Plica concept phone makes you forget the iPhone
July 31st, 2008 
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Plica literally means folding of a body part, and that’s the concept used in this namesake phone. It features 2 screens where one side is used as a touch screen keyboard and the other as a touch monitor. The fun doesn’t end here; apparently you can view a single web page or image across both the screens. A big touch screen gives more surface area to use, as the keys are not so cramped. Remember we had reported earlier that users of the iPhone often complained that their manicured long nails prevented them from using the phone properly. The Plica is like packing in a mini laptop into a mobile phone. For better design integrity, the USB and headphone ports have been placed in the double hinge. Looks like designer James Piatt has a winner in his hands.
Cuil
July 31st, 2008 
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Former Google search experts have revealed what they hope will be a threat to their previous employer’s dominant search service. The new engine is named Cuil, after the Gaelic word for “wisdom.” It’s perhaps not the catchiest name ever, but neither was Google, before it became a household name. The people at Cuil claim the new search engine uses far fewer servers than the search leader, yet indexes a much larger chunk of the Web. It also purports to produce more relevant search results, because the information it returns in response to queries is based on organization of ideas rather than link popularity. A final—and important—differentiator from Google is that Cuil, according to the company, doesn’t collect information on its users’ search histories or IP addresses. Of course, that last advantage is significant only if the product is worth using.
Photoshop Express Beta Updated
July 31st, 2008 
image Adobe has updated to its Photoshop Express beta available immediately at http://www.photoshop.com/express. The update includes:
• New Photoshop Express Uploader powered by Adobe AIR that enables seamless photo uploading from the desktop of any Internet-connected computer.
• Adobe AIR technology bridges the real-time, dynamic capabilities of the Web with the computing power and data capabilities of the desktop computer.
• Users can now quickly browse through thumbnails of their photos and easily drag and drop their favorite selections directly from the desktop of their preferred photo management applications into Photoshop Express.
• Ability to print photos through Shutterfly, a leading online printing service provider, that is available to all Photoshop Express users and anyone who receives shared photos.
• To enhance dynamic slideshows, users can now incorporate music created exclusively for Photoshop Express. For organizing, the addition of tags allows for easy viewing and searching by name, party, venue, subject and anything else customers find useful.
• One-click Resize tool with presets for mobile, Web, e-mail or online profiles.
• Users can also download photos from anyone’s public album and keep a collection of their favorites.
Released in March 2008, Photoshop Express is a free Web-based solution available to anyone who wants to store, sort and show off digital photos with eye-catching effects. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience.
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• New Photoshop Express Uploader powered by Adobe AIR that enables seamless photo uploading from the desktop of any Internet-connected computer.
• Adobe AIR technology bridges the real-time, dynamic capabilities of the Web with the computing power and data capabilities of the desktop computer.
• Users can now quickly browse through thumbnails of their photos and easily drag and drop their favorite selections directly from the desktop of their preferred photo management applications into Photoshop Express.
• Ability to print photos through Shutterfly, a leading online printing service provider, that is available to all Photoshop Express users and anyone who receives shared photos.
• To enhance dynamic slideshows, users can now incorporate music created exclusively for Photoshop Express. For organizing, the addition of tags allows for easy viewing and searching by name, party, venue, subject and anything else customers find useful.
• One-click Resize tool with presets for mobile, Web, e-mail or online profiles.
• Users can also download photos from anyone’s public album and keep a collection of their favorites.
Released in March 2008, Photoshop Express is a free Web-based solution available to anyone who wants to store, sort and show off digital photos with eye-catching effects. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience.
Ultra High Power Tamron AF18-270mm zoom lens
July 31st, 2008 
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Tamron announces the development of a unique ultra high power zoom lens, the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) Macro, the first digital SLR lens in the world that delivers a zoom ratio of 15x (28-419mm equivalent) and is equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. The new lens is designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized image sensors, and will be made available in Canon and Nikon mounts. The price and launch date of the lens will be announced at a later date…
Ultra High Power Tamron AF18-270mm zoom lens
July 31st, 2008
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Tamron announces the development of a unique ultra high power zoom lens, the Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) Macro, the first digital SLR lens in the world that delivers a zoom ratio of 15x (28-419mm equivalent) and is equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. The new lens is designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized image sensors, and will be made available in Canon and Nikon mounts. The price and launch date of the lens will be announced at a later date…
Smells Like Teen Spirit
July 31st, 2008 
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What better way to realize if a song stinks than sniffing out the proof with this MP3/aroma therapy entertainment pod that not only plays sweet sweet tunes for your ears, it also blows sweet sweet scents for your nose. Just pop off the end cap, load up a selected scent tablet and a wave of odors are delivered right to your nose by your earphones. Yup, your earphones. When done doing blow, just coil up the buds right back into the device. Designed by these five people Yangwoo Kim, Daiho Hyun, Taehyun Kim, Jungchan Moon & Gayeon Lee, they want to call it “Sweet Honey”, and so can you.
Fujifilm gives Z200fd camera its US launch
July 31st, 2008 
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Fujifilm today revealed its previously Europe-oriented FinePix Z200fd a US launch. The pocket camera effectively replaces the Z100fd with a sharper 10-megapixel sensor but stands out for its unique Couple and Group Timers, which wait until a certain number of faces are visible in a shot before taking the photo. The Couple Timer can also be set to trigger a shot only when the pair is particularly close.
The Japan-designed camera carries over the earlier 5X optical zoom, hardware- and ISO-based image stabilization and 2.7-inch preview LCD of its predecessor. Fujifilm prices the camera at $299 and offers it in the same black, pink, silver, and black/red metallic colors as versions available in other countries.
Toshiba Satellite U400 Notebooks
July 31st, 2008
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- A Striking New Design
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- Along with some of the newest advancements in mobile technology, we’ve given these Satellite® laptops a whole new look too, including a brilliant high–gloss Fusion™ finish, attractive Horizon design imprint, sleek flush–mounted touchpad and feather–touch CD/DVD control pad. You’ll get brains and beauty!
learn more » - Along with some of the newest advancements in mobile technology, we’ve given these Satellite® laptops a whole new look too, including a brilliant high–gloss Fusion™ finish, attractive Horizon design imprint, sleek flush–mounted touchpad and feather–touch CD/DVD control pad. You’ll get brains and beauty!
Missing Sync for Symbian devices now available
July 31st, 2008
Software developer Mark/Space has released a version of its Missing Sync software for Symbian platform phones. Missing Sync for Symbian allows Mac OS X computers to synchronize contacts, calendar appointments, and tasks with Symbian OS based smartphones, such as Nokia’s S60 family and Sony Ericsson’s P series.
Mark/Space says that Missing Sync for Symbian is the first of its offerings to feature its Proximity Sync function, which will synchronize a smartphone with a computer over Bluetooth automatically when it comes into range. Missing Sync can also be used to transfer media files as well as backup text messages and call logs.
Missing Sync for Symbian is on available for US$39.99 from MarkSpace.com.
IEEE approves FireWire 3200 spec
July 31st, 2008 
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The IEEE standards organization today approved the next generation of FireWire. Officially known as IEEE 1394-2008 but also referred to as S3200 or FireWire 3200, the connection specification operates at up to four times the speed of FireWire 800 (S800) with up to 3.2 gigabits per second of data while preserving the energy properties that allow it to power some devices without needing a direct power supply. The extra speed is believed to be useful for multi-disk hard drive arrays and other devices where earlier FireWire would be inadequate.
The format is also scalable and makes room for an in-between specification known as S1600, which peaks at exactly half the performance of S3200, as well as the ability to scale upwards in the future. FireWire should ultimately scale to at least S6400, or 6.4 gigabits per second. Both S3200 and S1600 are backwards-compatible with FireWire 800 and will work with the original FireWire 400 through a simple adapter.