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- Sony's PSP Skype headset finally arrives Stateside
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
If you've got a PSP-2000 and a hankering for some VoIP on the run, Sony has finally brought its Skype-friendly PSP headset to US retail. Unfortunately, it won't work with those original fatty PSPs, and at $30 you've gotta ask yourself how much you'll really be using it for -- the original price was set at $20. That said, it's undoubtedly the easiest way to get up and running with Skype and in-game voice chat on the PSP, since it used to require two separate accessories to pull it off. Oh, and if you're Skype curious, be sure to check out the how-to guide over at PSP Fanboy.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Сохранить на memori.ru - Wii Fit feet-on: feeling the burn, inadequate
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
So Nintendo showed up at our place today with a Wii Fit -- and an accompanying personal trainer to crack the whip and make sure our half hour of intro exercises and fitness games burned a sufficient amount of calories. Things we learned: our BMI is on the upper end of the "normal" bracket (shocking, considering how sedentary we are blogging 12 hours a day), our balance is kind of crappy, our "body age" is 39 -- over a decade more than our real age -- and no, not even Nintendo can make a fitness game that doesn't feel at least vaguely like PE. And now the 64k question:
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - UK researcher finds Bluetooth more of a privacy threat than RFID
Filed under: Wireless
Privacy advocates have long since pointed out that the sniff-ability of Bluetooth signals were cause for concern, but now one University of Bath researcher has a little data to back that up. Vassilis Kostakos placed four Bluetooth receivers in the city's center for four months, during which he and his team tracked over 10,000 BT-enabled mobiles. According to Mr. Kostakos, they were able to "capture and analyze people's encounters in pubs, streets and shops." He continued on to mention that "Bluetooth is now more of a privacy threat than the more frequently publicized RFID chips," and he encouraged worried denizens to turn off the BT function on their phone to help curb the paranoia. Of course, that won't stop Big Brother from seeing your every move whilst in the UK, but whatever helps you sleep better is alright with us.
[Image courtesy of Symbian World]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Grand Challenge seeks to boost robotic prowess of British military
Filed under: Robots
From what we've seen, the British military is pretty savvy on its robotics. Apparently mechanical beings aren't integrated enough, however, as the British Ministry of Defense has launched its first ever Grand Challenge, which "encourages participants to turn their ideas into prototypes for machines the army can use in urban environments." The six finalists that were chosen each received around $600,000 in order to construct their contraptions, and this August, we'll see an unmanned buggy that can analyze a gunman's movements, a self-propelled, remote-controlled camera and minuscule helicopters used for reconnaissance missions. Best of all, these creations won't just be propped up on some shiny display -- oh no, they'll be taking part in a mock battle in Copehill Down, with even more loot and an enviable trophy on the line.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - NEC rolls out new ShieldPRO rugged tablet PC for Japan
Filed under: Tablet PCs
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NEC's ShieldPRO ruggedized tablet PCs have never exactly put much emphasis on looks, but the company seems to at least be trying to spice things up a bit with its latest FC-N22A model, which ditches the usual nothing-but-business appearance for something designed to turn a few more heads. That brightly-colored exterior will still give you the same IP55-compliant dust and water resistance, however, along with enough ruggedness to protect it from three-foot drops onto a concrete floor. Otherwise, you can expect the usual 12.1-inch display, low-power Core 2 Duo U7500 1.0GHz processor, a promised 12 hours of battery life, optional built-in GPS, and good 'ol Windows XP for an OS. No word on a price just yet, but you can look for this one to hit Japan by the end of June.
[Via I4U News]Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Ubuntu gets ported to Sharp Zaurus PDAs
Filed under: Handhelds
The Sharp Zaurus name might not be quite the force it once was, but it certainly still has its die-hard fan base, as evidenced by the recent efforts of some enterprising individuals to get Android up and running on the slightly out-dated hardware. Now it looks like you can chalk up another OS port to its list of accomplishments, with an early release of Ubuntu now available for the handheld. As you might expect, the 0.1 release is a pretty stripped down affair, with the entire download weighing in at a mere 80MB. Omegamoon, the individual responsible for the port (as well as the aforementioned Android hack), is also quick to point out that it's not exactly a practical option just yet, adding that, "there's a lot left to tweak of course, but a full-blown Ubuntu is on it's way." If you're the adventuresome type, however, you can find everything you need to get things rolling by hitting up the link below.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Samsung's 750-series Touch of Color LCDs now shipping
Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment
Sammy already gave us a heads-up that its Touch of Color LCD HDTVs would be widely available in May, and although it has issued no separate release to inform Earthlings that these things are available for purchase, here's the notice you've been dying to receive. As of right now, both the 650- and 750-series sets are in stock and available to procure from a wide variety of resellers, and if you're curious as to whether or not either family is worth your time, you can get a hint from our review of the LN52A650 right here.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Virgin Mobile looking to merge with Helio?
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
Times haven't been so great at Helio, but it looks like the troubled MVNO could be snapped up by Virgin Mobile. mocoNews did a little digging after Virgin's recent Q1 conference call, and says that the two companies are currently in merger talks. Since both companies use Sprint's network, the tech would be compatible, and the deal would give SK Telecom a way to keep Helio going as it tries to gain a foothold in the US market. Nothing's set in stone yet and the two companies aren't talking, but we'll definitely keep an eye on this one.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Poulsen Hybrid car conversion kit takes aim at X-Prize, your wallet
Filed under: Transportation
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While most of the Automotive X-Prize entrants are vehicles built from the ground up for maximum gas mileage, Poulsen Hybrid's entry takes a considerably different tact, with it consisting simply of a kit that can be attached to any old car. That kit consists of two hybrid electric motors with rare earth permanent magnets that (as you can see above) are mounted on the outside of the vehicle, which are tied to a 72V 120Ah Deep Cycle Lead Acid battery pack on the inside. According to Poulsen, once installed, the system effectively turns a front-wheel drive car into an all-wheel drive car, and results in a driving "effect" that is " equivalent to freewheeling down a 3% grade," with the accelerator needing to be depressed less or not at all to keep the car moving. Also unlike most other X-Prize competitors, Poulsen intends to make its kit available to the general public in the not to distant future, and for the relatively bargain price of $3,300, no less (add an extra $600 to that if you don't think you're up to installing it yourself).
[Via Autoblog Green]Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Samsung NV40 point-and-shoot gets reviewed
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Don't sweat it, we're not going to quiz you on the specs from Samsung's NV40 -- after all, this puppy was introduced way back in January of the year 2008. Nevertheless, the 10-megapixel shooter has finally arrived at PhotographyBLOG's labs for review, so let's dive right in. Simply put, the NV40 isn't a revolutionary step above the NV20, though that wasn't seen as necessarily bad. It was noted that the image stabilization worked quite well, but captures were still noticeably noisy even at ISO 200. The unit itself felt like a premium product, and the Smart Touch interface was highly praised, but reviewers just couldn't find a way to stomach the £199 ($385) price tag with such disappointing image results. Check out the full review for yourself before passing judgment, but it sounds like Sammy just barely missed the mark with this one.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Geek Wheels scooter: so many distractions, you're bound to crash
Filed under: Transportation
Not like we haven't seen capable nerds, um, nerd-ify their scooters before, but one of the geekiest forms of transportation just got even geekier. The imaginatively named Geek Wheels scooter possesses more hardware than you can imagine, with a ginormous rear-mounted antenna, Garmin GPS unit, WiFi module, OTA TV tuner / FM tuner, high-resolution webcam, full-fledged Linux-based computer and an 8-inch touch panel to boot. The most amazing part? The creators have promised to provide regular updates and a how-to guide in short order. Make sure you invest in a high-quality helmet, alright?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Pleo gets thoroughly obliterated by demented ComBot
Filed under: Robots
It's not that we've never seen the insides of Pleo, it's that we've never seen it splayed so inhumanely. During Maker Faire 2008, a middleweight ComBot known as Vicious Verdict was placed in the ring with UGOBE's cuddly dinosaur, and suffice it to say, Pleo didn't stand a chance. The entire death lasts about three minutes, but there's a solid minute of taunting that goes on before the ComBot starts the decimation process. Straight up, this is one of the more haunting things we've ever seen happen to a poor, helpless, animated robot. Vid's after the break for your sickos who dare.
[Via Tech Digest]Continue reading Pleo gets thoroughly obliterated by demented ComBot
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - OS X-based multitouch project makes debut at science fair
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
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As we've seen, it doesn't exactly take all that much to whip up a homemade multitouch system, but that doesn't make Bridger Maxwell's science fair project here any less impressive, which wraps everything into a fairly tidy, OS X-based package. Like other similar systems, this one relies on a slew of LEDs (28 of 'em in this case), along with a webcam modded with an IR filter, and piece of acrylic and a spare LCD screen for the surface itself. To show it off to its fullest potential, Bridger whipped up an app of his own for OS X that lets users flip through XKCD comics with suitably fancy graphics thanks to OS X's Core Animation. There doesn't seem to be any video of the rig in action, unfortunately, but you can find plenty of pics of the entire build process at the link below.
[Via TG Daily]Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - BlackBerry 9000 gets extended interface video tour
Filed under: Cellphones
A few weeks ago we got a quick tour of the new BlackBerry 9000's UI, but now that the folks at CrackBerry have a unit we all benefit by getting a far deeper look at what's going on. One highlight: (limited) YouTube support! Videos of this thing after the break, check 'em out.
[Thanks Dave, via CrackBerry]Continue reading BlackBerry 9000 gets extended interface video tour
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Xbox 360's 65nm Jasper chipset in the works for August release?
Filed under: Gaming
While our primary gripe with the 360 continues to be drive noise, any improvements to the console that might subdue the impression it's eating our games and heating our continent would certainly be welcome. Microsoft's Jasper 65nm chipset has been in the works for the Xbox 360 for a while, and now reports are coming fast and furious that Taiwanese companies are picking up the contracts for the chips, and the new setup will be sucking down less wattage and pumping out less heat by August of this year. After that attention will turn to the rumored Valhalla, to be built by the same Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which will combine the CPU and GPU into a new super-efficient chip for fall of '09 if these reports are anything to go by.
[Via Joystiq]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Vonage to resell Covad DSL, call it Vonage Broadband
Filed under: Networking
After a good bit of hand-shaking and check-writing to close out last year, Vonage has managed to remain out of the press for the majority of 2008. Now, however, the firm is sneaking back out from its cocoon in order to announce a partnership with Covad Communications. In essence, it seems that Vonage has inked an agreement to resell broadband packages using Covad's nationwide DSL network. Jeffrey Citron, Chairman, Chief Strategist, and Interim CEO even went so far as to say that the newly coined Vonage Broadband would enable the firm to "respond to the demand it hears from customers who prefer the Vonage brand." Really? You've got folks who prefer the Vonage brand? Maybe we missed the comeback.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Apple has a Wiimote-type Apple TV controller in the works? We wish.
Filed under: Gaming
For every Apple and Nintendo fanboy out there, there is another equally zealous person entertaining a hope against hope that if only these two companies could somehow join forces, the world would be free from war, disease and famine. Apple apparently saw it fit to entertain those fantasies, and has a patent from November 2006 with some interesting Wiimote-esque functionality for what we presume to be the Apple TV. In fact, the patented controller seems to be suspiciously similar to the Wii controller in function, with a similar accelerometer and positioning setup, and Apple clearly states the proposed controller's relation to gaming, in addition to other functions like zooming in on images. Unfortunately for the dreamers out there, Apple patents out-there stuff all the time that never sees the light of day, and we're sure Nintendo wouldn't be all friendly about Apple turning the Apple TV into a Wii-killer. But hey, let's not let facts get in the way of unadulterated magnificence.
[Thanks, Mark]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Emergency Party Button turns cribs to clubs in seconds flat
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household
Not to be confused with the absolutely worthless (sorry, the truth hurts) Big Red Button of Doom, the Emergency Party Button has a very specific purpose. Designed to take a vanilla home from mundane to spectacular in just seconds, this connected trigger basically flips a boring crib into a bumpin' club whenever you see fit. Just to give you an idea of what goes down when you mash the button, you'll see hallway lights turn off, blinds close, a fog machine come alive, speakers crank up and loads of laser lights turn active. All told, the project cost the builder just north of $600, which seems like a real bargain given what you get. Jump on past the break to have a look on video.
[Via Hack N Mod]Continue reading Emergency Party Button turns cribs to clubs in seconds flat
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - How-to guide repurposes phone jack as hidden storage portal
Filed under: Storage
First things first: this guide is absurdly complicated for what you get, but if you're the kind who thinks the journey is half the fun, you'll likely be in nerd heaven. In an attempt to make an easily accessible hidden storage disk, one Doppelgangergang hacked up an unused phone jack, a 4GB flash drive and a USB / phone cable. After a good bit of splicing, cutting and soldering, a custom phone line-to-USB cable emerged, enabling him to discreetly access the data with mum and dad assuming he was simply doing research over that trusty 56k connection. Really, MacGyver would give mad props here -- tap the read link to see if you're up for the challenge.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Rock falls under administration, now up for sale
Filed under: Laptops
Hope you weren't really counting on getting yourself one of those Pegasus 210s. In a sudden announcement made today, Dominic Wong and David Langton of Deloitte & Touche LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of Rock Group Plc. In layman's terms, that means those fellows will be attempting to achieve a sale of the now-defunct company. Reportedly, the failure of Rock is "partly attributed to the cash flow difficulties faced as a result of stock misappropriation by a former employee," though further details were omitted. As it stands, the admins are currently negotiating with potential suitors in order to place the outfit in more capable hands, but there is still a possibility that no one will bite. For more information on how all of this could affect you (you know, things like warranties and whatnot), check out the full release in the read link below. 'Tis a sad day folks -- Rock is dead (at least for the moment).
[Thanks, Peter]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Collect calls from prison to cellphones now possible, vast number changes expected
Filed under: Cellphones
The next time you get popped for a crime you didn't commit and end up in the Big House, you're going to be real glad NCIC Inmate Telephone Services rolled into existence. The greatest dream of felons everywhere has finally come to fruition: you can now make collect calls to cellphones while you're serving your time. And hey, this isn't just some minor advance -- no, this is "lightning in a bottle," arguably on par with the first moon landing, finding a cure for cancer, or hitting that crazy high note at the end of "Happiness Is a Warm Gun." With a 20 percent call-completion rate, you don't have to defer your dreams -- rob a bank today, you'll definitely be able to make pricey collect calls to loved ones from jail!
[Image courtesy Celebrity Blackberry Sightings]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - HIPerSpace monitor wall makes a great Grand Theft Auto IV canvasRolling around jacking up innocents and tossing Molotov cocktails is pretty enthralling on your vanilla 46-inch HDTV, but can you even imagine the rush of swiping a hot dog, burning out in someone else's whip and then snagging a new pair of kicks on this? Researchers (and gamers, obviously) down at UC San Diego have re-engineered their middleware to enable such masterpieces as this to be played on the
bigmonolithic HIPerSpace screen, and needless to say, we can't imagine much real work getting done with this new functionality coming to light. Head on down to the gallery to see what you're missing -- science, research and 4.0 GPAs are such beautiful things.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - ASUS Eee PC given away with T-Mobile mobile broadband package
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Wireless
We're calling this right now: ASUS' Eee PC is the new MP3 player. But only in the context of giveaways. Anywho, just days after RBC announced that it would dish out free subnotes if prospective customers joined in, PowerUp Mobile is now offering a similar deal for UKers who sign up for T-Mobile's Web n Walk mobile broadband package. In short, folks comfortable with inking their name on a two-year contract at £35 per month will net a free USB modem and a Eee PC 2GB Surf. Better hurry -- the deal expires on June 15th.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Dell Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 leaked
Filed under: Laptops
While not quite as exciting as March's week of Latitude scoops, we've got ourselves some infos on what look to be Dell's upcoming Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 consumer laptops. Seems they'll all be sharing the same basic design language, pictured above, and will be privy to some rather expansive aesthetic customization options if you're into that type of thing. Specs are the typical Dell smorgasbord of options, but all three laptops start at around 1-inch thick and taper up to 1.5 inches thick. All three also sport slot-loading drives, with a Blu-ray option, and processors ramp up to Core 2 Duo T5850 2.16GHz chips. 3G options are also available across the lineup, and just about anything else you might find useful in a mid-range laptop. Apparently the 1435 isn't due until October, but the 1735 is coming on June 9 and the 1535 on the 26th of this month.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - AT&T WiFi access now listed as "included" with iPhone
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
We're not exactly sure what was going on with that whole on-again / off-again love affair with iPhones having gratis access to AT&T WiFi hotspots, but we're content with letting bygones be bygones. On the slightly tweaked iPhone "Plans" page, the carrier now lists "Access to AT&T WiFi hotspots" as an included feature along with call forwarding, 3-way calling and Caller ID. Sure, it's not a bona fide press release, but same difference, right?
[Via MacRumors]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - More details about the Triac highway-capable three-wheel electric car emerge
Filed under: Transportation
We can't help but find Green Vehicles' Triac three-wheeled highway-capable electric car anything but stupidly adorable, and it looks like it's even better than we hoped. Our friends over at Autoblog Green scored some more info on the buggy, and found that the top speed it actually 80mph, and that range is just about 100 miles on a full charge, down from 120 miles as originally estimated. The Triac will also roll with a five-speed transmission, and charge from either a 120V or 240V power source. On top of all that, Green Vehicles is apparently working on a truck called the Buckshot based on the same motor, but with a three-speed transmission that will enable it to be a "true work truck." Sure, sure -- but when can we have a Triac? Seriously, we want to hug it.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Duke inches toward autonomous robo-surgeons
Filed under: Robots
We're a little ambivalent about robots performing surgery autonomously and unattended, but there are clearly cases where it'd be beneficial, and it seems like an inevitable future. Duke researchers working on robo-doc lab feasibility studies announced this week a proof of concept using 3D ultrasound mapping to enable machines to "see" what they're doing. The first test procedures have focused on use of those ultrasound transducers in catheter-based procedures using fluoroscopy, so it sounds like we'll still have a few years before we say ahhh for a machine.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - PEAK PlasmaBlade electrosurgery scalpel is amazing, disgusting
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Okay, so we're not exactly doctors, but we couldn't help but be intrigued by PEAK Surgical's announcement today that its PlasmaBlade electrosurgery scalpel had completed preclinical testing with positive results. Unlike traditional electrosurgery tools like the bovie cutter, the PlasmaBlade operates at low temperatures, using pulsed plasma energy to cut tissue and control bleeding. Then, stupidly, we watched the video. Let's just say now that it no longer matters to us that surgeons using the PEAK PlasmaBlade produce "minimal collateral damage" to tissue and that bleeding was reduced. Sure, it's great for the surgeons, but our eyes? Not going to be the same.
[Via MedGadget]
Read - PEAK PlasmaBlade press release
Watch - PEAK PlasmaBlade demo video (WARNING: not for the squeamish, we mean it!)Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Sony XEL-1 estimated to last customers only half as long as expectedRuh roh. Research firm DisplaySearch has just unleashed a new report that takes an in-depth look at the ultrathin XEL-1, and it ended up finding a video lifetime barely half of what Sony promises. Apparently the company ran a couple of Sony's OLED TVs for 1,000 hours, after which it found that blue luminance degraded by 12-percent, the red by 7-percent and the green by 8-percent. Extrapolating the data it gathered, it estimated that the unit would lose half of its brightness in 17,000 hours -- Sony says you can expect 30,000. Of course, Sony is still standing by its numbers, and even we can see that DisplaySearch's methods aren't perfectly scientific, but if you were honestly expecting to watch this thing for the next decade (and not a year less), you may want to hit the read link and snoop around.
[Via Yahoo, thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - iPhone is good and done in the UK -- until the 3G version, anyway [updated]
Filed under: Cellphones
The headline kind of says it all, but if you weren't already sure enough that the first gen iPhone's stint in the UK was coming to a close, O2's pushing to make things crystal clear. It's hard to imagine both companies are going to just stop selling such a high profile device for too long, but clearly we're all still in the dark as to when its 3G replacement will officially be out.
[Thanks, Keith]
Update: While European carriers are running out of stock left and right, it seems Apple Stores in the UK and elsewhere still have iPhones -- for now.
Update 2: Okay, and now O2's page is showing that the iPhone is once again available. Temporary glitch or preparatory? Beats us, but if you want a 16GB device, it's apparently still up for grabs.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - AMD announces 6- and 12-core Opterons
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
AMD may be busy sorting out issues with its quad-core Phenoms and hard at work on "completely different" chip architectures, but that isn't stopping the company from aggressively updating its roadmap, announcing today plans for 6- and 12-core server-grade Opterons. Both the new 6-core chip, codenamed Sao Paulo, and the 12-core unit, codenamed Magny-Cours, are based on a brand-new platform called "Maranello," and slotting in to replace the planned 8-core Barcelona chip, which appears to have been canceled. According to AMD, 12-core chips are easier to manufacture, so it's going to skip over 8-core chips and go straight to the good stuff. That must be news to Intel, which is planning on shipping 8-core Nehalem chips later this year, and will probably then hold the coveted "number-of-cores" crown until AMD releases the 12-core chips in 2010. There's no word on whether any of these chips can make these processor roadmaps comprehensible or even chronological, but we can dream, can't we?
[Via TG Daily]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Verizon launches the Samsung Glyde
Filed under: Cellphones
One of the worst-kept secrets in Verizon's stable is finally getting official today; that's right, ladies and gentlemen, meet the Glyde from Samsung. Wearing CDMA guts underneath its F700 clothing, the fashion-friendly QWERTY slider offers a 2 megapixel cam with flash and autofocus, GPS, the full range of Bluetooth profiles, microSD slot, and a true HTML browser. Unlike its crosstown competition -- the LG Voyager -- the Glyde doesn't offer support for Verizon's VCAST TV service, but we imagine most folks will consider that a minor (read: nonexistent) inconvenience. Look for the phone to start circulating into retail channels this week for a princely $249.99 on contract after $50 rebate. Have a quick gander over on Engadget Mobile for a few shots of the Glyde doing what the Glyde does best -- posing for press photography, that is.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - XNA Game Studio preview with Zune games now out
Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio, Portable Video
Well, that was fast, the XNA community technology preview with Zune games we were just talking about is already out. Unless you're a developer ready to get your hands a little dirty it won't be of much use though, especially since games can only be distributed and installed from source code right now.
Read - Official announcement
Read - How-to install Zune gamesPermalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Details emerge on Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video
There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.
[Via Mac Rumors]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Live shots of Sony Ericsson's Paris surface, Mr. Blur mysteriously absent
Filed under: Cellphones
Enough of these overly pixelated, totally fuzzed-out captures of something supposed to Sony Ericsson's Paris -- we're looking at the real deal now. This definitely sexy slider has somehow fell in front of someone without hands a-shakin', and a smattering of distinct images are waiting just below in the read link. If you just like to be teased, the snapshots show a 5.0-megapixel camera and confirm that the keypad touts a two-character-per-button layout similar to the P1 -- but really, there's nothing like seeing it for yourself.
[Thanks, Kevin]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Criterion Collection coming to Blu-ray in October
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
The Criterion Collection's long-awaited HD debut -- delayed by that annoying format war -- finally has a date, as well as a list of the first movies getting a definitive release in 1080p. If that wasn't enough, try this bit on for size: They won't charge viewers extra for the privilege. That's right, according to the e-mail that went out to subscribers today, all Blu-ray releases will feature HD picture and sound (no word on what codecs, although we expect nothing but the best considering the company has been mastering and restoring all releases in HD for years now), all the supplemental content and a matching (unspecified) price to their standard DVD editions. The complete email and list of a dozen movies follows after the break, along with a note that The Last Emperor will also be released in its original theatrical version on both formats for $39.95, while Walkabout will be an all-new edition.
[Thanks, Erik]Continue reading Criterion Collection coming to Blu-ray in October
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Samsung gears up to ship 46-inch "High Bright" panel
Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment
Interestingly enough, the last time we heard the phrase "High Bright," Runco was showcasing a prototype set meant to work and play in the great outdoors. Now, however, Samsung's looking to one-up that endeavor by actually shipping a High Bright DID panel later this month. The 46-inch unit is said to posses 1,500 nits of brightness, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, 16.7 million colors, 178-degree viewing angles and a screen resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels. Sammy claims that it's around three times brighter than a typical LCD TV, and aside from remaining visible outside (you know, for pool parties and digital signage applications), it was designed to be tiled together to create "video walls." No word on what sets these panels will find their way into, but we wouldn't count on 'em coming cheap.
[Via SlashGear]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Microsoft and NBC working on copyright filters for Zune?
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
Microsoft's recently refurbished Zune store features a lot of NBC content like Heroes and The Office, but it looks like it may have come at what could be a steep price: NBC recently told the New York Times that it's working with Microsoft to develop "copyright filters" for the Zune that would "remove pirated movies and videos." (We'll pause for a moment so you can gape appropriately.) Granted, it's not clear whether NBC wants to actually delete non-DRM'd media or simply block playback, but apparently the network thinks it's an issue on par with variable pricing, and it's not in the iTunes Store because Apple refuses to cooperate. Microsoft, on the other hand, is apparently cheerfully working on such a solution, dubbed the "copyright cop," and says that it's sympathetic to NBC's concerns because it also suffers from piracy issues. Sigh. Of course, none of this is new territory for NBC or Microsoft: the two companies are working in similar content filtering systems to be implemented at the ISP level with AT&T, and NBC and SanDisk are working on a filter for Sansa players as well. Still, if Microsoft is serious about competing with the iPod, signing up for consumer-hostile DRM systems that actually block playback and potentially delete files just isn't the way to do it -- let's hope this one dies on the vine.
Update: Although a spokesperson told the NYT that Microsoft was working with NBC on anti-piracy efforts, the company is now saying that it has no plans to implement a "copyright cop" in the Zune, and the Zune Insider blog confirms. Great, now just cancel the ISP-level filtering system and we'll be all set.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Microsoft to bring Sync to other carmakers as Microsoft Auto in November
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation
Our experiences with Microsoft's Sync in Ford cars has been mostly a comedy of voice-recognition errors (we'll never forget our rental at CES blasting NWA in response to "Play artist: David Bowie"), but it looks like other automakers will be able to join in the confusing fun in November, when Microsoft's exclusive contract with Ford runs out. Hyundai and Kia are the first to sign up for what's now being branded Microsoft Auto, and while it's not exactly clear what their versions of the system will look like, you can expect the same basic features as Sync, as well as some new capabilities like navigation and emergency-response services. Microsoft also says that Auto will be available for "general release to the automotive community," which could lead to the inclusion of the OS on aftermarket gear as well. Let's just hope they tune the system to figure out the difference between Ziggy Stardust and Eazy-E, eh?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - NVIDIA to simplify product range as it courts consumers
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Laptops
NVIDIA isn't joking around when it says it's after a dominant position in the consumer tech industry, and it's apparently willing to take some aggressive steps to get there -- like totally revamping its product lines. Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz, NVIDIA veep Roy Taylor (the same guy who said Intel was "dead", you remember him), said that his company needed to "simplify the product line for consumers," and that if NVIDIA is going to "widen our appeal, there's no doubt we have to solve that problem." No specific plans were offered, but might we suggest a moratorium on the random-numbers-and-letters product-naming scheme? Just a thought.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru
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