Tech talks – Emails from Europe

NOKIA AND INTEL MAKE PLANS FOR A MOBILE FUTURE
Finnish company Nokia and Intel have announced plans to work together on the development of a new breed of mobile device. Pitched somewhere between existing portable mobile devices and higher-powered portable computers, the two companies will use each others technologies to develop systems that offer "high-bandwidth mobile broadband communications and ubiquitous internet connectivity" in a "pocketable form factor."
The two say their long-term relationship aims to go beyond today's smartphones, notebooks and netbooks to enable the development of a variety of hardware, software and mobile internet services.
Intel will get a Nokia HSPA/3G modem IP license for use in future products as part of the partnership, and the pair will also collaborate on several open source mobile software projects. These include the Linux-based Moblin and Maemo platform projects. Moblin is a Linux Foundation-hosted operating system project designed around Intel's Atom processors. Maemo is another open source system and is used by Nokia on its N810 Internet Tablet.
Since the announcement was made, Nokia has unveiled its £500 Booklet 3G. The Atom-powered mini laptop weighs around 1.25kg and its aluminium chassis measures just over 2cm wide. It also features a 10-inch screen and a variety of connectivity options which include 3G/HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and A-GPS for navigation and location-based services. www.intel.com/pressroom

CREATE A MULTIMEDIA HOUSE WITHOUT LAYING NEW CABLES
Your home can be made multimedia-compatible in just a couple of minutes, according to Mobotix. Its Mx2wire media converter has been designed to transform a two-wire cable that is no longer used into a network cable including power supply.
For instance, the company says that a telephone line, antenna cable or doorbell wire can be used to connect multimedia devices like computers, network cameras, LAN routers, internet telephones or door intercoms without the need to lay new cables or use an additional power. The Mx2wire media converter from Mobotix consists of two units connected to both ends of a cable which can measure up to 500m in length. Using patented Mobotix technology, the two units are automatically configured as a sender or receiver, which then makes it possible to establish network connections throughout an entire building.
For example, the second floor of a house may contain a home office with multiple network devices such as PCs, printers and an internet telephone, even though the internet connection is located on the first floor. For Mx2wire to work, it simply needs to be connected to an analogue phone line that is no longer in use. The only thing the unit needs to supply power to the internet telephone and for its own consumption is a switch (network distributor), to which the remaining network devices can also be directly connected.
Mobotix says that the two units in the media converter are able to transfer data at rates of up to 30Mbps depending on cable diameter and length. At the same time, power up to a maximum of 7W is provided using the Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard. This in turn enables devices such as network cameras or LAN routers to be powered via the Mx2wire system. www.mobotix.com

PC PROJECTION POWER IN YOUR POCKET
3M claims that its new ultra-portable MPro120 Projector is small enough to fit into a top pocket yet bright enough to deliver top class presentations. Measuring just 120 x 60mm, the MPro120 is said to be a full VGA pocket projector which can connect to laptops and netbooks, as well as any digital device that has video output sockets including media players, cameras, camcorders, games consoles, etc. Optional cables are also available to connect to iPods and iPhones.
Based on 3M's new MM200 LCOS micro projector engine, the MPro120 is said to achieve 12 lumens of brightness corner-to-corner at full VGA (640 x 480) resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio in enhanced brightness mode. 3M says that it can project images from 8 to 50-inches on any flat surface and its enhanced battery life means continuous running time of between two and four hours without plugging into the mains.
The MPro120 also features two built-in half-watt speakers and an integral flip down stand which allows users to raise the projected image if it is placed on a flat surface. A tripod is also supplied for situations where greater stability and balance is required.

WHERE ART MEETS TECHNOLOGY
Hotels, cafes and other venues want to offer Wi-Fi to their guests and visitors need to deploy wireless access points. And unless you are particularly attracted by the looks of a D-Link, Belkin, Netgear etc, you'll know that access points aren't the most aesthetically pleasing devices. UK company Solwise hopes to change that with the launch of the NET-WL-CPE-CTIV2450 Oil Painting wireless access point (AP).
According to Solwise, the Oil Painting offers a "well-disguised" AP that will help to prevent theft as it doesn't stand out in a room and can blend in with the decor. The unit supports 64/128-bit WEP data encryption and is supplied with a PoE Injector to connect direct to the business network without having to run unsightly power cables. Wireless Distribution System (WDS) is also supported allowing ease of expansion to the business wireless network.
The AP supports both 802.11b and the quicker 802.11g Wi-Fi standards and operate seamlessly in the 2.4GHz frequency system. Solwise says that this means that the signal provided is widely compatible, fast and extremely effective. The Oil Painting APs are currently offered in two designs with further options available in the coming months. www.solwise.co.uk

BUILD YOUR OWN GSM SPYCAM
If you want to keep an eye on your valuable possessions while you're not at home, you could build your own wireless spycam. Unlike standard webcams, a spycam automatically transmits recorded images by email or saves them to a local memory card - usually whenever an alarm has been triggered by a motion sensor or an image interpretation program.
German communication specialist Round Solutions now offers all of the components needed to build a fully self-sufficient spycam - all you need to add is an ordinary USB camera. The heart of the spycam is the AarLogic C10/3 module. This is equipped with both embedded Linux and all of the components required for rapid image transmission via GPRS. Since the module can be programmed in any language - such as C, for example - customised surveillance systems can be set up with a minimum of effort, says Round Solutions. The spycam can be powered via a mains adapter or by solar cells. You'll also need a SIM card from a suitable provider for email image transmission.
Round House says that it offers a demo program and a free source code in C along with the spycam components. The source code enables users to transmit recorded images in JPEG format to any selected email address. www.roundsolutions.com