Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/stealths-latest-fanless-mini-pc-the-core-2-duo-powered-lpc-625/

Not that we're far removed from Stealth's last fanless mini PC, but hey, there's no harm in having options, right? The company's latest, dubbed the LPC-625F, is a 7.9- x 7.9- x 2.4-inch machine that somehow houses a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch HDD or SSD, integrated Intel graphics, gigabit Ethernet and a surprisingly plentiful array of ports including HDMI, four USB 2.0, RS-232 and DVI. The stock configuration sits at $1,595, but it doesn't take too many tweaks to cross the two large mark.

Gallery: Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Filed under: Desktops

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see o! ur terms for use of feeds.

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MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/msi-rolls-out-r4600-hdmi-gpu-series-for-htpc-builders/

We won't say the homegrown HTPC is making a comeback or anything, but shortly after Lian-Li laid out a new pair of cases, in flies MSI with a new duo of media PC-centric video cards. The R4600 series is comprised of the R4650 and R4670 (ATI), both of which are available in 512MB of 1GB flavors. Aside from boasting an all-too-useful HDMI port, these cards also support 7.1-channel audio output for use with internal Blu-ray drives, and the design is such that they won't infringe on any other nearby PCIe cards. Per usual, MSI left us hanging with respect to pricing and availability, but we're going out on a limb and expecting these to be totally reasonable.

Filed under: Media PCs, Peripherals

MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slender Asus Eee 1008HA Priced at Â£359 [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0NFtYN55M2M/slender-asus-eee-1008ha-priced-at-359

We don't have North American pricing for the thin and light Asus Eee 1008HA, but we do know it's European price of £359 (or about $500). So...would you? [Electricpig via Slashgear]

Apple Leaks Announcement of 17-inch iMac at $899 [IMac]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lBWpM01ZUWw/apple-leaks-announcement-of-17+inch-imac-at-899

Apple's own education site seems to have leaked news of a "new" 17-inch iMac, coming in at $899. Apple's official store still only has 20s and 24s. [Setteb.it via Apple Lounge]

Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/dell-adamo-hands-on-and-video-unboxing/

While we had a look at an early version of the Adamo at CES, we've finally gotten a chance to unwrap one from its ultra-sexy packaging and take it for a little spin. In hand, the laptop is thinner and lighter than most of this size, though it isn't quite as svelte as the Air. Its real competitor, however, appears to be the X301. We'll be doing a full review in the near future, but for now, enjoy the gallery below, and check out our video unboxing after the break.

Gallery: Dell Adamo video hands-on

Continue reading Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Filed under: Laptops

Del! l Adamo hands-on and video unboxing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/habeys-second-1080p-boasting-n270-powered-mini-htpc-brings-alo/

Following up on its impressive debut earlier this month, HABEY's unveiled the BIS-6540HD mini HTPC that, like its 6550 counterpart, is capable of running an impressive 1080p signal with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor -- special thanks go to its HD hardware decoder for that feat. The fanless unit also features up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, eight USB ports, a built-in CF socket, two SATA II ports with SSD support, DVI and VGA outputs, ethernet, and options for wireless and HD TV tuner. No word on pricing or availability, but it looks like it's being marketed as an OEM product and we suspect it'll cost more than a pretty penny. Check out the video after the break to see it rocking Planet Earth on Blu-ray.

Continue reading HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Filed under: Media PCs

HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Sony Ericsson Sales Drop By Almost Half in One Quarter [Financiapocalypse]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Kv9IWvjeGrM/sony-ericsson-sales-drop-by-almost-half-in-one-quarter

Sony Ericsson, the world's 4th biggest handset maker, has reported a titanic sales decrease of almost 50% in just a few months. This is a bad thing, you see.

Reuters slapped a scary headline on this story, but it couldn't really be described as sensational. As much a terrifying portent of electronics companies' coming year as it is an indicator of the company's especially sorry state, this announcement is particularly gruesome when you consider that, unlike Palm, they don't even have an escape plan in place, or even a substantive smartphone line—one of the few areas that is expected to grow over the coming months. [Reuters]

Intel's Leaked Z550 Atom Processor For Netbooks/MIDs Reaches 2GHz [Processors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/P-E0H5MHBGg/intels-leaked-z550-atom-processor-for-netbooksmids-reaches-2ghz

Leaks suggest that Intel will be dropping a new single-core Z-series Atom proc that will be the first of the family to reach 2GHz.

Granted, the Z series is the slightly lower-powered single-core chips intended for MIDs, but it's not ridiculous to assume these could find their way into a low-cost netbook or two. The new chips use the same 2.4W as the previous 1.86GHz version, allowing them to be used in the exact same thermal conditions.

Also leaked was an ultra-low-power 1.2GHz Atom, the Z515, that uses only 1.4W of power at full-speed, and just 0.65W when scaled back to 800MHz. This means it could almost be used in a cellphone. [HKEPC (translated) via Electronista]

Cell Stickies: How People With No Friends Get Text Messages [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VtRnj1_ky50/cell-stickies-how-people-with-no-friends-get-text-messages

I can only imagine these acetate stickers (a mere concept, sadly) of the iPhone's friendly SMS overlay being used to prank someone. But what a prank it would be. [Fiona Carswell via OhGizmo]

iTunes HD Movies Won't Play on Older Non-HDCP Monitors [ITunes]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PVJ_yN-UrUU/itunes-hd-movies-wont-play-on-older-non+hdcp-monitors

If you dropped $20 on an HD movie from iTunes since they came out yesterday, but have a newer Mac and an older external display, you might not be able to watch it.

That's because iTunes HD movies require that you have an HDCP-compliant external display. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is designed to prevent video from being copied as it moves across digital video interfaces. So, as iLounge points out, if you're using a Cinema Display older than Apple's 24-inch LED model (or any older DVI or VGA monitor, basically), you're screwed if you have it hooked up to a newer, HDCP-loving Mac. You just get a black box where the video should be.

It's not the first time HDCP has caused iTunes-related pain. When Apple first started rolling HDCP, they even applied the protections to standard definition content, so a whole bunch of people found out they couldn't play new movies they bought, so Apple wound up pulling back on SD, and everyone forgot about it until yesterday, when you could finally buy HD movies.

One solution iLounge proffers is to transfer the file to one of your older iTunes authorized computers, since Apple doesn't pull the HDCP mojo on them. The other is to play the movie in standard def mode—then it'll play on your monitor, but in crappy standard def.! All tog ether now: HDCP sucks. [iLounge]

BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Gets Groped: "Best BlackBerry Keyboard. Ever. Best Screen. Ever." [Blackberry Niagara 9630]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OiM-CnEVRa0/blackberry-niagara-9630-gets-groped-best-blackberry-keyboard-ever-best-screen-ever

Boy Genius is the first to hands-on Verizon's incoming BlackBerry Niagara 9630. The initial impressions? The word "best" gets tossed around a lot. It might just be the BlackBerry Verizon customers have been waiting for:

• Best BlackBerry keyboard. Ever.
• Best BlackBerry speakers. Ever.
• Best screen. Ever. (It looks more like glass than crappy plastic)
• Best size/feel. Ever.

Coming from someone who loves BlackBerrys so much he commissioned a customized BlackBerry Bold, them's some hot and heavy words. I am pretty excited about that keyboard myself, since the Bold's is my favorite QWERTY keyboard ever, and the Niagara has the same one, minus the fat ass. [Boy Genius Report]

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nokia-e71x-arriving-at-atandt-stores-due-out-next-tuesday/

Looks like the Nokia E71x is finally about to make its long-awaited entrance on AT&T -- Boy Genius says handsets are starting to show up at stores nationwide. If all goes according to plan, this slice of subsidized style will set you back $199 on contract when it launches on March 24 -- a price that sort of makes us wish we'd sprung for that one-day-only $289 unlocked unit on Amazon. Come on, AT&T, at least hit us with that super hot white version, will you?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/intels-z5xx-series-of-atom-processors-hits-2-0ghz/

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2.0GHz

Intel just got finished telling us how great its Atom Z5xx series of chips were, in flavors ranging from 1.1 to 1.86GHz, and how they only needed a miserly 2.2 watts or less of power. They weren't good enough, apparently, as there are two new members now joining the ranks. First is the Z550, featuring a clock speed of 2GHz while still using less than 2.4 watts. Also new is the more frugal Z515, with a dynamic clock speed ranging between 800MHz and 1.33GHz to suit you whether you're playing Solitare or watching Survivor re-runs. These chips too seem destined for mobile phones and MIDs, but we wouldn't be surprised if Sony releases a (slightly) speedier VAIO P packing a Z550 -- and then refuses to import it to the States.

[Via Pocketables]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Laptops

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nvidias-adobe-lovin-quadro-cx-pro-gpu-gets-reviewed/

NVIDIA's $2,000 Quadro CX Pro GPU actually does more than just improve one's Creative Suite 4 experience, but for whatever reason, the aforementioned firm has decided to market the card's mastery of Adobe over all else. The hardcore benchmarkers over at HotHardware decided to pop this in and give it a critical look, and while they definitely appreciated the speed gains in Premiere Pro and its performance overall, they never could quite swallow that admittedly huge MSRP. In fact, they reckoned that NVIDIA would've been better off offering this up with a slower clock speed and a smaller sticker, particularly when you consider that CS4 isn't really engineered to fully take advantage of all this horsepower. Reviewers did note that something like this may be entirely more beneficial once CS5 or CS6 emerges, but for now, the card's just a bit ahead of its time (and priced accordingly). Hit the read link for the full spill -- trust us, it's worth the read if you're teetering on dropping two large.

Filed under: Peripherals

NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/oppo-bdp-83-universal-blu-ray-player-hands-on/

Here she is -- the world's very first universal Blu-ray player. Oh sure, we may have heard of Denon's absurdly expensive DVD-A1UD first, but that bad boy just got delayed for a second time over in Japan. OPPO, on the other hand, has managed to push out a few hundred of these BDP-83 decks to brave beta testers across America, and we were fortunate enough to score one. The player came boxed in what was far and away the most elaborate packaging we'd seen for a BD player -- particularly one that's priced at just $499 for the beta users (an MSRP for production units has yet to be finalized).

All the goods you want are here, including Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats, SACD playback and the promise of DVD-Audio compatibility in the future. Upon unboxing the unit, we were pleased with the rigid chassis and felt the design was simple yet classy. The remote seemed accommodating enough, and the port selection 'round back was admirable. We're planning to fire it up this weekend to see just how far along this beta firmware is, but 'til then, hit the gallery below to have a look at what's sure to become a favorite amongst well informed home theater aficionados.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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