Posts Filed under: Reviews
Hands-On Review: i2i Stream Wireless Music
Since you have to charge each battery powered unit by USB, the i2i Stream doesn't seem to be a permanent solution for wireless audio, but the convenient size of the devices make it perfect for quick plug and play. We found ourselves streaming songs from our computer to show our friends in the living room, then using it with an iPod in the kitchen as a sort of music remote, and finally to play some late night 'Rock Band 2' with headphones (with the help of a simple RCA to 1/8" adapter from Radio Shack).
Once you get the units linked, you'll find that they work really well, but we had some occasional problems getting them to find each other when syncing for the first time. One of the units mysteriously turned off one time, and for $119 MSRP, we would like to see much more sturdy construction: The i2i Stream devices are plastic and feel cheap. Still, the system delivers what it promises, and the simple input/output design gives you an incredible number of options for linking your audio devices through the ether.
Hands-On With the BlackBerry Storm (Video)
by Tom Samiljan, posted Nov 20th 2008 at 12:01AM
But is the BlackBerry Storm fun enough to take on the iPhone, and will its incorporation of a touchscreen (albeit a moveable click-based one that you actually have to depress to in fact 'strike' a key) turn off those serious business (and heavy e-mailing) users? Well, we can't entirely answer that question, since we only had a day and a half with the thing, but we were able to get our first impressions down in the above video. We'll be back with more impressions in the coming days and weeks, since these newfangled smart phones have a tendency to either grow on you, or make you increasingly want to throw them out the window.
Once you're done watching our video, head on over to Engadget's in-depth review, where you can get more details on the first touchscreen BlackBerry ever.
Gallery: BlackBerry Storm
Is Cuil a Google Killer?
Cuil (pronounced cool) was launched earlier this week by a group of ex-Googlers looking to improve upon the power of Google without all the potential privacy pitfalls of keeping tabs on its users. The stark black home page is a sort of anti-Google -- it's simple, but almost menacing in its darkness. Compared to Google, Cuil's search results are much more detailed. Instead of a list of text links, Cuil provides you with three columns of four results on the first page, each with a thumbnail photo, a title, an address, and an excerpt of text or description of the page. Results can be narrowed down by clicking tabbed links for additional searches (similar to Google's "refine results" links) or by choosing categories from a widget box that will pop up on the right hand side when searching for something like "mole," which can be an animal, sauce, or TV show.
Best iPod Docks for Your Dorm Room
by Evan Shamoon, posted Jul 22nd 2008 at 7:02PM
With the possible exceptions of ramen and the occasional sixer of Natty Ice, there's nothing quite as essential for the scholarly life as music. And with all your music on your iPod, a quality dock can be just the thing to give your dorm room the moodiness it so desperately needs. Check out this handful of winners.
Switched Download: Foxit PDF Reader
by Terrence O'Brien, posted May 9th 2008 at 11:46AM
Foxit PDF Reader
What it does:
Foxit is a replacement for that unfortunate staple of every computer user's life: Adobe Reader. Foxit reads and even edits PDFs -- those files that look exactly like original documents -- without the slowdown and crashes associated with Adobe's product.
What we like about it:
Foxit is about as close to perfect as a piece software can get: it opens and operates faster than Adobe's Reader, uses much less RAM, and packs more features into a download about a tenth the size.
In addition to reading PDFs, Foxit can perform basic editing tasks and lets you add notes to documents -- features Adobe charges several hundred dollars for in its Acrobat platform. Foxit even has some features that Adobe's professional application lacks, such as tabs for opening several PDFs in one window, and support for multimedia so you can actually play back audio and video in multimedia e-books.
What we don't like:
Our only problem with Foxit is that the latest versions are Windows-only. Mac and Linux users need love too.
Bottom line:
The existence of the fast, stable, and user-friendly Foxit makes you wonder why anyone would continue to use Adobe's bloated, crash-prone program. Get Foxit now and clicking links to PDF files will no longer prompt panic and cursing.
Download Foxit PDF Reader
Lenovo U110 Hands-On and Overview
by Darren Murph, posted May 5th 2008 at 12:32PM
Lenovo U110: The Sexy Little Laptop That Could? (Video)
by Tom Samiljan, posted May 2nd 2008 at 12:09PM
We were lucky to get a couple of days to play around with the sexy, new Lenovo U110 ultraportable laptop. It's only 2.3 pounds and, as you can see, small enough to fit into the teeniest of backpacks. It's also one of the slickest looking notebooks we've ever laid our eyes or hands on, with oversized keys that make typing surprisingly smooth (for such a small laptop).
Handling-wise, it's not fair for us to say, since we had access only to a pre-production unit, but with up to 3-gigabytes (GB) of RAM available, the U110 has the potential to be the little computer than could....
Hype Check: 'Grand Theft Auto IV'
by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 30th 2008 at 7:11PM
What it is: The latest installment in the free-roaming, crime-spree-filled video game series, 'Grand Theft Auto IV' is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated title of all time -- of this year, anyway. And, with the bevy of perfect scores being applied before and since its release, it stands to possibly be the most highly rated game of all time as well -- again at least until some other new top-notch title comes along and changes that. It's also the first game to be numbered as a proper sequel since 'Grand Theft Auto III' wowed gamers (and horrified parents) almost eight years ago. In this most recent entry, players roam pretty much anywhere they want through the streets of a somewhat scaled down New York City, playing the role of a recent immigrant from Eastern Europe. As in the earlier games, players work their way up from small-time crimes to major heists, with the ultimate goal being to make 'Scarface'-worthy names for themselves.
Why it's different: 'GTA IV' is the first of the series to appear on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, meaning that it blows away the earlier titles in terms of looks. Remember how in the old games buildings would pop into view at the last minute if you were driving quickly? No more; you can see skyscrapers miles away now. Those environments are more detailed, too, as well as the characters within them, who look distinctively more human than the blocky thugs in previous titles.
This is also the first title to officially offer online multiplayer through a handful of modes that range from races around the city to, well, completely disorganized mayhem. Unfortunately, they're separate from the game itself, meaning you won't be going through a mission and bumping into a buddy en-route, but they're still a blast and should give this game plenty of life. If that's not enough for you, though, the Xbox 360 version at least will include downloadable content, adding new territory to explore and missions to complete, meaning this game will continue to grow.
What we like: The new storyline, that of an Eastern European with a checkered past coming to America to escape trouble, only to find even more thanks to his dunder-headed cousin, is definitely appealing. For once the main character is a seemingly humble, likable guy; not a thug or a gangster. The streets of Liberty City, a fictionalized New York City, are familiar (including a subway system Big Apple-dwellers will be able to use without a map) yet diverse and ready for exploring, and being able to walk right into a building without having to sit through a "Now Loading" screen is a huge improvement.
What we don't like: The game is a huge improvement visually over its predecessors, but doesn't come close to comparing to recent graphical powerhouses such as 'Mass Effect'. While the cityscape looks great, as you can tell from the skyline in the above screenshot, the colors and textures are occasionally a bit flat, resulting in terrain that's somewhat dull looking. Cars in particular disappoint, with their blocky fenders and simple, generic lines. But that's somewhat forgivable given the massive scope of the environment and experience here. Also, as much as we enjoy completing them, the missions in general feel a little familiar, like frequent assignments escorting people from A to B, and constant escapes from persistent police officers.
What it costs: $59.99
Does it live up to the hype? There's absolutely no reason why any fan of the 'Grand Theft Auto' franchise would not want to pick this up. It's improved in every way over the earlier versions and the multiplayer modes plus future downloadable content will give this one far more life than any of the earlier games. It's not quite perfect (despite all those 10/10 review scores), but it is damn good. Just about any gamer out there will have a blast exploring Liberty City and working their way through the storyline -- that is except for those who can't stomach committing a few felonies on their way to gaming bliss.
Top 10 Funniest Pet Web Sites (4)
4. Cute With Chris
This hilarious Web site (and even funnier weekly video podcast) asks its users to decide whether a celebrity or a fuzzy animal is cuter. The formula generates pretty funny results and at the end of each show, Chris Leavins, the scruffy, campy host, announces the past week's winner. Chris's comments are irreverent and occasionally not PG, but his show -- which usually focuses on silly pet-inspired themes like "Crazy Cat Ladies" -- is well produced, filled with funny production tricks (constant crazy cat sounds in the background) and a good bit of celebrity humor in addition to the cute animals. The Web site is a blog of cute pet pictures and other pet-related bits. Recently posted items included the usual cute pet pictures as well as a photo (above) of David Archuleta (of 'American Idol' fame) with his pet dog (from before he was famous) and a portrait of Chris drawn by a fan. 'Cute with Chris' neatly plays off off the Internet's obsession with celebrity gossip and funny pet pictures by combining the two with a healthy dose of irony and sarcastic wit. Don't miss it.
