Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Tough luck, Mitsubishi and Funai. Big talk is all fine and dandy, but in our world, it’s the results that count. Say hello to Sharp’s AQUOS DX family, the world’s first range of LCD HDTVs to boast internal Blu-ray players. Slated to hit in 26- (LC-26DX1), 32- (LC-32DX1), 37- (LC-37DX1), 42- (LC-42DX1), 46- (LC-46DX1) and 52-inch (LC-52DX1) sizes, the whole lot will come equipped with an integrated HDTV tuner, bottom-mounted speaker and the ability to handle BD flicks sans an external deck. Of note, only the 37-inch through 52-inch sets offer Full HD 1080p resolutions (1,920 x 1,080), as the other two get stuck with “just” 1,366 x 768. Best of all, those in Japan will barely have to wait a month to see these in shops, as the entire crew is destined to ship in late November (in black and white motifs) for around ¥200,000 ($1,963) to ¥500,000 ($4,909) depending on size. As for the rest of the globe? Put on your patience caps.

[Via Impress]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Gaming

Good news, friends, you won’t have to wait until tomorrow to get at that new Flash 9 support offered up by the PS3 2.50 update: the firmware is available now. Sony tossed in a few other assorted updates like power-saving options and voice chat enhancements, but we′re sure you’ll be too busy watching Doogie Howser, M.D. on Hulu to notice. Happy downloading!

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Gaming

Good news, friends, you won’t have to wait until tomorrow to get at that new Flash 9 support offered up by the PS3 2.50 update: the firmware is available now. Sony tossed in a few other assorted updates like power-saving options and voice chat enhancements, but we’re sure you′ll be too busy watching Doogie Howser, M.D. on Hulu to notice. Happy downloading!

Update: PSP 5.00 is available now too.

[Thanks, Tony]

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_s_Steve_Jobs_calls_Blu_ray_a_bag_of_hurt’;Straight from El Jobso’s mouth at today’s notebook keynote: “Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt. It’s great to watch the movies, but the licensing of the tech is so complex, we’re waiting till things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace.” Damn. As if that weren’t enough to make Mac-lovin’ home theater junkies cringe, Steve also commented (when asked about the dearth of HDMI in his introductions) that HDMI was “limited in resolution,” and Philip Schiller elaborated by saying that “for typical computer use, DisplayPort is the connector of the future.” So, does that mean we can’t count on Blu-ray support in OS X 10.5.6?

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_introduces_new_MacBook_Pro’; Oh, don’t act so surprised. A refresh of Apple’s long-in-the-tooth MacBook Pro line was pretty much the only sure thing slated for today’s event, and Apple certainly delivered. As for looks, you probably know the score by now: chiclet keyboard, Air-inspired aluminum stylings, and a glossy screen that’s flush with a new iMac-like black bezel (there’s no non-gloss option for the purists out there). What’s new is confirmation of a multi-touch glass trackpad, which suspiciously rids the computer of a single mouse button and adds some new gestures like app switching. Apple’s also put in some effort on slimming down the computer, bringing it down to a mere 0.95-inches thick (though at 5.5 pounds it’s a hair heavier than the original), but much of the real excitement happens under the hood. There’s a new internal structure, that rumored “brick” of aluminum that helps Apple make the new Pro thin, strong and leaves room for the real goodies: the specs. Apple’s using NVIDIA’s new 9400M GPU + chipset 1-2 punch for integrated graphics, supplemented by 9600M GT switchable discreet graphics chip for heavy lifting, and pumping out those graphics over a Mini DisplayPort connector, if you’d like to supplement the LED backlit screen. As expected there’s an SSD option, with drive accessible underneath the battery. The 15.4-inch base model retails for $1999, with a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DD̷ RAM and both GPUs. Step up to $2499 and you get a faster CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Cellphones

If you’re into that whole SMS craze and you’re on AT&T, you’re in luck — four times over. The carrier’s gone ahead and announced not one, not two, but four QWERTY-equipped dumphones today, including a dual slider and a Pantech being billed as “the world’s thinnest device with a full QWERTY keypad.”

First up, the Pantech Matrix is available now in your choice of blue or green, with red being added on Thursday, October 16. It slides two ways — a conventional vertical slide to reveal a numeric keypad, and a second side slider for the full QWERTY action. It’s got 3G, AT&T Navigation, Video Share support, and a 1.3-megapixel cam, running $79.99 on contract with rebate. Next, the Samsung Propel apes the i620′s industrial design — but make no mistake, there’s no Windows Mobile to be found here. It also does 3G and features the full host of AT&T services, packs a 1.3-megapixel cam, and will run the same $79.99 as the Matrix when it hits in late October in blue, green, red, and white with red accents. Next, the Pantech Slate is pretty appropriately named — if its claim of being the thinnest QWERTY device in the world ends up holding water, anyway. It’ll be available in late October alongside the Propel for $49.99 on contract with a 1.3-megapixel camera, but there’s no high-speed data to be found in this sucker. Finally, the long-rumored Quickfire — you may know it better as the Knick — will come in November bearing AT&T branding and a Sidekick-esque style that’ll likely appeal to the young’uns among us. It’s got a touchscreen in addition to a slide-out QWERTY deal, a 1.3-megapixel camera (notice a trend here?), and 3G in your choice of orange, lime, and silver for $99.99 after you’ve inked up the dotted line.

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Original post by Chris Ziegler

Filed under: Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/Apple_s_MacBook_gets_a_fresh_face_NVIDIA_graphics_3′; Apple’s taking all that new MacBook Pro love and shrinking it down to size for the all-new MacBook. The laptop includes those same NVIDIA 9400M graphics, Mini DisplayPort plug, new manufacturing method and fancy glass trackpad of its big sibling, but does it with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit screen and typically friendly MacBook pricepoints. The laptop is 0.5 pounds lighter than its plastic predecessor, 0.95-inches thick, and Apple’s also claiming 5 hours of battery life here, but we’ll have to wait and see how realistic that number is. The base model weighs in at $1299 with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, while $1599 gets you 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD. There’s also an SSD option if you’re really looking to splurge. If none of the new speed or style appeals to you, Apple’s also slashing its existing low-end MacBook to $999, which is still a bit steep if you ask us.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/MacBook_Air_gets_a_speed_bump_NVIDIA_graphics_4′; Apple just announced that the MacBook Air is getting an update to the new NVIDIA 9400M graphics system, as well as new 120GB hard drive and 128GB SSD drive options. The Air is also moving from microDVI to mini DisplayPort, like all of the Apple’s new machines. The base model is still $1799, and there’s a $2499 version with a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo and SSD which′ll be out in early November.

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Displays

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_finally_refreshes_Cinema_Displays’; Another rumor to tick off the list, Apple just announced the 24-inch Cinema Display. LED-backlit, check; Mini DisplayPort, check; $899 list price, check; MagSafe adapter, check. In fact, it has a tri-pronged cable that also includes USB . Other specs include a native 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, built-in iSight camera / microphone, integrated stereo speakers and a 3-port USB hub. Can you wait ‘til November?

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

As expected, Apple has tapped NVIDIA’s new GeForce 9400 M as the base graphics for its new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and updated MacBook Air, which Steve Jobs himself says is five times faster than the current Intel integrated graphics they’ve been using. That’s aided in no small part by the chipset’s 16 parallel graphics cores, not to mention a generally beefier GPU that occupies a full 70% of the die area. If that’s not enough for you, Apple is also throwing NVIDIA’s 9600M GT into the MacBook Pro, which’ll give you two GPUs and either 256MB or 512MB of memory. That power will unsurprisingly come at the expense of some battery life, however, with the 9600 cutting things back to four hours from the five hours you can expect on a 9400-based system. In the Q&A after the announcement, Apple also confirmed that it′d be the first taking the chipset to market, but that anything further is up to NVIDIA. Expect to hear more about that tomorrow, when NVIDIA is supposedly making its own announcment.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Cellphones

Color us as unsurprised as ever, but Motorola’s unique, if not fancy, Krave Z̐ just got official. The touchscreen-based flip phone is launching today on Verizon Wireless, bringing with it two layers of touch — one on the interactive clear flip outside and another with the full 2.8-inch touchscreen inside. You′ll also find support for V CAST Mobile TV, V CAST Video, V CAST Music with Rhapsody and VZ Navigator, not to mention the 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, HTML browser and visual voicemail capabilities. It’s in stores today for a buck fifty after signing away your cellular soul for two years and waiting ages for a $50 mail-in rebate to arrive in your mailbox.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Latest_Breaking_Macbook_Pro_Pic_for_October_Release’; Well, maybe — we’re not calling it official until Steve pulls the cloth off himself tomorrow morning . Still, there’s no denying the similarities between this image and all those other case leaks we’ve seen, and the list of specs we’ve been given matches up as well — that “metal and glass” enclosure now houses an NVIDIA GPU, but no FireWire 400, and video-out is apparently through a connector “more compact″ than MicroDVI. We’ll find out soon enough — oh, and just to amp up expectations, Boy Genius says he’s confirmed the existence of an $899 part number in Apple’s retail systems. Counting down…

Update: Our source just hit us with another pic, this time from the side — it’s after the break. We’re also told that there’s not one, but two NVIDIA GPUs inside — we’re guessing an integrated / discrete setup like in the VAIO Z, but we′ll find out for sure tomorrow.

Update 2: Our source just hit us again to say that it’s two full-on NVIDIA GPUs — wild. Wilder still, they say the MacBook and 17-inch MacBook Pro aren’t getting refreshed tomorrow, which we find hard to believe, but we’ll see when we see.

Continue reading Mr. Blurrycam reveals the updated MacBook Pro, $899 laptop model shows up in Apple inventory systems

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Latest_Breaking_Macbook_Pro_Pic_for_October_Release’; Well, maybe — we’re not calling it official until Steve pulls the cloth off himself tomorrow morning . Still, there’s no denying the similarities between this image and all those other case leaks we’ve seen, and the list of specs we’ve been given matches up as well — that “metal and glass” enclosure now houses an NVIDIA GPU, but no FireWire 400, and video-out is apparently through a connector “more compact” than MicroDVI. We’ll find out soon enough — oh, and just to amp up expectations, Boy Genius says he’s confirmed the existence of an $899 part number in Apple’s retail systems. Counting down…

Update: Our source just hit us with another pic, this time from the side — it’s after the break. We’re also told that there’s not one, but two NVIDIA GPUs inside — we’re guessing an integrated / discrete setup like in the VAIO Z, but we′ll find out for sure tomorrow.

Update 2: Our source just hit us again to say that it’s two full-on NVIDIA GPUs — sounds like a hybrid SLI setup to us, which is pretty wild. Wilder still, they say the MacBook and 17-inch MacBook Pro aren’t getting refreshed tomorrow, which we find hard to believe, but we’ll see when we see.

Update 3: John Gruber over at Daring Fireball, the first to accurately predict today’s launch event, has confidentally chimed in with many more details. The button-less trackpad is indeed glass, and “is a button itself” which opens the door for a few hours of trouser-heated speculation about the trackpad doubling as a BlackBerry Storm-like display (Gruber doesn’t say and it doesn’t appear to be in that image above so don’t count on it). Gruber also claims that none of the new laptops will reach the rumored $899 price point — the part number spotted earlier seems to be associated with a new 24-inch LED Apple Cinema Display with DisplayPort according to MacRumors, not a low-end MacBook. To support this, Gruber says that the aluminum MacBooks will indeed be announced in $1,299 (2GHz, 2GB memory, 160GB disk) and $1,499 (2.4GHz, 2GB memory, 250GB disk) configs and will ship by the end of the week along with new 120GB HDD and 128GB SSD configurations of the MacBook Air. While CPU clocks will remain pretty much the same, all new MacBooks — regular, Pro, and Air — will feature the new NVIDIA 9400M GPU — the 15-inch MacBook Pro (the 17-inch will remain unchanged albeit with 4GB of memory and bigger 320GB disk) will feature a second 9600M GT GPU making it a true graphics powerhouse as previously speculated. Lastly, the current 2.1GHz white MacBook remains in the line-up but will be cut to $999.

Continue reading Mr. Blurrycam reveals the updated MacBook Pro, $899 laptop model shows up in Apple inventory systems (Updated)

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Gaming

Microsoft’s New Xbox Experience has been pored over and dated, but now that Major Nelson has revealed it requires “at least” 128MB storage available to work, where does that leave suckers Core and Arcade SKU Xbox 360 owners? Enter the Xbox 360 Memory Upgrade Program, doling out free 512MB MU’s or $20 20GB HDDs to Core owners, and a $30 20GB HDD + 3 months of Xbox Live package to Arcade owners looking to upgrade. November 19, Xbox Live becomes a storage-only affair (that goes for Netflix streams too, requiring 8MB of free space), so grab your serial number and console ID from the current Xbox 360 Dashboard and hit the registration website. Impressive customer service gesture to extend functionality for all, or more evidence of a short sighted and flawed dual-SKU launch plan that’s cost gamers and developers alike? All we know for sure is we’ve probably figured out where the profits from those $149 120GB HDDs are going.

[Via NeoGAF]

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Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Microsoft is expected to be handing out pre-betas of Windows 7 to devs at WinHEC and PDC soon, and it looks like it’s settled on an official name for its next-gen OS — ahem, Windows 7. Yep, the code name is the real name, which is a first for Windows. According to Mike Nash on the Vista blog, the company went with Windows 7 because it “just makes sense″ as the seventh release of Windows, and MS doesn’t want to come up with a new “aspirational″ name like Vista — it “doesn’t do justice″ to the goal of staying “firmly rooted” in the ideas of Vista. Which probably explains why it looks so much the same. Sure, call it whatever you like, just get it out the door on time, okay?

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Original post by Nilay Patel