While HDD vendors are still pushing areal density limits, SSD manufacturers seem to be kicking back and soaking in the profits associated with a cutting edge technology. Unsatisfied with the lack of innovation in the space, a team from Keio University has developed an inductive coupling wireless communication technology, which is used within a solid state drive composed of “three-dimensionally layered 64 NAND flash memory chips.” The development is being highlighted at ISSCC 2009, and it’s bruited that drives constructed using this tech can operate with 50 percent less power compared to traditional SSDs. Additionally, the wireless communication that goes on enables the amount of wires within to be cut down significantly (from 1,500 to 200 in one example). We can only imagine that those involved with the process are pushing hard to get it implemented by SSD makers, and while we’re still looking for overall prices to drop before we start focusing on anything else, we’ll certainly take a performance boost (and energy savings) while they’re at it.

[Via HotHardware]

Filed under: Wireless, Storage

Inductive coupling slashes SSD power consumption originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As you’re no doubt aware, we’re real suckers for Palm’s Pre on tape, and this “Meet Pre” specimen hasn’t yet assuaged our thirst. We suppose it’s the exact type of stuff demonstrated on the video that keeps us coming back: webOS presents some new paradigms for interaction and integration, and, like the iPhone before it, will take a considerable amount of digestion to really come to terms with. Plus it’s pretty. This video demonstrates a few interesting tidbits, such as a list of folks invited to a meeting and which ones will be going — a nice integration of calendar and contacts — and the phone is shown “sending” a webpage to a friend, which involves forwarding a link and an attached .png screenshot, perfect for mobile-to-mobile communications. Here’s hoping we hear more about the phone this week at MWC… and a 3G GSM edition certainly wouldn’t be unwelcome. Video is after the break.

Continue reading New “Meet Pre” video demonstrates new functionality, incredible calming effect

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

New “Meet Pre” video demonstrates new functionality, incredible calming effect originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Been hankering for a low-end Nokia XpressMusic device in a familiar and unthreatening form factor? Then you might want to check in with the 5630, a candybar the company just shuttled off to the FCC for review (and dissection, if these pictures are any indication). In case you forgot, the device will sport a 3.2 megapixel camera with built-in flash, GPS, S60 3rd Edition (a personal fave of Engadget Mobile), and the “active toolbar” which we’ve seen more recently on the Tube… er, 5800 XpressMusic. The phone also supports N-gage games, and though we’ve been led to understand the device rocks an HSDPA / HSUPA radio, the manual up on the FCC’s site only mentions GPRS and EDGE connectivity. For now we’ll just assume that some kind of crazy joke (or typical US neutering of Nokia handsets). Check a pic of the gutted device after the break, and hit the read link for the full Commission rundown.

[Via Electronic Pulp]

Continue reading Nokia’s 5630 XpressMusic hits the FCC

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia’s 5630 XpressMusic hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If this last week’s wide assortment of pre-show announcements and leaks was any indication, this is going to be one helluva MWC. Naturally, we’re here, on the ground, scarfing down tapas and working ourselves into a mild frenzy. The excitement is due to begin at 5PM local time (11AM EST) with some pre-show events, and should carry well into the night as phones are unveiled, embargoes lift, and we get our hands on the latest and greatest. The show proper begins tomorrow, so rouse yourself a few hours early, pour a pot of coffee into your face, head on over to Engadget Mobile and get ready for phones, phones and more phones!

Nuestro equipo de Engadget en español también está aquí, y realizará las coberturas en directo y en español!

Filed under: Cellphones

GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: we’re here! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, we were skeptical when we first saw V12 Design’s dual LCD concept — but it seems to be one step closer to production. Named the Canova, the Italian designed laptop boasts an LCD where the keyboard and trackpad traditionally are. We don’t have any specifics about the construction or innards of this crazy-looking beast yet, but they’ve hooked up with an American company, Estari, to bring the laptop into reality. We also hear it’s going to cost somewhere around 0 when it hits the streets sometime “soon.” Check a few more photos after the break.

[Via Notebook Italia]

Continue reading V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production?

Filed under: Laptops

V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hopefully your retinas aren’t burning, but we can definitely understand if you need to take a few minutes and resume reading later after viewing the image above. An almost unlawful amount of cuteness has mauled this otherwise average Casio EXILIM digital camera, which just so happens to boast a 9 megapixel sensor, 2.6-inch rear LCD monitor, 41.2MB of internal storage space, an SDHC card slot, 3x optical zoom lens, a video recording mode and a borderline sickening amount of crystals, pink and Hello Kitty. Those who don’t mind blinding their guests each time they attempt to snap a shot can grab one now for ¥47,250 (3), but you can probably guess what our recommendation would be.

[Via Topix]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Casio digicam gets overrun by Hello Kitty originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Given that the memories of that classified DAP fiasco are still fresh on our brains, this one’s a bit less shocking than it might otherwise be. Sure, we’ve heard of scatterbrained MI6 agents selling confidential digital cameras on eBay, but it’s another thing entirely to see multiple US Army laptops making their way out to unsanctioned trading posts in Pakistan. A new report over at Military and GlobalPost explains that some high-tech gadgets are being confiscated on supply routes and from within vehicles, and from there, the wares are making their way to black market shops for anyone to buy. Anything from ruggedized computers to stabilized binoculars to night vision mounts have been spotted, and there’s plenty of pictures to prove it. We must say, we’re a bit worried about detailed war schematics slipping so easily into the hands of the enemy, but who knows, maybe they’re just looking for a little Minesweeper action to take their minds away from it all.

[Thanks, Jamie]

Read - Gear on black market
Read - Pictures to prove it

Filed under: Laptops

US military laptops, other gear filtering out to black market originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It sounds more like something you’d see in X-Men than on an actual operating table in real life, but a team at Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a way to heal surgical incisions with laser light. Christened laser-bonded healing, the methodology has been studied for years, but up until now, scientists have found it impossible to find the perfect balance of heat required to coax tissue into healing itself back together. Irene Kochevar described the process as “nano suturing,” as diminutive collagen fibers are woven together in a way that the old-fashioned needle-and-thread method simply can’t match. The benefits, as you can likely imagine, are numerous: less scarring, faster recovery, the potential for fewer infections and bragging rights that you were struck with lasers and survived. Still, the procedure is far from becoming commonplace in ORs, given that the dermatological procedure hasn’t even been submitted to the FDA yet. ‘Til then, it’s up to you and Wolverine to figure things out.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Laser-bonded healing could replace needle and thread originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, the march toward the ridiculous in the nanometer scale has continued unabated, but silicon can (probably) take us only so far. Some scientist types at Yale have developed a new fabrication process using bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), which are “amorphous metals” that can avoid crystalizing when cooled in a specific way. The upshot is that the metal — while seeming solid — acts as a slow-flowing liquid, with no structure beyond the atomic level. The BMGs can therefore replace several steps in the chip-stamping process, since they’re more durable than silicon, but are more pliable than normal metals. Right now the folks at Yale are making patterns as small as 13nm, with better processes to come.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

New fabrication technique uses amorphous metals for building computer chips and killing machines originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a press release recently issued by Qualcomm, the company states that it’s taking direct aim at the sub-0 smartphone market with a new chipset on offer. The platform — known as the MSM7227 — is apparently designed with higher-power, lower-cost handsets in mind, offering HSDPA / HSUPA radios, a 600MHz CPU, 320MHz application DSP, 400MHz modem processor, hardware-accelerated 3D graphics, Bluetooth 2.1, and GPS support integrated in a 12mm x 12mm chipset. The MSM7227 can also supposedly handle 8 megapixel camera and 30 FPS WVGA encoding / decoding with ease, and is capable of supporting Android, S60, Windows Mobile, and BREW platforms. Given the company’s recent foray into Snapdragon and other pricier options, it’s interesting to see them taking a shine to the low end of the market. We know that ASUS are planning on launching a cheaper Eee phone sometime soon, and they’re currently snuggling up to Qualcomm for chip duty on an Android device. Is this the year we’ll see the rise of the smartphone version of the netbook (cheap, plentiful, almost disposable)? Only MWC knows for sure.

[Via The Inquirer]

Filed under: Cellphones

Qualcomm makes a play for the sub-0 smartphone market with new chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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