The average universal remote is $150 so the price isn’t too bad, but at the same time, it does utilize the iPhone’s touchscreen and hardware to power the remote (read: shouldn’t it be cheaper?). The RedEye remote may be a solid option for those who are already looking for a universal remote and don’t already have one. At the same time, at a lower price point, I could see this going from a nice-to-have for iPhone owners to a must-have, given the quality of the device.

I’m still putting the RedEye through a variety of well-thought-out (not) and rigorous (not) tests, so we’ll hold off for a full review. For now, hit the jump for more pictures and impressions.

RedEye was previously in private beta for testing purposes only, but is available for purchase as of today at their website.

The RedEye device itself has great design, and I was impressed with the quality of the hardware. It probably shouldn’t be stuck in the middle of a living room wrestling match, but it could probably handle an accidental ass-squishing or two. Unless of course your 300 lb. Aunt Edna decides to take a seat on it.

First impressions: I’m happy to say the device works – which is, well, fairly important. It connects to your iPhone via Wi-Fi and doesn’t seem to have any significant latency from pressing the button on your iPhone to firing a signal off to your TV/DVR/Blu-Ray player. That said, I’ve only tried it on Dish Network’s awful set-top box thus far, which already has a ridiculous lag time. Setup was a bit difficult, but that’s to be expected given that it’s a universal remote. The RedEye definitely has great potential, and as long as it delivers on some core universal remote features, it may just be worth the hefty price tag. Check out the pics and promo video below.

So this is how the other half lives, huh? It must be nice to have a house full of $1200 remotes customized with user profiles and home automation controls. Yes, this remote costs $1200 and that doesn’t include installation and yes, you need it to be installed professionally. This isn’t a Harmony remote that can be set up in 10 minutes. But once it’s installed, holy cow, it’s effen amazing. I would call it the perfect remote, but I had two demo units die on me.

Features:

• Haptic feedback touchscreen
• IR, RF, and Wi-Fi controls
• Windows Media Center compatible
• Rechargeable battery
• MSRP of $1,199.99

Pros:

• Amazing build quality
• No limits on customization
• Touchscreen is perfect in size and function

Cons:

• It’s $1,200
• Most people cannot program it
• I had two units stop working on me

Review:

The first thing you’ll notice about the MX-5000 is the build quality. It feels like a million bucks. The buttons are smooth and hard with just the right amount of pressure needed to press them down. The screen is bright, sharp and very high-res. Even the charger screams high-end. It’s easily the best-feeling remote I have ever used.

But then I tried to set it up. The company offered to pre-program the remote before they sent it to me, but that insulted my inner nerd. I thought, “How hard could it be?” Well, after watching four online instructional videos from URC and spending about eight hours, I finally got the remote to communicate with my devices. But after that first, huge learning curve, I feel like I can do almost everything with the remote. I’m sure there are some super-macros that I don’t know about, but I managed to program the remote to control three AV systems (one via RF). I feel like all the CrunchGear writers could program the remote, along with a few of my nerdy friends. However, there is no way that the average Best Buy shopper could. Maybe the average MicroCenter customer.

The issue is that the setup program isn’t meant for the general public or the DIY crowd. It involves using IF THEN statements for macros and manually adding devices’ RF profiles. However, this type of programming allows installers complete control over how the remote controls each system. Anything is possible and installers are not tied down to a wizard.

Everything is customizable. You use pre-programmed themes or make your own in Photoshop. It’s totally up to the installer to create a pleasant user experience. I’m personally happy with how my UI turned out.

I found that backgrounds for the BlackBerry Storm are the perfect resolution, and this one looks great with the brushed look of the remote. My setup allows me to control three different AV systems in my house – not that I really need that ability. I added a dedicated TiVo button to one of the default layouts and it works great.

The remote also features a Wi-Fi chipset, which enables simple RSS feeds like sports scores, news, and weather to be displayed on the remote. And it can easily control a Windows Media Center PC. The info screens are nifty, but almost a novelty. However, the Windows Media Center control is the coolest function of the remote.

All you need to do is tell the remote the Windows Media Center computer’s IP address in the PC programming software and it works. The remote’s touchscreen displays common functions and the navigational pad controls the on-screen GUI. It works flawlessly and is the easiest way to control Windows Media Center with a remote that I have ever used.

But not everyone has the ability to hook up a Media Center PC to their TV. The remote can still access a PC’s music library and provide two-way communication. This means that as long as the PC is hooked up to an audio receiver, the remote can control and play back music and even display album art.

I would love to slap a large, “highly-recommended” sticker on the remote but I can’t because of the issues I had with the first two demo units. The first one just stopped working about two weeks after I got it and the other one stopped waking up when I picked up the remote. After disabling the motion sensor in the second demo unit, it worked fine for a while but eventually it started to freeze daily, which was resolved only by pulling the battery. But most of the review samples we get are first-run units so bugs can be expected. The third remote seems to be fine.

The only real downside to the remote besides the price is that most people will probably need a pro to install it. If URC can come up with a complete, but also easy to use wizard, there is a market for such a remote – even at the high price. It’s the complete package: candy bar form factor, totally customizable, Wi-Fi- and RF-enabled, and it feels amazing. There is a huge difference in quality and ability between this remote and the $400 Harmony 900, but unless you have cash to burn or a complicated A/V setup, there really isn’t any reason to spend the extra cash. Unless you want the best remote on the planet, that is.

Product Page

Oh, I get it. It’s called “Shack” Friday at Radio Shack instead of Black Friday. Because “shack” sounds like “black” and “shack” is part of Radio Shack’s name. So basically, they just switched the two words around. I get it.

Know what else? The damn sale starts on Thursday! What a world! “Most stores open at 10 AM Thursday,” says the circular. And then they open at 5:30 in the morning on Friday! That’s Shack-rilege! See how I worked the name of the store into that one?

UPDATE: Radio Shack’s PR team was kind enough to send over high-resolution images of the national circular. Here are the links to the images:

Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3

Anyhoo, here’s the good stuff. Doorbusters are marked with an asterisk.

Automotive

Gigaware Car Charger for iPod – $10.00

Sirius Stratus 5 Dock & Play Radio + Car Kit – $29.99

XM onyX Satellite Radio – $59.99

Blank Media

25-Pack of Gigaware 16X DVD-Rs – B1G1F

50-Pack Of Gigaware 52X CD-R – B1G1F

Gigaware 25 Pack of 16X DVD-Rs – B1G1F

Gigaware 50 Pack of 52X CD-Rs – B1G1F

Cell Phones

BlackBerry Curve 8520 (w/2-Year Agreement) – $0.00

Gigaware High Power Docking Speaker For iPod – $49.99

LG Xenon Cell Phone (w/2-Year Agreement) – $0.00

Motorola CLIQ w/Motoblur (w/2-Year Agreement) – $79.99

Motorola i776 Cell Phone – $69.99

Nokia 2720 No-Contract Mobile Phone – $9.99

Palm Pixi Cell Phone (w/2-Year Agreement) – $99.99

Palm Pre Cell Phone (w/2-Year Agreement) – $99.99

Plantronics E210 Bluetooth Headset – $19.99

Samsung Impression Cell Phone (w/2-Year Agreement) – $29.99

Samsung Instinct S30 Cell Phone (w/2-Year Agreement) – $0.00

Samsung Mantra Cell Phone – $29.99

Snap-On Covers for iPhone 3G or Blackberry Curve 8300 – $9.99

Computer Accessories

Gigaware 1.3MP Webcam w/Microphone – $14.99

Gigaware 2.1 Multimedia Speaker System – $10.00

Gigaware Folding Notebook Cooling Pad – $10.00

Gigaware VoIP USB Headset – $10.00

Gigaware Wireless Optical Mouse – $12.99

Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo – $19.99

Netbook Accessory Bundle (USB Hub, Mouse, Earbuds, Cooling Pad) – $29.99

Pinnacle Ultra-Compact USB HDTV Tuner – $39.99

Computers

Acer 11.6″ Netbook w/Intel Atom Processor Z520, 2GB Memory, 250GB Hard Drive – $249.99

Acer 15.6″ Notebook w/AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor, 4GB Memory, 320 Hard Drive – $399.99

Digital Cameras

Buy Any $89.99 Camera In This Ad, Receive a Free Polaroid Pogo Mobile Printer – $0.00

Casio Exilim 10 Megapixel 3x Optical Zoom Digital Camera Gift Bundle – $89.99

Kodak MD81 12.0 Megapixel Digital Camera – $99.99

Nikon S220 10 Megapixel 3x Optical Zoom Digital Camera – $129.99

Olympus 12 Megapixel 7x Wide-Angle Zoom Digital Camera – $149.99

Vivitar 8.1 Megapixel 2x Optical Zoom Digital Camera – $49.99

Digital Media Cards

Sandisk 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo – $9.99

Sandisk 2GB Type-M xD-Picture Card – $9.99

Sandisk 4GB MicroSDHC Card – $9.99

Sandisk Standard SDHC Card – $9.99

DVD Players

Memorex Upconverting DVD Player – $29.99

Samsung BD-1600A Blu-ray Disc Player – $149.99

Electronics

Casio 32 Mini-Key Electronic Keyboard – $29.99

Discovery 54-Key Electronic Keyboard – $29.99

Discovery Kids Digital Camcorder – $39.99

Emerson Portable CD+G Karaoke Player – $29.99

Gigaware 7″ Digital Photo Frame – $29.99

Gigaware Micro Projector – $99.99

MagicJack VoIP Kit – $29.99

Motorola 4-Pack of 2-Way FRS Radios – $29.99

Panasonic DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone System w/4 Headsets – $69.99

Pandigital 10.1″ Digital Photo Frame – $79.99

Sanyo 720p High-Definition Video Camcorder – $169.99

Skullcandy Headphones – $9.99

USB Turntable – $79.99

Vivitar 720p High-Definition Video Camcorder – $69.99

GPS Systems

Garmin Nuvi 255W 4.3″ Widescreen GPS – $119.99

Garmin Nuvi 265WT 4.3″ GPS w/Free Lifetime Traffic Updates – $169.99

Mio 4.3″ M400 GPS – $79.99

TomTom XL 330S GPS w/Free Dash Mount – $99.99

Hard Drives

Iomega 320GB Portable Hard Drive – $49.99

Miscellaneous

5×7″ Recordable Talking Picture Frame – $10.00

Duracell Color Charger w/2 AA Rechargeable Batteries – $10.00

Enercell Holiday Bettery Tin – $9.99

ESPN GameDay Universal 4-in-1 Remote – $10.00

Gigaware 1.5″ Digital Photo Keychain – $10.00

Gigaware Crystal Skin for iPod Touch – $10.00

Gigaware Laser Etched Skin for iPod Touch – $10.00

Gigaware Retractable Rapid Home Charger for iPod/iPhone – $10.00

RadioShack 25-Piece Mini Tool Kit – $10.00

RadioShack 4.3″ GPS Soft Case – $14.99

RadioShack GPS Home AC Charger – $14.99

RadioShack Weather Cube Radio – $10.00

Rechargeable Spotlight – $10.00

Swiss+Tech Micro-Max 19-in-1 Tool Kit – $10.00

MP3 Players

8GB iPod Touchw/$20 GC – $199.99

Gigaware 2GB MP3 Player – $19.99

Gigaware 4GB MP3 Player – $39.99

Gigaware MP3 Accessory Kit – $9.99

iHome Computer Stereo Speakers w/Dock for iPid – $29.99

iLive 2.1 Home Theater Upconverting DVD System w/Dock for iPod – $99.99

iPod 8GB Nano w/$15 GC – $149.99

iPod Accessory Kit – $30.00

Sansa 2GB Clip Plus Music Player w/1000 Song Music Card – $49.99

Sound Bar w/Dock for iPod – $69.99

Networking

Netgear WNR1000 Wireless-N 150 Router – $34.99

Portable USB Storage

Sandisk 2GB USB Flash Drive – $4.99

Sandisk 4GB USB Flash Drive – $9.99

Televisions

AOC 22″ 720P LCD HDTV – $199.99

Auvio 3.5″ Pocket Digital TV – $79.99

Auvio 7″ Portable TV – $119.99

Samsung 32″ LCD HDTV – $399.99

Video Games

DualShock 3 PS3 Wireless Controler – $29.99

Gigaware Recharging Station for Nintendo Wii – $12.99

Nyko Wand for Nintendo Wii – $24.99

V.Motion Game Console – $34.99

Xbox 360 Elite System w/$60 Cash Back & 2 Games (Lego Batman and Pure) – $299.99

Radio Shack Black Friday Ad [BlackFriday.info]

More Black Friday deals…

It’s here. Best Buy’s Black Friday ad is here. Stores open at 5AM and Best Buy will “pass out tickets for our Doorbuster Specials up to two hours before 5 a.m. store opening,” according to the circular. That means no running, probably. You can still do that thing where you walk really fast and sort of skip a little bit, but no running.

Doorbusters are marked with an asterisk.

Automotive

Alpine 50-Watt x 4-Channel Car Stereo – $99.99

Pioneer 50 Watt x 4-Channel Car Stereo & Speaker Pair – $89.99

Cell Phones

AT&T Sony Ericsson W518a – Free w/2 Year Contract *

BoostMobile Motorola Clutch i465 – $59.99

DLO Jam Jacket For iPhone – $9.99

Jabra BT-2080 Bluetooth Headset – $19.99

LG Chocolate Touch From Verizon w/Two Year Activation – $0.00 *

MiFi 2200 By Novatel Wireless w/Two Year Activation – $0.00

Mobile Broadband Card 598U By Sierra Wireless w/Two Year Activation – $0.00

Motorola H710 Noise-Canceling Bluetooth Headset – $39.99

Motorola S9 HD Stereo Bluetooth Headset – $49.99

Net10 Samsung T401G – $39.99

Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8330 Smart Phone – Free w/2 Year Contract

Sprint Samsung Instinct S30 – Free w/2 Year Contract

T-Mobile Motorola Renew Phone – $7.99

Verizon Wireless DROID – $199.99 w/2 Year Contract

Verizon Wireless Motorola Rival – Free w/2 Year Contract *

Virgin Mobile Kyocera X-tc – $49.99

Computer Accessories

Logitech C250 Webcam – $19.99

Logitech V450 Nano Cordless Laser Mouse – $24.99

Rocketfish AC Power Adapter – $39.99

Computers

Compaq Netbook w/Intel Atom Processor, 1GB Memory, 160GB Hard Drive – $179.99

Compaq Netbook w/Intel Atom Processor, 1GB Memory, 250GB Hard Drive – $229.99

Dell 10.1″ Netbook w/Intel Atom Processor, 1GB Memory, 160GB Hard Drive – $379.99

eMachines Desktop w/AMD Athlon Processor, 3GB RAM, 320GB HD, Windows 7, w/18.5″ LCD Monitor and HP Deskjet Printer – $299.97

HP 15.6″ Notebook w/AMD Turion II Dual Core Processor M500, 6GB Memory, 320GB Hard Drive, Windows 7 – $599.99

HP 15.6″ Notebook w/AMD Turion II Dual Core Processor M500, 8GB Memory, 500GB Hard Drive, Windows 7 – $699.99

Macbook 13.3″ Notebook w/2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR3 Memory, 250GB Hard Drive, w/$150 Gift Card – $999.99

Sony 15″ Laptop w/Intel Dual Core Processor, 4GB Memory, 320GB Hard Drive, Windows 7 – $399.99

Sony 15″ Laptop w/Intel Dual Core Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB HD, Windows 7, Sony Headphones, Built-In Blu-ray Player, Blu-ray Movie – $479.97

Toshiba 16″ Laptop w/Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 3GB DDR3 Memory, 250GB Hard Drive (Model # L505-S5984) – $399.99

Toshiba 16″ Laptop w/Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB DDR3 Memory, 320GB Hard Drive (Model # L505-S5984) w/Printer and Case – $499.97

Digital Cameras

Canon EOS Rebel Tli D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm IS Lens – $699.99

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera (Grey) – $149.99

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera (Teal) – $149.99

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Extra Battery and Case (Grey) – $179.99

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Extra Battery and Case (Teal) – $179.99

Canon Rebel Tli Camera w/55-250mm IS Telephoto Lens and Lowepro D-SLR Bag – $849.97

Fujifilm Finepix Z37 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Extra Battery and Case – $149.97

Fujifilm Finepix Z37 Polka Dot 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera – $119.99

Insignia 720p HD Camcorder – $69.99

Insignia NS-DSC10A 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera (Pink) – $49.99 *

Insignia NS-DSC10B 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera (Blue) – $49.99 *

Kodak EasyShare C140 Digital Camera With 7″ Kodak Digital Photo Frame – $109.99

Nikon Coolpix P90 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera – $299.99

Nikon Coolpix P90 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Extra Battery and Case – $329.97

Nikon Coolpix S60 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera (Red) – $179.99

Nikon Coolpix S60 10.0 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Extra Battery and Case – $209.97

Nikon D3000DX 10.2 Megapixel D-SLR Digital Camera w/10-55mm and 55-200mm Lens and Bag – $599.97

Nikon D3000DX 10.2 Megapixel D-SLR Digital Camera w/10-55mm VR Lens – $499.99

Sony Cybershot W180 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera (Black) – $99.99

Sony Cybershot W180 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera w/Flexpod and Camera Case – $119.97

Digital Media Cards

PNY 4GB Flash Drive – $9.99

PNY 4GB MicroSD HD Memory Card – $9.99

PNY 4GB SDHC Memory Card – $9.99

Sandisk 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo – $14.99

Sandisk 8GB MicroSDHC Memory Card – $19.99

Sandisk 8GB SD Card – $19.99

DVD Players

Insignia Blu-ray Disc Player (Model # NS-BRDVD3) – $99.99

Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-ray Disc Player – $279.99

Samsung Blu-Ray Disc Player – $149.99

Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc Player – $149.99

Electronics

2GB Pulse Smartpen w/$30 Gift Card – $169.99

Bose In-Ear Headphones – $89.99

Canon Vixia HD HF20 Camcorder – $499.99

Canon Vixia HD HF20 Camcorder w/Extra Li-Ion Battery & 8″ HDMI Cable – $599.97

Dynex 7″ Digital Photo Frame – $29.99

iHome Portable Alarm Clock Speaker iPod Dock – $39.99

Insignia 7″ Digital Photo Frame – $44.99

Logitech Harmony 510 Advanced Universal Remote – $39.99

Panasonic DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone System w/3 Handsets – $59.99

Pandigital 9″ Digital Photo Frame – $59.99

Sony DCR-SR47 Handycam Camcorder – $249.99

Sony DCR-SR47 Handycam Camcorder w/Extra Li-Ion Battery & Bag – $299.97

Sony DCR-SX40 Handycam Camcorder – $199.99

Sony DCR-SX40 Handycam Camcorder w/Extra Li-Ion Battery & 8GB Memory Stick – $259.97

Sony Reader Pocket Edition w/$30 Gift Card – $199.99

Sony Studio Monitor Headphones – $9.99

VTech DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone System w/2 Handsets – $44.99

GPS Systems

Garmin GPS Friction Mount – $14.99

Garmin Nuvi 205W GPS Navigation System – $99.99 *

Garmin Nuvi 255WT GPS Navigation System – $129.99

Lowepro Black Neoprene Sleeve – $7.99

Magellan SE4 GPS – $89.99

Tom Tom 540S Portable GPS Navigation System – $149.99

Tom Tom GO 730 Portable GPS Navigation System – $174.99

Hard Drives

LG External Slim Portable USB 2.0 DVD Drive – $49.99

Western Digital 1.5TB My Book Home Edition External Hard Drive – $119.99

Western Digital 500GB My Passport Elite Portable Hard Drive Titanium – $79.99

Western Digital WDTV Media Player – $74.99

Home Theater

4″ Monster Cable 700 Series HDMI Cable – $49.99

Init Cherry Wood Stand With Mount For TVs Up To 46″ – $99.99

Init Cherry Wood w/Black Glass Shelves TV Stand – $149.99

Klipsch Icon 2-Way Triple 5.25″ Floorstanding Speaker – $186.99

Klipsch Icon 2-Way Triple 6.5″ Floorstanding Speaker – $236.99

Samsung 5.1 Channel 1000W Home Theater System With Blu-ray Disc Player – $399.99

Sony 5.1 Channel 1000W Home Theater System – $279.99

Sony 7.1 Channel 770-Watt A/V Receiver – $279.99

Tilting Wall Mount For 30″-56″ Flat-Panel TVs – $99.99

Monitors

Acer 20″ HD LCD Monitor (Model # X203H) – $79.99

Dell 20″ HD LCD Monitor (Model # S2009W) – $99.99

MP3 Players

3 $10 iTunes Gift Cards – $25.00

8GB iPod 5th Generation Nano (Black) + Wall Charger & Case – $159.97

8GB iPod 5th Generation Nano (Blue) + Wall Charger & Case – $159.97

8GB iPod 5th Generation Nano (Pink) + Wall Charger & Case – $159.97

8GB iPod 5th Generation Nano (Purple) + Wall Charger & Case – $159.97

8GB iPod 5th Generation Nano (Silver) + Wall Charger & Case – $159.97

Apple 8GB iPod Touch 3rd Generation w/$30 Gift Card – $199.99

Bose Sound-dock Series II Digital Music System – $269.99

Power Pack for iPod/iPhone – $19.99

Sandisk 4GB Fuze MP3 Player (Black) – $44.99

Sandisk 4GB Fuze MP3 Player (Blue) – $44.99

Sandisk 4GB Fuze MP3 Player (Red) – $44.99

Networking

Linksys Ultra RangePlus Wireless-N Broadband Router w/4-Port Switch (Model # WRT160N) – $59.99

NetGear Wireless N Router (Model # WNR2000-100NAS) – $49.99

Portable USB Storage

Sandisk Cruzer 8GB USB Flash Drive – $19.99

Printers

$10 Gift Card With Any $40 Ink Purchase – $0.00

Epson Stylus NX110 Multifunction Printer – $24.99

HP Photosmart C4795 Wireless Multifunction Printer – $64.99

Software

Instant Immersion Spanish Software – $19.99

Microsoft Office Home And Student 2007 – $69.99

Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements – $74.99

Televisions

Dynex 19″ 720p LCD HDTV (Model # DX-L19-10A) – $149.99

Dynex 32″ 720p LCD HDTV (Model # DX-L321-10A) – $299.99 *

Dynex 40″ 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Model # DX-L40-10A) – $499.99

Insignia 42″ 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Model # NS-L42Q120-10A) – $699.99 *

LG 32″ 1080p LCD HDTV (Model # 32LH30-UA) – $439.99

Panasonic Viera 50″ 1080p Plasma HDTV (Model # TC-P50U1) w/Blu-ray Disc Player (Model # DMP-BD60K) – $999.98

Samsung 32″ 1080p LCD HDTV (Model # LN32B530P7F) – $497.99

Samsung 32″ 720p LCD HDTV (Model # LN32B360C5D) – $397.99

Samsung 40″ 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Model # LN40B500P3FXZA) – $597.99

Samsung 42″ 720p Plasma HDTV (Model # PN42B400P3DXZA) – $547.99

Samsung 46″ 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (Model # UN4686000VF) – $1599.99 *

Samsung 46″ 1080p LCD HDTV (LN46B500P3FXZA) – $847.99

Samsung 50″ 1080p Plasma HDTV (Model # PN50B530S2F) – $897.99

Samsung 50″ 720p Plasma HDTV (Model # PN50B430P2D) – $697.99

Sony 32″ 720p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Model # KDL32L504) – $377.99

Sony 40″ 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Model # KDL40S504) – $662.99

Sony 46″ 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Model # KDL465504) – $852.99

Video Games

$20 Gift Card w/Any DSi Game System Purchase – $0.00

Assassins Creed (PC Game) – $19.99

Bash Party (Wii) – $14.99

Bioshock (PC Game) – $19.99

Bolt (DS Game) – $9.99

Brutal Legend (PS3) – $34.99 *

Brutal Legend (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Call of Juarex (PS3) – $19.99

Call of Juarez (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Civilization IV (PC Game) – $19.99

Cooking Mama (DS Game) – $9.99

Cooking Mama (Wii) – $14.99

Crash (DS Game) – $9.99

Dragon Age (PS3) – $34.99 *

Dragon Age (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Excite Bots Trick Racing (Wii) – $14.99

Fallout 3 (PS3) – $19.99

Fallout 3 (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Family Game Night (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Far Cry 2 (PC Game) – $4.99

FIFA Soccer 10 (PS3) – $34.99 *

FIFA Soccer 10 (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Guinness World Records (DS Game) – $9.99

Hawx (PS3) – $19.99 *

Hawx (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Left 4 Dead 2 (PS3) – $34.99 *

Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Madagascar 2 Escape From Africa (Wii) – $14.99

Madden 10 (PS3) – $34.99 *

Madden 10 (XBox 360) – $34.99 *

Marker Man (DS Game) – $9.99

Marvel Ultimate Alliance (Wii) – $14.99

My Sims Kingdom (Wii) – $9.99

My Word Coach (DS Game) – $9.99

NBA Live 09 (Wii) – $9.99

NBA Live 10 (PS3) – $34.99 *

NBA Live 10 (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Need For Speed: Shift (PS3) – $34.99 *

Need For Speed: Shift (XBox 360) – $34.99 *

NHL 10 (PS3) – $34.99 *

NHL 10 (Xbox 360) – $34.99 *

Nintendo DSi Brain Age Bundle (White) w/$20 Gift Card – $169.99

Nintendo DSi Mario Bundle (Metallic Blue) w/$20 Gift Card – $169.99

Pikmin Classic (Wii) – $14.99

Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii) – $9.99

Resident Evil 5 (PS3) – $19.99

Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Riddick (PS3) – $19.99

Riddick (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Slots (PC Game) – $19.99

Sonic Chronicles The Dark Brotherhood (DS Game) – $9.99

Sony PlayStation 3 Package w/120GB Console, Little Big Planet, and Ratchet And Clank – $299.99 *

Spyro (DS Game) – $9.99

Stalker (PC Game) – $4.99

Sudoku Ball (DS Game) – $9.99

The Bigs 2 (PS3) – $19.99

The Bigs 2 (Xbox 360) – $19.99

Wii Sports Snowboard (Wii) – $14.99

Wii Sports (Wii) – $9.99

World Of Warcraft (PC Game) – $4.99

Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Bundle w/Four Pack Game Set – $299.99

BestBuy Black Friday Ad [BlackFriday.info]

More Black Friday deals…

Staples’ Black Friday ad has finally made its way to the outside world. Stores open at 6AM on Black Friday, which almost seems late considering a bunch of other retailers will be opening two hours earlier. Hooray for (sort of) sleeping in!

Here’s a list of the electronics items being offered. Doorbusters are marked with an asterisk and will be available from 6AM to 10AM on Black Friday:

Blank Media

Sony CD-R Media 100/Pack – $16.98

Sony CD-R Media 50/Pack – $9.98

Staples CD/DVD Jewel Cases 50/Pack – $4.99

Staples CD-R 100/Pack – $4.98 *

Cell Phones

Motorola H710 Bluetooth Headset – $39.99

Computer Accessories

Altec Lansing VS2621 PC Speakers – $19.99

Any Business Case, Sleeve, or Backpack – 40% Off

APC 450VA Battery Backup – $19.99

Belkin 6-Outlet Surge Protector w/Left Extension Cord Combo – $5.99

HP Wireless Mouse (Black) – $9.99

Logitech C600 Webcam – $39.99

Logitech Illuminated Keyboard – $29.99

Logitech V450 Wireless Laser Notebook Mouse – $14.99

Microsoft 4000 Wireless Laser Keyboard/Mouse Set – $29.99 *

Microsoft VX-3000 Webcam – $9.99

Targus 208-CD/DVD Album – $9.98

Targus Notebook Fan – $9.99

Computers

Dell Desktop PC w/AMD Athlon X2 215 Processor, 4GB RAM, 640GB Hard Drive, 20-inch LCD Monitor – $499.98

Dell Studio 15.6″ Laptop w/Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 Processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive – $599.98

HP 15.6″ Laptop w/Intel Celeron Processor 900, 3GB RAM, 160GB Hard Drive, Windows 7 – $299.98 *

HP 15.6″ Laptop w/Intel Pentium Processor T4300, 4GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, Windows 7 – $399.98 *

HP 17.3″ Laptop w/Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive – $599.98

Sony 15.5″ Laptop w/Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive – $649.98

Digital Cameras

Canon PowerShot A1100 12.1 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/4x Optical Zoom, 2.5″ LCD (Silver) – $129.99 *

Flip Ultra Camcorder w/2″ LCD – $129.99

Free Canon Photo Printer With Purchase Of Any Digital Camera (After Rebate) – $0.00 *

Kodak 10.0 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/Memory Card And Bag – $79.99 *

Kodak EasyShare M340 10.2 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom, 2.7″ LCD – $109.99 *

Nikon Coolpix L100 10.0 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/15x Optical Zoom, 3″ LCD (Black) – $199.99 *

Nikon Coolpix L20 10.0 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/3x Optical Zoom, 3″ LCD – $99.99 *

Nikon Coolpix S570 12.0 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/5x Optical Zoom, 2.7″ LCD – $149.99 *

Nikon D3000 10.0 MegaPixel Digital Camera – $499.99 *

Olympus Stylus FE4000 12.1 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/4x Optical Zoom – $99.99 *

Sony Cyber-Shot W220 12.1 MegaPixel Digital Camera w/4x Optical Zoom – $129.99 *

Digital Media Cards

SanDisk 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo – $12.99 *

SanDisk 4GB SDHC Memory Card – $9.99 *

SanDisk 4GB Ultra II CF Card – $12.99 *

SanDisk 4GB Ultra SDHC Card – $12.99 *

SanDisk 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo – $24.99 *

SanDisk 8GB microSD Memory Card – $14.99 *

SanDisk 8GB Netbook SDHC Memory Card – $14.99 *

SanDisk 8GB SDHC Memory Card – $14.99 *

SanDisk 8GB Ultra II CF Card – $24.99 *

DVD Players

Coby 7″ Portable DVD Player – $49.99

Electronics

4-Device Universal Remote – Free After Rebate

AT&T DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone With Digital Answering System – $49.99 *

Coby 7″ Portable Digital TV – $99.99

HP 10″ Digital Picture Frame 512MB Memory – $139.99

HP 8″ Digital Picture Frame 512MB Memory – $109.99

Maxell Noise-Canceling Headphones – $20.00

Memorex iPod Clock Radio – $25.00

Midland LXT360VP3 2-Way Radios – $24.99

Motorola H390 Bluetooth Headset – $9.99 *

Omnitech 12″ Digital Picture Frame – $69.99 *

Omnitech Bluetooth Speakerphone – $20.00

Omnitech Digital Photo Ornament – $10.00

Omnitech Mini-Speaker – $9.99

Panasonic DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone w/Digital Answering Machine – $49.99

Sharp Handheld Calculator – Free After Rebate

Skull Candy Ink’d Earbuds – $9.99

Sony Reader Pocket Edition And Cover With Light Combo – $214.98

Sony Reader Pocket Edition Cover With Light – $54.99

Sony Reader Pocket Edition With 5″ Display – $199.99

Sony Reader Touch Edition And Cover With Light Combo – $319.98

Sony Reader Touch Edition Cover With Light – $59.99

Sony Reader Touch Edition With 6″ Screen – $299.99

Sungale 7″ Digital Picture Frame – $29.99 *

Uniden DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone w/Digital Answering Machine – $59.99

GPS Navigation Systems

Garmin Nuvi 255W Portable GPS – $119.99 *

Magellan RoadMate 1700 Portable GPS – $199.99

TomTom Go 830 Portable GPS – $169.99

TomTom XL 330 Portable GPS – $99.99 *

TomTom XXL 530S GPS – $149.99

Hard Drives

Seagate 1.5TB External Hard Drive – $139.99

Seagate 1TB External Desktop Hard Drive – $69.99 *

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB Portable Hard Drive – $69.99 *

Memory

PNY 1GB DDR PC3200 Desktop Memory – $49.99

PNY 2GB DDR PC5300 Desktop Memory Kit – $49.99

Monitors

Acer 23″ Widescreen LCD Monitor – $139.98

eMachines 21.5″ Widescreen LCD Monitor – $89.98 *

Samsung 23″ TV/Monitor Combo – $249.98

MP3 Players

Coby 2GB MP3 Player – $14.99

Trio V418 4GB MP3 Player – $29.99

Networking

Linksys Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router – $89.99

Netgear WNR1000 RangeMax 150 Wireless Router – $34.99

Portable USB Storage

HP 16GB USB Flash Drive – $29.99 *

HP 4GB USB Flash Drive – $7.99 *

HP 8GB Portable Flash Drive – $12.99 *

PNY 4GB USB Flash Drive – $11.99

Printers

Brother HL2170W Laser Printer – $89.98

Brother HL3040CN Color Laser Printer – $179.98

Brother MFC-295CN All-in-One Printer – $59.98

Brother MFC-7340 Laser Multi-Function Printer – $99.98

Caanon imageCLASS MF4350d Laser Multifunction Printer – $149.99

Canon Pixma MP560 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer – $99.98

Canon Pixma MP640 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer – $49.98

Epson Stylus 1400 Wide-Format Photo Printer – $89.98

Epson Stylus NX415 All-in-One Printer – $49.98

Free HP Inkjet Printer w/Purchase of Any PC or Laptop (After Rebate) – $0.00

HP Color LaserJet CP1518ni Printer – $199.98

HP Deskjet F4280 All-in-0ne Printer – $39.99 *

HP LaserJet P1005 Printer – $49.98

HP LaserJet P1006 Printer – $89.98

HP OfficeJet 6000 Wireless Inkjet Printer – $59.98

HP OfficeJet J4680 All-In-One Printer – $64.98

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 All-In-One Printer – $149.98

HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One Printer – $79.98 *

HP Photosmart Plus All-In-One Printer – $74.98

HP Photosmart Premium All-In-One Printer – $99.98

Lexmark E260dn Laser Printer – $124.98

Software

Adobe Photoshop Elements – $49.99

Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007 – $69.99

Norton 360 With PC Purchase Or Staples Rewards Members – $9.99 *

Norton AntiVirus 2010 – $9.99

Peachtree Pro Accounting 2010 (After Rebate) – $0.00

Staples Black Friday Ad [BlackFriday.info]

More Black Friday deals…

Amazon has a pretty aggressive deal on a refurbished Logitech Harmony 890 universal remote control. It’s priced at $99.99, today only, down from just under $250 normally.

The remote controls up to 15 devices and includes both RF and infrared signals. Setup is handled via PC or Mac and the list of compatible devices is up over 175,000 currently. There’s a built-in color LCD screen and lithium-ion rechargeable battery as well. Again, this deal is good today only. The remote carries a 90-day warranty direct from Logitech.

Logitech Harmony 890 Remote Control – Refurbished [Amazon]

You’ve got to admit, $39.95 is a pretty good deal. The remote is refurbished, so be aware, however Logitech does warranty the remote for 90 days parts and labor, so you should be pretty safe. Plus, buying one non-refurbished will set you back about $100. You’d be buying it through Ebay, and shipping is free to the continental US. Here’s a list from Logitech of what devices are supported by the H670.

[via Dealnews]

Update: New 1.01.11 firmware now available, plus Wi-Fi test results are in.

Short Version: Western Digital’s newest addition to its growing lineup of media players, the WD TV Live, essentially picks up where its older sibling (the great WD TV) left off. With the newly added networking capabilities via a built-in Ethernet port or USB Wi-Fi adapter (sold separately), the WD TV Live has taken Western Digital’s little black box to the next level. Be it photos, music, video (encoded with just about any codec under the sun), or the newly added access to YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, and Live365, the WD TV Live can handle just about any kind of media thrown its way. Overall, it is a highly capable, easy to use, and relatively affordable all-around high definition media player.

Long Version: The original WD TV HD Media Player was a great first attempt by Western Digital. Unfortunately, the lack of network and Internet access made the device less desirable to a large group of potential customers. Fortunately, WD seems to have listened to the growing community of WD TV fans while putting the new WD TV Live together and has added network and Internet connectivity features.

Hardware:

Although the WD TV Live is technically a new device, in reality it’s just a moderate overhaul of its aging sibling, the original WD TV. As such, I will try to focus more on the new changes than on the features that have remained the same.

Besides the newly added network and Internet connectivity, the most noticeable difference between the old and new WD TV Live is the actual color of the device. Where the original was clad in dust-loving, fingerprint attracting shiny black plastic, the new Live comes sporting an arguably more sleek, matte charcoal gray finish.

The device measures 1.57″ x 3.94″ x 4.94″ and weighs in at 0.67 lbs. It includes two USB ports (one on the side, one on the back), one HDMI 1.3 port, optical audio out, Ethernet, composite out, and component output. The included mini remote (below) is identical to the original version and the AC adapter is relatively small and self-contained (i.e. no power “brick”). Besides the remote and power adapter, the device also ships with composite and component cables (HDMI, optical audio, and USB storage devices sold separately). The WD TV Live is also compatible with various “universal” remotes such as Logitech’s Harmony series.

Installation:

Installing the WD TV Live couldn’t be much easier (assuming you’re using an HDMI cable). Once you’ve attached the little sticky rubber feet to the bottom of the unit, simply plug-in the AC power adapter, attach the HDMI cable to the device and your HDTV, and insert any variety of USB storage (i.e. external hard drive or flash drive) into the side and/or the back USB port(s). That’s it. Now fire up your beautiful TV, hit power on the included WD TV Live remote, and voila…you’ve got an HD media player at your service.

Interface / Functionality:

Just like the old WD TV interface, the slightly updated UI is reminiscent of many media player apps (think Windows Media Center, XBMC, etc). Essentially, you are presented with a visual navigation system to choose between video, photos, music, and system settings. Instead of trying to explain all the various screens and options, here’s a not-so-brief (kinda unnecessarily long) video overview of some of the features:

One thing I forgot to include in the video is the new “preview” mode, which joins the previously included List, Thumbnail, and Search modes. The preview feature allows you to see a file’s info (such as size, type, etc) while also showing/playing a clip of the video, photo, or audio track. This is nice, for example, if your media files are poorly labeled or if you can’t quite remember which was the last episode of Arrested Development you had watched.

Another “oops! I forgot” feature is the newly added ability to copy, move or delete files between connected USB storage drives and/or networked storage/computers. This is really handy if, like me, your DVD ripping machine (i.e. your PC) resides in room X but your WD TV Live is set up in room Y; now you can simply move your latest media files from your machine to your attached USB storage right over the network (with some patience, especially over Wi-Fi).

As for compatibility, the WD TV Live supports the following (enormous list of) file types:

• Video – AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4), MPG/MPEG, VOB, MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1), TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264), M2TS, WMV9
• Photo – JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF, BMP, PNG
• Audio – MP3, WAV/PCM/LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF/AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS
• Playlist – PLS, M3U, WPL
• Subtitle – SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, SMI

Conclusion:

The WD TV Live is a definite improvement over its older sibling (the non-Live). If you are looking for an HD media solution that will play pretty much every type of media known to man (see the list above), has a very small physical footprint, network/Internet connectivity, and has limitless storage (i.e. its only limited by the amount of storage you own), then you really can’t do much better than the WD TV Live HD media player.

For those of you who love lists, here is a quick recap of all the highlights and improvements found in the new media player:

• Faster – boot-up, thumbnail loading, and overall operation
• Network access – access content over your home network via Ethernet or USB Wi-Fi adapter
• Internet – access content from YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, and Live365
• Firmware updates – update the media player’s firmware directly over the Internet
• File management – transfer files between USB storage devices, pull files off the network, and delete unwanted files
• Preview mode – in addition to List and Thumbnail views, Preview mode shows the file’s information and plays the media
• Component video – new connection choice in addition to HDMI and Composite
• Color – new matte charcoal casing

As good as the new WD TV Live is, there is still room for improvement. I’d love to see future firmware updates bring Netflix ‘Watch Now’ functionality, access to sites like Hulu, the ability to navigate by ‘chapter’ like on a DVD (with VOB, MKV, etc), and even some sort of Internet browser a la Opera on the Wii. In terms of future hardware improvements, it would be nice if the device had Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in, thereby providing an even better network/Internet experience and the ability to use a keyboard with the hypothetical Internet browser. And a physical on/off button built into the WD TV would be handy if you (temporarily) lose your remote (read: there are NO actual buttons/controls on the device itself).

Nonetheless, for $149.99 MSRP (or cheaper somewhere on the ‘Net) the WD TV Live HD Media Player is a highly capable and worthwhile addition to most anyone’s media center. One caveat: if you’ve already got a PS3 and/or XBOX 360 (I have neither), then you are probably one of the few who wouldn’t benefit much from the WD TV Live. In any case, with increases in speed, utility, and functionality, the WD TV Live is definitely a welcome addition to WD’s line of HD media players and a worthy successor to the original WD TV. For more, check out the new WDTVLive.com.

According to the product description:

The fingerprint keyless entry incorporates the latest biometric technology in providing access to your garage door. It can store up to 10 fingerprints, is easy to program and install. It’s perfect for families with children who do not have to remember a 4 digit code and possibly pass a code to someone else. The universal adapter means it will work on all brands of garage door openers.

Pretty sweet deal, although you’ll have to hide one of your fingers in the backyard somewhere so you don’t get locked out by accident. That, or just keep your hands with you at all times.

Chamberlain Fingerprint Keyless Entry [Home Depot via FatWallet]

Woot.com is selling the 8-device Philips “Prestigo” universal remote for $20 plus $5 shipping, today only. It normally sells for $70 and up elsewhere, so this is a pretty nice deal if you have too many remotes in your life and you’re looking to simplify.

There’s a little 96×67 LCD screen for manipulating various controls and the remote is able to program macro-like actions. For instance:

“Selecting ‘watch a movie’ button holds all necessary commands to be able to start watching a movie: switch on the TV, switch on the amplifier and select the right input, switch on the the DVD player and start playing.”

The future, my friends. The future.

Philips Prestigo 8-Device Universal Remote [Woot.com]

The Harmony 700 just works. It doesn’t look as fancy as the 900, but I don’t care. What I care about in a remote is the most functionality for the lowest price. And let me tell you that this remote scores high in that area. I don’t care if I spoil the review, I just have to say that I love this remote.

The Logitech Harmony 700 is the perfect combination of form and function at the right price. It’s super comfy to hold and the buttons are firm. At first glance, the buttons seem a tad small, but I found them to work just fine. I never once wished the buttons were larger.

The screen isn’t the greatest, but it gets the job done because you really don’t use it all that much. The remote’s top buttons are dedicated to activities and if the remote is set up properly, a physical button is probably somewhere on the remote to do whatever you need it to. But just in case there isn’t, you can program anything as a soft button with the LCD screen.

The Harmony 700 is set up just like every other Harmony remote via an Internet-connect computer. A software wizard guides users through all the steps. If you know your model numbers and how everything is connected, the whole process shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

The remote is powered by two AA batteries that are – get this – recharged via microUSB. I love that! The remote comes with a charger/USB cable, but a standard cell phone charger works too. Or if the remote dies when it’s not convenient to recharge it, just throw in two AA batteries.

Recommendation:

I love this remote. That should be clear. But I don’t think you should buy it right now. No, the year-old Harmony One is $150 brand new online. That’s a better deal. It comes with a charging station, more sex appeal, and a bigger LCD screen. However, if you can’t find a deal on the One or this guy drops in price, I don’t see why you shouldn’t buy it. It’s a great remote.

Pros:

• Great ergonomics
• Firm buttons
• Rechargeable via microUSB
• Very easy to program
• Great starting MSRP of $150

Cons:

• Better options available for $150 at time of writing

Product Page

I kind of like the new inMotion Classic from Altec Lansing. Follow me on this: it’s not just an iPod dock as it has FM radio, the handle doubles as a stand, and it has rechargeable batteries. The only thing I don’t dig about it is the price.

The $149 price seems a little steep. Maybe if the trim was really metal and not plastic, I could see spending the cash thanks to the high-quality material. But it does have a remote, a Class D amp, and works with the iPhone, so I guess the price isn’t all that bad.

Press Release
Altec Lansing Ups the Ante in Portable Audio for iPhone and iPod

New InMotion Classic offers rechargeable battery, FM radio

MILFORD, PA – September 8, 2009 – Altec Lansing, a division of Plantronics, Inc., today introduced the newest member of its inMotion family, the inMotion® Classic (iMT620), which works with iPhone as well as iPod and includes an FM radio tuner. Based on the popular iM600 — one of the best-ever selling portable iPod speaker systems — the inMotion Classic offers advances in portability, audio performance and, of course, iPhone compatibility.

Starting with its rechargeable battery, the inMotion Classic is engineered for portability and versatility, so music enthusiasts can groove anywhere without missing a beat. Compact and lightweight, the inMotion Classic folds to the size of a small book. Its clever multi-function handle serves three important roles: swing up for grab-and-go transport, swing back as a kickstand, and swing under to stow away and turn off the battery.

“Mobility is becoming more and more important ,” said Ed Benforado, Product Category Director for Altec Lansing. “Music lovers want to share their sounds with friends and family on the go. Consumers told us they don’t want to drain their batteries during travel, they don’t want to lose their remote, and they want an easy way to carry the dock. We listened: that’s why the inMotion Classic has automatic shutoff in pack mode, built-in remote control cubby, and 3-position handle.

With a built-in digital FM radio, the inMotion Classic provides entertainment even when your iPhone or iPod is not handy.

“Works with iPhone” certification means interference-free listening, eliminating the need to switch the iPhone to airplane mode. iPhone and iPod devices are automatically charged when the inMotion Classic is plugged into a power outlet.

The inMotion Classic’s advanced remote control features full menu navigation for iPhone and iPod, allowing users to browse artists, songs and playlists directly from the remote. The high-contrast LCD always lets you know the song details from afar.

The inMotion Classic utilizes proprietary Audio Alignment™ craftsmanship to deliver a balanced, authentic sound. Expanded Sound Stage technology enhances the stereo listening experience by widening the sound field at the touch of a button. Custom-built, dual 3-inch neodymium drivers throw out clear, powerful sound with the quality that Altec Lansing fans have come to expect.

Features
Versatile Handle – Swing back for a kick stand, swing up to grab and go, tuck away to pack.
Digital FM Radio – Tune in with a retractable antenna, LCD display and station presets.
Rechargeable battery – Five hours of rechargeable freedom.
Full-feature remote –Complete control over menu and music options.
Audio Alignment™ – Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for optimum sound.
Clear, digital sound pushing full, pulsing bass – Digital signal processing technology delivers thumping bass.
Expanded Sound Stage – Project your music far and wide.
High-contrast LCD – Always know your beat. Track, artist, album and station display.
Music Pause – Automatically pauses music when a call is received on the iPhone.
Interference Free – Unique design is immune to mobile phone interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.
Auxiliary input – Switch it up by connecting a second audio source.
Universal dock for iPhone and iPod – Recharges while it plays your tunes.
Compact and lightweight – Easy to carry, easy to use.
Remote cubby – Stow the remote away.
Onboard controls – Power, audio source, volume, FM radio and song navigation.

Pricing and Availability
The Altec Lansing inMotion Classic (iMT620) will be available in mid-September at Best Buy, Apple retail stores and Apple.com, Amazon.com, ToysRUs and other leading consumer electronics retailers, as well as at www.alteclansing.com. MSRP is US$149.95.

For more information on the complete Fall 2009 audio collection from Altec Lansing, visit www.alteclansing.com.

Now that the Harmony 900 has effectively taken the top tier away from the older Harmony One, Logitech needed a suitable remote for the bottom tier. That’s where the $150 Harmony 700 comes in. From the presser, it seems that this new remote might simply be a slightly stripped down Harmony One. The look isn’t that clean, the LCD screen is smaller, and the charging system a little janky with AAs, but it’s still got what makes a Harmony special: dead simple macro setup thanks to great PC software.

The overall look is almost a combination of the One and the old 659. A row of macro buttons curve along the top and the rest of the buttons following the same layout as the One/900. That’s fine, it works. Hopefully the actual LCD screen looks as sharp as it does in the press shot too.

We should get our review sample later today, so check back for a hands-on followed by a full review. I have a feeling though that we’re going to end up recommending the Harmony One, which can be had for the same price online as the 700’s MSRP. That is, of course, Internet retailers don’t heavily discount the 700 too.

So in the event that you somehow manage to lose one, which would be damn near impossible, you’ll have another one at the ready. Or use one in the living room and the other in the bedroom, keeping in mind that it’ll take up about as much space in your bed as an actual person and rolling over on it in the middle of the night may necessitate a trip to the hospital.

The remote itself controls up to eight different devices. However, if you’re in the target demographic for this thing, you probably own a single TV and one of those newfangled digital converter boxes. And cats. You own many, many cats.

Ridiculously Large 8-Device Universal Remote – 2 Pack [Woot.com]

I wanted to love this remote. The Harmony One has a great form factor, and I was hoping that Logitech would add its current RF system to the mix. But that didn’t happen with the $400 Harmony 900. Instead, Logitech attempted to simplify the RF setup even though the current method is easy enough and managed to muck things up. The remote’s nice, but crippled by a lackluster RF system and therefore nowhere near the best remote I have ever used.

Things I like

The Harmony One was a welcome update to Logitech’s line of universal remotes a few years ago. It feels good in the hand, the buttons are nice enough, and the charging system is bulletproof. Thankfully, the Harmony 900 has the same exact form factor and charging system. The top touchscreen is responsive and bright, although a little on the small side. The physical buttons have just enough resistance behind them and work well. The form factor is nice.

There are some differences between the One and the 900. The 900 sports a slightly different color scheme, along with themes for the top LCD screen.

Setup is easy. Logitech includes a program that installs a Web-based program that guides you through all the steps. It took me about five minutes to configure the remote. It may take a little longer for you if you don’t know model numbers, how everything is connected, and if you don’t have high-speed Internet. But if you do, it’s a breeze. I just wish Logitech would make an off-line program like Universal Remotes. I’ve had to leave a person’s house and find a hotspot to install a few remotes before.

I have to give Logitech props for making the RF system easy to configure. Now it’s done on the remote itself instead of on the PC. This means you can adjust things when you’re right next to the equipment, which is really handy if you aren’t using a laptop to install the remote.

Things I don’t like

The only reason a person would buy the Harmony 900 over the One is for the RF capabilities. This allows owners to stuff their equipment in a closest – or downstairs in my case – and control the whole system through the magic of radio frequency. I’ve used and tested five different RF remote systems over the years and never had an issue before. I have an issue with the Harmony 900, though.

Most RF systems have a range of about 100 feet depending on physical walls and wireless interference. The Harmony 900 remote has a range of about 20 feet even though the product description clearly indicates 100 feet. That means that I can use the remote just fine in the front part of my house, but not in the kitchen, which is apparently too far away from my equipment stashed in the basement, away from prying eyes and little fingers.

Part of the joy of having the AV equipment elsewhere is that you generally don’t have to worry about where you point the remote. Or you can crank the tunes in other parts of the house. RF remotes are great, but this remote fails miserably. The 20 feet range is just barely enough to reach all parts of my living room. However, if I step one foot through my kitchen door, it doesn’t work. It’s not a huge deal if you have a simple system, but if you have speakers located throughout your house or have video streaming to different rooms, this limited range is a deal breaker. Plus, everyone’s walls are different so YMMV.

But it’s just not the range I have beef with, it’s the implementation of the IR blasters. For some reason Logitech felt the need to design new IR blasters that sit on a shelf instead of sticking to the front panel of the device. This means that AV geeks that spent good money on equipment racks cannot use this remote because there probably isn’t a shelf available when the gear is flush-mounted. I can’t use the IR blasters on my office system because of the lack of shelf. Logitech didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, the mini IR blasters used by the industry for years work fine.

The new blasters use a 2.5mm jack instead of the standard 3.5mm plug, so your current IR blasters probably will not work.

I guess it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if the range was limited, but the remote also displays a error message when it’s out of range which requires the user to acknowledge it. This same error message pops up when the remote is giving a ramping command like volume control or navigation. For instance, if you hold down the volume button, that same message pops up as if the remote is having trouble communicating with the RF system even if the remote is within range.

I do need to point out that this is my second Logitech Harmony 900. The first one only had a range of 5-10 feet. Logitech support was great and sent me out a second one though.

Conclusion

I love the Harmony 900, but hate the RF system. Perhaps I received two bad eggs. Idk. But I’m also thinking that a lot of the problems can be fixed with firmware updates. My recommendation would be to hold off for a while, since I have a feeling that eventually it will be the best sub-$500 remote available. I’ll update the remote in a few weeks and see if it improves the range at all.

Pros:

• Great ergonomics
• Seemingly reliable charging system
• Very easy setup

Cons:

• Crappy RF system
• Weird IR blasters

Product page

$400 @ Amazon

If you think a waterproof remote control is a good idea, then you’re either clumsy, have kids, or you own a pool and around the pool there’s at least one TV and when people come over, they’re like “Holy smokes, you have an outdoor TV? By your pool, no less?!!” Oh, and you should probably live in Japan because that’s where these waterproof universal remotes from Sony will be available at first.

They’ll cost around thirty bucks when they hit the market next month. And who knows, maybe they’ll be available here in the US some day. Americans have pools and TVs! Plus, those big buttons might do well with some of our drooling senior citizens, God bless ‘em all.

[via BBG]

So, two new devices. Both look pretty sweet, I like the glass mount on the speakers and the retro styling on the “boombox” iPod dock. Of course, with Altec Lansing sound quality can be a bit hit or miss, but hopefully you’ll be able to test them before buying. The speakers MSRP for $199.95, and the iPod dock goes for $299.99, so I’d make sure I listen to them first. Reading the press release for the dock however, I just getting the feeling that A.L. is trying too hard, you know? Both are available at your favorite retailer now.

For the speakers:

With 200 continuous watts (RMS) delivered in a dramatic design, the Expressionist Ultra is one of Altec Lansing’s most powerful computer audio systems. Its boom comes from five digital amplifiers powering five separate drivers for an authentically tuned sonic explosion. Each speaker driver — the 3″ midranges, the 1″ neodymium tweeters and the 6 1/2″ long-throw subwoofer — is individually fired and powered precisely as the source demands it. The result is exceptional audio detail and earth-shaking bass that you can genuinely feel. This uniquely designed 3-piece powerhouse takes music, movies and games to a whole new listening level.

“We take pride in understanding our customers’ wants and needs, and in creating products that fit their lifestyle,” said Don Milks, Senior Manager of Product Management at Altec Lansing. These days, more people are keeping all of their music and entertainment on their computer. So sound quality is very important to them. They want an audio system that sounds great and plays loud without distorting their favorite artist, movie scene or video game. The Expressionist Ultra speaker system fits the bill beautifully.”

The unique design of the Expressionist Ultra breaks rank from the traditional form of other speakers. It is designed to be showcased, rather than hidden away in an office. The contemporary industrial design of the satellites emphasizes visible drivers set into a translucent bezel. The subwoofer features a distinctive trapezoidal design that breaks up standing waves and delivers the deep bass that brings multimedia to life. The Expressionist Ultra speaker system is the perfect complement to today’s stylish computers, and with power output and sound quality rivaling many home stereos, it can also be positioned for use with TVs and gaming consoles.

Features

– 200 Watt powerhouse – Separate amplifiers for bass, midrange and
treble provide exceptionally clean power for listening at any volume.
– Full, accurate sound – Each satellite delivers clear, full-spectrum
sound from a 3″ midrange driver and a 1″ inch neodymium tweeter.
– Seriously deep bass – Low-frequency bass you can feel from the 6 1/2″
front-firing, long-throw woofer.
– Fingertip control – Full-function Power, Volume, Treble and Bass
controls in a separate controller.
– Audio Alignment™ technology – Drivers, enclosure and electronics
are balanced for optimum sound.
– Connect additional devices – The AUX IN jack and RCA adapter let you
connect additional devices like your TV, game console, MP3, DVD and CD
player at the same time your computer is connected.
– Headphone jack – For private listening.

Specifications

– Two 3″ mid-range [Intl: 75 mm] and two 1″ [Intl: 25 mm] high-frequency
neodymium drivers
– 6.5″ long-throw woofer [Intl: 165 mm]
– Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 106 dB
– Total Continuous Power: 200 Watts RMS
– Midrange driver: 33 Watts per Channel @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 150 Hz -
2.5 kHz
– Tweeter: 33 Watts per Channel @ 4 ohms @ 10% THD @ 2.5 kHz – 20 kHz
– Subwoofer: 68 Watts @ 8 ohms @ 10% THD @ 40 Hz – 180 Hz Single Channel
Loaded
– System Response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz (-10 dB)
– Signal to Noise Ratio @ 1 kHz input: > 75 dB
– Dimensions:
Satellite: 5.35″ (W) x 6.18″ (D) x 8.69″ (H)
Satellite: 135.8mm (W) x 156.9mm (D) x 220.6mm (H)
Subwoofer: 10.24″ (W) x 15.06″ (D) x 15.75″ (H)
Subwoofer: 260.0mm (W) x 382.5mm (D) x 400.0mm (H)

And for the iPod dock:

“The MIX is the genuine ‘next generation’ boombox for the way music enthusiasts are playing their music today,” said Ed Benforado, Product Category Director. “With rugged style and high end sound, the MIX is perfect for those ‘unofficial DJs’ who like to start their parties with sound. They can ‘mix it up’ between three music player inputs — a 30-pin dock connector for the iPhone and iPod and also two front-facing 3.5mm jacks — so everyone can jump in with their jams. And we’ve included heavy-duty carry handles and battery operation to take the MIX on the road or around the house just as easily.”

Geared to keep the party jumping, the MIX drives your favorite music through specially engineered horn-loaded tweeters and mid-range drivers. The 5.25″ side-firing subwoofer and 5.25″ tuned passive radiator pump out natural roaring bass, further enhanced with XdB technology for extra heavy punch. A digital 7-band graphic equalizer allows music lovers to quickly tailor the sound to their preferred taste. True to its retro boombox roots, the MIX runs on AC or gives 30 hours of play time on 8 D-cell batteries, even sporting a built-in battery life display.

Made for iPod and Apple-certified to “Work with iPhone,” the MIX is engineered to be immune to GSM signals, therefore preventing the speakers from picking up potential intermittent noises emitted by the iPhone or other mobile devices. The music pauses and resumes play before and after taking a voice call without ever switching the iPhone to airplane mode.

The MIX also includes a clip-on carabineer remote control so you don’t lose it at the party. Between parties, a built-in cubby secures the remote so it can always be found.

Go to www.alteclansing.com/fallpk2009 for the full MIX “inspiration” story.

Features

– Crystal-clear high end – Specially engineered horn-loaded silk dome
tweeters designed for smooth, wide dispersion.
– Full mid-range – Two custom-designed drivers push room-filling mids
and mid bass.
– Fierce bass – XdB bass-enhanced side-firing subwoofer and tuned
passive radiator deliver formidable bass.
– Audio Alignment™ – Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for
optimum sound.
– Digital FM radio – Tune in to clean reception with telescopic antenna
and four station presets.
– AC or battery-powered – Plug in or lose the wires with up to 30 hours
of play with 8 D batteries. Battery life is displayed on LCD.
– Dual AUX IN jacks – Connect up to two additional audio players via
front-facing 3.5mm jacks.
– Clip-on remote – Enhanced wireless carabineer remote provides song and
playlist navigation.
– Music Pause – Automatically pauses music when a call is received on
the iPhone.
– Interference Free – Unique design is immune to mobile phone
interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode.
– At-A-Glance LCD – Track, artist, album and station display.
– Customizable EQs – Multiple EQ modes let you adjust your sound,
including 7-band graphic equalizer, four EQ presets and separate Bass and
Treble controls.
– Onboard controls – Control most functions from the unit.
– Universal dock for iPhone and iPod – Recharges while it plays your
tunes.

The fit of the headphones is exactly like that of the Carcharias headset, which is a very good thing. Of all the headsets I have (and trust me, it’s a lot), the Megalodon is the most comfortable. It’s even got a slight edge on the Carcharias in that it doesn’t have a cord pulling down one side (we’ll get to that). The Megalodon has the same lightness, excellent padding, and soft materials as the Carcharias, and it’s a joy to wear for long gaming sessions.

New hardware

Since the headset’s design is unchanged for the most part, the newness must lie elsewhere. And indeed, the whole interface has changed: the Megalodon connects via USB, and there is a little… something in between. I guess you could call it a puck, though it’s a bit big for that; it sits on your table or desk and has all the controls for the headset on it. The short cord between it an the headset means you’re not likely to get it tangled on anything, and you’re not dragging six feet of cable whenever you move your head. I find it liberating.

The USB interface is handy because, obviously, you can plug it in just about anywhere (as opposed to the back of your tower, like I’ve been doing for, oh, five years). Hardly a unique feature, but it’s better than the triple-analog system on the otherwise-excellent Tritton AX Pro or even the Carcharias, which unless you’ve got mic and audio ports handy, you have attach to your sound card.

So what’s on the puck (I forgot to take pictures so here’s their shot)? Well, it’s a lot like the AX Pro’s in-line remote. It lets you switch between virtualized surround and regular stereo, adjust the levels of each of the channels, and change the mic level and sensitivity. Basically you’ve got a few buttons and a wheel; it looks daunting at first, but it’s pretty intuitive after you’ve used it for a few minutes. Turning up the bass and, say, rear channel, is extremely easy. The backlighting even turns red past a certain point to give you a sort of bearing. It remembers your settings universally, though there are no presets for different games. I found it convenient and precise.

My question, however, is this: why isn’t there a button to just completely turn off the headphones? That way I could plug them in the back of my PC and forget about it. Turning them off completely would return sound to the normal drivers and I wouldn’t have to be constantly wrapping them up and putting them away — they could just live on my desk.

That the Lycosa has no GUI is, I think, a benefit. Like the AX Pro, all your audio needs are attended to by the puck, so there’s no reason to have a configuration window. It also means there are no drivers to worry about. Bonus!

The sound

Of course, the most comfortable and convenient headset is useless without good sound. Fortunately, that’s not a problem for the Megalodon for the most part. The stereo output is perfectly good, much like the Carcharias. Nice and balanced, with the added bonus of being able to adjust the bass separately from the other channels. Music sounds good, better than with the Logitechs, which had a very clear, but sort of distant sound to them in stereo mode.

But of course, this is a surround-sound headset and that’s what you want to hear about. The Megalodon’s primary competition is with other virtual-surround headsets, and I think it stands up perfectly well. I recently reviewed the G35, so it’s been my primary comparison. They’re similar in price and in what they promise, after all.

In case you didn’t read the Carcharias review, I should say that both they and the Megalodon use an open headphone design, meaning that they’re lighter and more airy, but also let sound out and in. If you’re in a dorm or something, it’s probably worth considering that if you have these up loud, your roommates will hear everything. Likewise, you’ll hear the music they’re playing, cars in the street and so on. This is neither a good nor a bad thing — it’s just a choice you have to make. The G35s had superb isolation, being closed and well-fitted, but they made my ears sweat. Yeah, gross, I know, but if you have loud roommates as I did in college, it might be worth it to get some closed cans.

On the flip side, the sound doesn’t seem to be affected by their openness. There’s a sort of common wisdom that closed headphones provide better sound, and while they do provide better isolation, the sound can still vary considerably. This headset sounds great; if you have a game or movie that actually supports virtual surround (more on this shortly), you’re golden. I felt that the high end was more balanced on the Megalodon than the G35 — or maybe it was how they handled the surround, but the hissing of dispensers in Team Fortress 2 was nowhere near as harsh. Sound placement was great, and the surround sound functioned just fine in several games.

The main issue I had is this: if you’re listening to something that isn’t surround sound, the Megalodon is pretty awful at faking it. I found that the G35s were passable at taking a stereo signal, or a non-compatible surround sound signal, and making it at least a little bigger. But the Megalodon does something to non-surround inputs that makes them sound like you’re in a can. A small can. Now, this is easily remedied by switching to non-virtualized regular stereo sound — which is fine — but it’s a little disappointing that it can’t fake it as well as the others.

The microphone works with no trouble and sounds just fine; the ability to tweak it in-game is great, since I don’t trust my in-OS or in-game sensitivity to work all the time. You can change the actual sensitivity, mute it, or adjust the feedback (so you don’t yell — seriously, people).

Overall the sound is great. If you can deal with not being able to watch a stereo movie in virtualized surround, there’s not a problem to be found.

What’s with the stand?

Here’s something I expect to be fixed in the next generation of these things. The Megalodon (and can I just say, referring to it in the singular is extremely difficult for me to do) comes with a stand… and it’s a joke. They need to tie the guy who made this thing to a post and whip him with Cat 5 cables until he admits it’s a piece of garbage. Sorry, but it’s terrible. It’s not tall enough to hold the headphones, really — they slouch and fall off. Where does the cable go? You can roll it up and put it in the hollow center, I guess, and then seal it in with the puck, but man that is difficult and awkward, and then you’ve got this other cord going to the headphones themselves. Seriously, I’d love to put these on a stand — they look great — but this thing is a disaster.

On the plus side, they also come with this genuinely awesome carrying case. You want to look cool at a LAN party? Bust out this professional-looking piece of kit. Everybody will fear you.

The other shoe

Razer has continually impressed me with their gaming headsets, and the Megalodon is the best yet. It adds functionality to the already-solid Carcharias without compromising in any way, and apart from the metallic effect when you have an incompatible source, the sound is great.

But here’s where we hit a bit of a bump. These bastards cost $150, and I don’t see them around for any less. Even Logitech, famous for expensive gear, has the G35 for considerably less — under $115 at B&H, as I write this. As great as the Megalodon is, I can’t say it’s $40 better than the G35 — or for that matter, $80 better than the Carcharias, with which they have so much in common. I’ve recommended expensive headphones before (the Klipsch X5s at over $200), but that was because they were exceptional. The Megalodon is merely excellent. If you’re on a budget right now, your best bet is to hold off. This is a great headset, but, at $150, a luxury.

Sorry, Wii and PS3 owners. You ain’t getting Netflix streaming despite other claims. Microsoft has inked an exclusive deal with Netflix to keep the movie streaming on the Xbox 360.

Netflix Partnership

This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers**, at no additional cost.

From the Netflix Web site, simply add movies and TV episodes to your instant Queue, which will appear automatically on the TV screen via Xbox 360. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. In addition to instantly streaming Netflix movies to the TV, Xbox LIVE Gold members can browse and rate movies, fast-forward, pause and rewind, all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or Universal remote.

If you don’t have a Xbox 360, there are a ton of ways to stream Netflix. The service is available on everything from Windows Media Center, Plex, Roku boxes, TiVo, Samsung and LG Blu-ray players along with Vizio and LG HDTVs. Oh, and Sony Bravia HDTVs are getting the access too. Or you can always, you know, use the traditional mail-order DVD service to get your Netflix on.