won't be the last to join in, so you Gateway fanboys can feel free to hold out just a bit longer.
RuneScape introduces new phoenix combat pet and more
Mod Mark, the Lead Designer for Jagex's RuneScape, has written a new Behind the Scenes article for January in which he describes the changes coming down the pipe for RuneScape. There's mention of a new phoenix combat pet that will have the ability to fire ashes at your enemies. The Achievement Diaries are also releasing this month; this time set in the peaceful Seer's Village and the surrounding areas. As with previous Achievement Diaries, this one was created to show the hidden or non-quest activities in the area. In addition to these large additions, some minor changes will be made to the game. Check out the complete article for more information on all changes that have arrived or will be arriving in the month of January.
Phoenix doctor's HD production truck makes house calls
If your doctor was getting up to speed on a new surgical procedure via video footage, you'd want that video to be in HD, right? Thanks to Dr. Diethrich, a co-owner of VAS Communications in Phoenix and also Medical Director at Arizona Heart Hospital, that's now a possibility -- VAS Communications recently rolled out its HD production truck, complete with its own 2.4-meter antenna for satellite uplink. Also onboard are a Panasonic HD video switcher and an Yamaha digital audio console for putting everything together. The "HDMD" is the first HD production truck in Arizona, so you just know that between medical telecasts it's been pressed into action for local news work.
Philips intros snazzy Xenium 9@9q Dragon / Phoenix handsets
Philips' Xenium line is known for being able to last an incredibly long time without a recharge, and the outfit's newest duo continue the trend. The special edition Xenium 9@9q mobiles -- dubbed Dragon and Phoenix -- both feature rather snazzy designs and can reportedly last up to a month in standby mode. The most fantastic aspect is probably the subtle light-up indicators on the outside of the clamshell, and yes, we're serious. Still, a phone with such longevity might actually be worth 4,999 rubles ($172), but only if you place an inordinately high amount of value on the aforesaid indicators.[Via UnwiredView]
Cox rolls a dozen HD channels to Phoenix area
It's been half a year since Cox gave its Phoenix, Arizona-based customers any extra reasons to stick around, but it's making amends in a big way this week. The carrier has just announced a fresh dozen for the region, with Casa Grande and North Scottsdale getting 'em first. We're told that the rest of the Valley will see them come online during the next few months, but 'til then, here's what you can look forward to: AMC HD (743), Travel HD (748), Spike HD (767), Bravo HD (760), NFL HD (766), MTV HD (717), SciFi HD (750), HGTV HD (741), CNN HD (736), Planet Green HD (764), TLC HD (742) and Versus HD (769). For a look at the full release (and the list of new SD networks), head on past the break.
Pioneer opens second US retail store in Phoenix, Arizona
For those ensconced in the Arizona desert and looking for a new KURO, you're in luck. Pioneer has just swung the doors open on its second US retail store, a 3,200 square-foot facility situated in the Northeast Valley of Phoenix, Arizona. The outfit opened its first US store in Orange County, California in August of 2006, and both stores will be responsible for selling a wide variety of Pioneer gear, most notably KURO flat-panels, Blu-ray decks and speakers / headphones typically reserved for the Japanese market. Now, if it manages to notch anything close to an impressive amount of sales (without vast, deep discounts) in this economy, you can color us floored.
Anthropomorphized Mars lander in terminal "Groundhog Day" mode, tugging heartstrings
Dear Phoenix lander, you always find new ways to both delight and torture us. We listened anxiously for your updates about the weather on Mars, watched you "think" your way out of nearly fatal situations, and marveled at your liquid discoveries. It seems like only yesterday we were preparing for your send off. And what new violence is this you're doing upon our souls? Oh, that's right: you're dying. Not shutting down. Dying. Not quickly, either. And you're going to suffer from what is essentially a NASA-induced nightmare terminal case of Alzheimer's now, too. As early as tonight, the NASA team will upload repeating commands designed to "wring a few additional weather measurements" out of Phoenix by placing it in "terminal science mode," meaning that the lander will repeat the same sequence of actions over and over again, every day before shutting down for 19 hours. The team has also discovered that the craft is now unable to fully recharge its batteries, causing it to lose its memory each night when it shuts down. So the lander wakes up in the morning, does some science, goes to sleep, wakes up again, doesn't remember a thing, does some science... oh, you get the idea. The Phoenix team doesn't know how much longer the lander is going to survive, but they indicated that it could be "several weeks." Please, just let the pain end. Hit the read link for the long, sad story.
HP announces Pavilion Verde and Pavilion Phoenix eco-PCs, 25-inch display
HP's bringing a little fiesta to the green game this morning, announcing the new Energy Star-qualified Pavilion Verde a6645f (pictured) and the Pavilion Phoenix Special Edition a6655f desktops along with the new w2558c 25.5-inch display. Both the $579 Circuit City-exclusive Verde and $659 Best Buy-exclusive Phoenix claim a 45-percent energy savings over traditional PCs and sport 5GB of RAM, a LightScribe dual-layer burner, and Vista Home Premium, but the Phoenix is the hotrod of the pair, packing an AMD Phenom X4 9150e quad-core processor over the Verdes' Athlon X2 4850e dual-core unit. The w2558 display seems nice and flexible, with HDMI inputs, a 15-in-1 card reader, 2.0 megapixel webcam and multiple USB ports, but we'll wait for specs a little more detailed than "fast" response time and "high" brightness before we plunk down our $599. Both machines should hit their respective big-box stores on November 9th, and the display should be out now -- check it out after the break.
NASA says Phoenix lander is sampling water on Mars
Yep, just like we'd heard, the Phoenix lander has identified water in a soil sample it collected in Mars earlier, and NASA's extended the mission for another 90 days to go look for more. There's no analysis of the ice yet, but it doesn't look like there's any organic materials in the sample, and it'll take another three to four weeks before there's any more data to reveal. Hopefully that means we'll be packing up our silver go-go boots and taking off for our fabulous future lives on Mars in a month, but we'll see how things go.
Cox gets Phoenix ready for the Olympics with 4 new channels
Making sure Phoenix-area customers have access to those thousands of hours of Olympics coverage, Cox is launching USA HD, CNBC HD+, NBC Olympic Soccer Channel HD and Lifetime HD July 21. The first three should account for more than 750 hours of HD Olympics action, so check out the schedule and get your DVR ready.
Phoenix, Arizona Apple Store planned
The Graphic Mac is reporting that a new Apple Store has been planned for Phoenix, Arizona. This will be the state's fifth Apple Store, and Phoenix's second.The new store will open in the Arrowhead Mall. James at The Graphic Mac says he's seen the black construction wall and white Apple Logo in front of a large retail space on the mall's lower level. Rumor has it this store will open at the end of this month.If any TUAW readers want to send us a spyshot of the construction, please do! You'll find the tip link towards the bottom of the page.
Details emerge on XM Phoenix handheld satellite radio
Sirius' Starmate 5 stopped by the FCC last month, so it's only fair to see a portable player from the "other side" mentioned as this month draws to a close. Orbitcast has it that a new handheld satellite radio is floating around the labs with a codename Phoenix. Early word suggests that it is "slightly smaller than the existing Inno with a much slicker interface and a rotating wheel that functions similar to the SkyFi 2." There's also a microSD slot for external music (and external music alone), a screen size larger than that of the Inno and a small possibility for WiFi. The unit should be loosed on the general public this fall, but we'll be sure to keep an ear out for more details as the run-up continues.
Cox to give Phoenix TiVo users free tuning adapter to cope with SDV
Aw, now isn't this just the sweetest thing you've ever seen? Cox has found the generosity to not only send out information to let Phoenix, Arizona subscribers know about the forthcoming implementation of SDV (July 1st, if you're wondering), but to promise a free tuning adapter to CableCARD-using TiVo Series3 / HD owners to boot. In all seriousness, we only wish every other cable company out there would handle this situation in a similar manner, but things just can't be this easy everywhere, right? Check the read link for the full letter.[Via ZatzNotFunny]
Mars Phoenix lander has near-perfect landing, says "it's really cold out here"
Things are looking good for the Phoenix lander which touched down on Mars at 4:53pm on Sunday, May 25. The NASA nerds are reporting an almost perfect landing, with the spacebot tilted only one quarter of a degree. In fact, they're claiming that this landing was "far smoother than any simulation or test that was ever done." The lander's north-pole location is measured at -106 degrees Fahrenheit and chock-full of life-preserving ice. Phoenix will chill on Mars for 90 days, sniffing soil and looking for frozen Martians in whatever form they may take. Now that Mars Oddyssey -- one of its main communication uplinks -- has passed over the lander, we have our first pictures, one of which is above. Nice work, guys![Via The Phoenix Mission]
Mars Phoenix lander to touch down on the red planet tonight
Suit up, space nerds, because the Phoenix lander is mere hours away from touchdown on Mars, and NASA's blowing this thing out. Not only will you get a live video feed from their site, but apparently Mission Control ops will be liveblogging the touchdown and ensuing alien encounters / totally boring rock digging. Festivities kick off at about 6:00pm ET, prepare to set faces to stunned.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - Phoenix mission pageRead - NASA live video feedRead - NASA Mission Control liveblog
