Monthly Archives: March 2010

Sony and CBS unveil 3D consumer research centre

by andy
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Sony and CBS unveil 3D consumer research centre

As consumers get their heads around all things high definition, the next big thing is 3D TV. We already know that a number of consumer electronics companies and broadcasters are pushing full steam ahead with plans to launch hardware and programming in 3D, and now Sony and CBS have partnered to open up a 3D Consumer Research Centre. Located in the CBS Television City research facility at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, it’s designed to be “a dedicated resource devoted to studying 3D in all its forms”. That’s according to Sony Electronics’ executive VP and CMO, Mike Fasulo. Created in two zones, one section will focus Read more »

Hooked on Twitter? Accessorize

by Kevin
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Hooked on Twitter? Accessorize

Hooked on Twitter? Who isn’t nowadays, it seems. I know I’ve caught the bug – cough – cough – and I never thought I would. Sure, I saw blogging as being a realistic way to get my thoughts out onto the web, but Twitter? Nah. Then I signed up, and did nothing with it. Slowly I started using it more, then checking out stuff that other people said, and next thing I know, I’m hooked. Every morning, the very first thing I do is sit up in bed and check for Facebook and Twitter updates on my iPhone. Pathetic? Sure. But at least I admit it. I use Tweetie for Read more »

Careless laptop users emitting Wi-Fi and alerting thieves

by andy
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Careless laptop users emitting Wi-Fi and alerting thieves

One of the latest warning issued by a security specialist is that of turning off your Wi-Fi connection before hibernating your notebook PC. According to Credant Technologies, some users are unwittingly advertising the location of their laptop to anyone with a cheap off-the-shelf handheld wireless signal detector. Apparently one of the global hotspots for this kind of theft is Jamaica, but the crime could easily be committed anywhere else. Something I wasn’t aware of (and is rather worrying in its own right) is that some notebook PCs can stay awake for up to 30 minutes even after the lid is shut. Quite why this is necessary (unless it’s deliberately set Read more »

ASUS DR-900 eReader unveiled at CeBit '10

by Jayvee Fernandez
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ASUS DR-900 eReader unveiled at CeBit '10

There you go folks, straight from CeBIT ’10. With Taiwanese company ASUS releasing their very own eReader, we officially mark the beginning of a “mainstream-izing of eBook readers.” Also showcased is the DR-900, a slim and chic 9” E-Reader with Wi-Fi or optional 3G connectivity that displays crisp, paper-like pages for optimal reading comfort. The DR-900 boasts an incredibly long battery life, enabling users to read over 10,000 pages, or twenty 400-page novels, on a single charge. [ASUS Press Release] There’s nothing really innovative with ASUS’ take on an eBook reader but it has the much desired specs we would want for any portable device — WiFi or 3G access Read more »

Admiral Ackbar for Mascot

by Kevin
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Admiral Ackbar for Mascot

If I had to choose one Star Wars character to be my best friend, I’d pick Admiral Ackbar. Sure, it might get kinda sketchy, what with him saying everything is a trap and all that, but if he kept me from getting tricked just once, I’d be alright. Fact is with his giant yellow eyes and spotted head, he’s just a guy that cares. A guy with weird facial hair yes, but one that will tuck you in at night too. I want him and I to be besties. Turns out, I’m not the only one. The University of Mississippi is currently working on replacing their mascot, Colonel Reb, because Read more »

Gagdets For The Gangsta Geek

by Noemi Twigg
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Gagdets For The Gangsta Geek

I have never met a gangsta who calls himself a geek, or a geek who dubs himself a gangsta. I am pretty sure that if I look hard enough, I’ll find someone who fits this description. There is no denying it – gangsta culture has become quite prominent in the recent years, and people who are part of this sub-culture are proud to be identified with it. But, what do we get when we combine geek and gangsta together? Kristin Verby seems to have gotten things just right. Armed with a digital camera and some 3D software, she came up with some interesting concepts. I wouldn’t mind having one or Read more »

Get fastfood faster

by Darice de Cuba
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Get fastfood faster

Today I decided to sin food wise. I had not gone to the supermarket and was not in the mood to cook so fastfood it was. I went to McDonalds after months without eating there and was surprised to find out that they now have self ordering. Ordering food at McDonalds was always a pain, they hire mostly teenagers to work there and they are droned to ask what you want for everything. I always know what I want, so I will start by saying which menu I want, which size, with which drink, which sauce and if it is to go or not. And 97% of the times they Read more »

Days are now shorter thanks to Chilean Earthquake

by Jayvee Fernandez
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Days are now shorter thanks to Chilean Earthquake

According to NASA, the recent Chilean earthquake that took hundreds of lives also took away a part of the day. Just how much? With the magnitude of the quake, Earth’s axis has been tilted by roughly 3 inches (2.7 milliarcseconds to be exact) shortening the day by 1.26 microseconds. In the great expanse of time, Earth has probably lost a full minute if it had experienced numerous earthquakes each year, tilting the axis by inches every time (of course this only happes with quakes having magnitudes that move thousands of cubic miles worth of rock — the recent Chilean quake measured 8.8 on the Richter). Earthquakes can involve shifting hundreds Read more »

Logitech launches laptop speaker bar: Z205

by andy
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Logitech launches laptop speaker bar: Z205

Remember the times before laptops came with webcams as standard and you had to clip one on to the top of the screen? Well, it seems Logitech has applied this approach to the latest set of portable speakers. The Z205 is a speaker ‘bar’ that attaches to the top of your notebook’s screen and delivers a much more powerful sound than you’d expect from the internal speakers, while you don’t have to worry about standalone speakers disappearing while you’re on the move. The picture shows the speaker centrally located, which is probably the optimal position. However, if you have a laptop with a built-in webcam you may well have to Read more »

Sony shows off advanced digital voice recorders

by andy
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Sony shows off advanced digital voice recorders

Dictaphones: that’s what they used to be called. Today, though, those silly little cassette tapes and fiddly controls have all but gone and we’ve turned digital. In fact, after years of wanting a digital recorder, I now use my iPhone. However, there are still some nice features on these new recorders from Sony that would make me look twice at getting one. Obviously they’re digital. That means you can store a huge amount of audio on the solid state disk, with no fear of quality degradation. It’s all nicely indexed, so no fast forwarding and rewinding (unless you liked listening to high-pitched squeaking as you tried to find your place). Read more »