Dell ATG D630 likes it hard and rough

Let's face it. There are definitely times in your life, like when you were stuck in the icy cold mountain caps of Nepal or lost in the scorching hot Gobi desert, that you wish you had a computer with you. Well, most notebooks will turn belly up if you ever take it out of city limits, but not the Dell Latitude ATG D630.

Built to military standards and described as a "stallion of a workhorse" (don't ask, don't tell) by Dell's PR agency, the Latitude ATG D630 builds upon the toughness of the Latitude ATG D620 and adds Santa Rosa to the mix. With a strong magnesium-alloy chassis, scratch-resistant paint, data security features, spill-proof keyboard and shock protection, it is a businessman in a tank.

But be warned. This baby is probably in cahoots with your chiropractor. If you are foolish enough to carry it on a regular basis, it may bend your spine over time. For a 14.1-inch machine, the ATG D630 actually makes a pretty decent 2.84kg dumbbell for the ladies. But one nice trick is the red LED keyboard light which gives you an eerie glow in the night--perfect for Halloween.

Oh, did we also forget to mention that it is not cheap, either? It is now available in Asia Pacific with a starting price of S$3,680 (US$2,421.05). So unless you are a soldier or great adventurer, it'll be cheaper to buy a normal Latitude D630 machine and ramp up the warranty to CompleteCover.

New PS3 controller rumbles on

Imagine combining the force feedback capability of the Xbox 360's controller with those of Wii's motion sensors. That's no longer a pipe dream with Sony officially announcing its new PS3 controller. This has the good oled Dual Shock function found in its PS2 equivalent in addition to a new SixAxis motion-sensing system.

Interestingly, it will be based on the same form factor and design, though we are pretty sure it will weigh substantially more than the original piece. Battery life will probably be another touchy issue unless the Japanese company throws in a higher-capacity replacement.

Nonetheless, it's the game support that really matters and Sony has over 60 existing PS3 titles compatible with Dual Shock in the US. Some of these will require software updates to enable the rumble feature. As usual, there is no firm indication on Asia availability.

Olympus E-410 v1.2 firmware upgrade available

Olympus has released a new firmware update to its 10-megapixel E-410 dSLR with Live View mode. This firmware update, v1.2, corrects several issues with the camera's operation. The improvements in the previous firmware versions are included in this most recent update as well.

We generally recommend installing the latest firmware updates for your camera so you can get the most out of your gear. For more information on firmware updates for a specific camera, visit the manufacturer's Web site. Before installing any firmware upgrade, always take the time to read through all of the documentation and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

Via CNET Crave

Windows Mobile-based Sony Ericsson, believable?

Commercial Times is reporting that HTC (yes, the one that's flooding the market with WM handhelds) has received ODM orders for over 1 million units of Windows Mobile-based smart phones from who else but Sony Ericsson. Seriously, we can't imagine the Japanese-Swedish manufacturer dropping the Symbian UIQ interface for WM. Good move or not, it's all sweet for HTC whose stocks recently jumped 4 percent after the leak, according to The Unwired.

Credit: The Unwired (Via Engadget)

Body Limited

Aiyayah. True to type, our largely male-dominated CNET Asia review team went gaga over this body beautiful mouse from rodent-friendly store Pat Says Now. The singles drooled, the married ones (pretendingly) evinced disgust. Well, whatever lights their fire. But this one deserves a spot in Crave Asia for its sensual, fearlessly feminine take on an otherwise boring PC peripheral.


Price: 30 euros for Asia customers (US$42)
Availability: At Pat Says Now
Device: Limited-edition optical mouse
Specs: Two-button optical mouse, USB with PS/2-Plug (suitable for PC and Mac), 800dpi, 3-year warranty, compatible with Win 95/98/2000/ME/XP/NT/Vista, Mac OS X, Linux

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