Bleeding Edge Byte 011: Pacific Designs Rolling Lite Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, PC / Laptop, Product Reviews, Videocasts,

Pacific Designs sent us their Rolling Lite briefcase bag, and we put it through the wringer over the past month. Surprisingly, this thing is solid, providing a seemingly endless number of pockets along with a dedicated space for a 15” or smaller laptop. Check out this episode for our review of the Rolling Lite.

Here’s how to get the show:
Subscribe: iTunes iPod / H.264 | iTunes MPEG-4 | RSS iPod Feed | RSS MPEG-4 Feed

|Download| - iPod-formatted H.264 (Mirror)
|Download| - DivX (Mirror)
|Download| - MPEG-4 (Mirror)
|Download| - PSP (Mirror)

IMPORTANT: We are surveying the viewers of our show to see what it is that people like, and more importantly, what they don’t like. It is anonymous, and just takes a couple of minutes. If you have the time, we would appreciate it! As always, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

Sony VAIO UX50 Handheld PC Reviewed, Trumps UMPCs

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews,

We recently told you about Sony’s VAIO UX50 handheld computer, and reviews are finally starting to trickle in on the device. According to Digital Trends, the VAIO UX50 is a near perfect handheld PC, and is apparently everything that we hoped the UMPC would be:

The UX50 may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a highly portable device that can handle tasks usually requiring a full featured PC, take a serious look at the UX50. Sony has outdone themselves with the combination of software, hardware and aesthetics, resulting in a device unmatched by any ultraportable PC on the market. Forget the UMPC hype. This is what the UMPC was meant to be.

So if you need something even smaller than a laptop to keep tabs on everything, this one might be for you. Beware of the pricetag though - the VAIO UX50 retails fo $1799.99 USD. You can pre-order one at Dynamism.

Read More | Digital Trends

SlingBox Recording With Replay SlingCorder *UPDATED*

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews, Software,

If you’re a Slingbox owner, how many times has this happened to you?  You’re away from home and watching video content being streamed by your Slingbox, when it occurs to you that you need to record the current stream.  No?  Well, me either, but I can see how some people might find the ability to record from a Slingbox a useful thing.  Considering how litigious today’s society is, it comes as no surprise that SlingMedia neglected to include any kind of recording capabilities in their SlingPlayer software. 

To fix this shortcoming, Applian Technologies introduces their Replay SlingCorder software.  Not only can you record content currently being viewed, but a scheduling feature provides even more versatility.  To operate simply provide a name for your recording, enter the duration you want to record, provide the channel number if necessary, and specify whether to start now or at a future time.  The software records at 320x240 resolution and saves the files as Windows Media (ASF) files which should be playable on a variety of devices.

A resolution limit of 320x240, the inability to schedule more than a few hours into the future, and the record start/stop sequences are the only downsides I’ve been able to find so far.  The Slingbox itself is capable of 640x480 and it would be nice to have the SlingCorder match the resolution that is currently being streamed.  Also, when SlingCorder starts a recording it has to close and re-launch the SlingPlayer software.  Given the method Applian uses to capture the stream that’s only slightly annoying and really of no consequence, but when a recording stops, the SlingPlayer is disconnected and does not reconnect.  It would be handy if an option was provided to keep the SlingPlayer connected when recording stops.  On the upside, the SlingCorder is a lightweight application that does one thing, and does it well, the aforementioned quibbles aside.  For a piece of software I didn’t even realize I was missing, the Replay SlingCorder fits the bill.

A feature-limited (5 minute recording limit) demo version is available for free, and the full version sells for $29.95 USD.

UPDATE: Bill Dettering, CEO of Applian Technologies, was kind enough to point out that the SlingCorder will indeed record whatever resolution is being streamed.  That bit of info easily negates my biggest complaint about the software.  Also, for clarification purposes it should be noted that the scheduling limitation of “a few hours into the future” really equates to “no more than 24 hours into the future”.

Read More | Applian Technologies via Zatz Not Funny

Gear Live Review: Tom Bihn Archetype Laptop Bag

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Wearables, Design, Features, PC / Laptop, Product Reviews,

We had our girl Ponzi take the new Tom Bihn Archetype bag (in Leopard print!) for a spin since we knew she would look a lot better carrying around a bag like this than we would. She tested the bag with her 12” ThinkPad, and reports back with her thoughts on the new bag. You can check out the Archetype Gallery for more images, and the full review after the jump.

Click to continue reading Gear Live Review: Tom Bihn Archetype Laptop Bag

Gear Live Review: Vaja iVod Video Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Design, Features, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews,

In case you missed our video review of the Vaja iVod Video, we figured we would flesh out our thoughts in print as well. The Vaja iVod Video cases for the 5th generation iPod with video are impressive, and this one was made using the Vaja Choice service. First impressions count, and as you can see, the product was custom-made with Gear Live orange and gray taking center stage. We took tons of images which you can find in our iVod Video Gallery, and give our full impressions, after the jump.

Click to continue reading Gear Live Review: Vaja iVod Video Review

Helio Kickflip Reviewed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Product Reviews,

So, Helio launched a few weeks ago, aiming to separate themselves from the normal United States cellular carriers by offering better service and phones that were previously unavailable Stateside. Our boys over at OhGizmo got their hands on one of the two phones that the services launched with, the Kickflip, and put it through the paces.

My gut feeling is that it’s just a little too soon to make a final decision on Helio. At this point, the rig needs a little polish. The phone is great and the service promises to be just as engaging, but it’s not there yet.

Click on for the full review.

Read More | OhGizmo

Gear Live Review: Sprint Samsung MM-A920 Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews,

We just put a bunch of time into playing with the Samsing MM-A920, and are reporting back with our thoughts. This is Sprint’s dedicated multimedia phone, offering easy access and navigation of music, games, and video clips on the go. With external navigation, stereo speakers, BlueTooth, camera, and a host of other features, how does the phone stack up? Read on for our full review.

Click to continue reading Gear Live Review: Sprint Samsung MM-A920 Review

The Bleeding Edge 014: Stream DivX To Xbox 360, Verizon Song Identity, Windows Desktop Search

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Home Entertainment, Internet, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Portable Audio / Video, Product Reviews, Video Games, Videocasts,

In this show we show off Verizon Song Identity, get an inside look at Windows Desktop Search, and stream DivX to the Xbox 360:

THE WIRE
PSP Firmware Upgrade
Net Neutrality Bill Voted Down

GIZMATIC
ZVUE 200a

UNWIRED
Verizon Song Identity Service

WEB GEMS
Interview with Brandon Paddock, Windows Desktop Search

HACK ATTACK
How To Stream DivX To Your Xbox 360

Here’s how to get the show:
Subscribe: iTunes iPod / H.264 | iTunes MPEG-4 | RSS iPod Feed | RSS MPEG-4 Feed

|Download| - iPod-formatted H.264 (Mirror)
|Download| - DivX (Mirror)
|Download| - MPEG-4 (Mirror)
|Download| - PSP (Mirror)

IMPORTANT: We are surveying the viewers of our show to see what it is that people like, and more importantly, what they don’t like. It is anonymous, and just takes a couple of minutes. If you have the time, we would appreciate it! As always, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

Samsung Q1 Reviewed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, PC / Laptop, Product Reviews,

So, we are finally starting to get some feedback on the much-hyped Origami platform. As it turns out, Samsung Q1 UMPC reviews are starting to trickle in, and what we knew would be the case seems to be true. According to the Washington Post,  The Q1 is simply lacking in a few key areas, namely screen size and hard drive space. Even so, it wouldn’t be so bad if the Q1 weren’t set to retail for way more than Microsoft led us to believe that the UMPC platform would sell for. So, it appears that the verdict on this one is to wait a while. We either want to see a feature set increase, or a price decrease before we put down the dough for one of these.

Read More | Washington Post

Yahoo! Go Reviewed

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Home Entertainment, Internet, Product Reviews,

Just a short while ago we mentioned that Yahoo! had acquired Meedio.  Skip forward a week, and Yahoo! has released the beta of their version of Meedio.  It was mentioned that the partnership had been in the works for a while (~ 6 months), and this quick release certainly reinforces that.  The product, lamely entitled Yahoo! Go, is given the once-over at Eirikso and comes away a little worse for wear.

One of the biggest problems it seems, and a true departure from one of Meedio’s ideals, is that the software doesn’t currently work for anyone outside the US.  Of course, there are steps that can be taken to work around that annoyance, but it’s still worth noting.  Also, local content such as pictures, movies, and recorded shows are overshadowed on every menu by the online content being pimped by Yahoo!  Then there’s the problems with playing DRM-equipped WMA files, the TV module issues, and on and on.

Journalistic bludgeoning aside, the software is still in beta form, and is sure to grow and improve as time goes by . . . we hope.  Freely available for download at Yahoo, provided of course you live in the US.

Read More | Yahoo! via Eirikso