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The Kindle DX, Now In Black — Like That Other Device We Shall Not Name

Posted: 01 Jul 2010 04:23 AM PDT

Amazon continues its revamping of the Kindle line. Fresh off of big price cuts for the traditional model, a roll-out of picture/video software for Apple devices, new social media features, and a new Android app, Amazon today announced a new version of its larger model of the Kindle: the DX. The key differences? It's cheaper, sharper, and available in black (or as they call it, graphite).


Blu-Ray not coming to the Mac anytime soon

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 11:30 PM PDT

Been wondering exactly when you’d see a blu-ray drive in your new Macbook or iMac? Well, if the emails that have been leaking out from Mr. Jobs have been any indication, you’re not going to see them at all.

In a recent email exchange with a user, Steve himself expressed the opinion that people would be more likely to use content download outlets, such as iTunes to download and view content instead of needing to use a drive built into a computer to view movies and the like. It’s not a terribly strange concept, considering the popularity of media outlets like Hulu, iTunes. In fact, I’d have to agree with Steve on this one. Rather leaving the drive out is the thing to do (it could be used for software or other storage), it might not be necessary for video or other media.

If you’re curious about reading the entire interchange between Mr. Jobs and the user, the email exchange has been posted on MacRumours.


Say hi-Sun to the Towel/Speaker

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 09:25 PM PDT

Here’s something for the upcoming independence day weekend, and no it’t not from Skymall. It's a towel to take to the beach. It's pretty nice and loaded with features. Fold it into a backpack, look cool lying on the built in pillow, listen to music on it. Wait what?! Yes, listen to music.

The hi-Sun is a beach towel/blanket/pillow/backpack/boombox that will have all the people at your local beach checking you out – beach body not required. What is required is that you plug in any audio player, via a standard 3.5mm audio cable, and that you remember charge its removable lithium-ion battery.

[via 7 Gadgets]

New Adidas Wings 2.0 shoes are the next best thing to actual flying kicks

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 06:30 PM PDT


Adidas has a hit on their hands, I think — not just with these “Wings 2.0″ shoes designed by Jeremy Scott. The Star Wars line of originals was also a huge hit. Custom, short-run gear like this is blowing up — even mad designs (like these) are going to find buyers (like me). Combine expert curating with the long tail effect and… yeah. Wings on your shoes.

More pics below.

Expect these things to hit the online Adidas store (and select retail locations) on August 10th.

[via HypeBeast, Albotas, and GearFuse]

First music video shot entirely on the iPhone 4

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 06:01 PM PDT

There are no maps for these territories, friends. Here is the first music video shot on the iPhone 4. It’s seriously a fun piece of cinema and really points out the blinding fact that the age of the huge video or cinema production is slowly but surely evolving into something much more streamlined. More details after the jump.

Song was written in 2 days, video shot in 1.3 days and edited in 2 days.

In a fun weeklong experiment, my friend Marty and I collaborated on this video for an original song I wrote specifically for the iPhone 4 shoot. The overall goal was to produce a great, entertaining music video first and foremost, regardless of what camera we were shooting. I think the end result is rather unique and quite a fun experience to watch!

Ride the City app helps you to not die on your bicycle

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 05:45 PM PDT

Let’s be honest; riding a bicycle is a great way to save money and the environment, but it can be dangerous at times. In some cities, it can be downright deadly. So what can you do to protect yourself? You could become a militant bicycle rider that hunts down bad drivers, or you could learn the safest route. The good news is there’s an app for learning the safe way to go.

The app is called Ride the City and it’s connected to a free website with information on Austin, Louisville, New York City, San Diego, San Fransisco, Seattle, Toronto, and the Washington DC metro area. The best part about the app is that whenever the developers add a city, you get that city added to your app for free! Currently the app sells for $2.99, and updates automatically.

What’s the point behind the app? Well, Ride the City helps you find the safest and most efficient way to get to your destination. The app will help you to find the best bicycle lanes, trails, paths, and greenways to get you where you want to go. Not a bad deal for $2.99 eh?

Display makers: we’re making progress towards getting you that big, cheap OLED

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 05:45 PM PDT

Just a quick note in case you’ve been gnawing your keyboard in anxiety: yes, people are still working on making OLED displays better. And bigger.

There have been scaling issues, but the big display companies have spent the last year or so fiddling around with the little tiny displays (and enormous ones) and as a result, have achieved some level of “know-how.”

They are going to use this “know-how” to create “real products,” presumably OLED TVs and displays. But will they be 3D?! Inquiring minds want to know!

Steak-based computing from Intel, coming to a kitchen near you (seriously)

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT


This is great. If it actually works, it’s like the Surfaceless Surface crossed with… I don’t know, Cooking Mama. Intel Labs’ Tabletop Computing is about natural interactions with real objects, on regular surfaces. Of course, I doubt your kitchen is naturally dark enough to support a projected interface like this one, but they’ll figure something out.

Sure, it’s Jetsons stuff and we probably won’t see anything like it for some time, but remember this day, friends, remember this day when in 2025 you’re virtually mixing ingredients in the iBlender App for iKitchen. Intel and this lady did it first.

[via HardOCP]

Also:

Review: T-Mobile GarminFone

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 04:40 PM PDT


Short version: A competent and useful, but ultimately limited handset. Recommended for GPS lovers, but not for Android lovers.

Full review over at MobileCrunch.

Microsoft puts down the Kin

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 02:33 PM PDT

We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned. Additionally, we are integrating our KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating valuable ideas and technologies from KIN into future Windows Phone releases. We will continue to work with Verizon in the U.S. to sell current KIN phones.

These words from Microsoft serve as the epitaph for the Kin series of socially-oriented handsets and their ecosystem. It’s been less than two months since the handsets and service were announced, and rumors of incredibly low sales had us questioning the lifespan of these little guys not long after. Add to that the weird interface and inexplicable pricing, and it’s clear in retrospect that the Kins never had much of a chance. In fact, we heard the project was canceled before it was even officially announced.

Continue reading…

Super Famicon Tee for the Super Comboy Super Fan.

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 02:19 PM PDT

Here's a cool looking shirt from The King of Games, commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the Super Famicon's release in Japan. Comes in either gray or white and you can pre-order for about $62. Wait..really? That’s super souped.

[via Tinycartridge]

Review: Bumbleride Flite

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 01:07 PM PDT


Ask any geeky dad and he’ll tell you that he did a fair amount of research for their stroller and/or car seat. That’s just the way our type work, partly because there are so many sweet stroller and car seats out there. With that in mind I present to you the 2010 Bumbleride Flite. But first, some justification.

Yup, this is a stroller review and remember, no one is making you read it. You see, I jumped at the chance to review the latest Bumbleride stroller because, well, I’m almost ashamed to admit that I spent a lot of time obsessing over strollers a few years back. Say what you will, but modern strollers are a sort of gadget these days with so many bells and whistles, and when I learned that we were pregnant with our first child, I went about shopping for our main stroller, car seats, and bike trailer just like any other gadget. I visited manufacturer’s websites, fan boards, read reviews on Amazon, and even took road trips to the various high-end boutiques around Michigan trying out specialty strollers and trailers. I’m a tad obsessive about my purchases. Let’s move on.

Pros

  • Sturdy
  • Great looking
  • Seemingly comfortable
  • Compatible with many infant car seats

Cons

  • Could use a bit more storage
  • High learning curve on folding mechanism

The Bumbleride Flite nails my three main stroller requirements: durability, function, and looks. It’s simply a great stroller with just a few little design quirks but the important qualities are covered.

It’s important to note that this is a $249 lightweight stroller. The only thing smaller than it is a $15 Babies-R-Us umbrella stroller so my expectations were high going into this review. There’s actually a market for this type of stroller, though, and the Bumbleride Flite is going after the same market that Maclaren has long dominated with similarly-priced buggies. However, having spent a good amount of time with both, I must say the Flite offers a lot more for the money.

What I like about the Flite is that it feels sturdy. The tubular construction is solid and reassuring. There’s none of that cheap-feeling square aluminum here. When it’s fully deployed, the Flite feels as solid as a full-size stroller. Major bonus points in my book.

This theme carries over to almost every part of the stroller. The canopy is sturdy, the wheels solid, and even the seat seems like it will last forever — or at least until my kids stain it to the point of embarrassment.

But then there’s the comfort-level, too. Both my three-year old boy and 10-month girl can ride with no issues. Of course the smaller wheel base found on these types of strollers make pushing the youngest a bit easier. The Flite even comes with an infant pad insert that that provides a bit of head support.

Only the available storage and the folding mechanize are the two areas that could be improved. There isn’t much storage, only a hard-to-access under-seat canopy and then a small pocket on the rear. There could easily be a larger, hanging pocket off the handlebars.

The folding processes isn’t great, either, although it’s better than some others in the same class. It requires users to pull up on two tabs located by the handlebars while simultaneously pushing the control bars forward and in. It’s certainly not intuitive and requires a bit of practices.

Overall though, I’ve really enjoyed the Flite. My wife loves the spice color scheme and I’ve enjoyed pushing around the smaller frame rather than our large three-wheeler. Is it worth $249? Well, it offers a lot of superior qualities over other expensive strollers, so if you can justify the cost anyway, I’d highly recommend you track a Flite down at a boutique shop and at least check it out before opting for the trendy English alternative.

Product Page

Microsoft emphasizes Xbox Live Arcade compatibility in Windows Phone 7

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 01:00 PM PDT


Back around when Windows Phone 7 was announced, Microsoft was eager to demonstrate the 3D gaming prowess of the OS and its intended hardware. We were disappointed at the time that these games wouldn’t be coming to the totally-capable Zune HD, but we also saw a glimmer of hope that there would be some overlap between XBLA and these Live-enabled handsets.

Fast forward a few months, and we have confirmation that Microsoft is almost as excited about this possibility as we are. Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing, Oded Ran, had this to say.

Continue reading…

Final Fantasy XIV: September 30, 2010 (or 8 days earlier if you buy the collector’s edition!)

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 12:30 PM PDT

A HREF=”http://www.crunchgear.com/tag/final-fantasy-xiv/”>Final Fantasy XIV for the PC now has a release date: September 30, 2010. There’s two editions, a standard edition and a collector’s edition. The standard edition will retail for $49.99 and the collector’s will go for $74.99. What do you get with the collector’s edition, hmm?

A fair bit, actually.

For starters you get to play the game eight days before the standard edition folks—provided the servers don’t melt down, of course.

You also get an exclusive in-game helmet, a security token (presumably something like the Blizzard Activator), a real life journal filled with concept art, and a fancy certificate of authenticity.

The cover art of the collector’s edition is done by Yoshitaka Amano, whose artwork makes Nomura’s look like, well, mine.

Both editions will cost $12.99/month, but a free month is included with the purchase of either edition.

I did play the game at E3, but it was a little on the buggy side. Such things happen when developers pump out E3 demos: bugs ahoy. What I played was fun. It opened my eyes to the idea that, yes, that are MMOs other than WoW out there.

It’s alive! Microsoft granted patent for Courier

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 12:05 PM PDT


Okay, it’s not really alive. They stuck a fork in that poor bastard for good. That said, they seemed to like the form factor enough to patent it — if not anything else about the device. If the dimensions shown here reflect what the device really would have been like, I miss it more than ever.

Pretenders like the Kno will never win my heart, Courier! You’re always be the only dual-screen touch device for me!*

*Probably not true

[via TechFlash]

Europe-only World of Warcraft t-shirts inspire us to greatness

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 11:35 AM PDT

When in doubt, write about World of Warcraft. Jinx, the geek-friendly online store, has three new t-shirts that may be of interest to you. Unfortunately, they’re Europe-only, so you’ll have to get your guild-mate from Liverpool to send ‘em to you.

There’s a shirt promoting the Arena, a shirt featuring the all-conquering Worgen, and one featuring the Goblin, masters of the World of Warcraft economy.

Depending on the size, prices top out at $23.

If any of our European readers are feeling generous, I happen to think the Goblin shirt is quite, um, “posh.” Yes, that’s the word you guys use over there.

(Yes it’s a slow news day. That, and there’s no World Cup. I’m freaking out over here.)

The NZXT Sentry LXE just made fan controllers sexy

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 10:42 AM PDT

You know you want this fan controller. You don’t even knew what it does and you still want it. I’m right there with you, pal. It looks straight out of JJ Abrams’ Starship Enterprise and that’s good enough for me.

The NZXT Sentry LXE retails for $60, which isn’t that bad considering the controller’s impressive feature list.

  • PCI interface card
  • Touchscreen control over fan RPM and C/F
  • 5 temperature probes with individual warning alarms
  • Clock and calender functions
  • LCD brightness control

Availability is listed as “soon” — whatever that means.

Supersonic Green Machine: The future of space flight!

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 10:00 AM PDT

You’re looking at the possible future of space flight. It’s known as the Supersonic Green Machine, and the rationale behind it is was to create a spacecraft that minimizes the effect of sonic booms. The craft, designed by Lockheed Martin for Nasa, incorporates what amounts to a spoiler. The “inverted V” should improved airflow over the craft, thereby lessening that destructive boom.

It won’t be here anytime soon. It might never be here at all, for that matter.

The mock-up was put together by Lockheed Martin for Nasa. Nasa, which has, I think, $46 to its name (and no help from the president, by the way), wants to know what spaceflight may look like in the year 2035.


Video: Siphon off electricity from local power lines with the Remote Auxiliary Power System

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 09:15 AM PDT

The Remote Auxiliary Power System makes finding free electricity a snap. It was designed by the U.S. Air Force at the behest of military personnel. What you do is throw the device on top of a standard power cable (you know, those big cables that crisscross the land), then a tiny blade cuts into the cable. The medal blade completes the circuit, diverting a handy flow of electrons down the RAPS cable and into your, I don’t know, GPS device. Well, after converted from DC to AC.

The uses are obvious for soldiers and the like, and you would be well advised to leave it to them. What you don’t want to see is a bunch of high school kids flinging homemade RAPS on top of power lines by the mall.

That’s a one-way ticket do Deadsville.

People actually paying hundreds of dollars for Transformers: War for Cybertron DLC

Posted: 30 Jun 2010 08:45 AM PDT

Walking past Transformers: War for Cybertron at E3, I literally said to myself, doing my best impression of Jeremy Clarkson, “What’s this tosh?” Apparently I’m out of touch with the common man, since DLC codes for the game are now selling on eBay for hundreds of dollars. That’s real dollars, too, not fake Monopoly dollars. It seems people really want to play as Demolisher!

The DLC codes normally came with Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy pre-orders, but clearly nobody bothered to pre-order the game. So, no DLC for you!

Unless, of course, you plop down fat cash for a pre-order DLC code.

Yet another reason to hate DLC that’s staggered across different stores. You buy a game with the expectation that you’re getting the whole thing without having to shell out an additional $100.


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