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The growing popularity of WiFi connections to the Internet from virtually anywhere — bus and train stations, airports and coffee shops for instance — drastically increases the chances of wireless users finding their data stolen. It’s a combination of more people connecting and hacking techniques getting better, Fiberlink Communications’ Dan Hoffman explained.

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The Dell XCS Concept - The future?

This week ASUS announced the first dedicated external graphics card, designed to be used with laptops. Interestingly enough the product - dubbed the XG Station - is not likely to cause much excitement in the mobile computer community, as much as it will for desktop fans. Why? The answer is simple enough.

While it may not look like it on the surface, the XG Station seems to be a step towards modular computing, a concept that has been contemplated over the years, but never seen fruition. Modular computing is essentially the idea that the desktop PC as we know it will eventually disappear, to be replaced by something which is not confined to the dimensions of a conventional PC case, but rather something which is designed around the idea that the computer’s separate parts can easily be replaced by other components over a standardised communications system. Of course the modern PC is easily upgradable, but it is still based on dozens of different input systems, from PCIe to 5.5″ ATA to CPU sockets. Rather, modular computing would see a more streamlined way for the different computer parts to communicate with each other, allowing for a better PC.

The XG Station is one step toward this ultimate goal, along with the external power supply, something which is gaining speed in a world where internal video cards are demanding more and more power. The arrival of the external graphics card could also make the external power supply rather redundant, should the XG Station see a desktop counterpart, however the concept of modular computing continues to lie underneath it all. Unfortunately, the idea is decades off at the best, so until then it seems like external graphics cards are the new market to watch out for.

Samsung has been known to produce some of the slimmest sliders in the world mobile market. In fact, the slimming revolution can easily be said to be initiated by this Korean giant. When it comes to technicalities, Samsung seems to surpass its own records, every time. The Samsung G600 is a revolutionary new handset from the house of Samsung. Its technical specifications and features are bound to blow away your mind.

It can easily be touted as one of the best mobile handsets of the year 2007. Its classic slider format gives it a beautiful demeanour and its high-tech features make it a favourite amongst all mobile connoisseurs. Its sliding mechanism is extremely smooth and the glossy and silky exterior makes it appear real classy. The screen is large at 2.2 inches diagonally, and with 16 million colours and 240 x 320 pixels it can easily be called one of the best by the manufacturer.

The USP of the Samsung G600 remains its 5 MP camera that comes complete with autofocus, LED flash and 4x digital zoom. The G600 boasts of some very useful camera modes - panorama mode lets you take pictures of wide views such as landscapes, and macro mode enables you to take close-up shots. Great quality video recording too is available on the Samsung G600.

The music player in the handset doesn’t disappoint its users either. It supports almost all major music formats, including MP3, AAC, AAC+, 3-AAC+ and WMA. G600 even supports wireless Bluetooth stereo headsets and features a new music player interface with a dedicated music library. The other useful feature is that it lets you create playlists and organise your music by artist, album or genre.

The other standard features in Samsung G600 include a document viewer, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, quad band and offline mode. As evident till now, this handset is a powerful gadget which comes with a glut of high-tech features that are sure to leave its users awe-struck.

– Energy-saving P5E3 series features the industry’s first Energy Processing Unit, while the top-shelf Republic of Gamers Maximus series offers an innovative Fusion Block System and unmatched performance –

Fremont, CA - October 10, 2007 - For enthusiasts perusing the ultimate Intel®-based platform for custom desktop systems, ASUS®, the Industry-leading component and notebook manufacturer, today unveiled two high-end motherboard series based on the new Intel X38 chipset. The P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP debuts with the world’s first energy-saving design, featuring embedded Energy Processing Unit (EPU), high-efficiency power management, and Internet-ready applications on the BIOS. Its sibling and the new addition to the Republic of Gamers (ROG) series, the Maximus Extreme, entices Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gamers with an advanced thermal design, versatile tweaking options, and intuitive threshold indicators for safer overclocking. Both series are optimized for the upcoming Intel 45nm multi-core processors, and are currently available through ASUS North American authorized dealers.

P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP: The World’s Most Energy Efficient Motherboard
P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP utilizes two proprietary technologies for maximum energy efficiency. ASUS EPU is the first hardware-based on-demand power-saving IC controller utilizing hybrid power technology. When alternating between light and heavy CPU loads, ASUS EPU intelligently switches between 4 and 8-phase modes, improving voltage regulator module (VRM) efficiency. Users can save nearly 60% on CPU power consumption, stabilize voltages for longer CPU lifespan, and benefit from quicker transient responses.

The industry-leading ASUS third generation 8-phase power design provides up to 95% power efficiency – outperforming competing 12-phase solutions. Extended system life and reduced power loss are ensured using durable power components throughout the motherboard, such as ferrite core chokes for reduced hysteresis loss, and resilient conductive polymer capacitors from Japan.

Based on the Splashtop technology from DeviceVM®, ASUS Express Gate provides a quick alternative for accessing applications such as Skype®, Microsoft® Instant Messenger, browsers, web based mail and media playback from an onboard Linux-based operating system. ASUS Express Gate runs commonly used tasks in seconds, reducing the need to leave a computer on 24/7.

Republic of Gamers’ Maximus Extreme: The Ultimate Gaming Platform
The ASUS Republic of Gamers motherboard series emphasizes specialized features for the ultimate PC DIY experience, such as onboard power/clear CMOS switches, system status indicators, and a rich suite of BIOS options that reflect enthusiast-minded design.

Taking the ROG heat pipe design one step further to provide optimal cooling, the new Maximus Extreme comes with a factory-installed Fusion Block System. The revolutionary Fusion Block utilizes a fin-pin heat sink that fits most water-cooling systems. It dissipates heat drawn from the north bridge, south bridge, ASUS Crosslinx, and voltage regulator modules (VRM). The optional water-cooling capability guarantees enhanced overclockability, resulting in higher system performance and a more engaging user experience.

The ROG Maximus Extreme comes with two unique features that allow flexible CPU overclocking. The ASUS CPU Level Up feature allows easy CPU performance upgrades without prior overclocking knowledge. By simply selecting a desired processor speed, the motherboard calculates and modifies the appropriate settings. Enthusiasts can adjust the CPU Level Up settings for even higher frequencies with Extreme Tweaker, ASUS’ one-stop shop for fine-tuned optimal frequencies, over-voltage settings and memory timings.

Over-voltage adjustment is crucial to pursuing the best performance. However, this practice can damage expensive components. Analogous to a tachometer’s “red zone”, the ROG exclusive Voltiminder LED displays updated voltage status for the CPU, north bridge, south bridge, and memory in an intuitive color-coded scheme. This provides vital information for overclockers without needing to enter the BIOS. Additionally, the innovative Component Overheat Protection (COP) EX allows increased chipset voltages by monitoring and preventing overheating GPUs. With the Voltiminder LED and the COP EX as protection mechanisms, users can safely explore their system’s overclocking limits and pursue maximum hardware performance.

Full-Featured Motherboards for the Discerning Enthusiasts
Both the P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP and Maximus Extreme take full advantage of the Intel X38 chipset, which shows noticeable gains over the previous P35 chipset in CPU and memory performance. The motherboards are the first Intel platforms to support three PCI-E 2.0 slots, offering twice the bandwidth of PCI-E 1.0 while maintaining backward compatibility.

Both series of ASUS motherboards support exclusive Crosslinx technology. The ASUS Crosslinx technology optimizes bandwidth allocation across dual x8 lanes. Utilizing a 3-GPU CrossFire setting, the PCI-e allocation is x16, x8, x8 – surpassing prior x16, x16, x4 standards. All PCI-e lanes come from the north bridge without creating load-balance bottlenecks, resulting in higher frame rates, smoother game play, and new 3DMark world records. Both motherboards support DDR3-1333/1066/800 memory in dual channel mode, with the ability to overclock memory up to 1800 MHz. Also available are ASUS’ DDR2 variants, the Maximus Formula and P5E. For more information on the ASUS P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP and the ROG Maximus Extreme, please visit asus.com

It was but a few weeks ago that we caught Fujitsu’s LifeBook N6460 showing off in Singapore, and now it looks like the beastly machine has made its way stateside for all of us Americans to enjoy. This 17-incher touts an XGA+ panel, Intel’s 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, ATI’s Mobility Radeon HD 2600 graphics set, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, up to 400GB of hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray drive, integrated fingerprint scanner, a remote control, 56k modem, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, and a plethora of ports including five USB 2.0 connectors, FireWire, a multicard reader, and an ExpressCard opening to boot. Granted, you can certainly opt to customize the aforementioned specifications to fit your budget, but pre-established configurations range from $1,499 to $2,599 and look to be shipping right away.

Here we go again kids. After all those notorious fires related to the batteries used by the world’s largest handset manufacturer, Nokia has issued a product advisory related to the BL-5C, Nokia-branded battery. That’s right, Nokia branded, not just those third-party knockoffs everyone had been pointing the finger at previously. A staggering 46 million batteries in fact, all manufactured by Matsushita (aka, Panasonic) between December 2005 and November 2006, are said to be at risk of “dislodge.” According to the release, “in very rare cases” the Nokia-branded BL-5C batteries could short circuit leading to an explosive burn. Nokia goes on to say that the danger only exists while charging the battery and of the 100 or so reported incidents, “no serious injuries or property damage have been reported.” Oh really? So the loss of a leg no longer constitutes serious injury? The BL-5C is one of just 14 different batteries used in Nokia products so be sure to check the list below to see if your phone is one of the 52 Nokia handsets affected. If you’re unlucky (or lucky, depending upon your viewpoint) enough to be affected, then Nokia will provide a replacement battery free of charge.

Read — Product advisory for BL-5C battery
Read — List of affected Nokia phones and Battery ID

It’s not often a mobile phone is a hot story in Women’s Wear Daily, but at the Milan Fashion Week, Italian designer Giorgio Armani has announced a mobile phone and other devices produced by South Korea’s Samsung.

In a press release, Giorgio Armani, President and Chief Executive Officer of Giorgio Armani S.p.A. says:

“Today fashion has expanded to encompass our way of life, not just how we dress, but how we design our home, the hotels we stay in, the car we drive and the technology we buy. In fact, we make as much of a personal statement with the mobile phones that we carry or the televisions we have in our living rooms as we do with the shoes and bags we wear or the furnishings we chose to place in our homes. These are all lifestyle decisions, where design and performance are the criteria. Samsung has successfully anticipated the growing role for consumer electronics in our lives, while recognising the importance of self-expression in the development of its products.”

It’s a tiny credit card-sized device with a touch-sensitive 2.6inch QVGA screen, 3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth.

By adapting a haptical UI, users can feel an immediate mild vibration when they touch icons on the display. Being the size of a credit card and a mere 10.5 mm in thickness, the Giorgio Armani-Samsung Phone fits sensuously into a user’s palm.

It sounds like an interesting phone but the cross-industry deal is not really surprising. Samsun’s main rival, LG Electronics, has already combined with Prada, another Italian luxury goods designer, for a mobile phone.

Tip of the hat to Unwired View, which announced on September 13 that Samsung’s SGH-P520 is the Armani Phone. Also, ThisNext published the spec in July, where jfang commented: “Samsung’s answer to the iPhone or LG Prada? Maybe… ”

What Armani added remains to be seen….

This may have released last year, but the concept it still futuristic. LG has its latest phone with breath analyzer that incorporates an alcohol measurement sensor, handy during late night parties and clubbing to avoid being pulled over by cops. 

By simply blowing on the phone, a sensor will be able to detect your breath and display whether the level of alcohol in your blood is safe to drive.

The LG-SD410, LG-KP4100, and the LG-LP4100 models also come equipped with a remote control for your TV, DVD, and other electronic equipment in the house. 

Gamers love this time of the year. With the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) just around the corner next week in Los Angeles, crowds are flocking to witness the unveiling of ground breaking hardware and software.

The gaming industry is at its pinnacle in terms of heated competition between giants Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, with the latter two calculating to launch their console platforms

TMCNet reports that the transition period may be slightly more difficult this time around, with companies focusing on producing more console units to avoid shortage during pre-orders and launch sales. At the time when Xbox 360 launch, a shortage of console units resulted in suppliers shipping consoles in March to consumers that pre-ordered it last summer.

It seems now that the cost of producing consoles has escalated dramatically, with Sony battling out the war to popularise its Blu-Ray format. And the winner is……wait till next week!

I know that some people are extremely excited about the imminent release of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s latest OS offering. But does Microsoft really need to spurn that excitement? Despite the fact that Vista is hardly more than an XP facelift, it hasn’t stopped the mega-corp from unveiling the “Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Limited Numbered Signature Edition.” Yes, you too could own the tongue-twising piece of disastrous history by purchasing one of 20, 000 copies of Vista Ultimate, complete with a unique serial number, and an embossed signature from none other than Bill Gates.

You can purchase the upgrade edition here. Pricewise, its actually not too far off normal copies, which is a little relief. But it begs the question - why?