The all new Sony Ericsson Satio and Aino is on it's way - Releasing next week!!

Looks like the all new and one of the best Sony Ericsson's mobile phones' aptly named as Satio is gonna be released in the coming week(s) finally. This phone is very much widely watched as its design embodies one of the best Swedish and Japanese design engineers got to offer. The dates have been confirmed as for Satio to start selling from 16th October, while Aino is slated much earlier from 14 October and finally Yari should be available in stores near you in another week from then. The Satio is a very uber cool phone that sports an impressive 12-megapixel camera and also allows the user to download loads and loads of cool applications online. Aino will offer really cool high audio quality sound and also ability to play Hi-Def video. It will also allow the user to easily integrate Anio to the popular Sony's PlayStation 3 console. Finally, the Yari is going to be a glorified and very advanced gaming mobile. There are lots of rumors that the Sony Ericsson's Satio launch was apparently delayed by a few weeks, due to the engineers working on a major upgrade for the phone's software in order to fix most of its drawbacks. According to rumors circulating in the United Kingdom, the marketing of the Sony Ericsson Satio has been delayed for several weeks, to proceed with an upgrade to the software necessary to eliminate some drawbacks. Most of you folks may not be aware that the Satio prototype was released way back in February with the code name Idou. You can find really awesome Sony Ericsson Satio Deals at Omio and also check out some cool offers too. Watch this cool video on Satio.

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UnPacking the HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-in-One Printer

Last week I received a very unusual package – guess what? It was a brand new HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-in-One printer courtesy HP Imaging and Printing Group as well as their consultants Genesis Burson-Marsteller.

I received the unit to do my very own hands on assessment on how this printer performs and also answer the burning question “Is an Office Inkjet better than a Laser?”. I will be sharing with you folks a series of reviews over the coming weeks on each of it’s vast features. But even before that, I would like to clearly state that all my reviews on this product are entirely my OWN and are in NO way influenced by HP or it’s partners.

Having said that, lets begin unpacking the unit. I have created a small video of the entire unpacking exercise. Have a look at it below.

Some of the brief specs about the HP Officejet Pro 8500 are:

• Print capability of A4 duplex colour prints using inkjet features.
• High resolution 4800 x 2400ppi scanner.
• Integrated plain paper Fax.
• Print DPI quality of an amazing 4,800 x 2,400 dpi.
• Supports Wireless operation using WiFi.
• USB 2.0 connectivity.
• Computer-less copy/print operation both in B/W and color.
• Supports direct use of multiple data cards like SD, MMC, etc.
• Supports PictBridge operations.
• Sports a very large 250-sheet paper tray.

During the coming days I will be posting on how I set up the printer and how well it performs in my SOHO (Small Office Home Office) setup. Stay tuned.

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Can your OS make some ice-cream for you? Well, Linux can!!

We have the OS wars raging like the Cold War down under and ready to erupt any given time. In this time, I have a question for you - Can your OS really churn out some delicious ice-cream? Most probably the answer would be in the negative. But if you happen to run Linux - the answer is YES!!

Well, a company called MooBella (what a name to Moo around with) has come up with a rather geeky invention - a Linux-powered ice cream maker which is currently undergoing demo runs in New England. This is not the size of your average PC though for home use, but a full fledged ice cream machine that reportedly churns out Fresh Dairy Ice Cream in 40 seconds and has a whooping 96 varieties. All this being 100% natural dairy stuff.

The ice cream machine sports a 15" touch screen but under the hood it is basically an off-the-shelf PC Hardware that is in use and best of all it happens to runs Redhat Linux. Well, the basic interface happens to run off Firefox too. This seems to be a cool innovation and also a great example of what Linux can do.

I am sure that in near future we will have refrigerators / TVs / ACs coming with a choice of OS like Linux / Android / Chrome / Windows. Any takers yet?

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We now have Intel Atom processors to power Tablets and Handhelds

Intel Atom processor’s have been known for their power-saving architecture, proven transistor and circuit design and also unique manufacturing process techniques that have made them the market leader in the netbook market. But now we have a new kid in the block – Tablet PCs!

Tablets PCs have entered the mainstream with the introduction of the Apple iPad. Intel today unveiled its newest Intel Atom processor-based platform (formerly codenamed as "Moorestown") – the chips are called the Z6xx Series Family (codenamed "Lincroft" system-on-chip [SoC]), the Intel Platform Controller Hub MP20 (codenamed "Langwell") and a dedicated Mixed Signal IC (MSIC), codenamed "Briertown."

The new platform aimed at Tablet PCs has been specially repartitioned to include the Intel Atom Processor Z6xx series, which will include the 45nm Intel Atom processor core with onboard 3-D graphics, video encode and decode functions, as well as memory and display controllers into a single SoC design. It will also include the brand new MP20 Platform Controller Hub which supports several system-level functions and I/O blocks. Also the dedicated MSIC integrates power delivery and battery charging, and consolidates a range of analog and digital components.

What’s very interesting with this release is that the new chip platform brings in a very "PC-like" experience with fast Internet, 3-D graphics, multi-point videoconferencing, multi-tasking and advanced voice capabilities. Most importantly full 1080p video support right out of the chip. We have many players like Dell, HP, who are planning to release new Tablets in the coming days which would directly compete with the Apple iPad and Intel’s new Z6xx chips will surely give them a winning hand in it.

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Asus SaberTooth 55i motherboard - A complete Review

ASUS has long been the leader in providing innovative motherboard solutions. Once again it has taken the lead by launching today the first "TUF" (The Ultimate Force) Series of motherboard called the SABERTOOTH 55i. As the name suggests the TUF Series has been specially developed for the heavy computing of geeks and also perform very well under extreme conditions (read - over-clocking).

Geeks have always had a desire for high-quality motherboard components and also the need for very stable computing platforms, and this seems to have achieved uncompromising stability with the new TUF Series motherboards. Asus has claimed that the SaberTooth 55i motherboards have even passed the most demanding military-style testing and yet even in the harshest operating conditions they have been able to deliver robust performance.

The SaberTooth 55i motherboard is designed around what is known as a "Marine Cool" concept which incorporates the Intel® P55 chipset and also the all new "tough" features to give users a supremely solid and stable computing platform. SaberTooth 55i motherboard employs What is known as the unique CeraM!X microfin coating and also military level tested capacitors and VRM MOSFETs to give users increased operational stability.

More about the unique Ultimate Heatsink Cooling system with CeraM!X Microfin Coating SaberTooth 55i motherboard comes with the new CeraM!X heatsink which easily delivers exceptional cooling to active components and also gives uncompromising system stability even under intense operating conditions. SaberTooth 55i motherboard's advanced ceramics-based composition is something that is commonly used in the aerospace industry for heat insulation. This new heatsink dissipates heat rapidly to achieve ultimate cooling. Ceramics have replaced the traditional anti-oxidant compounds to create a microfin surface texture for enhanced cooling. This rough surface offers an expanded area for heat induction into the surrounding air. As a result, more heat is rapidly conducted away from the active system-allowing users to enjoy previously unattainable levels of stability.

Direct Memory Cooling with Affordable CoolMem! Fan Frame SaberTooth 55i motherboard realises the need for an optimal memory operation - which squarely relies on good cooling. SaberTooth 55i motherboardhas the CoolMem! Fan Frame that can easily enclose most standard 40mm or 50mm computer fans and also fits them directly over the memory module. So you can gain an affordable cooling solution that significantly stabilizes memory operation.

Resilient Performance from Military-certified Capacitors and MOSFETs SaberTooth 55i motherboard ensures users to experience uncompromising performance by incorporating only high-grade, rigorously-tested components. These perform robustly even under the most demanding conditions. Take for example, all its capacitors have undergone thermal shock tests to ensure continuous, stable operations during rapid temperature changes in the 60°C range. In fact, all its capacitors and VRM MOSFETs have been certified for military-level use through stringent testing.

Optimized Power Use with E.S.P. SaberTooth 55i motherboard delivers E.S.P. (Efficient Switching Power) to all major components for superb system efficiency. Besides delivering efficient power to the CPU and memory, the power design also applies the same level of efficient power to the PCIex16 expansion slots and IC. This improves overall power efficiency and reduces the amount of heat generated-resulting in cooler and more reliable operations. Additionally, the E.S.P. converts power at 90% efficiency compared to a conventional linear design that is only about 60% efficient. Built for robust performance, the SABERTOOTH 55i-and ASUS TUF Series motherboards as a whole-incorporates the latest breakthroughs in heatsink composition and high-grade, military-tested components to enable users to build their DIY systems around one of the most solid and stable motherboards ever created.

Here are the detailed Specifications of SaberTooth 55i motherboard

• CPU - LGA1156 socket for Intel® Core™ i7/Core™ i5 Processors
• Chipset - Intel® P55 Express (Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology)
• Memory - 4 x DIMM, max. 16GB, DDR3 2000/1800/1600/1333/1066MHz, non-ECC, unbuffered memory Dual channel memory architecture. Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
• Expansion slots - 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots (single at x16 or dual at x8/x8 mode)
  - 3 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 (2.5GT/s)
  - 2 x PCI
• Multi-GPU - Supports both NVIDIA® Quad-GPU SLI™ Technology and ATI® Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Technology
• Storage - Intel® P55 Express Chipset
  - 6 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (black)
  - Intel Matrix Storage Technology supports RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10
  JMicron® JMB363 SATA & PATA controller: - 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices
  - 1 x External SATA 3Gb/s port (SATA On-the-Go)
  JMicron® JMB322 (DriveXpert Technology) : - 2 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (orange and white )
  - Supports EZ Backup and SuperSpeed functions
• LAN - Realtek® 8112L PCIe Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET2
• Audio - VIA® VT2020 10-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
  - Absolute Pitch BD192/24 featuring ENVY HD
  - DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC
  - Supports Jack-Detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
  - Optical S/PDIF out port at back I/O
  - ASUS Noise Filter
• USB / IEEE1394a - 14 x USB 2.0 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 8 ports at back panel) VIA® 6308P controller supports 2 x IEEE 1394a ports (one at mid-board; one at back panel)

TUF Exclusive Features
Power Design 12-phase CPU Power, 2-phase Memory Power, 2-phase VTT_CPU Power, Efficient Switching Power Design for 3VSB/1.8V/1.05V, TUF Capacitors and MOSFETs (certified military-standard)

Thermal Solution CeraM!X Heatsink Coating Tech, CoolMem! Fan Frame, T.Probe Technology, ASUS Fan Xpert

Guardian feature MemOK!, DriveXpert, ESD Guards, EMI Eliminator

Form Factor - ATX Form Factor, 12 inches x 9.6 inches ( 30.5cm x 24.4cm ). It's also a Windows 7 certified MotherBoard - now don't ask me what that means.

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Like it or not iPhone currently commands 50% of WorldWide smartphone web traffic

AdMob Which reports on web requests on more than 15,000 web sites and applications world wide has some very stunning news in it's October release. Apple's iPhone is the most popular Smartphone OS in the world and it sweeps a whooping 50% of all mobile web traffic. Symbian OS has a 25% share which is very closely followed by a very new entrant - Google. Yes, the Google's Android OS seems to direct in 11% of the mobile web traffic out of Smartphones and that's really very impressive.

So, where's WinMo you may ask? Well, it currently has only a mere 3% of the SmartPhone Web Traffic. Do note that this not all the mobile web traffic we are talking about but only specific to SmartPhones. Let's put it this way - there aren't so many WinMo SmartPhones that have taken up well with the users. On the other hand, iPhone has entered several markets WorlWide and has consolidated a very nice marketshare in the very competitive SmartPhone market. The iPhone has been available atleast in the US for almost 2.5 years now - but taking 50% of the Worldwide traffic of smartphones is very impressive.

Some very interesting news related to Android again is that the newly launched Motorola Droid which runs only on Verizon in US currently has already managed to capture 24% of all Android traffic in US in the last few weeks!!.

The upcoming holiday season is surely going to tilt in favor of the new slew of Android phones and also more folks picking up the impressive iPhone 3GS. Stay tuned for more updates in this space.

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My Almost New Asus P320 is up for Sale!!

This is an Asus P320 - I received this as a gift a week back, but didn't find much use of a Windows Mobile device. Hence, didn't use it even a single day!! Max use must have been about 3-4hrs.

Even the back camera cover is not removed and there is not even a single scratch on the entire phone.

The phone comes in it's original box (packed Aug 2009 - important coz there are many old stuff floating in ebay). MRP as listed on the box is Rs. 12900. The phone comes with the following :

• Asus P320 handset (BLACK)
• Stereo Handsfree headset (with volume control)
• Data Cable
  
• Charger
• Extra Stylus (so you'll have 2 stylus - one on phone and one extra)
• Soft Pouch (Black Asus)
• P320 Manual
• 2 original Asus Software CDs
• 1 external GPS antenna connector
• Asus VIP card (I found this inside the box)

This is loaded with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional by Asus. I have installed the following Resco products (More info at http://www.resco.net/products/ ) Almost USD 75 worth of software for free!!!

• Resco Contact Manager - Manages your contacts, calls & SMS (Also has a cool Facebook Integration feature)
• Resco File Explorer - File Manager with powered functionality (FTP, Network,...)
• Resco Keyboard Pro - Extended keyboard, Calculator, macro definer
• Resco Backup - The most comprehensive backup solution for your PDA.

The Asus P320 Features

• 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• Size 99 x 55 x 13 mm
• Weight 105 g
  
• Display TFT resistive touchscreen, 65K colors
  
• Screen Size 240 x 320 pixels, 2.6 inches
  
• Sound Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3, Midi ringtones
• Speakerphone Yes
  
• Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
  
• Call records Practically unlimited
• Internal 64 MB RAM, 128 MB ROM
• Card slot microSD (TransFlash), microSDHC
• Data GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps
  
• WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
  
• Bluetooth Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
• USB Yes, v2.0
  
• Camera 2 MP, 1600x1200 pixels, autofocus
  
• Video Yes
• Features OS Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
  
• CPU TI OMAP 850 200 MHz processor
  
• Messaging SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push E-Mail,
  
• MSN Browser HTTP / WAP 2.0
  
• Games Yes
  
• GPS Yes
  
• Java Yes -
  
• MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA/OGG/AMR player
• WMV/MP4 player
• Organizer
• World Clock
• Pocket Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, PDF viewer)
• File Manager
  
• Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 1100 mAh

You can contact me on my e-mail for further doubts / clarifications.

The asking price is Rs. 9800 + 350 (shipping). Shipping is waived off if inside Bangalore. P.S: I can only ship this phone inside India currently. Do let me know your BEST OFFER!!

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 to be available on Vodafone next month

The next avatar of the Sony Ericsson Xperia family named as Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 will be available on the Vodafone network in early November. Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 is basically designed for those of you who need to be connected always as it brings together great personal and business experiences into a single easy-to-use mobile gadget.

It comes preloaded with what are known as Xperia panels. You can also download an additional 16 more panels. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 has an improved touch interface unlike the HTC Touch Flo 3D. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 also sports an all new 3D signature panel from which users can benefit to have flexible desktop panels which can be specifically designed to categorise business, fun and communication stuff.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 has a full QWERTY keyboard which immensely helps in messaging. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 is powered on the Windows Mobile 6.5 platform. This lets you to use the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 like your computer at home. You can easily view and edit Microsoft Office Mobile documents including the latest 2007 formats like .docx, .xlsx and .pptx quickly on your mobile.

The Xperia X2 has an impressive 3.2" high resolution touch screen which has a DVD quality display. Also you have a 8.1 megapixel camera at your disposal to capture fantastic photos and also you can instantly share them online with your friends and family.

If you can't wait until November - do check out Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 Deals.

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Fresh Car Designs from the Tokyo Auto Show

Here are some really fascinating fresh car designs from the just concluded Tokyo Auto Show. They are so breathtaking that it'll make you wonder what we can expect in the near future.

First off is the Skydeck's seats that are exclusively constructed from wood and mesh to make passengers feel cool as they drive.

Honda did bring the Skydeck to the show which was a rather futuristic looking six-seat hybrid vehicle.

Also we had the Honda's EV-N which was a tiny retro-looking electric vehicle that has an inbuilt power-producing solar panel on its roof. This vehicle also has a place to store your Honda U3-X scooter in it!!



Yamaha also had a new concept electric scooter called the EC-1. It is part of Yamaha's strategy to move beyond its core market of motorcycle with fun and personal vehicles.



Daihatsu also showed off its concept called "Deca Deca". The van's big cabin has
doors that open up to an amazing 135 degrees and a center pillar-less body.

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Finally Nokia launches the much awaited N97 mini

Yes - the wait and the endless rumors seem to be true after all. As Nokia launched the much awaited N97 mini over this weekend in London. The N97 Mini looks almost the same as the big brother N97 in design. The N97 Mini comes with an impressive 3.2 inch touch screen along with a full QWERTY keyboard which slides open as the N97, an internal 8GB of storage on board and all this on a 14.2 mm thickness. Now that's cool isn't it?

The just launched Ovi Maps 3.0 is going to be an important part of the all new Nokia N97 mini. Ovi Maps 3.0 will support street level / satellite level as well as terrain level maps in both 2D and 3D formats for the users - now that's going to challenge the Google maps offering on the Android platform. Ovi Maps will also allow users to search for their favorite pizza joints or coffee bars and also search for address from the comfort of their N97 Mini. The integrated A-GPS along with compass seems to be a nice add-on which is surely going to be useful.

Nokia claims that the N97 mini can last upto 12 days of standby time and also upto 28 hours music playback when it is put in offline mode. The N97 mini comes with a Carl Zeiss Tessar lens 5-megapixel camera which sports a dual LED flash and also video light.

So, how do you get one of these? Well, it's very simple - just check out the latest and best Nokia N97 Mini Deals and also pre-order one!! The Nokia N97 mini is currently listed at a street price of £429.00 for Preorder which includes VAT and free shipping.

Do check out the promo video from Nokia and also a video comparative between the N97 and the N97 Mini below.

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Exclusive 40 Leaked Maemo 5 Screenshots from Nokia N900

Hey folks,

Lots of leaked Screenshots of the upcoming Maemo 5 OS on the Nokia N900 have begun to surface all over the internet. But here are some very exclusive leaked screenshots of the superb UI that Nokia will come out with in a few days from now.

The new mobile operating system will be out on the N900 and you can see lots of new features and UI enhancements on the Desktop, Music Player, Contacts look-up, Menus, etc that truly make it stand out from the earlier buggy Maemo 4 on N810 (WiMax release) and Maemo 3 on the N800.

While we wait for the Maemo release next month - have a look at the exclusive screenshots!! You can also subscribe to availability alerts for Nokia N900 deals on Omio.com for when the Nokia N900 is released.

Click on the Screenshot to Enlarge

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