FROM GAMERTELL - If you want to sell your old and unwanted games and systems to Amazon.com and aren’t how to do it, don’t worry. Gamertell will guide you through the process in seven simple steps. MORE »
The SSD market so far has been close to non-existent in terms of recognizable hard drive manufacturers. It looks like that’s about to change, with Seagate finally entering the market. The company has an impressive first entry with its new Pulsar drives.
Seagate’s Pulsar drives are SSDs built for enterprise use. The big draw of the SSDs is the included supercapaciter. The supercapaciter will allow the drive to hold enough power to complete any write task needed in case of a power failure. Seagate’s single-layer-cell technology in the drives is supposed to increase the durability and reliability of the drives, compared to the SSDs currently in netbooks and laptops. The Pulsar drives are 2.5-inches, so expect to see them inside desktops or servers. They will come in storage sizes of 50, 100 and 200 GB.
Seagate entering into the SSD market is a very good sign. While OCZ, Intel and Kingston among others have been doing a good job with the market so far, with at least one major hard drive producer in the game, we can expect to see more penetration. Western Digital and others are expected to be entering the market soon as well. Hopefully this will lead to a decrease in price of SSDs as the companies compete. More computers using SSDs is definitely a good thing.
FROM APPLETELL - The Mac Mini is one of the best devices you can hook up to your TV, but it’s hard to control while sitting on your couch. So, let’s look at the GlideTV Navigator. MORE »
FROM GAMERTELL - Chinese DSis will come with 1,000 DSi Points to spend on DSiWare and a preinstalled copy of Nintendogs when they launch on December 15, 2009. MORE »
Google’s Chrome web browser made two big splashes today: a beta version of Chrome has been released for Mac and Linux computers, and an Extensions Gallery has been launched to distribute browser add-ons. Sadly, the extensions work only on the Windows and Linux editions of Chrome, but the gallery is stocked with new browser enhancements. Options for bookmark syncing across computers, integrated notifications for Google products, Twitter support, lyrics search, and much more are now available with the roughly 350 most popular add-ons.
As a long time Firefox user and a Google Chrome fan, I’m very excited to see the addition of extensions. My unwillingness to part with many of the Greasemonkey scripts and Firefox add-ons I’ve become accustom to is the only thing keeping me from using Chrome full-time, so it’s encouraging to see the progress. After just 5 minutes of browsing the gallery, I’ve already found a number of extensions that perform similar functions to my cherished Firefox add-ons.
Mac users will be unable to see the extensions at the moment; however they can finally get a firsthand look at Chrome built with them in mind. Take a look at this official video announcing the beta.
FROM GAMERTELL - Sony is going to release PS3 firmware 3.15 very soon. The optional update will include two new features, a data transfer utility that will allow you to move data from one PS3 to another and minis game compatibility. MORE »
For online orders only, AT&T is offering up to $400 via a AT&T Reward Visa Prepaid card on orders for a combination of services. The offer starts today and ends 12/31/09.
Here is the reward system:
$200 Reward Card for U-verse service (U200 or higher)
$350 Reward Card for U-verse plus Internet service (U200 and higheralong with High Speed Internet)
$400 Reward Card for U-verse plus Internet plus Voice (U200 and higher,High Speed Internet Pro or higher, and Unlimited Voice)
If you jump through these hoops, then AT&T will provide redemption details within 4 weeks of activiation. After redemption, the customer will recieve the cards in 4-6 weeks. It could well be March by the time many customers recieve the Visa card. The Visa cards expire in 90 days from issuance.
More card caveats
Customers should note the card cannot be used at automated gasoline pumps or for cash withdrawl. The cards cannot be used to purchase AT&T products or services in some states but even the terms and conditions don’t identify which states prevent purchases on this card for “regulated services”.
While the obstacles to clear seem many, it is clear AT&T best deals can be found online.
Fancy-man Sir Richard Branson unveiled what his rocketship will look like in the Mojave Dessert yesterday. Branson outlined an aggressive testing and launch plan that sees the rocket prototyped and rigorously tested next year and commercial trips beginning as soon as 2011. Each seat will cost $200,000.
Branson says each passenger will get to experience the thrill of space flight. This includes six minutes of weightlessness and enough altitude to see the curvature of the Earth. Branson and his family have committed to be among the first trip’s passengers.
Branson hopes to put thousands of passengers into space, mocking NASA for only getting 480 people in space for billions of dollars spent. Branson already has $480 million dollars from prospective customers waiting to ditch this rock.
The ship will reach altitude using a booster craft plus it’s own engines to get them the full 65 miles about the earth’s surface. It is estimated that the trip will last 2 and a half hours. Despite the complexity of a flight such as this, Branson says, ‘We’re literally hoping to send thousands of people into space over the next couple of years. We want to make sure that we build a spaceship that is 100- percent safe.’
Yesterday we learned how the CrunchPad was renamed the JooJoo and in turn given a rather large price tag. And aside from the blogoshpere poking fun at both the name and high price, there were many that still seemed curious as to how well the tablet would perform. Unfortunately not everyone has been able to get their hands on just yet. So far we know that pre-orders are set to begin this Friday, but still unclear is when these units will actually ship. That means for now we are going to have to rely on the web for information, and so far it looks like the first (only ?) to get a personal demo is CNET. Just what did they think?
Of course, to really even care what anyone thinks one will have to get past that $499 price tag, which personally is out of my ballpark. But that aside, in a good start, CNET noted that;
“The hardware is slim and pleasing to hold. The screen is gorgeous, and huge, and the plastic back is gently curved.”
But with that, it was also quickly pointed out that this is simply a tablet to browse the web with.
“Also missing: a user-accessible file system and printer drivers. This is one focused device. It browses the Web. That’s it.”
And despite the review having some good things to say about the JooJoo, once again, just like those other comments—it seems to have come down to price in the end.
“If you have money to burn, though, go for it. It’s pleasing to use and will be a great toy for your living room. At least until Apple figures out how to tackle this category. Like so many other tech gadgets out there, in other words, many people will really want a JooJoo. But I doubt they will pay for it.”
In the meantime, check out the hands-on video (below) and then click through the “Read” link to see the full review.
Anyone looking to check out a Barnes & Noble Nook in person may want to head on over to the Nook locator. Of course, I should point out that this locator is simply showing retail locations that have a Nook on display and is not showing which stores you can actually purchase the Nook at. The nice part here is that those still on the fence, or those that need to see and touch something before making a purchase can now do so. A quick search of my zip code shows that I only need to drive 10.78 miles to my nearest Barnes & Noble retail store. I think I may have to make a trip out, but at the same time it may be a waste if time because I am pretty certain I have decided to stick with the Kindle, after all I don’t want to give up the books I have purchased.
Looking to get something for free this holiday season? Isn’t everyone? Well if you were considering paying for extra storage for your Google account and also considering picking up a 4GB Eye-Fi Home card than you may be in luck.
Well, in luck if you want a free Eye-Fi that is. The offer is coming courtesy of the Picasa Team and appears to be simple enough. Purchase 200GB of Google storage and get the Eye-Fi card for free. The storage will set you back $50 (a year) and in return you will get the card which retails for $69.99 and also a free year of Web Share and Geotagging (a $24.98 value).
Anyway, if interested, hit the link below. And honestly, even if you were not looking for that extra storage, this may still be a nice way to save a few bucks on the purchase of an Eye-Fi card.
If your looking for a high quality laptop, that is really really thin and really light too, you have very limited choices. One could be the $1,400 MacBook Air and the other could be the Dell Adamo starting at $1,500. But if your like me, and don’t have $1,400 to spare on a laptop thats only appeal is how small it is, you’re gonna need to find another alternative.
Introducing the latest model in the Vostro series, the V13 is the latest ultraportable on the market to be released by Dell. The V13 comes in at a 0.65-inch thickness which is the same as the Adamo and less then the 0.76-inch thickness of the Air. Also, the V13 weighs about 3.5 pounds which is less than the Adamo’s 4.0 pounds but is slightly more than the MacBook Air’s 3.0 pounds. So right now, it seems pretty similar to the other two. But what sets it apart is its price. Coming in at $449, the V13 is less than a third of the price of both the MacBook Air and the Dell Adamo.
Even with the tiny size combined with the weight of a 3.5 pound feather, the V13 manages to still have room for eSATA, ethernet port, USB port, a card reader, and a VGA-output port. Though actual specs are yet to be released, Electronista predicts that the V13 will have an Intel CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) Celeron, Pentium or Core 2.
Things are just getting cheaper and cheaper, lets just hope quality stays with this one.
Today, Google extended Wave invites to everyone that applied for one. Along with that, they hit the 1,000,000 user milestone. This is great and all, but I’m sure that three-fourths of these users don’t exactly know what to use Wave for. I consider myself half and half on that aspect.
To me, Google Wave is like the iPhone, without any apps (or extensions in wave) there is really nothing special about it. And sadly, the amount of extensions right now is very minimal. In fact, the only ones I have used is the ability to embed YouTube videos into a wave, and play Sudoku with friends in a wave. Nothing too exciting.
But I have to say that I am starting to realize the capabilities of Wave. When me and my friend were posting YouTube videos of our favorite songs onto a wave, I began to think of an extension that pretty much was a music library where all the wave participants could add music to. Sadly, I am not fluent enough in PHP to make such an extension but I am positive that it can be done.
Another thing I have begun to truly feel the power of is the power to edit every post in a wave. At first, this may seem like a nuisance, friends editing your waves saying that you have a big nose or something. But once you get past the immaturity, it really is an amazing tool. Say I was writing a story with a friend; I could post my rough draft onto a wave and my friend would be able to read and edit it. I would be able to see what parts he edited and along with that, we would both be able to reply to certain parts of the post giving our opinions on certain parts.
Google Wave, if accepted by the developer community, will be a very powerful product. And hopefully, with this recent release of a basically public beta, we will start to see the full extent of Wave. Having meetings in waves, writing stories or blogs in waves, making power points in waves, creating a music collection with your friends in wave. The possibilities, like with the iPhone, are endless. I just hope that it becomes as big as the iPhone, if not bigger.
Today Boxee held an event where it made two big announcements: the Boxee Box and the beta of the software. We already knew that the event would feature these two announcements, but now we’re able to actually see them. The results look to be quite impressive, especially coming from an open-source platform that started about a year and a half ago.
The Boxee Box will be built by D-Link, and is set to be released in the second quarter of 2010. The box looks to have an HDMI output, 2 USB ports, SD card slot, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The Boxee Box certainly looks distinctive, and will definitely stand out among other boxes connected to your TV. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is a personal decision, though the box will have Boxee, which should make up for the appearance. The $200 price tag doesn’t hurt either, considering any PC bought to run Boxee will cost at least that.
With The Boxee Box announcement, also comes the announcement of the Boxee beta. The beta will make the software much easier to use for those who just want to start watching or listening right away, rather than having to wade through menus. The App Box will also be much improved, with users being able to sort through apps based on their popularity among other users. There’s also some improved back-end for Windows users. Boxee has switched from OpenGl to DirectX on Windows, which will allow the software to run much faster, and show 1080p content without stressing the CPU too much. The beta will officially launch on January 7 at CES.
FROM APPLETELL - Overall, I found this application to be somewhat lacking. Although it may be that I don’t really enjoy Lady Gaga or her music, there are other important reasons as well. MORE »
Fancy-man Sir Richard Branson unveiled what his rocketship will look like in the Mojave Dessert yesterday. Branson outlined an aggressive testing and launch plan that sees the rocket prototyped and rigorously tested next year and commercial trips beginning as soon as 2011. Each seat will cost $200,000.
Yesterday we learned how the 
Anyone looking to check out a Barnes & Noble Nook in person may want to head on over to the Nook locator. Of course, I should point out that this locator is simply showing retail locations that have a Nook on display and is not showing which stores you can actually purchase the Nook at. The nice part here is that those still on the fence, or those that need to see and touch something before making a purchase can now do so. A quick search of my zip code shows that I only need to drive 10.78 miles to my nearest Barnes & Noble retail store. I think I may have to make a trip out, but at the same time it may be a waste if time because I am pretty certain I have decided to stick with the Kindle, after all I don’t want to give up the books I have purchased.
Looking to get something for free this holiday season? Isn’t everyone? Well if you were considering paying for extra storage for your Google account and also considering picking up a 4GB Eye-Fi Home card than you may be in luck.
If your looking for a high quality laptop, that is really really thin and really light too, you have very limited choices. One could be the 
Today, Google extended Wave invites to everyone that applied for one. Along with that, they hit the 1,000,000 user milestone. This is great and all, but I’m sure that three-fourths of these users don’t exactly know what to use Wave for. I consider myself half and half on that aspect.
No comments:
Post a Comment