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- Viewsonic G Tablet pulled from Staples stores, 'manufacturing defect' to blame
- Engadget Chinese gets hands-on with the Meizu M9
- DIA Parrot digital photo frame by nodesign is not a digital photo frame
- Samsung Galaxy S receives Gingerbread port right from the Nexus S source (video)
- Mission Motors reveals Mission R electric racing superbike, conceals price
- New research says e-cigarettes are safer than real ones, no cigarettes safer still
- iTwin USB filesharing solution now shipping in America
- How would you change the T-Mobile G2?
- E FUN Next3 Android 2.1 tablet available for $230, real fun sold separately
- News Corp's 'The Daily' pub to hit iPad in January?
- Microsoft releases H.264 video plug-in for Windows 7 Firefox users
- HTC HD7 gets its .bins all in a tizzy, custom ROMs up next?
- US Army testing solar powered tents for troops, gadget addicted campers
- The Engadget Show Live! with Mitsubishi's Frank DeMartin, iRobot, Aldebaran Robotics, Ubisoft, and crazy giveaways!
- Hyundai shows off Equus iPad owners manual, available for test drives in the App Store (video)
- Open source DARwIn-OP bot can be yours for just $12,000
- NOX Audio Scout headset review
- Pandora for Android adds Ford Sync AppLink compatibility
- How to pronounce ASUS (video)
- Galaxy Tab hits new low on US Cellular: $200 with 5GB data agreement
- L.A. Noire's amazing MotionScan facial capture system demonstrated (video)
- Palm's tablet is codenamed 'Topaz,' keyboard accessory leaks out
- USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0)
- Microsoft rolls out updated Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac
| Viewsonic G Tablet pulled from Staples stores, 'manufacturing defect' to blame Posted: 18 Dec 2010 09:21 AM PST  [Thanks, Rob]  |
| Engadget Chinese gets hands-on with the Meizu M9 Posted: 18 Dec 2010 08:07 AM PST  |
| DIA Parrot digital photo frame by nodesign is not a digital photo frame Posted: 18 Dec 2010 06:17 AM PST  How do you a frame a digital photo without framing it? That's the mind-bending question considered by Parrot and the nodesign agency, and the "mysterious object" known as the DIA Parrot is their answer. Just what is it? We'll let Parrot explain. Look for it to set you back $500 when it launches in February. You didn't expect a brand new aesthetic dimension to come cheap, did you? DIA Parrot by nodesign: the Essence of Your Photos PARIS, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Parrot, a leader in wireless peripherals for mobile phones, is revealing its latest digital photo frame: DIA, a mysterious object developed in collaboration with Jean-Louis Frechin, founder of nodesign agency. With digital technology, we went from photo to photos... Taken with a camera or a mobile phone, digital photos are as fragile as sands of time, and yet we rarely take the time to watch them. We sometimes share them, via SMS or e-mail, but we never really see them... Henri Seydoux and Jean-Louis Frechin found themselves considering this observation. Sharing the same love for photos, both are convinced by the necessity of the digital photo frame and consider that the object should be envisioned as a piece of furniture for which design is essential. "I have my own idea of the function of the photo frame, and what motivates me in what I do is to create objects with high technology. I am looking for designers who have very personal ideas. I am not interested in design to rearrange a shape. I am looking for an expression, like a gesture, a movement," explains Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. Your photos, only your photos Due to its function, the photo frame is an object we look at, that we display prominently. While it is important the frame is beautiful, it is essential that the frame "steps aside" for the benefit of the photo. "Today, screens are all the same. So, with my partner Uros Petrevski, we had to find a different type of screen, without falling into the category of 'do different just to be different'. We started to handle slide film, to dismantle screens, to play with transparency of light," explains Jean-Louis Frechin. "DIA frame was born from the idea that it is impossible to represent a printed image on a photo frame. So our frame is close to slide film, with the quality of transparency, and light and format of professional ektachrome." DIA Parrot by nodesign is a white rectangle, very simple, with tactile buttons and a trackball to surf in the menu of the frame. What is striking is its 10x4 inch high resolution screen. Dismantled, deconstructed, disconnected from the frame as if there was nothing behind, this screen is transparency, is light. The picture, your photo, appears through this "light box" in a brand new aesthetic dimension... "The photo frame designed by Jean-Louis Frechin is very mysterious," continues Henri Seydoux. "Jean-Louis was smart or 'crazy' enough to dismantle the LCD screen we get used to, and the result is quite simply magical. We don't see where the photo comes from... It is simply there, on this transparent and half-dismantled screen... It is prestidigitation!" A unique digital experience In the manner of all products developed by Parrot, DIA Parrot by nodesign is a bundle of technology with poetic aesthetics. * Holidays 2.0 Developed by Parrot, this application invites you to follow, via Google™ Maps, about 50 journeys to discover "as the crow flies" and with pictures the world's highest tops, the most beautiful natural cascades, Paris, New York, The Chateaux de la Loire, The descent of the Nile, Route 66, etc. This application also enables you to create your own journeys thanks to the geographic tag (or geotag) embedded on the iPhone, Android mobile phones and some digital cameras. Upload your photos on the frame and they will appear once you fly over the country, the city or the street where your pictures were taken... * Mover Lite© DIA is compatible with "Mover Lite©" application from Infinite Labs (available for free on the App Store(SM)). Thanks to this application, you can select pictures and send them to the frame by simply sliding your finger on the iPhone screen. Also, the Microsoft network client enables to drag-and-drop photos from a PC or a Mac®, directly to the frame. * FrameChannel® Web services platform FrameChannel® is installed on the frame to receive information (weather forecast, economic or financial news, road traffic, sport scores, Facebook...) via RSS feeds. DIA uses the Google Android™ operating system to connect to the Internet and the two USB ports enable connection a keyboard and a mouse to the frame. * A Pop3 and Imap e-mail client enables an e-mail address on the DIA in order to send it photos. * Sharing photos is possible via dedicated websites (Picasa™, Flickr®). DIA Parrot by nodesign offers comprehensive connectivity (USB, SD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections to transfer photos from almost any digital devices: PC, Mac® and mobile phone. The slots for SD card and USB port enable to increase the memory available in the frame. The digital photo frame DIA Parrot by nodesign will be available from February 2011 in department stores, specialized retailers and on www.parrotshopping.com for 500 USD. DIA is the concrete expression of Wapix project, a digital photo frame designed by nodesign, which received the Carte Blanche du VIA award in 1998 and is featured as part of the modern and industrial art collection at the National Center for Art and Culture Georges Pompidou in Paris. For more information, visit www.parrot.com nodesign studio@nodesign.net http://www.nodesign.net About PARROT Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, stands on the cutting edge of innovation. The company was founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux as part of his determination to drive the inevitable breakthrough of mobile phones into everyday life by creating high-quality, user-friendly wireless devices for easy living. Parrot has developed the most extensive range of hands-free systems on the market for cars, motorbikes and scooters, including wireless multimedia products geared towards audiovisual applications. In 2008, Parrot launched a new prestige line of high-end products bearing the hallmark of renowned artists and in 2010, the AR.Drone, the first quadricopter piloted via wi-fi and using augmented reality. Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs 450 people worldwide and generates 85% of its sales overseas. Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006. (FR0004038263 – PARRO) More information : www.parrot.com / www.ardrone.com / www.parrotoem.com ®The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Parrot S.A. is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners. Tous droits reserves. Les marques PARROT figurant sur ce document sont la propriete exclusive de la societe PARROT. Toutes les autres marques sont la propriete de leurs detenteurs respectifs et sont utilisees sous licence par la societe PARROT Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. SOURCE Parrot |
| Samsung Galaxy S receives Gingerbread port right from the Nexus S source (video) Posted: 18 Dec 2010 03:51 AM PST  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Mission Motors reveals Mission R electric racing superbike, conceals price Posted: 18 Dec 2010 02:17 AM PST 
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| New research says e-cigarettes are safer than real ones, no cigarettes safer still Posted: 17 Dec 2010 11:57 PM PST  Research swayed back and forth on the health risks associated with e-cigarettes since their debut in the US about three years ago. The faux cigs, which are essentially nicotine inhalers intended to help smokers kick the actual smoking habit while still getting their dose of nicotine, the main addictive ingredient in tobacco. In the first truly comprehensive study of the somewhat controversial nicotine replacement method, researchers at Boston University's School of Public Health has found that not only are e-cigarettes much safer to "smoke" than normal ones, they may also aid in kicking the addictive habit altogether. According to the researchers, "few, if any" of the chemicals found in e-cigarettes pose serious health risks, and carcinogen levels in them are up to 1,000 times lower than in actual tobacco. This research, of course, disagrees with the FDA's findings that essentially, the chemicals found in e-cigarettes were risky and unknowable. The FDA has yet to evaluate e-cigarettes the way that they have done with all medications and other nicotine replacement products, so we can't be sure, but it's looking more and more possible that if you just need to smoke, an e-cigarette may be a safer route... for everything but your dignity, of course. |
| iTwin USB filesharing solution now shipping in America Posted: 17 Dec 2010 08:53 PM PST  Hope you didn't put your life on pause waiting for the iTwin to ship to the US of A, 'cause it took just over a full year to do so. The company's self-named device has finally been listed for sale in America this week, with just 50 limited edition builds able to head out prior to Christmas. If your memory has faded somewhat over the past 14 months, this twin-stick solution is meant to pass files between two USB-enabled devices, but unlike Infinitec's IUM, it's not making any bold promises related to media streaming. The concept is simple enough; just plug one of the twins into your computer, and the other into your pal's computer. It relies on 256-bit AES encryption to keep things secure, and if that's good enough for you, the source link is the where you need to be. These first-run kits are selling for $99 (plus $10 shipping), with a choice of gunmetal gray and lime green awaiting you, and if you miss your shot now, general availability will hit early next month.
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| How would you change the T-Mobile G2? Posted: 17 Dec 2010 06:36 PM PST  |
| E FUN Next3 Android 2.1 tablet available for $230, real fun sold separately Posted: 17 Dec 2010 05:49 PM PST  E FUN Bows the Next3 8.4" Android Tablet Computer New Nextbook Model Features Wi-Fi, Borders eBook Store and Multimedia Functions WEST COVINA, CA – DECEMBER 16, 2010 – E FUN, a consumer electronics designer and marketer of fun, easy-to-use lifestyle products, is primed to add the next model to its quickly growing Nextbook line of sleek, lightweight Android tablets. The Next3, with built-in e-reader, Android 2.1 and Wi-Fi, will be introduced on HSN today. The take anywhere/read anywhere Nextbook brand is just that: the next generation of books. "Our first Android tablet, the Next2, exceeded all expectations, selling out on HSN in less than a week in November," commented Jason Liszewski, Managing Director and VP of Sales for E FUN. "Our new Next3 tablet continues our objective to provide easy-to-use lifestyle products filled with fun and functionality. With its large touch-screen color display, Borders eBook Store app, and multimedia capability, the Next3 delivers on all counts." Built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) convenience allows users to browse the Internet, receive and answer e-mails, watch YouTube videos, listen to Internet music providers and get real-time weather reports. Turning pages and choosing applications is as easy as lifting a finger with the touch-screen feature. Additional functions include a calculator, clock, and alarm. The Next3 features Google's powerful Android 2.1 operating system. It has a large 8.4" TFT color display, built-in speakers, 2GB flash memory with an SD card slot to increase storage capacity, and an MP3/photo viewer. For added fun, third-party applications are available. An elegant, removable case with magnetic closure provides protection. The Borders eBook store is preloaded on every Nextbook making it easy to purchase and download favorite titles. Next3 users can choose from over one-million titles, many of which are free, including new releases and the latest bestsellers as well as biography, fiction, romance, etc., right from the comfort of their own home. 'Shopping' for an e-book is like shopping for a printed book, except the book is delivered instantly to the Next3 unit. Accessories include an AC adapter, USB cable and protective pouch. The Next3 is compatible with Windows2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7, Linux and MAC OS. The E FUN Next3 tablet e-reader will have a consumer friendly MSRP of $229.99. It will be available on HSN December 16 and 17, and then online and at brick and mortar retailers. About E FUN As its name implies, E FUN is a designer and markets fun, lifestyle e-products that are easily accessible. While appreciated by techies, E FUN products are primarily designed for consumers who desire the latest technological products, but are more concerned with what they do, not how they do it. E FUN's ongoing product innovation focuses on making electronics and computing more fun! Initial products offerings from E FUN include the APEN digital pen and Nextbook Android tablets. E FUN is headquartered in West Covina, California. For additional information please visit E FUN at www.e-funusa.com, APEN at www.apenusa.com; and Nextbook at www.nextbookusa.com |
| News Corp's 'The Daily' pub to hit iPad in January? Posted: 17 Dec 2010 05:02 PM PST  |
| Microsoft releases H.264 video plug-in for Windows 7 Firefox users Posted: 17 Dec 2010 04:16 PM PST  We're assuming it would still prefer you use Internet Explorer for all your web browsing needs, but Microsoft is now lending something of a helping hand to Windows 7 users that insist on using Firefox for one reason or another. It's just released a plug-in that gets around Firefox's current limitations in handling H.264-encoded videos on HTML5 pages by taking advantage of the H.264 support built into Windows 7. On a more technical level, that means the plug-in parses HTML5 pages and replaces the Video tags with a call to the Windows Media Player plug-in, which then allows the content to be played right in the browser. Sound like just what you've been waiting for? Hit up the link below to download the add-on and try it yourself. |
| HTC HD7 gets its .bins all in a tizzy, custom ROMs up next? Posted: 17 Dec 2010 03:40 PM PST  |
| US Army testing solar powered tents for troops, gadget addicted campers Posted: 17 Dec 2010 03:08 PM PST  |
| Posted: 17 Dec 2010 02:40 PM PST  Update: We still have tickets left, so if you're in New York City, come join us at the Times Center. The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hyundai shows off Equus iPad owners manual, available for test drives in the App Store (video) Posted: 17 Dec 2010 02:36 PM PST  |
| Open source DARwIn-OP bot can be yours for just $12,000 Posted: 17 Dec 2010 02:02 PM PST  A few weeks back we caught our first glimpse of the open source, modular DARwIn-OP developed at Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory, also known as RoMeLa. Well, there's more information available now about the upcoming little bot, so here's what we know. Korean company Robotis is making available the bot's open source software, schematics, CAD and fabrication manuals, in addition to selling the fully assembled robots. DARwin-OP was unveiled recently at the IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, and is built on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530-based FitPC2i which boasts a 4GB SSD, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 802.11n WiFi. Shipments of the 17.9-inch tall humanoid robots are being sent to universities first at a price of $9,600, and will run $12,000 at full retail. Hit up the source links for a far more detailed look at DARwin-OP's specs, and there's a video after the break. |
| NOX Audio Scout headset review Posted: 17 Dec 2010 01:35 PM PST  Hardware The Scout headset is of the small sort of earbud, ignoring the other, bigger models that fill the entirety of your ear cavity with plastic in an attempt to deliver bombing bass. The buds themselves look fairly typical, only a hint of brushed metal and a tiny hex key screw on the back distinguishing them from the cheap pair that came with your phone. You know, the ones you promptly tossed in the junk drawer.If there's a big differentiating factor in the look of the buds themselves it's the little rubber tab that hangs off the side. This can be rotated around, the idea being that you can position it wherever it makes contact with your ear to better hold the things in place. These can be removed if they rub you the wrong way (and they may), as can the rubber inserts, easily replaced by one of the variety of different shapes and sizes included, all of which you can store in the little carrying case that's also part of the deal. Follow the cord on the right earbud a bit and you'll find the microphone, a microscopic thing that tends to hang somewhere around your jaw or cheek when wearing the buds -- naturally depending on such variables as the size, depth, and positioning of your ears relative to said facial structures. It's a tiny little bit of plastic and easy to miss, which is a good thing, making these look less like a tacky wired hands-free kit and more like a standard set of buds.  Keep following that cord and you come to where left and right meet. Here there is what NOX calls the "world's smallest" send/end button. (Their quotes, not ours.) Though we do have Guinness on speed dial, we couldn't be bothered to verify that claim, but regardless it is a pretty tiny button. In fact you can barely feel it depress, but give this little junction point a squeeze and it works.Continue another 36-inches down the cable (the total length is 50-inches tip to bud) and you get to the standard 3.5mm plug, which both accepts stereo sounds while providing the mono signal from the microphone. This separation is gauged by the aforementioned pasta-like cable, which is advertised as being tangle-free. That it certainly is, never kinking or tangling for us, but it is unfortunately not entirely problem-free. TestingWe started by plugging these into our ears and not into anything else to get a feel for their comfort, and we were immediately surprised by how loud they are. Yes, you read that right: they weren't actually plugged into any device yet. That fat fettuccini cable dragging against clothes or zippers or pretty much anything transmitted a surprising amount of noise right into our ears. We're not sure if it's the shape of the cable, the weight of it, or just the somewhat sticky matte exterior, but it's an immediately noticeable effect. Much more so than any other earbud we've tested. That effect is naturally lessened somewhat when you're listening to some music. But, the sound produced by them is not particularly welcoming either. The sound feels somewhat shallow and somewhat harsh compared to the Shure E2c earbuds we compared them against, a now discontinued (and mic-free) model that used to retail for a bit more than the Scout does now. The Shures sound warm and welcoming compared to the somewhat harsh Scout -- the violin on Vivaldi's L'Estate, for example, sounding piercing and inspiring on the E2c, sharp and almost painful on the Scout. However, that's probably taking a step outside the playlist of your average earbud listener. Stepping down to some 128kbps indie rock MP3s the difference is less noticeable, but that MP3 hiss the kids can't get enough of was noticeably more tiring on the Scout vs. the Shure.  So, not a set for an audiophile, but of course the Shure's don't have the built-in microphone, which actually works reasonably well here in large part thanks to its close proximity to your mouth. Yes, people will notice you're using a microphone and yes you may have to speak up a bit, but it's more than adequate for taking a quick phone call while you're on your way home from work. And, to be able to do so by just squeezing the button and then go right back to your tunes without having to fumble with a Bluetooth headset or even touch your phone sure is nice. Indeed we kinda fell in love with that little send/end button during our testing. Obviously you can hang up with the thing but you can also pause and resume music with it, which means no more digging into tight pockets to mute your Muse when you need to talk to the face of an actual person. But, given how small that button is, we wonder if two more volume buttons couldn't have been added too, if only to make these more appealing for the iDevice crowd. In terms of comfort we didn't have any real complaints here. The little rubber tabs work as advertised for most, though one editor simply could not keep these in his ears no matter which way they were twisted. After a few hours the tab sticking against your skin does start to become a little uncomfortable, but no more than any other buds after that period of time. Also, their rubbery matte coating certainly does make them dust magnets, going from clean to filthy before we could even take a single picture of them out of the box. We were a little surprised, however, at how little noise isolation these provide compared to other earbuds with rubber cups. Background sound was hardly dampened, though maybe it's that semolina cable acting as a resonator. Wrap-up Oh, and how do they taste? Terrible. Just terrible. |
| Pandora for Android adds Ford Sync AppLink compatibility Posted: 17 Dec 2010 01:06 PM PST  Hey, new Ford Fiesta owners: did you realize that your plebeian family hauler is actually one of the most geek-awesome vehicles on the road today? We were just reminded of that today on news that the latest version of Pandora for Android supports Ford Sync's AppLink technology, a protocol that lets smartphone apps chat with your car's entertainment system. In short, that means that you'll be able to control Pandora with your car's physical buttons, knobs, and doohickeys along with voice controls, hopefully giving you another great reason to keep the phone firmly planted in your pocket (or storage compartment) and your eyes on the road. The update's available now -- and while you're downloading, you might as well start gathering paperwork for the dealer to run your credit report. |
| Posted: 17 Dec 2010 12:38 PM PST  The correct pronunciation: The old pronunciation: |
| Galaxy Tab hits new low on US Cellular: $200 with 5GB data agreement Posted: 17 Dec 2010 12:07 PM PST  [Thanks, D] |
| L.A. Noire's amazing MotionScan facial capture system demonstrated (video) Posted: 17 Dec 2010 11:45 AM PST  |
| Palm's tablet is codenamed 'Topaz,' keyboard accessory leaks out Posted: 17 Dec 2010 11:19 AM PST  We're also told Palm's planning a low-end teen phone that's something like a Pre with no keyboard -- it's codenamed "Castle," (just like the original Pre and Pixi) and due to hit Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. That seems like a likely followup to the Pixi, but what we're really anxious for is some news on a new high-end phone and the Topaz tablet -- we'll keep digging and let you know. |
| USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0) Posted: 17 Dec 2010 10:45 AM PST  Background and tools you'll needJust to refresh those who completely slept through November 4th, there actually is a way to get USB 3.0 on your Mac. Shocking, right? First off, you'll need a new piece of hardware: either a LaCie USB 3.0 ExpressCard/34 (on sale now for $59.99) or a LaCie USB 3.0 PCI Express card (on sale now for $49.99). Then, you'll need a free driver, which can be downloaded here. Mind you, this support only extends to OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard); Tiger users and below are out of luck. This means that any Mac Pro and any last-generation MacBook Pro can gain USB 3.0 support with a relatively inexpensive piece of hardware. Thanks to a stroke of genius that may only ever be understood within the lairs of Cupertino, the newest unibody MacBook Pro units all have an SD card slot in place of the ExpressCard slot (the gargantuan 17-inch MBP notwithstanding), so for once, it pays to have yesteryear's best rather than today's. Also, we should point out that the 2big USB 3.0 used here includes the $49.99 PCIe expansion card right in the box. In all truthfulness, we're guessing that Mac Pro owners are the real target market here; those who have to wade through terabytes of audio / video files each day to make ends meet have long since grown tired of waiting for USB 2.0 to catch up, and while there's no question that most creative professionals that own a Mac Pro also own (or yearn for) a stockpile of FireWire gear, it's just easier and more affordable to find external storage with a USB port on the rear. Furthermore, Apple provides an astonishing three USB 2.0 ports on the rear of its pricey workstation, so regardless of whether you need the speed of USB 3.0, you could probably use a few more sockets around back. Test setup and benchmarksIn our testing, we relied on a (relatively new) Mac Pro and the aforesaid LaCie PCIe USB 3.0 expansion card. Just so we're perfectly clear, the Mac Pro used in these benchmarks is specced as such:
  In general, the read rates were around the same compared to write rates. We saw similar gains percentage wise, with read rates on the 2big USB 3.0 hovering between 45MB/sec and 61MB/sec. In comparison, our USB 2.0 setup hovered between 29MB/sec and 37MB/sec. USB 3.0, in general, proved to be a hair quicker than even FireWire 800 (and definitely FireWire 400), but the gains were far less monumental there. Qualifiers, stipulations and wrap-upHere's what we learned through all of this. For one, installation on a Mac Pro couldn't be simpler. Pop open the case, toss in the PCIe card, and then install the free driver from LaCie's website. After a reboot, the card was recognized, as was the 2big USB 3.0. Now, for the hairy part. We plugged in a 7-port USB 3.0 hub from SIIG, which had four USB 2.0 hard drives attached. (You read that right; we're taking advantage of something called 'backwards compatibility.') Two of these were formatted as FAT32, the other two as HFS+. We never did get the FAT32 drives to show on our Snow Leopard machine when plugged into LaCie's card, and only one of the two HFS+ drives were recognized. Once we plugged the hub back into a standard USB 2.0 port on the rear of our Mac Pro, all was well again, and all four of the connected drives popped up. There's good news and bad news here: the good is that LaCie's solution also supports non-LaCie hard drives, as well as USB hubs, despite the fact that the company told us outright that only LaCie hard drives are supported with LaCie USB 3.0 expansion cards. Here's the exact quote: The bad (or worse), obviously, is that you may run into some quirks along the way if you try to connect too many drives formatted differently, or try to use a non-LaCie product. In other words, don't go buy one of these expansion cards if you don't also have a mind to buy LaCie HDDs; it may work with your other drives, but it may not. On a slightly different note, we found ourselves yearning for three or four USB 3.0 ports on the rear of the PCIe card instead of the two that are provided. You could also spring for a hub or just buy two expansion cards, but we would've preferred an extra socket from the get-go. Aside from being altogether bummed that the expansion card isn't fully compatible with non-LaCie hard drives, we were thrilled with how this solution worked. It's obviously a third-party ordeal, but it feels seamless to the end user. Once you reboot after the driver installation, you'll never remember that you're using a LaCie-issued driver to talk to your LaCie USB 3.0 hard drives. The speed increases are obvious and very real in use, and if you're eager to make the leap, at least you have a legitimate option now that doesn't involve switching to Windows (assuming you're a Mac user, of course). FireWire 800 still provides nearly the same speed without the need for additional hardware, but as we alluded to earlier, it's generally easier and cheaper to procure USB gear than FireWire gear. So, guess what? You can now get USB 3.0 on your Mac provided you have an open PCIe slot or an ExpressCard slot (and you dig LaCie HDDs), and we're pleased to say that LaCie's solution does exactly what it purports to. And now, we wait for Apple to catch up. |
| Microsoft rolls out updated Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac Posted: 17 Dec 2010 10:22 AM PST  It's still technically in beta, but Microsoft has just rolled out a fairly significant update to its Windows Phone 7 Connector software for Mac. Among other things, the software now has a new device setup process, support for manual file imports from the device, and the ability to sync content purchased on your phone back to your Mac -- not to mention a slew of bug fixes and other more minor tweaks. Hit up the source link below to start downloading, or just look for it in the Microsoft AutoUpdate app. |
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