CrunchGear |  |
- The Cinco Face Time Party Snoozer
- Oots oots oots! Rock the iPad Dev Camp with your iPad DJ mixer!
- Video: NewSight shows world’s largest glasses-free 3D display
- 40/40: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker gets perfect Famitsu rating
- New Plantronics Explorer 395 bluetooth headset cheap, cheerful
- HP launches updated business, new consumer desktop systems
- “Universal Packaging System” concept misses the point
- Sprout watch: eco-friendly but probably won’t win any beauty contests
- Steam UI update hits on Monday
- OCZ now offering 4GB DDR3 DIMMs
- Review and giveaway: Lomo Diana F+ film camera with Instant Back
- Free Sirius XM for a month? Sure, why not!
- Remember when you just held your thumb over the end of the hose?
- Oh no they didn’t: jumping added to Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
- Nintendo blames piracy for 50% drop in EU sales
- Video: The world’s biggest yacht sets sail. It has lasers.
- Apple sold 8.75 million iPhones last quarter, 51.15 million since launch
- New Lenovo L-series laptops look… practical
- Maingear updates the eX-L gaming notebook with new Core i5 & i7 CPUs and ATI Radeon HD 5870
- Viewsonic introduces 3D-capable short-throw PJD5352 projector
| The Cinco Face Time Party Snoozer Posted: 21 Apr 2010 05:05 AM PDT I could have used this a few weeks ago.
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| Oots oots oots! Rock the iPad Dev Camp with your iPad DJ mixer! Posted: 21 Apr 2010 04:52 AM PDT Scoble interviews Rana Sobhany on her iPad DJ mixing set-up. It’s actually quite cool, but Scoble prepping himself to take on some Dubstep is a bit comical to imagine. I’m sure, however, he’s a very capable House dancer. All of her explaining, however, really takes the magic out of all of this. I’d rather maybe, you know, hear some louder music.
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| Video: NewSight shows world’s largest glasses-free 3D display Posted: 21 Apr 2010 04:21 AM PDT
3D seems to be all the rage in the electronics industry at the moment, and not just among the bigger players. Now display specialist NewSight has developed what it claims is the world’s largest autostereoscopic 3D display, showcased recently during an industry expo in Japan (where the company itself is based out of). The MV70-AD is 70 inches in size and doesn’t require users to wear glasses to view 3D images (it’s parallax-barrier based). The NewSight representative you see in the video below doesn’t give us too many details, but he says it took them two years to develop the screen, which is technically based on a conventional 2D panel. We last reported about NewSight in late 2008, when the company presented the world’s 1st 3D LED 180-inch screen. And just like that device, NewSight expects demand for their new 3D display to mainly come from advertisers. Here’s a video showing the screen in action (courtesy of DigInfo News in Tokyo):
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| 40/40: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker gets perfect Famitsu rating Posted: 21 Apr 2010 03:43 AM PDT
I was able to play Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, the new MGS title for Sony’s PSP, at last year’s Tokyo Game Show (where the game was playable for the first time). I thought it was pretty good back then, and now the Famitsu, Japan’s (and probably the world’s) best selling video game magazine reviewed the title and gave it a perfect total score of 40. That 40/40 score means that four Famitsu editors rated Peace Walker with 10/10, the first time for a PSP title ever. Maker Konami plans to ship the game in the US on June 8 (see cover art above) and in Europe on June. The Japanese version will be released as early as April 29. The last game getting this score was New Super Mario Bros. back in November 2009. For some reason, the number of perfect scores awarded by Famitsu has accelerated in the past years. Here is a time line for all of Famitsu's 40/40-games so far: 1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, for Nintendo 64)
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| New Plantronics Explorer 395 bluetooth headset cheap, cheerful Posted: 20 Apr 2010 10:00 PM PDT
Despite the fact that this is a less expensive model for Plantronics, they still included some premium features. You’ll still get DSP (for reduced wind noise) and Plantronics classic design. MRSP is $49.95, and the Explorer 395 is currently available from the Plantronics website or from Best Buy until June. After that you’ll be able to pick it up at Amazon, or at Wal-Mart or Apple stores. From the press release:
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| HP launches updated business, new consumer desktop systems Posted: 20 Apr 2010 09:01 PM PDT HP announced their latest desktop systems today, including a new consumer level all-in-one system, and a new business desktop. They also released the latest specs on their TouchSmart line, which will now be available with the Intel Core i3 and i5 CPUs. All of HP’s new systems are made without BFR/PVC products in the plastic, and the All-in-One is the first desktop to be made this way.
HP also updated the TouchSmart line. It’s now available with either a Core i3 or Core i5 processor, 4GB of ram, and a 1TB hard drive. It still features that custom touch screen interface, but the new CPU should eliminate the lag that we saw before. HP also worked with Dr. Dre to improve the sound quality by adding Beats Audio to the TouchSmart 600. HP brought in Corel to create a new touch screen specific version of Paint It Studio for graphic editing. The TouchSmart 300 is currently available on HP’s website for $799, the TouchSmart 600 (with the Core i3 and i5 processors and the Beats Audio) will be available on April 28th with an MSRP starting at $1099.
Finally, HP announced the Compaq 6005 Pro series, their latest business desktop machine. The new line features AMD processors, ATI Radeon 4200 graphics, and is customizable based on customer need. The 6005 machines also use a highly efficient power supply, and are produced without the use of BFR or PVC chemicals. The Compaq 6005 Pro Ultra Slim starts at $599, and should be available on April 26th from HP.
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| “Universal Packaging System” concept misses the point Posted: 20 Apr 2010 07:30 PM PDT
Items are placed in boxes for a reason. The extra space can be filled with packing material to cushion your item from shock, and boxes are square and uniform in size so they are easy to load into a vehicle. Patrick designed a flat sheet packaging system that uses pre-perforated pattern to allow you to wrap the item like a blanket, and then take the sheet closed. I like the idea that the packaging is more recyclable then using standard foam packing peanuts, I just don’t think this is something that will really catch on as a packing method. Neat idea though. [via Yanko Design]
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| Sprout watch: eco-friendly but probably won’t win any beauty contests Posted: 20 Apr 2010 06:00 PM PDT
No, it’s kind of an ugly watch, I’m afraid — those wacky numerals and the bamboo next to the plastic really are kind of jarring. But in addition to the bamboo face, it’s got a corn resin case and bezel, an organic cotton strap, a mercury free battery, and a few other small concessions to Mother Earth. They claim 86% eco-friendly. Nice, but I’d rather step in front of a harpoon than strap this thing to my wrist. Talk to the designers again and get back to us, Armitron, you’re on the right track. [via Gizmag]
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| Steam UI update hits on Monday Posted: 20 Apr 2010 05:30 PM PDT
Valve has been busy lately, what with Steam on the Mac, Portal 2, and now this. If you can’t wait until Monday, you can download the beta now, it’s probably safe to assume it’s pretty close to the release version at this point. You can check out the details along with all the information on the new features here. [via HardOCP]
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| OCZ now offering 4GB DDR3 DIMMs Posted: 20 Apr 2010 05:00 PM PDT
Generally the rule is to have several smaller DIMMs rather than one or two big ones. High density modules have a higher risk of errors and are slower in general, having longer latencies and forcing more data through the same interface. Big DIMMs are the leading cause of RAM bottlenecks. Or not, I don’t know. The new modules are 1333Hz but also have 9-9-9-20 timings, which is a bit slow. If you’re a RAM freak, these 4GB modules will be available soon, although no pricing information is available right now. As Tech Report points out, 2×2GB kits cost a little under $120 right now, so you’ll probably see it debut at somewhat more than that, though probably below $150.
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| Review and giveaway: Lomo Diana F+ film camera with Instant Back Posted: 20 Apr 2010 04:30 PM PDT
Lomo wants to give one away, too — details below.
Pros:
Cons:
Full review: I wrote last month that “The Polaroid saga is a long and strange one. And the last couple years have been especially strange. Bankrupt, reanimated, relaunched, sold out, bought up… I wouldn’t be surprised if Polaroid showed up on Dancing With The Stars.” All this drama is fun enough for a gadget reviewer who writes this stuff up, but what if you’re someone who legitimately just wants a fun instant camera to have at parties or out with friends? One can’t count on Polaroid any more, and although digital is great, it’s obviously not the same. I put myself in these shoes for a bit and, after noting that Lomography’s LC-A+ was getting an instant back, I contacted them about reviewing a camera somebody like you or me might want to pick up for plain instant film fun. They directed me to the Diana F+.
The Diana F+ is a remake of the classic Diana from the 60s, “updated” with rather cheap plastic construction but all in all a faithful reproduction of the famous manual camera. It should be said right away that this camera really does feel like a toy. And not a nice toy. It’s light as a feather and almost entirely plastic. It’s sturdy enough, but I wouldn’t trust it after a few drops. You just have to get past that, though — remember how rubbish film point-and-shoots used to be? This is no worse. The point of the Diana F+, however, isn’t to be a luxury item. At $90 it’s practically an impulse buy. Its charm is in the throwback factor: it shoots to a number of films (depending on whether you accessorize with different backs) but out of the box it shoots to 120. I’m not reviewing that portion of it, however. My thoughts on the camera’s functions and such apply just as much to using it without the instant back, but of course you have to go through the whole development process and all that. So let’s move on. The camera is fully manual, and in a way that makes you feel kind of goofy. It’s all so inexact and unpredictable that as denizens of a pixel-perfect digital age, most of our readers will find it extremely foreign if they have no experience with older film cameras. I happen to have grown up shooting black and white on a Canon SLR, but even that didn’t prepare me for the truly lo-fi process going on here.
Because it’s a rangefinder camera, focus is kind of a guessing game. There are three settings: 1-2m, 2-4m, and 4-∞m. Those of us used to imperial units may have some trouble, but after a roll or two it’ll seem second nature. The focus is pretty forgiving, and at any rate the inexact nature of shooting a camera like this makes it seem less important. Exposure is a little more important to think about, and it too has only a few settings, labeled only as suggestions: cloudy, partly cloudy, sunny, and pinhole. Again, picking the right one becomes second nature after a while, though you’ll have to be satisfied with some less-than-optimal shots before you get it right. Lastly, shutter speed is limited to two options: auto and manual. Auto is about a 60th of a second, suitable for slow-moving subjects, but it’s more just to have a known quantity to expose with. Otherwise you have to time it with your brain using the manual, or bulb, shutter mode, which simply exposes for as long as you hold down the switch. I got some great shots using this and the flash, but it’s not for everyone, and a knowledge of exposure values and such helps. Manual advance and exposure means you can do multiple exposures on the same piece of film. My experiments in this area were largely unsuccessful, mainly because i ran out of film, but you might have better luck. As I’ve noted, experimentation and unpredictable results are what make this camera a different kind of fun than a digital. There’s a removable flash with a great retro look for dark shots. It’s extremely bright, so you might consider putting a napkin or two in front of it, but once you get an idea of its power, you won’t overexpose too much.
The instant back is what makes this camera a worthy buy for fun-loving photogs with a little scratch to spare. It costs as much as the camera ($95) but if you buy them together you’ll save a little money. Installation is a snap — though the camera looks rather misshapen once you put it together. The back also throws off the balance, so you’ll need to consider that if you’re interested in pinhole exposures. It shoots Fujifilm’s Instax format, which costs about $12-$14 for a pack of two cartridges, each with 10 exposures each. That works out to about 65¢ per shot. Expensive to be sure, but remember that includes processing and printing. And of course, we all know the value of the instant photographic memento. It’s the reason I’m doing this review. Instax film is significantly smaller than Polaroids. Each shot is almost exactly the size of a credit card. Some people I talked to liked the little shots, some preferred Polaroid’s big ones. I prefer the big ones, sure, but the little guys are charming too, and Polaroid cartridges are scarce and expensive right now so the point is almost moot. There is some exposure difference between the 120 and Instax film (you have to set the camera to overexpose, essentially) but it didn’t seem to affect many of my little compositions. You can see some of them in the gallery below.    Those were with my first packet of film. I was already getting the hang of things, but framing is difficult as there are no frame guides. You get a feel for it, though. Taking the Lomo out to a birthday party at a local bar, I found myself besieged with questions. Everybody thought the little Diana F+ was adorable, and everybody fell in love with the little instant shots. Most also expressed disapproval at the build quality, but were pleasantly surprised by the price. If you’re a social photographer, this thing comes highly recommended. There are a number of other lenses and film backs you can apply to the Diana, but I didn’t get a chance to try any out. Just keep in mind that you’re not limited to the focal length it comes with, if you’re interested in spending a little more. Conclusion… and Contest! Obviously it’s a matter of taste whether or not a “novelty” camera like this is worth the $164 it will set you back. Personally, I think it’s a bargain. Instax film isn’t going anywhere, and 120 has been around for a century. It’s fun to shoot and the results are charming, though usually not what you expected. Fuji has its own Instax cameras out there, but they’re not nearly as fun and cost just as much. If photography is a hobby of yours and you miss the old days of film and instant, the Diana F+ is a great way to get back to them without much of a commitment. Now, the contest! It’s pretty simple, really. Lomography wants to give away a Diana F+. All you have to do is send an email to crunchgear at lomography dot com saying you want it. The catch? You’re going on their mailing list for sales and new products. Of course you can opt out via the normal means later, but you will be giving them your email address. We’ll pick a winner randomly on Friday, so get in there. Product page: Lomography Diana F+
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| Free Sirius XM for a month? Sure, why not! Posted: 20 Apr 2010 04:00 PM PDT
Free Sirius XM for a month, amigos! That is to say, free Opie & Anthony and Ron & Fez for 30 days. It’s the company’s latest promotional tactic to get you to pony up the $15 or whatever a month for the service. A test drive, if you will. Once you sign up for the free trial, Sirius XM sends you a radio and car kit, so you can listen to East Side Dave talk about the Smoke Zone, Opie tell Ashley Dupree to take a hike, and Fez have heat attacks every day. It’s top-notch radio, and I listen all day long. I’d have joined the circus long ago if it weren’t for those guys. But if you’re only interested in the free month, be sure to cancel before the 30 days are up, lest you find a nice little bill on your credit card statement.
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| Remember when you just held your thumb over the end of the hose? Posted: 20 Apr 2010 03:30 PM PDT
[via 7Gadgets]
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| Oh no they didn’t: jumping added to Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 Posted: 20 Apr 2010 03:00 PM PDT Not too long ago I wrote that it was distressing how the “de-makes” of games are often funner than the games themselves. Bionic Commando, Mega Man, and Dark Void all seemed to be funner in their old-school side-scrolling homage forms than in the “real game” for current gen consoles. The team behind Bionic Commando: Rearmed just released an announcement trailer for their new game and… well, we’ll see. There’s a reason they didn’t have jump in the original.
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| Nintendo blames piracy for 50% drop in EU sales Posted: 20 Apr 2010 02:30 PM PDT
Nintendo stated that they monitored 10 sites where users can download the files necessary to play their games, and tracked a total of 11 billion dollars worth of lost sales. The piracy epidemic is also spreading to the US and Japan, albeit slower then in Europe. Sales in the US have dropped 11 percent, but that could be blamed on the economy rather then piracy. Nintendo has stated that the release of the new 3DS will make it even more difficult for people pirating their games, but as we all know it’ll be just a matter of time. [via 1Up]
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| Video: The world’s biggest yacht sets sail. It has lasers. Posted: 20 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT When you math types go to school and get your engineering degree, do you ever dream of working on something like the Eclipse? It’s the $1.2 billion yacht owned by Roman Abramovich (who also owns Chelsea FC), and it’s the biggest yacht ever to sail the open seas. It has lasers, people! The lasers are part of an anti-paparazzi system—clearly Abramovich values his privacy. When the system detects the electronic sensors used in cameras, it shoots out a laser beam toward the camera, rendering it useless. I have no idea, but would such a laser work against film cameras? Because I have an old Minolta and a bunch of film if someone would like to send me on a spying mission. "Look, Roman is playing Super Mario Galaxy on his crazy yacht!" I guess when you have that kind of money you have to spend it on outrageous trinkets.
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| Apple sold 8.75 million iPhones last quarter, 51.15 million since launch Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:43 PM PDT
Aaaand the iPhone continues to print money. Fresh out of their earnings report, Apple has just announced that they managed to push roughly 8.75 million iPhones out the door in the second fiscal quarter of 2010 (January to March). Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>
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| New Lenovo L-series laptops look… practical Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:15 PM PDT
Same for a PC laptop. These Lenovos, starting at only $649 for a 14-incher, seem very well-equipped and ready for anything. Biometric password, trackpoint nubbin (many seem to love these), multi-touch trackpad and plenty of buttons, LED-backlit screens… it’s pretty much got the whole package, though I suspect you’ll be paying a bit more for the Core i5 option and extra RAM.
But whatever. It’s another addition to the already-populous stable of Lenovo laptops, and a worthy one at that. There’s more info here at the press release if you like reading PR.
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| Maingear updates the eX-L gaming notebook with new Core i5 & i7 CPUs and ATI Radeon HD 5870 Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:00 PM PDT
Thankfully Maingear hooked up the eX-L with a sweet dual heatpipe cooling system for both the CPU and GPU to combat the massive levels of heat those two will put off. The rest of the notebook is a bit standard, although still up-market, with a 1080p LCD screen backed by a 30-day, zero pixel warranty and the normal I/O ports of HDMI, DVI, S/PDIF, USB, Firewire, eSata, and a webcam. Yeah, this thing is loaded, but you probably expected that. Prices start out at $1,599 but that only gets you Core i5 CPU. The real fun starts out at $2,322 when you click the box for the quad-core i7-820QM paired with 8GB of DDR3-1333 RAM. Mmmm tasty.
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| Viewsonic introduces 3D-capable short-throw PJD5352 projector Posted: 20 Apr 2010 12:30 PM PDT
The PJD5352 is a bit of a weird creature, though. Under-$1000 models seldom have true HD resolution, and this one is no exception: 1024×768 at 120Hz is just fine for a lot of stuff, but of course it’s not enough to display an HD picture, which most 3D movies and broadcasts are going to have, although it will be able to show them resized. Another puzzling thing is the inputs. With two VGA inputs, S-Video, and composite, it’s pretty clear that HD content was never really even in consideration. To be honest, I’m not really so concerned with losing the HD as with the fact that you’ll have to keep an adapter or something around, since so many devices use HDMI or DVI out now.
The short-throw thing is nice, though. They claim a 50″ picture with 3000:1 contrast ratio only three feet from the screen or wall, which is usually preferable (as long as they control for distortion) to one sitting behind you and projecting over your head. It’s more the kind of projector you’d take out when you need to use it, not one where you’d have a mount that automatically lowers from the ceiling. It’s available now, in case you’re wondering.
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Plantronics announced the latest addition to their product line, the Explorer 395. Designed to be an entry level headset, the Explorer 395 is based off of Plantronics standard design for ease of use and compatibility, but still has the sound quality you’d expect.
In theory Patrick Sung’s new design concept sounds good. A sheet of cardboard, perforated in such a way to make it easy to wrap around an item, all the time protecting it from damage during shipment. But that’s where the good idea fails. Plus, I doubt the United Parcel Service will let him use their logo.
The world of memory timings, latency, and voltage is a strange one, but usually you can count on the fact that more RAM is better. OCZ, purveyor of fine system components (and 
Sales of 
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