Archive for November, 2007...
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: Robots
It’s taken a little while, but it seems that the first robot based on Microsoft’s
Robotics Studio package is now available for sale, although it’s far from a consumer bot. Running a hefty $5,345, the so-called “e-nuvo WALK” robot from Japan’s
ZMP (makers of the
e-nuvo WHEEL, as well) measures 14 inches tall and is apparently intended primarily for research and education although, as you can see above, it also seems to be a strong candidate for the next
RoboCup. According to the AP, those in Japan can place their orders for the robot now, but they’ll have to wait until sometime in January before they actually gets their hands on one.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Slashdot
Josh Fink writes “The Guardian has an interesting piece on ‘Akill’, a teenager from New Zealand who was the ringleader of a hacking ring. The economic impact of the ring may have totaled £9.7m. ‘The teenager was the “head of an international spybot ring that has infiltrated computers around the world with their malicious software’, Martin Kleintjes told New Zealand national radio … The FBI estimates that more than 1m computers have been infected, and puts the combined economic losses at more than $20m (£9.7m).’ Eight people have been charged, pleaded guilty or have been convicted since June. The FBI really has been putting a crackdown on botnets / spyware recently.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Filed under Tech News World, Technology
Verizon, the No. 2 mobile phone carrier in the U.S., announced Thursday that it and joint owner Vodafone plan to develop and deploy technology based upon Long Term Evolution as its fourth generation mobile broadband network. The shift away from its current standard, CDMA, would essentially open the mobile carrier’s networks, making it more compatible with standards used in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Verizon and Vodafone will launch a coordinated trial for the LTE network beginning in 2008.
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
Remember when all our hopes were lost after Fuh Yuan retracted a statement that got us worked up over a $299 HD DVD player at Wal-Mart? Ironically enough, an off-brand player is indeed finally available through the aforementioned retailer some seven months later, but frankly, we’re underwhelmed. Sure, the 1080i SHD7000 — which is being sold at $199.98, a full $50 lower than we’d heard previously — isn’t exactly a terrible deal, but considering that Toshiba’s own HD-A2 can apparently be had for the same, what’s to get all jovial about? Nevertheless, we’re also hearing that Venturer is getting set to launch the SHD7001 — which should boast minor cosmetic enhancements, if anything — a month from today through the UK’s QVC TV Home Shopping Channel. Regrettably, there’s no word on how pricey that model will be, nor if it will be a UK exclusive, but considering the exchange rate right now, we’ve all ideas the Americans won’t be keen on importing one no matter what.
[Via TVPredictions, thanks Andrew and Aaron]
Read - Wal-Mart’s $199.98 SHD7000
Read - SHD7001 set for December launch
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Slashdot
Bergkamp10 writes “Australia’s University of Technology in Queensland has created a groundbreaking new system that can detect invisible intruders on wireless LANs. Wireless networks have been almost impossible to thoroughly secure as they possess no clearly defined boundaries, instead they are defined by the quality and strength of the receiving antenna. QUT Information Security Institute researcher Dr Jason Smith has invented a new system to detect eavesdropping on unencrypted networks or active hijackings of computer sessions when a legitimate user who is logged onto the network leaves the connection. Smith has created a series of monitoring techniques that when used together can detect both attackers and configuration mistakes in network devices.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Filed under LXer Linux News, linux
Zonbu, maker of the Zonbu Mini desktop, unveiled a new addition to its line of hassle-free, affordable and green PCs — the Zonbu Notebook computer. The inexpensive, Linux-based laptops include a service contract, billed monthly, that takes over the tasks of backing up data and monitoring the system’s security. The new notebook PC will be manufactured by Everex and will be available in the first quarter of 2008. Although the Zonbu’s software is still in beta, consumers anxious to buy the machine can pick up the notebook loaded with the beta software from the Zonbu Web site.
Filed under Geek News
Microsoft has been overdue in putting out a really high tech gaming mouse. They already have mice like the Habu and Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 and the Recluse keyboard, but once Logitech released the G9 we all knew that a competitor was on the way.
The SideWinder is a flagship mouse aimed at the most dedicated gamers. It is packed with features and upgrades that the casual user would be surprised to see, but that hardcore gamers are looking for. Features like weight customization, on-the-fly DPI adjustment, and even an on-board LCD all help justify the big price tag and put the mouse at the forefront in input device technology. A lot of the frills on the mouse will seem like overkill to the typical computer user but competitive gamers should be able to benefit from many of its advances.
The SideWinder looks more like a Transformer than it does a mouse. The red and black styling with real metal buttons and red LCD on the side make it clear that the product is for gaming as does the large size and the fact that is it not wireless.
The SideWinder marks a major departure from the Habu and Intellimouse Explorer 3.0, both of which are sleek and simple, where this product is bulgy and packed with tools. From the standpoint of shape, the most noticeable feature is a steep drop off at the rear of the mouse (the palm rest) as opposed to a sloping back. Right from the start this is going to be a deal-breaker for some users because it has a strange feeling to it that makes it hard for your hand to truly relax. Microsoft says the shape is “designed for handling” and precision, but not everyone is going to like it. The size of the mouse makes it best suited for people with larger hands.
The mouse has nine buttons in all, once you include the three buttons dedicated to DPI switching (sensitivity adjustment), a quick launch button below your palm, and two side buttons. The buttons on the left side (generally used for browser forward and back) are metal cylinders that are placed horizontally on the side of the mouse. They are easy to distinguish from one another and work well enough, but don’t seem like they were crafted with comfort in mind, given how they jut out at a right angle. The quick launch button on the peak of the mouse is easy to forget but it can be used to quickly access Games Explorer (in Vista).
Two features on the SideWinder that really make it stick out from the pack are the scroll wheel and the LCD. The scroll wheel is all metal and is very precise, with an action that is perfect for gaming. It is large in both diameter and width so it is easy to work with and makes scrolling through weapon choices (if you are an FPS fan) very easy. The wheel has a great clicking action and does not have side-to-side movement which keeps the movement very clean. As for the LCD- it is very small, but yes, this mouse has an on-board LCD. It is used to display the current sensitivity level (rated in dots per inch), which is changed when one of the three pill-shaped buttons on top of the mouse are pressed. The top button sets the mouse to a super-sensitive 2000dpi while the middle button is 800 and the bottom is 400. Unlike some other mouse, these numbers are not resettable so if you prefer 1200 or 1600 you are out of luck.
Another very cool addition with the SideWinder is the included customization kit. This is a small, weighted box that is designed not only to hold on to weights for the mouse and different feet, but also to stay in one place and hold the mouse’s cord down. The SideWinder’s feet can be removed in order to swap out the stock model and increase or decrease the amount of friction between the mouse and mouse pad. A small drawer on the right side of the mouse can be pulled out and there are slots where weight can be added, if you want to make the device a bit heavier. You can use the mouse at the stock weight or add up to 30 grams if you want to give it a little bit more momentum during action, depending on your preference. Personally I added 15 grams and it felt right, but 5 grams here or there barely has an affect on the overall feel.
During testing I liked most of the aspects of the SideWinder. The mouse is built extremely well and the buttons all have clean clicks and are easy to reach. The design is spot-on in many aspects, but I could not get really comfortable on the mouse. Specifically, the palm rest area has a bump to it that I found really bothersome, especially because I am used to mice with a gentle slope at the rear (like the Microsoft Habu or Razer Diamondback). This bump out made my hand always feel on edge, but past that the mouse was easy to handle and the front buttons worked great, though I am not sold on the side buttons. The laser sensor did a terrific job and it not only tracked well on a number of surfaces, but it handled all three sensitivity levels without incident. The LCD was cool because I could quickly glance down and see the level, but glancing down will get you killed in a fast-paced game and most dedicated gamers will be able to tell the difference between 400, 800, and 2000 dpi without the LCD.
Microsoft’s SideWinder mouse has a lot going for it, but it is a product to try before you buy. On paper it is one of the best gaming mice on the market right now, but if you are going to put down $80 then you had better be sure that you like the feel. I don’t think anyone will dislike the buttons or functionality, but from a comfort aspect not everyone is going to be a fan and liking Microsoft’s other mice is no guarantee that you will like the SideWinder. As for the competition, it is closest to Logitech’s G9, which is also highly customizable and feature-packed, and Razer’s DeathAdder. Overall, the mouse offers up great performance but if you are picky enough about your input devices to spend this much on a mouse then you are definitely going to have a preference as to the shape of the exterior. The shape combined with the lack of software customization (not only the DPI settings, but also the quick launch button) is going to have many gamers deciding against it.
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Filed under Tech News World, Technology
Micron Technology has entered the solid state drive market by announcing plans to deliver 32 GB and 64 GB SSDs in early 2008. The Boise, Idaho-based semiconductor company already produces a wide variety of DRAM, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors and other semiconductor components. Its subsidiary, Lexar Media, already produces the ExpressCard SSD, which is a small SSD, up to 16 GB, that fits into the ExpressCard slot on newer laptops.
Filed under Gadgets
Filed under: GPS
It’s been a hot minute since we’ve heard from u-blox, but the outfit definitely caught our attention thanks to a new 50-channel GPS receiver that “boasts an acquisition performance of less than one second” when combined with its AssistNow A-GPS service. These fifth-generation devices have been stuffed into the industry standard LEA form factor, which should make embedding them into a wide range of automotive, consumer and industrial applications a breeze. Moreover, it sports a -160 dBm acquisition and tracking sensitivity, operating temperature range of -40 to 85°C and a Flash EPROM that allows for easy firmware upgrades in the future. Currently, engineering samples of the 17- x 22-millimeter chips can be ordered for $119 apiece, but they don’t look to be shipping (let alone finding their way into consumer devices) until January of next year.
[Via NaviGadget]
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Filed under Slashdot
roady writes “We have seen a lot of talk over the years about the Canadian DMCA. But few know about the Swiss version recently adopted by law makers … not even the Swiss people. The government and media have been very quiet, probably to avoid a referendum. Indeed, Switzerland is a direct democracy and if 50,000 citizens sign a referendum, the whole country will have a chance to vote against the new copyright law. In this version of the DMCA, sharing a file on P2P networks will land you one year in jail, even though the law mandates a levy on blank media. The history of the law is available online.”
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