Mobile Technology
Blinkit: turn your iPod into a torch
October 20, 2006 At last count, more than 3000 accessories are available for the iPod, from the ordinary to the outlandish, but none quite as downright handy as Blinkit. Turning an iPod into a torch might at first sound like the plot of a Legally Blond movie, and the fact that it blinks in time with the music might add weight to that theory, but having a torch is very useful if you go out at night a lot and it’s not always cool to carry a torch and in some neighbourhoods you might even get locked up. An iPod with a discrete accessory offering serious lighting power makes sense – it’s small, low-bucks (US$30) and very useful when you consider its high-output beam is visible up to several hundred yards away. Read More
The SportCommand wireless fabric remote control for an iPod
Image Gallery (3 images)
October 10, 2006 The Belkin SportCommand for iPod lets you wirelessly control your music while your iPod stays protected. Strap the fabric remote to your arm, store your iPod in your backpack or jacket, and then listen to your audio while you get extreme. The weather-resistant SportCommand is ideal for outdoor activities, such as snowboarding, mountain biking, and hiking and with a 50 foot range, it may well have other applications we haven’t yet considered. The US$80 SportCommand will ship in November in North America, with launches in Asia, Europe, and Australia to follow shortly.
Stand-alone MPEG-4 Video Recorder for Memory Stick Duo
Image Gallery (6 images)
October 5, 2006 This is neat – the new Easy Recorder 2 is an MPEG-4 Memory Stick Video format recorder that records video content (via composite analog signal from a VCR, DVD or video camera) directly to Memory Stick Duo in MPEG-4 Memory Stick Video format, a widely used video format for popular portable devices and compatible with Apple Quick Time for your personal computer.
MP4 Watch plays video for 9 hours
Image Gallery (2 images)
October 5, 2006 One of the more curious aspects of the recent mass proliferation of personal media players is the devices in which they are being incorporated. In recent times we’ve seen not one but two video playing wristwatchs. The most recent came with some natty images showing the watch in four colours from Andalong, though we cannot seem to extract a price or any details on specifications beyond that it plays MP3s, MP4s, has USB 2.0 connectivity and an inbuilt microphone and a remarkably impressive nine hour play time. Of all of those functions, we think that the microphone might potentially be the most useful as we can’t exactly see people queuing up to swap their wide screen HD tellys for a screen smaller than a postage stamp. Now we originally saw this story on I4U (even before we got the Andalong email), so they deserve a pat on the back for their news gathering, and when we checked at Engadget, Pete and the boys had this story about a different video playing watch with 1GB of memory and a US$125 price tag. Andalong is seeking brands wishing to have the watch produced for them, and to be fair, they have a range of excellent electronics even if we think the idea of watching a movie on your wristwatch is lame. Read More
New Triple-Driver Earphones – that’s right, three speakers inside each ear
Image Gallery (2 images)
October 5, 2006 Given the rate at which digital audio and video players are being sold, it’s reasonable to expect that within a decade, personal entertainment devices will be ubiquitous, and they will all have a headphone jack and every human being above the poverty line will carry a set of headphones. Now a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and its also very true that many personal entertainment devices are being limited by the headphones. So headphones and earphones are likely to undergo some serious development in the coming years and the new US$400 triple.fi 10 Pro earphones look to have raised the consumer bar to a new level - the tiny earphones incorporate three miniature speakers per ear to deliver blow-you-away fidelity and are modelled after far-more-expensive models for professional musicians.
Silver-Zinc batteries shape up to the Lithium-Ion incumbents
Image Gallery (4 images)
October 3, 2006 "The time is right to demonstrate an inherently safe and reliable portable energy solution that does not compromise performance," says Ross Dueber, president and CEO of Zinc Matrix Power. "Although lithium-ion battery malfunctions represent a small percentage of their total population, the consequences of such malfunctions are quite severe, and pose a serious safety risk for consumers. Electronic manufacturers should consider silver-zinc battery technology as a much safer, lower risk solution for portable power." Read More
500,000 RPM matchbox-sized gas turbine produces 100 watts
Image Gallery (2 images)
October 1, 2006 Researchers at the ETH Chair for Power Electronics have developed an electrical generator that spins at a world record 500,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) and scientists are hopeful they can achieve twice this speed to touch the magical million rpm. The matchbox-sized motor generates the equivalent of 100 watts, including the power electronics interface, and has an efficiency of close to 95 percent. Powered by a gas turbine, one tankful of fuel drives the generator for about 10 hours at peak 100 watt performance. These ultra small gas turbines could replace conventional batteries as a mobile power source and have a range of potential applications, from dentistry where ever smaller holes could be drilled with ever higher rotation speed through to energy supply for mobile applications, such as portable heart-lung machines or artificial hearts. The little motors could also be used in turbo compressors, which condense gas mixtures or air. Read More
New Concept Watch Design uses pSEL technology
Image Gallery (13 images)
September 28 2006 The DD101 watch takes advantage of the flexibility of electroluminescent display technology. The plastic electroluminescent interface display is inlayed into an oversize bangle which carries a hidden timing function. Pressing on the side-button, reveals the time in a large display instantly changing it from a simple piece of jewelry to a functional timepiece. Pelikon UK designed the printed segmented electroluminescent (pSEL) touch displays and the funky DD101 watch design comes from o.d.m. The DD101 looks like a bangle when dormant but can be quickly transformed into a stylish time piece when out on the town in the evening. Read More
Black Diamond launches the SwitchBack rugged Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC)
Image Gallery (6 images)
Updated October 2, 2006 The prospects of one day having our computers all able to withstand the hostile environment that is the real world moved a step closer this week when rugged electronic systems specialist Black Diamond Advanced Technology announced the SwitchBack PC , the world's first rugged UMPC (Ultra Mobile Personal Computer). The SwitchBack made its debut at the Embedded Systems Conference in Boston this week and utilizes a 1.0 GHz Intel Celeron M processor, 1GB of 400 MHz DDR2 and can run Windows XP, CE, Mobile or Linux, packing the power of a desktop PC in a lightweight, handheld rugged form factor. The SwitchBack has all the features of today's rugged handheld tablet PCs, but it's smaller, more powerful and it has another significant differentiator ... a detachable/attachable Module on the back which can be used to extend functionality by adding additional hardware, devices or connector interfaces. Examples of modules that can be added include an additional processor, hard drive or battery, custom I/O options (data transfer, interface extensions), a fingerprint reader, an RFID, Barcode Scanner or Mag Stripe Reader, terrestrial radio(s), digital camera, GPS receiver, breathalyser and a Laser Range Finder. Read More
Parrot’s Bluetooth Hands-free Speakerphone accessory
Image Gallery (21 images)
September 28, 2006 Paris-based Bluetooth specialist parrot has graced our pages before for its Bluetooth wireless speakers and Bluetooth LCD picture frames. This time it’s a more traditional use for Bluetooth technology in the form of a hands-free for a mobile phone – the point-of-difference is that the MINIKIT is designed from the outset as a speakerphone, and uses a built-in multi-directional microphone, DSP-2 signal processing algorithms and a high-definition two-watt speaker to enable crystal-clear speakerphone conversations. Designed as a portable companion for any Bluetooth phone, the MINIKIT weighs 104 grams (3.5 oz) and its vital statistics are 110 x 63 x 28 mm (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.2 inches). The Parrot MINIKIT uses its own, not the phone's, voice recognition feature so there’s no need to keep the phone near by – it always calls the right number. With its battery offering 10 hours of talk time and over a week on standby, the Parrot MINIKIT is ideal for those who want a dedicated high-quality speakerphone for their mobile. Read More
Battery with built-in USB charger
Image Gallery (15 images)
September 22, 2006 Logical, inevitable, perhaps even overdue in retrospect, our ripper idea of the day (at least so far) is this rechargeable battery that can charge from any USB port without the need for any recharging devices, cradles or cables. Just pop the end to reveal a built in connector and charger, plug into any powered USB port on your desktop, laptop, keyboard, games console, monitor ad infinitum charge the battery. Currently available in the AA format, the USBCELL will shortly comprise a full range of standard formats, phone and camera batteries.
A video projector the size of a sugar cube
Image Gallery (2 images)
September 19, 2006 Miniaturised projection systems have been spoken about for a long time, but with several viable technologies seemingly close to market, the day when you can carry a video projector at all times, just in case you need it is close. In February, we wrote about the matchbox-sized PVPro projector and now news from Faraunhoffer suggests that not-too-far down the track your handheld, digital camera, portable media player or phone might have a projector built-in. That’s the promise of a new technology for projectors that does not use conventional micro arrays, instead containing just a single mirror that can be rotated around two axes. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena have developed an alternative to micro mirror arrays and the result is a projector the size of a sugar cube. Read More
Field Tested: Lenovo updates the Z series ThinkPad with the Z61t, Z61m, and Z61p
Image Gallery (7 images)
September 10, 2006 Last November, we had a chance to test the new Z60t and Z60m Thinkpads. These devices were the first of Lenovo's 60 series products, and were the first to offer integrated EVDO service from Verizon in the US. They were also the first Thinkpads built to a new set of internal standards for docking station and power supplies that are compatible across the entire 60 generation of products. The Z60 was followed by the T60 and X60 Thinkpads in February, which added Intel's current generation of dual core processors, but unfortunately the Z60 was released too early to get these new gems, and an expected upgrade to the specs of the Z60 didn't materialize when we thought it would. The new Z61t and Z61m laptops refresh their Z60 forbearers, and the Z61p is a new wide screen workstation model based upon the Z61m chassis. Read More
New LocationFree products focus on place shifting
Image Gallery (6 images)
September 6, 2006 Continuing its focus on the concept of place-shifting, Sony has unveiled two LocationFree Base Stations (US$200 LF-B10 and US$250 LF-B20) and the US$230 LocationFree TV Box. LocationFree devices wirelessly stream television programs, movies and personally-created content to a variety of devices – including PlayStation Portable units, Macintosh and Windows-based notebook PCs, or remotely located TV sets- wherever a broadband Internet connection is available. All three products will be available in October. Read More
Pantech's outrageously different ‘Auto Pop-up Display’ satellite DMB Phone
Image Gallery (2 images)
September 6, 2006 South Korea’s Pantech Group today announced the launch of the IM-U140 handset, a satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) handset that provides users with a genuinely unique mobile phone experience via its innovative design. With DMB, the phone obviously receives television but it has an interesting arsenal of features including four channel stereo speakers, a 3 megapixel camera with an image stabilization mode, MP3 player and TV-OUT and FM transmitter functionality meaning it can play the MP3s it contains on your car radio f’rinstance. Finally, the QVGA 262K colour TFT LCD display is designed to pop up automatically at a 30 degree angle and the touch screen vibrates when touched, enhancing the overall unique feel of the phone. Read More
Portable digital audio player with built-in slide-out speakers
Image Gallery (8 images)
September 4, 2006 There’s been some interesting developments in the evolution of the portable audio player at IFA, with both the Miuro and now the K5 MP3 Player from Samsung - a flash-memory based MP3 player with built-in slide-out speakers, 1.7" Touchpad OLED LCD display, and a sleek one-button design. Using the same slider form factor that has become accepted so quickly with the mobile phone to increase surface area (and hence give more room for display, keyboard or in this case a speaker facia), the aim of the innovation is to be able to play music in two modes instead of one – public and personal. The K5 has a built-in FM radio tuner and supports MP3, WMA, WMA DRM10 and JPEG formats. It will be available September 10 in black and will ship later in the year in pink at US$210 MSRP (2GB) and $260 MSRP (4GB). Read More
Miuro – the semi-autonomous robotic boombox
Image Gallery (14 images)
September 4, 2006 It’s been billed by some media as an over-the-top iPod accessory which is being somewhat unfair to the JPY108,000 (US$924) Miuro robot. Yes, it does accept the iPod, but as it’s much smarter than the average boombox, and it has its own wheels, it can be summoned from wherever it might be by remote control. Equipped with Kenwood speakers, it will stream any audio format (MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, AIFF including web radio) wirelessly (802.11 b/g) from your home computer, has AM and FM radio, can follow set routes around the house, or remember the optimum spot to position itself in each room. It’s a new concept – a mobile, semi-autonomous boombox, which combines your MP3 collection, AM/FM and web radio and brings it to you. The result of a joint venture between Japanese robot company ZMP (makers of Pino, e-nuvo and nuvo) and audiophilic icon Kenwood, Miuro can be reserved via the internet, as of yesterday, but only if you’re living in Japan. They’re promising delivery before Christmas 2006, with overseas availability expected in the second half of 2007 – we expect there’ll be shopping outlets on the internet with it the minute it becomes available in Japan. Excellent image gallery.
The V-Mate Video Card Recorder converts any video to flash card for use on mobile devices
Image Gallery (2 images)
September 4, 2006 The increasingly mobile consumer now has the ability to watch their favorite shows and videos, whenever and wherever they want – it’s really just that most of us need a way to get the show from its original source into a form we can watch it on our mobile phone or PDA. SanDisk, the inventor of flash storage cards and world's largest supplier of flash data storage card products has introduced an interesting and potentially very useful Video Memory Card Recorder called the V-Mate which overcomes this problem entirely, regardless of the format of the original. The US$130 V-Mate enables users to record video from video inputs such as over-the-air television as well as cable, satellite, DVD players, personal video recorders (PVRs) like TiVo and video cassette recorders (VCRs) onto their flash memory cards. The V-Mate prepares the video, drops it on your memory card which is then inserted into their mobile phone, PDA, handheld game console like the Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable), video music player or notebook computer to play back their videos on the go. Read More
Samsung releases 10 inch DMB Mobile TV
Image Gallery (2 images)
September 2, 2006 Every now and again, we see a product which looks set to forge a new market segment, having the right combination of technologies at the right time to have enough appeal to change the way the public sees things. Samsung is hoping its new 10 inch DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) Mobile TV will do just that, opening an era where everyone will have their own personal TV. Indeed Samsung’s aims are huge as it hopes to reposition the public’s perception of TV from a piece of family-oriented and fixed position furniture to a personally-oriented mobile device. In its latest press announcement it draws the analogy of the change created by the portable cassette player in the music industry and suggests portable TV will be even more groundbreaking. Given that not everybody will wish to watch video on a tiny cell phone screen, we believe this product has a very viable audience. Read More
Universal Portable Power Solution for Electronic Devices
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 30, 2006 The new Xantrex PowerSource Mobile 100 offers an interesting and almost universal handheld power system that can operate multiple electronic products at different voltage and power levels. The US$130 PowerSource Mobile 100 is the only compact mobile power source with an AC outlet and two USB outlets with the capability to operate portable devices at varying power levels. This goes beyond products currently available on the market, and it means consumers can now operate or charge a high power product like a laptop, and low power devices such as an iPod and a cell phone all at the same time. Approximately the size of a laptop battery and weighing about one pound, it combines a 100-watt DC to AC inverter with a high output lithium ion battery to provide backup power for mobile devices. It can be recharged from any AC electrical outlet or from a DC outlet in a vehicle or airplane. It provides both 120 Vac and 5 Vdc (USB) power for use with portable products.
Fujitsu introduces 2.5 inch HDD featuring perpendicular magnetic recording
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 30, 2006 The burgeoning popularity of audiovisual-oriented PCs and increasing use of HDDs in various consumer electronics products is expected to drive further growth in the HDD market along with demand for ever-larger capacity. Continuing to cater for the world’s thirst for storage, Fujitsu has announced a new series of hard disk drives (HDDs) for mobile PCs, its first 2.5" HDD offerings to incorporate advanced perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology for enhanced storage capacity. Two new models, the 160GB MHW2160BH (which boasts the industry's highest storage capacity for a 5,400 rpm HDD), and the 80GB MHW2080BH, will go on sale worldwide from October. Read More
Cool outdoor multifunctional LCD TV
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 26, 2006 We suspect that this EUR289 (USD$370) French-made 12.7cm colour LCD outdoor television is just the ticket for campers. It handles both PAL and SECAM and comes with a remote control but its multifunctional prowess runs waaay beyond that. In addition to the TV, it has an AM/FM radio, thermometer, removable torch, a siren, a compass, a bi-directional neon light and an anti-mosquito ultrasound functionality. It is also ruggedised so that it won’t die the first time it gets a bit of a knock, and it’s also quite compact at 20 X 22 X 30 cm. If we’d paid attention during High school French classes we might be able to tell you more. If you paid attention during High School French, you might be able to discern more for yourself.
Epson USB Plug in and Play projector
Image Gallery (4 images)
August 24, 2006 Epson has released an ultra portable wireless multimedia projector with the world’s first USB Plug in Play connection in a projector, making it the ideal portable partner for presentations. Weighing just 1.7 kg, the EMP-1715 is lighter than any other wireless projector in its class, and a mere 68mm high with a footprint of just 273 by 193 mm. With a superb 2700 ANSI lumen lamp brightness, the EMP-1715 is compatible with both PCs and Macs. With the EMP-1715 Epson has also introduced another world first with a multi screen display function allowing content from different applications to be displayed on up to four projectors from just one PC.
Sony Ericsson's Z610 shimmering mirror clamshell
Image Gallery (9 images)
August 24, 2006 - Sony Ericsson has announced the Z610, a 3G phone with gorgeous looks and a sleek mirror finish on the front cover that gives it a jewel-like quality that is complemented by a hidden ‘magic mirror’ display which can only be seen when in use. This striking phone delivers an advanced feature set including a 2.0 Megapixel camera and broadband-speed 3G connectivity. With such a distinctive design and a choice of three eye-catching colours – Luster Black, Rose Pink & Airy Blue – the Z610 looks a winner to us. Read More
US$100 Acceleration Data Logger
Image Gallery (4 images)
August 23, 2006 As soon as we saw this we just knew there’d be a whole host of knowledge emanate from the application of this little baby. The new HOBO Pendant G Logger is an easy-to-use data logger for measuring and recording tilt, orientation, activity and motion forces in indoor and outdoor environments. Roughly half the size of an iPod Shuffle, the new HOBO Pendant G makes it easy and fun to record data in any environment - in the home, outside, and even underwater. Gadget lovers of all types, from electronics hobbyists to students to amateur scientists, will employ the Pendant G logger in a broad range of activities, from recording G forces on rollercoasters to measuring activity patterns of people and/or pets. Once data has been collected, users can display the data graphically on a PC or Mac. Read More
Next Generation Mobile Phone Concept
Image Gallery (9 images)
August 22, 2006 Answer your phone with the touch of a cheek! Synaptics and Pilotfish have utilised Synaptics' ClearPad touch screen to enable a new mobile user interface in its Onyx next-generation mobile phone concept. The new concept phone uses ClearPad, an optically clear, capacitive touch screen solution, to create a fully adaptive user interface (UI). The ClearPad input system eliminates the traditional mechanical keys found on phones today and dramatically adapts to present the information and controls a user needs at any given moment. Claimed to be more intelligent than conventional touch screens, the ClearPad accurately recognizes not only points and taps, but also shapes, complex gestures, and proximity to the user's finger or cheek. This creates new possibilities such as assigning functions to two-finger taps, closing tasks by swiping an "X" over them, sending messages by swiping them off the screen, or answering a phone by holding it up to your cheek. The prototype phone uses a dynamic UI, where applications are layered and opened simultaneously, allowing a seamless flow of information between applications. Read More
Pantech's 3x2x1 inch PN-218 for U.S.
Image Gallery (3 images)
August 18, 2006 If you fancy one of those incredibly small Pantech PN-218 CDMA handsets and live in the U.S., the news is that they’ll be available via Alltel in short order. The PN-218 is just 3.02 inches long, 2.15 inches wide and 0.96 inches thick with the flip closed, has a VGA camera with flash and digital zoom, a Ringtone shuffler, high-speed data transmission and picture/ringtone Caller ID. Read More
The Rotary Cellular Phone – the ultimate in retro low tech chic
Image Gallery (3 images)
August 14. 2006 We love this concept and we’re still trying to work out why. Maybe it’s because it will make people rubberneck at comedy sketch levels and maybe it’s because it sends up all those people who have their frightfully important cell phone conversations in public places. The Portable Rotary Cellular Phone is a fully functional, rotary dial, home telephone from the sixties except when you’ve put your sim card inside, it becomes a mobile phone. Each one begins life as one of those old sixties phones and replacing the internals is a time-consuming exercise, so as with any hand-built-to-order item, you’ll need to allow a few weeks of thinking music after you’ve sated the hand-built price tag – in this case US$399 for black or US$499 for red. The phone dials out like normal through the rotary interface and perhaps the best aspect of all is that incoming calls ring the original, loud, gong style metal bells (click here to listen to the ring), making it ideal to put on the bar next to you when you’re out on the town or wishing to make your presence felt in a public place. Of course it’s not all that portable, weighing in at around a kilogram and being roughly the size of a sixties home telephone, but that’s the point … it’ll work in any country with one of the 900MHz/1800MHz/1900MHz cellular bands (90% of the world) and we figure it’s worth its weight in started conversations. Read More
The rise of the MP3 player – BBC plans digital radio add-on
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 13, 2006 With MP3 player sales booming and threatening to become a disruptive media technology, the BBC is planning to develop a “plug-in gadget that turns MP3 players into digital radios.” Plans are in the early stages and no functionality spec or firm details have been released, nor has a cost or availability details, but a BBC spokesman was reported as saying, “it's important for to us to make sure that people can listen to digital radio on their own terms" according to the BBC web site. The BBC spokesman said the BBC was conducting feasibility studies for the design, manufacuring and marketing of the device. The plug-in gadget would not be limited to playing the BBC digital radio stations and versions might also be available for mobile phones and cars. The BBC initiative comes just after the release of a study by global market research firm Ipsos which indicates that as many as one in five Americans over the age of 12 now own portable MP3 Players and one in 20 own more than one.
Koss Cobalt wireless headphones
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 11, 2006 High fidelity stereophone manufacturer Koss has announced a wireless Bluetooth stereophone it will call the Cobalt and we fancy these will be very worthwhile additions to the personal entertainment kit. Built to last, the US$180 Cobalt has a “No Questions Asked” Lifetime Warranty. The Cobalt uses advanced Bluetooth frequency-hopping technology to provide a 30-foot range, so you can move freely while taking a call, or listening to your favorite music or movies. If you’re working on your PC, the Cobalt is also sold with a USB dongle transmitter that plugs into your computer for streaming and VOIPing. Read More
Next Generation Walkman senses your rhythm and switches playlists to match
Image Gallery (4 images)
August 8, 2006 Sony’s next generation sports walkman was unveiled yesterday but with the fanfare surrounding the far more significant MYLO, it’s not surprising that the diminutive S2 Sports Walkman devices might not have seen as much of the spotlight as they deserve, either technologically, or historically. The original Walkman hit the market in Japan in 1979 and arguably began the personal music revolution, with the cassette Walkman selling close to 200 million units before the MP3 player was born. The new S2 Sports Walkman actually offers some unique compelling new functionality for people who are exercising, most significantly the Music Pacer feature gauges your speed, tempo and acceleration, automatically switching to the appropriate personalized walking or running playlist to match your rhythm. The S2 MP3 player is a water resistant aluminum cylinder about the size of a tube of lipstick, weighs about one ounce and comes with its own armband. The 2GB model will cost around US$150 and the 1GB model will cost around US$120 when they hit the shelves next month. Read More
A new product category begins with the Sony mylo Personal Communication Device
Image Gallery (10 images)
August 8, 2006 Sony is launching its first WiFi broadband communication and entertainment device to capitalize on the growth of wireless Internet access. The new US$350 mylo personal communicator will be available in September and is capable of operating in any open 802.11b wireless network, often found on college campuses, in public spaces and within private homes around the country. This product is designed for people who use instant messaging as a primary form of communication and networking for their social life. The name mylo stands for "my life online" and the communicator lets you use instant messaging, browse the Internet, listen to music, send emails and view photos concurrently. Detailed images here. Read More
Payment Card with Electronic Paper display
Image Gallery (3 images)
August 8, 2006 The potential for electronic paper applications seems to be boundless and the recent announcement that SiPix and SmartDisplayer have created the first flexible display panel to be embedded into an ISO-compliant payment card highlights the potential. The application subsequently landed the companies the Display Application of the Year Award from the Society for Information Display (SID). The revolutionary One Time Password (OTP) DisplayCard enables cardholders to generate and display a dynamic passcode for one-time use. During an online merchant checkout or home banking login, the cardholder obtains a new, unique number by pressing a button on the card. As prompted, the cardholder then enters the number, proving the presence of the card, and completes the transaction. With the DisplayCard, banks can strengthen online banking sign-on by enabling two-factor authentication. Read More
Equation Marchante M.Y.S. - the sun meets its match
Image Gallery (7 images)
August 7, 2006 For two centuries, perhaps the rarest of watchmaking complications has been the equation of time. Measuring the difference between the length of the solar day which constantly varies over the course of the year and the length of the standard 24 hour civil day, an equation of time display has graced only the most exclusive watches and clocks. Even more refined and exclusive has been an equation of time display which shows both solar time and civil time with two separate minute hands. In all of watchmaking history, only a handful of the most important clocks and pocket watches have featured this form of dual time, “equation marchante” display and they have been so exclusive that nearly every one has been an historically significant piece. Blancpain unveiled a limited series of 50 pieces of the first equation marchante wristwatch in 2004. Now to mark the seventh anniversary of Blancpain’s partnership with the Monaco Yacht Show, Blancpain has created a special limited edition Le Brassus series watch featuring an evolution of its equation marchante movement. Read More
SAMSUNG and Gianni Versace Versus partner to target upmarket youth
Image Gallery (2 images)
August 1, 2006 With the world mobile phone market continuing to gather momentum, it’s not surprising that we’re now seeing brand name designers being brought in to assist in meeting the needs of ever narrower niches. Samsung got together with Versus, the line that embodies Gianni Versace SpA at its most youthful, free spirited and daring, unveiled the new ‘Samsung Versus E500' mobile phone in Korea last week. The prime objective of this alliance is to create a product targeting younger generation of consumers who pursue originality in terms of style, innovation and practicality. Samsung is hoping that the ability of Versus to interpret the very latest trends in style and design and Samsung's excellence in the field of technological innovation will create truly enriching opportunity for both brands. Read More