End User

Nintendo's DSi Available in US By Next Summer

Although Nintendo's follow-up to the ultra-popular gaming handheld the DS will be available in Japan starting tomorrow, US players will have to wait until next summer. But that's a-okay with pretty much everyone as far as I can tell.

The reason for this, beyond the fact that nearly all Japanese made products are released in the Japanese market first, is that the initial release date information given by Nintendo-US President Reggie Fils Anime was a vague but distant sounding, "well into calendar year 2009." The DSi though obviously very similar to the existing DS Lite is different in many ways, for example: it is slimmer but has a significantly larger screen, it has a built-in opera web browser, it doesn't have a GBA slot, it has two on-board digital cameras, and it has music playback, SD memory card functionality and will feature access to downloadable content through the DSi Store. The bummer regarding the new unit are that DSi games and software will be region locked, meaning that they will only play on DSi units from the geographical areas the games were manufactured for, i.e. Japan games for Japan, North American for North America, etc. It looks as if this restriction will also be the case with downloads from the DSi Store. Still, every DSi will be able to play any DS game though, since DS software cards always have and will continue to not be region locked. Region locking is a bummer because lots of people have partaken of DS imports for years. No more if you are using a DSi though I guess. Regardless, potential owners in North America and Europe will be able to see how the Japanese market takes to the new unit before the unit goes on sale here next year.

Check out the features video below made for the Japanese release for details, though all in Japanese I'm afraid.

--Tom Milnes

Earliest Xbox 360 Adopters May Not Get Netflix HD Video

The partnership with Netflix that will provide on-demand, instant streaming of video content to Xbox LIVE gold subscribers who also subscribe to one of Netflix's Unlimited Plans, is most definitely one of, if not THE coolest feature that will be unveiled next month as part of the 'New Xbox Experience,' the much anticipated UI update of the Xbox LIVE service. But unfortunately, it looks like the earliest of adopters of Microsoft's Next-Gen gaming console, myself included, may be left ever so slightly out in the cold as the NXE party kicks off on November 19th.

Yeah I know, "ever so slightly" is an odd and imprecise description, but one that longtime Xbox 360 owners have a certain understanding of. With regards to the Netflix partnership, here's the deal. Assuming no problems with insufficient broadband speeds, Xbox LIVE gold subscribers--again, with an existing Unlimited plan through Netflix--will gain access to about 10,000 or so video titles that can be instantly streamed (not downloaded) as part of the fee they pay for their existing Netflix account, using the 360 as a conduit. In addition to this it has been revealed that 360 owners will also be the first up to receive access to streamed HD content via Netflix. (others, including Tivo subscribers will get access to this later in the year and beyond) Initially this will only include about 300 HD titles. The caveat here is that this HD content will not be viewable on non HDCP-compliant (high bandwidth digital content protection) displays or through console setups utilizing non-HDCP compliant cable configurations. Yes, I hear you rummaging around for your HDTV manuals. Generally speaking though, if your Xbox 360 and HDTV are connected via a HDMI cable you are probably good to go, depending on your TV. These restrictions are designed to prevent content sharing/piracy.

Getting back to the original mention of early adopters of the Xbox 360, our problem and hence the slight chill we are feeling, is that the initial version of the 360 did not include HDMI output, only component video, which is not HDCP compliant. This should work for the standard video streams ("huzzah!"), but not for the HD content (just "ah!"). Some might wonder why we would even expect to get access to this content without a HDMI cable. Well, perhaps because the 360 offers HD content right now via the existing component cable via Xbox LIVE. Others have also said, "weren't all those initial Xbox 360s wiped out by the infamous Red Ring of Death (RRoD)?"; basically, a massive overheating issue that effected an equally massive percentage of the initial Xbox 360s produced. Well I got news for you. Those us us smart enough--or was it dumb enough?--to realize that compulsively keeping your 360 cool subverts the full-blown RRoD issue, are still using the consoles we bought back in '05. Oh yeah, and those early consoles that are as loud as a buzz saw with discs in them, are distractingly noisy simply powered up. Personally I ventilate mine behind glass, so it never over heats and is something approaching quiet. This has saved me the expense of purchasing a new console, but also cost me the RRoD and noise issue fixes and the added HDMI functionality that newer releases have provided.

Again, although it would seem that we earliest adopters are just "ever so slightly" smart enough to get by with what we have, it would also seem that we are definitely not smart enough to see where things are going. I sense an Xbox Elite in my future. Regardless of what 360 console you are on, definitely check NXE out when it launches on Nov. 19th.

Update: Since posted earlier today there has been a post on engadget that if taken at face value shows that Netflix HD content can indeed be accessed through the Xbox 360's component cable, making the the only deal breaker here a non-HDCP compliant HDTV. If true this is a big win for owners with pre-HDMI Xbox 360s. Check back for further confirmation from Microsoft prior to the launch of NXE on Nov. 19.

--Tom Milnes

Psystar Mac Clones To Feature Blu-Ray Drives

Steve Jobs' comments during the MacBook event earlier this month during which he called Blu-Ray technology "A bag of hurt"--referring to claimed difficulties in licensing--as part of the explanation for leaving this functionality out of the new MacBook line, sounded off base today as Mac clone manufacturer Psystar confirmed that it has OS X-compatible PCs available right now at $554 and $1,154 that feature upgrades including Blu-ray optical drives and the GeForce 9800GT GPU for $310 and $400 respectively.

What has really got to burn Apple in this announcement is that it has been locked in anti-trust litigation with the Florida-based manufacturer over its Open Computer product line, since July, citing eight counts of copyright infringement, breach of contract, trademark and trade infringement, and unfair competition. Since this initial action Psystar has filed its own counter suit claiming monopolistic actions in the market on the part of Apple. Currently both parties are engaged in a mediation agreement set to expire next February. In the meanwhile it looks as if anyone looking for Blu-Ray functionality with OS X have an option if you really want it. Personally, I can't say that I know too much about Psystar's Open Computer line aside from, as its name suggests, it is able to run on consumer's choice of Linux, Mac OS X or Vista. The hardware obviously is not made for any of these and frankly looks somehow very unmac like, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It is said to be plenty noisy though, which blows in pretty much anyone's book. Regardless, it is interesting to see this challenge to Apple continue and I'm sure that that Psystar hopes to sell as many units as it can before February when the legal action continues and its luck may run out in the form of a recall.

If interested in Psystar's Open Computers, take a look at Psystar's site and this engadget page for specs and a video review from a few months ago.

--Tom Milnes

Cowon Launches Touchscreen O2 PMP

Budget-minded readers looking for an alternative to the iPod Touch might just fall in love with the newest offering from Cowon.  They have just released the O2 to North American consumers, and it's packed with some pretty impressive features.  It comes equipped with a 4.3-inch touchscreen that sports a 480 x 272 widescreen resolution, and an optional composite cable allows the O2 to send 720p video to HD televisions.  This flash-based unit comes in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB flavors, and is also compatible with SD and SDHC cards for even more room.  Along with being able to play a slew of audio, video and image formats, the O2 can also display various document types and record audio in FLAC format.  Cowon boasts that their Power Management System can squeeze up to 8 hours of video or 18 hours of audio out of a single charge--good news for frequent travelers who need their entertainment fix.  Click here to see more details, or here to check out the current O2 selection at Amazon.com.

--Jon D.

Sonos Releases Free Controller App for iPhone

Sonos today released an iPhone/iPod touch app that replicates the functionality of their CR100 Controller.  If you're unfamiliar with Sonos, it's a multiroom music system that, using units called ZonePlayers, sends music to different rooms of your home.  Sonos was one of the pioneers of multiroom digital audio--plenty of systems have been released since at varying price points and levels of functionality, but for our money no one's quite matched Sonos' easy-to-use interface and simple setup.

The iPhone/touch app has pretty much all of the functionality of the standard controller software: you can scroll through your music library, play one song in multiple rooms or a different song in each room, and access Internet radio and music services like Last.fm or Pandora. 

Oh, and the app is free.  It won't do you any good if you don't have a Sonos system of course, but this plus the recent 2.7 Sonos firmware upgrade that introduces Sonos Radio is a classy touch--Sonos isn't a subscription service so this makes them seem committed to adding value to your initial purchase, which puts them out in front of the cheaper alternatives.

Watch the app in action in their demo below, and if you have a Sonos system you can get the app here or in the iTunes App Store.

--Aric A.

Microsoft Enters Into Cloud Computing With Windows Azure

This morning at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in Los Angeles, Microsoft launched what appears to be its first strike in what could be deemed the Cloud Computing Wars, with the official announcement of Windows Azure. Azure is a services-based Web operating environment, similar to Amazon.com's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) Web services program and others that have been around the Internet for a while, that provide scalable hosting environments for developers to build and store applications. Basically we are talking a massive Web-based storage, development and distribution tool. But unlike EC2 and the others, Azure will almost certainly be exclusively Microsoft software centric, allowing developers to use .NET and other Microsoft based tools on the platform. And since Microsoft has the deepest pockets around they have been able to sink billions into this, building data centers all over the world in a move that may create a web platform as dominant as the one they enjoy on the PC.

So what does this mean for consumers who are not developers or employed by them? Initially, probably not much, but the fact that the biggest software company on the planet is jumping into cloud computing should perk up a lot of ears. Many consumers are starting to take note of netbooks, which are designed, as their name suggests, to be used primarily with tools that utilize the Internet as its conduit and storage device for software, thus negating the need of extreme processing power and weight adding hard drives. For many personal and business consumers this includes use of Internet-based versions of resource sucking a applications like the products that make up Microsoft Office. Good examples of these are Google Apps and Apple's MobileMe. Although not able to match the full features of say, any of their respective MS Office software counterparts, these Web apps cost a fraction of the amount a full-fledged Microsoft licensed product would, making them a real deal and a viable solution assuming a reliable Internet connection. So, do you think that Microsoft sees the writing on the wall as far as how the Internet will be used with regards to future software development, distribution and use? Most certainly. In fact, according to Microsoft Chief Software Executive (the job that used to be Bill's), Ray Ozzie, cloud computing and by way of it Azure, is,

"...a transformation of our software. It's a transformation of our strategy," continuing to say, "We are in the early days of a transformation to services across the industry."

This sounds to me like beginning of the end of the personal software collection as we know it, with items not only truly digitally delivered but accessed from a remote site. I will miss those multicolored gem cases. I like the idea, but it makes me nervous at the same time. No more storage devices destined to become coasters or necklaces and smaller and smaller pieces of hardware get a big thumbs up, but do we really want a complete service model where everything is developed, downloaded, purchased and tracked through the same process?

What do you think? Let me know.

--Tom Milnes

Reports from the PhotoPlus Expo, Part I

For the 25th year in a row, the photography industry is converging on New York for the Photoplus Expo. Since companies always push for October/November releases to take advantage of the holiday season, it's a perfect opportunity to try out the latest and greatest. I spent all day testing equipment and taking to representatives from companies big and small, and will discuss some of my favorites. My reviews always skew toward user experience and what niche a product might play in your life instead of exhausting, rigorous tests, and will be doubly so when using products that usually have security standing around making sure you don't use it in any way they don't want you to (in one weird extension, not only did Nikon not want people taking pictures of the new 50mm f/1.4G, they tried to keep people from taking pictures of it.)

Lala's New Music Service: Stream What You Already Own, Buy What You Don't

The music service Lala went through some tumultuous times over the past few years.  It started out as a way of swapping CDs by mail, then tried to break into the digital music arena by purchasing Woxy.com, and now it's shown back up to the party in a new suit with the beta version of an updated Lala.com.

Lala is now selling DRM-free MP3s for 89 cents each, as well as streaming-only "web songs" for a dime each.  The latter's a bit of a sticky proposition--it's nice that you can get a streaming album for under a buck in most cases, but it feels a bit like paying for a version of imeem.com, which provides essentially the same service for free.  The one advantage here is that songs in your imeem playlists can occasionally disappear as profiles shutdown or have full streaming rights stripped, whereas you'll always have access to your Lala web songs, since Lala pays liscensing fees to the RIAA and imeem doesn't.  You can also listen to any song or album once for free if you're just looking for new music, and Lala provides an intelligent suggestion engine to provide plenty of fodder for exploration.

But forget all that, because in my opinion it's not the one feature that's truly worth signing up for.  Lala will scan your hard drive for music you already own--even DRM'ed iTunes songs--and unlock them as web songs in Lala's own catalog, meaning you can listen to your music anywhere you have a web browser.  It's similar to the now-defunct My.Mp3.com, except it's entirely legal.  They're giving you credit on their site for owning your own music, which is a refreshing attitude and ensured that I was stumbling over myself getting to the "sign up" button.  There's even rumor that a relevant iPhone app supporting these streams is coming sooner rather than later, which would give you the same mobile functionality as a Simplify server, without the need to leave your home PC/server on all the time (or at all).

There are two things to keep in mind about this, however: one, you're limited to what's in Lala's catalog, which is extensive at around 6 million songs and growing, but not exhaustive, so your more obscure musical gems may not be available.  Second, unlocking the songs depends a lot on the quality of your ID3 tags and/or metadata, so if you've ripped a bunch of your own CDs but haven't tagged them, you can save yourself a lot of time by using iTunes or any other music application with Gracenote/CDDB support to automatically pull album info before you use Lala's Music Mover tool.  However, if you've got a lot of time on your hands, you can upload your unmatched songs to Lala.  But note that all of this is for streaming through a browser on other computers only--even if you upload music to Lala, you won't be able to download it to another computer unless you buy a digital copy.

But still!  Those of us with work laptops are rejoicing at the thought of being able to stream our home music collections without the need to muck about with server settings or RDP/VNC access.  And the arrival of an iPhone/iPod touch app means the virtually unlimited capacity of a Simplify server without any setup beyond the initial uploading of your music. 

Check it out for yourself and sign up for beta access at Lala.com.

--Aric A.

Bites from the Apple: MacBook Afterglow (Now LED-Powered)

As with just about any new Apple release, the initial gasping rush of amazement and a welling up of need-now consumer lust is soon replaced by gadgetosphere bickering over either what-could-have-been or what-went missing (as well as a message from Greenpeace that Apple's improved its green cred... but it could have done so much better). The new Macbooks certainly fulfilled those plot expectations, with oohs and ahs over the industrial design and manufacturing process (I, for one, have watched the Apple video a couple of times) giving way to complaints over the dumping of the FireWire port, the lone choice of a glossy glass screen, DisplayPort instead of a mini-DVI, and no Blu-ray Disc support or memory card reader.

The biggest fuss seems to be over the missing FireWire port, which is gone completely from the MacBook and appears on the MacBook Pro only as a FireWire 800 port (which isn't as widely used as the more standard FireWire 400, though you can get an adapter that will work with FireWire 400 peripherals). Some have groused that this kills the Target Disk Mode and requires you to connect via Ethernet to use the Migration Assistant to transfer data from one computer to another. But, by and large, this is functionality that's rarely needed. The bigger headache (as Peter Kirn documents over at CreateDigitalMusic) comes for those (consumers and professionals) who have FireWire-based peripherals (external hard drives and digital camcorders), who now must choose the higher-priced and bulkier MacBook Pro if they want to upgrade to one of the new models.

But Cyrus Farivar over at his Salon Machinist blog makes an interesting point noting an email exchange he had with Macworld senior editor Peter Cohen, who wrote Macworld's article on the FireWire flameout and notes that Apple seems to be pretty good at figuring out what technologies to support and which ones to ditch.

"But Apple's COO, Tim Cook, is always quick to point out that half of the customers who buy a new Mac from the Apple Store are new to the platform," he wrote. "We can then infer that half the people who will be buying new MacBooks are new to the platform as well. For many of them, the MacBook's lack of FireWire connectivity may not be a problem in the slightest; they may not have any FireWire peripherals at all."

What do you think? Are you up in arms over the lack of FireWire? Or is there something else about the new MacBooks that's bugging you? Let us know in the comments. For now, let's take out the fine-tooth comb and see what else we can uncover about the new MacBooks.

• Check out some of the other technologies that Apple has laid waste to over the years (remember that floppy drive?) over at Technologizer.

• If you're scratching your head over the new DisplayPort (which, like HDMI, provides both video and audio output through one cable connection), Macworld covers everything you need to know about this new standard.

• From APC's "top 10 things you didn't know about the new MacBook," we learn that they run a special build of Mac OS X that includes some changes to System Preferences (including a new Trackpad pad and replaced the Energy Saver's old lightbulb icon with a CFL bulb).

• Some other facts posted by Jason O'Grady at The Apple Core:

  There are at least six Liquid Submersion Indicators (LSIs) in the the MacBook. Don’t feed coffee to your MacBook. Apple will know that you did.

  Hard drive swaps are now much easier in the MBP. The HDD sits next to the battery under a latched cover. The HDD is secured by one screw.

• Gizmodo has an extensive hands-on look at the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, and they provide us this warning: "When you open the new MacBooks, be careful not to smudge your iSight lens. It's positioned right where your fingers go—and ours is now covered with grease."

• As expected, Greenpeace applauds Apple's move to reduce toxic PVC plastics, but says it could have gone all the way an eliminated them.

• Looks like we're not finished with this season's Apple updates. AppleInsider reports that refreshed 20- and 24-inch iMacs will make their debuts in the next few weeks.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

5 Ways Tech Addicts Can Save Money in This Economy

With the economy recently on a roller-coaster ride, many people are looking to ways to save money--but that doesn't mean you have to give up your tech addiction.  Here are five easy ways to save money on gadgets and software without having to go cold turkey on tech.

1) Free Open-Source Software -- One of the most open secrets of the online world is that for almost any paid piece of conventional software, there's a free, open-source alternative that's at least almost as good if not equal in every way.  Can't afford Photoshop?  Try GiMP.  Can't justify upgrading your Microsoft Office suite?  Check out OpenOffice.org, which is compatible with most Microsoft file formats. Two great sites for a directory of free open-source software (or FOSS) are OpenSourceWindows.org for XP and Vista users, and OpenSourceMac.org for OS X users.

2) Free web apps -- Similar in practice to FOSS, but these apps are web-based and while free (or low-cost), aren't necessarily open-source.  The great thing about web apps is that sometimes you just need quick access to basic functionality, and the right set of bookmarks can give you just that if you want to edit photos and images, jot some quick notes, or convert a few files.  Google is the 800-lb gorilla of great web apps, but there are many others to choose from. Here are some suggestions:

Photo management and editing: Picasa

Draw/paint application: SUMO Paint

Office apps (text editor, spreadsheets, etc.): Google Docs

File conversion: Zamzar

Budget and expense tracking: Mint.com

(Got more?  Suggest your favorite web apps in the comments.)

3) Convergence -- If you're going to spend money on tech, you may as well get the most value for your dollar by finding single gadgets that can do multiple things instead of separate gadgets for each one.  This doesn't mean buying the biggest and best with tons of features you'll never use; but rather find an affordable gadget that does everything (or most things) you need and nothing you don't.

For example, with their increasing capabilities such as music, video, and Internet, mobile phones are the lowest-hanging fruit for convergence.  Whether it's an iPhone, Blackberry, or something else, if you can find the right phone you can pitch your MP3 player, camera, PDA, e-book reader and carry it all on one device.  And speaking of which: if you have a multimedia phone, how many of you have a separate headset for your phone and headphones for your music?  Well, nowadays headset/earphone combos like the Etymotic Research HF2 or the V-MODA Vibe Duo mean that you don't have to carry two different devices for a single jack.

4) Previous models -- This isn't always the most appealing option, but sometimes it makes sense to spend less money on a slightly less-capable version of the same device than to be an early adopter.  Whether it's an iPod, laptop, or phone, you can often get the device you want at clearance prices just by accepting a little less memory or a few less ports you didn't need anyway.

5) Barter -- Yes, really!  There are many people on Craigslist, in your local paper, or even an email alias at work who might trade a gadget you're not using for a gadget they're not using.  Don't see any trading opportunities available?  Make your own: take out an ad yourself offering what you have and what you're willing to trade for and see who bites.  Note that the usual rules of caution with classified ads and private parties apply.

--Aric A.