Dell CEO Michael Dell’s speech at the Fortune Green conference, during which he showed off this funky bamboo-encased eco-PC concept. Dell said the computer is 81 percent smaller than a standard desktop, uses 70 percent less power and is filled with recycled materials like old bottles, milk jugs and detergent cases. While Dell wouldn’t give the name of the bamboo box, he said the product would come out later this year and would likely range in price betwen $500 and $700.


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9:07 PM
Categories: Dell, Eco-green, PC. Author: Dave

Skype announced today an unlimited international calling plan that only costs $9.95 a month. The plan allows unlimited calls to land-line phones in 34 countries.

The countries include most of Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. Calls to U.S. landlines and cell phones are included, as are calls to cell phones in Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Calls to cell phones in other countries aren’t included.

Skype calls are made from computers equipped with a microphone and speakers or a headset. Subscribers will also have the option to call a local number from their phones and be connected to international numbers, paying only local access charges or cell-phone airtime. Vonage and cable companies offer similar plans but at higher prices.

Skype, which is owned by eBay, also offers free computer-to-computer calls. In the first-quarter of this year the subscribers logged 1.7 billion minutes of paid calls. The free service saw 14.2 billion minutes used.

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9:45 PM
Categories: IDD, Internet, Skype. Author: Dave

Samsung has already been sending word here and there about their new design, even announced its arrival at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, now the Soul slider is here. We have just been informed that it is now becoming available in parts of Europe for users to purchase. The world is finally getting its first looks as this classy new slider. Distribution will expand through the end of May to other countries throughout Europe such as France, the UK and Germany. This new tri-band phone will operate on most GSM supporting open markets and comes with a lot of features that users expect in any quality mobile device.

The Samsung Soul slider features a 5 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, face detection, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) so gone are the days of shaky, blurred pictures. Now users taking photographs with their mobile devise will be able to share quality images that they can be proud of without having to retake the picture several times in order to get a good shot.

The Samsung Soul also features 7.2Mbps HSDPA data access so that users can enjoy quick access to advanced 3G networks. Also, users can look forward to the new Magical Touch navigator by DaCP that allows users a new way to quickly and easily navigate menus and options in the Soul. The Soul will be available in three distinct colors including Sterling Silver, Soul Gray and Platinum Silver.

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9:15 PM
Categories: 3G, Camara Phone, Cellphone, Samsung, Slider. Author: Dave

Forget multi-touch, or tilt control accelerometers... Microsoft researchers have been working on force sensing technology that would let you bend/twist/stretch/squeeze your handheld device in order to control it.

The technology allows users to apply force to their portable device in order to carry out on-screen actions, such as flip a page in a document or switching between applications.



The researchers noted that more and more devices are becoming, in effect, large screens, with fewer physical buttons. They believe the technology could work in parallel with existing human computer interfaces, like multi-touch and tilt.

The technology uses four sensors that are embedded into the casing of the device so it does not have to be made out of special flexi-material.

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6:58 PM
Categories: force sensing, Microsoft, Portable device. Author: Dave

Orange France has announced that it will be the exclusive carrier of the new Levi Strauss 3G slider handset, planned to be available in April 2008. The handset is engraved with the Levi Strauss logo and features a metal and soft touch finish.

Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900MHz) and WCDMA (2100MHz) support will allow the handset to be used throughout Europe, and a microSD card slot will offer plenty of extra storage space. The built-in MP3 player and Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP support for stereo headsets enables a great music experience, as well.

The Levi's 3G handset is priced at EUR279 (US$444) without contract, or as low as EUR9 (US$14) with contract.



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5:51 AM
Categories: 3G, Cellphone. Author: Dave

Whether or not you think it’s ugly, you have to admit that this is one pretty damn cool watch. The UR-202 Hammerhead, designed by Urwerk, brings a bunch of innovative features to an accessory that hasn’t changed that much in about a century. Okay, okay, with a few exceptions. Anyway… The first thing you’ll notice is that the UR-202 communicates the time with three hands that rotate around the center of the watch. The number blocks on the ends of each hand rotate to provide the hour, and the minute is shown by that little metal pointer, which telescopes in and out as the hands rotate, allowing for a smaller overall case since the pointers not in use are able to retract themselves as they circle back around the watch. The two dials alongside the minute bar show the moon phase, and whether it’s day or night.

The watch is powered by kinetic energy; it winds itself as you move your wrist around. Kinetic watches work best (and last longest) when they’re wound with gentle, consistent motion, and heavy wrist activity (ahem) can put a lot of strain on the mechanism. To combat this, the UR-202 contains two little turbines, which are coupled to the winding rotor. The turbines act as shock absorbers, using air pressure to cushion the movements of the rotor. A switch on the back of the watch lets you adjust the air pressure passing through the turbines to compensate for “vigorous” and “extreme” activity. They’re using air inside the watch to do all this, so the whole thing remains waterproof.

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2:32 AM
Categories: Watches. Author: Dave