First Netflix Streaming Box Review, $100 and Unlimited Downloads! [NetFlix]
Netflix's first streaming box is finally here and it's pretty damn brilliant of a setup. First of all, the box is 99 bucks, and designed by Roku. It's fanless and quiet; has HDMI and optical outputs; and is about the size of five CD cases stacked together. Any Netflix disc mailing plan over $9 gets you unlimited streaming of almost 10,000 titles. Unlimited! 10K titles! Take that Apple TV and VuDu!
Install
You boot up the box, set the network to wireless or Ethernet connectivity. You get a five digit code, head over to netflix.com/activate using a browser on a PC or other device, log into your Netflix account and enter the code. The Roku box gets your queue and the movie/show cover art. There are HDMI and optical connections on top of the standard video outs, but those cables are not included.
Using
The box itself doesn't have menus. No, instead, you use Netflix's brilliant website to load up your queue. You just use the remote to scan through your instant viewing queue (now separate from the disc queue) select a movie and play. It starts streaming. (Remember, there's no download/purchase program here and the device has no HDD, just 64MB of buffer.) The box is completely quiet, again, due to its fanless design. Movies stream in at different VC-1 bitrates of 500kbps, 1Mbps, 1.6Mbps and 2.2Mbps, depending on connection speed. Quality is not great, even at 2.2 Mbps, but I'm happy enough considering viewing is instantaneous. Note: Unlike Apple TV, scrolling between cover art is not done in an animated way. HDMI res is 480p, while all the other outputs are 480i. Fast forwarding is handled by key-framing movie content every 10 seconds, so you can FF to parts of the movie that haven't been downloaded yet, at three speeds. Once you hit play, the movie buffers for a few seconds and resumes. Speaking of resuming, the player itself does remember where you left off last in a movie and will continue playing from that point. One nice touch: You can score movies from the movie detail page. One bad thing: You can't search the Netflix website specifically for instant titles.
Choices
While appearing to have double the collection of Apple TV or Vudu, what do you get in Netflix's 10,000 movie collection? Basically, you get a lot of back catalog (classic movies) and a lot of TV shows (unheard of in rental situations!) right as they hit the market. But you don't get the same blockbusters on day one release that you'd get from Apple TV or Vudu. That makes the Netflix box and disc system a great supplement to those systems, which seem to specialize in new releases. (Kudos to Saul from the NYTimes for discovering this initially.) The business model behind a flat rate unlimited streaming system is unheard of. Sure, they're taking a lot of older content, which is inherently cheaper. But think of it this way: For a nine-dollar-a-month account, you can hold off on buying older DVDs or watching TV shows. A box set of Ghost in the Shell or 30 Rock costs over 50 bucks on DVD or by renting individual downloads, but you can stream many of these episodes for nine bucks a month. Buying the Karate Kid, an old movie not on many download services, costs a few bucks on DVD, but I can just watch it whenever I want as long as I'm a Netflix customer. (And consider that the number of great back catalog titles like that will probably outpace new releases you'd find on Vudu or Apple TV.) It's basically the same as Netflix's current model, but instead of being limited by the postal service, you're limited by your spare time and interest in older titles. (And don't forget Netflix's disc-by-mail service, which still covers new titles.)
The Future
Netflix is planning HD streaming, and this box will support it. When Netflix gets HD streaming content, they'll update the box by firmware to support HD resolutions at higher bitrates of 4-6mbps, including 5.1 surround (everything is stereo now). The menus will also be upgraded to HD res, too. In the future, the Roku-branded box will be upgraded to accept non-Netflix content, too. (And btw, the update on the Mac client situation is that they're just trying to sort out the DRM issues, or lack of a suitable system they can stream to Macs on.)
The box will be sold on Roku's website directly. Worth buying if you're a Netflix customer (or thinking of becoming a Netflix customer) and can find enough titles for Instant Viewing on their site. [Roku and Netflix]
NETFLIX TEAMS WITH STREAMING MEDIA INNOVATOR ROKU ON PLAYER
THAT INSTANTLY STREAMS
MOVIES FROM NETFLIX DIRECTLY TO THE TV
Priced at Just $99.99 and Available Starting Today,
The Netflix Player by Roku™ is Compact,
Easy to Set Up and Intuitive to Use
LOS GATOS and SARATOGA, Calif., May 20, 2008 - Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX), the world's
largest online movie rental service, and Roku, Inc., an innovator in digital media streaming
technology, today announced the introduction of The Netflix Player by Roku™, a device that
enables Netflix subscribers to instantly stream a growing library of movies and TV episodes from
Netflix directly to the TV. Priced at just $99.99, the player is available for purchase starting today at
www.roku.com/netflixplayer.
The player is simple to install, easy to use and gives Netflix members instant access to more than
10,000 movies and TV episodes.
"We're excited to bring the first Netflix ready device to the market, " said Anthony Wood, CEO and
founder of Roku. "The seamless integration of the Netflix service into our player has resulted in
true ease of use for the consumer. Now, streaming video isn't limited to people sitting in front of
the PC; it's ready for the TV in the living room."
"The key breakthroughs of The Netflix Player by Roku are simplicity and cost," said Reed Hastings,
chairman and CEO of Netflix. "First, it allows consumers to use the full power of the Netflix Web
site to choose movies for their instant Queue, and then automatically displays only those choices
on the TV screen. That's a major improvement versus the clutter of trying to choose from 10,000
films on the TV. Second, there are no
- more -
2-2-2-2-2-2
extra charges and no viewing restrictions. For a one-time purchase of $99, Netflix members can
watch as much as they want and as often as they want without paying more or impacting the
number of DVDs they receive."
About The Netflix Player by Roku
The Netflix Player by Roku is surprisingly compact - roughly the size of a paperback book - and
can integrate easily into any home entertainment system. All it takes is connecting the player to a
TV and to the Internet. For homes with wireless Internet connectivity, the player is Wi-Fi enabled
and offers the ultimate in placement flexibility.
From the Netflix Web site, members simply add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant
Queues, and those choices are then displayed on the TV and available to watch instantly. With
the player's accompanying remote control, members can browse and make selections right on
the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they have
the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream via the remote. In all, the Queue-
based user interface creates a highly personalized experience that puts members in control.
Additional features of the product include optimization of the Netflix video streaming technology,
which eliminates the need for a hard disk drive associated with video downloads, and built-in
connectivity for automatic software upgrades, which will keep the device current with service
enhancements.
Technical Details
In the Box
• The Netflix Player by Roku set-top box (approximately 5"W x 5"D x 2"H)
• Remote control (including 2 AAA batteries)
• A/V Cable (Yellow/Red/White RCA)
• Power Adapter
• Getting Started Guide
- more -
3-3-3-3-3
Video and Audio Connections
• HDMI
• Component Video
• S-Video
• Composite Video
• Digital Optical Audio
• Analog Stereo Audio
Network Connections
• Wired Ethernet
• Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
New DS Lite Colors Look Like Watermelon and Green Apple Jolly Ranchers [Rumor]
A pair of new DS Lite flavors—and they do look more like yummy cherry and lime candy flavors than mere colors—have been spotted on a couple of Spanish retail sites, one of which is GAME, apparently the second-largest specialty gaming retailer in the world, so there's some solid reason to believe these babies are real, or at least as Luke says, we can't rule 'em out. We'll know for sure on June 13, when they're supposed to drop. Hopefully these summer shades aren't Europe only. [GAME via Leonsito @ NeoGAF via Kotaku]
The Most Awesome Song Ever, Scientifically Speaking, Sucks So, So Hard [Music]
Do you remember the most annoying song ever from last month? The duo behind it, Komar and Melamid, have used data from the same survey—about the music people like the most—to compose what, the survey says, should be the best song ever. I think it's worse than the most annoying song, actually, like a South Park parody of thick 'n' syrupy Boyz II Men-style early-'90s R&B, complete with Kenny G sax, guitar solos and male/female harmonies (though the dude actually sounds like Trey Parker). It shows you what a musical genius Rick Astley truly was. And this says nothing of the lyrics. [The Most Wanted Song via Listening Post]
The Future of Technology...For Food? [Hi-Tech Food]
Good Morning America did a segment this morning on Hi-Tech food and restaurant gadgets, which ranged from really cool to really weird. There are menus that yap at you, doggie bags for your unfinished bottles of wine, and a waiter pager so that you can harass that smug bastard who's been ignoring you. But the best gadget in the lot was the automatic pasta vending machine, which takes dry pasta, dispenses it into a cooker, and a couple minutes later, it craps out a pile of "hot, steaming pasta" into a bowl. While you wait for it to cook, it warms your sauce. Truly bizarre.
Xbox 360 Pajama Pants Are Perfect for Pantsing [Xbox 360]
These official Xbox 360 pants are 100 percent cotton with an elastic waistband, adjustable drawstring tie and an open fly (which is how Chen rolls). They're only 18 bucks, but I'm deathly afraid of what happens if you get the Red Ring of Death. [WebUndies via Max Console]
Subivor Survival Kit: Buy It or You Will Die in a Subway Terrorist Attack, Maybe [Survival Kit]
If you can't hawk your wares with a standard appeal to people's vanity, there's always good old-fashioned fearmongering. Like you'll DIE in a fire caused by TERRORISTS. Unless you've got the Subivor survival kit! Ominous music and death-hype aside, it's actually not a bad little pack of emergency gear—a mask that protects against toxic smoke, anthrax and other small things that'll kill you; flashlight; whistle; moist towelettes; and a mini-crowbar, to beat down terrorists bust out windows. And it comes in a rainbow of colors (fashion is life or death too, after all): pink, yellow, green and orange. It's only $28, a good deal for the gear, an even better one for your life.
Oh No: Sprint Capping "Unlimited" 3G Data Service at 5GB [Rumor]
We've raved on Sprint's EV-DO data service more than once, in no small part because they were the only carrier to have truly unlimited 3G data, while AT&T and Verizon capped their service at 5GB. Our love affair just might be over. According to a leaked update of their terms of service, effective July 31st, they'll be enacting a 5GB cap as well.
"Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred and to deny, terminate, modify, or suspend service if usage exceeds 5GB per month in total or 300MB/month while off-network roaming."
Turn Your Guitar Hero Guitar Into a MIDI Controller [DIY]
I can't tell you how many times I have looked down at my Guitar Hero guitar and wished that it could be used like a real instrument. The only problem was that I lacked the ability to build one. Oh, and I have no musical ability whatsoever. Fortunately, it appears that someone with skills has done the dirty work for me by figuring out a way to turn a Guitar Hero guitar into a full-fledged MIDI controller.
With the current version you can:
•Play 2 octaves of an 8 note scale at a time,
•Change the starting note anywhere in the range of a regular keyboard
•Change octaves
•Change keys
•Change tonal modes (Ionian, Mixolydian, Lydian, Dorian, Aeolian, Phrygian, Locrian)
•Change the timbre of a sound
•Change the resonance of a sound
•Use the whammy bar to pitchbend
•Play chords in the mode you have the guitar set to (major/minor/etc.)
•Rock out with a video game toy
And the best part of the deal is that you can put one together for yourself for less than $50 (assuming you already have the guitar). For how-to instructions, hit the following link. [Slapyak via MAKE]
First Year Kindle Sales vs. iPod, Palm Pilot and Other Famous Gadgets: How's It Doing? [Amazon Kindle]
Amazon's Kindle might pull in $750 million by 2010, growing from an estimated 189,000 units this year to 2.2 million in the next couple, according Citi analyst Mark Mahaney. But how does that stack up against other important gadgets in their first year of life? Silicon Alley Insider has done the hard work for us. Considering that Kindle is a gadget type that the mainstream has had no basic interest in until now (e-reader) and that it's been perpetually out of stock, it's not doing too shabby, though it's had a serious hype advantage over some of those gadgets. I have the feeling Kindle 2 is where it's really gonna be at. [Silicon Alley Insider, Thanks Dan!]
Question of the Day: Do You Use an Anti-Virus Program? [Question Of The Day]
I don't know about you, but I get stuck with calls every so often from family and friends looking for solutions to their computer problems, only to find out that their systems are bogged down with viruses and spyware. Naturally, a lot of what your computer may be infected with comes down to your browsing habits and the OS that you use, but there has always been a debate about whether anti-virus programs are resource hogs that actually do more harm than good. So, the question is: Do you use an anti-virus program?
TiVo Switched Video Tuning Adapters Appear at CableLabs [SDV On TIVO]
At long last, the SDV dongles that TiVo promised would arrive this year from Motorola and Cisco have been submitted to CableLabs for formal testing. For those unfamiliar, these little devices allow for two way communication between CableCard boxes and Cable Companies, so that only the needed programming data is sent, and bandwidth is conserved. Dave Zatz says its a good start to fixing the whole CableCard HD Programming debacle, even if its widely unsupported and a bit clunky. A shot of the Cisco box below. [Zatz Not Funny]
NCTA and TiVo Announce Progress on Switched Digital Adapter for TiVo DVRs SDV solutions from TiVo, Motorola and Cisco currently undergoing CableLabs(R) testing Cisco and Motorola tuning adapters on display at the 2008 Cable Show TiVo HD DVRs with tuning adapter support on display at the CableNET and Motorola booths at the 2008 Cable Show
NEW ORLEANS, May 19, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO), today announced that after a series of successful informal interoperability tests TiVo and several manufacturers of switched digital external tuning adapters have submitted products for formal testing at CableLabs. The tuning adapter will enable TiVo Series3(TM), TiVo HD DVRs, and certain other one-way digital cable ready consumer electronic devices that utilize CableCARDs(TM) to access digital cable channels delivered using switched digital technology.
"The ability to turn concept into reality this quickly is a testament to how closely cable operators, CableLabs, TiVo and other cable vendors have worked over the last several months to develop this first-of-its-kind marketplace solution," said Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President & CEO. "We are extremely grateful to TiVo for the critical role it has played throughout and are confident that customers will benefit from this solution enabling full access to switched digital channels."
Motorola and Cisco have both developed external tuning adapters and are seeking qualification by CableLabs(R) before being delivered to cable operators for deployment. The tuning adapters are expected to be offered in the coming months by cable operators including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, and Cablevision in areas where switched digital technology is being deployed. The cable operators and TiVo plan to work cooperatively to alert TiVo subscribers about the availability or need of the new external adapter and to ensure that installation of the adapter and CableCARDs will be easy and seamless for the consumer.
TiVo has modified its software for its TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD DVRs to communicate with the external Tuning Adapter. TiVo announced that the modified software has been submitted to CableLabs for verification testing. Upon verification, the software upgrade will be made available to TiVo subscribers via a regularly scheduled update.
Switched digital technology enables cable operators to transmit individual channels to customers on an as-needed basis rather than broadcasting all channels to all subscribers all the time. Switched digital technology provides more flexibility for cable operators to utilize network capacity to deliver interactive digital services, high-definition (HD) channels, broadband Internet and digital phone service. The Tuning Adapter is intended to work on any Unidirectional Digital Cable Ready Product (UDCP) that has a USB connector and necessary firmware.
"We are pleased with the focus and cooperation that CableLabs and the cable industry has exhibited from the outset and are eager to see this solution through to fruition so that customers can enjoy access to all switched digital cable channels," said TiVo CEO & President Tom Rogers. "This undertaking is a significant step forward in our ongoing relationship with the cable industry to develop technology and provide solutions that improve the television experience of cable subscribers."
"Cisco continues to develop innovative video technology that allows cable operators to provide a broad range of video entertainment options, including high definition and niche content," said Michael Harney, senior vice president, Cisco, Service Provider Video Technology Group. "As part of our portfolio of advanced technology, Cisco will have on display the STA1520 Switched Tuning Adapter, which was developed in conjunction with CableLabs, our cable operator customers and TiVo."
"Motorola is committed to accelerating the delivery of personalized media experiences," commented John Burke, senior vice president and general manager for Motorola's Digital Video Solutions group. "Working collaboratively, we have developed a solution that extends the reach of innovative interactive services to TiVo users and we are pleased to be able to showcase this solution at the Cable Show."
TiVo HD DVRs attached to Motorola external adapters are currently on display in both the CableNET and Motorola booths at the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans. The 2008 Cable Show, which runs May 18 - 20, is the largest cable and telecommunications exhibition in the United States.
RIM CEO: BlackBerry Bold Not Inspired by the iPhone At All, Really [Blackberry Bold]
RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, who was hating hard on touchscreen keyboards last time we heard from him, took the defensive on the BlackBerry Bold's iPhone-esque aesthetics at the Wireless Enterprise Symposium, saying that the Bold "wasn't a response to another device.... This was actually designed three years ago and the actual physical design of this product—I have the original models from 2006." Syncing to iTunes aside, Mike, I take it that this would be your response to the iPhone then? What do you guys think? Update: Changed the picture to live shot comparison, rather than renders.
Lazaridis also continued proselytizing for the full, physical QWERTY, calling it "the most exciting mobile trend," arguing that
"I'm not making this up. People are running out of their two-year contracts and they're coming into the stores and they want to be able to do Facebook and they want to be able to do instant messaging and they want to be able to do e-mail and they ask for those features thinking that they're going to get another flip phone and they're walking out with a (BlackBerry) Curve or a Pearl because they're the best devices for doing those kinds of activities."
Man, it sure would be great if there was a BlackBerry flip phone, wouldn't it ? All mocking aside, I think he's kinda right—look at the success of the Sidekick and LG's various QWERTY-but-basic phones, like the Rumor and enV. [Cnet via Daring Fireball]
Buy a Cheater's Crushed Zune For 99 Cents: Do What You Will With The Dirty Videos [Hide Your Gadgets]
This is one of the reasons why you don't cheat on your women my friends—because they will hit you were it hurts. And that usually means a swift kick in the nuts followed closely by a thorough dismantling of your precious gadgets. The poor Zune pictured here met its demise after a scorned woman found videos on it featuring her then-boyfriend in the act of cheating.
The woman behind the sale claims that she needed the proceeds to help her survive in a new town after moving there with the asshole man in question. However, the sale concluded with no bids—most likely because stories like this on eBay always seem phony. However, if she does decide to put it back up you can take your chances and put in a bid. The porn is included free—if you can find a way to extract it from the damaged drive that is. [eBay via Crunchgear]
Schlage Z-Wave Door Locks Can Be Controlled Remotely Using Internet Magic [Gadgets]
Schlage is planning on taking door lock security into the internet age with a new lineup of Z-Wave devices that can be locked, unlocked and monitored from a cellphone or other web enabled device. By connecting a Z-Wave gateway to any broadband router, users will be able to take complete control of up to 256 locks—including creating and disabling passcodes as well as monitoring who accessed the door and when.
However, the features of the new line of Z-Wave door locks are not all positive. Apparently, the locks will not have companion keyfobs or other handheld RF devices for unlocking the door. The reason behind this move is that Schlage wants users to grow accustomed to using devices like their cellphone—but the bottom line is that will probably take an extra step or two to complete whereas waving a keyfob can be more convenient in certain situations—like when your arms are full. At this point, no pricing or release date information has been made available, but expect to pay more than the $150 price tag of their standard electronic lock. [CEpro]
We had to double check that this wasn't a story about Second Life, but rather is an actual event in actual meatspace occurring this past weekend in Moscow. As former chess champion Garry Kasparov was giving a speech to unite opposition political forces, a radio-controlled penis flew across the room to some applause and laughter. The fun was ended when a dour-faced man smashed the penis out of the air. That's always the case, isn't it? Some guy's having fun with a flying penis when someone joker just has to ruin the party. [India Times via Sharenator]
Lightning Review: Gamercize GZ PC-Sport Power Stepper For Office Workouts [Review]
The Gadget: The GZ PC-Sport Power Stepper from Gamercize claims to give desktop and laptop users a workout by hijacking their keyboard or mouse when they slack off on their workouts. The Price: $199 for the GZ PC-Sport + Power Stepper / around $140 for the GZ PC-Sport alone.
The Verdict: As a personal trainer myself, I welcome any device that will motivate people to work out on their own—especially when outside of the gym. However, far too many of the gadgets that exist for this purpose are gimmicky and serve only to clutter up a garage after a few weeks of use. Unfortunately, I have to group the Gamercize GZ PC-Sport Power Stepper into this category.
Just to be clear, let me start off by saying that the device does what it is supposed to do. If you exercise, you can use the peripheral device hooked up to the machine. If you slack off, it will hijack the device until you get back on track. That having been said, I was a bit miffed about the machine's reliance on batteries. Both the power stepper display and the controller require them (one AA and three AAAs respectively). If the batteries die, it will probably be a while before they are replaced—and that could be the perfect window for unmotivated users to stop their workouts.
Another problem is that steppers of this type don't exactly provide an intense full-body workout (users can choose to hook the device up to an existing stepper with a 3.5mm jack connector). Sure, there are five different intensity levels to choose from and it will burn some calories, but the bottom line is this: If you are going to town on this thing at the office, your co-workers are going to plot against you inside five minutes. As you can hear in the video, the sounds of the power stepper would eventually drive anyone around you into a murderous rage. Even if you only used the device in private, trying to type on a keyboard or use a mouse while stepping can get annoying real fast. It's like trying to thrash on a drum kit and sing at the same time. It's just plain unnatural.
Finally, you are going to need a big desk and some short legs if you want to use the GZ PC-Sport Power Stepper correctly. I'm tall and my legs were up in my chest during the workouts—and adjusting the height of the steps on the machine only serves to reduce your range of motion which, in turn, reduces the effectiveness of the machine. Again, just about any type of workout is better than nothing, but you could get more out of your $200 by getting a gym membership and using your lunch hour for a quick 30-minute workout. [Gamercize]
Opera Mobile 9.5 Reviewed (Verdict: Even Better Than Safari Mobile) [Opera Mobile 9.5]
Matthew Miller from ZDNet loaded up Opera Mobile 9.5 on his HTC Advantage, a Windows Mobile device, and thinks it's even better than the iPhone's Safari browser. Why? Because he can select text, copy and paste, save passwords and even email individual images from a page. He says it's the best mobile browser he's ever used (even though Google Docs doesn't work correctly). It's definitely even more like a desktop browser than Apple's offering. You don't need to take his word for it—you can see for yourself in his video. [ZDnet via Into Mobile]
NEC Develops a Heart-Shaped LCD For Justin Timberlake Fans Everywhere [Displays]
The push towards non-rectangular displays is in full swing now that NEC has developed a more flexible TFT display that integrates the wiring circuits along the perimeter of the LCD glass. As a result, a wider variety of shapes becomes possible—like the heart-shaped prototype pictured above. Despite its prototype status, my guess is that it won't be long before you see little girls everywhere Bedazzling these things and cramming them full of Justin Timberlake photos. I can't wait. [NEC]
Radioraft, A Stereo That's Ready for Tubing [Portable Media]
The Radioraft is a 400W, five-speaker stereo system that floats around the pool while keeping your iPod dry in its waterproof compartment. And it has cup holders. Priced at $2,000, we were a little confused at how the Radioraft stored eight hours' worth of power, but from the product photos, we can only assume that it supplements its batteries by harvesting thermal energy from ambient college girls. Or nuclear fusion. [Radioraft via Le Journal Du Geek]
IOGEAR USB Net ShareStation Brings USB Over the Network [USB Network]
Sharing USB Printers over the network is old hat, but IOGEAR's USB Net ShareStation lets you share just about every USB device you've got. There's external hard drives, flash drives, card readers, USB webcams, USB Speakers and USB printers, all extensible over the 10/100 port to your network. There's also a built-in USB 2.0 hub extension so you can shove in four devices to use. Definitely useful if you've got an old printer that doesn't have networking features, or if you want to have access to a webcam you hid in someone's bathroom. [IOGEAR]
Dell First to Offer 7200rpm 320GB Notebook Hard Drives [Laptops]
While a flood of 7200rpm 320GB notebook-sized hard drives dropped not too long ago from pretty much all the majors, Dell is actually the first notebook maker to ante up and offer them (from Seagate) in their 17-inch XPS notebooks. The ballyhoo is 'cause most notebook drives spin at a pokey 5400rpm, and if you wanted the extra performance of a 7200rpm drive, you had to skimp on capacity. Now for $50 more (vs. a 5400rpm 320GB drive), you don't. Expect them in Alienware stuff soonish. [Dell via Crave]
Bill Gates Gifts South Korean President a Beautiful Xbox 360 [Home Entertainment]
When Bill Gates met South Korea President Lee Myung-bak earlier this month, he didn't come with a free copy of Vista in hand. Instead, he gifted Lee Myung-bak with 1 of 100 similar hand-crafted Xbox 360s entitled "Peace." The work of the head of a Korean company named Gookbo, each Xbox is decorated with mother-of-pearl ume flowers and butterflies to represent patience and perseverance. And it's all just touching enough for us to refrain from the predictable 360 reliability jabs. [fareastgizmos]
Digital Picture frames have been gaining in popularity lately, marrying convenience of having multiple pictures in one frame with the inconvenience of teaching old people how to use them. What's even better about this version is that it's for your pets. Your dead pets.
The urn can handle up to 75 pounds of pet remains—if you have one giant dog or many smaller ones that you mix together—has a 7-inch screen and 256MB of storage for your photos and audio recordings. Yes, we said audio recordings, which can play back your pet's various noises for you to enjoy from the comfort of your couch. Who can put a price on loving your pet after he/she's gone? Pet-Urns can, and they're $249. [Pet-Urns via Picture Snob]
iPhone Windows Vista Skin Makes Steve Jobs Cry Tears of Blood [Whyyyphone]
Best, worst or most hilarious iPhone skin ever? VistaPerfection 2.0 is a complete Windows Vista skin for the iPhone with over 90 icons, wallpapers, a dock, sound effects and everything else Vista like the Sidebar and Start menu. I'm not sure why anyone would do this to their iPhone, but be warned, since it's not on Installer yet (soon), the process ain't exactly painless, requiring Jailbreak, SSH access and SummerBoard. Full instructions at the link—send us pictures if you're ballsy enough to do this. It's not so we can laugh at you, honest.[Modmyifone via Just Another iPhone Blog via Technabob]
Best Buy Gives FCC the Finger After Selling Analog TVs [Best Buy]
Back in October, the FCC slapped a bunch of electronics retailers with (small) fines for selling analog TVs without the appropriate warning stickers of doom that the sets will officially be antiques on Feb. 17, 2009, when the digital switchover apocalypse happens. Best Buy is on the hook for $280,000. But their lawyers are telling the FCC that it's totally powerless here because they don't have Congressional mojo backing them up. Whatever legal mumbo jumbo is involved, we're glad the FCC laid down the (now sorta) law—we have the feeling it's why Best Buy officially kicked analog TVs in the first place, and the less stuff to confuse our grandmas, the better. [Ars]
Are you sitting? There's a new Sidekick coming. I know, you absolutely never saw this coming. The FCC has approved the new Sidekick model (Sharp PV210) for sale in the US and even included this fancy barcode label. We're still not sure if this model is the Aspen or Gekko—or how that whole mess is working out—but we wouldn't buy a new Sidekick anytime soon. [FCC via Engadget]
Samsung Announcing 82-inch Ultra-Definition LCD With Multi-Touch [Displays]
We may have a new dream TV. Samsung is set to unveil an 82-inch LCD with ultra-definition resolution (3,840 by 2,160) that refreshes at 120Hz sometime this week. But equally as exciting, the display will also come in a multi-touch flavor for education purposes. That version will run at just 60Hz. Unfortunately, we have no images of either display. But what justice could a 500x300 representation do an 82-inch, 3,840x2,160 display anyway? So here's a puppy instead. [infoSync][image]
Hype Buster: Sony XEL-1 OLED Not the Perfect TV (We're Not Talking 'Bout Size, Either) [Oled]
Sony's first OLED TV, the XEL-1, has gotten loads of favorable reviews and hype (from us too). It does put out a hell of a picture, one that made our Wilson proclaim: "you're essentially staring into what could very well be the perfect TV." But Gary over at HDGuru isn't so swoony, and his more rigid (and far HD geekier) tests show some serious (though not fatal) flaws you should definitely know about, if you're thinking about dropping $2,500 or are just an HD freak. Like, for instance, that it's not nearly as bright as the best plasmas and LCDs.
Brightness is the major issue here (though green is more saturated than the HDTV standard, if you care). If you move off-axis by 45 degrees horizontally (think viewing angle) then the image brightness drops by a third. And even if you actually calibrate the settings to "produce an optimum image," even on-axis, the best plasmas and LCDs are two-three times brighter (30-40 footlamberts vs. the XEL-1's 16.4 ft footlamberts).
Making the problem worse, one of the set's features is an auto-dimming circuit that slowly ratchets down the brightness (and contrast) within a minute of turning the set on (to around 7.8 footlamberts, way darker than "any calibrated plasma or LCD HDTV"). Sony says that it's to reduce the chance of burn-in, but it's more likely to help extend the set's life, which was discovered recently to only be half as long as it's rated for.
All that said, the picture quality remains "more breathtaking than its price," but you might wanna keep it in a dark room. [HD Guru]
Steve Ballmer finally gets to join his buddy Bill Gates in the "food target club" after a visit to the Hungarian University of Economy. A guy (grad student? just some dude?) stood up, yelled "Give back the money of the taxpayers" in an accent Ballmer probably couldn't understand, and started throwing eggs at him.
Our tipster Joco explains:
Microsoft has midterm contracts with the state in Hungary for "way cheaper than from the store" Campus-licences. This costs billions (in HUF, 160HUF=1USD) for the state and makes students stuck in the Microsoft-world, not knowing Linux etc.
It's not quite as violent as the Bill Gates encounter, but it still doesn't feel good. You know, when someone eggs you. Ballmer is not a house.
Samsung OLED Passport Is Perfect for Secret Agents, Plastic Surgery Junkies [Security]
For some reason, Samsung SDI and German company Bundesdruckerei think that their new passport with a 700µm (tiny) polycarbonate data page, which contains an active matrix bendable 300µm (really tiny) OLED display—capable of displaying video or text regarding the passport holder—is the next thing in border security.
The only problem is that they forgot that if it's electronic, chances are that it will be hacked, no matter what. According to Samsung SDI and Bundesdruckerei, however, their ePassport will be completely manipulation-proof. The thing is even heat-resistant, so it can be laminated to avoid access to it. The display itself won't use any batteries: it will be activated by a reader that won't require any contact, which will transmit electricity using induction. Jason Bournes and plastic surgeon junkies of the world, rejoice. [OLED Info]
While we're pleased to see Intel Atom processors making their way into mobile PCs, we're just as excited to see the upcoming Atom-based creations of the PC-building community. Now Trainquil PC is selling ready-to-run motherboards with a bundled 1.6GHz Atom processor and supporting up to 2GB of memory. They promise benchmarks of 3-4x those of similar VIA systems and the capability to power Vista Home Media Center "with ease." Maybe that's a slight hyperbole, but hey, it's a heck of a quote. The board is $103 this June. Here are the full specs:
3G iPhone Case Shows Thicker, Curvier Backside (and Front-Facing Camera Too?) [Rumor]
This isn't the first time we've heard that iPhone case manufacturers have gotten an early peek at the 3G iPhone, but this rendering on XSKN's site for the EXO mask iPhone 3G is obviously a bit more detailed than the rough sketches from a couple weeks ago. It lines up with them though, as well as what we've heard earlier: It's a bit thicker, with a more pronounced curve to the back, though it's hard to tell if the headphone jack is flush now. The earpiece hole spans almost the whole width of the phone—could it be for a front-face camera? Apply the usual skepticism here, but this could be plausible, given that cases will have to be ready in time for launch, so manufacturers likely already have the specs. [XSKN via Mac Rumors]
JVC Everio GZ-MS100, Another Camera After YouTube's Heart [Digital Cameras]
JVC's new GZ-MS100 is totally YouTube. How YouTube? It has a freakin' YouTube sticker on the side. Also, it allows one-button YouTube uploads to challenge the Flip Video.
Essentially a high-end SD card video recorder, the $350 GZ-MS100 records MPEG-2 and features a 35x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen, about 2 hours of stock battery life, various shooting modes, and an optional (YouTube-friendly) 10-minute recording limit. It'll run $350 this June.
New JVC Camcorder Offers One-Touch Uploading To YouTube™
WAYNE, NJ, May 19, 2008 - Sharing videos over the Internet is now easier than ever with the launch of a new JVC camcorder that provides one-button uploading to YouTube™, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos.
The new JVC Everio S Series memory camcorder, the GZ-MS100, was designed to make sharing simple for the millions of people who enjoy sharing their videos with the world over the Internet. And unlike many of the other camcorders that target Internet users, JVC's GZ-MS100 provides an impressive array of full-fledged camcorder features that give it the versatility to do more than shoot short Internet videos.
It looks strikingly similar to the popular Everio G Series camcorders, but is smaller and weighs only 0.60 lbs. including battery, because it records to an SD Card (user provided) instead of a built-in hard disk drive. The ever-increasing capacity and affordability of new SD Cards appearing on the market means that over time Everio S will be able to offer expanded recording time at a lower per minute cost.
Once the provided CyberLink software is installed on a Windows® PC, uploading video clips to YouTube™ is quick and easy. The camcorder has an UPLOAD button that works in two ways. In the camera mode, press UPLOAD and then the trigger, and this limits recordings to 10 minutes in length, which matches the YouTube™ file size limit. This eliminates the need to manually time recordings or go back to edit and shorten footage. After recording is done, connect the GZ-MS100 to a PC via a USB cable and press the UPLOAD button. This automatically launches the supplied application for uploading to YouTube™. After just a few mouse clicks the video will be up on the Internet for everybody to see. The original video q
Gizmodo, the gadget guide. So much in love with shiny new toys, it's unnatural.
Netflix's first streaming box is finally here and it's pretty damn brilliant of a setup. First of all, the box is 99 bucks, and 
A pair of new DS Lite flavors—and they do look more like yummy cherry and lime candy flavors than mere colors—have been spotted on a couple of Spanish retail sites, one of which is 
Do you remember the 
Good Morning America did a segment this morning on Hi-Tech food and restaurant gadgets, which ranged from really cool to really weird. There are menus that yap at you, doggie bags for your unfinished bottles of wine, and a waiter pager so that you can harass that smug bastard who's been ignoring you. But the best gadget in the lot was the automatic pasta vending machine, which takes dry pasta, dispenses it into a cooker, and a couple minutes later, it craps out a pile of "hot, steaming pasta" into a bowl. While you wait for it to cook, it warms your sauce. Truly bizarre. 
These official Xbox 360 pants are 100 percent cotton with an elastic waistband, adjustable drawstring tie and an open fly (which is how Chen rolls). They're only 18 bucks, but I'm deathly afraid of what happens if you get the Red Ring of Death. [
If you can't hawk your wares with a standard appeal to people's vanity, there's always good old-fashioned fearmongering. Like you'll DIE in a fire caused by TERRORISTS. Unless you've got the Subivor survival kit! Ominous music and death-hype aside, it's actually not a bad little pack of emergency gear—a mask that protects against toxic smoke, anthrax and other small things that'll kill you; flashlight; whistle; moist towelettes; and a mini-crowbar, 
[
We've raved on Sprint's EV-DO data service 
I can't tell you how many times I have looked down at my Guitar Hero guitar and wished that it could be used like a real instrument. The only problem was that I lacked the ability to build one. Oh, and I have no musical ability whatsoever. Fortunately, it appears that someone with skills has done the dirty work for me by figuring out a way to turn a Guitar Hero guitar into a full-fledged MIDI controller.
With the current version you can:
We're not sure where this came from originally, but we found this on Digg under "Kama Sutra For IT People." Hit the jump for a bigger pic. [
Amazon's Kindle 
I don't know about you, but I get stuck with calls every so often from family and friends looking for solutions to their computer problems, only to find out that their systems are bogged down with viruses and spyware. Naturally, a lot of what your computer may be infected with comes down to your browsing habits and the OS that you use, but there has always been a debate about whether anti-virus programs are resource hogs that actually do more harm than good. So, the question is: Do you use an anti-virus program?
At long last, the SDV dongles that 
RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, who was hating hard on touchscreen keyboards 
This is one of the reasons why you don't cheat on your women my friends—because they will hit you were it hurts. And that usually means a swift kick in the nuts followed closely by a thorough dismantling of your precious gadgets. The poor Zune pictured here met its demise after a scorned woman found videos on it featuring her then-boyfriend in the act of cheating. 
Schlage is planning on taking door lock security into the internet age with a new lineup of Z-Wave devices that can be locked, unlocked and monitored from a cellphone or other web enabled device. By connecting a Z-Wave gateway to any broadband router, users will be able to take complete control of up to 256 locks—including creating and disabling passcodes as well as monitoring who accessed the door and when.
The Gadget: The GZ PC-Sport Power Stepper from Gamercize claims to give desktop and laptop users a workout by hijacking their keyboard or mouse when they slack off on their workouts.
The push towards 
The Radioraft is a 400W, five-speaker stereo system that floats around the pool while keeping your iPod dry in its waterproof compartment. And it has cup holders. Priced at $2,000, we were a little confused at how the Radioraft stored eight hours' worth of power, but from the product photos, we can only assume that it supplements its batteries by harvesting thermal energy from ambient college girls. Or nuclear fusion. [
Sharing USB Printers over the network is old hat, but IOGEAR's USB Net ShareStation lets you share just about every USB device you've got. There's external hard drives, flash drives, card readers, USB webcams, USB Speakers and USB printers, all extensible over the 10/100 port to your network. There's also a built-in USB 2.0 hub extension so you can shove in four devices to use. Definitely useful if you've got an old printer that doesn't have networking features, or if you want to have access to a webcam you hid in someone's bathroom. [
While a flood of 7200rpm 320GB notebook-sized hard drives dropped 
When Bill Gates met South Korea President Lee Myung-bak earlier this month, he didn't come with a free copy of Vista in hand. Instead, he gifted Lee Myung-bak with 1 of 100 similar hand-crafted Xbox 360s entitled "Peace." The work of the head of a Korean company named Gookbo, each Xbox is decorated with mother-of-pearl ume flowers and butterflies to represent patience and perseverance. And it's all just touching enough for us to refrain from the predictable 360 reliability jabs. [
Digital Picture frames have been gaining in popularity lately, marrying convenience of having multiple pictures in one frame with the inconvenience of teaching old people how to use them. What's even better about this version is that it's for your pets. Your dead pets.
Best, worst or most hilarious iPhone skin ever? VistaPerfection 2.0 is a complete Windows Vista skin for the iPhone with over 90 icons, wallpapers, a dock, sound effects and everything else Vista like the Sidebar and Start menu. I'm not sure why anyone would do this to their iPhone, but be warned, since it's not on Installer yet (soon), the process ain't exactly painless, requiring Jailbreak, SSH access and SummerBoard. Full instructions at the link—send us pictures if you're ballsy enough to do this. It's not so we can laugh at you, honest.[
Back in October, the FCC 
Are you sitting? There's a new Sidekick coming. I know, you absolutely 
We may have a new dream TV. Samsung is set to unveil an 82-inch LCD with ultra-definition resolution (3,840 by 2,160) that refreshes at 120Hz sometime this week. But equally as exciting, the display will also come in a multi-touch flavor for education purposes. That version will run at just 60Hz. Unfortunately, we have no images of either display. But what justice could a 500x300 representation do an 82-inch, 3,840x2,160 display anyway? So here's a puppy instead. [
Sony's first OLED TV, the XEL-1, has gotten loads of favorable reviews and hype (
Steve Ballmer finally gets to join his buddy Bill Gates in the "food target club" after a visit to the Hungarian University of Economy. A guy (grad student? just some dude?) stood up, yelled "Give back the money of the taxpayers" in an accent Ballmer probably couldn't understand, and started throwing eggs at him.
For some reason, Samsung SDI and German company Bundesdruckerei think that their new passport with a 700µm (tiny) polycarbonate data page, which contains an active matrix bendable 300µm (really tiny) OLED display—capable of displaying video or text regarding the passport holder—is the next thing in border security.
While we're pleased to see Intel Atom processors making their way into mobile PCs, we're just as excited to see the upcoming Atom-based creations of the PC-building community. Now Trainquil PC is selling ready-to-run motherboards with a bundled 1.6GHz Atom processor and supporting up to 2GB of memory. They promise benchmarks of 3-4x those of similar VIA systems and the capability to power Vista Home Media Center "with ease." Maybe that's a slight hyperbole, but hey, it's a heck of a quote. The board is $103 this June. Here are the full specs:
[
This isn't the first time we've heard that iPhone case manufacturers have gotten an early peek at the 3G iPhone, but this rendering on XSKN's site for the EXO mask iPhone 3G is obviously a bit more detailed than 
JVC's new GZ-MS100 is totally YouTube. How YouTube? It has a freakin' YouTube sticker on the side. Also, it allows one-button YouTube uploads to challenge the 