CES 2008: Home video wrap-up
What was arguably the biggest story of CES 2008 occurred three days before the show actually opened for business: Warner Home Video went Blu-ray exclusive, leaving just Paramount and Universal (and smaller DreamWorks) as exclusive HD DVD content partners.Indeed, in the days since, the issue of those studios following Warner's lead seems to be one of when, not if. Blu-ray seems on the verge of a complete victory in the HD disc format war to become the high-def successor to DVD. As a result, combo players--including a newly announced model from Samsung--were greeted more by yawns than by "oohs" and "aahs."Even without HD DVD to nudge it, prices for Blu-ray players seem destined to become more affordable, as evidenced by forthcoming devices from Philips and Funai. That said, with the specification still evolving--Panasonic's DMP-BD50 became the first 2.0 player to be officially announced--there's no reason to rush out and buy one anytime soon.But there's still a big question as to whether or not the future of home video will be one of discs--or, in fact, physical media of any kind.Online delivery of home video seemed to be everywhere: major companies such as Samsung are getting into the game, while upstarts such as XStreamHD are offering intriguing delivery options and increasingly improved video quality.That's on top of existing hardware solutions such as Vudu, Xbox 360's Video Marketplace, and Amazon Unbox on TiVo, not to mention the promise of Netflix stepping up to the plate.Of course, the potential 800-pound gorilla in the online video space won't be unveiling its plans until next week. That's when we'll find out if Apple plans to ramp up its Apple TV into a serious home video contender.If, as rumored, Steve Jobs and company add some long overdue features--iTunes video rentals, direct access to the store through the TV interface, and improved video quality--it could overshadow nearly anything shown in Las Vegas. And while the sort of full HD video quality delivered by Blu-ray's 50GB discs isn't yet available to consumers via broadband (at least in the bandwidth-challenged U.S.), it's only a breakthrough or two away. In other words, watch your back, Blu-ray: HD DVD was just a battle, and the wider war is still raging.We're just about 13 months away from the government-mandated digital transition--at which time analog TV broadcasts are scheduled to cease completely.Those who can't--or won't--get cable or satellite TV now have their first non-TiVo DVR to consider in the form of the EchoStar TR-50. That's good, because traditional manufacturers such as Panasonic continue to offer mostly lackluster recorders--either tunerless DVD recorders (which will pretty much serve as "backup drives" for DVRs) or models with hobbled digital tuners that won't deliver native full resolution HD programming.Elsewhere on the home video front, we saw indications that wireless in-home HD video is getting closer to the mass market.As with wireless audio, standards remain frustratingly elusive, but devices such as the Belkin FlyWire offer the potential for an end-to-end solution to decouple your video sources from your TV--which is increasingly vital to those with wall-mounted flat-screen TVs and projectors. Alternately, companies such as EchoStar's Sling Media are aiming to make it easier to access your home's main DVR on other TVs in the home (via the SlingCatcher), if not outside the home altogether (with the SlingPlayer software coming to BlackBerry smartphones later this year).Looking at it in the rear-view mirror, you get a strong feeling from this CES that 2008 will be a big transitional year in the home video world. It's clear that the public wants more high-def programming and more on-demand video, as well as the ability to watch it where and when they want.Which manufacturers and standards will deliver on those promises?If we're lucky, the answer to that question may be more in focus by the time CES 2009 rolls around.
RealPlayer SP aims to ease transfer of Web videos to portable devices
RealPlayer SP aims to ease transfer of Web videos to portable devices
Real Networks has unveiled the twelfth iteration of its RealPlayer media playback software. Dubbed "RealPlayer SP," the new RealPlayer includes version 11's capability to grab Flash-based videos from any Web browser (albeit with the usual caveat: the streams can't be copy-protected, which rules out most Hollywood movies and TV shows on sites such as Hulu).The "SP" designation in the name stands for "social and portable." The big upgrade is the capability to easily transcode and transfer those videos to a wide array of portable devices, including many BlackBerry phones, the Zune, and--via iTunes--the iPod and iPhone. It also offers the capability to easily share online video links via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as via e-mail. We were able to get a brief early look at the SP beta. The software made it easy to download several Flash videos from YouTube. It was also simple to choose the preset for converting and transferring the videos to a format compatible with a Palm Pre that we borrowed from a co-worker. However, once we transferred the files to the Pre, we weren't able to play them back. However, an earlier demo from a Real Networks representative successfully transferred videos to a Pre, a BlackBerry Bold, and--via a transfer to iTunes--the iPod Touch, so we're assuming we encountered an isolated glitch. Aside from the Pre playback bug, there were other frustrations. Many of the videos we wanted to save--a "Star Trek" episode on YouTube, anything on Hulu, and even a CNET TV video--were all copy-protected, and thus not able to be saved. And the process is time-consuming: downloading was pretty fast, as was USB transfer to portable devices--but the transcoding process was rather poky for videos longer than a minute or two in length. (To be fair, though, slow transcoding time is pretty much endemic to file conversion software.)The RealPlayer SP beta is available now at Download.com. The Basic version of the software will be free, while the premium Plus version--which offers H.264 video conversion, DVD playback, and DVD burning--will cost $40. It will compete with rival offerings such as Nero Move It, Format Factory, and DoubleTwist (some of which also offer social media hooks). Since the basic version is free, it's at least worth a download to try it out if you have a desire to take your Web videos on the road (so long as they're not copy-protected).Related coverage:RealPlayer 11: A new way to handle online video (December 13, 2007)
Real Networks has unveiled the twelfth iteration of its RealPlayer media playback software. Dubbed "RealPlayer SP," the new RealPlayer includes version 11's capability to grab Flash-based videos from any Web browser (albeit with the usual caveat: the streams can't be copy-protected, which rules out most Hollywood movies and TV shows on sites such as Hulu).The "SP" designation in the name stands for "social and portable." The big upgrade is the capability to easily transcode and transfer those videos to a wide array of portable devices, including many BlackBerry phones, the Zune, and--via iTunes--the iPod and iPhone. It also offers the capability to easily share online video links via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as via e-mail. We were able to get a brief early look at the SP beta. The software made it easy to download several Flash videos from YouTube. It was also simple to choose the preset for converting and transferring the videos to a format compatible with a Palm Pre that we borrowed from a co-worker. However, once we transferred the files to the Pre, we weren't able to play them back. However, an earlier demo from a Real Networks representative successfully transferred videos to a Pre, a BlackBerry Bold, and--via a transfer to iTunes--the iPod Touch, so we're assuming we encountered an isolated glitch. Aside from the Pre playback bug, there were other frustrations. Many of the videos we wanted to save--a "Star Trek" episode on YouTube, anything on Hulu, and even a CNET TV video--were all copy-protected, and thus not able to be saved. And the process is time-consuming: downloading was pretty fast, as was USB transfer to portable devices--but the transcoding process was rather poky for videos longer than a minute or two in length. (To be fair, though, slow transcoding time is pretty much endemic to file conversion software.)The RealPlayer SP beta is available now at Download.com. The Basic version of the software will be free, while the premium Plus version--which offers H.264 video conversion, DVD playback, and DVD burning--will cost $40. It will compete with rival offerings such as Nero Move It, Format Factory, and DoubleTwist (some of which also offer social media hooks). Since the basic version is free, it's at least worth a download to try it out if you have a desire to take your Web videos on the road (so long as they're not copy-protected).Related coverage:RealPlayer 11: A new way to handle online video (December 13, 2007)
Experts say Stuxnet worm could be state-sponsored (podcast)
Experts say Stuxnet worm could be state-sponsored (podcast)
The Stuxnet computer worm that may have been designed to attack a nuclear facility in Iran could have been state sponsored, according to two security experts with whom I spoke."We can tell by the code that it's very, very complex to the degree that this type of code had to be done, for example, by a state and not, for example, some hacker sitting in his parents basement," said Symantec security researcher Eric Chien.Chien added, however, that "there's nothing in the code that points to the particular author" or "what their motivation is." (Scroll down to listen to entire Chien interview.)TrendMicro security researcher Paul Ferguson agrees that Stuxnet was likely state-sponsored. "The amount of technical expertise that went into this doesn't appear to have been by some random lone individual person because they would have had to have access to these systems to develop this."Not necessarily aimed at Iran nukeFerguson could not confirm that the target was an Iranian nuclear plant. "That is purely speculation at this point, there have been lots of theories as to what the target was."He said it could also have been aimed at oil and gas facilities or other installations that use Siemens control systems, which were specifically attacked, he said. (Scroll down to listen to entire Ferguson interview.)Serious threatBoth Chien and Ferguson said this type of code is a major security concern. "For the broader population, this is definitely a new generation of attack.We're not talking any more about someone stealing someone's credit card numbers, what we're talking about is someone being able to, for example, cause a pipeline to blow up or cause a nuclear centrifuge to go out of control or cause power stations to go down.So we're not taking about virtual or 'cyber' sort of implications here, what we're talking about are real life implications." Ferguson said "it is a big deal because the utility companies, and manufacturing communities and the power companies and gas and oil companies for years have been using closed propriety systems to manage their infrastructure and over the course of the past few years they've been making business decisions to use off-the-shelf software like Windows." He added that now we're seeing the same threat as with other networks as facilitates are connected to the Internet or allow access to thumb drives. This type of threat, according to Ferguson, is "absolutely new and that's why a lot of people in the intelligence community, in the Department of Homeland Security and different governments around the world are really kind of spooked by this development. It shows the targeted nature and sophistication of the criminal/espionage aspect to this."Podcast interviews with Chien and FergusonClick links below to listen to separate podcast interviews with Symantec's Eric Chien and TrendMicro's Paul Ferguson.Symantec's Eric ChienPodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.TrendMicro's Paul FergusonPodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
The Stuxnet computer worm that may have been designed to attack a nuclear facility in Iran could have been state sponsored, according to two security experts with whom I spoke."We can tell by the code that it's very, very complex to the degree that this type of code had to be done, for example, by a state and not, for example, some hacker sitting in his parents basement," said Symantec security researcher Eric Chien.Chien added, however, that "there's nothing in the code that points to the particular author" or "what their motivation is." (Scroll down to listen to entire Chien interview.)TrendMicro security researcher Paul Ferguson agrees that Stuxnet was likely state-sponsored. "The amount of technical expertise that went into this doesn't appear to have been by some random lone individual person because they would have had to have access to these systems to develop this."Not necessarily aimed at Iran nukeFerguson could not confirm that the target was an Iranian nuclear plant. "That is purely speculation at this point, there have been lots of theories as to what the target was."He said it could also have been aimed at oil and gas facilities or other installations that use Siemens control systems, which were specifically attacked, he said. (Scroll down to listen to entire Ferguson interview.)Serious threatBoth Chien and Ferguson said this type of code is a major security concern. "For the broader population, this is definitely a new generation of attack.We're not talking any more about someone stealing someone's credit card numbers, what we're talking about is someone being able to, for example, cause a pipeline to blow up or cause a nuclear centrifuge to go out of control or cause power stations to go down.So we're not taking about virtual or 'cyber' sort of implications here, what we're talking about are real life implications." Ferguson said "it is a big deal because the utility companies, and manufacturing communities and the power companies and gas and oil companies for years have been using closed propriety systems to manage their infrastructure and over the course of the past few years they've been making business decisions to use off-the-shelf software like Windows." He added that now we're seeing the same threat as with other networks as facilitates are connected to the Internet or allow access to thumb drives. This type of threat, according to Ferguson, is "absolutely new and that's why a lot of people in the intelligence community, in the Department of Homeland Security and different governments around the world are really kind of spooked by this development. It shows the targeted nature and sophistication of the criminal/espionage aspect to this."Podcast interviews with Chien and FergusonClick links below to listen to separate podcast interviews with Symantec's Eric Chien and TrendMicro's Paul Ferguson.Symantec's Eric ChienPodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.TrendMicro's Paul FergusonPodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio)
The 404 684- Where Blair Butler puts us in a choke hold (podcast)
The 404 684: Where Blair Butler puts us in a choke hold (podcast)
Among the many announcements from the show, we're especially excited about AMC's television adaptation of Robert Kirkman's monthly black and white comic series "The Walking Dead." The story is about a small-town police officer (played by Andrew Lincoln) from Kentucky struggling to survive in a world taken over by flesh-craving zombies. Blair is super psyched to watch the series when it debuts on Sunday, October 31, but in the meantime you should definitely check out her review of the comic in this list of the best graphic novels for comic novices on G4TV.Remember Konami's classic X-Men beat-'em-up arcade game from the early '90s? Marvel revealed plans for an update on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network that will feature six-player "drop-in" online multiplay, custom matchups, and various difficulty settings. Fans of the original game will enjoy the classic look of the game, and players can use all the original characters including Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler. Konami plans to release the update later this year.Tune in for lots more video game and comic news with Blair, including the best and worst costumes, a Pedobear dancing to Michael Jackson, Stan Lee's hockey/superhero mashup "The Guardian Project," and much more from the front lines. Thanks to Blair for an awesome show, and thanks to you for listening!Episode 684PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Among the many announcements from the show, we're especially excited about AMC's television adaptation of Robert Kirkman's monthly black and white comic series "The Walking Dead." The story is about a small-town police officer (played by Andrew Lincoln) from Kentucky struggling to survive in a world taken over by flesh-craving zombies. Blair is super psyched to watch the series when it debuts on Sunday, October 31, but in the meantime you should definitely check out her review of the comic in this list of the best graphic novels for comic novices on G4TV.Remember Konami's classic X-Men beat-'em-up arcade game from the early '90s? Marvel revealed plans for an update on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network that will feature six-player "drop-in" online multiplay, custom matchups, and various difficulty settings. Fans of the original game will enjoy the classic look of the game, and players can use all the original characters including Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler. Konami plans to release the update later this year.Tune in for lots more video game and comic news with Blair, including the best and worst costumes, a Pedobear dancing to Michael Jackson, Stan Lee's hockey/superhero mashup "The Guardian Project," and much more from the front lines. Thanks to Blair for an awesome show, and thanks to you for listening!Episode 684PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Nokia's Comes with Music- The facts
Nokia's Comes with Music: The facts
With the world's largest online music vendor, Apple, announcing significant changes to iTunes, everyone else will need to be prepared to offer something extraordinary if they want our hard-earned money. Nokia's Comes with Music is exactly that.Oh yeah? What's so good about it?Free music, like free beer, is usually enough to catch our attention, but 12 full months of free music sounds like lunacy. Starting soon, Nokia will bundle an activation code with selected media-centric handsets. This code will allow you to browse and download anything you like from the Nokia Music Store for a whole year, which you get to keep at the end of the 12 months.What's the catch?We've dug deep to find the catch, but Nokia assures us that it is exactly as described. There's no restriction on which tracks can be downloaded and there will be no fair use policy as far as we can see. The only catch, if you can call it that, is that the tracks you download are only playable on certain Nokia handsets and the Nokia Music browser on your PC.So the music is DRM protected?Yes. All the music on the Nokia Music Store is in DRM-protected WMA file format and you will only be able to play the tracks on the phone you've bought and one authorised PC. This requires you to have Windows Media Player 11 installed and also means you definitely need a PC to run it all successfully (take that Apple!). This is obviously Nokia's attempt to wean us off our collective iTunes addiction, but it's definitely not a more open system than the one being employed by Apple, especially with Apple going in the other direction with a DRM-free library of music.I don't care! 12 free months of music is all I want!If all the talk of scary, scary DRM hasn't turned you off the idea of free (legal) music, then you won't have to wait much longer to get into Comes with Music. In the UK, Nokia launched the service with the 5310 XpressMusic followed soon after by a re-packaged Nokia N95 8GB. In Australia, we've been told to expect the fun to kick off in either February or March, most likely to coincide with the launch of the touchscreen 5800 XpressMusic.Stay tuned for more hard details about the launch of Comes with Music down under. In the meantime, jump on the forums and tell us what you make of the concept.
With the world's largest online music vendor, Apple, announcing significant changes to iTunes, everyone else will need to be prepared to offer something extraordinary if they want our hard-earned money. Nokia's Comes with Music is exactly that.Oh yeah? What's so good about it?Free music, like free beer, is usually enough to catch our attention, but 12 full months of free music sounds like lunacy. Starting soon, Nokia will bundle an activation code with selected media-centric handsets. This code will allow you to browse and download anything you like from the Nokia Music Store for a whole year, which you get to keep at the end of the 12 months.What's the catch?We've dug deep to find the catch, but Nokia assures us that it is exactly as described. There's no restriction on which tracks can be downloaded and there will be no fair use policy as far as we can see. The only catch, if you can call it that, is that the tracks you download are only playable on certain Nokia handsets and the Nokia Music browser on your PC.So the music is DRM protected?Yes. All the music on the Nokia Music Store is in DRM-protected WMA file format and you will only be able to play the tracks on the phone you've bought and one authorised PC. This requires you to have Windows Media Player 11 installed and also means you definitely need a PC to run it all successfully (take that Apple!). This is obviously Nokia's attempt to wean us off our collective iTunes addiction, but it's definitely not a more open system than the one being employed by Apple, especially with Apple going in the other direction with a DRM-free library of music.I don't care! 12 free months of music is all I want!If all the talk of scary, scary DRM hasn't turned you off the idea of free (legal) music, then you won't have to wait much longer to get into Comes with Music. In the UK, Nokia launched the service with the 5310 XpressMusic followed soon after by a re-packaged Nokia N95 8GB. In Australia, we've been told to expect the fun to kick off in either February or March, most likely to coincide with the launch of the touchscreen 5800 XpressMusic.Stay tuned for more hard details about the launch of Comes with Music down under. In the meantime, jump on the forums and tell us what you make of the concept.
Ematic announces 8-inch Android tablet priced at $129.99
Ematic announces 8-inch Android tablet priced at $129.99
Looking for a tablet that's a bit larger than, say, a Google Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD? The poster tablet for "slightly bigger" is, of course, Apple's 7.9-inch iPad Mini, but it starts at $329.Today, low-cost tablet maker Ematic launched the EGP008, an 8-inch model priced at $129.99. How does it compare with the Mini? You might be surprised.The EGP008 measures 7.9 inches by 6.1 inches by 0.4 inch -- wider and thicker than the Mini, but not by much. It is, however, definitely on the heavier side at 1 pound.Surprisingly, Ematic's tablet matches up pretty closely when it comes to the screen, at least in terms of specs: 1,024x768 pixels, same as the Mini, and 160 pixels per inch (versus 163 on the Mini). Ematic also promises the same 10 hours of run time on a charge from the EGP008's 3,000mAh battery.Unsurprisingly, the Mini has the faster processor in the form of Apple's A5, though I'd say the EGP008 is no slouch with its 1.6GHz dual-core ARMv7 and quad-core GPU. Ematic offers only 8GB of onboard storage, but that's easily expandable (in 32GB chunks) thanks to the tablet's microSD slot. There's even an HDMI output for connecting to an HDTV.The only real hardware limitation appears to be the fairly low-res cameras: 2 megapixels in back and just 0.3 in front. The latter may be sufficient for Skype calls, but I wouldn't count on this tablet for a lot of photography or videography.The EGP008 runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), and unlike some low-cost Android tablets, it includes full access to Google Play. That puts it on a fairly level playing field with iTunes.Because I haven't had any hands-on time with Ematic's latest, I can't say how the user experience really compares with the Mini. I can say that it's priced a full $200 less and offers hardware that's comparable in some areas and superior in others. (Update: It's available for purchase now via Walmart.)Your thoughts?
Looking for a tablet that's a bit larger than, say, a Google Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD? The poster tablet for "slightly bigger" is, of course, Apple's 7.9-inch iPad Mini, but it starts at $329.Today, low-cost tablet maker Ematic launched the EGP008, an 8-inch model priced at $129.99. How does it compare with the Mini? You might be surprised.The EGP008 measures 7.9 inches by 6.1 inches by 0.4 inch -- wider and thicker than the Mini, but not by much. It is, however, definitely on the heavier side at 1 pound.Surprisingly, Ematic's tablet matches up pretty closely when it comes to the screen, at least in terms of specs: 1,024x768 pixels, same as the Mini, and 160 pixels per inch (versus 163 on the Mini). Ematic also promises the same 10 hours of run time on a charge from the EGP008's 3,000mAh battery.Unsurprisingly, the Mini has the faster processor in the form of Apple's A5, though I'd say the EGP008 is no slouch with its 1.6GHz dual-core ARMv7 and quad-core GPU. Ematic offers only 8GB of onboard storage, but that's easily expandable (in 32GB chunks) thanks to the tablet's microSD slot. There's even an HDMI output for connecting to an HDTV.The only real hardware limitation appears to be the fairly low-res cameras: 2 megapixels in back and just 0.3 in front. The latter may be sufficient for Skype calls, but I wouldn't count on this tablet for a lot of photography or videography.The EGP008 runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), and unlike some low-cost Android tablets, it includes full access to Google Play. That puts it on a fairly level playing field with iTunes.Because I haven't had any hands-on time with Ematic's latest, I can't say how the user experience really compares with the Mini. I can say that it's priced a full $200 less and offers hardware that's comparable in some areas and superior in others. (Update: It's available for purchase now via Walmart.)Your thoughts?
eMachines joins the Nettop crowd with ER1402-05 'mini-e'
eMachines joins the Nettop crowd with ER1402-05 'mini-e'
To be sure, the market is overflowing with devices vying to bring Web-based video content to your television. You can read many of our thoughts on the topic here. The new eMachines at $299 is a more affordable option than the $475 Asus Eee Box we reviewed most recently, but also a bit more expensive than Acer's lowest-end Revo, which comes in at $199. Dell's Inspiron Zino HD is also worth considering, as is the slim tower Gateway SX2840-01For its price, the new eMachines system seems like a relatively fair configuration. You get a dual-core AMD Athlon II Neo processor. 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a media card reader and an integrated GeForce 9200 graphics chip. For outputs, the highlights include HDMI and an optical S/PDIF digital audio jack. eMachines has also designed the system to stand freely, or you can mount it on the back of any VESA-compatible display. The lack of a optical drive is a pain point. We'd also like to see a 250GB hard drive at this price.The GeForce 9200 chip is an older model, but it does support Flash acceleration via the 10.1 Flash player update. That bodes well for the eMachines' YouTube, Amazon Video-on-Demand, and Hulu playback quality. QuickTime still lacks hardware acceleration on Windows PCs, which means this eMachines and its lower-end CPU and GPU will likely run into some hiccups with .MOV files, Apple trailers, and HD content from iTunes, at least without making some software tweaks.We certainly see the value in systems such as this eMachines. They can provide relatively unfettered means to bringing your digital content to an HDTV at low cost. That has obvious appeal for those of you with lots of locally stored media files. For anyone else looking for a easy way to access the ever-expanding library of Web video content from the comfort of your couch, game consoles and the various media streaming devices continue to look more appealing by offering similar or better features than Nettops like this one for the same price.
To be sure, the market is overflowing with devices vying to bring Web-based video content to your television. You can read many of our thoughts on the topic here. The new eMachines at $299 is a more affordable option than the $475 Asus Eee Box we reviewed most recently, but also a bit more expensive than Acer's lowest-end Revo, which comes in at $199. Dell's Inspiron Zino HD is also worth considering, as is the slim tower Gateway SX2840-01For its price, the new eMachines system seems like a relatively fair configuration. You get a dual-core AMD Athlon II Neo processor. 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a media card reader and an integrated GeForce 9200 graphics chip. For outputs, the highlights include HDMI and an optical S/PDIF digital audio jack. eMachines has also designed the system to stand freely, or you can mount it on the back of any VESA-compatible display. The lack of a optical drive is a pain point. We'd also like to see a 250GB hard drive at this price.The GeForce 9200 chip is an older model, but it does support Flash acceleration via the 10.1 Flash player update. That bodes well for the eMachines' YouTube, Amazon Video-on-Demand, and Hulu playback quality. QuickTime still lacks hardware acceleration on Windows PCs, which means this eMachines and its lower-end CPU and GPU will likely run into some hiccups with .MOV files, Apple trailers, and HD content from iTunes, at least without making some software tweaks.We certainly see the value in systems such as this eMachines. They can provide relatively unfettered means to bringing your digital content to an HDTV at low cost. That has obvious appeal for those of you with lots of locally stored media files. For anyone else looking for a easy way to access the ever-expanding library of Web video content from the comfort of your couch, game consoles and the various media streaming devices continue to look more appealing by offering similar or better features than Nettops like this one for the same price.
Samsung- 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung: 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Safari tip- Change password field from dots to letters
Safari tip: Change password field from dots to letters
The hint is actually a pretty simple little trick, taking advantage of Safari's ability to change elements in a Web site via developer tools that can be enabled by users. To enable these tools, navigate to Safari's menu bar > Safari > Preferences (or Command + ,). Click the Advanced tab and check the box for "Show Develop menu in menu bar."Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti/CNETOnce you've enabled the Develop menu, you can do the following hint to show what's behind those password field dots:Right-click on the password field you wish to reveal.Choose "Inspect Element" from the contextual menu.When the Elements window pops up, a line will be highlighted. This is the coding for the site you are currently surfing and the highlighted portion is the element you right-clicked on (which is also highlighted in Safari). The line will have code similar to [input type="password" ...]Double-click on the word "password" and enter "text" in its place.Press Enter and the dots in the password field you've highlighted will change to the letters that were entered.Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti/CNETThis of course does not permanently change the code of the site, but only offers a preview of what the site would look like with the proposed changes. The tip is a great way to figure out your password quickly (or that of say, a client, who has their passwords saved but does not remember what they are). Keep in mind that saving your passwords in Safari (or any other browser) can be a security risk. Use caution when sharing your computer or leaving it in a public space, and always log out of Web sites and machines when using a public computer.Got any password hints for the Mac? Let me know in the comments!
The hint is actually a pretty simple little trick, taking advantage of Safari's ability to change elements in a Web site via developer tools that can be enabled by users. To enable these tools, navigate to Safari's menu bar > Safari > Preferences (or Command + ,). Click the Advanced tab and check the box for "Show Develop menu in menu bar."Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti/CNETOnce you've enabled the Develop menu, you can do the following hint to show what's behind those password field dots:Right-click on the password field you wish to reveal.Choose "Inspect Element" from the contextual menu.When the Elements window pops up, a line will be highlighted. This is the coding for the site you are currently surfing and the highlighted portion is the element you right-clicked on (which is also highlighted in Safari). The line will have code similar to [input type="password" ...]Double-click on the word "password" and enter "text" in its place.Press Enter and the dots in the password field you've highlighted will change to the letters that were entered.Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti/CNETThis of course does not permanently change the code of the site, but only offers a preview of what the site would look like with the proposed changes. The tip is a great way to figure out your password quickly (or that of say, a client, who has their passwords saved but does not remember what they are). Keep in mind that saving your passwords in Safari (or any other browser) can be a security risk. Use caution when sharing your computer or leaving it in a public space, and always log out of Web sites and machines when using a public computer.Got any password hints for the Mac? Let me know in the comments!
Safari on iOS favored among 85 percent of users
Safari on iOS favored among 85 percent of users
Apple's iOS users seem more willing to try new things than those running Android.Advertising network Chitika yesterday released the results of a report on browser usage across mobile platforms. The company found that Safari, the default browser in iOS, is used by 85 percent of the folks running that operating system. Chrome, which sat atop the App Store's listing of free applications for several weeks over the summer, took 3 percent of the iOS market. All other browsers, including Dolphin and Atomic, combined for 11.9 percent share.Interestingly, Android users are less likely to branch out. In fact, 91.3 percent of Android users are running the default browser. Opera is running on 5.8 percent of Android devices, while Chrome comes in at 2.3 percent. Firefox has yet to muster 1 percent market share.So, what does all of that data say? According to Chitika, two things: Android and iOS users don't like to venture out all that often, but if they do, Apple's users are more likely to do so."Apple users were found to be more adventurous with their selections," the company said.Apple launched iOS 6 last month with designs on improving Safari. The browser now includes support for iCloud Tabs, allowing users to keep the same tabs open, regardless of their iOS device. The browser also now saves Web pages in the Reading List and allows users to take photos and video without leaving Safari.Chitika's study is based on "hundreds of millions of online impressions" through the company's advertising network. The impressions were analyzed between August 28 and September 4.
Apple's iOS users seem more willing to try new things than those running Android.Advertising network Chitika yesterday released the results of a report on browser usage across mobile platforms. The company found that Safari, the default browser in iOS, is used by 85 percent of the folks running that operating system. Chrome, which sat atop the App Store's listing of free applications for several weeks over the summer, took 3 percent of the iOS market. All other browsers, including Dolphin and Atomic, combined for 11.9 percent share.Interestingly, Android users are less likely to branch out. In fact, 91.3 percent of Android users are running the default browser. Opera is running on 5.8 percent of Android devices, while Chrome comes in at 2.3 percent. Firefox has yet to muster 1 percent market share.So, what does all of that data say? According to Chitika, two things: Android and iOS users don't like to venture out all that often, but if they do, Apple's users are more likely to do so."Apple users were found to be more adventurous with their selections," the company said.Apple launched iOS 6 last month with designs on improving Safari. The browser now includes support for iCloud Tabs, allowing users to keep the same tabs open, regardless of their iOS device. The browser also now saves Web pages in the Reading List and allows users to take photos and video without leaving Safari.Chitika's study is based on "hundreds of millions of online impressions" through the company's advertising network. The impressions were analyzed between August 28 and September 4.
Rumors of Apple retail nixing boxed software persist
Rumors of Apple retail nixing boxed software persist
Building on reports from a month ago that Apple was planning to drastically scale back on boxed software at its retail stores, a new report claims that such a plan will include other computer peripherals as well.The reasoning behind the move, as explained by CNET contributor Jim Dalrymple on his personal blog The Loop, is that Apple plans to expand its personalized in-store setup service. This is the one that has Apple Retail Store employees helping new Mac, iPad, and iPod buyers get their new hardware up and running following their purchases.To make room for these one-on-one sessions, something's got to go, which is where the removal of software boxes from the storefront comes into place. Echoing a report by MacRumors from February, Dalrymple says that boxed software--mainly games--will get the boot from some Apple store shelves and stockrooms. Things like printers, scanners, and hard drives are also likely to be stricken from store floors and demo spaces, though they could end up staying in store stock rooms to be made available for an on-the-spot purchase, the report claims.These changes are said to be affecting "about 80 percent" of Apple's retail stores once they go into place, leaving the other 20 percent (likely the large stores with plenty of space) unaffected. The changes could also play into making extra room for support and training that make up a part of Apple's recently announced Joint Venture support service that will serve small-business customers with two-hour training workshops.
Building on reports from a month ago that Apple was planning to drastically scale back on boxed software at its retail stores, a new report claims that such a plan will include other computer peripherals as well.The reasoning behind the move, as explained by CNET contributor Jim Dalrymple on his personal blog The Loop, is that Apple plans to expand its personalized in-store setup service. This is the one that has Apple Retail Store employees helping new Mac, iPad, and iPod buyers get their new hardware up and running following their purchases.To make room for these one-on-one sessions, something's got to go, which is where the removal of software boxes from the storefront comes into place. Echoing a report by MacRumors from February, Dalrymple says that boxed software--mainly games--will get the boot from some Apple store shelves and stockrooms. Things like printers, scanners, and hard drives are also likely to be stricken from store floors and demo spaces, though they could end up staying in store stock rooms to be made available for an on-the-spot purchase, the report claims.These changes are said to be affecting "about 80 percent" of Apple's retail stores once they go into place, leaving the other 20 percent (likely the large stores with plenty of space) unaffected. The changes could also play into making extra room for support and training that make up a part of Apple's recently announced Joint Venture support service that will serve small-business customers with two-hour training workshops.
Rumor- MacBook Pro refresh set for March
Rumor: MacBook Pro refresh set for March
The alleged inventory report shows that Best Buy has created a dummy SKU for a mobile Apple computer set for release on March 11.Based on the retailer's report, the machine will cost $1,199. Since that's the cost of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, it may be a tipoff that prices couldremain the same for the refreshed models.These latest tidbits follow reports late last month from MacRumors and other Apple enthusiast sites that supplies have been dwindling for the MacBook Pro, especially the 15-inch and 17-inch models. That typically is a sign of Apple holding back stock as a precursor to refreshing the product line.This is, of course, all speculation until Apple would make an announcement. On that note, MacRumors said recently that it had seen the same inventory reports but was dubious about them because Best Buy had "guessed" at a release date for new MacBook Pros last year and was off by a month. Even 9to5Mac acknowledges that Best Buy's launch dates have missed the mark in the past.Apple last updated its MacBook Pro line in April 2010, so the timing would be right for a refresh. Still, there is one obstacle that Apple and PC vendors must take into account now. That is the impact of Intel's recent disclosure of a flawed Sandy Bridge chipset. With Intel due to start pushing out a fixed version of the chipset in mid-February, Apple could be forced to stall its MacBook Pro update beyond whatever launch date it had initially planned.
The alleged inventory report shows that Best Buy has created a dummy SKU for a mobile Apple computer set for release on March 11.Based on the retailer's report, the machine will cost $1,199. Since that's the cost of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, it may be a tipoff that prices couldremain the same for the refreshed models.These latest tidbits follow reports late last month from MacRumors and other Apple enthusiast sites that supplies have been dwindling for the MacBook Pro, especially the 15-inch and 17-inch models. That typically is a sign of Apple holding back stock as a precursor to refreshing the product line.This is, of course, all speculation until Apple would make an announcement. On that note, MacRumors said recently that it had seen the same inventory reports but was dubious about them because Best Buy had "guessed" at a release date for new MacBook Pros last year and was off by a month. Even 9to5Mac acknowledges that Best Buy's launch dates have missed the mark in the past.Apple last updated its MacBook Pro line in April 2010, so the timing would be right for a refresh. Still, there is one obstacle that Apple and PC vendors must take into account now. That is the impact of Intel's recent disclosure of a flawed Sandy Bridge chipset. With Intel due to start pushing out a fixed version of the chipset in mid-February, Apple could be forced to stall its MacBook Pro update beyond whatever launch date it had initially planned.
Your Top Three: Michael Bay Movies
Your Top Three is a series here at Movies.com where we choose a topic and you give us your top three picks. It used to be that the only acceptable Michael Bay movies to champion were The Rock and Armageddon, both of which did receive Criterion Collection releases, after all (never mind the reasons). Then he made Pain and Gain, which was celebrated by a good amount of smart critics last year. I;m not one of those (who celebrate it; I do consider myself to be smart), having turned it off halfway out of boredom. But I;m glad that it surprised a lot of people. To date, even with some early reviews of Transformers: Age of Extinction, Bay only has one movie with a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes -- that;d be The Rock. And that includes the movies he;s produced, most of them horror remakes, which is a shame because The Amityville Horror isn;t that bad. I don;t love it, though. I only love one of his movies, in any capacity, and that;s why it was really difficult to select and rank three of them. Going by the Twitter responses down below, I wasn;t alone in that. My top three Michael Bay movies: 1. The Rock - Yeah it has a ton of problems, but Bay;s second feature is still his most entertaining and most coherent. It;s also not too big, which means we get some nice character scenes with some great actors like Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery and Ed Harris. Speaking of Harris, his is the rare villain that we like because he has some fair points regarding his agenda, and I;ve always appreciated that. 2. Pearl Harbor - I haven;t seen this since it came out, but I didn;t hate it at the time, certainly no more than any other Michael Bay movie, and in spite of its many corny bits I thought a lot of the action was done really well. If you take out all the sappy plot involving the love triangle and that scene where FDR triumphantly pulls himself out of his wheelchair, the Pearl Harbor bombing sequence is extremely thrilling, and because it;s a true event, extremely chilling. 3. Bad Boys II - I can;t say I;m a fan of this Bad Boys sequel, especially all the horribly reckless mayhem at the end. But as I noted in a recent post, the highway chase with the car carrier is one of the best of all time. Your Picks (the topthree being The Rock,ArmageddonandPain & Gain): @thefilmcynic Armageddon > The Rock > Pain And Gain — Josh Brunsting (@joshbrunsting) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Bad Boys 2, The Island, Pain and Gain — Josh Gripman (@gripmonster) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic in precise order: 1) Pain & Gain 2) Pain & Gain 3) Pain & Gain — Jordan Raup (@jpraup) June 25, 2014 Is this a real question? I can only think of THE ROCK. RT @thefilmcynic - What are your top three Michael Bay movies? — Laura Grande (@laura_grande13) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic The Rock. Can that be it? — Jonathan Poritsky (@poritsky) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic 1) The Island 2) The Rock 3) Transformers 1 — FilmLand Empire (@FilmLandEmpire) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Bad Boys, Armageddon, Transformers — Keith Adams (@BigBrother1988) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Pain & Gain, The Rock, The Island — Edwin Arnaudin (@EdwinArnaudin) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys — Jason Seas (@jasonseas) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Bad Boys..The Rock..Armaggedon!! — Dean Kal El (@casualhero2) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic The Rock, Bad Boys, Armgeddon — ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) June 25, 2014 The Rock, Pain & Gain, Transformers. RT @thefilmcynic: POLL: What are your top 3 Michael Bay movies? — Stephen Watson (@RealMattDamon) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic The Rock, Bad Boys II, Armageddon — Matt Goldberg (@MattGoldberg) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic transformers 1-3 no bother — dan (@DannyAston1) June 25, 2014 The Rock, Armageddon (for the fun factor) and that;s it RT “@thefilmcynic: POLL: What are your top 3 Michael Bay movies?” — Lizziebeth (@lizziegolucky) June 25, 2014 I *hated* Pain & Gain, it made me feel unclean RT “@thefilmcynic: POLL: What are your top 3 Michael Bay movies?” — Lizziebeth (@lizziegolucky) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Bad Boys, The Rock, and Transformers no doubt. — Pablo Hurtado (@ImPABLO_i_WRITE) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Bad Boys II, Armageddon, and Pain & Gain — Jack Giroux (@JackGi) June 25, 2014 @lizziegolucky @thefilmcynic 1. MYSTERY MEN 2. MYSTERY MEN 3. MYSTERY MEN — Films On Wax (@filmsonwax) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Pain and Gain, The Island and I guess Transformers One for lack of additional options. Rather cap it at top two — Andrew E Plotkin (@andreweplotkin) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Do we have to find 3? — TDH (@TheDocHierarchy) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic Top? — Sam Fragoso (@SamFragoso) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic 1. 2. 3. — Michael (@mr3film) June 25, 2014 @thefilmcynic I love that one where the thing blows up. — Jeremiah Olney (@LordofGodKings) June 25, 2014 Join in the next
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