CrunchGear |  |
- Daily Crunch: Bunny Warez Edition
- Review: Apple MacBook
- Review: iFrogz Timbre earbuds w/mic and Luxe case for iPod touch
- New MacBook first look
- Microsoft giving away Windows Server 2008
- 2010 Microbotics Challenge: is your microbot ready for the two-millimeter dash?
- Bang & Olufsen takes VoIP into high style
- New unibody MacBook gets tore up
- Chart: How the Nook stacks up in the e-reader race
- Eee Keyboard gets touchscreen “updated” to resistive
- Review: Western Digital My Book Essential with SmartWare backup software
- Nook.com is live for your viewing pleasure
- Almost live from Barnes and Noble’s Nook event
- The “moki” 1st gen iPod shuffle case
- Video: The Rejected Windows Marketplace Apps (Humor)
- Study: Use of the Internet can help the elderly’s brain functionality
- Yamaha’s new wireless iPod Dock
- The $259, dual-screen Barnes & Noble Nook reader gets official
- Enhance your MP3s all you want with iDFX Audio Enhancer. They still suck.
- These “Crazy Earphones” sure deserve their name
| Daily Crunch: Bunny Warez Edition Posted: 21 Oct 2009 12:00 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 20 Oct 2009 07:27 PM PDT
For weeks – months even – analysts have been telling Apple to make a netbook for the masses, a $299 junker designed for those who surf the web on the couch, their Cheeto-stained hands scrabbling for the TiVo remote while they incessantly refresh Reddit and hope against hope that their Craigslist Missed Connection emails them back. The Air, they said, was too expensive, designed for the frou-frou quiche-eaters of Silicon (V)alley while the MacBook Pros were too overpowered for the likes of Flyover Sally and her sad-eyed brood of younglings. They needed to sell something to the masses, something solid, American, and corn-fed. Well, now Sally, the quiche-eaters, and the Cheeto dude – and the rest of us – have the new MacBook. It offers a bit less power and peformance than the Pro line, a little more of the styling of the Air line, and sells right at $999, a magic marketing number that is neither North of $1000 (before taxes) and South of corporate financial suicide. I recall in about 2003 when Wal-Mart first breached the thousand dollar mark in a laptop, a defining moment in the marketing of laptops. With the advent of cheap networks, that mark is now, in short, the high water one while sub-$500 is the norm. The breach of a $1000 meant that manufacturers had to cram cheaper hardware into cheaper cases in order to turn a profit. Apple never went that route and for good reason. By selling lots of cheap netbooks for no money, big manufacturers like HP and Dell could squeeze profit out of a tight market. Apple, on the other hand, squeeze profit out of a constellation of products, iPhone included, and they hope that the social, societal, and mental pressures to make the earbuds match the laptop are enough to make people switch. For the most part their plan is working. Designed for students and entry-level users, think of this model as the Mac Mini of laptops. The new design is quite smooth with rounded edges on the bottom – the old model was squared off – and an internal battery thart can hit about 7 hours on one charge. The ports were slightly changed in this model with two USB ports, a DisplayPort, and a combination headphone/line-in jack. The laptop also doesn’t have an IR sensor, presumably because you can now control iTunes with the iPhone or Touch. There is also no Firewire port. From an aesthetic standpoint, the battery/active light on the front which winks playfully through a slit in the metal in MacBook Pros looks like an accident on this model. Apple made it large and brooding rather than thin and charming and it seems like the materials limited their design choices. Geekbench maxed out at 3258 (the 2008 models hit about 3139) thanks to a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo CPU and 2GB of RAM. This is more than acceptable for most users considering a new MacBook Air clocks in at 2762. I’ll be running a formal battery rundown test tonight. The large, spacious trackpad is just like the MacBook Pro’s and seamless aspect of the build ensures there’s little to break in a backback or laptop bag. A few caveats: there is no external battery indicator and the bottom panel can be removed but the battery, technically, cannot be changed by mere mortals. Another caveat is that this thing will get dirty and scratched almost immediately. Polycarbonate is not related “carbonite” or “polyadamantium” – it’s related to plastic. As such, your beautiful white MacBook will soon be a beatiful gray MacBook if you’re not careful. Obviously you get Snow Leopard with this version and it comes with a power supply, longer power cable, and little else. For example, this model does not include the remote although included remotes seem to be extinct allowing Apple to charge $19 for the new remote. Bottom Line
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| Review: iFrogz Timbre earbuds w/mic and Luxe case for iPod touch Posted: 20 Oct 2009 06:40 PM PDT
Short Version: What we’ve got here is Timbre headphones w/mic:
Let’s start with the better of the two products, officially known as the EarPollution Timbre with Mic, first. As a non-audiophile (i.e. someone who can appreciate good sounding from bad, but not amazing from almost amazing), my review will be short and sweet. These “noise isolating” earbuds feature a “natural wood-chamber” design, supposedly to create better sound. In my brief test, I found the earbuds to be generally comfortable (once I swapped out the default rubber bits for one of the other sizes – 3 included). They produce relatively clear audio, albeit a bit on the “bright” side of things. I definitely didn’t notice any “richer” or “more vibrant” sounds due to the gimmicky wood “chambers,” but overall I think the headphones sound pretty good.
The real draw of the Timbre is the built-in microphone. Since iPhone OS 3.0 brought voice functionality to the iPod touch 2G, having headphones with a mic inline has become all that much more useful (they ship with the iPod touch 3G standard). Being able to record voice memos and make Skype calls over Wi-Fi has been incredibly helpful during my recent travels. That said, my brief testing has revealed the Timbre to be a capable set of mic-equipped earbuds. Generally speaking, there is not much extraneous feedback when using the mic, although figuring out exactly how to position it, and where, for the perfect voice pick-up was a minor challenge. Conclusion: The EarPollution Timbre with Mic will run you a moderately hefty $49.99. I’d recommend only splurging on the Timbre (or any other earbuds with a mic) if you plan on using the buds for both music and voice apps. If you just want a pair to use for Skype/VoIP, the $29.99 Apple buds with mic (or most other budget ‘phones w/mic) will certainly do the trick. iPod touch 2G & 3G Luxe case:
Ah, the Luxe case for iPod touch. Where do I start. The case is made out of molded plastic and “features” a under/over “button” design (see the “button” above). The actual feel of the case is kinda nice…its got a sort of grippy-yet-smooth thing going for it (much like my preferred case, the $5 less Griffin Wave). Also, the case features a faux suede-like “pad” on its inside, that sits between the back of the iPod and the case itself.
The real problems with this case are twofold: first, its enclosure method, i.e. the button-thing on the back, is very difficult to line up and snap into place (unlike the previously mentioned Wave, which has a similar design, but is much, much easier to put on and take off) making it one of those “once it’s on, it ain’t coming off” kinda deals. And second, It costs $29.99 when, at best, it should be around $20, or even less. In its defense, the Luxe does come with a free screen protector. Conclusion: Overall, I am not a fan of the Luxe. Something about it has been a turn off, right from the start. It feels OK in the hand, but its build quality is questionable and its poorly designed “enclosure” makes for a very disappointing experience. When combined with its unnecessarily steep price tag, the Luxe just falls short.
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| Posted: 20 Oct 2009 06:39 PM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft giving away Windows Server 2008 Posted: 20 Oct 2009 06:20 PM PDT
All you’ll need to do is provide some information that proves your status as a student, and you’ll be able to download an IMG file and install a full working version of Server 2008. Sounds like a pretty good deal. There’s a bunch of other software in the DreamSpark program, so if you’re a student it’s definitely worth your time to check it out. And don’t forget, you can still get a discount on a copy of Windows 7 when it comes out. [via DealNews]
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| 2010 Microbotics Challenge: is your microbot ready for the two-millimeter dash? Posted: 20 Oct 2009 06:00 PM PDT
The two-millimeter dash: self-explanatory. Microassembly: Inserting micro-pegs into micro-holes (this can be a team excercise). Freestyle: let your robot show off its abilities by performing any task you like. Robo-gong show. Sounds kind of awesome to me. It’s actually a slightly different version of the RoboCup and its fun little Nanosoccer setup. I’m looking forward to the results, although this is all just another step on the path toward a robot-dominated planet. That’s cool, I’m resigned to it. [via PhysOrg]
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| Bang & Olufsen takes VoIP into high style Posted: 20 Oct 2009 05:30 PM PDT
The new BeoCom 5 is a two-line cordless phone, with a cordless speakerphone, VoIP support and a built-in phonebook and graphic display. Honestly, it’s a really cool looking phone, but you probably can’t afford it. B&O hasn’t released any availability or pricing information as of yet, but you can pre-order it from your local store if you are so inclined. While you’re there, don’t forget to pick up a Nagel.
From the press release:
[via SlashGear]
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| New unibody MacBook gets tore up Posted: 20 Oct 2009 04:40 PM PDT
Hey, it’s not like I have a problem with it. And their teardowns do reveal interesting things occasionally. In this case, with the new unibody MacBooks, they’ve determined the wattage of the battery, the replaceability of the hard drive, and a number of other things. Check out the full teardown hereabouts. It’s still in progress, so check back again later. I’m guessing they’ll be looking at a new iMac as well.
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| Chart: How the Nook stacks up in the e-reader race Posted: 20 Oct 2009 04:18 PM PDT
So who will win the ereader race? While no one in particular has to “win” the race, it’s abundantly clear that Amazon has a head start. B&N was late with their readers, starting with a Kindle-like IREX and ending up with an odd duck that uses e-ink for text display but also adds a bit of UI richness with the color LCD. The specs promise an interesting experience and it’s especially nice to hear that the device will last for 10 days with wireless off, a bit longer than any of the Kindle family in practice although, in theory, any member can hit the 14 day mark. The real value in these bookstore-backed ereaders is discovery and shopping. Sony’s offerings, for example, lost quite a bit of ground even though they were first to market. A vibrant and wide-ranging bookstore is key to an ereaders success which is what makes the Nook quite interesting. Another interesting tidbit – the Nook, because it’s built on Android, should run Android apps natively, turning the Nook into more of a computing device than a standalone reader. No one has to lose in this race. However, when it comes to standards and potential sales Amazon may have to change its attiutude towards sharing in order to beat the Nook’s “lending” functionality which allows users to “give” their books to other Nook users outside of their immediate circle. I’m just glad to see a little competition. Amazon will be the better for it and B&N seems to know what people like.
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| Eee Keyboard gets touchscreen “updated” to resistive Posted: 20 Oct 2009 04:00 PM PDT
Watch the full video demo above, and see the madness that is the new design decision. Controlling a cursor on screen by using a stylus on a differently-shaped touchscreen… seems a bit of a terrible idea to me. [Via Netbook News]
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| Review: Western Digital My Book Essential with SmartWare backup software Posted: 20 Oct 2009 03:00 PM PDT
Short version: Western Digital’s refreshed My Book Essential external hard drive provides a simple, unobtrusive, and relatively inexpensive home backup solution. With an enormous 2TB capacity, built-in WD SmartWare software, 256-bit built-in encryption with password protection, an “illuminated capacity gauge,” and a MSRP of $249.99, there is very little not to like here. Longer version: As we, the computer-savvy netizens of the (physical) world, continue to amass more and more digital media and create endless bytes of data, storage has become increasingly important in our everyday lives. Along with the ability to save and backup all of one’s digital treasure trove, being able to secure all those 1s and 0s has also become more desirable. Thus, it came as no surprise when Western Digital recently overhauled its entire external drive lineup with password protection, encryption, and built-in backup software. Hardware: The My Book Essential is Western Digital’s “standard” PC desktop external hard drive (identical to the Mac version). Now available in 500GB, 640GB, 1TB, 1.5TB, and 2TB capacities, the new My Book Essential has undergone very slight physical updates. The drive is the same height as its predecessor (6.5″), but is down to 1.9″ wide (from 2.1″). The drive also has a new illuminated capacity gauge and an icon showing whether the drive has been locked (via password with encryption).
The faux book shape may not be for everyone, but it does hide rather nicely if you put actual books (remember them?) around the drive. Generally speaking, the drive is pretty quiet, although there is the usual buzz and hum during large backups. The My Book Essential connects via USB 2.0, has a physical on/off switch, a place for a real lock, and ships with a relatively compact power adapter. Security: As mentioned above, the new WD drives come standard with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. When I spoke to WD a few weeks back, they were pretty adamant about erring on the side of total security. Thus, WD never receives your drive’s password. In other words, you are the only person who knows the password. Should it be lost, the drive will remain locked or must be re-formatted to use again. I can live with that. WD SmartWare backup software: Finally, we get to WD’s new, integrated backup software solution, SmartWare. Standard across its entire line of external drives, SmartWare provides users with a very straight forward (if at times too simplified) way to automatically backup your files.
The first time you plug your new WD drive into your computer you will be prompted to install WD SmartWare. Once installed, SmartWare will scan your computer (defaults to drive C:) and present you with a graphical representation of all the various bits of data in 6 main categories: System, Pictures, Other, Music, Movies, and Documents.
You can either select all or pick and choose the particular types of files you want to be automatically backed up when your My Book Essential is plugged in. Then simply click ‘Run Backup’ and voila, your files will begin to copy automagically.
SmartWare will continuously update the graphical representation with the status of your backup. By default, the software is set to run as a low priority while your machine is in use and will speed up when the machine idles.
Once the backup is complete, the software will continue to run in the background, updating the drive as you add/change/delete files on your system. You can also eject the drive from the icon in the system tray when you have finished or if you don’t want to continue the backup at that time.
Finally, with the same ease that you can backup your files, SmartWare provides a dead simple retrieval function. All in all, SmartWare makes automatic backups simple and painless. I wish it offered more control over which files and folders you want to include/exclude from the backup, but in terms of a complete and idiotproof backup system, SmartWare does a respectable job. Conclusion: The WD My Book Essential is a good choice for a personal backup or plain ol’ external hard drive. The ability to protect your data with a password and 256-bit encryption is a welcome addition, and the integrated backup software, SmartWare, does a solid job of providing automatic backup. Oh, and a maximum capacity of 2 freaking terabytes of space with an illuminated capacity gauge…yeah, that doesn’t hurt either.
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| Nook.com is live for your viewing pleasure Posted: 20 Oct 2009 02:13 PM PDT
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| Almost live from Barnes and Noble’s Nook event Posted: 20 Oct 2009 02:06 PM PDT
Not that every media outlet on Planet Earth doesn’t already have all of the details, but Team CrunchGear (Jimin and I… we’re right up there with The Mega Powers) is here at Barnes and Noble’s big reveal here in New York. Technically, we’re at Pier 60 right along the Hudson River. Not that you care. Update: Hands-on pics added after the jump.
Seeing as though we’re not live, I thought I’d offer my take on what’s going on. Jimin is on pics, so full props to him for bringing a camera. First impressions… well, they’re playing what I can best describe as Chicago house music. And there’s all sorts of blue mood lighting. It’s a very festive atmosphere, and with good reason: e-books are the future, so they say, and if Barnes and Noble screws this up, and cedes any more ground to Amazon and its Kindle, well, yikes. Early indications, however, are that the Nook won’t stink on ice. Silly name, but what are you gonna do? The show was supposed to start at 4:15, but it’s now 4:20 and nothing has started. Annnnnd it has started at 4:23, with the Coldplay song "Life in Technicolor." I don’t get it ;-) OK, Barnes and Noble CEO Steve Riggio is on stage. Just thanking people for coming, talking about BN’s history, etc. Nothing too crazy. He notes that the book industry is still bigger than Hollywood, video games, music, you name it. Reading in between the lines: please stop saying books are dead. The president of barnesandnoble.com, William Lynch, is now on stage. Again, thanks everyone for being here, especially the book publishers. All the big names are in the house: Simon and Schuster, etc. He basically talked about the Web site’s effort to make it easy for people to find and buy e-books. Having bought several BN e-books, I can say it’s easy, sure, but not as easy as Amazon’s. In Amazon, the same search bar searches both dead tree books and e-books, while on BN you need to click the e-book tab or e-book drop-down to search for e-books. That is, you can’t, say, read the description and reviews of a dead tress book and then buy the e-book from the same page. He says consumers were looking for a "fun, easy to use" e-reader.
A video package plays, describing nook. (Note that the typeset for nook is all in lower case.) It touts the "crisp clear display." Lynch is now holding the nook, and everyone in the audience claps really loud. Like, it’s a really big ovation. And now the design guys are on stage. They highlight the color navigation panel that’s at the bottom of the reader. They talk about how easy it is to search and type with the virtual keyboard, noting that the color panel goes dark when you’re not using it. Rattling off specs: E-Ink, 16 shades of grayscale, PDF support, MP3, free 3G provided by AT&T (isn’t AT&T the one who’s complaining about their 3G network being overloaded as it is?), Wi-Fi, etc. By the way: there’s no Web browser, and you can’t buy the nook anywhere else but BN and its Web site. LendMe is what BN calls the ability to trade books with your friends, you can lend ‘em for up to two weeks. Malcom Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, read about two sentences of his book in stage. They emphasize that you can read your e-book not just on the nook, but on your iPhone or BlackBerry as well. In case "you’re stuck on a bus" they say. Fair enough. Lastly, they talk about all the accessories you can buy. William Lynch is back. Can I say that, so far, this has been an absolutely perfectly paced press conference. Nothing is dragging on, and yet all the bullet points have been hit. Well done, gents. On sale this holiday season, shipping at the end of November, at all BN stores, $259. But you knew that already ;-) Oh, Lynch reveals an in-store nook mock-up display. Looks sharp.
And that’s it. Lynch thanks his team for all their hard work, etc. They play one last video on the Titantron, then everybody leaves. That is all. And by the way, that’s as close as they let us to the device. There are no nooks here for us to play with. Sorry~!
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| The “moki” 1st gen iPod shuffle case Posted: 20 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT
Do you think this Spanish designer knows that Apple is a couple of generations past the original iPod shuffle? I had and returned that iPod shuffle model years ago. (for a Harmony remote, btw) No matter, the case is still kind of novel, if not somewhat impractical. I think the skin is kind of cute. Who knows if it will ever make it to production since that iPod is so old it’s somewhat rare even on eBay. But more power to Rodrigo Canedo of Canedo Studios. He doesn’t care if no one will ever buy his creation. Good design never expires – or some shit like that.
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| Video: The Rejected Windows Marketplace Apps (Humor) Posted: 20 Oct 2009 01:47 PM PDT  Today, Microsoft's Windows Mobile Dev team released a humorous video giving a sneak peek inside the Microsoft Apps Lab. Here, you get a behind-the-scenes look at a few of the apps Microsoft dreamed up for its new Windows Marketplace, but were forced to reject for various reasons ranging from stupidity to lawsuits to physical pain.
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| Study: Use of the Internet can help the elderly’s brain functionality Posted: 20 Oct 2009 01:00 PM PDT
Good news, everyone. All this Internet use may be slowing the onset of dementia. So says, sorta, a recent UCLA study that I’m sure every media outlet, including this one, has oversimplified. The study looked at a group of 55-78 year-old, half of whom never use the Internet, then told ‘em to go home and do a few Web searches. The findings, again, wildly oversimplified, suggest that the brain is able to adapt to this flood of new information (the stimuli, at least) and can then "alter the way the brain encodes new information." Very exciting, no? The study pretty much confirms that, you can, indeed, teach an old dog new tricks. (International readers: "Teach an old dog new tricks" is an idiom employed by lazy writers, such as myself, to illustrate the point that people can continue to learn new skills even in old age.) It may not be easy, but the study proves that, yeah, it can be done. What’s not explained, of course, is that prolonged exposure to Internet flame wars will no doubt drive you crazy. Spend two minutes on a site like Politico.com or any site Drudge links to and you’ll see groups of people yelling at each other for no particular reason. It’s quite fascinating, to be sure.
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| Yamaha’s new wireless iPod Dock Posted: 20 Oct 2009 12:30 PM PDT
You set up the dock unit wherever you like, and attach a small transmitter to your iPhone or iPod, and voila! You’re connected to those speakers like it’s nobody’s business! The big selling point behind yAired is that it uses Linear PCM encoding. So unlike Bluetooth, it doesn’t compress the audio stream before flying it through the air. So you get to hear your compressed MP3s uncompressed. Yay. The woofer is only rated to 60 Hz, so don’t expect a booming bass response. It supports all flavors of iPod (Phone, nano, classic, etc.). It’ll charge, playback, even let you control them with the included remote. My stereo system is centered around my computer, so listening from my iPod is something I only do on the subway. But if you really want one, you can pick it up at your local consumer electronics retailer in any of four fantastic colors for $299.95.
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| The $259, dual-screen Barnes & Noble Nook reader gets official Posted: 20 Oct 2009 12:09 PM PDT
No doubt the Nook takes the ebook reader up to a whole new level of cool, but it’s just too bad that the Barnes & Noble ebook store so far doesn’t live up to Amazon’s selection. There just doesn’t seem to be nearly as many obscure titles available. So if you’re thinking of investing $259 of your money into this new device, why not spend sometime in the B&N store to ensure it has the selection you need. Don’t worry, you have time. The Nook isn’t expected to ship until the end of November.
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| Enhance your MP3s all you want with iDFX Audio Enhancer. They still suck. Posted: 20 Oct 2009 12:00 PM PDT
iDFX Audio Enhancer is an add-on to iTunes that serves to, “re-encode your current MP3 and AAC files using a patent-pending method that repairs the damage and lost harmonics that occurred during the original encoding process”. Sounds like doublespeak to me for a $40 EQ and extrapolative guesswork. And the demo of iDFX sounds like just that. if you want good sounding audio, stop buying MP3s. And if you want smaller file sizes, start compressing with FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, or any number of lossless codecs.
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| These “Crazy Earphones” sure deserve their name Posted: 20 Oct 2009 11:43 AM PDT
Tokyo-based Solid Alliance is slowly but surely evolving into a serious competitor for Thanko in the wacky gadget department. So far, the company gave us a USB Ninja knife, a USB Terminator 4 skull and a spectacle-shaped USB stick. And now this: The aptly named “Crazy Earphones” [JP] (that’s their official name). You can choose between sushi, bananas, cat paws and – my personal favorite – bolts.
Solid Alliance plans to start selling the thing in Japan in December ($22 per pair), but people living outside this country can pre-order them at Geek Stuff 4 U. Via Akihabara News
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Well, they’re not just giving it away to everybody. Microsoft is giving away copies of the Server 2008 R2 standard edition as part of their DreamSpark program. DreamSpark is Microsoft’s initiative to give away some of their most powerful tools to students, allowing them to learn how to use the products for free (instead of just pirating a copy off the web).
Bang & Olufsen announced their new BeoCom 5 cordless phone today. I know, I know.. bear with me, it’s kinda cool. Despite the fact that many people don’t even use land lines any more, B&O knows their target audience, and apparently that audience still does.
We know the music industry is stuck in a tailspin. We’ve beaten that issue into the ground. But more alarming than the death of records labels, is the continuing degradation of musical mediums. We’ve left behind wax cylinders, records, and magnetic tape to embrace digital conversion, Compact Discs, and MP3s. Quality exchanged for convenience. If this trend continues, we’re going to get to the point where we can upload an entire compilation of all the music that has been made, that is being made, and will be made, directly into our brain stems, Matrix-style. But it’ll sound like crap.
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