Shuttle runs a Haswell Core i7 in a case barely bigger than a disk drive

The Intel NUC proves just how small a desktop-class, 4K-capable Haswell PC can go. What the NUC doesn’t do, though, is let us switch out the processor – it comes with either a Core i3 or i5 soldered to the mainboard. Now, Shuttle‘s DS81 is slightly bigger than the NUC, but it’s still tiny (19 x 16.5 x 4.3cm) and its H81 chipset supports user-upgradeable processors up to a Haswell Core i7. Like the DS61 before it, the DS81 comes with serious cooling to let it function in environments up to 50 degrees, such as in digital signage situations. It’s also deceptively big in terms of connectivity, with two PCIe Mini slots (one half-size and one full-size), two slots for RAM (up to 16GB), six USB ports (two of which are 3.0), three displays outputs (1x HDMI and 2x DisplayPort), dual Gigabit Ethernet ports and even a card reader. A Shuttle rep we met at CeBIT told us the DS81 should start to become available from next week, starting at 178 euros ($250) for a barebones unit – although some retailers are already offering pre-built systems for upwards of $800 with a two- or three-week shipping delay.

Filed under: Desktops

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HeadWatch is part smartwatch, part Bluetooth headset, totally baffling

Smartwatches are a dime a dozen these days, so if you’re making one and want to get noticed, you’d better have an enticing hook. And, in the case of the HeadWatch, it literally has a hook — one that anchors the main body of the device to your ear so it can double as a sort of hands-free headset. Seeking $300,000 of crowdfunding cash through Indiegogo, the HeadWatch is standard wearable fare, mostly. It’s an Android-based, touchscreen smartwatch that acts as a companion for your smartphone, with a few frills like notification light strips and a temperature sensor thrown in.

Now, the “watch” descriptor isn’t entirely accurate, as the main body of the thing is removable, making the strap more of a preferred mount than anything. On the underside of the watch face is that hook we mentioned, and presumably a speaker/mic setup allowing you to use it in headset mode. Making and taking calls on watches is far from a new idea, but if you’d rather not broadcast over loudspeaker, then we don’t see why you’d opt to move HeadWatch from wrist to face in favor of, you know, just getting your phone out of our pocket. Perhaps we’re just old-fashioned. Anywho, early bird pledges of $184 (including shipping) will get you a HeadWatch IOU, but as it looks to be barely past the (strange) concept stage at this point, 300 grand in crowdfunding dollar seems practically unachievable.

Filed under: Wearables, Mobile

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Source: HeadWatch (Indiegogo)

AP: US government is creating an electronic monitoring system for employees

Edward Snowden owes some of his successful NSA leaks to weak internal supervision — the agency simply couldn’t detect any suspicious data transfers. Would-be leakers may not be so lucky in the future, though. AP sources claim that US intelligence officials are developing an electronic monitoring system that continuously tracks the activities of government workers with secret clearance. The platform, reportedly derived from an existing military project, would both perform background checks and watch for odd behavior. It could tap into external databases, and investigators could cross-check anything suspicious with social network updates. There would be privacy safeguards in this system, and it would fight both corruption as well as workplace violence. However, critics are worried that non-stop surveillance of the sort could inadvertently leak personal information and discourage freedom of expression — if not managed properly, the cure could be worse than the disease.

Filed under: Networking, Internet

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Via: The Verge

Source: AP (ABC News)

Verizon: ‘it’s a mistake’ to abandon subsidized phone plans

Of the four major operators in the US wireless industry, Verizon seems to be the most hesitant in making a transition to phone installment plans. Last year, the company launched a plan called Edge in which customers agree to pay for the full retail price of their smartphone in monthly payments; however, Verizon has taken its time in making Edge competitive with AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s offerings. Big Red is quite a bit more cautious than its competitors, choosing instead to promote its traditional subsidized plans, which involves the customer buying a new phone at a discount in exchange for a two-year contract. Verizon executives have been pretty quiet about future plans, but CFO Fran Shammo shed some light today on exactly why his company isn’t making such a huge leap.

Speaking today at the Deutsche Bank media conference, Shammo told investors, “we believe that the subsidy model is an extremely good model. It has done wonders for us in this industry. So I think to abandon that is a mistake.” Shammo insists that Edge and More Everything plans are available primarily due to demand, and that it’s ultimately up to the consumer to choose which one makes the most sense. “We aren’t going to force our customers into anything,” he said.

So why does Verizon look at phone financing plans differently than the rest of the carriers? Shammo outlines a few reasons. First, he makes it clear that his company is “taking a conservative approach,” testing the waters while Edge is still in its early stages; since very few customers are upgrading their phones after the first 30 or 60 days, he wants to see how things go after the first 6-12 months. Intriguingly, he points out concerns that significant amounts of upgrades will result in a huge flood of second-hand handsets, causing “the pressure on the residual value is going to come down.”

Additionally, Shammo mentions that Edge causes financial harm to customers who move to a different carrier before they’re done paying off their monthly installments and get a high bill as a result. Many of his remarks seemed to indicate that he’s already dealt with consumers who assume “non-contract plans” mean they can leave at any time without penalty; this scenario hurts not only the customer but the carrier as well: “It’s going to be a very dissatisfying thing for the customer at the end of the day if they feel that they want to leave and they end up with a very large bill,” he said. “If you look at history between the early termination fee and installment sale … when customers leave your network for dissatisfaction the likelihood of them paying you your early termination fee is probably next to nil.”

While Verizon continues to offer extra choices to those who want it, the carrier also doesn’t want to completely shift away from a reliable revenue model which been sustainable for the past 13 years — at least, not until it’s had enough time to fully assess the risks of doing so. And given the fact that it added 1.6 million customers just in the fourth quarter alone, it’s not terribly worried about playing it safe.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon

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Source: Verizon