Saturday, March 26, 2011

Volvo C30 Electric test drive (video)

We've been covering the Volvo C30 Electric pretty closely because, well, let's face it: it's one of the few genuinely good looking electric cars in the pipeline. Sure, the Focus Electric looks fine, despite the excessive dental gear, and Tesla's products are certainly saucy, but for every Roadster in the world there are a couple-dozen Leafs and Prii putting their owners to sleep.

The C30 Electric, however, looks almost exactly like the C30 non-electric, which is a good thing, and it drives more or less like one too. About four months after we first saw the thing Volvo finally tossed us the keys, in the process taking us on a tour of Indianapolis-based Ener1, source of the battery packs that make the thing move. Yes, it's a funky little Swedish car with a big 'ol American battery pack. Read on for our impressions.

To start, Volvo began with its two-door C30, a cool little thing that isn't exactly a hot hatch, but we wouldn't call it a tepid three-door either. It has funky looks and a funky interior, but obviously in Electric guise it's stuffed with some rather different innards than the standard model. Out goes the 2.5 liter five-cylinder that normally powers the thing and in goes an 82kW motor, which equates to 110hp -- about half what the gas-powered one manages.


That's enough to get the car to 60mph in about 12 seconds, or not the kind of number that will have muscley car fans trading in their Hemis. But, it is quicker to 40mph than the gasoline powered car, so we're told. Sadly we weren't able to verify that -- the model that we took for a spin had been beaten on a bit and so was running on low charge and reduced power. When we moved pedal to floor mat we were met acceleration less like a bang and more like a whimper.

Disappointing, that, but it is still a prototype model. Still, we were able to get a good feel for the other driving dynamics of the car, which for the record is rated for up to 100 miles on a charge when driven in a more conservative manner. Steering is taut and direct, the center of gravity lowered thank to the battery packs mounted in the transmission tunnel and where the gasoline tank would normally be. This gives the car good balance, poise, and feel, despite it weighing 260lbs more than the gasoline model.

Volvo C30Mind you, it's not supposed to be a sports car, and we were impressed most by the calming effect cruising within its doors inspired. That might have something to do with the gimped power delivery, but it was also in large part thanks to the silence of the cabin. Sure, all EVs are quiet, but many have lost some sound deadening material in the interest of saving weight, leading to more road noise coming into the cabin. Enthusiasts may enjoy the sound of a nice custom exhaust, but nobody likes the drone of tires slowly being worn down by concrete and asphalt.

In the C30 Electric you get none of that, nor is there really much wind noise to give you any sense of speed. In fact, we didn't really hear any unpleasant sounds until we'd parked the thing. When engaging the automatic parking brake a slight groan creaked out from somewhere in the rear, a faint sound that put a faint frown on the face of the Volvo representative sitting in the back seat. "Not premium," he said, pledging the noise will not be heard on the models that go up for lease next year.

That silence and calm in the cabin means future owners will want to pay attention to their speedos, because it's easy to lose track of just how fast you're going in this thing, which will do neither your range nor your license any favors. Situated next to that speedo is the car's gauge of just how economically you're driving, which is a clean, analog dial sitting where the tachometer would normally be. There are no fancy computer graphics as seen in the Leaf or Volt or the Prius PHEV, just a needle that sweeps one way when you're regeneratively charging the battery and then leans back the other when you're pulling charge from it.

Simple. Clean. Sophisticated. Not things you can say for the interiors of many EVs, which light up like Christmas and do their damndest to distract you as much as possible. Things are rather more muted here, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how much of a whiz-bang factor you need from your whips, but it sure looks nice.

A 24kWh, air-cooled, Ener1-sourced battery pack, built in the US of A, forms the backbone of the car. The prototype version works with Level 1 or 2 chargers, but has also been augmented with a CHAdeMO plug for incredibly fast charging -- the kind that can get a Leaf up to 80% charge in 20 minutes. It remains to be seen whether that'll be included on the production car, though.

Interestingly, though, the batteries aren't the only thing providing power in the car. A small fuel tank is hidden in there, designed to hold 3.5 gallons of E85 ethanol. That may sound like an odd thing to have in a purely battery-electric car, and it is, but it's here for a good reason. Remember this is a car built for Swedes, and remember too that it can get awfully cold in Sweden.

This fuel is used to power a little heater situated down low on the firewall. The ethanol is burned to produce heat, which can warm up the cabin in three minutes without having any impact on battery life, and Volvo estimates those three and a half gallons should be good for two to three weeks of daily use. But, the car can automatically pre-condition itself to temperature using power from the grid before you hop in for your morning commute, and there is a battery-powered heater too if you want to run totally emissions-free on a chilly day.

Overall it's every bit as comfortable to drive as any other Volvo, if not more-so, but there's a catch, and it's a real big one: Volvo doesn't ever really plan on selling you this car. Yes, it's going on sale next year, or on lease anyway, but the company plans to make just 400 of the things. Of those 100 will be coming to the US, which means the odds are long, but the price is high.

In Europe pricing isn't set and Volvo refused to give us a firm figure, but leasees can expect to pay somewhere around 1,500 euro per month for the car, equating to a bit over $2,100 per month. That's Tesla Roadster money, folks, and while it could be said that the C30 is rather more family-friendly and will certainly be nicer to live with in the winter, we think you'd have to be a little bit dead inside to pick this over the supercar competition.

So yes, the pricing is a shame, but right now these cars are still rolling prototypes, cars that Volvo is selling just to dip its toe into the EV pool before diving in head first with a wholly new model that we're told will be unveiled sometime next year. It'll be about the same size as the C30 and using a similar drivetrain, similar battery pack (but hopefully liquid cooled), and supposedly a price that you can afford. Maybe us, too.

Xtreamer Ultra HTPC grabs a €249 price, May 3rd ship date

We've heard, we've toyed, and we've waited. And now, we're presenting you with two vital nuggets of information surrounding the Xtreamer Ultra HTPC. The Ion 2-based machine is one of the most compact (and most affordable) pre-built HTPCs available, complete with six USB sockets, 4GB of DDR3 memory, an HDMI socket, IR remote and -- if you place a pre-order before the end of April -- a mini wireless keyboard, 8GB USB key, an HDMI 1.4a cable and a fresh copy of Linux. €249 will get one headed your way on May 3rd, or $323 if you're Livin' In America. Hit the source link to get in line, ya heard?

[Thanks, Tim and Henrik]

Slide launches Disco: Google's group texting app comes to iPhone, not Android

Slide launches Disco, the iPhone group texting app that's sort of from Google
When Google acquired Slide way back in August of 2010, when it was warm and sunny and phones only had single-core processors, the plan was to "build a more social web." Now we know a little more about that plan... sort of. A new app from Slide has just hit the app store and an accompanying site has just hit the internets. It's called Disco, a group texting service that has an app and a web interface. When you sign up you're assigned a new phone number (ours was a 302 -- hello Deleware) and you're invited to send texts to a number of people, any people, regardless of whether they're Disco users themselves. Those people can then reply and things get bounced around all crazy like, so make sure those you add have opted for unlimited texting. Intriguingly at this point the app is only available for iPhone, and that's certainly the platform that takes front and center on the main Disco site. Given the Google parentage here we have to assume that there's an Android flavor coming here, but crazier things have happened at the club.

[Disco Stu could not be reached for comment, but has in the past indicated an affinity for group texting.]

Xperia X10 to get Android 2.3 this summer, makes us rub our eyes in disbelief

Who's in charge of Sony Ericsson today and what did they do with the old crew? Reversing a previous statement saying there'll be no Android updates for its Xperia X10 family beyond Eclair, SE has just announced that it'll bring Gingerbread to the X10 at the end of Q2 / start of Q3 this year. That's right around this summer, when we should expect a user experience roughly equivalent to that on the new Xperia Arc, Neo and Play devices, whose Gingerbread implementation looks to have served as the basis for the elder X10's upcoming update. Seriously, Gingerbread on the X10, we still can't believe it.

P.S. - If you're wondering about the X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro or X8, those are all stuck on Android 2.1.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Friday, March 25, 2011

NVIDIA's dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 emerges, can't slay the Radeon HD 6990 titan

1,024 total CUDA cores, 94 ROPs, and 3GB of GDDR5 RAM on board. Yup, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 is indeed a pair of GTX 580 chips spliced together, however power constraints have meant that each of those chips is running at a tamer pace that their single-card variant. The core clock speed is down to 607MHz, shaders are only doing 1.2GHz, and the memory clocks in at 3.4GHz. Still, there's a ton of grunt under that oversized shroud and reviewers have put it to the test against AMD's incumbent single-card performance leader, the Radeon HD 6990. Just like the GTX 590, it sports a pair of AMD's finest GPUs and costs a wallet-eviscerating $699. Alas, after much benchmarking, testing, and staring at extremely beautiful graphics, the conclusion was that AMD retains its title. But only just. And, as Tech Report points out, the GTX 590 has a remarkably quiet cooler for a heavy duty pixel pusher of its kind. Dive into the reviews below to learn more, or check the new card out on video after the break.

Read - AnandTech
Read - HardOCP
Read - Tech Report
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Guru 3D
Read - X-bit labs
Read - Hot Hardware
Read - techPowerUp!
Read - TechSpot



Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Engineers create 3D microscope lens, see the tiny elephants in your ear

The ability to view tiny images in the third D has been made possible by Lei Li and Allen Yi of Ohio State University. The two have crafted a one-of-a-kind 3D lens that, unlike other three-dimensional microscopes that capture images by circling around the subject, sees teeny objects while stationary. Although the engineers crafted the lens on a precision cutting machine using a diamond blade themselves, they say it can be produced using traditional molding methods. At the size of a fingernail, the thermoplastic material, aka acrylic glass, was cut with 10 nanometer spacing (that's tiny) to ensure a flat plane. The top is surrounded by eight facets -- sort of like a gem stone, but not symmetric -- allowing the viewer to see 9 different angles at once. This should pave way for scientists to get better angles of microscopic objects, but they can always try using the 3DS and some DIY lens attachments, right?

Mozilla Firefox 4 RC for Android and Maemo now up for grabs

If you're liking what Firefox 4 for mobile already offers in its previous beta builds, then you'll certainly want to check out its release candidate that went live on Monday -- just less than six months after the browser when beta. According to Mozilla, this new build provides a better overall user experience with faster scrolling and improved Firefox Sync, along with other goodies like Awesome Screen smart shortcuts, tabbed browsing, Firefox Add-ons, and Persona themes. Sounds a lot like its desktop sibling (which has a healthy 4.9 million downloads already), doesn't it? Head over to the source page for the Android and Maemo download links, or you can have a look at Mozilla's latest video after the break if you need some convincing.

Eurotech's Zypad WL1500 wearable computer won't let you forget you're wearing a computer


Eurotech's Zypad series of wearable tablets may all look like props from mid-1990s sci-fi movies, but we can't help but admire them just a little bit for that very reason -- even if we wouldn't be caught dead wearing one. The latest is the "faster" and "lighter" Zypad WL1500, which packs a 3.5-inch QVGA display (resisitive, naturally), a Marvell PXA320 processor, a whopping 128MB of flash storage, and some 3G connectivity in addition to WiFi and Bluetooth -- not to mention Windows CE 6.0 for an OS. If you haven't figured it out by now, this one isn't exactly intended for consumer use, but Eurotech is still targeting a fairly broad audience of professional users, including folks in everything from law enforcement to transportation to medical fields. Look for it to be available in the second quarter of this year for a yet to be disclosed price.

Eurotech Launches the Zypad WL1500 Wearable Computers

Next Generation Cloud-Enabled Zypad Wearable Computer Features Faster Processing and More Communication Options in a Lighter Design


COLUMBIA, Md., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurotech, a leading supplier of embedded technologies, products, and systems, announces today the launch of the Zypad WL1500 series of wearable computers. Following in the footsteps of the popular Zypad WL1000 and Zypad WL1100 products, the new Zypad WL1500 delivers the same low power and long battery life and now offers faster performance and more functionality. The Zypad WL1500 is a perfect fit for users who need instant access to information while still maintaining mobility, such as emergency search and rescue, medical, homeland security, law enforcement, logistics, maintenance and transportation professionals.

The Zypad WL1500 series allows the user to maintain connectivity through a full range of communications protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular including 3G, CDMA and GPRS. There is also a user-accessible SIM card slot should the user need instant access to data. Built-in GPS tracking capability with an integrated antenna further enables communications capabilities.

Power conservation techniques allow the Zypad WL1500 to run for a typical eight-hour shift. A power monitor with a fuel gauge lets the user determine if and when a battery charge is required. At this point, the user could perform a hot swap of the battery without losing critical data or charge the unit through a USB port, ensuring continuity and reliability for a range of data-critical applications. Additional features include a Micro SD slot, 128 MB of SDRAM Flash memory and a twelve-key keyboard with built-in backlight for easy viewing.

The Zypad comes with a 3.5" TFT display at QVGA resolution with touchscreen and backlight controlled by an ambient light sensor. Also included are an integrated microphone, mono-audio speaker and audio-in capabilities. The Zypad WL1500 supports an optional integrated barcode scanner or the external ring-scanner that is available on previous models.

"Eurotech's newest Zypad wearable computer delivers the great look and feel of the Zypad family with extensive communications and I/O capabilities," says Pete Dombrowski, Director of Engineering at Eurotech Inc. "The cloud-ready Zypad WL1500 can be deployed in M2M applications where hands-free operations, reliable communications and high computing performance are required. With Eurotech's Zypad WL1500 wearable computer, individual users have instant access to data in the field and corporations can simultaneously access that vital information through the cloud in real-time."

The Zypad WL1500 series will be generally available in Q2 of 2011. It comes with Windows CE 6.0 support.

About Eurotech

Eurotech is a listed global company (ETH.MI) that integrates hardware, software, services and expertise to deliver embedded computing platforms and sub-systems to leading OEMs, system integrators and enterprise customers for successful and efficient deployment of their products and services. Drawing on concepts of minimalist computing, Eurotech lowers power draw, minimizes physical size and reduces coding complexity to bring sensors, embedded platforms, sub-systems, ready-to-use devices and high performance computers to market, specializing in healthcare, defense, transportation, industrial and energy segments. By combining domain expertise in wireless connectivity as well as communications protocols, Eurotech architects integrated solutions that simplify data capture, processing and transfer over unified communications networks. Our customers rely on us to simplify their access to state-of-art embedded technologies so they can focus on their core competencies. Learn more about Eurotech at www.eurotech.com.

All product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Eurotech

Chinon's Avi Stylix iPod / iPhone docking station packs 7-inch LCD, streams Netflix*

It doesn't scream quality (or maybe the legion of professional stock photographers were all on vacation last week), but the June-bound Avi Stylix does have something that the vast majority of me-too iPod / iPhone docking stations do not: an embedded 7-inch LCD. The usual suspects are also here, including a Dock Connector port, twin two-watt speakers, USB port, SD card slot and a bundled remote. The kicker is its ability to stream Netflix, but there's an obvious catch; you'll need an iPhone or iPod touch with a live internet connection in order to do so. There's no actual WiFi module built into the main unit, so you'll need to rely on your connected device to pull in the content. Still, for $99.99, it might not be a bad bet for your guest room. Or your office desk, since you know you aren't getting any actual work done.
Chinon Stylix™ iPod/iPhone Docking Station Plays iTunes Audio and Video Files

LAKE ZURICH, IL, March 21, 2011 -- Chinon USA has merged fashion, entertainment and the latest audio-video technology in its new AVi Sytlix™ docking station for Apple iPhone and iPod.

Available in an array of colors to match your unique sense of style, the AVi Stylix is the ultimate Apple accessory. It features a 7-inch high-resolution LCD that delivers brilliant, high-resolution playback of videos stored on an iPod or iPhone. In addition, when docked to an iPhone or iPod Touch connected by Wi-Fi, the Avi Stylix will stream web videos from popular sites such as YouTube® or Netflix®. Because the screen is nearly three times the size of the iPhone's LCD, it greatly enhances the user experience and makes it easier to share the fun with friends.

The AVi Stylix sound system provides a rich, multi-dimensional audio, whether it is playing music from an iTunes® library or a dynamic movie soundtrack. Dual 2W stereo speakers output a generous range that will fill any size room. Best of all, this incredible sound comes within a small, portable package that is perfect for bedrooms, offices, dorm rooms, and any other limited space areas.

In addition to playing audio and video from an iPod or iPhone, the AVi Stylix has inputs for USB and SD cards to view movies, photos and videos, or to listen to music that is stored on either a card or thumb drive. SD cards can be directly removed from a digital camera and inserted into the AVi Stylix turning the unit into a high-end digital photo frame.

Operation could not be simpler. Just place an iPod or iPhone into the universal dock adapter, select an operation mode, and you're ready to rock - no additional cords or accessories required. An intuitive remote control provides control of an iPod or iPhone from across the room. Other features on the Stylix are a digital radio and an alarm clock.

The Chinon AVi Stylix will be available in June 2011 with an MSRP of $99.99. Chinon products are sold by several online retailers including overstock.com and bundlecity.com.

For more information, visit www.chinonusa.com.

Google brings check-ins to Google Latitude on iPhone, 30 languages to Places

Unsurprisingly, El Goog gifted the Android versions of Latitude and Places with these updates a few weeks back, but now the iOS loyalists are being brought into a similar circle. The search giant has just added check-ins to the iOS version of Google Latitude, with any iDevice using iOS 4 or higher being deemed compatible. In related news, the Applefied build of Google Places is now available in 30 languages, and there's an added 'Saved Places' feature for keeping tabs on your favorite spots. You can check your phone for updates, or if you haven't dug in yet, have a poke around in the App Store.

Apple TV 4.2.1 update puts kibosh on flickering screens

If you've been using an HDMI to DVI adapter to hook up your Apple TV, there's a chance you've been dealing with some annoying flickering on the boob tube since downloading the latest update to the device. Well, the end to your flashing screen woes is here: Apple's just let loose a followup that promises to fix the flickering. Update 4.2.1 also addresses audio issues and a glitch that puts the thing in a permanent slumber when it goes to sleep. So there you have it -- now you won't have to miss even a split second of your favorite episode of That's So Raven, even though we all know you have it committed to memory. Follow the source link to get your fix.

HTC's WiFi-only Flyer launching exclusively with Best Buy 'this spring'

Now that it's received its big US debut courtesy of Sprint and under the name EVO View 4G, HTC's Flyer tablet is free to, um, fly under the radar with a WiFi version this spring, exclusively through Best Buy. Specs on the Flyer are somewhat atypical for the current crop of Android tablets, as it opts for Gingerbread instead of Honeycomb and a 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip intead of the popular Tegra 2 dual-core solution. That, and it's a 7-inch tablet with a capacitive stylus and an aluminum unibody shell. Notably, this WiFi-centric variant looks set to beat the WiMAX-capable EVO View (which Sprint expects in the summer) to market, so we'll be keeping a very curious eye on pricing as and when it is announced. For now, we have a retailer and a rapidly dwindling release window. Oh, and a press release, which you'll find just past the break, augmented with a neat little promo video.

[Thanks, Michael]

Best Buy® and HTC Announce Exclusive Launch of the Wi-Fi HTC Flyer Tablet at CTIA Wireless 2011
Wi-Fi HTC Flyer slated to launch this spring


ORLANDO, Fla., March 22, 2011 – Best Buy and HTC today announced the exclusive launch of the highly-anticipated Wi-Fi only version of the HTC Flyer™ tablet. All Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile standalone stores, as well as BestBuy.com, will have the tablet when it launches this spring.

The HTC Flyer is a fast, portable, light-weight tablet that integrates the immersive and highly intuitive HTC Sense™experience and enables content including videos, music, games and more to be easily accessed and enjoyed. For those attending CTIA, Best Buy and HTC will have devices on-hand at Pepcom's Mobile Focus event on Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

"Over the past few months we've seen several new tablets enter the market, and we're especially excited to partner with HTC to bring the Wi-Fi version of the HTC Flyer to our customers as a national retail launch exclusive," said Scott Anderson, head of merchandising for Best Buy Mobile. "We have worked hard to bring a large assortment of great tablets to Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores, and the HTC Flyer is a great example of that effort."

The HTC Flyer features a strong aluminum unibody case that is lighter than an average paperback book. Truly separating the HTC Flyer from the pack is the integration of the acclaimed HTC Sense experience and unique HTC Scribe technology. The new HTC Sense experience offers an interface rethought for the tablet format which allows users to easily scroll and locate photos, entertainment, weather, calendar and mail. An optional HTC Scribe™ digital pen unlocks HTC Scribe technology, which enables the ability to capture and annotate any on-screen content with notes and drawings. Also, with Timemark, handwritten notes taken with the digital pen are synchronized with audio, as well as the popular Evernote™ application, turning handwritten notes into true meeting minutes. Additionally, with front and rear cameras, people can also make live video calls using a variety of available video chat applications available in the Android Market.

"Best Buy offers a number of the hottest products on the market, including the all-new 4G LTE HTC ThunderBolt™and now the Wi-Fi version of the groundbreaking HTC Flyer, which brings the acclaimed HTC Sense experience to a tablet for the first time," said Jason Mackenzie, president of HTC Americas. "Like all HTC Sense products, the HTC Flyer was inspired by our customers, and offers the most simple and natural experience available on a tablet."

Other key features of the HTC Flyer include:

Integration/compatibility with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® 3.0
7" 1024×600 display with multi-touch capability and an optional digital pen that enables users to take synchronized notes and annotate content
Built-in dual microphones for noise reduction
Android™operating system
Adobe® Flash® 10.1 support
5 MP Color CMOS camera with auto focus
1.3MP front camera for video chatting
16GB eMMC memory plus microSD card slot
4,000 mAh battery
Best Buy Mobile offers an array of services aimed at improving customers' experience, including Walk Out Working, Geek Squad Black Tie Protection, Buy Back and a full array of accessories for customers to protect and personalize their devices.

Energizer makes single-device Inductive charger for singles looking to wirelessly mingle

Energizer makes single-device Inductive charger, for singles looking to wirelessly mingle
Standardized inductive charging with the Qi standard is a beautiful thing, but previously Energizer's only charging pad had room for not one but two devices. If your independently-minded smartphone just still isn't ready for that kind of commitment, the pink bunny has you covered with a new single-pad Inductive charger. Like before it supports the Qi standard and offers compatibility with a variety of devices -- if you don't mind using a variety of goofy sheaths and backpacks. No word on price or availability, but really it shouldn't take long to get this to stores.

AT&T's LG Thrill 4G hands-on (video)


AT&T showed off a new 3D set today, the LG Thrill 4G -- also known as the LG Optimus 3D -- and as we've seen before, the 3D glasses-free display is quite fun. The final device design and Android 2.2 software were not final -- so this could all change by the time it launches in the next couple months -- but it will ship with 2.2 and not the Gingerbread we're seeing so much of lately. With Sprint's launch of the EVO 3D just a couple hours ago, we're thinking 3D in handsets may not be a passing trend. The video samples seen during the demo -- which, sadly, you'll not be able to enjoy in all their three-dimensional glory -- are a pretty convincing argument for just how impressive this tech has gotten in such a short time. Enjoy the goods.