19-Jun-07 20:05:00
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
Fiber to the premises (FTTP), has the potential to deliver the most advanced HD services today, and although it isn't available in most of the country, Verizon (and others) are bleeding money digging up neighborhoods all over the US to install the magical stuff. Just because you have fiber to your home doesn't mean life is perfect though, there are still plenty of things that can get in the way of your viewing pleasure -- like franchise agreements. Verizon recently announced that they were testing HD VOD in their labs and have an internal time line for launching the service -- that they aren't ready to share. But with their competition already offering this service in some areas they can't wait forever.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Fiber to the premises (FTTP), has the potential to deliver the most advanced HD services today, and although it isn't available in most of the country, Verizon (and others) are bleeding money digging up neighborhoods all over the US to install the magical stuff. Just because you have fiber to your home doesn't mean life is perfect though, there are still plenty of things that can get in the way of your viewing pleasure -- like franchise agreements. Verizon recently announced that they were testing HD VOD in their labs and have an internal time line for launching the service -- that they aren't ready to share. But with their competition already offering this service in some areas they can't wait forever.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 19:34:00
Filed under: Displays
It's turning into quite the week for projectors, and Sony isn't one to be left out. The company is launching eight new projectors today, mainly for lighting up classrooms and board meetings with boring PowerPoint presentations, but we won't hold that against them. The VPL-EX4 and VPL-ES4 are of the 3 LCD ilk, and feature 2100 lumens and 2200 lumens, respectively. The EX4 does up 1024 x 768 pixels, while the ES4 runs 800 x 600. The 3 LCD VPL-C series is headed by the 3000 lumen VPL-CW125, which does up 16:9 WXGA HD video, while the rest of the series, including the VPL-CX155, VPL-CX150, VPL-CX125, VPL-CX120, and VPL-CX100, run at XGA and sport 2700 to 3600 lumens. The W125, X155 and X125 do networking for presentations over IP, but that's about as fancy as any of these projectors gets. The EX4 and ES4 are out this month for $1,030 and $1,230, respectively, while the five XGA VPL-C projectors will be out in June and July for $2,120-$2,930. The VPL-CW125 will fol...
It's turning into quite the week for projectors, and Sony isn't one to be left out. The company is launching eight new projectors today, mainly for lighting up classrooms and board meetings with boring PowerPoint presentations, but we won't hold that against them. The VPL-EX4 and VPL-ES4 are of the 3 LCD ilk, and feature 2100 lumens and 2200 lumens, respectively. The EX4 does up 1024 x 768 pixels, while the ES4 runs 800 x 600. The 3 LCD VPL-C series is headed by the 3000 lumen VPL-CW125, which does up 16:9 WXGA HD video, while the rest of the series, including the VPL-CX155, VPL-CX150, VPL-CX125, VPL-CX120, and VPL-CX100, run at XGA and sport 2700 to 3600 lumens. The W125, X155 and X125 do networking for presentations over IP, but that's about as fancy as any of these projectors gets. The EX4 and ES4 are out this month for $1,030 and $1,230, respectively, while the five XGA VPL-C projectors will be out in June and July for $2,120-$2,930. The VPL-CW125 will fol...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 19:04:00
Filed under: Cellphones
LG's original Fusic was fairly well received and reviewed, but left a little bit to be desired in the phone-as-iPod-replacement category -- and with a name like Fusic, this may have been LG's goal. Not to be dissuaded, rumor has it that LG is set to bang out a revision two handset named, you guessed it, Fusic II. The specs we peeped don't show too many changes as the screen resolution remains the same at 220 x 176, it is still rocking EV-DO, and while the camera is still only spitting out 1.3 megapixel pics, it has been relocated to the front. We don't have specifics on the handset's size, but we do hear it's weighing in at 99 grams now instead of the portly 120 grams of the original -- and smaller, thinner, and lighter are three things we definitely adore. Release is apparently slated for "Mid 2007" and you can be sure we'll be back before then with more info.
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LG's original Fusic was fairly well received and reviewed, but left a little bit to be desired in the phone-as-iPod-replacement category -- and with a name like Fusic, this may have been LG's goal. Not to be dissuaded, rumor has it that LG is set to bang out a revision two handset named, you guessed it, Fusic II. The specs we peeped don't show too many changes as the screen resolution remains the same at 220 x 176, it is still rocking EV-DO, and while the camera is still only spitting out 1.3 megapixel pics, it has been relocated to the front. We don't have specifics on the handset's size, but we do hear it's weighing in at 99 grams now instead of the portly 120 grams of the original -- and smaller, thinner, and lighter are three things we definitely adore. Release is apparently slated for "Mid 2007" and you can be sure we'll be back before then with more info.
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Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 18:43:00
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
Looks like Microsoft, no slouch when it comes to lawsuits, is heading back to court for another round of player-hating, he-said-she-said proceedings with Immersion (no stranger to the court system itself). The case seems a two-way deal stemming from a 2002 Immersion patent infringement suit, in which Microsoft paid $26m to settle the case and buy a piece of the business; apparently Immersion hasn't honored a clause stating that Microsoft is to receive some change in the event that Immersion and Sony settle, and the folks in Redmond want retribution: $15m minimum. Immersion, of course, thinks it's not required to pay out any such cash, leading one enraged Microsoft rep to shout into a hanging mic, "We will show Immersion the meaning of rumble!" No, not really, but we'd certainly plunk down to see Microsoft and Immersion counsel duke it out in the square circle instead of a stodgy court room.
[Via Gamasutra]
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Looks like Microsoft, no slouch when it comes to lawsuits, is heading back to court for another round of player-hating, he-said-she-said proceedings with Immersion (no stranger to the court system itself). The case seems a two-way deal stemming from a 2002 Immersion patent infringement suit, in which Microsoft paid $26m to settle the case and buy a piece of the business; apparently Immersion hasn't honored a clause stating that Microsoft is to receive some change in the event that Immersion and Sony settle, and the folks in Redmond want retribution: $15m minimum. Immersion, of course, thinks it's not required to pay out any such cash, leading one enraged Microsoft rep to shout into a hanging mic, "We will show Immersion the meaning of rumble!" No, not really, but we'd certainly plunk down to see Microsoft and Immersion counsel duke it out in the square circle instead of a stodgy court room.
[Via Gamasutra]
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Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 18:18:00
Filed under: Home Entertainment
We're not sure why anyone would want to have 1TB of storage in a set-top box and not, say, attached to a dedicated media PC, but those looking to max out their home theater rigs should check out CodexNovus' new HDcodex. The 1080p-capable unit sports compatibility with most popular formats, including the all-important DivX and XviD (but not H.264) and supports 7.1 channel Dolby Digital and DTS sound output -- but lacks HDMI. We're also not certain why CodexNovus is calling the HDCodex a "server," since we don't see any provision for remote viewing, but marketing probably takes over when you're schlepping a $5,000 box that is barely competitive with the Xbox 360 and the Apple TV. Expect to see the DML-1000 in Q3, while the $3,499 400GB DML-400 will drop in Q3.
[Via Electronic House]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!...
We're not sure why anyone would want to have 1TB of storage in a set-top box and not, say, attached to a dedicated media PC, but those looking to max out their home theater rigs should check out CodexNovus' new HDcodex. The 1080p-capable unit sports compatibility with most popular formats, including the all-important DivX and XviD (but not H.264) and supports 7.1 channel Dolby Digital and DTS sound output -- but lacks HDMI. We're also not certain why CodexNovus is calling the HDCodex a "server," since we don't see any provision for remote viewing, but marketing probably takes over when you're schlepping a $5,000 box that is barely competitive with the Xbox 360 and the Apple TV. Expect to see the DML-1000 in Q3, while the $3,499 400GB DML-400 will drop in Q3.
[Via Electronic House]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 17:49:00
Filed under: Displays, HDTV
Sanyo's got some high claims here, boasting of the "world's highest light output" on its new 15,000 lumen PLC-XF47 projector (pictured), and the "brightest portable LCD projector" in its 6500 lumen PLC-XP100L. Both projectors feature 2000:1 contrast ratios and inputs aplenty. It's not just the lamps getting fancy here, Sanyo has packed wireless HD streaming into its PLC-XF47, which can do uncompressed 720p and 1080i video up to 100 feet away with less than a millisecond of latency. The resolution is a mere 1024 x 768, so super HD cinema is a bit of a non-starter, and the $30k pricetag is always a turnoff, but if you need this kind of muscle behind a projector, we're guessing you'll figure out a way to scrounge up the cash. The PCL-XP100L matches the resolution, but thirds the pricetag, at $10k. The PLC-XF47 will be out in October, preceeded by the PLC-XP100L in September. If all of this is just too much for you, Sanyo also has the PDG-DXT10L comi...
Sanyo's got some high claims here, boasting of the "world's highest light output" on its new 15,000 lumen PLC-XF47 projector (pictured), and the "brightest portable LCD projector" in its 6500 lumen PLC-XP100L. Both projectors feature 2000:1 contrast ratios and inputs aplenty. It's not just the lamps getting fancy here, Sanyo has packed wireless HD streaming into its PLC-XF47, which can do uncompressed 720p and 1080i video up to 100 feet away with less than a millisecond of latency. The resolution is a mere 1024 x 768, so super HD cinema is a bit of a non-starter, and the $30k pricetag is always a turnoff, but if you need this kind of muscle behind a projector, we're guessing you'll figure out a way to scrounge up the cash. The PCL-XP100L matches the resolution, but thirds the pricetag, at $10k. The PLC-XF47 will be out in October, preceeded by the PLC-XP100L in September. If all of this is just too much for you, Sanyo also has the PDG-DXT10L comi...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 17:19:00
Filed under: Gaming
We knew it was coming, but we can't help but shed a tear at the retirement of the man who took consoles out of the cartridge era and into the extravagant and multi-billion dollar polygon war currently taking place in our living rooms -- for better or worse. Ken Kutaragi, father of the PlayStation, is calling it quits today at the ripe old age of 56. It was pretty clear he was on the outs when he left his post as president of SCE last year, with Kazuo Hirai taking his place in most operational duties. Ken announced he was leaving his positions as CEO and chairman in April, and now he's making good on his promise, with little more clarity if it's of his own accord or due to internal Sony pressures for a changing of the guard. As previously announced, Kutaragi will be sticking around in an advisory role, but from here on out the expectations of a struggling company and a few million fanboys will rest squarely on Kaz to steer the faithful through this console genera...
We knew it was coming, but we can't help but shed a tear at the retirement of the man who took consoles out of the cartridge era and into the extravagant and multi-billion dollar polygon war currently taking place in our living rooms -- for better or worse. Ken Kutaragi, father of the PlayStation, is calling it quits today at the ripe old age of 56. It was pretty clear he was on the outs when he left his post as president of SCE last year, with Kazuo Hirai taking his place in most operational duties. Ken announced he was leaving his positions as CEO and chairman in April, and now he's making good on his promise, with little more clarity if it's of his own accord or due to internal Sony pressures for a changing of the guard. As previously announced, Kutaragi will be sticking around in an advisory role, but from here on out the expectations of a struggling company and a few million fanboys will rest squarely on Kaz to steer the faithful through this console genera...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 16:51:00
Filed under: HDTV, Storage
Even at this stage in the game, there aren't many drives out there sporting both logos, but LG's HL-DT-ST BD-RE GGW-H10N 1.01 drive -- better known as the Super Multi Blue to the layperson -- has the Blu-ray and HD DVD logos sitting up front in perfect harmony. Announced at this year's CES, the drive can playback Blu-ray, DVD and HD DVD media, along with 4x recording and even rewriting of Blu-ray Discs. Now that the drive is finally out, CDRinfo has a ridiculously extensive review that really puts the $1,200 lens menagerie through its paces. In all, the dual playback makes this one a winner, and the Blu-ray, DVD and CD recordings turned out quite well to boot. The error correction for CD and DVDs is a bit lacking, but we're guessing anyone willing to fork over this much cash for a drive -- or crazy enough to read this whole review -- has bigger fish to fry.
[Thanks, Macris A]
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Office...
Even at this stage in the game, there aren't many drives out there sporting both logos, but LG's HL-DT-ST BD-RE GGW-H10N 1.01 drive -- better known as the Super Multi Blue to the layperson -- has the Blu-ray and HD DVD logos sitting up front in perfect harmony. Announced at this year's CES, the drive can playback Blu-ray, DVD and HD DVD media, along with 4x recording and even rewriting of Blu-ray Discs. Now that the drive is finally out, CDRinfo has a ridiculously extensive review that really puts the $1,200 lens menagerie through its paces. In all, the dual playback makes this one a winner, and the Blu-ray, DVD and CD recordings turned out quite well to boot. The error correction for CD and DVDs is a bit lacking, but we're guessing anyone willing to fork over this much cash for a drive -- or crazy enough to read this whole review -- has bigger fish to fry.
[Thanks, Macris A]
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Office...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 16:21:00
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Video
Though phones that support it have been on the streets for a few weeks now, AT&T is just now getting official with its Video Share service. Though the feature is the first to bring 3G video calling to the US, excitement is a bit tempered by the fact that the service is one-way -- callers must manually switch feed directions to see each other, despite the fact that other UMTS networks across the globe already support two-way services. What's more, we can expect to get nickeled and dimed here: Video Share runs $4.99 a month for 25 minutes of usage, $9.99 for 60 minutes, or 35 cents per minute, regardless of whether the customer is already subscribed to a data plan. AT&T claims its "research" has shown a strong demand for stuff like this, but we think we'll wait for generation two (you know, when we can actually see each other at the same time and it's included with our already-pricey unlimited data). Look for Video Share to be a...
Though phones that support it have been on the streets for a few weeks now, AT&T is just now getting official with its Video Share service. Though the feature is the first to bring 3G video calling to the US, excitement is a bit tempered by the fact that the service is one-way -- callers must manually switch feed directions to see each other, despite the fact that other UMTS networks across the globe already support two-way services. What's more, we can expect to get nickeled and dimed here: Video Share runs $4.99 a month for 25 minutes of usage, $9.99 for 60 minutes, or 35 cents per minute, regardless of whether the customer is already subscribed to a data plan. AT&T claims its "research" has shown a strong demand for stuff like this, but we think we'll wait for generation two (you know, when we can actually see each other at the same time and it's included with our already-pricey unlimited data). Look for Video Share to be a...
Source: Engadget
19-Jun-07 15:51:00
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
We've tracked this little guy from his prototype days, through a Switched On feature, and all the way up to this January's release date announcement. Now we can finally say that the Novint Falcon -- top rate purveyor of the game-controlling, force-feedbacking, wrist-snapping, virtual-textured 3D input experience -- is officially on sale. Novint is offering the squat interface on their website for $189, bundled with a limited edition "grip", 24 mini-games and a numbered certificate of authenticity, just in case your skeptical friends don't believe you actually own a Falcon.
[Thanks, Sabrina]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
We've tracked this little guy from his prototype days, through a Switched On feature, and all the way up to this January's release date announcement. Now we can finally say that the Novint Falcon -- top rate purveyor of the game-controlling, force-feedbacking, wrist-snapping, virtual-textured 3D input experience -- is officially on sale. Novint is offering the squat interface on their website for $189, bundled with a limited edition "grip", 24 mini-games and a numbered certificate of authenticity, just in case your skeptical friends don't believe you actually own a Falcon.
[Thanks, Sabrina]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Engadget
