totalFlux

Audioengine A2 - tiny premium powered desktop speakers

2012-01-28T03:14:00.000-08:00

Specifications:
2.0 powered (active) speakers
60W peak power (15W RMS / 30W peak per channel), AES
65Hz-22kHz +/-2.0dB frequency response
20mm silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets
2.75" Kevlar woofers with advanced voice coils
Dual Class AB monolithic amplifier (left speaker)
Torroidal power transformer
Output current limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection, video shielded
Dual 1/8" stereo mini-jack and RCA inputs
18mm thick MDF cabinets
6”(H) x 4”(W) x 5.25”(D)
Cables included
Available in black or white color
$199 (US)

[Audioengine]

Cisco's Flip UltraHD Video Recorder

2011-12-03T01:59:00.000-08:00

Forget those bulky complicated camcorders and other similar archaic devices of the past. Have you ever tried to capture a fleeting moment but missed it because your camcorder or video camera was not ready? Well, you can forget that too because Flip makes all that a thing of the past. Need to shoot something this very moment? No problem, just press the big red button and you are rolling. While Flip may not satisfy the most demanding videophile, wanting every available bell and whistle, it should be more than enough for an average person looking for a simple point-and-shoot. An 8GB Flip can capture a 2 hour long 720p HD movie with sound at 60 frames per second. And a built-in USB 2.0 connector makes transferring movies to any USB-enabled computer a breeze.

Specifications:
Video resolution: 1280 x 720 pixels (720p HD)
Frame rate: 60 frames per second (constant frame rate, progressive scan)
Internal memory: 8GB (2 hours)
Video Bitrate: 8.8 Mbps (average - auto adaptive algorithm)
Video format: H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, files saved as MP4
Zoom: smooth multi-step 2x digital
Screen size: 2.0" (transflective TFT)
Screen resolution: 320 x 240 pixels
Lens type: fixed focus (1.5 m to infinity)
Aperture: f/2.4 (fast lens for great results in low-light environments)
Interface: 8 buttons (power, play, delete, record and a 4 way navigation)
PC connection: built-in flip-out USB arm (USB 2.0)
TV out: HDMI MicroConnector
Image stabilization: yes
Tripod mount: yes
FlipPort: yes
Battery life: up to 2 hours (using included Flip Video Rechargeable Battery Pack)
Dimensions: 4.16" x 2.11" x 0.88" (H x W x D)

micro HDMI & FlipPort

[Flip]

Canon Digital PowerShot ELPH 310 HS

2011-10-31T23:18:00.000-07:00

12.1 megapixels

8x optical zoom with optical image stabilization

3 inch pure color wide viewing angle LCD display

Full 1080p HD video with stereo sound @ 24 fps

HDMI out

Features
- 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor
- 8x optical zoom
- 28mm wide-angle lens
- 3 inch pure color wide viewing angle LCD display
- Optical Image Stabilizer
- full 1080p HD video with stereo sound
- high-speed burst mode
- zoom while shooting
- DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- HS SYSTEM for exceptional low-light performance up to ISO 3200
- Super Slow Motion Movie records video at high speed to allow slow motion playback
- Intelligent System(IS) picks optimal image stabilization settings from six preset modes
- Smart AUTO selects from 32 predefined camera settings
- HDMI out
- dedicated movie button
- ultra-slim body

Estimated retail price: $259.99 (US)

Available colors

Apple iPod Nano watch wristband roundup

2011-10-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

These wristbands were designed to work specifically with Apple iPod Nano 6th/7th generation.

LunaTik Watch Wrist Strap for iPod Nano

[Amazon]

iWatchz Wrist Band for iPod Nano

[Amazon]

Hex Watch Bands for iPod Nano

Hex Watch Band

Hex Sport Watch Band

Hex Slim Watch Band

[BackCountry.com]

Nanotch Silicone Protective Wrist Watch Band for iPod Nano

[Amazon]

Video instruction on how to turn iPod Nano into an iWatch:

Top 10 FREE Mac software downloads

2011-08-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

There is a ton of Mac software out there. And plenty of it is actually free. Here we have compiled our top 10 essential list of FREE Mac software downloads. Enjoy...

Adium

Adium is a surprisingly versatile instant messaging client with infinite number of customization options and support for virtually every popular messaging protocol. This is surely to be the last instant messaging client you will ever want.
[Visit official Adium web site]

MenuMeters

MenuMeters is an essential hardware monitoring tool that installs into the top menu bar and provides essential system utilization information. It is simple yet versatile enough to please most users out there. One thing we wish MenuMeters had was the ability to display the amount of hard drive space remaining and in use. However, for advanced users, there is a more comprehensive and full featured alternative available called iStat Menus which can be purchased for $16 US dollars and in case you are wondering - is totally worth it.
[Visit official MenuMeters web site]

Growl

Growl is the ultimate on-screen notification utility for the Mac that integrates nicely with a lot of Mac applications out there. The slew of customization options and the supported software means it can be tailored to just about any user and their preferences.
[Visit official Growl web site]

VLC

VLC is a versatile and full-featured cross-platform media player that can tackle most popular audio and video formats on the market today. It has an absurd amount of customization options which makes my head spin but is sure to please advanced users.
[Visit official VLC web site]

Burn

Burn is a simple yet advanced burning utility for the Mac. It supports a wide range of video and audio files and exposes advanced options and settings.
[Visit official Burn web site]

The Unarchiver

The Unarchiver is a better and more versatile replacement to the built-in unpacker that ships with Mac OS X. It supports more file formats and integrates nicely with the Finder. The Unarchiver also works with foreign character sets and can unpack files created with other operating systems. Its major strength are versatility and the easy of use.
[Visit official Unarchiver web site]

Adapter

Adapter is a freeware video converter for both Mac & PC. It even lets you convert audio and image files. With Adapter it is quick and easy to convert between different file formats.
[Visit official Adapter web site]

Gimp

Gimp is a powerful open-source GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is great for photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It may not be as feature-full as something like Photoshop but should be enough for most day to day photo-chops.
[Visit official Gimp for Mac web site]

Azureus aka Vuze

Azureus aka Vuze is an advanced full-featured bittorrent file transfer client and server. Azureus exposes a mountain of advanced options and makes them available to the user for customization. It is also easily extended and enhanced via numerous available plugins.
[Visit official Azureus/Vuze web site]

Cyberduck advanced cross-platform file transfer client

With Cyberduck you can connect to any server with ease thanks to its easy to use user interface and support for a variety of servers. Cyberduck supports FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Storage, Windows Azure, Rackspace Cloud Files, and Google Docs.
[Visit official Cyberduck web site]

Designer brushed aluminum Space Bar USB-port desk organizer

2011-08-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Quirky & Michael Cavada's Space Bar USB-port desk organizer

This Apple-like brushed silver aluminum Space Bar desk organizer can help reclaim some of your precious desk space while doing so in style. It acts as a capable USB hub while also lifting the monitor(up to 20 pounds) off the desk and allowing keyboards up to 18 inches in length and 1.5 inches in height to be stowed away. The included external black AC power adapter provides juice for 6 USB ports 4 of which are front-facing while the other 2 are in the back. Invented by Michael Cavada, a technology education and engineering teacher, this accessory is as smart as it is stylish.

Technical details:
USB ports: 6 total, 4 front facing, 2 rear facing
Size: 24" long x 3" high x 8.5" wide
Capacity: supports up to 20 pounds in weight
Stow away keyboard size: stows a keyboard up to 18” long and 1.5” high
Materials: brushed silver aluminum with plastic accents
Accessories: includes black AC adapter and USB cord
Power: powered by external power source with a range of 110-240 volts
Base price: $80

Now doesn't this look much cleaner?

[Buy it from A+R store]

QR codes - a quick way to swap bits of information

2011-07-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

QR code for URL totalFlux.blogspot.com encoded with RedLaser iPhone app

There are many different ways one can transfer information these days. QR code is yet another way to do just that. What it is essentially is a 2D bar code that anyone with a capable mobile device and the right application can generate as well as scan. QR codes are not exactly a new phenomena since they have been used in the automotive industry to label parts for many years. However, in recent years with the advent of the smart phone QR codes started to trickle into the consumer markets. There are many QR applications available on the iPhone as well as other smart phones. For example I used a free application called RedLaser to generate the QR code at the top of this page on an iPhone. With RedLaser it is a breeze to encode contact information, a URL, or any other snippet of text. If you already own a smart phone today grab one of the numerous QR applications available for your device and see for yourself how easy it is to create your own two-dimensional bar code.

To learn more about QR codes please visit Wikipedia

Apple updates MacBook Air and Mac Mini and rolls out the all new OS X Lion

2011-07-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Today Apple updated MacBook Air and Mac Mini with the latest greatest 2nd generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors that are twice as fast as the previous offerings. The recently introduced Thunderbolt port is now a standard offering too. The new MacBook Air now also sports a very much needed backlit keyboard. Noteworthy updates to the Mac Mini lineup include a twist off base for easy memory upgrades and an integrated power supply - so long the chunky paper weight power supply brick. A new Mac Mini Server is also available with Lion Server edition. All new Macs now ship with the brand spanking new OS X Lion, which introduces over 250+ new features. You can download OS X Lion upgrade from the App Store today for a nominal fee of just $29.99.

All-in-all Apple is on a roll and there is seemingly no stopping them now! Next up iPhone 5 and iPad 3...

All you ever wanted to know about the Space Shuttle in one cool infographic...

2011-07-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, any way you look at it Space Shuttles are awesome! This is probably the most complex and baddest glider ever built. Yes, I know what you are about to say, it's lame that it can only glide but on the other hand do you know of any other glider that can go to fiery hell and back in once piece? I didn't think so. Anyways enjoy this awesome Space Shuttle infographic...

Source Space.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration

Apple iPhone 5 - two stunning designs

2011-07-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Two independent designers take a stab at what they think the future iPhone 5 will look like and come up with two very different yet stunning designs. Here they are...

Antoine Brieux's design concept is a complete departure from the all-too-familiar Apple look.

Antoine Brieux's iPhone 5 design

[@ Gizmodo]

In contrast Michal Bonikowski's design builds on top of the existing and proven iPhone 4 and iPad 2 chasis.

Michal Bonikowski's iPhone 5 design

[@ Yanko Design]

Apple iCloud coming this fall

2011-06-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

Apple iCloud coming this fall

Apple's iCloud coming to all iOS 5 devices this fall. iCloud stores all your digital content and wirelessly synchronizes it with all compatible devices. This all sounds great in theory but it begs the question of personal data security - how will my personal data be secured and protected by Apple and at the same time from Apple?

iCloud features at a glance:
- free
- 5GB of storage
- purchased music, applications, books and Photo Stream do not count against free storage
- only mail, documents, Camera Roll, account information, settings and application specific data use up the free storage
- backs up all of the following: music, photos, videos, books, applications & their data, device settings, home screen & apps arrangement, SMS & MMS, ringtones
- available on all iOS 5 devices

You may also like:
Apple unveils iPad 2 - Thinner, Lighter, Faster
Apple iPad 3 rumors
Apple iPhone 5 rumors compilation

[iCloud]

Apple iOS 5 coming this fall

2011-06-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

Apple iOS 5 coming this fall with 200+ new features

Stay tuned for the upcoming iOS 5 release that promises over 200 enhancement to the already great mobile operating system.

Some of the new features at a glance:
- The all new Notification Center (less interruption, more at a glance)
- iMessage (send unlimited text and multimedia messages to any iOS 5 device)
- Newsstand (all your subscriptions in one convenient place)
- Reminders (to-do lists with location triggered reminders)
- Twitter (natively integrated into iOS 5)
- Camera (helpful grid lines)
- Photos (edit on the fly, auto-enhance, remove red-eye)
- Safari (tabbed browsing, to read later list, uncluttered reader)
- PC Free (wireless activation & setup, software updates, back up & restore using iCloud)
- Mail (format and indent text, flag messages, search email body)
- Calendar (year view on iPad, week view on iPhone & iPod touch, create & edit calendars, tap to create & drag to adjust events)
- Game Center (profile picture, friend recommendations, size up opponents by overall score)
- Wi-Fi Sync (wireless sync with PC or Mac over Wi-Fi, automatic backups while charging)
- Multitasking Gestures for iPad (4 or 5 finger up swap reveals multitasking bar, pinch to return home, left & right swipe switches apps)
- AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2 (video mirror iPad 2 onto HDTV via Apple TV)
- Accessibility improvement (even easier for people with disabilities, enable LED flash & custom vibration for when someone is calling)
- plus many more features...

iOS 5 compatible devices:
- iPhone 3GS & 4
- iPod touch 3rd & 4th generation
- iPad 1 & 2

You may also like:
Apple unveils iPad 2 - Thinner, Lighter, Faster
Apple iPad 3 rumors
Apple iPhone 5 rumors compilation

[iOS 5]

Apple iPad 3 rumors

2011-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Apple iPad 3 concept

While iPad 2 is still a precious commodity today with Apple Store citing 1-2 weeks delivery time iPad 3 rumors already started to germinate. Some early reports indicate that Samsung is designing a new 2Ghz dual-core mobile processor to be used in mobile devices that has processing capacity of a regular PC. Since Apple uses Samsung components for its mobile devices and existing A4 and A5 chips are both made by Samsung it is likely that Apple will drop the new faster processor into the iPad 3 when it is released next year. There are also some speculations circulating that suggest iPad 2 was a mere speed bump-up while the iPad 3 is going to be the real deal. Only time will tell whether any of this is true.

Rumored iPad 3 features at a glance:
- an even faster 2Ghz dual-core processor from Samsung
- double-resolution 2048×1536 screen
- release in 2012
- 3D capabilities

Apple iPhone 4 now available in white color

2011-04-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today Apple finally released the WHITE iPhone 4. Long overdue, the white iPhone 4 models are available immediately from the Apple Online Store and at Apple Retail Stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple fans rejoice - the balance of good/white and evil/black has been restored once again!

Apple iPhone 5 feature summary infographic

2011-04-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Check out this rad info-graphic detailing possible iPhone 5 features and the likelihood of their appearance in the Apple's next highly anticipated headset...

Image courtesy of www.nowhereelse.fr

Related posts:
Apple iPhone 5 rumors compilation
More iPhone 5 rumors and evidence leaked
Apple iPhone 5 concept picture gallery

Apple iPhone 5 concept picture gallery

2011-04-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

What iPhone 5 might look like...

Related posts:
For more iPhone 5 rumors and mockups visit Apple iPhone 5 rumors compilation and More iPhone 5 rumors and evidence leaked.

Simian Mobile Disco

2011-04-17T02:31:00.000-07:00

Simian Mobile Disco

Enjoy Simian Mobile Disco a band from England that specializes in Club, Disco and Electro House music. Some of SMD's most popular singles have been featured in such video games as: FIFA 08, Grand Theft Auto IV, and DJ Hero 2.

Origin: London, England
Members: James Ford, Jas Shaw
Genres: club, electro house, disco
Years active: 2005 – present

Bestselling CDs:

Websites:
simianmobiledisco.co.uk
myspace
wikipedia

You may also like:
Daft Punk
Underworld
Röyksopp

Stunningly slim designs from Samsung

2011-03-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Apple fans now have yet another brand to look up to when it comes to elegantly designed electronics. Samsung has been cranking out some very slim and clean looking gadgets ranging from laptops to TVs. Have a look for yourself...

Samsung SyncMaster 23-inch LED Monitor (PX2370)

Specifications:
LED Display
23" Screen Size
1920 x 1080 Resolution
250 Brightness
2ms Response Time
1,000:1 Typical Contrast Ratio
5,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
170°/160° Viewing Angle
16.7 Million Colors Supported
1 HDMI Input
25W Power Consumption
0.3W Standby Power
9.0 lbs. Product Weight
Mac and Windows® 7 Compatible
21.9" x 17.1" x 9.2" With Stand
21.9" x 13.3" x 1.0" Without Stand
Magic Picture Controls: MagicLux, MagicECO, MagicReturn, MagicAngle, MagicBright 3™, MagicWizard, MagicTune

Samsung 9 Series laptop

Specifications:
Intel® Core™ i5 Processor 2537M
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
LED HD 13.3" SuperBright Plus widescreen anti-glare display, 400 nits, up to 16 million colors
Intel® HD Graphics 3000
4GB DDR3 System Memory (8 GB Max)
128 GB Solid State Drive
3 W Stereo Speakers (1.5 W x 2) with HD Audio
1.3 Megapixel HD Webcam
802.11 b/g/n WiFi
High Speed Bluetooth V3.0
Micro HDMI Input, Headphone Jack, Mic-in, 1 MicroSD Slot, RJ45 LAN, 2 USB Ports (1 Chargeable)
81 Key Keyboard and Touch Pad
40 Watt AC Power Adapter
6-Cell Lithium, 6300 mAh, up to 7 hours of battery life
Duralumin lightweight and remarkably strong design
12.9"(W) x 8.9"(D) x 0.62"~0.64"(H)
2.88 lbs. with Standard Battery
3 Year Warranty

Samsung 40-inch 6000 Series 1080p LED HDTV

Specifications:
40" LED TV Full HD 1080p
1,920 x 1,080 Native Resolution, 16:9 Aspect Ratio
Auto Motion Plus 120Hz Refresh Rate
Wide Color Enhancer Plus
Ultra Clear Panel
Two 15 Watts Built-in Bottom Speakers, SRS TheaterSound®
Wireless Connectivity
HDTV Tuner Built-in
ATSC/Clear QAM Tuners
V-Chip
4 HDMI Inputs (Rear)
2 Component Inputs (Rear)
1 PC Audio Input (Mini Jack)
3 USB 2.0 Ports
1 Optical Digital Audio Output
Comes With Swivel Stand
Smart TV with Samsung Apps, Netflix capable
AllShare™ DLNA Networking
ConnectShare™ Movie
Anynet+™
Auto Channel Search
Auto Power Off
Auto Volume Leveler
Clock & On/Off Timer
Closed Captioning
Sleep Timer
Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards
1.2" Depth
37.6"(W) x 22.9"(H) x 1.2"(D) Without Stand
37.6"(W) x 25.1"(H) x 10.0"(D) With Stand
24 lbs. Without Stand
31.3 lbs. With Stand

Links to Samsung product pages:
Monitor
Laptop
TV

More iPhone 5 rumors and evidence leaked

2011-03-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

The latest iPhone 5 rumors have it that Apple is giving up on the glass backing and external antennae(both of which have been plagued with trouble - from cracking glass to weakened reception) in favor of a rounded aluminum backing. If any of this is true than we should see something that looks more like the iPad 2 backing when the next generation iPhone hits store shelves this summer. [BusinessInsider]

Shortly after the iOS 4.3 release code junkies around the world that get real kicks combing through lines of random code have discovered snippets that evidently point to the highly anticipated iPhone 5 (code named N94AP) and it is listed as having the same S5L8940, dual-core, A5 processor as the iPad 2. While this is not a new rumor it is however new evidence that supports the claims of iPhone 5 having a new dual-core A5 processor. It only makes sense that Apple would use its new A5 processor in iPad 2 and iPhone 5 considering they used a single-core A4 processor with the iPad and iPhone 4. [BGR]

iOS 5 unlock screen teaser pic

Related posts:
For more iPhone 5 rumors and mockups visit Apple iPhone 5 rumors compilation.
For a slew of iPhone 5 concept pictures visit Apple iPhone 5 concept picture gallery.

Flexible future tech

2011-03-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Since a picture is worth a 1000 words I bring to you the future of flexible technology in pictures...

Microprocessor:

Bendable microprocessor

IMEC have created a cheap (potentially 1/10th the cost of silicon chips), bendable microprocessor by layering a plastic substrate, gold circuits, organic dielectric, and a pentacene organic semiconductor. It's 8-bit logic circuit with 4000 transistors is capable of executing 6 instructions per second. Not a screamer by today's standards but it is still a step in the right direction. [Engadget]

Display:

Flexible display

When they arrive, flexible displays will be a big leap forward from today’s LCDs (liquid crystal displays) and even OLEDs (organic light-emitting diode displays). In terms of power consumption flexible displays will consume 100 times less power than LCDs. Even OLEDs (2-3 times more efficient than LCDs) can’t match this kind of efficiency. These displays have thin-film transistor arrays on specialty polymer and thin stainless-steel substrates and use electrophoretic ink (E-Ink). Does extremely low power consumption and flexibility sound too good to be true? According to Wired we are about 2-3 years away from in-field army trials.

Speakers:

Paper-like flat flexible speaker

Engineers at the University of Warwick have created a paper-like flat, flexible speaker that is lightweight and just 0.25 millimeters thick. And they say it could be commercially available by the end of the year. The flat, flexible speaker technology takes a flexible laminate, which when excited with an electrical signal vibrates to produce the sound. The flexible laminate is made of a number of thin, conducting and insulating materials. According to researchers the speaker arrangement allows for highly directional and accurate sound. [Wired]

Solar panels:

Rollable Flexible Solar Cells

The Rollable Series Flexible Solar Cells were built with the outdoors in mind. Each unit is assembled using high grade marine components, sealed edges for waterproofing, and built in grommets for easy fastening. To store the cells, simply roll them up and toss in your bag. [FlexSolarCells]

As you can see we have all the individual parts to make flexible wearable gadgets. And I think its just a matter of time before someone combines all of these technologies and creates a new truly revolutionary device. Whether its Apple or the US Army RD that first puts these pieces of a larger puzzle together one thing remains clear - the future of technology is bright, flexible, and wearable!

Apple unveils iPad 2 - Thinner, Lighter, Faster

2011-03-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

Apple iPad 2 - Thinner, Lighter, Faster

Today [March 2, 2011] Apple unveiled the newly re-designed iPad 2. iPad fans will be pleased to know that a lot of previously rumored features have found its way into the 2nd generation device. From our earlier post titled "2nd generation Apple iPad 2 rumors" we outlined the following rumored features. Lets see which ones made it and which did not:

- [YES] same 9.7 inch display size
- [YES] front and rear facing dual cameras for Face Time video chat
- [YES] a bit slimmer case than the original
- [YES] multi-axis gyroscope
- [YES] new faster A5 processor (similar to ARM Cortex A9 - 1GHz dual-core processor)
- [YES] slightly slimmer screen bezel (3mm)
- [YES] more memory (512MB)

- [NO] flat back covering instead of a slightly rounded as on the 1st gen
- [NO] new super high-resolution display technology (alike iPhone 4's Retina Display)
- [NO] built-in dedicated SD slot
- [NO] a dual Qualcomm GSM/CDMA chipset (enabling data support for other carriers like Verizon)
- [NO] a larger, wide-ranged speaker protected by metal mesh
- [NO] 3 different versions of iPad that support Wi-Fi, UMTS and CDMA
- [NO] will likely release in Spring 2011 (around April)

Here are the iPad 2 features at a glance:

- Has a new dual-core A5 chip, which is about 2X faster than its predecessor, with the same power requirements as A4.
- 9x faster graphics
- Sports front(VGA) and back-facing(720p HD) cameras that support FaceTime.
- Three-axis gyroscope is now standard in the tablet.
- It’s 1/3 thinner, very curved back, and only 8.8 mm thick.
- Lighter at 1.3 lbs (compared to 1.5 lbs for previous model)
- Available in black and a white version. White version is shipping day one.
- 3G models work on AT&T and Verizon networks starting day one (GSM and CDMA).
- Same 10 hour battery life as before thanks to engineering improvements.
- Pricing remains the same as the previous model. Starts at $499, goes up to $829.
- The new iPad 2 ships March 11 in the U.S. and two weeks later in 26 more countries.
- New available accessory cable that supports HDMI out at 1080p resolution and costs $39.
- New smart cover bends and folds to allow for different viewing angles when acting as a stand. The new cover wakes the iPad when opened, and puts it to sleep when closed. Comes in five polyurethane[$39] and five leather[$69] colors.

[iPad]

Cool new and future tech [in pictures]

2011-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

Apple Tablet

OpenFrame Home Phone Communication System by OpenPeak

Nokia Aeon

2009 KTM X-Bow

Apple refreshes MacBook Pro, adds Thunderbolt aka Light Peak

2011-02-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

Today Intel is scheduled to announce their new innovative Light Peak data transfer technology which is said to offer transfer rates 25 times faster than USB 2.0. It is also no incident that Apple chose to refresh their MacBook Pro lineup at the same time by adding the new Light Peak port re-branded as Thunderbolt.

Currently Light Peak transmits data at 10 gigabits per second. However, Intel says the new technology could be ramped up in the future to support up to 100 gigabits per second, which would be 250 times faster than USB 2.0. Light Peak also offers greater flexibility as it can employ both copper wires and fiber optics. It also makes it possible to combine Light Peak, USB and FireWire into one single cable of much greater length.

Thunderbolt features:
- Dual-channel 10 Gbps per port
- Bi-directional
- Dual-protocol (PCI Express and DisplayPort)
- Compatible with existing DisplayPort devices
- Daisy-chained devices
- Electrical or optical cables
- Low latency with highly accurate time synchronization
- Uses native protocol software drivers
- Power over cable for bus-powered devices

Intel is hoping to establish its new connectivity standard and it has partnered with Apple to drive the early adoption. This is not unlike 1998 when Apple helped push the USB standard by making it the only port on the first iMac.

In addition to the new Thunderbolt port Apple has made other important upgrades to its MacBook Pro line. Apple finally embraced the Intel Core i7 quad-core processor and blessed its 15 and 17 inch Pros with it, while the 13 inch now sports a dual-core i5 or i7. This should make all three versions twice as fast as the one they replace. It is about time Apple embraced quad-core processors in their notebooks as the competition has been offering quad-core laptops for quite some time now. The 15 and 17 inch MacBook Pro models also get the new refreshed high-performance AMD Radeon graphics processors, which boost graphics performance up to 3x times. To further compliment the new more powerful graphics Apple also added the new FaceTime HD camera, which makes full-screen HD video calls 3x times crispier.

MacBook Pro - new features at a glance

[Wikipedia]

Drobo - your friendly data storage Robot

2011-02-23T18:44:00.000-08:00

Drobo 4-bay 2nd generation

Have you been looking for an easy to use redundant and secure storage solution for your home or small office? Hold on to your butts because we have just what you have been looking for. Introducing Drobo - your personal friendly data storage robot. Designed and built by Data Robotics in Santa Clara, California... Let's cut to the chase. There aren't enough good things we can say about Drobo but when asked to describe it these are the words that come to mind:

- user friendly & easy to use
- redundant & secure storage
- expandable capacity
- mix and match drives
- file & operating system agnostic
- no software or drivers needed

Drobo S 5-bay 2nd generation

Just to give you an idea of how easy it is to use Drobo... First, insert two or more drives of any capacity and speed into any of the bays in your Drobo. It takes two drives to protect your data from a drive failure. Plug-in your Drobo into any computer and the rest is just like using any other external hard drive or flash storage device. Drobo takes care of the rest and automatically protects all your data from drive failure. When you are ready to add more storage to your storage array just insert a new drive or replace an existing drive with a larger capacity one and enjoy the rest of your day because your work is done. Since the drives are hot-swappable you can add or remove a drive on-the-fly at any time. It's that easy!

Of course there are many different Drobo models offered these days(originally there was just one) including an entire line of Enterprise grade units but the following are best suited for home and small offices:

Drobo for home and small office comparison chart

Feel free to check out the entire Drobo lineup at the official product web site.

Technical specifications:
- 4 bay capacity for Drobo, 5 bay capacity for Drobo S and Drobo FS
- 4 bay unit protects from one failed drive, 5 bay unit protects from up to two failed drives
- utilizes 3.5" SATA I or SATA II hard disk drives
- mix and match drive capacities, disk brands and speeds
- FireWire 800, High Speed USB 2.0 (Drobo, Drobo S)
- eSATA, USB 3.0 (S)
- Seamless Integration with Apple Time Machine (FS)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet Port (FS)
- supported network data transfer protocols: AFP and CIFS/SMB (FS)
- supports NTFS, HFS+, FAT32, EXT3 file systems
- supports Windows 2003 Server, XP, Vista, 7, Mac OS X 10.4+ operating systems (Drobo)
- supports Windows 2008 Server, 2003 Server, XP, Vista, 7, Mac OS 10.5+, Linux operating systems (S, FS)
- power consumption: idle system = 5 watts, busy system = 40 watts (Drobo)
- power consumption: idle system = 12 watts, busy system = 56 watts (S, FS)
- noise level: normal operation: 20.9 - 24.2 dB (Drobo)
- noise level: normal operation: 31.8 dB (S, FS)

Features at a glance:

Daft Punk

2011-02-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

Daft Punk

Enjoy Daft Punk - French electronic [robotic] duo. In case you were not aware, perhaps the most prominent feature of Daft Punk are their cool looking robot suites and a tall pyramid a top which they perform. All in all these guys really know how to put together one entertaining live show. Check out their impressive pyramid and the gear it packs below.

Origin: Paris, France
Members: Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Thomas Bangalter
Genres: house, synthpop
Years active: 1993 - present

Daft Punk's Pyramid

Daft Punk Pyramid - impressive display of graphics

Inside Daft Punk's Pyramid:

[1] ABLETON
“The show revolves around Ableton Live software on custom made super-computers, which we remotely access and control with Behringer BCR2000 midi controllers.”

[2] SCREENS
“Next to the ethernet remote computer screens there are four Minimoog Voyagers, the classic analog synthesizers. They’re a 30-year old design.”

[3] MOOGS
“We can mix, shuffle, trigger loops, filter, distort samples, EQ in and out, transpose or destroy and deconstruct synth lines. We keep some surprises on the side too!”

[4] VISUALS
“There’s a direct connection between our rig and the lights and visuals of the show. The light and video engineers can also add or control layers during the show.”

[5] SYNTHS
“Inside the pyramid are synthesizers and remote controls connected to the rest of the music equipment and computers, which are in rack-mounted towers off stage.”

[6] TEAMWORK
“Working the music equipment, lighting and video equipment, and building the pyramid for each show takes around 10 people, including both of us.”
[Courtesy of Mixmag]

Bestselling CDs:

Websites:
daftalive.com
daftpunk.com
myspace
wikipedia

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