Archives for April 2006
Perpendicular technology reaches new capacities
Darius Chang | Apr 28, 2006
Following closely to its
recent announcement of perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) Cheetah
drives, Seagate has dropped another bombshell with the rollout of a
single-disc 750GB external drive based on the same technology.
Conventional
longitudinal recording technology lays
data bits flat on the disc as opposed to PMR which makes bits stand on
end. In the past, longitudinal recording technology was subject to a
force called superparamagnetic effect that might result in bits
flipping and corrupting data. This is not an issue with PMR devices.
Moreover, by standing the bits, more data units can be fitted on a
disc, giving up to 10 times more storage capacity. This is similar to
cramming more people on a train
by removing the seats and providing standing space only.
Despite
the increasing interest in flash-based hard drives, the high-density
and cost-per-MB of PMR-based storage cannot be easily dismissed. The
huge capacity offered by PMR devices is a match made in heaven for the
large storage demands required by high-definition videos and
increasingly sophisticated editing software.
All-Weather Foosball Table
Juniper Foo | Apr 28, 2006
With the FIFA World Cup looming up, there's nothing like getting into the soccer mood with Design Within Reach's All-Weather Foosball Table. Not quite your blocky wooden setup, this shouts premium with its stainless steel table and 6mm aluminum players made to withstand the elements. Bet the Survivor folks on Panama Exile Island would appreciate this one.
See player outdoors | top view | aluminum players
Via Uncrate
Price: US$3,998
Availability: Check Web site
Device: Fooseball
Basic specs: 38 x 52 x 59 inches, stainless steel, PVC molds, compact, 6mm aluminum, slip-resistant rubber bases
Motion sickness wrist watch
Juniper Foo | Apr 27, 2006
First, the bad news. At the time of writing, this motion sickness watch was all out, which should be a telling indication. The other bad news: The barf bag industry is likely to face shrinking demand after this. Now for the good news. It's the only medical device to receive FDA (the US Government's Food and Drug Administration) clearance for non-prescription use, and is conveniently designed as a wristwatch. Anytime you feel the need to hurl, just hit the button and gentle electrical signals are supposed to transmit through your wrist to your brain with the message that all is steady. Hopefully, version two will at least be able to tell the time as well.
Catch it upclose
Via Gizmodo
Price: US$99.95
Availability: From Hammacher Schlemmer
Device: Motion sickness watch
Basic specs: Water- and shock-resistant, five relief level settings, two 3-volt Lithium batteries, directions, tube of conductivity gel, in black and gray, 0.5 x 1.5 x 2 inches, 1.25oz
Here we go again
Damian Koh | Apr 26, 2006
Just when we thought we'd heard the last of the resolution race, seeing that camera manufacturers are now focusing more on image quality and performance, Casio continues to play the numbers game. It has revved up its engine by announcing the 10.1-megapixel Exilim Zoom EX-Z1000.
According to Casio, the EX-Z1000 is the first in the series to incorporate a large 2.8-inch (230,400-pixel) LCD monitor. Other features we like include the Rapid Flash function which allows up to three consecutive shots per second with flash and the ability to zoom from 4.3x to 17.1x between VGA resolution and 5 megapixels.
Like we've seen from previous Exilims, this new shooter doesn't disappoint when it comes to scene modes. The EX-Z1000 has 37 Best Shot settings which users can select based on different shooting conditions. It also helps that the unit won't die on you before 360 shots (LCD display on standard brightness)--at least that's what the company claims.
The Exilim Zoom EX-Z1000 will be available in May at a retail price of S$799 (US$587.50). But is there really a need for a 10.1-megapixel compact digicam? We reckon not. And ISO 3,200 in High Sensitivity mode? We'll wait and see.
Kodak's EasyShare system turns five
Damian Koh | Apr 26, 2006
While some are partying away, others are working hard. Kodak celebrated the fifth anniversary of its EasyShare system by rolling out two cameras: The second dual-lens camera (EasyShare V610) and a successor to the Wi-Fi-enabled EasyShare-One. We just hope this time it wouldn't take too long to be available. Oh wait, the first EasyShare-One isn't even available yet.
According to Kodak, the EasyShare V610 is the world's smallest 10x optical zoom (38mm-to-380mm, 35mm equivalent) camera at less than an inch thick. Beneath the classy chassis, a closer look at the specifications reveals a shocking revelation (ok, it's not that shocking since it was the same with the EasyShare V570). The unit isn't a true-blue 10x zoom camera since the focal length is only effective between 38-to-114mm and 130-to-380mm.
That said, the EasyShare V610 does come with features which we may like, including a Bluetooth wireless connection, anti-blur technology and a high-res (230k-pixel) 2.8-inch LCD screen.
Here's the interesting part. We've all heard about the Wi-Fi-enabled EasyShare-One announced some time back. Even before it's available in our stores, Kodak has unveiled the 6-megapixel successor to the EasyShare-One. New features include a WISPr (Wireless Internet Service Provider recommendation) protocol that is supposedly able to increase the number of hotspot locations for connecting to the Web.
Seriously, we wonder if this is going to be a case of all talk and no camera.
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