We’ve seen Google announcing ChromeBook from Samsung and Acer, but surprise-surprise, here’s something that we didn’t catch, a ChrmiumPC modular computer, powered by Google’s Chrome operating system.

This is the new computer from Xi3, called the Xi3 ChromiumPC. It’s running the brand new Chrome operating system by Google, housed in an aluminium chassis that holds three small but interconnected boards (or modules), namely the Processor Module, the Primary I/O Module and the Secondary I/O Module, which has a slightly different design than the average PC that we come to know.

The Processor Module houses the microprocessor and RAM, while the Primary I/O Module has the majority of external communications ports. The Secondary I/O Module houses the Ethernet, video and power connections. The ChromiumPC is powered by a dual- or single-core 64-bit, x86-based processor, which means that there will be multiple options to choose from.

Xi3 Corporation will launch the ChromiumPC in the second half of 2011.

SOURCE via Businesswire

Transcend has been selling drop-proof portable HDD for quite some time now, but now there’s a new player in the market, and it’s quite the hardcore one. Storage Appliance Corporation today introduced the new Clickfree C2 Rugged portable HDD. The storage device passes U.S. Military Standard Transit Drop Test (MIL-STD 801F Method 516.5 Procedurte IV) and continues to work even after accidental drops from 48-inch/ 122cm. Featuring a sturdy rubber outer sleeve and inner shock absorbers, the Clickfree C2 Rugged is perfect for those who are always on-the-go. The Clickfree C2 Rugged uses a patented EASY Run feature to automatically start, search, organize and backup a computer’s data as soon as they are connected to a PC or Mac.

SOURCE via Clickfree

The latest speaker from Ultralink/XLO is really good looking, but that’s not all they have for sell. The new USB speaker from Ultralink/XLO Products uses a DSP-controlled power supply, allowing the very special Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) driver to pump out 15 Watts of peak power with a 170-degree listening angle. The UltraLink UFi UCube also has an aluminum stand that puts the speaker at just the right angle for listening. Yes, this means that despite being a USB speaker, this thing will rock you. But of course, it ain’t going to be cheap. If you are interested, you can purchase the UltraLink UFi UCube USB speaker for $149.99, which is quite a steep price for me, considering it’s just a USB speaker with no docks and whatsoever. But still, they do look cute!

SOURCE via UFi

Sometimes boring square box just doesn’t cut it, so we seek for awesome looking speakers to do the trick, just like this thick-blade look speaker from KEF. This latest high-end speaker from audiophile company KEF is called the ‘Blade’ due to its shape that looks like one, albeit slightly fatter one. I’m not sure how do you properly define if a speaker is high-end or not, but well people always refer to them through their price. Anyway, the speaker uses four newly-designed side-firing 9-inch bass drivers to provide the ‘umph’, and the latest generation of KEF’s UniQ midrange/tweeter driver to sing some ‘I’m not black people’ song from Namewee-wannabe. The Blade also adopts the “Single Apparent Source” technology. This new technology has created the ability for sound to be transmitted using a combination of bass, mid-range and treble drivers. Available in glossy white and black, the KEF Blade is expected to land at KEF retailers in July or August 2011 for £20,000 ($32,443). Right, that’s what high-end speakers are like, so no complains please.

SOURCE via KEF

These days everything must be aesthetic and good looking, all thanks to Apple’s trendy fashion of making things looking slim and slender. Yes, even our water purification system needs to look good to match our cool-looking home.

A good example is this latest design from NextOfKin Creatives. This is their EcoWater CES purification system, which consists of three main cylindrical parts such as a water filtration column, a hot water tank and a re-engineered compact pump system to dispense water.

Directly connected to the kitchen tap, the EcoWater CES is the most compact in its category, dispensing extremely high quality water for your coffee or tea. Also gives your self-made coffee +9000 charisma points.

SOURCE via Yanko Design

These days I’m seeing more and more portable storage manufacturers releasing new products supporting USB 3.0, which is very good news to consumer. It’d be better if there are fair share of support for Thunderbolt too, but since Thunderbolt is still in its early implementation stage, we’ll have to settle for USB 3.0 for the time being.

Gigabyte is joining the USB 3.0 external drive bandwagon, as the Taiwanese giant has launched a new Gigabyte A2 external USB 3.0 hard disk drive, which is available in 320GB, 500GB, 640GB and 750GB of storage capacities.

Measuring 113mm x 76mm x 14mm and weighing 136grams, the 2.5-inch external HDD has a heat-resistant casing, an internal shock/vibration absorption mechanism and a maximum transfer rate of 4.8Gb/s. The storage device comes in two colors such as Pearl White and Charcoal Gray.

SOURCE via Gigabyte

All these while it’s Samsung and LG that’s demonstrating awesome display technology to the public, like a two-horse race. But now Sony is coming back to the scene with some cool technology, making it clear that they ain’t going to fall back in the race too. Sony has unveiled a 13.3-inch sheet of flexible color e-paper as well as two new glasses-free 3D panels in a separate session at an academic meeting which Tech-On! attended.

Sony’s managed to deliver both on a display that weighs only 20 grams and measures a mere 150-micron thick, a feat made possible by the use of a plastic substrate. The sheet boasts a 13-percent color gamut, 10:1 contrast ratio, and 150dpi resolution. This shows that Sony is also joining the crowd of e-paper that has bloomed lately.

As for the 3D LCD displays, Sony joined a slew of other manufacturers in showing off its special brand of the panels. These new displays, ranging from 10-inches to 23-inches, apparently employ a new method for delivering 3D to the naked eye. This particular method uses a backlight positioned between an LCD panel and another backlight for 2D images, and can be easily be switched off for 2D viewing.

SOURCE via Tech!On