HardwareDaily

Relaunch

2007-08-24T11:33:00.000Z

After a long delay because of heart problems (a new pacemaker has put me back to abnormal!) I'm now working on a relaunch, focussing especially on audio and video editing.
Please contact me if you have any experiences worth sharing, preferred hardware or software etc.

A blog for computer disasters

2006-08-01T08:44:00.000Z

As computers become more and more susceptible to bugs, virus attacks and other threats, the publishers of SoftwareDaily and HardwareDaily have started a new blog, computerdisasters.blogspot.com.

We are at present working on a solution for the hundreds of users who have been affected by problems arising from attempting to install the Internet Explorer 7 beta.This often removes functionality from a wide range of programs, which are looking for two new DLLs that the IE7 install should have placed in the Windows/system 32 directory.

We have found a source for these files and at the present stage of our quest for a solution we have found that downloading them remedies some (but not all) of the problems.We have provided Microsoft with details of these files and where they may be found, but they have refused to distribute this information, since IE7 is in beta and they do not provide technical support for beta products.

However, a check with Google reveals the unprecedented extent of the problems arising from this beta, and if Microsoft will not make solutions available, then we must remedy that omission. Hence this new blog.

Please let us know of any disasters you have suffered - and, hopefully, of any solutions you have found. You can post them as comments to postings on this blog, or send them by email to disasters@blueyonder.co.uk.

We regret that we cannot enter into correspondence about any such postings which will be published "as is", with no guarantee of their veracity.In this, as in all things regarding computers, extreme caution is recommended.

Elonex Lumina wins 'most innovative solution' award

2006-05-04T09:11:00.000Z

The UK Elonex computer company has won the 'Most Innovative Solution for Consumers' in UK & France award at the Intel Solutions Summit 2006 for its Lumina Windows Media Center Digital Home PC.

The Lumina incorporates HDTV, DVD, CD, wireless networking and Internet technology all integrated into one slim LCD panel.

The Lumina is available with 32in or 40in screen, and uses an Intel© Core™ Duo processor. Its OS supports 'Away Mode', which improves upon current PC power-management systems by enabling the system to silently perform unattended tasks, such as recording TV shows and streaming content to Media Center Extenders, while in a low-power mode that appears to be off.

It comes in an integrated case with built-in LCD screen, PC system unit and audio speakers. A tabletop foot stand included and it is wall mountable using a standard plasma wall-bracket.

Colour version of Planon Docupen

2006-04-21T15:58:00.000Z

Planon has released a colour version of its innovative Docupen, a portable scanner that can hold literally hundreds of monochrome A4 scans - though a review in PC Magazine complained that "At maximum resolution and color depth, built-in memory holds only two 8.5- by 11-inch scans."
Selling at $299, compared with $100 less for a monochrome-only version (or just $99.99 for a "recertified" Docupen BW), the DocuPen scans full-page width and can therefore scan an entire page including text and graphics in just four seconds.
This is far better than other handheld scanners which scan only single lines of text and cannot scan graphics.
The Docupen has black and white, standard color or high 24bit colour modes and resolutions from 100 to 400 dpi. Bundled with it is the Paperport software which will convert scanned documents into editable text and assemble them into a searchable database. Also bundled is the ABBYY FineReader OCR and PDF conversion software.
For info on the Docupen, go to http://http://planon.com/, on Paperport, http://www.nuance.com/paperport/, and Abby, http://www.abbyy.com/finereader8/?param=44890&gclid=CKSQspm1voQCFQG7PgodenKRNg.

DVD Forum finalises HD DVD-RW disc spec | The Register

2004-10-01T12:44:00.000Z

DVD Forum finalises HD DVD-RW disc spec | The Register

By Tony Smith
Published Thursday 30th September 2004 09:40 GMT
"The DVD Forum moved a step further toward the advent of HD DVD media and drives with the approval of key physical specifications at a meeting of the organisations steering committee last week.

"Meeting in Taiwan on 22 September, the Forum formally approved version 1.0 of the rewriteable HD DVD physical disc specification, a move that allows vendors to prepare the way for mass production of HD DVD-RW discs and drives. The spec. covers a 20GB single-layer blue-laser disc.
"However, it's facing strong opposition from the Sony-led Blu-ray camp, which is touting an alternative blue-laser, high-capacity disc format for similar applications. In particular, Sony has said it will incorporate Blu-ray drives into its upcoming PlayStation 3 console, which is expected to offer broader digital entertainment features that games, taking on such roles as personal video recorder."

Olympus E-1 review by PC Magazine

2003-12-29T19:28:00.000Z

The New Standard in Prosumer Cameras
By Daniel Grotta and Sally Wiener Grotta
December 26, 2003

Product: Olympus E-1
Street price: E-1 body, $1,800; 50mm f2 macro lens, $500; Olympus Studio software, $149
Requires: USB 1.1 or 2.0 or FireWire port; Windows XP
Company Info: Olympus America Inc., www.olympusamerica.com

Olympus E-1 review by PC Magazine:

Hi-Space claim its gold CDs will last for 100 years

2003-12-16T16:27:00.000Z

A survey of 860 amateur and professional digital photographers across Europe, commissioned by French CD manufacturer and distributor Hi-Space, has found that CDs are the most popular archiving media for digital photos amongst consumers. Only 11 per cent of photos are printed to hardcopy.

Consumers cite the low percentage of printed photos as due to the cost of the photo paper and inks, and the perceived low shelf-life of digital prints. Twenty-three per cent of those interviewed believed that digital prints would 'age badly' within a decade.

"This is both good and bad news for the CD industry," comments Paul Chantry, UK sales manager for Hi-Space. "For the past two decades CD producers have done such a good job of persuading the public that CDs were indestructible, ever-lasting and perfect quality, that we're now having to live up to those claims. And not all CDs are. We don't want the public to be disappointed.

"Consumers need to be aware that CDs are manufactured to many different quality levels. There's a misconception that one CD-R is much like any other but the current influx of low-cost disks is in danger of damaging the reputation of the CD-R over the next few years as people learn about the quality difference the hard way.

"If you're really serious about the data you want to save to disk, particularly with digital photos, then you need to go one step further."

Emphasising this point, Hi-Space has recently launched a range of recordable optical disks for audio, video and multimedia applications.

This range includes a high quality Gold CD, which will save data securely for up to one hundred years (ideal for storing family photos), and a black vinyl-look CD-R, designed for traditionalists who want to store their favourite music on CD but still retain the look of vinyl. The funky design also incorporates a special layer of protection from UV light, which is one of the biggest causes of loss of data in CD-Rs.

Hi-Space say CD-Rs made of 24 carat gold are not just a gimmick or aesthetic exercise. The metal in the CDR is genuine 24 carat gold and is far harder-wearing than the silver normally used - so data is much more secure. The price difference is minimal, they say. "I can't understand why for the sake of a few pence per disk someone would risk storing their data on an inferior disk," says Chantry.

Hi-Space CDs are available from most branches of PC World, Currys and Richer Sounds.

For further details of the consumer survey, contact Influencer50 on +44(0)1628 779993.

About Hi-SPACE and MPO Media
MPO Media was founded in 1996 and is part of the MPO group. MPO Media develops, manufactures and markets recordable storage media for audio and data files used in audio, video and multimedia applications (CD-R, CD-R Audio, CD-RW, MD, DVD-R) under the name Hi-SPACE. MPO Media has a monthly production capacity of approx 7 million CD-Rs and DVD-Rs.

The MPO group (Moulages Plastiques de l'Ouest) has a presence on three continents with eight factories and five service and distribution centres.

It currently employs over 1,300 staff around the globe, some 1,000 of which work in Europe. MPO was the first company to manufacture vinyl records (1957) and audiocassettes in France, and in 1984 was the first company in the world to be granted a CD manufacturing license by Philips. For further information visit http://www.hi-space.com

Metronomy Desktop Marketing offer free desktop IBM PCs

2003-12-16T10:44:00.000Z

"Metronomy is a revolutionary new concept which provides a FREE IBM HOME PC in exchange for your commitment to watch up to 3 minutes of advertising per hour of use."
FULL DETAILS:

The Register: Sanyo sub-sonic mobile phone to ship by month's end

2003-12-16T10:27:00.000Z

By Tony Smith
Posted: 15/12/2003 at 14:36 GMT
"Japanese electronics giant Sanyo has developed a truly silent mobile phone. Instead of a loudspeaker, the handset, the TS41, uses the user's own skull to transmit the incoming call. "
FULL REPORT

The Register: Hitachi readies fuel cell for PDAs

2003-12-15T11:04:00.000Z

By Tony Smith
Posted: 12/12/2003 at 11:16 GMT

Hitachi and Japanese ciggie lighter maker Tokai will ship a direct methanol fuel cell system for PDAs in 2005. And they have already built the prototype, the pair said this week.

FULL REPORT

New York Times: State of the Art - Conjuring a Superphone, With 3 Formulas to Choose

2003-12-11T12:22:00.000Z

"Microsoft, Palm and a European alliance called Symbian have each devised a software engine that's supposed to manage all the functions of the modern superphone: taking photos, processing e-mail, surfing the Web, synchronizing your calendar and phone book with your computer, playing games, showing video clips, listening to MP3 music files, and - wasn't there one more? Oh, right: making phone calls."
FULL REPORT

Techweb News December 8, 2003> Combo Wi-Fi/VoIP In A Handset Coming

2003-12-09T10:29:00.000Z

"The concept of using a handheld PDA for VoIP telephoning was introduced this fall by Toshiba, which announced two PDAs with VoIP and Wi-Fi capabilities. The Toshiba e800 and e805 come with VoIP-enabling software. The device also has Bluetooth capability, although that wireless technology has been eclipsed by Wi-Fi. The Toshiba PDAs have many of the features of the firm's Pocket PC family. The e800s represent a glimpse into the world of wireless VoIP telephoning, combined with low-cost connection to the Internet. Users of the Toshiba devices must have a 3G mobile telephone and data service to use the VoIP technology. "
Techweb > News > FULL REPORT:

2003-12-04T14:05:00.000Z

I have now added “comments” links to all my blogs. This means that when you read something, you can add a comment, without having to subscribe.

------------------------------

Karl Dallas

2003-12-03T16:55:00.000Z

Manufacturer's announcement: PikaOne Le Stick MP3 Player

Looking for that last minute stocking filler for the person with everything? Then look no further than Le Stick, a mini MP3 player and USB Flash drive from new kid on the portable storage block, PikaOne. This clever little device can hold up to three CDs or around 40 tracks and is small enough to fit easily in your pocket for music on the move. PikaOne’s fresh, funky designs, competitive pricing and forward-thinking technology is aimed at the style conscious music lover on a budget.

Priced at just £69.99, Le Stick is one of the best value for money, entry level MP3 players on the market today. Perfect for those looking to take their first steps on the MP3 highway and, packed with great features for one so small, PikaOne’s Le Stick is the ideal travel companion for anyone on the move. Key features include:

· 128MB of built-in flash memory

· 12 hours AA battery life

· Built-in microphone allows up to four hours of voice recordings

· Six to eight hours of MP3 continuous Playback

· Backlit LCD display

· ID3 Display – view song title, artist and album name

· iTunes compatible

· Jog-dial feature – allows you to change menus or switch tracks with ease

· PC and Mac compatible

Le Stick is currently available from:

www.amazon.co.uk

www.data-supplies.com

www.fingertech.co.uk

www.loadsmorestuff.com

www.askdirect.co.uk

www.rs-components.com

2003-11-28T16:56:00.000Z

Symbian cuts development time for Sendo X

First UK-developed smartphone designed and built in less than a year, thanks to Symbian and Java
Sendo has launched the first UK-developed smartphone, citing Symbian's operating system as a big factor in its speed to market.

Full report

2003-11-28T10:14:00.000Z

The Register: Fossil revamps MS Spot watch line
"Each Wrist Net watch will display news, weather, stock prices, SMS messages and other information broadcast by Microsoft's upcoming MSN Direct FM radio service, to which owners must take out a $59 annual or $10 per month subscription. "
Full story:

2003-11-28T10:08:00.000Z

An HD DVD format proposed by Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. as the next-generation DVD format was finally approved by the DVD Forum's steering committee during recent meetings in New York.
The proposal includes both read-only and rewritable formats, but only the ROM format in its 0.9 version was approved by the committee during meetings last week by a vote of 8-6."
EE Times: Full report

2003-11-27T16:08:00.000Z

.:: SourceWire ::. The Independent Resource For Tech and Business Journalists:
"Fujifilm today launches the FinePix F610, the first compact digital camera to offer 6 million effective pixels.

Not satisfied with this outstanding resolution, Fujifilm has added its 4th Generation Super CCD HR sensor to the F610, allowing it to achieve a recorded output of 12 million pixels - meaning users can enlarge to unprecedented print sizes without loss of quality. "

AV380 at Photo Optix Show

2003-11-10T13:41:00.000Z

PERIPHERAL MANUFACTURER ARCHOS SA INCORPORATES UK OPERATION

AV380 media storage device demonstrated at the Photo Optix show at the Royal Windsor Racecourse

See the Guinness World Record-holding AV380 media storage device demonstrated at the Photo Optix show , with its latest addition - a 3.3 megapixel digital camera module!

Meet the team behind the thoroughbred Archos media system, and be one of the first to take photos with the most portable entertainment system in the world!

Saturday 15^th or Sunday 16^th of November

From

10.00 am until 5.00 pm

Royal Windsor Racecourse

See http://www.photooptix.co.uk/expo2003.htm

The show includes seminars, practical demonstrations, a photographic studio and the opportunity to print sample pictures at print stations around the show.

2003-11-10T09:44:00.000Z

The Register: Rio Fuse 128MB MP3 player:

"Like Creative's MuVo NX, the Rio Fuse is one of the new generation of solid-state MP3 players that plug directly into a host computer's USB port, Flash drive style."

2003-11-07T00:21:00.000Z

ARKON SF121 WIRELESS FM TRANSMITTER FOR MP3, MINI DISC AND CD PLAYERS:
Want to use your MP3 or Mini disc player in your car or home hi-fi but can't seem to find a suitable adaptor? The Arkon SF121 is the solution! Simply connect your chosen player to the unit via the headphone and tune your radio to one of the selectable FM radio frequencies (88 - 95Mhz) and your chosen music selection will play without the need for any extra leads. Transmits from any audio source (PDA, MP3, CD player) to any close by FM receiver (Car radio, Home hi-fi, Portable radio). Requires 2 x AAA batteries.

2003-11-06T12:47:00.000Z

The Register: Sony to offer $60 iPod? Not likely

2003-11-06T12:43:00.000Z

How long will your precious CDRs last?
Many musicians store their precious music on discs burned on a PC. But how long will they last?
Computer geeks also store precious data the same way.
Theoretically, CDR data should be safe for ten years or so, but some alarming information is coming to light that you may be lucky to get as much as two years' life out of them.
More, using the popular stick-on laberls may destroy the contents!
Here's an article that describes what one industry pundit discovered:
Langa Letter: Time To Check Your CDRs:
Fred Langa reported: ". . . the only disks that failed were those that I had covered with a glue-on paper label from a print-it-yourself CD label-maker kit. Several of these labeled CDs were, in fact, totally unreadable by every means I tried (including special data-recovery software); all the data on those CDs is just plain gone. My best guess is the glue on these do-it-yourself labels interacted with either the foil or the dye, rendering the CDs useless. "
Langa also referred readers to a valuable resource of information on the whole question of CDR storage, which includes details of different labelling systems and how they can affect CDR contents:
Understanding CD-R & CD-RW - Disc Labeling
Adhesive Labels
"A more attractive way to label a disc is to apply an adhesive label. Several manufacturers offer inkjet and laser printer compatible products specifically designed for labeling discs as well as positioning devices to help with centering. Full surface or 'donut-style' labels are preferable to partial stickers but be aware that any adhesive label can potentially upset the balance of a disc when playing back, especially at high speeds, causing excessive noise, vibration and data retrieval problems. Heat, humidity, handling and the passage of time can also compromise the stability of adhesive labels causing separation from the disc surface and even interfere with the drive. Sticky labels may not be the best choice when archiving important data as some types of label adhesives can react with and compromise the disc over time. Remember too that, once applied, labels should never be removed or repositioned. Even smoothing air bubbles can concentrate physical stresses in a small area and delaminate the disc."
According to all these sources, the safest way to label CDRs is to use a fibre-tip pen specially designed for the purpose. Not so chic as that wonderful label you have printed out on your PC - but a lot safer!-KARL DALLAS

2003-10-24T09:44:00.000Z

CelebrityAccess Headline News: New Stereo Systems Linked to Online Music Store:
"Four Japanese electronics makers have teamed up to make stereo systems that can download music directly from an Internet service, without a home computer serving as middle man."

2003-10-24T00:24:00.000Z

The Register: O2 will launch its second-generation wireless Pocket PC, the XDA II, on 1 November

2003-10-24T00:20:00.000Z

The Register: Customisable Archos portable music players:
"Archos has introduced a pair of portable music players that can be customised to better reflect the user's needs. One of them, the Gmini 220, is the world's smallest player with a 20GB hard drive, Archos claimed. "

FW: SIPadapter Turns Ordinary Phones Into Free Worldwide Calling Machines

2003-10-24T00:07:00.000Z

sip

From: Lindows.com [mailto:mailer@mailer.lindows.com]
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 12:03 AM
Subject: SIPadapter Turns Ordinary Phones Into Free Worldwide Calling Machines

SIPadapter Turns Ordinary Phones Into Free Worldwide Calling Machines

Make Free Worldwide Calls With World's First Affordable SIPadapter and Any Cordless or Standard Phone

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 23, 2003 -- SIPphone, Inc., (http://www.SIPphone.com) announces the release of SIPadapter, a new, easy to use, device that makes free worldwide calling possible on any standard phone. Available immediately for $79.99 from SIPphone.com/order via their retail partner Lindows.com (www.lindows.com), the SIPadapter is the first plug-and-dial device to allow high quality SIP calls over any phone, even a cordless unit common in many households.

Telephone users can save hundreds of dollars on their phone bill by using the latest SIP technology which is now easier and more powerful then ever. A single SIPadapter can be purchased for $79.99 and a 2-pack is available for $149.99.

Each SIPadapter comes immediately ready to use with no monthly fees or activation fees. There is also no per minute fees, so callers can avoid large long distance charges which means a SIPadapter can pay for itself in a very short time.

SIPadapters include plug-and-dial technology from SIPphone.com making it easy to install and begin using. To install a SIPadapter, users simply plug the deck-of-cards-sized-unit into any broadband Internet connection such as a cable modem or DSL connection with a DHCP configuration. Then they plug a standard phone into the SIPadapter. After a short startup time, the phone will ring and when answered play a "welcome ring" announcing that the phone is available for use. A SIPadapter comes with a unique phone number beginning with (747). Users can hear their number echoed to them by dialing "**". More information including images are available at http://www.sipphone.com/adapter

Once installed, users can place high quality calls to the worldwide SIPphone community now spanning 47 countries. In addition, toll free 800 and 8xx numbers can be accessed, even from SIPphones based outside the US. It is also possible to dial any telephone number using a common calling card while avoiding any monthly fees. By sharing their own SIP number with others, they can receive calls from other SIP users as well. Unlike a landline phone, a SIPphone is fully portable so a SIPphone can be moved to any broadband location and all calls to that SIP number will ring at this new location.

"This SIPadapter is an industry first -- an affordable, plug-and-dial device which enables worldwide free calling using any household phone even a cordless unit," says SIPphone chief executive officer, Michael Robertson. "We expect it to be especially popular with international callers and businesses with geographically disperse business locations looking to lower their telecommunication bills."

Bundled with every SIPadapter, is a free account on my.SIPphone.com, where a user can customize their phone, manage their numbers and view their call history. An online address book and popular features such as call-waiting, caller ID, and the logging of missed calls are all available as part of the free service.

SIPadapters are available in limited quantities for immediate shipping both domestically and internationally and come with universal power adapters making them suitable for worldwide deployment. Interested resellers may also place priority orders by visiting http://www.sipphone.com/reseller.

Sign up for the SIPphone mailing list at http://www.sipphone.com/signup, to stay abreast of the latest developments from the leader in plug-and-dial SIP products.

About SIPphone, Inc.

SIPphone's goal is to bring the benefit of SIP and free phone calls to a worldwide audience. By offering affordable, plug n dial phones, devices, software and an easy-to-use directory, SIPphone hopes to revolutionize how consumers do voice communications and the cost of those communications.

The founder and CEO of SIPphone is Michael Robertson who is the founder and former CEO of MP3.com (digital music) and the founder and current CEO of Lindows.com (digital delivery of software). SIPphone is based in San Diego, California.

2003-10-23T07:22:00.000Z

Choosing the Right VoIP service:
"VoIP (Voice over IP) services have been burdened by poor sound quality, dropped calls, and difficult interfaces. Now, two new entrants are poised – head-to-head – to dominate this burgeoning market. Interestingly enough, both come from developers with a successful track record in other arenas – including easy-to-use Linux, MP3s, and peer-to-peer networking.
The first, the new Skype service, has been created by the developers of the popular file-sharing system Kazaa. It uses Kazaa's peer-to-peer technology, along with your PC's sound card, to create an easy-to-use, IM-style VoIP application that's fast and sounds good. Because it's based on a proprietary protocol, however, it won't interoperate with other services.

The second service, the new SIPphone, comes from Michael Robertson, who founded MP3.com and then gave us Lindows, the easy-to-use Linux OS variant, PC and software distribution system. Unlike Skype, the SIPphone is a stand-alone appliance – plug it into your broadband router and you're off. Because it's based on the emerging SIP protocol – which stands for Session Initiation Protocol - the SIPphone can interoperate with other SIP devices.

Neither system can call out to standard POTS (plain old telephone service) lines. They do illustrate, however, just how far VOIP has come – it's actually good enough to offer a viable alternative to existing phones. "

2003-10-14T06:55:00.000Z

The Register The Palm Tungsten T3 PDA:
By Tony Smith
Posted: 13/10/2003 at 11:17 GMT

"Palm's innovative enterprise-oriented Tungsten T PDA had a good screen, but at a resolution of 320 x 320, it look rather small compared with Pocket PC devices' larger displays. While last summer's T2 replaced the original display with a much superior transflective LCD, the size remained the same. Instead, Palm chose to wait until the autumn release slot to offer a Tungsten with a bigger, iPaq-beating screen.
The result is the Tungsten T3, which not only provides a larger display - 320 x 480 now - but revamps the T series into the bargain. It's the upgrade the T2 should have been but wasn't. "

2003-09-17T06:41:00.000Z

Orange launches Handspring Treo 600 - The Register, UK

Orange today launched Handspring's Treo 600 smartphone in the UK,
France and Switzerland ...

Treo 600 launched by Orange - InfoSync

Orange Leaves Handspring Smart Phone Open to New Apps - Computer Business Review

Orange Unveils New Handspring Smartphone in Europe - Reuters