Dell's touchy-feely Studio One 19 lands in the US and Europe

Japan got the first crack at Dell's new multitouch all-in-one Studio One 19 in March, but it's finally headed our way. As expected, prices start at $699, with a Pentium E5200 Dual Core processor, GeForce 9200 integrated graphics, a 320GB HDD, 2GB of RAM and a slot-loading DVD burner in the low-end. Built-in webcams and multitouch features are present across the board. Check out a video of the multitouch functionality after the break: nothing much beyond the usual gimmicks, though we're a fan of letting your kid lay down beats with his jam-covered fingers -- that's true love.

Dead Rising 2 boasts 7,000 rendered zombies

Dead Rising 2 will increase the amount of on-screen zombies in the original Dead Rising by a massive 6,500

During the first in-game demonstration of Dead Rising 2 in Monte Carlo last week, developer Blue Castle showed off new technology that allows them to power 7,000 rendered characters, the largest amount ever seen in a game.

"With Dead Rising 1 the main idea at Capcom time was that up until that point we had only the Resident Evil series that had 20-30 zombies on screen, so we wanted to throw in as many zombies as possible," said Capcom's head of R&D Keiji Inafune during Dead Rising 2's presentation.

“We could have done much better the first time”

"With Dead Rising 1 we got 500 zombies, but with DR2 we have 7,000, so we could have done much better the first time."

While Inafune-san admitted that more zombies won't necessarily make a better game, he said it will broaden the scope of activities open to the player.

"It's not just if you throw more and more zombies into the game it is going to make the game better, but it does open up many opportunities," he said.

"For example, in Tokyo subway it gets very crowded with many people. Imagine getting onto a bike in Tokyo subway with two chainsaws attached to it and cutting through all those people, it's just something that feels really damn good!"

Capcom: We're only working on 360 Lost Planet 2

Lost Planet 2 producer Jun Takeuchi has said that Capcom is currently only working on the 360 version of Lost Planet 2

"We're are only working on the 360 version of Lost Planet 2 right now," Takeuchi told us during Capcom's Captivate event last week.

The news comes despite rumours that a PS3 version is soon to be announced.

“We are only working on the 360 version of Lost Planet 2 right now”

Takeuchi also said that he hopes a demo of Lost Planet 2 will be available on Xbox Live around the time of this year's E3, which takes place June 2-4.

New Jaguar XJ preview

Jaguar has unveiled the first image of the new XJ, which will debut in July 2009 and will go on sale in late 2009. Among the features are the aerospace-inspired aluminium body architecture and the panoramic glass roof.

Speaking at Auto Shanghai 2009, Jaguar Cars Managing Director, Mike O'Driscoll has confirmed that the all-new XJ will officially be revealed on July 9th in London and will go on sale at the end of 2009.

The new XJ will be powered by a range of Gen III gasoline and diesel engines such as the V6 diesel and 510 hp supercharged V8.

Highlights of the new model will include the new generation of Jaguar's aerospace-inspired aluminium body architecture, a choice of standard- or long wheelbase variants and a panoramic glass roof.

Detroit Motors Competition

The Brief:

Design a vehicle for the visionaries and entrepreneurs who will revitalize Detroit: [...] Small businesses like bakers, builders and mechanics. Creative entrepreneurs like designers, musicians and painters. As Detroiters use their ingenuity and creativity to create new enterprise, Detroit will reinvent itself and flourish once again.”

Competition begins on Wednesday, April 29th. The submission deadline is Tuesday, May 5th.

The first three winners will receive $1,500USD, $300 and $200 respectively. For more information on the Detroit Motors Competition visit Local Motors.

Heroes Will Have a Shortened 4th Season

April 23rd, 2009

While it seems likely that there is going to be a fourth season of NBC's superheroic drama Heroes, fans will get somewhere between five and seven fewer episodes. NBC plans to cut back on the number of episodes for the upcoming season, according to a report in TV Guide.

By all account, there are several reasons for the delay. First off, there is the fact that the show, while still showing respectable rating numbers, has lost a number of viewers since it's debut season in 2006. Additionally, there is the fact that NBC will have five fewer primetime hours to find programming for in the 2009-10 season, due to the program featuring Jay Leno that will be on at 10:00 p.m. weeknights. NBC also isn't alone in experimenting with shortened seasons - CBS's Harper's Island follows a 13-episode format, and ABC's Lost has had between 16 and 17 episodes per season for the past several.

The writers and producers on the show have already begun work on Heroes' fifth volume, which will involve a seres of mysterious deaths among those with abilities. The question, of course, is are the deaths natural? Or are they murders?

Heroes is an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. The show airs Monday nights on NBC.

Bioshock on hold

Videogame

fans were fairly thrilled when PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN director Gore Verbinski decided to make the acclaimed BIOSHOCK into a feature film

-- after all, someone coming from such grand-scale special effects extravaganzas seemed perfect for adapting the brilliant game.

Verbinski's plans now appear to be in danger, and for the expected reason given today's climate: money. Universal decided $160 million was a bigger withdrawal than they wanted to take out of the bank, so the golden property is now in dry dock (despite Verbinski's track record of profitability from expensive epics).

The studio and filmmaker both vow the project won't become another "HALO situation" (that game

adaptation was dumped due to ballooning price tag) and are considering options that might lower costs, like moving the production to somewhere with substantial tax incentives. But some of the staff has already been let go, so that could be later rather than sooner.

BIOSHOCK is set in the 1960s and follows a man whose plane crashes near the underwater art-deco city called Rapture. Built by a wealthy businessman as a sanctuary for brilliant scientists and artists to freely practice their crafts, Rapture fell into chaos as the inhabitants slowly became obsessed with genetic modification.

The videogame's sequel is due later this year.

Mass Effect 2 - Preview

The award winning multi-platinum sci-fi RPG Mass Effect is set to return with a highly anticipated second installment of the rumored trilogy. The sequel is set to offer even more intergalactic adventures, romantic encounters and challenges of conscience though players will have to wait until Q1 2010 to reignite their space odyssey. The huge success of the first game that received critical acclaim from many industry experts will set the bar high for the sequel. Mass Effect wasn’t a game without its faults and fans of the series weren’t slow in making their feelings known many fans commented on the length of the story and the lacklustre environments Bioware where quick to make it known that they have took onboard the criticism.
With such a long wait ahead for Mass Effect space groupies by the expected release date in Q1 2010 they will be sure to be breaking warp speed to re launch their intergalactic adventure and with the trusted Bioware behind the development its sure to be a top title. The fact that Bioware is taking their time with this installement should re assure fans that care is being taken to make this game better than the last. The features revealed up until now show great ambition and can only make the original game stronger. We will have to wait till 2010 or until more information is release to see if Mass Effect will eclipse its predecessor or be sucked into the black hole of the bargain bins.

More comparison between Canon EOS500D vs Nikon D5000

While pitched a little higher, Canon’s latest entry-level DSLR, the EOS 500D / Rebel T1i is likely to be one of the D5000’s biggest rivals. Both cameras tick many of the latest feature boxes today’s buyers look for including Live View, HD movie recording and HDMI output, and both come with 18-55mm kit lenses, but there are many differences to weigh-up.

In its favour, the Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i features higher resolution (15.1 Megapixels compared to 12.3), twice the maximum sensitivity (12800 ISO compared to 6400 ISO), 14-bit processing (compared to 12-bit on the D5000), a larger viewfinder magnification (0.87x compared to 0.78x), HD movie recording at 720p or 1080p (although the 1080p mode is restricted to 20fps), longer movie recording clips (18 minutes of 720p compared to five on the D5000), a larger and higher resolution 3in / 920k screen (compared to 2.7in / 230k) and in-camera correction of lens vignetting; you also get PC / Mac remote control and decent RAW conversion software included. Some may also prefer Canon’s adoption of H.264 and 30fps for encoding movies, although there are advantages to Nikon’s strategy, see below.

In its favour, the D5000 features an articulated screen that allows greater compositional flexibility in Live View and movie recording, slightly faster continuous shooting (4fps versus 3.4fps), more sophisticated AF (11-points versus nine), in-camera correction of chromatic aberrations and more scene presets which beginners may find more useful. Some may also prefer Nikon’s movie encoding at 24fps and its use of Motion JPEG that’s easier to edit than Canon’s H.264.

Depending on which features you most value, the Canon EOS 500D / T1i could certainly be perceived as a slightly higher-end product, but there are equally advantages to the D5000. It’s also important to remember the Canon’s higher resolution doesn’t necessarily make its image quality superior, and while it does boast Full 1080p HD recording, the lower frame rate of 20fps rules it out for serious use. As such it’s fairer to ignore this mode and consider the Canon as only offering 720p capabilities, just like the Nikon.

Nikon D5000 vs. Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D): Best of the Entry Level DSLRs

CRITERIA	Canon T1i/500D	Nikon D5000
Price (US)	$799 body only	$729 body only
LCD	• 3.0″ TFT LCD • 920,000 pixels • Wide viewing angle (170° horizontal and vertical) • Dual anti-reflection, anti-smudge • 7 brightness levels • Up to 10x zoom playback	• 2.7 ” TFT LCD • Approx. 230,000 dots • 100% frame coverage • Brightness adjustment • 180 degrees downward and swivel 270 degrees to the side
Video (1080)	20fps	n/a
Video (720)	30fps	24fps
Video (640)	30fps	24fps
Video (320)	n/a	24fps
Max Resolution	4752 x 3168	4288 x 2848
Sensor size	AP-C - 15.1mp	23.6 x 15.8 mm 12.3mp Nikon DX-format sized CMOS sensor
Processor	Digic4	Nikon EXPEED
File Formats	• RAW (.CR2 14-bit) • RAW (.CR2 14-bit) + JPEG Large/Fine • JPEG (EXIF 2.21) - Fine, Normal • Quicktime MOV format (H.264 video,linear PCM audio) • Up to 29 min 59 sec (or max file size 4 GB)	• NEF (compressed RAW) • JPEG: Fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression • NEF (RAW) + JPEG (any size) • AVI Motion-JPEG
Supports lenses	Canon EOS EF, EF-S mount	• Nikon F mount with AF contacts • Approx. 1.5x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
Sensor Cleaning	• Low-pass filter vibration at power-on (can be interrupted) • Anti-static coating on sensor surfaces	• Airflow control system • Image Sensor Cleaning
Auto Focus	• 9-point CMOS sensor • F5.6 cross-type at center, extra sensitivity at F2.8 • AF working range: -0.5 to 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100) • Predictive AF up to 10 m	• 11 focus points (1 cross-type sensors) • Multi-CAM 1000 • AF working range: -1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, normal temperature) • Contrast Detect in Live View mode
Microphone	internal mono only	internal mono only
ISO Range	Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (6400-12800 expandable)	200-3200 (extend ISO up to 6400 and down to ISO - 100)
Grip Accessory	Yes	the company won’t be producing any vertical or battery grips for the D5000. Probably due to the LCD
Memory card	SD	SD
Popup Flash	Yes	Yes
Maximum frames per sec	3.4	4
Weight	480 g (1.1 lb) No battery	Approx. 560 g (1 lb. 4 oz.) without battery, memory card, body cap, or monitor cover

So there you go… ready to buy one?

Nikon D5000

The D5000 is the latest addition to a series of very compact consumer DSLRs from Nikon, following the D40, D40x and D60. Based on the features and price, the D5000 seems to be an update to the D60 (January 2008), which in turn replaced the D40x (March 2007). In other words, the product cycle in that chain is merely about one year.

The newest feature on the D5000 is a swivel LCD monitor, which is a first among Nikon DSLRs. The D5000’s LCD can swing downward and rotate by 180 degrees. In conjunction with the live view feature, the subjects being photographed can view themselves in the LCD while composing the image in this “self portrait” mode. The swivel monitor is also convenient for composition while holding the camera from a high, overhead position or a low, ground-level position. In its normal up position, the LCD can face the photographer just like conventional DSLR LCDs on the back. It can also be rotated so that the LCD screen is hidden for maximum protection during transportation.

Similar to several new DSLRs introduced in the last 6 months or so such as the Nikon D90, the D5000 can capture D Movie (HD video) clips. Video will certainly become a standard feature on future consumer DSLRs.

Paul Walker and Vin Diesel to Return for Fast and Furious 5

Latest in the franchise, Fast & Furious breaks box office record for April with a 72.5 million dollar take last weekendAfter the latest film in the franchise has proven itself an unqualified hit, Fast & Furious stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker have immediately signed on for a fifth movie in the series.

Fast & Furious broke a box office record for April by posting a 72.5 million (US) take for the opening weekend.

The stars certainly wasted no time in committing to making more road raging action for the big screen. Since the original film, The Fast and the Furious released back in 2001, was a break-out hit for both stars, Diesel and Walker have seen their careers flounder with a slew of poorly received movie fare. After returning to the franchise this time around, they seem to realize where their bread gets buttered.

Fast & Furious, released last week to tepid reviews, has defied the critics and founds its audience in the car tuning subcultures in the United States and of those around the world. Though, Walker may have inadvertently acknowledged that this wasn't the best of sequels and hopes to make the next one the film that tops the series.

"I don't think the best one's been done yet," he is quoted in the MSNBC story.

Cristiano's the Special Ron

MANCHESTER UNITED pulled off an historic victory — thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 40-yard rocket.The Portuguese star — dubbed ‘The Winker’ after his exploits at the 2006 World Cup — hit a sixth-minute stunner as United became the first English team to win at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao.

Steven Spielberg Thinks Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen Is 'Awesome'

While it's still a few months away, and there is much work to be done, director Michael Bay has gotten at least one positive review so far for his next film. Bay posted a thread on his message boards where he indicates that executive producer Steven Spielberg thinks his new Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is "awesome."

Steven Spielberg sat next to me in a big 100 person theater at Sony today. There were 98 empty seats. The lights came up after we just watched my cut of Revenge of the Fallen. He turned to me and said "It's awesome". He felt this movie was better then the first - and probably my best, who knows - at this point in a movie you start to lose your objectivity. I just hope the fans like it. I'm going to start putting it in front of audiences in a few weeks - no you are not invited, yet.

We have 60 days left. Let me tell you it will be a race to finish. It's 12 at night and we are still working here in the edit room. Everyone at ILM and DD are killing themselves right now, they are doing a stellar job on the effects. We also just finished our trailer which is coming out with Wolverine.

Proton Exora will be launch tonite!!

Malaysian 1st MPV will finally be launch tonite 1030pm @ KLCC. Kudos to all Proton's.

Megatron Is Out for Vengeance in Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen!

Michael Bay originally stated that Megatron would only be making a cameo appearance in his highly anticipated summer sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Now, Hasbro's action figure packaging for the film has revealed a different destiny for everyone's favorite bad guy robot. TF08.net has revealed new photos of the upcoming Megatron action figure, which comes with the following plot description:

Trapped in the black, crushing depths of the sea, his mind inert in the grip of stasis lock, Megatron knew nothing of the desperate search mounted for his remains by the other Decepticons. When he was finally brought back online, their effort and sacrifice meant little to him. The only thing that had any meaning was revenge. He would have his vengeance against the human boy who cheated him of his prize, and he swore to celebrate over the smoking wreck of Optimus Prime.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen CGI Images

Fallen

Sidesweep

Ravage

DevastatorSkids & Mudlaps

Raikkonen: Ferrari will bounce back

Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen has vowed that Ferrari will bounce back from their awful start to the 2009 season which has seen them fail to register a single point.

Two races in, the reigning constructors' champions have not only finished outside the points but have also looked some way off the pace of the all-conquering Brawn GP team.

And to make matters worse, poor tactical decisions cost Felipe Massa in qualifying and Raikkonen in the race itself.

That moved Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo to demand an improvement from his team.

"We know that we have to react to catch up in terms of performance, part of which is also due to the interpretation of the technical rules (the rear diffusers), considered to be incorrect by many teams, but that's why we'll work very hard over these next few days to improve the F60's aerodynamic developments as much as possible," he said.

And Raikkonen, who many believe is driving for his future with the team this season following a disappointing defence to his title last year, is confident the team can react before the next grand prix in China following disasters in both Australia and Malaysia.

"We still don't have any points following two grands prix and without a doubt this is a difficult time for us," he said.

"But we've been through similar phases in the past. We know how to react and we'll do so in Shanghai."

However, Raikkonen admitted that the FIA decision over the rear diffusers being used by Brawn, Toyota and Williams will also have a large impact on the Ferrari's competitiveness.

Several teams have lodged an appeal with the FIA over the legality of those diffusers and a hearing is set to be held next week.

"Right now we still have some problems which were evident in Malaysia," added the Finn.

"The next race is in China but a couple of days beforehand the FIA's Court of Appeal will decide on the diffusers.

"That's a decision that will have a huge impact on the championship."

Autodesk SketchBook Pro 2010

Autodesk has released the 2010 version of its SketchBook Pro 2D drawing and painting application. Among the new features are the simmetry sketching, blur/sharpen and rotate canvas tools.
Designed for use with tablet PCs or digitized pen tablets, Autodesk SketchBook Pro is a digital sketchpad.

It is easy to use with fast, reactive drawing and productivity-enhancing tools that help you express ideas freely.

It can be effectively used in many situations including product concept design and ideation, illustration, character studies, set and level designs, storyboarding, annotation and review.

New features of the 2010 Version include:

• Symmetry Sketching
• Custom Lagoon Preferences
• Custom Marking Menus
• DIY Brushes
• Textured Brushes
• Blur/Sharpen
• Straight Edged Ruler
• Elliptical Template
• Rotate Canvas
• Blur and Sharpen
• Brush Manager
• Custom marking menus

Nissan GT-R Declared 2009 World Performance Car of the Year

Nissan has bagged the 2009 World Performance Car of the Year award via the indomitable GT-R. The other two nominees were the Corvette ZR1 and Porsche 911 Carrera. Initially from a list of 23 contenders a panel of 59 international judges narrowed the list down to ten, then three and finally the winner.

The Mobil 1-sponsored World Performance Car of the Year award is part of the World Car of the Year competition. It was created as a sub-segment in 2005 in order to cater for cars that have a sharp inclination to high performance but not to the exclusion of all other attributes. Part of the qualifying criteria is that each finalist must have a minimum production run of 500 units per year.

On the winning GT-R one judge observed, "The drive of the GT-R, especially on a track, reveals an incredibly flexible all-wheel-drive chassis that lays down the rubber whenever you request it... for $77,000 it may be the world's best enthusiast car."

The Nissan GT-R is powered by a direct injection 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 engine with 24 valves. At its best it produces 480hp (357kW) and maximum torque of 588Nm (430 lb-ft) between 3,200 and 5,200rpm.

Past winners include the Porsche Cayman S in 2006, the Audi RS 4 in 2007 and the Audi R8 in 2008.

The 10 Shows That Deserve to Return Next Fall

1. "Chuck"
In short, this show is clever, all-around fun, with a great cast, stellar writing and lots and lots of heart. And Chuck and Sarah may be the TV couple we most enjoy seeing almost hook up, but not quite. Save that for season five or six.

2. "Life"
Charlie Crews, the fruit-loving L.A. detective with a Zen attitude, has become one of our favorite TV cops ever in just under two years, thanks to Damian Lewis' deceptively placid, quirky charisma. This season, the weekly cases got more creative, the supporting cast got stronger (partly due to the addition of Donal Logue and Gabrielle Union) and the underlying conspiracy plot got twistier.

3. "Fringe"
We tuned in because of Joshua Jackson, stuck around despite a slightly sluggish start, and were finally rewarded with some fun science fiction. We're just getting to the interesting mythology, and we're finally warming up to Anna Torv, mostly because she kicks butt. It's a little bit of Alias and a little bit of "X-Files", with some really gross/awesome monsters of the week, and just turning out to be a pretty enjoyable action series.

4. "Better Off Ted"
We need a good workplace comedy to make us laugh again, since "The Office" has been disappointing us lately. This one is more akin to "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" and is filled with that quirk and innate silliness that turns off the general public who prefer the more straight-forward sitcoms like "Rules of Engagement".

5. "Dollhouse"
We're still iffy on this show, but it took a while for "Angel" to really hit its stride, too. Even "Buffy" had some less-than-stellar first season episodes. Perhaps that's just part of Joss Whedon's style. It seems like Joss and Co. are making an active effort to work out the kinks to really get this series to meet the high standards his fans hold him to. It's getting there, but without a second season, we may never get to see that vision realized.

6. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"
We've already lost one show with robots this season with the end of "BSG". Don't take our other one away from us. We need some robots kicking butt to really round out our weekly TV viewing. Seriously though, we love the idea of this show and every time it starts to wear our patience thin with family drama, they hook us again with more cool Terminator technology.

7. "Kings"
This ambitious series is bringing a whole world to life, and the twisted tale just started to get really juicy, with backstabbing and dirty deals. It may be based in history, but this tale of a rich, powerful, corrupt monarchy has an epic feel about it that shouldn't be confined to just a few episodes. Plus, we're so grateful to have Ian McShane back in a starring role again; to take the show away now would just reopen our old "Deadwood" wounds.

8. "Rock of Love"
Sure, Bret said that this "Bus" installment was his last chance at finding love, but we're not sure we love, or even like, any of the girls that are left. He can do better than that, for sure. And even if he can't, it would be great for us to see him try, because there's something disgustingly engrossing about his sweet nature and the skanky girls who compete for him.

9. "Celebrity Apprentice"
"The Apprentice" was getting to be a tired format. The addition of celebrities makes it infinitely more interesting, and these last two seasons have succeeded in making us actually enjoy this franchise again. But apparently we're in the minority, since the ratings are shrinking. Perhaps the problem is that they need a higher profile of celebrities to draw more viewers in the future, although the C-listers and sports stars (aside from Dennis Rodman) seem to be a scrappier bunch, willing to do what it takes to get 15 more minutes of fame.

10. "Southland"/"The Unusuals"
Neither of these shows have even premiered yet, but while they both have promising pilots that have us hooked, it is unlikely that they'll actually last. "Unusuals" has police cases with a healthy dose of comedy, which might be a little too oddball for the general public. And "Southland" is twisted and gritty, but with NBC's new schedule next fall, there's not really a lot of space for this show that needs to be in the 10 PM hour. We like them, but we're worried that they're doomed before they started.

Marvel Officially Announces Iron Man 2 Production Start

Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. has launched the production of Iron Man 2 starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, John Slattery, Mickey Rourke and Samuel L. Jackson. Jon Favreau will direct Iron Man 2, the sequel to Iron Man, with the screenplay by Justin Theroux. Iron Man 2 is being released in theatres domestically on May 7, 2010 and distributed worldwide by Paramount Pictures. Tele Munchen will distribute the film in Germany and Austria.

Iron Man 2 is being produced by Marvel Studios' President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Louis D'Esposito, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, David Maisel, Denis Stewart and Susan Downey.

Based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero, Iron Man 2 continues the story of the 2008 summer box office blockbuster Iron Man, the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Studios. The first film in the franchise has grossed over a half billion dollars worldwide at the box office.

In addition to Iron Man 2, Marvel Studios is also scheduled to release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including Thor on May 20, 2011, The First Avenger: Captain America on July 22, 2011, and The Avengers on May 4, 2012.

Acer Timeline series

The newly announced Acer Timeline series is out to prove that, unlike the Adamo, being slim and pretty doesn't mean having to fork out the big bucks. Though specifics are still a little hazy at this time, we do know that this new range will be based on Intel's ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo chips with 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch screen sizes.

2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Facelift Official Details Released

From the front the facelifted model boasts a more pronounced grille, a revised bumper with chrome inserts in the air intakes, as well as LED daytime driving lights, indicators and marker lights for the S 400 HYBRID and S 600 (They are part of a package on the other S-Class models). Out back the changes are less noticeable as the only modifications are the addition of new LED taillights and a revised exhaust system that is integrated into the rear bumper.

Despite the minor makeover, the big news is the launch of the S 400 HYBRID which boasts a fuel economy rating of 7.9L/100km and emits just 186 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Set to become the world's first production vehicle to combine a hybrid powertrain with a lithium-ion battery, the S 400 HYBRID uses a 3.5-liter petrol engine that produces 205 kW (279 hp) and an electric motor that cranks out 15 kW (20 hp).

As with all previous S-Classes, the updated 2010 model features a host of new technologies to keep drivers safe. The Adaptive Highbeam Assist system adjusts the vehicles headlights to maximize forward visibility while preventing oncoming motorists from being distracted by the unnecessary use of the highbeams. Other updates include a revised Night View Assist system with pedestrian detection, a new Lane Keeping Assist functioHide alln which vibrates the driver's seat when the vehicles leaves a lane unintentionally, and a new Speed Limit Assist system that displays the current speed limit in the central display.

source : worldcarfans.com

Nikon prepping new low-end dSLR?

Nikon's lower-end dSLR line is due for a revamp, and there are some signs that it could come soon in the form of a model featuring an articulated screen.

Photos of an SLR with a screen that pivots out and twists surfaced Sunday at the Something Awful forum and Monday at Engadget; the photos depict the production of a Nikon commercial in Eastern Europe, according to the forum posting from "indyjb" and Engadget.

Articulating screens are nothing new; some Olympus and Panasonic dSLRs feature them, while some Sony models have a pivoting LCD that can be useful. But newer technology developments in the market make them more useful.

Wacom Intuos4

Wacom has launched the Intuos4, the newest generation of its high performance professional pen tablet available in four sizes. New features include 2048 pressure levels, a new tip sensor and illuminated function keys. Prices start from $229.

New Features

2048 pressure levels

The newly developed pen IC (integrated circuit) has increased the processing speed of pen pressure information.Thanks to this development, the previous 1024 pressure levels available on the Intuos3 have been doubled to 2048 in the new Intuos4.The accurate detection of fingertip nuances provides even more realistic paintbrush touch expression.

New tip sensor

The sensor in the pen tip that detects stroke pressure is now equipped with the newly developed second-generation Tip Sensor.The minimum ON weight (minimum weight sensed by the pen tip) of 10 grams for the Intuos3 has been reduced to 1 gram in the Intuos4, giving the best possible power of expression when drawing with even lighter touches.

Increased efficiency

Shortcuts and other operations used frequently can be set to the Function Keys, reducing hand movement to the absolute minimum.Also, the functions set to these buttons are displayed in the Function Display for quick and easy checking.

Touchwheel

Operations such as zooming, changing brush size, layer switching, and rotating the canvas can now be performed at the touch of a finger (with supported software).

Bryan Fuller Discusses the Future of Heroes

Bryan Fuller worked on the first season of NBC's hit series Heroes, before leaving for ABC's Pushing Daisies. When that show ended, Fuller was snatched back up by NBC for Heroes. Now, Fuller has spoken to SCI FI Wire about the show and where he sees the future of the show going.

When asked what he wanted to accomplish with the new scripts, Fuller answered "I just really wanted to get everything back to a character base. I think character was shoved aside for plot. The second year with the virus was interesting, but then it got complicated and techno-babbly. With "Villains," it started out interesting and then became about formula. When they started talking about how we were injected with our powers and it became sci-fi ghetto storytelling, I became disconnected." Fuller continued "Mohinder went from a noble scientist to being a mad scientist with Jeff Goldblum hair and wardrobe. Claire became so strident and unlikable because she was just whining, bitching and holding a gun. I was just concerned the wheel had been jerked so sharply in the wrong direction with what had worked about the first season, which was ordinary people with extraordinary powers. Everything ordinary about their lives went out the window, and everything was extraordinary. That was my frustration."

Fuller also addressed Ali Larter's new character, Tracy Strauss, who seemed to die in the climax of Cold Snap. Asked if that was the last we would see of her, Fuller said "Oh, no. There was a lot of debate over whether she's winking, but no, she's not winking. She's blinking, and a tear comes down. There was miscommunication with the visual effects, where you were only supposed to see one of her eyes. It was definitely a blink and a shedding of a tear. Tracy comes back in a really big way later on in the season." Fuller went on to say that Tracy had a journey ahead of her which was going to be about regaining her humanity. "What she learned from her encounter with Micah/Rebel made a huge impact on her," Fuller said. "She is going to be following that through-line the next season. There is that realization she has been approaching politics from the wrong angle. In the fourth year, Tracy will have a new perspective that may not be right, but it's more understandable than before.

Finally, Fuller offered the following teases about the final four episodes of the fourth season:

There's actually a lot of really fun character work happening in the last four episodes that the writing staff is proud of. We'll see Matt retaliate against Danko in a very interesting way. We'll also see Sylar strike at the heart of HRG's life in a way that causes things for him to unravel. The episode after that is essentially "Company Man" for Angela Petrelli, where we'll be doing a flashback to her life in 1961 and the events that happened there, which really motivates who she is now. In episode 24, we get to the heart of Sylar's identity crisis, and we clearly understand what his agenda is, what he's after and who the people in his life are that made the biggest impact. Episode 25 is our big finale.

Malaysian GP - Ferrari: Our performance is unacceptable

Reigning constructors' champions Ferrari were searching for a quick fix after both cars finished outside the points at the rain-shortened Malaysian Grand Prix, a week after a similar scoreless weekend in Australia.

A tropical storm over the Sepang circuit brought an abrupt end to the second race of the season and while Brawn GP's Jenson Button was able to celebrate a second consecutive victory,

Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen were never a factor, with Brazilian Massa finishing five places ahead of his team mate in ninth.

After an error of judgment ruined his qualifying session on Saturday, Massa believes the Italian outfit must rebuild from scratch ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in a fortnight.

"It was a bad result and we need to start again from zero," said Massa.

"We need to get together to understand where we can improve things. To clear up our mistakes and fine-tune our strategies.

"We (have not gone from being) great in the past to suddenly stupid now, although last year we had a better car. But we have to work quickly to get this season back on track."

Team principal Stefano Domenicali echoed his driver's concerns and after both cars failed to finish in the season-opening race in Melbourne, he stressed the need for a positive reaction.

"It was the second bad weekend in a row and we have to react really immediately to this," the Italian said.

"Things are not going well and our performance is not acceptable and I will not accept it. We need to make sure we resolve any technical issues with the car and also cut down on the mistakes we are making with our strategies."

Under pressure from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, Domenicali explained the team needed results to improve by the next grand prix on April 19.

"From a performance point of view, we have to work on the aerodynamics of the car... the downforce," he added.

"We need to work day and night to make this better and we also need to see why the car is so competitive in practice at the start of a race weekend but struggles in qualifying and on raceday.

"The car is very sensitive to fuel load and tyres right now, something we need to fix as it should not be this way."

Dell Adamo vs Apple MacBook Air

It’s the world’s slimmest, sexiest and most stylish Windows notebook, but how does Dell’s new Adamo stack up against the MacBook Air?

Design

Take it from us: the Adamo looks like no other Dell you’ve ever seen. The company which made its name building boxes and helping turn the PC into a commodity has invested heavily in design and research over the past few years.Indeed, we’d suggest that if Steve Jobs had unveiled an Apple-badged Adamo as last year’s new-look MacBook Pro, the applause would have just as loud and the lustful sighs just as longing. That’s a compliment to Dell’s design team, because good design lives outside the false boundary of brands.

The Adamo follows a straight-cut and decidedly modernistic European mode compared to the tapered and organic futurist conceit of the sylph-like MacBook Air.

In keeping with its ‘luxe laptop’ positioning the Adamo is cast from a machined aluminium frame, finished with a stylishly eye-catching pattern etched on the lid and a scalloped backlit keyboard. Fashionistas will appreciate that the Adamo will be available in Onyx and Pearl, compared to the single silver sheen of the MacBook Air.Given that taste is largely subjective we could declare this catwalk shoot-out a tie. But this is our comparison, and our take is that the Adamo is the world’s most stylish laptop.
Winner: Adamo.

The world’s thinnest laptop?

Dell claims that Adamo is “the world’s thinnest laptop”. Well, yes and no (but mainly yes).Apple has a little wiggle room to hold onto bragging rights thanks to the MacBook Air’s tapered design, which goes from 0.4 cm (0.16 inches) at the leading edge to 1.94 cm (0.76 inches) at the rear.

Adamo’s consistent height from front to back gives it a profile of 1.64 cm (0.65 inches) – so while Adamo is noticeably thicker at the front, it’s thinner than the MacBook Air when overall width is taken into account.
Winner: Adamo (but we’ll allow that the MacBook Air’s slivered shape could make it feel thinner).

The world’s lightest laptop?

This crown still belongs to the MacBook Air, which barely nudges the scales at 1.36 kg (3 pounds). At 1.81 kg (4 pounds) the Adamo has bugger-all body fat, and just like the MacBook Air it’ll often make you stop and wonder if you remembered to put your laptop in your bag.

The Adamo also has a slightly larger footprint than the MacBook Air – it’s 33 cm (13.4 inches) wide by 24.1 cm (9.5 inches) deep, against the MacBook Air’s 32.5 cm (12.8 inches) and 22.7 cm (8.94 inches).

We’re not trying to split hairs – any notebook that’s not much larger than a sheet of A4 paper and weights less than 2 kg is still brilliant – but a win’s a win.
Winner: MacBook Air.

Performance

While both the Adamo and MacBook Air are fitted with the latest 45nm Penryn-class Core 2 Duo processors, the MacBook Air has the meatier powerplant in Intel’s low-voltage SL series, with a choice between 1.6GHz (SL9300) and 1.8GHz (SL9400).

Dell opted for the less power-hungry but equally less powerful ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo SU, running at 1.2GHz (SU9300) or 1.4GHz (SU9400).And there’s much more to this than clock speed: the MacBook Air’s SL chips are packed with 6MB of cache and run through a 1066MHz front size bus, giving them a clear edge over the 3MB cache and 800MHz bus of the parsimonious SU processors

For graphics, Adamo relies on Intel’s embedded GMA X4500HD engine while Apple favours NVIDIA’s GeForce 9400M graphics processor.

The Adamo wins back a point for being able to take 4GB of RAM whereas the MacBook Air is stuck on 2GB, but the MacBook Air still has more muscle to begin with.
Winner: MacBook Air.

Battery

We’re going to have to base this one off the vendor’s stated battery life figures until we can do a side by side test under identical circumstances. Of course, the manufacturer’s battery figures are best viewed through rose-coloured glasses, and in most cases are attainable only under the most aggressive power management settings – low screen brightness, minimal usage and certainly no wireless Internet.

So while Dell rates the Adamo’s six-cell lithium polymer slab as good for five hours, against Apple’s allowance of ‘up to 4.5 hours of wireless productivity’, we don’t feel confident to call this in Dell’s favour without some real-world benchmarking.

It’s also worth noting that the batteries of both the Adamo and MacBook Air are sealed into the chassis rather than be replaceable by the end-user.
Winner: This one’s a tie.

Connectivity: wireless

Dell takes this round without breaking a sweat. While both the Adamo and MacBook Air pack the mandatory 11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1, only Dell lets you option up with integrated 3G (in the higher-spec $4,299 model).For bonus points, the wireless card also includes a GPS receiver and is rated to 7.2Mbps on both the 2100MHz 3G and 850MHz Next G bands (although not 900MHz, which Optus and Vodafone are using for their national mobile broadband network extensions).Best of all, you’re not tied to a single telco. While the 3G model of the Adamo will include a Vodafone SIM card and come preloaded with Vodafone’s software (and most likely some sort of sign-up wizard or link), the SIM card’s not activated – leaving it up to the buyer to choose one of the Vodafone plans on offer or sign up to another carrier. The modem isn’t locked to Vodafone, although Dell cautions that it’s not certified for any other network.
Winner: Adamo

Connectivity: wired

This is a simple game of count the ports. The MacBook Air infamously shorts its buyers with a single USB port while the Adamo has three, one of which also doubles an an eSATA port.With the Adamo you also get Gigabit Ethernet (missing from the MacBook Air) and a standard DisplayPort socket rather than a far-from-common Mini DisplayPort socket (so you need to shell out $45 for an adaptor available only from Apple).The only caveat we’d make is that the Adamo relegates all these ports to the rear of the chassis. We doubt there’d be sufficient room on the low profile side panels for anything but the tiny headphone socket, which indeed sensibly lives on the right side panel. While this out-of-sight arrangement undoubtedly benefits the Adamo through clean uncluttered lines, it’s a headache when you need to plug in a USB memory key, iPod or similar device which has only a short-term connection to your notebook.
Winner: Adamo

Display

The Adamo’s 13.4 inch panel provides a barely noticeable boost over the MacBook Air’s 13.3 inch display, but pumps the pixels up from Apple’s 1280 x 800 to a hi-res 1366 x 768 for 720p HD (WXGA 16:9). Yum.
Winner: Adamo

Storage

Both of these bantamweights are stocked with a 128GB solid state drive, but Apple also offers a 120GB hard drive in the entry-level MacBook Air. We’d rather have SSD any day, but the price difference means you can get a MacBook Air for $2,899.
Winner: MacBook Air, for no other reason that choice (and a cheaper price tag) is good

Rumor: Apple Orders 3.2 Megapixel Camera Sensors for Next iPhone

Chinese online newspaper Digitimes is citing industry resources stating that Apple has ordered 3.2 megapixel image sensors for the third version of the iPhone. Apple has also reportedly ordered a 5-megapixel sensor for a mystery product. From Digitimes:

OmniVision has received 3.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor (CIS) orders for Apple's next-generation iPhone, according to market sources. The company is also said to have secured 5-megapixel CIS orders for another Apple product expected to be launched later in the year.

OmniVision beat out STMicroelectronics and Aptina Imaging for the Apple orders, the sources added.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine' leaked online

A high-quality, full-length work print of the 20th Century Fox film, which is set for release May 1, appeared online Tuesday. The film focuses on the beginnings of Hugh Jackman's clawed Marvel superhero Wolverine.

Fox said in a statement Wednesday the version of the film posted online was not complete and vowed that the source would be prosecuted. It said the FBI and MPAA are investigating.

All New 2009 Toyota Wish Revealed

Toyota put the new Toyota Wish minivan on showroom floors in Japan today, marking the first change to the Wish line since the 2005 facelift. The compact seven-seater will hit Toyota's domestic market with force, as the company expects to sell nearly 6,000 units every month.

The six different trims are available with one of two engines. With the ultra-efficient base unit, the customer gets a 1.8-liter engine that pulls the car for 16 kilometers per liter of fuel (6.25l/100km). It comes standard as a front-wheel-drive, but can be upgraded with either a more responsive CVT Sport Mode, four-wheel drive, or both.

Not enough power for your family? You can also step up to a 2.0-liter engine which is available with Dynamic Sport Mode. DSM uses traction control and electric power steering to give better responsiveness. Unfortunately, with this option you lose one seat, but at least you will still feel like a man when you plow through corners with five whiny kids in the car complaining about Dora the Explorer's new look.

Kia Unveils KND-5 Concept Car at 2009 Seoul Motor Show

Kia unveiled their latest concept car earlier today. The Kia KND-5 upmarket sedan was introduced hours before its debut at the Seoul Motor Show.

A representation of Kia's upcoming "near-luxury sedan," codenamed the Kia VG, this concept gives us a bit of insight into Kia's short-term plans. It comes with a strong 3.5-liter V6 Lambda engine, which produces around 275 hp. At 4,945mm long and 1,475mm high, the car has very similar measurements to the Honda Accord. The KND-5 is 1,850mm wide (5mm wider than the Accord), and has a 2,845mm wheelbase.

The new concept includes body-colored door handles, panorama sun-roof, LED headlamps, and big 20-inch alloys. In many ways, the vehicle looks near-production ready. In front, the car has taken on "Kia's family-look radiator grille which is based on a symbolic representation of a tiger's roaring countenance," whatever that means.

Kia's new concept, the Kia KND-5, will be on display throughout the Seoul Motor Show.

Japan Has Gone to Far with Rape Simulation Game

With Jack Thompson, the longtime face of the anti-game-violence movement, recently banned from practicing law in Florida. There hasn't been any outcrys about video games in awhile. Well now is a good time to resurrect Jack Thompson from the cave he was buried in. Fresh out of Japan comes RapeLay, a rape simulation game.

Rapelay begins with a man standing on a subway platform, stalking a girl in a blue sundress. On the platform, you can click “prayer” to summon a wind that lifts her skirt. She blushes. Once she’s on the train, the assault begins. Inside the subway car, you can use the mouse to grope your victim as you stand in a crowd of mute, translucent commuters. From here, your character corners his victim-in a station bathroom, or in a park with the help of male friends-and a series of interactive rape scenes begins.

This game was available on Amazon.com but was recently banned. With pirating at the common level that it is now, your average middle school student can download it for the PC. There's a push to make a country wide ban on the game but what good will it make? Games are getting naughtier and naughtier as the days go by. As sexual images become more acceptable in culture, what could this lead to in the future?

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman Talk Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Sci Fi Wire recently spoke with Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen screenwriters/producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman about the film. Here's a brief segment of the interview below, where Orci talks about the inception of the sequel's plotline.

The theme started coming out of Sam leaving home, now. It's two years later, he's going to college. ... What are the responsibilities and the cutting off that goes on when you leave home? And that mirrors the fact the Transformers themselves are away from home. And in a new home. And what are your responsibilities as you kind of step out into the world on your own without your support system? ...

It sort of started coming out of that very real place. Again, the first one was about ... [the] child getting his first car and how that leads you to adulthood and sexuality and all these kinds of things. It's a very simple [story]. A lot of people say, "Oh, it's a classic cliche." Well, it's a cliche because we all go through it. And it's the same with ... heading off to college and letting your parents go and becoming the adult and trying to find out who you are and ... what you're going to do with the rest of your life.

Hotter Nissan GT-R to Slot Above SpecV is on the Way

As hot as the Nissan GT-R SpecV is, it is not going to be the last word in the highly-engaging GT-R saga. After the InsideLine team spent some time driving the SpecV in Japan, their initial delight was turned into feverish excitement. This was caused by SpecV chief engineer Mr Kazutoshi Mizuno casually telling the team that "the SpecV, in contrast to what you might be thinking, is not the high-performance version of the GT-R."

The GT-R was launched in 2007 after a long period characterised by speculation and spy pictures. In its basic form it makes 353kW (480hp) and 588Nm of torque from its twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine. The engine is mated to a six-speed dual clutch transmission and together they can hurl the AWD Nissan from 0 - 60mph in about 3.5 seconds. Top speed is estimated at around 309km/h.

In 2008 Nissan infamously claimed the production car lap record at the Nürburgring with a car that was said to be stock, bar one or two items. Additionally, it was reported that the SpecV was tested independently and, although inconclusive, found to be slower than the stock car around a famous Tsukuba race track.