iPhone gets nostalgic with HP calculator apps

Depending on your age the terms HP 12C and 15C will either bring back fond memories or be met with a quick visit to Wikipedia to find out what I’m talking about.

They are in fact calculators from the relatively distant past with some very nice retro styling. If you happen to own one it probably hasn’t been used in quite a while either because you have no use for a separate calculator in this digital age or you don’t want to risk damaging it.

Whatever the reason HP are now offering us an alternative way to use its HP 12C and 15C calculators again and without fear of ever damaging them. You can now buy them as an iPhone App.

If you want to replace the default iPhone calculator with one of these HP classics it won’t be cheap. The 12C will cost you $15 and the 15C $30. Hopefully those prices will be reduced in the not too distant future, but compared to when they were originally released that price is a steal - the 12C, for example, used to sell for $150 in 1981.

Overheating Issues Continue To Plague iPhone 3GS.

No company is perfect. It appears that there have been issues with the white iPhone 3GS overheating and discoloring easily. The rumors didn’t attract very much attention at first, but reports continue to file in. Apple hasn’t taken the issue very seriously yet. They’ve updated their support document entry on iPhone overheating to include the 3GS, but that’s as close as they’ve come to dealing with the actual problem. Apple states that overheating phones will show a warning screen and lock down for all non-emergency calls. This doesn’t address the primary current issue; the fact that overheating iPhones are discoloring.

It’s possible that the issue is due to a faulty battery cell in the iPhone itself. Wired has done an in-depth report on the subject and believes that the broken part might necessitate an iPhone recall. This would be a huge blow to Apple’s already marred 3GS launch.

U.S. Economy Recovery, Crude Oil Push Canadian Dollar Up

The loonie continued its rally after a day of losses as the main trading partner of Canada, the United States, is showing signs of an economic revival.

The Canadian currency has been benefiting from several international factors that are helping it to build the strongest bullish pattern in decades against the main currencies. Canada is one of the main global oil exporters, and since the demand for oil has rebounded in April, the loonie is rocketing against currencies like the greenback and the euro, helped also by the stocks rally, which add attractiveness to the Canadian dollar. After signs of economic recovery in Asia, now speculations about United States interest rate policy, are fueling demand for more risk in equities market, creating a perfect scenario for the loonie to grow stronger.

According to specialists, the current scenario for the loonie might be the most favorable in years, firstly the growing demand for oil, and now, being considered as a satellite for the U.S. economy, it is extremely likely that the loonie will remain stronger if its main trade partner finds a quick way out of recession, and signs that an eventual interest rate raise from the Federal Reserve are already having a positive impact for the Canadian currency.

CAD/JPY rose to 89.12 from 88.35. USD/CAD fell to 1.0982 from 1.1095.

If you want to comment on the Canadian dollar’s recent action or have any questions regarding this currency, please, feel free to reply below.

Audi Crowned Year's Most Improved Brand

INGOLSTADT, Germany – December 19, 2008: The trade magazine “Automobilwoche” has honored Audi as the year’s most improved brand; at the same time, the DEKRA testing company has rated the Audi A6 as the “Most Reliable of All Classes”: just two highlights in a long list of honors for the Audi brand in 2008.

This year the brand with the four rings not only delivered an impressive domestic performance with 35 awards but proved its excellence in the international arena as well with 56 prizes.

The Audi R8, the A5 and the A4 are the Audi models that won the most awards. Immediately after its debut, the Audi A4 was chosen as “Europe’s Auto1" by "Autobild" readers from 26 countries. At the New York International Auto Show, the Audi R8 for the first time received two “World Car of the Year Awards” – for Performance and Design.

An early highlight in the year among the 35 domestic awards was the quadruple win (A3, A4, A6, R8) among the readership of the trade magazine "auto motor und sport".

In addition to the familiar stars of the brand, a newcomer to the Audi family attracted attention particularly toward year’s end – the Audi Q5. Even before its market launch on November 14 it captured two design awards and the coveted “Golden Steering Wheel” in the SUV category. These were followed by three additional prizes, including the “Euro Car Body Award” by an international panel of experts.

Audi owes the success of its vehicles both to its recent range of models and to their especially appealing design. In “Automobilwoche”, the manufacturer with the slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” is credited by automobile analyst Jürgen Pieper not only with improved quality and technology but even with design leadership in this industry. 

Audi Design Chief Stefan Sielaff agrees: “Presently we not only have the newest range of models, but also the most beautiful.” This has a very favorable effect on the brand image: In the comprehensive image report by the trade magazine “Auto Zeitung”, Audi won the overall top honors in 2008 for the fifth time in a row.

BenQ’s featherweight Joybook Lite U101 is Atom powered

BenQ has been off the hook for a while now, but they have finally collected themselves well in time for the CES, entering the laptop fray with their latest Joybook Lite U101. Weighing at about 1 kg, the U101 is aimed as a second notebook for the vivid user. It packs a 10.1” 16:9 WSVGA LED backlit screen supporting 1024 x 600 resolutions. 

This not so big notebook is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom processor for higher energy efficiency and extended battery life which is made possible with SSD-driven, three-cell battery. Joybook Lite U101 is expected to be made available by the 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2009, with either Linux® or Windows® OS, 1.3MP webcam, WiFi and optional 3.75G HSUPA and Bluetooth.

Press release:

LAS VEGAS, NV January 8, 2009 – BenQ announced today the official launch of their new Joybook Lite Series with the introduction of the very first model, the Lite U101. Targeting those who mainly use the Internet for social networking and personal communication, the U101 is engineered for optimum multimedia sight, sound, and play all in an ultra-portable form factor. At around 1 kg^, it packs heavyweight Internet entertainment with a brilliant 10.1” 16:9 WSVGA LED backlit screen, 8ms response time, and smart conveniences for unbridled web browsing, video chatting, and every imaginable Internet activity. A generously sized keyboard (90% of full-size qwerty), optional 3.75G HSUPA*, plus notable features and cool styling place this netbook ahead of the competition.

“The way consumers use the Internet has evolved tremendously to where it has become a personal extension of themselves via blogging, networking, video sharing and shopping. The Internet is now a personal pastime and the U101 perfectly fits the budget, style, and interests of those enthusiasts,” said Peter Chen, GM of BenQ Technology Product Center. “It delivers everything they need to enjoy the Internet at an affordable value with take-anywhere portability.”

Positioned as a second notebook for avid Internet users whose main web activities focus on personal style and individuality, the U101 places equal value on aesthetics and technology. The lid is covered in an Emoticon design (available in sapphire blue, shimmery black, pearly white, or rosy pink**) which appears as an orderly grid of small patterns. Upon close look, one is intrigued by various lively emoticons (a combination of symbols and letters that have become an international language in the Internet world), all derived from the phrase: “I ♥ Joybook Lite.” The emoticon motif captures the very essence of today’s Internet user, enabling self-expression through the product’s trendy cool style as well as with its net-centric functionality.

At around one kilogram^, the U101 is smaller than most netbooks, yet it offers more benefits: a dual-drive supported memory capacity to give you the massive storage capacity of HDD and the stability of SSD, a more comfortably- sized keyboard (90% of the full-size qwerty), longer battery life, and a bigger 10.1” LED WSVGA 16:9 screen that displays HD movies in their native format without annoying black bars. Plus, the U101 enables full enjoyment of the World Wide Web with wider coverage at faster speed via WiFi and optional 3.75G HSUPA and Bluetooth®*. Sharing videos and photos is effortless, spontaneous, and crystal-clear with a high-resolution 1.3MP webcam (with WebCam® Companion® and Magic-i®), built-in 1.5-watt speakers, VoIP, and integrated microphone. A highly intuitive and customizable GUI (available on the Linux® OS) adds fun and personality to operation. 

As Intel’s tiniest and least power-consuming processor, the all new hafnium-infused Intel® Atom™ Processor powers the U101 with higher energy efficiency and extended battery life, all while still supporting full Internet capabilities. When it is SSD-driven, the included three-cell battery, engineered with the latest power-conserving technology, lasts an unsurpassed four hours. A six-cell battery will be available for purchase at a later date. 

The Joybook Lite U101, available with either Linux® or Windows® operating system, is expected to be available in the U.S. during the 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2009.

Harry Winston Opus 9 unveiled at BaselWorld 2009

Harry Winston unveiled the Opus 9 stunning timepiece at the BaselWorld 2009. The hyper luxury watch (see price below) uses two diamond chains to tell the time instead of hands. Each chain is encrusted with 33 baguette cut diamonds. Mandarin colored garnets mark the minutes and hours. 
I usually do not like diamond encrusted watches, but the Harry Winston Opus 9 has a stunning minimalist design that is really cool. I even could imagine wearing the Opus 9 if I would be Bill Gates.

Palm Pre goes on sale

(Updated with photos) Sprint today officially started sales of the Palm Pre, its first multi-touch phone and what’s been regarded as the most direct contender with the iPhone. Initial reports of stock sent to Electronista vary and show that both supply and demand vary heavily depending on the region: Sprint stores, particularly in major cities like New York, have relatively large supply of as much as 100 or more. However, third-party stores like Best Buy and Radio Shack have relatively much smaller supply and little to no queuing.