about-electronics.eu

The Red Ferret Journal: Here’s a neat portal for Internet radio (MP3/Ogg/etc streaming sites).

The system searchs the Internet looking for streams. A short sample of their music or content is collected.

Their homepage is used to generate a small free ad (automatically).  The ad is placed on their ‘dial’ and the audio sample is instantly accessible to anyone who cares to listen.

They also search the homepage of the stream so you can search for particular types of music directly.

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BBC: Entrepreneurs are being urged to look to the future of satellite navigation. A competition, which aims to find novel ideas that exploit the pin-point accuracy of Europe’s soon-to-launch Galileo system, is calling for entries.

Previous winners include a system that monitors changes in the ground that occur before an earthquake strikes. The eventual winner of the UK Satellite Navigation Challenge will then compete in a European tournament for cash and support to kick-start the business.

“Everybody has been amazed at what clever entrepreneurs have been able to do [with GPS]; it does far more than what anyone could have dreamed of when they invented the system,” said Richard Peckham of EADS Astrium Navigation, and one of the Judges of the UK competition.

“I think the same will be true in the future when you have Galileo plus GPS.” He said the UK competition was primarily looking for something that had business potential. “You are also looking for novelty and whether people will be one day willing to pay for the capability.”

Last year’s competition, for example, was won by Genesys Consultancy, which suggested a product to help predict natural disasters like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Unlike previous winners, GeoSynch, as the product is known, primarily uses the increased accuracy of the timing signals from the Galileo satellites rather than its positioning application.

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Playlist: Years before the iPod was even an idea in someone’s head, JVC was making “executive minisystems” — compact stereos designed to offer reasonably good sound in a package small enough to fit on a desk or shelf. The NX-PS1 is among the latest of these systems (and likely the smallest, at least in terms of the size of the main amplifier section and the satellite speakers). But whereas previous JVC minisystems offered CD players, radios, and even MiniDisc decks, the NX-PS1 has no audio source of its own; it’s up to you to provide the music, in the form of an iPod or other digital media player.

The NX-PS1 comprises four block-shaped components: three diminutive blocks — the main amplifier unit and left and right satellite speakers — and a larger box for the subwoofer. You connect the speakers to the amp using standard speaker cable; 5-foot cables are included for each satellite, along with an 8.5-foot cable that lets you place the sub out of sight and near a wall for increased bass response.

By foregoing a CD player, JVC was able to shrink the NX-PS1′s main unit — which includes various controls and an LCD display — down to a surprisingly small package that will easily fit on any desk, dresser, or bookshelf. But despite its small size, the main unit includes a digital amplifier that provides 50 Watts of total power: 10 to each satellite and 30 to the subwoofer. It also includes an impressive array of inputs — necessary, given that the system provides no audio source of its own. (In this respect, it’s useful to think of the NX-PS1 as a set of self-powered “computer” speakers that just so happens to include playback controls and a remote control.)

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NaviGadget: Buddi of UK is getting ready to release a new personal GPS locator that is miniaturized in size to make it easier to carry around with you. The specs are not released at this point but it probably is a GPS GSM tracking device that notifies a network at a pre-determined time interval.You will have to spend an initial €445 on the GPS/GSM hardware and then pay €30 per month to get the service which will include 24/7 customer support as well as a website to pinpoint your loved ones on a map.

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Camera Core: DxO Labs, in partnership with MagnaChip, has developed an innovative depth of field system for camera phones.

The joint venture has produced a 3.2 megapixel imaging sensor – the MC531EA. This produces an extended depth of field for mobile phone cameras, eliminating the need for physical auto focus.

DxO provides optics software which helps provide sharp images from foreground to background. The MC531EA sensor was developed in response to increasing demand from camera phone vendors.

The technology means that smaller phones, with lower power consumption and costs, can produce higher quality photos.

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SFGate: Makers of car stereos have sophisticated ways to let you play iPod library on the road

Clarion MAX675VD

Cnet rating: 8.6 out of 10 (excellent; editors’ choice)

The good: Elegant and feature-packed system with a range of useful and intuitive media playback features.

The bad: Hard buttons on far side of driver; incomplete source menu.

The price: €475

For those considering an in-car multimedia system, the Clarion MAX675VD is a compelling option. With most of the advanced digital media playback features available, including a great iPod interface, plus customization options and large selection of add-on devices, the MAX675VD is a user-friendly, all-in-one system. It makes use of a virtual version of the iPod wheel interface when a player is connected. Disc-based video formats supported include DVD and VCD.

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Akihabaranews: This is the type of thing you wouldn’t usually think of buying and once you have it you use it for everything!
This Microscope can be plugged in to your computer (1.1 or 2.0) and zoom on anything you’ll want to “examinate” up to 200x !

65€ for all the physician wannabees!

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Engadget: It looks like Switzerland is going down a road other countries have traveled before, with a Federal Court now confirming a tax on digital audio players and other devices that had originally been slated to go into effect in March of 2006.

That date ended up being pushed back after complaints from various groups, some of whom deemed the tax to be too high while others thought it was too low, according to SwissInfo.

The court apparently found the tax to be just right though, and it’s now set to go into effect next month, tacking anywhere from $25 to $75 (from €18 – €54) onto the price of various audio devices, including flash and hard drive-based digital music players, as well as other hard drive-based audio/video recorders.

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EngadgetHD: CNET has dished out an updated version of the “top-rated HDTVs regardless of type, technology, brand, or size.”

Taking a respectable fourth is the Samsung LN-T4665F, which was praised for its excellent shadow detail and beautiful styling, while the Pioneer PDP-5070HD (the PDP-507XD in Europe) managed to squeeze into third thanks to its accurate color decoding and impressive array of inputs.

The first loser (or runner-up, depending on perspective) was the Mitsubishi WD-65831, which was dubbed “as good as it gets” in the 65-inch range for those not savvy with high-end plasma pricetags.

Unsprisingly, Pioneer’s stunning PRO-FHD1 (the PDP-5000EX in Europe) took top honors due to its excellent detail with 1080-resolution material, deep blacks, and all around excellent picture quality.

So if you’ve been teetering on how to wisely spend €5,800 or so, the choice seems pretty clear at this stage.

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HDTV UK: A new website, Blu-raystats.com, has been launched and features practically all the statistical information you could ever want to know about the Blu-ray disc format.

The site lists all the latest Blu-ray releases with related information on regional coding, audio support and even how much the film drew at the US box office. There are also updated sales statistics and you can use the site to pre-order titles through Amazon.

The site itself isn’t especially well presented but it does offer useful indicators for keeping track of the format war – expect an HD-DVD equivalent to arrive soon.

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DigiTimes: Netherlands-based TomTom plans to start marketing its GPS-enabled PND (portable navigation device) products in the China market by the end of 2007, according to Charles Huang, vice president for marketing, Asia Pacific, at TomTom.

The number of privately-held cars in China totaled 16 million in 2006, with the amount to grow to 20 million by the end 2007, indicating there is great potential for in-car PND products in China, Huang pointed out.

In addition, the proportion of new cars to all car models in use in China is estimated at 15%, much higher than the 7-8% found in many markets, Huang added, noting that owners of new cars relatively willing to accept PNDs.

Although other vendors, including Garmin and Taiwan-based Mio Technology, have already entered the China market, the brand image of those vendors is still low, offering ample room for other international players to further develop the market, Huang stated.

In Taiwan, TomTom plans to launch three additional PND models in the second half of the year after launching its first PND model, the ONE, in May, Huang said.

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Engadget: While it’s not clear if Russia and China’s forthcoming challenges have anything to do with it, the United States and the European Union are apparently close to a deal that would see them work together to improve their respective navigation systems.

According to Reuters, the deal would allow both EU and U.S. satellites to send information on the same radio frequency, which would in turn allow receivers to pick up signals from both systems, theoretically resulting in greater accuracy.

Of course, we’ll still have to wait a while to see any of those benefits, with the EU’s Galileo system still far from ready, although it’s expected to be fully operational by 2012.

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