CFast is a new, CompactFlash based card format which will use a SATA interface to deliver much faster data transfer.
The cards, which will come to market in the next two years, offer theoretical speeds of up to 375MB/sec, much better than the 45MB/sec in current CompactFlash cards. These will be most useful in still cameras and Hi-Def video cameras, where a major bottleneck exists in dumping the image data from the camera to the card.
There’s a catch, though. Despite being related to CompactFlash, CFast is neither backward nor forward compatible. The old cards won’t work in the new slots, and vice versa, so it looks like you’ll have to dump all your old cards into the bottom drawer, next to the Zip disks and floppies.
(Read the full post about ‘New, Faster CompactFlash Card Will Break Compatibility’…)
For those who felt the need to install a PCI card of sorts inside their Stealth LPC-450 will be sorely disappointed, although Stealth Computer has done their bit by releasing a PCI-friendly version with the LPC-450PCI. All in all, the standard Core 2 Duo processor and anodized aluminum chassis still applies here in addition to Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, FireWire connectivity, PS/2 (!) keyboard and mouse connectors, a 160GB hard drive and an optional DVD burner. If you have the cash to splash, feel free to fork out much more for an SSD solution. (Read the full post about ‘Stealth LPC-450PCI Update’…)
If you think that you don’t have enough desktop space to work with, why not buy a second monitor instead? That’s fine and dandy, but if you’re using one of the older computers where video cards do not support a secondary display, then you’re out of luck. Logitecof Japan has a solution with its new USB-to-DVI dongle that targets PC users (sorry, Mac users). Known as the Logitec LDE-SX010U, it is capable of supporting a maximum resolution of 1,400 x 1,050 pixels. No word about pricing, but this unique dongle will be released later next month. (Read the full post about ‘Logitec LDE-SX010U USB Dongle’…)
Posted Feb 26th 2008 11:11PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Gaming This hack is neither cheap nor easy, but if for some reason you just have to pull off a feat of Guitar Hero virtuosity but lack the necessary skill, the folks at SYSTM have now provided details on how to automate the controller so you never miss a note. At the heart of the hack is a so-called “show control system,” which runs a hefty $210 but will let you program all the necessary strums and button presses with some seemingly not to difficult to use software. Of course, there’s also the little matter of cracking open the guitar and wiring everything up, but we’re guessing that won’t be much of a problem for anyone actually still considering the hack. (Read the full post about ‘Hack automates Guitar Hero, for times when a fake guitar isn’t fake enough’…)
Art. Lebedev Studio has just rolled out its TaskWatch whiteboard that doubles up as a notice board and a timepiece as well. As with any other Art. Lebedev offering, you can expect to pay top dollar for it, where your online order will be processed in exchange for $200. The panel is mounted on the wall, standard office markers of different colors are used for writing messages beside the relevant hour or time span. The entire area of the panel can be utilized for writing or drawing. TaskWatch is a helpful tool for organizing one’s time or sharing information with co-workers. (Read the full post about ‘Art. Lebedev TaskWatch Whiteboard’…)
The ladies will be excited to find out that Louis Vuitton has released an ipod widescreen case along with a black checkered one designed by Takashi Murakami. The case comes with a dock plug-in, earphone opening, and a protective flap with 2 studs. You can get both of them for a price range of $275-$295. [Source] Tags: cameras, dap, digital, gadgetry (Read the full post about ‘Louis Vuitton iPod Widescreen Case: Makes iPods Stylish’…)
USB Wireless PC Lock Computer security is a growing area of concern. The wireless PC lock secures your PC whenever you leave it and you don’t have to do a thing. A small USB receiver plugs into a USB port, whilst you carry a discrete wireless radio transmitter “key”. When you move more than 2m away from your PC with the transmitter key, the wireless lock disables access to your computer, protecting your personal information from nosey colleagues!When you return within range your PC resumes normal operation so that you can carry on working without a care in the world. Alternatively a password can be used to unlock the PC. It’s that simple! Effective range: Around 2 meters. (Read the full post about ‘USB Wireless PC Lock’…)
Posted Feb 26th 2008 11:04AM by Paul MillerFiled under: Features, Laptops We all knew this day was coming. Apple’s previous MacBook Pro revision was certainly getting long in the tooth, a MacBook spec bump never hurt anything, and hey, Penryn isn’t getting any younger. Still, it’s pretty obvious that quite a few of the Apple faithful feel like the MacBook Pro and its cute little MacBook sidekick are in some serious need of a form factor refresh, and perhaps a little bit of SSD. We can understand Apple not wanting to steal the macbook air’s thunder, and to be fair most major manufacturers put the new Penryn chips inside existing form factors, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong for you to be upset. (Read the full post about ‘Poll: How about them MacBook updates?’…)
If you can’t get enough of your TV shows, then the WinFast DTV Dongle Gold will definitely be your cup of tea. This USB 2.0-powered PCTV device comes with a portable DVB-T TV antenna, enabling you to watch all your favorite shows from the comfort of your laptop. The inclusion of a scheduled recording function makes it a snap for you to keep track of your favorite programs even when you aren’t able to sneak in some leisure time at the office (how ironic). Shows are recorded in the MPEG-2 format, providing you with DVD-like images. The Time Shift function makes it a snap to skip all the boring scenes and ads, going straight to the juicy parts. Guess productivity in offices everywhere will drop with the adoption of this dongle. (Read the full post about ‘WinFast DTV Dongle Gold For TV On-the-Go’…)
Posted Feb 26th 2008 1:57PM by Donald MelansonFiled under: Laptops In case you haven’t noticed, the Eee PC has quickly become a favorite among folks that like to, shall we say, customize things, and it now looks like you can chalk up another big modification to the list of operations the laptop has gone under. This latest come to us from one “guryhwa,” who managed to cram a 1.2GHz Pentium M processor into the laptop, giving it a bit of boost of the stock Celeron. Needless to this, this particular hack involves some soldering and a good deal of guts, but you apparently at least don’t have to make any modifications to the BIOS. Without any changes, however, the processor only runs at 840MHz, although guryhwa (Read the full post about ‘Eee PC hacked to accommodate 1.2GHz Pentium M processor’…)
