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Filed under: GPS, Laptops

Our week o’ Dell scoops continues with what Dell calls its “mainstream” and “essential” series of Latitude E-series laptops. While the enterprise-ready, mainstream series packs just about everything (and more) that you could hope for in a balanced spec-for-size lappie, the essential series is only essential if you’re on a tight budget and just can’t live without the comparatively low-end chub. The 15.4-inch E6500 and 14.1-inch E6400 models will replace Dell’s D830 and D630 whereas the “essential” 15.4-inch E5500 and and 14.1-inch E5400 carry on the low-end tradition of Dell’s D531 and D530. With any luck, these will be Dell’s first Montevina / Centrino 2 class machines if they all hit the targeted June release date as planned. AMD fans will see the E5500a and E5400a configurations at about the same time. So what can you expect under the hood? Well, just look at the 5.1-pound E6500 which reads like a suit’s, geek fantasy:

• UWB, Bluetooth 2.1, mobile broadband
• Integrated GPS, yes GPS
• New 84WHr slice batteries for “all day” computing
• LED backlighting, 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, discrete nVIDIA graphics and DisplayPort out
• Hard, Hybrid, and Solid State disk drive options with eSATA jack for more
• Optional camera and mic
• Plenty of security options including contact-less smart cards and encrypted hard disks

Time to pad those budgets a bit, eh CIOs? Full low-down in the gallery below.

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Source: Thomas Ricker

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Wireless

We knew Hitachi’s Ultra Thin HDTV family would boast ultra-wideband technology, and while little was said about this aspect during CES, we’ve now learned that Tzero will be responsible for handling the aforementioned UWB duties. As expected, the UT HDTVs will “be able to receive high-definition video wirelessly from any HDMI equipped audio / video component,” as Tzero promises that users will see transmission speeds of up to 480Mbps. Interestingly, we’re told that the UWB-equipped sets are available in Japan right now, but only time will tell if those luscious wireless abilities will make the trip stateside in Q2.

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Wireless

WirelessHD (WiHD) is back, originally announced in late 2006, the 1.0 spec has been pronounced fit for consumption and will be released later this year. What’s changed in the last 14 months? HD dream team Intel, LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), NEC, Samsung, SiBEAM, Sony and Toshiba have added 40 other companies as well as approval from DRM watchdogs MPAA and DTLA for their 60Ghz-based standard. Move over cable vs. satellite, downloads vs. disc and HD DVD vs. Blu-ray, with UWB-equipped HDTVs already on the way, a battle to replace the still-tricky HDMI connection is the new HD battleground for 2008.

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Source: Richard Lawler

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Filed under: Displays, Wireless

DisplayLink’s certainly no stranger to wireless monitors, but it now looks set to push the technology even further along, with it and Alereon trotting out a new reference design for a wireless USB video card (and corresponding monitor adapter). That’ll apparently let you use a monitor at a distance of up to three meters, with a throughput of 120-150mbps and lossless compression ensuring that “the image users see is the same that they’d get with a wired monitor,” according to Wi-Fi Planet. What’s more, you should also be able to use up to six displays at the same time, “theoretically,” although DisplayLink admits that gamers likely won’t be satisfied. While this is just a reference design, DisplayLink says the final adapter set should run between $150 and $250 when its released in the spring, while monitors with the technology built-in will apparently demand $150 “or more” than a comparable non-wireless model (those are expected in mid-2008).

[Via DailyWireless]

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Source: Donald Melanson

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Filed under: Wireless

Though it did take a bit longer than the six months Ofcom’s chief technologist, Professor William Webb was hoping for, ultra-wideband has finally been given the green light in the UK. New legislation will mean that “UK users will not need a license to use UWB devices when they hit shelves in the future,” and Ofcom’s Chief Executive Ed Richards was quoted as saying that “where possible, we want to remove restrictions on the use of spectrum to allow the market to develop new and innovative services, such as UWB, for the benefit of consumers.” So there you have it (UK-based) folks, just a few more days (August 13th, to be precise) before UWB usage is fair game on your side of the pond.

[Via The Register]

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Source: Darren Murph

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