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iMuffs by Wi-Gear Review

Shawn Brown — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:38:15 +0000

The iMuffs MB210 by Wi-Gear are multi-functional headphones for the iPod Nano, iPod Video (5G), iPod Mini, iPod (3G) and iPod (4G). Wi-Gear has set out to “cut the cord” with this headset. Although not specifically designed for other devices, you can also use these headphones with the iPhone, Bluetooth enabled mobile phones and properly equipped computers.

The behind-the-neck headphones are surprisingly lightweight and flexible to reduce ear fatigue. The iMuffs hold very well whether you’re enjoying music around the house or going for a brief jog. The positioning of the headphones gives more direct, clear bass tones with less sound loss. Designed with the right-handed population in mind, the right earpiece has a convenient volume control as well as pause, forward and backward navigation controls.

Powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer 550mAh battery, the iMuffs claim to give users up to 20 hours of continuous playback. We found the actual time to be more in the 16 to 18 hour range, which is still not bad. Recharging the battery is made easy by virtue of the standard micro USB port.

Connecting your iPod is very simple, just plug it in and turn it on. The navigation buttons are very responsive to touch and quite easy to press making it impossible to lay down on your right side while listening to music. The iMuffs also connect to the iPhone as well as other Bluetooth 2.0 enabled mobile phones. The integrated Bluetooth supports the A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP profiles. You can also use this headset to place calls without the use of the handset itself. We were able to use the iPhone via Bluetooth to place calls, but the Bluetooth dongle is needed to actually listen to music.

Audio playback as well as call quality are both about average. We were able to listen to music within a close proximity to the actual device with little to no interference. When you go into another room, or put a large object between your and your music device you will almost always here static until in direct sight of your device, but that is to be expected from most Bluetooth devices.

The iMuffs have a 20Hz - 20kHz frequency range, which is much better than a lot of headphones today. However their use of Bluetooth wireless means sound quality undergoes compression and, as such, these aren’t the wireless cans for audiophiles (who would do better looking at Sleek Audio’s W-1 system). The headphones reach up to 40 feet away, making them perfect for doing work around the house or hitting the gym. They also use Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), allowing incoming calls to interrupt music. Without A2DP users would need two separate headsets, one for music and one for Bluetooth calling. While noise-canceling technology is present in the iMuffs, it is very limited and by no means advanced. In locations where there is moderate background noise, the headphones phase out noise pretty well. However in situations where there are high noise levels, the noise cancelation fails to perform very well.

If the iMuffs sound like a perfect holiday gift, even for yourself, you may now order them directly from Wi-Gear for $149.99.

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Can suburbs produce all their own food?

Luke Iseman — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0000

(Image via Wikipedia)

They sure don't now. According to Jeff Vail, they just might:

How much of its own food can suburbia produce? In America, the average suburban lot size is approximately 12,000 square feet. That's about a quarter-acre. At an average of 2.56 people per household, and a rough average of 10,000 feet per lot not covered by structures, that's just under 4,000 square feet of yard per person. Of course, this ignores the potential for parks and other open spaces in suburbia to be converted to food-production. It is also an average figure--some neighborhoods will have far less space, others far more. Despite these sources of variability, it is a good jumping-off point. Is 4,000 square feet enough to provide for a person? There are three requirements: calories, nutrition, and the variety and selection necessary to support culture and quality of life. In addition, there are four limiting factors to food production in a given area: sunlight, water, labor, and soil/nutrients. In the interest of space, I'll only address three of these: calories, nutrition, and soil/nutrients--please feel free to discuss the other requirements and constraints in comments.

Can 4,000 square feet produce enough calories to feed one person? At 26 calories per ounce and roughly 8,000 pounds of potatoes harvested from 4,000 square feet (based on intermediate yields from John Jeavons "How to Grow More Vegetables," p. 92), that's 3.3 million calories, or 9,000 calories per day. This is, of course, completely unsustainable, insufficiently nutritious, etc. But it does answer the question--it is possible to grow enough calories on 4,000 square feet per person. The real limiting factors are nutrition and soil, discussed below:

Can 4,000 square feet produce enough nutrients to feed one person while simultaneously sustaining and improving the soil? One issue is that topsoil has been scraped away from more recent suburban developments. How effectively can we re-build soil, and how long does it take? John Jeavons has addressed this question in depth (summarized at p. 28-29 of "Grow More Vegetables"). He concludes that 4,000 square feet is roughly enough to feed one person a complete, nutritious diet, while simultaneously improving soil quality. His method involves 60% (by area) focus on growing soil-improving crops (high carbon content food crops for eventual compost), 30% mixed high-calorie root crops, and 10% mixed vegetables.

Check out Jeff's other suburbia analyses here. If you're ready to jump in and start growing, here are 92 Instructables tagged 'gardening!'

Motorola MOTOROKR EM35 officially announced: music all the way

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:55:19 +0000

Step aside, Nokia, because today, December 2, is also Motorola’s day (well, sort of). The American handset manufacturer has just announced its latest music phone, which is named MOTOROKR EM35 and comes to offer an “exceptional audio experience for music and talk”.

The EM35 is a pretty cool-looking slider that runs on a Linux Java 7.4 platform and features dedicated music controls, a 3.5mm headset jack and CrystalTalk technology, among others.

It’s only a mid-end handset, and perhaps its main drawback is the lack of 3G connectivity.

Anyway, here are the full specs of MOTOROKR EM35, besides the ones we’ve already mentioned:

Quad band GSM/GPRS/ EDGE connectivity (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz)
2.2 inch TFT display with 240 x 320 pixels and 262K colors
Email, Instant Messaging
Web browser
Pre-installed and downloadable widgets
Stereo Bluetooth
Dual speakers for a stereo surround sound
Windows Media Player 11
FM radio with RDS
3.1 MP camera with fixed focus
110MB of internal memory
MicroSD and MicroSDHC card support, up to 32GB
116 grams
107 x 49.5 x 16 mm
Talk-time: up to 6.6 hours
Stand-by time: up to 400 hours

Although MOTOROKR EM35 will be available before the end of 2008, Motorola gave no details regarding its price and the markets to get it first.

Via Press release

NZXT’s Zero 2 is Full Tower Steel Chassis with Customizable Cooling System

Daniel Lim — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:48:53 +0000

Any PC extremist would appreciate a great designed case with tool-less construction, good cooling capabilities while capable to operate in whisper quiet mode at load. NZXT has released the follow-up on highly appraised Zero series with such features. The new Zero 2 is a full tower PC case with extremely durable and sturdy chassis constructed from a 1mm steel. Like its presuccessor, the sequel features silent and massive cooling system that can be customized for up to total of 10 fans.

The NZXT Zero 2 measures 210.5 x 532 x 536mm and weighs 22.44 pounds. It features five 5.25″ drive bays, two 3.5″ drive bays and six HDD bays: a total of 13 bays with tool-less design for raid-fanatics. The unit ships with 3x 120mm fans and has room for optional 4×120mms and 3×80mm fans. The use of multiple oversize-fans allows the unit to circulate air flow at lower RPM; it reduces system noise yet increases air circulation. Accessible ports are made conveniently to integrate with motherboard such as top-mounted USB, audio and e-SATA ports.

Available now, NZXT Zero 2 has a retail price of $99.99. For more information on the NZXT Zero2, visit here.

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Panasonic TC-37LZ85 LCD TV Review

jounxp — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:15:23 +0000

Panasonic TC-37LZ85 is an LCD widescreen TV that is HDTV capable and delivers 1080p HD, so every detail is rendered with amazing clarity, and all the action is delivered with unbelievable fluidity. 1080p also delivers amazing color reproduction resulting in impressive contrast and beautiful, natural colors. What you get is warm, accurate skin tones, deep blacks, gorgeous greens, breathtaking blues and vivid reds for color that’s as rich and bold as life itself. With 178 degree viewing, this remarkable 37-inch widescreen TV delivers up to 1920 x 1080 image Resolution and allows composite, component, and HDMI Connectivity for flexible use. Let’s dig a little deeper to see why this set is so superior to anything else in its class.

Panasonic’s Advanced LCD AI technology uses Active Light Control and Active Contrast / Gamma Control functions to produce greater brightness, deeper blacks and superior gradation. Share your JPEG photos taken with a Lumix or any SD-compatible Digital-Camera on your Panasonic LCD using the built-in SD card slot. Simply insert the SD card, which is about the size of a postage stamp, into the SD slot on the TV and enjoy a photo slideshow. For added convenience, EZ Sync HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your Home Theater components by pressing a single button on your TV’s remote control.

Features

1920 x 1080 Resolution
10000:1 Contrast Ratio
178 Degrees Viewing angle for maximum viewing capacity
Viera LinK HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV’s remote control
GalleryPlayer allows you to enjoy the world’s finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic LCD HDTV

Review By Vanns

Meet Panasonic’s VIERA TC37LZ85 LCD HDTV. The TC37LZ85 includes a built-in ATSC digital tuner to receive high definition content. The set includes 3 HDMI-HDCP connections, which enables the transfer of high definition video and audio via a single cable. That means you can enjoy HD entertainment without the inconvenience of numerous tangled cables.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Crutchfield

Panasonic’s "IPS Alpha" LCD is their most advanced panel technology. It lets you enjoy exceptional picture quality when watching from the sides, above, or below the screen. Colors remain clear and vivid from nearly any spot in the room. That’s an appealing trait in any setup, but it’s especially desirable in a bedroom where furnishings often require a TV to be tucked in a corner or perched on a dresser instead of carefully positioned for optimum viewing.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Products.howstuffworks

The set is GalleryPlayer compatible, so you can use the stylish TC-37LZ85 as your own private art gallery for those times when you’re not watching TV. While the set’s sleek design doesn’t actually imitate a high-end picture frame, we’re generally pleased with the clean lines and reasonably thin bezel. Below the screen is the set’s speaker bar, which contains two 10-watt speakers. These produce good audio quality and can deliver a bit of punch for TV, movies and even games, and we found the results at simulating surround sound quite reasonable as well. It still won’t compare to a dedicated home theater system, but for a den, small living room or bedroom setting the speakers should easily meet your needs.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Reviews.cnet

There are two main HD resolutions in use today by HD broadcasters and other sources: 1080i and 720p. One is not necessarily better than the other; 1080i has more lines and pixels, but 720p is a progressive-scan format that should deliver a smoother image that stays sharper during motion. Another format is also becoming better known: 1080p, which combines the superior resolution of 1080i with the progressive-scan smoothness of 720p. True 1080p content is extremely scarce, however, and none of the major networks have announced 1080p broadcasts. The term 1080p today appears mostly in reference to the displays’ native resolution, not the source.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Product-reviews

The sound on this television is better than your average TV giving you 20 Watts of virtual surround sound from its full range speakers. As this is a Full HD TV you will need to be able to connect a number of HD sourced products, so the addition of three HDMI inputs is very welcome.

Read Full Review Here

Florence Nightingale: The Passionate Statistician - old school data visualizing

Phillip Torrone — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:00:20 +0000

Florence Nightingale: The Passionate Statistician… Nightingale created many novel graphics to present statistics that would persuade Queen Victoria of the need to improve sanitary conditions in military hospitals. The area of each region shows the number of soldiers who died of wounds, disease, or other causes, during each month of the Crimean War-

When Florence Nightingale arrived at a British hospital in Turkey during the Crimean War, she found a nightmare of misery and chaos. Men lay crowded next to each other in endless corridors. The air reeked from the cesspool that lay just beneath the hospital floor. There was little food and fewer basic supplies. By the time Nightingale left Turkey after the war ended in July 1856, the hospitals were well-run and efficient, with mortality rates no greater than civilian hospitals in England, and Nightingale had earned a reputation as an icon of Victorian women. Her later and less well-known work, however, saved far more lives. She brought about fundamental change in the British military medical system, preventing any such future calamities. To do it, she pioneered a brand-new method for bringing about social change: applied statistics.

Nokia Home Control Center demo: automated potential

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:42:41 +0000

Nokia’s Home Control Center was among the gadgets making an appearance at the company’s Barcelona expo today, and Electricpig caught a little in-person time with the setup. Ostensibly a WiFi draft-n router, the Home Control Center box itself is actually a Z-Wave transmitter too, with 6GB of internal storage and intelligence to monitor temperature and other sensors and control heating and lighting accordingly.

Different face-plates and fabric covers are available, if the Center itself isn’t to your tastes, but this is probably yet another box to be hidden away in a cupboard or tucked among computer junk. More importantly, it offers remote control on different Nokia devices - here demonstrated with a Nokia N95 8GB, but you can bet the N97 will get a look-in too - as well as access from any browser.

The demo wasn’t anything outlandish - turning on some lights, monitoring temperature and heating, and remotely controlling an alarm system - but if Nokia can bring this in at a reasonable price then they might be able to break the entry-level home automation market. Expect it on sale in May or June 2009.

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It is Real! Nokia N97 Is Officially Announced

info — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:25:47 +0000

Nokia today announced the Nokia N97 desktop PC phone, claiming the world’s most advanced mobile computer, in Barcelona, Spain. The Nokia N97 features a big 3.5-inch TFT LCD Wide touchscreen (as big as Apple iPhone), a full QWERTY keyboard that slide out from the side, and Nokia’s Ovi services.

“From the desktop to the laptop and now to your pocket, the Nokia N97 is the most powerful, multi-sensory mobile computer in existence,” said Jonas Geust, Vice President, heading Nokia Nseries. “Together with the Ovi services announced today, the Nokia N97 mobile computer adjusts to the world around us, helping stay connected to the people and things that matter most. With the Nokia N97, Nseries leads the charge in helping to transform the Internet into your Internet”.

The N97 comes equipped with 32GB of built-in memory, and a microSD memory expansion slot that supports up to 16 GB of memory upgrade. So, the maximum total memory of Nokia N97 is 48GB, thrice of Apple iPhone 3G’s 16 GB.

The Nokia N97 also has a 5-Megapixel camera with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics, 16:9 and DVD quality video capture, and support for services like Share on Ovi for immediate sharing over HSDPA and WLAN.

The N97 phone will be available in Europe in the first quarter of 2009. The estimated selling price is EUR 550.

It is official! Nokia Bought Symbian Limited

info — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:07:53 +0000

Nokia today announced that it has successfully bought Symbian Limited, the world’s most popular operaing system for cellular phones. All conditions to Nokia’s offer to acquire Symbian Limited have been satisfied and it has received valid acceptance of greater than 99.9% of the total Symbian shares that Nokia did not already own.

It looks like Nokia is set to compete head-to-head with Apple’s iPhone OS and RIM’s BlackBerry OS.

Gateway M-7818u Laptop Review

jounxp — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:57:41 +0000

The MC7803u sports eye catching features such as a bright 16" glass screen, synthetic leather palm rests, and illuminated multimedia controls going down each side. There is also a backlit keyboard, which is as convenient as it is attractive.

In the world of more standard features, the Gateway MC7803u has a multicard reader as well as an ExpressCard slot and an integrated webcam. It packs some decent hardware too, with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T5800, a 1366×768 display (that’s 16:9), 4GB RAM, a 320GB HDD, a 512MB GPU, 4 USB ports to go along with an HDMI port.

Specs:

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5800
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Weight: 6.28 lbs.
Display Size: 15.4″
Graphics: Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Storage Capacity: 250 GB
Networking Options: 802.11a/g/Draft-N
Primary Optical Drive: 8x Multi-Format Dual Layer DVD-RW

Review By Computershopper

The 6.2-pound M-7818u features an attractive Garnet Red lid sealed with Gateway’s inFuse finish, which protects it from the typical wear and tear of everyday use. The color extends to the wrist rest portion of the keyboard and eventually gives way to a brushed-metal finish that matches the silver keyboard. The keyboard has just the right amount of give without feeling too squishy, and the black touch pad is responsive and smooth.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Laptopmag

The 1280 x 800-pixel resolution on the Gateway M-7818u’s 15.4-inch widescreen is lower than you’ll find on pricier units, but the panel was comfortable to work on and delivered a bright, vibrant image. Colors popped, and motion and color reproduction on our Pirates of the Caribbean DVD were excellent. The panel’s horizontal viewing angle was wide, although looking at the screen from above showed a brightness shift.

Read Full Review Here

Review By Reviews.cnet

The Gateway M-7818u’s slender case houses all the ports and connections you’re likely to need, plus an HDMI output; the latter is an unexpected bonus, but we’re not sure how useful it will be without an accompanying high-definition optical drive. The laptop lacks the mini-FireWire we’ve come to expect on a midsize laptop–a possible deal breaker for camcorder enthusiasts–but it does include a multiformat memory-card reader so you can still grab images from your digital camera.

Read Full Review Here

Elecom Class-6 SDHC is waterproof

Daniel Lim — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:55:57 +0000

We’ve seen plenty of flash storage based electronics devices with waterproof feature, hardly the storage itself. The Japanese looks to break the trend with the introduction of waterproof SDHC memory cards. A SDHC card is more likely to float if it’s accidentally dropped in the water but the Elecom-made SDHC is more than H20-friendly; as a IPX7 compliant device, it will withstand accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

Besides waterproof; the Elecom is Class-6 standard, meaning it offers real-time recording directly to the card with a guaranteed minimum write speed of 6MB/sec and a data transfer rate of up to 15MB/sec.

Elecom waterproof SDHC is available in 4GB and 8GB capacity. Mum’s the word on pricing information but it is slated to ship in December.

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Permian MOBView Bluetooth TV tuner for smartphones: Video Demo

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:55:54 +0000

Permian have been showing off their Bluetooth TV tuner, which allows digital television to be watched on a smartphone. The MOBView is a small, relatively featureless box that supports both DAB and T-DMB broadcasts and streams the content via Bluetooth to your handset.

Check out the video demo after the cut

The MOBView is battery powered (with a removable power-pack) and aside from a power button there appear to be no controls on the tuner unit itself. It looks to come with a separate TV app for your Windows Mobile smartphone, which allows you to search for channels.

Range and resistance to interference both seem good. Details on the MOBView are scant, with no suggestion of when (or if) the product will reach the market, and if it does so what sort of price tag it might carry.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via UberPhones]

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Motorola ROKR EM35 announced, instantly overshadowed

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:42:14 +0000

Hi Motorola, it’s me, Chris. I realize I’m no whiz-bang analyst, but I do think you could’ve picked a better time to announce your MOTO ROKR EM35 cellphone than the same day that everyone is obsessing over the Nokia N97. Somehow, dedicated music keys, CrystalTalk personalized noise adaptation and integrated stereo speakers don’t quite compete.

In a way it’s a shame, because there are a couple of neatish features. The integrated FM antenna means you don’t have to have a wired headset plugged in to listen to the radio, you can do it over Bluetooth A2DP headphones, and there’s a “FastScroll” navigation wheel to quickly whip through tracks on the 110MB of built-in memory or microSD card (with up to 32GB cards supported). There’s also a web-browser and internet-enabled widgets, though don’t expect great performance as the EM35 tops out at EDGE.

The Motorola ROKR EM35 will be available sometime in Q4 2008, which means they’ve got about four weeks. No word on pricing, but expect it to be more entry level than, well, N97 level. More info here.

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Apple In-Ear Headphones with mic & remote on sale

Chris Davies — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:23:14 +0000

The in-ear headphones Steve Jobs announced back in September have finally gone on sale, complete with a $79 price-tag. Showing in the Apple store as shipping in 7-10 days, the headset not only includes the in-ear stereo buds but an in-line microphone and “control capsule” that allows you to adjust volume, play and pause music, and skip between tracks.

However, while they’d seem the ideal partner for the iPhone, in actual fact the headphones aren’t compatible with the Apple cellphone. More accurately, while they’ll play music, the controls and microphone won’t function. They’re only intended for the iPod nano (4th generation), iPod classic (120GB) and iPod touch (2nd generation).

Three silicone ear-tips are included, just in case you have outlandishly large or small ear-canals, and the drivers themselves are protected from aural filth by removable mesh grills. Two replacement grills are included, just in case the filth really is caked on. Apple also include a carry case.

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Symbian Ltd now fully belongs to Nokia; Symbian Foundation gets closer to launch

Ilinca Nita — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:13:47 +0000

I’ve said a bit earlier that it’s a big day for Nokia, and indeed it is. Not only that the Finnish giant has unveiled its N97 smartphone, a new version of Nokia Maps and the Nokia Messaging service, but it also announced that the acquisition of Symbian Limited is now complete.

As of today, Nokia owns more than 99.9% of Symbian Limited, after paying big bucks to Samsung, Sony Ericsson and the other former shareholders.

This means that the main condition for the launch of Symbian Foundation has been met. In consequence, the first handsets to feature the upcoming open source Symbian platform are on track for 2010, as previously announced.

Major companies, like AT&T, Samsung, LG, Motorola, NTT DoCoMo, Vodafone and many others, will work together for the development of the open source Symbian platform. This being said, I guess we have great things to look forward to in the next few years.

Via Nokia and Symbian