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LG's 19-inch, 2ms Flatron L1970HR reviewed
So PCMag decided to run LG's 19-inch Flatron L1970HR LCD through their suite of tests to see if its 2-millisecond response time really performs as advertised, and the good news for gamers is that this display indeed delivers excellent motion performance with little ghosting and few artifacts. You're also getting good color reproduction and a contrast ratio of 1600:1 that sounds great on paper, but in reality you can expect some loss of shadow detail and noticeable compression at both ends of the greyscale. Another trade-off for that zippy response time is resolution, as the 1,280 x 1,024 pixel array may not be enough for hardcore gamers or folks working on documents and photos all day, with the biggest knock being the monitor's inability to render smaller-sized fonts. In the end, unless all that you're doing is watching movies and playing video games all day (in which case we'd like to hear more about your job), it sounds like super-smooth video may not be worth the sacrifices you're making in other departments.
Samsung's neXus XM DAP reviewed
We've always been a bit skeptical of portable DAPs like the Sirius S50 and Samsung neXus that promise to let you listen to sat radio content on-the-go, because since neither device includes a built-in satellite receiver, you're stuck with the programming you've recorded while the player was docked at home. PC Mag seems to agree that this class of gadgets offers rather limited functionality, and their review of the neXus isn't very promising for potential customers: unless you buy the $70 car kit for listening to live feeds in your ride, you're basically spending either $219 or $269, respectively, for either a 512MB or 1GB MP3 player that delivers neither great sound quality nor an acceptable battery life. What's more, you have to make sure that you keep the unit docked for at least eight hours a month so that XM can properly authenticate your subscription to keep your recorded tunes from disappearing. Ultimately, unless you're a on a tight budget and absolutely need some XM swag in your pocket at all times, PC Mag suggests -- and we tend to agree -- that you're better off shelling out a few more bucks for the Pioneer Inno or Samsung Helix, which both allow you to pick up and record live feeds right out of the box, no dock necessary.
Sony's Blu-ray-equipped Vaio AR laptop reviewed
Surely one of the most highly-anticipated notebooks of the year, Sony's Blu-ray-sporting Vaio VGN-AR190G offers a lot of compelling features for HD buffs on paper -- 1,920 x 1,200 WUXGA+ Xbrite display, HDMI out (cable and DVI-adapter included), 200GB worth of storage, and of course that high definition optical drive -- but specs don't mean much if the machine can't perform in the real world. Thus we've been eagerly awaiting the first reviews of this 8.4-pound, 17-inch model, and much to our delight, it seems to work almost exactly as advertised. Laptop magazine was lucky enough to get a pre-release unit for putting through the old benchmark torture test, and came away very impressed with the high resolution, anti-glare screen and video output quality, pretty impressed with the performance of the 2.0GHz T2500 Core Duo CPU and nVidia GeForce Go 7600 GT graphics, and not all that impressed with the 2-hour battery life, inconveniently-placed trackpad/mouse buttons, and pokey 1.0x Blu-ray burning speed. Still, the simple fact that you can burn to an HD optical disc at all puts the AR190G in a class by itself and makes it more attractive than Toshiba's Qosmio G35-AV650 with read-only HD DVD, but Laptop still feels that even the burner and the better screen don't quite justify the extra $500 you'll have to thrown down for the Sony.
Wowwee's Roboreptile reviewed
PC Mag, always one to get the scoop on these types of products, got the chance to play around with Wowwee's upcoming Roboreptile for a little bit, and frankly, the toy bot sounds like it leaves something to be desired. The main problem with this model is that its constant aggressiveness has the potential to scare off younger kids (it's not for children under 8, cautions Wowwee), while at the same time limited programmability will probably cause the older crowd to quickly tire of its basic functionality. Still, PC Mag does report that the $120 Roboreptile indeed performs as advertised, skulking around and avoiding objects (mostly) on its constant search for "food." The included remote supposedly allows you to calm Roboreptile long enough to slide a cowl over its head, but PC Mag found itself chasing down the bot more often then necessary due to its quick reflexes. All-in-all, if you're looking to buy your kids a dinosaur-inspired plaything, it sounds like you're better off with either a Pleo or Wowwee's other dinobot, the Roboraptor, unless the little ones have been real brats lately, in which case they probably deserve the frightening and/or frustrating experience that Roboreptile offers.[Thanks, Dave Z.]
SanDisk Sansa e260 review
A couple of years ago this would have sounded crazy, but SanDisk, which is probably best known for flash drives and memory cards, just put out one of the best MP3 players on the market. Yeah, I know, I'm just as surprised as you are, but after spending a few weeks with the new 4GB Sansa e260, part of SanDisk's new Sansa e200 series, I'm going to be sorry to send this one back. The e260 isn't without its faults, but if you're looking for a solid alternative to the iPod, and haven't been so fired up by the latest models from Creative, Samsung, et al. (or are still in mourning for Rio), then you should do yourself a favor and check this one out. Or at least keep reading the rest of this review.
Sony's 7.2 megapixel DSC-T30 reviewed
For the most part, Sony's latest ultra-compact member of the ultra-popular T-series line of digital cameras sounds like the perfect all-around point-and-shooter -- with a few important caveats. For starters, the DSC-T30 features a Carl Zeiss lens backed up by a 7.2 megapixel CCD, and Sony was gracious enough to toss in some optical image stabilization for steady hand-held shots even at slower shutter speeds. You also get a 3-inch display that fills nearly the entire backside of the camera, and that, according to Imaging Resource, performs much better than average in direct sunlight. For as low as $400, it would seem that this followup to the DSC-T9 should be unrivaled in the marketplace, but several non-minor flaws -- including heavy noise in low-light shots captured above ISO 200 and audible artifacts in some video clips -- would suggest that this model is not for everyone. Still, the small size, good overall photo quality, and superior battery life (400+ shots) are enough to make the T30 one of Imaging Resouce's coveted "Dave's Picks."[Via Photography Blog]
Casio's compact 10 megapixel EXILIM EX-Z1000 reviewed
Proving that there's still a little bit of life left in the so-called megapixel race, Casio is offering a compact digital camera that packs a 10 megapixel sensor into the smallest space we've seen since Samsung's latest ridiculously excessive cameraphone, and what's more, Let'sGoDigital finds that the company actually puts some of those extra pixels to good use. Besides its unrivaled maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736, Casio's EXILIM EX-Z1000 initially impressed us with a high res 2.5-inch display and unusual maximum ISO of 3200, but LGD finds that while the screen indeed delivers superior performance, the latter feature, as we suspected, produces unacceptable levels at noise. Images captured at ISOs below 400, however, were judged to be "impressive," with good color accuracy and visible detail, and there are plenty of options available to manually tweak such settings as white balance, flash intensity, and even aspect ratio for slideshows on either 4:3 or 16:9 TVs. The biggest downside to the Z1000 is probably its sub par 3x optical zoom, although this is one area where the camera's abundance of pixels helps to compensate somewhat, as Casio includes a "Non Deterioration Zoom" mode that lets you sacrifice image size for better-than-average digital zooming at settings as high as 17.1x. Overall, it sounds like your $400 buys you a well-built, full-featured, and solidly-performing camera -- with a very respectable 300+ shot battery life -- along with the dubious distinction of being the only person on your block to own a point-and-shoot sporting more megapixels than most people's DSLRs.
TrustedReviews.com tearing up HDTV reviews
It can be hard to find good reviews of HDTVs these days. Back when a television had a shelf life of a over a year, you could always dig one up, but now that TVs are only out for 6-7 months, it can be hard. TrustedReviews.com has been hitting TVs hard and they seem to have complied the most complete selection of current HDTV reviews. NOTE: this site is based out of the UK, so most of these TVs are not sold here in the States. But, there is always a 'but', while the model numbers might not match up, most of the TV remains the same in different markets. So for the most part, if you find the HDTV you are seeking about and they give a positive review, more then likely the US model would get a positive review as well.
HP iPaq hw6915 PocketPC phone reviewed
We've been on the fence about HP's hw6000 line of Swiss Army phones ever since we first spotted the GPS-equipped iPaq hw6515 -- these models include everything but the kitchen sink, but they also force you to use that non-standard 240 x 240 screen. Still, MobileTechReview's in-depth look at the latest member of the family, the hw6915, makes us think we could overlook the square screen and lack of 3G data options because, well, the rest of this Windows Mobile 5.0-powered smartphone sounds like exactly what us convergence-geeks are seeking. According to MTR, the quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE handset impresses on many fronts, including its solid keyboard, powerful internal antenna, GPS performance, and best-in-class benchmark numbers. HP also throws in some nice extras, like helpful Today screen plug-ins, a full-featured wireless radio manager, the ability to location-stamp photos, and even A2DP in the Bluetooth stack, which isn't normally included in WM5 AKU2 devices out of the box. Besides the fact that this screen resolution may not support all third-party apps, the only real knock to this model concerns the camera's startup/shutter lags -- and if that's the worst thing to be said about a device that seemingly does it all, then we're totally sold.
PC impressions: Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising
Games like Rome have gained some following, so a Roman-themed MMO doesn't seem too surprising a concept. Marking a departure from the elves-and-orcs staple of so many MMOs, Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising takes place in a stylised Roman setting of approximately 300BC.The game's setting assumes that Roman mythology was more-or-less fact, so players can attain favour with various gods and battle a range of mythological creatures. The focus of play is a cross between hack-and-slash combat and squad-based strategy -- execute combo moves and fight hand-to hand, or deploy a squad of soldiers to do your dirty work for you.
Yahoo getting into the tech business
There might be a war starting here. CNET has long owned the tech reviewing genre on the Internet. They have been doing it forever and no one has been able to match them with coverage and depth. But Yahoo isn't "no one" and they have just launched a sweet looking website. Granted it just launched so we hope that is the reason it is slow, but it sure is cool looking. The site is reviewing everything from HDTVs to car tech. No we take that back. Yahoo's site just provides a clipping from a Consumer Reports review and provides you with a link to subscribe in order to get more reviews - What?!?! [example] We don't care how cool the site looks, if it can't provide us with comprehensive reviews of our HDTVs, then what good is it? Your thoughts...
Quest Spotlight: The Green Hills of Tedium...or, Stranglethorn
After leveling several characters of varying types into the 30's and spending more than my share of time in the lush, tropical, yet deadly oasis that is Stranglethorn Vale, I decided that, with my latest character, I would actually try and do something with all those annoying pages that kept filling up my backpack; even after reading how un-rewarding & tedious the quest was (especially for a Hunter), I decided to actually attempt to piece together The Green Hills of Stranglethorn.And, since I'm just the type of idiot who doesn't like to take shortcuts with things, I decided that I would find all the pages myself, without buying them from the Auction House. How hard could it be?, I thought, I find the darn things on every single monster that I kill! It HAS to be pretty easy, right?Well, read on to find the answer...
CNET reviews MovieBeam MB2160
MovieBeam is an amazing concept. It lets you view programs on-demand via an Internet connection antenna and best of all, it has high-def content in its library. But it is a bit ahead of its time. Ben had a chance to review the service early on and was not impressed. CNET now has their take on the MovieBeam and comes away with the same conclusion. The price is too high and they had problems with the hardware. For us high-def fans, the picture quality was very bad. i.e. think bit-starved cable signal with tons of digital artifacts.Check out their full review here.
And then there was Lite
Like many of you, I was forced to endure a torturous waiting period before I could even consider touching and otherwise inappropriately fondling a Nintendo DS Lite. After wrestling the package away from a disgruntled postal worker and slashing him it to ribbons with a few well placed knife strokes, I was finally able to grasp that which had eluded me for so long. A DS Lite--Enamel Awesome. I mean Navy. Of course, I can't just tinker with this wonderful device and keep all my findings and thoughts to myself. That would be rude. Instead, I'll spend this weekend putting the system through its paces, informing you of its inherent dangers and in doing so, undoubtedly take so many comparison shots that you will become violently ill upon seeing them. If you have questions about any aspect of the DS Lite, post a comment and let me know which parts of the system I should be putting under a magnifying glass or sticking a screwdriver into. I'll try and answer to the best of my limited and frequently embarrassing ability.No, you can't have it.
Forty Three Kix delivers movie info to your cellphone
Finding out movie information on-the-go just got a little bit easier with the launch of a new service called Forty Three Kix that responds to texted queries with movie locations and showtimes based on the user's location. The free service works on any SMS-enabled handset from all of the major carriers, with support for regional networks promised at a later date, and requires only partial movie titles (even misspelled ones) or select keywords in order to supply a result. Forty Three Kix, who seem to have adopted their name based on their phone number (43549, or 43KIX) as opposed to vice versa, also offer an online movie "blog" where film buffs can submit what we imagine will be rather humorous reviews via SMS ("OMG! garfield2 t0tally 0wns garfield1!!!"). Additionally, the company offers a subscription service for automatically delivering new release info to your phone, and allows you to forward showtime information to friends so they can discover how bad your taste in movies really is.[Via Yahoo!]
Consumer Reports: iPod Hi-Fi is "mildly disappointing"
Consumer Reports weighs in with their review of Apple's new iPod Hi-Fi sound system and gives it a fairly lackluster rating, calling it a "mildly disappointing" entry with "so-so sound quality" in the iPod sound system game. They also didn't like its hefty weight (15lbs) and relatively poor sound performance when compared to competing products.The magazine did like the easy-to-use remote control and the unique power-saving features of the iPod Hi-Fi but in the end didn't see much of an advantage over competing products already on the market like the Altec iM7 and the Bose SoundDock.
iPod Hi-Fi Getting Positive Reviews
It's been almost a week since the iPod Hi-Fi was released and the reviews have started to roll in. Playlist Magazine's extensive review gives it a four out of five rating and calls the iPod Hi-Fi an "attractive option for people looking for good, room-filling sound in a compact package".AppleTalk Australia's review includes some nice unboxing pictures and calls the iPod Hi-Fi the "best iPod speaker set on the market right now."PC Magazine gives the iPod Hi-Fi a 4.5 out of 5 rating, calls it a "winner" and a "compact powerhouse that charges your iPod while it pumps out pristine audio."Like many, my initial reaction to the iPod Hi-Fi was...meh, but I believe that was mostly because I personally don't like the aesthetics of the product or have much a need for for it. However, I'm definitely willing to allow my opinion to be changed. These reviews have all been overwhelming positive, so I'm rethinking my impression of the iPod Hi-Fi even if I doubt I'll ever buy one.
BenQ PE8720 projector review
You know the review product is good when the reviewer actually purchases the product. In fact, you know the product is great when it lists for $8k and the reviewer actually purchases it! That's what happened when ProjectorReviews took the BenQ PE8720 for a spin. This 720p DLP projector boasts a whopping 10,000:1 contrast ratio, which is the same ratio that blew us away on the demo SED sets at CES. (Note: production SED sets will offer contrast ratios of 100,000:1). Looks like the TI DarkChip 3 is a real winner since it's the guts of this projector.(via HDBlog.net)
Joystiq reviews Condemned: Criminal Origins
One of Joystiq's very own has a review up of the survival horror game Condemned from Monolith. James landed a copy Monday and has since completed it in around ten hours. The dark, terror-stricken title holds its own and gets an optimistic rating of 8 out of 10. Complete with graphic violence and a hefty "M" rating, he warns that this game is not for the faint of heart, especially youngins. Aside from the short length, the replay value packs enough punch and proves that this is one launch title not to be ignored.Check out the review over at Joystiq for more information.
