Hasta La Gadget!

Anything that makes our netbooks, nettops, and smartphones into slightly less mediocre video performers is okay in our book, so we’re fond of NVIDIA’s ION platform and are looking forward to finding out exactly what the company has up its sleeve for ION 2. We weren’t, however, expecting an even cheaper revision of the chipset, but that’s exactly what’s been announced this morning. NVIDIA is creating ION LE, a sibling of the existing ION that does everything its big sister can do except support DirectX 10. The idea, of course, is to lower costs while providing all the functionality XP-packing netbooks and nettops need, but as Windows 7 sits at home getting made up for its débutante party we have to wonder just how much longer Microsoft’s old faithful will be on the market — and how much longer DX9 will be relevant.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

NVIDIA clings desperately to XP with the DirectX10-hating ION LE chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As we continue to monitor our buying behavior during the recession, something we can rely on during these difficult times is that video games will be affordable. For $50 to $60, we can derive hours and hours of entertainment from a single title. It’s generally not a bad deal, in most gamers’ eyes.

Would you pay $100 for Gears of War 2?

(Credit: Microsoft)

But what if a blockbuster title that took years and millions of dollars to develop was priced at $100 or more? Would the price make us think twice about buying it?

That might be the question we’ll need to ask ourselves soon, if we are to believe former Sony Europe President Chris Deerling.

Speaking to U.K. publication MCV, Deerling said that if current development cycles and costs are maintained, a price tag of 70 British pounds per game is inevitable. Based on recent exchange rates and on the assumption that the game would sell for essentially the same price internationally, that would mean that U.S.-based customers would face about a $119 price tag for the title.

“Before there can be as many successful blockbuster games as there were in the past, games have to be produced in a more efficient fashion,” Deerling told the publication. “In order to price these games at a level where they would support an industry (as strongly as) they did 10 years ago, they’d have to be sold at 70 pounds.”

“Consumers won’t spend more, but to write the game, publishers are having to spend more than ever before,” Deerling continued. “That’s the key problem.”

And what a problem it is.

…

Originally posted at The Digital Home

This article was written on September 17, 2006 by CyberNet.

I think we were all a little taken back a few months ago when Dell released their new line of XPS computers especially because of the M2010. It is a complete desktop computer that has a sense of mobility to it…of course that’s if you don’t mind lugging around the 18-lb. beast.

Laptop Magazine decided to see how this 20-inch “notebook” would handle itself in typical laptop situations: on the subway, in Starbucks, and in the park. Out of the three locations I think the subway was the best:

Hands down, the most popular question was people asking whether the thing was a laptop, some in admiration, some in disgust, and most in genuine puzzlement. The question of “why?” naturally followed soon after. One young lady seated across from me was genuinely shocked to discover that the XPS closed.

I am sure the person who did this walked away with quite a few stories to tell.

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At this point, you’ve probably assumed that there’s simply no way any company can produce yet another iPhone or iPod dock that’s significantly different from the legions of alternatives already out. And you’re wrong. So wrong. In an effort to milk that Made for iPod / iPhone partnership for all it’s worth, Kensington has just introduced its Charging Dock with Mini Battery Pack, which not only charges your dock connecting iPod or iPhone, but also energizes an external battery pack through the same USB cable. When you leave, you’ll depart with a charged device as well as a charged battery pack in case you need to use 3G services for more than eight minutes. Brilliant, no? It’s up for pre-order now for $69.99.

[Via iPodNN]

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Kensington’s iPhone / iPod charging dock throws a mini battery into the mix originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comixology may have solved the problem of reading comics on the small screen. The iPhone application takes advantage of the new in-app purchasing option of iPhone OS 3, allowing you to browse, search, download and pay for titles without leaving the application. The experience is similar to that of the App Store itself, only easier to actually find what you are looking for.

But although the buying of new comics is important (four of the five icons across the bottom of the screen are store controls, and only one takes you to your library), it is the navigation method that really stands out, making the tiny iPhone screen seem a lot more like a real, full-sized comic-book.

Central is the guided scrolling. You view one frame at a time and, when you tap the right side or swipe a finger, it moves to the next frame, filling the screen with that. But the crucial difference is that, if the next frame is on the next row down, it scans down and left to get you there, so you see the bits in between. This is what makes it feel like you are running an eye across the page.

There are lots more usability options in there, too. You can switch off auto-landscape mode, pinch to zoom in, and choose whether you want to see a shrunken, full-page layout at the start or at the end of reading page.

But the big surprise comes at the end of the video, and at the end of a comic. When done, you can opt to buy the print edition of the comic from within the app, using Amazon. Sounds dangerous for your wallet, right? Comixology will also come up with a list of local stores where you can buy the comics, for an even quicker fix. $1, and it comes with 30 free comics.

Product page [iTunes]