Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Product Reviews: Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW and ViewSonic VP231wb LCD Displays

PC World has the skinny on a couple of startling high-end LCD displays available to home users. If you’re looking to add a little elegance to your desktop or perhaps looking for a quality LCD to make the switch to from an old reliable CRT, or even if you’re just looking for a nice upgrade or gift to give yourself (or your favorite TechTV fan-blogger) then look no further!

I managed to pick up a Dell Ultrasharp 2001fp a couple of months ago when they were on sale, and I can testify to it’s brilliance, even for gaming the thing is fantastic and the response time is low enough that I don’t see ghosting in my favorite videogames. The Dell Ultrasharp 2405fpw (a full 24-inches widescreen, using actually the same LG display part that Apple uses in it’s 23-inch displays) is a few steps up and from my first hand impressions with one, it’s an absolutely fabulous monitor. Built-in USB hub and multimedia card reader, multiple inputs (DVI and VGA, of course, but there’s also S-Video, and Component), and a simply brilliant screen make for a lovely desk piece. Huge, but lovely, it’ll definitely take up a bit of space, but the actual footprint is small enough because the stand is much smaller than the breadth the monitor takes up while standing. Definitely a quality display, and with all the insane sales that Dell has had on it’s monitors and various electronics lately, the $1200 dollar price tag (which is already impressively cheap for a monitor of this size and quality) is likely to drop quite a bit if you catch it at the right time.

Regardless, don’t just take my word for it, and also see PCWorld’s impressions of the ViewSonic VP231wb:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120529,tk,prx,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Budget LCD Roundup!

The tech reviewers at FiringSquad [http://www.firingsquad.com/ ] have put together quite the comprehensive list of LCD displays that won’t crack your budget or cramp your computing style. It’s pretty thorough, including quite a bit of interesting preface information about LCDs in general, the way they work, improvements that have been made over the years, and pretty much everything you could ever possibly want to know about how to really gauge an LCD’s quality and value. They guide you through comparing color temperatures and contrast ratios, and give you a peek into the history of the LCD and the improvements that have been made since their introduction almost 10 years ago.

If all that’s too much for you, then don’t worry-just skip ahead to the monitors they tested; some good names are in there, Samsung, Dell, Viewsonic, Sony; and the pros and cons of each are outlined in excellent detail. The reviews and results of the tests might surprise you!

[ http://firingsquad.com/hardware/budget_lcd_roundup_0405/default.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

ExtremeTech’s PSP Media Guide

Got a shiny new PSP? Maybe not, judging by the price tag, but if you do, you’ll probably want to use it to it’s full capabilities, right? And of course that includes getting your music and movies onto the thing to use it as a portable media player as well as a portable gaming device. (As a side note, I’m markedly surprised that Sony’s suceeded where others have failed in marketing and selling an exceptionally popular multi-function device; most people historically haven’t wanted game machines mixed in with all the other stuff like mp3 playback and portable video, but apparently the market is there!)

Well, ExtremeTech comes to the rescue. Today they put out their PSP Media Guide, with well written how-tos on how to get your media to your PSP, what hardware you’ll need to buy to make the most of your PSP, and how to enjoy every moment of it!

[ http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1780907,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

First Look: Sony’s Impressive PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Finally it’s arrived. The monster of last year’s E3, stealing all of the attention and making gamers worldwide drool with anticipation, Sony’s PlayStation Portable has been unleashed in full force in the United States. It’s Japanese release only a few months earlier prompted a storm of popularity and demand that Sony is still struggling to keep up with. Delaying the European release as to have more units on hand for the exceptionally high demand in the United States, it’s clear that Sony has a winner on it’s hands, one that has all but easily triumphed in the first round against Nintendo’s new handheld device, the Nintendo DS.

The $250 price tag is a little steep, but for a portable music player, a portable movie player, 802.11b wi-fi internet access and networking, PDA functionality, and of course, the beautiful games ported to and created just for the PSP, many people don’t seem to find it much of a problem. It’s available in stores now, and of course we’ll bring you a more in depth review when we have the opportunity to get our hands on one, but until then, this first look from PCWorld will have to do:

[ http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120117,tk,prx,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

New Choices in Digital Music Players

Now I’m a huge fan of the iPod, no doubt, but who doesn’t like choice? Besides, having multiple excellent digital music players on the market only leads to more competition and more features, which will hopefully bring the price point down for all of us and save us all some dough when we’re looking for the perfect device to carry on the train with us or strap to our arm when we go jogging. But even though the iPod is king, it looks like some serious competitors are coming out of Japan, and not just in the iPod’s genre. Other well established players and devices, look out-a new generation of gadgets may be on the rise, some of which you’ll definitely want in your home or in your pocket:

[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119957,tk,dn031605X,00.asp ]

I’ll take one of those Samsung 7-megapixel cameraphones, thanks!

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Coming Soon: Multi-Button Mice From Apple?

My my the times they are a changin’. Looks like Apply might be developing and releasing their first ever multi-button mouse; a step that’s long long long overdue by Apple. Don’t get me wrong, Apple all but invented the mouse, and they’ve long championed an operating system that didn’t require contextual menus and second mouse buttons, but as technology has grown and changed, so has their operating system, and contextual menus have been an important feature since Mac OS 9 was released, and Mac OS has had multi-button support built in since OS X was unveiled; just plug in your third party multi-button mouse, hit the right mouse button, and there’s the menu.

Many Apple critics have used this as an object of ridicule against Apple, scorning them for choosing tradition and simplicity over functionality, in a debate that, like most Mac. vs. PC debates, comes down to personal preference, but it looks like between this rumor and the development and release of the Mac Mini that Apple is finally coming around to taking aim at the nitpicky critics if for no other reason than to shut them up. Good move, in my opinion.

Regardless, read the rumormill over at Apple Insider:
[ http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=951 ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Logitech’s New Gaming Mouse: The MX518

Personally I have a Logitech MX510 that I absolutely love and think it’s the best gaming mouse money could buy-I’m exceptionally pleased with it, and you can imagine my anticipati0on when I found out that Logitech was upping the ante in the gaming mouse arena with the MX518. The mouse sports 1600dpi, which offers exceptional resolution, stability, and precision for hardcore gamers who need to be able to flick their wrist just that much to line up the perfect shot and fire.

My personal opinion has always been the logitech makes the best mice on the market, and the new mouse apparently does not dissapoint. I haven’t had the opportunity to get one in a test environment yet, but when I do, you can bet a full review is on the way. In the meantime, there’s always ExtremeTech (who has a much much larger budget than us poor folks at TechTV Forver) and their as always outstanding reviews. Read on:

[ http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1776396,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Shuttle XP 17″ LCD Display Review

ExtremeTech today has a review of Shuttle’s new 17-inch handled LCD, designed to accompany their Shuttle PCs and emphasize portability and mobile gaming. Shuttle is known well in geek circles for their impressive home theatre machines crammed into exceptionally small form-factor PC cases (of their own design) and of course, similarly impressive gaming hardware crammed into a case small enough and with a handle strong enough you an pick it up and head out to your friend’s place to or hit up a LAN party with.

There are obvious drawbacks to the exceptionally small Shuttle case design, of course, but all in all you get pretty good punch for your buck and the benefit of having a pretty powerful system that’s incredibly portable. Now, Shuttle has forayed into the LCD display market, releasing a 17-inch LCD with a handle on the top that’s aimed at the portable gaming crowd who don’t keep wishing they could lug their monitors around as easily as their Shuttle PCs, or are just overall tired of lugging monitors around in general (and possibly converting several conventional PC users to the portability of Shuttle in the meantime).

So how does the new monitor measure up? Is it worth your buck and how much buck will it take? Read all about it:
[ http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1774013,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets Tips and Tricks

iPod Shuffle RAID

I’m not entirely sure why anyone would really need an exceptionally slow 4GB RAID array, but this guy did it:

[ http://www.wrightthisway.com/Articles/000154.html ]

It took something like 11 minutes to copy about 1.8GB from his G5 to the 4GB RAID array, but it’s just proof that it can be done! So if you need to back up data in a flash and all you have on hand is a couple of iPod Shuffles, you too can be like MacGyver and build a quick, easy RAID array. But don’t try and install OS X on it, because while connected Mac OS won’t recognize it as a startup device, and won’t allow you to install the OS to the RAID array.

More details, and the pictures, at the link above.

Categories
Gear and Gadgets Tips and Tricks

iPod Mod!

Another in the line of iPod goodness today, here’s something for all you guys with a regular iPod (since the last tip applied to the Shuffle and the Mini):

Constantly worried about scratching up the mirrored finish on the back of your iPod? If you’re like me, you’ve probably already scratched it a few times-but that’s okay, check this out:

[ http://www.suplido.com/joel/archives/2004_09.html#000367 ]

This guy’s got the right idea-it’s not much of a “mod,” per se, but hey-he’s definitely changing the look, and it’s easier than you think! Just grab some scotchbrite and get scratchin-and you too can have that beautiful brushed aluminum look for your iPod and never have to worry about scratching it again-because if you do, it’ll only add to the look!

That is to say, if you like the brushed aluminum look. (i do)

Categories
Gear and Gadgets Tips and Tricks

Trick out your iPod Shuffle

Got an iPod Shuffle yet?

Ready to trick it out, make it really yours? Here’s a little something that’ll make your iPod Shuffle stand out from the crowd when you hang it around your neck, and it’ll make sure the thing will never get
lost. Ipod Shuffle skins!

Check it out:
[ http://www.evolutionvinylworks.com/?function=&cat_id=140 ]

These guys have a selection of iPod Shuffle printed skins and vinyl skins that fit right on your iPod shuffle and cost five bucks each. You can get solid colors if you’re not into that whole printed image thing, or you can get flashy with some fire or lightning, or bling up your Shuffle with some diamonds or cash print!

Also, in case you’re interested, these guys also supply skins for your iPod Mini, GBA, Nintendo DS, PS2, or XBox, in case you want to add a little personality to those drab consoles.

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

First Look: Apple’s Mac Mini

Okay. Again in lieu of having a real review and still waiting to get my hands on one of these babies to try out and play with a bit, I’ll let everyone see PC World’s first look review of the Mac Mini.So far their impressions include words like “solid” and “stable,” which are good considering the mini’s size-I was somewhat concerned that something so small might not be a solid machine, but I’m glad to see that’s not the case.

Also, it looks like there’s a lack of USB ports on the poor thing, it’s got two, one of which is needed for the keyboard, and if you can’t plug the mouse into a port on the keyboard, then you’ll have none for other peripherals. That’ll matter to people looking to use the Mini as a desktop computer, but if you’re using it for something else-or using a wireless keyboard and mouse-you won’t care too much. Looks like an excellent starter Mac (thinking about getting it as a replacement for my parents’ aging blueberry iMac-not that they don’t use their PC for everything anyway) or maybe an excellent add-on Mac for people who would like to play with one, but don’t want to drop cash on a more expensive Mac flavor.

[ http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,119387,tk,prx,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Powerbook Updates from Apple

If you’ve been jonesin for some Powerbook goodness, now might be the time to run out and snag one. All of them come standard with 512MB of RAM, the processor speeds have been modestly bumped (the high end going from 1.5Ghz to 1.67Ghz) , faster everything, and trackpad scrolling, a method to scroll up and down/left and right in windows by touching two fingers to the trackpad. New backlit keyboards and standard Airport Extreme round out some of the feature highlights.

You’d figure that with all of these improvements, Apple would be charging more for the newly enhanced Powerbook line, right? Wrong; the prices have actually dropped-a couple of hundred bucks depending on your configuration. So what do you think? In the mood for a Powerbook? I know I am. Read more details here:

[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119513,tk,dn020105X,00.asp ]
and go shopping here:
[ http://www.apple.com/powerbook/ ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

Sony Takes on the Portable Gaming Arena

It’s no real secret that Sony’s prepping it’s PSP (PlayStation Portable) for release in the United States in the coming months. It’s also no secret that they recently released the device in Japan, and essentially sold out of the vast majority of it’s existing stock on the first day. The little gizmos are literally impossible to find in Japan, and Sony’s rushing to produce more of them.

I’ve seen photos and demos of the little guys, and I definitely want one, no doubt-that big beautiful screen, the ability to play gorgeous games as well as keep dates and appointments, listen to mp3s, play videos, look at photos, what else could you possibly want from a multifunctional device? But maybe that’ll be Sony’s downfall in the portable gaming arena; Nokia tried giving us the multifunction mobile gaming device, and it failed horribly-Nintendo is still the king, and it’s throned itself on a principle: keep it simple, stupid.

The Nintendo Game Boy SP and Nintendo DS are strictly gaming systems. So why does Sony think that American consumers want to be able to listen to tunes and watch a movie after they play a quick game of Metal Gear Acid? And does Sony think they’ll seriously be successful in this all-to-fickle market? What have they got up their sleeves? Read on:

[ http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,66413,00.html ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets

First Look: Do the (IPod) Shuffle

In lieu of a real review at TechTalk or anywhere like that until I get myself back on my feet, I think PC World’s first hands-on experience with the iPod Shuffle will have to suffice. They don’t really get in depth or anything, but they do give you a decent first impression that should help you figure out whether this is the kind of device for you or not.

Literally it really does break down into whether you absolutely totally need an LCD screen to navigate your songs or whether you’re a plug in your headphones and go mix-tape style person; and well, each of us is different, right? Anyway, the review is a good first impression. Head over to an Apple Store and play with one!

[ http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,119382,tk,prx,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets People TechNews Bytes

Kevin Rose’s CES Faves

Kevin thanks everyone for being patient while waiting for his CES coverage, but sheesh, in my opinion he’s pretty quick out of the gate with some picks and faves and reviews from his experience there-especially since he’s up there at the Macworld Expo as we speak. Maybe I’m just impressed because he beat me to my own CES roundup and review, but he’s got the edge since he was actually THERE.

Anyway, on to Kevin’s fine reporting. Thanks Kevin!

[ http://www.kevinrose.com/index.php/weblog/comments/177/ ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets TechNews Bytes

G4TechTV’s Best of CES Awards

I don’t know who they got that was qualified to judge for the Best of CES Awards, and I highly doubt that the distinction carried by the awards is quite as admirable as it used to be in the TechTV days, but regardless, G4TechTV has chosen winners in various different categories, and I have to admit, the toys they picked are worthy of the awards they recieved.

Check out the press release: [ http://press.arrivenet.com/bus/article.php/555445.html ]
And of course the G4TTV site with more info: [ http://www.g4techtv.com/bestofces ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets People TechNews Bytes

Cat Schwartz and Engadget at CES

Engadget [ http://www.engadget.com/ ], one of the two popular gadget blogs (the other being Gizmodo [ http://www.gizmodo.com ]) looks like it teamed up with good old Cat Schwartz to bring you some video footage-and coverage-from CES 2005! the video’s freely available over at Engadget, and it’s split into two parts, both of which are available here:

Part One :: [ http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000597026350/ ]
Part Two :: [ http://engadget.com/entry/1234000363026617/ ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets TechNews Bytes

CES 2005: Show Stopping Photos

Well, it’s the Monday after CES, and while we’re all shaking the fog from our heads and wondering when all of the neat toys we saw last week are going to wind up on the store shelves for us to take home, it looks like PCWorld has come up with a set of photos they call “show stoppers,” showing some really interesting new gadgets and gizmos doing some more than interesting things; including an mp3 player that’s completely functional underwater, a battery operated DLP projector that fits in the palm of your hand, and more! Check it out:

[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119119,tk,dn010705X,00.asp ]

Categories
Gear and Gadgets TechNews Bytes

CES Photos from the First 48 Hours

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be at CES right now! Covering all of that gorgeous technology, walking through the aisles watching vendors describe their hottest and newest products and how all of them will somehow change our lives forever, from holographic hard drives to computerized toasters. While you can expect tons of coverage from a variety of sources coming soon (CES officially opens its doors today) PCWorld broke out with a few photos and brief product descriptions from it’s first 48 hours of sneaking around, and some of the products look interesting as well as delicious:

The first 24 hours:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119117,tk,dn010505X,00.asp ]
And the second 24:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119118,00.asp ]