blogtoptech.info

Overclocked Palm Pre is just what the doctor ordered

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:10:28 +0000

Is your Palm Pre feeling a bit down? In the dumps? Not as snappy as it used to? Maybe what you need is a megahertz boost! This custom kernel, demonstrated in a video below, comes courtesy of two hackers called unixpsycho and caj2008. One quick install will make your dull and lifeless 1.3.5.1 Pre come alive. Warning: use of this software might “frakk” your Pre if deployed on a 1.4 device. Side effects include reduced battery life and increased pocket warmth. If your Pre develops excessive heat see a physician immediately — or just turn it off for a while.

Update: caj2008 dropped us a note to point out that battery life is “not significantly affected” by this patch, but we’re still waiting on the FDA ruling on that one.

[Thanks, Darren]

Continue reading Overclocked Palm Pre is just what the physician ordered

Overclocked Palm Pre is just what the doctor ordered originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

ASUS T101MT gets the quick and dirty video review treatment

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:08:49 +0000

We’ve already witnessed ASUS’ netvertible undergo some hands-on testing, but the units inspected up until now have all been pre-production devices. Well, finally a retail T101MT has made its way out to online scribes and we’ve got the first video review for your delectation. We’re told that the machine is still pretty thick and a tiny bit too heavy to comfortably hold in one hand for long periods of time, but also that the previous touchscreen issues have been rectified — it is now “responsive and precise.” The general theme is that you shouldn’t expect too much out of it, particularly since a 480p YouTube clip gobbled up 95% of the T101MT’s CPU cycles ~~and still provided only a choppy picture~~, but if your ambitions are sufficiently moderate, ASUS’ latest could prove a versatile little machine. Video awaits after the break and a summary review can be found at the source.

Update: The YouTube video played was a stop-motion animation running at 5fps and therefore shouldn’t be considered representative of the T101MT’s video performance. What should be taken as representative is the fact that it maxed out the CPU.

Continue reading ASUS T101MT gets the swift and dirty video review treatment

ASUS T101MT gets the quick and dirty video review treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter Turns Any Ratchet Into An Accurate Torque Wrench

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:37:55 +0000

By Andrew Liszewski

Automotive repair is as much a mystery to me as brain surgery, rocket science and basic dinner etiquette (nap-kin?) but thanks to a childhood spent watching cartoons I know that improperly tightening a bolt here and there on a car can lead to hilarious consequences. So if you do endeavor to mend your ride on your own, a torque wrench is a handy tool to have in your kit, but we like this digital adapter instead.

Besides a handful of buttons (for changing units, remembering a measurement etc.) and a tiny LCD which is enough to get us to purchase any old device, the Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter can be used with any standard ratchet, giving you accurate feedback on how tight a bolt really is. It’s available from Amazon for just $49.99, and if you think you don’t need one because you already have an analog torque wrench, you’d be wrong. The adapter can also be used to calibrate a regular torque wrench, which in the long run could probably save you money if you were used to paying a professional to do it.

[ Mavromatic - Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adaptor – My Favorite Tools – March 2010 ]

Share This

Sony Japan unveils Bravia HDTVs with 500GB storage, Sony USA unveils no such thing

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:02:26 +0000

Sony intro’d some 3D Bravia HDTVs a while back, and while that didn’t really whet our appetite an LCD with built-in storage is always palatable. To be released by Sony Japan, the BX30H is available in in up to 32-inches and packs 500GB of storage — not particularly earth-shattering, but it should prove useful for DVR-ing episodes of The Marriage Ref. [Did we state that? We meant WWE: Raw.] Available in both colors (black and white), this model is, sadly, only available in Japan. For those of us stuck in the states, the BX300 is available in 22- and 32-inch sizes (and only in black). All of the above feature a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, CCFL backlighting, 720p HD resolution, 5.1 channel audio output and more. Yankees can expect to pay $279 for the 22-inch or $419 for the 32-inch, while prices in Japan TBA.

Sony Japan unveils Bravia HDTVs with 500GB storage, Sony USA unveils no such thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

Okoro Media Systems upgrades HTPC range with Core i3 / i5 CPUs, bitstreaming and USB 3.0

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:08:44 +0000

You picked up an Okoro media Computer last month, didn’t you? If you’re nodding up and down in a worried fashion, you’re probably superior off ignoring everything else we’ll say in this post. For the rest of you HTPC hounds, the boutique outfit has something that’s very apt to pique your interest (and kick that upgrade itch into high gear). Announced today, the company is adding Core i3 and Core i5 processors to its 2010 media center Computer lineup, and as if the extra horsepower weren’t enough, users will also find native bitstreaming of TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio on every system save for the Q100. You’ll also get a 64-bit copy of Windows 7, up to 8TB of internal storage space, optional Blu-ray playback, quad CableCARD support and the new holy grail of transfers, USB 3.0. You can hit up the outfit’s webstore now to configure your dream machine, and if you so desire, you can check out its dedicated trade-up program that’ll last through Might 31st.

Okoro Media Systems upgrades HTPC range with Core i3 / i5 CPUs, bitstreaming and USB 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

Novothink Solar Surge iPhone & iPod Touch Charging Case

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:35:55 +0000

By Andrew Liszewski

Billed as the “World’s only Apple-certified solar charger carrying case” the new Solar Surge from Novothink for the iPhone 3G/3GS and the iPod Touch lets you harvest the sun’s energy to replenish your device’s less than epic battery. According to the Novothink website, “2 hours of direct solar exposure provides about 30 minutes of talk time on a 3G network or 60 minutes of speak time on a 2G network”, but if the sun hasn’t made an appearance you can always fall back to the included USB cable for charging its built-in lithium-ion polymer battery.

A series of 4 multi-colored LEDs on the back of the case lets you see the battery’s remaining charge, and they’ll also let you know if there’s enough light available to actually take advantage of the built-in solar cell. In fact Novothink has even gone above and beyond the call of duty by providing their free Solar Planner app for either device, which provides an estimate of how long you’ll have to leave the Surge in the sun to maintain your iPhone or Touch’s battery level, depending on the current weather conditions and your location.

Eventually available in 6 different colors, the Surge for the iPhone runs $79.95, while the single colored iPod Touch model is currently on sale for $52.95.

[ Novothink Solar Surge iPhone & iPod Touch Charging Case ]

Share This

Wacom Cintiq 21UX hands-on

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:07:10 +0000

It’s almost too much to take in all at once. Sure, the $1,999 Cintiq 21UX pen display is priced out of reach for most of us mere mortals who “don’t draw good,” but the pure lustworthiness of this unit sure makes us try to forget that inconvenient fact. The expanded movability of Wacom’s latest is commendable, the pen input is naturally great, the screen is beautiful, and even those new rear-mounted touchpads seem helpful. It would take someone much more familiar with professional draw-ist-ing to really speak to the more specific merits of the 21UX, but from a mere standpoint of inspiring irrational desire in our hearts, Wacom seems to have done a pretty good job this time out. Check out a video of the screen in action after the break.

Gallery: Wacom Cintiq 21UX hands-on

Continue reading Wacom Cintiq 21UX hands-on

Wacom Cintiq 21UX hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

Cool! Disney World To Promote Tron Legacy By Transforming Their Monorails Into Light Cycles

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:35:03 +0000

By Andrew Liszewski

Since the movie’s release date is still something ridiculous like 15 years away, these images are just Photoshop mockups at the moment, but eventually Disney World in Orlando will be promoting the upcoming Tron Legacy sequel by converting their monorails into light cycles. And by ‘converting’ I of course mean just covering them in light cycle graphics, but if you’ve a Disney vacation planned in the very near future, make sure to include Epcot where the upgraded monorails could be running as early as sometime this month.

[ Disney Parks Blog - Disney Monorail Trains to Feature ‘TRON: LEGACY’ Art ] VIA [ Sci Fi Wire ]

Share This

Joystiq and Sony VP Scott Rohde talk PlayStation Move

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:05:18 +0000

So, we brought you along for the huge reveal and some playtesting, and even presented you with this handy guide just in case you had any more questions. You still haven’t got enough of Sony’s new motion controller? You’re going to want to hop on over to Joystiq for an enjoyable interview with Sony Worldwide Studios VP Scott Rohde where he gets down to brass tacks and answers questions involving the ins and outs of Move game distro, whether the preponderance of “shovelware” mini-game collections will help or hurt the platform, and the fate of the DualShock controller. It’s a wild ride, indeed. So why are you still here?

Joystiq and Sony VP Scott Rohde talk PlayStation Move originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Share This

SureFire EP-3 Sonic Defenders Ear Plugs

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:34:51 +0000

By Andrew Liszewski

I know those little yellow sponges you cram in your ears aren’t the most advanced way to protect your hearing, but these Sonic Defenders make them look like they date back to the age of cavemen. When worn the SureFire EP-3 ear plugs let you hear safe and routine sounds like normal conversation, but potentially harmful sounds above 80dB are safely reduced via the company’s special design that incorporates the patented ‘Hocks Noise Braker’ filter. They also feature a small removable stopper that’ll block out nearly all sounds when you want some real peace and quiet, and they’re available for a mere $12.95 directly from SureFire.

[ SureFire EP-3 Sonic Defenders ] VIA [ The Awesomer ]

Share This