Hasta La Gadget! Page not found

Oct 27

OnLive MicroConsole TV Adapter clears FCC with ZigBee surprise

Well, well, look at what we’ve got here. It’s the promised OnLive MicroConsole TV adapter courtesy of the FCC. The MicroConsole itself, isn’t a surprise — the little box that replaces the PC or Mac and brings the streaming game service to the living room TV courtesy of an HDMI-out jack was first announced back in March with plans for a late 2010 retail delivery. What is a surprise is the discovery of an FCC test report for ZigBee 802.15.4 in addition to Bluetooth. The ZigBee mesh networking standard is most often targeted at RF applications requiring a low data rate like lighting, sensor, and power socket control nodes in home automation networks. So why the hell would OnLive be dabbling in ZigBee? OnLive’s site says that the MicroConsole uses Bluetooth to connect multiple wireless headsets. So maybe ZigBee is for the four wireless controllers (something we’ve seen before) the MicroConsole supports. We can’t say for sure, but a quick search of ZigBee’s product certification database turns up an ETRI VoZ (Voice over ZigBee) prototype capable of facilitating a ZigBee headset, microphone, and speaker. Perhaps OnLive is just doing some future proofing here or maybe they’ve got plans for some ZigBee enhanced gameplay. Unfortunately, the FCC test unit is listed as a pre-production “Pre-DV Sample” meaning it could still be awhile before the MicroConsole launches. FCC wireframe and label pictured after the break.

Continue reading OnLive MicroConsole TV Adapter clears FCC with ZigBee surprise

OnLive MicroConsole TV Adapter clears FCC with ZigBee surprise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | FCC, ZigBee Alliance | Email this | Comments

Oct 27

MacBook Air upgrade kit bumps capacity to 256GB, turns old module into USB 3.0 SSD

Posted in: macbook air, MacbookAir, solid state drive, SolidStateDrive, SSD, storage, Today's Chili, usb 3.0, Usb3.0

Sure, the only remotely user-replaceable component on the 11.6-inch MacBook Air are those tiny Toshiba SSDs, but PhotoFast’s got what might be one of the most elegant upgrade solutions we’ve ever seen. The Air USB 3 Adapter gives you not only a brand-spanking-new 256GB module with a Sandforce SF-1200 controller, but a speedy USB 3.0 flash drive too — which smartly doubles as the mechanism by which you move your old files over, as you can just transfer everything through the USB port. Once you’re done swapping modules, the company says you’ll see a 30 percent speed boost over the original drive, with reported transfer rates of 250MB/s on both sequential reads and writes. Shame the Japanese company didn’t specify any sort of estimated release date or price.

MacBook Air upgrade kit bumps capacity to 256GB, turns old module into USB 3.0 SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Japanese | PhotoFast | Email this | Comments

Oct 27

Monitor Your Applications with Kiwi

Posted in: Freeware, monitor, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on March 10, 2010 by CyberNet.

kiwi monitor.png

Windows only
I’ve found a lot of great apps thanks to commenters on our site, and credit for this one goes to an anonymous visitor on our article about automatically restarting crashed apps. The program I’m talking about is called Kiwi, and it has some unique monitoring capabilities that aren’t found in many other applications. There are both free and paid versions, but I know that the functionality offered in the free version will appeal to some of you.

Kiwi will monitor any application that you tell it to, and can either report back or take action based on certain events. What do I mean? One good example is that Kiwi can both alert you when an application exceeds a certain amount of memory usage, and if desired it can even close the offending program. That’s just one example of the monitors available in the free version. Here’s a quick list of the other things available:

You can get alerted when via email:
- When a program starts
- When a program ends
- When it exceeds a specified amount of memory usage
- When it has been running for a specified amount of time
You can take the following actions:
- Close a program after it exceeds a specified amount of memory usage
- Close a program after it exceeds a specified amount of CPU time
- Close a program after it has been running for a specified amount of time
- When a program ends, turn off the computer
- When a program starts, execute a specified application
- When a program ends, execute a specified application

kiwi add app.png

The paid version offers a ton of different monitoring options including remaining hard drive space, testing IP/URL availability, checking to see if a file exists, and checking whether an app is inactive or unresponsive. What’s nice is that you can see all of the features that would be available to you by flipping over to the advanced tab. There’s upwards of 75 monitors/actions that you’ll need to upgrade if you want to use them, but that doesn’t detract from the usefulness of the free version.

Kiwi Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)

Firefox 3 Memory Leaks Status Update

Keeping Track Of Firefox Extensions That Leak Memory

CyberNotes: Windows Memory Usage Explained

CyberNotes: Understanding Vista’s Reliability and Performance Monitor

Oct 27

DBM Energy’s electric Audi A2 completes record setting 372 mile drive on a single charge

Posted in: electric, electric car, ElectricCar, germany, Today's Chili

116 miles in an electric vehicle? No problem. But you’ll quite literally be pushing your new Nissan Leaf another 250 miles to achieve what’s being hailed as a world record in Germany. Little Lekker Mobil, a four-seat Audi A2 refitted with an experimental electric powerplant as part of a government sponsored project with Germany’s lekker Energie and DBM Energy, just completed a 372-mile (600-km) stretch of road between Munich and Berlin on a single charge, a journey that lasted around seven hours. Even with the heater running, the modified A2 with fully usable trunk arrived with spare electricity in the “tank.” The battery uses DBM Energy’s KOLIBRI AlphaPolymer Technology said to be 97 percent efficient and chargeable from virtually any socket — plug it into a high voltage DC source and it can be fully charged in just six minutes according to the car’s driver and battery inventor, Mirko Hannemann. While Hannemann wouldn’t be pinned down on pricing for the battery, the 27 year old did say that it would be more powerful and cheaper than conventional lithium ion batteries. He even went so far as to suggest that his company was ready to begin mass production of the batteries now — presumably aided by the large sacks of money he’ll be handed after pulling off the record breaking stunt.

DBM Energy’s electric Audi A2 completes record setting 372 mile drive on a single charge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 03:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo | UPI | Email this | Comments

Oct 27

Actroid-F: the angel of death robot coming to a hospital near you (video)

Posted in: Today's Chili, video

It’s been a few years since we checked in with Actroid, a bot we first saw way back in 2005. What you’re looking at above is Actroid-F, Kokoro Co. Ltd. and ATR‘s latest iteration of the creepy humanoid robot that can mime the operator’s facial expressions and head movements with unbelievable (but not quite human) accuracy. Her current job is to act as “as an observer in hospitals to gauge patient reactions.” We guess that’s one way to get around euthanasia laws. See what we mean in the video after the break.

Continue reading Actroid-F: the angel of death robot coming to a hospital near you (video)

Actroid-F: the angel of death robot coming to a hospital near you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PlasticPals | RoboTimes | Email this | Comments

Oct 26

Garmin navigation to be an Android exclusive for ASUS, headed to Apple and RIM app stores

Posted in: app, Apple, application, AppStore, ASUS, gps, navigation, RIM, smartphone, Today's Chili

Details of the Garmin-ASUS breakup are slowly being revealed. We now know that ASUS has obtained exclusive rights to license Garmin navigation and location based services on its Android smartphones with a Garmin navigation trademark slapped on the back — other Android handset makers need not apply. ASUS will go back to selling its own-brand handsets in January, including models equipped with 3D for gaming and connectivity with ASUS ebook readers and tablets, according to DigiTimes. For its part, Garmin’s official blog says that it will be expanding its mobile application handset development by offering navigation and other applications through “certain consumer application stores.” According to DigiTimes, that means Apple’s iTunes App Store and RIM’s App World. So, in other words, Garmin and ASUS are still friends but are now free to date anyone they want, you know, except for anyone in eachother’s families. How mature.

Garmin navigation to be an Android exclusive for ASUS, headed to Apple and RIM app stores originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Garmin, DigiTimes | Email this | Comments

Oct 26

More photos emerge of PlayStation phone

Posted in: Today's Chili

More photos of the rumored Sony PlayStation phone appear online. The slider smartphone shows a large color display, full gaming controls and the Android OS.

Originally posted at Android Atlas

Oct 26

New Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 4000 Keyboard Caters to Vista Users

Posted in: Today's Chili, Windows Vista

This article was written on March 20, 2007 by CyberNet.

Microsoft has announced that their newest keyboard, the Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 4000 (also includes the Laser Mouse 5000)will be ready for purchase next month for $79.95. Several sites around the web are already taking orders for them.

This is part of Microsoft’s effort to expand their line of hardware that caters to Vista users. Nearly all of the features you’ll recognize from previous keyboards, but there are new ones like:

Windows Gadget Button – Gadget are an important customization element with Windows Vista, and now a Windows Gadget Button will give you one-touch access to information like weather, stocks, etc.
Windows LiveCall Button – “Speed dialing for webcams” – with one-touch you can start an instant message conversation, or a video call.

Other nice features that some of their previous models have that you’ll also see with the Laser Desktop 4000 include a zoom button that will allow you to zoom in and out of pictures and maps, and customizable hot keys that you can use to launch your favorite programs.

And in case you’re not familiar with the Laser Mouse 5000, you’ll enjoy a magnifier tool that enlarges a specific section of your screen so that you can easily edit images and documents, and a tilt wheel which gives you 4–way scrolling.

Sean Butterworth who’s the product marketing manager for Microsoft Hardware says, “The Wireless Laser Desktop 4000 is the latest in our growing line of products optimized for Windows Vista and illustrates how we continue to diversify our product line to meet a broad range of consumers’ desktop needs.”

It doesn’t appear much different from previous keyboards, and the only main difference is the addition of a couple keys to make your Vista experience better. It also has the comfort curve design that has generally gone over well with people who have purchased keyboards with this design.From the sounds of it, expect to see other Vista specific related peripherals coming from Microsoft.

CyberNotes: A Look at Microsoft’s Hardware Lineup

$300 Yellow Laser Pointer Really Worth It?

Microsoft Working On Animated Desktop Wallpapers For Vista Release?

Microsoft Releases Vista-Compatible Virtual Desktop Manager

Oct 26

The PlayStation Phone

Posted in: Android, breaking news, BreakingNews, exclusive, gingerbread, playstation, psp, sony, Sony Ericsson, SonyEricsson, Today's Chili

It’s hard to believe that what we’re looking at is real — but we assure you, the picture above is in fact the PlayStation Phone you’ve long been waiting for. As we reported back in August, the device you see is headed into the market soon, likely boasting Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread), along with a custom Sony Marketplace which will allow you to purchase and download games designed for the new platform. The device snapped up top (and in our gallery below) is sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 (a chip similar to the one found in the G2, but 200MHz faster), 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, and the screen is in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 inches. Looking almost identical to the mockup we hit you with this summer, the handset does indeed have a long touchpad in the center which is apparently multitouch, and you can see in the photos that it’s still bearing those familiar PlayStation shoulder buttons. For Sony buffs, you’ll be interested to know that there’s no Memory Stick slot here, but there is support for microSD cards.

The particular model in these shots is still in prototyping mode. As such, the unit doesn’t have a custom skin (not even SE’s Timescape design seen on the Xperia devices), and is said to be rather buggy. We’re digging into more facts as we speak, but it’s likely that much of what we reported earlier is still accurate, and though the device could still be headed for a 2010 release, 2011 is looking much more realistic. Still, there’s a lot of time between now and the holidays… so keep your fingers crossed!

Gallery: The PlayStation Phone