Saturday, March 1, 2008

Street Fighter IV Impressions vs. Street Fighter III

Street fighter iv impressionsTwo days prior to my hands-on experience with Street Fighter IV, we held an impromptu Street Fighter III: Third Strike tournament at the offices of Massive Black. My Elena versus Crecente's Ryu wasn't so much a contest as it was a total bloodletting. (Ultimately, though, the Massive Black guys made the three Kotaku editors look like scrubs.) In Crecente's defense, he was more transfixed with Street Fighter II Champion Edition and largely ended his love affair there. I, on the other hand, latched on to every arcade release, through Super Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alphas I-III and all three iterations of Street Fighter III.

But the entry in the series that Street Fighter IV is largely modeled after, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, was the one that I actually spent the least amount of time with.

Regardless of my familiarity with that entry, jumping into a game of IV was like riding a bike. Sure, the bike was being kicked at by those already more experienced with the newest Street Fighter, and I was saddled with Crimson Viper for my first taste—she's overpowered at this point if I can take take on serious players while reading her move set from the cabinet—but much of the timing felt comfortably familiar.

And while timing, move sets and character rosters may have shifted considerably over the past seventeen years—each properly numbered sequel has its own inherent "feel"—there was much about Street Fighter IV that appealed to the gameplay nostalgic within.

It's hard when seeing Street Fighter IV in person for the first time not be wowed by what proper 3D could do for the series. Seeing Dhalsim, my default, with realistically rubbery extremities helped put aside my 2D purist moaning. Capcom's smart camera work for some of the game's more dramatic moves—say a Final Atomic Buster from Zangief or Houyoku Sen from Chun-Li—add a level of reward for pulling off a successful "ultra move."

The 3D engine adds some lovely effects to many of the characters super moves. Chun-Li's jellyfish-like projectile, for example, looks, well, even more jellyfish-like in three dimensions. Gorgeous lighting effects from Viper's electric attacks cast spooky blue light upon herself and her opponents. Dhalsim's fireballs, however, look wispy and meek.

As I find myself playing more Street Fighter III: Third Strike than anything else in the series these days, it was harder to adjust to the newer, more offense oriented play style. But coming to grips with a lack of parries and adjusting to the new Revenge moves, which add an exciting layer of strategy to IV, I found myself almost dreading going back to III's rules.

One thing I did like about Street Fighter III was its wacky cast of characters, regardless of how clunky characters like Q or flat out bizarre fighters like Twelve turned out to be. But that doesn't mean I'm not a fan of the meat and potatoes offerings on hand for IV. I hope Ono and crew do look beyond the second game in the series for inspiration. Whatever happened to Geki, anyway? And can we get a decent version of Poison to play around with?

I can understand producer Yoshinori Ono's wishes to bring Street Fighter back to the masses after the dwindling appeal of Street Fighter III. As someone who could never compete on a competitive Third Strike level, my best fighting game years well behind me, I appreciate what Capcom is trying to do with IV. It appears to have a welcoming surface, full of big, bright, memorable characters with an impressive depth for hardcore veterans.

My hands-on time with Street Fighter IV, painfully brief as it may have been, certainly made the wait for the console versions that much more distressing. It may not have been exactly what I wanted, as far as a jump from Street Fighter III, but it turns out I may have been wanting the wrong thing. This is a solid fighter, one that I'll be keeping even closer tabs on than before.

Via- [http://kotaku.com/362630/street-fighter-iv-impressions-from-the-street-fighter-iii-perspective]

More Americans turning to Web for news

webNearly 70% of Americans believe traditional journalism is out of touch, and nearly half are turning to the Internet to get their news, according to a new survey.

While most people think journalism is important to the quality of life, 64% are dissatisfied with the quality of journalism in their communities, a We Media/Zogby Interactive online poll showed.

"That's a really encouraging reflection of people who care A) about journalism and B) understand that it makes a difference to their lives," said Andrew Nachison, of iFOCOS, a Virginia-based think tank which organized a forum in Miami where the findings were presented.

Nearly half of the 1,979 people who responded to the survey said their primary source of news and information is the Internet, up from 40% just a year ago. Less than one third use television to get their news, while 11% turn to radio and 10% to newspapers.

More than half of those who grew up with the Internet, those 18 to 29, get most of their news and information online, compared to 35% of people 65 and older. Older adults are the only group that favors a primary news source other than the Internet, with 38% selecting television.

Howard Finberg, of the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, said the public often doesn't understand that the sources they are accessing online such as Google News and Yahoo News pull stories from newspapers, television, wire services and other media sources.

"It's delivered in a non-traditional form, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't traditional journalism underneath it," he explained.

But Finberg said the study does support the belief among many large media companies that focusing on local issues is important to their journalistic and economic survival.

Via- [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080301/tc_nm/internet_news_dc;_ylt=Arm4LlYkcdpLYFf2_KLqtiYjtBAF]

MSI Motherboard Fan- Powered Without Electricity

MSI motherboard fan without electricityMSI has developed a working concept design that utilizes Stirling Engine Theory to power a motherboard fan. Instead of conventional electricity, the fan will harvest heat emanating from the processor to function.



Interestingly enough, during a recent visit to their HQ in Taiwan, MSI told TweakTown that they "would probably end up adding the world's first powerless air cooler to an Nvidia motherboard." Nvidia?

Via- [http://gizmodo.com/362646/msi-motherboard-fan-powered-without-electricity]

Friday, February 29, 2008

Wii outsells the PS3 4-to-1 in Japan, Sony execs "not psyched"

Sony PS3 FailAccording to a report, the Wii outsold PS3s in Japan 4-to-1 in the month of February, and its games dominated bestseller lists. What does that look like in cold, hard numbers? Nintendo moved 331,627 consoles over the month, while Sony only managed 89,131 units in the same time. But wait, there's more: in January, the ratio was 3-to-1, which means that Nintendo's lead seems to be growing as the year moves forward. Still, Sony could have it worse, the Xbox 360 only scraped up a paltry 14,079 Xbox 360 sales in that same span of time.

Via- [http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/29/wii-outsells-the-ps3-4-to-1-in-japan-sony-execs-not-psyched/]

Thursday, February 28, 2008

NSA Gets the Best AT&T Coverage Around

NASA Att coverageThe Billboard Liberation Front has launched an "improvement" campaign on AT&T billboards in the SF area "to promote and celebrate the innovative collaboration of these two global communications giants" with their massive warrantless domestic spying program. Check the cool video......


The Billboard Liberation Front today announced a major new advertising improvement campaign executed on behalf of clients AT&T and the National Security Agency. Focusing on billboards in the San Francisco area, this improvement action is designed to promote and celebrate the innovative collaboration of these two global communications giants.

"This campaign is an extraordinary rendition of a public-private partnership," observed BLF spokesperson Blank DeCoverly. "These two titans of telecom have a long and intimate relationship, dating back to the age of the telegraph. In these dark days of Terrorism, that should be a comfort to every law-abiding citizen with nothing to hide."

AT&T initially downplayed its heroic efforts in the War on Terror, preferring to serve in silence behind the scenes. "But then we realized we had a PR win on our hands," noted AT&T V.P. of Homeland Security James Croppy. "Not only were we helping NSA cut through the cumbersome red tape of the FISA system, we were also helping our customers by handing over their e-mails and phone records to the government. Modern life is so hectic - who has time to cc the feds on every message? It's a great example of how we anticipate our customers' needs and act on them. And, it should be pointed out, we offered this service free of charge."

Commenting on the action, and responding to questions about pending privacy litigation and the stalled Congressional effort to shield the telecoms from these lawsuits, NSA spokesperson [REDACTED] remarked: "[REDACTED] we [REDACTED] condone [REDACTED] warrantless [REDACTED], [REDACTED] SIGINT intercepts, [REDACTED] torture [REDACTED] information retrieval by [REDACTED] means necessary."

"It's a win-win-win situation," noted the BLF's DeCoverly. "NSA gets the data it needs to keep America safe, telecom customers get free services, and AT&T makes a fortune. That kind of cooperation between the public and private sectors should serve as a model to all of us, and a harbinger of things to come."

Come see the improvement at 14th St. and Valencia St. in San Francisco.

The BLF (www.billboardliberation.com) has been improving outdoor advertising since 1977. Prior campaigns have included work for Exxon, R.J. Reynolds, and Apple Computers.

AT&T (www.att.com) is America's favorite telecommunications trust. Based in San Antonio, Texas, it has over 300,000 employees and annual revenues of $117 Billion.

NSA (www.nsa.gov) is the largest intelligence organization in the world. Headquartered at Fort Meade, Maryland, its budget, personnel, products, and services are all classified.

Blank DeCoverly
BLF Minister of Propaganda
Via- [http://gizmodo.com/361991/nsa-gets-the-best-att-coverage-around]

A Girl's Guide To Understand Fashion Writing

As previously reported, in 1950, British novelist/critic Marghanita Laski called bullshit on women's magazines. She also turned her piercing, unwavering eye on those who critique and write about clothes."

My study is of the fashion writer in the glossy monthlies whose language, while representing the quintessence of glamour to thousands of women, must be still virtually incomprehensible to millions more," she wrote. "It is in the bold misuse of our contemporary vocabulary that the art of the fashion writer is seen at its best; and for those who may wish to penetrate into hitherto unexplored fields I append an all too short glossary." "Cheap Clothes For Fat Old Women", Laski's informative quotes are below mentioned.

"I should add that the abbreviation G.W. indicates a Glamour Word, extremely evocative in the right context and of no real meaning whatsoever." -- Laski

Amusing: cheap.
Bold: G.W.; e.g., b. back-sweeping fullness.
Brief: very short in length: e.g., b. bolero, b. panties.
Bulge, Unseemly: stomach fat.
Classic: English garment (shoes, hat, suit) barely susceptible to fashion changes.
Crisp: G.W.; e.g., a c. silhouette, c. touches of white.
Demure: (of hats and hair styles) those which symmetrically frame the face.
Dignified: (i) of women: old; (ii) of clothes: for old women.
Dramatic: virtually unwearable, but photographs well.
-Est: Intensive used instead of "very" ; e.g., palest gray, softest and finest worsteds.
Everywhere: in a very few places; e.g., sable stoles are e.
Flattery: G.W.; e.g., the f. of mink, diamonds, orchids against your skin.
Frankly: would be ugly if we didn't tell you it wasn't; e.g., a f. jagged hemline.
Fuzz, Unsightly: superfluous hair on the legs.
Generous: (i) the designer is making nothing out of the dress length; e.g., g. cuffs; (ii) fat.
Hairs, Obstinate or Recalcitrant: the unwanted mustache; e.g., tweak out those o. (or r.) h.
Important: G.W.
Jaunty: G.W.
Limited-Income: cheap.
Midriff: stomach
Nostalgic: G.W.
Older: (of women) old.
Team: to wear one thing with another; e.g., t. your palest gray dress with the subtle flattery of a brief scarlet bolero.
That, Those: adjectives of distaste and elimination; e.g., eliminate t. unsightly bugle, or, as above, tweak out t. recalitrant hairs.

To sum things up, Laski translates the title of her column, "Cheap Clothes For Fat Old Women" into fashion editor speak: "Limited-Income Clothess for Dignified Maturity."

Via- [http://jezebel.com/361981/a-girls-guide-to-understanding-fashion-writing]

NASA to Intentionally Smash Two Spacecraft Into the Moon

NASA- Exploding moon picsNASA is planning to intentionally smash two spacecraft into the surface of the moon, hoping to reveal some water ice under the surface of the moon's south pole.



Regardless of whether or not NASA is now taking cues from my favorite sketch comedy show, they're hoping that the lunar explosions will reveal frozen water that could possibly be tapped as a resource for future moon missions or bases as well as revealing much about the history of our solar system. The mission is planned for February 2009, and here's in the details:-
LCROSS will piggyback on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission for an Oct. 28 launch atop an Atlas 5 rocket equipped with a Centaur upper stage. While the launch will ferry LRO to the moon in about four days, LCROSS is in for a three-month journey to reach its proper moon-smashing position. Once within range, the Centaur upper stage doubles as the main 4,400 pound (2,000 kg) impactor spacecraft for LCROSS.

The smaller Shepherding Spacecraft will guide Centaur towards its target crater, before dropping back to watch—and later fly through—the plume of moon dust and debris kicked up by Centaur's impact. The shepherding vehicle is packed with a light photometer, a visible light camera and four infrared cameras to study the Centaur's lunar plume before it turns itself into a second impactor and strikes a different crater about four minutes later.
Via- [http://gizmodo.com/361995/nasa-to-intentionally-smash-two-spacecraft-into-the-moon]

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

SmartSleep- Add Better Sleep to Your MacBook

Smartsleep demoFreeware application SmartSleep adds a preference pane to your Mac laptop's system preferences to enhance the usefulness of your Mac's sleep states. It does so by dynamically adjusting the type of sleep state your MacBook will use based on your battery life.

For example, as long as your Mac's battery has more than a 20% charge or 20 minutes remaining, SmartSleep will tell your Mac to sleep but not hibernate. This will sleep your laptop very quickly, but it will also keep your data in your RAM, which means your battery will still be draining slightly while you're sleeping. Below 20% will switch to sleep and hibernate mode, which saves your system state to the hard drive, thereby preserving more battery. Last, if you're at under 5%, SmartSleep will hibernate only. SmartSleep is freeware, Mac OS X only.

Via- [http://lifehacker.com/361489/add-better-sleep-to-your-macbook-with-smartsleep]

Disgaea 3 Hits U.S. PS3s In August

Disgaea3 PS3 in AugustNIS America has made the domestic release of the PlayStation 3 entry in the awesome turn based strategy RPG series official, making summer rich with Prinny explosions. Disgaea 3 will confuse graphics whores with its last-gen visuals when it hits North American PS3s this August.

Via- [http://kotaku.com/361495/disgaea-3-hits-us-ps3s-in-august]

Sony sees Eee-like PCs as having potentially negative impact

Sony executive- Mike abaryIn Sony's Open House, we were having lunch with Mike Abary, Sony's US SVP of Information Technology Products Division, who oversees Vaio computers (among numerous other things). Of course, the inevitable question came up about the Eee PC's success thus far, and what that means to computer companies on the higher end of the spectrum, like Sony. Mike's response was a little surprising, but certainly sensible enough: if consumer expectations begins to weigh too heavily toward the $300 end of PCs, he believes that kind of consumer adoption would have a profoundly negative impact on the industry, referring to its effect as "a race to the bottom."

We know there are a lot of Eee fans in the house, but the man makes sense. Sony isn't trashing ultra-cheap machines so much as recognizing that it's hard to push things forward when your primary objective becomes making the very cheapest possible machine you can (and not very best). Innovation is hard enough to subsidize, but when your already thin margins flatten even further in trying to sell ultra-cheap machines, it's easy to see the economics working against tech companies. (Asus has less to worry about here because its primary business is making PCs for other companies.) Of course, the reality is that ultra-cheap machines probably won't soon envelop the lion's share of computer sales and threaten what most think of as "real" PCs, so we probably don't have to worry about the industry bottoming out because of the Eee. False advertising and abusive trialware, however, are different stories entirely.

Via- [http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/27/sony-exec-sees-eee-like-pcs-as-having-potentially-negative-impac/]

1,301 Florescent Bulbs Lit Solely by Magnetic Fields

Magfields bulbsThis field has 1,301 florescent bulbs planted in it, and they're all glowing. They aren't plugged into anything, however; they're powered solely from the magnetic fields produced by the power lines above. It's all a large art project by Richard Box, and if you're really interested in it you can order a DVD of the whole thing from him. If you're cheaper and less interested, just peruse our gallery for the cool shots.

Magnetic Fields
Magfields bulbs snapshotVia- [http://gizmodo.com/361390/1301-florescent-bulbs-lit-solely-by-magnetic-fields]

$6 Million Home Theater Looks

6 millions home theaterThis home theater is real with more pictures below to tell just how over the top one audiophile went. Although the system is 8.8 channels there are 3 center channels, sixteen 18″ subs, 8 towers, 10 tweeters and a Sony ultra resolution (4,096-by-2,160) SRX-S110 digital projector and so much more it’s a challenge to list. Stuffed into the back of the room is an 18×10 foot screen and all this power, at least the audio is driven by a multitude of tube amps putting out 11,315 watts. Total cost: $6 million.

6 millions hometheater snapshotVia- [http://www.gadgetreview.com/2008/02/this-is-what-a-6-million-home-theater-looks-like.html]

Army of Two Gameplay Blowout- Games news

In Army of Two, players "will join up with either the game's built-in Partner Artificial Intelligence (PAI) or other players to fight through war, political turmoil and a conspiracy so vast it threatens the entire world."

"The difference between Army of Two and other third-person shooters out there is that this game is built for co-op play from the ground up," explained assistant producer Matt Turner as he fired up a level set in a canyon packed with caves.

Via- [http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/video-army-of-two-gameplay-blowout]

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Google2Go: All Google Mobile Services in One App

Google2GoThis is slick, TheTechTurf has developed a little app called Google2GO!, which collates a bunch of Google's mobile services into one little app:
  • Google Web/Image Search
  • Google Local Search
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Reader
  • Google Docs
  • Picasa
  • Google News
  • Google Notes
They couldn't help adding Amazon and Wikipedia too. Important to note, I suppose, that the app isn't Google-affiliated. It's still a fairly early version (v 0.275b), which mainly means that it doesn't support portrait mode.

Via- [http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/software/google2go_all_of_googles_mobil.html]

Microsoft says Live log-in problem resolved

MSN Hotmail snapshotAfter a day of problems, Microsoft says its Windows Live log-in issues are now a thing of the past.

Although a large number of Windows Live servers are running on Microsoft's Windows Server 2008, which is due to be launched Wednesday, a representative said the problem is not a glitch with the new operating system.

"We can say with certainty that Windows Server did not contribute to this incident," Windows Live Product Manager Samantha McManus said in a statement to CNET News.com.

Microsoft was far less detailed when it comes to what the problem actually was.

"This issue appears to have been related to an unexpected event which caused device overload and failure," McManus said.

Source- [http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9880081-56.html?tag=nefd.top]

Yahoo Set to Open Search Engine to Third Parties

Yahoo logoYahoo Inc. is planning to open its Yahoo Search engine to allow third parties to add a wide variety of data to search results.

Code-named "Search Monkey," the new open-source application programming interfaces (API) will allow Web site owners to add information such as ratings and reviews, images, deep links and other data directly to the Yahoo Search results Web page.

"Our intent is clear -- present users with richer, more useful search results so that they can complete their tasks more efficiently and get from 'to-do' to 'done,'" noted Vish Makhijani, senior vice president and general manager of Yahoo Search. "So instead of a simple title, abstract and URL, for the first time, users will see rich results that incorporate the massive amount of data buried in Web sites."

Web site owners can supply Yahoo with data, and the company's Machined Learned Ranking technology will ensure that the results are presented to users at the correct time, he added.

"We believe that combining a free, open platform with structured, semantic content from across the Web is a clear win for all parties involved -- site owners, Yahoo and, most importantly, our users," Makhijani said. "And by the way, users will be in complete control of the experience and will be able to turn off anything related to open search if they so desire."

In an example provided by Yahoo, a search result for a Japanese restaurant in California that previously would have included the URL, an abstract and an address would provide ratings, price information and links for reviews and photos with the new tools. Yahoo plans to provide additional details on how the open search tool will work over the next few months.

Not to be outdone, Google Inc. posted a reminder Monday that its similar effort, called Subscribed Links, allows users to create custom search results that users can add to their own Google search pages. Matt Cutts, a Google software engineer and head of Google's Webspam team, noted that Subscribed Links, which Google debuted in 2006, allows users to "display links to your services, answer questions, and calculate useful quantities and more."

Source- http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142869-c,yahoo/article.html

Sony announces $499 Metal Gear Solid PS3 bundle, God of War PSP pack

PSP pack- God of warIt's no surprise that Sony has had some sort of new PS3 SKU in the works, but the company has now finally gotten official with it, and thrown in another surprise to boot. On that former front, Sony's announced the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots PS3 Bundle, which includes said game, an 80GB PS3 and a DualShock 3 wireless controller (also available separately), all for the usual $500 price tag.

Look for it to coincide with the launch of MGS4 in the second quarter of this year. As if that wasn't enough, Sony's also taken the wraps off its new God of War PSP Entertainment Pack, which includes a spiffy red Kratos-approved PSP, the God of War: Chains of Olympus game, Superbad on UMD, and a voucher to download Syphon Filter: Combat Ops for free. $200 and it's yours this June.

Via- [Engadget]

Deep Sea Cowboys Saving Giant Ships

Seacowboys ship in a deep seaThe cargo ship Cougar Ace was entering Alaskan waters when its ballast tanks malfunctioned and a wave turned it on its side. Millions of dollars in shiny new Mazdas were dangling feet from the cold water. Then the A-Team of sea salvage (including a geek) flipped it right side up without the help of cranes or tugs. My good friend Josh Davis wrote this breathtaking feature on the small group of divers, ship captains, salvage masters and ship architects who brought the Cougar upright again.
Deep seafliInstead of the typical heavy cranes and tugs, they do their jobs very cheaply using only computer models of the ship's intricate ballast systems, heavy cutting and drilling tools, and pumps (and more than a bit of personal risk.) And salvage like this, recognized as a form of legal modern piracy, is compensated by a percentage of the value of the loot they save. Generally millions for jobs only days long. Here's how they flipped her around:

Via- [Gizmodo]

Monday, February 25, 2008

MP4 player on Soda can will leave you thirsty...

Sodacan with MP4 playerAn MP4 player that suits our lifestyle. When we're out on the street, feeling the hot rays of the sun, hustling to stay afloat, and generally just jamming, the Neux Corp. Ltd. NXMP324 is what we want. Sure, you can't actually crack this puppy open and gulp it down like a real soda, but you can take a sip of the funky combination of 128MB to 4GB capacities, MP3, WMA, WMV, WAV and ASF file support, built-in USB 2.0 jack, and bonus FM radio.

Via- [Engadget]

Gadgets tips- Customize Login Screen with LogonStudio

Customize login with logonstudioFor Windows only: Freeware application LogonStudio brings full login screen customization to your Windows XP or Vista PC.

Before this as we showed Mac users how they can match their desktop and login images, so if you were a Windows user looking for similar functionality, LogonStudio can do that for you and so much more. The app comes with several built-in login screens and images, but you can customize practically ever section of your login screen to your heart's content. LogonStudio is freeware and for Windows only.

Via- [Lifehacker]

Virgin's coconut-powered 747 completes first flight

Branson with virgin coconut first flightFinally, mankind has the answer to that eternal question, how many coconuts does it take to go from London to Amsterdam? The answer: 150,000 -- converted into biofuel and poured into a special 747, of course. Virgin Atlantic completed its first biofuel tests yesterday with solid results, using a mix of 20 percent coconut oil and 80 percent jet fuel to power a 747 -- a first for the airline industry. There's still a long way to go, of course -- only one of the jet's four tanks carried the alternative fuel, and even Richard Branson admits that giant coconut plantations devoted to airline fuel probably aren't workable -- but despite harsh criticism from skeptics, it's still an impressive achievement.

Branson says that although this test didn't use a viable fuel, it's a landmark proof-of-concept -- and that next-generation biofuels made from algae may one day power all our aircraft.

Via- [Engadget]

Eidos 20 BD- World's Most Overpriced Blu-Ray Player at $16,900

Goldmund Eidos 20BD Blu RayGoldmund has just announced the Eidos 20 BD, a device that they claim is the first Blu-ray player from a high-end AV manufacturer. So, naturally, that makes alright to slap a $16,000 price tag on it. Apparently, that premium price will score you an AC-Curator power supply circuit for improved picture and sound, a Mechanical Grounding construction that eliminates vibrations that can blur video and a Magnetic Damper that lowers reading errors.
Goldmund introduces first high-end Blu-Ray playerpriced at $16,900. The Eidos 20 BD Embodies Goldmund's Signature High-Tech Refinement Los Angeles, February 25, 2008: Goldmund, makers of the world's most extravagant and technologically advanced systems for audio-video purists, introduced today the company's first Blu-ray player, the Eidos 20 BD. With the announcement of the Eidos 20 BD, Goldmund becomes the first high-end audio/video manufacturer to issue a Blu-ray player. The Eidos 20 BD embodies the Goldmund high-tech refinement that has made the Swiss-based company a leader in the audiophile community for the last 30 years. Goldmund signature features found on the Eidos 20 BD include the "AC-Curator" power supply circuit which dramatically improves picture and sound stability and dynamics, and the "Mechanical Grounding" construction which removes from the player mechanism spurious vibrations blurring the video signal and increasing jitter. In addition, the new Eidos 20 BD uses the Goldmund "Magnetic Damper," a device lowering the reading errors, a feature that previously was exclusive to Goldmund's highest end devices. "As a result of last week's news in regards to the format wars, Goldmund decided to launch the Eidos 20 BD earlier than we had originally planned to capture the attention of the industry that believes in the superior technological merits of the Blu-ray format," said Michel Reverchon, president of Goldmund. "The Blu-ray player is the perfect addition to our Goldmund Media Room, which requires high-definition playback and is the pinnacle of technological excellence." Goldmund will begin taking orders for the Eidos 20 DB, which is priced at $16,900.
Via- [Gizmodo]

Sunday, February 24, 2008

How to perform ultimate email setup?

Gadgets tips- How to perform ultimate email setup?

Heart pics- For gmail tipsFor many of you, the constant flow of email in your inbox has you begging for a respite, so perhaps it's time to evaluate if your inbox is set up as optimally as it should be. The Put Things Off weblog suggests a six-way process a way to achieve "Inbox Heaven."

The perfect email setup should let me:
  • Check all my email accounts in one place.
  • Easily archive or delete email.
  • Flag actionable mail but keep it out of my inbox.
  • Access email from my mobile without loss of functionality.
  • Not worry about how much it's costing.
  • Feel good about email again.
The end result? Inbox Heaven can be achieved by using Gmail efficiently. Point all your emails to a single Gmail account so that you're not monitoring thirty-seven email accounts on a regular basis.

Optimize Gmail by utilizing shortcuts, get rid of that current mail application, and install Google Notifier and mobile Gmail. How do you achieve Inbox Heaven? Share your knowledge with us...

Via- [lifehacker]

iPhone Pics- Under a Microscope

iPhone microscope picsThe iPhone is a beautiful machine with amazingly clean lines and smooth surfaces. But how does an iPhone that's suffered the normal daily wear and tear hold up...under a $30,000 optical microscope?


iPhoneScope
iPhone microscope imageThese shots are pretty and all, but for the true iPhone enthusiasts, a $250,000 scanning electron microscope reveals even more:

iPhoneScope2
iPhone microscope snapSpecifically the results of X-ray diffraction spectroscopy can tell us the elements that comprise each piece of the iPhone.

1. The screen is not made of rumored sapphire crystal, but glass.
2. The bezel is made of chrome plated steel.
3. The rear is made of anodized aluminum.

Via- [Gizmodo]

EA Makes Offer to Buy Take 2

EA offers to buy Take2Electronic Arts just called me to let me know that they are making a bid to acquire Take-Two Interactive in an all-cash merger of about $2 billion.

The offer set Take-Two's stock at $26 per a share, about 64% the company's closing stock price prior to the company's Feb. 15 offer.

Take-Two's board rejected the offer, leading Electronic Arts to make their offer public to the company's shareholders.

In the letter, attached in the jump, EA CEO John Riccitiello tells Take-Two's Stauss Zelnick that the buy-out would help both the company and its stock holders:
Our all-cash proposal is a unique opportunity for Take-Two shareholders to realize immediate value at a substantial premium, while creating long-term value for EA shareholders. Take-Two's game designers would also benefit from EA's financial resources, stable, game-focused management team, and strong global publishing capabilities. ... There can be no certainty that in the future EA or any other buyer would pay the same high premium we are offering today.
Specifically, the letter mentions that EA could really help out with the launch of GTA IV. Hit the jump for the full letter and check back later to read our interview with Riccitiello.

Via- [kotaku]

BBC iPlayer Coming to iPhone, iPod Touch

David Brent- News of BBC player on iPhoneThe BBC plans to bring the popular iPlayer to the iPhone and iPod touch. That is fantastic news, as it means you will soon be able to stream great shows such as Top Gear and The Office to your iPod or iPhone. Better still, the added functionality is supposedly coming "within weeks." The bad news?

Well, you're probably going to need a UK IP address. For my fellow UK dwellers though, this rocks. The event is also monumental because it will be the first time an official TV broadband service has been routed to such mobile devices. Whether the iPlayer will be released as an optimized website, or an official app post SDK release is not clear, but either way, it's a win.

Via- [Gizmodo]

New camera tech- Can detect blood, water in car

New camera in car to track bloodEver on the lookout for the next step in up in Big Brother policy, there's a new camera technology being developed in the UK at Loughborough University which can count car occupants by figuring out how much water and blood content there is inside the car. The obvious application is for trimming down those carpool lane offenders, trying to squeeze by the law with a dummy or a pet in the passenger seat. Look, privacy concerns aside, there's just something awkward about traffic cams tracking quantities of blood and water inside of commuter cars. Do we really want to let the Machines have that kind of inside (literally) information on us?

Via- [engadget]