Transcend Introduces 16GB JetFlash V85

Transcend announced the availability of its new high-capacity USB flash drive — the 16GB JetFlash V85 in India. It has a compact zinc-alloy body and it measures 49.5mm long by 15.8mm wide, and is thin enough (7.4mm) to slide in pockets or tight-fitting stacked USB ports. The drive has up to 16GB of storage space so one can easily transfer, store, and share large number of files.

It comes bundled with Transcend’s handy JetFlash elite software package that includes seven useful tools specifically developed to help manage mobile data more efficiently and increase productivity. These functions include: Website AutoLogin, PC-Lock, Favorites, Secret-Zip, E-mail, DataBackup, and Online Update. The drive supports Windows 98SE/2000/Me/XP/Vista, Mac and Linux, and is now available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities.

The drive is USB 2.0 compliant, which is also compatible with USB 1.0/1.1 Easy Plug and Play operation and requires no external power or battery. It can be used as a key to lock the computer and compress and password-protect files using powerful 256-bit AES Encryption.

The drive enjoys 3 years warranty and is available for Rs. 4,250. It is available through Supertron Electronics and Mediaman Infotech.

Google Brings Offline Access to Docs and Apps

Google is rolling out a much-awaited feature for its hosted applications: the ability for people to use them even when they aren’t connected to the Internet.

The first application to get this offline access will be the word processor, said Ken Norton, Google Docs product manager. “The design goal is to create a seamless experience, with or without an Internet connection,” he said.

Over the next three weeks or so, Google will turn on the feature for all word processor users, giving them the ability to view and edit documents while offline. During the same time period, Google Docs’ spreadsheet will gain offline ability for viewing, but not editing, documents.

Google Docs’ third component, an application to make slide presentations, will remain for now without offline access. However, Google has plans to extend the offline access to it and to other hosted services in the Google Apps suite, of which Docs is part. Apps also includes Gmail, Calendar, Talk and others.

“Offline access of [hosted] apps is the next step in making the Web as a whole a lot more reliable,” Norton said.

Expectation for offline access in Docs and Apps had been building since Google introduced its Gears open-source technology in May of last year. Until now, Google had only built Gears offline functionality for its Reader RSS feed manager.

By allowing Docs and Apps users to work offline, Google is addressing one of the biggest objections to Web-hosted applications. So far, offline access has required that users export their Docs files to third-party file formats, like Microsoft Office.

Gears is a browser plug-in that can store files and data locally, as well as run JavaScript applications without a server connection. It’s this architecture that will allow Docs users to work on their word processing documents if their Internet connection drops or if they’re somewhere without one, such as an airplane.

To access their Docs files offline, users need only install the Gears plug-in and type in the regular Google Docs URL: docs.google.com.

Work done offline will be automatically synchronized with the Google Docs servers when users connect to the Internet.

As an open-source technology, Gears can be used by developers outside of Google.

The offline access will be turned on “in batches” over the coming weeks in consumer Docs accounts and in the administrator consoles of Apps.

Gears is currently supported in Internet Explorer 6 and above and Firefox 1.5 and above for Windows XP and Vista, according to Google. Firefox 1.5 and above is also supported on Mac OS X 10.2 and above and Linux. Gears also runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 and above in Internet Explorer 4.01 and above.

Intel Gives Its Classmate PC a Makeover

Intel unveiled an updated version of its Classmate PC laptop at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in Shanghai, but changes made to the device are largely cosmetic–at least for now.

The new Classmate PC has a sleeker look than its predecessor, and should appeal to a broader range of users. It also offers the option of a 9-inch screen instead of a 7-inch screen, and can have a built-in video camera.

However, most of the laptop’s internal components remain largely unchanged from the original Classmate PC. The new laptop also retains the soft plastic cover that does double-duty as a carrying handle.

Pictures of the updated Classmate PC slipped out ahead of IDF when a Malaysian PC maker unveiled the device at an event, and pictures appeared online last week. A product sheet for the new laptop was also leaked from a U.S. PC maker, giving observer a first glimpse of the machine.

Like its predecessor, the latest Classmate PC runs Linux or Windows XP and can include specialized software for schools.

One of the most useful improvements to the new Classmate PC design is the location of its memory-card slot. In the first version, this was located behind the laptop hinge and was hidden by the plastic cover.

This slot was moved to the right side of the chassis in the new version, where it remains protected from dust by a rubber cover but is more easily accessible.

The keyboard remains the same size on the new Classmate PC, and most adults will likely find the keys a bit cramped for extended typing. But Intel has added color to the function keys to make them stand out more. In addition, the trackpad is larger, making it easier to use for adult-sized fingers.

Both Classmate PC versions are based on the 900MHz Celeron M processor and available with either hard drives or solid-state drives, which use flash memory chips instead of a spinning magnetic platter. The solid-state drives are available in 1GB and 2GB capacities.

OpenOffice Update Arrives

OpenOffice.org 2.4, the latest version of the free productivity application suite, was released on Thursday and is now available for download for a number of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

An open source project backed by Sun Microsystems, OpenOffice.org is widely regarded as the leading competitor to Microsoft Office. It is also the most prominent software to support Open Document Format (ODF), a set of open standards that challenges Microsoft’s proprietary Office file formats.

This release is mostly an incremental upgrade, however, and isn’t likely to do much to heat up the competition in the productivity applications market. It incorporates mostly minor new features and bug fixes for each of the applications in the suite, including Writer, Calc, the Base personal database, and the Impress presentation software.
The real sparks won’t start flying until the next major milestone for OpenOffice.org, version 3.0, scheduled to ship in September. That version is expected to bring long-awaited support for Microsoft’s Office 2007 file formats, which will make it easier for current Office users to migrate to the alternative suite. In addition, it will bring support for ODF 1.2 and user interface improvements, among other features.

A version of OpenOffice.org ships with most desktop Linux distributions, and current Linux users may wish to wait for their distribution maintainer to offer a version of the 2.4 upgrade that has been specially tweaked for their flavor of Linux. Windows and Mac OS X users can download installers from the OpenOffice.org distribution site.

Multi-Touch Trackpad for Asustek’s New Eee PC

The next generation Eee PC laptop by Asustek Computer will come with a multi-touch trackpad in addition to the larger screen, better Webcam and increased data storage, a company representative said Thursday.

The Eee PC 900 boasts an 8.9-inch screen, larger than the 7-inch display on the original Eee PC 701 model, along with a 1.3 MP camera and 12GB solid-state disk drive (SSD). The Webcam on the Eee PC 701 is only 0.3MP and the largest SSD is 8GB.

The Eee PC 900′s oversized touchpad works similar to the Macbook Air. Using two fingers, a person can zoom in and out of documents and photos, scroll up and down, and more, an Asustek representative said.

A picture of the Eee PC 900 can be found on the Federal Communications Commission’s Web site, where details were submitted for approval by the U.S. government regulator.

A few things the Eee PC 900 will not have include a touchscreen and GPS (global positioning system), the Asustek representative said, despite some news reports to the contrary.

The Eee PC 900 will come pre-loaded with either Microsoft Windows XP or Linux OSs, the representative said.

The first devices will likely hit some markets by June this year. Pricing will vary by country, but in Europe, the new Eee PC will cost around $626.

Kingston Introduces DataTraveler 110

Kingston is expanding its line of USB flash drives with the introduction of the DataTraveler 110 (DT110) model. The drives are designed for ultra-fast read/write speeds on lower price points, the DT110 drive is available in capacities up to 8GB.

The DT110 features a capless, retractable USB connector for ease-of-use and safe housing. It is available in different colors according to its capacity: purple (1GB), blue (2GB), red (4GB) and green (8GB) and these are priced at Rs. 625, Rs. 925, Rs. 1595 and Rs. 3425, respectively.

The drives are designed to be compliant to hi-speed USB 2.0 specifications. These are compatible to various operating systems including Windows Vista, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP (SP1 and SP2), Mac OS 10.2x and higher and Linux (2.6 and higher).

The DT110 drives can operate at the temperature of 32º F to 140 º F and can be stored at -4º F to 185º F. These support plug and play technology and are backed by a five-year warranty and free technical support. Windows Vista ReadyBoost is not supported on these drives.

The Kingston DT110 drives are distributed in India by Avnet India, HCL, Ingram Micro, Kobian Electronics and Transtek Infoways.