Smart Stereo Earphones

Category: Gadgets, Science & Technology
Posted: February 3, 2012 12:16PM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

While some people may not care, for others it is a habit to make sure the left ear phone is in the left ear and right earphone in the right ear. For some audio sources, it won’t matter much, but others, like movies and video games, require the proper channels are going to the proper ear. (You don’t want to turn the wrong direction when an alien, orc, or other enemy is firing at you.)

To solve this problem, researchers at the Igarashi Design Interfaces Project have added electrodes to the front of ear buds. When the buds are put in the correct ears, the electrodes will be against the outer ear, which will form a connection. If the ear buds are reversed though, the electrodes are out in the air and not making a connection. This then triggers a chip to switch the channels, thereby ensuring the proper audio is going to its proper place.

The researchers went a step further with this though, as they also added a way for the earphones to know when they are being shared by two people. When worn by one person, there will be a weak electric current between the ear buds, but when two people wear them, the circuit is broken. This causes the chip to combine the stereo channels into a mono channel, which is sent to both ear pieces. This way both listeners get all of the audio.

Boycott SOPA: There’s an App for That

Category: Manufacturers, Software, Gadgets
Posted: January 18, 2012 10:35AM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

Some may think this goes too far and others may think it does not go far enough. Regardless, it exists. The Boycott SOPA app in the Android Market, coupled with the Barcode Scanner app, allows any Android phone to identify if a product is linked to a company supporting SOPA. The app uses the barcode scanner to find out what product you are looking at, and then checks it against a list of companies and bands. The list can be viewed on the developer’s website and includes not only SOPA supporting companies, but companies strongly affiliated with those that do. There are currently 879 entries on the list, which will grow and diminish as companies change their stance on SOPA.

Screen Scratch Remover

Category: Gadgets, Science & Technology
Posted: January 12, 2012 02:41PM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

You just got a brand new smartphone with a gorgeous screen, so you naturally also get some screen protectors for it. You don't want that backlit goodness to be scratched after all. If researchers at the University of Pittsburgh can get their "repair-and-go" system working though, those scratches may become a thing of the past.

Based on the operation of white blood cells, the researchers suggest using microcapsules filled with a solution of nanoparticles to fill and repair defects and scratches. This could be applied at the end of manufacture, before a product hits the shelf, or after consumer use. Either way, the lifetime of the product could be extended.

'Smart eBook System' Created

Category: Gadgets, Science & Technology
Posted: January 11, 2012 04:47PM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

While some people claim the eBook and eReaders are killing print others are working to make reading an eBook more like reading a real book. From the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) comes "Smart eBook System" an enhanced ereading application for tables and phones. The purpose of this system is to replicate many things one can do with real paper on an LCD screen. With this software one can hold a page with a finger or flip past multiple pages at a time, similar to how we can with real paper. Key to this system is algorithms which predict where one’s fingers are on the non-touch sensitive bezel. Swiping from the edge of the screen in is different than swiping from the bezel into the screen. Really, the best way to understand what this software can do, is to watch it in action.

Bringing 3D to a Smartphone Near You

Category: Gadgets, Science & Technology
Posted: January 5, 2012 12:01PM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

Like high definition before it, the new craze in media is three dimensional video and pictures. Movies and video games are being made with the third spatial dimension in mind while monitors and TV’s can be bought to view the content. Creating an accurate depth map though can be intensive and require hardware inaccessible to the average consumer. Traditional time-of-flight depth sensors are inefficient as they can require measuring the distance to every pixel or need expensive light sensors. Now MIT has developed a new time-of-flight depth sensor, which is so efficient and simple it could be deployed in smartphones.

Like other time-of-flight sensors the MIT method uses a light source to illuminate a scene and a camera to capture the reflected light. By knowing the time between the flash and the detection, the distance to an object can be determined. However a few key things have been changed to improve the system. Instead of using a battery of light sensors, this technique uses a single camera with a single pixel. Also the light source does not always give out an omnidirectional burst of light, like a camera flash. Instead it will emit a pattern that looks like an irregular checkerboard. Even though the camera is a single pixel, it can actually distinguish between the different patterns.

Though the math involved in creating a depth map from the camera’s signals isn’t something most people could do, it is simple enough for a smartphone’s processor to work out. Compared to the Microsoft Kinect, which requires the power of a GPU, this is quite an accomplishment. The intended use of this technology is actually not so much to make 3D images with a phone, but to enable gesture control, like that used in Kinect-enabled games.

LG Bringing an 84 Inch 'Ultra Definition' 4K TV to CES 2012

Category: Gadgets
Posted: December 30, 2011 12:08PM
Author: bp9801

LG does not want to be outdone by its own television division at CES next month, so in addition to the 55" OLED HDTV it will have on display, there will also be an 84" TV. This is no ordinary 84" TV (well, if 84" is ordinary for a TV to begin with), as LG will be showing off an 84 inch "Ultra Definition" 4K TV at CES 2012. You read that right, an "Ultra Definition" 4K TV. This means the TV has a display resolution of 3840x2160 that can display eight million pixels, four times what a 1080p TV is capable of. This 84" UDTV has everything an LG 3D or Smart TV has, just on a much larger scale. This UDTV is perfect for 3D because the 3D tech LG uses lowers the resolution whenever you use the passive glasses. A 4K TV will not have that problem, since even half of the 3840x2160 resolution will still be in HD. 4K content is not really available here yet, so this TV will be perfect for those wanting the 3D experience without a loss in resolution.

LG did not say when exactly this 84" UDTV will hit the market, or at what price, but at least 4K televisions are starting to become more plentiful.

Amazon Sold Over Four Million Kindles in December

Category: Gadgets
Posted: December 29, 2011 11:29PM
Author: bp9801

Books hold a wealth of information on whatever subject the author(s) has written about, but how we obtain books has changed. Sure, you can still head to a bookstore or library and find paper books, but many people prefer electronic books. A dedicated e-reader can hold thousands of e-books, not to mention tablets, phones, and computers can also have e-books on them. Amazon is one of the main e-reader manufacturers with its Kindle devices. The Kindle family has grown over the recent months to fit whatever style you want, and December is a popular time to give an e-reader due to the holidays. As such, Amazon announced it has sold four million Kindle devices in December, with one million being moved each week. Amazon did not say exactly of how many sold, but the new Kindle Fire remains the bestseller on Amazon. The retail giant has been pretty quiet on exactly how many Kindles have sold in general, but analysts predicted the Kindle Fire made up the majority of those one million devices a week.

LG's 55 Inch OLED HDTV is Official, Coming to CES 2012

Category: Gadgets
Posted: December 26, 2011 08:45PM
Author: bp9801

OLED screens have been talked about as the next evolution of monitors and TVs for seemingly years. OLED displays exist now, but are typically in smaller sizes, like on smartphones or the PS Vita. Sony has had an 11" OLED HDTV available for a few years, but an 11" HDTV that started north of $2,000 is not something everyone rushes to buy. OLED HDTVs have been shown off in larger sizes, like 32", but nothing has come out of those yet. LG is one of the leading television manufacturers around, and it will be bringing a 55" OLED HDTV to CES 2012, and will hit retail in the middle part of next year. This marks the largest OLED HDTV available and should make for an excellent addition to any home. LG uses white OLEDs overlaid with colors in order to reduce the error rate and provide for even more colors than LCD TVs. The TV itself is only 5mm deep, which is perfect for those wanting the thinnest TV around.

LG claims to have solved the issue plaguing OLED screens in larger sizes, and it will not be long at all before CES attendees can check it out in person. Pricing and availability will be announced later.

Kindle Lending Library Opened to KDP Titles

Category: Gadgets, General News
Posted: December 8, 2011 04:29PM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

Amazon has recently announced KDP Select to allow titles published through the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) system to be available in the Kindle Lending Library. The Lending Library allows Amazon Prime members to download one book per month to their Kindle device, absolutely free. The selection of titles was previously restricted to more mainstream ebooks, and not Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) titles. With KDP Select these titles can be made available to the library, and the authors will get paid, based on the number of downloads of their titles.

For the remainder of December 2011, $500,000 will be split between the authors based on how many of their titles were lent from the library. If 100,000 KDP titles are borrowed from the lending library this way, and one title is borrowed 1,500 times, the rights holder will receive 1.5% of the $500,000 ($7,500). Next year at least $6 million will be spread amongst the KDP Select titles. For an ebook to be eligible, it must be exclusively available through KDP.

Also started with KDP Select is the ability for a rights holder to hold a promotional sale on a title. For up to five days of every KDP Select period (90 days) a title can be downloaded for free.

IOGEAR Wireless 3D Digital Kit

Category: Gadgets
Posted: November 10, 2011 07:56PM
Author: Dale Shuck

IOGEAR has announced the release of its GW3DHDKIT Wireless 3D digital Kit for streaming 1080p HD and 3D content to up to two rooms. Utilizing the %GHz wireless spectrum, the GW3DHDKIT can deliver uncompressed full 1080p and 3D content and 5.1 digital audio up to 100 feet away and does not require a line-of-sight connection. The Wireless 3D Digital Kit is comprised of a transmitter and receiver that can be used in various configurations to stream standard and HD/3D content to two devices in two rooms.

“Our Wireless 3D Digital Kit advances the technology of streaming content and fits perfectly for those who already have a 3D display or are planning to get one,” said Bill Nguyen, Senior Marketing Manager for IOGEAR. “The GW3DHDKIT offers an easy, affordable way to stream both HD and 3D entertainment discretely with multiple retrofit and installation options.”

Initially, the Wireless 3D Digital Kit will be made available online at Cosctco.com; by the end of the year, IOGEAR expects to have it rolled out to traditional retailers and additional online resellers. The unit comes with a MSRP of $379.95US.

Barnes & Noble Introduces Nook Tablet

Category: Gadgets
Posted: November 7, 2011 07:34PM
Author: bp9801

It was not too long ago that we saw Amazon's take on an Android tablet in the shape of the Kindle Fire. Now, the Kindle Fire will be coming out next week on the 15th, and should be pretty popular this coming holiday season. Barnes & Noble offers another take on the Android tablet with its Nook Color, which came out last year, and was upgraded to be more of a tablet than when it first launched. Today, B&N is introducing an updated version of the Nook Color, which it is calling the Nook Tablet. The Nook Tablet is even more of a tablet than its predecessor, hence its name, and should be a good alternative to the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Nook Tablet improves on both the Nook Color and even the Kindle Fire in a variety of ways, with 16GB of onboard storage that is expandable via a microSD slot, a 7" IPS display with full lamination, capable of 1080p video content (downscaled to the screen's 1024x600 resolution), and 11.5 hours of battery life. It also features a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, meaning it should be plenty speedy to flip through your book collection or watch movies. It looks almost identical to the older Nook Color, it is just the internals that have changed.

Netflix and Hulu Plus come pre-loaded, while you can browse the selection of Nook Apps that Barnes & Noble has approved for the device. The Nook Tablet runs Android 2.3, but it lacks access to the Android Market, just like the older Nook Color. B&N is constantly expanding the variety of apps you can download, just remember it will never be quite as many as what the Kindle Fire or other Android tablets can access.

The Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet is available for pre-order now and will be available next week on the 17th. You can pre-order it at the B&N website or at any retail location. It will set you back $249. Barnes & Noble also announced the original Nook Color will have a permanent price drop to $199, while the Nook Simple Touch will be available at $99.

Is an iPad 2 Dressed in Dinosaur Bones and Diamonds Worth $8 Million?

Category: Gadgets
Posted: November 1, 2011 07:30AM
Author: edwardquilo

Sure, there are a lot of ludicrously expensive gadgets out there, but Stuart Hughes's iPad 2 Gold History Edition probably takes the crown as the priciest tablet on earth. What other tablet is there that's decked out with gold, diamonds, and the shaved thigh bone of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex? But that dinosaur fossil isn't the only thing that makes this iPad 2 apparently worth eight million dollars: aside from the 53 diamonds and 24-carat gold exterior, it's also based on ammolite rock, which covers the device's front frame. Other than that, though, it's still the same iPad 2 that you can grab at your nearest Apple Store.

Stuart Hughes is making only two of these, but even if you did have a cool eight million dollars to spare, would you even consider buying one?

Best Buy Drops Price of HTC Flyer

Category: Gadgets
Posted: September 30, 2011 01:31PM
Author: bp9801

I think Amazon's announcement of the Kindle Fire this Wednesday is just the tip of the iceberg. The Kindle Fire presents to us an Android tablet, albeit a heavily custom version, at a $200 price, something that I am sure many find attractive. Yesterday, we saw Best Buy slash the price of all models of the BlackBerry PlayBook, dropping the 16GB model to $299. Today, Best Buy is at it once again, only this time with an Android tablet, the HTC Flyer. The Flyer runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) but should see an update before long to bring it to the tablet-optimized Honeycomb. The Flyer debuted at $499, but starting tomorrow, October 1st, Best Buy will offer it at $299. The HTC Flyer includes 16GB of storage and an SD card slot, plus if it does get Honeycomb soon, could make for an excellent alternative to some of the more expensive tablets out there. I'm sure we'll be seeing more prices drop leading up to the launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire, so maybe the start of more affordable tablets is just on the horizon.

BlackBerry PlayBook Prices Drop $200 at Best Buy

Category: Gadgets
Posted: September 29, 2011 09:15AM
Author: bp9801

Amazon's first entry into the tablet market is still a month and a half away from release, but already we are seeing the beginnings of a response. Amazon's Kindle Fire, a 7" Android-powered, full-color LCD touchscreen tablet, was announced yesterday, along with two new Kindle e-readers, but today there has been a response by one current tablet maker. RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook has not exactly been the success the company was hoping for when it was announced, and has been available for some time. Today, it looks like retail giant Best Buy is looking to move PlayBook stock by slashing the price by $200. There is no gift card or rebate to send in, the discount is automatic. The 16GB PlayBook now starts at $299.99, the 32GB at $399.99, and the 64GB at $499.99. The prices may still seem high, but undercuts a majority of the tablets already on the market. The PlayBook lacks a dedicated email and calendar app unless you pair it with a BlackBerry phone, something that RIM was derided for upon launch. RIM says it will correct that in the 2.0 update for the PlayBook this October, but it may be too little, too late. We'll see if other retailers follow Best Buy's decision to drop the price on the PlayBook and potentially other underperforming tablets.

Amazon Announces Two New Kindles, Prices Sure to Shock You

Category: Gadgets
Posted: September 28, 2011 06:45AM
Author: bp9801

Today Amazon held a press conference where it was expected to announce a new Kindle tablet. Well, not only did it announce that tablet, known as the Kindle Fire, but it also announced two new Kindle e-readers with a shocking price. First up, we have a $79 Kindle. That's right, a Kindle for less than $100. This model has ads built right in, hence the low price, and slots under the ad-supported $114 Kindle already available. The best news is that the $79 Kindle ships today, so you can head on over to Amazon and place an order for the cheapest Kindle e-reader yet. The $79 Kindle foregoes a keyboard, so it looks like taking notes directly on the device is a no go.

Amazon was not done with just the $79 Kindle, as it went ahead and announced a $99 model called the Kindle Touch. This is another e-reader, but it uses an IR touch system for navigation and page turns. There is no keyboard to speak of on the Kindle Touch, which makes it a slimmer and smaller device than the regular Kindles. It has no buttons at all (the thing below the screen is a speaker grill), so everything will be handled by touching the screen. The Kindle Touch uses Amazon's "most advanced" E Ink display, and comes in a WiFi or 3G+WiFi model. The 3G+WiFi model will launch at a $149 price, which isn't all that much higher than the $99 WiFi model.

The $79 Kindle is available today, while the Kindle Touch models will ship on November 21st. You can pre-order the Kindle Touch starting later today.

Developing: Amazon Announces the Kindle Fire

Category: Gadgets, General News
Posted: September 28, 2011 06:05AM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

Amazon, the world’s largest e-tailer, has announced their long rumored Kindle tablet at a press event in New York. The Amazon Kindle is its bestselling item, but is a dedicated eReader using an eInk screen, unlike the more powerful tablets currently available and the Barnes and Noble Nook Color. This new tablet, the Kindle Fire, features a seven inch full color LCD, will cost $199 and come with a free month of Amazon Prime, when it launches. Those who use the tablet may not be able to tell at first, but the operating system is Android and has been heavily skinned by Amazon. The skinning results in a rather locked in experience as everything Google will be gone, so there will be no Gingerbread, Honeycomb, or Ice Cream Sandwich updates in the future.

The Fire tablet will only have Wi-Fi connectivity, as compared to the Kindle DX and Kindle 3G+WiFi which both have 3G access. Whispersync will be accessible over the Wi-Fi connection, for downloading media and uploading bookmarks and notes. Naturally the device will have access to the Amazon Appstore. The obvious competition for this device is the Nook Color, but there is the possibility of it disrupting the higher-end tablet market, by offering performance at a price considerably lower than the top-tier. Of course, having the brand Amazon behind it will help.

As more details are announced, updates will be added.

Update: The Kindle Touch and a $79 Kindle have been announced. The Kindle Touch is an eInk reader and will be $99.

Update: The Kindle Fire will indeed have access to the Amazon Cloud Player for mp3's and videos. Dual-core processor inside.

Update: Kindle Fire will ship November 15, but pre-orders can be made starting later today.

Update: All the new Kindles are up on Amazon for purchase or pre-order. The Kindle Touch will ship on November 21, after the Fire. The $79 Kindle ships today. Versions of the eInk Kindles without ads are also available (all prices above include the ads).

Update: Looking at the dimensions listed on the Kindle Fire, the Kindle Keyboard (they've renamed the current Kindles to this) are almost the exact same size. Keyboard: 7.5" x 4.8" x 0.34" - Fire: 7.5" x 4.7" x 0.45".

Image directly from the Amazon Kindle Fire page.

Quad-Core Tablets with NVIDIA Internals Confirmed for this Year

Category: Gadgets
Posted: September 9, 2011 03:13PM
Author: bp9801

Earlier this year, we heard NVIDIA talk about its plans for future Tegra products, like the quad-core Tegra 3 SoC codenamed Kal-El. We've seen what Kal-El is capable of with the Glowball demo, but now it seems we may finally see what the SoC can do with real-world performance. NVIDIA president and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang confirmed to Forbes that we can expect to see quad-core tablets running NVIDIA components by the end of this year. We should even see those tablets before Christmas, which should make for some wonderful holiday gifts for the gadget lover in your family. Huang seemed to indicate that the tablets will be the only products running the Tegra 3 Kal-El chips this year, with smartphones expected to get them early next year. Both Qualcomm and Texas Instruments expect to have quad-core chips of its own available by early next year, so it will be interesting to see which company has the better performing parts. It is true that products running Tegra 3 were already supposed to have launched, but Huang says some of the delay is attributed to the design of the tablets as well as final tuning of the Kal-El SoC. At least it looks like we will have some quad-core tablet goodness to play around with later this year.

Amazon Kindle Tablet is Real

Category: Gadgets
Posted: September 3, 2011 11:06AM
Author: bp9801

The Amazon tablet has long been rumored, but now it may be closer to reality than you might think. The guys over at TechCrunch have reportedly gotten their hands on the Amazon tablet and the potential it has can be huge. Dubbed simply the Amazon Kindle, this tablet is unlike any previous Kindle. Gone is the Pearl E-Ink screen and in its place is a full color, seven inch capacitive touchscreen. The editor at TechCrunch who got to handle the Kindle was not allowed to take any pictures, but described it as similar to the BlackBerry PlayBook since both are 7" devices. The Kindle has a 7" touchscreen that is mutli-touch capable, but more on the lines of a maximum of two fingers supported at once. It uses an LCD screen that is backlit, so you can read it in the dark. Previously, there were reports of a 7" and 10" Amazon tablet, but as of now Amazon only has plans to release the 7" device, with the 10" following if the 7" is a hit. The hardware is finalized, just Amazon is tweaking the software it is running. The hardware is expected to be a single-core processor with 6GB of internal storage. Amazon expects you to make use of its cloud services for music and movies.

As for that software, the Amazon Kindle is running a heavily skinned version of Android. By heavily skinned, I mean you would not be able to tell it is an Android tablet just by looking at it. It may be running Android 2.2 or even 2.1, but all markings that make an Android tablet are gone. The color scheme for the interface is black, dark blue, and orange, fitting since those are the colors of Amazon and Kindle. The main screen resembles Cover Flow in iTunes, which displays all the books, music, movies, and apps stored on the device or in the cloud. Below the Cover Flow carousel is a dock where you can pin your favorite items, which disappears when the Kindle is held horizontally. Above that dock is the status bar that also doubles as the notification tray, with the number of notifications being displayed in bright orange.

There are no physical buttons on the Kindle, instead you tap the screen once to bring up a navigation menu that can take you back to the home screen or any of your content. For getting content on the Kindle, the Amazon store is just a click away. The Kindle uses Amazon Cloud Player for music, Amazon Instant Vider player for movies, and apps are handled by Amazon's Appstore. There is even a Web browser on the Kindle, but official Google apps are no where to be found. Whatever apps are in the Amazon Appstore are what you will get. Some apps will be bundled with the device, like Pulse and possibly Angry Birds.

The Amazon Kindle tablet is expected to launch by the end of November, just in time for the holidays. The price is expected to be $250, which puts it right in line with the Barnes & Noble Nook Color. That $250 price will also apparently get you a free year of Amazon Prime, which along with free two-day shipping also gets you access to Amazon's Instant Video service, ideal for watching some movies on your new tablet. The Amazon Kindle will be WiFi-only at first, with 3G devices planned. So, not a bad device for $250, we'll have to see what the reaction will be when it is officially announced by Amazon.

HP TouchPad Not Dead Yet

Category: Gadgets
Posted: August 30, 2011 11:49AM
Author: bp9801

I know what you're thinking. HP already had the fire sale on the TouchPad tablet and if you didn't run out and grab one, you won't have a chance to get the tablet again. Well, that is not entirely true, as HP has decided to produce another round of TouchPads to satisfy the "unfulfilled demand" for the tablet. Due to the overwhelming demand HP saw for the TouchPad during the fire sale, and the people still wanting to pick one up, HP has decided it will be generous and produce more devices. If you signed up to be notified of new stock, you should be hearing from HP about where and when you can pick one up. HP spokesman Mark Budgell said it will be a few weeks before you can expect to find the tablets for sale once production starts again, but don't be surprised if the price isn't what it was during the fire sale. Estimates figure that HP spends around $300 to build a 16GB TouchPad, so when it sold that at $100, the company lost out on quite a bit.

While it is good news that HP plans to produce more TouchPads for those that want them, this constant shifting on whether or not it is officially out of the mobile and tablet market is hurting its image. HP seems to be shooting itself in the foot with the constant flip-flopping of price and availability of the TouchPad, so we'll see how long this latest round lasts.

HP Cuts Touchpad Prices

Category: Gadgets
Posted: August 19, 2011 10:50PM
Author: F13Bubba

After the recent announcement that HP will be discontinuing production of its webOS devices, it seems the company is trying to rid itself of surplus stock. News broke today that the computer manufacturer has asked its retail partners to cut the price of the TouchPad to $99 for the 16GB, and $149 for the 32GB edition. It’s rumored the official date of the cut was to be August 20th, but Canadian retailers Best Buy and Future Shop have already dropped the price of the device. However, the price cut will officially take effect in the US tomorrow morning.

UIST Third Annual Student Innovation Contest: Microsoft TouchMouse

Category: Input Devices, Gadgets, Modding, Science & Technology
Posted: August 11, 2011 08:35AM
Author: Guest_Jim_*

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology is holding their third annual Student Innovation Contest and the reservation deadline is August 17. The goal of this contest is to develop new ways to interact with new hardware. This year the hardware is the, as yet unreleased, Microsoft TouchMouse. For those that enter and are eligible to participate in the contest Microsoft provides the hardware (TouchMouse) and access to the unreleased API. The winner is determined after demonstrations of everyone’s innovations on October 17 and announced the next day. For first place the winner receives $1500 and second place gets $500, but both also get a “spiffy trophy that you can show off to your friends and family.”

Sirius XM 2.0 Coming Soon

Category: Gadgets
Posted: August 5, 2011 02:23PM
Author: Brentt Moore

With satellite radio gaining popularity, Sirius has decided that it will be launching its new and improved service to customers starting late this year. The new Sirius XM 2.0 will feature more programming than ever, as well as the new ability to pause and rewind broadcasts. In the beginning of next year, Sirius XM announced that the service will also be featuring personalized music stations for its customers, similar to how Pandora works. Customers will also be able to receive on demand listening, which has been a much requested feature since many consumers tend to miss their favorite shows due to work and other life activities. There will be two pieces of hardware that will support the new version of the Sirius XM service by the end of this year for customers who want to hop on board somewhat early. However, the company has announced that it will not start implementing this hardware into vehicles until 2013, which should be enough time to perfect both the new features as well as the updated hardware if any issues arise from the initial release.

Samsung Stops Selling Tablets in Australia

Category: Gadgets
Posted: August 1, 2011 08:22PM
Author: F13Bubba

News broke this week that tech giant Samsung has halted sales of its Galaxy Tab tablet in Australia. This comes as part of an agreement between the company and rival Apple, which currently has a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung in an Australian federal court. Due to the agreement, Samsung is stopping all advertising for the device, and will also stop selling the tablet until either the patent suit is resolved, or the company gets court approval. However, the ban is on the US version of the tablet, and Samsung has said it is preparing an Australian version of the device for sale. As part of the deal, Samsung must also provide Apple three sample devices the week before it starts distributing the revamped tab, pending Apple’s approval. Not one to discriminate, Apple’s legal team also has a number of lawsuits pending against a number of other tech companies, including numerous smartphone rivals.

Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad and IdeaPad K1 Tablets

Category: Small Form Factor, Gadgets
Posted: July 22, 2011 09:58PM
Author: Daryn Govender

Lenovo has unveiled its first-ever tablet offerings in the form of the ThinkPad and IdeaPad K1 tablets. The new tablets are both based on the NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform, with the OS of choice being Android 3.1 (Honeycomb).

First up is the IdeaPad K1, which is targeted at general consumers. The IdeaPad K1 is powered by 1GB of DDR2 RAM and up to 64GB of flash memory for storage, supplemented by a microSD card slot. Connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n WiFi, optional 3G and Bluetooth support, along with a micro HDMI output. A front-facing 2MP camera and a rear-facing 5MP camera make video chatting simple. The IdeaPad K1 itself weighs in at 750g, and is equipped with a 10.1" 1280x800 resolution touch screen. Battery life is up to 10 hours with the provided two-cell battery.

Next up is the ThinkPad tablet, designed with business users in mind. It features a Gorilla Glass touchscreen, helping protect the screen from bumps or scratches. The ThinkPad also features a thicker design (14mm) and includes GPS-support, one USB 2.0 port and an optional digitizer pen for the multi-touch IPS screen. Battery life is rated at up to 8 hours, with WiFi enabled.

The IdeaPad K1 will be available in August from US$399 (WiFi-only, 16GB version) and the ThinkPad will start at US$499 (16GB model), excluding a digitzer pen. Both tablets are available now for pre-order.

Amazon Announces Textbook Renting Service for Kindle

Category: Gadgets
Posted: July 18, 2011 10:34AM
Author: bp9801

If you're in college or university, odds are you've spent hundreds of dollars on textbooks for your classes. If you have an Amazon Kindle, you can save a little bit of cash by getting a digital version of your textbook, if available. Now, Amazon is announcing a textbook renting service for the Kindle that will see discounts of up to 80%. The discount varies depending on how long you rent the book for, between 30 and 360 days, and it looks like thousands of textbooks now have the renting option. Publishers like John Wiley & Sons, Elsevier, and Taylor & Francis are on board, so hopefully we'll see a larger variety of textbooks available for rent. Any book you rent can have the rental period extended at any time, so if you need that book for just one more day, you can do so. You can also purchase any textbook you are currently renting, though if it will be a discounted or full price wasn't announced. Any annotations you make on the textbooks will be saved via Whispersync, even after the rental period expires, so you won't need to redo any notes you've taken in the book across any supported device.

Insignia cTV Launching End of July at Best Buy, Features DVR-Less TiVo

Category: Gadgets
Posted: July 15, 2011 09:14PM
Author: bp9801

A couple of years ago, Best Buy and TiVo announced a "broad partnership" that would eventually bring some integrated products. Last year, the two showed off a TiVo-connected HDTV, and now, it will be launching by the end of the month. The Insignia cTV packs a DVR-less version of TiVo, providing the TiVo Premiere menu system directly integrated into the TV. Insignia is Best Buy's in-house brand, so hopefully the price won't be too much for this connected TV. The cTV features built-in WiFi, but lacks the DVR and TiVo subscription. You will find apps like Netflix, Pandora, and CinemaNow, all wrapped up in the snazzy TiVo menus. The cTV will come in a 32 or 42" size, ideal for a bedroom and living room, respectively. It will be interesting to see if this TV will allow for multiroom streaming that TiVo just announced for its Premiere service, but I can't see either Best Buy or TiVo not including that since it would be a perfect fit for the Insignia cTV.

The Insignia cTV will be available on July 31st, but no price has been announced yet.

Razer Begins Mouse Bungee Pre-Orders, Shipping July 28

Category: Gaming, Gadgets
Posted: July 13, 2011 02:23AM
Author: Daryn Govender

Razer has begun taking pre-orders for its latest computer peripheral, a mouse cord management system dubbed the Mouse Bungee. The new gadget is exactly as the name suggests, consisting of a long spring arm and a two-legged base. The rust-resistant arm is designed to hold a mouse cable straight and taut, preventing annoying cord tangles while gaming, and reducing cable drag for better mouse control. The Mouse Bungee also features anti-slip feet for stability, a sturdy weighted base and a grip on the head of the arm, all combined into a space-saving design. The Razer Mouse Bungee is available now for pre-order at Razer's online store for US$19.99, and will start shipping on July 28.

Toshiba Announces New CMOS Sensor with Smaller Size, Backside Illumination

Category: Gadgets
Posted: July 8, 2011 09:37PM
Author: bp9801

In the world of smartphones, size is key. Sure, you can have a 4" screen on it, but the thinness of the phone can matter a lot. The problem with having a super thin phone is that the components tend to suffer. Smaller batteries, less physical buttons, and yes, even smaller camera sensors. The problem with having a small camera sensor is that, even with a small pixel size, the quality of the pictures is not always that great. Enter Toshiba's latest CMOS sensor, which packs a small pixel size with a large megapixel count and even backside illumination. The backside illumination brings the lenses to the rear of the sensor, on the silicon substrate, instead of the front, which means more light can pass through to give you better image quality. Even with the small pixel size of the new CMOS sensor, 1.12 micrometer pixels, Toshiba has managed to give us great image quality on an eight megapixel shooter. Toshiba is currently sampling the new sensor to various companies, and will begin production later this year.

Razer Releases Transformers 3 Collector's Edition Gaming Suite

Category: Gaming, Gadgets
Posted: June 29, 2011 09:16PM
Author: Daryn Govender

Razer today released its collection of Transformers 3-branded gaming peripherals to commemorate the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The new line-up consists of four DeathAdder mice, a Vespula mousemat and laptop sleeves.

First up is the themed DeathAdder which will be available in four colors, each representing a Transformer: red (Optimus Prime), yellow (Bumblebee), silver (Megatron) and purple (Shockwave). As always the DeathAdder mouse features a right-handed design, a 3500DPI infared sensor, an 1000Hz polling rate and five Hyperesponse buttons. Next up is the dual-sided Vespula mousemat which has an Autobots SPEED side for faster movements and a Decepticons CONTROL surface for precise tracking. Each side is illustrated with the appropriate Transformer, Optimus Prime for the Autobots and Megatron for the Decepticons. The Vespula is also bundled with a gel-filled wrist rest. Last up is the Transformers-edition laptop sleeves. The sleeves fit laptops up to 15" and feature a plastic shell, a padded interior, travel straps and a metallic logo on the front. As with the DeathAdder, the laptop sleeves will also be available in red, yellow, silver and purple variants.

The Razer Transformers 3-branded DeathAdder mice and Vespula mousemat are available now from the Razer Store retailing for $69.99 and $44.99 respectively. The Laptop sleeves will be available in the near future for $49.99. The Razer Transformers 3 collector's edition gaming suite is currently only available in North America.

Sony Unveils VAIO Z Laptop with External GPU

Category: Gadgets
Posted: June 27, 2011 08:04PM
Author: bp9801

Sony has always made some pretty nice looking laptops, even with some interesting color options, and today is no different. At a press event in Europe today, Sony showed off the new VAIO Z laptop that features an external GPU for when you need more power. The laptop is a 13.1" model that includes an Intel Core i7 -2620M running at 2.7GHz, a 256GB SSD, 8GB of RAM, and a 1600x900 resolution screen. It weighs in at 1.2kg and is 16.65mm tall at its thinnest point, plus Sony has used carbon fiber for the body and lid. It makes do for most tasks with the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000, but when you need something a little more powerful, simply connect it to its Power Media Dock. The two connect via LightPeak and gives the laptop access to the AMD Radeon HD 6650M GPU and 1GB of dedicated VRAM. The dock also has one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet port, VGA, HDMI, and either a DVD or Blu-ray drive. Overall, it seems pretty interesting and a solid option, it just depends on the performance given by the external GPU over the LightPeak connection as to how good it can be at gaming.

The Sony VAIO Z laptop with Power Media Dock will be available at the end of July in Europe. No word on price, or a US launch, was mentioned at this time.