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Remote Content Projection With NEC

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The new installation projectors from NEC are designed for corporate conference rooms and classrooms and will allow wired/wireless content streaming without the need for additional software.


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The NP905G and NP901WG projectors include Windows Network Projector functionality within Windows Vista, enabling users to share information from their laptops or desktops via a wired or wireless network without the need for proprietary software.

Remote desktop connection enables these projectors to connect to a networked computer remotely, allowing complete control of the remote computer with the connection of a USB mouse and keyboard directly to the projector’s USB input. Remote diagnostics enable the administrator to monitor and make adjustments to the projector remotely via a network.

National Sales Manager at NEC’s Commercial Displays Solutions Division, Steven Macdonald said, “The NP905G and NP901WG are powerhouse projectors that provide high-definition and essential networking capabilities. They offer best-in-class image quality and a full list of features that customers have come to expect from NEC, while still remaining affordable.”

Other advanced features included with the NP905G and NP901WG are the geometric correction tool, which allows users to project on spheres, cylinders and more without distortion, as well as advanced color management, which automatically adjusts for the specific input type, whether it is a presentation, movie or graphics.

Input panels include HDMI for high-definition video content, as well as an audio input for every allotted video input.  Additionally, the NP905G and NP901WG include closed captioning capability for the hearing impaired and a direct power off feature, which provides instantaneous shutdown of the projector.

The NP905G and NP901WG feature Silicon Optix HQV (Hollywood Quality Video), providing unparalleled scaling of computer signals and high-performance video processing for standard or high-definition video.  The technology produces superior video processing using pixel-based, motion-adaptive de-interlacing to remove undesirable motion artifacts typical of interlaced signals. This processing brings home-theater-quality images to meeting rooms and classrooms.

Pricing and Availability

The NP905G (available now) and NP901WG (available late July) will carry an RRP of $3,311 and $3,410, respectively.

See: www.nec.com.au

One Receiver For Logitech Mouse And Keyboard

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Logitech has launched a new wireless mouse and keyboard combination that uses one receiver.


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The Logitech Unifying receiver is as small and is able to wirelessly connect the mouse and keyboard to your computer. Users can also able to add other compatible products from the range without using additional receivers says the company.

Logitech Director for Australia and New Zealand, George Saad said, “With the Wireless Combo MK520, we’ve combined advanced wireless technology, with a mouse and keyboard that offer the features and capabilities that our users want most. With a long battery life, a high-performance laser, and quiet, low profile keys, the MK520 is going to make a lot of people happy.”  

The included mouse claims to have one year battery life, while the keyboard comes with a concave design and has incurve keys that position your fingers properly and make it easier to glide from key to key. The keyboard has a three year battery life and also incorporates one-touch media controls.

The Logitech Media Combo MK520 will be available in Australia from early September 2010 for a suggested retail price of $99.95

Affordable Lenovo Desktops For SMBs

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Lenovo has unveiled a new line of powerful yet affordable desktop computers aimed at small to medium businesses.According to Lenovo, the ThinkCentre A70 features ‘the latest processing, memory and graphics performance at an affordable price, starting at AUD$769’.

On the other hand, the M70e builds on the A70’s platform with ‘advanced features for greater expandability, stability and manageability for larger business customers,’ said the company.

Lenovo Australia and New Zealand’s Director, SMB and Consumer Business, Chris Kelly said, “Desktop PCs are the backbone of small businesses today, with customers depending on reliable PC performance to accomplish critical operational tasks. The ThinkCentre A70 and M70e deliver practical performance and good-looking design at a reasonable price.”

The desktops come in two sizes including the small form factor or tower. The power button, media and USB ports are located on the front of the PC, while a new top handle makes moving the PC easy.

The desktops include the following features:

  • Processor choices of Intel Core2Duo, Pentium and Celeron processors. Core2Quad processors are available with the M70e.
  • Graphics choices of NVIDIA GeForce FX380 Quadro or Intel integrated GMA X4500 graphics.
  • High speed DDR3 memory up to 4GB. Large hard drives up to 500GB and up to 1TB in the M70e.
  • Gigabit Ethernet and DVD burner.
  • Suite of Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools including Rescue and Recovery and System Update.

The M70e is equipped with a number of other features including an optional chassis intrusion switch, USB port disablement, a stable hardware platform, greater expandability featuring an 8in1 card reader, and up to eight USB and multiple serial ports.  
Lenovo also offers a variety of unique services for SMBs, such as Online Data Backup which ensures data protection through redundancy, Hard Disk Retention to keep possession of data when decommissioning PCs, and Priority Support to access 24/7 technical support.

The ThinkCentre A70 and ThinkCentre M70e will be available through business partners starting at $769. 

ACMA Service To Receive SMS Spam

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority launched a new service that allows a user to report text spamming.Called Spam SMS, this ‘reporting tool’ is a simple way to report spam SMS by forwarding messages received to 0429 999 888.

ACMA Chariman, Chris Chapman said, “Young people are increasingly exposed to targeted SMS marketing messages but may be reluctant or indifferent to reporting spam. We can actually do a lot to help in this space, but we have to know about it.”

“Spam SMS is a simple and convenient way to tell us about spam. All you need to do is forward the message to 0429 999 888 as soon as you receive it,” added Chapman.

ACMA says that the information received by Spam SMS will assist them in in its investigations into breaches of the Spam Act.

The “Spam SMS” launch is part of the Australian Government’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Week.

Telstra To Double Wireless Broadband Speeds

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Telstra will be doubling the data speeds over its Next G network later this year. The company also said that regional Australians will be among the first to experience and enjoy these new speeds.Telstra’s CEO, David Thodey said that 100 regional towns and cities including Albury, Alice Springs, Orange, Broome, Ballarat, Roxby Downs, Port Lincoln and Newcastle will benefit from the new 3G modem when it becomes available to customers.

According to the company, customers using the new device called the Telstra Ultimate USB will be able to download files or surf the Internet up to twice as fast as those using the next-fastest 3G modem currently available on an Australian national network.

“Telstra will make this new technology available in 100 selected regional towns and cities at the same time as many capital cities, underlining our commitment to provide the best technology to Australians no matter where they live,” Mr Thodey said.

“Telstra has been investing in regional and rural Australia for more than 100 years, including through Telstra Country Wide for the past ten years, to improve the quality of life for people living and working in regional and rural Australia.”

“The first decade of Telstra Country Wide is just the beginning. Telstra is committed to continuing its investment in regional and rural Australia so we can provide local consumers, businesses, governments, schools and health services with the same leading edge services that are available elsewhere in Australia,” he said.

In addition to this announcement, Thodey also said that that the company had recently commissioned its 7,000th Next G base station, expanding Australia’s fastest national mobile broadband network.

Premium HP Notebook Quite Expensive

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Users who want a Windows 7-based notebook that looks like an Apple Macbook should check out the Envy. This well-constructed 13-incher from HP is slim and can get the job done thanks to its powerful hardware. However, its high price tag may put off some users, especially now that there are notebooks with similar specifications selling for a fraction of its price.

Pocket-Sized 1TB Drive Launched

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WD is set to launch a pocket-sized 1TB portable drive that comes with hardware encryption and complete back-up software for $379.


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WD’s Product Marketing Manager, Alison Hau said that it is now easier and safer for people to bring their important files with the new line of My Passport Essential drives.

“The new My Passport Essential and Essential SE are more than 20 percent smaller than the previous generation, with both of them having hardware encryption to keep your files safe,” says Hau.

The My Passport Essential comes in five colours (White, Blue, Black, Silver, and Red) and two different capacities: 320GB ($139) or 500GB ($199). It weighs 0.2 kilograms and has a dimension of 110 x 83 x 15mm.

 


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The My Passport Essential SE is available in black and comes in 750GB ($279) and 1TB ($379). It is thicker than the Essential by 3mm because of its extra platter, but is still sports the same height and length.

Besides hardware encryption, the My Passport Essential line also comes with ‘Smartware’ – a software that aims to simplify the way people back-up their files. In a demonstration done by Hau, she showed just how easy a user can transfer Music, Videos, Photos, Documents, E-mails, and other files.

Users can select the folders that they want to store on the Essential and click on a button to perform the backup instantly. Users can also retrieve files on the fly, and even perform a wipe in case one wants to pass the drive onto somebody else. We found the interface to be clean and simple, with everything tabbed and filed.

WD says that the drives will be available in the next coming weeks.

Powerful Intel Processors Revealed

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Intel has launched a new line of processors that promise faster and optimised performance for both desktops and servers.


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The new Intel Core i5 processor family, two new Intel Core i7 processors and the Intel Xeon processor 3400 series bring the company’s latest Nehalem microarchitecture to mainstream desktops and entry server markets.

According to Intel, the new Intel Core Processors for consumers are designed for consumers who need top-notch performance for digital media, productivity, gaming and other demanding applications.

All processors are lead and halogen-free and feature Intel’s exclusive Turbo Boost Technology. The top-of-the-line Core i7 processors also support Intel Hyper-Threading Technology. These features give computer users absolute “intelligent” performance when necessary and optimum power-efficiency when the computer is lightly loaded.

The new Core i7 and i5 processors are the first Intel processors to integrate both a 16-lane PCI Express 2 graphics port and two-channel memory controller, enabling all input/output and manageability functions to be handled by the single-chip Intel P55 Express Chipset.

 

Previous Intel chipsets required two separate chips. A new Direct Media Interface (DMI) connects between the processor and chipset. The chipset supports 8 PCI Express 2.0 x1 Ports (2.5GT/s) for flexible device support.

Dual graphics cards are supported in a “2×8” configuration. The chipset also supports 6 SATA 3 Gb/s Ports with Intel Matrix Storage Technology providing RAID levels 0/1/5/10. Up to 14 USB 2.0 Ports can be supported with the chipset’s integrated USB 2.0 Rate Matching Hub, along with Intel High Definition Audio for premium digital sound. The new processors are the first to be supported by the new Land Grid Array (LGA) 1156 package and socket technology.

Small businesses requiring 24/7 operation and educators now have more reasons than ever to buy a purpose-built server with Intel’s new Xeon processors and Intel 3400 and 3420 chipsets. These new products improve small business productivity by running email, file, print and dynamic Web serving tasks more efficiently.

 

They also improve education by enabling dependable classroom collaboration and making school administrative services more productive. Servers based on Xeon 3400 processors provide more dependability over desktop systems through differentiated features such as Error Correcting Code memory and RAID 0/1/5/10 for server operating systems.

They are designed to help small businesses grow by enabling up to 64 per cent more sale transactions and up to 56 per cent faster business response time. This improvement is enabled with Intel’s Nehalem microarchitecture and a 4x improvement in memory capacity (32 GB). Intel Turbo Boost Technology and Intel Hyper-Threading Technology enable these servers to automatically adapt their performance to unique business needs.

The processors launched today also include the Intel Xeon L3426, a low-power variant that delivers up to 188 per cent improvement in energy efficiency per dollar than the previous-generation Intel Xeon X3380, and enables innovative server form factors for space and thermally constrained environments.

3M Introduces Portable Handheld Projector

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The new projector from 3M fits in the palm of your hand and claims to project images, data, and movies onto any flat surface up to 1.2 metres.


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The 3M Micro Professional Projector MPro110 weighs 152 grams and can be connected to a laptop, mobile phone, PDA, or MP4 players. This device claims to have 40 to 60 minutes of battery life, allowing users to use it for sales pitches, presentations, and office meetings.

The projector uses LED technology to provide up to 10,000 hours of operation. It also has a full VGA resolution that displays in 4:3 format with a wide range of projected image sizes from 127mm during daylight use to 1270mm in a darkened environment.

The unit comes with an AC adapter, video cable, VGA cable and rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Additional accessories can be purchased separately including a mini-tripod, however, the unit also attaches to any standard size tripod.

3M’s Micro Professional Projector MPro 110 will be available in April with an RRP of $649

See: www.3mmmpro.com.au

Lenovo Launches Thinnest And Lightest Notebook

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Lenovo has announced a notebook that is only 18.6 millimetres thin and weighs 1.33kg, making it the thinnest and lightest 13-inch notebook to date.

The ThinkPad X301 notebook PC offers a storage capacity of either 64GB or 128GB solid state drive and claims to perform 20 percent better over the X300 due to the latest DDR3 memory and the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

Lenovo Australia and New Zealand’s Business Manager for Desktops and Notebooks, Otto Ruettinger said, “Lenovo continues to push the technology envelope by giving road warriors the latest enhancements in solid state drive storage and digital display technologies with the new ThinkPad X301 notebook PC. This announcement extends our commitment to blending ultraportability and functionality, and equipping today’s business users with the most advanced, highest-performing computing tools.”

New support for DisplayPort makes viewing high definition content easy and ideal for models with the ultra-thin DVD burner. With support for both DisplayPort and VGA, users can even watch high definition content on multiple displays. Designed for maximum options for wireless connectivity, the ThinkPad X301 offers models with high-speed mobile broadband and Wi-Fi to connect wirelessly to the Internet and Bluetooth.

 

The notebook also includes Lenovo’s ThinkVantage Technologies, unique hardware-software tools designed to maximise user productivity. With Lenovo’s improved Access Connections tool, users can navigate a user-friendly interface to easily find and access Internet and network connections. Also, Lenovo’s improved Power Manager gives users more control over notebook functions to enable longer battery life.

The ThinkPad X301 notebook also continues Lenovo’s focus on environmentally-responsible design. Its 13.3-inch LED backlit display, solid state drive storage and other energy-efficient technologies help make it rated Gold by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool.

This designation adds to Lenovo’s portfolio of Gold-rated ThinkPad notebook and ThinkCentre desktop PCs.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for models of the ThinkPad X301 notebook start at AUD $3,699.00 and will be available starting September.

See:  www.lenovo.com.au