News

Google has now expanded its Voice Actions service to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, reports engadget

“Beginning today, loquacious smartphone and tablet users will be able to place calls, send texts and conduct Google searches by speaking into their devices. All you have to do is press the microphone button on your home screen’s Google search field and open the Voice Search app, or simply press the physical search button on your handset to bring up the “Speak Now” field. From there, you can begin chattering away in French, German, Italian, Spanish and real British English.”

Requires Android 2.2 or above

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announces the addition of two feature-packed digital cameras, the PowerShot S100 and PowerShot SX40 HS, to its award-winning lineup of point-and-shoot models. In addition to superb low-light performance and increased overall speed, these two cameras include a new DIGIC 5 image processor, HS SYSTEM, Full HD video capture, High-speed Burst HQ and Intelligent IS providing clearer, smoother looking images.

“Photo enthusiasts are always on the search for that next great camera to help them achieve the best results” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “The inclusion of the new DIGIC 5 image processor and Full HD recording capabilities on both new models will provide users with the tools needed to capture brilliant images and videos as they continue their photographic journey”

A challenging task for the photographer on assignment or appointed family photographer is working under low-light conditions. Helping improve the quality of images from those situations is Canon’s HS SYSTEM, where the camera’s image processor and high-sensitivity image sensor work in tandem to enhance low-light image quality. With the PowerShot S100 and PowerShot SX40 HS, Canon has introduced a new DIGIC 5 image processor, maintaining the cameras’ superb low-light image quality while improving overall camera operation and color accuracy. The new image processor has improved noise reduction and advanced Multi-area White Balance optimizing color tones of both subject and background under multiple light sources.

High-speed, High-quality, High-performance

An added benefit of the DIGIC 5 image processor is the incorporation of the new High-speed Burst HQ1providing users with the ability to continuously capture a maximum of eight frames. This new feature will allow the story of a child scoring the winning goal on the soccer field or a marathon runner crossing the finish line to be told frame-by-frame through the eye of the photographer.

Intelligent IS

One of the most important innovations for a point-and-shoot camera has been Image Stabilization (IS) since it helps improve image quality by reducing camera blur for both images and videos. Canon has taken this technology one step further with the new Intelligent IS which automatically chooses from six different modes (Normal, Macro, Panning, Dynamic, Powered, Tripod) to optimize image stabilization and help achieve crisp, blur-free images for various shooting conditions.

It’s an HD World

When the time comes to share one of those “can’t miss” moments from a family day at the park or of a pride of lions on a safari expedition, the use of HD video is becoming more popular than ever. As a leader in HD video capture, Canon has incorporated Full HD recording (1920 x 1080) capabilities for both new models. Providing exceptional resolution for crystal clear HD video, both cameras have a dedicated movie record button in addition to having the ability to zoom while recording, further enhancing the overall user experience. An HDMI terminal output has also been included for easy sharing of videos with stereo sound on HD ready televisions

PowerShot S100 Digital Camera
When the PowerShot S95 Digital camera was announced in 2010, it received critical praise for having an impressive feature set and superb low-light capabilities. Building upon the success of this model is the PowerShot S100, featuring a host of upgrades making it a must-have for any photo enthusiast. Featuring a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM — this versatile camera has a 24-120mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, GPS functionality and is capable of achieving improved low-light performance of up to ISO 6400.
Additionally, the camera utilizes an f/2.0 lens increasing the camera’s low-light performance by allowing additional light to reach the sensor while creating a shallow depth-of-field for portraits with dynamic, soft backgrounds. The PowerShot S100 will also now be available in either black or silver. Other features of this camera include:

-A large 3.0-inch wide LCD screen for easy viewing of those images and menu options.
-GPS capabilities2 where satellites collect data of the latitude, longitude and altitude of an image’s location, which is then stored to the image’s EXIF data3. A map utility software is included with the camera to view the locations where images were captured. There’s also an internal GPS logger to track the day’s photographic route.
-A full range of shooting and recording modes similar to those found in DSLR cameras including RAW + JPEG and a control ring on the front of the camera for quick, manual adjustment of key functions such as ISO, zoom and focus.
-Compatibility with the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, which is an optional flash accessory that operates wirelessly and increases the effective flash range up to approximately 30 feet.

The estimated selling price of the PowerShot S100 Digital camera is $429.99 and is scheduled to be available in early November.*

PowerShot SX40 HS

When visiting the local zoo or sitting in the stands of a youth football game, having a camera that has the flexibility to capture images at close-up and far-off distances is a necessity. Canon’s PowerShot SX40 HS is just the camera one would need to ensure those images are of high-quality. Other features include:

-An incredible 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM – the camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image quality up to ISO 3200.
-An incredible 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM – the camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image quality up to ISO 3200.
-A 2.7-inch wide vari-angle LCD has been included for easy viewing of images and menus from almost any angle.
-Improved Smart AUTO settings to ensure the settings are intelligently selected based upon the cameras 32 predefined shooting situations.
-The Zoom Framing Assist button, which helps the user steady the camera when tracking a moving subject at extreme telephoto settings keeping it in focus.

The estimated selling price of the PowerShot SX40 HS Digital camera is $429.99 and is scheduled to be available in late September.*

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2010†, with global revenues of more than US $45 billion and is listed as number five in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2011 list. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percCanon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announces the addition of two feature-packed digital cameras, the PowerShot S100 and PowerShot SX40 HS, to its award-winning lineup of point-and-shoot models. In addition to superb low-light performance and increased overall speed, these two cameras include a new DIGIC 5 image processor, HS SYSTEM, Full HD video capture, High-speed Burst HQ and Intelligent IS providing clearer, smoother looking images.

“Photo enthusiasts are always on the search for that next great camera to help them achieve the best results” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “The inclusion of the new DIGIC 5 image processor and Full HD recording capabilities on both new models will provide users with the tools needed to capture brilliant images and videos as they continue their photographic journey”

A challenging task for the photographer on assignment or appointed family photographer is working under low-light conditions. Helping improve the quality of images from those situations is Canon’s HS SYSTEM, where the camera’s image processor and high-sensitivity image sensor work in tandem to enhance low-light image quality. With the PowerShot S100 and PowerShot SX40 HS, Canon has introduced a new DIGIC 5 image processor, maintaining the cameras’ superb low-light image quality while improving overall camera operation and color accuracy. The new image processor has improved noise reduction and advanced Multi-area White Balance optimizing color tones of both subject and background under multiple light sources.

High-speed, High-quality, High-performance

An added benefit of the DIGIC 5 image processor is the incorporation of the new High-speed Burst HQ1providing users with the ability to continuously capture a maximum of eight frames. This new feature will allow the story of a child scoring the winning goal on the soccer field or a marathon runner crossing the finish line to be told frame-by-frame through the eye of the photographer.

Intelligent IS

One of the most important innovations for a point-and-shoot camera has been Image Stabilization (IS) since it helps improve image quality by reducing camera blur for both images and videos. Canon has taken this technology one step further with the new Intelligent IS which automatically chooses from six different modes (Normal, Macro, Panning, Dynamic, Powered, Tripod) to optimize image stabilization and help achieve crisp, blur-free images for various shooting conditions.

It’s an HD World

When the time comes to share one of those “can’t miss” moments from a family day at the park or of a pride of lions on a safari expedition, the use of HD video is becoming more popular than ever. As a leader in HD video capture, Canon has incorporated Full HD recording (1920 x 1080) capabilities for both new models. Providing exceptional resolution for crystal clear HD video, both cameras have a dedicated movie record button in addition to having the ability to zoom while recording, further enhancing the overall user experience. An HDMI terminal output has also been included for easy sharing of videos with stereo sound on HD ready televisions

PowerShot S100 Digital Camera

When the PowerShot S95 Digital camera was announced in 2010, it received critical praise for having an impressive feature set and superb low-light capabilities. Building upon the success of this model is the PowerShot S100, featuring a host of upgrades making it a must-have for any photo enthusiast. Featuring a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM — this versatile camera has a 24-120mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, GPS functionality and is capable of achieving improved low-light performance of up to ISO 6400.
Additionally, the camera utilizes an f/2.0 lens increasing the camera’s low-light performance by allowing additional light to reach the sensor while creating a shallow depth-of-field for portraits with dynamic, soft backgrounds. The PowerShot S100 will also now be available in either black or silver. Other features of this camera include:

-A large 3.0-inch wide LCD screen for easy viewing of those images and menu options.
-GPS capabilities2 where satellites collect data of the latitude, longitude and altitude of an image’s location, which is then stored to the image’s EXIF data3. A map utility software is included with the camera to view the locations where images were captured. There’s also an internal GPS logger to track the day’s photographic route.
-A full range of shooting and recording modes similar to those found in DSLR cameras including RAW + JPEG and a control ring on the front of the camera for quick, manual adjustment of key functions such as ISO, zoom and focus.
-Compatibility with the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, which is an optional flash accessory that operates wirelessly and increases the effective flash range up to approximately 30 feet.

The estimated selling price of the PowerShot S100 Digital camera is $429.99 and is scheduled to be available in early November.*

PowerShot SX40 HS

When visiting the local zoo or sitting in the stands of a youth football game, having a camera that has the flexibility to capture images at close-up and far-off distances is a necessity. Canon’s PowerShot SX40 HS is just the camera one would need to ensure those images are of high-quality. Other features include:

-An incredible 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM – the camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image quality up to ISO 3200.
-An incredible 35x optical zoom range (24mm-840mm) with image stabilizer and a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor — part of the HS SYSTEM – the camera can capture low-light images of enhanced image quality up to ISO 3200.
-A 2.7-inch wide vari-angle LCD has been included for easy viewing of images and menus from almost any angle.
-Improved Smart AUTO settings to ensure the settings are intelligently selected based upon the cameras 32 predefined shooting situations.
-The Zoom Framing Assist button, which helps the user steady the camera when tracking a moving subject at extreme telephoto settings keeping it in focus.

The estimated selling price of the PowerShot SX40 HS Digital camera is $429.99 and is scheduled to be available in late September.*

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2010†, with global revenues of more than US $45 billion and is listed as number five in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2011 list. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyoseient U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei

Hands on Video: http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/3441/

Intel Corporation and Google Inc. today announced that they will work to enable and optimize future versions of Android™ for Intel’s family of low power Atom™ processors. This means that future versions of the Android platform will support Intel technology in addition to other architectures.

The joint effort is designed to speed time-to-market of Intel technology-based smartphones running the Android platform. Intel will take advantage of the open-source accessibility of the Android platform to provide its customers with technology products that inspire continued innovation and also help enable powerful personal computing experiences that fully leverage Intel technology across a range of devices. This work will enable mobile device OEMs and wireless operators to draw upon the performance and low power capabilities of Intel® architecture and tap into the scale of the x86 developer ecosystem to further drive the adoption of the Android platform.

“By optimizing the Android platform for Intel architecture, we bring a powerful new capability to market that will accelerate more industry adoption and choice, and bring exciting new products to market that harness the combined potential of Intel technology and the Android platform” said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini”Together we are accelerating Intel architecture and bringing new levels of innovation to a maturing Android platform”

“Combining Android with Intel’s low power smartphone roadmap opens up more opportunity for innovation and choice” said Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google. “This collaboration will drive the Android ecosystem forward”

Today’s announcement builds upon the two companies’ recent joint initiatives to enable Intel architecture on Google products, which include Chrome OS and Google TV along with the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) and Native Development Kit (NDK).

About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top Web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com

Moving decisively to place his unique sense of design and style on one of the consumer electronics industry’s traditionally most boring product categories, fashion designer, multimedia artist, and technology entrepreneur Marc Ecko today announced the immediate market introduction of a groundbreaking new line of *ECKOUNLTD. earbud headphones that fuse together fashion and function in unprecedented new ways.

According to Ecko, the six new earbud headphone styles – “Zone,” “Chaos II,” “Stomp,” “Lace,” “Zip,” and “Chain” – will be delivered to dealers starting next month under an exclusive licensing agreement with Mizco International’s DIGIPOWER Division. Each new style lives up to its respective name, featuring a fusion of fashion and function unique to each series. All will be marketed under the *ECKOUNLTD. brand name and carry suggested retail prices of between $12.99 to $39.99.

“I can’t imagine life without all my gadgets. From my phone to my laptop; I am as dependent on my gear as I am the quality of my environment. For me it is not just a bunch of cables and ports. I expect my gear to be seamless with what it is I am doing, reliable and easy to manage. If I am on a plane, managing my photos, catching up on the news, vibing on music or even playing videogames, it has to work as hard as I do,” Marc Ecko said today.

He continues, “Having grown up in a digital generation, and having it shape so much of my point of view as a designer – I could not wait to tackle the challenge of building a proper collection of technology accessories. I aimed to build something that really captures our generation’s unlimited sense of style. Fearless. Action minded. Designed with a unique voice. Always live life Unlimited!”

According to Mizco’s Vice President of Sales for the *ecko Division, Steve Kops, “For the first time in the headphone category’s history, Fashion & Function are major influences on product development. As a result, retailers have a brand new opportunity to merchandise headphones not just on their sonic quality, but now on the fashion likes of their consumers. Traditional, all black headphones are being replaced with vibrant colors, unique silhouettes, and superior technology to their predecessors.”

The “Zone” earbuds feature the iconic *ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces. Available for $12.99, in red, green, pink, yellow, blue and white, the earbuds include a one-meter cable compatible with iPods, iPhones and Android smartphones and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

“Chaos II”, available for $14.99, in purple, pink, blue, red, and black, features the *ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces, a 1 meter cable, inline microphone, controls for the iPod, iPad and iPhone, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

Available for $19.99, the “Stomp” earbuds feature the iconic Ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces. Available in red, blue, white, pink, purple and black, the earbuds feature a flat 1.2-meter cable with an inline microphone and controls compatible with iPods, iPads, iPhones and Android smartphones. The earbuds include a convenient travel bag, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

The “Lace” earbuds, available for $24.99, feature a nylon, shoelace style cord, available in white, red, blue, black, pink and purple. The earbuds feature an inline microphone, controls for iPods, iPads and iPhones, three sizes of ear gels and a convenient travel bag.

The new “Chain” and “Zip” earbuds merge Ecko’s reputation for street-conscious fashion with utilitarian function. Featuring a beaded, dog-tag chain cord design, the “Chain” earbuds are available for $39.99 in blue, pink, red and black. The “Zip” earbuds feature a functioning zipper cord, and are available in red, gold, blue, white, pink and purple, for $29.99. Both styles of earbuds feature an inline microphone and volume control compatible with iPods, iPhones, and Android smartphones, as well as a convenient travel bag and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

According to Ecko, today’s introduction of the six new ear bud headphone lines is a prelude to a major CES 2012 product line introduction that promise to take his vision to an even higher plateau of design and function.

About Marc Ecko Enterprises

Marc Ecko Enterprises is a full-scale global fashion and lifestyle company with reported sales of over $1.5 billion in 2009 and approximately 1,000 employees worldwide. Over the past 17 years, the group of companies that comprise Marc Ecko Enterprises (MEE) has grown to include: Ecko Unltd., the largest young men’s brand in better department stores today; Eckored, a young women’s brand both identified by the ‘World Famous Rhino’ logo; Marc Ecko Cut & Sew, a contemporary menswear line; Zoo York, the first and largest east coast action sport brand; Marc Ecko Entertainment, an interactive entertainment and videogame unit; and Complex Media LLC, a publishing and new media division.

About Mizco International

Headquartered in Avenel, New Jersey, Mizco International (www.mizco.com) is one of the world’s fastest growing suppliers of mobile phone headsets and accessories, as well as imaging and iPhone power solutions. Founded in 1990, Mizco markets products under the Cellular Innovations, DIGIPOWER, iEssentials and Travelocity brands. The company currently offers more than 1,000 products through a global dealer network. For more information on Mizco and its product offerings call 1.800.266.4026 or visit www.mizco.com

Gmail Offline is a Chrome Web Store app that’s intended for situations when you need to read, respond to, organize and archive email without an internet connection. This HTML5-powered app is based on the Gmail web app for tablets, which was built to function with or without web access. After you install the Gmail Offline app from the Chrome Web Store, you can continue using Gmail when you lose your connection by clicking the Gmail Offline icon on Chrome’s “new tab” page.

Google Calendar and Google Docs let you seamlessly transition between on- and offline modes. When you’re offline in Google Calendar, you can view events from your calendars and RSVP to appointments. With Google Docs you can view documents and spreadsheets when you don’t have a connection. Offline editing isn’t ready yet, but we know it’s important to many of you, and we’re working hard to make it a reality. To get started using Google Calendar or Google Docs offline, just click the gear icon at the top right corner of the web app and select the option for offline access.

Read more: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/using-gmail-calendar-and-docs-without.html

A new study has found that iOS remained untouched by malware during the second quarter, while Android faced 76 percent more threats than in the first quarter, making it the most targeted mobile platform.

McAfee detailed the information in its Second Quarter 2011 Threats Report, noting that the “threat landscape of 2011 is undergoing a year of chaos and change,” as reported by MacNN.

Skype announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire GroupMe, a provider of mobile group messaging services that helps users stay in touch and make decisions. GroupMe was founded in 2010 at the Techcrunch Disrupt Hackathon and is headquartered in New York, New York. Terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed.

Through the acquisition of GroupMe, Skype continues its drive to provide a global multi-modal and multi-platform communications experience. The acquisition of GroupMe complements Skype’s leadership in voice and video communications by providing best in class text-based communications and innovative features that enable users to connect, share locations and photos and make plans with their closest ties. This, coupled with the acquisition of mobile video provider Qik, which Skype announced earlier this year, augments Skype’s role as an innovator in driving unique mobile user experiences.

“Skype and GroupMe have a shared vision of creating applications and experiences that are the daily communications choice for a billion people. We will continue to seek the top talent and technology to make that vision a reality” said Tony Bates, Skype’s Chief Executive Officer. “The GroupMe team has created an incredibly sticky group messaging experience that works across mobile devices and platforms, making this a perfect addition to the voice, video and text products in the Skype family” added Bates.

“There is a natural affinity between Skype and GroupMe and our goal is to continue developing tools that make it easier for people to communicate, share, and stay in touch with their close and important ties” said Jared Hecht, GroupMe’s Co-Founder. “Integrating GroupMe into the Skype experience is an amazing opportunity for us and accelerates the execution of our vision tenfold” added Steve Martocci, GroupMe’s Co-Founder.

About Skype
Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Every day, people everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles. Download Skype to your computer or mobile phone at skype.com.

About GroupMe
GroupMe is the easiest way to start conversations and keep in touch with your real life network. It’s totally free, and it works on every phone. For more information, please visit www.groupme.com

Google Maps is providing current weather information and cloud data from around the world by an arrangement with weather.com and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

“To add the weather layer, hover over the widget in the upper right corner of Google Maps and select the weather layer from the list of options. When zoomed out, you’ll see a map with current weather conditions from weather.com for various locations, with icons to denote sun, clouds, rain and so on. You can also see cloud coverage, thanks to our partners at the U.S. Naval Research Lab. And, if you look closely, you can also tell if it’s day or night around the world by sun and moon icons.

Enabling the weather layer also gives you an instant weather report for friends and family living around the world.”

Read More on Google Lat Long Blog

Mozilla, a global, non-profit organization dedicated to making the Web better, today released an update to Firefox for Windows, Mac and Linux that includes new and enhanced tools to make developing for the Web faster and easier.

The new “Web Developer” menu in Firefox provides easy access to tools that help developers build and debug websites directly in the browser. Developers will enjoy the new Scratchpad tool, which makes it simple to quickly enter, execute, test and refine JavaScript snippets in Firefox without needing to work in a one-line console. The Web Console is improved with an auto-complete feature and the ability to customize the console’s location to save developers time.

With support for additional APIs in Firefox, developers can build rich and compelling Web experiences. The new Window.matchMedia API helps developers optimize their website or Web app across different devices and platforms. Prefixed WebSockets and server-sent event APIs create faster communication between Firefox and Web servers, making it easier for developers to build more responsive and interactive real-time messaging applications and HTML5 games on the Web.

Panorama users will enjoy faster start-up times because tab groups are only loaded when selected. Users will also notice the Awesome Bar (URL bar) highlights a website’s domain name and the identity block is more prominent to help quickly identify where you are on the Web.

To get the latest version of Firefox for Windows, Mac or Linux click on “check for update” under the “About Firefox” menu or look out for a prompt to update automatically in the next few days.

More Info

Firefox 6 is being released on August 16th, three days ahead of schedule.

New features include the domain name of the page you’re parked on highlighted in the address bar.

The new version has speed improvements of almost 20% faster than the previous Firefox 5 and more stability.

www.mozilla.com

Samsung Announces High-performance 512GB SSDs with Ultra-fast SATA Revision 3.0 Interface

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, announced volume production of SSDs (solid state drives) that support the Serial ATA Revision 3.0 interface with data transmissions at six gigabits per second (6Gb/s). The new high-performance PM830 SSDs* are available at up to 512 gigabyte (GB) densities.

“Samsung’s new line up of advanced SSDs will raise the performance bar to the next level for ultra-slim notebooks and tablets and accelerate growth of the market for high-performance SSDs”
Samsung’s new high-speed SSDs are ideally suited for use in high-performance OEM notebooks and tablets. Sample production of the SATA 6Gb/s 512GB SSDs began in May, with volume production initiated earlier this month. The new drives are expected to replace SATA 3Gb/s-based SSDs by year-end.

“Samsung’s new line up of advanced SSDs will raise the performance bar to the next level for ultra-slim notebooks and tablets and accelerate growth of the market for high-performance SSDs,” said Wanhoon Hong, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Device Solutions, Samsung Electronics. “The industry is expected to quickly embrace SATA 6Gb/s-based SSDs, which also will help increase market interest in 256GB and higher densities significantly,” he added.

The SATA 6Gb/s SSD shortens system boot-up time to about 10 seconds, while its high-performance allows users to download up to five DVD video files in less than a minute.

The 512GB SSD utilizes Samsung’s most advanced 20 nanometer (nm) class** 32Gigabit multi-level cell (MLC) NAND memory chip incorporating the toggle DDR interface. A proprietary NAND controller facilitates exceptional performance levels that take full advantage of the toggle DDR architecture and the SATA 6Gb/s interface. The new SSD doubles the performance of a SATA 3Gb/s drive, with sequential read speeds of 500 megabytes per second (MB/s) and sequential write speeds of 350MB/s.

The drive also features the industry’s highest level of security, which uses an AES 256-bit encryption algorithm to protect personal or corporate data from unauthorized access.

Samsung’s SATA 6Gb/s SSDs are available in 512GB, 256GB and 128GB densities. The new high-performance SSD line-up is targeted for use in premium OEM notebooks, and tablets.

According to market research firm IDC, the global outlook for client-side SSDs is expected to grow ten-fold from 11 million units in 2011 to 100 million units in 2015. Moreover, the use of NAND in 256GB SSDs is forecast to more than double from 19 percent of all NAND used in SSDs in 2011 to 42 percent in 2015. Further, demand for 512GB SSDs is expected to grow from a 0.3 percent portion in 2011 to eight percent in 2015, also underscoring the growing interest in higher density SSDs.

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, announced the commercial launch of the world’s first plug and link data card, the HiLink E353. Powered by a number of patented technologies, the HiLink E353 automatically connects users to the Internet in as little as 15 seconds after the datacard is inserted into the USB port, without the need for a tedious dial-in process, driver installation or manual configuration. This is up to 75% faster than products currently on the market. The HiLink E353 is the first EDGE/GPRS/GSM-compatible product in the Huawei HiLink series that supports HSPA+network with 21 Mbps Downlink.

Wu Shimin, President of Mobile Broadband, Huawei Device, said, “Huawei is committed to providing customers with products that feature ease of use and optimal user experience. With customers at the heart of our strategy, we have been at the forefront of datacard development with industry-leading technologies and product form factors. Leveraging revolutionary 4th generation datacard technology, the HiLink series is poised to change the datacard industry landscape. The HiLink technology is the result of more than one year of dedicated research and development and we believe that it will not only enhance consumers’ user experience, it will also enable operators to reduce backend development and maintenance costs and speed up UI customization, enhancing the competitiveness of their products.”

www.huawei.com