Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
Mac mini With Front Row Hacked Into Toyota Prius
Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Apple, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Transportation,
No, that’s not a go-kart sized version of the Prius, it’s a Mac mini running through the on-board display of a Toyota Prius! Nice hack by a post from a member of the MacVroom forums. Dr. FrankenMac has almost brought this beast to life, but still has a few bugs to iron out…
So my goal was to get a mac working on my Prius’s MFD display, and be able to use it’s touch screen to control the front end (currently Front Row)
I don’t have audio hooked up, figured the video would be the hardest part.
I’m going through a Can-View which normally is just used for display the car’s CAN data http://hybridinterfaces.ca/, but has RGB+S in and outputs the MFD’s touchscreen through a serial cable.
I tried using SwitchResX to output the 640x480 at 15.75khz with no luck (got it working with powerstrip on a pc) Ended up buying a used scan converter off of ebay that outputs RGB+S.
Wrote a perl script to listen to the serial port (keyspan USB->serial converter) and sends Front Row commands through apple script. Broke the screen up into a 3x3 grid (9 boxes) Up, Down, Left, Right, center for enter/play/pause, and left top for menu/escape.
Here is what I have so far. This is just the prototype phase. I need to figure out audio, and then I’ll actually get a mac mini and try to hide all the components.
You can check out some of the images on his website. For the full scoop, check out the post on MacVroom.com.
Read More 
| MacVroom.com
Gallery: Mac mini With Front Row Hacked Into Toyota Prius
Advertisement
The Reason Why It’s So Difficult To Get Windows To Boot On Intel Macs
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Software,
Microsoft has gone and confirmed the cause of why people are having so much trouble getting Windows XP and beta versions of Vista to boot on the Intel Macs. It seems that while Apple and Microsoft have both stated that they are not going to go out of their way to stop someone from running windows on a Mac box, Apple did choose to make it more difficult than it could have been:
Interest is also growing among Windows users, who cite the operating system’s unparalleled selection of software and want to port it to run on Apple’s stylish hardware. A Microsoft spokesman confirmed that neither Windows Vista nor XP will work “out of the box” with the MacIntels. The reason, said Microsoft, is because Apple decided not to install a piece of firmware optional to EFI called a Compatibility Support Module that was available from Intel.
So there you have it. If Apple had Compatibility Support installed, all of this may have been a whole lot easier. Our take, though, is that a power user won’t want to have a dual-boot Mac/Windows machine. We certainly wouldn’t. We would much prefer the ability to run Windows programs right inside of OS X, be it through WINE or an upgraded Virtual PC.
Read More | Computer World
Gallery: The Reason Why It’s So Difficult To Get Windows To Boot On Intel Macs
Solio Solar Charger for your iPod: Back in Black
Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Accessories, Apple, Cameras, Smartphones, GPS, Handhelds, Misc. Tech, Peripherals, Portable Audio / Video,
For those of you planning to conquer Mount Everest in the near future, you know you can’t possibly do this without taking your iPod with you right? Well how the heck are you gonna charge that sucker on your way up to the summit? Solio has the answer for ya. All the goodness and eco-friendly power of the sun can now be harnessed just for you so that you can power all those gadgets for free, courtesy of that shiny ball of light in the sky. But what about all your other gadgets? Relax Skippy, have sunlight, will travel…
Solio is a portable, renewable power source that draws energy from sunlight, storing it in an internal battery and using it to charge virtually all mobile electronic devices, including:
• Cell phones
• iPods/MP3 players
• Digital cameras
• PDAs
• GPSsSo wherever you are…whenever you need power…Solio is there.
Anything: Powers virtually all your hand-held electronics
Anytime: Stores power for whenever you need it
Anywhere: Chargeable from the sun or wall socket
Anyone: Easy to use by attaching a cable and pushing a button
How’s that for gadget coolness? The latest Solio now comes in black, along with the older Coldplay version. Pretty spiffy for those of you with a black nano or 5G Video iPod. Now you can climb and conquer in style, while maintaining maximum fashionability. Rock on…
Read More | Solio
Gallery: Solio Solar Charger for your iPod: Back in Black
Daystar Technology Announces MAChSpeed G4 Powerbook CPU Upgrades
Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Apple, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop,
Today Daystar Technology announced their XLR8 MAChSpeed G4 PowerBook Aluminum Upgrades. Daystar claims that the low-power 7447 G4 CPU’s are 100% compatible with everything you run today on Panther or Tiger. According to Daystar:
The XLR8 MAChSpeed G4 Aluminum CPU upgrade, will energize your PowerBook with new life. With real-world performance, you’re getting a completely different user experience!
This upgrade not only delivers from 1.92 to 2.0 GHz PowerPC performance, but operates with everything you have now - that translates to more performance in half the time. That’s half the time to create, to view, to work… and twice the time to play!.
Those are some pretty hefty claims. The most interesting claim is that these new CPU upgrades are FASTER than even the new MacBook Pro! We find that one a little hard to swallow, but without definitive 3rd party benchmarking tests, we won’t know for sure if these claims are real. Daystar says that their Apple Certified Technicians will install all new components (CPU w/512 KB cache and mobo mods), as well as run a 21 point diagnostic test on your system at no charge.
For those of you that just can’t seem to part with your laptop for more than a couple days, or need it for production on a daily basis, Daystar even has a week-ender program for nearly zero down-time.
This program includes overnight shipping of your iMac (USA only), and 12 hour conversion of your system. So, you ship your system on Thursday, then start working at G4 speeds Monday! Yes, it is expensive, but if downtime is an issue, this is your answer.
If all of Daystar’s claims turn out to be legit, then this seems like a great way to squeeze a little more performance out of your current PowerBooks, while you wait for the 2nd gen. MacBook Pro which should have all the bugs ironed out by then. One thing we can’t seem to figure out is why the heck Daystar offers upgrades for Titanium PowerBooks from 400-550MHz, then jumps right to the Aluminum Powerbooks. They completely left those of us with 800MHz TiBooks out in the cold. What gives Daystar? Pricing and additional details for their all products are available on their site.
Read More | Daystar Technologies
Gallery: Daystar Technology Announces MAChSpeed G4 Powerbook CPU Upgrades
TiVo Desktop for Mac 1.9.2 Released, And Sucks
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Home Entertainment, Software,
If you own a Mac and a TiVo, you might be pleased to hear that TiVo Desktop has just been updated to version 1.9.2, so now it supports OS X 10.4.x Tiger. What you might not be happy to hear is that the software will not work on an Intel Mac, nor does it give Mac users TiVo To Go. Hey TiVo, we are into a lot of the stuff you are doing (like the TiVo Series 3,) but seriously, get on the ball as it pertains to the Mac platform. It took you over nine months after the release of OS X Tiger to bring TiVo desktop to the platform. When you finally do, you bring it out a month after Intel Macs have been on the market, yet you don’t even make it to the program runs in Rosetta. Oh, and for the Macs that it does work on, TiVo To Go is a TiVo No Show. Can we get some better planning from the guys you have coding your OS X software? Thanks.
Read More | TiVo Desktop via TUAW
Gallery: TiVo Desktop for Mac 1.9.2 Released, And Sucks
If you are running Tiger, run Software Update to download the freshly-released OS 10.4.5 software. This one weighs in at 40.6 MB:
The 10.4.5 Update is recommended for all users and includes general operating system fixes, as well as specific fixes for the following applications and technologies:
- iChat video conferencing
- Safari rendering of web pages
- usability of Dashboard and widgets
- viewing of QuickTime streaming media behind a firewall
- printing to some Epson printer models
- iDisk and Portable Home Directory syncing
- time zone and daylight savings for 2006 and 2007
- VPN connections to Cisco servers when using NAT
- compatibility with third party applications and devices
- previous standalone security updates
For detailed information on this Update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n303179.
For detailed information on Security Updates, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n61798.
Gallery: Mac OS X 10.4.5 Now Available
Apple Shipping MacBook Pro With Faster Processors, Up To 2.16 GHz
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop,
If you pre-ordered a MacBook Pro, you will be happy to know that Apple is in a position to start shipping the latest iteration of their notebook, and the processors have been upgraded from what was announced at MacWorld. The $2,000 MacBook Pro now has a 1.83GHz Core Duo chip, up from 1.67 GHz. The 1.83 GHz $2,499 model now sports a 2 GHz processor, and Apple has even thrown in a $2,799 model that has a 2.16 GHz processor in it. Very nice to see the upgrades across the MacBook Pro line.
Read More | MacBook Pro
Gallery: Apple Shipping MacBook Pro With Faster Processors, Up To 2.16 GHz
Cinnamon Peripherals CinnaRack for Mac mini
Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Accessories, Apple, Design, Peripherals,
So you got that tight little Mac mini because you are a clutter freak and wanted to minimize what you have on your desktop. Somehow, as small as the mini is, the mere sight of it is bugging the heck out of you, so you want to hide it even more. Your wish has been granted by Cinnamon Peripherals with their CinnaRack for Mac mini.
The Mac mini is one of the smallest computer desktop ever made, but you can reclaim even more desktop space by mounting your Mac mini under your desk or under a shelf!
Now be forewarned, this is a limited edition prototype, and there will only be 50 made available for purchase. Nonetheless, it looks like a decent product and is sure to be a hit with that minimalist crowd.
The CinnaRack for Mac mini is designed to allow maximum airflow for the Mac mini. If your computer is hanging in the air, why limit its air intakes to the sides, like on a desk?
This is a limited edition, production protype. It lacks the ability to connect to our future accessories but is available at a special discount price. It’s also the only Cinnamon Peripheral that will ever have our complete company name silkscreened on it. Grab a piece of history!
The CinnaRack for Mac mini production prototype is made from anodized aluminium to closely match the look of the Mac mini.
Read More | Cinnamon Peripherals
Gallery: Cinnamon Peripherals CinnaRack for Mac mini
Apple just released an upgrade to their backup utility, which is aptly named, Backup:
Backup 3.1 delivers added support for some backup destinations and addresses file restoration and other issues. Backup 3.1 is recommended for all users of Backup 3.0. Significant areas addressed are:
Improved support for iDisk, local hard drives, and some network destinations (Mac OS X Tiger only)
New iWeb QuickPick and updated iLife plan
Addresses issues with restoring files
For more information about Backup 3, visit the .Mac website at: http://www.mac.comFor Backup 3 support information, visit http://www.apple.com/support/dotmac/backup/
Requirements
Macintosh computer with a PowerPC G3, G4, G5 or Intel Core processor.
Mac OS X v10.3.9 or Mac OS X v10.4.2 or later.
Run Software Update to get the download.
Gallery: Apple Backup 3.1 Released
Hot Carbon Fiber iPod Cases
Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Accessories, Apple, Portable Audio / Video,
C6 MFG has got a drop dead gorgeous iPod case for you fast and furious types. If the dashboard and interior of your ride is trimmed out in carbon fiber, this is the case for you. Who the hell is C6 MFG?
C6 Manufacturing is a company devoted to creating the highest quality products utilizing the best materials and elegant design. The company’s founders have years of experience in design and manufacturing of high tech products using exotic materials and advanced techniques.
These cases are made from real aerospace carbon fiber, aluminum, and stainless steel screws. They also include a stainless steel belt clip, a protective clear cling-on screen protector, and assembly tool. Apparently some assembly is required kids. Available for the iPod Video 30GB and 60GB models at $49.99, as well as the iPod Nano for $39.99. Full photos are available here.
Read More | C6 MFG
