FocuSoft Tech Blog

Samsung’s Galaxy Lite in the wild, looks ready for low-end Android battle with HTC Click
Time-lapse video of LA’s wildfires looks apocalyptic
NEC 19″ MultiSync EA190M LCD Has a Scheduled Launch for This Month
UC Berkeley researchers tout world’s smallest semiconductor laser
iRiver shows off its US e-book reader
Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant [Review]
Android-based Archos gets pictured, briefly priced by B&H
SMK-Link’s Blu-Link Universal Remote Covers Everything, Even the PS3
Japan to Spend $21,000,000,000 on a Power Plant in F%#king Space [Space]
Alright, Who Broke The Internet? Dell.com Also Knocked Out. (Updated)

Samsung’s Galaxy Lite in the wild, looks ready for low-end Android battle with HTC Click

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 04:04 PM PDT

We’ve been following the saga of the i5700 Galaxy Lite since early this month when it took the Wi-Fi Alliance’s certification program by storm, and now it seems that French site FrAndroid may very well have exposed Samsung’s second Google-ified handset to the harsh light of the real world for the first time. As its name implies, this would likely be a cheap entry to slot in beneath the Galaxy — and the current rumor has it signed up for 3G, WiFi, possible “Google Experience” certification, and an honest-to-goodness trackball, a feature sorely missed on the Galaxy by some. Strangely, there doesn’t seem to be a Home button which we thought was an Android requirement, but it’s possible that Samsung’s concealed it along the side or made it a long-press function for another button. The site claims that this’ll be hitting French streets next month, so we may not have long to wait before the epic Click / Galaxy Lite smackdown makes things surprisingly interesting on the low end of the smartphone market — and with Nokia looking to play in the same space with the 5230, this segment could end up hosting some of the most interesting mobile action over the coming year.

[Via MobileCrunch and Samsung Hub]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Samsung’s Galaxy Lite in the wild, looks ready for low-end Android battle with HTC Click originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Time-lapse video of LA’s wildfires looks apocalyptic

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:37 PM PDT

There have been some other time-lapse videos of the LA fires, but this is the best I’ve seen. Not a gadget, but it’s thanks to a gadget-savvy population (you guys) that as something like this is happening, we get it in real time, writing, radio, news, and in an artistically-inclined format like this.

[Original, via Geekologie and iReport]

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Time-lapse video of LA's wildfires looks apocalyptic

NEC 19″ MultiSync EA190M LCD Has a Scheduled Launch for This Month

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:37 PM PDT

Truth be told, 19″ monitors seem to be an ancient past-time, only talked about in hushed whispers, amongst technophiles joking about their parent’s sloppy PC setup. Sure, there’s a niche for the smaller screen sizes, and it looks like NEC wants to slide right into that spot. They’ve got a new LCD monitor set to hit shelves some times this month, and it’s got some pretty interesting aspects to it that might grab the attention of any working professional out there.

75c9f8d464EA.jpg NEC 19″ MultiSync EA190M LCD Has a Scheduled Launch for This Month

The NEC MultiSync EA190M provides a standard-aspect ratio screen, which is paramount for design professionals who need to look at 5:4 objects rather than 16:9 or 16:10 widescreen. This monitor is aimed directly at business environments, government applications, and education users. The EA190M consumes 50% less energy and contains 50% less mercury than traditional LCD monitors. There is also a one-touch ECO mode that allows users the ability to quickly maneuver between two energy saving modes.

The MultiSync EA190M provides 250 nits of brightness, a 900:1 contrast ratio, 5ms response time, and a 1280

UC Berkeley researchers tout world’s smallest semiconductor laser

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:30 PM PDT

Scientists at the Norfolk State University may laid claim to a “world’s smallest laser” title just a few short weeks ago with the aid of some newfangled “spasers,” but it looks like the folks at UC Berkeley at hot on their heels with some tiny lasers of their own, and they’ve now announced what they claim to be the worlds smallest semiconductor laser. Unlike Norfolk State’s solution, the Berkeley researchers apparently relied primarily on standard semiconductor materials and fabrication technologies commonly used today, but devised a new means to squeeze the visible light into a 5 nanometer gap (about the size of a single protein molecule), while also using some newly-engineered “hybrid surface plasmons” to keep the light from dissipating as it moves along. That, the researchers say, represents nothing short of a “new milestone in laser physics,” and could pave the way for everything from new nanolasers that can probe, manipulate and characterize DNA molecules to new breakthroughs in computing that could see light replacing electronic circuitry “with a corresponding leap in speed and processing power.”

[Via DailyTech]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Science

UC Berkeley researchers tout world’s smallest semiconductor laser originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iRiver shows off its US e-book reader

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:00 PM PDT

iriverstory-lg1
We knew iRiver was prepping an e-book reader for the Japan market, but this is the first I’ve heard about an international one. The rather blank user interface of the Japanese Libre has been replaced with a QWERTY keyboard on this, the Story. It looks like a nice little piece of kit, but it doesn’t really set itself apart too much, though it does have a microphone — a nice feature for frequent annotators.

iriverstory-lg2

The Story has a 6-inch screen and appears to be extremely thin, maybe a quarter of an inch (specs aren’t available yet). It lacks any obvious buttons for next page, home, and that sort of thing, but the keyboard in this shots isn’t very clear so they could easily be down there. iRiver is an interesting company and frequently comes out with elegant and untried designs, though, so I wouldn’t rule out something subtle or hidden on the device.

It does have a dedicated comic book mode, I suppose for black and white comics primarily, and it’ll likely support all the popular e-book and e-publishing formats out there. iRiver’s always been good with format support. I’m sure we’ll get more official word soon — in the meantime, all we can say is hey, it looks nice.

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iRiver shows off its US e-book reader

Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant [Review]

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 03:00 PM PDT

The SurfShelf does what many home-made and Ikea-bought shelves, tables and stands do: put your laptop in front of your face while you’re on a treadmill. And it works beautifully.

The Price: $40

The Verdict: This is one of my favorite inventions ever. Treadmill computing—or using a treadputer—is one of those ideas that’s ideal for out-of-shape people who work at home, since you’re still capable of doing all the work you were doing before, except now your legs are moving. Its major barrier is the fact that you had to have a treadmill, plus a stable enough platform to keep your laptop on. If you could rig that up yourself, great, but most of us were too lazy or too disinclined to. Now it just costs $40.

To answer your first question, yes, it is ill-advised to type and run at the same time. But typing and walking fast, or running and just watching something on your computer works just fine. In fact, I’m typing this entire review up while I’m walking on my treadmill.

How it works: The SurfShelf consists of two interlocking polycarbonate pieces supported by either one or two straps to your treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike. If rigged up correctly—something I had to ask for help with—it’s incredibly stable, capable of supporting somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 pounds. Plenty solid enough for your laptop provided you don’t constantly lean on it.

This thing has basically turned working into exercise. By spending 2-3 hours a day typing, emailing, and reviewing while walking, you basically get free calorie burn doing something you’d be doing anyway! According to Nike+, 2 hours of fast walking while working burns 1,000 calories. And even if you’re not lucky enough to work from home, being able to watch YouTube or BitTorrented content makes any workout go faster.

Assuming you already own a treadmill that’s gathering dust, the SurfShelf is the easiest way of getting you back on that thing. And if you’re a freelancer or the type of person who spends much of your day on a computer, this could be the healthiest gadget you buy this year. [SurfShelf]

Makes treadputering an incredibly straightforward process

Relatively cheap

Stable enough that you can trust your laptop to it

Instructions aren’t universal enough for every type of exercise machine, but you can get the idea fairly easily

Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant [Review]

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Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant [Review]

Android-based Archos gets pictured, briefly priced by B&H

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:58 PM PDT

We still gotta wait until September 15th for the whole scoop, but B&H has gone ahead and spoiled some of the mystery of Archos’ Android-based Archos 5, giving the internet tablet its own listing in a number of different storage capacity options, pictures in tow, as well as a $130 DVR station. Prices are currently listed as TBA, but fortunately it looks like the fine fellows at ArchosFans managed to capture the page when there were more concrete dollar signs on each model, to the tune of $294 for 16GB SSD, $370 for 32GB SSD, $320 for 160GB HDD, and $420 for a 500GB HDD. In the DVR station pic we spotted “HD” listed in the video names, which gives us hope that even more of those February leaks are coming to fruition. Screenshot of the with-price listings after the break.

[Via ArchosFans; thanks, Steve and Axel]

Gallery: Android-based Archos gets pictured, briefly priced by B&H

Read – 500GB HDD listing
Read – 16GB SSD listing
Read – 32GB SSD listing
Read – DVR Station

Continue reading Android-based Archos gets pictured, briefly priced by B&H

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Android-based Archos gets pictured, briefly priced by B&H originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SMK-Link’s Blu-Link Universal Remote Covers Everything, Even the PS3

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:57 PM PDT

Universal remotes are still all the rage, right? Well, SMK-Link is either hoping that’s still the case, or that there’s still someone out there who hasn’t consolidated all of their home entertainment remotes down into one, fancy-looking device. Of course, there’s always the little fact that this remote, the Blu-Link, actually controls your PlayStation 3, too. And, according to SMK-Link, they’re the first company to do it, while also including other home entertainment devices.

50d3c38b2eBlu.jpg SMK Link's Blu Link Universal Remote Covers Everything, Even the PS3

The remote utilizes a combination of Bluetooth/infrared to communicate with the devices, which does officially include Sony’s PS3. And if you don’t believe us, there’s definitely the trademark buttons on that remote: square, triange, circle, and X. There’s even a start, select, and Home. The Blu-Ray controls include Top Menu, Popup Menu, Angle, Audio Channel, and Subtitles. The Blu-Link is also known as an “advanced learning” remote. It will learn the button assignments from existing remotes, and it is user-configurable.

Blu-Link supports more than 400 brands of standard and HDTV television and flatscreens, 150 VCR brands, 200 Satellite receiver models, 100 Cable TV receiver brands, 50 DVR models, and 200 home theater surround sound systems. So it’s a pretty safe bet that what you’ve got in that abode of yours, Blu-Link covers it. And let’s face it, if you have each of those things, and you haven’t already found a way to get rid of all those unnecessary remotes littering your coffee table, what better way to do it than this? It’s available right now, and for a minimal $50.

[via Gizmodo]

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SMK-Link's Blu-Link Universal Remote Covers Everything, Even the PS3

Japan to Spend $21,000,000,000 on a Power Plant in F%#king Space [Space]

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:40 PM PDT

Holy shit, Japan is getting prepped to drop $21 billion on a solar power station in space, one that will beam enough energy back to Earth to power 294,000 homes. With no cables.

The whole deal is being put together by Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and industrial design company IGI Corp. The plan involves a gigantic solar panel floating around in space, soaking up a gigawatt of energy and beaming it to Earth without the use of cables. And they hope to have it ready to rock within four years.

Pretty amazing stuff. Here’s hoping it works well and doesn’t end up giving the entire country of Japan cancer. Thanks for testing that whole thing out for us, guys! [Bloomberg via Inhabitat]

Japan to Spend $21,000,000,000 on a Power Plant in F%#king Space [Space]

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Japan to Spend $21,000,000,000 on a Power Plant in F%#king Space [Space]

Alright, Who Broke The Internet? Dell.com Also Knocked Out. (Updated)

Posted: 01 Sep 2009 02:29 PM PDT

64a8ad3725dell.jpg Alright, Who Broke The Internet? Dell.com Also Knocked Out. (Updated)

Of course Gmail being down is not good news for Google’s business (directly nor indirectly), but if you’re a giant computer manufacturer directly retailing products online across the globe, I’d wager you’re a bit worse off when your website is completely unavailable.

At least for the past half hour (since 5 PM EST), Dell.com has been suffering from a serious outage. Just for your reference, the company saw sales of $12.76 billion last quarter, and that was down 22% from $16.43 billion a year ago. Rest assured every minute of downtime is costing the computer manufacturer serious money.

Update: site is back up as from 5:40 PM EST

Are the two events related and are we experiencing yet another massive DDoS attack, or is this merely coincidental?

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Alright, Who Broke The Internet? Dell.com Also Knocked Out. (Updated)