Digital Labs
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Dell Studio 14z hands-on
We got a quick look at Dell's new Studio 14z thin-and-light, budget-friendly laptop, and were mildly impressed. The thing is lighter than it looks, has a great blend of performance, price, inputs and outputs, and doesn't even look too frumpy to boot. The chiclet-ish keyboard is fine, though not great, and while the lack of Studio XPS-style leather frills and capacitive touch controls might be seen as a drawback to some, we actually like the no-nonsense approach. The inclusion of HDMI, eSATA and an ExpressCard 34 slot are pretty clutch for this form factor and price, and while a cheap external drive might be necessary for occasional use at the desk, the removal of it makes total sense for the target audience of students. Perhaps most astonishing, however, is that Dell has finally figured out that people care what the bottom of their computer looks and feels like -- and this one feels great. It's a whole new world, people.
Link:Laptops
We got a quick look at Dell's new Studio 14z thin-and-light, budget-friendly laptop, and were mildly impressed. The thing is lighter than it looks, has a great blend of performance, price, inputs and outputs, and doesn't even look too frumpy to boot. The chiclet-ish keyboard is fine, though not great, and while the lack of Studio XPS-style leather frills and capacitive touch controls might be seen as a drawback to some, we actually like the no-nonsense approach. The inclusion of HDMI, eSATA and an ExpressCard 34 slot are pretty clutch for this form factor and price, and while a cheap external drive might be necessary for occasional use at the desk, the removal of it makes total sense for the target audience of students. Perhaps most astonishing, however, is that Dell has finally figured out that people care what the bottom of their computer looks and feels like -- and this one feels great. It's a whole new world, people.
Link:Laptops
Labels: 14z, dell, dell studio 14z, DellStudio14z, features, hands-on, laptop, studio, thin and light, ThinAndLight
¶ 11:08 PM 5 Comments
Zune HD hands-on
Sure, it was fun to have Ballmer run us through a little demo of the new Zune HD, but we'd be remiss in our duties if we didn't spend some time manhandling the device ourselves. We managed to track down the beast and toy with it a bit, and we must say... the thing kind of rocks. In your hand the Zune HD has a nice, solid feel, with good heft to it and a surprisingly thin profile. The OLED screen looks absolutely stunning -- even at severe viewing angles, colors were super bright, edges were crisp, and text looked beautiful. The UI is an extension of the existing Zune interface, but way tricked out in this version, with lots of flipping images, scaling text, smooth scrolling, and an extreme emphasis on simple visual navigation. While the OS isn't finished, we didn't notice a single hiccup while jumping through menus or playing back HD video. We'll definitely have more on this in the near future, but for now, you'll have to manage with this handful of images.
Link: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Sure, it was fun to have Ballmer run us through a little demo of the new Zune HD, but we'd be remiss in our duties if we didn't spend some time manhandling the device ourselves. We managed to track down the beast and toy with it a bit, and we must say... the thing kind of rocks. In your hand the Zune HD has a nice, solid feel, with good heft to it and a surprisingly thin profile. The OLED screen looks absolutely stunning -- even at severe viewing angles, colors were super bright, edges were crisp, and text looked beautiful. The UI is an extension of the existing Zune interface, but way tricked out in this version, with lots of flipping images, scaling text, smooth scrolling, and an extreme emphasis on simple visual navigation. While the OS isn't finished, we didn't notice a single hiccup while jumping through menus or playing back HD video. We'll definitely have more on this in the near future, but for now, you'll have to manage with this handful of images.
Link: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Labels: d7, features, hands on, hands-on, HandsOn, microsoft, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd
¶ 11:06 PM 0 Comments
Google Wave unveiled, new live chat medium for browsers, iPhone and Android
Google's big reveal at I/O? Meet Wave, the Next Big Thing from the Lars and Yen Rasmussen, makers of Google Maps. It's a very early build, meaning we won't see it anytime soon, but here's the gist: a "wave" is a chat session that enables you to send messages live, with each word being transmitted live -- no more "person X is typing" messages (don't worry, that can be deactivated momentarily / permanently with a "draft" button). You can also add others to the wave, drag and drop images for instant transfers, and share documents for on-the-fly edits (with all the participants working simultaneously, mind you), and get this... it does real time translation. So hot, and the crowd is in an uproar over this. The "waves" can be played back to see the conversation evolve / documents edited dynamically. We just got confirmation that it'll be coming to Android and iPhone, also, but they have yet to get the mobile platform to do the live updating. As they keep telling us, this HTML5-based platform is still in a very early stage, but all attendees will be getting an invite to a sandbox build later today. It's an open protocol, so expect other devs to add their own toys to the mix. Hit up the gallery for more pics.
Source: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops
Google's big reveal at I/O? Meet Wave, the Next Big Thing from the Lars and Yen Rasmussen, makers of Google Maps. It's a very early build, meaning we won't see it anytime soon, but here's the gist: a "wave" is a chat session that enables you to send messages live, with each word being transmitted live -- no more "person X is typing" messages (don't worry, that can be deactivated momentarily / permanently with a "draft" button). You can also add others to the wave, drag and drop images for instant transfers, and share documents for on-the-fly edits (with all the participants working simultaneously, mind you), and get this... it does real time translation. So hot, and the crowd is in an uproar over this. The "waves" can be played back to see the conversation evolve / documents edited dynamically. We just got confirmation that it'll be coming to Android and iPhone, also, but they have yet to get the mobile platform to do the live updating. As they keep telling us, this HTML5-based platform is still in a very early stage, but all attendees will be getting an invite to a sandbox build later today. It's an open protocol, so expect other devs to add their own toys to the mix. Hit up the gallery for more pics.
Source: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops
Labels: google, google i o, google i o 2009, google io, google io 2009, google wave, GoogleIo, GoogleIO2009, GoogleWave, io 2009, Io2009, wave
¶ 10:51 PM 0 Comments
Zune HD is official, heading your way this Fall
That's right folks, the Zune HD is real, and it's coming this Fall. Microsoft officially announced the next iteration in their Zune line today, making it less of a tripped out pipe dream, and more of a totally tubular reality. The specs, which look exactly like that leak we saw, go like this: 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen display, built-in HD Radio receiver, HD output (utilizing a new dock -- not on-board), and... not much more right now. Microsoft is doing away with the famed squircle in favor a full multitouch device, and they seemed to indicate that some new touch-friendly apps and games would be headed our way, though they were fairly mum when it came to details. The device will boast an IE-based, customized browser, but little else was said in the way of software.
Details are also scarce concerning storage capacities, CPU performance, and other crucial numbers, but it seems like they've got more in store come E3... and that's the next big piece of news. Zune integration is coming to the Xbox and Xbox Live, as the Zune marketplace will step in to replace the current Live video resources, expanding the library and offering all kinds of new perks, like Zune's first foray into international waters. According to the company, at E3 "attendees will see first-hand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE creating a game-changing entertainment experience" -- we're not entirely sure what the means right now, but it sounds sweet. Try to contain your excitement.
Update: Microsoft's just sent out a press release (after the
break) and launched an official Zune HD
page.
Source:Portable Audio, Portable Video
¶ 4:38 AM 0 Comments
Details are also scarce concerning storage capacities, CPU performance, and other crucial numbers, but it seems like they've got more in store come E3... and that's the next big piece of news. Zune integration is coming to the Xbox and Xbox Live, as the Zune marketplace will step in to replace the current Live video resources, expanding the library and offering all kinds of new perks, like Zune's first foray into international waters. According to the company, at E3 "attendees will see first-hand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE creating a game-changing entertainment experience" -- we're not entirely sure what the means right now, but it sounds sweet. Try to contain your excitement.
Update: Microsoft's just sent out a press release (after the
break) and launched an official Zune HD
page.
Source:Portable Audio, Portable Video
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sharp slings out industry's thinnest solar modules for cellphones
Timely, no? Just a month after Sharp aided in producing the planet's first waterproof solar cellphone, the aforementioned outfit has just announced the industry's thinnest solar module for handsets. Checking in at just 0.8 millimeters thick, the LR0GC02 shouldn't take up too much space on your great-granddaughter's smartphone, and while Sharp isn't handing over too many details just yet, we figure it'll pretty much do what it says. You know -- charge the handset it's integrated into whenever sunlight is available. As for when we'll see these in cellphones everywhere? Take a wild guess, tree-hugger.
Labels: eco-friendly, green, japan, LR0GC02, photovoltaic, sharp, solar, solar module, solar power, solar powered, SolarModule, SolarPower, SolarPowered
¶ 9:31 PM 0 Comments
JVC ships 42-inch LT-42WX70: $2,399.95 for more colors than you'll ever notice
JVC seemed pretty proud of its LT-42WX70 back at CES, and while some may consider this unit's main selling point a fillip, graphic professionals will likely disagree. The Xiview LT-42WX7 is a 42-inch 120Hz 1080p panel which targets imaging junkies and those who just can't get enough of those wild, vivacious colors seen in Family Guy re-runs. Said display covers 96 percent of the Adobe RGB color space, theoretically making it suitable for image editing. If you're buying all that, you can voice your support right now with $2,399.95. Full release is after the break.
JVC LAUNCHES NEW FULL HD LCD MONITOR THAT TARGETS DIGITAL SLR USERS
With wider color space, 42-inch class super slim, lightweight Full HD monitor faithfully reproduces the colors, detail and texture of high resolution still photos made by digital SLR cameras.WAYNE, NJ, May 26, 2009 – Establishing a new category in flat panel TV design, JVC today announced the availability of a super slim LCD TV monitor that features a color space that is wider than a typical HDTV's.The new JVC Xiview LT-42WX70 is a 42-inch class (42.02 inches diagonal) 120Hz 1080p LCD TV monitor that targets digital imaging professionals and enthusiasts using high-end digital SLR cameras, allowing them for the first time to see the subtle colors, details and textures of their images faithfully reproduced.The monitor features expanded color space capacity encompassing 100 percent of HDTV broadcasting's (sRGB.904) color space and a coverage rate of 96 percent for Adobe RGB - a color space for still photographs taken on high-definition digital SLR cameras - to provide accurate reproduction of both video and still photographs. The LT-42WX70 also features 52 picture-quality adjustment properties for tweaking both still and video images source-by-source to the exact colors and tones the user prefers. In addition, JVC's GENESSA Picture Engine produces video images without blur, color bleed or noise for clear images with smooth movement.In addition to its advanced display technology, the LT-42WX70 offers JVC's groundbreaking design. The super slim monitor measures just 1-5/8 inches deep and is supported by an elegant, curved pedestal-style stand and the rear of the monitor is finished in metallic silver without any visible vents or assembly screws, making it ideal for settings where the rear of the set is visible.Flexible High Technology from JVCDepending on the source signal – video or stills – the user selects a color mode from among Wide (the TV's color space), Normal (ITU-R BT.709; HDTV standards), x.v.Color (xvYCC extended gamut), sRGB (same primaries as HDTV) and Adobe RGB. sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces are exclusive for viewing digital still images. Digital photos taken using the Adobe RGB colors space and displayed on the LT-42WX70 in the Adobe RGB mode will be reproduced with colors faithful to the original.The monitor encompasses 100 percent of the sRGB (which is equivalent to HDTV for video signals) color space and a coverage rate of 96 percent for Adobe RGB, allowing the LT-42WX70 to fully reproduce the deeper reds and bluish greens that are a characteristic of Adobe RGB color.To fine-tune the color for different sources, the LT-42WX70 features 52 on-screen image-quality adjustment properties that allow fine-tuning of colors, tint, gamma, and more, which can be memorized per source for future use. For example, individual color management settings of red, yellow, green, cyan tints and colors, as well as skin tone tint can be adjusted on-screen using the supplied remote controller.JVC's Individual Gamma Adjust System calibrates each panel's grayscale tones to gamma 2.2 to ensure displaying consistent and faithful colors regardless of the set or manufactured lot. This extra effort is put in because color consistency between the source and display are essential when reproducing photos that are taken on digital SLR cameras or video from different sources.Breaking new ground in performance for both moving as well as still imagesTo further ensure the best possible video quality, the set uses JVC's new high-quality GENESSA Picture Engine with 12-bit (x RGB = 36-bit) for truly accurate and natural colors. The Real Bit Driver processes in 12-bit, and so up-converts 8-bit HD broadcasting and DVD signals or 10-bit Blu-ray signals into 12-bit Deep Color signals, regardless of the quality of the source signal, to achieve videos with smoother gradation.To compensate for color bleed and color drift caused by the gap in the source color format and the LCD's color space, the Chromaticity Point Conversion Circuit in the engine matches the colors so they are deep, natural and accurate.120HzClear Motion Drive III (100Hz for PAL video signals) in the engine reduces blurring on LCD TV, helping to make images with rapid movement clearer and smoother using a high-precision interpolation algorithm. The 3D real time, motion-estimated Hadamard noise reduction is applied to eliminate noise while suppressing blur. Picture signal frequencies are also divided into 16 sections and noise reduction performed per section to produce images without noise while maintaining the realism and sharpness of the original picture.Slim and lightweight at just 1-5/8 inches deep, the LT-42WX70 features a stylish black leather-like texture on its slim bezel that also helps to reduce glare. The flat rear panel is completely finished in metallic silver without any visible assembly screws or vents, providing a clean, attractive design and allowing for greater placement flexibility. To support the monitor, the supplied stand has a center pillar that curves toward the front of the panel. The stand features a three-step height adjustment to further broaden installation possibilities and the TV can be easily removed from the stand for hanging from a ceiling or wall. In addition, the monitor comes equipped with a slim detachable stereo speaker module that runs along the bottom of the panel. If an external sound source is to be used, the speaker module can be removed, giving the monitor an even sleeker, cleaner appearance.An intuitive graphical on-screen display is easy to use via the included remote, and touch-panel operation makes essential operations available at the front panel. The remote can control other devices connected to the display via HDMI CEC.The ENERGY STAR 3.0 compliant LT-42WX70 features an array of connectors for video and still image viewing, including three HDMI CEC terminals, D-Sub 15pin with component video, and an audio input jack. This allows the user to easily perform various operations such as checking images by connecting directly to an SLR camera compatible with HDMI or component connector, editing stills on the large 42-inch screen by connecting it to a PC via a D-sub 15-pin, or even do a round of on-screen checks in accurate colors prior to outputting images to a high-resolution digital photo printer and thus save on expenses.The monitor measures 39 x 28-1/4 x 1-5/8 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 26.4 pounds. Mounted on its stand, the total weight is 41.8 pounds and depth is 6-3/4 inches.The JVC LT-42WX70 is available now and is priced at $2,399.95.About JVC U.S.A.JVC U.S.A., headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, is a division of JVC Americas Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victor Company of Japan Ltd. JVC distributes a complete line of video and audio equipment for the consumer and professional markets. For further product information, visit JVC's Web site at www.jvc.com or call 1-800-526-5308.
Labels: adobe, HDTV, JVC, lcd hdtv, LcdHdtv, LT-42WX7, LT-42WX70, now shipping, NowShipping, price, pricing, rgb, ship, ships, Xiview, Xiview LT-42WX7, XiviewLt-42wx7
¶ 9:29 PM 0 Comments
HTC Touch Pro2 hits virtual shelves, unlocked and ready for action
Luckily we've got solid word of HTC's Touch Pro2 headed for all of the majors Stateside, or this would come as a bit more of a blow for the hopelessly selfish Windows Mobile users among us: HTC's QWERTY slider flagship is now available online and unlocked, though its Euro-centric nature means there's no 3G for folks who'd like to use it in the wilds of the United States of America. Still, there's plenty of greatness here outside the HSPA data, and the $800-ish pricetag doesn't seem too unreasonable for what you get. And hey, maybe you live in Europe -- we're not ones to judge.
Source: Cellphones, Handhelds
Source: Cellphones, Handhelds
Labels: breaking news, BreakingNews, htc, htc touchpro2, HtcTouchpro2, pro2, qwerty, slider, touch pro 2, TouchPro2, unlocked, windows mobile, WindowsMobile
¶ 9:26 PM 0 Comments
Windows Vista SP2 is live, ready to download
Face it: in between waiting for Windows 7 to launch and tweaking the XP build on your newly purchased netbook, there's this little thing called Windows Vista that needs to be maintained. Today, Microsoft did its part and released the standalone installers for the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Service Pack 2 for Vista and Server 2008. Now it's all up to you. Hit the read links to patch the Wow with a little SP2 Meh.
Read -- 32-bit
Labels: breaking news, BreakingNews, microsoft, service pack, service pack 2, ServicePack, ServicePack2, sp2, vista, vista sp2, VistaSp2
¶ 9:21 PM 0 Comments
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sony apparantly puts PSP Extended Life Battery Kit back on sale
What a wild ride this thing has had. Originally announced back in November of 2007, the PSP Extended Life Battery Kit promised to provide right around 20 percent more battery life in exchange for $45 and an additional bulge. Then, Sony seemingly canned the thing abruptly in August of 2008. Just a month later, Sony's US director of hardware marketing John Koller confessed that the PSP-3000's new screen would eat away more severely at the battery, but that an extended cell would solve the quandary for a few of your hard-earned dollars. Now, it seems he's finally making good on that proclamation, with the PlayStation Portable Extended Life Battery Kit back on the outfit's website for $44.99. At least one user over at the official PlayStation forums has already received one, but at the moment, SonyStyle is showing the item as backordered. Might as well get in line, yeah? Source: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals
What a wild ride this thing has had. Originally announced back in November of 2007, the PSP Extended Life Battery Kit promised to provide right around 20 percent more battery life in exchange for $45 and an additional bulge. Then, Sony seemingly canned the thing abruptly in August of 2008. Just a month later, Sony's US director of hardware marketing John Koller confessed that the PSP-3000's new screen would eat away more severely at the battery, but that an extended cell would solve the quandary for a few of your hard-earned dollars. Now, it seems he's finally making good on that proclamation, with the PlayStation Portable Extended Life Battery Kit back on the outfit's website for $44.99. At least one user over at the official PlayStation forums has already received one, but at the moment, SonyStyle is showing the item as backordered. Might as well get in line, yeah? Source: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals
Labels: extended life battery, extended life battery kit, ExtendedBattery, ExtendedLifeBattery, ExtendedLifeBatteryKit, gaming, playstation portable, PlaystationPortable, psp
¶ 12:05 PM 0 Comments
Hitachi's 720p Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo gets hands-on treatment
It may be a Japan exclusive for now, but Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo has folks drooling from sea to shining sea. The cats over at Akihabara News were able to take a glimpse while KDDI unveiled its summer lineup, and they seemed to be quite impressed with the video quality and ease of use. Check the read link for a video of the flip phone in action, but remember, don't get too attached unless you call Japan home. Read PermalinkEmail this9 Comments
Source: Cellphones
It may be a Japan exclusive for now, but Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo has folks drooling from sea to shining sea. The cats over at Akihabara News were able to take a glimpse while KDDI unveiled its summer lineup, and they seemed to be quite impressed with the video quality and ease of use. Check the read link for a video of the flip phone in action, but remember, don't get too attached unless you call Japan home. Read PermalinkEmail this9 Comments
Source: Cellphones
Labels: 720p, Au KDDI, AuKddi, cellphone, hands-on, hd cellphone, HdCellphone, Hitachi, japan, KDDI, Mobile Hi-Vision CAM Wooo, MobileHi-visionCamWooo, pics, pictures, smartphone, wooo
¶ 12:03 PM 0 Comments
HTC's Warhawk and Fortress are AT&T's Touch Diamond2 and Pro2
We know that Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile are all getting versions of the Touch Pro2, but what about little ol' AT&T? Turns out that device is codenamed "Fortress," and it'll accompany a Touch Diamond2 version known as "Warhawk" to market this summer. The Fortress is actually listed as targeted for May 25, which seems a bit unrealistic -- but we think the document we're looking at is a little stale, so we're sure the inevitable delay has crept into the schedule by now. It's expected to launch with WinMo 6.1 AKU6 (presumably upgradeable to 6.5 down the road) with full HSPA on three bands, AGPS, a 3.2 megapixel AF cam, 3.6-inch WVGA display, and Video Share support. Curiously, the bottom of the slide mentions that a "WM 7.X refresh" is in the works with a September 2009 launch date, which underscores the fact that this slide is likely a little old -- there's no way anything running Windows Mobile 7 is hitting this year if 6.5 will just be coming to market in volume toward the holiday season. Meanwhile, the Warhawk -- AT&T's Touch Diamond2 -- gets a 3.2-inch WVGA display, dual-band HSDPA, AGPS, and Video Share, but unlike the Fortress, it's scheduled to launch with Windows Mobile 6.5 installed out of the gate. It's targeted for August 24, so we'll see how closely they can stick to that.
Source: Cellphones, Handhelds
We know that Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile are all getting versions of the Touch Pro2, but what about little ol' AT&T? Turns out that device is codenamed "Fortress," and it'll accompany a Touch Diamond2 version known as "Warhawk" to market this summer. The Fortress is actually listed as targeted for May 25, which seems a bit unrealistic -- but we think the document we're looking at is a little stale, so we're sure the inevitable delay has crept into the schedule by now. It's expected to launch with WinMo 6.1 AKU6 (presumably upgradeable to 6.5 down the road) with full HSPA on three bands, AGPS, a 3.2 megapixel AF cam, 3.6-inch WVGA display, and Video Share support. Curiously, the bottom of the slide mentions that a "WM 7.X refresh" is in the works with a September 2009 launch date, which underscores the fact that this slide is likely a little old -- there's no way anything running Windows Mobile 7 is hitting this year if 6.5 will just be coming to market in volume toward the holiday season. Meanwhile, the Warhawk -- AT&T's Touch Diamond2 -- gets a 3.2-inch WVGA display, dual-band HSDPA, AGPS, and Video Share, but unlike the Fortress, it's scheduled to launch with Windows Mobile 6.5 installed out of the gate. It's targeted for August 24, so we'll see how closely they can stick to that.
Source: Cellphones, Handhelds
Labels: att, breaking news, BreakingNews, features, fortress, htc, touch diamond2, touch pro2, TouchDiamond2, TouchPro2, warhawk, windows mobile
¶ 11:55 AM 0 Comments
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Samsung ships $129 SPF-87H 8-inch digiframe / secondary monitor
Samsung's been dousing just about anything it can get its paws on with that 'Touch of Color' design scheme, and even the outfit's latest digiframe wasn't able to dodge the madness. The 8-inch SPF-87H, which was originally introduced to the world back in April, is now shipping to those scouting a multifaceted digital photo frame. Unlike traditional alternatives, this 0.91-inch thick frame can double as a secondary display (via USB), and the respectable 800 x 480 resolution panel ensures that you can fit more than just a weather widget on there. Other specs include 1GB of built-in storage, an SD expansion slot, 500:1 contrast ratio and a $129 price tag.
Source: Digital Cameras, Displays
Source: Digital Cameras, Displays
Labels: frame, lcd, monitor, now available, now shipping, NowAvailable, NowShipping, photo frame, PhotoFrame, samsung, secondary display, secondary monitor, SecondaryDisplay
¶ 11:12 AM 0 Comments
Santok's USB-infused in-car charger is just what the doctor ordered
You know the dilemma all too well -- you need a cigarette outlet to charge up your PND, yet a spare USB socket would totally come in handy for juicing up that DAP whilst crossing the country in a '74 Chevelle. Enter Santok, which has just introduced what could possibly be the mother of all in-car chargers. Aside from turning a single cigarette socket into two, it also adds a pair of powered USB ports, leaving us only yearning for a couple of AC sockets to really cap things off. 'Course, we aren't so much for melted center consoles, so maybe we'll just color ourselves satisfied. Now, if only we could spot a price...
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Labels: accessory, charge, charger, charging, cigarette, cigarette adapter, CigaretteAdapter, in-car, In-Car Splitter, plug, santok, splitter, usb
¶ 11:09 AM 0 Comments
Liquid-cooled desk contains full-fledged PC, won't be sold at Ikea
We've heard of productive work spaces, but this thing has feng shui written all over it. The geeks and gurus over at Popular Mechanics were able to mix their construction and PC building skills in order to create the rather astounding desk that you see above. Aside from serving a purpose as a desk, looking fantastic and being next to impossible to keep clean, it's also a full-fledged computer. Packed within is a half-gallon of glycol, twin 300GB VelociRaptor hard drives, a GeForce GTX 280 GPU, seven fans, a Sony Blu-ray drive, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 3GHz Core 2 Quad processor and copious amounts of "win." Check the read link for a how-to guide...
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Labels: cooling, desk, hack, liquid cooled, liquid cooling, liquid-cooled, Liquid-Cooled Desk, Liquid-cooledDesk, LiquidCooled, LiquidCooling, mod, water cooling, water-cooled, WaterCooling
¶ 11:02 AM 0 Comments
Saturday, May 23, 2009
US Army equipping all Windows PCs with Vista by end of 2009
While a good number of its machines are already running the OS -- about 13 percent at this point -- the United States Army has mandated that before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, 2009 that all of its Windows-powered computers must switch from XP to Vista, presumably and hopefully with Service Pack 2. Additionally, all Office 2003 users will have to upgrade to the 2007 variant, but thankfully, someone with a little Vista experience made sure to omit standalone weapons systems from the mandate -- you know, because there's not really time to click through eight confirmation boxes when launching a time-sensitive homing missile. All jesting aside, we're flummoxed that the Army didn't just wait for Windows 7 to roll out in a few months before making this decision, but hey, what's a few more billion in upgrade costs next year, right?
Source: Desktops
Source: Desktops
Labels: army, microsoft windows, microsoft windows vista, MicrosoftWindows, MicrosoftWindowsVista, military, us army, us military, UsArmy, UsMilitary, vista, windows, windows vista, WindowsVista
¶ 9:49 PM 0 Comments
Systemax relaunches Circuit City's website, this time with feeling
After shelling out some $6.5 million, you had to know that Systemax planned on doing something with Circuit City's trademarks and internet domain names. As of today, CircuitCity.com is back and better than ever, carrying on the legacy of a name that became synonymous with overpriced consumer electronics for nearly six decades. Of course, this doesn't mean that any Circuit City retail stores will be re-opening, but at least the brand is living on in the world wide web. The wonders of the internet: I Can Has Cheezburger?, Twitter and the continuation of an icon that would otherwise be six feet underground.
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Source: Misc. Gadgets
Labels: bankrupt, bankruptcy, brand, circuit city, CircuitCity, economy, launch, marketing, online, relaunch, retail, sales, Systemax, tiger direct, TigerDirect, website
¶ 9:45 PM 0 Comments
Microsoft dropping three app limit from Windows 7 Starter Edition
In some really encouraging news, Paul Thurrott at SuperSite for Windows is reporting that Microsoft isn't gonna put the arbitrary limit on its netbook-bound Windows 7 Starter Edition where users could only run three applications at a time. Now the only thing holding you back from simultaneous Skype, AIM, browsing, DVD playback, and Plants vs. Zombies will be the space on your screen and the specs in your portable. So how will they tempt users to upgrade to Home or Premium now? We'll just have to wait and see on that one.
Source: Laptops
Labels: netbook, win, win 7, win 7 starter, win 7 starter edition, Win7, Win7Starter, Win7StarterEdition, windows, windows 7, windows 7 starter, windows 7 starter edition, Windows7
¶ 11:32 AM 0 Comments
Google Chrome celebrates version 2 release with autofill, fast-paced video
We know you've been avoiding Chrome because it puts your most visited sites on a display the size of the JumboTron in Times Square, and we don't blame you. You don't need the folks in Accounts Receivable knowing every detail of your life (including all the time you spend in the Cat Fancy online forums). Well, you're in luck! Google's infamous browser is now officially out of beta, and has been designated version two -- and among the improvements is a feature that allows you to remove those pesky thumbnails from the browser home screen. Also in store for faithful users are such key features as Form Autofill and Full Screen Mode. Sadly, neither Linux or Mac users get to join the party just yet -- but we'll let you know as soon as that changes. Check out the video after the break.
Continue reading Google Chrome celebrates version 2 release with autofill, fast-paced video
Source: Desktops, Laptops
Continue reading Google Chrome celebrates version 2 release with autofill, fast-paced video
Source: Desktops, Laptops
Labels: browser, cat fancy, CatFancy, chrome, google, google chrome, GoogleChrome, update
¶ 11:26 AM 0 Comments
Sony Ericsson drops clues on Android 2.0-based smartphone
Sony Ericsson's finance team may figure that it needs a wheelbarrow full of cold, hard cash in order to steamroll through the next decade, but we know better than that. What it needs, friends, is Android, and in the worst possible way. At a launch event over in Taiwan this week, SE Asia-Pacific's vice president of marketing Peter Ang was quoted as saying that the outfit's first Android-based smartphone would actually be humming along on Android 2.0. So, there are two ways to take this: one is that Android 2.0 is just around the bend, which would totally rule, but is absolutely unrealistic to believe. The other, more feasible possibility is that SE's first Android-based phone won't hit the market until your next grandchild is born, which definitely doesn't bode well for a handset maker that can't possibly reinvent itself soon enough.
Source: Cellphones
Labels: android 2.0, Android2.0, cellphone, Idou, rumor, SE, smartphone, sony ericsson, SonyEricsson, xperia
¶ 11:10 AM 0 Comments
Friday, May 22, 2009
Developers reportedly briefed on PSP rental service at GDC
Well, if today's batch of rumors are true, it looks like the PSP could be in for quite a few changes beyond the seemingly inevitable hardware revision. As Develop is now reporting, in addition to those rumored music downloads, the PSP could soon also be getting a full-fledged game rental service, which would, of course, be one more means of making a UMD-less PSP a more appealing device (for game developers and consumers alike). Apparently, the service was first pitched to developers at GDC back in March, and was again mentioned in a consumer survey that just surfaced yesterday. What's more, while complete details are expectedly a bit light, the service would apparently charge PSP owners a monthly fee that would allow them to download "a fixed number of games" during their subscription period, although it's not clear if you'd also be able to simply rent 'em one at a time.
Link: Gaming
Labels: e3, e3 2009, E32009, game rental, game rental service, game rentals, GameRental, GameRentals, GameRentalService, playstation portable, PlaystationPortable, psp, rental
¶ 2:13 AM 0 Comments
More next-gen iPhone whispers: video recording, faster CPU
John Gruber over at Daring Fireball has a pretty good track record when it comes to Apple rumors -- remember his spot-on predictions for the unibody MacBook Pro? -- so when he's got a thing or two to say about all the next-gen iPhone chatter, we listen. While not making any promises, he does say he'd wager quite a bit on a new model coming to WWDC, with about twice the CPU horsepower (and possibly twice the RAM, too) as the current model. He also adds some credence to all that talk of video recording, but makes no mention of potential background apps and plays down any surprise tablet or "iPhone mini" cameos. He goes on to add release date would be sometime in July in 16GB and 32GB varieties. We can't say we're willing to bet against him, but that doesn't mean we'll take his word as gospel. We can safely say, however, that we're anxiously waiting to see what kind of shenanigans Schiller has in store for next month.
Link : Cellphone-IPhone
Link : Cellphone-IPhone
Labels: 16gb, 16gb iphone, 16gbIphone, 32gb, 32gb iphone, 32gbIphone, apple iphone, apple iphone 3g, apple tablet, AppleIphone, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone mini, iphone nano
¶ 1:46 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Citizen unveils i:Virt M Bluetooth watches for loyal Softbank customers
Man, talk about a long time coming. The last time we saw a line of i:Virt watches from Citizen, it was a bright fall day in 2007, and obviously our style threshold was entirely different. Thankfully, the outfit's latest line of Bluetooth-enabled timepieces are far sexier, though we have to say -- the fact that they only support Softbank phones makes us shed a tear on the inside. As with most other BT watches, these too will display emails, alert you of incoming calls and even clue you in on the latest news (via RSS, we suspect). Both the TM84-0341V and TM84-0342V feature a stainless steel case and a life of around five days with a full charge; there's no mention of price, but frankly, we're too depressed to even find one.
Link : Citizen Watches
Man, talk about a long time coming. The last time we saw a line of i:Virt watches from Citizen, it was a bright fall day in 2007, and obviously our style threshold was entirely different. Thankfully, the outfit's latest line of Bluetooth-enabled timepieces are far sexier, though we have to say -- the fact that they only support Softbank phones makes us shed a tear on the inside. As with most other BT watches, these too will display emails, alert you of incoming calls and even clue you in on the latest news (via RSS, we suspect). Both the TM84-0341V and TM84-0342V feature a stainless steel case and a life of around five days with a full charge; there's no mention of price, but frankly, we're too depressed to even find one.
Link : Citizen Watches
Labels: bluetooth watch, BluetoothWatch, Citizen, Citizen Watch, CitizenWatch, ivirt, ivirt m, IvirtM, japan, softbank, timepeice, TM84-0341V, TM84-0342V, Watch, wristwatch
¶ 4:40 AM 0 Comments
Multicard-lovin' dual SATA HDD dock keeps the dream alive
It's funny, really. Years back, we figured this SATA HDD dock was a one-off device that would get swept under the rug as quickly as it reached prominence. And yet, here we are in May of 2009 looking at the latest iteration of a product that won't ever stop reinventing itself. Brando's Dual SATA HDD Multi-Function Dock with One Touch Backup (yeah, seriously) doubles up on elder models by holding two 2.5- or 3.5-inch hard drives, and it also accepts a litany of flash cards. Lastly, this adds an eSATA connector to the traditional USB 2.0 socket for a bit more flexibility, but we still can't justify the $89 price if you already own a predecessor (or three).
Link: multi card
It's funny, really. Years back, we figured this SATA HDD dock was a one-off device that would get swept under the rug as quickly as it reached prominence. And yet, here we are in May of 2009 looking at the latest iteration of a product that won't ever stop reinventing itself. Brando's Dual SATA HDD Multi-Function Dock with One Touch Backup (yeah, seriously) doubles up on elder models by holding two 2.5- or 3.5-inch hard drives, and it also accepts a litany of flash cards. Lastly, this adds an eSATA connector to the traditional USB 2.0 socket for a bit more flexibility, but we still can't justify the $89 price if you already own a predecessor (or three).
Link: multi card
Labels: card reader, CardReader, dock, Dual SATA HDD
¶ 4:32 AM 0 Comments
Music downloads coming to PSN, PSP?
Ready for some more PSP rumors? CNET's got it on good word that Sony's been talking to some of the big recording labels about putting their music on the PlayStation Network for download, specifically with the PSP in mind. It really isn't much of a stretch, especially when you think about the service's ever-growing library of movies and TV shows.
And of course, Sony itself is one of the four largest music companies in the world, so if it really had to go on its own for a bit, it should be able to muster a few good artists. It's just a rumor for now, but this definitely feels like the natural progression for PSN and the company's do-everything device. You know what would go great with a PSP music download service? A slide-out gamepad and a Memory Stick HG-Micro slot to replace UMDs
Link:PSP Updates
Ready for some more PSP rumors? CNET's got it on good word that Sony's been talking to some of the big recording labels about putting their music on the PlayStation Network for download, specifically with the PSP in mind. It really isn't much of a stretch, especially when you think about the service's ever-growing library of movies and TV shows.
And of course, Sony itself is one of the four largest music companies in the world, so if it really had to go on its own for a bit, it should be able to muster a few good artists. It's just a rumor for now, but this definitely feels like the natural progression for PSN and the company's do-everything device. You know what would go great with a PSP music download service? A slide-out gamepad and a Memory Stick HG-Micro slot to replace UMDs
Link:PSP Updates
Labels: music, music download, MusicDownload, playstation, playstation network, playstation portable, PlaystationNetwork, PlaystationPortable, psn, psp, sony
¶ 4:24 AM 0 Comments