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Spotted at IDF: NEC's lightweight LaVie Z Ultrabook (hands-on video)
Remember NEC's LaVie Z Ultrabook we first heard about at Computex? It's a super light (875g / 1.93 lbs) and thin (15mm / 0.59-inch) magnesium alloy system running Windows 7 that's only available in Japan and we just spotted it here at IDF 2012 in San Francisco. Spec-wise you're looking at a 1.9GHz third-generation (Ivy Bridge) Core i7 CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD with integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU driving a 13.3-inch 1600 x 900-pixel display. It features an SD card slot on the left side, audio, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI and power connectors on the right edge along with the obligatory webcam. We spent a few minutes using the LaVie Z and were quite impressed with how lightweight and well made it is. It feels like a premium Ultrabook yet still looks unique -- unlike the plethora of me-too designs the PC industry's been dumping on the market lately (yes, we're looking at you, HP). The screen is nice and bright with decent viewing angles. NEC's done a good job with the button-less trackpad which is properly responsive. Sadly the keyboard is a bit of a mixed bag -- the short travel and small surface area of the individual keys will be an issue for some. Want to know more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-164973%
NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC rekindle love and LTE partnership, Samsung and Panasonic left in the rain
The fractious on-again, off-again love affair between NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC has taken another turn. After dissolving a partnership to build a common LTE platform that included Samsung and Panasonic, the trio have rekindled their love over a candlelit dinner. The gang are stumping up the cash to bankroll Access Network Technology, a venture to build, wait for it, LTE platforms for smartphones and tablets, with each party bringing its own R&D and IP knowhow to the table. There's no word on how jilted lovers Samsung and Panasonic feel about the team-up, but we wouldn't be surprised if they didn't shed a private tear and think about the good old days.
NEC's LaVie Z Ultrabook has definitely lost weight: just 875 grams and priced from $1,600 in Japan
No one complained when we reported NEC's initial claimed weight of 999 grams (2.2 pounds) for its LaVie Z Ultrabook, but it turns out that statistic is brutally unfair. The 13.3-inch laptop actually tips the scales at just 875 grams (1.9 pounds) thanks to the magnesium lithium alloy used in its 0.59-inch chassis -- not bad when you consider that there are still 1.3kg netbooks wandering the planet. Of course, in line with Intel's official Ultrabook spec, you're getting a minimum Core i5-3317U processor (yes, that's Ivy Bridge) and 128GB SSD, plus USB 3.0, SDXC slot, HDMI out and a claimed battery life of 8.1 hours. There's no word on US pricing yet, but that base spec will set you back ¥130,000 ($1,600) in Japan, while the top model with Core i7-3517U and 256GB SSD will add another ¥30,000 ($375) to your bill.
NTT DoCoMo unveils the Drive Cradle 02 that turns your tablet into a jumbo GPS
NTT DoCoMo is announcing its Drive Cradle 02 that turns five-to-seven-inch tablets into GPS units. Pairing up with the network's Drive Net navigation service, the hulk of plastic will pair with NEC's Medias Tab N-06D, the Galaxy Note and the 7-inch Galaxy Tabs to help you reach your destination -- assuming you don't get caught sneakily playing some Angry Birds at 80mph. It'll go on sale in Japan this Friday, June 29th and will set users back 315 yen ($4) per month.
Hitachi, NEC lead 70-strong coalition pitching iPad, iPhone for the business crowd
The Japanese must have more of a thing for Apple than we thought. A group of 70 local companies, led by heavyweights such as Hitachi and NEC, wants to spur iPad and iPhone app development for the corporate world. Along with helping to get the apps built in the first place, the alliance could help spread the work abroad. Members have even said they'll press Apple to get more information for writing business apps, although we wish them the best of success on that front -- Apple isn't exactly known for letting developers learn more about iOS' inner workings. With as many as 600 members joining over time, the coalition's success could shake up a Japanese suit-and-tie culture led by domestic cellphones and PCs. There also wouldn't be any shortage of irony from NEC partnering to support a platform that undermines its own tablets.
NEC LifeTouch L unveiled: Android 4.0 tablet keeps it thin and light (video)
Still looking for that perfect 10-inch Android tablet? Well here's another one slab aiming for your wallet. NEC's latest attempt is the LifeTouch L and lands in 16GB and 32GB sizes, with a business option (with unchanged hardware) on the sidelines. The consumer-facing models are set to arrive on July 5th, with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor running the Android 4.0-based show and despite a 10-inch (1280 x 800) display, it all weighs in at a gentle 540 grams (19 ounces). The tablet also slims down to just -- and we mean just -- under 8mm, or 7.99mm (0.31 inches) to be precise, putting it below even the svelte Toshiba Excite 10. If the substantially heavier 45,000 yen ($570) price tag doesn't make you balk, there's a brief product tour after the break.
NEC's Gaziru takes image recognition to the cloud, looks a lot like Goggles (video)
While Google's remained relatively quiet on the Goggles front, NEC's picking up where that image recognition left off with its own product, dubbed Gaziru. Showcased at Wireless Japan 2012, the company's angling its service, which aims to leverage both hardware- and cloud-based processing for smartphone queries, towards enterprise and consumer markets, highlighting its usefulness across a range of services from marketing to search. Much like the aforementioned Mountain View version, users would need only to snap a picture of an object with their phones to receive relevant search data, access product manuals or, in one scenario, car and real estate listings. Given its planned commercial launch this June, it won't be long before we'll get a chance to test this software en vivo. For now, content yourself with a translated video tour after the break.
NEC reveals LaVie Z Ultrabook will ship with third-gen Intel chips, 1600 x 900 screen resolution
By all means, we were quite impressed when we first laid eyes on NEC's LaVie Z early last month, but much to our disappointment, details were a wee bit scarce at that time. Fortunately for us (and you), however, the company's finally detailed the specs we can expect to see on its 13.3-inch Ultrabook. Among these are -- you guessed it -- Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs (i5-3317U, i7-3517U) and an above-average 1600 x 900 display -- of course, let's not forget it's all bundled up in a 999g package, or about 2.2 pounds if the gram system isn't your thing. As stated earlier, the LaVie Z will be Japan-only once it launches later this summer, though NEC has said it hopes to bring the Ultrabook to other markets at some point in the future. We'll have to wait and see.
Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video)
Most gamer who want to play with more than one or two vintage console platforms often turn to software-based emulators that may or may not be above-board. How about stuffing all of the authentic hardware into one controller and one base unit? Modders at Bacteria's forums have developed Project Unity, an attempt to natively address 20 consoles across 17 actual platforms folded into a single device. The gamepad, arguably the centerpiece, includes two each of analog sticks and directional pads, along with multiple shoulder buttons and a central button grid that can either be used to steer an Intellivision or fill in for otherwise missing controls. Stuffing the unique controller hardware into one gamepad obviously presents problems with board sizes and the laws of physics, so much of the relevant circuitry sits in modified NES cartridges. Our only dismays are the lack of original Xbox support and the slightly imposing challenge of aggregating and modifying that much classic gaming componentry in one place -- if you're more concerned about convenience in your retro gaming than preserving the original feel of that Sega Master System or SNK NeoGeo, though, you've just found Utopia.
NEC tablet with GSM and HSPA breaks cover at the FCC
Regular readers will know that the FCC is a bit of a virtual whistle-blower, alerting tech-hungry Americans to when new goodies might soon be landing on their shores. Other times it coughs up the odd thing we weren't even waiting for. Today's offering appears to be a 3G tablet from NEC. There's little in the way of specification, or even pictures, but we do know it's sporting GSM and HSPA radios along with the standard WiFi. The device measures 222.6 mm across, which strongly points to a display somewhere in the 7-inch region. The KMP7R4D1-1A model number isn't ringing any bells right now, but we do remember a few Japanese models that bear a passing resemblance not that long ago.
NEC's 13.3-inch LaVie Z Ultrabook weighs just 2.2 pounds, brings lithium-magnesium into your life
Just in case you thought NEC was done with its PC updates this week, the Japanese PC builder has thrown its hat into the Ultrabook ring with a unique contribution of its own. The LaVie Z has a 13.3-inch screen like your garden variety ultralight, but it weighs just 2.2 pounds through a new lithium-magnesium alloy shell about half the weight of the aluminum that some companies love to use. Unfortunately, that weight and the slim frame are about all we know so far: NEC isn't providing any internal specifications, possibly because it's waiting on Ultrabook-ready Ivy Bridge chips. Even so, if you're hanging around Japan and want the lightest possible laptop you can get at a 13-inch screen size, the wait until the planned summer release will feel like an eternity.
NEC announces Ivy Bridge processors for some, not all, of its series refreshes
Ivy Bridge continues to subsume its aging Sandy brother, this time as part of NEC's refresh of both its laptop and desktop families. However, only two machines have been gifted Intel's third-generation processors. The ValueStar L desktop series arrives with a Core i7-3770S at 3.1GHz, accompanied by a 2TB HDD and a 23-inch display. The LaVie L series packs a Core i7-3770S clocked at 2.3GHz, alongside a 15.6-inch screen, 1TB hard-disk, USB 3.0 port and digital TV tuner -- well, it is Japan. NEC expects both models (alongside the renewed LaVie S, E, M and ValueStar W and N series) to hit Japanese stores later this month.
Samsung, NTT DoCoMo, et al. cancel plans for LTE chip joint venture
Looks like the decision to not make a decision has... well, created a decision. Back in December of 2011, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic, Samsung and a smattering of other Japanese firms put their heads together in order to launch a joint venture to manufacture and sell ICs for mobile devices. Communication Platform Planning Co. was actually established with the goal to hawk these LTE semiconductors, but now that a consensus on how it'd all play out wasn't reached by the March 2012 deadline, it'll be liquidated in June. Reportedly, DoCoMo even set aside some $5.4 million to set up the now-defunct subsidiary, but now it's all for naught. The entire press release is embedded just after the break, though it's about as light on deets as they come.
NEC's tactile touchscreen nudges at the future (video)
A touchscreen's fatal flaw is its lack of feedback: imagine the satisfaction if you could feel those Angry Birds as they flew across the screen. NEC and the Tokyo Institute of Technology wanted a simpler solution to tactile displays than Senseg's electrostatic-field based tech. Instead, this device uses a wire (yup) anchored on each corner of the display -- when force is shown on screen, it jerks the screen in the corresponding direction. You can see it in action after the break, accompanied by the restful tones of Diginfo's narrator. If there's a better way to start a week, we don't wanna know about it.
NEC adds speakers to lightbulb, Edison wishes he'd had the idea (video)
NEC Lighting has produced a union 'twixt wireless speaker and LED ceiling light that's controllable with an Android phone. You can rock out to your favorite tunes over Bluetooth at the same you play with the brightness and color temperature of the light. Or you can switch to one of three presets that offer active, natural or relaxed light and sound to permeate your living room. The company's hoping to have it perfected in time for the end of this year and if your imagination can't stretch to picture a singing light fitting, then head on past the break to see it in action.
NEC Medias series makes the trip to MWC, we go eyes-on
While NEC had already unveiled some of its plans for 2012, a phone with a pair of 4.3-inch screens is bound to draw in even the most jaded MWC attendee. Alas, these are still empty prototypes -- the seed for whatever set of colors and complicated numerical naming conventions that Japanese carriers will place on the final models. The Medias W closes like a book -- or perhaps a certain Sony tablet -- and even over-extends beyond the hinge. No glimmer of technical detail on those screens, but we're promised the "latest OS" and from the sticker screen, that appears to be a lightly-skinned version of Ice Cream Sandwich. It's joined by the 4.3-inch Medias X (ultra slim and waterproof) and the Medias Z, the large-screened five-incher revealed in Japan last week. Its LTE tablet, the mobile wallet-capable Medias Tab N-06D was also available to gawp at -- just to round out the family. NEC's otherwise keeping it vague with the specs at the moment, so you're going to have to peruse our gallery with an extra critical eye for more hints on what's to come.
Panasonic, DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu create IP for multi-standard LSI chip; supports LTE, GSM, W-CDMA and HSPA+
Marvell was first to introduce a single-chip LTE world modem with support for multiple mobile standards late last year, and now Panasonic Mobile Communications, NTT DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu have developed intellectual property (hardware and software) for something similar of their own. Specifically, the quartet has gone further with the chip aspect. They've tested an "engineering sample" of a large-scale integration chip (pictured) for modems in mobile devices, and claim that it uses twenty percent less juice than larger two-chip designs. That consolidation, also makes it cheaper to produce. Past that, the chip has successfully provided "interconnectivity between the mobile networks of major vendors," getting it a step closer to production. The silicon lets modems play nice with FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, GSM, W-CDMA and HSPA+, specifically, and LTE-Advanced support is in the cards for the future. Although Panasonic, DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu are the main partners, other "major players" are said to be on board for a "joint venture," with the goal of commercializing it in countries outside of (and including) Japan. The word's mum on when we can expect the chip to make it past the sampling phase, but in the meantime, hit up the press release after the break for more knowledge.
Mobile World Congress 2012 preview: what will we see?
Without hesitation, February always seems to be the most hectic time of the year for the mobile industry, thanks primarily to the annual Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain. The show has long been considered the proper venue for phone and tablet vendors to show off their latest and greatest innovations. Naturally, the internet is been set ablaze with plenty of rumors and even a few official product announcements from companies hoping to benefit from some solid pre-show buzz.In this guide we'll take you on a tour and walk through the hardware we already know will be shown off at MWC, as well as what we should likely expect to see and the things we'd really love to hear more about but probably won't. Join us after the break, won't you?
NEC jumps the gun, debuts its MWC smartphone lineup ahead of Barcelona
2012 may prove to be a very good year for NEC, which has launched two smartphones and a tablet in the past month alone. Having not missed a beat, the Japanese firm has gone ahead and revealed its lineup for Mobile World Congress a full week ahead of the show in Barcelona. Rather than actual shipping models, you can think of each of these as prototypes for the carriers, where the only fixed specification is the screen size. Most interesting among the bunch is without a doubt the "Best Cloud UX Device," which offers two 4.3-inch displays that open and close like a book -- a hell of a lot better than Kyocera's attempt, if you ask us. Also among the mix will be a 5-inch "Large Screen in One Hand" model, along with another 4.3-inch "Stylish" unit. Unlike previous products, the latest trio fully embrace the design philosophy of Ice Cream Sandwich and eschew the dedicated navigation buttons from bygone days.
Aquos SH-06D and Medias Tab N-06D are waterproof, Nottv-ready and official in Japan
NTT DoCoMo has launched two waterproof Android devices in the glare of the rising sun, and interestingly both are compatible with Japan's new "V-High" broadcasting service -- which means they'll receive the much-hyped multimedia Nottv channel once it starts transmitting on April 1st, as well as the usual one-seg transmissions. We already peeped the Sharp Aquos SH-06D in an FCC filing, but now we know a couple more tidbits: namely that there's a 4.5-inch HD glasses-free 3D display on top of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The NEC Medias tablet has a similar processor and also sports a seven-inch WXGA HD display, a thickness of less than 10mm (0.4-inches) plus compatibility with DoCoMo's "Xi" LTE service. Not bad for a morning's work.
