scattered technology news

CES 2009: Shure SE115 Headphones - Sunday, January 18, 2009

During the Consumer Electronics Show, Shure announced a new set of headphones, the SE115. The series is their most affordable earphones to date, with a retail price of $99. Although these earphones are on the lowest-end of their lineup, they offer an incomparable listening experience versus most generic earphones that are included with most devices. The headphones are available in Blue, Pink, Black and Red to match different portable audio players. Shure has also packed more bass into these earphones will shrinking down the size of the unit. The earphones help eliminate background noise too help fully experience whatever you might be listening too.

Specifications Speaker Type:

• Dynamic MicroSpeaker II
• Sensitivity (at 1kHz): 105dB SPL/mW
• Impedance (at 1kHz): 16
• Frequency Range: 22Hz-17.5kHz
• Cable Length: 18 in. (45 cm)
• Warranty: 2-Years
• Price (MSRP): $119

As always Shure provides a kit with a variety of earpieces to ensure that the buds comfortably fit into your ear canal. The earphones have a modular cable which can extend from just 18 inches to 54 inches with the extension. Shure provides a 2 year limited warranty on these earphones, so rest assured that if they happen to fail or cause problems, you’ll be able to have them replaced. The headphone jack is a standard 3.5mm pin, which will fit into any standard computer, laptop, cd player, or digital audio player.

The earphones will become available for purchase in Spring 2009. Although the expect sale price is $99, it should be available for cheaper through many retailers. We’ll be getting a unit to review as soon as we can, so check back for a full review! Meanwhile checkout our review of the Shure SE110 and the SE210.

Links: Shure.com SE115

CES 2009: Haier Ibiza Touch “Sneak Peak” - Friday, January 16, 2009

During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV, the PR folks at Haier had some upcoming goodies to show off. The one that I personally got excited about was the Rhapsody Ibiza Touch, which was unfortunately not completely finished, but the prototype was functioning quite well. So the big question might be “What sets this apart from the rest of those digital audio players?”. And Haier had an answer. This player is considered a social music player since it features WiFi. Owners will be able to download, purchase, or sync music wirelessly for one. But what caught me off guard was the built in browser and RSS reader. Users can browse to a webpage and instantly download a file, which can be played back if the player happens to support the codec. And the RSS syndication will allow downloading podcasts on the go without the need of a computer as a middleman. According to Haier both video and audio podcasts can be synced on demand or can be programed to check for new content and download automatically. It also has access to thousands of internet radio channels.

In terms of codecs, the Ibiza supports playback of DivX, H.264, and MP4 for video. For audio, it works with AAC, MP3, and WMA. It can also display JPEG and PNG images.

The Ibiza Touch has a 2.8-inch WQVGA display with vibration feedback, is available in 8GB to 32GB NAND Flash capacities, Bluetooth with stereo headphone support, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini-USB 2.0 port, and much more. The battery life can withstand playback of up to 15 hours of audio, 6 hours of video, or 10 hours of streaming content over WiFi.

We don’t have too much more details, however we will try to get a hold of a unit for review in the near future. I personally am quite excited about downloading podcast wirelessly without the need of a computer and DivX support. Check back for more details!

Links: Haier Ibiza

CES 2009: Sony VAIO P Series Notebook - Thursday, January 15, 2009

Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Sony announced the VAIO P Series Notebook. It is claimed to take the spotlight of being the worlds lightest 8-inch laptop. I had a chance to play with a unit and I have to admit it did look quite enticing. But the first thing that came to my mind wasn’t that it was just another portable laptop, but rather a memory of a very similar Sony product from about 10 years ago. It was called the VAIO C1 and featured 233MHz processor, 3.2GB HDD, and a webcam (image thumbnail below). But most importantly it retains literally the same form factor of the new P Series. Thankfully the P Series has come a long way in terms of technology with plenty of power packed under the hood while weighing just 1.4 pounds.

Sony VAIO P Series Specs:

• Processor: 1.33GHz Intel Atom
• Hard Drive: 60GB HDD, 64GB SSD, or 128GB SSD
• Memory: 2GB 533MHz DDR2
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Basic
• Graphics: Intel GMA 500
• Built-in Webcam & Microphone: Yes
• Keyboard / Mouse: Reduced Standard / Pointer
• Display: 8-inch 1600 x 768 LED
• Wireless: WiFi b/g/n & Bluetooth 2.1 & WWAN
• Expansion Slot: Memory Stick & SD Card slots
• Audio: Speakers and 1 Headphone Jack
• Ports: 2x USB 2.0 & Expansion I/O Connector

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MacWorld 2009 Keynote - Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Prior to today’s keynote there were plenty of speculation as to whether Apple would roll out a iPhone Nano, new Mac Minis, or a new iMac. Unfortunately none of those happened. Launching some new innovative products would have been a great way to show the world that Apple can survive with Steve Jobs temporarily out of the picture; however they failed to stir up any excitement.

Phil Schiller, the SVP of Marketing at Apple, filled in for Jobs. He began by presenting a lot of new software applications that would soon become available to Mac users: iLife ‘09 and iWork ‘09.

Let’s start with the applications included in iLife ‘09. The new version of iPhone features Facial Recognition, which will automatically scan through your entire library and tag people in each image once you assign a name to a face. Users will then have the ability to browse through their photos by “Faces” to find every instance that a person appears throughout your entire photo gallery. iPhoto will now also support Geo-tagging, which will take coordinates from GPS enabled imaging devices such as the  iPhone (or Blackberry Storm) and assigns locations to where they were taken. A built-in interactive mapping tool, based on Google Maps, will allow browsing through your photos by locating them as pinpoints on a map. Finally users will also have instant way of uploading images directly to Facebook or Flickr. Tagged faces will be tagged on Facebook while Geo-tagged images will be noted on Flickr. iMovie ‘09 and GarageBand ‘09 also received upgrades which add new functionality. iLife ‘09 will be included on all new Macs, but if you have an older machine it will become available for $79 this month. Read More

Microsoft Updates The Zune - Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Yesterday Microsoft announced a couple of updates and upgrades to their current Zune lineup. New capacities such as a 16GB flash model and a 120GB HDD version will hit store shelves in about a week. The new firmware upgrade will allow “tagging and purchasing” songs that you hear on the player’s built-in FM radio, offer wireless access to the Marketplace store, recommend music using a newly developed engine, and works with the upcoming Zune Pass subscription. This is a fairly decent upgrade and most existing Zune customers will truly appreciate it, however I wouldn’t yet say it’s a good enough of a reason to purchase another Zune. It is still satisfying to be able to purchase songs on the go at hot-spots like you would be able to do on Mobile Phones or on the iPhone. I probably wouldn’t be using the FM tagging feature too much, but the Zune Pass sounds appealing. For a flat rate of $14.99/month you can download or stream as much music as you would like.

The Zune desktop software will also be getting some improvements with Mixview and a new Now Playing page which both offer new graphical and interactive ways to browse and view your library. And the new firmware will also bring support for a couple of games, audiobooks (supports Audible), and real ebooks through OverDrive. Most of those are great, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to read a whole book on a Zune. Anyways if you are interested in getting a new Zune, starting on September 16th, pricing will be set at $250 for a 120GB HDD model, $229 for a 80GB HDD model, $199 for a 16GB SSD model, and $149 for a 8GB SSD model. Apple is also rolling out new iPods today, so I might suggest holding off until the end of the day if you happen to be deciding between the two.

Links: Zune.net

Acer Aspire One Review - Sunday, August 31, 2008

The Acer Aspire One is an affordable ultra portable notebook which has entered the sub-notebook market to compete with the well known Asus EEE PC. With an MSRP of $350, originally $100 more during the inital release, the Aspire One makes an excellent laptop for web browsing, email, and entertainment while on the go. Plus, it’s hardware configuration isn’t lacking the slightest bit either!

Acer Aspire One Specification:

• Processor: Intel Atom N270 1.60 GHz
• Memory: 1GB DDR2 (533MHz)
• Chipset: Intel Mobile 82801 GBM
• Video: Intel GMA 950
• Storage: 2.5 inch 120GB HDD
• Card Readers: SD Card (1) & Multi-Card (2)
• OS: Windows XP Home Edition
• Display: LED 8.9 inch 1024×600 (WSVGA)
• Webcam: 0.3 megapixel camera
• Wireless: Acer 802.11b/g
• Ports: 3 USB, LAN 10/100 Mbps, VGA, & Audio in/out
• Battery: 24W 2200mAh 3-cell Li-Ion (3 hours)
• Input: 84-key Keyboard & Touchpad
• Weight: 2.19 lbs with 3-cell & 2.78 lbs with 6-cell
• Size: 9.8″ (W) x 6.7″ (D) x 1.14″ (H) inches

The Body: 3.5/5 stars
With the lid closed, the Acer Aspire One has a stylish glossy finish over its blue body. The bottom of the notebook is made of one piece of plastic except for perforations for air flow and a small cutout for access to the RAM. The external build is elegant, robust, and has a tiny footprint. The inside looks fairly good with a black keyboard and a blue surrounding, however there’s a large gap that appears between the lower and upper portion of the notebook which just looks unusual. There are two shinny orange pieces on the hinges, which stand out too much and takes away from the look in my opinion. The screen is surrounded by a highly glossy black frame which provides a nice contrast in some situations, however can become irritation when light reflects back at you. Most of the components are in the right places and are easy to access. Overall, the durability, feel, and looks of this notebook won’t be an issue. Read More

Nvision 08: Audi Navigation - Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Audi was present at Nvision 08 and I had a chance to get the scoop on some new gadgetry which should begin to appear in new Audi cars in the near future. One of Audi’s employees demonstrated some of the upcoming upgrades to their navigation systems. The new system, entitled “Multi Media Interface (MMI),” will feature voice commands that does not require training, 3D maps, and a music library stored on an internal hard drive. There are plenty of other tech features, but I’ll focus on the center of it all.

The Navigation System will sport a new display with a higher resolution and will be LED backlit for sharper colors. It will support playback of DVD movies, but only when the car is parked. Like more cars today it has full support to allow hands free access to Bluetooth enabled phones. But as a bonus it will allow dictating numbers to dial or even saying names in your phonebook without having to program your voice for ever possible combination. The upcoming cars featuring this new system will have a 40GB HDD and two SD card readers built-in. Unfortunately the car doesn’t allow ripping tracks from inserted CDs due to copyright restrictions, however it will allow copying downloaded music from those SD cards. (MP3, WMA, & AAC supported!) Additional options for a USB port to allow use of flash drives will also be an option. The MMI system also supports adding support for Apple iPod devices or AUX analog inputs, which will probably also cost extra.

The main reason Audi was at Nvision was because their new MMI systems will be sporting Nvidia graphics chips inside the dashboards. The chips will be used to generate good looking 3D graphics rapidly. Many city centers will have 3D building models and topographical terrain maps. It looks quite similar to what is currently available in Google Earth. All the 3D content will be generated in real-time while providing turn-by-turn directions. According to the Audi rep, the graphics chip has been specially designed to withstand high and low temperatures while being able to absorb large amounts of shock, which would be important since it’s part of a vehicle. The GPS data with those 3D maps and voice prompts will apparently takes up around 25GB of data. When it comes time to upgrade to the latest sets of maps, dealers will apparently be able to simply install the updated content pack onto the Audi’s HDD.

Update (08/29/08): I previously had stated that the Audi will be using a Nvidia graphics card, however it turns out it’s just a Nvidia graphics chip. Sigmund, thanks for the correction.

Nvision 2008: Keynote - Monday, August 25, 2008

Earlier today I had a chance to attend the Nvision 2008 Keynote given by Nvidia’s CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, in Downtown San Jose. It was just a short drive away since Skatter Tech is located in Los Gatos. The Performing Arts Center was packed and was decorated in Nvidia’s favorite color, green. Nvidia’s CEO covered a range of topics about how Nvidia’s GPUs have played a role in our world and also went on to talk about much of what kind of technologies we’ll be seeing in the near future. Let’s get started…
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Lenovo Taking IdeaPad S10 Pre-Orders - Friday, August 22, 2008

Earlier this month, Lenovo rolled out the IdeaPad S10, an entry-level ultra-portable laptop. The IdeaPad S10 sub-notebook is primarily intended for those getting into computing for the first time and for those seeking a secondary portable laptop. The laptop will allow performing simple tasks such as browsing the web, accessing emails, listening to music, and running basic applications. For college students, this S10 is a great tool to take notes in class and have WiFi internet access when away from their desk especially since it is just an inch thick and weighs approximately 2 pounds.

The IdeaPad’s keyboard is about 85% the size of a standard keyboard, so typing won’t be too difficult. The 10 inch display has a 1024×600 pixel resolution making it large enough to view most web pages and since it’s LED backlit, battery life will also be conserved. The laptop has the standard WiFi b/g networks built in, however it also supports use of Mobile Broadband through the Express Card slot. The laptop also features the standard tools such as a microphone, a webcam, a speaker, audio in/out, two USB ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, and a VGA display output.

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MS Office Ultimate Deal Is Back! - Friday, August 22, 2008

Going back to school? Looking for a Microsoft Office Deal? The limited time 91%-OFF deal for college students is back! Microsoft is currently offering a special edition of their suite entitled “Office Ultimate 2007″ which includes full editions of Access, Accounting Express, Excel, Groove, InfoPath, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word for just $60. If you are currently a student, you’ll no longer have to find $300 for some of those apps.

Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate

To be eligible for this deal, you must have university email address at a ‘.edu’ domain and must be enrolled in at least 0.5 units of course work. We highly recommend taking advantage of this deal since the next cheapest Microsoft Office bundle, the Student and Teacher Edition, costs over $80 and only includes four applications. And if $60 bucks is still too much, the next best alternative is Open Office which is an open source office suite available for download at no cost. In case you are wondering, Open Office is completely legal and is distributed by Sun Microsystems, however I still recommend Office Ultimate for $60.

Buy Now: TheUltimateSteal.com