Gadget News March 2007

Chronicles of an Xbox 360 Support Odyssey
PC World Gadgets :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:00:00 UTC
Hardware issues and poor customer support are ruining the Xbox 360 experience for some fans.

  

Chip Makers Support Mobile TV for Smartphones
PC World Gadgets :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 04:00:00 UTC
Smartphone users will be able to watch broadband TV and snap high-resolution photos on their handsets in 2007, thanks to new processor and memory chips.

  

Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras
PC World Gadgets :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
Easy to use, point-and-shoot cameras are a great choice for the casual photographer. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

  

Top 10 Cell Phones
PC World Gadgets :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the best standard cell phones today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

  

Top 10 Cell Phone-PDAs
PC World Gadgets :: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
These are the top cell phone-PDAs today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.

  

Adobe Brings Flash Video to Phones
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
Adobe Systems’s Flash video, the format that made Web video a hit, is coming to a version of Flash for mobile phones.

  

Mobile Attacks Jumped Fivefold in 2006, Study Says
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
The number of security attacks reported by mobile phone operators in 2006 jumped fivefold over the year before, a McAfee study reports.

  

Omnifone Reveals Mobile Music Download Device
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:00:00 UTC
Omnifone wants to put a new face on mobile phone music downloads with its MusicStation service.

  

Microsoft Unveils DRM for Mobile Devices
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:00:00 UTC
Microsoft unveils PlayReady, a digital rights management platform designed to protect a wide range of mobile content.

  

Fashion House Prada Plans Only One Handset
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:00:00 UTC
Italian luxury goods manufacturer Prada SpA has no plans to launch a second high-end mobile phone with LG Electronics Inc. but would consider co-developing another consumer electronics product with the South Korean manufacturer, a Prada executive said Monday at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.

  

Microsoft Touts Support for Windows Mobile
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:00:00 UTC
In an effort to show wide support for its newest Windows Mobile operating system, Microsoft Corp. is highlighting several announcements from handset makers on Monday at 3GSM in Barcelona.

  

Live Search Goes Mobile
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:00:00 UTC
Microsoft releases Windows mapping, search, functions for phones.

  

HP Enters the Cell Phone Fray
PC World Gadgets :: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:00:00 UTC
The iPaq 500 series Voice Messenger is a slim candy-bar handset that will run Windows Mobile 6 when it appears later this year.

  

IPhone Likely Uses Arm Processors, Analysts Say
PC World Gadgets :: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:00:00 UTC
The guessing game continues over which processors Apple’s iPhone will use.

  

Ericsson Offers Home GSM, Wi-Fi Base Station
PC World Gadgets :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 16:00:00 UTC
New device will boost in-home cell phone calls.

  

Windows Mobile 6 Available Soon
PC World Gadgets :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 15:00:00 UTC
The latest version of Microsoft’s mobile platform blurs the line between smartphones and connected PDAs.

  

Mobile Ads: Next Internet Gold Rush?
PC World Gadgets :: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 00:00:00 UTC
Money talks. That’s why mobile phone advertising has become such an irresistible topic.

  

New 3G Phones Coming
PC World Gadgets :: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 23:00:00 UTC
A group of mobile phone operators and handset vendors is developing a third-generation mobile phone platform that combines many standard hardware and software components.

  

Nokia Offers Free Mapping Program
PC World Gadgets :: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 17:00:00 UTC
Free software, fee-based service is an attempt to compete in GPS device market.

  

Streamlining 3G Phone Development
PC World Gadgets :: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 14:00:00 UTC
Operators and manufacturers to collaborate on next-gen mobile phone platform.

  

Review Blast From The Past: Matrix Orbial MX610 LCD Display
ThinkComputers :: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 03:42:00 EST

How to Build a Network Using a Cross-Over Cable
Hardware Secrets :: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:43:00 -0300
Did you know that is possible to build a small network between two computers by just connecting them with a very simple and inexpensive cable? Learn how.

Logitech VX Revolution Mouse Review
Hardware Secrets :: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:18:00 -0200
Review of the new cordless laser mouse for notebooks from Logitech featuring a revolutionary scrollwheel and laser tracking for precision on several surfaces.

Cooler Master NotePal P1 Notebook Cooler
Viper Lair :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“The product itself is a simple idea, and works for most laptops you find, from 14″ widescreens to 17″ models, though it many not cover the entire laptop or may cover too much of it. The other nice aspect about it is that it angles the keyboard up so that it seems to provide a more ergonomic feel.”

Nikon Coolpix L6 6.0MP Digital Camera Review
Techgage :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Nikon is not known as a company to slow down their release schedule, and currently they have a huge collection of point-and-shoot cameras. Today we are taking a look at a model from their lifestyle series, the six megapixel L6.

Microsoft Zune Review
The Tech Lounge :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
“After several weeks of daily use I’ve certainly formed more than one opinion about the Zune. Of course there are endless product reviews of the Zune available on the interweb, already… But with this review I’ll try to not only cover the basic features and usability of Microsoft’s little brown brick but my impression of the player as a whole, why and who should buy one, and if it lives up to its great white competitor.”

Razer DeathAdder Mouse
RBMods :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
While there are alot of good mice on the market, they can still be improved upon. Razer has been making gamer mice since I started with computers and that is some time ago, and they have still been able to stay on the market due to their high quality gaming mice. We got a sample of their DeathAdder mouse for testing tonight, it has some improved specs compared to the older mice they have released and a more sensitive laser so it’s going to be interesting to see how well this compares to the older mice.

Razer Pro|Tones m100
techPowerUp :: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The Razer Pro|Tones m100 is a light-weight in-ear headphone system that is designed to give you the best music listening experience. The headphones are available in black and white, which is a perfect match for an Apple iPod. After testing these $40 headphones we come to the conclusion that they offer excellent comfort and good sound quality.

lPad S&S (New Improved Surface)
techPowerUp :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Based on the award-winning SteelPad S&S, SteelSeries has created a new mouse pad that comes with a completely new surface that is optimized to give the best compromise between low friction and best precision. We tested this $35 mousepad that comes with included Teflon and a carrying bag to see if it is really an improvement.

Review: Alienware Aurora m9700 Laptop Review
Hardware Test :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
“Think a rewrite of the “bang for the buck” proverb is in order. “Bling, and not so much bang for the buck” would be a fair statement for the Aurora m9700. The Alienware name is a statement all on its own. I brought it to class, and not a moment passed before the comment “An Alienware… wow” was heard. It gives you are feeling most hardware enthusiasts would gladly pay money for.

As clearly stated in the graph, the Alienware Aurora m9700 is leading the pack by a serious margin. It is simply way better equipped for gaming than most other laptops. The other laptops have decent specifications and receive fair scores considering that they are laptops. In 3DMARK 03 the other laptops score about 8000, while the m9700 scores higher than 20,000, clearly separating it as an excellent achiever. The same trend is observed in all the other benchmark results.”

Pertelian X2040 LCD Review 
Virtual Hideout :: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
‘Do you game and like to chat, but hate how some chat programs override the game? Or perhaps you use full screen applications, and forget to check for that important email because you were concentrating on that project. Well, the solution to those issues is here with the Pertelian X2040. This little device, about the size of a large pager and has a 4×20 character LCD screen, can be set up to display incoming emails, used with various chat programs, and so much more. I know this introduction sounds more like a commercial and not a review, but to a certain extent that’s precisely what it is.”

Merconnet Car MP3 FM Transmitter
PC Apex :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Yet another issue I had with this device was the output level. Ideally, I would want the device to broadcast at the same volume level as the radio stations around, so if you change the channel, you are not blasted by sound. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. In fact, to broadcast at the same volume level as local radio stations, I have to turn my Treo’s output down to the point where it wouldn’t distort the input and turn up the car stereo to the point where I am starting to hear the engine’s electrical interference. If I were to use the USB port to power my Treo while broadcasting via the audio input, the interference is worse.”

Vizo Xena Notebook Cooler Review
Techware Labs :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“As processor speeds get higher and faster they run hotter, add in the fact that video card options available in todays notebooks are often putting out more heat than the CPU and you have a small volcano on your hands. As such we were pleased to see another notebook cooler offering enter the ring to help you the consumer fight off the dreaded heat in your laptop to protect your expensive property. In an ocean of currently available notebook coolers however, we wondered how can one notebook cooler make a name for itself amongst the others? By incorporating along with fans and aluminum construction, a 3-port USB 2.0 hub, a backup system with software and a tray for an external sata hard drive with a one touch backup button, that’s how! Today we review the Xena Notebook Cooler and see how Vizo has entered the ring to do battle.”

Ultra Products 2GB Hydra MP3 Player Review 
Big Bruin :: Monday, March 05, 2007
While I might prefer a more robust type of player, there are times that a larger player is just too much. This is where the Ultra Products Hydra is a perfect choice. Whether you are out running, biking, sitting by the pool, or working in the hot summer sun; a compact, solid state, and splash resistant player like this will come in very handy.

Lenovo USB Webcam Review
XYZ Computing :: Monday, March 05, 2007
If one of the devices you need to travel with is a webcam, than Lenovo might just have the product you need. This article will be taking a look at the Lenovo USB Webcam, a webcam designed specifically to work with your Thinkpad or ultraportable. Compared to the huge stationery webcams that have been hitting the market lately Lenovo’s model is going to look quite stripped down, . This is especially true once you examine its barebones feature set and thoroughly unbloated software. At 1.97″ x 2.16″ x 4.53″ and about a quarter pound this tiny device is just the thing to shoot a video on the road, whether you need to video conference with your coworkers at home or talk to your kids before bed. It only needs USB power so no addition wires or power adapters are needed which means once it is installed you just need to find a empty spot in your laptop bag and get going.

Vizo Ninja 15″ Laptop Cooler
Gideon Tech :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“The Ninja cooler is made out of aluminum and has two fans to increase heat transfer. By keeping the base of the notebook cool, the Ninja not only prolongs component life, but keeps often loud notebook fans from whirring annoyingly under heavy load.”

Razer DeathAdder Gaming Mouse Review
OCIA :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“The upper deck (where your hand rests) is made from a smooth rubber material which feels more like micro-suede; very nice. The scroll wheel has 24 individual click positions that remain silent when scrolling. The left side of the mouse has two large fully programmable thumb buttons. The Razer logo is positioned discreetly in the center of the mouse and blends in nicely when the mouse is not plugged into your computer.”

Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go 4GB U3 Smart Drive
techPowerUp :: Monday, March 05, 2007
The Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go U3 is a Smart Drive with the U3 Launchpad included on the memory stick. The addition of the software and improved performance cost the end user around $10 USD more, when compared to the basic Store ‘n’ Go 4 GB variant available. We benchmark the Verbatim U3 Smart Drive and let you know if the performance and software are worth the small price premium.

Razer DeathAdder Gaming Mouse Review 
XYZ Computing :: Monday, March 05, 2007
Initially, the DeathAdder, aside from having a great name, does not appear too much different from Razer’s other mice. Looking at it we can see a matte finish with a great looking one-piece exterior along with Razer’s signature LED-lit mouse wheel and palm rest. The main difference between it and the other mice is the use of Razer’s 3G infrared sensor, a technology that they claim is far superior to other optical mice. Razer’s designed did not opt for a laser mouse, like on the Copperhead or Logitech popular G5, but rather went to an infrared sensor, which is a form of optical sensor. 

Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet Review
Digital Trends :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Without the “ThinkPad X6 Tablet UltraBase” expansion dock, the X60 is slightly less functional. It does not have an optical drive built-in, which means no CD or DVD drive. To use CDs or DVD on the go, one must have copied disk images to the hard drive with an included utility, or one must use an external USB CD/DVD drive. There are three USB 2.0 ports, a single 4-pin FireWire port, built-in SD/MMC card slot, dial-up modem port, infrared port, embedded WWAN, VGA video out, audio input and output jacks, and a much-appreciated PC Card slot for flash card readers, USB expansion ports, etc. Essentially, any expansion needs could be managed by way of PC cards or USB devices. ” 

Vizo Xena Notebook Cooler 
Modders Inc. :: Monday, March 05, 2007
So you want to keep your laptop cooler and be able to backup your files all in one device? Well you’re in luck as Vizo has come out with a cooler called Xena. It is the world’s first and only notebook cooler with a drawable 2.5″ SATA hard drive bay and a single button backup feature.

Ratpadz XT Review 
XS Reviews :: Monday, March 05, 2007
“Hard OCP are well known in the review industry for their popular website, and now they are trying to get into the mouse pad sector with their Ratpadz range. Today I have their XT model which promises a slick surface and a large gaming area.”

SteelPad QcK Heavy Review
XS Reviews :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“Like most manufactures, SteelPad don’t always release brand new products, only build on past success. The QcK heavy is no difference; it’s the same slick surface found on the QcK which received a 9/10 back in 2006, but has extra thickness for LAN party enthusiasts.”

Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard 
3d Xtreme :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Today 3DXtreme is taking a look at the latest offering from Saitek, the Eclipse II keyboard. This keyboard is backlit illuminated in three different colors. The characters and keypad are illuminated through the laser etched keys and has variable lighting control. Angle adjustment and 104 quiet cushioned keys on a weighted base with large rubber feet compliment the Eclipse II product nicely. 

Saitek Pro Gamer Command Unit
techPowerUp :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Saitek Pro Gamer Command Unit is a very unique device and may look like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but it actually gives you control over games without the use of a traditional keyboard. It puts all functions within reach of your left hand. This makes gaming a lot more comfortable and faster. We tried it with First Person Shooters and Real Time Strategy games to see if the Pro Gamer Command Unit is just as advanced as its futuristic looks.

Samsung NV10 Digital Camera Review 
XYZ Computing :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
The NV10 is a high-end camera is Samsung’s NV line. The NV’s are what I would call Samsung’s “tech luxury” product, upper tier models that are highly stylized but also focus on performance. The NV10 is a 10.1 megapixel point-and-shoot with 3x optical zoom that was once the flagship of the NV line but has been topped by the NV11 (which is almost the same, but has 5x optical zoom, a larger 2.7″ LCD, and some other minor improvements). The NV10 is a basically a pocketable, yet high performance, point-and-shoot with a very attractive exterior. It is not cheap, but the current sub-$300 price tag is not something people looking for an ultra light 10.1 megapixel camera should be bothered by. At 96.5 x 60 x 18.5 mm (3.8 x 2.3 x 0.7 in) and 148.7g (0.327 pounds) with the battery installed the camera is built for portability, but my expectations for its performance were high as well.

Vizo Uranus Review
Overclockers Club :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“With our ever increasing storage demands, many people are looking for options to back up data, store MP3s, photographs and movies. One option is using hard drives, but in order to make that hard drive portable and easily accessible, you will need an external hard drive enclosure. The Vizo Uranus is one of those options.”

OCZ Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse 
Pro CLockers :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
But if you thought that they were keeping it to cooling and video cards and the numerous memory modules they produce you are quite wrong. During the last CES, they announced that they will be giving us even more. And one of those promised products is the OCZ Equalizer. The Equalizer is a gaming mouse that is aimed at taking down the likes of Razer and Logitech. The Equalizer boasts some pretty interesting features that many a gamer would find useful. Will you? Lets check it out.

Logitech MX Revolution Rechargeable Cordless Laser Mouse Review 
3d Xtreme :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Today 3DXtreme is taking a look at what Logitech touts as the most advanced mouse. The Logitech MX Revolution has some really neat features like Hyper-fast scrolling, SmartShift, Quick-flip as well as containing a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and being cordless with a USB dongle interface. The MX Revolution covers all the bases – a technologically advanced mouse that is functional! 

Razer Krait Optical Gaming Mouse Review Posted 
Tech ARP :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“Have you ever wanted a really good optical gaming mouse, but see no need for “professional” mice with multiple side buttons? If so, the Razer Krait might just be the answer to your prayers.

The Krait boasts a 1600 dpi optical sensor with a frame rate of 6400 fps, a 16-bit data channel and a gold USB connector for bling bling. Read about it in our latest review.”

Razer DeathAdder Mouse Review
Hi-Tech Reviews :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
The name of the game when you are playing FPS type games is speed and accuracy, the ability to lock onto your target and say get a one-shot kill versus a having to fight the mouse just to acquire a target can make for some very long headaches but very short matches. The crew at Razer has come to your rescue one again with what very well maybe the meanest gaming mouse ever built. This bad boy features the 3rd generation “3G Infrared Sensor Technology” which equals out 1800 DPI. There a bunch of other features but you will need to read the review to find out what they are.

OCZ Equalizer 2500 DPI Laser Gaming Mouse
Pure Overclock :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
“The popularity of super-high performance mice aimed at gamers and hardware connoisseurs has grown exponentially, and it’s Razer who are most notably responsible for much of this. So perhaps it’s interesting to see one of the leaders responsible for the birth of overclockable memory, OCZ, have a stab at the buzz peripheral of the moment – the revered ‘gaming’ mouse.”

GoldenMars microSD Memory Card Review 
RB Mods :: Thursday, March 01, 2007
Like many things in the computer world, flash memory has gotten faster and smaller as the technology has improved. For example, Secure Digital cards can now be found in “mini” and “micro” sizes that are even smaller than the already small SD card. Goldenmars, makers of a wide range of memory products, sent us their latest 2GB microSD card. Will it be able to maintain its performance despite its small size? Let’s find out.