Tech Review Direct http://techreviewdirect.com Great Free Tech Reviews Direct To You Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:54:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en ASUS’ Eee 904 gets official. Officially boring. http://techreviewdirect.com/8171/asus-eee-904-gets-official-officially-boring/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8171/asus-eee-904-gets-official-officially-boring/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:51:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/asus-eee-904-gets-official-officially-boring/ Filed under:


ASUS has apparently gotten totally, righteously official on its Eee 904, according to reports. Word on the street is that the new iteration of its overflowing line of micro-laptops will be headed to shelves very soon, though it won't exactly pack a groundbreaking set of features. As we previously reported, the system will feature an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display -- but now full specs include a 900MHz Celeron M CPU, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and an install of Windows XP on board. Keep in mind the keyboard on this model mirrors the one used on the larger Eee 1000, though little else is different about this model versus the Eee 901 (which incidentally gets a price cut to £299, or about $595). The 904 will retail for £269 ($535), and will be available mid-July.

[Via TechRadar]
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ASUS has apparently gotten totally, righteously official on its Eee 904, according to reports. Word on the street is that the new iteration of its overflowing line of micro-laptops will be headed to shelves very soon, though it won't exactly pack a groundbreaking set of features. As we previously reported, the system will feature an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display -- but now full specs include a 900MHz Celeron M CPU, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and an install of Windows XP on board. Keep in mind the keyboard on this model mirrors the one used on the larger Eee 1000, though little else is different about this model versus the Eee 901 (which incidentally gets a price cut to £299, or about $595). The 904 will retail for £269 ($535), and will be available mid-July.

[Via TechRadar]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8171/asus-eee-904-gets-official-officially-boring/feed/ MSI Wind gets reviewed http://techreviewdirect.com/8172/msi-wind-gets-reviewed-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8172/msi-wind-gets-reviewed-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:24:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/msi-wind-gets-reviewed/ Filed under:

Hey USers -- we know where all those "delayed" Winds are. Just take a look across the pond. bit-tech managed to wrap their paws around a retail unit of MSI's Eee PC fighter, and while early reviews sang a lovely song, this one was just a bit flatter. All in all, reviewers found the machine to be useful and totally practical, but it was glaringly obvious that they were none too pleased about MSI jacking up the price of its own machine while the completely identical (save for branding) Advent 4211 was selling for less. If you're listening to these guys / gals, you'll gloss right over the Wind and nab yourself a rebadge, but whichever edition you end up getting, it's sure to be "great" in the grand scheme of things. Check the read link for the full spill.
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Hey USers -- we know where all those "delayed" Winds are. Just take a look across the pond. bit-tech managed to wrap their paws around a retail unit of MSI's Eee PC fighter, and while early reviews sang a lovely song, this one was just a bit flatter. All in all, reviewers found the machine to be useful and totally practical, but it was glaringly obvious that they were none too pleased about MSI jacking up the price of its own machine while the completely identical (save for branding) Advent 4211 was selling for less. If you're listening to these guys / gals, you'll gloss right over the Wind and nab yourself a rebadge, but whichever edition you end up getting, it's sure to be "great" in the grand scheme of things. Check the read link for the full spill.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8172/msi-wind-gets-reviewed-2/feed/ MSI Wind gets reviewed http://techreviewdirect.com/8168/msi-wind-gets-reviewed/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8168/msi-wind-gets-reviewed/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:24:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8168/msi-wind-gets-reviewed/ Filed under:

Hey USers -- we know where all those "delayed" Winds are. Just take a look across the pond. bit-tech managed to wrap their paws around a retail unit of MSI's Eee PC fighter, and while early reviews sang a lovely song, this one was just a bit flatter. All in all, reviewers found the machine to be useful and totally practical, but it was glaringly obvious that they were none too pleased about MSI jacking up the price of its own machine while the completely identical (save for branding) Advent 4211 was selling for less. If you're listening to these guys / gals, you'll gloss right over the Wind and nab yourself a rebadge, but whichever edition you end up getting, it's sure to be "great" in the grand scheme of things. Check the read link for the full spill.
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]]> Filed under:

Hey USers -- we know where all those "delayed" Winds are. Just take a look across the pond. bit-tech managed to wrap their paws around a retail unit of MSI's Eee PC fighter, and while early reviews sang a lovely song, this one was just a bit flatter. All in all, reviewers found the machine to be useful and totally practical, but it was glaringly obvious that they were none too pleased about MSI jacking up the price of its own machine while the completely identical (save for branding) Advent 4211 was selling for less. If you're listening to these guys / gals, you'll gloss right over the Wind and nab yourself a rebadge, but whichever edition you end up getting, it's sure to be "great" in the grand scheme of things. Check the read link for the full spill.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8168/msi-wind-gets-reviewed/feed/ R/C Mini cars move beyond mini http://techreviewdirect.com/8169/rc-mini-cars-move-beyond-mini/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8169/rc-mini-cars-move-beyond-mini/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:37:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/r-c-mini-cars-move-beyond-mini/ Filed under: ,


Not bad eh? These tiny 35 x 25 x 20-mm remote controlled cars fit inside your choice of sport-themed balls which double as the controller. You can even dangle your ball from a lanyard... perfect for all you athletic supporters. While no real technical details are provided regarding battery life or RC range, for $13 you can afford the surprise.
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Not bad eh? These tiny 35 x 25 x 20-mm remote controlled cars fit inside your choice of sport-themed balls which double as the controller. You can even dangle your ball from a lanyard... perfect for all you athletic supporters. While no real technical details are provided regarding battery life or RC range, for $13 you can afford the surprise.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8169/rc-mini-cars-move-beyond-mini/feed/ Tokyoflash’s Galaxy: a watch only a nerd could love http://techreviewdirect.com/8170/tokyoflashs-galaxy-a-watch-only-a-nerd-could-love/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8170/tokyoflashs-galaxy-a-watch-only-a-nerd-could-love/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:10:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/tokyoflashs-galaxy-a-watch-only-a-nerd-could-love/ Filed under:


It's true. Any decent mother would wonder what on Earth her child was thinking rocking that thing you see above, and even though all those wonderful ladies of the world would be entirely entitled to that curiosity, we can understand the obsession. On its surface, this timepiece and its cryptic display is unquestionably ugly -- even the "stainless steel" band reeks of cereal box quality. But there's just something about those flashy lights that stirs the soul of nerds everywhere, making it seem quite the bargain at $132.85. It's okay, we won't tell mommy.

[Via BoingBoing]
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It's true. Any decent mother would wonder what on Earth her child was thinking rocking that thing you see above, and even though all those wonderful ladies of the world would be entirely entitled to that curiosity, we can understand the obsession. On its surface, this timepiece and its cryptic display is unquestionably ugly -- even the "stainless steel" band reeks of cereal box quality. But there's just something about those flashy lights that stirs the soul of nerds everywhere, making it seem quite the bargain at $132.85. It's okay, we won't tell mommy.

[Via BoingBoing]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8170/tokyoflashs-galaxy-a-watch-only-a-nerd-could-love/feed/ Sharp brings TV to the powerless http://techreviewdirect.com/8166/sharp-brings-tv-to-the-powerless/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8166/sharp-brings-tv-to-the-powerless/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:50:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/sharp-brings-tv-to-the-powerless/ Filed under:


Forget schools, forget lighting, forget easy access to drinking water... it's that sweet TV goodness that people living off the grid really need. Well, that and laptops. You're looking at Sharp's 26-inch LCD prototype which uses just 1/4th the power (or 1/3rd measured annually) of a conventional CRT with the same screen size. That's low enough to be suitably powered by a Sharp, triple-junction thin-film solar cell module whose surface area is roughly equivalent to that of the LCD screen. Sharp hopes to market the two items as a pair in a bid to "contribute to the environment." Good thing too, 'cause nothing fills a billion empty bellies like an eye-full of boob-candy.

[Via Impress]
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Forget schools, forget lighting, forget easy access to drinking water... it's that sweet TV goodness that people living off the grid really need. Well, that and laptops. You're looking at Sharp's 26-inch LCD prototype which uses just 1/4th the power (or 1/3rd measured annually) of a conventional CRT with the same screen size. That's low enough to be suitably powered by a Sharp, triple-junction thin-film solar cell module whose surface area is roughly equivalent to that of the LCD screen. Sharp hopes to market the two items as a pair in a bid to "contribute to the environment." Good thing too, 'cause nothing fills a billion empty bellies like an eye-full of boob-candy.

[Via Impress]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8166/sharp-brings-tv-to-the-powerless/feed/ Condi Rice’s custom DS lite: proof that G8 globalization is important http://techreviewdirect.com/8167/condi-rices-custom-ds-lite-proof-that-g8-globalization-is-important/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8167/condi-rices-custom-ds-lite-proof-that-g8-globalization-is-important/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:54:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/condis-custom-lacquered-ds-lite-proof-that-g8-globalization-is/ Filed under: ,


It really does pay to be a foreign minister representing the 8 richest countries in the world. This Japanese-lacquered DS lite is just one of the items presented to the G8 ministers participating in last week's talks in Kyoto. The other items included a scented perfume ball and manga-styled stickers for each of the participant to attach to their diplomatic tricycles.
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It really does pay to be a foreign minister representing the 8 richest countries in the world. This Japanese-lacquered DS lite is just one of the items presented to the G8 ministers participating in last week's talks in Kyoto. The other items included a scented perfume ball and manga-styled stickers for each of the participant to attach to their diplomatic tricycles.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8167/condi-rices-custom-ds-lite-proof-that-g8-globalization-is-important/feed/ Acer’s G24 gaming monitor with world’s best contrast http://techreviewdirect.com/8163/acers-g24-gaming-monitor-with-worlds-best-contrast/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8163/acers-g24-gaming-monitor-with-worlds-best-contrast/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:22:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/acers-g24-gaming-monitor-with-worlds-best-contrast/ Filed under: ,


Clearly, Acer's G24 monitor is the only monitor capable of matching your high-performance Predator gaming rig. It's orange... or "metallic copper" if you work in Acer's arts and charts department. Bounced around trade shows for the last month, the 24-inch LCD is now officially featuring a proclaimed 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio which, according to a Acer, is a world's first for monitors. Now the specs: 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 2-ms response, 400-nit brightness, and a host of Acer image tweaking and color management tech meant to brighten images and avoid ambient light reflection. Around back you'll find PC-friendly DVI and game-console/Blu-ray friendly HDMI too. Unfortunately, it's dateless and priceless just like Britney's little sister.
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Clearly, Acer's G24 monitor is the only monitor capable of matching your high-performance Predator gaming rig. It's orange... or "metallic copper" if you work in Acer's arts and charts department. Bounced around trade shows for the last month, the 24-inch LCD is now officially featuring a proclaimed 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio which, according to a Acer, is a world's first for monitors. Now the specs: 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, 2-ms response, 400-nit brightness, and a host of Acer image tweaking and color management tech meant to brighten images and avoid ambient light reflection. Around back you'll find PC-friendly DVI and game-console/Blu-ray friendly HDMI too. Unfortunately, it's dateless and priceless just like Britney's little sister.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8163/acers-g24-gaming-monitor-with-worlds-best-contrast/feed/ Budweiser telephone lets you drunk dial, like, for real http://techreviewdirect.com/8164/budweiser-telephone-lets-you-drunk-dial-like-for-real/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8164/budweiser-telephone-lets-you-drunk-dial-like-for-real/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:03:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/budweiser-telephone-lets-you-drunk-dial-like-for-real/ Filed under:


We can only hope that the makers of this beer bottle phone actually got Budweiser's permission before slapping its logo on there, but regardless of all that, who can deny the awesomeness here? Okay, so you've got to be "that guy" for it to take your breath away, but we know you're out there somewhere, that guy. Aside from looking like a cold one, it pretty much handles everything else a hamburger phone (or similar) would, but at least this one doesn't require prior knowledge of Juno to be appreciated by your tipsy pals. Get your inebriated dialing on now for just $16.99 delivered.

[Via CrunchGear]
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We can only hope that the makers of this beer bottle phone actually got Budweiser's permission before slapping its logo on there, but regardless of all that, who can deny the awesomeness here? Okay, so you've got to be "that guy" for it to take your breath away, but we know you're out there somewhere, that guy. Aside from looking like a cold one, it pretty much handles everything else a hamburger phone (or similar) would, but at least this one doesn't require prior knowledge of Juno to be appreciated by your tipsy pals. Get your inebriated dialing on now for just $16.99 delivered.

[Via CrunchGear]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8164/budweiser-telephone-lets-you-drunk-dial-like-for-real/feed/ Eee PC getting Ggg in September http://techreviewdirect.com/8165/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8165/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:37:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/eee-pc-getting-g-g-g-in-september/ Filed under:

Seems that just about anyone inside of Asus is authorized to discuss the Eee PC roadmap judging by the whirlwind of information we always get prior to an official launch. Case in point: an unnamed "company representative" says that a 3G version of the Eee PC will be launching as early as September in Europe. An alternative to the WiMax version already annouced and demonstrated on Sprint's Xohm. The prices for the presumed HSDPA/HSUPA enabled mini-laptops will of course vary depending upon contract. Can't wait? No worries, why not roll your own? Should be a snap now that the Eee is riding that bigger 9-inch chassis.
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Seems that just about anyone inside of Asus is authorized to discuss the Eee PC roadmap judging by the whirlwind of information we always get prior to an official launch. Case in point: an unnamed "company representative" says that a 3G version of the Eee PC will be launching as early as September in Europe. An alternative to the WiMax version already annouced and demonstrated on Sprint's Xohm. The prices for the presumed HSDPA/HSUPA enabled mini-laptops will of course vary depending upon contract. Can't wait? No worries, why not roll your own? Should be a snap now that the Eee is riding that bigger 9-inch chassis.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8165/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september-2/feed/ Eee PC getting GGG in September http://techreviewdirect.com/8160/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8160/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:37:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8160/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september/ Filed under:

Seems that just about anyone insider of Asus is authorized to discuss the Eee PC roadmap judging by the whirlwind of information we always get prior to an official launch. Case in point: an unnamed "company representative" says that a 3G version of the Eee PC will be launching as early as September in Europe. An alternative to the WiMax version already annouced and demonstrated on Sprint's Xohm. The prices for the presumed HSDPA/HSUPA enabled mini-laptops will of course vary depending upon contract. Can't wait? No worries, why not roll your own? Should be a snap now that the Eee is riding that bigger 9-inch chassis.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Filed under:

Seems that just about anyone insider of Asus is authorized to discuss the Eee PC roadmap judging by the whirlwind of information we always get prior to an official launch. Case in point: an unnamed "company representative" says that a 3G version of the Eee PC will be launching as early as September in Europe. An alternative to the WiMax version already annouced and demonstrated on Sprint's Xohm. The prices for the presumed HSDPA/HSUPA enabled mini-laptops will of course vary depending upon contract. Can't wait? No worries, why not roll your own? Should be a snap now that the Eee is riding that bigger 9-inch chassis.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8160/eee-pc-getting-ggg-in-september/feed/ Modular recorder concept gets down with homegrown sounds http://techreviewdirect.com/8161/modular-recorder-concept-gets-down-with-homegrown-sounds/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8161/modular-recorder-concept-gets-down-with-homegrown-sounds/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:33:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/04/modular-recorder-concept-gets-down-with-homegrown-sounds/ Filed under:


Now here's an instrument you wouldn't have minded practicing as a tot. Alle Meine Klänge's AMK is a modular recorder (you know, those plastic flute wannabes) that pack an array of individual blocks which can hold any sound you like. Simply transfer homegrown beats / notes / tunes / etc. over to each block, connect 'em up and you've got yourself a instrument of cacophonic delight. 'Tis a shame it's still a concept -- Fisher-Price, you seeing this?

[Via BoingBoing]
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Now here's an instrument you wouldn't have minded practicing as a tot. Alle Meine Klänge's AMK is a modular recorder (you know, those plastic flute wannabes) that pack an array of individual blocks which can hold any sound you like. Simply transfer homegrown beats / notes / tunes / etc. over to each block, connect 'em up and you've got yourself a instrument of cacophonic delight. 'Tis a shame it's still a concept -- Fisher-Price, you seeing this?

[Via BoingBoing]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8161/modular-recorder-concept-gets-down-with-homegrown-sounds/feed/ 22-foot tall robot crafted entirely from excess styrofoam http://techreviewdirect.com/8162/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8162/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:29:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam/ Filed under:


Building a big robot is nothing to congratulate yourself on, but doing it in this manner is certainly worthy of a little self-indulgence. The creature you see standing before you is a 22-foot tall Styrobot constructed entirely from spare polystyrene packing materials, and no, each piece didn't just show up that way. Michael Salter managed to whittle away on this beast until its completion, and now we're hearing that it'll be going on a short demonstration tour before being "decommissioned." We say throw a brain in there and see what happens when you cut it loose.

[Via TechDigest]
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Building a big robot is nothing to congratulate yourself on, but doing it in this manner is certainly worthy of a little self-indulgence. The creature you see standing before you is a 22-foot tall Styrobot constructed entirely from spare polystyrene packing materials, and no, each piece didn't just show up that way. Michael Salter managed to whittle away on this beast until its completion, and now we're hearing that it'll be going on a short demonstration tour before being "decommissioned." We say throw a brain in there and see what happens when you cut it loose.

[Via TechDigest]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8162/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam-2/feed/ 22-foot tall robot crafted entirely from excess styrofoam http://techreviewdirect.com/8156/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8156/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:29:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8156/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam/ Filed under:


Building a big robot is nothing to congratulate yourself on, but doing it in this manner is certainly worthy of a little self-indulgence. The creature you see standing before you is a 22-foot tall Styrobot constructed entirely from spare polystyrene packing materials, and no, each piece didn't just show up that way. Michael Salter managed to whittle away on this beast until its completion, and now we're hearing that it'll be going on a short demonstration tour before being "decommissioned." We say throw a brain in there and see what happens when you cut it loose.

[Via TechDigest]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Filed under:


Building a big robot is nothing to congratulate yourself on, but doing it in this manner is certainly worthy of a little self-indulgence. The creature you see standing before you is a 22-foot tall Styrobot constructed entirely from spare polystyrene packing materials, and no, each piece didn't just show up that way. Michael Salter managed to whittle away on this beast until its completion, and now we're hearing that it'll be going on a short demonstration tour before being "decommissioned." We say throw a brain in there and see what happens when you cut it loose.

[Via TechDigest]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8156/22-foot-tall-robot-crafted-entirely-from-excess-styrofoam/feed/ LG enV2 Review - Wired http://techreviewdirect.com/8159/lg-env2-review-wired-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8159/lg-env2-review-wired-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:05:20 +0000 admin Tech Reviews tag:www.livingroom.org.au,2008:/cameraphone//13.17169 LG VX9100 Env2 Wired reviews the LG enV2 and writes, "...There’s a 2 megapixel camera, but even if you have figured out how to comfortably hold an altoid-can-clamshell without blocking the much smaller lens with your fingers, pics and video turn out pretty grainy. Where to end? Do yourself a favor, if confronted with the choice of purchasing an enV2 think long and hard about it. After all, you're stuck with this device for two years."

Read more about the LG enV2.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8159/lg-env2-review-wired-2/feed/ LG enV2 Review - Wired http://techreviewdirect.com/8152/lg-env2-review-wired/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8152/lg-env2-review-wired/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:05:20 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8152/lg-env2-review-wired/ LG VX9100 Env2 Wired reviews the LG enV2 and writes, "...There’s a 2 megapixel camera, but even if you have figured out how to comfortably hold an altoid-can-clamshell without blocking the much smaller lens with your fingers, pics and video turn out pretty grainy. Where to end? Do yourself a favor, if confronted with the choice of purchasing an enV2 think long and hard about it. After all, you're stuck with this device for two years."

Read more about the LG enV2.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8152/lg-env2-review-wired/feed/ Sanyo Katana LX Review - Phonemag http://techreviewdirect.com/8153/sanyo-katana-lx-review-phonemag/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8153/sanyo-katana-lx-review-phonemag/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:01:01 +0000 admin Tech Reviews tag:www.livingroom.org.au,2008:/cameraphone//13.17168 Sanyo Katana LX Phonemag reviews the Sanyo Katana LX and writes, "Sadly, that new OLED display is one of the few improvements from the previous model. If the Katana II was a basic phone raised by virtue of its appearance, then the LX is a disappointingly mediocre one hoping its looks will blind buyers to its shortcomings. Yes, there’s GPS and tagless voice-dialling (the latter another of the rare new features), but the camera is still the same VGA unit that, at a time when 2-megapixels seems lacking, is hopelessly outclassed."

Read more about the Sanyo Katana LX.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8153/sanyo-katana-lx-review-phonemag/feed/ Nokia 5310 XpressMusic Review - SiliconRepublic http://techreviewdirect.com/8154/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8154/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:56:44 +0000 admin Tech Reviews tag:www.livingroom.org.au,2008:/cameraphone//13.17167 Nokia 5310 Xpress Music SiliconRepublic reviews the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and writes, "Its smooth exterior matches its functionality. It has the usual trimmings which come with mobile phones these days: photos, video, organiser, games and web browsing. The camera quality is fairly typical of camera phones, ie best for clandestine use. The video recording capability too is extremely basic."

Read more about the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8154/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic-2/feed/ Nokia 5310 XpressMusic Review - SiliconRepublic http://techreviewdirect.com/8150/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8150/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:56:44 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8150/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic/ Nokia 5310 Xpress Music SiliconRepublic reviews the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and writes, "Its smooth exterior matches its functionality. It has the usual trimmings which come with mobile phones these days: photos, video, organiser, games and web browsing. The camera quality is fairly typical of camera phones, ie best for clandestine use. The video recording capability too is extremely basic."

Read more about the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8150/nokia-5310-xpressmusic-review-siliconrepublic/feed/ Palm Treo 755p Review - CrunchGear http://techreviewdirect.com/8155/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8155/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:51:24 +0000 admin Tech Reviews tag:www.livingroom.org.au,2008:/cameraphone//13.17166 Palm Treo 755p CrunchGear reviews the Palm Treo 755p and writes, "There are quite a few built-in applications, and the Palm implementation of Google Maps is perfect. The application works well with a stylus, and many of the desktop features are included. The 1.3-Megapixel camera is adequate, and it has that nifty self portrait mirror so, so popular with slutty teens on MySpace...There’s a button on the side that can be customized to open any application, though it defaults to activating the camera...One of these days all phone manufacturers will realize that a camera without a flash is kind of silly. Here’s hoping Palm is one of them."

Read more about the Palm Treo 755p.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8155/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear-2/feed/ Palm Treo 755p Review - CrunchGear http://techreviewdirect.com/8151/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8151/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:51:24 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8151/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear/ Palm Treo 755p CrunchGear reviews the Palm Treo 755p and writes, "There are quite a few built-in applications, and the Palm implementation of Google Maps is perfect. The application works well with a stylus, and many of the desktop features are included. The 1.3-Megapixel camera is adequate, and it has that nifty self portrait mirror so, so popular with slutty teens on MySpace...There’s a button on the side that can be customized to open any application, though it defaults to activating the camera...One of these days all phone manufacturers will realize that a camera without a flash is kind of silly. Here’s hoping Palm is one of them."

Read more about the Palm Treo 755p.

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8151/palm-treo-755p-review-crunchgear/feed/ Anti-terrorist drill reveals Segway attack plan, legions of embarrassed patrolmen http://techreviewdirect.com/8157/anti-terrorist-drill-reveals-segway-attack-plan-legions-of-embarrassed-patrolmen/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8157/anti-terrorist-drill-reveals-segway-attack-plan-legions-of-embarrassed-patrolmen/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:21:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/anti-terrorist-drill-reveals-segway-attack-plan-legions-of-emba/ Filed under:


Ah, ha! So, that Chinese S.W.A.T. team we caught ridin' dirty on Segways earlier this week actually had a reason to be carrying on like they were -- they were performing anti-terrorist drills in preparation for security during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Comically enough, the drill was said to be one of "rapid deployment," though we aren't told how many spills were taken when officers tried to actually maneuver one of these things around, aim at a target, pull a brown bag down around their head and keep it from spontaneously reversing. Just one question guys: what's with the tiny guns?

[Via CNET]
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]]> Filed under:


Ah, ha! So, that Chinese S.W.A.T. team we caught ridin' dirty on Segways earlier this week actually had a reason to be carrying on like they were -- they were performing anti-terrorist drills in preparation for security during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Comically enough, the drill was said to be one of "rapid deployment," though we aren't told how many spills were taken when officers tried to actually maneuver one of these things around, aim at a target, pull a brown bag down around their head and keep it from spontaneously reversing. Just one question guys: what's with the tiny guns?

[Via CNET]
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8157/anti-terrorist-drill-reveals-segway-attack-plan-legions-of-embarrassed-patrolmen/feed/ Ask Engadget: What’s the best HDD-based portable media player out there? http://techreviewdirect.com/8158/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8158/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there-2/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:30:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-ou/ Filed under: , ,

These days, the cool kids are looking to do more than just play back the freshest jams on their portable media player. We're talking video, PVR, WiFi, the works. Have a listen at Marco's question, and if you think you could do one better, send in your inquiry to ask at engadget dawt com:

"I'm looking for a new PMP, but I want a unit that can do it all. A large screen, big hard drive, support for lots of codecs, PVR functionality, TV output, etc. I'd also like Bluetooth and / or WiFi if possible. I don't mind units that are somewhat bulky, but I want one with a great user interface and decent battery life. Any help here?"

Yeah, he totally just called the Archos / Cowon fanboys from the woodwork, but seriously, what would you recommend to this fellow? Is your current PMP a dream come true? Would you advise against getting whatever you've got? Spill your soul in comments below.
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]]> Filed under: , ,

These days, the cool kids are looking to do more than just play back the freshest jams on their portable media player. We're talking video, PVR, WiFi, the works. Have a listen at Marco's question, and if you think you could do one better, send in your inquiry to ask at engadget dawt com:

"I'm looking for a new PMP, but I want a unit that can do it all. A large screen, big hard drive, support for lots of codecs, PVR functionality, TV output, etc. I'd also like Bluetooth and / or WiFi if possible. I don't mind units that are somewhat bulky, but I want one with a great user interface and decent battery life. Any help here?"

Yeah, he totally just called the Archos / Cowon fanboys from the woodwork, but seriously, what would you recommend to this fellow? Is your current PMP a dream come true? Would you advise against getting whatever you've got? Spill your soul in comments below.
Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8158/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there-2/feed/ Ask Engadget: What’s the best HDD-based portable media player out there? http://techreviewdirect.com/8149/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8149/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:30:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8149/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there/ Filed under: , ,

These days, the cool kids are looking to do more than just play back the freshest jams on their portable media player. We're talking video, PVR, WiFi, the works. Have a listen at Marco's question, and if you think you could do one better, send in your inquiry to ask at engadget dawt com:

"I'm looking for a new PMP, but I want a unit that can do it all. A large screen, big hard drive, support for lots of codecs, PVR functionality, TV output, etc. I'd also like Bluetooth and / or WiFi if possible. I don't mind units that are somewhat bulky, but I want one with a great user interface and decent battery life. Any help here?"

Yeah, he totally just called the Archos / Cowon fanboys from the woodwork, but seriously, what would you recommend to this fellow? Is your current PMP a dream come true? Would you advise against getting whatever you've got? Spill your soul in comments below.
Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Filed under: , ,

These days, the cool kids are looking to do more than just play back the freshest jams on their portable media player. We're talking video, PVR, WiFi, the works. Have a listen at Marco's question, and if you think you could do one better, send in your inquiry to ask at engadget dawt com:

"I'm looking for a new PMP, but I want a unit that can do it all. A large screen, big hard drive, support for lots of codecs, PVR functionality, TV output, etc. I'd also like Bluetooth and / or WiFi if possible. I don't mind units that are somewhat bulky, but I want one with a great user interface and decent battery life. Any help here?"

Yeah, he totally just called the Archos / Cowon fanboys from the woodwork, but seriously, what would you recommend to this fellow? Is your current PMP a dream come true? Would you advise against getting whatever you've got? Spill your soul in comments below.
Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8149/ask-engadget-whats-the-best-hdd-based-portable-media-player-out-there/feed/ Matias Duarte, designer behind Sidekick and Helio, now developing Palm’s next-gen UI http://techreviewdirect.com/8146/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developing-palms-next-gen-ui/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8146/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developing-palms-next-gen-ui/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:31:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/ Filed under:

So we heard from a very reliable source that mobile user interface guru Matias Duarte -- who you may know as the man behind the Sidekick and Helio UI / user experiences -- actually left Helio late last year to join up with Palm. Although no announcement was made, we hear he and his gang of designers jumped ship (well before Helio completely flooded) to take on the monumental task of designing the UI for Palm's next-gen mobile OS (aka "Palm OS 2.0 or II"). His resume online now lists him as "Senior Director, Human Interface and User Experience" doing "Something new..." since September 2007; we got in touch with Palm, who confirmed that he's now under the company's employ.

Of course, expectations should be pretty high -- Palm's only been promising this supposedly game-changing OS since around 2004, and the company's reputation and pedigree is (or at least it used to be) in groundbreaking mobile UI design. But this news also kind of makes us wonder: if they didn't have a killer UI and user experience team already in place and long-since working their asses off by late 2007, exactly how far along are they on this thing, anyway?
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]]> Filed under:

So we heard from a very reliable source that mobile user interface guru Matias Duarte -- who you may know as the man behind the Sidekick and Helio UI / user experiences -- actually left Helio late last year to join up with Palm. Although no announcement was made, we hear he and his gang of designers jumped ship (well before Helio completely flooded) to take on the monumental task of designing the UI for Palm's next-gen mobile OS (aka "Palm OS 2.0 or II"). His resume online now lists him as "Senior Director, Human Interface and User Experience" doing "Something new..." since September 2007; we got in touch with Palm, who confirmed that he's now under the company's employ.

Of course, expectations should be pretty high -- Palm's only been promising this supposedly game-changing OS since around 2004, and the company's reputation and pedigree is (or at least it used to be) in groundbreaking mobile UI design. But this news also kind of makes us wonder: if they didn't have a killer UI and user experience team already in place and long-since working their asses off by late 2007, exactly how far along are they on this thing, anyway?
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8146/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developing-palms-next-gen-ui/feed/ Hitachi and Seiyu develop light bulb with replaceable arc tube http://techreviewdirect.com/8147/hitachi-and-seiyu-develop-light-bulb-with-replaceable-arc-tube/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8147/hitachi-and-seiyu-develop-light-bulb-with-replaceable-arc-tube/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:02:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/hitachi-and-seiyu-develop-light-bulb-with-replaceable-arc-tube/ Filed under:


While the rest of the world goes off to win the hearts of environmentalists (and laypeople, too) with LED light bulbs, Hitachi Lighting and Seiyu are taking the road (way) less traveled. Reportedly, the duo has collaborated in order to pop out a "bulb-shaped fluorescent lamp that can be separated into a lighting circuit unit and an arc tube unit." What this means is that the lighting circuit can be used repeatedly (up to 30,000 hours) while the arc tube simply gets replaced every 10,000 hours. The pair is hoping that the bulbs will take the place of traditional 60-watt incandescents, and considering that these only draw around 13-watts each, it's fairly easy to see how Mother Earth would just love you for making the switch. As for pricing, we're hearing that these will sell for around ¥1,500 ($14) apiece when they launch this October in Japan, so don't plan on recouping your investment in energy savings right away or anything.
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]]> Filed under:


While the rest of the world goes off to win the hearts of environmentalists (and laypeople, too) with LED light bulbs, Hitachi Lighting and Seiyu are taking the road (way) less traveled. Reportedly, the duo has collaborated in order to pop out a "bulb-shaped fluorescent lamp that can be separated into a lighting circuit unit and an arc tube unit." What this means is that the lighting circuit can be used repeatedly (up to 30,000 hours) while the arc tube simply gets replaced every 10,000 hours. The pair is hoping that the bulbs will take the place of traditional 60-watt incandescents, and considering that these only draw around 13-watts each, it's fairly easy to see how Mother Earth would just love you for making the switch. As for pricing, we're hearing that these will sell for around ¥1,500 ($14) apiece when they launch this October in Japan, so don't plan on recouping your investment in energy savings right away or anything.
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]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8147/hitachi-and-seiyu-develop-light-bulb-with-replaceable-arc-tube/feed/ Motorola’s worldly Q9: “Napoleon” breaks cover for Verizon http://techreviewdirect.com/8148/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon-2/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8148/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon-2/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:14:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon/ Filed under: ,


It looks like Motorola and Verizon are getting ready to take a third crack at the Q9 form factor, following up the Q9m and Q9c -- and this time around, there's a little something extra in store. On top of the EV-DO Rev. A radio, the so-called "Napoleon" (codename, of course) features GSM, because -- surprise, surprise -- businesspeople who use Windows Mobile devices tend to do just a bit of traveling. It looks like Moto has taken this opportunity to give the Q9 meme a little nip-tuck job, too, with a rounded body and a tastefully-applied ring of chrome around the top edge. They've even tossed in a fingerprint scanner for good measure, a tip o' the hat to the suits who'll undoubtedly populate the upper 90 percent of this sucker's client base. No word on a release date or price, but can we cautiously submit a thumbs-up for the design direction here?
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]]> Filed under: ,


It looks like Motorola and Verizon are getting ready to take a third crack at the Q9 form factor, following up the Q9m and Q9c -- and this time around, there's a little something extra in store. On top of the EV-DO Rev. A radio, the so-called "Napoleon" (codename, of course) features GSM, because -- surprise, surprise -- businesspeople who use Windows Mobile devices tend to do just a bit of traveling. It looks like Moto has taken this opportunity to give the Q9 meme a little nip-tuck job, too, with a rounded body and a tastefully-applied ring of chrome around the top edge. They've even tossed in a fingerprint scanner for good measure, a tip o' the hat to the suits who'll undoubtedly populate the upper 90 percent of this sucker's client base. No word on a release date or price, but can we cautiously submit a thumbs-up for the design direction here?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> http://techreviewdirect.com/8148/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon-2/feed/ Motorola’s worldly Q9: “Napoleon” breaks cover for Verizon http://techreviewdirect.com/8141/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon/ http://techreviewdirect.com/8141/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:14:00 +0000 admin Tech Reviews http://techreviewdirect.com/8141/motorolas-worldly-q9-napoleon-breaks-cover-for-verizon/ Filed under: ,


It looks like Motorola and Verizon are getting ready to take a third crack at the Q9 form factor, following up the Q9m and Q9c -- and this time around, there's a little something extra in store. On top of the EV-DO Rev. A radio, the so-called "Napoleon" (codename, of course) features GSM, because -- surprise, surprise -- businesspeople who use Windows Mobile devices tend to do just a bit of traveling. It looks like Moto has taken this opportunity to give the Q9 meme a little nip-tuck job, too, with a rounded body and a tastefully-applied ring of chrome around the top edge. They've even tossed in a fingerprint scanner for good measure, a tip o' the hat to the suits who'll undoubtedly populate the upper 90 percent of this sucker's client base. No word on a release date or price, but can we cautiously submit a thumbs-up for the design direction here?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Filed under: ,


It looks like Motorola and Verizon are getting ready to take a third crack at the Q9 form factor, following up the Q9m and Q9c -- and this time around, there's a little something extra in store. On top of the EV-DO Rev. A radio, the so-called "Napoleon" (codename, of course) features GSM, because -- surprise, surprise -- businesspeople who use Windows Mobile devices tend to do just a bit of traveling. It looks like Moto has taken this opportunity to give the Q9 meme a little nip-tuck job, too, with a rounded body and a tastefully-applied ring of chrome around the top edge. They've even tossed in a fingerprint scanner for good measure, a tip o' the hat to the suits who'll undoubtedly populate the upper 90 percent of this sucker's client base. No word on a release date or price, but can we cautiously submit a thumbs-up for the design direction here?
Read |