Microsoft Kinect Now available on Android...somewhat

Picture this situation: you are relaxing on a couch after a hard days work, and that expensive, fututistic tablet powered by Googles Android mobile operating system is connected to the home theatre system, churning out your favourite music files. And with a wave of your hand, the tablet automatically interpretes the gesture and switches over to another track, thus saving you the effort of having to get up and walk over to the device to do so.

Sounds futuristic? Perhaps, but dont be surprised if such features could find their way to Android-powered tablets in a matter of years, especially when hacker inguinity knows no bounds. Apparently, one such enterprising hacker known as HirotakaSter has managed to craft out a method which allows the Android operating system to interface with Microsofts very own Kinect motion controller. What makes this act significant though, is the fact that this is reportedly the worlds first successful attempt to get the Kinect in a semi-working state on the mobile OS.

Notice that we said semi-working state in the previous paragraph? Well, thats because the Kinect hack on Android is still pretty much in a work-in-progress state: at the time of writing, the Android-powered tablet may be able to recognize the device, but it is still incapable of translating typical Kinect gestures into workable commands yet. Indeed, all it can do right now is to transfer the Kinects video grab onto the tablets screen and interprete user distance information, as shown in the short clip below.

However, the fact that HirotakaSter was able to get the Android operating system to even recognize the Kinect motion sensor means that at least half the battle is already won. In fact, the only thing left for the hacker and modding community to do is to analyze the calls made by the Kinect controller to the Android OS and attempt to craft out a working API that is capable of bringing most of Kinects functionality over to the Android platform. And when that happens...well, lets just say that the idea of contactless PC interaction is bound to receive a major boost.

Unfortunately, in order to do so, the community will need access to the hack written by HirotakaSter, and this is where there is an immediate obstacle to clear. Apparently, HirotakaSter has yet to pony up the source code he has written for Android hack, but it appears that the hacker community might not have to wait much longer for it. After all, sharing is a key aspect of the hacker culture, no?

Source: KinectHacks via Technabob

Kingston Technology Boosts Memory Shipments in 2008

Kingston Technology Corporation, the independent world leader in memory products, today announced that in 2008, it achieved a record 41-percent increase in total memory units shipped over 2007 volume. Despite oversupply, average selling price erosion and a weakened global economy contributing to a down year in the memory industry, Kingston® gained significant market share in both DRAM and Flash memory. The company’s global sales totaled $4.0 billion U.S., a $500 million decrease from record-setting revenues in 2007.

“Kingston, like our competitors, was affected by the industry downturn and memory chip saturation of 2008,” said John Tu, co-founder, Kingston. “However, our strong finances and solid cash reserves allowed us to remain nimble and flexible as we adjusted and adapted to the ever-changing market conditions. We consider ourselves very fortunate to be in a secure position given the current state of the economy.”

“We have always focused on improving efficiency but we’ve had to sharpen that focus during this tough time,” said David Sun, co-founder, Kingston. “The storm is not over yet, but we will be alright moving ahead. Since our employees are as determined as John and I, and we have the continued support of our partners, vendors and customers, we know things will work out just fine.”

Despite the drop in overall revenue, Kingston posted substantial increases in unit volume in all product lines: Flash memory, Branded memory, ValueRAM® industry-standard memory and HyperX® for gamers and enthusiasts. To sustain the increasing market demands, Kingston continues to strengthen its global presences and services. In the APAC region, Kingston has set up Far East headquarter in Taiwan and local offices in China, India, and Vietnam to provide local sales contacts, marketing supports, as well as quality after-sales services.

Kingston first reached the $1 billion mark in global sales in 1995, surpassing it with $2 billion in 2004 and $3 billion in 2005.

Kingston Unleashes DataTraveler G3 Flash Drives

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., independent world leader in memory products, takes mobility a step further with the release of its DataTraveler G3 series of flash drives. Measuring 65.68mm x 10.66mm x 22.37mm, the plastic flash drives feature USB 2.0 interfaces, plastic caps, and support data transfer rates up to 16Mb/s (read) and 5Mb/s (write). Available in 2Gb, 4Gb, 8Gb, 16Gb, 32Gb capacities, they come in a variety of colors and are covered by a five year warranty. The DataTraveler G3 can be purchased from authorized retailers and e-tailers at a MSRP of 5.85 Euro (2Gb), 7.11 Euro (4Gb), 11.98 Euro (8Gb), 25.42 Euro (16Gb) and 52.10 Euro (32Gb).

News via [Kingston]

Intel Tejas amp; JayHawk Cancelled

H1'04H2 '04H1 '05H2 '052006Xeon Potomac? Tulsa? Whitefield
(65nm, 4 Banias cores)Performance DesktopGallatin 775
(0.13, 2MB L3)
3.4EEGhz Potomac? Mainstream DesktopPrescott 775
(90nm, 1MB L2)
3.6GhzPrescott 775
3.8-4GhzPrescott 775
4.2GhzYonah (Jonah)
(65/90nm, DualCore, HT, CT, SSE3)Conroe (Merom based)
(65nm,Multi Core, 4MB L2, HT, CT, VT)MobileDothan
(90nm, 2MB L2)
2Ghz Yonah (Jonah)Merom

Intel has scrapped plans for two upcoming products to circumvent the growingproblem of how much heat its chips generate. Intel will combine two processorsonto a single chip, allowing for lower power usage as well as doublingperformance. The chips being canceled include Tejas and Jayhawk. Instead, Intel willsell so-called "dual-core" processors for desktop and notebook computers nextyear, ahead of schedule. Intel plans to introduce dual-core chips for desktopcomputers in 2005 and plans to start shipments of dual-core chips for notebookcomputers the same year. While heat generation was a factor in Intel's decision,another impetus was likely Intel's success in developing advanced manufacturingtechniques that can accommodate dual-core chips.

Lenovo Singapore launches IdeaCentre A720, IdeaPad Y480 and ThinkPad Edge E430

Lenovo IdeaCentre A720

Sporting a sleek metallic exterior, the Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 claims to be the industrys slimmest 27-inch all-in-one (AIO) at just 24.5mm. It has an adjustable hinge that allows the frameless screen (with 10-point multi-touch) to be pulled towards the user at -5-degree and folded back up to 90-degree, making it extremely comfortable to use even after long hours. Internally, it is powered by NVIDIA GeForce graphics, up to 1TB hard disk and 64 GB SSD storage. Other features include Dolby Home Theatre V4 audio, Lenovo High-Sense (720p HD) Webcam, and Lenovo IdeaTouch (a suite of touch-optimized applications and games).

Lenovo IdeaPad Y480

Featuring a dark gray finish, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 laptop is designed to handle intensive multimedia applications and comes with a back-lit keyboard and large touchpad for computing comfort. It is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX660M graphics (with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM), and full high definition display that is ideal for gaming and multimedia. On top of that, the IdeaPad Y480 comes with Dolby Home Theatre V4 enhanced audio, JBL designed speakers and OneKey Theater II to provide bright images and richer audio for your enjoyment.

Lenovo ThinkPad E430

The ThinkPad E430 is built to meet the requirements of every SMB. The 14-inch business laptop has a black lid with rounded corners and is equipped with the latest Intel Core processors, choices of integrated or discrete graphics, up to 1TB of storage that can be combined with solid state drive storage, USB 3.0 ports and a high resolution web camera. The ThinkPad E430 also comes with Lenovo Solution Center powered by Intel Small Business Advantage.

Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 will be available from the first week of June, retailing at S$2,699. The IdeaPad Y480 will be available from the first week of May with a retail price of S$1,499, while the ThinkPad Edge E430 will be available in mid-May, starting from S$1,249.

Ivy Bridge reportedly launching on the 8th of April

As weve already reported, Intel is about to launch Ivy Bridge in early April and although we didnt specify a date in our earlier stories, Digitimes has now confirmed the April 8th launch date that wed previously heard. This information is apparently coming from Taiwanese PC makers and wed say its pretty much spot on, unless Intel makes some last minute changes to the launch schedule.

Not all CPUs and chipsets will launch on the 8thof April, as some models alongside with the business chipsets are expected on the 13thof May according to Digitimes. Most of the desktop CPUs will be available in April, although on the mobile side only the quad core Core i7 models are expected to arrive in April, with all other models launching at a yet unspecified date.

Its not entirely clear why Intel is staggering the launch like this, but as we know, Intel is trying to empty its Sandy Bridge inventory and this might very well be part of the reason. One interesting piece of information that Digitimes did provide is the cost of the chipsets, with the Z77, HM77 and UM77 coming in at US$48, followed by the H77 and HM76 at US$43, the Z75 and HM75 at US$40 and finally the business orientated B75 at US$37. The corporate level chipsets start at US$53 with the QS77 followed by Q77 and QM77 at US$48 and the Q75 at US$40.

This puts the chipset pricing at a similar level to the 6-series where the Z68 chipsets has a list price of US$48 with the H67 at US$43, the P67 at US$40 and the B65 at US$37. The same goes for the mobile parts where the HM67 is listed at US$48 and HM65 at US$40, although the UM67 is actually a bit pricier at US$50. That said, these are all list prices and may not reflect what the actual motherboard and notebook manufacturers are paying Intel.

Source: Digitimes

Lian Li Unleashes PC-Q07 Mini-ITX Chassis

Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the PC-Q07 Mini-ITX chassis. The black hairline-brushed all aluminum PC-Q07 allows for the Mini-ITX platform motherboard to be combined with traditional full sized components, thus saving you money and giving you the option to utilize components from a system you already have. Designed to be passively cooled, with strategically placed innovative air vents make it both silent and safe. The small chassis can fit snugly in any environment. The PC-Q07 is definitely worth serious consideration for building the ultimate ITX platform. Ideal for System Integrators looking for money saving, high quality solutions.

PC- Q07 Mini-ITX Specifications
Standing at 193mm x 280mm x 208mm (W,H,D), the aluminum chassis has a reversible PSU bracket which allows the PSU to be arranged as you like. The chassis supports 1x 5.25” Optical drive bay with 1x 3.5” HDD bay and 1x 2.5” HDD bay. In addition, strategically placed air vents enable passive cooling to effectively keep your system optimal. The entire case weighs in at 1.1kg’s.

PC-Q07Special Features
The PC-Q07 has easy installation kits for the 5.25” optical drives, as well as for the 1x 3.5” HDD bays with anti-vibration kits, as well as room for a 2.5” drive underneath. The internal space is ideally arranged to keep everything well ventilated without compromising on your hardware thermal requirements. The small profile, incorporating traditional desktop components within the ITX platform makes the PC-Q07 the most attractive and innovative ITX chassis available.

Perfect for System Integrators (SI)
The benefit to use full size ATX power components coupled with the Mini-ITX platform makes this unique innovative chassis ideal for those system integrators looking to design a small profile, yet advanced system for their customers. The expense of slim ODD and an ITX PSU or external PSU is completely negated. In addition replacement components can be sourced from standard stocks, without the need to build up a special replacement inventory.

Traditional Durability
The classical style and functional design is the Lian Li goal. The essence of Lian Li products is the craftsmanship of the engineering. Intrinsic to the workmanship and quality is the customization which includes a whole host of optional extras that can be purchased to add more features to an already feature rich product.

Availability: Available on order now

Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price: Lian Li PC-Q07: USD69+VAT

IWILL ZPC64 Mini Athlon 64 System

IWILL Corp. launched latest mini PC for AMD Athlon 64 processor,ZPC64. Powered by NVIDIA nForce 3 chipset and featured with NVIDIA Ge ForceFX5600 graphic solution, ZPC64 presents what a remarkable achievement can be forAthlon 64 in such a slim case. The slim PC with 64-bit computing power from AMDAthlon 64 CPU PC users are always looking for better solutions to improve theprocessing, storing, and distribution of large amounts of digital content. Theincreasing demand for performance, reliability, capability and addressablememory drove the evolution of computing architectures. The latest AMD Athlon 64with AMD64 Technology can mix and match 32- and 64-bit software, while enjoyingoutstanding performance on both.

IWILL ZPC64 is based on NVIDIA nForce 3 chipset. The combination between AMD andNVIDIA architectures ensure delivering innovative technologies for networking,storage, and system performance. Through revolutionary single-chip architecture,IWILL ZPC64 delivers maximum performance with the lowest system latency, lesspower consumption and less need for heat dissipation. It provides superiormultimedia capabilities for software for users to create reality from any kindof imaginations. The AMD64 Technology presents cinema-quality digitalentertainment, lifelike games, and powerful tools for creativity andproductivity.

Technology to solve the thermal issue in a mini PC. It let heat disappeardirectly from the bladed heat sink to the chassis and user can enjoy the highperformance from AMD Athlon.64 processor and NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600 withoutworry about the thermal. Powerful inside is not enough to IWILL ZPC64. For thedemanding multi media applications, IWILL ZPC64 supports IEEE 1394 and USB2.0 infront panel to make using digital camera and DV much easier. The DVI and TV-Outinterface offer more convenience for different displaying.

ZPC64 Key features
--Supports AMD Athlon 64 processorwith 64-bit computing architecture
--HyperTransport Technology with 1600MT/s
--NVIDIA nForce 3 MCP chipset
--Supports dual channel DDR 333 up to 2GB
--NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 GPU with memory up to 64MB
--Supports slim type CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-ROM/Combo
--Supports 2.5" Hard Disk Drive
--Supports 4 x USB2.0 (2 at front panel and 2 at rear)
--Supports 2 x IEEE 1394 (front panel)
--Supports DVI and 9-pin S Terminal TV-Out Interface
--Supports 1 x PCMCIA slot
--Dimension: 68mm x 190mm x 282mm (H x W X D)
--Net weight: 1.82KG (without CPU, RAM, HDD and CD-ROM)
--Power supply: 120W

Intel acirc;€™s Mainstream 2008 Chips acirc;€“ Still Dual-Core

Even though Intel is very bullish with revenue shipments of quad-core processors in late 2006 and their introduction in early 2007 for both servers and desktops, the company’s mainstream product line will still utilize dual-core processors. Apparently, the mobile and desktop chips that should come in early 2008 will have two processing engines.

Intel’s code-named Penryn and Wolfdale processors, which are to be manufactured using 45nm process technology, due to arrive in early 2008 will be incarnations or Merom and Conroe processors, respectively. They will only have two processing engines, which means that "wide-spread" quad-core chip era is not around the corner. On the other hand, this means that the epoch of the single-core chips comes to its end: Intel does not seem to plan more single-core central processing units.

Penryn will be a 45nm derivative of the Merom, whereas Wolfdale will be 45nm incarnation of Conroe, reports Cnet News.com. It is unclear what is different in the new chips, most likely, it is larger caches and/or higher clock-speed, however, it is known that all the four aforementioned processors are based on the micro-architecture known as Intel Core 2. It was reported earlier that Intel Corp. is planning single-chip quad-core processor Bloomsfield (both Kentsfield and Clovertown use two chip per single substrate design), which is likely to be made using 45nm process technology.

An Intel spokesperson reportedly confirmed that the Penryn and Wolfdale code-names symbolize projects that are under development, but declined to mention the details of the products other than to note that they are subject to change.

Also in 2008 Intel Corp. is set to introduce the successor of the Core and Core 2 micro-architecture along with the new processor code-named Nehalem, which should deliver architectural advantages in performance, power consumption and so on. Currently it is unclear whether Nehalem processors will have two, four or more cores. Nehalem processor will be built using 45nm production technology.

Intel Corp., the world’s largest chipmaker, for years introduced new processor micro-architectures on proven process technologies and then delivered their "shrunk" versions using thinner fabrications processes. Intel Corp. will continue to follow that strategy, however, it recently announced that micro-architectural shifts are going to happen much more frequently – every two years – compared to earlier 5-year micro-architecture cycle.