Dell exits Gaming, Alienware Invades

The announcement wasn’t scheduled for a few more days – four according to the teaser site – but it looks like Alienware’s All Powerful gaming laptop has been set free anyway. So, does it live up to the clues? Pretty much… how does a pair of 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs strike you? No Core i7 listed, instead we’re looking at a Core 2 Extreme quad-core CPU at the top end with up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory, and 1TB of 7200-rpm disk or a 512GB SSD if you prefer. RAID 1 or RAID 0? Sure. Rounding things out is a nine-cell battery of unstated performance, FireWire, 4x USB, eSATA, ExpressCard, 802.11n WiFi, 8-in-1 media card reader, dual-layer Blu-ray, a 1920 x 1200 pixel edge-to-edge LCD, DisplayPort and HDMI-outs all wrapped up in a massive chassis weighing 11.68-pounds with a 15.98 x 12.65 x 2.11-inch footprint. It’s also packing a GeForce 9400M G1 GPU with HybridPower technology that allows you to scale the graphics back to conserve battery power. Prices start at $1,799 for a lot less than what has been expected.

Ever since Dell bought a stake in Alienware, people have been wondering: What becomes of Dell’s gaming-friendly XPS line? As of today, it goes away. Or at least it stops trying to cater to gaming enthusiasts. Henceforth, Dell-owned Alienware is the official game face of the organization. After all, Alienware also crafts game-centric mice, keyboards, headsets…and funky monitors. In fact, at next week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Alienware plans to update everyone on its progress with a huge 42.8-inch curved monitor.

A big part of Dell/Alienware’s gaming gambit involves aggressive expansion. An “All Powerful” campaign will launch as the brand attempts to expand its reach from 6 countries to 35. The first machine to show off Alienware’s new message is the M17x laptop.

More Than Meets the Eye

When Alienware reps set the new M17x in front of me for a demo, my first thought was “If I just sit here and look at this thing, will it transform into a robot–or a 2009 Dodge Charger?” You think I’m nuts? You be the judge. (Hint: The notebook is the one without the wheels.)

Like the Alienware M17, the latest Alienware laptop looks to load up on features while still achieving a fairly reasonable price ($1799 in this case). The base-level 17-inch machine will come with a host of perks that should earn a warm reception from gamers.

Among the configuration delights lurking under the anodized aluminum hood of the starter model are the following:

• A single 1GB nVidia GeForce GTX260M GPU (upgradable to dual 1GB nVidia GeForce GTX 280M GPUs for your sweet high-end graphic needs)

• An Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz P8600 CPU (upgradable to a Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core CPU)

• 4GB of RAM (Up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM)

• A 250GB 7200-rpm hard drive (upgradable to a 1TB 7200-rpm or to 512MB of solid-state storage capacity [Raid 1 or Raid 0]; users can swap out hard drives by removing the battery)

• A slot-loading DVD-RW drive (upgradable to dual-layer Blu-ray Disc)

• A nine-cell battery

• An nVidia GeForce 9400M G GPU with HybridPower technology (the big bonus here on the motherboard helps you get decent scaled-down graphics when you don’t need the dual-card megaton firepower; it kicks in when plugged into AC power)

• 802.11n Wi-Fi

• An optional 1920-by-1200-resolution edge-to-edge LCD

Like any self-respecting desktop replacement, this laptop uses its monstrous size (it measures 15.98 by 12.65 by 2.11 inches and weighs 11.68 pounds) to accommodate a gaggle of ports. Crammed around the sides are a four-pin FireWire port, four USB plugs, an eSATA/USB combo port, an ExpressCard Slot, and an eight-in-one Media Card reader. The M17x also makes room for DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA video-outs. A bunch of audio-out jacks for external surround sound provide a pretty strong indication that you won’t be tempted to stick with the two built-in speakers. (Pro tip #1: The internal pair may not provide the best sound. We’ll give you the lowdown once we get our hands on a review unit.)

Otherwise, the M17x comes with a pimp-my-rig-worthy lighting kit for the keyboard, numberpad, touchpad, and trim lights. (Pro tip #2: Don’t bank on long battery life from this traveling arcade.) Want to optimize features or tweak the way the lights twinkle? Alienware still has its user-friendly performance-shifting software on hand.

For the moment, though, I’m working off a quick glance and limited interaction. My Initial impression after a quick hands-on with the machine: It makes my short list of gaming machines with serious sex appeal. But that’s without before we’ve thrown our usual truckload of benchmarks at it. We’ll just have to wait and see how the M17x stands up to the challenge of PC WorldBench 6.

Windows 7 Starter Edition

Today, the Starter edition of Windows is designed for entry level PCs and available only in certain regions. Starter comes with limitations, such as being able to run only 3 concurrent applications on a PC at a time (this excludes background processes such as anti-virus applications, wireless and Bluetooth, and system tools like Explorer and Control Panel).

There of course will also be Windows 7 Starter edition, but based on the feedback received from partners and customers asking to enable a richer small notebook PC experience with Windows 7 Starter, it was decided to make some changes compared to previous Starter editions.

For the first time, Windows 7 Starter will be available worldwide on small notebook PCs.  Windows 7 Starter will also give customers the ability to run as many applications simultaneously as they would like, instead of being constricted to the 3 application limit that the previous Starter editions included.

We believe these changes will make Windows 7 Starter an even more attractive option for customers who want a small notebook PC for very basic tasks, like browsing the web, checking email and personal productivity.

It is important to note that Windows 7 Starter still includes only a subset of the features offered in the higher editions of Windows 7 such as Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional and above. Windows 7 Starter does not include:

• Aero Glass, meaning you can only use the “Windows Basic” or other opaque themes. It also means you do not get Taskbar Previews or Aero Peek.
• Personalization features for changing desktop backgrounds, window colors, or sound schemes.
• The ability to switch between users without having to log off.
• Multi-monitor support.
• DVD playback.
• Windows Media Center for watching recorded TV or other media.
• Remote Media Streaming for streaming your music, videos, and recorded TV from your home computer.
• Domain support for business customers.
• XP Mode for those that want the ability to run older Windows XP programs on Windows 7.

Since Microsoft announced the Windows 7 editions in February, all editions of Windows 7 have been optimized to run on the broadest range of hardware ranging from small notebook PCs all the way up to high end gaming machines. Windows 7 Starter should not be considered “the netbook SKU” as most machines in this category can run any edition of Windows 7.

Personally, I am using the Windows 7 Ultimate Edition for work and I have to mention that Microsoft really has done good work. The system is stable and compared to Windows Vista extremely fast.

AT&T to launch new Android phone in August

AT&T is expected to launch an Android-based smartphone in the third quarter, according to DigiTimes, which quotes sources in Taiwan. MobileCrunch reports that it will be available as soon as August. The phone, nicknamed “Lancaster,” will be the third Android phone built by HTC. In addition to the Lancaster, AndroidGuys is reporting that AT&T is also looking to start selling a second Android device — the Motorola  Heron — by the end of the year.

The Lancaster is a 3G phone will have a full slide-out Qwerty keyboard and a 3-megapixel camera. The Motorola Heron reportedly has a full Qwerty keyboard that slides out from the bottom of the device, rather than the slide. In addition to the Lancaster and the Heron, HTC reportedly will start shipping the “Bigfoot,” which is the second-generation of the T-Mobile G1, in the fourth quarter and the HTC Magic with T-Mobile USA in the third quarter.

MobileCrunch asserts that AT&T is driving hard at releasing an Android phone in hopes of increasing its exclusivity with Apple’s iPhone, but likely AT&T is just hedging its bets by trying to offer a wide portfolio of devices. Engadget has a picture of the device, which they describe as a cross between the HTC Magic when closed, and the HTC Touch Pro when open.

When Machine Dreams

1968 Philip K. Dick published a science fiction novel called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter of androids, while the secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-normal intelligence who befriends some of the androids. The novel set in a post-apocalyptic near future, where the Earth and its populations have been damaged greatly by Nuclear War during World War Terminus. Most types of animals are endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning from the war. To own an animal is a sign of status, but what is emphasized more is the empathic emotions humans experience towards an animal.

Deckard, the protagonist, is faced with retiring six escaped Nexus-6 model androids, the latest and most advanced model. Because of this task, the novel explores the issue of what it is to be human. Unlike humans, the androids possess no empathic sense. By introducing organic and realistically humanoid androids in this novel, Dick asks what qualities, if any, are unique to or are able to define what is human and makes readers question their own humanity. Some of you might now think of a similar plot found in the movie I, robot. I, robot is a movie that makes androids dream.

Scott Draves, a well known software artist, created an outrageous screen saver run by thousands of people all over the world. When computers normally “sleep”, the screen saver comes on and the computers start to communicate with each other by the internet to share the work of creating morphing abstract animations known as “sheep”. The result is denoted as a collective “android dream”.

Anyone watching one of these computers may vote for their favorite animations using the keyboard. The more popular sheep live longer and reproduce according to a genetic algorithm with mutation and cross-over. Hence the flock evolves to please its global audience. You can also design your own sheep and submit them to the gene pool.

The example above shows a streaming sample in flash, but the software on the PC creates streams using the H264 codec.

Freshly rendered sheep

Freshly rendered sheep

Freshly rendered sheep

Freshly rendered sheep

Freshly rendered sheep

Individual frames from the sheep in progress

Individual frames from the sheep in progress

The electric sheep screen saver is open source software, licensed under the GPL.  Source Forge hosts the SVN tree with the latest code from all three clients, and compilation instructions are in the wiki. The software can be downloaded here.

Siemens Austria plans to dismiss 850 developers

Until October 2009 Siemens Austria announced 853 of 1800 collaborators to be dismissed. According to the management Siemens plans to drastically diminish the quite unpopular department of software development. Siemens already confirmed this statement in an informal meeting with the Austrian Press Agency. As a reason for this action the downturn in the range of telecommunication and automotive computing is declared. Additionally, Siemens is now also affected by the world wide depression.

Nokia Shapes the Future of Social Location

Nokia OVI Maps

Nokia today presented the next step in its social location journey with the announcement of the latest version of Ovi Maps, fast becoming a unique, dynamic and personalized canvas – sychronized and shared between the mobile and the web – upon which people will be able to add personal location-based content. This also marks a shift from the one-size- fits-all static bitmap maps commonly found on the web, to using Nokia’s dynamic vector-graphic maps as a browser for all your personal map experiences – whether on the web or on your compatible mobile device. Nokia also announced the release of the Ovi Maps Player API, a simple way to embed the rich and dynamic Ovi Maps experience into any compatible website using basic JavaScript. This opens the Ovi Maps service and technology for third parties wishing to add greater contextual innovation to their websites for a deeper level of integration, sharing and collaboration with their audiences. Now websites like lonelyplanet.com or social networking sites can include Ovi Maps which can be personalized with their users’ collections of content and then synchronized onto their compatible mobile devices. “Ovi Maps is evolving from a consumer service to a live and dynamic platform for location-based services and content shared between the mobile device and the web. By adding this richer dimension to Ovi Maps we are both creating new experiences for consumers and new opportunities for developers,” says Michael Halbherr, vice president, Social Location services at Nokia. “The Ovi Maps Player API offers an open and easy-to-use map browser based on simple web technologies that can be embedded into any website. This is the first step toward an ecosystem where developers can access Nokia’s unique contextual assets, such as location, to create mobile applications that will redefine how we use our mobile devices. ” “We are thrilled to be one of the first companies to be working with the Ovi Maps Player API”, says Stephen Palmer, President, Lonely Planet, EMEA. “This is a transformational partnership, which makes Lonely Planet content available regardless of time or place. Working with this new platform adds value to the Lonely Planet offering and together with Nokia we will help more travellers connect profoundly with their world, everyday.” The future of mapping is here The latest version of Ovi Maps application on your device is enhanced through additional features and services, opening up a new world of possibilities with better maps than ever before: high resolution satellite and terrain maps – both in 2D and 3D views – 3D landmarks for over 200 cities, rotation, tilting, night view, and fly-overs and fly-throughs. Ovi Maps also offers enriched POI information by Lonely Planet, Michelin and Wcities, as well as a weather service that provides 24 hour and 5-day forecasts. Walk from one place to another by using Walk, pedestrian navigation with routing optimized for those on foot, providing better orientation in a city or outdoors. Or use Drive, fully fledged car navigation with enhanced safety and real-time traffic information covering now more countries. With Ovi Maps on the web you can also search for addresses and POIs, find places and save them into Favorites, and organize them into Collections. Check the weather situation and preplan routes for walking or driving – and then save them. Your places, collections and routes can also be synchronized over-the-air between Ovi Maps on your compatible mobile device and Ovi Maps on the web.

MasterCard Mobile MoneySend Platform Set To Go Live

MasterCard announced that their fully-integrated, on-demand person-to-person (P2P) mobile payment platform for issuers in the United States is set to go live later this month. With this new platform, MasterCard participating bank customers will be able to offer Mobile MasterCard MoneySend(TM) P2P payments to their customers. Mobile MoneySend is the breakthrough consumer payment platform that provides a better way to send and receive funds via SMS-text, mobile browser, mobile applet or an Internet PC.Initially, consumers will be able to use MoneySend with a MasterCard prepaid card issued by The Bancorp Bank and then link it to their mobile phone number to send or receive money. As additional issuers enroll for the platform, their customers will be able to use MoneySend with their everyday accounts, including MasterCard debit, credit, prepaid or checking, as determined by their issuer. Once registered for MoneySend, consumers have the flexibility of directly, easily and securely transferring funds to and from family and friends through their mobile phone, eliminating the need to write or cash checks, visit ATMs, or wire money domestically. Senders initiate transfers to any domestic mobile phone number via SMS message, mobile web browser or a downloadable MoneySend application. Upon initiation of the transfer, the sender approves the request by entering the MoneySend mobile PIN which only the accountholder knows. Then the recipient receives a text message confirmation of the transfer (for pre-registered users) or that the transfer is pending (for yet to be registered users). The funds can then be accessed by the recipient through an account designated during the registration process.

Initially, this will be a prepaid account with The Bancorp Bank. These funds are then available for access through the mobile phone. If the consumer has a MasterCard card associated with the account the funds can also be accessed at traditional points of interaction, including ATMs, over-the-counter at a bank branch, or at the point-of-sale. “Our existing MoneySend platform and Obopay’s connectivity to mobile networks has allowed us to bring a simple solution for mobile P2P payments to consumers in the U.S. in partnership with our customer banks,” said Art Kranzley, Chief Emerging Technology Officer, MasterCard Worldwide. “We know that consumers are now constantly connected, whether in front of their computer screens or on the go with their mobile phones that are always there and always on. Since the MoneySend platform supports P2P payments through any PC or mobile device, we are able to offer a consistent transaction experience in both online and mobile channels for consumers in the U.S.” Kranzley added, “The availability of the MoneySend P2P platform in the U.S. builds upon the success we’ve seen with MoneySend in the Asia Pacific Middle East Africa region, where it is available in 17 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and the Philippines. MasterCard is continually expanding both the number of markets in which the platform is offered and the channels through which consumers can access it.” “We know that consumers in the U.S. are looking for better ways to send money to their friends and family quickly, securely and easily,” said Terrence Crowley, Senior Vice President with The Bancorp Bank. “Leveraging MasterCard’s MoneySend platform, Bancorp is excited to be able to offer a prepaid solution that makes person-to-person money transfer via mobile phones an attractive opportunity for our cardholders.” “With consumers clamoring for services that fit their mobile lifestyle, we’re happy to work with MasterCard, a company that has long embraced the enormous potential to turn every mobile device into a payment device,” said Obopay Senior Vice President Michael E. Diamond. “Through our partnership with MasterCard, we’re giving millions of people the means to easily and securely send money to family, friends and loved ones.” “Nokia has long been a leader in developing mobile devices that offer access to mobile payments and is excited to see this latest innovation which takes mobile payment services to the next level in the U.S.,” said Teppo Paavola, Vice President, Corporate Business Development, Nokia. “We believe that industry collaboration is vital to the success of mobile payments and, together with Obopay and MasterCard, we look forward to further innovation in this area.”

Pirate Bay or Pirate Pay: Payment impairs payee

The Pirate Bay

Gottfried Svartholm, co-founder of the torrent site The Pirate Bay, and three of his colleagues are sued for damage to 30 millions of Swedish Koruny. Because of this claim Svartholm came up with a legitimate correct but somehow insidious idea. The bank account of the lawer that pleads the music industry (IFPI) only accepts 1000 remittances for free, afterwards a charge of two Swedish Koruny must be payed.

Svartholm now applies internet users for payment, but he only wants them to transfer 1 Koruny. After the first 1000 payments, 1 Koruny will be deducted from the lawer’s bank account. If the fine of 30 millions is payed that way, the music industry would in fact lose 29.999.000 Koruny instead of gaining 30 million. Additionally, users could call on their money whereas the dues have to be payed by the lawer anyhow.

Windows 3.1 on Symbian OS

Yesterday, I presented you the Scumm Virtual Machine for Symbian phones which provides features to play Amiga, DOS or Windows games on a Nokia handheld for example. Today, where getting a bit into details. As some people might already know, the DOSBox has also been ported to Symbian which means, it is now possible to run any DOS application on a Symbian mobile phone. Any application means also the Windows 3.1 operating system which is more or less just a view for DOS.

A hacker called Marchin-PRV used the DOSBox to emulate the x86-class processor on a Nokia N95 (Symbian OS 3rd Ed) in order to install Microsoft’s 1992 OS. Totatlly useless? Maybe! But actually really badass

DOSBox console

Windows 3.1 file menu

Windows 3.1 installation

Windows 3.1 unpack progress

Windows 3.1 installation progress

Windows 3.1 boot screen

Windows 3.1 Paint

Windows 3.1 games

Windows 3.1 calender

Windows 3.1 utilities

DOWNLOAD DOXBox v0.72 for Symbian by kolijoco (release 20090305):
http://rapidshare.com/files/20713991…x_s60.rar.html
http://www.sendspace.pl/file/z9cGJAZq/

DOWNLOAD Windows 3.1 (English) for Symbien:
http://rapidshare.com/files/207139919/win31en.rar.html
http://www.sendspace.pl/file/pUi8IxwM/

DOSBox Information

If you use a new version of the DOSBox up to 12MB RAM can be allocated for Windows 3.1 on the Nokia N95 device and similar phones. Additionally, the default Windows Shell (the program manager) can be disabled. Instead, you could just use Calmira II.

1. Follow the instructions
2. Edit “e:\Data\dosbox.conf”
3. Set memsize=8 or more
4. Change the last line to “c:\windows\win.com /s”
5. Edit “e:\Data\windows\system.ini”
6. Add “;shell=progman.exe”
7. Add “shell=c:\Programs\Calmira\Calmira.exe”
   

INSTALLATION GUIDE

DOSBox v0.72 for Symbian

• Uninstall previous DOSBox versions.
• Unpack the DOSBox_s60.rar archive to your memory card.
• Install all applications listed in the install directory.
• Install dosbox.sisx on Nokia handhelds wotj 128MB RAM (Nokia N95-2, N82)
• Install dosbox_slim.sisx on Nokia handhelds with less RAM

Windows 3.1 for Symbian (incl. Norton Commander 5)

• Unpack the Win31en.rar archive to your memory card.
• Run the previously installed DOSBox

Current Release

This release version carries a MCGA driver for 320×200 resulution as well as the Win32s v1.30c with OLE

Suggestions

• To change the allocated memory (2MB) by the DOSBox edit the line “memsize=2″ in the file “e:\Data\dosbox.conf”.
• If your mobile phone provides enough RAM, you could possibly install the Sound Blaster 16 driver (Control Panel -> Drivers -> Add -> Creative Lab Sound Blaster 1.5 -> Restart

2. If your mobile phone have enough RAM memory you can install Sound Blaster 16 driver:
Control Panel -> Drivers -> Add -> Creative Lab Sound Blaster 1.5 -> Restart

Using the T9 Keypad

• Receive Call button – Switching between input modes
• End Call button - Exit from DOSBox
• Pen key – Shift
• Delete key – Backspace
• Thumb pad – Arrows and Enter
• Right key – Escape
• Left key – Space

Mode 1:

First line keys = a d g j m p t w space
First line keys + Pen =: A D G J M P T W space
Second line keys + * = b e h k n q u x .
Second line keys + * = Pen + * B E H K N Q U X
Third line keys + # = c f i l o r v y \
Third line keys + Pen + # = C F I L O R V Y |
Fourth line keys + 1 = s z
Fourth line keys + Pen + 1 = S Z

Mode 2:

Numbers = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Numbers + Pen = ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( )

Mode 3:

Thumb Pad - Moving mouse
* = Right mouse button
# = Left mouse button

Facebook Easteregg

Click on the Facebook background, somewhere on the white space where is no content and then press:

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, b, a, Ender

After you have done this write a message or click anywhere on the screen and see what is happening.