If you’re reading this, you’re probably not a Ubuntu user, as today, April 24, 2008, marks the release of the latest update to the most popular Linux distro out there. Avid users of the open source platform probably already know what today means, so I’ll fill the rest of you in.

As Linux is open source, it is made available to changes, freely, thusly resulting in multiple distributions, or distros. Ubuntu, developed by a group called Canonical in South Africa, is probably the easiest to use among all the distributions of Linux out there. In my opinion, it has eclipsed Windows in almost every facet, gaming being the one category where it falls slightly short.

Nevertheless, the newest version is, as you will probably find out tomorrow, a great upgrade to an already stellar operating system. Go ahead and download it now and see for yourself. Also just in case you have some Linux phobia, version 8.04 has a great new feature called “Wubi,” which allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu similar to how you would any other Windows application, meaning you can install it and test it out without having to worry about losing your Windows operating system.

The now current version 8.04, HardyHeron is replacing version 7.10, Gutsy Gibbon.

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What’s this sudden renewed interest into the small office and home office printer market? After Canon announced its latest all-in-one-printer, here comes Kodak with a new all-in-one of its own. Dubbed the ESP 5, Kodak is promoting this printer as having the ability to print a 4×6 borderless photo in 30 seconds or if you are still into document printing, this printer can yield 30 pages per minute in black or 29 per minute in color. By industry standard, those printing speeds are definitely fast.

Aside from its fast printing speed, the ESP 5 printer also features a 3-inch color LCD display to let you view and crop your photos before printing them. The USB and memory card slot allows for printing photos even if the printer is not connected to a camera or PC. In addition, the ESP 5 also comes equipped with an intelligent paper sensor that automatically adjusts settings based on paper type, how cool is that? And yes, the ESP 5 printer also has a Bluetooth capability.

The Kodak ESP 5 retails for $169 and will start shipping on May 5. You can be the first to snag one of this printers if you pre-order online now through the Kodak site.

Product [Kodak] Read [Business Wire]

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Oregon Scientific managed to pique our interest with its proximity-sensing Weather In Motion clock, and it now looks like it’s got the solution for anyone that wishes they could take it with ‘em wherever they go, with the company set to release its new Meteo weather forecasting watch. While the need for a proximity sensor is obviously eliminated this time around, the watch apparently boasts the same weather information in icon-form as its desk-based companion, along with your usual time-telling, stop watch and alarm features. Look for this one to set you back £40 (or about $80) when it’s released next month.
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by Darren Murph, posted Apr 25th 2008 at 8:59AM
Aw yeah, that sexy-on-paper Kuro projector you’ve been dreaming about the past few weeks just got real today in Munich, as Pioneer made official (even more official?) the KRF-9000FD. Said beamer will be packed with LCoS technology, twin HDMI inputs to go along with the component / composite / S-Video sockets, full 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 600 lumens and a 30,000:1 contrast ratio; you’ll also find a RS-232c control port, a noise level of just 24-decibels in normal operation and a striking likeness to JVC’s DLA HD100. Here’s to hoping you weren’t expecting this thing to be a bargain, however, as it’s all set to land in the next week or so for a stiff €8,000 ($12,460).

[Via Heise]

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Samsung has announced four new desktop monitors bearing their “Touch of Color” product branding; the T190, T220, T240 and T260. All four monitors boast a maximum contrast ratio of 20,000:1 which gives out enhanced picture quality. Aside from high contrast ratio, these new desktop monitors were made to operate with the lowest energy cost as possible. In fact when putting them into standby mode, only 0.3-watts of power is consumed by the monitors. For its GTG response, both the T190 and T200 has 2ms GTG response while the T240 and T260 boasts of a 5ms response.

Other features of these monitors include; MagicColor intelligent color control, MagicBright Dynamic Contrast control, aspect ratio adjustment, multi-screen functionality and an HDMI connection on the T240 and T260. Both the T220 and T190 are now available and retail for $359 and $259 respectively, while the T240 and T260 will be available by end of July for $499 and $599 respectively.

Read [Business Wire] Product [Samsung]

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by Darren Murph, posted Apr 25th 2008 at 6:31AM
Ever peered up in a dimly lit parking lot only to spot a smattering of cameras peering at your every move? Now you too can have such a sophisticated monitoring system right around your own home thanks to QNAP’s NVR-1012. The network surveillance kit is designed to provide “professional grade” live video recording abilities in homes and offices where hoodlums and malefactors tend to linger. The entire system is Linux-based and comes with a single NVR-101 server and a pair of IP cameras; reportedly, the solution is a breeze to install and every recording function can be carried out via an Internet Explorer window. Best of all, you’ll even find 2-way audio capabilities, so you can have a quick chat with any caught-red-handed crooks or mischievous youngsters right before the fuzz / man of the house swarms in for capture. Talk about a thrilling way to spend a Thursday evening.

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Kodak has just released the ESP 5 All-in-One Printer that is touted to offer the “latest in design and performance, providing a high quality, easy-to-use printing system.” It will utilize a 2-cartridge setup consisting of a full black cartridge and a five-ink color cartridge which retail for £6.99 and £9.99, respectively. I personally prefer the older Canon cartridges that use individual color tanks since those will help you save money in the long run. Other features of the ESP5 include a 3″ color LCD display, a memory card slot, and USB ports for easy printing options if you do not happen to have a computer in the vicinity. The Kodak ESP 5 will retail for £129.99.

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by Nilay Patel, posted Apr 24th 2008 at 10:31PM
We’ve already seen Google’s Android mobile OS get shoehorned onto Nokia N810 tablet, but it looks like the Internet Tablet OS is about to get even more flexible with ports of Ubuntu and the Qt toolkit. Nokia is acquiring Qt developer Trolltech, so it’s no surprise the Qt is making the jump, but it looks like it’ll be mostly a third-party-targeted framework, with the ITOS interface and bundled apps still using GTK+. Nokia told Ars Technica that it’s exploring cross-platform possibilities between ITOS and Series60, and that it wants to see if GTK+ and Qt can coexist on the tablets like they do on the Linux desktop. That’s pretty ambitious for a low-powered tablet, but we’re all for more flexibility — which seems to be in the cards with the Nokia-sponsored port of Ubuntu to ARM. Several pre-Hardy Heron versions have been ported and run off SD cards, if you’re feeling adventurous — we’re not sure what the advantages are, but it’s nice to know that Nokia’s keeping things wide open.

[Via Digg]

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by Nilay Patel, posted Apr 24th 2008 at 8:33PMDISH Network and News Corp’s satellite subisdiary NDS Group in California have been involved in an industrial espionage lawsuit for years now, but there was some big drama in court today: a hacker by the name of Christopher Tarnovsky (who used the handle “Big Gun,” among others) testified that NDS hired him to create a device called “the stinger” that could reprogram DISH Network access cards. DISH lawyers say the plan was to flood the market with hacked cards, which would cost the satellite company $900M in revenue and repair costs. Unsurprisingly, NDS (which supplies DirecTV, among others), says that it hired Tarovsky only to reverse-engineer DISH’s cards for competitive reasons, and Tarnovsky himself says that he believes “someone is trying to set him up.” Sure, sure — but no one’s explaining why he was mailed mobile electronics from Canada with $20K in cash stashed inside, or why he was officially on the payroll of HarperCollins, a totally different NewCorp subsidiary, for more than 10 years. Sketchy sketchy — and we thought satellite hacking was dead.

Read - Reuters article about Tarnovsky’s testimony
Read - 2002 article about Tarnovsky and NDS

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by Paul Miller, posted Apr 24th 2008 at 11:40PM
We’re surprised this hasn’t been though up before, which means it probably isn’t as simple as it sounds. MIRA’s got a new plug-in hybrid in the works that skips the whole plug aspect. Instead of plugging the whole car into an outlet, you can pull out any of the three battery packs in the trunk and hook ‘em into the wall. That means the car doesn’t have to have direct access to a plug to be able to juice up, you just take the batteries to where the power’s at and commence charging. They’re calling the system H4V, and are powering the unit on lithium ion phosphate batteries. MIRA expects the retrofit to an existing car to cost about £2000 (around $3950 US).

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