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(Article from engadget.com)

Microsoft planning WiFi-enabled portable media player, working on MVNO for next year

Posted Jul 6th 2006 9:58AM by Peter Rojas
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video


Ok, by now it's more or less an open secret that Microsoft is going to shift away from its current model and go straight after the iPod with a portable media player of its own, but we've landed some exclusive details about the new player courtesy of a trusted insider who is party to some of the discussions Microsoft is having with potential content partners.

Here's what we've learned:

Microsoft's new portable audio and video player will have a screen that's "bigger than that of the iPod video" (which isn't really saying much) and built-in WiFi so you can not only download content directly to the player (sort of like with the MusicGremlin), but actually participate in an Xbox Live-like social network that will help you connect with other people with similar taste and interests. Whether that's going to be the Live Anywhere service they introduced at E3 we don't yet know. But we do know the tag line they're pitching for the device combined with this new network is "Connected Entertainment."

But it gets better. To attract current iPod users Microsoft is going to let you download for free any songs you've already bought from the iTunes Music Store. They'll actually scan iTunes for purchased tracks and then automatically add those to your account. Microsoft will still have to pay the rights-holders for the songs, but they believe it'll be worth it to acquire converts to their new player.

Right now the new player is schedule to launch in November, but our source also tells us that Microsoft isn't stopping with a WiFi-enabled PMP, they're actually going to launch an MVNO next year using all Windows Mobile-powered HTC handsets. These handsets will let users connect to the same social network you'll be able to access over WiFi using the portable media player.

P.S. - Yes, we're still trying to get our hands on a non-blurry pic.

(Article from engadget.com)

Apple bumps MacBooks, including "MacBook Ultimate"

Posted Jul 4th 2006 1:44AM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Laptops

Looks like Apple's tacked on two new out-of-box MacBook configs supposedly available in retail locations, well, immediately. AppleInsider is reporting a new white version gaining equal footing with its darker counterpart with a 2GHz Core Duo, as well as 1GB RAM, and an 80GB drive for $1449 -- which is what you'd pay to configure a stock 1.83GHz WhiteBook with the above options (thus the processor upgrade is free). Apple is apparently still keeping the margin on the BlackBook though, with the "MacBook Ultimate," your regular 2GHz BlackBook with 1GB of RAM (instead of the stock 512MB) for -- you guessed it -- the same $100 you'd pay to configure it yourself online, thus topping it out at $1599.
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(Article from engadget.com)

Cricket-controlled Pac-Man

Posted Jul 3rd 2006 4:21PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Gaming

It looks like hamsters aren't the only critters that have found themselves as unwitting accomplices is some mad game designer's grand scheme to find a less artificial intelligence. Recently, grad student Wim van Eck turned to crickets to add a bit more unpredictability to a game of Pac-Man, casting them in the role of the lowly ghosts against a human-controlled Pac. There's few details about how the system actually works, but it seems that the crickets actually proved to be more worthy adversaries than your typical AI-controlled enemy: at one point, a particularly clever "ghost" decided to shed its skin, probably knowing full well that it would become invisible to the game's color-based detection system. Not bad, now how about a centipede-controlled version of Centipede, Wim?

(From engadget.com)

USB mini paper shredder

Posted Jul 3rd 2006 9:02AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

So you're the type who must be ready to purge all trace of your existence at a moment's notice, eh? Then check it secret agent man, 'cause USB Geek, as only they can, are offering the USB mini Paper Shredder and, uh, letter opener for those of you given a number without a name. Capable of throating 4.8-inch wide paper and shredding it to 0.13-inch bits, this pup can be powered off USB or even 4 x AA batteries when you need a bit more disposal oomph. Get your $32 pre-order in now 'cause odds are, you won't live to see tomorrow.

Article from engadget.com

TDK reveals 6x BD-R disc

Posted Jul 2nd 2006 6:43PM by Evan Blass
Filed under: HDTV, Storage


Even though the fastest Blu-ray burner you can buy today maxes out at just a 2x write speed, media manufacturer TDK is already looking towards a wonderful future filled with 4x and faster drives writing 200+GB of data to 8-layer discs. Now that they're gotten the capacity part down, the company is hard at work on discs that won't take five hours to burn, and the first fruit of this labor -- a 25GB platter rated at 6x -- was recently unveiled at Japan's Eighth Data Storage Expo -- although don't expect it to hit stores until next year. They were also showing off that 100GB quad-layer BD-R we heard about awhile back but never got the chance to peep, so make sure to follow the Read link to check out that plus many more exciting shots from what we hear was a pretty happening storage conference.

iPod Bluetooth Adapter (Article from engadget.com)

Jabra announces iPod Bluetooth adapter

Posted Jul 2nd 2006 12:22PM by Evan Blass
Filed under: Portable Audio, Wireless

Since Apple's still showing no sign of caving into consumer demand and releasing a Bluetooth-equipped iPod (even a proprietary solution would be a good start -- anything to get rid of that annoying white cord), more and more manufacturers are looking to fill the void with their own workarounds, and now headset giant Jabra has announced plans to throw its own hat into the ring as well. Jabra's "hat" will come in the form of a dock connector-compatible adapter called the A125s, which will work with both the video and nano versions of the iPod, and promises 10 hours of playback or 250 hours of standby time before recharging becomes an issue. Unfortunately for exercise enthusiasts, these won't work at the same time as your Nike+iPod kit, so runners won't be able to cut the cord unless Nike releases its own pair of headphones. You can expect this adapter -- which will join the likes of the D.Muse, icombi, and naviPlay -- to retail for around $75 once it hits stores sometime this August.
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BootCamp (Article from engadget.com)

If you want to run Windows on your Intel-based Mac but found narf and blanka's solution a little too intimidating, you now have another option -- and this one's from Apple. The company has released a public beta of a technology called Boot Camp, which will be included in the next version of OS X. As its name implies, Boot Camp is essentially a boot manager, and allows Mac owners to install Windows XP and choose whether to run OS X or Windows at startup. It also includes a selection of Windows drivers for common Mac hardware, along with a utility to let you burn a CD to run the installation and partitioning tools. Yes, you still need your own copy of XP, but it looks like Apple's taken most of the pain out of dual-booting. Great job Steve, but we're sorry to tell you that the $13K bounty's already been won.

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Apple rumors (article from engadget.com)

The Apple rumor mill has been circulating furiously lately with "leaks," speculation, and all manner unofficious information -- some wack and out of touch with reality, some quickly proved fake, some fun, and some even a little plausible. Unless someone gets all crazy on us and leaks Leopard long before it's due to debut at WWDC in August, all we've got now is a few of these rumors to go by. Oh, and feel free to leave some more of your favorite Leopard rumors in comments!
  • Apple will take aim at Parallels and introduce an integrated virtualization system. Seems plausible, but being that Parallels is already out, that might induce some serious anti-trust issues.
  • iChat will do VoIP and will be able to call landlines, ala Vonage, etc. Makes sense, though we'd be a little skeptical about how they'd integrate SkypeMacOut minutes into .Mac -- they'd have to come up with a new micropayment system for landline calling.
  • Apple will develop a desktop mapping application; it will be similar in form and function to Google maps. Except unlike Google maps, an Apple map app would have little point.
  • Finder to go solid metal, get tabbed interface. (Video here.)
  • Apple will take a Wine-like approach, and run Windows apps natively. Some people just won't give this one up -- the reason they entered the BAPco was because of Boot Camp, m'kay?
  • That silly iTunes BitTorrent deal: share your bandwidth with Apple so users downloading legitimate content from the iTMS get faster speeds. Your reward? Get some cash knocked off your iTMS purchases. Sounds wonderful, but it's a legal nightmare. You're going to provide value for an unaffiliated entity using your bandwidth? ISPs ain't gonna like that. And do you really think Apple's gonna convince the RIAA to take a cut in profit from iTunes for reduced prices on P2P sharing? Because Apple sure ain't gonna shave some more off that razor-thin margin of theirs, and Steve's already having a hard enough time keeping the cost at 99c per song.

Samsung Yepp (Article from engadget.com)




Looks like Samsung has a new one in the works; their YP-T9 DAP just got its FCC approval and it's looking mighty nice. The Yepp player measures 0.43-inches thick, and weighs a mere 1.7 ounces, but Samsung still managed a few extras. Most notable is the Bluetooth support for using wireless headphones, but there's plenty of other stuff like FM radio, voice recording, MP3/WMA/OGG support, photo and text viewing, and two full color 3D games. You can also play back 15fps videos at a 208 x 176 resolution, be we think we'll pass, thanks. Samsung claims 30 hours of music playback and 7 hours for video, but of course we have no idea as to when Samsung is planning on releasing this thing. Keep reading for more FCC glamour shots.Add content to your paragraph here.

French Legislature Passes iTunes Law (Article from engadget.com)

After all sorts of protesting, name calling and backtracking, the French legislature has finally managed to pass their DRM law that could spell a bit of trouble for iTunes and other companies bent on locking down their own respective file formats. The language has been toned down a bit from the original draft, and we don't have a new response from Apple or a hint of how this final version might be implemented, but the basic requirement of the bill is that Online music stores provide a method for users to play downloaded files on any device, as long as device manufacturers ask nicely. More recent revisions allowed some exceptions to this rule, including if the copyright holders weren't willing to have the DRM opened up, but from the sounds of it there are industry types on both sides of the argument. Some are jumping at the chance to price DRMed songs independently of Apple, yet still land them on the iPod. Apparently there are still a couple weeks for the law to be challenged and struck, but once it goes in action we'll be quite interested to see how Apple and others react -- a France sans iTunes?

TV-B-Gone! (Article from engadget.com)


The necessity for turning off that damned TV begot the TV-B-Gone; raucously loud neighborly TV watching and mischievous housemates gave birth to the TV-B-Gone sniper rifle; but a cold, mean spirit is behind the TV-B-Gone baseball hat, sure to surreptitiously switch off tellies at bars the nation over until word gets out to arm oneself with the TV-B-Gone blocker, and flip up everyone's bills the next time the game goes out mid-play. Make and use one caps of these at your own risk, friends, as you may find yourself headed home from the bar hatless as well as toothless.

Wheel-remote (Article from engadget.com)

We wonder what the meeting was like over at Intel HQ when they decided to produce this programmable remote that's designed for controlling your Viiv devices and is shaped like the steering wheel from a BMW F1 car. We wrote a short play describing how we think it went.

Executive 1: It seems like people are seeing Viiv as kind of a novelty. What should we do?
Executive 2: Hmm, maybe we should develop a remote that'll give users access to all of their media without having to switch remotes, thus making Viiv actually useful for accessing content. It can have an array of custom programmable buttons, two of which look like bright blue marker caps, and everything.
Executive 1: Yeah, and it can be shaped like the steering wheel from a race car!
Executive 2: That is a totally sweet idea. When does it come out and how much?
Executive 1: Well we're developing it now, so no word on release date. But judging by how much other companies charge for race car stuff, it's safe to say that it won't be cheap.
Executive 2: Awesome. AMD Live! has no idea what's coming.

Fin.

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Smallest TV (Article from engadget.com)

We can't verify Asuka Semiconductor's claim of having produced the world's smallest handheld DVB-T device, but their new ARA K-60 sure is plenty small. The 4.5 x 3 x 0.8-inch device weighs a mere 6.7 ounces, and boasts a 960 x 240 3-inch LCD. There's A/V out to playback TV on you telly, and a teensy 3 hour battery. No word on price or availability, but we're sure it won't be long until this should be making its way into Korean pockets.


New Site!

Well, this is my site!  This is a site devoted to technology - meaning computers, mobile devices, networks, etc.  I will post links, pics and articles about aforementioned technology.  If you have any questions or suggestions, email me at geek_boy91@yahoo.com.  Be sure to tell all your friends about this site!  I will try to update this site daily, except for activities such as Band Camp.  Then, you'll just have to do something else.  I will be sure to notify you when I am going and when I expect to be back.

That is all.

-Sean


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