Archive for October, 2007...
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
Panasonic’s new DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player serves up those HD discs extra fancy, being the first player to meet the requirements for BD-Video Final Standard Profile 1.1. That means a secondary video decoder for picture in picture (such as director’s commentary), and an extra audio decoder for working in sound from that second source or from interactive features. Other features of the $500 player include Deep Color Compatibility, HDMI 1.3B, 1080 / 24p playback, and an SD card slot that can play back 1080p AVCHD video from SD cards. We’re not exactly sure when the DMP-BD30 is hitting the streets, but it seems poised to steal the delayed Samsung BD-UP5000’s thunder.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Tech News World, Technology
My natural inclination right now is to say something like, “I want to buy a vowel,” but really, I want more. I want a few words, and like my buddy the eminent guru, Paul Greenberg, I would like a few that have not been combined together quite as frequently as “as a service.” It is remarkable how our species takes something unique and absolutely grinds it until all that’s left is an insipid powder. For instance, decades later all things Washington still need to have a “–gate” suffix before they reach the stature of seriousness, but I digress.
Filed under Slashdot
MrCrassic writes “There are talks floating around surrounding Google’s possible talks with Verizon and possibly T-Mobile to establish an agreement for the carrier to deliver phones carrying Google’s speculated mobile operating system. According to the article, one of the main hurdles slowing down the product are concerns about user privacy and advertising, one of Google’s well-renowned strengths. With over 6 million customers potentially at their disposal, could this be “the deal” that establishes Google’s hegemony in the internet sphere?”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Barrel-mounted cameras aren’t exactly revolutionary, but it’s not everyday that you see the boys in blue sporting one on their sidearm. Nevertheless, Orange County’s sheriff’s emergency service team and the Newburgh Police Department will reportedly “be the first groups to test the pistol cam,” which would record audio and video whenever the weapon was removed from its holster. According to Chief Eric Paolilli, it’ll be implemented if trials prove that there are no safety / functionality issues associated with it. As it stands, the state has set aside $35,000 in order for the device to be adequately tested, and if everything goes smoothly, Newburgh officers could soon be rocking the camera (and creating footage for COPS) as part of their standard equipment.
[Via The Raw Feed]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Tech News World, Technology
In the next two weeks, Google will reportedly announce its wireless plans. Google will unveil advanced software and services that enable cell phone makers to release “Google-powered” devices sometime in the first half of next year, according to a report that cited people familiar with the situation. Among the handset manufacturers Google has discussed the idea with are HTC of Taiwan and LG Electronics of South Korea, and Google is also hoping to establish partnerships with wireless operators, according to the report.
Filed under Slashdot
Stony Stevenson writes “Google on Tuesday confirmed it is giving Gmail a new look. This blog post has screenshots of a new Gmail interface that has been made available to a limited number of users. They are calling it “Gmail 2.0″ even if Google isn’t. Google confirmed the update is underway at its new San Francisco office, just prior to a briefing on an unrelated upcoming Google announcement. A Google spokesperson said that the new look has been made available to about one percent of all Gmail users and is being rolled out the rest on an ongoing basis.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Filed under LXer Linux News, linux
As an intern at Red Hat in 2003, Michael Chen was no gofer. He didn’t fetch coffee or make copies. He helped craft the Raleigh, N.C., software company’s strategy for entering the Chinese market. Soon after earning an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, he headed to Beijing to oversee Red Hat’s operations in the greater China region. I met Chen, who grew up in Chengdu, a city in China’s southwestern Sichuan province, while reporting in Beijing last year.
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: Robots
While it’s not quite on the level of
NASA’s or
DARPA’s ongoing challenges, iRobot’s Create Challenge contest nonetheless looks to have at least given some incentive to a few homebrew enthusiasts / would-be mad scientists, one of whom has now taken home a cool $5,000 for his troubles. Snagging that cash was Danh Trinh of Towson, Md, who’s “Personal Home Robot” won over the judges with its ability to water plants, control lights, play music, and remind owners to take their medication, among other less-than-strenuous activities. Helping it manage all that is iRobot’s DIY-friendly
Create platform which, as you can see above, went under a pretty extensive transformation on its way to first place. Be sure to hit up the Instructables link below for the complete rundown.
Read - iRobot, “iRobot Selects Create Challenge Contest Winner”
Read - Instructables, “iRobot Create Personal Home Robot”
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Tech News World, Technology
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 402 to 0 Tuesday to extend the ban on Internet service taxes another seven years, adopting the same time frame passed by the Senate Friday. The House previously voted to extend the moratorium for only four years. The original ban was first imposed in 1998 — then extended twice — but it is now set to expire Nov. 1, which is the deadline that has prompted the action in Congress during the past two weeks. Both the House and the Senate have spent months fighting over whether to make the ban permanent.
Filed under Tech News World, Technology
In the next two weeks, Google will reportedly announce its wireless plans. Google will unveil advanced software and services that enable cell phone makers to release “Google-powered” devices sometime in the first half of next year, according to a report that cited people familiar with the situation. Among the handset manufacturers Google has discussed the idea with are HTC of Taiwan and LG Electronics of South Korea, and Google is also hoping to establish partnerships with wireless operators, according to the report.
