Google's fast and light net book operating system, Chrome OS, isn't due out until late fall, but thumb drive owners can jump into an open-source build of the code so far. You can run a custom build of Chrome OS from Hexxeh from your thumb drive and try out Chrome as it stands today. Isn't open source development cool?
Hexxeh, has updated his unofficial ChromiumOS build to automatically update, support more video and Wi-Fi hardware, use webcams, and offer menu customization. All it needs is a 2 GB USB stick. That's all it needs to boot, but whether it sings or just struggles depends on your hardware. It's also a pretty hefty 327 MB download, straight from a server at the moment, but it might be the last time you'll have to download for a while. Automatic updates, which were being beta tested in a previous update, are now set up by default, so you won't have to re-flash your USB drive when Hexxeh pushes another update.
Have you spent too much time waiting for large files to crawl between a computer and an external hard drive? Don't fret -- USB 3.0 has arrived. Not only can it move data faster and provide more power, but it's compatible with USB 2.0 devices.
Developed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), USB 3.0's SuperSpeed specification promises a theoretical top speed of 5Gbit/sec. versus USB 2.0's 480Mbit/sec.
Read full text The key to blending old and new is NEC's μPD720200 controller chip. It has the circuitry for USB 2.0 and 3.0 transfers inside and can use either, depending on what's plugged in. Right now, it's the only game in town, but look for other companies, including Symwave, Fujitsu and Via, to introduce their own USB 3.0 chips in the coming months.
The first round of USB 3.0 cards and devices works with Windows Vista and Windows 7; Apple hasn't decided whether to support the new standard. The basic software for USB 3.0 has been in the Linux kernel since last fall, and the needed drivers are slowly coming out.
What's new in USB 3.0?
Unlike the change from USB 1.0 to USB 2.0, USB 3.0 brings actual physical differences to the connectors. The flat USB Type A plug (that goes into the computer) looks the same, but inside is an extra set of connectors; the edge of the plug is colored blue to indicate that it's USB 3.0. On the other end of the cable, the Type B plug (that goes into the USB device) actually looks different -- it has an extra set of connectors, so it looks a bit like a USB plug that's been crimped a little ways down one end. There's also a new Micro Type B plug that has all its connectors laid out horizontally.
The USB 3.0 plug has an extra set of connectors.
As a result, you won't be able to fit a USB 3.0 cable into a USB 2.0 device. However, you will be able to plug USB 3.0 devices -- and cables -- into your current computer; you just won't get the speed advantage. (Note: To get the most out of USB 3.0, the cable needs to be less than about 9 feet long, down from the USB 2.0 16-foot limit.) The reason for the new connector is that the USB 3.0 cable contains nine wires (four more than a USB 2.0 cable); eight carry data and one is used as a ground. Despite the increase in wires, however, the cables should be no thicker than those used by USB 2.0. There will be a big difference in performance, however. USB 2.0 is like a single-lane country road that needs to handle the morning-commute traffic in and out of L.A. There are jams and slowdowns when too much data is going back and forth. With nine wires available, USB 3.0 has an additional two lanes of traffic in each direction to smooth the flow between the computer and the device.
While SuperSpeed's peak speed is 5Gbit/sec., it will drop to a slower speed on occasion -- for example, when it moves data into and out of older devices or when it's being used with a too-long cable. On top of faster data speeds, USB 3.0 provides up to 150 milliamps (mA) of electricity -- 50% more than USB 2.0 -- to an unconfigured device while the computer it's connected to is finding and loading its needed software. Once the device has been configured and accepted by the computer's operating system, USB 3.0 can deliver 900mA to the device, compared with USB 2.0's 500mA. This should be more than enough to power a hard drive or a camcorder -- or even a USB device (such as a monitor or a projector) that needs more power than is available via a USB 2.0 port. USB 3.0 offers power conservation as well. While USB 2.0 is either on or off and wastes power when it isn't being used, the new spec comes with three levels of power use that draw progressively less power.
The VAIO Z and Y Series PCs are the world’s first out-of-the box laptops that act as a personal hotspot. Select models of these series feature the exclusive new Sony embedded wireless technology called Share My Connection (SMC). With SMC you can turn your laptop into a mobile wireless access point that can connect up to five other PCs or networked devices, such as smartphones, mp3 players, and cameras. Of course a subscription is required.
The Z model offers premium portability and serious power as it weighs in at just 3.0 lbs. It features a durable carbon fiber and aluminum casing and is supposed to deliver up to seven hours of battery life for true mobile freedom. It incorporates a 13.1-inch high-resolution LED backlit widescreen display, that should deliver a bright picture with 100 percent color saturation. The extremely thin unit also comes with an optical drive (Blu-ray optical drive optional).
The Y Series laptops comes in five colors including purple violet, fuchsia pink, pear green, teal blue and black. With a thin 1.2-inch profile and 13.3-inch LED backlit widescreen display, the sleek Y model offers lower power consumption for improved battery life for that active student lifestyle.
The new devices are available for pre-sale at www.sony.com/SMC but only in the US for now. They’re priced at about Rs. 35,450 ($770) for the VAIO Y Series and Rs. 89. 700 ($1,950) for the VAIO Z Series.
From the endless number of products showcased at Computex 2010, some will not be coming to India, but again, some will, and very soon. Netbooks, laptops, all-in-one PCs, nettops, wireless display panels and what not, let’s take a quick look at some of products that we found interesting.
Zotac nettops There are three variants we came across, the ZBOX HD-ID11, HD AD01 and the HD-ND22. While the specifications of each of these are mentioned in the images, let’s quickly run through them.
ZBOX HD-ID11 * Chipset: Intel NM10 * Processor: Intel Atom D510 (dual-core and hyper-threaded) * RAM: DDR2-800 * HDD options: 2.5-inch SATA/SDD * GPU: Nvidia Next-gen Ion * Display options: VGA/DVI/HDMI * Connectivity and ports: Wi-Fi/Gigabit Ethernet/USB/eSATA/memory card reader * Bundle: Looks like this PC will come with an external optical drive, and, the keyboard looks interesting. It’s the size of the TV remote controller, with a touchpad for the mouse function.
* Form factor: Less than an inch in thickness * Weight: 1 kg * Battery life: 8-hours * Screen: 10.1-inch (1024 x 768) * Chipset: Intel NM10 * Processor: Intel Atom N450 * HDD: upto 250 GB * Connectivity: Wi-Fi N or Wi-Fi b/g
* Processor: AMD Phenom/Turion/Athlon * GPU: ATI Radeon HD 5650/5470 * Screen: 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) * RAM: upto 4 GB DDR3-1066 * Connectivity: Wi-Fi N or Wi-Fi b/g
