gadget news and reviews

SlingBox Solo + iPhone SlingPlayer (Review) 1

I rarely begin a review by drawing final thoughts right off the bat, but the SlingBox Solo simply rocks. For those that haven’t heard of SlingBox, it’s a little set-top box that streams a residential Satellite or Cable TV feed over the internet for remote viewing on a Mac, PC, or mobile device. That means being able to enjoy the TV content you receive at home from just about anywhere that has internet access. Asides from wishing for a few additional features in a future iteration, this was simply one of the few products that worked so well right out of the box that it deserves commendation. There are usually many pitfalls set-top boxes wind up in, but fortunately, SlingMedia got it all right. Read More

HD Radio (Review) + Insignia Portable Player 7

While downloaded MP3s and streaming services such as Pandora have gained traction amongst consumers, radio is still a popular solution to many. More recently, HD Radio has been gaining more buzz as it offers CD quality audio, but with no monthly fees unlike Sirus XM Satellite Radio. I’ll be discussing the HD Radio service and the Insigina Portable Player that iBiquity, the company behind HD Radio, was kind enough to grant us.

HD Radio Service
Founded in 1998, iBiquity Digital Corporation set out to create an In-Band On-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast system and today their product is called HD Radio. The technology offers a variety of benefits over the traditional analog radio. The receiver converts an analog radio wave signal into a digital one and even provides Program Service Data (PSD) such as a song’s title, artist, and album. If you are tuned into a weather or traffic station, it can even display condition alerts or simply a text advertisement during a commercial break. Read More

Skullcandy SK Pro Headphones (Review) +

Skullcandy makes some incredibly stylish and affordable headphones which are a popular choice amongst students. When I bought my iPod, I immediately grabbed a pair of low-end, in-ear Skullcandy Ink’d buds for $10 to replace the awful Apple headphones — money well spent. More recently, Skullcandy was kind enough to lend us one of their most expensive headphones, the SK Pro, and I’ve been putting them to the test. Coming in with a positive bias, I was quite excited to see how these sound. While they get the job done, there are some things worth mentioning. Read More

Microsoft Arc Mouse (Review) 1

Microsoft’s Arc Mouse is rather one of the better looking mice on the market with a unique design and slick build. With curvature for optimal comfort, a foldable design for travel, and wireless connectivity, the Arc Mouse aims to reach the hands of many users at an affordable price. If you are on the go, a laptop’s touchpad doesn’t always get the job done. While portable mouse comes handy, does Microsoft’s Arc Mouse live up to the claims or is it just a waste of well-earned cash?

Microsoft Arc Mouse Specs:

• 2.4 GHz Connectivity
• 30 ft. Wireless Range
• Snap-in Transceiver
• Scroll Wheel & Back Button
• Battery Indicator

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Super Street Fighter IV (Preview) +

During CES 2010, I had to opportunity to play some highly anticipated titles at Capcom’s reception for the media. Amongst the titles present, I was most eager to try the new update to last year’s critically acclaimed title “Street Fighter 4″. One of the developers graciously showed me a few new features and challenged me to a few rounds to show off the new additions to the game.

I was first presented with the updated roster at the character select screen. According to the Capcom’s representative, there will be a gang of eight ‘new’ characters added into the mix from both previous titles and new ones. Despite a controversial decision, the game will now be a standalone installment instead of direct-to-download. There’s plenty of features to justify the decision including the healthy addition of new maps, new ultra combos (now selectable before the start of a match), a tweaked fighting engine, and new online modes. This game clearly would not have been feasible to market as “cheaper” downloadable content. Read More

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 Netbook (Review) 2

The IdeaPad S10-2 Netbook is likely Lenovo’s final model running on Intel’s Atom Diamondville processors as most new models are taking the leap to the Pineview series. Although this might be at the verge of getting “outdated” as the new IdeaPad S10-3 series is just beginning to hit shelves, these will begin to drop in price and will still be worth every penny. With a 6-cell battery offering nearly 8 hours of juice on Windows XP and 7 hours with Windows 7, it’s quite impressive. I’ve been putting it to the test for the past few weeks and here’s what we found:

The Specifications:

• Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
• OS: Windows XP Home with SP3
• RAM: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
• Screen: 10.1-inch LED Glossy 1024×600
• HDD: 160GB at 5400RPM
• Video: Intel GMA 950
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
• Battery: 6-cell Lithium-Ion
• Card Reader: 4-in-1
• Ports: 3x USB, VGA, Ethernet
• Weight: 2.65 lbs with 6-cell

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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 2

Sonic the Hedgehog is finally coming back and at top speed. Sega is bringing the blue speed-demon back to what he does best. This new teaser for the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4 arcade game shows how the high-octane 2D platformer stays true to its roots. If you’ve been nothing but disappointed with the “next generation” of the Sonic series over the past few years, you aren’t alone. Fans have spoken and Sonic is racing back at top gear to catch up with his loyal followers.

The franchise has struggled to catch up with the current consoles which has resulted in clunky, awkward controls for our favorite blue hedgehog. The new Sonic games have tried hard to look great and expand on the classic gameplay, however flashy changes have proven successful. The introduction of new gameplay elements have proven as overkill, changing the franchise altogether. If any ounce of high-speed gameplay is present in the newer games, it’s only there to tease on how great the game series was. Anybody who still owns a Sega Genesis knows how Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles work at their best.

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Palm Pre Plus – Verizon Wireless (Review) 6

Thanks to  the folks over at Verizon Wireless, Skatter Tech received a review unit of the Palm Pre Plus about a week ago and I’ve been putting it to the test since. It’s an upgrade to last year’s Palm Pre, which is still offered on Sprint’s network. It’s Palm’s third webOS device and just it sports just about all exciting features: Synergy, multi-tasking, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a gesture area. As a bonus, it features the ability to create a “WiFi Hotspot” utilizing Verizon’s 3G network, much like the MiFi we reviewed recently. With some new features, a new network, a hardware upgrade, and a slight cosmetic makeover, let’s see how it compares to other smartphones on the market. Read More

Apple Announces The iPad 4

Apple just finished up their Press Conference at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco and finally announced their poorly kept secret: the iPad. There’s a lot that the media expected, however details such as the price range was quite impressive. So here’s what it can do:

“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way”

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RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 (Review) 1

Research in Motion’s cell phones have been the business standard ever since email was introduced to the mobile market. An enormous BlackBerry clipped to your belt was a symbol for the technologically capable businessman (and woman) long before the notorious Bluetooth headset. More players have joined the smartphone game, but RIM still remains king of the business market and has successfully entered the consumer market. The BlackBerry Curve 8530 is RIM’s most recent entry for consumers and it’s available through Verizon Wireless.

BlackBerry Curve 8530 Specifications:

• Provider: Verizon Wireless
• Operating System: BlackBErry v5.0
• Display: 2.5-inch 320×240 pixel TFT LCD
• Camera: 2.0 megapixel camera
• Music: MP3, WMA, AAC/AAC+
• Video: MPEG4, WMV, H.263, H.264
• Memory: 256MB internal + microSD expansion
• Dimensions: 4.29H x 2.36W x .55D inches
• Battery: 270 mins talk time | 252 hours stand-by
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1+ | WiFi b/g

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