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Arlene.L
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Posts by Arlene.L
Ebooks making libraries popular again, can do nothing about your 80s scrunchie
0933 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
A few forward-thinking libraries in the UK have started offering ebook downloads as an alternative to borrowing physical copies of books, and the local public’s reaction has been one of overwhelming enthusiasm. Seemingly attracted by the idea of being able to collect and return books without having to actually attend the library, Brits have been eagerly joining up to the new scheme. Free downloads that last for 14 days before self-deleting can be had either in the library or at home, and transitioned onto your Sony Reader, iRex iLiad, or that new hotness, B&N’s nook. Naturally, the proprietary-format Kindle isn’t invited to this party. We’ve already seen a similar initiative in the USA, and can only hope this kind of convenience becomes mainstream before too long.
Sky Player on Xbox 360 receives first eyes-on analysis
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Sky TV has made its arrival on the Xbox 360 today in prompt fashion, with live streaming and on-demand video available, and the keen lads over at Electric Pig already have a preview of the service in action. Their immediate reaction was that the Sky Player interface was “ultra-speedy” and easily navigable using the 360 controller. Streaming at the high-quality setting (alas, there’s no HD on offer yet) was also no problem on a 4Mb broadband connection, though they reserve their highest praise for the on-demand content which was pumped through within a couple of seconds of selection and benefits from an “astonishingly well-designed interface.” For the full impressions of the subscription-based service, which starts out at £15 per month, hit up the read link below.
Bridgestone announces flexible touchscreen color e-reader
0933 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
When we heard word of a “big announcement” back in July we imagined an e-reader of some sort, but what is it that we have here? Based on a technology Bridgestone calls Quick-response Liquid Powder, the company’s all-color touchscreen e-book reader is about 5.8mm thick, features a 13.1-inch touch-sensitive e-paper display (with 4,096 colors and a refresh rate of about 0.8 seconds), and some sort of unspecified mobile phone connectivity. Most exciting, of course, is that the entire package — circuit board, touchscreen, and housing — are designed to bend together. A neat trick, sure, but probably not too practical for jotting down notes with your stylus. Still, we’d take two. Trials begin at the Kansai Urban Banking Corp early next year, but you can check it out sooner at FPD International 2009 in Yokohama City, Japan, starting tomorrow.
DJ Hero now rolling out around the world, around the world
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It’s been a long haul since it was first announced way back in May, but Activision’s DJ Hero is now finally available in North America, and will be making the trip across the pond on October 30th. That includes both the standard $120 version, and the “premium” Renegade Edition, which runs a full $200 and includes an upgraded turntable, a hardshell carrying case that converts to a DJ stand, and a Jay-Z and Eminem two-CD set — and the game, of course. Anyone have any brief first impressions? Let us know in comments. (more…)
Dell’s Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet gets official
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As is often the case, the FCC spoiled the surprise on this one, but Dell’s keeping its PR machine chugging along with its new Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet nonetheless, and it’s fleshed out a few details in the precess. As expected, this one is more or less just a rugged version of the company’s existing Latitude XT2, including the same 12.1-inch multitouch display, a modestly upgraded Core 2 Duo SU9600 processor, up to 5GB of RAM, your choice of a standard hard drive or SSD, a range of hot-swappable modules (soon to include GPS) and, somewhat curiously, no Windows 7 option — just Vista or the ever popular XP downgrade. Of course it’s the ruggedness that’s the real selling point, and this one looks to deliver the goods on that front (for a starting price of $3,599) — just check out the video after the break.
Google Wave to have its own app store
0933 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
We’re still not entirely certain what Google Wave is for — or even if humans are capable of comprehending it — but we do know that we’re super-intrigued by the idea of third-party extensions that hook into the fledging messaging platform, and it sounds like the folks in Mountain View are as well. Google’s planning to launch both an extension gallery and extension store in the coming months, which would allow users to easily find, buy, and share apps for Wave. It’s not clear how the sharing will work, or how much Google expects extensions to cost, but it’s certainly an interesting way to capitalize on Wave’s flexibility. Our first request? An extension to kill live-typing. Let’s make it happen.
Windows 7 receives 7,000 domino salute
0933 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
If 7,000 dominoes fall in a forest of cheering Microsoft employees, do they make enough noise for us to care? We don’t usually tell Microsoft how to run its promotions, but a domino installation that takes a full three minutes to topple is pretty much an open invitation for “slow boot-up” jokes, and a climactic finale that revolves around a hot air balloon version of your logo crashing against a glass ceiling might also create the wrong impression. Ah well, these guys are engineers and not choreographers, after all — you can see the fruit of their labor after the break.
i.Tech’s SolarVoice Bluetooth headset could save the environment, not your look
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Those looking for another excuse to wear a Bluetooth headset all the time just got it: iTech’s $75 Dynamic SolarVoice 908. That awfully long title is applied to a conceptually simple device, a headset with a tiny solar panel on the side rated at five hours of talk time when fully charged. Sadly, though, there’s no mention of how long you’ll need to bask in the sun to get it there. (AC and USB charging are also naturally on offer.) Unlike earlier examples it’s A2DP compliant, so it’ll stream your tunes, and boasts integrated noise cancellation, so it’s perfect for making your drunken barroom conversations a little more garbled.
MSI’s Wind Top AE2220 all-in-one PC brings 21.6-inch multitouch panel, Win7
0933 days
by Arlene.L
in Peripherals
MSI’s Wind Top line seems to be expanding at a breakneck pace, and the latest entry is actually worth bending over backwards to get a look at. Boasting a 21.6-inch multitouch display (1,920 x 1,080 native resolution), the all-in-one desktop also features Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB of DDR2 memory, a 640GB hard drive, NVIDIA’s GeForce 9300 integrated graphics set (or Ion, if you please), an HDMI output, a bundled wireless keyboard / mouse and your choice of a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo T6600 or 2.1GHz Pentium T4300 processor. You’ll also get eSATA support, WiFi, a 1.3-megapixel camera and a 6-in-1 card reader. Three versions are up for pre-order right now at Amazon, with the cheapest pegged at $659.99 and the most pricey at $899.99.
Microsoft temporarily suspends Sky Player for Xbox 360
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“Very fast,” “a dream,” “fantastic.” It looks like you can add “on hiatus” to the list of superlatives — at least for the time being. That boffo Sky Player that Microsoft debuted for the Xbox 360? “Suspended.” Why, you ask? “Due to an unforeseen technical issue.” Luckily for Britons and ex-pats, the £15 monthly service should resume tomorrow, barring any further technical issues. In the meantime, it looks like the poor avatar above will be stuck watching Benny Hill on Netflix like the rest of us. Statement after the break.