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Palm Pre price keeps sinking on Bell, down to $100

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 7:41PM

Just weeks after Palm's Pre sunk to CAD $149.95 on Bell, the outfit's first-ever webOS phone has now stooped to just CAD $99.95. That still requires a 3-year contract, of course, but man -- a single bill for a smartphone like the Pre? Anyone tossing out guesses on how long it takes Sprint to follow suit (and embarrass the Pixi)?

[Thanks, David]

Apple TV 3.0.1 update prevents data from 'temporarily disappearing'

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 6:51PM

Enjoy your Apple TV? Not so fond of your data picking up and vanishing whenever it darn well pleases? Then you'll probably want to force your Apple TV to update to 3.0.1... assuming you've already upgraded it to 3.0, of course. According to the engineers in Cupertino, this update prevents content "from temporarily disappearing until re-synced," and we're guessing that most of you would rather keep your content around if possible. Tap the read link for all the instructions, and whatever you do, don't make any sudden movements.

[Via TUAW]

Canon EOS 7D gets high marks all around

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 7th 2009 at 4:52PM

Canon's EOS 7D is a pretty grandiose piece of image-recording equipment, whether you're talking about its size, features or price. You're probably aware of the 18 megapixel APS-C sensor and dual DIGIC 4 processors already, but we've all had to be a bit more patient than usual in waiting for the pro reviews to come out. Dpreview doesn't disappoint though, with a thoughtful 31-page tome awaiting the keen reader, and we've also got more digestible video reviews from DPhoto Journal for the less patient among you. If you're after direct comparisons against competing models, such as the Nikon D300s, you'll find those sprinkled in among the reviews as well, with Cameratown throwing in a direct head-to-head with Canon's own 5D Mark II. The 7D was found to produce "virtually no visible noise" all the way up to ISO 1600, and scored further points for its gorgeous 100 percent frame-covering viewfinder and fast 19-point AF. With a weather-sealed, highly ergonomic body design, ridiculously fast processing and a sensor so good that "in most situations the lens, rather than the camera, is likely to be the limiting factor," the only thing reviewers could criticize was the somewhat uncompetitive pricing, but that's likely to soften with time anyway. Read on... if you dare.

Read - dpreview review
Read - Photography Blog review
Read - Tech Radar review
Read - DPhoto Journal video roundup
Read - Cameratown comparison with 5D Mark II

Best Buy stocking Nokia's Booklet 3G on November 15th

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 2:48PM

We knew good and well that Nokia's Booklet 3G was coming to Best Buy sometime "during the holidays," and now we've got something a bit more precise to share. Starting now, Reward Zone members can waltz into their local store and place a pre-order, while public availability is pegged for November 15th (though we already know that a select few have 'em in stock). As we'd heard, the 2.76-pound, Atom-powered netbook will be sold for $299.99 with a 2-year AT&T data contract or $599.99 straight-up. Oh, and if you're looking to get your order in early, we'd recommend printing out that image above just so you don't baffle anyone with your otherworldly request.

Inspiron Zino HD now configurable, available to order on Dell's website

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 1:00PM

Dell may be focusing the bulk of its attention on the white-hot Adamo XPS, but it looks as if its attempting to slide the Zino HD into the wild without anyone noticing. If you'll recall, we snagged a little hands-on time with the box back in August, and now we've reason to believe that an official reveal is just moments away. The Zino HD is now listed on Dell's main "Desktops" portal (a screen cap is after the break), though the accompanying link leads to nowhere. However, one vigilant tipster managed to find a backdoor URL that allows you to configure and order your own Inspiron 400 (its "other name," just so you know) right now. We're seeing the machine available in a slew of colors ($10 to $30 options over black), a 1.5GHz AMD Athlon 3250e or 1.8GHz Athlon 6850e CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 500GB (7200RPM) hard drive, 8x DVD burner, a 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4330 GPU, bundled keyboard / mouse and a 20-inch ST2010 LCD thrown in for good measure. The total package described above looks to start at around $807 with a November 27th ship date, though we suspect cheaper models will be available once things get ironed out.

[Thanks, Chuck and Douglas]

Read - Dell's desktop page
Read - Zino HD order page

Continue reading Inspiron Zino HD now configurable, available to order on Dell's website

Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 12:22PM

Who says Microsoft ain't lookin' out for those who selected its Zune HD over something Designed In Cupertino? Just days after countless owners went berserk over a playcount syncing issue, Microsoft has released a new firmware update that not only solves that very quandary but also adds a gaggle of fantastic new and / or improved features. The v4.3 update is available now by selecting "Player Update" from within the device itself, and with it will come "support for upcoming 3d games and applications, as well as an auto-suggest feature for better text input, and other minor improvements." We're hearing that those "minor improvements" include a snappier browser, so it's pretty safe to say you're only harming yourself if you don't get this download going right now. (Psst... there's a vid of the new software running after the break.)

[Via MobileTechWorld, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)

Switched On: Developing a sense of rumor

by Ross Rubin posted Nov 7th 2009 at 12:00PM Featured Story

We're proud to congratulate Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) on five years of Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Check out the first-ever Switched On right here -- we're looking forward to five more years!
Good morning, students. My name is Dr. John Fleming and I welcome you all to MKTG 503: Fictional Technology Product Development. Hopefully, you've all fulfilled the prerequisites to this class, MTG 324: New Product Development and any accredited undergraduate Government class in plausible deniability. As your professor this semester, I'd like to provide a brief overview of the material we will be covering in the emerging field of developing and marketing products that generate incredible amounts of media attention and consumer interest but do not actually exist.

Phase 1: Customer Requirements. Disciplined product development requires acute attention to addressing both stated and unstated customer needs and creating products that fulfill the promise of expectations while maximizing profitability for the organization. In our class, we will learn how to ignore these goals and create figments that have incredible gee-whiz factors that safely ignore considerations such as marketplace pricing and target demographics. Students will generate buzz for a three-paneled OLED ereader that is powered by solar energy while acting as a tanning bed for the burgeoning tween market.

Continue reading Switched On: Developing a sense of rumor

Sixth Sense creator to release code, wearable gesture interface becomes a reality for all

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 10:12AM

If we're being honest (and trust us, we're being honest), Pranav Mistry's Sixth Sense contraption has always baffled us. It's kind of like Sony's Rolly. It looks cool, it sounds rad, but we're fairly certain only 2.49 people actually know and fully comprehend how it works. That said, we're more than jazzed about the possibility of having wearable gesture interfaces gracing every human we come into contact with, and rather than attempting to make his invention "comply with some kind of corporate policy," he's purportedly aiming to release the source code into the wild in order to let "people make their own systems." Nice guy, huh? All told, the Sixth Sense can be built for around $350 (plus oodles of unpaid time off), and we're pretty certain that a few talented DIYers can get this thing whipped into shape far quicker than Mega Corp X. So, how's about a release date for that code?

[Via AboutProjectors]

ASRock ION 330HT-BD nettop gets unboxed and cracked open on video

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 8:16AM

ASRock's family of nettops may not be anything special when it comes to design, but the ION 330HT-BD can definitely handle its fair share of multimedia. The Atom CPU could unquestionably use a bit lot more oomph, but the NVIDIA Ion GPU and the integrated Blu-ray drive make this little fellow quite the entertainer. Care to see what it looks like inside and out? Hop on past the break and mash play, then.

Continue reading ASRock ION 330HT-BD nettop gets unboxed and cracked open on video

Ford's inflatable seat belts headed to Explorer in 2010, other whips in due time (video)

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 6:33AM

Inflatable seat belts. At a glance, that doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all, particularly for those rear seat passengers who aren't blessed with two huge bags or air right in front of their chest. We're guessing the top brass at Ford feel pretty much the same way, as the outfit has just announced that these very devices will be making their debut in the next-generation Ford Explorer before rolling out across the fleet. Of course, Lexus is also planning to shove these into its ultra-luxurious LFA (which will probably make a grand total of 14 wealthy owners feel really, really safe), but it's tough to tell which vehicle will hit the showroom first. Jump past the break for a vid.

Continue reading Ford's inflatable seat belts headed to Explorer in 2010, other whips in due time (video)

Safa Xing LED features MP3 playback, 27 pixel resolution

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Nov 7th 2009 at 4:44AM

Safa is a Korean firm that has put out quite a few forgettable DAPs in its day, and while this one isn't going to win any awards for technological advancement, it does look like "fun," for whatever that's worth. The Xing LED is a none-too-shabby 12mm thin and boasts 12 hours of playback time on a single charge. The company fails to mention little things like storage capacity and file format support, but that ain't why we're here: the face of the device features 27 LEDs that can be either programed to display the icon of your choice or used for a rousing game of Rock / Paper / Scissors. Sort of makes that Zune HD of yours look like overkill, eh? Price and availability yet to be announced.

[Via PMP Today]

Continue reading Safa Xing LED features MP3 playback, 27 pixel resolution

Managed Copy hits Blu-ray Discs December 4th, but you still can't use it

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Nov 7th 2009 at 2:34AM

Managed Copy demo
The egg had to come before the chicken right? Well either way, one of 'em came first and in the case of the latest Blu-ray feature, Managed Copy, the Blu-ray Discs will come before the hardware. Less than five months since AACS was finalized and the details of Managed Copy were revealed and so far we've only seen one demo and not a single product announcement. This doesn't surprise us, but AACS-LA is apparently surprised because although all Blu-ray Discs sold after December 4th have no choice but to allow at least one copy to be made, the requirement to label the packaging as such has been postponed until Spring of next year. We'd expect at least a few products that support Managed Copy to be announced at CES and although we highly doubt any stand-alone Blu-ray players will sport this feature anytime soon, we do have our hopes on PC software and expect a few movie jukebox devices like Kaleidescape -- that we won't be able to afford -- will be announced at the big show in Vegas.

How would you change Windows Mobile 6.5?

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2009 at 12:59AM Featured Story

We know, today is totally Android 2.0's day to shine, but what would a Friday night be without a little diversity? Windows Mobile 6.5 officially landed on a gaggle of Windows Phones back in early October (a month ago to the day, in fact), but by and large, all of 'em have seemingly drifted off into some forgotten corner while Motorola's DROID has taken over the hype. Still, we've got a feeling at least a few of you loyalists went out and gave Sir Ballmer a few more of your nickles, and now we're eager to hear if you're loving or regretting that choice. Is 6.5 really a worthy update over 6.1? Are you waiting for WinMo 7 instead? What would you change about 6.5 in order to make 7 the best mobile OS of all time? Sound off in comments below!

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 6th 2009 at 11:37PM

Netflix instant streaming demoed on PlayStation 3
We've got to admit -- the whole thing looks exceptionally sleek, but given the PS3's multimedia prowess, we didn't really expect anything less		 HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video
Any way you lean it's a pretty good handset with some perhaps overly bulky software, a wonderful pricepoint and probably a limited time in the sun with upcoming Android 2.0 devices rolling on in.
DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak
And if riffraff like us can waltz into the store and get them, you should certainly be able to. Good luck being assimilated out there today.		 Other news of import

Microsoft emancipates Digital Cable Tuners with second Media Center update today
This half should enable all Windows 7 PCs to work with the CableCard tuners, sans-OEM requirement or inconvenient hacking.		 Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan
$60 monthly for "unlimited" data, here meaning 5GB of data per, a total of 10GB split between the two $30 plans.

Microsoft emancipates Digital Cable Tuners with second Media Center update today

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 6th 2009 at 10:19PM

Scant hours after the SDV tuning, DRM-relaxing firmware update for Vista and Windows 7 Digital Cable Tuner users became available, Missing Remote let us know Microsoft has come through on the other half of its CEDIA promise by pushing the Digital Cable Advisor to Media Center Extras galleries everywhere. This half should enable all Windows 7 PCs to work with the CableCard tuners, sans-OEM requirement or inconvenient hacking. Sure we could ask for more from Windows 7 Media Center, but for now Netflix and these two (in less than 100 days) will have to do.

Read - MCE: Digital Cable Advisor Tool Available Now!
Read - ATI DCT Firmware update pops up on Windows Update, DRM-free MCE recordings are a go

Guitar Hero and Rock Band drums combine for ultimate MIDI kit (video)

by Darren Murph posted Nov 6th 2009 at 9:09PM

We've seen our fair share of Guitar Hero / Rock Band drum kit mods, but without exception, this one is our fav. Tipster (and tinkerer) Jordan has taken the time to wire up a Guitar Hero kit and a Rock Band kit in order to create the most bodacious set of MIDI skins this planet has ever seen. Using a combination of Osculator, JunXion Lite and Logic, he was able to rig up the Rock Band pedal to operate as a high-hat pedal, while reprogramming some of the heads to act as cymbals. We'd bother explaining more, but we'll just point you past the break and advise you to watch (head to 2:20 if you're short on time!).

[Thanks, Jordan]

Continue reading Guitar Hero and Rock Band drums combine for ultimate MIDI kit (video)

iPhone coming to The Shack: Dallas and NYC this month, nationwide in 2010?

by Ross Miller posted Nov 6th 2009 at 7:52PM

So we knew a select number of authorized resellers would start stocking iPhones soon, and thanks to a tipster, it looks like we might be getting a glimpse at a none-too-surprising recipient of the new order. As these pics from an anonymous tipster show, "big hug for your mobile life" retailer The Shack will be getting AT&T's flagship device soon, with a letter supposedly from EVP of store operations Bryan Bevin (found after the break) adding that the 3G and 3GS rollout will begin this month at some company-owned locations in the Dallas Forth Worth and New York City areas, with a nationwide rollout in 2010. Not that you necessarily needed more places to tempt you with the device, but it's always fun to have options.

Continue reading iPhone coming to The Shack: Dallas and NYC this month, nationwide in 2010?

Myka ION brings Hulu, Boxee and other web content to your TV

by Darren Murph posted Nov 6th 2009 at 7:12PM

It's been almost a full year since we heard a peep from the fine folks at Myka, but it looks like we could be talking about 'em a lot more often judging by the specs list on its latest contraption. The simply-titled ION is an Atom-based media PC that relies on NVIDIA's Ion graphics set and a customized interface that brings Hulu, Boxee and pretty much any other web content you can stumble upon to your television. Within, you'll find a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 CPU, up to 4GB of RAM, ten USB 2.0 ports, VGA / DVI / HDMI outputs, an eSATA connector, Ethernet and plenty of audio outputs. The fanless design ensures that things remain quiet, and for those oozing cash, a Blu-ray drive, HDD and WiFi module can be implanted. It's up for order right now starting at $379, but you'll be stuck waiting four to six weeks for delivery.

Gallery: Myka ION brings Hulu, Boxee and other web content to your TV

Garmin ecoRoute ESP module gets priced, detailed further

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 6th 2009 at 6:33PM

Well, it looks like we won't have to wait until CES for more details on Garmin's new ecoRoute ESP module after all, as a listing for the device has now already turned up on GPSCity.com, and the site has even provided us with a few additional, as yet unofficial availability details. Apparently, the cable (which ties directly into your car's on board diagnostic system) will run $149.99 and might "possibly" be available by the end of the year, but is more likely to roll out sometime in the first quarter of 2010 --- and it'll supposedly only work with nuvi 1xxx series units that have Bluetooth. If that's not enough for you, the site also has what appears to be the first set of screenshots of the interface, which detail everything from speed and breaking to fuel economy and your carbon footprint. Hit up the link below for the complete rundown.

HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video

by Paul Miller posted Nov 6th 2009 at 5:45PM Featured Story

Now that we've got the DROID Eris in the mix, we're up to our ears in HTC Hero-derivative devices. We decided to sit the whole crew (GSM, Sprint and Verizon editions) down for a little modeling session, and we're finding ourselves reticent to pick a favorite. There are really plusses and minuses to each of them, but any way you lean it's a pretty good handset with some perhaps overly bulky software, a wonderful pricepoint (on Verizon, anyway) and probably a limited time in the sun with upcoming Android 2.0 devices, faster processors and wild new screens rolling on in. Check the video out after the break and you can make up your own mind.

Continue reading HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video

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