Intel Seeks Reboot in Television Market With Google TV
UPDATE: Intel hopes to find success in pushing its chips to TVs and overcome past failures with Google TV.

Read more on PC World

 

Pocket Porn on the Iphone

The big screen fast internet connection combined with its user friendliness, makes lots of users attracted to the iPhone.

Men en stor skjerm, rask internett-tilkobling og brukervennlighet er det ikke bare mobilbrukere verden over som blir tiltrukket av iPhone. The leading content providers for porn has according to Time Magazine embraced the iPhone to be the dream come through for pocket pornography. They are just looking forward to the iPhone firmware 2.0 that with 3G will have more speed than its predecessor. iPhone is the most user-friendly telephone in the market and suited best of all phones to receive porn related stuff.

Apple does not comment on this issue at all so far, but has spoken out now;

”We do not tolerate the pornographic content is distributed via the iPhone, and we will ban adult content in our official applications in the same way we have limited the access to such content in our podcast section on the Apple Store”.

It is not (just) a Telephone – and We Talk About the Iphone 3G

Lots of people spend energy discussing what iPhone can and can not do, compared to its competitors like HTC, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Blackberry and many more. Some are of the opinion that iPhone is the largest invention since the wheel was discovered, and others think it is a hoax. What is the real strategy behind Apples’ work on this product?

iPhone is not foremost a telephone. iPhone is a small computer and media player that you also can make phone calls with. Apple has made the first handheld computer platform that is so user friendly that you and me actually want to explore its potential it can offer you. Everybody that has dealt with the smart phones, PDAs’ and pocket PCs’ in the mobile and computer industry, knows that it is not something to be taken for granted. You will not be in love with a smart phone that is all other than smart.

On the iPhone you can read e-books, call for free on SKYPE, play electric guitar, drive car games, or play poker, check the TV programs, measure if my shelf is leveled right,. I can check my Twitter account, as I can check my e-mail, surf on the web and all the other things the phone is meant to do. I an also make my own programs on the gadget with the Apple SDK.

Several free or paid ad-on software like video recording and such, makes it possible to create some personality to my iPhone, which is not always something that can easily be done with the average cell phone.

The selection of free or shareware type of software is tremendous already, but is nothing to what will be available partly for free, and partly towards payment when Apple launches their shop for iPhone software in their AppStore.

Lots of the hacked iPhone software available now can be characterized as hobby projects, but after Apple opened up their platform for developers through their Software Development Kit for iPhone. Lots of serious software developers has entered the race to be the first and best iPhone developers in the market.

This is where the iPhone strategy differs. People are used to pay for music, movies and tv-series to their iPod or iPhone in iTunes Stores already. Then the road to shop software for a few bucks is short. All evidence points into the direction that user friendliness and shopping selection in AppStore will be in its own class, and differ dramatically from what the other cell phone producers can offer. How many times did you shop for software to your Nokia or SonyEricsson?

Just like with the iPod, Apple is building a closed eco system around the product. iPhone software will only be purchased through the AppStore, not very user friendly but it works. This is how the iPhone will become a money machine, that will tap into your account every time you just have to have that application you need. With the 2.0 version of the iPhone release on July 11th Apple targets the business segment of the market as well. Integration towards Microsoft Exchange, high level of security and support for the push technology enables new email to automatically come into iPhone. At the same time the changes you make in your contact list or calendar at work will be updated on the iPhone.

 

Eleven Things You Will Hate About the Iphone 3G

The iPhone 1.0 and 2.0 has been in the market now for a short while and has won the attraction of many users. However, one would expect some features to follow this high-tech gadget as it comes into the market in July. There are several features that Steve Jobs do not talk about when he launches this latest version of iPhone, identical to 2.0 version only with 3G and GPS on it. So what am I complaining about? Why do I just not get excited and tell everybody how great this new Apple gadget is?

Well, first of all, this is a cellphone, and should compete with other cellphones’ and their features and capabilities. It is just fair to let people know that there are cell phones in the market that can offer things that Apple iPhone can not. I am not saying that iPhone 3G is bad, oh no, I would say the opposite, it is a great all in one gadget, improved with its 3G and GPS ability, which maybe put it in the front line when it comes to smart cell phones. However, there are still some features I would like to see in this phone, in order to at least “talk” to my other gadgets I have at home or work.

1. No MMS. There were no words mentioned about MMS during the presentation at all, and there are no net pages that mention whether it will be available in version 2.0 of iPhone. Several blog sites have announced that they will integrate their services direct on the cell phone with the option to load pictures and text. We think that the telecom industry will miss this feature most, as they will loose their chance to offer more expensive animated picture services on their network. The opening for third party software on the iPhone makes it possible for the network providers to add this service on if they feel for it.

2. No video recording. The camera on the iPhone is more than capable to record videos, and with up to 16 GB storage it should be enough storage to record more than most of us need. But there is no video function, and this is a petty since Apple makes superior video editing software for their computers. If any programmers wants to, he can make a video recorder through the camera available. So for those who wants to make a software for video recording, it is just to start right away.

3. No docking station. The tiny plastic stand that comes together with version 1.0 of the iPhone is now extra add on. This is the same development as happened with the iPod, where Apple went from full package with charger and docking station to a package where you hardly got a power cable included. 4. No video conference. This is maybe the least missed features in the iPhone as this is a very little used feature in the network provider’s product portfolio.

 5. Still only 2 Megapixles in the camera. It is a myth that more megapixles makes better pictures, but as long as all other factors are the same, it would be better with more mega pixles on the camera. iPhone makes very good pictures with the small camera available, so it is really a shame that Apple does not provide more megapixles on the camera than they do.

6. No wirless iTunes syncronization. You still have to connect through the cable to transfer music. With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G the cable should have been history for the small updates one have to perform daily, like music f.inst. The first synchronization of the iPhone has to be performed by cable, as 16 GB will take a while on the Wi-Fi, but the rest of the time should have been able to be performed through wireless connection. 7. No Adobe Flash. iPhone has a very good internet browser. It is so good that it is used for most mobile traffic to Google, this despite that iPhone is nowhere close to dominate the market on the cell phone side. It is therefore disappointing that Flash is not supported on the iPhone, and even more disappointing when you want to browse a web page that you need to see a flash movie before you can go further into the page.

8. No Java. This means that you still can not use several net banks used around the world on iPhone net browser. 9. No extra Bluetooth functions. Bluetooth on the existing version 1.0 of iPhone is limited in use. You can not send files between iPhone and other cell phones. Nor can it transfer between the iPhones or other iPhones..There is no option for using bluetooth head phones and there is no chance to connect to a PC.

 10. No special price for you, my friend!  This marks the end where you can take your stronger currency and buy a iPhone in US shops and then hack it home. Sure, the hackers will find ways to avoid the blockings made on the iPhone, but you will need to pay anyway. The reason people could buy the first version of iPhone cheap, was because the consumer could sign the subscription at home. The consumer did not commit to anything in the shop, and this opened for using local SIM-cards. In the next version of the iPhone, the consumer will demand you sign a subscription in the shop before you can take the iPhone with you home.

 

11. Language selection. It is almost not understandable how Apple leaves the Arabic language out of its language selection. Arabic language is the 5th largest language in the world, and has a high potential user group with a great purchase power. So I still not get it Steve Jobs, why did you not include this in your new gadget?

Ten Things You Will Hate About the Iphone 2.0

1. No MMS. There were no words mentioned about MMS during the presentation at all, and there are no net pages that mention whether it will be available in version 2.0 of iPhone. Several blog sites have announced that they will integrate their services direct on the cell phone with the option to load pictures and text. We think that the telecom industry will miss this feature most, as they will loose their chance to offer more expensive animated picture services on their network. The opening for third party software on the iPhone makes it possible for the network providers to add this service on if they feel for it.

2. No video recording. The camera on the iPhone is more than capable to record videos, and with up to 16 GB storage it should be enough storage to record more than most of us need. But there is no video function, and this is a petty since Apple makes superior video editing software for their computers. If any programmers want to, he can make a video recorder through the camera available. So for those who wants to make a software for video recording, it is just to start right away.

3. No docking station. The tiny plastic stand that comes together with version 1.0 of the iPhone is now extra add on. This is the same development as happened with the iPod, where Apple went from full package with charger and docking station to a package where you hardly got a power cable included. 4. No video conference. This is maybe the least missed features in the iPhone as this is a very little used feature in the network providers product portfolio.

 5. Still only 2 Megapixles in the camera. It is a myth that more megapixles makes better pictures, but as long as all other factors are the same, it would be better with more mega pixles on the camera. iPhone makes very good pictures with the small camera available, so it is really a shame that Apple does not provide more megapixles on the camera than they do.

6. No wirless iTunes syncronization. You still have to connect through the cable to transfer music. With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G the cable should have been history for the small updates one have to perform daily, like music f.inst. The first synchronization of the iPhone has to be performed by cable, as 16 GB will take a while on the Wi-Fi, but the rest of the time should have been able to be performed through wireless connection. 7. No Adobe Flash. iPhone has a very good internet browser. It is so good that it is used for most mobile traffic to Google, this despite that iPhone is nowhere close to dominate the market on the cell phone side. It is therefore disappointing that Flash is not supported on the iPhone, and even more disappointing when you want to browse a web page that you need to see a flash movie before you can go further into the page.

8. No Java. This means that you still can not use several net banks used around the world on iPhone net browser. 9. No extra Bluetooth functions. Bluetooth on the existing version 1.0 of iPhone is limited in use. You can not send files between iPhone and other cell phones. Nor can it transfer between the iPhones or other iPhones..There is no option for using bluetooth head phones and there is no chance to connect to a PC.

 10. No special price for you, my friend!  This marks the end where you can take your stronger currency and buy a iPhone in US shops and then hack it home. Sure, the hackers will find ways to avoid the blockings made on the iPhone, but you will need to pay anyway. The reason people could buy the first version of iPhone cheap, was because the consumer could sign the subscription at home. The consumer did not commit to anything in the shop, and this opened for using local SIM-cards. In the next version of the iPhone, the consumer will demand you sign a subscription in the shop before you can take the iPhone with you home.

Watch Out When Buying the New Version of Iphone 3G

The old version that has been available around the world as a hacked version, because it otherwise would not work in other countries than SIM cards bought in the USA.

Up til now it has been possible to go into an Apple store in the USA and take with you an iPhone without any subscription for a network provider.

The next version of iPhone with 3G net and assisted GPS will not be sold with this opportunity. Subscription will have to be signed in the store, and will last for 18 months in the USA. There might be a chance to open the new iPhone for other SIM cards, but the network operator will regardless get his money for the subscription.

A lot of auctions has appeared on the eBay internet site after the launch of iPhone 3G last Tuesday, despite the fact that the cell phone is not for sale yet. 11th of July the iPhone 3G will be launched for sale in around 70 countries around the world.

If you buy a iPhone 3G from an eBay auction now, it is not easy to tell what you will get in the mail. In the best case you will pay for another person to stand in line to purchase a cell phone locked to a network in the USA.

Future Apple Devices Looking to Solar Power

Apple ha filed a patent for integrating solar cells into portable devices by placing them underneath the layers of a touch-sensitive display, according to the delivered patent application.

Solar power could help make devices truly portable, freeing from the need for wires to connect them to a power supply.

The larger the solar cell panel is the better it is for generating electricity, but as the patent “Solar cells on portable devices” warns, after allowing space for buttons, screens and a way to hold the device, only a small area is left on most devices for solar cells.

One of the ways around this dilemma is suggested in the patent as to stack a touch-sensitive layer, a display and solar panel on top of one another. That could make Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch good candidates for such a power supply, as the display occupies almost the entire face of those devices.

The use of solar powered charging in portable devices is starting to get more attention, for more immediate consumer use as well.

When Vodafone announced its plan in April 2008, to reduce its emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 by 50 percent by 2020, it also announced plans for solar-powered phone chargers and universal phone chargers for Vodafone-branded handsets.

At the recent ITU Telecom Africa 2008 conference, Ugandan Minister for Communications and Information and Communication Technologies Ham-Mukasa Mulira talked about trials of solar-powered charging conducted there, which had showed promising results.

Create, Design & Launch Your Iphone Application

The Apple iPhone is an amazing device that invites  creativity. You’ve probably said to yourself: ‘I wish I  could do that on my iPhone.’With the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK), programmers can make your ideas reality – even if you yourself don’t know the difference between a C-pointer  and a SQLite database. More than 200 iPhone application projects have already  been posted on Elance.com. Check out these tips in this article to get  your project kick-started. We focus on the development of applications for the Apple iPhone, and we asked Nick Dalton, iPhone SDK specialist, to give Elance buyers a few tips on how to scope and post an iPhone Application project. Here’s what he had to say: The iPhone is an amazing device that invites creativity. If you’re an iPhone owner I’m sure you’ve said to yourself: ‘I wish I could do that on my iPhone, or I have a great idea for an iPhone application’. With the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK), programmers can make your ideas reality – even if you yourself don’t know the difference between a C-pointer and a SQLite database. But before you go ahead and post your application idea to the buzzing iPhone project area on www.Elance,com. here are some pointers to get your project kick-started: Study the MastersApple has already spent a lot of time thinking about how to present information and build interactive applications on the iPhone. The applications that come with the iPhone are the results of this research. Study them in great detail and try to apply as many of the user interface metaphors as possible to your application. Not only will Apple be flattered if you imitate the user interface in their applications, but they actually mandate it to a great level of detail as described in their Human Interface Guidelines. Dream in Color ScreensMost applications for the iPhone will be very visual. Therefore it makes sense to provide your requirements as screen images or sketches. You don’t have to be a graphics artist to do this effectively. An iPhone programmer is looking for the following information:

- The type of layout each screen should have- The buttons on the screens- The actions associated with each button

The exact shape and format of your screen sketches is secondary. As long as they are readable, it’s a great way to communicate your application design to a programmer. Be Realistic About Your BudgetLook at other iPhone projects posted on Elance to get a sense for the bid amounts on these projects. Read the descriptions of these projects to see if they seem to be larger or smaller projects than what you have in mind. If you set your budget to under $500 for something that is realistically going to take a programmer two months to implement, you are not likely to attract many bidders. From a programming perspective, some things are easy to do on the iPhone, while other seemingly simple things are very time consuming. For example the beautiful cover-flow animation used in the music application on the iPhone should be simple to use in other applications. Unfortunately you can’t. If you want this animation within your application it will have to be written from scratch, probably costing a one month of work. If you talk to an approved iPhone developer early in your application design process you can learn how to get most out of your budget by avoiding the things that are really difficult to do on the iPhone. Don’t Be Too OriginaliPhone users already know how to do certain tasks on their phones by convention. For example, if you tap an item in a list that has a > icon next to it, you expect to be taken to another screen with more information about that item. If your application needs similar functionality, don’t be creative and come up with a new way to solve the same problem. Use the conventions already established by Apple. New conventions are difficult to establish especially with the touch interface because there is no way to discover how your application works on the iPhone. Unlike a website where you can hover with the mouse pointer over areas that look like you can interact with them and a tool tip or the status bar will reveal some clues to you. Know Your LimitationsThe current version of the iPhone SDK, which is used to write applications for the iPhone, has many restrictions and limitations. Some of them are common sense, e.g. you can’t send text messages from an application. Imagine an application that sends out thousands of text messages without your knowledge, who is going to pay the phone bill for that? Other restrictions are maddening: applications cannot access the log of phone calls, or interact in any way with the calendar or the music stored on the iPhone. To Apple’s credit, the iPhone SDK is an amazing piece of software especially given that it was publicly released as a Beta just three months ago. Some of the shortcomings listed above will likely be addressed in future releases of the SDK. As a buyer with an idea for an iPhone application, you should educate yourself about these limitations before you spend too much time designing an application that is impossible to implement. Talk to a developer or company that specializes in iPhone development (and there are many available on Elance) and they can help you get on the right track from the start. AboutNick Dalton (username: 360mind) is an experienced iPhone SDK specialist and Elance.com service provider. He has 15+ years of background in programming, and currently focuses his business, 360mind, 100% on the development of iPhone applications. For more information on Nick, check out his book, 101 iPhone Tips and Tricks.

A New Business Model Has Forced Its Way Forward for the New 3G Apple Iphone

A new business model has forced its way forward for the new 3G Apple iPhone

 

Why could we say this? There are two statements from Apple and AT&T that confirms this new trend is coming.

 Apple alerted the SEC that although it had signed deals with 70 countries…

“…Under the vast majority of these agreements, Apple will not receive follow-on revenue generating payments from carriers”

AT&T, for its part, warned investors of…

“…potential dilution to earnings per share (EPS) from this initiative in the $0.10 to $0.12 range this year and next.”

When the Apple IPhone was first introduced, Apple made some rather unusual terms connected to its launch. Customers had to pay full retail price for it  and carriers had to share a sizable cut of their monthly revenue with the manufacturer.

Now, the carriers will be subsidizing the cost of the phone, making up for it in monthly charges, and they are no longer funneling a share of that monthly revenue to Apple. Apple is now beginning to play by the rules that all other cell phone hardware manufacturers play by in the growing cell phone market.

This will also put some stress on the new market segment that made its way during the launch of the 1st generation IPhones, namely the unlocking business. The incentives for unlocking will disappear and that may make lots of unlockers around the world out of a job for the new generation IPhones under the new business model proposed now.

 

However, one major incentive for unlocking remains, especially for Europeans. Those who travel to other countries with unlocked phones can use local prepaid service plans rather than paying exorbitant international roaming fees to their home carriers.

The New Generation Iphone With 3G and GPS – an End to the Unlocking Business?

Twice as fast and half the price, and it is coming July 11th, it is a Phone, iPod, and Internet in one fast 3G device. 

 

The new iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking, built-in GPS, and iPhone 2.0 software that supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs hundreds of third party applications built with the iPhone SDK. Available in 22 countries on July 11, iPhone 3G comes in two models: an 8GB model priced at $199 (US) and a 16GB model priced at $299 (US). 

 

The iPhone will have fast 3G wireless technologies, GPS mapping, support for enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more features at your fingertips. And like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one — a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser. iPhone 3G. 

 

The phone will be sold in more countries. Apple added five countries beyond the U.S. for the first phone, but the second one will go on sale in 22 countries on July 11. Apple has said it will add more countries at a rapid clip and reach 70 by the end of the year. That takes away one of main incentives for unlocking the phone. 

 

Apple is abandoning the unusual arrangement under which the iPhone was being sold. Customers could buy them from a carrier or from Apple without activating them on a service plan, and that meant customers could go home and unlock the phones — and never sign up with AT&T.

 

The new phone will be subsidized by carriers, which accounts for its lower price: $199 for the 8-gigabyte model, down from $399. This brings the phone’s marketing in line with standard industry practices.

 

The carriers plan to make back what they spend on the subsidy through service fees, which means they likely will require two-year service contracts from everyone who buys the phone. AT&T said buyers will have to activate service before leaving the store with an iPhone. 

 

This may put an end to the unlocking business that has been expanding on the internet and in various countries around the world. We just have to wait and see.

 

 

Video Recording With the Iphone is Possible and We Tell You How

DreamCatcher offers video recording for your iPhone

iPhone users would like to have the ability to perform video recordings. DreamCatcher tries to bring some advanced features to their product. They want you to choose them obviously, and are going to offer the capabilities to make that happen.

The DreamCatcher video recorder application uses the mpeg4 encoding method. Encoding with mpeg4 provides optimum quality vs size, with the ability to compress an hour of video taken from the iPhone to just 60MB. The application can record at up to 15 frames per second, allowing high quality video recording. The application realizes the stress put on the iPhone CPU when encoding the video during recording. DreamCatcher has devised a way to make this less of a limitation by letting the video be saved to the iPhone’s memory, and encoded at a later time. Alternatively, you can set the application to automatically begin encoding after the video has been recorded. If on the fly encoding is your thing though, you have that option too.

The DreamCatcher application is not for free. There is a free trial version if you would like to see the application in action before you buy. The application will cost you 20 USD.

http://www.iphonevideorecorder.com/index.html

 

There is another iPhone Video Recording which is Working and it is called  Drunknbass.

 

Monster and Friends have created an iPhone application which can record video up to 45 frames per second and working on the final version. Drunknbass beta allows you to record 5 seconds of video at 10 fps with a resolution of 2 megapixels. It doesn’t have any interface, so you just download it, put it in your iPhone’s Applications folder, click on the button and it will start recording. When Drunknbass is finished with the five seconds recording, it will replay the clip once. The final application will be able to record unlimited-sized clips (only constrained by your available space) with up to 30 frames per second and it will have an interface to save your clips (they are looking for developers to help with the graphical side of the software)

http://monsterandfriends.com/iphonevideo

 

 

Edge – Wifi Use on Your Iphone – How and Why?

So the iPhone works on EDGE networks. But what does this mean and is it good enough?The iPhone has been designed to work on GPRS, EDGE and Wi-Fi networks but doesn’t include 3G support. Apple has stated this has to do with the power requirements of the 3G chip. EDGE provides higher download speeds than the 2G network and GPRS (2.5G) but less than what can be achieved with Wi-Fi and 3G. and it has been labeled 2.75G. The coverage of the EDGE networks around the world is very sparse, some places only 10s of percent actually. And that is disappointing numbers and not good news for the users of iPhone. Trying to talk up the iPhone’s Wi-Fi compatibility and its deals for free hotspot are not doing the trick either. EDGE is the existing standard for GSM data networks. GSM is a direct rival to CDMA. In the US, Cingular is the largest GSM provider. EDGE offers service rated at about quarter Mb/sec. That’s about twice the speed of ISDN (.128 MB/sec), but significantly slower than even the slowest offerings of DSL (.3 to 1.5 Mb/sec), and a fraction of the throughput of 802.11b WiFi (typical: 6.5 Mb/sec). EDGE is far faster than GPRS or old dialup networks however (both are about .03 Mb/sec), so while EDGE not capable of supporting iChat style video conferencing, it is useful enough to browse web pages, receive HTML emails, and support the other web service features demonstrated on the iPhone such as Google Maps. EDGE is also widely deployed in the US. Newer generation technologies, including HSUPA and EVDO, are not. If the iPhone supported newer networks at launch, it would offer users less data service coverage at higher service fees. HSUPA does promise a future path for faster data, and will no doubt unlock new applications for future phones. Along with the confusing acronym soup of HSDPA and HSOPA, HPUPA competes against other mobile 3G standards. Wikipedia says the next set of standards are edging out existing CDMA2000 and EVDO rollouts in some markets. In addition to the factors of availability and cost, another reason for Apple going with EDGE rather than a faster network is that the iPhone won’t have to rely solely on mobile phone networks for data. It’s designed to use WiFi wherever it’s available. WiFi is far faster than any mobile networks now in place, including EVDO and HSUPA (2.5 – 5.76 Mb/sec). Typical 802.11b and g offer 6.5 Mb/sec and 20 Mb/sec transfers. WiFi is so much faster because it is designed to serve a much smaller range of local service. For iPhone users in a school, home, or office with existing WiFi service, automatic use of WiFi for data service will not only be far faster, but far cheaper: free in many cases. Getting EDGE to work on your iPhone is simple, but require some knowledge about application set up in your iPhone. You will need iBrickr to browse the file system of your iPhone (www.ibrikr.com) There is a video turorial available for iBrickr if you want to learn how to use this system (www.i4u.com/article11028.html) Once you have downloaded the iBrickr and the PXL files installed on your iPHone, you can launch iBrickr.exe. You will be able to see the main interface and click on files to browse your phone file system. Locate your /private/var/rootLaunch notepad and paste this code; Function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {If (isInNet (myIpAddress(), “10.0.0.0”, “255.0.0.0”)) Return “PROXY 216.155.165.50:808”; ElseReturn “DIRECT” }Save the file as proxy.pac and upload it to /private/var/rootRight click this file and select “save link as”, you need to save the file asPreference.plist, you will then upload preference.plist into the following iPhone directory: /private/var/root/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plistNOTE! If you are on firmware 1.1.3, upload the preferences.plist to this directory;/private/var/preferences/SystemConfigurationThis will overwrite the current file that is already in that directory. Now grab your iPhone and tap settings – General – Network – EDGE. The APN you will use is wap.voicestream.com, username and password will be guest. Reboot your iPhone and there you are, you should be able to browsw online using EDGE. NB! After performing this hack you will notice that EDGE will interfere with your WIFI connections whenever it sees it. IF this happens to you, there is a solution for this as well.Click on the Browse Application button, this will launch a list of 3rd party applications you can install at your will. For our purpose we will install an application called Services. Basically what this does is allow you to turn off the WiFi, Bluetooth and EDGE according to your needs. Once you are done with the installation, iPhone will reboot and on your Springboard you should see a Services icon, tap on the icon and here you can toggle between EDGE and WiFi connection.

 

GPS on the Iphone – Navigation is Now Possible on the Iphone – However You Can Wait for Firmware 2.0 as Well to Get an Apple Solution

Apple has promised a real GPS solution to the iPhone during 2008 in the iPhone 2.0 version firmware release.This is supposedly a solution provided together with globalmap and googlemap.In the meantime there will pop up so many various solutions, it will be up to you to decide what solution you want.Here is a hardware solution to come during 2008http://www.gomite.com/Mexens Technology, with its virtual Navizon GPS system has finally arrived for the iPhone. The program still utilizes “WiFi and cellular tower triangulation techniques,” but according to the firm’s CEO, “this is just as if the iPhone were equipped with a GPS chip.” Of course, I am still doubtful that this peer-to-peer location approach works just as good as a bonafide GPS receiver, but considering that you won’t be forced to pay the $24.99 purchase price until after 15 days are up, why not give it a go and find out? And in addition it will take only seconds to find location, as for more robust solutions it will take maybe minutes to locate on the iPhone.However, if it is long distance between towers, the accuracy will be less of course. So do not plan to use it for geotracking or something like this.http://www.navizon.comThe navizon has come back with good reviews, it has a free one, and a paid version. The paid version is more accurate and has more features (of course).Another solution is this hardware solution to put on end of the iPhone.http://www.tuaw.com/2007/12/17/gps-dongle-coming-for-iphone/Best of luck with your navigation, and hopefully you will find yourself in the right spot at the right time. And PS! Maybe you will be able to remember where you were some time ago, equally good as your authorities has the ability to find out were you were.

 

Sdk for Iphone and Itouch Platforms – Will This Create a Boom in Free and Commercial Applications for Apple Gadget?

Apple has released the iPhone Developer Program which provides a complete and integrated process for developing, debugging, and distributing applications for iPhones and iPod touch platoform.The SDK comes complete with development resources, real-world testing on iPhone, and distribution on the App Store, you will have everything you need to go from code to the customer.Go to http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program to find more details around this SDK program.You can either download the Free iPhone SDK which include the Xcode IDE, Instruments, iPhone simulator, frameworks and samples, compilers, Shark analysis tool, and more. Or you can choose to enroll into the iPhone developers program at standard of enterprise program levels which will cost you from USD 99 to USD 299 in order to enroll.However, you will need a Apple ID to do so, if you do not have that, you will have to go through the application registration to get enrolled. When done this, select the program you want to enroll into, and wait for Apple to approve you for this entry.So now you can develop any type of application for the iPhone. Well, we have to wait and test the SDK to see how open it is, and what it gives developers in respect to tools to twist the most out of this gadget.So, whether you are a games developer or you want to make business applications, you have the chance now to get on the train to do so.

 

Iphone Hacks and Applications That Will Transform Your Iphone to Something Truly Different

In this article I will give some insight into the hackers environment of iPhone and give you some reference to some interesting sites that will provide you with resources if you ever want to wander down this road yourself. However, we take no responsibility for any third party links, nor the content found therein either. If you want to jailbrake your iPhone, then you have to be aware of one thing, you will depend much on your own knowledge about how to maneuver with your new modified iPhone.However, it is fun, it opens a totally new world for use of the iPhone. You will be able to take part of some very innovative use of the Mac operating system as well as its user interface. It is a world with almost no limitations.If you want to, you can wait for Apple’s release of its SDK and wait for some developers coming up with some official applications for your iPhone. However there are thoughts in the market that Apple will not reveal all of iPhone’s potential through its SDK and therefore it will be utilized for development of applications Apple themselves find convenient for iPhone and especially for the business related side of iPhone.We will start our search for resources and you are more than welcome to take a peek behind some of the links and begin to learn the true potential of your iPhone.http://iphone.dashbuster.com/Manage Your Blockbuster Queue From Your iPhoneYou can view your shipped and queued movies, as well as drag and drop Queue reorganizing. You will also be able to search for and add movies as well as add movies from Blockbusters RSS feeds.http://www.modmyifone.com/forums/Here you can get tips as well as apps and downloads for your iPhone, such as Firmware, iPhone Software, Modded files, Stock files, templates, themes and Widgets for the iPhone.http://www.iphonehacks.com/Here you will find iPhone Hacks. It is your source for the latest Apple iPhone Hacks JailBreak Unlocking News Applications Tips & Tricks Reviews Rumors Blog on the Apple iPhone … Fix for iPhone’s http://www.iphone-hacks.com/iPhone Hacks, Cracks, Homebrew, and Modifications. All your iPhone underground needs! … Hack your Apple iPhone Welcome to the source for all your iPhone Hacks . iPhone hackers . This is another source for all iPhone Hacks. iPhone hackers, developers, and researchers around the globe have been working hard to open the device in hopes to achieve what Apple never intended. iphone-hacks.com aims to share all the hacking, mods, cracks, and discoveries with you — in one central location.http://www.iphonestalk.com/On this site you will find the latest iPhone Accessories, News, Reviews, ringtones and more.http://forums.iphonehacks.com/iPhone Hacks Forums :: Forums for the latest Hacks News Applications Tips & Tricks Reviews Rumors on the Apple iPhone.http://www.iphonefreak.com/iphone_hacks/News and hacks for your iPhone can be found here. Some tricks and tips are also found here.http://www.iphonegizmo.com/If you are looking for downloads for your iphone then you might like this great site we found where you can get heaps of iphone downloads – PLUS PLUS!!! – plus videos, PLUS movies, PLUS music, PLUS TV shows like “The OC”, PLUS games (and a stack of other downloads!).If you look for the Iphone Guitar application, it is available on installer.Some interesting tips and reference to pages with this installer can be found at http://code.google.com/p/pocketguitar/

 

Iphone Hacks Vs Apple Sdk Kit Planned Released in Short Time

 

iPhone hacks vs Apple SDK kit planned released in short time.iPhone has a community providing a large range of applications, useless to innovative more useful applications. The Mac operating system and its interface makes it more fun to do development on than the Microsoft handheld PDA’s.Will this community survive and prosper regardless of Apple’s planned release of iPhone SDK this month?The iPhone is a perfect example of what a handheld device should have. It has a a nice design, easy-to-use software, and an intuitive interface. Several people found out they needed to make their own software for it, since it lacked some as Apple released it. You will find add-ons made by these people that range from instant access to a Blockbuster Online DVD queue to a pocket guitar that takes advantage of the touch screen technology.People also unlock the iPhone from AT&T or other subscription systems. This will enable the iPhone to work on other operator’s networks.Al these add-on software’s, are done without Apple’s interference or their technical support. Apple is expected to release a software development kit (SDK) that will allow programmers to write legitimate software for the phone. This kit will be available during February month and will enable developers to make more robust software, and it will let the iPhone users to download new programs without needing to follow online instructions from various blogs. The SDK will likely spawn a new world of applications, will lead to commercial applications for the business sector, that will extend the use of the iPhone beyond its user base of 4 million, as announced in January by Apple. Today’s iPhone users use the handheld as Apple intended it to be used, by updating the software and installing media via iTunes. By default, the only way to get anything on the iPhone is by using iTunes, The developer Jerry Jones has made an iPhone widget that accesses a user’s Blockbuster movie queue, as well as a program that lets people adjust the phone’s shortcuts so that a double click of the home key launches different applications than Apple’s default. If you want to add these kinds of unwarranted files to your iPhone, you must make some technical workarounds and it is not for the in-experienced users. One of the most popular programs made for hacked iPhones is a game called Labyrinth that lets a user roll a virtual marble through a maze by tilting the phone. The game accesses the built-in accelerometer in the iPhone. Shinya Kasatani wrote an application that turns the iPhone into a guitar. The application is easy to use for people familiar with a real guitar. The screen of the iPhone is turned into a virtual guitar board on which a person can press and pluck. It’s basically a software-based synthesizer with a guitar user interface. The developers need the official SDK and programming documentation to build stable applications. When Apple releases its SDK, more applications like this could become available, just as they are on PCs and Macs today. There is suspition in the developers circles that it’s not going to be a wide open SDK. Programmers might have access to certain layers of the phone’s underlying software, such as the instructions that allow widgets to access the Internet, but Apple may keep the instructions for accessing the accelerometer, for example, under wraps. The control is essential to ensuring that the iPhone works well for most of the people most of the time. In addition, Apple’s control is important for ensuring software stability and security, which is two important criteria if the phone is to be used in the business setting. Apple wants to make the iPhone somewhat corporate friendly.You are going to see a lot of focus on pulling developers in to make form-based applications. The kind of applications used in a sales environment, for example. Apple will treat third-party software the same way that it approves iPod accessories: by requiring vendors to register with Apple to acquire a badge noting Apple’s approval. In this way, Apple could maintain some control over the quality of outside applications, which could help make them more secure. The hacking community will continue to be innovative with the iPhone, regardless of the access the SDK provides to programmers and the safety precautions available for certified third-party programs. “Even without the official SDK,” says Kasatani, “it’s much more attractive than Windows Mobile.” The Mac operating system and user interface are more fun to use, he says, and the multi-touch display makes it especially interesting to work with.

 

Unlock Your Iphone

In some countries the Iphone will not be available, or in some cases it is locked to an operator in order to be fully utilized. If you do not want to wait with the purcase of the Iphone and want to unlock it for use with any SIM card, here is how you will have to do it. If you want an iPhone then for some of us the choice is simple. In some countries or regions the iPhone is not available before even next year. If you know someone in countries where the iPhone is for sale, or know someone who are travelling to these regions of the world. Then ask them to purchase the phone and take it with them home. Whe you purchase the phone at an Apple Store or in a store where the phone is available it is probably locked to an operator. If it is bought in the US, then it is locked to the US operator AT&T. When you have your phone at home, you just connect it to your computer and it will automatically take your through a set up to subscribe for the subscription for the selected operator in that country it is sold or AT&T in the US. But the phone can be unlocked by the assistance of software. In this manner you will avoid subscription to a certain operator. Unlocking process starts at the stage just before you are to subscribe for operator. So the unlocking happens before you make an agreement with the selected operator or AT&T and you are not in breech with any deal when you unlock the phone, unless you have been informed about that the phone is locked to a certain operator at the sale of the phone. The phone ranges in prices, but in the US it costs 399 dollar for the 8 Gb-version and 499 dollar for the 16 Gb version. Loose the warrantyIt is important to be aware of that you loose any warranty on the phone when you perform the unlocking procedure on it. So if something goes wrong with it afterwards, you can not ask for any refund or free fix of the phone from Apple. The simplest way of unlocking the phone is with the help of the program called ZiPhone. This piece of software makes the whole process for you, but you have to be careful following the instructions to the point.. If you decide to stop the unlock process before it si finished, or do something else that stops the process before it is finished, involve a large risk for the phone to be destroyed. Even if the phone turns off during the process, or it comes up a text message on the phone, do not stop the unlocking process before it is complete. We do not take any responsibility for any potential problems you will meet during the unlock process. I have tested the unlock process with Ziphone myself, and it worked smoothly, but this is no guarantee for yourself. The process is guided by the software in English. Instructions for the software Ziphone is also in English. The program can be used both on Mac and PC. You can download the Ziphone from this link; http://www.ziphone.org/We are not responsible for content of links herein, and it is totally up to the users discresion and responsibility to use this link. It is a 3 step process The software ZiPhone will lead you through the process in three steps in order for you to be able to open the iPhone. 1.The activation step of the process is handled first. The lock that usually has to be opened by purchasing a subscription is avoided. 2. The second step is opening the iPhone so it can be modified and alter the software. This is called Jailbreaking. 3. The third step is to modify the software on the iPhone so it will accept any SIM card you decide to use on it later. The iPhone can now be used by any operatorAfter the phone has been unlocked you can use any subscription operator or type on the phone. In addition to just unlocking the cell phone, Ziphone puts in the program called installer.app. This software enables you to install a selection of new software created by iPhone-users themselves. If you select to use the software installer, you can put in support for various languages and software to send MMS etc etc. It requires basic computer knowledge. All of you who want to use the ZiPhone software to unlock the iPhone should use a computer and know how to install software. The unlocking software is very simple to use, but requires that you follow the instruction and procedures to the last small detail. You do not need to be an expert using the ZiPhone, but only requires that you follow the installation procedure and in few minutes the phone will be unlocked. It is also important that you have basic computer skills to download software to the iPhone and to find the user value of these. It is not illegal to unlock the phone, but you violate the warranty rules by unlocking it and alter the system files on the iPhone. It is therefore a risk you have to be willing to take if you want to take the phone into use in your country before it is sold officially there. Another con by unlocking the phone on your own is the upgrade aspect of the phone at a later stage. It may be more difficult if not impossible to do so when you have done these unlocking and alterations of your phone. However, the communities offering unlocking of the phones have so far been good providing options to make upgrade of Apple software as well, but there is no warranty this will be the case in the future.. Several shops providing these phones offer to unlock the phones so you can have any provider possible on the phone. Whether this is legal or not, remains to be seen as it has not been tested in any courts yet. Some operators claim it is against the agreement with the phones as they are sold, however on the other side, some courts have already tested other types of agreements, and found that you are able to do whatever you want with the product as long as you have purchased it, and its yours, and since you do these alterations before you enter into any agreements it can not be seen as a conflict with any agreements you have not entered in the first place.

 

The Battle Goes on – Which One is the Most Favourable Gadget for your Portable Needs – Ipod, Iphone, Ipod Touch or the Psp?

The battle goes on – which one is the most favourable gadget for your portable needs?First you have to ask yourself as lots of potential buyers of either of the three below products, IPOD, IPOD TOUCH, IPOD Phone or the PSP. We do not talk about the iBook nor do we talk about Nintendos games console in this article, but they could be considered of course. Ibook is very costly but it enable you to use internet and listen to itunes with the same gadget.What product fit your needs and the potential usage you are going to put it through? If you look at some main parameters to judge the products more or less objective based on the user profile, you could come closer to the truth. Look at functionalities like Gaming, Internet, Photo, Video, Music and Storage capacity. You also have to look at the user interface and its design like screen and functionality buttons.We will try to compile these criteria’s more or less objective so you can evaluate the PSP vs the Ipod/phone products. GamingOnly PSP provides serious gaming console capacity and functionality. If you want gaming console capability your choice is clear, you need the Sony PSP and nothing else. There is no other choice. InternetOnly PSP, Ipod Phone and Touch (latest software release January 2008) provides internet browsing and email capabilities. However the PSP screen is the largest of them all (for userability of web pages). PSP has some issues with some web pages which have to be taken into consideration. Apple products however have not been long enough in market to really test these features yet. PhotoYou get Photo album capabilities in all products more or less, however the PSP needs some upgrade by 3rd party software. What differentiates the products is memory capacity to hold a certain amount of pictures, but also the way you can interface with your photos. Looking at pictures, select, zoom in and out is better in the Ipod touch or the Iphone, utilizing the touch screen and its capabilities.In all honesty the PSP looks better – the iphone seems to be suffering from a severe white balance problem. Maybe some people prefer that, but as the iphone costs four times as much as the PSP then you have to judge what is more important to meet your requirements. Obviously the PSP has the size advantage but the iPhone is brighter. Video/FilmAll products can hold videos at their internal formats, and several 3rd party software makes it possible to transfer this media between various medias such as PC, Ipod, PSP, cell phones etc. Again the user interface is the main differentiator here, as the touch screen makes it possible to browse the various movies in a fancier and maybe interactive way than in the PSP. However this is a matter of user preference and will be highly subjective to user’s needs and how he/she wants to interact with the gadget. Higher resolution on the PSP versus its competitors is also a point to mention here. So if you want the high resolution and slightly better screen definition, then PSP is definitively your choice. Music/AudioYou can send your files over and use PSP as you would use an iPod Video, although Apple product has an advantage when it comes to storage. You’ll need to get up to 8Gb MemStick DUO on the PSP to get decent memory, but still much lower than IPOD with its 60Gb capacity. If you want a straight out of the box itunes player, then select the Ipod/touch/phone range, otherwise it will just be a subjective choice as there are lots of 3rd party customization to make the PSP to offer Itunes capability, conversion of audio files etc. Storage Capacity You can get up to 8Gb MemStick DUO for the PSP. IPOD leads here with its 60Gb capacity. Utilizing high memory capacity for the PSP will run at a cost as well, which needs to be addressed if compared for this purpose. However the Ipod Touch or Iphone comes with maximum of 8Gb memory and can not be upgraded without consequences for warranty etc. Ipod is superior when it comes to capacity, so if you need to store tens of Gb of music, or video, then your choice is the Ipod machine. If you tend to change content often and want to transfer often, then it is either the PSP or the Iphone/ Ipod Touch choices left. However the Apple product have a slight advantage as their user interface for handling the files are easier. User interface/DesignSeveral comparisons of the IPOD screen vs PSP makes PSP the clear choice. When you compare IPOD Touch or IPHONE with PSP there is still a slight advantage to PSP since the screen is larger and it seems to have better color definition and looks crispier in view. PSP is larger as a console vs either IPOD or Iphone or Ipod Touch, so it is maybe less practical to put in your pocket. However since we talk about different usage of these gadgets, you need to see if this really is a differentiator at all. The later products from Apple with the touch screen is of course an new technology brought to the table, however you have to judge whether you need it for the purpose you need. It comes down to touch and feel and what you focus on most. If you focus on screen quality, the Sony PSP is the clear choice. If you focus on the user interface and modern technology, then the Apple series touch or Phone is the selection for you. I would personally go for the PSP, since my use is internet, movie and games. Since we really talk about a game console here, it gives power to all my favorite games as well as the chance to download some fancy graphics to use as my wall papers, or to manipulate some graphics on my PC or Mac and transfer to my PSP, it makes the choice clear to me. I can read most of my favorites on internet as well as reading my emails pretty effective despite no mouse or keyboard on the PSP, but here it is up to you to select what interface you want or are used to. However, if you are a music and photo lover, I would maybe lean towards the Ipod touch or Iphone. If you already have an iPod that works well and hold enough music to keep you happy, then go with a new PSP. So it all depends on what you want the gadget for. If you want to listen to music, get an iPod, if you want to play games, get a PSP.So it comes down to the question Console or a Phone or a media player?Iphone is a phone and the PSP is a console, Ipod Touch is a media player simple and easy.The iPhone is a very pretty and medium to high priced multi-functional handheld device that can be used as a phone. The PSP is a very pretty and low cost multi-functional handheld device that can be used to play games, or fed with some 3rd party software used for a whole lot of things. Sony would prefer you not think of PSP as a handheld, more like a multi-media portable. Several handhelds that acts similar to the iPhone with the touch interface (Treo for instance). You have to lean towards the price as well as your user profile, there is a large price difference to consider here. But if you want to boost your PSP, the price difference gets less, and can become minimal, especially when you talk about the Ipod Touch from Apple.The old argument for people saying the PSP was the right choice for you, was that it can play music, watch videos, check email, play games and all in one device. This argument could be used for the Iphone as well, since you have the phone capability into it. 32Gb memory stick is soon to be released, so the PSP will be more costly than the iphone, if not the same price when using this memory. However it will have more than Apple products and more flexibility as you can buy as many memory sticks you want and have one for photos, one for audio and another one for games or email information etc.In the end, the choice is yours but you need to do the homework first, decide what you need the most in your new gadget and what flexibility you want.People want the simplest, easist way to get enjoyment. Apple, when designing anything (OS, iPod, Hardware, and now the iPhone) always aims for a high level of ease of use.With any MP3 player, you don’t have a uniform way of getting music. It might come with applications to rip music, and even tell you where to legally download music. But then you factor in the compatibility. It may also give you a audio converter so everything works with your player, and its own media manager to boot. But with the iPod, you get just iTunes. And it’s that relationship that makes the iPod so dominant in the market. The program will rip your CDs. It has access to the store where every song, regardless of what the RIAA wants, will be 99 cents or 10 USD pr CD. And when you bring in your own music, iTunes will not only add it and organize it, but convert it to AAC if need be. It’s less work on the consumer. That is an appeal. And you have to pay for this convenience. It is the real reason why these products became dominant is for their consumer design.However the PSP with 3rd party software or as the communities call it “homebrew” has common like music and video playback, image viewing and internet browsing and in those areas I’m sure the PSP will be comparable to the Ipod range products.The iPhone won’t play any games though, at least they haven’t announced that it will, which is what most people who have a PSP use it for. Network to support the 2.5G network that the iPhone uses and the network is lacking several places and has to be considered.

 

• 1.3GHz Intel SU7300 Core 2 Duo Processor
• 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 2 slots, 4GB Max
• 500GB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM); Wi-Fi 802.11 bgn; Bluetooth; 0.3M Webcam
• 13.3-Inch Widescreen HD LED LCD Display; NVidia G210M Graphics with 512MB DDR3 + Intel GMA 4500MHD (Switchable VGA)
• Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) Operating System; 8 Cell 5600mAh Battery

Product Description
The thin and light ASUS UL30Vt is a harmonious blend of form and function. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor and a 8 cell 5600mAh battery, it boasts an impressive 12-hour battery life for all-day computing. It also sports user-centric features such as a multi-gesture touchpad and provides an impressive multimedia entertainment experience with Altec Lansing speakers and an NVidia G210M graphics engine (users can turn the graphics card off if longer battery life is needed). With Bluetooth, a 0.3MP Webcam, and Wireless b/g/n, the UL30Vt allows you to stay connected with ease. All of these features and more are shrouded in a robust brushed aluminum lid that not only looks magnificent, but also helps in maintaining the notebook’s stylish exterior day after day. ASUS notebooks come with a 2 year global warranty, one month zero bright dot guaranty, free two-way shipping and twenty-four hour tech support seven days a week. Plus it comes with a FREE One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting your notebook from drops, fire, spills and surges.Amazon.com Product Description
Style and Performance in Perfect Harmony

The energy-efficient, slim, and stylish ASUS UL30Vt-A1 notebook redefines ultraportable notebooks with new power boosting features. Free yourself from power cords and start exploring with up to an amazing 12 hours of all-day battery life¹. Powered by the ultra-low-voltage Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300, and optimized with 4GB of DDR3 DRAM, ASUS GraphiX Boost switchable graphics, and exclusive Turbo33 technology, the UL30Vt-A1 takes you further than most other notebooks with eye-catching style, optimized performance, smart power usage, and a generous 500GB of storage. Its ultra-slim profile makes traveling a breeze and its 13.3-inch HD LED-backlit display offers bright, vibrant visuals and advanced energy efficiency.

Effortlessly navigate your e-mails and favorite websites with the enhanced multi-touch trackpad and complete important assignments with ease using the comfortable chiclet keyboard. The UL30Vt-A1 also features Altec Lansing speakers, plus SRS Premium Sound, for a home theater experience on the go. The UL30Vt-A1 is built from the ground up to give you the best value; it’s an ultraportable notebook that truly delivers mobility and power on demand.

Now there is an even bigger reason to get the UL Series by ASUS. Adding to a whole trophy case of awards is the latest 2009 Editor’s Choice Award by Engadget.  Voted by Engadget’s editorial staff as LAPTOP OF THE YEAR, the UL series is the ultimate companion for your mobile computing needs.

The most comprehensive ASUS 360 notebook warranty package is icing on the cake.

two-year global warranty

Thirty-days flawless display guarantee

Free two-way standard shipping

24-hour tech support seven days a week

Plus ASUS Accidental Damage Protection: ASUS UL30Vt-A1 also come with a One Year Accidental Damage Warranty protecting the notebook from drops, fire, spills, and surge.**

Key Features

• All-day computing with up to 12 hours of battery life¹ (Learn more)
• Exceptionally compact and light, under 1-inch thin, and weighs less than 4 pounds
• Powered by the Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 for energy efficiency (Learn more)
• Exclusive Turbo33 Technology for 33% system performance boost during process-intensive multi-tasking (Learn more)
• GraphiX Boost instantly switches between the energy-efficient built-in graphics and powerful ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine (Learn more)
• Color Shine 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen HD display that uses less energy and gives you an immersive cinematic experience (Learn more)
• 4GB of DDR3 system memory for smooth performance with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit installed
• 500GB hard drive for responsive, convenient storage and access to all your documents, music, videos, and photos
• Chiclet style keyboard and multi-touch trackpad for comfortable and intuitive use (Learn more)
• Built-in high-speed 802.11n wireless connectivity for Internet browsing
• Integrated webcam for connecting with your friends and family
• Altec Lansing speakers enhanced with SRS Premium Sound for home theater quality acoustics
• ASUS IceCool Technology provides a cool-to-the-touch palm rest
• ASUS 360 two-year global warranty and ASUS ADW one year accidental damage warranty* (Learn more)

Learn More

Takes You Where You Want to Go

Experience up to 12 hours of all-day computing with the UL30Vt-A1 *. Thanks to its ultra-low-voltage Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300, high-density Lithium Ion 8-cell battery, LED-backlit display, and ASUS Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), you can maximize your time on the move and minimize time plugged-in. And with our new FastBoot Technology providing an ultra-fast boot time of only 30 seconds, you can use your PC anywhere, virtually right away. A generous 500GB of hard drive storage holds your favorite music, videos, and photos. Compact, and under 1 inch thin, the UL30Vt-A1 fits virtually anywhere –freeing space up for books, files, or whatever else you need. The UL30Vt-A1 lets you focus on the essentials in life. With this kind of mobility, you get the peace of mind you deserve.

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Instantly Boosts PC Performance

ASUS has innovatively designed the UL30Vt-A1 to provide you even more performance when you need it. The ASUS exclusive Turbo33 technology automatically boosts the system performance by 33% and more. When process-intensive multi-tasking is needed, Turbo33 automatically takes CPU, memory and even graphics performance to a whole new level to ensure a smooth and seamless computing experience. With this performance booster, the Intel Core2 Duo SU7300 is over 25% faster than a SU9400 CPU. This translates into almost 20% more overall system performance than a notebook powered by the SU9400.***

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Switch Between Extended Battery Life and Full Speed Graphics

The UL30Vt also features GraphiX Boost to instantly switch between the energy-efficient integrated graphics and the powerful ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine powered by NVIDIA CUDA enabled GeForce G210M. This ASUS exclusive feature gives you the ability to maintain a perfect balance between conserving the battery life and enjoying surreal high-definition graphics. With GraphiX Boost, you no longer have to sacrifice all-day battery life or jaw dropping graphics. Now you can switch between the two on-the-fly whenever high graphics processing demand is needed without having to reboot your system. It is truly graphics power on demand.

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Energy Efficient Processing

The ASUS UL Series Laptops are the perfect balance of style and performance for mobile computing. They all feature an Ultra-Low-Voltage Intel® Core™2 Duo processor so that you can enjoy the performance and long battery life you need in the sleek designs you crave. Sleek new ultra-thin laptops powered by the latest ultra-low-voltage Intel® Core™ processors deliver this unique balance of performance and power consumption to let you travel light and provide the performance you need for music, HD video, photos and more. Intel® ULV processors are also optimized for battery life, so you can stay unplugged longer and use your laptop on the go without having to search for power outlets. Full feature computing on the go – thin and light with long battery life – with Intel Inside®.

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Eye-Catching Sophistication

Impress onlookers and complement any setting with the UL30Vt-A1’s brushed aluminum cover and a high-class appeal. From the first time you open the UL30Vt-A1 you notice the stunning interior casing around a display that brings color to life, and shines with a brilliant, high-gloss finish. Plus, the chiclet style keyboard and spacious keys not only allow for a comfortable typing experience, but also prevent dust buildup, helping to keep your keyboard clean every time you use it. Inspired by a butterfly’s grace, the UL30Vt-A1 carries the hallmark contours and slim elegance that separates it from the typical cookie-cutter notebook.

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High Definition That Doesn’t Break the Bank

If you’re looking for mobile HD playback that doesn’t break the bank, with its 13.3-inch 16:9 ratio High Definition display, the UL30Vt-A1 is a great solution when you’re on the go. When you’re at home or in the office, you can easily stream high definition media to external displays with its HDMI connectivity. Complemented with Altec Lansing speakers and SRS premium surround sound, the UL30Vt-A1 provides high-quality audio playback so there’s no need to invest in expensive speakers. With the UL30Vt-A1, you can enjoy all your favorite movies and music where you want, when you want, with crisp clarity and great value that you will appreciate every time. You can also instantly switch from integrated graphics to the ASUS Discrete Graphics Engine –powered by NVIDIA GeForce G210M GPU –to enjoy casual gaming and all your favorite movies and music with crisp clarity that you will appreciate every time.

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Comfort Included

With ASUS IceCool Technology, you’re ensured extended battery life and a cool-to-touch surface, so, even after long computer sessions, there’s limited heat for optimized comfort. With plenty of space to place your hands, the generous palm rest area makes typing on the chiclet style keyboard an enjoyable experience. It’s comfort made easy.

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ASUS Exclusive Windows 7 Features

Experience FastBoot, the unique performance boost for Windows 7 made possible by ASUS’s close partnership with Microsoft. With ASUS exclusive FastBoot technology, Windows 7 64-bit-enabled ASUS notebooks start up in a staggering 30 seconds. That is 40% faster than 32-bit operating systems. ASUS helps get you up and running faster than ever before. System performance is subject to system configuration. This data is based on a comparison between a FastBoot-optimized ASUS notebook running 64-bit Windows 7 and an identically-configured notebook without FastBoot running 32-bit Windows Vista. For more details regarding the test results, please visit the information site.

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ASUS 360* — Comprehensive Notebook Warranty Package Included

ASUS complimentary notebook care package. ASUS 360 offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars to the price of competing laptops: Two year global warranty Thirty days flawless display guarantee Two way free standard shipping 24/7 tech support

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ASUS ADW* — 1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**

Accidents happen. But when they happen to your ASUS notebook purchased in the US or Canada, you have extra protection. Whether your notebook is damaged by accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire, ASUS will fix it or replace it for you during the first year after purchase.** Warranty covering accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage Target 3 business day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time One-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost 24 hour toll-free phone support One incident covered per notebook

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ASUS Makes Your Windows 7 Experience Better

Recently rated #1 in consumer reliability among Windows-based PCs by SquareTrade, and PCMag.com, ASUS gives you the peace of mind you deserve every time you start your UL30Vt-A1 notebook.† ASUS worked extensively with Microsoft to develop time-saving features like FastBoot technology –reducing the time needed for startup and shutdown by up to 40% –and LocalMe –a GPS-like application. Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And, thanks to Windows 7’s enhanced power management, you can enjoy unplugged gaming longer. Click HERE to learn more about the time-saving ASUS FastBoot feature.

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Warranty

ASUS 360* (2 Years Global Warranty) + ASUS ADW* (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty**) + Flawless Display Guarantee

ASUS UL30Vt-A1 comes with ASUS 360 (2 years global warranty), ADW (1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty*) and Flawless Display Guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

What’s in the Box

ASUS UL30Vt-A1

AC Adapter

8 cell Battery Pack

Warranty Information Cards

Specifications

Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Display: 13.3-inch HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1366 x 768)

Intel Platform: Intel Core2 Duo processor SU7300 (1.3GHz)

Graphics: Switchable: Intel GMA 4500MHD and ASUS DGE powered by NVidia GeForce G210M with 512MB VRAM

Wireless: WLAN 802.11b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)

LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet

Memory: 4GB DDR3 DRAM, 2GB x 2 (upgradable to 8GB)

Storage: 500GB 5,400RPM Hard Drive

Camera: 0.3 Megapixel

Speakers: SRS Premium Stereo Speakers by Altec Lansing, Hi-Definition Audio CODEC

Microphone Digital Array Microphones

Card Reader: 1 x 4-in-1 card reader: MMC, MS, MS-Pro, SD

Input/Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x audio-out (S/PDIF), 1 x VGA, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x RJ45 LAN, 1 x HDMI

Keyboard: 13.70-inch keyboard with MS Windows function keys

Battery Pack: 8-cell Lithium Ion High Density Battery – Up to 12 hours¹

Dimensions: 12.68 (L) x 9.17 (W) x 0.59 ~ 0.97 (H) –inches

Approximate Weight: 3.7 lbs (with 8-cell battery)

Color: Silver

¹Estimated maximum battery life test was done in ASUS Power4Gear battery saving mode with Mobile Mark 2007. Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions.
† Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com’s Service & Reliability Report 2009. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ).

*For notebooks purchased on or after Sept. 10, 2007. The ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty covers “ASUS” brand notebooks only, and does NOT extend to: “Built on ASUS”, “ASMobile”, “Powered by ASUS”, the Eee PC, or some other models. These retailers are currently among the companies that do NOT participate in the ASUS 360 Notebook Service Program and Accidental Damage Warranty: Best Buy, MicroCenter, and The Source by CircuitCity in Canada. Limited of one claim per notebook for Accidental Damage Warranty. ASUS reserves the right to discontinue this program and to modify the terms and conditions thereof at any time. ASUS Accidental Damage Warranty Program starts from the date of your ASUS notebook purchase, when all the requirements are met.
**One incident covered per notebook
***Performance figures were tested in PCMark 2005 v1.2.0 in 1366x768x32bit. Figures are for reference only and may vary depending on system setup and conditions.
All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos.
Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Viiv Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Check Out Other ASUS Notebook Computers and Accessories

ASUS BX700 Bluetooth Laser Mouse The ASUS BX700 Bluetooth laser mouse offers freedom of movement, as well as doing away with wire clutter through Bluetooth connectivity.

ASUS Thin and Light UL80Vt-A1 with Switchable Graphics Want a little larger screen? Check out the 14.1-Inch UL80Vt-A1.

ASUS Slim External Optical Drive/DVD Writer Create and read CDs or DVDs with speed, style, and simplicity with the ASUS Slim Extrenal Optical Drive and your Eee PC.

ASUS Crosslink Cable With the ASUS Crosslink Cable you can transfer data from one computer to another, share internet connection, even read and transfer data on one computer from another computer’s optical drive.

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ASUS UL30Vt-A1 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Silver Laptop

Apart from being one of the most essential parts of your computer, hard drive storage is constantly updating, in terms of both capacity of disk space and in physical size. When it comes time to upgrade your disk storage, there are a number of factors for you to take into account. Once you’ve made basic decisions about size, connectivity, speed and data transfer rate, and whether you want an internal drive or external, you can search through Myshopping.com.au to find the most suitable brand, and model, and compare the prices of different vendors.

Hard Drives

How A Hard Drive Works

Your hard drive has a number of magnetized platters connected to a spindle. The spindle spins the platters at a very fast speed while a series of read/write heads scan over them both looking for and writing information. This information is transferred via a cable system, or through a wireless connection to a hard disk controller, which in most systems is built into the motherboard, or in some systems installed as an add-in card. The information that comes from your hard drive through its controller is then made available to the components of your computer. The effectiveness of your hard drive (its performance) depends on how much of its capacity remains unused, how well organised the data is (known as fragmentation) and its data transfer rate, which in turn is dependent on its connection type and the drive’s spin rate.

Internal Hard Drives

Most computers from, the most basic home models up to the most powerful servers, have an internally installed hard drive. Technology today ensures that they are all generally fast, reliable, and offer dependable storage ability. Most modern computers have installation slots and cabling to enable you to install additional hard drive. This allows you to increase your storage capacity without giving up your existing hard drive.

Internal Hard Drives

External Hard Drives

These drives are essentially the same drives as ones installed inside computers, but cased inside a protective, portable case. This is a good solution for people who work remotely and need to transport large amounts of data. If an external hard drive is your choice, make sure your computer is compatible with the interface that the hard drive uses. An add-in card, such as a FireWire card can help to increase your computer’s capabilities. You can compare different brands of external hard drives simply at Myshopping.com.au and search on the connection type, or other specifications.

External Hard drives

Laptop Hard Drives

There have been many advances in miniaturization of hardware components for laptop computing, and hard drive technology is not left out of this loop. Laptop hard drives function in exactly the same way as internal hard drives on other computers, only they are designed to provide maximum storage and efficiency in the smallest possible package. For added flexibility, some laptop computers come with removable hard drives that can be easily installed and removed. However, before you buy a hard drive for your portable computer, check that the hard drive’s specifications will meet the standards of your computer, as many laptop hard drives are proprietary, and are not compatible with other brands and models.

Laptop Hard Drives

Size

Your hard drive stores your operating system, its programs (games and applications), your working data, and your digital music and movies. Most new computer purchases have a minimum of 80 GB of hard disk space; many have considerably more. Hard drive space is one of those things, once you have it, you’ll find ways to fill it soon enough. There is no real rule of thumb, but consider the cost per gigabyte of storage as a way to guide your purchase. If you work with large files, such as music, video and graphics, it pays to have a big storage space for your work. It may pay you to have two hard drives, one that houses all your programs and applications, and another for storing your work and projects.

You may want to compare the price of say a 160GB drive against two separate 80 GB drives. If one drive fails all is not lost. Today’s hard drives however, are fairly robust pieces of equipment and providing they are not abuse, will serve you well for a long period of time.

up to 32 GB Hard Drives

32-64 GB Hard Drives

64-100 GB Hard Drives

100 GB and more Hard Drives

Interface

One key distinguishing factor between hard drives is the way in which they connect to your computer. There are a number of basic types of connection schemes used with hard drives. Each connection type has a range of differences in performance.

IDE (INTEGRATED DRIVE ELECTRONICS)

This is by the most common connection methods. Because the hard drive controller is on the drive itself rather than on the motherboard, it helps to keep costs down. There different IDE standards available. Mostly, you will want to purchase the fastest possible standard that your computer can support. Most computers will support a standard that is faster than what the computer currently supports, so you can buy a faster drive, and update your computer at a later time. The different IDE standards, in order from most basic to fastest, are:

ATA (Basic). Supports up to two hard drives and features a 16-bit interface, handling transfer speeds up to 8.3 MB per second.

ATA-2 or EIDE (Enhanced IDE). Supports transfer speeds up to 13.3 MB per second.

ATA-3. A minor upgrade to ATA-2 and offers transfer speeds up to 16.6 MB per second.

Ultra-ATA (Ultra-DMA, ATA-33 or DMA-33). Dramatic speed improvements, with transfer rates up to 33 MB per second.

ATA-66. A version of ATA that doubles transfer rates up to 66 MB per second.

ATA-100. An upgrade to the ATA standard supporting transfer rates up to 100 MB per second.

ATA-133. Found mostly in AMD-based systems (not supported by Intel), with transfer rates up to 133 MB per second.

IDE / EIDE Hard Drives

Serial ATA Hard Drives

Ultra DMA 100 Hard Drives

SCSI (SMALL COMPUTER SYSTEM INTERFACE)

This is the hard drive interface standard used by many high-end PCs, networks and servers, and Apple Macintosh computers, except for the earliest Macs and the newer iMacs. While some systems support SCSI controllers on their motherboards, most feature a SCSI controller add-in card. SCSI drives are usually faster and more reliable, and the SCSI interface supports the connection of many more drives than IDE. While SCSI drives come in many different standards, many of them are not compatible with one another. So it’s important be know that your computer supports the drive you plan to install. The different SCSI connections are:

SCSI-1. A basic connection using a 25-pin connector, supporting transfer rates up to 4 MB per second.

SCSI-2. Uses a 50-pin connector and supports multiple devices with a transfer rate of 4MB per second.

Wide SCSI. These drives have a wider cable and a 68-pin connection that supports 16-bit data transfers.

Fast SCSI. Uses an 8-bit bus but transfers data at 10 MB Per second.

Fast Wide SCSI. Doubles both the bus (16-bit) and the data transfer rate (20 MB per second).

Ultra SCSI or Ultra Wide SCSI. Uses an 8-bit bus and transfers data at 20 MB per second.

SCSI-3. Features a 16-bit bus and transfers data at 40 MB per second.

Ultra2 SCSI. Uses an 8-bit bus and transfer data at a rate of 40 MB per second.

Wide Ultra2 SCSI. Uses a 16-bit bus and supports data transfer rates of 80 MB per second.

SCSI Hard Drives

Ultra320 SCSI Hard Drives

FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394)

The FireWire standard is becoming popular in portable hard drives because it can be connected and removed without having to reboot the computer. It supports data transfer rates of 50 MB per second, which means it is ideal for video, audio and multimedia applications. FireWire requires a dedicated add-in card and the hard drives in use require an external power source, but the interface can support up to 63 devices simultaneously.

FireWire Hard Drives

USB 1.1 (UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS)

Pretty much all computers today include USB ports on their motherboards. (On older model, you can install an add-in card.) USB controllers can be used to connect external hard drives, and can support as many as 127 devices simultaneously either through USB port hubs or linked in a daisy chain fashion. USB controllers do delivery power to devices connected to them, but many hard drives still use an external power source. USB is limited by its data transfer speed, the maximum rate being about at 1.5 MB per second.

USB Hard Drives

USB 2.0 (HI-SPEED USB)

A more recently introduced and far better connection standard that offers backward compatibility and data transfer rates of up to 60 MB per second. USB 1.1 system can use a USB 2.0 device; it will need a USB 2.0 controller card to achieve the higher transfer rates.

USB 2.0 Hard Drives

FIBRE CHANNEL

Fibre Cabling is mainly used for high-bandwidth network servers and workstations, providing very fast data transfer rates (up to 106MB per second), and connection at long cabled distances, although it is expensive and you need to install a special interface card.

Spin rate

Data transfer rate is crucial to how well your computer performs for you. Apart from the connection types above, the performance of your hard drive depends on its spin rate, measured in RPM. Higher RPM generally means faster data transfer rate. The lowest spin speed that is acceptable in computing today is 5400 RPM. The common standard at present is 7200 RPM. But higher speeds are available in SCSI drives, and it is one area of computer system technology that is constantly being developed.

3600 RPM Hard Drives

4200 RPM Hard Drives

5400 RPM Hard Drives

7200 RPM Hard Drives

10000 RPM Hard Drives

15000 RPM Hard Drives

A larger capacity hard drive will not necessarily make your system function any faster unless you are low on available disk space with your existing drive. But a drive with Ultra ATA/100 or ATA/133 and a 7200 RPM spin rate will pretty much guarantee an improved hard drive performance.

Other considerations

CACHE

Cache (pronounces ‘cash’) is additional temporary memory that acts as a buffer between the system and the drive. Frequently accessed data is stored in the cache for quick access. Cache sizes vary from 512 KB up to 16 MB on some SCSI drives. The larger cache you have on your drive, the faster your drive will transfer data. If you are working with large files, such as video, images and audio files, it pays to have the largest cache you can get (8MB or more).

SEEK TIME

The data on your disk is stored in tracks and sectors and when you instruct your hard drive controller to retrieve some data, it goes looking. The seek time is a measure of how long it takes the hard drive to find a specific track on a disk. Seek times can vary slightly from disk to disk and a drive with a faster seek time will always perform better.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TRANSFER RATES

These two rates tell how fast a drive actually reads the data and passes it along to the system. Internal Transfer Rate refers to the time it takes for a drives heads to read data from the platter and pass it to the drive’s cache. The External Transfer Rate (sometimes called the Transfer Rate or the Burst Transfer Rate) is a measure of the time it takes to send the data from the cache all the way to the computer’s memory. Naturally faster transfer rates provide better performance.

S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology)

This is a nice built-in feature in some hard drives that can help alert you to a potential hardware problem. Your computer’s BIOS must support this in order for the SMART function it to work, however the drive itself will still work in a system without it.

Buying and installing a hard drive has some technical aspects that you need to take into account. Use Myshopping.com.au to compare different hard drive makes and specifications to find the drive that will work best for your needs and computer. You can compare prices and service offers from different vendors.

Laptops have historically been designed around a balance of performance and portability. Not only do they need to be capable of handling the tasks they are designed for, they need to do so without destroying Dell Latitude D630 battery life in the process.

There are always exceptions to this rule. Big, power hungry desktop replacements are almost always designed to be tethered to a power outlet, while more portable laptops often lose out in the graphics department.

Modern graphics chips are usually more complex than CPUs. This adds not only extra power drain but also heat issues. This extra heat is actually the reason why a lot of manufacturers push the term notebook over laptop – having two massively complex chips running all the time means that the form factor is not ideal to use on one’s lap.

Trading off between battery and graphical grunt

This has led to a quandary. Integrated graphics hardware is fine for the majority of desktop tasks. It is also a lot less complex, which means it can run at lower clock speeds and generates less heat. Throw on a high definition video, or try and run a 3D game and integrated graphics struggles.

On the flipside, a GPU is overkill for most day to day tasks. Web surfing and PowerPoint presentations aren’t graphically intensive, and using a discrete GPU for this just adds extra power and heat drain to a laptop.

There have been many stabs at solutions to this over the years. We have seen discrete GPUs used instead of integrated graphics, but this only exacerbated the problems mentioned above. The industry then moved towards switchable graphics options, where both integrated and discrete graphics were built into the laptop.

Historical annoyances

One of the major issues with this was that it required users to hit a function key to switch graphics hardware. This would often require a reboot to change displays and, like many more obscure features in computing, sometimes users wouldn’t even realise the functionality was there. Or for convenience sake they’d activate the discrete graphics and just run everything on that, thus negating the whole solution.

Even when this technology became driver-switchable it didn’t actually improve things. There would be an inherent delay as a laptop changed output from integrated to discrete graphics and while it was a better solution it was still an inelegant one.

Logic dictates that the best solution to this issue would be to just develop a better class of discrete graphics that could run in low power situations. This is a viable path for AMD, which makes both CPUs and GPUs. However for systems using NVIDIA graphics this has been further complicated by Intel’s decision to bolt integrated graphics chips onto its CPU packages.

This means that NVIDIA has had to adapt if it wants to keep selling graphics for laptops. This adaptation is known as Optimus technology, and it finally does away with the arbitrary annoyances seen in previous generations of switchable graphics.

The best of both worlds

Basically what NVIDIA has done is put Intel’s IGP to work as a display controller. When you are using programs that are graphically undemanding the NVIDIA graphics chip lies dormant. This means you get the benefits of Dell GK479 battery life and lower heat most of the time.

Where the big difference to previous solutions lies is with graphically intensive applications. When NVIDIA’s driver detects that the discrete graphics chip is needed it powers up the GPU and uses that to generate the pictures. Unlike previous generations of hardware Optimus laptops don’t have a delay or the need for a reboot for this to happen.

When called upon the GPU in an Optimus laptop will fire up and start rendering. It then puts the output images into the IGP’s framebuffer. The IGP then outputs this picture on the screen. By using the integrated graphics hardware in this way NVIDIA not only manages to get around the tight integration of the IGP but also manages to power up the discrete graphics hardware without the end user noticing.

This seamless hopping between chips means that Optimus powered laptops will have better battery life than ones using discrete graphics. More importantly though it means that there is much less of a tradeoff between portability and power. You will still chew the battery life if you enter into a mammoth Battlefield 2 session, but you’ll be able to finish working and throw on a HD movie without having needlessly burned through your Dell GD761 laptop battery life with spreadsheets.

How it works in practice

Of course the promises of this simplicity are grand, but oftentimes the implementation is poor. In order to get more of a picture of how Optimus works, we have been playing with an ASUS N61Jv laptop. This is the first Optimus products to hit the PC Authority Labs, and pairs the Intel HD graphics IGP on the i5-430M CPU with a Nvidia Geforce GT 325M graphics chip.

Fire up a graphically intensive application and the laptop runs it without the soul-crushingly low framerates inherent in Intel integrated graphics. Close the game and the laptop powers down the NVIDIA graphics and the IGP takes over all the display functions again.

It all just works. Which is the massive advantage brought by this technology. Unlike previous generations of switchable graphics there is absolutely no input required from the end user. Application support comes not only through driver-based autodetection but also through special driver profiles. These profiles are similar to the ones used for SLI support on desktop systems and are automatically downloaded by the NVIDIA control panel app, ensuring ongoing compatibility.

Windows 7 laptops only

This brings to bear an interesting thing to keep in mind when looking at Optimus products. Because of the reliance on the NVIDIA driver to control when the discrete graphics powers up, it is essentially a Windows 7 only technology. Install Linux, Windows XP or Vista and the laptop will only access the Intel HD graphics IGP – the laptop will still output pictures, but you won’t have the option of the pretty graphics delivered by the NVIDIA GPU. This will be a moot point for the vast majority of users, but something worth remembering if you want to diverge from Windows 7.