The details behind the rift that saw Acer’s CEO Gianfranco Lanci (pictured) suddenly resign yesterday are now starting to emerge. Simply put, Acer’s board wants the Taiwanese company to be more like Apple and HTC, according to Bloomberg, raking in big profits on fat margins. Lanci’s approach, however, was to aggressively increase volumes and using its scale to negotiate cheaper prices from suppliers in a race to steal market share from Dell and HP. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Acer’s profit margin in the last fiscal year was just 2.3 percent compared to Apple’s 21.5 percent. Daunting, to say the least.

With Lanci gone, JT Wang, Acer’s chairman and temporary CEO, plans to put more effort into expanding its smartphone and tablet business while broadening efforts around enterprise sales. For Wang, Lanci’s departure marks a break with the past, saying, “Recently the iPad [tablet computer] and other new form factors have had a very big impact on the PC market. We have to change our business strategy.” While PCs will still be core to the business, Wang said “we won’t be in a hurry to change to become the world number one.” Unfortunately for Acer, its brand is more closely associated with low-cost laptops than with the premium devices required to significantly expand its profit margins. We’d wish ‘em luck but we think Acer will be better served by an innovative CEO and focused R&D.

Bloomberg, Financial Times

This Friday marks the official launch of the iPad 2 in stores all around the country and online. If you plan to get one of the new tablets, you will want to get some accessories at the same time most likely. iSkin makes some really cool product for the original iPad and has some of the better cases on the market today.

The company has announced that it was working on new cases just for the iPad 2 as well. I would be surprised if some of the cases didn’t launch at the end of the week along with the tablet. You can find out more about the iPad 2 gear from the company on the Facebook page or sign up to be notified via email when new iPad 2 cases are unveiled.

I would bet we will see the same types of cases that iSkin has for the iPad right now for the iPad 2. I particularly like the iSkin aura with its multiple positions and adjustability. The iSkin cases also come in thinner and slim fitting styles we are sure to see for the iPad 2 as well.

Acer has come up with the answer to Toshiba Libretto W105 which is a dual multitouch screen laptop/tablet and named it Iconia. You won’t find any physical keyboard on this device, there is a touch-screen in place of the old-fashion keyboard.

Of course if you are concerned with typing you can use the onscreen keyboard, you can choose skins and styles for it, however you won’t have the tactile fill for the keys under your hands. Let’s not focus on that, there are some cool things about it: you can watch a movie on one screen and surf the web on the other. It’s like your own 2 screens you have at home are always with you.

The part I really like about Acer Iconia is its hardware, and it features some of the most developed technologies out there and it is powered by Windows 7. It has an Intel Core i5 CPU which is really fast, along comes up to 4GB of DDR3 memory which is fastest so far. Not speaking about two, not one, 14-inch multitouch screens with resolution of 1366×768. To support these two screens they have chosen Intel HD graphics with 128MG of Ram, honestly not much for a beast like it, however, I suppose, they had problems with cooling as displays, processor and VGA card produce a lot of heat. In addition to that you can have from 320GB to 750GB hard drive with it.

It also has VGA/HDMI outputs, an S/PDIF interface and a microphone built in. As for wireless connectivity it has: 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and integrated 3G WWAN – pretty much the full collection there. It also has a gigabit Ethernet and two USB 2.0 and ultrafast USB 3.0 jack.

Personally I think that 4 cell battery is a bit small for Acer Iconia but we will see. The whole device weighs 6.18 pounds which is pretty heavy but you should not forget that this thing has not one but two displays.

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At this time of year we often struggle to look at any new gadget free of a gift idea approach. So happens with these. MSI has released two new gaming graphic cards just ahead of Christmas, so naturally you might seize one of those if there is a gaming enthusiast among your friends and relatives. Specs and features follow.

MSI R6970 and R6950 are based on respectively named AMD Radeon HD 6000 series Cayman graphic cores which are built on 40 nm fabrication process. This, of course, is fine, but many people out there are holding it for the next-gen GPUs from ATI and NVIDIA. We expect them to be out some time next year, so if you are actually buying for a gamer, make sure you know what you are doing or you’ll spend a lot of money and will get no appreciation instead.

MSI R6970-2PM2D2GD5 specifications:

Core clock: 880 MHz
Fabrication process: 40 nm
Memory clock: 5500 MHz
Memory capacity: 2 GB GDDR5
Bus width: 256 bits
Interfaces: PCI Express ×16 2.1, HDMI 1.4a, Mini DisplayPort ×2, DVI-I, DVI-D, CrossFire
Features: DirectX 11, AMD Eyefinity, AMD Advanced Parallel Processing, AMD CrossFire
Dimensions: 275mm × 110mm × 38mm

MSI R6950-2PM2D2GD5 specifications:

Core clock: 800 MHz
Fabrication process: 40 nm
Memory clock: 5000 MHz
Memory capacity: 2 GB GDDR5
Bus width: 256 bits
Interfaces: PCI Express ×16 2.1, HDMI 1.4a, Mini DisplayPort ×2, DVI-I, DVI-D, CrossFire
Features: DirectX 11, AMD Eyefinity, AMD Advanced Parallel Processing, AMD CrossFire
Dimensions: 275mm × 110mm × 38mm

The aliens have landed! Dell, a multinational information technology corporation, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services announced it will be introducing two new laptops of its wholly owned subsidiary Alienware® in Pakistan.

Feel the thrill of gaming with Alienware® powered by a member of the Intel® Core™ processor family—smarter processors that automatically deliver extra performance whenever you need it as it features 12-way multitask processing. The Intel® Core™ processors are Intel’s ultimate PC processors for laptops, for ultimate performance in extreme games and beyond.

Alienware® specializes in high performance gaming machines and Dell Pakistan will be introducing the M15x and M17x laptops to the Pakistani gamers’ line of sight with the new Intel^® Core™ i7 mobile processors which take you even further with features like Intel’s Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technologies that power through games, multimedia applications and your daily routine all at the same time.

ALIENWARE®M15x

The Alienware® M15x with its 15” screen helps gamers take charge with blazing-fast graphics, the latest in processor technology and Hi-def capabilities. Gaming will never be the same again!

The powerful design of the M15x case evokes feelings of pure speed and is a testament of design to form and function, since every angle and line is there to dissipate heat and increase gaming performance. Available for personalization in a selection of three colors: Metallic Red, Metallic Silver or Metallic Black.

The Alienware® QuickTouch system control pad uses touch-capacitive sensors to access and manage power and volume controls, wireless connectivity and both Command Center and Stealth Mode launch functions rendering mechanical buttons and control knobs obsolete. Adorned with the AlienFX® lighting control system it looks and feels as if it’s from a galaxy far, far away.

With a range for your choice of Intel® Core™ i7, i5 or i3 processors, ranging from 1.7GHz to 2.53 GHz, it features unrivaled smart features like Intel’s Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technologies that juggle your games, multimedia applications and your daily routines seamlessly. With overclock enabled, you can tune your system for extra performance and feed your need for speed. Plus, greater cache size and higher frequencies make it the perfect engine for power users who demand unparalleled performance and unlimited digital creativity. The dual channel DDR3 RAM memory (4 to 8 GB), a choice of SATA II hard drive up to 500GB or a Solid State hard drive up to 256GB, coupled with a choice of video cards from NVIDIA GeForce® or ATI Mobility Radeon™ (512 MB to 1536 MB), and the internal High-Definition 5.1 surround sound audio, the M15x is designed to bring you the hi-def generation gaming experience on the laptop right now!

The processor comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics, an advanced video engine that delivers smooth, high-quality HD video playback, and advanced 3D capabilities.

A smart choice for gamers, the processors also features Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology and Intel® QuickPath Interconnect, which enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking.

The hardware design also comes with the following input slots and options; IEEE 1394a (4-pin) port, Integrated Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 (1000Mbps), 3 Hi-speed USB 2.0 ports (1 via USB 2.0 / eSATA combo port), 1eSATA (via USB 2.0/ eSATA Combo Port), VGA, Display Port-Video Output, 8-in-1 Media Card Reader, ExpressCard Slot, 2 Audio Out Connectors, Audio In/ Microphone Jack (retaskable for 5.1 audio), and Two Built-In Front Speakers.

ALIENWARE® M17x

The Alienware M17x has an anodized aluminum body and a cover design to dissipate heat to offer the coolest performance, and not just for looks alone. With a choice of Metallic Black or Metallic Silver, it has the Alienware® QuickTouch system control pad which uses touch-capacitive sensors to access and manage power and volume controls, Bluetooth^® and wireless connectivity and Command Center and Stealth Mode launch functions rendering mechanical buttons and control knobs obsolete. It is illuminated by the dramatic AlienFX® lighting control system giving it that ultra stylish appearance.

The 17” widescreen LCD display features a dual CCFL back-lit LCD with higher brightness. It will display more detailed, higher-quality imagery than single CCFL displays and with an 8-ms response time, ghosting is history. The 2.0-megapixel webcam and digital microphone helps you broadcast across the web, while wireless capabilities have you up and running anytime, anywhere. The facial recognition software in its Command Center utilizes the webcam to verify biometric measurements that cannot be faked or stolen unlike a password.

If you’re cornered and outnumbered you’ll need all the power you can scrounge, the M17x will provide you with that extra processing power to overcome even the most resilient foes. The powerful range of Intel®Core™ i7 or i5 (1.6 GHz to 2.5 GHz) featuring Intel^® Turbo Boost Technology for dynamic, on-the-fly over-clocking, together with the ATI CrossFireX™ dual-graphics processing unit (GPU) graphics which provides ultra-fast frame rates up to a full one teraflop of sheer graphics power and Alienware’s dramatic industrial design deliver the ultimate high-definition mobile gaming and entertainment experience.

The ultra-performing Intel® Core™ i7 processor is the ultimate, overclocking-enabled, multitasking beast. Wield the ultimate gaming weapon for greater performance in 3D gaming applications. The Intel® Core™ processors, with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, provides a rich set of features to give you smart performance for the toughest tasks and flexibility to set your system specs just the way you like.

With a choice of DDR3 dual channel memories (4 GB to 8 GB) RAM, a choice of hard drive between SATA II up to 1280GB and Solid State hard drive up to 512 GB, an internal High-Definition 5.1 surround sound audio and pre-loaded Genuine Window®7 ultra, business or home premium, the Alienware M17x is ready for action.

By allowing the user to change the core multiplier there is more flexibility in the overclocking as this is an additional “knob” to turn. The better stability comes from generally being able to use less voltage when overclocking the cores only. In the past, a user had to use the base clock for overclocking and this called for large voltage increases and instability in the rest of the processor. With the introduction of these exciting new processors in Alienware®, the overclocking sky is the limit!

The hardware design also comes with the following input slots and options; 4 Hi-speed USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo (2-in-1 port) with PowerShare , 8-in-1 Media Card Reader, IEEE 1394a (4-pin) port, ExpressCard Slot, Display Port , HDMITM, VGA-Video Output, Front Speakers Audio Out Connector/ Headphone Jack, Center Speaker and Subwoofer Audio Out Connector/ Headphone Jack, Rear Surround Audio Out Connector, Audio In/ Microphone Jack, Two Built-In Front Speakers, Center Speaker and Subwoofer Audio Out Connector/ Headphone Jack, Rear Surround Audio Out Connector, Audio In/ Microphone Jack, and Two Built-In Front Speakers.

• Screen Size: 40” (102cm) (Diagonally), 16:9 Aspect ratio
• Weight: 15.6 kg
• Display: WXGA (1920 x 1080)
• HDMI™ / Audio In: 2 (1 Rear/ 1 Side)
• USB 2.0: 1 (Side) : Photo (JPEG), Music (MP3), Video (MPEG1, MPEG2 TS & PS)
• Component / Audio In: 1 (Rear, Composite Input Common Use)
• Composite / Audio In: 3 (1 Rear Monitor Out Common Use / 1 Rear, Component Input Common Use / 1 Side)
• HD15 PC Input / Audio: 1 (Side)
• Audio Out: 1 (Rear)
• Audio Output Power: 20W (10W x 2)
• Power Usage: 151W, <1 W on standby
• Other Features: BRAVIA Sync, Fm Radio, Picture Frame Mode, Clock, Sleep Timer, On/Off Timer, Full HD 1080, Intelligent Picture PLUS, MPEG
• Noise Reduction, BRAVIA Engine 3, 24P True Cinema

Out of the box:

You get:

• The TV (Obviously)
• User manual
• Remote and batteries
• The stand for putting it on tv trolleys, And brackets if you decide to mount it on the wall

Design:

Sony makes great looking stuff and the BX400 is no exception. The first thing you notice about the BX400 is the sleek design. It has a glossy finish and you are going to feel the pleasure to look at. I’ve never failed to get compliments on it whenever friends are over. The build feels solid. High marks on the design.

Display:

- Video:

Movies running at 1080p is a wonderful experience. The colors are sharp and picture clarity is good. I was concerned about whether normal cable would look good or not at such a high resolution but my worries were groundless, it looked good if not great. Normal movies however didn’t fare so well. Normal DVD’s looked bad. They seemed grainy and blurry – ones with good print were acceptable though.

So unless you’ve hooked up a player that has HDMI output or if you’re using your personal computer to play a movie, you feel kind of let down after spending so much on the TV.

Mind you, you could always watch it at its original resolution but why buy a high resolution TV if your going to do that in the first place.

- Images:

I’d run out of adjectives before i could tell you how good HD images look on the bx400. The colors were vibrant and the clarity was astounding. It also has a slideshow option as well as a picture frame mode.

Sound:

The sound quality is very good. Its clear and without distortions. The max sound is a bit on the low side though, nonetheless, I would rate it above par. It has virtual surround sound and immerses you in the viewing experience.

Connectivity:

It has 2 HDMI port for playing all those high definition movies and for enjoying your gaming consoles at maximum possible quality.

I had issues connecting my camera with the TV through USB though. Technically it should not be a problem but it was failing to read from the camera. So expect un-desired issues with cameras that are of companies other than Sony.

But if you have a card reader, its gonna be pretty smooth. Just connect the card reader to the USB port and your good to go.

The formats supported by the USB port are limited and I was very disappointed that the TV didn’t support any video format other than MPEG1 and MPEG2.

Support for divX and avi files is usually expected with such expensive devices. Converting movies to MPEG2 takes way too long. But if you do want to do that the best software to use in Any video converter Professional edition.

Features:

It has Bravia sync, which makes connecting all your Sony stuff extremely easy and hassle free. The FM radio works great. Other features include noise reduction for action packed scenes and different presets for setting the vividness of the colours on the screen.

Price:

Its priced at PKR 76,500 (Prices may vary according to your location).

There’s a free DVP SR400 DVD player bundled with it too (Deal was up and running the last time I checked with the official store). And the DVD player has divX support. So I’d recommend that you get it instead of getting a PKR 3000 discount on the TV ( Which I did, and regret now because of limited support for different video formats in the tv).

Also, old school haggling works great too, I got the TV at PKR 71,000 after some negotiating from the official Sony display center in Islamabad.

Conclusion:

The TV itself is a great buy and highly recommended. It has 1080p support so you’ll be future-proofed. But since most homes have standard cable connections which aren’t HD, make sure you get a HD media player like the WD TV Live or at least a DVD player that has divX support so you can burn movies from your PC to watch on the TV.

In a blog Google finally wrote that it has designed its mobile phone which it is sharing with its employees to do the pre-launch testing. The phone is called NEXUS and is running Andriod OS and it is being manufactured by HTC for Google.

Though, there are dozens of other Android based phones in the market but this piece of machine has been taken care by Google itself from A to Z including all the application and the look and feel of the hardware.

Google plans to release the phone early in 2010 from its online stores. According to its plans, Google is not going to launch it through any operator as it is the case with most of deals.

After Google launched its Android operating system 2 years back aiming the future in mobile phone industry, many other manufacturers including HTC, Motorola etc introduced handsets equipped with Android. Google wants Android to take the lead which in turn will further enhance Google’s penetration as more and more people will be using Gmail, Google maps, Google search thus generating huge advertising money.

Google has not yet sold the hardware in its business history, it will be real fun to see it selling the phones with all of its might.

src=’google blog’

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A new MP3 player is now available called the MP3 Micro Sport. It seems to have no controls except for just 1 button and due to the small size of the device, it sits in your ear like a small bluetooth headset.

We are not entirely sure how the single button operation works. Maybe it uses a sequence of button presses to start, skip and control volume etc…

Included with the MP3 Micro Sport player is another headphone that you attach to the main unit and wrap the cable around the back of your neck to provide both ears with sound.

It appears the new Cisco IP Phone 7985G Videophone is OEM’ed from Tandberg (image to left which is identical to the image I posted about the Cisco videophone on Friday).

If the Cisco videophone has the same feature-set as the Tandberg 150 MXP, then it does indeed support SIP, which I was unsure about when I broke the story on the new Cisco videphone. In fact, the Tandberg 150 MXP also supports the H.323 protocol as well, which is a plus since many legacy videophone systems from Polycom and other manufacturers support H.323. I wonder if Cisco also added their SKINNY protocol to the phone? That would make it 3 protocols running on the Cisco videophone.

According to Tandberg’s website the Tandberg 150 MXP has the following features, which I assume the Cisco phone will have as well:
• Optional IM and webconferencing
• URI Dialing
• H.323 & SIP support.
• Up to 512 kbps IP
• Superior video quality incorporating the H.264 standard
• Standards-based embedded encryption (AES & DES)
• Protection against network interruptions with automatic Downspeeding and IPLR

The Tandberg 150 MXP retails for US$2,990, which seems extremely steep to me. I doubt Cisco could get away with selling a business desktop videphone for three thousand dollars. Even high executives such as CEOs aren’t going to want to pay $3000 for a desktop phone -that’s more than the price of many IP-PBX systems! Just how much margin and markup is on this Tandberg phone that Cisco can still make a few bucks on it? Seems very odd to me that Cisco didn’t just build their own videophone. They certainly have the expertise to do this. Further, I would think they could build it less expensively and sell it for much less with a higher profit margin. The only thing I can think of it that this phone is more of a “conference room” videophone and not a desktop videophone for every employee. Certainly today most high-end videoconferencing systems do cost around $3000 so it does fit much better in the conference room videoconferencing space.

Personally, I think Cisco would be better off going after the business desktop videophone space. Let’s assume most small to medium corporations have between 1-4 conference rooms. Assuming the max – 4 conference rooms, that’s only 4 X $3000 = $12,000 sale per business. Now instead let’s assume Cisco makes a desktop videophone that retails for $1000 and assume the average business has 50 employees. Multiple $1000 X 50 = $50,000 sale per business. Of course, not every business is going to need videophones on every single employees desk, but if given the choice between a IP videophone and regular non-video IP phone that is only a few hundred dollars less, many will opt for the more expensive video phones.