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Spar's Zephyr portable Bluetooth speaker lineup streams your music, charges your phone
Say hello to Spar -- a newcomer to the land of wireless audio. Today, the company is officially accepting pre-orders for its Zephyr lineup of rechargeable Bluetooth speakers. The portable units are similar to others such as Jawone's Jambox, offering wireless music streaming, speakerphone functionality and portability, but also feature the ability to juice up your smartphone over USB. In total, you'll have a your pick of three Zephyrs, priced from $99 to a moderate $160 (including cables, a case and a charger). First up is the "pocketable" 300 model, which has a 12-hour battery and a black paint scheme (along with red and blue for a limited time). If that won't cut it, the slightly larger 500 variant packs 18-hours of battery life and comes in choice of white or black. Rounding out the bunch is the aluminum-housed 550; it features a massive 28-hour battery and comes in a either silver or black. If you're willing to give this new kid on the Bluetooth-block a try, the Zephyrs are set to ship by year's end and you'll find more info at the source link below. Full press release after the break.
Fujitsu Lifebook AH77/E and SH76/E hands-on
If you're familiar with Fujitsu's AH572 and S761/C laptops, then you'll certainly recognize the similarities on their Japanese cousins. On the left we have the beastly 15.6-inch AH77/E, which sports an Intel Core-i72670QM processor (2.20-3.10GHz), 750GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, Blu-ray drive and a handy circular scrolling pad. We dig the slanted keys and their color-accented sides (combinations include black on red, white on black and black on blue), and likewise with the removable dust trap near the heatsink on the bottom side, though the already-discounted price of ¥175,320 ($2,284) is rather steep for a machine lacking a dedicated graphics card -- you get an Intel HD Graphics 3000 instead. If you're looking for something lighter than the 2.9kg AH series, then consider the SH76/E: at 1.34kg, it's one of the lightest 13.3-inch laptops that come with an internal DVD drive. Specs include a Core i5-2520M chip (2.5GHz-3.2GHz), 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, the same circular scrolling pad, the same dust trap and an impressive 13.7-hour battery life. Like its international cousin, the SH76/E can also swap its optical drive for a pico projector or a weight-saver frame. With the exception of the flimsy and duller display compared to the AH model's, the SH's overall build quality was satisfactory. However, Fujitsu wants ¥161,820 ($2,110) for its latest portable laptop, so you might want to customize it with cheaper components on the company's Japanese website (choosing a 500GB HDD would save you about $980, for instance). Both models will be available in a week's time. %Gallery-135892% %Gallery-135893%
Sony PS Vita caps 3G downloads at 20MB, encourages extensive mini play
Just two months to go, and gamers of the Sony persuasion can get their thumbs-on the PS Vita. While we were getting comfy with the available list of this PSP successor's dos and don'ts, out comes further info to rain on our anticipated PlayStation Suite parade. According to a report from ASCII, game downloads over 3G connections will be limited to a max of 20MB. What does that mean for you, prospective buyer? Well, kiss that 500 - 600 strong library of PSP titles goodbye, and say hello to a catalog of minis. Sure, you could always hook up to some decent WiFi to purchase and play those old favorites uninterrupted, but that kind of defeats this portable's on-the-go design. Rest assured, this download cap could still change before the handheld launches in the US and UK. And anyway, you didn't think you were going to get far on that three to five hour charge, now did you?
Iomega eGo Helium Portable Hard Drive: Small, solid and secure
I have a pile of small USB-powered hard drives that I use to back up various devices. All of them are inexpensive, have somewhat limited storage, and are encased in plastic. The latter feature always makes me apprehensive about traveling with the drives, as they just don't seem to be sturdy enough for a lot of handling. The Iomega eGo Helium Portable Hard Drive ($149.99 for 1 TB, $99.99 for 500 GB) is built to take on a lot of abuse and look good in the process. Design The first thing that hit me when I pulled the eGo Helium out of the box was that it looked and felt like it had been crafted from a solid block of aluminum. Of course it isn't, but it does have a very solid aluminum case that is almost a precise match for the material used on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Even with all of that aluminum, the drive still weighs only 8.2 ounces. Design-wise, the case is quite stark -- simply a slab of aluminum with the Iomega logo stamped on the side. On the back is a mini-USB port and a single white LED to let you know that the drive is plugged in. Trust me, you'll need that light to know that the drive is in operation, since the eGo Helium is very quiet. Since the eGo Helium is designed especially for Mac laptops, it comes pre-formatted as Journaled HFS+. The actual mechanism runs at 5400 RPM and is designed to withstand a 36" drop. The really impressive feature of this drive is built-in AES 256-bit encryption in hardware. To enable or disable this feature, Iomega has a free utility available. The utility, which works with Mac OS X 10.5 - 10.7, requires a reboot after installation. Once you've installed the software, enabling encryption re-formats the drive. A Drive Protection Dashboard is used to eject your drive for disconnection. What's great about using hardware encryption and a utility like this is that the data on the drive can be encrypted, but used on any Mac that is running the utility (as long as you know the password). Unlike other manufacturers who tend to throw a pile of (in my opinion) relatively worthless software on each drive that goes out the door, I like that Iomega makes a companion software suite available as an optional free download. That software suite includes such items as a 12 month subscription to Trend SmartSurfing and a 2 GB free account for Mozy Home. Benchmark TUAW is uses a standard industry benchmark to compare the I/O capabilities of disks and arrays. The benchmark uses the AJA System Test, which simulates reading and writing video. The specific test I used was the Disk Read/Write test, also known as the DiskWhackTest, set at a video frame size of 720 x 486 8-bit and a file size of 128 MB. The test results are compared to the internal SATA drive of the test iMac. I've also included the results for another USB 2.0 drive (Western Digital 3 TB MyBook Studio) for a more direct comparison. I was wondering if enabling encryption on the Helium would slow down the read/write figures, so I ran a second set of tests with encryption turned on. The results were very close (average write speed was 30.5 MB/s, average read 33.5 MB/s), and most likely are within the margin of error considering the small sample size I used for the tests. Conclusion As a portable drive made to work with the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, the Iomega eGo Helium Portable Hard Drive is built like a tank. The hardware encryption feature and solid construction should be useful to anyone who needs to protect critical data while on the road, and the speed of the drive is very close to desktop USB 2.0 drives we've tested. I like that Iomega is building drives specifically for the Mac market that match the Apple products they're made to work with. I'll also be reviewing the Mac Companion, a drive that's designed to complement the iMac. The eGo Helium is definitely worth your consideration if you need a portable bus-powered drive for your Mac laptop.
AOC's 16-inch portable monitor sucks power, video from your USB port
AOC's latest may not have the IPS viewing angles of recent tablet offerings or high-end monitors, but this portable 16-inch screen connects -- and powers itself -- through just one USB port. Priced at $139, the AOC e1649fwu also includes a fold-up stand and can be propped up in both portrait and landscape. The 16:9 TFT screen packs 1366x768 resolution, and AOC promises that it won't immediately suck all the life out of your laptop, though we'll hold our judgement until we can get our hands on one. It could be a very canny addition to your portable office arsenal; it weighs in at a spritely 2.3lbs (just under over 1kg) and the 1.4 inch thickness means it may squeeze into some (admittedly more capacious) lappie bags. You'll finally be able to look like you mean business while pluggin' away in your own private corner at Starbucks after this launches next month.
Fusion Micro mod weds PSP and GameCube hardware, but battery won't last the honeymoon
It may not be the first console we've seen modded and squeezed into portable clothing, but we've got to admire the sheer pluck of cramming all the GameCube's goodnesss into PSP hardware. Modder Ashen, also responsible for the stockier GameCube Fusion, has managed just that, with some heavy-duty adjustments and modifications. The Fusion Micro is a fair bit chunkier than the original PSP, mainly due to the fan and heat sink behind all that busy hardware. Other modifications include an extra analog stick on the right to mimic the GameCube controller and two card slots for games and emulation. Despite this impressive engineering, however, it won't stand up to extensive plays; this unholy union of Nintendo and Sony can only squeeze out about two hours of gaming from its 5000mAh battery. Click on after the break to see Zelda in action, alongside a full break-down of the controls and modifications. [Thanks Ashen.]
Nintendo 3DS slide pad add-on is official, ships December 10th in Japan
Nintendo didn't say so on stage during the pre-Tokyo Game Show 3DS press conference tonight, but it really is shipping that odd-looking circle pad add-on. The "extended slide pad" is up on the gaming company's Japanese home page right now, with a shipping date of December 10th and a price of ¥1500 ($19.50). There's also a list of supported games available, including Monster Hunter Tri G, BioHazard Revelations, Snake Eater 3D and more. It's powered by a single AAA battery, which our country cousins at Joystiq note probably indicates you won't be getting any extra playtime added to your 3DS by slapping this "boat" on the bottom. Check the source link below for the official info -- we'll keep our eyes peeled in Tokyo for North American release info and of course, the color matched Misty Pink edition you're already looking for.
Dish Network's Tailgater brings you portable satellite TV, won't cool your beer (video)
When it comes to refrigerating beer and grilling burgers, you're on your own. If you're looking for satellite television in the back of your truck before the game (pictured), on the other hand, Dish Network's Tailgater can certainly help. First hinted at back in May, the ten pound box automatically locates satellite positions, offering up HD content on the go for owners of Dish's ViP 211k HD receiver. The box runs $350 and is apparently rather easy to set up, making it a pretty enticing option for those who absolutely need to watch a sporting event in the parking lot while waiting to get into a sporting event. Infomercially video after the break.
DirecTV working on 'Nomad,' may provide streaming to iOS
Engadget recently found a teaser page on the DirecTV website that speaks about a "Nomad," a little box that promises to take your movies and TV from your home DVR out to the rest of the world (no relation, supposedly, to my favorite portable game console, the Sega Nomad). Details are slim, but it sounds very much like the Slingbox, in that it will take all kinds of signals from DirecTV, and send them out to all kinds of other mobile devices. In other words, DirecTV subscribers may soon have a way to watch their television service from anywhere right on their iOS device. Gizmolovers has a whole bunch of information on the service, including that the box might possibly cost as much as $150 on its own. And unfortunately, there's no official word on this at all, which means no actual date to wait or even hope for just yet. But stay tuned, DirecTV subscribers -- you may end up watching TV on your iPad through that service sooner than you think.
MMObility: HP pulls the old switcharoo with the TouchPad
If you are one of the unlucky few who decided to pick up one of the new HP TouchPad tablet PCs, I feel bad for you. First of all, pretty much all of the reviews I have read said that the device was not worth its $500 price tag. For that amount of dough, the hardware should have been sleeker, beefier, and more stylish. Then we heard the news this week that support for the device was being terminated. Shortly after that, news of price drops started to come out, and then tech geeks starting lining up. Sure, they wouldn't pay $500 for a sub-par device, but they would pay $100 for the chance to toy around with it. I've used this joke before, but it fits perfectly here: A farmer sticks a million-dollar price tag on a pile of cow dung and people laugh at him. He keeps the sign up for about a week before changing the price to one dollar. People line up around the block to get the discounted item. The farmer laughs... it turns out they were still just buying a pile of dung for a dollar. Click past the cut and let's examine further!
PlayStation Vita getting social networking apps, 'winning' hashtag making a comeback next year
Wondering how you'll be able to most efficiently brag to far away friends about your new PlayStation Vita? Sony's got the answer in the form of newly announced apps for its next generation portable. Vita Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter and Skype apps will be landing in the PlayStation Store in Japan before the end of the year. The US and Europe will get their shot at the free apps in early 2012.Update: It is unclear whether the apps will be available when Vita launches. The above dates are actually for the device itself.
Nintendo posts earnings, drops 3DS from $249 to $169 August 12th, current owners get 20 free games
The price of the Nintendo 3DS in the US is dropping precipitously August 12th from $249 to $169, with other regions getting a similar price break in their respective currency. Are you one of the 830,000~ US gamers that have already shelled out? Don't be too disappointed, the thank you gift for gamers that have logged into the eShop at least once before the price cut will be 10 free NES virtual console games September 1st, plus 10 more Game Boy Advance virtual console games -- that Nintendo is not planning on releasing to the general public -- before the end of the year. Left holding the bag for all this desperation generosity, are the company's investors. While pressure from the upcoming Vita is surely playing a part, Nintendo plans to sell 16 million 3DS units in the financial year, but still slashed its financial projections for the year from ¥110 billion to just ¥20 billion. Check out the financial PDFs at the source links below while you decide if 10 potentially-exclusive GBA games are worth paying $80 extra for.
Nintendo confirms Netflix on the 3DS hitting today
Last night's Netflix / 3DS news was more than just empty promises -- and now we have the official press release to prove it. Starting today, Netflix subscribers with unlimited streaming plans will be able to watch TV shows and movies from the service's selection of online content on their Nintendo 3DS, like the Wii before it. Movies will show up in 2D (darn) on the upper screen of the device, with 3D content coming soon to the glasses-free portable. The Netflix app will be hitting the Nintendo eShop today as a free download. The app doesn't appear to be in the store as of yet, but we'll let you know when it pops up. In the meantime, feel free to check out the press release below -- no glasses required.
Netflix streaming comes to the Nintendo 3DS tomorrow
Ever since Nintendo's GDC announcement in March we've been waiting for Netflix streaming on the 3DS, and it appears tomorrow's eShop update will do the trick. This may be too late for those that followed through on threats to cancel after the new rates were announced yesterday, but all other 3DS owners can get their Parks & Rec (in 3D?) anywhere in range of a WiFi signal. Joystiq also points out there's also two Game Boy games coming in tomorrow's update, Game & Watch Gallery and Baseball, just in case you're interested in using your portable game machine to actually play games.
Sony HD-PG5U USB 3.0 drive puts family first, works best with other Sonys
Plug Sony's new 180g portable drive into your PC and you'll get decent USB 3.0 storage plus some preloaded software that claims to accelerate transfers over USB 2.0. Underwhelmed? Us too. But wait -- hook this baby up to some of that other Sony bric-a-brac you've got lying around and it'll unlock a bunch of extra features. It can record broadcasts straight off a Bravia TV, for example, so you can watch them back later on another device. It'll also hoover up footage directly from a new HandyCam (such as the DCR-SX21E or DCR-SR21), removing the need for a PC. And, when you're done, you can connect the HD-PG5U to your PS3 and watch all your AVCHD videos back via the Filmy app -- again, no PC required. Now, if Sony had done something similar with the MemoryStick, we might have turned down the hate. Full details in the PR.
Sony MiniDisc Walkman to stop spinning in September (video)
Aside from with a handful of stateside early adopters (and a few million others in Japan) eager to embrace any new technology, Sony's rather extensive line of MiniDisc Walkmans never had a chance to dominate the portable audio market. But for one reason or another, the company kept up production of the optical player / recorder combos for nearly 20 years, after the first Sony MZ1 launched in Japan in September of '92. With a countless selection of more affordable solid-state alternatives available today, however, it's certainly not shocking to see good ole MD go the way of the laserdisc and the cassette. Now, only one question remains: How long until we see the compact disc suffer a similar fate?
TUAW's Daily Mac App: UnPlugged
The Magsafe is a fantastic innovation, but it has made it slightly easier to disconnect your Mac from the AC outlet by accident without realising it. UnPlugged is a little free utility that notifies you via Growl when the power cord is disconnected. Now it's true that if you're running a portable Mac the screen is set to dim automatically on battery power by default, plus the power icon in the menu bar is set to change between a battery symbol to one with a AC plug. But if you happen to be running your Mac solely with an external display, it could be easy to miss the warning signs that you're now running on battery power. UnPlugged runs in the background keeping out of your way till its called upon. It'll also display updates on charge status, notifying you on changes in power percentage intervals, which you can set with a slider from 1% to 50%. Just like apps like DiskAlarm, UnPlugged doesn't do anything that Mac OS X doesn't do for you already, but it does make it more obvious and could be the alert you need to keep you from running out of juice when you thought you were plugged in. If you need a simple power notifier, give UnPlugged a whirl and download it for free from the Mac App Store.
Game Gear mod has five-inch screen, rechargable batteries, two pounds worth of memories
Are Nintendo and Sony's portable gaming offerings not doing anything for you? Yearn for the days of Hedgehog-based adventure? You're not alone -- though, unless you're as crafty as "lovablechevy," you're going to have to settle for whatever you can find on eBay or in a dusty shoebox under a bed at your parents' house. The modder resurrected a Game Gear with a custom case created using the beloved Sega portable, a Master Gear converter, a screen from a PS One, and assorted other bits and pieces. The franken-portable can play Game Gear and Master System titles, has a rechargeable battery, and weighs a hefty two-plus pounds. Video after the break and lots more jealousy-inducing images in the Source link below.
Xbox COO sees dedicated handheld market as a 'red ocean,' will let Sony and Nintendo swim in it
Dennis Durkin is COO and CFO for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. He's also a dude thoroughly disillusioned with the future of portable consoles. Speaking to IndustryGamers, Durkin explains that the "crowded" nature of the mobile gaming market right now makes it extremely difficult to launch a dedicated handheld gaming device successfully -- in his colorful words, it's "a very, very red ocean." Whose blood is soiling those waters? The Nintendo 3DS, says Durkin, which has sold reasonably well, but has clearly failed to reach the lofty expectations set for it by fans and previous handhelds from the company. Likewise, the PS Vita invites a lot of skepticism from the Xbox chief, who says his excitement is reserved for what Microsoft can do with Kinect, Xbox Live and unique content. You might say it's to be expected that an Xbox exec would be casting doubt over Sony's great new hope, but what we learn in the process is that Microsoft has no intentions of squaring up to its home console nemesis on the mobile front. Not with dedicated hardware, anyway.
G-Technology's G-Connect offers 500GB of wireless storage, portable WiFi network to smartphone, tablet users
Hitachi's G-Technology unit has already showered us with a slew of external hard drives, but it's taking a slightly more hybridized approach with the G-Connect -- a device that offers both wireless storage and portable WiFi access to smartphone and tablet users. Designed with nomadic content-hoarders in mind, this little rascal boasts 500GB of mobile storage, can simultaneously support more than five different devices on its 802.11n wireless network, and, when connected via Ethernet, serves as a WiFi access point. It's also robust enough to stream up to five standard-definition movies at one time (or up to three HD flicks), and, at about 9.7 ounces, it won't add too much weight to your quiver of gadgets, either. If you're worried about security, you can surround the network with a password-protected fortress, or store some of your less mentionable content in your very own private folder. iOS users can further enhance their G-experience by downloading the accompanying app, which will allow them to view and access all of their G-stored documents and media from the comfort of their iDevices (an equivalent app for the Android crowd will launch this fall). If you're interested, you can pre-order the G-Connect from G-Technology's website for $200, or wait until it hits retailers next month. Full PR after the break. %Gallery-126886%
