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Intel demos rock-solid VoIP call on MID
Yeah, we know. We've seen this EB MID engineering sample kicking around for nearly a year now. However, this is the first time we've seen it running a rock-solid, VoIP application on that tiny Silverthorne, eh hrm, Atom processor. So solid, in fact, that Intel purposely crashes the OS while the VoIP call keeps on kicking. That piece of magic comes via VirtualLogix who keep the network stack and audio running in a virtualized Linux instance while the main OS reboots. Pretty compelling glimpse of a future without voice contracts. Don't believe us? Check the video after the break.
Intel's Silverthorn becomes the Atom, Menlow the Centrino Atom
Another brain-shattering announcement that you've all been waiting for is here. Intel has officially dubbed the Silverthorn and Diamondville chips "Atom," and the Menlow platform has become the "Centrino Atom." We know, it's hard to believe the day has come, but it's finally happened. Obviously, the 45nm Atom chips, and Centrino Atom technology will be targeted for MIDs, UMPCs, and all manner of small, internet-centric devices. Undoubtedly an unending vista of total awesomeness awaits us now that they've got some fancy new names.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Vienna 2.2 is available
Just eight weeks after the teaser announcement, Vienna 2.2 has been released. I have been happily using Vienna for months. It's a light and simple RSS reader that's free and open. What more do you need? How about (new to version 2.2): Snappier performance Major UI improvements (no more brushed metal!) Support for RSS/Atom enclosures, plus a new Enclosure panel for articles that contain enclosures. Global search Feed auto-discovery There's a lot more to this major update, and you can read the full description here. Vienna is free, universal and requires Mac OS 10.3.9 or later.If you like to travel light, check out Portable Vienna, which runs on a USB keychain drive.
Atomic "transistor" proposed using quantum cloud material
Intel might be oh-so-smug about its fancy new insulators and 45nm process, but doesn't have nothing on these upcoming atomic transistor dealios -- other than that whole "shipping" thing, of course. Scientists working at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and compadres at the University of Colorado Boulder have proposed implementing a "Bose-Einstein condensate" to pull this off -- a super-cold gas cloud of atoms all in the same quantum state -- which is manipulated with three adjacent chambers that are created by trapping atoms with magnets or laz0rs. By swapping atoms between the two side chambers, and controlling that action with the center chamber, a behavior is created similar to that of an electronic field-effect transistor. Which is apparently a good thing. So yeah, the tech definitely flies over our heads, but if this works it sounds like it's a pretty big breakthrough in building atomic "circuits" some day by connecting basic atom elements and should hopefully keep Moore's law alive and well a few decades down the road.[Thanks, Jeremy]
A purse with speakers: Lifepop's Atom Amp
If your taste in music is absolutely impeccable, why bottle it up? Share it with the world -- along with... uh, an interesting fashion sense -- thanks to the "Atom Amp" from Lifepop. The 4 x 2 x 2.5-inch bag sports a pair of speakers of unknown quality (though the press release proudly trumpets "1400 milliwatts of hi-fi sound via the ultra-lightweight Atom™ class amplifier and drivers") powered by a 9-volt battery, serving up twelve hours of public listening via what appears to be a 3.5 millimeter jack. Only problem is, the list of phones with a 3.5 millimeter jack is extraordinarily short, so you might just be better off hooking up the ol' iPod anyway.[Via textually.org and ecoustics]
AtomFilms to Go puts short film in your pants
Some will scream "old!" and others will be thankful for yet another source of videos to place in their PSP. If sources like the now-owned-by-Sony Grouper can't fill your video fix, you can head over to AtomFilms and get some short films to place on your PSP. Although the quality of the files aren't too great (and they aren't available in native widescreen), they can be quite entertaining. If you're a Japanophile like me, you'll love Drum Machine. Too bad the site's not formatted for the PSP.[Via Pocket Gamer UK]
O2 Atom Exec gets the full rundown
CNET has gone ahead and upgraded its preview of the O2 Atom Exec to a full review, and it appears they've come away with a very positive impression of the refreshed non-HTC -- yes, non-HTC -- Pocket PC. To refresh your melon, the Atom Exec is O2's Asia-only update of the Atom, adding an extra 64MB of ROM (for a total of 192MB), boosting the device's PXA272 core from 416 to 520MHz, and toning down the glossy finish to a more matte one. CNET concludes that the Exec is a great device thanks largely to its roomy ROM and snappy performance, but that it probably isn't worthy of an upgrade for owners of the original Atom. European Atom owners: feelin' any jealousy here?[Thanks, Ash]
O2 announces updated Xda Atom for Asia
As if Asia isn't already getting the lion's share of the world's smartphone action, O2 has used this week's CommunicAsia expo to announce the Xda Atom Exec, an Asia-exclusive update to the Atom (pictured). At about six months of age, the Atom isn't exactly an old fart, but the Exec ships with AKU2, boosts the XScale processor from 416 to 520MHz, and adds an extra 64MB of ROM for a grand total of 192MB. Otherwise, the Exec trades its predecessor's glossy exterior for a matte one, but the Atom's remaining specs carry over to the new model. If you're rocking an Atom and you're thinking that an upgrade might be in order, hold up: the roughly $844 USD O2 will be asking for the Exec might give you pause.[Via the::unwired]
Acorn Computers to be reborn as laptop maker
If you're a Brit of a certain age, the name Acorn probably has as much resonance for you as Commodore or Amiga does for us Yanks. No, it's not because you're a squirrelwatcher (not that there's anything wrong with that). It's because of Acorn Computers, the pioneering manufacturer of the late 70s and early 80s, which quit the computer business in the 90s. Now, according to reports, Acorn is set to be reborn as notebook vendor. The revived Acorn will launch next week with four laptops, ranging from a 12-incher to one with a 17-inch display. Rather than running Acorn's old RISC OS, however, the new boxes will be fairly convention Windows XP laptops, and will come bundled with Star Office.
O2 releases AKU2 update for Xda Atom
The folks over at O2 have been busy little beavers today, first releasing the HTC Tornado-based Xda IQ, and now posting the Windows Mobile 5.0 AKU update for Xda Atom owners to download. We're sure that we don't need to repeat the advantages of AKU2 again, but since our contracts stipulate that we rehash the deets ad infinitum, we'll remind you that this upgrade adds BlackBerry-like push email through the Messaging & Security Feature Pack (MSFP) along with an improved wireless connection manager, quicker screen orientation switches, and other minor enhancements. Atom owners also get a few device-specific bug fixes with the new firmware, most notably the elimination of the "heartbeat noise" that had apparently plagued some versions of the FM tuner app. For now you'll need your handset's serial number registered with O2 in order to access the download, but it'll probably be just a matter of time before it becomes available on one of the popular cellphone forums.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Shrook now free
Shrook, a full featured RSS reader for OS X, is now freeware according to Shrook developer Graham Parks. In an email to TUAW he assures us that development of Shrook will continue, the only thing that has changed is the price. Why the sudden change to freeware? To quote Graham, 'to piss off Brent Simmons if nothing else.'Hey, I'm all for spite creating freeware, though I think I'll stick with NetNewsWire myself.
NewsMac Pro 1.2.3 is awesome, NNW beware
As you might remember, NewsMac Pro 1.2 brought some nice enhancements when it landed last November. Even though this latest version is just a .0.3 update, I think this app is finally maturing into a serious reader, and I also hope the NetNewsWire people are paying attention to what Rory Prior is doing with this most excellent of newsreaders.This latest version brings typical things like bug fixes and new features to the table, but I think a couple of the most important new options are a new view (now a total of 4) for arranging your feeds and headlines, as well as more keyboard support for moving between groups, feeds and headlines. While using the keyboard isn't nearly as smooth as it is in NetNewsWire, NewsMac Pro is getting there, and I hope more users submit requests to move this feature up Rory's priority list. Most serious folks I know who use RSS apps barely touch their mouse while they're in the app, and I think it would serve NewsMac Pro well to gain this ability ASAP.A couple other big strengths NewsMac Pro has are flagging headlines with different colors based on user-defined keywords, as well as an iTunes-style built-in podcast player, so you can keep everything under one roof, if you so desire.With all this great stuff coming to life in NewsMac Pro, it certainly isn't still without its shortcomings. The demo casts off a time limit in return for allowing a user to add only 10 feeds. I cannot stress enough how bad of an idea this is, as I would imagine anyone looking at an RSS app like this is going to have far, far more than 10 feeds in their OPML (which reminds me: NewsMac Pro fortunately supports OPMLs with groups). The other clunky thing is the way feed and group updating is defined. You can specify different update intervals (30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.) for each group of feeds, which is certainly nice for some uses, but I can't find a way to specify any kind of a default for the app as a whole.All things considered, I think NewsMac Pro is a great newsreader that includes some very appealing innovations in the world of RSS reading and organzing. If you're in the market for a great way to keep track of all your favorite sites and blogs, head over and pick up a demo. If it really floats yer boat, a full license costs a mere $24.95.
Your RSS subscriptions in your menu bar
Here's a handy tool. RSS Menu by e dot studios lets you keep track of all of our RSS subscriptions right in the Finder's menu bar. Simply add your favorite feeds via the preferences menu and you're off. You can create groups, insert spacers, display the number of unread messages awaiting your eyes and more. RSS Menu is also aware of Growl, so you can take advantage of its pop-up notifications.RSS Menu requires Mac OS 10.3 or higher and is donationware. On a side note, I've now got fourteen little icons on the right hand side of my menu bar. I've really got to slow down with all these little extras.[Via Appleology]
