The Latest

What Makes TomTom GO 720 the Best Portable Navigation System?

On September 26, 2007, in , by admin
0

The market is literally flooded with different types of portable navigation systems. However, a majority of them look alike and offer the same kind of functions such as voice and text guided directions, important milestones, etc. They differ only on one front- the price tag. Some innovation is urgently required, not only to grab the attention of the customers, but also to keep up with the ever advancing GPS technology. TomTom GO 720 is one portable navigation system that dares to be different from its counterparts.

The Design of TomTom GO 720

Unlike GO 910, which is quite bulky, TomTom GO 720 is sleek, compact and ultra-light. It is 3.2 inches tall, 4.6 inches wide and 0.9 inch deep. It weighs only 7.7 ounces. Thus, this GPS device can be easily carried in a handbag or transported from one car to another. With black, silver and charcoal gray color scheme, it looks beautiful inside the car.

tom-tom-go-720.jpg

The entire front side of TomTom GO 720 is covered by 4.3 inch touch screen. With (480 X 272 pixels) WQVGA resolution, this antiglare screen is capable of displaying brightly colored and sharp-looking maps. The map colors and screen brightness can be changed with the aid of Preference menu. The virtual keyboard is large enough for the user to enter addresses with ease. However, it doesn’t have QWERTY format, which makes typing a bit difficult.

The power button is present at the top of the unit. All the slots and ports as TomTom connector port, SD/MMC expansion slot, reset hole, mini USB/power connector and 3.5 mm headphone jack, find a place at the bottom of TomTom GO 720. On the back side of the unit, the speakers and a jack to connect the external antenna are present. The external volume control is absent. The audio level has to be adjusted via menu, which is quite complicated and unsafe too.

Packaged with TomTom GO 720 are car charger, vehicle mount, desktop cradle and CD-ROM carrying reference material and TomTom home software. The car mount is easy to install and holds the unit safely. An extra locking mechanism is also available for additional safety of the portable navigation system.

The Features of TomTom GO 720

The functionality of TomTom GO 720 depends upon 20 channel SiRF StarIII GPS receiver, maps of USA and Canada and interesting landmarks, which are preloaded in the 2GB internal hard drive of the device. As the buildings keep on coming up and businesses change their location, it’s essential to keep the maps up-to-date. The Map Share utility of TomTom GO 720 allows the user to make adjustments in the maps and then share the information with other drivers.

Any destination can be searched on TomTom GO 720 by address, pin code, city or intersection. The GPS device can calculate the direction on the basis of a number of criteria like the shortest route, quickest arrival time, etc. The maps can be viewed in 3D and 2D modes. The status bar at the bottom displays useful information as the distance left, next instruction, estimated arrival time, etc. The icons at the upper left and right corner of the screen allow the user to zoom the maps in and out.

The Help Me function of TomTom GO 720 provides helpful information as the location of the nearest police station, car service center or hospital. The ‘Where am I” option of the Help Me function not only gives the name of the street where the driver is, but also allows him to convey this information to his family member or to the tow service center.

A Bluetooth is integrated into TomTom GO 720. The driver using a Bluetooth compatible cellphone can pair the two devices together to make hands-free calls. The calls can be accepted or rejected via the touch screen. The Phone Preference menu can be used to turn on the Auto-Answer mode. Once done, GO 720 will automatically pick up the call after a few minutes. The Bluetooth can also be used to access Plus services of TomTom GO 720. The Plus services include weather information, location of safety cameras and real traffic information.

GO 720 has an interesting feature called Buddies, which allows the driver to locate his family members or friends who are using the same TomTom unit. Lots of multimedia capabilities are embedded in TomTom GO 720 like document reader, music player, image viewer, etc. Moreover, the device is iPod compatible and supports JPEG and BMP file formats, MP3s and audible audiobooks

With a price tag bearing the price $499.95 and countless astounding features, TomTom GO 720 is simply the best portable navigation system.

 

A Quick Review of Logic Studio From Apple

On September 25, 2007, in , by admin
2

Apple’s Logic Studio is the most futuristic suite of specialized tools that provides musicians everything they need to create, present and record their superlative piece of music.

“From GarageBand, a miniature digital audio workstation, to Logic Studio, Apple has certainly come a long way. Logic Studio has the power to transform an ordinary Macintosh computer into the best musical instrument of the world,” says Rob Schoeben, Vice President of Applications Product Marketing at Apple. Logic Studio derives its strength from Logic Pro 8, MainStage, SoundTrack Pro 2, and a vast array of Studio Instruments and Studio Effects.

apple-logic-studio.png

Logic Pro 8 can be called the heart of Logic Studio. Its innovative single-window interface embodies sophisticated, but easy-to-use music-production tools that allow musicians to create immersive melodies with ease. Logic Pro 8 makes complicated tasks as audio editing, mixing, multi-track recording, etc. a child’s play. Advanced options like surround production, mobility and compatibility allow even a naïve musician to create magnum opus.

Logic Studio comes with a new application called MainStage, which can convert Mac into a remarkable live performance rig. The 3D interface of MainStage has been created specifically for stage performance, and displays only that information that is essential for live performance.

From pedal boards and keyboards to control surfaces and drum pads, any USB controller or MIDI is accessible via this application. In addition to allowing musicians to customize their live rigs through a wide assortment of templates, MainStage provides unmatched reliability and consistency even in the most demanding conditions.

SoundTrack Pro 2 of Logic Studio helps the musicians to take their masterpieces to the screen. Musicians can use Logic Pro 8 to create music, and then use SoundTrack Pro 2 to add sound effects, edit dialogues and integrate videos. Comprehensive audio editing and dialogue tools, advanced surround mixing and planner, and powerful Final Cut editors of SoundTrack Pro 2 make audio post-production process seamless and straightforward.

Embedded in the Logic Studio are invaluable utilities like Studio Instruments, which features 40 astounding instrument plug-ins that are immaculately integrated with MainStage and Logic Pro 8. With the aid of this utility, musician can play any sound including EXS24 sampler, vintage instruments, ES2synthesiers, Sculpture and Ultrabeat.

Another user-friendly utility included in the Logic Studio is Sound Effects, which contains all the gambits needed to enhance musical productions. Delay Designer, Space Designer, Creative Effects and Production Effects options work together to transform any musical piece into tour de force.

Logic Studio provides musicians a huge Studio Sound Library, which is stockpiled with 1300 EXS instruments, 18000 royalty-free Apple loops, 2400 professionally-designed channel strip settings, 1000 multi-channel sound effects and five Jam Pack® Collection. Besides Studio Sound Library, Logic Studio contains several production utilities like Wave Burner, Compressor, Apple Loops and Impulse Response, etc. All these utilities work cohesively with all the other applications to create a stunning work of art.

Logic Studio is available at all Apple retail stores for $499. Registered users of Logic Pro 7 can upgrade to Logic Studio for just $199. Apple patrons who purchased Logic Pro 7 on or after 1 st August 2007 , are eligible for free upgrade to Logic Studio.

 

Google Gadget Ads – A Comprehensive Interactive Marketing Solution

On September 24, 2007, in , by admin
0

Last week, Google AdWords released a new easy-to-use ad format called Google Gadget Ads, which is an interactive, rich media ad format that provides advertisers the capability to create and update their ads in a flexible and timely manner.

Susan Wojcicki, Vice President of Product Management at Google, states, “We at Google are always on a lookout for ways and means to make Google AdWords as straightforward as possible and Google Gadget Ads is our latest attempt in this direction. Gadget ads provide advertisers a dynamically creative way to interact with their customers.”

Google Gadget Ads have been built using the same technology as Google Gadgets of iGoogle. Technically, Google Gadgets are simple XML files that are hosted on a public server. Their content is commonly made up of Standard HTML. JavaScript and CSS are also sometimes used. As the user has complete access to the API functions, therefore Google Gadgets can be used in any manner. In simple terms, gadgets are mini-webpages where images, videos, flash, etc. can be easily added. Google Gadget Ads differs from Google Gadgets in two ways viz .

  • Unlike gadgets on iGoogle, Google Gadget Ads require some extra attribute and elements in XML file.
  • Certain requirements have to be fulfilled for proper implementation of Google Gadget Ads.

Google Gadget Ads can be created using HTML, JavaScript or Flash. The online Google Gadget Ad Editor allows the advertiser to preview, modify and validate his ad in real time. Gadget ads are built on an open platform. Hence, they can be hosted anywhere. Google automatically acquires the copy of the gadget ad and thereafter supplies it to all the servers of Google Content Network.

To make sure that gadget ads reach the targeted users, lots of target options are provided. The ads can be targeted by geography, demography, category, site, etc. The users can even build active communities by sharing Google Gadget Ads with each other. Additionally, the Google Content Network disseminates the ads anywhere without charging any recurring hosting or serving fees.

The sharing and portability capabilities of gadget ads generate free traffic as well as increase interaction between users and advertisers. Gadget ads support both cost-per-click and cost-per-impression pricing models. No per-campaign charges are involved. Furthermore, HTML is usually used to create Google Gadget Ads. Hence, the development costs are drastically low.

Google Gadget Ad format is still in the extended beta stage of development. Therefore, only a few AdWords advertisers have the privilege to use it. “The feedback of the participants has been astounding. The advertisers see Google Gadget Ads as a breakthrough marketing solution that gives them power to interact with their customers through rich, vivacious and appealing contents,” reveals Susan Wojcicki.

“We are always in need of innovative ways to engage our customers,” says John Vail, Director of Interactive Marketing at Pepsi-Cola North America. “Google Gadget Ads have amicably fulfilled all our advertising needs. With them, we can reach the right kind of audience at the right time. In fact, they have imparted exuberance to our Sierra Mist campaign,” exclaims Vail.

What does a gadget ad look like? Below is a gadget ad that they’ve built to advertise the AdSense program.

 

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, Another Innovative Business Application From Microsoft

On September 22, 2007, in , by admin
0

In a bid to streamline their business processes, companies spend a major portion of their profits on business management applications. However, instead of alleviating the business problems, most of the time, these applications tend to aggravate them due to their complicated nature. Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 is a revolutionary business application that has been specifically designed to assuage all the business problems of entrepreneurs. Basically, it is a performance management application that enables entrepreneurs to improve the financial and operational performance of their organization.

Microsoft has left no stone unturned to make Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 easy-to-use. In an attempt to keep the simplicity intact, Microsoft has incorporated business intelligence to productivity tools that people use on regular basis like MS Excel, MS SharePoint Server, etc. Excel makes access and analysis of information straightforward, and SharePoint lets people share excel data with ease. In broad terms, it can be said that Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 is a combination MS Excel and MS SharePoint Server of with a tinge of business intelligence.

performancepointserver_thumb.gif

It allows companies to formulate strategies, define goals, articulate business plans, allocate responsibilities, and thereafter manage the day-to-day business operations to achieve the goals. As Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 runs on SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence Platform, therefore the entrepreneur can easily bring together all the requisite information from across disparate business units, integrate it into a desired format and share it with all his employees effortlessly.

The highly-developed analytic and data visualization capabilities of Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 help business owners to make intuitive and profitable business decisions quickly. Its powerful collaboration and workflow functionalities simplify the budgeting and forecasting process. Moreover, PerformancePoint Server employs a model-driven approach, due to which every employee in the organization, from front-line executive to manager, is able to bring his business performance into line with the overall corporate plan.

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 is suitable for all types of organizations, small-sized, mid-sized and very large companies. The multi-site, multi-language and multi-currency capabilities of PerformancePoint allow it to fulfill all the scalability requirements and functional needs of even multi-national organizations. Despite of offering so many useful functionalities, Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 bears an affordable price tag.

For the effective functioning of Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, some business processes have to be changed and small amount of re-engineering is also essential at the organizational level. Microsoft not only provides technical support, but also helps the business owner to plan and implement functional changes in his enterprise.

“Microsoft Corporation is committed to provide the business fraternity innovative and intelligent business solutions, and Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 is our sincere attempt in this direction,” says Chris Caren, General Manager of Office Business Applications at Microsoft. “The success of a business enterprise solely depends upon effective decision-making, which in its turn requires business data in a requisite format and in a timely manner. Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 has the ability to do all this and much more in the nick of time. It is pre-requisite for our success,” states George Carlin, a satisfied customer.

 

Hybrid Hard Drives are Failing…

On September 21, 2007, in , by admin
0

Way back in 2005, Microsoft and Samsung introduced a new kind of hard disk drive that could record data even while idling. The new hard drive, called Hybrid Hard Drive (HHD), contained 1GB flash memory chip, which functioned as a data cache.

Typically, the disks in the traditional hard drives rotate at a very high speed so as to allow the head to read/write data quickly. In the case of HHD, the disks rarely spin because all the incoming data was stored on the chip.

The hard drive wakes up in two conditions; first, when the flash memory chip is full, and second, when the user wants to retrieve information stored in it. Once, the work is done, the hard drive goes back into the idle state.

Some outstanding benefits of hybrid hard drive that Samsung and Microsoft enlisted are as follows:

  • It is believed that hard drive motors and LCD screens are the largest consumers of computer power. As the disks of HHD spin infrequently, therefore power consumption is drastically reduced. When used in laptop, HHD automatically increases the battery life.
  • Spinning disks produce lots of heat due to friction. In hybrid hard drives, the disks rotate occasionally. Hence, less heat is generated and noise is almost absent.
  • Continuous disk rotation is the primary cause of hard drive failure. Reduced disk rotation in HHD increases its reliability.
  • Hybrid hard drive also has the ability to accelerate the boot-up time.

With so many advantages, HHD seemed to be the best storage media, at that point of time. However, the reality is that hybrid hard drives have failed on all fronts.

According to Dr. Richard New, Director of Research, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, “Hybrid hard drives have been unsuccessful in delivering the performance that customers expected.” Hard disk executives at Diskcon, 2007 state,”The benefits of HHD are quite disappointing, and that’s the reason why they are not readily available in stores.”

“To rectify the performance problem, the manufacturers should replace 1GB flash memory chip with 4GB chip,” suggests Dr. New. “This would reduce power consumption as well as improve boot-up time.

However, the price would go up,” continues Dr. Richard New. Joel Hagberg, Vice President of Marketing, Fujitsu Computing Products of America opines, “A small increase in flash memory will not improve the boot-up time significantly. If 4GB flash memory chip is used, then boot-up time may drop from 28 seconds to 21 seconds. I don’t think anybody would like to pay more for this kind improvement.”

Western Digital conducted a series of test to determine whether hybrid hard drives are actually required or not. They found that computers that use Windows Vista operating system don’t require HHD. Vista offers sleep function, and Vista-based PCs take only 4 seconds to come out of the sleep state. “Western Digital tested 7 variants of Windows Vista, and each time, Vista PCs came out of their sleep state in 4 seconds. If the sleep function of Vista works properly, then hybrid hard drives are not needed,” states Richard Rutledge, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Western Digital.

 

Sony All Set to Pull the Curtains Down on ImageStation

On September 19, 2007, in , by admin
0

In February 2008, ImageStation, the official online photo-finishing and photo-sharing service of Sony Electronics Incorporation, will disappear forever. Sony will initiate the winding up process on November 12, 2007 and on February 1, 2008 the website will be closed permanently. After Connect Music Store that was closed down, in August this year, in US and Europe, ImageStation is the second online service that Sony has decided to shut down. “We want to concentrate on our key products, services and businesses, and that’s why we have decided to pull the curtains down on ImageStation,” said the spokesperson of Sony.

imagestation-logo.gif

ImageStation was launched in November, 1997 as a joint venture with PhotoNet, another online photo-sharing site. Despite being the signature site of Sony, it wasn’t the most popular. The website found it difficult to withstand the increasing competition from other photo-sharing sites like Flickr, Snapfish and PhotoBucket. Its revenues, which came from various membership level and through the sale of digital prints and photo-related gifts as greeting cards, calendars, mugs, t-shirts, etc., also began to fall steadily. Under these disheartening circumstances, closing ImageStation was the only option left with Sony.

Photo-sharing sites cannot be shut down randomly. It is essential for the proprietors of the company to provide the users a reasonable option to store all their uploaded images safely. In a bid to help its sincere customers to find a safe abode for their invaluable photos, Sony has entered into an agreement with Shutterfly, an award-winning online photo-sharing service. According to Shutterfly CEO Jeffery Housenbold, “Shutterfly controls one third of the online photo-sharing market. After getting all the customers of ImageStation, it will become a leader within no time.”

Those users, who do not want to transfer their images to Shutterfly, have been provided with two more options:

  • They can download the images to their personal computer. This option is suitable for those users who have only a few images in their accounts.
  •  If the user wants to preserve everything that is image, its caption and all the member comments, then they can order an archive CD or DVD. The cost price of archive CD or DVD is $7.49 per disc.

On November 12, 2007, most features of ImageStation will be disabled. Thereafter, users will not be able to join, upload, share and buy photos. However, they will be able to access their accounts as well as initiate transfer of uploaded images either to Shutterfly or to their personal computer. Archive discs can also be ordered during this period. On January 14, 2008, ImageStation will be shut down in its entirety. Archive discs will no longer be available, but users will be able to access their accounts as well as transfer the images to Shutterfly or to their computers. On February 1, 2008, ImageStation’s server will be powered down. Everything from the images to the member’s profile will be deleted. Sony has sent out these details via email to all the ImageStation members. It has even offered to refund the paid members.

ImageStation’s closure is inevitable. However, users of the site are unhappy with the decision and they have written extensive blog posting to voice their displeasure.

 

Lenovo Sets a New Energy-Efficiency Standard with the Launch of ThinkCentre A61e Desktop PC

On September 18, 2007, in , , by admin
0

With the launch of ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC, Lenovo has become a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly computers. ThinkCentre A61e desktop is the first Lenovo product to get the prestigious EPEAT Gold Status.

The Green Electronic Council imparts the EPEAT ranks after weighing up an electronic product on a wide array of environmental attributes such as recyclability, energy efficiency, etc.

The two outstanding features that helped ThinkCentre A16e to get this highest designation are; first, use of almost 90 percent of recyclable material and second, presence of solar panel as an alternate means of power

lenovo_a61e-desktop.jpg

Lenovo’s ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC is compatible with both AMD Athlon TM X2 dual core and AMD Sempron TM single core processors. Due to dual compatibility, this innovative PC can provide 85 percent energy-efficient power supply and save up to 50 percent in energy costs per annum.

For instance, if an organization installs 50,000 ThinkCentre A61e PCs, then each year it will be able to save approximately $1 million in energy costs. Moreover, 20 million pounds less carbon dioxide will be emitted into the atmosphere. With these environmental -friendly features, ThinkCentre A61e was easily able to surpass the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star® 4.0 Criteria.

In addition to the above eco-friendly features, ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC comes with a low-speed fan that makes it more reliable, consistent and less noisy both in the idle and running mode. In simple words, heat pollution as well as noise pollution is drastically reduced. Furthermore, this environmental-friendly PC occupies 25 percent less space as compared to other models of Lenovo.

This ultra-small desktop PC has been specifically designed to overcome the work-space problem that is fast shrinking in size. Apart for being the quietest and smallest, ThinkCentre A61e desktop is the lightest too. It weighs only 8 pounds.

ThinkCentre A61e PC comes packed with Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista Business operating system. Besides this, 4GB RAM and an ultra-thin HDD with the storage capacity ranging between 80 GB and 750 GB are also included. ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC is best suited for users of financial, educational and medical sector.

This energy-efficient product is not at all costly. It carries a price tag of $399 only. It is a very small price when compared to the amount of energy the PC conserves and the amount of money it saves. Eco-friendly ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC will hit the selves in October, 2007.

“The Earth’s natural energy resources are limited, and because of reckless use, they are on the verge of depletion. Therefore, steps should be taken to preserve them. Using energy-efficient products is one step in the direction of conservation of energy resources,” says Peter Schrady, Vice President and General Manager, Emerging Products Business Unit, Lenovo. “We at Lenovo are committed to provide an extensive menu of energy-efficient products, and ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC is the company’s first energy-efficient product. More eco-friendly products are in the assembly line,” continues Schrady.

With so many eco-friendly characteristics, ThinkCentre A61e desktop PC is certainly a new energy-efficiency standard. Lenovo has kick-started the process, now other companies should follow the suite and work whole-heartedly towards energy-resource conservation.

 
Next Entries »