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NEC busts out four new LaVie laptops -- frumpiness abounds
Sorry NEC, but we're just totally not feeling this look. You weren't exactly winning design awards when we saw some of these last year, but now we just feel sorry for you. Granted, this new lineup of LaVie laptops from NEC falls squarely in the budget sphere, with a good many weakling Intel and AMD processors between them, but the top-of-the-line LaVie C (pictured) is no slouch. It sports up to a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, Blu-ray drive, Radeon X1600 graphics with 512MB of VRAM and HDMI out. The 15.4-inch screen comes in WXGA (1280 x 800 and WXGA+ (1440 x 900) flavors. Other members of the new lineup include the 12.1-inch LaVie J, with a 1.06GHz Core 2 Duo U7500 processor and XGA screen, the LaVie L "Advanced Type," which does the LaVie C form factor with lesser specs, and the LaVie L "Basic Type," which brings its own form factor and takes things about as basic as they get. No word on price or release date for any of these, but we're not so sure we care. The other models are pictured after the break.
Toshiba rolls out six new entrants in Satellite A205 / P205 lineups
Apparently Toshiba has been shoring up refreshes to its Satellite series of laptops, as the company has recently decided to bust out six new Labelflash-compliant models simultaneously to really get your head spinning when wading through the options. Up first is the trio of models in the P205 lineup, which represents "the company's latest 17-inch (1,440 x 900-pixel resolution) laptop line with a starting price of less than $1,000." The S637, S6267, and S6287 models all sport sub-2GHz Intel processors, up to 2GB of RAM, dual-layer SuperMulti drives, Vista Home Premium, 120GB to 200GB of hard drive space, WiFi, and Harmon Kardon speakers as well. The 15.4-inch A205 series includes the S4577, S4617, and S4639, and these models sport a 1,280 x 800 resolution, optional webcam, 802.11n, sub-1.7GHz Intel Core 2 Duo chips, up to 2GB of RAM, dual-layer DVD burner, integrated speakers, biometric scanner, NVIDIA's GeForce Go 7300 graphics, and Windows Vista runnin' the show. Click on to the links below for a bit more detail on the specifications, and in case any variety particularly catches your eye, you'll be delighted to know that the whole litter is available right now.[Via LaptopMag]
Deal or don't drive it off the lot?
Mercury Meltdown Revolution's $19.99 pre-order pricing at Amazon could be the deal we've been all been hoping for. Of course, we're suspicious about the quality of Ignition Entertainment's budget title, but it's hard to argue with a bargain like that.Like a lemon on the used car lot, maybe the price suggests a faulty engine? Or perhaps Amazon just doesn't expect to sell many copies of the labyrinthine game, and the online retailer is looking to unload as much of its incoming stock as possible? Either way, if the idea of guiding a toxic, liquid metal ball through a virtual maze interests you even a little, this isn't a bad way to spend twenty bucks.[Via NeoGAF]
Cha-Ching update brings fixes, 1.0 by April
Cha-Ching, Midnight Apps' handy Quicken-killer that takes the pain out of managing your money, has received a minor update to v0.5.2. While the notable changes like UI improvements, bug fixes and confirmation dialogs when deleting items aren't much to write home about, the third change from the emailed press release is what has me excited: "upgraded database in preparation for version 1.0." I spoke with Juan Alvarez, lead developer of Cha-Ching, about an ETA for 1.0, and it's apparently slated to land before the end of April with some rocking new features and changes. Cha-Ching itself has received a major overhaul in preparation for the big 1.0, so stay tuned for more details and some pre-release screenshots as soon as we can publish them.
HP releases no-frills HP 510 notebook
Not everyone is down with latest and greatest hardware -- or they just can't afford it -- and it's definitely not the dual-core-and-SLI crowd HP is targeting with its new HP 510 laptop. The 15-incher features just about what you'd expect from a $565 notebook computer, so specs like 'Celeron M.' 'integrated graphics,' and '1GB max RAM' should come as little surprise. You're still getting all the basics here, though, including a 60GB hard drive, b/g WiFi, a passable WXGA resolution and 512MB of RAM, and a DVD combo drive. Not one we'd show off to the ladies or anything, but it'll get the job done, and it's available immediately. [Via PC Launches]
Mankind ill needs a boxart such as this
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Worst_box_art_branding_ever'; So, uh ... remember that Amazon Castlevania deal that we got all excited about, and encouraged you all to take advantage of? Yeah, about that. NeoGAFfer Reilly bought a copy of Dawn of Sorrow from Amazon, and what you see above is what arrived. Konami has started their own "Konami's Best" branding, and rebranded Castlevania with the lovely new label. If you don't know what the original boxart looked like, it's the one pictured on the new box. We knew nothing of this when we sent you all to Amazon. At least there's still a fantastic game in there.You want to know what's really sad? We kind of want one of these "Konami's Best" copies for our collection.
Pentagon plans ultrasonic curtain to muffle loud tanks
Although Macroswiss' giraffe pole could certainly lend our soldiers a hand in peeking across enemy lines, someone with a good bit of execution authority would rather we take a more direct approach to encroaching on the baddies. A Pentagon-based budget layout has revealed plans for an "ultrasonic curtain" to be constructed in a presumed attempt to "significantly" muffle vehicles and loud machinery in order to get our troops closer to foes without being noticed. While the actual construction plans aren't entirely laid out, the device will purportedly use "directed ultrasound technology to enable the capability to significantly reduce sound emissions from large scale tactical military hardware," and they hope to lower noise by "at least 30-decibels" in order to allows troops to operate in close proximity to the enemy without being detected aurally. Of course, cracking trees and unforeseen sneezes could still remain a problem, but there are already plans in place to "validate the theoretical models in laboratory settings," estimate the power required to sustain such a sound shield, and to design a finished product that can cover "a truck-sized vehicle." Sadly, it doesn't seem that this project will be integrating the invisibility cloak already discovered, so a flurry of bubble boy jokes is bound to arise. Wired]
Everex StepNote VA4101M: first Vista-equipped laptop under $500
The barrage of notebooks flying our way with Windows Vista pre-installed and ready to "wow" has included a rather wide range of models and choices, but we've yet to come across a pre-fab unit sporting Microsoft's latest OS and demanded less than $500 -- until now. The Everex StepNote VA4101M is the proud owner of a $498 pricetag, a 15.4-inch WXGA display, and Vista Home under the hood, but what this unit lacks in price, it makes up for in weak componentry. Users will likely be let down by the paltry 1.46GHz Intel Celeron M 410 processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 60GB hard drive, and lack of Bluetooth, but hey, you get what you pay for. Notably, Everex did manage to include a dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11b/g, Ethernet, 56k modem, VGA out, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports. So while you won't buy much horsepower for half a grand these days, Everex's latest StepNote can get your feet wet with Vista without breaking the bank, but waiting on that CPU to catch up with your clicking finger just might negate any value that was here.[Via Laptoping]
Armies of the Night await you in The Warriors
Rockstar's upcoming PSP port of The Warriors has a pretty nice bonus: the side-scrolling Armies of the Night, a bonus "minigame" of sorts which has you brawling in classic beat-em-up form. But wait ... wasn't this game included in the original PS2 and Xbox release? You're right! But we PSP gamers are the impatient type, and we no longer have to beat the game to get access to this treasured game: it's available right from the get-go.Previews of the PSP build have all been pretty glowing so far. Games Radar notes that the PSP version of the game holds up quite nicely, with some great graphics and (sigh of relief) good load times. With a budget price of only $20, this is one port that PSP fans might want to pay attention to.
Keian intros KDVD850HDMI upscaling DVD player with DivX support
While we've seen quite a few luxurious upscaling DVD players come through for those still quietly sitting the fence as the Blu-ray / HD DVD war wages on, Keian's KDVD850HDMI offers up another reasonable substitute to full-fledged high definition discs, and throws in DivX support to boot. Aside from kicking plain ole DVDs up to 1080i via HDMI, playing back DivX files, and touting the admittedly strange dual microphone inputs for that karaoke flair, this unit also touts the ability to render picture-based slideshows and play back MP3 / WMA from USB thumb drives or flash memory cards (SD, MMC, MS, xD). Of course, you'll find the typical coaxial / optical digital audio outputs as well, and while this unit isn't apt to win any awards in the quality department, it should help your (presumably depleted) post-Christmas bank account out by demanding just ¥10,800 ($91).[Via Akihabara News]
Exemode's budget-friendly DV572 SD camcorder
Exemode leaves no question about who it's catering to with its uber-cheap, budget-friendly offerings, but we're not complaining with doing the camcorder thang on the cheap. While the firm has been down the pocket-sized road before, not to mention offering up quite the unique MP3 player, this five-megapixel camcorder sports the more typical handheld design. Offering up SD-based recording over the HDD / miniDV approaches, it can handle SD cards up to 2GB in size (sorry, no SDHC support here), and captures the good ole times in 640 x 480 MPEG4 at 30fps. Additionally, it can take stills in JPEG, record audio in WAV, features an (admittedly paltry) 4x digital zoom, rocks USB 2.0 / AV connectivity, and reportedly puts out just under seven hours of battery life. The best apart about this otherwise ho hum offering is indeed the price, as you aren't likely to be too disappointed after dropping just ¥14,800 ($125).[Via Impress]
V7 offers up budget-minded Navigator 1000 GPS unit
V7's making sure you know exactly what its target market is by announcing a budget-minded GPS unit to accompany that $349 LCD panel it just tossed out. Entering a fairly saturated entry-level GPS market, the Navigator 1000 features a 3.5-inch touchscreen monitor, 320 x 240 resolution, turn-by-turn directions in 23 robotically-spoken languages, an SD slot, SiRF Star III GPS receiver, photo viewer, rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, MP3 / AVI / MPEG4 playback, and even mounting hardware to rig it up in your ride. Distributed by Ingram Micro, this unit is pre-loaded with maps of the US and Canada, sports "1.8 million POIs," and comes with a stylus pen to keep those fingerprints from taking over your screen. Although you won't find Bluetooth / handsfree functionality here, the Navigator 1000 should prove to be a fairly solid GPS unit for around $340.
V7 kicks out budget 22-inch R22W02 LCD monitor
Just in case the world didn't have quite enough low-end, questionably built LCD monitors, we've got one more comin' down the pike, as V7 -- formerly "known" as Videoseven -- unveils its R22W02 monitor. This 22-inch LCD has a "focus on value," which presumably means it takes a hit in the quality department, but regardless, it sports a 16:9 aspect ratio, on-screen controls, 700:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 1,650 x 1,050 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, VGA / DVI input, and a less-than-attractive black / silver color scheme. No, you won't soon be boasting about this thing to your pals, nor will find anything above marginal specs, but you will get a (relatively) large widescreen panel for "under $349."
Magellan RoadMate 2200T GPS unit reviewed
Let's face it, getting lost trying to find grandmother's house is no way to enjoy your holiday travels, but considering the coinage you're dropping to drive there, financing a GPS unit could be an issue. Enter Magellan's RoadMate 2200T, which provides a no-frills alternative to the fancy (and pricey) navigation units also out there. While the screen size and list of extra are both short of breathtaking, reviewers at GPS Magazine were thoroughly impressed at the value presented in this $400 device. Noted as a "strong performer," the crew admired the newly-revamped routing engine, and found that its Exit POI, Route Exclusion, and SmartDetour functions were all well implemented. Also, they found the actual map screen "among the best they'd seen," stating that it presented information in a useful and easy to read manner. However, a low-end unit typically drops the ball in at least a few areas, and the 2200T was found to have an "essentially useless" MP3 player, as it can only be used when not navigating your routes, a volume control "awkwardly buried in the menu system," and text-to-speech performance that doesn't live up to the TomToms and Garmins of the world. Regardless, the RoadMate 2200T was deemed satisfactory in the areas that matter most, and while we'd still eye a few other options before making any snap judgments, these folks felt it was simply "the best GPS in its price category."
Dell E1501 reviewed, first AMD-based laptop
Well folks, it's a new month, and we've got the first of new laptop reviews comin' down the pike. Dell's latest low-budget laptop ($500), which debuted about a month ago, has finally been put through its paces for a complete test by Laptop magazine. The reviewer found that the younger sibling of the E1505 doesn't quite live up to the family name -- "what you gain in savings you lose in functionality." This lappie packs a 1.79GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-56 (what a mouthful) chip in there, along with an 80GB hard drive, and a half gig of RAM. Laptop found that while the E1501 has comparable benchmarks to the E1505, and slightly better wireless connectivity, it's missing a lot of features, such as Bluetooth, S-Video, FireWire and a 5-in-1 card reader, which we could see as being major downers. Still, we can't help but being a little frightened by the piece's ominous closing phrase: "you get exactly what you pay for."
Evesham unveils budget lineup of Alqemi LCD HDTVs
While Evesham's 47-inch LCD TV may have a long list of niceties that would surely bring a smile to any HD addict's face, the rather hefty pricetag might just scare a few folks away. Apparently making sure that its got the low and mid-range customers covered as well, Evesham is busting out a bevy of new displays at much lower price points. The Alqemi lineups boasts 32-, 37-, and 42-inch panels, with all five sporting WXGA resolutions, 8-millisecond response time, 500 cd/m2 brightness, 1000:1 contrast ratio (save for the bottom-end's curiously high 1200:1 spec), and integrated stereo speakers. Evesham further segregates the models by offering a low-end 32-inch version (peep a pic after the jump) with the bare necessities (HDMI, component / S-Video / composite, VGA, and an analog tuner) for £499 ($970), while offering mid-range units with DVB-T / analog hybrid tuners (with Digital Tick support), and a 42-inch flagship (Alqemi SX; pictured after the break) that boasts PIP and Virtual Dolby surround sound. Evesham's budget lineup tops at £1,399 ($2,718), with the mid-range units ranging from £599 ($1,164) to £899 ($1,747), and can be picked up now on the other side of the pond.Read - Evesham 32-inch Alqemi LCD TVRead - Evesham 32-inch Alqemi SX LCD TVRead - Evesham 37-inch Alqemi S LCD TVRead - Evesham 37-inch Alqemi SX LCD TVRead - Evesham 42-inch Alqemi SX LCD TV
Microsoft: "Does it make sense for us to be in the movie business?"
The interview with Microsoft's Robbie Bach is all over the grid today. While most of the hubbub on the net concerns price cuts for the 360, there's another little gem in this interview. Bach replies to a question about the lagging progress of the Halo movie by saying, "There are a couple of things you have to recognize. Does it make sense for Microsoft to be in the movie business? It's not what we do, nor would I anticipate us ever doing it."Bach is saying this to the people who ask why Microsoft doesn't just fund the reportedly $200 million dollar budget film themselves. It's also why Microsoft got into trouble with the film to begin with. Both Fox and Universal pulled out of the deal because MS wanted them to pony up $5 million upfront and then 10% of all the film's profits later. The three companies couldn't come to terms on the deal when the studios tried to change things, and the picture fell apart.
Systemax's Pursuit: sub-$1,000 Merom action
One of the best things about the new Core 2 Duo fad is that the majority of manufacturers who previously sold laptops with Core Duo chips have upgraded their models with little or no increase in price. The latest company to upgrade without upping prices is Systemax, which is about to endow its low-cost Pursuit laptops with Core 2 Duo processors and a new slim design. The new configuration features the same 15.4-inch widescreen LCD, 1GB of RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 1.3 megapixel webcam, and DVD burner as its predecessor, but adds a 1.66GHz Merom processor to give an estimated 20% performance increase over the 1.6GHz Core Duo model. Retaining the price of the old model, the newly-speced Pursuit will be priced at $999.99, although we're not too optimistic that the old model's $200 mail-in rebate will stick around.
PSP features more affordable games than the DS
Some may criticize the PSP's relatively high price point. However, considering its media capabilities and superior graphics, the PSP is a great value for the handheld gamer that wants to do more while on the go. Although the hardware may be more expensive, the Curmudgeon Gamer researched the EB Games website and found there are more budget sub-$20 games for the PSP than the DS (30 versus 26).In the long run, cheaper software helps gamers. The website applauds the flexibility in Sony's game prices: "There are PSP games launching at prices from $50 down to $20, which makes it possible for a game to portray itself as anything from a big-name release down to a chintzy piece of shovelware... Nintendo's model, especially for its big-name games, has seemed much more rigid. The price for New Super Mario Bros. will probably still be $35 two years after its release, whereas the price of Liberty City Stories on the PSP has dropped from $50 to $20 in just over a year."
Nikon D40 budget DSLR pics leaked
A few days ago, two mysterious images of a Nikon D40 appeared on the website of German electronics retailer Neckermann. Although the posting has since been removed, that hasn't stopped Digital SLR enthusiasts from poring over the images and the specifications (6 megapixel CCD, 3 point focusing, and the absence of an auto focus motor and a status LCD), both of which suggest that this camera will be aimed at the bottom end of Nikon's DSLR line-up -- if it actually exists, that is. While elitists may moan at the potentially limited feature set, anything that blurs the line between consumer and pro-level cameras is fine by us, especially if it reduces prices.
