Smart Book - Netbook that Turns Into Tablet, Touchscreen Smartphone

Recently Always Innovating has unveiled a device that really deserves a lot of attention.

The gadget is called Smart Book and the most interesting feature about this device is that can turn from a tablet into a netbook and vice-versa.

Apart from other devices like Fujitsu Lifebook T580 or Dell's Inspiron Duo tablet, the Smart Book from Always Innovating does not fold out or spins the display in order to turn into a handset or tablet.

The device features a removable screen that can be easily separated from the computer and become a tablet PC and a handset.

The tablet can be used for various purposes, including making VoIP phone calls. It is powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor with 512MB of RAM and 256MB of NAND flash storage. In addition, you get an 8G microSD card.

This Smart Book can run anything between Ubuntu Linux, Google Chrome or Android. You can view 720p HD videos on the device's 8.9 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

The Smart Book also has WiFi, Bluetooth for connectivity and 3 separate batteries: 12000mAh battery found in the keyboard, 6000mAh and 1500mAh batteries located in the tablet and handset respectively.

7 unique and creative uses for Google+

Other than being a social network, Google+ has the potential to become a journal or blog, an educational tool and even a podcasting tool. In no particular order, here are a few creative ways that you can use Google+.

Use Google+ to keep a travel journal

With its location-aware feature, both in the browser and mobile app, Google+ is the ideal tool for travel writers and anyone who wants to keep a detailed record of their trips. Google+’s mobile app is particularly useful when it comes to travel writing. Snap a photo, attach your location, and share it with your followers instantly.

Google+ as a blog

The setup can be compared to Tumblr, where you can share different types of media with your circles. That said, certain features do need to be implemented for this to be worth your while, including a search function, and some sort of SEO functionality to ensure that traffic is driven to your blog. It’s probably safe to assume that this won’t be much of an issue for Google. Other features that could come in handy include Google Analytics integration and possibly even themed profiles.

Google+ as an educational tool

Google+’s hangout feature can also be pretty handy in a variety of scenarios. Students from universities all over the world could have an online study group or brainstorming session. If Twitter can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom, Google+ adds a vast amount of features that blow Twitter out of the water.

Teachers can create Circles that include students from any given class, and share reminders, information, assignments and more through Google+. It can also be used to encourage class participation in the same way that Twitter is used here. Circles make it easier than ever to share content with specific people, provided everyone has created an identical Circle of course.

Use Google+ to crowdsource

Once Google+ is open to the public, it has great potential to be used as a crowdsourcing platform. Circles are to Google+ what hashtags are to Twitter. Using Circles to keep the information organized or labeled, people can contribute links, photos, and videos on any given topic.

If Google+ was to implement public Circles, crowdsourcing could thrive on the site. Giving users the option to create public circles, and allowing others to follow or mirror them, this would make it incredibly easy for a large group of people to share information.

This kind of use will of course only be truly useful with certain features the site is in desperate need of including, ironically, search.

Google+ as a podcasting tool

Over at Phandroid, they’ve come up with a way to use Google+ to create video podcasts using Hangouts. Most blogs, The Next Web included, have international teams who rarely find themselves in the same room together. Google+ gives these kinds of teams an easy way to create an online video podcast to share with their readers.

Phandroid has shared detailed instructions on how to set it up. The first step is to create a private Hangout with each of the members involved in the podcast. With Google+’s current restrictions, you can have up to 10 people participate in the podcast, which is plenty.

Of course, in order to share the podcast with others, you have to record the video on your screen. Phandroid recommends Camtasia to get this done, but if you’d prefer to use free software, you can go with something like Jing.

If Google+ enabled private participation but public viewership of Hangouts, it gives bloggers, and just about anyone who wants to create an online discussion or panel, the vehicle to do so. A comment on Phandroid’s video suggests a “record to YouTube” feature, which would eliminate the need for software like Camtasia. The possibilities are endless.

With a feature like that, Google+ has the potential to be used as a live-blogging tool where users can leave comments on live video podcasts. I don’t know about you, but I think that sounds pretty cool.

If you want to see this in action, check out Phandroid’s video below:



Google+ as a bookmarking service

There are many great online bookmarking services that you might already be plugged into, like Diigo, Delicious or even Google Bookmarks. That said, Google+ can actually be used as a private or public bookmarking service, depending on your preference.

If you want to create a private space to save your bookmarks, simply go to your Circles and create a new one without adding anyone to it. You can then share links to that private circle, and browse your saved links by visiting the Circle’s page.

Again, this is another concept that will only really come into its own once Google+ has a search feature, after which labeling bookmarks in the description box will make it easy to categorize your links.

Get directions from your friends

To get the most out of this concept, it’s best to create a circle ahead of time with your local friends who you don’t mind sharing your location with.

If you’re out and about and become lost, you can share your location with your friends so they know exactly where you are. They can then give you exact directions, preferably on the phone and not on Google+, on how to get to where you want to go, without going to the trouble of describing where you are. As a plus, if they’re at a computer, there’s no harm in writing the directions for you. If you completely lack a sense of direction, like I do, I’m sure those extra details would be appreciated.

Apple Developing New Charging Method For 2012 iPhone?

A new report published by the WSJ has revealed that Apple is currently looking at new ways to charge its six generation iPhone without the need for cables.

Its still unclear as to what method of iPhone charging Apple is working on, but induction charging might be a preferred way, allowing you to place your iPhone on a charging pad to top up your battery. This new method of charging and Apple’s new cloud storage might see the end of sync cables and docks.

Investors expect a bigger boost to Apple’s phone business next year. People briefed on Apple’s plans said the company is planning a major iPhone revamp then, with one person saying the company has been experimenting with features such as a new way of charging the phone.

Toshiba Qosmio F750 glasses-free 3D laptop to arrive in August

Toshiba has unveiled its first glasses-free 3D laptop - the Toshiba Qosmio F750-10Q. Powered by Intel Core i7 CPU, the laptop features a lenticular glasses-free 3D display, a full HD 15.6-inch screen and eye-tracking technology based on a HD web camera that maintains the 3D effect while the user moves. Both 2D and 3D content can be displayed simultaneously and the Qosmio F750 comes with a built-in Blu-ray XL drive capable of burning 128GB disks.

The Qosmio F750-10Q utilizes a lenticular display, which projects two sets of images at the same time, splitting them between the left and right eye. The built-in webcam "intelligently tracks the user's eye movements, allowing the Qosmio F750-10Q to adjust the 3D effect to match the eye position," Toshiba says. According to Engadget's hands-on, the technology deals with the common glasses-free 3D gadgets' "sweet spot" problem well when being viewed by one person at a time.

The laptop is also capable of converting 2D DVD content into 3D in real time. The CPU is an Intel Core 2.0GHz i7-2630QM and there's a NVIDIA GeForce 540M GPU on board. The Qosmio F750 also features Harman Kardon stereo speakers, a HDMI port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 3.0, 640GB (7200rpm) HDD and 6GB DDR3 (1333MHz) RAM. It measures 387.6 x 266.8 x 31.6 - 36.7 mm (15.2 x 10.5 x 1.2-1.4 inches) and weighs 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs).

Asus presented its yet to be released, glasses-free Asus ROG G53 3D PC during CeBIT fair in March 2011, but the Toshiba Qosmio F750 looks set to be the first glasses-free 3D laptop on the market. The laptop joins Toshiba's REGZA GL1 television in the company's line of glasses-free 3D devices.

Here’s how to start using Facebook Video Calling now!

Facebook today said it is teaming up with Skype to bring video chat capabilities to users of the world's largest social network.

In a press conference at the company's Palo Alto, Calif. headquarters this afternoon, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's co-founder, unveiled the video calling and group chat capabilities.

The announcements come nearly a week after Zuckerberg teased that the company was working on an "awesome" event.

"The video calling is so great and it's so easy," said Zuckerberg, who today also confirmed reports that Facebook has surpassed 750 million users. "Your least-technical friend is going to be able to get online with video chat and get connected. You'll connect with your friends on the social network that already has all your friends."

To start video calling now, visit http://www.facebook.com/videocalling and click Get Started.



Once you’ve clicked the button, Facebook will lead you through the process of starting to use Video Calling. First, you’ll need to install an app, this may require that you allow it in your browser.



Once you’ve got it installed, you can request a chat with any available friend by starting a chat and clicking on the video camera icon.



Your friend will need to install the Video Calling app as well, once they have, you can start chatting!



If your friend is unavailable, you can record a video message to let them know you tried to reach them.

Supercharging touchscreen interaction, with Ringbow

Without a doubt, touchscreen technology has brought a whole new level of interaction with our devices. Israel's Efrat Barit and Saar Shai, however, believe that the functionality of touch-enabled devices could be greatly enhanced with the development of their Ringbow concept. Worn on the index finger, the ring-like device can be programmed to add extra capabilities to existing actions, activate entirely new touch options, or liberate the user's hands from the surface of the display for Kinect-like, spatial control over touchscreen device operation.

The evaluation prototype of the Ringbow concept is currently being issued to a limited number of application developers to test the kind of functionality and ergonomics destined for the production model. It communicates with a touchscreen device via Bluetooth and presently works only with the Android platform, but will be opened up for development on all touch-based platforms. It also looks a good deal chunkier than the product renderings on the company's website, but that's probably to be expected at this stage in the process.

To the side of the device and within easy reach of the thumb is a programmable 5-way directional control button. This can be used to add contextual flavors to existing touchscreen interaction, to toggle between menus or different interface displays, or to cater for the manipulation of virtual interface elements and their properties, or of offscreen visuals, and much more.


For example, the up, down, left, right and push inputs could be programmed to correspond to visual elements in a game or application, or add specific functionality to certain actions. Touching a point on the screen might open a browser, while touching the same point with the Ringbow activated might open the browser and head to a favorite site or simultaneously open a widget or app. Gamers needn't bother stretching for a weapon's magazine reload key, as this could be taken care of by the Ringbow.

The wireless nature of its connectivity also means that multi-touch input could be married with spatial gesture-based commands to improve performance and functionality, and certain interactions needn't require the user to touch the screen at all.

The current clip-on prototype sports a glowing strip to indicate device status and battery level, with charging undertaken via an onboard micro-USB port. Each Ringbow can be given its own unique ID so that different users can interact with the same touchscreen display, for collaborative work or multi-player gaming.

New ultraviolet laser technology could increase storage capacity of optical disc media

Although ultraviolet semiconductor diode lasers are widely used in data processing, information storage and biology, their applications have been limited by the lasers' size, cost and power. Now researchers at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering have overcome these problems by developing a new semiconductor nanowire laser technology that could be used to provide denser optical disc storage, superfast data processing and transmission and even to change the function of a living cell.

The breakthrough comes in the form of zinc oxide nanowire waveguide laser technology that the team says offers smaller sizes, lower costs, higher powers and shorter wavelengths than the current generation of ultraviolet lasers based on gallium nitride.

Until now, zinc oxide nanowires couldn't be used in real world light emission applications because of the lack of p-type (positive type) material needed by all semiconductors. Jianlin Liu, a professor of electrical engineering, and his colleagues solved this problem and created the p-type material by doping the zinc oxide nanowires with a metalloid element known as antimony.

They connected the p-type zinc oxide nanowires with n-type (negative type) zinc oxide material to form a device called a p-n junction node, that when powered by a battery results in highly directional laser light being emitted from the ends of the nanowires.

"People in the zinc oxide research community throughout the world have been trying hard to achieve this for the past decade," Liu said. "This discovery is likely to stimulate the whole field to push the technology further."

The team says the discovery could have a wide range of impacts. Because ultraviolet has a shorter wavelength than other lights, such as red used to read DVDs and violet used to read Blu-ray discs (even though Blu-ray lasers are referred to as "blue" they are in the violet range), the zinc oxide nanowires could be used to create denser optical disc storage.

The discovery also has applications in the fields of biology and medical therapeutics. Since the ultra-small laser light beam from a nanowire laser can penetrate a living cell, it could be used to excite the cell or change its function. It could also be used to purify drinking water.

Meanwhile, in the field of photonics, the ultraviolet light could provide superfast data processing and transmission and could also lead to the development of ultraviolet wireless communication technology, which is potentially better than state-of-the-art infrared communications technologies currently used in various electronic information systems.

Although the team has demonstrated the p-type doping of zinc oxide and electrically powered nanowire waveguide lasing in the ultraviolet range, Liu admits more work still needs to be done with the stability and reliability of the p-type material.