Tough iPad Alternative

For those people who want to have a tablet computer but afraid that it might break easily might consider this especially for those who always misplace their stuff.

Panasonic unveils Android Toughbook slate for Q4, sledgehammer sold seperately

Tired of handling your tablet with kid gloves? Go ahead, take them off -- a Toughbook slate is heading your way. Strutting its stuff at InfoComm this week, Panasonic's Android Toughbook tablet boasts a sunlight-friendly 10.1-inch multi-touch display, satellite-based GPS, full-shift battery life and optional 3G / 4G connectivity. Wrap it up in the same badass durability as its snowmobile-abused, tiger-gnawed brethren, and you've got a Android slab for the everyman. No specifics on pricing or release just yet, but feel free to hit up the press release after the break for a slew of feel-good factoids.

 

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/panasonic-unveils-android-toughbook-slate-for-q4-sledgehammer-s/

A USD$25 computer

Don't expect much when you see it.

Raspberry Pi Computer only USD$25 a Pop

Finally here’s a solution you can give to those pesky little people asking you what computer they should buy before telling you they want something small, basic internet usage and do not want a netbook: this Raspberry Pi computer that is barely larger than an average USB stick. Do not look down on it’s boring appearance that could do better with at least a casing, the Raspberry Pi (do you feel like you’re suddenly craving for raspberry pies?) is actually functional enough for modern use with a 700MHz ARM 11 processor, a USB port, a HDMI port and an install of Ubuntu Linux.

 

To get this thing working, all you need to do is plug it into a display via the HDMI port and a keyboard via the USB port and voila! You have yourself a new computer. While I guess a normal user won’t fancy a thing like that, it’s actually designed to encourage schoolchildren to hack and modify it to unlock its true potential.  Yes, schoolchildren because you must start them off young. 

 

The Raspberry is packed with 128MB of SDRAM, OpenGL ES2.0, 1080p HD decoding, composite output, SD card slot and other software such as Iceweasel and Python. Additionally, a 12MP camera sensor can be connected to it too. Oh and not forgetting the price, the ultra-small computer comes with an ultra-affordable price too at USD$25; well, rather affordable at least for a computer at least.

http://www.lowyat.net/v2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4380&Itemid=2

 

Coming soon: 1Malaysia Email

1Malaysia e-mail accounts for Malaysians over 18

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians aged 18 and above will be assigned an e-mail account each to receive statements, bills and notices from the Government.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who announced this yesterday, said the 1MY E-mail initiative would allow “direct and secure” communication between citizens and the Government while enhancing the delivery of government services to consumers and businesses alike.

Tricubes Bhd is collaborating with Microsoft to develop the 1Malaysia E-mail project.

The company will spearhead the private RM50mil investment that also includes the development of a web portal as a one-stop centre for government services providing value-added services such as social networking, checking of bills online and payments.

Tricubes chief executive officer Khairun Zainal Mokhtar said the company was still conducting stress tests for the website.

“Hopefully, we can get it ready by July,” he told a press conference at the fifth progress update of the Economic Transformation Programme here yesterday.

Khairun said the portal was different from the MyEG website, which focused on the payment of bills and summonses, as it would allow interaction between people and the Government.

The Performance Management and Delivery Unit, responding to queries said the 1Malaysia E-mail would not be made compulsory.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/20/nation/8517754&sec=nation

At least we won't get any late charges if we frequently checked our email next time.

Hopefully, the government agencies can collaborate with this perfectly to avoid any unnecessary work. 

HTC Flyer coming soon to Malaysia

HTC's tablet PC is coming soon on May 12th 2011, available from Maxis.


HTC Flyer To Hit Malaysia In May, For As Low As RM 199

At the same time of HTC Desire S launch yesterday, HTC has also unveiled their first ever tablet – the HTC Flyer. Spotting a 7-inch display, it is powered by a 1.5GHz single-core processor together with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It also runs on Android 2.4 operating system covered with the new HTC Sense 3.0 user interface.

The HTC Flyer comes together with HTC’s own stylus technology called HTC Scribe which allows user not only to sketch, draw and writes notes but also, record audio in line with their written notes for user to trace back later on. The Flyer will also become the debut platform for HTC Watch - the company’s own video subscription service – that is scheduled to be available in Malaysia sometime in Q4 2011.

Unfortunately, the new HTC Flyer is not available for consumers for the time being as it will only be released to the Malaysian market on 12th May 2011, again exclusively at all Maxis Centres and Maxis Exclusive Partners. Damage to the pocket? RM 2,499 - rather hefty, if you ask me.

That being said, Maxis will be offering the device at a lower price for their customers through their exclusive partnership with HTC but the telco have not reveal the actual subsidized pricing. They did give a hint though: from as low as RM 199. Yes, you have read that correctly- one hundred and ninety nine ringgit; more than 90% off the standard retail price.

Obviously, there will be a catch to this deal. Just that you can only find out about it on launch day itself, 12th May at www.maxis.com.my. So, get ready for whatever surprises that Maxis have in stores in slightly less than a month time. For the time being, enjoy the actual product shots taken at the launch event and its technical specifications right after the jump.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

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http://www.lowyat.net/v2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4259&Itemid=1

Malaysia is ninth friendliest

FRANKFURT: Malaysia is considered to be one of the 10 “friendliest” countries in the world according to a survey conducted by HSBC. Malaysia is ranked 9th in the list.

Apart from the local people being friendly, foreigners found it easy to intergrate and live in the local environment. These were among the criteria outlined in the survey.

The HSBC poll surveyed over 4,000 people from more than 100 countries between April and June last year.

Eighty per cent of those surveyed said English was their mother tongue.

Germany, a non-English-speaking country, however, ranked 10th in the survey.

Ranked third, South Africa was rated very open' to foreigners who want to live there.

The top eight in the list are Canada, Bermuda, South Africa, United States, Australia, Spain, France and Britain. - Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/16/nation/8491969&sec=nation

P1 to have LTE

P1 is going to upgrade its network by deploying LTE-TDD which generally means we can get faster speeds, claimed to reach up to 110Mbps, and the good part for P1 subscribers is that they just need a software upgrade to use the new network.

P1 to deploy LTE-TDD technology

THE BIG PICTURE: Lai talking about long-term evolution-time division duplex (LTE-TDD) technology to the media in Port Dickson recently.

 

PORT DICKSON: Those of us using mobile Internet services will have more choices when Packet One Networks Malaysia (P1) launches its LTE-TDD (long-term evolution-time division duplex) network at the end of 2012.

It plans to start trial runs of the wireless broadband network technology at the end of this year and is now in the midst of identifying the areas in the country where it will conduct the tests.

P1 wants to roll out LTE-TDD commercially at the close of next year. "We have submitted a business plan to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and are waiting its approval," Michael Lai, P1's chief executive officer, said during a media retreat here.

LTE-TDD is a fourth-generation technology that promises even faster wireless access speeds for mobile device users, as well as enhanced capacity for broadband network providers, than is available now.

At the event, China's ZTE Corp, which is P1's network partner, demonstrated LTE-TDD speeds of up to 110Mbps (megabits per second). The top speed is claimed to be 120Mbps.

A typical 90-minute high-definition movie (720p) would take 7 minutes to download at 110Mbps.

P1's current WiMAX technology network offers speeds of up to 45Mbps, and the same movie would take 18 minutes to download on that.

However, the speeds depend on how many users are on the network at the same time.

The more users there are in a particular sector around a base station, the slower the speeds will be.

A hurdle to LTE-TDD is the lack of devices configured to operate on that network now. And the small number of such devices currently available are too expensive for the average user.

"Without compatible and affordable devices, consumers will not be able to fully leverage on the power of the LTE-TDD network," Lai said.

But he is confident that the number of LTE-TDD-enabled products will increase by the time P1 kicks off its LTE-TDD network in this country.

Also, he said, global telecommunications giants China Mobile and InfoTel of India are the main drivers of LTE-TDD technology in Asia.

He said China Mobile is conducting large-scale LTE-TDD trials in six cities in China; these cities have a population greater than 100 million each.

InfoTel has conducted similar trials in India with Ericsson, the Swedish provider of telecommunications and data communications systems.

Lai said another reason for his confidence in LTE-TDD is that more than 17 telcos worldwide are offering services based on the technology now.

"And as at the first quarter of this year, there are about 320,000 subscribers to those services in total," he added.

The transition from a WiMAX-based to LTE-TDD network requires only a software update, which is one of its attractions to P1.

http://techcentral.my/news/story.aspx?file=/2011/4/15/it_news/20110415163145&sec=it_news