Primal Wireless Headset for Xbox 360

Rude Gameware wants to be strong with Xbox 360 gamers with the release of their new gaming wireless headset. The Primal Wireless Headset has a range of over 25′ feet with a wireless mic.

Apple Iphone new Concept design

While the world is waiting for the announcement of the next generation Apple iPhone, I decided to showcase iPhone concept designs.

Philips PET 723 Portable DVD Player

Last month we reviewed a couple of portable DVD players, something that can pique the interest of those traveling busy bees who simply need to watch a good film on the commute. Today we have an option from our reliable neighborhood brand Philips, PET 723, itching for a review.

Design and Features
The unit comes wrapped neatly in a rectangular box with regular accessories, namely, DC-IN 9V charger, cigarette outlet adaptor (12vDC), AY5510 slim remote control, one AV Cable, and the User manual. The player itself is very good looking, due to its slimness and rounded edges. The shape is more or less a rectangle, with a glossy black finish for the top panel.

The rest of the body is a gloss milky white, with shiny metallic silver for the inner drive portion. So here is the point, there is no boring looking tray that comes out to accept discs, rather, you have to slide the whole top panel out  upwards, to expose the silver drive. This is a good design element, and is sure to impress people who like innovative design tweaks. The back panel has a 3 sided thin stand that sits flush in a slot carved out. This can be folded outwards to mount the player vertically on a desk. The stand is quite thin though it’s sturdily fixed, and designed well.

The 7-inch screen has a matte finish, with a speaker grille below. Right at the center we have a round 4 way button for menu navigation.

To our pleasant surprise here too the player honestly tried its best, especially in vivid scenes of Kung Fu Panda that we were watching.
  Side panels contain connectivity options - input for AC power, 3.5mm Stereo Headphone, Composite video out and SD/MMC card slot. There is no USB slot, which is downright dumb, as I’m assuming people use USB flash drives more than memory cards. It does play DivX and MPEG4 files, besides regular DVDs, rewritables, Dual Layer DVDs, CDs, and MP3 CDs.

It has a resolution of 480 x234, brightness of 200 cd/m², contrast ratio (typical) 250:1 and response time (typical) of 30 ms. All regular playback modes of DVD players are present here namely A-B Repeat, Angle, Disc Menu, Fast Backward, Fast Forward, OSD, Repeat, Shuffle Play, Slow Backward, Slow Forward and Zoom.

Via Tech2

Sony Reader Taps Google's Public Domain Books

Sony Corp is making available public domain books from Google to users of its electronic book reader, Sony said on Wednesday, vastly increasing the amount of available content on the device.

In the latest round of a budding digital book battle with Amazon.com Inc, Sony said that more than a half a million classic titles will be free to users of the Reader, which allows consumers to read books and newspapers on a hand-held device. That will boost the available titles in Sony's eBook Store to more than 600,000, Sony said.
Sony sells two versions of its Reader, which competes directly with Amazon's Kindle. Kindle users can access over 245,000 titles plus newspapers, magazines and blogs. Whereas Amazon touts its relationship with publishers and access to a wide range of best-selling titles - which generally cost $9.99 - as a selling-point for the Kindle, Google has sought to make its collection of public domain books widely available. Public domain books, whether Jane Austin's "Persuasion" or Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace", are no longer protected by copyright. Last month, Google announced it was making the collection easily accessible to mobile devices such as the iPhone, and Amazon has said a similar move was afoot at the company. Sony Reader users will be able to read the Google books on their devices, or download a PDF file to read on a computer. The books are already accessible over the Internet at http://www.books.google.com.

Cisco to Buy Maker of Flip Video for $590M

Cisco Systems Inc. said Thursday it plans to buy Pure Digital, the company behind the popular Flip Video camcorder, for about $590 million in stock.

The deal is part of Cisco's aggressive expansion beyond its core business of making computer networking gear. On Monday, the San Jose, California-based company announced that it would start selling servers for the first time, to compete for a broader share of the money that big organizations spend on the "data centers" that run their computing operations.
Like several other technology companies, Cisco has a large cash hoard - $29.5 billion in its last quarterly update - and is well set to expand during the recession. Chief Executive John Chambers has said a weak economy is an opportunity to invest.
"The acquisition of Pure Digital is key to Cisco's strategy to expand our momentum in the media-enabled home and to capture the consumer market transition to visual networking," said Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Cisco's Corporate Development and Consumer Groups, in a statement.
For San Francisco-based Pure Digital Technologies Inc., the acquisition is a big payday. The privately held company sold its first camera less than two years ago, quickly drawing accolades for its ease of use. A signature feature of the Flip Video is that a USB connector flips out of the case, letting the user connect the camera directly to a computer. Editing software contained on the camera then starts up on the computer.
Pure Digital said it has sold more than 2 million cameras. They cost between $130 and $230.
The deal is expected to close in Cisco's fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in July. Pure Digital's chairman and CEO, Jonathan Kaplan, will become the head of Cisco's Consumer Business Group, which mainly sells under the Linksys brand. Home routers are its main products, but it also launched a wireless home audio system this year.
Investors in Pure Digital have included Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, Focus Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Steamboat Ventures, VantagePoint Venture Partners, Samsung Ventures, AllianceBernstein L.P., Morgan Stanley Principal Investments and Heights Capital Management Inc.
As part of the deal, Cisco says it will also provide up to $15 million in stock incentives for Pure Digital employees who stay with the company

LG L224WS LCD Monitor

We have reviewed quite a few LG HDTVs recently, including their frameless plasma. Today we have an LCD monitor by them, a rather basic 22-inch model, with a reasonable price tag.

Design and Features
The monitor is quite straight up in terms of aesthetics, quite a no frills approach. It’s got the usual black bezel, with straight edged borders. The surface is matte black, with a centrally located LG logo on the bottom panel. The buttons are on the right extremity, a single row of flat narrow push buttons. The only unique thing that catches the eye is the power on LED. It's not the regular small blue dot shape, rather it is an L shaped one (inverted L), and aligns along the bottom right corner. It glows a radiant blue, and looks pretty good.

The stand has a different finish, a glossy black one. It’s circular and pretty sturdy and huge. The monitor build quality is also impressive, as the joints between he frame and the stand is not wobbly, it's fixed in well. We received it fixed straight out of the box, though there are screws to attached it.

The monitor has a 16:10 TN panel LCD screen, 22-inch diagonal size, with max resolution of 1680x1050. The contrast ratio is 1000:1 native; brightness is 300 Cd/m2. Response time is 5 ms, while the input is regular 15 pin D-sub.

Motion is really no problem on these TN panels, detail and sharpness was visible right from the text in my word processor, to the action scenes in the film sequences.

There is no Digital video input, which could be one of the reasons the cost is low. The screen has an antiglare coating, plus it is not reflective or glossy which is good for me. There are no extra features like inbuilt speakers, webcam or any thing else of the sort.

Nokia Announces 3 New Audio Enhanced Handsets

Nokia today announced the arrival of new Nokia Music Stores, more Comes With Music launches and three new music devices - the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, 5330 XpressMusic and Nokia 5030. By expanding the music range to different price points, introducing more markets with Comes With Music service and the Nokia Music Store as well as making the integration of these elements as easy as possible, on both on the mobile device and the PC, Nokia aims to change the way music is enjoyed.
"We've sold more than 425 million devices with a digital music player and more than 700 million devices with an FM radio, which clearly shows that the mobile phone is the natural device for listening to the music and carrying it with you," said Jo Harlow, Devices, Nokia. "Combining a connected digital music player like the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic with unlimited access to millions of tracks via Comes With Music means that in addition to their favorite tracks, music lovers can discover, experiment, and keep the new music they find."

Currently available in 15 markets across three continents, the Nokia Music Store lets people browse or purchase music, get recommendations or search for their favorite artists, songs or albums directly from their device. Mexico was the latest country to launch a Nokia Music Store with additional markets such as Portugal, Norway and South Africa joining the fold in the coming months.
Comes With Music gives people unlimited music downloads from the Nokia Music Store for a year or 18 months. People can choose from millions of tracks to download and keep them, even once the year is over. Currently available in the United Kingdom and Singapore, Comes With Music will launch in Australia later this month. Additional launches, including Italy and Sweden are planned for the coming several months. It still seems like a work in progress for India with no clear sign of an official launch just yet, however the Beta version is a available.

Source

Netbooks Open Door to Windows Alternatives

As netbooks surge in popularity, open-source Linux-based operating systems have established a toehold on the low-cost, stripped-down computers as an alternative to Microsoft Corp's Windows. Although analysts say no more than 15 to 20 percent of netbooks are running Linux platforms such as Ubuntu, the growing demand for the devices has jolted Microsoft, whose Windows Vista operating system was too bulky to run on many netbooks.
The first netbooks to emerge in 2007, such as Asustek's Eee PC, ran Linux. Microsoft quickly recovered by making its older Windows XP operating system available on netbooks, where it is now the dominant platform. The average consumer is still more comfortable with the ease and familiarity of the Windows experience. But the contest may still be in the early innings. The expected release of laptops running Google Inc's Linux-based Android operating system - which many including Microsoft are predicting - would inject fresh competition into the market. Moreover, analysts say equipment makers have an interest in helping to nurture a Windows alternative to help them save on licensing fees.
Forrester Vice President J.P. Gownder said that although Microsoft's platform now rules the netbook segment, it was initially embarrassed when the devices began to sell without Vista. "It is the first crack in any of the armor at all," Gownder said. The software giant is tailoring a version of its forthcoming Windows 7 operating system for the devices, and the early word so far has been positive, analysts say. However Chris Kenyon, director of business development at Canonical, said that light, portable, Web-centric netbooks are the "sweet spot" for the Ubuntu operating system, which Canonical sponsors. "We've seen the biggest manufacturers in the world establish and push non-Windows operating systems and have seen it established as a mainline product." Kenyon expects there to be "many times" more pre-installs of Ubuntu this year than last. PC heavyweights such as Hewlett-Packard Co, Dell Inc and Lenovo all offer netbooks with Linux-based platforms, as well as Windows versions.
Jay Pinkert, a Dell spokesman, said Ubuntu allows the company to appeal to the open-source community, and also offer a product at a lower price point. Linux operating systems are free to license - Canonical makes money through support and upgrades for Ubuntu - while Microsoft receives as much as $60 for its netbook version of XP, analysts say. "As long as customers find value in having an Ubuntu option we'll continue to have it in the mix," Pinkert said.
Netbooks are expected to be one of the only PC segments showing strength in 2009, with analysts estimating global shipments of anywhere from 20-to-30 million in 2009. Although no one predicts an end to Windows dominance any time soon, some do see some opportunity for Linux netbooks in emerging markets, where cost is the overriding concern. And others see potential for emerging open-source operating systems on netbooks. "The big move to Linux will come when Android comes out on the netbook platform... That's what's really going to open up Linux," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. He said netbooks are perfect for so-called "cloud-based" computing - with applications hosted on networks rather than on PCs - and that the Android platform, if designed well, could find some traction. Android is used on smartphones like HTC Corp's G1, but is being designed to support all kinds of connected devices. Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney was skeptical that anything can seriously dent Windows' supremacy, but said Android's emergence would make things interesting. "If Google got in with Android that would be a good statement, Dulaney said. "It would give Google a placeholder in a market that may grow from bottom up." Microsoft in January partly blamed netbooks for weaker-than-expected quarterly profits. The company makes only half as much on its netbook software as it does for a standard notebook, analysts estimate. Microsoft expects to ship a low-end Windows 7 f

Dell Unveils Rugged Laptop

Dell has introduced the Latitude E6400 XFR rugged laptop engineered to meet the needs of customers in the harshest of environments.

The system meets a higher drop specification and offers a greater level of dust and moisture protection and is available in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. It starts at $4,299.
Designed for the military, first responders, oil and gas environments, manufacturing floors, field technicians and homeland security, the Latitude E6400 XFR features the Dell-exclusive Ballistic Armor Protection System featuring PR-481, which leverages a high-strength substance used for applications such as cryogenics, aircraft components, military equipment and medical devices.
Features of Ballistic Armor include:

• Twice the impact strength of magnesium alloy
• 25 percent higher drop specification than any computer in its class – up to four feet with system powered down and closed and up to 36-inch drop test with the unit operating and LCD open
• High compression strength for outstanding impact protection
• Structural stability at extreme temperatures
• Scratch resistance providing corrosion protection

The Latitude E6400 XFR also features PrimoSeal Technology to enhance protection from dust and liquid with compression gaskets that deliver a higher level of ingress protection, or shielding from dust and moisture, than any system in its class with an IP-65 rating. The fully rugged laptop is engineered and independently tested to more than 13 military standards (MIL STD 810F) for operation in challenging environments. It shares common images and components with the Dell Latitude E6400 laptops for easy integration into existing environments and enables low ownership costs.
The Latitude E6400 XFR also includes:

• Intel Core 2 Duo processors and vPro technology for enhanced manageability and advanced security features
• QuadCool Thermal Management System allows the XFR to meet the MIL-STD 810F for temperature extremes and enables excellent performance – a fully configured Latitude E6400 XFR performs up to 90 percent faster than the Panasonic CF30
• Up to 167 percent faster than the Panasonic CF30 in graphics-intensive applications
• Extended field use batteries equipped with ExpressCharge enables battery re-charge up to two times faster than Panasonic CF-30
• At 2.2 inches thick and starting at 8.5 pounds, the Latitude E6400 XFR is 15 percent thinner and up to 5 percent lighter than the previous generation XFR
• Field-ready options include an in-vehicle docking solution, 12-cell rugged battery slice, E-family docking and legacy I/O adapter
• Large 14.1-inch wide display including DirectVue Technology - customers can work in direct sunlight on a screen that features impact resistance
• Optional Dell ProSupport service offerings.

Apple Introduces Tiny, Talking Shuffle

Apple has introduced the all-new iPod shuffle, that is nearly half of the size of the previous model, and the first music player that talks. The 4GB player will be available in India in 4 weeks for a maximum retail price of Rs. 4,900 through Apple Authorised Resellers.



The new VoiceOver feature enables the iPod shuffle to speak song titles, artists and playlist names. This third generation iPod shuffle is significantly smaller than a AA battery, holds up to 1,000 songs and is easier to use with all of the controls located on the earphone cord. With the press of a button, users can play, pause, adjust volume, switch playlists and hear the name of the song and artist.



The iPod shuffle comes in silver or black and features a new aluminum design with a built-in stainless steel clip that makes it ultra-wearable.
"Imagine your music player talking to you, telling you your song titles, artists and playlist names," said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPod and iPhone Product Marketing. "The amazingly small new iPod shuffle takes a revolutionary approach to how you listen to your music by talking to you, also making it the first iPod shuffle with playlists."
The iPod shuffle can tell also tell users status information, such as battery life and can speak 14 languages including English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.
iPod shuffle comes with the Apple Earphones with Remote and the iPod shuffle USB cable.

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Great gadgets Under 100$

It's no secret that consumers are watching what they spend. I, for one, have had to rethink my tech purchases. As much as I'd love a big-screen HDTV and new gaming console, the smarter option (for now) is to keep on top of my mortgage payments and high heating bills.

With the majority of Americans cutting back on their purchases, online retailers are faced with lots of challenges of their own. comScore recently released its 2008 fourth-quarter retail e-commerce sales estimates, and the results aren't pretty: Online retail spending declined 3 percent versus one year ago; that's the first quarter of negative growth since 2001 that comScore has reported. For all of 2008, though, retail e-commerce grew 6 percent to $130.1 billion—but this number represents a substantially lower growth rate than in previous years, comScore reported.

The times sure look dismal, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on cool tech gear. You probably won't go out and drop a few hundred on a camcorder or netbook, but a $99 digital camera or a $50 speaker system definitely seems reasonable.

So if you're in the market for a new digital camera, MP3 player, or other tech product, and you don't want to spend a fortune, here are our 25 affordable recommendations. All of these tech products were rated 3 stars or better by our PC Labs analysts and editors.

Editor's Note: All listed prices are current as of the date of publication—and apt to change quickly and often.

DIGITAL CAMERAS & CAMCORDERS

Casio Exilim EX-Z9
Editor Rating:
Price: $99.95
The EX-Z9 is an easy-to-use, entry-level shooter that takes terrific daylight shots and continues Casio's tradition of quality video recording in digital cameras.

Fuji FinePix J10
Editor Rating:
Price: $88.95
The 8.2-megapixel Fuji FinePix J10 is an inexpensive camera that's great for beginners. It has an easy-to-use menu system and effective image stabilization.

Creative Vado Pocket Video Cam
Editor Rating:
Price: $64
Creative's 2GB Vado pocket camcorder improves on its prototype, the Flip Ultra mini camcorder, with a sleeker and slimmer design and a larger screen.

AUDIO PLAYERS

Samsung YP-S2
Editor Rating:
Price: $29
The Samsung YP-S2 is an excellent alternative to the iPod shuffle. It's small and lightweight, has 1GB of flash memory, and comes with gym-friendly earphones.

iriver Lplayer
Editor Rating:
Price: $99.99
This 4GB iPod nano-esque player is a viable alternative for those not tied to iTunes. It offers good-looking graphics, easy, push-screen navigation, FM radio and recording, and voice recording.

Slacker Portable
Editor Rating:
Price: $99.99
The innovative Slacker Portable does a good job of letting you take customized Internet radio with you. This 8GB player refreshes music automatically via Wi-Fi, has a huge screen for album art and artist bios, and lets you ban songs you don't like.

COMPUTER SPEAKERS

Hercules XPS 2.1 Lounge speakers
Editor Rating:
Price: $50.99
The Hercules XPS 2.1 Lounge speakers from Guillemot certainly sound as if they cost more than $50. They can handle deep bass even at high volumes (although if you push them to the absolute limit, they will distort). The wired remote looks clunky but has a bass level control, which lets you tailor the sound to your tastes.

Logitech Z-5
Editor Rating:
Price: $64.99
The bargain-priced Logitech Z-5 speaker set delivers crisp highs and comes with a remote that lets you control your iTunes and Windows Media Player library.

HEADSETS & HEADPHONES

Motorola MotoROKR S9-HD
Editor Rating:
Price: $90.45
Motorola's well-designed and affordable S9-HD may finally give stereo Bluetooth headsets a good name. It's more comfortable to wear than true in-ear designs and comes bundled with an iPod adapter.

Fatal1ty USB Gaming Headset HS-1000
Editor Rating:
Price: $56.99
The Creative Fatal1ty USB Gaming Headset HS-1000 is a good sub-$100 USB headset, and the virtual surround CMSS-3D, X-Fi Crystalizer, and ambient EAX effects sound great.

Sennheiser PX100
Editor Rating:
Price: $37.95
With the PX100, you get excellent audio performance for the price. Plus, these comfortable headphones sit on the ear, delivering respectable bass with very little distortion.

Philips SHE9850 In-ear Headphones
Editor Rating:
Price: $82.99
Philips's comfortable earphones certainly aren't bass-heavy, but they offer a reasonable amount of low-end presence. The included shirt clip helps cut out cable thump, too.

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