Japan is the world’s second biggest nation in terms of patent application filing, but which company is leading the race in the country that’s home to world class tech firms like Sony, Toshiba and Thanko? Tokyo-based Patent Result thinks it has the answer: According to them [JP], the quality and quantity of Panasonic’s patents (filed in the past fiscal year) is unparalleled in this country.
Patent Result says Panasonic topped the list because of some valuable patents in the semiconductor and word processing software fields. The research firm gives points to all companies it scrutinizes, measuring the value of patents filed by the number of objections from competing companies, for example. It also took into account the duration of patents held by each company into consideration.
Panasonic claimed the top spot with 986,917 points, with Toshiba following at No. 2 (483,749 points) and Canon with 461,348 points. Hitachi is fourth (439,777 points), Seiko Epson is fifth (428,347 points), Sharp is sixth (414,359 points) and Sony is tenth (308,660 points). The only company not operating in the electronics sector is Toyota at rank eight (368,196 points).
Victor JVC has announced [JP] a new home theater sound system for the Japanese market today, consisting of a set of two speakers (SP-FT1/FT2) and the corresponding amplifier (AX-FT1/FT2). And the system is very pretty, mainly because the speakers are just 30.8mm thin and weigh 0.85kg each.
At 31mm, the amplifier is a tiny bit thicker and weighs 0.73kg.It features 20W×4ch(4Ω) average power output and Dolby Digital DTS and AAC support. You can either hang the speakers up on a wall or use a stand that Victor JVC throws in.
The sound system will go on sale in Japan at the end of this month. No announcements for markets outside Japan were made, but Japanese buyers will have to pay $260 for the amplifier and $220 for the speaker set. The system will be available in black and white.
Keeping with the idea of netbook portability and battery life yet with standard notebook power, Acer's bumped its Timeline series to dual-core CPUs, added Windows 7, and slid an 11.6-inch model weighing just over three pounds into the mix at just $600.
There will be four Windows 7 base Timeline models available on October 22nd:
The 11.6-inch AS180T (pictured above) weighs 3.08 pounds, MSRP of $600
The 13.3-inch AS3810T weighs 3.5 pounds, MSRP of $800
The 14-inch AS4810TZ weighs 4.4 pounds, MSRP of $650
The 15.6-inch AS5810TZ weighs 5.3 pounds, MSRP of $650
All models feature dual-core low voltage Pentium CPUs, six-cell batteries good for up to eight hours of use, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, 4GB of RAM, and 320GB SATA hard drives. The 14- and 15.6-inch models also come with optical drives.
Full press release:
Acer Adds New 11.6-Inch Model to Aspire Timeline Notebook Series; Expands Entire Line with Dual-Core Processors for Enhanced Power, Performance
Latest Aspire Timeline series offers style and performance with eight hours of battery life, Windows 7, and a sleek, thin and light design
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 14, 2009 – Acer America, part of the world's third largest manufacturer of notebook PCs (1), today expands its Aspire Timeline series of all day computing (3) notebooks with a new 11.6-inch model that is ideal for road warriors and ultraportable enthusiasts.
In addition, the company announced today that it has expanded its entire line of Acer Aspire Timeline series notebooks with models that feature Windows 7 and new Intel CULV dual-core processors for enhanced performance and functionality. The lines starts at just $549.99 (MSRP) and the line comes in several color choices including a new chic, yet subtle "espresso" color for the 15.6-inch model.
The new Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ 11.6-inch notebook brings the promise of all day computing to a new ultraportable size. This new notebook offers users elegant styling, great performance and advanced functionality in a thin and light design. Boasting an 11.6-inch HD LED-backlit display, a full-size keyboard, HD audio/visual enjoyment, advanced wireless connectivity and 8 plus hours(3) of computing time, the notebooks are ideal for road warriors and anyone who needs to be connected and productive while on-the-go.
All day computing is made easy with the Aspire Timeline series. On just a single charge, consumers can remain productive and entertained from morning to night, making it easier to get more done while travelling and working remotely.
"Acer is providing consumers with the best of all worlds with the new 11.6-inch Timeline – an affordable ultraportable that delivers long battery life and great performance in a compact and stylish design," said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. "By adding dual-core processors to the entire line, we've taken affordable mobile computing solutions to a new level."
Dual-Core Processors Add Power and Energy Efficiency to All Day Computing
A single charge to the standard high-capacity 6-cell Li-ion battery gives users eight hours of battery life (3), allowing all day, on-the-go computing. Convenience features such as the PowerSmart button also help save valuable battery consumption. A simple push of the button enters the notebook into power saving mode. Another push and the notebooks are quickly ready for maximum performance. Additionally, the Acer PowerSmart Adapter senses when the notebook is fully charged and stops consuming energy.
Mobile Computing that is Both Stylish and Practical
With prices starting at $549.99, the new Timeline series models offers something for everyone – road warriors, families or students. The notebooks offer users a range of choices in size and color.
The new Timeline AS1810 is the thinnest and lightest of the new notebooks, weighing only 3.08 pounds with an 11.6-inch display. For those in need of a slightly larger mobile system, the AS3810 weighs 3.5 pounds and offers a 13.3-inch display while the AS4810 adds an optical drive and 14-inch display and weighs 4.4 pounds. For those in need of an even larger screen with optical drive and dedicated numeric keypad, the AS5810 weighs 5.3 pounds and features a 15.6-inch screen.
At its slimmest point, all models are less than one-inch thin, and just over one-inch at their thickest. This thin and lightweight design enhances the notebooks' mobility, making them easy to carry in a backpack, briefcase, laptop carrying case, or even a purse.
The elegant, high-tech design also provides solid protection to the display and internal components. The system is also lead- and mercury-free, making it easier to recycle. The new Timeline notebooks come in a variety of colors (depending on the model), including Diamond Black, Sapphire Blue, Brushed Aluminum and the new Espresso.
Enhanced Performance to Maximize Mobile Capabilities
The new Timeline notebooks pack powerful performance and features in a small package. In addition to the Intel CULV dual-core processors, the notebooks feature ample memory for multitasking and large hard drives for quickly storing and retrieving files.
Usability is significant in the design of these notebooks. The Timeline features high-definition CineCrystal LED-backlit widescreen displays (16:9 ratio) that bring superb color and motion to any digital media while being energy efficient. Additionally, full size keyboards make computing easier and more comfortable.
Keep in touch easily by accessing email, browsing the web or connecting to a social network with 802.11b/g Draft-N wireless or Gigabit Ethernet LAN. An integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam and digital microphone delivers smooth video and voice quality for real-time video streaming, online chatting, and video conferences. Consumers can also enjoy surround sound music and video sound with the Dolby Sound Room from headphones or stereo speakers.
A Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows users to pinch, flick and swirl their fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites. The Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows users to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. The TouchPad can also be disabled with a one-touch button, eliminating accidental cursor movement with palms and wrists when using an external mouse.
The Timeline family of notebooks also includes a backup button that lets consumers easily select and protect their irreplaceable digital files through regular scheduled backups or on an as-needed basis. Data can be backed up to an external hard drive, flash card, thumb drive or to a secure hidden partition on their PC.
Additionally, the addition of the new Windows 7 Home Premium makes mobile computing more reliable and responsive, enhancing the user experience.
Configurations, Pricing and Availability
Available October 22, the Acer Aspire Timeline series includes numerous models within the 11.6-inch AS1810, 13.3-inch AS3810, 14-inch AS4810 and 15.6-inch AS5810 lines. A sample configuration from each is listed below.
All models come with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. Additionally, some models have longer warranties offered through specific channel partners. All Acer notebook PCs are backed by toll-free service and support.
Acer's going the touchscreen route with the 15.6-inch Aspire AS5738PG notebook. It'll launch alongside Windows 7 on October 22nd with a starting price of $800. The machine will run Windows 7 Home Premium and pack a multi-touch screen for some good old fashioned pinching and zooming.
Other features include a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 512MB ATI Radeon HD4570 graphics chip, 4GB of RAM, 320GB SATA hard drive, DVD burner, six-cell battery, and a weight of just over six pounds.
Full press release:
Launching with Windows 7, the new Aspire AS5738PG multi-touch screen notebook delivers incredible new functionality, high-performance features, and mobile entertainment
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 14, 2009 – Acer America, part of the world's third largest PC company(1) today debuts its new Acer Aspire 5738PG notebook PC – the company's first notebook with multi-touch screen capabilities that offer a natural and enhanced way to interact with the PC, applications and digital data.
The Acer Aspire 5738PG multi-touch screen notebook launches with Windows 7 Home Premium and will be available starting October 22 at select retailers.
The Acer Aspire 5738PG's high-quality multi-touch screen display and Windows 7 multi-touch support makes entertainment and multimedia experiences more intuitive and interactive. As a result, customers can touch anywhere on the screen using one or two fingertips to play movies, zoom in and out on websites, edit photos and video, handwrite notes, resize windows, launch entertainment applications and more.
Also, customers can use the multi-touch screen for a variety of gestures directly on the screen for intuitive and accurate access and control. For example, customers can pinch inward or outward to zoom in and out of photos, flick the screen to turn the page and browse through media and documents, as well as swirl their finger for quick and simple navigation of lists.
"Customers will experience an incredible level of flexibility and control in the multi-touch screen interface, as it frees them to interact with their digital world in a way that is familiar yet also new and exciting," said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. "The Acer Aspire 5738PG's multi-touch experience takes advantage of the many new capabilities in Windows 7 and provides incredibly powerful first-rate technology such as ATI Radeon graphics and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor."
Sawall continued, "Until now, touch notebooks have been limited in capabilities and available only at a substantial price premium. The new Acer Aspire 5738PG changes all this with multi-touch screen capabilities and a price that is affordable for a wide range of customers."
Impressive Mobile Theater Entertainment
More than the sum of its touch points, the Acer Aspire 5738PG notebook combines first-rate technologies that deliver excellent performance for mobile theater entertainment and mainstream games.
The display was designed to provide an extraordinary cinematic experience that is immersive and incredibly realistic. The vibrant HD display is a 16:9 widescreen size that's ideal for enjoying movies and online entertainment. Plus, it's LED-backlit, which reduces energy usage compared to traditional laptop displays. Along with the 1366×768-resolution, the LED-backlit display contributes to the display's crisp clear visuals and is ideal for enjoying HD movies. Plus, the touch-control is remarkably precise.
Complementing the HD display, the system's Intel Core 2 Duo processor provides the horsepower to drive demanding applications with ease. In addition the high-definition ATI Radeon HD 4570 Graphics with 512MB Dedicated DDR3 VRAM enhances imagery with vivid color and crisp detail. Dolby Home Theater Audio Enhancement with built-in speakers and 5.1-channel surround sound output bring these incredible visuals to life with vibrant crisp audio.
Technology and Extras for On-the-Go Productivity and Fun
Customers will have plenty of ways to access, store, share and enjoy their digital media files. The spacious 320GB hard drive can store a vast library of music, video, photos, spreadsheets and email. An integrated multi-in-one media reader enables connection to peripherals and electronic devices, while an HDMI port allows the system to support any PC, TV or other device with an HDMI port via a single cable. The four USB 2.0 ports provide ample connections to peripherals and consumer electronics.
Staying in touch is fun and convenient with the notebook's integrated 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N wireless technology and Gigabit Ethernet. The Acer Crystal Eye webcam enables high-quality video chats and VoIP with friends, family and work associates. It can also capture still pictures and videos for sharing with others.
Hardware and Design Enhance the Touch Experience
The overall multi-touch screen experience is further enhanced by giving customers more ways to interact with their notebook through the multi-gesture touchpad. Affording easy PC navigation, the new Aspire 5738PG's multi-gesture touchpad lets users access their applications and media with the same sort of natural, intuitive gestures they can use on the touch screen, including pinch, flick and swirl. The convenient touchpad lock can be set to prevent unintended cursor movement.
The new Acer Aspire 5738PG multi-touch screen notebook also comes with helpful and easy-to-use one-touch buttons: the Acer Backup Manager for backing-up important files and information, and the PowerSmart button for maximizing battery life. In addition, the notebook is Energy Star qualified.
Availability, Configurations and Pricing
The Acer Aspire AS5738PG-6306 notebook is the first model available in the line. It will be available for U.S. customers with Windows 7 Home Premium beginning Oct. 22 at leading retailers. Specifications and pricing follow.
It seems like it was just a few minutes ago that I was posting the leaked specs almost in their entirety. Oh, it was. Well, we’ve got more pictures!
The gallery isn’t available through the main page, but it’s easy enough to find. The high-res pics aren’t up yet, but that’s cool with you guys, right?
All our stats from before were pretty much on target: 12MP, 9FPS, 100% viewfinder, 51-pt autofocus, 720p video, 102,400 extended ISO. But feel free to read over the press release. One thing I’m confused about is that the UK price is £4200, which is a lot more than $5200. Britons, feel free to sound off (or switch to Canon… that 7D is looking good right now, isn’t it?).
Just days ago, iPhone hacker extraordinaire geohot released blackra1n, a tool for jailbreaking the iPod Touches and iPhones (including the 3GS) running OS 3.1.2. Alas, it was only available for Windows users. Just two days later, geohot and the rest of the endlessly impressive iPhone hacking community have it all up and running on OS X.
Next time you head through security, you may be getting more than pat-down. If you’re lucky, you might just have your bags and person exposed to bee arrays. These specially-trained (and just plain special) insects will stick their tongues out if they smell whatever the nice TSA person is looking for. TNT, crack, pirated music, it’s all the same to bees, who know they get a treat whenever they smell their special smell. They’re trained by Inscentinel, a company which has one too many portmanteaus in its name.
I’ve heard of this kind of thing for years, but this is definitely the first bee-in-a-box I’ve seen.The story and more images can be found at the Daily Telegraph.
Your average “compact” camera today can record 30 frames per second at 640×480. What would you say, then, to a camera so compact it could sit inside one of your cells, so sensitive it can detect a single photon, and record at a million frames per second? Well first, you might say “keep that camera out of my cells, by god!” —But after that, the applications start occurring to you. Want to watch proteins unravel in slow motion? Go for it. Want to watch ATP shed an atom? Sounds good! Just don’t expect to get it in HD: the Megaframe photon detector array, at 128×128 photon wells, is only 16 kilopixels.
Megaframe is an EU-funded project aimed at miniaturizing a CMOS sensor to the smallest possible level. One can only acknowledge they have done to a ridiculous extent. Each well in that picture at the top can detect a single photon, and is capable of doing so up to a million times per second. Now that even puts the D3s’ 102,400 ISO to shame. Its 50-picosecond margin of error may not be short enough for some stuff, but hey, it’s better than anything I’ve got.
This kind of imaging isn’t actually new, and research has been going on for a few years, but they’ve only relatively recently ended its research phase and is now in execution, if I read correctly. That means that there are labs around the world giving this sucker a spin.
Seriously, this technology has the potential to really change the way molecular biology is done, among other things. If it’s interesting to you, visit the project’s page, or the ICT Results summary.
Dyson, the makers of the trendiest vacuum cleaners around, have switched modes. Enter the Dyson Air Multiplier, a fan that utilizes the same bladeless technology as the Dyson vacuum. Thing looks like a freaking jet engine sitting on your desk. A jet engine that keeps you cool, that is. John already got to check one out.
Have you ever noticed how when you’re in front of a regular fan, the air hits you all choppy and irregular? Me neither, but it must be big enough of a problem for Dyson to make this thing. The jokes aside, this thing has some pretty big upsides. The Air Multiplier can push out 119 gallons of air per second at a significantly less amount of power than needed for an air conditioning unit. The airfoil design amplifies the air stream by 15 times the intake amount.
Sir James Dyson himself showed off the new device. I can only assume he was knighted for his vacuum cleaner innovations. Who would have thought?
The airstream is fully adjustable, and the device pans and tilts to deliver that soothing feeling wherever you need it. It comes in a 10 in and 12 in option at $299.99 and $329.99 respectively.
Uh oh! Looks like the British Journal of Photography isn’t going to be invited to next year’s big Nikon event. Well, their loss is our gain as they confirm the details we suspected for the D3s. The actual announcement is supposed to go up in about six hours, but hey, it’s out there in the open. What’s new? Well, before you read any further, consider that this camera has been priced at £4200, or around $6700, for the body only. This is a professional camera. But that said, features that start pro-only tend to trickle down in the next generation of prosumer and consumer cameras, so let’s take a look.
Perhaps the most eye-catching new feature is ISO boost that can take you up to an ISO of 102,400. You read that correctly: ISO of one hundred and two thousand, four hundred. I tend not to shoot over 800. I’m not a sports or action photographer so this doesn’t affect me, but this does mean shorter exposures in worse light. And hey, if they’re being printed on newspaper or spread on the web, no one’s going to notice a little noise if the shot is right.
HD video is… improved but not apparently by much. 1280×720 at 24p, plus ISO boost is available so low light might really be an option. One actual benefit of the throw-away-and-resize DSLR method of creating video is that it minimizes ISO noise due to the resizing. Onlookers are said to have noted high-ISO video from the D3s as looking natural, which I don’t doubt. Video from the D300s looked solid, though autofocus is still slow, loud, and inaccurate.
It’ll shoot 9 frames per second at full res, or 11 if you only use the cropped sensor size. Other features:
12 megapixels (honestly, you don’t need more)
Improved viewfinder (probably brighter and closer to 100%)
51-point autofocus (standard and good)
14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image processing (why not)
Twin CF slots (hmm)
Looks like a solid camera, but unless you really need that insane ISO range, I don’t see a lot here that necessitates a purchase. If you’re a Nikon man, the D300s should be sufficient, and if not… why are you reading this?
We may as well note here that speculation on this camera was way off. There are no unicorns mentioned anywhere in the article.
Ah, there is a new picture, this one of the back of the sucker. Also from Nikon rumors. Here we go:
I’m not familiar with Nikon rear-layout. Anybody want to step in?
The Command and Conquer saga is coming to a close with the forth installment – at least that’s what they say. My hopes are high for the game too. After all, I’ve been playing the series from the very beginning (I still have the original box thankyouverymuch) and so far all the screenshots and videos have been stellar. But this video that describes the development and capabilities of the GDI Offense Crawler unit does it for me. This game will be tits. Anyone see somewhere I can pre-order it yet?
The Short Version: A pricey pair of headphones, but an excellent and unique one as well. These headphones offer more punch than the Klipsch X5s and very nearly the level of clarity. If you’re looking for a high-end pair of in-ears, you can’t do much better than this.
The Long Version: As a spoiled blogger and gadget reviewer, I get to test out a lot of headphones. Sometimes I struggle to find the salient differences between one pair and another, especially are both good, as in the case of Logitech’s G35 and the Razer Megalodon. In Sleek Audio’s case, I have no trouble separating them from the pack. The use of switchable components makes these units unique to my knowledge, and allow me to settle this right away: it’s not just a gimmick.
Okay, it’s kind of a gimmick, but it’s a gimmick with a real effect. People switch devices frequently, and of course you listen to different music from day to day (to say nothing of year to year), so why shouldn’t you have a pair of headphones that’s as flexible as you are? Certainly you can get a good pair like the Klipsch S4s I recently reviewed, for $75 or less, which will serve you well in most circumstances (just use anything but iPod headphones, really). But if you use your headphones a lot, why shouldn’t you make an investment in them, the way you do with other devices you know you’re going to wear the hell out of? It’s my standard argument for bumping up your budget and it applies here as well as with the Klipsch X5s I loved so much.
Removable what now?
So it’s got removable bits. What does that mean exactly? Well, why tell you when I can show you? Check out the following short video to see the process of switching out the bass and treble components.
I should mention that in real life, it doesn’t take more than a minute for the whole process.
The pieces you get are -, =, and + pieces for bass and treble, indicating reduced, normal, or increased levels of that range. If it sounds like a bit of a coarse adjustment, it is — but that doesn’t make it useless or anything. I also received an “extended” treble tip which I don’t believe will be in the retail packages because Sleek felt many users would find it harsh.
So the effect of all this switching of tiny bits around is a tangible difference in sound. Maybe I’m just an adrenaline junkie, or maybe it’s the music that I listen to, but I worked my way up to the + bass and ++ treble within a couple days. That’s not for everybody, but I wanted to see how far these things would go, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Sound quality
The sound of the SA Sixes is fantastic. They were good with the default pieces in place, but now that I’ve traded them out for the extreme pieces, they’re killing me. The strength of these is in the mid-highs and mid-lows, I feel, where they do something magical. I’m not sure what it is, but my reference songs sounded more powerful, more dynamic, with these SA6es, even before I put in the crazy tips. There’s a lot of punch in the lows, although I felt I was missing out on the low lows, such as the bass line to Deerhunter’s “Octet,” which should sound chunky and up front, but has trouble getting through on anything but large speakers. Similarly, the high highs are on missing what I feel is a tiny bit of definition, though I am really only able to say so because the X5s focus on high end clarity to a fault. Still, those caveats are minor compared with the power that I feel is added to the sound in the ranges that really matter for most music. I might not be able to make out that third clarinet in whatever big band song, but the whole affair sounds more lively.
Fit and build
The fit of the headphones is something that’s always hard to judge, since everyone’s ears are different. There are three sets of double-flanged silicone tips for the SA6es, and I found the default medium tips to be the best for me. I feel that the silicone is thicker and stiffer than any I’ve used before, however, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. I think it blocks sound out better, and indeed, when I’ve got them adjusted to that sweet spot, they isolate extremely well, but there’s a downside. The stiffness means they press more on the inside of your ear canal, which, depending on the fit, may irritate you. I felt they also transmitted sound along them somewhat, which made my ears itch.
I don’t know, maybe I’m just crazy. But I would recommend that Sleek include (since it’s so big on customization anyway) thin flanges as well as thick in their next retail offering.
One other issue I had (and I understand I received a pre-production pair so this may not be an issue for you) was that the sheath for the jack kept coming off. Why it’s on there in the first place I don’t know, but it came off half the time when I disconnected the things. Otherwise the build quality is excellent. They’re nice-looking little things as well.
Conclusion
$250 is a lot to ask for a pair of headphones, but if you truly want to enjoy your music, you shouldn’t short yourself in this department. I know it’s easy for me to recommend things that I’m getting to try without spending the money, but I was buying expensive headphones long before I started reviewing them. I’m a believer.
I don’t want to overstep my bounds, however, and I can only compare these to those which I’ve tried before, and the closest relatives are the Klipsch X6es. These SA6es outperform them in many areas, and the customization aspect makes them perhaps the better buy. At any rate, they’re excellent; buy or investigate further at Sleek Audio’s site.
Ever wonder exactly how the people at Blendtec manage to blend, well, pretty much everything? Curious are ya? Well, the crazy folks at iFixit got hold of the base model (only 1560 watts) and took that bad boy apart. What follows is internet history.
You can read the whole thing here, but iFixit listed a few highlights just to make things a little more interesting.
* The shaft is made entirely of metal. Other blenders use plastic shafts as a safety mechanism. If the blade gets stuck, the blade/motor connection will sever, as the plastic will either break or melt. The Blendtec blender relies on electronics instead. Should things get out of hand, a sensor will shut off the motor.
* The speed sensor uses inductive pickup to tell the control circuitry how fast the shaft is spinning. This is the same mechanism used by an electric guitar to pick up string vibrations.
* Blendtec informed us that the Total Blender includes what they call a “hammer-fire” system. The main microprocessor will trigger this system if it detects that the blade stopped spinning. The processor will send a series of strong electric pulses to the motor to free the blades from the obstruction. If that fails, it will shut off the motor to prevent any damage.
* The logic board is clear-coated to prevent the inevitable condensation from shorting the electronic components.
* The blender’s rotor looks badass. It has more than a passing resemblance to a pod racer engine.
* We’re told that the motor temperature has to reach a maximum of 130 degrees Celsius (266 degrees Fahrenheit) before it automatically shuts off!
* We did not reassemble the blender to see if worked. 13 Amps, spinning at 28,000 RPM (that’s a 270 MPH blade tip speed) on a slightly-unbalanced shaft just strikes us as a bad idea!
Shure makes many different kinds of headphones, but this may be their first style aimed specifically at the DJ set. The new cans sport special 50mm drivers, and a sound reducing ear cup to cut out the excess noise that can be a problem when mixing in a club.
The new Shure SRH750DJ professional DJ headphones have a few other tricks up their proverbial sleeves as well. The coiled cord is replaceable as is the padding around the ear cups, and you can also turn the ears 90 degrees for when you need to hold the headphones up to the side of your head, rather then covering both ears. Shure states that the headphones will be released this November, and have an expected price of $149 at most retailers.
NILES, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Shure Incorporated today introduced a new professional headphone model designed specifically for professional DJ applications – the SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones. They join the SRH840, SRH440, and SRH240 to expand the Shure lineup of professional and home recording equipment, which also includes the X2u XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter and the PG27USB and PG42USB Side Address Condenser Microphones. Shure now offers a complete line of recording and monitoring tools for studio engineers, musicians, home recordists and professional DJs.
Building on more than 80 years of pro audio experience, the SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones deliver world-class audio performance, comfort and durability to professional DJs. Custom 50mm drivers tuned to deliver high-output bass with extended highs offer maximized power handling, which optimize the headphones for use with DJ mixers. Comfortable, padded ear cups swivel 90 degrees and allow total control of placement on one ear when mixing. Replaceable cable and ear pads ensure a lifetime of use.
"Professional DJs have unique requirements when it comes to headphones," said Scott Sullivan, Shure's Senior Director of Global Product Management. "The SRH750DJ is tuned to deliver high-output bass cleanly, with extended highs that enable precise mixing even in noisy club environments. The SRH750DJ also allows one-ear or two-ear use, and has increased power handling capability for use with DJ mixers."
The SRH750DJ Headphones join the Shure SRH840, SRH440 and SRH240 Professional Headphones for monitoring and performance applications in recording studios and production houses. Shure Professional Headphones each have a unique sound signature, featuring rich lows, warm mids and crisp highs. They achieve a masterful balance between comfort and durability, offering home recordists, performing artists and studio engineers premium sound quality for a variety of uses – from active listening to critical monitoring.
Features of the SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones, include:
* Custom 50mm drivers tuned to deliver high-output bass with extended highs * 3,000 mW maximum input power allows for optimized connectivity to DJ mixers * Adjustable, collapsible headband with 90-degree swivel ear cups for comfort and easy one-ear placement * Closed-back, circumaural design rests comfortably over the ears and reduces background noise in noisy club environments * Bayonet Clip securely locks cable into ear cup * Replaceable ear cup pads ensure long product life * 3m (10ft) coiled detachable cable provides plenty of length and easy storage * Carrying bag protects headphones when on-the-go or not in use * Legendary Shure quality to withstand the rigors of everyday use
Pricing and Availability
* SRH750DJ: $149.99 retail [$188 MSRP]
The SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones will be available to consumers in November 2009, will carry a two-year limited warranty and will be available for purchase at select retailers. For a complete list of where Shure products are sold, please visit www.shure.com.
Why would you do this, Apple? I know you don’t like the usual resolutions out there, but did you have to go and throw another one on the pile? That’s why there are so many competing formats in the first place. 960×540 H264 MP4? Sure, I could select those specifications if I wanted them, but why would I? Most cameras shoot to VGA or 720p now. Why would you decide to popularize a format that is exactly halfway between them? The idea, supposedly, is “keeping the content in its native recorded format while editing.” Great! What a great idea! Oh wait, everything already does that, and you’re just making a new, dumb-ass format that will only complicate things further!
Seriously. Video editing is already a huge chore. I have to switch between three video editors to make sure I can use footage from my various video cameras (slow-mo, standard, weather-resistant, etc), and god dammit I don’t need another one clogging up the pipes. Is it just an MP4 with those specifications? Then why call it iFrame? Is it slightly different yet no better (as I suspect)? Then why make it at all? Why not make your software compatible with existing formats instead? I’m going to explode!
Convergence may be the word for hardware, but for software and formats it’s a bloody and ongoing battle. And this is not going to help.
Looks like those images that leaked back in August of the WD TV 2 were pretty spot on. Earlier today, Western Digital announced the newest member of its growing WD TV family, the WD TV Live.
As you may (or may not) recall, we’ve been pretty big fans of the original WD TV HD media player since it was released at the end of 2008. The highly capable little black box provides a simple, yet effective solution for watching your growing collection of digital media on your HDTV.
One of the few missing features in the original WD TV was any variety of network connectivity. Luckily, Western Digital has listened to the growing community of WD TV fans and included both an ethernet port for wired connectivity as well as support for USB Wi-Fi adapters. But the Internet fun doesn’t stop there. According to the press release:
The network capability of the WD TV Live media player enables users to stream or transfer movies from PC or Mac® computers or a network-attached storage device such as WD’s My Book® World Edition™ and WD ShareSpace network drives to their HD TVs. The WD TV Live media player also allows users to stream rich content from YouTube™, Flickr® and Pandora®. The HD onscreen menu brings together all of the users’ available media in an elegant and simple-to-navigate interface.
The new Internet and network capabilities are welcome additions to this already impressive and relatively inexpensive HD media player. Along with these new features, the WD TV Live features the same 1080p playback, support for just about every codec under the sun, HDMI connectivity, and the ability to show photos and play music like its older sibling (complete comparison chart available here). The WD TV Live is available now for $149.99 MSRP. Check back for our hands-on review in the coming weeks.
WD TV Live HD Media Player Features of the WD TV Live HD Media Player include: - Full-HD 1080p video playback and navigation with the included remote control and crisp, animated navigation menus; - Play a wide variety of file formats including support for a wide variety of the most popular file formats with no need to spend time transcoding; - Play videos, music and photos from the Internet on your big screen TV and discover new music with Pandora Internet radio or listen to thousands of radio stations via Live365 Internet radio; - Ethernet port for wired or WiFi connection1 to access files anywhere on the network to play movies, music, and photos from any PC or drive on a home network; - Turns a USB drive2 into an HD media player and plays content from most popular USB drives, and digital cameras, camcorders, and portable media players that can be recognized as mass storage devices; - Unlimited media collection, just add more USB drives for more space; - Two USB ports for seamless media playback from multiple USB drives and ability to access them simultaneously while a media library feature collects the content on all the drives into one list sorted by media type; - Transfer files by copying, moving or deleting files stored on a USB drive, a network drive, camcorder, or a camera to the attached USB drive using the on-screen menus; - Picture Transfer Protocol support to show photos and movies directly from digital camera or video camera and or any digital imaging device that supports Picture Transfer Protocol; - Advanced navigation options including thumbnail and list views, media library and search; - Photo viewing to create custom slide shows, zoom and pan and search; - Movie viewing with fast-forward, rewind, pause, zoom and pan, view subtitles, and search; - Music playback with fast-forward, rewind, pause, shuffle, repeat and search; - File copying between USB devices; - HDMI® 1.3 port, composite video and component video output3 for the highest quality HDTV or home theater; - SPDIF digital output that sends digital signals to your AV receiver for the best surround sound experience; and, - Ultra-compact design to fit easily into a home entertainment center.
The core concept behind the Dyson vacuums are nothing new. In fact workshoppers have been using similar, but a whole lot more simple versions, to take some load off of their expensive dust collection units for years. Either you buy one, or you spend some quality time with some PVC pipes and make your own.
A cyclonic separator is used in workshops to keep larger cruft out of the dust collection system. The airflow inside a separator creates a vortex that flings heavier bits and particles to the periphery of the chamber, where they settle out the bottom, while relatively clean air escapes the vacuum port at the top. This makes for fewer filter changes and a more consistent pull from the vacuum.
Rocker sells an Oneida system that costs $99.99 that includes a bucket or you can opt for just the cyclone system for $59.99. Or, you can spend a lot less and make your own by following this Instructable. I’m actually going to make one of these this weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Graphene, as everyone knows, “is a one-atom-thick planar sheet of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice.” (Seriously, I didn’t just check Wikipedia for that.) Scientists have been using the material for lots of different applications for some time now. Recent work at IBM’s T. J. Watson Research Center has focused on using graphene as a photodetector, and it turns out that it does a pretty good job in that role.
Graphene is substantially faster than current semiconductors, which are made of a substance called III-V, which is comprised of gallium, phosphorous and other stuff. Not only is it faster, but graphene detects a larger spectrum of light, from the visible and the infrared. According to Technology Review, “That means that graphene photodetectors could work at extremely high frequencies, making them highly efficient at detecting light and transporting the resulting electrons to an external circuit.” Think flexible flat panel displays, thin solar panels, and the like.
Ultrafast photodetectors could find use in future optical communications networks with data rates beyond 40 gigabits per second; right now, optical networks have data rates of about 10 gigabits per second. The photodetectors could also be used in optical computers that compute with electrons but transfer data using light instead of sending it over heat-prone copper wires.
Thanks, Graphene-Info, your one-stop shop for all things Graphene! Bookmark it today!
Oh, newfangled world. You are so full of wonders. And people have so much free time to adorn you with useless but amazing things, like this Google map of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s escapades in “My Posse’s On Broadway.” In the end, he really only cruises down a couple streets then goes and eats (twice), but that’s not the point. Adam Cohn has recontextualized 80s hip hop into Web 2.0, which is a one-way ticket to either hell or heaven, I can’t decide which.
For those of you who don’t know the song:
It’s too bad that Taco Bell isn’t there any more, but we’ve got Taco Gringos and Rancho Bravo now, so no worries.
Just days ago, iPhone hacker extraordinaire geohot released blackra1n, a tool for jailbreaking the iPod Touches and iPhones (including the 3GS) running OS 3.1.2. Alas, it was only available for Windows users. Just two days later, geohot and the rest of the endlessly impressive iPhone hacking community have it all up and running on OS X. ![[Image credit: Louise Murray, Rex Features]](http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/bee-ready_1491380i1.jpg "bee-ready_1491380i")
At 31mm, the amplifier is a tiny bit thicker and weighs 0.73kg.It features 20W×4ch(4Ω) average power output and Dolby Digital DTS and AAC support. You can either hang the speakers up on a wall or use a stand that Victor JVC throws in.
The sound system will go on sale in Japan at the end of this month. No announcements for markets outside Japan were made, but Japanese buyers will have to pay $260 for the amplifier and $220 for the speaker set. The system will be available in black and white.
One other issue I had (and I understand I received a pre-production pair so this may not be an issue for you) was that the sheath for the jack kept coming off. Why it’s on there in the first place I don’t know, but it came off half the time when I disconnected the things. Otherwise the build quality is excellent. They’re 
Shure makes 
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