четверг, 31 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: Garmin Introduces GPS-Friendly Nüvifone



  • Garmin announces its first-ever GSM HSDPA smartphone with GPS navigation. — Switched

  • We keep examining the outside of the MacBook Air; now let's check out its insides! — Gizmodo

  • Fashion designers are starting to incorporate mini LCDs into their handbags. — Techie Diva

  • Wired explains why you can't rent iTunes movies for older iPod models. — Wired

  • Asus is set to come out with a new portable PC, labeled the iMac Killer, that will cost around $500. — Unplggd


Amazon MP3 to Go Global

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
When Amazon MP3 launched last year, you can bet it was looked upon by Apple as just another minor threat to iTunes’ dominance. But with the signing of Sony BMG, Amazon is the only retailer selling DRM-free music from all four major music labels. And now it’s a major [...]

среда, 30 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: Kiss Dell Kiosks Good-Bye



  • Dell announced today that it will be closing 140 kiosks to focus on direct and retail business. — CrunchGear

  • This is pure genius. Domino's now offers an online pizza tracking system that's accurate to 40 seconds! — Consumerist

  • Apple announces that the MacBook Air is now shipping but that the Apple TV is delayed by a week or two. — Crave

  • Meet the MacBook Paper. The thinnest, tiniest, paper thin laptop. — Cult of Mac

  • GreenPrint is a handy download (for PC's only) that will help you print less, saving ink, trees and money. — Unplggd

  • Check out a "hands-on" demo of the Playstation Portable firmware that comes Skype compatible! — Kotaku


Digg Alters the Definition of “Popular”

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Most people know how Digg works. You submit a story, and based on how many people vote it up or down, it will hopefully be moved from “upcoming” to “popular.” Until now it’s been based on sheer numbers, but last night Digg founder Kevin Rose unveiled a new algorithm [...]

вторник, 29 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: Ann Arbor Lights Up With Energy Efficient LEDs



  • Ann Arbor, Mich., is set to become the first US city to light up its downtown with 100 percent LED technology. — Inhabitant

  • Wondering what cell phones have the best battery life? Switched compiled a list of 10 standard phones that have impressive battery life, both for talk and standby modes. — Switched

  • Cobalt blue DS Lites are set to hit store shelves sometime next month. — Gizmodo

  • Denver International Airport not only has free wireless internet access via FreeFi, but it is now offering movie rentals over the local network as well! — CrunchGear

  • TeamSugar user tdamji explains why she loves digital magazines much more than traditional mags. — Technology & Gadgets Channel

  • Only a few more hours left to log in and take the motherboard quiz to win a lovely In Win Allure PC Case! — geeksugar


Bleeding Edge TV: CES 2008: A chat with Bug Labs about the Bug Base


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Think Lego Mindstorms meets Radio Shack. Bug Labs has been working on their Bug Basea fully modifiable, open-source gadget building block system. The base itself includes specs similar to “a three-year-old laptop” but includes WiFi and ethernet, USB and more. Once you have the base, [...]

понедельник, 28 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: Happy 50th Birthday LEGO!



  • LEGO celebrates its 50th anniversary today. Could we even begin to imagine our life without these cute, little colorful building blocks? — Boing Boing Gadgets

  • Presidential candidate Barack Obama did a Letterman Top Ten of all his campaign promises which included: "I won't let Apple release the new and improved iPod the day after you bought the previous model." — Gizmodo

  • Actress Marlee Matlin tells Switched that she is a gadget girl and loves listening to her iPod, despite the fact she's hearing impaired. — Switched

  • Wish the MacBook Air had a few more features and ports? I bring to you the MacBook Air. Try squeezing that into an envelope! — Cult of Mac

  • Firefox joins the mobile club by offering a Firefox mobile. A mobile browser that offers 1-2 taps for frequent activities, finger taps (no stylus required), and is familiar to desktop users. — CrunchGear

  • It's the last day to log in and take the motherboard quiz to win a lovely In Win Allure PC Case! — geeksugar


Source


Thousands Sign Online Petition to “Save HD-DVD”

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Anyone ever sign a petition at PetitionOnline.com? It’s a site that “provides free online hosting of public petitions for responsible public advocacy.” Once Warner Bros. said they were switching to Blu-ray only, a petition to save HD-DVD was opened by Tudor Cacenco, who says on the site:
Dear High [...]

воскресенье, 27 января 2008 г.

This Week in Geek

This Week in GeekWe finally came off of our Macworld and MacBook Air high and got back to the business of games, cupcakes, and geek love. Check out the slideshow for what you missed!
Start Slideshow

Bleeding Edge TV 231: Eee PC Advanded Desktop and Beryl Effects


Click to Play
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The second in our series of Asus Eee PC how-to videos, this episode features instructions on how to activate the Eee PC’s hidden Full Desktop Mode, a power-user mode featuring a launcher similar to the Start menu from Windows. Additionally, Nate True demonstrates how to [...]

суббота, 26 января 2008 г.

Download of the Day: Anxiety For Mac Users

Anxiety is exactly what I have all day long on busy days, even when I have online calendars and alarms on my cell phone set to remind me. But now I have the application Anxiety, which feeds my need for to-do lists I can check off as I do them. There is an indescribable feeling of satisfaction in checking something off your to-do list, isn't there?



Add tasks directly into the Anxiety window, which hovers on your desktop and when you check the little box next to the task, they disappear. Anxiety — which only works with Macs — also syncs with iCal. Now the only thing I have to worry about forgetting is adding the tasks to Anxiety!


To learn how to post your favorite downloads to the Download of the Day group,


read more


The iPhone Goes Corporate

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
AT&T and the iPhone have gone corporate. Despite the opinion of many analysts, AT&T is now labeling the iPhone an Enterprise-class device. My question, as with my earlier AT&T SIM-only story is, why is this all that great again?
The reason I say this is because if you compare the [...]

пятница, 25 января 2008 г.

Website of the Day: EveryBlock

Whenever I move into a new neighborhood, it always takes me awhile to get comfortable and adjusted to my new surroundings. Well there's now a site that can help put your mind at ease, or at least keep you in the loop of everything and anything that's happening in your neighborhood.


EveryBlock currently provides all insider block info in cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Find photos, news articles, crime reports, building violations issued, and much, much more about a given area. Their motto is "We compile news sources, public records, and other local sites so you don’t have to," so they're basically your online "neighborhood watch" advisors!


And if you want to know all about your lovely new neighbors, be sure to check out another great website — Rotten Neighbors!


To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,


read more


Brazil Bans Sales of Counter-Strike and Everquest

By David Johnston
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Nearly a decade after their release, both Counter-Strike and Everquest have been banned from sale in Brazil. The ban, which has recently been implemented, was ordered by the Brazilian courts last October. Some Brazilian gamers have written in to website Kotaku about the bans. One of the [...]

четверг, 24 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: Bono and Gates Kick Off (PRODUCT) RED Partnership



  • Microsoft and Dell unveil their AIDS-in-Africa relief project partnership today at Davos. — Engadget

  • Beware if you purchased a 10.4-inch Insignia-branded photo frame with model number NS-DPF-10A from Best Buy during the holidays, as the device may come with a virus that can infect Windows-based computers. — Switched

  • TeamSugar user dreaaa points out a good-to-know tip about Apple's new movie rentals. — Technology & Gadgets Channel

  • Today Sharp announces the AQUOS X-series TV, the world's thinnest television. — CrunchGear

  • Finally, Netflix will be launching all-you-can-watch instant online video service for Macs later this year. — Gizmodo

  • Log in and take the motherboard quiz to win a lovely In Win Allure PC Case! — geeksugar


RIAA Website Wiped Clean by Hackers

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
It’s a weekend, and a holiday weekend to boot, so the site might stay this way for some time. Someone apparently used SQL injection to wipe, and we do mean wipe, the website of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) clean of content. (In case they’ve fixed the [...]

среда, 23 января 2008 г.

Help Me Find a Valentine's Day Gift For My Geeky Guy!

This year I have vowed to not be frantically hunting for a Valentine's Day gift for my geeky boyfriend during my lunch break on February 14.


Nope, because this year I am enlisting you to do my dirty work for me! I need your help to find the perfect gadget or gadget accessory for my Apple-obsessed, geeky-adorable boyfriend (and all the geeky guys you love as well)! Are you up for the challenge?


Find ideas for Valentine's Day geek gear and be sure to tag them "Valentines day geeky guy" and then come back next week and see if your Geek Gear was chosen!


To learn what Geek Gear is and how to bookmark on our site, click here.


To see some of my favorite online stores,


read more


Google’s Blogger Joins the OpenID Parade

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Not to be outdone by Yahoo!, Google has announced the ability to use your Blogger URLs as an OpenID URL at any site that allows OpenID 1.1 authentication.
Yahoo announced on Thursday the ability (at the end of January) to use Yahoo! user IDs for OpenID logins, so this doesn’t go quite [...]

вторник, 22 января 2008 г.

Get 3 Months of Flickr Pro Account for Free

Flickr Gift Box For a limited time, you can get 15 months of Flickr Pro Account subscription for the price of 12 ($24.95). The deal goes like this: if you purchase a Flickr Pro Gift subscription, you get 3 months of free subscription for yourself. If you activate the gift card on your own account, you’ll get 12 months + 3 months free, which means you’ll be getting 15 months for $24.95. Not a bad deal!


This works for new subscriptions, as well those who are renewing their subscription. Here’s what you’ll have to do:



  1. Go to Flickr Gift Site and purchase 12 months subscription for $24.95.

  2. Now redeem your gift code on this page.


This promotion ends on January 31, 2008. Remember, Flickr Pro account gives you unlimited storage for your photos along with ad free browsing and unlimited sets. I just renewed mine and it worked!


Flickr is also giving 10 free Moo cards to those who upgrade their account to Flickr Pro. Unfortunately, you won’t be getting moo cards when purchasing Flickr Pro Gift subscription.


[Via: Fat Wallet]



Daily Tech: Apple Reveals Pretty in Pink Nano



  • Apple is jumping on the Valentine's Day train by offering an iPod Nano in pink. . . . It's $199 and comes with free engraving. — Engadget

  • Shiny Shiny asks why online dating is still treated as though it's mysterious and new? — Shiny Shiny

  • Windows 7 is apparently going to replace Vista by the middle of next year. — CrunchGear

  • Switched lists the top 11 celebrity blogs, with Rosie O'Donnell topping the list. — Crave

  • David Levy, the author of Love and Sex With Robots talks about how people are going to fall in love with robots on the Colbert Report. — Gizmodo

  • Log in and take the motherboard quiz to win a lovely In Win Allure PC Case! — geeksugar


Free Shipping is a Crime, Amazon. Deal with It.

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Amazon.com has run afoul of a French law that basically makes free shipping a crime. On Monday it said it will continue to ship books for free in France and take a €1000 (or nearly $1500 at the time of this writing) a day fine.
The Lang Law (81-766 August 10, [...]

понедельник, 21 января 2008 г.

Changing the MacBook Air Battery Is Easier Than Expected

As much as it made sense that Apple omitted a few standard features on the MacBook Air to maintain its ultra-thin design, I couldn't get over the fact that the battery is basically sealed inside the device, which I thought would make it very difficult to replace. But according to the The Apple Insider, with a size 0 Phillips head screwdriver, the battery can quickly be replaced in less than three minutes.

Once you unscrew the battery from the chassis, just unplug the battery from the circuit board and give it a tug. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't stuck to the board. Do it yourself or take it to a technician, but just keep in mind that this process could void its warranty. Apple will soon be announcing a MacBook Air out-of-warranty battery replacement program, which is said to cost around $129 and take five business days. Tough call — do the quick and cheap battery replacement and void the warranty, or pay the extra, wait five days and keep the warranty intact?!


Lotus Notes Coming to the iPhone?

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
According to AP, those of you corporate types who’ve been holding off buying an iPhone because of a lack of corporate email support may find that reason vanishing soon. IBM is poised to announce a version of Lotus Notes e-mail for the iPhone at its Lotusphere conference in Orlando, Fla., [...]

воскресенье, 20 января 2008 г.

Would You Rent Music on iTunes?

With Macworld 2008 just about wrapped-up and put away, we're left to reflect on what we won't be getting from Apple this year (just check out your comments on what the MacBook Air left out)! The New York Times couldn't help but ask if Steve Jobs has abandoned his thought that people want to own their content, as evidenced by his embracing rentals of movies on iTunes for Apple TV. If this is the case then why hasn't he done the same for music?



The article points out that the same technology that enables movie rentals for Apple TV is also found in newer iPods, so why can't we rent songs and albums? Whether it would be unpopular or not, Apple has made the decision for us. I think most of the time, I would want to own my music, especially at just 99 cents a song, but renting music could be a throwback to the days when we borrowed our friends' CDs for a week to test them out. So tell me what you think — Would you rent music or would you rather own it?





Would You Rent Music on iTunes?

With Macworld 2008 just about wrapped-up and put away, we're left to reflect on what we won't be getting from Apple this year (just check out your comments on what the MacBook Air left out)! The New York Times couldn't help but ask if Steve Jobs has abandoned his thought that people want to own their content, as evidenced by his embracing rentals of movies on iTunes for Apple TV. If this is the case then why hasn't he done the same for music?



The article points out that the same technology that enables movie rentals for Apple TV is also found in newer iPods, so why can't we rent songs and albums? Whether it would be unpopular or not, Apple has made the decision for us. I think most of the time, I would want to own my music, especially at just 99 cents a song, but renting music could be a throwback to the days when we borrowed our friends' CDs for a week to test them out. So tell me what you think — Would you rent music or would you rather own it?





Weekly Recap: Macworld 2008 Madness

Weekly Recap: Macworld 2008 MadnessThis week was definitely devoted to the MacBook Air and the hype-filled annual keynote of Steve Jobs at the annual Macworld event in San Francisco. In just four days, the world's littlest laptop managed to spawn controversy and carrying cases, and steal the thunder of everything else that happened this week in the tech world. If you got caught up in the MacBook madness, check out our slideshow to see what else you missed!
Start Slideshow

Time-Warner Cable to Trial Hard Bandwidth Caps: Leaked Memo

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
According to a leaked memo, Time-Warner Cable will be trialling a new billing system with tier-based bandwidth caps, called “Consumption Based Billing.” The trial will be rolled out in the Beaumont, TX area sometime in Q1.
“Consumption Based Billing” will only apply to new customers. An online tool will enable [...]

суббота, 19 января 2008 г.

Surgeons Are Being Prescribed Serious Face Time With the Wii

Let's just hope that if you ever need surgery, your MD is an avid gamer! USA Today is reporting on a study performed by the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, which found that surgical residents who got their game on for an hour before diving into virtual surgery scored 48 percent higher on tool control and performance. This isn't the first time we've heard of hospitals incorporating the Wii into their practices: Rehab and physical therapy physicians have already been successfully using the Wii to remedy movement and balance issues.


However, not all games offer the same benefits. Titles like Marble Mania, where the player uses calculated and small movements with the Wii Remote, are better than, say, Super Mario Galaxy or Wii Sports. Unfortunately, saving the galaxy and perfecting your golf swing do not directly affect your ability to perform open heart surgery. Who knew? If you want to get in on some surgical action of your own, check out Trauma Center. It may just tide you over until you finish med school.


Source


Asus Outlines Eee PC Windows XP Roll-Out Plan

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Is it sufficient to say “woo-hoo”?! Many have been jonesing for an Asus Eee PC with Windows XP for some time, not just in terms of the upcoming new models, but also because the first-gen Eee PC could supposedly support it as well. Wednesday, in an emailed press release, Asus outlined [...]

пятница, 18 января 2008 г.

Music Industry Benefits From Rock Band

Thanks to Rock Band on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, music sales have certainly been revving up. According to USA Today, virtual rockers downloaded around 2.5 million songs in the eight weeks since the game launched on the above gaming consoles.

Rock Band already includes 58 songs to play, but users can download more from the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, as each song ranges in price from 99 cents to $3. The most popular songs include those from Metallica, The Police, and Black Sabbath. It's no surprise that musicians and bands are lobbying to get their songs on the game. I can honestly say I'm already addicted to songs that I continually hear from Guitar Hero III!

Source


Happy Seventh Birthday, Wikipedia!

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Too bad it’s today, January 15th. Today being the day of Steve Jobs’ keynote at Macworld, this is going to get missed by many. But not by me: Happy Seventh Birthday Wikipedia (all right, I’ll admit it: they emailed me about it).
Yep, Wikipedia was founded on January 15, 2001.
In [...]

четверг, 17 января 2008 г.

Macworld 2008: The iPhone Firmware Update Exposed

Macworld 2008: The iPhone Firmware Update ExposedI couldn't be more stoked about the MacBook Air, Time Capsule, and the new capabilities of Apple TV, but what I was unreasonably excited about was the firmware update to the iPhone. It puts a stake through the heart of iPhone critics who have been waiting for "the next version of the iPhone" — this is it! Though it was arguably the smallest reveal of yesterday's keynote (and confirmed those prior firmware update rumors) , it was both something for my beloved iPhone and the first thing I could get my hands on. After updating my phone, I instantly added geeksugar to my home screen, so I am always one step closer to you!
Start Slideshow

UK Education Agency Report: Don’t Upgrade to Vista, Office 2007

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) has completed its report (.PDF) on Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007, and the conclusions it reached shouldn’t surprise critics of Windows Vista and Office 2007.
In January 2006, Becta announced that it would conduct a review of Microsoft’s Windows Vista and Office 2007 [...]

среда, 16 января 2008 г.

Geek Tip: Gridskipper's Gossip Girl Guide to New York

Look for Winter to get a lot colder Upper East Siders — Gossip Girl is not returning with any new episodes until the writers' strike is resolved. Until then, Gridskipper has created an interactive map for you lonely boys and girls, The Gossip Girl Guide to New York.

Whether you live in NYC, have a trip planned soon, or are merely enjoying the high life from your Second Life, you can see the real-life sites of Gossip Girl characters. Most of the hot cellphone-on-cellphone action takes place on the streets of New York and with this guide you'll be able to check out the cafe where Dan has his laptop sojourns, the historic Met where a juicy tip is discovered on a PDA, as well as the burlesque club where Blair performs the striptease that leads to her downfall.


And until the real Gossip Girl logs back on, get your fix with our past Gossip Girl tech quizzes!


Cyberlink PowerDirector v6 First Look

By Martin Regtien
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Recently I bought a JVC Everio HDD camcorder which came bundled with some CyberLink software for editing video.
This OEM version of PowerDirector Express was easy to work with for a neophyte such as me but ultimately would be rather limited.
Subsequently I acquired the full version of PowerDirector v6 and checked it [...]

вторник, 15 января 2008 г.

What Pink CES Gadget Do You Like The Best?

I certainly got my fill of randomness at CES, which included alot of pink gadgets—some hot, while others not so much. From media players to gadget accessories, televisions and mp3 players—you name it, they had it! Have a look at the ones below and tell me which one you like the best (if any)!





Is Paramount Poised to Follow Warner Bros. to Blu-ray?

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
The Financial Times has a report that if true, would send HD-DVD into the same abyss as Betamax: it states there is a clause in Paramount’s contract with the HD-DVD group that would allow it to switch sides in the event of Warner backing Blu-ray, and that Paramount is “poised” to [...]

понедельник, 14 января 2008 г.

Would You Want a Motorized TV Under Your Bed?

I don't know why I'm so fascinated with luxury gadgets. It's probably because they are usually intricate, flashy, and I can never afford them. I was hoping to see more luxury electronics at CES this year, but I did manage to come across this bad boy—The K2 Mounts under the bed lift. As you'll see in the video below, it's a custom lift that raises your flatscreen out from under the bed to an ideal viewing height. And it can be all yours for around $17,000. It seems like a rather large contraption to me (and somewhat dangerous), I'd rather settle for a bed that comes with the flatscreen built in! What do you think?








Sony BMG Confirms DRM-free Music Downloads, But …

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
You’ll recall earlier that sources indicated that Sony BMG was finally going to join the rest of the major music labels to drop DRM. Today that was confirmed, but … and there’s always a but, isn’t there?
The ideal situation would have been simple downloads from say, Amazon MP3. But [...]

воскресенье, 13 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: What The iPhone Ordering Screens May Look LIke



  • Designer Phil Lu has created these beautiful ordering screens which display how the ordering patent may work in Starbucks. — Gizmodo

  • More and more gadgets are going green. Check out a gallery of the best in green gadgets for 2008. — Switched

  • Shiny Shiny creates a list of their top ten product picks from CES. — Shiny Shiny

  • Need help selecting a presidential candidate in the primary's? Check out what candidates are most like the Wii, Xbox360 and Playstation 3. — GigaOm

  • The ultimate children's book for explaining Microsoft Windows Home Server. — Unplggd


Amazon.com Quietly Opens Software Download Service


By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Amazon.com has launched a software download section in their software store. While the product selection is small - meaning, limited to TurboTax products - the fact that they built a software downloader application means that this is not the end of the story.
Install the downloader (in the sidebar on [...]

суббота, 12 января 2008 г.

CES 2008: Hands On Samsung's Giorgio Armani Phone

Having the chance to finally check out Samsung's sleek Giorgio Armani phone during CES was an experience in itself. I loved its haptic feedback user interface which causes an immediate slight vibration whenever an icon is touched. This is used to indicate that the phone has accepted your input—a unique yet useful feature which is also found on LG's Voyager.

The fashionable Armani phone also includes tri-band 900/1800/1900 GSM, a 3-megapixel camera, a 2.6-inch LCD touchscreen, bluetooth, a full internet browser, and support for AAC/MP3 or WMA audio and MPEG-4 video. The Giorgio Armani-Samsung phone is available in selected mobile phone stores in the U.S. and Giorgio Armani boutiques in major European countries.


















Fallout Begins Over Warner Bros. Blu-ray Decision; Is the Party Over (Literally)?

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Friday Warner Bros., the last “on the fence” studio, announced its decision to drop HD-DVD at the of end of May and focus on Blu-ray only. Fallout, as well as some crowing, and even some veiled threats, has begun.
First the HD-DVD Group issued a short, terse press release in response [...]

пятница, 11 января 2008 г.

CES 2008: Interactive Dance Mat For the Wii

If you enjoy dancing games like Dance Dance Revolution, CTA Digital has created this Wii Dancing Mat that is compatible with Wii dancing games such as Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party. With four directional touch pads, you are able to mimic the instructed moves you see from the video game. I saw some crazy Wii accessories at CES, but this was definitely one of my faves. It's time to get your groove on! Priced at $22.


Warner Bros. to Drop HD-DVD, Support Blu-ray Exclusively

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
In a major blow to the HD-DVD camp, Warner Bros. announced Friday it will be dropping HD-DVD later this year, and will produce high-definition titles in Blu-ray only. Warner had been the only studio supporting both formats.
According to the press release, Warner Bros. will continue to release HD-DVD titles through [...]

четверг, 10 января 2008 г.

CES 2008: Nokia Goes Green With Car Tech

Nokia certainly went green at CES this year by introducing the attractive 3110 Evolve, a handset made from 50 percent renewable biomaterials. About the size of a candy bar, the Evolve uses 95 percent less power than required by Energy Star standards. Nokia also came out in full force with a green and white hybrid car filled with green gadgets. The rear passenger seats came equipped with N810 Internet Tablets, while the front was decked out in a green GPS navigational system and fun bluetooth technology. Stay tuned for more product info.


Intel Pulls Out of the OLPC Program


By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Less than six months after Intel and the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation buried the hatchet, with Intel joining the OLPC board as its 11th member, the partnership is over. The reason was apparently continued friction over the Classmate PC, which was a source of friction between the two groups [...]

среда, 9 января 2008 г.

Wireless "Eye-Fi" Photo Card Available in More Places

Starting Jan. 11, Eye-Fi users can upload photos directly to Microsoft Windows Live, Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery, and Costco's Photo Center.


If you recall, the Eye-Fi is the first wireless memory card for digital cameras that allows users to wirelessly send photos directly from their digital camera to their computer or online photo sharing site using home Wi-Fi networks. These new upload choices mean Eye-Fi users will be able to select from a total of 20 photo destinations.


According to a press release, Eye-Fi cards will be sold at additional retail channels including Costco, PC Mall and Mac Mall for $100, which means the cards will be more readily available to all the photography geeks that want to test the cards out.


Intuit Warns QuickBooks Bug May Reoccur at Public Hot Spots

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
You’ll recall the issues Mac QuickBooks owners had in mid-December, when a bug could cause QuickBooks 2006 owners to lose their Desktop folder when updating the product. Intuit believed they had fixed the issue with a patch issued on Dec. 29th, but it appears they missed one little thing.
According [...]

вторник, 8 января 2008 г.

CES 2008: The Alienware Curved Monitor For Video Game Fanatics

All I gotta say is try privacy scarfing this bad boy! Gizmodo was first on the scene to capture this ginormous LED curved monitor by Alienware at CES. With a screen resolution of 2880 x 990 and a supersized DLP display, I can't help but assume this massive television, I mean monitor, is going to cause some serious eye damage. The Alienware curved monitor is reportedly going to be available later this year. No word on pricing just yet.




Source


Celio is Like the Foleo, Only Worse


By Alice Hill
RealTechNews
Anyone remember the Foleo? We do - it was Palm’s ill-fated attempt to marry an underpowered UMPC with a cell phone, and it died a very, very swift death. See our coverage “5 Reasons Why Palm’s New Foleo Device Will Fail”
Today we fond out that the Foleo concept is rising from the [...]

понедельник, 7 января 2008 г.

Ten Must-See Products at CES 2008

It's almost time before I get to set sight on some of the most innovative new tech products at this year's CES, which is said to cover nearly 1.85 million square feet of exhibition space—yes I'll need some comfy shoes. Wondering what's going to be hot on the tech scene this year? Here are ten technologies that I can't wait to check out when I arrive. Click "start slideshow" below to see what they are!

Ten Must-See Products at CES 2008
Start Slideshow

Is this the Zune Phone? (Dream On)


By Alice Hill
RealTechNews
OK - so it isn’t, but after all the ugly iPhone imitations, this is the first concept design that actually looks appealing. We hereby take quick a break from reality to bring you the following idea. A forum member on ZuneScene named Teccom747 dreamed up this concept phone. His specs:
The Zune 3 is [...]

воскресенье, 6 января 2008 г.

Weekly Recap: New Year, New Gadgets

This week we pondered what we're looking forward to in 2008 (ahem, Kindle replicas!), saw the launch of a super geeky — and awesome – sci-fi site and ogled the beautiful Eyecandy Sound Lounge and Bar in Vegas. What else did we do? Take our quiz and see if you were paying attention.


read more


MacOS Market Share Hits Record at 7.31%

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
According to Net Applications’ December 2007 market share data for operating systems, MacOS has hit a new high in terms of usage with 7.31%. At the same time, the iPhone OS hit a high of .12%. These were up from 6.80% and .09%, respectively, in November.
Check out the iPhone [...]

суббота, 5 января 2008 г.

Geek Tip: Permanently Deleting Pics From iPhoto

If your iPhoto is full of pics that you don't need and you want to free up some space on your hard drive, here's a quick fix that will instantly increase your storage space. When you are in iPhoto, click on the images you want to delete in the photo library. Most people make the common mistake of deleting images in an album that only deletes them from that album and not the entire library.



Don't ask me why but pictures are copied to albums, not moved, so essentially you will have two copies of a picture if it's in an album. Once you delete certain pics from your iPhoto library, make sure you empty the trash can as well to permanently delete!


AT&T $20 “Naked DSL” Arrives

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
What’s “Naked DSL?” It’s DSL you can get without having to have phone service as well. With more people going totally wireless phone-wise, it’s a “tier” people want. And it was part of the conditions (.PDF) AT&T agreed to in order to get FCC approval of the BellSouth [...]

пятница, 4 января 2008 г.

The All-in-One Insignia HD Shelf System

If your tiny portable iPod speakers aren't cutting it in terms of sound quality, but you aren't exactly thrilled about spending three or four hundred dollars on a state-of-the-art speaker system, I bring to you the Insignia NS-HD2114 shelf system. This system certainly covers the basics and then some, from a built-in HD radio tuner to being able to connect your portable music device through its USB port. Other great features include dual 2-way speakers, a 4-inch woofer, an iPod docking station, and a CD player. You can even play DVDs when the system is connected to a display screen. And if you have a look at some of the other pics below, you'll notice that it creates quite the ambiance when the lights are out! The best part, this new-age "boombox" is on sale at Best Buy for $136.























New Lithium Battery Flight Restrictions to Begin

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
As if your traveling experience isn’t bad enough already, here come new battery safety requirements from the DoT. The new rules ban packing of spare lithium batteries in checked baggage, and go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008.
New rules from the Transportation and Security Administration that take effect on January 1 [...]

четверг, 3 января 2008 г.

10 Simple Tips For Getting Organized

While most of us jot down our New Year's resolutions in low tech notebooks and organizers there are billions of helpful websites and handy tech tips that can help us reach our goals.


If you spend your whole day in front of a computer or carry a PDA in your pocket or purse (meaning you have constant web and calendar access) you really don't have an excuse to be disorganized.


To check out my list of tips (and goals!) for keeping your schedule and life on track this year


read more


End of an Era: Netscape Browser Development to Cease

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
It’s a sad day and the end of an era. Development is to cease on the Netscape browser, which at one time held the largest market share of all browsers, and was the first browser to gain mass popularity.
However, it had been evident for a while that this move was [...]

среда, 2 января 2008 г.

Colorful Pacman Pillows: Geeky or Geek Chic?

As old school as Pacman is, the classic gaming ghosts seem to never go out of style! I can't decide whether or not I like these Pacman pillows as much as the geek-chic Pacman video game scarf (minus the hat, of course). Each pillow below is handcrafted with special stitching to look liked the classic pixelated characters in the game. Maybe a neat idea for a gaming room or living room, but too over-the-top for a bedroom (unless you like eyes staring at you while you sleep)! This entire set is available on Etsy for $90. What are your thoughts? Geek or geek chic?





Wal-Mart Quietly Drops Video Download Service

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Wal-Mart quietly closed its video download service on 12/21, so quietly that no one noticed it — perhaps because no one used the site in the first place.
The store first opened last November, though it didn’t really get moving until early in February. Ironically, the first line of the NY [...]

вторник, 1 января 2008 г.

Daily Tech: The DS Tops Lifetime Sales of PS2 in Japan



  • The Nintendo DS which launched in 2004 is so popular in Japan that it has already outsold the Playstation 2 which launched in 2000. — Kotaku

  • The first app for Googlephones has just launched in beta, and it's called WhatsOpen.com. — Valleywag

  • FYI: The TSA isn't allowing any more loose non-rechargeable lithium batteries in checked luggage. . . good times. — The Consumerist

  • A girl unwraps an Apple box on Christmas to find a random note instead of an iPod. — Engadget

  • Check out a full video demo of Apple iPhone firmware 1.1.3 features. — Gizmodo


“Amazon MP3″ Store Adds DRM-free Warner Music

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
iTunes, Wal-Mart, and Amazon’s “Amazon MP3” service sell DRM-free music downloads, but so far only from EMI (along with a “test” by Universal Music Group). Today Amazon.com announced it has beaten Apple (!) to the punch; it’s signed a deal with Warner Music Group to sell MP3 downloads, giving customers [...]