Secret Unveiled: LG Launches the Third Black Label Series Handset LG Secret

Read the original press release here

LG Electronics, a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, launched the third LG Black Label Series handset LG Secret (Model: LG-KF750) worldwide on April 24th, 2008 in London, U.K.

Following the success of its predecessors, LG Chocolate and LG Shine, the third model from the LG Black Label Series resonates a highly stylish design and enriched technological features including the slimmest 5 megapixel camera and innovative materials. The phone was developed to satisfy the refined tastes of trendsetters who desire a sophisticated design with an enduring elegance.

"The huge success of the previous models of the Black Label Series validated our approach to provide the ultimate mobile experience for today’s discerning consumers, who seek to embody personal style with their handsets," says Skott Ahn, President & CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "These are the enriched features that will diversify the way users interact with their handsets but most of all, the LG Secret was designed to be a style that lasts."

From the top we can see a predominant keyword in the LG press release: timeless. And in my opinion, in this high-speed modern age of ours, it's one of the most necessary things to keep us all on track. Of course, saying that, LG defines the terms on which this word applies:

• Timeless style - LG Secret will always look new thanks to the materials incorporated into the phone
• Timeless memories - Equipped with an advanced 5.0 megapixel camera built into the slimmest profile of any camera handset on the market (at 11.8mm), LG Secret boasts 120 fps video and DivX® certified playback
• Timeless entertainment - Entertainment features include Touch Media that takes advantage of the touch screen to directly access five multimedia functions in a single button – music, photos, games, documents, and FM radio
• Timeless convenience - LG Secret makes life easier with Bluetooth auto-sync that automatically synchronizes with the PC and users do not have to be hassled by tangled USB cables. The Auto Rotating Display shifts the image on the screen for viewing in any position

These and many other features, which are described in more detail in the original press release, make this phone proud to be one of the Black Label Series. LG Secret begins its launch in Europe followed by launch events in Asia, South America, and on to the rest of the world. Please also visit LG Secret Global Microsite at http://secret.lgmobile.com.

From the Web - 24.04.2008

This is the start of a series that aims to provide you with information from multiple sources. There are no real areas of interest in this post, being a mash-up from several different publishers. I plan to make this kind of post as often as I can, in an attempt to create continuity when I don't have enough time to write or prepare a full post. This way you will be able so see the subjects that you have (or not) an interest in by going straight at the source.

And with that out of the way, let's get on with it:

• Samsung U900 Soul Available in UK: Samsung has added the Samsung Soul U900 to its available handsets in the UK.
• Yahoo to radically open its platforms: Yahoo will radically open its Web platforms to outside developers in order to improve its services to consumers.
• Ballmer: Microsoft could walk away from Yahoo deal: Microsoft gave its first hint that it may abandon its $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo.
• Apple's ultra-thin MacBook Air also slim on profits?: In its determination to deliver the world's thinnest notebook, Apple admitted to sacrificing some speed and versatility, but a new analysis suggests that it may have given up some early profits as well.
• Linux Still Top Embedded OS: "Linux was used by 18 percent of embedded engineers responding to a survey, making it tops overall among both free and commercial OSes..."(LinuxDevices)
• Ubisoft 2007-08 sales up 43%: Ubisoft has released Q4 and FY 07-08 financial information, and is targeting EUR 1 billion in sales for 2008-09
• Sony Ericsson Launches 2 New 3G HSDPA Mobile Phones: The Z780 expands the company’s range of devices for markets outside of Europe and the compact G502 brings the power of the web to a mainstream audience.
• China has world's largest Internet-using population: China has now surpassed the US as the country with the largest number of Internet users
• Bill Gates: "The GPL, which we disagree with": "At the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, Bill Gates gave his thoughts on where the pharmaceutical industry was going, and where it should be going. However, he also slipped up a bit and criticized the GNU General Public License..."(Ars Technica)
• Apple buys chip designer PA Semi for $278 million: An Apple spokesman confirmed Tuesday evening that the company has agreed purchase a boutique microprocessor design company known for sophisticated but low-power designs, Forbes is reporting.

Microsoft Office 2007 and OOXML

Source: CNET News

"Word documents generated by today's version of Microsoft Office 2007 do not conform to the Office Open XML standard under development by the International Organization for Standardization, according to tests run by a document standards specialist."

It comes to no surprise to many of us that the Microsoft giant follows it's own path, practically ignoring standards and regulations. Well, it's a giant, after all. But the ones that eventually suffer are the end users. After paying an enormous sum for the Microsoft Office 2007 software package, you have the unpleasant surprise that it doesn't work well with other similar software. The standards are in place for a reason. Just imagine what the world would be without them. The thing that really surprises me is that Microsoft, although they are under a lot of investigations from so many international or European organizations, they still do things their own way.

Even if I'm not a big user of the documents, they are very often used in office activities across the world. The fact that there are free alternatives out there, like Open Office or even the online Google Docs, people prefer the commercial versions. I remember a few days ago a friend of mine bought a new computer and it had Windows Vista pre-installed. He was so happy that he had this beautiful operating system, but that soon ended as soon as he had to install his other software. The confirmation dialogs brought him to the edge of insanity. But that's another story. He then needed a good text editor and a spreadsheet editor. He opted for Microsoft Office 2007 although Open Office is completely free and more than capable of handling the job. His decision was based on the fact that he "heard more people talking about Microsoft Office that Open Office". I guess this kind of thinking is what keeps Microsoft going despite their continuous rules breaking actions.

That aside, we'll just have to wait and see how this issue will be resolved. After all, you can't claim to handle certain file types if you don't respect the standards internationally accepted.

Samsung T220 22" widescreen LCD Monitor

One thing that starts to appear maybe a little too often here: Samsung LCD monitors. But that's just because there's so great. Being one of the leaders in the industry, Samsung continues to provide us with even better gadgets each time. This is just one of them, part of the Samsung Premium Class LCDs.

The Samsung T220 22" LCD Widescreen Monitor is one beautiful display. Samsung has created a design unlike anything you’ve ever seen called Touch of Color™. Samsung Premium Class LCDs are top-of-the-line premium monitors offering superb picture quality, luxury features and the most striking, sophisticated designs. Premium Class monitors are ideal for executives, professional offices, advertising, public relations, gamers and developers.

The T220 monitor not only has beauty, it also has brains. An amazing 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 2ms response rate deliver sharp contrast and virtually no blurring when watching movies or playing video games. You’ll be inspired to create your best work with the T220. It looks more like a beautiful piece of art than a lcd monitor.

Here are some of the specifications for the Samsung T220 LCD Monitor:

• Screen Size : 22" wide
• Resolution : 1680 x 1050 (WSXGA+)
• Brightness: 300 cd/m²
• Response time: 2 ms(GTG)
• Contrast Ratio: DC 20,000:1 (1000:1) (Typ.)
• Viewing Angle (Horizontal / Vertical): 170º / 160º (CR>10)
• Power Consumption: 45 watts
• Video Signal: analog RGB, DVI

More detailed information about the Samsung T220 22 inch LCD monitor can be found on the official product page at www.samsung.com.

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition

Source: Ubuntu Official Website

Canonical Ltd. released the latest version of the popular operating system Ubuntu, now at version 8.04. Along with the Desktop Edition, the Server Edition has also been released, and will be avasilable for download on Thursday 24 April.

Ubuntu 8.04 Long Term Support (LTS) provides a stable platform for software and hardware vendors, developers and users. With three years of support and maintenance on the desktop, 8.04 LTS is a great choice for large-scale deployment. A substantial and growing ecosystem of free and commercial software built for Ubuntu provides a rich set of choices for desktop users. This is the eighth desktop release of Ubuntu. Ubuntu's track record in delivering - on a precise schedule every six months - a commercial operating system that is free, stable, secure and fully supported, remains unique.

Ubuntu includes the latest, stable version of many core products, and in that spirit is the first distribution to bring Mozilla Firefox 3 (Beta 5) to millions of users. The combination of Linux and Firefox make Ubuntu 8.04 LTS a superb web desktop, with fast browsing and greatly reduced exposure to viruses, web forgery and spyware. The enhanced default photo manager, F-Spot, together with improved camera and phone recognition means users can upload, tag, manage, display, delete, print and share photos with friends and family more easily. Users can plug in a PSP, share playlists with friends, buy from the Magnatune online music store, stream live radio and plug in more devices than ever (with UpnP). The new default movie player now allows users to browse YouTube and other video sources across the web and to share their videos with others. It integrates with Myth TV, the open source TVR, so users can watch their favorite TV shows straight on the desktop. Brasero allows them to easily burn all content to CD or DVD. Clock and calendar integration is available to manage time across the globe with a single click to set, attend and receive alerts about appointments. Ubuntu 8.04 LTS combines the latest GNOME applications with desktop visual effects, giving users a smoother, better-looking and more intuitive experience.

And that's not all:

• Longer support: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS is supported with security updates and maintenance for three years so corporate and individual users have a longer upgrade planning cycle. Those who want the newest applications will be able to upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10, due in October 2008, those who prefer longer deployment cycles can stay with Ubuntu 8.04 for three years before moving to the next LTS release.
• More applications: More than 30 commercial ISVs plan to support and distribute their applications on the 8.04 LTS desktop platform, including Adobe, Google, Real Networks, Nero, Skype, Corel, Parallels and Fluendo.
• More accessibility: Gesture support allows users to navigate Ubuntu in a more natural fashion. Also available are increased language support for voice command, support for keyboard accessibility, slow keys, zoom and more.

Due to the fact that Ubuntu is so easy to install and use, I encourage people to give it a try. It's certainly worth it.

Panasonic's Stingray Workstation - the power to change

Full article (press release) here

Panasonic Information Systems, a division of Panasonic System Solutions Company and a world leader in point of sale and drive-thru communication solutions, will be showing their revolutionary Stingray Workstation (model JS-950) at FS/TEC 2008. With its flexible open architecture and versatile modular construction that provides lower total cost of ownership, this unique workstation is transforming the POS market with “the power to change."

“Stingray is so innovative in its approach to providing users what they need, it has changed the way POS workstations are selected and sold in the quick service and hospitality industries,” said Doyle Ledford, Director, Panasonic Information Systems. “The open platform design of our new Stingray applies both to software and hardware, as this workstation will run virtually any operating system, and software and can be configured with the selection of components and capabilities that best meet users’ specific needs. Most importantly, Stingray allows for change – both in terms of software upgrades and hardware changes – both easily and cost-efficiently. It’s the POS solution that offers lower total cost of ownership by evolving as your business needs change and by offering user replaceable components such as the LCD display and hard drive.”

Stingray’s open architecture runs virtually any operating system and software, allowing users to implement most off-the-shelf or custom POS applications to meet their specific needs. With a high speed processor and up to 2 GB of on-board RAM, Stingray is ideal for stand-alone applications and can also be integrated into a LAN network to run the most demanding back office operations. It can also run multiple software applications to further extend its functionality and overall efficiency. In addition, it's backwards compatible, allowing operators to replace one workstation at a time for maximum cost-efficiency.

Stingray’s unique all-in-one modular design allows convenient, cost-effective customization to meet specific application needs. Users can design it to fit their operations with the confidence of knowing they have the power to change the unit’s configuration at any time. Stingray allows users to easily increase RAM, swap or change hard drives, remove/replace the LCD display, switch the 15” LCD display from landscape to portrait, add a card reader in the position they want, or add security devices – all with no need for a technician. Stingray’s dual back lit LCD adjustable displays deliver high-resolution, high-contrast images and are available with resistive or capacitive touch screen technology for faster, more accurate order taking.

Apple iPhone prices - confirmed to be cut

Article from Macworld.com (visit original article)

O2 has officially confirmed its anticipated £100 (US$200) discount on the 8GB iPhone, offering the device for just £169 until 1 June 2008. The move matches a discount recently initiated by Apple’s German network partner, T-Mobile, but the discount isn’t being applied on sales of the 16GB iPhone, which continues to cost £329. The offer is available from April 16th on all O2 iPhone tariffs and is designed (according to O2) to add momentum to what it calls its “fastest-selling device”.

O2 notes that iPhone users are among its most satisfied customers and declared the aim of the deal is to “bring its benefits to an even greater number of customers”.

“The iPhone has also been hugely successful in attracting new high value customers to O2 who are also more likely to recommend O2 to their friends and family. Sixty percent of iPhone customers are new to O2 while iPhone customers spend on average 30 percent more than other Pay Monthly customers”, O2 explained.

The move - which occurs a little more than a week after O2 said it had no immediate plans to cut iPhone prices - also comes as expectation continues to build that Apple will introduce a second-generation iPhone that supports the fast 3G wireless standard, perhaps as soon as June. The move also seem designed to clear stock of the existing 8GB model, possibly indicating higher capacity models are on the road map. O2 explains its offer to be “subject to stock availability.”

Samsung Electronics and Giorgio Armani - Premium LCD Television

From the official Samsung website: Press release

With the occasion of the Milan International Furniture Fair Samsung Electronics and Giorgio Armani, one of the leading fashion and luxury goods groups in the world, unveil the new Armani/Samsung premium LCD television, designed for a discriminating consumer, who is seeking a prestige television that combines sophisticated design and leading flat screen technology.

The Armani/Samsung LCD Television is the second product (following the Giorgio Armani - Samsung mobile phone) designed by Giorgio Armani under a strategic marketing alliance announced by the two companies in September, 2007. The alliance foresees the development of a range of prestige portable and home consumer electronics products matching Giorgio Armani’s iconic design aesthetic with Samsung’s cutting-edge technology and leadership in consumer electronics.

Unique design elements include a stylish remote control and a special 4-mode lighted power switch that customizes the display of the two companies’ logos on the front of the television. At rest, the remote mirrors the simple elegance of the television itself. When handled, the unit immediately comes alive with radiant backlights to present a full range of convenient features. The television also comes with a smaller, pebble-shaped remote for basic functions that rests at the corner of the stand.

The unit is further accentuated by glass in the front and shows simple but solid natural lines that convey pure emotional expression. Both models, 46-inch and 52-inch, are to incorporate many of the features and cutting-edge technologically, such as 100Hz Full HD and HDMI connectors, that have made Samsung Televisions world renowned for their outstanding picture quality and high-end functionality.

The design of the Armani/Samsung LCD Television has been inspired by Giorgio Armani's new 2008/09 Armani/Casa home furnishings collection, which includes the Brahms tea table in pleated effect glossy black lacquered wood which has been specifically designed to host the new television.

Giorgio Armani said, "There was once a time when one would want to hide a television as it never failed to disturb the ambience of a living room. Now, through the incredible advance in technology, flat screen televisions can easily be incorporated into the design solution for a home."

Bookeun Yoon, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Division of Samsung Electronics said, “There are more and more consumers today who are increasingly style conscious in their selection of home electronics products. They are looking for products that unite the best contemporary design with technological performance and functionality. This partnership therefore affords us the chance to offer those consumers unique products matching Giorgio Armani's sophisticated, iconic style with Samsung's leading technology."

The 46-inch Armani/Samsung Television, will be launched initially in Europe, Korea and Russia in mid summer . The 52-inch model will be launched in late-summer in the same market.