Dan Wu
Articles by Dan Wu
Zeus portable 1-inch USB hard drives
Behavior Technology has dropped upon us the BTC-Z22 and BTC-Z40, which are 1-inch USB 2.0 portable hard drives, with 2.2GB and 4.0GB of storage space, respectively. The drives use a 4200rpm micro drive and have an access time of 15ms (which is tolerable as a data drive), but since there is no shock protection, it won't be able to take as much abuse as a flash-based USB keychain drive.
Primera Z1 low-priced CD/DVD printer
This may not be the first direct-to-CD/DVD printer (there are a few other budget inkjet printers, such as the Epson R200, that can print directly onto discs as well now), but at only $140 retail, the Primera Z1 is definitely one of the more affordable ones. No longer will you have to rely on Sharpies and cruddy handwriting to label your precious data, the Z1 can print graphics in 4 areas of the disc and make you look totally legit.
Promixis NetRemote Pocket PC remote software
For just twenty bucks, Promixis's NetRemote software for Pocket PCs can turn your PDA into a universal learning remote capable of controlling any device via infrared (provided you have a decent IR transmitter) and also accepts the popular Pronto CCF remote format files. NetRemote will also let you stream music files to your PPC over your home network, and if you have third-party home automation software, NetRemote Pro (which'll set you back $10 more) can control those devices too.
Archos Gmini XS200 review
CNET takes a look at the world's smallest 20GB MP3 player (retailing for $249), the Archos Gmini XS200, and finds that while it has good sound and may be have a lot of storage capacity for its size, it has a weak interface and design, average battery life, and a serious lack of music jukebox software compatibility. Do yourself a favor and save up an extra eighty bucks for the Archos Gmini 400.
Nvidia to power PlayStation 3
It's been confirmed that the PlayStation 3 is going to use a Cell processor jointly made by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM, have built-in WiFi support, and use Blu-Ray discs (25/50GB), now Nvidia makes the big score and has announced that they will be powering the graphics in Sony's next generation gaming console. behind it with a new There's no solid specs on what Nvidia is throwing in there yet, but it should basically be a new GeForce GPU designed specifically to work with the Cell processor. [Thanks, Soir]
Nintendo fixes DS with one bad pixel
Setting an example for any manufacturer that sells anything with an LCD screen on it, Nintendo is actually following through on its promises, and is repairing or replacing any new DS portable game console with even a single dead pixel (most manufacturers won't offer a replacement or repair unless there is a minimum of three or four dead pixels). Even more amazing, some people are reporting that it only took a warranty fulfillment center four days to repair and return their DS to them.
MPEG-4 playback on Sony PlayStation Portable confirmed
Sony has confirmed that its new PlayStation Portable (PSP) will be able to playback MPEG-4 (H.264) video files from Memory Sticks. There had been some initial confusion about whether the portable wonder machine would play videos which weren't on UMD discs, but Sony's making it explicitly clear that the PSP will play video files stored on Memory Sticks, and that they will also be releasing a software program, Image Convert 2, for users to convert their video files to the MPEG-4 standard.
OGO now just $50
AT&T Wireless has busted the price of their OGO instant messager, e-mail, and text messaging device down to a mere $50, courtesy of an instant rebate which knocks a full eighty bucks off of its list price of $129.99. It's sort of like a Sidekick, just without the phone feature and the web browser (and the digital camera), just depends on how badly you can live without those and whether you can deal with carrying a second device or not.
Sagem myX-8 smartphone pictures
We'd posted a rendering of Sagem's myX-8 smartphone before, but now there are some actual live pictures of the new phone, which has a 262k color LCD screen, a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, Bluetooth, and a miniSD memory card slot. The screen looks gigantic and gorgeous, but of course, there's no word on whether nor not we can expect to see it over here anytime soon.
HP Digital Entertainment Center z545 review
PC Magazine has a review of the HP Digital Entertainment Center z545, a Media Center PC which packs in a DVD player, CD changer, FM tuner, and a digital video recorder into a $2000 package which looks more like an A/V component than a PC. PC Mag likes the entire package, especially its quiet demeanor and dual tuners (for recording two shows at once), but notes that the z545 still doesn't have support hi-def and does require a separate amplifier to power your speakers.
Samsung HL-P5063W review
Utilizing Samsung's new HD3 hi-def chip, the Samsung HL-P5063W hot little number of a 50-inch DLP rear projection HDTV. PC Mag recommends it over older HD2 based TVs since it has a smoother and less grainy picture and more even coloration. The TV is still a bit pricey at $3,500, especially considering the average white levels and lack of CableCard slot (for integrated cable HD tuning). But let's put it this way: we wouldn't exactly say no to two in every room, yeah?
Extended range WiFi technology review
Trusty old Tom's takes a look at a few WiFi products that claim extended range and double the speed, namely SuperG 802.11g products (108Mbps) and Belkin Pre-N (sort of based on 802.11n), finding that they are indeed faster than normal 802.11g products at any range. The Belkin Pre-N products with True MIMO astounded the reviewer, as he had never before seen such fast speeds, even at distances as far as 400-feet outdoors. While fast, do note that the Pre-N products may not necessarilty compatible with 802.11n when such products are finalized and released (hence the name), which is why you are may be taking a gamble if you buy any non-upgradeable Pre-N products now.
LG's 71-inch plasma HDTV
When you have $75 grand to spend on your set and it has to be a thin display, then nothing less than LG's 71-inch plasma will do. Able to display 1080p (yes, progressive scan), it comes with a home theater system, and a digital set-top box for tuning into hi-def broadcasts, but it's only currently available in Korea. If that's just a little bit too rich for your blod, there's always the Panasonic 65-inch plasma, which will only set you back $22,000.
Socket Mobile Power Pack
Socket's Mobile Power Pack has 7200mAh of juice in its battery, allowing you to charge cellphones, Pocket PCs, Palm devices, Nintendo GBA/DS, and digital cameras, but the best part is that it has a USB port so you can power your USB-powered humdifier, USB-powered aquarium, USB-powered Christmas tree while on the go.
New Skulls trojan spreads via Bluetooth
The first Symbian Skulls trojan wasn't as a big of a deal as it was made out to be, but it turns out that a new strain, Cabir.B, can spread via Bluetooth, thereby potentially infecting other phones. We're not gonna freak out this time either, though, since users would still need to press the Skulls.B icon in the menu to activate the trojan, which can wipe out stored phone books, applications, and games.
SAME satellite spy images
A Canadian engineer (naturally) has created an imaging tool he calls same SAME (See Anywhere, Map Everywhere), which uses satellite images along with real-time remote sensors to let sleuths and snoops alike see images in real-time. Thankfully it can't make out a person's face clearly, but with a resolution of two feet, would-be spys can easily see such details as the make of a car. Of course, as with any Big Brother technology, privacy advocates are up in arms as this would be quite dangerous if used by a stalker.
Motorola V180 review
The Motorola V180, an otherwise entry-level phone, packs a whopping 12 days of standby time and 7.75 hours of talk time into that little 3.3 ounce case, but we're not sure that's going to be enough to look past its weak 128x128 65k color LCD screen. However, MobileBurn did find the phone to be very solid in covering the basics, so there you go.
Cellspotting location service
If you're so inclined, one using a Nokia Series 60 phone (such as the N-Gage, 6600, or 7610) and Cellspotting software can get information on their location via cellphone. Cellspotting will give you the current location and name, and will direct you to locations or even other friends who are using the service by identifying particular location IDs that a cellular tower recognizes. Since the service is relatively new, there's not too much information in their database, but that should change as they roll out Cellspotting for more cellphones. [Via textually.org]
Nextel Bluetooth Blackberry 7520
Nextel has started selling the Blackberry 7520, an updated version of the 7510, but with Bluetooth and GPS support, enhanced attachment viewing, and more memory. Available for $300, the 7520 is actually Nextel's first Bluetooth phone and has the usual BlackBerry features such as push email, wireless organizer, a color display, and Nextel Push-To-Talk.
Kano HardBox 800 400GB external hard drive
Starting at $149, the Kano HardBox 800 can support capacities up to 400GB in a portable form factor, with FireWiire 800 and USB 2.0 connections, plug-and-play support, and IntelliStor backup software. It looks like a portable unit that would work well with laptops, as it does have a built-in AC power supply.