Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Pucker up, jet-setters — South Korea’s own KAON Media has a new PMP on the way, and for whatever reason, we’ve found ourselves strangely attracted to what the KM35 has going on here. The “Anywhere TV and Internet” device runs on Windows CE (and handles fresh-out-of-cinema films very well) and features a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution display, 4GB or 8GB NAND flash drive, WiFi, an SD expansion slot, optional FM tuner and your choice of DVB-T/H, ISDB-T or T-DMB TV tuners. Early estimates peg battery life at around 2.5-hours when watching live TV, though there’s no word yet on pricing or worldwide availability.

[Thanks, J. Carter]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Video

Just as we’d envisioned, the Invision candybar (if a phone this stubby can, in fact, be called a candybar) from LG is now a reality for AT&T. The phone becomes just AT&T’s third to support its MediaFLO-based Mobile TV service, taking a similar line to Samsung’s Access by stuffing a landscape display, 1.3-megapixel camera, and HSDPA into a squarish case that’s sure to make minimalists and traditionalists swoon; what’s more, it also takes the honor of being AT&T’s smallest Mobile TV-equipped handset to date. It’s available today for $99.99 with a $50 rebate and two years’ worth of commitment — just be sure to factor the cost of the Mobile TV add-on into your budget.

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Original post by Chris Ziegler

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

If you haven’t noticed, China’s going all out to improve itself before the world fixes its eyes upon Beijing in just over a week. Rather than plunking down license fees to use a protocol that’s widely accepted, China has chosen to create its own digital TV standard: CMMB. Amazingly, RAmos has actually churned out a PMP to take advantage of said standard, and just in time for the 2008 Olympics. Unfortunately, we really know nothing about the iTV except that it can understand CMMB, so screen size, internal storage and everything else remains unknown. Heck, we don’t even know how expensive it is — but hey, it supports CMMB (for the three weeks you’re in China, after which it’s partially worthless)!

[Via iTech News Net]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops, Storage

Well, doesn’t Tranquil PC seems pretty stoked about their new Atom-based Harmony home servers? Though they’re not exactly mind-blowing (to us, anyway), two new fanless models should be shipping in June: the T7-HSAi (left, with a single 3.5-inch drive or two 2.5-inch drives) and T2-WHS-A3i (right, with up to two 3.5-inch drives), both featuring Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, 512MB or 1GB RAM options, and running Windows Home Server. With base configs and 500GB drives, the T7 will start at £278 ($550 US), and the T2 at £299 ($590 US).

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Original post by Ryan Block

Filed under: Storage

When it comes to drives, it’s all about space and speed. That’s why we were happy to see that Greenhouse is boasting that the DH-SSDGS series is the “industry’s fastest” — sure, we can’t verify that claim, but at least they’re trying to get our attention. Regardless, the new drives read at up to 130MB/s with write speeds of 67MB/s, with capacities that range from 16GB up to 128GB. Drive size is a standard 2.5-inches, with a 9.5mm height. Greenhouse says the SATA-compatible boxes will be available in late May (in Japan at least), no word on pricing.

[Via Impress]

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Original post by Joshua Fruhlinger

Filed under: Robots, Wearables

We were sold on (and slightly terrified of) the Sarcos XOS exoskeleton from the moment we first saw it show off its superhuman capabilities on video late last year, but if you just can’t get enough of it you’ll definitely want to hit up the ever-dependable Popular Science, which has now totally blown things out with the full story behind the suit, complete with some great new pics of it. As if that wasn’t enough, the piece also includes some tidbits about some of Sarcos’ future plans, including word that the Army plans to begin field-testing the XOS by 2009, and that the company intends to kick off a new research program this summer tasked with developing a new generator that’ll be capable of powering the suit for “hours at a time.” Of course, there’s plenty more in the six-page feature that we’re unable to sum up here, so be sure to hit up the link below for the full story.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

TiVo first announced plans to introduced Web video functionality into its set-top boxes in January at CES. The company made good on that promise today, though the process isn’t quite as simple as accessing sites via your remote.

Only after videos are downloaded to a user’s PC will they be transferred to the TiVo via the home network. This is a decided difference from the company’s partnerships with Amazon Unbox, Rhapsody, and YouTube, all of which offer direct PC-free accessibility, notes Crave.

To access Web video, you must have a Windows PC and TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 (a free upgrade for existing users, $25 for first timers).

Original post by Brian Heater

Filed under: Storage

Oh sure, we’ve seen Mickey-themed flash drives before, but for avid fans and collectors alike, there can never be too many, right? On the docket today is the T703 Mickey Flash Drive from A-DATA, which wouldn’t be comfortable at all in one’s pocket for any length of time. Nevertheless, the iconic drive can apparently double as a keychain, and since it’s really the ears that give Mr. Mouse away, the firm decided to let you insert your favorite image in place of his face. No word on a price just yet, but expect ‘em in “three dazzling colors” in sizes ranging from 1GB to 8GB.

[Via EverythingUSB]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Storage

We can’t say that no one has ever doled out a USB flash drive with a hint of Lego before, but how could one ever complain about more? This go ’round, it’s Solid Alliance doing the deed with its USB Brick Key. The device arrives doused in green, black, blue or red and offers up 1GB of internal storage space, but unfortunately, pricing is one detail it failed to divulge. Feel free to take one last peek after the jump, you know you can’t resist.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Continue reading Solid Alliance offers up Lego-like USB flash drives

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Storage

TDK certainly hasn’t put quite the priority on USB flash drives as it has on its other media, but it looks like the company is making a decent effort with its latest drives, which manage to keep things about as small as you’re likely to want. Available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB varieties, the drives weigh in at a mere three grams, and measure 32 x 15 x 8 mm, with a sliding USB connector (and ReadyBoost functionality) also thrown in for good measure. No word on a price just yet, but you can look for them to be available in Japan by the end of the month.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Cellphones

Sky Dayton, founder and chairman of the phantasmagorical Helio, has announced that he’s stepping down as CEO to become president of the last-man-standing MVNO. Dayton will be replacing Jinwoo So, president of global business at SK Telecom (which shares ownership of the company with Earthlink), and Dayton himself will be replaced by Wonhee Sull, formerly the company’s president and COO. “Helio has reached a point in its development where I feel the timing is right for this change… As we have for the past three years, the two of us will continue to define Helio’s direction and future,” said Dayton. It’s possible that with the recent influx of cash (and increased ownership) from SK Telecom, and the dwindling marketshare of MVNOs, Sky’s taking the opportunity to get a little more control of his baby… and who can blame him?

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Cellphones

Sky Dayton, founder and chairman of the phantasmagorical Helio, has announced that he’s stepping down as CEO to become chairman of the board of the last-man-standing MVNO. Helio’s new CEO will be Wonhee Sull, formerly the company’s president and COO, and obviously a direct conduit to co-owner SK Telecom. “Helio has reached a point in its development where I feel the timing is right for this change… As we have for the past three years, the two of us will continue to define Helio’s direction and future,” said Dayton. Whether Sky’s really ready to move on or not we’ll never know, but it’s certainly possible that the recent influx of cash (and increased ownership) from from its Korean parents and dwindling marketshare of US MVNOs led SK to step in and get things on track.

Update: Lots of fun inaccuracies going on up in here, our bad. We ironed out the kinks, see above for the latest, correct edits to Helio’s executive musical chairs.

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation

Usually you can’t tell that there’s a problem with one of your tires until you’ve already swerved off the road and crashed into something stationary, but thanks to a group of scientists from Purdue University, the next generation of wheel wraps may be able to detect problems before you’re face-to-face with the base of a telephone pole. Led by Gary Krutz of the school’s Electrohydraulic Center, the team was able to produce a multi-layer design that can sense damage or defects anywhere on the tire, and which immediately alerts the driver to danger via an embedded chip. First up to adopt the new tech will likely be race car sponsors, who have a high incentive to protect their expensive investments against flats; unfortunately, this safety improvement for drivers will come at the expense of the nation’s rabid NASCAR fans, as the likely decline in crashes will only serve to direct their blood-lust at fellow spectators.

[Image courtesy of Purdue University]

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Original post by Evan Blass