New Notebooks- Less For Less

I'm all for getting good value, but this is not. CNET is talking about some new notebook models. they all sound very underpowered, and rather overpriced for what you are getting. Don't say I didn't warn you.

"The portable LX 300 will come with a 12.1-inch wide-screen display, a 1.3GHz Intel Celeron M 350 processor, 128MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive and a combination CD-burner/DVD-ROM drive for $699. It will be preloaded with Linspire 4.5 when it starts shipping in April."

iPod Cell Phone

Electronics makers are always looking for the "next big thing." If they would stop pushing those camera phones, and devote their attention to an iPod phone, they might have something.

Samsung Drive Review

It seems like Samsung needs to hire some firmware engineers. They got the hardware right, but the firmware needs some help. Hopefully, they'll keep on working on it. Read the review over at CDR Labs.

"While the TS-H552U is an excellent CD burner, it's DVD burning abilities are very suspect. We tried valiantly alongside Samsung, through several specially rewritten firmware updates to make this drive work the way it should, but we could not overcome several glaring write quality issues. When burning with the TS-H552U it is obvious that users would have to use high quality DVD+R media from a very select group of manufacturers in order to keep the quality of the burns satisfactory."

LG Review

"To sum it all up, this is the best we could say: “The worlds fastest DVD-Writer, which also offers good quality. But stay away from unknown disc types with this drive.” The drive has earned our “Editors choice” award, even though the drive is not perfect, it still has some noticeable strengths; worlds fastest writer, good writing quality and supports all formats including DVD-RAM. This makes it quite unique and it really deserves the editor’s choice award."

OC-Freak has done his usual, and exemplary, review of the latest DVD burner from LG. I've never been that impressed with LG's drives, but some of the features are standout, including DVD-RAM spport. Media support could definitely be better.

Pez MP3 Player

"...the Pez MP3 will arrive sometime this summer. The gadget will be built around a Samsung chip and will have 512MB capacity, as well as an LCD screen. The device will look exactly like a traditional Pez dispenser from at least two sides and will come in a variety of colors, said Patrick Misterovich, president of the Springfield, Mo., design company."
What won't they think of next. I can't say that I was clamoring for this one. But at $129 for 512 MB's, it's not a bad deal, and more stylish than the minimalistic iPod Shuffle.

Tax Return On Net

A man who used tax return software and a peer to peer software application ended up with his tax return on the internet. All that glitters is not gold.

Photoshop Tips

Looking for some tips to make your photos their best with Photoshop. Put down that 300 page tome and head over to Anandtech for the latest ideas, and get your photos just right.

First Tests Of Intel 64 Bit Processors

If you're an AMD fan, than relax. PC World has reviewed the new Pentium 64 processor, and it doesn't exactly trounce AMD's offerings. Read about it here.

Value Notebook Article

Over at PcMag they have a nice review of value notebooks. You know the $1000 notebooks tha most us can afford, and actually purchase.
"Is a value notebook right for you? That depends on your needs. If you're a so-called road warrior, you'll need a notebook that's thin and light and has a long battery life—features not necessarily associated with a value notebook, though there are exceptions. But if you don't plan on hitting the road all that often or taxing your system with serious multimedia activity, then value notebooks are certainly worth a look."

Cheaper Chips For August

Come August, Intel is planning to cut chip prices again. No more Pentium 4-M chips. It's Pentium M (Centrino package all the way). The top chip will be a 780: 2.26 GHz, 2 mb cache, and 533 MHz bus- WOW!

WiMax Trial

If you live in Middleton, NJ, you're in luck. AT&T is set to begin testing their 802.16 wireless specification, also known as WiMax. This technology promises to significantly extend the range of current networks to up to 30 miles. Starbucks, eat your heart out!

Reason To Buy A GM Car

There's finally a good reason to buy a new car from GM. You can plug your mp3 player in. Now if only the rest of the card was any good. Read all about it here.

New Wireless Standard

The successor to the wireless standard 802g is known as 802n. The standard has a single profile and now has to be agreed upon. It should appear in products in 2006, and feature faster wireless with longer ranges. In the meantime, there have been some "pre-n" products that have some new features; however they may not be part of the new standard. Early adopters be warned.

Using Your Handheld As A Wireless Phone

For years, they have been trying to develop the ultimate handheld computer that combines all the functions of a phone. Well, they may have done it, but the phone companies aren't going to like it. Over at Tom's Hardware, there is a step by step guide to using an HP handheld with VOIP technology and skype to make phone calls over the internet. The coverage can't be any worse than what we all endure now. This technology is in its infancy, but something like this shows where this could all be going. Perhaps handhelds aren't dead yet.

No Free iPod

Before you sign up for that free iPod offer, check this out. It sounds like it is easier to just go out and buy the thing when it is all said and done. If getting a ton of spam and marketing calls are your thing, than it might be for you.

Hints of the Intel Roadmap

The new Intel processors are being designated "D" for different. The dual cores are coming, but it's still a little short on details as to exact clock speeds and cache. A 351 Celeron 3.2 GHz part is planned as well.

Free Tracks For Your iPod

Yes the title is correct. There's always somebody looking to "beat the system." Today's fouses on the fact that there are reportedly 55 songs on iTunes that the 30 second preview is the entire track. For the details, head over to Tech TV.

Nikon 4100 Review

Over at Anandtech, they are reviewing the Nikon 4100 camera. It uses the 4 megapixel sensor, and will sell for less than $200- an amazing price point. I also like to see that it can use a standard AA battery, and not be locked into an expensive proprietary solution.

New Music Distribution Model

PC Mag has a brief analysis of a new music distribution service known as Music Gremlin. Its claim to fame is that you don't need a PC. It sounds like a subscription service along the lines of Napster, but the music is beamed to the player. Interesting concept, may launch by the end of the year.

Pentium M For Desktop

Long live the Pentium III! The Pentium III was a vastly superior chip to the Pentium 4. It's one weakness was in a game of megahertz madness, the Pentium 4 could deliver the faster clock speeds, and in turn, the sales. The Pentium III was reborn as a Pentium M processor, the key to the Centrino package for notebooks. We've been hearing about using the Pentium M in a desktop motherboard for a while, but now it is happening. The advantages of lower heat do well in a small form factor pc. The Tech Report discusses it all here in a great review. Maybe one day we'll be able to forget this whole Prescott debaucle.

Greedy Apple

Apple computers has struggled for years. They wouldn't license their operating system and kept the prices up on their hardware limiting their market share. They finally find themselves and now are selling four iPods for every computer they sell. Why? Because they finally have a nice piece of hardware not tied to their operating system. So, now the greedy Apple wants to have a "Made For iPod" logo program which means they get 10% of the accessories profits. Can you picture on of those BMW's with the iPod player in the glove compartment with that logo on the trunk? I can't. Apple should be happy with their success and not attempt to capitalize on it further in this matter.

Logitech Keyboards

If you're still using that old IBM keyboard from when you bought your original Pentium Aptiva computer, it might be time to upgrade. Check out the Logitech diNovo keyboard, and the MX 3100 reviews. Both feature wireless mouse and keyboard combinations. The diNovo is unique for its Bluetooth connectivity. The MX 3100 uses the state of the art MX 1000 "laser mouse" for the ultimate in tracking on smooth surfaces. Once you go wireless, you'll never go back.

Some Lesser Seen Stuff at CeBit

Over at PcMag.com You can see some stuff at CeBit that probably won't get much attention otherwise- for good reason. My favorite is the USB vacuum cleaner, with the camera/lighter a 2nd choice. What won't they think of next?

Chip Wars Return

It looks like under increasing pressure from AMD, Intel is going to have to put the screws to, ahem, I mean remain competitive with its archrival. Look for price cuts to happen over the summer, just in time for the back to school computer season. Read about it here over at Geek.com It's amazing how both camps have 1.6 GHz to over 2.0 GHz offerings, and are shaping up to be fairly well matched. Look for further testing to reveal the real differences.

iPod Knockoff

If you can't beat 'em, copy their product. There is already a knockoff of the iPod shuffle being exhibited at the CeBit show. This one adds an FM tuner. Apple does have a great design studio, too bad others can't seem to come up with anything else.

Camera Phones

While cell phones with cameras are being sold in oncreasing numbers, I have never been a big fan. The phones were expensive, and the picture quality is dismal compared to a dedicated digital camera. For anything other than snapshots, it is rather inadequate. Kodak discusses it in this article.

The Power of Blogs

Anyone who thinks that blogs are not too important should read this article. It makes a clear case, citing examples, of how important blogs can be in disseminating information both good and bad. "Have a good experience, tell two people, have a bad expereince, tell the whole internet!"

Frugal Camcorders

The New York Times has published a nice piece about the current crop of inexpensive camcorders. At the rate technology is constantly changing, it makes a lot of sense to buy the cheaper product, and plan to upgrade it sooner. At least, this way when it breaks, you won't feel nearly as bad.

Cylindrical PC

Sick of your beige tower computer? Over at ExtremeTech the've got a piece on something a little different. The computer was introduced at the CeBit conference, and features a picoBTX motherboard to achieve its small size. See, you don't have to buy a MacMini to get a computer in a small box.

New Flash Memory Format

Just what the world needs- another flash memory format. The C-Flash's claim to fame is that it has adaptors that allow it to be used in SD, MMC, miniSD, and USB adaptors, which holds some promise. The downside: it's SO small, you'll lose it before you find the adaptor.

Star Wars 3 with Windows 64

Reported over at The Inquirer, the newest Star Wars movie was rendered using the Windows 64 operating system. That speaks well for the OS's stability.

Notebooks With Lightscribe

Over at PC Mag they showed 2 notebooks featuring the LightScribe technology for labeling CDR discs. Nice to see this technology coming over to notebooks so quickly.

Benq 1625 Review

At Hardware Zone, they have a new review of the 1625 DVD rewritable drive. It adds LightScribe technology, but the DVD-R writing speed slips. Otherwise a very able drive, maybe the most bang for the buck currently. Benq seems to have gotten their act together lately.

Flash Memory Roundup

Over at Live Digitally, there is a flash card article. In short, it makes a compelling argument for using Secure Digital cards. Check it out here.

AMD Plans New Notebook Chip

AMD, while competitve in the desktop arena, has been falling behind against the Pentium M chip from Intel for notebook chips when it comes to battery life. Not to mention that more and more notebooks are being sold. AMD may not be out of the race yet. See the story here.

Windows Media Player 10

I've long NOT been a big fan of the windows Media Player. There were better options for a music player such as Winamp. For watching streaming video, Apple Quicktime or Real Player videos looked smoother and loaded faster. And for ripping mp3's, the MusicMatch Jukebox was an affordable choice as it was one of the few free and legal mp3 creation programs out there. MusicMatch in the free version limited ripping to 5x, and 10x in their latest version. I wasn't even sure if the media player should be embedded in the windows operating system years ago. If you never downloaded MusicMatch, be aware that Windows Media Player 10 may be a better choice. This is based on that Windows Media Player now can rip mp3's at full speed, with no speed limit. There used to be a plug in to enable this (in the Plus pack), but now it is included. Of course it defaults to the less popular wma (windows media audio) standard (in standard, variable bit rate, and lossless variations), but it can do mp3's now at 128 to 320 kbps if selected under tools. I've used it and they sound the same as done with other programs. Why did Microsoft do this after years of pushing wma? My personal guess is Apple's aac (audio associated codec) is gaining popularity, and Microsoft is looking to slow their popularity. Isn't it great when the titans battle and the consumer wins?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/default.aspx

The latest roadmap for AMD processors was announced today. It features a serious shift to the 0.90 micron process. The dual core processors that many are watching won't be available until the 2nd half of the year.
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_608,00.html

Media Center PC Article

Over at the Popular Science website, they have a great series of articles on Windows Media Center PC's. It's a fairly comprehensive article covering desktop, laptop, as well as some interesting add on devices. Definitely worth checking out if you have an interest in this type of PC.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/computers/article/0,20967,1016801,00.html

Paint Shop Pro 9 Reviewed

Among the digital photo editing tools, Paint Shop Pro was always thought of as "the poor man's Photoshop." See how the latest version stacks up. Our friends at Digital Thoughts Media have a nice review. Some of the tools are demonstrated with before and after pictures. If I worked at Adobe, I'd be a little nervous from what I saw.
http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,7790&start=0

First Post

I intend this blog for those that are excited (or even addicted) to technology. We will highlight new products, new uses for existing products, and the workings behind all this. Welcome to the Popular Technology Blog!