Honda shows off three-wheeled 3R-C concept vehicle
Dig the idea of something like GM’s P.U.M.A. personal transporter but wish it would make you want to say pew pew pew whenever you’re driving? Then feast your eyes on the Honda 3R-C concept that’s just been announced in advance of the Geneva Motor Show. Nothing even approaching a roll-out date, as you might expect, but the three-wheeled vehicle would apparently use a battery electric drivetrain mounted low in the chassis for improved stability, and it even includes a bit of room for storage in the front, along with a clear canopy that apparently shifts to a windshield to give the “pilot” a bit more headroom. Not much else in the way of details, unfortunately, but Honda might have a bit more to say after its official unveiling in Geneva next week.
AT&T announces expanded availability of 3G MicroCell
It may not be the news that folks in some particularly problematic areas have been waiting for, but AT&T has now announced that it’s finally expanded availability of its 3G MicroCell beyond its initial testbed cities like Raleigh and Charlotte. The new markets apparently include some additional areas of North Carolina, along with new parts of South Carolina, Georgia, and San Diego, plus the addition of Las Vegas – the only entirely-new market of the bunch. Hit up the link below to punch in your zipcode for exact availability, and all the necessary details to get “five bars in your own home.” And if you’re curious about exactly what this whole femtocell thing is about, be sure to check out our impressions of the device.
Lenovo ThinkServer TS200v Cheapest Reliable Server
Lenovo release a new cheapest server called Lenovo ThinkServer TS200v powered with Intel Active Management Technology (AMT). They said it’s easy for the admin to control the system. The Lenovo ThinkServer TS200v using mini-tower casing with price under $500 and will be available in March 2010 using Intel Celeron 2.26 GHz. The Lenovo manufacture said this ThinkServer TS200v is the 1st server with unprecendented management capabilities and solid reliability at desktop price.
Google Nexus One users – go get your HTC Sense UI with Flash 10.1
The HTC Desire was just announced last week and somebody already has gutted its software internals and ported them in a nice package for Nexus One users to use and abuse. Android 2.1 OS, HTC Sense UI eye-candy and full Flash 10.1 support are among the goodies you get if you flash your Nexus One with the custom unofficial firmware. The hacked HTC Desire ROM is easy to install but it’s still in alpha stage, so I suggest regular users should still keep away from it. But keeping an eye on the project is definitely a must. If you decide to give it a try, do it at your own risk. With full Flash support on board you will have a more capable web browser, but I’m not sure of the performance cost. So if you go for it, drop us a line how it works in the comments.
Fisker hires Lambesis as ad agency of record; we expect the sex will sell
We’ve already seen at least one TV ad from Fisker Automotive, a minute-long spot that aired in the Los Angeles area almost a year ago (watch it here). Fisker recently consolidated its operations in California (sorry, Michigan), a move the company said would allow “greater efficiency and speeds up development of our new plug-in hybrids.” The latest sign that development is indeed moving forward is news that the plug-in vehicle start-up has hired the independent advertising agency Lambesis as its agency of record. As you might know (we didn’t), Lambesis is the force behind recent campaigns for SKYY Vodka, Grand Marnier and Dasani. If the company’s clips are a sign of things to come, we expect we’ll see leggy models draped over the Karma’s already sexy curves in no time. Apart from advertisements, Lambesis will also redesign Fisker’s corporate Web site, a project that should be done by this fall.
LG T280 Ultraportable Notebook
LG has added another notebook to its range with the launch of the LG T280 ultra portable notebook. The LG T280 features an 11.6 inch LCD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Processing comes in the form of either a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 dual core processor, or a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor, graphics is provided by an Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card. On top of that, the LG T280 Ultraportable Notebook comes with 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. There is also 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI, VGA and HDMI out. The LG T280 Ultraportable Notebook features a six cell battery and comes with Microsoft Windows 7 Home premium. There are no details as yet on when we are likely to see the LG T280 Ultraportable Notebook in the stores, and no details on pricing.
Sony intros Alpha DSLR concepts, ‘ultra-compact’ interchangeable lens model included
PMA is just kicking off in earnest down in Anaheim, and it looks like Sony has arrived in a big way. Looking to make a splash in a DSLR world dominated by Canon and Nikon, the outfit has brought a few of its best and brightest concepts to SoCal. Up first is an ultra-compact “interchangeable lens” concept, which is no doubt Sony’s attempt to get in on the fledgling Micro Four Thirds game before it blows up big. Few details on the device are available, but we’ll be doing our best to pry whatever specifications we can from the booth representatives in short order. Moving on, there’s a conceptual model of the Alpha A700 replacement, complete with an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor that promises full AVCHD video capabilities. There’s also a prototype of a Super Telephoto Lens (500mm F4 G) as well as a prototype Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM, which ought to make wide angle junkies drool profusely. The company’s also dishing out a raft of accessories, including underwater housing devices, HD lenses and output cables, tripods / accessory packs and a Compact PictureStation photo printing kiosk. Stay tuned for some hands-on action from the show floor.
AirLive Air3G Router
The AirLive Air3G multi-function router is perfect for use in offices since it features a high-performance Single Stream 11N radio which is claimed to provide all-round wireless coverage of up to 500 meters. The router also supports AirLive Air3G Smart Backup that allows you to switch to a backup connection whenever the primary connection is broken and return to its primary connection whenever the service is resumed. Other features include Multiple operating modes, Hotspot Authentication, PoE enable and meeting all the requirements of a Green AP, showing that AirLive truly care for the environment. The Air3G is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows7 operating systems. The AirLive Air3G will be launched in the Middle East region later this month.
S3 Dual-GPU Card Competes with ATI Eyefinity
VIA Technologies plans to offer an alternative to AMD’s ATI Eyefinity technology VIA Technologies said that it’s sporting a few products at the Digital Signage Expo 2010 trade show held next week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. One of the products mentioned is the company’s upcoming S3 Graphics Chrome 5400E x2, a dual-GPU graphics card aimed to take on AMD’s ATI Eyefinity technology. “The S3 Graphics 5400E x2 is a highly integrated and flexible video card that features dual graphics and multimedia processors,” the company said. “Boasting extreme hardware acceleration of the latest HD video codecs, the S3 Graphics 5400E x2 uses S3 Graphics’ PanoChrome technology to provide up to four independent HD video streams at resolutions of 1080p on up to eight displays, employing a variety of display modes and configurations.” The company’s press release provided a few more details, indicating that the card provides built-in Genlock support for synchronized source timing, and support for Span, Extended, and Clone view configurations. The hardware-accelerated HD video codecs include H.264, VC-1 and WMV-HD. Unfortunately, there’s no real hardware-based info such as its core clock speed and on-board memory amount. VIA said that it will offer a taste of the dual-GPU graphics card during the show, and will eventually provide samples to ODM customers in the USA sometime Q2 2010 or later.
Rolls-Royce Ghost to spawn coupe, convertible, long-wheelbase versions
Rolls-Royce introduced the Ghost sedan to the world a scant six months ago, but there’s already talk about expanding the model range beyond the traditional four-door variant. Autocar reports that sources have revealed plans to create coupe, convertible, and even long-wheelbase versions of the new Ghost, which we will likely see in the form of concept cars over the next few years. Unlike the Phantom family, which includes both short- and long-wheelbase sedans, coupe, and convertible Drophead Coupé, Rolls-Royce won’t necessarily use the Ghost name for all of the new vehicles that could be spawned off of the sedan’s platform. Yes, it would be a relatively smart move to keep all of these new products branded under the Ghost family, but it means that well-received monikers like Corniche could be reborn. We’ll be keeping our eyes pealed for new Rolls-Royce concepts in the not-so-distant future, so stay tuned for more details as they arise.
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