CrunchGear

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• Numeric keyboard/touchpad combo for notebooks
• Daily Crunch: Educamacation Edition
• Qualcomm’s new ‘mirasol’ screens show potential
• Rumor: Android will power Barnes & Noble’s eReader
• It’s a light that clips onto your glasses. I can’t really think of a witty title.
• Do your panoramic photos suck? Read this book
• Charge4All folding power strip
• Piano stairs: I can’t think of a better way to make people fall to their deaths
• Iomega announces new StorCenter ix2-200
• Remove the special effects from the 2012 trailer and this is what you get
• And now United Airlines adds Wi-Fi to its flights
• The Kindle DX is going international as well
• J.D. Power calls Apple best in consumer/business smartphones, LG best in feature phones
• Turns out you really, really, like your television provider
• Who is the greatest game hero? You decide!
• Microsoft’s pressure-sensitive keyboard gets some apps
• CrunchDeals: Two dell monitors for $300, shipped
• Rock Band for iPhone officially announced
• Review: Nikon D300s DSLR
• Giveaway: HP Envy 13

Numeric keyboard/touchpad combo for notebooks Posted: 09 Oct 2009 03:05 AM PDT Japanese gadget maker Elecom has announced the TK-TCT005BK [JP], a combination of a numeric keyboard for notebooks and touchpad supporting gestures. You can switch between both functions by pressing the “Num” button on the top left of the device. The touchpad lets you zoom in and out by using your fingers (see the graphic below). However, the USB device only works with Windows PCs. Get the TK-TCT005BK over at Geek Stuff 4U in case you live outside Japan (price: $72.80 plus shipping). Via Akihabaranews

Daily Crunch: Educamacation Edition Posted: 09 Oct 2009 12:00 AM PDT Piano stairs: I can't think of a better way to make people fall to their deaths Giveaway: HP Envy 13 Bill Nye, The Algebra Guy? Japanese company sells Lego ear phones Virtual Mirror: augmented reality without glasses

Qualcomm’s new ‘mirasol’ screens show potential Posted: 08 Oct 2009 10:09 PM PDT Qualcomm’s mirasol showing color video @ 30fps! from IntoMobile on Vimeo. Qualcomm has been working on their FLO TV technology, but there is more to it then we originally thought. The new tech will be using a new type of display screen, a passive technology known as “mirasol”. Details are still sketchy at this time, but as you can see from the video, there’s more then a little potential there. There’s actually promise on multiple levels. Qualcomm makes phones for other people, and chipsets for other devices so the manufacturing relations ships are already there. Can a full-color e-book be far behind? Assuming this tech is as advanced in the development process as it appears to be, we might even know by this holiday season.

Rumor: Android will power Barnes & Noble’s eReader Posted: 08 Oct 2009 06:47 PM PDT With the success of the Kindle clear, it’s no surprise that other booksellers want in on the action too. Barnes & Noble already launched its ebook store and the iRex DR 800SG will be the first device to run it. However, a WSJ report is suggesting that Barnes & Noble is prepping its own, self-branded device. And get this, it might run Android. The device itself has already made its way to the FCC last month, who is kind enough to provide no details at all. So far we hear though that the reader will rock a 6-inch touchscreen and might come as soon as next month. But this latest rumor about it running Android is kind of novel. (I know) Think about: Android is a wonderfully open platform. Designers could easily adapt the software to run on an e-ink display. It has been designed for wireless, portability and customization. The system could even be opened up to 3rd party developers who could code new and innovative programs for the reader. If this rumor is true, and Gizmodo claims the source seems knowledgeable enough, B&N might be aiming this at not only the general book reading public, but those of us that love to hack, mod and totally customize our gadgets.

It’s a light that clips onto your glasses. I can’t really think of a witty title. Posted: 08 Oct 2009 06:11 PM PDT The latest in German engineering, the Nachteule (”night owl” for you non-German-speakers) is a handy little LED light that clips to your glasses for those late night-reading sessions. It looks a bit unwieldy, but I’m sure it’ll get the job done. So will a flashlight. Or using your phone. Or turning the light on. I imagine this is the sort of device you’ll see in Brookstone, or in  SkyMall magazine right next to the Lord of the Rings sword replicas and Truck Antlers. Although this does open up a whole realm of solutions in the need-illumination field. Glasses with an integrated camera, which fed data to a HUD mounted on the lenses. You could switch between infrared mode, ultraviolet mode, all sorts of possibilities. Or you could go get some custom eyeballs made.

Do your panoramic photos suck? Read this book Posted: 08 Oct 2009 06:00 PM PDT There’s more to a good panorama than switching your camera to autopano mode. Or at least, that’s what author Harald Woeste would have you believe. I struggled with my first panoramas, mainly because I was using a 50mm lens on a 1.6x FOV body for all of them, but there was a science to it as well. Not to close, but not too far apart — turning your body the right way to avoid shifting — how to have people in just one part — there’s a lot to know, actually. I found out by trial and error, but that doesn’t have to be your lot. Whether he’s got more packed into this book than you can extract from various photo sites and forums, I don’t know. But it might be nice to take with you if you’re going on a picturesque tour somewhere without internet. There are places like that, you know. [via Photography Bay]

Charge4All folding power strip Posted: 08 Oct 2009 05:30 PM PDT Ok road warriors, here’s one for you. This is a little gadget I wish I’d had back in the day when I used to travel constantly for work. It’s essentially a power strip, with adapters for multiple electronic devices, that zips up into a folding case. Pretty straightforward really, but a cool device none the less. The Charge4All is designed to work with the more popular mobile electronic devices. You plug the device into the wall, and then your phone, iPod, ZuneHD or whatever into the strip, using the included cables. And you’re charging. The device is currently available from the Charge4All website for $49.95, and if I still traveled all over the place, I’d definitely pick one up. [via GadgetReview]

Piano stairs: I can’t think of a better way to make people fall to their deaths Posted: 08 Oct 2009 04:00 PM PDT On the surface, it’s a cool concept, even one with some merit: when the stairs are funner than the escalator, people will take them more often. So some clever Swedes (with a serious budget) retrofitted this underground transit stop with a keyboard staircase. You know, like in Big, but stairs. That’s right. You’re beginning to see the problem, aren’t you? See, it’s all well and good when the keyboard is flat and people want to jump all over it and play songs, but this one is really an invitation for people to fall on their faces. Want to play a chord? Try not to die. There’s also the consideration that when there are more than a few people on the stairs, the result must be the most hideous cacophany. Think about it: someone on every stair? It’d be like someone pounding on every key on a piano, again and again. There’s a reason they don’t have audio for that part. So, while I’m with them in spirit, there are probably a few bugs they should work out first. [Via Gizmodo and GearFuse]

Iomega announces new StorCenter ix2-200 Posted: 08 Oct 2009 03:30 PM PDT Iomega just announced the latest addition to their rapidly growing NAS line, the ix2-200. This is the latest iteration in the line is focused on being easy to set up, something that is fairly uncommon in the small business storage market. The new model also includes a new “Green desktop” mode, which allows the NAS to spin down the drives when not in use, thereby reducing power consumption. The ix2-200 is available now from your favorite e-tailer, and prices vary based on storage size. The 1TB version is priced at $269.99, the 2TB version is at $369.99, and the price goes up for there. From the press release: SAN DIEGO, October 8, 2009 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a global leader in data protection, today announced the next generation of its popular double-drive desktop NAS appliance with the worldwide launch of the new Iomega® StorCenter™ ix2-200. Based on industry-leading enterprise-class EMC® storage technologies, the versatile yet affordable StorCenter ix2-200 wraps ease-of-use around big business data management functionality and advanced media serving and other consumer features that make it the ideal NAS appliance for small business users and home users. Available in 1TB*, 2TB and 4TB capacities, the new ix2-200 utilizes a very simple four-step setup to be operational in a matter of minutes – be it in a business setting or in the digital home. Starting at less than $270.00, the ix2-200 employs an easy-to-understand interface to provide robust data management and protection for the serious business user, as well as the latest in multimedia serving and remote access features that makes it a breeze to access your own data, whether in the office, the home, or anywhere else in the world.** Among the standout business features of the new StorCenter ix2-200: · Device-to-device replication for business continuity and file recovery · iSCSI block-level access for efficient storage utilization · RAID 1 configurations for optimized data protection · Windows® Active Directory support · A new front panel QuikTransfer button for easy copying of selected files · User replaceable hard drives · Multiple IP security camera support · And for the forward-thinking small business, VMware® certification for virtualization installations. The new StorCenter ix2-200 also has a treasure trove of features for the digital home, including: · A DLNA® certified UPnP® AV Media Server that makes the ix2-200 the central repository for serving up all your movies, pictures, music and other files to any compatible device on your network · Serves as a Time Machine® target for Apple® computer backups · Built-in torrent support for file-sharing without the need for a dedicated PC · Bluetooth® capability for uploading all kinds of digital content from a smart phone · Cooliris™ slide show plug-in allows for easy photo viewing · And remote access to the ix2-200 from anywhere in the world "The new StorCenter ix2-200 is definitely the easiest to use small office and consumer network storage appliance in the marketplace today," said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. "Combining EMC's world class enterprise storage and security technologies with advanced media serving features makes the ix2-200 a versatile and affordable NAS appliance that gives smaller organizations, work groups and home users not only cost-effective and robust network storage but some of the same sophisticated data management capabilities as a Fortune 100 corporation – but without any need for IT experience." The new Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 NAS appliance is now available in the Americas and Europe from retailers, VARs and IT resellers, including valued Iomega partner CDW. "When it comes to managing and protecting digital content, small businesses today face many of the same challenges as much larger organizations," said Matt Troka, vice president, Product & Partner Management, CDW Corporation. "Iomega's new StorCenter ix2-200 delivers cost-effective network storage with advanced enterprise features at extremely affordable prices. For the budget conscious small business with a need for dependable network storage that is easy to setup and maintain without any internal IT expertise, the compact StorCenter ix2-200 offers a great value proposition, which makes it a viable data storage and back-up solution for our customers." The Little Compact Desktop NAS Appliance with Lots of Capabilities The new StorCenter ix2-200 NAS desktop appliance utilizes the acclaimed EMC LifeLine™ software, a fully-developed Linux operating environment and suite of applications that is designed for cross-platform support with Windows®, Mac® and Linux computers. The LifeLine operating system presents a simple-to-use graphical interface that makes it easy to perform valuable business tasks while remaining confident that your data is securely stored, protected, and accessible whenever and wherever you need it. Small office users will enjoy the ix2-200's fast Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and high-performance embedded architecture, which boosts productivity by making data readily accessible and secure over a local network at the office or in the home. The ix2-200 also boasts the versatility of three USB 2.0 ports for adding printers or additional storage capacity with external USB drives.

Remove the special effects from the 2012 trailer and this is what you get Posted: 08 Oct 2009 03:00 PM PDT 2012 will be a horribly bad movie. This clever trailer proves that once you take out all the special effects, you’re simply left with John Cusack’s acting, which isn’t worth whatever the hell they are charging to see movies these days.

And now United Airlines adds Wi-Fi to its flights Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:30 PM PDT Yup, another airline is poised to offer in-flight Wi-Fi. United Airlines has said that it will start use of Aircell’s Gogo service beginning with flights between New York and California. It’s $12.95 for laptop access for the duration of the flight. A grand total of 13 planes (Boeing 757s) will be equipped with Wi-Fi. If I had any business in California, I would just play World of Warcraft for the duration of the flight. Oh, and one thing I was wonder: what kind of security are we looking at here? Can some punk kid just fire up Ettercap, and steal everyone’s username/password to every single site they visit? You can see the headline now: HACKING AT 30,000 FEET! Picture added for humorous effect.

The Kindle DX is going international as well Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:20 PM PDT Amazon has confirmed that they are making the Kindle DX international as well. No word on pricing or availability but you can expect it sometime next year. The news comes hot on the heels of Amazon’s Kindle 2 price cut and announcement of an international GSM version.

J.D. Power calls Apple best in consumer/business smartphones, LG best in feature phones Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:10 PM PDT According to a J.D. Power study, Apple has been named number one in consumer satisfaction in the consumer and business smartphone market while LG is number one in the traditional feature phone market. First, a bit of explanation of terms. In this case, a smartphone is a phone with an operating system that is able to run more than the built-in application deck. A feature phone is a phone with a pre-set deck that perhaps can allow downloads but is not considered a smartphone. The Blackberry is a smartphone while the Moto RAZR is a feature phone. Based on a set of criteria, Apple scored highest over LG and Blackberry in the business category and highest in the consumer smartphone category, over second-place RIM. LG ranked highest in satisfaction in the feature phone market.

Turns out you really, really, like your television provider Posted: 08 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Last year, overall satisfaction with television providers was at the lowest level in 5 years. It seems however, that when J.D. Power tells the providers that they suck, they listen. And now, they seem to have actually turned it around. Previously, subscribers were very upset at the television providers. They were sick of being put on hold, of getting crappy picture quality, and the lack of HD. Plus, who doesn’t hate their cable (or satellite) company. Amazingly, the companies listened. They seemed to have actually turned the corner, and now satisfaction has jumped back up a more reasonable level. There is still room for improvement however. It’s interesting when you look at the numbers, the IPTV providers seem to really be doing the best out of all of them, with satellite providers coming in second, and cable third.

Who is the greatest game hero? You decide! Posted: 08 Oct 2009 01:50 PM PDT Two game characters enter, one game character leaves. In the ultimate face off, gamers get to vote for their favorite gaming hero of all time. The current match up (as of this moment) is Mario vs. Gordon Freeman. Personally, I’m rooting for my cousin Gordon. He’s a blast to have at parties (nothing says fun like a gravity-gun) even though he doesn’t say much. He’s also very handy to have around when you’re working on home improvement projects, what with bringing his own crowbar and all. In all seriousness, GameSpot is having the virtual equivalent of a cage match, pitting the most popular characters in video games against each other to decide who is the ultimate hero. They’re at the finals, so hurry up and make your vote know. At least, if you are going to vote for Gordon. Otherwise, here are some pictures of some kittens.

Microsoft’s pressure-sensitive keyboard gets some apps Posted: 08 Oct 2009 01:30 PM PDT When we first mentioned Microsoft’s new keyboard idea, it was mentioned that there would be a contest, and students all over the place would be competing to create the coolest applications for the device. Well, the contest is over and the winners have been announced. So if you were thinking of entering, too bad. You’ll have to wait for the multi-touch mouse contest. So they had three categories: most useful, best implementation, and most creative. Remember, these are just demos made by students, so forgive their lack of polish. The demos, I mean, not the students. Most Useful This biometric password thing took top honors. It detects not only the letters and numbers in your password, but how hard you press them, whether you press them together, and so on. Quite a good idea, if it works. I’d hate to be locked out of my computer because I can’t seem to get the cadence of my password right. Best Implementation I don’t know what to make of this fellow’s dress, but the app is pretty handy. Or footy. By checking the different pressures exerted on keys pressed at the same time, it lets you type with your feet or elbows — useful for those of us who… I don’t know. I guess it’s not that useful, or it would have won Most Useful, right? I remember playing NES like this. TMNT2: The Arcade Game, and it really wasn’t that hard until you got to the bosses (you have to jump kick). Most Creative This is a good idea, but it looks like it would take a lot of tweaking. By using a bunch of little magnets and one big one, you can depress the keys’ sensors depending on the position of the larger magnet, essentially making a multi-touch midair trackpad. Very cool, but it’d take a lot of work to get useful. Well, great work guys. I wouldn’t have thought of any of these, or if I did, I sure wouldn’t know how to make any of them work. With any luck we’ll see some of these in desktop form once the pressure-sensitive keyboard comes to the public. If you’re interested, you can see a bunch more applications, with video, here at the contest site. [via Gadget Venue]

CrunchDeals: Two dell monitors for $300, shipped Posted: 08 Oct 2009 01:00 PM PDT Looking for a good deal on monitors so you can set up that Eyefinity triple-display? Well, here’s something to get you started. These dell S2209s are solid monitors; I have one here on my left as a secondary display. They’re not quite as bright as my big Dell 2407WFP, but of course that one cost four times as much. The S2209 is sleek, slim, and the price is right. Head over to Dell and take the plunge; this deal lasts a week so you can think about it. I paid $200 for mine so I’m kicking myself here. [via DealNews, who have the price wrong unfortunately, but $300 still ain't bad]

Rock Band for iPhone officially announced Posted: 08 Oct 2009 12:37 PM PDT Seems like just yesterday when we started to get a funny feeling about an official Rock Band for iPhone release. Turns out, our very own Inspector Gadget, one Mr. Kumparak, was spot on with his sleuthing - Rock Band for the iPhone / iPod touch was officially announced by Electronic Arts earlier today.

Review: Nikon D300s DSLR Posted: 08 Oct 2009 12:10 PM PDT Short version: If you are familiar with the Nikon D300, then you can just expect more of the same. The D300s doesn’t do anything ground breaking, but what it does is add some nice features to an already excellent DSLR — most importantly, HD video and SD card support. The D300s is the latest version of Nikon’s award-winning D300, which was released in August of 2007. The D300s features a 12.3 megapixel, DX-format sensor, and supports an ISO range of 200 to 3200. Nikon also gave the D300s their 51 point auto-focus system, which makes it exceptionally easy to get a crisp image while shooting. The D300s also has the same 3 inch LCD display as the D300 on the back of the body, which is great for reviewing your shots or when you are using the “Live View” mode. At $1800, it’s firmly in the “prosumer” price range. There are a few major differences from the D300, which I own. The biggest change is the inclusion of video. The D300s allows you to capture video at 24fps, at either 720p (for a 5-minute continuous shot), 640×424 (for 20 minutes), or 320×216 (also 20 minutes). The D300s also has a “quiet shutter” mode, which is perfect for wildlife photography, and they added the ability to use an SD card as well as a CF card, the previous standard. It is possible to use both cards at once, and there are a couple of ways to do that. You can specify that you want video on one, and pictures on the other, use one as overflow for the other, or manually shuffle them between the two cards as you see fit. I actually prefer to use the backup mode, which writes the picture to both cards at the same time. Ergonomics: Not much has changed, really: the D300s uses the same magnesium alloy body as the D300, with the same textured rubber that most cameras use. The controls are a bit more intuitive, and the memory card cover release has been replaced with some more function buttons. Picture Quality: Outstanding. Nikon used a faster processor in the D300s, and it shows. The autofocus (one of the things that didn’t work *quite* right on D300) is fast and intelligent, the picture controls are intuitive, and the end results are outstanding. Nikon’s inclusion of custom picture control settings makes it easy to get everything exactly how you want it, consistently. I use a couple of custom settings that allow me to duplicate the look of some of the most famous types of film, like Fuji Velvia and Agfa Optima. Video: The 720p looks very impressive. I’ve always been somewhat skeptical of those cameras that try to do two things, because they rarely do them well. Camcorders rarely shoot good still pictures, and still cameras just don’t do video that well. The bad news is, that’s still the case here. Yes, the picture quality is great because the D300s uses great lenses, and a huge (comparatively) sensor. However, the auto-focus is pretty sketchy, and you can REALLY hear the focus motors when you are recording. Also, if you’re not using a tripod, you’re going to have a video that looks like it was filmed by Matt after his energy drink post. Battery life: The EN-EL3e Li-on battery takes up 950 shots on a single charge, depending on how much time you spending viewing and editing your pictures in camera. I recently went on a trip to Yosemite (the sample pictures you see are from that trip) and shot the entire weekend on one charge. One. That’s pretty damn impressive, and I wasn’t even trying to stretch the battery life out. Pros: The D300s is a great camera. This is the second version of this model, and Nikon has done a great job improving it. The quiet shutter mode is nice, the auto-focus is faster now, the dual memory slots are nice, if not particularly necessary (SD memory cards are cheaper than CF card though). Also, adding the new dedicated “Info” button was a really good idea. Cons: Video isn’t quite there yet. Yes, the image quality is much better then what you’ll get from a camcorder, and the HD video is crisp and clear, but that auto-focus noise is just too much (plus it’s slow). I also noticed that the auto ISO and auto WB aren’t accurate all of the time. This could be my personal bias, but I typically end up adjusting those items myself. Now, in the interest of comparison, I mentioned that I own a D300. I bought one a few months after it came out after much research and reading, and I’m a fan of the original. As such, I was very interested when I heard that Nikon was going to be releasing an update to my much loved D300. Will I be upgrading? Probably not. The video feature isn’t enough to make me switch, and I think I’ll be waiting to go to full frame for my next upgrade. If I didn’t already own D300, would I buy a D300s? Absolutely. No question about it. The Nikon D300s is still the best “prosumer” level DSLR on the market today. To be fair, there is another possible contender for the crown that is not on the market today. That would be the Canon 7D. It’s around the same price point (MSRP is actually a bit cheaper, at $1699), and if the published information is to be believed, the Canon’s video modes will be better then the D300s (though likely have the same problems). Canon has stated that their camera will capture HD video at 30, 25, and 24 FPS, and will also allow more manual control then the Nikon. As for the rest, well, the eternal Nikon vs. Canon conflict goes on. We’ll just have to wait and see who exactly rules the roost after the Canon is released. The D300s has an MSRP of $1799.95, for the body only.

Giveaway: HP Envy 13 Posted: 08 Oct 2009 11:38 AM PDT Who wants a new HP Envy 13? Anyone? I mean, after all, it is one of the hottest notebooks ever and comes preloaded with Windows 7. But no one probably wants this brand spanking new, never-been-opened, $1700 notebook for free. But if you do….click through for the simple giveaway entry instructions. Contest rules: Every day, from now until October 14, we will hide a secret code in one of that day’s CrunchGear posts. It will be a CAPITALIZED WORD at the end of the story. Collect these words from now until October 14. There will be exactly 7 and we will post them over the weekend as well as during the week. Put them all into one email (use a real email address!) before midnight on October 14 and send it to contest at crunchgear dot com with the subject line “SEVEN WORDS TO ENVY” One winner will be chosen randomly from all the entrants who have all seven words. Winner will be notified 10/15/2009 The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 or older! That said, here is your first word: PACKARD Good luck and happy hunting.

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