CrunchGear |
- Daily Crunch: Decent Edition
- Zeiss bringing cinema quality lenses to Nikon, Canon
- DIY: Radio controlled camera remote
- Best bang for your buck in 2TB drives?
- Descent coming to WiiWare – prepare barf bags
- Shrimp shells may be used to repair spinal injuries, glass can help rebuild bone
- Astro Gaming named official headset of MLG
- We’ve got a truckload of these Walkmans: Back when CE advertising was real, man
- Stargate Universe episode 113 Faith Trailer [update]
- Apple in talks with AMD? Set relationship status to “it’s complicated”
- RIAA, MPAA would like to scan your hard drive for infringing content
- Crytek ‘working closely’ with Microsoft, Sony re: motion controls
- iPad banned from several American universities over ’security’ concerns
- What’s better than an 3G iPad? Obviously a 4G iPad, says Sprint
- EasyBloom Plus allows nerds to garden like a pro
- Cadence launches the Wrist Rocket watch
- The top 10 DIY iPad projects
- Allegation: School district used laptop to take 400+ photos of student without permission
- Shock: Graphics being equal, Crysis 2 said to run better on PS3 than Xbox 360 (but best on PC)
- Zune HD hacked, entire hardware open to homebrew programmers
Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:00 AM PDT Video: Japanese company shows Super Mario Bros. on Kindle emulator |
Zeiss bringing cinema quality lenses to Nikon, Canon Posted: 16 Apr 2010 08:30 PM PDT No surprsise here, giving how popular DSLR video has become. Someone had to make some lenses to take full advantage of these new cameras, and Zeiss appears to be the first to step up to the plate. The lenses were announced this week in Vegas, with Zeiss stating that these are the first set of cine (lenses) to be compatible with HDSLR cameras. The new lenses are full frame, use F2.1, and promise to have no vignetting. Zeiss is considered to be one of the top of the line lens makers in the world, so it’s great that they are getting into this field. Part of the problem with video from an HDSLR has been the lenses that most people use. All is not perfect however, because Zeiss charges (and receives) a premium for their products. While no official prices have been announced yet, previously you could expect to pay about $21,000,000 for a complete set of lenses. Individually they sold for roughly $3000 each. [via Gizmag] |
DIY: Radio controlled camera remote Posted: 16 Apr 2010 06:00 PM PDT DIY sometimes requires a certain level of intestinal fortitude. This is one of those projects. This showed up on Make: Weekend Projects, and the gist of it is you’re going to be making a radio controlled camera remote. Now theoretically, this has an approximate range of two miles. Sounds great right? Well I hope you’ve got some serious mod-fu because in order to do this little DIY project, you’re going to need to take apart your camera and reprogram the micro-controller. Good luck! |
Best bang for your buck in 2TB drives? Posted: 16 Apr 2010 05:30 PM PDT I’ve been thinking about picking up a couple of big drives for my home server lately, so I was really excited today when I saw that this roundup of the major 2TB drives out there. Sure, everyone is excited about SSDs (myself included) but dollar for dollar, HDDs are still the way to go. Hot Hardware tested several different brands and models, and put them through the paces. I also like that while they acknowledge that SSD is out there, that technology isn’t in the same niche as mechanical drives. Rather then reinvent the wheel here, I’m just going to send you over to their site to check it out. |
Descent coming to WiiWare – prepare barf bags Posted: 16 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT
As of this moment, they’re just porting the first game, complete with new control scheme. According to Interplay CEO HervĂ© Caen:
I guarantee if this sells more than a few thousand copies, they’ll move on to Descent II and Descent 3, which is my favorite. I have it installed right now, in fact. There’s a revelatory feeling unique to Descent when you really get your bearings and think “wait, the objective should be up this hatch and behind me” and promptly do a loop-de-loop without losing your place or your lunch. Look for it later this year, around fall. |
Shrimp shells may be used to repair spinal injuries, glass can help rebuild bone Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:30 PM PDT A report released in the Journal of Experimental Biology today talked about how scientists have discovered a way to use chitosan to repair nerve damage. Keep in mind that chitosan is a material made from the shells of shrimp, and is not that far from the shells of insects. The issue with previous treatments has been the production of toxins which occurred as the material broke down. The researchers tested the new chitosan compound a guinea pig, and found that the membrane on the animal’s injured spinal cord actually healed after the treatment. Of course, chitosan is still in the testing phase, but it does sound promising. Along that same note, a completely different set of researchers discovered a way to use a glass matrix to help bone regenerate. The glass scaffolding is seeded into the injury area, which will then cause the bone tissue to grown. After a certain amount of time, the glass breaks down harmlessly in to the patients body, and is then absorbed or disposed of. This new technology shows great promise for the treatment of conditions like osteoporosis, and dental implants. |
Astro Gaming named official headset of MLG Posted: 16 Apr 2010 04:00 PM PDT ASTRO Gaming announced today that for the third year in a row, they have been selected as the official licensed headset for Major League Gaming. The MLG selected the A40 audio system this year, which is ASTRO’s top of the line unit with some very unique features. In addition the standard features found in a high end headset, the A40 as has a amplifier that allows the user to blend voice communication and game sounds. This helps to prevent distraction when you an in the middle of a frag fest. Retail on the A40 headset system is $249.95 From the press release:
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We’ve got a truckload of these Walkmans: Back when CE advertising was real, man Posted: 16 Apr 2010 03:39 PM PDT Remember back when consumer electronics weren’t sexy? It’s hard to imagine a world where the Sony Walkman was state-of-the-art and, at best, was popular with a small subset of the world’s population. Back in the old days electronics were expensive, even in a relative sense, and this video harkens back to those dark days when men with long hair and creepy voices hawked cheap electronics on TV. And think about it: as Retrothing points out, this guy services what he sells. Try dropping off your HTC Hero at Best Buy. They’ll probably detain you and search your wallet. While I don’t miss scamsters like Crazy Eddie, I do miss the days when every CE release didn’t have to be overhyped like a blockbuster movie. |
Stargate Universe episode 113 Faith Trailer [update] Posted: 16 Apr 2010 03:20 PM PDT Tonight’s Stargate Universe episode – Faith – seems like it might be a classic Stargate episode. The team finds a random Earth-like planet that’s seemingly normal. But there has to be something wrong with it. Either it’s all a dream some sort of simulation controlled by an aliening being. Either way, a redshirt crew member will probably die. All I know is hopefully it will be better than last weeks episode. Click through for a short clip from tonight’s episode. [Update] No no no no no! I had to pause my TiVo while watching the episode to update this post. I was seriously starting to dig SGU. In fact, I that to myself just a few minutes ago. Then T.J. revealed she was pregnant. NO! Babies ruin everything — especially sci-fi shows. |
Apple in talks with AMD? Set relationship status to “it’s complicated” Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:55 PM PDT
So what’s going on here? Is Apple jumping ship, or just teasing in order to get a rise out of Intel and NVIDIA? Maybe a little of both. Apple’s decision at the time was prescient; they liked what they saw on Intel’s roadmap, not what was available at that moment. It’s just possible that AMD is pitching Apple in a similar way, although sneak peeks of their 2010 technologies aren’t really that impressive. Their major innovations are being pushed back to 2011, it seems, and they’re relying on graphics integration and “total package” strategies to sell their way through 2010. But for a good friend like Apple, maybe they have something special. It’s not out of the question. Bobcat-based iPad? I’m thinking no, but it’s fun to play pretend. Furthermore, while Intel clearly has the lead in performance, the latest update by Apple suggests that raw power really isn’t the focus for its notebook line. After all, what use is a high-end processor if you don’t have graphics and RAM to match? Instead, they’ve opted for a full-system solution, something they laid the groundwork for in Snow Leopard. OpenCL and Grand Central Dispatch are in prime position to be deployed as serious OS tools, but we don’t see that happening with the latest MBPs. Could they be a smokescreen? To be honest, I doubt it: that’s far too conspiracy-theory to really put any thought into, but there is a grain of truth to it. If Apple doesn’t have at least a little secret plan, why aren’t they leveraging the OS tech they’ve worked so hard to create? Some are floating the idea of actually splitting the lineup: having AMD on the low end notebooks to save cost, and putting Intel in the high end, to capitalize on performance claims and big budgets. That’s a good strategy… for someone like Dell or HP. They’re all about choice, personalization, and budget. Like Lancelot (Percival?), Apple’s strength is in its purity, and although that’s been under attack recently with the fragmentation of the iPhone platform, I feel sure that Apple wants to keep its lineup as limited as possible. Claims of merit ring hollow when you extol both sides at once. Apple wants its judgment to be categorical: we use these processors, this screen, this material, and here is why. What’s left? Well, I think everyone’s first impression was right: Apple is flirting with AMD to make Intel and NVIDIA jealous. And when it meets with them next time, Apple will cite all the sweet nothings and sexy promises AMD made. After all, AMD does have a compelling platform and it suits Apple’s apparent new strategy quite well; even if AMD knows Apple is using them as a tool to inflame someone across the room, it’s a good chance to get a word in. And why, exactly, have I written 700 words about mere rumored meetings between a supplier and a buyer? Well, I think we all know that Apple is the Brangelina of the tech world (the Edward? I don’t know), but more importantly Apple is such a huge mover in the notebook sector that intrigues like this really do matter. It’s not just a question of gigahertz. This is the kind of industry gossip that can alter (however invisibly to the end user) the landscape of personal computing hardware. |
RIAA, MPAA would like to scan your hard drive for infringing content Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:30 PM PDT There really isn’t any particular point to the following story other than to get you riled up as your begin your weekend. The U.S. government is actively trying to figure out how best to handle intellectual property rights, so it has asked the concerned parties to submit all sorts of information in order to better understand what’s going no. The person in charge of this is the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, and what the RIAA and MPAA have submitted borders on the insane. Well, it would border on the insane if it weren’t totally their modus operandi. The most glaring “suggestion”? That computer users install software that would scan the contents of their hard drives, looking for examples of “infringement.” If the software discovers what it thinks it infringement, bam! Deleted! I’d be surprised if this were the year 2001, but after so many years of insane RIAA/MPAA stories it’s hard to be shocked anymore. The exact verbiage of the suggestion reads:
So, the same technology that protects you from Internet nonsense—”hey, knucklehead, that 1MB DVD rip of “Avatar” you’ve got there is a trojan, delete it—would instead be used to spy on you. A sort of, “Well, look at that, the new LCD Soundsystem album before its official release date? Where did you get that from? No worries, we’ll just delete it right now… OK, as you were.” That’s not a world I want to live in. Then again, this is a world where volcanoes are exploding left, right, and center; meteorites are falling from the sky; and Manchester City might actually get fourth place, so who knows what’s going on anymore. The funniest is that the RIAA/MPAA expects federal agencies, like the FBI, to keep an eye out for pirates on opening weekend. Yes, because our nation’s law enforcement officials have nothing better to do than make sure people aren’t recording Kick Ass for later CAM distribution… Again, it would be funny if weren’t utterly predictable. via Tom’s Guide |
Crytek ‘working closely’ with Microsoft, Sony re: motion controls Posted: 16 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Pretty sure Crytek, of Crysis fame, is usually associated with blazing fast graphics cards and extreme edition processors, so color me surprised to see it embracing Microsoft’s Project Natal and Sony’s Move. Surprised and disappointed, to be exact—I shan’t be participating in this motion control business, that’s for sure. Right, so Cevat Yerli, the Crytek CEO, said that they’re “working very closely with Sony and Microsoft in regards to motion control on both the PS3 and Xbox 360.” Want more info? Sorry, for “that's as much as NDA allows [Crytek] to say right now.” All of this hubbub stems from the recent registration of a name and logo in the UK for something called “Self Defense.” Word on the street, and I have no idea where this street can be found, is that “Self Defense” has to do with motion control. Mouse and keyboard till I die, etc. |
iPad banned from several American universities over ’security’ concerns Posted: 16 Apr 2010 01:40 PM PDT Three high-profile American universities, Cornell University, Princeton University, and George Washington University, have banned the iPad from their campuses. George Washington University and Princeton University call the device a “security risk,” while Cornell is concerned about students chewing through too much bandwidth. So much for the iPad being the darling of higher education. The story, first reported in the Wall Street Journal, notes that the iPad is incompatible with certain security features of Cornell’s and GWU’s wireless network, something that’s not the case when you’re dealing with “regular” laptops and netbooks running full operating systems in Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. It isn’t a case of these universities “hating” the iPad, or unfairly singling it out, it’s just that it’s not compatible. Please put down your pitchforks, Apple fans. All the schools are working on making sure the iPad works with their networks as soon as possible, maybe even in time for the beginning of the fall semester. These things—restructuring a large network—take quite a bit of time. It’s not the first time that Apple products have had a hard time on college campuses. When the iPhone was first released, in 2007, Duke University couldn’t accommodate the sudden rush of Wi-Fi devices trying to connect to its network. As our very own Scott Merrill, of the Ohio State University IT department, tells me, people have to understand that the IT departments in many of these schools are run on shoe-string budgets (or close to it). They buy equipment—Wi-Fi access points and the like—with a certain number of computers and devices in mind, and then Apple (or any other company for that matter) releases a terribly popular product. All of a sudden, students have multiple Wi-Fi devices on their person at all times, and it’s simply too much for the network to handle. A couple of years ago, how many Wi-Fi devices did you own? Maybe one laptop, right? Today you could be walking around with a netbook, iPhone, Zune HD, Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, you name it. So, give these schools a minute or two to figure things out. It’s not as easy as flipping a light switch. |
What’s better than an 3G iPad? Obviously a 4G iPad, says Sprint Posted: 16 Apr 2010 01:20 PM PDT
The case itself looks decent — it seems to be padded nylon and comes in a folio (envelope-style) or zippered sleeve style. The fun part is the little extra pocket: that’s where you put your Overdrive. That way you and a few friends who also thought 3G was weak can have a sexy iPad party at the park. Let’s be honest, you’re going to look like tools, but it’ll be worth it. [via 9to5Mac] |
EasyBloom Plus allows nerds to garden like a pro Posted: 16 Apr 2010 01:05 PM PDT
All cheek aside, I think the EasyBloom Plus would be a great option for parents to introduce the science of gardening to younger kids. No more guesswork about watering and sunlight, and the database of over 6,000 plants would help would-be gardeners pick the right plants before running off to Lowes to buy a flat of all-sun plants and putting them in an all-shade location. The EasyBloom Plus is $50 at Target and Home Depot. The fertilizer subscription service is $2 per month or $19 a year. Not a bad price for all the info it makes available to you. |
Cadence launches the Wrist Rocket watch Posted: 16 Apr 2010 12:30 PM PDT Cadence announced their Wrist Rocket watch today, you may remember we told you about their incredibly cool 4-Bit watch. Well, the Wrist Rocket isn’t quite as geeky, but it’s definitely unique and interesting looking. It’s a sports watch, but it’s a little larger then your average G-Shock or Ironman. The most interesting feature is the LCD display. Because it’s quite a large piece the display is curved, which makes the dot-matrix display look slightly fluid on your wrist. Retail on the Wrist Rocket is quite affordable $55, and it’s currently available through the Cadence website. I have one sitting on my desk right now, and to be honest the pictures don’t do it justice. Expect a review in the near future. From the press release:
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Posted: 16 Apr 2010 12:00 PM PDT So you have yourself a fancy new iPad, eh? Good for you. Now it’s time to deck it out with all sorts of cool but expensive add-ons. You could either drop some good coin on official iPad accessories or take the more frugal route and make some of your own. Urban camouflage iPad case |
Allegation: School district used laptop to take 400+ photos of student without permission Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:30 AM PDT Oh, this school district is totally boned. You’ll recall that the Lower Merion School District, in Pennsylvania, had given students MacBooks so they could do their schoolwork. Fun. What wasn’t fun, though, was that the school is alleged to have snapped photos of the students without their consent. The whole kerfluffle is wrangled in the legal system now, and one of the district’s employees who had access to the images called it a “little LMSD soap opera.” Replied another: “I know, I love it.” Oh boy, not good for the school district. A family claims that their child’s laptop took more than 400 photos of their son without him knowing. Four hundred photos! The school district cannot be like, “Oh, we didn’t know.” Eh, the rest of the story is boring legal stuff. Who cares. Not to get emotional, but can you imagine how you’d react if you find out that your school-issued laptop was taking photos of you without your knowledge? Or, for parents, that these laptops were taking photos of your kids? Pretty egregious. |
Shock: Graphics being equal, Crysis 2 said to run better on PS3 than Xbox 360 (but best on PC) Posted: 16 Apr 2010 11:00 AM PDT It was only a few days ago that Crytek and EA showed off Crysis 2 to the world’s gaming press—and CrunchGear. It looks crazy, yes, and that finely tuned opinion—”it looks crazy”—is based on the Xbox 360 version. But if we believe Crytek’s business development boss, then the game runs even better on the PS3 than it does the Xbox 360. The games may look identical, or extraordinarily close to it, but the Xbox 360 is being pushed far harder than the PS3. You probably already knew that, yes. The bossman, Carl Jones, told ComputerAndVideoGames.com:
Unless the PS3 version, I don’t know, also washes your laundry, I doubt you’re going to see a huge difference between the two console version of the games. Unlike Final Fantasy XIII, where the Xbox 360 version looks like a 2007 YouTube video compared to the PS3 version. Not that any of this matters, since we all know the PC version will be the best! There’s a reason I burned a hole in my bank account for the ATI Radeon 5970! Actually, there isn’t; I just wanted the damn thing for no particular reason. |
Zune HD hacked, entire hardware open to homebrew programmers Posted: 16 Apr 2010 10:35 AM PDT Potentially huge news for Zune HD owners—that means Devin and I. It has been hacked~! Yes, the good folks over at ZuneBoards have hacked the Zune HD to pieces, giving homebrew developers full access to the hardware, access that otherwise lay behind the XNA development kit. The Zune HD isn’t too shabby, so I fully expect to see ports of popular emulators like FCEUX in no time at all. Homebrew developers will be able to use the OpenZDK to create their wares. Seeing as though it just went live, there’s nothing available right now, but it’s only a matter of time till people start making fun little applications for Microsoft’s reasonably popular portable media player. Something I’d like to request: can someone hook up a FLAC player? It doesn’t even have to use the fancy Zune HD UI, just something to play these files I have here. If I’m not playing Super Mario Bros. on this thing before summertime I will be very disappointed. |
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