Mobile Devices

by Paul Miller, posted May 6th 2008 at 12:01AM
Microsoft has quite a bit in store for the Zune faithful with its new Zune version 2.5 software update. The high points are the new Zune Card integration and the addition of TV show downloads on Zune Marketplace, but much-requested features like gapless playback, improved syncing controls, meta data editing, auto playlists and other tweaks have also been included. On the marketing front, Microsoft is really pushing the Zune Pass going forward, and will be launching a new TV commercial to help plug it. Subscribers will particularly benefit from the new Zune Card sharing, which lets you automatically score copies of your pals’ favorite songs, artists and recent plays — non-subscribers can view that Zune Card info, but will have to buy the tracks if they want to have a listen. Unfortunately, news on the video store front isn’t so compelling: Microsoft is only adding TV shows at this point, no movies, and there’s no way to pull video you’ve bought on your 360 over to your Zune. There’s no reason Microsoft can’t close this loop and turn some scattered media offerings into a compelling ecosystem, but until then we suppose we’ll have to thank our lucky stars that we can shell out 160 MS Points ($2.00) for TV shows we can watch for free online. The 2.5 Spring Update is a free download and should be available nowish.

Gallery: Zune 2.5 update hands-on

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

by Darren Murph, posted May 6th 2008 at 5:04AM
And you thought $49.99 was cheap. Word on the street has it that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 hd dvd add-on, which has been seen as slightly less valuable since Toshiba pulled the plug on the once mighty red format, has stooped to €9.99 across the pond at GameStop (among other locales). For those not savvy on the absurd depreciation of the US dollar, we’re talking $15.47 — and that’s with a Media Center remote bundled in, too. We’re totally straight-faced when we say that’s actually not a half bad deal if you’re a fan of the media already out there, but the parsimonious among us are definitely waiting for these to come bundled with our favorite cereals before pulling the trigger.

[Thanks, Conor]

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While the Happy Alien Mini Speaker might be cute as buttons, I certainly don’t think audiophiles will be too pleased with its sound quality considering the $11.90 price tag attached to it. Specifications include the following :-

• Retractable and flexible body structure
• Extendable resonator to increase the volume
• Rechargeable li-ion battery via USB
• 3.5mm stereo audio connector
• On/Off/Volume switch
• LED indicator

You can even hang it around your neck, but last time I heard (pun intended), mono sound isn’t exactly the most exciting thing on earth.

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I’m hopeful, but with a healthy amount of cynicism. Intellectually, I like to keep things sweet and sour.

So, while I loved and devoured and praised Clay Shirky’s newest book, “Here Comes Everybody,” it was important to couch that experience with a dose of anxiety over the current and future states of the Internet with Johnathan Zittrain’s “The Future of the Internet – And How to Stop It.”

Web 2.0 is (to me) more of a social phenomenon than a technical feat. Living in New York there are social mixers around the Web 2.0 hype nearly nightly, and I guess because I’ve always been a happy malcontent, I’m more critical of what we’re all really accomplishing tossing back cheap chardonnay and exchanging business cards.

Zittrain reveals that the Internet and our production of technologies and devices around it are on a path to a “lockdown,” a day where we will stop innovating. I know a roomful of “Web 2.0’rs” who would scoff at the notion.

The Nikko R2–D2 DVD Projector Limited Edition is an improvement over its predecessor, now capable of throwing a massive 260″ image onto your screen or wall compared to the 80″ version in the older model. In addition, you get :-

• 1,800 lumens brightness
• 1,800:1 contrast ratio
• ipod dock
• Memory card slot
• USB port
• Integrated surround sound 20W speaker system
• FM transmitter
• Millennium Falcon remote control

You’ll need to fork out more as well - to the tune of $2,900, to be exact.

Software security company Webroot unveiled their E-Mail Security SaaS business solution back at the beginning of the year. The aim was to remove the need for special software, servers or expertise on-site of any small business when dealing with e-mail security. Webroot would instead offer the protection before any e-mail reaches company machines, as well as a host of additional features including encryption, archiving and management for a subscription charge.

With that e-mail service now well-established Webroot are going to try a similar service, but for desktop security. That means your first line of defense will no longer be security software installed on individual machines at your company. Instead, Webroot are going to filter all traffic before it gets to your company ensuring nothing malicious gets through.

By offering such a service Webroot aim to take the headache out of making sure your company is secure on the web. Just like the e-mail service, it means you don’t need to employ an IT person to ensure your security is up-to-date, you don’t need to pay out for server security software and you don’t need any extra hardware to deal with security at your offices. Webroot do, however, still suggest you run security software on your desktop machines as extra protection.

Their new desktop subscription service is set to come online in June.

Read more at PCWorld.com

Matthew’s Opinion

I can see such a service being enticing to small business owners, especially those in a business sector outside of the technology field. Some business owners may not have a great knowledge of network security and just want a solution. Having a new choice that is just a subscription charge rather than expenses for new hardware, software and possibly at least one staff member, may sound like a better deal.

Webroot are likely going to want you to buy their desktop solutions as well, but I’d be interested to see their reasons for you needing both seeing as they are marketing this as a single solution. I don’t have a problem with them trying to sell you both, but the discounts should be significant if you do decide to opt for the subscription and the desktop software.

Do you think security as a service is going to work for business (and possibly home) users? It would certainly simplify things in the workplace. You have to wonder what would happen if Webroot’s servers went down though.

Comfortable headsets are great when you can find them. If they are cordless it’s even better. Now add the ability to listen to your ipod wirelessly for up to 10 hours straight. If that is not enough – what if you and three other people could share the wireless connection? Have I peaked your interest yet?

Kleer (good name when talking about headsets) and DigiFi have joined their resources to give us a cordless headset with CD quality sound known as Opera. A bit rich at $98 but an interesting concept I must say.

Opera is not your ordinary headset. It wraps from behind your head and up over your ears. Earbuds make this headset unobtrusive and as far as looks are concerned – streamlined comes to mind.

Read [Kleer] Via [Gear Live]

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by Joshua Topolsky, posted May 5th 2008 at 8:23AM
Apparently, RIM is a bit worried that the rumored high price-point for the forthcoming blackberry 9000 might be a bit too steep for some, and plans to offer a budget version — sans 3G. According to the Boy Genius, an almost identical model of the next-gen phone will be available without high-speed data, and will have a slightly different bezel and back casing (which he’s gotten a picture of, seen up above) — though we’re not sure why they’d go to the trouble of making a different body when only the guts will change. Clearly it’s one of life’s mysteries we weren’t meant to understand.

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Filed under: cellphones

Well after all the hype during these past three months Microsoft has withdrawn their bid for Yahoo. With the final offer coming in at $33 per share or a total of $47.5 billion, that was just not enough to match the $37 per share or $53 billion that Yahoo was requesting. Steve Ballmer was also later quoted as stating that Microsoft would not proceed with a hostile takeover because they felt Yahoo “would take steps that would make Yahoo undesirable as an acquisition for Microsoft.”

That is that, the deal is dead.

Read [Yahoo! News]

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Online reseller JR.com is listing a new mystery-cam from Creative, called the Vado, which promises to be very similar to the super successful Flip. The specifications read like they have been lifted from the Flip itself: VGA cam, one-button recording, good low-light performance, two hour recording on a 2GB, direct upload to YouTube or Photobucket, 2x zoom, rechargeable AA batteries and a built-in flexible USB connector.

The only differences seems to be that the Vado has a 2″ LCD against the Flip’s 1.5″, and that it will be available in both silver and pink. Even the price is the same, at $100.

It’s a surprise that nobody has done this before. The modest little Flip commands a huge 13% of the entire market, proving the demand for a cheap and cheerful camcorder. We expect that Vado won’t be the first attempt to cut a slice of this cake.

The picture above is a Photoshop job: There is no product shot as yet. You can see a screengrab of the errant page below, just in case the original goes offline (and we suspect it might). We’ll be keeping a close eye on this. As they say in Streetfighter II: “Round One: Fight!”

Premature Product page Product page [JR]