Archive for April 27th, 2009

Today we reintroduce Entelligence as a new column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

Here’s a riddle. Why was a $300 PC with a Pentium III CPU, an 8GB hard drive, 64MB of RAM, 10/100 Ethernet, a DVD player, and an NVIDIA graphics chip considered a killer PC system in late 2001? The answer is because it wasn’t a PC — it was the original Xbox. In recent years, Microsoft has evolved the Xbox quite a bit. No longer is it a PC system with N-1 technology — it is now a targeted and focused piece of engineering that is state of the art and optimized for games — but importantly, a lot more than games. It’s the Xbox that will likely be Microsoft’s beachfront into the digital home, and it will be the Xbox which furthers Microsoft’s role in the digital home beyond the PC.

Continue reading Entelligence: Beware of geeks bearing gifts

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Entelligence: Beware of geeks bearing gifts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details are scarce on these new speakers from Kenwood, but if you find yourself frequently faced with a lamp-or-noise dilemma, we might’ve just stumbled upon the solution. The prototype flat speakers, developed by Junji Kido of Yamagata University in Japan, are inexplicably surfaced with white Lumiblade-style OLED lights — we’re not sure what that does for the sound, but we probably won’t be trading in our studio monitors in anticipation of this brightly lit conjectured future.

[Via OLED-Info]

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Kenwood lights up your life with prototype OLED-illumed speakers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We knew good and well Nikon’s highly anticipated D5000 was supposed to start shipping today, and ship they did. Our own unit just arrived courtesy of an altogether suspicious unmarked white van, but rather than questioning the driver, we figured it prudent to just give you a closer look at what exactly comes in the box. Obviously, we got ahold of the D5000 Kit, which runs $849.95 and comes bundled with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Nikkor lens. Initial impressions are as follows: it’s lightweight, it’s sexy and the articulating display is downright spectacular. Sure, it lacks some resolution compared to the D90‘s fixed LCD, but it sure shines bright. Expect a more thorough rundown in the not-too-distant future; till then, enjoy the gallery below!

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Nikon D5000 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Australia has already rolled out its plans to bring high-speed broadband to 90% of the country’s population via fiber optic lines, and it looks like the folks at CSIRO are now pitching in with some ideas of their own to bring speedy wireless broadband to that ever present “last mile,” and anyone else looking for an extra wireless option. As with others, they’re looking to take advantage of all the analog TV broadcast towers that’ll become available once the digital switchover in the country is complete, and it seems that they also have a few tricks up their sleeves that could eventually deliver wireless speeds up to 100Mbit per second (though it’d apparently be between 12 and 50 megabits per second initially). To reach those speeds, the group is apparently experimenting with a combination of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (or OFDM), used in basic wireless standards like 802.11g, and multiple input multiple output technology, or MIMO, which uses a range of antennas to transmit and receive multiple data streams. Of course, there’s still quite a bit of work to be done before any of that moves beyond the lab, but CSIRO says that field trials could begin in 12 to 24 months, with a commercial rollout possible in the next three to five years.

[Thanks, Aaron]

Filed under: Wireless

CSIRO looks to analog TV spectrum for 100Mbit wireless broadband originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re still up for spending unnecessarily these days, Belkin has the perfect excuse to blow 30 bones on a couch pillow replacement. The oddly, almost comically named CushDesk, is nothing more than a sophisticated lap cushion with a somewhat sturdy top that acts as a portable tabletop for your molten-hot laptop. It’s available in a number of soothing hues, and while it’s fully compatible with mobile PCs and Macs up to 17-inches in size, we’re still waiting to hear back about compatibility with UMPCs, MIDs and Linux-based netbooks.

Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals

Belkin justifies $30 for a pillow, calls it CushDesk originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Of course, the Batman Tumbler we saw a year or so ago is totally bad-ass, but sometimes you need something more suitable for black tie events: cotillions, charity functions, and so forth. This Batmobile (circa Batman Forever) is hand-built by a sculptor named Bob Causey and features a retractable hard top, a high-tech interior (including three LCD displays) and, the builder assures us, is actually road worthy. If anything, this guy should provide the perfect vehicle for your neurosis. Because, let’s face it — this whole donning Lycra Spandex and looking for people to beat up act? It’s a cry for help. Video after the break.

[Via Oh Gizmo!]

Continue reading Video: Homebrew Batmobile ready to fight crime, compensate for your rotten childhood

Filed under: Transportation

Video: Homebrew Batmobile ready to fight crime, compensate for your rotten childhood originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not exactly for everybody, but those looking to spare no expense when it comes to protecting their data may want to strongly consider adding Axxana’s elaborate Phoenix backup system to their shopping list (just below the Bond villain hideout and above the robot army). At the heart of the system is the Phoenix Black Box pictured above, which houses an SSD array that stores your essential data, and packs both WiFi and 3G connectivity to let you retrieve it even if the box itself is inaccessible — which it may well be, considering that it’s designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, and other disasters (including shocks up to 40 Gs and temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit). Of course, the system also gets paired with a remote backup service for an added layer of protection, and you’ll have access to a full range of management tools to keep an eye on your data at all times.

[Via OhGizmo]

Filed under: Storage

Axxana Phoenix backup system promises to withstand earthquakes and other disasters originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The original VholdR was already one of the more attractive propositions when it comes to helmet cams — let’s face it, when it comes to strapping a video camera to your head, style is likely your first priority — and now the even sexier followup is here: VholdR ContourHD. The camera shoots 720p at 30fps and WVGA (858 x 480) at 60fps, making it what is apparently the world’s first HD “wearable camcorder.” A goggle mount and flat surface mount are included, and the lens swivels 192 degrees for easy alignment, with dual lasers to help with setup and a 135 degree wide angle lens to catch your faceplants in a comprehensive manner. There’s a 2GB microSD card included, and we must say the H.264 default codec is an extra nice perk. ContourHD is on sale now for $280, and starts shipping on May 15th.

[Via Helmet Camera Central]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

VholdR ContourHD helmet cam upgrades your brain to HD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They’re not exactly breaking down any barriers of style or function, but those looking for some straightforward Bluetooth headphones may want to consider one of Sony’s latest offerings, which come in both in-ear and over-the-ear varieties. On the in-ear front, Sony has the DR-BT100CX (pictured after the break), which includes some USB charging capabilities, a promised eight hours of playback time, and three different silicon ear buds to ensure a snug fit. Those looking for something a little less discreet can opt for the DR-BT101CX, which offers the same USB charging, a slightly better 12 hours of playback time and, most notably, a 30mm neodymium driver for a bit more oomph. No word on pricing just yet, but it looks like both should be available any day now — in Europe, at least.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Continue reading Sony rolls out new Bluetooth headphones for in-ear or out

Filed under: Portable Audio

Sony rolls out new Bluetooth headphones for in-ear or out originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If it’s fancy you’re scouting, you needn’t look here. If you’re fine with a classic design, a relatively low price and plenty of oomph to handle everyday tasks, you’ve got your eyes right where they need to be. Averatec‘s latest rig is a 12-inch ultraportable that gets powered by a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, a WXGA panel, 4GB of DDR2-800 RAM, a 250GB SATA hard drive, 8x SuperMulti dual-layer DVD writer, WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, FireWire and audio in / out. Furthermore, you’ll find a VGA output, 4-in-1 card reader, GMA X4500HD graphics set, 1.3 megapixel camera and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. This four pound lappie will set you back $699, and if you’re already sold, we’re happy to inform you that it’s shipping right now.

Filed under: Laptops

Averatec debuts 12-inch $699 N2700 ultraportable originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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