Dec 20

Ben Heck constructs military-grade, self-contained PlayStation 3 suitcase (video)

Posted in: case, hack, mod, modding, playstation, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, rugged, sony, Today's Chili, video

If you caught the latest episode of The Ben Heck Show, then you no doubt saw this era’s modding mastermind piece together a PS3 console suitable for use in the wilds of Afghanistan. The military-grade portable gaming system was designed and built for a couple working with the military overseas, and it’s Pelican’s iM2600 Store Case there on the outside keeping things safe and secure from flying shrapnel. As Ben always does, he managed to carefully place an entire PS3 console deep within the confines of the enclosure, and he even threw in an integrated LCD into the lid to prevent any additional external hookups. Generator equals gametime, as they say. Head on past the break for the latest episode, which shows the play-by-play on how it was constructed.

Update: Turns out the folks that Ben built this case for are now taking matters into their own hands. Currently based in Afghanistan, Erica and Kris have founded Rugged Outdoor Gaming Units, Etc (R.O.G.U.E.) in order to build and sell similar hardcore gaming enclosures, or PeliStations. They’re aiming for an early spring release, and we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them.

Continue reading Ben Heck constructs military-grade, self-contained PlayStation 3 suitcase (video)

Ben Heck constructs military-grade, self-contained PlayStation 3 suitcase (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceRevision3, Element 14, Ben Heck  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Dec 20

TrendNet debuts 450Mbps wireless N access point

Posted in: Today's Chili

TrendNet announces the first wireless N access point that offers speeds up to 450Mbps.

Originally posted at CES 2011

No Comments
Dec 20

Pentax K-5 review roundup: solid but pricey upgrade from the K-7

Posted in: dslr, roundup, Today's Chili

Pentax’s K-5 DSLR has been around for a little while now, but it’s only just recently received enough reviews to establish something of a critical consensus. The short of it is that the camera largely addresses most of the criticisms leveled at the K-7 it’s replacing — namely, lackluster image quality and poor high ISO performance in particular — but those improvements come at a fairly hefty cost. The K-7 costs about $300 more than the Nikon D7000, which Digital Photography Review notes has a similar sensor but a “significantly more versatile AF system.” Photography Blog also came to some similar conclusions, but notes that the “headline-grabbing top-speed of 512000 is frankly unusable,” and suggests that Pentax should have simply followed Nikon’s lead and capped things at 25600. Despite that high price and some minor issues, however, DP Review says the camera is a “no-brainer” upgrade for current Pentax users, but obviously still something of a tough sell for Canon or Nikon users. Hit up the links below for some additional takes on the camera.

Read – Digital Photography Review
Read – Photography Blog
Read – Imaging Resource
Read – Pocket-lint

Pentax K-5 review roundup: solid but pricey upgrade from the K-7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Dec 20

Tech Tops the Top 100 Brands List

Posted in: amazon, Apple, intel, Microsoft, Today's Chili, Web Sites, Yahoo

This article was written on April 23, 2008 by CyberNet.

Top 100 Brands.pngAny successful business owner knows that one of the most important aspects to any business is branding which goes hand-in-hand with marketing. When a company or product has been successfully branded, people will be able to recognize it and will be more likely to use it because it’s familiar (brand loyalty). Recently the list of the top 100 most powerful brands was released from market research firm Millward Brown Optimor. They interviewed over a million consumers around the World and used that combined with financial data to come up with their list. The results are actually pretty interesting, and 28 of the companies that made the top 100 are related to Tech in one way or another.

Out of all the brands out there, do you have any guesses as to which company topped the list? We were thinking something like Coca-Cola or McDonald’s would top the list because those seem to be two brands that everybody knows. As it turns out, good ole’ Google took the #1 slot. Here’s a look at the top 10 brands, and then we’ll take a look at some of the top Tech companies.

  • #1 – Google
  • #2 – GE
  • #3 – Microsoft
  • #4 – Coca-Cola
  • #5 – China Mobile
  • #6 – IBM
  • #7 – Apple
  • #8 – McDonald’s
  • #9 – Nokia
  • #10 – Marlboro

Are any of you surprised that Microsoft was number three on the list and IBM managed to beat out Apple? Joining the ranks of Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and Nokia, other tech companies that made the list include:

  • #16 – HP
  • #22 – Cisco Systems
  • #26 – Oracle
  • #27 – Intel
  • #41 – Dell
  • #51 – BlackBerry
  • #61 – Amazon
  • #62 – Yahoo!
  • #65 – eBay
  • #92 – Motorola

It’s hard to believe that Yahoo ranks #62 on the list out of all of those because while Google has come and marched in on their parade, they are still a very popular Search Engine around the World.

Included in the report from company that put this list together was a note about three different emerging trends and one of them is the technology boom. They say, “The technology sector (including mobile operators), which accounted for 28 of the top 100 brands, outperformed all other categories in this year’s BrandZ Ranking, with a brand value growth of $187.5 billion. This is more than half of the Top 100′s total increase.”

Clearly the Technology Sector is booming, but will it last?

Source: News.com

Want to view the complete list? Click here (it’s a PDF).

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Dec 20

Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Posted in: arduino, LED, Today's Chili, video

Not that we haven’t been inundated with circuit-related fashion accessories in the past, but if you’ve already started thinking about what to get that lovely lad (or lady) in your life come February, look no further. SenseBridge, a research group with loads of passion, has just revealed the Heart Spark ($69, on sale now) — a wearable pendant with an integrated wireless receiver, a smattering of LEDs and a wow factor that’s downright heartwarming. The fortunate wearer must also strap a belt around their chest in order to monitor their heart rate, which is then transmitted wirelessly to the Heart Spark; upon receiving the information, the onboard lights will flash at the same rate as your heart, making it easy for the love of your life to see when your heart is aflutter. Video demonstration is just past the break, and yes, it’s about as precious as you’d imagine.

Continue reading Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MAKE  |  sourceSenseBridge  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Dec 20

T-Mobile finally getting in on the mobile 3G (or 4G) router craze next March?

Posted in: hspa, router, rumor, t-mobile, Today's Chili

Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T have all deployed MiFis (and MiFi equivalents) at this point, leaving T-Mobile as the sole US national carrier to do without a dedicated mobile router — some sort of device you can throw in your pocket and turn on for those occasions when you need to turn a cellular data signal into a nice little pocket of WiFi. Looks like that’s finally changing, though, with TmoNews leaking some shots suggesting that a device codenamed “Lil Wayne” — yes, Lil Wayne — will be introduced in March of next year, offering full 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds, followed by a second model in the second quarter of the year. The move makes a whole lot of sense for T-Mobile now that they’re offering WiFi tethering on select phone models… and really, shouldn’t we be using that shiny, new “4G” network in as many data-intensive ways as possible, anyway?

T-Mobile finally getting in on the mobile 3G (or 4G) router craze next March? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourceTmoNews  | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Dec 20

2007 CyberNet Awards: Worst Tech Products

Posted in: Gadgets, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on December 19, 2007 by CyberNet.

We felt compelled to assemble this article after PCWorld put together their list of the biggest tech disappointments of 2007. What they claimed to be the worst products of the year were things like Office 2007, iPhone, Yahoo!, and even Vista. Needless to say they were way off the mark, and I lost some respect for them because of their poor decisions.

We managed to come up with three different products that we had high hopes for when originally released, but most turned out to be nothing more than a fad. The 2007 CyberNet Award for Worst Tech Product goes too…

–3rd Place: Apple TV–

Steve Jobs called the Apple TV a hobby earlier this year when he was being interviewed alongside Bill Gates. I was in an Apple store the other day, and saw the “hobby” first hand huddled in the corner. There was only one Apple TV unit hooked up, and at first glance I didn’t even realize what it was. Compared to the mass numbers of Macbooks, iPhones, and iPods it’s a miracle that people would even be able to see the darn thing.

I’ve yet to see or even hear about someone I know purchasing one of these things, and since it’s just a “hobby” I thought it earned a place on the list.

–2nd Place: Joost–

When Joost first came out there was a lot of excitement surrounding the release, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it as well. Invitations blanketed the web, and it was such an ordeal that the invites were even selling on eBay.

As of October 1st anyone can participate in the Beta, but the application itself has only been opened on my computer a handful of times despite having had it installed for several months. Some of the content on there is decent, but it won’t really serve a useful purpose for me until they get some of the major television networks on board.

So the idea is good, but it’s the content (or lack thereof) that made me put it at 2nd place.

–1st Place: Vista Ultimate Extras–

I have four computers running Windows Vista right now, but only one of them has Vista Ultimate on it. The operating system itself is great, but the “Ultimate Extras” that have been promised to us leave a lot to be desired. In a year’s time all we’ve seen is DreamScene, language packs, and an encryption utility.

Come on Microsoft! People are paying nearly $150 more for the Ultimate version over Home Premium, and the advantages are minimal. I would never recommend that anyone, even power users, spend the extra money on Ultimate when the Ultimate Extras are so disappointing.

Copyright © 2010 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:


No Comments
Dec 20

Windows Phone 7’s Marketplace grows faster than Android did at launch, doesn’t mean much

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, apps, launch, Microsoft, Today's Chili, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone7, Wp7

An analyst note released by research firm IDC yesterday points out that in the nearly two months since Windows Phone 7’s retail release, the Windows Marketplace has swelled to 4,000 applications — a number that the Android Market took five months to reach. That’s impressive, no doubt, and the analyst behind the numbers notes that he “would not be surprised if Microsoft had the third largest app portfolio in the industry by the middle of next year.” Now granted, hitting number three would take very little effort on Microsoft’s part — they’d just have to beat webOS, BlackBerry OS, and Symbian, none of which have sparked iOS- or Android-like levels of developer interest. So beyond that, what does the growth mean? Read on!

[Thanks, Stephen]

Continue reading Windows Phone 7’s Marketplace grows faster than Android did at launch, doesn’t mean much

Windows Phone 7’s Marketplace grows faster than Android did at launch, doesn’t mean much originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WMPoweruser.com  |  sourceeWeek  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Dec 20

Josh is on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight! It’s a holiday miracle!

Posted in: Television, Today's Chili, TV

Killer flying robots? No, not this time. Our fearless leader is back once again in Jimmy Fallon‘s guest chair, this time with a bunch of new holiday gear at his disposal. Other guests include Jason Segel (Gulliver’s Travels), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), and Dr. Elmo himself performs “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” All the madness starts at 12:37AM tonight care of your local NBC affiliate… oh, and speaking of robots, don’t forget to check out this week’s Engadget Show while you wait.

Josh is on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight! It’s a holiday miracle! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Dec 20

Viewsonic: There’s no G Tablet ‘manufacturing defect,’ it’s a user experience issue

Posted in: Android, tablet, tablets, Today's Chili, viewsonic

In case you missed it, this weekend Staples announced that it was no longer offering the 10.1-inch Viewsonic G Tablet because of a “manufacturing defect.” Well, as it turns out, Viewsonic is claiming there’s really no hardware defect at all — instead, the manufacturer of the Android 2.2, Tegra 2-powered tablet is reporting that there’s really a “user experience issue.” Nope, that doesn’t sound much better, but according to Viewsonic’s VP of Marketing Adam Hanin, the G Tablet saw a fair number of returns because of its sluggish software experience, which was caused by the preloaded Tap and Tap Android layer. A number of issues were also caused by the lack of Flash, which Adobe hasn’t yet certified for Tegra 2 (we hear that’s finally coming at the end of January). “We believe it is the user experience that caused all the returns, and we are taking important steps forward with the G Tablet,” Hanin told us.

So, what are those steps exactly? Viewsonic will be releasing an over-the-air software update before the end of the week and will also provide links for users to manually download and install a beta version of Flash on its support page. Naturally, we asked Hanin why the G Tablet was shipped in this half-finished state at all — he told us that while Android and Tegra are great platforms, Google’s lack of support for larger devices means that companies like Viewsonic have to “go out and put together their own software and app stores.” We’re not sure that’s a great answer — in fact, it sort of sounds like Viewsonic is trying to blame Google, Adobe, and NVIDIA for its own half-finished and laggy software, when it released the tablet on its accord own to retailers. Either way, we’ve now seen more than enough terrible “user experience” issues on the early crop of Android tablets — Honeycomb, where are you?

Continue reading Viewsonic: There’s no G Tablet ‘manufacturing defect,’ it’s a user experience issue

Viewsonic: There’s no G Tablet ‘manufacturing defect,’ it’s a user experience issue originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,