Archive for October, 2009

Gateway intros One ZX series multitouch all-in-one desktops

Posted in Desktop PCs by Conner Flynn on October 7th, 2009

Gateway intros One ZX series multitouch all-in-one desktopsLooks like Gateway is getting in on the multitouch action like everyone else. Why not? Windows 7 makes it easy. The company has unveiled the One ZX lineup, which will consist of the ZX6800 series and ZX4800 series. Both will ship with Windows 7.

Some specs: The higher end ZX6810-01 will include a 23-inch multitouch LCD (1,920 x 1,080), 2.33GHz Core 2 Quad Q8200S CPU, 1GB ATI Radeon HD 4670 GPU, 8GB of DDR3 memory, an 8x slot-loading DVD burner, a 1TB HDD (or 64GB SSD), WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, six USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA socket, bundled wireless keyboard and mouse, integrated HD webcam, hybrid TV tuner and built-in speakers.

International Kindle ships Oct 19 for $279, US edition drops to $259

Posted in kindle by Conner Flynn on October 7th, 2009

KindleAfter months of waiting and some competitive pressure from other e-reader players, Amazon finally goes international with the Kindle. Now you will be able to wirelessly download content in over 100 countries. Other than that the 6-inch device is the same. The $279 price tag on the Kindle U.S. & International Wireless is $20 more than the standard Kindle.

Speaking of the standard Kindle, the price has fallen from $299 to $259 and is now called the “Kindle U.S. Wireless”. You can place your pre-order now, and figure out what books will read well in foreign lands on October 19th.

ioSafe’s Fireproof, Waterproof External Drive Tested

Posted in Review,Storage by Darrin Olson on October 7th, 2009

ioSafe Solo external hard drive is waterproof and fireproofioSafe, a technology producer of disaster proof storage hardware, launched the ioSafe Solo in January and this week we took the opportunity to test one out to see how well it would hold up. The ioSafe Solo is a rugged external drive designed to keep your stuff safe in the event of a disaster such as a fire, flood or the building literally falling around it.

The ioSafe is not shockproof however and is not designed to be dropped from great distances or thrown around. It is however built to withstand intense heat (up to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes), complete submersion (up to 10 feet for 3 days!) and is encased in a rugged enclosure making it like the Sherman tank of external drives.

Western Digital My Book Studio with E-Label display launches

Posted in Western Digital by Shane McGlaun on October 6th, 2009

wdmybook-sgExternal storage solutions have lots of uses in today’s home. With the huge amounts of digital content the average consumer uses today, we need a place to back that data up. Western Digital has announced a new My Book Studio external hard drive that has an e-label display built-in.

The cool part about the display is that it can show the volume label and how much space is left on the drive even when the drive is not plugged in. The device is designed for Mac users and has FireWire 800 interface and 256-bit hardware encryption.

Virgin Mobile USA launches Rumor 2 from LG

Posted in Virgin by Shane McGlaun on October 6th, 2009

lgrumor2-sbPre-paid mobile provider Virgin Mobile USA unveiled a new device on its network today called the LG Rumor 2. The handset is available now for $129.99 making it an affordable device. The handset packs in many of the features that shoppers are looking for.

The device sports a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, and a 1.3MP camera. The handset also has a MP3 music player, maps, IM, and email capability as well. Other features include text and pic messaging and mobile web access.

Super Talent UltraDrive DX SSD launches

Posted in SSD by Shane McGlaun on October 6th, 2009

supertalendultradrivedx-sgSSDs are slowly coming down in price to the point where the average computer fan can afford to buy one to use in their system. That said, they are still much more expensive than hard drives with tons more storage space. Super Talent added a new SSD to its line today called the UltraDrive DX that is a branded Toshiba product.

The SSD uses MLC NAND inside and has read speed of up to 230MB/sec and write speeds of up to 180MB/sec. The drives also have dual protection layers with encrypted password protection and data randomization technology to prevent blocks of data from being stolen.

Best Buy Mobile unveils mIQ mobile backup service

Posted in Best Buy by Shane McGlaun on October 6th, 2009

bestbuymobile-logo-sgBest Buy has been selling lots of mobile phones via its Best Buy Mobile in store kiosk. The coolest part is that they often give you the mail-in rebates on handsets as instant rebates. Best Buy Mobile announced today that it was launching a new service called mIQ on October 12.

The mIQ service is a cloud-based offering that allows the user to back up their contacts, data, photos, video, and text messages, as well as their calendar online. Data is uploaded to the free service and is seamlessly.

Project Cool Boombox PC case mod

Posted in DIY by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

Project Cool Boombox PC case modCheck out this totally funkadelic PC case mod that glows like a toxic night-lite. This one comes from modder JJ-Sky5000 and was created for a Coolermaster contest. The Project ‘Cool’ Boombox PC Case Mod. Cool doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Obviously the mod uses an old boombox from 1990s to great effect. I see some groovin’ dude carrying this thing on his shoulder, moving to the music as he strolls down post-apocalyptic streets in search of nothing more than good times.

Xbox and Wii Gaming Towers keep your consoles neat

Posted in gaming accessories by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

Xbox and Wii Gaming Towers keep your consoles neatHere’s something that will keep the spouses of gamers happy. The Xbox Generations Gaming Tower and the Wii Aspect Gaming Tower are two pieces of actual furniture that are designed to keep your gaming consoles nice and organized.

Both towers can hold up to 16 games, 4 controllers and the required guitar. The Wii Aspect Gaming Tower holds 4 Wii Remotes, 2 nunchucks, 1 classic controller and a guitar. Your wife will be happy that you cleaned up your act a little. Don’t you think?

USB Hub looks like a Power Strip

Posted in USB by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

USB Hub looks like a Power StripRemember Buffalo’s USB hub that looks like a power strip? Here’s another, cooler looking 4 port hub. So if you like your hubs to look like power strips you have another option. It will cost you $15.

Next we’ll be seeing adapters for your usb tips to make them look like power cord ends, that plug into the hub, which would make the illusion complete.

D-Link ships DIR-685 all in one router

Posted in D-Link by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

D-Link ships DIR-685 all in one routerThe DIR-685 was first introduced way back in January at CES and now the company has began shipping them. The DIR-685 features a built-in draft N Wi-Fi module that allows it to communicate with network attached storage devices.

But that isn’t all it does. That 3.2 inch LCD screen will play streaming video or you can use it as a digital photo frame. If you like stats, it will display status information in graphs and gauges too. Like weather, but don’t have any windows to look outside? You can program the screen to display weather forecasts and other live internet content. This router does a lot.

Western Digital USB drives now display info

Posted in Western Digital by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

Western Digital USB drives now display infoIt took them awhile, but drive makers are finally getting hip to the fact that we would like to see how much disk space is left without having to plug it in. About time. Western Digital’s My Book Elite and My Book Studio drives now feature labels on the outside displaying that always-on info.

That means even when it isn’t plugged in, you’ll get a 12 character label, and a second line that displays how much space is left on the disc. In both gigabytes and a graph no less. Simple solution huh? The USB 2TB My Book Elite is $280, and the 2TB My Book Studio with FireWire 800 and USB connectivity is $300.

PhotoSketch turns your drawing into a Photoshop work of art

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

PhotoSketch turns your drawing into a Photoshop work of artSuck at Photoshop? No problem. PhotoSketch is a web program that will let you make a rough, labeled sketch and magically turn it into a Photoshopped image. Your lame skills are no longer a problem.

How does it work? It searches the web for images that correspond to the shape and label you’ve drawn, then it puts them all together into an image. It isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty impressive and is sure to only get better.

Powermat arrives on October 15th

Posted in Chargers by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

Powermat arrives on October 15thThe war against wires continues, with the next salvo being fired on October 15th. That’s when the Powermat arrives in the UK. It can juice up up to three low-power devices simultaneously. And without wires. It’s available in a few different versions.

One is made for your home/office, while the other is geared toward those on-the-go, being foldable for easy transportation. You will also need to pick up some receiver cases for the Powermat to recognize the type of device being charged.

Touch-sensitive LaCie Starck drives

Posted in Storage by Conner Flynn on October 6th, 2009

Touch-sensitive LaCie Starck drivesThe new LaCie Starck drives are super sexy and look like melting chrome. Has storage ever been this sensuous? They were designed by Philippe Starck. The pair come in the form of the LaCie Starck Mobile Hard Drive and Desktop Hard Drive.

Some features include an LED indicator in the shape of Starck’s sign that is projected onto the table, and the fact that the surface is touch sensitive, so you can assign actions to different kinds of touch. For instance, a tap will trigger the launch of an application, while a caress can start an automatic backup.