Jul 29

Pioneer’s ultraslim DVR-XD09 burner is more jewel case than drive

Posted in: portable, Today's Chili, usb

While ASUS is busy stuffing DVD burners into Eee PCs, Pioneer and others are working hard to make the integrated optical drive a thing of the past. The freshly announced XD09 measures in at 5.24 x 0.58 x 5.24-inches and 8 ounces, or slightly beefier than your average CD case. Pioneer claims that it’s the most compact drive design yet. Essentially this means if you can carry your optical media around with you, then you can carry the player for it too. Power comes via the USB 2.0 connection, and all the usual DVD plus, minus, reading, writing, dual-layer mumbo jumbo is retained with top writing speeds of 8x on single-layer and 6x on double-layer media. This inspired minimalism can be yours for $79.99 in August.

[Via Hot Hardware]

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Pioneer’s ultraslim DVR-XD09 burner is more jewel case than drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 23

Ask Engadget: Best flexible keyboard out there?

Posted in: AskEngadget, Features, keyboard, portable, Today's Chili

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Jeremy, who is desperately searching for a portable and malleable keyboard to take on the road.

“I love my little computing companion but I often find myself missing a full sized keyboard. I have been looking at several of these portable and flexible keyboards, but I can’t seem to make up my mind about which I should buy. I don’t want the keyboard to be overly expensive, but I want it to be good quality. Also, how difficult is it to type on these keyboards? Thanks!”

To anyone who has been forced to use a cramped netbook keyboard for over a few minutes, you know how dire the situation can get. If you’ve literally rolled a keyboard into your arsenal, let us know which one made the team and how it’s holding up.

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Ask Engadget: Best flexible keyboard out there? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 21

Microsoft acknowledges the mobile Xbox question, Live Anywhere due for a comeback?

Posted in: handheld, live, Microsoft, portable, Today's Chili, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, Xbox360, XboxLive

In an interview with Kikizo, Microsoft VP Shane Kim talks briefly about Xbox Live and the possibility of moving it into the handheld game space — which could definitely / maybe / someday happen, as the company seems to understand the importance of mobile media for its users. While hard at work trying to devise a mobile device strategy, however, its apparently decided that its resources are best spent developing home hardware and “more inviting and innovative experiences for a broader audience, things like 1 Vs. 100, Joy Ride, Beatles Rock Band,” not to mention social media and streaming 1080p HD, all of which “combine to broaden the brand perception” of the platform. Also dropped in the interview were hints at plans for “a service in Live that will extend to other platforms,” which sounds an awful lot like Live Anywhere, doesn’t it? Check out that read link for the whole megillah, and for the time being: if you really need an Xbox portable, give us a call. We know a guy.

[Via Yahoo]

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Microsoft acknowledges the mobile Xbox question, Live Anywhere due for a comeback? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 21

Microsoft Exec: Portable Xbox Definitely Coming

Posted in: Microsoft, portable, Today's Chili, xbox

shane kimThe portable Xbox is coming: That much, it seems, is no longer up for debate. The question is when such a device will arrive. In an interview posted today by gaming site Kikizo, Shane Kim, a Microsoft corporate VP, confirmed perpetual rumors that the company’s popular console will finally be getting a handheld counterpart.

“For us, it’s a matter of focusing on ‘when’,” Kim told the site, “because if we chased after a mobile or handheld opportunity, we would not have the resources and ability to do things like instant-on 1080p HD, Facebook, Twitter, Project Natal … And so we’ve chosen to focus on the living room experience from a hardware standpoint, if you will, but we’re building a service in Live that will… extend to other platforms. No question about it.”

Kim added that, for a portable system, Xbox Live would be the “connective tissue.” Plenty of questions remain, the VP added, including whether such a device would also function as a phone (via Windows Mobile) a la the iPhone.

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Jul 20

Zoom Q3: Musicians Video Recorder

Posted in: MP3 Digital Audio, portable, Today's Chili

ZoomQ3-sm.jpg

Flip-style camcorders aren’t known for studio-quality sound. For aspiring concert filmmakers, video-podcasters and anyone who wants a little bit more in the audio department, the Zoom Q3 adds two condenser microphones to the tried-and-true cheap pocket camcorder design. 
Zoom, already known for its H4 field recorder and other professional and semi-professional audio products, isn’t offering anything too special in the video department: VGA (640 by 480) resolution and a fixed-focus lens. Clearly, this is a product aimed at audiophiles who care about the difference between a cheap onboard dynamic mic and the Q3’s two stereo condensers. 
The audio specs are much more impressive, recording video and audio combined at 48-kHz, 24-bit PCM format or audio only at 96 kHz. The mics also provide an “audio zoom” function, which Zoom claims will focus the sound on a particular point. If you absolutely have to tack on some video to your crystal-clear audio, expect to pay around $250 list.
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Jul 05

Ben Heck’s latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

Posted in: Games, gaming, Microsoft, mod, mods, portable, Today's Chili, video games, VideoGames, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

Even after five iterations, Ben Heck‘s portable Xbox 360 models are still a spectacle to behold — he seems to keep outdoing himself every time, both in functionality and style. This latest model has the appearance of an oversized plastic polycarbonate Macbook when closed, and packs a 17-inch Gateway LCD panel. The big improvements here include the Jasper motherboard, a flush-mount DVD door and side panels, digital potentiometer / button volume controls, and an ethernet port in addition to WiFi. Not everything’s been kept, as Heck says he ditched the camera, not seeing a point for it — but hey, there’s still two USB ports if any of his (already spoken for) customers want to add it. Impressive work, indeed. See it for yourself in the video after the break.

[Via TechEBlog]

Continue reading Ben Heck’s latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard

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Ben Heck’s latest portable Xbox 360 adds sleek white finish, Jasper motherboard originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 09

Hands On: The Ultra-Thin Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T (6415)

Posted in: business, portable, Today's Chili

acer3810t.jpg
I took the Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T (6415), recently reviewed by our laptop expert Cisco Cheng, for a spin and found it to be an affordable, ultra-thin laptop that can handle most tasks the average user could throw at it.

On the outside, the AS3810T is an attractive gray color with an aluminum-and-plastic frame. It may not be as tough as a MacBook Pro (I’ve accidentally dropped mine off of any type of furniture you could imagine, and it still manages to work fine), but for its $900 price tag, the system is built very well.

The only thing really missing from the machine is an optical drive, sacrificed for the sake of portability. For most users, however, this is far from being a deal-breaker, especially considering the built-in multifunction card reader and three USB ports.

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Jun 02

Sony Goes Official With Disc-Less PlayStation Portable

Posted in: console, gaming, Media Players, portable, psp, sony, Today's Chili

pspgo

Sony on Tuesday provided details on a smaller, flash-based version of its PlayStation Portable console, dubbed PSP Go.

Admitting the PSP Go was the company’s “worst kept secret,” Sony confirmed that earlier leaks previewing the device were legitimate. The main difference from the PSP? The PSP Go ditches Universal Media Discs, allowing gamers to fully rely on digital distribution to buy new titles.

The full specs are as follows:

  • Processor: 333MHz PSP processor
  • RAM: 64MB
  • Storage: 16GB flash memory
  • Display: 3.8 inches diagonal; 480-by-272 pixels; 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Sound: Built-in stereo speakers; microphone jack
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, Memory Stick Micro slot, analog video-out, microphone jack
  • Supported multimedia: Video (MPEG4, AVI); Music (MP3, MP4, WAV, WMA; ATRAC3; ATRAC3plus) and photo (JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG)
  • Weight: 5.6 ounces (including battery)
  • Dimensions: 5 x 0.65 x 2.7 inches (width x height x depth)

With the PSP Go, gamers will be able to purchase and download games via Sony’s online PlayStation Store, sparing them a trip to a brick-and-mortar shop. Sony said it plans to offer many of its future game titles through the PlayStation Store as well as in Universal Media Disc format.

Hitting stores Oct. 1, the PSP Go will cost $250.

See more images of the PSP Go below the jump. Also, visit Wired.com’s Game Life blog for more coverage of E3 2009.

pspgo2

psp-black_hand-c-copy

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Images: Sony


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May 29

Clevo TN70M UMPC gets checked out in the UK

Posted in: netbook, portable, Today's Chili, touchscreen, UMPC

Clevo’s TN70M touchscreen little 7-inch UMPC / netbook has just made its way to the UK, and UMPC Portal’s gotten its hands on some shots of the little guy. The netbook boasts a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 CPU, a full QWERTY keyboard, a webcam, and a fingerprint reader, and is available with either XP or Vista operating systems. Clevo — a company better known for its hulking gaming rigs — has been pretty mum on whether the TN70M willl make its way to other shores as of yet, but it’s retailing for about $520, and we’ll keep our eyes peeled for you. There’s one more shot after the break!

[Via Slashgear]

Continue reading Clevo TN70M UMPC gets checked out in the UK

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Clevo TN70M UMPC gets checked out in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 May 2009 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 29

MyPressi Makes Portable Espresso Machine, With a Twist

Posted in: portable, Today's Chili

mypressitwist1

There’s a small but growing breed of handheld espresso machines, of which the Twist is the latest. They all have a similar concept — using pressure to pump pre-heated water through the grounds. The pre-heated water is key, as the lack of a boiler is what makes these gadgets so small.

When you first look at the Twist, and read its name, you will probably make the same assumtion I did — that you somehow twist it to wring the coffee out. Instead, it works much like the Handpresso we’ve seen before, only instead of using a hand-pump to build up the bars, there is a standard gas canister like you’d use in a soda siphon.

If the photos are anything to go by, this works extremely well — the crema on the espresso is thick (although a little dark, which might point to too fine a ground). Because the pressure comes from a known source, the psi remains constant over the shot (135 psi or 9 bar).

These handheld machines are certainly interesting. They make a better cup than the standard stovetop mocha, but are also a pain to use and make just one cup at a time. The biggest failing, though, is the external water source. By the time you have poured it into the cold device, enough degrees have been knocked from the liquid to render the coffee anything but hot. If it were somehow possible to have a chamber for cold water, so you could place the whole handle on the heat to both boil the water and heat the device, these things might finally be both good and convenient enough to use. $130, pre-order.

Product page [MyPressi via Uncrate]

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