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Japan Gets Sony NEX-3 In Pink

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 04:02 AM PDT

We spent quite a few posts on Sony’s excellent NEX cameras over the past months, but big S waited until today to announce [JP] a model in pink. To be more specific, Sony will be selling the NEX-3 with a double lens kit, branded as NEX-3D. Technically, this model is the same as the previous NEX-3 that was upgraded with a 3D panoroma sweep mode in July.

If you want to go totally pink, Sony also announced a new accessory set along with the main unit. The set, which consists of a pink pouch, a pink strap and other things, costs $180 (see picture below).

It will be released at the same time as the camera, namely on November 19. The camera will cost $980, but don’t expect it to hit markets other than Japan anytime soon.

Daily Crunch: Stand Guard Edition

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Olympus Goes All In With M4/3, Says Sayonara To Entry-Level DSLRs

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 10:21 PM PDT

Olympus, purveyor of fine photography goods, has put it on the record that they are out of the crowded entry-level DSLR game. I don’t blame them; with a great Micro Four Thirds series like the Pen, and with Canon and Nikon duking it out at the sub-$1000 level, they’ve got no reason to spend precious R&D cash on an also-ran product.

An Olympus exec said this regarding future DSLR gear:

We do not have concrete plans to replace the E-620 and other recent SLRs. The entry level SLR class can be completely replaced by the Pen system in terms of performance.

Read: “The Pen system is replacing our cheaper DSLRs.”

I doubt this will affect their prosumer and up lines — stuff like the recently released E-5. Micro Four Thirds doesn’t really scale to that level yet. As reasonable as the decision is, though, I’m sorry to see an established brand leave the field.

[via Photography Bay and Photo Rumors]

Tonight’s How I Met Your Mother Was A Big Fat Microsoft Ad And I Loved It

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 07:28 PM PDT

Did you catch How I Met Your Mother tonight? I love the show. But Mircosoft threw up all over tonight’s episode, Subway Wars. I’m serious. A Windows-banded notebook, a full-screen Bing map every five minutes, and Maury Povich carring an Xbox 360 Slim? Come on already.

I’m not going to bother uploading various clips to YouTube hours before it will hit CBS.com. Until then, enjoy these screenshots of the god-awful marketing job. Or rather, the somewhat ingenious marketing job that I’m totally helping to go viral…those sneaky Redmond bastards. (Minor spoilers after the jump)

It all started with Ted randomly pulling out a notebook at MacLaren’s Bar — nevermind the fact he has never done that before — emblazoned with a massive monochrome Windows logo on the lid. That made me smile. After all, there isn’t a stock notebook on earth with that logo and that was just the beginning of what turned out to be an all-out marketing assault.

The episode turned into a big race to see who could reach a certain NYC restaurant. Of course there had to be a full-screen Bing map was shown constantly with superimposed floating heads. But it didn’t stop. Oh no, Ted and his curiously-branded notebook was shown again, this time searching Bing for a website although Marshall totally said the URL just prior.

Towards the end of the episode, I totally expected to see a massive Windows Phone 7 advertisement when Ted and Marshall showed up in front of an electronic’s store with a person dressed up as a cell phone out front. Nope. Instead the two talked in front of a massive storefront window full of Microsoft products followed up with Maury Povich walking out of the store carrying an Xbox 360.

Microsoft, I got it. You wanna show off your goods. At least the show’s creators did it in such that was a gimmick and mildly amusing. Well done.

Shogun 2: Total War: The Closest You’ll Get To Actually Being A Samurai

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 04:30 PM PDT

So as I mentioned the other day, Sega was in town showing off the goods. Sonic 4 was probably the game with the most, shall we say, mass-market appeal, but I also spent some quality time with Shogun 2: Total War. And by "quality time" I mean like a good 20 minutes. It’s rare that these meet-and-greets last more than, say, 10 minutes, so I’m pretty sure The Creative Assembly‘s James Russell, who’s the game’s lead designer, was about to say, "You can leave now, mate" by the time I actually left.

You’ll recall that I spent much of the winter pretending to be Napoleon Bonaparte, owing entirely to the really, really good Napoleon: Total War. While I’m probably never going to get a chance to sack Cairo or Milan or Vienna in real life, Napoleon brought me the satisfaction of knowing what that might be like.

The goal for Shogun 2, as Russell explained to me, was to simultaneously make the game easier to play for people new to Total War, and to make the game harder to master for Total War veterans. I suppose I’m a veteran, having played enough of Napoleon and Empire (along with a bit Rome, if for no other reason than to command an army of war elephants) to know a thing or two about the game. (During the demo, Russell asked the other folks present if they’d ever played a Total War game before. You’d hear wishy-washy answers like, "Oh, I played it for a little bit here and there." Lies! You people don’t know what it’s like to try to simultaneously fight the Mameleukes, the Ottoman Turks, the Bedouins, and the British—my God, the British!—with a flimsy, ill-supplied French army!

Yes, I am an armchair general.

As the name implies, Shogun 2: Total War takes places in Japan, specifically during the Edo period, the period right before the country was forced to rapidly modernize (read: westernize) due to various outside pressures. Like all Total War games, you alternate between Risk-style campaign maps—the whole of Japan, with the exception of Hokkaido (where at the time there wasn’t as much going on military-wise)—and full-on army vs. army battles.

Let’s start with the battlefield.

The first thing you notice (see the above video) is the weather effects. To say they look "good" would be a most criminal understatement. It doesn’t rain; it pours. (The smile on my face as I wrote that sentence!) Wind blows leaves clear across the battlefield, and you really get the sense that, well, it probably wasn’t fun to be a soldier back then.

The soldiers are far more detailed than they were in Napoleon. Armor glistens in the sunshine (when the sun bothers shining, that is). Those little flag-things each soldier has attached to their person sways back and forth as they approach the enemy. You almost feel sorry for the guys having to carry the lanterns across the battlefield.

Russell tells me that there’s fewer distinct unit types compared to Napoleon, but that each type can do more things. So while you may have tried to march on Berlin with an army filled with a whole hell of a lot of unit types spread across the line, in Shogun 2 each unit type is far more versatile. Meaning your standard issue infantry unit won't necessarily merely cannon fodder—they can fight well!

The Creative Assembly has also done a much better job of making you feel like you're in Japan. There were times in Napoleon and Empire that I could barely tell if I was in Austria or Long Island. That's not the case anymore. There's new building types that say nothing but "hey, you're in Japan!" And for the first time in the series, you actually see ships moored alongside the coast during battles. It's a nice little touch that now when I go back to play Napoleon I'll be like, "Hey, where's the boats?"

The Creative Assembly has tried to streamline (and simultaneously make more interesting) the diplomacy side of things. Not just diplomacy, but the whole part of the game that takes place on the campaign map. Your generals gain the traits you want them to gain, doing away with the old system in Napoleon where your general would pick up random traits as the game went on. It's sorta like a tech tree: do you want your general to be a great tactician; do you want him to be better at diplomacy; do you want him to have his head around supply lines and whatnot; maybe you want him to excel at siege warfare? That type of thing.

Speaking of diplomacy, how about this: if you're trying to ally yourself with a neighboring clan, but the clan isn't too interested, why not offer your daughter's hand in marriage? Just like in real life back in the day, marriages can be used in the game to help seal alliances. I thought that was a clever addition.

That's pretty much it, I guess. There's but so much you can take away from, a 15 or 20 minute demo.

That said, clearly I'm excited for the game.

March cannot come soon enough.

A Camera For Every Budget

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT


Wanting to get into photography or upgrade your current camera doesn’t always mean you’ve got disposable income. But if you’re serious about your hobby, you’re always ready to drop some money. Let’s see what you can get for a few common budgets.

Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret. These days, it’s pretty hard to find a bad camera. Digital imaging technology has come a long way in the last 10 years. But you can still try to get the most for your money.

$250 or less

There are two good options here. First, the Panasonic Lumix ZS5. This is a solid point-and-shoot with aperture and shutter priority modes, a nice long zoom, and a decent (but not that decent) lens. It’ll take great snapshots if you just hit the button, but it also lets you explore a few exposure methods, shoot at high framerates, and so on. It has a big brother, the ZS7, but the main difference is GPS and better quality AVCHD video, and the difference isn’t worth the extra $50. It’s just about at the limit price-wise, but you can get it new for ~$240 if you look.

For a little cheaper, you can also go for a light superzoom. I normally wouldn’t recommend this kind of thing, but the Olympus SP-600UZ would be a great training camera, as it offers manual exposure features and a DSLR-like form factor, something that it’s good to get used to. For $200 it’s not a bad buy. Much cheaper and you start hitting bad glass, lack of features, and cheap builds. Not recommended.

$500

With this sum, you can either buy new or used (well, that’s always an option, but with $500 it’s a bit more of a conundrum). You could probably buy a decent two-year-old DSLR body like my Rebel XSi, but you’d be pressed for money when it comes to lenses, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you can get a real bargain.

The real bang for the buck here has got to be the Nikon P7000. Dave will have a review of this guy shortly, but I understand it to be a very versatile, very customizable, and very worthwhile camera. $500 is a lot of money, but if you don’t want to go all in and worry about lenses and such, the P7000 will do a lot of what a DSLR will do, in a compact and attractive package.

$1000

This is really the sweet spot for getting into photography these days. Any more and you’re overbuying, any less and… well, you could probably stand to spend a little less, but you can get a hell of a lot of camera for a grand. There are quite a few options out there right now, but think the best ones at the moment are the Canon T2i and the Pentax K-r. The T2i I know from experience, the K-r I’m taking on faith.

The T2i mainly bests its main rival, the Nikon 3100, by way of better video options and a superior LCD. I may be slightly biased on this point. But it is a great camera. The Pentax K-r is for those who want a meatier camera body and are perhaps interested in looking into Pentax’s extensive lens collection. Good Pentax lenses can be found used for amazing prices.

Both of these will run you around $800, leaving a little room for lens and accessory money. If you can wait a day or two, we’ll have some recommendations for those as well.

Free

This may seem like a silly recommendation, but seriously: call up a friend who’s into photography and see if you can borrow a camera for a few days or go shooting with him some time. I’ve been lending my old Rebel XT to a friend for several months and she’s probably going to buy her own in a few more, having learned what she needs and doesn’t need, what sort of lenses she likes, and so on. It’s not an unreasonable thing to ask, and you can learn a lot in just an hour or two, especially with a guide — be sure to buy them coffee or lunch, though.

What’s missing from this list? Some fun cameras like Polaroid and Lomo, of course, which are less about “photography” and more about “taking pictures.” And I’ve also chosen not to include and Micro Four Thirds cameras. This isn’t because I’m prejudiced, but rather because I just think they’re improving at such a rate that it’d be silly to buy into any one system or body at the moment. The benefits of a compact body and big sensor are obvious, but we have yet to see a breakout model (at least in my opinion).

As you can see, though, there are a number of options even when you constrain your spending significantly. And remember that even the cheapest camera these days will take great pictures in the right conditions, though sometimes you have to manufacture those conditions. More on that later in the week.

This week is Photography Week at CrunchGear!

You can find the rest of our posts here.

It’s Photography Week At CrunchGear

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 03:59 PM PDT


Hi there, shutterbugs. We’re doing a few extra photography-themed posts this week — more than usual, anyway. We just couldn’t hold in our gear recommendations, shooting techniques, and general photography advice any longer.

We’ll try to get some posts in for photographers of every level, but because there are so many new shooters out there, we’ll be aiming at the relatively green hobbyist, perhaps with her first DSLR. Coverage will be slightly Canon- and Nikon-themed, since that’s what Dave and I (the principal photographers here at CG) shoot.

For in-depth camera reviews, including systematic testing in facilities for that purpose, we of course recommend dedicated photography sites like DPReview, and we’ll post a few more of our favorite sites later in the week. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our humble shooting techniques, camera and lens recommendations, and everything else.

You can find all our coverage (starting with camera recommendations for several common budgets) here at the Photo Week 2010 tag.

The TrulyErgonomic Keyboard Claims To Be World’s Natural-Est

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 03:30 PM PDT


I’ve never really taken to the “natural” or “ergonomic” keyboards out there, perhaps because I’m always reviewing really excellent traditional ones, or maybe because I work from my laptop and can’t get used to the other layout. Or maybe it’s because they’re all doing it wrong. That’s what TrulyErgonomic seems to think, and they’ve designed a keyboard they’re calling, unsurprisingly, the first truly ergonomic keyboard out there.

The design is certainly different from what you usually see; the symmetrical look is unlike most other keyboards, and they’ve tweaked the key layout to be (they say) more natural to type on.

I’m not sure if I’d actually prefer it over the old-school straight-row keyboard, but it certainly looks like they’ve got their ducks in a row here. They’re using really high-quality key switches, and you can order different key layouts and sounds, an integrated palm rest, or even blank keys for the braver among you.

The catch? I’m glad you asked. At $169, it’s among the most expensive keyboards out there, though of course this thing may just be worth it.

The Windows Phone 7 Launch: Our Take

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 02:00 PM PDT


Microsoft has finally launched its all-in bid to revive its flagging mobile business. We’ve gotten our hands on the HD7 Pro, the Dell Venue (known previously as the Lightning), and the rest of the US launch lineup. It’s arguable that they’ve spread their brand too thinly with such a long list of offerings, but it may also be a sign of health for the platform that so many manufacturers have gotten behind it.

Sure, we’ve been covering handsets, apps, and other aspects of Windows Phone 7 for half a year now, but the official launch warrants further collective judgment. Here are our thoughts, in convenient capsule form.

John Biggs: I’ve been up and down on the platform the whole day. In the beginning it was too “me too” to work properly but once I saw the HTC HD 7, I was in love. This is probably the phone that will define the space and make the biggest impression. I agree with Nicholas – they should have put all their strength behind one phone. I know why they spread the launch out over ten devices – each manufacturer wanted to get their licks in – but expect it to be a frustrating experience for many. I think WinPho 7 hides a lot of its complexity under a deep veneer. They will sell plenty of phones and they’ll make plenty of money. I just don’t know if I’ll climb aboard this train.

Matt Burns: I’m sick of my Droid X, I don’t want an iPhone, I miss my BlackBerry and yet I still find Windows Phone 7 appealing. I want one solely because I believe that the phone’s capabilities are not dependent on 3rd apps. However, even if I want one, that doesn’t mean I’m going to get one. I, like so many others, are locked into a long-term contract and when it finally expires in 2012, there will probably be something else on the market that I want more. The old adage of it’s never too late to launch a good product might not apply here. Hopefully Microsoft is committed to the platform, because Windows Phone 7 is in for an epic up-hill battle.

Nicholas Deleon: I use my Zune HD every day. Give me a phone (preferably on Verizon Wireless, but only because I think VZW has the best coverage in my area) that works as well as that and I'd be more than happy. I don't know how often I'd use things like Xbox Live or Zune Marketplace integration, but I appreciate that they're there. But my overall opinion of Windows Phone 7 is: how different would the mobile landscape have been if Microsoft had launched it (or something like it) two years ago, before Android really hit it big? I don't want to say that Microsoft "missed the boat" or anything, but it's pretty clear that Redmond will be playing catch-up for a little while.

Scott Merrill: I don’t have strong thoughts, because it’s not a platform I expect to embrace ever. As a Linux user, I’m much more interested in Android. I wouldn’t expect a WinPho7 device to sync in any way with my Linux machines. I also don’t have an XBox or a Windows Live account, so integration with those services is a non-starter at best, and a threat of a different sort of lock-in at worst. I don’t have any faith in Microsoft working for what consumers really want, nor of them being open players in the burgeoning world of mobile.

Devin Coldewey: Like so many other Microsoft products, the true value really only comes out when you put all of their pieces together. The Live ecosystem is hugely interconnected and self-supporting, but the fact is most of us don’t live there, and I doubt that Windows Phone 7 will be the capstone that causes the whole thing to fit together in consumers’ minds. I expect it will be a well-loved OS but won’t garner enough support to make an impact — rather like webOS, and with a similar safety net. My other fear is that in a year, Windows Phone 7 will be exactly the same as it is today, unlike iOS and Android, which undergo serious revisions regularly. Only time will tell.

There you have it. As usual, a few months on the market might make all the difference to our opinions and prognoses, and we’ll keep you updated with the latest sales stats, bug reports, and reviews. The launch is (naturally) just the beginning, though let’s hope it’s not the beginning of the end.

Either way, we’ll find out soon whether WP7 will catch on with consumers looking for a genuinely new mobile experience or wilt and die, under-supported and under-appreciated.

PDP’s Headbanger Headset: Now Wii Call Of Duty: Black Ops Players Can Yell At Each Other Online

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 01:30 PM PDT

To be honest, I didn't even know there was going to be a Nintendo Wii version of Call of Duty: Black Ops, but lo and behold: a licensed headset! Yup, this is the official headset of the game on the Wii, and it's the handiwork of PDP, one of the bigger Wii accessory designers.

The headset, the Headbanger Headset, which carries both the Nintendo and Activision licenses, should be in stores this month, ahead of the November 9 launch of the game. (It'll also work with the Wii version of Sega' The Conduit 2, which comes out next year.)

What does is do? Well, I'm going to guess by the name, and by the picture, is that it's a headset for the multi-player portion of the game.

It's actually notable in that it's the first such headset for the Wii. I guess the Wii isn't really known for its online multi-player games—better late than never.

It'll be $25 when it's released later this month.

Curt Schilling At New York Comic-Con 2010: You Need To Be A Real Man To Play EVE Online

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 12:47 PM PDT

Comic-Con visited New York at the weekend, and I was there. I agree with what Fez Whatley said on Ron and Fez earlier today: the show was fun, but you can definitely tell that New York Comic-Con is the B show to San Diego's A show. That's not all bad, as the New York show doesn't feel as commercial as the San Diego one; there are no lame actors trying to attach themselves to geek culture for the sake of a slightly bigger opening weekend. That's my sense, at least.

Another thing I noticed: it was entirely too crowded. I know the show's organizers are trying to cram as many people as the City of New York will allow into the Javits Center, but being squished together like a bunch of sardines sort of takes away from some of the show's fun.

But enough of that.

The entire reason I'm writing about the show (there wasn't a whole lot going on from a news perspective, and I've already created a wacky video of the show last year) is because I attended a pretty fascinating panel entitled "The Future of Online Gaming." NCsoft, maker of City of Heroes, was on there, as was Curt Schilling, the former baseball pitcher (who was really quite good) turned video game developer.

And as the headline of this post suggests, Schilling was fantastic. I seriously had no idea the man was such a geek.

(As for the headline, at one point Schilling cut a promo about how hardcore EVE Online players must be. You invest dozens if not hundreds of hours trying to build up your empire, only to have some punk kids rob and destroy your life's work.)

So what is the future of online gaming? We get excited because Blizzard announces that there's 12 million World of Warcraft subscribers on a planet with some 6 billion people on it. Twelve million people, yeah, that's impressive, but let's not say something like, "Well, that's it, there will never be a game this popular ever again." Remember when people thought no other game would be as popular as EverQuest?

Look at Farmville. It's not my cup of tea, but clearly it's very popular. Will big publisher keep pumping hundreds of millions of dollars trying to create "the next WoW" when they can buy out some indie developer that developed a mouse-clicking simulator?

Things to consider: will any other company be able to make money using the WoW model, that is, pay $10-$15 per month for access? Maybe publishers will adopt a more Asian-like model, where you pay by the hour for access? Or maybe the game will be totally free? Or maybe we'll see more freemium-based games, where the game itself is free but you can buy additional swords and armor and whatnot? Why does every single MMO have the same basic class structure found in Dungeons & Dragons? You've got your fighter, your wizard, your rogue, etc.

And while we're at it: what's the future of WoW? Will Cataclysm be a hit, or will Blizzard find that the game's popularity has already plateaued?

Interesting little debate that could develop here.


Colorware Is Now Doing Its Thing With The iPod Touch 4G

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 12:28 PM PDT

Not happy with the stock iPod touch’s stock look? Alrighty, head over to Colorware and order up one of its custom painted models, which now includes the latest iPod touch model.

Of course like the rest of Colorware’s services, it comes with a premium price tag. It’s $150 if you provide your own iPod touch or $380 if purchased through Colorware. But the service is top-notch and the color combos are nearly endless. Still, it can be argued that a color case can provide nearly as much customization for a tiny fraction of the price. But it’s your money. Spend it how you see fit. [Colorware]

The RNB Eagle Is A Rugged Laptop That Isn’t From Panasonic

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 12:00 PM PDT


There aren’t that many rugged laptops out there, and chances are if you’ve seen one around, it was a Panasonic. Their Toughbook line has been around for ages, and is the standard for rugged consumer laptops.

But that doesn’t mean they’re the only players in the game. Rugged Notebooks has released the RNB Eagle, a rugged notebook that won’t blow you away with its specs, but can definitely take a few hits and costs less than the competition to boot.

Of course, when you’re buying a laptop it rarely is the best idea to get the cheapest, but don’t worry, the Eagle isn’t cheap, just less expensive. With a 14″ (touch optionsal) screen, Core 2 Duo processor, and all the usual fixins for a laptop this size (lots of ports, up to 8GB RAM, etc), the Eagle isn’t trying to impress spec hounds, but it starts at $1700, pretty well below the rough equivalent at Panasonic. They claim compliance with many of the same standards for moisture, drop resistance, and so on, though they’re certainly not quite as nice.

If you’re in the market for some rugged laptop action, be sure to give the Eagle a peep. It can’t hurt, and maybe you’ll save a little scratch.

The iPhonc Looks Good, Until You See The Front

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 11:30 AM PDT

The latest knock-off from China is the iPhonc – a curved back mobile phone that looks good up to a point. Details are non-existent, but you probably don’t want to buy this thing anyway.

Like many things, the iPhonc looks good from the back, but the face leaves much to be desired. It’s what can only be described as a “hot mess”, with a horrible button layout and the quite obviously missing touch screen. The ergonomics on the back at least look decent, but the rest of it is a fail.

[M8Coool via 9 to 5 Mac]

The Stemie – You’d Be Nuts To Ride Without One

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 11:03 AM PDT

There’s nothing worse then having a bicycle accident when you’re riding balls-out. Not only do you take a nasty spill, there’s also the risk of permanent trauma to your junk. Not to mention the temporary embarrassment of crawling on the ground clutching your sack. Luckily, the Stemie is designed to help prevent permanent damage, but it won’t help with that temporary shame.

The Stemie is a rubber cover that fits over the part where your handlebars meet the frame. The concept is quite simple: instead of risking potential castration, you put a rather unsightly rubber ball on your bicycle, and protect the family jewels. The Stemie is a mere $19, which is a small price to pay to prevent a crushed testicle. Plus, it beats shoving a cup down your bicycle shorts.

[via Bike Snob]

A Week In The High-Tech Hyundai Equus Super Sedan

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 10:07 AM PDT

The Hyundai Equus, pronounced Eh-cuus, is Hyundai's flagship luxury sedan in South Korea—so popular among the upper-class, that the South Korean President has one. Continuing off the car maker’s recent successes in the states, Hyundai is bringing the Equus here to enjoy sales from the already-brimming full-size luxury segment. This is the first Korean car to compete directly with the flagship sedans from Japan, Germany, and India/Britain (depending on where you call Jaguar home.) The Equus has been on the market for some time in South Korea, in fact, this is the second generation since its debut in 1999.

We’ve only had the car for bit, but can already tell that it will live up to the hype. This car is for real. There’s enough technology within the driver’s (and backseat passenger’s) reach to require a few trips to the manual, which just so happens to be an app on the included iPad. Yep, this is the car that comes with an iPad as the user manual. It makes sense, too. Instead of following a series of step-by-step instructions to, say, change the audio settings, you can just refer to the app for a quick demonstration. It’s genius from a user experience and marketing standpoint.

But this car isn’t all flash. Nope, a few minutes with the Equus will tell you that Hyundai just hit the market with another surprisingly competent vehicle. It’s going to be a great week.

The Equus we got today has less than 2500 miles and we are the second group of journalists to have it in possession. It’s a very sexy metallic black that almost has a shade of dark red in it. The 19-inch wheels are bright and have a mirror finish—this car looks deep and wet in the sun. Because of its looks, the Equus, can easily be mistaken for a multitude of luxo-sedans—the Maybach front, LS sides and 5/7-series rear all tied together with Hyundai's design understanding.

Inside, there are numerous bells and whistles, which we will get to later in the week. You must know, however, that this car is the 'Ultimate' Equus, meaning that it is fully loaded with a split personality—it is both a driver's and a VIP passenger's vehicle.

The rear seats far outclass anything else in the market, particularly the rear passenger side. It deeply reclines, has a powered footrest, lengthy massage options and are heated and cooled. Not only does the seat define VIP but the rear controls in the back are almost on par with the options in the front.

For the rest of the week, we will spend night and day driving the Equus. We want to see if it's up to dethroning one of the longer-standing vehicles on the market—Lexus LS, Jaguar XJ, Mercedes S-class—not only for how it drives, looks, and feels, but also how well the technology works to bring the driver a safe and enjoyable driving experience.

Meet the PogoPlug Pro

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 09:00 AM PDT


Since it’s launch, the PogoPlug has been an interesting little NAS device. The PogoPlug software has been continually updated with new features. There’s a vibrant developer community. And, most interestingly to me, the PogoPlug does not try to hide the fact that it runs Linux; indeed, they even tell you how to SSH into the thing! The recently released business-oriented PogoPlug Biz offered PogoPlug functionality to business users with new sharing controls, multiple users, and usage statistics. And today the PogoPlug Pro is unveiled. This version sports a black case and features built-in wireless networking. At $99, this gadget packs a lot of bang for the buck.

The new PogoPlug Pro should be available on the PogoPlug website, as well as in Best Buy stores.

The Clound Engines philosophy is “make a product simple, open, and affordable and the community will make it better.” If you ask me, Cloud Engines gets it with the PogoPlug, and gives their users what they want.


Windows Phone 7: Solid Platform, Sorry Future

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 08:14 AM PDT


Oh Microsoft. I feel for you. Windows Phone 7 might have been a huge hit. It might have been the true iPhone killer. It might have even become the dominant mobile platform. But it won’t. It’s an iOS, Android and BlackBerry world now and there isn’t room for anyone else.

It’s too bad, really. Windows Phone 7 looks great to me. I believe Microsoft really nailed the overall design philosophy behind it. Windows Phone 7 is about communication, not apps. That’s a key difference and one that I, as a Droid X owner, greatly appreciate and understand. This platform is in a way the Google of mobile OSs in that it wants you to get your information as quickly as possible. Awesome, but it’s still a few years too late.

We all know the back story here. Microsoft sat out of the smartphone revolution and instead made slight tweaks to Windows Mobile while everyone else followed Apple’s lead into an application-focused platform. Smartphones today are pretty bland without 3rd party apps. They’re made that way on purpose. While Apple’s iOS devices and Windows Phone 7 seem to have the same baked-in capabilities, the two present them in a totally different way.

That’s fine, really. Apple’s strategy works great as it allows the company to release next-gen devices with a load of applications. But it’s still focused on apps where Windows Phone 7 is anything but. In many ways Windows Phone 7 seems like a next-generation BlackBerry and that’s probably by design.

BlackBerries have long been the dominant smartphone. They still dominate although the Android horde is quickly overtaking its market share. But RIM’s BlackBerry devices achieved their success not with apps, but with capabilities. Windows Phone 7 aims to do the same.

The whole interface is designed to be as efficient as possible. Message counts and missed phone calls are clearly labeled on the home screen, and the whole thing is user-customizable. It just seems more competent right out of the box. You can’t say that about Android phones. Users spend weeks customizing and finding apps just to gain some sort of usability. Only HTC’s Sense skin provides any sort of usable interface without additional widgets and apps.

Personally I hate my Android phone. It’s work. I feel like I spend most of my time maintaining it rather than using it. I constantly have to manage apps, pay close attention to the battery life, and I’m always looking to the next Android release to solve my problems — and I’ve only had it since August. I hate that I’m tied down to it for another 18 or so months.

But here lies the problem of Windows Phone 7. It hit the market too late. I would venture to say that most of its target market is already locked into a long-term carrier commitment and unwilling to pay any ETF to jump on board with an unproven device.

The first crop of Windows Phone 7 devices are dropping later this month on AT&T and T-Mobile in the states. Skipping over Verizon is a mistake, but that’s another post. So instead Windows Phone 7 will battle the iPhone on its home turf and also against established low-cost Android and BlackBerry devices. It doesn’t stand a chance in the short-term and therefore probably won’t be able to gain any real long-term traction.

Android devices are only going to improve, BlackBerry smartphones will likely continue pounding the low-cost crowd and iPhone 5G will stay its profitable course all while capable Windows Phone 7 devices sit all by themselves in the corner previously occupied by their Winmo 6.5 brethren. That’s the future as I see it.

Still, there’s a good amount of users out there that seem right for Windows Phone 7 as a good amount of tweens and moms use BlackBerrys just for texting and Facebook. That’s a huge, profitable demographic. Sure, diehard Android fans won’t like the lack of openness and iPhone users will miss the thousands of apps.

Microsoft is hitting the smartphone market too late for Windows Phone 7 to be a breakaway success. The big three smartphone platforms are already too entrenched in consumer’s minds. However, outside of the snobby Internet crowd, Microsoft still has a good name with most people and a solid marketing blitz might help the new platform chip-out a foothold. If Windows Phone 7 hit two years ago, it would be where Android is today. Oh well.


Windows Phone 7 Launches With 10 Phones Across 30 Countries: So Much For Keeping Things Simple

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 07:34 AM PDT

Today's all about Windows Phone 7 (for better or worse). Microsoft is in New York showing off the goods, and Greg and John are there getting the goods. What I can say remotely is this: Microsoft is launching Windows Phone 7 across 30 countries, with one or two phones per country. Those of us in the U.S. are looking at an early November release date.


A DIY iPhone Dock for your iPad

Posted: 11 Oct 2010 07:00 AM PDT


Do you feel compelled to look at your iPhone while simultaneously using your iPad? Or do you just miss the ability to actually multitask with either of your iDevices? Geeky Gadgets has instructions for making an iPhone dock for your iPad.

This allows you to watch a movie on your phone while using your iPad. Maybe it’s my own complete inability to watch a movie and do anything else, but this strikes me as a solution looking for a problem.
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