By Steve Johnson
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Out of Asia comes the PMG Quadpad, effectively a tablet PC, though its distributor, Tronic International Pte Ltd, is marketing it as a “total lifestyle product”, serving mobile entertainment, communication, and computing needs on the go. That’s sounds much more marketable than just “tablet PC” doesn’t it?

Tronic says that the PMG is a hybrid version of other portable mobile devices but with integrated multimedia functions that complements the “digital lifestyle” user. It’s intended to be more about videos, music, e-books, PDA, and wireless connectivity, but still having all the functions of a Windows powered PC.

It comes with 3 USB 2.0 ports, an IrDA port, PCMCIA slots for GPRS/GPS/3G connectivity, built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, and a mini VGA output port. It also has the usual microphone, earphone, and modem jacks.

Keeping true to form with the tablet PC design, it comes with a touch-screen, pen-writing recognition, a virtual keyboard, a 360-degree rotating screen, and switches from portrait to landscape screen presentations. It’s probably one of the smaller tablet PCs as well, measuring about 9 inches wide, and 7 inches tall. It boasts a diagonal screen size of 8.4 inches, with a maximum resolution of 800×600. As you would guess, it’s very light weight at only 2.6 pounds (with battery).

Among the accessories that Tronic sells for the PMG, is a Bluetooth foldable keyboard, car adapter, USB DVD Drive, and others.

By all accounts, there really isn’t anything specific about the PMG Quadpad that makes it much more of a multimedia device than a tablet PC, but that’s how it’s being marketed and packaged, and perhaps it might succeed in selling the consumer on the idea of tablet PCs.

Expected retail price is $2,188.00. They’re currently only available in Asia, and is not yet known when we’ll see them here in the States.

Source: Tronic International

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

If you’re one of those people who’s dissappointed with the battery life of your iPod, this might be worth checking out. Someone over at Geek Technique have modified a hand-crank flashlight to charge their iPod Mini. After much tinkering, modding, and warranty-voiding he was able to get the setup working. The only problem? It takes about half an hour of cranking to put only a miniscule charge into the Mini. The problem is that while the LED’s for the flashlight don’t need much current, the iPod requires quite a bit. Even though this might not be too useful, it’s still neat. Plus, you could get a good upper-body workout while you’re at it!

Source: Geek Technique via Digg

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

First we seemed to be going green with our cell phone recycling coverage, but this week is truly turning nerdy ever since Oliver Rist showed up in his 3d headset. So I figured why not turn it up a notch and let the nerd flag fly? Here’s a guy at PimpRig.com who modded out his PC to be R2D2. Wow.

TheGreatSatan has constructed a life size R2-D2 system that is actually a high performance gaming system complete with a VapoChill unit. How awesome is that. One little problem with a life size R2-D2 is indeed the size but hey - if he’s got the room - go for it! Source: Krunker

By Sean Fisher
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

I still haven’t hopped aboard the VoIP bandwagon just yet, but this VoIP-capable USB stick from Mplat might make me think about joining the ranks. The F2K not only allows you to make calls from any PC with internet access (without having to install anything), the flash device also has the ability to store your chat records for you.

The folk at Mplat have released a new VoIP USB flash memory stick with inbuilt mic and speaker which will allow you to make plug and play Internet calls on any PC. Just walk up, plug in and make your MSN, Google Talk, SIP or Skype calls using the on-board software. Comes with Skype voicemail software as standard. Source: Red Ferret

We Say: VoIP software can already be mobile only if you are able to install the applicable program on the computer you were using. Now, with the ability to call out from any internet-connected computer, your options are greatly expanded. I, for one, can’t wait to forego long-distance charges while on vacation and simply use a computer in my hotel’s business center or the local internet cafe.

By Oliver Rist
Guest Contributor, RealTechNews

This thing just screams “new horizon in FPSs”. And you may justifiably ask why? After all, we’re just moving the monitor closer to your eyes, correcto? Correcto, but there’s more. eMagin also added what they’re calling 3D Stereovision. The rest of us call it head-tracking. So you’re mowing down those really creepy crawling demons in Half-Life. Normally, you’d twitch your mouse to look left and right–make sure you got them all. With Stereovision, if you hear that annoying clicking sound they make off to your left, all you’ve got to do is turn your head left and you’re facing the one that almost got away.

Truly cool. Downsides? A few. First it costs just under $900. Then again, the good vid cards are going for $600 nowadays and true performance zealots are running two of them in tandem, so what’s $900? The real downside is that it’s still a baby. Telltale signs are numerous: For one thing, my test unit was relegated solely to NVidia 3D accelerators. Okay, I had to dig for one of those, but I found it. (On a buddy’s system. He complained until he saw what I was toying with–HA!) But, by far the worst disappointment was a max resolution of 800×600. Source: TechFilter

Complete Review Here
Alice Adds: Oliver and I used to work together back at Ziff Davis for Computer Shopper magazine (now owned by my previous stomping ground, CNET.com). Welcome Oliver. Oliver is a bigger geek than I am and he has the picture to prove it! 9Couldn’t resist.) Please welcome him here, we are lucky to have another great tech writer with us here at RealTechNews.

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

You have to laugh at this one. Ed Colligan, the very overly eager Palm CEO, demonstrated the new Windows-based Treo 700w with Bill Gates himself and pulled up Bill G’s contact info to prove the device was real. He made a call and Bill got an SMS message, and the crowd applauded I’m sure. But people were also quick to jot down the number, which I imagine has since been changed. Source: Mark Evans

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

It always happens, just when you think you have THE cutting edge notebook (and in this case it even comes with EDGE), a new version comes out. Today Sony Korea announced new VAIO TX series notebooks made of carbon fiber, making them 30% lighter and with up to a nine to fourteen hour battery life. I just got the Sony Vaio T350P which I love (except that the graphics card can’t handle my Samsung 243T, 23 inch LCD monitor - the max res is only 1600, BOO.) but the new Sonys won’t be sold in the US anytime soon, so I guess the current T series is still a pretty great product line to enjoy and feel good about for now.

The Vaio TX series has been adapted by white LED technique, this carbon fiber technology is usually being used when manufacturing airplanes or racing cars. Comparing with other existing T series notebooks, these VAIOs become twice as strong in endurance and the weight, only in 1.24-1.26kg, 30% lighter than before. The display panel thickness is only 4.5mm. Their design and color is are also very special by using sapphire black and platinum white. More

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

I don’t have kids, but I know that parents spend a lot of time worrying about what they do online and that many have to share the family PC which can quickly become a living nightmare while little Suzy IMs her pals back and forth as you stand around cooling your heels. Luckily there is a new little “mother’s helper” called ZipIt from Aeronix, Inc. that piggybacks onto your wireless network and gives your kids IM access via a cheap but useful little handheld they can use to IM happily for hours without your PC.

The ZipIt Wireless Messenger connects home 802.11b wireless networks and hot spots for the sole purpose of instant messaging. No e-mail, no Web surfing, and no way to save any data locally. This gadget supports one account on each of the three major IM services, and can log on to all three services simultaneously. More