Tech News and Reviews
Peripherals
Apple Magic Trackpad first hands-on
Jul 29th
So it’s real, and… it’s a trackpad. What seemed like it might have been pure rumor and some good Photoshopping just a short while ago has magically (ha ha!) transformed into reality. If you’re wondering what the Magic Trackpad is like to use — get ready for a shock. It feels just like using a slightly larger version of a MacBook or MacBook Pro pad. And we mean exactly, right down to the multitouch gestures and whole-pad click. Yes, it clicks. There’s also a new gesture, if you’re keeping track — a three-finger move that lets you drag windows around (very helpful), though you give up the functionality of being to navigate stuff like iPhoto galleries with a swipe (it’s an option you can toggle in preferences — you have a choice). We’re going to be doing some serious testing with the new peripheral, but for now, feast your eyes on the pics below.
Sharp’s Brain PW-AC10 e-dictionary attempts to fool you with its phoney looks
Jul 29th
We’ve seen Sharp e-dictionaries aplenty here, but with the exception of a couple of models, that same ol’ clamshell form factor’s bound to send you to snoozefest sooner or later. To keep the Japanese bookworms interested, Sharp’s latest offering — dubbed the Brain PW-AC10 — has packaged itself in a BlackBerry-esque candybar, which it claims makes it the industry’s lightest e-dictionary while carrying two AAA batteries that keep it going for 110 hours. You’ll obviously have to make do with a shrunken color LCD (2.4-inch QVGA) and keyboard, but the device still packs the usual English-Japanese translator, flashcard feature, and a seven-language traveling phrase book (with color images). ¥13,000 ($149) and it’s yours early next month.
Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid headed for production
Jul 29th
What once seemed to simply be a ridiculously extravagant concept for a plug-in hybrid has now become a ridiculously extravagant reality — Porsche has just announced that it’s putting the 918 Spyder into production. First unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the car (in concept form, at least) packs a 500-horsepower V8 and a pair of 109-horsepower electric motors that should let you get about 78 miles per gallon, or a total of 16 miles of driving straight from the lithium-ion battery back. The cost? That hasn’t been officially announced yet, but estimates peg it around the $650,000 mark. Don’t worry, though — it’ll be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit. Head on past the break for the full (but brief) press release.
New arrival: SIM Card to Micro SIM Card Cutter
Jul 28th
Product page: http://www.ownta.com/sim-card-to-micro-sim-card-cutter.html
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Guru’board cancels Miniguru keyboard project
Jul 23rd
It seemed like a bit of a longshot when it was announced back in January, and Guru’board has unfortunately now confirmed those fears — the Miniguru keyboard project has been canceled. In case you missed it, the Miniguru was designed to be a completely customizable keyboard that would basically let you keep your fingers on the home row at all times (a modifier key would let you turn JKLI keys into arrows, and the caps lock into control). True to its name, they keyboard would have also been small, and it seemed like it would have been fairly high-end, with three different types of mechanical key switches available. As for the reason for the cancellation, Guru’board says it simply “lost faith in being able to sell the initial production run.”
Onkyo’s HT-S7300 and HT-S6300 HTIB bundles are totally ready for 3D, man
Jul 15th
Shocker of shockers — Onkyo has outed a pair of home-theater-in-box bundles, and both of ‘em are 3D ready. Crazy, ain’t it? The HT-S6300 and HT-S7300 both have 3D-ready HDMI-1.4a inputs, 1080p video upscaling, lossless Dolby and DTS high definition audio, Dolby height processing, Audyssey automatic room equalization and seven total loudspeakers (plus a subwoofer). The primary difference between the two is the pair of 41-inch tall floorstanders that come with the S7300, as both systems ship with a 7 x 130W amplifier and a 290W subbie. As expected, there’s also an outboard dock for iPod and iPhone, and the Faroudja DCDi Cinema processor should keep upscaled content looking its very best. The duo is available now for $749 and $899, respectively, and the full presser awaits just past the break should you find yourself interested.
Hulu Plus on PS3, hands-on
Jul 15th
Sure, we already told you what Hulu Plus looked like on iPhone, iPad and a Samsung TV, and not much has changed since that juncture, but we expect a number of you care quite a bit about how it will operate on PlayStation 3, especially considering you’ll (presently) have to cough up an additional $50 annually for the privilege. The good news is it’s absolutely nothing like the PS3′s disc-based Netflix solution — here, you’re looking at a responsive experience through and through, and the interface is about as simple and full-featured as we’d hoped.
Hulu CEO: we’re ‘complementary’ to cable
Jul 6th
Hoping to trade in your expensive cable or satellite plan for a nice, juicy melon ball of cottage cheese-like… we mean, a portable Hulu Plus subscription at $10 a month? Not so fast, my fine fingered friend, because Hulu CEO Jason Kilar has revealed that killing cable is not a part of the company’s evil plan, and he’s not entertaining any ideas to the contrary. Kilar told AllThingsD that the service is “broadcast-focused” and “complementary to your cable and satellite service” by design, which is a nice way of saying the incestuous relationships between cable companies, content providers and Hulu itself keep it from offering premium programming — at least, not at this sort of price.
Speaking of getting what you pay for, you may be surprised to hear Hulu Plus displays advertising even if you slap down currency every month, but the CEO said lengthy consumer research found that users were more willing to pay if the service were partially subsidized by ads. Think of them as tiny little brain tenderizers, and we’re sure you’ll be just fine.
Hands-on with Hulu Plus via Samsung HDTV, iPhone and iPad
Jul 6th
After months of speculation the wait is almost over and Hulu Plus is just about upon us. Hulu was nice enough to share an invite with us so we could to try it out — sorry, we don’t have any extras — and we just so happened to have a Samsung LED LCD TV in the lab to give it a go. Of course, we also tried it the old fashioned way (in the browser) as well as via Hulu Desktop, on the iPhone, and on the iPad — sadly it isn’t live on the Xbox 360 or PS3 yet. The bottom line is it isn’t perfect, but doesn’t disappoint either, and you’ll have to click on through for the rest.
New Xbox 360 250GB review
Jul 6th
When we first saw its face in a Italian ad, more than one editor called its bluff: “The top half doesn’t line up with the bottom,” some said, “that’s got to be Photoshopped.” While that early image was indeed CG, the form factor was certainly not — the new Xbox 360 sports enough sleek angles and disappearing curves we’ve taken to calling it the Stealthbox. As mother always told you, though, it’s what’s inside that counts; does that glossy exterior house any improvements, or is it hiding just another Xbox? Find out after the break.
