Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Home Entertainment

We’re not sure who let Yahoo! into Intel’s party in San Francisco, but the two sure are getting along great. Much to the chagrin of Mark Cuban, these two actually believe that there’s a future in internet TV, particularly if you force it down people’s throats. Intel spent the bulk of its time talking up the Media Processor CE 3100 (formerly known as Canmore), which would theoretically be installed within HDTVs and enable users to access internet-based content without the need for an additional set-top-box (’course, the STB is still optional). That’s where Yahoo! comes in — it’s hoping that its Widget Channel will encourage users to utilize its services when watching re-runs or other lackluster material in order to get news, weather and other related information right on the living room set. Not that this is a totally new concept, but these two surely have the power to push it one step further. Lots more information and pictures in the links below.

Read - Intel / Yahoo preview plans for Widget Channel
Read - Images of the tech in action
Read - Gigabyte Intel box (first product to use the CE 3100)

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Not that you haven’t seen ZeeVee’s ZvBox in the flesh before, but Dave Zatz got some hands-on time with the finalized unit. According to him, the box showed an impressive build quality though it ran “quite hot” — likely a result of foregoing a built-in fan for a giant heatsink. He also noted that image quality was “good,” though he did mention that he longed to see the ability to “selectively isolate a video window and present that content fullscreen.” Anywho, feel free to read up on his initial impressions and peep the hands-on pics in the read link below.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: GPS

Believe it or not, the Berlin-based IFA trade show is nearly upon us, and Becker is more than prepared. Reportedly, the Z100 Crocodile will be making the journey, complete with a 4.3-inch display, an SD card slot, European NAVTEQ maps, a SiRFstarIII GPS receiver and RDS-TMC support. Furthermore, the unit will sport an ultra-rugged exterior meant to handle nearly any jungle excursion you set out on. Expect to hear more (a price and release date would be just fine, Becker) when IFA commences late next month.

[Via NaviGadget]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: GPS

Chances are, you didn’t really need another option for a pink travel guide, but if that rosy nüvi just isn’t as sparkly as it once was, Medion’s lookin’ out for you. The outfit has just released its GoPal E3215 Glamour Edition, which reportedly features a perfectly average 3.5-inch color touchscreen, 1.7-centimeter thick frame, speed camera database and maps of Western Europe. Of course, a pink GPS wouldn’t be a pink GPS without a matching carry case, but all things considered, we still can’t see spending £149.99 ($296) on a cute-but-ho hum piece such as this.

[Via TechGadgets, thanks Yossi]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Podcasts, Portable Video

As lovely as the D2 is, we’ve always had a secret wish for it to offer up a bit more internal capacity. Apparently the higher-ups at Cowon have heard our inner cries, as a 16GB edition of the player is now available through JetMall. Aside from being more capacious, nothing else has changed, but if this was just the thing to push you over the edge, you can hand over your $240 right now and join the club.

[Via AnythingButiPod]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops

If you’ve been courting the idea of picking up a mini PC resembling an overstuffed history book with a glossy black finish, ASUS’ got just the thing. Housing an Intel processor, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, slot-loading DVD / Blu-ray (optional) drive, up to 1TB of hard drive space, a 256MB GeForce 8600M and 7.1-channel audio out, this thing is an ATSC tuner away from being a pretty potent little HTPC. You’ll also find gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, an integrated IR receiver, FireWire, 10-in-1 multicard reader, HDMI / VGA out (DVI via bundled adapter) and a multimedia keyboard / mouse combo to go along with that MCE remote. ASUS also promised that it’s newest 3.4-kilogram (7.5-pound) desktop keeps ultra-quiet, but sadly, it failed to mention a price or release date.

[Via DailyTech]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Portable Audio

Yeah, there’s a lot of good, civically-minded things you could do with your cash… but wouldn’t it be more fun to blow it on a 1GB iPod? If you’re dying to prove how little £20,000 (or around $40,000) means to you, here’s your chance. A jeweler named Thomas Heyerdahl has created an 18 karat, diamond studded, white and pink gold iPod shuffle, meant to be auctioned at a charity in London. We’ve seen an almost identical version which appeared to be selling just for the heck of it — at least this one seems to be going to good cause.

[Via Mobile Magazine]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Cellphones

Now obviously, before proceeding here you’re going to want to find the largest grain of salt you can locate and keep it nearby. According to SEfanatics, a page in an issue of Sony Magazine (an office favorite over here) makes passing mention of a “PSP-Style phone” which is supposedly in development, then casually suggests the device could be “in shops as early as February.” Of course, we’ve been hearing hushed conversations about this topic for some time now, though it does strike us as slightly odd that it’s referenced in what is essentially a multi-page Sony advertisement. Sure, it’s possible that something like that patent we recently saw could be headed our way — obviously the company is still capable of throwing a few curve-balls in our direction, though we’re going to need to little more evidence than this to start cracking open our piggy banks.

[Thanks, Teemu]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Gaming

Well that was fast — just a day after we’d heard that Best Buy was dropping the 80GB PS3 SKU, it’s gone from the retailer’s web site. We aren’t sure what this means for the broader US market — several other stores are still selling the 80GB model — but for now, it looks like customers of the Blue will have to get their PS2 fix from actual PS2s.

[Thanks, Rob]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: GPS

French paper La Tribune is reporting that Michelin subsidiary ViaMichelin will stop producing personal navigation devices, after capturing only 14% of its domestic market in the face of stiff competition from Dutch rival TomTom and others. Sixty of the firm’s 170 employees will reportedly be laid off as a result of the shuttering, although warranties will apparently still be honored for products already on the market. [Warning: subscription link]

[Via Bikes in the Fast Lane]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Original post by Evan Blass

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment

It’s far from the first, but those looking to go format neutral while still keeping things neat and tidy in a media center now have another option to consider from the folks at Passive Technologies, which has just introduced its new LifestationHD unit. While exact specs are still somewhat light, in addition to that Blu-ray / HD-DVD combo drive, you’ll apparently get “silent operation” courtesy of unit’s DynaChill 3 cooling system, along with an AMD processor of some sort, SSD storage (or up to 9TB with the optional Lifeserver), and “audiophile grade” audio, with a Bluetooth remote and keyboard also available as an option. No word on a price, but given that these things come custom-installed, it likely won’t be cheap.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Original post by Donald Melanson