Cell Bytes

My wife and I joined the NYC pinball league two weeks ago. I wonder if they would let me play using this brain-computer interface, which was shown at CeBit in Germany. [io9] Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images

As we supposed they would, Nokia unveiled today the Nokia C5 handset during CeBIT 2010, a smartphone based on social networking and sharing. This compact phone provides access to Nokia’s free navigation service and it’ll be available with a EUR 135 price tag, before taxes.

C5 provides direct access to favorite contacts via the Homescreen and it even shows Facebook status update from the phonebook. MySpace is also supported, as well as instant messaging, email accounts through Ovi Mail and Nokia Messaging. The specs list of the newcomer includes a 3.2 megapixel camera and you should know that the device is bundled with a 2GB memory card.

Nokia C5 comes with the latest version of Ovi Maps, supporting location sharing with Facebook friends and free walk and drive navigation. Web browsing is also supported on the handset, as well as Ovi Music and Ovi Store apps. Expect the new model to be available in select markets starting Q2 2010.

[via Nokia]

Netbook graphics are inherently weak, especially with Intel’s much-derided integrated graphics. But the new Nvidia Ion—like its predecessor—lets even a wimpy netbook Hulk out to play DX10 games and 1080p videos. The difference? It’s a discrete graphics chip.

The original Ion was an integrated chipset (a spin on the GeForce 9400M inside of unibody MacBooks), but since Nvidia can no longer make chipsets for Intel’s latest chips, the new, souped-up Ion is a separate graphics chip that connects via PCI Express and uses Nvidia’s Optimus technology to automagically switch between Intel’s integrated graphics and Ion, retaining your netbook’s solid battery life. The claim is up to 10 hours (though that obviously depends on what tasks you’re doing). Where Intel’s GMA 3150 can’t handle a benchmark like 3D Mark Vantage, the current generation Ion does so with aplomb. Twice as well, in fact, as the first Ion. It also offers 4x faster video enhancement and 7x faster video compression versus Intel’s integrated solution. The difference now though is that we’re talking about a discrete GPU beating an integrated one, whereas before it was more of an apples to apples (or at least integrated to integrated) comparison.

One thing to keep in mind: there are two Ions coming to the market, and the performance being quoted only applies to the 16-core iteration that’ll appear in 12-inch netbooks and desktop all-in-ones. The new 8-core Ion, which will show up in 10-inch netbooks like the Acer Aspire One 532G, was actually outperformed by the first-generation Ion in a benchmark test from late February.

Still, there’s no question that any Ion is a step up from the graphics your netbook currently offers, and while there haven’t been many hardware announcements yet, there should be over 30 next-gen Ion designs—ranging from netbooks to all-in-ones to nettops—by this summer. You should expect the same $50 premium that you currently pay for an Ion netbook, but for all the added functionality it may well be worth it.

New NVIDIA ION Netbooks Deliver 10x Faster Graphics And Up To 10 Hours of Battery Life Thanks to Acclaimed NVIDIA Optimus Technology

Acer, ASUS and Lenovo Among Leading Vendors to Introduce Next-generation ION PCs

CEBIT-HANOVER, Germany-March 2, 2010-NVIDIA introduced the Next-generation NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor today, which will supercharge netbooks with 10 times the graphics performance of standard netbooks1 and enable up to 10 hours of battery life2 thanks to NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology.

The new ION graphics processing unit (GPU) vastly outperforms basic netbook graphics by delivering rich HD media in games, movies, and Internet-based video. Unlike netbooks with Intel integrated graphics, ION netbooks have the power to play amazing HD video smoothly from sites like YouTube and support popular PC games like World of Warcraft.

The new ION netbooks also feature NVIDIA’s highly acclaimed Optimus technology, which automatically selects the best graphics processor for running any given application – seamlessly routing the workload to either an NVIDIA discrete GPU or Intel integrated graphics. The result is great battery life and superior performance when you need it.

More than 30 products featuring the new ION GPU are expected to launch by this summer including netbooks, small form factor desktops, “barebones” systems, motherboards, and discrete add-in cards. The Acer Aspire One 532G (10-inch) and ASUS 1201PN (12-inch) are expected to be the first new ION netbooks to be introduced. New all-in-one PCs powered by next-generation ION will include the ASUS EeeTop 2010PNT and Lenovo C200. Channel partners including AOpen, AsRock, Asus, Foxconn, Giada, J&W, Jetway, Pegatron, POV, Shuttle, and Zotac also plan to introduce new ION-based products soon.

Facts about Next-generation NVIDIA ION graphics:
· It’s a discrete GPU (graphics processing unit) with dedicated memory that attaches to an Intel Atom Pine Trail CPU via PCI Express.

· It supports streaming HD video on sites like YouTube HD, and smooth gaming performance on titles like World of Warcraft and Spore.

· ION netbooks feature NVIDIA Optimus technology, which automatically assigns processing chores to the NVIDIA ION GPU or integrated graphics. Optimus powers down the GPU for basic tasks like web surfing, further extending battery life. When more graphics horsepower is needed for playing 3D games, running videos, or using GPU compute applications, Optimus automatically enables the ION GPU.

· It will be available starting in April with the Acer Aspire One 532G netbook.

· It accelerates a growing list of media-rich applications including Muvee Reveal for making home movies, Badaboom for media conversion, Total Media Theater and PowerDVD 9 for watching HD video or instantly upscaling standard definition video to near-HD quality.

[Nvidia]

MSI made some all-in-one noise at CES with the AE2420, and they’re stepping it up again for next week’s CeBIT 2010 show in Germany. There, they’ll introduce the world’s first large screen all-in-one PC capable of handling 1080p 3D media.

The 3D AIO will have a 24-inch 120Hz LED display, 1080p resolution, and will be paired with 3D shutter glasses. Other than that, details are scarce—there’s no word even on what processor it’ll use, other than that it’ll be “powerful.” But by making the announcement this early, MSI gets ahead of the eventual crush of 3D all-in-one announcements that’ll no doubt build throughout the year.

The multitouch, Core i3/i5/i7 AE2420 and AE2280 AIOs will also be on display at CeBIT, as will MSI’s business-oriented, eco-friendly AP1920/AE1920 all-in-ones. But no matter how many other models they bring, all eyes are going to be the 3D PC. At least, as many as they brought 3D glasses for.

MSI Computer to Showcase a Dazzling Array of New and Industry-First All-in-One PCs at CeBIT 2010

Industry-First 24-inch 3D All-in-Ones and High-End Audio-Equipped Models Featuring Stylish, Eco-Friendly Designs Demonstrate MSI’s Commitment to Innovation and Technology Leadership

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ — MSI, a leading manufacturer of computer components and systems, will provide CeBIT 2010 attendees with a unique opportunity to experience the latest, most technologically advanced All-in-One (AIO) PCs on the market today. MSI will showcase a wide range of innovative new AIOs offering industry-leading performance and multimedia entertainment capabilities for home and business users at its exhibit booth (Hall 17, Booth C38) at the annual CeBIT tradeshow in Hannover, Germany, March 2-6, 2010.

From the first 24-inch, full HD (1080p) 3D All-in-One PCs to the extreme-performance, eco-friendly Wind Top All-in-Ones featuring the new Intel® Core™ processors and premium, hi-fi audio, MSI is raising the bar on AIO performance, usability, energy-efficiency, and functionality. MSI will also demonstrate its new power-saving LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability – http://www.lohas.com/) models, setting a new standard in green computing.

World’s First Large Screen, Full HD 3D All-in-One PC

MSI’s Wind Top All-in-One 3D PC integrates advanced 3D display technology with powerful CPU processing to deliver smooth, clear and vibrant 3D images with a high level of image detail and clarity. Combining a large, 24-inch 120Hz LED display and full HD (1080p) resolution with 3D shutter glasses allows home users to experience the 3D movie theater experience in the comfort and convenience of their living rooms.

High-Performance Intel® Core™ Series Processors: the Wind Top AE2280/AE2420

Featuring a 22- or 24-inch multi-touch display, the new Wind Top AE2420 and Wind Top AE2280 All-in-One PCs are equipped with the latest Intel® Core (Core i3/i5/i7) processors and Intel’s Turbo Boost technology, which automatically increases CPU frequency on demand, delivering maximum performance for HD movies, sophisticated 3D games and other resource-hungry applications. Combining an intuitive multi-touch display with high-performance processing power, these Wind Top All-in-One PCs combine sleek, stylish looks with the raw power to make traditional desktop PCs a thing of the past.

Eco-Friendly AIOs for Business Users: the Wind Top AP1920/AE1920 and Wind Box Mini-PCs

The Wind Top AP1920 and AE1920 19- and 20-inch All-in-One PCs, as well as the Hetis/DC520/DE220 10L, 4.7L and 2L Wind Box Mini-PCs, combine energy-efficiency, a small desktop footprint and enough processing power for today’s productive and environmentally-minded business users. Providing 90 percent lower average hourly energy consumption than a traditional 300W desktop PC, each of these MSI models have achieved U.S. Energy Star certification, and will adhere to the European Union’s new EuP (Energy using Product) environmental directive that will take effect in 2010. In addition, these innovative PCs utilize coating materials that are free from harmful substances and packaging material that is 80 percent recyclable.

Premium Sound Technology: Wind Top AE2280/AE2260/AE2220/AE2400/AE2420

MSI is the first PC company to incorporate high-quality speakers into 22-inch and 24-inch All-in-One PCs. The MSI Wind Top AE2280, AE2260 and AE2220 are equipped with two 5-watt Hi-Fi speakers, while the 24-inch AE2400 and AE2420 feature 10-watt speakers for added bass response. In addition, MSI’s unique Premium Sound Technology adjusts audio output when viewing a 1080p Full-HD video, and all Wind Top All-in-One models provide excellent sound reproduction across the low, medium and high frequency ranges.

A Full Range of All-in-One Sizes, Configuration and Colors

MSI Computer offers the industry’s largest range of AIO sizes and configurations to meet the unique needs of any home or business user. MSI’s CeBIT exhibit will showcase All-in-One PC models with the widest variety of screen sizes, including 18.5-inch, 19.5-inch, 21.5-inch, and 23.5-inch models. In addition, MSI will also display its new Wind Top PCs that are available in a variety of rich, beautiful colors designed to suit the personality of individual users.

For more information about MSI Wind Top All-in-One PCs, please visit MSI’s website at www.msi.com.

The problem with elven cameras like Canon’s S90 is that they’re awkward to hold sometimes. Richard Franiec’s custom grip—CNC-machined from a block of aircraft-grade aluminum and black-anodized to match—adds just enough extra surface area to fix that.

It stays just about as pocketable since the grip sits 1.5mm below the lens, and is attached to the camera with very high bond adhesive tape (meaning you can take it off without screwing up the camera’s finish). It’s 33 bucks, which isn’t a bad price to pay to make one of the best point-and-shoots on the planet even more usable. [Lensmate via Gadget Lab, Richard Franiec's Picasa]