whats new from sony vaio

Sony have announced two new models in their VAIO laptop range, the NS-series and CS-series. The former has a 15.4-inch display, while the latter has a 14.1-inch; both use widescreen XBRITE-ECO, panels, and both can be specified with Blu-ray drives. Power in the NS is courtesy of Intel’s 2GHz T5800 Core 2 Duo CPU, while graphics are integrated X4500; in the CS it’s a P8400 2.26GHz processor.

Even the entry level NS models have 3GB of RAM and a 250GB hard-drive; color options are blue, white and silver. The CS, meanwhile, has 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard-drive, while color options are glossy “sangria, cosmopolitan, dove and black” or a matte black. It also has a 12-tone music analyzer which creates a music-triggered LED light show in the palmrest, based on the same technology as in the Sony Rolly.

Both the VAIO NS and CS laptops will be available starting in the fall. The CS will begin at $920, with the Blu-ray model at around $1,070; the NS will start cheaper at $650, though the Blu-ray model will be around $1,000.

Press Release:

Sony UNVEILS TWO BLU-RAY Disc NOTEBOOK PCS

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 12, 2008 –- Sony today introduced two notebooks with Blu-ray Disc™ technology— the VAIO® NS and CS models.

“With these new units, Sony is now offering consumers a host of multi-media PC options to choose from,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “And with a starting price of around $1,000 for the NS model, we’re expecting a new audience to experience HD entertainment on their computers.”

HD Entertainment Attractively Priced

The VAIO NS notebook features an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive that is ideal for viewing HD content. It also has the added convenience of DVD and CD read/write functionalities.

The PC is equipped with a 15.4-inch (measured diagonally) widescreen display, and Sony’s own XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp details and vivid colors.

The NS model easily accesses your music, movies and the Internet. Its integrated A/V mode features a dedicated menu, putting entertainment within easy reach by letting you select up to nine programs, such as a favorite web site, from one location.

Packing an Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo processor, significant RAM and ample storage, the NS notebook is equipped with the tools required for everyday computing.

Available in three colors— nightfall blue, silk white and granite silver— the VAIO NS notebook will start at around $650, while the Blu-ray Disc model will go for about $1,000.

High Fashion Meets High-Def

The VAIO CS notebook is available in four glossy colors— sangria, cosmopolitan, dove and black. A standard black matte finish is also available.

The unit is equipped with a 14.1-inch widescreen display and XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology for sharp images. Matched with an optional Blu-ray Disc-ROM drive, the CS model is ideal for watching HD entertainment on-the-go.

Its instant A/V mode lets you kick off your entertainment with ease. Go straight to watching a movie, playing music, or viewing photos with the touch of a button. A built-in A/V slide control also lets you control all functions (play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, stop, eject, etc.) all with one-touch ease.

The PC has a uniquely configured keyboard, designed with spacing between the keys, for a comfortable typing experience. A specialized keyboard font adds a fun touch. The unit also has a12-tone music analyzer that translates your music into a colorful LED light show that plays out beneath the palm rest of the PC.

It is backed by optional Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology with plenty of power for high-speed performance and an energy-efficient design for remote computing.

The CS model will start at about $920, while the BD model will go for around $1,070.

The VAIO NS and CS notebooks will be available online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/fall. They will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and select retailers around the country starting this fall.

'Smart' Engine Shows Promise for Leaner, Greener Vehicle

Dr. Jagannathan Sarangapani, professor of electrical and computer engineering at UMR, and Dr. Jim Drallmeier, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UMR, and their students have spent the last two years developing the controller, which may one day transform current engines into leaner, greener devices.
The researchers believe the sophisticated controller shows the most promise with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), a technique used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.

Spark-ignition engines need both fuel and air to operate, Drallmeier says. “If, however, I can operate the engine in a situation where I can give it less fuel for the same amount of air or dilute the mixture with inert gases such as EGR, the engine will behave differently,” Drallmeier explains. “And that’s what we’re doing here.”

The researchers created a neural network controller that is implemented as a software program. Artificial neural networks are adaptive systems, which “learn” based on the successful connections they make between neurons or nodes. “The neural network observer part of the controller will assess the total air and fuel in a given cylinder in a given time,” Sarangapani says. “It then sends that estimate to another neural network, which generates the fuel commands and tells the engine how much fuel to change each cycle.”

Speed is a critical component, Drallmeier says.

“This controller observes what an engine cycle is doing, makes measurements in that period of time, reduces that data, and decides how you need to push the engine in the next cycle,” Drallmeier explains. “It does all that before the next cycle starts. We’re talking about a matter of milliseconds.”

Significant theoretical challenges encountered during controller design must be overcome before the controller can be implemented on the hardware, Sarangapani says.

“Very limited information is known to the controller from the engine, and the controller must generate an appropriate fuel command signal per cycle while ensuring overall performance,” Sarangapani explains. “The actor-critic neural network learns on-the-fly using reinforcement signals.”

Although increasing EGR can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, it can cause significant cyclic dispersion in heat release.

“Cyclic dispersion is a cycle-to-cycle variability in engine output,” Drallmeier says. “A good example of people experiencing cyclic dispersion is when they’re sitting in their car at a stop light and they feel their car shaking. The more EGR you can add, the lower your nitrogen oxide emissions. The question is how far can we push it and still keep cyclic dispersion in a reasonable range.”

The auto industry depends on catalytic converters to meet the EPA’s tight emission requirements. But there are points in an engine operation when catalytic converters don’t work, such as during a cold start before the engine gets hot, Drallmeier says.

A smart controller that can reduce cyclic dispersion would open new possibilities to engine efficiency.

“The key is you’re opening doors into new modes of engine operation that were not available before through sophisticated controllers,” Drallmeier says. “Where future engine designs will go is multimode operation. The only way you’re going to get there is through sophisticated controllers.”

Source: University of Missouri-Rolla

latest smartphone on the 'hood

HTC Touch Diamond

The HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Corporation’s flagship handset has been named “European Smart Phone 2008-2009” by the members of EISA, the European Imaging and Sound Association. EISA is a unique association made up of some the most influential lifestyle and gadget publications across Europe; consisting of 49 member magazines spanning 18 European countries. The Touch Diamond was elevated above the competition thanks to its combination of innovative design and impressive functionality, applauded by EISA members.

Florian Seiche, Vice President HTC Europe, commented: “We are excited to have received this accolade from EISA. HTC is committed to innovation and the Touch Diamond continues to stretch the limits of mobile technology by integrating advanced functionality into a thin and compact design achieving the ultimate in high performance.”

The driving concept behind the innovation of the Touch Diamond was to set a new standard for integrating advanced mobile capability into a small and attractive package. The HTC Touch Diamond targets the no–compromise, tech-savvy consumer who demands the performance of a smartphone without the aesthetic compromise that many other devices on the market require.

via HTC

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