Thursday, June 07, 2007

Interesting Stuff

Keepin' it real fake, part LX: JetWay's mini-ITX PC strikes a Wii pose
6/7/2007 4:09:00 PM

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It doesn't take a blatant knockoff to land you a KIRF badge, sometimes it just takes a bit of "inspiration." In this case, it's pretty clear where JetWay was getting its ideas for its latest VIA and AMD-based mini-ITX PCs over at Computex 2007. No shame in the game, we can imagine worse form factors for those parts to end up in.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/keepin-it-real-fake-part-lx-jetways-mini-itx-pc-strikes-a-wi/#comments
Rullemarie robot shot, bludgeoned with axe after attempted arrest
6/7/2007 3:32:00 PM

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As we've seen, robots can be quite capable of making arrests (or at least helping police make arrests). But even the best robots sometimes meet their match, as evidenced by this latest turn of events out of the Netherlands. It seems that police were having trouble contacting a man that was holding out in a cottage, so they decided to send in their trusty "Rullemarie" robot on a mission of peace. The criminal doesn't appear to have been in a mood to negotiate, however, and promptly shot the unarmed bot a few times before bludgeoning it with an axe. Sadly, the damage appears to have so extensive that even a robot MASH unit would likely not have been of any help.

[Thanks, J]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/rullemarie-robot-shot-bludgened-with-axe-after-attempted-arrest/#comments
OnStar teams with Red Cross for location-based disaster info
6/7/2007 3:02:00 PM

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With Japan doing the whole earthquake awareness thing, it's not too surprising to see America embracing a more sophisticated method of divulging crisis-related information to those in need. OnStar's new Crisis Assist capabilities will not only provide access to "specially trained crisis advisers" that can contact emergency responders and provide real-time updates to the situation(s) at hand, but subscribers that can actually drive away from the disaster will be routed to the nearest established shelter. Additionally, frantic customers can be connected to friends and family that they have listed as close to their heart on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website, and public safety officials can be notified of a request for help and track down that person's location using OnStar's embedded GPS. Interestingly, there's no word on a timeframe in which we can expect the service to officially go live, but here's to hoping a disaster doesn't strike in order for you to find out.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/onstar-teams-with-red-cross-for-location-based-disaster-info/#comments
Publishing exec 'steals' Google laptops in silly demonstration
6/7/2007 2:32:00 PM

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We can't say that we'd recommend a CEO steal property from Google in order to prove a point, but the head honcho of Macmillan Publishers pushed his superego aside and did just that at a recent BookExpo America in NYC. It's no secret that a number of publishers have been up in arms about Google's approach to digitizing their works, but Richard Charkin went so far as to recruit a colleague and swipe a pair of laptops from a Google Books kiosk at the event. About an hour later, the booth attendants actually noticed the missing goods and presumably began to panic, and the haughty executive then had the nerve to return the machines to their rightful owners whilst dropping the "hope you enjoyed a taste of your own medicine" line. He justified the bizarre behavior by suggesting that "there wasn't a sign by the computers informing him not to steal them," apparently referencing Google's controversial tactics when scanning books. That'll show 'em, Mr. Charkin.

[Via TechDirt]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/publishing-exec-steals-google-laptops-in-silly-demonstration/#comments
HTC Touch's TouchFLO interface video at Engadget Mobile
6/7/2007 2:12:00 PM

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We've got some (admittedly crappy quality) footage of the Touch over at Engadget Mobile -- it's not much, but it'll do the job if you were wondering what how that TouchFLO interface looks and works. Next time we'll use a better camera. Promise.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/htc-touchs-touchflo-interface-video-at-engadget-mobile/#comments
Pepper announces Pepper Linux support for Intel-based MIDs
6/7/2007 1:47:00 PM

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Having already successfully ported its OS to the OLPC, Pepper has now set its sights on slightly less colorful territory, announcing today that its Pepper Linux OS now officially supports the latest Intel-based Mobile Internet Devices (or MIDs). Among other things, the OS has apparently been optimized for the MID's 4 to 7-inch displays, tweaked for optimal power management and battery life, and prepped to allow automatic WiFi and network configuration. The OS also boasts integrated malware protection, automatic system and application updates, and a full complement of audio and video codecs, with the entire OS weighing in at less than 500MB. While there doesn't appear to be word of any MID manufacturers that have signed up to use the OS just yet, it'll be ready to ship to any interested OEMs or ODMs sometime this fall.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/pepper-announces-pepper-linux-support-for-intel-based-mids/#comments
Falcon Fragbook DRX: spendy, hefty and oh-so-fast
6/7/2007 1:17:00 PM

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While of late we've seemed a bit partial to the ultraportable end of the spectrum, it's hard not to give props to the complete, unadulterated power and gargantuan-ocity of Falcon's new Fragbook DRX. In addition to the boring stuff like a Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 2.93GHz processor, 4GB of RAM and a 17-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD, the "laptop" packs a 100GB 7200RPM HDD in addition to two 160GB 5400RPM drives, and really ices the cake with the dual NVIDIA GeForce 7950GTX Go 512MB graphics cards. Other minor details include 802.11n WiFi, a built-in TV tuner and a 8x dual-layer DVD burner. Sadly, the one hour of battery life, 12.1 pound heft and $7687 won't endear this puppy to the mainstream, but would the gamer elite really have it any other way?

[Via PC Joint]

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/falcon-fragbook-drx-spendy--spendy-hefty-and-oh-so-fast/#comments
Okoro's BX100 and BX300 HTPCs pack HD DVD / Blu-ray combo drive
6/7/2007 12:47:00 PM

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Okoro Media Systems has been Blu-ray savvy for some time now, but apparently it's looking to bring the peace with a dual-format combo drive in its BX series of HTPCs. The BX100 resides in a fairly slim 4.13-inch tall enclosure and includes an Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 350-watt power supply, optional seven-inch touchscreen, your choice of operating system and media center software, 500GB of hard drive space, NVIDIA's 256MB 8500 GT graphics card, a total of three TV tuners, and a smorgasbord of ports including PS/2, FireWire, serial, optical / coaxial digital audio outputs, two DVI ports, VGA, component, S-Video, composite, Ethernet, and four USB 2.0 connectors. The beefier BX300 steps up to a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 CPU, 1TB of storage spanning two 500GB drives, NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce 8600 GTS graphics card, and a 7.1-channel sound card. Both systems look to be available as we speak with a built-in HD DVD / Blu-ray combo drive, and while the BX100 can be yours for $2,995, the base BX300 will run you an extra $600.

[Via PCJoint]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/okoros-bx100-and-bx300-htpcs-pack-hd-dvd-blu-ray-combo-drive/#comments
Motorola RAZR 2 V8 hands-on at Engadget Mobile
6/7/2007 12:37:00 PM

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Hungry for some more pics of Motorola's RAZR 2? We thought you might be. Head on over to Engadget Mobile, we've got a boat-load more shots of the RAZR 2 V8 and some initial thoughts on the handset. That should tide you over until every carrier in the friggin world starts making plans to stock the thing.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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Best Buy lawyer admits to altering documents in racketeering case
6/7/2007 12:07:00 PM

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It looks like a fairly big shoe has dropped in the racketeering case against Best Buy and Microsoft, as a lawyer for the former company recently testified that he altered some documents before turning them over to plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The lawyer, Timothy Block, also said that no one else at either his law firm or at Best Buy were aware that he had changed the documents. As the AP reports, however, this follows complaints from the judge in the case that Best Buy has not been forthcoming with documents related to the lawsuit. The case itself, for those not up to speed, accuses Best Buy of signing up customers for MSN trial subscriptions without their knowledge, who then faced credit card charges after the trial period was over. For its part, Microsoft is being accused of allowing the practice to continue after it was aware of the problem. It doesn't look the case will be winding up anytime soon, however, as it's now been stayed while Best Buy tries to find some new outside counsel.

[Via Tech Dirt]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/best-buy-lawyer-admits-to-altering-documents-in-racketeering-cas/#comments
LTB's Q-Bean creates wireless headphone / microphone link
6/7/2007 11:43:00 AM

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LTB Audio Systems has been doing this wireless headphone gig for quite some time, and while its products don't exactly appear as the most prestigious in the world, all's fair if it gets the job done. The firm's latest contraption, dubbed the Q-Bean, consists of a wired transceiver that plugs into your computer via USB and a wireless key fob-sized device that pumps out tunes to the connected headphones or earbuds sans wires. The system operates on the 2.4GHz band and LTB promises that the stream is completely uncompressed, and if the idea of cordless headphones weren't enough to sell you on it, it also includes a built-in microphone for Windows Live communication or other VoIP duties. Reportedly, users of Windows, OS X, and Linux won't be bothered to install any fancy drivers for this here apparatus to function as advertised, but it still seems a bit lackluster considering the $119.95 asking price.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/ltbs-q-bean-creates-wireless-headphone-microphone-link/#comments
Dell calls it quits in the LCD TV game?
6/7/2007 11:23:00 AM

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According to unconfirmed reports stemming from Taiwan (where else?), Michael Dell is pulling his company out of the LCD TV biz to return focus to its core PC efforts. Unlike Apple's ridiculous desktop display markup, Dell has concentrated on providing low-cost computer and home theater offerings, something particularly dangerous in the cutthroat LCD TV market, so it's not a total surprise to see 'em bail now. Dell is purportedly set to stop manufacture this month, so we should know soon enough how legitimate these reports are, a Dell spokeswoman wouldn't comment on the rumors, only stating that Dell currently sells LCD TVs in a limited number of markets.

 

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Koncept's Z-BAR LED lamp: 40,000 hours of industrial grace
6/7/2007 11:03:00 AM

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More LED goodness for ya, this time in the form of a desk lamp, not a backlit LCD. The Z-Bar won I.D. Magazine's "best of category" award which is pretty sweet considering the category wasn't just lamps, it was furniture. The Z-Bar's 66, long-livin' LEDs pump 100 lumens in pretty much any direction you want thanks to that 47-inch, finger-thin neck loaded with hinges and rotational joints. Sure, 100 lumens doesn't seem like much when compared to an incandescent's 500-800 lumens. The Z-Bar's trick is to focus the light in a 50-degree viewing angle instead of the 360-degrees of waste emitted by standard light bulbs. The lamp can stand alone on its weighted base or clamped to a table edge -- your choice after forking over $130.

[Via Inhabitat]

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/koncepts-z-bar-led-lamp-40-000-hours-of-industrial-grace/#comments
WWDC 2007 banners caught on camera, reveal absolutely nothing
6/7/2007 10:43:00 AM

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Here it comes, that periodic rush of excitement brought on by Apple event banners being put up by unwitting convention center workers, prompting rabid discussion and even on that rare occasion actual product knowledge. Unfortunately, none of that to see here, unless you want to try and read into the starry backgrounds on the Leopard posters, or the particular shade of white being used for the Apple logo. Be our guest, we've got bigger, more historic fish to fry. Keep reading for another shot of the action, the source link was down the last time we checked.

[Thanks, Otsego_Undead]

Continue reading WWDC 2007 banners caught on camera, reveal absolutely nothing

 

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Fertell male / female fertility test hits US shelves
6/7/2007 10:23:00 AM

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Anyone who's a fan of ABC's Lost knows the perils of going to a specialist for help getting pregnant: because the timid doctor doesn't want to tell your husband -- who's employed by your violent, mob-tied father -- that he's infertile, he'll be forced to lie and initiate a series of events that can only culminate with you stranded on a spooky uncharted island full of polar bears and hostile natives. Well the folks at Genosis Inc. are sick and tired of family planning-related plane crashes, and have just received FDA approval for a product that should put an end to these senseless tragedies once and for all: the Fertell home fertility test. Capable of detecting both the concentration of motile sperm as well as a hormone which indicates egg quality, Fertell promises to give fairly accurate results for both him and her in under a half-hour -- and though it's not being publicized as a substitute for "professional evaluations," it will at least save a few men like Hank Hill the embarrassment of having to discuss their narrow urethras. The Fertell kit should be available immediately at your favorite local drug store or black-market pharmacy, priced at an even hundred bucks.

[Via Medgadget]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/fertell-male-female-fertility-test-hits-us-shelves/#comments
US Army's Joint Repair Facility acts as ER for injured robots
6/7/2007 10:03:00 AM

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While we're still a bit wary about letting a robotic M.D. get to work on our operating table, we certainly wouldn't trust those two-timing humanoids to sufficiently repair one of their own. Thankfully, the US Army seemingly agrees, as the volunteer-staffed Joint Repair Facility at Camp Victory provides human TLC for robots that receive injuries in the heat of battle. The facility is mostly responsible for mending and rebuilding devices that protect live soldiers from encountering improvised explosive devices, and it has reportedly increased exponentially in use and size since its inception just three years back. Notably, the gurus that work here are famous for repairing even the most obliterated of robots, and while they did admit that some bots are too damaged to repair, those are "few and far between."

[Via CNET]

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/us-armys-joint-repair-facility-acts-as-er-for-injured-robots/#comments
Engadget Chinese tracks down VIA NanoBook's US OEM: Everex
6/7/2007 9:33:00 AM

Our brethren over at Engadget Chinese just went hands-on with the Via NanoBook at Computex. Better yet, they seem to have unearthed the other, US-bound OEM: FIC (First International Computer) as it's known in Taiwan, or Everex as we know 'em Stateside. Makes sense given Everex's penchant for VIA C7-M procs in their StepNote series of laptops. The FIC CE260 they played with even had a prototype Skype-phone module in place of that oddball world clock insert seen previously. Also new is a date: they were told to expect the unit to show up in China and Europe (presumably under the Packard Bell branding) sometime in August. Engadget Chinese has tons of pics and first-hand impressions so be sure to click the "read" link below for a quick trip across the Pacific.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/engadget-chinese-tracks-down-via-nanobooks-us-manufacturer-ever/#comments
Digital Cube's i-Station M43: another do everything PMP from Korea
6/7/2007 8:53:00 AM

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What's with Digital Cube and the number 43? 42, that we could understand but why do we need an S43, T43, G43, and now this, the i-Station M43 all from the same company? Is Digital Cube trying to say that each is one better than the answer to the ultimate question? Anyway, the new M43 PMP flaunts a 4.3-inch touchscreen LCD, up to 60GB disk, DMB mobile TV, and integrated GPS and e-Book reader depending upon Classic, Dic, or Navi model chosen. Prices range from ₩300,000 to ₩400,000 or about $323 to $431 in mean green.

[Via Akihabara News]

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/digital-cubes-i-station-m43-another-do-everything-pmp-from-kor/#comments
Samsung's VM-X300 camcorder for jocks
6/7/2007 8:20:00 AM

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Samsung is showing another new sport-minded camcorder this morning with this, the new VM-X300. All we know is that it records MPEG-4 video at 720 x 480 pixels and 30fps. Oh, and it can start recording in only 3 seconds after power on. Storage, sensor type, battery life, price, availability... those are just details. These are for sportos hear, so Samsung doesn't want to confuse them with too many facts. Just stare at the pretty girl, everything will be ok.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/samsungs-vm-x300-camcorder-for-jocks/#comments
15-inch MacBook Pro reviewed: turns Mac newbie into switcher
6/7/2007 8:02:00 AM

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Here it is, the first complete review of Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Pro. You know, Santa Rosa platform, LED backlighting, and new nVidia 8600M GT graphics. Right, that one, launched just a few days ago. The kids at Notebook Review took the unit 'round the block with an emphasis on reviewing it for "people considering the MacBook Pro as an alternative option to a Windows based laptop." In fact, it's the reviewer's first Mac review. So how did it go? Well, to start with, the "screen is without a doubt the best I've ever seen on a laptop, and better than a lot of desktop monitors I use," says the reviewer. The MBP also came away with "impressive scores" whether running OS X or 32-bit Vista via Boot Camp. The new nVidia GPU smoked the old ATI X1600-based MBP by a factor of three in 3DMark06 tests -- well above the 57% increase claimed by Apple. Unfortunately, the review did not go head-to-head with same-spec'd Santa Rosa models from say IBM or Dell to see how Apple's tweaks to the gear compare. The case remained "mostly cool" throughout use although it did pickup a "good bit of warmth" while benchmarking. Still it was not enough to remove the MBP from the reviewer's lap with average temps for the CPU cores kicking right around 49-degrees centigrade. During normal usage at 50% brightness (which is not very bright as we've seen), the battery eeked-out about 4-hours which dropped to 3-hours after dialing up the brightness to 100%. The only real nit is the weight, which at 5.4-pounds (2.45-kgs) is becoming rather pathetic by modern standards yet remains the smallest offering in Apple's pro laptop lineup. Still, the reviewer now considers himself "one happy switcher" and that's about as good of a rating as you can get.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power e power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/15-inch-macbook-pro-reviewed-turns-mac-newbie-into-switcher/#comments
Eurocom kicks out a quad-core laptop, the Phantom D900C
6/7/2007 7:07:00 AM

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We've definitely seen some shady reports of a quad-core laptop make the rounds, and it looks like geographically misnamed Canadian laptop outfit Eurocom is going to be first off the line with a Intel Core 2 Quad notebook. A Eurocom spokesperson apparently confirmed to Laptoping that the company is prepping a quad-core Phantom D900C -- which probably means that monster-laptop Clevo (or whichever company is their ODM) is working on a quad-core D900C, since the Phantom is yet another rebrand. Laptoping says the 17-inch machine will feature a 2.4GHz Q6600 "Kentsfield" Core 2 Quad and dual SLI-capable GeForce Go 8700 or Quadro FX3500 graphics, an HD DVD drive, and up to three drives that can be run as a RAID 0/1/5 array -- all of which means battery life on this 11.9-pound monster will probably run down faster than a 6-minute mile. Still, the idea of stuffing four cores into a laptop gets us all excited, but the current $3,200 pricetag on the dual-core Phantom doesn't bode too well for the double the power.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/eurocom-kicks-out-a-quad-core-laptop-the-phantom-d900c/#comments
Sony announces PS3-related job cuts in US -- forgets to mention when or how many
6/7/2007 6:00:00 AM

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It's not like we didn't see it coming or anything what with Sony's game division -- home of the PS3 -- recently posting a $1.91 billion loss for the year. But man, our hearts go out to those whose jobs at Sony Computer Entertainment are now on the chopping block. Thing is, Sony, while announcing plans to cut jobs in the US, is only turning the screw deeper by not providing any details. The move comes as Sony struggles to keep up with Nintendo which again snagged top-honors for the 4th consecutive month in the US market: 360,000 Wiis sold to the PS3's 82,000 while Microsoft sold 174,000 Xbox 360s. The gap between the Wii and PS3 sales in Japan is just as bad, if not worse. Fortunately for Sony, their Bravia LCD TVs, VAIO computers, and Handycams are all doing well enough to (mostly) offset the PS3 related losses. We'll have to wait and see if Sony's summer game catalog, bigger disks, and possible price cuts can reverse SCE's fortunes.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/sony-announces-ps3-related-job-cuts-in-us-forgets-to-mention/#comments
Zoombak's Pet Locator hits the FCC
6/7/2007 5:26:00 AM

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We'll admit, Zoombak's a bit late the Fido tracking game, but we're sure that pet owners won't complain about a bit more competition in the pet location biz. According to documentation at the FCC, this here device is most effective on animals that weight 15 pounds or more, and essentially consists of a wireless transceiver and Li-ion cell wrapped within a semi-rugged, water resistant enclosure. The 73-gram box straps around your pet's neck and purportedly communicates with a variety of GSM bands in order to keep you notified about your animal's location. Unfortunately, details surrounding the actual operation of the device is still scant, but it shouldn't be too long now before Zoombak is cleared to offer these up for (straying) pet lovers everywhere.

[Thanks, Rich]

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/zoombaks-pet-locator-hits-the-fcc/#comments
Pinnacle kicks out $100 PCTV HD Stick USB tuner
6/7/2007 3:53:00 AM

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The Pinnacle PCTV USB Stick that you may have grown quite fond of over the past year has finally decided to get with the times, as the newest iteration throws HD capability into the minuscule tuner while still ringing up a penny under a Benjamin. The Pinnacle PCTV HD Stick steps it down a notch from its Professional sibling, but still allows users to "view live television on their PC with pause, rewind, and fast-forward timeshifting functionality." Pinnacle's latest USB 2.0 tuner is "about the size of a key," gets all the necessary juice right from the USm the USB port, supports NTSC and ATSC broadcasts, and comes bundled with the firm's TVCenter Pro software. Best of all, this no frills portable TV tuner can get live programming on your laptop or desktop right now for a mere $99.99.

 

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NC State researchers uncover muscle mimcking fibers
6/7/2007 2:32:00 AM

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While some researchers over in Raleigh are having fun tinkering with PlayStation 3 farms and dodging the RIAA, NC State's Drs. Tushar Ghosh and John Muth are occupied building prototypes with fibers they say "resemble human muscle and can exhibit muscle-like capabilities when electrical currents are applied." The duo sees the development as paving the way for "advancements and potential applications in robotics, smart textiles, prosthetics, and biomedicines," as they have reportedly found that polyurethane and silicone tube structures shaped like human muscle strands can be manipulated with electricity. It was noted, however, that the current models are using strands "roughly the size of a pencil lead," but the next step is to scale down the fibers and integrate them into a robotic Mr. and Mrs. Wuf.

 

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/07/nc-state-researchers-uncover-muscle-mimcking-fibers/#comments
Sun says Apple is switching to ZFS in Leopard
6/7/2007 1:16:00 AM

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You dealt with it when Apple switched you from MFS to HFS, and again you were switched from HFS to HFS+ (and even journaled HFS+), and you'll deal with it again: according to Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz (whom you may know for his totally righteous pony tail), Apple is going to use Sun's crazy advanced ZFS filesystem when they move users over to Leopard. The material advantages may not be immediately apparent to the average user (when was the last time you whipped up a multi-exabyte file?), but it will do some excellentay things like storage pooling (aka virtual storage), block-journaling, and plenty of other nerdy things about which you can read up on elsewhere. Expect to hear more about this one next Monday at WWDC.

Watch - Schwartz talks it up [Via MacRumors]
Read - More about why this is a Good Thing (TM)

 

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Tangent's Rugged Mini Fanless PC resembles a giant heatsink
6/7/2007 12:56:00 AM

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While Itronix's latest GoBook should handle your workload whilst on the go, Tangent is hoping that you'll look its direction for a rugged PC in your home or underground bunker. Quite frankly, the company claims that its Rugged Mini Fanless machine is "designed to take a beating," which apparently includes the ability to withstand "shock, dust, vibration, humidity, extreme cold and heat, and even electromagnetic interference." Externally, this thing is certainly on the opposite end of sexy, but it's the inside that counts; packed within is your choice of an Intel Celeron M, Core Solo, or Core Duo processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics set, up to 120GB of hard drive space, optional external DVD writer, 802.11a/b/g, FireWire, a pair of PS/2 ports, six USB 2.0 connectors, VGA / DVI outputs, audio in / out, and Ethernet. Furthermore, you'll purportedly find "no moving parts" (aside from that HDD spindle, eh?) as its cooled by a passive convection-based system, and you can snag one right now with Windows XP Pro for $1,195.

[Via Gearlog]

 

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Onkyo's new DV-HD805 HD DVD player
6/7/2007 12:03:00 AM

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DV-HD805
While Onkyo has been a part of the HD DVD promotions group as long as we can remember, Onkyo really hasn't done much. We have heard rumors about a HD DVD player from Onkyo for some time, and there was even a mention of it at CESt;/a> this year. Our friends over at FormatWarCentral have discovered a few details in an otherwise obscure Onkyo post on a UK site that we find very interesting. Apparently Onkyo expects to launch the DV-HD805 this autumn, and it will be based on the Toshiba HD-XA2 player -- with a few yet to be mentioned tweaks. We are excited to see another HD DVD player on the market, but we hope it's not just a re-badge of the HD-AX2. Before any format fanboys get too rabid; the Onkyo rep also mentioned that officially Onkyo supports both formats.

 

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Wiiitis on the rise with Wii players, reports doctor
6/6/2007 11:19:00 PM

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We've officially got a new gadget-related medical term on our hands people, coined by Dr. Julio Bonis, who woke up one morning and realized his Wii was causing him sports-injury like symptoms. Wiiitis is the name (yes, it's different from Nintendinitis), learn it well. Although it's only good for categorizing one specific type of Wii-related bodily injury, it has been canonized in a letter published by the New England Journal of Medicine, Unfortunately, the treatment may be worse than the disease for some: Bonis prescribed "ibuprofen for one week, as well as complete abstinence from playing Wii video games". Just think of it as a chance to play with your BlackBerry, get in some time with your iPod, make some calls on your high SAR cellphone, or generally geek out with other portable electronics. Hey, doctor's orders.

[Thanks, Neil and Josh]

Read - CNN
Read - NEMJ [Warning: subscription req'd]

 

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Sunday's Wal-Mart ad confirms $698 Dell specs
6/6/2007 10:48:00 PM

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A couple commenters confirmed those leaked Dell specs we posted earlier, and now we've gotten our hands on this Sunday's Wal-Mart flier -- the first to feature Dell's new in-store action. The numbers on the $698 Dimension E521 pictured line up with everything we've heard -- dual-core Athlon, 1GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Vista Home Premium, and a 19-inch monitor -- but there's nary a mention of the rumored $498 model. We suppose Dell and Wally have got to keep us guessing until the 10th somehow, right? A close-up of the ad after the break.

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Sony updates SXRD line with five new sets
6/6/2007 9:46:00 PM

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Sony didn't limit its Bravia updates to LCDs today, as it also dropped five new SXRD rear-projection units. Like the other new Bravias, the three new A3000 and two new XBR SXR sets feature 1080p resolution, Motionflow 120Hz high-framerate technology, and the x.v.Color extended color gamut system. The SXRDs also get Sony's new PhotoTV HD feature, which Sony claims "brings the look of actual printed photography to the set." We're not sure what 70-inch prints of our vacation photos would look like, but sure. The new units, which are 40% thinner than the models they're replacing, are also compatible with Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link, for streaming HD video directly to the set, and feature the XMB crossbar interface that Sony hearts so much.

The $3,000 50-inch KDS-50A3000 (pictured), $3,300 55-inch KDS-55A3000, and $3,500 60-inch KDS-60A3000 units all run the Bravia Engine EX scaler (which only scales up to 1080i), and have interchangeable-color speaker grilles, while the $5,000 KDS-Z60XBR5 and $6,000 KDS-Z70XBR5 feature Sony's "floating glass" look and up the scaler to a 1080p-capable Bravia Engine Pro chip. The A3000s should drop in August, while the XBRs are due this fall. Peep the super mod KDS-Z70XBR5 after the break.

Continue reading Sony updates SXRD line with five new sets

 

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Sony releases nine new Bravia LCDs with XMB and Internet Video Link
6/6/2007 9:02:00 PM

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We glimpsed the future of the Bravia XBR LCD line back in March when Sony showed off the Japanese-only X2550s, and now it looks like that premonition was dead-on, as the nine new Bravias introduced today feature Sony's x.v.Color wide color gamut system, 10-bit 1080p panels, Bravia Engine upscaler, the oh-so-popular XMB crossbar interface, and compatibility with Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link to stream HD video directly to your set over the 'net.

The $4,300 52-inch KDL-52W3000, $3,500 46-inch KDL-46W3000, and $2,700 40-inch KDL-40W3000 all come flossing a standard brushed-metal case, while the XBRs feature Sony's "floating glass" look, Motionflow 120Hz high-framerate technology, and Bravia Engine Pro.

The KDL-46XBR5 and KDL-40XBR5 will drop in August for $4,100 and $3,300, while the KDL-52XBR5 model (pictured) will come out in September for about $5,100. Those looking to burn a little less cash can pick up the XBR4 series with interchangeable bezels -- the 52-inch KDL-52XBR4 will set you back $4,800, while 46-inch KDL-46XBR4 and 40-inch KDL-40XBR4 are $3,800 and $3,000, respectively.

 

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I-O Data's 24-inch LCD-MF241X offers dual HDMI ports
6/6/2007 9:01:00 PM

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It had been a tick since we'd heard from I-O Data's LCD department, but its latest offering steps it up from the 22-inch version seen earlier this year by expanding the screen real estate and adding new inputs. The LCD-MF241X sports a 24.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 panel, comes in black or white motifs, and offers up DVI, VGA, composite, S-Video, and twin HDCP-compliant HDMI connectors. Additionally, you'll find a trio of USB ports mounted on the side, and a wireless remote can switch the inputs for you while kicked back on your couch. Unfortunately, you'll just have to wonder what the eventual price and release date will be, but feel free to click on through to see that port assortment up close.

[Via Electronista]

Continue reading I-O Data's 24-inch LCD-MF241X offers dual HDMI ports

 

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Engadget Chinese gets hands-on treatment with Asus OCgear
6/6/2007 7:58:00 PM

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You already knew that our Chinese brethren were tearin' it up at Computex 2007, but this one is of particular interest here in the US. Turns out that Asus' OCgear overclocking module actually doesn't have a graphics card integrated in, rather, it's simply an extra peripheral that will connect up to your card via USB or PCIe. Reportedly, a proprietary connector was initially considered, but the tried and true connectors proved quicker in the end. We have to admit, it certainly adds that finishing layer of geekness to the front panel of the PC, but why not hit the read link and view the gallery of hands-on snapshots for yourself, cool?

 

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Philips unveils SPC620, SPC1000, and SPC1300 webcams at Computex
6/6/2007 7:20:00 PM

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While we thought we'd already seen the crown jewel of webcams before, Philips apparently thinks otherwise, as it boasts quite heavily about its new trio of display-mountable cams that were unveiled at Computex. All three devices support background customization and emoticon integration, wide-angle lenses, and face-tracking capabilities. The SPC620 holds down the low-end with a vanilla VGA CMOS sensor and will run you €49.90 ($67), while the SPC1000 includes a directional microphone and noise reduction filter, two-megapixel sensor, and a 5x digital zoom for the very same price. The €99.90 ($135) SPC1300 features Pixel Plus 2 technology seen in the company's Flat TVs, a six-megapixel sensor, audio beaming system, twin directional microphones, and Digital Natural Motion technology that purportedly nixes any frame rate flickers when video chatting. All three webcams should hit shelves in Europe, America, and Asia this August.

[Via TechDigest]

 

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Dell reportedly set to release new Inspiron, Vostro laptops
6/6/2007 6:47:00 PM

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As they are wont to do, the folks at Notebook Italia have turned up some details on a fresh new batch of laptops, including a bundle of new Inspirons from Dell and a pair of new models in the company's hereto unheard of "Vostro" line. The new entries in the Inspiron line include the 1520, 1521, 1720, and 1721, each of which pack either 15.4-inch or 17-inch displays, and boast either Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Turion 64 X2 processors. The Vostro models on the other hand, appear to be Intel-only (at least from what's been revealed so far), with the Vostro 1500 coming equipped with a 15.4-inch display and the Vostro 1700 upping things to a 17-inch screen. Unfortunately, those are about all the specs that are known at the moment, although it doesn't look like we'll have to wait long to find out more, as all but one of the laptops are reportedly set to be released on June 26th, with the Vostro 1700 following later in July.

Update: The laptop above is a new Inspiron, not a Vostro. Those, apparently, are all black.

 

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Intel talks up 3-Series chipset, Core 2 Extreme CPU for laptops
6/6/2007 6:15:00 PM

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Shortly after revealing that a quad-core laptop chip was indeed in Intel's pipeline for 2008, the firm has decided to go public with even more laptop-based processor details over at Computex. Intel's executive vice president Sean Maloney had the honors of "unveiling" the 3-Series chipset family (formerly known as Bearlake), which will of course support DDR3 RAM, PCI Express 2.0, HDMI, and can come stocked with G33 / G35 Express integrated graphics. More importantly, the outfit formally introduced plans for an Intel Core 2 Extreme mobile processor that should be released in Q3 of this year. According to Mr. Maloney, the chip is targeted to be the company's "highest-performing mobile dual-core processor that still includes energy-saving power features for laptop designs." No word just yet on whet on whether or not this CPU will cost more than the rest of your laptop components combined (but we wouldn't be surprised).

[Via Laptoping]

 

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iSuppli sizes up the Apple TV
6/6/2007 5:46:00 PM

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Apple TV
Apple is known for the high profit margins on its consumer electronics, but according iSuppli Apple is only making $62 (or about 20%) on each Apple TV. As you'd guess the most expensive component is a slimmed down version of Intel's Pentium M processor at about $40, and the cheapest is the $0.75 RealTek audio chip. The new 160GB version's margin is much nicer at more than 30%, but only because Apple charges a $100 premium for an option that only costs an extra $36 to make. Hobby indeed. Of course the obvious reason is that Apple plans to make up the cash selling content, and maybe even more importantly: to get into your living room. While this seems like a great plan and all, we can't help but get stuck on the fact there still isn't any HD content from Apple for a device that supposedly requires a HDTV.

 

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Engadget Chinese gets its hands on Asus' Eee PC 701
6/6/2007 4:59:00 PM

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Those as intrigued as we were with Asus' newly-announced Eee PC 701 ultralight will likely want to take the short hop over to Engadget Chinese, which has managed to gets its hands on the device device and dig up a few more details on it. Perhaps most interestingly, Asus' product manger told them that while Windows XP has been successfully tested with the device, the final product will likely come with only Linux pre-installed, with XP driver support thrown in for good measure. What's more, Asus also said that the mini-laptop could eventually pack as much as 32GB of SSD storage, and even hinted at the possibility of either an optional built-in 3G module or a separate dongle. Asus also reiterated that seemingly too good to be true $200 starting price, adding that a version for "English speaking countries" could be available "as early as August this year."

 

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