Turn your iPod in a FLASH based iPod.....
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Ouch, if you want to take apart your iPod and put in some flash memory, then take a look... again "Ouch!". "In this little proof-of-concept I was eager to try out if I could swap the Microdrive inside an iPod mini for a Compact Flash-card. These cards are getting bigger and cheaper by the day so my idea was, if this works out, we have a great way of extending the life of this little MP3-player."via geektechnique read more | digg story
Labels: Apple iPod
Envirofone - cash in your mobile phone!
OK, OK, I bet you have an old mobile phone lying around somewhere. If you are anything like me then you probably succumb to the latest in gadgetry all the time. Check out those cupboards and drawers at home, then head on over to Envirofone.envirofone.com is a straightforward, no-nonsense website which allows consumers to choose cash or retail credit for recycling mobile phones. A small donation is also made to a charity, which the user can select during the online transaction. Alternatively if the user wants a little extra value he or she can opt for credits, which can be spent at any Argos store in the UK.
An estimated 18 million phones are upgraded each year in the UK but fewer than 4 million are recycled. And with a total of 100 million unused mobile phones currently gathering dust in houses around the UK, envirofone.com is encouraging customers to click on line, recycle their phones and earn money in the process.
Once mobile phones are received by envirofone.com they are recycled or reused and sent to developing countries. Phones that can’t be recycled, including chargers and batteries, are broken down and used again or disposed of safely.
Log on to envirofone.com and see how much your old mobile phones are worth. The simplest form of recycling is just a click away.
Labels: Mobile Phones
Samsung 215TW LCD Monitor - Spot on!
The Samsung 215TW is one of the few products I was actually happy to purchase for Geekanoids, without seeing it first. I had heard so many good things about it that I was just hoping that the rare occasion when my wallet comes out, was justified.Samsung offer a lot of monitors in their range, and there are so many choices from other manufacturers. Apart from the reviews, the 215TW boasts an impressive specification. Of note, the 21-inch 1680x1050 panel offers 1000:1 contrast, is nice and bright at 300cd/m2, and has a nice 178 degree viewing angles. The panel is also true 24-Bit, so there is no trickery like found in some cheaper panels to achieve the 16.7 million colour display. Although I didn't buy this to play games, the 8ms response rate makes it ideal for gaming and video playback too. On the rare occasion I have played a game, there was no ghosting or noticeable lag.
Connections are very impressive, with DVI and VGA inputs I can have two computers connected at the same time. You are also treated to composite, s-video and component video inputs. Just for the fun of it I tried a DVD player through the composite video connections, and I was really impressed. Colours were punchy and the crispness and detail would be hard to beat.
My main use for the 215TW is graphic work, encompassing Photoshop, Quark Xpress, Freehand (yes, I still use Freehand) and a lot of web based work. The colour accuracy is very impressive and the display backlight is so uniform, it really is hard to find fault. Well, the only thing negative I can say is that the 215TW is so difficult to move. It has a very nice slide mechanism for adjusting the height of the display, which makes it difficult to lift. Thank goodness that you don't have to move these things very often.
There are a lot of cheaper monitors out there, some even adding an extra inch whilst still be cheaper. Be warned though, these cheaper monitors use different display technology. They would be OK for gaming, but if you are serious about graphic orientated work, then it is worth spending that little bit extra. There is no better test than seeing a monitor with your own eyes, but if you are not able to do this and you rely on mail order, then give a Samsung 215TW a go... I am certain you will not regret it.
Product: Samsung 215TW
Price: £360
Purchased from: Pixmania UK
Contact: 08700 118 117
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Parallels Desktop no longer Beta
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Parallels announced today an update to its Desktop for Mac software, which enables users running Intel based Apple Macs to run Windows, Linux or any other operating system at the same time as Mac OS X, without re-booting.The new version of Parallels Desktop is anchored by Coherence, a groundbreaking new feature that runs Windows applications on the Mac like they are native applications. When users switch to Coherence mode, the Windows desktop disappears, leaving Windows applications, such as Outlook and Internet Explorer, running directly on the Mac desktop and from the Mac application dock. It is completely customizable, providing numerous options for loading and running applications and viewing the Windows task bar and Start menu.
“When we introduced Parallels Desktop in April, we blurred the lines between the Mac and Windows worlds. With the introduction of Coherence, we completely blow that line away,” said Benjamin Rudolph, Director of Communications, Parallels. “This is a game-changing technology that gives users the ability to choose the best application for the job at hand. We intend to expand the Coherence function to help computer users move to a truly operating system-agnostic desktop.”
Existing Parallels users get this proper release version free of charge, the full product for new users costs $79.99.
Labels: Mac Software
Ms Pac-Man comes to iPod
Apple Inc today launched Ms Pac-Man for the iPod. It is available for download from the iTunes Store and certainly is worth a look. It promises to be a faithful reproduction of the 1982 classic, with four unique maze designs, and 256 levels. The game also features the animated intermissions from the original arcade game, such as "coffee break". You can play along to the game soundtrack, or select something from your iTunes library. Get munching !Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
Celrun Freesat handles GPS / DMB / PMP
While the PMP / GPS market continues to converge and pop out more and more jack-of-all-trades devices, Celrun is looking to join the ever-growing fray by dishing out an (admittedly impressive) all-in-one unit of its own. Starting with the sleek black / silver design scheme and ultrathin frame, this Windows CE-powered conglomerate does a fine job...via Engadget read more | digg story
Labels: Gadgets
Total Training - Learn Adobe Acrobat Effectively
Learning a new application can sometimes be a pretty daunting experience, well it was for me anyway. That was until I stumbled across Total Training, who publish a series of DVD's with a difference. So, I decided to brush up on my Acrobat skills courtesy of "Total Training for Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional".Now, what I thought I would receive and what I got was a nice surprise. Not one to read the instructions first, I popped the first of the two DVD's supplied into my MacBook. When Apple DVD Player didn't launch I decided to take a quick squizz at the instructions to reveal that I had to install an application called Launchpad, which incidentally works on both Mac and PC platforms. Once this is installed I could get things underway.
Just to explain what Launchpad does… apart from the regular video playback controls, it allows you to easily bookmark sections. This allows you to easily revisit sections at a later time. There is also a Bonus Button that unlocks special features throughout the training session. Plus, a Get More Training button allows you to view additional tutorials and to see the entire catalogue of DVD's available. You can also alter the size of the training video as well as access a contents and help section.
Once the training gets underway, you will soon see that the way features are explained is really invaluable. The first sections gives you an excellent overview of Adobe Acrobat, followed by creating PDF files, linking, commenting and security within your files. The more advanced second DVD gives you details of how to create forms, preparing PDF files for prepress, presentations and how to work with layers. There is a lot more covered besides what I have mentioned here, so it is important that I emphasize just how thorough this training package is. I came away from this experience with a much better knowledge of Acrobat, along with things that I did not even know were possible. The beauty of training like this, is that you can do it at your own pace, take breaks when you want to, and of course you can go over sections as many times as you need to grasp the particular subject. The Total Training for Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional package is worth every penny.
Product: Total Training for Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional
Price: £120 +VAT.
Supplied by: Ceritec (UK)
Contact: 0870 766 9826
Labels: Mac Software, PC Software
Miglia lets you be LocationFree on your Mac
Miglia Technology today announced its dedicated Apple Mac OS X based software for the Sony LocationFree™ Base Station.LocationFree (OS X), is a groundbreaking software package designed especially for your Mac, working with the Sony’s LocationFree™ Base Station. It enables you to stream wirelessly a TV or Video signal from your front room via your Broadband hub to your Mac Desktop wherever you may be. Imagine watching the TV in your front room, wirelessly in the back garden on your Mac laptop, or even in your hotel room whilst traveling.
With Miglia’s innovative LocationFree(OSX) software and the Sony’s LocationFree™ Base Station you can watch live TV wirelessly on your Mac, play back recorded programmes and even set up future recordings from your Mac desktop anywhere. The Sony LocationFree™ Player, will support up to four externally connected devices like a DVD player/recorder or satellite receiver. The TV signal from your cable box, satellite receiver or DVR(Digital Video Recorder) at home is streamed to your Broadband hub and sent over the internet and then cleverly “re-directed” to your Mac, no matter where you may be as long as your Mac has access to a Broadband connection.
Key Features
- View your home TV anywhere in the world with this software package designed exclusively for the Mac and the Sony LocationFree™ Base Station
- Control your home TV by changing channels, viewing recorded material or scheduling future recording where ever you may be.
- Requires a Sony LocationFree™ Player and Broadband Internet access
- Access and control any two STB devices connected to the LocationFree™ Player.
Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
New Leopard Screenshot Gallery (Build 9A343)
28 new screenshots of Apple's upcoming OS X Leopard. Some of these give a really good insight into what great features we can expect in the new OS release.via Think Secret read more | digg story
Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
Awesome Mac OS X Screensaver: Soundstream
Soundstream 1.5 consists of a randomly moving particle generator that responds to the sound level picked up by your Mac’s microphone. It can also be used as a replacement to the sometimes boring iTunes visualizer. I tried it and really like it, awesome !via pcheese.net read more | digg story
Labels: Mac Software
Exclusive Video Leaked: iPod Firmware Coming
"A little birdie told us that a firmware update for iPods is coming soon, giving you that same Cover Flow view that you've grown to love in iTunes now. See it in action, right here. The tipster also tells us that we won't see any new-generation iPods before the iPhone debuts, either. – Charlie White"via Gizmodo - read more | digg story
Labels: Apple iPod
Lindy HD Enclosure - Save yourself some cash
If you need to add extra storage to your computer an external hard drive is the easy and relatively cheap option, with large hard drives available at really good prices. However, if you already have an old IDE hard drive, it would be a shame to waste it, when it could be put to good use. Also, bare IDE hard drives are so cheap nowadays that the product I am looking at today could be right up your street.The Lindy USB2 & FireWire Combo Hard Disk Box is an enclosure that is styled to match the Apple Mac Mini. It is made of plastic, that is sprayed silver, with an internal metal shielding that is coated with white plastic on the top. It really does look like a Mac Mini and would be ideal for stacking. The front of the casing sports a small activity LED and round the back there is two FireWire 400 ports and a USB 2.0 port, as well as the on/off switch and power connector.
Inside there is a standard molex power connector and an IDE cable and plug. The plastic mounting sled can accommodate a 3.5-inch IDE hard drive, which can be picked up for bargain prices if you shop around. Mounting screws are provided and within about five minutes I had a drive installed, the enclosure casing back together and was plugged in to my Mac. Performance is certainly on par with a other external hard drive of this nature and I personally think that the plastic construction helps dampen the hard drive noise, so it is nice and quiet. Their is no fan in the enclosure, so cooling is purely achieved via the vents on the back and underside.Although this case is obviously designed for Mac Mini users, due to the standard FireWire and USB connectivity, it can be used with any PC or Mac. It looks nice and swish, so it wouldn't look out of place on any desk. The Lindy USB2 & FireWire Combo Hard Disk Box is well constructed, easy to set-up and offers great value for money. It'll give you a sense of achievement if you re-use an old hard drive. Even you if buy one just to put in this enclosure, you will be happy that you saved some pennies.
Product: Lindy USB2 & FireWire Combo Hard Disk Box
Price: £39.99
Supplied by: Lindy UK
Contact: +44 (0) 1642 754000
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Apple iPod StickiT Skins - Protect your iPod
I just wanted to remind you all that you can help support Geekanoids by purchasing one of our own products. You can order and get full details by clicking this link.StickiT Protective Skins are suitable for the 5th Generation Apple iPod, either the 30GB, 60GB or 80GB model. They are a thin protective film that clings to your iPod, with no glue used at all. The StickiT covers the front, sides and back, leaving the click wheel, top controls and dock connector fully accessible. It is so thin that you can still dock your iPod and it is sometimes possible to use in conjunction with another case or holder. Remember though, this is not a case, it is a clear protective cling film.
Protect your iPod Video from Scuffs & scratches !
WHAT IS IT MADE OF ?
CLING - totally adhesive free, there is NO glue in this product. This clear cling vinyl is adhesive free and will leave no residue on your iPod. The material used is ultra thin and designed to cover the front and back of your iPod (including the screen) in one piece. A small circular piece for the select button are also supplied, use of this part is optional. Dependent on the amount of use, changing every 6 months is recommended, just to keep things looking fresh and new.
WE HAVE OVER 1,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED OUR STICKiT SKINS, CLICK HERE TO ORDER ONE (or TWO).
Labels: Apple iPod
Apple iPhone Commercial - Oscars
Monday, February 26, 2007
It was pretty well common knowledge before the event, that Apple would be showing the first iPhone commercial during last nights Oscars. Well, sit back and enjoy...Labels: Apple News
Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype review
Today I am taking a look at the Belkin Wi-Fi phone for Skype... Skype, Skype, Skype, I always sing the praises of Skype. For those of you who do not know, Skype allows you to use your broadband connection to make voice and video calls to other users Macs or PCs, so long as they have Skype installed. In addition to this, you can also make what are called SkypeOut calls to regular landlines and mobile phones. These cost a small amount of money, but in my case I am on one of the many promotions Skype run from time to time, so I get my landline calls free until May 2007.The only downside of Skype is being tied to a computer. You need to have your Skype application running and logged in... that is until now! Over the past few months Skype handsets have been appearing. No, I don't mean the wired handsets that cost around £15, this new breed use Wi-Fi to connect to your wireless router and then to the outside world.
Sorry for the long introduction, back to the Belkin Wi-Fi phone. In the box you get a USB cable (for charging from a computer), a mains powered charger, a manual on CD-Rom, a Quick Start Guide and the handset itself. The handset looks very smooth, comparable in to a medium sized mobile phone. It has a numeric keypad, two soft keys, call start and end, plus a four-way navigation key. The screen is full colour and a nice size, with a nice crisp display. The feel of the handset is great, it has a smooth rubberised feel to it, very nice in the hand.
Setting up couldn't be easier. After the initial charge, you switch the handset on, set the language, and it then searches for wireless networks. Picking the network you want to connect to will ask for a password (if it is protected). This is asked for as a hexdecimal string, so if you network is protected by WEP for example, do a quick google search for a converter to convert from WEP to HEX. With the security part out of the way you will be asked to either sign into Skype or create a new account. Assuming you already have Skype, typing in your username and password is all that is needed. You can then access you contacts list, set your status to online, away, busy etc, and make calls to other users computers or SkypeOut calls to landlines and mobiles. Navigating the menus and setting up other aspects of the handset is just as easy. You can even change your ring tone (three to choose from) and set the handset to vibrate on an incoming call…The beauty of the Belkin Wi-Fi phone is that now you can leave it connected to Skype all the time. You will get a lot more use out of it because it is just so natural to pick up a phone and dial. Of note, if you switch your computer on and sign in to Skype, your Belkin connection remains unaffected, so in theory two people could use one Skype account at the same time.
Call quality varied, but this happens even when calls are made via a computer. I would say that 80% of calls I made with the handset were absolutely fine, crystal clear. 10% were acceptable, perhaps sounding more like mobile phone quality. The remaining 10% were a bit choppy, due to network traffic or moving a bit too far away from my wireless router. So, in the house, this handset was already proving its worth, but what about if I was out and about? Well, if you have an account with The Cloud, BT Openzone or another provider, then so long as you are within range of a hotspot, you can connect and make calls. I tested this at a local Cloud hotspot and connected successfully first time. The call quality was great and I was so pleased that I had made a totally free call.
Incoming calls are also possible. If someone has you in their Skype contact list, then they can easily call you from their computer. If you want people to be able to ring you from a regular handset then you would need to subscribe to another service. You can get a SkypeIn number, which can be based in various UK towns and cities (what I mean by this is, that even if you don't live in London, you can have a London based SkypeIn number). This costs around £23 per year, but can be had cheaper if combined with other services. A SkypeIn number also gets you access to voicemail services, so callers can leave you messages. The fact that people can call you, makes the Belkin handset an even more viable proposition.
Should you buy one? is very easy to answer. If you already have Skype, then yes, invest in one of these. If you don't have Skype, then get it and start experiencing the world of free or cheaper calls. I do not think that the Belkin Wi-Fi phone for Skype could replace a mobile phone, but if you are up for the challenge or live in an area with a lot of hotspots you could easily reduce your mobile bill. The only thing I would like to see is a docking station to charge the handset whilst indoors, other than that the Belkin handset is faultless.
Product: Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype
Price: £99.00
Supplied by: Belkin UK
Contact: +44 (0)1933 35 2000
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Mobile Phones, PC Peripherals, Reviews
Griffin XpressCable review - optical goodness
Griffin Technology, better known for their iPod accessories also make a variety of cable solutions. Previous reviews of their products have revealed great quality, so I was very interested to learn if their Xpress Cable would keep up the good work.The Griffin XpressCable is a digital optical audio cable, coloured white with grey accents to the tips, it measures in at three meters long. So straight out of the packaging you can use it for connecting various audio equipment like a DVD player or your XBox 360.
Also supplied is a pair of 3.5mm mini-jack adapters. These can be plugged onto either or both ends of the cable, converting the toslink connection to a 3.5mm stereo jack. This allows you to take advantage of some Apple Mac's digital audio outputs, such as the Mac Mini, PowerMac G5, Airport Express, not forgetting the later Intel based Macs, oh and before I forget, the iPod Hifi.
So, a cable is a cable, yes? Well, a lot of people say that digital signals are already digital, so a £5 cable will work as good as a £50 one. I strongly disagree with this misconception. The XpressCable is well constructed, the plugs seem to have longer bodies to them, so you get a real solid connection. I have experienced optical cables before that just fall out of my XBox 360, but there was no such problem with the Griffin Cable. Audio delivery was crisp and clean, definitely on par with optical cables costing double the money. If you want a well constructed cable that delivers great audio, without breaking the bank, then look no further... oh and I almost forgot, it is white in colour, so it will match your Mac gear to a tee.
Product: Griffin Technology XpressCable
Price: $19.99
UK Street Price: £12.00
Supplied by: Griffin Technology
Contact: +1 (615) 399-7000
Labels: Home Theatre, Mac Accessories
iPhone video shows hidden features
Sunday, February 25, 2007
I was very excited to find this video showing some hidden bits that you might have missed during Steve Jobs keynote for the Apple iPhone. It was posted by Actioncorp.net and shows some exciting things like a quicker way of scrolling to an artist in your playlist, plus a new tab for Ringtones that should appear in the next version of iTunes. I won't spoil the content of the whole video for you, so sit back and enjoy.Labels: Apple News
Canon debuts SD750 & SD1000 ELPH cameras
There's also the DIGIC III Image processor, and ISO as high as 1600, but everybody comes for the basics: 3x zoom, 7.1 megapixel CCD and a 2.5-inch LCD in each shooter. The $300 SD750 gets a bit fancy on form factor, but manages to be a mere 0.75-inches thick, while the 4.5 ounce SD1000 keeps the the classic ELPH look and also retails for $300.read more | digg story
Labels: News
List of every song featured in an iPod commercial
Here's Wikipedia's list of every song featured in one of Apple's iPod commercials, including the date, artist and model. So, just in case you forgot to download one, here's your chance.read more | digg story
Labels: Apple iPod
Apple Store Down - New Products ?
Sunday, 25th February 2007, 9.00am. The Apple Store is down stating they are busy updating the store. What we are all wondering is whether this is general store maintenance, or maybe some quiet system upgrade (perhaps the Mac Mini) that we have been waiting for. We will update you if there are any changes when the store comes back online.**UPDATE** 10.30am and the Apple Store is still down. Typically previous updates have been completed within the hour, so this could indicate something quite big. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a technical hitch.
**UPDATE 2** 11.00am the store is now back online. I cannot see any major changes. The only things of note is that the 802.11n Airport Extreme Base Station is now down to 3-5 days shipping, plus in the refurb section all the items seem to be refreshed with better description and a lot more choices.
Labels: Apple News
Apple Mail - Resize you images easily
Friday, February 23, 2007
Do you ever get moaned at for sending large image attachments in your emails? Or perhaps you want to save some of your valuable time by sending smaller images. Well, rather than having to resize your images with Photoshop or yet another utility, you can do it right from within Apple Mail. Check out the how to here.Labels: Mac Software
Tons of New Mac hardware - black iMac ?
While the release of Microsoft's Vista earlier this month is said to be seriously challenging Apple on its recent PC market share catch-up, tipsters well placed at Apple informed MacScoop that the company is preparing to make the fight harder for its competitors of the Windows world with several Mac hardware releases scheduled for calendar Q2.read more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
BBC licence payers demand Mac & Linux Support
The BBC's plans to launch on-demand services including features such as "catch-up" and "streaming" content has come under fire. It has not gone unnoticed that there iPlayer software will only work on Windows based machines.A petition has been launched on the Prime Ministers website with the following statement, "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to prevent the BBC from making its iPlayer on-demand television service available to Windows users only, and instruct the corporation to provide its service for other operating systems also." At the time of posting the number of signatures was nearing 2,000.
Show your support for your chosen computer platform by signing the petition, which can be found here.
Labels: Apple News, Linux News
Floola - an iPod alternative
Floola is an alternative management software for iTunes. Basically you can use Floola to manage your iPod related content, including music, movies and even podcasts without touching iTunes. Floola even has Growl support for Mac OSX and allows you to manage applications that can then be launch right from your iPod. It is donationware and available to download for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.Labels: Apple News, Linux News, PC News
17" Powerbook LCD bug, literally!
An actual bug stuck just behind a lovely Powerbook screen. This is a sad (for the owner & the bug), but very interesting article. I just hope that no more hatch in there.
read more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
ADC Developer Pavilion Interviews
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Head on over to the Apple Developer Connection site and you can listen to interviews with nine different software developers, including Dan Messing from Stunt Software, whose Overflow and Downsize applications we have recently reviewed here on Geekanoids. The interviews certainly give you an insight into what makes these great people tick.Labels: Apple News
Downsize your images with Downsize
Downsize by Stunt Software, now… what can I tell you about this clever little application? Well, so that I could give you a really good insight into what it offers, I have been using it for the past month. You may well have noticed that all of the images on the Geekanoids site changed. They now all have borders, with rounded edges and a nice subtle shadow, a nice uniform look… all courtesy of Downsize.
The application window is just so easy to get to grips with. On the left hand side you select the source of your images, this can be from iPhoto, a particular folder for batch processing, or you can just drag a single image into Downsize. You can also set a destination folder for your finished images. The right hand panel consists of three tabs, resize, watermark and frame, each determining how your image will look.In the 'Resize' tab you set your maximum width and/or height that you want your finished image to be. You can also choose a sharp or smooth quality and a compression quality. Just using these settings alone give you a useful way of resizing your images quickly and easily, but there's more…
The 'Watermark' tab allows you to add either a piece of text or an image file to the files you are processing. You can control the placement of the watermark, the opacity and the distance that it will be from the edge of your image. This is a great way of adding some copyright protection to your files. Again, this is so well implemented and a very useful feature.
The last set of features are found in the 'Frame' tab. This is where I played to get the settings I liked for the Geekanoids images. You can add a frame to your images, with adjustments for thickness and colour. Rounded corners are easy, with a slider control to adjust the corner radius. You can even alter the background colour of your images. Shadows are also controlled in this tab, where you can tweak blur, distance, opacity and the angle of the shadow. When all you settings are made, a simple click of the 'Process Images' button and Downsize springs into action.
There are many applications available for OS X, but the ones that count are those that make your day-to-day tasks easier, and Downsize is one of those applications. It found its way into my dock for this review and it will remain there, now an integral part of my workflow. The only minor omission is that you cannot save your settings, so if you want to change them for a different project it is important to make notes beforehand. I mentioned this to Stunt Software and they acknowledged that the ability to save settings is in the pipeline and will appear in a future version.
Downsize really is the best image processor that I have found, not only is it quick, but also very easy to set-up, with just the right amount of features. The fact that it is only $19.95 makes it a total bargain.
Product: Downsize
Price: $19.95 (free to try)
Supplied by: Stunt Software
Contact: info@stuntsoftware.com
Labels: Mac Software
Lindy Premium Gold Flat Scart Cable Review
The Lindy Premium Gold Flat SCART cable promises to deliver a "Superior quality connection for your Home Cinema equipment", well it certainly is a unique looking cable, so let's take a look at what you get for your hard earned money…To kick things off, if you have plenty of cables and things are maybe looking a bit messy, you know the normal spaghetti junction, then this flat design may well help things out. It can easily be routed through tight spaces, even underneath equipment if that makes it easier to hide things.
The gold plated connectors are absolutely fantastic, some of the best quality I have experienced. When inserting into the back of equipment, I found the connection to be very easy and more importantly secure.
I tested the Premium Gold Flat Scart Cable with two different devices. A Pioneer DV454 DVD player and a Panasonic DMR-EX85 HDD recorder. The Pioneer showed the biggest improvement over the standard supplied scart cable. The easiest way to describe it in layman terms is that there was less interference and the picture picked up a definite sharpness (whilst still looking very natural). The Panasonic delivered a good picture anyway, but I still saw a slight improvement in detail.This cable from Lindy UK is available in a variety of lengths, with the 1m version on test costing £21.99. For this very reasonable amount you get a really high quality scart cable. A lot of people shun spending money on things like this, but if you put this up against the scart cable that came with your kit, you will be amazed. If you are just starting out, then put aside £40 or £50 at least for a couple of these, you will not regret it.
Product: Lindy Premium Gold Flat SCART Cable (1m)
Price: £21.99
Supplied by: Lindy UK
Contact: +44 (0) 1642 754000
Labels: Home Theatre
Formac Gallery 2010 Xtreme-5 Pro Monitor
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Formac has revealed its new Gallery 2010 Xtreme-5 professional TFT monitor, which is available and in stock at various UK resellers. The stunning looking monitor is available in white, silver or black, has a 1600 x 1200 native resolution with a .255 dot pitch and connects via DVI-D.A nice high brightness of 300cd/m2 and contrast ratio of 1000:1 really ensure this is ideal for professional use, whilst the 8ms response time make it suitable for the playback of moving images. Of note, this is a true 8-bit MVA panel supporting 16.7 million colours.
The Gallery 2010 Xtreme-5 has a retail price of £429.
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Spring Cleaning 9 goes Universal
Smith Micro have launched Spring Cleaning 9 for Mac OS X. The biggest news is that it sports full Universal Binary support for Intel and PowerPC-based Macs. On top of this you get new maintenance and cleaning tabs, a permissions fixer, Spotlight index rebuild button, and the ability to securely delete (zero data) from your hard drive free space. There is also a application uninstaller, plus many more features for your money.Spring Cleaning 9.0 requires Mac OS X v10.4 and costs $49.99, you can upgrade from a previous version for $19.99.
Labels: Mac Software
Skype Pro Launched in Europe
Skype have just launched Skype Pro, a new subscription based service that tags onto your existing (or new) Skype account. The initial 5 month subscription will cost £9.20 which includes approximately £3.40 of calling credit, after the 5 months introductory period is over £1.50 per month is deducted from your balance.What Pro offers is that you pay a 3p connection fee per call to UK landlines, but nothing for the minutes you use. You also get free voicemail, plus a discount on a SkypeIn number. The regular Skype-to-Skype computer based calls remain free.
The new Pro service will roll out to the rest of the world late 2007.
Labels: Apple News, News, PC News
Who Cares ? The Apple Store of course !
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Having attended the Apple Store Bentall Centre opening on the weekend just gone, I wanted to say a quick thank you for all your kind comments about the photographs. They have been attracting so many visitors and have appeared on websites as far afield as Australia, Spain, and Italy.
What make's an Apple Store opening so special is the way in which the staff make everyone feel special. This obviously carries over into the way they serve and talk to you on a regular day too. I mean, how many times have you been clapped, applauded, or given a high five when walking into a Currys store?
Apple Store employees also treat everyone equal. I witnessed users (and prospective users) from all walks of life on that opening day. Even on my previous visits to various branches, I have seen both young and old all being treated with respect and enthusiasm. What other shop would a sales guy (or girl) talk properly to an eight or nine year old, on their level?
So many questions, and the only answer is Apple... if you want to experience this for yourself, get on down to an Apple Store this weekend, don't just click 'n' buy, go and talk to some great people, who care that you really get the best out of what you buy.
Apple Retail UK details here, US details here.
Labels: Apple News
Recharge4 Review - Extend Gadget Battery Life
The ReCharge4 from Exspect promises to deliver a smart battery that recharges a lot of different devices. Ranging from mobile phones to MP3 players, claiming to extend battery life up to four times. Read our review below to find out if it really does deliver on its' promises.The ReCharge4 might be mistaken for something that has been done by so many other manufacturers, but even within the first few hours of use, I was convinced that this little device had been really well thought out. The package consists of the ReCharge4 battery unit, which has a power input on the base for recharging its internal 4800mAh lithium-ion battery. On the top right of the unit is another socket, where you plug an extension cable, it is this cable that you then attach the various tips that in turn plug into the device you want to charge or use.
On the front of the unit is a small button and a line of green LEDs. If you press the button it shows you how much juice is left in the Recharge4. It takes around six hours to initially charge it to full power. In my test it was showing a full charge after three hours, but I left it plugged in for the full six hours to be on the safe side.
To finish the package off, you get a mains adapter for recharging the internal battery and a small cloth pouch for carrying everything around…
So, I had a fully charged ReCharge4, now for the test. I had a Motorola L7, Nokia 6280 and a Samsung D600, both with completely flat batteries. The Motorola went first and after connecting the charging lead, I plugged in the supplied Motorola tip and then put this into the phone. You are supposed to press the button on the front of the ReCharge4 to initiate charging, but I found that this was not necessary as the L7 started charging straight away. After three hours the L7 was fully charged and only two out of the eight LEDs on the ReCharge4 had gone out. Because I am clever at maths, I guess that means a quarter of the capacity had been used. The Nokia 6280 also fully charged in around 3.5 hours and the Samsung charged to almost full capacity before the Recharge4 unit ran out. This was pretty impressive, to be able to fully charge two mobile phones and almost a third from such a small device.
There are three versions available for mobile phones, MP3 players, or portable gaming devices. The main unit remains the same, it is just the tips that are supplied that changes. For example, the mobile phone version comes with tips for almost every Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Samsung offering. The MP3 version comes supplied with tips suitable for the Apple iPod, Creative, iRiver and MP3 players that charge via USB. These small tips are available separately, so you can buy the most suitable main package and then add a few individual tips for specific devices.
In summary the Recharge4 is a very well designed, compact, and useful device. The asking price represents pretty good value for money. Combine this with the fact that you can add new tips for your new devices and you have a useful device that will help power your gadgets for many years to come.
Product: ReCharge4
Price: £39.99
Supplied by: Exspect UK
Contact: info@exspect.co.uk
Labels: Gadgets
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Shipping
Monday, February 19, 2007
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is now shipping in the US for an introductory price of $199. In the UK the Adobe site allows you to pre-order the product for £146.88. The UK price represents a £50 saving, which can be taken advantage of until the 30th April 2007. Even though it is on pre-order, the shopping page does not mention a delayed delivery date, plus you can also choose to purchase as a 64Mb download, so my guess is that it is shipping straight away.Of note, you do not have to choose a platform, so it would seem that you get both Windows and Mac versions in the same box.
I played with Lightroom in its beta days, but never really found a use for it in my workflow, but from what I did see, its non-destructive editing, superb interface and powerful features make it an ideal application for any serious pro or semi-pro digital photographer.
Labels: Apple News
Crumpler Sticky Date - Carry your Mac in Style
If you want to carry your Apple kit, or other computer related items around with you, you shouldn't have to settle for an all black affair, you know, one of those bags that lets everyone know exactly what you are carrying. Something stylish, and more importantly a bag that really works well by protecting your valuable kit. A name that always comes high on an Apple users list is Crumpler, they are well known for high quality and the fact that they are designed for us Apple fans. In the following review I was lucky enough to be able to try their Sticky Date Big Logo bag...The Crumpler Sticky Date Big Logo is one of Crumplers larger bags and it will swallow anything from a 12-inch right up to a 17-inch widescreen MacBook Pro. Colour combinations also look great on this bag, the black/Blue combination we have here is the most understated, or you can go for the bright firebrick red/lawn or olive/yellow combo. Each bag also come with a high visibility strip on the front, so you can be seen if out and about in the dark.
Styling aside, what about the quality and carrying ability?
Well, the quality is second-to-none, made of what Crumpler call "Original 1000D Chicken Tex", it is a very strong fabric and has a waterproof lining. The buckles and shoulder strap are made of the same material that car seat belts are made from, so they are very strong, and all adjustable. The shoulder strap also has some nice padding, as does the back of the bag, so it is kind to your shoulders and back…
Open up the front flap, which is secured with some buckles and large velcro patches, you are presented with so many pockets and a lot of space. The very first pocket you encounter is zipped, this contains another zipped compartment, two velcro fastened pockets about the size of a 5th gen iPod and some pen holders.Inside the main body of the bag, are three more velcro pockets for smaller accessories, plus two mesh fronted pockets (again fastened by velcro) where you can store yet more accessories whilst still being able to see what you have in there without having to open them. This central compartment is about big enough to fit an A4 ring binder, maybe two at a pinch.
The back compartment is where you store your laptop. It has a large velcro flap to make your laptop safe and a sleeve for your lappie that can be completely removed from the main bag. This sleeve is made of the same material as the lining and will swallow up to a 17-inch widescreen MacBook Pro. It also has a semi-rigid divider inside, which allows you to segregate some accessories, for example your mains adapter.
So what did I fit in it?
I loaded up the Sticky Date with a 13-inch MacBook, mains adapter and mains cable. Then slotted in my 5th gen iPod, cable yoyo and sync cable, my JVC Everio HDD camcorder, JVC charger, my small Canon digital camera, 4 compact flash memory cards and to top it all off, three copies of MacUser magazine. Now this was getting a little heavy, but still had room to spare... and if you are feeling brave, the bag sports some external loops, so you can hang a Crumpler pouch onto a loop for your mobile phone, few !
I found that the Sticky Date Big Logo was really easy to use. That removable laptop sleeve is really useful, and the capacity is just right for that single day trip. I was able to use the rest of the bag for lots of accessories, with the peace of mind, knowing that my expensive laptop was safe from getting bashed. This is one rugged bag and it looks great too. If you have invested in a laptop and have the need to carry it on business or perhaps on holiday, then please do not spend your hard earned cash without checking out the Crumpler Sticky Date Big Logo or if you need something a little different, you are bound to find a suitable offering from the rest of the Crumpler range.
Product: Crumpler Sticky Date Big Logo
Price: £99.00
Supplied by: Crumpler UK
Contact: crumpler@simms.co.uk
Labels: Mac Accessories
Overflow Review - organise your dock
Overflow from Stunt Software has been installed on my computer for almost a month now. I waited this long to bring you the review because I wanted to see if I actually used it, and if it performed well. So exactly what is Overflow?Well, if you dock is anything like mine, it is bursting with too many icons, all stretched out in one long line. Sometimes I find myself searching for an application just a little to long. Yes, I know that Spotlight is there for quick launching, but I want something more GUI based... this is where Overflow steps in.
Overflow is a small application that be set to launch at system startup, it resides in your dock, but is also accessible by pressing a keyboard shortcut, which you can set to pretty much anything. Upon launch you are presented with a grid of spaces and some categories listed along the left side. To set Overflow up you simply set the categories, such as applications, utilities, documents etc. Then you drag the icons (as you would to the dock) into the grid.
Then you can quickly and easily launch applications from Overflow. It is nice that you can also drag regularly used documents into the application. For example, if you always load up the same letterhead template to use, drag it into Overflow and you can save yourself some time. Nice touches like an icon glowing when you put your mouse over it, make this seem like a really simple, yet swish app. You can even navigate Overflow via your keyboard, which makes it a lot quicker to launch things.
Overflow doesn't really do anything that you cannot do with the dock, but what is does is organise it, and for that I commend it. This is one application that will definitely stay installed on my Mac.
Product: Overflow
Price: $14.95
Supplied by: Stunt Software
Contact: info@stuntsoftware.com
Labels: Mac Software
Griffin iKaraoke Review - Fun with your iPod
Sunday, February 18, 2007
How about a bit of fun with your iPod? Well, crack open some beers, get your iPod out and connect a Griffin iKaraoke, for what should be some guaranteed fun.The iKaraoke landed on my desk this week, so I rushed home to get it tested by the ultimate gadget users in my house, a few invites went out to my gaming friends, and the house was full for a bit of a knees up. This new gadget from Griffin Technology plugs into the dock connector on the bottom of your iPod. I tested it with a 5th generation full size iPod, but it also works with the 1st & 2nd gen Nano, the iPod Mini, and the 4th gen iPod.
Once plugged in you can sing along to your favourite music track, which is great, but Griffin took things one step further... you can add reverb to your voice via an on-screen setting, plus you can also connect the unit to your home hi-fi unit via a line out socket. So you Karaoke skills (or lack of in my case) can be broadcast at some pumping volumes. Already great fun, well to push the possibilities even further, you can lose that wire connecting you to the hi-fi…
The iKaraoke also has an FM transmitter built in, so you can set a frequency for it to transmit on (again on the iPod screen) and then tune your hi-fi into the same station, and voila! it will have you prancing around the room (or hiding) whilst singing along to your tunes. You can also mute the music, which allows you to announce something, this could be useful if you were using this at a party on in a pub situation.
The microphone unit that you hold in your hand is really well made, and has a high quality feel. It has a switch for turning vocals on and off in your music, plus iPod controls around the other side for track selection, and play/pause. When you power it on, there is also a nice red glowing light around the tip. Back to your iPod screen and you can also adjust the volume of the music, so that your voice can be heard.
So did we have a good time? Well, it was fun, and everyone wanted to have a go. The minor problem was the quality of filtering out vocals from the music tracks, which is a tricky thing to do in all fairness, but could have been better. The FM transmission was pretty good, not fantastic quality, but more than acceptable.
On a more positive note, the iKaraoke really did deliver on what it promises, and that is to have some good fun. Out of the eight people (not including myself) that used it, I asked if they would buy one. Well two said yes, but did not have iPods. Of the remaining six that all own iPods, five said that for the low cost they would definitely invest in an iKaraoke. What more can I say...
Product: Griffin Technology iKaraoke
Price: $49.99
UK Street Price: £25.00
Supplied by: Griffin Technology
Contact: +1 (615) 399-7000
Labels: Apple iPod
Forthcoming product reviews
A mid-month update for you to let you know what product reviews you can read on the Geekanoids website. Well, it is an exciting two weeks ahead, with the Griffin iKaraoke review being put online tomorrow, followed by the Archos 404 Cam later in the month.Here is a complete rundown of reviews, so keep checking back regularly:
- Griffin iKaraoke
- Lindy UK Scart cable
- Crumpler Sticky Date bag
- Lindy UK Optical cable
- Downsize Apple Mac application
- Griffin Xpress Optical cable
- JVC Everio GZ-MG77 HDD camcorder
- Samsung 215TW 21-inch TFT monitor
- Crumpler McBains bag
- Herman Miller Celle chair
- Overflow Apple Mac application
- Archos 404 Cam media player
- DocumentWallet Apple Mac application
- RapidWeaver Apple Mac web design application
- Griffin iMic
- Cinematize2Pro Apple Mac application
- IRISCard Pro scanner
Labels: News
Steve Jobs Introduces First Apple Store
May 2001 saw the opening of the first two Apple Stores, in McLean Virginia and Glendale California. Having just attended the opening to the latest UK store just yesterday (see article below), I thought it would be nice to step back in time and see Steve Jobs introducing us to what the Apple Store would (and still does) offer.
Labels: Apple News
Apple Store Bentall Centre UK Open Today
Saturday, February 17, 2007
The Apple Store Bentall Centre, Kingston-upon-Thames opened today, Saturday 17th February at 9.00am. I am happy to say I was there to soak up the atmosphere, with exclusive shots from inside the Apple Store before they opened. In the photo gallery that follows you will see photographs of the whole store, including the astounding applause for the first customer, who had been in the queue since 4am.The staff at the store clapped and welcomed the first 1,000 customers, with the queue still going strong at 10am. The staff and visitors enthusiasm was superb and things soon sprang into action with advice and sales meeting with so many smiles. The sales were ultra smooth too, using the scanner technology that Apple introduced late last year, customers do not have to get into line to pay. If they have something in their hand, they can have it scanned where they are standing, pay by card and they're good to go.
Also prominent in the store was the "We are better than Vista Campaign", with the new slogan "Go Beyond Vista… It's time to get a Mac" on coloured banner displays and some staff t-shirts (see the full gallery for more on this too).
I was also pleased to see how happy everyone was, and from all walks of life too. There were many silver haired heads to be seen, right down to enthusiastic youngsters using the display machines with big grins all round.
So enjoy the photos, I hope they help you soak up some of the atmosphere that was happening today, and if you are in the Kingston-upon-Thames area be sure to visit the Apple Store... full gallery of photos by clicking here>>
Full Gallery of the Apple Store Bentall Centre UK Opening Day
All photographs ©2007 please do not reproduce without prior written permission.
If you wish to use, reproduce, or obtain a copy, please email Geekanoids with full details.
Labels: Apple News
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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