Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop

GLOBAL – Nokia has just whipped the dust sheet off the Nokia Booklet 3G. A brand new breed of portable device for Nokia, this mini laptop PC sees the company step foot on freshly cut turf, and we’re a little dumb-struck with excitement at the prospect of the experience that this bite-size Booklet promises to deliver when it arrives. Not to mention what it means bigger picture, and how this product could affect the entire mobile landscape for the better (we’ll save that for another story), but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

First, let’s get down off our tip-toes, take a deep breath, and soak up all the initial details on what the upcoming Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop is set to deliver when it lands on laps. Read on for every shred of info currently available on this landmark new product, and get the first close-up look at the Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop in our photo gallery.



The new Nokia Booklet 3G will be a Windows-based machine, supported by an efficient Intel Atom processor that promises the performance of a full-function PC. It’s efficiency credentials are boldly punctuated with battery life that stretches up to 12 hours (with normal daily use, of course – don’t expect a 12-hour Quake-fest off a single hit of juice).



Turning our attention to mini matters of a tape-measure nature, the Nokia Booklet 3G comes toting a glass 10.1-inch HD display (it has an HDMI port for HD video out). This lives within its smart aluminium shell which measures in at just 2cm thin and tips the scales at around a kilogram to ensure it’s extremely portable.

Connecting at speed is crucial with a product of this nature, so the Booklet 3G has been designed with fast downloading and uploading front of mind – it’s 3G/HSPA ready for rapid mobile broadband anywhere-access on the move. Wi-Fi has also been wedged into it’s slim body. Plus, it supports hot-swappable SIM card functionality.



It’s talents don’t end there, with Nokia’s mini laptop PC also featuring onboard assisted-GPS with Ovi Maps neatly sat in the passenger seat. There’s a single front-facing camera nestled above the 10.1-inch HD screen for video chat, with Bluetooth and a built-in SD card reader also making appearances.

You may be wondering why Nokia is adding to its range of products with an ultra portable laptop PC? Well, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo, summed it up simply as follows:



“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility. We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”



There’s already a lot of info to digest here, but there are still more details to come at Nokia World 09 on 2 September – expect official word on where the Nokia Booklet 3G will be available, news on how much it’ll cost, along with a detailed list of specs for the number-hungry among us.

The International Creativity Bank will be launched in the World Wide Web soon

The International Creativity Bank "Swisstock" will be launched in the World Wide Web soon. As the project's founders say: "The main goal of this project is to promote creative work of billions creative minds."

According to available information the project will allow the authors to present the results of their creativity to the worldwide Internet audience, effectively establish commercial promotion and profitable sale of their creative work, reflecting their opinions and suggestions in professional field, as well as to establish contact with potential partners, customers and fans.

The promo could be viewed at www.swisstock.com

IT Global News

Super Macro Your Cellphone Camera With A DVD Lens

I'll admit, Super Macro Your Cell Phone Camera With A DVD Lens is one weird title.

However, if you just moved to a blu ray DVD player and you're looking for some good use for your old DVD, cnflikt (who also took the shots for this tutorial) came up with a hack to enable you to take super macro shots with your cellphone. Of course you'll need a camera phone for that. cnflikt uses the notorious, yet old-skooled K800i, but any camera phone will work here.

1. Lensectomy Your old DVD Player

First thing is to get a lens for your camera phone. Make sure your old DVD player is not connected to power. Then take the screws off. This is a great way to void your warranty. It is also dangerous and you should really never do this.

Anyhow, if you went against my advice, you'll find the lens under the place where the disk goes. Take it out.

2. Prepare A Lens Mount

Ok, I'm only kidding on this one. You don't really need a lens mount, you can use duct tape if you wanna go really ghetto or mount it on some cardboard.

If you opt for the cardboard option, just make a round hole in the cardboard.

3. Mount Your Lens

Just use some duct tape (as indicated before) to mount your lens directly, use or blue Tack to hold the card mount.

4. Macro Away

WOW. This is some powerful macro. Enjoy.

Sony DPP-F700 Digital Photo Frame is a Printer Too!

We’ve seen cameras getting into our phones, movie players going hand to hand with music players, computers doing the task of a television, and projectors being built inside cameras. ‘Do more’, is what every manufacturer is pushing their products toward. And there’s a new Sony product that seems to follow in the same league.

The Sony DPP-F700 is digital photo frame that’s slated for a release in November this year. What’s unique about it, is that it functions as a printer too! Only a few years ago, photo frames were something that you would place on a wall and they would remain there for all time. But time changes. Now with everything getting digitized, how can photo frames dawdle?

The frame has a 7 inch WVGA screen (16:10, 800×480) and has 1Gb of internal memory. Plus, it’s got a camera. The camera can be used to make quick prints – a great take for those who get visited by friends a lot.

The frame supports a variety of storage media: Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, SD Card, SDH Card, CF Card, and xD-Picture Card. Coming to the printer, the photographs produced are 4×6 inch printouts at 300 x 300 dpi. According to SonyInsider, the printouts integrate TruFast technology and are “resistant to fingerprint marks, water, as well as discoloration when exposed to light, allowing them to easily preserve vivid memorable moments”.

Their is no word on the date of release or the price yet, but it is expected to be around two hundred euros. The photo frame-cum-printer combo should be out in the market by November, or at least at the CES. Check out the complete specifications for the device.

Asus O!Play HDP-R1 Media Player

Our friends at Engadget Spanish have a new toy in their office. Asus has sent them the ASUS O!Play HDP-R1 media player. The gadget supports an HD video playback in a wide variety of codecs, including MPEG1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, and RM/RMVB. Unfortunately, there is no info on pricing or release date in the US. Asus will release this HD media player in Taiwan for around $169. See more pictures after the jump.

Datamancer Alchemist Keyboard

Datamancer comes back with a unique gadget in the form of the Datamancer Alchemist keyboard. This keyboard is similar to the Archbishop model, but features side lit stained-glass-styled inserts and keys featuring Alchemical symbols. The Datamancer Alchemist keyboard was originally designed for a pharmacist and is themed around Apothecarial and Alchemical icons including the Bowl of Hygeia, the Caduceus, and the Eye of Ra (from which the modern “Rx” symbol used by pharmacists is derived). In addition, the keyboard also features a “braided brass” cord.

Pioneer outs the first 12x Blu-ray writer

Behold, the Pioneer BDR-205! Thrill to the 12x write speeds on double layer Blu-ray media! Marvel at the 50Gbytes of storage capacity! Be amazed by the low, low price of $250 United States dollars!

Pioneer Launches First 12x Blu-ray Disc Writer

High-Speed 12x Write Capability Lets Professional Users and Enthusiasts Quickly Test, Author and Preserve High Definition Content

LONG BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces its new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc® Computer Writer, the industry’s first and fastest model to feature up to 12x write speed for single and dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD) media*. Ideal for authoring providers and system builders, the Pioneer® BD/DVD/CD Writer provides accurate, rapid performance for demanding professional applications.

“The BDR-205 drive represents our ongoing efforts to combine Pioneer’s engineering expertise with advanced technologies, and our next generation Blu-ray Disc writer is a great example of our no-compromise approach to optical disc product development,” said Steve Cohn, director of optical disc sales for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “We are bringing to market the fastest Blu-ray Disc writer to date, and it is just one of the many ’firsts’ that have come to define Pioneer’s 30-year heritage in optical disc innovation and leadership.”

Dynamic Performance for an Array of Professional Users

When utilized with a properly configured PC, the drive’s Low Vibration Mechanism Design improves overall writing accuracy, especially for those preserving copious amounts of critical data. Designed for maximum flexibility, Pioneer’s writer provides significant solutions for multiple user groups, including:

* System builders can confidently recommend the sophisticated BDR-205 to their clients, noting the drive’s unique design, robust build quality and high grade parts
* With 50Gbytes** of storage space on a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc, professional users can utilize the BDR-205 to rapidly test high definition feature films during the authoring process, as well as to back up large volumes of data with ease
* Besides up to 12x write speeds for Blu-ray Disc media, Pioneer’s new computer drive also provides read and write speed performance up to 16x for DVD and 40x for CD media

The new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc computer writer begins shipping October 2009. The retail version of this product, the BDR-2205, will be available Q1 2010 for $249 MSRP.

Pioneer has been an innovator of optical disc technology since it shipped its first LaserDisc products, the precursor to DVD, to the consumer market in 1980. Pioneer went on to introduce the first DVD writer for video authoring use in 1997, the first DVD recorder as a VCR replacement in 1999, the first DVD/CD writer for home computer users in 2001 and the first Blu-ray Disc writer in 2006. Pioneer Corporation is one of the original Blu-ray Disc Founders. More details can be located at www.pioneerelectronics.com.

Blue Microphones Eyeball 2.0 USB Webcam Microphone

The Blue Microphones Eyeball 2.0 is a USB webcam and microphone combo that comes equipped with a high quality 2MP camera that can capture HD video with up to 1600 x 1200 pixels resolution. The device is portable and small so you can place it to the laptop lid for video conference. The Blue Microphones Eyeball 2.0 connects to your PC via a USB port. If you are interested, you can purchase this USB webcam microphone for at Amazon.