12th June 2006 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site. Or try the full archive of all our sister sites.

PC-less VoIP Wi-Fi phone

Computex 2006 The easiest way to VoIP yet?

A little-known company called BCM used Computex to show a multi-format VoIP Wi-Fi phone based on the Windows CE kernel. The WLAN800I is compatible with Skype, SIP services, MSN Talk and MSN Messenger. There’s no need for a PC for it to function, all you need is an 802.11b/g wireless access point connected to the internet. …

Phones 12 Jun 2006, 08:02
DVB-H on display

Computex 2006 Telly on your phone

Philips ran live DVB-H demos during Computex, showing just how close the technology is to entering at least a test phase with operators. The picture quality on the devices was impressive, but far more interesting was the fact that Philips has an SDIO solution for devices without a built-in tuner. The SDIO cards weren't …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 08:58
Nvidia talks Purevideo HD

Computex 2006 GeForce 7950GX2 first HDCP enabled Nvidia card

Nvidia was talking up Purevideo HD at Computex last week, saying you can now purchase machines that support the Purevideo HD technology. Nvidia's GeForce 7950GX2 seems to be its first product that is universally enabled for HDCP. The reason for this is quite simple. Nvidia has had HDCP compliant GPUs for some time and most …

Bits 'n' Chips 12 Jun 2006, 08:58
Working dual X1600XT from GeCube

Computex 2006 Single slot solution

GeCube joined Asus in showing a dual X1600XT at Computex, but says its card could hit the streets as soon as next month. Reg Hardware was informed that GeCube's design (which differs to that used by Asus) means the card can actually work in CrossFire mode, something the Asus card currently can't do. Interestingly, the GeCube …

Bits 'n' Chips 12 Jun 2006, 08:59
Adata shows solar powered USB memory key

Computex 2006 At least, it powers the LCD screen

So you'd thought there wouldn't be any new ideas for USB memory keys...think again. Adata showed off a solar powered model at Computex, though the solar cells only power the small LCD display - but as this only draws tiny amounts of power to show you how much capacity you've got left, there's no need for a battery. Besides …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 10:02
Top tat - the five worst World Cup gadgets

Tech Digest Just add that cross of St George

The World Cup - a great time for football, an even better time for flag sellers and for manufacturers of gadgets. Yes, for the last couple of months, manufacturers big and small have been scouring the warehouse, looking for products they couldn't sell at Christmas, before repackaging them at a premium price, adding those …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 10:51
AverMedia shows Mac USB TV-tuner

Computex 2006 Drivers coming soon

AverMedia is one of the first companies to pick up on the increasing ease of making Mac-compatible products, and announced it will soon have drivers ready for one of its USB TV tuners to allow it to work with Macs. AverMedia claimed the product is the smallest USB TV-tuner to date. It looks much like any other USB based TV- …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 11:02
Sony unveils its first D-SLR, the Alpha 100

What next, the beta?

Sony's new D-SLR Alpha 100, or α100 if you prefer, takes over where Konica Minolta left off when it pulled out of the camera business earlier this year. The Alpha combines a Sony 10 megapixel APS sensor with a stack of technologies including Super SteadyShot which is mounted in the body of the camera, rather than the lens. …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 11:22
Watercooled motherboard from Asus

Computex 2006 For enthusiast boards only

Asus has managed to find a cooling solution for its next generation high-end motherboards, using a very small integrated pump and water reservior. The rather large radiator also works as a heatsink for the MOSFETs, which are part of the power regulation on the motherboard and generally get very hot. The list of upcoming …

Bits 'n' Chips 12 Jun 2006, 12:02
Acer pushes three huge TFT displays

Boosts value and office lines

Acer has announced three enormous TFT displays – two in its Value Line and one in its Office Line. The additions to the Value Line are a 22 inch and 26 inch model, while the Office Line is boosted by a 24 inch offering. The 22 inch Value Line AL2216W has a resolution of 1,680x1,050, contrast ratio of 700:1 and a 300cd/m2 …

Bits 'n' Chips 12 Jun 2006, 12:08
Panasonic camcorder supports SDHC media

4GB on an SDHC card

The new SDR-S150 is an update of the SDR-S100 camcorder which records to SD card, rather than DV tape, hard disk, or DVD. The SDR-S100 uses conventional SD media which has a maximum capacity of 2GB, while the SDR-S150 supports both SD and the brand new SDHC (SD High-Capacity) card. SDHC is the same physical size as SD but …

Gadgets and Gizmos 12 Jun 2006, 13:07