air

MacBook Air one month check (Verdict: It's great)

For all of those who were concerned about the lack of DVD, battery life, etc. on the MacBook Air I can tell you that I have been using the computer very successfully with no issues for a month now.

While I am sure that I will be bored of this machine in a few months it's a non-issue compared to the alternatives: the burden of a pretty giant MacBook, or switching to Windows.

The only problems I have run into are the same things that I have experienced with every Apple laptop; the fact that 'sleep' doesn't always … Read more

Report: Air Force shuts Boeing out of $40 billion tanker deal

Boeing officials must be feeling a little bit like the New England Patriots after the aerospace giant on Friday lost out on a $40 billion Air Force deal.

According to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required to view full article), Boeing was considered the favorite to win a $40 billion deal to build midair refueling tankers for the Air Force, but lost out in the end to a consortium made up of Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman and the European Aeronautic Defence & Space, parent company of jet maker Airbus.

"Boeing was heavily favored to win the contract," the … Read more

Gadgettes 79: The Feel-Good Episode

EPISODE 79

Polaroid digital photoframe makes them weirdly desirable http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2008/02/polaroid_digita.html

Barf no more with ReliefBand http://www.popgadget.net/2008/02/barf_no_more_wi.php

Stink-free compost right in the kitchen http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9881204-1.html

USB Wireless Finger Mouse http://www.popgadget.net/2008/02/usb_wireless_fi.php

Tuck Your Cell Phone into The Tare Panda Holder at Night http://chipchick.com/2008/02/ tuck_your_cell_phone_into_the_tare_panda_holder_at_night.html http://www.dreamkitty.com/Merchant2/ merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=T-MK41901&Category_Code=NEW

SweetPea3 MP3 player for kids http://www.popgadget.net/2008/02/sweetpea3_mp3_p.php… Read more

Samsung's health-conscious air conditioners

Here in the tropics of Singapore where it's perpetually summer, air conditioners are big business all year long. We're happy campers as long as they just do their job, but Samsung is on a crusade to improve our health as well with two new bacteria-killing models.

Using Samsung's proprietary Micro Plasma Ion technology, the Vivace Shadow Mirror pictured here and Neo-Forte pack enough firepower to zap all manner of germs. According to company representatives, MPI is capable of effectively eliminating 78 percent of fungus and 58 percent of bacteria in a 30-minute time frame, within an enclosed … Read more

MacBook Air, from beauty to beast

Yeah, this is exactly what we'd want to do: Shell out a couple grand to get a MacBook Air for its sleek, minimalist design, then immediately send it off to get an atrocious custom job that would stick 8,000 Swarovski crystals on it for hundreds of dollars more, as seen on Engadget.

Moreover, as if the aesthetic offense weren't enough--and trust us, it is--this special treatment would reportedly add a half-pound to the Air's weight and 1/8th of an inch to its thickness, alterations that would seem to defeat the purpose of the ultra-thin laptop … Read more

Security experts warn of potential malicious AIR code

On Monday, Adobe Systems rolled out its new Web 2.0 development tool, Adobe Integrated Runtime, or AIR. Following its release were some concerns from the security community.

AIR, formerly Adobe Apollo, is a runtime environment that allows developers use HTML, Flash, AJAX, Flex, and other Web 2.0 tools to create desktop applications. One such application built using Adobe AIR comes from Nickelodeon Online.

But some security experts are concerned about local file access by AIR applications. Recently, Firefox experienced a vulnerability that could have allowed remote attackers to access a targeted file system. To mitigate this, Adobe says … Read more

Has Apple found the magic Touch?

Apple is betting that the iPhone's breakthrough in the way we interact with mobile phones will transfer over to notebooks.

The new MacBook Pros and MacBooks introduced Tuesday aren't all that much different from the ones that were on sale yesterday. Sure, they've got Intel's new Penryn chips, and more potent configurations, but for the most part, it's the same laptop. That is, with one notable exception.

Apple brought the gesture-recognition technology first introduced on the MacBook Air over to the new MacBook Pro systems, which will likely ship in much larger volumes than the … Read more

Another proprietary wireless audio system: Sony S-AIR

While everyone likes the idea of streaming music wirelessly around their home, in reality it can be less-than-enjoyable because of difficult configurations and network dropouts. Trying to address this common complaint, Sony has introduced its new S-AIR technology, which Sony says can get wireless audio up and running without "IP addresses, WEP keys and pin codes." S-AIR will be featured in several of Sony's home-theater-in-a-box systems, and owners can listen to their music wirelessly in additional rooms by purchasing additional AIR Air Stations ($120, available in March).

Proprietary wireless audio solutions aren't exactly new. Klipsch offers … Read more

Sony refreshes Bravia home theater line for 2008

In 2007, Sony extended the previously TV-only Bravia moniker to cover its flagship all-in-one home theater systems for the first time. The branding extension must've been a success, because a new round of Bravia home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs) is on deck for 2008. All four 2008 Bravia models will include the following baseline features. (Where applicable, we've taken the liberty of translating many of the terms from Sony-ese into English.)

Single chassis DVD receiver: The amplifier/receiver includes a built-in five-disc CD/DVD changer, with built-in support for standard Dolby and DTS surround modes. HDMI output: DVDs can be upscaled to 1080p resolution when connected to compatible HDTVs. 5.1 surround sound: Each system includes five satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Bravia Theatre Sync: Sony's implementation of HDMI-CEC lets the system interact with compatible Sony TVs when they're connected via HDMI, automating some processes such as input switching. Digital Cinema Auto Calibration (DCAC): This is simply the company's name for the built-in system that customizes the speaker levels to the particular sonics of your room. Dialogue Audio Enhancer: Otherwise known as "midnight mode," this feature normalizes volume levels for late-night viewing. DM Port compatibility: All Bravia systems include support for Sony's proprietary DM Port accessories: the TDM-NC1 Wi-Fi music streamer, the TDM-NW1 Sony Walkman MP3 player dock, and the TDM-BT1 Bluetooth adapter, all of which must be purchased separately. Outboard iPod dock: The fourth DM Port accessory, the TDM-IP1 iPod dock, is included. Wireless rear speakers: Each Bravia model includes an option to set up the two rear speakers wirelessly. (Whether the wireless speaker accessory is included or needs to be purchased separately varies from model to model.) S-AIR compatibility: New for 2008, the Bravia systems are compatible with Sony's proprietary S-AIR wireless technology, meaning they can stream music to a small speaker system (the AIR-SA10) located elsewhere in the home. (Whether the AIR-SA10 and its companion transmitter is included or needs to be purchased separately varies from model to model.)

Specific details for each system are as follows:… Read more