Best New Technology

With Blu-ray not having any sort of competition in terms of video formats, it is time for various companies to roll out their own Blu-ray players in hope that the market will grow and slowly phase out the current DVD format. The Loewe BluTech Vision Blu-ray player is the latest of such players, so what does Trusted Reviews have to say about it?

If you’re looking for visual decadence then no-one does it quite like Loewe, and the BluTech Vision is yet another addition to its impressive portfolio of eye-catching kit. It’ll make a stylish addition to your system, particularly if that system is made up of matching Loewe kit, but despite its seductive exterior we’re not enamoured by what’s under the hood - the profile 1.0 specification and limited hi-res audio support are bad enough, but the poor multimedia compatibility, sluggish interface and patchy performance rub salt in the wound, particularly at this price. You’re better off buying the Panasonic DMP-BD30, which is a cheaper and more talented player that gets you many more features and Profile 1.1 capabilities into the bargain.

Frankly, for £795.00 (after taxes) I’d much rather use that dough to purchase a PS3 along with a fair number of games to keep me occupied.

Summer is here, and just like fashion, there is a need to change the notebook range from Toshiba. First off we have the Qosmio F40 that loses the hd dvd drive for a standard DVD Multi Drive, and is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, an Intel GN965 Express chipset, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and HDMI output. As for the Dynabook AX, this 15.4″ notebook has an underpowered Celeron processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, a DVD Super Multi drive, and HDMI out. Last but not least the 13.3″ Dynabook CX has Intel’s Core 2 Duo T8100 running the show, accompanied by an Intel GM965 Express Chipset, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, DVD Super Multi drive, and HDMI out. The Qosmio F40, Dynabook AX and Dynabook CX will retail for €1,352, €922 and €1,230, respectively.

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 16th 2008 at 5:38PM

Aw yeah, Navigon’s latest widescreen navigators are finally being assigned tracking numbers, meaning that you can get your roadtrip on for just $299 (US-based 2100 Max) or $329 CAD (Canada-only 2120 Max). For those needing a refresher, you can look forward to 4.3-inches of turn-by-turn guidance, optional FreshMaps service, branded icons, a speed assistant, 2D / 3D imagery and an integrated logbook to keep tabs on your joyrides. Take a peek at the read link for more detailed specifications, and head on down to your favorite retailer if it suits you just fine.

[Via I4U News]

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Filed under: GPS

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 16th 2008 at 2:57PM

Here’s to hoping you North Americans don’t fall too hard for BenQ’s latest Joybook, as the R45 is destined for almost everywhere but here. Nevertheless, this globetrotter packs a 14.1-inch WXGA (1,280 x 800) display, Intel’s 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, NVIDIA’s GeForce 8400M GPU, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, an optional dual-layer DVD writer, 802.11b/g WiFi, optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 2-megapixel webcam and a 4-in-1 multicard reader. Additionally, you can count on four USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet / modem jacks, an HDMI output, VGA, ExpressCard slot, audio in / out, 4-pin FireWire and a six-cell Li-ion good for around 2.5 hours of use. Sadly, BenQ left us hanging in regard to a price, but look for this pleather-coated lappie to land in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Russia later this month.

[Via PC Launches]

Gallery: BenQ introduces 14.1-inch Joybook R45

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Filed under: Laptops

Mini Drum Kit
There's nothing worse than being around someone who incessantly taps on their desk as if somehow this makes them the next Keith Moon, and really how much of a tune can be bashed out on a plastic or wooden desk?

You can have this for ?12.95

If you were blown away by the color-screen version of the handheld Tetris game, then you’ll love this Meiji chocolate bar puzzle from Strapya World. You’re clearly quite easy to please, so I can tell you won’t mind that the inedible puzzle isn’t electronic and that rather than clearing lines, the object of this “game” is to fit all of the chocolate-looking pieces into the included clear container.

It’s the anti-Tetris really because you’ve got similar-looking pieces that must be positioned manually (instead of flipping them frantically into place as they fall from the sky at accelerating speeds) and the more open space you have, the less “done” the game is (as opposed to trying not to let the rows of blocks build up too high). Additionally, if you’ve managed to figure out all 2,339 ways to solve the puzzle, you get to”level up” by buying another chocolate bar: white chocolate = easy, milk chocolate = beginner, black (dark?) chocolate = advanced.

Grab yours from Strapaya World for about $7.

by Paul Miller, posted Apr 16th 2008 at 1:25PM

It’s official, Microsoft knows no shame. We used to think that the Zune tattoo guy was bad for publicity, but now it’s clear that the video promo team needs zero outside help in dragging whatever shred of dignity this company has through the mud. Whoever thought up this Bruce Springsteen-defiling “Rockin’ Our Sales” piece of garbage to promote the launch of Vista SP1 should be fired instantly and sued for defamation. It’s just that good. Video is naturally after the break.

[Thanks, Jacob S.]

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Our friends from Gearlog have taken the Voxtec Phraselator P2 out for a spin, and here’s what they have to say about it.

As with other translators, the P2 doesn’t always understand what you say. Its accuracy seems to be around 75 percent, and if that’s the case then it will revert back to the last phrase it spoke. You have to speak clearly and deliberately; this is definitely a no-mumbling zone. Some phrases–such as “Which party are you currently a member of?”–come with an automatic function that records the response of whoever you’re talking to, presumably for later translation. These recordings are stored under the Record tab, where you can store up to 6 hours of audio.

Apparently, a consumer friendly version of the Phraselator ought to be released in approximately 3 years’ time, retailing for several hundred dollars. Those who can’t wait will have to cough out $2,500 for the P2 now though.

I guess watching video on a watch is much less conspicuous compared to viewing it on an ipod, especially in an office environment where your perceived performance has a big say in whether you snag that raise you’ve been chasing after or not. ThinkGeek’s solution of the 8GB stainless steel watch is a pretty cool idea, but the 1.8″ 160 x 128 display isn’t anything to shout about. It supports a vast array of formats including AVI, MP4, WMV, ASF, MPG, MPEG, DAT, RM, and MOV. Other features include an integrated voice recorder, a built-in speaker an an earphone jack. $129 for this wonder piece of tech that helps you pass time while you wait for tardy customers/clients.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated how they could take total control of a user’s computer by altering the computer chip itself. While the attack would require a significant amount of work to be used in the real-world, it would be virtually undetectable and provide complete and total access to the user’s machine.

The attack was constructed using a special programmable processor running Linux. That chip was programmed to inject the hacker firmware code into the chip’s memory (which is typically only done by the BIOS at bootup). This change to the normal operations of the CPU itself result in a system which allows any user to log in remotely and take control.

The hacker firmware code resulted in a very small number of changes to the actual CPU itself. In fact, only 1,341 of the more than 1 million gates available for reprogramming. The then created “back door,” a term used to describe a way to bypass any traditional security features which are employed on the system, like using the name “Joshua” on WOPR (remember that?), allows the user to do whatever they want by simply sending a specially crafted network packet.

While this is not your average “I’m a hacker at home” kind of attack, this demonstrated design indicates just how easily someone who truly desired to gain access to your machine could basically get anything they want. It seems like 256 KB PGP keys are truly the only way to fly, so to speak.

Read more at InfoWorld.