Author: matt buchanan

Samsung’s S-Series camcorders might just be the dandiest of the week: Besides built-in Wi-Fi with DLNA connectivity and touchscreens, Samsung’s promising digital zoom that doesn’t suck and a new video processor with crazy low-light performance.

The S16’s got 64GB of internal storage plus SD card; the S15’s got 32GB plus SD; and the S10 is straight up SD. Also, the S10’s lacking Wi-Fi. No price but they’re shipping later this year.

The less-good H series still rolls with the touchscreens and promises similar low-light excellence, but sans Wi-Fi.

SAMSUNG ADDS WI-FI CONNECTIVITY TO S-SERIES CAMCORDERS

New S-Series Camcorders are the World’s First to Offer Built-In Wi-Fi and DLNA Connectivity

Las Vegas, NV (January 6, 2010) – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and awardwinning innovator in consumer electronics, today introduced its new S-Series of fullHD digital camcorders, the world’s first to include built-in Wi-Fi and DLNA connectivity. Comprising three new models, the HMX-S10, HMX-S15 and HMX-S16, the new SSeries are also the highest performing full-HD camcorders in Samsung’s history. All three new camcorders incorporate Samsung’s proprietary new Victoria Engine processor and a cutting-edge 1/2.3inch BSI (Back Side Illumination) CMOS imaging sensor which combine to yield outstanding image quality and low-light performance. The HMX-S10, HMX-S15 and HMX-S16 will be on display during the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10, 2010, in the Samsung booth #11026 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“The ability to effortlessly share memories and content with others is becoming more important for consumers,” said Mr. SangRyong Kim, Senior Vice President of Camcorder Team, Samsung Electronics. “Now, for the very first time consumers can record and immediately share content with others without having to worry about fumbling for wires or cables with Samsung’s new S-Series camcorders. From the point of capture to display, the S-Series camcorders take the video recording experience to a whole new level.”

Wi-Fi & DLNA Connectivity
The new Samsung HMX-S15 and HMX-S16 are the world’s first to offer both built-in WiFi and DLNA connectivity. The HMX-S15 and HMX-S16 feature Samsung AllShare, which allows consumers to easily access, manage and share content including their full-HD videos across other DLNA certified devices. With the integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, consumers can now forego having to connect any cables to enjoy their HD video or digital still images in amazing clarity on their HDTV or computer. Consumers can also take advantage of built-in HDMI connectivity to view their content on devices that may not be DLNA certified simply by connecting to the source via an HDMI cable.

Powerful Schneider Optics and 3.5-inch Touch-Screen LCDs
Samsung’s S-Series incorporate world renowned Schneider optics. Each S-Series camcorder boasts a powerful Schneider Kreuznach Varioplan-HD lens with Samsung’s 18x IntelliZoom. Significantly more reliable than a standard digital zoom which negatively affects the quality of the image, Samsung’s new Intelli-Zoom allows users to go beyond the camcorders’ 15x optical zooms without sacrificing image quality. The S-Series’ Kreuznach Varioplan-HD lenses are also paired with Optical Stabilization to help reduce image blur and shaky video, which can be especially helpful when using the camcorders’ full optical zooms. The Samsung SSeries camcorders also enhance the user experience with large 3.5-inch wide touch-screen LCDs which house a 3D graphic user interface (GUI). The ultra-bright, swiveling, WVGA LCDs and GUI not only offer fascinating visual effects but grant users uncomplicated, intuitive and easy access to all of the camcorders’ advanced functions.

Innovative New Video Processor and CMOS Sensor
Samsung’s full-HD S-Series camcorders are highlighted by a revolutionary new BSI CMOS imaging sensor designed to absorb more light than other conventional sensors and deliver unprecedented low-light performance. The new BSI CMOS sensor is further enhanced by Samsung’s proprietary new Victoria Engine video processor designed specifically to optimize performance of HD camcorders. Samsung’s new Victoria Engine video processor offers a 3D noise reduction filter that efficiently suppresses noise while preserving details and edges resulting in crisp video and still image quality. The Victoria Engine also expands the range of color expression and improves video quality with the help of other video processing modules such as contrast, white tone and color tone enhancement. Amazingly, despite all of its advanced features, the Victoria Engine draws a minimal amount of power thanks to 45 nano chip fabrication technology, drastically extending the camcorders’ battery life to more than two hours.

Samsung’s SSD Technology
Samsung’s S-Series camcorders utilize internal Solid State Drives (SSD), which offer a substantial advantage over Hard Disk Drives (HDD) in digital camcorders. First introduced in Samsung’s full-HD H-Series camcorders, SSD technology provides consumers with better performance and greater durability than other forms of internal memory. In comparison to HDD, Samsung’s SSD technology is more lightweight and compact, operates silently with very low heat emission, and features no moving parts, which significantly reduces overall power consumption and enhances reliability. The absence of moving parts makes SSD technology more durable and resistant to shock and vibrations, which pose a considerable threat to the performance of HDDbased digital camcorders. Additionally, Samsung’s SSD technology is faster than HDD, including quicker boot-up and read/write speeds which is required for the amount of data recorded in fullHD resolution. Samsung’s HMX-S16 offers an internal 64GB SSD while the HMXS15 offers an internal 32GB SSD. Both camcorders also allow consumers to expand memory capacity using an SD/SDHC memory card. The HMXS10 does not feature internal SSD memory and requires the use of a SD/SDHC memory card.

Unique Features
The S-Series camcorders offer a variety of unique features such as a flash to help capture 10 mega-pixel digital still images, storyboard printing and the ability to shoot in superslow motion with speeds of 300 fps at a resolution of 368×208 and 600 fps at a resolution of 192×112. The SSeries camcorders also are equipped with high-definition time lapse recording, which gives consumers the ability to truly experiment with their creativity. When shooting in the time lapse recording mode, the camcorder will record a single image at an interval pre-selected by the user, either one, three, five, 10, 15, or 30 seconds, and will save each image as one single movie file.

SAMSUNG INTRODUCES FOUR NEW H-SERIES FULL-HD CAMCORDERS

New H-Series Camcorders Deliver Advanced Features and Competitive Pricing

Las Vegas, NV (January 6, 2010) – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and awardwinning innovator in consumer electronics, today introduced four new full-HD digital camcorders, the HMX-H200, HMX-203, HMX-H204 and HMX-H205. Each of these new camcorders boasts an impressive list of advanced features, offering unparalleled value to consumers looking to experience high-quality, full-HD video recording at a competitive price. The HMX-H200, HMX-203, HMX-H204 and HMX-H205 will be on display during the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10, 2010, in the Samsung booth #11026 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“Consumers want the ability to capture family events – birthday parties, football games, graduations, and more – with the utmost detail and clarity, but full-HD video recording has come at a price premium in the past,” said Mr. SangRyong Kim, Senior Vice President of Camcorder Team, Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s H-Series camcorders give consumers the ability to capture life in full-HD with a wealth of functionality, features, and performance, all at an affordable price.”
All four new H-Series camcorders feature Samsung’s revolutionary new BSI CMOS imaging sensor. Designed to absorb more light than other conventional sensors and deliver unprecedented low-light performance, the BSI CMOS sensor sets new standards for performance and image quality, particularly among entry-level camcorders.
Solid State Drives
Samsung’s new H-Series camcorders offer high-performance internal memory that utilizes Samsung’s Solid State Drives (SSD), which offer a substantial advantage over the use of Hard Disk Drives (HDD) in a digital camcorder. SSD technology provides consumers with higher performing and more durable internal memory. In comparison to HDD, Samsung’s SSD technology is more lightweight and compact, operates silently with very low heat emission, and features no moving parts, which significantly reduces overall power consumption and enhances reliability. The lower power consumption of the H-Series’ SSD technology translates into an impressive battery life of approximately two hours.
No moving parts also make SSD technology more durable and resistant to shock and vibrations, which pose a considerable threat to the performance of HDD based digital camcorders. Additionally, Samsung’s SSD technology is faster than HDD, including quicker bootup and read/write speeds which are required for the amount of data recorded in full-HD resolution. The internal SSD configurations available on Samsung’s new H-Series full-HD camcorders include a 32GB SSD in the HMX-H205, a 16GB SSD in the HMX-H204, and an 8GB SSD in the HMX-H203. Each camcorder’s memory capacity can also be expanded using an SD/SDHC memory card. The HMXH200 does not feature internal SSD memory and requires the use of a SD/SDHC memory card.

Powerful Optics and Touch-Screen LCD
Samsung’s new H-Series full-HD camcorders feature an impressive 37mm wideangle lens, which offers consumers a versatile 20x optical zoom. Unlike other camcorders offering a typical angle of view of 40~50mm, the H-Series’ 37mm wide-angle Samsung lens allows users to fit more of their desired scene into the frame, making the camcorder ideal for recording large groups of family or friends, breathtaking landscapes or even capturing all the action at sporting events.
The H-Series’ lenses are further enhanced with Optical Image Stabilization to help reduce image blur and shaky video, which can be especially helpful when using the camcorders’ full optical zooms. Samsung’s Smart Optical Image Stabilization is superior to image stabilizing technologies found in other camcorders, as it reduces shake and blur across a wider portion of the image frame and produces higher quality images as a result. A 2.7-inch wide, swiveling, touch-screen LCD boasts a 230K-pixel resolution and adds to the user experience by giving consumers uncomplicated and easy access to all of the camcorders’ various controls and settings.

Unique Features
The new HMX-H205, HMX-H204, HMX-H203 and HMX-H200 are also loaded with a range of unique features such as the ability to capture high-quality 4.7 mega-pixel digital still images, Smart Auto mode, which automatically selects the appropriate scene mode which will produce the best results possible for the user’s shooting scenario, as well as time lapse recording, an innovative setting which will give end-users the ability to take their creativity to a whole new level. When using the camcorders’ time lapse mode, consumers can program the new H-Series camcorders to record a single image at intervals of one, three or five seconds, and then save each image as one single movie file (720p resolution).

Interesting factoid from the Samsung CES presser: Samsung is dominating LED TVs. They claim 80 percent marketshare in the US. Though with everybody selling them now, and for cheaper, that could change quick. [Samsung @ Giz]

The one thing Samsung’s F-Series have going for them? Zoom. So much zoom. Not just 52x of optical zoom, but to 65x with Intelli-zoom, which is apparently better than regular digital zoom, thanks to “oversized” image sensors.

SAMSUNG ALLOWS USERS TO CAPTURE DIVERSE IMAGES WITH NEW ULTRAZOOM CAMCORDERS

New SMX-F40, SMX-F43, and SMX-F44 Offer Extended Battery Life and 65x Intelli-Zoom

Las Vegas, NV (January 6, 2010) – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and awardwinning innovator in consumer electronics, today extended its popular F-Series of compact digital camcorders with the addition of three new ultra-zoom, YouTube™ compatible models, the SMX-F40, SMX-F43, and SMX-F44. Building on the success of the company’s highlypopular SMXF34 camcorder, the next-generation F-Series offers users additional features and functionality, including extended battery life and Samsung’s 65x IntelliZoom. With the new Samsung SMX-F40, SMX-F43 and SMX-F44, consumers will be able to go the distance and never miss a moment of the action. The SMX-F40, SMX-F43 and SMX-F44 will be on display during the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10, 2010, in the Samsung booth #11026 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“In designing the new models in the F-Series of camcorders, we started by taking everything that was great about their predecessors and making it even better,” said Mr. SangRyong Kim, Senior Vice President of Camcorder Team, Samsung Electronics. “We then went on to add a host of new features and functionalities that make the camcorders even more intuitive and easy to use. The F-Series can truly be used by anyone, anywhere and at any time.”

Capture Every Moment of the Action
Preserving every special memory is easy, thanks to the extended battery life and built-in memory of the SMX-F43 and SMX-F44. The camcorders provide users with over four hours and 10 minutes of battery life on a single charge. When combined with the use of H.264 compression, consumers can store up to six hours and 20 minutes of video per every 16GB of internal memory.

Impressive Video Quality
Showcasing further innovation, Samsung’s three new F-Series camcorders offer an incredible 65x Intelli-Zoom lens (52x optical zoom), which allows users to bring distant images into focus and zoom closer to the action from further away. Samsung’s Intelli-Zoom is significantly more reliable than a standard digital zoom, allowing users to go beyond the camcorders’ 52x optical zooms without sacrificing image quality. The F-Series camcorders also provide enhanced image quality, thanks to their high-performance 1/6″ CCD sensors. These over-sized sensors set the SMX-F40, SMX-F43, and SMX-F44 apart from other camcorders in their class and enable users to enjoy higher-quality video.

Smart Features for Shooting, Editing, and Sharing
The SMX-F40, SMX-F43 and SMX-F44 come equipped with Samsung’s play-edit-sharing program called intellistudio 2.0. The on-board intelli-studio software provides unprecedented freedom and flexibility, allowing users to view, edit and upload content to the web from any PC anywhere in the world. Connecting to a computer via the supplied USB cable not only enables users to edit and play a video without having to install supporting software, but also automatically charges the camcorder as well. The built-in intelli-studio software also helps simplify the way users upload and share their footage using today’s popular video sharing and social networking web sites.
Users can be confident that their videos won’t be washed out, too dark or out of focus with the help of the F-Series camcorders’ Smart Auto feature. Smart Auto analyzes key elements of a scene’s composition such as color, brightness, motion and subject and then automatically selects the appropriate scene mode which will produce the best results possible. The SMX-F40, SMX-F43 and SMX-F44 offer eight different scene modes including night, white, indoor, macro, landscape, portrait, night portrait, and auto. Samsung’s three new F-Series camcorders also come equipped with face detection which automatically recognizes up to five faces and adjusts settings to ensure that each is properly within focus.
Samsung also enhances the video recording experience for end-users thanks to unique features such as time lapse recording and animated thumbnails. Time lapse recording allows users to program the camcorder to record at a pre-set interval of one image every one, three, five, 10, 15 or 30 seconds. Time lapse recording is especially useful for condensing extremely long events, such as rolling clouds on a sunny day, into a short, easyto-view video.
Samsung’s animated thumbnail feature simplifies the way users search for video clips on the SMX-F40, SMX-F43 and SMX-F44. Each video clip saved on the camcorder is represented by a small thumbnail on the LCD screen. When scrolling through one’s videos, each thumbnail will provide a short playback of the video file when highlighted by the user allowing them to quickly preview each clip without having to view the entire shot.
The F-Series camcorders also feature a dedicated Photo mode which allows consumers to use the camcorder as a digital camera, snapping 1.9 mega-pixel still images with 1600×1200 resolution.

AT&T’s still rolling with Palm, eventually, along with Android. Is that what Palm’s announcing tomorrow? AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega says they’re going to have two webOS phones—revamped Pre and Pixi?

Look at all those apps people are downloading. On our network. Man, so many apps! Okay, I’ll let AT&T’s very orange PowerPoint tell the story.

You would think AT&T’s an app company, not a phone company. Well, I guess that’s sort of the case. Though, I’d sure like a phone company sometimes.

Aaaaaaaaaaapppppppppppsssssssssss.

AT&T’s first Android phones are official. A set of five from Motorola, Dell and HTC.

• A Motorola smartphone, powered by MOTOBLUR, with a unique form factor and an AT&T exclusive
• Dell’s first smartphone, based on the Android platform and an AT&T exclusive
• A HTC smartphone, based on the Android platform, and an AT&T exclusive

Motorola’s is up top, which is gonna be a MotoBlur phone. It’ll be first out the gate, apparently. HTC’s phones, plural, are going to be revealed later, not today, though they’re all coming out in the first half of this year, so within the next couple of months. Dell’s is going to be the Mini 3, which is also a new class of phone, a “nice phone”:

This was inevitable. But the real question, after yesterday’s Nexus One event: Will they be superphones? [ AT&T, AT&T]

This very large Nexus One is now sitting Google’s lobby, and you won’t guess what it’s running behind the screen.

The big phone is the exact same specs as the original CAD model, just 12 times bigger, with a 1920×1080 46-inch LED-backlit display. And the heart of this giant Nexus One? A Mac mini running Windows, connected via HDMI. Just let that sink in for a second.

I kind of want to go to sleep on it. [SearchEngineLand via BoingBoing]

The one surprise left, besides the price, for the Boxee Box: A full keyboard on the back of the remote, so you don’t have to deal with onscreen keyboard. Crucial, frankly, to get the most out of it.

Also, we’ve got a full list of all the formats and codecs it supports, which are the same as the software running on any other computer—so yeah, MKV, Dvix, the works. We still have to wait to see what “under $200” means exactly—though given how crowded the media streaming box field is, lower would be better.

D-LINK DEBUTS BOXEE BOX AT CES 2010, DIRECTLY LINKING INTERNET ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES TO TVS EVERYWHERE

Networking pioneer and popular entertainment software
create the best way to get the free entertainment the Internet has to offer with no monthly fee

LAS VEGAS, Booth 36232, South Hall, LVCC, Jan. 5, 2010 – D-Link made lots of geeks and early adopters happy today by introducing the revolutionary Boxee Box by D-Link, winner of the CES Best of Innovations award in the Home Entertainment category.

The Boxee Box by D-Link reinterprets what TV should be. The Boxee Box delivers movies, TV shows, music, and photos from a user’s computer, home network, and the Internet to their HDTV with no PC needed. Additionally, Boxee’s core social features make it easy for friends to discover new content from each other through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and more.

Internet Entertainment
Boxee is a popular PC, Mac, and Linux software program that lets users watch hundreds of thousands of popular TV shows and movies. Instead of sifting through millions of confusing Web sites, when users search on Boxee, TV shows and movies are delivered to them with the click of a remote control. Nearly a million Internet users around the world have already downloaded Boxee to enjoy their online entertainment.

The Boxee Box by D-Link takes the same popular software and offers it up as a great device — the perfect companion to a high definition TV. The Boxee Box by D-Link provides access to more than just traditional TV content. It includes a huge library that spans the Internet, such as university courses, panel discussions, academic lectures, presentations, web-only videos and more from TED, Stanford, FORA.tv, Kid Mango, Next New Networks and others. Boxee also makes it easy for users to add their own favorite entertainment sources with simple RSS or XML feeds available for most online video.

In addition to video content, Boxee users can access great music from sites like Pandora, last.fm, shoutcast, and We are Hunted as well as stunning photos from sites like flickr, Picasa and Facebook.

Personal Entertainment
For entertainment lovers who have built their own collections of digital media stored on their computer hard drive or home network, Boxee automatically identifies their content and downloads relevant cover art, synopses, reviews, subtitles, lyrics and more. This feature turns boring files and folders into beautiful media libraries that make it simple and appealing to navigate a collection of favorite movies, TV shows, and playlists with a simple remote. Furthermore, the Boxee Box by D-Link has extensive format support (see below) which ensures that when users hit the play button, they get instant gratification, with no need to download codecs or drivers. Also, with built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi support, it can transfer files without delay and from longer distances within a user’s home.

Social Features
The Boxee Box by D-Link keeps people connected with social features to help users discover new content from friends, experts, and tastemakers.

The first step to discovery is sharing, and Boxee makes this easy by letting people recommend any playing content to friends. Additionally Boxee automatically uses recommendations from a user’s Twitter and Facebook friends so they can find new content and instantly enjoy it on the big screen. Since anyone can build on top of Boxee’s open App platform, users can craft their own truly custom experience by creating or downloading plug-ins, add-ons, games, and more.

“We are pleased to partner with Boxee and to be the first with such a ground-breaking device,” said Nick Tidd, vice president of sales of D-Link Pan America and vice president of marketing for D-Link North America. “This powerful device with its unique form factor truly leverages Boxee’s service and is the best way for consumers to quickly access the growing volume of Internet content, organize it and stream it to their TVs and home entertainment centers.”

“D-Link’s successful track record in bringing to market, award-winning digital home networking products, and its global marketing, distribution and channel sales capabilities made them a great fit for our first hardware vendor.” stated Andrew Kippen, vice president of marketing for Boxee, “The Boxee Box by D-Link gives consumers what they want – an easy way to watch Internet or personal entertainment in their living rooms with a simple set-top box that costs under $200 and has no monthly fees.”

The Boxee Box by D-Link is scheduled to ship in the first half of 2010 through the company’s vast network of retail and e-tail outlets, and at D-Link’s online store, www.dlinkshop.com.
Supported Codecs & Formats
Boxee can be used to play/view practically all common multimedia formats, including:

VIDEO:
Adobe Flash 10.1
H.264  (MKV, MOV)
VC-1
WMV
MPEG-1
MPEG-2
MPEG-4
AVI
Xvid
Divx  
PCM/LPCM
VOB

AUDIO:
MP3
WMA
WAV
AIFF
FLAC
AAC
DTS
Dolby Digital
Ogg Vorbis

PHOTO:
JPEG
TIFF
BMP
PNG

[D-Link]

The Nexus One, the Google Phone, is really here. And everything you need to know about it? Right here.

What Is It?

It’s the latest, maybe greatest, Android phone. Google calls it a “superphone” that’s an “exemplar” of what you can do with Android. It was designed by Google and HTC, who designed the G1 and the Ion.

How Much Does It Cost and Where/When Can I Buy It?

At Google’s new web store, where you can shop for Android phones and do live demos of them over the internets to see if you like it. You need a regular Google account and a Google Checkout one to actually buy the phone.

You can buy it today on T-Mobile for $180 with a new 2-year contract. Or you can buy it unlocked, without any service, for $530. Shipping’s free.

Also, from the official pricing FAQ, if you’re an existing T-Mobile customer, who’s adding a data plan, it’ll run you $279. If you’re upgrading a data plan, it’s $379.

The standard plan T-Mobile is offering for $80 a month includes 500 voice minutes, unlimited messaging (SMS and MMS) and unlimited internet.

UPDATE: Reader Ryan points out that if you buy an unlocked Nexus One, you should be able to sign up for a non-contract “Even More Plus” plan from T-Mobile. This offers the same 500 voice minutes, unlimited messaging and unlimited internet as the above contract plan, saving you about $150 in the 24 month long haul.

Oh, and you can get it custom engraved.

It’s Coming to Verizon in a Few Months

Verizon’s getting it in 2010, though we don’t know for how much yet. (Probably $200.)

The web store is launching today in the US, and will be shipping to test markets: UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Nexus One is just the first phone Google’s selling with this new model, with more phones, operators and countries coming in the future.

Will It Work on AT&T?

Yes, but you won’t get 3G, because it only supports the bands for T-Mobile’s 3G in the US: UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).

What’s Inside?

A really fast 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, with a 3.7-inch, 480×800 AMOLED screen. The camera’s 5 megapixels with an LED flash—it also shoots MPEG-4 video with one-click YouTube upload, which should be quick over its wireless N Wi-Fi. The trackball’s got a multicolor LED for different notifications, and of course it’s got a compass, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, two mics for “active noise suppression,” light and proximity sensors, and an accelerometer onboard. It’s got a 1400mAH battery, from which they promise 5 hours of 3G browsing and 7 hours of 3G talk time. Oh, it’s skinnier than a #2 pencil.

And did we mention Android 2.1? And Flash 10.1?

What’s Android 2.1?

It’s basically a much sexier, more polished Android 2.0, which is on the Droid. We’ve got a visual guide to Android 2.1, but some highlights: You have things like five screens for homescreen panels and Live Wallpapers, which are basically backgrounds you can interact with. There’s a revamped 3D photogallery, which pulls visual tricks like having photos zoom out when you tap an album, and load on a 3D plane when you move the phone around. And, galleries are now background-synced to Picasa.

Voice is even huger: Every text field is voice enabled, so you basically never have to type anything. Voice might turn out to be the biggest thing in Android 2.1, actually. Well, besides the fact you’ll soon be able to install apps to the SD card, at last freeing Android of the internal ROM app limit.

There’s also a new 3D framework that lets it do those fancy things like those interactive backgrounds, a new whizbang 3D photogallery app, and a refreshed, zoomier app launcher. And, we’d guess, better graphics in games. Explains a lot of the zippier, lag-free performance we noticed in our hands on, too.

Is There Multitouch in Google Apps, Since There’s No Keyboard?

No.

What’s It Like?

Like this: “If you want Android phones, this is the one to get.”

Android 2.0 is very much looking like it was just a beta for Android 2.1, which seems, quite frankly, awesome. Let’s take a look at everything it has to offer.

A few non-visual things to know about Android 2.1. Everybody will get access to it when it goes open source in a few days (hurray!). There’s still no multitouch in Google apps. But! The internal storage limit on applications will be going away soon with an upgrade Google mentioned.

It’s on the Nexus One, which Google’s selling right now, first.

The big question: Will your Android phone get it? The official response is that they intend to upgrade every device to the best software version they can support. Not all phones and chips can support all software revisions, like not all old computers can run Windows Vista or Windows 7.

We know every phone that was slated to get Android 2.0, like the HTC Hero, is going direct to 2.1, though.

Nvidia’s teasing a new notebook tech called Optimus that “get[s] the performance of discrete graphics from a notebook while still delivering great battery life.” Which could solve the mystery of the next MacBook guts.

A brief recap: Intel’s new Arrandale Core i5 processors for notebooks have integrated graphics built right into the chip, but they suck, and Nvidia’s chipsets with superior integrated graphics, like the current MacBooks have, are incompatible with all of Intel’s new chips. So if refreshed MacBooks were to use Intel’s integrated graphics, they’d have worse graphics than the current models.

The top-end MacBook Pros have switchable graphics and have had them since the unibody debuted—integrated GeForce 9400M to save battery life, discrete GeForce 9600 GT for more power. Nvidia’s Optimus, if it’s good, seems to open a door for Apple to use straight-up discrete graphics, like older MacBook Pros (and even PowerBooks), without seriously harming the massive battery life that’s a big part of the current MacBook Pros—maintaining graphics performance and battery life without some kind of custom hardware arrangement.

And it wouldn’t be the first time Nvidia’s debuted new tech with Apple, since that was exactly the case with the GeForce 9400M chipset/graphics that’s in almost all of Apple’s current machines, which you might also know as Ion, Nvidia’s better-graphics-for-netbooks chip.

My guess is that it’s simply scalable performance, trading off battery and performance as efficiently as possible. Guess we’ll see, and know more, in about a month, according to Nvidia. [Nvidia]

The Vizio TV I’m most interested in: Their 58-inch 21×9 Cinema Wide TV with a resolution of 2560×1080. Like their other XVT sets, it’s got wireless HDMI and built-in Wi-Fi, though is only 120Hz. No price or hard ship date.

58″ Cinema Wide Display
Taking a major step forward in enabling viewers to experience a fully immersive widescreen film experience without a separate projector and screen, VIZIO’s first Cinema Wide Display, the XVTPRO580CD offers the ultimate experience for the movie enthusiast. This 58″ Razor LED display has a 21×9 aspect ratio, with an incredible resolution of 2560 x 1080p, allowing consumers to view 2.35:1 “Scope” aspect ratio films using the entire display area, with no loss of resolution and no black bars. With 1 million to 1 Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio™, Smart Dimming™, and 120 Hz with Smooth Motion technology, the XVTPRO580CD delivers brilliant details and rich colors to bring the cinematic experience into the home.

Its striking wide appearance is further enhanced by its brushed aluminum chassis. The Cinema Wide Display also includes VIA, built-in wireless (802.11n dual-band) or wired networking, and a Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard. It is expected to ship later this year.

[Vizio]

Vizio’s flagship XVT Pro 3D HDTVs way undercut the top-o-the-line LED TVs from the other guys: 480Hz, wireless HDMI, Wi-Fi, local-dimming LED backlight and 3D. The 72 inch set goes for $3500, cheaper than the 46-inchers from Sony or Samsung.

The 55-incher set is $2500, and and the 47-inch TV is $2000. The main diff between them is that the 72-inch has more zones for local dimming—480 to 120 and 180 in the smaller sets—and the smaller sets have an anti-reflective coating. They’re all out in August.

LAS VEGAS, NV (CES) and IRVINE, CA – January 05, 2010 — VIZIO, America’s #1 LCD HDTV Company, has unveiled their new high-performance XVT Pro Series of 480Hz SPS™ 16×9 TruLED™ Full HD3D™HDTVs available in 72″, 55″ and 47″ sizes, as well as a 58″ Cinema Wide HDTV that displays content in 21 x 9 aspect ratio. The 480Hz SPS™ 16×9 TruLED™ Full HD3D™HDTVs incorporate the very latest in advanced HDTV technology with 480Hz SPS™, TruLED™ brilliant LEDs that pervade the entire screen, Smart Dimming™ circuitry controls hundreds of zones of LEDs per screen to the precise light level per picture frame. In addition, the set’s Full HD3D™delivers stunning 3D images in FULL HD 1080p resolution, with other advanced features like VIZIO INTERNET APPS™ (VIA) built-in high definition wireless (802.11n dual-band) and wired networking, a Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard, and Wireless HDMI which allows the TV to receive HD video and audio from sources without an HDMI cable.

“Our 2010 XVT Pro series offers a refreshing combination of the latest technology like 480Hz SPS™ TruLED™ coupled with must-have features like immersive FULL HD3D™ experience and VIZIO INTERNET APPS (with built in wireless networking) and wireless HDMI and Bluetooth capabilities. We at VIZIO are setting new standards for picture quality and user experience,” said Laynie Newsome, VIZIO Co-Founder and VP Sales and Marketing Communications. “50% of consumers want a 3D home theater, according to Quixel Research, and our new XVT Pro Series brings the latest technology to consumers who want the absolute BEST in class.”

Defining state of the art performance, these VIZIO 72″, 55″ and 47″ Full HD3D™ TVs advance refresh rates to 480Hz SPS™ with VIZIO’s Smooth Motion™ technology. Their TruLED™ brilliant LEDs pervade the entire display (Under 3″ profile) and have Smart Dimming™ circuitry that controls hundreds of zones of LEDs per screen to the precise light level per picture frame in 480, 120 and 160 zones, respectively. The XVT Pro series offers an incredible 10 million to 1 Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio™ for extraordinary picture quality that delivers incredible color, and even brighter whites and deeper blacks than ever before while displaying 1.7 Billion Colors using a 10-Bit data input panel.

For environments with bright ambient lighting, the 55″ and 47″ models feature a unique anti-reflective panel that produces better contrast with rich and deep blacks even in brightly lit rooms.

FULL HD3D™
Utilizing SENSIO® 3D technology to deliver 3D content over conventional 2D infrastructure, the new VIZIO XVT Pro Full HD3D TVs display stunning 3D content that the user can view with XpanD active-shutter glasses (sold separately). Unlike other 3D TVs that use passive stereoscopic imaging, VIZIO’s Full HD3D TVs can display full 1080p video to each eye by rapidly alternating between the left-eye and right-eye images within the same visual space. The special active-shutter glasses, which communicate with the television over Bluetooth, then transform each lens from opaque to transparent in perfect synchronization with the images displayed on the TV, which allows for delivery of the full frame rate capable by the television for the ultimate 3D HDTV viewing experience.

These sets can produce 3D images from SENSIO encoded material on conventional DVD and Blu-ray players, as well as from future distribution channels such as pay per view, video on demand, DTV and HDTV broadcasts.

“We are pleased to be working closely with VIZIO and be a part of the creation of a substantial install-base of consumers ready to watch 3D movies, live concerts, and sporting events from the comfort of their home,” states Nicholas Routhier, President and Chief Executive Officer of SENSIO Technologies.

“We are excited to partner with VIZIO as catalysts in the 3D revolution for the home,” said Maria Costeira, CEO of XpanD. “The combination of XpanD Cinema active-shutter glasses and Vizio displays will provide an immersive, dynamic and cost-effective solution for VIZIO XVT Pro owners.”

Wireless HDMI
Eliminating the need for an HDMI cable from source components to the display, the 72″, 55″ and 47″ XVT Pro Series have an integrated Wireless HDMI receiver built-in, using SiBEAM’s robust 60 GHz technology to receive HD content from high definition sources such as Blu-ray players or set-top boxes with full HD 1080p resolution when paired with a separately available VIZIO XVT Pro Wireless HDMI Adapter. The XVT Pro Adapter supports up to 4 HDMI sources and operates at 60GHz to avoid interference with other wireless devices in the home like cordless telephones and wireless networks that operate at 2.4 and 5 GHz.

SRS StudioSound HD
VIZIO XVT Pro TVs will feature SRS StudioSound HD – the ultimate all-in-one audio suite designed specifically for Flat Panel TVs. Years of excellence in audio, practical experience and patented technologies allow StudioSound HD to deliver the most immersive and natural surround sound ever using built-in TV speakers. The suite also delivers remarkably crisp and clear dialog, rich bass, an elevated sound stage and consistent, spike-free volume levels. StudioSound HD features optimized audio presets for movies, news, sports and music while also providing a built-in EQ toolset for peak audio performance.

VIZIO INTERNET APPS™ (VIA)
All of the XVT Pro sets feature the VIZIO INTERNET APPS™ (VIA) Connected HDTV platform, delivering unprecedented choice and control of web-based content directly to the television without the need of a PC or set-top box. Able to connect to the Internet using the built-in high definition wireless (802.11n dual-band) or a wired connection, accessing on demand movies, TV episodes, music and other online content is easy, using the included Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard that makes thumb-typing easy.

[Vizio]

Canon’s Vixia HF S21 is their camcorder Cadillac. Just look: 3.5-inch touchscreen, dual SD card slots, face detection from the PowerShot series, and image stabilization with glass from Canon’s high-end binoculars.

It’s got 64GB + SD card storage; the S20 is 32GB and the S200 is card storage only, for $1400, $1200, and $1000, respectively.

Down range is the smaller HFM series, which smaller, with a 2.7-inch touchscreen. Autofocus on both series works like you’d expect: touch the screen to focus. The HF M31 is $800 w/ 32GB storage + SD card; the M30 has 8GB + card storage, and the M300 is just card storage, for $680.

Last is the first ever Vixia camcorder under a thousand bucks: The entry-level R series doesn’t have a touchscreen, or a bunch of other features in the pricier models (except smart auto), and it starts at $500 w/ no on-board storage, going up to $550 for 8GB internal, and $690 for 32GB.

Lake Success, N.Y., January 5, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc, a leader in digital imaging technology, today announced an exciting new line of nine VIXIA High Definition flash memory camcorders. The 2010 high-definition lineup includes Canon’s flagship VIXIA HF S-series, the compact VIXIA HF M-series and a new entry-level VIXIA HF R-series. Some new features enhancing Canon’s 2010 lineup include a new Touch Panel LCD with an advanced tracking feature helping keep any subject – such as people, pets, or cars – in focus and properly exposed, even in a busy scene. Canon’s new VIXIA lineup also includes an enhancement to its image stabilization system and an all-new HD-to-SD Downconversion feature allowing video to be easily uploaded to the web or burned onto DVDs. Select 2010 VIXIA camcorders are compatible with Eye-fi SD Memory Cards, allowing for wireless uploading of video content to a computer or favorite video sharing site via the Eye-fi card’s wireless capabilities.

“Canon’s new 2010 VIXIA Flash Memory camcorders deliver superior high-definition image quality in a compact, lightweight design and offer a host of new features to make capturing and sharing video easier than ever before,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

All of the new 2010 VIXIA High Definition camcorders retain Canon’s proprietary imaging technologies – a Genuine Canon HD Video Lens, HD CMOS Image Sensor and DIGIC DV III Image Processor. The Canon Full HD CMOS Image Sensor and DIGIC DV III Image Processor have been further improved to reduce noise under low-light conditions and enhanced to deliver more faithful reproduction of purple and blue tones – for both video and photos. All of these proprietary technologies combine together to produce Full HD video that is stunningly lifelike with astonishing detail and clarity.

New Advanced Features:
# Smart Auto: The Smart Auto mode makes shooting great video even easier by utilizing Canon’s DIGIC DV III Image Processor to intelligently detect and analyze brightness, color, distance and movement and automatically select the best setting for the scene being recorded.
# Touch & Track: Canon’s new Touch & Track technology enables users to select a subject on the Touch Panel LCD that the camcorder will then recognize and track. This sophisticated technology recognizes faces, objects, even animals, ensuring that your subject will always be in focus and properly exposed.
# Relay Recording: Relay Recording allows users to capture uninterrupted video when the primary recording media is full. The camcorder will continue to record a scene by switching from one memory source to the other as it fills up, so that you won’t miss a moment of action.
# Powered IS: In addition to Canon’s Dynamic SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization, Powered IS provides an even higher level of compensation for subtle hand movement at the telephoto end of the zoom range. This new enhancement can be engaged by pressing the Powered IS button on the LCD panel.
# HD-to-SD Downconversion: A new HD-to-SD Downconversion feature enables users to convert recorded high-definition video to standard-definition files while preserving the original HD video. These standard-definition files make it even more convenient to share video online or create a DVD.
# Advanced Video Snapshot: Advanced Video Snapshot mode has been upgraded to provide the flexibility of capturing 2, 4, or 8 second video clips while recording or during playback.

VIXIA HF S-series:
The Canon VIXIA HF S21*/**, VIXIA HF S20*/** and VIXIA HF S200*/** Flash Memory camcorders are Canon’s premiere camcorders with professional and easy-to-use features to allow anyone to capture outstanding HD video quality. The VIXIA HF S-series comes equipped with varying levels of internal flash memory and all feature two SD card slots for maximum storage capacity and easy video transfer. The VIXIA HF S21 and VIXIA HF S20 camcorders incorporate 64GB and 32GB of internal flash memory, respectively, and the VIXIA HF S200 records video directly to removable SD memory cards. Recording Full 1920 x 1080 HD video, these camcorders feature a Genuine Canon 10x HD Video Lens and a Canon 1/2.6-inch, 8.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor for stunning video and outstanding photos up to 8.0 megapixels. All three models in the VIXIA HF S-series include Canon’s new 3.5-inch High Resolution (922,000-dot) Touch Panel LCD screen for a large, bright display and easy menu navigation, including Touch & Track technology. All of the models in this series also feature Canon’s Smart Auto, Relay Recording, Powered IS, HD-to-SD Downconversion, and Advanced Video Snapshot.

In addition, the VIXIA HF S-Series includes a host of professional features such as a built-in LANC terminal, and Native 24p (AVCHD) recording. For shooting outside on a sunny day, the VIXIA HF S21 includes a viewfinder which offers a reliable viewing environment when shooting in bright outdoor conditions. The VIXIA HF S21, VIXIA HF S20 and VIXIA HF S200 Flash Memory camcorders are scheduled to be available in April, and will have an estimated retail price of $1399.99, $1099.99 and $999.99 respectively.

VIXIA HF M-series:
The Canon VIXIA HF M31*/**, VIXIA HF M30*/** and VIXIA HF M300*/** Flash Memory camcorders offer consumers stunning HD video in an ultra-sleek, compact and lightweight body. The VIXIA HF M31 and VIXIA HF M30 incorporate 32GB and 8GB of internal flash memory, respectively, and the VIXIA HF M300 records video directly to an SD memory card. Recording Full 1920 x 1080 HD video, these camcorders include a Genuine Canon 15x HD Video Lens, a 2.7-inch Touch Panel LCD with Touch & Track technology, Smart Auto, Powered IS and Advanced Video Snapshot. In addition, the VIXIA HF M31 and VIXIA HF M30 models both include Canon’s Relay Recording and HD-to-SD Downconversion. The VIXIA HF M31, VIXIA HF M30 and VIXIA HF M300 Flash Memory camcorders are scheduled to be available in April for an estimated retail price of $799.99, $699.99 and $679.99 respectively.

VIXIA HF R-series
The Canon VIXIA HF R11*/**, VIXIA HF R10*/** and VIXIA HF R100*/** Flash Memory camcorders are perfect for the budget-conscious consumer who wants Full 1920 x 1080 HD video. The VIXIA HF R11 and VIXIA HF R10 models incorporate 32GB and 8GB of internal flash memory, respectively, and the VIXIA HF R10 records directly to an SD memory card. All three models also include a Genuine Canon 20x HD Video Lens, Dynamic IS, Smart Auto and Advanced Video Snapshot. Both the VIXIA HF R11 and VIXIA HF R10 feature Canon’s Relay Recording and HD-to-SD Downconversion. Additionally the VIXIA HF R10 will be available in three stylish colors, black, red, and silver. The VIXIA HF R31, VIXIA HF R30 and VIXIA HF R300 Flash Memory camcorders will be available in March for an estimated retail price of $699.99, $549.99 and $499.99 respectively.

FS series:
In addition to the new VIXIA High Definition lineup, Canon is also introducing two standard-definition camcorders, the FS31*/**, and FS300*/** Flash Memory camcorders. The Canon FS31 model records to 16GB of internal flash memory, while the FS300 records video directly to an SD memory card. Wrapped in a small and attractive package, the FS-series offers 41x Advanced Zoom to help capture great video even at extreme telephoto distances, as well as Dynamic IS. In addition, the Canon FS300 will be available in three fashionable colors, silver, red, and blue. The Canon FS31 and FS300 Flash Memory camcorders are available in March for an estimated retail price of $349.99 and $299.99 respectively

It’s just a calculator. But a very nice one, designed by Canon’s camera group, and it uses recycled PowerShot lenses for the glass elements. It’s thirty dollars.

Lake Success, N.Y., January 5, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the addition of the X Mark I calculator to its lineup of environmentally conscious calculators incorporating recycled materials into critical structural components. Advancing Canon’s commitment to a sustainable environment, the display panel of the X Mark I is made from Canon Digital Camera Prism Preconsumer recycled material.

Designed with the Canon Inc. Camera division’s input, the new calculator incorporates similar curves and designs as the award-winning PowerShot Digital cameras. In addition, the 100-percent solar-powered X Mark I helps reduce waste while combining sophisticated styling and ease-of-use. The calculator has an increased memory capacity and important functions such as Cost-Sell-Margin, Grand Total, Sign Change and Backspace Key. Perfect for use at home or in the office, this slim, compact calculator has comfortable, low-profile durable keys for smooth and silent operation.

Available in two colors, black and white, the suggested retail price of the The X Mark I is $29.99.

Canon’s absolute cheapest cameras get smarter flash exposure for less crappy flash shots, move up to 12 and 10 megapixels, and use Li-ion rechargeables instead of alkaline for the first time.

The A3100 and A3000 push out the older A1100. The A3100’s goes to 12MP, while the latter’s 10MP, going for $180 and $150, respectively. The wretchedly low-end A490 and A495 are still using alkaline batts, and have the same 10MP sensor as the A3000, but are even more feature-stripped for $110 and $130, respectively.

Lake Success, N.Y., January 5, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today unveiled four new PowerShot A-Series digital cameras offering entry-level consumers the opportunity to step-up their shooting experience with exciting new creative effects. In addition, for the first time, Canon offers a new rechargeable lithium-ion battery in two A-Series models, extending the battery lives of the cameras. The A-Series lineup, comprised of the PowerShot A3100 IS, A3000 IS, A495 and A490 Digital cameras, offer consumers enhanced photo-taking capabilities through an array of creative modes to help shape one’s personal photographic style.

“With the introduction of the new PowerShot A-Series cameras, Canon brings a new aesthetic design to our entry-level line and new features that enhance the camera’s overall performance and functionality,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “The new creative modes are designed to offer consumers the ability to customize their captured images and add personalization to the time-honored art of photography.”

Creativity at its Best:
Whether creating a holiday card to share with friends and family or updating a Facebook page in a fun and unique way, the new PowerShot cameras will help expand a user’s imagination with the introduction of two creative scene modes – Poster Effect and Super Vivid. The Poster Effect scene mode alters the look of a captured image by changing the contrast of the image. Similarly, the Super Vivid Mode creates an enhanced color effect by increasing the hue and saturation of the captured image.

Enhanced Performance:
Achieving a clear shot in low-light situations, such as when a child blows out birthday candles, is no easy task. With Canon’s Low-Light Mode, the A-Series line now provides a wider ISO range (up to 3200), allowing more light to be captured creating sharper, more vivid images. For situations that require a flash, but where one cannot be used, such as a night game or concert, Canon’s Low-Light Mode will help improve the captured image. The A-Series also includes Canon’s Smart FE (Flash Exposure) which improves image quality by automatically adding the optimum level of flash illumination, aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

Supporting Features:
Canon has made it even easier to upload images and videos to YouTube, via CameraWindow. What’s more, starting this year, all new compact digital cameras will support the high-spec SDXC memory cards with a maximum storage capacity of two terabytes (TB) in SDA standard, making it even easier to capture additional images and videos with PowerShot cameras.

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS and A3000 IS Digital Cameras:
The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Digital camera is available in vibrant red, blue and silver colors while the PowerShot A3000 IS is offered in a stunning, two-toned black and silver casing, ideal for the color-conscious consumer. Both cameras boast features such as 12.1-Megapixel and 10-Megapixel resolution, respectfully; a 4x Optical Zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilization; a large 2.7-inch LCD screen; and Smart AUTO mode, which takes the guesswork out of shooting. New modes such as Low-Light, Super Vivid and Poster Effect mode are also available, as well as Smart FE and the ability to upload video to YouTube. The PowerShot A3100 IS and A3000 IS Digital Cameras are scheduled to be available in late February for an estimated retail price of $179.99 and $149.99, respectively.

Canon PowerShot A495 and A490 Digital Cameras:
Offering a broad array of consumer-friendly features and 10.0-Megapixel resolution, 3.3x Optical Zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, the Canon PowerShot A495 and A490 Digital cameras are ideal for the budget-conscious consumer. Available in two-tone colors, such as red, blue and silver, the PowerShot A495 Digital camera offers a multitude of new modes such as Low-Light, Super Vivid and Poster Effect mode, as well as Smart FE and the ability to upload video to YouTube. Available in a metallic two-toned silver and black, the PowerShot A490 Digital camera comes equipped with scene modes such as Low-Light Mode, Smart FE and the ability to upload video to YouTube. The PowerShot A495 and A490 Digital Cameras are scheduled to be available in late February for an estimated retail price of $129.99 and $109.99, respectively.

We’re here, in Las Vegas. Home of gambling, awkward celebrity impersonations and oh yes, CES. Meaning we’re in for a week of gadgetsTVsPCsPMPsandwaymore. And, by the looks of it, tons of 3D, in case you didn’t already know.

You’ve probably seen Avatar. Now, raise your hand if you actually care about 3D in your living room, this year. [Giz at CES 2010]

It sounds nice: Turning your notebook trackpad into a gesture area for shortcuts, like instantly searching, with a squiggle of your finger. But you have to learn a whole series of strokes, so it’s like Palm Graffiti all over again.

In practice, if you learn all of the gestures, it basically works like Quicksilver on a Mac, except with a trackpad instead of a keyboard. Press a button to activate gestures, then draw what you wanna do, which, theoretically, happens instantly. The onscreen graphical pop-up even kinda looks like Quicksilver’s. But it’s not nearly as fast, and it’s kind of a strange abstraction for a laptop that’s one step to the side, and two steps backward, with your shoelaces tied together.

Scrybe is a firmware update with Gesture Suite 9.4, if you have the right Synaptics trackpad.

Synaptics Previews Scrybe™ – The Revolutionary Next Generation in PC Touch Interfaces

Scrybe Gesture Workflows Enable Intuitive Touch Experience

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – January 4, 2010 – Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications, and entertainment devices, today announced beta availability for Scrybe™ gesture workflows, the next-generation advancement in TouchPad™-based interfaces for PCs. Scrybe leverages finger movements to create fluid gesture shortcuts intended to boost productivity and efficiency by getting more work done with fewer steps. Scrybe delivers a powerful gesture engine to PC manufacturers who want to utilize the latest gesture technology to enhance the overall user experience.

Scrybe, part of the newest Synaptics Gesture Suite (SGS) 9.4, allows PC OEMs and end users to personalize gestures to link task-oriented workflows for Internet, media, entertainment, and productivity applications that result in a more efficient, productive, and fun user experience. Scrybe also introduces customizable gesture symbols for communicating with a PC that enable users to perform complex tasks using the TouchPad alone. For example, selecting a word or phrase by double-tapping and then tracing the “?” symbol can automatically launch the browser and perform an immediate directed search for the selected word or phrase. This advanced gesture feature provides faster results and eliminates typographical errors. The personalized gesture suite can be used to run presentations or enjoy digital media, provide controls for play, pause, previous, and next commands and to advance through music lists, photos, and more. A user can also use the personalized gesture suite to rotate, crop, tag, rate, and enhance images, as well as perform Windows system functions — all without ever lifting a hand from the TouchPad.

“Synaptics’ innovative Scrybe gesture technology introduces a revolutionary way to use the TouchPad that promises to fundamentally change the very foundation of the human-computer relationship,” said Ted Theocheung, head of the Scrybe program and director of Synaptics PC and Digital Home Business Unit products. “Scrybe technology demonstrates Synaptics’ innovative leadership and ongoing commitment to providing a richer user experience that is focused on increasing overall productivity for PC users.”

Scrybe is optimized for multi-touch TouchPads, but also supports existing single-touch TouchPads in the market. The updated Synaptics Gesture Suite 9.4 with Scrybe technology introduces a number of new multi-touch gestures and an improved graphical user interface. SGS 9.4 includes media control gestures for stop, play, rewind, fast-forward, next, previous, and jog dial advance; productivity gestures to zoom, fit to window, flip, and redo; as well as Windows 7 system gestures and Windows Touch compatibility modes. The improved two-finger twist rotate is simpler and can provide free rotation capabilities that work well with all other gestures in the suite. A new SGS API provides software application developers with a method to make use of all the latest technologies to deliver a richer application experience.

SGS 9.4 with its Scrybe workflow technology will ultimately simplify and streamline TouchPad control and enable customized features to make personalizing the TouchPad easier than ever. Users can launch the SGS control panel from the system tray with one click, then discover and customize settings utilizing the available short help videos which clearly demonstrate and explain how each gesture works. Intelligent contextual pop-up tips help users to discover all of the TouchPad capabilities and explain how to apply them to make using the computer easier and more fun. The clearer, easier to use interface and extensive help system reduces support calls for PC OEMs and increases productivity for users.

Availability

OEMs can obtain SGS 9.4 with Scrybe through their Synaptics sales representative. End users can visit www.uscrybe.com to sign up for participation in the beta program and learn more about Scrybe and qualifying TouchPad-compatible hardware. Beginning today, Synaptics will offer this “technology preview” beta version of SGS 9.4 with Scrybe via software download to end users with existing notebooks that utilize a Synaptics TouchPad. Synaptics anticipates strong participation in the beta program by end users and will conclude downloads of Scrybe once it has been determined that a sufficient number of downloads have occurred to collect sufficient usability data. More details on Scrybe are available by visiting www.uscrybe.com.