Damn Big News » Items by Wilson Rothman

Items by Wilson Rothman

LSD, Sexy Fonts and Muppet Genitalia: The Strangest Tech Q&A We've Ever Witnessed [Humor]

Posted: May 13th, 2010, 7:20pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Click here to read LSD, Sexy Fonts and Muppet Genitalia: The Strangest Tech Q&A We've Ever Witnessed

Thousands of you Twittered up to feed questions about tech—and some Muppet-based ones—to guest editor Peter Serafinowicz. He answered 25 in a torrent of wordplay. While we await his first guest post, here's the amazing #PSQA playback: More »

Muppets - Arts - Puppetry - Performing Arts - Movies

The iPad: Amazon's Secret Weapon [Ebooks]

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 12:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

#ebooks

The iPad may seem like Apple's move to cockblock Amazon in the Ebook Wars, but Amazon's Kindle app makes it part of Amazon's larger ebook ecosystem. In many ways, the iPad is the best Kindle yet. More »

This Is the Cloud: Inside Microsoft's Secret Stealth Data Centers [Memory Forever]

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 6:20pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

#memoryforever

Inside Microsoft's Secret Stealth Data Centers

"The cloud" isn't some nebulous thing existing just beyond your computer's consciousness. As Microsoft showed us, it's stacks of hard drives packed into shipping containers, parked in secret data centers all around the world. Physically real, but still beautiful. More »

I Made a Coitus Reference to FoxNews.com, and They Quoted Me [Media]

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

FoxNew.com tech editor Jeremy Kaplan asked me if I think Apple's lost its mojo. I responded using a metaphor pertaining to intercourse, particularly that moment after the fact, and he went with it. Hey, it was a good metaphor! [FoxNews.com]

My Tech Buyer's Guide from 2000 Is Pretty Hilarious [Y2k10]

Posted: December 18th, 2009, 3:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Nine years ago, as a young tech reporter at Time Magazine, I co-wrote a buyer's guide with the latest and greatest gear known to man. Today, it sounds ridiculous.

• Creative's $500 Nomad Jukebox (pictured above), was not only "sleek"—at least when compared to a CD Walkman—but "can hold as much music as 150 CDs."

• The Extiva was a $350 DVD player from Samsung with the Nuon chip, so "you can also play videogames." Not sure which videogames we were referring to there.

• Our pick for digital camera was Nikon's twisty CoolPix 990, 3 million pixels for 1 thousand dollars.

• Gateway laptop with 12.1-in. display, 550MHz chip and a year of free AOL was "a great deal" at $1300.

• Two-way pagers from Motorola, $180 each, let you send messages back and forth, and came in "four hot colors."

• LG's Touchpoint 3000 smartish phone cost $400, combined an address book and an organizer, and had one killer app: "Tap someone's name, and it dials for you."

• The $300 Iomega HipZip took little PocketZip magnetic disks instead of flash memory so it was easier to "get with the MP3 revolution"—hooray for obscure proprietary formats that died within a year!

• Cybiko was invented a decade ago but promised to do almost more than what the Peek does today—with wireless messaging and an MP3 "attachment."

• "It's near impossible to find this killer game console—and just as hard to find good titles to play on it." The console? PlayStation 2.

• Handspring Visor Prism, the great hope of the PDA world, had a cartridge slot so that you could "turn it into a cellphone, an MP3 player, or a miniature digital camera." Only trouble was when the cartridges started costing more than the $450 PDA.

The whole list is pretty hilarious—I encourage you to pop over and read more. [Time.com]

I apologize for the crappy quality of some of the images—I had to go grab promo shots found out on the web. For some reason, Time didn't preserve our gorgeous photoshoot online. Guess they thought the internet was just a fad.

Apple Tax Repealed? Comparisons Suggest It's So [Apple]

Posted: October 20th, 2009, 5:13pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Our friends at Laptop compiled a chart comparing the new $999 white unibody MacBook to similarly weighted 13" laptops from Dell, Acer and Samsung within $100. There are tradeoffs, but at least at this price level, Apple fights on even ground, and makes up for lacks (no SD slot, smaller HDD, less RAM) with perks (LED backlighting, multitouch trackpad) and a much longer stated battery life. Feel free to scream it out below, or check Laptop for the full chart and spec rundown. [Laptop]

Slow-Motion Sneeze: MythBusters Get Gross To Protect You From Swine Flu [Swine Flu]

Posted: October 12th, 2009, 5:59pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

We love high-speed photography, but seeing Adam hurl a juicy sneeze at Jamie in super slowmo is enough to make us smash our EX-F1s. Still, it's for a noble cause: Awareness and avoidance of H1N1, aka Swine Flu. [Discovery]

Qualcomm's Mirasol Ultra Low Power Display Is Almost Magic [Qualcomm]

Posted: October 8th, 2009, 11:50am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Ebook readers suffer because they use E-Ink, which isn't in color and doesn't refresh fast enough to do video. Qualcomm is quietly showing off its Mirasol display, now in full color with 30-frame-per-second video. See for yourself:

The video was shot by IntoMobile. As they describe it, the tech sounds like a massive DLP chip—that is, a panel covered with tiny reflective mirrors. Each mirror can change color but it's a passive screen, with no backlight (like most LCDs) and no self-illumination (a la OLED). They get lit up by whatever light is in the room. Saving energy is the key here—anytime you eliminate a light source, you cut way down on the juice. No word on when this will appear on devices, but it's Qualcomm, so you can bet there will at least be some experimental products before too long.

Speaking of experimental products, Time's Josh Quittner points out, on his blog, that several of Qualcomm's components could go together to make a formidable ebook device. Besides this screen, they've got the multi-network mobile chipset (Gobi), a respectable mobile CPU (Snapdragon), and a powerful media delivery system (MediaFLO). Forget the Kindle—who needs Amazon? Oh right, books. [IntoMobile via Netly]

Remainders - Things We Didn't Post [Remainders]

Posted: September 11th, 2009, 10:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

1,000 Bees Lift a Laptop Into the Air...Comic Book For Sale on iTunes...Brad Pitt Sighted In Regular Reality Thanks To Augmented Reality...Extra Confusing: Meizu M8 iPhone Clone Gets Android OS...

Dudes (who use the word "dude" about 100 times too many) slather a laptop with glue, and stick it into a bee hive, where the bees hop on then proceed to lift up the laptop. Real? Hard to believe. Somebody musta found out how to make cool visual effects with their laptop. (Presumably another laptop, one not covered in glue and bees.) It can't be real, though they claim it's no BS. (Chen thinks that means "no bee stings.") Weirder still, they say "no bees were harmed during the making of this film." OK, so when were they forceably scraped off the gluey laptop? After the making of the film? We don't buy a shred of this, but it was entertaining.

Mayhem, a comic book by actor/singer/comic book artist Tyrese Gibson, appeared as the "first digital book" in Apple's iTunes LP format—accompanied by a single audio track. This prompted at least one news-hungry blogger to proclaim it "an early sign of Apple's desire to take on Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader in the digital book market." I would have thought the early sign was 40,000 leaks about a tablet, but I'm crazy like that. The tip off that this might not be news was the reporter's own admission that "I would have missed the significance of Mayhem on iTunes if I hadn't run into Gibson himself." [Fortune; iTunes Link to Mayhem]

Some creepy German Dutch guy walks his viewers through the benefits of the Samsung Galaxy, a big one being the augmented reality: Point the camera at buildings, and you get metadata. He points the camera at one building in particular, and spots none other than Brad Pitt, looking clean shorn a la Fight Club, sneering and then wandering up the stairs to smoke a cigarette. I don't know if this is real—I highly doubt it—but the message is clear: If you're going to wander around, peeping into the homes of complete strangers, you will get a lot further by waving a phone around and speaking German Dutch. [Beste Product]

So, how is this for confusing? A Chinese phone that looks pretty much exactly like an iPhone has now been spotted running Android, as previously speculated. I don't think I care enough to laugh or cry, but it does make me scratch my head. [Engadget]

Remainders - Things We Didn't Post [Remainders]

Posted: August 17th, 2009, 8:40pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Apple's Inevitable September Keynote...The Tragic Death of a Sprint Marketing VP...TV-B-Gone Goes Global...

OK, so last week, one guy at AllThingsD says that a music-oriented (non-tablety) Apple keynote will take place the week of September 7th. Since the 7th happens to be Labor Day, there's one day eliminated off the bat. Today, another guy at AllThingsD cites different but still unnamed sources "insisting" that the day is Wednesday, Sept. 9, and that there will be no tablet. It's believable, so why isn't it "news"? Because it's just slightly more firm than what (we) already ran, and it's not firm enough to put on toast and call a sandwich.

Stay tuned for actual news on this, cuz when it breaks—when the date is firm and we know who's MCing this thing—you know where to be. [AllThingsD]

For all of the things that Sprint tends to get wrong, marketing isn't one of them. They have always had great commercials, were quick to figure out how to reach audiences on the web and yes—I'll fully admit—cite some damn good-looking 3G testers, from time to time. It was therefore especially sad to hear today that Sprint's corporate brand marketing VP, Thomas Murphy—the man behind the NASCAR sponsorship and the charitable Sprint Foundation—was killed in a nasty automobile accident. He was driving his family through Snowmass Canyon near Aspen when a rock "the size of a briefcase" fell off of a cliff ledge and smashed into the windshield of his Chevy Tahoe. It's a horrible tragedy, and we offer our condolences to his family. [KC Star via BoingBoing]

People who appreciate Gizmodo's darker side will rejoice that the DIY TV-B-Gone kit can now knock out any TV made for the North America/Asia and European/UK markets. Nobody is safe from your temporary extermination of their viewing pleasure! Since it's already been available in US form—and since as a stunt it might be past its prime—we didn't rush to post it, but if you want one, go ahead. You know they work. [Adafruit]

Remainders - Things We Didn't Post [Remainders]

Posted: July 2nd, 2009, 12:15am EDT by Wilson Rothman

...When It's Not OK To Steal From a Church...Apple May Say Buh-Bye to Nvidia...Best Buy Shoppers Admit This Smartphone Thing Is Soooo Confusing...Exactly Who Is America's Fastest Typist?...

Some a-holes stole 31 monitors from a driveway as they were being transported from a hospital to a church, which was to ship them to hospitals in Cameroon, Africa. After a bit of community outreach, all but two monitors mysteriously reappeared with a note: "Sorry for the trouble hope you forgive us hope those kids in Africa enjoy." What exactly does this teach our children? No friggin' clue. [Switched]

Best Buy commissioned a poll, and released the "findings" to Dealerscope: Even though only one-fifth of people in their 20s and 30s currently have a smartphone, a "sizable segment" plan to buy one in the next year. However, forces that hold them back include "price, dislike of shopping, and confusion about the technology." Obvious? Sure. Vague? Absolutely. Helpful? That's a negative. [Dealerscope]

Apparently Nvidia thinks it's got a permanent thing with Apple, but Apple's all like, "No way, I can totally see other GPU manufacturers, and what's all that about you overheating, huh?" As exciting as I tried to make it there, you can see this is not only boring news, but when it comes to sticking with Nvidia or ATI as a brand, well, know what? It just doesn't matter. [Electronista]

We don't typically run promos for contests unless they're really up our alley—and certainly not if it's just some crass promotional play like this—but something about the "America's Fastest Typist" contest notice made me think: How fast is America's fastest typist? We all use keyboards everyday, nonstop, right? This entire generation could have been Mavis Beacon all-stars 20 years ago, but someone out there is better than all of us. I will follow up, because although I absolutely don't want to know who the Tiger Woods of typing is, I do want to know how fast he/she can type. [KeyRight]

Remainders - Things We Didn't Post [Remainders]

Posted: June 5th, 2009, 9:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Here's the stuff that we didn't post today. (Until now, obviously.)

• The one-of-a-kind Mechanical Memory Key was one of the best looking gadgets we stumbled across today, but it's a total tease. Even though it was made from the parts of six different pocket watches, the clockwork doesn't turn. I want my reproductions of Victorian-era thumbdrives to be authentic, damnit. Until those gears turn, no dice! [Geeky Gadgets]

• Yet another way to spy on your neighbor is Brando's sound-activated electric-socket-mounted hidden camcorder. As you can see above, though, the problem is, nobody I know has electric sockets that look like that. Brando, we love you, but you gotta get out more. Need a US version, baby. [CrunchGear]

• Microsoft Bing overtook Yahoo!, ranking as the #2 search engine this week. I'm not saying Bing is bad in any way—it's actually fun—but not only are Live Search and MSN forwarding to Bing, giving it a big boost, but it's still a novelty. I'll bet Crystal Pepsi gave Coke a run for its money the week it was introduced. That doesn't mean people still buy cases of it. (Can you even still buy Crystal Pepsi? Dumb idea—the flavor's in the caramel coloring.) [Washington Post]

• Who doesn't love robot pick-up lines like "Your lips say 0 but your eyes say 1" or "Hey, baby, ever do it AIBO style?" (More at #robotpickuplines on Twitter.) I'll tell you who doesn't—we don't! We've already explained to you again and again why robots are dangerous. Why are you trying to incite them? Oooooh, I get it. You're trying to get in bed with them, Baltar-style, so that they save you when they kill everyone else. Well, then you're on our list, too, you long-haired, sad-eyed, multiple-doctorate-holding freak. [TechCrunch]

Obama's BlackBerry: No Wonder He Couldn't Let Go [Humor]

Posted: June 5th, 2009, 8:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Kasper Hauser, the brilliant minds behind the SkyMaul parody, have tackled another delicate tech subject: President Obama's beloved BlackBerry. When you see the First Dude staring at his handheld and snickering, this is what's going on.

The book Obama's BlackBerry is on sale now, $11 at Amazon, and is consistently hilarious, as you can see from the (authorized) excerpts below. [Kasper Hauser]

Friendly Dragonfly Streetlamp Helps You Forget Big Bro Is Watching [Surveillance]

Posted: April 16th, 2009, 10:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Its wings are covered with an array of bright LEDs, its head, a video camera. You see that it sees you, about to commit some misdemeanor. But it's too cute—there's no way you're in trouble.

For now, the seemingly innocuous bugs (get it? double entendre), which look a little like an ultra-low tech version of the bat bot, will make their way around Seoul and other parts of South Korea, and according to Newlaunches, will be in Tokyo soon. There's even a butterfly. How can a gentle butterfly turn you over to the cops for selling pot? There's no way that would happen!

Cool Album Art and Packaging: Records, Cassettes, CDs Then Nothing [Listening Test]

Posted: April 16th, 2009, 5:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

CDs originally came in long boxes with amazing art. Word went around that they'd go away, since hippies—like Sting—were pissed off about killing trees, but I was sad. Music packaging says a lot about music.

Album art used to be a serious pursuit, as if it was equally important to catch both the eyes and the ears of the music shopper. Perhaps, we don't need the allure of album art anymore, since we can instantly gratify our need to hear the music we want to buy or steal. But when I was growing up, it was vital.

Vinyl albums - The mama pajama of album art came from the cardboard, paper and sometimes tissue wrapping around and within 33rpm records. A favorite of mine was Prince's Purple Rain, because the lyrics were printed on the outside for easy sing-along access. ("Ain't gonna let the elevator break us down, oh no, let's go!") More often, lyrics would be found on that easily torn inner sleeve. The best album covers were the ones that opened, with a booklet of photos and lyrics inside. That was the jackpot.

45s, which I actually bought quite a few of in the early to mid 1980s (cuz they were cheap and I was a kid), they usually came in almost no protection at all, just a thin paper wrapper with a hole in the middle to see what was what. The way you could tell the best 45s was, a full-color photograph covered the whole glossy envelope—and there was no hole.

Memorable records:
• Queen - Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack
• Weird Al Yankovic - In 3D
• Pat Benatar "Love Is a Battlefield" 45

Cassettes - This was a dark time for album art and music packaging. Cassettes were frickin' ugly, especially those standardized ones released by Columbia Records, with the red block lettering on the side, and like zero information within. Sealed tight with cellophane, we were first introduced to the concept of needing tools to open our own music. (Though the really cool record collectors sliced open the easily torn plastic wrap, to protect the art within, I always thought of that as the equivalent of Granny covering her couch with plastic.)

As cassettes dominated vinyl, labels put more info into the packs, so that you'd get a piece of paper folded 97 times, out into this long thing. That was it for tape evolution, though—a frickin' long long piece of paper with tiny photos and even tinier lyrics. Folding it back in took origami ninja skill that I didn't have.

I enjoyed cassette singles (or "cassingles") because they were cheap, and only had the songs I cared about. Still, they came in a sleeve that was open at both ends, so the damn tape would always fall out.

Memorable cassettes:
• Steve Winwood - Roll With It
• Hall and Oates - H2O
• Prince - "Alphabet Street" cassette single

CDs - They actually started shipping in long rectangular boxes, so they'd take up exactly 50% of the rack space of a vinyl album. I think this was on purpose, so record stores didn't have to retool their shelving. The upside was lots of surface area for cover art, and the early days of the CD were like a return of album art. These long skinny boxes had huge busts of Jim Morrison, huge prints of the famed Zeppelin explosion that launched a band into stardom. The boxes were also wrapped in easy-to-tear plastic, so getting into your CD, though it took a few steps, was pretty easy.

But then the green freaks got their way, and the cardboard boxes were discontinued. Jewel boxes—and their never-too-popular "eco pac" brethren—just got thicker and thicker booklets, and more and more digital features. Worse, they came increasingly hard to open, to the point where record stores literally started selling specialized tools to open CDs. That's just wrong, but nothing is more wrong than the mercifully short-lived "dogbone" security wrapper, that scarred your jewel box for life.

Memorable CDs:
• Don Dorsey - Beethoven or Bust
• Paul Simon - Graceland
• Dire Straits - Communique

Digital downloads - And so we reach nothing. Not totally nothing, as it seems like every album still requires a 6-inch square illustration to validate its existence. But there's no series of photos, long lists of musicians and instruments and lyrics and writing credits. We're doing with less and less in the way of local information about our recordings—those booklets that told us who played sax on tracks 2, 3 and 7, they're disappearing. We can use the web to gather specifics when really necessary, but label-controlled artist websites really don't help. Some bands put out those digital booklets, but not many. And as far as track metadata, the details are scant. And the gratification is so quick, I almost yearn for the days when I needed a special knife to cut into my new CD.

Memorable downloads:
• Jack Johnson - On and On (first time I skipped the CD)
• David Gray - Life in Slow Motion (first "digital booklet")

I came across this excellent site, the Album Art Exchange, when thinking about this subject. If you want to get a sense of the history and the elaborate nature of album art dating back to the 1960s, I suggest you hop on over.

Listening Test: It's music tech week at Gizmodo.

Mugger Gets Caught With Stolen iPod Still Holding His Victim's Playlists [Crime]

Posted: April 14th, 2009, 7:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

A dude who stole another dude's iPod was caught red-handed (white-earbudded?) the other day when cops checked out the iPod in question, and found the victim's playlist still on it.

The crime, which went down last Wednesday, was actually a little more elaborate: Two guys intercepted a car that had just pulled into a Des Moines, Iowa video store parking lot. The three guys in the car were somehow persuaded out of the car, and the two muggers stole the iPod, the guys' cellphones, and $390 in cash.

(I don't know about you, but the only person I know who walks around with $390 in cash also doesn't pay income tax, if you know what I mean. I'm guessing there's more to this story than just a simple mugging—but whatever.)

When the guy whose iPod was stolen reported it to the cops, and gave them a description of a playlist on there, the cops matched it with the iPod carried by the suspect.

Which brings me to:

Wilson's #1 Rule of Stealing iPods: Plug that sucker into iTunes and re-sync it right away. If you really love your victim's music enough to re-steal what you already stole (and what he probably stole in the first place, download Senuti, man. Don't be stupid! [Des Moines Register via Cult of Mac]

AT&T Introduces Particularly Creepy FamilyMap Snooping Service [At&t]

Posted: April 14th, 2009, 6:31pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

AT&T now offers a $10/month plan that gets you the realtime location of two of your plan's phones ($15/month for five). But unlike other family trackers, this one doesn't appear to need parental permission/notification.

One of our editors tried it out, and was able to track members of his family without them knowing (UPDATE: Text messages were sent to the tracked phones, but notably not a single person who received them understood what they meant and ignored them)—and without his knowing the master password to the AT&T account. You just create a separate login for the service and voila. AT&T says in that case, the master account will be notified—by SMS, email and snail mail, with information on how to revoke the other person's permission to track numbers.

When Boy Genius tried it, they tracked phones totally silently, that is, without the phones receiving any indication of being observed. AT&T's policy states they'll be sent a notification once a month. Also, BGR mentioned that the service was able to access GPS position data on phones that had GPS—it wasn't just triangulating the phones using cell towers.

In consideration of privacy and healthy communication among family members, I think maybe AT&T should make sure the people being tracked know it very, very clearly, and I think that only the account holder(s) should be able to decide who gets tracked, like with other family tracking plans we've seen from Verizon and Sprint. And just remember this, sometimes not knowing is better. [AT&T via Boy Genius; AT&T's FAQ with Privacy Policy]

PRODUCT video review BAD: Norton security 360 software CD [Norton]

Posted: April 1st, 2009, 1:30pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Dear Friend , This video review was specially selected to be sent to you ! Software security but not always Top 10. Do we put Norton 360 in front of Investors daily? Monitor video above. [Read]

Cellphone-Smuggling Pigeons Are a Jailbird's Best Friend [Cellphones]

Posted: March 31st, 2009, 9:40pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Hey you jailkeepers, you know how the inmates been asking about keeping harmless little pigeons around? Well, it's a con: They're using them to smuggle in cellphones.

The AP reports that at the Danilio Pinheiro prison in Sorocaba, Brazil, inmates were raising pigeons, having them smuggled out, strapped with packs on their legs containing cellphone parts and, in one instance, an entire cell charger. The pigeons' weakness? Food. Guards were able to lure them down from the high fences, and foil the dastardly schemes of the as-yet-unknown culprits.

It's a funny story, but it's not super hilarious when you learn that the cellphones are smuggled into prisons so that the imprisoned gang leaders can carry out horrific attacks on police and public transportation, as Sao Paolo's First Capital Command gang did in 2006, killing over 200 people.

So if you see a pigeon chilling on the prison wall, shoot first, and then frisk it for cell parts. [SF Gate/AP]

Moixa Defies Natural Interface, Creates Crazy Interface "Sphere" [Heavenly Spheres]

Posted: March 31st, 2009, 9:20pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Whoever thought the future wouldn't be filled with humming radio-connected spheres is just plain dumb, but Moixa's mesmerizing Sphere i/o interface device seems to buck the current trend of natural interaction.

It's not totally clear whether Moixa's device—whose patent was just revealed—is a standalone system or a display-equipped gyroscopic mouse for computers. What is clear is that can be either spherical or it can collapse into an elliptical shape, and its construction will rely on flexible screens, presumably coated OLED sheets. The concept is basically a humanist riff on "He's got the whole world in His hand," with Google Earth coming up as an actual globe, or a carousel of browser screens or game scenarios that you can ease through, a flick at a time.

In Moixa's description, there will be multitouch interaction and gyroscopic control, something like an iPhone Wiimote love child. It can be folded flat for storage and charged by "opening a leaf-like petal"—remember these are the people who make USB-chargable AA batteries. For it to take off, a lot of crazy things have to happen, but damn if we won't be watching. Look out for its debut in 2010—or after an awful lot of OLED advancements are seen. You know, whichever comes first.

The apple can be recharged by opening a leaf like petal, can also display an interactive world map (such as Google Earth), navigate the web or interact with applications. [Moixa via Pocket Lint and Engadget]

Clear Spot Portable WiMax Hotspot Makes You a Broadband God [Review]

Posted: March 31st, 2009, 4:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Today Clearwire yanked the cloth off of its rumored Clear Spot portable WiMax-to-Wi-Fi hotspot, a shiny little battery-powered device that lets you bestow real 4G bandwidth upon anyone in Wi-Fi range.

The $140 thing fits in your pocket, runs for four hours on a lithium-ion battery, connects up to 8 laptops via Wi-Fi, and works like a charm when you're in a decent WiMax coverage area. (You still need to connect a WiMax modem, which costs $50 and requires a data plan.)

I tested it on the outskirts of Portland, at a Burgerville right off of I-5 in Vancouver, WA, essentially becoming a totally unwired, totally portable wireless hotspot for anybody with a computer or smartphone in the vicinity. Anyone can see the hotspot itself, as it has a standard Wi-Fi SSID, but once on, you have to enter a password, like you do in hotels or airports where the Wi-Fi network itself is technically public.

I can't make enough of the experience, and how much it could change businesses, sales forces or mobile bloggin' teams like Gizmodo. You don't even have to be plugged in, you can just all hop on and work as usual for up to four hours, more if you can find an electric socket. And with WiMax, you're not nearly as limited as you are with 3G—though there are some constraints, you at least have access to a network that, in certain coverage areas, bestows blistering broadband speeds similar those from today's wired cable modems.

One big constraint, of course, is that WiMax from Sprint/Clearwire is currently limited to Baltimore and Portland, OR, but is growing this year and next to many cities.

There is also an internal limit to how much WiMax bandwidth you can harness. Since the Clear Spot uses the same Motorola WiMax USB modem that Clearwire sells for its standard WiMax service, I could test how well the bandwidth was passed through.

• What I got when connecting an HP Pavilion dv4 Windows laptop to WiMax: Around 7Mbps
• What I got when connecting the same modem to the Clear Spot, then connected MacBook Pro via Wi-Fi: 3-4Mbps

That does certainly represent a bottleneck, and there's a reason for it: The wireless hotspot itself—which you might have seen under the brand Cradlepoint for a year or more—was designed for 3G, for whom 3Mbps downstream is a frickin' miracle. It has a gimped USB port that throttles bandwidth over 5Mbps.

Though that's a flaw, it's not a big deal when you consider most Clearwire WiMax plans will be sold with a 4Mbps cap.

Beyond the hardware bottleneck, my other complaints are relatively minor:
• There's no Ethernet port, so this can't fundamentally replace home broadband.
• In areas of low coverage, you get an error message saying the modem was not found, which is inaccurate.
• There's no good way to read WiMax signal strength on the device itself.

The good news for patient people is that, according to Scott Richardson, Clearwire's chief strategy officer, the company is exploring selling an unfettered WiMax account, so you'd get an experience closer to the one I got in my uncapped testing. Also, Scott tells me there will be another portable WiMax-to-Wi-Fi hotspot device available—probably in the fall—that's even smaller, and that wouldn't be restricted by the USB bottleneck.

This is one of those products that's totally niche but totally cool. Like, even if there are many people who are interested in getting WiMax, or better yet, a combo EVDO/WiMax modem from Sprint, I am not anybody would, at that point, also feel the need to share it with others. Maybe it's good for bringing your work-supplied modem home, or maybe it's a good way to split the cost of wireless modem service between a team of people who are always working together, on separate devices.

Regardless of all these scenarios, the fact is, it's a truly new experience, and hopefully something we see more of in the future. I would say this is one of hell of a reason for Big Cable to be shaking in its boots—that is, if only Comcast wasn't already part owner in Clearwire. [Clearwire Clear Spot release]

Monoprice Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI Adapter Hands-On: HD iTunes Now Plays On TVs [Hdmi]

Posted: March 27th, 2009, 2:50pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Monoprice sent us their $14 Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter, and we tested it with some protected content to see if it solved one of the new MacBook's biggest monitor compatibility problems. Sure enough, it did.

Apple is still to blame for not adopting HDMI, but at least this solution is somewhat helpful. See, most run-of-the-mill flat-panel TVs are HDCP compliant, but a lot of monitors are not. So, when you have the adapter, there is suddenly a massive population of screens that you can use that you otherwise cannot.

There are some things to keep in mind with this adapter:

1. It's only going to give you video output—you will have to find another way to route your audio from your new MacBook or MacBook Pro.

2. Even though the HDMI jack allows you to connect to a bunch of TVs that can handle HDCP, it doesn't mean you can get around HDCP. When we tried to watch the same movie using the other adapter, a Mini DP-to-DVI, on an older monitor, we were told we were not allowed:

Bottom line: If you own a MacBook or MacBook Pro, and you have iTunes video content you want to watch on a flat-panel TV, you had better get one of these. Maybe one day Apple will learn that HDMI isn't inherently evil, and all these adapters won't be necessary. [Monoprice]

The Beautiful, Scary Robots of Shigeo Hirose [Wired For War Special]

Posted: March 27th, 2009, 11:21am EDT by Wilson Rothman

newVideoPlayer("/Fukushima_Robots_Giz.flv", 504, 399,""); There are plenty of robot builders, but none bring as much elegance to engineering as Shigeo Hirose. His creatures are Star Wars, Iron Giant and Dean Kamen rolled into one cybernetic maki.

Truth is, I'd never heard of Shigeo Hirose or the Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab at Tokyo Tech until I read Wired for War—author PW Singer, featured in our interview here, sings the praises of the robot master, possibly the world's foremost.

As you can see in the montage and the rundown, below, the dude has been building stuff for years, and things he designed 30 years ago, still seem startling compared to the commercial robotics we've grown used to. Swimming snakes, tiny velociraptors, and giant hands that close around women's waists—this guy seems to know that the real fuel of robotic development is a careful combination of humor and fear.

Make sure you watch all three minutes of the video—the last 30 seconds feature a rollerskating robot that quite frankly blew my mind. Here's a rundown of the featured models, in the order in which they appear in the video:

Active Code Mechanism R5 (2005) - This swimming snake scared the hell out of me. I used to be afraid of sharks, now sharks should be afraid of ACM.

Elastor (????) - What's cool about this slinky with a claw is that it can easily reach things a human arm can't. That and it looks like the prototype for the Lost In Space robot. Danger!

Genbu (1995) - This "articulated multi-wheeled mobile robot" is one of many robots Hirose has designed that can navigate over debris. What makes this one special is it's shiny silver spiky look—like it's also a lot of fun at S&M parties.

Soft Gripper II (1978) - We have all seen this in movies: The robot hand reaches out and grabs someone, King Kong style, around the waste. But when you see it demonstrated in real life, with a giggling woman, it's frankly chilling. Where's the rest of your gargantuan killer robot, Hirose? Wait, don't answer that.

VmaxCarrier (2000) - This "holonomic omni-directional vehicle" at first reminded me of Eddie Murphy's Billy Ray Valentine, panhandling the beginning of Trading Places. Then I glimpsed the underside of this lightweight device—with its four omni-discs, each with eight motorized wheels (for a total of 32 wheels)—and realized this was no movie prop.

Titrus III (????) - I think the lack of a page describing this robot confirms that Hirose only did it to show that he could. The shuffling little dinobot may be more cute than practical, but damn if I don't want six of them.

SMC Rover (1997) - This planetary exploration robot can send its wheeled legs off on autonomous missions, owing to motors and batteries housed in the wheels themselves. It's brilliant and whimsical, but it also reminds me of John Carpenter's The Thing for some reason.

TAQT Carrier (1991) - This mechanical wheelchair is no match for Dean Kamen's pre-Segway one, but it was built many years earlier, and has a rounded styling that reminds me of Star Wars, like it could be found on Tatooine.

Soryu V (1997) - One set of treads, and a robot can fall on its back as it climbs vertical terrain. Two or three, as in this case, and it's suddenly more adaptable. Here, to prove the point, Hirose shows it on grass and snow.

Roller-Walker (1994) - It's a rollerskating robot. A rollerskating robot. It's like Xanadu meets Short Circuit. Somebody call Steve Guttenberg, Olivia Newton-John and Jeff Lynne, pronto.

More fun with Shigeo Hirose:

• BBC gallery of his "robot menagerie," including the wall climbing "Ninja" not included in the video.

• Hirose-Fukushima Robotics Lab, website in English

• Wired for War book on Amazon and author site

Video montage expertly assembled and edited by our own Mike Byhoff; "Music for a Found Harmonium" and other yodels, airs and preludes by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra available for MP3 download at Amazon.com.

Your Xbox 360 Avatar Is Online and Publicly Accessible [Xbox]

Posted: March 21st, 2009, 2:15am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Anyone who's upgraded to the New Xbox Experience knows that it gives a run on Wii's money as far as personal iconography is concerned. I just learned that you can look up peoples' avatars—as long as you have a gamertag of someone you love or hate, plug it in here and you'll see just how amazing or lame their gaming persona is. If you've known about this for a million years, well, I'm sorry. You are awesome. Forgive my lateness. And yeah, for those wondering, that's my half-assed attempt at self-representation right there. [MundoRare]

Robots Care for Plants (By Peeing on Them) [Robots]

Posted: March 20th, 2009, 9:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Call it what you want, but the MIT-built horticultural robots roll around, lowering a tube and spraying right into dirt around the plants' stems. I'm snickering, but the project itself is pretty cool.

It's a program at the MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, intended to help foster robotics design by giving students an objective (take care of plants) and a limitation (you can't touch the plants). So how do the little tomato plants survive?

For starters, the plants themselves get some kind of little computer and soil sensors, which they use to calculate when it's time for water or nutrients, or keep track of how many tomato fruits they've grown. With built-in networking, they transmit needs to the robot farmhands, who come by to service them, not just peeing, I mean, watering them, but locating and picking specific fruits, and—get this—pollinating the plants. I still prefer bees for that last part, but mostly because I'm addicted to honey.

My only concern is this: College kids get together to work on an indoor plant growing project, and they come up with... tomatoes? What's with kids these days? [MIT via Make]

Giz Explains: How Cell Towers Work [Cellphones]

Posted: March 20th, 2009, 8:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

I recently visited a cell site shared by Clearwire and two other unnamed carriers—without frying my nuts. We've all driven past them so many times, but have you ever actually wondered how they work?

How They Work
Whether it's handling simple phone calls or 12Mbps WiMax data, cell sites are organized with more or less the same flow:

• A cellphone or modem radios the nearest towers, saying, basically, "I'm here!" When you make a call or logon, your phone then sends a message via radio that's picked up by the antenna array.

• A wire or fiberoptic line carries the call down to the wireless access point, connected to a multi-port switch.

• The call, along with many others, gets routed to a backhaul, usually down to an underground wired T1 or T3 line, but sometimes back up the mast to a powerful line-of-sight wireless microwave antenna. They resort to wireless either when they don't have a ground connection, or when the ground connection sucks.

• The incoming call or data comes back from the backhaul and up through the switch to the antenna, where it then hits your phone wirelessly, presuming your phone is still communicating with the same site. If you are moving, then there's a handoff—a new but more or less identical cell site transmits the data to your phone, once your phone checks in and says "I'm here."

All of this happens in the blink of an eye.

galleryPost('cellsitevisit', 4, '');

The Gear
Clearwire, who gave me the tour of the cell site during my WiMax test run, is a new company, only just now deploying their network, one that is only focused on data, and not on voice calls. This means they don't have a bunch of sites already established like other carriers (though their recent acquisition by Sprint may change this). But it also means their cellular gear is modern and compact compared to the others.

For instance, the carrier whose name probably starts with A keeps its gear in a bunker like the Endor moon one that Han Solo & Co. were trying to bust into in Jedi. The backup batteries must be enormous, because there's a sign on the door that says, "Danger - Corrosive Liquids - Wear Protective Equipment."

Clearwire, by comparison, has a high-school locker for its gear—one that is built somewhere else and just trucked to the location. You attach it to the on-site power, run lines and antennas up the mast, and either bolt the sucker to a cement foundation or to the side of a steel post, and voila, you are done. It uses two car batteries for its backup power—enough juice to last six hours and they don't have to wear a hazmat suit to service it. (It can also run off of a portable generator.)

In this particular site, the carrier whose name may start with a V had a set of three larger lockers, not the huge bunker that its competitor had, but a serious array nonetheless. As you probably guessed, each carrier locks up its own facility, so I wasn't at liberty to fully inspect the other guys' gear—or even confirm their identities.

Clearwire also runs skinny fiberoptics up to the top of the tower, instead of the thick insulated copper cables that the old boys' networks run. Again, this has more to do with newness than simple common sense, but it may mean cell towers could be a little slimmer in the future.

So what happens up top?
The real demystification was the antenna array itself. I for one did not know a lot about how things were set up, and now I know a tiny bit more, which I will share:

• The huge antenna masts can have multiple carriers, each with its own triangular platform and antenna array.

• The reason the platforms are triangular is so the 360-degree coverage can be split into 120-degree pie pieces, which—if you look closely—can be subdivided again into 40-degree slices for increased, pinpointed coverage.

• If there's a white disk-shaped antenna among the array, it means that the carrier has a line-of-sight microwave backhaul. Clearwire's can handle 80Mbps at the moment, but must be directly in line with another microwave antenna. (Speaking of fried nuts, I wouldn't want to stand between two of those.)

Don't forget to read our exclusive uncapped WiMax road test—featuring blistering wireless speeds!

Ballmer Bites Apple, Saying Pro-Mac Trend Is Waning [Friday Flame War]

Posted: March 20th, 2009, 6:36pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

My buddy Todd at TechFlash reports that Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer went on an anti-Apple rant yesterday in NYC, saying "the tide has really turned back" toward Microsoft products, adding "The [downturned] economy is helpful."

Todd quoted Ballmer, in a webcast, saying exactly this:

Apple gained about one point, but now I think the tide has really turned back the other direction...The economy is helpful. Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment—same piece of hardware—paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be.

Say what you will about the merits of Windows vs Mac OS, but it is kinda funny for a software guy to suggest that it's the hardware that makes the computer.

We've heard similar Ballmerisms before, but my favorite part of the discussion was something Ballmer said later, when asked if he owned any Apple products:

I don't, my sons don't, my wife doesn't...You're talking to a guy, though, whose dad worked for Ford, and once Ford sold Land Rover and Jaguar, we're selling the cars to get Fords, so you may have a weird outlier in me.

At least there's still Volvo, right, Steve? [TechFlash]

Motorola Sends Teeny Ear Clips In Huge Cardboard Box [More Ridiculous Packaging]

Posted: March 20th, 2009, 6:20pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Giz reader Thomas just received two 2-inch Bluetooth earhooks from Motorola—in a 320-cubic-inch box. As he puts it, "the package was filled with about 99% air." Haven't they heard of envelopes? More pics:

Thanks Thomas! And thanks to Rob, who also sent in an example ridiculous packaging today:

Asus W90Vp-X1 Proves You Don't Need a Desktop for Raw Power (But It Helps) [Laptops]

Posted: March 20th, 2009, 11:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

The fellers at Computer Shopper just gave a rave review to this 11-lb. 18.4" monstrosity from Asus, saying it "raises the bar for all comers." Isn't it just a desktop in disguise?

Look at the breakdown: Sure, it's got a 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 and 320GB 2.5" hard drive, but it also has 6GB of RAM and dual ATI Radeon HD4870s. No wonder it "sets new 3D-graphics and productivity-speed records." Computer Shopper goes on to praise its "beautiful HD display, a powerful audio system, and an easy-to-use overclocking utility" plus a "generous" warranty, all to the tune of $2200. It's seriously impressive engineering, especially at that price; Asus should be proud. But man, why wouldn't you just get a desktop at that point? Or build one? Did I forget to mention its power adapter alone weighs an extra 2.2 pounds? [Computer Shopper]

Philips Emotion Jacket Touches You In Movie Theaters [Jackets]

Posted: March 19th, 2009, 9:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

End of Titanic. Rose floating on debris, Jack in the water. You want to cry but can't. Philips' new concept jacket gives you a little hug (out of sympathy? pity?) and there go the waterworks.

Philips senior scientist Paul Lemmens and a team of researchers have devised a jacket—but sorry dudes, no matching pants—that augments your emotions with gentle nudges, squeezes and taps. The point? To cause "a shiver to go up the viewer's spine and creating the feeling of tension in the limbs," Lemmens told IEEE Spectrum, on the eve of the World Haptics Conference where he's presenting the jacket.

Lemmens says that during a Bruce Lee fight scene, the jacket can pulse with the gu-goong gu-goong gu-goong of an elevated heartbeat. (All good, until you remember that Bruce Lee's heart rate never went above 42 beats per minute his whole life.)

The jacket's versatile fondling techniques come from 64 actuators, clustered in groups of four along different parts of the torso and arms—eight in each sleeve, for instance. They are low-powered enough to be run on two AA batteries for an hour, but hopefully they'll make room for more batteries, since the average movie is over 2 hours, including trailers. The signals to pinch your arm, tighten your chest, or sooth your back would come from the film itself, kinda like how those D-Box motion chairs follow pre-determined cues that are synced with the action on the screen.

I'm willing to buy into the argument that a little more physical interaction would heighten my emotional appreciation of a movie, but I just can't help feeling it's the premise of a corny but terrifying episode of The Outer Limits? [IEEE Spectrum]

RTFA: This Week In Giz Features [RTFA]

Posted: January 31st, 2009, 9:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Throughout the week, writers take time to write longer posts, in-depth original stories you may not have had time to read during the week. Now that it's Saturday, here's your chance to RTFA!

Apple vs. Palm, Google, RIM and God knows who else:
How the company will or won't defend its multitouch phone interface patent
Bonus: All of Apple's bloodiest patent and copyright clashes, on one page

Apple's iLife '09 Review Roundup:
Our complete review of iPhoto '09 with tips
Special: What to know about iPhoto '09 face detection and recognition
iMovie '09 put through the paces in a full review
GarageBand's new Artist Lessons: What do they actually include?

More Great Stories:
T-Mobile's Curve 8900 mini review
Dealzmodo roundup of HDTV and other great gadget deals, pegged to tomorrow's Super Bowl but not just for football fans
Windows 7: Why Microsoft should just give it away

Jack Potty, Because Potty Training Wasn't Disgusting Enough [Li'l Gambler]

Posted: January 30th, 2009, 2:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

My kid is almost the age where I need to consider potty training incentives. Walmart suggests the $15 Jack Potty toilet/slot machine (get it?) with sensors that "detect a deposit and trigger lights and sounds."

For $15, I can't imagine exactly how good those sensors are—my experience with Jack Potty's brand, Safety 1st, has not been positive at all, but that's not the real issue. I know Walmart is trying to help, and I'm sure it makes sense to them: The percentage of people who throw away most of their Social Security checks on slot machines probably do tend to spend whatever remains at Supercenters.

But how will this affect kids, mentally? Risk of gambling addiction aside, a friend of mine said it best: When our girls are old enough to visit Las Vegas and look out over the sea of slot machines, will they say, "Wow, check out all those public restrooms!"?? Scary. [Walmart via Consumerist]

Warning: Jailbreaking iPhones Using Unibody MacBooks Can Bite You Later [Jailbreak Fiasco]

Posted: January 26th, 2009, 3:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

This weekend, I learned the hard way that trying to jailbreak an iPhone 3G using a Late 2008 MacBook Pro running 10.5.6 can totally freeze up the machine later on. Here are the specifics:

Short version: Be careful when you run any "DFU fix" Automator scripts on your unibody (Late 2008) MacBook or MacBook Pro, and if you already have, do not upgrade to QuickTime 7.6 until you've repaired the alterations that the script made to your system.

In this post, we outlined how to re-enable unlocking and jailbreaking functionality if you've upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5.6. To do it, you have to run an Automator script that "fixes" the system so that you can enter something called DFU mode. It's some hardcore juju, but the script seemed easy enough to run and reboot.

The now-mysteriously-missing original Hackintosh article mentioned that there were some issues with the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pros, but it never said that you should undo it after you finish jailbreaking.

I didn't even get the jailbreak itself to work on that machine in the end, even though Jason did on his unibody MacBook Pro, but the Automator DFU fix didn't cause any perceptible changes to my system's behavior, so I promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward two weeks. I get a notice of the latest QuickTime upgrade, so I OK it. When my system restarts, I have no access to keyboard or trackpad. Not only do I not have access, I can't even plug in a mouse or keyboard. I could use those controls when booting off of a system install disc, but I couldn't get the installer to repair my OS, since it was "newer." The computer was borked.

My solution was easy but nuclear: I turned an external 320GB drive into a boot disk, ran the migration tool to move every bit of data from my unibody MBP, then simply swapped drives. (Gotta hand it to Apple for that new swappable-drive design.) My machine is as good as new, and now totally up to date.

What you should do, if you already ran the DFU script and haven't installed that Quicktime update yet, is try the method I have since discovered outlined in this Apple Support thread. Apparently, I'm not the only one with this problem. Here are a few solutions besides the one in the support thread.

If you still have access to your keyboard and mouse, you can copy the backup files (it should be under Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6 on your desktop) to where the automator script was, Install_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_5 on your desktop. Then, just run the automator script again, and it will copy those "original" files to the right location, then change the permissions correctly and reboot your machine.

If you already ran the Quicktime update and you're unable to access any input (USB or otherwise), you can SSH into your machine and run these commands one by one. If you had trouble with the automator script, you can open up the terminal and do this too, manually. Note, some of these lines are too long, so they wrap to 2 lines. Make sure you copy it in its entirety. Commands are separated by empty lines inbetween.

sudo rm -R /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext
You'll have to enter your administrator password here

sudo rm -R /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo cp -R $HOME/Desktop/Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6/AppleUSBHub.kext /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

sudo cp -R $HOME/Desktop/Backup_IOUSBFamily_kext_10_5_6/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext

sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

sudo rm -r /System/Library/Extensions.mkextprivileges

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

sudo reboot

Your machine will reboot after prompting to update boot caches, and the files should be back to the standard 10.5.6 ones.

Gizmodo's Complete Windows 7 Coverage [Beta Testing Windows 7]

Posted: January 22nd, 2009, 1:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Windows 7 Beta, Microsoft's thank-you gift for putting up with Vista, has been out two weeks and we're covering every exciting inch of it. Here's how to catch up, or get the beta for yourself:

To automatically read the most recent Windows 7 posts, hit this tag (and bookmark it).

Windows 7 Beta Installation Advice
(Note: The beta is free for anyone to download until Saturday, January 24, so hurry!)
• How to Download and Install Windows 7 Beta
• How To Install Win 7 on Macs with Boot Camp
• Understanding the Windows 7 Beta Agreement Fine Print

Windows 7 Feature Analysis:
• Why the Windows 7 Taskbar Beats the Mac OS X Dock
• Why It's Smart To Go 64-Bit With Windows 7
• Windows 7 Runs Better Than Vista On Netbooks
• Why Windows 7 Will Beat Vista Overall

Windows 7 Beta Tips
• Windows Home Server Almost 100% Compatible Already
• Gadgets Integrated to Desktop (But Still Buggy in Beta)
• New WordPad Opens Word 2007 XML Docs
• Careful: Windows 7 Beta Sleep/Hibernate Is Still Buggy
• Windows 7 Taskbar UI Tips
• Inside the Amazing Problem Steps Recorder

Funny—and Not So Funny—Windows 7 Experiences
• The First Windows 7 Blue Screen of Death
• 131 BSODs We'd Rather See
• 25 Features You Definitely Won't See in Windows 7

Tweet-a-Watt, Because It's OK To Brag About Energy Efficiency [Smug Alert]

Posted: January 21st, 2009, 7:40pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Phil at Make has developed a mod for the Kill-A-Watt power meter: Tweet-a-Watt transmits your daily power usage to Twitter via PC, so friends and strangers will know you're a smug, super-green SOB.

The Kill-A-Watt is already one of my favorite toys, capable of telling me just how much of a juice hog the Pioneer first-gen Kuro plasma is when compared to any LCD anywhere ever (about twice), or the PS3 is when compared to a standard Blu-ray player (10X or more).

What our buddy Phil Torrone and Limor Fried of Adafruit have done as an entry in Core77's Greener Gadgets competition is made it useful as a tracker, or maybe a bragger.

When it gets a reading of your daily KWH usage, it blasts it via Xbee wireless transmitter to a PC "or internet-connected microcontroller, like an Arduino." (I did mention Phil Torrone came up with this, didn't I?) From there, it's just an easy hop from your Twitter account.

Why tweet your damn KWH? Here's what Phil says:

We feel there is a social imperative and joy in publishing one's own daily KWH - by sharing these numbers on a service like Twitter users can compete for the lowest numbers and also see how they're doing compared to their friends and followers.

So like, "Na na na-na na—my carbon output makes your carbon output look like a Chinese toy factory's carbon output!" [Make via CrunchGear]

Windows 7 on Gizmodo, So Far [Microsoft]

Posted: January 14th, 2009, 11:55am EST by Wilson Rothman

The PC galaxy is now a-frenzy with the Windows 7 beta—the largest OS beta test in history. Before we continue reporting, let's look back at its features, promises and proofs of awesomeness:

• The initial Windows 7 feature walkthrough, boot video and first taste of the user experience

• Giz Explains all the hidden benefits of Windows 7, and why it will smash Vista

• Our parody of 25 features you won't find in Windows 7

• How Windows 7 will extend laptop battery life by at least 11%

• What the totally upgraded Media Center interface on Windows 7 can do

• Early benchmarks of Windows 7 said to be "very promising"

• Finally, how to install and play with the Windows 7 Beta

[Windows 7 on Giz]

WeeP5 Gun Is As Real As Wii Zappers Get [Wii]

Posted: December 26th, 2008, 8:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Hack-A-Day builder TheOreos took a realistic toy version of the Heckler & Koch MP5 and outfitted it with a Wiimote, ending up with the cleverly named and scandalously realistic WeeP5 you see before you. [Hack-A-Day]

Candle-Powered LEDs Are Both the Future and the Past [The Medieval Future]

Posted: December 26th, 2008, 7:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

A company called Nextreme Thermal Solutions recently demoed this LED—which shines brighter than the candle whose heat powers it—as first step in what I assume is a move toward bonfire-charged laser weapons. [Tech-On]

Giant Snow Globes Recalled, Might Burn Down Your House [Irony]

Posted: December 26th, 2008, 6:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Your favorite pyromaniac might have to surrender his giant Hallmark snowman snow globe: The US Consumer Product Safety Commission just discovered that a bit of sunlight passes through them and it's "Goodbye drapes, hello firestorm!"

The physical principle of magnifying sunlight is ancient, but apparently the materials here, combined with the size, make the 17"-tall snowman-shaped 2008 Jumbo Snow Globe one of the deadliest ever. The allegation leading to the recall was definitely by the book:

When exposed to sunlight, the snow globes can act as a magnifying glass and ignite nearby combustible materials, posing a fire hazard.

Hallmark, which is offering refunds on the $100 decoration at its Gold Crown stores, says it's heard at least two reports of snow-globe related fires, though fortunately no one was injured. Our advice: If you or anyone you love is admiring an impressive snow globe collection when someone says "Do you smell something burning?" be sure to evacuate the home in an orderly manner. Taking the giant snowman snow globe with you of course—that thing's gonna be valuable on eBay pretty soon. [US CPSC via Reuters]

Lil Drum and Bass Bot Never Goes Anywhere Without His Theme Music [Robots]

Posted: December 12th, 2008, 8:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

YouTube may be full of robots, but few as charming as this little drummer bot. Armed with a rudimentary pill-jar plastic drum and a beep-bop-boop synthesizer, he somehow gets quite the groove on.

The Lil Drum and Bass Bot's creator Calculon320 claims only humble aspirations for the little $50 beat box—"plays his drum, provides his own soundtrack, simple object avoidance"—but there's an awesomeness here that puts even the Wall-E toys to shame.

Not only can he parumpapumpum with the best of them with his two swivel-action drumsticks, responding to tempo changes up to a super-vibrating roll, but in "object avoidance" mode, he can stroll up to a Lego Duplo brick or a wall and just start beating the hell out of it. To the rhythm. My favorite nuance is that the creator takes a robotic bummer—noisy servos—and turns it into a boon, a sort of wiki-wiki scratch track to accompany the beeping and drumming. Nice work Calculon320, if that is your real name. [Let's Make Robots via Make]

Windows 7 Benchmark Results "Very Promising" [Windows 7]

Posted: December 12th, 2008, 1:37pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes at ZDNet tested pre-beta Windows 7 release 6956 against Vista RTM and Vista SP1. Win 7's snappy boot time and dominance in other tests suggest that a good OS is on the way.

Early on, we showed you completely non-scientific evidence of Win 7's pleasingly fast boot time. (Shutting down is another matter—my build (6801) sometimes takes forever.) I was glad that Kingsley-Hughes—using a Phenom 9700 quad-core system with ATI Radeon 3850, 2GB of Corsair Dominator RAM and WD's 10K RPM Raptor as primary drive—managed to demonstrate that the fast boot isn't a fluke. By the way, Vista SP1 had the slowest boot.

In two other tests, PassMark Performance and PCMark Vantage, Win 7 pre-beta beat the Vista builds, though it failed to trounce them in the CineBench R10 test.

Remember, this is a pre-beta, so nothing is guaranteed, but what makes this newsworthy is that Kingsley-Hughes—who incidentally is in no way a Bond villain—ran similar tests with Vista a few years back, and early Win 7 makes a mockery of that noise. Check the ZDNet article for the full system specs and benchmark scores—I'm sure at least some of you will want the nitty gritty. [ZDnet via Lifehacker]

Uncle Milton Pet's Eye View Camera Lightning Review [Lightning Review]

Posted: December 5th, 2008, 8:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

The Gadget: The Uncle Milton Pet's Eye View cam is a low-res interval-timed camera designed to clip to the collar of a dog or cat, under the assumption your pet's life has some vaguely interesting non-eating/sleeping/pooing component.

The Price: $40

The Verdict: It's only as good as your pet's social life, but I actually recommend it for outdoor critters and social city beasts.

As a fan of National Geographic's Crittercam, I was excited when Uncle Milton sent over the pet's eye view camera. NG of course attached their cameras to penguins, whales and lions; attaching this product to our domestic lion, Wade Bob Rothman, wouldn't be the same thing for many reasons:

• It's a still cam—no video—so the footage is limited.
• Though it seems to have pretty high ISO, the camera's no good when there's no light. No IR or specialized low-light mode here.
• The box boasts that memory stores "over 40 photos," not enough for any self-respecting nature documentary.
• Though Wade is the butchier of our two felines, and put up with the device well enough—his sister Wynona would not have tolerated it—the thing really is sized wrong for cats, best for medium to large dogs.
• As a home-bound, neutered male, Wade is the opposite of adventurous, and his personal snapshots reflect this.

The camera has two buttons, a red/green LED and a two-digit LCD indicator on the back. When I had charged up the camera via USB port, I set the camera to take a picture every 5 minutes. (I could have also chosen 1 minute and 15 minutes.) I clipped it to Wade's collar, loosening it only a tad. He had one spell where he really tried to get it off, then suddenly was cool with it, and wore it for several hours without any problems.

The results—of which I have uploaded only the most exciting excerpts—were underwhelming:
galleryPost('wadecam', 8, '');

What I learned in this brief review, however, is that a) the pet didn't seem to mind the thing nearly as much as I would have thought, and b) if he was more active, and prone to prowling around the neighborhood, it might be fun. Again, it might be too big to put on a cat who's used to shimmying up fences, rooting around garbage pails and slashing other cats with a vengeance, but I actually think this would be very cool for dogs. Besides, as a lightweight automatic timelapse novelty camera, it has other uses, like say, when you're setting up a gallery designed to bring joy to readers, New Yorkers and tots who otherwise might not get toys for Christmas. Sure is cheaper than a D700! [Uncle Milton]

Adobe Builds Web Time Machine Called Zoetrope [Software]

Posted: December 5th, 2008, 4:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Adobe researchers have constructed a time machine that lets you view any web page over time, scrolling to see changes in data. But the Zoetrope software that lets you watch pricing or news-story changes over time has even headier magic powers, too.

Not to be confused with Sony's giant actual zoetrope, Adobe's Zoetrope, which was co-developed by people at the University of Washington, is more of a metaphorical movie maker, says Technology Review: You load a web page then drag a slider from present into the past. As you use Zoetrope with, say, a major news site, it changes—dates go backwards, the price of oil goes up (then back down again), George Bush looks younger and more confident, etc.

My favorite aspect is the "time lens," which lets you time-shift just a portion of the webpage. A great example would be the price of a TV or Blu-ray player on Amazon.com. As you slide, you see the price go up and up. Tracking price changes is a big part of this technology.

But for brainier people, there's a whole lot more you can do, since the tool also allows two web pages to be tracked at the same time. For instance, you can open a weather page and a traffic page, and scroll backwards, watching how traffic patterns are affected by variations in the weather. You can also tie the oil-price page with an international news page, and see if there's any correlation between peaks of strife in the Middle East, and peaks of oil prices in the days following them.

When tracking numerical values such as pricing, the Zoetrope tool is capable of generating graphs of the data, so if you want to know when to buy a TV, you can look at a graf of historical data to show trends, much like how investors today use stock charts.

The software is still in the early stages, so don't expect a browser plug-in anytime soon. Also, if you're wondering how they're going to index the entire world wide web for this, the answer is, they aren't even going to try. They're going to focus on sites in categories like those above. After all, if you need a time machine to watch the Gizmodo home page zip by, you are doing too much of one thing, and not enough of another.

Be sure to check out TR's video, for a vivid demonstration of Zoetrope's capabilities. [Technology Review via Kurzweil AI]

Army Using TiVo Tech for the Most Un-TiVo of Purposes [Time Shifting]

Posted: December 5th, 2008, 2:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

US troops in Japan are getting a massive server array to improve their TV. But instead of delivering what-you-want/when-you-want programming like TiVo, the servers will simply bump all shows 9 hours ahead. See any problems?

Part of me is happy for the Army and Air Force troops at the Yokota Air Base in Japan. I am all for taxpayer dollars going to improve our overseas troops' American TV watching experience (even if Heroes has crashed and burned, at least Fringe is there to take its place). But this seems like a form of suppression: The channels playback in realtime, 9 hours later. As far as I can tell, you can't even fast-forward through commercials, let alone the hours of crap TV in between the good bits.

Each of 33 channels gets its own dedicated server, so why can't each channel timeshift at the whim of whoever's watching that particular channel? Give our boys (and girls) in uniform a damned remote, Uncle Sam! I'm pretty sure they've earned it.

If this was a true rant, I'd get more into this "9 hours ahead" business. Sure, it's showing American TV at the Japanese prime time, but if my calculations are correct, it's a day off. Which means they get Thursday's Must See TV on Friday night? I'll take Liz Lemon any day of the week, but making people wait till Monday to see Amazing Race, that's just cruel and unusual. That said, at least sports and news will be broadcast in realtime. [Stars and Stripes via CNet]

Architect Bitchfight: Which Crazy Mega Bridge Tower Will Dominate? [Design]

Posted: November 25th, 2008, 8:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Just like inner-city drug kingpins and high-seas pirates, architects also often find themselves eyeball to eyeball in deadly cutthroat fights. This time around, the Broken Bottle award goes to two firms trying to revamp the mouth of Copenhagen's harbor with a crazy bridge-building. One team wants to make two towers with a pedestrian walkway between them, while the other designed a building that swoops clear across the harbor mouth, making bridge and tower one and the same. Here's more evidence for your judgment in this death duel:

Steve Holl's two-towers design met with serious criticism after it was chosen as the original winner of the "LM" harbor design. This spawned the response by 3XN. But before counting Holl out, you have to give the team props for coming up with some neat tech features. The buildings will have a solar-screen veil of photovoltaics, which, combined with the wind turbines that line the top of the 65-meter-high pedestrian bridge, would provide electricity for all the public spaces in the whole facility. Not bad.
The 3XN design, basically a rebuttal to Holl, has a proposal filled with yawn-inducing jargon like "complex," "coherent," "diverse," "distinctive" and "flexible", but when it comes down to it, the thing is just plain crazy. In a good way. The pedestrian bridge is still there, but it is hidden as part of the two support structures, a tall building and a short building. No word on the greenness of this particular build, but my guess is, this being Denmark and all, the thing is super green like Holl's.

There you have it, a Danish architectural bitchfight. Can't you just smell the rage? [Design Boom - 3XN and Design Boom - Holl]

Update: A friendly reader named Jakob who presumably lives closer to Copenhagen than I do just shared a link to all of the proposals, including the original ones that Holl went up against and crushed. They're all gorgeous and insane, so have a look here.

Androids Dream Up Electric Jams [Robots]

Posted: November 24th, 2008, 8:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Georgia Tech actually has a Robotic Musicianship Group in its Center for Music Technology, which means that some lucky so-and-so's are getting government funding to form hippie drum circles with an array of artificial companions. In the video above, two robots demonstrate their ability to listen to grooves laid down by living breathing meatbags, and jump in on their own instruments when the mood strikes.

Professor Gil Weinberg explained this "musical Turing Test" to Wired:

The processing allows [the robots] to analyze and improvise. In one of the applications, we use a genetic algorithm...You have a population of something, and then you do mutations to all of these little things—in my case it's musical motifs—mutations and cross-breeding between the musical genes, in our case, and then you have a new population that better fits to the environment.

Oh software, I love it when you manage to make robots seem less likely to overthrow and enslave us all, and way more likely to be Awesom-o-like robot friends! [Wired]

Sony PRS-700 Reader Review: Blinding Glare Kills All Improvements [Review]

Posted: November 24th, 2008, 2:24pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Though it must scare the crap out of the publishing biz, we will all one day carry ebook readers. In the US, Sony and Amazon have led the way with impressive E-Ink systems that prove that digital displays can be as readable as ink on paper. For this holiday season, Sony presented the $400 PRS-700 Reader, designed to improve on minor gripes we reviewers made in the past: It has a touchscreen, a sidelight and a cleaner button interface. Unfortunately, the "improvements" have taken away the very essence of the Reader—the easy-on-the-eyes screen. Read on to see why, if you buy this, you are dumb.

Seriously, this thing has a fatal design flaw. The translucent layer that adds both the touchscreen and sidelight functions picks up so much ambient light from every angle, it's impossible to read with even the most lowly of night-stand lamps turned on. I noticed it first in the bathroom, where there's lots of light, and then tried to read in bed, and ended up putting it aside, choosing instead the Kindle which, like the older Sony PRS-505, has minimal glare.

You can see it here, demonstrating the cover page of my test book, Why We Suck, by Dr. Denis Leary. The book was chosen arbitrarily (I wanted to read it), but somehow the title has become all too appropriate in the case of the 700:Even when I tried to minimize glare for a nice side-by-side shot, you can see how the limited light that does get through gives unpredictable texture to the Reader, while leaving the Kindle more or less unblemished:A year ago almost to the day, I showed you the Amazon Kindle and the Sony 500-series Reader in a face off that left a lot of readers caught in the middle. The Kindle had usability benefits—download direct to device; nice button array—that the Reader did not. Meanwhile, the Sony had a friendliness to third-party files that Amazon did not share. Clearly, in devising the 700, Sony believed it was adding in some killer advantages that could upset the $360 Kindle's popularity.

The new features are neat-ish, I will hand that to Sony. I particularly enjoyed flicking pages by running my finger to the right or left. It was intuitive enough that I simply guessed at the feature. The sidelight, too, can come in handy if you sleep with someone who's particularly photosensitive. I am fortunate enough to have a wife who doesn't mind me turning my light on after she's gone to sleep, but I can see how the sidelight could be huge for those in more oppressive domestic situations. galleryPost('sonyprs700review', 4, ''); The button array, too, makes a lot more sense. In addition to intuitive touch commands, you have the forward and back page turn buttons, plus the Back, Home, Search, Zoom and Option keys, all which come with more-or-less clear intentions. (I say "more or less" because the 700's zoom is the same as the Kindle's font sizer—that is, however you set it stays that way until you change it, rather than being some temporary state of magnification.)

Sony didn't make much improvement to the eBook Library app that you need to run, on PCs only, to load DRM books onto the Reader, but to be honest, it doesn't need a lot. Books aren't like music—you're not managing thousands of them all at once, so a simple interface is the best. I still prefer buying books right there on the Kindle, but again given the slow-moving nature of books, I am not certain that's a make-or-break attribute. (For additional interface-comparison issues, much of last year's report is still relevant.)

So props, I guess, to Sony for rethinking the physical interface and for charging into the new territories of sidelighting and touchscreen. But seriously—seriously—did anyone bother to try to read a book on this thing before you started manufacturing them by the thousands? If you like Sony, buy the $300 PRS-505. As for the PRS-700, to use Dr. Peter Venkman's clinical terminology, that chick is toast. [Sony Readers (good and bad)]

BlackBerry Storm Lines Not iPhone Lines, But Still Feisty [BlackBerry]

Posted: November 21st, 2008, 8:15pm EST by Wilson Rothman

In spite of its mixed reviews concerning software bugs and the controversial click-screen, the BlackBerry Storm drew a heckuva lot of Crack(Berry)heads to Verizon Wireless stores today demanding to get a piece of that action, including some who got uppity when things didn't work out like Christmas morning.

Reuters is saying that "more than 200 people" were hanging out in front of a mid-town Manhattan Verizon store this morning, some who ended up throwing fits when the shop ran out of the RIM goodness just an hour into its morning sales.

If you yourself are concerned about a Storm shortage, Reuters says that Verizon stores that may have run dry are promising a unit within 7 days, as long as you pre-order at the store or online. Given the high profile of this product launch, I figure this isn't a supply problem so much as it is an allocation problem, and that every store will soon have enough to meet demand. Have you had any issues scoring a unit? If so, do share them so your fellow Giz readers don't waste their Saturdays. [Reuters]

Music Flow Music-As-Water Concept Stretches My Brain [Design]

Posted: November 21st, 2008, 6:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Do you think of your MP3 player as the well from whence music springs forth like so much cool, pure H2O? Neither do I, but that didn't stop some brainy (that is, totally insaney) designers from coming up with a painfully elaborate music-player concept based on just such an analogy.

Over at Yanko Design you can see the Music Flow concept by Min-Kyung Kang, Tae-Seung Kim and Jeong-Min Og. As you can see, you turn the faucet knob to initiate the musical stream, which "flows" into the headphones connected to the spigot. With me so far? OK, so the headphone cable is a garden hose, of sorts, and it uses a capacitive sensor to detect pinching: If you pinch the hose, the watery music momentarily ceases to flow! Feel free to take your bong hit now, cuz it's only getting weirder...
• The remote "looks like waves" and controls the player without the faucet knob.
• The faucet knob is actually also a disguised speaker.
• And the spigot, being the player itself, houses a battery that you charge up before attaching to "a wall or window."
• None of these pieces, save the spigot and the presumably prohibitively expensive headphones, come together.

It's definitely more, uh, creative than that goofy cow MP3 player, but that doesn't mean it makes any sense. I almost forgot the kicker: It's not waterproof. [Yanko]

Comcast Gives Away Free HDMI Cables (If You Ask) [Dealzmodo]

Posted: November 21st, 2008, 1:40pm EST by Wilson Rothman

A Comcast cable guy just told me that if you go to swap out your composite or component DVR/cable box for an HDMI-friendly one, and you specifically ask for an HDMI cable, they'll give you one at no charge. It's not super long, but it should do the trick in most cases. Even if you don't need one, it never hurts to ask while you're there, at least as long as the retail cartel is selling HDMI at 9000% markup to make up for lost TV profits. [Thanks, Cable Guy!]

10 Really Cool Windows 7 Media Center Features [Windows 7]

Posted: November 21st, 2008, 8:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

digg_skin = 'compact'; digg_bgcolor = '#f1f8fa'; digg_url = 'http://digg.com/microsoft/10_Really_Cool_Windows_7_Media_Center_Features';

A few days back, I showed you the new touch interface for Media Center PCs running Windows 7, and though I had to pull the video, I promised a walkthrough of proposed Windows 7 Media Center features. I say "proposed" because, like everything else about Windows 7, this is all alpha and subject to change. But these features are very cool, and really should be included. One more thing: These screens were projected on a wall in a well-lit room, so they look horrible, but anyone familiar with Media Center (and Microsoft has shipped like 100 million of them, so that should be plenty of ya) will have a good idea of the pleasantness to come. Or you can just drink in the following prose descriptions:
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• Shows appear dissolved behind menus - When you're watching something and want to pull up a menu to add a new show or browse the channel guide, or even go into another area of the Media Center, the current show stays on, not as a picture-in-picture, but tastefully dissolved into the background.

• Chronological turbo scroll for channel guide - When you're looking at the channel guide, but want to go from Tuesday to Sunday in a hurry, you just hold down the arrow button on the remote, and the days start to whip by. Listings become a blur, but the days of the week, and the portions of the day, appear floating over the listings to give you an idea of when to stop.

• Live thumbnail forward and rewind - During HD video playback, you might want to jump around. Grab the time marker and drag it forward or back, and as you do, you see a miniature version of the show playing backwards or forwards at the same speed.

• Launch TV from Start menu - Media Center can occupy a pole position in the Start menu, and when you hover over the MC logo, a list of recently recorded shows pops up, along with other frequently used MC features.

• Floating Media Center gadget - Not only can you access shows from the Start menu, you can browse MC features from the desktop with the gadget. I am not clear whether or not you'll get to have actual video playing in it, but for people who need MC at their fingertips, this appears to be a nice, subtle execution.

• Alphabetical turbo scroll for music - The chronological turbo scroll on the channel guide is cool, but this one will come in more handy for me: As you scroll through the countless artists in your music collection, the names become a blur but your location in the alphabet is denoted by two letters, probably so that those longer letters like J, M, R and S can be broken up better.

• Drifting cover art grid - When you're playing a song, the album art for that track appears with some basic metadata, and all the cover art for every other track you own materializes and drifts in the background. The primary cover art jumps from side to side and top to bottom, so that everything is in constant, fluid motion.

• Scattered photos picture show - As you're playing music, you can opt for a photo show that essentially reaches into a folder, grabs a handful of shots, scatters them evenly around the page, and then zooms in on one at a time. A nice touch: In the wide angle, all the photos look like desaturated black-and-whites, but as each shot gets its own screen time, it magically becomes full color.

• Copy remote content - If you are browsing multiple libraries or Media Center PCs and come across a show you like, you can watch it or save it for later by hitting "make a copy." As long as there's no broadcast flag or some other DRM, the vid will flow over to your local HDD so you can watch it when you've left the network.

• Virtual channels without TV tuner - One of the new Media Center's central concerns is the new popularity of internet-based video, not just YouTube clips but whole TV episodes like those shown on Hulu. DVR functionality is key to making the most of an MC, but at launch there will be loads of virtual channels with shows you can watch just as easily. Microsoft demoed a special MSNBC channel that had clips and full shows; it's of course feasible for them to build similar channels for third-party web video services too. [Windows 7 on Giz]

Flight Test: Porn and VOIP Confirmed at 35,000 Feet [In-flight Wi-fi]

Posted: November 20th, 2008, 10:15pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Jalopnik's Road Test Editor Wes Siler is currently at 35,000 feet, flying American Airlines from LA to NY. Since his Boeing 767 had the recently launched Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, and since he was already using it to get his work done, we decided to see how far the service could go in terms of in-flight comforts.

Hunched over his MacBook in coach "like a T-Rex," Siler was able to complete a battery of tests. The upload rate wasn't shabby; 257 Kbps was enough to let him upload a Flickr gallery, for one thing.

Since Speakeasy.net reported a respectable 658 Kbps download speed, it was no surprise that Siler reported A-OK on the all-important mid-flight pornage test. He was able to stream some nice naughty material, as you can see (artfully blacked out by me) in the screengrab above. (That's Wes, holding his ticket, in the Photo Booth shot next to it.)

The porn access should come as good news for people who fear that other mid-air nemesis, the Chatty Cathy: At least porn will keep some passengers distracted from voice chat, which worked all too well in our quick test. Truth be told, the only thing that didn't work was video chat—iChat just kept choking and crashing. Hey, something was bound to fail as Siler hurtled through the sky high above Nebraska at an air speed of 581 miles per hour.

If you've had any interesting in-flight Wi-Fi experiences, by all means share them in comments. [AA; Thanks Wes!]

Update: Here's how REAL it is—Siler just took a screenshot of this article while in the air and IM'd it to me:

Windows 7 Touch Control Makes Media Center More Awesome [Windows 7]

Posted: November 19th, 2008, 12:44pm EST by Wilson Rothman

newVideoPlayer("/win7mctouch_giz.flv", 475, 314,"");

digg_skin = 'compact'; digg_bgcolor = '#f1f8fa'; digg_url = 'http://digg.com/microsoft/Windows_7_Touch_Control_Makes_Media_Center_Interface_Awesome_2';

Visiting Microsoft's Media Center posse in Redmond, I just caught a glimpse of the Windows 7 Media Center interface with integrated touch control (no third-party software) on an HP TouchSmart. All I can say is, I've always loved the MCE user experience—it really is a highlight of Microsoft design—but adding smooth touch interaction makes it even better. The only thing missing here is multitouch, but I'm told that's coming. Check out the vid. [Windows 7]

Field of Light: Nikolai Tesla Meets Lenny Kravitz [Design]

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 9:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

When I see images of Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, whatever glumness I might have felt during the day disappears, and that Beatle-esque Lenny Kravitz song of a similar name starts playing in my head. If I had the chance to check out Munro's light installation, coming to Project Eden in Cornwall, England on November 1, I would totally wander through the fields—slowly, slowly through the fields, in fact—touching the acrylic globes that float at the ends of 6,000 fiberoptically united tubes.

The tubes' intensity and color are controlled by an external projector; they're in sync but don't actually contain any electricity. (Sorry, Tesla.) In the Cornwall exhibition, they will be installed on a huge 1,200-square-meter grass-covered roof using 24,000 meters of fiber. It is of course "best viewed in hours of darkness." Munro has actually set up Field of Light shows on a number of occasions in the past, each successive installation growing in some way. His next all-new project is "a massive illuminated maze synchronized with choral music" named (what else?) Water Towers. That will be on display next March in Frome, Somerset, so yes, again again with the England. You lucky Limeys had better send pictures! [Dezeen]

Sony Cuts Price on Fancy S550 Blu-ray Player (Still No Dealzmodo) [Blu-Ray]

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 7:30pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Yesterday Sony dropped the $400 BDP-S350 Blu-ray player to $300, a fair line to cross. Today Sony made the next logical step, dropping its $500 BDP-S550 to $400. It's a sizeable price decrease, and it comes well before Thanksgiving, indicating that there could easily be another sweet drop. I'm still more of a fan of the S350, though, now that both are BD-Live capable. That extra $100 for the S550 only gets you a 1GB Memory Vault ($12.99 on Amazon), a 7.1-analog output, DTS-Master Audio decoding and a light-up remote. Oh, and the product itself won't ship until the end of October when, who knows, another price cut may hit. [SonyStyle]

Pandora and Other Webcasters Saved By Act of Congress [Web Radio]

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 6:50pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Today the otherwise preoccupied Senate quickly passed the Webcaster Settlement Act many of you petitioned for, granting Pandora and other net radio services the right to negotiate royalties with the record industry's SoundExchange coalition for the years 2006 to 2015. OK, that's a mouthful—what it means is, they will likely not be driven to bankruptcy due to unreasonable royalty rates.

I say "likely" because they still need to dot i's and cross t's on the royalty deal itself, but here, Congress approved their ability to do that, and just in the nick of time.

Pandora chief Tim Westergren told us today: "We’re just hugely grateful to our listeners and everyone who moved so quickly to mobilize support. This last weekend was just extraordinary." There you go, the world itself may be collapsing, but at least you know our legislators listened to your pleas to keep your favorite web radio broadcasters in business.

DiMA Thanks Congress for Passing Webcaster Settlement Act

Washington, D.C., September 30, 2008 – The U.S. Senate today approved the Webcaster Settlement Act, and sent to the President this bill that authorizes Internet radio services and agents for copyright owners and performers to negotiate new royalty agreements retroactive to 2006, and that could resolve future disputes through 2015.

The House of Representatives passed the bill September 28.

Jonathan Potter, Executive Director of the Digital Media Association, offered this statement:

“On behalf of DiMA and our Internet radio members, I want to thank Congress for acting quickly to pass the Webcaster Settlement Act. This legislation will enable DiMA and our member companies, and all Internet radio services, to continue negotiating royalty rates with SoundExchange for the years 2006-2015. We are very hopeful of reaching agreement soon, and thereby creating long-term stability that will re-energize the Internet radio business.

"We express great thanks to Senators Wyden and Brownback, and Representatives Inslee and Manzullo for sponsoring the Webcaster Settlement Act and also being great leaders of the Internet Radio Equality Act.

“We are also grateful to Chairman Berman, Chairman Conyers and Chairman Leahy, and Ranking Members Smith and Specter for their leadership on the Webcaster Settlement Act and their ongoing support for Internet radio."

[Digital Media Association]

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Come Pre-Ripped For $9,000 [Suckermodo]

Posted: May 9th, 2008, 8:30pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

If you're rich enough to have a dedicated media server from the likes of Crestron, Elan, Escient, Kaleidescape, ReQuest or Apple—a strange one to mix in, I thought—you can go off and buy Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time already ripped and encoded on a NAS RAID drive, for the low price of $9,000, thanks to a company called Terra-San. I can see several problems with this:

• If you love music enough to install a server, you probably already own (or, um, have borrowed) at least 500 really good albums, potentially a decent overlap of stuff. Like me, you may have accumulated most of the 500 totally by accident, not to mention a lot of other less popular music.

• Assuming you don't have the CDs in pocket, and your digital downloads just don't cut the mustard, you can probably buy them all at an average of $8 or $9 a piece, and many are pre-collected in box sets at substantial discounts—and with attractive keepsake booklets to boot. Besides, most of this stuff would be easy to find in used bins, too. We're not exactly talking about the rare and out-of-print here. At most you'd be out somewhere between $4,500 or $5,000.

• The argument that this will save you time ripping CDs only holds true if you can't find someone to rip your CDs for less than $4,000. Ask any kid in the market for a plasma TV if he'd rip all your CDs and he'll probably name a price between $1,000 and $2,000—throw in a USB drive for free—and believe he's getting away with murder. [Electronic House]

Dems Launch Net Neutrality Bill, GOP Says "Hands Off the Poor ISPs!" [Net Neutrality]

Posted: May 9th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Yesterday on Capitol Hill, two Democratic representatives introduced a House bill that would require broadband ISPs to "interconnect with the facilities of other network providers on a reasonable and nondiscriminatory basis." It also requires them to treat all content, applications and services as the same, with "equal opportunity to reach consumers," says an IDG story in the New York Times. Any ISPs who start messing around with packets could be subject to antitrust enforcement. Republicans weren't so happy with the bill.

The Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act is sponsored by Michigan Democratic Representative John Conyers (who happens to be chairman of the House Judiciary Committee) along with Silicon Valley Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren. Conyers' premise:

"The Internet was designed without centralized control, without gatekeepers for content and services. If we allow companies with monopoly or duopoly power to control how the Internet operates, network providers could have the power to choose what content is available."

It seems like one of those standup routines: Democrats are like "Lalalala" while Republicans are like "Grrrrrrr." In this case, the "Grrrrrrr" comes from the bill's apparent threat to investment in ISPs. Yes, I cry for you, poor downtrodden multibillion-dollar multinationals with borderline monopoly arrangements for persistent and constantly increasing revenues.

The opponents specifically argue that new competition in broadband networks is what keeps ISPs honest in their dealings with consumers. Michigan Republican Representative Fred Upton is quoted as saying, "Our hands-off policy is working." From what we've seen there, Fred, you are either all wrong, mostly wrong or at least partially wrong. [IDG in NY Times via Slashdot]

Fresnel Telescope Will Spot M-Class Planets 30 Light Years Away [Space]

Posted: May 2nd, 2008, 9:45am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Scientists might be giving up on the notion of sending ridiculously large pieces of glass into space. Using a Fresnel-zone lens instead, astronomers at Observatoire Midi Pyrenees in France propose to take extremely high-contrast images at vast distances without a large lens or mirror. A 30-meter Fresnel telescope will provide visual confirmation of Earth-like planets up to 30 light years away. Since it can also observe a wide spectrum range including UV and IR, it can do follow-up detection of life signs, too. The main advantage of the Fresnel telescope is, of course, the fact that it's a perforated sheet of roll-up metal instead of heavy, breakable glass. But there are some major reasons it's not super easy to just whip up one of these telescopes in the machine shop:

Though a Fresnel sensor has the same sharpness as a glass lens, it only collects about 10% of the light. That's why the sheet has to be really really big, like the 30-meter one mentioned above. Even worse, the Fresnel lens brings light to focus far away from its own surface. A 30-meter panel may require a spaceship with secondary lens and camera located several kilometers away to line up within a few millimeters to capture the image precisely on camera. That's some tricky flying, and would require a lot of energy, especially when the panel itself is constantly tilting to look at new, wondrous things. [New Scientist via Kurzweil AI]

Hitachi UltraThin 1.5-Inch LCDs Finally Hitting US Soil [Home Entertainment]

Posted: May 2nd, 2008, 8:45am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Six months after announcing it would bring its 1.5"-thick UltraThin line to the US, Hitachi is finally starting to ship product. Sizes range from 32" to 47" and 1080p from 37" and up—previously we thought the line would stop at 42". HD Guru tells us they don't have integrated HD tuners, so you'll have to use your cable box or spring $299 for a separate tuner. But hell, they are sexy, and they come with 120Hz image processing for better motion. The only thing remotely wrong with them is their high price: the top of the line 47-incher will set you back $4,700—and won't be here until September. What's that saying? Never too thin—or too rich? Specs, pricing and shipping dates of the full line below.

Hitachi to Showcase the World's First UltraThin Line of Displays at Annual Dealer Show This Week
The Much Anticipated and Only "1.5" Displays Are Now Available to Consumers
CHULA VISTA, Calif. —(Business Wire)— May. 1, 2008 At its Annual Dealer Show this week, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. will showcase its "1.5" family of UltraThin Displays, which, for the first time, are now available for purchase by U.S. consumers.

Unveiled to rave reviews at the Intl. CES in Las Vegas in January of this year, the 1.5 displays — so named due to their sleek 1.5-inch depth — continue to generate excitement and momentum, particularly now as consumers are able to purchase these slim, stylish displays through retail and specialty AV dealers nationwide for the first time.

Available in four screen sizes (32-inch, 37-inch, 42-inch and 47-inch), the 1.5 displays embody an array of Hitachi's engineering breakthroughs which have resulted in an award winning design, unrivaled thinness and outstanding picture quality. From the patented ventilation technology to the backlight, power supply and unique crystal frame, the innovations found in the 1.5 line represent Hitachi's achievements in areas as diverse as automotive design, server systems and optical R&D.

The new 1.5 line is further differentiated by its appealing design that, importantly, extends a complete 360 degrees around. So whether the displays are seen from the front, a side angle or from the back, the elegant lines and distinctive aesthetics demonstrate an attention to detail that make the displays the ideal complement to a luxury lifestyle.

Another important first: Hitachi has now outlined the pricing structure for the new 1.5 line, which will be offered in Director's Series (X) and Ultra Vision (V) models. Pricing and availability for each model is as follows:

Casio Exilim EX-F1 Slow-Mo Super Cam Full Review (Verdict: Totally Unique, Shockingly Powerful) [Digital Cameras]

Posted: April 25th, 2008, 10:45am EDT by Wilson Rothman

OK, say it: What the hell? What's with all the Casio EX-F1 love? It's because this camera is the most underrated gadget to hit the market in at least a year—the camera fiend's equivalent of a jungle gym, with slow-mo, super slow-mo, high-speed stills, and simultaneous HD video and full-resolution still shooting, to name a few of its unique talents. If you're a nature lover, an explosion lover, a blender lover, a party goer, a pet owner, a parent, grandparent, godparent, secret agent or all-around creepy stalker type, it will rock your little tiny world. It's not flawless, but damn if it's not a beautiful and one-of-a-kind invention.

You've already seen the slow-mo tomato blending, and you've seen the slow-mo DIY backyard Discovery Channel. You get it, it can do slow-mo. But there are other features that stand to be demo'd on video, so take a look:
newVideoPlayer("exilimtips_giz.flv", 475, 327,""); Let's recap exactly what talents the camera has that have not, in any meaningful combination, been seen before in a consumer-level camera:
• Slow-mo video shooting at 300, 600 and 1200 frames per second
• Fast-slow-fast shooting from 30fps to 300 and back to 30 — I call this the "she walked in the room" mode, because it's what they do in cheesy 80s movies to indicate the protagonist's love interest
• High-speed 6-megapixel shots at 60fps
• Strobe shooting of stills at 7 frames per second with standard flash; 60fps with LED flash
• Full-resolution still shooting while capturing HD video
• Fly-in and fly-out auto modes, which capture still shots at 60fps when the subject enter or exit the frame

EX-F1 as Camcorder
As a camcorder, it covers a lot of bases. In HD mode, it can shoot 60 "fields" at 1920x1080—that's code for 1080i—and 30 "frames" at 1280x720, all the while letting you take a total of 20 6-megapixel still shots. Since David Pogue's review ran, Casio published firmware 1.02 that fixes a major complaint: When shooting video, you now can actively use the 12x optical zoom lens.

We've covered the slow-motion camera already quite a bit, but let me be clear: it shoots 300, 600 or 1200 fps and encodes them on the fly to an H.264 file at 30 frames per second. So 1 second of shooting equals 10 seconds of footage. This causes some challenges, like long periods of lag between action, but there's a very easy in-camera editing tool that deletes all unneeded footage. You can't use the zoom in high-speed mode, but trust me, there's no time to zoom when you're shooting like that.

As you saw in the video above, there's also a mode for going from standard-def 30fps to slow-mo 300fps and then back again, what I call the "she walked into the room" mode. It's pretty cool, and probably more useful than just standard slow-mo.Also, to recap: when shooting at 300fps, you get "standard" video resolution of 512x384. At 600fps, it drops to a tolerable widescreen, 432x192. But when you shoot in 1200fps, you end up with a bizarre 336x96, really long and thin. There's also a major loss of light when switching from standard to slow-mo, and then each subsequent jump. 1200fps is only good outdoors on a very sunny day, but even 300fps is no good in any kind of dim light. It makes sense, of course, but you need to consider it, especially if you're into experimental amateur porn cinematography.

Auto-focus is decent for still shooting, but I sometimes found for slow-mo video that it was simpler just to go manual. If you start recording slow-mo video out of focus, there's very little hope that it will focus during your shot.

One other frustration I experienced was that videos occasionally came out garbled or unreadable. I hope the 1.02 firmware update has a fix for that—I can only assume it's a known and fixable problem, albeit an annoying one.

EX-F1 as Still Camera
To be clear, this camera is the anti-DSLR. It's as digital as you can get, so you have to expect some photographic shortcomings. But the tradeoffs are reasonable, with still options that are not available anywhere else.

You can shoot full-resolution 6-megapixel stills at up to 60fps, to ensure that you get a decent pic of a fast-moving subject. I preferred to use something more like 7fps or 15fps with pets and kids, since they're not that fast, and you have no idea how annoying it can be to flip through 60 or more identical-looking shots. As with slow-mo video, you do lose the higher f-stop settings when you set it for 60, as everything would just be pitch black. What you do get, though, to compensate, is a strobe flash. Though Pogue thought it was too explosive, I thought it works well when you need it. As you can see from the screenshot above, you can use a real flash up to 7fps, and then you have to switch to a mellower LED light, which can't illuminate everything, but is better than nothing. We intend to subject this camera to some further in-the-trenches club shooting courtesy of Gawker video guy Nick McGlynn (shown here helping me demonstrate flash-strobe mode): galleryPost('casiostrobemcglynn', 3, ''); The coolest easy-to-miss still settings are the fly-in and fly-out modes: You train your shot on an object like a birds nest or hummingbird feeder, press the shutter and wait until the critter arrives. The camera shoots continuously at 60fps, but only starts saving when it detects the motion, presenting you with a solid set of 60 stills for you to choose the best ones. The other mode does the opposite. You aim it at a critter that is not moving, and when it starts to move, and exit the frame, the camera saves the shots, so you get a dramatic action shot of its departure. galleryPost('casiohandinframe', 6, ''); As I hinted, low-light shooting isn't great, and the tiny, experimental CCD CMOS in the camera is especially noisy. ISO 1600 is a rainbow of nastiness, and should only be used as a last resort: Shadows are even pretty noisy at lower ISO settings—here's 800:Annoyances aside, I found the EX-F1 to live up to our Bestmodo status because of its versatility and originality. It's nice and rugged, too, capable of withstanding being flung into the air (what good is slow-mo if you can't move fast?). It had a nice long battery life, too: I shot for six days straight—gathering plenty of video and tons of rapid fire full-resolution stills—before the battery died.

Update: Some of you asked about memory capacity, and even though I was shooting with an 8GB SDHC card, the hard limit is 4GB of video. For stills, the buffer can hold 60 shots. Here's the details, from Casio:

The limit would be 4GB of [video] recording. So at 1080i you are looking at about 40 minutes. Now if you had a 8GB card you could [stop and] then take another 40 minute video, but the file system hits 4GB and has to stop recording. [For stills] you can take 60 shots before the buffer is full. So you can do 60fps for 1 second or 30 fps for 2 seconds, 20 fps for 3 seconds, etc.

So ultimately there's just this small issue of the $1000 price tag: Is it worth it? My answer is this: if you're looking for a great video camera that also takes decent stills, then yes, it's worth it. But if you're looking for the perfect still camera, it's a far cry. But you might miss it when you go on safari, or to a baseball game, or when you're lighting off fireworks, or when your pets are doing goofy shit, or when... Okay, maybe it is worth it, no matter what your purposes. [Product Page]

Spiderweb Solar-Wind Sail Proves Jor-El Was Right [Space]

Posted: April 25th, 2008, 9:15am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Laugh all you want at the sea-urchiny ship Jor-El used to send Kal-El to earth, but it looks a lot like the new kind of solar-sail array developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helsinki. Instead of the standard solar panels, the Finnish scientists propose long thin strands, just microns in diameter, that stretch out from the spaceship, and use a positive charge to repel heavy positive ions in the solar wind that move at hundreds of kilometers per second.

Unlike Superman's ship, these strands have to be very long—even a test run will require a total of 10 kilometers of the strand, which is currently stitched by hand using ultrasound. Also, as they require solar wind, they won't be much for interstellar travel. Still, as you can see in the video below, it's wild stuff, promising to provide plentiful free "fuel" for fast travel around the solar system. [New Scientist via KurzweilAI]

Toshiba Ratchets Portege R500 SSD Up To 128GB [Laptops]

Posted: April 14th, 2008, 9:10am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Toshiba's under-2-lb. Portege R500 will get its SSD boosted to 128GB, though at a still undeclared but likely super high price, says UK's Register. The machines get a bit of a chip upgrade, too, from Intel's 1.2GHz U7600 Core 2 Duo to a 1.33GHz U7700. The R500 is, to my knowledge, the lightest PC with an internal DVD burner, at least in the US market, but I can't back it 100% because of a little problem called Vista.

It's great to see Toshiba jacking up the specs on it to make it a total badass in the thin, light and fast category—with, ahem, 3 USB ports, and in addition to that, a FireWire port and a PC card slot. But Toshiba is still only offering Vista Business on these guys, and when I tested an R500 early on, it was Vista that totally stunk up the machine.

Toshiba's US site still shows the model capped at 64GB (for $3,000), but we assume it will be updated soon. When you do, Toshiba, please offer XP as an option. Then again, you never know how many of the issues were resolved by SP1. [Register]

Official: $59 Nike+ SportBand Works Without iPod [Nike]

Posted: April 2nd, 2008, 11:27am EDT by Wilson Rothman

As we teased just the other day, Nike will in fact be selling a Nike+ SportBand—complete with the familiar shoe pebble, not shown—for training without the iPod nano. "Heavens! Why would you ever want to train without an iPod nano?" you ask, aghast. According to my runner friend Rid, who shunned the original Nike+ iPod like it was some kind of performance-enhancing drug, there are good reasons.

Many serious runners don't listen to music. In many cases, they can't, because they train in groups or because their favorite marathon outlaws it. One major running association just put out a blanket ban on music during races—which sucks for Apple (but apparently now, not for Nike). Obviously, you might just own an iPod classic or some other non-compatible iPod, or maybe even a non-Apple product (yes, seriously).

Either way, the non-iPod kit costs $59, on sale April 10. When you jog, it delivers rudimentary workout info via a monochrome display. When docked, the SportBand is compatible with all the same community-oriented tracking and training software as the earlier Nike+ system, including the new upgraded Nike+ Coach online personal trainer shown and described below.

New Nike+ SportBand Expands the Nike+ Experience to Make Running Even Easier
The Next Innovation in Nike+ Offers a New Way to Connect to the World's Largest Running Club and Lets You Track Your Results to Train for Better Performance in Any Situation
BEAVERTON, Ore. —(Business Wire)— Apr. 2, 2008 This spring brings the next evolution of the Nike+ experience with a new option to help runners run and train. Available April 10th, Nike (NYSE:NKE) launches Nike+ SportBand, allowing runners to get real-time performance feedback during a run, while linking them to the world's largest running club. In addition this spring, http://www.nikeplus.com introduces Nike+ Coach, a new personal coaching tool to help runners go the extra mile and engage like never before in the Nike+ global online running community.

A New Way to Run with Nike+

Nike+ SportBand allows runners to see their distance, pace, time and calories burned when they run, in addition to gaining access to all of the features and tools on nikeplus.com. Designed for runners who choose not to run with music and for those times when you can't use music, the Nike+ SportBand provides all the benefits of Nike+ technology, but opens up the Nike+ experience to a broader audience of runners. Runners who enjoy that extra motivation, or who are music fans, can continue to hear their run details through an iPod nano system.

"Nike+ is all about improving your running experience," said Trevor Edwards, Nike's Vice President of Global Brand and Category Management. "Nike + iPod revolutionized running. Now the Nike+ SportBand gives more choice and allows Nike+ to cover any running situation. It tracks your distance, calories burned and other performance information while providing a simple link to the world's largest running club, when you choose not to or can't run with music."

In the same manner that the Nike + iPod Sport Kit allows shoes to send information to a nano, the Nike+ SportBand is a wristwatch that also monitors a runner's steps. But now a runner can check time, pace, distance and calories burned at a glance of the wrist. The Nike+ SportBand watch face is a detachable LINK that captures all the run data from a sensor located in the runner's Nike+ ready footwear. Once a run is completed, the LINK conveniently plugs into a computer like a USB drive, so data can then be sent to nikeplus.com where a runner's progress is tracked.

By offering runners a second way to track run data and progress, the Nike+ SportBand opens the Nike+ experience to runners across a variety of situations. It gives runners who are part of clubs or running groups a chance to keep track of their run information while on a social run. In competitive situations where minimal equipment is needed, the Nike+ SportBand provides athletes with a simple way of seeing nuances in their performance in real time. The Nike+ SportBand provides a new way to connect to the Nike+ community and reap the benefits of Nike+ technology, when runners choose to run without music.

A Personal Coach For Everyone

Running is only the first part of the Nike+ experience. By using Nike+, runners get an easy, accessible way to connect to the global Nike+ Community at nikeplus.com where they can track their workouts individually or alongside other runners from around the world. The Nike+ website helps runners monitor their running experience with dynamic graphs that compare distance and time between single sessions, as well as weekly and monthly totals.

On April 10th, all Nike+ runners can get access to their own personal online trainer with Nike+ Coach. Nike+ Coach takes online coaching to the next level by empowering runners of all levels with the information and motivation needed to build their own training programs. With Nike+ Coach, beginning and intermediate runners can access existing programs to train for a 5k, 10k, half-marathon or full marathon. For advanced runners, Nike+ Coach will help users build and edit their own training programs. No matter what personal coaching program users choose, runners can also automatically track and share their results.

With Nike+ Coach, every level of runner is accounted for, beginning with walk-to-run programs and progressing to advanced marathons and beyond. Whatever the goal, Nike+ members can join at any pace.

In coming months, teams will be integrated into the Nike+ Coach tool, allowing members to train together as a group, supporting one another and accepting challenges from other teams.

Additional community features at nikeplus.com include the "Challenges" section, one of the site's most popular destinations. Here, runners can push themselves further by initiating or participating in competitions with friends—or complete strangers—to see who can reach the virtual finish line first.

Other newly launched features include motivational tools like a leaderboard that shows how members run in comparison to other runners across the globe, a Google mapping tool that illustrates individual running routes, which can be shared with others, and a runner's blog called "The Forum."

About Nike+

With Nike+, runners never have to train alone again. Nike+ enables footwear to talk to an iPod nano or Nike+ SportBand, giving instant performance information and real-time feedback during a run. Like a personal coach or training partner, Nike+ puts this information at runners' fingertips, in the process creating a Nike+ revolution. As of February, 2008, Nike+ members have run over 50,000,000 miles, logged over 14,000,000 runs and issued over 450,000 challenges. Nike+ has also created the world's largest running club at nikeplus.com, a global running community where Nike+ members can log their run data, track their progress, utilize training tools, and connect with other members all over the world.

Amazon "Simple" TextBuyIt Text-Message Shopping Sounds Complicated [Cellphones]

Posted: April 2nd, 2008, 10:50am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Amazon.com says its TextBuyIt system for buying merch via text message is "incredibly simple and convenient" but it actually entails a few steps. Weirder still, Amazon says the process happens "using only text messages," which is just blatantly untrue. Here's the rundown of the process—which in its defense can be used on any mobile phone, but frankly seems harder than just waiting until you get home:

Step 1 - Send a text to "AMAZON" (262966) with the product name, search term, UPC code or ISBN code

Step 2 - Amazon texts back with a numbered list of products that match your search, along with prices

Step 3 - You click on the number beside the item you want—assuming it's even in the 10 search results

Step 4 - You get a CALL from Amazon "with the final details of their order and asking them to confirm or cancel the purchase"

Step 5 - If it is your first order through TextBuyIt, you will have to provide an e-mail address and preferred shipping speed, presumably during the call

Amazon doesn't mention what you do if you have to order more than one item, but it would be incredibly annoying if you can't combine $25 worth of purchases for free shipping. Clearly, this is more of a statement about the lack of good HTML browsing in cellphones, not to mention how much of a workaround that has to happen for retailers not to bill through carriers, like they do in other countries.

I love Amazon—just dropped nearly $100 there on "sundries"—but my prediction is, the only people who will be using this are people who download WMA files on their cellphones for $2 a piece plus data charges. What's your take? [Amazon TextBuyIt]

Defender Hoodie: Look Good, Avoid Bullets [Clothes]

Posted: April 2nd, 2008, 8:30am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Knife-proof, machine-washable T-shirt not enough protection for you out there on the mean streets? Bulletproof backpack insert just won't cover enough of your nice, lead-free body? Maybe you need a hoodie with 2mm of Type IIA bulletproofing, enough to stop a 9mm full-metal-jacket round at a velocity of 1,090 feet-per-second. The bad news, besides the $600 price tag, is that the protection is only in the body, not the hood itself. Bladerunner Ltd., UK-based retailer of the Defender Hoodie, says the pullover also protects you from unspecified "lesser ballistic threats." (Do the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune count?) The hoodie goes on sale sometime in the next month, so please, for your own sake, don't go pissing off any mailman/lunch lady/ex-girlfriend in the meantime. [Product Page]

Toshiba Satellite Laptops: New Fusion Look, Charge-Anytime USB Ports, Cheaper Prices [Laptops]

Posted: April 1st, 2008, 3:20pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Mr. T's favorite laptop maker rolled out slick, useful and budget-minded updates to its Satellite line today. First up, the 13.3" U400, 14.1" M300, 15.4" A300 and 17" P300 have a new look called "Fusion," a shiny finish with pinstripes and smoothed edges, not unlike that sucka HP's successful smooth-n-shiny-n-pinstripey look. The eight shots in the gallery make the design look a bit greenish, so we'll have to wait to pass final judgment. It's one thing to look nice on the outside, but like T, these have a lot going on on the inside, too... galleryPost('ToshibaSatelliteFusionLook', 3, '');

The laptops will all have "Feather-Touch" multimedia touch-sensitive keys and a webcam with facial-recognition security login, presumably more for fun than true security. They will all also have Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which will charge stuff even when the laptop is asleep or powered down, provided the laptop is plugged into a wall socket.

At the same time, Toshiba introduced two totally new laptops, the A200, with a starting price of $600 including 15.4" widescreen, DVD SuperMulti drive 160GB drive, 1GB of RAM and an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor. The company also introduced the 17" L350 with built-in webcam, ATI Radeon X1250 graphics and DVD SuperMulti drive for $750. galleryPost('ToshibaSatelliteA200L350', 4, ''); [Toshiba releases: Redesigned laptops; Cheap laptops]

Best Buy Pressured Microsoft To Create Crippled Vista Label; Intel Off the Hook? [Microsoft]

Posted: March 28th, 2008, 10:20am EDT by Wilson Rothman

A month ago, everyone wanted to vilify Intel for pressuring Microsoft into approving the crippled "Vista Capable" label for certain low-grade PCs. But new evidence suggests A) that Best Buy was instrumental in approving the sinister two-tiered Vista approach very early on and B) that all of this hare-brained scheming seems to have originated at Microsoft itself.

According to CRN ChannelWeb, Vista marketing director Rajesh Srinivasan and others devised the now infamous two-tiered Vista Ready/Vista Capable plan— the latter category known to be incapable of handling the nice Vista Aero visual interface because of paltry Intel integrated graphics support—in the summer of 2005. Srinivasan pitched the idea to Best Buy as early as August 2005, and Best Buy was apparently gung-ho on it.

It was clear, at least to Srinivasan, that Best Buy liked the fact that "100% of PCs" would be associated with Vista, thanks to the creation of a "Vista Capable" category.

Here's where it gets funny, though. Originally, Srinivasan recommended that Vista Ready PCs got a logo, while Vista Capable PCs did not. Somewhere along the line, though, this changed and colorful Vista-friendly labels were stuck on both the geniune and crippled systems. (The article doesn't stipulate who pushed whom on this particular matter.)

As for hapless Intel, its involvement appears to have begun six months later, when Intel is said to have been happy that Microsoft dropped the ban on lower-end Aero-incapable chipsets like the 915. Better still, Srinivasan at one point suggested in an e-mail that Microsoft "put pressure on Intel to end of life by 915 by Oct 06," so it's very hard to call Intel the bully.

After looking at lots of evidence, CRN draws the most intelligent conclusion: "At the end of the day, Microsoft may have botched Vista Capable all by itself." I'll drink to that. [CRN via Inquirer]

Castro Retires, Cuba Gets Cellphones [Cellphones]

Posted: March 28th, 2008, 8:44am EDT by Wilson Rothman

We don't know whether to laugh or cry, but the people of Cuba today finally get the proud first-world privilege of 2-year carrier contracts, overpriced text messages, data service they'll never use and half-empty buckets of minutes that will surely run out by the middle of the month. Until now, Cuba had the lowest cellphone usage in Latin America, because individuals could only get cell service via their jobs or foreign carriers, but now the new Cuban prez, Fidel's brother Raul, says it's okay for everyone to jump in and cell up. Question is, how many can afford it? [Reuters; AP]

Dell Marks End of Format War with $880 Blu-ray-Equipped Inspiron 1525 [Dealzmodo]

Posted: March 28th, 2008, 7:15am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Dell is commemorating Blu-ray's victory by offering a Blu-ray playback (not read-write) drive in its cheap, many colored, 15.4" laptop, the Inspiron 1525, and for a decent price. Starting at $880, you can watch BD movies on its screen (at 720p resolution) or send the video to HDTVs via HDMI. In case you're wondering how decent playback would be on a PC with integrated graphics, Dell mentions that it's using a built-in Broadcom Media PC accelerator located in a mini-card slot. See details after the jump.

SUB-$1,000 BLU-RAY LAPTOP NOW AVAILABLE FROM DELL
The wait is over for an affordable, award-winning laptop that offers the richness of Blu-ray high-definition video

March 28, 2008, Round Rock, Texas - The high-definition format wars are over - and you won: Dell customers can now get a Blu-ray laptop for under a $1,000. Available today on dell.com, movie buffs can pick up the Inspiron™ 1525 with optional Blu-ray disc playback starting at $879.

As retailers and video rental companies expand their high-definition offerings, Blu-ray is the new "must-have" technology to help get the most out of your viewing experience.

The award-winning Inspiron 1525 laptop features a 15.4-inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution. It also includes an HDMI port for easy connectivity to high resolution displays and HDTVs.

The Blu-ray player disc drive is fully backwards compatible, and will play as well as burn traditional DVDs and CDs. Consumers can also chose a Blu-ray burner drive, which is great for backing up and storing important files like digital photos, videos, financial records, etc. A Blu-ray disc will hold up to 50 GB of data, vs. 8.5 GB available on the typical DVD disc.

The lightweight Inspiron 1525 is all about self expression, allowing customers to complement their individual style with a laptop that offers designs like Chill, Blossom and Commotion, or a spectrum of vibrant colors, like Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red.

Dell Inspiron 1525 laptops with Blu-ray disc drives incorporate Broadcom Media PC technology that allows PCs with integrated graphics to play high definition video. The high-definition video playback is enabled through a built-in dedicated accelerator located in a mini-card slot.

Like all Dell consumer laptops, the Inspiron 1525 features Dell MediaDirect technology which provides one button instant access to media files, even if the system is powered off or in hibernate. Optional accessories for a great movie watching experience include a slim travel power adapter ($80), Dell travel remote control (IR) that slips into the ExpressCard slot ($22), and Creative noise-isolation earphones ($25). The Inspiron 1525 laptop with Blu-ray is available today in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

[Product Page]

Comcast and Time Warner To Launch WiMax Network, Asking Sprint to Run It? [WiMax]

Posted: March 26th, 2008, 8:44am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Cable operators Comcast and Time Warner plan to gather up $1.5 billion to $2 billion in order to get their own WiMax network going, but it's said that they would turn to Sprint to run the show. Now, I don't know what part of this plan makes sense to anyone else, but A) WiMax as a wide-area network technology ">isn't looking as hot in practice as it did in theory, and B) Sprint doesn't seem to be capable of running its own operation, let alone someone else's multi-billion-dollar baby. One thing is for sure, this move by the cable titans shows, like Dish Network's recent acquisition of some 700MHz spectrum, that everybody wants a piece of the wireless pie, even if they don't know exactly what to do with it. [AP]

Motorola Chops Off Handset Division [Cellphones]

Posted: March 26th, 2008, 7:35am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Today Motorola said it would chew off its woefully underperforming Mobile Devices group in order to safeguard its healthier businesses—namely Broadband & Mobility Solutions, which includes network equipment, walkie-talkies and business products. This comes after famous Wall Street curmudgeon Carl Icahn laid seige to the mismanaged company. Assuming the deal passes the usual legal and regulatory hurdles, shareholders will get shares of both companies, probably some time in 2009. Handset customers will presumably get nothing, at least in the short term: this doesn't seem like a vote of confidence for Motorola phones. [Reuters]

Sony XEL-1 OLED TV Review (Verdict: Small on Size, Large on Beauty) [Sony]

Posted: March 25th, 2008, 3:30pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Why is this dinky little TV so important? Its screen is roughly the size of the box that Lebowski comes in, and it costs hundreds more than the 50" plasma overshadowing it in the picture. Why so important? Because this little TV is LCD's Grim Reaper. The days of the LCD are numbered—the time of OLED is at hand. And if the performance of Sony's XEL-1 is any indication, nobody is going to miss LCD—or plasma—in the least.

I single out LCD because the folks taking the lead on OLED are Sony, Samsung and others firmly entrenched in the LCD business, and because LCD still suffers from image demons that plasma overcomes more easily, and OLED smashes with a hammer, even at infancy.

Also, although everyone is demoing thinner and thinner sets in both LCD and plasma, most of the weight loss is currently on the plasma side. LCD seems to have hit some firm threshhold that, again, OLED and even plasma seem able to conquer. But at 11 inches, Sony's first production OLED is laughably small. What the hell, Sony? Way to taunt a guy. Seriously, there are major amounts of taunting happening here:When you put an LCD next to a plasma, you almost always notice the contrast issues. Fiddle with the settings all you want, and you generally still can't make the blacks black enough on that LCD. When I first set up the OLED next to this Panasonic, a 50" 1080p 50PZ700U, I thought for a moment that maybe OLEDs had a contrast problem, too. But then I realized that whoever had the thing before me had been jerking the controls around too much. I reverted the picture settings to "standard" and suddenly the contrast was deeper than the plasma, with brighter highlights. OLEDs are self illuminating, so the very same thing that makes them super thin also gives them awesome contrast.
Obviously another big challenge for LCDs is the motion blur problem, which is mostly solved in higher-end LCDs using 120Hz systems and other similar techniques, but leaves cheaper sets hanging. It's most noticeable when you put an LCD side-by-side with a plasma showing the same movie. Fortunately, here again, the OLED did as well or better than the plasma at motion in the side-by-side test. In the end, you're essentially staring into what could very well be the perfect TV. Only you're not a hobbit, and this isn't Bag End. galleryPost('SonyXEL1Shoot', 6, ''); So why the dinkiness? OLED production is tricky, as you might recall from
this video of Benny the Intern and me at an OLED factory. Methods are best suited for small sheets of "substrate," not big screens of the stuff. Sony couldn't produce anything bigger now and still guarantee this kind of quality.

OLED makers also have to deal with panel half-life issues similar to those that used to afflict plasma in the days of yore. The XEL-1 is rated for 30,000 hours, or roughly 10 years of use; today's plasmas, including the above Panasonic, get something around 60,000 hours. In other words, long enough.

In the end, it's not a thing you go out and buy. It's a message in a slender frame. Sony never had massive R&D investment in LCD like Sharp or in plasma like Panasonic, and it's clear that this is Sony's way of saying, "Screw all of those, cuz OLED is what will matter, and oh yeah, Sony will drive OLED." Am I putting too many words in your mouth, Sony? I hope not, because this time next year, I'd like to be staring at a 50-inch version of this junior wonder. OK, 32 inches will be fine. 25 inches? 20????? [Sony XEL-1]

High-Mag Microscope Lets Cellphones Go In Close [Cellphones]

Posted: March 21st, 2008, 10:30am EDT by Wilson Rothman

If you can't bring the microbial parasite to the lab, bring the lab to the microbial parasite, goes the thinking of the Berkeley researchers who invented a microscope to attach to cellphones and smartphones, using the phones' own cameras. The higher powered of their two microscopes delivers 60X magnification, capable of capturing the detail of cancerous cells, malaria parasites and other buggers. There are clear healthcare benefits here—doctors making housecalls in remote areas can transmit images to their laptops via Bluetooth or, presumably, a lab for analysis. Surprisingly, the LED-self-illuminating module cost just $75 to build with off-the-shelf parts, and will likely go to manufacturing after tests in Uganda this summer. [Technology Review]

New Intel Security Can Tell You and Malicious Attacker Apart [Security]

Posted: March 21st, 2008, 7:48am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Intel's Proteus security software starts out by getting to know you better—understanding your habits and network demands—using those statistical guidelines to clamp down on stuff that, let's face it, doesn't really sound like You. At least, not the You that Proteus has grown to love. This kind of learning really helps when trying to protect company-owned portables: Not surprisingly, typical behavior at work and typical behavior at home turn out to be two very different things.

Many security programs simply trigger an alarm when bandwidth demands exceed a certain point. They can be dumb, and might not know that it was you who wanted to download four movies at once, or send picture e-mail to 100,000 of your closest friends. This thing sees what you're doing and how you're doing it, and can safely say more frequently that some bizarre behavior is acceptable—though maybe not to your boss.

The software also watches for regular pings to computers across the net. By seeing not just the location but determining the intervals of the calls "home," Proteus can even figure out which malware is in use.

The reason this is so effective is that it differentiates systems that otherwise look identical. Corporate laptops all look the same, software wise, right? If someone can crack one, they can crack them all. If Proteus gets deployed, hackers have a much harder time with the old virtual B&E. Even when, say, a spambot was in place, it would have to know when each user would typically be in the mood for more bandwidth in order to fool Proteus.

Since this comes from Intel, word is that the company is trying to figure out a way to hardwire this stuff right into the chips, rather than let it be some subscription program that pops up every so often to scare you with over-the-top allegations of your system's vulnerability. [Technology Review]

Sub-$800 One-Screen Optimus Will Have Raised Keys [Optimus]

Posted: March 20th, 2008, 9:15am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Apparently, when Jesus called Art.Lebedev's Optimus Tactus keyboard "Optimus Retardus" for its lack of physical keys, the design team listened. Or not. Either way, Lebedev's latest plan is to indeed make a visual keyboard with just one full-color screen as opposed to many tiny ones. But it will overlay physical transparent keys (like on the Upravlator). In the end, you'd actually have a hard time noticing that each key isn't its own display. The goal is to get this thing into production by year's end, and to sell it for under $800—a bargain by Art.Lebedev standards. Later, the dudes will move to E-Ink or e-paper for lighter, wireless keyboards. [Optimus Project]

Coming Blu-ray 2.0 Update Makes PS3 Best Player Ever [PS3]

Posted: March 20th, 2008, 7:48am EDT by Wilson Rothman

As expected, the PS3 will become fully Blu-ray 2.0, or BD-Live, compatible with its next major software update, slated for "late March." The functionality will give upcoming movies the ability to go online for downloads—games, ringtones and bonus audio and video. No other Blu-ray player on the market has this capability, and only a few due out this year will, so PS3 is still your best bet, Blu-ray-wise.

The movies themselves will start appearing in April, starting with Sony's own releases, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. The update also brings new PSP interoperability, such as the ability to move a photo or music playlist from the PS3 to the PSP. All known details are below.

PLAYSTATION(R)3 To Support New Interactive Blu-ray Movie Features (BD-LIVE) With Upcoming System Software Update
PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3
owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.

In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory Stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.
-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
*2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

About PS3 and PSP System Software Updates

PS3 and PSP systems were designed to continually evolve with regular system software updates that deliver new features. There's no additional investment required from consumers, who simply update their systems and can immediately enjoy the benefits of the added functionality. This process lengthens the lifecycle of PS3 and PSP, and consumers no longer have to worry about their hardware becoming outdated or missing out on exciting new capabilities. SCEA will continue to release system software updates on an ongoing basis. For further details and instructions on how to update the PS3 and PSP system software, please visit us.playstation.com.

[PR Newswire via DigitalTrends]

The Secret to Dash GPS's Live Traffic Data: Networked Crowdsourcing [GPS]

Posted: March 19th, 2008, 8:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

We're excited about the upcoming Dash Express GPS because it corrects so much of what's gone wrong with in-car navigation. In the end, you get the same green, yellow and red traffic indicators on highways that Google maps gets, plus that on some local roads. No other GPS has this. Because each unit is basically a two-way pager, it records the traffic you experience and shares it with others. It's a simple idea, perhaps, but to really harness the potentially unwieldy power of crowdsourcing, you need rules:

1. Each Dash Express anonymously and automatically sends its position and speed back to the Dash servers
2. Dash also receives traffic info from road sensors, commercial fleets and other sources through our partnership with Inrix [shown in dotted colored lines]

3. Dash then calibrates these sources against "ground truth" provided by the Dash devices actually driving the roads every day [shown in solid colored lines]

4. Dash then sends out updates to all of the Dash devices in the area with current road speeds

So what you're probably getting is that the first guy with a Dash is going to be like the goose at the head of the flock, making everything better for the rest. How many drivers in one metro area are needed until the system of realtime crowdsourced data is reliable?

For an averaged sized metropolitan area it takes just a few hundred units for the Dash Driver Network to provide live up-to-the-minute data for most major roads during commute hours.

For a major city, the number is more like 1,000, but then again, major commuter cities are probably where Dash will sell the most units up front, so I see it as a self-fulfilled prophesy kind of thing. Right now, Dash is looking only at data from its beta run, so for instance the LA map above was filled in by only about 40 testers. (Note the dotted lines where new Dash users will still rely on Inrix data.)

When the device hits the market, all those lines will go solid—green or red depending on whatever kind of hellish commuter traffic you're in for. Dash can steer you around it maybe, but it lacks the guided surface-to-surface missileage to actually make the other commuters go away. [Dash via NaviGadget]

Gartner Says iPhone Now OK for Biz; BlackBerry and Window Mobile Mess Selves [Apple]

Posted: March 19th, 2008, 9:56am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Today Gartner reversed its opinion on the iPhone: Before, it said the iPhone wasn't business-friendly, but today, the firm grants it "appliance-level" status, meaning that with the upcoming enterprise-friendly iPhone 2.0 update, it'll officially be safe enough—and functional enough—for hardcore suit-wearers.

We journalists tend to think of Gartner as a good place for stats and opinions, but IT honchos look to the company for guidance on how to spend their multimillion-dollar budgets. In this case, Gartner explains its decision in terms that IT buyers will appreciate:

"Appliance-level" status permits the iPhone to be used for PIM, e-mail, telephony and browsing applications. It also permits the device to be used for other dedicated functions where the software is supplied by a third party, functionality is kept to a restricted set, the software supplier offers support for a backup platform and IT development resources are not needed to program custom code locally residing on the device.

But this here's the deathblow, dealt by Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Ken Dulaney:

"The iPhone will thus match up initially in several segments against its main smartphone competitors—BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian Series 60."

[Gartner]

Best Buy Pledges $10 Million to Past HD DVD Buyers; Trade-Ins, Too [Format War]

Posted: March 19th, 2008, 7:43am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Apparently, the cost of Best Buy declaring Blu-ray the winner is $10 million—at least, that's how much it plans to give away when it issues a $50 gift card to everyone who bought an HD DVD player or HD DVD Xbox drive before February 23. (So, BB sold at least 200,000 HD DVD players in 2006 and 2007?) And it's not even something you have to fight for: If you are in the Reward Zone program, bought it with a Performance Service Plan or just made the transaction on BestBuy.com, the company will send you a card by May 1. If you paid cash at a store, though, you'll have to dig out that receipt. The company, like its competitor Circuit City, is also offering trade-ins for players and discs, regardless of where you bought them, through BB's online trade-in center. Make the jump for extra details.

Best Buy Stands Behind Customers By Awarding More Than $10 Million in Gift Cards to HD-DVD Purchasers
Leading Consumer Electronics Retailer will Send $50 Gift Cards to Customers Who Purchased an HD-DVD Player from Best Buy in the U.S.

MINNEAPOLIS --(Business Wire)-- Mar. 19, 2008 With Blu-ray declaring victory over HD-DVD in the high definition movie format war, Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer, is giving $50 gift cards to customers who purchased an HD-DVD player or HD-DVD attachment from its U.S. stores before February 23, 2008. Customers will get a gift card for each player or HD-DVD attachment that they purchased. Through this program, Best Buy will distribute more than $10 million in gift cards to customers across the country.

"The DVD format war has divided our customers in a way we haven't seen since Betamax took on VHS more than 20 years ago," said Brian J. Dunn, president and chief operating officer for Best Buy. "At Best Buy, we understood and shared our customers' frustrations as they were being asked to choose one format or the other. Now that the format war is over, we hope these gift cards will reassure our customers that we will help them make a smooth transition into the right technology for their needs."

Most Best Buy customers won't have to do anything to receive their gift card. As a demonstration of its commitment to its customers, Best Buy will proactively mail cards to all customers that the company can identify as having purchased an HD-DVD player. Members of the Best Buy Reward Zone program, customers who purchased Performance Service Plans (PSPs) or who made their purchase on BestBuy.com should look for their gift cards in the mail by May 1. Other customers who may not be easily identified can call (888) BEST BUY to receive their gift cards with proof of purchase through a credit card or their Best Buy receipt.

"The beauty of this offer is that it doesn't require our customers to give up their HD-DVD player," said Barry Judge, chief marketing officer for Best Buy. "We know that many people who purchased these players have HD-DVD movies that they would like to continue to watch. We're telling our customers they can keep their players to play these movies as well as their older DVDs and use the $50 to treat themselves to anything else in our stores."

HD-DVD players can actually deliver greatly enhanced video performance with standard DVDs by upconverting the video resolution.

Beginning on March 21, customers who do want to get rid of their HD-DVD players can visit Best Buy's Online Trade-In Center at http://www.bestbuytradein.com. Visitors to the site will receive instant estimates of the value of their HD-DVD players and movies. Those who agree with the estimates can then ship their goods to the Trade-In Center free of charge by downloading a prepaid shipping label and will receive an additional gift card as payment for their trade-in. This service is open to HD-DVD owners regardless of where they bought their player.

For more information visit http://www.bestbuy.com/hddvd.

First Hands-On Video of Wii Wheel with Mario Kart Wii [Wii]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 8:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

My buddy Stephen T over at MTV's Multiplayer blog scored the first video demo of the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart Wii game play. Melvin at Nintendo shows him how to insert a Wiimote into the Wheel, then head to the races. Watch T manage to execute a wheelie and a powerslide, then—in the second video in the link below—try the same maneuvering sans Wheel, with far less enthusiasm. He doesn't say whether or not it's a true winner or a waste of plastic, but my guess is, he likes it better than this guy. His biggest gripe? No horn to honk, Maggie Simpson style. FYI: If you live in Canada, UK or Japan, MTV hates your guts. [MTV Multiplayer]

Iomega Puts Windows Home Server on Hold; Is the Platform Doomed? [Windows Home Server]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 12:45pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

We just heard that Iomega was icing its plan to release HomeCenter, a Windows Home Server product like the ones currently available from HP. The company stresses that this decision has "nothing to do with the bug" that's been corrupting data saved directly to WHS systems from certain applications. Instead, Iomega felt that the high cost of the device itself, essentially a PC, was prohibitively unprofitable at the moment. Iomega naturally wants to look good, as it's in talks to be acquired by EMC. But there weren't many recognizable names in the initial WHS launch list to begin with—if nobody wants to build these home servers for a mass market, how long can the product survive? [Windows Home Server on Giz]

Officially Official: Windows Vista SP1 Is Available... NOW [Microsoft]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 11:44am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Windows' much demanded Vista Service Pack 1 is finally free for you to download from Windows Update or Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft says SP1 will bring "improvements that address many key pieces of customer feedback, especially in the areas of performance and reliability." Gaming and networking are two particular areas of improvement, though experienced opinionators like our beloved Mossberg think it may well just be turd polish (not his words, to be sure). Want more info? Keep your eyes on this blog.

"Noise Killer" Panasonic D-Snap SV-SD870N Runs 100 Hours Per Charge [Portable Media]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 9:46am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Panasonic's latest D-Snap audio player, the SV-SD870N, is debuting (in Japan at least) with a trio of cool features, though no Bluetooth:
• It can run for "approximately" 100 hours without needing a recharge.
• It can record directly from music source to SD card when docked.
• It has built-in "noise killer" active noise canceling, so that, according to the loosely translated release, "the noise of the train is cut 83 percent at the touch of a button." [Press Release via Akihabara News]

Army's Miniature Spy-Bat Concept Makes Lucius Fox Drool [Military]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 9:10am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Army dudes sat down with scientists at University of Michigan and other schools and asked for a simple frickin' bionic bat with frickin' stereo cameras, miniaturized radar, ultra-sensitive self-guidance, "energy scavenging" recharging capability and a radio to send data back to troops in urban combat zones. Was that too much to ask? Here's how it's working out for them:

The proposal is for the bat to be just six inches in length, weigh only four ounces and use just one watt of power, backed by a lithium-ion battery, which could be charged by not just solar energy, but wind energy and random vibrations as well. The bat's intended goal would be to run surveillance ops and relay data in realtime, including sights and sounds from minicams and mini-microphones, but also radiation and poison gas readings.

The UMich grant consists of $10 million over five years, creating the U-M Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology (dubbed "COM-BAT"—pun intended). The focus is to shrink down many electronics that while currently available would only be good if the US Army wanted, say, a 12-foot spy-bat. Not too stealthy.

For energy recovery, UMich will work to develop "quantum dot solar cells," making current solar cells twice as nice. The bat's autonomous navi system will be 1,000 times smaller than current systems, and that much more energy efficient too. The comms system will be shrunk to one-tenth the current size, too. You can see how all of this shrinkage will have positive impact outside the bionic-bat community as well. [UMich via Ubergizmo]

TiVo Discovers Really Simple Way to Get Syndicated Web Vid [Home Entertainment]

Posted: March 18th, 2008, 7:00am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Yes, you guessed from my carefully coded headline there that today TiVo announced the capability to download video from RSS feeds on the web, by way of updated TiVo Desktop Plus software for Windows. You'll have to pay $25 for it, but just once—it's a free update to those who already use TiVo Desktop Plus to bring recorded shows over to their PCs, iPods and PSPs. Jump for details in an excerpt from the press release.

Starting today, TiVo users can subscribe to and watch a broad range of video content available through Real Simple Syndication ("RSS") feeds, including everything from network nightly newscasts and The Sesame Street Podcast to Daily Headlines from MTV News and College Humor from CHTV. The application also gives consumers access to niche interest and hobbyist videos covering areas far more specialized than cable and satellite channels.
The new Web video capability requires TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6, an update to the Windows application which also converts TV shows recorded on a TiVo DVR for viewing on portable devices including iPod and Sony PlayStation™ Portable. TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 is available for a one-time fee of $24.95, and is a free upgrade to earlier versions. "TiVo continues to work with Roxio on delivering equivalent functionality on the Mac platform."

With this new feature, users can choose web videos downloaded on the home PC using web browsers, RSS video clients such as iTunes podcasts, or other video download software to automatically copy to their TiVo DVR's Now Playing List alongside recorded broadcast and cable TV shows. TiVo is also providing an on-screen guide of select Web video sources for users to browse and select as individual episodes or get a Season Pass™. Subscribers can even use the TiVo service's Season Pass functionality to get their own personal video folders on their PC, where they save their home movies and other video downloads. High Definition television enthusiasts will appreciate that TiVo preserves the original quality of high-resolution web videos, up to 720p, when delivered to TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD DVRs.

[TiVo Desktop]

Nikon D40x vs. Nikon D60: Deja Vu All Over Again [Digital Cameras]

Posted: March 15th, 2008, 8:00am EDT by Wilson Rothman

If you follow Nikon, you know that the newly released D60 entry-level DSLR is really just a refresh of the popular D40x. As you can see above, the only thing that looks different head-on is the tag in the upper left corner of the body identifying the camera model itself. But as you can see below, in addition to some small cosmetic changes, there are new yet subtle hardware benefits, plus a stop-motion video treat that's mostly novelty, but as easy as it gets.

Like I said, the differences are subtle, but you can spot them if you look carefully. The rubber hood around the viewfinder has been flared out for more protection, and the selector wheel is now flat and made from metal, not plastic.There are, of course, some nice hardware improvements here. For starters, not enough of a noise was made about the fact that the $750 kit comes with a vibration-reduction VR lens. The lens is otherwise the same specification as the D40x's 18mm-55mm lens, but it's a nice boost. Like Olympus and others, the D60 adds an Image Sensor Cleaning system, which alerts you to its activity with a little animation at start-up and shut-down. The third hardware upgrade is an internal incline sensor that tells the "visually intuitive" display which way to orient itself.The standard info display now has a bit more animation, too: when you turn the selector wheel on the top of the camera, you see the options roll on the screen.When it comes to handling, there's not much difference between the two cameras. Also, unlike most other major entry-level DSLRs, Nikon's update did not include a "live view" LCD video viewfinder feature. Still, there are some tricks that make it a fun—though by no means necessary—step up.

Mainly, I'm talking about the stop-motion feature. Shoot all you want, drop into the menus and select the Stop Motion option, and choose your start image and stop image. The camera processes the rest in seconds, and when you look at your memory card, there's a nice, universally accessible AVI, ready to go. This one below was a quickie—let's just call it a 30-second proof of concept. [D60 on Giz]
newVideoPlayer("nikond60stopmotion_giz.flv", 463, 387,"");

Don't Miss the Format War's Bloody Aftermath [Format War]

Posted: March 14th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

We popped this feature last night, but wanted to remind you so you didn't miss some key explanations:
• Why there won't be a $199 Blu-ray player this year
• Why BD-Live online won't take off quickly
• Why Paramount and Universal's biggest blockbusters will suffer most this year due to the studios' HD DVD alliance
For that and more, read: Whole Blu World: The Format War's Bloody Aftermath

Meridian's Latest 1080p Projector Is One Bad MF10 [Home Entertainment]

Posted: March 14th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

How much contrast does one man need? Meridian's MF10 1080p projector is said to deliver 30,000:1, and for the low-end-automobile sticker price of $15,000. (Too bad it's not scalable: I'll settle for 10,000:1 for $5,000—or hell, a 30:1 for $15.) This projector doesn't use the more common lower-end engine based on TI's DLP chip, but a three-chip system based, like Sony's SXRD, on an LCD derivative called "liquid crystal on silicon." In this case, it's JVC's D-ILA technology. Each chip has the 1920x1080 resolution, and manages red, green or blue. There's a motorized lens with 2X zoom capability for smaller rooms, but who are we kidding? If you can afford this, you're gonna have a room big enough to do it justice. [Meridian]

Bill Gates Says White Space Is for Free Wi-Fi; Broadcasters Want License and Regulation [White Space Coalition]

Posted: March 14th, 2008, 11:00am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Referring to Microsoft's desire to use soon-to-be-opened broadcasting bandwidth for low-powered unlicensed wireless devices, Bill Gates argued that it will make for improved Wi-Fi, a term he appears to be using as simply non-regulated, subscription-free wireless. He said:

"We're hopeful that that will be made available so that Wi-Fi can explode in terms of its usage, even out into some of these less dense areas where distance has been a big problem for Wi-Fi."

Bill's opponents see this not as an opportunity for more Wi-Fi but as a chance to widen costlier, regulated wireless subscription services.

Microsoft along with Google, Dell, HP, Intel and Philips, have been lobbying the FCC to permit white-space devices, which they have been continuously submitting for testing. Broadcasters and others fear static and other kinds of interference.

Dennis Wharton, a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, argues for the regulated model:

"Broadband penetration could be drastically improved through a fixed, licensed service without interference to TV reception. Unfortunately, Microsoft continues to push for an unlicensed technology that simply does not work...TV viewers should not be inundated by the inevitable interference caused by such faulty devices."

Spoken, I must say, like someone who has no faith that these problems can be solved through technology.

Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, Craig Mundie, addressed the situation in a more desperate tone:

White space activity today is sort of our last hope to get some good spectrum.

You hear that, Obi Kevin-Martin-obi? [Reuters]

Femtosecond Laser Ideal for Killing Cancer, Installing Adamantium Skeletons [Lasers]

Posted: March 14th, 2008, 9:00am EDT by Wilson Rothman

/>Did you know that the same ultra-fast, ultra-intense laser (UUL) that can blast individual cancer cells without harming any good cells in the vicinity can also be used to fuse metal to bone? A new laser lab at the University of Missouri has been built to test the awesome power of this system, whose pulses last just one quadrillionth of a second, known in street terminology as a "femtosecond." Here's why the American Dental Association, the American Cancer Society and the Pentagon would be equally interested in this developing technology:

The key characteristic of the femtosecond laser is the fact that it uniquely can hit its target without burning anything in the surrounding areas. According to Robert Tzou, head researcher and chairman of the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, this could mean the end of nasty chemotherapy:

"If we have a way to use the lasers to kill cancer cells without even touching the surrounding healthy cells, that is a tremendous benefit to the patient. Basically, the patient leaves the clinic immediately after treatment with no side effects or damage. The high precision and high efficiency of the UUL allows for immediate results."

In surgery and in dentistry, the super accuracy of the laser can be utilized to reduce the collateral damage currently made by incisions and cavity drilling.

X-Men fans will be happy to hear that the laser can also be used to fuse metal dust to bone, "sintering" metal powder locally with just enough heat, but without the need for molten metal. Says researcher Yuwen Zhang:

"With the laser, we can melt a very thin strip around titanium micro- and nanoparticles and ultimately control the porosity of the bridge connecting the bone and the alloy. The procedure allows the particles to bond strongly, conforming to the two different surfaces."

In case you doubt that metallicized bones might have military application, Zhang and some of his colleagues have just received a DoD grant to poke around in precisely that arena. [University of Missouri]

Acer's "Blue" Ace: Aspire Gemstone Blue Notebook [PCs]

Posted: March 12th, 2008, 2:07pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

Today in New York, Acer's big surprise is the Aspire "Gemstone Blue" notebook, equipped with a Blu-ray drive, true high-def screen, and CineReal sound, a second generation of Dolby Surround. Sexy, and yes, blue, and it doesn't appear to suffer from port envy like some other notebooks, though it is slender. In size it's somewhere between HP's dv series and Dell's XPS M series. That's not just a size comparison, but a qualitative judgment call: this thing looks unambitiously nestled between the two other PC giants' designs. With such mystery and fanfare, we were hoping for a tad more of an exciting, iconoclastic design. It is, however, a decent product, so have a look. UPDATE: Weights and model numbers below.

It's got a cool touchdial on the left for some nice multimedia controls; it's called CineDash, and it's got volume, mute, hold, media transport and menu navi.

The largest of the two models, the 8920, has a 1920x1080 18.4" screen, and a 90% (ATSC?) color gamut. The smaller, the 6920, is 16" with same resolution and 60% of the color gamut. As you can guess from those screen resolutions, both can support full Blu-ray playback. (Another blue reference.) They're saying 3 hours playback on the 18.4", and 2.5 hours of movie playback on the 16" one. There will be an "SD" version with 720p playback of either DVD or Blu-ray.

They're shipping in a month. The starting price point is $1,700, with a typical config around $1,900.

UPDATE: The weights are a bit troubling for anyone interested in mobility: Over 9 lbs for the 18.4 incher, and nearly 8 lbs for the 16 incher.

Check out some additional specs:
[Acer]

Acer Mystery "Blue" Mobile Gadget Press Conference [PCs]

Posted: March 12th, 2008, 1:34pm EDT by Wilson Rothman

We're at Frank Gehry's IAC Building in Manhattan, and Acer president Gianfranco Lanci is at the podium promising something exciting in the color blue (incidentally, Pantone's official color of the year). The company itself is #2 worldwide in notebook sales, solid #3 in all PCs worldwide, especially after acquisitions of Gateway and Packard Bell. With heft like that, we hope they don't disappoint. Stay tuned.

Office for Mac 2008 Update Fixes Crashiness [Microsoft]

Posted: March 12th, 2008, 8:54am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Microsoft today released a patch for the new Office for Mac, fixing "issues that might cause Office 2008 applications to stop responding or quit unexpectedly." I haven't noticed any hinkiness of this nature, but I know some people have. If you are among the grouchy, then this patch is for you. [Microsoft Mactopia]

100,000 Apple iPhone SDKs Downloaded So Far [Apple]

Posted: March 12th, 2008, 7:54am EDT by Wilson Rothman

Apple says that over 100,000 iPhone software development kits have been downloaded since its celebrated unveiling on March 6, not a week ago. The announcement below is atypical of Apple: following the standard chest-puffing from execs such as worldwide marketing SVP Phil Schiller, you'll find exec quotes from Namco, NetSuite, PopCap, Rocket Mobile, Six Apart and THQ—I suppose in alphabetical order by company. It's more wind, to be sure, but from the feel of this announcement, it's almost as if Apple had planned to support third-party development all along. Whatever the case, we're looking forward to the resulting apps, both legit and, well, under the table.

iPhone SDK Downloads Top 100,000
CUPERTINO, California--March 12, 2008--Apple® today announced that more than 100,000 iPhone™ developers have downloaded the beta iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) in the first four days since its launch on March 6. The iPhone SDK provides developers with the same rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools that Apple uses to create its native applications for iPhone and iPod® touch.

"Developer reaction to the iPhone SDK has been incredible with more than 100,000 downloads in the first four days," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Also, over one million people have watched the launch video on Apple.com, further demonstrating the incredible interest developers have in creating applications for the iPhone."

Apple also previewed the new App Store, a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to every iPhone and iPod touch user. Developers set the price for their applications--including free--and retain 70 percent of all sales revenues.

Leading developers such as AOL, Electronic Arts, Epocrates, salesforce.com and Sega have already demonstrated amazing applications using the SDK, and developer response continues to be phenomenal with more developers embracing the platform.

"The iPhone SDK gives us the tools we need to create powerful iPhone applications and is an important part of our overall mobile strategy," said Rick Jensen, senior vice president, Small Business Group at Intuit. "We're excited that the iPhone expands the ways our customers can solve key financial tasks wherever they might be."

"We're very excited about Apple's new SDK and reaching every iPhone user through the new App Store," said Scott Rubin, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Namco Networks. "We can't wait to show off great new versions of arcade classics like PAC-MAN and Galaga that use the revolutionary features of the iPhone and iPod touch."

"Apple's tools have provided our development team the flexibility to make the SuitePhone application richer and deeper," said Luke Braud, vice president, Software Development, NetSuite. "NetSuite is excited at the opportunity to give every iPhone customer access to their critical business data anytime, anywhere."

"Apple's become an important mobile game platform with the iPhone SDK," said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, PopCap. "The new SDK gives us the tools to innovate and reinvent games like Bejeweled, Zuma and Peggle. With the new App Store we can reach every iPhone and iPod touch user on the planet."

"Seventy percent of the retail price is hands-down the best deal out there in mobile. It's simple and motivating for developers," said Wayne B. Yurtin, president and CEO, Rocket Mobile, Inc. "We can't wait to get our first iPhone applications on the revolutionary App Store."

"Six Apart pioneered the mobile blogging experience with an iPhone-optimized blog service," said Chris Alden, CEO, Six Apart. "We're taking it to the next level with our native iPhone application for TypePad that's already in development."

"The iPhone is the mobile platform game developers have been dreaming of," said Scott Zerby, vice president, THQ Wireless. "We're looking at how we can use the iPhone's innovative user interface to create new game experiences for our big brand entertainment partners that consumers love."

Pricing & Availability
The free beta iPhone SDK is available immediately worldwide and can be downloaded at developer.apple.com/iphone/program. The iPhone Developer Program will initially be available in the US and will expand to other countries in the coming months. A QuickTime® video of the iPhone roadmap event is available to view at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/iphoneroadmap.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Cheaptastic $199 12-Megapixel GE Camera Spotted on HSN [Dealzmodo]

Posted: March 12th, 2008, 7:30am EDT by Wilson Rothman

In case you were wondering when the final treaty would be signed in the megapixel war, I think today is as good as any day to call it. There's a 12-megapixel GE—that is to say, brand-licensing no-name Chinese manufacturer—camera selling on HSN for "under" $200. It even lists a 2.7" LCD, an SD/SDHC card slot (though up to 4GB only, so not sure the deal there), and shooting up to ISO 3200. Despite all this, our suspicion is that its pictures won't be exactly Canon-grade to say the least. At any rate, a test of this baby will answer once and for all whether megapixels matter. [HSN]

Daylight Saving Time Jump May Actually Waste Energy [Energy]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 6:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

It may not require 1.21 gigawatts of electricity for you to spring forward tonight—that is, tomorrow at 2am—but a new study does show that rather than save energy, Daylight Saving Time may very well lead to added energy consumption, potentially costing the country many billions of dollars.

The great state of Indiana (biggup Hoosiers woohoo!) only started observing DST in the past few years, and not everyone in the state observes it yet. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara saw this as a unique opportunity to study electricity consumption, comparing usage before and after the transition, and even usage between those observing DST and those not.

The results of the study say that while lightbulbs are used less because of the added daylight, air-conditioning in the summer and heating in the fall are used more than they would with an hour less daylight. Overall, the cost to Indiana residents was around $8.6 million a year in higher energy bills, plus up to $5.3 million per year in "increased pollution costs."

According to the Census Bureau, the population of Indiana is 6 million while the overall US population is 300 million. Even though energy demands certainly change from state to state, you can easily see that even if this trend extends across just the north half of the country, it could be plenty expensive.

The funny thing is, although the Energy Policy Act of 2005 added an extra month of DST to the calendar, nobody had actually studied whether or not DST saves energy. Feel free to introduce your own tragicomic energy-loving, science-hating, competency-shunning Texas Republican joke below—I'm just too weary of this crap to think of one. [USA Today]

World's Least Favorite Computer Viruses As Haunting 3D Art [Art]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 4:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

The image above isn't something from James Cameron's Aliens of the Deep. No, it's actually an artist's rendering of a spam e-mail with the subject, "HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT YOU ARE GETTING FAT?" The images below represent some of the most notorious code the world has seen, including PWS-Lineage, Stormy, MyDoom, Mytob, IRCBot and Netsky. galleryPost('dragulescu', 5, '');

Artist Alex Dragulescu renders these eerie 3D images using the neutralized code of viruses, worms, spyware and Trojan horses. He gets the code from the security firm MessageLabs, which commissioned the works. Dragulescu explains:

API calls, memory addresses and subroutines are tracked and analyzed. Their frequency, density and grouping are mapped to the inputs of an algorithm that grows a virtual 3D entity.

Why does this remind me so much of all those movies where scientists culture supposedly neutralized biological viruses, and the next thing you know 97% of the earth is dead? No, Alex, we wouldn't like a signed, numbered digital copy of your virus collection on our hard-drive, no matter how safe you say it is! [Alex Dragulescu via Gizmodo AU]

ESA's Autonomous Space Truck Blasts Off Tomorrow [Space]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 2:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

The European Space Agency is launching the first Automated Transfer Vehicle tomorrow in French Guyana. Though it looks like a satellite, the ATV, christened Jules Verne, is really an unmanned cargo-hauling robot capable of carting 7.6 tons of supplies and other astro-crap up from earth, and even tow the International Space Station itself to a higher orbit. And it'll do a lot of this stuff with no guidance from the carbon units:

The most notable is the ATV's automatic rendezvous and docking technology - the ship can find its own way to the station and attach itself without any human intervention.

Other vehicles are manually driven in—optical sensors on the ATV steer and line up the truck for docking, as you can see in the images below (taken from the amazing BBC News video you can jump to below). Yes, the ESA refers to this automated linkup of ATV and ISS as "mating."

Note to self: Space stations are not safe hideouts during robot revolts.

Tomorrow's launch will be carried off by an Ariane 5 rocket, and the double-decker-bus-sized ATV will be the heaviest payload ever carried by one. The maneuver will be trickier than usual, with the upper stage of the rocket igniting twice, to get it up there and then again to boost it safely over the Pacific Ocean. [BBC News]

Delicious (and Not So Delicious) GMC PC Case Designs [PCs]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 1:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Although we think CeBIT is largely a waste of convention center, one standout was Korean PC-case master GMC (no relation to America's own troubled automotive titan). Its sexiest case concept was by far the disc-shaped red-and-black beauty captured by Aving above. Even its simple name, "Pot," evokes a feeling of peace and ease, tinged with faint pangs of hunger. The other designs below are innovative and practical, though some suffered from designer overkill, not to mention an overwhelming reliance on the color green. [Aving USA; GMC]
galleryPost('gmcpccases', 6, '');

"A Drunk Tank Driver Destroyed My House!" [Tanks]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 9:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

It happens from time to time, a man driving a tank lets his vim and vigor get the best of him. In this case, which took place in Russia where both tanks and vodka are plentiful, an allegedly drunk tank driver smashed into a cinderblock house while on a vodka-and-snack run.

"A drunk tank driver destroyed my house," said the victim, who went on to point out a more tragic coincidence: that the army never helped him buy a house when he was in the service, and now army dudes have destroyed the house he managed to build on his own.

Of course, all of this is just crazy talk: "The driver was absolutely sober, because he was going to military exercises," says a military spokesman. Judge for yourself in the video below.

[Reuters]

Iona Radio Cube Means You Physically Flip Through Stations [Design]

Posted: March 8th, 2008, 8:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

This Wi-Fi radio concept design from Cambridge Consultants is a rubber-edged plastic cube. Four of the sides are assigned your four favorite stations via a web interface (maybe some of you have more, but frankly, I think four about covers it for me). The minute some annoying commercial or crap song starts playing, you just roll the Iona over to the next channel. Gizmag says adjusting volume requires twisting the cube itself to the right (up) or left (down), though I'm not entirely sure what that means. The fifth side houses a mono speaker, and the sixth has a non-roly-poly on-off switch. [Gizmag via Ubergizmo]

Pioneer Will Give Kuro Secret Sauce to Panasonic, Says Nikkei [Home Entertainment]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 3:15pm EST by Wilson Rothman

According to a new Nikkei report, Pioneer is going to cease plasma production, as we suspected, but will not just become a passive buyer of Panasonic's plasma technology. Instead, it will combine forces with Panasonic (aka Matsushita) to make sure that the hot Kuro line doesn't fall in quality. At the same time, Panasonic benefits even more, getting all that sexy intellectual property to make ultra-black panels.

The two firms are expected to combine their strengths to develop low-cost, high-quality panels. Plasma TVs based on a jointly developed panel will likely be added to their individual product lineups as early as 2009. Some Pioneer engineers may be transferred to Matsushita in the process.

[Nikkei (Subscription required)]

iPhone SDK Rumor Checklist [Apple]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 2:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Now that we've heard what's up, we can see which iPhone SDK rumors came true. As it happens, the insiders were pretty damn close to dead-on—Hulk doesn't have to do a lot of smashing today. Let's review:

• Beta only with final coming at WWDC?
True - Today's SDK announcement was beta, and though it's available today to anyone who wants to try it out. They can even run the iPhone Simulator on their Mac. The iPhone 2.0 software isn't going to be out until June at all, unless you happen to be a "selected developer or enterprise customer."

• Free through Apple Developer Connection?
Not exactly - It's a free beta for anyone, but Apple launched the iPhone Developer Program which will charge developers $99 per year for the right to publicly release iPhone apps, and distribute them via the new App Store.

• Mac OS only (because of XCode)?
Yes... and no - The SDK runs mainly on the iPhone itself, with a very cool new Cocoa Touch multi-touch interface. There's a debugger and an iPhone simulator that run only on the Mac, but theoretically you can develop without either Mac or PC. (OK, that sounds like a dodge: No, nothing Jobs mentioned today works with Windows.)

• Camera access?
Yes - During the SDK briefing, they said "Image picker will allow you to grab images from the camera/iphone library."

• EDGE and Wi-Fi for data?
Yes - Among the Core Services are Net Services and Networking options, as well as something called "Core Location," which will let developers create "location-aware" apps.

• Bluetooth 2.0 open?
No - Sorry we don't have more of a backstory there.

• Flash support?
No - Jobs' preemptive trash-talk stuck.

• Dock connector for accessories blocked?
No That is to say, "Yes, it is blocked" - We're being told that dev for docks is not available at this time. Fingers crossed for the future!

• iTunes as application hub/Apple as app picker?
Yes, sorta - There's an iTunesy App Store which can be used both over-the-air on the iPhone (or iPod touch) itself, or sideloaded via a Mac or presumably a PC, via iTunes.

• Unfettered freeware?
No - Here's one for the smashing block: Free software will be available, but only through the App Store, where programs will be edited for content.

[Apple iPhone SDK Launch on Giz]

App Store Exclusive Distributor of iPhone Apps [Apple]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 1:04pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Today in Cupertino, Steve Jobs announced that Apple would sell iPhone (and iPod touch) applications over App Store, which can be used over-the-air on the iPhone itself, or can be sideloaded via iTunes on a computer. It comes with the 2.0 firmware update. Apple says it's exclusive, meaning it's the only place people will go to get iPhone apps. galleryPost('iphoneappstore', 6, '');

It looks a lot like installer.app, but with icons. It's got top 50 apps and search. The apps will automatically update programs, like installer.app.

On the developer side, developers pick price, and get 70% of the revenue. There's No credit-card or hosting fees. Free software will be supported, too, but porn and other raunch will be omitted. [Apple SDK Live Blog]

Apple Reveals iPhone SDK [Apple]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 12:19pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Today at a town-hall meeting at Apple's Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone software developer's kit for the first time. There has been a lot of speculation about what the kit would include, and what it specifically wouldn't. Now Steve Jobs says it will have the same APIs and Tools that Apple itself uses to develop iPhone apps. Here are details:galleryPost('iphonesdkreveal', 6, '');

In addition to sweet enterprise support including push e-mail and even sweeter new games (SPORE!!), Jobs revealed the innards of the dev kit.

• Apple combined mouse and keyboard Cocoa with our multitouch knowledge to build Cocoa touch for the iPhone SDK.

• Core OS has the OS X Kernel, Lib System, BSD TCP/IP, Sockets, Security, Power Mgmt, Keychain, Certificates, File System, Bonjour

• Took everything we knew about creating stuff with Cocoa and everything about a touch API for iPhone to build Cocoa Touch

• Cocoa is great, but based on mouse & keyboard input

• Used all of the above (except Cocoa) for iPhone OS

• Cocoa, Media, Core Services, CoreOS

• Has all audio/video capabilities: Core Audio, OpenAL, Audio Mixing, Audio Recording, Video Playback, JPG/PNG/TIFF, PDF, Quartz (2D) Core Animation, OpenGL ES

• "The Media layer is everything you'd expect from Apple"

• Also include SQLite, Core Location

• Cocoa Touch: Multi-Touch events/controls, Accelerometer, View Hierarchy, Localization, Alerts, Web View, People Picker, Image Picker, Camera

• Everything is hardware accelerated for performance and long battery life

• OpenGL ES is the embedded version of OpenGL, "absolute screamer" on the iPhone

• Started there and enhanced it to work with the iPhone

• Xcode is our dev environment and what we use to build everything for Mac OS X

• "This is the architecture of the iPhone OS. It is the most advanced platform out there for mobile devices. We are YEARS ahead of any other platform for mobile devices."

• Integrated documentation, "Shipping a lot of great documentation with the SDK, and you can access it within the software"

• Project management, integrated source control

• Xcode will now code complete for the APIs in the SDK

• Can connect to iPhone like the remote debugger and see live performance of your app on your Mac from the iPhone

• Instruments: "Comprehensive suite of performance analysis tools"

• Do code connections within Interface Builder, connect it right to the code

• All the controls from Cocoa Touch are built right into Interface Builder

• Interface Builder: "Makes building your user interface as simple as drag-and-drop"

• Remote debugger--plug in your iPhone, run it on the iPhone live, but debug from the Mac

• Run your iPhone app in the simulator on your Mac, works great side-by-side with Xcode

• Introducing brand new iPhone dev tool: iPhone Simulator

• See peaks and valleys, realtime data, timeline view, multiple data tracks

[Giz Apple Liveblog]

Official Press Release:

Apple Announces iPhone 2.0 Software Beta

Includes SDK & Built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today previewed its iPhone(TM) 2.0 software, scheduled for release this June, and announced the immediate availability of a beta release of the software to selected developers and enterprise customers. The iPhone 2.0 beta release includes both the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) as well as new enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide secure, over-the-air push email, contacts and calendars as well as remote wipe, and the addition of Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to private corporate networks.

"We're excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community with potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iPhone's enterprise features combined with its revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface and advanced software architecture provide the best user experience and the most advanced software platform ever for a mobile device."

The iPhone SDK provides developers with a rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools to create innovative applications for iPhone and iPod(R) touch. Starting today, anyone can download the beta iPhone SDK for free and run the iPhone Simulator on their Mac(R). Apple today also introduced its new iPhone Developer Program, giving developers everything they need to create native applications, and the new App Store, a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to iPhone and iPod touch users.

With the iPhone SDK, third party developers will be able to build native applications for the iPhone with a rich set of APIs, including programming interfaces for Core OS, Core Services, Media and Cocoa Touch technologies. The iPhone SDK will allow developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone's groundbreaking Multi-Touch(TM) user interface, animation technology, large storage, built-in three-axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver truly innovative mobile applications.

Apple has licensed Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft and is building it right into the iPhone, so that iPhone will connect out-of-the-box to Microsoft Exchange Servers 2003 and 2007 for secure over-the-air push email, contacts, calendars and global address lists. Built-in Exchange ActiveSync support also enables security features such as remote wipe, password policies and auto-discovery. The iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption available for transmission of sensitive corporate data, as well as the ability to authenticate using digital certificates or password-based, multi-factor authentication. The addition of WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication enables enterprise customers to deploy iPhone and iPod touch with the latest standards for protection of Wi-Fi networks.

The iPhone 2.0 software provides a configuration utility that allows IT administrators to easily and quickly set up many iPhones, including password policies, VPN setting, installing certificates, email server settings and more. Once the configuration is defined it can be easily and securely delivered via web link or email to the user. To install, all the user has to do is authenticate with a user ID or password, download the configuration and tap install. Once installed, the user will have access to all their corporate IT services.

The iPhone 2.0 software release will contain the App Store, a new application that lets users browse, search, purchase and wirelessly download third party applications directly onto their iPhone or iPod touch. The App Store enables developers to reach every iPhone and iPod touch user. Developers set the price for their applications -- including free -- and retain

70 percent of all sales revenues. Users can download free applications at no charge to either the user or developer, or purchase priced applications with just one click. Enterprise customers will be able to create a secure, private page on the App Store accessible only by their employees. Apple will cover all credit card, web hosting, infrastructure and DRM costs associated with offering applications on the App Store. Third party iPhone and iPod touch applications must be approved by Apple and will be available exclusively through the App Store.

The iPhone SDK provides a reliable, fast and secure way to create innovative applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. In addition to the rich set of iPhone OS APIs, the iPhone SDK also provides advanced tools for creating native iPhone and iPod touch applications including: Xcode(R) for source code editing, project management and graphical debugging; Interface Builder with drag and drop interface creation and live preview; Instruments to monitor and optimize iPhone application performance in real time; and the iPhone Simulator to run and debug applications.

During the beta iPhone SDK program, a limited number of developers will be accepted into Apple's new iPhone Developer Program and offered the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing. The Standard Program costs $99 (US) per year and gives members an iPhone SDK and development tools; access to

pre-release iPhone software; technical support; the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing; and distribution of applications via the new App Store. The Enterprise Program costs $299 (US) per year.

In addition to these new iPhone network and security features, the beta iPhone 2.0 software provides several new Mail features such as the ability to view PowerPoint attachments, in addition to Word and Excel, as well as the ability to mass delete and move email messages.

Pricing & Availability

Apple plans to release the final iPhone 2.0 software, including the iPhone SDK and new enterprise features, as a free software update for all iPhone customers by the end of June. Third party applications created for the iPhone will also run on the iPod touch, and iPod touch users will be required to purchase a software update to run these applications. The free beta iPhone SDK is available immediately worldwide and can be downloaded at developer.apple.com/iphone/program. The iPhone Developer Program will initially be available in the US and will expand to other countries in the coming months. Apple is accepting applications beginning today from enterprise customers who would like to join the private iPhone Enterprise Beta Program (http://www.apple.com/iphone/enterprise).

Robot Snakes Scare the Indy Out of Me [Robots]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 10:40am EST by Wilson Rothman

Unlike Indiana Jones, I generally don't hate snakes. But seeing these modular mechanical snakes wriggling up some dude's leg gave me shivers. The video gets scarier still when they start climbing walls and shimmying up the inside of pipes. According to the Carnegie Mellon-based developers, the elaborate "gaits" that let these robot snakes maneuver on land and sea are achieved using low-cost hobby-grade servos. So before you kick sand in the face of some pasty Carnegie Mellon nerd at the Jersey Shore this summer, remember he may have a backpack full of cheap, wriggly killing machines. [CM on YouTube via Make]

MagStay Is For People Who Use Macs But Hate Steve Jobs [Apple]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 9:15am EST by Wilson Rothman

You're forced to use a Mac for assorted reasons (boss made you; school requires it; reliability in general) but you don't like it. The best way to stick it to the Jobsman is to buy a $12 MagStay. This little plastic thingamajig locks into the USB port next to the MagSafe magnetic breakaway power adapter, holding it in place come hell or high water. This will show your blatant defiance of Apple design, and your disdain for a particular convenience and laptop-safety factor that PC laptops still don't have. You will have to surrender one of your two USB ports, but hey, what's rebellion without a little bloodletting? [Product Page via Gadget Lab]

Soaring Spybot RoboSwift Mocks Real Birds (and Pays the Price) [Robots]

Posted: March 6th, 2008, 8:25am EST by Wilson Rothman

The RoboSwift, built by researchers at the Delft University of Technology, is among the first flying machines with a "morphing" wing sweep. As you'll see in the video below, its wings reduce in surface area when pulled back to limit drag, the way the wings of actual fast-flying swifts do. Unlike the real birds, however, the RoboSwift is designed to spy on you.

Inside its small body (20" wingspan), there's a low-resolution wireless camera. The idea, already thought to be a good one by Dutch police, is that RoboSwift can be used to surreptitiously hover over crime scenes or football riots. People below, if they did look up, would only to see a soaring, swooping bird of no consequence.

The dudes from Delft are so proud of their little 3-oz. beast, they reckon they can even use it to observe other birds without being noticed—they just have to find a way to fold up that propeller once RoboSwift is aloft. Stashing that long-ass antenna on the end of the tail might help too.

In the video below you can see it soar, spy—and crash into a tree—like a true master of espionage. [LiveScience; Reuters]

Pioneer Calls Plasma Biz Reports "Inaccurate" [TVs]

Posted: March 5th, 2008, 8:56pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Regarding recent stories that Pioneer may cease manufacturing its own plasma TVs, and presumably in doing so kill off the critically acclaimed Kuro TV line, the company's North American division has this to say:

The current press coverage was not released by Pioneer so it may be misleading and contains many inaccuracies.

The statement continues:

Pioneer reviews its display business strategy every year looking to maximize profitability and efficiency. At this time, the Company is not announcing any decisions with regards to manufacturing of any single component of its plasma displays. We will announce Pioneer's display strategy in detail at the information meeting in Japan to be held on March 7th and via press release to the rest of the world later that day.

Stay tuned for Friday's details, and in the meantime, don't believe everything you hear. (Just, maybe, some of it.) [Pioneer on Giz]

Wristwatches Banned in College-Entry Exams Thanks to One Lousy Cheater [Cellphones]

Posted: March 5th, 2008, 10:10am EST by Wilson Rothman

Some kid used his cellphone-connected watch to receive incriminating text messages during a college-entry exam in Thailand and now "all kinds of watches" have been banned from 18 exam centers. Thailand has a seriously competitive testing system, with selectivity in some engineering and medicine programs reaching 1 in 100. Still, you'd think that a kid caught using an innovative way to cheat would be sent to the head of the class (kinda like Captain Kirk and that Kobayashi Maru business). I wonder what they'll do when everyone has cellular/GPS implants—little bit harder to ban, I'd imagine. [Reuters]

Keyboard Organizer Makes You Envy of Computer Lab [Peripherals]

Posted: March 5th, 2008, 8:21am EST by Wilson Rothman

Hello! Are you always wondering if there was some way to stash all of your most treasured possessions, but still have them at your fingertips while you work??!!? Well now there is! It's called the Keyboard Organizer, the world's first and only patented storage caddy built inside a working keyboard! Your friends will be jealous, and your enemies will never learn the secret hiding place for all your stuff! Best of all, it works on all of the latest PCs (provided that they still have PS/2 inputs)! It's yours for only $50—well, £24.99—so order now! [Nerd Approved]

Yahoo Flees Microsoft, Runs to Time Warner's AOL? [Software]

Posted: March 5th, 2008, 7:54am EST by Wilson Rothman

Microsoft hating is something of a national pastime, but Yahoo's desire to avoid a Redmond takeover has apparently driven them to seek a cozy relationship with Time Warner. Yes, some geniuses out there are actually concocting "a deal that would fold Time Warner's AOL Internet unit into Yahoo." I'm sorry, but hasn't history proven that working with Time Warner on internet stuff is the business equivalent of trying to conquer Russia in the winter? The joke is, we were actually relieved to hear that the same unnamed people familiar with this deal still think Microsoft's Yahoo buyout will happen. [Reuters]

Olympus E-420 DSLR: Smaller, Lighter, Cheaper [Digital Cameras]

Posted: March 5th, 2008, 11:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

In case you were worried that digital SLRs would remain priced higher than point-and-shoots, Olympus is breaking down the $500 barrier with its, well, $499.99 E-420. (Kinda makes you feel like sparkin' a doobie, don't it?) Sure, it'll cost you an extra hundred to get a 14-42mm starter lens, but this is the beginning of the truly affordable DSLR. That's not the only thing Olympus is excited about though: the 13.4-oz. E-420 is up to 40% lighter than other DSLRs in its class, and is being declared the "world's smallest digital SLR" by its maker. All that while retaining Live View, a 10-megapixel sensor and a 2.7" LCD. We can't wait to try it out. Jump for press release and chart of freakishly detailed specs. Just one question, Olympus: What happened to the Evolt brand? galleryPost('OlympusE420DSLR', 7, '');

OLYMPUS E-420: WORLD'S SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST CONSUMER DIGITAL SLR DELIVERS ENHANCED AUTOFOCUS LIVE VIEW
Compact Size Makes It the Ultimate DSLR to Take Anywhere,
Next-Generation Live View Ensures It Performs Better When You Get There

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., March 5, 2008 - Olympus today announces the extremely portable E-420 - perfect for everyone who wants to step up to the power and performance of a digital SLR (single lens reflex) yet enjoy the ease of use and ability to compose images on the LCD common to point-and-shoot cameras. Weighing a mere 380 grams (13.4 ounces), the E-420 is 20 to 40 percent lighter than competing DSLRs. Good things come in this small package, including Live View, which enables users to hold the camera away from their faces and interact with their subjects - ideal when capturing photos of children, for example.

This lightweight 10-megapixel DSLR offers heavyweight technologies, including a bigger, more viewable 2.7-inch LCD and consumer-friendly fast On-Screen Autofocus, Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment Technology and Perfect Shot Preview to get the most out of the Live View experience. Additionally, when it comes to Live View, not all LCDs are created equal. At 2.7-inches, the portable E-420 LCD is large enough for users to compose and review images without squinting. The small camera's LCD is not just larger, it is part of a camera with technologies intelligent enough to take advantage of the Live View photography experience. These innovative technologies include:

• On-Screen Autofocus works as seamlessly as a point-and-shoot to display subjects in focus on the LCD the instant the shutter is pressed half way;
• Face Detection Technology targets and locks on up to eight faces to ensure they are in focus and crystal clear for amazing portraits;
• New and Improved HyperCrystal II™ Technology delivers twice the contrast and better viewing in extreme lighting conditions, a broader range of color detail, and a wider angle of view on the LCD so you and your friends can see it up to 176 degrees off-center;
• Shadow Adjustment Technology captures detail in the bright areas of a frame and opens up detail in the shadows that other cameras would render too dark or underexposed; and
• Perfect Shot Preview enables you to view and select your favorite effect right on the LCD, and see how the image will look before you even capture it, so you know that what you see is what you get.

"The Olympus E-420 delivers the professional-grade image quality of a digital SLR with the simple operation of a point-and-shoot camera," said John Knaur, senior marketing manager - DSLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "Thanks to the camera's small size and lightweight body, users can take the E-420 everywhere, and they will never miss another shot because the of the camera's straightforward controls. Additionally, our innovative technologies help consumers get more from Live View."

World's Smallest Digital SLR
A camera designed to be held away from the face lets you take great photographs without weighing you down. The E-420 is small enough to fit into a purse or a jacket pocket and light enough to shoot with comfortably all day. Measuring 5.1 inches by 3.6 inches by 2.1 inches (excluding protrusions), it is the world's smallest digital SLR. And at a featherweight 13.4 ounces, only its predecessor (E-410) weighs less. The E-420's new ergonomic grip on the front of the body allows for easier one-handed operation and ensures a secure hold in the most challenging shooting conditions.

One of the World's Thinnest Lenses Meets the World's Most Compact DSLR
The world's smallest DSLR deserves a similarly compact lens, and Olympus has it: the ultra compact Zuiko 25mm f2.8 digital specific lens. This 0.9 inch-thick lens offers a fixed 50mm equivalent angle of view. Together with the E-420, the Zuiko 25mm f2.8 lens will offer the ultimate combination of ease of use and portability.

Photographers can also purchase the E-420 in a kit with a compact, Zuiko Digital 28-84mm equivalent (ED 14-42mm Four Thirds) f3.5-f5.6 lens that perfectly matches the imager so light strikes the sensor directly to ensure rich, accurate colors and edge-to-edge sharpness. Both lenses (Zuiko 25mm f2.8 and 28-84mm f3.5-f5.6) are part Olympus' expanding line of 100 percent digital lenses - designed specifically for digital photography. Unlike other camera companies, Olympus does not rely on old film lenses, which often result in images with soft edges or other imperfections.

The Live View Experience
Olympus was the first to bring Live View to a consumer DSLR (the E-330 in 2006), and Live View has revolutionized DSLR photography. Anyone who has photographed young children knows that you get the best reactions when you hold the camera away from your face and maintain eye contact and an engaging smile. If you have tried to take photos high above the heads in a crowd or low near the ground, you will appreciate that it is easier to use a swivel LCD screen than to climb a ladder or lie on your stomach.

The E-420 solves these problems with its Live View LCD, which enables photographers to hold the camera away from their faces and at angles they just cannot reach by using the optical viewfinder alone. The E-420's new Live View autofocus functionality now simplifies the process by working just like a point and shoot. By simply pressing the shutter button halfway, your subjects come into focus on the LCD, so when the perfect moment occurs it is easy to capture sharp images.

A viewable LCD is where a great Live View experience begins. Few things are more annoying for a photographer than squinting to see an image on an LCD screen in bright sunlight or a dimly lit room. The E-420 solves this problem with its large, bright 2.7-inch LCD display that incorporates new HyperCrystal II technology. This display offers twice the contrast for better viewing in extreme light conditions (i.e. when the sun is at your back), a broader color gamut that displays a greater range of color detail, and a 176-degree viewing angle.

Always Find a Face in the Crowd
A camera this consumer-friendly is perfect for taking portraits of friends and family while out and about. The E-420's Face Detection feature distinguishes between people's faces and the background. It tracks up to eight faces within the image area and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures. Even if your subjects are moving, the camera continuously tracks their faces.

Bright Day or Deep Shadow, Never Miss a Detail
Shooting scenes with shadows can be tricky because of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-420 addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that compensates for extreme contrast when shadow areas are underexposed and lack visible detail. Now users can preview and capture images with the same fine contrast they see with their own eyes.

Preview All the Possibilities
With 18 pre-set scene-select modes for every imaginable shooting scenario and full manual controls, the E-420 offers a world of possibilities to photographers. Additionally, Perfect Shot Preview enables users to preview and select various photographic effects on a live, multi-window screen on the LCD before snapping the shot. This feature shows photographers what their images will look like beforehand under various settings, ensuring that they capture exactly what they want. It is an ideal way for novice users to learn about the effects of different photography techniques, such as exposure compensation, white balance and metering.

Enlarge Your Photos
Capturing, enlarging and displaying amazing images on your wall is a snap thanks to the E-420's 10 million pixels for high-resolution photos. The 10-megapixel sensor gives users the flexibility to enlarge prints to the sizes supported by many of today's printers, or crop the image to print only a part of the image that is important to them. The high-performance Live MOS image sensor in the E-420 delivers excellent dynamic range for accurate color fidelity and a new state-of-the-art amplifier circuit dramatically reduces noise and captures fine image details in the highlight and shadow areas.

Improved Auto White Balance
Many digital SLR users want to focus their attention on things other than white balance while they are on the move. As a result, the E-420 features an improved automatic white balance performance with a new algorithm for more accurate color.

TruePic III for Image Clarity & Speed
Olympus' TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible for every photo with accurate color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal representation in between. TruePic III also lowers image noise by one step to reduce graininess in images shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light situations.

Worried about missing the winning goal at the soccer game? The image processor on the E-420 enables it to shoot up to 3.5 frames per second in sequenced shooting mode, which means that photographers will be able to capture fast-paced action as it happens.

Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Images
Life moves too fast to spend time worrying about dust ruining your images. Olympus' proven Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter™. The patented ultrasonic technology vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor and captures it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on. These spot-free photos liberate users from hours spent retouching photographs at the computer or sending their cameras back to the manufacturer to remove dust trapped inside.

Media Versatility
Accepting both CompactFlash Type I & II, Microdrives, and xD-Picture Cards, the E-420 provides a choice of data storage options for enhanced flexibility, and it is possible to transfer image files from one card to the other right inside the camera.

Wireless Flash Capability
If you decide to venture into the arena of advanced lighting, the E-420 is ready to meet the challenge. The E-420 is compatible with the Olympus FL-50R and FL-36R wireless electronic flashes that are designed exclusively for digital photography. When these flashes are used in combination with the E-420, wireless multi-flash photography is possible. The E-420 can control up to three wireless flash groups independently, with several flash units per group.

Availability
The Olympus E-420 Digital SLR will be available in May 2008. It includes: E-420 Body, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Warranty Card.

U.S. Pricing / Product Configurations
E-420 body Estimated Street Price: $499.99
E-420 with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens Estimated Street Price: $599.99
E-420 with ED 25mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Lens Estimated Street Price: $699.99

CNet Gives Logitech Squeezebox Duet the Ol' Editor's Choice Stamp [Home Entertainment]

Posted: March 4th, 2008, 6:30pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Logitech has been dying to get into wireless whole-house audio like Sonos and not a whole lot of others Now that CNet has favorably reviewed the $400 Squeezebox Duet we told you about at CES, it may well have a shot.

That's right, in living video, our buddy John Falcone explains the Wi-Fi-powered system, and notes that, aside from DRM protected content, the Squeezebox Duet gets at "any music, anywhere" including stuff from Rhapsody, Slacker, and Pandora, plus internet radio and podcasts.

Falcone was particularly excited about the Squeeze network, which lets you manage all your music online, and says that because of the open-source and Linux-friendly nature of Squeeze, the "tweaker or hacker type" will have lots of fun.

In the written portion of the review, Falcone mentioned that "it lacks the iPod's speed-sensitive ability to quickly jump up and down through long lists," something that scares me a bit because I have lots of music and very little patience. Also in the prose, Sonos is mentioned as an expensive rival good for people who want to fill five or more rooms with sound, or people who already own Sonos.

In the end, Falcone says he "couldn't be more pleased with it," which is good news for those of us unwilling to start at $1,000 for a wireless audio system, and bad news for the good people over at Sonos. Sorry dudes! [CNet]

MSI Puts Air Purifier Into Smokin' PR620 Laptop [Laptops]

Posted: March 4th, 2008, 8:35am EST by Wilson Rothman

We get it, you're not going to quit. So do everyone else at the library a favor and buy MSI's PR620 laptop with built in "anion" air purifier. According to the unintentionally hilarious post at PCLaunches.com, the laptop releases 550,000 anions (aka negative ions) from its vent, "more than if you were right next to mountains and beaches." Meanwhile...

The notebook absorbs dust particles in the air to prevent inhaling into human body, eliminating all possible contact to disease. The PR620 also eliminate toxic gases in the air, destroying the "Silent Assisin[sic]".

The "Smoker-Free Quickly" function apparently clears "smog, dust and second cigarette smoke" in some kind of high-powered temporary blast. We're actually not sure if or when this is coming to market, but we'll be sure to let you know when it does. Smell you later! (Fake cough, fake cough, fake cough.) [PCLaunches.com via Crave]

Cyber Goggles Record and Tag Your World For Future Reference [Gadgets]

Posted: March 3rd, 2008, 4:40pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Straight out of sci-fi and into reality, this pair of "cyber goggles," invented at the University of Tokyo, records everything you see as you wander through the day, then tells you where to find stuff later.

A computer analyzes the video for recognizable objects: you know, a hammer, a cellphone, a potted begonia, etc. To search for an item, you type in a keyword, and if located, a video of that item plays in the LCD screen positioned over your right eye.

The intended end product is a less bulky system that can help people locate lost belongings and maybe even assist in investigations and other visual searches. Naturally, though, the core of this whole system is insanely powerful visual recognition software, and until that works without a hitch, your just gonna have to remember where you left your car keys. [Pink Tentacle]

Everex CloudBook's Old-School Answer to Digital Photo Frames [PCs]

Posted: March 3rd, 2008, 3:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Everex just got photo-friendly in a strangely retro way: PhotoFair is a clear plastic plate that clamps on to the CloudBook's top, allowing you to "store and display photos, documents and other printed materials." As in, physically stash printed-out documents. It's a bit unusual in the LCD age, but unlike the digital alternative—Windows SideShow, for instance—this one is easily executed and won't drain your batteries. [Everex] Thanks Paul!

Best Buy Says It Will Cover Part of Your DirecTV Bills [Dealzmodo]

Posted: March 3rd, 2008, 11:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

Best Buy just announced that it would pay a portion of customers' DirecTV bills each month for a year. That is, if you spend $999 or more on a high-def TV and switch to DirecTV's high-def package, Best Buy says it will credit you $30 per month on your bill for 12 months. If you are cheap enough to dip below $999 on your HDTV purchase (yeah, Insignia buyers, I'm talking about you), Best Buy still has your back, with six months of payments. It's funny how far a chain will go to not have to give you a free HDMI cable, am I right? Jump for the fine print.

Best Buy to Help Pay Customers' DIRECTV(R) Bills
Unique offer brings cost savings to new HD set-ups
MINNEAPOLIS --(Business Wire)-- Mar. 3, 2008 Ready for HD? Best Buy is ready to help you pay your bills.

Beginning March 2, Best Buy will launch a relationship with DIRECTV(R) where Best Buy will pay $30 monthly on new customers' DIRECTV bills.(1) Designed to encourage customers to experience the best in high definition, Best Buy will actually pay a portion of customers' bills in the form of a credit appearing on each monthly statement. Customers can receive the credit through one of three new offers:

-- Twelve months of credits when adding HD Access(2) and buying any HDTV priced at $999 or higher (a $360 value).

-- Six months of credits when adding HD Access and buying any HDTV priced under $999 (a $180 value).

-- Three months of credits when activating any new DIRECTV service (a $90 value).

The offer continues Best Buy's efforts to promote a complete HD experience for customers. Through advertising, promotions, in store and online education efforts, Best Buy has worked to educate people that high definition television is about more than just the television. Connecting to an HD source, using the right cables, adding surround sound and having the home theater professionally installed are all vital elements of HD.

"We know that customers buying HD televisions are doing so because they want a certain kind of experience," said Chris Homeister, vice president of merchandising for home entertainment services for Best Buy. "By offering to help pay a customer's DIRECTV bill we're making a dramatic statement about the importance of connecting a television to the right source for HD programming. We want customers to have the same quality picture in their home that they saw in our stores."

The promotion runs until June 24, 2008.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates a global portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through nearly 1,300 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com), Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy (Speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education.

Notes

(1) Customers who order new DIRECTV service at a participating Best Buy store between 3/2/08 - 6/24/08 and activate DIRECTV service (along with HD Access and purchase a qualifying HDTV for 6 and 12 month offers) before 7/24/08 will automatically receive a $30 bill credit per month for 3, 6, or 12 consecutive months, depending upon offer selection. Bill credit provided by Best Buy(TM). AFTER 3, 6 OR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS (BASED ON OFFER), BILL CREDITS WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISCONTINUE AND ALL SERVICES TO WHICH CUSTOMER IS SUBSCRIBING, INCLUDING $9.99/MO. HD ACCESS FEE, WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE ON THE 4TH, 7TH OR 13TH MONTH AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES (WHICH MAY INCLUDE REMAINING PROGRAMMING AND/OR BILL CREDIT OFFER(S) FROM DIRECTV). LIMIT ONE $30/MO. BILL CREDIT OFFER PER DIRECTV ACCOUNT. Account must be in "good standing," as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion, to remain eligible for either offer. Hardware and programming available separately. DIRECTV System lease requires 18 consecutive months (24 for advanced receivers) programming commitment at $29.99/mo. or above. HD Access fee required for HD or HD DVR lease. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to DIRECTV Customer Agreement; copy provided at directv.com/legal and in your first DIRECTV bill. (C)2008 DIRECTV Inc. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Motion Computing F5 Tablet is Highly Evolved Speak N' Spell [PCs]

Posted: March 3rd, 2008, 8:32am EST by Wilson Rothman

The latest semi-rugged tablet to hit the market, Motion Computing's F5, keeps a good idea alive: a built-in handle lets the butterfingeriest extraterrestrials field workers keep hold of their precious electronics. galleryPost('MotionComputingF5', 6, '');

The F5's magnesium frame, outdoor friendly display, resistance to dust and moisture and an easy-to-clean surface add to the semi-ruggedness of this Tablet PC. At 3lbs., it houses an HDD or an optional 32GB solid-state drive, a 2-megapixel camera, and, like its bright-red ancestor, a built-in mono speaker. There's no optical disc drive, though, as often is the case with these smaller tablets. It'll be priced from $2700 to $4000, not including the sweet dock, external keyboard or mounting hardware for the dashboard of your intergalactic space saucer emergency vehicle. [Motion Computing]

Time Capsule Initial Verdict: Smooth Sailing, No Surprises [Apple]

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 11:18am EST by Wilson Rothman

We've been fiddling with Time Capsule since it arrived this AM, and so far it works as billed, clean and easy. The star of the show is really the new AirPort Utility software, which now comes with some neat tricks for the network-phobic. Most of all, we're learning the ins and outs of adding external drives, using networked printers, and setting up that potentially nasty initial data dump.

We've actually set up the Time Capsule several different ways already, as the only router in the network, and as an Ethernet-linked node on an existing wireless network. The start-up wizard in AirPort Utility asks you plainly what you want to do, in increasing steps like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book. I know some of you don't need that kind of child's play, but this kind of thing will even help you when you tell your mom to get one of these and realize you won't have to do tech support too.
Once you've got it set up, either as your router or a node on your network, you can just pop into Time Machine and see it listed as a drive. If that's all you want, select the drive and you're as good as done. That first dump can be a real doozy though, so keep some things in mind:
• Set aside an entire night to get it done.
• Consider connecting via Ethernet, especially if you have an 802.11b/g Mac. (Time Capsule has Gigabit 10/100/1000Base-T wired connectivity.)
• Try not to interrupt the first dump, as the subsequent file-integrity check will take a long time too.

But say you buy the 500GB Time Capsule, and want to use an external 1TB drive to do all your serious backing up. When you connect it via USB, it is automatically visible in both the AirPort Utility and the Time Machine on your Mac. What you can't do is merge the two to make one massive 1.5TB volume, though. You have to choose one or the other.In some cases, you may want to connect the USB drive you already use for Time Machine to the Time Capsule, to simply make the process wireless. Bear in mind that if you do that, you still have to make the massive initial dump: Time Capsule won't recognize that drive as your previous Time Machine drive, but just as new storage that you can use.

The internal drive and any external drives can be seen as standard network drives, too, across both Mac and PC platforms—checking the guest friendly option in AirPort Utility's disk settings is helpful there. Speaking of PC compatibility, Apple appears to be promoting Time Capsule, at least by word of mouth and in all the support literature, as a dual-platform product, even though its core Time Machine software is not available to Windows users. You can use third-party backup software and select Time Capsule as the target drive, though there are certainly many competing products that will let you do this for cheaper.

The only significant problem I've run into is the networked printer. I connected a printer to Time Capsule that I had set up for local use on my Mac. Time Capsule recognized it immediately, and the printer selection on the Mac itself showed it just fine, but when I went to actually send over a print job, I got an error that the printer was offline. (Eddie Izzard fans would've appreciated the ensuing angry outburst: "Not offline! No. Online. Control-P Print!!") I don't blame Time Capsule yet. I'm going to try it with some other printers soon, and will get to the root of it.

We will continue to test this and alert you to any issues, but in the meantime it's safe to say that this is a worthwhile product for people who have the money and want the convenience. How often do you refuse to connect the USB to your backup drive because it would hamper your style? How often are you afraid, after a long period of not backing up, of the time it may take you to perform a backup. Those issues go away with Time Capsule.

But there's a cost, particularly at the 1TB model, which is $200 more than the $300 500GB model. When we ask about this, all we get back is that these are "server grade" drives. Great, thanks, but we're gonna recommend the 500GB version. If you have 300GB of backup or less you're covered, and if you have 1TB of backup or more, you're better off scoring some massive drive or drive array at discount, and plugging it in via USB. Now go back the #&#$% up!!! [Time Capsule on Giz]

280-Megawatt Solar Boiler Uses Magnifying-Glass Bug-Killer Technique [Energy]

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:45am EST by Wilson Rothman

The solar power plant Abengoa Solar will build in Gila Bend, Arizona, won't rely on fancy photovoltaic panels. No, it uses pretty much the same trick your evil ass used on bugs and leaves way back when: focusing sunlight to create high heat. In this case, mirrors focus the sun's rays into tanks of heat-transfer oil, heating it to about 400°C, boiling water for a steam turbine.

The appeal of the system is its low cost and high scalability. MIT's Technology Review says that, according to one expert, "solar thermal power will become cost competitive with other forms of power generation decades before photovoltaics will." And even though solar thermal costs more than wind power (around 15 cents per kilowatt versus wind's 8 cents per kilowatt), solar thermal energy, trapped in the form of heat, is much more easy to save up. Energy can be generated even when the sun isn't shining—in the case of Abengoa's Arizona plant, part of the heat doesn't directly boil water but is transferred to molten salt tanks, where it can be stored to power the turbine for up to six sunless hours.

The plant goes operational in 2011, and will generate 280 megawatts, enough to provide energy for 70,000 homes, customers of the Arizona Public Service in Phoenix. [Technology Review; Abengoa]

Time Capsule Arrives [Apple]

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:11am EST by Wilson Rothman

Here's a first look at the Time Capsule in its packaging. It just arrived at our door, but we'll do our best to get you our impressions ASAP, so stay tuned. [Time Capsule on Giz]galleryPost('TimeCapsuleUnboxing', 3, '');

Stop! Why It Still Isn't Safe to Buy Blu-ray [Format War]

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 10:35am EST by Wilson Rothman

By now you know waaaaay too much about Toshiba's format-war surrender, the death of HD DVD at the hands of the larger Blu-ray armada. You may even be eying the Blu-ray players mounted proudly in point-of-sale displays at Best Buy or Wal-Mart. Pricing hasn't come down to HD DVD player levels—and with those sinking even further, it's unlikely they ever will—but the need to get in on the action might provoke you to spend some extra dimes. All we're saying is DON'T! Not yet. If you don't know why, let us explain.

We're not going to tell you that HD DVD will somehow come back from the grave to eat Blu-ray's brains or anything Romero-esque like that. Even China's CH-DVD—an easily mass-produced sibling to HD DVD—once a looming HD DVD mercenary force on the horizon, now seems to serve the opposite purpose. By keeping Chinese firms busy with something other than Blu-ray, Hollywood's movie content may be kept safe from piracy, and big electronics brands may be able to hold onto their profit margins—at least for a short while.

No, the earth is Blu, and we are at least grateful for having a winner. Now begins a different kind of shakeup, where once friendly compadres like Sony, Pioneer and Panasonic start to lock horns with one another. This will bring multiple benefits, but here's what all parties involved need to accomplish:

1. Get the Spec In Order
Now that Blu-ray is fully in the spotlight, it's got to get its act together spec-wise. You may recall that we lambasted many Blu-ray supporters for only building 1.0 spec players, including the $1000+ home-theater flagships from Sony and Pioneer. Except for Panasonic's DMP-BD30 and the PlayStation 3 with up-to-date firmware, no current Blu-ray player can even handle the 1.1 spec with picture-in-picture, already appearing in certain Blu-ray discs (and quite the handful of HD DVD titles—but we'll get to that).

The place to be is spec 2.0, referred to as "full profile." Suddenly, it's Sony who is looking the best here, with not only the amazingly upgradable PS3 but two new players announced this week, the BDP-S350 and S550. For $400 and $500 respectively, they are set to deliver all of the features promised in the Blu-ray palette, including both picture-in-picture and BD-Live internet connectivity (with USB storage for downloaded content). Nobody else, with the possible exception of Daewoo, has even muttered about a 2.0 spec player.

Samsung's BD-UP5000 dual-format player is purportedly compatible with 1.1, but besides the fact that it's pricey even at $550 and requires a firmware update for full compatibility, it'll soon be discontinued. Given our initial experience with it, we say that it's best to wait and see what its successor, the BD-UP5500, can do. Heck, dual-format playback may not be all that necessary for long. But that brings us to another reason why you should wait...

2. Finalize the Video Library
We only need dual-format players as long as the library is split down HD DVD and Blu-ray lines. We are waiting for Universal, Paramount and DreamWorks to jump to Blu, and even once they do, it's not a certainty that they can simply re-release everything currently out on HD DVD. Universal claims 150 titles—surely the Bournes will go Blu as soon as Uni does, but how long do I have to wait for a Blu-ray of The Big Lebowski? Hell, it's almost worth scooping up an ultracheap HD DVD player now just to enjoy that one movie alone, 47 or 48 times in a row. At any rate, some speculation suggests that the remaining HD DVD studios may not even come around until summer or fall, depending on weird smoke-filled-backroom negotiations with Toshiba.

Even when all the studios are on the Blu-ray tip, though, a new problem begins to surface: second-edition releases of movies already on Blu-ray. Think about it: a handful of big Warner titles like 300 and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out with more deluxe HD DVD versions which include picture-in-picture and certain online capabilities. Who's to say Warner won't re-release their 300 and Harry Potter Blu-ray discs with the same compelling extras, now that it's feasible on the Blu-ray platform? Warner is easy to single out because we have that comparison, but who's to say that half of the blockbuster movies out on Blu-ray now won't get a re-release with more interactive content when the spec 2.0 players saturate the market?

3. Bring On the Old-Fashioned Electronics Store Competition
Sony's more affordable new Blu-ray player will hit the market this summer for $400. Nothing built by Sony or anyone else should be considered before then, the one exception being the PS3. But even the Sony standalone at $400 is expensive, especially for a player whose capabilities are more or less the same as Toshiba's HD-A30 HD DVD player, now (in a price nose dive) selling for around $130. Only when Panasonic, Samsung and LG announce their own Blu-ray 2.0 players, will true competition finally exist. (Pioneer will launch a 2.0 player too, but it probably won't get involved in a price war.) It surely wouldn't be long after that that we see a full-spec Blu-ray player for $200 or maybe even less. Our bet is Christmas, since Sony doesn't seem like it will have anything on the market until "summer" and no one else is talking about their next Blu play.

There you have it, the three big reasons why you need to hold off on buying a standalone Blu-ray player, and amassing a library of Blu-ray to rival your intimidating DVD collection. Don't worry though. Your patience will have its rewards. And Christmas will be here again before you know it.

[Blu-ray on Giz; image source for "halt" parody graphic]

Microsoft's First Surface Game Will Thrill Out-of-Work Entomologists [Microsoft]

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 8:40am EST by Wilson Rothman

The first game for Microsoft's Surface table has been demonstrated in an exclusive peek by SarcasticGamer.com, and all I can say is, it combines the spine-tingling excitement of a mobile-phone puzzle game with the spine-achiness that comes from hunching over the screen to play.

The game is called Firefly, though the good ship Serenity is nowhere in sight. Instead, you grab fireflies as they flit around the screen, pulling them into your glass jar. The graphics are beautiful, and the interface looks very organic, so we have no doubt Surface will eventually lead to some sweet gaming. But this appears to take the "anyone can play" theme a little too far, to the nursery-schoolish "anyone can win."

As Doc from SarcasticGamer says, "Anyone can herd fireflies." True, but most people would probably choose not to. [SarcasticGamer.com]

Intellectual Property Donor Sticker Proves Your Unrealistic Arrogance After You're Dead [Design]

Posted: February 27th, 2008, 4:20pm EST by Wilson Rothman

What happens to your intellectual property if you die in some kind of nasty accident? Worried, perhaps, that your life's work would be stifled by 70 years of copyright protection, meant to benefit only your ungrateful dependents? Why not donate it all to the public domain? Affix this (legally binding?) sticker on your driver's license, in the place generally reserved for organ donor information, and you're good to go. After all, who needs your kidney when the world could freely enjoy your crappy poetry instead? [ni9e via Make]

PlayStation Eye Tracks Your Face As You Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge [PS3]

Posted: February 27th, 2008, 2:40pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Last week at GDC, Sony showed how the standard PlayStation Eye camera connected to a standard PS3 does well at tracking face and body movement, even at some distance. As you can see in the above video starring my good friend Stephen Totilo, it works great, and would be brilliant for duck-and-cover maneuvering in first-person shooters. However, as you might guess, support for games has yet to be announced. I've got my fingers crossed for Dodgeball: The Movie: The Game, complete with 3D wrenches. [MTV Multiplayer]

Autonomous Robots: Ethical Combatants or Suicide Bombers? [Robots]

Posted: February 27th, 2008, 11:25am EST by Wilson Rothman

UK robotics professor Noel Sharkey is raising a fuss over the US Defense Department's intention to put $4 billion into "unmanned systems" in the next year or two. One fear is that spillover from all that R&D will give terrorists new ways to build effective GPS-guided suicide bombers for $500 or less.

"How long is it going to be before the terrorists get in on the act? With the current prices of robot construction falling dramatically and the availability of ready-made components for the amateur market, it wouldn't require a lot of skill to make autonomous robot weapons."

But Sharkey has other more philosophical issues, ones that echo Isaac Asimov's own concerns of more than a half century ago.

Says the New Scientist:

Sharkey is most concerned about the prospect of having robots decide for themselves when to "pull the trigger". Currently, a human is always involved in decisions of this nature. But the Pentagon is nearly 2 years into a research programme aimed at having robots identify potential threats without human help.

But Ronald Arkin of Georgia Tech, the Siskel to Sharkey's Ebert, says that because a robot has no emotional baggage, it could be a much more "ethical" killer:

Arkin suggests trying to design ethical control systems that make military robots respect the Geneva Convention and other rules of engagement on the battlefield... "With a robot I can be sure that a robot will never harbour the intention to hurt a non-combatant," he says. "Ultimately they will be able to perform better than humans."

Today, Sharkey, Arkin and others are discussing these matters at length at a symposium called "The Ethics & Legal Implications of Unmanned Vehicles for Defence and Security Purposes," hosted by the Royal United Services Institute in London. [RUSI; New Scientist; Reuters]

Panasonic Recycling Process Turns Plastic Into "Harmless" Gas [Green]

Posted: February 27th, 2008, 9:25am EST by Wilson Rothman

Panasonic has developed a recycling technique that uses titanium oxide to convert unrecoverable plastic and other organic compounds to a "harmless" gas. The key focus is on separating wires from their coatings and extract the other rubbers and plastics that make up the non-recyclable 20% of home-appliance waste. Panasonic's stated goal is to "completely eliminate mixed plastic waste." And if that ain't bold enough, the process reduces CO2 emissions, too, because the gasification process itself doesn't require much energy. Here's how it works:

The mixed materials are bathed in titanium oxide (TiO2), jostled about by machinery to ensure an even distribution of the good stuff. The chemicals react to the plastics and other organics, generating tremendous heat. Water is used to maintain a 500°C temperature, ideal for the gasification. One by-product of the gasification of vinyl chloride is hydrogen chloride; that is "neutralized" with lime.

Panasonic doesn't mention any other by-products. In fact, the company insists that the output consists of "harmless gases," and that there are no "hazardous side-effects." If this is all true, then maybe Panasonic should think about building a compact one for every kitchen in the world. What do you think? Ten years?

Press Release:

Panasonic Uses Catalytic Reaction to Decompose Plastics Into Harmless Gas for E-Waste Recycling
-Eliminating need for incinerating or dumping plastic waste in landfill-

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic, by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, today announced that the company has developed together with Kusatsu Electric Co., Ltd. a recycling technology that enables the recovery of metals from plastic-coated wires and plastics used in electric and electronic equipment without causing hazardous side-effects.

Using the catalytic properties of titanium oxide (TiO2), the innovative technology facilitates recovery of inorganic substances such as metals by transforming organic substances such as plastics into harmless gases.

Panasonic is successfully using the new technology at the Matsushita Eco Technology Center (METEC) to recover copper from degaussing coils covered with vinyl chloride tape found in CRT TVs. In addition, mixed plastic waste destined for incineration or landfill is treated and changed into non-toxic gases at METEC. The method not only contributes to "zero waste," but also helps reduce CO2 emissions as little external energy source is required in the gasification process.

Today, about 80 percent, by weight, of all collected home appliances is recycled into metallic and plastic materials. The remaining 20 percent is currently regarded as non-recyclable waste e.g. rubber, mixed glass and mixed plastic waste which is difficult to sort further as it is comprised of many different types of resins or contains metals. Although some mixed plastic waste can be used as fuel in general, the waste containing certain chemicals such as vinyl chloride needs to be treated in a high-temperature incinerator to avoid dioxin emissions.

The new recycling method combines Kusatsu Electric's non-incineration plastic disposal technology using TiO2 and Panasonic's high grade materials recovery technology that is used by Panasonic to recycle old home appliances. The method uses unique mixing and carrier systems that allow plastics to contact the catalyst efficiently for gasification, leaving the valuable metals. As the catalytic reaction of TiO2 generates heat to promote gasification, an additional heating source is not required in the process. The method uses cooling water to maintain temperature (500°C) for optimal catalytic reaction. The subsequent heated water from the process can be used for other purposes. Hydrogen chloride produced during the gasification process of vinyl chloride is neutralized with lime.

Panasonic aims to completely eliminate mixed plastic waste and spread the use of this environment-friendly technology to recycling-related facilities and further to production facilities in and out of the Panasonic group.

Gmail CAPTCHA Cracked in Teams; Bots Get 'Tude [Security]

Posted: February 27th, 2008, 8:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Cracking Yahoo's CAPTCHA human verification may have been a major security-breach milestone, but now bots have been tag-teaming in pairs to crack Google's Gmail human test too, which they currently can pull off one in five attempts. During the crack, they also appear, somewhat snarkily, to read Google's help pages, perhaps as a means of preventing a timeout. [Slashdot]

Everex mini gPC Doesn't Remind Us Of Mac mini At All [PCs]

Posted: February 26th, 2008, 6:15pm EST by Wilson Rothman

The first thing that comes to mind when you see the Everex mini gOS Linux PC is that it looks just like a Mac mini except in black it is a smart way to slim down after that comically bulky Wal-Mart-special gPC that launched Everex's open-source strategy. And with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core Mobile processor, a DVD writer, DVI and S-Video outs, FireWire and a 4-in-1 media reader, it's leagues ahead of other Linux boxes such as the subscription Zonbu. The Everex mini is slated to arrive at Newegg at the end of the week for a reasonable $499, but tell us, guys, seriously, did you have to deliberately go with a lowercase "m"? Hell, that's just provocation. [Everex]

News Corp Set-Top Box Becomes DVR: Just Add External Hard Drive [Home Entertainment]

Posted: February 26th, 2008, 3:55pm EST by Wilson Rothman

How much simpler can it get? You take the HD satellite set-top box already sitting in someone's living room, perform a quick firmware update, plug an external hard drive into the USB jack and voila, it's a bleedin' DVR. Voila is right, though, since this News Corp-owned software fix is currently only available to Canal+ satellite customers in France. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no such thing for News Corp's DirecTV customers in the US, right? Nah, letting people keep their existing hardware is so un-American. It's bad for business, I tells ya! Press release after jump.

CANAL+ Chooses the Latest Generation of NDS Middleware to Transform Subscribers' Set-Top Boxes into Digital Video Recorders
¶ Highlights: ¶ -- CANAL+ GROUP has deployed the latest generation of NDS' MediaHighway(R) middleware, allowing subscribers to easily transform their HD set-top boxes (STBs) into HD digital video recorders (DVRs) ¶ -- CANAL+ and CANALSAT subscribers in France can now add an external hard drive via the USB port on their HD STB to have a fully functional HD DVR ¶ -- CANAL+ has also deployed NDS' MediaHighway to support its latest dual-tuner HD STB
LONDON & PARIS --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 26, 2008 NDS (NASDAQ:NNDS), the leading provider of technology solutions for digital Pay-TV, today announced that CANAL+ GROUP, France's leading Pay TV provider, has chosen the latest generation of MediaHighway(R) middleware to enable subscribers to transform their HD STBs into DVRs. CANAL+ launched its first HD STB two years ago and currently there are about 250,000 HD satellite STBs installed in subscribers' homes.

CANAL+ subscribers can connect an external hard disk to their HD STB via the USB port. Only external hard disk units which meet the requirements of CANAL+ for performance, stability and security will be integrated to provide the service. On its website, CANAL+ GROUP publishes a list of approved hard disks that are now available to buy in retail outlets.

As part of the adoption of the new version of MediaHighway, the middleware has automatically downloaded new software to each HD STB. The HD STBs now detect the addition of a new external hard drive and format the drive for use as a DVR. Subscribers may use more than one external hard drive if they wish.

CANAL+ has kicked off a marketing program to encourage customers to upgrade to HD and DVR functionality.

In addition, NDS today announced that CANAL+ has deployed NDS' MediaHighway to support its latest satellite dual-tuner HD STB for the French market.

MediaHighway is the market-leading middleware for digital pay TV worldwide. There are currently over 76.4 million NDS middleware clients deployed, and there are over 10.4 million NDS-powered DVRs in viewers' homes around the world.

"MediaHighway was the only middleware that enabled CANAL+ to offer its consumers the choice of industry-leading pay-TV solutions it required. MediaHighway has demonstrated yet again that it can handle complex requirements," commented Caroline Le Bigot, NDS Vice President, EMEA.

About CANAL+ GROUP

CANAL+ GROUP is the leader in Pay-TV in France with more than 10 million subscriptions to a wide range of offers including CANAL+, CANALSat and the former TPS. Within its offer, CANAL+ LE BOUQUET, the first multi-channel premium offer in France, available via satellite, cable, digital terrestrial television and ADSL networks, features six premium content channels built around the leading premium general-interest channel, CANAL+. CANAL+ GROUP also produces a range of channels dedicated to subscribers' favorite themes which include films (CineCinema), sport (Sport+, Infosport), news (i>Tele), series (Jimmy), documentaries (Planete) and programs for young people (Piwi, Teletoon). CANAL+ GROUP distributes CANALSAT as well, a multichannel offering available on satellite, cable, ADSL, DTT through a minipack and adapted for third generation (3G) mobile telephones. CANAL+ GROUP is also a major producer of French pay-TV channels and, through StudioCANAL, a significant contributor to the financing, acquisition and distribution of films. A pionner in new technologies, CANAL+ GROUP is the first Pay TV operator to have launched HD programs via satellite in Spring 2006 and have today the largest offering in the French TV market with more than 10 HD channels.

About NDS

NDS Group plc (NASDAQ:NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers. See http://www.nds.com for more information about NDS.

Toshiba Speeds 1.8-Inch Drives Up to 5400rpm [Storage]

Posted: February 26th, 2008, 11:12am EST by Wilson Rothman

The bitch about using 1.8" drives in computers is that they run at a sluggy 4200rpm, as opposed to the 5400rpm commonly clocked in 2.5" laptop drives. Toshiba today announced a 1.8" drive that runs at 5400rpm in capacities of 80GB (MK8016GSG) and 120GB (MK1216GSG).

This is good news for near-future UMPCs and refreshes of subnotebooks like the MacBook Air. Also, though Toshiba stresses the PC application, these more rugged and less power-hungry drives may even be the key to reducing lag in portable media players (ahem, iPod classic) too.

TOSHIBA introduces high-performance 5,400 RPM 1.8-inch HDDs with micro-sata connector
New 1.8-inch Products Feature High Capacity at 120GB and 80GB and

Enhanced Performance for Ultra-Portable PC Solutions

IRVINE, Feb. 25, 2008 - Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD), the industry pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today added a line of high-performance 5,400 RPM Serial ATA (SATA) 1.8-inch HDDs to its product offerings for mobile PCs. Available in 120GB1 and 80GB capacities, these new HDDs integrate design elements from Toshiba's flagship 2.5-inch line into its proven 1.8-inch platform to offer enhanced performance for ultra-thin and light PC applications.

These new 1.8-inch HDDs leverage the interface architecture from Toshiba's 2.5-inch SATA HDDs, which carry the industry certification for SATA compliance, providing seamless compatibility across Toshiba's full line of SATA HDDs. The combination of 5,400 RPM spin speeds with SATA features expands Toshiba's market-leading 1.8-inch product lineup into the high-performance segment of the growing ultra-portable computing market.

Toshiba's 120GB MK1216GSG and 80GB MK8016GSG 1.8-inch HDDs are designed to the latest SATA 2.6 specification and incorporate the new industry-standard micro-SATA connector. Features include native command queuing, staggered spin-up and hot-plug capability. These ultra-slim storage solutions deliver both high performance and power efficiency, providing computing capabilities traditionally found in desktop and notebook PCs - all in a lightweight design at 62 grams. Toshiba's 1.8-inch HDDs feature an 8MB cache to optimize read and write performance and fully utilize the 489 Mbits/sec data transfer rate for a powerful computing experience in thin and light mobile computers.

In addition to spurring miniaturization and mobility for PC devices, 1.8-inch HDDs deliver improved ruggedness at capacity levels popular in larger form factors. Toshiba's introduction of high-capacity 5,400 RPM 1.8-inch HDDs reflect the market's voracious appetite for storage as broadband Internet and powerful media-rich applications bring new capabilities to mobile PCs, enabling consumers to take advantage of digital content on the go. The new 1.8-inch HDDs also provide improved shock tolerance over best-in-class 2.5-inch HDDs by more than 100Gs during operation and several hundred Gs in non-operating mode, making them ideal for highly mobile PC users.

"The portable computing market is looking for an uncompromised computing experience in small and light-weight storage solutions," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "With enhanced features for the mobile environment, these new 1.8-inch HDDs enable mobile system manufacturers to reap the benefits of high-capacity magnetic storage, along with better power efficiency and ruggedness."

Delivering Industry-leading 1.8-inch HDDs

With over 60 million 1.8-inch HDDs shipped since 2000, Toshiba has consistently held the number one position in the 1.8-inch HDD segment according to IDC2. Toshiba's product leadership in the 1.8-inch market has helped fuel the digital product revolution in both PC and CE devices, with capacity points traditionally seen in mobile 2.5-inch and desktop HDDs, while delivering better power efficiency, improved ruggedness and quieter acoustics during system operation.

Toshiba will showcase its new 1.8-inch HDDs at the Intel Mobility Summit in Shanghai, China, February 26 - 29, 2008. Toshiba's new 1.8-inch HDDs will begin shipping to mobile PC manufacturers and distribution partners in April 2008. Interested developers and design engineers can visit www.toshibastorage.com for more information on Toshiba's line of industry-leading 1.8-inch HDDs.

Sony Performance Cyber-shots Come in Small (W300) and Large (H50) [Digital Cameras]

Posted: February 25th, 2008, 6:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

Today you can take your pick of two mid-priced high-performance Cyber-shot cameras from Sony, the 9-megapixel H50 with the 15X zoom lens for $400 and the W300, a 13.6-megapixel pocket point-and-shoot for $350.

If the ladies don't mind you lugging around something big and beefy, the H50 has a lot to offer: the zoom lens is made from low-dispersion glass and is assisted by Super SteadyShot optical image stabiization to make sure the pictures come out as crisp as possible. The 3" LCD tilts out and around, so you can do that hold-up-and-shoot thing with your camera without just guessing at where to point the lens. In "advanced sports" mode it shoots at 1/4000 of a second while using continuous auto-focus, and the long-distance flash can illuminate stuff up to 55 feet away. Best of all, the fully manual H50 will have the option of screw-on wide angle and telephoto lenses and other accessories.

The H50 is more of a DSLR replacement (or wannabe); the W300 is everything you want in a camera you don't want people to see too often. In addition to the monster 13.6-megapixel CCD and the expected 3X optical zoom and 2.7" LCD, the W300 has talents like high-speed shooting—3-megapixel shots at five frames per second—plus Super SteadyShot and "high sensitivity" ISO up to 6400 for nice shots in bad light. It's got Smile Shutter, already seen in other models, and smart scene detection. [Sony ]

$6 Million Kipnis Home Theater Seats 3, Might Be Worth the Money [Home Entertainment]

Posted: February 7th, 2008, 4:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Often when we encounter these super deluxe home theater rigs, we can't figure out where all that money goes. Not so for the Kipnis Studio Standard, the austere name Jeremy Kipnis gave to his $6 million trial home theater, one he's happy to reproduce for any other way-too-well-off citizen who asks. I mean, yeah, it's totally ridiculous, but with 8.8 channels of surround sound, 16 subwoofers and video resolution four times as tight as 1080p, at least you see where your some rich dude's money is going.

For one thing, we've laughed in the past at fancy home theaters that still had 720p monitors; well, this guy leapfrogs even 1080p and goes with Sony's formerly commercial $100,000 4K SRX-R110 projector, lighting up an 18-by-10-foot Stewart Snowmatte "laboratory-grade" screen. Ironically, the Sony doesn't have an HDMI HDCP input, but it can upconvert all Blu-ray and HD DVD content to 4,096 x 2,160 in analog. There's also a secondary projector, if you're just dying for the olden days of "full HD."

The sound system is 8.8 channel, though I can't figure out why it's not 9.16, or even 11.16, given the fact that there are eight Snell THX towers spaced all around, plus three Snell center-channel speakers, all powered by a combination of solid-state and tube amplifiers. As I hinted, the low end is handled by 16 Snell subwoofers. (I guess this means Snell makes the best speakers money can buy—I'll just file that away for...never.)

All of this is crowded into a room that's not ginormous by any means, just 26.5 x 33 feet, with a single three-cushion menage-a-trois couch as the focal point for all 11,315 watts of juice. (Fun Fact: That's like 11,215 more watts than anything I own.)

Want one? Well, you're in luck, cuz Jeremy Kipnis is selling this design, along with an even bigger one called the Alpha Ciné and a tinier one called the Gamma Ciné. That's right: $6 million doesn't even get you the Alpha; it gets you the Beta. [Kipnis via Crave and, most informatively, Audio Video Interiors]
Thanks Steve!

New Vex Robotics Kits: Smaller, Cheaper, Chattier, Wireless-er [Robots]

Posted: February 7th, 2008, 11:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Remember Vex, the RadioShack robot platform that was going to change the face of home android-army construction? After a spell out of the limelight, it's back with some cool upgrades: the RCR Mini platform is half the size (and at under $100, a third the cost) of standard Vex, and works alone or with the larger set if you want to mix 'n' match. The Wi-Fi Control System lets you wirelessly control hundreds of robots via any computer—Linux machines included—and allows the robots themselves to communicate with one another, so be careful how well you arm them! Pricing and availability details will come out later, but the first hands-on opp will be at Toy Fair, so stay tuned. [Vex Labs]

Cellphone Flasher Gets Small Fine, Large Public Humiliation [Cellphones]

Posted: February 7th, 2008, 9:51am EST by Wilson Rothman

Wondering what actually would happen if you took a picture of your junk with your cameraphone and texted it to some unsuspecting lady? You'd get fined for "distributing pornographic material," at least if you do it in Germany, where one such exposure case closed just yesterday. The actual cost was around $220. But the humiliation—especially when the judge said of the 21-year-old perp's unit shot, "We all had a bit of a laugh when we saw the thing"—that was priceless. Let this be a lesson to all you would-be porno distributors out there. [Reuters]

Ping Pong Ball Fired From Cannon Destroys Can, Self [Ping Pong]

Posted: February 7th, 2008, 9:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

In these shots, a ping-pong ball fired at an unnamed "near-sonic" speed destroys a metal can that, you'll note, is first dented just by the cushion of air coming from the barrel. Kinda makes you wonder how much devastation the cannon could have gotten done without any projectile at all. If this rings of deja-vu, it's because yesterday I posted a video series of a tennis-ball cannon that I mistakenly thought was the same device. Consider it a two-fer and enjoy the bonus annihilation. [Make]

Tennis Ball Howitzer Vs. Things You Find at a Grocery Store [Tennis]

Posted: February 6th, 2008, 7:40pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Leave it to the geniuses at the NIT Physics Lab in Japan to build a cannon that fires ping-pong tennis balls at near-sonic 700 Km/h, annihilating cabbages, Coke bottles and what look like sundry colorfully packaged snack-food items. There's no dramatic tension here, just the satisfaction of seeing the strong overpower the weak. Want more? Update: Some of you pointed out inconsistencies that, upon review, turned out were the result of me reading one thing and watching another, combining the two into one big idea. My apologies.

I don't read Japanese, but this cabbage-penetration vid literally got me aroused, especially when they switch to slow-mo:

This final one has most of the quick shots from the first vid, only with more build-up and speed indicators:

[YouTube via Make—bonus crazy slow-mo ping-pong devastation pics there!]

Sony #1 in LCD; Biggest Names Hold Fast, But Cheap-o Brands Taking Out Weaker Competition [TVs]

Posted: February 6th, 2008, 6:10pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Last quarter was an all-out TV-maker battle, and you my friends were the territory. DisplaySearch's results for Q4 '07 declared the victor in the US LCD category to be Sony for the very first time. Panasonic handily crushed all comers in the smaller US plasma race. Samsung, with strong #2 finishes in both, ended up remaining the #1 overall TV brand in the country, and LG also held its own. But...

While these Big Four gained ground—often by keeping profit margins slim and exploring cheaper manufacturing—other well-regarded brands like Sharp, Philips and Hitachi fell back. The strongest competition in LCD came from Vizio and Polaroid, but many other brands clamored like barbarians at the gate.

DisplaySearch's charts with market share number are just below, but first answer this simple question:

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

[DisplaySearch]

LeapFrog Leapster2 and Didj: Handheld Edu-Gamers For the Pre-iPod/Cellphone/DS Demographic [Toys]

Posted: February 5th, 2008, 2:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Today, LeapFrog pulled the veil off of two handhelds aimed at edu-taining kids who are still too young for an iPod, a cellphone and maybe even a Nintendo DS. The Leapster2 is a $70 streamlined, net-connected version of the first Leapster, a chunky, ergonomic thing designed for kids ages 4-8, with new games from the Star Wars and soon-to-be-everywhere-I-can-feel-it Pixar WALL-E franchises. The cooler of the two, and an acknowledgment that LeapFrog knows its handheld competition, is the customizable ARM9-powered Didj, as in, "Did you do your homework, young man?"

The $90 Didj is aimed at "discerning" kids ages 6 to 10. It's probably the highest-resolution screen ever seen on the notoriously low-rez LeapFrog toys, a 3.2" full-color 320x240 LCD, backed by a 393MHz processor. This enables gaming opportunities from the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog—with GBAish graphics in our preview—as well as room for customization: not only can kids mod the look and feel of games, but they can, say, build spelling lists to fit their class assignments from a database of 10,000 words. (That ain't Shakespeare's compleat 24,000-word vocab, but it's a start.) Also new to Leapfrog: Mac compability, which should arrive in September.

I know, some of you think you're a bit old to be reading about LeapFrog, but many of you already have kids you're shopping for, and others have a hankering for weird stuff to crack open and play with. We're not saying go out and buy this; we are saying that if you do, to use, share with your kids or to mod the hell out of, be sure to share your experiences. [LeapFrog]

LeapFrog Introduces New Web-Connected Gaming Handhelds

Setting the New Standard in Educational Gaming, Leapster2 and Didj(TM) Provide Parents with Exclusive Access to Kids' Educational Progress

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., a leading developer of technology-based learning products, today announced two new web-connected video game systems that are tied to the proprietary LeapFrog(R) Learning Path. The Leapster2 Learning Game System, the latest handheld in the popular Leapster(R) family, expands the gameplay online with fun activities and rewards that encourage continued play while allowing parents to see what their child is learning and share in their accomplishments. The online capabilities in the all-new Didj Custom Gaming System connect gameplay with schoolwork, allowing grade-schoolers to customize the game with spelling lists, math problems and more.

Parents can get an early peek at Leapster2, Didj and the LeapFrog Learning Path at http://leapfrog.com/gaming and http://leapfrog.com/learningpath.

"LeapFrog is the leader in educational handheld gaming and now with Leapster2 and Didj, we are offering parents and kids even more choice and capability," said Christian Cocks, vice president of gaming at LeapFrog. "Kids want to play video games, and as parents we want them to get the most from that experience. Our new Leapster2 and Didj handhelds are products that parents can feel good about and that kids can have a terrific time playing."

The Bestselling Educational Gaming Handheld Just Got Better

Four years ago LeapFrog broke ground with the original Leapster handheld, and since then nearly 5 million Leapster family hardware units and over 14 million software titles have sold in the United States. In addition to creating age-appropriate educational games, LeapFrog was the first to recognize that four- to eight-year-olds are still developing fine motor skills. Ergonomically designed to accommodate smaller hands, a bigger D-pad and larger buttons as well as an attached stylus made the Leapster handheld kid-friendly, as did offering relevant learning games that can be played with only a stylus.

The Leapster2 system offers a sleek new form for enjoying new games such as the exclusive educational game license for Star Wars: The Clone Wars or the summer 2008 Disney/Pixar blockbuster WALL E. As with the original Leapster system, the Leapster2 handheld auto-levels, adjusting games to children's particular skills and progress, so players are appropriately challenged. The Leapster2 handheld's new online connectivity allows parents a window into their child's accomplishments, while kids earn rewards to encourage continued playing and learning.

Taking Customized Learning to a New Level

When kids are ready to graduate from the Leapster system, the Didj handheld is the smart option to extend the learning. The first totally customizable educational gaming platform, the Didj system lets kids personalize the look and feel of the games, from designing their avatars to choosing background scenery, color schemes and music.

Beyond making visual customizations, parents and kids can customize the learning content on the Didj handheld, connecting gameplay with schoolwork. For example, a custom spelling list can be created from the 10,000-word database, giving kids the ability to practice for next week's test while playing the classic Sonic the Hedgehog. The Didj system supports what kids are learning in school and lets them practice skills in a fun way-through gaming.

Built for discerning six- to ten-year-olds, the Didj system offers high resolution graphics presented on a 3.2 inch LCD screen featuring 16.7 million color TFT on a 320x240 display. Perceptive players also will appreciate the processing speed (ARM 9 @ 393 MHz), which is comparable to that of other handhelds on the market today. In addition to processing game logic, the combined 32 bit ARM and 256MB Flash memories ensure high-quality, real-time audio decompression and playback.

Learning is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Also launching this summer is LeapFrog's proprietary Learning Path, a free online tool at leapfrog.com that interfaces with LeapFrog products to show parents what their child is learning and how their activities or games map back to the Scope and Sequence of educational skills that LeapFrog has always built into every product.

Based on an award-winning LeapFrog School product used by teachers across the United States to individualize assessment and instruction, each time parents connect their Leapster2 or Didj system, they can see how education comes to life for their child -- the games their child has been playing, the skills they have been practicing and the progress they have been making.

This information populates each child's personalized LeapFrog Learning Path profile, empowering parents with insights into what excites their children, and letting them know where their kids may be struggling and in need of extra attention.

AVAILABILITY

The Didj system will be available in the summer of 2008 with an MSRP of $89.99. The Didj system software library offers nine learning games during launch year, with an MSRP of $29.99 each. The Leapster2 handheld will be available in the summer of 2008 with an MSRP of $69.99. Five new Leapster system games will be available at the launch of the Leapster2 platform, with refreshed versions of 10 of the most popular legacy titles available; all are optimized for the Leapster2 handheld's LeapFrog Learning Path connectivity. The entire 33-title Leapster library is compatible with the full Leapster family of Learning Game Systems. All Leapster titles MSRP at $24.99.

Discovery Venus Fly Trap Robot Swallows Bugs Alive [Robots]

Posted: February 5th, 2008, 1:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Sure, it's an easy enough thing to find a Little Shop of Horrors plant robot that snaps shut to kill bugs, then burp comedically. But how about a bionic Venus Fly Trap that lures insects, detects them with its hidden motion detectors, then gulps them down whole and alive? The bugs fall into the clear containment chamber, which you can decorate with mementos to keep the bugs from getting too homesick, such as a stick, a leaf and maybe a piece of cheese or celery. Doing this, the Discovery Channel Store explains, allows you to "discover a world of fascinating discoveries." And yes, they do take the Discover card. [Discovery via Ubergizmo]

Von Zipper Snow Muffs Headphones: One Less Thing To Worry About [Accessories]

Posted: February 5th, 2008, 9:34am EST by Wilson Rothman

Say you're Brian Lam, out there on the slopes of Tahoe, snowboarding as your iPhone drops the biggest beats since the Propellerheads' dropped Decksanddrumsandrockandroll. It sounds grand, but there's a logistical problem: You have goggles, plus the earmuffs your mom knitted for you, plus your (definitely not white) earbuds, all connected to your head using different straps, levers and pulleys. Von Zipper combines them all into one easy system: the $20 Snow Muffs/H-Phones will attach to most ski goggles—but particularly those that Von Zipper by coincidence also sells, for $60 to $160. [Product Page via Book of Joe]

Gecko Tape Could Mean Spider-Man Climbing Suits [Clinging Sensation]

Posted: February 4th, 2008, 5:45pm EST by Wilson Rothman

A new material relies on millions of tiny plastic fibers that can grip solids as the fabric slides across them, then quickly release those objects when pulled away vertically. The technology is based on the anatomy of a spider's gecko's foot, and may be used for things like hanging art on a wall, or wrapping a broken leg on a battlefield. Screw that stuff: I'd like to use it to build a Spider-Man climbing suit.

According to the scientists at UC Berkeley and Lewis and Clark College in Oregon, a 2-cm square of the stuff can hold nearly a pound. Off the bat, that may not be enough to hold me on a gusty day 32 stories up the side of the Empire State Building, but it's a good start. Put a whole suit of the material on a guy as limber as, say, Andy Serkis, and you never know.

Another cool attribute is that—like certain ex-girlfriends—the stuff gets clingier the longer you use it. As it was rubbed against a glass plate, it got stronger, because of the way the fibers bent into shape. I'm not even sure many geckos can get a solid grip on glass. Of course, I don't want Berkeley professor Ron Fearing to hear me talking smack about his beloved lizards. Here's how he rhapsodizes the inspiration for his invention:

"The gecko has a very sophisticated hierarchical structure of compliant toes, microfibers, nanofibers and nanoattachment plates that allows the foot to attach and release with very little effort. The gecko makes it look simple, but the animal needs to control the directions it is moving its toes—correct movement equates to little effort."

Bottom line: If I'm ever going to get my fully functional Spider-Man suit, I'm probably gonna have to see a man named Fearing about it. [Medgadget]

Octopus Studios' Silverfish Aquarium Is 1980s' Future Fish Tank Now [Fishy]

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 11:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

The Octopus Studios' Silverfish Aquarium (see BBGadget for bookworm joke that, I'll be honest, took me a second) is one of those things you wish you had right up until the day you get it, then you spend a couple of years wondering what you were thinking. Sure, its six orbs of sturdy clear PMMA plastic are future funky in a retro-1980s Schwartzenegger-movie kind of way, and the advertised "easy installation" of this $3,400 complete-kit aqua-sculpture is certainly believable. But the minute green filth starts to build up in the linking tunnels, or one of your gouramis goes belly up in a lower-quadrant globe, well, that's it for fun with fish. [Octopus via BBGadgets]

Space Aliens First to Get DRM-Free Beatles Music? [Across The Universe]

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 8:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

You may have heard that at 7pm EST on Feb. 4, NASA plans to blast The Beatles' song "Across the Universe" into deep space in order to serenade otherworldly beings hundreds, thousands or millions of light years away with our very best pop music. I have several problems with this.

For starters, NASA: You got the choice of the entire Beatles catalog, and you pick a song only because it contains a relevant metaphor? I mean, have you ever listened to Revolver? Wait, actually, you clearly must've, since Paul McCartney performed "Good Day Sunshine" in Nov. 2005 for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. If you're aiming at aliens, why not choose something a little less intelligible, like "Dig a Pony," "Come Together" or "Tomorrow Never Knows." If those weren't written for space aliens, I don't know what.

Next on my shitlist: EMI and Apple Corp. WTF???? I've been a lifelong fan of your stupid Fab Four, but you're giving six billion purple globules from the Crab Nebula a shot at digitally retrieving The Beatles before I get one single measly 99-cent download? How is that fair? (Of course, the complete Beatles catalog is already on my iPod, but still!)

And finally, a message to the Crab people: Don't trust these downloads. You'll see the file streaming into your antenna array and you'll be like, "Sweet! Free music!" But then you open the file, and you get this message on your Crab Nebula equivalent of Windows Media Player 11, saying that in order to enjoy this track, you need to get authorization from a central server. You click okay, and the message has to travel back to earth, taking another 50,000 years or so. Which may seem worth the wait, only the track itself expires in 30 days.

So good luck to you, purple Crab people. And GFY, recording industry. You have dissed me for the last time. [Network World via The Inquirer]

NASA Chariot Lunar Rover Looks Like Something I Made With LEGOs When I Was 8 [Lunacy]

Posted: January 31st, 2008, 7:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

I can't say for certain how NASA comes up with its designs for lunar rovers, but my guess is that the LEGO Space system plays a big part in it. Today we're looking at Chariot, a 12-wheeled space SUV designed in 12 short months specifically for a proposed 2020 moon landing.

Lucien Junkin, chief engineer, told ABC News:

"Our mandate was building a truck that could go to the moon...Our crew members will stand up, and we can carry more than two astronauts. The Chariot can move in a crablike motion from side to side as well as forward and reverse. It has six wheels instead of four wheels."

Speaking of crablike motions, what ever happened to ATHLETE, the other lunar rover that had LEGO influence written all over it? Chariot does look a tad more practical, if not half as fun.

See? LEGO inspired, or I'll eat my space helmet:
Check out a full gallery and story at the ABC News website. [ABC News]
Thanks Paul!

Cranky Benches Roll Off Water After It Rains [Design]

Posted: January 31st, 2008, 4:50pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Anybody who likes to go to the park after a good rainstorm knows the butt-soaking hazard of still-wet bench. Some design gurus in Korea decided to solve the system with a simple crank: give it a couple of turns, and the soggy slats at the top roll to the bottom while the dry slats below revolve back on top. This "rolling bench" innovation solves the problem of water, which will definitely evaporate or just drip off, but it doesn't solve the problem of other park-bench friendly substances, say the blue puke of a kid who's gorged himself on cotton candy. What do you got for that, O Mighty Design Gods? [Yanko]

Undersea Telecom Cables Mysteriously Cut, Digitally Stranding India and Middle East [Sea Saw]

Posted: January 31st, 2008, 9:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

One of today's biggest stories is the fact that India and the Middle East had about 75% of their digital connection to Europe cut off when two cables on the floor of the Mediterranean snapped under mysterious circumstances. Cables get damaged all the time, but never have two gone out simultaneously. It will take days, or even a week to repair the cables. No one knows the cause, but speculation abounds.

The cables, which incidentally have the names Flag and SEA-ME-WE 4, for "Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe", were severed in their runs between Palermo, Italy and Alexandria, Egypt. Data is being rerouted, in some cases "around India and back through Asia to the U.S." Outages or lousy connections have been experienced in India as well as Egypt, Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. (Insert sheik-surfing-the-porno joke here.)

According to the AP story, "There has been speculation...that an illegally or improperly anchored ship caused the problem. Our best guess is Godzilla of course, but some sort of Bond villain may be to blame. (Insert Dick-Cheney-not-ruling-out-terror joke here.) [AP; More from AP]

Amazon Plans to Buy Audible [Bookbinding]

Posted: January 31st, 2008, 7:46am EST by Wilson Rothman

It seems like a cozy fit: Amazon.com, the beloved mega bookseller, plans to by Audible.com, the biggest (only?) digital distributor of audiobooks. The news release itself describes the terms of the deal ($300 million in cash) but doesn't really outline Amazon's ultimate plans. Amazon does, notably, take this opportunity to plug the Kindle, giving us an idea that any refresh to the Kindle's OS will involve a more full-featured audio player. No word, however, on whether or not Amazon will insist its new subsidiary distribute files in DRM-free MP3. Wouldn't that be nice? [Amazon PR]

Gateway Goes Off Deep End, Offers $4500 PC Rig for Best Video Stunt [Like Jackass But With Cows]

Posted: January 31st, 2008, 5:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

Today Gateway announces its "Show Your Spots" contest, inviting any and all "thrill-seeking technology lovers willing to perform and film a crazy stunt" to win a $4,500 high-performance computer setup. Yikes.

Now I've heard that in this day and age, some folks are inclined to do silly things and even shoot video of them. Most corporations tend to look the other way, a few might frown on it, but we didn't think any actually encouraged it.

Nevertheless Gateway is planning to give away a $3,000 FX540XT machine and one of the coolest monitors in the world, the 30-inch 1600p XHD3000 with Silicon Optix Realta HQV upscaling to the best video submitter. The contest's only main rules are that a) the video must be under 3 minutes and b) it must feature "a genuine or fake Holstein cow." Yep, you are completely bananas, Gateway.

While this contest is in no way affiliated with Gizmodo, any of you ballsy submitters out there can feel free to CC your craziest works to our tips line as well. [Gateway Contest]

nuvifone: Garmin Drops a Phone into the GPS [GPS]

Posted: January 30th, 2008, 6:46pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Today in a surprise announcement in New York City, Garmin whipped out the nuvifone, a full-fledged GSM HSDPA smartphone built on its own operating system with GPS navigation at its core—but e-mail and web browsing close to its heart, and a camera built in too. No pricing or carrier announcement has been made yet, though its likeliest compatible network is AT&T given the technology. (When T-Mobile launches HSDPA, it too will be suitable, and possibly more attractive than AT&T.)

Features include:
• Google local search
• Garmin Online services - traffic, weather, fuel prices, hotel discounts, etc.
• nuvi-like navigation on the road or in pedestrian mode
• Email, text, IM functions
• Camera, video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC

Garmin is promising to deliver it in the 3rd quarter, and says that while the PND market isn't dying, the cellphone is clearly a ripe opportunity. Only one problem, as quipster and NPD analyst Ross Rubin pointed out: "Hello and Welcome to nuvifone!" Damn, now I'll never get that voice out of my head. Have a look at all those pictures and the official press release below.

galleryPost('nuviphone', 19, '');

Garmin n vifone Takes Personal Navigation and Communication to the Next Level
New York/January 30, 2008/PR Newswire -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN) and the world's leading GPS manufacturer, today announced its entrance into the mobile phone market with the n vifone, an all-in-one, sleek and slim, touchscreen device that combines a premium phone, mobile web-browser, and cutting-edge personal navigator. The n vifone is a work of art in features, design and functionality and is destined to transform how individuals connect, communicate and navigate their life.

"The n vifone is an all-in-one device offering unmatched integration of utility and function in a single mobile device," said Cliff Pemble, Garmin's president and COO. "This is the breakthrough product that cell phone and GPS users around the world have been longing for -- a single device that does it all."

The n vifone is an innovative mobile phone that has a wide range of advanced yet easy-to-use features. The all touchscreen device is the first of its kind to integrate premium 3.5G mobile phone capability with an internet browser, data connectivity, personal messaging, and personal navigation functions in one device. When powered on, the 3.5-inch touchscreen display reveals three primary icons -- "Call," "Search," and "View Map" which allow the user to effortlessly master the n vifone's functions.

The n vifone is the ultimate multi-tasker. Calls are easily initiated by tapping the "Call" button and selecting a name from the contact list or by using the on-screen keypad. When the user is trying to juggle talking on their phone while entering their vehicle to start a trip, the n vifone makes the transition simple. When the n vifone is docked onto the vehicle mount, it automatically turns on the GPS, activates the navigation menu, and enables hands-free calling so that the user never misses a beat in the conversation and is able to begin routing to their destination with ease.

Customers familiar with Garmin's industry leading n vi product line will feel right at home using the n vifone's personal navigation features. It includes preloaded maps of North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or both, and allows drivers to quickly find a specific street address, establishment's name or search for a destination by category using the n vifone's built-in database with millions of points of interest. Turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions guide the user to their destination. If they miss a turn along the route, n vifone automatically recalculates a route and gets them back on track, speaking the names of the streets along the way.

The n vifone is Garmin's first device to include Google local search capability, which harnesses the vast point of interest information available from the world wide web. N vifone users can search for locations like "coffee shops" and Google will sort the results based on the user's current location and relevance. Information provided by Google includes a web-based rating so that users can select the most appropriate destination and route directly to it. In addition, the n vifone includes a web browser incorporating premium features and touchscreen operation for an optimum mobile browsing experience. The n vifone also includes personal messaging functions, including email, text, and instant messaging.

For the ultimate in safety, the "Where am I?" feature lets users touch the screen at any time to display the exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. The n vifone also helps drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or crowded parking lot by automatically marking the position in which it was last removed from the vehicle mount.

In addition to navigation, the n vifone includes access to Garmin Online , an online service offering constantly-updating information such as real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts.

The n vifone also includes numerous mobile entertainment applications. The built-in camera allows individuals to take a picture that will automatically be tagged with the exact latitude and longitude reference of where the image was taken. The user may then save the image so they can navigate back to the location, or email the image to a recipient who can navigate directly to the location. The n vifone also provides direct access to millions of geo-located landmark and sightseeing photographs available through Google's Panoramio picture sharing site. The Panoramio photo search feature enhances the enjoyment and adventure of sightseeing in an otherwise unfamiliar location. Other multimedia functions of the n vifone include a built-in video camera, MP3 and MPEG4/AAC.

Garmin anticipates that the n vifone will be available in the third quarter of 2008. Specific details about pricing and sales partners will be announced in the future. Additional information about n vifone is available at www.garmin.com/nuvifone.

[Garmin nuvifone]

Obama #1 In Gates and Jobs Households, Donation-Wise [Politics]

Posted: January 30th, 2008, 5:29pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Bill William Gates has only made one presidential-candidate campaign donation this season, and it was to Barack Obama. Meanwhile, although Steve Jobs' wife Laurene has given nice sums to each of the three leading Democratic candidates, Barack appears to be the apple of her eye, if you calculate that in terms of dollars. Steve himself is not in the registry. What's more, neither billionaire tech household donated a (traceable) penny to any of the Republicans currently running for office. Update: We have been informed that the William Gates referred to in the database is actually Bill's father. No other William Gates has donated any money to any candidate, and Melinda Gates is listed only as donating to the Microsoft PAC. As such, I have also changed the image to Barack Obama's apparent "Welcome Back Kotter" audition.

Around this time of year, I like to poke around in the MoneyLine campaign donation search tool at Congressional Quarterly's website. You can look up anyone you want—campaign donations by law have to be public. Sometimes the results are clear, as in the case of William Gates, "esecutive" (sic) of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.Things are a tad murkier when it comes to Palo Alto resident Laurene P Jobs:
Given the number of Barack listings, it's clear that Laurene is a fan. She might even be too zealous: Is that -$2,300 line item a donation she had to take back for giving too much? Even if you nix that and one of the other $2,300 items (for a zero sum), Barack appears to be $2,300 ahead of both Hillary and John Edwards.

It is possible that I'm reading this wrong, although I've doublechecked it as best as I can. The real lesson here is that anyone can "follow the money." Want to have a go? Dive in, enjoy democracy and report back any weirdness you might happen upon. [CQ MoneyLine]

Spambots Can Now Fool Yahoo CAPTCHA Tests: Yes, Worry [Spamalot]

Posted: January 30th, 2008, 9:39am EST by Wilson Rothman

You know those anti-spam tests that make you enter funny characters to prove you're a human? Well, non-humans can finally fake their way into systems using the "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart" too—even Yahoo's pretty secure system, according to new reports.

A Russian security researcher known only as "John Wane" (sic) says that his team has developed a system that correctly identifies the images from Yahoo's CAPTCHA system 35% of the time. According to one analyst, the irony is that the image recognition used to fight off the current generation of image-embedded spam will now be used to create the next wave of spam itself.

Yahoo apparently confirmed that this was the case:

We are aware of attempts being made toward automated solutions for CAPTCHA images and continue to work on improvements as well as other defenses.

This doesn't just finger Yahoo, since the verification technique is used by other online e-mail providers too. In the words of the analyst, the hack "could be used for spam...could be used for phishing...could create a fairly significant number of e-mail accounts." I'm thinking this also means I'm screwed next time I want tickets for a concert, too. [TMCNet via Slashdot]

Western Digital 320GB My Passport Essential Drives: Pretty and Priced Right [Hard Drives]

Posted: January 30th, 2008, 7:22am EST by Wilson Rothman

Today Western Digital introduced its newly redesigned My Passport Essential drives, in capacities of 160, 250 and 320GB, that last one priced at a very pleasant $200. The shiny bus-powered drives don't pack anything unusual, but they do come with WD Sync for easy Windows backup and 128-bit encryption. [WD] galleryPost('WDMyPassportEssential', 3, '');

Panasonic Lumix TZ5 Is 10X Zoom Camera and HD Camcorder Rolled Into One [Digital Cameras]

Posted: January 29th, 2008, 11:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

Panasonic, obviously eager to combine its skills in HD video and still photography, has built what might be a camcorder-killer: the $350 Lumix TZ5 9.1-megapixel camera with 10X optical zoom lens and 720p high-definition video recording. There are some features we've seen before from Pana: an optical image stabilizer, motion-sensitive ISO control and smart detection of up to 15 faces. Added to that are new powers: automatic exposure adjustment and ever-important in-camera redeye fixing. The junior version of this camera is the $300 TZ4. Though it has the same 28mm wide angle 10X zoom lens, it's got a 2.5" LCD with 230,000 dots, rather than the TZ5's super-fine 460,000-dot 3-incher. It's 8 megapixels, and it won't shoot in HD. I say spring the extra $50 and treat yourself to the way better camera. Gallery and press release after jump. [Panasonic]

galleryPost('PanasonicLumixTZ5TZ4', 10, '');

PANASONIC EXPANDS ITS AWARD-WINNING TZ-FAMILY OF LUMIX COMPACT, SUPERZOOM DIGITAL CAMERAS
New LUMIX TZ5 and TZ4 Offer 10x Optical Zoom, 28mm Wide-Angle Lenses and Advanced Intelligent Auto Mode Technologies for Increased Ease-of-Use

LAS VEGAS, NV (January 29, 2008) - Panasonic today introduced two new additions to its award-winning TZ-family of LUMIX digital cameras, the DMC-TZ5 and DMC-TZ4 - both packing a 28mm wide-angle, 10X optical zoom Leica DC lens in a compact design, ideal for the active user needing a versatile camera. By combining a 28mm wide-angle lens, which lets the user capture a wider-framed shot when compared to a traditional 35mm camera, with the TZ-Series 10x optical zoom - consumers are empowered to take expanded shots, both wide and far. Adding to these feature-rich digital cameras, Panasonic also expands its Intelligent Auto technologies with new Intelligent Exposure and Digital Red-eye Correction.

"Panasonic is taking digital photography to a new level and recognizes that everyone, not just professionals, should be equipped with a digital camera powerful enough to take high-quality photos, but compact enough to carry with them everyday," said Alex Fried, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "With the success of the TZ3, we're confident that the enhancements we've made to the 2008 TZ-family will make them a must-have for consumers who appreciate advanced, intuitive and versatile digital cameras."

With the addition of Intelligent Exposure and Digital Red-eye Correction, Panasonic's Advanced Intelligent Auto mode consists of seven intuitive technologies, all which are specifically designed to help make photo-taking an enjoyable and seamless process unnoticed by the consumer - helping them to take clear photos. When in Advanced Intelligent Auto mode, the following technologies all operate automatically; the consumer does not need to change any settings:

• Intelligent Exposure - With this new feature, photos will no longer be under- or over-exposed. Instead, the TZ5 and TZ4, instantly analyze the framed image and adjusts the brightness in areas that are too dark because of dim lighting, backlighting or the use of the flash. The camera will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly.
• Digital Red-eye Correction*- This feature helps to eliminate the red-eye problem that sometimes results when taking flash shots at the night. Incorporated into the built-in flash, the camera emits a small preliminary flash before the main flash, detects red-eye and will digitally correct it.
• MEGA O.I.S. - Gyrosensors detect hand-shake and the lens system shifts to compensate, helping to prevent hand-shake from creating a blurry image.
• Intelligent ISO - With Intelligent ISO, the TZ4 and TZ5 can determine if the photo subject is moving and change the ISO setting and shutter speed accordingly, thus giving a blur-free photo.
• Intelligent Scene Selector - Intelligent Scene Selector senses the ambient conditions, recognizes the shooting environment and will automatically select the appropriate scene mode from: Scenery, Portrait, Macro, Night Portrait or Night Scenery mode. This intuitive technology, helps the consumer use the most common scene modes that are built into the camera, but often go unused, without making any manual adjustments.
• Face Detection - Panasonic's Face Detection detects faces anywhere in the frame and automatically chooses the optimal focus and exposure settings so portraits come out clear and crisp. Detecting up to 15 faces, Panasonic's Face Detection can even track a face if the subject is moving.
• Continuous AF - The Continuous AF (auto focus) system maintains focus on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, thus minimizing the AF time.

Also new to the TZ5 and the TZ4 is the Venus Engine IV, Panasonic's new high-performance image processing LSI. The Venus Engine IV produces higher-quality pictures than its predecessor, the Venus Engine III, by using a more advanced signal processing system. The new Venus Engine IV also improves noise reduction, elevates the detection accuracy and corrective effects in both MEGA O.I.S. and Intelligent ISO and reduces the shutter release time lag. Both models also incorporate Intelligent LCD, which detects the lighting condition and controls the brightness level of the LCD in 11 fine steps, to offer optimal clarity in any situation, whether dark or light; indoors or outdoors. With a newly developed 460,000-dot high resolution in the TZ5's 3.0-inch LCD and 230,000-dot in the TZ4's 2.5-inch LCD, photos can be easily viewed on the display, regardless of the shooting environment.

The TZ5, with 9.1 megapixels is capable of recording 720p High Definition motion pictures, and because of its support of SD Memory Cards, is easily compatible with Panasonic VIERA Plasma HDTVs that have an integrated SD Memory Card slot, so viewing photos is simple. The TZ4, with 8.1 megapixels, joins the TZ5 in its ability to take 1920 x 1080 pixel High Definition-ready photos that perfectly fit a wide-screen (16:9) HDTV. Also, with the newly added HD component output capability, users can also connect the TZ models to an HDTV and watch a slideshow complete with mood-appropriate music, choosing from natural, slow, urban and swing.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ5 is available in blue, black and silver models for a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $349.95, while the DMC-TZ4 is available in black and silver for an MSRP of $299.95. Both models will be available in late March 2008.

*Digital Red-eye Correction available only on the LUMIX DMC-TZ5.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. In its commitment to provide consumers with extensive imaging resources, Panasonic LUMIX established the Digital Photo Academy, a series of nationwide workshops designed to instruct consumers how to optimize the features on their digital cameras and produce high-quality photos. Panasonic is honored to support OUR PLACE - The World's Heritage, a project that will create the world's largest photographic collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, with acclaimed photographers exclusively using LUMIX digital cameras to capture all images. Information about Panasonic LUMIX digital still cameras and its affiliated programs is available at www.panasonic.com/dsc.

# # #

DMC-TZ5/ DMC-TZ4 Specifications
DMC-TZ5: S-Silver, K-Black, A-Blue
DMC-TZ4: S-Silver, K-Black

　 DMC-TZ5 / DMC-TZ4
Dimensions (W x H x D) TZ5: 103.3 x 59.3 x 36.5 mm (4.07 x 2.33 x 1.44 in)
　 TZ4: 103.3 x 59.3 x 36.2 mm (4.07 x 2.33 x 1.43 in)
Weight TZ5: Approx. 214g (0.47 Ib) Approx. 240g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.53 lb)
　 TZ4: Approx. 208g (0.46Ib) Approx. 234g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.52 lb)
Camera Effective Pixels TZ5: 9.1 Mega pixels
　 TZ4: 8.1 Mega pixels
Image Sensor TZ5: 1/2.33" 10.7 Total Mega Pixels CCD, Primary Color Filter
　 TZ4: 1/2.5" 8.32 Total Mega Pixels CCD, Primary Color Filter
Optical Zoom 10x
Extra Optical Zoom TZ5:
　 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 11.3x for 7Mega, 13.5x for 5Mega, 16.9x for 3Mega, 2Mega, 0.3Mega
　 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 11.6x for 6Mega, 13.9x for 4.5Mega, 16.9x for 2.5Mega
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 12.1x for 5.5Mega, 14.5x for 3.5Mega, 16.9x for 2Mega
　 TZ4:
　 TZ4: 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 12.8x for 5Mega, 15.9x for 3Mega, 2Mega, 0.3Mega
　 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 12.8x for 4.5Mega, 15.9x for 2.5Mega
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 12.8x for 3.5Mega, 15.9x for 2Mega
Digital Zoom 4x
　 ( Max. 40.0 x combined with Optical Zoom without Extra Optical Zoom )
　 TZ5: (Max. 67.5x combined with Extra Optical Zoom)
　 TZ4: (Max. 63.8x combined with Extra Optical Zoom)
Focal Length f=4.7-47mm (35mm Equiv.: 28-280mm)
Lens LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR
　 11 elements in 9 groups
　 (3 Aspherical Lenses / 4 Aspherical surfaces, 1 ED lens)
Aperture Wide: F3.3 / F8.0 (2 steps) Tele: F4.9 / F11 (2 steps)
Optical Image Stabilizer MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1/ Mode2)
Focusing Area Normal: Wide 50cm/ Tele 200cm - infinity
　 Macro / Intelligent AUTO / Clipboard : Wide 5cm / Max 200cm / Tele 100cm - infinity
AF Metering Face / 1-point/ 1-point high speed/ 3-point high speed/ 9-point/ Spot
Focus Normal / Macro, Continuous AF (in Intelligent Auto, On/Off)
AF Assist Lamp Yes
ISO Sensitivity Auto /100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600
　 (High Sensitivity Mode : Auto(1600 - 6400) )
White Balance Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / White Set
　 White Balance Adjustment (±10steps, except for auto set)
Exposure Program AE
Exposure Compensation 1/3 EV step, +/-2 EV
Backlight Compensation Yes (at Intelligent AUTO mode)
Auto (AE) Bracketing +/- 1/3 EV ~1EV step, 3 frames
Light Metering Intelligent Multiple/ Center Weighted/ Spot
Rec Mode (Mode Dial) Intelligent AUTO, Normal Picture, Motion Picture, Clipboard, Scene 1, Scene 2
Scene Mode TZ5:
　 Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-Portrait,
　 Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst,
　 Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Underwater, Multi Aspect
　 TZ4:
　 Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-Portrait,
　 Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst,
　 Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Underwater
Shutter Speed 8-1/2000 sec, Starry Sky Mode : 15, 30, 60sec.
Self Timer 2sec / 10sec
Auto Review 1sec, 2sec, Zoom, Hold
Color Mode Standard, Natural, Vivid, Black & White, Sepia, Cool, Warm
Recording Format Still Image: JPEG(Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard)
　 DPOF corresponding
　 Image with audio: JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard)
　 + QuickTime
　 Motion picture: QuickTime Motion JPEG
Recording Image Size TZ5:
　 Still Image:
　 4:3 Aspect Ratio:
　 3456 x 2592 pixels, 3072 x 2304 pixels, 2560 x 1920 pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels,
　 1600 x 1200 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
　 3:2 Aspect Ratio:
　 3552 x 2368 pixels, 3072 x 2048 pixels, 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio:
　 3712 x 2088, 3072 x 1728 pixels, 2560 x 1440 pixels,1920 x 1080 pixels
　 TZ4:
　 Still Image:
　 4:3 Aspect Ratio:
　 3264 x 2448 pixels, 2560 x 1920pixels, 2048 x 1536 pixels,
　 1600 x 1200 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels
　 3:2 Aspect Ratio:
　 3264 x 2176 pixels, 2560 x 1712 pixels, 2048 x 1360 pixels
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio:
　 3264 x 1840 pixels, 2560 x 1440 pixels,1920 x 1080 pixels
Image Quality
Fine / Standard
Motion Picture TZ5:
　 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
　 HD（16:9 Aspect Ratio）: 1280x720 30fps, 15fps
　 TZ4:
　 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
　 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps, 10 fps
Burst Shooting Mode TZ5:
　 Full-Resolution Image
　 2.5 frames/sec Max. 5 images (Standard mode), Max 3 mages (Fine Mode)
　 High-speed Burst Mode:
　 Approx. 6 frames/sec (recorded in 2M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9)
　 TZ4:
　 Full-Resolution Image
　 3 frames/sec Max. 7 images (Standard mode), Max 4 images (Fine Mode)
　 High-speed Burst Mode:
　 Approx. 7 frames/sec (recorded in 2M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9)
Unlimited consecutive shooting Yes
Intelligent Exposure Yes
Digital Red Eye Correction TZ5: Yes / TZ4: No
Easy Zoom / Zoom Resume Yes / Yes
Zoom in Motion Picture Recording Yes
Still Image Rec. with Audio 5 sec
Audio Dubbing Max. 10sec
Real-time histogram Yes
Composition Guide line Yes (2 patterns)
Built-in-Memory approx. 50MB
Scene Mode Help Screen Yes
Auto Angle Detection Yes
Travel Date / World Time Yes / Yes
Title Edit Yes
Text Stamp Yes
Built-in-Flash Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
　 0.6 - 5.3m (Wide/ISO Auto), 1.0 - 3.6m (Tele/ISO Auto)
LCD Monitor TZ5: 3.0" Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (460K dots), Field of View : approx. 100%
　 AUTO Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode
　 TZ4: 2.5" TFT LCD Display (230K dots), Field of View : approx. 100%
　 AUTO Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode
Playback mode TZ5:
　 [REC]/[Play] Selector switch
　 30-thumbnail display, 12-thumbnail display, calendar display,
　 zoomed playback (16x max.), playback of favorite pictures,
　 image rotation, Resizing (selectable number of pixels),
　 trimming, protection, aspect conv. DPOF print setting 　
　 Creating still pictures from a motion picture, Dual image playback
　 TZ4:
　 [REC]/[Play] Selector switch
　 30-thumbnail display, 12-thumbnail display, calendar display,
　 zoomed playback (16x max.), playback of favorite pictures,
　 image rotation, Resizing (selectable number of pixels),
　 trimming, protection, aspect conv. DPOF print setting 　
Slideshow Mode Yes (duration & effect with music adjustable)
Category Playback Yes (in slideshow mode and normal playback)
OSD language English,German,French,Italian,Spanish,Polish,Czech,Hungarian,Russian,
Chinese(Traditional),Chinese(Simplified), Netherlandic,Thai,Korean,
Turkish, Portuguese, Arabic, Persian, Japanese
　
Recording Media Built-in Memory
　 SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard(Still image only)
Microphone Yes
Speaker Yes
Interface DC Input, AV Output (NTSC/PAL), HD AV Output (Component), USB2.0 High speed
Direct Print PictBridge
Power Li-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1000mAh) (Included)
　 AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240V AC) (Optional)
Battery life (approx.) TZ5: 300 pictures (CIPA Standard)*1
　 TZ4: 330 pictures (CIPA Standard)*1
Included Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO -viewer-
　 ArcSoft (MediaImpression / Panorama Maker)
　 USB Driver
Standard Accessories Battery Charger, Battery Pack, Battery carrying case
　 AV Cable, USB Connection Cable, Strap, CD-ROM

*1. Shooting conditions: 23°C with 50% humidity; LCD on; using SD Memory Card; starting to shoot 30 seconds after turning on the power; shooting once every 30 seconds with the flash in full operation for every other shot; changing the zoom setting from telephoto to wide, or wide to telephoto, for each shot; and temporarily turning the power off after each 10 shots (long enough to lower the battery temperature).

*The number of recordable pictures decreases in Auto Power LCD mode or Power LCD mode.

*Some accessories are not available in some countries.
*The use of recorded or printed materials that are protected by copyright for any purpose other than personal enjoyment is prohibited, as it would infringe upon the rights of the copyright holder.
*Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH.
*The LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lenses are manufactured using measurement instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company's quality standards.
*All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective corporations.
*QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are used under license. QuickTime is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
*This unit is compatible with both SD Memory cards and SDHC Memory cards. You can only use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are compatible with them. You cannot use SDHC Memory cards on devices that are only compatible with SD Memory cards. (When using a SDHC Memory card on another device, be sure to read the operating instructions for that device.)

*Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

LG Rumor Rumor Confirmed: Firmware Update Now Available [Cellphones]

Posted: January 29th, 2008, 9:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Maybe Sprint wasn't pulling inventory, but the rumors about the LG Rumor's shoddy firmware turn out to be, well, rooted in truth. Now you or your Rumor-owning loved ones can get a fast free upgrade: Either go Main Menu > Settings/Tools > Tools> Update Firmware, or get your sorry butt to a Sprint store and go to the back of the customer-service line. Message from Sprint: "While we have confidence in the quality of this device, we do encourage Rumor users to take advantage of this simple over-the-air upgrade." [Sprint]

Sleuthy NYC Couple Use Deckard Technique to Find Aussie Lost-Camera Owner [Lost And Found]

Posted: January 29th, 2008, 9:13am EST by Wilson Rothman

It was like a real-life scene from Blade Runner, well, except for the pleasure-model skin jobs, the handguns that sound like laser blasters and the whole Harrison Ford thing. An NYC couple stumbles upon a digital camera left in a cab on New Year's Eve, and decide to turn all sleuthy.

They pore over the 300 photos and videos in the memory card—which probably wasn't exactly legal—landing upon a shot of a bunch of people drunk in a bar, wearing nametags. Though the names themselves seemed to lead nowhere, a couple clicks up and to the right, a little zoom and voila! Our heroes could see the bar's name, written on an awning.

Popping over there, they shook down the bartender for information. The barman remembered a party and a particular "big tipper" who, fortunately for the couple, worked at another bar. They met up with her, and it turned out that her sister was amigos with the Australian who lost the camera. (What kind of amigo, I guess we'll never know.) After a few e-mails, the camera is making its way back to the bloke in Australia, who is happy to "know there are some honest people left in the world." [SMH]

Sure, it's a cute story, but the question is this:

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Moto Knocked Out of Handset Business? [Moto Blues]

Posted: January 29th, 2008, 7:34am EST by Wilson Rothman

From the bestselling cellphone in history to the most ignominious departure of a CEO not related to any criminal behavior, Motorola's had a hell of a slide, but still, the latest speculation comes as a punch to the chin. Richard Windsor, an analyst with a firm called Nomura International, says that Moto may exit the handset business. On one hand, it could sell the division to Chinese investors, but on the other hand, not even the Chinese really know how to solve Moto's problems. What happened, Motorola? Seriously, what in hell happened? [MarketWatch]

ATI Breaks Teraflop Barrier with Radeon HD 3870 X2 GPU [Graphics Cards]

Posted: January 28th, 2008, 9:07am EST by Wilson Rothman

Remember that honkin' ATI graphics card we showed you at CES? The one that was 1,000 times as fast as a Cray-1? Well, it's official, making its debut today as the $450 ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2. It's the first GPU to break the teraflop barrier, and is nearly double the performance of the HD 3870 you spent all your money on back in November. Press release with technical details after jump. [Product Page] galleryPost('ATIRadeonHD3870HD', 3, '');

AMD Delivers Enthusiast Performance Leadership(1) with the Introduction of the ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 X2
-- Industry's First Teraflop Consumer Graphics Card Redefines High-Definition Performance for 1080P Gaming and beyond --
SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 28, 2008 AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced the immediate availability of the ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 X2 graphics processor, expanding the visual boundaries of PC entertainment well beyond the 1080P High Definition (HD) threshold. The industry's first graphics processor to break the Teraflop (one trillion floating point operations per second) barrier, the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 nearly doubles the performance of the award-winning ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3870 introduced in November 2007.(2)

Through an elegant yet aggressive design, the 55 nanometer process-based ATI Radeon 3870 X2 combines two ATI Radeon HD 3870s on a single graphics board, connected through integrated CrossFire(TM) technology. ATI Radeon 3870 X2 is also the first performance-leadership graphics product in the world to support Microsoft's upcoming DirectX(R) 10.1 technology. The ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers a new class of price and performance leadership with unbelievable enthusiast value at a suggested retail price of US $449.

This launch follows on the success of the recently released ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3400 and ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3600 series graphics products, completing a comprehensive portfolio of next-generation 55nm GPUs that deliver unparalleled price, performance and energy efficiency from entry-level to performance-leadership class products.

"PC gaming enthusiasts demand the ultimate in performance and scalability for their HD gaming experience and the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 sets the standard by which all should be compared in this segment," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Graphics Product Group, AMD. "With this launch we reaffirm our commitment to enthusiast performance leadership and send a clear message that the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 is the new gold standard of the PC gaming world."

Ultimate Performance

With the upcoming introduction of Microsoft's DirectX 10.1 specification, gamers can expect more realistic gaming environments while developers have access to an increased amount of tools and resources to enhance overall image quality. Through delivering top-to-bottom DirectX 10.1 support, ATI Radeon HD 3000 series users can enjoy a more complete gaming experience now and in the future.

"We're pleased to see our newest DirectX 10 technology brought to market so soon with the introduction of AMD's latest enthusiast hardware," said Kevin Unangst, senior global director of Games for Windows, Microsoft. "One of the greatest advantages of PC gaming is the rapid pace at which the experiences evolve and improve. ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 delivers on the promise of DirectX 10 gaming with significantly improved visuals and enhanced performance."

ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 will also provide support for ATI CrossFireX(TM), the innovative next-generation AMD multi-GPU technology designed to support up to four GPUs. Software support to enable ATI CrossFireX is planned for late Q1 2008.

Ultimate HD Experiences

With the launch of ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2, AMD continues to support the industry-leading Unified Video Decoder (UVD) and ATI Avivo(TM) HD for exceptional platform efficiency and image quality for H.264 and VC-1 high definition content. Enhanced HDMI functionality is also offered via integrated HDCP and audio for HDMI video.

"Alienware prides itself on staying at the forefront of HD gaming innovation so that our brand stands for the best possible experience for our customers," said Patrick Cooper, director of product group, Alienware. "With the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 in our Area-51 ALX CrossFire platform, we can push the boundaries of visual realism one step further and provide enthusiast gamers with the perfect blend of next-generation features, performance and platform efficiency."

Ultimate Efficiency

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 is the first enthusiast graphics processors to use TSMC's 55nm process technology. The smooth transition to 55nm has allowed for a 2X increase in performance-per-watt over the previous generation. Through an elegant board design, the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers exceptional acoustics that are roughly equivalent to a single ATI Radeon HD 3870. When combined with ATI PowerPlay(TM) technology, the ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers exceptional idle power efficiency with the ability to dynamically raise or lower GPU power depending on the usage scenario.

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 launches with broad availability and ecosystem support from AMD's Add-in-Board (AIB) and Systems Integrators (SI) partners. AIB partners building boards based on the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 include Asus, ASK, Club3D, Diamond Multimedia, HIS, ITC, Jetway, MSI, Sapphire, Triplex, Tul and Visiontek. Systems integrators launching ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 series include ABS, Alienware, Canada Computers, CyberPower, Falcon-Northwest, iBUYPOWER, Maingear, Systemax and Velocity Micro.

About AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions that empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

(1) Performance comparisons using ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 versus NVIDIA 8800 Ultra using 3D Mark 2006, Supreme Commander, Call of Juarez, BioShock and Unreal Tournament 3 at 2560X1600 on AMD Phenom 2.6GHz CPU, AMD 790FX chipset, 2GB DDR2-800, Windows VISTA 64bit and ATI Catalyst display driver v. 8.45

(2) Performance comparisons of ATI Radeon HD 3870 versus ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 using 3D Mark 2006, Supreme Commander and Unreal Tournament 3 at 2560X1600 on AMD Phenom 2.6GHz CPU, AMD 790FX chipset, 2GB DDR2-800, Windows VISTA 64bit and ATI Catalyst display driver v. 8.45

Dead US Spy Satellite Hurtling Towards Earth; Where's Your Car Parked? [Spy Game]

Posted: January 28th, 2008, 8:57am EST by Wilson Rothman

A anonymous government official warned that a US intelligence satellite has lost power and could crash to earth sometime in February or March. When pushed on the matter, a National Security Council spokesman said this:

"Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation. Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause."

While this is all true and should feel like a relief, I just get a chill through my spine when I hear that the government is looking at "potential options." [Reuters]

Kurzweil Develops First Seeing-Eye Cellphone [Smartphones]

Posted: January 28th, 2008, 8:26am EST by Wilson Rothman

One of the pet projects of Ray Kurzweil, genius inventor and futurist, is camera-based reading for blind and learning-disabled people. His original designs were chunky by our standards, a Canon Digital Elph literally strapped to a PDA. Now, working with the National Federation of the Blind, Kurzweil's group has shrunk the knfbREADER Mobile system down into something more convenient: the small Symbian-based 5-megapixel Nokia N82 smartphone.

The system is simple: users take a picture of a printed page using the Nokia's high-res camera, with a voice-guided recognition system steering them to an optimal framing point. Press a button and "most" printed materials will be easily read in "clear synthetic speech."

For people with dyslexia or other learning disabilities who can see, the system serves to enlarge, read, track or highlight printed text on the N82's display. Since many learning disabilities hamper the reader's ability to track text, this allows them to focus more clearly on their reading task.

We've seen many "cellphones for the blind" ideas before, ones with angled keys, speech synthesizers (like the Kurzweil, and today, most other cellphones) and even Braille displays. The difference is, because this is a software enhancement to an existing phone, and because Kurzweil and the NFB are behind it, there's a good chance this one will, uh, see the light of day. [knfbREADER]

First Cell Phone that Reads to the Blind and Dyslexic Released by Joint Venture of Kurzweil Technologies and the National Federation of the Blind
Tiny Device Will Change Lives for Millions

BALTIMORE --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 28, 2008 K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc., a company combining the research and development efforts of the National Federation of the Blind and Kurzweil Technologies, Inc., today unveils an exciting product line that will revolutionize access to print for anyone who has difficulty seeing or reading print, including the blind and learning disabled. The company's world-renowned reading software has been especially designed for and paired with the Nokia N82 mobile phone to create the smallest text-to-speech reading device in history. A press conference to demonstrate the Reader Mobile product line, including the knfbREADER and the kREADER, will be held on January 28 at 10:00 a.m. The demonstration will take place in the Columbia Room, Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street, SW, Washington, DC.

This truly pocket-size Reader enables users to take pictures of and read most printed materials at the push of a button. Blind users hear the contents of the document read in clear synthetic speech, while users who can see the screen and those with learning disabilities can enlarge, read, track, and highlight printed materials using the phone's large and easy-to-read display. The combination of text-to-speech and tracking features makes interpreting text much easier for individuals with learning disabilities.

Using the state-of-the-art Nokia N82 cell phone running on the powerful Symbian operating system with its integrated high-resolution camera, the Reader puts the best available character-recognition software together with text-to-speech conversion technology--all in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The product includes Kurzweil's unique intelligent image processing software to enhance real-world images captured by a handheld device.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The knfbREADER Mobile will allow the blind unprecedented access to the printed word, affording a level of flexibility and capability never before available. No other device in the history of technology has provided such portability and quick access to print materials. The NFB promotes equal opportunity for the blind, and this Reader will make blind people dramatically more independent. The result will be better performance at work, at school, at home, and everywhere else we go. This Reader will substantially improve the quality of life for the growing number of blind people and people who are losing vision, including seniors."

Blind users will have access to all of the functions featured in the most advanced cell phones on the market including video and music playback, GPS, wireless communications, photography, e-mail, text messaging, calendar and task functions, and more. The combination Reader and cell phone weighs 4.2 ounces and can store thousands of printed pages with easily obtainable extra memory. Users can transfer files to computers or Braille notetakers in seconds.

"The knfbREADER Mobile allows me immediate access to printed information, whether it be a menu or a letter," said James Gashel, vice president of business development for K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. and a blind user of the product. "So many people already carry cell phones. This innovation is exciting because it puts all of the functions that users need into one product, eliminating the need to carry multiple devices. The Reader's simple user interface makes it ideal for the growing number of blind seniors."

"Technology that enlarges the printed word or converts it to speech has dramatically improved the lives of millions of Americans with many types of disabilities, enabling them to read and comprehend printed materials to which they never before had access," said Ray Kurzweil, President and CEO of K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. "This innovation has created opportunities disabled people had never considered before due to the large amounts of reading required in certain occupations. The first machine of this type was the size of a washing machine. As optical character recognition technology is integrated into smaller and smaller devices, access to print becomes available almost instantaneously."

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.

About K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc.

K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. is a joint venture between Kurzweil Technologies, headed by CEO Ray Kurzweil, a thirty-year innovator and pioneer in assistive technologies and the inventor of the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind; and the National Federation of the Blind, the largest, most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The company's latest products, the Mobile Reader Product Line, which includes the knfbREADER Mobile, designed for blind and low vision individuals, and the kREADER Mobile, designed for use by sighted individuals with reading difficulties, is being launched in January of 2008. The products are distributed in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, and the Pacific Rim. For more information, please visit http://www.knfbreader.com.

LeapFrog Tags Reads Books, So Your Lazy Kids Don't Have To [Edutainment]

Posted: January 28th, 2008, 7:09am EST by Wilson Rothman

LeapFrog today introduced a baby brother to the Fly "pentop computer." The $50 Tag uses the same Anoto high-res scanning technology to "read" specially printed books to kids, and can connect to the internet (OK, net-connected PC via USB) to download audio and programming for up to five books at a time. In addition to age-old classics like The Little Engine That Could and Olivia, the list of $14 launch titles will also include Kung Fu Panda: Po's Tasty Training and Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise—books I didn't have the privilege of enjoying when I was a lad. All of this happens this summer. [LeapFrog]

LEAPFROG RE-INVENTS THE LEARN-TO-READ CATEGORY WITH THE TAG™ READING SYSTEM
Next-Generation Reading System Fits in the Palm of a Child's Hand and Interacts with Real Books

DEMO 08 CONFERENCE, PALM DESERT, CA--JANUARY 28, 2008--LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., a leading developer of technology-based learning products, today announced it will unveil its next-generation reading system at the exclusive DEMO 08 conference in Palm Desert, California, on January 29, 2008. Available this summer, the Tag Reading System is the first handheld learn-to-read technology that interacts directly with real books. Audio for the stories, as well as the fun-filled games and activities spread throughout the pages, is delivered through an innovative Web-based application called LeapFrog® Connect, offering children an entirely new and captivating reading experience. Consumers can get an early peek at the Tag reader's innovative technology at leapfrog.com/tag.

"LeapFrog's Tag Reading System was hand-selected from hundreds of emerging products to debut at DEMO 08 because it is a promising new technology that encourages and supports young children as they learn to read," said Chris Shipley, executive producer, DEMO 08. "Its intuitive design and cutting-edge innovation literally bring books to life. It really is the next-generation reading system for a new generation of readers."

LeapFrog first revolutionized the electronic learning category with the introduction of its award-winning LeapPad® Learning System. With over 30 million LeapPad units and 72 million interactive books sold worldwide, LeapFrog became synonymous with learning to read for parents, teachers and children. The Company is reinventing the learn-to-read category with the Tag reader, which combines a state-of-the-art optical positioning system and next-generation, high-quality audio software, with LeapFrog School's proven reading methodology used in classrooms nationwide.

"We couldn't be more excited to unveil the Tag Reading System--LeapFrog's successor to the LeapPad Learning System," said Craig Hendrickson, vice president of reading at LeapFrog. "The Tag Reading System brings together leading-edge technology, an intuitive product interface and the most engaging content to create a truly amazing, magical reading experience that has the power to instill a lifelong love of reading."

Reading Between the Lines
The Tag handheld works with Tag-enabled books to create an independent and interactive reading experience for children. By simply touching the highly responsive Tag reader anywhere on any page of a Tag book, children can bring their favorite stories to life, easily skipping from page to page or book to book.

The pocket-sized Tag platform "reads" by using a small, sophisticated infrared camera that works as an imaging system to recognize letters, words and symbols printed on the page. Using the PC- and Mac-compatible LeapFrog Connect Application, parents can download audio for each book in the Tag library, then manage content the way they manage MP3 or digital camera files. With 16 MB of on-board flash memory, the Tag reader can hold up to five books at a time.

All-New Proprietary LeapFrog Learning Path Lets Parents See the Learning
Launching in tandem with the Tag Reading System is LeapFrog's proprietary Learning Path, a free online tool at leapfrog.com that interfaces with LeapFrog products to show parents what their child is learning and how their activities or games map back to the Scope and Sequence of educational skills that the Company has always built into every product. New online connectivity also allows children to access fun online rewards for off-line play and learning.

"Our Scope and Sequence has been the bedrock of our success for many years," said Dr. Jim Gray, director of learning for LeapFrog. "It's our secret sauce, and it's the first time we are making it available to parents so that they can see what their child is learning."

Based on an award-winning LeapFrog School product used by teachers across the U.S. to assess and instruct students in classrooms nationwide, the LeapFrog Learning Path allows parents to connect the Tag handheld to their computer to view details about the books their child has read, including the skills explored and progress made.

Beloved Classics and Favorite Characters Come to Life
The Tag Reading System will launch with an 18-volume library of children's classic books, activity books and activity cards. For the Tag library, LeapFrog has partnered with publishers HarperCollins, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic and others to showcase beloved characters such as Fancy Nancy, Walter the Farting Dog, Olivia and Miss Spider.

AVAILABILITY
SUMMER 2008; AGES 4-8; Tag Reading System MSRP: $49.99; Tag Books and Activity Boards MSRP: $13.99 each

Kid classics
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Fancy Nancy at the Museum
The Little Engine That Could
Olivia
Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise

Activity storybooks
Disney/Pixar's Cars: Tractor Tipping
Disney Princess: Adventures Under the Sea
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: The Golden Paddleball
Go Diego Go!: Underwater Mystery
I Spy: Imagine That!
Kung Fu Panda: Po's Tasty Training
Miss Spider's Tea Party
Pirates! The Treasure of Turtle Island
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Tour de Bikini Bottom
T. Rex's Mighty Roar

Activity boards
Tag Funny Phrases
Tag Super Speller

Activity cards (MSRP: $7.99 EACH)
National Geographic Birds and Sea Animals
National Geographic Land Animals

Toshiba Sez NPD Blu-ray Victory Numbers May Be Fluke [Format War]

Posted: January 25th, 2008, 8:07am EST by Wilson Rothman

After an NPD report showed Blu-ray had 93% of the market for that week, the Blu-ray coalition had good cause to do (or keep doing) the victory dance. But Toshiba's teary-eyed rebuttal makes sense, so we thought we'd share it:

During the week that is being singled out, both Blu-ray disc players and software were being given away for free with the purchase of 1080p TVs. It is also important to note that the instant rebate promotions that had previously netted Toshiba's players' MSRP's to $199 and $249 had actually ended on Jan. 5th - causing an increase in HD DVD's MSRP back to $299 and $399 during that same week.

It's true, you should never take the evidence of one fluke week as gospel truth, but we're not sure this defense is going to help HD DVD sales much, despite what Toshiba is calling "very positive sales trends" at the new $149 and $199 price points. (You know, the trends would be even higher if they were just free by the side of the road, but that doesn't make it a good move.) God forbid this format war actually comes to a freakin' end already! [Toshiba]

Our MacBook Air Review Matrix [Giz Notes]

Posted: January 24th, 2008, 8:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

The so-called "four horsemen" of Apple product reviews have weighed in on the near weightless MacBook Air. You may have seen our post on it last night. You may have even caught one or two of the reviews. But only now can you sit back and enjoy the best quotes from all four reviews in a handy easy-to-read review matrix from your friends at Gizmodo.

While most of the additional material covered in the reviews is basically factual stuff that you've already been agonizing over for a week or more, they're all decent reads if you have the time.

• Pogue's preview-review from 1/17 New York Times

• Ed Baig's story in USA Today

• Steven Levy's piece from Newsweek's website

• Walt Mossberg's review from Wall Street Journal and allthingd.com

Of course, if you don't have the time for those, pop over to Chen's superfast big-shot review summary and then, well, get about your business. [All About MacBook Air]

Vudu Box Price Drops $100, Still Gonna Cost You $300 [Dealzmodo]

Posted: January 24th, 2008, 8:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

Starting right now, the price of the standard Vudu setup is $300, down from $400, but still a tad higher than we'd like to pay for the convenient no-subscription pay-per-view VOD box. What? You bought one during the past month and are kicking yourself? That's okay—check in with Vudu customer service, and you'll get $100 in credit towards movie rentals or purchases. The first two Bourne movies will be free (in HD) on any box you buy, and there are now other free movies too, mostly dusty old flicks from bygone days, but still. TV shows are also popping on the Vudu service, and some will start at just 50 cents. Still, is it worth $300? Perhaps we'll have to square it off against the new Apple TV to find out. Oh, and that 500-movie Vudu XL box will still cost $999. [Vudu]

Canon Expands Rebel Alliance With Live View 12-Megapixel EOS XSi [Digital Cameras]

Posted: January 23rd, 2008, 10:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

The rumors are true. Canon's took power features from the high-end EOS models and creature comforts from the PowerShot line, and merged them into the 12.2-megapixel EOS Rebel XSi DSLR, with Live View LCD view-finding (previously only seen on EOS-1D Mark III and 40D), a 3" LCD screen with 230,000 pixels, and the Digic III processor found in nearly every new Canon model. There will be two kits, body only for $800 and one with a starter 18-55mm lens for $900. Jump for full details and more pics.

CANON U.S.A.'S NEW EOS REBEL XSi PLACES SUPERIOR OPTICS AND PROFESSIONAL FEATURES INTO THE HANDS OF EMERGING PHOTO ENTHUSIASTS

Canon 'Beefs Up' the New Rebel With Optically Image Stabilized Lens Kit and 'Pro' Features

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 23, 2008 - Canon U.S.A., Inc.'s EOS Rebel series of digital single lens reflex cameras - the cameras that defined and refined what it means to be an "entry level" digital SLR - have now redefined the gateway prowess and "pro-ness" of the DSLR category with the introduction of the line's new leader, the 12.2-megapixel EOS Rebel XSi camera. Incorporating a number of high-end functions and technology found in Canon's professional SLR models, the EOS Rebel XSi camera boasts an improved autofocus sensor, enhanced 14-bit A/D conversion, an advanced Live View function, and the proprietary DIGIC III image processor. When paired with any of the more than 60 compatible Canon EF and EF-S lenses, including optically image stabilized EF-S lenses like the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS - now included in the EOS Rebel XSi kit - or the new EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS, the EOS Rebel XSi DSLR delivers images that will delight and inspire family and friends at an entry level price tag.

"This new EOS Rebel XSi camera is the answer for those who have been waiting to make the leap from digital point-and-shoot to digital SLR or from an older SLR to the latest generation of advanced technology, while still including the creative controls their old camera afforded them," states Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

Luxury Feel and Function
At first glance, one notices the Rebel XSi's large, 3-inch LCD monitor, enhanced from the 2.5-inch screen on the Digital Rebel XTi model. The larger 230,000 pixel screen makes it easier for users to review images and scroll through the Rebel XSi camera's menus. The larger-sized display provides the ability to use a larger font size for menu text, making it easier than ever to read settings and options. The new screen also features a broadened color gamut, seven brightness settings for easy viewing under a variety of shooting conditions and a wide viewing perspective in all directions.

The EOS Rebel XSi camera features a substantial yet streamlined profile, with curved edges, contoured surfaces, conveniently placed controls and comfortably constructed rubber grip and thumb rest that all contribute to fatigue-reducing hand fit. The camera body is constructed of a rugged yet lightweight combination of stainless steel and polycarbonate embedded with glass fiber. The chassis exterior is enrobed in a durable ABS and Polycarbonate resin and offered in a choice of silver or black finishes.

Improved Image Quality
At the heart of the new EOS Rebel XSi is its newly designed 12.2 megapixel APS-C size Canon CMOS sensor. This new sensor employs large microlenses over each pixel to reduce noise and enhance sensitivity up to ISO 1600, which is ideal for high-quality images in low light. The APS-C size sensor retains a 1.6x focal length conversion factor compared to full-frame digital image sensors or 35mm film format cameras.

Another image quality enhancement is the upgrade of the Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion process to a 14-bit A/D processor. The inclusion of the 14-bit A/D process means the Rebel XSi camera records up to 16,384 colors per channel and allows the camera to produce images with finer and more accurate gradations of tones and colors. This is ideal for shooting outdoors where subtle hue changes in sky, water or foliage can really add to an image.

The Canon EOS Rebel XSi DSLR also incorporates the optional Highlight Tone Priority and High-ISO Noise Reduction functions first introduced in 2007 with the EOS-1D Mark III Professional Digital SLR and now available for the first time in an entry level Canon digital SLR camera. Additionally, the new camera is equipped with Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology, which corrects image brightness and contrast automatically. Introduced last year in the EOS 40D camera, this valuable optional feature now works in all exposure modes and utilizes Face Detection technology to prevent underexposure with backlit faces.

DIGIC III Image Processor
If the 12.2-megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor is the heart of the camera, then Canon's DIGIC III processor is the brain. The latest generation of Canon's proprietary image processing engine, DIGIC III technology ensures that the fine details and natural colors of the images are optimally recorded. The DIGIC III processor also manages the camera's efficient energy consumption and high-speed signal processing performance. The EOS Rebel XSi is the first model in the Rebel series to incorporate DIGIC III.

Enhanced Live View
Introduced in 2007 on the EOS-1D Mark III DSLR, this function makes its debut in an entry level Canon DSLR with the EOS Rebel XSi camera. Live View allows users to frame shots through the LCD screen rather than the viewfinder. Going beyond the manual focus and phase-detection AF capabilities of earlier EOS models with Live View, the EOS Rebel XSi camera adds a new "Live Mode" contrast-detection AF function that allows the camera to focus automatically during Live View without lowering the reflex mirror.

Improved Autofocus and Framing Rate
The EOS Rebel XSi Digital SLR utilizes a precise nine-point Autofocus (AF) system featuring a newly developed AF sensor that improves the camera's subject detection capabilities compared to earlier models. The new Rebel XSi DSLR provides a cross-type AF measurement at the center that's effective with all EF and EF-S lenses, while providing enhanced precision with lenses having maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster. The cross-type AF measurement reads a wider variety of subject matter than conventional single-axis AF sensors and thus increases the new camera's ability to autofocus quickly and accurately. The EOS Rebel XSi is also the fastest firing Rebel model to date, capable of continuously capturing 3.5 frames per second for bursts of up to 45 images in large/fine JPEG mode and 6 frames in RAW mode. The faster frame rates and finer focusing capabilities of the Rebel XSi together with its impressive image burst rate will help photo enthusiasts preserve family milestones or capture split second sports action at just the right moment.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
The new Rebel XSi DSLR utilizes Canon's EOS Integrated Cleaning system, first introduced on the EOS Rebel XTi camera. The camera's Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit shakes dust particles off of the low-pass filter in front of the sensor. The dust is then trapped by an adhesive along the base, preventing it from causing further nuisance. Cleaning is engaged each time the camera is powered up or shut down or manually through the "clean now" function.

The second part of the cleaning system involves post processing with a compatible personal computer and the supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Here the camera maps any spots that may remain on the sensor, saving it as Dust Delete Data and subsequently subtracting dust spots from the final image during post processing. A third option includes a manual sensor cleaning function which raises the mirror and allows users to clean dust that may have stuck to the low-pass filter.

Back to the Basics
In keeping with its EOS system heritage, the new Canon EOS Rebel XSi camera is equipped with a host of useful creative controls, including shutter speeds ranging from 1/4000 sec. to 30 sec. plus Bulb, a choice of four metering patterns including 4% spot metering (another first for the Rebel series), a wide range of exposure modes from fully automatic to fully manual, depth of field preview, mirror lock and much more. The new camera is fully compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses, as well as EX-series Speedlites, an optional Battery Grip, and remote control and viewfinder accessories.

A departure from previous EOS Digital Rebel models, which accommodated CF type memory cards, the new EOS Rebel XSi camera utilizes SD and SDHC memory cards including those with capacities higher than 2GB, making it the perfect upgrade for users already equipped with SD cards from point-and-shoot model cameras. Additionally, the EOS Rebel XSi camera utilizes Canon's new high-capacity LP-E5 lithium ion battery pack, which provides 50% more exposures per charge than earlier models with virtually no increase in size or weight.

In the Box
Expected to ship in April 2008 the Canon Rebel XSi camera is available in body-only configuration which includes a rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD, and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty. The new camera will also be available in a lens kit version which includes everything in the body-only kit plus the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens. The two versions carry estimated retail prices of $799.99 and $899.99, respectively.

EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilizer Lens
First introduced in August of 2007, the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens is Canon's answer to consumer demand for a high-quality yet affordable optically image stabilized lens and is included as the standard lens in the Rebel XSi kit configuration. The lens features the wide-angle to mid-range zoom flexibility of its non-IS predecessor with the significant advantage of Canon's true optical, lens-shift image stabilization system that yields up to a full four stops of image-shake correction. The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-55.6 IS zoom lens sells separately for $199.99*, but when customers purchase the lens kit version of the Rebel XSi the difference in price is only $100* from the price of the body-only kit. Canon is offering the lens kit at this discount so that more customers can enjoy the benefit of a lens based image stabilizer system.

The higher performance provided by Canon's lens shift IS system (compared with the in-camera body sensor shift type offered in some competitive SLRs) includes the ability to optimize the lens performance for specific shooting situations such as low light, long-zoom or movement while shooting (or virtually any combination of the three). What's more, the photographer can see the optical image stabilization effect in the viewfinder. As the image already appears steady in the viewfinder or on the screen through the Rebel XSi Live View function, better framing and composition is possible allowing the photographer to concentrate on the best shot more comfortably.

EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens
Like the standard kit lens, the optional EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS offers users of Canon EOS Digital SLRs with APS-C type CMOS sensors an affordable, lightweight, high-performance lens with tremendous range and flexibility. Given the 1.6x conversion factor inherent in the APS-C sized sensor, the high zoom ratio of this EF-S 55-250mm lens actually achieves the equivalent focal length of 88-400mm (in 35mm format).

Canon's true optical, lens shift image stabilizer offers users an equivalent shutter speed that is approximately 4 settings faster, making hand-held lower light or long zoom photos easier to capture without blurring. What's more, the lens can automatically distinguish between normal shooting and panning shots and select the optimum Image Stabilizer mode for each.

In stores now, both the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS zoom lenses are manufactured by Canon specifically for the EOS Rebel XSi , EOS 40D and every other EOS SLR that takes EF-S lenses including earlier Digital Rebel cameras and the EOS 20D, EOS 20Da, and EOS 30D models. Though standard in the EOS Rebel XSi kit, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens is also available as a stand alone purchase and carries an estimated retail price of $199.99. The optional EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens is available at an estimated retail price of $299.99.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2007†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion, is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom

Canon Drops Nukes In Camera Price War: $180 PowerShot A590 IS, A580 and A470 Surprisingly Capable [Digital Cameras]

Posted: January 23rd, 2008, 10:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Canon's PowerShot A590 IS is not just a budget camera. Hell, it's not even a "no-compromise" low-end camera. On paper, it looks a hell of a lot like something that would've cost $500 not long ago, but now it's a ridiculously low $180. If that's not enough of a slap in the face of its competitors, Canon is also offering two more A Series siblings, the A580 at $150 and the multicolored A470 at—seriously—$130.galleryPost('Canon2008ASeries', 6, '');

First, the lowdown on the A590 IS. It's got an optical image stabilizer, 8-megapixel sensor, 4X optical zoom lens, a 2.5" 230,000-pixel LCD screen and the full manual control people love in the A Series.

Under the hood, there's the lauded Digic III processor which now includes not only basic facial recognition and on-the-fly redeye correction, but these potentially useful new tricks:
• Automatic spot white-balance reading, which does a white bal directly on faces of actual humans, getting the lighting right where it counts
• AF Point Zoom, digitally zooming in on the faces of your subjects so you can see 'em up close before you take the shot
• Motion detection for jacking up the ISO and shutter speed when your subject is moving, and pulling them down when it's not

If $179 is too rich for your blood, the A580 is essentially the same as the A590 IS minus the optical image stabilization and the manual control. Stepping down further to the A470, you're basically getting a major improvement on the A460 at a $20 discount: 7.1 megapixels up from 5, 2.5" LCD instead of 2", and a choice of gray, blue, red or orange finish.

Mind you, the two cheaper A's have the same Digic III processor, meaning the same tricks highlighted above. Of course, if you know the A Series you know that they're not the slenderest of cameras, and one reason is that they take AA batteries instead of hiding lithium-ion ones under their girdles. (Many people think this is actually a good thing, especially when traveling or doing a lot outdoors.)

Any way you look at it, this is an explosive volley in the middle of a fairly exciting price war. Go Canon! No, scratch that. Go cheapskate photographers—your day is finally here! [Canon]

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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS: Entry-Level Elph Gets Image Stabilizer and Five Color Choices [Digital Cameras]

Posted: January 23rd, 2008, 10:00pm EST by Wilson Rothman

Last year, Canon's entry-level Digital Elph was the 7-megapixel PowerShot SD1000. Priced at $250, it was thin and pretty but not quite a powerhouse. This year, the SD1100 IS adds image stabilization without growing more than a millimeter in thickness, and bumps the sensor up to 8 megapixels. galleryPost(CanonSD1100ISShots', 3, '');

There are behind-the-scenes improvements too, including motion detection for better low-light handling and spot white balance enhanced by face recognition. But the real selling point here is fashion: the SD1100 IS will come in brown, silver, gold, blue and pink. We're told many dealers will be carrying the full lineup, too, so you won't have to go on a wild goose chase to track down the pink one—hate for you to get stuck with the blue one, but hey, maybe she likes blue. [Canon]

Good-Bye Foot Raunch, Helloooo Minty Freshness! [Agony Of De-feet]

Posted: January 23rd, 2008, 8:48am EST by Wilson Rothman

Thanks to a new springy plastic insert for shoes, Japanese people will be spared the embarrassment of letting their foot smells waft through public places. Instead, they will experience the embarrassment of adding a strange breath of mint to every establishment where they are required to de-shoe. At every step, the insert pumps out a small dose of mint essence, replacing—and hopefully not just mixing noxiously with—your natural, potentially horrible foot odor. It's a hell of a trade-off. Would you use it? [Reuters]

Dell and Microsoft See (Product) Red for Valentine's Day [Product Red]

Posted: January 23rd, 2008, 8:11am EST by Wilson Rothman

If I've learned two things in life, it's that it's noble to jump on some bandwagons, and some things just look sexy in red. That's why I was pretty happy to see that Microsoft and Dell were joining the (Product) Red charity for global AIDS relief, and that for every one of the sweet new red XPS One's that are sold, $80 of the purchase will go directly toward buying 6 months of antiretroviral medication. If you buy a (Product) Red XPS M1530 or M1330, the donation is $50, and if you buy the red 948 all-in-one printer, somebody gets 10 days' worth of medication. Some of you are skeptical about this program—tell me, don't you think these numbers prove that (Product) Red is working? Jump for details and more Red-ified product pics. [Dell]

Dell_948_AIO_Printer_%28PRODUCT%29_RED.jpg

Dell and Microsoft will announce later this week that they will offer customers a simple way to make a difference, through the purchase of unique (PRODUCT) RED branded personal computers and a printer. Adding to the premium experience, all Dell (PRODUCT) RED PCs are powered by Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED, that include six unique desktop wallpapers, a screensaver, two innovative Windows Sidebar gadgets and a (RED)-themed Windows DreamScene. Dell is the exclusive PC and peripheral partner of (PRODUCT) RED.
• When a consumer chooses either laptop - the XPS M1530 (PRODUCT) RED or XPS M1330 (PRODUCT) RED with Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED (starting price $1,149 for either laptop) - Dell and Windows will make a total joint contribution of $50 directly to the Global Fund, which buys nearly 4 months of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

• When a consumer chooses the XPS One (PRODUCT) RED with Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED (starting price of $1,599), Dell and Windows will make a total contribution of $80 directly to the Global Fund, which buys 6 months of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

• When a consumer chooses the 948 All-in-one (PRODUCT) RED Printer (starting price of $149), Dell will make a $5 contribution to the Global Fund, which buys more than ten days of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

More information about (RED) is available at www.joinred.com.

Verizon Wireless Open Development Conference Scheduled for March 19 [Any Apps, Any Device]

Posted: January 22nd, 2008, 11:59am EST by Wilson Rothman

For all of those people wondering about the details of Verizon Wireless's pledge to open its network to all compatible hardware, it seems the answers will come March 19 to 20 in New York City, at the carrier's Open Development Conference. The focus will be on "development for new devices," and from what Verizon is saying, it will be open to any product developers who want to pop by. Maybe we'll see you there. Press release after jump. [Verizon]

VERIZON WIRELESS TO HOST OPEN DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE MARCH 19-20, 2008 IN NEW YORK CITY
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and WASHINGTON - Verizon Wireless today announced that the company's much-anticipated Open Development Conference will be held in New York City on March 19-20, 2008. The announcement was made by Anthony A. Lewis, Verizon Wireless' newly-appointed vice president of the Open Development initiative, during a panel discussion today hosted by New America Foundation. Information about Verizon Wireless' Open Development initiative is online at www.verizonwireless.com/opendevelopment.

News of the conference, which will focus largely on development for new devices to run on the award-winning Verizon Wireless network, comes just eight weeks after Verizon Wireless announced that later this year it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless' Open Development initiative is driven by the company's desire to encourage innovation, give customers wireless choices, and quickly address opportunities to expand the wireless market. Higher data speeds and throughput performance that will come with the rollout of its fourth generation broadband network will open the door to a surge in new consumer electronics enabled by wireless connectivity.

Verizon Wireless is structuring the conference for the development community. The company encourages developers from the device community to attend the two-day event, where they can learn about the technical standards needed for devices to run on the Verizon Wireless network.

"This initial conference is for developers of devices - because before consumers can have open access, you have to have open development," said Lewis. "In hosting this conference, our aim is to jump start the development community by sharing information needed to develop devices for our network that achieve our network performance goals while making it easy for them to deliver devices."

Lewis also indicated that while the company is listening to a segment of customers who want another choice without full service, Verizon Wireless will continue to make available a full-service offering - from retail stores where customers can shop, to 24/7 customer service and technical support, to an easy-to-use handset interface and optimized software applications.

For more information about Verizon Wireless' Open Development Conference, visit www.verizonwireless.com/opendevelopment.

Dealzmodo: 1989 Kraco Cellphone Was $1,500, Now $15 [Retromodo]

Posted: January 22nd, 2008, 10:43am EST by Wilson Rothman

Waiting around for a rebate offer so you can score a sweet new handset? Why not go retro instead with Kraco's KCP-205 Trans-mobile cellular phone, listed on eBay at an opening bid of $15. That's approximately $1,500 less than it originally cost back in the day, when all you needed was a shoulder, an oil field and a dream. The phone was only used for one month, and the leather carrying case and manual are still in great shape. Just remember, even if you do convince some carrier to give you service for this old clunker, it would only last a few weeks, as the cellphone analog switch-off is still scheduled for Feb. 19. Good hunting! [eBay]

Mobile Phones (Not Bitch Ex-Wife, Damn Kids, Idiot Boss) Cause Insomnia [Cellphones]

Posted: January 22nd, 2008, 9:08am EST by Wilson Rothman

Extensive studies conducted by universities in the US and Sweden show that a certain dose of radio frequency before bedtime causes insomnia. While there is plenty of number crunching yet to come to determine the exact relationships between exposure to 884MHz RF and loss of sleep, the key message from one of the scientists was this: "If you feel you have trouble sleeping, you should think about not talking on a mobile phone right before you go to bed."

In case you're curious, the study consisted of 35 men and 36 women and ran for 18 months. During that time, the people were exposed to the RF radiation at random times. Another control group was observed, but did not receive the RF blasts. The end result was a finding that the cellphone radiation caused not just insomnia, but headaches and difficulty concentrating.

"The ones who were exposed reported headaches, it took longer for them to fall asleep and they did not sleep as well through the night," said Bengt Arnetz, a professor of social medicine and stress research at Uppsala University in Sweden, which conducted the study alongside Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Wayne State University in Michigan. [AFP/SMH]

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Apple Pushes Pink iPod nano in Time for Your Valentine [IPods]

Posted: January 22nd, 2008, 7:39am EST by Wilson Rothman

It seems like an obvious move: Apple's little pink 8GB iPod nano ($199) comes out in time for Valentine's Day, and perhaps before most pink second-gen nanos have kicked the bucket. But there's a problem: if you're trying to impress your lady friend by buying her a nano that contributes money to some worthy cause, you're going to have to stick with the (PRODUCT) RED one, which fights against AIDS and tuberculosis in Africa and around the world. As pink as this nano is, there's no mention of an accompanying breast-cancer charity benefit, in an industry where pink gadgets usually mean precisely that. Let's get it going, Apple! [Apple]

Apple Adds Pink to the iPod nano Lineup
CUPERTINO, Calif., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today announced that it is adding a gorgeous new pink iPod(R) nano to the lineup of the world's most popular music player. The much-requested pink iPod nano is available immediately in an 8GB model for $199. iPod nano features a two-inch display which lets users watch the brand new iTunes(R) Movie Rentals, or TV shows and music videos purchased from the iTunes Store. iPod nano delivers up to 24 hours of audio playback or five hours of video playback on a single charge* and is encased in a beautiful all-metal design made with anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel, which is also available in silver, black, blue, green and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition.

"Customers are going to love the gorgeous new pink iPod nano," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "The pink iPod nano is perfect for people who want a great new color this spring, or who are searching for a special Valentine's Day gift."

iPod nano features an enhanced user interface that shows off album artwork and photos like never before and includes Cover Flow(R), so you can scroll through your entire music collection by album cover artwork using the Click Wheel. Customers can also buy music, video and games for their iPod nano from the iTunes Store or check out the latest iTunes Movie Rentals.

Pricing & Availability
The new pink 8GB iPod nano is available worldwide immediately for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) and joins the other 8GB models available in silver, black, blue, green and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition. The 4GB iPod nano in silver is available for a suggested retail price of $149 (US). Both the 4GB and 8GB iPod nano for Windows or Mac(R) are available through the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. All iPod nano models include earbud headphones, a USB to 30-pin cable and a Universal Dock Connector.

iPod nano requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS(R) X v10.4.9 or later and iTunes 7.6; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.6. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended, fees may apply. The iTunes Store is not available in all countries. iTunes Movie Rentals are available in the US only.

*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See http://www.apple.com/batteries for more information.

Fox's Legal iTunes DVD Rip Works Great, Wastes Plastic [Ripping Made Legal]

Posted: January 21st, 2008, 11:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

Amid all of the MacBook Air hullabaloo, you might have forgotten about the Apple announcement that Fox would begin providing "free" iTunes versions of programs via DVD. The first release was Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest, a Star Wars parody. Being the brave product testers that we are, we tried it out. It was, well, kinda weird.

You pop in the special Digital Copy disc, and on a Mac, a window automatically pops open telling you to launch iTunes. In iTunes, you are directed to a page where—get this—you enter a code printed on slip inside the DVD case. The "download" completes, and you have a copy of the show that's identical in file format to anything you get from iTunes, and it's locked to your account in the same way. Only you copied it over from a disc. This just feels wrong.

As you might expect, the disc and code are useable just once. So why the hell was there a disc at all? I imagine this whole thing would be simpler if Fox would just print the slip and let you redeem it with a bonafide over-the-net download via iTunes.The version itself looks great, about equal to the DVD, quality wise, and far better than the downsized legal version that Toast 8 lets you move to your iPod if you TiVo'd it when it originally aired. (In case you're wondering, the DVD is good too, with a Seth MacFarlane/George Lucas interview and a reel showing all of the Family Guy Star Wars references throughout the years.)

I am a fan of this concept. DVD sales aren't doing so hot, and something like this could really perk them up. Think of all the TV series box sets that would be way more desirable if they came with an automatic iTunes version. Yes, I know there are ways to do it yourself, but those ways are time consuming, not to mention of legal dubiousness. (I think ripping a DVD for yourself is well within the fair-use doctrine, and that Roxio and Nero, not to mention iTunes, should be all over that, but I still worry that the legal squabbles will continually make it hard for mainstream software to embrace it. The music biz may be casting off DRM, but Hollywood is a much more organized, high-tech beast.)

Fox doesn't appear 100% committed to this. Maybe it was just the need to keep it hush-hush before the Jobsnote, but the case bears a single little sticker saying "Digital Copy," with no mention of iTunes anywhere. Nor was there a reference to this clearly valuable bonus feature anywhere on the case itself. Even on Amazon, there's no mention of the fact that you can rip it to your iTunes. That's why it was all the more surprising when I found the second disc inside: a whole disc wasted for something that they didn't even mention on the label. That's strange marketing, Fox. Very strange. [Official Site]galleryPost('FamilyGuyFoxDigitalCopy', 3, '');

From Rumorware to Bandwagonware: Here Come the MacBook Air Accessories [Joining In]

Posted: January 18th, 2008, 11:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

It starts with a case: This week, after one company preemptively announced a sexy MacBook Air sleeve before the Jobsnote, others have followed suit. Not only is there a real Manila folder case in the works, but others, from WaterField to Belkin, are launching their own lineups. Here are Belkin's first hasty MBA-friendly bags. (They're pretty, but almost too pretty. Is Belkin saying that the MacBook Air is for girls?) Like I said, the Bandwagonware starts with cases—easiest to fudge—but soon we think we'll see companies like Belkin, Targus, Kensington, DLO and Griffin popping other goodies, from neon rubber protective skins to any number of competitively priced drives and dongles, just to fit in. [Belkin]

Globalization and Its Malcontents: Mexico, India and Africa Will Be New Epicenters of Internet Crime [Security]

Posted: January 18th, 2008, 8:45am EST by Wilson Rothman

Computer viruses no longer come from the US or Europe; the hottest hotbeds of hackerdom may be in China and Russia now, but even that will shift. Soon, the most dangerous internet criminals might hail from Mexico, India and Africa, says a new study. Shouldn't somebody call Nick Negroponte?

Security specialists at F-Secure have drawn up a report with three maps that create—perhaps unintentionally—a compelling narrative of the way malware reflects the changing economic situation around the globe.

Back in the day (1986 to 2003), computer viruses mainly came from developed, predominantly white regions, US, Europe and Australia, along with India. There were anomalies like the Philippines-originated "Love Bug," but by and large, it seemed computer viruses could be chalked up as a by-product of the technological success of the post-industrial world. The hackers themselves were effete, tea-sipping "hobbyists," out to perfect their skills—not steal millions.
Next came the pros from Eastern Europe, China and Brazil. For the past four or five years, it's been a full-on assault from the regions where high-level computer skills are plentiful, but legit employment opportunities like those found at Redmond, Mountain View or Cupertino are slim to none. Broadband roll-out and a border-free internet have given these guys plenty of opportunities for targeted attacks with cash money—okay, credit-card and bank-account info—as the deliberate end result.In the future, though, new e-criminals will most likely operate out of regions that seem a bit more surprising, such as Mexico and Africa. Part of the reason is that internet usage is fast increasing in those areas, while the requisite IT job growth or technological-age legal system that naturally keep the ruffians in check are not developing as fast. Pour a little political discord on top of that, and you've got one hell of a haven for hackers.

India will also see a resurgence in criminal activity, mainly because the job opportunities will never keep up with the number of people being trained with high-level computer skills, in spite of the country's rapid growth.[F-Secure]

TiVo Makes You Look Cultured By Bringing Jaman's Obscure Foreign and Indie Movies To Your DVR [Foreign Films]

Posted: January 17th, 2008, 7:30am EST by Wilson Rothman

TiVo today announced it would soon add Jaman Internet Movie Service to all Series2 and Series3 broadband-connected DVRs, giving users access to Sundance and international award winning movies that you'd probably have a hard time finding otherwise. The idea here is that Jaman supplements the mainly Hollywood offerings of Amazon Unbox, so you get a ton of movie choices from right there on your couch—at least enough to make your girlfriend think you're smart or something. Rentals start at $1.99, but apparently some movies and shorts will be available for free. Not the good ones, of course. Press release after jump. [TiVo]

UPDATE: Also, TiVo is offering 3 months free service with the purchase of their TiVo HD.

JAMAN AND TIVO EXPAND INDEPENDENT AND INTERNATIONAL FILM ACCESS DIRECT TO THE LIVING ROOM
Jaman Internet Movie Service to be Available on the TiVo® Service

ALVISO and SAN MATEO, Calif. - January 17, 2008 - Jaman.com, a leading Internet movie service, and TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced that TiVo subscribers will soon be able to access thousands of American independent and international film titles directly from the TV screen via their TiVo DVR. The service will be available in the coming months to broadband-connected TiVo Series2™ and Series3™ subscribers. Viewers will be able to browse and select from Jaman's premier library, featuring internationally-acclaimed titles such as Oscar-nominated "Paheli," "Loverboy" (Sundance) with Kyra Sedgwick, "All About Lily Chou-Chou" (Berlin International Film Festival) and Dardennes Brothers' "La Promesse" (Cannes/Toronto), helping to open up a new world of content to TiVo subscribers.

TiVo and Jaman's relationship significantly expands the number of independent and international titles available to TiVo subscribers while providing a perfect complement to TiVo's popular Amazon Unbox offering, which currently boasts thousands of movies and TV shows. The combination of high-definition content from Jaman, with the convenience and familiarity of TiVo's intuitive interface, will provide users with the ability to discover and enjoy films from around the world.

"By capitalizing on TiVo's vast big-screen user experience, we're making it even easier for people to discover, browse and enjoy our catalog of high definition, edgy and award-winning films on their TVs," said Jaman's CEO Gaurav Dhillon. "This venture cements our position as a leading online provider of movies, offering unique and original content that viewers can't find anywhere else."

The relationship with TiVo extends Jaman's broad cross-platform leadership with support for set-top boxes, PCs, Macs, SanDisk's TakeTV and DivX. It also illustrates the continuing emphasis TiVo is placing on providing unique broadband services to their customers. Whether it's thousands of movie and TV shows from Amazon Unbox, or millions of songs available through Rhapsody, TiVo lovers have more ways than ever to get great content on their TiVo DVR.

"We're delighted to introduce the availability of Jaman to our TiVo subscribers and we think it'll prove to be an exceptionally popular addition to our already robust broadband offerings," said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services at TiVo Inc. "This joint alliance significantly increases the selection of international and award-winning movies made available to TiVo subscribers, giving them more choices and easy access to premium content not available elsewhere."

With Jaman on TiVo, viewers will be able to both rent and purchase films starting at $1.99, with a number of shorts and full-length films that are available to download for free. Visit www.jaman.com to check out the vast library of movies that will soon be available on TiVo DVR. TiVo boxes are available at leading consumer electronic retailers including Best Buy and Circuit City. See www.TiVo.com for details.

Dyson DC24 Vac: Sir James Brings His Ball Back [Big Ball, More Suck]

Posted: January 17th, 2008, 7:00am EST by Wilson Rothman

newVideoPlayer("dysonball.flv", 475, 376,"");The DC24 Dyson vac being introduced today is the first since the large DC15 to roll around the floor on a big orange ball instead of wheels, making it super maneuverable. It's a little vac with a typically high price tag ($400 for DC24; $470 for its larger sibling, the DC25). In many ways it's just another vacuum cleaner, but in its design, it does mark the return of James Dyson's ball.

When you think of Dyson—if you think of the expensive British vacs at all—you probably think "suction." After all, the slogan "doesn't lose suction" is plastered on all of the Dyson vac marketing material. But James Dyson's first innovations were not in vacuums, but in wheelbarrows of all things. Sir James built a wheelbarrow with a ball on it—the ballbarrow—adding stability to a traditionally wobbly device.As you can see in the video above, the DC24 pivots right and left as you twist your wrist, allowing it to corner like it's on rails. It has two tiny rear wheels, but they rarely touch the floor. It's all ball.

Does that make it worth the money? It's up to you—we're not going to tell you it's the best vac in the world. It's just fun to see a product as part of an evolution, rather than some standalone brain fart. If you want to know more about Dyson's early days (he designed boats, too, including something called the seatruck), have a look at this old Core77 interview. And if you want to know how his Airblade did against the Mitsubishi Jet Towel, well, just check out our Ultimate Hand-Dryer Battlemodo. [Dyson]

Self-Powered eSATA On the Way; Power Bricks Everywhere Shudder In Fear [Peripherals]

Posted: January 16th, 2008, 9:47am EST by Wilson Rothman

The Serial ATA Standards guys just approved a bus-powered eSATA spec that may see the light of day as early as late summer or early fall. This comes as a relief since eSATA is making its way into the mainstream via the home-theater realm (as DVR add-ons), where demands for the power brick to just go the hell away are higher than ever. I'm thinking of all those home-theater beauty shots that feature a thin, wall-mounted plasma and the single surround-sound bar, but always leave out the growing rat's nest on the floor directly below. Thanks, eSATA, for doing your part! Now let's see if TiVo and others buy in. [ExtremeTech]

PC Builder Decides To Optimize User, Creates Performance-Enhancing Drug [Be Afraid]

Posted: January 16th, 2008, 8:32am EST by Wilson Rothman

How's this for a blurring of the line between man and machine? German PC builder Tomarni specializes in super-silent machines as well as, it seems, some gaming systems. Having tweaked all that there was to tweak to achieve "maximum performance" on the PCs themselves, they claim it was time to face up to the real weakest link: that damn human user. The solution? A performance-enhancing pill called FpsBrain.

Here it is, in Tomarni's own words:

Being ambitious computer players ourselves, we are almost daily working on optimizing our computer systems in order to achieve maximum performance. Despite all the investment, one factor has not been considered: the player himself. FpsBrain was developed to maximize the playing skills of the computer player.

Some other scary-sounding tidbits:

• FpsBrain contains only ingredients that have been tested and are approved in Germany.

• FpsBrain is mostly being used by professional computer players.

• All our staff use FpsBrain at least four times a week to enhance their mental performance and their work efficiency.

I bring this to your attention because the philosophy—tweak the machine all you can, then start tweaking the user—freaks me out in a Brave New World sort of way. The drug itself is not anything worth buying, from what I can tell. Judging from the complete list of ingredients, it's really just a multivitamin with a splash of caffeine. Save yourself the import duties, and have a Centrum and a Coke instead. [FpsBrain; Tomarni]

Apple Adds Mail, Maps and More to iPod touch - for $20 [Macworld]

Posted: January 15th, 2008, 11:34am EST by Wilson Rothman

The little iPod touch is getting a much needed update to make it resemble the iPhone a little more closely. There will be a full-fledged Mail program, along with a Maps that gets location from Wi-Fi triangulation. It will also do web clips, stocks, weather, even notes. But it'll cost you. $20 for this upgrade, baby. Apparently, that $400 you coughed up for a 16GB just wasn't enough. [Macworld 2008 Keynote] Official Press Release:

Apple Announces Major Software Upgrade for iPod touch
MACWORLD SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today
announced a major software upgrade for the iPod(R) touch, making the best iPod
into even more -- the world's best Wi-Fi mobile device. iPod touch customers
already have the most advanced mobile web browser in the world with
Safari(TM), and now Apple is adding five more great mobile applications --
Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes. The iPod touch software upgrade also
includes new features such as Web Clips, a customizable home screen and
beginning today, the ability to watch iTunes(R) Movie Rentals. New iPod touch
products shipping from the factory will include the software upgrade and
existing iPod touch customers can get the software upgrade for $19.99 by
purchasing and downloading it from iTunes (http://www.itunes.com).
"These amazing new mobile applications make iPod touch not only the best
iPod, but the best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world," said Steve Jobs, Apple's
CEO. "With its revolutionary touch interface and software, plus its stunning
3.5 inch screen, iPod touch is evolving into the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile
platform of the 21st century."
Mail on iPod touch is a rich HTML email client that fetches email in the
background from most POP3 or IMAP mail services and displays photos and
graphics along with the text of the email. Users can configure Mail for
Google's Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, .Mac Mail or most POP or IMAP based mail services
with just a few clicks.
Maps on iPod touch features the ability to automatically find your current
location using nearby Wi-Fi base stations*, and use it as a starting or ending
point for directions or to find local points of interest. Users can get
real-time traffic conditions, and view maps in map or satellite view, or a
hybrid view which combines map and satellite views so you can see major street
names overlaid on satellite imagery.
Stocks and Weather allow users to access live stock and weather reports at
their fingertips, and Notes lets you jot down information on-the-go using the
intelligent keyboard.
The iPod touch home screen can now be customized, allowing users to
reorder and add new icons, with support for up to nine different home screens
which they can easily flick between. With the new Web Clips feature, you can
even create custom icons on your home screen for your favorite websites. Web
Clips are a great way to easily track web sites that you frequently check such
as news, blogs, sports sites, movie listings and more.
With Apple's new iTunes Movie Rentals, movie fans can rent movies on their
computer, easily and quickly transfer them to their iPod touch, and watch them
anywhere on iPod touch's gorgeous 3.5 inch screen. Users can also now navigate
forward or backward through their movies by chapters, select alternate
language tracks and view subtitles, if available.

Pricing & Availability
The software upgrade for iPod touch is available immediately. New iPod
touch products shipping from the factory will include the software upgrade and
existing iPod touch customers can get the software upgrade for $19.99 by
purchasing and downloading it from iTunes (http://www.itunes.com). iTunes
Movie Rentals are available in the US only. Further information for iPod touch
can be found at http://www.apple.com/ipod.

*Availability and precision of Maps positioning features will vary
depending on actual location.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple
II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.
Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-
winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional
applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its
iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered
the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

(C) 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac
OS, Macintosh, iPod, Safari and iTunes are trademarks of Apple. Other company
and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Apple Announces Time Capsule Server for Wireless Time Machine Backup [Macworld]

Posted: January 15th, 2008, 11:03am EST by Wilson Rothman

At Macworld 2008, Apple just announced Time Capsule, a full Airport Extreme base station with 802.11n wireless and four ethernet ports, plus server grade hard drives to back up all of the Leopard Macs in the house. Did we call this or what? OK, minus the leopard spots, that is. Yes, all signs suggested that something like this would happen, but little did we know it would come with such a reasonable price tag: 500GB for $300; 1TB for $500. Click here for our Time Capsule hands-on at Macworld, or jump for details, plus the official press release:

The Bare Facts:
• After setup, all Macs on network are automatically backed up wirelessly and constantly.
• USB port is so it can act as print server; no word on whether you can attach addional USB disks.
• No hidden bricks: The sleek design includes a built-in power supply.
• Full three-port Gigabit ethernet router (fourth port is for WAN); 802.11n network supports up to 50 users.

Official Press Release:

Apple Announces Time Capsule

Wireless Backup for all Your Macs

MACWORLD SAN FRANCISCO--January 15, 2008--Apple® today introduced Time Capsule, a backup appliance that automatically and wirelessly backs up everything on one or more Macs running Leopard™, the latest release of Apple's Mac OS® X operating system including the amazing Time Machine™ automatic backup software. Time Capsule combines an 802.11n base station with a server grade hard disk in one small package. Simply plug it in, then easily set up automatic wireless backup for every Mac® in your house to a single Time Capsule with just a few clicks. Time Capsule offers the benefits of a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station, and comes in two models: a 500 gigabyte model for just $299 and a 1 terabyte model for just $499.

"Bring Time Capsule home, plug it in, click a few buttons on your Macs and voila--all the Macs in your house are being backed up automatically, every hour of every day," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "With Time Capsule and Time Machine, all your irreplaceable photos, movies and documents are automatically protected and incredibly easy to retrieve if they are ever lost."

Built to work seamlessly with Time Machine, Time Capsule lets users wirelessly back up all of the data on their Macs, find lost files and even restore all of their software. In the event a file is lost, users can wirelessly search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file. If it's ever necessary, Leopard can also easily restore an entire system from the Time Machine backup on Time Capsule.

In addition to being the best way to back up a Mac, Time Capsule is also a full-featured Wi-Fi base station with the latest 802.11n technology. Delivering up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, 802.11n* is built in to Apple's iMac® desktop and the entire Mac notebook line up, including MacBook®, MacBook Pro and the new MacBook Air. Time Capsule features a sleek design with a built-in power supply and connections to print wirelessly to a USB printer. With Time Capsule, it's very easy for users to create a secure, wireless network for up to 50 users and set security restrictions such as Internet access limits for children's computers.

At $299 for a 500GB model and $499 for a 1TB model and a fully integrated 802.11n AirPort Extreme® Base Station, Time Capsule can serve as a backup solution for multiple computers as well as the backbone for a high-speed, 802.11n wireless network, making it effortless and affordable for everyone at home, school or work to protect their digital files.

Additional Time Capsule features include:

dual-band antennas for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies;
three Gigabit LAN ports;
one Gigabit Ethernet WAN port;
one USB 2.0 port;
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA-2), 128-bit WEP encryption; and
a built-in NAT firewall supporting NAT-PMP for features like Back to My Mac.
Pricing & Availability
Time Capsule will be available in February through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for a 500GB hard drive and $499 (US) for a 1TB hard drive.

*Time Capsule is based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Actual performance will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network and other factors.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

[Macworld Keynote 2008]

Apple Time Capsule Server for Wireless Time Machine Backups [Macworld]

Posted: January 15th, 2008, 11:03am EST by Wilson Rothman

At Macworld 2008, Apple just announced Time Capsule, a full Airport Extreme base station with 802.11n wireless and four Ethernet ports, plus server grade hard drives to back up all of the Leopard Macs in the house. Did we call this or what? OK, minus the leopard spots, that is. Yes, all signs suggested that something like this would happen, but little did we know it would come with such a reasonable price tag: 500GB for $300; 1TB for $500. Click here for our Time Capsule hands-on at Macworld, or jump for details, plus the official press release:

The Bare Facts:
• After setup, all Macs on network are automatically backed up wirelessly and constantly.
• USB port is so it can act as print server; no word on whether you can attach addional USB disks.
• No hidden bricks: The sleek design includes a built-in power supply.
• Full three-port Gigabit Ethernet router (fourth port is for WAN); 802.11n network supports up to 50 users.

Official Press Release:

Apple Announces Time Capsule

Wireless Backup for all Your Macs

MACWORLD SAN FRANCISCO--January 15, 2008--Apple® today introduced Time Capsule, a backup appliance that automatically and wirelessly backs up everything on one or more Macs running Leopard™, the latest release of Apple's Mac OS® X operating system including the amazing Time Machine™ automatic backup software. Time Capsule combines an 802.11n base station with a server grade hard disk in one small package. Simply plug it in, then easily set up automatic wireless backup for every Mac® in your house to a single Time Capsule with just a few clicks. Time Capsule offers the benefits of a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station, and comes in two models: a 500 gigabyte model for just $299 and a 1 terabyte model for just $499.

"Bring Time Capsule home, plug it in, click a few buttons on your Macs and voila--all the Macs in your house are being backed up automatically, every hour of every day," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "With Time Capsule and Time Machine, all your irreplaceable photos, movies and documents are automatically protected and incredibly easy to retrieve if they are ever lost."

Built to work seamlessly with Time Machine, Time Capsule lets users wirelessly back up all of the data on their Macs, find lost files and even restore all of their software. In the event a file is lost, users can wirelessly search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file. If it's ever necessary, Leopard can also easily restore an entire system from the Time Machine backup on Time Capsule.

In addition to being the best way to back up a Mac, Time Capsule is also a full-featured Wi-Fi base station with the latest 802.11n technology. Delivering up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, 802.11n* is built in to Apple's iMac® desktop and the entire Mac notebook line up, including MacBook®, MacBook Pro and the new MacBook Air. Time Capsule features a sleek design with a built-in power supply and connections to print wirelessly to a USB printer. With Time Capsule, it's very easy for users to create a secure, wireless network for up to 50 users and set security restrictions such as Internet access limits for children's computers.

At $299 for a 500GB model and $499 for a 1TB model and a fully integrated 802.11n AirPort Extreme® Base Station, Time Capsule can serve as a backup solution for multiple computers as well as the backbone for a high-speed, 802.11n wireless network, making it effortless and affordable for everyone at home, school or work to protect their digital files.

Additional Time Capsule features include:

dual-band antennas for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies;
three Gigabit LAN ports;
one Gigabit Ethernet WAN port;
one USB 2.0 port;
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA-2), 128-bit WEP encryption; and
a built-in NAT firewall supporting NAT-PMP for features like Back to My Mac.
Pricing & Availability
Time Capsule will be available in February through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for a 500GB hard drive and $499 (US) for a 1TB hard drive.

*Time Capsule is based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Actual performance will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network and other factors.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

[Macworld Keynote 2008]

Here's an Idea for HD DVD: Just Give Up [Format War]

Posted: January 15th, 2008, 9:33am EST by Wilson Rothman

Even if you don't take Hitler's word for it, you probably have the feeling that Blu-ray has won, following Warner Bros.' decision to ditch HD DVD. Questex analyst Thomas K. Arnold has a real innovative solution:

"I'm hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out [of HD DVD]. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home."

Oh, so it's about consumers now, eh Tom? Who'da thunk it? [Home Media Magazine via HDTV UK]

Macally FlexTune Dock Holds iPhone Sideways For Video Without the Neck Strain [IPod Docks]

Posted: January 15th, 2008, 7:47am EST by Wilson Rothman

Most iPod docks think vertically: iPod slides in, charging and playing in the most upright of fashions. But Macally's new FlexTune dock gives you two 30-pin choices, one centered old-school towards the bottom, and one off to the right, so that you can clamp in your iPhone or iPod touch to view video the way God intended, in 16:9. It's a great idea, since the larger the iPod/iPhone screen gets, the less important LCD-equipped video docks become. The FlexTune takes four AA batteries for portable enjoyment, and has a line-in jack for non-iPods. Let's just hope the FlexTune sounds halfway decent, but for $60, we're not entirely optimistic. [Macally]galleryPost('MacallyFlexTune', 3, '');

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