Betaenglish: kibord

      English: keyboard

      Spanish: teclado


2393. Rumor: BlackBerry 9000 specs

So the BGR has some unconfirmed specs for the potential new RIM device known as the BlackBerry 9000 series. They say that one of the devices in that series will have at least these specs, but probably more. Lets start with the screen which is either 480×320 or the other way around 320×480, no word whether it will be a touchscreen, or what will happen to the keyboard with that large of a screen. It is rumored to have a gig of on board storage, and an Intel XScale PXA270 processor running at 624MHz, which is a bit up from the 620MHz ARM processor in the iPhone. Furthermore, it is said to have GPS and WiFi, as well as GSM and 3G via HSDPA. The camera is still sitting at the rumored 2 megapixels, but there is supposedly talk of a 3.2MP cam by the time this thing launches. Other than that, it will have all the features of OS 4.3 enabled, and possibly more whether it be through modifications to OS 4.3 or a totally new OS. BlackBerry 9000 specs revealed, our early Christmas present to you [via boygeniusreport] Relevant Entries on SlashGear


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1793. First Optimus Maximus hits Moscow

t's been a long time coming, but the first Optimus Maximus OLED keyboard has finally shown itself in Moscow.

2178. Wearing a Computer at Work

Roland Piquepaille writes "The European Union has funded an ambitious project related to wearable technology. The project, named WearIT@work, will end in one year and invested funds are expected to exceed 23 million euros. The goal is to replace traditional interfaces, such as screen, keyboard or computer unit, by speech control or gesture control without modifying the applications. This wearable system is currently being tested in four different fields including aircraft maintenance, emergency response, car production and healthcare."Read more of this story at Slashdot.

2450. Linutop v1.2: low-power Linux desktop Revisited

Tech reviews are very much a snapshot process, making a decision after a relatively short period of time and of a single incarnation of the product. Useful, yes, but not an exact facsimile of living with something day in, day out that you’ve bought yourself. If you’re lucky - and assuming that no manufacturer ever pushes out a product so perfect there are no possible improvements - you get a company that’s constantly tweaking and augmenting; if you’re really lucky, you get an opportunity to revisit their product and ring the changes. Back in May I spent some time with Linutop’s fanless, Xubuntu-based micro-PC, framing my review from the perspective of a Linux-naive home user, to see if the compact device would make a decent alternative to a low-end Windows PC. At the time I criticised how tricky, for a fledgling user, it was to add functionality beyond what was preinstalled; since then, Linutop have released v1.2 of their software package, and asked if we’d like to check out the changes. Linutop Linux-based compact PC The hardware is unaltered from when I last reviewed the Linutop, so you still get an all-aluminium case measuring 3.66 x 1.06 x 5.9-inches and weighing just 9.9oz (280g), containing an AMD Geode LX700 processor, non-upgradable 256MB of RAM, 4 USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out, 10/100 ethernet and audio in/out. Aside from the RAM, there’s no internal memory; instead, Linutop provide a 1GB USB memory stick containing the modified Xubuntu OS, preinstalled software and room for your own files. What’s been fettled, then, is the software: Linutop quote boot time has been halved, improved media playback including digital TV capabilities added (via online stream or a hardware DVB-T dongle), PXE boot (simply add a single line to the startup config file to boot from the network) and more. Linutop connectivity If you’ve read my original reviewthen you’ll know that boot time was a significant issue for the Linutop: it took around two minutes, and there were no ’sleep’ or ’standby’ options to avoid that. Thankfully whatever OS changes have been made have almost halved that; v1.2 takes around 1m6s from plugging in the power (there’s no switch, you have to yank the power cord) to the desktop being ready to use. Not exactly instant-on, but far more comparable to the sort of low-end systems users may be used to. You’re still presented with the settings screen, but now there’s more choice in display resolution, including catering for widescreen displays, and this time changing resolution and keyboard layout (then restarting) worked as it should. Similarly, running multiple programmes or switching between settings is quicker and seems to stall the CPU far less than when I tried it last. There’s a pause loading programmes, yes, but only a minor one and well within expectations. Linutop software Firefox, the Gaim instant-messenger and AbiWord word processor are still preinstalled, but they’re joined by the VLC media player which can handle just about any media format thrown at it. Video can be played full-screen, another improvement in v1.2, and you’re able to stream video and audio files from external storage, Web TV or shared Windows folders across the network. The Linutop is also compatible with Skype, although - I’m told for reasons of keeping down size - it’s not preinstalled; you need to download the installation script from the Linutop Wiki yourself. Straightforward, yes, but you’ll only know about it if you visit the Linutop blog. There’s a useful readme file stored on the USB key that outlines DVB-T use, network boot, system recovery and more, but again no link to it - it really needs to show up on the desktop, or even better automatically open when you boot the Linutop for the first time. Without it, you’d easily be at a loss as to how to access the digital TV functionality, which would be a shame because it works relatively well despite the system’s Spartan specs. There’s no dedicated software; just plug in the USB tuner (Linutop supplied me with a Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T, complete with tiny aerial) and type ’scandvbt’ in a Terminal window. You need to tell it your country and then, confusingly, identify your nearest regional broadcast tower (for which I had to look online), but after that it automatically scans the available channels and loads them as a playlist into VLC. You can then reorder and delete them, but you have to remember to save the playlist before exiting as the software won’t do it automatically. Linutop DVB-T digital TV Like all TV tuners, your mileage will vary more with signal quality than anything else; needless to say, when supplied with a reasonable signal (through an installed aerial rather than the portable one included) the Linutop managed both window and full-screen playback with no problems. One issue with the lack of dedicated software is the absence of a signal-strength gauge; there’s no way of telling whether moving the portable aerial around would have a beneficial effect on image quality. I tried using a Freecom USB tuner but the Linutop would not recognise it; there is a scant list of compatible hardware on the project Wiki. With VGA-out the only way of connecting a display, you’re limited if you want to hook the Linutop up to a TV or other large display. It’s a shame, because it would make a compact and functional alternative to a normal DVB set-top box. When I asked Linutop about this, they pointed out that most flat-panel displays have VGA among their connections and as such they’ve no plans to add S-Video or similar. However, I was told that HDMI “could be interesting” as a future development. There has also been some interest in the PVR community as to using it as a MythTV frontend, although consensus is that the hardware would only support standard rather than high-definition media. There’s no option to record DVB-T TV directly on the Linutop. Of course, the home market is only one area Linutop are aiming at; the silent, low-power (no more than 5-6W) device is ideal for digital signage and presentations. There are new options for looped webpages, photo presentations and Flash, and you can set these to automatically run on boot so as to minimise user involvement. Linutop - supplied with Firefox browser Documentation remains a thorny issue; the Linutop Wiki remains the first signposted port of call, but it lacks the sort of “new user” information so necessary when dealing with an unfamiliar OS. The same NAS problem I experienced in May remains - searching the Wiki results in no guidance, the readme file details accessing Windows shares on other PCs but didn’t work for my LaCie NAS, the Xfce desktop environment support didn’t help and I was again left to the mercy of Googling for answers. Is it too much to ask for a simple “type in your username & password” script to make common setup issues like these straightforward? My request from last time still stands: a few bookmarks to basic Linux tutorials would go a long way in rescuing new users. Linutop tell me that they’re in the process of re-examining their Linux documentation to better cater for those new to the platform, but that they also prize the fact that the OS implemented is “standard” so as not to require changes from more adept users familiar with Xubuntu. Linutop Despite all that, the upgrade to v1.2 is a significant one, and it certainly broadens the Linutop’s scope as a home PC. It’s interesting to look at the state of competition; in my initial review I compared the Linutop to a cheaper Dell Dimension desktop which far exceeded the former’s specs (albeit consuming many times the power even when idle), and the past few months have seen ASUS release it’s Linux-based Eee laptop. Although ostensibly aimed at significantly different markets, the Linutop and the Eee could both be viewed as basic home computers and here the Eee laptop (priced from $299) could edge ahead with what’s supposedly a particularly user-friendly GUI and battery-of course its battery-powered portability. When I put this to Linutop they confirmed that their target is more professional than home, and it’s true that in school, library and business settings the Linutop undoubtedly makes more sense than the Eee. It’s smaller and likely more robust, consumes less power and - most importantly - has access to the UBUNTU software library. Would I still recommend the Linutop for a home user? Again, it’s a qualified yes. Just as some are buying an ASUS Eee as a second machine for when their kids are wanting to go online but the main PC is occupied, the Linutop makes for a great, low-maintenance system that, out of the box, can quickly get up and running. It’s also a decent Linux learning platform, with the backup that most mistakes can be erased with a simple restore of the USB stick (which you can do from an optional boot menu on restart). For a home looking for their first computer, I’d still lean toward a full, traditional PC, if only for the flexibility it brings, but anyone else - particularly business or library/public service users - should certainly consider Linutop’s offering. Thanks to Linutop for the loan of the unit; it’s available now for €280, while the v1.2 OS can be downloaded from the site by existing owners. Rating:

    3.5 out of 5 stars

Relevant Entries on SlashGear
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2730. LtWV Wrist Vmote Lightglove is one funky input device

Filed under: ,
We've seen so many gimmicky input devices -- keyboards, mice, tilt-a-mice, the like -- that we almost dismissed this little gem at first glance. The LtWV Wrist Vmote Lightglove is based on your wrist moment, but not in a vague waving-around sense. Instead, the device uses light to scan your palm and sense wrist, hand and finger motion to simulate cursor movement and key presses accordingly. The goal is to act as an input device for computers, PDAs, phones, video games, TV and pretty much anything else that can benefit from such input. Lightglove integrates with an onscreen keyboard for "hunt and peck" and touch typing, and should be a help to those suffering from carpal tunnel or other hand challenges. Of course, if done wrong the system could be much more annoying than helpful, but it's been in development for about seven years, and just received a CES Innovations 2008 award, so hopefully it's the real deal and we can finally rid ourselves of these last century peripheral conceptions.

[Via Mobilewhack] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2868. Enermax Caesar metal-clad keyboard up in your grill

Filed under:
It's not too often we see a diamond-cut solid brushed aluminum keyboard (complete with steel mesh grill), but Enermax's hotshot new Caesar keyboard definitely made us sit up and take notice. Successor to the Crystal aluminum keyboard, weighing in at 3.2 friggin mounds and blocking off 20.5 x 8.46 x 1.1-inches (521 x 215 x 28mm) of desk space, this mound of metal also has a couple of USB 2.0 ports, a built-in audio device (what for we're not yet entirely sure), five media and five Vista buttons, and scissor-mounted keys. It's a surprisingly low $75 per, but we'll be waiting pit it against the Optimus Maximus in the keyboard Thunderdome.

Gallery: Enermax Caesar metal-clad keyboard up in your grill Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

2888. ROCCAT intros new line of gaming peripherals

Filed under: , ROCCAT may not be quite as well known as some gaming-centric peripheral makers, but it looks like its doing its best to make its mark with a new line of peripherals, including a gaming mouse and keyboard. Dubbed the ROCCAT Kone, the mouse looks to sport all the features an excessively-demanding gamer would expect, including no less than ten buttons, four removable weights, and a customizable light system with "thousands of colors." While you apparently won't get quite as many color options with the ROCCAT Valo keyboard (pictured after the break), you will still at least get illuminated keys (including 41 macro keys), along with 2MB of memory for storing up to five profiles, and even an integrated noise-canceling microphone. Look for it and the mouse to set you back €100 and €70 (or $147 and $103), respectively, when they hit Europe in February, with a matching mousepad also available for €20 (or about $30).

[Via Randomly Accessed, thanks Steve]
Continue reading ROCCAT intros new line of gaming peripherals Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

3140. CES 2008: WOLFKING reveals MVP series Gamepad and mouse

You can't argue with a company called WOLFKING. And if you did, your arguments would be rendered utterly pathetic by the overpowering strength of all those caps. WOLFKING is touting its latest mouse / gamepad combo at CES this year. It features updated versions of its TROOPER gaming mouse and WARRIOR pad, which is aimed at PC gamers who don't want to fill their normal keyboard with dead skin and stale sweat.  

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3146. CES 2008: Sandio 3D mouse demonstrates why mice need even more buttons now

3D_game_02_mouse.jpg
You know what's wrong with control pads and mouse and keyboard control styles? They need two hands. That's just wasteful. Especially if you can get full 3D controls with just one device. That's what Sandio believes and they have come up with the mouse to prove it: the Sandio 3D game O2  

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1/14 | Idea conceived
1/17 | Semester starts
1/19 | Design completed