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Save Packaging By Getting Your Amazon Deliveries Via Reusable Tote

CrunchGear — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:30:21 +0000

If your inner tree-hugger cringes every time you get a single book or knick-knack wrapped up in enough packing materials for ten, then this is for you. Oh, and you have to live in Seattle.

Amazon has started a program in which you can get your packages delivered to the Seattle area in these cute reusable tote bags, which they seal with tape (and a kiss) and pick up the next time they come by.

The downside is that the totes are only delivered once per week, so if you’re in a hurry to get your item, this isn’t the best option. I wish I could do this with everything I get in the mail; my storage room looks like a UPS warehouse.

[via Giz; image via Giz commenter Kevin]

Amazon Reveals New Kindle: $139 For Wi-Fi Version, $189 For 3G

CrunchGear — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:07:31 +0000

Amazon today unveiled the new Kindle e-reader, though it was not personally revealed by Bezos, as we heard rumored. The new device has a 6″ display like the old Kindle, but is the newer type of E-ink display found in the Kindle DX Graphite. There are other differences, but the main one would be price: the brand-new Kindle will be sold at $139 for the Wi-Fi only version, undercutting even the bare bones readers out there.

In addition to the price and screen change, the redesigned body is 21% smaller and 15% lighter, down to about 8.5oz. If their press release is to be believed, it’s also got twice the storage (4GB) and significantly improved battery life over the old Kindle.

They say they’ve updated the web browser, which is nice, I suppose, but the idea of an E-ink web browser still leaves me cold. Focus on the reading experience and leave the browsing to iPads. There is a new voice navigation option, though, which sounds handy — I look forward to barking “next page!” at my e-reader in a crowded cafe.

Personally, I think this is a nice little improvement. The streamlined, lighter body plus the new E-ink screen make it a legitimate step up from both the old version and other e-readers on the market. We’ll have a full review as soon as we get our hands on one.

The 3G version will sell for $189. For the UK, the prices will be £109 and £149. You’ll be able to pick one up at your local Amazon.com as soon as they go live.

Privacy-Conscious? Hear An Airhorn Every Time Google Detects You

CrunchGear — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:30:57 +0000

I doubt anybody is going to keep this Firefox plugin installed for very long (the point is made after a few minutes), but big red boxes and airhorns blasting you in the face are a good way of saying “HEY. Your information is being transmitted to Google.” You can get the no-airhorn version, but it’s not quite as exciting.

BWOOOOOOOOOO

[via HardOCP]

Review: Samsung Galaxy S

CrunchGear — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:24:16 +0000

Samsung’s take on the large-format Android phone, the Galaxy S (with variants the AT&T Captivate, T-Mobile Vibrant, Verizon Fascinate, and Sprint Epic 4G) is going right up against the Droid X and Incredible, the EVO 4G, and of course the iPhone 4. Its features include lots of internal storage, a slim and sexy build, and Samsung’s vaunted 4″ AMOLED display.

While it’s held back by a number of interface issues (which will be of different importance to different users), the Galaxy S line is a powerful and attractive one. Should you buy? Wait for 2.2? Wait for Galaxy S II? Read on for our full review.

Wallee: The Real Apple TV

CrunchGear — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:38:42 +0000

Look at me. Now look at the kitchen wall. Now look at me again. I’m on a horse. Look again? Look at the iPad on the wall!

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to present to you the Wallee, a thingamabob for your iPad that lets you attach it to your wall. That’s right: you’ve just made your own 10-inch Apple TV.

While I’m sure this isn’t what countless pundits meant when they said Apple would make a “TV,” this is pretty nuts. It’s $49 and mounts just like a flatscreen mount. It comes in multiple colors and could be one of the best solutions out there if you want to keep your iPad out of harm’s way in the kitchen. Otherwise, this is totes overkill. Also, I suspect the folks at Wallee will soon be hearing from Pixar.

Product Page

Office 2011 beta invites sent out

Neowin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 02:16:58 +0000

If you have been waiting for your invitation to get into the Office 2011 beta for OS X, check your inbox. Neowin was tipped off by a reader that invites for the beta have been sent out by Microsoft. The current build number is 100709. The email states, “The Office...

Little Big Planet 2 release date announced

Neowin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:50:32 +0000

The sequel to the user generated masterpiece, Little Big Planet has received an official release date via the US Playstation Blog. Little Big Planet 2 will release on November 16 and will have multiple pre-order options available. Media Molecule, the developer of the game, has joined forces with Disney, to give...

Is Sony developing a new laser to replace Blu-ray?

CrunchGear — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:11 +0000

A recent announcement from Sony researchers revealed the development on a new type of blue-violet ultrafast pulsed laser for optical disks. Sounds like it might be time to change formats again!

To be fair Sony just announced they were developing the laser, they didn’t actually say anything about bringing it to market yet, or even if it was intended to replace the current Blu-ray format. What they did reveal is that the new laser is capable of reading a disk that has 20 times the capacity of the current generation of optical storage. This means that a blue-violet based player could have more then 50 movies on one disk, or (even more likely) fit an entire season of a TV show on one disk. That would certainly help clean up my Netflix queue!

[via Slashdot]

CrunchGear PSA: Starcraft II trailer may cause nerdgasm

CrunchGear — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:16 +0000

7/27 is coming soon friends. I’ll see you online.

HP’s Slate may still live as more details revealed

Neowin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:46:44 +0000

HP's tablet computing device (dubbed the "Slate") may still live on, despite rumors the company had axed the planned device in favor of a new one running webOS, which is now owned by the company after their recent acquisition of Palm. The glimmer of hope, which comes from HP's own website,...

Nokia hunting for a new CEO?

Neowin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:28:01 +0000

Nokia is reportedly undertaking a search for a new CEO to lead the company, amid mounting criticism that the company is struggling to keep up in the smartphone race. Nokia -- once the powerhouse of mobile phone development -- is struggling to keep up with the pace and innovation of the...

DIY: Make your own glow stick fluid

CrunchGear — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:56:37 +0000

Like glowsticks? Wanna make your own, and put them into whatever container you prefer? The video above will show you step by step instructions on how to make your own glowstick fluid in various colors using chemicals available on the internet. As the person who made the video warns you though, it is cheaper to buy them in a store then to make your own.

[via Hackaday]

Microsoft creates a terapixel map of the night sky

Neowin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:11:30 +0000

Recently, Microsoft Research took us all on a high resolution voyage to Mars. Now, they are expanding on that experience. At their Research Faculty Summit on July 13, Microsoft announced their Terapixel Project. This project involved stitching together 1,791 plates from various telescopes that were located in California and Australia....

Activision has sunk $100 million into StarCraft II

CrunchGear — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:45:18 +0000

One hundred million dollars. That’s quite a lot of money. If you factor in advertising, you’re looking at what is perhaps the most expensive game ever made. It’s not a chump bet, though: the insane popularity of StarCraft means that they can expect a huge return on their investment, to be paid back over what will certainly be a long, long shelf life for this game. Activision may be expecting as much as a billion dollars in revenue to come out of this particular item. I believe it.

[via 1up]

SNES bed – for those who like sleeping alone

CrunchGear — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:00:43 +0000

I’d buy it. But I’d install it in my secret room, where all my Pac-Man ephemera and cartridge mobiles are hung. $20,000 is a lot for an unofficially Super Nintendo-themed bed, though. Do they think that the SNES generation grew up stupid?!

Even if it does come with two iPad docks and a 250-watt amplifier with four speakers (!), that’s a lot of money. If you’re into it, though, head over to Hollandia to check out the i-Con.

[via Furninfo, TechEBlog, and Gearfuse]

Scan negatives the awesome way: by taking pictures of them

CrunchGear — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:30:09 +0000

If you don’t want to spend the bills on a high-quality negative scanner, but do want to get some of those old black and white 35mm rolls backed up digitally, this one’s for you. Basically, all you need to do is get yourself a toilet paper roll or two, stick them together, mount the film at the other end in an old slide mount, and stick the whole thing on the front of your camera.

I’d recommend a short telephoto lens on a crop sensor — around 75-120mm ought to be fine. Get a strong light source behind the film, double check your focus, and start snapping away.

[via DIY Photography, Gizmodo, and Wired]

Team Fortress 2 Engineer Update now available

Neowin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:44:41 +0000

Valve, the developer behind Team Fortress 2, has rolled out another update for its critically acclaimed first-person shooter. Coming as the last of the class upgrades, the "Engineer Update" will be the last refresh of its kind to be released by the developer. As with the previous class upgrades, Valve...

Google invested $100+ million in Zynga as "cornerstone" for upcoming Google Games?

Neowin — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 03:10:56 +0000

Google has reportedly invested more than $100 million in Zynga, a popular social gaming company, and is quietly preparing to launch a new product, Google Games, later this year. According to TechCrunch and their "multiple sources", Google (and not Google Ventures - the search giant's venture capital division) has secretly pumped...

Microsoft cuts jobs globally across the company

Neowin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:20:21 +0000

Neowin reported yesterday that there were rumors of possible job cuts within Microsoft, and today these rumours turned into reality. Although Microsoft never publicly announced the layoffs, hundreds of workers were told today they would be losing their jobs. Rumours scattered throughout the company yesterday that Microsoft will continue pruning jobs...

Firefox 4 Beta 1 available now

Neowin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:39:27 +0000

Last week, Mozilla was spotted posting a beta candidate build of its upcoming Firefox 4 web browser. Today, the company has officially released their first beta to the public. Included in the beta is the browsers much anticipated revamped user interface. Featuring less chrome, more glass (for Windows Vista...

AT&T stores start receiving Windows Phone 7 promo materials

Neowin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:21:42 +0000

AT&T has reportedly started receiving promotional materials for the Launch of Windows Phone 7. Microsoft has stated that the launch is targeted for the fourth quarter, but this may point to a sooner than expected roll-out. Engadget points out that it is not unheard of for these types of material...

iPhone reception problem may be solved by software update

CrunchGear — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:22:29 +0000

Since the iPhone 4 has come out, there's been reception problems. People have blamed everything from sweaty palms, to carrier problems, to antenna placement. Apple has been fairly quiet about what the root cause is, but now it looks like they might have a simple solution to the problem.

New Olympus voice recorders: same old, same old

CrunchGear — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:31:39 +0000

No, you’re not seeing triple — those really are three totally different models of voice recorder from Olympus. Well, they’re not actually that different. Core functionality is largely the same between them: a few gigs of internal storage, rechargeable AAA battery, built-in stereo mics, and a monochrome LCD screen (now bigger!).

People do, in fact, still use these; not everyone can get by with a 99¢ iPhone app for recording important meetings and lectures. Here are the key features of the new models, from left to right:

WS-600S: $80. Bargain bin version. 2GB inside.
WS-700M: $100. Value buy. 4GB inside, MicroSD slot, noise cancellation.
WS-710M: $150. Fancy style. 8GB inside, MicroSD, noise cancellation, and a directional microphone in addition to the standard stereo one.

They should be available in… September? Man, why didn’t they just wait and tell us then?

New Adidas Wings 2.0 shoes are the next best thing to actual flying kicks

CrunchGear — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:30:12 +0000

Adidas has a hit on their hands, I think — not just with these “Wings 2.0″ shoes designed by Jeremy Scott. The Star Wars line of originals was also a huge hit. Custom, short-run gear like this is blowing up — even mad designs (like these) are going to find buyers (like me). Combine expert curating with the long tail effect and… yeah. Wings on your shoes.

More pics below.

Expect these things to hit the online Adidas store (and select retail locations) on August 10th.

[via HypeBeast, Albotas, and GearFuse]

Crunching the digits: The scale of Microsoft

Neowin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:59:10 +0000

Sometimes, a name or brand becomes such a large part of your life that you start to forget it is there. Microsoft is one of those brands. From your living room, to your desk, and even in your pocket, Microsoft is there. Even in a market full of competitors in almost...

Steve Jobs Responds To The Antenna Issue: Hold It Different Or Use A Case

CrunchGear — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:30:35 +0000

By now you’ve heard about the antenna issues some people are having with the new iPhone 4. Basically, it seems like wireless signal strength degrades if you hold the lower left corner on some, but not all devices. This has been shown on video and there are many reports out there about this issue — something that is particularly troublesome for left-handed people. I’m sure a lot of people have asked Apple about the issue — I have too. So far, I have yet to hear anything back other than they’re looking into it. But one man did hear something back about the issue — from Steve Jobs himself.

Here’s the Dell Streak’s US retail packaging (maybe)

CrunchGear — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:01:47 +0000

The Dell Streak is set to be released here in the states sometime soon — we hear the end of July. The 5-inch tablet/phone/EVO-eater will no doubt launch to a ton of criticism about it’s large stature and whatnot. Love it or hate it, this is what the retail packaging will likely look like. Think Jabra headset packaging, but with a very large touchscreen instead of a bluetooth headset suspended in a clear acrylic casing.

Altec Lansing’s Octiv Mini iPod dock actually looks quite cool

CrunchGear — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:58:53 +0000

As I often point out when posting new iPod docks and other incredibly common devices, it’s hard to set yourself apart from the rest, even when you’re an established brand. Buyers will feel no compunction over saving $10 and getting another device that looks just like yours — it sucks, but hey, image is everything. So I’m pleased to recommend this Altec Lansing dock on appearance alone.

I’m sure the sound is fine — we’ve all had or been around AL gear and it’s just fine, and anyway if you’re really looking for good sound quality, a compact dock like this isn’t the answer. You want it to be simple, good-looking, and produce decent sound. The Octiv Mini M102 does that (not that I’ve ever heard it).

I like the look; I had to request some extra angles from AL to confirm that it actually does have that sort of weird swept-back angle. Doesn’t it look kind of fake in that picture on the right? But no, it’s an honest-to-god distinguishing look, and I for one like it.

It also includes a free app for your iPhone or iPod Touch, “Alarm Rock,” which (predictably) acts as an alarm clock and lets you wake or sleep to whatever songs you like. There are probably a hundred free apps that do it just as well, but it’s a nice addition.

The Octiv Mini M102 will set you back $60, which seems reasonable.

Here are your Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword movements

CrunchGear — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:09:34 +0000

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword might be the Wii’s crowning achievement, magnum opus and the single best reason to buy the system. It’s going to be huge. Nintendo had a series of posters hung behind its E3 booth that will help you start practicing for the game right now. Click through for what we can only assume are the 11 major control movements for the upcoming Zelda title.

Premium PlayStation Plus subscriptions coming to PSN

Neowin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:11:32 +0000

Sony’s James Thorpe has taken the wraps off the soon to be released PlayStation Plus account. Speaking on the PlayStation blog, the PlayStation Network Product Manager detailed the premium subscription including the features associated with the account as well as the pricing and release date.

The blog post describes…