gOS Cloud: Browser-based OS for Netbooks

Good OS, the people who brought you the Linux-based gOS found on the US$199 Wal-Mart gPC last year, announced a browser-based OS called Cloud at the Netbook World Summit in Paris on Monday. (You know you've made it as a form factor when you have your very own world summit. Kudos, Netbook!)

The Cloud OS features a browser with an integrated, OS X-like dock and a Linux kernel that boots "in seconds," according to the company. The browser looks oddly similar to Google's Chrome, though no official connection between Google and gOS exists. Within the browser window resides a dock that provides quick access to a number of apps--Skype, YouTube, Google's Docs, etc.--that you can fire up without running Windows. From the dock, you can also boot to Windows.

Unlike the gOS, the Cloud OS isn't meant to replace Windows but live alongside it, similar to what Asus offers on some of its laptops and Lenovo on its IdeaPad S10 Netbook with the SplashTop app. Good OS states that Cloud "does not require additional hardware and is compatible with any operating system."

Good OS demonstrated its Cloud OS on a Gigabyte touch-screen Netbook at the World Summit in Paris. The company says that such touch-screen Netbooks running the Cloud OS and Windows will be released at CES next month.

Via CNET Crave

Mystery phone touchscreen N97 unveiled at Nokia World

BARCELONA, SPAIN--The rumors have gotten it right again, almost. For the past several weeks, Nokia, has, taking a leaf out of Apple's product marketing book, dangled a carrot to the tech world by keeping its upcoming product cloaked in secrecy. Since then, the Web has been on fire with speculation about Nokia's mystery phone, including rumor that it could be a touchscreen phone to rival the iPhone.

While the N97 announced at Nokia World 2008 today in Barcelona, Spain, does have a generous 3.5-inch touchscreen (640 x 360-pixel) display, it also comes with a slideout flip-up QWERTY keypad. So, apple-to-apple, this resembles the HTC TyTN II or even the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 far more than the said iPhone.

As the newest flagship model in Nokia's Nseries lineup, and after a glance at the showpiece, expect everything but the kitchen sink here. In addition to 802.11b/g wireless LAN and GPS (with A-GPS), the N97 comes with HSDPA and A2DP Bluetooth radios. There's also support for multiple playback formats, a 3.5mm audio jack, VGA-quality video recording at 30fps, 5-megapixel image capture and the latest Series60 5th Edition OS. Though what's most impressive about the N97 is its huge 32GB onboard memory, which is one of the highest capacities we have seen on a phone thus far. Additionally, the handset also comes with a built-in microSD card slot, which can currently support up to 16GB media, bringing the maximum storage possible on the N97 to an impressive 48GB.

The N97 is expected to be available worldwide in the first half of 2009 at an estimated price of 550 euros (US$694) before tax or subsidies. You can read more about Nokia World here in our first-hand coverage.

Asus releases brushed-aluminum Eee PC 1002HA

Unveiled last month, Asus' latest addition to its ever-expanding Netbook line is the Eee PC 1002HA. It's your standard 10-inch Netbook--Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, and Windows XP--but comes wrapped in a gray, brushed-aluminum chassis. On the Eee PC scale, the 1002HA falls between the basic, black Eee PC 1000 and the sleek, thin S101. Thankfully, it's priced closer to the former, at US$499. And weighing in at 1.2kg, the 1002HA is only a little heavier than the S101.

Unfortunately, the 1002HA's uses a tiny, two-cell battery. It has a lower-rated capacity than the Eee PC 1000's six-cell battery or the S101's four-cell battery. The 1002HA's battery is rated at 4200mAh, compared with 6600mAh and 4900mAh on the Eee PC 1000 and the S101, respectively. Asus states the 1002HA will run up to 5 hours on a single charge, but the S101's larger battery ran for just more than 4 hours on our tests.

You can find the Eee PC 1002HA in the US listed on Amazon, Buy.com, ZipZoomFly, and other online resellers, though only for preorder at the moment.

Via CNET Crave

A Porsche or glass speaker for US$168,000?

Would you spend US$168,000 on a set of fast wheels or a Japanese loudspeaker system? The thing is Hario (which literally means "the king of glass" in the land of the rising sun) has just produced possibly the world's priciest glass boom boxes. The five-piece kit from the glassware specialist comprises a subwoofer (center), dual midrange drivers (flank) and a pair of tweeters (in between) for high-end extension.

Judging from the photo, these are passive speakers which look likely to require individual audio amplifiers for each component. That's going to add to the already stellar cost. According to Hario, these "hardy" speakers are made from heat-resistant glass and took substantial effort to design and build. For the record, the product was developed over 44 months, involving a total of 23 subcontractors. For a single order of 10 pieces or more, you could cart home these beauties at a bargain USS$105,000 each. Mass order, anyone?

Via Crunchgear | Photo credit: Crunchgear

Advice for aspiring photographers

Famed photo agency Magnum has a pretty good list of advice from its members to shutterbugs who want to pursue photography beyond point-and-shoot. Presented as a blog entry, the title "Wear good shoes: Advice to young photographers" was simply too eye-catching and the writeup a mashup of humor and wise words.

Controversial photographer Martin Parr's suggests finding a subject you're passionate about and shooting "this obsession with elegance" for a potential project.

Steve McCurry, who snapped the renowned shot of the Afghan girl in 1985, advises shutterbugs that if they want to be a photographer, they "have to photograph", and it "takes a lot of dedication, passion and work".

Click here for the link to the blog entry. There is also a PDF version available for download if you wish to print it out.

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