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HP / Palm's 9.7-inch Topaz tablet to use 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8660, Adreno 220 GPU
Looks like those whispers we heard about HP's Topaz having a 1.2GHz Qualcomm CPU were true. The folks over at Pre Central just scored an internal document detailing presumed specifications of HP's forthcoming 9.7-inch tablet, and it looks like the aforesaid CPU will be joined by an integrated Adreno 220 GPU, 512MB of DDR2 memory, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and dual-band 802.11b/g/n WiFi. We're told to expect an oleophobic Gorilla Glass screen with a standard XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, options for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, optional WWAN, an accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, microphone and a battery that'll last for around eight hours in ideal circumstances. Naturally, webOS will be onboard, and we're hearing that a WiFi-only model will indeed hit the market at some point. As for the connected versions? HSPA, LTE and CDMA variants are rumored, with the former two likely to be SIM-locked while all three carry A-GPS. It should be noted that these documents were apparently fresh as of last fall, so everything is clearly subject to change. That said, we're digging the reports that HP will be doing everything it can to fully support Flash on this here slate, and it may also consider a partnership with Blio for the digital bookworms in attendance. Naturally, cloud services is shaping up to be a huge deal, and it'll definitely support inductive charging via the Touchstone v2. These docs also affirm what we'd heard about integrated Beats Audio technology and Tap to Share, with the second-gen Touchstone to also handle wireless picture sharing, cordless audio streaming and tether-free video beaming (just to name a few). Hit the source link the full skinny, and feel free to pressure HP to move February 9th a little closer to today. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration
Now that the kitty's out of the gemstone bag, we're slowly starting to connect the dots that obscure the details of Palm's soon to be announced "Topaz" and "Opal" tablets. First up is information from one of our original trusted sources who claims that the Opal will measure 180 x 144 x 13mm (making it a bit shorter and wider than the 190.1 x 120.5 x 12-mm Galaxy Tab) and feature a 1,024 x 768 pixel TFT LCD display. We're told that the bigger Topaz tablet will ship about three months before Opal and measures in at 241 x 190 x 13mm (making it nearly identical to the 242.8 x 189.7 x 13.4-mm iPad) with a pixel resolution that could be the same as the Opal (our source wasn't 100 percent on this). We're also hearing that the "premium audio" we saw on that leaked marketing slide will indeed be powered by HP's Beats audio processing, and that the tablets will be provided with "tens of gigabytes" of cloud storage -- so much that it dwarfs the local storage on the devices. Good, because you're going to need it from the looks of some additional information we just received. Click through for the detail.
PogoPlug Video converts footage on the fly, streams it to all your connected devices
We always thought the PogoPlug was a neat idea -- a miniature server that gives you access to USB devices on the go -- and today, Cloud Engines is making it a little more useful. The $200 PogoPlug Video may look just like the PogoPlug Pro that tempted your pocketbook in October, but it's got a brand-new daughterboard inside, whose purpose in life is to take your video files, convert them to variable bitrate H.264 and stream them anywhere in the world in real time. CEO Daniel Putterman claims that -- depending on device support -- it can pull footage directly from a connected camcorder and share it with your dearest relatives' computers, tablets and phones then and there. Sony's AVCHD camcorders will be compatible on day one, with other companies negotiating right now, and speaking of promises, the company says that additional printer support for all PogoPlug devices is "right around the corner." Like what you see? They'll be happy to take your money starting March 1st, and devices will go on sale just in time for April Fools' Day. PR after the break.
Buffalo launches an HDD into the PogoPlug clouds, outfits external storage lineup with USB 3.0
Buffalo's toyed with that newfangled idea of sharing files over the internet once or twice, but today it's stepping up to the plate, picking up a PogoPlug bat, and sending a hard drive coursing into the upper stratosphere fueled by good intent. Well, perhaps the reality isn't quite as exciting as that analogy, but Buffalo is indeed launching the first PogoPlug with internal storage today, which works just like your run-of-the-mill NAS in everyday use, but can also share files of your choosing with awkward acquaintances around the world through an online web portal. $170 buys you 1TB of storage, $270 doubles that capacity to 2TB, and the end of friends and relatives nagging you to upload Facebook photos is (hopefully) included free with every purchase. If all you're looking for in an external hard drive is improved transfer speeds, Buffalo's got plenty of options there too, as it's revamped four tried-and-true units with USB 3.0. You can nab the blue SuperSpeed connector in a four-drive, 4TB or 8TB DriveStation Quad with up-to-225MB transfer rates starting at $630, a two-drive, 2TB or 4TB DriveStation Duo starting at $280, a single-drive DriveStation Axis with 1TB or 2TB starting at $100, or a more portable MiniStation Stealth in 500GB and 1TB capacities starting at $90. Speedy rotating magnetic platters, anyone? PR after the break.
Iomega Personal Cloud devices host your data, not your water vapor
Finally, a new flavor of Iomega that the EMC fanboys can find palatable. The bigger company consumed the smaller back in 2008 and, while we've seen plenty of products since then, none have really brought the two together like the new Personal Cloud edition of the Home Media Network Hard Drives. In theory, anyway. The idea here is that this is a smart NAS, creating your own little puff and hosting your data for general availability but avoiding the "careless computing" curse by retaining control of your data. It'll naturally play nice with the new Iomega TV and, if you buy two of the things, you can have one perform an automated remote backup to the other. That's the sort of feature that should make a tight-budgeted IT manager's ears perk up. How tight? The first two models of Iomega's Home Media Network Hard Drive Cloud Edition devices launch this month: 1TB for $169.99 and twice that for $229.99. %Gallery-112488%
Kin Studio closing January 31st, Verizon offers free phones to affected customers
Though the final nail in the Microsoft Kin coffin has yet to be tapped into place, the software that made the pair of ill-fated handsets strangely compelling will soon get the axe. Come January 31st, Kin Studio will be no more, effectively neutering existing Kin phones by removing them from the cloud. They'll still be able to make calls, send SMS, email, browse the web and even stream music via Zune Pass, but their formerly live homescreens will become lifeless, stripped of social networking functionality -- and will actually remain stuck on their very last status update, much like a broken clock. Their online repository of pictures, videos and contacts will cease to exist, though you can back them up to a personal computer if you act now. Thankfully, Verizon seems to understands that not all Kin customers will be happy with a zombiephone, and has taken a drastic measure to help them out -- through March 31st, 2011, Kin owners can trade it in for a free 3G phone of their choice. How kind. Find full Verizon FAQs on the transition at our more coverage links. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
LG U+ cloud service links connected devices, requires a relocation to South Korea to enjoy
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer is probably dreaming of three screens and a cloud right now, so it makes sense that his company has extended its hand to LG in order to build out the new U+ cloud storage service. Launched over in South Korea, this new service is expected to provide a "seamless connection" between a smorgasbord of connected devices -- everything from TVs to digital photo frames to PMPs to tablets (plus a few we're missing). The goal is to allow any connected device to enjoy the same content, and rather than putting it on each individual consumer to setup their own wireless NAS (or use Air Sync), LG's taking some of the load off while adding a few nifty extras (streaming VOD, anyone?). The standard U+ box arrives with 1GB of storage, but consumers can opt for a 10GB package as well as the ability to access their material across the country via LG's U+ WiFi hotspots. Actual costs don't seem readily apparent, but given that paltry storage maximum, we're guessing the majority of you won't even bother to investigate.
Schmidt says Chrome OS devices will be 'disposable,' priced like netbooks
You might have heard Google's Chrome OS will live entirely in the cloud, and that devices running the web-based platform will automatically back up your data on remote servers. You might think it will keep your private details safe -- as safe as anything else you trust Google to store, that is. But had you ever considered what the cloud meant for the hardware running it? CEO Eric Schmidt has. This week, he told the Atmosphere Cloud Computing Summit that Chrome OS devices will be "completely disposable" at netbook-esque price points of between $300 and $400. That's pocket change for a large IT department perhaps, but we can't imagine tossing even the cheapest Eee PC in our dustbin. How about subsidized, though? Asked whether Google might give away devices on contract, Schmidt said "Sure," adding afterwards only that his company doesn't see itself selling the data plans. We wonder what that means for the thousands of enthusiastic towns now praying for Google fiber. Hear Google's CEO for yourself after the break; info in question begins 13:33.
Apple rumor roundup: pipe dreams, Lala's role and Verizon's iPhone 4G
In case you haven't noticed, things are getting out of hand in the world of Apple rumors. Frankly, it's all we can do to read another one and trudge onward, but hey -- we've no problem with folks putting their reputations on the line here. Let's dig in to the latest pair, shall we? The rumor: Apple's acquisition of Lala will actually lead to customers having access to an "online locker" for multimedia. This could be a cloud storage location for one's iTunes library, enabling them to have access to their jams and vids even when away from their at-home storage. The trick is that the cloud would only hold the metadata, and streaming would originate from somewhere else on Apple's end. Our take: Okay, so we want to believe. Just imagine if your next Apple tablet or iPhone knew exactly what songs you owned in iTunes, and at a moment's notice, you could tap into the iTunes store and stream full, unedited versions of those songs from anywhere. Amazing, no? Problem is, the bulk of iTunes libraries aren't made up of content that was purchased in iTunes (or purchased at all). It seems that the best Apple could do would be to negotiate streaming deals for content you've actually purchased within iTunes, which results in a half-baked user experience. Last we checked, Stevie J wasn't much on half-baked user experiences. The rumor: Astoundingly, the mythical Apple tablet won't be the company's "one more thing" next week; instead, it'll be a refreshed iPhone... that works on Verizon Wireless. Oh, and iPhone OS 4.0. So says Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek, anyway. Our take: Ha! Apple has never been one to showcase too much at one time, and we're guessing that the outfit would be smart enough to withhold a new iPhone introduction for a separate press event. We don't doubt that a Verizon iPhone is in the works (though an LTE version will be at least a year or two out), but there's no way Jobs steals the tablet's thunder by giving every rabid iPhone user hot sweats when considering the switch to Big Red. Bottom line? Don't bank on it. At this point, we reckon everyone would be best served by taking a huge step back, a deep breath and one of those so-called "chill pills." Next Wednesday ain't so far away, now is it?
Need a few petabytes of Mac storage? Build your own BackBlaze Storage Pod
One of the largest personal iTunes libraries I've ever seen belongs to a client of mine. This client, who was a DJ in the 50's and 60's, has a huge collection of vinyl albums and singles that he painstakingly digitized, cleaned up, and catalogued in iTunes. Needless to say, opening iTunes on his Mac Pro is an exercise in patience. Thinking about his music storage needs, and the huge amount of digital photos and video that my wife are accumulating, got me musing about other ways to do mass storage inexpensively. At this point, I'm probably OK with a DroboPro, but what if I needed petabytes (1 petabyte = 1,024 terabytes = 1,048,576 gigabytes) of storage? Most solutions at this point in time are quite expensive. As of 6 AM PDT this morning, off-site backup vendor BackBlaze has put their solution to mass storage needs, the BackBlaze Storage Pod, out to the world as an open source project. Their solution is a relatively inexpensive box (US$7,867 for 67 TB of storage) made up of off-the-shelf components that can be reproduced and/or improved upon by others who also need huge amounts of cheap storage. See those red boxes in the picture to the right? Each one of those contains 67 TB of RAID 6 storage in a 4U box. For a petabyte of storage, you're going to need to spend about $117,000 on about fifteen of the boxes.
Egnyte 2.0 adds iPhone support
I mentioned Egnyte back in August, when they released version 1.5 of their secure storage, collaboration and backup solution. Today they've announced version 2.0 with support for iPhone access through a web application. I spoke briefly with Vineet Jain from Egnyte about the iPhone-compatible release. According to Vineet, the fact that 40% of Egnyte's users are on Macs was the impetus for the iPhone being the first device supported in their mobile development. The number of Mac users in their customer base surprised them a little, and so did the number of people using the service primarily as an offsite backup. Logically, they've concentrated their efforts based on user demand and improved the backup capabilities and performance as well. The iPhone interface, dubbed m Drive, allows users to log in to their accounts and work with their files. Access permissions can be set and changed on-the-go, and files can be shared by emailing them as attachments, or by emailing an access link to the file on the Egnyte server. Links to files can be set to expire at a given time and don't require an Egnyte login. m Drive also allows users to view previous versions and comments on files. The interface is simple, easy to navigate and not bad looking. It currently lacks the search features present in the full version. Such features may be present in a dedicated iPhone app, which is coming, I'm told. For the moment a web app makes more sense (to me), given its current goals. Egnyte offers a 15-day free trial, and plans are configurable based on your needs, starting at $15USD/month for 1 "Power user" and unlimited standard users (comparison chart on the pricing page).
ASUS launches Eee Storage, takes your Eee PC to the cloud... kind of
Apparently Jerry Shen and the homegirls / boys at ASUS want to get a slice of that sweet cloud pie. According to a report, the computer-maker has launched a service called Eee Storage, which provides 20GB of online storage for Eee PC users, as well as access to downloads of around 3,000 pieces of free software and games. The company hopes to expand the service -- which uses a drag and drop interface for file management -- into a full blown "store" where users can download music and "various other content." In the picture above you can see Jerry demonstrating the service to a group of bemused high school reporters.
