iView Concept Gives iMac a Curvaceous Bod and Second Screen on Backside

Designer Nuno Teixeira has redesigned the iMac, giving it a curved screen, second display at the back (not sure what that's good for—educating the mice who live behind the skirting board in the office, perhaps?) and a second webcam. Apparently, he was inspired by the wraparound Cinerama screens from the '50s.

Time Capsule Arrives.

Here's a first look at the Time Capsule in its packaging.

We've been fiddling with Time Capsule since it arrived this AM, and so far it works as billed, clean and easy. The star of the show is really the new AirPort Utility software, which now comes with some neat tricks for the network-phobic. Most of all, we're learning the ins and outs of adding external drives, using networked printers, and setting up that potentially nasty initial data dump.

We've actually set up the Time Capsule several different ways already, as the only router in the network, and as an Ethernet-linked node on an existing wireless network. The start-up wizard in AirPort Utility asks you plainly what you want to do, in increasing steps like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book. I know some of you don't need that kind of child's play, but this kind of thing will even help you when you tell your mom to get one of these and realize you won't have to do tech support too.

MacBook Pro Now With Penryn Processors, Multitouch Trackpad

More powerful versions of the MacBook Pro have been released today with up to 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processors, and the MacBook Air's trackpad, which allows for multi-touch gestures. The 2.5 and 2.6GHz models come with a new NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB of GDDR3 RAM. The MacBook has also been upgraded (yay!), but no multitouch (boo!), probably to make a distinction between them and the MacBook Air. The good, the bad and the ugly, specs and price list after the jump.

The good
• New Core 2 Duo versions across the board, which are supposed to be about 50% faster and more power efficient.
• New GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB.
• Multitouch pad on MacBook Pro.
• New LED option on top of the line 17" screen.

The bad
• No multitouch or LED on MacBooks.
• Multitouch trackpad on MacBook Pro is smaller than Air.
• Apple Remote is now a $19 option.

The Ugly
• Design whores like me will have to wait for the next generation for a new chassis. Clearly, this is a minor bump as we wait for the real things.

CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today updated its popular MacBook(R) and MacBook Pro notebook lines with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, larger hard drives and 2GB of memory standard in most models. In addition, MacBook Pro includes the latest NVIDIA graphics processors, now with up to 512MB of video memory, and Apple's innovative Multi-Touch(TM) trackpad, first introduced in MacBook Air(TM). All Mac(R) notebooks include a built-in iSight(R) video camera for video conferencing on-the-go*, Apple's MagSafe(R) Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain and built-in 802.11n wireless networking for up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g.**

The new MacBook Pro features the latest Intel Core 2 Duo technology with up to a 2.6 GHz processor with 6MB of shared L2 cache; up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory and up to a 300GB hard drive, plus NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with up to 512MB of video memory. Every MacBook Pro now includes a trackpad with Multi-Touch gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe, making it more intuitive than ever to zoom and rotate photos in iPhoto(R) or Aperture(TM) 2 or browse web pages in Safari(TM); an illuminated keyboard that makes it ideal for dimly lit environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls and a built-in ambient light sensor, which automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the brightness of the display for optimal visibility.

Featuring a gorgeous 13-inch glossy widescreen display, and with prices still starting at just $1,099, the new MacBook lineup comes in three models and includes faster processors and larger hard drives across the line; sleek white 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz models with 120GB or 160GB 5400 rpm hard drives and a stunning black 2.4 GHz model with a massive 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, previously only available as an option. The 2.4 GHz MacBook models ship with 2GB of memory standard, expandable up to 4GB across the line.

Every MacBook and MacBook Pro includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go; Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord and safely disconnects when under strain; the latest generation of 802.11n wireless networking for up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g; built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking; Bluetooth; analog and digital audio inputs and outputs; USB 2.0; FireWire(R) and a built-in SuperDrive(R).

Every Mac in the Apple lineup comes with iLife(R) '08, the most significant update ever to Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring a major new version of iPhoto and a completely reinvented iMovie(R), both seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing***. Every Mac also includes Leopard(R), the sixth major release of the world's most advanced operating system which introduces Time Machine(TM), an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder(TM) that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; a brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock and major enhancements to Mail and iChat(R). .Mac members can use the new Back to My Mac feature to browse and access files on their home computer from a Mac over the Internet while out on the road.

Prices
The 2.1 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook $1,099 (US)
The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook $1,299 (US)
The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook $1,499 (US)
The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro $1,999 (US)
The 2.5 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro $2,499 (US)
The 2.5 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,799 (US)

Round-Up: Sony 2008 Line Show Goodie Bag

As you may have noticed, Sony is currently planted in Vegas, announcing gear it withheld from us at CES. The biggest news is the arrival of the BDP S350 and S550, the first full-spec 2.0 Blu-ray players, complete with Ethernet and the long-awaited BD-Live compatibility. On Monday, Sony also gave us two new high-performance Cyber-shots, the W300 and H50. And just this morning they announced everything from a tiny dongle (for Bluetooth audio) to a huge rack (for A/V management), though no TVs or VAIOs. Here are the most interesting highlights:

•PFR V1 - Funky head-worn speakers that reflect full-range sound into your ears

•NHS 130C - A massive rack-mounted high-definition audio-video system

•MDR AS100W - Outdoor sports headphones that convert into earbuds when the workout ends

•NWZ A720, A820 and A820K - New 2.4-inch screen A/V Network Walkmans (Walkmen?) with Bluetooth A2DP

•HT-7200, HT-SS2300, HT-CT100 and HT-DDWG700Home-theater-in-a-box systems to accompany Sony's Blu-ray players (sold separately of course)

•PS-LX300USB - A USB turntable for converting your old records to MP3

source gizmodo

New NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 Has 2 Processors, 1GB Memory

The Skinny: NVIDIA's GeForce 9800, launching in late Feb / early March, will be successor to the 8800 Ultra. With an estimated 30% performance increase over the aforementioned top end GPU, and apparent support for "Quad SLI," it is certainly no slacker.

The Catch: Expect the 9800 GX2's 1GB frame buffer, two 65nm GPUs and 256 Stream processors to make this one seriously expensive graphics card.

NVIDIA 9600 GT Reviewed: Best Low-Cost Gaming Card With Anti-Aliasing

NVIDIA's first GeForce 9 series card officially launched today, the budget 9600 GT, which is based on a shrunken version of the G92 graphics processor in their mid-range 8800 GT and the newer GTS cards. It's actually extremely similar to the 8800 GT, but smaller and more efficient. It has half the number of stream processors but at a higher frequency, so Tom's Hardware says you're looking at a 38 percent drop in raw processing power vs. the 8800 GT cards. However, in the real gaming world, performance was only about 12 percent lower than the 8800 GT. So while it's not enough of a departure to warrant being branded a 9 series card, it's the "the best card in its price range for performance with antialiasing enabled."

Apple MacBook Air Is World's Thinnest Notebook, Looks Absolutely Amazing

It's real. The fabled MacBook Air actually exists. It's ultra-thin, can have a normal hard drive or a solid state one and, except for a couple ports, it's all about wireless connectivity. It's a stunning .16 inches thick at the bottom and .76 inches on the top. The black keyboard (reminds me of some of those black-over-aluminum Braun designs) is LED backlit, sightly recessed MacBook-style, with rounded edges all around. The latch is magnetic and has a gorgeous 13.3-inch screen with ambient-light sensor and, get this, multitouch trackpad. Check the full specs, 20-image gallery and continuous updates after the jump:

MacBook Air

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The MacBook Air is all "green": bromide and PVR free, packaging is 56% smaller and mercury and arsenic-free glass. Looks like Al Gore will be getting one to fly in his private jet.

Amazingly enough, it's only $1,799.

Technical specs

• .16 to .75-inch thickness on top
• 12.8 x 8.94 inches
• 3 pounds
• 5 hours of battery life with everything running

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor at 1.6 or 1.8GHz, motherboard the length of a pencil.
• 800MHz frontside bus.
• 2GB RAM 667MHz DDR2 standard.

• 13.3-inch screen, LED backlit.
• 1,280 x 800 pixels
• Micro-DVI adapter (for DVI, VGA, composite and S-Video output)
• Intel GMA X3100 Graphics processor with 144MB RAM shared

• 1.8-inch 80GB HD or 64GB Solid State Drive (no moving pieces, but for a stunning $1,300 price increase!)
• Multitouch trackpad with gestures. Pans, zooms, rotates, etc.
• 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1.
• Optional external HD for $99, USB-bus powered.
• Full backlit keyboard.
• One USB 2.0, one audio port, one Micro-DVI

souce gizmodo

Is MacBook Air Worth the Money? Five Slim Laptops Face Off

soure gizmodo.com

We can all agree that the MacBook Air is a slick-looking little laptop. It's so thin! You can't argue with that! But if you're in the market for a small, high-performance laptop, is it the best option? I pored over specs for four similarly positioned and more-or-less similarly priced laptops to see if you'll get your $1,800 worth out of the Air. Let's go to the chart, shall we?

It turns out that, surprise surprise, you pay a premium for a tiny form factor. The MacBook Air is seriously expensive for the guts you get inside, but Apple isn't the only company guilty of charging insane amounts for smaller computers. Just look at the Sony Vaio TZ150N, for example. $2,100 for a 1.06 GHz processor? Are you kidding me? I don't care how small, it's still a rip-off.

The best deal—if you don't mind an extra pound of weight and half-inch of thickness—is the Dell XPS M1330. It bests the MacBook Air in nearly every single category, delivering about 30% more processing power, 50% more memory, over 300% more hard drive space, plus a dedicated graphics card. All of this, for $300 less. But also, two hours less of battery life, thanks to the new smaller and more efficient Core 2 Duo processor in the MacBook Air.

But it's really no surprise that a form factor as striking as the MacBook Air's warrants a premium price. Super-slim and light laptops as a category have yet to come down from the stratosphere, dollar-wise. It's a form factor that SSD just makes loads of sense for, lightening them up and cutting down on battery life, but that drives the price up even further for the time being. Chips are still getting smaller and screen technology keeps improving. In a couple of years, these form factors will be reasonably priced with great specs, but until then, prepare to pay a huge chunk more for a bit less power, just so you can brag about having the thinnest computer on the block.

Electroscape LED Fireplace Brings the Aurora Borealis to Your Crib

The Electroscape fireplace from Platonics has a remote-controlled LED lighting system built in. Ahh—nothing warms you up on a frosty 21st Century morn better than some funky LED lights that you can mix, from single color to multicolored, from the cozy comfort of your armchair. You can even specify what arty "fire" objects are displayed inside: driftwood, pebbles or gravel. The fireplace pumps out 2kW of heat from its element, though, rather strangely, Platonics says this is an optional add-on. Maybe those LEDs get really hot. Available now for around $3100 in the UK.

iPod Video 5G Hacked with Bluetooth Module

Giz reader Ed Hernández is at it again with his wireless audio iPod modifications. This time he hacked a fifth generation 30GB iPod video to include a Bluetooth module for audio output but, since the 30GB model is so thin, Ed had to do extra hacking. He told us his shopping list and some impressions, after the jump.

To make space for the audio Bluetooth module he had to take out the hard drive to replace it with a Compact Flash. He also changed the front white plastic for an iVue clear panel to let the Bluetooth LED to shine through. "One of these days Apple will finally take the hint..." Ed said to us in an email. Hopefully they will, because doing this looks quite difficult:

It took me about a month of part time research, but If I were to do it again today, just the labor would only take about a couple of hours. Total cost of just the BT mod is only about $50 but if you break it down it would be like this:

$50 BT module
$30 Clear faceplate
$35 Flash adapter
$30-120 Flash card (depends on your budget)

According to Ed, the "sound quality is very good, on par with an external module anyway. I use the Motorola S9 headphones and I am very satisfied. Not audiophile quality mind you, but more than adequate for the gym."