New in technology – Splinternet: Gadgets will modify the Internet in a radical way (or maybe not)

For many years, the Internet was simple: All of us were browsing the same global system of interconnected computer networks.

But now in 2010, thanks to the iPhone, the Kindle, the BlackBerry, the Droid and, of course, thanks to the excessively valued iPad, the idea of a basic Internet could be only a charming thing of the past.

Right now, the mobile-connected devices are everywhere and, with each day, there are more and more devices. At the same time, we are seeing a proliferation of contents and apps that are destined to be displayed only in certain gadgets. For example, the application Tweetie (for Twitter) is available only for the iPhone; and some Gmail apps only work on Android-based phones. And, if you buy an e-book for the Amazon Kindle, then you won’t be able to read it on the Apple iPad.

On the other hand, many online contents and web applications are protected by passwords, including, of course, Facebook profiles and news from some online newspapers.

Is this a new age? According to Josh Bernoff (forrester.com), yes, this is a new age: The age of the Splinternet.

However, some people think the contrary is true: According to them, actually, today Internet is more easy to access than ever and more “standard” too. What do you think? Maybe, you want to read an interesting interview with Josh Bernoff… but please, read the comments that are below the interview, too. Maybe they are more interesting than the interview itself.

New tablet PC: Notion Ink Adam has been announced

Hardly three weeks have passed since the iPad was launched, and now some other companies have decided to get down to business in the realm of tablet computers in order to try to win share in this market and compete with the new and interesting Apple gadget. Recently, Dell announced its new Mini 5 (an Android-powered Snapdragon slate), which was unveiled during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On the other hand, according to some recent reports, Micro-Star International (MSI) will also launch a new tablet.

But, without any doubt, the tablet that could become a real threat for Apple is the one that Notion Ink has just announced (the prototype has been named as Adam), since it would integrate technologies such as Nvidia’s Tegra and ARM. Also it will support Flash and be able to play video up to 1080p. In addition, the new tablet is supposed to have a longer battery life (twice the battery life of the iPad).

It is expected that its launch will take place in the mid-2010 and many people are already speculating about the multiple functions and features that, supposedly, will be better than those of the new Apple tablet.

The Notion Ink Adam will be powered by NVidia’s Tegra chipset (as mentioned before) and will use a Pixel Qi screen with low energy consumption. The fact it will support video playing at 1080p is remarkable if we keep in mind the iPad is limited to 720p. Also, there will be different versions of the Adam with different thickness and that is a good thing because there is people out there who prefer to carry robust gadgets, even if those gadgets are bigger, but also there are other people who are always inclined to buy the thinest and smaller devices.

Samsung cell phone: B5722 Duos is available in India

The Samsung B5722 Duos just was launched in India, after being available in some European countries since last December. In this way, this mobile phone is now the first Samsung phone with touchscreen that supports two SIM cards in India.

The B5722 Duos don’t support 3G, but it allows users to use two SIM cards at the same time. Those SIM cards can be alternated all the time if the user wants so, without needing to turn off the phone.

Features of the Samsung B5722 Duos include: A robust 2.8-inch QVGA touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, music player, FM radio with RDS (Radio Data System), a built-in 3-megapixel camera, and slot to insert microSD memory cards (up to 8GB).

The B5722 Duos also features easy access to popular social network websites (Facebook and MySpace, among others), as well as to Palringo Instant Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ and AIM.

Camera cell phone: Samsung Trill R520 with a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera

Samsung has confirmed the rumors that arose some days ago. Specifically, the company has announced that its new mobile phone, which is called “Trill R520″, will soon be available in the United States.

The technical sheet of this mobile phone indicates it includes a 1.3-megapixel camera that allows users to take pictures and record video. Besides, it has digital zoom and a night mode.

In addition, other useful features are included, for example: Built-in memory of 1 GB, a slot to insert microSD/microSDHC memory cards, USB connection, stereo Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, headphone jack (3.5mm), Global Positioning System (GPS), support to play music formats (MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA), and a 2.2-inch TFT display.

With regard to the battery, the specs indicate that the Trill R520 has a Li - Ion battery (880 mAh) and it is supposed to offer up to 270 minutes of talk time and up to 300 hours of standby time.

LCD computer monitor: DoubleSight unveils some new Smart USB screens

DoubleSight Displays has unveiled a new line of LCD display screens which are called Smart USB monitors.

They are available in several versions: 7-inch, 9-inch, and 9-inch with webcam. Each LCD monitor is designed to work with any desktop or laptop computer with an USB port (a VGA port is not needed). And, by using a software called DoubleSight’s Display Link, the user will be able to connect up to six Smart USB Monitors to his/her existing PC.

Like most of USB screens, these screens require no video chipset. Besides, they work in both landscape and portrait modes.

You can buy these monitors by using the online DoubleSigh shop. The 7-inch monitor costs $ 139, the 9-inch one costs $ 169 and the 9-inch one with webcam has a price of $ 199.

The 7-inch monitor has a maximum resolution of 800×480, while the 9-inch version supports up to 1024×600 pixels. All the versions muster a 30ms pixel response time and are compatible with Mac OS X and Windows PCs.

Headphones that are motion-activated for Sony Ericsson mobile phone

With the introduction of the MH907 headphones, Sony Ericsson has become the first company to offer motion-activated headphones.

There are built-in, capacitive motion sensors at the end of the headphones, which are able to automatically start or stop the operation of, for example, a cell phone. This is achieved by using a contact point sends a signal when a user puts or pulls the headphones in/out the ears.

When the user puts the headphones in his/her ears, the music can be listened to. On the other hand, it also allows to answer an incoming call if it is used as a handsfree with a supported cell phone. And when the user pulls the headphones out, the music will be paused or the call will be ended.

The MH907 headphones will be available in Europe first by the end of this week. They will cost 39 Euros (approximately US$ 57) and will come in two colors: black and yellow.

Notebook laptops: Samsung N130 - New netbook

As September wears on, some companies are confirming the launch of new products. And Samsung is one of them. The company has announced to the public that an interesting and tiny netbook called Samsung N130 will be launched into the market shortly. This netbook will be remarkable: it will have an internal battery for an 11 hours estimated autonomy. That is a really high battery autonomy nowadays.

The Samsung N130 has been equipped with an Intel Atom N270 processor and it will come with a 10.1-inch screen, resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam (which is perfect for those people who like or need online video communications all the time), memory cards reader, and a hard drive with a storage capacity of up to 160 GB.

In addition, this new netbook also includes a GMA 950 video card, 3-cell or 6-cell battery (it is up to the user to select the most appropriate) and 1GB of RAM.

Lastly, other features include 3 USB ports, a VGA output, an approximate weight of 1.27 kg (2.8 pounds). The dimensions are 263.8 x 185.5 x 28.5 mm (10.4 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches).