Posted by Charbax on 13th March 2006
Posted in Portable Multimedia, CeBIT | Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 13th March 2006
Posted in Portable Multimedia, CeBIT | Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 12th March 2006
This is an awesome product! It is a 146$ Linux computer (Thinix OS) from China that does all the basic things most people need, like browsing (firefox), emailing (thunderbird), instant messaging (gaim), skype, word processing (Red Office), audio/video playback (mplayer), e-learning, all through a very user-friendly very basic interface and is software upgradable. It has got 40GB, a 400mhz/800mhz Godson 2C processor, 256mb ram, 4 usb2 ports, VGA-output, ps2 input, tv-output and weigths something like 400 grams. Their slogan is “Say no to Wintel”.
More information about the Municator can be found at http://yellowsheepriver.org
Google Video
Stream
Download
Page |
HD (212mb) BitTorrent 
Progressive Download
HTTP Download  |
|
|
SD (111mb) Progressive Download
HTTP Download |
|
Posted in OLPC, Linux, CeBIT | 26 Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 12th March 2006
Posted in Other, CeBIT | Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 11th March 2006
This is one of the most awesome things I have seen yet. It’s very much as an Archos PMA430, it is a Linux PDA which has a 30 gb harddrive. These are the improvements this device has over the Archos PMA430 (released in February 2005):
- 480×272 resolution 4″ wide-touch-screen - usb2-host - wifi-G - upnp interface - wmv/wma DRM - video-on-demand interface - Qtopia Linux 2.1 - nearly no buttons around the screen, everything is done touching the screen
This I think is definately potentially more usefull than an Origami, because it fits in a pocket, and is more Multimedia-on-the-go centric and it will probably cost less than 500€ when it will be released by summer, half the price of an Origami. As the Pocket Media Assistant from Archos might not yet have been a very commercially successfull product, it will be interesting if Thomson, with all its marketing power can bring more customers to the Linux PDA platform which is harddrive PDA for multimedia and networking.
Archos does not have a stand at this years CeBIT, so it is not sure how far they are with their research and development compared to Thomson. The more pocket Linux computer projects the better I think.
This Thomson device does have a possible weakeness which is at the same time a possible strength. It might not be possible to install just any Linux Qtopia software onto it without having it approved by Thomson. They want to control, certify and accept any program be installed, the reason they say is to protect the DRM system for their device.
It will probably be compatible with the video-on-demand set-top-boxes that Thomson is providing to internet service providers as 1&1 in Germany that will soon provide VOD to all its customers through such VOD-box with usb-plugs.
I have some suggestions for Thomson if they read this and didn’t consider those features thoroughly enough yet. They should try to include before launch in June: VOIP (TKCphone or other SIP-compatible VOIP software), IM (gaim/jabber), Bluetooth (for 3G/HSDPA/GPRS..), communications module compartment to put any of WiMax, 3G or both when they become available to add as a module later this year in the same device. The device should be able to go in standby mode where it’s always connected to the internet, to turn on and ring as soon as an email, VOIP, IM or RSS feed is incomming. Basically this device should be more communications centric, more like a blackberry or a smartphone, as it’s so close to also be such. Goal is this kind of device should replace also the mobile phone to do all communications efficiently for fun and for business over available data networks. Also, there should be buttons on each side of the screen and a 2D/3D accelerator chip inside for emulating games (don’t be afraid of emulators, you can sell games for cheap with DRM). Then Nintendo and Sony will get some competition from this device. I write more about it here.

Google Video (14m34)
Stream
Download
Page |
HD (313mb) BitTorrent 
Progressive Download
HTTP Download  |
|
|
SD (142mb) Progressive Download
HTTP Download |
|
Posted in Linux, Portable Multimedia, CeBIT | 3 Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 10th March 2006
Posted in VOIP, CeBIT | Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 10th March 2006
Posted in Other, CeBIT | Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 10th March 2006
Posted in UMPC, CeBIT | 9 Comments »
Posted by Charbax on 10th March 2006
Posted in Other, CeBIT | 1 Comment »