Friday, September 05, 2008

Epson First to Drop Below $2K With 1080p Projector [CEDIA 2008]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383348473/epson-first-to-drop-below-2k-with-1080p-projector

Last year, Epson brought the price of 1080p projectors down to $2,700 and today it's dropping it again, to $2,000 (officially $1,999) for the all-new Powerlite Home Cinema 6100. We're not saying it's going to be as high-performance as Sony's or Panasonic's new $3,500 projectors, but damn if that's not the right price to build yourself a "budget" home theater. Epson is also launching its Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB 1080p projectors with some seriously high contrast ratios, but they'll come at a much higher—and as yet unspecified—price. More info below.

Epson America Unveils Industry's First 1080p Resolution Front Projector to Break $2,000 Price Mark

Epson Builds Upon Leadership Position as Number-One Selling Projector Brand Worldwide With New High-Performance, High-Value 1080p PowerLite Home Cinema 6100

DENVER, Colo. – Sept. 4, 2008 – Continuing its long-established leadership role as the number one selling projector brand worldwidei, Epson today announced the introduction of its latest 3LCD 1080p front projector, the high-performance, and high-value PowerLite Home Cinema 6100. Redefining the price-to-performance equation, the Home Cinema 6100 provides full 1920 x 1080 progressive high definition resolution at an amazing $1,999 price point, bringing the big-screen high definition home theater experience to an even wider range of consumers.

"Our goal is to drive the growth of the home theater market in a wide range of customer segments, bring i! ncredibl e big-screen experiences to first-time home entertainment consumers and to the most discerning AV elitists," said Rajeev Mishra, director, Projector Marketing and Development, Epson America. "The Home Cinema 6100 is especially ideal for home theater enthusiasts, delivering the optimal balance of quality, performance, ease-of-use, and flexibility at an outstanding value."

At the heart of the Home Cinema 6100's optical imaging engine is Epson's latest-generation D7 high definition resolution LCD technology. Unlike projectors which use a spinning color wheel with a white segment, 3LCD technology delivers realistic, vibrant colors without the possibility of color break-up. This latest technology also provides substantially improved contrast, reaching an incredible 18,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (a 50 percent improvement over earlier models) to deliver brighter and more accurate whites and darker blacks.

Another contributing factor to the Home Cinema 6100's increased contrast is its exclusive Dynamic Iris system, which allows light to be controlled precisely on a frame-by-frame basis. This feature is especially ideal for projecting fast-action movies that involve quick changing scenes. This is largely due to the Dynamic Iris system's ability to make automatic light output adjustments up to 120 times per second. The projector also features Epson's exclusive Cinema Filter that delivers a larger color space for improved color accuracy and a more film-like image. Epson has also collaborated with Fujinon – the leading provider of precision optics to the digital film and HDTV camera industry - to develop this projector's unique OptiCinema™ multi-lens system. This feature projects clean, precise edges with consistent image quality across the entire screen. It also gives users more options and flexibility in terms of where they wish to install the projector.

The Home Cinema 6100's light source uses a newly-updated E-TORL® (Epson Twin Optics Reflection Lamp), an exclusive! Epson d esign. Unlike off-the-shelf lamps, the ultra high efficiency E-TORL design provides optimum light uniformity and is rated at 200 watts (compared to 170 watts with earlier models). This enables the projector to deliver an incredible 1,800 lumens of white and color light output. It also allows the projector to be used with larger screen sizes (greater than ten feet diagonal), while still providing a bright, impressive picture.

A significantly improved airflow system in the Home Cinema 6100 contributes to more efficient use of power, reduced cool-down periods and lower fan speeds that result in quieter operation (only 22 db) than earlier models. The airflow system also takes advantage of an advanced air filtration system that achieves up to 98 percent efficiency which contributes to longer filter life.

The Home Cinema 6100 features numerous high definition inputs, including a high definition component video input as well as two HDMI version 1.3a digital inputs. An S-video input and a composite video input are also provided, along with a VGA-type RGB input (D-sub 15) to accept a wide variety of computer resolutions including high definition, bringing the number of HD-compatible inputs to four.

Stylishly designed, the Home Cinema 6100 features a white casing with silver accents and a reversible Epson logo on the front panel that can be reoriented for tabletop, shelf and ceiling mounting. An integrated cable hook ensures that connections always remain solid and secure, while an optional rear panel cable cover fully encloses the input panel to hide wiring.

Availability and Support
The Epson Home Cinema 6100 will be available in November through authorized Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets for an estimated street price of $1,999. The projector also comes with the service and support only Epson can offer, including a two-year limited warranty with toll-free access to PrivateLineSM, Epson's priority technical support, and free overnight exchange with ExtraCareSM Ho! me Servi ce.

About 3LCD Technology
3LCD is the world's leading projection technology, delivering unbelievably bright and natural color, amazing detail and road-tested reliability. Using an advanced, 3-chip optical engine, 3LCD offers full-time color for brilliant quality images without the possibility of color break-up. 3LCD is based on LCD technology, which is used by leading manufacturers worldwide for the ultimate viewing experience in flat panel TVs and projectors. To find out why more users choose 3LCD than all other projection technologies combined and to get the latest list of leading companies offering 3LCD technology in their products, visit the 3LCD website at http://www.3LCD.com.

Epson Adds Two New Pro Cinema Projectors to Award-Winning Line for Custom Installers and Home Theater Enthusiasts
Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB Projectors Give Installers Outstanding Package with Extraordinary Image Quality, High-Performance and Value-Add Features at a Superior Price

DENVER, Colo. – Sept. 4, 2008 – Epson America announces today at CEDIA Expo 2008 two home theater projectors designed to meet the expanding needs of both custom installers and home theater enthusiasts. The PowerLite® Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB feature true 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) resolution using the latest generation 3LCD chips with D7 technology to deliver substantially higher contrast and brightness. These projectors also give professional installers the benefits of ISF Certification and other features that help ensure their clients' projectors deliver the most brilliant image quality possible.

Epson, the number-one selling projector brand worldwidei, has packed the Pro Cinema 7100 and 7500 UB with advanced 3LCD technologies and impressive features to offer top-of-the-line projectors in each of their respective categories, sub $3,000 and sub-$4,500. Epson's D7 high definition 3LCD technology is at the core of each projector's optical imaging engine, de! livering realistic and vibrant colors without the possibility of color break-up, unlike projectors that use a spinning color wheel with a white segment. This latest technology delivers significantly improved contrast, with the Pro Cinema 7100 attaining an 18,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the Pro Cinema 7500 UB reaching an industry unprecedented 75,000:1, resulting in brighter whites and darker blacks.

"Epson is committed to providing the custom installation channel with high-performing, high quality products that are designed to support enormously successful businesses," said Rajeev Mishra, director, Projector Marketing and Development, Epson America. "The latest additions to the Pro Cinema home theater line allow installers to provide their customers with the greatest performance and quality combination available today."

Flagship Epson Pro Cinema 7500 UB
Housed in a newly-designed sleek all-black casing, the flagship Pro Cinema 7500 UB features a host of technological refinements and upgrades to provide the ultimate at-home big-screen experience, including C2Fine ™ technology for visibly increased high definition picture detail, Epson's exclusive UltraBlack™ technology, and new Vertical Alignment technology that together combine to deliver a new industry standard of deep blacks and impressive brightness and contrast.

For optimum picture detail with both movie- and video-originated content, the Pro Cinema 7500 UB also adds Epson's new FineFrameTM technology to deliver substantially smoother and sharper motion pictures while eliminating judder. Additionally, Epson's new 12-bit 3LCD driver technology provides a dramatically increased color gamut over 10-bit drivers, which translates into 68.72 billion available colors. This eliminates gradation artifacts to provide a much smoother, natural-looking picture. The Pro Cinema 7500 UB is also equipped with Silicon Optix's HQV Reon-VX scaling and deinterlacing video processor for true four-field deinterlacing and scaling of! 1080i H D signals, and features impressive noise reduction tools to eliminate mosquito and block noise, along with multi-level contrast enhancement and other picture improvement options. Typically found only on high-end high definition broadcast monitors, the Pro Cinema 7500 UB also features Color Space selection, which allows a user to select between the three industry color space standards – SMPTE-C for standard definition (Rec.601), HD (Rec. 709) for high definition, and EBU to match the European PAL video standard.

The Pro Cinema 7500 UB offers the ultimate widescreen high definition experience with anamorphic lens compatibility and "vertical stretch" picture mode. With an optional external anamorphic lens (available from Epson) , the viewer can use the Pro Cinema 7500 UB with a cinematic-sized front projection widescreen for true 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 ultra widescreen viewing, eliminating the black bars above and below the picture for a full theatrical image.

Full-Featured Epson Pro Cinema 7100
Featuring a stylish black and silver design, the new PowerLite Pro Cinema 7100 is a high-performing projector featuring native 1080p resolution, higher brightness of up to 1,800 lumens and superb contrast of up to 18,000:1. For easy set-up and calibration, the Pro Cinema 7100 offers ISF Day and Night modes which provide for easy one-button switching between picture modes and lamp output, as well as Epson's Color Isolation system to allow for quick, easy and accurate fine-tuning of color saturation and hue without the need for blue and red optical filters.

Shared Features of the Pro Cinema Line
The Pro Cinema home theater projector line integrates a range of value-add features with high-performance and versatility, including:

*
Dynamic Iris System: Exclusive system makes automatic light output adjustments at up to 120 times per second – ideal for fast-action movies.
*
Cinema Filter: Unique feature delivers larger color space for improved color accuracy and a more f! ilm-like image.
*
OptiCinema™ Multi-Lens Optics System: Developed by Epson and Fujinon – the leading provider of precision optics to the digital film and HDTV camera industry – the OptiCinema lens delivers clean, precise edges with consistent image quality across the entire screen while providing users with more options and flexibility in terms of where they wish to install the projector.
*
E-TORL® (Epson Twin Optics Reflection Lamp): Exclusive and newly-updated 200 watt high efficiency light source delivers optimum light uniformity and increased white and color light output for larger screen sizes (more than ten feet diagonal); both models come equipped with a spare lamp.
*
ISF Certification: Suite of video calibration tools allow installers and calibrators to fine-tune picture quality and match output with front projection screens.
*
New Airflow System: Enhanced airflow system contributes to more efficient use of power, reduced cool-down periods and lower fan speeds that result in quieter operation (only 22 db); new system also takes advantage of an advanced air filtration system with 98 percent efficiency for longer filter life.
*
Input Options: Panel features high definition component video input, dual HDMI 1.3a digital inputs, S-video input, composite video input, and VGA-type RGB input (D-sub 15).
*
Installation Versatility: Installer-friendly features include a ceiling mount, reversible front panel Epson logo that can be reoriented for various mounting positions, included rear panel cable cover to hide wires from the input panel and an integrated cable hook to ensure connections remain secure.

Availability and Support
The Epson Pro Cinema 7100 is available in November and the Pro Cinema 7500 UB will be available in December through authorized Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets; pricing will be available at that time. The projector also comes with the service and support only Epson can offer, including a three-year limited war! ranty wi th toll-free access to PrivateLineSM, Epson's priority technical support, and free overnight exchange with ExtraCareSM Home Service.

About 3LCD Technology
3LCD is the world's leading projection technology, delivering unbelievably bright and natural color, amazing detail and road-tested reliability. Using an advanced, 3-chip optical engine, 3LCD offers full-time color for brilliant quality images without the possibility of color break-up. 3LCD is based on LCD technology, which is used by leading manufacturers worldwide for the ultimate viewing experience in flat panel TVs and projectors. To find out why more users choose 3LCD than all other projection technologies combined and to get the latest list of leading companies offering 3LCD technology in their products, visit the 3LCD website at http://www.3LCD.com.


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Say Goodbye to Bike Chains; Say Hello to Belt Drives [Bikes]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383365738/say-goodbye-to-bike-chains-say-hello-to-belt-drives

Bikes with chains may be becoming an endangered species. Belt-driven bikes, which were introduced by boutique bike makers a couple of years ago, are just starting to hit the mainstream. Trek has introduced two new urban bikes for 2009 with belt drives rather than chains, and they look pretty sweet.

The benefit to a belt drive system over a chain and shifters system is that it won't stretch and break over time like a chain, weighs significantly less, stays clean (and keeps your cuffs clean) and is quiet. The downside? It's more expensive. The two bikes Trek has unveiled, the District and the Soho, will run you $930 and $990, respectively. But as with all new tech, the prices are always highest right when it starts hitting the mainstream. Look for bikes with belt drives to start coming from many more big bike companies for much less in the coming years. [Trek]


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Intel's Six-Core Xeon 7400 "Dunnington" Processor Shipping on September 15th [Intel]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383446092/intels-six+core-xeon-7400-dunnington-processor-shipping-on-september-15th

According to CNET sources, Intel's six-core "Dunnington"processor will begin rolling out to servers on September 15th under the Xeon 7400 series. The new chip is Intel's first foray beyond four cores as well as their first to fuse multiple cores on a single die. It also features 16MB of L3 cache to help boost performance. The design is the last of the Penryn-class, and if the rumors hold true, we should see Core i7 (Nehalem) by the end of the year. [CNET via Electronista]


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The iPhone Handles 1080P Video Just Fine [Apple]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383570462/the-iphone-handles-1080p-video-just-fine

Logically speaking, it shouldn't be a huge surprise. But a friend in the industry told us that they've seen H.264 1080P video playing on the iPhone, quite a few times, with no problems at all. Of course, the resolution is absurd overkill for the system's screen, but what's this mean in light of the purported iTunes 8 HD? Potentially a lot.

For one, if iTunes 8 indeed goes HD, the iPhone is more than ready to run its content natively—especially considering that iTunes HD clips would probably be the same as Apple TV's (which is just 720P). That means no needing to convert HD clips for the iPhone/iPod touch (or maybe even the next generation of iPod?), which would seem more like Apple's style.

And while running videos at a higher resolution than needed isn't ideal for processing or syncing times, who knows, with the right adapters, maybe the iPhone could even put this video on your HDTV.

It's tough to tell exactly how Apple would handle iTunes in HD since clips would still presumably have to work on hardware like the iPod Classic and iPod nano—both of which lack the umpf of the iPhone's 620Mhz processor (though, yes, h.264 decoders in all current iPods/the iPhone handle decoding). But if the iPhone handles HD clips, that certainly buys Apple some flexibility.


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NLighten IT7202 72-inch Touchscreen HDTVs Put Google Earth At Your Fingertips [CEDIA 2008]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383462613/nlighten-it7202-72+inch-touchscreen-hdtvs-put-google-earth-at-your-fingertips

Rear-projection may be deader than dead as far as the biggies are concerned, but the folks at nLighten are intent to squeeze a bit more life out of these 72-inch 1080p DLP sets by sticking an infrared camera inside next to the light source that detects cursor points from an IR-tipped pen, allowing for a simple (no multitouch) touchscreen interface. It can act as a standard Windows mouse allowing for 1080p touchscreen Google Earth, or any other app.

The 72-inch IR-pen screen is priced at $3,000, and a similar version that uses camera triangulation from cameras mounted on the top of the bezel for actual finger touch control will set you back $4,000. As you can see in the video, the finger-touch seems to be a bit finicky, but the IR pen control is smooth as silk. [CEDIA 2008]

nLighten Technologies introduces three 60 inch & 72 inch Touch Screen DLP
Rear Projection Displays
Superior Pictures & Easy Intuitive Display through Superior Technologies

Denver/CEDIA EXPO 2008 – (September 3, 2008) – nLighten Technologies Inc. an innovative
products provider, as well as manufacturer of specialty displays and residential displays,
today introduced its 72 inch finger touch screen, DT7200. This new product adds to its
core line ups of 60 inch and 72 inch pen touch DLP Rear Projection Displays, IT6002 and
IT7202. The product is ideal for conference room, point of information display, or
classroom. nLighten is committed to fulfill the fast growth for high-definition super large
display with touch screen capability.

Keeping pace with market trends, the nLighten DT7200 offers high definition resolution
(1920 x 1080: 1080P) which enables users to take advantage of the latest high! defini tion
video or PC content and enjoy true HD video playback without compensating clarity of
pictures. In addition, the superior technology of Texas Instrument's DLP-engine provides
greater contrast and deep black levels for richer detail in dark scenes on 72 inch large screen
DT7200 incorporates high sensitivity camera sensors for faster response, a much superior
product as it compare to other technologies that use films or coatings over the screen,
eliminating ghosting, and trailing images.

nLighten's IT6002 and IT7202 have pen touch feature which turn your conference room,
classroom or media room in your residence into an interactive room. IT6002 and IT7202's
large touch-sensitive displays invite your audiences to focus on the presentation materials
and retain information easier.
h&72inch TouchScreenDLP
riorTechnologies
Collaborating large screen high definition displays and touch function, nLighten's new
DT7200, 72 inch Finger Touch screen DLP Display, and IT6002 and IT7202, 60 inch and 72
inch Pen Touch screen DLP Displays, offer fast and precise response to the movement and
can be enhanced by featuring nLighten's software solution for interactive eboard
application.
"Touch screens are an efficient and intuitive way to access and interact with on-display
information, and appeal to a wide variety of users and applications", said nLighten President
Jack Kuo. "The technology of finger touch compliments nLighten's standard display line
ups." "We recognize the increase demand for touch screen capability with large screen size
displays from our channel partners. "
nLighten is showing all three True High Definition Touch Screen DLP Rear Projection Displays
at CEDIA EXPO 2008 booth #826, September 4 ~7, 2008, Denver, CO.

About nLighten
nLighten Technologies Inc. is a research and development of large screen size HD DLP
Display. With office located in Fremont, CA, and it! s manufa cturing facility in Suzhou, China,
nLighten is becoming a global leader of specialty display technology providing large screen
high definition monitors and ATSC TVs for most demanding environments such as
conference room, classroom, and home theater. Home theater Enthusiasts depend on
nLighten to provide superior performance when image quality is the highest expectation.
For more information, visit www.nlighten.com.
Phihong USA Corporation, a subsidiary of Phihong Technology Co., Ltd. , Taiwan, is the
exclusive distributor to market the full line of nLighten products and does the technical
supports for North American market.


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iPhone: The Home Automation Remote Killer [CEDIA 2008]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383632950/iphone-the-home-automation-remote-killer

There are already a few home automation iPhone apps in the store, but here at CEDIA it's clear that all of the home automation heavies have definitely discovered the obvious: the iPhone makes for a great universal touchscreen remote for everything from your AC to your living room blinds to your music collection. And most of them won't make you pay the price of a snazzy dedicated touchscreen controller to get it, either. Most of them.

Of the apps by Crestron, Lifeware, Z-Wave and Control4 we've seen here at CEDIA, Crestron's seems to be farthest along (pictured above). It can control multiple rooms in multiple houses all via Wi-Fi or AT&T data, and is a free download and add-on. Z-Wave, probably the most accessible system that you don't have to have a Cribs-worthy home to run, will sadly charge you $10 a month for the privilege of freaking out your pets while you're on vacation or locking your doors from bed. Lifeware's app is still in its nascent stages, but it will pack more Media Center integrations (in case you're running the baddest Media Center in the world).
Control4's app (above) is the least impressive—the first version will only work in your home on the same Wi-Fi network as your system, which is puzzling. And it'll cost you a "license" that will likely be "over $100 and less than $500," to make up for lost touchscreen remote revenue.

All the app! s are cu rrently getting finishing touches, but each will be available before year-end. For now, check out iViewer.


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Qik Video Streaming Comes to HTC Phones [Qik]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383632948/qik-video-streaming-comes-to-htc-phones

Good news for HTC phone owners, Qik is bringing its popular video streaming service to the Touch Dual, Touch Diamond and the TyTn-II. They are also adding two other Windows Mobile phones to the list: The AT&T Tilt, and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. All you need to do is set up a free account on the Qik website and you will be streaming video from your handset in no time. [Qik]


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EA Announces SimCity and The Sims 3 for the iPhone: Spore Coming on September 7th [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/383655513/ea-announces-simcity-and-the-sims-3-for-the-iphone-spore-coming-on-september-7th

EA has announced that nine new titles are currently in development for the iPhone: Yahtzee Adventures, EA Mini Golf, Lemonade Tycoon, Mahjong, Monopoly: Here & Now The World Edition, SimCity, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, Need for Speed Undercover, and The Sims 3. Many of these titles have been mentioned before, but I was pretty pumped to hear about SimCity and the Sims 3 being added to the list. EA has also revealed that they are shooting to release Spore Origins on September 7th—the same day it is released on the Mac and PC. Hit the jump for some new Spore screenshots and the official press release.



LOS ANGELES, Calif., – September 5, 2008 – EA Mobile™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), today announced that Spore™ Origins, an original game for the iPhone™ and iPod® touch, will be available this month. The game takes full advantage of the devices' built-in accelerometer as players tilt, turn and twist their way through a world made of primordial ooze. In conjunction with the launch of Spore Origins, EA Mobile also announces a list of nine games in development for both the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms.

Eat-or-be-eaten in Spore Origins! Designed specifically for the iPhone and iP! od touch , Spore Origins uses the platforms' motion-sensing technology to let gamers navigate a primordial tidepool on a quest to evolve. Feast on the weak and flee from the strong through two exciting modes and 35 challenging levels. Pinch, pull, and poke your creation in the Creature Editor, customizing the texture, shape and body parts to improve your offense, defense, perception and movement as you evolve over millions of years.

""We're really excited to bring Spore Origins to the iPhone and iPod touch," said Travis Boatman, Vice President Worldwide Studios at EA Mobile. "By leveraging the unique capabilities of these devices, players can customize their own creatures and shape their destiny in an exciting evolutionary journey. "

EA Mobile today also announced nine titles in development for the iPhone and iPod touch, pending regional availability. This list includes YAHTZEE Adventures, EA Mini Golf, Lemonade Tycoon™, Mahjong, MONOPOLY: Here & Now The World Edition, SimCity, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, Need for Speed™ Undercover, and The Sims™ 3.

Spore Origins will be available globally from the Apple App Store on iPhone and iPod touch, or by simply visiting www.eamobile.com from an iPhone. Additional versions of Spore Origins are also available for the iPod, as well as other mobile devices. All iPod games are available for the third-generation iPod nano, iPod classic and fifth-generation iPod and can be sent as a gift using the iTunes gifting feature (www.itunes.com).


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Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Available Now: Windows XP $399, Ubuntu $349 [Dell Inspiron Mini 9]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/382989291/dell-inspiron-mini-9-available-now-windows-xp-399-ubuntu-349

The way Dell introduced the Inspiron Mini 9 was pretty inspired, so it's almost been depressing watching the steady stream of leaks deflate it into a now familiar device, even though it's only being released today. As leaked, inside is an Intel Atom Diamondville processor and it has a 1024x600 LED-backlit screen with 4, 8 and 16GB SSD options (plus you get 2GB free online storage at Box.Net) and about three hours of battery life. Only the Windows XP version is available now for $399, in black or white—the $349 Ubuntu flavor, along with the rest of the six-color rainbow are a few weeks away.

MEET YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND: DELL'S INSPIRON MINI 9

Ideal Internet Buddy For Surfing, Shopping and Chatting

·Light, Highly Mobile Device Built For Easy Online Browsing And Entertainment

·Box.net Web Storage Keeps Your Personal Files Safe And Enables Anytime Access and SharingROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 4, 2008 –Dell today officially unveiled the Inspiron Mini 9. This small, easy-to-carry device stands ready to connect teens, tweens, travelers and "Tweeters" to their online world be it surfing the Web, chatting with friends, blogging, streaming content, uploading photos or enjoying favorite online videos, music and games.

The Inspiron Mini is an affordable Internet companion that can be fine-tuned to fit users' specific needs and deeds. It is available now on www.dell.com/mini in the U.S., Japan and select countries i! n Europe . Availability elsewhere will be handled on a country -by-country basis.

Solid Construction & Connections

With a starting weight of 2.28 lbs.[i], digital nomads will value the Inspiron Mini's durable design, with sealed keyboard and reliable solid state drive (SSD) memory storage. A bright 8.9‑inch glossy LED display (1024x600) presents most web pages with no left-right scrolling, and the keypads are large and easy to navigate. Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference. The Inspiron Mini can be further customized with optional technology like:

· Built-in Webcam, bundled with Dell Video Chat, making it easy to stay in touch using video chat, recording and sending video emails, or even PC-to-PC phone calls around the world. DVC even supports four-way calling, making virtual family reunions a reality.

· Built-in Bluetooth® for easy wireless connections to Bluetooth-enabled accessories like a pair of stereo headphones, a mouse, a printer, etc.

Dell has teamed up with Box.net to offer exclusive web-based file storage, access and sharing to Inspiron Mini users, including a free Basic plan with 2GB of remote storage space, expandable to 25GB. Dell's Inspiron Mini will include a direct link to a Dell-exclusive home page on Box.net (www.box.net/dell), providing users with an easy way to add incremental online storage space to easily manage their digital lives. Individuals can safely and securely upload files of any type to their Box, including photos, videos, music, documents and presentations, and then access those files from almost anywhere on any device.

Box.net's world-class service requires no software to download. With its OpenBox platform, Box.net enables people to edit documents and photos directly from their web-browser and post media to their blog or social networks, further enhancing the mobility and user experience on the Inspiron! Mini.

Individual & Intuitive, Simple & Stylish

Individuals can personalize their Inspiron Mini with choice of colors – Obsidian Black or Alpine White – and interaction experience – optional Windows® XP® or Ubuntu 8.04 with custom Dell interface (coming soon). For those looking for a more traditional and familiar experience, the Inspiron Mini with Windows XP Home is available immediately starting at $399.

Inspiron Mini devices featuring an intuitive Dell-developed custom interface are expected to be available in a few weeks with a starting price of $349. The custom home screen is designed to make it easy to find what people are looking for. Intuitive icons link directly to groups of similar applications, like games, Web and entertainment, and favorite web links for quick access. Plus, the home screen can be personalized, putting your favorites front and center.

This highly mobile and fun device can be carried anywhere in style thanks to a full line of custom "Designed for Dell" backpacks, messenger bags and convertible cases from merchants including Timbuk2. Blending high fashion and superior function, the coordinated bags and accessories incorporate subtle design elements and offer Inspiron Mini owners a unique way to express a personalized, integrated style. "Designed for Dell" products currently are available in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Finishing Touches

Dell provides a variety of service offerings and add-on options to help ensure devices are easy to use and maintain optimal performance, including:

· Dell Support Center: Quickly access Dell service and support from an icon on your desktop that provides automated fixes, software upgrades and tools to help keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently.

· DellConnect™ Remote Assistance:[ii] Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems)."

[Del! l, < a href="http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=19&kc=6f961&oc=dnpcxw3&x=7&y=8">Dell, Dell]


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Leaked flyer reveals pricing, configurations for Dell Inspiron Mini 9

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/382931385/

Filed under:


It's everything but official, but hopefully the image above will enable you to rest easy knowing that you'll soon be able to order yourself a Dell netbook starting at $349. The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 (we're assuming that's the final moniker) will apparently weigh in at 2.28-pounds, boast an internal WiFi module and pack an Intel Atom N270 processor. The baseline model ($349) will include Ubuntu Linux 8.04, 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD and a black or white paint job. For $50 more, you'll get an 8GB SSD and a 0.3-megapixel webcam, while the $449 version throws in Windows XP, 1GB of RAM and a 1.3-megapixel webcam. C'mon Dell -- you're only fooling yourself at this point.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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Toshiba's Super Resolution-infused REGZA HDTVs get US prices / release dates

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/382957458/

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Toshiba got official with its new RV / XV REGZA families last week at IFA, but now Tosh is debuting 'em along with a smattering of other lines at CEDIA. The main news here is the US pricing and availability, but if you care to get neck-deep in marketing hoopla, we'd be happy to oblige. The company is trumpeting its Super Resolution Technology (now available in the REGZA RV535 and XV545), which purportedly uses a "proprietary processing system" to "improve image sharpness, brightness and color, [thereby] enhancing standard movies, TV shows, camcorder movies and most video games to near HD quality." For details on how much he AV500, RV525, AV502, RV535 and XV545 sets will cost here in America, head on past the break.

[Image courtesy of TWICE]
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LG's KC910 one-ups the Viewty, ships in October

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/382957456/

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LG's cover was blown late last month with the early unveiling of the KC910, but it's hard to ignore that warm, fuzzy feeling one gets when any outfit doles out the official verbiage as confirmation. The self-proclaimed Viewty successor (formally dubbed the LG-KC910) looks mighty fine on paper, with a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, 8-megapixel camera (with Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics and a Xenon flash), geotagging support, Dolby Mobile, video recording, A-GPS, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and integrated WiFi. Regrettably, LG failed to pass along the most pressing morsel of news (read: the price), but at least we know it'll be available somewhere in the world this October.

[Via MobileBurn]
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Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 pops official -- Ubuntu starts at $349 (Update: $99 with purchase of 2nd Dell)

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/382975484/


Dell doesn't take its site down when it introduces product unlike some laptop peddlers. The result, however, is shots like this of early pre-release gear like the Inspiron Mini 9 netbook as Dell spins the product up for retail. $449 fully spec'd just like we heard with 8GB SSD, 1GB memory, Bluetooth 2.1, Windows XP, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. We still expect to see a lesser spec'd $349 model running Ubuntu. Shipping on the 16th of September in your choice of white or black though white will cost you a $25 premium. Dell hasn't officially announced the product yet but we're sure they'll get that sorted out in a few hours. For now, happy URL hacking as we dig for more details.

Update: Here's the $349 model running Ubuntu -- the Inspiron 910u. The top-end $449 XP configuration pictured after the break.

Update 2: Starts at £299 in UK and €369 in Germany.

Update 3: Oops, looks like someone broke a press release embargo making all the specs and prices listed above extra, super official and in sync with the exclusive we had back in June. In addition, the take home price also includes a free, b! asic Box.net plan offering 2GB of remote storage. See the full release after the break all you tweens and tweeters.

Update 4: Direct2Dell -- Dell's official blog -- says you can get the Mini for just $99 with the purchase of a Studio 15, XPS M1530 or XPS M1330. Offer ends Tuesday, September 9th. Not bad if you're already gearing up for a back-to-school Dell anyway.


[Thanks, Shon]

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Thursday, September 04, 2008

Amazon launches Soundunwound, wiki-like music data site

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/381502078/amazon-launches-soun.html


Amazon today launched a beta of SoundUnwound, a website that compiles music-related data from IMDB, Amazon, Musicbrainz and user contributions, Wikipedia-style. Oh, sure, dear reader -- it sounds good, but GREAT. Just what the world needed: flamewars between goth band editors over the hopeless existential futility of NPOV, and shoegazers nominating emo kids for deletion and vice versa ad infinitum. [ citation needed ]. More: And the Lights Go Up on SoundUnwound! (via pho list)


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QUADscreens (4,200 x 1,680) 41-inch uberHDTV

UPDATED: QUADscreens (4,200 x 1,680) -- fka: triplescreens 41-inch uberHDTV (3,150 x 1,680) - 3 x 20" monitors in portrait

for your Thanksgiving football watching -- make sure to check page 5 to add an HDTV card to your computer (NOTE THAT UNLKE THE DVD MOVIES, the TV broadcast will only show on one screen -- this is due to the way WindowsXP displays video). finally found a way to get movies to play in Windows XP Pro across multiple monitors; tried spanning (does not work when monitors are rotated); tried UltraMon, does not work; tried dualhead2go and triplehead2go but does not work when monitors are rotated. here's how to set up a 41 inch (3,150 x 1,680) LCD panel (higher than standard LCD HDTVs at 1920x1080 or 1366x768) for gaming, watching movies, or just being more productive ;-) (pictured, Casino Royale trailer, playing in Quicktime Player)
bond-desktop.jpg

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