Dell’s Ergo is but an E-series stand that supports LCD monitors of up to 24″ in size. Unfortunately, Dell engineers forgot to send the memo to make current Latitude D-series of docks compatible with the new E-series…which is a real bummer. Guess those who are rocking to their E6000 and E5000 laptops in addition to the E4300 and E4200 ultra portable PCs will have to place new orders for the Ergo E-series while relegating the D-series to the scrap heap.
Sony posted a notice on its official PlayStation website, acknowledging a number of accounts on the PlayStation Network may have been accessed by a third party. The result is that some accounts may have had their passwords changed, their personal details accessed, and their Wallet for buying stuff from the PlayStation Store used.
Sony is stressing that access to actual credit card information is unlikely, as those details are not displayed when accessing your account. It has now also restored security, so the unauthorized access cannot now happen.
All affected users will be contacted, but Sony is also suggesting that if you have a PlayStation Network account you should log in and check. If your password still works, then everything is fine, and you can go back to playing games; otherwise, contact Customer Support for your region.
Read more at GamesIndustry.biz and the playstation website.
Solid State Drives (SSD) not only continue to get bigger storage, but they are also getting smaller in size. Super Talent is offering a 256GB SSD, which is the world’s smallest 256GB SATA drive, according to the company’s website. It is also 40% thinner than other 256GB SATA drives available. The dimension of the 256GB SSD drive is 100.2mm x 69.9 mm x 12.5mm.
They are many advantages to having an SSD drive. The drives are especially useful in portable electronics and devices. That is because they consume up to 85% less power than a typical spinning drive. They also generate less heat and allow for extended battery life.
As SSD drive capacities increase while prices decrease, we will surely see more SSD drives in laptops and mobile devices. There are just too many advantages to using them over typical hard drive technology. One of the biggest barriers in mass adoption of the drives is price. That should take care of itself over time.
Read more from the Super Talent website.
Posted Mar 28th 2008 5:41AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Misc. gadgets
The first “completely integrated, extremely bendable circuit” was just demonstrated to the world. The team behind the research is led by John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The process bonds circuit sheets measuring just 1.5 micrometers (50 times thinner than human hair) to a piece of pre-stretched rubber. That allows the circuits to buckle like an accordion when pulled or twisted without losing their electrical properties. Unfortunately, the materials used thus far are not compatible with human tissue. In other words, no X-ray vision implant for you. X-ray contacts perhaps… quantum-computers now, please Mr. Scientists? Watch a circuit buckle in the video after the break.
[Via BBC, thanks YoJIMbo]
Stretchy Silicon Circuits from Engadget on Vimeo.
For the millionth time I’ve been wondering, how come no one has ever put out a low-end phone with at least one high-end feature, like a 5-megapixel camera on a monochrome display candy bar, or an mp3 player in a cellphone-and-flashlight in one? Well, my wondering ends today, as Nokia has officially announced an expected Q2 release of the Nokia 6300i, an upgrade to the original slim Finn.
Actually, not much has changed with the Nokia 6300i, design-wise and feature-wise. But I think the one thing it adds to the table will really help in changing the “game.” That’s because the Nokia 6300i is now equipped with Wi-Fi, and that lets it connect to wireless networks and make VoiP Internet calls. It’s bound to have the same OS (Series 40 3rd Ed.) and dimensions as the Nokia 6300 and will be available for approximately EUR 175 ($270.00).
Surely a lot of conservative types will long for a device like this, but one has to question how well Wi-Fi would work on such a small phone. I’m not sure how convenient web browsing would be on a 2-inch screen even if it’s QVGA. And of course, how long will the battery last with the added power-sucking abilities of Wi-Fi? I remember my old Nokia 6300 barely lasted me 8 hours of “moderate” use. Nokia had better include a better battery back in the 6300i or else, a lot of people will ignore it.
Via [IntoMobile]
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Blu-ray’s triumph over HD-DVD might be short lived, according to THX chief scientist Laurie Fincham. Speaking to Home Cinema Choice Magazine, Fincham speculates that the format of the future will be… No format. People will use Flash memory for movies, either bought pre-loaded or via download.
I think it’s too late for Blu-ray. I think consumers will only become interested in replacing DVD when HD movies becomes available on flash memory.
We agree, although we’d add that it might not be plain old Flash used to carry titles around but instead Flash based media players, like the ipod Touch. One of Fincham’s predictions, though, sounds a little wrong-headed.
In the future I want to be able to […] walk into a store and have someone copy me a movie to a USB device. Stores will like that idea, because it’s all about having zero inventory.
That won’t happen. First, who will walk to the store when they can download? Second, the system is open to abuse. Movie companies will never let stores just copy files onto a customer’s thumb drive. How would they count sales? The death of the spinning disk, though, is almost certainly nigh.
THX Chief Scientist: …it’s too late for Blu-ray [DVD Town via El Reg]
Apple is one of the few companies that want to see its users get fit, and not fat. According to recent patent filings, people have managed to uncover a full-featured program that includes OS X and an iphone-like device which aims to keep your fitness program on track with a strict regimen, complemented by advice, illustrations, rep counts and the like. Music and exercise have gone hand in hand for many years now, and one can always trust Apple to come up with something shocking (in a positive way) to get the fat and flabby industrialized world to start working out. $10 on the line that Apple will include an ‘i’ prefix in the final product name.
Posted Mar 28th 2008 8:39AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Isn’t it nice to watch a sexy concept makes its first, quivering steps towards retail? You’re looking at the graduation design project of Joris van Gelder: the Remote for B&O. The idea was to create a remote control for kitchen use. As such, it’s meant to be (mostly) touchless in order to keep the remote free from bacteria or ether, depending upon your situation. The remote responds to finger gestures and lifts and falls in concert with the volume. Two videos after the break: the first showing the concept followed by the working prototype.
[Via BEOWorld, thanks JK]
Remote for B&O from Engadget on Vimeo.
If you have a soft spot for old records, then the Soundwagon Portable Record Player will definitely make your heart melt. Touted to be the smallest portable record player in the world, this officially licensed Volkswagen van will drive around the record as it plays your favorite retro tunes through an integrated speaker. Don’t expect too much from the speaker though, but it sure as heck will hypnotize you as those in the 1960s will be able to testify, although folks from that period had a little…er, herbal help. It will cost you $90 to own this retro flashback piece.
I admit the title of this post is a bit cryptic, but bear with me. If you own an inkjet printer, the short video referenced here is worth a look. In case you’re wondering why your printer may be running out of ink quicker than you think it should or maybe just plain not working, take a look as the author rips apart his own printer; this may be why. While I’m not sure that this really applies to all inkjets, I’ll bet it’s true of many.
