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Sony gets into genetic analysis with aim of helping docs pick better treatments
We tend to forget that many companies celebrated for their shiny things also have significant interest in health care; everyone gets sick, after all. Sony is one of this gang, producing medical-grade equipment and the like under its own name, as well as buying up and investing in outfits that have other, specific expertise. Starting February 2014, Sony will also become part owner of P5, a new venture that'll provide human genome analysis in Japan, which just happens to be one of the world's largest pharmaceutical/biotechnology markets. With help from M3, which Sony's invested in, and DNA specialists Illumina, P5's quest is also to marry genetic data with other info, like medical histories, to make headway in the area of personalized medicine (where therapies are selected for the individual, not just the affliction). We doubt Kaz Hirai will be heavily involved, aside from his efforts to find the "Xbox fanboy gene" and any way to silence it, of course. Dan Cooper contributed his image manipulations skills to this report.
Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones arrive in red this October for $200
The words red and October together might conjure up thoughts of Tom Clancy or Kanye West, but now you can also associate them with Bowers & Wilkins. Starting next month, the company will offer up its compact P3 headphones in the vibrant hue. The latest color option for the iPhone-compatible on-ear cans joins the likes of the blue, black and white variants for the same $200 price tag. If you like your headphones to look as loud as they sound, you'll find more details in the press release after the break. Here's to hoping the P5 gets a similarly rosey treatment soon.
Intel Pentium turns 20 today, reminds us they don't build 'em like they used to (video)
Folks, this isn't your ordinary, average Friday. Why, you ask? Well, we've got a birthday to celebrate, and it's quite a milestone at that. Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Pentium processor, which was introduced on March 22, 1993. If you're old enough to recall, the chip ran circles around its 486DX2 predecessor, and thanks to a heavy dose of marketing from Intel, the brand quickly became synonymous with the PC. For you trivia types, the original Pentium P5 was available in 60MHz and 66MHz variants, and was manufactured with an 800-nanometer fabrication process, which is quite the contrast to the 22nm chips on the market today. Rather than burden your mind with specs, though, we'd rather celebrate -- and we're sure that you would, too. So join us past the break, where you'll find some of the more whimsical moments in the Pentium's storied history.
Alt-week 7.28.12: social mathematics, Pluto's moons and humans-on-a-chip
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. It's a beautiful world we live in. And, while the sweet and romantic part is debatable, strange and fantastic is not. Our universe is one populated by non-planetary celestial bodies with their own non-planetary satellites, high school social hierarchies based on predictable mathematical formulas and military-funded "gut-on-a-chips." It's a weird place filled with weird stories, and we just can't get enough of it. So, what has the last seven days brought us from the fringes of science and tech? Keep reading after the break to find out. This is alt-week.
Bowers & Wilkins kicks out P3 headphones, brings upscale sound to the commoners (update)
Were you eying Bowers & Wilkins' P5 headphones, but put off by the initial $300 (now $250) sticker price and not so inclined to the in-ear C5? Someone at the company heard you, as we're now getting the P3 for a more affordable $200. What changes when you pocket the extra cash? You'll get aluminum and other hallmarks of buying the British outlet's audiophile gear, but the cost trimming brings a special "ultra-light acoustic fabric" instead of sheepskin leather and a more portable folding design instead of the pivoting earcups found on the P5. Bowers & Wilkins is light on performance details, but it promises that the design will be comfortable for long listening sessions, and there are both universal and Apple-friendly in-line remotes to make your phone calls and skip tracks. Black- and white-hued versions of the P3 should be hitting American shops in June. Update: Ah, some things in this life are just too good to be true. In this case, a B&W representative has just informed us that the stated $250 price point for the P5 headphones was an error within the press release. They are indeed still $300.
IRL: Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones, Speck SeeThru Satin and the Nokia N800
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Of this week's IRL contributors, two have already tried out that replacement for iChat. For the purposes of this column, though, all three are waxing on about something very old, at least by early adopter standards. For starters, James still get the warm-and-fuzzies holding his Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, despite its crawling page load times. Joe, our resident audio guru, explains why he tosses a reference to Bowers & Wilkins' P5 into almost every one of his headphone reviews. And the object of Mat's affection -- a laptop skin -- slipped under our radar when it came out over a year ago. So is James actually still using that N800? What's Joe's obsession with B&W? And why would anyone spend $50 on a notebook prophylactic? Read on to find out.
Bowers & Wilkins P5 and MM-1 available exclusively at Apple stores this week, we go ears-on
Been waiting on those Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 desktop speakers or P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones that were announced back in November? On the off chance that you haven't gone and bought some Bose QuietComforts or Computer MusicMonitors in the meantime, both of the B&W products are finally available this week exclusively at Apple stores. We can't tell you what to do with your money -- though hopefully you've put some aside for your taxes -- but if you are in the market for top of the line noise-canceling isolating headphones the $299.95 P5s could be what you've been dreaming of. We were kindly lent a pair of the iPhone-compatible P5s and haven't taken the things off since we ripped open the box; made of New Zealand sheep leather and memory foam the ear pads could be the most comfortable things we've ever put on, not to mention the passive-noise isolating wipes out just the right amount of NYC Subway noise. Seriously, we're actually looking forward to taking a long airplane ride just to fall asleep with the glorious feeling leather on our ears. The $499.95 MM-1 hi-fi desktop speakers seems like a tougher sell to us, but if you are looking for a set with 1-inch Nautilus aluminum tweeters that sound incredibly full they are worth a try, or at least running out to an Apple store to test drive. Both will be available exclusively from Apple for the next month with B&W planning to open up distribution to other retailers shortly after. Sorry, we still have those P5s on, did you say something? %Gallery-89021%
Bowers & Wilkins first ever P5 headphones follow the iPod money trail
When you've got the brand cachet of a Bowers & Wilkins, the decision to launch your first-ever headphone will be met head-on with plenty of pre-defined market expectations. But with products spread wide across diverse audio tastes and prices, well, pretty much anything goes. So it's probably no surprise then to find B&W prostrating itself to the dollar with its P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphone. These Made for iPod noise-isolating cans with speech and device control are meant for use far beyond your carefully constructed "critical listening" audio nest at home. You can, however, swap out the iPod cable for the B&W supplied gold-plated cable by popping off the magnetically attached ear pad. Mind you, the P5 does not offer electronic noise cancelation, instead, the listener is isolated through a combination of the P5's closed-back design and sealed leather ear pads. They also bring the promise of "unfatiguing performance" thanks to B&W developed ultra-linear neodynium magnets and Mylar diaphragms. Naturally, we'll reserve judgment until these babies ship sometime in January. %Gallery-77847% Show full PR text Bowers & Wilkins headphones hit the streets Concert for one Unfatiguing natural sound gets you closer to the music. Noise isolating design for use on the move. Metal an sealed-leather construction maximizes comfort, for life-long listening. Made for iPod®, weith cables supplied for speech and device control. Bowers & Wilkins is proud to announce its first ever headphone. Designed for use on the move, the P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphone allows people to have Bowers & Wilkins sound quality wherever they are. Some 45 years of audio experience has gone into the P5; close to five-decades of research into what true sound is. The ultimate aim of all Bowers & Wilkins products is to bring the listener as close as possible to the sound intended by the recording engineers. That is as true of the world-renowned 800 Series speakers used in the likes of Abbey Road Studio, as it is for the best sounding premium iPod® speaker available, Zeppelin. And now it's true for Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones. Recognizing that many mobile headphones can be tiring when listened to over extended periods, Bowers & Wilkins' engineers at the world-famous Stenying Research Establishment have worked tirelessly to produce a headphone with a natural, unfatiguing performance. The use of specially developed ultra-linear neodymium magnets and highly optimized Mylar diaphragms provide the best possible sound quality. As always, countless hours of critical listening and tuning have played a major part in the P5's natural and engaging performance. This pristine sound performance is married to design and construction techniques aimed at isolating as much noise as possible, for consumers that do not require full electronic noise cancellation. This isolation is achieved through a combination of the closed-back design featuring a rigid metal faceplate, and the sealed-leather ear pads. These materials not only remove a lot of external noise, providing an enveloping listening experience without completely removing the user's sense of place, they also offer an extremely comfortable user experience. The leather-clad headband has been designed for extreme comfort where it interfaces with the side of the head, while the softest available sheep's leather from New Zealand has been used for the ear pads. Recognizing the dominance of Apple's iPod and iPhone® in the portable media market, the P5 comes supplied with a Made For iPod approved cable, which allows for speech and device control. It also comes supplied with a high-quality, standard audio cable with gold-plated plugs. Switching between the two is facilitated by the magnetically attached ear pads, which simply pop off allowing access to the cable. Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin and Zeppelin Mini provide the best possible sound from an iPod at home, and now the P5 lets you take that great performance with you wherever you go. Bowers & Wilkins P5 is available from January 2010 To find your nearest Bowers & Wilkins stockist visit www.bowers-wilkins.com.
Sony Ericsson's axed Paris gets video review: here's to what could've been
Sony Ericsson sure knows how to toy with the heartstrings -- 'course, one could argue that it's our own fault for delving beneath the surface and learning far too much about a handset that was never assured of a public release, but whatever. The Paris, or P5, or the one that got away has been reviewed in a two-part video series over at UIQ Blog, and while the handset used was indeed a prototype, it's pretty much the most finalized version anyone ever saw. We wouldn't dare spoil anything in case you just can't take anymore positive press about a phone you'll never be able to own, but those with hardened hearts can hit the read link and mash play (twice).[Via Boy Genius Report]
New photos emerge of Sony Ericsson Paris, Twilight Zone theme heard in the distance
Last we heard, Sony Ericsson was planning to hold a memorial service for the untimely death of the so-called Paris smartphone. Now, however, we're being treated to a new smorgasbord of photos and a woefully small amount of details, leaving us to wonder if these are shots of an exhumed handset or images foreshadowing a revival. Comically enough, we've seen both scenarios from SE before; the former with the still-dead W707 Alicia and the latter with the now-kicking W595s. We'll remain cautiously pessimistic for the time being, but we won't completely discount the power of good fortune.[Thanks, Daniel]
Cowon's 5-inch P5 touchscreen media player brings the haptic happy sauce
Cowon just loosed raw PMP sex into the marketplace with its new P5 media player. We're talking 800 x 480 pixels spread across a 5-inch touchscreen display featuring Cowon's Widget+Haptic UI riding a 700MHz RMI Alchemy AU1250 processor. The P5 packs standard USB and USB-host jacks, T-DMB broadcast TV, FM radio, Bluetooth, TV-out (component, S-Video, and composite), stereo speakers, and up to 80GB of storage in a 138.8 x 88.5 x 20.0-mm slab of "Luxury Hairline Metal" (which sounds like brushed aluminum to us). It comes pre-installed with a Win CE Internet browser (a clumsy WiFi dongle can be added via the USB jack), MS Office document viewer, electronic dictionary, and support for AVI, ASF, WMV, MPG, OGM, DivX, Xvid, MPEG4, WMV9, MP3, WMA, AC3, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and a few more media formats/codecs with a battery capable of about 9-hours of video or 14-hours of straight audio. No price announced but the P5 should hit Korean hands on the 29th of July in choice of black, red, or platinum.%Gallery-28405%[Via PMP Today and I4U]
Early look at Sony Ericsson Paris: it's basically a G900
Those looking for a smartphone revolution on the wings of Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Paris (or whatever the heck it's called) need look no further than another model already in the company's stable: the touchscreen-equipped G900. At least that's the intel we're getting from mobile-review, a site renowned for its uncanny ability to get access to pretty much any device it chooses well ahead of release -- and often before announcement. Software builds and hardware specs in current prototypes of the Paris floating around are apparently dead ringers for the aforementioned G900, save for the obvious form factor change, rocker style QWERTY keypad, and integrated GPS. Those changes that will allegedly see the Paris get a €50 premium over its little brother for a grand total of €400 (about $628) when it launches in September; in the meantime, there's some screen shot entertainment in mobile-review's quick take, and given the overwhelming leakiness of this thing so far, we imagine there's plenty more where that came from before it ships.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
It's not the P5, it's not the Paris, it's the Sony Ericsson P200
The so-called Paris halo phone from Sony Ericsson has been rumored as a successor to the P1 seemingly since before the P1 even existed, promising a sliding QWERTY rocker keypad, HSDPA, serious shooting power, and a fashion sense that should let it fit in both in social and corporate settings with equal aplomb. It's a minor detail, granted, but now it looks like we know what to call it: P200. That's the official model number being floated by a leaked profile document on Sony Ericsson's site, though the mention of mere QVGA resolution to fill the rumored 2.6-inch display is a pretty big downer. With high-res displays finally becoming a big deal in smartphones this year, we can imagine a decent number of shoppers passing over this one thanks to that little indiscretion alone. Last chance to send this one back to the drawing board and swap out the display, guys![Via Cellpassion]
Sony Ericsson's P5 Paris gets specs, strikes another pose
It seems the masses have abandoned the need to take blurry prototype shots, as the pics we're seeing of the Paris are all crystal clear. The device is touted -- by a forum user, so take it with a healthy dose of salt -- as having A-GPS,a 5 megapixel camera, 2.6-inch display, Google Maps, rocker QWERTY keypad, and a very vanilla design aesthetic. The forum user who took the pics, gliatiotis, also chimes in that he was pretty humdrum about the handset, with the major complaint being that the hardware isn't advancing in this line. The drums seem to be beating louder each day on this phone, so we're hoping release to the masses might be just around the corner. Follow the link to get at a pile more pics.[Via SlashPhone]
Yet another convincing Sony Ericsson Paris pic -- open, this time
Man, if this phone turns out to be real, we can only imagine the cringes on the faces of Sony Ericsson execs knowing that its precious new UIQ superphone is in the process of being scooped in the most excruciatingly long, drawn-out process imaginable. The "Paris" is making yet another appearance over on se-nse, this time slid open to reveal a sliver of its QWERTY keyboard. It uses the same operating principle as the P1 and the M600, with two letters assigned to each side of each button; on the Paris, the buttons appear to be half black and half white. Could be hot, could be shockingly ugly, but we really won't know until Sony Ericsson's willing to either debunk this whole charade or give us some actual press shots.Update: Yep, they're all black; light is reflecting off one side of the concave buttons. How boring!
Another shot of Sony Ericsson's Paris?
Okay, seriously, Sony Ericsson, it seems pretty clear-cut that your closely held secrets have leaked out into the public domain here -- either that, or there's a pretty extensive conspiracy in the user community to fleece everyone with similar-looking fake shots -- and either way, it's about time you step forward and clear the air. This here is the latest shot of the so-called Paris that's floating around the interwebs, and while the screen looks more fake than ever, the phone itself matches up nicely with what we've seen before. With UIQ 3.3 in the cards, this could be the phone that finally takes the "other" Symbian platform from niche to glamor and glory, but only if the mothership can get it released in a timely fashion. That's you, Sony Ericsson, so get to it.
Specs revealed of the real (or fake) Sony Ericsson "Paris"
se-nse is spilling some more beans on its supposed leak of the P5 "Paris" smartphone, and put simply, UIQ fans are (or should be) salivating uncontrollably right now. And when we say "salivating uncontrollably," we mean like to the point that they're unable to present themselves in social situations because there's just this really disgusting stream of spittle constantly flowing out of their mouths. Got that visual? Okay, now check it: the blog is reporting that the Paris will sport a touchscreen display (capacitive, it seems), a semi-QWERTY keypad in the same vein as the M600 and P1, WiFi, 3G (maybe in a global flavor for once?), GPS, and preinstalled Google Maps, all sitting atop UIQ 3.3. If this is real, it gives the XPERIA X1 a nice little run for its money atop the Sony Ericsson food chain, does it not?[Via Slashphone]
Is this Sony Ericsson's P5 or "Paris"?
Ahhh, Sony Ericsson rumors begin to swirl just as CTIA is getting set to close up shop for another year, and if you believe 'em, the P5 or "Paris" is just around the corner. We have to admit, while pretty, the pic of this little slider does look a bit sketchy -- specially the screen -- but we've heard rumblings about similar sets for long enough we can at least take a moment to hope. Apparently featuring UIQ 3.3, the P5 is rumored to be set for official launch in May with release date set for fall. Of course, Sony Ericsson is well known for slipping the dates in a big way, so we'll just lay back and wait to see what's what.[Thanks, Kevin and Kaloyan]
Xbox and P5 glove modified to help stroke patients
Researchers at Rutgers University don't seem to have lost any of their homebrew skills, taking an Xbox and an Essential Reality P5 gaming glove to create a low-cost alternative to traditional virtual reality rehabilitation systems -- systems which can cost up to ten times as much. This project uses some custom-made software to deliver exercises designed to help stroke patients regain hand movement, with one "game" consisting of wiping "dirty pixels" off four vertical bars, while another asks the patient to make a fist fast enough to scare a butterfly off the screen. Of course, the system isn't quite up to snuff with the more expensive options -- it has poorer accuracy and no force feedback, for instance -- but the researchers say it could still be a boon to clinics that can't afford the pricier gear and could even potentially be further modified to allow for home-care with monitoring via an Internet connection.[Via BoingBoing]
