Microsoft Courier concept allows objects to be placed on the surface and identified.

What is the measure of a man’s imagination? The things he dreams about or the things he invents and delivers after being inspired by those dreams?

Microsoft has always been a visionary company, dreaming ‘Big’ and talking ‘Big’ but do they turn those dreams into reality? Every engineer’s invention looks great on paper with diagrams and schematics visualizing an exciting product. But if the prototype has been in development for five years, is it time to extinguish that dream and stop making false promises to the industry?

The Microsoft home surface which is codenamed ‘Milan’ will allow digital content to be manipulated with multiple hand gestures.
Sliding your fingers across the surface, documents can be moved, folders can be scrolled and all sorts of input can be entered into a multi-touch screen.

Witnessing the Surface in action is apparently remarkable. Like a David Copperfield illusion combined with a computer from a futuristic Starship, all rolled into one. It was incredible to see Mark Bolger, the Surface Computing group’s marketing director, “dip” his finger in an on-screen paint palette, then drag it across the screen to draw a smiley face. Then he used all ten fingers simultaneously to give the face a full head of hair. It’s a great piece of technology. It’s a Windows PC inside a table with a large screen on top and a camera system that can sense activities and interactions on screen. Microsoft is targeting restaurants, hotels, retail, public entertainment venues and the military for tactical overviews with their under development Surface device.

It seemed that the geniuses at Redmond were at the brink of releasing something that would turn the computing industry and our perception of these machines on top of their heads. Sadly after five years in development it shows no signs of being available in ordinary households. Whether that’s poor research and development or pathetic marketing is anyone’s guess. Instead what consumers are getting is another operating system. The costs of manufacturing such a product are reasonable for the average household to be able to afford and finally replace that old coffee table.

Interacting with the Surface, and the depth of the level of that interaction is truly powerful stuff. If this device had been ready to ship to markets it would have been fusing man and machine. Now that would have been power extreme. Let’s cross our fingers that the same thing doesn’t happen with Microsoft’s response to Apple’s iPad – the Courier.

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Most "smartphones" are unable to multitask fully as users would expect.

Rivals Microsoft and Apple have two mobile device platforms with one similar thing in common: both are unable to fully multitask.

For example, the biggest criticism being aimed at the iPhone is simply the inability to write an e-mail and listen to music in the background. You have to turn off the Pandora application for that. The only other way around this problem is hacking into the phone, commonly referred to as jail breaking. This is illegal according to Apple.

For Windows Phone 7, the operating systems’ core components can run without any slowdown. Again just like the iPhone, the third party applications can’t run in the background. Coincidence? Or smart phone technology just not being so smart yet.

If the lack of multitasking isn’t annoying enough, Windows 7 does not support the copy and paste function, as the iPhone did not when it first was released. How is anyone going to get used to not being able to copy and paste?

This is surprisingly quite the opposite in the case of Google Android which allows multitasking, so running third party applications is a very smooth process. Although there is a limitation to how many applications you can load into the internal memory in order to maintain a “smooth” operating environment.

Microsoft’s Charlie Kindel has said “We do not allow third-party applications running on the phone to execute in the background” his reason being: the drain on the phone’s battery life. It is a widely held belief that multitasking is a term that is misinterpreted in the world of smartphones because on paper both the iPhone and Windows Phone 7 have their core components running in the background. This misinterpretation might stem from the fact that multitasking for a desktop is much different than a smartphone.

Palm’s Web Operating is another shining example of a phone’s operating system that allows you to run applications in the background, but this has a large impact on the device’s battery life.

Comparing Apple and Microsoft’s phones to Googles and Palm’s is  like comparing a marathon runner to a sprinter. Who has the stamina to run the longest distance? When it’s all said and done, Microsoft seems to be taking a step back and trying to emulate the iPhone. This is an unusual move for the company but hasn’t stopped them from copying before.

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Day 74 Sales: Apple iPhone vs. Google Nexus One vs. Motorola Droid - Chart: Flurry

The results of the smartphone sales race are in. Running the numbers and looking at the charts with Nexus One’s sales figures, things do look a little “slow” off the start for Google. But CEO Eric Schmidt’s reports back in February show otherwise.

The Google HTC Nexus One has sold 135,000 units directly from Google since the phone was first launched. During this time period, Verizon sold 1.05 million Android phones while Apple continues to keep pace in the market by selling 1 million units of their original iPhone. The iPhone 3GS continued its market dominance by selling 1.6 million devices in just one week. Apple’s superstar has no reason to slow down and with a new revamped iPhone 4G on the horizon for its loyal customers, one can only assume a continued bright future.

A mobile analytics firm Flurry, studied the mobile market trends and sales data. Peter Farago, vice-president of marketing for Flurry had this to say about Google’s sales figures “The comparison is interesting because the iPhone and Nexus One each represent Apple and Google’s first fully branded handsets.”

Could the sluggish sales figures be attributed to Google’s poor customer support for the Nexus One? That maybe one reason. Or the Nexus One having network problems, is another factor as well. Its a widely stated fact, the phone has been unable to connect to T-mobile’s 3G network from time to time. The real nail in the Nexus One’s coffin is the odd complaint or so about the Touch Screen.  Another thing to consider is the Nexus One’s high price, although it is “unlocked” and free for you to take to any carrier that will support it, perhaps those locked discount packages on multiple-year terms are really what makes phones sell fast.  T-Mobile is the only company with a plan at the moment for the Nexus One phone on Google’s website, however Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and Rogers Wireless are on the horizon to take on the smartphone.  The Motorola Droid on the other hand has faired better against the iPhone thus, far.

The psychology behind the consumer perception of a smart phone device is interesting and has changed. A smart phone lets you use business applications and browse the internet. Most consumers at one time did not understand that smart phones like the iPhone were more than a phone, almost equal to a desktop PC. You can flinch at that analogy because the brand name Mac was not used.

Verizon’s Android has been a star performer because it had a heavily funded advertising campaign behind it. If Google had not sold it’s Nexus phone directly through it’s online store there was a good chance it would have done better in the ratings.

Google has declined to provide any feedback on the Flurry figures and has refused to release any sales data for the Nexus One.

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Transonic Combustion’s new fuel-injection technology used in the sports car above weighs close to the Toyota Prius hybrid and has similar aerodynamics. Running on gasoline alone, with no hybrid-assist system, it outperforms the Prius in fuel efficiency. Photo: Transonic Combustion

There was an era when muscle cars and other high performance vehicles ruled the road. If you had one, you were appreciated for your good taste.  If you drive one today, you may be frowned upon for being a green hater, but there usually is a bit of envy under those patchouli smelling dreadlocks.

The hybrid cars on the market today are oh so cute and economical, but they sure take all the fun out of owning an automobile.  A savior has been born and it’s name is Transonic Combustion. The company has developed a fuel injection system that can achieve 64 miles per gallon – a 50% fuel efficiency increase in gasoline engines when compared to a Hybrid, without castrating it.

To test the fuel injection system two vehicles were chosen – the Toyota Prius Hybrid and a sports car with the same aerodynamics and architecture as the Prius. Guess who came out on top in terms of better gas mileage. Not the Prius. The so called gas guzzling sports car with the new fuel injection system came out on top.

Here’s a bit of the science behind it. Gasoline burns better hot, after it is heated and pressurized, its then injected into the combustion chamber which places its elements in a “super critical state.”  This makes the fuel burn cleaner for the environment and combust faster in the chamber.

There is no spark to ignite the fuel because the fluid mixes immediately with air and the heat is enough to get it to combust. The maximum amount of energy is converted into mechanical movement precisely when the piston reaches the optimum point, presto, ignition happens!

You may be puzzled by how different engine loads will affect the fuel injection system. Transonic is a step ahead again, with software that will customize the engine load according to specifications required.

Everything is at in the test stage right now; the technology is expected to be put in production cars by 2014.  So keep driving your hybrid and park that gas guzzling beast back in the garage for the time being. If you ever crave the need to drive a high performance car without damaging the earth and your wallet, simulators are your friend for now.

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PlayStation Move Joystick

It was the Nintendo’ Wii that proved you do not necessarily need a faster processor and powerful graphics card with glitzy games to have fun. The Wii was just a tad more innovative than the PS3 and XBox 360 with the introduction of the Wii Remote.

Sony has now announced a three dish buffet for it’s motion controller called the PlayStation Move, a standalone Move controller, or a package with the PlayStation Eye + Move + a game, or an entire console. Couch potatoes are warned: gone are the days of button mashing and exercising your wrists and fingers only. Where the PlayStation Move stands apart from the Wii is its fewer buttons and no cable!

The PlayStation Eye detects the exact movement of the PlayStation move controller in a 3D space and determines the exact angle. It duplicates onto the screen, allowing you to interact with games as if you were a part of the polygon reality playing out on screen. Free your mind Neo, free your mind. The Eye also captures the player’s image and voice, allowing an augmented reality experience.

Sony has released a sports game to showcase its controller. With a leaf straight out of Nintendo’s game development tools, called Sports Champions. If you recall, Nintendo had a similar title with mini sports games for its new line of “Touch” controllers. Before we shout “Copycat” there’s also a sword dueling game for the PlayStation very similar to the game in Wii Sports Resort.  But with a new weapon/game device, a shield! You then get to swing both shield and sword using both hands.

The combination of the PlayStation Eye and Move controller looks fantastic with their Socom 3-D shooter.  With more than 20 games on their way adapted specifically for this new controller, it won’t be long before your asked “do you want to swallow the red pill or the blue pill?”

PlayStation Move Joysticks

PlayStation Move games

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Freescale Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering (SABRE) series Smartbook

Tablets are a very lucrative niche market. With HP’s Slate and Apple’s iPad on the upcoming table, other manufacturers are hoping to make their mark. And why not? Not everyone wants to lug around a laptop or be limited to a smartphone.

Freescale used to be the semiconductor arm of Motorola and manufactured the Dragonball and Coldfire line of microprocessors whose architecture was based on the famous Motorola 68000 chip. With their debut at the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 revealing their Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering (SABRE) series, has now become the hot topic in the smartbook/tablet world.

It is a reference design, so contrary to the blogosphere’s reports, Freescale will not release this device. It will allow OEMs to quickly and easily manufacture a devices similar with these specifications at a very economical price. At seven inches in size it could cost OEMs as little as $200, that alone should set Freescale apart from the iPad.

The key is support for three flavors of operating systems. Google’s open source Chromium operating system, the mobile Android operating system, and variants of Linux: ThunderSoft’s Millos Linux and Ubuntu. No Windows 7?

Thundersoft and Freescale are both pitching for OEM partners to support their ventures for both the Millos and the Tablet independently. Specifications on the hardware side include 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi, while 3G network access will be an additional bonus option. Sounds awfully familiar to HP’s 7-inch slate to me.

Smartbook Reference Design Features

- Sleek and slim form factor: 200 x 128 x 14.9 mm (7.87 x 5.04 x 0.59 inches)
- Touchscreen display, 1024 x 600 resolution, 7” screen
- Fast i.MX515 processor with ARM Cortex™ A8 core
- Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 and GPS are standard, with optional 3G cellular modem and RF4CE
- 3 megapixel camera with video recording up to VGA at 30 frames per second
- Key multimedia and Internet applications: Browser with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, media center, image viewer, mail client, PDF viewer and optional RF4CE remote controller
- 512 MB DDR2 memory, 4 GB to 64 GB internal storage, MicroSD card slot
- LED/Status lights: Camera, power, Wi-Fi, modem
- Ports: USB 2.0, USB mini, audio in/out and SIM card
- Speaker and microphone for full audio capability
- 1900 mAh battery, USB charging
- Sensors include accelerometer and ambient light sensor
- System integration and manufacturing partners are available to enable customization and rapid time to production

Freescale Smartbook Reference Design Tablet Image Gallery

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Asus Eee 1005PR Netbook does HD

It’s remarkable to see how far Asus has come in terms of hardware manufacturing. There was a time when Intel would supply its latest processors to larger and better reputed companies such as IBM, all the while Asus played second fiddle to the larger companies, but that was the 90’s. Now in 2010 Asus’s new Eee 1005PR Netbook is truly a winged horse of ancient Greek mythology.

The Asus Eee 1005PR Netbook packs quite a punch with its Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator chip, this means HD playback for video streams is a go. You won’t have to worry about jittering freezing pictures, just a smooth cinematic experience.

One of the biggest challenges for Netbook manufacturers by far is acquiring a low cost and low power chip for quality HD streaming video playback.  Broadcom HD Crystal Technology is only being offered to a select few Netbook manufacturers who come under the category of OEMs, ok, that might be more than a few.  But atleast now you can view HD videos from youtube during a boring class or  a dry, mundane office presentation. With an 11 hour battery pack (estimated of course) you can be using this Netbook while on the move without worrying about recharging the battery so often.

The ASUS Eee PC 1005PR comes with a 10.1 inch LED backlit WXGA screen (1366×768) display, 250 GB HDD (+500GB ASUS WebStorage), Bluetooth, and that oh so sexy ASUS Super Hybrid Engine which gives you that increased battery performance. To top all its features off,you have a range of color choices – white, black, blue and even pretty pink.  Expect it in the coming months for $400.

Asus Eee 1005PR Netbook Image gallery

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HP Slate Tablet PC has Flash Mobile

One thing that has remained constant is the keyboard. But it looks like your keyboard will also become a historical artifact just like desktop computers such as the Amiga, Zx Spectrum and even the Atari ST with the popular tablet PC’s making waves in the market.

Growing up in the 80’s and early 90’s, you would fondly remember the above obsolete but classic desktop machines.

We may just end up adding the modern desktop machines to that list. It’s the 21st century, the year twenty-ten. You don’t need to be able to afford the Optimus Maximus keyboard, but what is affordable is Apple’s iPad and HP’s Slate. With touch screens and virtual keyboards that make traditional keyboards look like a child’s toy.

Apple has openly expressed its dislike for Adobe’s mobile version of the Flash program calling its stability questionable. So what did Apple do? No, it did not contact Microsoft asking for licensing rights to Silver Light. That wouldn’t have been prudent because HP’s tablet the “Slate” runs Windows 7.

Apple’s solution? It dropped support for Flash altogether from the iPad.

HP has capitalized on the situation and their new demo video for the Slate is very similar to Apple’s commercials for the iPad. But HP on their Voodoo blog just recently posted an entry dubbed “The HP’s Slate Device Runs The Complete Internet — Including Flash!” taking a stab at Apple and informing consumers that its own product provides a superior internet experience than Apple’s iPad does.

Talk about kicking an apple when it falls off a tree!

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Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G10

Panasonic came out with a stellar camera way back when with the G1, it had a DSLR frame but a Micro Four Thirds System internally and was the first camera of its size to use interchangeable lenses. The Micro Four Thirds System  allows smaller frames to be built with lighter lenses, a huge advantage over DSLR cameras.

Panasonic has now revealed two high-end Four Thirds cameras, the G10 and the more powerful G2 both with a 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens, and both offering the “Intelligent Resolution Technology”  which smoothens and sharpens an image giving you superior quality.

The Lumix G2 comes with a touch screen LCD which is really becoming the standard of interfaces for any portable electronic device. Camera enthusiasts can use their finger to scroll through photos and photo albums easily. This makes older interfaces look Flintsonian!

But the advantages of the Touch Screen don’t just end there, once the user focuses on a subject the G2 activates AF tracking which locks onto your subject on a large 3″ 460,000-dot high-resolution LCD display like a heat seeking ballistic missile.  The subject can be enlarged by 1x, 5x or 10x. The menu navigation using the touch screen makes everything so much easier. Now that’s cutting edge.

If the question on your mind is “does this camera support HD?”  Yes, it records 1280 x 720 HD videos (720p) in the AVCHD lite format which expands on recording storage within the camera and this format is compatible with any audio and visual hardware you have. The camera comes bundled with Dolby Digital Creator software to maximize audio from the internal stereo microphone.

Other great features include 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor that delivers 60 frames per second full time Live View. The high-speed, high-performance Venus Engine HD II, where you can detect outlines and textures easily. Intelligent Resolution technology, a Dust Reduction System. And if that’s not enough it also comes bundled with software such as the Photo Fun Studio 5.0  to get you editing your home-made documentaries.

The LUMIX DMC-G2 can use any interchangeable lens that complies with the Four Thirds standard and comes in a stylish Ferrari Red, Sea Blue and a Jet Black color.  The LUMIX DMC-G10 will come in Jet Black only.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G2 and Panansonic LUMIX DMC-G10 Photo Gallery

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Samsung N210 Netbook

Best Buy has always provided a large variety of specialty electronics – computers, software, games, Blu-ray discs, mobile phones, digital cameras etcetera. They are now offering Samsung Electronics Americas brand new line of multimedia powerhouse R80 series notebooks and the polished pearl white Samsung N210  netbook.

These notebooks are beautifully crafted with aesthetics like the ravishing crystal wave design that is mouth watering to any window shopper on the prowl for a multimedia notebook. You understand why Samsung has been picking up a host of awards for it’s digital products by just looking at the N210.

A special mention here goes to the R80 line, which has a built in Blu-ray optical disc drive and is now available at Best Buy. If you’re a hardcore gamer, you’re going to want to check out the R580 and R780 (exclusive to BestBuy), because both include high-end Nvidia GeForce graphics cards.

If you’re the type of person that uses their computer for a lot of remote communication then the R780, R580 and R480 is ideal as it comes with an HD Led display, built-in microphone, and webcam. Great combinations to communicate with a daunting boss, the wife or just casual conversations with friends and family.

If you’ve been wanting to pickup a notebook for awhile now, clear your schedule on March 7th put your family in the car and head over to Best Buy. R80 prices start from R480: $729.99 upward.

Samsung R780 Notebook & Samsung N210 Netbook

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