Sunday, April 17, 2011
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Sunday, April 17
Wednesday, April 6
Nikon D5100 and ME-1 External Microphone Unveiled
The Nikon D5100 DSLR and ME-1 external microphone will arrive on April 21. The camera is expected to cost US$900 ($800 for body-only unit), while the microphone would cost $180.
Source: Engadget
This Logitech Wireless Router is Not Wind-Powered
The Logitech LAN-WH450N/GR wireless router is expected to be available on mid-April for 19,000 yen (about US$230).
Source: OhGizmo!
Posted in: PeripheralsMidnight Shot NV1 Night Vision Digital Camera
Most digital cameras are designed to capture images in certain lighting conditions. There are others that may be able to capture images even in low light conditions. But lower than that and they become quite useless. For those who may have the need to take images in darker than usual conditions, the Midnight Shot NV1 Night Vision Camera would come in quite handy.
The Midnight Shot NV1 Night Vision Camera is a digital camera that allows you to shoot images even in total darkness. It is a digital camera that is equipped with an invisible infrared flash to light up your subjects in the dark. It can be used either in its standard photography mode and the infrared night shot mode. The Midnight Shot NV1 comes with a 5MP CMOS sensor, a 3″ LTPS LCD display, a 16MB memory with an SD card slot for adding up to 8GB of external memory, and can shoot both in still and video formats. It is available at ThinkGeek for US$130.
Image Source: ThinkGeek Posted in: Digital CameraTuesday, April 5
GoPro Unveils 3D Hero Camera System
Like it or not, 3D video is the way of the future and GoPro decides to catch on with the 3D trend as it introduces its 3D Hero System. It is basically a mounting system that straps two of its 1080p HD Hero action cameras onto a special housing made from polycarbonate material. The system syncs the two cameras together and the images captured are turned into 3D video with the help of an included software in post-production.
The GoPro 3D Hero System costs just US$99, and that is without the cameras. Aspiring 3D filmmakers would have to supply their own HD Hero cameras or buy them separately for $259 each. Note that only the 1080p HD Hero works with the system and nothing else.
Source: CrunchGear Posted in: Camera GadgetsLow Profile Window Fan
The Low Profile Window Fan may help provide the necessary cool air circulation working well inside your home. It can help provide good airflow into the home interiors. Its dual motors are capable of producing 608 feet per second air streams for up to 5 feet away. Its two fans can either work in tandem or independently. One fan may be used to let air inside the home while the other can be used to push the air out, providing good air circulation and keeping the home cool. The Low Profile Window Fan is available at Hammacher Schlemmer for $60.
Image Source: Hammacher Schlemmer
Posted in: Home GadgetsDell Launches New Inspiron M102Z Laptop
The Dell Inspiron M102Z Laptop runs on an AMD E350 1.6GHz with Radeon HD 6310 graphics. It also comes with a 4GB RAM and a 500GB Hard Drive. It features an 11.6 inch HD WLED display, 1.3MP Webcam, WiFi as well as Bluetooth connectivity. What will make it quite attractive may be its price point. The Dell Inspiron M102Z Laptop with these specs is available at Dell costing only US$699. A more affordable option is available for US$599 but is equipped with half the memory and lower graphic specs. There’s also a US$759 version which is equipped with a built-in TV tuner.
Image Source: Dell
Posted in: Dell LaptopLogitech Introduces M325 Wireless Mouse
Logitech has just released its new M325 wireless mouse, highlighted with a “micro-precise” scroll wheel designed to improve online navigation. Its scroll wheel features 72 tiny ratchets (four times more than other computer mice with scroll wheels) for a smoother page scrolling. The wheel is even tilted for “trouble-free backward or forward Web movement.”
The Logitech wireless mouse M325 also features an ergonomic shape with textured rubber grips, a unifying receiver that can be left plugged in the computer, and up to 18 months of battery life.
Expect the newest Logitech wireless mouse to appear worldwide this April, costing about US$40, or £30 right now for customers in the UK.
Source: Logitech Posted in: PeripheralsFuuvi Pick: MicroSD Reader and Camera in One
The Fuuvi Pick has a simple Pick and Plug interface (with no need to download or install drivers for it to work), a 2-megapixel digital camera that can shoot both images and videos, a microSD card slot, and can even be recharged directly through the computer. This tiny gadget can take photos with 1280 x 1024 resolution, as well as 720 x 480 video clips.
However, it only works on Windows, plus it costs US$59.99.
Source: CrunchGear
Posted in: Digital CameraDid Sony CEO Leak About iPhone 5?
In an interview with Wall Street Journal during a paid conference in New York, Stringer reportedly discussed how Japan’s earthquake and tsunami had affected 15 Sony factories, one of which happens to be its manufacturer of camera sensors.
One of the attendees, who writes for 9to5Mac blog, reported that Stringer said its image sensor facility in Sendai was affected by the tsunami and delivering them to Apple would be delayed.
The report would indicate that Apple would switch image sensor provider for its iPhones from OmniVision to Sony.
Source: CNET
Posted in: Tech NewsMonday, April 4
NEC Medias Sells More Than iPhone 4, in Japan at Least
Research firm Gfk Japan has revealed that the best-selling smartphone in Japan is currently the NEC Medias. More units of the so-called “world’s slimmest smartphone” were sold in Japan compared to iPhone 4 between March 14 and March 20, 2011.
The NEC Medias measures just 8.7 millimeters in thickness and features a 4-inch LCD touchscreen with 480 x 854 resolution, Android 2.2, a 5.1-megapixel CMOS camera, a digital TV tuner, e-wallet function, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a microSDHC card slot.And yes, we are only using the phone’s side profile to prove NEC’s claim.
Source: MobileCrunch
Posted in: Luxurious Cell PhoneSunday, April 3
Hercules Launches New eCafe Netbook Line
Hercules has released two new eCafe netbook models featuring 10-inch display screens- the eCafe Slim HD and the eCafe EX HD. Both netbooks are designed to be ultra-mobile entertainment devices with each catering to certain user needs. The eCafe Slim HD may be the slimmest and lightest device in its category, measuring only 0.8 inch thick and weighs just 1.9 lbs. But it offers most of the essential user features like 3 USB ports, Ethernet port, headphone and mic connectors as well as a card reader.
The Hercules eCafe HD, on the other hand, comes with a 13 hour battery life, making it a good device to use for movie marathons as well as use for real life conditions. It comes with an HDMI port to allow users the option to watch content on their HDTV. It measures 1.1 inch thick and weighs only 2.4 lbs., still quite ultra-ultraportable even with such device features. The Hercules eCafe Slim HD and eCafe EX HD netbooks has just been made available. The Slim HD is expected to retail at US$229 while the EX HD will cost around US$269.
Image Source: Hercules
Posted in: NetbooksDelorme Earthmate GPS PN-60W With SPOT Communicator
The new Delorme Earthmate GPS PN-60W is a new handheld GPS that provides a full range of capabilities which include a 3 axis electronic compass, an elevation display pinpointing a user’s location as well as sensitive barometric and elevation readings that may help gauge weather changes. This handheld GPS Navigator can also provide turn by turn directions, travel distance and time data as well as travel speed. But what makes the Delorme Earthmate PN-60W unique is that it is equipped with the SPOT Communicator.
The SPOT Communicator that comes with the unit will enable users to have the means to communicate even in the absence of a cellular phone service in a certain area. The satellite communicator can allow users to type and send messages and may allow others to track a user’s progress using social network sites like Twitter and Facebook. It can also be used to send emergency SOS along with a GPS position embedded when circumstances require it. The Delorme Earthmate GPS PN-60W With SPOT Communicator is now available at Delorme for US$549.
Image Source: Delorme
Posted in: GPSMini Vortex Lamp
The Mini Vortex Lamp may have taken on an idea or two from the popular lava lamp in terms of its dynamic features. While the lava lamp contains colored goo inside that seems to perennially move around in distinct shapes when lighted up, the Mini Vortex Lamp creates a tiny version of a raging tornado or water vortex when it is lighted up, along with the light randomly changing into red, blue or green. This makes it a perfect lap to bring at a party or just simply light up a room and a fixture to look into as one tries to go to sleep. The Mini-Vortex Lamp is available at IWOOT for 20 UK Pounds or around US$32.
Image Source: IWOOT
Posted in: Home GadgetsSaturday, April 2
Apogee rolls out Duet 2 pro audio interface for Macs
Recently drop $500 on an Apogee Duet audio interface for your Mac after pondering one for all these years? Then we’re afraid we’ve got a bit of bad news for you, as the company has now finally rolled out a successor to the highly-desirable device. Apparently redesigned from the ground up, the new Duet 2 expectedly ditches FireWire in favor of USB, and packs some “completely redesigned” mic preamps and converters, along with two inputs and four outputs, a pair of configurable touch pads, and even an all new OLED display that replaces the basic LED meters on the original. Of course, the one thing that stays the same is the professional-level price — look for this one to set you back $595 when it’s available next month.
Posted in: PeripheralsAcer Unveils Dual-Screened Iconia Touchbook
With all the heated competition going on in the tablet market, Acer dares to step up with a dual-screened tablet dubbed “Iconia Touchbook,” which is slated to ship in the United States next month.
The dual-tablet features a Core i5 processor, Windows 7, and two 14-inch screens made of Gorilla Glass for frequent typing, multi-touch, and gestures.
The Acer Iconia Touchbook also has an entirely new interface, which includes a “ring” that lets users select items on screen by clawing with a finger and spin on-screen images. It even has an on-screen keyboard, turning it into a regular laptop.
The Touchbook costs US$1,199.99, which is about the price of two tablets.
Source: CrunchGear Posted in: Tablet-PCFriday, April 1
Microsoft Exec Thinks Tablets are just Fads, Agree?
A Microsoft executive claims that tablet computers, which includes Apple’s iPad, are nothing more than a fad.
“Mobile is something that you want to use while you’re moving, and portable is something that you move and then use,” said Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, during a luncheon in Sydney. “These are going to bump into one another a little bit, and so today you can see tablets and pads and other things that are starting to live in the space in between.”
“Personally, I don’t know whether I believe that space will be a persistent one or not,” Mundie added.
This probably reflects why Microsoft remains low-key in the tablet market, despite the aggressive competition from various manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, LG Electronics, Toshiba, and Motorola. Windows 7 has appeared on a handful of tablets, most of which are only available in Asia.
However, rumors claim that Microsoft is not taking tablet computers for granted, as its next operating system, with the working title “Windows 8,” would be designed for tablet computers. The new OS is expected to be released in 2012, which may also prompt Microsoft to develop a tablet to go with it.
Source: eWeek via bukanlink
Posted in: Tablet-PCThursday, March 31
Asus U35JC-A1
Much like the UL30A, Asus U35JC-A1 is slim, angular, and decked in lots of brushed metal in many ways, it comes across as a throwback design, like a DeLorean in laptop form. The very thin upper lid is backed in brushed aluminum, the small centered Asus logo looking more EPCOT-era than ever. Inside, a light gray silver, patterned, glossy plastic surrounds the keyboard deck, while glossy, black plastic surrounds the inset screen. Asus' keyboards are almost universally of the raised Chiclet style kind, but they're not all made equally.
Some Asus laptops have exhibited serious keyboard flex but that isn't the case with Asus U35JC-A1. The very solid feeling keys were great to type on, and aside from our gripe with the awkwardly placed arrow keys and a right hand side of page up or down buttons that needlessly squish the Enter and Shift keys, it makes for an excellent experience. There's just enough palm rest space beneath for good lap typing. Overall, it's nearly as good a keyboard as the MacBook Pro's.A medium size multitouch touchpad lies flush with the keyboard deck around it in the same color to boot but textured with a subtle matte grid that works better than expected. A thin button bar beneath feels too slight, but the whole package gets the job done well and, most importantly, responsively. However, we'd put an asterisk next to "multitouch" the Elan software driving the touchpad allows only for a limited set of gestures, such as two finger scroll and multifinger tap, leaving out obvious ones like pinch to zoom. Two buttons sit atop the keyboard : one to the far left, one to the right.
They look identical, but the right one is the power button, whereas the left boots up the laptop in Asus' Express Gate quick start OS. We're not a fan of quick-start environments, simply because their limited applications, quirky setup, and need to boot up Windows 7 for access to the rest of your PC's features make for an annoying experience. Do yourself a favor and just put your laptop to sleep instead. When Windows 7 is already booted, the left button switches between custom battery saving modes.
The LED-backlit, glossy 13 inch 16:9 screen has a native resolution of 1,366x768 pixels, standard for this size. Viewing angles were tighter than we'd prefer, with color and contrast drifting into a washed out look unless the screen was perfectly centered. For videos, Web browsing, and general everyday use, pictures and videos look fine as long as excessive tilting is avoided. Front firing Altec Lansing stereo speakers situated under the keyboard on the lower front edge of Asus U35JC-A1 are loud enough for movies, Webchat or any other conceivable use, with notable crisp punch during gameplay. They're better than standard laptop speakers at this range, but lack musical depth and powerful bass.
Tuesday, March 15
Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d
Lenovo continues to create very nice looking laptops with its IdeaPad line. Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d is about as far from the office ready Lenovo mindset as we've seen, with a funky tribal tattoo design on the back of the lid. Other than that, the color scheme is similar to systems such as the IdeaPad Y460, with a copper accent strip around the outer edge of the lid and an interior mix of not too glossy black plastic and matte black keys. A row of backlit touch sensitive control buttons sit on top of the keyboard.
Running a finger back and forth along them pops up a quick launch bar, with assignable slots for different apps. It's clever looking, but it takes some getting used to. Running your finger along the right part of it can also change the desktop background image, but we never got the hang of pulling that off consistently. The keyboard and touch pad are excellent, even though Lenovo IdeaPad Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d uses a tapered key keyboard (more like the traditional ThinkPad design), rather than the flat topped island style one seen on most other IdeaPad models.
The 15.6 inch wide screen display offers a 1,366x768 pixel native resolution, which is standard for a 16:9 midsize laptop screen. It's great for 720p HD video content, but it can't display 1080p content at full resolution. Hardcore gamers may want higher resolutions, and we were also troubled by the faint horizontal lenticular lines that are sometimes visible, even when not using any 3D applications that's a byproduct of the polarized 3D system. Under the hood, Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d is a very impressive machine.With a 1.6GHz Intel Core i7 720QM CPU, a 500GB 7200rpm hard drive, and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics, it's powerful enough for just about any task. The system holds its own against other high end laptops such as the HP Envy 17 and Toshiba A665-3DV (both also Core i7 systems) in our benchmark tests. But what we're really interested in is the 3D capabilities. We've had experience with the TriDef system before, and found this version to be largely the same.
Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d includes a basic pair of cheap plastic polarized glasses, plus a second pair of clip-ons for those of us who already wear glasses (be warned: it's not a cool look). The screen has to be tilted at just the right angle. For us it was about 120 degrees back, and with us sitting about twice as far from the screen as we normally would. The effect works best with objects that recede into the distance, where we could sometimes get an excellent 3D effect.
Objects that popped out of the screen toward us often got blurry or out of focus, as did some menus rendered in 3D. Keep in mind that it's very important to keep your head still to main just the perfect angle. To get games to play in 3D, they have to be run through the TriDef wrapper app, which is an easy enough process, but one with a lot of processing overhead. Playing Street Fighter IV (which looked very good in 3D), we got an average of 32 frames per second (at the native 1,366x768 pixel resolution) when running the game normally, but that dropped to about 13 frames per second when running it in 3D.
That's especially disappointing given the high powered hardware. On the positive side, the plastic polarized glasses are passive, and don't require batteries or recharging. Also, no external IR emitter dongle is required (as in Nvidia 3D Vision systems), making this a more compact, no extras required setup.
Friday, February 25
Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17
Like many of Asus' recent Eee PC Netbooks, Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17 has a sleek, teardrop shaped side profile, thicker at the back and tapering down to a sharp point at the nose. It's largely the same tapered/curved design we've seen on most Asus Eee PC's over the last year or so, particularly the 1005PEB, making it hard to muster excitement for a design that's barely distinguishable from others. Smooth matte surfaces on the back lid and keyboard deck guard against fingerprints, but still give off some ambient gloss.
Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17 line comes in red, blue, white, and black our red model had an attractive, coppery, brownish glow. The back lid's rather thick and whole unit feels solid, even a bit dense, but the compact form feels easy to tuck away. Having no protruding batteries or edges other than a slight bump on the rear bottom is a plus. The edge to edge raised chiclet style keyboard features well responding keys and no flex, but the smaller than full size keyboard felt cramped after a while.
In particular, the tiny wrist rests underneath feel too small for easy lap typing. A wide multitouch touchpad is composed of the same comfortable matte smooth lid/palmrest material, and is delineated by thin silver strips on the left and right, a slight change from previous Eee PC models. The touchpad felt wider and nicer than on previous models, though our thumbs tended to land on the pad when typing. A thin plastic button bar beneath is a bit small, but has a solid click.Above the keyboard, a small plastic power button sits to the right and a quick-start button lies side by side with a Wi-Fi on/off button on the left. Asus' Express Gate Cloud quick start OS is a pared down environment with its own browser, photo app, and a few other features. Despite its faster boot time, we doubt many people will be satisfied with its performance and limited options most will opt to simply boot up Windows and keep Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17 in sleep mode between sessions.
The 10.1 inch LED matte screen on Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17 has a maximum pixel resolution of 1,152x864, which is highly nonstandard and produces a squished look. The resolution can be knocked down to 1,024x600 common for Netbooks. We've noticed 1,366x768 10 inch Netbook displays becoming increasingly common, but there's no such luck here. Pictures and videos looked crisp, and viewing angles were reasonable for the size and hinge limitations of Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17' lid, but Web pages feel cramped at this limited resolution.
Stereo speakers, located on the bottom front edge of Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PED-MU17, offered louder than average audio that actually sounded quite good for video viewing. They're not musically extravagant, but they're definitely good enough for most needs. Asus chose to add a physical lens cover slider to its VGA Webcam, ostensibly to protect people against being unknowingly recorded.
It seems a little silly and is more likely to cause panic by making some people think their Webcam is broken when it's really just covered. Regardless, the picture quality is suitable for basic video chat, but its contrast levels created dark silhouettes. Cyberlink's YouCam software, which can be launched from a pull-down software widget on the desktop, is included on the system and has links to various Asus cloud-storage services and shortcuts.
Tuesday, February 15
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro, the most notable thing about Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro is its diminutive size. Unlike almost every other smartphone on the planet, you can hide it behind a credit card, and if you have especially large mitts, you might be able to close your hand completely around it. At 3.3 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inches deep, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro is slightly taller and thicker than its X10 Mini counterpart, but we'll gladly take the added bulk for a full keyboard.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro remains quite light (4.2 ounces), so you won't feel burdened carrying it around. The 2.5 inch display and Sony Ericsson's User Experience interface are unchanged from the other phone. As we said before, the display is fine for browsing through menus and most basic features, but it's too small for higher end functions. As with Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro, some will appreciate the compact size, while others will want something beefier.It's really up to you. Unfortunately, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro remains stuck on Android 1.6 even months after 2.0's release. Below the display you'll find the same physical controls for the home screen menu and the main menu, and for moving backwards through a menu. You must dial calls using the standard virtual keypad, though you can bang out messages and e-mails much faster using the physical keyboard. As you'd expect, the keyboard is fairly small, but the keys manage to have a relatively comfortable, spacious feel.
We could type quickly and we like the stiff feeling of the keys. You won't find any shortcut controls, and numbers share space with letters, but basic punctuation is surfaced on the keyboard. For other punctuation and symbols, you must access an onscreen virtual keyboard. The space bar is in a convenient location in the center of the bottom row. The slider mechanism is neither too sturdy nor too loose.
The camera lens and flash also rest on the middle of the back side with the microSD card slot behind the battery cover. The remaining exterior features differ somewhat from the X10. The power or screen lock switch and 3.5 mm headset jack sit on the phone's top end, the camera shutter and volume rocker are on the right spine, and the Micro-USB port for data syncing and charging rests on the left spine.
Saturday, January 15
Skullcandy 50/50
Skullcandy has made quite a name for itself in the headphone world, thanks largely to its focus on funky fashion and its aggressive marketing tactics aimed at tweens, teens, and young adults. However, the latest Skullcandy earphones to come down the pipe are perhaps the most adult oriented we've seen from the company. Skullcandy 50/50 earbuds, which are moderately priced at US$ 49.95, come in an array of relatively muted color options and feature inline controls for the iPhone and iPod as well as a striking low end response.
The clarity isn't the best and they feel a bit cheap and fragile, but if you're after some earphones with a hint of style and plenty of oomph, these aren't a bad option. As noted, Skullcandy 50/50 earbuds aren't going to win any awards for top notch construction. The earpieces are rather chunky and like the accents and mic module are made of hard, cheap feeling plastic.The cable is flexible, but it tangles very easily and seems fragile at the connections to the plug and earpieces, both of which indicate the set may not be durable in the long run. The other downside to the design is the relatively large aperture of the earbuds, which may cause some discomfort for those with smaller or not perfectly round ear openings.
