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DroboShare
2008-01-14 19:52:00
DroboShare Drobo NAS mini-reviewPosted Jan 14th 2008 9:01AM by Ryan BlockFiled under: Features, Storage, Networking So we snagged a DroboShare to hook our lonesome, directly-attached Drobo into. At $200 for what's essentially a USB network adapter we had some pretty high expectations, but thankfully we've been pretty impressed so far. Setup simply entails upgrading your Drobo hardware and Dashboard software to the latest versions (v1.1), restarting the box, and then plugging into the DroboShare. That's it. Detection, configuration, everything else is entirely automatic. Within a few moments it auto-mounts as a shared network drive via SMB, regardless of what file system the Drobo itself is running, or whether you're running Windows or Mac. (For those running on Linux or other operating systems, the DS is still accessible over your network via standard SMB share just like any other server.)Click on for more on network auto-mounting and a couple speed tests.Gallery: DroboShare Dro...

Microsoft MediaCart
2008-01-14 19:51:00
Microsoft and MediaCart prepping self-checkout carts, with RFID, video and grocery lists for good measurePosted Jan 14th 2008 10:01AM by Paul MillerFiled under: Misc. Gadgets We've heard plenty of these initiatives before, but with the likes of Microsoft pushing the tech, it might not be too long before we're all pushing a super-connected shopping cart down the aisle. Microsoft's aQuantive acquisition last year has the company looking to new ad venues, and apparently shopping carts are one of those. Microsoft has been working with a company called MediaCart which builds a cart-mounted computer that helps consumers navigate the store, and then checks them out when they're done. Microsoft wants to bring video ads into the mix, and the companies will start testing out the carts in ShopRite markets in the second half of 2008. Shoppers can bring their list to the store with a swipe of their loyalty card, and RFID tracks their movements around the store to pinpoint advertisements and ...
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Ubuntu on OLPC!
2008-01-14 19:48:00
Unbuntu gets squeezed onto the OLPC XO, with detailsPosted Jan 14th 2008 12:48PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Laptops Those looking for something a little less nostalgic than the Amiga OS to put on their OLPC XO may want to head over to the always handy OLPC News website, which now has not one but two step-by-step tutorials for installing Ubuntu on the little green laptop. As you might guess, however, neither option is exactly the most straightforward of OS installs, but they should be easy enough for anyone with a little Linux experience under their belt. Of course, given the OLPC's somewhat limited capabilities, you'll also need more than just the laptop and an Ubuntu CD to get things rolling -- namely, a USB drive or SD card with at least 600MB of space and another computer running Linux -- but we're guessing those requirements won't be much of a problem for anyone considering the move to a decidedly less kid-friendly OSsource : engadget.com

Sky Commuter craft
2008-01-14 19:48:00
The last Sky Commuter concept craft hits eBayPosted Jan 14th 2008 10:23AM by Paul MillerFiled under: Transportation Oh, what a tease! This here Sky Commuter prototype is the last remaining example of what could have been: after the company failed in the late 80's and the plant was shut down, all other prototypes of this personal commuter craft were destroyed. The vehicle is registered with the FAA as a "VTOL" (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, but the prototype can only hover to about 10 feet before losing stability. It's going for $62,600, a virtual bargain, but you'd better move fast -- the auction ends in an hour.source : engadget.com
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33 Megapixel HDTV
2008-01-14 19:46:00
33 megapixel Super Hi-Vision (Ultra HDTV) could be on the air in 2015Posted Jan 14th 2008 1:07PM by Richard LawlerFiled under: HDTV1080p and QuadHD / 4K can take a step back, the Japanese government has announced plans to bring Super Hi-Vision (a.k.a. Ultra High Definition) to life as a broadcast standard by 2015. With its 33 megapixel (7,680 x 4,320) resolution and 22.2 channel surround sound, challenges so far have included building a camera that can record it, and equipment to transfer the 24Gbps uncompressed stream. Fortunately, some forward thinker in Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry -- that we are strongly considering as a write in candidate for the presidential elections -- is beginning a joint project with private companies to make this happen, beginning with a research investment of about $2.7 million this year alone. If you're still confused as to how much more res this is than anything you currently own, check out the handy chart after the break.sour...
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3M at CES 2008
2008-01-05 03:52:00
3M revolutionizes mobile displays Posted by: in Technology Today [CES 2008 ] 3M scientists have broken the mold with an ultra-compact, LED-illuminated projection engine that was specially developed for integration with virtually any personal electronic device. It measures roughly the size of a wireless earpiece, which stands at less than 0.5″ thick, and is capable of delivering VGA resolution images. When deployed in a host platform such as a cellphone. that 3M mobile projection engine is capable of projecting a 40″ or larger image without any speckles and a high-fill factor for superior image quality - or at least that’s what 3M claims. The mobile projection engine itself uses an advanced liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) electronic imager to achieve that. How will it actually operate in real life? Why not head down to CES 2008 to find out?

CES countdown
2008-01-04 12:14:00
The countdown to CES begins!Posted Jan 3rd 2008 5:14PM by Ryan BlockFiled under: Announcements, CES So yeah, if you haven't already noticed by the slew of news today (and our liberal use of the CES category), we're just days away from the biggest week of the year for consumer electronics (and, of course, Engadget).Naturally, we'll be swarming the joint bringing the freshest, most up to the second coverage on all the new 2008 gear -- but to make things easier for everyone reading, we're also rolling out a few improvements to the site. We'll be back shortly with the details.In the mean time, take a moment now to sit back and relax. Because once we really get started, things are going to get a little crazy. And geeky.Saturday, January 5th4:00PM PT / 7:00PM ET - CES unveiled. Plenty of new gadgets -- and we'll be reporting live!Sunday, January 6thAll day - Almost all other press conferences. If it's a major company, they'll probably be holding their press conference on Sunday, s...
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Asus GPS smartphone
2008-01-04 12:11:00
Asus bringing GPS-packing P527 smartphone to US this yearPosted Jan 3rd 2008 7:02PM by Nilay PatelFiled under: Cellphones, GPS We've always sort of enjoyed the form factor of Asus' P527 GPS-enabled WinMo 6 smartphone, and now it looks like we'll be able to get our hot little hands on one when Asus officially launches the unit in North America sometime early this year. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Asus thinks its first North American handset deserves 3G, so we're still stuck at quadband EDGE, but the built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and Google Earth GPS integration kinda sorta make up for it -- but we're wait for pricing info to hit before we go looking for our wallets.source : engadget.com
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Intel u cheapo!
2008-01-04 12:04:00
Intel steps down from OLPC boardPosted Jan 3rd 2008 8:48PM by Ryan BlockFiled under: Laptops Not entirely surprising given their own efforts to democratize low cost computers and history of anti-OLPC vitriol, but Intel has stepped down from its position on the board at OLPC, which it's occupied all of six months or so. Apparently Negroponte was after Intel to cut its own Classmate PC program, but Intel wasn't having any of that funny business. It also didn't help that the OLPC is based on AMD hardware -- for now, anyway. We can't help but wonder what might have been with the hardware Intel was supposedly developing for the next version(s), but, you know, strange bedfellows sometimes part ways.source : engadget.com
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Mac News
2008-01-04 12:02:00
Mac Rumors Posted by samc on January 3rd, 2008 Apple at this Macworld Expo (January 14 - 18), will throw its weight further behind Sony Corp’s Blu-ray DVD format as opposed to Toshiba’s HD-DVD, according to Apple Insider. In a report issued to clients early Thursday morning, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu cited sources who say the Cupertino-based Mac maker, which already occupies a seat on the Blu-ray consortium, is set to begin shipping some of its computers with support for the next-generation DVD format. “We believe this is a key announcement as current Macs ship with the DVD format and Sony gains a strong ally in Blu-ray,” the analyst told clients. He added that Disney, for which Apple chief executive Steve Jobs is a Director, is a firm supporter of Blu-ray, while rival Microsoft Corp. has placed most of its eggs in the HD-DVD basket. Apple, which markets a complete line of HD content creation tools, announced in March of 2005 th...
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Moto DVB-H! here she comes
2008-01-04 11:56:00
Motorola Does DVB-H Posted by samc on January 3rd, 2008 Motorola on Thursday introduced a mobile media player that shows live television using the DVB-H standard. The device, which will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, is pocket-sized with a 4.3 inch video screen. Motorola’s new DHO1 device is compatible with the DVB-H standard, however. The DVB-H standard is backed by No. 1 cell phone maker Nokia and European regulators but not compatible with Qualcomm’s Mobile TV standard, MediaFLO, backed by Verizon and AT&T in the United States. MediaFLO uses the 700 MHz frequency spectrum (716-722MHz), which was previously allocated to UHF TV Channel 55. AT&T bought Aloha Partner’s spectrum on Channel 54 and 59, this summer. Aloha Partners previously said they would use those channels for DVB-H, but AT&T has been non-committal about whether it will use the frequencies for mobile tv or 2-way voice. AT&T...
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Kindle reader
2007-12-30 22:59:00
Kindle easter eggs: Google Maps cell-based location, picture viewer, and morePosted Dec 28th 2007 1:22PM by Joshua TopolskyFiled under: Cellphones, Handhelds Apparently, Amazon's wondrous e-book reader, the Kindle, has more than meets the eye -- not unlike some fictional, alien, robotic characters which shall not be named. Users of the device have been plumbing its depths, and have uncovered a handful of easter eggs which will make current owners extra happy, and might push potential buyers over the edge. Amongst the hidden features are access to Google Maps coupled with CDMA-based location-finding, which also allows you to quickly locate nearby gas stations and restaurants (as well as your own custom searches). In addition to the GMaps integration, the Kindle also comes equipped with a hidden picture viewer and slideshow functionality, the ability to snap a screenshot, a clock quick-look, plus everyone's favorite time-wasting game: Minesweeper. Hit the read link to learn all abou...
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Wii Hacked
2007-12-30 22:58:00
Nintendo Wii fully hacked for native homebrewPosted Dec 28th 2007 5:02PM by Paul MillerFiled under: Gaming The homebrew scene hasn't gotten a whole lot accomplished with this latest round of home consoles -- which isn't surprising given the difficulty of the task and lack of incentives to succeed. Especially with the PS3 shipping with Linux compatibility, the Wii boasting VLC, and the 360 being such a chore to hack and keep hacked, there's really not much of a point. The Wii was compromised pretty early on to be able to play burned discs and GameCube homebrew such as Linux, but until now Nintendo has managed to isolate Wii hardware such as the extra horsepower of the console and wireless connectivity from hackers. But the walls are coming down. Some hackers from Germany have just showed off their fully hacked Wii at the 24th Annual Chaos Communication Congress. Nothing fancy is running yet, all they've achieved so far is a proof of concept that they've bypassed the Wii's prote...
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Tata cheap car
2007-12-30 22:57:00
Tata Motors' $2,500 1-Lakh car gets detailedPosted Dec 29th 2007 5:22AM by Darren MurphFiled under: TransportationRemember that uber-cheap, almost entirely plastic car that India's Tata Motors was working up? Turns out, the still codenamed 1-Lakh automobile is expected to launch in mid-2008 and get around 15 miles-per-liter, which should give the Maruti 800 some serious competition in the budget car arena. According to R. A. Mashelkar, a nonexecutive director on Tata Motors' board, it should provide ample room in "both the front and rear" for a six-foot individual, and he also noted that a "new kind of welding" would be used instead of bolts in a variety of locations on the motorcar. Still, there's just something about the idea of riding in a brand new $2,500 vehicle that doesn't sit well with us -- probably something to do with the dearth of safety features, but who knows.source : engadget.com
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Solar Power
2007-12-30 22:54:00
US' largest solar photovoltaic system flipped on in NevadaPosted Dec 30th 2007 8:47AM by Darren MurphFiled under: Misc. Gadgets Sure, we've seen monolithic solar farms before, but the 14-megawatt Nellis solar energy system is a beast that stands alone -- for now, at least. As of today, this farm is hailed as America's "largest solar photovoltaic system," but if all goes to plan, Cleantech America will grab those honors when it completes a massive 80-megawatt project in neighboring California. Nevertheless, this system -- which is housed at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada -- will reportedly generate "30 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually and supply approximately 25-percent of the total power used at the base, where 12,000 people live and work." Of course, some 140 acres of land have been covered with 72,000 solar panels in order to make it happen, but it's not like anything else is going out there (CES and rabid gambling notwithstanding).source : engadget.com
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CFR Brief
2007-12-30 22:49:00
Friday, December 28, 2007 CFR Daily Brief Top of the Agenda: What Now in Pakistan?Less than a day after gun and bomb attacks killed Pakistan’s iconic opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, her death has already spurred more violence in her fragile homeland. The New York Times reports violence erupted in cities across Pakistan today, as hundreds of thousands gathered in Bhutto’s ancestral village for her funeral procession. The Times of India reports that an al-Qaeda leader claimed credit for Bhutto’s killing, calling her “the most precious American asset.” As a new Daily Analysis notes, Bhutto’s death raises major questions for the future of a turbulent and politically torn country with critical elections scheduled for January 8.Amid rampant speculation about the elections, which were expected to bring Bhutto back to power for a third term as prime minister, Pakistan’s...

Meshed networks in Mecca
2007-12-30 22:47:00
Tropos Networks in Mecca Posted by samc on December 21st, 2007 Tropos Networks has set up a network of some 70 meshed routers throughout the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. The network was constructed for Hajjis. Muslims travel from all over the world each year in observance of Hajj week. Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission appointed an Internet service provider, Bayanat Al-Oula and Aptilo, a wireless management services company, to provide temporary wireless network services. It was rolled out in less than 60 days with no help from Tropos personnel, reports the NY Times. More than 2 million people make the pilgrimage to Mecca each year. The free WiFi network is temporary and is the first ever constructed in Mecca. The network, which consists of Tropos 5210 mesh routers, will remain in place for two more weeks and support 802.11a, b and g devices.source : dailywireless.org

Mobile WiMax
2007-12-30 22:46:00
Alvarion: Wave 2 Posted by samc on December 26th, 2007 Alvarion earlier this week said it had landed its first Tier I carrier deal for Mobile WiMAX equipment, but did not name the provider. Telephony believes the customer may be France Telecom. Alvarion, a relatively small Israeli broadband wireless company, could be propelled to the top ranks of the highly competitive WiMAX market, says the magazine Israeli business publication Globes reported that the Alvarion and FT were in talks for a WiMAX deployment. Alvarion vice president for strategy and marketing Rudy Leser said he could not comment on whether France Telecom was the customer, saying only that the carrier was a Tier 1 wireline and wireless operator with operations in multiple countries around the world. Leser said the deployment would take the form of commercial launch—not a trial—in multiple countries, using multiple spectrum bands ranging from 2.5 GHz to 3.5 GHz. That profile could easily ...
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Analog Cellular shutdown
2007-12-30 22:44:00
Analog Cellular to Shut Down Posted by samc on December 27th, 2007 Older OnStar systems that operate over AT&T’s original analog cell phone network will be going off-air on January 1, 2008. OnStar has about 500,000 users who will no longer have access to their automotive emergency communication services. As many as one million cell phone users and about 400,000 wireless home security systems will also be cut off. Many people are unaware this shutdown is coming, reports the Associated Press. In 2006, OnStar said it had let customers know of the shutdown with a posting on its Web site, and this year, the company states that it had notified all affected customers. General Motors, which owns OnStar, is now modifying its cars. But some cars made as late as 2005 weren’t designed to use today’s digital network for OnStar, nor can they be upgraded. For other cars, made in the intervening years, GM provides digital upgrades for $15, says the AP. An anal...
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Satellite sharing
2007-12-30 22:44:00
Inmarsat + SkyTerra = Spectrum Sharing Posted by samc on December 26th, 2007 SkyTerra and Inmarsat have reached a major pact to offer L-band hybrid mobile satellite services in North America, reports RCR News. “We have worked long and hard with Inmarsat to develop this agreement, which sets operational parameters in the L-band for existing satellite operations and lays the groundwork for future cooperation to address consumers’ demand for next generation technology and services,” said Alexander Good, CEO of SkyTerra and vice chairman of MSV. The cooperative-coordination agreement, among other things, includes a provision for the re-banding of satellite spectrum over North America to permit contiguous spectrum for MSS services with ATC (ground repeater) authorization. Some elements of the cooperative agreement are subject to approval by the FCC and the State Department, as well as coordination with other governments. The companies said the agreement...
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Wireless on a Boat!
2007-12-30 22:42:00
Washington Ferries: Connected at Last! Posted by samc on December 27th, 2007 The long-awaited WiFi service on the Bremerton-Seattle ferry route, became available this week, reports the Kitsap Sun. It allows riders to surf the Web, and check e-mail during the hour-long crossing. Additional ferry customers could be added on Monday if testing goes well. The service, which went live on Christmas Eve without any fanfare, brings Wi-Fi to all of Washington State Ferries’ most-traveled routes. Kingston-Edmonds and Bainbridge-Seattle got access in November 2006, but the Bremerton route was stalled by unique technical challenges. According to the implementation plan, which can be seen at wsf-wifi.com, wireless will be coming the first quarter of next year to the remaining routes — the Vashon-Seattle passenger ferry, Anacortes-San Juan Islands and Port Townsend-Keystone — whenever auto ferry service returns to that route. It is being installed for Washington S...
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Who owns U!?
2007-12-23 09:49:00
Who Owns You? Call to Decision . The IRS is not a U.S. Government Agency. It is an Agency of the IMF. (Diversified Metal Products v. IRS et al. CV-93-405E-EJE U.S.D.C.D.I., Public Law 94-564, Senate Report 94-1148 pg. 5967, Reorganization Plan No. 26, Public Law 102-391.) 2. The IMF is an Agency of the UN. (Blacks Law Dictionary 6th Ed. Pg. 816) 3. The U.S. Has not had a Treasury since 1921. (41 Stat. Ch.214 pg. 654) 4. The U.S. Treasury is now the IMF. (Presidential Documents Volume 29-No.4 pg.113, 22 U.S.C. 285-288) 5. The United States does not have any employees because there is no longer a United States. No more reorganizations. After over 200 years of operating under bankruptcy its finally over. (Executive Order 12803) Do not personate one of the creditors or share holders or you will go to Prison.18 U.S.C. 914 6. The FCC, CIA, FBI,...

Cheap GPS
2007-12-20 18:31:00
S5: GPS Made Cheap Posted by samc on December 17th, 2007 The Associated Press reports that a Utah company, S5 Wireless, has a small, cheap GPS tracker that can be powered by a single battery for up two years. Unlike the Global Positioning System, S5’s technology tracks indoors and out, but only works where the company has a network of stations to receive S5 signals at 900MHz. Billionaire Craig McCaw is the venture’s main backery. He founded one of the country’s first cell-phone companies, and WiMAX provider Clearwire. S5 plans to start building 900MHz receiving sites in some major U.S. cities next year with coverage in 35 cities expected within three years. The company invisions, an S5 chip in dog collars, complete with a battery, in a package about the size of a stick of gum that costs $3 to $4 to make. When the battery runs down, you buy a new collar. The chips act like a GPS in reverse. GPS receivers need a line of sight to the sky, so they work...

Germany WIMAX VoIP - here it comes boys&girls!
2007-12-20 18:30:00
Germany Launches WiMAX VoIP Posted by samc on December 17th, 2007 Motorola today announced that German telecommunications provider, NeckarCom Telekommunikation GmbH, has launched a commercial Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service on a WiMAX network in the Ulm region of Germany. NeckarCom’s integrated voice and data service was the first 802.16e WiMAX-based offering in Germany and is based on Motorola’s WiMAX technology. NeckarCom is a subsidiary of EnBW Regional AG, the third-largest energy supply company in Germany. NeckarCom is active in the telecommunications sector and primarily markets the fibre infrastructure of EnBW. Meanwhile, EU media commissioner Viviane Reding has called for comprehensive broadband coverage across Germany. Reding called for available broadcast frequencies to be used for wireless broadband connections, using, for example, Wimax . The transition from analogue to digital television will mean that a range of frequencies ...
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KDDI & WiMAX Japan
2007-12-20 18:28:00
KDDI & Willcom to WiMAX Japan Posted by samc on December 18th, 2007 KDDI, Japan’s number two cellular carrier, will receive one of two WiMax licenses to be awarded soon by the Japanese government, a report said Tuesday. The KDDI group, called Wireless Broadband Planning, and one led by rival carrier Willcom will be recommended by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Friday to a panel charged with selecting the groups to win the licenses, reports Reuters. The panel is expected to follow the ministry’s recommendations. Intel owns a 17.65 percent stake in KDDI’s Wireless Broadband Planning group. The stake is matched by East Japan Railway and Kyocera, and all three sit behind leading shareholder KDDI, which has a 32.26 percent stake. The WiMax services will operate in the 2.5GHz band and will be capable of providing data service at up to 20Mbps to terminals travelling at up to 100 kilometers per hour, according to the Japane...
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700MHz List
2007-12-20 18:26:00
The 700 MHz List Posted by samc on December 18th, 2007 Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son. — Animal House A list of potential 700 MHz bidders was made available on the FCC’s Web site (pdf), late Tuesday. It has accepted 96 applications and reported 170 as incomplete (pdf). The latter need to be completed by Jan. 4. The FCC auction of 700-megahertz spectrum, is scheduled to begin on January 24. The FCC-run wireless auction is expected to take several weeks, with the spectrum to be auctioned off in several blocks. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was listed with an entity called Vulcan Spectrum LLC. Allen’s runs Vulcan Capital and is also a majority shareholder in U.S. cable operator Charter Communications. Auction applicants included the usual suspects with, Google, AT&T, Verizon Wireless (Cellco Partnership), as well as Qualcomm and Frontline Wireless (Licenseco) making the list (or having to check it twice). EchoStar, aka F...

DVB-SH
2007-12-15 07:18:00
Italy Testing DVB-SH Mobile TV Posted by samc on December 14th, 2007 Alcatel-Lucent, the mobile operator 3 Italia and Italian public broadcaster RAI are launching the first trial of Mobile TV based on the DVB-SH standard in Italy. DVB-SH (Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite services to Handhelds) is an evolution of DVB-H, which is providing higher spectrum efficiency and allows integration with hybrid satellite/terrestrial networks. The trial, based on Alcatel-Lucent’s Unlimited Mobile TV solution, uses for the first time in the world a multi-layer DVB-SH terrestrial network blending low-power transmitters from a mobile operator and medium-power transmitters from a broadcaster. The trial will take place and it will be overseen by RAI Technological Strategies Dept., Raiway SpA and RAI Research and Technology Innovation Centre, providing their three-year-old experience in mobile-TV field tests. For the trial in Torino, Alcatel-Lucent will provide th...

Top Wireless Trends for 2008
2007-12-15 07:17:00
Top Wireless Trends Posted by samc on December 14th, 2007 EE Times lists Five wireless trends to watch in 2008 802.11nCurrently, it’s still in draft form and won’t be ratified until probably 2009, but so far that hasn’t stopped vendors like Cisco, Meru and others from shipping 11n-enabled products. 11n separates itself from its a/b/g counterparts by offering faster throughput — between 100 and 200 Mbps, and in some configurations up to 600 Mbps — and broader range. Experts have said that 11n is going to change Wi-Fi as the world knows it. Fixed-Mobile Convergence and Dual ModeAlready available by some manufacturers including BlackBerry and Nokia, Wi-Fi-enabled and dual-mode devices will become more mainstream, further pushing fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) to the forefront. FMC is essentially the tying together of voice, unified communications and wired and wireless networks for one seamless way to access information from anywhere at any time....

Wow Merc
2007-12-15 07:16:00
Mercedes-Benz developing "Attention Assist" to aid drowsy driversPosted Dec 13th 2007 5:16PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Transportation Mercedes-Benz has already developed a system to help folks that have trouble braking, and it now looks like it's doing the same for those that have a tendency to fall asleep at the wheel. That will apparently come in the form of the automaker's "Attention Assist" system, which is apparently in the final stages of development and expected to go into production in 2009, according to Gizmag. Among other things, the system can record the angle of the steering wheel, as well as speed, acceleration, and the use of indicators and pedals, not to mention external factors like a side wind or an uneven road surface. If it detects suspicious behavior, it sets off a warning light and some presumably hard to ignore sounds to tell the driver to pull over. As Gizmag points out, however, this is far from the first system that tries to keep drowsy drivers alert,...
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FInally a dual drive
2007-12-15 07:15:00
Addonics offers peace with external HD DVD / Blu-ray drivePosted Dec 14th 2007 3:05AM by Darren MurphFiled under: HDTV, Storage Combo drives made specifically with computers in mind aren't unheard of or anything, but they're still a long ways from being a dime a dozen, so we figured it was worth the time to check out Addonics' latest. This peace maker plays back HD DVD, Blu-ray, DVD and CD, but it will only burn to the latter two; also, it's available with eSATA or eSATA / USB 2.0 interfaces, and it should play nice with Windows, OS X and Linux-based rigs. If you're wondering about speed, it can reportedly toast CD-Rs at 48x, CD-RWx at 32x, DVD±R at 16x, DVD±RW at 8x and DVD±R DL at 2.4x. Both of these suckas are available now for $409 / $429 depending on your choice of interface, and trust us, you never know when having something like this around will totally save the night.source : engadget.com
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