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More deets on the PlayStation Phone
Crunchmobile has some crunchy new details on the PlayStation Phone. There are much more details than listed before, with a personal test and a conclusion on how it feels to game on it.
There's a huge list of what they were told, are you ready? Press X to continue.
Yes, it's absolutely real.
Continue reading: More deets on the PlayStation Phone (full post)
Will Notion Ink's Adam be the next-gen Tablet?
These days - for hand held devices like the iPad and iPhone, most companies just want to copy Apple instead of going back to their own drawing board and releasing something revolutionary compared to their old products. This is what Notion Ink seems to be doing with the Adam.
Of course it has been delayed from it's original release date, but such a bold product can't just be hastily released. It uses a hybrid Pixel Qui screen, high-power GPU and a swiveling camera, things that Apple don't even use - which could make it seem (and hopefully be) a second-generation tablet.
I've been a fan of the Adam for a very long time now, obviously it had been delayed - the iPad was released and most people that were waiting got one. This all may change when it comes down to iPad 2.0 versus Adam.
Continue reading: Will Notion Ink's Adam be the next-gen Tablet? (full post)
iWatchz outs latest iPod nano watchband
Once the first watchbands for taking the latest gen iPod nano and turning it into a wristwatch surfaced, the floodgates opened and hoards of the things spilled onto the market. Another new watchband has surfaced today that look similar to the Griffin Slap watchband from a week or so back. The main difference is that the iWatchz bands unveiled today use normal buckles to close the band.
The iWatchz bands are in the Q Collection and it can be had in seven different colors including black, white, red, pink, blue, green, and orange. All colors are $24.99 each and can be ordered right now. The band is made from silicon.
Installing the gen 6 nano into the band is easy to do with no tools. The nano just clicks into the band and the controls and ports are left uncovered. The thing is available right now in Apple Stores around the country and the solution is claimed to be the thinnest on the market.
Continue reading: iWatchz outs latest iPod nano watchband (full post)
Kinect hacked for gesture-controlled robot
Most of the hacks I have seen of the Microsoft Kinect system have had no real purpose and have not done anything that I thought was interesting. A new hack has surfaced that actually has a purpose and controls a robot using gestures. I can see something like this for doctors in the future where they can just make gestures to control the robotic tools used for microsurgery.
The gang over at Willow Garage have offered up a hack that uses Kinect to control one of its PR2 robots that are used for all sorts of research and are crazy expensive. The control system looks really intuitive and slick even if it is in an early form. One cool thing the company is working on is using a pair of the Kinects in one system.
This would allow the remote sensing of the front and back of the robot controller. That would certainly make it easier for robotic line dancing. I'm not sure what the real use for that would be, but it is cool. I wonder if Microsoft's designers had any idea how hacked the Kinect would be when they were designing it.
Continue reading: Kinect hacked for gesture-controlled robot (full post)
Flash Rods shows off sweet Back to the Future 500GB Delorean external HDD
As long as I live I will remember when I was five and my dad drove us to the GMC dealership to buy a Delorean. I was so excited I could have stroked out. We got there and the one on display was sold and he ended up buying a used Vette instead, pretty much killing my high. Those Delorean cars are still some of the coolest rides I have ever seen made all the more famous by Back to the Future.
If you like Delorean cars or are a fan of the flick Flash Rods has the coolest external storage drive ever and you will want it. The drive is crammed inside a 1:18 scale replica of the Delorean from Back to the Future so it looks cool as hell sitting on your desk and gives you another 500GB of USB powered storage.
The drive inside the car is a Seagate 500GB unit and the vehicle is decked out with Mr. Fusion and all the gadgets and stuff from the film. I bet the flux capacitor is even sitting on the dash. The only way this thing could be cooler is if it had a USB 3.0 drive crammed inside, but that would have driven the cost up more. You can get yours right now for $250.
Acer offers up its first 3D Laptop in Japan
The number of notebooks, AIOs, and desktop computers on the market that support 3D are growing all the time. The uptake of 3D in the company market is better than it is at home. Computer users don't mind wearing glasses to play 3D games most of the time while the average TV watcher in the living room might balk at wearing glasses for 3D. Acer has pulled out its first 3D notebook and is offering the machine in Japan.
We have most of the specs of the machine and know that it will land on December 3 in Japan and cost 3D fans under 100,000 yen. For that much loot Japanese geeks will get a 15.6-inch notebook with a screen offering a 120Hz refresh rate good for 3D content using the NVIDIA 3D Vision system. The machine will ship with the active 3D glasses the NVIDIA system needs to enjoy the effects.
Graphics for the machine are handled by an NVIDA GeForce GT 425M and the processor is an Intel Core i5-460M unit at 2.53GHz. The machine has 4GB of RAM, 640GB HDD, and HDMI out along with Bluetooth, WiFi, and a 1.3MP webcam. The OS is Windows 7 Home Premium. The official model number for the notebook is AS5745DG-A54E/L.
Continue reading: Acer offers up its first 3D Laptop in Japan (full post)
Chinese geek drops $15K to play MMORPG on massive 820-foot screen
We all know what they say about fools and their money right? A gamer from China has supposedly dropped $15,000 on a night of playing his favorite game on a gigantic screen that measures 820-feet long. The dude played some Chinese language MMO title and is said to be a guild leader. I suspect this may be a publicity stunt by the company behind the game.
The massive screen is in Beijing and is actually three different screens. The dude didn't get to stretch the game across all three of the screens because of the resolution issues. He ended up having three versions of his desktop on the ceiling and what had to be the worst neck crick in history.
For his $15K, all he got was a deckchair and some yellow tape around him to keep folks walking by from bothering him. I can think if a few ways to blow $15K, this is not one of them. I think that having the desktop tiled on each screen was better than spanning the screen across them all. It would have been impossible to see one end to the other and keep all of the action in your field of view.
Continue reading: Chinese geek drops $15K to play MMORPG on massive 820-foot screen (full post)
Duke Nukem Forever took so long in development because "Sh*t Happens"
George Broussard - the designer and financier behind Duke Nukem, has said that Duke Nukem Forevers delays were due to a series of unlucky situations and his unwillingness to kill it off.
Now that the game has been handed to Gearbox, we will actually have a chance to play it - despite the years of delays for DNF from 3D Realms, it was continuing to be a black hole for funds, with George spending tens of millions out of his own pocket. He has also given a short explanation of what that money was spent on.
There have been numerous reports that Duke Nukem Forever was constantly delayed because they wanted to reach "perfection" - but Broussard says it was due to development issues and bad luck. Broussand says that the game only stayed alive because of his love for the project.
Continue reading: Duke Nukem Forever took so long in development because "Sh*t Happens" (full post)
RumorTT: Is iOS 4.3 close to release?
With Apple's iOS 4.2 only coming out yesterday, the iOS 4.3 rumors have surfaced. Apple is reportedly looking at a mid-December release, with will include an iPad magazine subscriptions.
The exact date for release was meant to be December 13th which is four days after the December 9th announcement of the News Corp subscription-based iPad newspaper "The Daily", but might be delayed because iOS 4.2 itself was delayed.
When Apple didn't know about the WiFi issues in the GM seed of iOS 4.2, the OS was scheduled to be released weeks before Nov. 22nd. Apple found out about the WiFi issues, released a second GM build and iOS 4.2 came out yesterday. It came out in November, but it should have been out in the first half of November. Anyway, before the WiFi issues were discovered, Apple was already planning to release a new build of iOS 4.x in mid-December. Most specifically, they were planning for an iOS 4.3 release on December 13th, which is a Monday.
Continue reading: RumorTT: Is iOS 4.3 close to release? (full post)
iiNet announce the opening of an R&D facility
This is not something I thought an ISP in Australia would open, an R&D facility, but iiNet seem to be on a roll here, with acquisitions, customer satisfaction, products on offer and competitive pricing/allowance, they're really smashing down the walls of broadband hell that have kept this country in the dark ages of broadband for years.
Speaking at iiNet's annual general meeting today, iiNet chief executive Michael Malone said that iiNet Labs had already commenced with new products to be available in the coming months.
Malone added that the lab will expand on the ISP's projects - BoB, fetchtv and Naked DSL, it will also give iiNet more control of development and the ability to change quickly as consumer demands and trends change.
Continue reading: iiNet announce the opening of an R&D facility (full post)
Corsair's new line of DDR3 appears with a Vengeance
Corsair is unleashing a new line of DDR3 RAM on the tech world just in time for the holiday season. Their new Vengeance series comes in a runs at 1600mhz at 1.5V in 2GB and 4GB modules.
The Vengeance kits will come in dual and triple-channel sets from 4GB to 16GB. Their "Light" heatsinks look to consist of thick metal plates with elongated heatsink fins. CL8 and CL9 timings will be available.
The full Vengeance lineup:
Continue reading: Corsair's new line of DDR3 appears with a Vengeance (full post)
Angry Birds new levels, content, and birthday!
A few of the guys here love Angry Birds, they post news about it when they can. Oh wait, it's me who does it (in my defense, it's an amazingly addictive game!!) Well, I just got an email from the people behind Angry Birds and thought I'd share it for those of you not on their mailing list, as Angry Birds is one of the most popular games on iOS/Android devices, it might appeal to a lot of our readers.
After a long wait, the Mighty Eagle is almost here! This legendary and mysterious bird will be included in the next Angry Birds update, due to be released in the next few days.
The update includes 15 levels in a hot new desert themed episode, Ham 'Em High, with a brand new shiny golden egg, and all the usual goodies we love to see from Angry Birds.
Continue reading: Angry Birds new levels, content, and birthday! (full post)
Trendnet debuts new 500Mbps powerline networking gear
With Christmas just around the corner odds are you might be giving someone a gadget that needs web connectivity or you may be expecting to get a device that needs web connectivity. Things like Blu-ray players, game consoles, TVs and all sorts of other stuff need a web connection to work a lot of times. The catch for many of us is that not all of the gadgets have WiFi built-in and sometimes WiFi just doesn't cut it when it comes to getting a reliable connection.
Trendnet has unveiled a new powerline networking system that is aimed at folks streaming lots of HD models and other large files across a network. The networking kit promises powerline networking at up to 500Mbps. Each of the adapters has a Gigabit Ethernet port built-in and has 128-bit AES encryption. The system has one button set up and an LED indicator on each adapter for network status.
You will be able to get two kits with the powerline gear. The TPL-401E is a single adapter and will ship on November 29 for $99.99. The TPL-401E2K kit is a pair of the adapters to get you started and will ship on the same day for $179.99. You can add more adapters to your powerline network as needed, but you need a pair to get started.
Continue reading: Trendnet debuts new 500Mbps powerline networking gear (full post)
Digital Storm launches Sub-Zero Liquid chilled gaming rig
The geeks around these parts slant to the more hardcore than geeks that might normally be looking at gaming PCs from Digital Storm. Most of us probably roll our own rigs, but there are times when machines offered out of a box ready to go have their appeal. This is one of those times. Digital Storm has unveiled a new gaming rig called the Sub-Zero Liquid Chilled system. The machine uses liquid cooling on the CPU and some of the other hardware inside.
The liquid cooling system isn't just a radiator and a couple water blocks crammed inside one of the gaming rigs the company already offered either. The machine uses a liquid cooling system that has liquid that is chilled to under 0C using peltier tech. Around these parts peltier tech is something many will be familiar with, but the general PC gaming geek might not be.
The system uses a cooling plate that is able to chill the liquid circulating in the closed liquid system. Digital Storm claims that the liquid can deliver CPU temps at 0C or under when the processor is at idle. That processor is an Intel Core i7-980X and runs at 4.6GHz. The base price for the rig is $3,899 and options will run that cost up greatly.
Continue reading: Digital Storm launches Sub-Zero Liquid chilled gaming rig (full post)
RumorTT: AMD Radeon HD 6990 dual-GPU specs leaked?
It's good to see both companies are on the dual-GPU hill this year. Last year AMD (well, back in 2009 it was ATI) were dominating the dual-GPU world with their 5970. Even now, it's still one of the fastest VGA cards in the world (it doesn't matter the amount of cores, just like a CPU).
Now there's a leaked slide out, with specs of the 6990.
The slide shows us that it should have 3840 stream processors, 4GB of GDDR5, and fits within the 300W TDP with idle power dropping to as low as 30W. Five outputs (2 x DVI ports and 3 x miniDisplay Ports) for your Eyefinity goodness.
Continue reading: RumorTT: AMD Radeon HD 6990 dual-GPU specs leaked? (full post)
Viewsonic unleashes 1080p projector
Viewsonic are hitting the internet waves today with the announcement of their Pro 8 series projector, which is meant to be ideal for enthusiasts and installers.
ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced the addition of the Pro8200 projector to its Pro 8 Series projector product line, equipped with Full HD 1080p resolution for high-definition viewing from the comfort of home.
Delivering true HD home theater entertainment, the Pro8200 is ideal for both the most discriminating home theater enthusiast as well as professional grade installers in search of a quality color projection solution with multiple input sources. Combining state-of-the-art DLP® and BrilliantColor™ technologies with 2,000 lumens and a 4000:1 contrast ratio, the Pro8200 delivers all-digital clarity in practically any lighting situation. Teamed with a native 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio and advanced 7-segment color wheel, the Pro8200 delivers a stunning visual experience with accurate and vivid color reproduction.
Continue reading: Viewsonic unleashes 1080p projector (full post)
Cox Communications launches Trio guide and whole home DVR
If you live in an area of the US, where you get cable from Cox Communications the company has announced a new service that will get your attention quickly. The new service wraps a new Trio program guide into a package with a DVR system that works for your entire home. That means you can record a program on any DVR in your home and then play it back on any TV in the house.
The part I like the best is that the new service has a bookmarking option. That means you can start watching a program in the living room and then bookmark it to pick up right where you left off in the bedroom. The DVRs used in the system have 500GB of storage.
That is enough storage space for up to 250 hours of video recording. The new package also comes with new HD channels for subscribers. The program guide lets the user schedule recordings for every TV in the home from one guide. The new HD channels include SWRV, DIY, the Cooking Channel, and the HUB among the 18 new stations total.
Continue reading: Cox Communications launches Trio guide and whole home DVR (full post)
Geek packs computer hardware inside old beer keg
Generally, computers and beverages don't mix well. If you spill a beer or a soft drink on your computer, you may be kissing your rig goodbye. I am sure that many people (myself included) are perfectly willing to risk killing their computer in an effort to partake in their favorite frosty beverage while they play some computer games.
One geek has taken his love of beer and computers and used the two things to create an epic casemod that all you beer fans will love. The dude took an old Anheuser-Busch keg and cut it open with various windows and ports to be able to cram his computer hardware inside and keep the stuff running cool. The finished case was powder coated in black and then trimmed in chrome.
The case looks great and has a functional bottle opener on the side. One reader suggested it be filled with mineral oil so it would look like it still had beer. That would be cool, but from the pics I see this thing is far from watertight.
Continue reading: Geek packs computer hardware inside old beer keg (full post)
Dell Inspiron Duo up for pre-order at Microsoft Store online
Dell has been talking up its interesting convertible notebook called the Inspiron Duo for a while now. The machine isn't like your typical convertible netbook where the entire LCD rotates around for tablet mode on a hinge. The screen of the Duo is attached to a pivot in the middle for the frame allowing it to flip around as needed.
The Inspiron Duo is on the Microsoft Store online for pre-order right now. The machine will cost you $549 for the netbook only and you can add Signature Premium to it for an additional $99. Signature Premium service is an entire year of VIP tech support and LoJack for laptops.
The machine uses a 10.1-inch LED backlit screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768. The CPU in the netbook is an Atom N550 at 1.5GHz and it has 2GB of RAM. The HDD inside the netbook is 320GB and the OS is Windows 7 Home Premium. Like most netbooks, the Duo lacks an optical drive. It has a battery good for four hours and packs in Bluetooth and WiFi among other things.
Continue reading: Dell Inspiron Duo up for pre-order at Microsoft Store online (full post)
FinalWire Acquires and Discontinues EVEREST
FinalWare Ltd has today announced it has acquired Lavalys EVEREST - whom own the diagnostics, hardware monitoring, network audit and benchmark software that is used by many around the world.
"Today is a significant step forward in our progress to deliver a class-leading diagnostics and benchmarking solution," said Tamas Miklos, managing director of FinalWire. "The addition of Lavalys' customers and technologies will enable us to accelerate investments, meet a wider set of customer needs through a richer solution set, increase efficiencies and significantly expand our opportunities for growth."
Beginning immediately, FinalWire will execute on the planned integration of the two companies' technologies and customers to ensure a smooth transition that will deliver immediate value for customers, partners and investors.
Continue reading: FinalWire Acquires and Discontinues EVEREST (full post)


