An insiders viewpoint of the consumer electronics industry. Topics cover technology, product reviews, marketing, technology, design, forums, interviews with industry leaders and a whole slew of other items pertinent to the technorati

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Tata Motors' People's Car is officially named TATA NANO


Tata Motors today took the covers off the world’s cheapest car — the Nano.
Over the past year, Tata has been building hype for a car that would cost a mere 100,000 rupees (roughly $2,500) and bring automotive transportation to the mainstream Indian population. It has been nicknamed the “People’s Car.” Over the course of the New Delhi Auto Expo, which began this week, anticipation had grown to fever pitch.
With the theme from “2001: A Space Odyssey” playing, Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors drove the small white bubble car onto Tata’s show stage, where it joined two others.
The Tata Nano could sell for around $2,500. (Photo by Raveendran/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)
“They are not concept cars, they are not prototypes,” Mr. Tata announced when he got out of the car. “They are the production cars that will roll out of the Singur plant later this year.”
The four-door Nano is a little over 10 feet long and nearly 5 feet wide. It is powered by a 623cc two-cylinder engine at the back of the car. With 33 horsepower, the Nano is capable of 65 miles an hour. Its four small wheels are at the absolute corners of the car to improve handling. There is a small trunk, big enough for a duffel bag.
“Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions,” Mr. Tata added. “We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.”
The base price for the Nano will be 120,000 rupees, including road tax and delivery. Higher level models will cost more and come with air-conditioning. Sun visors and radios are extra.
The nearest priced competitor is the Maruti 800, which costs roughly twice as much as the Nano. In comparing the Nano to the Maruti 800, Mr. Tata said, “It is 8 percent smaller — bumper to bumper — and has 21 percent larger seating capacity than Maruti 800.”
via New York Times

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Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Tata Motors' People's Car, Today's VW Bug? ( VolksWagon = People's Car!)

Lots of pre show buzz about Tata Motors to launch tomorrow of a bargain car "for the people"

Tata has huge ambitions, India's Tata Motors will on Thursday launch the world's cheapest motor car.

Aiming to enable more people in India and other developing nations to move up from two wheels to four, it will sell for 100,000 rupees or $2,500 (£1,277).



While exact details and even its name are still unknown, the vehicle, dubbed the "People's Car", is expected to have four seats and a 0.6 litre engine.

Although it seems a world apart from luxury Western cars, Tata is currently in talks to buy Jaguar and Land Rover.



Tata's $2,500 car is being unveiled at the New Delhi motor show.

The product has rightfully gained a lot of international attention

Mohit Arora of JD Power Asia-Pacific said, "Its release comes as India's domestic car market is predicted to soar in the coming years on the back of the country's fast-growing economy and increased consumer wealth."

Indian car sales are predicted to more than quadruple to $145bn by 2016.

Western firms such as Volkswagen and Ford are also rushing to increase their presence in India, as it represents a giant untapped market.

At present just seven people per 1,000 own a car in India, compared to 550 per 1,000 in Germany, or 476 per 1,000 in France.

"The product has rightfully gained a lot of international attention," said motoring analyst Mohit Arora of JD Power Asia-Pacific.

"It's a big, big deal for Tata Motors, and will be recorded in history books, whether or not it does well."

At the start of this year, US car giant Ford announced that Tata would be the likely buyer of its UK-based Jaguar and Land Rover luxury brands, reflecting the India company's global ambitions.


via BBC (edit to come)

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Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Frickin' Lasers Make Mitsubishi TVs Smoke!


Mitsubishi rolled out its Laser TV technology at the Moon Nightclub at The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, unveiling a 65-inch rear-projection set that uses a unique laser projector. The result is some of the most vivid color ever seen on a TV, especially the primary colors of red, green and blue. The blacks were midnight-dark, too, and there was even a 3D version of the TV (goofy glasses required) that only made us slightly cross-eyed. Misu staff said to look for the TV to appear on the market "later this year" at an undisclosed price, and added that it will cost about the same as flat panel TVs of the same size.


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"When pressed for details, they kept repeating their mantra about laser being the "purest light source," but from what we could see, we think it must have something to do with hot-looking dancing girls, frickin' lasers, smoke and maybe even mirrors."

via gizmodo

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Partnership or Licensing Deal? Lexar Shows Eye-Fi WiFi SD Cards at CES


Wireless SD memory card maker, Eye-Fi is teaming up with Lexar to promote the tech to a larger audience. From what we can tell, Lexar won't be making any changes to the core product, just lending its brand name, but details are slim at the moment. Lexar will be showing off Eye-Fi's stuff this week at CES, maybe they'll let some release info slip in the coming days.

via Gizmodo

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Monday, December 24, 2007

EMP-TS30-4 MP5 Player (MP5??) Hot new Super Multi Format Compatible PMP from EPOQ

Epoq's New 3" super high resolution EMP-TS30-4 Mp5 portable media player features Super Portability and Super Compatibility!!

This beauty plays MP3 /APE/AVI (Windows Media Player format) / RMVB (Realplayer format)and countless other audio and video formats WITHOUT need for CONVERSION!! (as most other PMPs)


Supports RMVB,AVI,DAT(VCD),FLV, Supports MPEG-4(DIVX 3.X,4.X,5.X/XVID)video decode technology,AVI format,D1 standard,full decodesupport over 90% net movies play without need of conversion

Product Features:
Unique and Compact Design with High Portability MP3 /APE/AVI (Windows Media Player format) / RMVB (Realplayer format) / PMP Player
3.0 inch TFT Screen, 260K true colors display
Human-Touch Keypads
Built in Speaker
4GB built in, plus unit Supports Mini SD card to extend your memory capacity (card not included)
Supports multiple music formats: MP3,WMA,APE,FLAC audio format
Synchronized Song Lyrics display and ID3 supported
Supports RMVB,AVI,DAT(VCD),FLV, Supports MPEG-4(DIVX 3.X,4.X,5.X/XVID)video decode technology,AVI format,D1 standard,full decodesupport over 90% net movies play without need of conversion
Support JPEG, GIF,BMP Picture format to be viewed
Built-In Stereo FM Radio (Tuner 87.5 - 108MHz), scan radio station memorized function
E-Book function supported,load your favorite TXT file to read
9 Presets EQ : BBE, SRS WOW, Pop,Rock, Classic, Soft,Soft Jazz and Self-define
4 Playing Modes: Normal,Single repeat,Random repeat,Order repeat
Support 7 languages: English, French, Czech, Dutch, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
High Quality Voice Digital Recording with built-in microphone (MP3 format)
Built-In Rechargeable Li-ion battery via charger or USB port
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery can be up to 6-8 hours Continue MP3 playback and 3-4 hours Continue MP4 playback
Power saving function: Auto Power OFF and Screensaver timer
Hold key function
High Capacity USB Flash Storage for Removable Disk
Operating System: Supports Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP (Window 98 needs driver), also supports OS Mac 10 and Linux 2.4
FCC and CE approved for home and office use
Specifications:
CPU:ADI Blackfin 533 Nucleus Voltage 500MHZ
Operation System: RTOS flush type real-time operation system
Memory Capacity 4GB built in, plus SD expansion for:1G/2G/4G,4G SD Card
LCD Screen: 3.0 inch 960*240 high clear TFT screen(16:9)260K Color display
Size (L x W x D): 98mm x 60mm x 12mm
Color: Black
Weight: Approx. 90g
Menu/VoL+/VoL-/Play/Forward/Preview buttons for operating easily
High Speed USB2.0 Ultra Fast Data Transfer (5-PIN Mini USB)
Supported bit rate: 8Kbps - 320Kbps (MP3,WMA)
Signal to noise ratio: >85dB
FM Frequency Range: 87.5 - 108MHz
Earphone output power: 8mWx2@32Ohm
Audio connector: 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
Package Content:
4GB MP3/ MP4/MP5 Player
English User Manual
Stereo Earphones with an elegant design
USB Data Transfer Cable
100-240V AC Mains Charger
Driver Installation CD

Shipping December 26th!! (sorry Santa)

MSRP: $299.95

availble now: www.gadgetcraver.com and at www.firsttoyou.com Here
and Here
Happy Holidays!!

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Monday, November 19, 2007

Rhapsody Ibiza by Haier, A REAL UNBOXING and SCOOP

This is the first official review of Haier's new Ibiza Rhapsody Multimedia player. (scroll down for full factory specs!)

E-Insider recently received our review unit of Haier’s Ibiza Rhapsody 30GB player, and boy is it chock full of tech goodness!!


The first thing you notice is the up-front, laptop style touch pad. Its ideal to navigate the gorgeous OSD menu and the services provided by Rhapsody.






Its actually more intuitive than the iPod’s clickwheel, and you can adjust the scroll speed to match your preference.

It works like a laptop touchpad with no mouse buttons, just press down to select.
The screen is outstanding, with 320 x 240 high resolution and contrast screen. Much superior to the iPod 5G’s screen.

What really seperates this player from the pack and even sets it above the iPod's capabilities is the service package provided by Rhapsody. With the built-in WiFi antenna, you connect to the music service, plus AOL video!




Preliminary details of the Rhapsody service available for the Haier Ibiza Rhapsody include a $14.99 monthly subscription package with unlimited downloads, (far more affordable for power users than the $.99 per song deal at iTunes!! (how will they deal with the college students??) Addtionally there will be a group of Rhapsody channels, offering services much like XM or Sirrius's satellite packages. More service details to be released along with official product shipment debut starting at midnight tonight!

We found two models at http://www.firsttoyou.com/ and they say they are in stock now!!!








The 30GB will come in five colors--White Sand, Volcanic Black, Ocean Blue, Flamingo Pink, and Silver Moon--and the flash versions, coming in 4GB and 8GB capacities, will offer a choice of five: Volcanic Black, Ocean Blue, Flamingo Pink, Aqua Breeze, and Purple Sunset.



Basic specs :


2.5-inch QVGA display with 320x240 resolution
Internal, non-removable 3.7 Li Polymer battery
1.8-inch HDD
Supports A2DP/AVRCP stereo streaming Bluetooth
Dual ports: USB 2.0 High Speed mini-B and proprietary connector
Package includes noise-isolation earphones, AC charger/adapter, USB cable







Full specs lifted from official Haier Ibiza Spec sheet:

Freedom and Unlimited Choice:
Music, Videos, Photos, Podcasts, and More
Wireless On Demand Content
Wifi Players
Wifi Player
802.11 b/g
Subject to change without notice
Freedom
• PC Optional
• High Speed Wireless (Wifi)
(802.11 b/g) Connection
• Support for WEP/WPA/
WPA-PSK Security
• Support for Major Hotspots
• Bluetooth Enabled
• Long Battery Life (10 Hours+)
• Internet Browser
Variety
• Free 30-Day Trial to the Rhapsody® To Go Digital
Music Service
• Video
• FM Radio
• Photos
• Podcasts (Audio and Video)
• Search Capability, Playlist Creation, Song
Queuing, Media Deletion Capability
Simplicity
• Wireless Connect “Hot Button”
• Click-Simple Menus
• User-Friendly Controls
• Intuitive User Interface Choice
• Automatic Menu Updates
• Customizable Screen Themes and
Content (Airskins™)
• Mini USB Port: Supports Drag and Drop
Loading and MTP
• WMDRM Compliant
• Downloading or Streaming
• Multitasking
• Simple Touchpad Alpha-Numeric Navigation
* All new services added after launch are delivered OTA automatically.
Features
Video
• AOL Video
• Support for MPEG4, WMV, M4V, AVI, H.264, MPG
• Video Playback (side-loaded content): Supports all
major download services (WMDRM compliant) via the PC
• AOL-Branded Free and Premium Video via Side Loading
• Examples of Anticipated Content:
Amazon Unbox Video Service (2008)
Music Videos from Major Labels (2008)
CNN News Video (2008)
TMZ.com (2008)
IN2TV (2008) Radio
• FM Radio Tuner for Local Programming
• Easy Digital Station Selection & Indicator
• Tune in to Rhapsody Channels for Your Favorite Music
Played with No Interruptions
• FM Radio RDS Service (2008)
• Examples of Anticipated Content:
Shoutcast Internet Radio Service (2008)
Podcasts & More AOL Radio (2008)
• Free, Auto-Updated News and Info
(Multimedia) Podcasts
• Direct Links to 1000+ Categorized Popular Podcasts
• User-Imported Photo and Video Groups
• Drag & Drop Videos and Pictures from
other (USB) Sources
• User-Managed Browser Shortcuts (URLs)
• Share-Users can use Bluetooth and Wired
Headset Simultaneously
Music
• Rhapsody To Go 30-Day Free Trial Included
• Unlimited Access to Millions of Songs
• Non-Stop, Ad-Free Rhapsody Channels in Every Genre
• Instant Playlist Based On Your Listening Habits
• Match your iTunes Library; No Need for Duplicate Tracks
• Support for WMA, AAC, WAV, MP3
• Device Accepts Side-loaded Music in Multiple Formats
(e.g., MP3 ) Directly from PC Libraries
• Play 25 Free Full-Length Songs and Access 20 Free
Rhapsody Channels Every Month without a Subscription
Content
Specifications
Processor: Freescale iMX31: 532 Mhz
Display: Samsung 2.5" QVGA LCD
320 x 240, High Color
60Hz refresh rate
Storage: 30GB, 1.8" HDD, 4 GB & 8 GB Flash Drive
Battery: 3.7 Li Polymer
Wifi: 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth: Supports Bluetooth 2.0 specification
(A2DP, AVRCP)
Input: Touch sensor with button
Quick Connect button
Playback controls
Dedicated volume controls
Ports: USB 2.0 High Speed mini-B
1/8" Stereo headphone with composite
Advanced docking connector
Unit Dimensions: (4-1/8"H x 2-3/8"W x 5/8"D HDD) x (3/8"D Flash)
4.8 ounces HDD Units, 3.0 Ounces Flash Units
1 Year limited manufacturer’s warranty, including parts and labor
Haier Accessories Color Options
• Earphones (included) 30 GB HDD Flash Drive
• AC Charger/Adaptor (included)
• USB 2.0 Transfer Cable (included)
• Travel Cases (optional)
• Docking Station (optional)
• FM Car Charger (optional)
• Bluetooth Headset (optional)
• Speaker Docks (optional)
• Protective Gel Skin (Included)

Haier America 1356 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 www.haieramerica.com
ibiza is a trademark of Haier America Trading, LLC.
© 2007 Haier America Trading, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Rhapsody free trial is available to new customers of Rhapsody only and cannot be used with a current Rhapsody account or with any other special offers. Offer valid for U.S. residents only.
Users must accept standard terms and conditions. Rhapsody and the Rhapsody logo are registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks herein is under license.
Varia, Varia Mobile, SmartScreens, and the Varia Mobile logo are trademarks of Varia Mobile, LLC.
AOL Video, AOL®, and the AOL Logo are trademarks of AOL LLC.
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.


Full package:


















































































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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Epoq's iPod Touch Clone Hits the Market Before the Real One! (and Tops Apple?)

Gorgeous, Hot, feature packed! The new Personal Multimedia Player from Epoq; EMP-TS-28 features a 2.8-inch touchscreen, plays MP4 videos and MP3, WMA and WAV audio files. Besides the look, it features,an FM tuner, dual headphone plugs, miniSD memory expansion, e-Book, USB and a game emulator.









Full specs below, or see them and buy now at firsttoyou.com

FEATURES:

Interface: USB 2.0 HI-SPEED
Supported Audio Codecs:MP3 , WMA (32K ~ 320Kbps)/li>
Supported Video Codecs: MPEG-4 (AVI) Xvid 320*240 24fps (MP3 128Kbps)
Frequency Response: 30HZ~18KHZ , 0dB± 3dB
FM Frequency reception: 76MHz ~ 108MHz
Games
File Viewing: JPG, TXT
Lyrics: LRC
Voice Recording: (WAV) Sampling Rate:8kHz, 16kHz
USB Storage Function
Firmware Update

SPECIFICATIONS:
Sound chip: WOLFSON WM8750
Input and Output: 5PIN USB, 3.5mm stereo earphone output
Screen: 2.8" QVGA TFT Color Display (Resolution: 320*240)
Language Support: Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English
Battery: 1000mAH
Internal Flash Memory Capacity: 2/4 GB
Mini SD slot for additional memory



Specifications & Features:
2 GB (or 4GB doubles following specs) internal Storage: 20 hours of video, 500 songs, 33 hours of music
(Conversion Software 10:1 Compression of video files included)
Built in JPEG Viewer
Built in E-text reader
Built in Video Playback
Built in Mp3 player
Built in Speaker
Built in FM RADIO
Built in Microphone and Voice Recorder
Can Record Directly from Radio
Built in Rechargeable Long Life Lithium Ion Battery Max Life 10 hours
Multi Language Support ( ENGLISH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Swedish, Czech, Chinese Japanese, Korean, Polish, Croatian, Hebrew, Slovian, Turkish, Hungarian, Romanian, Danish)
Supports multiple music formats: MP3, WMA and WAV with good timber and real audio frequency display
Supports MPEG-4 video playback, full-screen display
Built-in high fidelity 8 Ohms speaker
Supports card-inserting function: mini SD card, 128 to 4GB
High-definition JPEG picture browse function
Digital record, A to B replay function
Energy-saving setting, brightness adjustable, customized power off time
Good timber, supports 3-D EQ surrounding effect and customized EQ
High-speed USB 2.0 port
Supports E-book function with bookmark
Supports internal 8GB flash memory
Portable U-disk function
Supports firmware upgrade
Battery: built-in high-quality Lithium batteries
Battery working duration:
Video: six hours
MP3: ten hours
Voice recording: 12 hours
Operating system: Windows SE, ME, 2000, XP, Mac OS 10, Linux 2.4.2 (and 98 with software installation)



Package Contents:



2.8" Epoq EMP-TS28-2
Headphones
Driver CD
Travel Charger (Charge on the road)
USB Cable (charge Via PC and Transfer files)
English User Manual

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Keepon Keeps On Keepin' On at Wired NextFest


Interactive Peronality Robot, Keepon made anoter appearance at Wired's NextFest last week and introduced a new music video with the group Spoon. (adorable video below)


Keepon's creators are currently developing and studying dance-oriented nonverbal play with between children and the robot Keepon, built by Hideki Kozima. Keepon is a small creature-like robot with a soft rubber skin, two cameras in its eyes, and a microphone in its nose:


Keepon is designed to interact with children by communicating attention and emotion. It has four degrees of freedom: attention is directed by turning +/-180° and nodding +/-40°, while emotion is expressed by rocking side-to-side +/-25° and bobbing up to 15mm

The robot Keepon (developed by Hideki Kozima and programmed by Marek Michalowski) dancing to the Spoon song, "Don't You Evah." Keepon
and Spoon will reunite at WIRED NextFest in LA September 10, 2007 for Creative Commons.


"

via Wired NextFest

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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Artificial Arm uses Artificial Muscles!

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