Sony Ericsson (SE) - Catch Life in HD with Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM)

Catch Life in HD with Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM)

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  Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) - the second installment in a new family of communication entertainment phones also introduces HD video capabilities into the portfolio
  
  
  
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  New 'human curvature' design philosophy delivering beauty inside and out
  
  
  
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  Coming to market in the first quarter of 2010
  
  
  

Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM), announced today, follows on from the Xperia X10 announced in November 2009, and is the second phone in the new family of communication entertainment phones coming to market in the first half of 2010. Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) will come to market in Q1 2010.

With Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) communication truly becomes entertainment with high quality HD video allowing consumers to produce and broadcast their best experiences with the latest video capture and sharing features.

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  Capture - record spontaneous moments and memories in HD quality and crisp high resolution for a real-life video experience. The dedicated video key allows consumers to shoot video instantly with continuous auto focus for the perfect film every time.
  
  
  
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  View - review video content in the standby panel or online via Wi-Fi on the 3.2 inch widescreen
  
  
  
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  Share - upload via Wi-Fi onto YouTube(TM) and Picasa in high resolution while still using other features on the handset
  
  
  

The open platform also allows users to personalise their entertainment experience by downloading great applications through PlayNow(TM) and the Symbian(TM) Developer Community.

"User-generated content, especially video, is exploding on the web," said Lennard Hoornik, Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson. "With Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM), we have created a mobile phone that makes it easy to catch life in high quality video and upload that self expression onto the web to share with the world. Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) offers beauty inside and out with an open and intuitive user experience allowing consumers to capture, view and share their lives and spontaneity in HD quality."

Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) features the new design philosophy 'human curvature', first introduced with the Xperia X10, which will become a consistent feature of Sony Ericsson's portfolio going forward. Designed to mirror the shape of the human body, and at the same time delivering a precise and compelling phone interaction, Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) is instantly recognisable.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM)

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  HD video - produce and broadcast your best experiences with the latest video capture and sharing features
  
  
  
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  Social networking - easy access to social networks such as Facebook(TM) and Twitter
  
  
  
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  8.1 megapixel camera - capture life's moments in high quality
  
  
  
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  Face and smile detection - a perfect picture every time
  
  
  
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  Sony Ericsson Media Player
  
  
  

Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) supports UMTS HSPA 900/2100 and GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) will be available in selected markets from Q1 in the colours Moon Silver, Cosmic Black, Galaxy Blue and Venus Ruby.

Log on to The Sony Ericsson Product Blog for more information: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products

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Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM)

Camera	8.1 megapixel camera 4x digital zoom Auto focus (photos) Continuous auto focus (video) Face detection (photos) Geo tagging Image stabiliser Photo light Send to web Smile detection Touch capture Video light Video recording (720p HD recording)
Music	Album art Bluetooth(TM) stereo (A2DP) Media player Music player Music tones (MP3/AAC) PlayNow(TM) TrackID(TM)
Web	Bookmarks Google(TM) search (from standby) Web feeds WebKit web browser
Voice	Speakerphone Vibrating alert Video calling (main camera)
Messaging	Conversations Email Handwriting recognition Instant messaging Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync® Picture messaging (MMS) Predictive text input Sound recorder Text messaging (SMS)
Design	Auto rotate Picture wallpaper Symbian OS(TM) Touchscreen
Entertainment	3D games Facebook(TM) application FM radio Java Twitter(TM) application Video streaming Video viewing YouTube(TM)
Organiser	Alarm clock Calculator Calendar Document readers Flight mode Notes Phone book
Location-based services	A-GPS Google Maps(TM) Wisepilot(TM) turn-by-turn navigation* *The service may not be available in every market. For more information, go to www.sonyericsson.wisepilot.com
Connectivity	3.5 mm audio jack Bluetooth(TM) technology DLNA Certified(TM) (photos and audio) Micro USB connector Modem PictBridge printing Synchronisation TV out (VGA resolution) USB mass storage USB support Wi-Fi(TM)
Preloaded applications	Facebook(TM) - social networking Google Maps(TM) - navigation QuickOffice - Microsoft® Office viewer Road Sync - synchronisation SMS Preview - messaging app Twitter - social networking YouTube(TM) - video sharing Water Level - tool app Wisepilot(TM) - navigation World Mate - clock and weather app Rally Master Pro SSX Snowboarding
Screen	16.9 nHD wide touch screen 16,777,216 colour 3.2 inches 640 x 360 pixels nHD Scratch-resistant
Accessories	In-Box: Sony Ericsson Vivaz(TM) Battery HPM-60J Stereo portable handsfree 8GB microSD(TM) card Micro USB cable for charging synchronisation and file transfer User documentation Optional: Wireless Stereo Headphones HBH-IS800 Stereo Portable Handsfree MH700 SD USB Adapter CCR-80
Facts 1)2)	Size: 107 x 52 x 12.5 mm Weight: 97 grams Phone memory: Up to 75 MB Memory card support: SanDisk microSD(TM), up to 16 GB Memory card included: 8 GB microSD(TM) card Operating system: Symbian S60 5th edition Processor: 720MHz Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 13 hrs Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 430 hrs Talk time UMTS: Up to 5 hrs 20 min Standby time UMTS: Up to 440 hrs Video call time: Up to 2 hrs 30 min
Availability and versions	Networks UMTS HSPA 900/2100 GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100 GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 Available in selected markets from Q1 2010
Colour	Moon Silver Cosmic Black Galaxy Blue Venus Ruby

Legal

1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant. 2) Operational times are affected by network

preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. playing games. Kit contents and colour options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.

Ricoh Launches Pro C720/C720s Color Production System

Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment, announced today the official launch of the RICOH® Pro C720/C720s, a production class multi-functional color system, the latest addition to Ricoh's Pro series of products, designed specifically for the production environment. This flexible system is targeted at corporate and commercial professional print environments with demanding application needs. The Pro C720/C720s has a robust duty cycle of 320,000 images per month, and runs at 72 pages-per-minute (PPM) regardless of paper weight.

The RICOH Pro C720s allows customers to complete a wide range of applications within one system. The Pro C720s offers high-resolution scanning, copying, and automated distribution to multiple destinations, including e-mail, URL, and FTP. It also allows customers to store files on a document server so you can reprint them without re-ripping the files.

Central to the operation of the RICOH Pro C720/C720s is a server-based EFI Fiery® Print controller. The Fiery platform optimizes the Pro C720/C720s with top speed, quality, advanced color management, and integrated work-flow utilities that provide the customer with complete control over digital file processing at every stage of production. The Fiery is an open, flexible solution addressing the demanding requirements of Commercial Printers, In-Plant Print Shops, and Central Reproduction Departments (CRDs). The Fiery controller is a standard component of the Pro C720/C720s and includes a number of value-added workflow and job automation utilities such as Fiery Graphic Arts Package, Standard Edition, EFI Hot Folders, Fiery WebTools, and more.

Additionally, the RICOH Pro C720/C720s offers a wide range of advanced in-line finishing options that can be configured to customers' exact requirements, providing enhanced flexibility and efficiency. Options include a high capacity stacker which enables longer unattended print runs, and an array of document handling and finishing options.

The Pro C720/C720s is engineered to provide maximum uptime and reliability to customers in demanding print environments. It is ideal for print-for-pay shops, CRDs and other environments that need to take on more color jobs, increase revenue, and lower cost. The Pro C720/C720s incorporates Trained Customer Replacement Units (TCRU's) that enable operators to replace key components of the system, providing improved productivity. In addition, Ricoh bundles remote diagnostics, troubleshooting and online consumable ordering through the included @Remote diagnostic solution.

The Pro C720/C720s feature large capacity trays that incorporate air-assist paper feeding for sheets up to 13" x 19.2". The Pro C720/C720s handles media basis weights from 16lb bond to 110lb cover and prints at rated speed regardless of basis weight.

"With the economy still on the rebound we're continuing to develop cost-effective solutions that help our customers improve their bottom lines. We've had very good customer experiences with the C900, and the Pro C720 builds on the reliability and quality of the same platform," said Carl Joachim, vice president of Marketing for PPBG, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "We've made good inroads in the production color market over the past year, not only with the Pro C900, but also with our solutions and professional services that address emerging applications such as Web2Print and VDP."

Order taking for the C720/C720S will be effective immediately, with availability scheduled for February 2010. The product will be available through US channels of distribution that include Ricoh Business Solutions, IKON and authorized independent dealers. Additional distribution within the Ricoh Americas group is planned through Ricoh Canada Limited and Ricoh Latin America.

Xerox Technology to Fuel Espresso Book Machine

Xerox Corporation's digital technology will bring speed and exceptional image quality to books produced on demand by the patented Espresso Book Machine®. This cutting-edge book solution, sold by On Demand Books, LLC, produces millions of copyrighted, public domain, out-of-print, or rare texts for consumers in a matter of minutes.

Xerox and On Demand Books will jointly market and sell, on a worldwide basis, the Xerox 4112™ Copier/Printer together with the Espresso Book Machine - a fully integrated solution that prints, binds and trims books with full color covers on demand in retail locations and libraries. The Espresso Book Machine can produce paperbacks in variable combinations of trim sizes between 4.5" x 5.0" and 8.25" x 10.5" for a production cost less than one cent per page.

With the Xerox 4112, the Espresso Book Machine produces a 300-page book in less than four minutes and has the capacity to print more than 40,000 paperback books per year.

"Xerox is a natural fit for On Demand Books and the Espresso Book Machine," said Dane Neller, CEO, On Demand Books. "Their solutions, industry leadership, innovative printing technology and worldwide sales and marketing footprint will help us reach our goal - providing book enthusiasts fast and affordable access to millions of digital titles in multiple languages."

The Espresso Book Machine uses EspressNet, a proprietary and copyrighted software system that connects the device to a vast network of 3.3 million titles obtained with the approval of the publishers. EspressNet assures the security of publishers' titles, tracks all jobs, and provides payments to publishers. Content owners retain full rights and control of their digital files.

"Xerox has provided a variety of digital book solutions for nearly 20 years," said Eric Armour, president, Global Business Group, Xerox Corporation. "Working with On Demand Books, we can apply Xerox technology to meet the incredible opportunities that exist within this industry."

A phased launch is underway in North America.

ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics card with support for Microsoft DirectX 11 and ATI Eyefinity multi-display for under $100

AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card, the latest addition to the award-winning line-up of the world’s first and only graphics products to fully support Microsoft DirectX® 11 gaming and computing, as well as new innovations such as ATI Eyefinity technology. Priced at less than USD $100,1 the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card enables a superior HD gaming experience in the latest DirectX® 11 titles, employs ATI Stream technology to boost performance in video playback and productivity applications,2 and helps enable the full Microsoft Windows® 7 experience.

* Big performance, small price: The ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card delivers up to 620 GigaFLOPS of compute power and GDDR5 memory, delivering unprecedented gaming performance for under USD $100 in the latest DirectX® 11 titles such as Codemaster’s Colin McRae™: DiRT® 2™, EA Phenomic’s BattleForge™ , GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat™ and Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 as well as DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles. In some of today’s most popular games, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics processor showed a more than 20 percent performance improvement over the closest competing product in its class.3

* Panoramic computing hits the mainstream: The latest in ATI Eyefinity technology enables up to three displays to be used with a single ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card4, delivering the most immersive gaming experience with a graphics card for under $100.

* Accelerate with ATI Stream technology: ATI Stream technology speeds up video transcoding and improves video playback performance with applications such as Adobe Flash, and helps to deliver video enhancements that produce better visual quality with sharper, more vibrant images.2

“AMD recently celebrated the shipment of its two millionth DirectX 11 graphics chip. AMD has already enabled DirectX® 11 support for the majority of the PC market and today’s introduction of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 graphics card is yet another clear indication of AMD’s commitment to address the strong market demand for DirectX 11-capable graphics cards,” said Matt Skynner, vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Group. “Combined with the successful launches of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5970, ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series and ATI Radeon™ HD 5700 series, AMD has defined the DirectX 11 gaming experience like no other, bringing graphics innovations like ATI Eyefinity technology and ATI Stream technology to millions of consumers worldwide.”

“DICE prides itself on delivering the best possible experience to gamers, and ATI Radeon™ graphics cards help us to do that with Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 through the use of DirectX® 11 and our Frostbite engine,” said Johan Andersson. “The fact that AMD has now shipped two million DirectX® 11 graphics processors demonstrates how excited gamers are by the awesome performance and feature set of the latest ATI Radeon™ products.”

Software-Only Digital Picture Frame Released by Ricoh Visual Online Storage Service 'quanp'

Ricoh Company, Ltd., yesterday announced a desktop slideshow application for displaying pictures that are stored in its visual online service "quanp." Users store pictures permanently online with the quanp service and can access them anywhere on the Internet. The application is installed locally and is especially good for displaying a regular stream of photos like vacations or family gatherings. The unobtrusive 200 pixel by 200 pixel display is built on the Adobe® AIR® platform, allows for extensive real-time commenting on photos, and has a highly customizable look-n-feel.

"Digital photo frames often cost several hundred dollars, you need to leave them plugged in all the time, and they store your photos in their own specialized software. Our slideshow application is a great way to permanently store your photos from recent vacations or family get-togethers and then easily display them without the extra hardware cost," said Sho Harada, senior manager of quanp. "You can set the quanp slideshow application to display photos every time you boot up. Install it on your mother's machine, for example, and she can enjoy family photos every time she sits down at the computer."

Ricoh Company, Ltd. announced private beta testing of their new visual online storage service "quanp" in the summer of 2009. Users have been testing quanp's innovative 3D visual search as an intuitive way to collect, store and share personal photos, videos and other files. quanp continues to add ways to access these "digital life memories." Both a Windows client and a browser version of quanp are available. Last year, quanp also introduced a first Adobe AIR application called "quanp drop," an animated widget that sits on the desktop with easy automatic drag-and-drop uploading. The quanp slideshow application announced today, like quanp drop, follows quanp's core ideas of collecting everything in one spot, making it easy to dig in and use your files, and even them dress up some for a little fun.

Features
1. 200 pixel by 200 pixel display with Control Bar for easy stop-start, downloading, commenting, flagging.

2. Real-time commenting, builds instant conversations around photos.

3. Expandable limit on the number of photos stored, can display all or any combination of quanp Places (analogous to folders) within your account, can display multiple picture formats (.jpg .jpeg .png .bmp .gif).

4. Highly configurable display with twenty different colorful frames and options for transitions, display order and timing.

The quanp slideshow application requires Windows XP SP2 or higher, Windows Vista or Mac OS X 10.4.9 or higher and 10.5.1 or higher. It also requires Adobe AIR 1.5 or higher.

quanp is a new business and a new consumer web service being developed by Ricoh Company, Ltd. The name is short for "quantum paper" and is pronounced "kwan-puh." quanp intends to be the online spot for collecting and organizing all of your digital life memories while at the same time using, enjoying and even showing them off. To participate in our open beta, please visit http://quanp.com/us

Epson Changes Interactive Whiteboard Game With Innovative, Cost-Effective Interactive Projection Solution

Epson, today introduced the BrightLink 450Wi, an intelligent, interactive projector that allows educators to turn any standard whiteboard or smooth wall into an interactive learning area. This innovative classroom tool delivers a cost-effective solution for educators to easily integrate interactive capabilities and eliminates the need to purchase and install dedicated interactive whiteboards (IWB).

The BrightLink 450Wi can project onto any existing whiteboard, wall or other smooth, hard surface, providing educators with virtually unlimited classroom flexibility. In today's cost-conscious environment, the Epson BrightLink 450Wi offers school administrators a price advantage by providing significantly more usable interactive area than dedicated IWBs. The ultra-short throw Epson BrightLink 450Wi interactive projector comes with two digital infrared pens and wall mount hardware for easy installation.

"Creating a better learning environment and staying within budgetary constraints are the key goals educators have when considering the purchase of any classroom technology," said Rajeev Mishra, director, Epson Projection, Epson America. "The BrightLink 450Wi brings an affordable interactive solution to the classroom that used to require two components – a projector and an interactive whiteboard. The benefits of this versatile solution will revolutionize the classroom and will no doubt carry over into conference rooms and boardrooms across the country."

Flexible and Versatile Projection Solution

The BrightLink 450Wi features 2,500 lumens white light output and 2,500 lumens color light output(2) and helps to future-proof the classroom with networkability, wireless features and advanced connectivity. It also delivers WXGA resolution (16:10 aspect ratio) for full compatibility with widescreen notebooks and movie content, and can easily meet the space needs of any classroom by projecting images from 55-inches diagonal to up to 96-inches diagonal (WXGA) and up to 102-inches diagonal (XGA).

Using the BrightLink 450Wi, educators can deliver presentations over a school's wired (using RJ-45 connectivity) network, giving teachers increased flexibility with their lesson delivery methods. With networked presentations, educators can include several classrooms in one lesson by showing the same content, or allow principals to deliver presentations to the entire school without students ever leaving the classroom.

For schools or districts already using curriculum software, the BrightLink 450Wi provides open compatibility with virtually any interactive software program, allowing educators to incorporate creative and engaging content from eTextbooks, multimedia online content and more into their curricula without added expense. For districts not already standardized or using a software curriculum package, BrightLink is available with RM Easiteach Software, a next-generation software solution designed by teachers to help create exciting and engaging lessons.

"The Epson BrightLink 450Wi looks to be an exceptional educational enhancement, allowing us to use virtually any smooth wall in the school as an interactive whiteboard to create an environment of creativity and collaboration in the classroom," said Ted Lai, director, Technology and Media Services, Fullerton School District. "The savings we can realize from the BrightLink solution will allow us to free up dollars for additional education technology and expand interactivity into more classrooms."

More about the Epson BrightLink 450Wi Interactive Projector

The Epson BrightLink 450Wi offers several easy-to-use and versatile features designed for the classroom and boardroom, including:

* Flexible Size Setup: Creates one of the largest interactive areas without the need to pay a premium for size; select the size to match and maximize available space with variable image sizes from 59-inches to 96-inches diagonal (WXGA) or 55-inches to 102-inches diagonal (XGA)
* Ultra-Short Throw Distance: Can be mounted as close as 2.8-inches away from the wall to accommodate smaller classrooms or meetings rooms, and can project a 60-inch diagonal image with the lens only 18-inches away; new high performance optics virtually eliminate hardware and shadow interference
* Multi-purpose: Maximizes the value of classroom real estate by projecting on preinstalled standard whiteboards or a plain wall
* Bright Images: 2,500 lumens color light output and 2,500 lumens white light output provides colorful, detailed presentations
* Closed Captioning: Built-in closed captioning decoder makes presentations accessible to viewers with hearing impairments with no added cost, and helps meet section 508 compliance
* Simplified Network Monitoring and Control: Flexible sizing in a single projector can meet the needs of multiple room environments, and RJ-45 wired LAN connectivity for remote monitoring and control via an IT network helps saves time and money, regardless of the projector's physical location
* Message Broadcasting: Included EasyMP® Monitor software allows projector to be used as a broadcast system to show customized images and alerts over the network for announcements or instructions
* Easy Setup and Control: Instant On and Instant Off® helps to avoid delays when starting and finishing lectures; A/V Mute Slide instantly turns off the sound and images, customizable Sleep Mode saves energy, and 1.6x manual zoom offers positioning flexibility
* USB Plug 'n Play Instant Setup: Instantly projects images from a Windows® PC or Mac via a USB connection, allowing for easier set up
* Extended Lamp Life: Using Epson's exclusive E-TORL lamp technology, the lamp life can last up to 3,500 hours(3) in economy mode
* Speaker and Microphone Input: Dedicated input allows teachers to use a microphone to amplify voice using the internal 10W speaker, saving the teacher's voice and ensuring all students can hear; volume can be adjusted using projector or remote control buttons
* 3LCD Technology: Features the latest, 3LCD, 3-chip technology to deliver amazing, true-to-life color and detail for powerful presentations; 3LCD technology provides an energy efficient light engine which efficiently uses available lamp light to create stunning images; in contrast to 1-chip DLP technology, 3LCD requires, on average, 25 percent less electricity per lumen of brightness(4)


Epson also offers the Brighter Futures® program, a unique sales and support initiative that is available specifically for schools. Designed to help educators select and implement the best products for their classrooms while making the most of their budgets, Brighter Futures offers special pricing, extended Epson limited warranty coverage for three years, dedicated education account managers, and toll-free technical support for all Epson projectors.

Availability and Support

The Epson BrightLink 450Wi will be available in spring of 2010 for under $2,000 through select dealers on a state by state basis. Epson's projectors come with a two-year limited warranty (three years for Brighter Futures customers) that includes two elite technical support services – two-year Epson PrivateLine® phone support where projector owners can directly access an expedited support telephone line by using a phone card that is included with the product, and a two-year Road Service projector replacement program that includes projector exchange in one business day. For additional information about the new BrightLink 450Wi, visit www.epson.com/brightlink.

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is a leading provider of an extensive range of printers, 3LCD projectors, scanners and point-of-service printers that are renowned for their high quality, functionality, innovation and energy efficiency. Epson America is a U.S. affiliate of Seiko Epson Corporation, which employs more than 70,000 people in 106 companies around the world. Seiko Epson is committed to its ongoing contributions to the global environment and for the second year in a row has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for leading companies in economic, environmental and social criteria.

(1) Based upon Q3 2009 worldwide front projection market share estimates from Pacific Media Associates

(2) Light output varies depending upon modes (color and white light output). White light output measured using ISO 21118 standard

(3) Lamp life will vary depending upon mode selected, environmental conditions and usage. Lamp Brightness decreases over time.

(4) Source: ProjectorCentral.com Jan 2009. Average of 796 shipping models for which the manufacturers provided lumens and total power data, all resolutions and brightness levels. Energy efficiency was measured as wattage per lumen. It was measured for both 3LCD and 1-chip projectors in six different lumens categories. 3LCD projectors averaged less required electricity per lumen in each of the six categories.

Epson Announces the PowerLite 83V+ Projector Providing Powerful Features at an Affordable Price for Education

Epson, today introduced the Epson PowerLite 83V+ projector. Delivering brilliant visual clarity, powerful audio capabilities and seamless classroom connectivity, the $649* PowerLite 83V+ is a feature-rich, easy-to-use and affordable projector benefitting students, teachers and school administrators.

The PowerLite 83V+ features 2,200 lumens white light output, 2,200 lumens color light output(2) and XGA resolution for vibrant and engaging classroom lessons. This projector offers robust sound and communication tools with a built-in 10 watt speaker, delivering clear and crisp audio without requiring external speakers, and a closed captioning decoder to accommodate students with hearing impairments. Meeting the growing environmental requirements of schools across the country, Epson's energy-efficient E-TORL lamp delivers more lumens per watt than competitive models and lasts up to 4,000 hours(3), providing a lower overall cost of ownership.

New Report: Google vs. Apple in Wireless

A new Jeff Kagan Report & Comment discusses Google and its first wireless phone, Nexus One and Android: how it may change the wireless industry and how it compares to and competes with the Apple iPhone.

This report also looks at how Google and Apple will impact others like RIM, Palm, Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola and others, as well as networks like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and others.

"Strategies are changing in the wireless industry. In a few short years the entire industry will look completely different. Will you be a leader or will you be caught by surprise?" asks Kagan.

The report discusses the changing wireless industry and the two companies that are not wireless companies yet are both leaders in their field and using their power to reshape this industry.

Smart phone growth is accelerating and will become dominant during the next few years. There are enormous opportunities and risks involved for every player, including handset makers, networks, network equipment, and App makers.

The wireless industry already looks much different over the last few years and that transformation will continue. Over the next few years it will look like an entirely different place.

This report discusses where the industry has been and where it is heading. It looks at the new opportunities and the hidden challenges. It looks at how certain leaders may lose their footing and become followers or worse. It has happened before in the 1990's and it is about to happen again.

Intel Unveils Digital Signage Concept

Eyeing a standards-based, interactive digital signage future, Intel Corporation demonstrated a new 7-foot-6-inch multi-user, multi-touch Intel® Intelligent Digital Signage Concept at the National Retail Federation Convention (NRF) in New York. Intel said the prototype device could change the way people interact with digital signage technology in environments such as stores, airports, banks and hotels.

First revealed by Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, the demonstration emulates a virtual brick-and-mortar store setting where customers may use the multi-touch holographic screen to explore merchandise, find out about promotions, submit feedback on products, read customer reviews, view past purchasing histories and share what they have discovered with their friends via social media and mobile phone integration.

Multiple consumers can use this side-by-side window display simultaneously to explore augmented reality-enabled maps of each floor of the store, on which retailers can superimpose images such as coupons and sales promotions next to the product visualizations on the glass, improving the customer's shopping experience.

"As stores seek more competitive advantages over online retailers, digital signage has become a valuable technology for dispersing targeted and interactive content to shoppers," said Joe Jensen, general manager, Intel Embedded Computing Division. "We therefore designed the Intel Intelligent Digital Signage Concept to show that retailers can engage and interact with consumers in a more personal and compelling manner through new usage models such as augmented reality and interactive product explorations, which in turn could yield an increase in revenue and customer loyalty."

More Insight for Advertisers
Intel's digital signage concept also brings a new opportunity for advertisers through the use of anonymous video analytics. As a viewer looks at the system screen, the built-in camera technology analyzes data such as gender and age, audience composition, time-of-day and other criteria, which enable the system to display tailored content and graphics based on estimated demographics. The system anonymously sends audience information to advertisers who can use that information to understand the type of content and messages that are most popular with viewers. This, in turn, helps advertisers target their advertising to maximize the impact on the audience
.

Advanced Technology for Siloed Markets
The retail and digital signage markets are continually evolving, and Intel is actively working with other leaders in technology to provide advanced smart solutions that address industry challenges. Traditionally, retail and digital signage application development has been fraught with difficulty as system development requires the use of many different platforms. To address the need for a more streamlined solution, Intel also announced today a strategic relationship with Microsoft* to develop an open-standards validated platform for digital signage applications.

"With the Windows Embedded and Intel platform, we will provide industries such as the digital signage market with scalable and interoperable solutions that enable applications with rich graphics and interactive capabilities," said Kevin Dallas, general manager, Windows Embedded Business Unit Microsoft. "With this solution, we look forward to delivering endless possibilities to the digital signage industry and beyond."

The media player platform, integrated in Intel's concept, is running on the recently released Intel® Core™ i7 processor with Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 2011* platform optimized for digital signage applications. The jointly developed platform is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2010.

Digital signage systems based on 2010 Intel® Core™ processors would also include Intel® vPro™ Technology with Intel® Active Management Technology, allowing administrators to manage systems remotely even when powered down, which reduces operational costs and increases energy savings.

About Intel's Digital Signage Concept
Intel's demonstration was constructed by frog design, a global innovation firm based in San Francisco. The demo will be on display in the Intel booth (#1361), the Green Pavilion (#2367) and the Microsoft booth (#836) at NRF.
CTX MVCHB015 15 Inch Digital Sinage LCD with Remote MPEG 1/2/4 JPEG MP3

Motorola's Newest retail products on display at National Retail Federation Show in New York City

Motorola, Inc. has broadened its enterprise mobility portfolio to better enable retailers to streamline operations, increase sales, improve customer loyalty and gain competitive advantage. With new mobile computing, voice and RFID solutions, Motorola is empowering store associates with access to better information to make better decisions – ultimately transforming the customer experience.

“Motorola is committed to delivering the future of retail today by helping retailers forge new connections with customers,” said Frank Riso, senior director of retail, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions. “With our diverse portfolio of enterprise solutions, Motorola enables retail associates to work smarter, improve productivity, stay connected and give customers the shopping experience they want.”

Some of the latest retail solutions that will be featured in Motorola’s booth include the following.

* Motorola’s off-the-shelf, ready to deploy CLP two-way radio is uniquely designed for comfort, durability and ease-of-use to provide reliable, instant push-to-talk (PTT) communication in demanding retail, restaurant and hospitality environments. Measuring the width and length of a standard business card, CLP is the smallest and lightest two-way radio in its class and can be used for requesting a price-check on the retail floor, coordinating hotel employees to instantly respond to concierge or housekeeping requests or assisting diners to the correct seat at a busy restaurant. The CLP can be used both indoors and outdoors and, when paired with the new Motorola RPX Portable Repeater, it provides users with increased coverage to ensure consistent uninterrupted communication.

VoWLAN

* Motorola’s TEAM badge (EWB100) mobilizes communications by meeting customer demand for high-quality PTT voice connectivity over the enterprise WLAN to mobile workers. Simple to use and weighing less than two ounces, the new EWB100 VoWLAN device streamlines task management and improves productivity – allowing associates to address issues, answer questions, obtain a task or report completion of a task right on the spot. The EWB100 also features the TEAM Express voice client, creating instant interoperability with other TEAM Express devices including a wide range of Motorola voice-enabled mobile computers, TEAM devices and two-way radios (with TEAM Radio Link Solution) to extend communications and the return on investment.

* Motorola’s MC3100 series of mobile computers offer advanced computing power, industry-leading data capture options, enterprise-class motion sensing capabilities, and the most versatile form factor for mid-range mobile computing. Designed for key-based and touch-screen applications such as price/stock management, inventory control, returns processing, and shipping and receiving, the MC3100 series will help retailers, streamline business processes, improve employee productivity and enhance customer service and satisfaction.

* Supporting RFID Gen 2 technology, the Motorola MC3090-Z RFID handheld reader incorporates the industry’s first dual-axis antenna resulting in longer and wider read ranges for more accurate, rapid capture of tag data - ideal for item-level applications such as retail cycle-counting, inventory and asset tracking. This high-performance RFID handheld reader also provides the ability to scan bar codes – reducing the number of devices organizations need to purchase and manage.

* Retailers can now conduct mobile point of sale (mPOS) transactions with the Mobile Payment Module with Chip and PIN attachment for Motorola’s MC70/75 mobile computers. The Mobile Payment Module adds the payment function to the mPOS solution for credit cards with its magnetic stripe reader (MSR), debit cards with its secure manual PIN entry, and now chip and PIN payment cards. It also meets the approvals for the latest global data security standards.

* Rugged mobility solutions aimed at improving the productivity of warehouse workers – Motorola’s WT4090 Voice-only Wearable (VOW) Terminal and its RCH50 Rugged Cabled Headset can replace paper-based processes with voice-directed solutions resulting in real-time processing, reduced errors and improved decision making. The WT4090 VOW is a hands-free, voice-directed, task-specific tool that offers comprehensive wireless network connectivity, high-power processing and robust voice features including support for voice-recognition, text-to-speech engines and Voice-over WLAN (VoWLAN). Designed for comfort, hygiene and safety, the ergonomic RCH50 is Motorola’s lightweight, cabled headset that provides full shift comfort and enables hands-free, voice-directed mobility solutions.

Xilinx Demonstrates Plug-and-Play HDTV Reference Design at CES 2010

At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today, Xilinx, Inc. demonstrated a new Consumer Video Enhancement Reference Design that bundles advanced digital video algorithms with a low-cost Xilinx® Spartan® field programmable gate array (FPGA) for rapid 'plug-and-play' design of high-definition digital televisions (HDTVs). Xilinx is featuring the new reference design at CES this week from January 7th through January 10th in Xilinx Booth 35162MP, located in South Hall 4 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Developed in collaboration with Vestek Electronics Research and Development, an internationally recognized provider of video processing ICs and IP, the demonstration showcases an off-the-shelf, fully functional design that makes it easier for DTV OEMs to differentiate with picture quality rather than on price alone in high-volume markets. It features a configurable digital image engine specifically developed by Vestek to enhance image and video quality of flat panel LCDs and pre-programmed to run on the Spartan FPGA for the optimal mix of cost, power, and performance.

The digital image engine incorporates a suite of production-proven video enhancement algorithms that have been shipping in high volume to the European DTV market. These deliver superior enhancement in color vividness, skin tone, image sharpness, and contrast with each pixel addressed individually instead of universally for the best picture quality and viewer experience. An easy-to-use graphical interface allows designers to adjust parameters and fine-tune picture quality based on the targeted market region. The Spartan FPGA-based solution eliminates the many engineer-hours required to develop and implement similar algorithms in application-specific standard products (ASSPs) or applications-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

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"For OEMs entering the HDTV market, there is a strong need to create offerings that stand out from competitive products on the retail shelf," said Harry Raftopoulos, director of consumer segment marketing at Xilinx. "The Consumer Video Enhancement Reference Design combines production-proven IP and silicon with a turnkey approach, enabling DTV OEMs to easily integrate the Spartan FPGA-based solution directly into their systems and quickly ship high-volume products while offering enhanced picture quality without requiring a dedicated team of video algorithm experts."