MSI X340 SLIM SERIES NOTEBOOK LAUNCH

:New trend: Big things go slim..

Origin: http://lowyat.net/v2/latest/msi-x340-slim-series-notebook-launch-2.html

by wern shen

Notebooks have been getting slimmer and lighter by the day, and this new one from MSI is no exception. Called the MSI X340, this notebook belongs to a whole family of slim, light and portable notebooks called the X series.

Held at Jaya 33 shopping mall, the launch event not only featured the X340, but also showcased some of it's X series compatriates like the X320, X400, X600 and the Wind Top AE1900 All-in-One touch-screen desktop.

Having said that, the star of yesterday's launch, the X340, managed to steal the show and held its worth after being crowned "World's Lightest and Slimmest 13-inch Notebook" during it's debut at CES 2009. Measuring a mere 6mm at its thinnest point and 19.8mm at its widest, the compact X340 weighs a paltry 1.3kg.

Report continues after the jump.

Featuring a 13-inch LCD display, the X340's 16:9 aspect ratio makes it perfect for watching movies in full screen without having to make do with the annoying black bars on the top and bottom. I know it's a pretty minor issue to address, but if it annoys me, it probably annoys some of you guys too.

The display on the X340 is LED back lit, so you know that it's made to be battery efficient. The other plus side about it being LED back lit is that it provides better color gamut and brightness levels. Speaking of battery efficiency, the X340 is also equipped with MSI's ECO Engine power management system that lets you select one of five different preset modes that range from super battery savings to super processing power.

Powered by Intel Centrino Processor Technology, the X340 runs the latest Intel Core 2 Solo ULV Processor on the Intel GS45 + ICH9M-SFF Chipset - a combo that further prolongs battery life.

On the left of the bezel, you'll find a D-SUB port, a LAN port as well as a USB port. On the other side, you'll have access to another USB socket, a HDMI jack, audio jacks, and a card reader.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the X340 comes readily equipped with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth capabilities. We're also told that there will be an option to include an IEEE 802.16e WiMAX wireless module, but due to some certification issues, it will only be available sometime next year. Not much of a loss there, since our current WiMAX provider requires us to use their hardware anyway.

Aside from the fact that the MSI X340 doesn't come with an optical drive (much like most of the new slim notebooks these days), I'll have to say that I was pretty impressed by it. It looks the part, weighs the part, and has enough computing power under it's hood to run pretty much anything you would on an ultra portable. What's more impressive is the relatively affordable price tag of RM3,399.

The MSI X series of notebooks (X320, X340, X400, X600) and the MSI Wind Top AE1900 are available in stores now. For more details on any of these models, check out the official MSI website at www.msi.com.

Razer Mamba Gaming Mouse - Pwn ur Enemies !

Introduction

Hard core gamers do not use wireless mice, if you go to a tournament or LAN you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone using a wireless mouse for serious FPS gaming. This is due to various advantages that wired mice have traditionally held over their wireless counterparts, such as faster response times and obviously no risk of interference from other devices. There are also other considerations to take into account, such as battery life for example.

Today we’re going to look at the Razer Mamba, the first wireless mouse truly designed for the hardcore gamer offering 1ms response and up to 5,600 DPI. Razer have taken years to bring this product to market and promises that it is the real deal.

With a hefty price tag today we will find out if this is worth your hard earned cash.

The Razer Mamba

The Razer Mamba is supplied packaged in what can simply be described as the most elaborate and decorated presentation of a mouse I have ever seen. The box looks like something you’d see in a museum, or in a jewellery shop showcasing one of the pricier attractions. It certainly is a sight to behold and will impress the most demanding customers; this is the kind of packaging that exudes class.

After removing the outside packaging and the mouse from the stand we are left with a box containing a series of drawers, each filled with the various accessories and documents. It all feels like something you’d expect to see from Apple or a similarly luxurious manufacturer. Contained in these compartments are the documentation booklets, the cradle/receiver, the battery and its cover, a USB cable and a Razer sticker.




Looking at the Mamba resting on its perch you can see that it shares many of its design properties with the Razer Deathadder, which is by no means a bad thing as the Deathadder is a popular gaming mouse used by many gamers. When we first saw the Deathadder (which was quite some time ago) we thought it was a very well designed mouse and despite the time that has passed the aesthetics haven’t aged at all; it still looks fantastic.

The central body of the mouse is formed from a soft touch plastic with a lovely rubbery feel and the sides are constructed from plastic with grips located near the base. In addition to the traditional 2 buttons and scroll wheel, the mouse has a DPI switch which can be located in the upper corner of the left click button and two extra buttons on the left hand side which can be operated with the thumb. Also on this side, located at the bottom left corner are LED indicators displaying battery life and DPI settings. On the underside of the mouse you’ll find the battery compartment, on/off switch, cable release slider and connect button.

One of the largest mice we have used

Mamba on the Cradle

Wired Mode

Specification

- Gaming Grade Wireless Technology
- Dual Mode Wired/Wireless Functionality
- Razer Synapse™ On-board Memory
- Seven independently programmable Hyperesponse™ buttons
- 5600DPI Razer Precision™ 3.5G Laser sensor
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response rate
- Up to 200 inches per second (Depends on surface used) / 50g acceleration
- Approximate size: 128mm x 70mm x 42.5mm
- Battery Life: 14hrs (continuous gaming); 72 hours (normal gaming usage)

Windows® 2000 / XP / X64 / MCE 2005 / Vista / Vista64
Available USB port
CD-ROM Drive (for drivers)
At least 35MB of hard disk space (for drivers)

Software and Performance

The mouse does not come with a CD but contains a card directing you to the Razer website for the latest software/driver download. (Mamba Driver Page)


The Mamba is supplied with a comprehensive software application containing all of the expected configuration options. The first page allows you to fully customise the button assignments and also lets you load them straight from a profile via any of the drop down boxes.

The second page contains the most important settings that you will need to access, starting with the DPI settings. You can configure up to 5 DPI presets and pick from the 100-5600 range at 100 DPI increments, the X and Y axis are also able to be adjusted individually.

Just below is the acceleration setting is an option to completely disable it. This is an extremely important feature for gamers and should really be turned off for any gaming whatsoever. With acceleration on, the cursor will move a different distance depending on how fast you move the mouse, so 10 inches of movement on the surface might not correspond to the same distance on the screen every time you move the mouse, therefore resulting inconsistencies will ultimately hinder gameplay.

At the bottom of this window is the polling rate option, one of the real standout features of this mouse. Thanks to the 2.4GHz wireless technology you’re able to set the polling rate to 1000Hz which is exactly what gamers want, sending X and Y calculations to the computer once every 1ms. Additionally, the Mamba continuously scans 21 channels for the clearest signal and each individual mouse has its own MAC address to avoid conflicts with other devices or Mamba mice.


The final pages give you access to profile, macro and lighting settings as well as listing the current driver and firmware versions. All your settings can be stored and transported via the Synapse onboard memory.

Performance-wise the mouse certainly lives up to expectations, the specification sheet doesn’t lie and this mouse is firmly up there with the best.

To begin with the mouse is extremely comfortable to use, especially with the grips on either side; much needed additions with the extra weight of the battery pulling the butt end down when you lift the mouse for repositioning on the surface.

The Teflon pads are small yet very effective and the mouse is easily wielded with accuracy thanks to the well judged weight. With the battery pack in the mouse weighs 129g, which isn’t the lightest mouse we’ve seen but is absolutely phenomenal for a wireless mouse carrying a hefty battery. The feel of the buttons in action doesn’t let you down either - all providing a crisp, tactile click when actuated. The scroll wheel is slightly soft but gives definite feedback when used and I haven’t experienced any issues with swapping to the wrong weapon by accident in FPS games.

Sensor response is brilliant, lag is nonexistent; it literally feels like you are using a wired USB mouse, you can’t tell the difference and quickly forget that you’re using a cordless device. Additionally, with the Mamba boasting up to 200 inches per second/50g acceleration you are going to find it difficult to fault the mechanics no matter your play style. Personally, throughout rigorous testing I was unable to get the laser to skip or force negative acceleration, sweeping the mouse across a huge distance for 180 degree turns. That said, the sensor feels like it is almost too sensitive; I find at times that the cursor can sometimes move a pixel when I use the left click button (due to it rocking slightly on the surface), this problem appears to be alleviated when I apply more pressure to the mouse vertically and if I switch to a harder surface rather than my preferred cloth.

The mouse can be charged via the cradle or by being directly plugged in and according to the manual takes 3 hours to reach full charge. As Razer claim the mouse can last on a full charge for 14 hours of continuous gameplay and 72 hours of casual play, we decided to put those figures to the test. Unfortunately after extended testing there appears to be an issue with our specific battery; we are unable to get it to display the full charge indication and could only get 5 hours of hardcore gaming from it.

Razer has been contacted regarding the issue and we are awaiting a response. Any details regarding this will be appended and added to this review.

EDIT 20th March 2009: Razer have replied to this issue and have confirmed they are taking immediate action on a firmware update which will fix the problem. Until this is released and made available to the public the full charge can be achieved by leaving the mouse in the "off" position.

Final Words and Conclusion

Original Mamba design, dating back to the Boomslang era

The Mamba was first set into Razer’s plans all the way back to 2001 and finally the dream of many of their followers has come to fruition. There were years of uncertainty surrounding the project but research continued and Razer have really outdone themselves here. The specifications sheet for the mouse speaks for itself and fortunately the performance matches up to expectations as well, the mouse performs beautifully and is technically flawless. There really is no discernable difference between using the mouse wired or wireless.

After years of blood, sweat and tears, such a product is going to come at quite a premium with the technology involved, especially when it is a cut above the rest of the competition. No other company is offering a wireless mouse so carefully crafted for the hardcore gamer and the Mamba will retail between £120 and £130. In reality, this price makes the mouse a fantasy for most gamers, £120 is twice what gamers have paid for their current mouse and may very well prove to be too expensive for most. Enthusiast users we spoke with during the review feel that this is unnecessary upgrade at the current time however we are positive there will be an audience for the Mamba.

The Mamba is an excellent performer but at the moment the price is just too steep, reserving this product solely for those with considerable disposable income. The mouse is still technically a winner for Razer though, there is simply no other wireless mouse out there at the moment that can match the specifications.
In closing, everything from the presentation of the product to the construction and design is executed with care and passion. It is certainly a head turner and a unique product to own but it has a way to go before the technology finds itself in the hands of most gamers.



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http://www.driverheaven.net /reviews.php?reviewid=738&pageid=1

here goes a video from youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gBZGjO5Opg&fmt=18

from http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=738&pageid=1

6 GADGETS FROM DORAEMON'S POCKET THAT MIGHT EXIST SOON

origin: Lowyat.net

Nostalgia kicks in ? Our good old time with doraemon... now coming to ur doorstep, in the bathroom ~

I got my first taste of "advanced gadgetary" back when I was a still young brat. Every week I would force my dad to buy me the latest copy of Doraemon (in Malay), and I would spend the next hour or two digesting the comic from cover-to-cover over and over again.

It goes without saying that I absolutely fell in love with Doraemon's magic pocket, as well as all the awesome goodies he could pull out of it, and apparently so has Lisa Katayama of Boing Boing Gadgets. 

In a post called "6 Gadgets of the future from Doraemon", Lisa lists out six of the best Doraemon gadgets from 1970-1980 that either exist now or probably will exist soon. I personally always favored the magic door that could open up to anywhere (even though it opened up to Sizuka's bathroom nine times out of ten), and since there is documented work on teleportation, I'm hoping that it'll make the next list.

Since we're on the topic, hit us back with a comment and tell us what your favorite Doraemon gadget is!

(Source: Boing Boing Gadgets) 

The Japanese are much more diverse than we usually get credit for, but if there's one thing that 99.9% of us do have in common, it is our love for Doraemon. The robotic cat from the future made its debut manga appearance in a magazine for fourth graders in January 1970. In the first installment, he appears out of the desk drawer belonging to a boy named Nobita and tells him that he will be strangled in 30 minutes and roasted in a fire in 40 minutes. Of course, it all comes true. Nobita then finds out that Doraemon has come to the present (i.e. the 70s), along with Nobita's future grandson, to help make his life — destined to be full of misery, mishaps, and disaster — just a little bit easier to handle. Doraemon's kind, endearing, and forward-thinking qualities led him to become Japan's first official Anime Ambassador to the world last March.

Manga artist duo Fujiko Fujio — creator of Doraemon and many other manga classics from Japan — also invented many of the greatest gadget prototypes known to man, some of which actually exist today. Here are a few from the first decade of the series (1970-1980):

1. TAKECOPTER (JANUARY 1970)

The most frequently used gadget in the Doraemon series is a suctioned bamboo propeller that attaches to any part of the body and instantly scoops you up into the air. Navigable by shifting body weight or maybe just by thinking about where to go.

2. VOODOO CAMERA (OCTOBER 1970)

Take a photo of someone, and this point-and-shoot will make a miniature voodoo doll of that person. This was a great episode — not knowing its powers, Nobita takes photos of Doraemon taking a nap and of his parents, and then gives them to Shizuka-chan, who gives them to the little girl next door who is best friends with a girl who likes to torture dolls...

3. EFFECT-AMPLIFYING MIC (JUNE 1975)

Nobita gets praised by the teacher at school, but when he tries to tell his parents and friends about it, nobody seems to care. That's why Doraemon hands him the mic that makes everything spoken into it sound like the most moving speech ever made by humankind. This scene shows Nobita blushing from embarrassment when he accidentally farts into the mic after he forgot he left it in his back pocket.

4. GUIDED MISSILE (MAY 1976)

To stop the cat that ate Shizuka-chan's pet canary from terrorizing the 'hood once and for all, Doraemon brings out the Guided Missile, a more annoying-than-deadly weapon that will follow the designated target around until its batteries run out.

5. DREAM READER (AUGUST 1977)

When Nobita has trouble falling asleep one night, Doraemon loans him the Dream TV, which lets him watch what other people are dreaming about. Neuroscientists are actually working towards making dream reading a reality — some think it could happen within 5-10 years.

6. 3D PRINTER (APRIL 1980)

Called the Mecha Maker, this contraption makes life-sized models of whatever you draw in an instant. It has four basic parts — a slit to put a paper diagram in, a tube for the materials (in Nobita's case, old plastic figurine kits), a compressor, and an exit hole that the completed item spits out of.

CHINESE DIY MASSAGE CHAIR LOOKS LIKE A CONTRAPTION FROM SAW

From: http://lowyat.net/v2

OMg... this retired old China old boy made this massage chair start from scrap to relieve his wifes pain, with 8 years time... let's see how relax can he be ? with the cute expression on face ?

-haoshou

Imagine waking up and finding yourself strapped in this contraption. You can't see anything, and blindly feel around. Your hand hits a switch and a gnarly ventriloquist's doll rolls in to the room on a tricycle.

Ignoring his annyoing voice and long winded grandmother stories, you sit back and relax as the contraption whirls into motion. Massage beads slowly roll up and down your back sending shivers down your spine. Another roller starts spinning in front of you and proceeds to rub down your tummy.

Before you know it, you feel so relaxed that you're back in dreamland and within seconds the contraption rips you into a billion pieces. 

OK. So maybe this homebrew contraption isn't as awesome as one of Jigsaw's many torturous toys, but you've got to admit that this DIY massage chair sure does look the part eh? Well apparently, it took Beijing retiree Lin Shuseng a whopping eight years to complete, and judging by his steam face in this picture, it was probably worth every minute.

(Source: Make)

SAY HELLO TO DELL'S THINNEST LAPTOP, THE DELL ADAMO

12

Origin: http://lowyat.net The much hyped and long anticipated Dell Adamo finally dropped here in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Unveiled in a low-key casual media gathering, we managed to get our grubby hands all over the new machine that Dell proudly call the "thinnest laptop in the world". The name Adamo is derived from the Latin word meaning "to fall in love," and will serve as Dell's flagship line of products that focus on design aesthetics, personalization choices and sought-after technologies. The first thing we noticed about the Dell Adamo was the slick screwless chassis that was milled out of a singlepiece of aluminum, much like the unibody Macbooks. Not only did the unibody chassis look and feel good, but it added the much needed rigidness to an otherwise incredibly delicate machine. Speaking of other Mac inspired design cues, the Dell Adamo also comes with a sexy backlit keyboard and a slick edge-to-edge glass display over it's 13.4-inch (16:9) HD display. Available in two configurations - the fully fledged Desire and the lighter specced Admire - the top-of-the line Dell Adamo Desire runs on an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz processor with Intel Centrino technology, 4GB of 800MHz DDR3 memory and a 128GB Solid State Drive. For a couple of thousand Ringgit less, the Dell Adamo Admirecomes a little toned down with an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.2GHz processor, and 2GB of 800GHz DDR3 memory instead. Both models feature a variety of connectivity options such as WiFi, Bluetooth, an eSATA port for an external hard drive, 2 USB ports, and a display port for an additional screen. There is also talk of matching accessories to come, which include the likes of external storage options as well as external optical drives. According to the press release, an option to include mobile broadband connectivity is also in the pipeline, but details on that are rather sketchy now. Available in both Pearl (white) and Onyx (black), the Dell Adamo Desire retails at RM9989, while the Dell Adamo Admire retails at RM7399. For more information on the Dell Adamo, as well as detailed specifications of the two models, visit Dell's website at: http://tinyurl.com/adamo-onyx (Dell Malaysia) http://tinyurl.com/adamo-pearl (Dell Malaysia) http://adamobydell.com (Dell Adamo International Campaign)