Microsoft Slashes Win7 Prices for Students
Microsoft announced a new discount program on Thursday, one that would allow eligible students to get a $30 price on Windows 7 Home Premium (upgrade). There is also a mention of Windows 7 Professional, but it is unclear from the site what the price on that product would be. The program, announced via Twitter, is similar to other such student discount programs Microsoft has run in the past. It also follows an earlier, less generous pre-order campaign, where consumers could pre-order Windows 7 Home
Read More ...
Air Mouse Elite Moves Cursors In Midair, Don't Need No Mousepad
We've already seen a mouse made that can do its thing on pure glass, but thin air? As the breakthroughs continue to mount, Movea is introducing a mouse that can literally "mouse on air." The Gyration Air Mouse Elite doesn't need a surface of any kind to make the cursor move, requiring just a simple wrist twist in mid-air in order to get from one side of the screen to the other.Needless to say, this mouse has motion sensor built in, and it's aimed at presentation folk and those who just prefer alternative mousing
Read More ...
MSI Intros Limited Edition 'Batman' Graphics Card--Seriously!
We had to do a double take to ensure this was real, but sure enough, the video card shown here is no joke. Though, it does have something in common with The Joker. In what we believe is a first for any company, MSI has just released a Batman video card. Let that sink in: a Batman-themed GPU. In fact, the company is "proudly" introducing the N260GTX-T2D896 Batman: Arkham Asylum Edition GPU, which ships with a Harley Quinn image on the card as well as the PC title "Batman: Arkham Asylum." If you can get past the
Read More ...
MSI Extends X-Slim Lineup With 14" Neo-Powered X410
You know, the holiday season may be fast approaching, but we're pretty sure the engineers over at MSI never take a break. It seems like the company always has something new to check out from week to week, with the X410 being the most recent development.Joining the heralded X-Slim notebook lineup, the X410 utilizes AMD's Athlon Neo CPU and features a 14" LCD display (1366x768), ATI Radeon X1250 GPU, a single DIMM slot (2GB included, 4GB max), two speakers, a 1.3MP webcam, Gigabit Ethernet jack, optional Bluetooth,
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Toshiba's Universal Docking Station Cuts The Cord, Goes Wireless
Docking Stations. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase? If you're anything like us, you're thinking of that device your corporate owner gave you on your first day in the cube, and you're probably thankful it's there. But for those that try to use docking stations at home, having to connect your machine to the actual dock can be a hassle, particularly if you'd rather work from a nearby sofa or recliner rather than the typical desk.Toshiba's latest invention helps solves that problem, as the dynadock U
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Clearwire CEO Open To Switching 4G Technologies
Clearwire seems to be keeping its options open. It's been just days since news broke about a possible global WiMAX roaming agreement between Clearwire and a pair of international carriers, and now the company's CEO is stating that he would be open to the possibility of switching fourth-generation, or 4G, wireless technologies down the road if that helped the company. Currently, Clearwire's 4G network operates on WiMAX technology. Given that most of the world seems to be headed to a different 4G standard called
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Gene Roddenberry's Apple (The First Macintosh Plus Ever) Up For Auction
The very first Apple Macintosh Plus computer is up for auction. If that's not enough to entice your inner geek, it was once a gift from Apple Computer to Gene Roddenberry. If you don't know who Gene Roddenberry is, just move along, nothing to see here. Gene Roddenberry's Apple Macintosh Plus - A real screamerProfiles in History, "the world's leading auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia," is selling the computer, which bears the serial number F4200NUM0001, at its auction Oct. 8-9. The computer will be sold along
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PENTAX Announces New K-x DSLR With HD Video
PENTAX is the latest company to come out with a DSLR that is capable of capturing HD quality videos. The new K-x also features Live View and comes in your choice of white, black, and limited edition red and navy body colors. What really makes this camera appealing is its affordable price tag—the K-x single lens kit with body and a smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm lens will be available in October for $649.95. Several other features also set this DSLR apart from other entry-level models, including the K-x's 12.4 megapixel
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LG's 1TB/2TB NR21 NAS Grows A DVD Writer
Seeing an LG HDTV or an LG notebook won't turn any eyes up in curiosity, but an LG NAS? Yeah, LG is evidently in the Network Attached Storage business now, and it's entering in a big way. The new N2R1 is a rather robust device--clearly LG thought long and hard before jumping in a market already saturated with entries from QNAP and the like.The box ships with up to 2TB of hard drives within, but aside from just providing redundant storage for those with incredibly precious files, there's also a built-in DVD writer
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Truculent Trackball Tasks Blackberry Tour Users
When the Blackberry Tour launched last June, it received generally good reviews. Skim them over, and the phone is universally dinged for not including WiFi support, but the trackball was scarcely mentioned. Two months later, the device's trackball is indeed causing issues. According to David Eller, an analyst with TownHall Investment Research, more than 40 percent of the Blackberry Tours Sprint has sold have been returned with users claiming the devices are defective. Most of the complaints focus on the trackball,
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LG's WIDEBOOK Notebook Series Caters To Movie Lovers
With a name like WIDEBOOK, you can get a good grasp of what to expect from LG's newest notebook family. Comprised of five models--the R580/R560, R480/R460 and R380--these machines all feature 16:9 HD LED-backlit displays and Core 2 Duo processors, and obviously they're perfect for watching a movie or Hulu show while munching popcorn on the couch.The machines are also extremely sleek and stylish, and there's bound to be a screen size to fit every desire. The R580 and R560 has a 15.6" display, while the R480 and
Read More ...
Toshiba, Samsung Argue Over The Future of 3D Flash
The burgeoning SSD (solid state drive) market has been a modest success story over the past few years. Drive performance and capacity have both increased at a fair clip, while initial sky-high costs have at least fallen into the stratosphere. The two major factors keeping sSD's from broader market penetration are available capacity and cost. Both have dropped dramatically in the past year, but when an Intel 160GB MLC SSD sells for $629 and the most expensive 2TB drive on the market is just $299, a number
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Archos 5 Media Player Ships With Android
Archos has had a tough time gaining ground in North America. Frankly, so has every other portable media player manufacturer not named Apple, but Archos' problem is that they typically market their wares solely in France, the company's home nation. Now, however, it seems that the firm is finally ready to make a big push here in America, and it's kicking things off with the Archos 5 PMP.It's one of the world's first PMPs to ship with Google's Android operating system, which was reserved for cell phones/smartphones
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Comcast To Start Offering Wireless Internet; Exploring Voice Option
Comcast plans to take its television on demand feature one step further: to your mobile devices.The U.S. cable company recently started offering wireless Internet service in some cities, jointly with Clearwire Corp., using WiMax technology. It has its sights squarely set on mobile phone/data providers, such as AT&T and Verizon, it appears, saying it is looking to add a "voice option" to that service, which could mean you could get your cable, wireless Internet and phone service (using VOIP, it would
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Microsoft Slashes Win7 Prices for Students
Microsoft announced a new discount program on Thursday, one that would allow eligible students to get a $30 price on Windows 7 Home Premium (upgrade).آ There is also a mention of Windows 7 Professional, but it is unclear from the site what the price on that product would be. The program, announced via Twitter, is similar to other such student discount programs Microsoft has run in the past.آ It also follows an earlier, less generous pre-order campaign, where consumers could pre-order Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Home Professional upgrades for 50% off.آ That program ended on July 11th, however.The program's website is here. Unless you want to spend an extra $13, the delivery of the software will be via download. Here's the eligibility information:
Promotion Eligibility: This offer is good only to eligible students who attend an educational institution geographically located in the United States. This offer is non-transferable. Only one product may be purchased per eligible student (but not required).
The following conditions serve to define student eligibility for the Promotion:
1. .edu: Individual must possess a valid e-mail address at a U.S. educational institution which contains the domain suffix .edu; OR Pre-Approved School List: Enrolled in a U.S. educational institution included on the pre-approved school list; OR Submission of school enrollment: Submit verifiable school enrollment via the validation process; AND
2. Individual must be a student at a U.S. educational institution and must be actively enrolled in at least 0.5 course credit and be able to provide proof of enrollment upon request.
Microsoft or Digital River may contact you to verify that you are a current student. If documentation is not provided indicating that you are a current student, you will be liable to reimburse Microsoft for the difference between what you paid and the estimated retail price of the software.
Microsoft, in their sole discretion, may accept other forms of validation to determine eligibility in lieu of a valid e-mail address when one is not available.
Program Description: Eligible students are allowed to purchase one license of the product below:
1. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
OR
2. Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
The offer is live now for U.S. residents, and runs until January 3rd, 2010. Microsoft plans similar offers in Canada, Australia, Korea, Mexico, France, and Germany, though the prices will vary somewhat, and most of those countries will have to wait until Oct. 22nd for the promotion to go live. The U.K. will be able to pre-order on Sept. 22nd, though.
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MSI Intros Limited Edition 'Batman' Graphics Card--Seriously!
We had to do a double take to ensure this was real, but sure enough, the video card shown here is no joke. Though, it does have something in common with The Joker. In what we believe is a first for any company, MSI has just released a Batman video card. Let that sink in: a Batman-themed GPU.In fact, the company is "proudly" introducing the N260GTX-T2D896 Batman: Arkham Asylum Edition GPU, which ships with a Harley Quinn image on the card as well as the PC title "Batman: Arkham Asylum." If you can get past the crazy antics, you'll find an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 onboard, 896MB of GDDR3 memory and twin DVI ports.
Wilder still, MSI is limiting these to just 1,600 pieces, and they'll only be available in Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and some of the SEA countries. In other words, any Batman-loving North Americans best call someone overseas to snag them one, and then use those vacation days you've been banking to go pick it up. What, you think that suggestion is in jest? Why so serious?
With a full-version game bundle to experience the amazing NVIDIA PhysX technology
MSIN260GTX-T2D896 Batman’s exclusive Game bundle "Batman: Arkham Asylum"is developed by well-known Rocksteady Studios. Its story continues fromthe movie “Batman: The Dark Knight.†After the Joker is defeated byBatman, he has been sent to the Arkham Asylum. Therefore, with HarleyQuinn’s help, the Joker controls the asylum and releases those cagedprisons. Batman must find the way to beat all evil challengers.
Itis worth mentioning that the game supports NVIDIA PhysX technology.Through the physical effects processed by GPU, users can experience theswinging clothes, flying flags, breaking-down and crazing things in amuch more realistic way. So gamers can enjoy a brand new gamingexperience.
Military Class Concept Components – SSC (Solid State Choke) and All Solid CAPs
MSIN260GTX-T2D896 Batman adopts form-in-one SSC (solid state choke) andAll Solid CAPs (solid capacitors). The former effectively reduces buzznoise under heavy loading and can increase the maximum current value upto 30% compared to traditional chock. Therefore, SSC can provide morestable current when under extreme overclocking operation. The Solid CAPhas a longer lifespan than a liquid one. Under the high frequency andhigh temperature operating environment, Solid CAP provides even morestable power supply. To ensure the best quality, MSI N260GTX-T2D896Batman adopts SSC and all Solid CAPs.
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Air Mouse Elite Moves Cursors In Midair, Don't Need No Mousepad
We've already seen a mouse made that can do its thing on pure glass, but thin air? As the breakthroughs continue to mount, Movea is introducing a mouse that can literally "mouse on air." The Gyration Air Mouse Elite doesn't need a surface of any kind to make the cursor move, requiring just a simple wrist twist in mid-air in order to get from one side of the screen to the other.Needless to say, this mouse has motion sensor built in, and it's aimed at presentation folk and those who just prefer alternative mousing methods. Essentially, it frees presenters and PC users from the desktop, with the proprietary motion-sensing technology enabling users to "issue commands and initiate presentation effects by slight wrist movements performed in the air." One of the key elements is the internal gyroscope, which measures the angle and speed of movement to move a cursor between two points, thus allowing users to select content or enable features on the mouse simply by pointing in the air.
For those worried about range, don't. It can function up to 100 feet away and even through walls. The mouse also ships with the company's MotionTools software, which gives owners the ability to liven up presentations and customize the way it recognizes commands. For example, a lecturer can turn the mouse cursor into a highlighter, laser pointer or pen, or gently swipe it in-air to activate embedded media and other special effects.
he Air Mouse Elite weighs just 3.3 ounces and can be held comfortably by both right and left-handed individuals. It also includes a laser sensor for traditional desktop performance, and for those also in need of a matching keyboard, a wireless, low-profile set of keys can be purchased with it as part of a $149.99 bundle; the mouse alone sells for $99.99, and it will be made available in the coming weeks here in North America.
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MSI Extends X-Slim Lineup With 14" Neo-Powered X410
You know, the holiday season may be fast approaching, but we're pretty sure the engineers over at MSI never take a break. It seems like the company always has something new to check out from week to week, with the X410 being the most recent development.Joining the heralded X-Slim notebook lineup, the X410 utilizes AMD's Athlon Neo CPU and features a 14" LCD display (1366x768), ATI Radeon X1250 GPU, a single DIMM slot (2GB included, 4GB max), two speakers, a 1.3MP webcam, Gigabit Ethernet jack, optional Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, an HDMI output and an SD/SDHC/MMC card reader. There's also the standard array of ports: USB 2.0 (x2), VGA, mic-in/headphone-out, as well as an external DVD writer or Blu-ray drive and an internal 2.5" 320GB/500GB hard drive.
All in all, it's shaping up to be a rather nice ultraportable (or small full-size notebook), though we wish MSI would hold off and let this machine ship with Windows 7. As it stands, it'll be released with Vista onboard, though no pricing has been mentioned just yet.
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Toshiba's Universal Docking Station Cuts The Cord, Goes Wireless
Docking Stations. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase? If you're anything like us, you're thinking of that device your corporate owner gave you on your first day in the cube, and you're probably thankful it's there. But for those that try to use docking stations at home, having to connect your machine to the actual dock can be a hassle, particularly if you'd rather work from a nearby sofa or recliner rather than the typical desk.Toshiba's latest invention helps solves that problem, as the dynadock U USB docking station kills the need to have your notebook connect to the docking station. This new product is universal in nature, meaning that it'll work any notebook, not just Toshiba's lineup. The product uses Wireless USB technology to pass signals from your machine to the dock (and vice-versa), enabling you to connect your input peripherals and the like to the docking station and then have your machine tap into those anytime it's near.
There are six total USB 2.0 ports, integrated audio and support for VGA/DVI monitors with resolutions of up to 1680x1050. Just walk in with your notebook, flip it on and have immediate access to whatever gizmos are connected to your docking station. Sounds pretty awesome, but $299.99 awesome? We're not so sure about that.
Additional key product features include:
- Dynamic PC System: The dynadock wireless U acts as a conduit for add-on peripherals like external speakers, keyboard & mouse, monitor, router and other accessories to easily link with the laptop.
- Automatic Connectivity: The dynadock wireless U can be set up to automatically connect to the laptop when within range.
- Data Protection: One touch undock button ensures all peripherals shut down properly when undocking.
- Enhanced Productivity: Six USB 2.0 ports including two front Sleep-and-Charge USB ports that supply power to cell phones, MP3 players and other devices even if your PC is off.
- Multimedia: Integrated Digital Audio card adds high quality 7.1 surround sound.
- High Resolution: HD Digital Video card for connecting to an extra VGA or DVI monitor with up to 1680 x 1050 resolution.
- Dedicated Video Support: Dedicated wireless radio for enhanced video performance.
- Bi-directional Audio Support: Bi-directional ISOCH support for Audio, webcams, microphones and USB speakers.
- Easy Software Installation: Toshiba dynadock Utility software for all video and audio drivers customize the dynadock experience.
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HotHardware April Sweepstakes! Win a new Rig!
It's that time again! Time for us to announce our latest sweepstakes! In conjunction with our friends at Diamond Multimedia and Smooth Creations, we’ve got one hot rig to give away this month! Today, we’re announcing a new sweepstakes where you could win a full AMD Phenom X4 9750-based system, complete with a Diamond Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics card and slick, custom painted Smooth Creations case. This machine is definitely a head turner, and it could be all yours! As usual, we’ll be giving away this rig away to a randomly selected contributor to our on-line forum and discussion systems. The complete break-down of components in the system includes:
|
| Processor: AMD Phenom X4 9750 PSU: Silverstone 850 Watt |
To be entered into the sweepstakes, you’ve got to be a registered, active member of our forum and a resident of the United States. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up quickly and easily (and for free), right here.
From this point forward, we’ll be monitoring discussions on the site and will be randomly selecting a winner based on community involvement and contribution. To increase your chances of being a winner, sign up for our HotHardware RSS News Alerts as well, and we'll toss your name into the mix for double credit! The sweepstakes will run through May 3, 2008.
This is a great opportunity for to you to win a custom, powerful new system. Now go make some new friends in the forum and get in the running! Good Luck!
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OCZ's NIA Brain-Computer Interface Controller
OCZ lays claim to being the first company to bring a "brain-computer" interface to the retail market and they have aimed it squarely at the gamer. The device is called the NIA, which is an acronym that stands for Neural Impulse Actuator, and instead of buttons, sticks, آ gyroscopes or motion sensors, it reads the body's natural biosignals and translates them into commands that can be used to control PC games.آ
No question, it's a pretty wild product.آ Go now and see.
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LG's WIDEBOOK Notebook Series Caters To Movie Lovers
With a name like WIDEBOOK, you can get a good grasp of what to expect from LG's newest notebook family. Comprised of five models--the R580/R560, R480/R460 and R380--these machines all feature 16:9 HD LED-backlit displays and Core 2 Duo processors, and obviously they're perfect for watching a movie or Hulu show while munching popcorn on the couch.The machines are also extremely sleek and stylish, and there's bound to be a screen size to fit every desire. The R580 and R560 has a 15.6" display, while the R480 and R460 units include a 14†screen and the R380 ultraportable includes a 13.3†panel. According to LG, the R580 and R480 are positioned as premium models and sport a stylish design, while the R560 and R460 are reliable everyday workhorses and the R380 offers a blend of performance at an affordable price.
The five new WIDEBOOK notebooks will be rolled out first in Turkey, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, followed by other countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America throughout September, and pricing has yet to be announced.
آ¦ Mobile Entertainer
TheWIDEBOOKâ„¢ series boast superb features to help them serve as mobileentertainment stations. The 16:9 widescreen display is optimized for HDcontent and ships in 1600 x 900 and 1368 x 768 HD pixel resolutions,depending on the model. The LED backlight also means that the screensdraw 15-20% less power than existing notebooks, which also helps boostbattery life. Each machine in the range includes SRS TruSurround HDsound to bring movies to life.
The premium R580 notebook is sure to prove popular with movie buffs thanks to its inclusion of a Blu-ray drive.
TheWIDEBOOK™ range packs Intel Core 2 Duo processors with 2GB or 4GB ofturbo memory and a NVIDIA GeForce graphics chip with up to 1GB of DDR2video memory, providing plenty of power for general use and adequatepunch for 3D games. In fact, according to tests using 3DMark06, thesegraphics subsystems offer between three and six times the performanceof Intel’s GMA X4500MHD chipset.
آ¦ Smart Features
LGhas bundled a Smart Pack with the WIDEBOOKâ„¢ range to help providecustomization and quick diagnosis of errors to help even novice usersmaintain a problem-free PC. Smart Indicator is a customizablequick-launch feature that helps the user set up a list of frequentlyused functions for quick and easy access. Smart Care and Smart Recoveryprovide intelligent diagnosis and repair of system errors.
TheWIDEBOOKâ„¢ R380 also includes a Smart On feature that enables themachine to be booted in only five seconds. Smart On enables users torapidly access commonly-used applications including a web browser,messenger, games, photo viewer and MP3 player.
آ¦ Connectivity and Stylish Design
TheWIDEBOOKâ„¢ series includes a 3G modem chipset to enable convenient andeasy access to the internet. This feature provides a straightforwardconnection to wireless networks in any location offering GSM, GPRS,EDGE, UMTS or HSDPA networks.
The WIDEBOOKâ„¢ series is packed witha range of easy-of-use features as well. A 1.3-megapixel webcam isincluded and the You-Cam viewing software offers editing and anintegrated UI for video chatting and conferencing. WIDEBOOKâ„¢ modelsoffer an e-SATA port to connect with current-generation hard drives anda High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector is included.
Beyondthe widescreen and high-performance multimedia features, the WIDEBOOKâ„¢offers a stylish exterior to suit the most style-conscious consumers.The cutting-edge style includes a UV coating and trendy low-profilechrome hinge. The premium R580 and R480 models also include a row ofbacklit blue buttons to provide quick access to features.
TheWIDEBOOKâ„¢ is also available in a range of colors including shiny whiteand crystal black colors for the R580 / R560 and R480 / R460 to add asleek look and feel. The R380 is designed for the youth market and isavailable in white, black and pink schemes.
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Gene Roddenberry's Apple (The First Macintosh Plus Ever) Up For Auction
The very first Apple Macintosh Plus computer is up for auction.If that's not enough to entice your inner geek, it was once a gift from Apple Computer to Gene Roddenberry.
If you don't know who Gene Roddenberry is, just move along, nothing to see here.
Gene Roddenberry's Apple Macintosh Plus - A real screamer
It probably won't be the top-selling item at the auction, as MichaelJackson's "iconic illuminating white glove" worn on the JacksonsVictory tour and the original cover art for the brothers' Victoryalbum, are part of the same auction.
The Macintosh is the very first one to come off the assembly line atApple Computer in Fresno, Ca., and had a then-whopping 1 Mb RAM (whichcould be upgraded to 4Mb). It supported the 3.5 inch double-sidedfloppy disc, was the first Mac with an SCSI port for fast data transferto and from an external hard drive and was the first mass-producedcomputer to use the mouse. It was in production longer than any otherMacintosh, lasting four years, to 1990.
Remember the seemingly high-tech beige-colored case with the nine-inchdisplay? Roddenberry's had the short keyboard, external floppy drive,mouse and Apple logo deluxe padded carrying case.
And it can be yours. If you're a confirmed P.C. lover, but Star Trek fan, you can go where no PC owner has gone before.
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LG's 1TB/2TB NR21 NAS Grows A DVD Writer
Seeing an LG HDTV or an LG notebook won't turn any eyes up in curiosity, but an LG NAS? Yeah, LG is evidently in the Network Attached Storage business now, and it's entering in a big way. The new N2R1 is a rather robust device--clearly LG thought long and hard before jumping in a market already saturated with entries from QNAP and the like.The box ships with up to 2TB of hard drives within, but aside from just providing redundant storage for those with incredibly precious files, there's also a built-in DVD writer and playback feature for backing things up on optical discs. It's compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems, and naturally, the files on it can be retrieved from anywhere so long as you can track down an Internet connection. Finally, the iTunes server function lets you stream tunes from the box rather than a PC, so you can keep all of your music in one central location and access them anywhere.
The NR21 should hit retailers nationwide this Fall for $299 (1TB) or $399 (2TB).
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Computer tries to fire up but won't turn over... thoughts?
I recently lost the power supply in my backup computer (3.2 P4 on a Soyo SY-RC350 motherboard). I just replaced it with a (tested and working Seasonic unit). Everything is plugged in and ready to go. The LED on the mobo is lit, we have juice to the system. Hit the switch and there is a momentary (blink and miss it) flash of light from the various LED fans as electricity flies over the system and nothing else.
I see nothing wrong with the board. I have triple-checked all connections. Any thoughts on why it won't fire up? Did my board fry after all? Maybe I have a faulty power switch? (I suppose I could jumper that connection and find out quick enough.) The CPU fan is connected so the auto-safety-shutoff shouldn't be causing any problems. The system has always been stable and doesn't have a lot of components to juice up so I doubt the Active PFC on the power supply is preventing startup... but I guess it could really be anything.
Any ideas?
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Archos 5 Media Player Ships With Android
Archos has had a tough time gaining ground in North America. Frankly, so has every other portable media player manufacturer not named Apple, but Archos' problem is that they typically market their wares solely in France, the company's home nation. Now, however, it seems that the firm is finally ready to make a big push here in America, and it's kicking things off with the Archos 5 PMP.It's one of the world's first PMPs to ship with Google's Android operating system, which was reserved for cell phones/smartphones up until now. Some may feel that a phone OS has no business on a media player, but in many ways, there are a lot of similarities between the two. Both can surf the web, both can play back media and both support touch operation. The Archos 5 itself has a 4.8" touch panel (800 x 400) and a few buttons around the edges for familiar functions.
آ There's also a bottom-mounted 3.5mm headphone jack, and the Archos 5 is the first Android device that fully supports HD video playback. As far as apps are concerned, there is also a built-in application for Twitter updates, IM, streaming music and viewing Office files. There's also TeleAtlas for navigation, and varying amounts of integrated storage based on the model you choose. The 8GB flash model (which has a microSD expansion slot) is available now on Amazon for $250, while the 160GB HDD version is on sale at $430.
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Toshiba, Samsung Argue Over The Future of 3D Flash
The burgeoning SSD (solid state drive) market has been a modest success story over the past few years. Drive performance and capacity have both increased at a fair clip,آ while initial sky-high costs have at least fallen into the stratosphere. The two major factors keeping sSD's from broader market penetration are available capacity and cost. Both have dropped dramatically in the past year, but when an Intel 160GB MLC SSD sells for $629 and the most expensive 2TB drive on the market is just $299, a number of customers who are interested in SSDs will ultimately buy a standard hard drive based on cost alone.Both Toshiba and Samsung are working on manufacturing technologies that would allow NAND cells to be stacked on top of each other rather than aligning them horizontally; Toshiba hopes to have cost-effective products on the market by 2013. Samsung hasn't given a projected date for its own design completion, but the companies are backing two distinctly different 3D manufacturing techniques. Toshiba has demonstrated a prototype 32Gb drive that's built in three dimensions, a fact that hopefully indicates that high-capacity SSDsآ could be on the market in a reasonable amount of time.
The potential benefits of 3D NAND cells far outweigh concerns over which company's solution will prove most effective. At vLSI this year, Toshiba demonstrated the aforementioned 32Gb 3D NAND module built on an older 60nm process. The fact that the cell was built three-dimensionally allowed Toshiba to stack two bits of data per cell, with a total cell area approximately equivalent to a hypothetical Flash cell built on a 20nm process. 3D stacking could also be used to push the reliability and performance of SLC (single layer cell) drives into MLC territory.
pays off, it could mark the beginning of an assault on the one feature HDD's are expected to retain in the near future—capacity.
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PENTAX Announces New K-x DSLR With HD Video
PENTAX is the latest company to come out with a DSLR that is capable of capturing HD quality videos. The new K-x also features Live View and comes in your choice of white, black, and limited edition red and navy body colors.What really makes this camera appealing is its affordable price tag—the K-x single lens kit with body and a smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm lens will be available in October for $649.95. Several other features also set this DSLR apart from other entry-level models, including the K-x's 12.4 megapixel sensor with sensor-shift Shake Reduction, the ability to capture 4.7 frames per second, and a 2.7 inch LCD with Face Detection autofocus. The K-x's video capabilities include the ability to record full 720p resolution (1280x720) at 24 fps using any PENTAX 35mm lens.
For users who are stepping up from a point-and-shoot model and prefer simplicity, the K-x offers a PENTAX Auto Picture mode and 10 scene modes. There are also a number of unique special effects and digital filters built-in to the camera that let you edit and process images without a computer.
The K-x includes a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image capture feature which blends three bracketed images into a single picture to give you the best possible shadow, highlight, and midrange detail. The camera supports a sensitivity range between ISO 100 and ISO 12800.
In addition to the K-x, PENTAX announced the smc PENTAX DA L 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED super-telephoto zoom lens. This lens will be available only in a K-x Twin Lens Kit package consisting of a K-x body, this new lens, and the smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens. The kit will cost $849.95. Other configuration options for the K-x include a twin lens kit for $749.95 that includes a K-x body, the smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm lens, and the smc PENTAX DA L 50-200mm zoom lens.
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Truculent Trackball Tasks Blackberry Tour Users
When the Blackberry Tour launched last June, it received generally good reviews. Skim them over, and the phone is universally dinged for not including WiFi support, but the trackball was scarcely mentioned. Two months later, the device's trackball is indeed causing issues. According to David Eller, an analyst with TownHall Investment Research, more than 40 percent of the Blackberry Tours Sprint has sold have been returned with users claiming the devices are defective. Most of the complaints focus on the trackball, but some owners are apparently having trouble with the touch screen's sensitivity as well. Since Verizon relies heavily on Blackberry to supply its smartphones, the high rate of return could deleteriously afffect the company's bottom line.Gerard Hallaren, also with TownHall Investment Research, agrees with Eller that the issue is trackball-centric and caused by the phone's design. He implies that the issue can be avoided, provided "customers to clean the trackball frequently, and preferably with compressed air. Not surprisingly, most customers prefer not to." (An air compressor is a geek's best friend. -Ed) آ Hallaren also believes the problem could be fixed by improving quality control, a change that would raise the phone's cost of production by 2-3 percent. With up to 50 percent of customers returning the phone and claiming it's broken, a small bump in production costs could save a metric ton of money in RMA expenses.
Verizon has had a strong working relationship with BlackBerry, but may now be shopping for other suppliers. Eller reports that "Verizon is angry about this recurring trackball problem and is telling its retailers to expect strong support for the new Motorola phone." Reports of the problem started surfacing in early August; Verizon has promised a firmware update to resolve the issue.
Whether or not a firmware update can actually resolve the problem is an open question. On the one hand, there's reason to think the problem could be mechanical; Eller claims that discussion of the issue began August 10. the Tour actually launched on June 10, so that's a sixty day window until forum reports began to pile up. Anyone who ever worked with a mouse in the bad ol' trackball days should remember how quickly the tracking wheels could get dirty—it wasn't uncommon to have to clean the gunk out once a month. We already know that the trackball is recessed farther into the phone than might be wise; it's entirely possible that the interior rollers underneath the ball are clogging up quite quickly.
The culprit, front and center
At this point, a software issue seems more likely than a problem with the device's hardware design. Unless you work in a saw mill, there's no good explanation as to why a trackpad would fail within 2-3 days. If you're beyond the 30-day return limit and stuck with a useless phone, there are instructions available for dissassembling the device and attempting to fix it yourself.
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