Intel’s New Convertible Classmate PC Doubles as E-Reader

Intel’s New Convertible Classmate PC Doubles as E-Reader: "

The Intel Classmate PC has been around for the last three years as a low-cost notebook meant for children to use at school and for learning. Now, Intel is looking to refresh the design with a new, convertible model that can also be used like a tablet.

The convertible Classmate PC can be twisted into a slate, similar in form factor to the Apple iPad, or used as a traditional notebook with a full keyboard.

“This is not the cheapest netbook in the market,” says Jeff Galinovsky, regional manager for the Classmate PC ecosystem. “But if you look at the features like ruggedization, design and the software, it offers great value in the education market.”

The new convertible Classmate PC has an Intel Atom processor, 10.1-inch display, up to 160-GB hard drive including both solid-state and disk-drive options, up to 8.5 hours of battery life, a resistive touchscreen,and a range of wireless connectivity options including Wi-Fi and WiMax. The device also has a 1.3-megapixel rotating camera and two speaker jacks. It is available with either Microsoft Windows or Linux operating system.

Intel won’t disclose the pricing for the product. It says that will depend on the configuration and the device manufacturer. But there’s no doubt the convertible Classmate PC will carry a premium over the clamshell version that currently sells for $200 to $400.

Intel hopes to launch the convertible PC in the second quarter.

So far about 2 million Classmate PCs are being used worldwide, says Intel.

See below for a closer look at the latest design from Intel.

The PC feels a little hefty but that seems to be by design. The entire machine is meant to withstand the not-so-delicate handling of a 7-year-old. The new Classmate PC is rugged enough to survive a fall from the desktop and has a thick rubber coating that offers a good grip and is spillproof. The keyboard is also anti-microbial. Even the hard drive includes shock protection.

The convertible style also comes with a pen-like stylus that is chunky and comfortable to use. Along with the touchscreen, there’s handwriting recognition and note-taking software available for the device.

One of the features of the new Classmate PC that Intel’s especially keen to tout is is its e-reading software. The device supports EPUB and PDF formats so you can download books from the library or from Google’s cache of free books. The touchscreen allows you to do the familiar “flick to scroll” gesture, though the experience is not as smooth as it is with a capacitive touchscreen. There are also hardware buttons and software icons for turning pages.

The PC includes an accelerometer so it can switch from portrait to landscape mode automatically.

The reading interface Intel designed also allows you to take notes on the page or save highlights — a feature that will be handy for students.

The retractable handle is another new feature. The idea is to make this device a part of a student’s life, so the kid can throw it into a backpack or just carry it around in the school.

The Classmate PC also comes with applications in areas such as math, science and art that make the learning process interesting.

Overall, the new convertible PC is easier on the eyes — the rounded edges, the colors and a compact design help — and has more features than its older clamshell counterpart. But without really bringing down the price of the device, the enhancements seem like they might be pricey additions that the target market doesn’t really need.

After all, the Classmate PC is largely targeted at students in countries outside the United States. In many regions, $300 is still a lot of money to spend on a notebook, whether it’s for a kid or an adult.

Photos: Intel convertible Classmate PC/Priya Ganapati

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Western Digital Adds E-Ink to Mac-Friendly Pocket Hard-Drive

Western Digital Adds E-Ink to Mac-Friendly Pocket Hard-Drive: "

Western Digital’s e-ink hard drive labels have jumped from the desktop to the pocket with its new My Passport Studio portable HD. The Studio range will work with any computer, but has habitually been targeted at the Mac user, with its white case, FireWire 800 interface (along with USB) and a higher price. They also come ready-formatted for Mac use, but as this is something that takes seconds to do yourself, it’s kind of pointless.

The updated drives get a similar e-ink panel to that on the bigger My Book drives. The display, which remains on even when the drive is disconnected, shows the name of the disk, along with the capacity in both numerical and graphical forms. We prefer this to glowing LEDs, anytime, although the annoying WD SmartWare software that comes pre-loaded, and insinuates its way onto your desktop every time you mount the drive, should be euthanized immediately.

The My Passport Studio comes in 320GB, 500GB and 640GB sizes, for $150, $180 and $200. Available now.

My Passport Studio [Western Digital]

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Google: Desktops Will Be ‘Irrelevant’ in Three Years

Google: Desktops Will Be ‘Irrelevant’ in Three Years: "

Google Europe boss John Herlihy says that desktop computers will be “irrelevant” in three years. Instead, mobile devices will be the main way people interact with the internet.

Speaking at the Digital Landscapes conference in Ireland, Herlihy said that “In three years time, desktops will be irrelevant. In Japan, most research is done today on smart phones, not PCs.”

Of course, being a Googler, Herlihy is all about the search, and wants to concentrate on that. But his point is a good one. While desktop computers will still be used for work (video production, for example), it’s hard to see them continuing as an entertainment device. Laptops will likely be next, used only for work, and replaced by purpose-made entertainment devices like the iPad and, as Herlihy says, the smart-phone.

I really think this is the point many people are missing when they moan about the “lack” of something in the iPad (and before you complain, this applies to any other non-desktop OS device that may come after). The iPad isn’t meant to be a computer. It is an appliance for entertainment. Apple gets this, and Google gets this. That’s why Google is pushing so hard with Android, and why it has made the Chrome OS.

In three years desktops will be irrelevant - Google sales chief [Silicon Republic via Pocket Lint]

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Canon’s New All-Manual L-Glass Lens Holds Coffee

Canon’s New All-Manual L-Glass Lens Holds Coffee: "

This lens-shaped coffee-cup might look like some dodgy back-street knock-off waiting to be sold to some short-sighted sap for big money, but it is in fact official Canon merchandise. The cups were being handed out to reporters in the press pen at the Vancouver Olympics.

The cup/thermos is modeled on Canon’s 70-200mm L-Series lens, which normally goes for around $700. This picture was snapped by one of the lucky owners - Microsoft’s Josh Weisberg - and the picture sent proudly to the Photo District News Blog.

It’s the perfect gift for a chilly sports snapper, and a smart move for Canon: how else is the company going to re-fill the stadium sidelines with its signature light-gray lenses now sports photographers have all switched to the Nikon D3? Kidding!

Swag Alert!: Canon White Lens Coffee Mug [PDN Pulse]

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Share photos on orkut directly from Picasa

Share photos on orkut directly from Picasa: "

Most people love taking pictures and sharing them with their friends, and Google is always trying to improve the photo managing experience in our products such as Picasa and orkut. (If you haven’t heard about Picasa yet, the free photo editing tool by Google, you should definitely give it a try!)



The problem is that, sometimes, the photos we take aren't quite ready for sharing. So we have to transfer them to a computer for editing, and then return later to orkut to upload them to an album. That's too much work! So, we're making life easier by giving you a way to upload photos to orkut directly from Picasa.



To get started, you just have to install an orkut button on your Picasa program by downloading the free 'Share photos on orkut' plugin. This plugin (for Windows or Mac) makes sharing your photos with your friends as easy as clicking a button.



If your Internet browser asks your permission to launch the Picasa software, say 'yes.' Once Picasa opens, simply add the orkut button. (If you need more help, check our Help Center article). Once you're done, you will see a new button with the familiar orkut logo at the bottom of your Picasa screen. It'll look like this:

Next, just select the photos you want to upload to orkut and click the orkut button you've added to Picasa. You can upload your photos to an an existing orkut album, or create a new one.

The photo uploads will begin, and a slider bar will show the progress of your upload. Once it's complete, you'll be redirected to your orkut album page where you can share your photos with your friends, or set privacy levels for your new album.



So start up Picasa, browse through your pictures and share some of your photographic gems with your friends with just a few clicks. We're betting your photos will start plenty of conversations!



Posted by Sandesh Tawari and Arijit De, software engineers

5 tips for using Google Buzz on your phone

5 tips for using Google Buzz on your phone: "A few weeks ago we released Google Buzz for mobile. There are many ways to access Google Buzz from your phone, but the web app (buzz.google.com) provides the most complete viewing and posting experience on an iPhone or Android 2.0+ device (more platforms are coming soon). Today, we'd like to share some tips on how to get the most out of the Google Buzz web app on your phone.

1. Search for a place to post from
Tagging a post with your location is easy and fun. You can just tap the location box in the posting screen to add a place name or an address. Or, you can search for a place. Click ">" in the location box and scroll down a bit to find the search box. This will allow you to search for places nearby and tag your post with that location.

2. Learn more about a tagged place
When you see a location tag and the little red pin attached to someone's post, you might want to learn more about that place. Click 'Show map' to see the address of that place and a small map, which you can tap to see a bigger, fully functional map. You can also click the place link to view business details, reviews, photos, and more.

3. Choose to share privately or publicly
The Google Buzz web app provides options to share your post publicly on the web or privately with the groups you select. To create a new group to share privately, you'll need to visit Buzz in Gmail or google.com/contacts from your computer. Your location is attached to your post by default, either as an address or a place. If you don't want it attached, you can simply tap the 'Remove location' link. Next time you post, we will remember your choices for the sharing option (public or private) and for the location tagging option (whether or not to include location).

4. View mobile profiles and follow new people
You'll often find interesting public posts or comments made by people you're not following yet. If you'd like to start following them, simply tap on their name to visit their mobile profile page, click the 'Buzz' tab, and tap 'Follow'. The 'Contact Info' tab includes info pulled from their public Google profile that they've chosen to share and any additional info you may have about them in your contacts, making it easy for you to contact them with one click.

5. Auto-finish @reply
When you want to include someone in a post or comment, you can use the @reply feature. On mobile devices, simply type '@user', which will be automatically expanded to '@user@gmail.com' for you. This will save you time typing on the phone.

Stay tuned for more tips, and visit our Help Center to learn more. We also love to hear your feedback in our forum and your suggestions on the Mobile Product Ideas page!


Posted by Alex Kennberg, Software Engineer, Google Mobile

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Google Replaces SearchWiki with Starred Results

Google Replaces SearchWiki with Starred Results: "Google removed SearchWiki, the feature that allowed you to customize search results by promoting them, removing them or adding comments below search snippets. SearchWiki cluttered search results and the aggregated results from public SearchWiki pages were rarely useful.

SearchWiki has been replaced with a simple feature that lets you star search results. Click on a star next to a search results and you'll see it in a 'starred items' OneBox at the top of the page. Another side effect is that the starred search results are added to Google Bookmarks, so you can quickly find them later. The 'starred items' OneBox shows the most relevant bookmarks that match your query and it's the easiest way to search Google Bookmarks.


Those who used SearchWiki to remove search results or to add comments won't lose their changes. 'If you previously removed a result, it will remain hidden whenever you do the same search in the future. These hidden results will be listed in a 'removed results' section at the bottom of the page,' explains Google. There's also a SearchWiki page that lists all your notes.

Even if I didn't like SearchWiki at the beginning, I ended up using this feature a lot. Adding web pages to search results pages and improving the snippets with custom annotations were a great way to refind web pages.

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Search your Android phone with written gestures

Search your Android phone with written gestures: "As mobile phones become increasingly powerful and can store more data, we've introduced new methods of search to get you to your content faster, such as search suggestions or search by voice. But sometimes, typing to get to the right search suggestion takes too long, and you may be in a quiet environment where speaking a query is inappropriate. Today we're pleased to announce Gesture Search, a new Google Labs application for Android-powered devices running Android 2.0 or above in the US. Gesture Search lets you quickly find a contact, an installed application, a bookmark or a music track from hundreds or thousands of items, by simply drawing alphabet gestures on the touch screen.

Say you want to call your friend Anne. Just open Gesture Search and draw letter “A”, and Gesture Search returns a list of items that have words starting with “A”. If your handwriting isn't all that neat, that's okay. If the 'A' you draw looks a bit like an 'H', as seen in the bottom left corner of the screenshot, 'H' results will be brought up as well. If needed, you can also erase a query by crossing it horizontally: left to right erases the entire query, and right to left removes the last letter or space in the query. Now you can either scroll down the list to find Anne or write more letters to refine the search.



Additionally, Gesture Search improves search quality by learning from your search history, so Anne's contact info will jump to the top of the list the next time you write 'A'.

To download Gesture Search, search for it in Android Market. You can get more information on our Google Labs page. And as this is a Labs launch, we are particularly eager to get your thoughts and feedback in the comments below!

Posted by Yang Li, Research Scientist

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 leaks out with Fermi on board -- Engadget

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 leaks out with Fermi on board -- Engadget

Casio EX-S7 and EX-Z35 EXILIM digital cameras debuted with EXILIM Engine 5.0

Casio EX-S7 and EX-Z35 EXILIM digital cameras debuted with EXILIM Engine 5.0: "

At PMA 2010, Casio has showcased its two new cameras with a bevy of automatic features for easy use, they are Casio EX-S7 and EX-Z35. Both cameras use the new EXILIM Engine 5.0 for lower power consumption and high image quality. Both of the cameras have software for uploading video to YouTube.

This $139.99 Casio EX-S7 has 12.1MP and a 3x optical zoom lens with a 2.7-inch rear LCD. It can record 720p HD video and stores to SD and SDHC memory cards. While the EX-Z35 features 12.1MP and a 3x optical zoom lens. Its main features is its svelte 0.8-inch profile which can record video only at a max resolution of 848 x 480. The Z35 has price at $109.99.

VIA: SLASHGEAR

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