Posts in PC & Peripherals
RoofRay calculates solar savings using Google Maps
Josh Lowensohn | Aug 23, 2008
It does most all of this with the help of Google Maps. It's one of the smarter mashups we've seen, calculating the square footage of your roof based on Google's satellite and aerial imagery. Building the virtual panels is actually the hardest part, as it will do all the numbers-crunching for you--including how long it will take to break even on the paneling, permit fees, installation and upkeep. These are all things that could cost a quarter or more of what you paid for your house.
Short of getting a professional estimate from a solar panel provider this is a pretty straightforward means of seeing if it's worth the investment. However, I'm still a little unsure of its capability to figure out exact efficiencies, or factor in the four hours a day when your neighbor's trees are blocking all that precious bill-paying sun.
Read more »
Plantronics gaming headset puts a Dolby theater in your ears
Erica Ogg | Aug 22, 2008
Beginning later this month, peripherals maker Plantronics will start shipping its Gamecom 777 headset, which simulates 5.1 channel audio through just two channels--your left and right headphone speakers.
The intention is to enable PC gamers to play games with the sound happening around them, and not directly in their ears. That enables longer listening time--less "listening fatigue," to use industry parlance--and therefore longer gaming sessions.
Read more »
Seinfeld and Vista, what gives?
Leslie Katz | Aug 22, 2008
(Credit: Seinfeld)
The comedian, best known for his eponymous NBC sitcom, will reportedly get US$10 million for the campaign, which is expected to play off the phrase "Windows, Not Walls", and to stress the connection between people and ideas.
Comedians Will Ferrell and Chris Rock were also considered for the new advertising spots, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the marketing push. The paper said Seinfeld will receive about US$10 million for his efforts and will appear alongside former Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in some ads.
But is a 1990s sitcom star really the best celebrity to help make Vista cool? Tell us what you think in our poll. And if Seinfeld shouldn't be the master of the Vista domain, who should be? Let us know in our TalkBack section.
Via Crave CNET
DisplayLink now optimized for Intel integrated chipset
Eric Franklin | Aug 21, 2008
Three displays connected to one system all via USB only.
(Credit: DisplayLink))
Previous systems with integrated graphics were only able to connect one addition display via DisplayLink. Now with these new Intel specific optimizations, users with PCs based on the Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family can easily connect to up to four monitors at once without the need of buying addition graphics cards. In addition, users that run four monitors on the Intel chipset will enjoy a 20 percent performance improvement which includes smoother video playback according to DisplayLink.
Users that have an Intel Series 4 chipset-based system should be on the lookout for the drivers to be implemented via Windows Update.
Via Crave CNEt
SingTel chooses Silverlight for Grid Girls site
John Chan | Aug 20, 2008
Visit any site with fancy effects and moving images and you'll most likely expect it to run off Adobe's Flash technology. Well, Singapore operator SingTel is bucking that trend and decided to go with Microsoft's Silverlight technology to power its Formula One (F1) Grid Girls site.
First, a little bit of background. These Grid Girls are actually participants in a reality TV contest to find three that will appear at the opening of the race. SingTel is the organizer of this contest and has created a Web site to feature the final 20 contestants.
So, is there a big difference whether the site uses Silverlight or Flash? To the user, not much apparently. One thing most people will notice is the need to download a plug-in, whether you are using IE or Firefox. It's a 4.7MB download and we got the site to work seamlessly with both browsers.
According to a report from ZDNet Asia, Crayon Digital, the company that built the site, claimed that it is quite "light" and so doesn't require the end-user to have lots of bandwidth. It also said that Microsoft had invested financially in the building of this SingTel site.
In any case, what will matter to most visitors (read: men) to the site are the wealth of pictures and even a zoom-in feature. By the way, don't get your hopes up if you are using Linux or the Opera browser--compatibility for those is still not perfect.
Crave is...
The name says it all. Crave is our blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.
Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.
Crave for...
» Mobile Phones (2242)
» Digital Cameras (988)
» Notebooks (1242)
» PC & Peripherals (1312)
» Handhelds (585)
» Printers (83)
» Home AV (1147)
» Music & Play (897)
» Gadgets (1488)
» Future Tech (396)
» Green Tech (172)
» Lifestyle (158)
» Luxury (22)
» Home Appliances (58)
» Cars (99)
» Games and Gear (248)
» Software (96)
» Web (119)
Previously...
Hot Topics
What's Hot
apple apple inc. apple iphone apple ipod asia battery camera game google inc. iphone microsoft corp. microsoft windows mobile phone photograph singapore smart phone software sony corp. video
Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
