What a nice change; a device launched in the US, but at the launch, it was announced that the device will be coming to the UK!  T-Mobile UK are working with ICD to release the ICD Vega Kitchen computer / Android Tablet in the UK later this year.  Well, compared to the O2 Joggler, this might well have just those few extra facilities to actually be a bigger success story…

The spec of the Vega includes:

• Processor — Nvidia Tegra 250 (1GHz)
• Memory – 512MB DDR DRAM
• Flash — 512MB NAND flash; 32GB internal SD card; external Micro SD slot
• Display — 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 resistive touchscreen; HDMI output
• Wireless:
  • 802.11b/g WiFi
  • Bluetooth 2.1
  • Optional 2G or 3G cellular
• USB — 1 x USB 2.0 High-Speed OTG
• Camera — 1.3-megapixel
• Audio — 3.5mm audio jack; external speakers; dual microphones
• Other features:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Charging dock
  • Magnetic docking
• Power — 11AH 3.9V lithium-ion battery (4 hours life); 110-240V input; 12VDC output (35 W, for dock)
• Dimensions — 14.7 x 10.0 x 0.6 inches (373 x 254 x 16mm)
• Weight — 2.9 lbs (1.3kg)
• Operating system — Android 2.0

The dock may also feature an additional speaker, and possibly an HDMI port too, but with that 3G support, you’ll be able to make calls, and this is no sudden decision by T-Mobile, who have, apparently been working with ICD for 18 months.

Taken advantage of the Android platform, Linuxdevices have said “The Android software on the device offers one-touch access to a household calendar, enabling families to organize schedules in one place, say the companies. The web-accessible device can automatically send SMS text reminders of calendar items to cellphones. Additional features are said to include web browsing, on-demand TV, access to social networks, video chat, and games.”

ICD also announced a 15.6″ unit (ICD Ultra) and made reference to also working on an 11″ tablet too.  The ICD Ultra adds to the Vega specs with a GPS too.

One small point to watch out for; these, and many other “Android” devices are likely to be using the Open Source Android OS, and will not be “Google Experience” devices, so don’t expect this device to automatically take a Google account and support all the Google features that you may have on your “Google Experience” Android phone…

The only other unknown at this point is the price, but we would expect something similar to O2 and the Joggler where there are options for subsidised pricing…

Some content courtesy of Linux Devices, and thanks to Stuart for the Heads Up!

Back in November, I covered some early information on the new Garmin Engine Diagnostic system (see here).  Well, Garmin have formally released more information about it, and I can now provide confirmation of my earlier article.

So, once you have performed a one time sync between your Garmin Nuvi and the unit above, the two devices will work wirelessly.  You simply plug the device into your OBD-II diagnostics socket, and mount it away from pedals and other switches, and it will then work without further intervention.

Garmin have said “Drivers also get more accurate ecoRoute data, making fuel conservation easier than ever, and they can monitor their engine data (including temperature, RPM, emissions) and diagnostics through the Trip Computer screen and customizable Gauges screen. Drivers can then view Diagnostic Trouble Codes – with on-screen descriptions of some error codes – and reset the “check engine” light. ecoRoute hd will be compatible with many current and future nüvi models, including 1260, 1370, 1390, 1490 and 1690.”

The list of diagnostic features includes:

• Intake air temperature information
• Coolant temperature data
• Throttle position and engine load
• Intake manifold pressure
• Battery and charging system information
• Mass airflow rate
• Timing advance
• Emissions

The device will be available in March 2010 in the US, and hopefully not long after in the UK.  A number of existing Nuvi units will be compatible with the ecoroute HD cable; to find out if your Nuvi will be compatible (although all existing units will need a software update to support the device), head off to www.garmin.com/ecoroute (although looking at the time of writing, it wasn’t clear whether all devices that have ever supported the ecoroute function will work, or whether the website simply hasn’t been fully updated yet!).

In a time of SatNavs becoming cheaper, something like this helps to differentiate Garmin from the competition…

This is the new Mark 2 version of the Solwise HomePlug device.  It’s capable of extending your existing wired computer network and provides 85mbps (maximum) between the two networks using the power circuits around the house.  I’ve used HomePlug devices to add network to remote parts of the house, especially to support devices which only have network ports, or where it’s just too far for Wi-Fi to reach.

These newer units are smaller than the previous units, and only cost £18.55 for one, or £34.40 for a twin pack.  Solwise even include a 1.8m network patch cable to allow you to use these.  The easiest way to use a pair is to cable one to your ADSL router (using one of the spare network ports) and then put the other one somewhere else in the house you would like network access, and when both are plugged into the mains (they do need to be on the same phase if your house has multiple phases), then the device networked into the remote device should be able to access the router.

More information (including the ability to purchase them) available direct from Solwise.

Last week, Garmin launched two new Forerunner devices, the Garmin Forerunner 310XT and the Garmin Forerunner 405CX.

The Forerunner 405CX is very similar to the Garmin Forerunner 405, although it adds Heart rate-based calorie computation, and includes “a second wrist band option suitable for smaller wrists”.  Designed for sports people, or even people training for charity events, the device “comes with a flexible, wireless heart rate monitor to help you make the most out of your training. The digital heart rate monitor continuously tracks heart beats per minute and uses your heart rate for advanced calorie computation, so you know how many calories you’re burning. Train in a certain heart rate zone to improve your fitness level or compare your pace and heart rate to past performance on the same run”.

This device is well suited to both runners and cyclists; you can use the “optional foot pod to track your speed, distance and running cadence indoors when GPS signals are unavailable. The wireless foot pod clips onto your laces for easy removal and automatically turns on when you start moving”. Alternatively, you can “pair your Forerunner with an optional speed/cadence bike sensor to track the speed and distance of your cycling workouts”.

The Forerunner 310XT is a rugged device, which is waterproof to 50 metres (it’s also listed as swim-proof, and designed to be used by swimmers), and can track swim, bike and run data and then send it wirelessly to your computer via ANT+ wireless technology. To support tri-atheletes even further, the “Forerunner 310XT moves easily from wrist to bike with the optional quick release and bike mounts, making the transition between sports effortless” and “categorizes multisport activities in one workout and can also log transition time in the process, so you can analyze your performance from start to finish”.

The Forerunner 310XT “tracks your position precisely with GPS satellite data and records distance, pace, heart rate (optional), power data (from ANT+™-enabled third-party power meters)” and “connects seamlessly to an optional heart rate monitor, foot pod and cadence sensor”.  The battery should last up to 20 hours.

The Forerunner 310XT will either be sold on its own, or with a “new waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor that is streamlined and more comfortable than ever, yet rugged enough to withstand swimming. Though heart rate data does not transmit while underwater, this new waterproof strap means that triathletes can plan ahead by wearing the strap under a wetsuit, shaving crucial seconds off their transition time. The new soft-strap monitor is expected to be available during summer 2009″.

Both these devices should be available in Q2 (ie before June 2009), although we are yet to hear what the UK prices will be.  It looks like Garmin is trying to become a leader in sports based GPS devices as well as already being one of the key players in the GPS and SatNav marketplaces.  More information can be found at the Garmin website for the Forerunner 405CX and Forerunner 310XT.

Well, it appears there are shortages of the Linux variant of the Asus Eee 901 in the UK at present. What’s caused this you might ask…? Despite the rumours that it’s Microsoft putting pressure on Asus, Asus have revealed it’s caused by Intel not being able to supply enough Atom chips, which is limiting supply. Why is it only affecting the Linux variant? Simply these are more popular, and hence selling faster!

In other Asus news, Asus have revealed the pricing of all of the new variants; the 901 is £299 (20Gb SSD Linux or 12Gb SSD Windows XP variants), the 904 (basically a 900 in the 1000 case) is £269 (80Gb HDD Windows XP), and the 1000H is £349 (80Gb HDD Windows XP) or £369 (40Gb SSD Linux).

Finally, Asus have produced this chart (above) which compares the different units.

Some content courtesy of Register Hardware and Mobile Computer Magazine.

If you have a Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, and have been fed up with the slow GPS lock times, then there is a solution.  Firstly, you need to install the new OS firmware (Diablo) onto your machine using the Nokia Internet Tablet Firmware Updater (Windows only).  Then, you need to install the A-GPS additional program. The A-GPS program, will help locate you whilst the GPS continues to try to lock.  You give the application a very rough location in the world (by clicking on a map), and it will then use an internet connection to improve that link.  However, as well as supporting a link via Bluetooth to a mobile phone (which will use the phone’s cell tower IDs to locate you), it’s also possible to locate you via WiFi.  It achieves this by feeding the initial GPS data back to a central computer at Nokia which helps process those fragments of GPS information to produce a location faster than the lock.

This update makes the Diablo update well worth applying.  Although things are perfect yet (most apps need the author to confirm compatibility and provide their applications to the new application repositories), you can still access the old “Chinook” software respositories (unlike the last major OS jump, everything is binary compatible this time).

Now the only thing remaining is for Nokia to have a word with Wayfinder and get them to update the actual maps.  The maps included with the tablet are from 2006/7, and since then Nokia have updated the Nokia Maps (for Symbian) a couple of times, so there’s no reason why they shouldn’t sort this out.  In the meantime, you may want to look at Maemo-Mapper, which uses OpenStreetMap map data, which is constantly being added to and updated, and because Maemo-Mapper uses the built in GPS support, it also benefits from the new A-GPS faster lock times.

berble.com have found a useful application, it allows you to copy files to and from your iPhone / iPod Touch on either a Windows or Mac OS X computer. This saves you carrying a USB flash drive as well, and even better, it’s free!

Head over to berble.com to read more, and then visit the manufacturer’s website here to download DiskAid.

Dopplr, the traveller’s social networking site, has reported that Heathrow has changed it’s baggage restrictions. They have lifted the one bag carry on restriction, which means you can now take a bag and a laptop bag onboard as hand luggage. Also, you no longer need to remove the computer from the bag as a matter of course, as they have rolled out improved scanners. Given all the bad press around the opening of Terminal 5, it’s nice to see some good news for Heathrow.

The Linutop 2 has been announced by French mini PC vendor Linutop. It features a 500MHz Geode processor, 512Mb RAM and 1Gb of Flash. The Linutop 2 measures 5.5 x 1.4 x 5.5 inches (14 x 3.5 x 14 cm), and weighs 20 ounces, and takes about 8 Watts of power. The OS, that’s preinstalled, includes Firefox and OpenOffice by using a version of the Xubuntu LiveCD image in the Flash. One neat feature is the ability to mount it behind a monitor using the VESA mount (although this may be nothing more than a bit of folded steel with a few holes in the right place).

However, at the price of roughly £210, we feel the VIA ARTiGO we covered here, and available from Linitx.com may be better value, and more suitable as an every day small PC.

Specs from Linux Devices.

The VIA ARTiGO Pico-ITX Builder Kit is now available from LinITX.com. This is a DIY PC Kit, but based on the Pico-ITX motherboard form factor. This allows you to build a very small, but powerful PC for your use. LinITX are offering the Kit with a range of memory and Hard Disk options. For those looking for a ultra compact PC for locating in a lounge, bedroom, or even a HiFi cabinet, this may be the PC for you…

Virgin are apparently about to start the process of upgrading (for free) it’s broadband customers from 4Mb to 10Mb. This upgrade process will start in February, and take until the Summer to complete. As part of this, they are also upgraded the upload speed to 512Kb. More information here.

Story courtesy of TechDigest.

Wacom have introduced a new widescreen 20″ pen display.

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If our previous news stories from LinITX.com (covering VIA low energy motherboards and USB Message Boards) weren’t enough to get you to head off to LinITX.com for a wide variety of Mini-ITX and In-Car computer components, gadgets, and many other things, then maybe their Christmas Special Offer of Free Delivery for orders over £100 will.

DigitalSpy report that Virgin Media have confirmed they are planning to launch a 50Mbps Broadband service in 2008.  It’s currently being trialled, and those trials are proving successful.

VIA announced in London today a new range of low power motherboards. These run at an average operating power of 2 Watts, with an absolute maximum of 20 Watts.

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