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Tangent's Rugged Mini Fanless PC resembles a giant heatsink
While Itronix's latest GoBook should handle your workload whilst on the go, Tangent is hoping that you'll look its direction for a rugged PC in your home or underground bunker. Quite frankly, the company claims that its Rugged Mini Fanless machine is "designed to take a beating," which apparently includes the ability to withstand "shock, dust, vibration, humidity, extreme cold and heat, and even electromagnetic interference." Externally, this thing is certainly on the opposite end of sexy, but it's the inside that counts; packed within is your choice of an Intel Celeron M, Core Solo, or Core Duo processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics set, up to 120GB of hard drive space, optional external DVD writer, 802.11a/b/g, FireWire, a pair of PS/2 ports, six USB 2.0 connectors, VGA / DVI outputs, audio in / out, and Ethernet. Furthermore, you'll purportedly find "no moving parts" (aside from that HDD spindle, eh?) as its cooled by a passive convection-based system, and you can snag one right now with Windows XP Pro for $1,195.[Via Gearlog]
The CF-to-SATA hard drive adapter
While we've already seen that a four-barrel SD-to-SSD adapter will run you a stiff $258.50 sans flash cards, users who can't seem to find a good use for those CompactFlash cards that used to rule to roost in your recently replaced Nikon D70 finally have a solution. The much more reasonable CF-to-SATA hard drive adapter simply takes any CompactFlash I/II card and snaps it into the 2.5-inch SATA HDD slot on the bottom of most lappies. The device then allows the CF card to be recognized as an "ordinary hard drive" which can even be "configured as a boot device" without any additional drivers. Moreover, it supports DMA and Ultra DMA modes, and is said play nice with just about every flavor of Windows dating back to 3.1, Linux, and OS X operating systems. The best bit, however, is the attainable price, as we could certainly see ourselves forking over $35.99 just to see how a CF boot drive would really effect performance.
Kingston unveils flash storage vending machine in UK
We wouldn't recommend hopping on the next non-stop flight to London Gatwick Airport's North Terminal or anything, but for those passing through in dire need of an extra SD / CF card or USB drive, Kingston's got your back. Joining SIM cards, iPods, digicams, shoes, and all sorts of other bizarre goods, Kingston's self-branded vending machine will doll out presumably overpriced flash memory to travelers in need. Reportedly, New Jersey-based MyMemory will be operating the machines, and of course, they will all be open 24/7 for your late night (and mid-day) flash storage requirements. Interestingly, the UK units will supposedly utilize the oft hacked Chip & PIN technology, which means the countdown to gobs of free memory (and a high-speed police chase) has officially begun.[Via EverythingUSB]
Add Compact Flash to almost any iPod
Remember that iPod mini maxed out with a Compact Flash card mod? Well, Mark Hoekstra is back with a new CF card modding picnic that works with any 1/2/3/4G iPod. The mod works (eventually, anyway) by installing a CF adapter of Hoekstra's design. No need to solder all 88 connections yourself! By removing the spinning hard disk, the mod also promises to extend your battery life. As Mark points out, he "won't go all Art Lebedev" on us; he'll produce the adapter for a reasonable cost and within a reasonable time. Good, cause high-density CF cards aren't cheap. Check the mod in full video action after the break. Hey, isn't that the effigy of Steve Jobs on that slice of toast?
Sony's CompactFlash cards in the flesh
Hey, don't beat yourself up too much, as you probably weren't the only one heavily doubting Sony's ability to churn out a non-proprietary flash card, but nevertheless, it looks like the company has delivered as promised. The 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB CompactFlash Type I cards are purportedly aimed at filling the slot in the outfit's DSLR lineup, but of course, will play nice with any other CF-accepting device out there as well. All three editions tout 10Mbps (66x) transfer speeds, while the 2GB and 4GB flavors come in 20Mbps (133x) versions as well, and while we can't imagine why having a Sony logo on your CF card would truly lead to fantasies being fulfilled, the entire trio should be shipping within a few days for a currently undisclosed price.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Norcent announces DCC-1025 / DCS-760 digicams, slew of storage accessories
Hot on the heels of Norcent unveiling its forthcoming lineup of HDTVs, the company has announced that we'll be seeing its photogenic side as well, as the DCS-760 ($199) and DCC-1025 digicams make their debut at CES along with a slew of storage-related accessories. The 10.1-megapixel DCC-1025 ($179; DC-1020 pictured) reportedly sports a "champagne colored, brushed metal finish," 2.5-inch "scratch-resistant" LCD monitor, 3x optical zoom (and 4x of the practically worthless digital variety), 14 pre-selected scene modes, red-eye reduction, 640 x 480 MPEG4 movie mode, NTSC / PAL compatibility, 32MB of internal memory, SD / MMC slot, and AV out to boot. The more compact DCS-760 features a seven-megapixel sensor, "high-end design," 15 scene modes, VGA movie mode, 2.5-inch LTPS monitor, and the same 3x optical zoom and SD / MMC slot as the larger sibling. Making sure your digicam is fully prepared for a long day of shooting, the firm is also unveiling its SD Duo, Micro SD Trio, and Micro SD Reader / Adapter; the SD Duo combines SD and USB support, while the Micro SD Trio adds microSD, and neither unit needs a card reader to interface with any USB-equipped PC. As if that weren't enough, it's also showing off a 1GB ($19.99) / 2GB ($29.99) USB Pen Drive that rocks a LED indicator light and a "twist to open" cap to curb that "missing lid" syndrome so often associated with flash drives. While the DCS-760 won't be available until the Spring, everything else is available right now, and will be out on display in just a few days at CES.Read - Norcent DCS-760Read - Norcent DCC-1025Read - Norcent SD Storage lineupRead - Norcent USB Pen Drive
NextoDI's NextoCF Ultra ND2525: "world's fastest" storage device for photogs
If you've been looking for an ultra-fast personal storage device to offload your DSLR images on the quick then check it photog, NextoDI has the device for you. The Nexto CF Ultra ND2525 is capable of a sustained 20MB/sec backup from Compact Flash cards hitting a max speed of 32MB/sec. That's more than 1GB of data per minute off the fastest CF cards. There's even a bit-by-bit verification implemented at the hardware level; that feature, however, will double your transfer times -- a sacrifice many professionals will happily trade for added peace of mind. The device then hooks up to your PC or Mac via USB 2.0 or Firewire for any required post-processing. The internal Li-Poly battery is capable of transferring up to 40GB (about 42 minutes) before giving up the ghost, and can be recharged in about 3-hours off the mains or 4.5-hours over USB -- an external 70GB capable battery is also available. Ok, it doesn't feature a display like the PSDs from Canon, Epson, and others, but how important is that sub-4-inch display if you're toting a laptop anyway? The ND2525 only has a single CF slot which can be augmented with a 17-to-1 CF adapter. It's apparently already loosed in Korea for 198,000KRW ($213) in a BYOD (bring your own disk) chassis or in 395,000KRW ($425) config with a 160GB disk baked in. Given our druthers, we'd bung the fastest 7200rpm PATA (not SATA, unfortunately) disk into the empty chassis for max performance, but that's us... and we're afraid of robots. [Via AVING]
Olympus E-400 DSLR review roundup
Sure, we all heard about how "small and light" this newfangled E-400 was supposed to be, but seeing it in its (relatively speaking) wee-sized glory sure put things in perspective. Olympus downsized its E-500, upped the resolution to match the bevy of competitors, and managed to include "the first anti-dust system" (Supersonic Wave Filter) reviewers at CameraLabs had ever tested "that proved genuinely effective." While we're always skeptical when there's high praise across the board, the E-400 truly seems like a solid offering through and through; its ease of use (in auto and manual modes), pocket-friendlier size, "excellent" image quality, and exceptional versatility seemed to deliver in all the areas that make or break a DSLR. Reviewers did mention that consumers may be immediately turned off by the somewhat higher pricetag, but noted that the "high quality" lens kit that accompanies this model actually offers "excellent value for the money." Moreover, it was nearly unanimous that the E-400 should've landed in place of the E-300 in order to seem "more revolutionary," and now faces an uphill climb in an attempt to dethrone the current kings of DSLR. Overall, however, reviewers couldn't find much to complain about in the results department, and noted that it made for an outstanding option if you're just now thinking about delving into this (admittedly wallet-draining) addiction hobby -- so if Olympus' latest has caught your eye, be sure to hit the read links below for the variety of opinions.Read - CameraLabs (85 out of 100; Highly Recommended)Read - TrustedReviews (9 out of 10) Read - DigicamReview (Highly Recommended)Read - DigitalCameraInfo ("Great, but too late.")
Pretec, SanDisk kick CompactFlash capacities up to 16GB
You're probably already aware that CompactFlash cards in 32GB and 64GB capacities exist in prototype form, but currently no sizes larger than 8GB have been available to the gigabyte-hungry public. Enter SanDisk's Extreme III and Pretec's 16GB CF cards which will go into mass production later this year. Pretec's remaining mum on the price of its card, but SanDisk has admitted that the Extreme III will have a hefty suggested retail price of $1,049, and €633 in Europe. Fortunately for SanDisk and Pretec, the target market for these kind of cards, Digital SLR owners (read: paparazzi), likely won't care: more capacity means that many more compromising shots of Paris Hilton, price be damned.Read - PretecRead - SanDisk
Delkin eFilm ExpressCard 34
Finally, something to do with the ExpressCard slot on your MBP. Storage and digital photo accessory supplier Delkin Devices today announced their eFilm ExpressCard 34 is available for pre-orders. To be officially unveiled at Photokina and shipping Oct. 16th, the EC-34 is the first Compact Falsh-to- ExpressCard converter. It is plug-and-play on both Macs and PCs in both 34mm and 54mm EC slots, and will allow photographers and others to transfer photos and other data directly between their CF cards and computers at 20MB/s without the need for external USB readers. All I can say is: Delkin, where were you when I came back from vacation this Summer?From the press images, it looks like there is also an eFilm EC-34/8GB CF Card combo pack in the works, but it's not listed in the store yet.
How to: hook up a hard drive to your Nintendo DS
We'll forever be in awe of people like Alexei Karpenko, a modder who one day "decided to do a quick IDE to GBAMP hack". That's right -- as a casual aside, Alexei hooked up a hard drive to his Nintendo DS via a GameBoy cartridge originally designed to play short movies from a CompactFlash card. The hack is apparently possible due to similarities between the CF interface and that of standard IDE hard drives: Alexei simply soldered the correct pins onto a 40GB disk and connected it to a 11.1 volt battery and 5 volt DC-to-DC converter. As you can see, the unwieldy setup isn't much of a PSP rival (remember, that second "P" stands for portable), but the mere fact that it's at all possible will undoubtedly impress your inner geek.
DualCor cPC gets specs, launch date -- but no radios
DualCor Technologies has just released the final specs for their cPC "ultimate convergence device," and those who were looking forward to this model are bound to be horribly disappointed: not only will the production version lack cellphone capabilities out of the box as first promised, but the device contains no radios whatsover. That's right, if you want to get your WiFi, Bluetooth, or 3G on with the cPC, you'll need to bring your your own CF cards or USB dongles to get connected, which takes an awful lot of convenience out of a product designed to lighten your load. Besides the crushing lack of wireless, the rest of the specs seem decent enough, with the XP side of the device powered by a 1.5GHz Via processor that's backed by a full gig of DDR2 RAM. Both OSes can store data on the 30GB hard drive (and not 40GB as we previously reported) or the 1GB of NAND flash memory, with the Windows Mobile 5.0 side is supported by a 400MHz Intel PXA263 chip and 128MB of DRAM. GottaBeMobile is reporting that the cPC will be shipping within the next 90 days, though now that the product is devoid of any wireless capabilities, we're curious to see what type of customer actually picks one up. [Warning: PDF link][Via jkOnTheRun]
Cheaper PS3 loses HDMI, slots, Wi-Fi, 40GB
As you can see above, there are a few things different between the two PS3 SKUs planned. (Hint: the obvious alterations concern high-def output and wireless connectivity -- though Bluetooth controllers should work just fine with both, with or without any chrome case highlighting.)So what's HDMI, built-in multimedia card-reader slots, wireless internet connectivity, and an extra 40 gigabytes' hard disk space worth to you? $100? Now that Sony's gone with the 2-SKU approach with its next-gen hardware (a la the Xbox 360's premium and "Core" systems), we can expect some tough consumer choices after six months -- with console shortages possibly for another six months after that -- as $100 separates the base $499 and premium $599 versions of Sony's "Clear Black" hope.HDMI is important to those who want to take full advantage of Blu-ray high def and have the new screens to use it; MemoryStick, SD, and CompactFlash slots would be nice for the PS3 memory-card users and those will run multimedia on the system; Wi-Fi's the only way to avoid stringing ethernet cables for online access; and 360 owners might appreciate the full 60GB available to potential buyers of the premium PS3 model. Neither model comes with a second HDMI port; thankfully, one should hopefully be all most users need. The details are laid out in a feature-comparison table at the end of Sony's official PS3 hardware press release, available in both Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word formats. Determine what's most important to your PS3 ambitions there.[Image pieced together from the PlayStation.com forums; thanks, Guru]
