Archive for the ‘Media PCs’ Category
If you think way back, or just view our old post, you may remember us talking about the Clarion MiND. The whole debacle focused mostly around a company giving yet another name to something we already know as a MID. But it’s been quite some time since we’ve heard from them, so here’s the big news: The ClarionMiND is scheduled for a release in both the US and Canada this upcoming November. If you’re over in Europe, you’ll have to wait until January 2009.
The ClarionMiND is equipped with an Intel Atom CPU, a 4.8 in screen running at 800 x 480 resolution, 512mb of internal RAM, a 4GB SSD, 802.11b/g Wifi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and it even has a built in SiRFstarIII GPS module. The entire unit should last you fully charged about 2 hours on the normal battery and 4 on the extended. The price? $649.99
Really? Other companies are still out there making PMP’s? We’d have figured that besides Creative, all but Apple had hung up their hat for the day. Apparently nobody told SmartQ. Their latest device, the TAO, is actually not too shabby looking. It’s got a nice 3.3 inch 480 x 320 HVGA screen offering 262,000 colors and is a code beast (it’s capable of handling MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, WAV, PCM, and ADPCM for audio. Xvid, Divx, FLV, WMV, ASF, 3GP, MPEG, DAT, and MP4 for video). All of this running on a handy dandy 500mhz Blackfin processor.
This device seems to be China only as of now, but considering it’s only around $100 for the 4GB model, we may see it making it’s way over sooner rather than later.
Windows Media Center continues to eceive additional updates that just don’t cut it. What don’t they cut, you may ask?
Well when the fans (apparently) have been begging for updates revolving around a higher quality encoding along with DirectTV tuner support. But unfortunately, this most recent update won’t actually address any of that.
This latest update will however allow for some international support for Media Center.
For those of you wishing, waiting, and hoping, it looks like later this year we’ll actually see some of those features you’ve hoped for.
Those of you looking to get some hands on time with the Microsoft Surface will be startled to find that your first hands on consumer experience may happen as early as April 17th thanks to a partnership with AT&T. While not all stores will be getting a Microsoft Surface, it’s safe to assume that you’ll be able to find one sitting in the corporately owned major city AT&T locations.
The Microsoft Surface is a 30 in flat surface display system that is completely based off of touching the screen. Using gestures and even placing devices on it will provide you with some really unique capabilities that AT&T plan to take advantage of. The goal is to allow consumers to place phones on the Microsoft Surface to see more about it and even transfer ringtones, files, and games to it simply by dragging it from the screen to your device.