Filed under: Laptops

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How the Olympics will play out on the web

Filed under: Displays

There it is, right on cue Microsoft's Surface has gone spherical over at Microsoft Research. Rumored since March, the prototype relies upon an infrared system to detect hands, fingers, and objects as well as an internal (not external like Surface) projection system developed by Global Imagination (and customized by Microsoft) to deliver its multi-touch UI. At the moment, Microsoft is demonstrating photo manipulation, a spinning globe, 360-degree video, and a simple Pong-like game, the latter giving us a taste of future gaming possibilities. Sphere is expected to make its first public appearance Tuesday at Microsoft's Faculty Summit in Redmond. Ultimately, it will appear in public spaces like lobbies as part of a larger ecosystem of Surface gear. The prototype UI looks a bit jumpy compared to its tabletop cousin -- hit the read link to see for yourself.

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Dell has never failed to provide compelling reasons -- particularly pricetags -- for students and / or their cash-strapped parents to pick up a Dell desktop or laptop on the way back to school. This year seems no exception, with Dell adding some special Inspiron configurations to its already beefy budget lineups. The Inspiron 13 laptop (pictured) is pretty much laptop 101, with a 13-inch screen, 8-in-1 media card reader and slot-loading DVD drive in the base model -- you'll have to fork over extra for WiFi, a webcam or Bluetooth. Wal-mart will be carrying a $699 version starting August 3rd, with full configuration coming to Dell.com later that month. The Inspiron 518 desktop (after the break) is similarly straightforward, with DirectX 10 integrated graphics, gigabit Ethernet and a pair of easy-access USB ports on top of the case, in addition to options for a 500GB hard drive and quad core processors. The starting price is $349, and the systems should be available today.

Continue reading Dell's new Inspiron 13 and Inspiron 518 are after your back to school dollar

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Filed under: Desktops

Like most product from Dell these days, there's little surprise left in Dell's Studio Hybrid desktop lineup of eco-friendly little PCs. First unveiled as a bamboo-clad concept in April, the computer is finally being released by the hardware giant with a starting price of $499, with interchangeable sleeves of Bamboo, Emerald, Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Slate and Topaz -- the latter six being of the shiny plastic ilk. Dell isn't slouching on specs though, and seems to realize the potential of the Studio Hybrid -- which can be stood vertically or horizontally -- in the living room. There's an HDMI port standard, along with options for WiFi, a wireless keyboard and mouse, Blu-ray and a TV tuner. Dell doesn't ignore the "green" roots of this project, either, and is including a system recycling kit, along with the natural reduction in packing and manufacturing materials. The Studio Hybrid should be available today.

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Filed under: Displays, Misc. Gadgets

Apparently July is a hot month for ad trials in Japan, as just weeks after a number of 65-inch digital posters were installed in a Tokyo train station, in flies word that yet another consumer-luring installation is being tested. Recruit and NTT Communications are delivering Scent-emitting LCD Display Systems to an underground mall in the heart of Japan, each of which rely on a 42-inch LCD and a scent-sprayer that emits delightful odors to correspond with the on-screen imagery. The goal is to attract onlookers and get them to grab a nearby coupon book, but considering that the experiment shuts down on August 1st, you should probably get your nose down there in a hurry if you're looking to score some savings.

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Filed under: Laptops

An interesting wave of MacBook rumors hit today, for some reason, following up on these weird case images we saw a while back. First up, Seth Weintraub at Computerworld says the new machines will be manufactured in an all-new process out of one sheet of aluminum and feature glass multi-touch trackpads -- which seems entirely unnecessary, since there's no reason for the trackpads to be clear if there's no screen underneath them. (No, there's not going to be a screen underneath them. Stop it.) Second, AppleInsider says that the inherent suck of Intel's integrated graphics solutions is pushing Apple away from using the Centrino 2 / Montevina platform in the MacBook, and that the company's planning on doing its own custom chipset instead. That'd be a big step for Apple, since it's basically used Intel reference designs ever since it went x86 -- but given how useless Intel's integrated graphics are when really pushed, we can see why Apple's ready to walk away. Of course, this is all nothing more than rumor and speculation, so we wouldn't expect any of this to actually come to pass, but hey, it's fun to dream, right?

Read - Computerworld
Read - AppleInsider

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Filed under: Laptops, Storage

Those fine folks at Buffalo are working on 32GB and 64GB PCI-E SSDs for the Eee PC 901 (and others, we're guessing), to be released in September. That's all well and good, but what's even more exciting are the price points: 32GB will be retailing for around 16,800 yen (about $157 US) while the 64GB will go for 33,600 yen ($313 US). Sure, a storage device the same price as your computer is never ideal, but with SSD prices continuing to plummet -- as evidenced by this nearly-wallet-friendly pair -- they should be in striking distance before long.

[Via jkkmobile]

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

In strict megapixel to dollar terms, the new Optio E60 from Pentax is a real steal, at a mere $140 for its absurd 10 megapixels. Of course, there's more to the story. The 3x zoom and lack of optical image stabilization -- "High Sensitivity Digital Shake Reduction" is little comfort -- won't be winning you any "best candid shot of whatever we did last night" awards, but there are some decent automatic perks like face recognition and a "Green" settings mode for absolute novices that should keep you from getting booted out of your Flickr pool. The E60, which is powered by AA batteries, will be available in October.

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Filed under: Cellphones

Unless you hit the jackpot at an Apple Store, you aren't apt to see this many iPhone 3Gs in one place without planning a meetup. As the story goes, one particular lady picked up one of Apple's latest handsets, took it home and began checking things out. Curiously, a trio of images were already on the Camera Roll. Upon viewing them, she noticed two snaps overcome with blur and the one you see above -- likely a rare look into an iPhone 3G factory. Not that we haven't see Apple products give away their place of origin before, but still interesting nonetheless. Now, scurry along and check out your own roll to see if any hidden treasures are waiting.

[Via TUAW]

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