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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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

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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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Remember the simple days of gaming? Back when it wasn't all about graphics and sound, but rather about...making fun of the cheesy graphics and sound? I digress. Either way, Jakks Pacific has decided to bring back the favorites of yesteryear in a simple and easy plug and play format. Your old favorites from Namco, Atari, Activision and more come in a joystick pre-loaded with games. Plug the joystick into an RCA input, and it will seem as if you and Ms. Pac-Man were never separated.

Read More | IGN

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Okay, we know. Spider-Man 2 is set to hit theaters nationwide tomorrow. Based on the popularity of the orignal, industry experts are expecting this to be one of the biggest opening weekends for a movie, ever. Many who were able to catch a sneak peek at the premier and in private screening have had nothing but good things to say. Check out the link below for early reviews, and then use the site to get your tickets early!

Spider-Man 2 Reviews and Tickets | Rotten Tomatoes

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Apple is really gunning for Microsoft as far as the OS market is concerned. Since OS X launched a couple of years ago, they have released major updates three times. Yesterday at the WWDC, they introduced the fourth - Mac OS X Tiger.

Showing off the latest OS X update, Steve Jobs talked about a new search technology called "Spotlight". In a nutshell, using the Spotlight technology, you can search your entire PC for whatever you need in seconds. According to Apple, "Spotlight can find email messages, calendars and contacts along with documents, movies, images - any kind of file - all at once." Think of it as being similar to searching for music in iTunes.

The other major portion of the Tiger update is "Dashboard". The Dashboard functions as a widget organizer which can be accessed at any time using a function key.

This isn't all. There are about 200 new additions to the Mac OS in the new version 10.4. Interestingly enough, all the new technologies that Apple is showcasing now are what Microsoft plans on releasing in another two years on the Windows front. You can be sure Mr. Gates was listening. Let's just hope he got the message. If you are going to come into the game late, you better innovate.

Read More | Apple

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Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates spoke recently about the enhancements being made to the MSN search engine. It sounds like Big Bill is determined to overthrow Google and Yahoo! from the top of the search engine world. Gates was quoted as saying the new MSN Search technology will be able to "understand" the documents they index, and plans to make web search "ten times better" than it is today.

I certainly wouldn't mind more relevant search results. If the new MSN Search can actually understand the content it indexes, and thus give better output - look out Google.

Read More | WebProNews

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Earlier today at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple CEO introduced the world to the new Apple Cinema Display HD line. The displays include a 20-inch 1680x1050 model, a 23-inch 1920x1200 model, and the flagship (and incredibly gorgeous) 30-inch 2560x1600 display.

The 20" and 23" models are the first Apple displays that can be used with a PC out of the box. The 30" display uses it's 4 million pixels in conjunction with a dual link DVI connection and only works on a Mac.

While these anodized aluminum encased monitors are gorgeous, they certainly will leave your wallet hurting. The 20-inch display costs $1299, the 23-inch is $1999, and the 30-inch is a staggering $3299.

Talk About New Displays on the Gear Live Forums

Read More | Apple

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Microsoft's next version of its Windows CE Operating System (5.0) is set to launch on July 9th. With this new version, Microsoft has also opted to give licensees a lot more control over developing for the platform. Licensees will have access to about 60-70% of the Windows CE 5.0 source code, which is essentially the blueprint of the OS.

In addition, Microsoft is also allowing developers to own the changes they innovate using the source code. This is a huge step in getting a larger base of software and applications which can be differentiated by developer.

Read More | PC Magazine

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If for some reason you are all iTunes'ed out, or are looking for (legal!) higher quality music downloads, you may want to give the RealPlayer Music Store a try. We took Real's Download service to task, and are back with our report.

Click to continue reading REVIEW: RealPlayer Music Store

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