Archive for August, 2007

DirecTV HR21 Pro gets leaked

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

We first stumbled upon a prototype of the DirecTV D-HR20P DVR at Electronic House Expo last year, but haven’t heard anything about it since then. Now with CEDIA coming up, a promo image of what could be the next evolution in this design has been leaked, the HR21 Pro. The DVR will reportedly handle 100 hours of high-def recording and output it at 1080p over optical HDMI, but lacks any over-the-air antenna inputs, probably due to DirecTV’s 100-channel rollout plan. We should see it in November, so clear out some rackmount space… you do have a rack to mount it in, right?

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Sony’s IFA booth tour

Filed under: Features

The Sony booth screamed “budget cuts” after the Samsung and LG extravagance we had just witnessed — at its worst moments, we though we were looking at Best Buy shelves — but Sony isn’t really putting out a lot of new product at this year’s show, so it’s understandable. We’ve already seen the new S-series in person anyways, which is pretty much Sony’s highlight of the show, so we’ll let ‘em slide this year.

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LG’s IFA booth tour

Filed under: Features

We found LG’s “booth” slightly less impressive than Samsung’s, primarily due to the lack of a balcony cafe, which is just a serious oversight at this year’s IFA — all the cool Korean electronics giants are doing it. That said, LG is pretty serious about design these days, and has a lot of sexy product to prove it. Again, we’ll be getting you hands-on shots of the new releases later today, but for now you’ll have to settle for a stroll through hall 11.2 with us at the helm.

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Philips BDP7100 Blu-ray player lands at IFA

Not a ton of new specs to behold on this new Blu-ray player, but Philips’s BDP7100 does everything it should (1080p output, HDMI CEC, 24p, True HD, and DTS HD support). No word if it’s got HDMI v1.3 or Blu-ray 1.1, and Philips also neglected to mention the price and availability of this new Blu-ray player of theirs, but we still dutifully thank them for their morsels of information and sheepishly ask for a second helping of porridge, kind sirs. One more image after the break.

Continue reading Philips BDP7100 Blu-ray player lands at IFA

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Microsoft lays down smack on AutoPatcher service, users not pleased

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Let’s face it, even those who do like using Windows (us included) aren’t too fond of Windows Update — and don’t even get us started on what sysadmins have to go through keeping Windows boxes up to date (yeah, we used to do that too). Which is why we’re so glad there’s always a healthy 3rd party ecosystem in place to help fill in the gaps and get users get what they need and how they need it. Like AutoPatcher, the popular Windows Update substitute that’s been around for the last four years. Well, kiss it goodbye. The AutoPatcher team is reporting that Microsoft has laid down the smack on them and their ops, demanding the immediate shutdown of the service. We understand it’s kind of dubious (if not outright illegal) to redistribute Microsoft’s code (in the form of Windows update patches), but try though we might, we just can’t see what damage these guys are doing to Microsoft — only good — so we’ve got our fingers crossed the AP guys can figure out a way to re-enable service without future infringement. Won’t someone please think of the chil — sysadmins?

Read - AutoPatcher sounds like it’s calling it quits
Read - The takedown notice Microsoft sent to the AutoPatcher team

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Sierra Wireless intros AirCard 880U / 881U USB modems

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Wireless

Hot on the heels of the AirCard 595U, Sierra Wireless is expanding its HSUPA offerings with a new duo of USB modems. The AirCard 880U and 881U both connect to your Windows or OS X-based computer via USB, sport the company’s TRU design features, and offer up a “theoretical maximum [upload] speed of 2Mbps,” while downlink speeds tout a “theoretical maximum of 7.2Mbps.” Additionally, in areas where HSUPA networks aren’t available, both modems are “fully compatible with HSDPA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, and GSM network technologies on all frequencies currently used worldwide.” The 880U is said to be “optimized for Europe and Asia, while the AirCard 881U is optimized for North America,” and both units are slated to ship out next month.

[Via Macworld]

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Samsung’s IFA press conference recap

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Features, Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Portable Video

We’re just back from the WiFi-less Samsung PR space here at IFA in Berlin, and the report may be less than thrilling to most of our readers. Nevertheless, here’s a quick recap of the events. First up on stage was Dr. Jong Woo Park, president of Samsung, who didn’t have much to offer in the way of groundbreaking news, though he did emphasize his company’s dedication to “user experience” with their products.

Continue reading Samsung’s IFA press conference recap

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Palm’s Foleo in the wild?

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops

We’re still of the opinion that Palm should just abandon the whole Foleo concept and work on making the Treo competitive again, but despite our pleas, the company appears to be proceeding towards launch — manufacturing delays or not. Our tipster spotted the gentlemen pictured rocking what certainly appears to be a Foleo at an oil-change joint in Redwood City, California, and sent in a few snaps. According to her, our guy was happily typing away on the unit, occasionally stopping to refer to his phone (which obviously appears to be a Treo). That’s all the info we’ve got — but judging from the look on this guy’s face, the Foleo is just as frustratingly not-a-laptop as we assumed from the start. Two more shots after the break.

[Thanks, Michelle]

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Island resort bans gadgets from beach

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Thinking about heading for the beach on your next vacation, catching a couple of rays, and maybe making a business call or two before the tide comes in? Well, if you were planning on a trip to the renowned resort of Palm Island — located in the Caribbean — you might want to start considering a serious change of plans. According to recent reports, the tropical destination just put the kibosh on the use of mobile phones, PDAs, or laptops within a half-mile of the island’s Casarina Beach, effectively squashing your dreams of million-dollar deals and an “all over” tan. In the words of resort CEO Rob Barrett, “There is nothing worse than lying back in your double hammock, sipping on your strawberry daiquiri and hearing the Motorola jingle in the background,” and then suggested that customers, “switch off their mobiles and enjoy the sound of the lapping waves.” In the future, Palm Island says it will aggressively mandate book-burning, suppression of the media, and totalitarianism in all forms.

[Via The Raw Feed]

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Parrot announces DS3120 Bluetooth stereo, DS1120 Bluetooth speakers

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Wireless

Always one to cut cords at every corner, Parrot has taken advantage of IFA to unveil a range of new Bluetooth-equipped devices, including the stereo and speakers seen above. As you can no doubt surmise, the DS3120 Bluetooth stereo will pull tunes off your cellphone or other Bluetooth-equipped device and pump ‘em through the unit’s 20W speakers. Those looking to add a bit more ooomph to their phone calls can also use the stereo for some handsfree calling, with the integrated 1.8-inch LCD able to display phonebook information in addition to track and album details. On the non-Bluetooth front, the stereo packs a line-in port to accommodate other devices, along with an SD card slot and a built-in FM radio. If that’s all a bit too much for you, you may want to consider Parrot’s new DS1120 Bluetooth speakers, which ups the power output to a full 30W, with a Class-D digital amplifier in each speaker. Parrot’s also thoughtfully bundled a Bluetooth USB dongle with the speakers, along with an RCA input to let you use ‘em other devices. Look for both to be available this October, with the stereo running €169 ($230) and the speakers setting you back €199 ($270).

Read - Pocket-lint, “Parrot launches DS3120 Bluetooth home stereo”
Read - Pocket-lint, “Parrot launches DS1120 wireless stereo speakers”

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