Steampunk All-in-one workstation

Posted in DIY by Conner Flynn on April 6th, 2010

We’ve seen our share of Steampunk items, but few are as large as this Victorian Organ Command Desk. It took the creator about 6 months to complete, and it sure looks worth it, as there is a ton of detail. It looks like a full organ behind it all.

The whole setup offers 3 monitors, a printer, scanner, webcam, horn speakers, iPhone dock, card readers and a built-in clock. H.G. Wells and Jules Verne would love to sit there and write.

Roundbox Computer will make learning fun

Posted in Computers by Conner Flynn on March 28th, 2010

They never had cool stuff like this when I was a kid. The Roundbox is a portable computer that is designed to encourage creative learning for children. No boring books with boring old text. Instead there is a digital camera, video game console, TV, DVD player, computer and pen, all in one rugged device that your child can’t destroy easily.

What more do you need for learning? It’s for kids from ages 5-14 and has a computer mode, gaming mode, movie mode, art mode and camera mode. The touchpad can even be removed and converted into a wireless mouse.

Commodore name licensed for a line of keyboard PCs

Posted in Keyboards by Conner Flynn on March 18th, 2010

We remember the good old days of computing. The old Commodore of the 1980s brings back some good if graphically challenged memories. Barry Altman, President and CEO of Commodore USA, now has the rights to the Commodore name. And now, if we are lucky we can have a keyboard computer with the Commodore logo slapped on it.

Apparently it’s based on the Cybernet ZPC-GX31, the exact configurations and pricing are not available yet, but hopefully soon.

Lian Li’s PC-T1R Spider case

Posted in Computer Cases by Conner Flynn on March 13th, 2010

Computer cases that look like spiders aren’t something you generally see at your local Best Buy or anywhere else, where they are available to the public for that matter. However Lian Li’s new PC-T1R case is the exception to the rule. Not that it will be at Best Buy, but you can get it soon.

Now it is closer to release. Previously only seen in a teaser video, the folks at techPowerUp have now gotten their hands on one. The case should sell for “around €150″ (about $200) when released and it will be available in black and red, with some assembly required.

Lockheed Martin introduces Ultra Secure flash drive

Posted in USB Flash Drives by Conner Flynn on January 20th, 2010

That’s right. Lockheed Martin, the aircraft guys. The company ventures into unfamiliar territory with the Lockheed Martin flash drive, but the name alone assures you that this drive is quality all around. It can carry all of your computer data and allows you to use it on any external PC.

Some other features include 8GB of storage, 256 bit encryption, built-in virus protection and even some networking technology. Nothing on price yet, but soon government employees everywhere will be using them.

Kids CyberNet Station is an expensive AIO computer

Posted in Computers by Shane McGlaun on January 19th, 2010

I have on more than one occasion thought about going to an AIO computer that is quieter than my normal desktop. My machine has so much gear crammed inside that the drone of the fans can drive you crazy some days. If you are looking for an AIO to give to a kid as their first computer, a company called Kid Computers has one.

The catch is that the machine sells for nearly $2,000, which many parents will consider a significant stretch for a first computer. A $500 to $1000 AIO from another manufacturer with netbook innards would be more appropriate in most cases.

Dell Froot concept computer with no Keyboard and Monitor

Posted in Dell by Conner Flynn on January 17th, 2010

The Dell Froot concept while oddly named aims to be environmentally friendly and save the planet with two projectors. One for a virtual keyboard, and another for the monitor. Pretty great idea and a great space saver to boot.

It was designed by Pauline Carlos as part of a sustainability contest from Dell. The colorful case is constructed from biodegradable starch-based polymer and looks like fruit/froot. The technology is nearly there. Not quite, but nearly.

Gecko Surfboard is a $99 computer in a keyboard

Posted in Keyboards by Conner Flynn on December 20th, 2009

NorhTec’s Gecko Surfboard is a regular QWERTY keyboard that also comes equipped with a 1GHz x86 system-on-chip (SoC), VGA and composite video outputs, 10/100 Ethernet and optional WiFi b/g. The Surfboard uses only 5-watts of power and runs cool enough that it doesn’t need a fan.

The computer/keyboard will run Windows XP, Linux, or Windows CE. Some other features include USB ports, headphone and microphone connections, two SDHC memory card slots, 512MB RAM and a 2.5-inch hard drive.

Tecsol announces TPC-43C Medallion touch panel computer

Posted in Computers by Shane McGlaun on December 4th, 2009

teccolmedallionGreen computing is a big deal in many companies and communities. The more power we can save in computing the less pollution is produced and the less power we consume. Power savings is an especially big deal in the business world. Tecsol has announced a new green touchscreen computer aimed at building automation called the Medallion TPC-43C.

The machine has a 4.3-inch touchscreen with 65K colors and a resolution of 480 x 272. The device runs an ARM9 processor with 32kB of cache, 64MB of SDRAM, and 128MB of NAND flash. The little touchscreen device draws all the power it needs from an Ethernet cable, which also gives it connectivity.

iBuyPower unveils Chimera 2 gaming desktop

Posted in Computers by Shane McGlaun on November 19th, 2009

ibuypowerchimera2-sgGaming PCs tend to have some common features. The things are usually much more expensive than your average computer and they are crammed with high-performance hardware. iBuyPower is a boutique gaming PC maker that has some very cool machines and today it unveiled the Chimera 2 gaming PC.

The most notable thing visually about the computer is the four surface wrap around paint job with flames and a dragon motif. The machine can be had with several different CPU options including Intel Core i7 and i5 CPUs or AMD Phenom II parts. Several video card options are available as well.

Maingear SHIFT

Posted in PCs by Conner Flynn on November 2nd, 2009

Maingear SHIFTMaingear just launched a new range of PCs dubbed Maingear Shift, which they are calling the “personal supercomputer that redefines computing performance, design and support”. The Maingear SHIFT uses the power of graphics processing units (GPU) and is designed to speed up everyday mundane tasks like video and photo editing.

The SHIFT features an aluminum case, steel skeleton and advanced cooling with bottom and top airflow and liquid cooling. Two models in the range are available, the SHIFT Intel P55, which comes with an Intel Core I7 800 series processor, Intel Kingsberg P55 Extreme Series motherboard,ATI Radon or NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 6 hard drives, or 12 SSDs, and either a Blu-ray or DVD burner.

GPU market grows over 21% in Q3 2009

Posted in Computers by Shane McGlaun on October 27th, 2009

jpr-logoOne of the things that the computer industry is measured by is how many GPUs ship. The more GPUs that ship, the more computers ship. All computers have a GPU of some sort inside them today. The latest figures from Jon Peddie Research for Q3 2009 have been released.

The GPU market grew an impressive 21.2% compared to Q2 2009. AMD was the biggest gainer for the quarter with growth of 30% followed by Intel who grew 21% for the quarter. NVIDIA grew only 3.3% during Q3.

Lenovo All-in-One IdeaCentre B500 sports stealthy sexy design

Posted in Lenovo by Conner Flynn on October 26th, 2009

Lenovo All-in-One IdeaCentre B500 sports stealthy sexy designLenovo introduced a few new computers today, but the most interesting visually is the B500 all-in-one, which sports a sexy and stealth fighter like angular design. The IdeaCentre B500 isn’t just about looks though. It has decent specs.

At it’s highest and most expensive configuration, the 23-inch 16×9 B500 packs a Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB of memory, 1TB hard drive, DVD or Blu-ray, and an optional TV tuner with remote.

Durable Atom-powered in-car computers from Rave

Posted in PCs by Conner Flynn on October 25th, 2009

Durable Atom-powered in-car computers from RaveRave Computer is offering a rugged in-car computer dubbed the MIL-SPEC-810F, which debuted at the MILCOM 2009 exhibition. It’s a fanless computer powered by an Intel 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor, which consumes less power, making it suitable for nearly all vehicles and almost all conditions.

The MIL-SPEC-810F is capable of operating normally in temperatures from -30 C to 60 C (-22 F to 140 F) and runs on 6 – 36 VDC. The PC also sports a PCI-104 expansion connector, 2 mini PCI express slots, compact Flash and SIM slots, Gigabyte Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and three USB ports.

Android powers Raytheon battlefield network

Posted in Android by Shane McGlaun on October 22nd, 2009

android-robot-militaryWe have been fielding robots of all sorts on the battlefield for a while now, typically associated with finding and disposing of bombs and other explosive devices. I always thought when Android’s hit the battlefield they would be packing laser cannons and the visage of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently, the first Android to hit the battlefield will be in the form of Google’s open source OS and cheap computer terminals.

Raytheon has announced its RATS battlefield networking system will be powered by Android. The system will allow troops in the field to coordinate with other combatants and gain access to other assets. Presumably, these other assets would include air strikes and drones.