Google Doesn't Need You To Call Advertiser

The search engine giant originally had a plan to place ads "that aim to get buyers to pick up the phone" but that strategy has been set aside for now as Google is re-focusing their attention on other types of ads. They're still going to send ads to cell phone users, but these are more likely to come in the form of text messages and pay-per-action ads.

Instead of pay-per-action, Google was thinking about pay-per-call ads where "an advertiser pays each time a consumer calls the company after seeing an ad posted on Google or its partner websites." I personally don't think the conversion would be very good, because how many web users are actually motivated to pick up the phone and call someone?

MacBook hard drives contain fatal defect

Introduction:
UK data recovery firm Retrodata warns that a batch of Seagate drives used in some MacBooks seems to suffer from a manufacturing defect, according to InformationWeek. Retrodata says that the problem is confined to Seagate 2.5 inch SATA drives revision 7.0.1 from China. You can find out if you have one of those by selecting "About This Mac" from the menu, then clicking on "More Info...," and selecting "Serial-ATA."

Specifications

Read/write heads can become detached from the drive and subsequently scratch the surface of the disk if the computer isn't immediately turned off. The scratching then renders data recovery largely impossible. Apple has acknowledged the problem by saying that it has "received a few reports" and is "looking into it." Retrodata feels the problem is severe enough that a recall is warranted and that Apple should replace the affected drives. In the mean time, the company recommends that users of these drives back up all their data and have the drive replaced themselves.

Note, however, that having a firm like Retrodata recover data from a dead hard drive can be an expensive proposition—most people will probably prefer to replace the drive and restore their data from a backup. In that case, there's no difference between a drive that suffers from a routine (electronic or mechanical) failure where data recovery would be possible and the "deep scratches" caused by a head becoming detached. Therefore, replacing the drive as a precautionary measure is probably not warranted if you make regular backups.

Fujitsu 320GB of storage for notebook

Introduction:
Content, content and more content. Apparently we can never get enough content. Fujitsu has upped the ante on the ability to store content with the world's largest commercially available notebook HDD. The MHZ2 BH series HDD has a massive 320GB capacity. It uses perpendicular magnetic recording technology and offers reading speeds of up to 300MB per second thanks to a 3.0GB per second SATA interface. According to the specs, read seek time is 12 ms, and write seek time is 14 ms.


Specifications

Content, content and more content. Apparently we can never get enough content. Fujitsu has upped the ante on the ability to store content with the world's largest commercially available notebook HDD. The MHZ2 BH series HDD has a massive 320GB capacity. It uses perpendicular magnetic recording technology and offers reading speeds of up to 300MB per second thanks to a 3.0GB per second SATA interface. According to the specs, read seek time is 12 ms, and write seek time is 14 ms.

A gigantic drive is only useful if it doesn't suck the life out of your notebook battery. This drive offers best-in-class power consumption figures, though, so you will be fine (a cynic would point out that if this is the first and so far only drive of this size then it is obviously best in class, because it is the only one in its class, but we can assume that's not what they meant). The drive will be available in February of 2008. The price has not yet been released.

BlackBerry 9000 Series Touch Screen

Introduction:

Although there are plenty of other devices that already have touchscreens -- HTC smartphones, Apple iPhone, etc. -- we have yet to be treated to a touchscreen'd rendition of a BlackBerry device. That may soon change. There's word going around that Research in Motion is working on the BlackBerry 9000 series and this next-generation handheld will boast a new touchscreen-based operating system.

Specification And Review:

And we're not just talking about swapping out the existing display for a touchscreen either. Sources are reporting that the BlackBerry 9000 series will rock a full face touchscreen, meaning that the company is ditching a physical keyboard in favor of an on-screen one, not unlike that found on the HTC Touch or Apple iPhone. Other critical specs include GPS tracking, WiFi, push email, and "improved multimedia capabilities."

The current timeline calls for a launch some time in early 2008. The BB 8000 series will be kept alive for people who prefer physical QWERTYness.

Option Unveils iCON 225 Wireless USB Modem

Introduction and Specifications:


Measuring only 63 x 26 x 13 mm and just weighing 40 g, the iCON 225 is Option’s most compact HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) USB wireless modem to date. Offering data rates of up to 7.2 Mbps, the device can download an MP3 music file in five seconds or a YouTube video in a minute.

Incorporating quad-band EDGE, GPRS and GSM data connectivity as well as 2100 MHz HSDPA/UMTS, the iCON 225’s Zero-CD technology allows applications, manuals and drivers to be downloaded and installed automatically when the device is connected to a computer for the first time: CD installation and bulky printed instruction manuals have been eliminated.

Product Highlights

* Compact USB stick form-factor measuring 63x26x13 mm
* Multimode HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM
* Worldwide coverage with quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM
* HSDPA connectivity at up to 7.2 Mbps
* EDGE/GPRS/GSM connectivity at up to 247 kbps
* Zero-CD Plug ‘n’ Play technology
* Transparent support for IPSec and VPN technology
* Comprehensively tested on infrastructure and networks wordwide
* Future proof through upgradeable firmware in Flash Memory

Nokia's N810 internet tablet hits store shelves

Introduction And Specification:

Folks, we're going to level with you: Nokia's N810 internet table -- the magnetizing, multi-faceted gadget so many of you cats have been waiting for -- is officially on store shelves. According to the Finnish company's reps, the WiFi equipped handheld is now available for your general consumption at such luminous retailers as Best Buy Mobile, CompUSA, Micro Center, and Nokia flagship stoes in New York and Chicago. If you'll recall, the Linux-based, touchscreen portable runs atop a 400MHz CPU, has 2GB of RAM (upgradable to 10GB), a built-in GPS receiver, a Mozilla-based browser, and a slide-out, full QWERTY keyboard. The silver dream machine is available right now for the suggested retail price of $479.

Slacker gets official on Portable Player, Premium Radio Service

Introduction:

Looks like Slacker's on the move -- remember those guys? They're the ones with the customizable streaming radio stations that intend to distribute dynamic audio streams by way of internet and satellite. The sat option's not quite ready yet, but the Portable Player is well on its way.


Specifications:

Looks like Slacker's on the move -- remember those guys? They're the ones with the customizable streaming radio stations that intend to distribute dynamic audio streams by way of internet and satellite. The sat option's not quite ready yet, but the Portable Player is well on its way. The details:

* It'll be available in 15 (2GB), 25 (4GB), and 40 (8GB) station capacities. (Station capacity is how Slacker gauges storage. Each station carries with it a slew of tracks). Prices are $200, $250, and $300, respectively.
* 4-inch screen with touch strip and scroll wheel. (Sorry, not a touchscreen, though, nor is it intended for video playback.)
* The device uses WiFi to connect directly to content, and MTP over USB connection. You can do your thing without using a machine, but if you want to use USB you won't have an easy time using it on non-Windows platforms.
* It supports MP3, WMA, and AAC playback. The music you sync from the stations is kept in "hidden" storage in DRMed AAC. No, you're not at all allowed to try and grab at this content.
* 10 hours battery life with removable li-ion battery
* Premium Radio Service is available for $7.50 per month, enabling unlimited track skipping, ratings music and banning tracks or artists, station sharing, and ad-free station streams