Computer science marks to be considered for engg eligibility

BANGALORE: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has buckled under pressure from several states to alter eligibility criteria for engineering courses: it has agreed to consider computer science and electronics as qualifying subjects along with the existing ones.

The apex regulator, however, has turned down the request to reduce eligibility criteria for general category students from the revised 50% marks (45% in case of SC/ST candidates) in qualifying subjects for admission to engineering courses. AICTE had enhanced eligibility criteria by 5% for general category students from this year.

More II PU candidates are now likely to become eligible to pick engineering seats via the state CET. Marks scored by II PU candidates in computer science and electronics will be considered while deciding eligibility criteria for engineering/technical courses, along with chemistry, biology and biotechnology.

Higher education minister V S Acharya may meet HRD minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi on Tuesday to push for reduction in eligibility criteria for 2011-12.

Computex 2011: MSI Unveils Wind Top All-in-One PC Series

At Computex 2011, popular brand MSI unveiled at the event, its latest range of Wind Top series – Wind Top AP2000 and Wind Top AP2011. The desktop range has been readied keeping in mind the varying needs of MSI’s dynamic clientele, MSI stated. The Wind Top AP2000 is MSI’s All-in-One PC AP2000. The Wind Top series, MSI states upholds the needs of the business men and other professionals. Here’s a look at the specifications in detail:

Soaring high...

• Intel Pentium Processor P6200 (2.13 GHz)
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• 20” 16:9 widescreen single touch panel (1600*900)
• 2GB DDR3 Memory, Max to 8GB
• 500GB Hard Drive
• Tray-in DVD Super Multi
• 1.3M Webcam and Microphone

In addition to the specifications mentioned above, MSI claims to have added several features including LED panels on their All-in-One desktop range to enhance its inclination towards global environment protection trends. Since LED panels consume 30 per cent lesser electricity, they seem to be a friendlier option.

Yet another one, in the series that was unveiled was the Wind Top AP2011 that comes packed with Intel’s second generation Core processor with immense power, which MSI claims is apt for multitasking purposes.

Creative Creates Multi-Core Sound Core3D Processor

The sound card business doesn’t see the same level of development as the GPU market, for example. This has been the case over the last couple of years with only a few vendors designing cards and audio processors. Most users seem content with the quality on onboard audio solutions on motherboards these days. Taking the processor approach, Creative has designed a new multi-core audio and voice processor called Sound Core3D.

More processing power thanks to four cores onboard the processor.

The solution will be available as an external device and an integrated chip on Creative’s vendor devices which can also include consumer electronics. Gigabyte is one of these vendors who will be using the chip on some of their solutions in the future. The chip is based on a 56-pin QFP package. The Sound Core3D chip uses four cores, 4 and 6-channel audio 24-bit DACs and even a headphone amplifier output. There is support for the usual digital outputs as well as a digital microphone in. The APU has been designed in conjunction with THX. The chip also has the usual set of enhancements for echo cancellation, noise reduction and normalization of audio.

Computex 2011: Windows 8 Build 7985 Demoed

At Computex 2011, several attendees managed to get a glimpse of the latest build of Windows 8. The build - 7985.fbl_core1_kernel was reportedly readied on May 3 to make a partner preview of the same possible at the event in Taipei. The complete build string, 7985.fbl_core1_kernel_cptx.110503-1501 clearly reveals the same. The Milestone 3, however, comes sans a couple of shell changes that Microsoft introduced, among which was the superbar user account image integration.

Heavy buil(d)t!

The Windows 8 interface does pick up some cues from Windows Phone 7, but that ends there. Windows 8 allows users to launch apps using the tile-based start screen, and will be a replacement to the good old Windows 7 start up screen. Among the applications included are live tile notifications and the ability to naturally switch between applications. Users now also have the provision to snap and resize an application to place it on the side of the new touch screen user interface. 

At the All Things Digital D9 conference, Microsoft did raise the curtains over the new Windows 8 user interface. It was at the conference that Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's President of the Windows Division mentioned the company’s plans to reveal some more details at the BUILD conference in September.

WWDC 2011: Apple Teases Us with Logos of Upcoming Launches

Apple is gearing up for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which is set to take place at San Francisco, next week. But unlike every year, this time around they have given the world a sneak peek into some of the services which are set to be launched at WWDC 2011. Posters at San Francisco’s largest convention and exhibition complex, Moscone Center are showing off Apple’s upcoming services namely the Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud. Logos of Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud revealed The iCloud was named by Apple in a press release on Tuesday, but no image had been associated with it at the time. However, now as the posters suggest the iCloud logo has an app like appearance. The next logo to be previewed was the iOS 5; and like the iOS 4 logo it is mostly similar in design but now has a 5 instead. And finally with the OS X Lion, the logo is with a face of a Lion in a circle. In addition to these standalone posters there is a poster showing OS X Lion + iOS 5 + iCloud = WWDC 2011. Additional banners are put up at the Moscone Center which are still under wraps.

Computex 2011: ASUS Announces Crosshair V Motherboard Series

Just a while back, AMD announced their new range of 9-Series chipsets and in absolute rhythm, ASUS have launched their latest iteration in the Crosshair Series of motherboards, called the Crosshair V Formula. The motherboard not only supports the AM3+ FX socket, but also has support for Athlon II and Sempron 100 Series of processors. What’s nice to know is that this motherboard will also be supporting Bulldozer series of processors.

More power and more support

Crosshair V Formula has an ATX form factor and supports up to 32 GB of RAM on the four RAM slots that most standard motherboards feature today. Apart from that this also supports the AMD 3-Way SLI and 3-Way CrossfireX modes for NVIDIA and AMD’s graphic cards respectively. There are three PCIe 2.0 expansion slots for dual x16 speeds or x8,x8 and x16 speeds. The motherboard has plenty of USB ports with as much as six USB 3.0 ports and 12 USB 2.0 ports. Being the latest motherboard, the Crosshair V Formula also has ASUS’ UEFI BIOS menus to interact with the hardware directly.

The pricing hasn’t been announced as yet, but stay tuned for more information on the Crosshair V Formula.

Computex 2011: ASUS Officially Announces the Padfone

We told you earlier today that ASUS was likely to launch the Padfone, a tablet which would allow smartphone docking. Well, the Padfone has now officially been announced at Computex. Best of both worlds? Click here for more photos of the Padfone The mockup included a 10-inch Tablet and a 4.3-inch smartphone, with display switching done dynamically. The smartphone, once docked, will be able to recharge its battery via the tablet’s, but the 3G connectivity will be restricted to one option, with the tablet using the docked smartphone’s SIM card to connect to the internet. The smartphone comes with dual-cameras and the tablet will have only a front-facing one, but will be able to use the smartphone’s as its primary rear camera. Of course, this is only a mockup, and ASUS have said they still haven’t decided on the final hardware specifications and dimensions. Here's what ASUS had to say about the Padfone: "Innovation is at the heart of ASUS design and the new Padfone reveals exciting new possibilities for mobile computing and communication. This convergent device combines a smartphone and a tablet computer into one symbiotic gadget that allows consumers to choose the screen size that best fits their activities while seamlessly sharing data and 3G internet access." The Padfone will run on Android Honeycomb for the Tablet and Android 2.3 Gingerbread for the Smartphone, but Ice Cream Sandwich might be part of the final retail package. The device is expected out around Christmas time this year.

Check out the rather long but enteratining video for the Padfone - 

Computex 2011: ASUS Eee PC X101 Runs MeeGo

Now here’s a surprise. At the Computex fair in Taipei, ASUS has unveiled the Eee PC X101, an ultra-thin netbook at 17.6mm and ultra-light at 950g, which has both Windows 7 and MeeGo variants. The Eee PC X101 has a 10.1-inch display, 802.11 WiFi b/g/n and an Intel Atom N435 processor, which will probably be unveiled later at Computex. It will also come in X101H variant, which will have a SSD hybrid hard drive.

MeeWants one of these.

Here’s what ASUS had to say about the Eee PC X101: “ASUS evolves the Eee PC further with new models that take netbooks to ever-greater heights. The new Eee PC X101 has been designed from the start to be the perfect ultraportable for modern mobile users, with its Intel MeeGo operating system incorporating full support for a wide range of social networking services. Eee PC X101 Series netbooks are also offered with the Windows 7 operating system, and models ship with both solid state and mechanical hard drive storage configurations.”

The base MeeGo model will cost a mere $200 (~Rs. 9,000) which is pretty good. We hope to hear more about this series of netbooks soon.

Computex 2011 Qualcomm to Show Off New Chipset for Mobile Devices

Qualcomm has announced that it will show off a series of mobile devices which will be powered by its next-generation Snapdragon processor. The new devices will be featured at the ongoing Computex fair.

Next gen powerhorse111

In a statement given by Kouji Kodera, HTC’s chief product officer, “We have installed the MSM8655-based Snapdragon mobile development platform in our HTC Flyer tablet PC, and we will use the MSM8660-based platform in our HTC Sensation and HTC EVO 3D smartphones that will go on sale soon. We're looking forward to the sample of the MSM8960-based chipset, which will be used in the development of new Snapdragon mobile devices.”

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are in use by over 125 smartphones and tablets. Manufacturers prefer the Snapdragon because of its performance capabilities. ASUS has also used the Snapdragon processor in its Android 3.0 tablets due to the low power consumption of the chip.

Computex 2011: ZiiLabs Outs 'Jaguar' Line of Tablets

ZiiLabs announced today that they will unveil their 7-inch and 10-inch Android tablets at the ongoing Computex 2011 fair. The tablets are designed for the latest Android 3.x operating system and are based on reference designs. Based on a motherboard concept, the JAGUAR allows an OEM or ODM to bring to market their own Android 3.x tablets in the shortest possible time. Doesn't look like a Jaguar.... Hock Leow, president of ZiiLABS added, “As consumer demand for a wide-range of smarter, more connected tablets increases, so do the OEMs' needs to innovate while also shrinking their time-to-market. The JAGUAR platform combines our deep understanding and experience working on consumer devices and tablets with our ZMS processors, reference platforms, software and certification know-how to deliver a state-of-the-art platform that minimizes the complexities of introducing next-generation tablets”. Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman and CEO of Creative Technology added, "Timing is everything and a frenzied land-grab is taking place in the tablet computing market. Android 3.X and ZMS-20 are designed and engineered specifically for this new and exciting tablet market where growth is expected to approach 100 million next year. The JAGUAR platforms based on ZiiLABS' ZMS-20 and ZMS-40 processors push performances to a new level that the world has never seen before and OEMs and ODMs can leverage this with JAGUAR to quickly stake a sizeable claim in this explosive market." The ‘Jaguar’ tablets (both dual core and quad core) will be shown in the ZiiLABS suite at Computex and you can expect a whole lot of new information, so stay tuned.

Computex 2011: LG Announces LG V300 All-In-One PC

LG Electronics have announced the LG V300 all-in-one PC which will be unveiled at the ongoing IT exhibition, Computex in Taipei which started from May 31, 2011. The LG V300 is developed in partnership with Intel and will feature Film Type Retarder (FPR) display which is found in LG’s CINEMA 3D TVs. The features of this PC include 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, 3D FPR display, In Plane Switch (IPS) screen technology that creates a 178-degree viewing angle and a triple camera system for multitouch capability. LG V300 with multitouch and 3D capabilities J.J. Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the LG Electronics PC Business Unit said that the combination of the newest Intel Core processor and the FPR display in the LG V300 is going to create a new level of performance and viewing experience in a PC. With millions of homes now using their PCs as entertainment hubs, marrying the best from the computing world with the best from the display world was the next natural step in the evolution of the PC. Mooly Eden, Vice President and General Manager of Intel PC Client Group said that 2nd Generation Intel Core processor paves the way for great all-in-one systems like LG Electronics new V300. The V300 combines LG Electronics' display technology with 2nd Generation Intel Core's great performance and built-in visuals to create an awesome PC experience.  This all-in-one comes with two sets of light weight polarized glasses, an option to choose from Intel’s Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, 23-inch full HD LED LCD display, memory of maximum 8 GB DDR3 1333MHz, storage capacity of up to 750 GB, Gigabyte LAN, HD webcam with stereo microphone and many other features. The LG V300 will launch in Korea in July followed by markets in Europe, Middle East and Asia.