SlashGear

Itch Chair Scratches Your Itches, Itches Your Scratches

Evan Selleck — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:56:15 +0000

Have you ever been sitting in a chair, comfortable, and then suddenly you’re assaulted with this itch right at the center of your back? You know your arms can’t reach it (not that you don’t try), so then you’re forced to rub your back against the chair itself, hoping that you can rid yourself of the annoyance. Sure, you may look like a crazy person for a little while, but at least you took care of that itch, right? If that’s been you on one too many occasion, maybe it’s time you sit down in one of these fancy itch chairs, and relax in what the future has in store for us.

The Itch Chair (it’s got a ring to it, if you say it enough) is designed by Dana Gordon, and uses a scratching actuator that is controlled by a touchpad on the base of the chair’s seat. Basically, as you run your fingers across the touchpad beneath you, the mechanism will move across the back of the chair, and scratch your back for you. No moving around like a mad man, or reaching desperately for the spot you can’t get to. It’s all done for you.

And while some other items with a trackpad may not work all that great, from what we can tell of the still images, there’s probably not much this piece can really get wrong. Though, with interchangeable “fingernails” to better suit your scratching needs, we’re hoping the chair can’t become self-aware or anything. That would just be a bad day. No word on release date, but the rough draft seems to be pretty “rough” at the moment, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed that this comes out soon.

[via Nerd Approved]

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Palm Pre and Pixi Face AT&T Launch Delays, Reduced Number of Units

Evan Selleck — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:31:23 +0000

The launch of a Palm smartphone running webOS on AT&T’s network hasn’t actually been confirmed as of yet, but that’s not stopping the analysts from declaring their assumptions. The release of the AT&T Palm Pre (Plus?) and Pixi (Plus?) has been on the rumor mill for quite some time, and many people think it’s just about as confirmed as it can get without an actual official statement from Palm. It would be a great thing to see a webOS device hit AT&T, but not so much if these latest murmurings have any truth to them.

Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek has come forward and spoken out about Palm’s latest speed bumps, elaborating on some of the issues that the company seems to be having in regards to releasing the two smartphones. The ramifications for the troubles? While the rumor put the initial release of the two smartphones in April or May, Misek is saying that the release has been pushed back until June, or even July. A summer release, to be frank. The strange part, is that these problems seem to be part of a long list of technical issues that AT&T is having with the devices, but Misek would not divulge on any of the details we’d want to hear.

What’s worse, AT&T has apparently cut down on the initial order numbers for the two handsets, which would basically mean a soft launch should be expected. And lastly, AT&T has also cut the marketing budget significantly for the launch in general, which can’t be painted as a good thing no matter how hard you may try. So, looking back, we have a delayed launch on a major carrier, a minimal amount of units to sell from the start, a trimmed marketing budget, and a significant list of technical issues plaguing the devices. This isn’t looking good for Palm, if these rumors are indeed true.

[via AllThingsD]

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Google Nexus One Heading to Sprint

Evan Selleck — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:56:39 +0000

If you’ll recall, the Google Nexus One launched back in January with T-Mobile USA exclusivity. It’s just been made available with the appropriate 3G bands to rock on AT&T’s 3G network (along with Rogers, up in Canada), and we just got word that the Google Phone, manufactured by HTC, is now officially coming to the Sprint Network.

When the Nexus One launched, Google’s Phone Store reflected the T-Mobile availability, along with purchasing an unlocked version of the device at full retail pricing. At the bottom of the page though, you could see Verizon Wireless listed, as well as Vodafone across the pond. Google also admitted that the devices for those appropriate carriers would be launched later this year, and wold-be customers have been patiently waiting ever since. But now, from almost out of nowhere, we’ve got Sprint officially announcing that the 1GHz, Android 2.1, 3.7-inch AMOLED display beast is heading to their network.

The device is still going to be sold through Google’s online store only, with retail stores being left out of the equation. It will make use of Sprint’s 3G network, with no mention of any 4G functionality. Unfortunately, we don’t have any word on pricing, or release date at this point, but Sprint wanted to make it perfectly clear that “soon” is read perfectly clear. In that time frame, we should have a clear understanding of how pricing will be made, whether the phone will be subsidized or not, and when Sprint customers can expect to hold the handset in their hands. So, Sprint users out there, are you excited by the news? And Verizon customers, what’s your take on this?

[via Sprint]

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Super Vision Chip scans 200 page book in 60 seconds; has Natal-style gaming potential [Video]

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:37:31 +0000

After speculation earlier today about the lag involved in Sony’s PlayStation Move system, how about a really fast camera? University of Tokyo professor Masatoshi Ishikawa has developed the simply-titled “Super Vision Chip”, capable of scanning an entire 200 page book in a minute (you can see the demo after the cut). While obviously that would make digitizing documents more straightforward, Ishikawa reckons the system also has potential in gaming.

Video demo after the cut

The camera used can operate at 500fps, and captures frames at 1280 x 1024 resolution. As the video below demonstrates, you can flick idly through the book – faster than you can read each individual page, certainly – and the camera will grab a stable shot of everything along the way. A combination of regular light and laser light is used; the system can track the laser patterns and use them to adjust the images for any skew or 3D deformation.

Ishikawa has already used the Super Vision Chip in robotics – he’s created robot arms capable of tracking and catching objects moving at high speed, or bouncing balls off of walls without dropping them – and his team are working on increasing performance so you can flip the book even faster. The eventual hope is to have a camera system small enough to fit into a mobile device, so you could theoretically do all this with your iPhone.

[via BoingBoing]

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Breaking Windows is a good idea

Michael Gartenberg — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:16:20 +0000

I have been reading a lot of critiques of Microsoft’s mobile strategy lately, especially among those who think that breaking compatibility with older versions of Windows Mobile is a bad idea. Some of these opinions are just wrong, showing little knowledge of technical architectures. (If it’s CE based, how come I can’t run my old apps? Sheesh; CE was used in many different mobile devices, none of which could run Windows Mobile apps). For those that are dependent on some Windows Mobile app, Microsoft is wisely keeping the 6.5.x platform around for a while meaning folks can make a smooth transition as they need to.

First, to reiterate my view on the market, Microsoft isn’t doing nearly as badly in mobility as some think. I still think Windows Mobile to be vastly underrated in the market. But that’s not the point. As I’ve talked about over and over, nobody’s platform from last year is going to be good enough for next year. The key to Microsoft’s success in future mobility is exactly their willingness to break from the past and focus on the future. Windows Phone 7 Series devices should not run older applications. Microsoft needs to give developers incentive to get on board with something new, and more importantly to show how developers can leverage their code across multiple platforms, devices and do things they couldn’t do before.

We’ve learnt more about Windows Phone 7 at MIX10 this week, and Microsoft did the right thing kicking off the platform’s launch with some impressive demos showing how a game can be built with 90% shared code working on both an Xbox and a Windows Phone 7 device. That’s huge and something that’s going to appeal to a lot of developers.

Among the most glaring things missing from Microsoft’s consumer strategy was a cohesive message between diverse business units. There needed to be a clearly articulated message that recognizes that mobility features among products are interrelated. That means that Windows 7, Windows Phone, XBox, Xune etc all have to work together. It looks like Microsoft is finally getting that message and taking users to that place. Breaking compatibility with older Windows Mobile devices was a hard decision, but it was the right way how to get where they need to be. Sure, it means older stuff takes a hit but more importantly it means there will much more evangelism and excitement for developers who will be able to leverage Microsoft technologies such as Silverlight and XNA to develop across platforms.

If I were Microsoft, here’s what I would do to really drive Windows Phone 7 forward.

1. Clarify the mobility message but recognize there will be overlap between devices and functionality. Multiple Microsoft devices are good and they work together.

2. Ignore the backward compatibility grumbles (mostly coming from folks who said Windows Mobile wasn’t good anyhow) and focus on getting the new features done right and make them work seamlessly.

3. Maximize the experience of product ownership. If owning a Windows PC is good, a Windows PC and Windows Phone should be better. Add in an Xbox and it should be an even better experience. And so on.

The mobile age is really just starting as we move from the medium of voice communication as the core phone drive to the new age of mobile social context. It’s going to take a lot for Microsoft to get there and a good way to start is breaking with the past.

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Digital Storm DAVINCI workstation gets overclocked Core i7-940X

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:54 +0000

Having shown you Digital Storm’s madly-overclocked BlackOPS gaming PC yesterday, now it’s the turn of their updated workstation, the DAVINCI, to get Intel’s latest Core i7-980X Extreme processor. The chip finds its way into the mid-range DAVINCI Professional model, kicking off at $4,995 (with a $350 discount if you scamper over and buy one straight away) complete with 12GB of DDR3 memory and NVIDIA PNY Quadro FX 1800 768MB graphics.

As you might expect, the DAVINCI is targeted at video, audio and image editing rather than gaming. Still, Digital Storm will also happily overclock it for you before shipping it; as before, $248 will get you up to 4.4GHz out of the already potent hexacore chip.

There’s also liquid-cooling and an optional Blackmagic Design HD Intensity Pro card which throws in a couple of HDMI inputs and some other A/V connectivity. The newly updated Digital Storm DAVINCI workstation is available to order now.

Press Release:

Digital Storm’s DAVINCI Ushers in Workstation Renaissance for Creative Professionals

Intel i7 980X and NVIDIA Quadro powered workstations optimize application performance for superior digital content creation

Fremont, CA – (March 17, 2010) – Digital Storm, the predominant name in system integration, proudly debuts its flagship line of workstations: DAVINCI.

Digital Storm’s DAVINCI workstations harness the power of Intel’s new i7 980X processor, NVIDIA’s Quadro graphics card and are designed to fully utilize NVIDIA’s ground-breaking CUDA technology. With the DAVINCI’s line of custom workstations, Digital Storm has created a platform for creative professionals’ that will boosts productivity, allowing them to accomplish more in less time.

Each DAVINCI workstation is fully customized by integrating the industry’s latest hardware; with the goal of optimizing performance for the customer’s chosen applications. Digital Storm technicians and customer support staff have years of expertise in system integration. Their understanding of how hardware maximizes software performance is unsurpassed. To further outperform all other workstations, Digital Storm gives creative professionals the option to have the processor overclocked, while still being backed by the company’s 4 year warranty.

DAVINCI workstations come standard with Digital Storm’s complete 4 Year Parts and Labor Warranty and customers can opt for an extended 5 Year Parts and Labor Warranty. Knowing the rigorous work schedules of most creative professionals, Digital Storm offers the option to have replacement parts shipped express overnight, in an effort to minimize down time.

Prior to shipping to the customer, each DAVINCI system undergoes a rigorous 72-Hour Stress-Test. Digital Storm technicians stress-test and benchmark the system via industry standard testing software coupled with a proprietary testing process that detects components which can be prone to future failure.

“The philosophy behind DAVINCI is simple: engineer a workstation that completely maximizes application performance so that creative professionals can accelerate their productivity,” commented Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm’s Director of Product Development. “Thanks to NVIDIA’s and Intel’s most powerful components to date, our DAVINCI workstations will be fully optimized for the forthcoming release of Adobe’s Creative Suite 5.”

Digital Storm’s DAVINCI workstations are available for purchase at www.DigitalStormSystems.com. The base configuration for the Performance configuration has a price of $2,952 and customers can take advantage of an additional $200 off during Digital Storm’s launch promotion. Each Digital Storm system comes with a 4 year parts and labor warranty, including replacement parts, and lifetime customer support.

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HTC Supersonic 4G launching at CTIA 2010 next week?

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:04:46 +0000

HTC’s WiMAX-packing Supersonic has been something of a regular when it comes to the rumor-mill over the past few months, and it seems Sprint may be ramping up to an announcement next week. According to the WSJ’s “people familiar with the matter”, the Supersonic – expected to be an Android 2.1 device with a 4.3-inch display – will make its debut at CTIA 2010.

Sprint and HTC aren’t saying anything, but the Supersonic is expected to take the stand on Tuesday as part of the carrier’s CTIA keynote. The company had previously only committed to a launch sometime in the first half of this year.

At the time, the carrier’s business market’s president Paget Alves suggested that the Sprint 4G phone would be targeted at government and industrial clients rather than solely at consumers. However the WSJ also suggests that Sprint have recently changed their short-term incentive plan for employees, making signing up new contract customers to the WiMAX service a priority.

[via Android Community]

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HTC Hero Android 2.1 update from April 4th?

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:44:18 +0000

It’s looking more and more likely that HTC will miss their self-imposed deadline for the Android 2.1 update for the HTC Hero, which we were told back at MWC 2010 would arrive in February or March. According to a supposedly leaked timescale document on xda-developers, HTC in fact won’t start pushing out the update until April 2010, kicking off on April 2nd with the unlocked version of the smartphone.

That will be followed by the T-Mobile UK/Germany and Orange UK/Spain handsets on April 16th, with other carrier-branded versions following later through the month and into May 2010. Notably absent is any mention of US devices. Of course, this could all be faked; we’ve got a request in for the latest information from HTC themselves, and will update with what we hear back.

HTC EU (Nordic/Greek/RUS/UKR/SA) 2010/4/2

TMO – UK TMO 2010/4/16

UK/ES Orange 2010/4/16

TMO – DE TMO 2010/4/16

SFR signature Orange 2010/4/22

ZA(Vodacom) HTC 2010/4/22

H3G UK H3G 2010/4/22

HTC BE HTC 2010/5/4

HTC TUR HTC 2010/5/4

TMO – PL TMO 2010/5/10

TMO – HU TMO 2010/5/10

TMO – MK TMO 2010/5/10

[via Android Community]

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AT&T ZERO Charger promises to kill “vampire draw”

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:00:28 +0000

While most people probably don’t have several review cellphones lying around on their desk at any one time, the trickle of juice soaked up by even just one cellphone charger left unplugged is enough to add an unpleasant bump into your power bill. AT&T have decided to do something about that – at least in part – and so they’ve announced the AT&T ZERO Charger, a PSU that apparently has no standby draw whatsoever.

That means you can unplug your cellphone when it has finished charging but leave the ZERO Charger itself plugged into the mains, without worrying about how much current it might still be drawing. So far the AT&T Zero isn’t available for sale, but you can sign up for more information and the carrier will get in touch when they’re in stock.

Still, we can’t help but wonder why AT&T aren’t pushing to simply include one of these in the box with every new handset they sell, rather than expecting owners to pick them up as an accessory. We’ve already seen at least one handset sold without an AC adapter in the box – based on the assumption that most people will already have one lying around the house somewhere – plus it’s cheaper for the manufacturer themselves.

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HTML5 and Flash can work together insists Adobe evangelist [Video]

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:01:46 +0000

Flash and HTML5 are hot topics in the online world right now. We’ve heard plenty about how more smartphones will get Flash, how performance might not be what users expect and how mainstream sites are looking to alternatives, and of course there’s Apple’s ongoing reluctance to add Flash functionality to their mobile devices. Meanwhile HTML5 is getting plenty of positive press, and most recently Microsoft have announced full support for the technology in IE9. Is there room for both to live together in harmony, however? ”Adobe platform evangelist” Serge Jespers reckons so, and he’s thrown together the code to demonstrate it.

Video demo after the cut

In Jespers’ example, HTML5 is used to pull out geolocation data that can then be fed to a Flash application, even though only Adobe AIR has access to geolocation APIs. This takes advantage of HTML5’s geolocation API, that can use not only true-GPS but WiFi and cellular base-station triangulation depending on what the device itself has access to.

The end result is an app which is written in Flash but which – when used in a fully HTML5 compliant browser like Firefox 3.5 – can access location information using an ExternalInterface call. It works on both desktop systems and – if you have the Flash 10.1 beta, which obviously Jespers has – the Google Nexus One’s WebKit-based browser; you can try it yourself here or check out the details in the video below.

Is Flash dead at the hands of HTML5? No, certainly not – and we didn’t need this app to tell us that – but paired together they make for even more interesting applications. If anything, it comes down to how browser developers add in support for the technologies; if one or both isn’t stable then users will have a bad experience, no matter what the content they’re accessing is coded in.

[Thanks Andy!]

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PlayStation Move lag measured: speed-games might suffer?

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:45:03 +0000

Sony’s PlayStation Move motion-controller is certainly catching plenty of attention lately, but just how accurate is the system in action? Sony themselves are claiming “under 1 frame” lag from the hardware, but when combined with a game (that may be tweaked to smooth out jerky user-input), a flatscreen display and the console itself, real-world performance has the potential to be pretty different. Eurogamer took along a 60fps-capable camcorder to shoot some footage of Move in action, and then ran their stopwatch over the results.

The concept is straightforward. Firstly, running an app that’s not console-intensive – such as a simple augmented reality demo, which basically just shows what the PlayStation Eye camera sees – pretty much takes the PS3’s own lag out of the equation. Then, you measure how long it takes the on-screen representation to start moving after you go from stationary to suddenly active; similarly, you can measure how long what’s on-screen takes to go from moving to stationary.

Doing that, Eurogamer reckon the PlayStation Move latency to be around 133ms, give or take a frame, though that doesn’t take into account any lag in the display panel itself. That’s probably fine for regular gaming, but may present reaction issues when you’re playing titles that depend on outright speed of response. Sony have already limited the amount of simultaneous controller use – to below what the PS3 can actually handle in terms of concurrent Bluetooth connections – seemingly as an at-least partial sop to bandwidth considerations, so it’ll be interesting to see how intensive games hold up (and how Sony’s ongoing code-tweaking might improve things). Check out the video here.

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Joby Gorillamobile for iPod Touch Giveaway

Ewdison Then — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:24:27 +0000

It’s time for another giveaway here on SlashGear! Gorillapod have given us two of their new Gorillamobile for iPod touch cases, the only iPod touch case that comes with its own set of flexible, bendable legs, making watching movies on your iPod Touch much more enjoyable than holding it on your hand.

To enter, simply tell us in this discussion thread about how long you generally hold your iPod touch in your hand while watching videos on it. Does a 3 minute YouTube video try your patience, or have you sat through a whole feature film before now? We’ll pick two people at random and they’ll take away a Gorillamobile for iPod Touch case each.

Rules

Competition is open to SlashGear readers over the age of 18. Employees and family members of Gorillapod and SlashGear are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear forum thread; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. Entries should be submitted before midnight eastern time on March 21st 2010; one entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be contacted via email; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, SlashGear.

Prize consists of two Gorillapod Gorillamobile for iPod touch cases, one each for two winners. There is no cash alternative. However, should this prize become unavailable, SlashGear and Gorillapod reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

NOTE: DO NOT POST YOUR ENTRY ON THIS POST.

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ThermaPAK HeatShift Pad Review

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:23:42 +0000

When your product promises to do one thing and do it well, you’re potentially setting yourself up for a whole lot of criticism if the reality doesn’t match up to the sales claims. Latest to enter the arena is the ThermaPAK Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pad; according to ThermaPAK slotting the pad under your notebook will result in better cooling than any fan-based rival can manage. Marketing hype or salvation for your toasty lap? Check the full SlashGear review to find out.

ThermaPAK offer three different sizes of HeatShift, suited to 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch notebooks, and in three different colors: black, pink and “Mac” white. Inside the quilted fabric are the company’s patented PCM crystals, which start off solid but, as heat is passed from the notebook to the pad, gradually change into their liquid form. When the heat source is removed the crystals solidify again. The theory goes that it’s faster than so-called active cooling by fans, better for your battery as it requires no power source, and is easier to transport since you can roll it up or stuff it into a laptop bag.

Does it work? In short – and to our surprise – yes, it really does. We booted up a MacBook Pro and started it playing HD-quality movies until the base of the notebook was uncomfortably hot to the touch. After placing it onto the HeatShift Pad – still playing movies – within two minutes time the MBP was as cool as if the system were idle.

A cooler-running system means better stability, components that last longer and – not least – a more comfortable experience when the notebook is on your lap. ThermaPAK also offer cases with room for the pad and your notebook, though you shouldn’t have trouble fitting the pad alone into your regular case. Prices start at $27.99 for the 13-inch pad, $29.99 for the 15-inch and $34.99 for the 17-inch.

If this is a shorter review than normal then it’s because the product itself so quickly convinces. The ThermaPAK Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pad is unobtrusive, cheaper than many “active” fan-based cooling stands and easier to transport, and most importantly of all it actually works. If you’re a heavy-duty user crunching video while mobile, or simply fed up of your notebook burning through your legs, we’d definitely recommend slotting a ThermaPAK pad underneath.

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Parrot AR.Drone gets dogfight demo [Video]

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:59:04 +0000

We can’t get enough of the Parrot AR.Drone iPhone-controlled quadricopter, and our all-too-brief play at CES back in January was enough to convince us that this is one “toy” we’ll be asking for when it launches later in 2010. Parrot have released a new video of the AR.Drone in action, this time with two of the units taking to the skies for an aerial battle.

Video demo after the cut

The AR.Drone is controlled via a WiFi link to an iPhone or iPod touch, but it also has some particularly complex onboard intelligence. Two cameras – one looking at the ground and one looking forward – are used to not only beam real-time footage back to the user, but also for the autopilot system. When you’ve got just one unit that’s used for object avoidance and stability, but when you’ve got two it makes dogfights more challenging.

Still, if you’ve only got one that doesn’t mean you can’t stage battles; the Parrot software can create virtual enemies shown on-screen to battle against. Parrot still aren’t saying anything specific regarding availability – only “later in 2010″ – or pricing, but we’re not expecting the AR.Drone to be especially cheap.

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ZOTAC offers world’s first ION graphics upgrade kit

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:29:32 +0000

When NVIDIA pulled the wraps of the next-generation ION platform earlier this month, we knew discrete cards for upgrading computers were coming. ZOTAC has announced what it claims to be the world’s first ION Upgrade kits.

The kit includes a ZOTAC SFF motherboard with a ION GPU built-in. the ION graphics card has 16 unified shaders and 512MB of DDR3 memory. It supports CUDA, PureVideo HD, DirectX 10.1, DirectComputer, OpenGL, and OpenCL.

The core clock for the GPU is 589MHz, the shader clock is 1402MHz, and the memory clock is 790MHz. The card slips into PCI Express x1 slots and should make for a nice upgrade for a small HTPC. Outputs include DVI, HDMI, and VGA with an optional bracket. Pricing and availability are unannounced at this time.

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Gateway unveils new EC14D01h ultraportable in Canada

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:19:10 +0000

Gateway has a ton of notebooks, netbooks, and desktops that it offers around the world. The computer maker has now announced a new ultraportable that is debuting in the Canadian market called the EC14D01h. The 11.6-inch ultraportable is Energy Star qualified.

The machine will ship later this month for $579 CAD and uses an Intel Pentium ULV SU4100 processor at 1.3GHz. The OS for the little notebook is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and the notebook has 4GB of RAM. The 11.6-inch screen is LED backlit and has a resolution of 1366 x 768.

Other features include Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics, 320GB HDD, integrated 8x DVD drive, WiFi, three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI out, and a 6-cell battery. The notebook also has a memory card reader and a multi-gesture track pad.

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i-Got-Control turns iPhone into learning remote

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:08:33 +0000

This is just what we need, another hardware and app combo to turn the iPhone into a universal remote control. This certainly isn’t the first iPhone universal remote system we have seen, the Power A universal remote case turned up in February. Today a new remote control device has surfaced called i-Got-Control.

The device is a plug and play IRB1 accessory that works with an iTunes app providing control over just about any IR device according to the maker. The remote can operate TVs, cable boxes, stereos and more. The device has an IR database and learning capability.

That means if your device is in the library, you don’t have to spend lots of time training the remote to operate your devices. The i-Got-control device is available now for $69.95 and the required app is on the App Store now.

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Kodak debuts new EASYSHARE M580 digital camera

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:59:06 +0000

Kodak has a line of digital cameras that are designed to make it easy for users to shoot and share pictures called EASYSHARE. Kodak has added a new model to the EASYSHARE line called the M580. The camera is designed to allow for easy sharing of photos on social networks like Facebook, Flickr, and others.

The camera has a 3-inch LCD on the rear and uses a 14MP sensor. Optical zoom is 8x and the camera has shake reduction. HD video recording at 720p resolution is supported at 30 fps. The lens us a 28mm wide angle unit using Schneider-Kreuznach optics.

The camera has a hoard of automatic features designed to give you great pictures no matter the setting. The camera has face recognition and can be set up to recognize up to 20 faces automatically. The feature automatically tags faces for search and the tags carry over to editing software. The M580 has 64MB of internal memory and stores to SD/SDHC cards. The camera can be pre-ordered now for $199.99 and is expected to ship on April 23.

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Acer TimelineX 3820T, 4820T and 5820T get quietly official

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:43:44 +0000

Someone at Acer US should check their calendar, because while the company’s TimelineX notebooks aren’t expected to make their official debut until March 22nd, they’ve already shown up on the company’s site. As expected, along with the 13.3-inch TimelineX 1830T from yesterday, there’s also a 13.3-inch TimelineX 3820T, 14-inch TimelineX 4820T and a 15.6-inch TimelineX 5820T.

The 1830T packs Intel Centrino or Core 2 Solo CPUs, but the rest get their pick from Intel’s Calpella Core i3, i5 and i7 ranges. The Intel Core i3-330M and i3-350M (2.12GHz or 2.26GHz), Core i5-430M, i5-520M and i5-540M (2.26GHz, 2.40GHz or 2.53GHz) and Core i7-620M (2.66GHz) are all on offer, together with up to 8GB of memory and up to 640GB of storage.

There are also various ATI Mobility Radeon graphics options, including the HD 5470 and HD 5650, while wireless connectivity includes a choice of WiFi b/g or WiFi b/g/n, optional 3G and optional Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. Acer reckon you’ll see up to 12hrs battery life from the 3820T, 4820T and 5820T, while the 1830T will get you up to 8hrs. No official pricing or launch dates, but going by Taiwanese rumors they’ll be arriving there at the end of the month.

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Asus offers pics of new Rampage III Extreme mainboard

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:16:29 +0000

Asus is big in the enthusiast computer hardware market with a number of mainboards and other gear. The company has offered up a few new official pictures of its coming Rampage III Extreme motherboard and the thing looks great. The design of the heatsinks is very cool and will let users of cases with side windows show off.

We don’t know anything about pricing yet, but we do know a few of the specs of the board already. The Rampage III Extreme will support Intel 1366 socket CPUs like the Core i7 parts. It has the Intel X58 chipset and uses triple-channel DDR3 RAM.

The board is built around overclocking features and crams in SATA 6 Gb/s and USB 3.0 tech. The overclocking features can be accessed via any Bluetooth mobile phone. Check out the gallery below for more pictures.

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Acer Aspire TimelineX Calpella notebooks debut March 22nd

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:03:38 +0000

Remember yesterday’s Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T leak, the first of the company’s so-called Calpella series using Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors we’ve been hearing about lately? According to DigiTimes’ sources, we shouldn’t have to wait too long to find out about its siblings; the rest of the TimelineX line is expected to get official on March 22nd, with 13, 14 and 15-inch models.

That’s ahead of Taiwanese-specific availability on March 30th, apparently, according to Acer Taiwan’s president Simon Lin. The range will pair the style – and slim build – of the existing CULV-based Timeline range with the more potent Intel Calpella processors, answering criticisms of poor performance. However, larger batteries will ensure that battery life across the TimelineX series hovers around the same eight hour period as before.

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MacBook Pro, Air, and Mac Pro updated prices leak in ads?

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:37 +0000

Apple rumors are rampant today, which we can take as a sign of how well the company is doing with its crazy popular devices like the iPad and iPhone. Apple also has a devout following of geeks that clamor for information on the Mac line of computers. If you are part of the Apple flock, we have a new rumor for you today.

Engadget reports that Aussie site PC Authority has spurred rumors of a potential price change for the MacBook Pro, Air, and Mac Pro machines. The rumor comes by way of an ad that ran on the website that showed some very different pricing for Aussies than that the Apple Store actually sells its gear for.

The MacBook Air is listed on the ad as starting at S$2,399 whereas the Apple Store sells the beast for A$1,999. The MacBook Pro is listed in the ad starting from A$1,899 with an actual price in the store of A$1,599. The Mac Pro desktop in the ad says from A$4,499 while the machine actually sells in the store for A$3,599. So what gives? Scuttlebutt has the Mac update that has been expected finally landing. On the other hand, the Aussie retail machine is well known for significantly padding prices compared to what a straight conversion from USD would be. We can only wait and see what happens with pricing.

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Mvix offers 1 x 4 Powered HDMI splitter

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:47:07 +0000

Mvix has all sorts of gear for AV applications in the home and businesses. The latest product from the firm is a new powered 4-port HDMI splitter called the Mvix 1 x 4. The new splitter might not be as cool as the Mvix Ultio Pro home theater box, but if you want multiple screens with the same content, the splitter is the trick for you.

The splitter takes a single HDMI input and splits it out to multiple HDMI outputs. This lets the user connect four displays to the single source. The splitter works with Blu-ray players, media players, and digital signage. You can use the device to make a video wall.

The splitter supports HDMI 1.3, meaning it won’t work for 3D content. It will support full 1080p resolution along with DTS-HD and Dolby True HD HD 7.1 surround sound. The splitter uses a built-in power equalizer to ensure quality on longer cable runs. The splitter can be purchased now on Amazon for $130.

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Razer offers first ever DeathAdder gaming mouse for lefties

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:35:19 +0000

Razer has made some of the best gaming peripherals around for years now. The company tries to support smaller groups of gamers like Mac users along with the majority of PC users. Razer has announced a new mouse for a group of gamers that might be even smaller than the number of Mac gamers out there — lefties.

Typically, a lefty has to search for an ambidextrous gaming mouse or learn to play with their right hand. Razer has unveiled the first gaming mouse specifically for the left handed gamer called the DeathAdder Left Hand Edition. The mouse has all the features of the traditional right hand DeathAdder.

Features include 1000Hz ultrapolling, always-on mode, 3500dpi sensitivity, and on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment. The mouse has five programmable buttons and can track accurately at 60-120 inches per second with 15G of acceleration. The lefty edition is shipping now globally for $59.99.

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ASUS Eee Box EB1501U and EB1012U with USB 3.0 hit site

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:26:26 +0000

We’ll admit, it took us a short while to figure out the difference between ASUS’ new Eee Box EB1501U and Eee Box EB1012U nettops compared to their outwardly-identical predecessors – each uses Intel’s dual-core Atom 330 processor paired with NVIDIA Ion graphics – but the key is in the connectivity. That “U” suffix stands for USB 3.0, with the EB1501U getting two front-mounted USB 3.0 ports and the EB1012U getting three spread across the front and side panels.

Otherwise the two nettops are functionally unchanged. That means you get a slot-loading DVD burner on the Eee Box EB1501U, complete with gigabit ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, VGA and HDMI connectivity, while the Eee Box EB1012U lacks the optical drive but has the same ports and measures over 10mm thinner.

There’s also plenty of USB 2.0 ports along with eSATA and S/PDIF, a 250GB hard-drive and support for up to 4GB of RAM. No word on pricing for each of the Windows 7 Home Premium systems, but the regular (i.e. non-USB 3.0) EB1501 and EB1012 are currently selling for $480 and $387 at Amazon.

[via Gadgetmix]

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iLuv iMM190 App Station iPhone speaker dock ships

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:25:07 +0000

You might recall back at CES I mentioned iLuv had unveiled a new speaker dock for the iPhone called the App Station. At the time, iLuv was going to ship the device in February for about $129. February came and went without the device hitting the market.

iLuv has now announced that the iMM190 App Station is shipping for iPhone and iPod touch users. The device is a speaker dock that is app driven. A free companion app can be installed on the iPhone to allow the App Station to be used as an alarm clock.

The app also shows weather conditions as well. The dock allows access to the media collection stored on the iPhone and works for watching movies or VoIP as well. The best news is that the price for the App Station has been cut to $89.99. That $40 discount makes the extra wait for the device worth it. The device is available right now.

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Vincent Audio C-60 is the perfect CD player for rich audiophiles

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:15:17 +0000

When it comes to listening to music, I am content to pop a CD into the PS3 or the CD player in the car. For some people a normal CD player or other device for listening to their music does not cut it. If you are the sort of audiophile that refuses to slum it with conventional CD players, Vincent Audio has your device, assuming you are loaded anyway.

The Vincent Audio C-60 is a CD player that has switchable vacuum tube and solid-state output stages. The player also uses a premium Philips top-loading transport and enhanced mechanical and electrical isolation all working to provide the best possible sound.

The player uses a 24-bit.192-kHz PCN1792 DAC with 8x oversampling. The player can be changed between the solid-state output and the 6922EH vacuum tune line output with the included remote or by pressing a button on the front of the player. Outputs include balanced XLR, RCA, coaxial digital and optical digital outputs. The price for the audiophile grade C-60 is a hefty $4,695.

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Sprint “Make your iPhone 4G” promo pushes Overdrive [Video]

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:12:01 +0000

Now, far be it from us to suggest that Sprint are looking to trick would-be iPhone 4G seekers into watching their latest Overdrive promo, but calling your video “Make your iPhone 4G” and then criticising AT&T’s 3G network isn’t going to go down well in Dallas. The Overdrive is of course Sprint’s 3G/4G MiFi-style portable WiFi hotspot, capable – if you’re in one of the 25 areas with WiMAX coverage – of up to 6Mbps downlink speeds.

Video promo after the cut

Of course, Sprint use their highest-possible speed for the video, and contrast it with the lowest “industry average” of 600Kbps you might see out of AT&T. We’re not blinkered cheerleaders for AT&T’s 3G network, by any stretch, but the video small print also says that the other “average” extreme for 3G is 1.7Mbps; regular users will probably get something in-between the two.

Still, that wouldn’t make for such an impressive demonstration, and we can’t really be too surprised at Sprint wanting to show the Overdrive off to its best advantage. If you’re in an area with 4G coverage then it’s probably going to be faster than regular old 3G, but we don’t think link-baiting iPhone 4G curiosity-seekers is necessarily the best way to pitch it.

[Thanks Andy!]

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Apple patent tips iPhone, Airport Express & MacBook with integrated projectors

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:58:23 +0000

Just what are Apple doing with pico-projectors in their R&D labs? Another patent application from the company has been spotted, this time describing various configurations: Apple reckon you could fit a pico-projector into not only an iPhone or iPod, but into an Airport Express style wireless router, a MacBook or a separate accessory.

Meanwhile they’ve thrown various sensors into the mixture too, adding to the projector’s own image calibration with various orientation, distance, ambient light and other measurements. For instance, color balance could be automatically shifted depending on lighting and the color of the surface being projected onto.

Apple’s suggested applications and tweaks are all relatively vague – though isn’t that always the way in patents – but it seems they’re looking into everything from a relatively straightforward pico-enabled handset to a home router that can also be the center-point of your cinema room. Connectivity could be via cable or via some sort of network connection, be it WiFi, cellular or something else. We’ll have to wait and see what exactly – if anything – Apple do with the technology, but we’d wager we’re not the only people mildly interested at the prospect of turning our HDD-equipped router (with standalone BitTorrent downloads please, Apple) into a projector.

[via PicoProjector-Info and via Patently Apple]

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Leaked Xbox 360 “Slim” board tips incoming refresh?

Chris Davies — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:40:45 +0000

In our collective haste to pester Nintendo about the next-gen update to the Wii, we sometimes forget that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is beginning to look a little long in the tooth too. A new image purported to be of the refreshed Xbox 360’s mainboard has emerged, and most obvious is that Microsoft have put the console on a diet – it’s considerably smaller than the current ‘board in use.

According to the source, the ‘board isn’t intended to go into the existing 360 chassis but into a new, refreshed casing similar to Sony’s move with the PS3 Slim. Part of the reason for the dramatic size decrease in Microsoft’s case is the fact that they’ve combined the CPU and GPU into a single chip.

Of course, it could all be here-say and make-believe, but as Kotaku suggest, with Project Natal set to arrive later in the year it would make reasonable sense for Microsoft to have a refreshed version of the 360 to go along with it. It would also make sense if the company could use newer chips and other components to cut build costs for the console.

[via Kotaku]

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