CrunchGear

CrunchGear

Link to CrunchGear

Toshiba’s 64GB SDXC card to finally go on sale (in Japan)

Posted: 15 Apr 2010 05:21 AM PDT

Remember way back in August last year, when Toshiba announced the “world’s first 64GB SDXC card”? Well, actually Panasonic was faster (even though that company waited until January this year with its announcement), and it already has been selling their own 64GB card [JP] in Japan since February. But starting this Saturday, Japanese users can choose between that and the Toshiba card, as announced [JP] by Toshiba today.

While the Panasonic card currently sells for just around $500 [JP] in Japan, the Toshiba model will cost a whopping $700 (we have no information on a release outside this country). Toshiba claims their class 10 card has a top write speed of 35Mbps and a read speed of 60Mbps. Theoretically, you’ll be able to handle a 2.4GB video file in 70 seconds.

And that’s not all. While SDHC cards max out at 32GB, SDXC card can store as much as 2TB, meaning some company is sure to roll out even bigger SDXC cards soon.

Shrek 3D is coming to Blu-ray

Posted: 15 Apr 2010 05:21 AM PDT


Here we again. More remastered 3D content. Dreamworks is currently working on converting the first three Shrek films from 2D to 3D. How exciting. It’s just what we wanted.

Mr. Jeffrey Katzenberg does point out a valid fact to Hollywood Reporter, however, in that the Shrek films were a digital creation to start with so the converstion should be quality. But maybe he didn’t see Clash of the Titans because while that was also a mainly a 2D digital creation later converted to 3D, it still sucked ass in 3D.

It’s all about the bottom line and even if Katzenberg’s suggestions that it could cost $20m per conversion, the studio might be able to recoup that cost with a solid relaunch. Money is money.

Review: Koi Cheese Flavored Japanese Doritos

Posted: 15 Apr 2010 12:56 AM PDT


So J-List sent me a box of stuff including some (good God) onacups [NSFW]. While I’m debating whether to “review” those devices, I’d like to tell you about Japanese Doritos.

Basically these are heart-shaped Doritos. The weird thing is that they’re thicker than American Doritos and actually have an odd, sweet taste that is not unpleasant. Unlike the Japanese Kit-Kats J-List sent me, these things are actually edible.

The sad thing is they only come in small, $2.20 bags, enough for maybe two people to share and one American to hork down like a rabid wolfpig. In Japan the bag would be big enough for an entire grade school class.

Generally I’m OK with these and they’re worth sticking into your shopping cart if you’re shopping at J-List for Flip Holes and want to round out your order.

Product Page

Daily Crunch: The Swan Edition

Posted: 15 Apr 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Intel predicts Light Peak to replace USB 3.0

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 10:30 PM PDT

Intel pundit Kevin Kahn predicted that Light Peak may overtake USB 3.0 before it even starts. The 10Gbps standard is poised to become the mainstream technology as soon as 2011, beating the technology it’s intended to replace to the mainstream.

While Light Peak is currently considered to work with USB 3.0, the sure blazing speed could serve to make it become the standard before the older technology has a chance to take off. Mr. Kahn stated that Light Peak will become available to PC manufacturers later this year, and shipping in early 2011.

[via Electronista]

FreePlay ZipCharge wants to be your supercharger

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 10:00 PM PDT

FreePlay's ZipCharge claims to be the perfect device to grab and go when you need to charge your device. The gimmick is that you can quick charge your device and provide whatever you're charging with enough to run all day.


SteelSeries sneaks out the R.U.S.E. special edition mouse

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 09:30 PM PDT

SteelSeries seems to have worked out their new favorite niche recently, between their World of Warcraft, and StarCraft II themed products. Add another couple of products to that list, with the R.U.S.E mouse and the QcK gaming surface (don’t call it a mouse pad).

Both products are related to the new Ubisoft RTS game, and feature graphics inspired by the game. The mouse is a quite respectable laser mouse with their high end sensor system and specialized drivers that make it ideal for gamers. The mousepad “gaming surface” is a cloth based surface that’s been optimized and textured to provide the best smoothness and glide. Both products feature artwork from the game, but no word if you have to be connected to the internet to actually use them. MSRP for the mouse is $89.99, and the gaming surface is selling for $14.99.

From the press release:

CHICAGO – APRIL 14, 2010 – SteelSeries has teamed with game publisher Ubisoft to bring fans exclusive branded peripherals for the upcoming real-time strategy game R.U.S.E. Designed to give players a competitive advantage, the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition enhances performance with its superior technology and a preconfigured profile setting that optimizes game-play. The preloaded R.U.S.E. profile, created with input from Ubisoft, allows quick access to the R.U.S.E. and HQ Menus, and preset macro buttons can take the player from the bird’s eye view of the war to the heart of the battlefield in an instant. The SteelSeries QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) mousepad features graphics from the game and provides a smooth and consistent glide; combined they deliver a complete and immersive R.U.S.E. experience.

Currently in open beta, R.U.S.E. allows players to use strategy and bluffing tactics as the general of their nation’s army during World War II. The speed and range of movement required in the game, demands tools that can deliver superb levels of precision and accuracy. Ubisoft chose to partner with SteelSeries, because of the award-winning, innovative features and technology that the SteelSeries Xai offers to gamers.

In addition to the R.U.S.E. profile that comes pre-loaded on the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition, SteelSeries will offer pro-gamer recommended R.U.S.E. profiles for users to download once the game launches in June. These recommended profiles will be found on the SteelSeries web site.

Important features on the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition include:

– Ambidextrous shape with a 10.8 megapixels/second sensor processing 12,000 frames/second at 5,001 Counts Per Inch (CPI) with movement speeds of 150 inches/second
– Unique SteelSeries sensor innovations including SteelSeries ExactAim, SteelSeries ExactRate, SteelSeries ExactSens, SteelSeries FreeMove and automatic lift distance calibration deliver exceptional levels of personalization
– Up to 5 stored profiles including a preconfigured R.U.S.E. profile created with input from game publisher, Ubisoft
– 7 Programmable macro buttons with up to 200 strokes per button
– Full customization via LCD menu system on the back of the mouse stored by the hardware – eliminating the need for drivers and providing configuration capabilities on-the-go.

“R.U.S.E. is a strategy game that we believe players will experience differently than any other RTS game on the market. In a game where every detail matters, choosing a mouse that obeys both the eye and every sleight of hand is a good strategy. With excellent levels of precision and ergonomy, the SteelSeries Xai mouse could become your best ally,” said Mathieu Girard, Senior Producer at Ubisoft. “Not only is it fully branded R.U.S.E. on the outside but is programmed with a special player profile.”

“Industry awards, player feedback and tournament wins have shown us that the time we spent methodically perfecting the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse has paid off,” said Bruce Hawver, CEO of SteelSeries. “R.U.S.E. players will be easily impressed with the game’s unique game-play built around an incredible zooming engine, and with the technology we pack inside the SteelSeries Xai as well as the smooth glide and graphics of the QcK mousepad it all comes together to provide gamers with an outstanding RTS experience.”

The SteelSeries QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) gaming surface is made of high quality cloth material and an optimized textured surface that guarantees smoothness and glide. The non-slip rubber base prevents sliding, no matter what surface the mousepad is on. Official artwork from the game depicts an exciting battle between opposing forces using the element of deception.

The SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E Edition and QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) will retail for $89.99 USD and $14.99 USD online at SteelSeries.com

R.U.S.E. is scheduled for release on Windows PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system on June 8, 2010.

Optoma GameTime projectors now available

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 08:31 PM PDT

While we’ve come to know Optoma mainly for their pico projectors, they do make larger versions as well. Case in point, their latest product line, the GameTime series. Targeted at computer and console gamers, the GameTime line use DLP tech from Texas Instruments support resolutions specific to the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3.

There are three new models in the GameTime line, all under $1000. The GT360 is specifically for the Wii, and supports a native resolution of 800×600, and sells for $599. The GT700 supports 1280×800, but has a lower lumen rating then others (at 2,300), but retails for $749. The top end model is the GT720, running at 1280×800 and 720p, and retails for $799. All three models are currently available on the Optoma website.

[via SlashGear]

New HourTime podcast

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 07:00 PM PDT


We discuss Bell & Ross, Eterna’s sell out, and COSC certification. Hopefully our levels are spot on today.

Cannondale’s enclosed-chain ON Bike is now for sale

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 06:30 PM PDT


From the side it doesn’t look like anything but a rather attractive street bike, but then you notice it’s missing a piece of the frame back there. What the — and then you hit up the side view and WHAT THE — it’s only got tubing on one side of the wheels! Yes sir, it’s a one-sided bike, with a completely enclosed chain to boot.

I don’t follow high-end bikes at all, so I’m not sure if the ON Bike from Cannondale is unique, but it certainly is cool. I’d totally rock it if it didn’t look like kind of a stiff ride. I’m used to shocks. That is to say, my associates and I.

[via Uncrate, Mocoloco and The Awesomer]

CrunchRender: The Microsoft Method All-In-One

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 06:00 PM PDT

There’s a video up on YouTube right now, and while it’s probably completely fake, it pretends to be a possible product coming from Microsoft. The concept is interesting, but not really feasible (or at least not affordable).

The video comes from a California based design company, 13 Tech Design. As far as I can tell, they really don’t have any actual products, just renderings of possible products. Whatever the posibilities are of this being a real product, it’s an interesting concept using Microsoft Surface.

Leaked Gigabyte motherboard has seven PCI-E x16 slots

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 05:30 PM PDT


Are you the kind of person who likes to overclock like a madman? Maybe you’re the kind of person who needs room to tri-SLI your two-slot graphics cards? This is probably the mobo for you.

Yes, that is seven PCI-Express x16 slots in a row there, and it’s got the extra power to make your wildest multi-GPU fantasies come true. It’s an X58/LGA1336 board, obviously extended ATX, and… well, that’s all we know right now. It’ll probably cost a large amount of money.

I’m proud to say it’s the big brother of the LGA1156 UD4P I’m getting, also from Gigabyte. They know what they are about, my friends.

[via HardOCP]

Aftermarket upgrades for new MacBook Pros are ready for your orderizing

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT


If you’re getting one of the new MacBook Pros and don’t feel like paying the Apple tax on memory and storage, there are options for you. OWC has your upgrade options all laid out, although I imagine if you wrote down the specs you could probably save a few extra bucks by shopping around. Either way, it’s probably a good idea to be aware of the insides of your new laptop, so spring for a new HDD and break out the screwdrivers.

Intel busts out best first quarter figures since 1968

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 04:30 PM PDT


The recession is over! —for the semiconductor industry, at least. Intel has reported monster numbers for its first quarter, showing over $10bn in revenue, a huge jump over last year. Recovery of demand in places like China has driven the numbers, and Intel is happy as a clam — so much so that they’re going to be hiring a thousand or more workers. I’d also guess that the success of the Core i* line is really letting them rake it in.

While Intel’s main competitor, AMD, is excelling in the graphics card battle against NVIDIA, the Phenom series of processors isn’t quite as competitive against Intel’s Core series. Intel holds the “performance” card, which is useful if you like to charge lots of money.

The latest MacBook Pros also sport Core i5s and i7s, so that’s another strong and growing market for the popular CPUs. If you’re interested in more accounting, the Wall Street Journal has more numbers for you.

Open thread: WTF is going on with Lost

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 04:00 PM PDT


John and I are fed up with Lost. We don’t know what the hell is going on anymore. The show is supposed to be wrapping up soon, but each new epsisode presents more questions than it answers. We need some help. Here are our two biggest questions we’re hoping someone can answer.

1: Is island Desmond the same person as alternate-reality Desmond. Like are they of one mind and conscience?

2: What job are the Losties applicants for? It doesn’t make sense that it’s Jacob’s role because then Jacob would have had to know he was going to die in order to qualify and observe certain people their entire life. So what’s going on here?

We have so many other questions like who that boy with the stick is, how/why the island had the big gear underground, and how does Jack’s Dad tie into all of this, but it’s those two that are bothering us the most. Help?

Review: Acer Aspire 5538 laptop

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 03:30 PM PDT


Short version: if you don’t want to spend more than $600 and you must have a 15″ screen, the 5538 is a perfectly decent option, as long as you don’t mind netbook-like performance.

Features:

  • 1.2GHz Athlon X2 L310
  • Multi-touch trackpad
  • Radeon HD 4330
  • 15″ LED screen (1366×768)
  • 4GB DDR2 RAM
  • MSRP: $550

Pros:

  • Great price for a 15″ laptop
  • Comfortable keyboard
  • Plenty of ports; DVD/CD-writer

Cons:

  • Lacks power
  • Screen seems lackluster in brightness and color
  • Build quality is suspect

Full review:

The 5538 is one of the cheapest 15″ laptops on the market. The reason for this is basically that it puts everything into appearing to be a larger laptop than it actually is — which paradoxically allows it to be a little slimmer than those other laptops. Its low-power CPU puts it more in the nice netbook class than anything else, but 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD standard, to say nothing of the large screen and multi-touch trackpad, put it quite a distance ahead of the nicest 10″ models. And at $550-$600, you’re not paying much of a premium.

The look being pursued here is obviously the MacBook Pro: black chiclet keyboard, black bezel, faux-aluminum frame, even the signature screen hinge — and it doesn’t look bad at all. It’s a little more than an inch thick when closed, and is generally understated and practical in design. Looks are definitely not something you could complain about here. One thing that bothered me, however, was that the lid does not lock closed. I’d be concerned when traveling that it would constantly be opening slightly and closing, whacking the keyboard every time. Also, while it is certainly sturdy enough, it does feel quite plasticky.

The keyboard is comfortable to type on, though the inclusion of a full number pad pushes your home row pretty far to the left. Keys are well-sized and press easily, though there was something about the undersized arrow keys I didn’t like. The trackpad is extremely far to the left as well. How much these things (don’t) bother you is a matter of taste, really. I’m typing this review on it (on my lap, where it is balancing nicely) and having no trouble at all. It’s not a light computer, however, but if you’re looking at 15″ models you’re not going to find many that weigh in under 4 pounds.

I was excited to use a multi-touch trackpad on something other than my Mac, and although I was disappointed (as I always am with non-Apple trackpads), it’s not that bad. The scrolling is relatively responsive, thought still not so well-integrated with Windows as I’d like. Get on that, Microsoft! The trackpad tracked just fine, although I found that the bottom 10% of it was unresponsive to touch. Personally, I would ask for a replacement if I received a trackpad that didn’t work across its whole surface. The buttons (or two-ended single button, to be precise) are all right, but there is a pretty big unclickable zone in the middle, meaning you have to hit the left mouse button pretty far over — and remember, it’s already 2/3rds of the way to the left side of the laptop, so for right-handers it’s kind of a reach.

The laptop’s main attraction is its screen, which is decent but not worth shouting about. It’s big enough and high-res enough to watch 720p content if the processor can handle it (depends on codec, bitrate, and player), but brightness and color are only so-so. You can always bump saturation in the settings, though. It’s plenty sharp, however, and the viewing angle is good — the sweet spot is pretty large. For watching DVDs and web video, this would be an perfectly good machine.

Don’t be put off by the processor’s low Hz count — remember that the M11x, ostensibly a gaming machine, was only 100Hz faster than the 5538’s 1.2GHz Athlon, though it was seriously overclocked. The Athlon X2 in this thing does a perfectly good job of running Windows 7, although if I’m honest, with anything at this power level, I’d rather have it running XP really well than Windows 7 passably. The graphics card is nothing to write home about, but should be sufficient for some light gaming; WoW comes to mind, it should be perfectly playable along with games of about that level of fidelity. The “Vision” category the 5538 falls into is “Premium,” which means it’s got hardware transcoding ability. Handy, but I wouldn’t want to work in high-def video with a low-voltage CPU.

The big screen and discrete graphics card do tug at the battery somewhat, though: I got a maximum of about 3 hours. More than enough to watch a Hulu episode in bed or get a little light blogging done at the cafe, but long battery life is not one of the aspects it shares with netbooks.

Conclusion

If you know what you’re getting into, the Aspire 5538 can be a great deal. You can’t expect a lot of power or really any standout features, but if there’s a need for a medium-sized screen somewhere for watching videos or browsing the web, this is a great machine. The touch scrolling is handy, the keyboard is nice, and the screen is sharp, so reading and writing on the 5538 is a joy. Just know that you will bump up against the limits of the CPU and battery without trying. Still, for around $550 it’s a solid deal.

Sleek Audio shows off their SA7 in-ear monitors

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 03:00 PM PDT

Don’t call them earbuds, at this price point they are considered to be in-ear monitors. The SA7 are the latest from Sleek Audio, and replace the previous model, the SA6 that Devin reviewed previously.

These look nothing like the SA6 though, and are a significant step up. Each side of the SA7 is constructed from a block of aluminum, which is then wrapped with a carbon fiber shell using titanium screws. Inside this high tech exterior are “dual balanced armature transducers” surrounded by silicone. The SA7 also has a built in controller with skip buttons and other controllers. No official word on the price, but it’s probably safe to assume they will be significantly more expensive then the SA6’s $250. Say in the $350 to $400 range. Expect them to be available soon, as they just showed up in Popular Science.

Identify this thing, win a netbook

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 02:30 PM PDT


Remember that desktop scanning electron microscope we saw some time back? They had a contest shortly after where you had to identify a sample in order to win a gift certificate. Well, they’re doing it again, but this time the prize is a netbook! Not sure what kind. But hey, free netbook, right?

All you’ve got to do is go to Aspex’s site and comment what you think the picture above (and further pictures there) are images of. Remember, this thing gets so up close that it can see the five-o-clock shadow on a teenage amoeba.

Last time, a huge amount of you seemed to think you had to comment here in order to win. That is not the case. Feel free to put your guesses here, but only comments at the contest site will count as entries!

My guess? I think it’s the netbook they’re giving away. Wouldn’t that be tricky!

Ancient art of origami applied to complex fabrication techniques

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT


I think by now we’re all fairly familiar with Shapeways and their 3D printing system. Incidentally, you can now select glass for some 3D models at Shapeways, which is pretty cool. But the additive printing process employed by Shapeways and similar outfits (fabrication, rapid prototyping, etc) has some inherent limitations in the designs that can be printed. Researches at the University of Illinois have announced some advances in this field using folding techniques similar to origami!

The marriage of printing and origami techniques allows for greater structural complexity – such as the crane’s overhanging wings, a feature not producible by direct printing methods alone. In addition, Lewis’ team can print sheets with a variety of patterns, adding yet another level of architectural detail.

Via EurekAlert.

Government Accountability Office: Don’t believe piracy studies because they’re wicked flawed

Posted: 14 Apr 2010 01:00 PM PDT

You know how you read stories that say the U.S. loses X-amount of jobs per year due to piracy, or that this or that industry loses zillions of dollars per year because of piracy? The Government Accountability Office just released a new report [PDF alert!] that says that all of those reports are flawed and are completely worthless. In other words, the next time you hear the MPAA say "Downloading that DVD rip will ruin the movie industry" you can safely say, "Really? Where’s the proof?"

There’s a few things going on here. The MPAA and the like are quick to point to studies that show, for example, that the U.S. looses $200 billion per year because of piracy. That’s an old FBI study, but one that apparently nobody in the FBI can find any actual information about. Imagine writing a book report on a book that doesn’t exist—that’s sorta what Hollywood does when it cites said FBI study.

Another common flaw among these studies: they automatically assume that one download is equivalent to one lost sale. Just because some kid downloaded a Jay-Z album doesn’t mean he was ever going to buy that album in the first place. All that assumption does is heavily inflate the numbers, tilting them to the industry’s favor.

Just something to keep an eye out for.


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)