25 most recent entries:
Samsung PN50A450 (Sep 29 2008 23:26 GMT)
Big doesn't have to mean expensive. Although the high-end 1080p resolution has become the de facto standard for most HDTV buyers as prices have fallen, Samsung's PN50A450 plasma-screen TV cuts resolution down to 720p in order to offer more screen real estate for the buck. Unfortunately, this corner cutting shows in the final video quality, which looks grainy and lacks the sizzle of better sets. But those who prioritize price and size over resolution may still this extremely affordable television to be a good value. *Note:
SanDisk Cranks microSDHC Cards to 16GB (Sep 29 2008 23:25 GMT)
Mobile phones with microSDHC slots just got a whole lot roomier. SanDisk expanded the tiniest of removable flash formats on Monday by introducing the very first 16GB card in the popular microSDHC format, along with a matching card in Sony’s similar Memory Stick Micro format. The cards will double capacity from the old format limit of 8GB, effectively allowing any mobile phone with the fairly common microSDHC standard to pack as much room as Apple’s flagship iPhone.
SimpleTech Pushes External Drives to 3TB (Sep 29 2008 18:10 GMT)
Nero Brings TiVo to Ordinary PCs (Sep 29 2008 18:00 GMT)
Germany's Nero AG has announced Nero LiquidTV/TiVo PC, a new product that includes a TV Tuner and remote control…and software that brings the features of a TiVo set-top box to an ordinary PC. Although PC-based DVR capabilities are nothing new, the product marks the first time TiVo's interface and functions have been made available for ordinary computers. "Nero has done a superb job of bringing the TiVo experience to the PC, and have done so in a way that lives up to the rich TiVo legacy," said TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, in a statement. "To be able to extend the features of TiVo to a new platform without compromising the int Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | Computing
Alcatel Loses $1.5 Bln Microsoft Judgement (Sep 29 2008 17:45 GMT)
In what may be the final note on a series of lawsuits that have been dragging its way through the courts since 2003, a U.S. Appeals court has ruled (PDF) that Microsoft doesn't have to pay a $1.5 billion judgement levied against it because it didn't actually violate MP3 patents in its Windows Media Player software. "We affirm the district court's dismissal of the infringement claims," the court wrote in its ruling, finding the Microsoft did not infringe on a patent now owned by Alcatel, and that the Redmond company had adequately covered its based by paying $16 million to Germany's Fraunhofer Gesellshaft to MP3 technology.
Netgear's Green Routers Get Power Switches (Sep 29 2008 17:35 GMT)
Wireless routers may not traditionally be among the best-known energy hogs of the computing world, but that hasn’t stopped Netgear from attempting to make them even more environmentally friendly with “Netgear Green” features on its latest 802.11n routers.
Venezuela Inks Deal for 1 Mln Classmate PCs (Sep 29 2008 17:30 GMT)
Earlier this year, Portugal made a deal with Intel to produce 500,000 Classmate PCs under license based on Intel's design. Now, Portugal has turned around and made its own deal with Venezuela that will see one million Linux-powered Classmate PCs for use in Venezuelan schools. Although terms of the deal were not given, the move is part of a broader package of agreements involving energy development, infrastructure, and housing valued about about $3 billion. The laptops typically cost a few hundreds dollars apiece. Although the Intel Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | World News
Webcasters, SoundExchange Near Agreement (Sep 29 2008 17:20 GMT)
Salvation may be on the way for webcasting radio stations like Pandora, which have long warned that new royalty rates may kill them off. On Saturday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill [PDF] that would aid the stations by giving them another two months to negotiate with SoundExchange, the organization that sets the rates. All parties involved actually supported the Webcaster Settlement of 2008, including webcasters, Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | Lifestyle
Sprint Lights Up WiMax in Baltimore (Sep 29 2008 17:00 GMT)
Telecommunications operator Sprint has officially launched its Xohm 4G WiMax wireless data network in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional rollouts planning in other markets scheduled to come online as Sprint builds out a promised nationwide network—Washington D.C. and Chicago should be next followed by Dallas-Ft. Wroth, Boston, Providence, and Philadelphia.
Nintendo DS to Add Music and Camera? (Sep 29 2008 16:30 GMT)
Nintendo's DS handheld gaming system has proven wildly popular, consistently outselling competition like the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) and reaching out new markets with titles that appeal to kids as well as adult casual gamers and even seniors. And while the system is projected to sell as many as 28 million units this year, that would still be a decline from the 30 million units Nintendo sold during its previous fiscal year. And the basic system has been on the market almost four years, although Nintendo has been doling out new variants and colors. With those factors in mind, Japanese news site Nikkei Net has reported ( Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | Video Games
Flash Flaw Exposes Amazon Video to Piracy (Sep 29 2008 16:15 GMT)
This is exactly the reason record labels and movie studios tried to avoid offering their material online for years: a security issue in Adobe's Flash media servers potentially enables users of Flash-based video services like Amazon's Video on Demand service to download and copy as much video as they like. The issue impacts sites that use Adobe's media encryption technology and video player verification: cases exist where Adobe's Flash video stream is not truly encrypted on the way from the video server to a user's Flash-based player, potentially enabling users to capture video streams. The vulnerability in Amazon's Video on Demand service comes from the free two-minute previews of material that it offers users before they Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs | Computing
Broadband For All Europeans? (Sep 29 2008 15:00 GMT)
Should everyone have the right to broadband Internet access? That’s the issue before the European Commission at the moment, and they’re leaning toward yes. They’
UK Customers Pay A Lot More For Adobe CS4 (Sep 29 2008 14:00 GMT)
We know that software can be expensive. And anyone who’s compared prices between Britain and the US knows that the UK is more expensive in, well, virtually everything. But that alone can’t fully explain the pricing discrepancies between the US and the UK for Adobe’
MI6 Advertises On Facebook (Sep 29 2008 13:00 GMT)
If you’ve ever had fantasies of being a real James Bond, Facebook might be the best place to start that new career. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service – better known as MI6, the organization that runs agents abroad –
UK Child Internet Safety Council Launches (Sep 29 2008 12:00 GMT)
It’s no secret that the online world can be a dangerous place for kids. But the UK Council for Child Internet Safety is attempting to make it a safer, friendlier place from its launch today. Earlier this year, psychologist Tanya Brown recommended setting up the council in her report on children and technology, and plenty of people have climbed on board. The council has over 100 organizations as members, many of them tech companies, including Microsoft, Google, Facebook and mobile phone provider O2.
Cowon S9 Portable Media Player (Sep 29 2008 08:00 GMT)
Most Apple aficionados would be hard-pressed to say that any player out there can really challenge the elegantly simplistic iPod Touch in the style department, but if there’s one that’s up to the challenge, it might be Cowon’s upcoming Curve S9. From the glinting chrome trim on its sides and the gentle arc of its rear panel, to the expansive 3.
Is HP's Voodoo PC Unit Finished? (Sep 29 2008 08:00 GMT)
It seems that a number of people are lamenting the passing of Voodoo, the high-end gaming company that HP bought in 2006, and more recently, is rumored to have killed off. But the brand and products aren’t going away. The unit is simply being merged into HP. This will mean a number of changes for Voodoo, most good, some possibly bad depending on where you sit.
Xerox Shows Off Erasable Paper Concept (Sep 26 2008 19:00 GMT)
With recycling and other green technologies turning into all the rage in the tech world, it’s no surprise that Xerox has found yet another way to cut down on paper use – although this one’s quite a leap. The company announced on Friday that it will use Wired NextFEST as a podium to debut its new erasable paper concept, which makes the “
Logitech Squeezebox Boom (Sep 25 2008 21:48 GMT)
Most streaming music devices require two key outside components to work: speakers and a source to power them. Since there are very few powered speakers out there in reality, you most likely need to attach the streaming device to a mini-system or your home theater system – and that can create a lot of clutter, especially in the kitchen. The Logitech Squeezebox Boom fixes this problem by creating an all-in-one sound system with music streaming capabilities.
Gphone vs. iPhone vs. Windows Mobile (Sep 24 2008 08:00 GMT)
This week, the first of the gPhones was formally announced: the HTC Dream. Google’s attack on the phone market is vastly different than Apple’s, and could, if we measure success by volume, be much more successful.
JVC Everio GZ-HD40 (Sep 24 2008 01:44 GMT)
The inexorable march away from tapes and discs has picked up steam in Camcorder Land—and this trend will continue until MiniDV and DVD home video makers take their place on the obsolete shelf next to Walkman cassette music players and analog televisions. This won’t happen overnight, but it’s happening right in front of our eyes as flash-based and hard disk drive camcorders win-over the public and take share from competing formats.
Logitech Illuminated Keyboard (Sep 23 2008 01:15 GMT)
If Art Lebedev’s Optimus Maximus keyboard has your wallet crying uncle and Saitek’s Cyborg is a little loud for your tastes, Logitech’s new, ultra-slim Illuminated Keyboard might be just the ticket to bring some flavor to your desk. We found it to tasteful, comfortable to type on, and well built, making it one of the best style-minded keyboards to float through our offices.
Apple iPod Nano 8GB (4G) (Sep 22 2008 19:48 GMT)
Apple's latest iPod nano continues to loom over the heads of its competitors despite players with better sound and more features from companies like Sony and Microsoft. The redesigned body almost seems like a brush of nostalgia, though it definitely improves on the previous generation and keeps the device current. We're more impressed with the new firmware, which provides the best level of polish yet on Apple's non-touchscreen devices, and the on-board accelerometer adds some pizzaz to a player some consider to be getting stale. Read | Permalink | User Reviews | Linking Blogs | MP3 Players
Xbox 360 Media Server Setup (Sep 22 2008 08:00 GMT)
Got an Xbox 360? Use it to connect all the video, photos, and music on your home network and view them on your TV. In this step-by-step guide, we'll show you how to set up a UPnP sever on any Windows or Mac computer so the Xbox can access it, and then how to connect and browse your media. That way, when friends come over with their laptops, they can connect to your network and play their digital media too. To prepare, make sure your Xbox 360 is connected to your network either by Ethernet cable or by using the Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter.
Digital Trends Week In Review 09/05/08 (Sep 05 2008 14:00 GMT)
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