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StarTech.com ConXit Connection Wizard Helps You Find Right Connector for Home Theater, PC, and more

November 19, 2009 4:14 PM |

Ever get frustrated trying to convert Component to HDMI or convert from one video connector to another because your TV is 10 years only and doesn't support HDMI? Even if you are a home theater guru, the number of converter options and cabling options can be immense and downright confusing.

Well, StarTech.com, a manufacturer of hard-to-find connectivity and technology parts, launched the ConXit Connection Wizard, an online tool that helps users find the right converter, extender, splitter, interface card, cable and more. The search tool will help you find the right connector for Bluetooth, BNC, CameraLink, Coax, Compact Flash, Component, Composite, Digital Coax Audio, DVI, eSATA, ExpressCard, HDMI, RJ-11, RJ-45, and more.

This online tool recommends the best products for connecting IT and/or audio-video peripherals after just two easy steps.

Step One - Select the type of connector for the peripheral or device you wish to connect from a drop down list of options.

Step Two - Select the connection type on the host computer or component. The ConXit Wizard will then recommend the best options for making the connection.

Check out the ConXit tool.

Dell Inspiron Zino HD - Coolest HTPC Ever

November 13, 2009 10:57 AM |

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Dell just launched the Inspiron Zino HD, a small 8" by 8" x 3.5" cubed-shaped trendy-looking HTPC that aims to sit in your living room and become your centralized home media center. Comparisons of the trendy-looking Zino HD vs. the Mac Mini will undoubtedly be made. Colors for the Zino HD include Piano Black, True Blue, Formula Red, Plum Purple, Spring Green, Promise Pink, Tangerine Orange, Green Scatter, Red Swirls, and Blue Lines. Piano Black is free, but you'll pay $10 or $30 for the other colors.

Starting at a base configuration price of just $229 the Dell Zino HD many home theater fans will seriously consider the Zino HD, though they will no doubt bump up the default specs which includes a AMD Athlon 2650e 512K L2, 1.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. You can go as high as the AMD Dual Core Athlon Neo X2 6850e (1MB L2, 1.8GHz) for $110 and up to 8GB of Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz. It comes with a 250GB hard drive but you can go up to 1TB of data storage. Perhaps most importantly, it sports HDMI output for connecting to your HD 1080p TV.

It supports Vista and Windows 7, and sports an optional ($100) Blu-ray drive, TV tuner (coming soon), optional ATI Radeon HD 4330 512MB GPU, 4-in-1 card reader, 4 external USB 2.0 ports, and 2 eSATA connectors. Interestingly, Dell has chosen AMD processors exclusively for the Zino HD product line, marking the first time Dell has launched a product without including Intel processors as an option. Of course, in theory you can wipe the Vista or Windows 7 operating system and install Linux on this bad boy and run Linux-based home media center/HTPC software.

With a wireless remote control (not included) and Windows 7 Media Center software this can be a very powerful home media center computer at a very decent price. The Inspiron Zino HD can record and play your favorite TV shows, stream high-definition content from the Internet, and playback your personal music, video and photos.

Specifications:

Ultra-small form factor designed to fit almost anywhere.
Easy personalization with nine color choices for Inspiron Zino HD.
Choice of AMD processors or dual core Athlon Neo X2 6850e.
Up to 8GB dual channel DDR 2 memory.
Up to 1TB internal hard disk storage.
Combo DVD/CD RW drive with optional Blu-ray Disc combo.
Integrated 10/100/1000 networking with wireless option.
Optional TV tuner, wireless keyboard and mouse.
Built in 2.1 high-definition audio and 4-in-one media card reader.
Integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics adapter.
Four USB ports (2 front/2 rear); two eSATA ports (rear).
Energy-Star 5.0 compliant.

Dell Inspiron Zino HD Configuration Page

What??? No More Exploding Laptop Batteries?

November 12, 2009 1:52 PM |

1 Comment

Aww darn, no more cool explosions from exploding laptop batteries!

STOBA, a new material technology will steal the joy of seeing your laptop explode from faulty batteries. Boy, it seemed like a week didn't pass without Apple, Toshiba, Sony, Dell, Sanyo, Lenova, or some other laptop manufacturer issuing a battery recall due to exploding batteries. Well, apparently STOBA will make consumer electronics safer.

Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has developed STOBA, a material technology that prevents lithium-ion batteries from overheating, catching fire or exploding.

Check out a video of how the technology works, including a demonstration on why lithium-ion batteries explode. There is an animated explosion in the demo, so enjoy.

Release after the break:

Continue reading What??? No More Exploding Laptop Batteries?.

FREETALK Everyman Skype Headset Review

August 6, 2009 5:06 PM |

5 Comments

The FREETALK Everyman is a foldable super wideband audio "Skype certified" USB headset designed by Skype themselves. Why this isn't called the Skype Everyman headset is beyond me. I guess perhaps why want to market this headset as doing much more than Skype calls. They sent me one for review today so I thought I'd write up my impressions.

When I opened it out of the box I noticed the large speakers and the flexible rotation for additional comfort when wearing it. The foam on the speakers is pretty soft but not overly soft that it breaks down or tears in a year. Like most headsets you can adjust the length of the headset piece. I liked the thickness of the plastic which gave a sturdy feel to it. I've encountered too many headsets that try and über thin but break after extended usage. I think this headset will hold up to wear and tear, especially since it is designed to fold down and stick in your laptop bag. I don't know about you, but I stuff my laptop bag with 10lbs of gadget accessories, batteries, etc., so I need a headset than can hold up if the laptop bag is resting on its side.

Here's a snapshot of the headset folded down:

The FREETALK Everyman supports Skype's super wideband SILK audio codec. What's unique about this headset is that it supports a 3.5mm jack, which you can connect to an MP3 player, iPhone?, etc. Though I wouldn't go sporting this large headset with a boom mic while going for a jog or working out at the gym. Course, I lost my iPod ear buds and had to resort to using a bulky headset with mic at the gym for a whole week until my replacement arrived in the mail. Only got a few stares, but it's all good.

The flexible boom mic is very adjustable as you can bend it at any point on the boom. It's pretty stiff, which is good, since some mic booms too easily move and have to be readjusted, especially if you took it off, put on your desk and then put it back on. This headset's mic boom is stiff enough so I didn't have to re-adjust everytime I put it back on.

I made some test Skype calls and the audio quality was excellent. I also connected my iPhone using the 3.5mm jack and was able to play music using the iPod application on the iPhone. Slightly better bass response than my iPhone ear buds due to the larger speakers. All in all, a pretty good Skype headset.

Notice the Y-cable (USB + 3.5mm jack) with the 3.5mm jack connected to iPhone

Features
• Developed in direct association with Skype for optimal performance
• Up to 60 minutes call time to phones and mobiles included
• Super wideband audio
• Unidirectional microphone helps eliminate background noise
• Neodymium speakers for rich full range stereo sound 20Hz-20KHz
• Innovative, light fold-flat design.
• Plug & Play instant use with excellent USB sound quality
• Handy optional 3.5mm jack allows MP3 connection when travelling
• Adjustable headband and microphone
• PC and Mac compatible
• Weighs only 124 g

Requirements
• Windows 2000® / XP® / Vista™ Operating System
• MAC OS X 10.22 or newer
• Available USB port
• 256 MB RAM

Also it's supposed to come with 60 minutes SkypeOut calling, I didn't see a Skype credit voucher in the sealed box. Probably because it's a review unit, so I can't complain. You can buy it here for just $22.88.

WildCharge Wire-free charger for iPhone & iPod touch

June 23, 2009 12:20 AM |

2 Comments

WildCharge, makers of wire-free charging skins for various mobile phone models today has announced a wire-free skin for the iPhone and iPod touch, which enable the popular Apple devices to be charged instantly simply placing them on the WildCharger Pad™ or on other surfaces that are embedded with the WildCharge technology.

"The market is demanding a move towards wire-free charging, and WildCharge is thrilled to answer that call in adding Apple devices to our lineup of commercially available products," said WildCharge chairman and CEO Dennis Grant. "With the addition of these two designs to our reference design library, both of which are Apple "Made for iPod" and "Works with iPhone" approved, WildCharge is solidifying our position as the leading, wire-free charging developer in the industry."

The WildCharge Skins are durable, protective, form-fitting cases that when placed on the WildCharger Pad, transfer wire-free power from the Pad to the device inside the skin. The soft cases provide the same protection consumers already enjoy from traditional skins, but have the added value and convenience of enabling a wire-free charge. The WildCharger Pad, used in conjunction with the skins, delivers full power to multiple devices, allowing them to simultaneously charge together on the Pad while eliminating the clutter caused by multiple chargers and power strips. The iPod touch skin is available today and the iPhone skin will be available in early July. WildCharge Skins are also available for the Blackberry Pearl and Curve, and all are sold for $34.99 at WildCharge.com. I have a review unit headed my way to test on my brand spankin' new iPhone 3GS, so I'll do a review once I get it.

In addition to the WilCharge Skins, WildCharge recently announced a Universal Adapter for mobile devices that works with the WildCharger Pad. The Universal Adapter is able to charge over 150 different cell phone models from major brands such as Motorola, RIM, and Nokia through the use of interchangeable tips, with the list of compatible devices constantly expanding.

WildCharge claim that provide the only commercially available technology that enables licensing partners to deliver wire-free charging to a variety of devices that require varying amounts of power. From cell phones that require only a few watts of power to laptops that need over a hundred watts, virtually any device that has a rechargeable battery can be powered from a single, contiguous, and non-discriminating charging surface. WildCharge technology has met the industry's most stringent regulatory and safety standards, including UL, CE, FCC, RoHS, and has been certified across all of the GSM bands.

Elektrobit MID Reference Design Aims to put Linux Desktop apps + Smartphone in your pocket

June 12, 2009 4:33 PM |

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Smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, and Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) while very similar feature-wise, each has their own distinct advantages. Smartphones such as the iPhone have been widely successful, while the MID market has been a bit slow to take off. Elektrobit Corporation (EB), based in Oulu, Finland aims to change that with their new MID reference design that combines the "pocketability" of smartphones with the power of PCs/netbooks since it can run desktop Linux applications. Picture an iPhone that can actually run full version Linux applications such as Firefox, Opera, OpenOffice, Thunderbird, SSH client, and more. That's exactly what you'll get with Elektrobit's (EB) new MID reference design. EB's sleek, media-centric MID reference device takes the power of the PC and makes it pocket-able so you don't have to compromise on mobile capabilities.

I spoke with EB's Vesa Kiviranta Vice President, Mobile Internet Device Solutions, Wireless Solutions BU about their new reference design. Vesa explained that it's based on Intel's next generation Moorestown platform. The reference design includes touch-screen support with multi-touch (cool!) support. It uses the latest 3D and high resolution capacitive sensing touch screen (3.97") powered by EB Touch & Feel technology. Because the screen measures nearly 4 inches (3.97"), it fits into the MID category, while smartphones have screens smaller than 3.9 inches and netbooks have screens larger than 5 inches.The reference design relies on a Linux-based OS with EB's MID UI & Application framework based on QT. It also features EB Navigation Suite with integrated GPS.

It supports two cameras (front & back of phone) so not only can you snap photos, it can also easily support videoconferencing/videochat. I asked EB about support for Skype video chat and they told me it will indeed be supported in their MID design. In fact, they tested it using the Linux Skype application in their labs. As far as I know, this marks the first time a pocketable mobile phone can perform Skype videoconferencing! Cool stuff!

I know many iPhone fans were very disappointed the new iPhone 3GS didn't add a front-facing camera (myself included), which would allow for videochat capabilities. Of course, the current Skype for iPhone client doesn't support video, but my sources tell me it's in the works. It will be very hard to have a videoconference if you have to turn the iPhone around so the camera is facing you, but not the iPhone screen. Basically, they'll be able to see you, but you won't be able to see them - unless you spin the iPhone back around.

Continue reading Elektrobit MID Reference Design Aims to put Linux Desktop apps + Smartphone in your pocket.

Minuteman Aims for UPS Comeback in 2009

February 3, 2009 12:54 PM |

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I met with Bill Allen, Director of Marketing for Para Systems, Inc. at ITEXPO and he was very high on the prospects for Minuteman UPS products for 2009. Although Minuteman isn't as large as APC, they make very good products. He mentioned that Minuteman UPS products have new extended run-time battery packs that are "battery packs on steroids." He pointed out that competitors offer extended run-time battery packs, but they didn't seem to focusing on them and he said Minuteman's extended battery packs have longer runtimes.

He also boasted that Minuteman battery packs and the UPS itself both some with a 3 year warranty. No other UPS manufacturer offers a 3 year warranty on their batteries and always had the longest warranty.

Cost is also an important consideration when choosing a UPS. Bill mentioned that Minuteman UPS products are 10, 20, or even 30% less expensive than APC, Tripp Lite or other competitors and they have better runtimes to boot. He pointed me to a good comparison link here: http://minutemanups.com/products/exlcomp.php

Their ITEXPO Minuteman booth uses lights to demonstrate what happens when power is slowly reduced to similate a drop in power. As the power is reduced, the lights dim, until the UPS kicks in and gives a power boost causing the lights to brighten again.

SanDisk G3 SSD Memory Blows Away Hard Drives' Performance

January 8, 2009 12:39 PM |

5 Comments

SanDisk today unveiled its third-generation family of solid-state drives (SSDs). Using multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory technology, SanDisk's G3 Series of SSD memory has incredible performance benchmarks. The G3 SSDs are more than five times faster than the fastest 7,200 RPM hard disk drives and more than twice as fast as SSDs shipping in 2008, clocking in at 40,000 RPM and anticipated sequential performance of 200MB/s read and 140MB/s write. Even the fastest hard drives I've seen to date, which I have installed on serveral servers at TMC, currently max out at 15,000 RPM.

They were designed as drop-in replacements for hard-disk drives (HDDs) in notebook PCs, the initial members in the SanDisk G3 family are SSD C25-G3 and SSD C18-G3 in the standard 2.5" and 1.8" form factors, respectively, each available with a SATA-II interface. Available in capacities of 60, 120 and 240GB*, the unit MSRPs are $149, $249 and $499, respectively. The G3 SSDs provide a Long-term Data Endurance (LDE) of 160 terabytes written (TBW) for the 240GB version, sufficient for over 100 years of typical user usage. Using such fast memory instead of a hard drive in a netbook, laptop, or even PC desktop should make these computers nearly instantly boot. Sweet!

According to Sandisk: Three key features developed by SanDisk enable this new design: a new SSD algorithm called ExtremeFFSTM allows random write performance to potentially improve by as much as 100 times over conventional algorithms; reliable 43nm multi-level cell (MLC) all bit-line (ABL) NAND flash; and SanDisk's new SSD controller, which ties together the NAND and the algorithm.

The SanDisk G3 SSDs will be available in mid 2009, in a 2.5" PATA configuration. Now we just need SSD RAID5 or SSD RAID10 using multiple SSD cards and then we can finally say goodbye to current expensive RAID5/10 server configurations that require expensive hard drives and RAID controllers! Wow, servers would also be blazingly fast using multiple SSD cards working in parallel in a RAID configuration.

More info

Hard Drives Slow Down With Loud Background Noise

January 2, 2009 9:26 AM |

1 Comment

Apparently, disk drives are more sensitive to minor vibrations than previously thought. A blog post by Sun Microsystems engineer Brendan Gregg called "Unusual disk latency" discovered unusually high disk I/O latency during a streaming write test. He explains how disk drives latency can shoot up dramatically when someone shouts at them making them perform more slowly.

Yes, that's right, he can make his hard drives slow down simply by screaming at them. We've all been there, screaming at our PCs or Macs, i.e. "Curses you for crashing in the middle of my email novel! Stupid PC!" Like an impetulant child that stubbornly refuses to do what it is told even when yelled at, apparently hard drives have feelings too. Or it could simply be explained by the fact that hard drives have safety mechanisms which stop the hard drive during vibrations to prevent damage. Me, I'm going with the impetulance thing.

Play the video for all his screaming glory.

Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard

December 10, 2008 2:15 PM |

3 Comments

Logitech today introduced what they deem a "Game-Changing Gameboard" called the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard. Hyperbole aside, the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard is an interesting concept. It sports a naturally contoured design, on-board memory, customizable backlighting, and programmable keys. A keyboard with memory? What's next? A keyboard which is a full-fledged PC? Oh wait, that's been done.

Anyway, the Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is a hybrid gaming keyboard designed to complement your Logitech keyboard and mouse. It gives you 25 programmable keys and an analog stick, as well and three game modes to help the PWN factor against your gaming buddies.

The Logitech G13 is basically a mini-version of the Logitech G15, which is a full-sized traditional keyboard that costs just about the same as the G13. Personally, I prefer full-sized keyboards for gaming, with programmed buttons & macros, but to each their own.

Logitech stated, "Whether you're rescuing hostages, on a quest with your guild or saving humanity, you don't want to worry about hand fatigue or hitting the wrong key."

The iconic contoured design complements the natural shape of your hand and fingers, while the smooth, concave home-row keys make it easy to locate buttons by touch. With three game modes, 25 programmable keys and a programmable analog stick, the G13 gameboard offers up to 87 ways for you to control your game (software installation required). And you can set up custom button-profiles for each one of your favorite titles. You can even create macros on the fly without having to pause your game.

And for another tactical advantage, the 160-by-43-pixel GamePanel LCD shows live game stats, system info and even messages from other players. Though look away from the computer screen at your own peril!

With the G13 gameboard, you'll also get backlit keys that help you easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. And you can select from hundreds of available backlight colors.

A handy solution for the laptop gamer, the G13 gameboard includes onboard memory, letting you program up to five ready-to-play profiles and take them with you to your next LAN party. The G13 gameboard also offers pre-configured settings for many popular games, including World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade, Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ and many others.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in December for a suggested retail price of $79.99 (U.S.). Question is will it be available before Christmas?

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Tom Keating posted VoIP in Google ChromeOS 2009-11-20T16:05:30Z 2009-11-20T14:24:21Z
Tom Keating tweeted, "VoIP in Google ChromeOS: Google released their ChromeOS operating system yesterday. So naturally, as a VoIP fan I w... http://bit.ly/3T68Ox" 2009-11-20T14:23:33Z 2009-11-20T14:23:33Z

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Tom Keating posted StarTech.com ConXit Connection Wizard Helps You Find Right Connector for Home Theater, PC, and more 2009-11-19T19:06:37Z 2009-11-19T21:14:54Z

More...

precoz: I am wondering, if the VOIP market is still increasing read more
Dustin: But that's not the point at all. The majority of read more
commangerYEK: Nicely done! read more
bstella: How did you get an email address to write to read more
Paul: Hi Mike, For Cisco (and normal SIP) passive VoIP recording read more
redshirt6: Yes, dying to know if it worked! rs6 read more
bruno.clermont: SkypeOut work only if I added their phone number as read more
bruno.clermont: I just installed it and try to do some call. read more
Kris: Tom, I'm curious. Did you ever get any resolution on read more
dsi r4: This is the age of smart phone.Nimbuzz launches it's phone read more