CrunchGear |  |
- New Olympus voice recorders: same old, same old
- Hourtime: The Passing of an Horological Genius
- Giveaway: Marvin M107 or M103 Automatic Chronograph Watch
- iBUYPOWER turns any game into multi touch
- Review: Optoma PK201 and PK301 pico projectors
- How not to make a 3D movie
- Texting while driving in Michigan will now earn you a $100 fine
- iDAPT i4 charges multiple devices at once
- Last Space Shuttle flight scheduled for February, 2011
- iTunes catches up with Zune
- Apple’s War With Google Takes To The Skies With iTunes In The Cloud
- All-in-one computer sales up 63 percent (but Apple losing out)
- PayPal horror story: Man develops Web site for MMA fighter, who then stiffs him & threatens to sue
- Hands-On: The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3TB external hard drive
- Contest: CrunchGear’s Death Grip Support Group
- World of Warcraft: Cataclysm private beta has begun
- Video: RoboCar helps to create more intelligent cars in the future
- Element Cases releases Vapor
- iPhone 4 bumpers are the LeBra’s of cell phones
- Hands-on with the Hulu Plus iPad App
| New Olympus voice recorders: same old, same old Posted: 01 Jul 2010 07:31 PM PDT
People do, in fact, still use these; not everyone can get by with a 99¢ iPhone app for recording important meetings and lectures. Here are the key features of the new models, from left to right: WS-600S: $80. Bargain bin version. 2GB inside. They should be available in… September? Man, why didn’t they just wait and tell us then?
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| Hourtime: The Passing of an Horological Genius Posted: 01 Jul 2010 07:19 PM PDT |
| Giveaway: Marvin M107 or M103 Automatic Chronograph Watch Posted: 01 Jul 2010 05:11 PM PDT
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| iBUYPOWER turns any game into multi touch Posted: 01 Jul 2010 05:00 PM PDT iBUYPOWER just announced their MAGIC software, a new interface that’s designed to let you play any game using multi touch gestures, not just games that were specifically designed that way. Think about that for a moment, a game like Supreme Commander 2 could be played using multi touch, instead of just being limited to using the keyboard and mouse. The MAGIC (multi-touch advanced gaming interface & control) software is available starting today. The software is free for owners of iBUYPOWER’s latest multi-touch gaming notebook, the Battalion Touch CZ-11. Unfortunately, you’ll need a system that supports the MAGIC software in order to use it. From the press release:
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| Review: Optoma PK201 and PK301 pico projectors Posted: 01 Jul 2010 04:30 PM PDT
Pros:
Cons:
Full review: I’m reviewing these together because the two projectors have almost the same specifications, inputs, outputs, and so on. I’ll just start by explaining the main differences: The PK301 is newer and larger. Its primary advantage over the PK201 is a shorter throw distance and it promises a significantly brighter image. It also costs $100 more. The differences pretty much end there. Performance To get an idea of the size and throw distance of these things, check out the following video, in which I compare the Optomas to the 3M MPro150: As you can see, there is no clear winner. One thing that surprised me, however, was how similar the images were between the two Optomas. The 201 is supposed to have 20 lumens, and the 301 50 lumens. I didn’t see that difference at all. As in, there was almost no difference at all in brightness or quality. You can verify it for yourself in the above video, which was set at the same exposure settings for the entire sequence, and both projectors were set to maximum brightness. Why should this be? I really cannot explain it, but it certainly strikes off one of the 301’s big advantages.
I found the PK201 to have the best color of the three. Why it demonstrated such superior color output with the inputs I gave it is a mystery, but it did. Movies, videos, and games all looked more naturally saturated to me. The PK301, on the other hand, has better definition, though it’s a close call. I found that fine lines and details were less visible on the 201, with which they were present, but noticeably not as sharp. This likely is the result of the larger and higher-quality lens found on the 301. When it came to focus, I found that neither was very forgiving. Something about the DLP engine makes the focal plane very slim, and consequently if the projector is not exactly on a level with the center of the display surface (or very close), you will not be able to get the entire thing in focus. This was much more of a problem with the 201, in my experience. Both projectors have the same pleasant-looking on-device navigation interface. It’s much better than the MPro150’s, but still isn’t a joy to navigate. Projector makers have a lot to learn about user interface design. You’ve got your on-device media (under which category Settings is inexplicably grouped), card slot, USB media, and a “search for input” option that goes through the various inputs automatically if for some reason you don’t feel like pressing the input switch button. Speaking of inputs, the Optomas excel there. Each of them has mini HDMI, Composite/AV, USB, and a universal I/O with attachments for other outputs (like VGA from your laptop). One of the Optomas’ key features is the MicroSD card slot. This is handy for showing small- to medium-sized files like Powerpoint presentations and vacation pictures. I found both the PK201 and PK301 very capable devices for showing off photos or slides. They were both quick to navigate within the viewers, and allowing for the lowered resolution, my large photos looked quite good, though the 16:9 AR leads to portrait-oriented pictures to be rather small. Battery life is… not good. An hour is the quoted limit for both devices, and that’s about it. I get twice that out of the 3M Mpro150. You can of course plug the thing in, but I feel it really hamstrings a portable device to have to be tethered to the wall. Sound is tinny and relatively quiet. Both projectors have 3.5mm outs, though, so you can use headphones or portable speakers. The sound is just fine for watching short videos or playing a non-cinematic game, as long as you’re not too far from the device. To expect good sound from a pico projector is pretty unreasonable, so everyone gets a pass here. Hardware
The PK201 is, let us just admit right off, ugly. I appreciate that it is compact, but the styling leaves much to be desired. You can’t tell which end is the front and there are inputs willy-nilly. If you need to look cool while using your pocket projector, this isn’t the device for you.
Comparatively, the PK301 is understated and classic. It looks like… a tiny projector. All the inputs are neatly laid out on the back, the MicroSD slot is tastefully concealed beneath a rubber flap, and the control cluster is dead center. Everything’s black, and it looks great. I think I still prefer the UFO-lozenge of the MPro150 (or its predecessor, even), but as far as devices like this go, the 301 is very attractive. I also got a feeling that the 301 is better-built. My main evidence for this, aside from the fact that it’s obviously better-built, is the focus dial. It’s a mess on the 201: fiddly, unpredictable, unresponsive, or both at the same time, I found it extremely frustrating getting the right focus. With the 301 it’s a snap: a little nubbin on a smooth-turning lens, right where you think it should be.
The controls are slightly awkward on both devices, however. The buttons are strangely shaped and difficult to hit, requiring quite a lot of force. If you have the projector on a tripod, it will be totally messed up after you adjust the volume. And speaking of tripods, the tripod screw is frustratingly far off-center on both devices, though it’s worse on the 301. They had to make room for the battery cover, it seems. The result is that either device is easily knocked over or out of place when on their spindly little tripod. This can be corrected for by simply getting a better tripod. Conclusion Although both projectors have their strengths and are clearly competitive with what’s out there, I hesitate to recommend them to just anybody. For versatility, they aren’t short throw enough to make a large image in a small room, though they are noticeably brighter than the short-throwing MPro150. Having a few of these around a school or office could be a lifesaver — they are remarkably simple to operate, and setup is non-existent. But for an individual, I don’t see you saving a lot of money or trouble by getting a pico projector at this stage of the game. 3M, Optoma, Microvision, and everyone else are improving these things at a pretty good rate, and the prices are bound to come down soon as well. I’d recommend the PK301, but at $400 it really is quite expensive for what it’s providing — not to mention the fact that I didn’t find it to be much brighter than the PK201. Add to this their short battery life and it seems to me that you’ve got a great product… in about a year. Product page: Optoma PK301 and PK201
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| Posted: 01 Jul 2010 03:29 PM PDT
1. Don’t do a 2D to 3D conversion As far as I’m concerned, any producer greenlighting a 3D conversion should be fired. It’s expensive, labor-intensive, and more importantly ineffective. Even at its best, converting a 2D movie to 3D is a shadow of true 3D. At its worst, it can be more painful to watch, or simply unconvincing. Conversions are the most transparent rain dance a producer can do in order to spice up a feature. I could tell from the preview before Toy Story 3 that this was a conversion because I spotted errors baked right in — the way you can tell something has been shot on a green screen. 2. Don’t do a 2D to 3D conversion Just so we’re really goddamn clear on this. 3. Don’t shoot it dark
One of the problems 3D has yet to master is brightness. Most 3D technologies end up reducing the amount of light reaching each eye by half, and if your movie is a dark one, it’s going to get a lot darker. Toy Story 3 and much of Avatar were bright and colorful; even the night scenes in Avatar were enlivened by luminescent flora. 4. Don’t be careless with CG/human interaction When you add depth information, the audience is harder to trick. In a regular film, you can get away with a lot because there are ways of creating foreshortening, manipulating distance, and so on. It’s much more difficult to create these space effects in 3D because the mind wants it to look real. Be especially careful in a 2D/3D movie, where the 3D elements have smooth and generative 3D paths, but characters and backgrounds have their depth painted on. 5. Don’t overdo the depth of field
When you can’t add real depth, photographic techniques like background blur are useful for isolating image elements. Unfortunately, background blur doesn’t transfer well to 3D, technically or psychologically. The savvy 3D films are eschewing depth of field for adding lots of interesting and real depth cues in the background. Floating islands, small things moving around, giving your brain the information it wants about what’s back there. Your eyes don’t like blur in 3D because think about it, if it’s out of focus in real life, you’re usually not looking at it. 6. Don’t throw things in the audience’s face
This lamentable habit of action films has its roots, like more respectable techniques, in the inability to actually make things fly out of the screen. Now that we can do that, there’s no need to put it right in people’s faces. Carefully choose your camera angles and depth levels so that you can “threaten” the audience without resorting to cheap tricks. Reportedly, the bad 3D effects are the least of The Last Airbender’s worries, but I don’t have time to write any tips on “How not to make a terrible movie.” These will have to suffice for now.
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| Texting while driving in Michigan will now earn you a $100 fine Posted: 01 Jul 2010 02:41 PM PDT  Michigan has joined 14 other states including the District of Columbia in making texting and emailing while driving illegal. The new ordinance goes into effect statewide today, July 1, 2010. First time offenders will be subject to a $100 fine and getting caught a second time worthy of a $200 ticket. Under the new law, it doesn't matter if you're texting while at a stop light or cruising down the I-75, both will get you a ticket. However, dialing and talking on the phone (without a headset) is still legal in Michigan. Apparently police are trained to tell the difference between dialing and texting.
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| iDAPT i4 charges multiple devices at once Posted: 01 Jul 2010 01:30 PM PDT
The iDAPT i4 has 3 charging ports and on additional USB port built in, and uses an interchangeable tip system to ensure compatibility will all of your gadgets. The iDAPT even features an LED display light system to tell you if your devices are done charging, or if you need to leave your gadget plugged in a bit longer. The iDAPT i4 is available for $59.99 from the company website, and comes with 6 of the most common adapter tips; microUSB, miniUSB, iPod/iPhone, Samsung, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson. You can also purchase additional tips as needed from the company website. Here’s the official press release with all the details:
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| Last Space Shuttle flight scheduled for February, 2011 Posted: 01 Jul 2010 01:00 PM PDT
The very last Space Shuttle flight will take place on February 26, 2011. After that, American astronauts will have to bum rides with the Russians if they want to visit the International Space Station. Shame. There’s two more missions aboard the Space Shuttle. There’s one on November 1, 2010 (Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-133) and the aforementioned February, 2011 one (Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-134). Apparently Space Shuttle Atlantis may get one more flight, but Nasa will wait until next month before it decides one way or the other. Both flights will bring various pieces of equipment to the ISS, chief among them the ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER~! which is a type of cosmic ray detector that Nasa hopes will be used to better understand the formation and structure of the universe. And yup, after this we’ll have no way of getting to the ISS without having to pay the Russians for a seat on one of their spacecraft—slightly embarrassing for a country as wealthy as the U.S. to not have an active space program, yes.
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| Posted: 01 Jul 2010 12:34 PM PDT
The truth is, of course, that Apple’s policy of leapfrogging existing ideas without actually changing much is a perfect foil for Microsoft, who tends to let their innovations stagnate. Even as a Zune fan, I have to say, it’s disappointing how little has been done with the project since I reviewed it. Where are all the cool apps and games? Why can’t I stream shows at Wi-Fi spots? Apple is taking the step that Microsoft has been unwilling or unable to. Good for Apple, but let’s be fair when we grade their accomplishment: as usual, they are standing on the shoulders of lazy giants.
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| Apple’s War With Google Takes To The Skies With iTunes In The Cloud Posted: 01 Jul 2010 12:06 PM PDT  iTunes in the cloud. We all know it's coming, it's just a question of when, and with what capabilities? A story from Boy Genius Report today appears to answer at least one of those questions, and vaguely answers the other. If BGR's "reliable" Apple source is to be believed, Apple's iTunes cloud strategy will consist of three parts: 1) Streaming content from Apple's servers to your devices 2) Streaming content from your computers to your devices 3) Wirelessly syncing content to your devices. If true, that would obviously constitute a major push into the cloud by Apple. It would also likely elevate their war with Google.
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| All-in-one computer sales up 63 percent (but Apple losing out) Posted: 01 Jul 2010 11:20 AM PDT
Seems people really like those all-in-one PCs à la the iMac. Sales this year are expected to grow some 63 percent from last year, to 11.5 million units worldwide. And while that’s good news for computer makers overall, there are winners and losers in the data. The big surprising loser? Yup, Apple. Apple’s all-in-one market share is expected to drop from 50 percent (in 2009) to 38 percent (in 2010). HP, MSI, and Lenovo are expected to gain where Apple has lost. This is the part where I say that my 20-inch iMac that I bought back in 2006 is still probably my favorite computer ever. Aside from having a nearly impossible to upgrade hard drive, it never gave me any problems whatsoever. It was, and still is, a workhorse. I still have it sitting on my desk, right next to my Franken-PC. It’s so refreshing to boot into Mac OS X from time to time. (And yet, somehow, people think I’m anti-Apple because I don’t approve of its every-single-thing.) I guess the number make sense: you have to figure that the number of people who buy a full PC in 2010 is nowhere near where it used to be. Aside from gamers and content (video, photo, music, etc.) editors, who really needs a big, hulking tower sitting underneath their desk? Get a nice iMac-like computer, or a handy laptop, and you’re good to go. Seeing as though most people use their computer to check their Facebook, Gmail, Hulu, and maybe read ESPN.com or whatever, yeah, you don’t need GIGAHERTZ~! to do that.
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| PayPal horror story: Man develops Web site for MMA fighter, who then stiffs him & threatens to sue Posted: 01 Jul 2010 11:00 AM PDT
I’m not sure if this is an anti-PayPal story or an anti-bully story, but here we go. A guy on Reddit, cerebellum of the Internet, was contracted to build a Web site for an MMA fighter. Not like a big name UFC guy or anything, but a small-time guy, Steve Gavin, whose last fight was in February, 2009, according to Sherdog. So the Web developer builds the fighter a site, then the fighter pays via PayPal. So far, so good. But lo! Then the fighter cancels the payment (while keeping it) by claiming to PayPal that it was an unauthorized payment. Now the fighter has pocketed the Web developer’s money while keeping the site. Needless to say, not cool. The worst part of this is that the fighter and his lawyers have threatened the Web developer with LAWSUITS~! if he doesn’t stop asking for his money back. Clearly the fighter is exploiting a flaw in the way PayPal handles his money, but it’s probably more than that: he’s simply being a jerk. (Now watch I get sued. Thankfully I have no money or assets to speak of.) The Reddit gang has a nice discussion going as to what’s the best course of action. I’m just doing my part to spread the word, so to speak. Hopefully the MMA fighter comes to his senses. He wouldn’t like it if a dodgy promoter promised him $2,000 for a win, but then said, “Yeah, not paying you. Tough luck.”
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| Hands-On: The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 3TB external hard drive Posted: 01 Jul 2010 10:28 AM PDT
Specs:
First impressions:
Benchmarks: SATA performance
USB 2.0 performance
Stats gathered using HD Tune Pro 4.01 The drive is as good as can be expected from a fresh-off-the-line unit. It’s fast and quiet, a near perfect drive for internal or external installation. The only question left is do you really wanna trust 3TB of your photos, movies, files, and programs to a single drive?
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| Contest: CrunchGear’s Death Grip Support Group Posted: 01 Jul 2010 09:57 AM PDT
Hello and welcome. There’s coffee and cake over by the door there, help yourself. It’s here to be eaten. Bathrooms are down the hall a bit, next to where you came in. Today we’re probably going to get a full house so file on in up front here. That’s right. Everyone’s friends. Welcome to the CrunchGear Death Grip Support Group. We are going to be telling each other stories about how horrible our iPhone 4 reception has been. We’re going to clear the air, really dig deep, and really vent. A lot of you may not even have iPhone 4s, but don’t worry. I have something for you, as well. How – and what – can you win? We’re assuming, given all the hype about antenna problems, Steve Jobs telling us that we should stop and smell the roses, and class-action lawsuits produced by ambulance chasers that your lives have been overturned by this new phone and that you had hit rock bottom. We’re here to help. We’ll pick four winners tomorrow at noon Eastern. Indicate whether you want a iPhone 4 or 3GS case in your comment. And remember: Don’t flee, don’t fight. Flow.
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| World of Warcraft: Cataclysm private beta has begun Posted: 01 Jul 2010 09:45 AM PDT
Blizzard has begun the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm private beta. What luck, I was not one of those chosen to participate in the beta—at least not yet! You can find out if you’re in the beta by going to battle.net and managing your games. If you see Cataclysm waiting for you, have at it! Being 2010, someone (WoW Insider, natch) is playing the beta on live on Ustream. As of this writing (11:00am ET) I spy a Worgen (can’t tell the class) running around killing things. Woo~! MMO-Champion has a lot of information on the beta, more than you can possibly consume. Oh, to play as a Worgen. That is life at its richest.
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| Video: RoboCar helps to create more intelligent cars in the future Posted: 01 Jul 2010 09:21 AM PDT
In case you ever wondered what practical purpose robotics as a field of science has, RoboCar [JP] might be one answer. That’s the name of a car robotics platform (and robot) currently in development at Tokyo-based robotics venture ZMP. The goal is to anticipate functions of next-generation, “intelligent” vehicles – based on the interesting idea that those vehicles will have a lot in common with robots that can move and interact with each other autonomously. ZMP says their mini cars (3kg, 429×195×212mm) are helpful when it comes to testing features such as automatic parking or hazard avoidance. The cars can also communicate with each other, enabling researchers to study how traffic jams can be avoided in the future, for example. Equipped with a CCD stereo camera (30fps), a range of sensors, and an infrared laser system, the battery-powered RoboCar can drive up to one hour on a single charge. This video DigInfoNews in Tokyo shot shows the most recent version (available for $11,300):
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| Posted: 01 Jul 2010 09:12 AM PDT
When I release vapor, people clear the room. When Element Cases does it, heads turn every which way. This new iPhone 4 case by Element Case is a 30 gram aluminium frame lined with shock absorbant rubber. It looks absolutely gorgeous and will begin shipping on July 11. Bad part? It costs $79.95 for the basic model and $99.95 for the carbon fiber back plate. But trust me – these cases are monsters. I looked at one a while back and you could probably run over any iPhone in it with a very small truck or, barring that, a bike.
Simple Design for Superior Protection – ElementCASE Debuts "Vapor" for iPhone 4 Makers of the renowned Joule iPad Stand release the ultimate customization and comfort solution for iPhone 4, the Vapor Case July 1, 2010 – San Francisco, CA – Element Case (www.elementcase.com), California's premier independent designer of luxurious, customizable Mac accessories, today launched its latest product, the iPhone 4 Vapor case. The Vapor provides an aircraft-grade, CNC'd aluminum frame lined with a shock-absorbent material for the ultimate in iPhone protection and style. The full case weighs less than 30 grams, Element's lightest design to-date. The Vapor snugly and securely shields the iPhone 4 with two aluminum frame components, available in a variety of color combinations and selections. An ergonomic shape provides a sure grip while specially design cutouts provide access to the volume and silence controls, and an integrated, machined "on/off" button has been added to complete the clean lines of the Vapor. A carbon-fiber back plate can be added for enhanced scratch protection and a bold appearance. The Vapor's aluminum frame is insulated with a special lining to address iPhone 4 reception issues caused by direct hand to phone cradling. This material is made from a slow rebounding compound that also offers shock absorption benefits. Starting at $79.95, the Vapor brings Element's legendary design and quality craftsmanship to iPhone owners with our renowned customization options. Starting at At $99.95 the Vapor case will include the V4Carbon back plate. Custom laser engraved graphics will be available soon. Available for pre-orders today, the Vapor will begin shipping in limited quantities from July 12. Please allow two to three weeks for delivery. Element Case offers Mac enthusiasts unrivaled designs that are crafted in the USA to the highest quality. Please visit www.elementcase.com for full product information, ordering details, pricing and customization options.
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| iPhone 4 bumpers are the LeBra’s of cell phones Posted: 01 Jul 2010 09:00 AM PDT
An iPhone 4 bumper is to an iPhone as a LeBar is to a vehicle. It looks silly and doesn’t offer any real benefits, although I’m not sure that an iPhone 4 bumper will cause rust.
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| Hands-on with the Hulu Plus iPad App Posted: 01 Jul 2010 08:26 AM PDT Are you ready to pay $9.95 a month for more TV? Hulu Plus, Hulu’s subscription offering, essentially offers more TV for $10 including full seasons of many shows including Glee and everything else on TV that isn’t Glee. The program is available for iPad and iPhone and will soon be available for PS3 (with a $9.95/month PSN subscription) and Xbox 360. I love TV as much as the next man however I worry that the average user will just, well, you know, TiVo their favorite shows. However, if you’re out of town (but not out of the country since Hulu doesn’t work in Europe), Hulu may be a way to keep up with what those sassy kids are up to and how Mr. Sch will suggest as their next assignment. Would you pay $10 a month for this? Thoughts?
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Looking for a solution for charging 4 devices at once? Consider the iDAPT i4. The iDAPT allows you to charge multiple devices as one time, and help to eliminate cord clutter. The iDAPT is compatible with up to 4,000 different mobile devices, including your BlackBerry, GPS, digital camera, and GPS system.
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