According to the latest tech chatter, Acer has the MacBook Air in its sights and plans to offer a competitive product in the form of an ultra-thin measuring a scant 1.9 centimeters.

Rumor also has it that Acer plans on cramming one of Intel's next-gen Calpella ULV processors into its upcoming ultra-thin. We're talking about one of Intel's ULV Core i5 or i7 processors here, which would be no small deal. These chips come rated at up to 1.2GHz, but can ramp as high as 1.8GHz and 2.26GHz in Turbo Boost mode, and they also support Hyperthreading.

If this thing comes to fruition, it would offer traditional notebook-like performance in a frame smaller than the company's existing Timeline series.

No other details are yet available, including price or availability.

Image Credit: Acer (Timline notebook displayed)

They say talk is cheap, and thanks to Vodafone, it really is. We mean that literally - the handset maker today announced the release of a pair of ultra low-cost handsets -- Vodafone 150 and Vodafone 250 -- both of which are intended for emerging markets.

"The cost of mobile handsets can be one of the most significant barriers for people in accessing and benefiting from the growing number of socially valuable mobile services. The lives of people who use these phones will be changed and improved as they become part of the mobile society," said Patrick Chomet, Vodafone's Group Director of Terminals.

Vodafone says the 150 will retail unsubsidized for less than $15, while the 250 will cost less than $20. Both phones include a 5-way navigation key, voice and SMS, GSM 900/1800, polyphonic ringontes, vibration, alarm clock, calculator, 2 embedded games, and enough memory to store up to 100 phonebook entries (plus SMS storage). Where the 250 ups the ante over the 150 is in the former's 1.45-inch color screen with 128x128 pixels and FM support. The 150 sports a 1-inch monochrome display with 96x96 pixels and no FM radio.

YouTube Video Demo

Image Credit: Vodafone

Citing un-named "industry sources," news and rumor site DigiTimes says you can expect capacitive touch panels to move into the mainstream as the touch panel of choice for upcoming handsets.

Most of Taiwan's major handset display makers have started producing capacitive touch screens, including Wintek, Sintek Photronic, Cando, Emerging Display Technologies, and Giantplus Technologies.

These aren't just trial runs, either. Sintek plans to kick up production to 24 million capacitive touch panels (3.5-inch equivalents) each month, while Giantplus is on track for volume production with 1 million 3.5-inch equivalents a month by the third quarter of 2010.

For a primer on capacitive vs resistive touch screen technology, see here.

Image Credit: kf12.com

Most people seem determined to prove that cell phones are out to fry our brains, but could a call or two a day actually join red wine in the united federation of healthy vices? Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of a stretch, but a new study has found that lab mice that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer’s disease performed better on thinking and skill tests after exposure to cell phone style electromagnetic waves. “Electromagnetic waves prevent the aggregation of that bad protein of the brain” said Gary Arendash of the University of South Florida.

The study looked at the effects of cell phone use for two hours per day over a seven to nine month period, and the results were actually the opposite of what researchers were expecting. “We had expected cell phone exposure to increase the effects of dementia” claims Arendash. After decades of research there is still no cure, and few effective treatments for Alzheimer’s which is the most common form of late life dementia with over 35 million people suffering from the disease.

The evidence that cell phone radiation is safe continues to mount, but I suppose only time will tell.