JooJoo

The JooJoo was a Linux-based tablet computer. It was produced by Singapore development studio Fusion Garage. Originally, Fusion Garage was working with Michael Arrington to release it as the CrunchPad, but in November 2009 Fusion Garage informed Arrington it would be selling the product alone. Arrington has responded by filing a lawsuit against Fusion Garage.
History.
Crunchpad.
The CrunchPad project was started by Michael Arrington in July 2008, initially aiming for a US$200 tablet, and showed a first prototype (Prototype A) a month later.
Beginning 2009, working Prototype B was introduced by the TechCrunch team led by Louis Monier, based on a 12 inch LCD screen, a VIA Nano CPU, Ubuntu Linux and a custom Webkit-based browser. The device was rapidly prototyped by Dynacept and a customized version of the Ubuntu distribution was compiled by Fusion Garage. After announcing Prototype B, there arose a desire for the tablet to come into production. Louis Monier worked closely with Fusion Garage as the team's lead designer.
Initially in 2008, $200 was mentioned as the target price-point. In the first half of 2009, $300 was mentioned as more likely.
By the end of July 2009, news stories said the actual price when it would ship in November 2009 would be about $400, putting it in potential competition with netbooks and low-end laptops.
The project generated some press and was mentioned in Washington Post and other media.
In July 2009, it was reported that Arrington founded a company of 14 employees around the tablet (Crunchpad Inc.) in Singapore, and that there would be a public presentation of a finished product later in the month.
By late September 2009, the lack of publicity on the CrunchPad led Dan Frommer of "The Business Insider" to ask, in an article headline, "Where's The CrunchPad?" Apple and Microsoft were rumored to be working on new tablet computers, receiving more media coverage.
In early October 2009, Popular Mechanics magazine recognized the CrunchPad with an award as one of the top
10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009,
"the top 10 most brilliant gadgets, tools and toys that you can buy in 2009." Other organizations questioned the appropriateness of the award as the CrunchPad was not available for purchase at publication time.
On the November 12, 2009, Gillmor Gang podcast, Michael Arrington announced the product is "steamrolling along", that rumors of high prices are untrue, and that the product will probably retail for US$300–400, likely subsidised by features that are sponsored but won't impact negatively on the user experience (similar to Firefox's search bar).
On August 15, 2011, the successor to the JooJoo and a new smartphone were announced after a made-up company "TabCo" unveiled it was, in fact, Fusion Garage. The announcement included a tablet and smartphone named the Grid 10 (10.1 inch tablet) and The Grid 4 (4 inch smartphone), both running GridOS, a fork of the Android operating system.
Crunchpad manifesto.
In the founding July 21, 2008, manifesto
"We Want A Dead Simple Web Tablet For $200. Help Us Build It." Michael Arrington wrote:
No further commitments were made in 2009 about making the design open and public, which would make it easier to add additional features such as a standard keyboard connector and increased storage.
JooJoo.
On November 30, 2009, Michael Arrington announced that the CrunchPad project was dead. Three days prior to the planned debut, Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan had informed him Fusion Garage would be proceeding to sell the pad alone. Arrington claims the intellectual property shared between both companies, so the product could not proceed legally. He said his side "will almost certainly be filing multiple lawsuits against Fusion Garage, and possibly Chandra and his shareholders as individuals, shortly".
On December 7, 2009 - Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan announced that he is releasing what had been developed as the CrunchPad and which he is now calling the "JooJoo", and that it will be available for pre-sale December 11, 2009 for $499 USD.
On December 10, 2009 Michael Arrington/Techcrunch filed a lawsuit against Fusion Garage in Federal court.
On February 1, 2010, Fusion Garage CEO Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan announced that JooJoo pre-orders had increased following the debut of the Apple iPad, and that additional funding of $10 million had been obtained. He also announced that Fusion Garage was in the process of forming a partnership with a mobile phone manufacturer that would handle the production of the device.
On February 3, 2010, Fusion Garage announced that the manufacturing of JooJoo tablets had begun as part of a new agreement with CSL Group. In exchange for absorbing manufacturing costs of the JooJoo, CSL Group would take a percentage of profits from the sale of the devices. CEO Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan stated that JooJoo shipments would reach customers by late February, and that the device would support Adobe Flash at launch.
On February 26, 2010, Fusion Garage announced a manufacturing delay of the JooJoo tablet, citing an issue fine tuning the touch sensitivity of the capacitive screen. JooJoo tablets are now to ship out on March 25, 2010, and all pre-order customers are to be provided with a free accessory to compensate for the delay.
On November 11, 2010, Fusion Garage announced that Joojoo tablet at its current iteration is at “its end of life” and the company will be exploring several new platforms that will not have backward compatibility.
On December 19, 2011, rumors said that Fusion Garage will discontinue business and may be bankrupt.
On January 9, 2012, Fusion Garage confirmed that the company had gone into liquidation owing creditors $40 million.
Litigation.
On November 30, 2009, Arrington said the CrunchPad project had ended in disagreement between himself and Fusion Garage. On December 7, 2009, Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan said his company would release the CrunchPad as the JooJoo, and that customers could preorder it on December 11, 2009, for 499 USD. On December 10, 2009, Arrington and Techcrunch filed a lawsuit against Fusion Garage in U.S. federal court, accusing the firm of fraud and deceit, misappropriation of business ideas, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, and violations of the Lanham Act. On March 30, 2010, the lawsuit revealed that only 90 pre-orders for the JooJoo had been placed before it began shipping.
Kernel hacker Matthew Garrett filed a complaint with US Customs and Border Protection against Fusion Garage for copyright infringement, since the company shipped GPL software without making the required offer of source code. The issue was resolved in January 2011 when Fusion Garage started providing the required source code at their web site.


Getent

getent is a Unix command that helps a user get entries in a number of important text files called databases. This includes the passwd and group databases which store user information – hence is a common way to look up user details on Unix. Since uses the same name service as the system, will show all information, including that gained from network information sources such as LDAP.
The databases it searches in are: ahosts, ahostsv4, ahostsv6, aliases, ethers (Ethernet addresses), group, gshadow, hosts, netgroup, networks, passwd, protocols, rpc, services, and shadow.
The general syntax is:
 getent database [key ...]
Thorsten Kukuk wrote the "getent" utility for the GNU C Library.
Examples.
Fetch list of user accounts on a Unix system (stored in a database called 'passwd'). This will show all user accounts, regardless of the type of name service used. For example, if both local and LDAP name service are used for user accounts, the results will include all local and LDAP users:
$ getent passwd
root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
daemon:x:1:1:daemon:/usr/sbin:/bin/sh
bin:x:2:2:bin:/bin:/bin/sh
sys:x:3:3:sys:/dev:/bin/sh
sync:x:4:65534:sync:/bin:/bin/sync
games:x:5:60:games:/usr/games:/bin/sh
man:x:6:12:man:/var/cache/man:/bin/sh
lp:x:7:7:lp:/var/spool/lpd:/bin/sh
mail:x:8:8:mail:/var/mail:/bin/sh
Fetch details for a particular user called joe:
$ getent passwd joe
joe:x:1000:1000:Joe,,:/home/joe:/bin/bash
Fetch list of group accounts on a Unix system (stored in a database called 'group'):
$ getent group
root:x:0:
daemon:x:1:
bin:x:2:
sys:x:3:
adm:x:4:stefan
tty:x:5:
disk:x:6:
lp:x:7:
mail:x:8:


Litl

The litl webbook is a webbook developed, marketed, and sold by litl LLC. It features the ability to stand upright in an inverted-V position (referred to as "easel mode") and a cloud-based operating system called litl OS. It has been described as the "world's first" true cloud-based netbook.
Origins.
Litl's CEO John Chuang, also co-founder of Aquent, has said that the origins of the litl webbook lay in his observation that while his family was increasingly using web applications, their home computer was based on pre-web thinking: “I have kids from 5 to 13 years old. My 13-year-old has never installed software in her life. Everything she uses is a Web app. Yet she’s using a technology that was completely not designed for that. I thought that was a mismatch.”
“We knew that to really meet the needs of home users – from kids to parents and grandparents – we needed to design an entirely new system that would make the web engaging, entertaining and fun."
Engineering partners.
The industrial design of the litl webbook was by Fuseproject with engineering design by MOTO Development Group. The device is manufactured by FIC.
Operating system.
Litl OS is the cloud-oriented operating environment of the litl webbook.
User interface philosophy.
The litl OS interface removes a number of conventional elements of general purpose desktop environments. "Litl eliminates menus, icons, and folders. In fact, we've removed all computer administrative debris between you and the web".
Litl state that a set of principles were developed to guide the design of the interface, including: "We used a simple rule: Any computer task that had the word "management" next to it had to be eliminated. File management. Gone. Windows management. Gone.".
User interface structure.
Litl OS's user interface utilizes graphic elements called "cards" to organize browsing sessions and content instead of the tabs and menus found on conventional desktops:
Flicking through cards in Easel mode (when the screen is flipped back on itself causing the webbook to be in an A-frame position) is done using a blue-colored click-wheel (called the "litl wheel") on the litl webbook or remote control.
The card concept, easel mode and general usage of the interface are demonstrated in litl's videos.
The interfaces to some web content are also customized by litl or third parties to integrate with Litl OS and are referred to as litl channels. (Litl OS's optional display method for RSS feeds is also referred to as a "litl channel"). Customizations and settings are minimal in keeping with the design goals of simplicity and ease of use.
Designers.
User interface concepts were first mapped out by Pentagram working closely with litl. Personas and detailed interaction design were by Cooper Consulting in consultation with litl's internal design team. Fort Franklin also contributed to some design elements.
Software details.
The underlying operating system is a mobile/embedded distribution of Ubuntu provided by Canonical. The user interface is written largely in Mozilla's dialect of Javascript using the gjs binding to access GNOME and Clutter UI elements. Litl automatically performs nightly software updates, and the OS stores browser cards, web channels, settings, and contacts online at Amazon S3 using a web service running on Google's App Engine and the Django framework. Litl OS can synchronize information from the Internet to the webbook and between webbooks. Free and Open source components of the operating system's source code can be obtained on DVD from Litl.


Sony Alpha 77 II

The Sony Alpha 77 II (ILCA-77M2), stylized as the Sony α77 II, is an interchangeable-lens camera aimed at the advanced amateur. It replaced the Sony Alpha 77 model in June 2014. It is similar in design to its predecessor, including the use of a SLT transparent mirror and electronic viewfinder.
Specifications.
The successor of Sony Alpha 77 model, the Sony Alpha 77 II is similar in design to its antecedent, including the use of a SLT transparent mirror and electronic viewfinder. It features a BIONZ X image processor and is compatible with A-mount lenses. GPS has been dropped in favour of Wi-Fi and NFC. The focus area is wider and denser, with a class-leading 79 AF points including 15 crossing sensor combined with subject tracking and eye-focus capabilities. The SLT design avoids the need to flip the mirror out of the way with every shot, allowing a rapid 12 fps burst speed for up to 60 frames in full resolution. Unlike most DSLR cameras, the phase-detect focus unit is operational during live-view and video (which is Full HD at 60p/50p and 24p/25p). The resolution of the camera is 24 megapixels. Sony's A-mount cameras feature in-body image stabilisation and the α77 II is the first of such to also stabilise the viewfinder when taking still images. ISO ranges from 50 to 25600. APS-C sized CMOS sensor.
AVCHD and MPEG-4 recording of full HD at 1920 x 1080 (1080i60 / 1080i50 @ 24M (Mode "FX"),
1080i60 / 1080i50 @ 17M (Mode "FH"),
1080p60 / 1080p50 @ 28M (Mode "PS"),
1080p25 @ 24M (Mode "FX"),
1080p24 @ 24M (Mode "FX"),
1080p25 @ 17M (Mode "FH"),
1080p24 @ 17M (Mode "FH"),
1440×1080 @ 12M,
VGA @ 3M)
Reception.
Angela Nicholson of "TechRadar" gave the camera four and a half stars, calling the unit "great" as a whole for enthusiasts wanting to shoot "a range of subjects in a wide variety of conditions." Callum McInerney-Riley of "Amateur Photographer" regarded the autofocus, graphical user interface and "comprehensive" wireless features as pros to the camera, but cited the harshness of the noise reduction and overexposure due to its translucent mirror, along with its lack of a GPS, as cons. Moritz Wanke of "Chip" gave it a rating of 93.8 percent, concluding it to be an improvement of its predecessor and the best camera containing an APS-C image sensor in the market. Writing for "Zoom.nl", Cees de Jonge gave it a 7.9 out of 10, being surprised at its SLT designation, which he considered "passé".


Loadstar (magazine)

Loadstar () was a disk magazine for the Commodore 64 computer, published starting in 1984 and ceasing publication in 2007 with its unreleased (until 2010) 250th issue. It derived its name from the command commonly used to execute commercial software from a Commodore 1541 disk: codice_1, with inspiration from the word "lodestar".
"Loadstar" was launched as a sister publication of "Softdisk", based in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was the second platform for which Softdisk produced a disk magazine, after the Apple II. At the time, the Commodore 64 was a very popular home computer due to its inexpensive price and advanced graphics and sound capabilities.
Early issues of "Loadstar" were produced by the Softdisk staff, most of whom had more experience with Apple than Commodore computers at the time, and much of the content was ported over from the Apple. However, over time, Commodore-specific staff and freelance contributors came aboard.
In addition, "Loadstar" was the official disk magazine for magazines published by Commodore, including "Power/Play" and "Commodore Magazine". Users could find type-in programs from these publications featured on "Loadstar".
In 1987, Fender Tucker was hired as its editor, and he gave "Loadstar" a distinctive style and atmosphere, including references to a fictional "Loadstar Tower" where it was supposedly published (the offices at the time were in fact in a basement). "Loadstar"'s staff soon expanded to include Jeffrey L. Jones and Scott E. Resh, and the magazine's regular "Puzzle Page" feature - with interactive crosswords, card games, and logic puzzles - was edited by Barbara Schulak.
Under Tucker, a sister publication "Loadstar 128" was launched for the Commodore 128 personal computer. This magazine was quarterly. Jones contributed to the "Loadstar Letter", a printed publication which accompanied issues of "Loadstar".
In 1989, Loadstar published "DigitHunt", a number-puzzle game which was apparently the first home computer implementation of Sudoku.
A notable feature in some early issues is the inclusion of a disk with software to access the then-new online service Quantum Link, which had been fervently pitched to "Loadstar" by head of marketing Steve Case. The company that ran this service eventually turned into America Online.
As the years went by and the Commodore 64 was increasingly regarded as an obsolete computer, the resources of the company were shifted to software for more current systems such as Windows and the Macintosh, and later to the Internet. However, "Loadstar" held on, and ultimately outlasted the disk magazines for newer platforms. When Softdisk no longer wished to support it, it was spun off as an independent company, J&F Publishing, co-owned by Tucker and his wife, Judi Mangham, who was a co-founder of Softdisk. It has continued to be published, well into the 2000s, for a cult-following audience of old-time Commodore buffs and for people who run it using Commodore 64 emulators on other platforms.
In January, 2001, Dave and Sheri Moorman of Holly, Colorado took over as editors. It remained in publication until 2008, in several formats including "classic" Commodore 1541 floppy disks and e-mailed files in C-64 emulator format. An official Web site exists, but not at the earlier loadstar.com address, which now belongs to somebody in Russia according to its WHOIS record.
J&F Publishing still officially owns it, but the editing and distribution had been franchised to the Moormans' company, eTower Marketing, with Dave Moorman editing the monthly magazines and Sheri Moorman handling business matters. Tucker is now concentrating on other ventures such as republishing the books of Harry Stephen Keeler under his Ramble House imprint.
249 issues of "Loadstar" were published. It was scheduled to cease publication with issue 256 with Dave Moorman kindly making issue 248 a free pass-around issue in November 2007. However, Dave Moorman moved on in 2008, leaving his last issue 250 unpublished. After another Loadstar assistant finished editing it, issue 250 was unofficially released in June 2010.


Keystone Kapers

Keystone Kapers is a video game developed by Activision and published for the Atari 2600 in April 1983, and later ported to the Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, ColecoVision, and in 1984, MSX. Inspired by Mack Sennett's slapstick "Keystone Cops" series of silent films, the object of the game is for Officer Keystone Kelly to catch Harry Hooligan before he can escape from a department store. "Keystone Kapers" was written by Activision designer Garry Kitchen.
Gameplay.
The game takes place on a side-view display of a three-story department store and its roof. The store is eight times wider than the portion in the main display, and the screen scrolls to the left or right when the player reaches the edges. Movement between the levels is accomplished by escalators located at alternating ends of the map, or an elevator in the center. A mini-map at the bottom of the screen provides an overall view of the store and the location of the players.
The player controls Officer Keystone Kelly with the joystick, which is used to run to the right or the left along a given floor. When he reaches an escalator he will be taken up to the next floor. Kelly can also use the elevator in the center of the map to move up and down, but doing so requires careful timing as it moves on its own. Kelly begins the game in the lower right on the first floor, and normally begins running to the left to reach the escalator to the second floor.
Harry Hooligan starts the game in the center of the second floor. He immediately begins running to the right in an attempt to reach the elevator to the third floor. Hooligan continues moving up the floors in an attempt to reach the roof via the escalator on the left side of the third floor. If he succeeds he escapes. This trip takes 50 seconds, and a timer at the top of the screen counts down the remaining time. Kelly runs significantly faster than Hooligan and can normally catch him in that time in a straight run with no penalties.
Kelly can also use the elevator to get between levels. If he moves ahead of Hooligan, Hooligan will reverse direction and start back down through the store. He is aided in this by the ability to jump down between levels at either end of the map, something Kelly cannot do because the escalators only go up for Kelly. This means Kelly has to use the elevators carefully, or risk being stuck on a higher floor while the timer runs out.
Slowing Kelly's progress are a number of still or moving obstacles like radios, beach balls, shopping carts and others, which he can jump over or duck under by pushing up or down on the joystick. Touching any of these objects causes a nine-second penalty. In later levels there are flying toy biplanes that will cause the player to lose a life upon contact.
The game begins with the player given three lives. One is lost every round that Hooligan remains uncaught when the timer runs out. The game proceeds through rounds until the player runs out of lives. Extra lives are awarded at every 10,000 points, up to the maximum of three.
If Kelly catches Harry, the player will score points based on the amount of time they have left. On levels 1-9, the player will score what is left on the clock multiplied by 100 points; on levels 10-15, the amount left on the clock is multiplied by 200 points, and afterwards the amount left on the clock is multiplied by 300 points. Kelly can also pick up suitcases and bags of money for 50 points each.
As with most early video games, there is no end to the game; each level gets progressively harder, adding more and/or faster hazards until Kelly loses all of his lives.
Activision patch.
Players who achieve a score of 35,000 or better could take a photo of the screen with the verifying score and sent it in to Activision to receive a special Billy Club patch.
Reception.
The Atari 2600 version of "Keystone Kapers" received a Certificate of Merit in the category of "1984 Videogame of the Year (Less than 16K ROM)" at the 5th annual Arkie Awards. "Deseret News" gave the ColecoVision port 3 stars, praising the graphical improvement over the original.
In December 1984, "Antic" reviewer Ellen Keyt called out the quality of the animation in the Atari 8-bit version, writing "The Keystone Cop's legs stretch when he jumps over a shopping cart, his uniform creases when he squats to duck a toy airplane, and he even pumps his hands up and down, waving his stick when he runs." She called it the "perfect game for anyone".


Virtualmin

Virtualmin is a domain hosting and website control panel which gives the ability to create and manage many domains, as well as simplify both automation and tasks. It is based on Webmin. Virtualmin is an alternative to cPanel and Plesk.
General description.
Virtualmin is available in two versions. Virtualmin GPL and Virtualmin Professional. The Virtualmin GPL version is fully free and open-source and does not require monthly fee, compared to the Virtualmin Professional version which requires a monthly or annual fee.
Both Virtualmin versions are able to create virtual servers with fully independent users, mailboxes, web application development environments, websites, web applications, quotas, account rules, and instances of web server, database server, and create other needed software. Supported web servers include, but are not limited to, Apache or httpd.


HP Pavilion tx series

The HP Pavilion TX Series is a series of convertible notebook computers from Hewlett Packard introduced in February 2007.
TX1000.
These notebooks are designed for Windows Vista. The TX series uses the AMD Turion 64 X2 series of processors. This series has a 12.1-inch touch screen and a DVD+RW; it competed well with the top-of-the-line tablets at the time of its release. All models came with an NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 graphics system, which features 128 MB of integrated graphics and an extra shared graphics memory of up to 916 MB.
This model has been superseded by the HP Touchsmart tx2 Series, and subsequently by the HP Touchsmart tm2.
Design.
The series is delivered with the HP Imprint Finish. The form factor is referred to as a "convertible tablet", that is, the screen can be rotated to use the notebook as a slate with the included stylus. The current model has a glossy, black plastic casing and a perforated touchpad. The speakers are located near the hinge, on the screen; and the webcam on the top of the screen. The stereo microphones are also mounted on the screen and the tablet comes with an optional fingerprint reader. The standard 6-cell battery juts out to form a hand-grip and the DVD drive can be replaced with a plastic "weight-saver".
Criticism.
Within a few months of release of the tx1000 series, numerous technical failures were reported on internet blogs, review sites and HP's own support websites. These included webcam, audio, speaker, BIOS, power management, overheating, booting, and wireless adapter problems. Some were addressed in a timely manner with driver updates, but other users were still forced to turn the notebook on and off repeatedly until it booted up, while others were left with a non-working "bricked" unit. HP released an updated model, the HP Pavilion tx2, which in turn was followed by the HP TouchSmart tm2. HP never issued a recall for its tx1 model.


Tesco Hudl

The Tesco Hudl is a tablet computer launched by British retailer Tesco in 2013. The device features a seven-inch screen, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 16 GB of internal flash memory (expandable up to 64 GB). The Hudl runs the Android Jelly Bean operating system and was manufactured by Wistron.
In April 2014, it was announced that Tesco had sold 500,000 Hudl tablets since launch, and a new model was planned. The second generation Hudl 2 was announced in October 2014. However, in October 2015 the brand was discontinued.
Rooting.
The Tesco Hudl is mostly vanilla Android with only some vendor customisation, and therefore can be rooted. The root requires users to flash an altered file which grants root permissions.
Accessories.
A range of accessories were available for the device including a leather case, a soft-touch case, ear-bud headphones, children's headphones, a protective bumper case, a screen protection kit and recharging cables.


Skim (software)

Skim is an open-source PDF reader. It is notably the first free software PDF reader for Mac OS X. It is written in Objective-C, and uses Cocoa APIs. It is released under a BSD license. It is also cited as being able to help annotate and read scientific papers.
History.
Its initial release was in April 2007, at version 0.2. Within its first year it managed to gain a small fan base of users due to its ease of use and features which allowed some flexibility over other PDF browsers for Mac OS X. As of 2008 it had achieved version 1.0. Its main developers were also responsible for another popular open-source program, BibDesk.
Features.
Some of its features include the ability to view and bookmark PDFs, highlight and underline selectable PDF text, and a full-screen and presentation mode. It also allows the adding of circles and boxes, as well as being able to embed and edit notes.


Final Zone

Final Zone (known in Japan as FZ Senki Axis) is an isometric mecha shooter game created by Wolf Team for Telenet Japan and its Renovation Products subsidiary in 1990. Players take on the role of a mecha operator outfitted in the NAP suit. The NAP suit can carry 14 weapons out of the 20 available weapons and it is up to the player to use them to their maximum benefit. It was followed up by a sequel on the TurboGrafx-16.
Plot.
The player assumes the role of Howard Bowie, the heroic soldier of the El Sharia Military Nation's foreign legion and commander of the unit known as "Team Undead". It is 100 years in the future and weapons of mass destruction have been banned from the field of war. Fighting is now done with the futuristic power armor known as the New Age Power Suit (NAP). Howard is assigned to use his K-19 Phantom NAP to infiltrate enemy territory to Point A-46K Bloody Axis and destroy the sole remaining weapon of mass destruction.
Gameplay.
Players must traverse various battlefields and destroy a requisite number of specific enemy types in order to proceed to the end-level boss. Players can collect a large amount of weapons, but can only equip and use two at a time. Players can also equip a primary weapon to the NAP's arm and a side weapon attached to the NAP's back. Doing so unleashes one of two different variations of attack the weapon offers. However, if the NAP suit is too heavily damaged, most of the weapons the player has collected previously will be lost, as well as the use of their side weapon.


List of X68000 games

The X68000 is a fourth generation home computer developed and manufactured by Sharp Corporation, first released only in Japan on March 28, 1987. It was the second and last computer to be released under the Sharp brand, succeeding the X1 series. The following list contains all of the known games released commercially for the X68000 platform.
Featuring an operating system written by Hudson Soft called Human68k and bundled with a conversion of Konami's 1987 arcade game "Gradius" as the pack-in game at launch, the X68000 was very similar to arcade system boards of the time in terms of hardware and served as the development machine for Capcom's CP System. Many add-ons were released including networking, SCSI, memory upgrades, CPU enhancements and MIDI I/O boards, among others that increased the performance of the system. Multiple revisions were later released that included several enhancements compared to the original model, with the last model being released in 1993 before being officially discontinued in the market, though games for the platform kept being created. Games were also distributed through the Takeru software vending machines, which allowed users to write commercial titles or dōjin soft on blank 5.25" floppy disks. Originally released at JP¥369,000, later models were sold for considerably lower prices. Its unknown how many X68000 units were sold in total during its commercial life span.
Games.
There are currently games on this list.


Casio graphic calculators

Graphic calculators made by Casio include the touchscreen ClassPad 300 as well as the models with traditional buttons which can be divided into two main generations listed below.
Casio produced the world's first graphing calculator, the fx-7000G.
First Generation.
Original Series.
First produced in 1985, these include the fx-7000G, fx-6000G, fx-6500G, fx-7200G, fx-7500G, fx-8000G, fx-8500G.
Power Graphic Series (1990).
Around 1990, the Power Graphic series introduced: F1 through F6 shortcut keys which enabled significantly greater ease of use, polar, parametric and inequality graphs; box and factor zoom; multiple graph scrolling; range initialization; integration; matrix mode; fractions; permutations; combinations; normal probabilities; SI unit symbols;
Models: fx-7700G, fx-7700GB, fx-8700G, fx-8700GB. The GB models have a communications port.
(French versions: fx-7800G, fx-7800GC, fx-8800G, fx-8800GC).
Also made was the low-end fx-6300G (French: fx-6800G) with a smaller screen and fewer features, and the fx-6200G which didn't have any programming facility.
Icon Menu Power Graphic series (1993).
Around 1993, the Icon Menu Power Graphic series introduced: An icon-driven menu interface, further increasing ease of use, numerical differentiation; matrices in programs; and an equation solver. Models: fx-7700GE, later renamed fx-7700GH.
Additionally there were models with 24K memory which introduced: dynamic graphing; complex numbers; table mode; more advanced equation solver; larger matrices (255x255); sigma calculations; graph solver for roots, intercepts, max and mins. These include the fx-9700GE, later renamed fx-9700GH (wider screen) and the CFX-9800G (3-color screen).
Also made with an icon menu but none of the above features was the fx-7300G (French: fx-6900G).
Second Generation.
9850 series (9750/9850/9950/9970).
First manufactured in 1996, there have been numerous variations of the CFX-9850G. The 9850 series models have 3-colour screens apart from the fx-9750G which is black and white. The 9950G has 64k memory compared to the 32k of the original 9850G. The 9970G has symbolic algebra. Later versions such as Ga, GB and GC models fixed some bugs from the original G model and added some stats and finance features. The GB models have a built-in software library.
7400 Series.
First made in the year 1996, this series is like a cut-down version of the 9850 series. For instance it does not have the commands Getkey, Locate, Text or matrices or complex numbers, and the screen is smaller.
Models: fx-7400G, fx-7400G Plus, fx-7450G, fx-7400G Plus GY (French versions: fx-6910G, Graph 20, Graph 25, FX-7400G II
Algebra FX series.
First made in the year 1999, these have flash memory which provides larger capacity than previous models, however due to the short lifespan of the original flash memory used, these calculators stop working after a few years. Casio has stated that this problem has been fixed. The Algebra FX 2.0 versions have symbolic algebra, while the FX 1.0 versions do not. There are community written tools for accessing the ROM-DOS operating system thus allowing C and Pascal compilers to be used.
Models: Algebra FX 2.0, FX 1.0, Algebra FX 2.0 Plus, FX 1.0 Plus (French versions: Graph 100, Graph 100+)
9860 G/GII series.
First made in the year 2005, the 9860 models are much faster than previous models and can be programmed in C/C++ using the official software development kit.
In 2009 the GII models were produced along with a corresponding OS update for the original 9860G, with new functions gcd/lcm/mod, random integer, units conversion, string functions, and new probability and inverse probability distributions available within programs. The 9860G OS update was not absolutely identical to an actual 9860GII model.
The fx-9860G Slim and fx-9860GII have a backlight display.
Models: fx-9860G, fx-9860G SD, fx-9860G Slim, fx-9860GII, fx-9860GII SD, fx-9750GII, fx-7400GII (French versions: Graph 85, Graph 85 SD, Graph 85 Slim, Graph 75, Graph 95, Graph 35+ USB, Graph 25+ Pro)
Australia only: fx-9860G AU, fx-9860G AU Plus
The fx-9750GII and fx-7400GII are low-budget versions with restricted OS functionality. Also, the fx-7400GII does not have a USB 1.1 port.
The architecture of the 9750GII is similar to the 9860GII and therefore the former can be unofficially upgraded to the latter Operating System offering more features particularly pretty printed equations and Vector arithmetic. This is not supported by Casio.
fx-CG Prizm series.
Announced for January 2011, these models have a high-resolution color display (396x224 screen with 384x216 pixels (21x8 characters) window with 216 colors), a USB 2.0 port, 16 MB of flash memory and a feature called Picture Plot. The Prizm is permitted on all major standardized tests including ACT, SAT, AP, GCSE and GCE examinations. The only known difference between the fx-CG10 and the fx-CG20 Prizm versions is that the fx-CG10 cannot open picture files that have been edited by users. SD card slot is no longer available. The processor is based on a custom Renesas SH4-A family SH7305 CPU.
Additional features over fx-9860GII include:
Although no official SDK has been released yet, several community SDKs exist using either some of the fx-9860G SDK tools or parts of the GNU toolchain. The Prizm Mini-SDK originally required Casio fx-9860 SDK to function, which was later replaced by PrizmSDK.
The new model, fx-CG50 or Graph 90+E in France, has a more modern design and a faster processor. The main menu screen has also been redesigned. Apart from that, it is identical to the fx-CG10/20.
Programming.
Casio graphic calculators use a BASIC-like programming language but variable names are restricted to single letters A-Z which are shared by all programs including subroutines which are stored as separate programs. This means there are no local variables, they are all global. These variables are also shared by other functions of the calculator. For example, drawing a graph will overwrite the X and Y values.
First generation programming language.
Loops are constructed by incrementing or decrementing the value of a variable with the "Isz" and "Dsz" commands in conjunction with the "Lbl" and "Goto" commands, rather than using simpler "For" or "While" commands. Arrays are achieved by overwriting other letters, for example A[0]=A, A[1]=B, A[2]=C. The available space for arrays can be extended with the "Defm" command so that Z[1], Z[2] etc. can be used depending on how much unused memory capacity is available.
Second generation programming language.
Compared to the first generation models these have many more commands including: For and While Loops, If.. Then structures and the ability for real-time user interaction with the Getkey command and the ability to place characters anywhere on the screen with the Locate and Text commands. Also the method for using array variables was changed to using lists and matrices.
Games.
Some of the more recent Casio calculators have come with software that allows the user to link the computer to the calculator, download games already written for the calculators or code their own games and then have the software sync it to the device, from here the user can open up the games on the calculator and play them; all of the games are coded by the community and so feature copies of popular games that could be recoded to work on the device for example Tetris, Pong and Snake; more complex games can also be coded, however due to storage constraints the size is limited.
Python.
Some of the newer Casio graphing calculators have a version of MicroPython built in, allowing the user to upload or write Python scripts on the calculator.


F-PROT Antivirus for DOS


Matra Alice

The Matra & Hachette Ordinateur Alice is a home computer sold in France beginning in 1983. It was a clone of the TRS-80 MC-10, produced through a collaboration between Matra and Hachette in France and Tandy Corporation in the United States.
The Alice is distinguished by its bright red casing. Functionally, it is equivalent to the MC-10, with a Péritel (SCART) connector replacing the RF modulator for video output.
Unlike its progenitor, the Alice became a popular computer in its home country, aided by its presence in schools as part of the country's "Informatique pour tous" ("Information technology for everyone") programme.
The original model had 4 kB of RAM and used a Motorola 6847 video display generator chip, as used in the Dragon 32 and Acorn Atom among others.
Matra later released two successor models:
The EF9345 video chip in the Matra Alice 32/90 was backwards-compatible with the old model's MC6847 and is capable of displaying 8 colors, 128 alphanumeric characters and 128 semi-graphic characters, with a semigraphic mode, two text modes and eight graphic modes. It was still able to access 16 KiB of VRAM, although the hardware design of the Matra Alice 32 and 90 made use of only 8 KiB.
Specifications.
All other specifications should be comparable to those of the TRS-80 MC-10, but have not been confirmed.


Kohjinsha

Kohjinsha is a Japanese PC manufacturer best known outside Japan for their current SA1F00 UMPC. In November 2006, the company announced KOHJINSHA SA, a series of lightweight computers of simple configuration, that come with a high specification for the price, attracting the attention of enthusiast market. According to market information firm BCN, it was the market leader in Japan for computers with screens smaller than 11 inches.


Ubuntu Netbook Edition

Ubuntu Netbook Edition (UNE), known as Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) prior to the release of Ubuntu 10.04, is a discontinued version of the Ubuntu operating system (OS) that had been optimized to enable it to work better on netbooks and other devices with small screens or with the Intel Atom CPU.
UNE was available starting with Ubuntu release 8.04 ("Hardy Heron"). UNE was also an optional preinstalled operating system on some netbooks, such as Dell Inspiron Mini 10v and the Toshiba NB100, and also ran on popular models such as the Acer Aspire One and the Asus Eee PC.
Canonical Ltd., the developers of Ubuntu, collaborated with the Moblin project to ensure optimization for lower hardware requirements and longer battery life.
Beginning with version 10.10, Ubuntu Netbook Edition used the Unity desktop as its desktop interface. The classic netbook interface was available in Ubuntu's software repositories as an option.
Because Ubuntu's desktop edition has moved to the same Unity interface as the netbook edition, starting with Ubuntu 11.04, the netbook edition was merged into the desktop edition.
Installation.
UNE could be installed in several ways:
Unity.
Starting with UNE 10.10, the interface was switched to Unity. Due to the desktop version of Ubuntu also being changed to the Unity interface, the netbook edition was rolled into the general Ubuntu distribution starting with Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal and the netbook edition was discontinued as a separate distribution.
Variants.
Dell Ubuntu Netbook Edition is built specifically for the hardware profile of the Inspiron Mini 9, and is also available for the Inspiron Mini 12. It includes a custom built interface and launcher as well as non-free codecs such as MPEG-4 and MP3. It began shipping on September 22, 2008.
EasyPeasy is considered to be among the first UNE-based distributions, with a focus on the usage of proprietary software like Skype by default and also integrating a set of different standard applications and drivers.
Support.
The minimum requirements are a Intel Atom CPU of at least 1.6 GHz, 512MB RAM and 4GB storage.
Ubuntu Netbook Edition was officially shipped with the following netbooks:


IdeaPad tablets

The IdeaPad tablets from Lenovo were a brand of consumer-oriented tablet computers designed for home use or entertainment, as opposed to the business-focused ThinkPad Tablet series. Devices sold in certain countries, such as China, India and New Zealand, were sold under the LePad brand, similar to the LePhone series of smartphones. IdeaPad-branded tablets have been produced with the Android and Windows operating systems.
The IdeaPad brand has been gradually phased out in recent years, being replaced by the general "Tab" brand for Android devices and the "Miix" brand for Windows devices, with the exception of several distinctive hardware lines such as the Yoga series.
2014.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro.
The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is 13-inch tablet with a built-in projector. It has a 9,600 mAh battery that Lenovo claims will last up to 15 hours of continuous use. Its display has a resolution of 2,560 pixels by 1,440 pixels. 32 gigabytes of built-in storage come standard but can be expanded to 64 gigabytes with a microSD card.
The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, like previous Yoga tablets, has a thin body with a thick cylindrical base. The thick base is designed to make holding the device in portrait mode more comfortable. The device's projector is mounted here. The projector has a resolution of 854 pixels by 480 pixels. Sound is provided by stereo speakers and a subwoofer but-in to the base.
A10.
The Lenovo A10 tablet is a 10.1-inch tablet computer that runs Android.
2012.
IdeaTab Lynx.
The Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx was released in the United States in December 2012. The Lynx tablet sold for $599 and its Accutype keyboard base was priced at $149. The Lynx is an 11.6-inch tablet. The Lynx without the dock is 11.85 inches by 7.4 inches by 0.37 inches and weighs 1.41 pounds. This is approximately the same weight and thickness as the third generation Apple iPad. The keyboard dock weighs 1.45 pounds for a total 2.86 pounds. The Lynx runs the full-version of Windows 8 as opposed to Windows RT. The Lynx uses a 1.8 GHz dual-core Clovertrail Intel Atom Z2760 processor, 2GB of memory, and either 32GB or 64GB of eMMC flash storage. The 11.6-inch in-plane switching display has a resolution of 1,366 x 768 resolution and supports five-point capacitive multitouch. Micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports and a microSD card slot are on Lynx table. The keyboard dock has two standard USB 2.0 ports. The Lynx also has Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi networking, stereo speakers, dual microphones, a 2-megapixel front-facing webcam.
In its review of the Lynx, "CNET" wrote: "The real question is, how will the Lynx stand out? One answer might be its weight. Despite its 11.6-inch screen, the tablet felt shockingly light when we held it at Lenovo's launch event. Although Lenovo says it's 1.44 pounds, the Lynx's tablet portion is closer in feel to a Kindle than an iPad, but with a larger display than either. The keyboard dock takes away from the Lynx's airiness, of course, although the two at least feel solidly linked when you use them together. The latch is so secure that you don't have to worry about accidentally dislodging the screen. We were also happy with the responsiveness of the Lynx's touchscreen, although we didn't get a chance to really challenge it during our five minute hands-on."
IdeaPad K2.
IdeaPad K2 (IdeaPad K2010) is 1920x1200 pixel, 10.1-inch IPS panel tablet with Tegra 3 running at 1.7 GHz (possibly overclocked), 2GB RAM, Fingerprint scanner, and keyboard dock. It is known as LePad K2 or LePad K2010 in China. IdeaPad K2 is meant for high-end gamers and business users.
Lenovo has displayed this tablet in the "New Product showcase" for India.
IdeaTab A1.
IdeaTab A1 is a 1024x600 7-inch display tablet with Android 2.3 or 4.0
IdeaTab S2109.
IdeaTab S2109 is 1024 x 768 pixels with 4:3 aspect ratio, 9.7-inch IPS display with OMAP 4430 SoC (dual core ARM Cortex A9 1 GHz and SGX540 PowerVR GPU), 1GB RAM. 3 versions with 8, 16 or 32 GB included storage capacity and Android 4.0.
IdeaTab S2110.
IdeaTab S2110. 10.1-inch IPS display tablet using Qualcomm 1.5 GHz SoC with 1GB RAM and Android 4.0.
2011.
Three Tablets were announced by Lenovo in the IdeaPad Tablet line in 2011: the IdeaPad K1, A1 and P1.
IdeaPad K1.
The IdeaPad K1 Tablet was announced in July 2011. The IdeaPad K1 tablet offered the following specifications:
More than 30 free apps were pre-loaded on the IdeaPad, including Angry Birds HD, , Kindle for Android, Documents To Go, and Norton Mobile Security.
In its review, "Gizmodo" appreciated the value that the IdeaPad K1 represented, with the offer of a 32GB tablet for only $499. The reviewer described the Tablet as one of the most attractive that "Gizmodo" had reviewed, with its “matte, chrome-colored side and back trim and deep red back panel”. The IdeaPad K1 tablet featured interface improvements as compared to other Android 3.1 tablets. Gizmodo indicated that the battery life was above average for Android Tablets: 8 hours and 3 minutes, despite continuous Web surfing over Wi-fi.
The IdeaPad K1 was summarized by "LAPTOP Magazine" as offering “a strong mix of style, performance, and uniquely compelling enhancements to the Android 3.1 UI”.
IdeaPad A1.
The IdeaPad A1 Tablet was announced in September 2011. The "PCWorld" review indicated that the A1 would be the first 7-inch tablet prices at $200 or less. The reviewer stated that the low price was achieved through a reduction in storage capacity, not functionality. The basic unit offered 2GB of internal storage and other variants with more storage would be made available. The A1 contained a Micro SD card slot, which allowed expansion of up to 32GB.
The A1 tablet was powered by a single-core 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor. It was suggested by the reviewer that the "single-core CPU may be the reason why no Honeycomb is on board, and may explain how Lenovo can achieve its aggressive price".
A feature indicated to be "most notable for a tablet at this price" was the capacitive touch screen. This was in contrast to the resistive touch screen found on value tablets. The display also offered a higher-than average resolution, of 1024x600 pixels and 170 pixels per inch (ppi). The ppi value made the display sharper than even that of the Apple iPad 2, which offered only 132 ppi on a 9.7-inch screen.
The fact that the A1 included Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) as opposed to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), was indicated to be a point of concern. The reviewer said that those companies which did incorporate Android 2.2 or 2.3 only achieved this by making significant customizations to the on-board apps as well as the interface. At the time of announcement, Lenovo had not provided information on what customizations had been made, if any.
The IdeaPad A1 tablet was 0.47 inches thin and weighed 0.88 lbs. The A1 offered four different colors: white, black, pink, and light blue.
A feature of the A1 announced by Lenovo was the inclusion of a magnesium alloy roll cage, which protected internal components through bumpers. Another key feature of the A1 was the GPS which did not require a data connection to be used.
IdeaPad P1.
The IdeaPad P1 Tablet was different from both the IdeaPad K1 and ThinkPad Tablets in that it featured Windows 7 as the operating system instead of Android 3.1. Additionally, unlike the K1 and ThinkPad Tablets, the P1 Tablet included an Intel Atom processor as opposed to an NVIDIA Tegra processor. Lenovo IdeaPad P1 Windows tablet also preloaded with Adobe Flash Player 10.3, Lenovo App Shop, Microsoft Security Essentials and Lenovo App Manager for switch from entertainment to productivity apps like send email, games, or watch the online movies.
The specifications of the IdeaPad P1 are as follows:


Prime Computer

Prime Computer, Inc. was a Natick, Massachusetts-based producer of minicomputers from 1972 until 1992. With the advent of PCs and the decline of the minicomputer industry, Prime was forced out of the market in the early 1990s, and by the end of 2010 the trademarks for both PRIME and PRIMOS no longer existed
The alternative spellings "PR1ME" and "PR1MOS" were used as brand names or logos by the company.
Founders.
The company was started by seven founders, some of whom worked on the Multics project at MIT.
The company started with the motto "Software First".
Poduska left in 1981, to start Apollo Computer. His successor was 27-year IBM executive Joe M. Henson, although Prime's president, Kenneth G. Fisher, had briefly been the interim top executive.
Minicomputer products.
The initial offerings by Prime, whose main competitors were Digital Equipment Corporation, Data General and Hewlett-Packard., were clones of Honeywell's DDP 316 and 516 minicomputers.
PRIMENET and a local area networking software product named RINGNET were announced.
Prime also marketed MEDUSA CAD software.
By 1987, Prime Computer had introduced an alternative line of Intel 80386-based computers, the EXL-316 series, running the Unix operating system. A "new line of Unix-based EXL-7000 computers" was announced in late 1990.
The company was successful in the 1970s and 1980s, peaking in 1988 at number 334 of the Fortune 500. In 1985 the company was the 6th largest in the minicomputer sector, with estimated revenues of US $564 million Much of this was based on the US Banking industry where the Prime Info database was widely accepted.
As of later 1989, Surrey University had the largest Prime Site in Europe, having multiple copies of virtually every 50 series machine (mostly running Primos 20.x, but some still running 19.x).
CAD/CAM Business.
Prime was heavily involved with Ford’s internal computer-aided design (CAD) product, Product Design Graphics System (PDGS). Design engineers used PDGS for auto body design, and finite element analysis using NASTRAN. It used a vectorscope from Lundy for a display. At one time in the 1980s, PDGS was the world largest integrated CAD system, spanning the US, Japan (Mazda was Ford's subsidiary/partner), (Cologne) Germany, (Dunton) England and (Geelong) Australia. The creators of PDGS, located in building #3 of Ford's Dearborn design headquarters, began working on the concept of parametrically driven geometry, which led to a PRIMEDesign system.
The company also acquired marketing and development rights to the MEDUSA CAD system, originally developed in England by Cambridge Interactive Systems (CIS), and having experience in the domain, the company explored transitioning to a CAD company. In 1982, Prime built a development team around the MEDUSA software and subsequently released several enhanced versions of the CAD/CAM system, branded as Prime MEDUSA. Enhancements included support of SunOS (also supported by CIS MEDUSA), a shaded viewer (based on Movie.BYU) and additional 3d visualization. Prime embarked on a project headed by Vladimir Geisberg to build a CAD-CAM system of its own called PRIMEDesign. This product was to compete with the industry leader at that time, CADDS4 from Computervision. RISC processors from MIPS Technologies and graphics processors from Silicon Graphics created the platform for PRIMEDesign as well as being the genesis of modern-day SGI. During this period, in 1985, Sam Geisberg left Computervision to found Parametric Technology Corporation and produce a parameter driven CAD system called ProEngineer. Computervision acquired Cambridge Interactive Systems in 1983, and Prime independently developed their own version of MEDUSA.
Prime subsequently purchased Computervision and Vladimir Geisberg, then VP for CAD, tried to merge back together the Prime and Computervision versions of the Medusa CAD system, and to launch Prime Design. As time passed it became clear that Prime Design, while leading edge in theory, was totally unsuitable for real engineering design work, and Prime Design was ended.
Decline and end.
By the late eighties, the company was having problems retaining customers who were moving to lower-cost systems, as minicomputers entered their decline to obsolescence. Prime was failing to keep up with customers' increasing need for raw computing power. By the end, not a single Prime computer was subject to COCOM export controls, as they were insufficiently powerful for the US Government to fear their falling into the hands of hostile powers.
In 1988, financier Bennett S. LeBow attempted a hostile takeover of Prime, leveraging his much smaller MAI Basic Four company. To stave off LeBow, Prime management organized a $1.3 billion "white knight" leveraged buyout by J.H. Whitney & Company. Various problems dogged this project, the holding company organized by Whitney went bankrupt, and the resulting severe financial distress made it much harder for Prime to deal with the accelerating downturn in its core business.
Prime's 1991 revenues of $1.2 billion were 25% lower than their 1988 revenues of $1.6 billion. Its computer sales were down by more than half ($377 million in 1989, $170 million in 1991), and by 1992 no new Prime Computers were being sold, portending a decline in its lucrative business of servicing computers made by Prime (and other manufacturers), a significant contributor to its already-declining revenues. A planned 1989 layoff of 1,200 employees became much more: over 6,000, thus Prime's workforce dropped by over half, from 12,386 employees in 1988 to 5,900 by the end of 1991.
After the computer design and manufacturing portions of the company were shut down, the only viable business that remained was the Computervision subsidiary, an early pioneer in CAD/CAM, which was acquired in a hostile takeover 1988. Prime was renamed to Computervision, which in 1992 sold the declining remnants of its Prime Information subsidiary to Vmark Corporation.
Computervision was subsequently successfully acquired by Parametric Technology Corporation in 1998, a company founded in 1985 by a former Prime employee.
Operating system.
The company operating system, "PRIMOS" was originally written mostly in the Fortran IV programming language with some assembler. Subsequently, the PL/P and Modula-2 languages were used in the Kernel. A number of new PRIMOS utilities were written in SP/L which was similar to PL/P.
Phantom, CPL and ED.
"Phantoms" were a form of unattended background processes that immediately began to run in the background when initiated by the PHANTOM command. "Conventional" batch jobs were initiated via the JOB command, including the ability to schedule them for a particular time.
CPL, the PRIMOS Command Processing Language was the shell scripting language.
The PRIMOS text editor "ED" was a line editor. It could record a command sequence and replay it on different files. EMACS, a full screen editor, was also available.
Specialised software.
General business.
Advent Online Knowledge.
Advent Online Knowledge, Inc. was a Schaumburg, Illinois-based producer of software for Prime computers.
Marc Software.
Marc Software International, Inc. of Palo Alto, California produced WordMARC word processing software for Prime computers.
Computer Techniques (Queo).
While Prime's PRIMOS operating system supported one or more compilers/interpreters for COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, RPG and 2 Assemblers, Queo was a step up: a procedural language more compact than COBOL, and with additional capabilities.
It was offered by Computer Techniques, Inc. of Olyphant, Pa. Queo later was reimplemented for PCs.
Office Automation System.
Prime acquired the OAS application from its developer, ACS America Inc., a now-defunct New York City software house.
It competed in the UK DTI Office Automation Pilot, but did not win.
OAS included electronic mail and word processing. Electronic mail use was initially restricted to a single minicomputer. Much later, Prime released email that worked with multiple Prime computers in a network, and a synchronised global directory system. Word processing was available either on dumb terminals like the PT25, PT45 and PST100, or on the partially intelligent PT65 terminal. The PT65 had to download the word processing software from the host minicomputer whenever the terminal was turned on. The terminal allowed the user to work on one page at a time, which was periodically saved to the minicomputer. This "intelligent workstation" concept for word processing was similar to the functions of popular systems from rival Wang Laboratories. Prime's intelligent workstation for word processing was faster because it used RS232C cabling runs instead of the coaxial links that Wang's systems used. Nonetheless, the word processing was not of the highest quality, and the PT65 was subject to software errors that scrambled the documents being worked on.
OAS also had a bilingual language lookup feature, sometimes marketed as machine translation.
Recognising the drawbacks of the downloadable WP workstation, Prime formed an agreement with Convergent Technologies for their AWS which Prime named the "Prime Producer 100" (launched in mid 1983) and later for Convergent's modular NGEN, clip together system, the "Prime Producer 200" (launched in 1984), each of which had far superior WP to the initial Prime offering, and were document-based.
In the UK, Prime had a very active OAS User Group whose suggestions were acted upon in new product development. UK Pioneers of the system included the London Docklands Development Corporation and Oxford Polytechnic, now Oxford Brookes University.
Prime Information.
Both the Pick environment and Prime Information were based on the Generalized Information Retrieval Language System (GIRLS), developed by Richard Pick for the American Department of Defense.
Devcom, a Microdata reseller, wrote a Pick-style database system called INFORMATION in FORTRAN and assembler in 1979 to run on Prime Computer 50-series systems. INFO/BASIC, a variant of Dartmouth BASIC, was used for database applications. It was then sold to Prime Computer and renamed Prime INFORMATION.
Unlike the Pick operating system, a complete operating system, Prime Information was not an operating system, but a 4GL system that ran from the Prime PRIMOS operating system.
Prime Information was a re-implementation which deliberately left out some features and added others. Prime Information allowed rapid 4GL or 4GL-like development of applications around relational or quasi-relational database structures. After a series of evolutions and acquisitions Prime Information is now an obsolete part of the Rocket U2 software suite.
Prime Information Connection.
In , Prime developed a system to conflict with OAS and confuse the market. Prime Information Connection added word processing to Prime Information, giving the company two office oriented suites to offer in a marketplace dominated by Wang Laboratories.
CAD/CAM.
Prime originally entered the CAD industry through Ford. At the time, Ford was using Control Data Corporation (CDC) stand-alone computers. Data was shared via reel tape and stored in "Data Collector" rooms at each facility. Ford began looking for a small computer that had all the advantages of the CDC computers, but could also connect to a network.
Prime’s 2250 ("Rabbit") offered the combination Ford was looking for in a package smaller than the original CDCs. In addition, the PRIMOS operating system would run unaltered across all Prime platforms; from the 2250 up to 750 (what would be considered today as a server). As a result, the Data Collector (rooms) would contain several 750 class machines, each with rows of CDC 300 or 600 MB drives. Primenet (Token Ring) network connected all CAD stations in a building with its Data Collector.
Ford pushed PDGS out to its suppliers and engineering contractors throughout the northern Midwest.
Prime gained expertise over the years with its collaboration with Ford and continued to expand into the CAD market with its Medusa product. With the acquisition of ComputerVision, Prime appeared to be a formidable force in the CAD/CAM industry.
Prime Medusa versions 5 and CV Medusa 7 were merged/recombined into a product that was called Medusa version 12. Prime also picked up Calma CAD systems from GE.
Electronic messaging.
Electronic messaging was developed on "relay.prime.com", which was the hub that relayed global electronic mail for Prime Computer. The software used on this computer system, PDN Mail, developed by Robert Ullmann, was designed to use the encoding header field that was later explained in a Request for Comments. PDN Mail was years ahead of its time and was also used by Microsoft Corporation until MIME was introduced.
Before MIME existed, PDN Mail was able to perform the same functions and was used to send software updates as well as all sorts of attachments between systems. In August 1993, Robert Ullmann, David Robinson and Al Costanzo wrote RFC 1505. This RFC, documented the Encoding Header Field for Internet Messages that PDN mail used and was published by the RFC editor, Jon Postel that same year.
Marketing.
A series of memorable advertisements created by Australian artist Rone Waugh from 1980 featured actors Tom Baker and Lalla Ward as their characters from the TV series "Doctor Who". All four of these adverts have since been included on the DVD release of the 1979 serial "Destiny of the Daleks" in which both actors appear.
Another series of advertisements featured a C-3PO-like robot called Albert EinPrime.


Astone UMPC

Astone UMPC is a mini notebook manufactured by Astone and based in VIA NanoBook. It has a LCD touch screen powered by a 1.2 GHz VIA C7-M processor. The module bay on the right side of the screen allows expansion with optional components such as webcam, GPS receiver, or world clock.
Specifications.
The hardware specification of the Astone UMPC are as follows:


Pecom 64

Pecom 64 was an educational and/or home computer developed by Elektronska Industrija Niš of Serbia in 1985.


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Beamrider

Beamrider is a fixed shooter written for the Intellivision by David Rolfe and published by Activision in 1983. The game was ported to the Atari 2600 (with a slightly reduced feature set), Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit family, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and MSX.
Gameplay.
"Beamrider" takes place above Earth's atmosphere, where a large alien shield called the "Restrictor Shield" surrounds the Earth. The player's objective is to clear the Shield's 99 sectors of alien craft while piloting the Beamrider ship. The Beamrider is equipped with a short-range "laser lariat" and a limited supply of torpedoes. The player is given three at the start of each sector.
To clear a sector, fifteen enemy ships must be destroyed. A "Sentinel ship" will then appear, which can be destroyed using a torpedo (if any remain) for bonus points. Some enemy ships can only be destroyed with torpedoes, and some must simply be dodged. Occasionally during a sector, "Yellow Rejuvenators" (extra lives) appear. They can be picked up for an extra ship, but if they are shot they will transform into ship-damaging debris.
Activision offered a "Beamrider" patch to players who could get to Sector 14 with 40,000 points and sent in a screenshot of their accomplishment.
Reception.
The "Deseret News" in 1984 gave the ColecoVision version of "Beamrider" three stars, describing it as "basically a slide-and-shoot space game."
A reviewer for "Your Commodore" described the Commodore 64 version of the game as "a really good, wholesome arcade zapping game."


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TK85

The TK85 was a ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletronica, a computer company located in Brazil. It came with 16 or 48 KB RAM, and had a ZX Spectrum–style case, similar to a "Timex Sinclair 1500".
Unlike the ZX81, the TK85 used discrete logic circuits instead of a ULA, and during manufacture, several chips were scraped so that competitors couldn't copy the circuit. The circuit board had space for a AY-3-8912 sound generator chip (compatible with the ZonX-81 sound board), and although none came factory installed, it is possible to add the necessary circuits.
The TK85 came with a copy of the 8K ZX81 floating point BASIC, and an additional 2K EPROM, mapped to addresses 8192-10240, containing machine code routines for use with tape files. These routines could save (HISAVE), load (HILOAD) and verify (HIVERIFY) in "Hi-Speed" (4200 bps); save and load, BASIC variables in 300 bps (standard ZX81 speed) using DSAVE and DLOAD functions and 4200 bps (Hi-Speed) using DHSAVE and DHLOAD. These routines were all accessible using RAND USR commands. The save to variable function could be used to make copies of programs on tape.
The expansion port on the back of the computer is compatible with the ZX81, although some peripherals may not work due to conflicts with the 2K of extra ROM.
The rear of the computer featured a TV output (without video backporch), EAR and MIC sockets for connecting to an external tape recorder, a JOYSTICK port using a DIN socket (that simulated the 5,6,7,8 and 0 keys), a ZX81 Compatible expansion port, space for a sound output socket, and a socket for the 9V external power supply.
Since the joystick used the cursor keys, and due to the circuitry for the keyboard, it wasn't possible to detect diagonal directions correctly.


The Case of the Cautious Condor

The Case of the Cautious Condor is an adventure video game in an interactive comic book style developed by Tiger Media, Inc.. It was one of the first games made specifically for CD-ROM.
Overview.
The player controls detective Ned Peters, who has to figure out the identity of the murderer by wandering around the rooms, looking for clues and overhearing conversations between the other guests aboard the flying boat "Condor" on a cruise over the Atlantic. The game has no text: the dialogue is played only as audio and the interface is completely mouse-driven.
History.
The game was first released for FM Towns in Japan in 1989, later also for CDTV (1991) and MS-DOS (1992). It won several awards, such as "Best Adventure 1989" in Japan. According to the game's developer, it had disappointing sales, in part because CD-ROM drives were not yet widespread at that time.
Tiger Media released later a similar game called "Murder Makes Strange Deadfellows".
Reception.
"Computer Gaming World" in 1993 stated that "Though the story was manufactured in the Orient Express Murder Mystery machine, this interactive comic book is novel enough to warrant a serious look ... A multimedia diversion for the whole family".


AMD Dragon

AMD Dragon is a platform engineered for gamers, designed for use with the AMD Phenom II X4 processor family. The goal for the platform is to offer the user a powerful gaming system.
Having a level 3 cache memory of 6 megabytes and support for the latest DDR3 memories, AMD claims the Dragon platform will allow for up to 20 percent faster performance than previous platforms.
The first versions are available for mainboards offering an AM2+ socket, supporting DDR2 memories, but the AM3 socket using DDR3 memory will be the primary socket type for the Dragon platform.
A system conforming to the platform specification is said to be a combination of a Phenom II X4 processor and a mainboard using a chipset from the AMD 700 chipset series, along with a graphics card of the ATI Radeon HD 4800 series. Pre-built systems using the platform are offered by Dell, HP and Alienware among others.
The HD 4800 series of graphics cards are now outdated, but the Phenom II x4 processors are still competitive and with their support for DDR3 allow for capable gaming platforms (when used in conjunction with a newer graphics card from the HD 6900 series or the HD 7800 series.


Surface Pro 3

The Surface Pro 3 is the third-generation Surface-series 2-in-1 detachable, designed, developed, marketed, and produced by Microsoft. It originally ran the Windows 8 Pro operating system (OS), but the optional upgrade to Windows 10 Pro (OS) operating system was later added.
History.
The older, original Surface and Surface 2, with their ARM-based processors and Windows RT operating system, are pitched against the iPad and other tablets. The Surface Pro 3 (like the preceding Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2), with its x64 Intel CPU and Windows 8 OS, is a full-fledged PC that competes against Ultrabooks (particularly those convertible laptops with touchscreens for a tablet functionality, flexible hinges, detachable keyboards, or sliders) and other high-end sub notebooks such as the MacBook Air.
The Surface Pro 3 was announced on May 20, 2014, at a New York City event, pre-orders were opened on May 21, 2014, and the first models were released on June 20, 2014 in the U.S. and Canada, with the Intel Core i3 and Intel Core i7 models released on August 1, 2014. The Surface Pro 3 was launched in 25 additional markets on August 28.
On October 6, 2015, Microsoft released its successor, the Surface Pro 4 with a bigger screen with a higher resolution and reduced bezels, faster CPU options, a thinner body and improved cooling system.
Features.
Hardware.
The Surface Pro 3 has a body made of magnesium alloy giving a gray matted finish to the back of the device. The charging port is magnetized and connects securely to the charger.
It comes with an improved kickstand, allowing the device to be set at any angle between 22 and 150 degrees. The kickstand has a high resistance which provides firmness and prevents accidental sliding.
The Surface Pro 3 features a larger (screen display area 25.4 cm x 16.9 cm) display over its predecessor. The screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio which Microsoft claims allow the device to be used more comfortably in the portrait orientation. Because the touch screen digitizer and the pen digitizer are combined into a single layer, the screen is physically thinner than one of earlier models, which improves viewing angle.
Although the Surface Pro 3 has a larger screen than its predecessor, it is both thinner and lighter, weighing less. Microsoft claims the Surface Pro 3 is capable of up to 9 hours of web browsing.
The Surface Pro 3 is built on the 4th generation Intel Core processor with TPM chip for enterprise security. It includes a USB 3.0 port and a Mini DisplayPort on the right, an audio jack on the left, and a hot swap microSD slot on the back of the device. The microSD slot supports memory cards up to 200 GB. The internal solid-state drive and system memory are not user upgradeable.
External display connectivity.
Like its predecessor, the Surface Pro 3 is capable of connecting up to three external displays. To connect a third display the 2-in-1's own screen should be turned off.
The device itself has a single Mini DisplayPort output and in order to connect two external displays one can additionally use a secondary Mini DisplayPort on a docking station accessory (sold separately). To attach three (or fewer) displays, an aftermarket DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport hub can be used or a daisy chaining feature of compatible displays. One of external displays can be attached over-the-air utilizing Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) technology.
In a single external display mode over DisplayPort, the i5 and i7-based models also support a resolution of 3840x2160 at 60 Hz, known as 4K Ultra HD.
Software.
The Surface Pro 3 initially shipped with Windows 8.1 Pro, but since the Windows 10 release on July 29, 2015, new devices come with the updated OS pre-installed, eliminating the need to upgrade as is the case on existing devices. The Windows 10 upgrade, among other features, brings a "Tablet mode", which can be useful when device is used as a tablet, that is without a keyboard attached.
InstantGo.
The Surface Pro 3 is one of the first 64-bit Windows devices that features InstantGo (formerly "Connected Standby"), allowing for smartphone-type power management capabilities. This allows for Windows Store apps to update info (such as email) while the device appears off, and for the operating system to run automatic maintenance when connected to AC. The Surface will enter hibernation state after four hours of no activity, to further conserve battery power.
With InstantGo active there is only one power plan available with a limited options. InstantGo is currently not supported when Hyper-V is enabled, instead the device will enter hibernation each time it is put into sleep mode.
Accessories.
The Surface-series devices feature a "Type Cover" accessory, an attachable protective keyboard, which is sold separately, yet has continually appeared in every Surface ad since the launch of the original Surface. The Type Cover for Surface Pro 3 features backlit keys, is thinner and has an improved touchpad over its predecessors. It also has a magnetic strip which binds to the front bezel of the display for additional stability. The magnetic strip can also be used to elevate the position of the keyboard, which can help to comfortably use a Type Cover on a lap.
The Surface Pro 3 is the first Surface device to feature an improved version of the Surface Pen, which is included with each device. In contrast to that from the earlier devices of the Pro line, which was based on Wacom technology, the Surface Pen of the Surface Pro 3 features N-trig DuoSense technology with 256 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Microsoft also offers a docking station, which adds five USB ports (including three USB 3.0), a Gigabit Ethernet port, an additional Mini DisplayPort (which can be used simultaneously with the port on the Surface Pro 3) and a 3.5 mm audio socket for audio input/output.
Some of Microsoft's wireless touch mice were restyled to match the Surface-series devices design, added where applicable a Bluetooth connectivity and relaunched as "Surface Edition" series mice: Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition and Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition.
Reception.
The Surface Pro 3 has received positive reviews. David Pogue suggested "The upshot is that, with hardly any thickness or weight penalty, the kickstand and the Type Cover let you transform your 1.8-pound tablet into an actual, fast, luxury laptop". Pogue said that the Surface Pro 3's form factor works well as a tablet, in contrast to the Surface Pro 2, whose bulk and weight limited its appeal as a tablet. Pogue also stated that the new multi-stage kickstand, 3:2 screen aspect ratio, and new Type Cover 3 detachable keyboard made it a competent laptop.
It has been suggested that the Surface Pro 3 comes closest to the Microsoft Tablet PC concept that company founder Bill Gates announced in 2001, being the first Surface to become a credible laptop replacement. "Time" magazine included Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in the list of the 25 best inventions of 2014.
The Surface Pro 3 received a repairability score of 1/10 from iFixit because of the use of a strong adhesive material throughout and the difficulty in removing the display.


Keystroke programming

Keystroke programming describes a specific way of programming by which each keystroke on a device or application is recorded in some way and then played back so that the recorded key-presses can be repeated multiple times. Keystroke programming is most commonly but not exclusively found in programmable calculators, but there are keystroke-programmable software applications, too, for example Vim (text editor)
Example: TI Calculators.
The Texas Instruments TI-58/TI-58C/TI-59 calculators were programmable, and program storage took the form of a sequence of codes which (mostly) corresponded to the position of keys on the calculator keypad. Here is a simplified diagram of the basic key layout:
Each key is assigned a two-digit code; for most (but not all) keys, the tens digit comes from the row number (as indicated down the left of the table) and the units digit comes from the column number (as indicated across the top of the table).
Now consider a very simple program, which adds 2 to the number being displayed, and then stops. The program is entered starting from program location 000, and looks like this:
To use this program, you would enter the number "n" to be operated on, press to ensure the current program location was 000, then to start execution. When the program stops (which should happen quite quickly for such a simple program), the display will be showing the number "n" + 2.
You can see that the codes 85, 95 and 91 correspond to the positions of the keys labelled , and on the grid above, but the code for the is not 83 as you would expect from the grid position, but 02. This last code was chosen to be more easily understandable by a human trying to read the program. There is no row 0, so the codes 00 .. 09 are used to represent the keys .. .
Context-Dependent Interpretations.
These TI calculators allowed for addressing up to 100 data memory locations, numbered 00 to 99 (some models had a lower limit than this). A keystroke sequence like (store the currently-displayed number into memory 42) would be encoded as 42 42. In this case the first 42 is the key code for the key, but the second 42 is not a key code, but a memory register number. The calculator knows to interpret it as such because that’s what has to follow the code for the key.
Program addresses were 3 digits, potentially allowing programs to consist of up to 1000 steps, numbered 000 to 999 (though in fact none of the models produced allowed for this maximum). A branch instruction, for example (unconditional branch to location 345) would be encoded as 61 03 45. In this case the hundreds digit of the branch destination is in the units digit of the second instruction byte (after the opcode), with a zero tens digit; and the remaining digits are in the third instruction byte.
A code sequence like 61 11, on the other hand, represents the keystrokes , which is a branch to the location marked by the "symbolic label" . The calculator can tell this is a symbolic branch, rather than a branch to a numbered location, because the tens digit of the byte immediately following the opcode is not zero.
Most of the keys on the keypad can be used as symbolic labels. For example, sequences like and are legitimate, provided that and have in fact been defined as labels somewhere in the program.
Modifier Keys.
Most of the keys had multiple functions, depending on whether or had been pressed beforehand. invoked the “inverse” (whatever that meant) of the following function, and was recorded in a program as a separate keystroke (code 22), while invoked a completely different function which was written on the keypad faceplate just above the key. For example, pressing invoked the function, while (or ) gave you the arcsine.
The code for this alternate function is derived from that of the original key function by adding 5 to the units digit ("without" carry to the tens digit). Thus, the key codes corresponding to the position of the key itself (21 and 26) are never used as opcodes. Here is the table of the codes produced with the prefix:
Merged Keystrokes.
The key allows for indirection: wherever a reference to a memory register or a program location is allowed, this key can be used to fetch the actual value from a memory register. For example, the key sequence means to fetch the value in memory register 10, and use that value in turn as the number of a memory register whose contents are to be fetched as the current operand. However, in this case the cannot be encoded as code 40, because the code sequence 43 40 would be interpreted as , not .
But, because of the use of the 00 .. 09 codes for the .. keys, the codes 62-64, 72-74, 82-84 and 92 are available for other uses. So most of these are reallocated to represent "op" sequences:
Thus, the key sequence would be encoded as 73 10.
Note the use of code 92 for (return from subroutine); this was not necessary for reasons of ambiguity, but was done to save space with such a common sequence.


List of mergers and acquisitions by Twitter

Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read "tweets", which are text messages limited to 280 characters. Registered users can read and post tweets but unregistered users can only read them. Users access Twitter through the website interface, SMS, or mobile device app. Twitter Inc. is based in San Francisco and has offices in New York City, Boston, Seattle, Boulder, and London.


.NET Compact Framework controls

NET Compact Framework controls is a set of controls for .NET Compact Framework.
Overview.
The Microsoft .NET Compact Framework is a sub-library of .NET Framework. It simplifies the mobile application development of smart devices. These are to a large extent limited by the screen size, CPU performance or memory capacity. .NET Compact Framework takes some of the controls and libraries from .NET Framework. Moreover, it optimizes them to match the limited options of mobile devices in comparison with PCs.
There are certain criteria of user interface that mobile users demand. While plenty of functions of standard PC or Mac applications add to the user experience, they might decrease the mobile user experience. Mobile screen is usually small. Therefore, the user may often miss click on mobile screen with many buttons. All of the .NET Compact Framework controls are hence optimized to overcome the possible limits of mobile devices. Third-party controls are also available.
Third-party .NET Compact Framework controls.
Apart from Microsoft other companies exist who produce .NET Compact Framework controls. See External links section below to find out more third-party .NET Compact Framework controls.


Scorpion (computer)


PC-6000 series

The NEC PC-6000 series is a series of 8-bit home computers introduced in November 1981 by NEC Home Electronics. There are several models in this series, such as the PC-6001, the PC-6001 MK2 and the PC-6001 MK2 SR. There is also an American version, called the NEC TREK, or NEC PC-6001A. It was followed by the PC-6600 series.
Several peripherals were available for the system in North America, including an expander with three cartridge jacks (some of the cartridge-based games used two cartridges), a cassette-tape recorder, a 5.25" floppy disk drive, a printer, and a touchpad.
Development.
 was a subsidiary of NEC and a manufacturer of consumer electronics. They started manufacturing the PC-8001 and its peripherals which were developed by the Electronic Devices Group of Nippon Electric. It was successful and grew the personal computer market in Japan. They started developing a low-cost home computer, and it became the PC-6001. At the same time, the Electronic Devices Group developed the PC-8801 for home and business, and the Information Processing Group developed the PC-9801 for business market. In 1983, New Nippon Electric changed its name to NEC Home Electronics. At that time, NEC group had four personal computer lines come out from different divisions. To avoid confliction, they decided to consolidate personal computer business into two divisions; NEC Home Electronics dealt with the 8-bit home computer line, and the Information Processing Group dealt with the 16-bit personal computer line. NEC Home Electronics discontinued development of the PC-6000 series, the PC-6600 series, and the PC-8000 series. These lines were merged to the PC-8800 series.
PC-6001.
The PC-6001 has the µPD780 processor (NEC clone of Zilog Z80), 16 KB RAM (up to 32 KB), General Instrument AY-3-8910 3-voice sound generator, a ROM Cartridge connector, a cassette tape interface, 2 x joystick port, a parallel printer connector, an RF modulator output and a composite video output. It supports four screen modes; 32x16 characters with 4 colors, 64x48 pixel graphics with 9 colors, 128x192 graphics with 4 colors, and 256x192 graphics with white and green colors. The ROM cartridge allowed the user to easily use software such as video games. The Japanese version uses a chiclet keyboard while a North American version (PC-6001A) uses a typewriter keyboard.
PC-6001mkII.
The PC-6001mkII has 64 KB memory, 16 KB video RAM, a 5¼-inch 2D floppy drive interface, Kanji character generator, RGB monitor out, speech synthesizer unit and a typewriter keyboard. It supports following screen modes; 40x20 characters, 80x80 pixel graphics with 15 colors, 160x200 graphics with 15 colors, and 320x200 graphics with 4 colors.


HP 30b

The HP 30b (NW238AA, variously codenamed "Big Euro", "Mid Euro" and "Fox") is a programmable financial calculator from HP which was released on 7 January 2010. The HP 30b is an advanced version of the HP's prior model HP 20b. Featuring a two line alpha numeric display, ability to input data via Reverse Polish Notation, Algebraic and normal Chain algebraic methods, and twelve digit display.
This ARM powered calculator also has some limited scientific functions which is relatively rare in financial calculators. Also, it has a built in Black-Scholes Equation, for calculating theoretical premium for calls and puts, Modified Internal Rate of Return and Financial Management Rate of Return, a first.
It is one of the fastest calculators available, even faster than HP's flagship model 50g under normal usage conditions because the 30b runs native ARM code while the 50g emulates Saturn code even though it executes at 75 MHz. The 30b is also acclaimed by users for its improved rotate-and-click keys than the much criticized keys on the HP 20b.
The HP 30b is not allowed in any major exam like CFA Charter exam.
HP 40b.
At some point HP planned to release a HP 40b, a version of the HP 30b with added USB port, the capability to load precompiled programs into the calculator from the PC and to use the calculator as an external keypad for a PC. However, only a few prototypes were ever produced.
WP 31S, WP 34S and WP 34C.
As with the HP 20b, the HP 30b's firmware can be overwritten ("flashed") using a computer and a special cable. Taking advantage of this facility, a team of HP calculator enthusiasts has produced a firmware for converting the 30b into a programmable scientific calculator. The resulting WP 34S firmware and user's manual can be downloaded free of charge, and a special serial cable and keypad overlay can be purchased for a nominal fee. The WP 34S is also being sold commercially. A firmware branch with a complex number lock mode is called WP 34C. The WP 31S is a stripped-down version of the WP 34S. (The community-developed WP 43S, which is based on the SwissMicros DM42 hardware, is a successor to this project.)


List of bridge cameras

This is a list of superzoom bridge cameras with zoom ratios equivalent to or larger than 40x.


DN (file manager)