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The Zune is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iPod. Highlights are built-in FM tuner, wireless technology and a 3 inch screen. It will be really interesting to follow this one. More pictures and information inside. Full press release from Microsoft:
Microsoft’s Zune Delivers Connected Music and Entertainment Experience Built-in wireless technology lets consumers share experiences device to device.
REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 14, 2006 — Marking the next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled details of the first products to be released under its Zune™ brand. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to connect and share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience centers around connection — connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.
“The digital music entertainment revolution is just beginning,” said J Allard, vice president, design and development, at Microsoft, who is leading the charge for building the family of Zune products. “With Zune, we are not simply delivering a portable device, we are introducing a new platform that helps bring artists closer to their audiences and helps people find new music and develop new social connections.”
The Zune Experience Available this holiday season in the United States, Zune includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. The Zune device features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a bright, 3-inch screen that allows users to not only show off music, pictures and video, but also to customize the experience with personal pictures or themes to truly make the device their own. Zune comes in three colors: black, brown and white.
Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace.
Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks individually or to buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee.
To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.
Zune Accessories To enhance the Zune experience, three accessory packs help Zune users enjoy their music where they want to, at home or on the road. The packs and the individual accessories, all designed exclusively for Zune, will be available at launch:
• The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.
• The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.
• Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.
Providing consumers with additional options to customize and personalize their Zune experience, Microsoft is also working with leading accessory manufacturers Altec Lansing, Belkin Corp., Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), Dual Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster Cable Products Inc., Speck, Targus Group International Inc. and VAF Research
The Future is Bright In addition to the features available at launch, built-in wireless technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation to continue to build new shared experiences around music and video. As Zune evolves, the device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know when these updates are available for download.
This is perhaps one of the smallest digital cameras around, it is small enough to fit on a keychain and operates as a still, video, and PC camera, its fixed focus lends providing up to 2560 x 2048 resolution in still mode, 320 x 240 frame rate for up to 100 seconds of footage in video mode, and 640 x 480 resolution for PC mode. The cameras viewfinder slides out of its integral case and includes an easy to read LCD. It has 8 MB of synchronous dynamic random access memory and an SD card slot is included for additional storage. It connects to the host via USB 2.0.
3G Americas reports today that GSM technology has taken more than fifty percent of the market share in the Americas region, adding nearly 100 million new customers from June 2005 to June 2006. At the end of 2Q 2006, two billion of the world's 2.41 billion cellular subscribers used GSM/UMTS. Informa's World Cellular Information Service projects three billion GSM/UMTS customers by 2009, with 551 million of these subscribers using UMTS services. Clearly, GSM/UMTS has established global dominance.
Erasmo Rojas, 3G Americas' Director of Latin America and the Caribbean, remarked, "The benefits of GSM technology for the Latin American market are the strengths of the global GSM eco-system, such as open standards, commercial availability in every single country of the region, and greater variety and lower cost of handsets. GSM has overtaken all other wireless technologies and is the consumer's number one choice." He added, "Brazil alone added 21 million new GSM customers in the year ending June 2006. GSM represents more than 57% of the Brazilian wireless mobile market. As CDMA technology growth loses its momentum in Brazil and across the Americas region, one can clearly see why operators, such as Brazil's market leader VIVO, are choosing to deploy GSM."
GSM in the Americas: The traction of GSM is indisputable as market share continues to grow. At 2Q 2005, GSM held 38% of the Americas market, having just taken its place as the #1 wireless mobile technology in the region. Twelve months later, that market share has grown to 51%, and in several key countries the market shares are even more impressive.
Some operators are transitioning their CDMA networks to GSM to take advantage of GSM's global roaming capabilities, technical evolution strategy, and economies of scale. These are the significant factors contributing to the massive uptake of GSM across Latin America and the Caribbean where it now represents 63% of the overall wireless mobile market, versus 22% for CDMA technologies.
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GSM in Argentina added 12 million new GSM customers from June 2005 to June 2006, and now holds a market share of 77%, compared to CDMA and TDMA at 11% and 10%, respectively. GSM in Colombia added 14 million new GSM customers from June 2005 to June 2006, with a current market share of 80%, compared to CDMA and TDMA at 10% each. In Mexico, where 16 million new GSM subscriptions in one year have contributed to an almost 78% growth rate, GSM has captured 71% of market share, up from 48% only one year ago. This compares to a share of 18.5% for TDMA and 7% for CDMA.
GSM Worldwide: In the twelve months from Q2 2005 to Q2 2006, the GSM family of technologies gained nearly 500 million new customers worldwide, including 41 million new UMTS 3G customers. This number represents more than ten times the growth of CDMA, which added 45 million new customers. GSM again added more new customers in a year than the total subscriber base of all other mobile digital technologies. In June 2006, the industry milestone of 2 billion GSM subscriptions worldwide was reached, including subscriptions to UMTS at 70 million, and in the past year, new GSM subscriptions accounted for more than 90% of all net new digital wireless customers.
Mobile Broadband and Wireless Data: Mobile broadband UMTS/HSDPA, the leading industry standard for the delivery of 3G voice and data service chosen by 111 operators in 54 countries today, is a GSM technology that is truly making its mark. With 45 networks in service in 32 countries and another 66 networks planned, in deployment, or in trial, 3G Americas' President, Chris Pearson, stated, "2006 is the year for HSDPA. Only one year ago there were no commercial networks in play, and today you have more than 70 million customers using GSM for mobile broadband. Expect to see nearly all of the 289 operators publicly committed to deploying UMTS execute HSDPA on their networks, thereby achieving the best possible use of their spectrum assets, the lowest cost per bit of data and a wide variety in devices and applications for their customers."
Currently, UMTS/HSDPA is the only cellular technology that offers high speed simultaneous voice and data transmission services, and is the global technology choice for mobile broadband services.
EDGE high speed wireless data technology is contributing to wireless data usage in the Americas region with 44 operators in 20 countries currently offering commercial EDGE services. Although voice still constitutes most cellular traffic, wireless data now exceeds 10 percent of Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), and this number could easily double within three years. Operators across the Americas are confirming this trend with their reports of rising data ARPU. For instance, for the second quarter of 2006, Cingular Wireless reported ARPU from data services rose 38 percent to $5.77 per month. T-Mobile reported data ARPU represented 10.9% of blended ARPU in the second quarter of 2006, as compared to 10.1% in the first quarter of 2006, and 7.5% in the second quarter of 2005. Rogers Wireless of Canada reported a 65.1% lift in data revenues, representing 10.5% of the total network revenue of the quarter. Now commercial on a total of 157 operator's networks in 91 countries, EDGE is routinely included in 3G wireless devices to enable global roaming for GSM/UMTS customers worldwide. At this time, there are 238 operators worldwide committed to deploying EDGE services.
Data is based on figures from Informa Telecoms & Media World Cellular Information Service (WCIS). Detailed charts on GSM growth as well as EDGE and UMTS deployment lists are available at 3G Americas' website: www.3gamericas.org.
Asus,provider of high-performance notebook computers, today unveils the latest R2H Ultra-Mobile PC. With built-in high-resolution webcam, incorporated global positioning system (GPS) and biometric fingerprint authentication, the 7-inch ultra compact R2H is designed to fulfill the increasing need for an all-in-one mobile device that enables professionals to stay connected, productive and secured on the go.
Solid Security Management for Protected Computing To give business travelers peace of mind, the R2H offers total data protection that meets the evolving security needs with both software and hardware solutions.
The protected computing starts with fingerprint authentication that grants strict access only to the designated owner. For the most accurate reading, t he electronic imaging mechanism scans fingerprint pattern from the live layer of the skin , bypassing any common skin surface conditions.
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Intuitive Usage Experience The R2H runs on Windows ® XP Tablet PC Edition with Touch Pack software and ergonomic hardware interface designs. With complete function keys laid out on both sides of the front panel, users enjoy comfortable operation to a full set of control keys, including mouse, scroll buttons, hot keys as well as on-screen keypad, all at the finger tips.
The feature-rich R2H is packed with computing, multimedia and connectivity functions. Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 EDR ( Enhanced Data Rate), WLAN 802.11 a/b/g and high-resolution webcam offer extensive high-speed connection and wire-free video communication. In addition, satellite GPS provides a comprehensive travel guide that the users no longer need to deal with paper maps or ask for directions! The incorporated GPS antenna with a foldable mechanism allows convenient storage when not in use. Ultimately, the R2H empowers users to go anywhere, do anything!
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Just a few weeks ago we reviewed the very capable and very attractive Sony Ericsson K790a. A powerful and high-performing device, the K790a so wowed us that we gave it our Editors' Choice award. Yet despite our high satisfaction overall, the K790a missed a couple of things, namely world phone support and 3G capability. But fortunately our wishes have been answered with the Sony Ericsson K800i Cyber Shot. Almost identical to the K790a in terms of design and features, the K800i also adds the needed support for global roaming and 3G UMTS networks. The K800i is designed for the European and Asian markets, so it won't be with a U.S. carrier. Though you can still buy it here, it will cost in the $500 range. 
Like the K790a, the K800i sports a simple candy bar form factor that's roughly rectangular in shape but still sleek and stylish. What's more, the black-and-gray color scheme accurately reflects the high-tech features inside. It's far from compact (4.1 by 1.9 by 0.9 inches; 4.1 ounces) but with its solid construction and comfortable feeling in the hands, it's a worthy trade-off.
The K800i has the K790a's same brilliant 262,144-color display that measures two inches diagonally (240x320 pixels). Below the display is the navigation array, which is similar as well. The five-way joystick doubles as a shortcut to four user-defined functions, while the two soft keys open the recent-calls list and the main menu when the phone is in standby mode. There are also dedicated Back and Clear buttons, a key that launches the Web browser, and a nifty control that opens a submenu of user-defined shortcuts and a list of upcoming calendar events. Overall the navigation controls were tactile and easy to use, but they are somewhat squashed together. The backlit keypad buttons were a nice change, however, from previous Sony Ericssons. Rectangular in shape, they are large enough for most hands and are raised just above the surface.
The K800i has a simple yet attractive design.
A music player button and the Memory Stick Micro slot sit on the left spine, while the right spine holds a volume rocker and a camera shutter control. The camera lens and self-portrait mirror sit on the back of the handset behind a sliding cover. Above is the large, high-quality flash, while a small speaker is next to the camera lens.
The phone book holds a respectable 1,000 contacts with room in each entry for five phone numbers, Web and e-mail addresses, a work title and company name, work and home street addresses, a birth date, and notes (the SIM card holds an additional 250 names). You can organize contacts into groups and pair them with photos for caller ID. You can pair contacts with one of 16 72-chord polyphonic and MP3 tones. Other essential offerings include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, an alarm clock, a calendar, a task list, a timer, a stopwatch, a calculator, a notepad, and a voice memo recorder (space is limited by the available memory).
The K7800i also comes with a wealth of business-friendly features. You'll find full Bluetooth for connecting to a wireless headset or sending files or your electronics business card to another Bluetooth device. And like with many other Sony Ericssons, you can use the phone as a modem and use the Bluetooth feature as a remote control to connect with other Bluetooth devices. Other high-end goodies include a speakerphone, an RSS news reader, an infrared port, PC syncing for contacts and other files, USB cable support, e-mail, voice dialing, and a code memo for storing passwords and other secure information. And because the phone supports UMTS networks, you can watch streaming video.
Like the K790a, the 3.2-megapixel K800i Cyber Shot is one of the most advanced camera phones we've reviewed. Camera features were the same on both phones. You can take pictures in four resolutions, from VGA up to the full 3 meagpixels, and choose from two image quality choices. Other notable offerings include a panorama mode, red-eye reduction, spot metering, a macro setting, and image stabilization (see the K790a review for a full list of the camera features). The camcorder, which is also similar, takes MPEG-4 clips with sound in one resolution (176x144). And here again the remarkable Xenon flooded our photos and videos with light even in dim situations.
Is it a camera? No, it's a phone.
The K800i had the K790's same outstanding picture quality with bright colors, distinct object outlines, and sharp effects. The flash can be too strong at times, so use it at your discretion. Video quality was satisfactory overall, but it was also a bit grainy, and quick movements were blurry. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at two minutes; otherwise length is limited by the available memory. When you're finished with your photos, you can save them to the phone's 64MB of shared internal memory (we suggest getting a Memory Stick for more storage). You can also send your snaps wirelessly via Bluetooth, e-mail, or a multimedia message; upload quickly them to an online blog; or transfer them to a computer via a USB cable. For creative types, the phone has photo- and video-editing applications including a fun FaceWarp application for playing with your favorite headshots.
We loved the K800i's picture quality.
The K800i's music player lets you organize music by artist, track name, or playlist and choose from settings that include album/song shuffle and loop, stereo widening, and an equalizer. Music stops automatically when you get a call, you can minimize the player's interface, and an airplane mode lets you listen to your tunes in flight with the cell phone turned off. There are stereo speakers on the back and the phone supports a Bluetooth profile. Music capacity is limited by the available memory, so again buying a Memory Stick Micro is a good idea. To get music on the phone, you can use an included USB cable or send tunes via Bluetooth or the infrared port. You also get the Sony Ericsson FM radio with 20 presets, though you must use it with a headset, which acts as an antenna.
You can personalize the K800i with a variety of themes, wallpaper, and screensavers. As always, you can purchase more options and ring tones from Sony Ericsson via the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Alternatively, the phone comes with a Music DJ application for composing your own ring tones. Gamers can enjoy three Java (J2ME) titles: FotoQuest Fishing, Mini Golf: Castle, and Tennis Multiplay, with additional titles available for purchase. Like with the Sony Ericsson W600i, some games are played in landscape mode while using the special gameplay keys above the display.
We tested the triband (GSM 900/1800/1900; UMTS) Sony Ericsson K800i world phone in San Francisco using Cingular service. Call quality was comparable to that of the K790a, which is to say it was very good with nice clarity, little static, and no interference from other electronic devices. Likewise, volume could be a bit louder on our end, but it should be quite serviceable for most users. Calls faded out a bit in buildings, but that's to be expected since the phone isn't operating on the GSM 850 band. On their end, callers had similar experiences. They could tell we were using a cell phone, but they had few problems hearing or understanding us. Speakerphone quality was good as well. Just take note that on the K800i, the main speaker faces the back of the phone as well.
Since the K800i supports 3G UMTS networks, we were excited to test just how speedy it was. Happily we can report that wireless Internet browsing was lightning-fast. We jumped from wireless Web page to Web page with hardly a pause. Going back to a previously loaded page was quick as well. Though we couldn't connect to Cingular Video to test the streaming video quality, we did download a few games and applications; the transfer speed was sufficiently zippy and we had the content on our phone in just a few seconds. On the downside, the only thing that was sluggish was the menu navigation. Though not a huge problem, it was slower than the K790a.
The K800i has a rated talk time of seven hours and a promised standby time of 14.5 days. We managed to get an impressive six hours and 45 minutes of talk time in our tests. According to FCC radiation tests the K800i has a digital SAR rating of 0.58 watts per kilogram.-CNET
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