computer hardware

computer Hardware

HP Pavillion Entertainment Tablet PC

The HP Pavilion Entertainment Tablet PC tx2510us provides the ideal convergence of the best features with the latest mobile computing technologies.High-definition widescreen, touchscreen BrightView display.3 GB DDR2 RAM and 250 GB, 5400 RPM SATA hard drive.Included pen lets you accurately write, draw and erase.Includes HP Pavilion WebCam with integrated microphone.Preinstalled software includes Microsoft® Office® 2007 Student and Teacher Edition with 60 day trial, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 with 60 days complimentary updates and many other programs.

Evolution of a podcast three microphones compared

Podcast 14 was the first one where I used the Snowball microphone from Blue. This USB condenser microphone sells for about $70-80 and it’s a big step up from the other two. I covered some of the details in podcast 14, but it has three audio patterns, comes with a cool metal stand (it has an optional spider mount), and it looks like a plastic softball. It’s a bit bulky, but the sound is greatly improved from the other options and the audio patterns are much less peaky. When used in the cardioid pattern almost no ambient noise was picked up. I actually misjudged how close you can get to this microphone without overwhelming it, so my levels were a bit low expect to see that fixed for the next podcast.
So what’s the verdict? Basically, sometimes you just need the right equipment. This isn’t to say that the other two solutions weren’t OK or that we couldn’t have hacked together something, but the ease-of-use and the performance of the Snowball microphone make it the clear pick here. With some optimization of our setup and a bit more experience with editing, the podcast should be sounding better than ever in no time.
And, of course, good recording is just about podcasting. It also improves Skype chatting, videos, conference calls, multiplayer gaming, and so on.

Acer Android netbook will be dual

When Acer global vice-president Jim Wong said the company would continue to supply Windows netbooks alongside their new Android netbooks, we didn’t expect that to mean dual-booting. However, much to Linux-lovers dismay (and in fact anybody who wanted to avoid the so-called Windows tax of roughly $25 for an XP license), company president JT Wang has now confirmed that at least the first wave of Android netbooks will come with both open-source and Microsoft OS.The Android/Windows XP dual-boot netbooks are expected to go on sale in Q3 this year, with Wang suggesting that Acer will work closely with carriers to sell these particular models. If demand for a solely-Android machine is there - from telecoms providers, at least then Acer will consider dropping their dual-OS strategy.Wang described the move as much safer for Acer, given lack of consumer acceptance for Android at its present developmental stage. The company is likely to promote Android as a value-added feature for mobile use, given the platform’s emphasis on connectivity.

Microsoft's Zune HD is coming

Look, we fully understand that September 5th is a long ways out, but don't think for a second that Microsoft isn't inking every last detail of its Zune HD launch in stone. That said, Windows expert and all-around good guy Paul Thurrott has been told that this very player will ship exactly on the fifth day of the ninth month of this year. Needless to say, that jibes with Microsoft's official line this fall but sadly, we've no other information to go on at the moment. In other words, feel free to pencil this one in, but keep that eraser handy cool?

Chevy Camaro evidently nabs Microsoft Zune support

You've heard of Chevrolet, right? You know that struggling automaker underneath the General Motors umbrella? For those who've long given up their ties to muscle cars in favor of the kid-friendly minivan or Earth-friendly hybrid, you may not even know that a revitalized Camaro is just around the bend. Based on some hands-on time with a production vehicle at an undisclosed dealer, Microsoft's Zune integrates perfectly into the sound system, and said integration is supposedly a standard feature on the car. What's more is that we're told some 27 other GM models will also include Zune support from the factory as they launch in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia through 2011, though details beyond that are scant. Hope they cooked in support for the Zune HD, ya dig?

iriver T-DMB-packin B30 portable media player emerges

The T-DMB-equipped B30 just popped up over on iriver's Korean website, complete with an FM tuner, 2.8-inch QVGA display, a microSD expansion slot, 4/8/16GB of inbuilt memory, white, black silver color options, USB 2.0 connectivity, a user-selectable equalizer and a list of supported file formats too lengthy to cover in this space. Furthermore, we're told that the battery is good for 40 hours on audio and 5.5 hours with video, and while a ship date has yet to be revealed, we're expecting 'em to go for around $155, $183 and TBD from least capacious to most.

AdMob to introduce new iPhone

AdMob is also combining search and display in a separate new format that will allow advertisers to add search boxes to banner ads so users can type queries directly within the units. The ads would enable people would be able to search a brand's mobile site or other database, such as an automaker's inventory of used car models at local dealerships.

BenQ Joybee GP1 Latest Version

Maximum resolution is 858 x 600 for external sources the GP1 will accept higher, but downscale them to suit and 720 x 480 for the onboard media player. Projection quality is high, easily besting that of the other two pico-projectors we’ve tested, with crisp focus and bright, if oversaturated colors. The 100 ANSI lumens LEDs used to backlight the picture are gutsy but still fall far short of a mainstream projector in a dark room you can crank the image size up to 60-70 inches at most, though you’ll begin to lament the resolution at that point.