Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-ray player packs familiar specs, price

Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-ray player packs familiar specs, price

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Samsung's upcoming BD-P2500 Blu-ray player promises BD-Live support out of the box when it ships in October, with its IFA announcement revealing identical specs and price ($499) to the Best Buy-exclusive BD-P2550 already on sale. Of course, with HQV video processing and a wealth of audio support including 7.1 analog output and PCM or bitstream audio for Dolby Digital, Digital Plus, TrueHD or dts soundtracks, and DTS-HD HR (after a firmware update) and DTS-HD MA bitstream support, that's not an entirely bad thing. Samsung, Panasonic, it's taken you this many generations to get a satisfactory spec sheet, now what about the price?

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Sony introduces PMX-U55 PMP for China

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

As we've seen, Sony sure doesn't hold back on its exclusive-to-China line of PMX PMPs, and it's just tossed yet another new model into the mix, with the PMX-U55 helping to fill out the low-end of the spectrum (and pick up where the PMX-U50 left off). This one apparently comes in only a 2GB version, and packs a decent enough 2.4-inch 320 x 240 display, a built-in FM tuner, and support for all the usual audio and video formats, not to mention a 7.5mm slim form factor. Of course, like seemingly every other entry in the line, there's no word of a release outside of China, but those there can apparently pick one up right now for 498 Chinese yuan, or just over $70.

[Via PMP Today]

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IceWarp 10 to add Exchange support

IceWarp 10 to add Exchange support
IceWarp has announced that it will be debuting Exchange ActiveSync support for its self-titled server software this October, using its Advanced Messaging and Information Technology Conference as a venue. The most recent release of IceWarp Server introduced a new secure iPhone webmail skin, but with version 10, IceWarp says it is planning to add more functionality for the iPhone and other mobile de...

GBTV #0413 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0413 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
Shelfari is a social network and virtual bookshelf for book lovers. The Josh and Shelfari announced today that the site was acquired by Amazon.com.

Canon announced several new cameras a two new all-in-one printers today.

InsideTrip.com is a travel site that finds flights based on price and then uses a slider to adjust the price based on flight quality preferences you might have.

Panasonic has three new Plasma displays with 1TB DVRs built in.

The Navigon 7200T is the next GPS system I want to try. It looks like it has some really nice graphics.

MacBreak 22: The Uncluttered Desktop

Leo Laporte and guest Merlin Mann show you how to clear your desktop from distractions using Finder MenuShade and Sprited Away. Read more

2Chicks1Mac: iTunes Rentals -- Hot or Not?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor

Christina Warren. Erica Sadun. Two Women. Two Opinions. One love of all things Macintosh. This week, we take on iTunes rentals. Are they the next best thing or a waste of your money? We'll start the discussion and you judge the smackdown winner for the week.

Erica: Totally hot! No commitment, less than it would cost in gas, time and popcorn at the local second-run theater. Plus (bonus!) no used bubblegum under the seats. Why wait weeks for Netflix? You can watch on demand for three or four bucks with at most an hour or two of download time. Plus there's that 99-cent special each week.

Sure, I'd prefer the rental to go for 48 hours instead of 24, but it's really convenient to watch movies that I'd otherwise never get around to seeing. Rock on, iTunes Rentals.

Christina: Erica, you ignorant slut! Hey, I'm always up for new ways to watch movies, but the only real reason I can see renting from iTunes is laziness or random 3 AM rental attacks. And I haven't had random, "Ooh, I want to watch Fletch at 3 AM on a weeknight" moment since college. Weeks for Netflix? More like a couple of days -- I often get my queue replenished in 24 hours. And then I can bask in the joy of extra features, like director commentary, surround-sound, and if it's an older film, I can make sure I'm getting the latest/digitally restored print and not some digital export of a 10-year old print that was just cheap LaserDisc to DVD hack-job back in 1997.

Really though, what saddens me is how many films are available to buy, but are NOT available to rent. I can find new releases at Blockbuster, On-Demand or catch them on any of the premium movie channels, but its the catalog titles that have real potential. The Movie Store baits me by featuring Secretary on its "What We're Watching" section, but when I try to get my Spader-fest on, I find out my only option is to buy the movie. If I'm going to do that, I might as well get the DVD and watch Sex, Lies and Videotape (which is not in the store, to purchase or rent) from my own collection in the meantime.

View Poll

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Solver for Excel 2008 arrives ahead of schedule

Solver for Excel 2008 arrives ahead of schedule
Solver for Excel 2008 has arrived ahead of its mid-September prediction, via Frontline systems, according to the Mac Business Unit blog, Mac Mojo. Solver for Excel 2008 brings linear programming to Excel 2008, allowing Solver users to finally move from the Excel 2004 versions they had to run to utilize the add-in's abilities. Solver allows businesses and schools to execute programs in Excel, deter...

Coupons for Online Shopping

Coupons for Online Shopping

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GBTV #0375 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0375 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
People have been asking for it, and now it's inevitable. Qik will be available for the iPhone.

HP released v2 of their TouchSmart all-in-one computer. Through their Voodoo line, they also announced the Envy, a MacBook Air competitor, and the ever-so-expensive and sexy Omen Gaming PC.

The Microsoft Surface has been installed at the iBar at the Rio in Vegas. I don't think I'm cool enough to really understand if this is going to work out for the club crowd, but I am interested in watching drunk people use it. It's very important for you to watch the HD version of the show if you want to read the closed captioning during the Surface video.

MacBreak 65: Minute - Cmd-Tab

MacBreak Minute: Kenji shows you the the Cmd-Tab keyboard shortcut for quickly moving between open applications. Read more

Sony upgrades Walkmen with auto playlists

Sony today followed through on recent leaks with a significant overhaul of its Walkman music players. Apart from a new design that slims the device down to under 0.3 inches and harmonizes the look among all video-capable Sony players, the S730 series are the first to simplify smart playlists with a fully automatic feature known as SensMe. The addition gauges the tempo, rhythm, and other factors ...

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Sanyo unveils 720p PC/HD hybrid projector

Sanyo has introduced a new home theater projector also built with PCs in mind. The projector's 3LCD system is unusually sharp among mainstream projectors with a 720p resolution and produces output closer to HDTVs, with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,200 lumens of brightness. An optical zoom out to 2x allows the unit to present a 100" picture from 9.8 feet to 20 feet away. The exact position of...

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MacBreak 114: Macworld 2008: YouTube

Kendra Arimoto learns about the new YouTube features, Warp and Streams. Read more

GBTV #358 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #358 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
I've been a little bus obsessed for the last couple of days. Our lease is up on May 21st. Our plan has been to downsize and move into a small apartment for the summer while we finish planning The Big Trip. Even though we won't be ready to hit the road, we're really anxious to get the bus and start geeking it out for the trip.

Times is an RSS feed reader for Mac that is beautiful. It creates a Newspaper-like context for news delivered via RSS. It isn't a static experience though. Times takes advantage of Core Animation to make reading the news an enchanting experience. When you click on a headline, the page folds down to reveal the text of the story. A featured called Shelf lets you organized stories into stacks. You can download it from here and try it for 14 days. It's the one newsreader I've found that's worth paying for.

The PC Decrapifier is a freeware application that removes all the trialware nonsense that comes pre-installed on a new PC.

Evernote is an extension of your brain. Clips from Web pages or photographs you take with your phone camera can be sent to your Evernote database where the information is searchable. It's very cool. Lycos Cinema is a social video viewing experience. You pick the video, invite up to 10 friends and the video is synced to everyone watching at almost the exact same time. A chatroom gives viewers a way to talk about what they're watching. The big downside, though is the very limited supply of interesting content.

The conversation about prerolls and Beck's Beer is on my blog, iCali.tv.

Toshiba's new ZF LCDs include Cell-based Resolution+ upscaling

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

As expected, Toshiba is offering a new (supposed) world's first here at IFA: a true upscaling TV, finally getting rid of the middle man for upconverting those SD sources. The new ZF Series LCDs include Cell processors and Toshiba's home grown Resolution+ technology, which does similar edge and detail enhancement to Toshiba's XDE upscaler -- sharpening detail, smoothing edges, and leaving the rest of the image alone -- but with the added fun of Cell power in the mix. As for the actual displays, Toshiba will be shipping the 40ZF575D (40-inch) and the 46ZF575D (46-inch), both offering 1080p, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response times and Active Vision M100 HD 100Hz 5:5 pulldown processing, along with four HDMI plugs, component video, RGB and PC input. Right now this is just a Europe launch, and we don't have exact ship dates or pricing, but hopefully Toshiba will soon rectify that.

Gallery: Toshiba's new ZF LCDs include Cell-based Resolution+ upscaling

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GBTV #0379 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0379 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
Kaleidescape released two new movie players. The 1080p upscales stand definition DVDs to deliver a viewing experience that rivals Blu-ray. Information about the Kaleidescape court case is here and a review of the player is here.

The Aztech WL850MS HD Media Streamer uses wireless N to stream 1080p video wirelessly over your home network.

The Cuisipro Ice Cream Scoop & Stack produces 3.75 oz., perfectly cylindrical scoops.

Rogers Wireless may match AT&T pricing for the iPhone, including the data plan.

Popgadget has a tip for skipping voice mail greatings when you call mobile phones.

XBMC is a cross-platform media center application that works on OSX, Windows, Linux and Xbox. It's my favorite application for the Mac that I've come across this year. Thanks to everyone who recommended it.

MacBreak 126: Macworld 2008: Verte Chair

MacBreak 126: Macworld 2008: Verte Chair
Dr. Kiki Sanford takes Anthro Technology's "Verte Chair" for a spin.

MacBreak 54 Macworld 2007: Bare Bones Software

MacBreak 54 Macworld 2007: Bare Bones Software
Merlin chats with the kind folk at Bare Bones Software, makers of BBEdit and Yojimbo.

GBTV #356 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #356 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
Yamaha Key Between People, Disklavier Mark 4, Movies available on iTunes immediately, Starbucks transitioning to AT&T

MacBreak 99: Studio: Mixed-Format Editing in Final Cut Pro

Steve Martin explains how mixed format editing works within Final Cut Pro 6. Read more

MacBreak 94: Studio: 3D in Motion

MacBreak 94: Studio: 3D in Motion
Mark Spencer shows us how to manipulate objects in 3D space within Motion.

Master of the universe

Master of the universe
In a unique collision between video games and science, a new title called Spore is redefining the genre known as "God games". Dreamed up by Will Wright, considered the Spielberg of the gaming industry, it takes a whole new look...

Psystar countersues Apple

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware

The Psystar saga continues. Back in April, Psystar went public with the first commercial Hackintosh clones. For US$554, they'd send you a Core 2 Duo minitower with Mac OS X preinstalled. In June, they released rack-mount servers with Leopard Server preinstalled in both 1U (starting $1599) and 2U (starting $1999) configurations.

Last July, the inevitable happened and Apple filed a lawsuit against Psystar citing copyright infringement, and demanded that they recall all machines. Psystar responded by acquiring legal representation from Carr & Ferrell, who previously settled with Apple in another case.

Still with us? Good. This week, Psystar seems to be preparing to countersue Apple, citing anticompetitive business practices. Specifically, the suit alleges that Apple's practice of restricting OS X to Apple hardware is "...an anticompetitive restraint of trade."

We think that's a stretch, but this story sure is fun to follow. We'll keep you updated as soon as anything changes. If you want a claim-by-claim breakdown of Apple's suit against Psystar, check out Nilay Patel's full accounting over at Engadget.

[Via Electronista]

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5D Mark II specs, 50D sensor technology discussed

5D Mark II specs, 50D sensor technology discussed
Following closely on Wednesday morning's D90 announcement, specifications were leaked about Canon's new, but as-of-yet unofficial, full-frame sensor 5D Mark II DSLR, with additional details of the 50D's image processing capabilities revealed as well. An anonymous source tells Canon Rumors that the 5D Mark II will offer a 21.1 megapixel full-frame DIGIC IV sensor, with full weather sealing, a 3.2-i...

Dell's new Vostro A860 and A840 laptops do Ubuntu, headed for emerging markets

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

While the Vostro 2510 might be Dell's primary bid for dual-use small business computers, that doesn't mean they have to keep beating the rest of the Vostros with the ugly stick. The new Vostro A860 and A840 feature spiffed up looks and aggressive prices for emerging markets. Unfortunately, "emerging markets" means we won't be getting these in the States for the time being. Both laptops are naturally light on specs, with 1GB of RAM, 160GB or 120GB hard drives, CD or DVD burners, WiFi and optional Bluetooth. The 15.6-inch A860 sports an "HD" resolution, while the 14.1-inch A840 runs at WXGA. Processors range from Celeron to Core 2 Duo, both laptops can be outfitted with Vista or Ubuntu, and they both weigh in around 5 pounds. Oh, and if you're more of a desktop sort, Dell is also offering the new Vostro A180 and A100 desktops, with the A180 offering a range of specs and both OS choices, while the A100 sticks with an Intel Atom processor and Ubuntu. No word on price for any of these yet, since pricing will vary from country to country, but we might be looking at a new low for Dell in both categories.

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InfoCenter vs. iTunes: The Battle of the Podcatchers?

The battle of or for the podcatchers? Based on what this piece below is saying, Microsoft is attempting to bring “order” to the world of podcasting.
(moreR30;)

The battle of or for the podcatchers? Based on what this piece below is saying, Microsoft is attempting to bring “order” to the world of podcasting.
(moreR30;)

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Monitor your FriendFeed efficiently with Feedalizr

Monitor your FriendFeed efficiently with Feedalizr
There are quite a few Adobe AIR applications on the Web right now that allow you to monitor your FriendFeed. The most commons ones that you may know about are Alert Thingy, Twhirl, Posty, and bTT by Sobees but now we have Feedalizr to add to the list. Among all of the FriendFeed applications I have [...]

There are quite a few Adobe AIR applications on the Web right now that allow you to monitor your FriendFeed. The most commons ones that you may know about are Alert Thingy, Twhirl, Posty, and bTT by Sobees but now we have Feedalizr to add to the list.

Among all of the FriendFeed applications I have tested out, Feedalizr is definitely one of the coolest and most unique. It allows you to post updates to Twitter, FriendFeed, and Jaiku and you can even share pictures and videos. You can also use your webcam to snap a picture or record a video right through the Feedalizr application, which you can then share as well by clicking on “start camera”.

The one thing I don’t like though is that you can only post updates to one service at a time, as opposed to posting to all of them at the same time like Posty. I’m hoping that’s something that will be integrated in the near future.

Of course you can also reply to messages, leave a comment, watch videos and “like” posts just like on the actual FriendFeed website. Feedalizr will auto-update whenever there is a new post but you can also manually refresh it as well.

Unfortunately, you can’t set a certain time for it to check for updates though. Personally, I’d much rather prefer being able to set a certain amount of minutes to check for updates because the constant auto-updating can be too much at times.

Feedalizr does support popup notifications, which are called “toasters”. These notifications can be disabled if you’d rather not receive them. As you can see in the left screenshot, if there is more then one new post then they will all be shown on the screen together, instead of each being shown separately.

Right now Feedalizr only brings FriendFeed to your desktop, but I have a feeling that they will be adding more in the future. Feedalizr supports FriendFeed rooms as well so you will receive messages that have been sent to a room directly in Feedalizr and you can post directly to any room that you’re a member of.

One of the most unique things about Feedalizr is the tab support. For instance, if you only want to see your Twitter messages in a tab or, if you want to see all messages from a certain user in a tab, you can. Plus, you can have as many tabs open as you want. If you’re wondering if each tab will auto-update with new posts related to that tab, the answer is yes.

The filter system on Feedalizr is pretty extensive as well. As you can see in the next screenshot, you can filter by all of your FriendFeed services and you can even filter by users you’re subscribed to. This is a feature that FriendFeed doesn’t even include without the use of a Greasemonkey script.

So even though Feedalizr is not a Twitter app, you can still use it as such by monitoring your tweets in a separate tab. As far as Twitter is concerned, Feedalizr allows you to reply to a tweet by simply clicking the “reply” link below the post. You can also send a direct message to any user by clicking the “direct” link below one of their posts. Whether you send a reply or direct message, you can rest assure that it will be posted directly to Twitter. If you want to leave a reply on FriendFeed, there’s a separate reply box for that as well.

With all of the features that Feedalizr provides so far, I definitely see it as a better alternative to Twhirl. Besides, who wants to have two separate windows open (for Twitter and FriendFeed) rather than just one window with two tabs? Feedalizr is definitely the better choice if you’re looking to optimize your desktop space.

What do you guys think? Is Feedalizr giving Twhirl a run for their money? Would you consider switching from Twhirl (or any other app you may use) to Feedalizr? Please let us know in the comments.

(By) Charnita is a social media addict & Internet junkie. She blogs about internet & blog tools, website & blog promotion, web 2.0 & social media at her Social Web Tools blog.

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Tags: adobe AIR, desktop client, friendfeed

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