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July 30, 2004

Socially Concious Moblogging?

When someone mentions moblogging, one usually thinks of a site filled with pictures of random people, objects, places, sunsets, private parts, close-ups, and all the other miscellaneous things you find on people's moblog sites. Yahoo is trying to change that with their "Picture What Matters" contest. In a nutshell, Yahoo wants you to take a picture using your camera phone of something that matters - something that is important to you. You may submit up to five entries after signing up for an account, with the winner of the contest getting to choose a charity which Yahoo will donate $10,000 to. In addition, the winner gets the latest camera phone free.

Read More | Yahoo! Photos
Read More | Wireless Moment

Posted by Andru at 10:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 29, 2004

Mid-Week Music Roundup

Gear Live Music Reporter Greg Norton checks in with his Mid-Week Music Roundup. This week, Greg gives us the low down on the latest from The Roots, Taking Back Sunday, and The Killers.

TAKING BACK SUNDAY: WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

One of the slew of bands to crash on to the scene during 2002's “Year Of The Emo”, Taking Back Sunday has reemerged with a new background vocalist and a much more mature sophomore release. Lead singer Adam Lazzara sounds less frantic and the band is much tighter musically, leading to a marked improvement from their gold selling debut “Tell All Your Friends”. The highlights on the album are definitely the tracks in which the two-vocalist Emo scream is put to full use, such as “This Photograph Is Proof”, “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” and “Slowdance On The Inside”. All in all, this album is a step up for Taking Back Sunday, and therefore, an 8/10.

THE KILLERS: HOT FUSS

British music rag NME said of The Killers “A head-mashingly brilliant arsenal of tunes… Right now few bands are a safer bet than The Killers”, so it isn’t like their debut hasn’t garnered any attention. Also not hurting their cause is the heavy rotation of “Somebody Told Me”, which is a perfect mix of humorous lyrics and solid musicianship. On the rest of the tracks the voice of lead singer Brandon Flowers combined with a mix of guitar, bass, drums and synth create a very complex soundscape not often found in modern rock. The mix of tempos and such well-written lyrics are rarely found on a band’s first effort, so The Killers seemingly have a bright future. This is the best debut I have heard in a long time, and it gets a 9/10.

THE ROOTS: TRIPPING POINT

Okay, first things first, this album isn’t “Phrenology”, but that isn’t saying that “Tipping Point” isn’t a good record. The Roots have consistently raised expectations with every release, but perhaps they set the bar too high with “Phrenology”, a high point in hip-hop history. But “Tipping Point” was approached as a jam album, a feat that could only be accomplished by hip-hop’s premier band that prides themselves on playing all live instruments. The laid-back feeling is obvious on tracks like “Aaron Joint”, “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” and the exquisite “Guns Are Drawn”. But the forte of The Roots crew, the hard driving drums of ?uestlove and rapid delivery of Black Thought, come through on “Duck Down” and “Boom”. Both up-tempo songs are very good, but maybe a little too commercially ready. Overall, this isn’t The Roots best, but better than any other hip-hop out there, so it’s a 7/10.

Comments? Questions? Feel free to drop me a line at greg@gearlive.com.

- Greg Norton

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July 28, 2004

Handheld Market in Slight Decline Compared to 2003

Although the worldwide handheld market shows a slight increase of 3.2% from first quarter to second quarter of 2004, it still posted a 2.2% drop from second quarter of 2003, according to research firm IDC's recent study. PalmOne showed a notable growth over the last quarter, while HP showed a loss of its market share during the same period. Sony continues to hold on to 7.8% of the market, though that is a much smaller percentage than last year. This is in part due to their announcement to discontinue its Clie line outside of Japan.

Read More | InfoSync

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Nintendo DS Design Finalized

Despite loving both the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP, many people had a complaint about one galring difference between the systems - the design. The PSP was the sleek, ultra-hip console while the Nintendo DS looked blocky, chunky, and uncool. Nintendo stated they were close to the final design, but the E3 version was still going to be tweaked.

Wait no longer - the finalized Nintendo DS design has been release by Nintendo, and it almost bring a tear to my eye. This is definately something that can compete with the Sony PSP if you wanted to base it on looks alone. Nintendo also made it known that the final name of the machine is, in fact, Nintendo DS...so no more trying to sound like you are "in the know" by referring to it as the Nitro.

The console has a scheduled release date of November 4th in Japan, followed by a United States launch the week after.

Posted by Andru at 09:38 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

July 27, 2004

Sony Wega Received: Free Flat Screens Proves To Be True

When the free iPods site became known, many were quick to write it off as a scam, even after proof was presented to show otherwise. Soon after, the free flatscreens promotion started, and again people cried foul. Well, to all the doubters (along with the hopefuls), Gear Live brings you proof of the validity of this promotion. Click for more.

So my freeflatscreens.com account had been in a "Pending" status since 7/19. On 7/26 it finally changed to a "Shipped" status. I expected the unit to arrive in about a week or two - however, this showed up today:

This package arrived today via DHL. The driver recruited my wife to carry the box up the stairs, since apparently, DHL doesn't believe in handtrucks.

Another view of the box, shipping label and J&R Music World catalogue attached.

This is the invoice from the box. As you can see, it shipped from Maspeth, NY. It was billed to an Amazon Payments account, and shipped to me direct. The invoice shows the Sony KV-27FS120 costs 379.99 plus $82.96 shipping and insurance - a total of $462.95, and I didn't pay a cent.

A view of the open box, brand new TV inside along with the remote.

Out of the box, and unwrapped - a brand new Sony Wega 27" Trinitron Flatscreen TV.

If you want to get in on the action and pick up a free flatscreen monitor or TV yourself, check out the Gear Live Boards to grab some referals.

Posted by Andru at 10:01 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Motorola and Apple Bring iTunes to Mobile Phones

In what can turn out to be a potentially huge announcement, Apple and Motorola have announced a joint venture which will give owners of certain Motorola phones the ability to play iTunes purchased music on their mobile phone. A mobile version of the iTunes Music Player is currently under development under Apple, as this program will become the standard music application on all mass-market Motorola music phones. The phones are set to debut in the first half of 2005.

This marks the first official device that will be able to play music purchased via iTunes, aside from the Apple iPod line of digital audio players. Users will sync their music via USB or Bluetooth. My question is, just how much of my 7 GB of music will one of these phones hold?

Read More | Motorola / Apple Joint Press Release

Posted by Andru at 08:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 26, 2004

Time Warner Explorer 8000 DVR Review

This machine will forever change how you watch TV.

That’s a pretty bold statement, I know. And to make things bolder: Since TV is so closely tied to our lives, this product will also change your life overall. There, I said it. In the past couple of months, I’ve concluded that no one should be without some form of DVR in their homes. While TiVo and ReplayTV are perhaps more widely recognized, you simply can’t deny the convenience and flexibility that comes out of this box, called the “Explorer 8000” directly from the folks at Scientific Atlanta and Time Warner. Click the link for Hector's review.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The box is pretty solid, though not as heavy as it’s size would imply. Programs and recordings are most likely being streamed from outside when they are “called for”, so that helps its weight. It is a rather wide box, wider than any of my other components. But it’s also the flattest thing resting on my entertainment center. It looks like it could take a fall without breaking, but I decided not to try my luck there.

INSTALLATION

This shouldn’t be much of a problem, considering that the service guy installed the thing himself for me after I set up the appointment. It plugs via the back of your set via a standard coaxial or S-Video cord, though you can upgrade the box to an HDTV model if you wish. The service guy didn’t really know much about how the DVR actually works, but that’s okay. You pretty much get the hang of it after 30 minutes of use.

FEATURES

This is where the box comes out swinging, especially if you enjoy a lot of TV programming.

You can pause and rewind live TV. Once you are able to do this, you won’t know how you ever lived without having this capability on your set. Say you’re watching the news, or some special awards show, or some sporting event. Ding-dong, woops the pizza’s here. You pick up the remote, and click the pause button during live television, and it freezes in place. It’s almost as if you had your live program on a tape.

You can simply leave your set to answer the phone, listen to the wife, set up the dinner table, or whatever other pressing need arises. When you’re done, click pause again, and you’re back to where you left off. For those of you who feel like television programming masters your time schedule, this is the first step in taking control of content. If there’s any other person living in your home, you’ll love this feature. The screen even dims a little after about 5 minutes to avoid burn-in.

However, there are some precautions to make note of. For example, you can only pause the content for up to an hour. After that, the program will begin to play again. But this can be avoided: Choose to record the program instead, and you won’t lose any of it.

Speaking of which, recording programs is so easy you’ll be left wondering why VCR’s never got it. Click on the “Guide” button on your remote, and up pops a TV Program Listing, very similar to a TV Guide. The show you’re currently watching crops up to the upper right so that you don’t miss that either. You find a program by scrolling down the list of channels, and across the various times. You can also click over to the next several days. Once you find the program you want, you click the red “Record” button, and the prompt will ask you if you’d like to record just the program or the entire series, as it airs on that channel. Make your selection. Simple. Whenever your show comes on, the DVR will automatically record it.

This is probably the most cherished feature of the unit. There are so many programs that come on late at night, that I really can’t stay up that late to see. This way, you can have them stored on your system, and watch them when you want to. Sometimes I watch a show episodes back to back, again on my own time. This allows you to go and enjoy whatever you’d like outside the living room or home, and come back home to hours of recorded quality entertainment. You can imagine how this will change your entire life schedule, as it is no longer is controlled by the timing of the networks. You can record up to two shows at the same time. If you do this, however, the set will need to stay on at least one of the channels that you are recording. It prompts you with a warning if you are about to leave the channel during this process.

RECORDING OPTIONS

For any given series you can ask the box to record only first runs, or to include repeats. You can ask it to record a few minutes shorter or later than the actual program time. You can have it record the program on multiple channels, at multiple times, or just on specifics. I really love how you can have all these options.

Once you have a program recorded you view them through the “List” menu. All the shows and their record dates show up. You simply select them, watch, and when done you can choose to keep or erase the program. You can also check for the recordings scheduled for this week, and remove any repeats or other unwanted items that you find.

THE REMOTE CONTROL

I have pretty big hands, and this remote still looks huge. Well, can you blame them? They need to fit all the numerical digits, plus VCR-like controls, volume and channel buttons, and soft-keys to control the various options when viewing or scheduling your recordings. It’s still very smooth though, and accessing the keys is in large part an unconscious affair. It uses two AA’s that come included. Your service person will program the remote to operate your set as well as the box, which helps to reduce the clutter on your coffee table.

OTHER FEATURES

When you’re watching either live or recorded content, you can auto-rewind by the touch of a button. It goes back about 10 seconds, in order for you to catch something you might have missed. Very convenient. If you need to rewind or fast-forward, there are of course, buttons for that as well. Interestingly, by pressing rewind or forward multiple times, you can increase the speed of the content whizzing past your screen. You get to the point where you can skip past most commercial breaks in 5 seconds and go right back to content. This is just priceless. I don’t do commercials anymore. I just don’t. Neither will you.

Is the Explorer 8000 perfect? No, of course not. The unit’s biggest drawback is that it can only store up to 36 hours of content. TiVo has a 40-hour limit for its box, but they are also higher-capacity boxes, ranging up to $349 for 120 Hours. ReplayTV also has similar options, at slightly higher prices for the box.

Keep in mind though, that the Time Warner box is free with the service. Yes, there is about a $12 additional monthly charge on your cable bill, but TiVo and ReplayTV also have similar monthly charges as well. So in the end you have almost no upfront costs, which is a good plus. I find though, that I do have to get around to watching the programs eventually, even if you can “lock” any program from being erased by new content.

Another thing to note is that switching to digital cable will cause a certain lag as you change channels. Usually I scroll through the “Guide” and select the program, so that it saves me time.

FINAL VERDICT

If you can get past having to actually watch your recorded programs every few days—or every couple of days, if you’re recording three daily shows at a time--then this is a great little box, that will free up all kinds of time in your schedule. The interface is clean and simple (read: you won’t need the instructor’s manual), the remote is perfectly usable, and the sheer convenience of watching all your content when you want, is unbeatable.

In the end, perhaps any DVR will do you wonders, but I found that the lack of start-up costs, and the included installation made this a very solid choice. I use the features on this box every day because of my busy schedule. For something that useful, I can’t help but give this a resounding 9 out of 10.

- Hector Martinez

Posted by Andru at 10:02 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

HP Introduces Several New Handhelds

HP today introduced several new iPAQ handhelds. Pictured here is their new top-of-the-line hx4705, which features a 4-inch 640 x 480 VGA color display, and an Intel PXA270 processor clocked at 624 MHz. Other goodies include 128 MB of Flash ROM and 64 MB of RAM. It also offers both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, as well as dual card slots for Secure Digital and Compact Flash. Another notable feature is a laptop-like touch-pad in place of the usual directional pad.

Read More | InfoSyncWorld

Posted by Hector at 08:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Microsoft Says Longhorn Will Support HD DVD

Microsoft has made it known that its next generation operating system, codenamed Longhorn, will ship with HD DVD support built in. Microsoft said nothing about Blu-Ray (HD DVD's main rival) support, and it almost seems safe to assume that it will not be supported by the OS out of the box. Being that Windows is the majority leader by an extremely large margin, this could mean the beginning of a faster paced HD DVD development schedule - than again, who really know when Longhorn will even arrive?

Blu-Ray based technology has already started to hit store shelves, while HD DVD devices have yet to enjoy the same success.

Read More | ZDNet

Posted by Andru at 08:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 25, 2004

Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack Review

So, by now you've probably seen the movie. Twice. If you are considering purchasing the soundtrack, join Gear Live Music Columnist Greg Norton in his debut column, as he gives us an in-depth look at the Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack.

There are two categories of soundtracks in the modern era. The first type is basically a collection of singles, held together only by the fact that they were assembled on the same cd and wrapped in the same annoyingly difficult to open plastic wrap. The other type, the much more difficult type, attempts to convey the emotions of the movie's characters, attempts to fill in the characters in a way only music can, and above all else, it attempts musically convey the overall theme of the script's story. The Spiderman 2 soundtrack tries so very hard to fall into the latter category, but falls far short, finding itself classified as simply a collection of songs assembled on the same disc.

The more optimistic listeners will say to themselves that the soundtrack’s producers attempted to pick bands that could capture the duality that is Peter Parker/Spiderman. Parker is obviously a tough presence on the outside, as Spiderman, seemingly invincible. Internally Parker betrays his tough image and is a sensitive teenage guy, pining after a girl that he just can never seen to have, eternally suffering. And there folks, is the exact description of the Emo bands that fill this disc.

Bands like Dashboard Confessional, intimidating with their tattoos and angry sneers, but singing about how their heart has been ripped out and stomped on. The more cynical listener will say that my previous sentences were crap, and that the producers were doing nothing but cashing in on the popularity of Emo music, and the modern rock spins of bands like Hoobastank, Jet, Lostprophets, Maroon 5 and Yellowcard. Either way, with such a stellar lineup of current rock tastemakers, this album can't be that bad can it? Well, it isn't that bad, but it is disappointing, given that with the talent on this record, it should have been much, much better.

Let's start with the bright side. There is a reason that Dashboard's "Vindicated" is getting tons of spins on the radio and video channels, it is a pretty damn good song. If you can ignore the thirty seconds that the line "let me slip away" is repeated at the end, “Vindicated” becomes one of Dashboard's better songs, and definitely their most radio friendly. Also on the high side is Jet's "Hold On", which is definitely a slower-paced acoustic departure from their day jobs as a Rolling Stones cover band. The song is actually very radio friendly, complete with a very catchy chorus that even has, gasp, two part harmonies. Who knew modern rock could actually be skillful?

Finally, sticking out like a sore thumb on this hard rocking disc is an exceptional song by piano playing crooner Jimmy Gnecco. Gnecco’s track “Someone To Die For” should actually teach the other acts on this disc a thing or two about how to write some lyrics. All this talk about good songs, may lead you to believe this album is better than it is. So, as with a mountain, once you reach the peak, we must come crashing down on the low side.

There aren't really any dreadful songs on this cd, but it almost seems like a bunch of the bands just sent in b-sides so that they could say they were on the Superman 2 soundtrack. Hoobastank appears with an amazingly mediocre track "Did You", that sounds like it was written in about the same amount of time it takes you to suffer through the song. It seems like Maroon 5 simply remade "She Will Be Loved" from their album "Songs About Jane", and called it "Woman". And I would be amazed if you can actually tell the difference between the tracks by Smile Empty Soul and The Ataris. But the award for weakest song on the album goes to Ana for her dreadful song "We Are". If you ever want to know what someone is talking about when they say a song is overproduced, simply cue up this track.

So, we come to the end of our Spidey musical journey, and what are we left with? Since we are in the age of downloading (legal or illegally), I would say, grab the strong tracks, and forget the rest. This cd is simply a collection of songs, with no flow between tracks, so it is a cd, not an album. If I have to explain the difference, you have never heard Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde", but I digress. We are left with a few good songs, a bunch of mediocre songs, and so overall a 7/10.

- Greg Norton

Posted by Andru at 10:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 23, 2004

FreeiPods.com Is The Real Deal

When we introduced the FreeiPods.com story last week on Gear Live, many a reader emailed us telling us that it had to be a scam. Others were excited and wanted to join in, so we set up a thread on the Gear Live Boards dedicated to helping people earn free iPods.

We now have word that Andrew B., one of our own, has in fact received his free 15 GB iPod from FreeiPods.com. Click the link to see the pictures.

Now for the proof:

What you see here is the box it shipped in.

He writes a note, thanking those who helped him earn referals.

The invoice, which indicates that Gratis Network paid for the product.

New 15 GB iPod.

Andrew is now trying to earn a second one to give away as a prize, here is his referal link.

RELATED:
FreeiPods.com Offering Free iPods and iTunes Gift Certificates
Gear Live FreeFlatScreens Discussion Thread

Posted by Andru at 09:15 AM | Comments (25) | TrackBack

Yahoo Unveils New Photo-Sharing Site for Camera Phones

Tired of having excessive charges for each picture-message you send on your camera phone? Yahoo is now providing a way to share all your pics with a larger audience through its new site. The new Yahoo Photos feature, free to any registered Yahoo user, provides you with an exclusive e-mail address to use when sending photos from your phone to your Yahoo Photo online account. Get your MoBlog on!

Read More | CNet News

Posted by Hector at 07:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 22, 2004

Cell Phones Moving To A Cruise Near You

Looks like the idea of getting a cell phone signal while you're miles away from the nearest tower at sea, is becoming a reality. Carnival Corp. and Royal Carribean Ltd. are ramping up services that'll let you chat away if you ever find yourself bored, or forgot to turn off something back at the office. Rates for U.S.-based crusies haven't been set, but you can expect them to be similar to roaming prices.

Read More | CNN

Posted by Hector at 08:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 21, 2004

Verizon Fios To Bring Ultra Speed Net Access To The US

While countries like Japan and Hong Kong have been kicking the rear end of the United States, many an American has wondered what exactly it is that is holding the US back from the incredible speeds that the Orient is able to give its customers. Well, Verizon is about to change the game with its new Fios internet service. What is it about Fios that makes it any better than Verizon DSL, Comcast, Cox, and all the others? One word: Speed.

Verizon Fios uses fiber optics to transmit information to and from your home, and that makes all the differencce. The service provides unlimited high-speed data access with speeds of up to 30Mbps downstream/5Mbps upstream. All Fioss Internet Service packages include:

• High-speed Internet access
• A choice of packages with maximum connection speeds: 5 Mbps/2 Mbps, 15 Mbps/2 Mbps, 30 Mbps/5 Mbps.
• A 4-Port Broadband Router with the choice to upgrade to a 4-Port
• Broadband 802.11g Wireless Router
• MSN® Premium Internet Software
• Up to 9 e-mail accounts
• Access to newsgroups
• Personal Web space of 10MB
• 24/7 live technical support

Did you catch that? 30 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up. That is simply unmatched in the US. While no price has been set for that package, the 5 Mbps/2 Mbps and the 15 Mbps/2 Mbps plans do have a pricing structure, and it is a lot lower than you think. A 2mbps to 5mbps Fios connection will cost $35 a month if purchased along with Verizon's local and long-distance phone plan, and $40 per month if purchased on its own. The 15mbps plan is available for $45 a month if purchased as part of the same telephone bundle, or $50 per month individually.

While many expected one of the other internet providers to be the one to take the next large step in this race, Verizon has just jumped ahead of them all. They are the ones bringing us in the United States into the future.

Fios will be launched in Keller, Texas, and later parts of southern California and Florida, the company said Monday.

Posted by Andru at 08:42 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 20, 2004

Duke University to Give iPods to First Year Students

As if the free Napster story wasn't enough, it now seems that Duke University plans to give 20 GB iPods to all first year attending students on August 19, 2004. Duke says that the iPods are being distributed for "educational use", and will have school related content preloaded on it. I am guessing this will be done via the Notes section on the iPod. Duke plans to have content such as orientation information, the academic calendar, and the ability to download faculty-provided course content all on the iPod. Now, despite how great this is for the students, wouldn't this idea have worked better if they were giving this content out on PDA's rather than iPods?

Read More | Duke University

Posted by Andru at 11:29 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Napster Offered Free By Some Colleges and Universities

In what has to be seen as a big move in digital music, Napster has signed eight colleges up to its "Napster University Program". If you haven't heard about this, basically Napster subscription service is paid for by the universities and offered to the students for free. In some cases, part of the service is covered by the tuition. Napster says this is a big step in weaning college students off illegal Peer-to-Peer file sharing. Music downloads will still cost students the regular $0.99 per track, but streaming unlimited tracks is absolutely free.

The colleges that have signed up with the Napster University Program this far include Cornell University, George Washington University, Middlebury College in Vermont, University of Miami, University of Southern California, Wright State University, Penn State University, and University of Rochester.

Posted by Andru at 10:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sony Lowers Prices on Memory Sticks

If you own a Sony gadget, you now have reason to rejoice! Sony just lowered the price on a number of Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo flash media cards. Starting today, the 512MB full-size Memory Stick PRO media is priced around $180, down over $40. The 256MB Memory Stick PRO card will now go for $90. Of course, that still makes it overpriced compared to other types of non-proprietary memory.

Read More | Palm Info Center

Posted by Hector at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Google To Release IPO Price This Week

If you paid any attention during the late 1990’s, then you remember the “dotcom crash” well. The tech stocks that were supposed to send us into the 21st century with a bang, instead went bust. Since then, many tech stocks have not been taken seriously – but that is all about to change.

Google, the world’s most popular search engine, is soon to release their initial public offering on the NASDAQ, and people are chomping at the bit to get in on it. It has been said that Google will be using a Dutch-style auction, thus allowing anyone and everyone to have the opportunity to own a portion of Google stock. The IPO would probably instantly turn Google into a $15 Billion company. Could this be the return of the tech boom?

Read More | Silicon Valley

Posted by Andru at 09:17 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 19, 2004

Archos GMini 220 Review

The Archos GMini 220 is another contender in the portable digital audio game. With all the focus on the iPod right now, we decided to contact Archos to take a closer look at their hard-drive based MP3 Player. Without giving too much away up front, we felt it performed well enough to be taken seriously. Find out why in our Archos GMini 220 Review.

Features:

• 20 GB Hard Drive: 300 hours MP3 at 128 kbps or 700 hours of voice recording at 64 kbps or 200,000 photos or 20 GB of data storage
  
• 2.5” gray-scale LCD with user-friendly graphical interface with icons
  
• ARCLibrary to organize and synchronize your music
  
• Formats supported: MP3, WMA and WAV
  
• USB 2.0 High-speed (USB 1.1 compatible) plus CompactFlash reader -compatible with type I and II

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The GMini 220 is very compact. In fact, looking at its: 67.5 x 78 x 23 mm frame which weighs just 170 grams, it is hard to believe that the thing holds 20 GB of data. I have yet to find another hard-drive based digital audio player that fits in my hand so neatly. When you look at the build, you notice a few imperfections. While the casing is solid, the buttons feel “cheap”. They could have made them a bit sturdier. Looking at the rest of the frame, though, you see rubberized ends which keep the unit still when on a surface, as well as protecting whatever it is resting on from scratches. The 2.5-inch 160x160 blue backlit screen is a little dark, but gets the job done. Again, the unit wastes no space. On the face of the unit there is just the screen, the navigation buttons (which are tiny), and a small Archos logo. Finally, there is a CompactFlash card port on the side of the unit, which is just genius.

PERFORMANCE
The sound quality on the Archos GMini 220 really shines. It boasts MP3/WMA support at up to 320 kbps. Listening to multiple genres of music was fine using the default settings, however, the built in equalizer is what sets this apart. Forget about the equalizer on the iPod, this is where it’s at. Archos did a great job at optimizing each genre for the best sound.

You have the option of supplementing the unit with an in line remote and FM tuner, available for US$39.95, which allows you to control the player and record FM radio directly into MP3. This unique remote control transforms the GMini 220 into an FM radio and remote with full MP3 recording capabilities. Record songs from the radio in MP3 format to listen at your convenience. With the ARCHOS patented retro-recording system, it is possible to record the radio after the song has already started. The LCD lets you do it all while keeping the player safely in your pocket.

The GMini’s interface allows you to do a lot of things directly on the device. While they provide MusicMatch on a disc, there really is no need for it. The Archos GMini is a driverless device. There is no software to install to use it. Simply plug it in via USB, and drag your files to the device through Windows Explorer. It works flawlessly, and is very intuitive. Thank you Archos. In addition to all this, you can also remove, rename, and group your files directly on the device.

The microphone at the top of the GMini allows you to record and save it directly to the drive in MP3 or WAV format using any line in source (Stereo, SPDIF, Digital Input/Stereo Analog). You can then categorize this recording the same way you would any other music file.

The device also provides a very lackluster picture viewer. Yes, can view pictures on the GMini 220, but I would advise against it as it displays in monochrome and is not detailed at all. I found some pictures to even be unrecognizable. This would have been a great feature had this device included a color screen – in fact, that would have put this device leaps and bounds ahead of the game.

Lastly, that which I referred to as genius earlier is the Type 1/Type 2 Compact Flash card slot on its side. Although it is a bit slow, you can not only read off of the card, but you can also move files from the CF card to the Archos GMini hard drive. With 20 GB of storage, that is just amazing.

PROS:

• Ultra-compact size makes this device one of the easiest to bring everywhere you go.
  
• This is a driverless device. All that is required to use it is a USB 2.0 connection.
  
• Being able to edit files and layout on the device itself is a feature that we have been waiting on for quite some time – the GMini 220 delivered.

CONS:

• Navigation buttons feel “cheap”
  
• While the picture viewer is nice, it is too lackluster to be more than an afterthought.
  
• The GMini 220 provides only 8 hours of power per charge.

FINAL VERDICT:
The Archos GMini 200 line came into the digital audio player game with a wealth of unique features that truly separate it. Unfortunately, since a couple of these features can be viewed as forgettable (ie - the picture viewer), or are only available through purchased add-ons, it seems that they hurt the player more than they help it. Archos is definately on the right track with this device. I look forward to the next iteration in the GMini series.

Posted by Andru at 11:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Knowledgable Consumer Strikes Back

I know we have all experienced it: You walk into a store to pick up the latest gadget, game, or other gear. You did your research, and because you read sites like Gear Live, you are in the know. As you approach the sales associate, you already know what it going to happen; but you walk up to them anyway and ask your questions about the product, the sale, the release date, etc. All you get is a blank stare, or an answer that you know is incorrect.

Now is your chance to get it off your chest, and let us know about it! We want to hear your tales of inept retail associates who led you astray, or just had no clue what they were talking about! Send us your best at submit@gearlive.com. We will post some of the greatest in a couple of weeks.

Posted by Andru at 11:24 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Bracing for the Microsoft Update

As a vice president at security software leader Symantec, Matthew Moynahan applauds Microsoft's effort to make its Windows operating system safer from attack. But Moynahan is not so excited about the flood of help-desk calls almost certain to come when Microsoft releases a comprehensive security overhaul of Windows XP next month. His company's Norton antivirus software runs on about 100 million desktop computers.

Read More | Wired News

Posted by Hector at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 18, 2004

More Details on 4th Generation iPod

Okay, so the new 4th Generation iPod is going to be officially announced tomorrow. Either you are feeling excited about getting one of these upgraded models, or you are upset about paying for the current gen iPod very recently. Well, here is a rundown on some of the new features found on the 4th Generation iPod:

• Click Wheel - Taken from the iPod mini, the new iPod eliminates the four navigation buttons and puts the functionality what was once the scrollwheel.
• 50% more battery power. That's right, you now get 12 hours of use per charge.
• Simplified menu's allow you to get to your music with less clicking, as well as creating multiple On-The-Go playlists, and other play options.
• Price - The 20 GB iPod will be priced at $299, while the 40 GB version will be $399 as both enjoy a $100 price drop. Of course, the rumor is that a 60 GB model will be announced, retailing at $499. The 15 GB iPod is no more.

Read More | Newsweek

Posted by Andru at 06:54 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Apple Announces New iPod in Newsweek

Well, the rumors have been running rampant, and it has now been confirmed - on Monday Apple will announce the new, updated iPod. Check it out on the cover of this Monday's Newsweek Magazine. As you can see, there are some changes - most notably the new "brushed metal" scroll wheel which eliminates the 4 navigation buttons iPod owners are used to. The scroll wheel is a carryover from the iPod mini, incorporating the navigation buttons and the old touch wheel into one interface.

Read More | MSNBC

Posted by Andru at 12:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 16, 2004

XBOX Live Hits 1 Million Subscribers

In what has got to be seen as an amazing feat, the XBOX Live service has reached 1 Million subscribers. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I dont like the service. What is amazing to me is how quickly Microsoft was able to garner 1,000,000 subscribers to its service. It usually takes a while to get 1 Million people to do ANYTHING, let alone play video games together. As Microsoft noted in the announcement, they reached this milestone faster than the AOL, HBO, and TiVo services did. It appears that the slogan must be true: "It's Good to Play Together".

Posted by Andru at 08:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 15, 2004

Samsung SCH-A670 Review

Gear Live contributing reporter Hector Martinez was able to spend some time testing the Samsing SCH-A670 mobile phone. While it appears stylish on the outside, you can never judge a book by its cover. Hector gives us the down low on how it performs.

SAMSUNG'S SCH-A670 IS FULL OF COOL SURPRISES

The SCH-A670 is my third cell phone, and my first camera phone. Everyday I’m discovering something new with it, so I was compelled to write a review. My motivation is to personally reflect on its capabilities--and its few shortcomings--as much as it is to inform the consumer.

The reason I got the phone in the first place was because my wife needed a new one, and we thought it would be good to share the same phone network to save on our minutes. I switched over from Sprint in the NYC area, and after taking home the phone I immediately noticed how much stronger the signal strength was. It felt great knowing I could walk around freely in my apartment, and not have to worry about staying near the window. After transferring all my old numbers into it, I delved into its features.

THE CAMERA

It can take up to VGA-quality shots, though at that quality you’d only be able to store about 30 pictures. As an alternative, you can lower the resolution setting to store about 180 pictures on the phone. Yes, they would look tiny on a monitor, but they look great on the phone’s screen! The camera does a very nice job adjusting to darker lighting, and can even take sepia, black and white, and embossed images if you set them on the camera menu. You can flip the phone shut in order to take pictures of yourself and still see the image through the external LCD as well.

THE SCREEN

Wow, this thing can show some really beautiful images! Both the internal and the external screens display 65K colors, so images are really crisp. This feature above all others was the reason my wife and I gravitated to this model at the Verizon store. I had a monochrome screen in my old phone, so this was like a breath of fresh air. Very, very nice indeed.

BUILD

The phone is encased in a durable metallic finish. It feels substantial and expensive in your hand, though it sure is small. I’d have no trouble slipping it into my pocket, but the included leather case and belt clip-on do just fine. I like how the clip click-rotates around so that you can adjust it to your liking. My last phone popped out my waist and got run over by a bus, so I appreciate a good leather holder.

DOWNLOADS

You can get all kinds of new ring-tones through Verizon’s “Get It Now” download menu. They help to complement the included ring tones which, frankly, aren’t good. You only get 5 ring-tones by default, and the rest sound like little marching-bands. Better grab that Beyonce flava from the network! There are quite a few contemporary artists featured, including Cold Play, Eminem, and Usher. Songs sound really nice, though don’t expect the actual vocals to pop out the thing. Remember also that there is a small charge, about $2, to download each song.

I really cannot comment on the quality of the games you can download because there aren’t that many free demos available. JamDat Bowling appears to be the most popular, but I can’t expect much compared to my GameBoy, or even my Palm M515. I’d recommend you skip the games. However, the MapQuest download was really impressive, and could come in quite handy if you’re in a bind. It gives driving directions and full-color, zoomable maps. It is one of the most expensive apps though, so again, use only in case of emergency.

WALLPAPERS AND SCREENSAVERS

This phone is such a blast when it comes to taking pictures and making them either start-up or shut-down images, or the default screen saver. You can also assign any image to any person on your contacts list. It’s all quite easy. The phone also records movies, though they can’t be sent via text-messaging. Still you can record any movie for about 12 seconds, and make that your wallpaper. It’s how I got actual moving “Matrix Code” to cycle on the screen whenever it’s turned on. I also have another Matrix scene assigned for when the phone shuts down. This is one of my favorite features because I was stuck with whatever the phone company offered as screensavers and images on my previous phone.

TEXT MESSAGING

The latest craze. You can send messages of about 160 characters in length to anyone on your contacts with a text-phone. This is pretty universal at this point. But you can also send picture messages with any image you have just taken, or have stored on the phone. If you really want to go crazy, you can send a picture image with a sound recording (up to 30 seconds) along with regular text, all in one message. Pretty sweet, but then again most of my friends don’t have a picture phone to accept the images. Bah, get with the program!

I subscribed to a cheap plan for text messages at least, and I love talking to people without having to make the actual phone call. It’s also a good idea to use the predictive T9 text input, although sometimes it will give you the unusual word and you’ll have to backtrack a bit.

OTHER FEATURES

The phone includes a calendar, as well as a calculator, though I don’t use these since they are so much more cumbersome than my Palm's. You can also go online with it, and the connection speeds appear reasonable (read: much slower than the DSL you are accustomed to) but again, the text and images should look great. You can also record a series of voice memos as reminders, and set a shortcut to a function for the “up” direction on your directional pad. The keys light up a nice fluorescent blue when you flip open the phone. Finally, the messages menu will keep a store of your latest voice and text messages, though you will have to delete a few once you have about 70 texts.

BATTERY LIFE

This is a weird one, but the battery indicator appears to drain quickly. However, once it reaches a single bar, that bar can last you literally for hours, so it’s a little misleading. It hasn’t run out on me yet, though I wish it didn’t jump to a single bar so quick. Makes me nervous.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I use the phone most with my family: my wife and brother. Sending text is always a blast, as well as taking great image-quality photos that I can assign to many of its functions. It’s not the perfect phone; I wish it had better default ringtones, as well as integrated Bluetooth. It can also get a little warm over extended use — but I really find it to be excellent all around. Voice quality is great, as well as signal strength, and it offers plenty of potential customization.

- Hector Martinez, Contributing Reporter

RELATED:
Verizon Wireless Get It Now Review - Gear Live

Posted by Andru at 11:33 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

FreeiPods.com Offering Free iPods and iTunes Gift Certificates

If you haven't heard, freeiPods.com is a site that rewards you with either a 15 GB iPod, an iPod mini, or a $250 iTunes Gift Certificate - whichever you choose. All you need to do is sign up for one of the offers on the site, and then refer five friends. You are free to cancel the offer at any time, thus, you get an iPod for absolutely nothing.

We have gotten reports from several sources that the site is legit, and just the other day I met someone that got their Pink iPod mini through the site. I am now here to share the wealth. Click the link below to get started with freeIpods.com.

We also set up a thread on the Gear Live Boards dedicated to helping readers sign up and gain referals.

Posted by Andru at 09:18 AM | Comments (48) | TrackBack

July 14, 2004

SoothSoft Chillow Review

As a technology enthusiast, when I first heard of the Chillow on the Oprah show a while back, I have to admit I was interested to say the least. The Chillow apparently used some sort of cooling technology to keep its internal material cool to the touch at all times. It is meant to stop one from “pillow flipping” to find the cool spot. Well, after using it for a few weeks, I am here with the results.

The Chillow® acts as a radiator for your body. It uses water to absorb, and then dissipate heat back to the surrounding air, leaving a cool sensation. It stays dry on the outside.
- SoothSoft

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:

When opening the package, I was surprised to see that the maker of the product, Soothsoft, had already prepared the Chillow for me. While this was very nice of them, I wanted to get the full effect, as though I purchased the product retail. SoothSoft makes the product, as part of their Comfort Technology line. It makes your pillow cool without requiring any refrigeration whatsoever. When you first look at the Chillow, it simply looks like a vinyl bag. It doesn’t appear to be comfortable to lay your head on through the night, and contrary to what it is supposed to do, it looks like it would feel hot.

Nonetheless, I continued to do what I needed to do to get it ready. What you do is pour two quarts of water into the device via the airtight seal, followed by two more cups. Let it set for a couple of minutes, then push all the air out and close the seal. After two hours, the Chillow is ready to be put to the test. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize there was a two hour wait – so I went to bed, leaving the Chillow for the next night.

USING THE UNIT:

The first test was a simple one. After leaving it out all day, would the Chillow still be cold? I went and got the Chillow which was left at room temperature the night before, and it was cool to the touch. Not cold, but rather feeling like a leather glove left out in autumn weather. I put it inside of my pillowcase, and prepared to go to sleep.

When you lay on the Chillow, you immediately get a relaxed sensation. It helps calm you and focus on getting to sleep. It doesn’t just cool you off, but it dissipates the heat you are emitting – it is a heatsink for your head! As you sleep through the night, your metabolism goes down and the Chillow warms up a bit – but never enough to where you need to flip the pillow to get a cooler spot. It does what it says it will do, and that is a good thing.

Using the Chillow outside of the pillowcase is even better. You get a much cooler sensation, and it wont get lost in the pillowcase. You can also put your feet on it, sit with your back against it, etc. It just might be the ultimate in hot weather tech. There is no maintenance required other than pushing any air in the unit out on a monthly basis, and that takes all of 30 seconds to do. It is powered only by the two quarts of water initially poured into it during preparation. You can, however, put it in the fridge for added cooling – just keep it out of the freezer.

Be careful not to puncture the Chillow, as it will leak. Take the necessary precautions to keep your animals from getting to it if it isn’t covered. Punctures are not covered by the one year warranty.

PROS:

• Truly does aid in sleeping through the night.
  
• Cool surface stays that way with no requirement for batteries, refrigeration, or power.
  
• Made of a soft, durable material.
  
• Also provides tension relief for headaches and sore muscles.
  
• It will fit a standard pillow size 13.5 x 20.5x .625

CONS:

• The Chillow can easily get “lost” in the pillowcase. You may
• have to move it back to the desired position during the night.
  
• Internal material can get displaced if Chillow is folded up.
  
• Very slight rubbery scent

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Chillow may not be a sleek MP3 player or portable video device, but it fits nicely into the tech lifestyle nonetheless. While it has its flaws, it does accomplish it’s basic purpose – it is a pillow that remains cool all on its own. It works great for those of us that just want a little extra comfort, or more to show off. I also recommend it for those hot and uncomfortable nights where you just cant sleep. Of course, you would also benefit by it for headaches, sunburn, muscle pain, and the like.

Posted by Andru at 09:28 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Jaguar's Black iPod Giveaway

Jaguar has a unique giveaway happening at it's X-Type website. If you sign up for the newsletter, you will be entered in a drawing to win a black X-Type iPod. Just by the looks of it, it does look stylish. You will also be entered for an opportunity to see Zero 7 perform on tour in your area.

As a side note, if you don't win you can still get one of these. Apparently, Jaguar got these iPods customized at ColorWare.

Read More | The X-Type

Posted by Andru at 10:29 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 12, 2004

XBOX Media Center

Turn your Xbox into a media center with XBMC. What is XBMC?

XboxMediaCenter is a free open source (GPL) multimedia player for the Xbox™ from Microsoft. Currently XboxMediaCenter can be used to play/view most popular video/audio/picture formats such as MPEG-1/2/4, DivX, XviD, MP3, AAC, JPG, GIF plus many more less known formats directly from a CD/DVD in Xbox DVD-ROM drive or of the Xbox harddrive, XBMC can also play files from a PC over a local network and even stream media streams directly from the internet. XBMC has playlist and slideshow functions, a weather forecast and many audio visualizations. All these features enable the Xbox™ running XboxMediaCenter to fully function as a multimedia jukebox.

Download Here | XBOX Media Center

Posted by Andru at 10:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

PlayStation 3 Displayed in May '05 - PSP US Launch in March '05

As a follow up to the previous story, it appears there was a misunderstanding regarding Sony's announcement. To clear it all up, the new Sony handheld console, the PlayStation Portable (PSP) will be the console to launch in March 2005.

At the same press conference, it was also revealed that the PlayStation 3 (PS3) will be on display in full working, playable form at E3 in May 2005.

Read More | Reuters

Posted by Andru at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

PlayStation 3 May Launch in March 2005

In what has to be considered a bombshell announcement, Sony Computers President Takeshi Kutaragi revealed to the press that the next version of the PlayStation videogame console is targeted to launch by the end of the fiscal year. What this means is that Sony plans to have the PlayStation 3 on store shelves by the end of March 2005, two months before the 2005 Electronics Entertainment Expo. If the announcement serves to be true, then Sony just changed the game in a major way.

Microsoft has begun making noise about launching the successor to the XBOX sometime in 2005 as well, though no specific date has been set. Meanwhile, Nintendo has sworn up and down that they will not be the last one's out of the gate this time, and are reportedly hard at work on the "Revolution", which is the follow up to the Gamecube.

Read More | Seattle PI

Posted by Andru at 09:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

iTunes Reaches 100 Million Milestone

We knew it would be just a short period of time between the announcement of the contest, and the 100 Millionth download. The 100,000,000th (that's a lot of zero's!) song, "Somersault (Dangermouse remix)" by Zero7 was purchased by Kevin Britten, 20, of Hays, Kansas on Sunday, July 11, according to Apple.

So what does this mean? For Apple, it cements their status as the premier online music store as they have reached a place that their competition may take years to reach. For Kevin Britten, it means a 40GB iPod, 10,000 free songs from iTunes, his own Celebrity Playlist, and a 17" Powerbook. Nice.

Posted by Andru at 08:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 11, 2004

Time To Upgrade Your Software

With all the recent web exploits, now is the time to update your browsers. Here are the links for the latest updates:

Microsoft Internet Explorer: Use Windows Update to Patch the latest flaws.

A recent exploit was found in Mozilla and Firefox browsers on Windows PC's. Update to the latest versions below.
Firefox 0.9.2
Mozilla 1.7.1

The web is starting to become a dangerous place - here is a good spyware killer:

SpywareBlaster 3.2

Posted by Andru at 04:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 09, 2004

Japan To Get Major Internet Speed Upgrade

While Yahoo! continues to fall behind Google in the United States, they just made a major announcement in Japan. Currently, Yahoo! offers the Yahoo! BB internet service in Japan for 4,122 yen ($38). This service gives customers 45 Mbps access, which compared to the average United States and Europe broadband speeds is just absurd. The upgrade will feature even better speeds: 50Mbps download and 3Mbps upload.

They certainly are serious about broadband technology in The Orient. The US and Europe need to start catching up soon, and both candidates for the Presidency of the United States have made it clear that upgrading the US broadband market is a top priority.

Read More | I4U

Posted by Andru at 12:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 08, 2004

SCOTTeVEST Three.0 Spring Review

If you are like me, then you have more things to carry around than you have pockets for. From a PDA, to an MP3 player, add on the cell phone, maybe a digital camera, don't forget the wallet, etc. SCOTTeVEST has come up with a solution that is both stylish and creative. We take a look at their Three.0 Spring "Technology Enabled" Jacket. It has 31 pockets, which should be more than enough for all your gadgets. Is it a gimmick, or are they the real thing? Click below to find out.

DESCRIPTION

• Specialized pockets: earbud pocket, pen/stylus pockets, and bottle holder.
  
• Some pockets can be combined to form larger ones by unzipping the pocket separators.
  
• Teflon material is excellent at repelling water - very important for gadget protection.
  
• Huge back pocket is great for magazines, files, and even a small laptop computer.
  
• Two-way front zipper can be zipped up or down, giving you access to any internal pocket at any time.
  
• Available in two colors: Stone (beige) and Olive (olive green).

SCOTTeVEST truly is Technology Enabled Clothing, as the company touts. Using this philosophy, SCOTTeVEST has developed a full line of clothing specially geared toward those who need to carry multiple gadgets but never had the pockets to do so.

The SCOTTeVEST Three.0 Spring is a lighter, thinner version of the normal SCOTTeVEST system. The sleeves can be removed to make it a true vest, while maintaining all 31 pockets. Yes, this jacket has 31 integrated pockets of varying sizes. Each pocket includes a card giving examples of what it can be used for. These are very convenient, as you soon begin to get a feel for how best to use the jacket.

The major selling point is the Personal Area Network (PAN). This is a set of pockets that are all connected through the jackets inner lining, up through the collar. This allows you to wire together different devices internally, eliminating the wires from getting caught or tangled like they normally would. I used the PAN to wire my earbuds through the collar to the chest pocket where I kept my iPod. I then kept the buds in the special holding area near the collar. This is a great feature.

The Three.0 Spring also boasts a weight management system, which distributes weight evenly across you shoulders. The problem here is that, even though it's even, it's still heavy after adding just a few items. Although there are 31 pockets, I wouldn't recommend stuffing them all with gadgets - however, you now have the option of having a dedicated pocket for all your receipts, change, pack of tissues, mints, etc. Don't think of it as strictly a gadget jacket. The placement of the pockets allows for great personal customization. Pick and choose the ones that work best for you.

The SCOTTeVEST Three.0 Spring also pays close attention to the little things, and the more you wear it, the easier it becomes to appreciate the attention to detail along with the revolutionary design. For example, there is a flap to cover the zipper. Instead of buttons, it uses magnets that are woven into the fabric. This makes it easy to open, but also makes it stay shut without any effort at all. The epaulets give you much better access to devices you would other have on your belt.

According to President/CEO Scott Jordan, “We believe the use of hidden epaulets, together with the patent pending Personal Area Network from TEC, will forever change the way people think about clothing. The product allows you to easily use your gadgets (snap a picture, listen to music, talk on the phone) while leaving your hands free. Wearing devices on your belt is inherently flawed – you can’t feel your device vibrate, devices fall off when getting in and out of vehicles, and not all clothes are intended to be worn with belts.”

So true.

PROS

• With 31 pockets, you will always have a place to put any of your gadgets.
  
• The Personal Area Network makes wired gear feel wireless.
  
• The sleeves are easily removed for wear in warm weather.

CONS

• With so many pockets, it is easy to "lose" items in the jacket.
  
• Filling the jacket with a few items begins to weigh it down, despite "weight management system".
  
• The "Stone" color looks good, but can get dirty easily.

FINAL VERDICT
Despite it's flaws (which are very few, and very minor), the SCOTTeVEST Three.0 Spring is at the top of the line in portable entertainment gear. Unlike all the gadgets you will be carrying around, this peice of technology won't make you look like a geek. Instead, I received numerous compliments on how great the jacket looked. Think of it as the ultimate carrying case for any portable you own.

Related:
Gear Live Interviews Scott Jordan, SCOTTeVEST CEO and Founder
SCOTTeVEST Official Site

Posted by Andru at 08:11 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

July 07, 2004

T-Mobile Hotspots Do Great Business For Starbucks

It seems Starbucks made the right decision when they decided to partner with T-Mobile to offer subscription-based WiFi access in their coffee houses. The move has brought in a more dedicated customer, often visiting the store longer and more often than the average consumer. In addition to offering standard web access, The T-Mobile Hotspot service at Starbucks gives subscriber's exclusive content not found elsewhere.

Read More | Wireless NewsFactor

Posted by Andru at 02:47 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Looking At the Top Portable Digital Audio Players

Hard drive based digital audio players offer a nice advantage over other types of players; that being that they hold quite a bit more than flash-based or CD/MP3 combo units. The market for hard drive players is large, and the selection wide. We take a look at some of the best.

Talk about MP3 players on the Gear Live Forums

Before we start, let me first get something out of the way. The following hard drive based audio players are presented in RANDOM order! No life threatening emails about how one is better than the other. No calling me a fanboy. However, if you want to send me your favorite MP3 player, you are more than welcome to. Now on with it:

1) CREATIVE NOMAD JUKEBOX ZEN XTRA (60GB)
CREATIVE currently sits at the top of the Digital Audio perch as far as some are concerned, due to the release of the Nomad Zen Xtra 60 GB. Why? Aside from the units ease of use and 14 hour battery power, the hard drive space is huge. This thing holds a lot of music. Exactly how much? Try 15,000 of your favorite tracks.
Manufacturer's Site

2) APPLE iPOD 40 GB
Known mostly for it's style, the Apple iPod is also one of the best digital audio players around. Just get one into your hands, and you will see why. It's intuitive user interface is both chic and inviting. This model will hold up to 10,000 of your favorite tunes as well. The only drawbacks to the iPod are poor battery life (8 hours), and it can only be used with iTunes.
Read Review | Manufacturer's Site

3) TOSHIBA GIGABEAT 21
The Toshiba Gigabeat 21 offers 20 GB of hard drive space, with a look and feel that rivals the iPod. What stands out about this unit is that it's the first hard drive based MP3 player to incorporate 802.11b WiFi. What does this mean to you? Well, if you have a wireless network, you can synch the Gigabeat wirelessly. You can also use it to serve music to other devices on your network.
Review Site

4) iRIVER iHP-140
The iRiver iHP-140 offers 40 GB of hard drive space, but that's not all. It also supports a wealth of digital audio formats including WAV, MP3, WMA, ASF, and OGG. This means that you can throw just about anything at it, and it will play it (unfortunately, no iTunes music). The player also has an integrated FM tuner, for when you get tired of listening to your own tracks. As a side note, look for the iRiver H320 player soon.
Manufacturer's Site

5) DELL DIGITAL JUKEBOX 20
Dell's Digital Jukebox 20 is a surprisingly good player with some nice features. It stores 20 GB worth of data, and comes with MusicMatch as it's main synching program. The extra that you won't find anywhere else is that Dell gives you 20 free MusicMatch song downloads when you buy this unit.
Manufacturer's Site

6) RIO KARMA
This 20 GB digital audio player may have cramped buttons, but it features ethernet connectivity. This allows you to give the Karma an IP address to network it like a computer. You can move files to and from the player over your network. The display can be made to display visualizations during music playback.
Manufacturer's Site

Granted, these are just a handful of teh myriad of handheld digital audio players on the market. If you dont need something with that much space, or want something smaller and lighter, consider getting a flash based MP3 player instead.

Posted by Andru at 02:35 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

iPod mini Goes Global July 24th

After months upon months of waiting, consumers outside of the United States will be able to get their hands on an iPod mini simply by visiting their local electronics store (hopefully, you are near an electronics store). While the international launch comes a bit late due to the shortage of Hitachi microdrives, Apple now says they are ready to take on the worldwide audience. Here's to hoping they have enough pink ones for the launch.

Apple iPod mini International Availability Set for July 24

CUPERTINO, Calif., July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today
announced that iPod(R) mini, the smallest portable music player ever to hold up to 1,000 CD-quality songs, will be available internationally on July 24. iPod mini offers music lovers the ideal combination of ultra-portable design, style, song capacity, ease-of-use and audio performance.

"The iPod mini has been a smash hit in the US, and we're thrilled to
finally be able to offer it to music lovers the world over," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iPod has changed the way people listen to music and is now the number one digital music player in the world."

iPod mini is the world's smallest portable music player to hold up to
1,000 CD-quality songs, weighs just 3.6 ounces and is encased in an ultra-portable, lightweight anodized aluminum body, available in five colors -- silver, gold, pink, blue and green. iPod mini features Apple's amazing Click Wheel for effortless one-handed operation, along with the same award-winning user interface as the rest of the iPod family, and works seamlessly with Apple's iTunes, the number one online music store.

Pricing & Availability
iPod mini for Mac(R) and Windows is currently available in the US and is expected to be available worldwide through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers on July 24 for $249 (US). iPod mini comes in a choice of a silver, gold, pink, blue or green 4GB model and includes a belt clip. All iPod minis include earbud headphones, an Apple iPod mini power adapter, a 1.2m 30-pin to FireWire(R) cable, a 1.2m 30-pin to
USB 2.0 cable and a CD with iTunes 4.6 for Mac and Windows computers.
Optional accessories with the following suggested retail prices include the iPod mini Dock for $39 (US), in-ear headphones for $39 (US) and arm band for $29 (US).

iPod mini can be charged with either the FireWire or USB 2.0 cable and gets up to eight hours of battery life.* iPod mini requires a Mac with a FireWire port and Mac OS(R) X version 10.1.5 or later (Mac OS X v10.2 or later recommended); or a Windows PC with a FireWire or USB 2.0 port, or a Windows- certified FireWire or USB 2.0 card and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional.

* Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the
Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is widely recognized for its innovative and award-winning Mac desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife digital lifestyle and professional applications. Apple is also leading the digital music revolution with its market-leading iPod line of portable music players and iTunes online
music store.

NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac, Mac OS, iPod, Apple Store and FireWire are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Apple
-0- 07/07/2004
/NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR web site (http://www.apple.com/pr/) or call Apple's Media Helpline at 408-974-2042/
/CONTACT: Tom Neumayr, +1-408-974-1972, or tneumayr@apple.com, or Pamela Bennett, +1-408-974-7608, or pamb@apple.com, both of Apple/
/FCMN Contact: hoover1@apple.com /
/Web site: http://www.apple.com/
(AAPL)

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July 06, 2004

Apple Giving Away iPods, 10,000 Songs, and a Powerbook!

In honor of the upcoming 100 millionth song sold on the iTunes Music Store, Apple is running a promotion giving its users the opportunity to acheive the digital music motherlode. For every 100,000th song sold on iTunes, Apple will be giving away a 20 GB iPod - one to the purchaser of each 100,000th song downloaded between 95 million and 100 million songs. In addition, the person who downloads the 100 millionth song will receive a 17-inch Apple PowerBook, a 40 GB iPod, a gift certificate for 10,000 iTunes song downloads.

How many songs have been downloaded? Take a look:

Read More | Apple

Engadget has a great article on how to enter the contest for free. Basically, instead of buying music, you can use the "Tell a Friend" feature. Instead of entering a friends email address, enter itunes100@apple.com. Hit send, and you just entered the contest.

Read More | Engadget

Posted by Andru at 07:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Wi-Bro: 50 Mbps Connection on the Go

With WiMax being the talk of the wireless world lately, Wi-Bro has silently stepped up to the plate and grabbed the attention. South Korea is set to roll out this high speed wireless standard in 2006, aimed at users who remain in the same general area needing a connection (so, not for airplanes). This announcement does not come without controversy, of course. Intel is working on their version of WiMax, but it wont be ready as soon as Wi-Bro. The hotly contested Asian wireless market is up for grabs here, and if Intel comes out of the gate too late then the Wi-Bro standard will be the norm. Here we go again with the multiple standards problem. Fortunately, these guys may put their heads together (Wi-Bro is co-developed by Samsung, along with a few Korean Telecoms). Personally, I think that is the way to go.

We are now on the road to true 4G wireless communication.

Read More | StockTalk

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July 05, 2004

NEC 61-Inch Plasma TV Reviewed

NEC has recently released the absolute most gorgeous plasma displays I have ever seen. They are two 61-inch wide plasma monitors from the PlasmaSync(TM)61XM2+series (a grey bezel model, and a silver bezel model) that are equipped with "Enhanced Split Screen" ability - a high quality, high performance Double Picture function.

Read the Review | ExtremeTech

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Michael Moore Wants You To Download Fahrenheit 9/11 Via P2P

It seems that Michael Moore is either a really brash SOB, or really has it out for Bush to the point where he doesn't even care about profit:

"I don't agree with copyright laws, and I don't have a problem with people downloading the movie and sharing it ... as long as they're not trying to make a profit off my labor," Moore said in a recent interview. "I make these movies and books and TV shows because I want things to change, and so the more people who get to see them, the better."

Okay Michael, if you say so.

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July 04, 2004

Game Boy Advance SP Review

In the wake of the soon to come Nintendo DS, I thought we would take a look at the last handheld released by Nintendo, the Game Boy Advance SP. This little peice of hardware really is "more than meets the eye".

When former Nintendo monarch Hiroshi Yamauchi stepped down, Saturu Iwata took over as Nintendo CEO. His first order of business was to do away with the childish image many had with Nintendo and its consoles. Being that the Game Boy franchise had long been the biggest breadwinner at Nintendo, Iwata decided to soup up the product line. His goal was simple: Get a Nintendo Game Boy back in the hands of adults.

GAME BOY ADVANCE: SP - GAME BOY GROWS UP

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
At first glance, you wouldn't know the Game Boy Advance SP was a video game system. With it's clamshell design, one could mistake it for a high end PDA. Upon closer inspection, you find a small Nintendo logo on the face of the folded device. Open up the unit, and the SP is about the size of a Game Boy Pocket. As far as connections, on back of the SP are power and headphone jacks. You can also use this area to hook up the GBA to Gamecube connector.

On the right side of the unit is the Power switch, with the volume control on the left. Finally, there are two LED indicators - the top is green when powered on, and changes to red when the internal battery is low. The bottom LED glows orange when the unit is plugged into the wall charger, and turns off once fully charged.

As far as control buttons, you have a directional pad, A and B buttons, Select, Start, L and R. To me, the L and R buttons look like they would be uncomfortable where they are positioned since this is such a small unit.

ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS
With the Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo sought to fix every complaint consumers had about the original. Earlier I talked about the internal battery. You spoke, and Nintendo delivered. You don't ever have to buy batteries for the GBA SP. It has an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery and comes packaged with a wall charger.

The Game Boy Advance SP also features a frontlight button. Answering another consumer complaint, Nintendo added a frontlight to the SP. On the original Game Boy Advance, it was tough to use the unit out in the sun or in a dim setting. The frontlight button switches on a glowing light that gives you optimal view in any condition. I guarantee that you will never use this product without the light, which is always on by default.

As for colors, The Game Boy Advance has grown up with the SP. It comes in platinum and cobalt. There are a few "special editions" well. I would not feel the least bit embarrassed breaking any one of these out in public. Nintendo isn't playing around this time.

PERFORMANCE
Upon turning on the power, you are greeted by a Game Boy logo on a glowing screen. I tried out the SP with Metroid Fusion as well as Tony Hawk Underground. This allowed me to see how it performed using all the buttons in two totally different gaming environments. I am happy to say that the SP outperformed all my expectations.

The sound is great, considering that this is a handheld system. Although the unit outputs mono from its single speaker, it does deliver stereo sound through headphones (which I did not have). Despite the small shortcoming, the volume makes up for it and the audio can be impressive. It is definitely a step up from previous Game Boy versions.

The control pad feels more sophisticated. The D-pad and face buttons don't have much leeway in terms of depressing. Instead, it is more of a "click"; a subtle difference, but it adds a bit of speed to the gameplay. As I said earlier, I expected the shoulder buttons to be a bit cramped. I couldn't have been further from the truth. I have fairly large hands, and playing Tony Hawk Underground (a game which utilizes the L and R buttons extensively) was completely comfortable.
I played the GBA for about 10 hours before the internal battery ran out. According to Nintendo, the battery lasts about 14 hours without the backlight turned on. With a rechargeable battery, I see no reason to turn it off. The charge will suffice for even the hardcore gamer.

Finally, Nintendo has been pushing the Gamecube-Game Boy Advance connectivity hard in recent months. The Game Boy Advance SP more than lives up to the challenge. You can now play games that require both a Gamecube and a Game Boy Advance without having to sit in an awkward area of the room to see the GBA screen. The adapter hooks up right between the L and R buttons, but don't interfere with gameplay in any way.

FINAL THOUGHTS
The development of the Game Boy Advance SP is symbolic of Nintendo's commitment to entering the adult market. As the people who played the original Game Boy grew up, Nintendo failed to grow with them, and thus lost a large portion of its installed userbase. With the release of the SP, Nintendo has now opened the doors to becoming an electronics company instead of just a video games company.

The truth is, Nintendo has become the distributor of one of the hottest must-own portable devices on the market.

RATING: 10 OUT OF 10

Specifications:

• CPU: 32-bit RISC-CPU
  
• Size (closed): Approximate 3.3" height/3.23" width/0.96" depth
  
• Screen: 2.9" (diagonal) reflective TFT color LCD
  
• Light source: Front light integrated with LCD
  
• Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels
  
• Color: Can display 511 simultaneous colors in character mode and 32,768 simultaneous colors in bitmap mode
  
• Weight: Approximately 5 ounces

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Major Circuit City Video Game Clearance

Get them while you can! Circuit City has officially put a bunch of major video games on clearance for a cool $5 per title! Of course, with a deal like this everything is flying off the shelves. If you can get to a Circuit City that has any of the games left, you can definately benefit from the huge mark downs. The prices are not marked, and will only show up when the item is scanned.

NOTE: Some Circuit City stores will not be honoring these prices until July 17th.

For a list of all the titles on clearance, click the link.

These are titles that have been confirmed as only $4.99. Deals and prices are only good while supplies last.

GAME BOY ADVANCE
Breath of Fire II
Driver 2
Fire Pro Wrestling
Lunar Legend
Max Payne
Megaman & Bass
Megaman Battle Network 2
Robotech: The Macross Saga
Sega Smash Pack
Shining Soul
Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival
Stuntman
Super Monkey Ball Jr.
Tactics Ogre
Zone of Enders: Fist of Mars

GAMECUBE
2002 FIFA World Cup
Aggressive Inline
All Star Baseball 2003
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Beach Spikers
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Bloodrayne
Bomberman Generation
Capcom Vs SNK 2 EO
Def Jam Vendetta
Defender
Die Hard Vendetta
Disney's Party
Dragon's Lair 3D
Evolution Worlds
Freekstyle
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
Home Run King
Hot Wheels Velocity X
Hot Wheels World Race
Ikaruga
Jimmy Neutron Jet Fusion
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius
Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer
Knockout Kings 2003
Lost Kingdoms
Madden 2002
Madden 2003
Mario Party 4
Medal of Honor: Frontline
Megaman Network Transmission
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Nascar Dirt to Daytona
NBA Courtside
NBA Street
NFL Quarterback Club 2002
NHL 2003
NHL Hitz 2002
Pac-Man Fever
Piglet's Big Game
P.N.O3
Rayman 3
Red Faction II
Resident Evil
Resident Evil Code Veronica X
Rocket Power Beach Bandits
Scorpion King Rise of the Akadian
Sega Soccer Slam
Shrek Extra Large
Smugglers Run Warzones
Tarzan Untamed
Tetris World
The Sims
Timesplitters 2
Top Gun Combat Zones
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger
UFC Throwdown
Universal Studios Theme Adventure
Vexx
Viewtiful Joe
X-Men: Next Dimension
Zoocube

PLAYSTATION 2
Ape Escape 2
Armored Core 2
Barbarian
Black & Bruised
Bloodrayne
Bloody Roar 4
The Bouncer
Britney's Dance Beat
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Capcom Vs SNK 2
Chaos Legion
Clock Tower 3
Dark Summit
Defender
Devil May Cry 2
Dino Stalker
Disaster Report
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
Driving Emotion Type-S
Dynasty Tactics
Dynasty Warriors 4
Ephemeral Fantasia
ESPN NFL Football
ESPN NHL Hockey
ESPN Winter X Games Snowboarding
Freaky Flyers
Freestyle Metal X
Frequency
Futurama
Grandia Xtreme
Guilty Gear X
Gungrave
Haunted Mansion
Ico
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
Jeopardy
Jungle Book: Rhythm N'Groove
Klonoa 2
Legends of Wrestling 2
Mega Man X7
Men in Black 2: Alien Escape
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance
Metropolismania
Minority Report
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
My Street
Mystic Heroes
Ninja Assault
Okage: Shadow King
Onimusha 2
Parappa the Rapper 2
Pryzm Chapter One: The Dark Unicorn
RAD: Robot Alchemic Drive
Resident Evil: Dead Aim
Roadkill
Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown
Robotech: Battlecry
Rumble Racing
Rygar
Secret Weapons Over Normandy
Sega Sports Tennis
Shadow Hearts
Silpheed
Simpsons Skateboarding
Smash Court Tennis: Pro Tournament
Soccer Mania
Speed Kings
Spyhunter 2
Street Fighter EX3
Stretch Panic
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven
Terminator: Dawn of Fate
Vampire Night
Vexx
War of the Monsters
Wheel of Fortune
Wild Arms 3
Wipeout Fusion
WRC World Rally Championship
WWE Crush Hour
WWE Smackdown
X-Squad
Zone of Enders: 2nd Runner

XBOX
Aggressive Inline
Aliens Vs Predator
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance
Crimson Sea
Crazy Taxi 3
Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball
Dino Crisis 3
Dragon's Lair
Dynasty Warriors 3
Enclave
ESPN NFL
Fatal Frame
Futurama
Gun Metal
Gunvalkyrie
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
Mad Dash Racing
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
Motor Tren Presents: Lotus Challenge
NFL 2K3
New Legends
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Pro Race Driver
Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown
Shenmue II
Simpsons: Hit & Run
Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars: Obi Wan
SWAT
ToeJam & Earl III
Unreal Championship
Voodoo Vince
Wakeboarding Unleashed
Whacked!

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July 02, 2004

Motorola Launches the A630 In Style

Motorola sure knows how to kick off a product release. Motorola launched the new A630 at the Hotel Gansevoort in New York City. In the midst of such celebrities as Russell Simmons, Molly Shannon, and Tyson Beckford, and Jacob the Jeweler, Motorola set the stage for a huge debut for their latest mobile phone. The A630 seems to be the perfect blend of a mobile phone and a Sidekick/Blackberry type of device. To read the press release and see more pictures of the celebs, click the link.

PRESS RELEASE:

At an exclusive gathering of New York City’s top trend-setters and influencers, Motorola Inc., a leader in wireless communications, unveiled its latest wireless creation - the model A630. Staged on the rooftop of the exclusive Hotel Gansevoort, celebrities and style leaders, including Drea de Matteo, Russell Simmons, Pat Field, Molly Shannon, Samantha Ronson and Jacob the Jeweler were among the first to witness the unveiling of the next “must have” mobile device from Motorola.

Following in the footsteps of the game-changing Motorola StarTAC and the company’s revolutionary two-way pagers, the model A630 is yet another innovative new product from Motorola. Packaged in a unique, multi- functional design featuring a QWERTY keyboard hidden inside a sleek candy bar form, the Motorola A630 lets you call, text or email with style and ease.

From the outside, you see a fashionable, compact mobile handset. Once opened, the device reveals a full QWERTY keyboard that makes texting, email exchanges and Instant Messaging easy. The A630 does not stop there. For multi-media fun, the handset comes with an integrated camera with 4 x zoom, multi-media messaging for sending and sharing images, dedicated gaming keys and a vivid color display that offers portrait as well as landscape views. When its time to be productive, the A630 offers integrated Bluetooth wireless technology, an office quality speakerphone and email support including POP3, SMTP and Imap4. The Motorola A630’s fusion of the mobile and messaging worlds without sacrificing weight, size or style makes it the ideal device for today's text-savvy trendsetting consumer.

“With the debut of the model A630, Motorola delivers a uniquely designed handset that stands apart from the pack, promising simplified voice and messaging communications supported by the latest technology,” said James Burke, Sr. Director of Product Operations for Motorola, Inc. “With its clever combination of fun and function, the model A630 is sure to please style-conscious movers and shakers."

The Motorola A630 features include:

− Full QWERTY keyboard with 5-way navigation for easy messaging, fun gaming and more
− Integrated VGA camera with dedicated photo button for quick shoot and send power
− 220 x 176 pixel color landscape display capable of supporting up to 65,000 colors
− Built-in Bluetooth wireless technology
− Advanced messaging including Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS), SMS, e-mail support (POP3, SMTP, Imap4) and multibranded IM (Instant Messaging)
− GSM tri-band capabilities
− J2ME downloading functionality
− Integrated hands-free speakerphone
− Polyphonic speaker for the ultimate sound and cool MP3 ringtones

Pricing and Availability
The Motorola A630 is expected at Cingular Wireless retail stores nationwide later this summer.

Posted by Andru at 08:58 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 01, 2004

iRiver H320 Reviewed

People have been waiting for iRiver's updated hard drive audio players. Finally, they are now available in Japan and Europe, and reviews are starting to show up. So far, things are very positive. The device just looks sexy, with a sleek body and color screen. Not only does it play your favorite tunes, but it can also display photos in full color and play FM radio. If anyone wants to make a serious run at the iPod (which seems to be the theme of the day), this is the way to do it.

Akirahaba iRiver Review | Sorobangeeks - Scroll to bottom for English

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Send in Your iPod, Get a Dell DJ For $99

It seems as if everyone is gunning for the iPod. Now through August 11, Dell is now offering a special $100 rebate on the Dell Digial Jukebox 15GB if you send them your old iPod along with the rebate form. I don't know how well this promotion will do, considering that only getting $100 for any functioning iPod doesn't sound like a good deal at all. However, if you happen to have a broken one lying around...

Read More | Dell

Posted by Andru at 12:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Is Sony's NW-HD1 the iPod Killer?

Sony is heading into battle as they become the latest company trying to take the digital audio player market share from the iPod. The new Sony Walkman NW-HD1 offers 20 GB of storage space, and weighs just 3.8 ounces. This is lighter than the larger iPod, and just a tiny bit bigger than the iPod mini. The device will be able to store 13,000 songs according to Sony, which if true is an amazing feat at 20 GB. Apple's 40 GB iPod holds approximately 10,000 songs. In addition, it boasts a 30 hour battery life. It is expected that the device, which launches in Japan on July 10, will sell for less than $400 in the United States.

So are there any negatives to Sony's device? Well, continuing their tradition of creating their own standards, the Walkman NW-HD1 only plays Sony ATRAC files. What does this mean to you? Your MP3 files, along with any music purchased through any online music store (aside from the abysmal Sony Connect) will have to be converted to ATRAC format if you want to use it on this device. I'm calling it now - because it can't even play MP3's, the Walkman NW-HD1 will be a failure.

Talk about Sony's new device on the Gear Live Boards

Read More | Reuters

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