Archive for February, 2008

How many times do you state to yourself, “All I want is a phone that works”? So you wonder why companies don’t take that into consideration. There’s a cute little piece in today’s Old Gray Lady about how cellphone companies go about designing would-be hit phones. They hire focus groups, host weekend retreats and go to […]

phonedesign

How many times do you say to yourself, “All I want is a phone that works”? So you wonder why companies don’t take that into consideration.

There’s a cute tiny piece in today’s Old Gray Lady about how cellphone companies go about designing would-be hit phones. They hire focus groups, host weekend retreats and go to all sorta of extremes to try to figure out what Joe Consumer wants in a phone. Do you want a touchscreen, QWERTY keyboard, slider or flip? It’s a tough job trying to get consumers to buy the same thing over and over again.

But phone design isn’t all haptic this, holistic that. Nokia is currently designing a environmentally friendly phone, one that’s made out of recycled metal and other materials; it would sell well on the Upper West Side.

Nowhere in the piece is reliability mentioned. No one addresses that fact that, for example, I can’t walk up certain sections of Sixth Avenue without my phone slicing out. Even superior, why I can’t use the phone in the eastern half of my apartment. How about we work on that.

Hoping to Make Phone Buyers Flip [New York Times]

Via [crunchgear]

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Random Home is giving out Beautiful Kids by Charles Bock in PDF format, allowing us book lovers we might get something for nothing. Only one day left, so head on over. Note: I can’t vouch for the quality or content, but Ramom House going all non-DRM hippie-dippy is pretty nice. Download Page ShareThis

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Random Home is giving out Beautiful Children by Charles Bock in PDF format, allowing us book lovers we might get something for nothing. Only one day left, so head on over. Note: I cannot vouch for the quality or content, but Ramom House going all non-DRM hippie-dippy is pretty nice.

Download Page

Via [crunchgear]

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There are no details to be found on this interesting-looking mouse other than the fact that it comes out some time next week. I used to think there was nothing new under the sun when it came to mice, but that was before I saw Logitech’s MX Air — so maybe this will surprise me […]

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There are no details to be found on this interesting-looking mouse other than the fact that it comes out some time next week. I used to think there was nothing new under the sun when it came to mice, but that was before I saw Logitech’s MX Air — so maybe this will surprise me too.

Check out the site for a countdown timer and an exciting one-second clip of the mouse shooting through space.

Speedofthelight.com

Via [crunchgear]

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Despite the fact that previously attempted ISP-level filtering technology failed, the Australian government will go ahead with a plan to implement such filtering, starting with a trial in Tasmania. The Government will spend $89 million to deploy the filtering system in hopes of protecting youngsters from accessing X-rated material. (For illustrative purposes only: the initiative […]

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Despite the fact that previously attempted ISP-level filtering technology failed, the Australian government will go ahead with a plan to implement such filtering, starting with a trial in Tasmania. The Government will spend $89 million to deploy the filtering system in hopes of protecting youngsters from accessing X-rated material. (For illustrative purposes only: the initiative was announced at an event held by the Australian Christian Lobby.) So, the Government will spend lots of money on a program that doesn’t work. I know the water drains “backwards” down there, but is logic also reversed in Australia?

ISPs will have a blacklist. Try to access a site on the blacklist and you’ll be denied a connection. Even more annoying, the filter will be on by default, meaning if you want to see what you want to see you’ll have to call your ISP to get an unfiltered connection.

I don’t know, it seems that teaching your kids from an early age what’s acceptable in your home would be a lot cheaper and more effective long-term than such filtering technique, but I’m not a politician who has interests to please.

Australia moving ahead with plans to erect ISP porn filters [Ars Technica]

Via [crunchgear]

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Incoming freshman at Texas’ Abilene Christian University this fall will each receive either an iPhone or iPod touch to help speed along their education. The school hopes students will use the devices in any number of academic pursuits, such as getting on-the-go homework updates, checking meal plan activity and answer in-class quizzes. That’s what the […]

acui

Incoming freshman at Texas’ Abilene Christian University this fall will each receive either an iPhone or iPod touch to help speed along their education. The school hopes students will use the devices in any number of academic pursuits, such as getting on-the-go homework updates, checking meal plan activity and answer in-class quizzes. That’s what the school hopes; the reality is that the kids will use them for their own pursuits as soon as they’re out of earshot of the dean or their professor.

But, I will not hate on the project, which sounds like something Bill O’Reilly would do (”Students and iPhones? In my day we’d pens and paper and were thankful for that!). Anytime a school embraces new technology students benefit. My school didn’t even have Wi-Fi in the library when I was a freshman (it did, but only on like two floors out of 12). You’re paying X amount to attend, the least you should anticipate is for your school to “get” technology.

ACU first university in nation to provide iPhone or iPod touch to all incoming freshmen [Abilene Christian University via MacDailyNews]

Via [crunchgear]

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Got word this morning that starting in the next few months, Sony’s going to be offering personal free of bloatware and trialware. Amen and thanks for listening. The amount of crud on a new Sony personal has gotten out of hand as of late and refreshingly, Sony’s listened and will begin offering the option to […]

bloatware

Got word this morning that starting in the next few months, Sony’s going to be offering computers free of bloatware and trialware. Amen and thanks for listening. The amount of crud on a new Sony computer has gotten out of hand as of late and refreshingly, Sony’s listened and will begin offering the option to have your rig shipped out clean. Details are sparse at this point but I’ll be talking to the guy who made the initial announcement and will try to get some more information out of him.

[UPDATE] Talked to Mike Abary, senior vice president of Sony’s Information Technology Products Division and he told me that the default first-time boot process will be much more streamlined, starting with Sony’s spring lineup. It’ll basically be a five-step process consisting of your wireless setup, security options, other software options, registration, and then a final overview.

The “other software options” will be where you’ll be able to select what trialware will ultimately end up on your machine. You can deselect everything at this stage.

For custom-built machines bought from SonyStyle.com, you have the option of removing any trialware offers from the disk image totally, so as to make that “other software options” section unneeded.

Finally, you’ll also have the option to have any computer you buy at a Sony retail store setup for you by a technician. The tech will ask you what you want and don’t want on your new machine and will then complete the initial boot stuff for you. The service will be called “image optimization.”

Abary stated that Sony decided to keep certain trialware products as options because they’ve seen trialware to full-version buys of up to 20% of Sony personal owners, depending on the software. I’d guess that it’d be Norton Antivirus or something similar. So Abary says that there are still some people who actually purchase the stuff, and it’s enough people that Sony’s opted to keep the trial stuff around.

Via [crunchgear]

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Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a way to transmit music wirelessly through his home and you’ve got a locked in consumer. The S-AIR system works in two ways. It grants you to add rear satellite speakers to any 7.1 system or add a receiver anywhere in […]

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Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a way to transmit music wirelessly through his home and you’ve got a locked in consumer. The S-AIR system works in two ways. It grants you to add rear satellite speakers to any 7.1 system or add a receiver anywhere in the home to play back audio streamed from the main receiver. Full release after the jump.

SONY INTRODUCES WIRELESS AUDIO SOLUTION FOR MULTI-ROOM LISTENING MADE EASY

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 26, 2008 – Sony this day unveiled four home theater systems featuring the new S-AIR™ technology, a wireless audio solution for multi-room listening.

By integrating S-AIR technology into its new home theater systems, the company will be delivering a practical wireless multi-room solution without complicated set-up requirements, such as IP addresses, WEP keys and pin codes. Wireless audio can be transmitted from the main system in the living room to multiple rooms throughout the home — up to 164 feet — simply by connecting a separate S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker into a power outlet.

S-AIR technology also delivers audio wirelessly to rear surround speakers without interfering with other household devices.

“From playing music to broadcasting the huge game throughout the home, our home theater systems with S-AIR technology makes amusing simple and inexpensive,” stated Brennan Mullin, vice president for audio products for Sony Electronics’ Digital Imaging and Audio Division. “Multi-room audio systems typically are quite costly and need to be professionally installed. Now we have a easy, affordable substitute.”

The four BRAVIA® Theatre systems integrate a high-quality, five-disc DVD/CD player with upscaling to 1080p via HDMI™ when connected to a 1080p-capable HDTV set.

The systems featureSony’s Digital Media Port, which adds controlling, networking, and connectivity for music playback with various optional accessories. An included cradle for iPod players (TDM-iP10) connects to the Digital Media Port to wirelessly stream audio through the home using S-AIR Air Stations. Additional accessories include a Network Walkman™ player audio cradle, a Personal computer client device and a Bluetooth® adapter (each is sold separately).

Featuring Digital Cinema Auto Calibration (DCAC), the units offer easy multi-channel surround sound setup with the use of an included microphone to automatically adjusting speaker frequency, distance and level for an optimal home theater experience.

Finally, the home theater systems offer a Dialogue Audio Enhancer with night mode. This adjusts for low dialogue when the receiver volume is turned low. They also come with an updated Portable Audio Enhancer, which improves the clarity and depth of a connected music player by adding information to the audio signal that had been removed during compression.

The DAV-HDX576WF model includes one S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker (AIR-SA10) and a wireless rear speaker kit (WAHT-SA10). The theater system offers height adjustable floor standing speakers designed to match the style and height of BRAVIA TVs. This model will be available in March for about $500.

The DAV-HDX277WC model includes one S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker (AIR-SA10) with an option to add a rear wireless speaker kit (WAHT-SA10, sold separately), while the DAV-HDX279W model includes the rear wireless speaker kit (WAHT-SA10) with an option to add S-AIR Air Station receiver/speakers for multi-room audio. Both of these models will be available in March for about $400.

The DAV-HDX275 system is equipped with S-AIR-Ready technology with an option to add a rear wireless speaker kit (WHAT-SA10) and an S-AIR transmitter (EZW-T100) with S-AIR Air Stations (AIR-SA10). The model will also be available in March for about $300.

S-AIR Accessories

Adding rear wireless capabilities to compatible S-AIR Sony home theater systems, the WAHT-SA10 wireless speaker kit utilizes radio frequency (RF) to transmit audio wirelessly to rear speakers, eliminating hideous wires. An integrated headphone output allows you to conveniently enjoy home theater without disturbing others. The rear wireless speaker kit will be available in March for about $149

AIR-SA10 Air Station receiver/speakers can be purchased for use with compatible S-AIR Sony home theater systems — up to four units can be used with each theater system. The AIR-SA10 features eight watts (RMS) of power, with an alarm clock function and will be available in March for about $120.

The home theater systems will be available through sonystyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores, at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.

Via [crunchgear]

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At some point in the next few months, Acer is going to release a laptop or series of laptops with Blu-ray. Not only that, it appears as if the laptops will also sport full 1080p HD displays. Even Apple’s high-rez 17-inch MacBook Pros can’t touch that (though they’re close). Acer’s saying these new laptops will have […]

070720 Hitachi 8cm BD drive

At some point in the next few months, Acer is going to release a laptop or series of laptops with Blu-ray. Not only that, it appears as if the laptops will also sport full 1080p HD displays. Even Apple’s high-rez 17-inch MacBook Pros can’t touch that (though they’re close).

Acer’s saying these new laptops will have 16-inch and 18.4-inch screens, meaning they’ll likely be large, and don’t expect the Blu-ray drives to be simple on battery life.

What’s great is Acer expects them to clock in right around $2000, meaning high-end features on a mid-ranged laptop.

Acer to push BD notebooks in 2Q08 [DigiTimes]

Via [crunchgear]

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Looks like the rumor was true. Product Page [Best Buy] ShareThis

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Looks like the rumor was true.

Product Page [Best Buy]

Via [crunchgear]

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We’re not one to cause a mass panic in the markets but listen — the iPhone SDK is late. People are already selling Apple stock in droves and this could mean that Steve Jobs has gone totally power-mad and is now “marrying” his employees to each other and buying conservative newspapers in D.C. but none […]

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We’re not one to cause a mass panic in the markets but listen — the iPhone SDK is late. People are already selling Apple stock in droves and this could mean that Steve Jobs has gone totally power-mad and is now “marrying” his employees to each other and buying conservative newspapers in D.C. but none of this is necessarily true and it would be unwise to think so, even if you’re an itchy analyst worried about iPhone flash memory shipments. If you are a developer working on iPhone applications, you’re just going to have to sit and wait (provided you don’t already have a dev kit and already have built a boat-load of apps for when the SDK does launch) and not get antsy. And if you don’t particularly care because you’ve been using third-party apps since the iPhone came out, then you’re in the right place.

The iPhone SDK Will Be Late [BusinessWeek]

Via [crunchgear]

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