PC Tech World: Fujitsu

Showing posts with label Fujitsu. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Fujitsu shows off a tablet prototype with a built-in palm reader (hands-on)

To be honest, CeBIT is a fairly sleepy tech show, especially compared to Mobile World Congress, which just wrapped last week. For Fujitsu's part, the outfit already showed off its waterproof slate and GPS cane (aka the best thing we've seen so far this year). But the company did keep at least one trick up its sleeve: a tablet with a built-in palm reader. If you recall, we knew a year ago that Fujitsu was working on a tablet that could scan the palm as a form of authentication, but we've never actually seen a finished product, or even a functioning prototype.

So here we are. This thing has a 10-inch screen, though its dimensions are considerably larger than on any other 10-incher, as its housing has to accomodate that palm reader. As it happens, though, Fujitsu is already developing a sensor small enough that it could be built into the tablet itself, most likely in the upper bezel. Even so, that won't be ready until at least the end of the year, says a Fujitsu rep. For now, then, the device comes bundled inside a plastic and magnesium enclosure, and the tablet itself will be the same Arrows V F-04E we showed you last week. (It will be sold under the Stylistic, not Arrows, brand in Europe.)

Like other proofs-of-concept with Fujitsu's PalmSecure technology, you don't actually have to lay your hand on the sensor to make it work -- hovering above it will work just fine. As with a fingerprint sensor, you'll be required to recreate the same hand motions several times as a way of setting up a user profile. In the case of palm-reading, though, you can also register both a right and left hand -- as you can see in our video below, the system will most certainly reject you if you offer the wrong one.

In terms of pricing and availability, well, we definitely don't have a price, but Fujitsu did indicate it would arrive in Japan first, followed by Europe in June. Oh, and given that its main selling point is a security feature, you can bet it'll be sold to businesses over consumers. If you don't live in Japan and aren't working for The Man, we've got some photos and video below which should hopefully satisfy your curiosity. Fujitsu PalmSecure prototype tablet hands-onSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

Dan Cooper contributed to this report.

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By: Unknown On 7:51 PM

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Fujitsu, Orange partner on senior-friendly Stylistic S01 smartphone

Fujitsu and Orange Partner to Deliver Smartphones to the Rapidly Growing Senior Market in Europe

Intuitive, feature-rich STYLISTIC S01 smartphone to debut June 2013 in France

Fujitsu Limited and France Telecom-Orange today announced a new partnership to offer mobile phones and services in Europe. The partnership marks Fujitsu's first extensive foray into the smartphone market outside Japan. The initial offering will be the STYLISTIC S01, a smartphone designed especially for senior users, and will be available through Orange in France in June 2013.

As the senior population in Europe continues to grow rapidly, smartphone usage in this demographic is expected to rise. With the release of the STYLISTIC S01, Fujitsu and Orange plan on offering users in this market segment an innovative smartphone that provides outstanding usability. The STYLISTIC S01 will include services like Orange Cineday and Orange et Moi, which are unique to Orange. Based around the human-centric technologies that Fujitsu has cultivated for over a decade, the STYLISTIC S01 also offers a variety of original, convenient functions designed to reduce barriers to smartphone adoption by maximizing ease of use.

One of these barriers is conventional touchscreens, which do not offer the tactile sensation of pressing a physical button. The STYLISTIC S01, however, employs a unique screen technology that requires users to apply the same level of pressure to on-screen icons as they would to buttons on a keypad. This helps users avoid inadvertent touches, preventing unintended operations and improving input accuracy. Furthermore, the intuitive graphic user interface features extra-large icons and a simplified layout to ensure straightforward navigation for easier operation. The STYLISTIC S01 is also equipped with a loud personal security alarm that can be used to alert people in the surrounding area in emergency situations.

The handset incorporates audio technology that optimizes the frequency range based on a user's age, making it easier to hear the voice of the person on the other end of the call. Another user-friendly audio function slows down the speech of callers who speak rapidly without lowering the pitch of their voice or changing the length of the conversation. These and other innovative features are currently in use in the Fujitsu Raku-Raku Phone series for seniors, which has been offered by NTT DOCOMO since 2001 in Japan where it has sold over 20 million units.

"The senior customers within our customer base are just as hungry for smartphone technology and mobile internet services as anyone else. We are thrilled to be working together with Fujitsu to leverage our combined strengths to provide products for an emerging smartphone market segment in Europe," said Yves Maitre, Senior Vice President of Device & Mobile Multimedia, France Telecom-Orange.

"As Fujitsu's first extensive entry into the smartphone market outside Japan, we are delighted that Orange – a company that holds a strong position in the European market – will be offering our phone, which features Fujitsu-exclusive human-centric technologies," said Nobuo Otani, Corporate Senior Vice President, Fujitsu Limited. "We are committed to the success of this partnership as we strive to expand our smartphone business overseas, while advancing the promotion of Japanese technology worldwide."

The STYLISTIC S01 will be on display at the Fujitsu stand (Hall 5 Stand 5E120) and can also be viewed upon request at the Orange stand (Hall 5 Stand 5H110) during Mobile World Congress 2013, to be held in Barcelona, Spain starting February 25, 2013.

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By: Unknown On 6:23 PM

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Fujitsu to merge LSI chip business with Panasonic, cut 5,000 jobs

Fujitsu to merge chip business with Panasonic, cut 5,000 jobs

Intense semiconductor competition has already forced numerous Japanese companies to work together, and now Fujitsu has announced that it'll merge its LSI chip design and R&D divisions with Panasonic. The two companies are looking to the state-run Development Bank of Japan to fund the new venture, which comes in the wake of expected Fujitsu losses of over $1 billion this year -- forcing the company to cut 5,000 jobs and transfer 4,500 to other divisions by March 31st. Fujitsu said it's also looking to transfer a state-of-the-art LSI fabrication line in central Japan to a new foundry venture with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the world's largest chip maker. That carries on a trend in declining Japanese chip dominance, exemplified by Elpida's bankruptcy and the recent government bailout of Renesas, which itself is a merger of NEC, Hitachi and Mitsubishi's semiconductor operations.

[Image credits: Wikimedia commons]

Via: WSJ

Source: Fujitsu

Friday, February 1, 2013

Fujitsu announces bevy of FMV Windows 8 AIO PCs, laptops along with WiFi-only Arrows tablet

Fujitsu Launches New Line of FMV Series PCs

Enhances lineup of Windows 8 touchscreen models, all equipped with Latest Version of Office

Tokyo, February 1, 2013 - Fujitsu today announced that it has updated its FMV Series lineup of consumer-oriented personal computers. The new lineup features a total of 11 models in five product families, each equipped with Office Home and Business 2013 from Microsoft®. There are a variety of enhanced features, such as touch operations, that provide the user with an enjoyable user experience that only Windows 8 can provide. The new models will be available in Japan from February 7, 2013.

From the LIFEBOOK AH family of 15.6-inch notebook PCs, Fujitsu is introducing two new models, the AH77/K and the AH56/K, that feature support for Windows 8 touch operations.

For the desktop PC ESPRIMO FH lineup, Fujitsu is introducing two new 21.5-inch models, the FH56/KD and the FH54/KD, which feature support for wireless touchpads. Models in the EH family of entry-level 20-inch desktops have also been updated with a lighter, more compact design.

In addition, with the My Cloud Start feature from Fujitsu's My Cloud consumer cloud service, user content such as photos, videos, and music stored on both the PC's internal hard drive and in online storage can be displayed at a glance(1), enabling a more user-friendly media experience. Going forward, the company plans to continue enhancing My Cloud and delivering new ways for users to enjoy their PCs, such as by offering services to support people as they start the new academic and fiscal year beginning in Japan in the spring.

Main Product Features

1. LIFEBOOK AH Family: 15.6-inch notebook PCs featuring support for Windows 8 touch-based operations

From the LIFEBOOK AH family of 15.6-inch widescreen LCD notebooks, Fujitsu is introducing the AH77/K and the AH56/K, which feature touchscreens through which users can directly operate the Windows 8 interface. By supporting touch functionality, the new models will enable customers to take advantage of Windows 8 with greater intuitiveness, simplicity and ease. With the touchscreen's special surface processing called Sara-Sara Coating Display(2), fingerprints and smudging don't stand out. As such, users can operate the touchscreen without having to worry about constantly cleaning it. In addition, the new models also include a large touchpad that can be operated with a finger with the same convenience as a touchscreen, allowing for a combination of both touchscreen and touchpad operations.

In particular, the AH77/K includes a high-capacity battery offering about 6.3 hours of runtime(3), HDD protection that safeguards important data from impact damage, Pioneer speakers boasting excellent audio performance, and a vibrant, high-color-purity LCD screen that employs full flat fine-panel technology. As a result, the notebook can be comfortably used anywhere in the home.

2. ESPRIMO FH Family: Featuring enhanced support for wireless touchpads

From the ESPRIMO FH family, Fujitsu is introducing two new 21.5-inch models, the FH56/KD and the FH54/KD(4), which come with a new wireless touchpad that enables the computer to be remotely operated with the same finger operations as its touchscreen, even from a distance. Using the wireless touchpad, users can perform a variety of tasks, such as swipe operations, displaying the Charm Bar or adjusting the computer's volume, all from a distance using intuitive operations that can only be found on Windows 8.

The FH54/KD also features Quick TV, which allows users to view television programs without having to boot the operating system, as well as a double recording function that enables two television shows to be simultaneously recorded. These features make the FH family the optimal choice for customers seeking to enjoy convenient TV capabilities.

3. ESPRIMO EH Family: Smaller and lighter 20-inch desktop PCs

The ESPRIMO EH line of affordable desktops PCs has been updated with a lighter, more compact design. Fujitsu has managed to lighten the PCs from almost 5.8kg to only 5.2kg, while achieving a depth reduction from about 18cm to 17.2cm. Even though the EH family represents Fujitsu's lower-cost model lineup, they still come equipped with TV viewing and recording functionality and also feature an LCD screen that can be freely adjusted between 10-30º, making it easy to position for optimal viewing.

4. Equipped with the latest version of Office Home and Business 2013

All of the new models come equipped with the latest version of Office Home and Business 2013. In addition to supporting touch operations, Office Home and Business 2013 is loaded with new convenient features including Live Layout for Word 2013, which allows users to instantly rearrange photos and charts by simply dragging them to a new location, and Recommended Charts for Excel 2013, which displays suggested chart types with a single click.

For customers who previously purchased computers equipped with qualifying Office 2010 products(5), Microsoft is currently offering an upgrade program in which users can receive a full upgrade to Office 2013 free of charge(6).

5. My Cloud Start: View user content saved both locally and in the cloud

My Cloud is a hybrid cloud service for consumers in Japan that delivers a host of easy-to-use and convenient cloud services from Fujitsu along with high capacity online storage that can be employed in sync with users' home PCs. With the release of the new lineup, My Cloud Start will now allow users to easily view all of their content-such as photos, videos, and music-that has been stored to both the PC's internal hard drive and in online storage. Because My Cloud Start automatically adds and sorts new content within the library, users can enjoy content with much greater convenience.

My Cloud Start
6. Optional Version: ARROWS Tab Wi-Fi QH55/J without Office software

Starting March 2, 2013, Fujitsu will also offer an option without Office software for its ARROWS Tab Wi-Fi QH55/J, the world's slimmest(7) water- and dust-resistant Windows 8 tablet, announced on October 19 of last year. In combination with the existing model featuring Office Home & Business 2010, users will be able to select the model that best suits their needs and preferences, with or without Microsoft Office.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing and Availability
Family Product Availability Pricing
LIFEBOOK AH77/K February 15, 2013 Open
AH56/K (Shiny Black) February 22, 2013
AH56/K (Urban White/Ruby Red) March 2, 2013
AH45/K February 7, 2013
AH42/K February 7, 2013
SH76/K February 7, 2013
SH54/K February 7, 2013
UH75/K February 7, 2013
UH55/K February 7, 2013
ESPRIMO FH56/KD February 7, 2013
FH54/KD February 7, 2013
EH30/KT February 7, 2013
ARROWS Tab Wi-Fi QH55/J (FARQ55J2) March 2 , 2013
FMV custom-made models will be available beginning February 7.

Glossary and Notes

1 Displaying pictures, videos, and music content at a glance:
An application download from the URL below is required to utilize this feature. (The application is expected to be available for download from Mid-February 2013)
For more information, please visit: http://azby.fmworld.net/mycloud/apps/ (Japanese)
To display lists of videos and music saved on the My Cloud library on My Cloud Start, signing up to the fee-based My Cloud Library Plus service is necessary.
2 Sara-Sara Coating Display:
The AH77/K is the only model from this new line of FMV series PCs to feature the Sara-Sara Coating Display.
3 Approximately 6.3 hours of battery runtime:
In the case of the AH77/K, as measured using Ver. 1.0 of JEITA's measurement method.
4 The FH56/KD and the FH54/KD featuring a new wireless touchpad:
Comes standard on the FH56/KD and as an optional upgrade (sold separately) for the FH54/KD.
5 Qualifying Office 2010 products:
For more information, please visit: www.office.com/offer
6 Office upgrade program:
A program in which customers who purchased a PC model equipped with Office 2010 and activated the license during the offer period are eligible to receive the latest version of Office as a free download. (Eligibility Period: October 19, 2012 to April 30, 2013)
For more information, please visit: www.office.com/offer
7 World's slimmest water and dust-resistant Windows 8 tablet:
As of February 1, 2013, according to Fujitsu research.
About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Over 170,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$54 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

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By: Dilusha On 9:36 PM

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Google, HelloFax, Manilla, Fujitsu and others urge you to go paperless in 2013

Google, HelloFax, Manilla, Fujitsu and others are behind Paperless 2013 campaign

Even with the popularity of cloud computing and terabyte servers, most US offices are still drowning in a sea of dead trees; around 10,000 sheets of paper a year per worker, according to the EPA. Enter Paperless 2013, a campaign that will email you monthly tips on how to make the paperless office a reality. It's funded by the "Paperless Coalition," a group of digital solution companies comprised of Google Drive, HelloFax, Manilla, HelloSign, Expensify, Xero and Fujitsu ScanSnap -- none of which have any ulterior motive behind encouraging this paper-free existence. None at all. Of course, you don't have to go with these specific companies to go eco-friendly (Dropbox and PDFPen are a couple of other options) but if you need some advice on how to shed those wasteful printing habits, then go ahead and sign up at the source. Or you could do what we did and unplug our printers altogether -- just in case it gets possessed.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Fujitsu president blames poor sales on 'weak' Windows 8 demand

PC industry is relying on Windows 8 to take off

Fujitsu president Masami Yamamoto has said the lack of appetite for Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system is hurting PC sales.

Speaking to reporters in Japan on Thursday, Yamamoto said the demand had been "weak," following the launch of the re-imagined operating system in late October.

PC shipments are expected for fall short of the company's 7m estimates when everything is tallied up at the end of the fiscal year in March.

Yamamoto's comments come in the same week that Acer president Jim Wong said that customer adoption may be "dramatically delayed" as users become accustomed to the radical new interface.

Leading manufacturers citing Windows 8 as the answer to shortcomings in their bottom lines might become a bit of a theme in the next few months, as the PC industry continues to struggle.

Microsoft has plenty riding on the success of Windows 8, but if it fails it could also bring down an entire segment of the market.

Via CNET