oem
Latest
FUZE Media Systems software goes OEM
Don't call it a comeback Media Center -- no seriously, don't call it a Media Center, they don't like that, call it "the system that delivers on the promises of Media Center" -- soon you'll be able to get FUZE's media system software via other manufacturers. According to CEPro, they're negotiating with "a number of other companies" to put FUZE software on multimedia devices to work with web based audio control, v2 Media Center Extenders and more. Until now the only way to get the company's software into your house is through a custom installer, and it's not giving up that market, but expect a new, broader opportunity to get FUZE Media Systems once the agreements are done later this year.
Nab Vista SP1 straight from the source... while it lasts
Don't want to wait until March for Windows Vista SP1, but not feeling the whole torrent thing? Microsoft has posted a disc image to its OEM partner site with a full copy of SP1 on it, and the download is free -- if a bit slow at the moment, thanks to all y'all grabbing a copy. The 1.2GB disc image requires you run it as a clean installation, so you've gotta ask yourself it's just worth waiting a few more weeks for an easy peasy update courtesy of Windows Update. Decisions, decisions. [Via Download Squad; read link is the disk image]
WiFi-enabled universal remote pulls codes from the web
You probably won't be seeing TVcompass's SR 1500 universal remote released looking exactly like this (or even bearing the TVcompass name) but we have high hopes some other company will rebrand the WiFi-enabled unit soon. Featuring a QVGA display,and Windows CE, the SR 1500 pulls device codes from the web using the built-in browser, which supports Flash and J2ME, backup settings to a server, and do custom guide displays. There's no pricing yet, but hopefully that'll get sorted when this thing gets picked up for resale.[Via pocketpcwire]
Empower debuts three new PNDs ready for re-branding
We don't often catch sight of units like these until after they've already begun the usual cycle of re-brands and ever so slight changes, but the folks at Empower apparently decided to shake things up a bit and give everyone an early peek at its latest trio of personal navigation devices, which are now available to OEM/ODM and other "private-label customers." Those devices include the P2000, P2200 and P2800, each of which boast 4.3-inch touch screens, along with built-in Bluetooth handsfree functionality and support for traffic advisory data. The P2200 ups things slightly from the base model with an integrated digital camera, while the top-end P2800 adds a wireless rear-view camera for some help backing up, as well as some added iPod connectivity. No word on any companies that have picked 'em up just yet, but Empower itself seems fairly confident in them, with it set to sell all three under its own PowerPlay brand. Look for the P2000 to be the first of those available in March for $299, with the P2200 and P2800 set to follow sometime in the second quarter of this year for $399 and $499, respectively.
HP to scuttle camera business
HP wants out of the camera manufacturing game. In what reads like a help-wanted ad, HP just announced that they are seeking an OEM to "design, source, and distribute" digital cameras under the HP brand. Instead, HP will refocus on its home photo printing and on-line photo services under its Print 2.0 strategy. So much for HP's rumored acquisition plans of Kodak, eh? [Via DPReview]
ASUS to split OEM business -- look out HP, Dell
Brace yourselves old school PC players, Asustek has just unveiled their plan to become more competitive. Like HTC before them, Taiwanese Asustek Computer will begin pushing their ASUS brand front and center. To make this happen, Asustek's OEM business will split from their branded business under the new names of Pegatron (PC-related manufactuing) and Unihan (casing, modules, and non-PC goods) starting January 2008. Trouble for the establishment, maybe, but nothing short of good for us consumers.
BenQ renamed QISDA, but still BenQ... huh?
In what appears to be a doomed repeat of Palm, Inc's name changing and restructuring fiasco, BenQ had donned a new, newer moniker: Qisda. Damn if that doesn't just drip off the tongue... like a pneumonic cough. The new name, an acronym actually, stands for Quality, Innovation, Speed, Driving, and Achievements, not Quality Inn San Diego Airport regardless of what the all knowing Google thinks. The company's Chinese name has also changed from "Jia Da" to "Jias Da." So to break it down for you: BenQ is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qisda (AKA, Jias Da) whose familiar purple logo will continue to appear on Qisda's self-branded products. Qisda, however, will focus on LCD monitors, projectors, multi-function peripherals, and handset OEM/ODM businesses. The name change gets all official on September, 1st. Hey Qisda, feel free to use the illustration above for your new corporate logo.
Asustek building Classmate PC, prices start at $199?
This one's not quite as clear as we would wish, but here's what we've got: Asustek is prepping to launch a series of cheap laptops based on Intel's Classmate PC platform in the second half of this year, which will go up against (what else?) the OLPC XO. What we can't quite figure is if Asustek is building these OEM-style for Intel branding (shown above), or if it's just using the design to line its own pockets -- it could really go either way. The best news is price, since we've been rather worried about that $400 tag that's been kicked around, more-or-less officially, for the Classmate PC. Apparently the 1GB SSD version of Asustek's 7-inch Classmate PC will start at $199, with price points at $249, $299, $399 and $549 for capacities all the way up to 40GB. Ah, nothing like those educational laptop warm-fuzzies on a cold Monday afternoon.
Microsoft corroborates Windows Vista OEM hacks
At least Redmond can't say that no one told them so, as the folks at Microsoft are finally holding up a hesitantly-raised white flag and admitting that Windows Vista is indeed far from crack-proof. After depressing the mental "Allow" button, Microsoft Senior Product Manager Alex Kochis has come to grips with the Vista hacks that are currently floating around (and apparently functioning). Interestingly, he insinuates that the company will be looking at ways to "disrupt the business model of organized counterfeiters and protect users from becoming unknowing victims," but also mentioned that it wouldn't be rushing out in a likely futile attempt to nab every "mad scientist" (saywha?) on a mission to hack Windows. Hmm, wonder if that has anything to do with the barren efforts it exhausted trying to one-up FairUse4WM?
Microsoft pulling OEM Windows XP next January
Like it or not, if you buy a Windows PC in 2008, it's almost certain to be running Windows Vista. Next January is Microsoft's contractual deadline with PC builders for selling the OEM version of Windows XP, meaning computer manufacturers will be forced to stick customers with a copy of Windows Vista, despite the continued driver problems and beefy system requirements. Hopefully Microsoft is able to prep a service pack or two before that time comes, but it's hard to imagine all the kinks being ironed out before then. We're sure you'll be able to nab a retail copy of XP through standard or slightly-shady channels, so it's not like you'll never see that frumpy "Luna" theme ever again, but we still won't be surprised at an '08 backlash if Microsoft makes good on its promises.[Via Slashdot]
Logitec gets into the PC game with its new LN-14W lappy
It might look pretty OEM-a-riffic, and Logitec seems pretty branding shy on this thing as well, but all the same we're kind of intrigued by this departure from the usual peripheral fare for Logitec. The new Core 2 Duo LN-14W laptop from Logitec is a BTO number, even down to your choice of six different languages. There's a 14.1-inch 1280 x 800 LCD, ExpressCard slot, dual-layer DVD burner, 40-100GB HDD, and three different colors to choose from. The base configuration will run you 211,000 yen, about $1,736 US, and while Vista doesn't come pre-loaded, the laptop includes a coupon for a free copy of Vista Business for pepping up your OS when January 30th rolls around.[Via Akihabara]
Vista slips out onto online shelves in the UK
There's some crazy pent-up demand out there for this new OS Microsoft has been prepping for the better part of the century -- you might have heard of it -- that's why it's not incredibly surprising that a few retailer are jumping the gun and getting real copies of Vista (as opposed to those completely illegitimate copies of Vista) into the hands of consumers a tad bit early. We're sure the Microsoftian repercussions will be swift and just, but for now you can snap up an OEM copy of Vista Home Basic for the low, low price of £54.99 in the UK ($109 US) from the oh-so-busted Overclockers UK online store. Of course, OEM operating system purchases aren't exactly on the up-and-up anyways, so this is just all the more exciting, right?[Via The Inquirer]
US700W UMPC from no-name OEM makes the big boys look bad
Sometimes it takes an unknown to show these megacorps how it's done -- and we do mean unknown: we've got plenty specs of this here UMPC, but virtually zero info on the manufacturer. All the same, if these looks and deets are any indication, we shouldn't have long to wait for rebadges to start popping up. The US700W sports a 7-inch 800 x 470 screen, Celeron M 1.06GHz processor, a 20-60GB 1.8-inch HDD, 1.3 megapixel webcam, SD card reader, Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g. While it doesn't sound near beefy enough to run Aero, you get Vista Business or Ultimate pre-installed (hooray for Vistagami), and the 1GB of RAM should help on that front. Where it gets especially exciting is the 20.5mm thickness and 19.8 ounce weight, making it one of the slimmest and lightest products in its class. Things are also looking up in the US701 version, which includes a 2 megapixel camera, built-in SiRF Star III GPS, and a 1024 x 600 pixel display. Finally, the US702 does 'em all one better with a convertible keyboard, which boosts the overall thickness to 26mm, but is a must for certain users. Obviously, we're rather clueless in regards to price and launch date on this thing, but at least we've got a vid (after the break) to keep us occupied while we wait for this hotness to drop.
AMD introduces DTX open standard to boost SFF adoption
Although vanilla desktop PCs have (generally) been the same size and shape for years, the small form factor world has never really settled down, and while various other protocols have been thrown out there, no one has actually stepped up the task of standardized an SFF chassis until now. AMD has just announced the DTX "open standard," which the firm hopes will "enable broad adoption" of the SFF PC in order to deliver "innovative solutions to market that are smaller, quieter, desktop-friendly," and less taxing on the ecosystem. Reportedly, the DTX standard "will be designed to embrace energy-efficient processors and allow an optimally designed small form factor system to consume less power and generate less noise." Additionally, an open standard that's widely embraced will make the lives of OEMs much easier, and will hopefully give us folks looking for those wee PCs a bit more choice when it comes to picking one up. Notably, it seems that Asus has latched on already, boasting that it will start busting out DTX-compliant motherboards here shortly, likely to be bundled in some fashion with an AMD chip. If all goes as planned, this open standard should actually decrease manufacturing costs across the board over time, and AMD stated that a "review copy of the DTX specifications" should be made available sometime this quarter.[Via Inquirer]
Bongiovi Acoustics unveils miracle DSP chip for car audio
If there were ever a time where we'd need to hear it before we believed it, this would be it. Tony Bongiovi, an audio engineer who's been around the block a time or two (read: he worked with Hendrix), has finally crafted the miracle chip he's been missing for decades. Dubbed the Digital Power Station (DPS, not to be confused with DSP), the microchip is described as a "very sophisticated equalizer," and while it was originally "the size of a refrigerator," he looked to Glenn Zelniker, a specialist in digital signal processing, to program a wee chip to do the same thing. The result is a dynamically programmed microchip based on an off-the-shelf DSP from Freescale Semiconductor, which is housed in special headunits (like JVC's KD-S100) and has more than "120 points of adjustment" to tune the tunes to fill each vehicle perfectly. Reportedly, the chip even turns factory speakers into high-fidelity drivers, as it calculates the dimensions of the vehicle and the abilities of the cones while outputting the audio. The JVC unit will cost "between $700 and $1,000 installed," since you'll have to schedule an appointment with your service department to get the correct software installed for your make and model, but we'd suggest a trial listen before you plunk down your one large.[Via PhysOrg]
HP and Flextronics team up to deliver higher quality cameraphones
It's no surprise that cameraphones are emerging as some folks' point-and-shoot of choice, and we've already seen LG and Schneider-Kreuznach team up to deliver higher quality shots from your multi-functional mobile, but now HP and Flextronics are trying the knot in order to allow users to capture photos "with the same high quality they achieve from their digital still cameras." The five-year deal gives Flextronics -- makers of Kyocera, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola handsets -- exclusive use of HP's image processing technology in return for an undisclosed royalty. The same technology used in HP's long-standing lineup of Photosmart digicams will soon be hitting the depths of your pocket, and promises to produce "significantly improved results" over current options, delivering shots that are "good enough to print." Although we're not sure if these forthcoming modules can outsnap the 10-megapixel SCH-B600, we're all well aware by now that megapixels aren't everything.[Via CNET]
Frontier Kouziro launches 15.4-inch Core 2 Duo lappy
This 15.4-inch design seems pretty popular with the OEM types in Asia -- we just saw Wolf-N-Fox bust out a nearly identical model a couple of weeks ago -- but just in case you were feeling constricted by your current options for a middling Core 2 Duo boringbook, we thought we'd let you know about Frontier Kouziro's new FRNV71 BTO version of the laptop. Based on a 1.66GHz T5500 Core 2 Duo processor (there's also the FRNV11 which sports a 1.46GHz Celeron M 410 CPU), the laptop boasts of a weak sauce 1,280 x 800 display, 256MB of RAM, 60GB HDD and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. Luckily, connectivity options such as gigabit Ethernet, FireWire, a multi-card reader and ExpressCard/54 make things a bit more exciting. The price also isn't too shabby for a Japanese laptop, at 129,900 yen, about $1,106 USD.[Via Akihabara]
Toptone M808: a Skype phone and PMP love fest
Ok, here's an interesting point of convergence for you: the Skype phone and portable media player. Yeah ok, Toptone, the apparent Chinese OEM of this one-inch slim device, will actually pre-install any softphone solution into their M808 VoIP phone but we know it's Skype that most of you are digging on. As a media player you get an FM radio, up to 512MB of flash memory to store your audio (MP3, WMA, WAV) and video (WMV, MPEG-1/2/4, AVI) files for playback on the itty-bitty 1.2-inch, 65k color OLED screen. Of course, it also features a built-in Microphone to record voice memos, lectures, or whatever covert shenanigans you might be into. But plug this USB 2.0 pup into any PC with Internet connection and Skype will autolaunch with all your personal settings whether or not the PC has Skype installed. We just hope that autolaunch is configurable, eh? Expect these to drop under a dizzying array of names with pricing starting at $75 for the 128MB model in your choice of silver, red, or blue. [Via Slashphone]
New Xbox 360 CPU should run cooler
Even though we've been able to keep our Xbox 360 from overheating by slapping on a Nyko Intercooler and dangling the power brick out a window, 360-lovers who can't take the heat will be happy to learn of Microsoft's plans to release a cooler-running 'box next year. Although the CPU upgrade, which takes advantage of a 65-nanometer manufacturing technique, may not be a direct response to what the company has said are only sporadic reports of overheating, the end result will be less heat dissipation due to lower power consumption. Like the current chips manufactured using 90-nanometer technology, the new CPUs will be produced by both developer IBM and OEM Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, and are not expected to offer significantly improved performance, to ensure compatibility with current titles.[Via Joystiq]
HTC profiled in BusinessWeek
It's only rather recently that smartphone manufacturer High Tech Computer Corp. became more than just another obscure OEM making reference devices, and BusinessWeek has an inside look at the factors that propelled HTC from unknown to Microsoft's go-to-guy. HTC was founded in 1997 by a group of refugee engineers from Digital Equipment Corp's Taiwanese subsidiary, and they immediately began to focus their efforts on handheld devices -- more specifically those that run one of the flavors of portable Windows. This early dedication to Microsoft operating systems (HTC was responsible for designing the first iPaqs), along with CEO Peter Chou's renowned attention to detail (he sent the Star Trek back three times before he was satisfied with its features) and the creative rein given to employees (whose titles include "Wizard" of this or "Magician" of that) made the company one of Redmond's favorite hardware partners. And even if HTC isn't yet a household name, investors have most definitely taken notice of its performance: the company's consistent double-digit growth (last year's $356 million in profits were triple the previous year's) have caused its stock to skyrocket more than 1000% since 2003.[Thanks, Dave Z.]
