Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Interesting Stuff

7/20/2007 12:11:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

LG pushed the "masterpiece" line to the limit at this night's Christie's Auction House product showcase -- the official tag line of the event was "LG Masterpieces, a Celebration of Technology and Design" -- but we came away with a few pleasant device announcements and got to chat with some fancy tuxedoed men wearing white gloves, so we'd say the evening was a success. Check the gallery after the break to glance at all the product on display, or just read the posts below to catch the new stuff.

Gallery: Engadget hits the LG Masterpieces event at Christie's Auction House

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/engadget-hits-the-lg-masterpieces-event-at-christies-auction-ho/#comments

7/19/2007 11:40:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

Reports of Xbox 360 consoles scratching discs have have been widespread for several months now, leading the EU to launch an official investigation into the matter -- and Americans to deal with it Uncle Sam style: by filing lawsuits. Mirroring the Florida suit filed earlier this month, two California plaintiffs have filed a class-action suit against Microsoft, alleging the negligent design of the 360 causes damage to game discs and asking for damages in the neighborhood of $5M. Based on how widespread this issue seems to be and the legs it's had, expect to see some speedy settlements involving a lot of tedious paperwork for affected consumers and a lot of green for the plaintiff's lawyers.

Disclaimer: Although the author of this post is an attorney, this post is not meant to be legal advice or analysis and should not be construed as such.

[Via Joystiq]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/microsoft-hit-with-another-class-action-suit-over-scratched-360/#comments

7/19/2007 10:43:00 PM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Just 'cause those LCDs get all the love these days doesn't mean LG is ready to abandon the plasma game just yet. LG is adding the new 50-inch 50PY3D plasma to its existing PY3D series. The 1080p display includes LG Simple Link to communicate with other LG equipment in your home theater, and the three HDMI inputs and USB Media Host function are a nice touch. ATSC, QAM and NTSC tuners are included, along with latest-gen VSB tech for digital reception. You should be seeing this display on the market in September for around $3499. Another angle is after the break.

Continue reading LG's new 50-inch 50PY3D 1080p plasma

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/lgs-new-50-inch-50py3d-1080p-plasma/#comments

7/19/2007 10:31:00 PM

Filed under: HDTV, Peripherals, Storage

Super Multi Blue, Blu-ray, HD DVD, LightScribe, GGW-H20LI, GGC-H20LI -- pay close attention, these are the terms you'll need to familiarize yourself with for this post about LG's latest multi-format optical drives. The $500 GGW-H20LI reads both HD disc formats, and writes at 6x dual-layer BD-R/RE discs (as well as DVD±RW), while the completely differently named $400 GGC-H20LI can read back both formats, but only write DVD±RW and CD-R/RW.

Also in LG hybrid high def disc news, the company is offering 10 HD movies on either Blu-ray or HD DVD for free when you snag a $1,200 Super Blu BH100, but only until July 21st -- that'd be this Saturday. Also of note, LG says we should "stay tuned" for a followup to said BH100, but it isn't prepared to announce further details. Bummer.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/lgs-2nd-gen-super-multi-blue-blu-ray-hd-dvd-hybrid-drives-and/#comments

7/19/2007 10:20:00 PM

Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video

LG is still pretty fresh to the GPS market, but it's already kicking off a second round of devices with the LN790 Portable Navigator. The device features a 4.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth phone pairing, video and music playback and photo viewing, with an SD card slot to store the goodies. Oh, and that map stuff all those kids go for these days, with US, Canada and Puerto Rico pre-loaded, and live traffic info for 50 North American cities. You should be seeing this one hit shelves in September for around $699. More shots after the break.

Continue reading LG's new LN790 Portable Navigator

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/lgs-new-ln790-portable-navigator/#comments

7/19/2007 10:09:00 PM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Perhaps to replicate a bit of that success LG has found in its Chocolate brand, the company is eschewing the usual serial number mayhem for a new Opus badge to denote its "best of everything" LCD line. The displays will show up in September, and come in 42-, 47- and 57-inch flavors. All three displays are 1080p, with 120Hz TruMotion to fight the jaggies, TruColor showing 92 percent of the NTSC spectrum, Super IPS, XD Engine and looks to match the specs. The prices, unfortunately, line up as well: you can score the 42LBX for $2499, 47LBX for $3299 and the 57LBX for $4499. More shots after the break.

Continue reading LG debuts new Opus LCD lineup at the top end

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/lg-debuts-new-opus-lcd-lineup-at-the-top-end/#comments

7/19/2007 9:33:00 PM

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Transportation

Strapping a DirecTV antenna atop a moving vehicle is typically never a sound idea, but thanks to KVH's new lineup of TracVision SlimLine satellite systems, bringing HDTV to your RV just got a whole lot sleeker. The firm has launched four separate 12-inch systems that aim to bring "crystal-clear reception" into one's RV or camper, and those springing for the flagship R6 DX (pictured) will even receive a DirecTV H20 free of charge. Dubbed the "smallest and simplest" in the industry, these devices will actually come integrated into a number of 2008 RVs, but those looking to upgrade their current ride can look forward to "full support for standard and HD DirecTV programming," as well as access to Dish and ExpressVu. Now this is a quintessential aspect of a road trip done right.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/kvh-intros-tracvision-slimline-satellite-system-hdtv-im-hdtv-in-your-rv/#comments

7/19/2007 8:43:00 PM

Filed under: Transportation

While there's long since been ways to get a piece of your mind (or your best Photoshop effort) launched into space, getting your person up there isn't exactly feasible if your pay stub isn't stamped by NASA. Now, however, Space Adventures is looking to hoist a pair of untrained civilians into space in 2008 and 2009 aboard a Soyuz craft, and the firm will soon be selling seats for the low, low price of $100 million apiece. The Lunar Mission will eventually bring you "to the other side of the moon," and while we're sure the itinerary is quite detailed considering the price of admission, the firm isn't dolling out too much more until you prove your bank account is stocking the required dough.

[Thanks, Yossi]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/space-adventures-offering-100-million-trip-to-space/#comments

7/19/2007 7:53:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio

It looks like Apple is on a roll with its latest round patent applications. Hot on the heels of the recently seen illuminated touchpad and Home on iPod filings, comes two new applications that should have only the fiercest of fanboys excited. First up is a technology which the Cupertino camp calls "Dynamic lyrics display for portable media devices," or as we would describe it -- karaoke on your iPod. Nothing really groundbreaking here: obviously lyrics would be displayed while you belted out your favorite Pat Benatar song, which is pretty unexciting and definitely unoriginal. Patent number two seems a bit more promising, as it addresses the possibility of using your iPod or other "portable media player" as a wireless remote for your PC or media center, thus allowing you easier access to your Best of the 80's collection. Of course, this would require a wireless iPod, which doesn't exist, although we understand those new iPhone things have some kind of wireless capability...

[Via Unwired View]

Read -- Dynamic lyrics display for portable media devices
Read -- Portable media player as a low power remote control and method thereof

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/apple-patent-attack-2-ipod-karaoke-ipod-remote/#comments

7/19/2007 7:32:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

It looks like the Navy's not the only one keen on predicting the future these days, with the ever-experimenting folks at DARPA now also getting in on the act with a proposed solution of their own. Dubbed "Deep Green," the program consists of a variety of software that battlefield commanders can feed information into and get fed back forecasts of how a mission might turn out in return. At the center of the system, according to Wired's Danger Room, are two pieces of software: "Blitzkrieg," which produces combat models for commanders to consider, and "Crystal Ball," which pools a variety of information and offers up the most likely scenarios and the best course of action. We'll just have to wait and see if it actually pans out or goes the way of the laughing bullet.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/darpa-plans-crystal-ball-to-predict-the-future/#comments

7/19/2007 7:17:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Walk into an Apple or AT&T store, walk out with an iPhone in whatever color you like: that is, if you like black, silver, and chrome. Which is why, as usual, we're stoked that Colorware's on the case (literally), offering up another 29 shades for your Apple phone. The price: $150 if you send yours in, or $650 / $750 if you buy a 4GB / 8GB new from them.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/iphone-gets-29-new-shades-from-colorware/#comments

7/19/2007 6:53:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio

iPods have long been the token of desire for customizers, and while we've certainly seen tamer flavors before, Xexoo's gilded 2G Shuffle is nothing short of overkill. The company -- which makes its ends by coating DAPs in precious metals and charging incomprehensibly high prices for them -- is now getting set to smother Apple's most diminutive player in 18-karat gold. Thankfully, the blinged-out Shuffle isn't the only thing you get for €14,000 ($19,320), as those ~~imbecilic~~ wealthy enough to shell out for this superfluous luxury will also receive a black wooden box and a certificate of authentication to sweeten the deal. Oh, and don't forget to add in the gold-finished dock while you're at it, cool?

[Via CNET]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/xexoo-gilds-a-2g-ipod-shuffle-charges-a-bundle/#comments

7/19/2007 6:23:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops

If you like your PC hardware to be wrapped in only the glitziest, most showy enclosure that money can buy, Shuttle's latest XPC isn't exactly numero uno, but it can certainly hold its own if you aren't willing to spend a fortune. This SFF chassis is built around Intel's G33 Express chipset, can accommodate up to 4GB of DDR2-800 memory, touts an HDCP-compliant HDMI port, and also includes a snazzy integrated VFD display on the front for wowing your guests. Additionally, you'll find onboard GMA 3100 graphics, a 7.1 audio chip with Dolby Digital Live! and DTS Connect certifications, gigabit Ethernet, an infrared remote, I.C.E. heatpipe cooling system, and a 250-watt SilentX power supply. Mmm, hot stuff for "just" €328 ($453).

[Via CaseDesigns]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/shuttles-xpc-sg33g5m-barebone-sports-hdmi-vfd-display/#comments

7/19/2007 5:53:00 PM

Filed under: Wearables

It's been quite a while since we've heard anything new on the C-Leg, but German firm Otto Bock has now unveiled a sleeker, stronger, and more military-approved version for those in need of a new leg. The microprocessor-controlled knee joint is "the standard prosthesis issued to US fighters who have lost a leg above the knee," offers up a number of "modes" to best suit your current activity, and includes a wireless remote for switching between those modes. The intelligent system within takes data samples of your gait 50 times per second in order to best adapt to your needs, and the internal hydraulics promise "optimal response" no matter how strenuous or demanding the chore. Of course, buying a leg that seemingly puts these natural ones to shame won't run you cheap, as the newest C-Leg will reportedly cost somewhere in the $30,000 to $40,000 range to have it delivered and fitted.

[Via Wired]
Read - C-Leg used on American soldiers
Read - Product Page

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/otto-bocks-prosthetic-c-leg-cleared-for-battle/#comments

7/19/2007 5:23:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Here's an interesting one. While just about every citizen in Europe twiddles their thumbs and awaits an iPhone announcement for their side of the pond, more than a few impatient souls have been looking for ways to utilize the device in their homeland right away. Most recently, however, is an intriguing report that a US-sourced iPhone is functioning fine (save for the lack of visual voicemail) on Vodafone after a user swapped an AT&T SIM card into an O2 XDA, had the carrier add it to his current contract, and then stuffed the now-Vodafone-compliant AT&T SIM back into the iPhone. Interestingly, hordes of IRC participants are balking at the story, suggesting that SIM numbers are network specific and that Vodafone should not have been able to pull off the aforementioned feat of magic. Hmm, we wonder if Vodafone's bubbling excitement to get ahold of Apple's handset could have anything to do with it?

Read - US iPhone works with Vodafone
Read - Vodafone "looks forward" to 3G iPhone

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/apples-iphone-functioning-with-vodafone/#comments

7/19/2007 4:53:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

CinemaNow, fine purveyor of downloadable film and TV content, has recently updated its Media Manager support for Vista, allowing you to use its Burn-to-DVD service, and enabling your Xbox 360 to act as a bridge from your PC to your TV -- adding an interesting new option to the media center sphere. So starting right now, you can download and watch your favorite movies and television shows without ever having to let go of the Xbox controller, which could be detrimental to your relationships, but really good for catching up on any episodes of 24 you might have missed.

[Thanks, James B]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/cinemanow-updates-vista-support-plays-nice-with-xbox-360/#comments

7/19/2007 4:23:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

These rumors just keep popping up from all over the interwebs, and with Apple, persistent rumors often lead to real product. As we've mentioned time and time and time again, all signs point to a new iPhone revision later this year, either in the US, Europe, or both. To add fuel to the fire, AppleInsider has posted that an extremely reputable source reports that the Apple roadmap for 2007 does indeed show two distinct handsets. Touted as a scaled back version of the iPod, the "nano" would focus on music and offer basic cellular features -- so you can likely kiss web surfing and mail goodbye. All this makes sense if you look back on the iPod's original launch: the 5 and 10 GB models were out within 4 months of each other, with a hardware refresh 4 months after that. If they stick to a comparable timeline, perhaps the 3G -- if there will be a 3G -- will land in early '08. We're hoping that the nano name doesn't stick, though; how about the Apple iBashful?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/some-truth-behind-persistent-iphone-nano-rumors/#comments

7/19/2007 3:53:00 PM

Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Noted security expert Marc Weber Tobias contributes The Lockdown, exposing the shoddy security you may depend on.

Medeco is the predominant high security lock manufacturer in the United States and has been trusted for more than thirty-five years to provide cylinder and hardware security for the private, commercial and government sectors. According to Medeco, their locks are utilized in such venues as the White House and Pentagon to afford the maximum in cylinder lock security. The m3 cylinder, released about 2005, is the Medeco star product, the flagship in the security company's state-of-the-art, designed to resist almost any form of attack. The lock touts its key control attributes based its unique integrated slider that adds another level of security to the lock. But if you are using these locks and think you're secure, you might just be surprised by what you can accomplish with a paperclip and a custom-cut shim.

Continue reading The Lockdown: The Medeco m3 meets the perilous paper clip

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Plat360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/the-lockdown-the-medeco-m3-meets-the-perilous-paper-clip/#comments

7/19/2007 3:31:00 PM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Those willing to give up a few speakers for a slightly more discreet home theater now have another option to consider, with Sony today announcing its new "minimalist" BRAVIA DAV-X10 home theater system. While it only packs two speakers, Sony's promising some virtual surround sound courtesy of its S-Force PRO Front Surround technology, with the system providing a total of 480W of power. Rounding things out, you'll find some hidden touch-sensitive controls on the main unit, along a Bluetooth adapter that'll let you pull music off any compatible device. The system will also upscale your DVDs to 720p or 1080i, and should work nicely with your other BRAVIA gear thanks to Sony's trademark BRAVIA Theater Sync technology. No word on what it'll cost, but Sony says you can look for it this September.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sony-announces-minimalist-bravia-dav-x10-home-theater-system/#comments

7/19/2007 3:12:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

According to the always exploitive New York Post Page Six, an Anderson Cooper-hosted panel with Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin, and Barry Diller (amongst others) had been discussing how technology was changing the way people got their entertainment and news, when Sony honcho Howard Stringer apparently accused Steve Jobs of being "greedy." The report claims that Mr. Stringer went on to say that the Steve-man "Wants a world where only he makes money." The knighted gentleman then stormed out of the room and called his assistant on a Sony Ericsson, who proceeded to take him to his hotel where he watched the Sony-produced Spiderman 2 in Blu-ray format on his new Vaio while petting an AIBO with his metallic claw.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-xxxix-stringer-calls-jobs-greedy/#comments

7/19/2007 2:42:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

If you were looking for any reason whatsoever to hop into a celebratory mood, why not join IBM (or would it be Lenovo these days?) in celebrating the 15th birthday of the ThinkPad. Of course, tech historians are likely to bicker over the ThinkPad's true day of emergence, but reportedly, the IBM 2521 (later renamed the 700T) ThinkPad holds the honors of being the first of its kind to ship in July of 1992. Interestingly enough, one could argue that this very machine was actually more akin to a tablet PC than a bonafide laptop, but it proudly donned the ThinkPad logo nevertheless. So, ThinkPad owners, today's your day to gift that oh-so-industrious machine of yours with a few extra moments of rest, but before you do, why not let us know what model you're partying with if you're in the club?

[Via jkOnThRun]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ibm-thinkpad-celebrates-15th-birthday/#comments

7/19/2007 2:12:00 PM

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage, Networking

Velocity Micro -- the crew that brought you many a tricked out rig and the first CableCARD Vista boxes sold -- is working on a product tentatively titled the Home Server based on, you guessed it, Windows Home Server. What we know is the Home Server can be oriented horizontally or vertically, use an Intel Conroe-like processor with DDR2 RAM, have SATA II (with NCQ), gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, and will launch at an "extremely competitive price". More as we get it.

Update: Our bad, the Home Server's drive expansion box will launch aunch Q108, but the server itself will launch when Windows Home Server is released. Also, zoomed-in pic after the break.

Continue reading Velocity Micro Home Server based on Windows Home Server

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/velocity-micro-home-server-based-on-windows-home-server/#comments

7/19/2007 1:42:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Sprint's open mindedness to hooking up with Clearwire for a national WiMAX network has blossomed into something just a little more serious, it seems. The two companies have announced that they'll be collaborating on making mobile WiMAX a reality in a comprehensive agreement that covers roaming and combined marketing efforts under a single to-be-announced brand name. Specifically, Sprint will be responsible for covering about 185 million potential customers with Clearwire swooping in for another 115 million over the next few years; 100 million total are expected to be covered by the end of 2008, which is curiously the exact same number Sprint had been throwing around on its own accord before the agreement was announced. This is a pretty serious deal, too -- the two are bound in holy matrimony for at least 20 years with options for up to three 10-year renewals. Looks like that hot WiMAX smartphone from Palm might still be in the cards, eh?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sprint-clearwire-to-cooperate-on-wimax-build-out/#comments

7/19/2007 1:14:00 PM

Filed under: Storage

If you're the type who prefers your vehicles to come with only two wheels, and you also don't mind paying entirely too much for a USB flash drive so long as its branded right, SanDisk's latest could be right up your alley. Amongst a number of Ducati-badged flash memory (shown after the jump), SanDisk has also unveiled the Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive, which doesn't do much to avoid looking like your average Liquid Paper Dryline Grip. Aside from the awkward resemblance, this glossy red device sports the same color effects as those found on the Ducati Corse team motorcycles, includes 4GB of internal storage, and touts write speeds of up to 20 megabytes-per-second. 'Course, that staggering $124.99 you'll lay down for this piece also includes a "custom lanyard" and SanDisk's RescuePRO Deluxe software, but we imagine the pricetag won't matter much for true aficionados.

[Via PCLaunches]

Continue reading SanDisk offers up 4GB Ducati USB flash drive

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sandisk-offers-up-4gb-ducati--usb-flash-drive/#comments

7/19/2007 12:44:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops

OCZ is upping the DDR3 RAM ante yet again, besting its own recently introduced modules with its new 1800MHz PC3-14400 modules. Apparently the first modules of their kind to go into production, these will be available in both single 1GB modules and 2x1GB dual channel kits, with 'em boasting a peak bandwidth of 14400MB (or 14.4GB) per second and latencies "comparable to the fastest offerings of DDR or DDR2." Otherwise, you'll get OCZ's proprietary platinum-mirrored XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreader to keep the modules cool, along with a lifetime warranty for a little extra insurance.

[Via The Inquirer]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ocz-intros-1800mhz-ddr3-ram-modules/#comments

7/19/2007 12:19:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

Groundhog's Day ain't got nothing on this. Yet again, we're faced with another recall on potentially defective laptop batteries, and yet again, these cells in question could catch fire when you least expect it. The latest round of recalls by Toshiba allows for some 10,000 Sony-made batteries to be replaced after a trio of fire incidents over the past ten months got its attention. Of course, Sony noted that the financial impact of this wave should be minor, particularly compared to the recall-related costs it's already trying to swallow.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/toshiba-waves-the-recall-flag-again-on-sony-laptop-batteries/#comments

7/19/2007 11:49:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

While many have criticized Apple for (debatably) giving its handheld lineup more priority than the Mac, it looks like sales aren't suffering because of it. Presumably due (at least in part) to the halo effect stirred by Apple's marketing blitz of its iPhone and iPod, Apple's US personal computer shipments for Q2 of this year landed them in a tie with the once mighty Gateway in terms of American market share. Granted, Gateway did have a few more shipments than Apple, but if Gateway continues to fade and Macs continue to move, we could see Cupertino raising up the bronze (outright) here soon. Attaboy Steve -- just snag 18-percent more of the market and second place is all yours.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/apple-ties-gateway-for-third-in-pc-shipments-looks-to-steal-the/#comments

7/19/2007 11:27:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

No doubt we've heard quite a few calumnies come out of the mouths of high-ranking company officials before (yes, even those at Microsoft), but this one takes things to a different level entirely. Just days after Peter Moore abruptly abandoned ship and swam elsewhere, it seems that frustrations are getting the best of the firm's VP of Global Marketing as well. According to a number of sleuths who used the "bell801" member name to link back to Mr. Bell, the executive actually private messaged a NeoGAF member who was "especially critical of Bell" during an E3 press conference and blurted out: "And your contribution to society is...what?" Yeah, that'll show 'em, Jeff.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/microsofts-jeff-bell-gettin-feisty-on-message-board/#comments

7/19/2007 10:57:00 AM

Filed under: Storage

As the evolution of flash memory (and CompactFlash in particular) continues on, it looks like the CompactFlash Association is gearing up to create a CF card with a SATA interface. Reportedly, the CFA has assembled a working group to "develop a specification for a CompactFlash card with a Serial ATA interface," as it looks to broaden the market appeal of CompactFlash and exceed the current 133MB/second interface data rate. Regrettably, we've no idea when these newfangled devices are slated to go commercial, but we'd recommend that you start saving right about now anyway.

[Thanks, Mark]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/compactflash-sata-cards-on-the-horizon/#comments

7/19/2007 10:36:00 AM

Filed under: Robots, Transportation

Right on schedule, the GUNDAM CRISIS attraction at the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park in Japan has opened its door for ~~fanatics~~ paying guests, and just as we expected, a whole slew of live photographs have made their way out. Fanboys (and girls) hoping that a great deal of care would be taken in its construction are likely to be pleased, as the 1:1 creation certainly bears a resemblance to the real deal. Without further ado, head on past the break for a few more shots, and tag the read link if you're looking for the whole roll.

[Via Slashgear]

Continue reading GUNDAM CRISIS attraction opens up, fanboys unite

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7/19/2007 10:16:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

With all the chicanery that's been going on with ATMs of late, it looks like the machines are finally getting back at the humans. In a move that's already confusing creatures of habit, envelope-free ATMs are starting to pop up in highly-trafficked areas, and as the name implies, they require that your deposits not be stuffed into an envelope beforehand. Diebold, NCR, and, Wincor Nixdorf (among others) are beginning to roll out these newfangled machines, which cost some 20-percent more than typical ATMs and sport specialized scanners that can detect how much cash you're actually inserting as you slide your check / bills into its theoretical mouth. The biggest boon here is the drop in processing costs to banks, while customers are likely to be pleased with instant receipts and nearly-instant access to the fundage. 'Course, we're just counting down the days until yet another ATM trickster figures out how to convert a Hershey's wrapper into a $20 bill.

[Image courtesy of ABC]

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

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7/19/2007 9:56:00 AM

Filed under: Robots

In a move sure to enkindle flying robotic creatures everywhere, a new species is finally ready to join the gang, as a "life-size, robotic fly has taken flight at Harvard University." The diminutive creation weighs just 60-milligrams, sports a three-centimeter wingspan, and has been developed to boast movements "modeled on those of a real fly." Notably, this isn't the first time we've seen researchers rely on the works of nature in order to craft their own mechanical beings, and given the fly's innate ability to be an excellent spy or chemical detection agent, it's no shock to hear that DARPA is reportedly sponsoring the endeavor. As expected, taking flight was simply the first step in a long line of improvements to come, as the man behind the machine is now looking to integrate an onboard battery and create a flight controller so that the robot can move in different directions.

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

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7/19/2007 9:36:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Facing ever-decreasing CD sales and the rise of the iTunes Empire, Disney has decided to fight back the best way it can: by ~~innovating~~ tacking on worthless features to a dead format. The company's new CDVU+ format, to be released through its Hollywood Records subsidiary, features "digital magazine extras" like band photos, interviews, lyrics, and photos that can be accessed by sticking the disc into a computer. To increase CDVU+'s appeal, the company has pledged to develop unique content for the format and not just repackage already-available media -- a promise we've heard about virtually every crazy new format that's come down the pike. Notwithstanding the fact that Steve Jobs is on Disney's freaking board of directors, we're utterly in shock that the company thinks this is actually going to work -- this sort of content has been available and ignored on Enhanced CDs for years. Will anyone ever learn?

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7/19/2007 9:03:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation

Polar, a company best known for its sports-related technology, has created a new on-board computer for cyclists hoping to improve their game, called the CS600. Supposedly developed with the help of six different teams that competed in last year's Tour de France, the advanced little monitor tracks your heart's performance (like if it's beating and how fast), bike speed, and altitude -- but that's just the start. All the data to the handlebar-mounted device is sent wirelessly over Polar's 2.4GHz W.I.N.D. technology (which we think might just be code for regular old WiFi), so you won't be worrying about pesky wires while you're speeding past all the bozos who didn't get one of these to train with.

[Via Crave]

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

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7/19/2007 8:02:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

While we can't say the world needs yet another iPod accessory, Shanling's MC-3 CD player / dock unit caught our eye not only for its tube power amp, high-end Philips CD transport and Burr-Brown DA converter, but for its shameless 80s style. Not only does the clear acrylic CD lid light up with blue LEDs, the tubes themselves are encased in rings of plastic, making the whole thing look like The Sharper Image just leaned over and threw up. Keeping with the 80s vibe, you'll have to be quite the Yuppie to snag this thing: Shanling's US importers are setting prices right around a cool $1,000.

[Thanks, Lukas]

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7/19/2007 6:24:00 AM

Filed under: Gaming

In an interview with Norway's Dabladet, David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, reiterated that a move from the 60GB to an 80GB PS3 didn't make sense for Europe. Unlike the US and S.Korea, "going up 20GB is not worth it." We know, that's a bitter pill for our more culturally astute gaming brethren to swallow. Still, take heart as Reeves went on to say that, "if you double it, it's worth it. So maybe you'll see something a bit later." Right, that's 120GB if we take his words literally. Of course, these bumps are inevitable, so some specific timing would certainly be appreciated. In defense of launching the new Starter Pack bundles (a 60GB PS3 with two Sixaxis pads and two first party games) instead of price cuts for Europe, Reeves claims that consumers in PAL territories are more concerned with "added value." Riiiight. Of course, this is the same man who said "the name of the game is not market share" only to predict that the PS3 will be "the winner" by March 08. In other words, anything can happen.

[Via The Inquirer]

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7/19/2007 5:36:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

InfoSec Sellout, the hacker(s) behind that claimed OS X worm we mentioned yesterday, has kinda-sorta disappeared from the Internets. Sellout's blog, which classified the information security industry as a bunch of "snake oil salesmen, pimps and whores," is "now dead" according to the anonymous blogger (or bloggers) who many think is hacker LMH of January's "Month of Apple Bugs." Mysteriously, the site has reemerged under a new name boasting a link to SecurityFocus where InfoSec Sellout's vulnerability claim now includes the latest version of OS X: 10.4.10. Oddly, Sellout claims that his/her site was hacked, and the new posts are fakes. Huh? Sellout claims that the reason for the shutdown was due to the loss of hacker anonymity from "cry babies" who can't handle a little honesty. Of course, none of this makes any sense. After all, there's always Google cache. Besides, if his/her (or their) claim of developing a first, massively propagating OS X worm is true, then just like DVD Jon before, Sellout's fiscal future as an industry professional would be all but guaranteed. So what are you really hiding from Sellout?

[Via Macworld]

Read -- InfoSec old site (via Google Cache)
Read -- InfoSec new site
Read -- InfoSec Sellout's identity?
Read -- SecurityFocus vulnerability description

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7/19/2007 3:55:00 AM

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Video

JVC is bringing more of that 3-CCD goodness this morning by coming clean with the specs of their high-def, GZ-HD3 camcorder. The latest HD Everio trims some 27% of the bulk from their GZ-HD7 while offering much of the same features albeit, at a lower resolution. We're talking up to 5-hours of 1,440 x 1,080 / 30Mbps recordings direct to internal 60GB hard disk. You can also record up to 5-hours in a 1440CBR mode for easy editing with your HDV-compatible software. Otherwise, you're stuck with the bundled CyberLink BD software. Rounding out the features are a Konica Minolta HD lens, digital image stabilization, JVC's HD Gigabrid image processing, 2.8-inch LCD, HDMI-out, built-in light, PC-less archiving over USB to Everio Share Stations, and support for SDHC (Class 6) recordings in SP mode (1,440 x 1,080 at 22Mbps). Expected to hit US shores for $1,300 sometime in September.

Gallery: JVC's 3-CCD GZ-HD3 camcorder: like the HD7 but smaller

[Via Impress]

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7/19/2007 3:28:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

C'mon, don't act so shocked -- you had to realize that these record sales of NAND-based iPhones and iPods were using up some serious flash memory, right? Turns out, Apple's two biggest hits are "expected to consume 25-percent of the global flash output," which could in turn drive up prices of said memory in the not too distant future. DRAMeXchange, a market research company out of Taiwan that tracks the memory industry, further suggested that it could take "about two to three quarters before manufacturers can raise their chip yield rates to a higher level," which doesn't bode well for anyone hoping to see a price cut on any of Apple's handhelds due to increased volume purchasing in the memory department.

[Via CNET]

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