Kingston Unveils 2-GB ValueRAM SO-DIMMs

Kingston® Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memoryproducts, today announced it is first to offer a full production launch of 2-GB533 MHz and 667 MHz ValueRAM® SO-DIMMs concurrent with the release of new 800MHz ValueRAM SO-DIMMs. The new larger capacity, high-performance memory modulesare designed to meet the growing demands of notebook computers and miniPCs; thefaster speed SO-DIMMs are in preparation for the industry migration to the 800MHz platform.

“With the advancements in mobile and small form factor PCs, the need for highdensity SO-DIMM memory is increasing,” said Mark Tekunoff, senior technologymanager, Kingston. “Combining Kingston’s 2-GB SO-DIMM memory with AOpen miniPCsor notebooks with partners like MSI creates an ideal computing platform forcustomers demanding high performance,” added Tekunoff.

“The new Kingston ValueRAM 2-GB SO-DIMMs are designed to deliver the premiumexperience for laptop users. When the Microsoft® Windows® Vista operating systemlaunches, more users will choose to move to at least 2 GB of system memory togain improved productivity, enhanced visual quality and visual style. MSI andKingston are working closely in product evaluation and testing and we are alwayson the forefront to deliver products with the best quality, reliability andcompatibility to the whitebook channels,” said Daniel Wang, vice president,Channel Business Development Division, MSI.

“Kingston has developed an industry-leading quality process to ensure thatKingston memory delivers superior quality, performance, and compatibility withcomputing systems,” said Chris Liu, Vice President of Product and Marketing,AOpen America, Inc. “Kingston’s new 2-GB SO-DIMM is a great inclusion in itsproduct family — particularly for AOpen’s miniPC and the Mini-ITX motherboardproducts.”

ValueRAM 2-GB 533 MHz and 667 MHz SO-DIMM Features:
1.8 Volts operation, delivering 50% less power usage.
Memory signal termination inside the memory chip prevents reflected signaltransmission errors.
CAS Latency: 4, 5

ValueRAM 800 MHz SO-DIMM Features:
1.8 Volts operation, delivering 50% less power usage.
Memory signal termination inside the memory chip prevents reflected signaltransmission errors.
CAS Latency: 5

Kingston ValueRAM SO-DIMM MemoryModulesPart NumberCapacity and FeaturesMSRP (U.S. only)KVR533D2S4/2G2-GB 533 MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL4 SO-DIMM$ 589.00KVR667D2S5/2G2-GB 667 MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 SO-DIMM$ 640.00KVR800D2S5/512512-MB 800 MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 SO-DIMM$ 108.00KVR800D2S5/1GB1-GB 800 MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 SO-DIMM$ 210.00

Milestone Microsoft Skype breaks its first open-source partnership

According to a letter which Digium mailed to its Asterisk users, sales and activations of the Skype for Asterisk product will cease on July 26, 2011. The company points out that their product was developed in cooperation with Skype and an agreement was made in order for Digium to acquire and use proprietary software from Skype in order to allow Asterisk to join the Skype network as a native client. Recently (which stands for "after Microsoft purchased Skype") Skype decided not to renew that agreement and Digium cannot package any proprietary software, forcing them to end their products life.

Digium expects that current Asterisk users will not be affected by this and that they will be able to use their Asterisk systems on the Skype network at least until July 26, 2013.

The full letter can be read here.

Famed JailbreakMe exploit put to rest in iOS 6

After two years, Apple has finally managed to patch the bug behind the famed JailbreakMe exploit. This occurs less than a year after the hacker responsible for discovering the exploit, Comex, left jailbreaking for an internship at Apple.

The well-guarded JailbreakMe exploit was the first jailbreak that could be used with the iPad 2, and has lived unfettered for two years’ time. The exploit was particularly loved for its ease and simplicity - the procedure of jailbreaking a device using it involved simply visiting a website in the iOS browser, and a few seconds later, the process was done.

But now, in iOS 6, the exploit has finally been patched. Jailbreaker pod2g notes via Twitter "R.I.P. the exploit used by developers to root the device. Found by @comex in 2010. A 2 years old bug closed with iOS 6."

Obviously, the immediate suspicion in everyones mind is that Comex revealed the bug to Apple now that he is working for them. There isnt any proof of that, but its certainly a possibility.

As disappointing as this may be, the good news is that the kernel bug exploit couldnt be used for general release jailbreaks, as it required an iOS developer account. Therefore, any jailbreaks currently being developed for iOS 6 (like the one announced by iPhone Dev Teams Musclenerd) should not be affected by the patch.

Jailbreakers tend to have their own stock of secret exploits in the case that Apple destroys one of them. So, while it may mark the end of a very faithful exploit, the loss of Jailbreakme doesnt signal any doom for the jailbreaking community.

Source: Cult of Mac

Koreans introduce 'talking' robots

A talking, bartending robot has made its debut in Busan, Korea, serving world delegates with drinks and conversation at the recent APEC forum.

Several humanoid helper robots have been introduced in Korea in the past, but the
bartending robot is unique in its ability to both converse with people and serve them with whatever they need.

The robot is the creation of the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intelligent Robot taskforce. Designed to assist the elderly and disabled, its ability to hold conversations and execute commands has earned it the name 'thinking robot' or 'T-Rot'.

T-Rot has two cameras that enable it to recognize people and objects. These cameras help it to identify peoples’ faces and surrounding objects. As well as human speech it also recognizes its own location

Another strength is its ability to identify items with its highly developed sense of touch. T-Rot is equipped with polyamide film and three-axis sensors that enable it to determine vertical pressure and horizontal sliding. This makes it possible for it to determine the weight of objects. Having gauged the precise weight of an object, the robot applies the appropriate strength to lift the object, be it a can or bottle of drink.

T-Rot can even sense a person's weight and determine the precise level of strength required to shake his or her hand. This is a significant advance over other robots who shake hands using pre-installed programs, few of which match with the person’s strength.

Copyright 2005 PhysOrg.com Image copyright: The Chosun Ilbo

Gigabit Powerline Networking offers speedy solutions

Although we've always been able to see and hear in "High Definition," we think of that phrase as belonging to the 21st century. High Definition or HD devices such as television sets, Blu-Ray DVD players, digital still and video cameras are all considered to be today's top-of-the-line consumer electronic devices. Even audio equipment and broadcast radio now have the same HD bragging rights. If you want the best technology has to offer in video and audio, it's got to be in HD. But there's a price to be paid for HD and while one of them is most certainly at the cash register, another is to be found within the additional bandwidth one needs to accommodate all the additional digital information that HD demands.

Moving HD content from one place to another requires a bigger "pipe" to get it there in a timely manner. For example, if you want HD content on your computer to be played on your HD TV in the living room, your wireless connection has to use the newest 802.11n standard to keep up but even that 300

The other nice feature is built-in security. All of these devices use the same signal standard so that they can work with each other regardless of the manufacturer. The downside is that anyone with one of these devices could access your information by just plugging one in at another room. The Belkin model defeats this from happening by implementing a simple push-button security procedure. When you first power them on, you press a button on each unit which creates a coded communication between them. From then on, their information is encrypted and can only be decoded between those units. Any other units added later on will not be able to decode what is being sent. If you wish to add another unit later on, you must press the button on the original device and the button on the newly installed one before they will work together.

Belkin's Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit sells for $149.99 and comes with two units to get you up and running. Life is in HD and now you can enjoy it wherever you are in your home.

More information: www.belkin.com

(Craig Crossman is a national newspaper columnist writing about computers and technology)
(c) 2009, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Dell Delivers Next Generation Home Theatre Capabilities with the New Inspiron Zino HD

Dell Delivers Next Generation Home Theatre Capabilities with the New Inspiron Zino HD

SINGAPORE, 1 October 2010 - Dell recently announced the launch of the new Inspiron Zino HD, offering outstanding home-theater capabilities. The new Zino HD, is the next-generation version of the award-winning system that sports a powerhouse entertainment experience in a compact design. The Inspiron Zino HD is simple to set up and connects easily to big-screen high-definition TVs for an amazing family entertainment experience. With an optional remote control and wireless keyboard, viewers can surf the Internet from their living room couch, watch Blu-Ray DVDs or browse their music and photo libraries – all on the big screen. And its compact 8-inch-by-8-inch footprint fits unobtrusively anywhere.

The Inspiron Zino HD is a mini powerhouse entertainment PC, delivering awe-inspiring video and audio performance and is the perfect companion for High-Definition TV screens and home-theater setups. The Zino HD offers up to an AMD quad-core Phenom II processor that delivers an immersive high definition entertainment and gaming experience combined with optional 1GB discrete graphics[i]; built-in networking and media card reader that provides instant access to digital images and videos; VGA and HDMI connections for displays and TVs; available THX 7.1 surround sound; optional Blu-ray Disc combo drive, and up to 1TB[ii] of hard disk storage.

With the available wireless keyboard and IR remote control, families can direct their TV viewing or Web surfing experience from across the room.

The Inspiron Zino HD looks great in standard black, but can be personalized with three optional lid colors: Tomato Red, Peacock Blue and Mercury Silver. And like the Inspiron One, the Zino HD is simple and easy to set up.

The Inspiron Zino HD is now available for sale on www.dell.com.sg starting at S$649.

[i] Significant system memory may be used to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.
[ii] Drive: GB means 1 billion bytes and TB equals 1 trillion bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment and will be less.

iPhone 4S fever hits Hong Kong

Enlarge

Hong Kong was gripped by iPhone 4S fever on Thursday as more than 1,500 fans and resellers queued outside the Apple store ahead of the release of the smartphone in the southern Chinese city.

The crowd -- including the elderly and parents with children in tow -- began to converge on a footbridge opposite Apple's plush new harbourside store on Monday, setting up tents with mats, chairs and blankets.

The

"We had to stand and queue last night even though it was raining and it was very cold. We don't know whether there's a quota for each customer but I want to get as many iPhone 4Ss as I can," he said.

A man from mainland China who refused to give his name said he had been waiting all week.

"I'll be very proud to own this latest phone. And I'll be very embarrassed if I can't get anything," he said, adding he would buy as many as he could and sell those he didn't want for himself.

Stunned tourist Dustin Moore said: "I'll just wait for a few weeks or even a few months to get the phone. This is just crazy, I don't know what to say."

More than four million of the smartphones have been sold since its world debut in markets including Germany, Britain, France, Japan and Australia on October 14, according to the company.

The buyer frenzy comes despite software bugs that have caused some iPhone 4S owners to report lower than expected Apple store.

Other iPhone4Ss will end up on the grey market in nearby cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou in mainland China, where they have yet to be officially released.