Archive for August, 2010

BlackBerry Torch 9800 teardown photos

Posted in BlackBerry by Conner Flynn on August 5th, 2010

If you love your Blackberry, then it must really hurt to see teardown photos. Sometimes it takes a strong stomach. Let’s hope they were gentle. Even though BlackBerry’s Torch 9800 was just announced a little while ago, we already have the teardown.

Some folks just like to dissect gadgets and some folks like to watch. Nothing wrong with that. We don’t judge. The video below details the slider mechanism in action, which is rated for over 150,000 cycles.

Logitech Gaming Keyboard G510 debuts

Posted in Logitech by Shane McGlaun on August 5th, 2010

Logitech has made some of my favorite keyboards over the year. I use the Illuminated Keyboard all the time and my favorite gaming keyboard is the G15 with its cool LCD. Today Logitech has rolled out a new gaming keyboard called the G510.

The G510 looks a lot like that G15 I mentioned with the LCD that offers info about your game and your PC. The keyboard also has backlighting with user customizable color to match your other gaming gear.

Logitech Wireless Gaming Mouse G700 cuts the ties that bind

Posted in Logitech by Shane McGlaun on August 5th, 2010

That cool set of wireless headphones isn’t the only piece of wireless gaming hardware that Logitech is whipping out today. Logitech has also unveiled a new wireless gaming mouse called the G700.

The G700 uses the cool new nano receiver from Logitech that takes up very little space and can even be left plugged in on gaming notebooks. The mouse has a battery good for hours of gaming per charge.

HP eStation Zeen spotted by the FCC

Posted in HP by Conner Flynn on August 5th, 2010

Look what the FCC recently got a look at. The eStation Zeen just might be the mystery tablet to be released by HP soon. It’s been about eight months since HP filed for the “Zeen” trademark on a “portable handheld device”, and then there’s their recent buyout of Palm as well, so it looks like this is it.

This tablet should compete nicely with the rest of the tablets on the market. We know that it will have Wi-Fi N connectivity, but that’s about all we do know at the moment thanks to a short-term confidentiality request until December 31st.

Logitech tosses wireless G930 gaming headset onto market

Posted in Logitech by Shane McGlaun on August 5th, 2010

I like being able to cut the wires on all the gear that goes along with my PC, as long as the wireless gear works as well as the wired stuff it replaces. Logitech has a new set of headphones called the G930 that have debuted today that look interesting.

The G930 has 2.4GHz RF connectivity good for up to 40 feet of distance from the computer. The battery inside the wireless headphones is good for ten hours per charge and can be charged with a cable while they are in use.

Google is activating 200,000 Android phones per day

Posted in Android by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Things are looking great for Android. Google chief Eric Schmidt must have been feeling elated when he revealed that his company is now activating 200,000 Android phones a day. That number is 25 percent higher than the 160,000 per day from late June and is double the 100,000 phones that were being switched on just three months ago. People really love them some Android.

Schmidt said he wasn’t sure how long it would continue. He isn’t concerned about the free licensing hurting revenue since many Android owners run Google searches that pop up ads and generate revenue from impressions and click-throughs. He noted that iPhone owners also make money for Google that way.

Dish to bring streaming TV to mobile devices

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Dish Network hopes to not only keep their current subscribers happy, but also gain some new subscribers by adding another value-added service. They want you to be able to watch satellite TV programs on your mobile devices. Without paying an extra dime for it.

That’s right, this means that your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and BlackBerrys will be able to take advantage of this starting next month. Android users will have to wait an extra month. Unless the mobile user has a Dish-compatible, dual-tuner DVR at home, however, they will have to watch whatever channel is set at home.

JoliCloud 1.0 now ready for your netbook

Posted in Netbook by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

It’s been quite a wait, but JoliCloud 1.0 is finally ready for download for your netbook. This Linux-based OS is also compatible with touchscreen displays. Once installed, you’ll have that 700-app directory to keep you busy for awhile.

Did we mention that it’s free? This operating system is based in the cloud, which should allow you to automatically synchronize across multiple devices, while managing your interface from said cloud as well, as long as you have an HTML5-supporting browser.

Viewsonic Android 2.2 Tablet

Posted in Tablet PC by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Attack of the tablets continues. In this installment, we have news that Viewsonic has some tablet plans of their own. They are not content with LCDs. The company is preparing a 7-inch Android 2.2. Froyo tablet. The tablet is expected to include GSM/UMTS connectivity, for voice calls and presumably data access as well, with a rear-mounted camera.

Pricing for the UK launch should be between £300 and £400 ($478 to $637) with a debut predicted within two months or less. That isn’t too much of a wait.

Chip Tablet PC concept is sexy

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

The Chip concept computer looks pretty hot. Sort of a desktop computer, notebook, and a tablet computer all together. This concept design has a removable display that can be converted into a tablet, while the hinged keyboard can be accessed when the display is docked.

It goes by the name“the Chip”. It’s a great design. Functional and futuristic. Women wouldn’t complain about ugly PCs at all if they all looked like this one.

Gpad G10 Android tablet

Posted in Tablet PC by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Manufacturers are churning out tablets like they were Tylenol. The Gpad G10 is yet another tablet ready to hit the market, retailing for just $185 while packing an integrated camera and an accelerometer. Sadly it has just 2GB of internal memory, but it does have a microSDHC memory card slot that can increase the G10′s memory to 32GB.

The device is powered by Telechips 8902 ARM 11-based processor that runs at 800MHz. Some other specs include a 7″ touchscren display at 800 x 480 pixels, 256MB RAM, a VGA camera, HDMI out, Android 2.1 and a 2600mAh battery.

New iPods, smaller iPad and iPhone 5 in early 2011?

Posted in Apple by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Word on the street is that there will be a revised set of Apple devices coming soon (as if that’s a surprise), specifically an iPod shuffle with a touchscreen display, a 7″ iPad for early next year, and a fifth generation iPhone as early as next January.

We would guess that the 7″ iPad is the focus, since it would make the device all the more appealing in a smaller form factor. Time will tell what the items will be, but at least we know that there are always more Apple products falling from the tree.

Gmail introduces Drag And Drop Attachment Saving

Posted in Google by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

GMail has got to be one of the most useful email services around and that’s because they are always working to improve your experience. Now Google has made another tiny, but extremely useful improvement to its Gmail service.

Those using Google Chrome will be able to drag attachments out of messages to save the attachment directly to your computer. Just click and drag the file that you want to your desktop, and it will be saved. They had previously introduced drag and drop as a method to attach files to Gmail.

FlatPad 10 inch Android tablet in the US for under $300

Posted in Tablet PC by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Flat Computing has introduced its 10.2″ FlatPad A10 which features a 1024 x 600 resolution resistive touchscreen display, powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and 256MB RAM and 2GB of internal memory. We’re talking Android 2.1, not Froyo.

Some other features include a built-in accelerometer, Wi-Fi, and a microSD memory card slot. Battery life is 5 hours with Wi-Fi turned on, and you get another 2 hours with Wi-Fi off. The Android 2.2 update will come sometime this month.

Voice Activated R2-D2

Posted in Star Wars by Conner Flynn on August 4th, 2010

Artoo is back. This time from Hammacher as a Voice Activated R2-D2 toy for rich geeks. This motorized replica will respond to various voice commands, going through your halls and rooms as if easily as he traverses Tatooine.

He can obey over 40 voice commands. Stuff like “Turn around!,” “Move forward two units!” etc. Which makes your droid seem like a lame version of R2, but it’s the best we can do right now. He also has games like tag, relying on his built-in infrared sensor to search for you.