Sharp AQUOS 104SH to Run Ice Cream Sandwich at Softbank

Japanese mobile phone users will soon be able to purchase new mobile phones on the airwaves of local wireless carriers, and the Sharp AQUOS 104SH that will arrive at Softbank soon is one of these devices.  The new device packs an impressive 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP4460 application processor, and is expected to arrive on shelves sometime next year, with the Ice Cream Sandwich platform flavor on board.  This is the very first smartphone in the world we learned of to be planned with Google's Ice Cream Sandwich OS flavor on board, but it seems that this is only one of the appealing features that it should arrive on shelves with.  The handset will also pack a large 4.5-inch HD (1,280 × 720 pixels) LCD, offering support for up to 16,770,000...

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Windows 8 Preview Sends Feedback Automatically, Including Software and Hardware Info

Early adopters get to play with the Developer Preview of Windows 8 for free and Microsoft gets feedback in return.  This quid pro quo arrangement must already be familiar to all testers of the company’s software products, since it traditionally governs all pre-releases of future technologies from the Redmond giant.  Of course, Microsoft makes no secret about harvesting user data from early adopters testing Windows 8 Developer Preview Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3).  All that users need to do is read the license terms that accompany the first public release of Windows 8 and they’ll get all the information they require.  “Because this software is a pre-release version, we have turned on some Internet-based features by default to obtain feedback about them,” Microsoft reveals....

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AMD FX-4100 Bulldozer Processor Available for Pre-Order

Even though AMD's FX-Series processors based on the high-performance Bulldozer architecture aren't expected to hit retail before the middle of October, these chips have already become available fore pre-order from various Websites, the latest CPU to be listed being the FX-4100. The AMD FX-4100 is comprised out of two Bulldozer modules to deliver a total of four processing cores and it has a base clocks speed of 3.6GHz as well as 4MB of Level 2 cache memory and 8MB of L3 cache. All these are fitted inside a 95W TDP and the chip was designed to be installed in motherboards using the AM3+ socket. While this isn't expected to be launched ahead of its six- and eight-core peers, CPU-World reports that in the past few days, that CPU appeared for pre-order...

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Intel Sandy Bridge-E CPUs Can Overclock Up to 9.5GHz in Theory

Expected by computer enthusiasts and overclockers alike, Intel's processors based on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture were specially designed in order to provide an impressive overclocking headroom, and the Santa Clara chips maker doesn't disappoint as its upcoming CPUs will be able to reach in theory speeds up to 9.5GHz. The information surfaced thanks to a leaked Intel slide which details some of the overclocking features of Sandy Bridge-E processors. According to this document, the two unlocked processors that Intel plans to unveil in mid-November, the Core i7-3960X and Core i7-3930K, will be able to reach frequencies between 7.4GHz and 9.5GHz when overclocked. These are possible thanks to the 57X multiplier the processors are capable of,...

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Motorola XOOM 4G LTE Hits Verizon on October 13th

Mobile phone maker Motorola Mobility and wireless carrier Verizon have just announced that a new tablet PC will become available for purchase on the carrier's airwaves soon, namely the 4G LTE-enabled version of Motorola XOOM.  The new device is set to hit shelves at Verizon Wireless some October 13th, and will pack all of the features and capabilities that the original device does, plus the advanced connectivity option.  The launch follows shortly the release of the 4G LTE upgrade for all existing XOOM devices on Verizon's network. The Motorola XOOM 4G LTE should be able to provide users with average download speeds ranging from 5 to 12 Mbps, and with upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in areas where the wireless carrier's LTE network is...

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Don’t Use Expired Windows 8 Developer Preview Build 8102 M3 - After March 8, 2012

Early adopters currently testing the first public development milestone of Windows 8 lose all rights to use the Developer Preview release once Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3) has passed its expiration deadline, according to Microsoft.  As is the case with all pre-release software, and Windows 8 Build 8102 M3 is as pre-release as it gets, Windows Developer Preview is time-bombed.  This means that Microsoft has slapped an expiration date onto the first public test Build of Windows 8.  According to the information offered via the “About Windows” dialog box in one of the test copies of Windows 8 Developer Preview deployed here, the expiration deadline is March 12, 2012. However, the EULA, or end user license agreement tells a story that’s...

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iPhone 5 Supports HSPA+ (4G) Tech, Says China Unicom VP

A China Unicom executive pulled out a slide in front of a live audience at this week’s Macworld Asia event and claimed that the "iPhone 5", which Apple is said to unveil next week, will support the HSPA+ wireless standard, or "4G", in short. Citing a Japanese IT site, Macotakara has a two language version report, of which the English version seems to confirm what the above picture shows: “iPhone 5 will support W-CDMA based high-speed data transfer standard HSPA Evolution "HSPA+" (21Mbps).” The slide in question was reportedly shown by China Unicom's research VP, Huan Wenliang. Offering a maximum data speed of 21 Mbps (theoretical), the technology would greatly improve Internet speeds on Apple’s iPhone. It has been long speculated that...

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HIS Makes EyeFinity Multi-Monitor Gaming Cheaper with Special HD 6970

While multi-monitor gaming using AMD's EyeFinity technology is an attractive thought for most of us, such setups aren't cheap to build as users are required to use more expensive DisplayPort monitors or active DP adapters, so HIS developed an HD 6970 graphics card that does EyeFinity through the usual HDMI and DVI video outputs. The new HIS graphics card is dubbed the HIS 6970 IceQ Eyefinity RTS (Ready-to-see) and it comes with two DVI ports, one HDMI video output as well as with a pair of mini-DP connectors. While this configuration resembles pretty much the I/O setup of other AMD Radeon GPUs, the real breakthrough in HIS' implementation is that any of these outputs can be used for building an EyeFinity rig. This means users can install two...

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SHARP AQUOS PHONE SH80F - World's First Android Device to Convert 2D Content into 3D in Real Time

Japanese carrier NTT Docomo and Orange have just announce a partnership to offer Sharp's AQUOS PHONE SH80F, the world's first Android device that is capable to convert 2D content into 3D content in real time.  Although LG has already announced a dedicated software application for Android phones that can turn 2D games into 3D games, Sharp's smartphone can do it in real time. The phone will be initially launched in France on October 6 for 199 EUR with a new two-year agreement, but the device will go live in other European and Asian countries soon after. Sharp AQUOS PHONE SH80F allows users to watch 3D content without wearing special glasses on its 4.2-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display. With Sharp's upcoming Android smartphone users...

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Windows 8 Build 8102 Can Keep Consuming Battery When Switching from Sleep to Hibernation

In certain scenarios, early adopters testing the Windows Developer Preview can find that their devices have drained the battery even if they put Windows 8 Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3) to sleep.  Microsoft has confirmed an issue with Windows 8 Developer Preview in which the operating system keeps on consuming battery power despite testers putting their devices to sleep.  While some early adopters running the Windows 8 Developer Preview might experience this issue, not all testers can come across it.  I had the chance of playing with the Samsung Windows Developer Preview PC for a few days, and fact is that I only put the device to sleep, but never had any issues with Windows 8 draining the battery. Still, another tester of the Samsung Windows Developer Preview PC told me that he...

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ASRock Also Outs AM3+ Motherboards for AMD FX-Series CPUs

ASRock already sells quite a few AM3+ solutions for AMD's upcoming FX-Series processors, but recently the company expanded its portfolio with two new motherboards compatible with desktop Bulldozer chips, the 990FX Extreme3 and the Extreme3. Both of these solutions are pretty well equipped and come with a black PCB with some gold highlights that is guaranteed to please many modders interested in building an AMD FX system. Starting with the more powerful 990FX Extreme3, this board was built in order to house CPUs with TDPs as high as 140W paired with CrossFireX or SLI graphics setups as it comes equipped with three PCI Express x16 slots. As usual, only two of these get full x16 bandwidth, while the third only has four PCIe lanes routed to it. The...

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Mystery Indian Tablet Costs Just $35

Some may have dismissed the idea of a super-cheap tablet as a good but impossible dream, but the Indian government begs to differ, as it has gone through with the plans to launch a $35 (25.69 Euro) tablet. Going by what the slate industry looks like at the moment, tablets don't exactly make the top of the list in terms of affordability. After all, with the standard price point being $500, tablets that approach the $300 and even $400 mark are seen as a marvel. It is unclear where exactly this puts the tablet that the Indian government decided to make a fairly long time ago, and which is now nearing availability. Understandably enough, the slate is still wrapped up in mystery, especially in regards to the insides, but the price makes that more...

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Google and Samsung Will Hold Unpacked Event on October 11th

The unveiling of the next flavor of Android is nearing fast, and all might go down on October 11th, 2011, when Google and its hardware partner Samsung will hold an unpack event they already sent invites to.  “Join Us at Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2011to get a look at what’s new from Android,” the invitation reads.  While nothing was officially confirmed on what might be launched at that time, rumor has it that we should see the Ice Cream Sandwich platform release going official.  Moreover, there is the possibility that the two companies will announce a new Google phone, one that has been long rumored to arrive on shelves under the name of Nexus Prime.  The event will take place during CTIA, which sustains that idea that...

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Video of Alleged Ice Cream Sandwich on Nexus S Emerges

What appears to be the very first leak of Ice Cream Sandwich, Google's next version of Android, has made an appearance on the Internet, in a video that shows the Nexus S running under the platform.  Apparently, the mobile phone was purchased from eBay, and came pre-loaded with the next version of Android on it.  That platform release would be Ice Cream Sandwich, or Android 4.0, if rumors are to be believed, and is expected to become official as soon as next month.  Google has already announced that they will be holding an event together with Samsung on October 11th, and that event is expected to be dedicated to the unveiling of Ice Cream Sandwich.  The device that can be seen in the video below, available courtesy of Engadget,...

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