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

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

Earlier this year during the Consumer Electronics Show, Netgear announced their new Storage Central Turbo (SC101T). Although it only reached store shelves a few months ago, this is still the newest version of Netgear’s bestselling Storage Area Network (SAN). The SC101T is much faster and much more versatile than its predecessor, allowing for multiple users to access data simultaneously and even protecting music, photos and videos.

The Upload Test:
The SC101T is a great Storage Area Network (SAN) (aka. Network Attached Storage – NAS), providing gigabit speeds. When coupled with a gigabit router, can offer fast backups and data access for networked machines. In addition to allowing 2 SATA hard drives, of any size, to be combined, the SC101T offers amazing upload speeds. After running a quick test, my results showed that it only took approximately 3.5 minutes to upload a 4.5GB file through my gigabit connection versus the 8.5 minutes it took using a standard 10/100 Ethernet connection.

The Throughput Stress Test:
To further test how well Netgear’s Storage Central Turbo would perform, we connected the unit to three wired computers through a gigabit connection and a single wireless media streaming device. After loading up large separate video files on all the units at the same time, our computers and media streaming device continued to receive the data seamlessly. Despite so much data flowing through, the video continued to play without any staggering, delays, or hiccups. It was quite impressive compared to the previous generation of NAS devices.

Setup Utility:
The Storage Central comes with the Storage Central Manager Utility, which is required to be installed on our machines to be able to access the drive or make any administrative modifications. This was one of the main pitfalls to Netgear’s product since the user-interface wasn’t too friendly (still usable). One thing that made us give this a thumbs up was that fact that the drive combinations didn’t need to match and it even supported a RAID configuration.

We highly recommend this to anyone who has multiple machines on a network and manages a lot of media. It is extremely worth the investment to backup your data instead of having to spend a few thousand dollars and go through a long and tedious process to have your data recovered if your Hard Drives fail. For just $150, Netgear’s Storage Central Turbo (SC101T) is well worth the money. This of course doesn’t include any hard drives, but it won’t be too expensive as prices are continuously dropping. A 500GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive costs just $130 now. If this “solution” is too expensive, we recommend just purchasing an external hard drive to backup your important documents. It isn’t worth the pain of loosing years worth of data because of something as simple as a power surge.

Buy Now: Netgear Storage Central Turbo – $143 (No Tax & Free Shipping)
Links: Netgear (SC101T) More Info

Two weeks ago at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sony announced the long awaited 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. The card weighs less than two grams and is only 0.79 inches wide and 1.22-inches long. The Pro Duo card will work with plenty of Sony’s hardware media products such as the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, Mylo, Sony Ericsson phones, and Cyber-shot digital cameras. Although this is good news for many, the current price isn’t. According to Sony, the 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo will be on store shelves next month (Feburary ‘07) for a retail price of $300!

Unless you absolutely want this much storage, we don’t reccomend wasting this much money on it since it costs about $100 more than the PSP itself. Prices should drop as soon as third-party companies such as Sandisk begin to manufacture these cards, however this may a while. As for now, prices on smaller capacities are getting quite cheap. You can now get a 1GB card for as low as $25 and a 2GB card for about $55.

P.S. At least the price is much lower than it originally was. During CES 2006 when the 4GB model was originaly released, the expected cost of the 8GB model was around $800!

Links: SonyStyle.com | Press Release

During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Shure announced a major upgrade to their popular high-end consumer headphones. The four new Sound Isolating headphones all have “ever-wider frequency ranges,” move up a spot on the product line while remaining at around the same price, and are smaller than the previous models. The new headphones are also slightly more expensive than the previous models, which have been on the market for over two years, ranging from $150-500.

The Shure Earphones:

• SE210: The cheapest of the new line of headphones, but these Hi-Definition MicroSpeakers offer better sound quality than most headphones on the market. – (Range: 25Hz-18.5kHz) – [$150]
• SE310: Slightly better than the Hi-Defintion MicroSpeakers featured in the previous model, but now includes Tuned BassPort and reaches wider frequencies. – (Range: 22Hz-19kHz) – [$250]
• SE420: Even better frequencies and now have more powerful Dual TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers. – (Range: 20Hz-19kHz) – [$350]
• SE530/SE530PTH: Probably the best portable consumer earphones on the market today. These two feature a new Triple TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers. Can hit even the lowest and highest notes, has dual woofers?, and better bass. – (Range: 18Hz-19kHz) – [$450/$500]

To ensure the new earphones will fit everyones ears, the package will include “a variety of sleeves.” These include small, medium, and large: Foam, Soft Flex, and Triple Flange Sleeves. All four models have a 45cm cord plus a 91cm extension cable (total 136cm) and come with a Carrying Case. In addition the Premuim Kit (only for the SE420 and SE530) include a Volume Control module, 1/4″ Adapter, and an Airline Adapter.

I had the chance to try out each of these phones recently at the Shure booth at MacWorld 2007 and I plan to purchase the E210 when they become available. According to public Shure’s Press Release, the earphones will begin to ship worldwide next month, Feburary 2007. However a Shure employee I spoke with stated that the date currently mentioned is an estimation and may take much longer. I will write up a review as soon as I get a hold of a set of these, so check back soon!

Links: Shure Earphones | Buy Now (Amazon)

Bill Gates started off the Microsoft CES keynote with his thoughts on the rapid advancement that the technology market has undergone in recent years, and quickly tied it all into the release of Windows Vista and the importance of the new operating system. Other than Vista’s features, the keynote included information about their new Windows Home Server, Live Anywhere, Xbox IPTV, and a big deal with Ford Motors.

Vista’s ShadowCopy:
A neat feature, showcased by Justin Hutchinson, is called ShadowCopy, which in essence provides Vista with another safety net from human error. In short, it allows users who accidentally saved an incorrect version of a document or overwrote the wrong file to “restore previous versions of [the] document with just a couple of clicks” The feature is a lot like the current System Restore, but works on an individual file level. “It’s better than going back in time,” joked Justin (referring to OSX’s Time Machine).

Vista’s GroupShot:
Continuing with Vista, Hutchinson described how the Ultimate version of Vista will include downloadable extras for those of us willing to shell out the extra money for this particular version. One of the more impressive downloadable programs is Groupshot, which allows users to select parts of different pictures and combine them into one for a better overall image. The aim of this program is to fix awkward facial expressions of an individual in a series of group shots, where the face of a person in one image can be transplanted over onto his or her face in another image.

DreamScene Backgrounds:
Another Ultimate Extra is found in the form of DreamScene, which allows users to use full motion video as a desktop background. This feature will probably only be recommendable for those who have enough graphics horsepower to spare after having turned on Aero Glass, not to mention the patience to deal with a distracting video playing in the background.

Virtual Earth 3D:
After a brief Vista discussion, the topic changed to the Virtual Earth 3D technology that’s part of the Windows Live network. Using an Xbox 360 controller, Hutchinson was able to fly a camera around in a fully three dimensional recreation of Sin City. The concept felt a lot like Google Earth with SketchUp, but it’s always nice to see competition.

Windows Home Server:
The next item of interest was the mention of a project that Microsoft has worked on with HP, called Windows Home Server. As the name implies, this will be network attached device that will be available to multiple PCs, Xbox consoles, the Zune music players and any other compatible devices. They can be used for backups or additional storage. Expect to see the HP Media Smart Server in stores later on in the second half of this year.

“Live” Anywhere:
With Windows Vista, Microsoft will be introducing the concept of Live Anywhere, which basically amounts to being able to play a game, like Uno, on your Vista machine with someone else playing on their Xbox 360, and vice versa. In the future the service will support more “hardcore games.”

Xbox 360 Gets TV:
The entertainment experience doesn’t stop with Live Anywhere. Microsoft also plans to provide its customers with a wide variety of TV content, which it will soon be offering in four different ways.

• 1) HD-DVD – the new addon for the Xbox 360 will provide HD video. More units will be shipped out since they are in “incredibly high” demand.
• 2) Media Center PC – recorded and live TV content can be accessed on the Xbox 360 by networking it with one of these PCs.
• 3) Xbox Live Video – the recently launched service allows users to download HD and SD movies onto the console. The service already has a thousand hours of content. And it’s really simple, because the Xbox is already on the internet and, it’s connected to a big [screen].
• 4) IPTV – with just a simple internet connection and a Xbox 360, you soon can receive standard TV channels (live) over the internet. Microsoft is planning on turning the 360 into a Top Set Box soon after gaining support from third-party telephony companies such as AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, C-Com and SwissCom.

The new IPTV service will be able to handle both standard and high definition streaming for a variety of different channels. The software includes picture-in-picture support, recording, and other TiVo-type features. The service will NOT be free, but will be much cheaper than paying regular cable and extra equipment. (great for college students)

Ford Motors:
The final major announcement to come forth from the CES keynote was that Microsoft has partnered up with the Ford Motor Company to offer a “fully integrated, voice activated, in-car communications and entertainment system for mobile phones and digital music players.” This Ford exclusive, called “Synch”, will support Bluetooth, phone book syncing, three way calling, and text-to-speech reading for text messages. Not only will it be compatible with the Zune and the iPod, but as a bonus there will also be a USB port for Flash Thumb Drives.

Watch: Bill Gates’s Keynote (requires Windows Media Player)
Links: Microsoft at CES 2007
Related: CES: Verizon – Mobile TV

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Verizon Wireless announced V CAST Mobile TV and two new phones to go along with it. The upcoming service will allow subscribed customers using either of the two new phones to watch standard TV channels “on-the-go.” Verizon Wireless is expected to launch Mobile TV by the end of March ‘07.

V CAST Mobile TV:
If you are wondering if this is different from the current V Cast Video, it is completely different. The currently available service only allows viewing short clips from major broadcasting networks, while Mobile TV will allow watching the same live broadcasted content you receive 24 hours a day on your regular TV. During the initial launch only certain TV channels such as CBS, Comedy Central, Fox, MTV, and NBC will be available, but more are expected to added the lineup soon after. Also since the content isn’t “on demand” you will need to check a program guide. This very similar to the grid guides found on Cable or Satellite TVs for finding timings when shows are aired. The schedules can be found on any Mobile TV enabled phones.

The 2 New Phones:
The first two phones to support this new service will be the Samsung SCH-u620 and the LG VX9400. Both phones feature a large and bright LCD display for viewing Mobile TV content. Also along with the new service, the phones will continue to support the “NOW standard” features such as V CAST Music/Video/Games, Mobile Web, and Get It Now. The two phones feature a 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth (stereo headset support), speakerphone, and microSD expansion for music storage. A neat multitask feature will mute media (or pause if music) when a phone call is received and continue playback right after hanging up.

Pricing:
Verizon Wireless has stated that pricing for the V CAST Mobile TV will not be available until the service is actually launched. The current V CAST service costs $15/month so they will probably charge another $10. And as for the two phones, the pricing hasn’t been set yet, but will be available in the weeks prior to launch. I’d expect both two be quite pricy because of the new features, but hopefully below $200 with a new plan.

Links: Verizon Wireless Press Release
Related: Skatter Tech Mobile | Free LG Chocolate

P.S. Check back for more CES and Macworld 2007 Coverage throughout the week!

Some new rumors indicate that Sony may be planning to release a new and improved edition of the PSP by the end of this year. The unit might be called the “PSP 2″ if it ends up to be a complete redo. (it will still probably be considered a first generation portable gaming device) These rumors indicate that the PSP will get 4GB of internal NAND flash storage, which will be provided by Samsung Electronics. They also claim that SCEA may also include a small camera into the unit to allow taking pictures, recording videos, and streaming content to others using WiFi. (it can stream to PS3) Many posts also indicate that the PSP may be cut down in size of the depth by a quarter inch.

If this rumor were true this would be a great step for Sony and they would have fixed the biggest drawback of the unit, storage space. The PSP would cost more because of the included 4GB of memory, but would be cheaper than purchasing a 4GB Memory Stick Pro Duo costs ~$300. (1GB card = ~$80) With internal storage the portable can hold music, photos, and videos without the need of expensive MS media. The “PSP 2,” would be a big competitor for Apple’s iPod, which can now play video. Sony would once again take the lead because the iPod doesn’t offer speakers, a large screen, WiFi, or true gaming. UMD sales have also dropped drastically so SCEA may plan to offer downloadable content through the PSP’s browser as they stated at the Consumer Electronics Show 2006. (downloaded media can be stored on “new” internal drive).

I personally doubt that such a major hardware update will be released so soon unless they have a really good reason. For example the PlayStation was launched in 1995 and only in 2000 did they release a totally redesigned smaller version. Then for the PS2, which was launched in 2000, there were no major hard ware updates until 2004 when they completely redid it and released a slim PS2. With this record, very slight chances that a new PSP will be released within a two year period.

Links: U.S. PlayStation | SCEA Products
Related: PSP v2.60 HomeBrew