Gadgets Connect

Finally after one year of announcing that it will be opening its own online music store, Limewire has fulfilled its promise. Everybody’s once favorite peer-to-peer file sharing application joined the online music industry with its very own online music store. Limewire is making available its catalog of around 500,000 DRM-free music file for download at a price of $.99 per single track, similar to the price of many other online music stores today. For users who want to download more than one music track, Limewire is also offering a 25 download per month package for $9.99, a 50 download for $14.99 and a 75 download for $19.99. So if you think you will be downloading full albums, you might as well take some of these packages. (Read the full post about ‘Limewire launches digital music store’…)

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Dell has gotten an upgraded version of its mid-range 2007WFP lcd monitor by releasing the 2009W model that targets gamers. It has the ability to reproduce 102% of the NTSC color range, while the contrast ratio has received an upgrade from 800:1 to 2,000:1 thanks to dynamic adjustments. The LCD panel itself also comes with fresh legs, being faster for games and fast-paced movies courtesy of its 5ms average pixel response time. Connectivity input includes VGA, a four-port USB 2.0 hub, and HDCP encryption support for its DVI connector. The Dell 2009W will retail for $289. (Read the full post about ‘Dell Rolls Out 2009W’…)

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Blu-ray disc burning on computers gets even better and easier with the launch of Roxio’s Toast 9 Titanium software. Toast 9 lets users record HD content from their HD camcorders and HD programming from TiVo DVRs and Elgato’s EyeTV devices to Blu-ray Disc. For users who haven’t adapted the Blu-ray technology yet, Roxio Toast 9 also allows burning HD videos and slide shows on standard DVDs. Roxio’s Toast 9 Titanium also comes with a Streamer application that can be used for streaming video content stored on Mac computers to an iphone or ipod touch via Wi-Fi connection. It even works with any other connected Mac or PC as well. (Read the full post about ‘Roxio releases Toast 9 Titanium with Blu-ray disc authoring, remote video streaming software’…)

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With the amount of industrialization happening all over the world, getting clean, fresh air is but a dream of yesteryears. Smog and haze is the order of the day, but Sharp aims to do their bit in providing you with cleaner and fresher air by releasing the KC-C100U and KC-C150U air purifiers. Both of them feature a triple filtration system, Sharp’s Plasmacluster technology and a humidification function that helps trap dust and pollen, decrease odors, and freshen and humidify the air. Meant to be used in small rooms, the KC-C100U is good for up to 254 square feet and retails for $399.99. As for the KC-C150U, thihs powerful unit caters for rooms up to 347 square feet in size and goes for $499.99. (Read the full post about ‘Sharp unveils new air purifiers’…)

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Posted Mar 17th 2008 2:33PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Handhelds Samsung’s already busted out a handful of different Q1 Ultra models, but it looks like it’s now come up with yet another variation to throw out there, this one aimed at the education market. According to Pocket-lint, Samsung is dishing out this latest incarnation in order to compete with Asus’ upcoming 9-inch, Windows-based Eee PC, although it’s not quite going head-to-head with it in terms of price, with this particular model apparently set to demand £399 (or just over $800) when it hits the UK next month (no word on a release ’round these parts). (Read the full post about ‘Samsung said to be prepping lower cost, education-minded Q1 Ultra’…)

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This NET-2000 device here may look like a flashlight, but if you turn it on, a net will shoot out. That’s right, someone actually took an idea from a comic book and made it into a publicly-available net-shooter that you can use to take out bad guys. This net-gun uses compressed gas through a pneumatic system, which I’m told is a better alternative to “traditional gunpowder activated net guns”. Yes, I had no idea that there were any traditional gunpowder activated net guns before today. You learn something new everyday. I’m guessing the ones that use gunpowder are for official or private use, and I’m guessing you might not need a license for a net gun. (Read the full post about ‘NET-2000 Traps You in My Web’…)

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As expected, Apple has updated the Airport Express. The WiFi router now uses the faster, longer ranging 802.11n networking standard, and if you’re still too cheap to pay for the $2 Pre-N Patch for your year-old Mac, it now comes in the box. Otherwise, nothing has changed. Same old $99, same printer sharing, and same AirTunes. The product page says that “AirPort Express works flawlessly with Apple TV, iphone, ipod touch”, but this is just for internet access, the same as any other router. Would it really kill Apple to let us stream music from our iPhones right to the Express? (Read the full post about ‘Apple Makes Airport Express Even Faster’…)

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It’s been 9 long months, but games publisher Rockstar never gave up and has finally secured a release for Manhunt 2 in the U.K.

Here’s a quick summary of the journey taken to get the game released. Back in late June last year, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) refused to give the game a rating due to the violent content it contained. Then in early August Rockstar filed an appeal against the BBFC decision with the Video Appeals Committee (VAC). While that appeal was going on, a revised version of the game got a Mature rating and release in the U.S. A second attempt to get the revised game a rating in the U.K.

(Read the full post about ‘Manhunt 2 finally gets U.K. release’…)

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This is amusing, and there are even some real practical tips in there too, but here you have it: 69 techie ways to use duct tape. My favorites - Laptop security: duct tape your laptop shut; and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome by wrapping your wrists in duct tape splints. Heh.

Tags: high definition TV, buyers guides, pvr, hi fi

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There are a few options for wireless off-camera flash: radio control and light-triggered slave units are both “dumb” solutions. You can fire the strobes remotely but any adjustment to the flash output still requires a short walk. Infra-red links allow the camera to talk to the remote heads, but requires line of sight and can be put off by bright sunshine or long distances. Enter the Radiopopper. It’s an add-on box which takes the infra-red output from your camera, turns it into a radio signal and beams it to the flash heads. Another box reverses the process at the other end. This means you can place your lights and let the camera take care of all the hard work of figuring out exposures. (Read the full post about ‘Radipopper: Smart, Remote Control Flash Photography’…)

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