A report recently came out that says parents and teachers are not communicating. Parents blame their busy schedules for not being able to meet with teachers.The report also said that parents know more about their bank accounts then they do about their kid’s report card.
The reason for this is simple. The information about your bank account is readily available online and via text messaging. Parents are now demanding the same level of service for monitoring their child’s progress in school. Teachers could text or email updates to parents once a month or have a site they can post updates too.
I’m sure students find the idea of an RSS feed of their quiz results just thrilling!
When I first heard about AC Schnitzer’s new LCD-equipped gear shifter, I thought, wow, this would be useful as the LCD takes the guessing out of what gear the transmission is in. Then I realized, most people that drive a manual don’t think about what they’re doing. They just know what gear they’re in and what gear they’re planning to shift into. Are there really people out there driving and thinking, “My god what gear am I in!”
This makes me think the new gear shifter is just eye candy and nothing more. AC Schnitzer is planning to install the new shifter in its BMWs and MINIs, which are already loaded with eye candy so it makes sense. There is no word on when we will see these appear in new cars or a price tag.
Today ImmerVision, the supposed expert in 360 Panoramic Imaging Technology, released a press release to simply toot its own horn. The only announcement found in the document was the fact that surveillance companies are using its technology. Duh!
Companies are adding the IMV1-1/3 lens to existing security setups to add complete situational awareness. You can go to ImmerVisions website to see a video of it in action. It’s like a live version of Google’s street view.
We all know that laptop makers have been using misleading figures for battery life for years now. The packaging would say 10-12 hours, but when you started using the thing you wouldn’t get anything near that and Sony is fessing up.
Most venders use the Japanese tech association Jeita’s method, which is the average of power depletion when idle and playing a movie file. This seems pretty far from every day uses. Sony is going to switch to the Jeita “A” standard that only uses the movie file results. I still don’t know how accurate this will be, but it should be better than the other method.
“SanDisk periodically has conversations with multiple parties, including Samsung, regarding a variety of potential business opportunities. We evaluate all of these opportunities, but maintain a policy of not commenting on market rumors or speculation.”
So the big rumor SanDisk is talking about is the one where Samsung buys them, and royally screws over Toshiba. If this happens Samsung will be the top dog in flash memory (they’re already close). They will also have their hands on the many patents owned by SanDisk. If this rumor is true this could reshape the flash memory market.
One of the drawbacks of technology is with each new piece of gear, you get a new charger. After awhile you find every outlet in your house is filled with chargers and adapters. I don’t know about you, but this drives me crazy. When I want to charge something I have to remember where I put the damn charger, and then find a place to plug it in.
After reading (really I just looked at the pictures) the how-to it looks simple to make. You get a box, put a power adapter in it, then cover the adapter up with a board, drill some holes, attach chargers, and you done. That’s simple enough… right?
Everyone loves a good looking point-and-shoot camera, so that’s why Olympus is releasing two new cameras to the FE-Series. The new cameras pack a lot of power in a slim metal body.
Each of them feature 8.0 megapixels, image stabilization, face detection, help guilds, backlit LCD, and a rechargeable battery. On top of all that you will also be able to perches the cameras in red, blue, pink, black and silver.
Here are some features:
FE-360:
• Stylish slim (0.7 inch) metal body
• 3x Optical Zoom
FE-370:
• Dual Image Stabilization
• TruePic™ III Image Processor
• Intelligent Auto Mode
• 5x Optical Zoom
• 2.7-inch high resolution LCD
• Smile Shot
• Expression Edit - turn frowns upside down
If you want to know more about these cameras and there features, check out the full press release after the jump. Both of these cameras will be available this month for 149.99 (FE-360) and 199.99 (FE-370).
Psystar is suing Apple under the Sherman Antitrust Act saying that the EULA is a form of illicit tying and restrains trade.
Psystar’s attorneys are calling Apple’s allegations of Psystar’s copyright infringement “misinformed and mischaracterized.” Psystar argues that its OpenComputer product is shipped with a fully licensed, unmodified copy of Mac OS X, and that the company has simply “leveraged open source-licensed code including Apple’s OS” to enable a PC to run the Mac operating system.
Good luck getting it to stick, boys. Don Quixote might start taking pointers from you.
Apple will have 30 days to respond to this new development. Pedraza feels his company is doing nothing wrong and they’re only offering an alternative to Apples high-priced hardware. I don’t think Pedraza understands that the hardware is where Apple makes most of its money. So they’re not going to give up that part of the business without a long, drawn-out fight.
This is probably going to end up being a test of who has the most stamina (money). Since Apple has the most to lose, I can’t see them letting this one go to long. I smell a fat settlement in Psystar’s future.
Everyone loves a good Wii Fit hack. This guy hooked up his Wii Fit to Google’s street view so he could walk around town. It’s kind of neat idea, but I really don’t know how fun it is to march in place. I rather just sit in my chair and click a mouse.
When doing activities with your iPod, sometimes it’s hard to find a good place to put it. Your pockets are no good since it can fall out if the activity involves running or jumping. Another option is an arm strap, which I find uncomfortable and distracting.
Well, now there’s a new option called the iStik. It’s a plastic enclosure that has four magnets on the back. It works just like those magnetic name badges. With the enclosure on your iPod Nano (2nd or 3rd generation), you will be able to stick it anywhere on your clothes.
The only thing that worries me about this is the magnet part. I know when I used to wear a name badge, it would fall off sometimes. I guess if this magnet is stronger that might not happen. If it does fail, they should change the name to iSuk.
If you’re interested, you can buy this bad boy at iStik for $24.95 for 2nd Generation and $26.95 for 3rd Generation.
TomTom released their PRO line yesterday, designed for pro on the go. The TomTom PRO 4000 ($330) and 8000 ($460) are the first to hit the market. Here is what bugs me about these two: the hardware is the same as the non-pro models, but the customer service (and software) is not.
PRO Features:
- A whopping 2 year warranty
- Menu lock option so you’re not tempted to mess with it while driving (this should be on all TomTom devices)
- Heavy duty sleeve for those of you suffering from dropsy
- Free map update in the first 12 months
- Accesses to a PRO only customer service line
- PIN lock to protect your information when other people use it
Some of these new “features” seem like items that all TomTom units should come with standard. Why the different treatment TomTom? Are us Joe-Lunchbox types not good ‘nough?
Anyway, the only difference between the two is the 8000 has premium features like IQ Routes, Voice Address Input, and Bluetooth hands-free calling. I’d advise you to get the cheap one and then complain until you get the good service.
The guys from Tom’s Hardware have a lot of time and solid-state drives on their hands. They compiled a list of 14 SSDs and compared them. In the end, they feel (just like I do), that SSD isn’t really the best choice right now. The technology is still too new and expensive, so the benefits do not justify the cost — yet.
If you’re dying to know and really don’t want to read the whole thing, let me save you some time. All of them are pretty evenly matched. The only difference is that some of them are faster at reading/writing and others are more energy efficient — but never by that much.
The only one Tom’s Hardware thought was really worthwhile was Samsung’s 64 GB SSD SATA-2 drive, which was the complete package at a reasonable cost. I hope the 128GB ones perform as well.
If someone was anticipating an amazingly updated PSP, the PSP-3001 isn’t it. The supposed updates of GPS, 802.11n, Bluetooth, and a mic were nowhere to be found in the PSP-3001 FCC report.
So after all the hype, it certainly seems the new PSP-3001 is just a simple hardware refresh. Perhaps meant to keep hackers on their toes and challenge them to crack the new hardware. At least we now know there is an update coming sometime soon and I smell an official announcement right around the corner. (or is my neighbor cooking bacon again)
A few months ago Devin told you about the new VelociRaptors from Western Digital. What he neglected to mention (probably because no one knew it yet) was a significant design flaw [Devin here: can't believe I missed that, it's right in the picture]. When the drive was placed in its drive sled, the power and serial connections were in weird spots instead of the lower corner where they usually are. IT peeps were upset because this caused the fast drives not to play nicely in some server setups.
Since everyone was screaming about the situation online, WD has announced a new version. Pretty much all they had to do was move the PCB. Why didn’t they do that the first time?
Frustrated VelociRaptor fans will be happy to hear that the new drives are out now.
Update: WD tells us that the new version was planned when they released the original and that the unusual placement of the SATA/power connectors was not a design flaw. Thanks for letting us know, WD, but whether you call it a design flaw or not it’s still a weird place to put the things and there’s no mention of an upcoming revision in the press release. Personally, I’d be happy to make do with either one; my aging system hard drive could do with an upgrade and I could care less if it’s ports are in the usual spots. What really matters is the performance and VelociRaptors are top of the HDD dogpile right now.
Notebook computers are starting to outnumber desktops in many schools and work settings. Keeping these laptops charged and ready to go can be a real challenge for a lot of IT people. The problem is more common in the schools, since students could lose or forget their power cords.
To solve this problem some teachers or IT peeps may consider Oncore’s 6-Bay Battery Charger for Apple notebooks the solution.It’ll charge 3 batteries simultaneously and keep up to six charged and ready for action. Not only will it work with the new Macbooks, it will also work for older iBooks.
Guess that “dog ate my battery” excuse won’t work any more. Curses!
This always seems to happen to me: I go to a party and find that the host has horrible taste in music. It’s usually hair bands form the 80’s or something like that. Since I am not afraid to voice my opinion, I tell them that no one likes this music. After the rest of the guests back me up, they usually tell me to put on whatever I want.
This is where the problem starts. I have no way to get my music from my mp3 player to their outdated stereo. Luckily, this same situation must have happened to the guys at Griffin since they came out with a solution, called iTrip Universal.
The iTrip Universal can work with any audio source (not just an iPod) that uses a 1/8” jack. On top of that it has a rechargeable battery built-in, which charges via USB port. It can also save three programmable presents, which is handy if you’re using it in your car.
If the iTrip Universal works as well as Griffin’s other FM Transmitters, you should have no problem saving a party from bad hair metal.
If you’ve been kicking around the idea of doing a DIY project, this might be a good one to start with. All you do is turn an old pair of glasses into Terminator glasses. It’s basically just installing two red LEDs onto the frames. You don’t even have to use a soldering gun.
I know this project is kind of dorky, but it’s easy. Plus, what else are you going to do with all those cheap sunglasses you have clogging up your glove compartment?
If you’re angry at that joke, don’t be mad at me. Instead, direct your anger towards the maker the teapot. On the other hand, if you enjoyed it I expect a high-five the next time I see you.
Some features of the teapot are:
- The menacing teapot should scare most tea drinkers away. Sometimes you just don’t want to share.
- The mask is removable, just in case you do happen to be in a sharing mood.
- Suitable for ages 14+. Any younger and they will just think the teapot is a bank robber.
After you spent all that money on a new MacBook Air, you are probably paranoid about it getting damaged. In fact, you’re so paranoid that a normal laptop case will not suffice — you will also want it wrapped in a sleeve.
Since you are not alone in your paranoia, many companies offer products like the ZeroShock III MacBook Air Sleeve ($27.95 USD). This particular sleeve is composed of high-resistance polyurethane foam and features a low-profile design. Not only that, it’s designed to fit nicely in a separate bag or backpack, so you’re doubly protected.
Now you can safely walk form your house to the coffee shop without a worry. Well… unless you’re using your iPhone without a case. Then you will be paranoid that you’re going to drop that and scuff it up.
It was reported in July that Warner Bros. didn’t want to use the BD-Live feature with its Blu-ray releases. Now since “The Dark Knight” was such a big hit they’re changing their tune. It’s not set in stone, but the movie maybe the first Warner release to have the feature.
Everyone knows the Blue-ray release of “The Dark Knight” is going to be a must have this Christmas. This could be a lot of people Warner could download content to and promote upcoming projects. I don’t think anyone could pass up this kind of marketing opportunity.
By the end of the year, T-Mobile plans to launch two new BlackBerry devices and three more Pearl colors. They also plan to do a big marketing blitz, to try and stop customers from going to AT&T for the iPhone 3G.
Here is what you can expect to see in the coming months:
- The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 will relased in three new colors, Tahitian Green, Indigo and Light Blue.
- In September or October, expect to see the BlackBerry 8220, which is a possible update to the Pearl.
- The Javelin, a 2.5G BlackBerry, is expected in late November. It will feature a small body and large high-resolution display.
- T-Mobile will also be making the move to OS. 4.5 for its devices.
We will give you more information as it comes available. In the meantime check out the T-Mobile BlackBerry Roadmap that BlackBerry News put together.
A lot of people are annoyed that the Wii is not a region-free system. They’re quick to point out that the PS3 is 100% region-free and most of Xbox 360 games (about 50-70%) are too.
A few people in the DCEmu community feel the same way and are working on a mod chip-free hack. It’s called the Homebrew channel, it will allow region-free gaming and channels. It’s also said that it will let you skip the nagging health warnings. Its not out yet, but they posted a video of what they have so far.
I am not sure why people think this is a big deal, I don’t have the desire to play a game in a language I can’t read. I also don’t have a problem waiting for games to come out my region. Then again, it would be nice to be able to disable those stupid warnings every time I play a game.
If you were a big fan of the U810 UMPC, then you will likely be a fan of Fujitsu’s update to it, the U820. Right now, the device is in the hands of the FCC, who is putting thought all kinds of tests to keep America safe. If it passes, we should be seeing this in stores soon, but at this time there is no official word on a release date. Read More
It has been reported and confirmed that on August 14th, Sony plans to make an “exciting” announcement about a digital camera. There are no details on what the announcement will be, all we know for sure is it’s going to be exciting.
Photoclub Alpha, the ones to confirm the announcement, says it will not be about the Sony A900. They feel that Sony will wait until closer to Photokina.
It’s only a little more than a week away, so we’ll find out soon enough. As always, we’ll keep you posted with details as they become available. I’m so pumped!
During the summer some people find it difficult figuring out what kind of shoes to wear, sandals or sneakers. A German designer named K&T hopes to end that dilemma. They’ve designed a shoe called the Nat-2 that transforms from shoes into sandals with a pull of a zipper. Read More
Notebook computers are starting to outnumber desktops in many schools and work settings. Keeping these laptops charged and ready to go can be a real challenge for a lot of IT people. The problem is more common in the schools, since students could lose or forget their power cords. 
