Waterfield Designs Racer-X Laptop Bag Review
Friday, August 31, 2007
We are very pleased to bring you our video review of the Racer-X laptop bag from Waterfield Designs. This nicely designed bag is available in a variety of sizes, we take a look at the Apple MacBook version in a rather fetching black/red combo.Update: In the video we mention not knowing what the zip on the rear of the bag is for. Oooops, this is our mistake, the exterior pocket on the back has a zippered bottom so it can be slipped over handles on wheeled carry-on bags, a very nice idea, sorry we missed it.
We liked the Racer-X, a lot, very high quality material and superb manufacturing quality. The Racer-X should be high on your list if you need to carry your laptop around.
Product: Racer-X Laptop Bag
Price: $169 to $189
Supplied by: SFBags
Contact: 877-546-1040
Outside the US: +1-415-546-1040
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Reviews
Apple Official UK iTunes TV Programme Announcement
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Walt Disney Company’s ABC Studios & Disney Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon & Paramount Comedy Offer Wide Range of Programmes on iTunes
Apple® today announced that hit television programming from ABC Studios, Disney Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Comedy is now available for £1.89 an episode from the iTunes® Store in the UK. iTunes customers can choose from a wide range of popular primetime programming including the Emmy Award-winning series “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty” and locally-produced UK series such as MTV’s “Barrio 19,” Nickelodeon’s “Genie in the House” and Paramount Comedy’s “Comedy Blue.” The iTunes Store in the UK currently offers 28 television programmes for purchase and download which can be viewed on a PC or Mac®, fifth generation iPod®, or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV™.“We’re thrilled to bring TV programming to the iTunes Store in the UK,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We’ve got 28 shows and expect to continue to add more great programming.”
The complete list of television programming on the iTunes Store in the UK includes:
• Disney’s ABC Studios’ dramas and comedy-dramas “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty,” “Commander in Chief” and “Nightstalker;”
• Disney Channel’s renowned children’s programming including “Jake Long: American Dragon,” “Kim Possible,” “That’s So Raven,” “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and Playhouse Disney titles “Handy Manny,” “Little Einsteins” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse;”
• MTV’s reality favourites “Pimp My Ride,” “Barrio 19,” “Bam’s Unholy Union,” “Laguna Beach,” and “My Sweet Sixteen;”
• Nickelodeon children’s programming “Avatar: The Legend of Aang,” “Drake and Josh,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Genie in the House” and “SpongeBob SquarePants;” and
• Paramount Comedy hits “South Park,” “Comedy Blue,” “Jongleurs Unleashed: Part I,” “That 70’s Show” and “The World Stands Up.”
With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as Cover Flow, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and iPhone™* and the ability to turn previously purchased songs into completed albums at reduced prices, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes 7 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is available as a free download. You can purchase and download of songs and videos from the iTunes Store requires a valid credit card from a financial institution in the country of purchase. Television shows are available in the US and UK only, and video availability varies by country. Television shows are £1.89 per episode in the UK. TV shows from the iTunes Store are downloaded in near-DVD quality at a resolution of 640x480 (up to 480, depending on the aspect ratio) and can be viewed on a computer, fifth generation iPod or widescreen TV with Apple TV.
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News, AppleTV
NeverWinter Nights 2 - coming to the Mac
Aspyr Media, Inc. announced today they will publish NeverWinter Nights™ 2 for Mac, the computer role-playing game set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, one of the popular campaign settings of Dungeons & Dragons. NeverWinter Nights™ 2, licensed to Atari by HPG, the licensing division of Hasbro, Inc.,is expected to hit stores for Mac in December 2007. The ESRB rating of the game is T for Teen.In the game you can build a character that suits your style of play - good or evil, chaotic or lawful, with any number of skills, feats and professions available at the click of a button. Whether lobbing fireballs and researching forgotten spells as a powerful Wizard, hacking a trail through legions of orcs as a Fighter armed only with a battle axe and your courage, or taking on the role of a Rogue that can slip into the shadows at a moment's notice, the choice is yours. Choose your alignment, your allies, your companions, and how you want your character to develop... design the character you want, role-play the way you want, and carry the battle to the enemy.
NeverWinter Nights™ 2 will be available for preorder through Aspyr's website soon. For more information, fans can also visit the official website.
Labels: Mac Games
UK iTunes gets TV Shows - at last a reason to buy an AppleTV
Well, well, well, here in the UK we finally get an excuse to purchase an AppleTV. The good guys at Apple HQ have finally given us some TV shows. This is great news, as here in the UK we have waited a long time for this type of content. There is not a lot of British made content, maybe this will follow. Apple should really be working with the likes of the BBC (sans Mac iPlayer) to bring some true classics to the iTunes Store.Shows include;
- Night Stalker
- Drake and Josh
- That's So Raven
- Pimp My Ride
- Grey's Anatomy
- Laguna Beach
- Jongleurs Unleashed
- South Park
- Lost
- Ugly Betty
- Desperate Housewives
- Kim Possible
- SpongeBob SquarePants
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News, AppleTV
Apple Event is confirmed September 5th; iPod?
Those guys over at Engadget have confirmed the rumored event on Wednesday September 5th is true. They have received an invitation (where is mine Apple, plus my plane ticket?) that shows a coverflow graphic. We have given you a rundown of what we expect in our earlier posts, but this seems to confirm that we will definitely be seeing something iPod related. Now I am really excited!Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
Cherry Marlin Wireless Keyboard Mouse Combi
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Cherry Marlin keyboard and mouse set has been around for some while now, but it skipped my radar, so about a year late here is the heads up. This combo looks very sleek indeed, with a low profile keyboard and 800dpi mouse, that connects to your computer via a wireless dongle. A really neat feature is the scroll wheel of the mouse indicates it charge status, cool!The Cherry Marlin comes with driver software, which is no doubt for the PC, but I am hoping to bring you a review real soon and let you know if and how it works with the Mac.
Labels: PC Peripherals
Lego Mindstorms NXT for Intel Mac
Ever wanted to play with those cool looking Mindstorms NXT robots from Lego? Well, if you have an Intel based Mac, you have something to smile about. National Instruments, the publishers of the software side of things, have released version 1.1 of their software and it works with the latest Mac computers. It uses a cool drag and drop interface, allowing you to assign functions to your build. Check it out, this is very cool.Labels: Mac Software
Apple Premium Reseller Events for Adobe CS3
Apple has published (here) details of some events that let you get a look at how Adobe CS3 suite of applications could be good for you. They are being held at Apple Premium Resellers across the country in Bournemouth, Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton, Chester, Edinburgh and London, running August through September.Labels: Apple News
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Review
Monday, August 27, 2007
I must admit to never really getting into the whole Harry Potter thing, yes, shame on me! For some strange reason, when EA released 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' for the Sony PS3, I was drawn to it like a magnet and just had to take a look.Previous incarnations of the Harry Potter games seemed to lack something in the magic department, they just seemed to try and do too much magic. In this latest offering EA have nailed it right on the head, the atmosphere of the whole game is spot on, you really feel like you are right there with Harry and the gang in Hogwarts. This feeling is mainly due to the superb graphics and textures that are very detailed and accurate.
To keep the game moving along you have to complete over 30 tasks, learning spells along the way. You also unlock discovery points which in turn make your spells even more powerful. This allows you to unlock even more secrets and certainly kept my interest locked in. There are plenty of battles to be won, which have you twirling your wand, casting spells to defeat nasty kids and even the Dark Lord. During these spell casting battles, you will be impressed by the graphics, and the animation of Harry who reacts in some really cool ways to victory or defeat. Of course the main objective is to defeat your opponent, but paralyzing them is very effective.The PS3 adds some six-axis controller features, and although they don't seem that accurate, being able to wave your controller to wave Harry's wand is a nice touch. I do not think Sony's six-axis will ever be that accurate, so it was nice to see EA at least implement it in some way.
In summary, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a nice rounded game. Interesting game play, different on-screen battles (rather than awful cut scenes), a nice control method and good sound. Above all, what really stands out is the atmosphere of the game. It really makes you feel part of it, and has you coming back for more. This is certainly one you won't put down until you have finished it.
Product: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Price: £49.99
Street Price: £34.96
Supplied by: Electronic Arts
Contact: 0870 2432435
Case Mod Contest 2007
From a Digg PC to Optimus Prime some nice mods.Some of the mods are fantastic, check them out via extremetech.com
read more | digg story
Labels: PC Hardware
Microsoft's new gaming "5,000 mice in one"; retail $79
At the GDC, Microsoft has announced their SideWinder mouse, built from the ground up specifically with gamers in mind. Featuring just about everything you could ever want (and things you'll never ever need), it's the "ultimate" in gaming mice. The mouse features a new "Quick Turn" feature, adjustable weight, adjustable glide, an LCD... via gamernode.com
read more | digg story
Labels: PC Peripherals
New iPod... thoughts!
With rumours flying left, right and centre that a new iPod will be announced on Wednesday, 5th September, Mac fans are getting pretty excited. For me, I have split feelings about this.Part of me wants things to stay as they are. Not only does it give me an excuse to buy an iPhone when they hit the UK, but why fix something that isn't broken. The current iPod works flawlessly, has a good battery life, does what it was designed for very well (music) and has a few other abilities to add value (movies, games etc). If Apple launch a new device, similar to the iPhone (sans Phone) then that will disgruntle a lot of iPhone owners and will surely confuse their market. That is unless they make it a very different affair.
The other part of me really wants this new device. I do not need a new phone, so could give the iPhone a miss. What I do keep looking at is the Archos line-up. With their larger screens, sleek silver looks, touch screen and wi-fi for internet access. If Apple could update the iPod with these features and introduce some streaming ability and maybe syncing over wi-fi, then that would be real cool. One less chore for me to do (docking my iPod) is a must have, albeit a lazy one. So when Wednesday the 5th comes, let's hope we get some things off our wish list, here is mine;
- 4.5-inch widescreen touch sensitive TFT
- Different, but complimenting design to the iPhone
- Wi-fi connectivity
- Streaming from YouTube
- Syncing over wi-fi connection
- Safari internet browser
- Bluetooth (supporting A2DP) for cool heaphones
- 16GB or 32GB flash versions
- 3 Megapixel Camera (maybe, maybe not)
- OS X to retain the click wheel, albeit virtual
Labels: Apple iPod
September 5th could be New iPod Day
Friday, August 24, 2007
ArsTechnica are reporting that there could well be an Apple Special Event next Wednesday (5th September), which supports earlier claims by AppleInsider. It seems pretty obvious that at some stage we will get a new iPod, based on the iPhone, with OSX software, but no phone capability. This'll be great in my book, as I don't really want the phone part. Let us just hope that we get larger capacities than the iPhone. It would be nice to get a 16GB or 32GB flash based player, and maybe a top-of-the-range 120GB model.Labels: Apple iPod
iPhone Unlocked
Great news for everyone with news from Engadget that the iPhone can now be completely unlocked via software to work with any sim. iphonesimfree.com have been working since the launch of the iPhone, until today, when they cracked it. The software will be available to the general public very soon, starting next week. This means that we could now import into the UK (if you are brave enough)... I might be!Labels: Apple iPhone
Google Earth add Stars - Astronomy Alert
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Head on over the BBC website, where they have a nice report on Google Sky. This is a 3D add-on for Google Earth, that is best described as turning things upside down.Quote: "Sky will allow astronomers a chance to glide through images of more than one million stars and 200 million galaxies. Optional layers allow users to explore images from the Hubble Space Telescope as well as animations of lunar cycles. "
Labels: General News
Canon UK - multitude of new Pixma Printers
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Here in the UK we get even more to choose from when it comes to multifunction printers from Canon. We also get the MX300 and MX310 mentioned in our previous post, but also get the MP210 (£59), MP220 (£79), MP610 (£159), and the MP970 (£249), all of which are due to be available in either September or October this year. Hit the links above for the full specification, but especially check out the top of the range MP970 (pictured) which not only looks fantastic, but offers up ethernet connectivity, a massive 8.8cm colour screen, CD & DVD printing, and and amazing 9600 x 2400dpi resolution.Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Canon launch three new all-in-one inkjets
Canon have launched three new all-in-one inkjet printers. Here follows the USA models, details of the UK newbies will follow shortly.The Pixma MX700 (pictured) is a networkable 5-in-1 is all business, able to quickly produce beautiful photos and bold, professional-quality text. You can print photos right from compatible memory cards — selecting and enhancing images on the 1.8" color LCD display - or directly from a digital camera or DV camcorder. The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, and two paper trays can store both plain and photo paper. You'll achieve up to Super G3 fax speed in colour and B&W, and the expanded memory can store 40 speed dial codes and receive 100 incoming pages. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and when scanning photos you'll produce impressive 2400-dpi results, with vibrant 48-bit colour depth.
Next up is the Pixma MX310, which has a colour resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi; a borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds2 The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, so it's much easier to copy, scan or fax large documents. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and documents will feature bold, laser-quality text. You'll produce 1200-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth, and achieve Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W.
Last, but not least, the Pixma MX300 again had a resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi — and quickly, too: A borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds. You can also print photos directly from a camera DV camcorder or camera phone3, without a computer. Your documents will feature bold, laser-quality text, and copies will be remarkably true to your originals. This All-In-One produces 600-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth. Plus, it achieves Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W, and its memory can store 20 speed dial codes and receive 50 incoming pages.
These models will retail at $199, $129 and $99 respectively.
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Elgato turbo.264 Review Coming Soon
We have been testing the turbo.264 for some time now, and this speed gadget from Elgato has impressed us so far. The full review will be up online in the next 48 hours, so check back soon.
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Reviews
Webtalker 5000 Video Review - Skype Goodness
Skype is used by a lot of computer users, but if you use it a lot then you really shouldn't be crouched over your keyboard with a sweaty headset on. Why not add some class to your Skype experience and check out our video review of the Webt@lker 5000 from Topcom.Update: I wanted to add something I forgot to mention in the video review (silly me), the most important part. The Webt@lker 5000 has a fantastic quality screen, probably the best I have seen on this type of product. It is very sharp and the colours are great. Call quality was equally superb, this probably had something to do with it being hard-wired (rather than a wireless device), but the voice clarity was very noticeable.
Product: Webt@lker 5000 with Skype
Price: £109.99 - £122.00
Supplied by: Topcom
Contact: info@topcom.net
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Reviews
Miglia TVMini Express Review
You have never previously had so much choice for recording TV to your Mac, so when something is done well, it needs to be recognised. The TVMini Express from Miglia, really is a miniature package, from the moment you receive the tiny box, you will wonder just how it will all work.In the box you get the TVMini Express tuner. A white USB stick, not much bigger than a flash drive, but designed in white to compliment most of the Mac range. You also get a portable antenna, USB 2 cable and a CD containing a PDF user guide and the included 'The Tube' software.
Hooking the kit up is really easy, just install the software, plug in the tuner to a USB 2 port (if this is hard to get to, you can use the included cable to extend your port to an accessible location). The antenna is a different matter, and in my case I could not get a Freeview signal with the tiny portable one that is included. This will vary depending on your area. Plugging into my main roof aerial sorted the problem.
Once everything was auto-tuned in, this little device simply works, and does things very well. You can record to your hard drive, move recordings across to your iTunes library to later sync with your iPod, iPhone or AppleTV. Of course watch recordings or live TV on your Mac. It is even possible to have TheTube software float the TV viewer on top of all other applications. So you can carry on working whilst watching TV. Another nice feature is the ability to see in a single window, what is on the other channels, without having to switch over, this is a real timesaver. To round things off, the EPG is superb, it allows you to easily find programmes and schedule recordings with ease. For this bargain price, you really can bring TV to your Mac with ease.
Product: TVMini Express
Price: £34.00
Supplied by: Miglia
Contact: +44 (0)1442 827222
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Reviews
Adobe to launch Office rival
Monday, August 20, 2007
Check out the news over on CNet, where it reports that Adobe may be readying a rival to Microsoft Office. This is great news, as competition is always good for us all. For me, the new iWork may just be what I was looking for, but if Adobe come out with something better (and fresh) who knows.
Labels: General News