Saturday, August 28, 2010

IT News HeadLines (HotHardware) 28/08/2010


HotHardware
Viking Modular's SATADIMM SSDs are Seriously Cool
There's thinking outside the box, and then there's what Viking Modular did, which is to create an enterprise class SSD that doesn't conform to either the 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch form factors. In fact, you won't be plugging the company's new SATADIMMs into any drive bay. In case you haven't figured it out by now, these ingenious SSDs are designed to plug into your PC's DIMM slots. "Viking Modular is the first to deliver a ground breaking, flexible and efficient method of enabling SSD integration into standard server
Read More ...


Samsung Outs New Line of LCD Monitors with HDTV Tuners
If something walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it's probably a duck. But what if it also barks like a dog - what would you call it then? Figure that one out and you'll know what to call Samsung's new 90 and 30 series LED-backlit LCD displays, which you can use as a PC monitor or an HDTV. "People are looking to do more in smaller areas and multi-function monitors are a great way to maximize the functionality of a single device," said Young Bae, director of display marketing Samsung Enterprise Business
Read More ...

Panda Points to USB as Popular Gateway for Worms
You have to be more careful than ever when it comes to sticking things into little holes. Get your mind out of the gutter, we're obviously talking about plugging electronic gadgets into USB ports, this being HotHardware and not Hot_____ (fill in the blank). That's the word from PandaLabs, which claims that 25 percent of new worms wiggling into the wild are specifically designed to spread through USB storage devices, where they can then copy themselves to a whole host of mobile hardware, like cell phones, DVDs,
Read More ...

Sony Already Working On Glasses-Free 3D HDTV Solution
It simply had to happen at some point, and we guess there's no better time for "some point" than right now. Sony has just issued a bunch of new 3D HDTVs, but already the company is worried about the next big thing. And that thing is most likely glasses-free 3D. Even Sony knows that one of the biggest barriers to seeing a boost in at-home 3D adoption is the necessity to wear 3D glasses in order to enjoy the content, which can become expensive for a family for four and almost intolerable for a group watching an
Read More ...

SmartFish ErgoMouse Now On Sale, We Still Can't Get Over The Design
It may not look as ground-breaking or as unusual as the Swiftpoint mouse, but SmartFish's ErgoMotion mouse is still one of the most strange looking input peripherals on the market today. And that's the best part: after months of waiting, this device actually is on the open market now. It's designed to be more ergonomic than any other mouse out there, and while the design may scare some off, we tend to believe that it actually will lead to better wrist posture and less pain. The ErgoMotion is said to be the first
Read More ...

ZOTAC Offers New Mini PCs and Mini-ITX Mobos With Intel CULV CPUs and NV Ion
NVIDIA's Ion platform got off to a really hot start, but it has struggled to maintain the momentum of late. At launch, we saw one device after the other shipping with Ion, from netbooks to nettops to just about everything in between. Now, that flow has slowed somewhat as legitimate competition has mounted, but Zotac has always been a big supporter of the technology. To that end, the company is introducing a handful of new nettops (much like the one we reviewed in recent months) with Intel CULV processors and
Read More ...

Power Spring 4: First (?) iPhone 4 "Battery Case"
No matter what Apple says about improved battery life on the iPhone 4, there will always be those running out of power. Since there is no way to swap batteries on any iPhone, all these cases or sleeves have arisen for past models to allow for increased power, and here's one of the first for the iPhone 4: the MiLi Power Spring 4. The MiLi Power Spring 4 claims to be both the thinnest and first external battery for the iPhone 4. Of course, first is debatable, because even at Amazon.com you can find other external
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Fascinate Pre-Orders Set to Begin; Launch Date Leaks
The other carriers have either launched their Samsung Galaxy S variant (T-Mobile, the Vibrant, and AT&T, the Captivate), or we at least know a launch date (Sprint's Epic 4G will launch on August 31st). Yet the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., Verizon, has not released a launch date for its Fascinate. It has to be soon, however: pre-orders are set to begin. On Thursday, Best Buy announced pre-orders for the Verizon Fascinate will begin on Aug. 27th (for Reward Zone members), or Aug. 29th (for others).
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Intel's 1.8GHz Dual-Core Atom D525 For Netbooks Offers Needed Performance Boost
There is little argument that most netbook owners wouldn't take a little bit more performance headroom in their machine if it was available. The reality is, though Intel has mopped the floor with netbook design-wins that employ its ultra low-power Atom processor, performance on Atom-based machines has always felt a little (or a lot perhaps?) emaciated.  And that's regardless of whether you're looking to run multimedia or gaming applications. Regardless, technology marches on, especially with the
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Imation Links Your Computer To Your TV
Imation's new Link Wireless A/V Extender can turn any computer into a digital entertainment server with its ability to stream high-definition video (up to 720p), high-resolution photos (up to 1080p) and stereo audio. Imation Link is both PC- and Mac-compatible and uses ultra-wideband wireless USB 2.0. The Link’s fin-shaped receiver connects to your TV or conference room projector using HDMI or VGA input. The wireless transmitter connects to a standard USB port on a laptop or desktop. Thanks to the Link's
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Viking Modular's SATADIMM SSDs are Seriously Cool
There's thinking outside the box, and then there's what Viking Modular did, which is to create an enterprise class SSD that doesn't conform to either the 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch form factors. In fact, you won't be plugging the company's new SATADIMMs into any drive bay. In case you haven't figured it out by now, these ingenious SSDs are designed to plug into your PC's DIMM slots.

"Viking Modular is the first to deliver a ground breaking, flexible and efficient method of enabling SSD integration into standard server and storage applications," said Adrian Proctor, Vice President of Marketing at Viking Modular. "It can breathe new life into maxed out systems with the high performance and lower power consumption of SSD technology. Furthermore, it opens up the possibility for new design, no longer constrained by standard hard drive space requirements."


You're not likely to see these SSD sticks marketed towards desktop applications, but in the server sector, Viking Modular's SATADIMMs provide an upgrade path for systems that might be otherwise tapped out in terms of physical space. Just plug them in, hook up a SATA cable, and you're good to go.

Viking Modular says these will work with any 240-pin DDR3 DIMM socket. No power cable is needed -- the SATADIMMs derive power from the 1.5v that flows through the memory sockets, and there's not much of a performance hit to speak of. On the contrary, these sticks race along at up to 260MB/s for both read and write transfers. Other features include that all-important TRIM support and built-in AES 128-bit encryption.

Viking Modular plans to sell these in 50GB, 100GB, and 200GB capacities, with pricing yet to be determined.

Read More ...

Sony Already Working On Glasses-Free 3D HDTV Solution
It simply had to happen at some point, and we guess there's no better time for "some point" than right now. Sony has just issued a bunch of new 3D HDTVs, but already the company is worried about the next big thing. And that thing is most likely glasses-free 3D. Even Sony knows that one of the biggest barriers to seeing a boost in at-home 3D adoption is the necessity to wear 3D glasses in order to enjoy the content, which can become expensive for a family for four and almost intolerable for a group watching an NFL game.


Reportedly, the company is already working on such a set. The prototype shows 3D images without requiring users to wear 3D glasses, though the concept has already been tried by a number of firms, Intel included. The main problem for Sony right now is cost; glasses-free 3D solutions are still few and far between, and all are expensive. And moreover, there's a distinct drop in video quality when viewing using glasses-free 3D sets. The idea is to have consumers stand at a certain point when they look at the screen, but current solutions aren't nearly sophisticated enough to support high-paced action like in the NFL.


Sony Senior Vice President Yoshihisa Ishida had it right: "Seeing 3D without glasses is more convenient. We must take account of pricing before we can think about when to start offering them." There's no word on when Sony will take this concept to the retail floor, but you can bet it'll be after they sell out of those active panel sets they're pushing so hard today.

Read More ...

SmartFish ErgoMouse Now On Sale, We Still Can't Get Over The Design
It may not look as ground-breaking or as unusual as the Swiftpoint mouse, but SmartFish's ErgoMotion mouse is still one of the most strange looking input peripherals on the market today. And that's the best part: after months of waiting, this device actually is on the open market now. It's designed to be more ergonomic than any other mouse out there, and while the design may scare some off, we tend to believe that it actually will lead to better wrist posture and less pain.


The ErgoMotion is said to be the first laser mouse with a swivel mechanism that promotes a fluid movement, allowing the mouse to intuitively adapt to the user’s hand position. The design enables forward, backward and lateral wave-like movements for the wrist every time the mouse is in use, which is said to help relieve discomfort from repetitive stress injuries related to extended computer usage.

As for the hardware itself, there's right/left click buttons, a four-way scroll wheel, and a hidden USB wireless plug-in. It's compatible with both Macs and PCs, and it can obviously be used by both right and left-handed users. The $49.95 price tag doesn't seem too outrageous when you consider the going rate for similar ergonomic mice, but it's pretty obvious that hardcore gamers should steer clear. Office workers should take note, though.


SmartFish Announces Availability of ErgoMotion Mouse

Breakthrough ergonomic peripheral rethinks traditional mouse design to promote a healthier computing experience

Englewood, NJ – August 25, 2010 – SmartFish Technologies is proud to announce the immediate availability of the ErgoMotion Mouse to consumers nationwide.  This is the first laser mouse ever to feature a patented swivel mechanism that promotes a fluid movement, allowing the mouse to intuitively adapt to the user’s hand position.  Smartfish’s award-winning ErgoMotion technology enables forward, backward and lateral wave-like movements for the wrist every time the mouse is in use.  This helps to relieve discomfort from repetitive stress injuries related to extended computer usage.

“When using a static mouse, the hand, wrist and arm are confined to a fixed position that limits natural movements and forces robotic gestures which strains your tendons and ligaments causing pain and discomfort over time.” said Dr. Jack Atzmon, President and CEO of Smartfish Technologies.  “The ErgoMotion Mouse adapts to your natural movements and provides the most unique and healthy computing experience to date.”

The ErgoMotion Mouse boasts a sleek design, and features both left and right click, four-way scroll wheel and a discreet wireless USB plug-in. The device is compatible with MACs and PCs, and features an ambidextrous design for both right and left-handed users.  It’s is available now from www.getsmartfish.com for $49.95.

About SmartFish

Smartfish Technologies was founded on a passion for healthier living, smart technology and true ergonomic innovation in an ever-growing electronic world. As a practicing chiropractor of 14 years, Smartfish president and CEO Dr. Jack Atzmon met with thousands of patients who continually complained of hand, wrist, shoulder and back pain. Through extensive knowledge of repetitive stress injury (RSI) – common forms known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, he began to understand that a key contributor to these ailments came from the day-to-day use of computers – specifically, repetitive motion of computer peripheral use. Dr. Atzmon’s vision and breakthrough technology led him to form Smartfish Technologies and launch a line of computer peripherals based on the company’s ErgoMotion technologies, beginning with the ErgoMotion Mouse, to promote a healthy PC lifestyle for work and play.

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Samsung Outs New Line of LCD Monitors with HDTV Tuners
If something walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it's probably a duck. But what if it also barks like a dog - what would you call it then? Figure that one out and you'll know what to call Samsung's new 90 and 30 series LED-backlit LCD displays, which you can use as a PC monitor or an HDTV.

"People are looking to do more in smaller areas and multi-function monitors are a great way to maximize the functionality of a single device," said Young Bae, director of display marketing Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "Samsung continues to expand our multi-function offerings and these two new lines – the 30 and 90 series – provide a new range of options and value for our customers."


Ranging in size from 21.5 to 24 inches, these multi-purpose whatchamacallits beam images in Full HD 1920x1080 with a 5ms response time. For what it's worth, the 90 series ups the ante by jacking up the dynamic contrast ratio from 70,000:1 (found on the 30 series) to 5,000,000:1 and trading in the 3W built-in speakers for a pair of 5W speakers.

Otherwise, both series come with HDMI connectivity, a remote control, and Picture in Picture (PiP). Look for the 90 series to ship next month for $420 (FX2490HD - 24-inch), while the 30 series is available now ranging in price from $270 to $330.

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internet connection problems
Having some problems with connecting to the internet. I can connect to the network fine, but lately i am unable to connect to the internet.  Not sure why but the problem goes away and then comes back. Once i get a connection to the internet it works perfectly, but when i restart my system the problem comes back.
Looked at my router and my activity light is going off and every one else is having no problems. Wondering if it can be the motherboard since it has been recently replaced.


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Panda Points to USB as Popular Gateway for Worms
You have to be more careful than ever when it comes to sticking things into little holes. Get your mind out of the gutter, we're obviously talking about plugging electronic gadgets into USB ports, this being HotHardware and not Hot_____ (fill in the blank). That's the word from PandaLabs, which claims that 25 percent of new worms wiggling into the wild are specifically designed to spread through USB storage devices, where they can then copy themselves to a whole host of mobile hardware, like cell phones, DVDs, MP3 players, and more.

"At present, much of the malware in circulation has been designed to distribute through these devices," explains Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs. "Not only does it copy itself to these gadgets, but it also runs automatically when a USB device is connected to a computer, infecting the system practically transparently to the user. This has been the case with many infections we have seen this year, such as the distribution of the Mariposa and Vodafone botnets."


As would be expected, PandaLabs says circulating malware via USB has been "highly effective." In a survey of over 10,000 companies across 20 countries, PandaLabs claims nearly half admitted to having been infected with some type of malware during the last year, with 27 percent confirming that the infection originated from a USB device.

So what can you do? Be careful about the devices you plug into your PC. The problem with that, however, is that we've seen cases where malware comes preinstalled straight from the factory, like digital photo frames and even some driver discs.


If you want to put your trust in Panda, the company offers a utility called Panda USB Vaccine that disables the AutoRun feature in Windows.

"This is a very useful tool as there is no simple way of disabling the AutoRun feature in Windows. This tool makes it simple for users, offering a high level of security against infections through removable drives and devices", explains Luis Corrons, Technical Director of PandaLabs.

Beyond that, consider dropping the tough guy routine, sucking it up, and installing antivirus software. While those who preach against running any type of AV software point out that safe computing habits are all you need, the reality is this isn't always enough.

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ZOTAC Offers New Mini PCs and Mini-ITX Mobos With Intel CULV CPUs and NV Ion
NVIDIA's Ion platform got off to a really hot start, but it has struggled to maintain the momentum of late. At launch, we saw one device after the other shipping with Ion, from netbooks to nettops to just about everything in between. Now, that flow has slowed somewhat as legitimate competition has mounted, but Zotac has always been a big supporter of the technology. To that end, the company is introducing a handful of new nettops (much like the one we reviewed in recent months) with Intel CULV processors and NVIDIA's Ion inside: ZBOX HD-ND22, HD-NS21, IONITX-N-E and IONITX-P-E.


These new mini PCs and mini-ITX platforms have dual-core Intel Celeron SU2300 and single-core Celeron 743 processor options, support for DDR3 memory, room at least a single 2.5" hard drive, and HDMI/DVI outputs. That's plenty for the average living room PC or HTPC, and even casual bedroom PC users should find those components sufficient. There's also onboard 802.11n Wi-Fi and NVIDIA's PureVideo HD technology, but no pricing or release information has been outed just yet.


        ZOTAC® Revolutionizes ION™ With World’s First Intel® CULV-Powered Mini-PC and Mini-ITX Platforms

          New ZOTAC® ZBOX HD-ND22, HD-NS21, ION-ITX N and P series combine Intel® CULV processor with NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor

    HONG KONG – Aug. 26, 2010 –  ZOTAC® International, a leading innovator and the world’s largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today revolutionizes the award-winning ION™ platform with the processing power of Intel® consumer low-voltage, or CULV, processors for new platforms with superior performance capabilities while maintaining class-leading energy-efficiency. The new ZOTAC® ION platforms powered by Intel® CULV processors include the new ZBOX HD-ND22, HD-NS21 mini-PCs, ION-ITX N series and ION-ITX P series mini-ITX platforms.

          An Intel® Celeron® SU2300 processor powers the ZOTAC® ZBOX HD-ND22 and ION-ITX P series with dual-cores clocked at 1.3 GHz for multi-threaded processing power that delivers unprecedented performance levels in an energy-efficient mini-PC for demanding users. A Single-core Intel® Celeron® 743 processor powers ZOTAC® ZBOX HD-NS21 and ION-ITX N series platforms for outstanding single-threaded CPU performance.

          “Intel® CULV processors have previously been exclusive to ultra-portable notebooks, but not anymore. We’ve taken the award-winning Intel® CULV processors and paired them with our award-winning ION™ platforms to produce the world’s first mini-PCs and mini-ITX platforms that combine the power of Intel® CULV processors with NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processing for the perfect combination of CPU and GPU performance with superior energy-efficiency,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC® International.

          NVIDIA® ION™ graphics empower the Intel® CULV-powered ZOTAC® ZBOX and ION-ITX platforms with outstanding 3D capabilities and support for Microsoft® DirectX® 10, DirectCompute and NVIDIA® CUDA™-enabled applications for energy-efficient GPU computing. NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology delivers flawless GPU-accelerated high-definition video playback with breathtaking clarity and details.

          ZOTAC® ZBOX HD-ND22 and HD-NS21 mini-PCs with Intel® CULV processors feature class-leading flexibility with an easily customizable tool-less chassis and room to accommodate a 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 Gb/s HDD or SSD, two DDR3 SO-DIMM memory slots, integrated 802.11n WiFi and four different placement positions – flat, on a stand, on the back of a monitor or on a wall with the included VESA75/100-compatible mount. External expansion options include plenty of USB 2.0 ports, a 6-in-1 memory card reader that supports SD, SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD memory card formats, and an eSATA 3.0 Gb/s port for plug ‘n play expansion.

          ZOTAC® ION-ITX N and P series are world-class platforms that combine the miniature size of mini-ITX with big-system expansion capabilities including a PCI Express x16 slot, two DDR3-1066 DIMM slots, three SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports, up to 10 USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA 3.0 Gb/s port. Onboard 802.11n WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet port enables lightning-fast network transfers for stutter-free high-definition video streaming.

          It’s time to play with the new ZOTAC® ZBOX HD-ND22, HD-NS21 and ION-ITX N and P series.
     

     General details

    * ZOTAC® Revolutionizes ION™ Platform with Intel® CULV processors
    * Unprecedented performance and energy-efficiency in mini-PC and mini-

         ITX platforms

    * ZBOX HD-ND22
          o Intel® Celeron® SU2300 (1.2 GHz, dual-core)
          o 2 x DDR3-1066 SO-DIMM slots
          o Support 1 x 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 Gb/s HDD/SSD
          o HDMI and DVI-I outputs
    * ZBOX HD-NS21
          o Intel® Celeron® 743 (1.3 GHz, single-core)
          o 2 x DDR3-1066 SO-DIMM slots
          o Support 1 x 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 Gb/s HDD/SSD
          o HDMI and DVI-I outputs
    * ION-ITX N series
          o Intel® Celeron® 743 (1.3 GHz, single-core)
          o PCI Express x16 expansion
          o 3 SATA 3.0 Gb/s + 1 eSATA 3.0 Gb/s
          o HDMI, DVI-D and VGA outputs
          o Mini-ITX form factor
    * ION-ITX P series
          o Intel® Celeron® SU2300 (1.2 GHz, dual-core)
          o PCI Express x16 expansion
          o 3 SATA 3.0 Gb/s + 1 eSATA 3.0 Gb/s
          o HDMI, DVI-D and VGA outputs
          o Mini-ITX form factor
    * NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor
          o 16 unified shaders
    * NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology
    * NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology
    * Onboard 802.11n WiFi

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Survey Reveals iPhone Addiction Rampant on College Campuses
Including room and board, it now costs over $50,000 per year to attend Stanford University. That's a lot of cash to cough up to send your son or daughter to the second ranked university in the world (according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities), but money well spent when you consider your offspring will be tackling the tough issues, like iPhone addiction.

Huh? Believe it or not, a new Stanford study set out to discover just how attached college kids are to their Apple-inspired smartphone, and as it turns out, the results are pretty creepy.


Out of the 200 students with iPhones who participated in the survey, 75 percent fessed up to being bed mates with their handheld gadget. Think about that the next time you ask to borrow someone's iPhone. Granted, there are viable reasons for sleeping with an iPhone, and 89 percent said they used it as their alarm clock. But these are college kids we're talking about, and we're probably better off not knowing what other functions are being performed once the lights go out.

It gets more bizarre. While 15 percent said the iPhone was turning them into a media addict, 30 percent referred to their smartphone as a "doorway into the world." Another 25 percent dubbed it "dangerously alluring, and 41 percent felt it would be "a tragedy" to lose their iPhone, which in this case is literally like losing your bed mate.


So what does it all mean? For starters, it means you paid too much to send your offspring to Stanford. But the survey also reveals what some would argue is an unhealthy addiction towards the iPhone. When asked to rate their level of addiction on a scale of one to five, with five being addicted and one being not addicted at all, 44 percent rated themselves a four or five, while just 6 percent said they weren't addicted.

"One of the most striking things we saw in the interviews was just how identified people were with their iPhone," said Professor Tanya Luhrmann, the Stanford anthropology professor who oversaw the survey. "It was not so much with the object itself, but it had so much personal information that it became a kind of extension of the mind and a means to have a social life. It just kind of captured part of their identity."

Thoughts? Post 'em in our comments section below!

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New Versions of Firefox Get Delayed
Mozilla won't be releasing new versions of Firefox as early as initially planned. The next version of Firefox (version 3.6) was planned to be released sometime this year. Now, this version won't be released until at least the first quarter of 2010. This pushes back other releases as well, including the major 4.0 release; Firefox 4.0 is now scheduled for the end of 2010 or the first quarter of 2011.

Mozilla is figuring the extra time spent to deliver the newest version of its browser will be worth the risk of losing market share. The delays could be good news for Microsoft, giving the software giant a chance to take back a share of the increasingly crowded browser market. Recent numbers show that Firefox 3.5 has a greater percentage of users than Internet Explorer 7 or 8. Due to market adoption of Windows 7, however, the trends also show a rapid transition to Microsoft's latest browser. Google's Chrome, Apple's Safari, and Opera's browser could also take advantage of the Firefox delays.

Firefox 3.6 will have a Personas plug-in that will let users customize the appearance of the browser. Corporations could also use this feature to put company logos in front of users. Other improvements include improved launch times and better security.

Looking ahead to future versions, Firefox 3.7 is said to start up 25% faster on Windows and will incorporate Jetpack which is an improved interface for plug-ins that makes them easier to write, install, and upgrade. Version 3.7 is also expected to incorporate the first phase of work on Electrolysis. Electrolysis is designed to improve the stability of the browser by isolating processes into separate components. Plug-ins will also be moved to a process separate from the main browser. By separating components in this way, a problem with a process or plug-in won't crash the entire browser. Another key improvement with version 3.7 is called Weave. This plug-in will synchronize bookmarks, passwords, plug-ins, and open tabs across different Firefox windows.

Firefox version 4.0 will likely deliver major interface changes and will do away with the menu bar and use some sort of a pop-down menu instead. According to a blog post from Mozilla designer Stephen Horlander, the current thought is that version 4.0 will use an App Button similar to what we've seen with native Windows 7 applications.


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Fascinate Pre-Orders Set to Begin; Launch Date Leaks
The other carriers have either launched their Samsung Galaxy S variant (T-Mobile, the Vibrant, and AT&T, the Captivate), or we at least know a launch date (Sprint's Epic 4G will launch on August 31st). Yet the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., Verizon, has not released a launch date for its Fascinate. It has to be soon, however: pre-orders are set to begin.

On Thursday, Best Buy announced pre-orders for the Verizon Fascinate will begin on Aug. 27th (for Reward Zone members), or Aug. 29th (for others). Since Best Buy's Reward Zone is free, if you want a Fascinate, you'd best sign up now. Pre-orders will be taken in-person at Best Buy stores and Best Buy Mobile standalone stores. However, Best Buy failed to give us a launch date.

Instead, we have to rely on a leaked screenshot from Verizon sales. It shows that Verizon employees can pre-order Fascinates, and that the device will ship 9/6 for a 9/9 launch. An unlikely possibility would be that 9/9 is for Verizon employees only, but that seems very unlikely, particularly with the final clue.

The final clue is that reportedly the Verizon Fascinate is set as a sponsor of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs awards show airs on Sept. 12th.  Thus, a Sept. 9th launch date makes a whole lot of sense, as if you're sponsoring something this high-profile, it would be great if people could buy the item (although, we admit, it could be just as good if the launch was soon thereafter).
.
The Verizon Fascinate is, as we said, a Samsung Galaxy S variant.  The devices spread throughout the big 4 carriers all have the same "basic" specs: they ship with Android 2.1, include a  beautiful 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, 5-megapixel camera, a few other things.  They still have some degree of differentiation.Â

For one, the T-Mobile and AT&T variants do not have an LED flash, but do have 16GB of internal storage.  The Captivate also has a significantly different shape from the Vibrant.  Meanwhile, while both the the Verizon Fascinate and the Sprint Epic 4G have an LED flash, they have much less internal storage (2GB and 1GB, respectively).  The Epic 4G adds a front-facing camera and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Epic 4G also has a higher price, $50 higher than the Vibrant and Captivate, at $249.

Despite the fact that pre-orders start on Thursday, Best Buy didn't announce a price when it announced the start of the process.

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Valve bringing Steam and Source engine to Mac?
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62617
In addition to the new Steam Beta having mac icons Valve has been sending these pictures to websites.

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