Mobile GPS software: Nokia launches a free navigation service

In these days, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a good sense of orientation when you are driving. It is enough if you have one of those devices known as satellite navigators (aka automotive navigation systems or satnav) at hand.

But those gadgets are not cheap at all. Currently, the most inexpensive satellite navigator costs about $100, and the most sophisticated one costs about $400. Besides, if you need additional services such as traffic reports or suggestions about how to avoid traffic congestions, then you have to pay a monthly subscription.

However, all of this might change soon. Satellite navigation is moving more toward the mobile phones market. And now, Nokia has launched a free satnav service, which is called OVI Maps. This service does not even require an Internet connection in order to operate.

In sharp contrast with other similar services, the OVI Maps users won’t have to update the maps themselves or download several updates from Internet. Instead, Nokia stores those maps directly (and automatically) on mobile phones.

If you want to know more about this service, please click here

Hands On With the Apple iPad The iPad underwhelms in terms of hardware and software, but there’s a lot of potential for innovative content.

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Hardware: Awkward to handle

While the iPad is super slim at only a half-inch thick, I had some difficulty handling it. At 1.5 pounds, it is too heavy to hold in one hand, which is troublesome if you plan on using it as an e-reader. Other e-readers, like Amazon's Kindle 2 or the COOL-ER e-reader, are much lighter in hand and therefore make for a much more comfortable user experience. Using two hands is much more comfortable, but if you're reading a long novel, that could get quite tiresome.

Compared side-by-side, the iPad's 9.7-inch 1024-by-768-pixel LED-backlit display appeared dimmer than my iPhone 3G's (auto-brightness disabled, brightness set to maximum). Whites, in particular, looked much brighter on my iPhone. Apple had no comment, however, when I inquired about the difference. Although, one Apple spokesperson pointed out that a phone--which we expect to use outdoors as easily as indoors--might need to be brighter.

iPad OS: A giant iPhone interface

One of the biggest rumors leading up to the event was that iPhone OS 4.0 would be released in conjunction with the iPad. Instead, the iPad is running iPhone OS 3.2 (which has not been released for actual iPhones yet).

The lack of a fresh, new interface for the iPad is disappointing. There might be some incremental differences between versions 3.1 and 3.2, but to me on the surface, the iPad's interface looked exactly like a blown-up version of my iPhone 3GS'. And in my opinion, the OS doesn't translate very well from the much smaller iPhone 3G to the iPad. It's not so much about the touch aspect of the interface; in fact, navigating by touch is a huge benefit on this roomy screen, superior to, say, the joystick-based navigation of the comparably sized, non-touch Amazon Kindle DX screen. But images, icons, and text aren't as crisp as expected on the higher-resolution iPad. I found it much like watching standard definition video on an HDTV; Apple doesn't seem to have optimized the operating system's visuals for the iPad's display.

Because of the larger display, pretty much all of the native applications we're used to viewing on the iPhone look and function better on the iPad. Video playback, in particular, is stunning on the iPad, but we're disappointed by the lack of Flash support (though that exclusion wasn't exactly surprising, it remains a grievous omission).
As a photo viewer, the iPad shines. Photos looked superb on the iPad's display, and it uses all of the familiar multitouch gestures (flick, pinch to zoom) found on the iPhone's photo app. The iPad's photo application is much better than the iPhone's, too, with on-the-fly slideshow creation (complete with transitions) and different ways of viewing the images (including sorting by places, people, events, and a mini-thumbnail bar at the bottom of the screen to jump quickly to other photos in the album). Unfortunately, the sorting capabilities will only work if you're using iPhoto--which means that those of who use any number of alternative imaging applications for the PC or the Mac (the majority of potential iPad users) are left in the dark with regard to those features.

Touch keyboard disappoints

Like the rest of the OS, the touch keyboard is a larger version of the iPhone's. But unlike on the iPhone, the keyboard has no letter magnification when you press a key, and I found I missed this visual cue immensely. And unsurprisingly, it lacks haptic feedback (part of Android phones). You get no physical or visual feedback when you press a key and that's frustrating if you're trying to pound out a long e-mail. The experience, oddly, is akin to typing on the native Android OS' touch keyboard.

Apple will be offering a keyboard dock accessory, which gives you an actual physical keyboard to work with ($69). You can also place it in the iPad Case ($39), which allows you to angle it slightly. This feels much more comfortable than just laying the tablet flat and typing. Both of these items are sold separately, though.

iPhone apps don't fly on iPad

One of the big concerns among developers and users before the iPad's announcement was whether iPhone apps would work on the device. Thankfully, they do, but the experience isn't exactly ideal. You can either view an iPhone app as a small window or doubled to fill the display. I demoed the Assassin's Creed and Oregon Trail apps, and was put off by the obvious pixelation. Text in Facebook looked fuzzy, too.

Clearly, this an interim fix until actual apps are developed for the iPad. And I expect many app makers will create versions optimized for iPad. I see a lot of gaming potential for the iPad, but cool 3D graphics game like Assassins Creed just doesn't work on the iPad.

Luckily, the iPad isn't shipping for another 60 days, so hopefully more content will be developed by then. And who knows? Some of the issues I've noticed on this demo unit may be fixed by then.

Right now, I'm not sold on either the hardware or the software. But excellent, optimized content might change my opinion.

New Invention Ideas & Cool Gadgets

Exclusive Garia Luxury Golf Car

Golf is often associated with old men who have nothing better to do than fill their time, hitting a small ball across miles of land. But, the game is played by everyone, and a new company have catered for the hardcore golfer, willing to invest heavily into their pasttime. Golf can be relatively expensive at the best of times, with the correct clubs, correct bag, correct balls and a course membership. Well add on top of all that another $17,499 and you will also be able to afford this new...


Computer

Personal computers are now commonplace in most homes throughout the world, and are relied on heavily by both individuals and businesses. The invention of the computer is relatively new, emerging into our lives relatively late in the 20th century. The technology to build such intricate and sophisticated systems was simply not available prior to this, though advancements in microelectronics made the vision of a computer a realistic one. The two innovations in electronics which allowed for...

Norton Launches New 2010 Products with New Detection Technologies

With cybercrime a constant menace online, Norton's latest 2010 products has a new security model to combat the multitude of malware and phishing threats. Known as Quorum, this new method "tracks files and applications and dozens of their attributes such as their age, download source, digital signature, and prevalence. These attributes are then combined using complex algorithms to determine a reputation. As a file is distributed across the Internet and these attributes change, Quorum updates the reputation of the file. This reputation is especially important when a file is new, likely to be a threat, and traditional defenses are not likely to detect it."



HWM's editor, David Chieng had an opportunity to talk with Mr. David Hall, Regional Consumer Product Marketing Manager for Symantec Asia Pacific recently, with a HWM ViewPoint video as the result.

Norton Launches New 2010 Products with New Detection Technologies
Systems and Software | Just Announced
Fri 23 Oct 2009

With cybercrime a constant menace online, Norton's latest 2010 products has a new security model to combat the multitude of malware and phishing threats. Known as Quorum, this new method "tracks files and applications and dozens of their attributes such as their age, download source, digital signature, and prevalence. These attributes are then combined using complex algorithms to determine a reputation. As a file is distributed across the Internet and these attributes change, Quorum updates the reputation of the file. This reputation is especially important when a file is new, likely to be a threat, and traditional defenses are not likely to detect it."

HWM's editor, David Chieng had an opportunity to talk with Mr. David Hall, Regional Consumer Product Marketing Manager for Symantec Asia Pacific recently, with a HWM ViewPoint video as the result.

8 Mobile Technologies to Watch in 2009, 2010

Analyst firm Gartner has just released a report that highlights eight up-and-coming mobile technologies which they predict will impact the mobile industry over the course of the next two years. According to Nick Jones, vice president and analyst at the firm, the technologies they've identified will evolve quickly and will likely pose issues that will have to be addressed by short term strategies.

The eight technologies identified include the following:

Bluetooth 3.0

This is one of the no-brainers on the list. The bluetooth 3.0 specification will be released this year and devices will start to hit the shelves by 2010. At this point, it's expected that the 3.0 spec will include faster speeds, reportedly transferring files at 480 megabits per second in close proximity and 100 megabits per second at 10 meters. It will also feature an ultra-low-power mode that Gartner predicts will enable new peripherals, sensors, and applications, such as health monitoring. The technology will be backwards compatible, allowing old devices to communicate with new ones, so there's no reason for it not take off in the upcoming years

Mobile User Interfaces + Mobile Web/Widgets

Mobile user interfaces and mobile web/widgets were listed separately, accounting for two items on the list, but we think they can be lumped together. They all point to how mobile computing is rapidly becoming a new platform for everything from consumer mobile apps to B2E (business-to-employee) and B2C (business-to-customer). (Gartner did not include B2B on their list.) Modern day smartphones like the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, the upcoming Pre, and others deliver better interfaces for browsing the web, thus making it accessible to more people. Widget-like applications, including those that replicate thin client technology, will become more common especially in B2C strategies. Yet the mobile web still has challenges ahead. For example, there are no standards for browser access to handset services like the camera or GPS, the report notes.

Location Awareness

Location sensing, powered by GPS as well as Wi-Fi and triangulation, opens up new possibilities for mobile social networking and presence applications. Technology's earliest adopters are already familiar with social networks like Brightkite and Loopt which let you reveal your location to a network of friends. But we're still on the tip of this iceberg. Take for example, the iPhone IM client Palringo, they're just now adding location services to their application. This allows users to see how far away their contacts are, introducing a whole new dimension to mobile communication. Over the next year or two, this sort of technology is expected to become more commonplace, but it will also raise questions about privacy. Will you want your network of online friends and acquaintances to really know your exact location? Will turning off location awareness signal that you're up to something sneaky (so asks the suspicious wife, husband, boss, etc.)? As a society, we will have to answer these questions and more in the near future.

Near Field Communication (NFC)

NFC is a technology that provides a way for consumers to use their mobile phones for making payments, among other things. It's something that has taken off in many countries worldwide, but certainly not all, and definitely not in the United States just yet. Unfortunately, Gartner predicts that the move towards mobile payment systems will still not occur this year or the next in mature markets like the U.S. and Western Europe. Instead, NFC is more likely to take off in emerging markets. Other uses of the technology, such as the ability to transfer photos from phone to digital photo frames, will also remain elusive to more developed markets.

802.11n & Cellular Broadband

802.11n, a specification for wireless local area networks (WLANs), initially gave us pause. Although not ratified as an official standard yet, the technology is already commonplace. However, until it "goes gold" so to speak, it won't really infiltrate the mobile world. Even the ubiquitous iPhone only support 802.11 b/g at the moment.

On the flip side, the other internet connection technology, cellular broadband, has the potential to make Wi-Fi almost unnecessary, at least for achieving high speeds. In addition to mobile phones, laptop makers will likely continue to incorporate this technology into their netbooks and notebooks using modern chipsets that provide superior performance to our current crop of add-on cards and dongles.

Display Technologies

Display technologies will also see improvements in the upcoming years. New technologies like active pixel displays, passive displays and pico projectors will have an impact. Pico projectors - the tiny portable projectors we saw being introduced at this year's CES - will enable new mobile use cases. Instant presentations in informal settings could become more common when there isn't large, cumbersome equipment to set up. The different types of display technologies introduced in 2009 and 2010 will become important differentiators between devices and will impact user selection criterion, says Gartner.

Latest Invention: Washing Machine That Doesn't Need Water

British company Xeros looks forward to conquer the American market with its latest invention, a new washing system able to save a lot of water using nylon beads. The beads tumble wash clothes using 90 percent less water than traditional washers.

In addition, the company's latest invention, which is currently in the development stage, requires less detergent. Xeros claims that there would be no need for tumble drying and if the homes in the United States would switch to the new system, the emissions of carbon dioxide would be considerably reduced. The result would be as though 5 million vehicles have been removed from the road. The company also says that the new washing machine will save 1.2 billion tons of water each year, which equals 17 million swimming pools.

The washing machines does its job using small nylon beads that eliminate stains off clothes and lock them into the molecular structure of the nylon. The beads can be used for hundreds of washes and afterwards they can be easily recycled. The technology behind the new washing machine is the result of a research carried out at the University of Leeds. It has been used in a concept washing machine by the Cambridge Consultants.

After carrying out tests for over three years, Xeros, a spinout from the University, managed to achieve an agreement with Kansas City-based GreenEarth Cleaning, which intends to market Xeros' latest invention across North American continent in 2010.

Lockheed Martin IronClad PC-on-a-Stick secures Desktop and Data for Telecommuters

The IronClad shrinks a laptop' hard drive, including the entire operating system, software applications, and files, onto a fully encrypted flash drive - a PC-on a-stick that delivers hardware-level protection against today's most insidious malware threats

For most people the name Lockheed Martin relates to missiles, rockets, simulators, robotics, satellites, aircraft and advanced military systems but look up the company’s “about us” page on the global web site, and you’ll see that the 140,000 LM employees who bring in around US$43 billion in revenues each year, see themselves as working for a security company. Which might serve as some degree of confidence that the company’s new IronClad “PC on a stick” USB drive offers military-strength security for their out-of-office computing. The IronClad shrinks a laptop’s hard drive, including the entire operating system, software applications, and files, onto a fully encrypted flash drive - a “PC on a stick” that delivers hardware-level protection against today’s most insidious malware threats, and it costs way less than a Longbow helicopter, a Cassini satellite, Titan rocket or SR-71 Blackbird.

The IronClad™ is a totally secure “PC on a stick” which users on-the-go can plug into just about any computer or laptop in the world, and have instant, secure access to their own personal desktop and files.

The IronClad technology runs the operating system directly off of the flash drive, meaning the user’s files never touch the hard drive of the borrowed computer, and the device leaves no trace that it was ever there.

“Imagine leaving the office at the end of the day and, instead of slinging a laptop bag on your shoulder, you tuck a flash drive the size of a stick of gum in your pocket,” said Charles Croom, Lockheed Martin’s Vice President of Cyber Security Solutions. “With IronClad drives, employees who need to work at home or on travel, or field operatives who deploy around the country or around the globe, can carry not just their files but their entire computer on a three-inch USB drive. We’ve built a smart network around each drive, so IT managers have round-the-clock control of and visibility into the status and security of every device.”

Steve Ryan, senior vice president at IronKey said, “USB storage devices are rendered relatively useless without the proper authentication and security precautions in place. IronKey is a security company first and foremost, and IronClad drives leverage IronKey’s highly secure architecture design. We are very pleased to be working with Lockheed Martin to deliver this trusted, secure product with hardware-only password checking, secure virtual desktop and remote management capabilities.”

IronClad technology works by integrating advanced features at the hardware, software, and network levels: Rugged, Secure Hardware: Built on IronKey’s proven secure USB drives, each IronClad drive includes at least 8GB of 256-bit encrypted storage, wrapped in a rugged, water- and shock-resistant metal casing.

Patent-Pending Mobile Computing Software: Custom Lockheed Martin technology lets users run their entire desktop – from the operating system to specific applications and files – directly off of the USB drive. Built-in advanced virus protection lets users plug into any shared or public computer with confidence.

Network-Wide Management: Each IronClad drive is a node on a centrally-managed network that lets IT organizations control security policies, keep watch on each drive, and carefully manage the applications that can or cannot be installed on the drive.

Croom noted that IronClad technology is envisioned as a key component of an organization’s cyber security strategy. “Data at the ‘edge’ – carried by your mobile employees on laptops and smart phones – is significantly harder to physically protect than the data inside the walls of your building,” he said. “The enterprise management tools built into each IronClad drive make it significantly easier to monitor, control and manage your cyber security profile. We envision this system as a key component of any IT organization’s smart, layered cyber security architecture.” IronClad technology will be featured at the 13th Annual Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee Kickoff Technology Policy Exhibition, on January 26, 2010.

IronClad drives and enterprise management software are available directly from Lockheed Martin and will soon be available via Lockheed Martin’s GSA schedule purchasing vehicle.