Asus has launched the newest variant of their Eee PC range, the Eee PC 1201T.

The latest netbook from the Eee PC Seashell Series features AMD MV-40 CPU and RS780MN chipset, supports 1080p HD video experience and has a 12.1" widescreen display with HD (1366x768) resolution. Stylishly designed incorporating cues of the Eee PC Seashell series; it also has a large ergonomic chiclet keyboard. 

Stanley Wu – Country Product Head – System Business, Asus (India) said, "The Eee PC 1201T is our latest 12" netbook that is feature rich and packs in a powerful configuration. Featuring the AMD MV40 processor, 2 GB RAM and 320 GB hard disk, this netbook is aimed at users who want more processing power and storage capacity from their netbooks. The build quality and finish is top notch and we hope that it appeals to the users looking for a more powerful netbook than those available in the market at the moment.” He further added, “If you see the evolution of the Eee PC which can be heralded as the first netbook ever, what began as a basic 7” netbook has today transformed into a 12” feature rich multimedia device and this is largely a result of the demand in the market for such products."

The Eee PC 1201T features the 2nd Generation AMD Ultrathin platform, which provides balanced performance across a myriad of applications. It draws its inspiration from seashells and its opalescent and glossy exterior is crafted by the innovative in-Mold Roller technology.

The Eee PC 1201T comes preinstalled with ArcSoft SimHD, which up scales standard definition video content to high definition. SimHD, a plug-in for ArcSoft TotalMedia Theater, enhances the quality of images and supports a wide range of file formats.

With the exclusive Asus Super Hybrid Engine's increased power efficiency, the Eee PC can deliver a long battery lifespan - eliminating worries about power while on-the-go and easily keeps users connected for full day.

The Eee PC Seashell costs Rs. 21,490 excluding taxes and comes with a one year warranty.

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of its new Samsung MystEco Series of TFT Monitors available in 15.6”, 18.5”, 20” and 21.5” screen sizes.  

The salient feature of the new MystEco Series TFT monitors is its power saving capabilities. The MystEco provides consumers the option of power saving with the help of one hot key through which the power consumption can be set at 100% /75%/50% .The MystEco series uses least power in standby mode (0.3W) and comes with a stylish , high glossy cabinet;  slim neck and an elegant design with rear wave pattern. Some of the superior performance features that make the viewing experience truly delightful include, a dynamic contrast ratio of 70000:1, lateral plug-in and a 16:9 wide format panel that is ideal for multimedia contents. The series is HD ready .

Announcing the launch of MystEco series in India, Ranjeet Yadav, Director-Mobile and IT, Samsung India said, “At Samsung, we place a lot of emphasis on creating products that are environment friendly and contribute towards a greener planet. The MystEco series represents an optimal combination of eco friendly and superior performance features.”

The series boasts of features like “Magic Angle” - which is a 3 step angle management process where the screen does not lose clarity, even when it is being from different viewing angels. The screen appears as if viewed at face angle, even when seen lying down or below. The “Magic Return” feature in the MystEco series is optimized for Windows 7 and in case of dual monitor usage allows automatic content movement from one monitor to another in case one of the monitors is switched off. The entire MystEco range is wall mountable  offering consumers convenient space management options.

The new Samsung MystEco Monitor models that have been launched, include: B1630N (15.6”), B1930N (18.5”), B2030N (20”) and B2230N (21.5”) and are priced at Rs. 6350, Rs. 8300, Rs. 8700 and Rs. 11000 respectively.

Militant groups, foreign states and criminal organizations pose a growing threat to U.S. security as they target government and private computer networks, FBI Director Robert Mueller said on Thursday.

In a speech to an Internet security conference, Mueller said militant groups like al Qaeda had primarily used the Internet to recruit members and plan attacks, but had made clear they also see it as a target. "Terrorists have shown a clear interest in pursuing hacking skills and they will either train their own recruits or hire outsiders with an eye toward combining physical attacks with cyber attacks," Mueller said. He noted a cyberattack could have the same impact as a "well-placed bomb." Mueller added that some foreign governments, which he did not identify, also posed a threat by seeking to use the Internet for espionage. "Apart from the terrorist threat, nation-states may use the Internet as a means of attack for political ends," he said. "Nation-state hackers or mercenaries for hire" as well as rogue hackers or international criminal syndicates are targeting government networks, Mueller added. "They seek our technology, our intelligence, our intellectual property, even our military weapons and strategies." The comments came in the wake of several international Internet security incidents. In January, Google Inc , the world's No. 1 Internet search engine, said it had detected a sophisticated online attack on its systems that originated in China and said it believed at least 20 other companies had been targeted.

According to Google, one of the primary goals of the attacks was accessing the personal e-mail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Earlier this week, Spanish police arrested three men accused of masterminding one of the largest computer crimes to date, in which more than 13 million PCs were infected with a virus that stole credit card numbers and data. Mueller said international cooperation was essential to combating online crime like the so-called Mariposa botnet incident in Spain. He added the FBI had 60 "attache" offices around the world as well as special agents embedded with police forces in countries such as Romania, Estonia and the Netherlands. He urged businesses targeted in cyberattacks to come forward to help track down the perpetrators, saying the FBI was attuned to the delicate nature of the situation for corporations. "We will minimize the disruption to your business, we will safeguard your privacy and your data and where necessary we will seek protective orders to preserve trade secrets and business confidentiality," he said. 

Microsoft said on Friday it will stick to its development strategy for the china internet search market regardless of the outcome of Google's high-profile spat with Beijing.

Microsoft has kept a relatively low profile in China since Google announced its decision to potentially withdraw from the market over censorship issues and following an attack on its systems that it believes originated in China. Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer previously said his company had no plans to pull out of China, indicating it was unlikely to follow Google's lead in challenging a Chinese system that forces Internet firms to self censor their sites on sensitive topics. "Regardless of whether or not Google stays, we will aggressively promote our search and cloud computing (in China)," Zhang Yaqin, chairman of Microsoft's Asia-Pacific R&D Group, told Reuters on Friday on the sidelines of the opening of the National People's Congress in Beijing. Zhang added that Microsoft plans to spend about $500 million on research and development in China this year, and another $150 million on outsourced projects. 

Bangalore city traffic police is moving into a 'paperless regime of enforcement' with officers being provided with hi-tech "blackberry and bluetooth'- supported printers from today.

Project "Black Berry assisted Traffic Enforcement" that was initiated by city traffic police in 2008 has finally reached its final stage, state Home Minister V S Acharya said.

Launching the second phase of BlackBerry plan here, he said "with all traffic officers upto the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector getting BlackBerry and Bluetooth-supported printers today, city traffic police will move into a paperless regime of enforcement".

The technology would be implemented throughout Karnataka, Acharya said, without specifying any time frame for it.

WD has introduced its new My Passport Studio portable drives for Macs featuring FireWire 800 interface and a customizable e-label that’s visible, even when the drive is unplugged. Sporting a sleek design, the high-performance My Passport Studio drives are formatted for Mac computers, compatible with Apple TimeMachine software, and feature automatic and continuous backup with WD SmartWare software, and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. Available now at select retailers, the new My Passport Studio drives are offered in capacities of 320 GB, 500 GB and 640 GB

WD’s My Passport Studio drives are designed for creative professionals and Mac enthusiasts. Their production and use of many large files require the fast transfers from computer to My Passport Studio drives that FireWire 800 provides. Professionals such as photographers also benefit from the e-labeling system to effectively organize their work.

The e-label smart display on the front of the My Passport drives can be changed as often as desired using the included WD SmartWare software. Users can easily create a label to personalize their drive or remind themselves of its contents. The e-label also shows available capacity and whether the drive is locked. Utilizing e-paper technology, the information on the display remains clearly visible, even when the drive is unplugged.

“Many of our customers store their content on multiple external drives, making it difficult to know what content is on each drive,” said Sushil Bandi, Country Manager - India, Western Digital. “The e-label smart display is an elegant and practical solution for organizing and keeping track of one’s digital life and work. WD SmartWare software makes it easy for users to protect their valuable content with automatic and continuous backup and encryption.”

The new My Passport Studio is fully compatible with Apple TimeMachine software for easy backup of your most important files.  It also offers the option of the simple and intuitive WD SmartWare software, with automatic continuous backup and real-time visual interface, giving users a view of their backup as it happens. After the first backup, users’ files are backed up automatically every time they change or add a file.

My Passport Studio drives also feature user-selected password protection combined with 256-bit hardware-based encryption, which scrambles files before they are stored.

MSRP for the My Passport Studio drives is Rs. 9,600 for 500GB and Rs. 10,750 for 640GB and they come with a 3-year warranty.

Logitech has announced the Laptop Speaker Z205 - a lightweight speaker with a clip-on design to attach it to a laptop.

“While people love the portability of their laptop computer, they are often missing out on the immersive listening experience that external speakers provide,” said Mark Schneider, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s audio business unit. “When designing the Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205, we wanted to help people get better audio while enjoying their favorite shows or music without sacrificing portability. The Laptop Speaker Z205 is tiny enough to toss in your bag, but delivers big sound.”

The Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205 attaches to the top of most laptop screens. It is approximately 1.35 inches thick and 2.5 inches tall and comes with a carry case that protects the speaker while inside a briefcase or backpack.

The speaker features full stereo sound thanks to two high-performance drivers, a built-in amplifier and an acoustically tuned enclosure. Volume can be adjusted using the buttons located on the top of the speaker. The included USB cable is all thats is required for power and audio - no need for an External power supply - so it's basically plug and play.

The Logitech Laptop Speaker Z205 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe for a suggested retail price of $39.99 (U.S.) beginning in March.

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who is set to cross the 200,000 mark in Twitter ollowers, visited the headquarter of the micro-blogging website in San Francisco after being especially invited there.

Priyanka tweeted about her visit to the headquarter where she met Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder.

"My day was really interesting because I was invited to Twitter headquarter in San Francisco! Had a great time. Thanks Biz and team for the wonderful hospitality," she posted.

The 27-year-old, who has been shooting in US for Sajid Nadiadwala's "Anjaana Anjaani", is going to cross the 200,000 mark as far as her followers on Twitter are concerned. At present, she leads the Bollywood bandwagon on the site with 196,903 followers and has left stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Shahid Kapoor far behind.

Google Inc has developed a prototype for a new mirror technology thart could cut by half the cost of building a solar thermal plant, the company's green energy czar said on Friday.

Bill Weihl said that if development and testing go well, he could see the product being ready in one to three years. "Things have progressed," Weihl said in an interview. "We have an internal prototype." Google has been looking at unusual materials for the mirror's reflective surface and the substrate on which the mirror is mounted. In solar thermal technology, the sun's energy is used to heat a substance that produces steam to run a turbine. Mirrors focus the sun's rays on the heated substance. The Internet search engine company, which has been investing in companies and doing research of its own to produce affordable renewable energy, wants to cut the cost of making heliostats, the fields of mirrors that track the sun. "There is a decent chance that in a small number of years, we could have a 2-X reduction in cost," he said. Global companies are increasingly investing in green technology as the world grapples with global warming and governments strive to implement regulations that could limit greenhouse gas emissions. Google has invested in two solar thermal companies, eSolar and BrightSource, with which it has discussed the new mirror technology, Weihl said. He said the technology was not at a stage where it could be tested externally, but he added that both eSolar and BrightSource were interested in it. "If it works, it would absolutely be something they would use," he said.

First announced at CES with Panasonic and LG TVs, Skype will now come embedded on Samsung's LED 7000 and 8000 series models of high-definition telivisions. The embedded skype software allows Skype users to make video and voice calls through the TVs.

Samsung, the global market leader in televisions, will begin shipping TVs with Skype software in the Korean market today, and worldwide in the first half of 2010.

“Our consumers want their televisions to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for entertainment and communication delivered with the highest quality,” said Kevin Kyungshik Lee, Vice President of Visual Display at Samsung Electronics. “Including Skype on our TVs meets that expectation perfectly. We’re thrilled that Samsung’s consumers can now use our TVs to experience the rich video and voice communication that hundreds of millions of Skype users worldwide enjoy.”

The debut of Samsung’s Skype-enabled televisions reinforces Skype’s commitment to making its video and voice calling capabilities available on a full range of Internet-connected devices, including TVs.

The Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 series televisions include Samsung’s free Internet@TV service, which allows access to select online content. Consumers who connect the TVs to the Internet can easily attach a FreeTalk TV Camera for Samsung provided by In Store Solutions (ISS), available at www.skype.com/store, making it possible to place and receive voice calls and High Quality Video calls. Voice calls will use Skype’s SILK audio codec, which enables super-wideband audio quality.

Using the TVs’ remote controls, consumers can create free Skype accounts, log into their existing accounts and navigate via a simple Skype interface accessible on the televisions’ screens. Skype video calls will be free, as will voice calls between Skype users.

SanDisk has begun shipping its 64 GB Ultra SDXC card, the company’s highest capacity SD card. 

With its 64GB capacity, up to 15MB/sec read speed and Class 4 speed rating, the new card is based on the new SD 3.0 specification, that helps consumers record long-duration HD videos. The 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC card can store more than eight hours of such video with recording speed of 9 Mbps (HD standard).

"SDXC is the successor to the popular SDHC card format" said Susan Park, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. "The 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC card delivers the speed and capacity consumers need for extended HD video recording and improved rapid shooting of still images. The card is an ideal complement for recently-announced SDXC-compatible cameras and camcoders "

Since the SD 3.0 specification was recently released, only a handful of devices may be immediately available that support SDXC cards. However, the pace of new camera model introduction supporting the SDXC format is accelerating. Canon announced at CES that all of its new VIXIA camcorder models and PowerShot cameras are compatible with SDXC cards. Widespread adoption of SDXC is expected to occur across a range of consumer electronics products including HDTVs, Blu-ray recorders/players, camcorders, cameras, mobile phones, navigation systems and computers. SanDisk ImageMate memory card readers are compatible with SDXC cards if the connected PC uses an operating system that supports exFAT.

The 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC card comes with a lifetime limited warranty. The card is available immediately at www.sandisk.com via the U.S. e-commerce site with a price of $349.99, and will be available at SanDisk locations around the world soon after.