Paramount Pictures chooses HD DVD over Blu-ray

Paramount Pictures announced today that it will drop support for Sony's Blu-ray high-definition format in favor of exclusively supporting the Microsoft-backed HD DVD. The decision further complicates the race between the competing technologies.

HD DVD is better for consumers, and families will be more willing to purchase it, because of its lower price compared with Blu-ray, according to the company, which previously released movies in both formats.

The announcement affects all movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films. Universal Pictures already exclusively supports HD DVD, while Warner Bros. releases movies in both HD formats.

Blu-ray still holds the lead in terms of exclusive support, however. Three of the six major film studios -- Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Fox -- back Blu-ray, while two support HD DVD. In terms of discs sold, Blu-ray also leads HD DVD by a 2 to 1 margin.

Paramount's move not only deals a minor blow to Sony's disc media and movie divisions, but to the company's PlayStation 3. Consumers will likely be more reluctant to pay $499 for a gaming machine that doubles as a high-definition player, should Blu-ray fail to become the standard.

Tags: Paramount Pictures chooses HD DVD over Blu-ray

Lenovo Introduces 3000 Y410 Notebook in India

Lenovo has unveiled in India the new Lenovo 3000 Y410 notebook with a range of multimedia features and an AUDIO DJ capability that allows the user to play music while the notebook is turned off.

Lenovo said the notebook is ideal for consumers who look for the complete package, reliability and worry free computing combined with high performance and entertainment. The 14.1" widescreen notebook has the audio function panel encased in a stylish and unique design outside the top cover, while the slot-in optical disk drive is at the side panel.

With a host of multimedia capabilities, such as front facing Dolby Home Theater speakers, an integrated microphone for playing and recording audio, an integrated Webcam, an integrated DVD recordable drive and shuttle center along with the latest edition of AUDIO DJ, Lenovo said the 3000 Y410 is the ultimate entertainment notebook, well suited to consumers looking for a high-end life style entertainment PC.

The Y410 also incorporates a 5-in-1 multi-card reader for downloading digital pictures from multiple types of memory cards, three USB ports and an IEEE-1394 interface, which allow high speed communication between two devices, e.g. image transfer from a camera or camcorder to the notebook with no image degradation. In addition, it also has Easy Capture, a multimedia software application for easy photo editing.

The Lenovo 3000 Y410 has security features such as biometric face recognition technology that enhances data security and allows the notebooks to be used by multiple users seamlessly. One touch recovery allows the user to recover a PC to its last backed-up state with the press of a button. The notebook also offers a longer battery life of up to 4 hours.

"PCs today go far beyond being just a business tool. With the Lenovo 3000 Y500 series, we defined TV on the go. Now with the Lenovo 3000 Y410, we define music on the go, offering customers a truly high-end entertainment experience. With the AUDIO DJ feature, the user can choose to listen to music even while the laptop is turned off. The Lenovo 3000 Y410 promises high performance as well as high quality entertainment, all rolled into one sleek package. We are certain this product will provide the ultimate entertainment experience to our consumers," said Anil Philip, Executive Director, Transactional Business, Lenovo India.

Weighing 2.54 kg, Lenovo 3000 Y410 is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 Processor 1.8 GHz and comes with up to 2 GB RAM and 160 GB hard drive. The notebook also comes with discrete graphic Nvidia GeForce Go 8400M GS for true-to-life gaming experience in select models. Preloaded with Microsoft Vista Home Basic and the Premium edition, the Y410 also offers complete connectivity features such as integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN and 10/100 Ethernet and Blue tooth on all models.

The Lenovo 3000 Y410 notebook is available in all Lenovo authorized storefronts. Prices start at Rs. 50,000/-. With the launch of the Lenovo 3000 Y410, buyers of Lenovo 3000 select products will be assured of gifts such as Philips VoIP earphones, or Philips wireless headphones and the jackpot gift of 20 Philips home theaters, till offers last.

Tags: Lenovo Introduces 3000 Y410 Notebook in India

Charge mobiles with body heat

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits in Erlangen, Germany, have developed new circuits that can harness electricity from body heat that would otherwise be dissipated into the air. The scientists say the advance could lead to battery-less cell phones and medical monitors that draw energy from their users.

“The idea behind it is that you can replace the batteries or at least you can enlarge the operation times of batteries,” said Peter Spies, electrical engineer and group manager at the institute.

Spies and his team improved upon semiconductors called thermoelectric generators that produce electrical energy in the face of temperature differences.

Normally, a difference of several tens of degrees is required in order to generate enough power, but the difference between the body’s surface temperature and that of its environment is only a few degrees. This produces about 250 millivolts, while electronic devices require at least one or two volts.

As part of their research, Spies and his team incorporated a component into the circuit called a charge pump. The pump temporarily stores the incoming millivolts until they reach 1.8 volts. At that threshold, an internal transistor turns on and delivers the higher voltage to a component that can transfer the electricity to a device.

Matthias Ueltzen, an application engineer at Freiburg, Germany-based Micropelt, a developer and manufacturer of thermoelectrics, said, while the “idea of generating some electric power from the heat of the body is a great idea,” there are certain difficulties, which lie in the low temperature differences between the skin and the outside air.

“Only a very small part of the thermal heat flow can be converted into electrical power, and for that reason, the technology may only work for applications that don’t require a lot of energy,” said Ueltzen.

Tags: Charge mobiles with body heat

Google Goes Local in India

Google is offering local language support in India in a bid to win over new users.

Google Inc. has introduced technologies that will allow people in India to use local languages in search queries and that will generate content in local languages.

Internet growth in India is expected to come from outside of cities, where many people are more at ease using Indian languages, Roli Agarwal, a spokeswoman for Google India, said Monday.

Google has set up a version for India of Google Labs, which it styles as a "technology playground" for products that are in development and require market feedback to improve. The Indian version of Google Labs will focus on products for that market, though these may not be developed only by Google's research and development (R&D) centers in India, Agarwal said.

Google has put up two technologies for testing by users on the Google Labs Web site: an Indic On-Screen Keyboard iGoogle Gadget and Google Indic Transliteration.

The Indic On-Screen Keyboard iGoogle Gadget allows users to type search queries in 14 Indian languages by choosing letters from an on-screen keyboard using a mouse. Users can add the gadget of their chosen language to their personalized iGoogle home page and use it to search for content in their language, Google said.

Google Indic Transliteration allows the user to type in Hindi, a key language in India, using phonetically equivalent English text entered through an English keyboard. The content created can be used in e-mail, word processors and other applications from both Google and its competitors, Agarwal said. This technology will help increase the amount of content available online in Hindi, she added. Hindi transliteration was launched earlier this year on Google's Blogger, a service for bloggers.

A number of multinational companies are working on technologies that will make access to the Internet and computers easier for people in India who are more at ease with local languages. IBM Corp., for example, announced earlier this month that it has developed speech recognition software that will allow people speaking Hindi to create e-mail and documents on computers and also to operate ATMs (automated teller machines) and IVR (interactive voice response) systems.

Yahoo Inc. launched earlier this year portals in seven Indian languages. It has introduced plug-in modules to its instant messenger, that allow users to chat in nine different regional languages and scripts. Later this year, the company is also introducing Indian languages versions of its e-mail service.

Google also launched Monday an Indian version of its Google Local Search for Indian users looking for locally relevant information on the Web. It also launched an Indian version of Google Local Business Center, that allows business to add their names to Local Search. These products use English, and do not support Indian languages.

Tags: Google, India, Search, Engine

Apple Accessories Unveiled

USBfever uveils a travel charger and armband and wristband cases and more for iPhones and iPods.

The Ultra Slim USB Travel Charger has a retractable power plug and works worldwide. It features a USB A-type female connector that provides power to the iPhone, iPod, or USB-powered PDAs, MP3 players, cell phones and other devices. It's molded in iPod white. It costs US$11.99.

The iPhone KickStand Crystal Case lets you set the iPhone either horizontally or vertically on a table, upright, using a kickstand. It's clear and features a removable belt clip, neckstrap opening, and offers full access to all ports, buttons and sockets. It costs $16.99.

The iPhone Armband costs $18.99 and is designed to connect your iPhone to you on your arm, for active sports like biking or jogging. It features a built-in screen protector and headphone cord wrap. Machine washable, the iPhone Armband is a one-size-fits-all design and comes with a soft inner lining to protect the iPhone from scratching. It ships in black.

The $9.99 iPod shuffle 2 Watch Style Case lets you wear your second-generation iPod shuffle like a watch, on your wrist. It comes in six colors: Blue, black, green, frost white, pink and purple.

Tags: Gadgets, ipod, Accessories, Apple

Malaysia rewards pirate-DVD sniffing dogs

Two dogs trained to sniff out DVDs received medals from the Malaysian government on Monday for a five-month campaign that crippled movie pirates.

Lucky and Flo, black Labradors trained to detect the chemicals used in making DVDs, were the first animals to receive the outstanding service awards for finding discs stockpiled by pirates, the Motion Picture Association said in a statement.

The canine campaign led to 26 arrests and seizures of illegal discs worth over $6 million.

"The dogs have proven to be a major asset in our fight against the pirates and we intend to continue what Lucky and Flo have set in motion," S Veerasingam, Malaysia's deputy minister for domestic trade and consumer affairs, said in the statement.

Malaysia, which figures on a U.S. watch list on piracy, has dramatically stepped up efforts to rein in copyright pirates as it negotiates a free-trade pact with Washington.

The success of Lucky and Flo has prompted the ministry to set up its own canine unit to fight the pirates, and the MPA, which arranged for their trial by Malaysian officials, plans to donate two new dogs to the unit by the end of the year.

Movie pirates even put a bounty of $28,560 on Lucky and Flo after they busted a fake DVD ring in southern Johor state in March, the MPA said. Since then, the dogs have been closely guarded.

Lucky and Flo's next stop on their crime-fighting tour is a visit to New York, followed by a trip to Toronto for an appearance at a film festival, said the MPA, which groups six major Hollywood film companies.

Tags: pirate-DVD, sniffing, dogs