HP L2311c USB 3.0 Notebook Docking Display Unveiled

The last time HP unveiled a monitor it was chasing gamers looking for a little 3D on a budget, but this time around, it's got business users on the brain. Specifically, the kind of workers who spend a lot of time away from the office, or perhaps share a workspace with others. That's the idea behind the 23-inch Compaq L2311c Notebook Docking Monitor, which connects to laptops via USB. That same cable will also transmit video, though even HP will admit you'll get far better results if you use USB 3.0 instead of 2.0. Taking a tour of the monitor itself, you'll find a four-port USB hub and VGA socket, along with a 720p webcam, which should pair nicely with HP's bundled MyRoom software. The 1080p display is also adjustable, with 130mm of space to slide it up and down.

At the lower end of the spectrum, HP also announced the LV1911 and LV2011, a pair of 18.5- and 20-inch monitors, both of which forgo niceties like a webcam or USB hub. Either way, the resolution is low, given the spacious screen sizes: 1366 x 768 for the 18.5-incher, and 1600 x 900 for the 20-inch number. The smaller LV1911 will arrive stateside in March for $125, while the LV2011 will go on sale next month for $135. As for the L2311c docking monitor, it'll cost $319, and be available in the US, Japan and other Asian markets later this month.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich Holo Theme Mandatory on All Devices

Google has made the Holo theme mandatory on all Ice Cream Sandwich devices. To have access to the Android Market, and other Google services, all devices running Android 4.0 must have the Holo theme available.

The change has been made to help solve the problem of fragmentation. By having a number of different custom user interfaces it causes problems for some apps to display correctly. By making the theme mandatory it allows developers to work more easily with Android. Not being a developer myself I do not fully know what impact it has had in the past. However, Google is convinced it will help give Android a more consistent look and feel.
There are problems left with Android and that is the sheer amount of different variations of smartphones and tablets available. Although different devices are good, the main problems comes with different carriers and the whole update processes. You might have a Galaxy S II unlocked and unbranded version receive an update months before a carrier locked version. If Google could figure out how to keep all compatible devices up to date at the same time they would keep a lot of people happy.

Intel Core i7 Gets Overclocked to 5.6GHz

An Intel Core i7 has been overclocked to 5.6GHz on a Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 motherboard. The motherboard is the first in the world to achieve a multiplier of 57x. Although it's not the fastest a chip has been overclocked, that record was set at 8.58Ghz, it is the fastest this model of the Core i7 has reached.

LG Optimus 2 Android Smartphone Revealed

It looks like LG has updated its original LG Optimus smartphone, the new device is called the LG Optimus 2, it has just appeared on LG’s website, and it looks like it is designed to be a budget friendly Android smartphone.
The LG Optimus 2 features a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, processing is provided by an 800MHz processor and it will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Other specifications on the LG Optimus 2 include a 1500 mAh battery, a microSD card slot which can take up to 32GB cards, and it comes with a 2GB card installed.
There are no details on pricing or availability as yet, you can find out more information over at LG.

iPhone 4S And iPad Untethered Jailbreak Coming Next Week

The iPhone Dev Team recently release a new untethered iPhone jailbreak for Apple’s A4 based devices, like the original iPad and the iPhone 4, and they have been working to bring the jailbreak to Apple’s A5 based devices.
It looks like we could be getting closer to the release of the untethered jailbreak for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, as pod2g has revealed it could be available as early as next week.


“I made a step today for the A5. With some luck we could expect a release in a week.”
It looks like the jailbreak will run on the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2 running the latest version of Apple’s mobile software, iOS 5.0.1.

HP renames its TouchSmart software Magic Canvas, plans to install it on all desktops (even non-touch ones)

Though HP announced two desktops today, the most interesting tidbit might not be the computers, but the software installed on them. As the company releases new hardware, it's also rolling out a revamped version of its TouchSmart UI. Now called Magic Canvas, it'll work even on PCs without touchscreens, and it's going to ship on every HP tower and all-in-one, including already-announced models like this. The most significant improvement is that you can now access the Start Menu and all your Windows apps, even when you're immersed in this UI that frankly looks more like a mobile OS than Windows 7. (If all this reeks of bloatware, you can uninstall or choose not to launch it.) As for that mobile-inspired experience, we're talking about those widgets and large, finger-friendly shortcuts, sure, but also the fact that you get an unlimited number of home screens for pinning notes and leaving documents open. Forget where you left your 15-page term paper? You can right click to bring up a search screen (we're not clear if there will be a keyboard shortcut for that).

Sanwa pico projector also charges your iPhone

Apple's been making inroads with enterprise users for some time, and now Sanwa's giving the iPhone some serious presentation chops with its new pico projector. The 400-PRJ011 is compatible with both the iPhone 4 and the 4S, powered by its own 2,100mAh battery and also charges your iPhone's battery whenever you turn the projector function off. It's got a five hour charge time, can provides 2.5 hours of steady projection and throws images on the wall up to 65-inches in size at 640 × 360 resolution and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. A global release date has yet to be announced, but our Japanese friends can pick one up for ¥19,800 ($260).

Soundfreaq gets edgy with Sound Kick mobile Bluetooth speaker

In the midst of Yet Another iPod Sound System-palooza, Soundfreaq has managed to craft some pretty differentiated pieces. Here in the run-up to CES 2012, the outfit's ushering in its most edgy device yet, the Sound Kick. It's a mobile wireless speaker that touts a unique speaker chamber, which shuts compactly for travel and then opens up whenever there's room. It's able to push on through seven solid hours of on-the-go listening (thanks to that internal Li-ion battery), and it can even share the juice with any USB-chargeable device -- similar to Spar's own Zephyr. In related news, the company's also using the show to introduce its Sound Step Recharge in white and red. Expect the new lot to ship this spring, and if you're hungry for more, the full release is just after the break.

Show full PR text

 SOUNDFREAQ "KICKS" OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A PORTABLE, WIRELESS SPEAKER

Unveiling at CES 2012, Soundfreaq's Upcoming Products Include
The New Sound Kick, and Sound Step Love and Sound Step Ghost Editions

Los Angeles, January 4, 2012 – Soundfreaq today announces its newest products, which include Sound Kick, a mobile wireless speaker. Unveiling during CES 2012, Sound Kick adds portability and power in a compact package to the company's line of speakers.

Designed for mobility, Sound Kick's unique XKICK™ speaker chamber closes compactly for travel and then expands open for full sound whenever users are ready to play audio. This technology innovation delivers acoustically balanced audio in a portable package. With a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, Sound Kick allows for up to seven hours of on-the-go listening. Sound Kick can also charge any USB-chargeable device via its USB power port, even when running on its battery to keep smart phones powered -- a helpful feature for traveling.

"We develop all of our products from the ground up to meet user needs we see in the market," said Matthew Paprocki, co-founder and creative director of Soundfreaq. "Bluetooth is a great technology for portable wireless speakers and we're seeing the market flooded with many options, but there is a trade-off between size and sound quality. As an audio company, we were able to develop a unique expandable sound chamber for Sound Kick that closes compact for travel and then expands to produce full, balanced sound. Combined with our proprietary UQ3 spatial enhancement, Sound Kick strikes the right balance between size and sound and offers more value than any other portable wireless speaker on the market today."

At CES, Soundfreaq will also be introducing its highly-praised Sound Step Recharge in white and red editions. The new all-white GHOST edition and all-red LOVE edition feature the same Bluetooth capabilities, functionality and impressive sound as the original in a crisp white or bold red design to accent a home or office environment.

With the addition of Sound Kick, Soundfreaq offers the most complete line of Bluetooth speakers on the market along with the critically acclaimed Sound Platform, Sound Step/Sound Step Recharge, and Sound Stack. All Soundfreaq products allow users to stream music wirelessly from any Bluetooth compatible device including iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android and Blackberry.

Sound Step Recharge GHOST and LOVE products will be available the first quarter 2012 online at www.Soundfreaq.com and in select retail stores.

Available this spring, Sound Kick continues Soundfreaq's commitment to delivering a versatile, wireless audio entertainment experience, including:

• Impressive Portable Performance – Sound Kick measures just 1.6" thick for travel. When users are ready to listen, Sound Kick expands open to produce full sound with balanced bass, vocal clarity and UQ3™ spatial enhancement

• Always in Charge – Universal USB power port allows users to charge any USB-chargeable gadget including Blackberry, Android and Apple phones from Sound Kick, even when its running on battery power

• App-solute Entertainment – Sound Kick is the perfect portable speaker for enhancing any entertainment experience on the go -- delivering crystal clear audio with any app to enjoy for movies, TV shows, videos, games, and Internet radio, including Pandora, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, TiVo, Spotify and HBO GO

• Everyone Can Connect, Today and Tomorrow – Sound Kick is designed for both today's and tomorrow's smart devices using Bluetooth – the portable wireless standard

Samsung announces Galaxy Ace Plus

The original Galaxy Ace was quite a popular mid-range Android handset when it was launched. So much so that Samsung got a Hugo Boss edition for it, last November. Now, Samsung has got a successor to the Ace, the Ace Plus. Powered by a 1GHz processor, the Ace Plus runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has 3GB of user memory and 512 MB of RAM. Samsung have bundled a 1300 mAh battery as well.

The Galaxy Ace Plus

Here are the rest of the specifications of the Galaxy Ace Plus:

• 3.65-inch HVGA TFT Touchscreen with a 320 x 480 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi b/g/n
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP, USB 2.0
• 5 Megapixel camera with LED flash, WVGA video recording @ 30fps
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• Memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket

Pricing and availability hasn’t been disclosed as of now, but we’ll keep you posted as and when the details become available. However, does a faster processor, more RAM and a slightly bigger screen than its predecessor make the Galaxy Ace Plus feature in your wish list this new year?

Images and specs of the Lumia 900 leak ahead of launch

Rumors surrounding Nokia's upcoming flagship handset, the Lumia 900 has been doing the rounds for quite some time now. It was first previewed in a video, which was taken down and later on images of the handset had surfaced displaying a front facing camera along with it being available in various colours. It was believed that the smartphone would run on the Tango build of Windows Phone 7, but now, according to a report by Pocketnow, Nokia will release the handset running on the Mango version of the OS, instead during the launch.

The larger Lumia 900 on the left

The report details that that it will be as thick as the Lumia 800, but will weigh 160g, which is 18g more. Here is a quick look at the specifications of what the Lumia 900 may have:

• Windows Phone 7 Mango
• 4.3-inch ClearBlack WVGA display
• 1.4GHz Qualcomm processor
• 512 MB RAM
• 12mm thick
• 1830mAh battery

These are all the specifications that are available at the moment, but if the report is anything to go by, then we should see the handset being unveiled at CES, which is scheduled to begin in a few days from now. The launch of the Nokia Lumia 900 is believed to be in March.

Steve Jobs action figure to be available from February

Either love him or loathe him, but one just cannot not respect him. Steve Jobs passed away a few months back and during his life, he literally changed the way we compute now. At the time of his passing due to pancreatic cancer, Apple fans the world over felt a huge sense of loss. But, it appears that one toy manufacturer in a bizarre attempt to bring him back have sculpted an incredibly realistic action figure of Apple’s co-founder.

A 12-inch Steve Jobs to be available from February

Back in 2010, another toy manufacturer had made a replica of Steve Jobs, but Apple had blocked the sales of the product and the few that had reached buyers hands became collector’s items, a report by Mercury News states. The brand who are now in the process of manufacturing this latest action figure are a Chinese company called In Icon and these 12-inch or 1:6 scale models will retail for USD 99 from February.

For this price one will get a head sculpt that looks scarily like Steve Jobs, an articulated body, three pairs of hands, two pairs of glasses, a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans. The brands website states that this action figure will be available worldwide.

Google+ traffic up 55 percent in a month

Google+, the new kid on the block seems to be doing really well. A Twitter post by Experian Hitwise, an analysis firm revealed that Google+ traffic rose tremendously from roughly 30 million to 50 million, a little more than 55 percent of growth. Google+ saw the biggest rise in traffic, back in August-September and it has been accelerating slowly. This massive boost in traffic in such a short period of time is certainly impressive. There's still a long way to go before it can catch up with the very large, Facebook. The period between September and November saw the traffic getting stable. Google has been hard at work adding new features to get users onboard their social networking service, and it seems to be working. 

A massive jump!

Analysts are predicting that Google+ is poised to hit the 400 million users mark by the end of the year. This target seems a little too far-fetched, since Google+ traffic will really have to add millions of users each month to reach there. At the same time, Google also has Orkut, another social networking service. Moving those users to Google+ can help quite a bit, if they choose to do that. Exeprian Hitwise uses data from ISPs and other sources to monitor and analyze trends in traffic.

Samsung to post strong Q4 on record smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics, the world's top maker of memory chips and smartphones, is set to report a robust quarterly profit rise on Friday, starting 2012 on an upbeat note aided by record-smashing sales of smartphones. The South Korean firm, which surged past Apple as the world's top smartphone maker in the third quarter, is quickly building on its supremacy with sleek designs and a rich product line-up, while the latest models from the likes of HTC , Nokia and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion struggle to interest consumers. Its handset division is now Samsung's biggest earnings generator, raking in total profits.

Samsung stops reporting phone sales data

Samsung is also weathering a profit squeeze stemming from its bread-and-butter memory chips with new revenue sources such as mobile processing chips and high-end OLED displays, as key rivals increasingly bank on Samsung for components to power their tablets and smartphones.