There's a Battle of the Bands scenario brewing now that a new contender has arrived on the "play along to your favorite tunes with a game controller instrument" scene. Seven45 Studios has just released details of its new gaming system called PowerGig where the buttoned and plunger interface of the familiar Guitar Hero and Rock Band gaming interface has been tossed out in favor of a real six-string guitar...
Sony’s motion controller for the PS3 first unveiled at E3 in 2009 now has a final design along with an official name. At the Game Developer Conference (GDC) 2010 the company officially announced the PlayStation Move motion controller touting its precision and calling it the “next generation of motion gaming”. The controller works in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye camera that tracks the controller’s glowing “light sphere” in three dimensions and that is the key to the Move’s accuracy. ..
Many people recognize Macs as being great work tools, especially for those in the creative sectors. However, if you like your games, often the PC was your best platform because of the amount of available content. Some Mac users were forced to deploy Parallels, Crossover Games, or Boot Camp, to play PC games on their Mac, but they've all got their drawbacks. So Mac users rejoice – Valve, a major provider of online gaming through its Steam online distribution service, is coming to OS X users. From April, Steam and Valve's library of games that include Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, Portal, and the Half-Life series will be available on the Mac. And because the company is treating Macs as a tier-1 platform, all future games and updates will be simultaneously released on Windows, Mac and Xbox 360...
Having spent around five hours with the single player campaign and around 15 hours on multiplayer, I still feel I've only scratched the surface of what's on offer in Bad Company 2, so I'm not going to call this a full review. My impressions focus on the multiplayer aspect of the game. In short, it's the new high-water mark of multiplayer gaming on the Xbox 360...
According to a patent recently filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Sony is working on a universal game controller that could be used with competitor consoles from Microsoft and Nintendo. The proposed controller would see an LCD touch screen positioned on the front of the controller to replace the controller's face buttons, directional pad and thumb-sticks. ..
The explosion in popularity of video games, coupled with the widespread availability of computers at home and school, has given educational software developers the impetus to harness the power of video games as a way of teaching children. Whether or not such educational games are effective in teaching the three R's is a topic for another day, but an Arizona State University scholar says commercial blockbuster video games can teach educators a thing or two about how to better educate children...
Claw vending machines have caused wide-spread frustration in arcades the world over for decades. Known as UFO catchers in Japan, and sometimes as 'teddy pickers' or 'skill testers' in other countries, these games offer little entertainment and even less hope of success. Well, for me anyway... But now that Japan-based company Mechatrax has developed the Robo-catcher I might have some improved hope of entertainment, if not some realistic chance at winning...
Wii Fit-ness fanatics looking for a way to add a bit of weight training to their Wii cardio workout that doesn’t involve dipping a Wii-mote in gold need look no further than these Riiflex Dumbbells. The dumbbells slide over the Wii-mote and Nunchuk controller to put an extra 2-pounds (1kg) in each hand and provide some extra calorie-burning resistance while playing...
Nintendo was doing touchscreen gaming long before Apple ever decided to get in the game. But as the iPod touch, the iPhone, and now the iPad have challenged the gaming giant, Nintendo is expected to respond aggressively with a new console in 2010. Reports are already starting to roll in that some developers in Japan have received early versions of the new Nintendo hardware. ..
Remember that old wooden labyrinth puzzle you used as a kid? You had to manipulate a small steel ball through a series of mazes by altering the orientation of the plane using two knobs. Prepare to meet its big brother – the Superplexus Vortex. It’s a humongous, three-dimensional, spherical labyrinth that promises to both challenge and frustrate you. ..
Microsoft has announced that its controller-less accessory for the Xbox 360, dubbed Project Natal, will ship by the end of 2010. Unveiled in June 2009, Project Natal is the Redmond company’s attempt to out-Wii the Wii. Instead of a hand-held controller, wireless or otherwise, Project Natal uses a 3D sensing unit on top of your TV to read your gestures, recognize your face or other objects, and even respond to your voice. Project Natal is among the latest examples of devices that are controlled by so-called “natural user interfaces”...
The Dynasty is a very 21st Century take on a gaming platform that's been with us for more than 500 years - the billiard table. The US$100,000 Dynasty features sculptured metal, slate pockets, and neon–look LED under lighting. Add to that a host of other top of the line fittings and you have yourself one very sharp looking centerpiece for the games room. The owner of the first known indoor billiard table - King Louis XI of France (1461–1483) - would surely approve...
While it might not be ideal for fighting apparitions of the dearly departed, Microsoft claims its latest keyboard boasts the most advanced anti-ghosting technology ever to grace a keyboard. The ghosting being referred to is when multiple keys are pressed on a keyboard simultaneously result in the incorrect key signal being sent to the PC, or some of the key presses being ignored altogether. To combat this Microsoft’s SideWinder X4 Keyboard can detect up to 26 key presses at once, which is sure to appeal to hard-core gamers and 26 fingered typists alike...
If you’re the kind of person that seems to struggle every time you pick up a gaming controller you might need to blame your brain - which probably isn’t much of a consolation. Researchers say they can predict a person's performance on a video game simply by measuring the volume of a specific part of the brain...
Board games aren’t necessarily bound to become obsolete - at least, not if researchers at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada have anything to say about it. They will change, however. Queen’s Human Media Lab (HML) recently unveiled a prototype board game that uses traditional flat cardboard tiles (i.e: cards), but the images on those tiles are projected onto them by an overlooking digital projector. The images stay on the tiles as they’re moved around by the players, courtesy of an overlooking camera that tracks their movements. This means that the tiles could display moving video, that their display could change entirely depending on what’s happening in the game, or that it could be customized by the players. Monopoly night may never be the same...
The South Korean Supreme Court has ruled that the virtual “cyber money” used in online games can legally be exchanged for actual cash here in the real world. The ruling means that players of online games can sell their in-game currency to other players for real-world money. It also means that the South Korean government is going to tax the proceeds of those sales...
Harmonix has opened beta registrations for the Rock Band Network, a service that allows independent labels and bands to publish songs as paid downloadable content for Rock Band and Rock Band 2. For now, it's Xbox 360 only, with plans to launch on PS3 eventually. Bands can "suggest" a price point of either US$1, $2 or $3, and take home a 30% revenue share...
They first showed it in June 2009, then teased us with a Q2 2010 release, now Sony Computer Entertainment has pushed back the worldwide release window for the still-tentatively-named Motion Controller for the PlayStation 3. Wii-less gamers won't be waving their arms around like lunatics, or smashing their expensive HDTVs until some time in Q4 2010 - presumably in time to catch the Christmas retail wave...
Throw away your keyboard – well lessen your dependence on it anyway - the PEREGRINE USB glove can be customized for over 30 user-programmable actions allowing you to react more quickly in intense gaming situations. The glove allows the wearer to carry out those time sensitive gaming commands with a twitch of a finger by utilizing the touch sensitive pads embedded in the fingers and palm of the glove...
For those avid Guitar Hero and Rock Band players who love to immerse themselves in their rock n’ roll experience as much as possible, the XRocker Vibe platform will come as a welcome addition to their accessory collection.. Seen at this weeks CES, the platform is designed to be stood upon while a player shreds away to their favorite rock classic, all the while emitting rumbles of base through the players body as funky LED’s flash to the rhythm of the music.
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With the Wii's MotionPlus already old news, and Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's PlayStation Eye-based equivalent likely to hit this year, it's easy to wonder when motion controls will find success in the PC world. ASUS's Eee Stick tried, but merely proved that strong software support for new hardware peripherals is absolutely crucial for success - which is why we're excited to see Valve, developers of hit series such as Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and Portal, showing support for Razer and Sixense's new, as-yet-unnamed motion control hardware for the PC...
Mad Catz Interactive has unveiled a new range of premium Cyborg gaming mice which will begin shipping in Q2 this year. The new range takes all the same principles normally applied to ergonomic fully adjustable flight sticks, and incorporates them in gaming mice. For the first time ever on a mouse, the key points of contact between the gamer’s hand and the mouse are fully adjustable allowing it to be customized for any grip preference. Cyborg claims they are the most comfortable gaming mice in existence, but who cares, cos they are the coolest you’ll ever see. ..
Precision gaming manufacturer Razer is moving into the console peripheral business with the release a US$50 (EUR45) Onza high-end gaming controller and US$130 (EUR110) Chimaera headset for the Xbox 360®. The Onza will feature Hyperesponse™ buttons, analog sticks with customizable tension, a programmable multi-function button (MFB) and wired connectivity for “virtually lag free gameplay.” The Chimaera is equipped with a 5.1 Channel Virtual Surround sound system, a Daisy-Chain cable system and a circumaural design. ..
Looking for a gold-plated games console to go with that gold-plated iPhone? Then you might be glad to hear that the folk at Goldstriker International have turned their gold dipping attentions to Nintendo’s Wii to produce the Nintendo Wii Supreme. The extravagant creation is once again the work of Stuart Hughes, the man responsible for the iPhone 3GS Supreme. ..
If you’re more than partial to an evening of World of Warcraft or Call or Duty, best keep track of how many hours you’re wiling away in front of the screen. Gaming addiction is a peculiarly modern phenomena suggested by some as being just as serious as alcohol, drugs and gambling, and there are examples of gamers making themselves seriously ill, or in some rare cases, dying through malnutrition or dehydration. Following the opening of Britain’s first computer rehab clinic, Paul Lester takes a closer look at the issues surrounding gaming addiction to see if things are really as serious as they seem and if dedicated treatment is necessary.
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The ever popular partnership of a sunny day mixed with one’s favorite tunes takes on a new meaning with Japanese company Landport’s Solar Sound speakers. Charging up via embedded solar panels the uniquely shaped portable units offer up to eight hours play from a single charge as well as optional USB connectivity for those cloudy days...
After all the hype prompted by the success of Avatar in cinemas and the flood of 3D technology unveiled at trade shows like CES 2010, 3D TV is finally becoming a reality in living rooms. All the major players are well and truly on the 3D bandwagon and they’re set to make a lot of noise to try and entice consumers on board too. To help you navigate the 3D waters as various companies spruik their particular brand of 3D technology we’ve taken a look at what's on offer, when it will hit shelves and how much it will cost...
PS3 owners will soon be able to watch digital versions of new release HD movies via their gaming consoles. Sony has signed an agreement with 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution to provide high definition (HD) movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation Network video delivery service in the US. ..
Italy-based technology developer Sisvel and imaging start-up 3DSwitch are promoting a device that gives your TV the brains to recognize automatically whether you’re watching 2D or 3D. The technology works by detecting if you’re wearing your 3D stereoscopic glasses. No glasses, then the TV switches to 2D...
Philips has unveiled its latest 7000, 8000 and 9000 Series TVs for 2010. Although the series offer varying degrees of technological goodness they do share some things in common. All the new sets employ LEDs for improved energy efficiency and contrast ratios, plus a version of Philips’ Ambilight Spectra that projects ambient light onto the wall behind the TV to match the dominant color onscreen. Also common across the series is Net TV for accessing Video on Demand content on the Internet...
Lacie continues to bolster the media streaming market and has recently introduced another model into its LaCinema range which, like most of its predecessors, was inspired by designer Neil Poulton. As such the new Mini HD sports a familiar sleek, piano-black design with front and rear USB ports to connect media for local playback, HDMI 1.3, RCA and optical audio along with 100Mbps Ethernet for connecting to a wired network...
Product designer Matteo Cibic has come up with a very distinctive desktop speaker in the aptly named Hi-Fido. Shaped like a headless dog wearing an Elizabethan collar, Hi-Fido sports a 150-watt speaker that “uses the acoustic properties of ceramic to diffuse the high quality sound with a bass reflex system”. ..
For home theater enthusiasts or gamers who enjoy the deep thud of a good subwoofer but want a little more “jolt” without the extra noise, Earthquake Sound Corp. has added to its range of tactile transducers with the Q10B and MQB-1 that, when fitted to a theater chair or platform, can virtually loosen your fillings. Along with visualizing and hearing, low frequency sound adds a third sense which brings people further into the realm of virtual reality of movies and games. ..
Although Sharp seems to have a slightly shaky grasp on the number of primary colors - last time we counted, there was only three - they have come up with a fairly breath-taking LCD television that made its debut at CES. The Aquos LED LCD TV series are set to revolutionize television color as we know it. They boast an industry-first four-color filter that can create brilliant blues and sparkling yellows. Called quad-pixel technology, this means that colors which were difficult to reproduce on conventional LCD screens will now be available for your viewing pleasure. And for a total home-theater experience, one of the models has an industry-first 68-inch screen...
No matter how much you spend, there just doesn't seem to be any clear way to future-proof your home theatre system. You can have the biggest HD screen on the block, but suddenly, if it can't do 3D, it's all but obsolete. With the rush of 3D content that's under development in the gaming, TV and cinema worlds, 3D is set to become the new HD within the next couple of years - and with that in mind, Optoma has pulled the covers off its HD66 digital projector at CES - a US$699 home theatre projector capable of showing 720p content in 3D with a max image size around 300"...
Get ready to ditch those bulky set-top boxes and clunky media servers. The WirelessMediaStick from HSTi is a media streamer the size of a thumb drive that shares content from any computer on your home network with any USB-enabled media playback device. Connect the WirelessMediaStick to your Blu-ray or DVD player, TV, DVR, or even a digital picture frame, and you can play movies, music, and photos over your wireless network...
If you’re a fan of movies like Poltergeist or Videodrome, in which people get really “immersed” in their television-viewing experiences, then you’ll probably like the latest news from Panasonic - it’s developed the world’s largest full-HD 3D plasma display TV. As presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the one-off behemoth sports a 152-inch, 4K x 2K (8.84 million pixel) screen, plus a host of other complicated-sounding technical marvels.
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Anyone who has ever wanted to use their TV to flick back and forth between their favourite show and their PC content should take note at this interesting innovation to surface at this weeks CES in Las Vegas. The Icron ExtremeLink PC-on-TV platform. The system features two boxes that hook up to a user’s PC and HDMI television respectively, enabling any TV in the home to act as a wireless monitor to their PC, even if they are at opposite ends of the house. ..
Showing it means business in its commitment to developing 3D home entertainment, Sony has this week at CES unveiled three new 3D BRAVIA TV series, most notable of which is the behemoth XBR-60LX900. The 60” full HD 1080p Edge LED backlit unit features integrated Wi-Fi and 3D functionality, Motionflow PRO 240Hz technology along with USB and DLNA connectivity..
Wireless media streaming seems to be one hot topic at CES this year, and Slingbox has had another feather added to its cap via DISH Networks. The broadcast-anywhere solution first surfaced in 2005 and has since been superceded with a PRO-HD model and mobile versions for the iPhone. It now seems to be working on integration with set-top boxes and other devices, and a recent partnership with DISH has resulted in its new TV Everywhere service. ..
The Cell microprocessor made famous by the PlayStation 3 was developed as a joint venture between Sony, Toshiba and IBM, with Toshiba taking over the majority of manufacturing duties in 2007. Toshiba plans to make the most of the Cell with a new range of Cell-powered TVs for the US market - read on to find out what 200 gigaflops can do inside a TV. ..
Building on the previous Popcorn Hour, the US$129 Popbox announced at CES 2010 is a first-class media hub supporting all of the common audio and video formats, that lets you stream videos off the Internet, play games and even read tweets from your friends right from your HDTV set. The already comprehensive range of video formats supported in the Popcorn Hour has been further expanded and now supports 1080p (Full HD) video up to a 100Mbps bitrate...
Sony and Panasonic have announced a new technology that would increase the capacity of a single-layer Blu-ray disc from 25GB to 33.4GB. The new technology, dubbed i-MLSE (Maximum Likelihood Sequence Estimation) evaluation index, is achievable using existing Blu-ray laser diodes, and can subsequently be added to existing Blu-ray players with a firmware upgrade...
Media streamers are rapidly gathering momentum as digital media collections grow, and it should come as no surprise to hear that the technology involved in streaming a collection of files to a TV is being built into more and more screens as standard. The Western Digital WDTV Live demonstrates how it’s possible to fit everything you need into an extremely small box, and such developments have encouraged VIZIO, the number one LCD HDTV company in America, to go one step further by adding lossless 1080p wireless HD support to its new screens.
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There are few technologies more hotly anticipated in the TV/display market than OLED, but sadly we’re still a way off replacing our 50” plasmas with these wafer-thin low-power alternatives. Affordability is the main issue, and so far Sony has been one of few to have an early crack at the market with its US$2500 11” XEL-1...
LG has just fired off another salvo in the ongoing battle between Japanese and Korean LCD manufacturers to claim the title of world’s thinnest LCD TV panel. The Korean company has managed to break the 3mm barrier to produce an LCD TV panel measuring just 2.6mm (0.1-inch) thin. The 42-inch panel weighs less than 4kg (8.8lb), boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. ..
Gizmag is hardly a movie review site, but when a film comes along that advances the art form in such a revolutionary way as James Cameron's Avatar, it becomes entirely relevant to fans of emerging technology. I saw it last night in IMAX 3D - and despite ten years' worth of building expectations and a frenzied hype campaign in recent months, I was still unprepared for the enormity of the technical and artistic achievement this film represents. If you haven't seen it yet, read on, we've kept spoilers to a minimum...
The Piixl Edge EdgeCenter 3770 computer is designed for those who love their media but also treasure their minimalist lifestyle. They also need to be prepared to pay a premium for a Media Center PC that doesn’t have any visible wires – in fact, it doesn’t have any visible parts at all because it hides discreetly behind any VESA-compliant flat panel TV, 37 inches or wider...
Universal Studios Home Entertainment are easing the transition from DVD to Blu-ray with the announcement it will release dual-format discs containing both Blu-ray and DVD versions of some of its films on a single disc. The so-called “flipper” discs will allow users to choose between Blu-ray and DVD formats by flipping the disc, making it easy for movie buffs to future-proof their collections...
It seems that these days one tuner just isn't enough in a DVR. While not as huge as Sony’s Type X digital recorder with seven tuners and 1TB of recording space, the Moxi HD DVR has three turners (which is one better than most other PVRs, including the TiVo). This means you can record two shows and watch another, or, be prepared for that very rare night on TV when there are three shows worth recording simultaneously. Hey, you can even play back a fourth show and watch that while all that recording is going on in the background. And there’s no monthly or lifetime service fees with Moxi units...
Rather than tempt users with a raft of fancy (but infrequently used) features, the "Zero Crash" N4200 Network Attached Storage (NAS) unit from Thecus concentrates on providing peace of mind. Offering what's dubbed as a "6D" approach to storage stability, the unit benefits from running a second version of the operating software as a precaution against primary failure and a backup power supply. ..
If you were wondering why Acer has been relatively quiet of late, the answer probably lies in the number of new products the company chose to unveil at this year's CeBIT show in Germany recently. Almost hidden amongst the raft of new desktops and notebooks was a monitor that has its own media player and WiFi capabilities, a powerful gaming machine and a pocket-sized projector...
Netbooks and laptops are convenient for travelers, students and mobile workers, but with portability comes the drawbacks of a small keyboard and viewing monitor, which means it’s not the ideal setting for long computer sessions at home or in the office. The Warpia Easy Dock allows users to wirelessly connect their netbook/notebook/MacBook to any traditional desktop setting – easier on the eyes, ears and hands. ..
PQ Labs showed off its G3 touchscreen technology at this year's CeBIT by installing it into a coffee table called the iTable. Sensors around the edge of the display can register up to 32 touch points and determine the different shapes created by placing fingers, hands or a multitude of other objects directly on the glass screen. ..
USB sticks are great for file sharing, apart from a couple of drawbacks. Sometimes you want to share only some content of the drive, or the drive just isn’t big enough to hold all the information you want to share. The Infinitec Infinite USB Memory (IUM) drive provides you with a way to share absolutely all, or just selected content, wirelessly to any device with a USB port. You can even use it to stream movies from your laptop to your TV. And while it is being marketed as the world's first infinite memory USB memory drive, the device doesn't actually store information, it's really a wireless network device with similar "infinite memory" functions to the Eye-fi Pro X2 we featured earlier this year...
If you're in the market for a tablet computer but don't relish parting with a significant wad of cash then the iLet Mini HAL from Haleron Technologies could just fit the bill. The budget touchscreen tablet comes with only 2Gb of internal storage but there's SD card expansion and free online storage. WiFi and 3G and support for multiple file formats also feature...
Everyone knows there’s a lot of pornographic material on the Internet. It’s easy to find if you’re looking for it but sometimes it’s just as easy when you’re not looking for it. The use of tricky or confusing URLs and other misleading descriptions can mean opening or downloading inappropriate images accidentally. And in some cases unsuspecting users may be unaware that this material exists on their computers. Paraben’s Porn Detection Stick (PDS) is a USB stick loaded with software designed to find and remove illicit images from your PC to protect your family, business or organization. ..
By definition all netbooks are pretty thin and light to begin with, so the fact that TriGem USA is laying claim to the thinnest and lightest 10.1-inch netbook on the market with its Averatec N1200 Series isn’t something to sneeze at. Weighing in at 2.2 lbs (a smidge under 1kg) and measuring less than one-inch thick the N1200 will be offered in various configurations based on either the Windows XP or Windows 7 Starter operating systems. ..
Developed in collaboration with professor Kazuo Kawasaki, Minebea's new line of input devices are some of the slickest you'll ever see. Their Cool Leaf series, which includes a keyboard, a remote control, and a calculator, features flat acrylic mirrored surfaces with a capacitive touch panel. When turned on the devices display a backlit input interface, but when turned off the surface looks just like a regular mirror...
Solid State Drives (SSD) have many advantages over more familiar Hard Disk Drives (HDD) including low power consumption, silent running and resistance to shock damage but it's when read/write speeds are compared that HDDs get blown out of the water. The Team Group has equipped its new Xtreem-S1 SSD with a SandForce processor to offer the user read speeds of 270Mb/sec and write of 260Mb/sec...
French consumer electronics company Archos has revealed two new additions to its web-enabled multimedia range which are aimed for use in the home. The Archos 7 and the Archos 8 Home Tablets both run on Android and are powered by ARM 9 processors. The former is designed to be of use when a phone's screen is too small but a laptop just too cumbersome and the latter, having a thick bezel surround, is geared towards those who want more from their digital photo frames...
The trickle down effect has hit Western Digital’s 2.5-inch Passport external drives in the form of an e-paper display. Customizable always-on e-label smart displays were already available in some of Western Digital’s 3.5-inch external drives, such as the My Book Studio, and have now appeared on the company’s new My Passport Studio portable drive that also features a sleek brushed aluminum appearance and FireWire 800 to complement the standard USB 2.0 interface...
Blisteringly fast USB 3.0 data transfer speeds are slowly becoming a reality for consumers as products supporting the specification filter into the market. Belkin is now on board with the announcement of four new SuperSpeed USB devices to help users enjoy up to ten times faster transfer rates over its older sibling USB 2.0...
There's an increasingly innovative selection when it comes to your mouse of choice and this example - the Adesso Browser Cat - takes traditional laptop touchpad configuration and puts it in a portable plug and play USB peripheral.
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Laptops might have gotten smaller and more powerful but, aside from the weight reduction, they haven’t really improved in terms of comfort while they're actually being used in one's lap. Devices like Logitech’s Comfort Lapdesk address this problem by providing a padded barrier separating a user’s legs from the often hot underside of the laptop. Now, Logitech’s new Speaker Lapdesk N700 has taken the basic Comfort Lapdesk, added a fan to keep your laptop running cool and integrated some high quality speakers to give your laptop some audio oomph...
Like the Apple Magic Mouse that came before it, the Eclipse touchmouse drops the scroll wheel in favor of an integrated track pad. While the default for the touchscroll offers four-way screen scrolling by a user moving their index finger, a host of instantly accessible commands like flicking backward and forwards through webpages can be accessed through the mouse button and finger gesture combination. ..
The new Eee PC T101MT 10.1 inch LED backlit resistive touchscreen notebook computer was first shown at this year's CES in Las Vegas and now ASUS has made things official with a product website. The notebook-tablet combo will ship with an Intel Atom N450 processor, up to 2Gb RAM and a choice of 160Gb or 320Gb hard drive. It will also come with a year's worth of online storage thrown in...
Microsoft’s Surface and Ideum’s offering might have blazed a lightly traveled trail for touch-sensitive computerized tables, but they seem to have overlooked one important factor - they are difficult to comfortably use while sitting down due to their boxy shape. German artist Janis Pönisch has solved this problem with her design for the outer shell of the Touchy Remix – a multi-touch table that people can actually sit at...
Panasonic has announced a new field-ready addition to its Toughbook range, the Toughbook H1 Field tablet computer. Built with highly mobile professionals in mind, the new weatherproof and shockproof model benefits from a dual battery setup that should help ensure power is always available, a sunlight-visible touchscreen interface, reinforced solid state storage and a molded hand grip for extra comfort...
Flash-based Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) may have stolen most of the spotlight in recent years when it comes to data storage, but the traditional HDD still has some life left in its platters. For proof of this look no further than Seagate’s new Savvio 10K.4 enterprise hard drive. Seagate bills the new drive as the world’s highest-capacity, most reliable small form factor enterprise drive with its 600GB capacity and two million hour mean time before failure (MTBF) in a 2.5-inch drive...
The ErgoMotion keyboard doesn't look that different to a few other ergonomically designed models out there, but it is. The keyboard is powered to change the angle, up and down, which prevents the user from typing at the one angle for hours on end and is designed to reduce repetition injuries to the arm, shoulder, wrist and hands. If you're one of those people who never remembers to alter their typing position, the keyboard is pre-programmed to alter its angle so you don't have to. SmartFish recently spoke to Gizmag about the powered keyboard and its other ergonomic offering - the tilting mouse.
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Wacom has set professional digital doodlers free with its updated Intuos4 professional pen tablet now featuring Bluetooth wireless technology. Wacom says removing the USB cable shackles makes the Intuos4 Wireless an ideal choice for collaborative work sessions, client presentations or use in a seminar setting such as an art class or photography seminar...
It’s no secret... Studies have shown that excessive mouse usage can cause repetitive stress injuries. Unfortunately for most of us, “excessive” can mean anything more than a few hours a day. Fortunately, however, there are alternative styles of mice out there designed to be easier on the hands and arms. One of the more interesting ones to come along in a while is the AirMouse, made by Canadian firm Deanmark Ltd. What makes it unique is the fact that you wear it like a glove...
You’re not fooling anyone with that “123456” password of yours. “Password” isn’t much better, and sorry ladies, but “princess” is also no good. These are among the findings in a report released by Imperva, a data security firm that analyzed 32 million passwords recently exposed in the Rockyou.com breach. Not only did they identify the most common, and thus easily-guessable passwords, but they also suggested some effective methods for creating secure ones...
The Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA) has unveiled the long awaited DisplayPort Version1.2 digital display interface that brings with it a host of enhanced features. Aside from a doubled data rate of 21.6Gbps and bi-directional USB data transfer of an impressive 720Mbps, the upgrade also offers multi – monitor support from a single plug, improved audio synchronization and support for Full HD 3D Stereoscopic displays...
I suppose 'camerawomen' would be more appropriate, given that Athena is a woman's name. But what's in a name? Regardless of what you call it Gitzo's fully electronic, remote-controlled head was one of the sweetest gadgets on display at CP+ 2010 Focus on Imaging exhibition in Yohohama this past weekend...
With Samsung's TL350 compact digital camera, users can enjoy the benefits of full high definition video recording, a 10.2 megapixel sensor, five times optical zoom on a wide-angle lens and a bright AMOLED display for preview and review. Would-be action movie makers might also be interested in the super slow motion possibilities offered by a 1,000 frames per second video recording mode, but what first caught our eye was the nifty analog capacity gauges on top which indicate remaining battery and memory...
Japanese manufacturer Green House has just released one of the most compact cameras you're ever likely to see. But you'll have to get in really close because the Mini Digi is so tiny that you might just miss it! Amazingly, it measures 2.5 x 1.8 x 1.2 inches, and weighs just under an ounce. So, for photographers who don't want to take their hefty DSLRs with them all the time, attaching a Mini Digi to your keychain could be a fun alternative...
Just as consumer cameras continue the shrink, so too are cameras designed for military and other commercial applications. The latest is a compact 3D imaging camera launched by Boeing that is designed to be deployed on a wide range of platforms, including unmanned aerial and ground vehicles. The cube-shaped camera is one-third the size and uses one-tenth the power of most comparable cameras...
It's been just under a year since Pentax first released images of its 645D medium format digital SLR camera and the company has finally announced its launch, albeit only in Japan for the moment. Offering 40 megapixels, dual-memory support and professional-level image processing you could be in for a pleasant surprise if you were assuming an astronomical price tag...
Ricoh has announced two new lens units for its unique modular GXR digital camera platform. The P10 28-300mm wide zoom and A12 28mm fast prime lens units each include the sensor and image processor built into the module. These modules slide onto the GXR body, allowing the photographer to change both the lens and sensor to accommodate different photographic situations...
Mamiya has announced that its DM33 and DM56 professional modular digital SLR systems are to be joined by a 40 megapixel, large sensor version. The DM40 brings together the expertise of Schneider-Kreuznach, Leaf Phase One and of course Mamiya to offer users a choice of two shutter systems, a lush 16 bit/channel color palette, touchscreen display and powerful supporting processing software...
Sigma Corporation, known primarily for camera lenses, has re-introduced its top-end SD15 DSLR as well as five new lenses and two new compact digital cameras. The SD15 features a 14MP Foveon X3 sensor and boasts a 21 shot RAW buffer (at 3fps). The lenses feature Sigma’s new “F” low-dispersion glass, fast speeds, and image stabilization. They will be available for Canon, Nikon, and other mounts. Sigma’s new DP1x and DP2s compact cams both feature 14MP large DSLR-size sensors and new autofocus capability...
After accidentally releasing details of its new additions to the Lumix G Micro System earlier in the week, Panasonic has now officially revealed the G2 and the G10 Micro Four Thirds cameras. The G2 features a 12.1 megapixel sensor, a rotating touchscreen display and 720p high definition AVCHD Lite video. The lightweight G10 looks almost identical but is actually a trimmed down version of the G2...
At the PMA 2010 convention Fujifilm’s theme was “Expand the World of Imaging”. The company took its theme literally, announcing 18 different camera models across their digital and film product lines. From compact digital point-and-shoot models to a folding medium-format film camera, Fujifilm unveiled a broad array of new and updated technology including Fujinon optics, HD movie capability, facial recognition (for humans and pets), and 3D imaging. ..
Over the years, we’ve profiled some pretty fancy video projectors here on Gizmag, but this one ... well, it ain’t one of them. But that's the point. The Ultraprojector has no sound, no menu or controls, and a screen resolution of just 320x240 pixels. On the plus side, though, it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a video source when projecting, it runs silently, it’s weather-resistant (not waterproof) and it’s cheap...ish...
Consumer cameras continue to shrink and now Sanyo has laid claim to the title of the world's smallest, thinnest and lightest Full HD consumer video camera with its new VPC-CS1. The camera is part of Sanyo’s Xacti line that includes a range of Dual cameras for capturing both video and still images. With its body measuring just 1.06-inches (2.7cm) thick the VPC-CS1 is slim enough to stick in your jeans pocket to ensure you’ll have a camera on hand to capture those unexpected video-worthy moments in glorious Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution...
Canon recently announced some new additions to its popular Powershot line of compact cameras. One of them boasts a respectable 12 megapixel sensor while the other three have been boosted to 14 megapixels. Optical zoom runs from 4x on the cheaper SD1300 IS and SD1400 IS models up to 14x on the SX210 IS and the SD3500 IS features a 3.5in 460,000 dot touchscreen LCD display...
Pentax has announced that the successor to last year's W80 rugged compact camera not only proudly boasts a new body design but refinements to its internal mechanisms have granted it a boost in the bravado department too. The new W90 is now waterproof to greater depths and can now withstand falls from even greater heights. At the same time, the company announced a new improved super-zoom compact camera too, the X90...
Swedish movie camera maker Ikonoskop has announced its new 3D high-def digital video camera, the A-Cam3D. So far Ikonoskop is not releasing many details about the 3D shooter, but they have released a few teaser specs including 1080p 3D video, RAW images in DNG format, choice of lens mounts, and an if-you-have-to-ask price tag...
There are plenty of great camera bags on the market, but you can often miss that perfect shot by wasting time getting out and setting up your camera. The Cloak Bag solves this by providing a discreet cover for your camera whilst allowing you to take photos - without having to remove your camera from the bag...
Sanho’s HyperDrive Album is designed for digital photographers on the move who require huge storage space or redundancy backup for their photos and the ability to view them anytime, but don’t want to lug a laptop computer around. With capacities of up to a whooping 640GB of storage the device is also capable of downloading 2GB per minute with full data verification. ..
If you’ve ever worked on a major film project, you’ll know just how complex all phases of the production can be - scripts and schedules get faxed and/or emailed back and forth, a bazillion phone calls and messages are made and left, and then whenever anything goes wrong (which is usually about once every 15 minutes) everything needs to be rejigged, and everyone needs to be notified of the changes. If only there were some way of posting that information where all the cast and crew could see it, people could make changes to it, and then everyone would be made aware of those changes. Gee, anything come to mind? Yes, it’s a new application for our friend, The Internet. scenechronize is its name, and it promises to save filmmakers a ton of confusion, frustration, time, money and paper...
Samsung has announced some interesting new additions to its camera range at this year's Photo Marketing Association trade show (PMA 2010) in California including a 12 megapixel waterproof ultra-compact. Waterproof to a depth of three meters (ten feet) and featuring underwater optimization, the AQ100 will also shoot 720p video...
Samsung has unveiled its second generation foray into the ever increasing pocket camcorder market. The follow up models to the HMX-U10 both feature 2” LCD screens and are able to capture 1920x1080 HD video at 30fps.The HMX-U20 offers the added extra of a 3x optical zoom. ..
New release prosumer level cameras of today boast features even more impressive than those found on professional cameras of just a few years ago – and at a fraction of the cost. Sony’s new HDRAX2000 prosumer video camera is a case in point, and it's one of the first professional video cameras that records using the AVCHD format. ..
Gorillapod's camera tripods have become a common sight since they were released a few years back and there's a good reason for that - it's a great idea. Now Gorillapod designer Joby has announced a new addition to the range - the Gorillapod Magnetic - which incorporates magnets into the feet of the flexible tripod allowing it to be anchored to any magnetic surface...
Video walls – a wall of monitors displaying large quantities of information at a single glance - have traditionally been the domain of air-traffic control, NASA, television stations, and big budget marketers, but no longer. Hiperwall’s high-performance, low-cost video wall system uses a software solution that is hardware agnostic (meaning it can work with any size, resolution or type of display, whether it’s LCD, plasma, CRT even rear-projection) and allows non-technical users to manage the display of video and data feeds using just a mouse. This is a killer app in that it enables complex information display at a fraction of the cost of previously!!..
3D imagery is one technology that's generating buzz in 2010, and while it has been around for decades there's now a strong push to bring it to the everyday consumer. One such company is Fujifilm, who having launched their FinePix 3D REAL W1 digital camera last summer are now poised to follow-up with a 3D printing solution as well...
Editing film footage on the go is about to become less of a physical strain thanks to a new truly portable camera-mountable recording, monitoring, playback and editing device for cinematographers. About the same size as a standard on-camera monitor, the Cinedeck offers all of the features of a full editing suite via a touchscreen user interface and can produce PC-, Mac- and Linux-friendly 1080p high definition output for storage on solid state drives...
