The Droid Razr Maxx from Motorola goes on sale Thursday for $299.99 with a two-year agreement, Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday. Motorola showed off the Maxx earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), noting that its 3300 mAh battery is about double what most current smartphones offer and supports up to 21 hours of talk time on a single charge. That makes it the biggest battery for a smartphone, and supports the Maxx's video and song-playing capabilities.

The Maxx will run over Verizon's 4G LTE network and features a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor; a 4.3-in. Super Amoled Advanced touchscreen with 540-by-960-pixel resolution; an 8-megapixel camera as well a a 1.3-megapixel camera; 1GB of RAM; 16GB of internal storage, plus 16GB more on a micro SD card.

It will sell for $100 more than the Droid Razr did when it first went on sale in October. Both devices run Android 2.3.5, upgradable to Android 4.0, "Ice Cream Sandwich."The Maxx weighs 5.1 ounces and measures 5.14 in. by 2.7 in. and is 0.35 in. thick, barely larger than the Droid Razr. Customers buying the Maxx need a nationwide talk plan that starts at $40 a month and a data package starting at $30 a month for 2GB of data.

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Mobile telecoms network equipment market leader Ericsson and rival ZTE have settled a dispute over patents that will see the up-and-coming Chinese company pay royalties to the Swedish firm. Ericsson, which has an industry leading portfolio of 27 000 patents, declined to say how much ZTE would pay in royalties. ZTE has denied the sum was as high as 500 million euros ($645 million).

"Legal action is usually the last resort and we are very happy we have solved this dispute with ZTE," said Ericsson spokesman Fredrik Hallsten. "We have signed more than 90 patent agreements with different vendors worldwide. Now we can add ZTE to this group," Kasim Alfalahi, chief intellectual property officer at Ericsson, said in a statement.

The fight to reap the rewards of innovation in the highly competitive industry has also seen ZTE and Chinese rival Huawei launch tit-for-tat patent battles with each other. Ericsson in April 2011 filed lawsuits in Germany, Britain and Italy against ZTE for infringing on several of its patents. ZTE said on Thursday it would drop a lawsuit against Ericsson in China.

Ericsson has stressed that it wants to boost its revenue from technology rights and Alfalahi was named in January as a direct report to chief executive Hans Vestberg rather than to the chief technology officer. Ericsson is already a net receiver of royalties. It aims to grow its intellectual property rights revenue above the 4.6 billion crowns net revenue generated in 2010.

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Price and equipment
As part of a broader strategy across its range, BMW has pulled back on some bigger-ticket items in its second-generation 1-Series - leather trim being the most obvious - and fitted other things such as Bluetooth standard while also sharpening prices.
 
Entry to the range begins at a tempting $36,900 for the 116i, which brings alloy wheels, a colour screen inside and cruise control.  The 118i is a $42,800 proposition but has bigger 17-inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, foglights, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming interior mirror and more storage.
 
The latest 1-Series also introduced a new approach to options for BMW with two packages - Urban Line and Sport Line. Each is surprisingly affordable at $1600 and brings various cosmetic enhancements and some extra gear. The Sport Line has sports seats, various black exterior touches and gloss-black finishes inside. The Urban Line brings streaks of white (like some Minis) on things such as the mirrors, grille and wheels (you'll want someone else to clean them), as well as partial leather seats.
 
There's also a healthy list of other options but they're more reasonably priced, such as a sunroof for $2246 or a great Harman Kardon sound system for $1192.

Under the bonnet
At the lower end of the 1-Series range, performance has traditionally been modest at best. But a new range of turbocharged engines has addressed those concerns, especially with the mid-level 118i.  The range of 1.6-litre engines - each with varying outputs thanks to different turbo boost - means there's a renewed flexibility that makes for more relaxed driving.
 
The 118i responds faithfully thanks to its relatively muscular 250Nm of torque, which is available at just 1500rpm. It pulls strongly and rarely do you need to tap into the 125kW of power that arrives much higher in the rev range.  The eight-speed automatic shifts elegantly and efficiently, although it can fumble on low-speed selections, such as when you hesitate at an intersection.
 
It's a frugal machine, too, helped in part by the stop-start system. While it can restart with some vibration, claimed average fuel use (it uses premium unleaded) is just 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres. We managed less than 7L/100km in a mix of driving, although we didn't encounter the usual peak-hour mess.

How it drives
The 1 continues with a unique sales pitch in its class - it drives the rear wheels, as opposed to the front. That makes it harder to find space and reduce fuel use but the benefits make themselves known on the road.
 
The 118i feels confident at any speed. There's an inherent stability and wonderful poise that makes it a delight on the right road. Steering, too, is alive and accurate with excellent consistency.  The only time the 1-Series is upset is over sharp-edged bumps - manhole covers, patches of repaired bitumen etc - with the car failing to deliver the required compliance. While most of the time it's a comfort issue, it can unsettle the car over mid-corner bumps.

Comfort and practicality
BMW has addressed one of the main criticisms with the 1-Series take two - rear-seat space. While legroom is still tight, it's now more acceptable by class expectations. The door openings - front and rear - are relatively small, though. The hatch, too, is better suited to larger suitcases, while split-fold seats allow for larger items to be loaded.
 
BMW has also ensured the 1-Series has an interior presentation befitting its premium price tag. The well-laid-out dash looks the part, while the colour screen has user-friendly controls through the iDrive system, with the only complaint being the positioning of the main controller, which doesn't quite fall to hand.

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The category of interchangeable-lens cameras subsumes a variety of capabilities and designs. There's the familiar dSLRs, large-bodied models which use a reflex mirror to enable the use of a through-the-lens optical viewfinder. Then there are Sony's SLT (Single Lens Translucent) models, which incorporate the same phase-detection autofocus system as dSLRs, but whose fixed mirror requires the use of an electronic viewfinder (EVF) rather than an optical one. And then there are the mirrorless models, which generally use contrast-detection autofocus and, if they have a viewfinder, it's an EVF. Though they're sometimes referred to as "compact system cameras," they're not all compact; in fact, only a handful could really be classified as such.

The mirrorless models cover a lot of ground. For instance, there are compact models designed for people dissatisfied with the image quality and performance of point-and-shoot models looking for more. Then there are the models for advanced shooters who want the speed and photo quality of a dSLR without the bulk. And there are a host of models that slide along the continuum between the two.

This isn't to say that the rest of the ILC crowd doesn't measure up; though some have weak aspects, such as slow performance or overly large bodies, there doesn't seem to be any real losers among the entire field. You can find them on our list of best interchangeable-lens cameras. There are still some mainstream models I haven't yet reviewed, like Samsung's NX200, the Olympus PEN E-PM1, and Pentax's tiny Q, and the field is heating up for the more expensive models, such as Fujifilm's just-announced X-Pro 1 and Sony's Alpha NEX-7.

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Released by Asus last Tuesday, ahead of schedule to users in the United States and Taiwan, the tablet was supposed to receive the Android 4.0 update over the air. But instead, several owners of the Prime are complaining that their tablets are displaying a serial number error, preventing the update from installing, according to posts on the XDA Developers forum.

Asus is aware of the issue and is close to a fix, according to a message posted Sunday by the company's technical-marketing manager, Gary Key. The post was updated yesterday and again today. Identifying the problem, Key said the tablet will not automatically or manually update to the latest firmware, which carries with it Ice Cream Sandwich.

As a work-around, he had suggested that users perform a factor reset and then let the Prime stay active with a Wi-Fi connection for 15 minutes so it can sync with Asus' servers. If the update doesn't appear automatically, Prime owners can try a manual update. If that still doesn't work, then he advised affected users to send him a private message on the forum with the serial numbers of their tablets. Some of the people who have already contacted Asus should hear back from the company with a potential fix to test, Key added. But even some Prime owners who have successfully updated their tablets to ICS are encountering other issues.

Another post by Key identified a screen lockup or corruption problem after the ICS update has completed. As with the Serial Number glitch, Key said Asus was able to replicate the lockup issue and is developing a final fix based on two possible causes. He has promised that the company will start contacting Prime users who have already reported the problem.

Owners of the original Transformer tablet looking for Android 4.0 will have to wait a bit longer than owners of the Prime to update to Ice Cream Sandwich. Asus announced on Saturday via its Facebook page that Google is currently in the midst of approving the ICS update for the Transformer. Key told CNET last week that Asus is planning the update for early February. Of course, in light of the technical bugs with the Prime's ICS update, Asus will certainly want to make sure the Transformer's move to ICS goes a bit more smoothly.

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CAYIN will present new digital signage players for the first time at booth 10P116, Integrated Systems Europe 2012. New media players are smaller, lighter, and energy-saving. They are not only eco-friendly, but also facilitate installations in different venues. The exhibition will be held in RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands from January 31st to February 2nd.

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is the largest professional AV trade show in Europe and is also the most important exhibition for CAYIN to introduce new products and innovative digital signage applications to partners and customers in the region.

In ISE 2012, CAYIN will debut a new generation of digital signage players for both high-end and entry-level users. The new developments strengthen its existing product line and provide users with more choices in accordance with different project requirements. The following products highlight the key theme of CAYIN’s exhibition during ISE:

High-end Digital Signage Player – SMP-WEBDUO
SMP-WEBDUO features its capability to playback 1080p Full HD video and control two screens simultaneously. Compared to the old model, new SMP-WEBDUO goes smaller and lighter. It reduces the size by one quarter and sheds half of the weight as well to facilitate installation in different venues. The new player also adds an HDMI connector and the video-in function to increase your enjoyment.

Entry-level Digital Signage Player - SMP-200
SMP-200 is the first RISC-based digital signage player in CAYIN’s product line. The compact player is 19.6 (W) x 12.3 (D) x 3.3 (H) cm and weights only 655g. It is also extremely energy-saving. The maximum
power consumption is less than 6W. The zone-type digital signage player can playback video, image, ticker, and clock in seven zones.

Digital Signage Player with Superior Price/Performance Value – SMP-WEB4
SMP-WEB4 supports most popular web languages and HD content. It features the video-in function, and thus enabling users to play real-time video by directly connecting to a TV tuner, DVD player, or other multimedia devices. It can also be extended to integrate with databases, web servers, RFID devices, barcode scanners, and touch screens and develops more interactive applications. CAYIN’s digital signage system has been widely used in diversified industries and some famous places, such as Suvarnabhumi Airport, CYFRA+ point of sales, Novotel hotels, FamilyMart, Carrefour and MacDonald’s in Taiwan.

ISE 2012, held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands from January 31 to February 2, will be the largest professional AV and system integration trade show ever held in Europe. It brings together over 750 exhibitors and AV professionals from over 100 countries worldwide. You are more than welcome to visit CAYIN at booth 10P116.

CAYIN Technology in Brief
CAYIN Technology offers a complete portfolio of digital signage solutions including media players, servers, and software which are applicable to various industries, such as education, retail, hospitality, corporate, financial, and public institutions. CAYIN is dedicated to being a reliable partner to its clients worldwide, and has successfully set up various application references globally. In order to best facilitate the deployment of CAYIN products, the company also provides tailored services to satisfy the ascending market demand for almost limitless applications.

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Tokyo - Nikon Corporation officially launched the Coolpix S2600 in Asia, an ultra-stylish and slim digital camera that builds upon the previous model.

Coolpix S2600 Key Features

- 5x zoom NIKKOR lens with 26mm wide-angle coverage
- Approximate 19.5mm stylishly slim body design
- 14.0 million effective-megapixels
- Nikon EXPEED C2 image processing engine delivers high quality images with minimised processing time
- Electronic VR image stabilisation
- Upgraded auto noise reduction
- Scene auto selector
- Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

All-New Colours and a Stylishly Slim Design
For the first time, in addition to the colours of silver, black, pink, blue, and red, Nikon is offering the S2600 in decorative purple and black. Paired with a slender 19.5mm camera body, relatively smaller than most cameras with a 5x zoom function, the Coolpix S2600 offers functional sophistication for all users.

Upgraded to 14.0 Million Megapixels
Featuring Nikon's powerful EXPEED C2 image processing engine, the Coolpix S2600 consistently takes high quality images with minimal processing time. The engine makes the S2600 more powerful than similar products in the market. In fact, Nikon's auto noise reduction function makes it comparable with high-end cameras in the market.

Optical 5x 26mm Wide-angle NIKKOR Lens
This slim camera houses a powerful 5x zoom NIKKOR lens with wide-angle coverage, allowing users to take precise and pristine pictures even at a distance.

Scene Auto Selector - Convenient Photo Taking
The scene auto selector analyses the object or environment and automatically engages the optimal scene mode; users simply press the shutter button for the perfect picture.

Smart Portrait System and Subject Tracking
The smart portrait system allows users to optimise images through three options - 'Smile Timer', 'Blink Proof and 'Skin Softener'. Along with the subject tracking function - the camera follows moving objects such as children or pets the moment the shutter button is pressed halfway - AF camera operations are minimised, allowing pictures to be taken quickly and hassle-free.

Record HD Movies at 1,280 x 720 pixels
Featuring a one-press record button option, the camera is optimised for windy settings with automatic noise reduction. Along with stereo-sound quality, this camera will capture great video even under windy conditions.

Blur Reduction
This function effectively minimizes changes of blurry images, delivering clear pristine images through Electronic VR image stabilisation

Motion Detection: when there is camera shake or a moving subject in the shot, the camera automatically selects a faster shutter speed and a higher ISO, to minimise image blur.

BSS (Best Shooting Selector): When users press the shutter button, the camera captures more than 10 images instantly, keeping only the clearest one.

Filter Effects
Photos can be easily re-touched using a variety of filter options, such as soft, selective colour, cross screen, fisheye, and miniature effect.

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I guess that you might be looking for a laptop that has the capability of around 30 days standby time support, yes the review we are currently preparing is, of Apple MacBook Air MC966LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION), a new series laptop of Apple.

This series which has produced by Apple is offered on the listed price of USD1599.00.  It is offered on USD1594 by Amazon.com (with a saving of USD5.00 coupled with free shipping).  This series is offered with 11.6in LED backlit glossy widescreen display, having a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels.

This MacBook Air MC966LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) series is offering a latest model processor, like Intel Core i5 dual-core processor with 3MB shared L3 cache with 1.6GHz speed.  The HDD of this series has 126GB flash memory capacity.

This series has 4GB RAM memory (1333 MHz DDR3; maximum capacity with its Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor (with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory for an excellent graphics working joy. This series has an add-on FaceTime camera that assists in video chatting.

This series is aptly adding a multi-touch trackpad, a battery that supports for a longer time, as well as a screen with high resolution output. This series is quite helpful to carry anywhere you are interested, as this series is sufficiently thin, light weighted as well as chunky enough to sustain the weight you may assert by your hand, whilst working on it.

At a time, when you are ready to go to attend a conference, to attend an exclusive event, or you are travelling to a far distance destination, you can carry it along, and enjoy its features and functionalities, that fully enables you to enjoy its multidimensional abilities and capabilities.  The dimensions of this series are like, width 12.8in, height 0.11in - 0.68in, depth 8.94in, whilst its weight is 2.96pnd.

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LAS VEGAS — What is it with Jan. 9 and smartphones? At a news conference Monday afternoon here at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Nokia, as expected, introduced the Lumia 900, a smartphone that the Finnish cellphone maker and its software collaborator, Microsoft, hope will finally lead to redemption in the smartphone market.

It’s a coincidence, but nevertheless interesting, that five years ago today, Apple announced the first iPhone at Macworld in San Francisco, as the blogger M.G. Siegler pointed out earlier Monday.

Of course, it’s far too early to say whether the Lumia 900 will be a hit and, even if it is, the device most likely will not have the eye-opening effect that the original iPhone did. Nokia and Microsoft both want to establish Windows Phone as a “third ecosystem” in the smartphone business that can compete with the iPhone and Google’s Android operating system, attracting as much interest among independent developers as those technologies have. The two companies have a long way to go.

But the initial buzz about the device among gadget watchers has been positive. Stephen Elop, the chief executive of Nokia, said the company had put all of its best technology into the phone. “It’s the first real Windows Phone built for and designed for the North American market,” he said.

The device has a slim case with rounded edges on the side and a bold, bright 4.3-inch screen that is bigger than the iPhone’s. Nokia bragged about the superior technology in the Lumia 900’s camera, which allows for better photographs. The product will also run on AT&T’s 4G LTE network, its fastest wireless data network.
 
As it did with the original iPhone, AT&T will exclusively sell the Lumia 900 in the United States. Mr. Elop wouldn’t said when the phone would be available in the coming months. He did not say how much it would cost either, though he noted that Nokia’s “intention is to be quite aggressive” with the pricing of the phone.

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Yes, you read that right. Lenovo has thrown its hat into the smartphone war with the newly introduced S2. This is the first time that Lenovo, the worlds second largest PC maker, has developed a smartphone for consumers. The S2, announced at a press conference in Las Vegas, features security systems to protect personal data, prevent phishing attacks, and to secure network and SMS traffic.

Under the hood, the S2 has a dual-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, as well as an 8-megapixel camera. Out of the box, the phone will sync photos, music and video across mobile devices and Lenovo's laptop lineup.The S2 comes with either 8GB or 16GB of storage, depending on the configuration. Other specs include a 3.8-inch screen with 800 by 480-pixel resolution, a front-facing 0.3-megapixel (VGA) camera for video-conferencing, and either 512MB or 1GB of RAM (depending on the version you get).

One thing to note: The S2 comes with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), not the brand new Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). We haven't heard as of this writing whether or not Lenovo will release an Ice Cream Sandwich update for the S2. Lenovo has yet to announce an international shipping date, or price information to the press. They have, however, mentioned that the S2 will be available immediately in China.

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