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Fujitsu's PalmSecure readers about to be seen in the wild (if you use UniCredit bank)
If Google is correct (and it usually is), Engadget has been covering Fujitsu's PalmSecure palm-reading technology since the Peter Rojas days. In that time, we've seen these security readers built into prototype laptops, and various corporations have begun testing it out in pilot programs. So it's hardly a novel concept, but it's only now becoming likely that you'll see it in the real world: Fujitsu announced today that its palm readers will soon be installed in bank kiosks, building lobbies, and other places where you might need to verify your identity at a checkpoint of some sort. So far, Fujitsu's signed on Italy's UniCredit bank, which kicked off a test program late last year. As we've reported in the past, you don't even have to touch the sensor; you can merely hover over it. Which is good news if you're paranoid about swapping germs with all the other nose-pickers passing through security. If businesses choose, they can opt for single-factor authentication, though two-factor security is also an option -- as unique as the veins in your palm are, it's still possible for the reader to register a false positive. If you're curious we've got a quickie demo video waiting just past the break. Unfortunately, though, we still can't vouch for how tedious it'll be when HR demands palm prints for everyone in the office.
Fujitsu's German-made Lifebook AH562 turns up at CeBIT, we go hands-on
Dressed in black and white, bearing the national flag and the legend "Made in Germany," we weren't sure if this was Michael Ballack or Fujitsu's AH562 laptop. After weighing up the pros and cons if it transpired we tried to review the footballer, we decided it was only right that we dove in to take a look at this freshly minted budget notebook. Grab your number 13 shirt, glare derisively at that picture of Philipp Lahm and join us after the break.%Gallery-180381%
Fujitsu Arrows V F-04E hands-on
Fujitsu had a third set on hand at its booth on opening day here at MWC 2013: the Arrows V F-04E. Launched as part of the NTT DoCoMo's winter lineup, this is the first opportunity we've had to get a hands-on as of course this set will never end up anywhere near our shores. The F-04E is loaded with everything one could expect in a high-end set like a 4.7-inch 720p display -- and it is wondrous to behold -- a 13.1-megapixel camera, 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, integrated 1seg TV antenna and a whopping 64GB of storage. The Arrows V, aside from the odd obsession Fujitsu seems to have on insisting to hide all its USB ports under tough to open flip up open doors, is a very slick handset. The lines are clean, the display -- did we mention it is lovely? -- clear and easy read from every angle. Sadly for us the booth's requisite bowl of water or fountain was missing in action so we couldn't do a dunk test but we did manage to capture a bit of video and a gallery for you to enjoy.
Fujitsu prototype GPS cane hands-on: the future of monitoring and protecting the elderly
Fujitsu's Stylistic S01 isn't the company's only attempt to cater to an older audience. It's also experimenting with a rather ingenius (and super glossy) take on the classic cane, that looks like something out of a sci-fi film. Inside the two-toned elliptical head-piece are a pile of electronics, including Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi and a cellular radio. And at the front of the grip is a small display, consisting of an array of multi-color LEDs. Those little bulbs light up, primarily in red or green, to communicate through simple pictographs. The primary function is to offer directions using the GPS. The LEDs tell you which way to head with simple green arrow animations and alert you to upcoming turns by flashing a red exclamation point. While we understand and appreciate the simplicity, the combination of relatively dim LEDs and the glossy design made it a bit difficult to make out direction under the harsh lights of the Fujitsu booth -- we can only imagine things would only get worse under a glaring mid-day sun. This isn't just a dumbed-down guidance device, however. The GPS can also be used to track movement, while other sensors on board can monitor temperature, humidity and heart rate. There's a small pad at the top where you place your thumb to get a BPM readout. Should the heat get cranking and grandpa's heart rate start to climb, a loved one could set a destination for him remotely and lead him to the nearest place to cool off. Fujitsu reps said the current prototype is capable of lasting between two or three hours on a charge, though we imagine much longer battery life will be needed for it to become a practical, everyday solution. There's no telling if or when this futuristic walking stick will hit the market, but we wouldn't be surprised to see some form of it in the next year or two. Technology moves quick and the healthcare industry is one of the quickest growing markets for the cutting edge. If you'd like a glimpse of how the system might work, check out the video after the break. Sean Cooper contributed to this report.
Fujitsu Arrows X F-02E hands-on: a powerhouse flagship with a 1080p display
We'll get this out of the way upfront: you will probably never be able to buy this phone. And by "you" we mean the American consumer. The Arrows X F-02E will, at least for the immediate future, be a NTT DoCoMo-only device. But, now that you know not to get your hopes up, let's get a feel for just what you'll be missing. Fujitsu's waterproof flagship is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3 and 2GB of RAM. And that horsepower is put to good use pushing pixels to a brilliant 5-inch, 1080p display. We'd stop short of saying it's the best phone screen we've seen, but it's definitely in the running. Colors are bright, text is crisp and viewing angles need to be seen to be believed. Thankfully, all that lovely screen real estate isn't being eaten up by some insanely outdated version of Android. On board you'll find Android 4.1.2 -- not the latest and greatest, but at least it's Jelly Bean.
Fujitsu Stylistic S01 hands-on: a smartphone even grandma can use
Not every smartphone needs to have piles of RAM an inhumanly fast quad-core CPU and a comically large 1080p display. For some niches of the market those things are not only unnecessary, but potentially a huge negative. Fujitsu's Stylistic S01 is one of those phones that eschews high-end specs for practical features aimed at a particular segment of the market -- namely, your grandparents. The four-inch WVGA display and dual-core 1.4GHz Snapdragon would have been par for the course a year or two ago, now they're getting a bit dated. But that's ok, they're serve up the heavily skinned Ice Cream Sandwich here just fine. The UI has large buttons and simplified widgets that are carefully crafted to be easy to manipulate for those with less dexterity in their digits. And, unlike most phones, a glancing touch wont be enough to accidentally launch the camera or maps. While an initial touch wil temporarily select an option, you'll have to actually press just a bit harder than you're accustomed to in order to confirm your selection. In addition to minimizing accidental app launches, it also gets a little bit closer to recreating the tactile sensation of dialing on a physical numeric pad.
Fujitsu, Orange partner on senior-friendly Stylistic S01 smartphone
Fujitsu just announced a smartphone partnership with Orange Telecom, with its first handset to launch on the French carrier this June. The Stylistic S01 will run Android 4.0 and offer GSM and HSPA compatibility through Orange, and it's targeted specifically at elderly users. As such, it will include many of the same features available on Fujitsu's Raku-Raku series of senior-friendly phones available on NTT DoCoMo. For instance, the phone will have tactile virtual buttons that mimic the experience of pushing actual hardware keys, oversized icons and audio technology that optimizes the frequency range according to the user's age. Other specs include a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, an 8.1-megapixel camera, a 0.3-MP front-facing shooter and 4GB of internal storage (expandable by microSD card). There's no pricing info yet, but we're bound to have more details after getting a hands-on look at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this coming week.
Fujitsu to merge LSI chip business with Panasonic, cut 5,000 jobs
Intense semiconductor competition has already forced numerous Japanese companies to work together, and now Fujitsu has announced that it'll merge its LSI chip design and R&D divisions with Panasonic. The two companies are looking to the state-run Development Bank of Japan to fund the new venture, which comes in the wake of expected Fujitsu losses of over $1 billion this year -- forcing the company to cut 5,000 jobs and transfer 4,500 to other divisions by March 31st. Fujitsu said it's also looking to transfer a state-of-the-art LSI fabrication line in central Japan to a new foundry venture with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the world's largest chip maker. That carries on a trend in declining Japanese chip dominance, exemplified by Elpida's bankruptcy and the recent government bailout of Renesas, which itself is a merger of NEC, Hitachi and Mitsubishi's semiconductor operations. [Image credits: Wikimedia commons]
Fujitsu announces bevy of FMV Windows 8 AIO PCs, laptops along with WiFi-only Arrows tablet
Staggered product releases? Perish the thought with Fujitsu, who just launched twelve (count 'em) products into the Japanese market -- including laptops, AIO PCs and a tablet, all sporting Windows 8. For portable computing, Fujitsu's brought the Lifebook AH Series of 15.6-inch PCs, with Core i7-3632QM processors, 8GB memory and Full HD IPS touchscreens on the high-end models, along with niceties like Pioneer speakers and Blu-ray drives. Lower-end models in that range will feature Core i5 or i3 processors and 1360 x 768 LED touch panels. The Lifebook SH Series are 13.3-inch Core i5 models with 1366 x 768 non-touch panels, while the UH Series feature 13.3-inch and 14-inch models with Core i3 and i5 processors, respectively, along with 1360 x 768 non-touch panels and weighing in at a low of around 3 pounds. As for AIO models, Fujitsu's FH Series hits the high-end of its line with 2.40 GHz Intel Core i7 processors, 8GB memory and 1920 x 1080 touchscreen panels for the 23-inch models, and a non-touchscreen panel with the same resolution on the 21.5-inch offerings. The low-end EH-series will sport 20-inch, 1600 x 900 panels with AMD-E2-1800 CPUs and 4GB of RAM. All the laptop and desktop models will come along with Office Home and Business 2013, Fujitsu's My Cloud hybrid cloud service, and options like gesture control. Finally, Fujitsu has also announced a WiFi-only version of its 10.1-inch Arrows QH55/J Windows 8 tablet, which packs Full HD 1,366 x 768 resolution, a quad-core 1.7GHz Tegra3 processor dual-core Atom Z2760, stout 10,800 mAh 29 Wh battery and Office Home & Business 2010. The high-end laptops will arrive by the end of February, and the rest will arrive on February 7th, with no pricing shown yet. If that all sounds good, just remember -- you'll likely need to be in Japan to get any of it. Check the PR after the break for more info. Correction: Fujitsu actually launched two Arrows tablets today, the aforementioned WiFi Arrow QH55/J which packs a more Windows-friendly dual core Intel Atom Z2760 processor, and an Arrows FAR70B Android 4.0 tab, with a quad-core Tegra3 processor, 1920 x 1200 resolution and 10,080 mAh battery. Thanks to everybody who pointed it out!
Fujitsu speeds up internet transmissions, declares war on buffering
Fujitsu's engineers, bored of waiting for their movies to download, have cooked up a new data transfer protocol that promises to be 30 times faster than current speeds. Using a proprietary tweak of user datagram protocol (UDP), the software examines the available bandwidth and only uses the optimal amount, rather than trying to load the pipe with more than it can handle. The science, however, lies in its ability to distinguish between packets that haven't arrived and those which are lost -- and only resending the latter. Fujitsu's hoping to commercialize the software at some point this year, so if your Skype chats suddenly get a lot less laggy, you know who to blame.
Fujitsu transfers files from PCs to phones through hidden network info (video)
Most attempts to simplify device-to-device file transfers through a phone camera aren't very subtle or elaborate: Scalado's Photobeamer and Sony's vscreens rely on conspicuous QR codes, and aren't useful for much more than sharing images. Fujitsu's labs want something a tad more sophisticated. Their new technique hides network details in light patterns on a PC's screen that are invisible to our eyes, but tell a smartphone capturing video to send or receive files, no matter the format. The trick not only keeps codes out of the picture, but makes it easier to share files with whole groups -- think of passing along notes to everyone at a board meeting and you've got the idea. It's more than just a concept, as well. Fujitsu hopes to see real-world use during its 2014 fiscal year, which could take much of the song-and-dance out of file sharing in short order.
Fujitsu outs ScanSnap iX500 scanner with iOS and Android apps, improved speeds
Fujitsu's been making scanners for years now, and it's even figured how to bypass the PC altogether so that you can send files straight to an iOS or Android device. The last time it released a phone-friendly scanner, though, it was more of a portable device, one that was only capable of scanning so many pages per minute. Now, the company's coming out with the ScanSnap iX500, a very similar product except for the fact that it's meant to live on your desk, and has enough power to scan documents twice as quickly. Thanks largely to a new feeder system, it can scan up to 25 double-sided pages per minute, compared with 20 ppm on Fujitsu's last desktop model. It also packs a new processor that will help the scanner auto-rotate images and make other corrections more quickly. Additionally, Fujitsu claims this does a faster job at making PDFs searchable, adding all the appropriate metadata your computer would need to find the file. Finally, the main Quick Menu is now customizable so that you can pick and choose which apps receive scanned files. For instance, Photoshop isn't an option by default, but you can make it one through a short setup process. The scanner is available today and priced at $495: expensive, yes, but about what you would've had to pay for the last-gen model too. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Google, HelloFax, Manilla, Fujitsu and others urge you to go paperless in 2013
Even with the popularity of cloud computing and terabyte servers, most US offices are still drowning in a sea of dead trees; around 10,000 sheets of paper a year per worker, according to the EPA. Enter Paperless 2013, a campaign that will email you monthly tips on how to make the paperless office a reality. It's funded by the "Paperless Coalition," a group of digital solution companies comprised of Google Drive, HelloFax, Manilla, HelloSign, Expensify, Xero and Fujitsu ScanSnap -- none of which have any ulterior motive behind encouraging this paper-free existence. None at all. Of course, you don't have to go with these specific companies to go eco-friendly (Dropbox and PDFPen are a couple of other options) but if you need some advice on how to shed those wasteful printing habits, then go ahead and sign up at the source. Or you could do what we did and unplug our printers altogether -- just in case it gets possessed.
Fujitsu's Wandant dog pedometer tracks your pet's moves, uploads them to the cloud
There's a whole host of techy tools that will let you log your 10k personal best, and break down your splits into minute detail, but what about poor old Rover? Fujistu spotted this gap, and created Wandant -- a sensor-laden neck tag for dogs complete with cloud-based service for tracking your pooch's wellbeing. The hardware will log your pet's footsteps, amount of shivering plus temperature change, and upload it automatically via your smartphone or PC. The software will present you these data over time, with the option of manually inputting further details such as food amount, a diary with photos and -- for those with stronger constitutions -- stool condition. Like human-focused equivalents, there will also be provisions for sharing your dog's efforts, but thankfully only with vets and research institutions. There's no details on hardware pricing just yet, but the online component is free for the first year (JPY 420 / about $5 per month there after). Money no object for your mutt? Sadly only available in Japan for the time being, so you'll need to include a return ticket in that splurge too.
Fujitsu's Arrows V F-04E launches with 4.7-inch display, fingerprint scanner, lust for ramen
When Mr. Fujitsu was designing the Arrows V F-04E for NTT DoCoMo's winter lineup, he probably wrote "ALL THE FEATURES" and knocked-off early. That might explain the pile of tech nestled beneath that 4.7-inch, 1,280 x 720 display -- including 64GB Storage, a 13.1-megapixel camera, NFC, 2,420mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner. The Tegra 3-powered handset also comes with Fujitsu's Human Centric Engine, which, like all J-Phones, promises a few quasi sci-fi features like calibrating the display to be comfortable for your age. It's also water-and-dust resistant and you'll be able to watch 1-Seg broadcasts while on the Bullet Train -- the perfect combination to make westerners feel jealous.
Sharp ships its first phone with an IGZO display on November 29th, ushers in a low-power LCD era
The gray clouds of Sharp's gloomy earnings are about to get a silver lining: NTT DoCoMo is at last launching Sharp's new flagship phone, the breathlessly worded Aquos Phone Zeta SH-02E, on November 29th. When it arrives, the SH-02E will be its* first smartphone to carry an IGZO-based display and show us just how well the high-brightness, low-energy invention fares in a 4.9-inch, 720p LCD. There's no known fixed pricing, although it's likely the Android 4.0 device will be sitting at the very top of its Japanese carrier's range through its Snapdragon S4 Pro, 16-megapixel camera and LTE data. Not fully convinced of IGZO's worth? Fujitsu's more conventional Arrows V F-04E is arriving a day earlier with a regular LCD and a Tegra 3, although we'd say that it's worth waiting the extra 24 hours to be a technology vanguard. Update: While the SH-02E was the first phone announced with an IGZO LCD screen, it's been beaten to the market by ASUS' Padfone 2, which is also rocking the new technology.
Fujitsu's Windows 8 range for Japan includes eyeball-controlled Esprimo FH98/JD all-in-one
In addition to its gender-obsessed Floral Kiss range, Fujitsu has announced a gabble of Windows 8 form factors for its Japanese clientele. One of the more curious additions is the Esprimo FH98/JD all-in-one PC, which lets you pan across Microsoft's new UI using the very same eye-tracking technology we played with at CEATEC. There's also a slightly refreshed version of the 14-inch FMV Lifebook UH75 last seen running Windows 7 at CeBIT, which persists in its claim to be the "world's thinnest Ultrabook" at 15.6mm. Two more Lifebooks make similar promises in their respective non-Ultrabook weight categories -- the 13.3-inch SH76/J and the 15.6-inch AH78/JA, which both stretch to around 20mm at their thickest points. At the back of the convoy comes the 10-inch waterproof Arrows Tab Wi-Fi, which was already draped in Windows 8 colors when we went hands-on a few weeks back. It's mostly academic unless you'll be in Japan after October 26th, but the source link has plenty more pics and specs.
What women want: Fujitsu's Floral Kiss Ultrabook with pre-installed horoscope app
Fujitsu has just revealed its Windows 8 lineup for the Japanese market, and top billing goes to the new "Floral Kiss" Ultrabook, which the manufacturer claims was built "under the direction" of its female employees in order to entice an equally female audience. At heart, it's just a regular Core i5 notebook with a 500GB hard drive, but the womanliness is all in the presentation. There are subtle color schemes like "feminine pink" and "luxury brown" to choose from and every laptop comes with pre-installed Windows 8 apps including a digital scrapbook for collecting website bookmarks, a diary and a daily horoscope checker. This almost oppressively enticing bundle will hit stores on November 2nd, with some sort of premium designer version arriving a few weeks later. As for the exact price, that'll be determined by retailers in Japan and by how good your husband is at haggling.
UK government and industry heavyweights set up 5G Innovation Centre, want to go one better
The UK is almost ready to flip the switch on its first LTE network, but it's determined to be at the forefront of the next-generation, setting up a "5G Innovation Centre" at the University of Surrey. The government announced it's putting up £11.6 million (around $18.6 million) in funding, but another £24 million (around $38.5 million) will be coming from an industry group comprising the likes of Huawei, Samsung, Telefonica, Rohde & Schwarz, Fujitsu and others. The money will allow research to go beyond concept and theory, with the aim that all partners work together to develop and standardize 5G technology, which the university has been looking into for a number of years already. They will focus on energy and spectrum efficiency as well as speed, and although it's early days, 10Gbps has been banded around as a per-tower target, translating to roughly 200Mbps for each connection. Unfortunately, we've also got a number to kill your geek buzz -- it's upwards of a decade away. Still, at least you've got a long time to think about which case you'll be picking up for your 5G-ready Galaxy S XV.
Fujitsu demos ad transmission technology, sends info from TV to handset via smartphone camera (video)
Another easter egg at Fujitsu's CEATEC booth was a system for transmitting coupons, URLs and other digital information from a TV screen to a user's smartphone. We'll back up a bit: the data ends up on-screen in the first place thanks to information embedded in light flashing at various levels of brightness (the frame rate is too quick to be detected by the human eye). Theoretically, when a viewer is watching a commercial, they'll see a prompt to hold up their phone's camera to the screen, and doing so will bring up a corresponding coupon or website on their handset -- it takes about two to three seconds here for the recognition. The embedded information covers the entire panel, so users don't need to point their device at a particular section of the screen. In Fujitsu's demo, pointing a smartphone at the TV pulled up a website on the phone. It only took about a second for the URL to pop up on the device, and there was no noticeable flickering on the TV itself (essentially, the picture looks identical to what you'd see on a non-equipped model, since your eye won't notice the code appearing at such a high frequency). The company says this technology works at a distance of up to two or three meters. Head past the break to take a look at the prototype in action.