Samsung America has announced the availability of the p207, the world's first EDGE phone with VoiceMode a speech-to-text input technology offering the ability to dictate text messages. With a built-in dictionary, the user trains the p207 through a series of spoken prompts that captures voice tone and intonation. After the user adapts the system to accurately recognise their own voice, they are ready to begin dictating messages. The more frequently VoiceMode is used, the more it adapts to the user's voice. In addition, the user can eliminate time-consuming steps when addressing the message by dictating the recipient by name or number.  Read More

There is no room for error when dealing with the night-time surveillance of large areas such as property borders at ranges 800 meters and beyond, fence lines and large public works expanding over 15 acres. Gaps or weaknesses in any security framework, especially those designed for these types of wide area applications, could result in substantially reduced protection, with the potential for costly and irreversible damage. Ensuring the optimal performance of large area security systems under low-light conditions has been both difficult and cost prohibitive, until now … the ALS-20 line of infrared illuminators deliver high power levels of invisible illumination so that near-infrared capable CCD cameras can maintain a clear, sharp view of large areas at night.  Read More

Italian scooter magazine Cyberscooter has published pictures of is believed to be the prototype of a Gilera Nexus 850 scooter undergoing pre-release testing on Italian roads. That’s 850 as in 850cc – the largest megascooter seen to date. The convergence paradigm appears to be inspiring all manner of marketplace morphing with the scooter and motorcycle industries clearly now beginning to overlap. In less than a decade the maxi scooter has grown from the once humble Italian invention, the scooter into a powerful pseudo sports motorcycle. The Nexus 850 scooter is believed to have been under development since early 2003, with a radical new electronic gearbox that was showcased in the Gilera 850 V-twin Ferro concept machine at the 2003 Milan Motorcycle Show. The new gearbox can change gears some ten times faster than mere mortals, offering a significant performance improvement, if that’s needed on an 850 scooter.  Read More

The digital camera market continues to grow at an astonishing rate and the major competitors continuing to shoehorn new features into new cameras at an ever more affordable price – one example of just how far we have come in such a short period of time is the Panasonic FZ5, a camera we recently spent some time with. The 5.0-megapixel FZ5 LUMIX has a 12 times zoom lens – that’s equivalent to a zoom lens on a traditional camera having a ranbge from 36mm to 432mm. As it is TINY, and weighs 320 games with battery and memory card included, Panasonic has also included an Optical Image Stabilizer to compensate for handshake. The result is a camera that’s more than good enough for professional quality imagery – at a street price under US$450.  Read More

A Honda won the Portugeuse Grand Prix today with World Champion Valentino Rossi second, but it was the Honda of Alex Barros that greeted the chequered flag first not the expected Honda of Sete Gibernau. Gibernau crashed out in light rain while leading the race at mid distance in the first MotoGP race run under the new rain rules which do not allow for race restarts due to rain during the race. Barros’ win was not entirely unexpected. He was the fastest rider in all sessions throughout the weekend, fastest qualifier and appears to have regained the form he last showed at the end of 2002 when he beat Valentino Rossi several times on equal machinery.  Read More

Seiko Watch Corporation demonstrated the world's first watch to utilize an electronic paper display for the first time at the Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Show held in Basel, Switzerland. The design incorporates an easy-to-read, ultra-thin, low-power display integrated into a curved band. The unique electronic paper display module in this Seiko watch is the result of a joint development effort, bringing together E Ink's 'electronic ink' technology and Seiko Epson's advanced display manufacturing and electronic circuitry techniques. When combined, these technologies offer a wide range of display design possibilities - including flexibility!  Read More

TAG Heuer released another first at the Baselworld 2005 global watch mecca - the most accurate mechanical timepiece ever crafted, the “Calibre 360” Concept Chronograph. The “Calibre 360” Concept Chronograph is the first mechanical wrist chronograph to measure and display time to 1/100th of a second, thanks to the exceptionally high frequency of its balance wheel, which oscillates at 360,000 beats per hour, 10 times faster than any other chronograph—a rate that until now was considered impossible.  Read More

Wacom has announced its first pen tablet to incorporate Bluetooth wireless technology will be a member of Graphire pen tablet family. Mobile office workers, educators and aspiring digital artists will also appreciate the new device and the ability to work where and when they want. The new model, named Graphire Bluetooth, incorporates Wacom's cordless, battery-free pen and mouse and is available immediately, offering a 6" x 8" active area and is priced at US$249.99.  Read More

Many people including the California Cars Initiative (CalCars), see the short to medium term future of hybrid cars as plug-in hybrids – hybrids where you can choose not to use petroleum should you wish. They claim that the biggest problem with the current Honda and Toyota hybrids is that you can’t charge their batteries overnight because they’ve been designed to gently wean the population off petrol. So CalCars decided to jump-start the market for plug-in hybrids itself, taking a Toyota Prius, adding much bigger batteries and modifying it so it could be plugged into the electricity supply and charged overnight. The aim is to harness the collective vision and purchasing power of individuals and corporate and government fleets and get a major auto manufacturer to produce plug-in versions of existing hybrids.  Read More