Review D’you know the most interesting thing about Palm’s Treo 500v? It’s a Windows Mobile smartphone without a stylus. For years, we’ve been noting PDA and, later, smartphone makers’ attempts to overcome the Microsoft OS inability to work one-handed, but until now no one’s quite succeeded.

Past Palm and recent HTC devices have come close, but the 500v is the first to hit the market without its manufacturer feeling the need to include a stylus even just in case. Not that it would be much use: the 500v doesn’t have a touchscreen either.

It’s a Palm device that might have been made by Nokia. Indeed, the 500v’s look has a decidedly Finnish tone to it, which is interesting given the rumours earlier this year than Nokia might be about to acquire the PDA pioneer. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

That the 500v can operate stylus-free is because it runs the version of Windows Mobile 6 designed for regular handsets rather than the form of the OS designed for the PDA-style devices Palm is famous for.

Stylus lovers will disregard the 500v, but in many respects it’s Palm’s best Windows Mobile device yet. The older 750v may have a higher number, but that’s because of extra features rather than inherent superiority.

Here’s why. Face on, the 500v is slightly shorter but also slightly wider than the 750v. But while the older machine is all angles, the newer phone has deep curves that make it look smaller than it is. More to the point, it’s barely two-thirds the thickness of the 750v, which also makes it feel smaller.

We can remember trying the 750v for the first time and remarking on how much smaller it felt than the old Treo 650 did. On paper, the dimensions weren’t much different, but the way Palm’s designers pulled in the corners and angles really gave the 750v in your hand the sensation of being much more petite than its predecessor. Well, they’ve done it again, and the 500v feels it’s been shrunk by the same margin again. It’s lighter too.

At Google, we have a saying: “launch early and iterate.” While this approach is usually limited to our engineers, it apparently applies to our mailroom as well! As you may have read in the blogosphere, we hit “send” a bit early on a comic book introducing our new open source browser, Google Chrome. As we believe in access to information for everyone, we’ve now made the comic publicly available — you can find it here. We will be launching the beta version of Google Chrome tomorrow in more than 100 countries.

So why are we launching Google Chrome? Because we believe we can add value for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web.

All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends — all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there. We realized that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that’s what we set out to build.

On the surface, we designed a browser window that is streamlined and simple. To most people, it isn’t the browser that matters. It’s only a tool to run the important stuff — the pages, sites and applications that make up the web. Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.

Under the hood, we were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today’s complex web applications much better. By keeping each tab in an isolated “sandbox”, we were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites. We improved speed and responsiveness across the board. We also built a more powerful JavaScript engine, V8, to power the next generation of web applications that aren’t even possible in today’s browsers.

This is just the beginning — Google Chrome is far from done. We’re releasing this beta for Windows to start the broader discussion and hear from you as quickly as possible. We’re hard at work building versions for Mac and Linux too, and will continue to make it even faster and more robust.

We owe a great debt to many open source projects, and we’re committed to continuing on their path. We’ve used components from Apple’s WebKit and Mozilla’s Firefox, among others — and in that spirit, we are making all of our code open source as well. We hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward.

The web gets better with more options and innovation. Google Chrome is another option, and we hope it contributes to making the web even better.

So check in again tomorrow to try Google Chrome for yourself. We’ll post an update here as soon as it’s ready.

Introducing Cantabile 2.0

Cantabile is a simple to use host for virtual music instruments and audio effects with an emphasis on real-time performance and use in live performance situations.

All Editions

- New - Office 2007 style “Fluent” user-interface.
- New - customizable Quick Access toolbar.
- New - customizable Status bar.
- New - pinnable recent session menu keeps favourite sessions handy.
- New - plug-in selector for insert/replace plug-in.
- New - support for multiple triggerable audio/MIDI players. (maximum of 2 in Lite)
- New - audio file playback support. (wave and mp3)
- New - undo/redo, drag/drop and clipboard support
- New - recordings list panel, shows all recordings in a session with options to auto-delete unwanted recordings.
- New - Null Audio Driver.
- New - 64-bit version for Vista x64.
- Improved - synchronization between metronome and media files.
- Improved - Options dialog.
- Improved - usability from PC keyboard.
- Improved - performance on multi-core CPUs.
- Improved - new file format considerably reduces size of saved sessions.
- Improved - ability to capture keyboard even when other applications are active.
- Improved - support for Wave64 audio files. (overcomes 4Gb limit of traditional wave file)
- Removed - Plugin Organiser (no longer needed with new plugin organiser)
- Removed - MIDI controller assignments (removed from Cantabile Lite only)
- Removed - MIDI filters (removed from Cantabile Lite only)
- many other miscellaneous improvements.

Cantabile Solo

Everything from above, plus:

- New - session list window replaces Quick Sessions
- New - 8 customizable on-screen MIDI controllers (4 sliders, 4 buttons).
- New - Support for Unloaded plugins - plugin is unloaded, but Cantabile maintains its state.
- New - Unlimited media file players.
- New - ability to save per-session MIDI controller assignments for global items.
- Improved - MIDI Controller Assignments dialog.

Cantabile Performer

Everything from above, plus:

- New - sub-sessions allow saving multiple named states within the one session.
- New - session list now supports loading session/sub-session pairs.
- New - MIDI routing table - easily route MIDI events from input ports to racks or external devices.
- New - Triggers - send MIDI configuration events on session load, sub-session load, transport play etc.
- New - ability to send and receive MIDI clock.
- New - support for 64-bit audio processing and recording.

New microprocessor, due this year, will be faster, use less electricity

In an effort to regain market share that its smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices has aggressively taken in the past year, Intel Corp.’s chief technology officer said Friday that the chip giant will start shipping microprocessors with four cores inside late this year.

To show the product is well on its way, Intel CTO Justin Rattner demonstrated a working server computer with a pair of the new microprocessors, code-named Clovertown.

The new chip will join Intel’s line of server chips called Xeon, which has generated billions of dollars’ worth of revenue for the Santa Clara company. That business, though, has been under pressure since Sunnyvale’s AMD entered the segment with its microprocessor called the Opteron.

Chips with two cores have been the latest rage, with both Intel and AMD selling those microprocessors as their high-end offering. Apple Computer Inc.’s new iMac, which started selling last month, uses the dual-core chip.

Having multiple cores inside a chip is like having more than one engine under the hood of a car. The design allows chipmakers to keep improving performance of the microprocessor while holding in check the amount of electricity required to power it.

Not to be outdone, Randy Allen, AMD’s corporate vice president of server and workstation division, said Friday that his firm is working its own quad-core processor for release next year.

Rattner said Intel’s new chip will be faster than the Xeon server chips but use less electricity. He didn’t elaborate on the new chip, saying those specifics will be made available at the chipmaker’s developer forum in San Francisco next month.

Intel still commands the lion’s share of the lower-end server computer market. AMD, it only major competitor, has been making strides with its Opteron microprocessors since they came out in April 2003.

According to data from Mercury Research, AMD’s Opteron had 16.4 percent of the market in the most recent quarter. Intel’s Xeon product line still leads by a wide margin.

AMD’s gains are significant, considering its market share was virtually none only a year ago, said Martin Reynolds, an analyst at Gartner, a market research firm.

“Intel doesn’t normally talk about this stuff, much less show it, this early,” Reynolds said. “But with AMD’s (rise) in the market, they want to make sure they don’t leave any gaps for AMD to exploit. It’s important from a credibility standpoint.”

Apjit Walia, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, agreed, noting that AMD is enjoying at least the perception that its products are better than Intel’s chips.

Hardware : Harddisk Western Digital RE3

Waduh, kelupaan !!!! Di blog ini kan banyak kategorinya, yang sering diupdate adalah tips dan trik serta freeware. Satu lagi kategori yang terlupakan sangat lama adalah kategori Hardware.

Baiklah, tanpa menunggu waktu lagi, kali ini saya ingin memposting artikel untuk kategori hardware, yaitu mengenai Harddisk terbaru dari Western Digital. Berita ini datang dari situs wdc . Situs ini memberitakan adanya harddisk seri terbaru Western Digital RE3. Harddisk ini datang dengan 2 kapasitas pilihan : kapasitas 750 GB dan 1 TB (1 terabyte).

Harddisk seri RE3 ini lebih ditujukan untuk para pengguna enterprise, lebih khusus lagi digunakan untuk server maupun untuk aplikasi media penyimpanan enterprise lainnya.

Adapun fitur-fitur yang dimiliki oleh seri RE3 ini adalah:

1. Buffer size berkapasitas 32 Mb.

2. Memiliki toleransi terhadap getaran dan guncangan yang lebih baik

3. Tambahan peningkatan kinerja sampai dengan 60% pada waktu kondisi kerja dengan gangguan getaran.

4. Adanya fitur StableTrac, yaitu sistem yang digunakan untuk mengurangi getaran saat beroperasi.

5. Adanya sensor guncangan multi-axis shock, yaitu fitur yang mengamankan data dari kerusakan fisik saat terjadi guncangan secara otomatis.

Harddisk seri RE3 ini juga dibuat untuk memperbaiki kinerjanya dibandingkan dengan seri harddisk yang terdahulu, antara lain agar dapat bekerja dengan tingkat kebisingan yang lebih minim serta lebih dingin.

Mengenai harga, harddisk WD RE3 dengan kapasitas 1 Tb dibandrol di kisaran harga $249, sedangkan untuk kapasitas 750 Gb dibandrol di kisaran harga $199.

Berminat ?

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Start on a path toward language fluency

Open the door to new skills and opportunities that only learning a new language can provide. With the most innovative and effective language teaching activities available, these courses start you on a path toward language fluency. Our new Year 1 and Year 2 courses have been updated and upgraded with a variety of new features:

* NEW learning objectives for each module
* NEW scope and sequence for better scheduling and standards comparison
* NEW 180-day school year format
* NEW assessment tools for all types of learners complete with test keys
* NEW additional activities and performance challenges to help learners apply their learning for better retention and integration
* NEW additional graphics, photos and cues for visual learners
* NEW page tabulation for easy reference and progress tracking
* NEW audio CD’s give learners valuable pronunciation coaching while keeping them motivated
* FREE online progress tests for learners to take as often as they’d like

Two full years of Spanish language learning

Spanish Ultimate Year 1 is easy enough for beginners, but robust enough to take you through the equivalent of at least 1 year of high school study. Spanish Ultimate Year 2 picks up right where the Year 1 course ends and provides the equivalent of at least 1 more year of high school study. And since Power-Glide is fully accredited through the Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities you’re assured of quality and ease of obtaining credit.
Speak the language, not just pass the test

The focus of Power-Glide Spanish Ultimate Year 1 and Year 2 is to help you speak freely and expressively in Spanish. You won’t find mazes of grammar rules, boring rote memorization, and mind-numbing drills. Instead, the courses give you real language learning–the kind where you actually internalize the language, and begin to use it as your own. Robert W. Blair, Ph.D., is the creator of Power-Glide language courses. His methods are informed by current language acquisition theory and rooted in the work of world-renowned language teaching innovators. These methods provide a rich experience in communication and make the course fun and engaging.
Puzzles, games, stories, music

The activities in the courses are diverse enough to accomodate many different learning styles and aptitudes. You’ll find music, stories, memory aids, Diglot-Weaves, you-are-there adventures, kinesthetic, visual, audio activities, and more. In addition, Power-Glide Spanish can be used:

- with or without a teacher
- in groups or individually and self-paced

BitDefender received the “TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award” as the top antivirus software for its consistent high performance in protecting your computer, ease of use and installation. BitDefender is highly effective and offers trememdous value without making a dent in your pocketbook. For superior performance, protection, and price, we recommend BitDefender Antirvirus 2009.

For those seeking the best antivirus software for the money AND an “install and forget” proposition, BitDefender is the right choice earning the “TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award.” Not only does it protect your computer and files, but BitDefender is easy to use, light on your computer and, maybe most importantly, light on your pocketbook.

No matter how technically capable any piece of software may be, the productivity enhancement it offers is only effective if people use it. This is especially true in antivirus software. The primary reasons people fail to protect their computers from a variety of malware are the cost and the ‘burden’ of installing and maintaining antivirus software. The best protection in the world is worthless if people find it cumbersome and distracting to use.

The same holds true for price. This is the beauty of BitDefender: It provides comprehensive protection, takes up little space on your computer, costs less and requires little maintenance.

Virus signatures need to be updated regularly to maintain overall effectiveness. The heart and soul of antivirus software is recognizing malicious code and BitDefender does that primarily by matching code on your computer with known virus signatures.

Most people want antivirus software they can install and forget and BitDefender does just that! In less than a half an hour, you can download, install, follow the prompts, re-boot your system and voilá, you’re protected and can forget about viruses, trojans, spyware, worms, and malware. Nobody wants to spend time tweaking antivirus software when they could otherwise be getting work done or watching the latest videos on Youtube. We all want protection without the effort or expense and now we can have our cake and eat it too.

When tested right out of the box with the default setting, BitDefender did exactly what it was supposed to do. It scanned boot-up files, recently accessed files, packed files and incoming and outgoing emails. For those who want more aggressive protection, BitDefender can be enabled to scan HTTP blocks on port 80 and 443 for malicious ActiveX and JavaScript which is nice, but not necessary. Simple installation of the program using the default setting is recommended for the average user.

One of the best advancements in the latest version of BitDefender has been the increase in scanning speed. Softwin makes BitDefender capable of logging when files were last accessed, and if a clean file hasn’t been used since the last scan, BitDefender skips it. This has made scans much faster than they used to be, which is nice because scan speeds were BitDefender’s prior weakness.

BitDefender updates its virus signatures every hour unless you adjust it to a longer interval. Or if you are really into managing your antivirus software (does your photo appear in Wikipedia under the listing geek?), you can set it to “manual” and manually update the virus signatures and decide what other features you want updated. Otherwise, just sit back and know that your BitDefender is updating itself every hour, 24/7.

At Google, we have a saying: “launch early and iterate.” While this approach is usually limited to our engineers, it apparently applies to our mailroom as well! As you may have read in the blogosphere, we hit “send” a bit early on a comic book introducing our new open source browser, Google Chrome. As we believe in access to information for everyone, we’ve now made the comic publicly available — you can find it here. We will be launching the beta version of Google Chrome tomorrow in more than 100 countries.

So why are we launching Google Chrome? Because we believe we can add value for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web.

All of us at Google spend much of our time working inside a browser. We search, chat, email and collaborate in a browser. And in our spare time, we shop, bank, read news and keep in touch with friends — all using a browser. Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there. We realized that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that’s what we set out to build.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seagate announced its August release of the world’s first 1.5TB desktop HDD, the Barracuda 7200.11. This new 3.5″ SATA HDD integrates four 375GB platters and provides a data rate transfer of 120MB/second. Also available in 1TB, 750GB, 640GB, 500GB, 320GB, and 160GB versions.

Seagate also announced the Q4 release of the Momentus Series, 2.5″ 500GB 5400/7200rpm HDD.

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif.-July 10, 2008-Seagate (NYSE:STX) today unveiled the industry’s first 1.5-terabyte desktop and half-terabyte notebook hard drives to meet explosive worldwide demand for digital-content storage in home and business environments.

The debut of the Barracuda® 7200.11 1.5TB hard drive, the eleventh generation of Seagate’s flagship drive for desktop PCs, marks the single largest capacity hard drive jump in the more than half-century history of hard drives – a half-terabyte increase from the previous highest capacity of 1TB, thanks to the capacity-boosting power of perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology.

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LimitNone, a small software development company, is seeking nearly $1 billion in damages in a lawsuit that accuses Google of reneging on a partnership with the small company and misappropriating its trade secrets for its Google Apps online service.

Specifically, the suit concerns LimitNone software called gMove designed to let people move e-mail, contacts, and calendar information stored in Microsoft Outlook to Google’s online service. Google initially helped LimitNone develop, promote, and sell the product, assuring LimitNone it wouldn’t offer a competing product, but then reversed course by giving away its own tool, Google E-mail Uploader, to premier-level Google Apps customers, the lawsuit said.

“With gMove priced at $19 per copy and Google’s prediction that there were potentially 50 million users, Google deprived LimitNone of a $950 million opportunity by offering Google’s competitive product for free as a part of its ‘premier’ Google Apps package,” the lawsuit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois.

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