Contributed News
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Sony announces 160GB NetJuke stereos for Japan
The NAS-M700HD and D500HD serve music over Ethernet, sport a Walkman dock, and transfer music to mobile phones.
Sony has announced two new NetJuke network-connected stereos to be launched on October 18 in Japan. The NAS-M700HD and D500HD, successors to last year's NAS-M57HD and D55HD, each house a 160GB hard drive onto which they can rip CDs to MP3, ATRAC, or WAV files. For playback, the DLNA serving units also support WMA and AAC files, and can download songs directly from the Japanese AnyMusic online store. KDDI mobile phone owners can transfer music from the stereos with the LISMO service, while Walkman users can use the built-in WM-PORT cradle, and other devices can be plugged into two USB ports. The D500HD will cost the equivalent of $605, while the M700HD, which adds an S-Master amplifier and Minidisc player, will go for $790.
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Hitachi debuts ten 1.5-inch thin LCDs
Offering 1080p and 120Hz in some models, the 32- to 47-inch screens skimp on inputs.
Hitachi has unveiled ten new UltraThin 1.5 LCDs, so named for their 1.5-inch depth, in four sizes. The 37-, 42-, and 47-inch models offer full 1080p resolution while the 32-inch screen max out at 1366 x 768, and all ten feature 120Hz refresh rates except the 32-inch UT32X802. The monitors include only one HDMI and one VGA input and eschew speakers and tuners; the company will sell an optional Audio Video Center that sports seven additional inputs, including three HDMI, plus HDTV and standard TV tuners. The five Ultra Vision Series models are dressed in a dark "Anthracite Pearl" coating (with a "White Pearl" option for the 32-inch model) and will start at $1,500 and go up to $3,800 for the largest model, while the Director's Series models sport "Black Sapphire" and will cost $200 more across the board. The 47-inch models goes on sale this month, with the rest to follow in the coming year.
Profile pages: Hitachi
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Microsoft cuts U.S. Xbox 360 prices
Microsoft says Xbox 360 Arcade price will drop $50 below the Nintendo Wii this Friday.
Microsoft is planning to drop the U.S. price of all of its Xbox 360 game consoles tomorrow, putting the most affordable configuration, the Xbox 360 Arcade, at $200, fully $50 cheaper than Nintendo's market leading Wii. BusinessWeek says the $80 price drop, which follows similar cuts in Japan, will be followed by a software update this fall which will bring a "cleaner, more intuitive" interface and a new casual gaming channel called Primetime to the console. The mid-range Xbox 360 and high-end Xbox 360 Elite will both get $50 discounts, putting them at $300 and $400, respectively.[via BusinessWeek]
Profile pages: Microsoft, Microsoft Xbox 360
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TiVo boosts high-definition DVR to one terabyte
$600 TiVo HD XL stores up to 150 hours of HD or 1,250 hours of "Basic Quality" video.
Today TiVo unveiled the TiVo HD XL, its first DVR to ship with a one-terabyte hard drive. Equipped with dual TV tuners, TiVo says the HD XL can record up to 150 hours of HD-quality television, 332 hours at "Best Quality," or 1,250 hours at "Basic Quality." Boasting THX certification, it supports resolutions up to 1080i and has outputs for HDMI (with a cable included in the box), component, composite, and S-video, as well as digital and analog audio. The TiVo HD XL is available today from the TiVo web site for $600 plus a one-year service commitment at $8.31 to $12.95 per month.
[via BetaNews]
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Sony recalling VAIO notebooks after reports of overheating
TZ-series VAIOs sold between July 2007 and August 2008 caused minor burns.
Sony has announced that it is recalling VAIO TZ-series notebooks after receiving reports of overheating and minor burns. The issue, which Sony says is caused by an errant wire or screw near the hinge shorting, affects some VGN-TZ100, VGN-TZ300, and VGN-TZ2000 notebooks sold between July 2007 and August 2008. The company is offering free inspection and repair to TZ-series owners.
[via Engadget]
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Sony announces six Blu-ray recorders for Japan
Equipped with TV tuners and 320GB to 1TB hard drives, prices range from $1,015 to $2,580.
Sony has announced six new hard drive- and digital TV tuner-equipped Blu-ray recorders for Japan. Available October 10, the BDZ-T55, priced at the equivalent of $1,015, and BDZ-T75, at $1,290, have 320GB hard drives for recording video and television; the T75 can also record two TV shows simultaneously. The $1,200 DBZ-L55 and $1,570 DBZ-L95, meanwhile, pack 320GB and 500GB, respectively, and add two USB ports for connecting devices like digital cameras, with the L95 adding in a memory card reader. Both go on sale on September 27, as do the $1,845 BDZ-X95 and $2,580 BDZ-X100, which bump the storage up to 500GB and 1TB, respectively. They can transfer media directly to a Sony Walkman, PSP, or mobile phone. All six player-recorders feature the BD-Live Blu-ray profile and 24p playback. For output they offer HDMI, component, composite, and S-video, and digital audio, and take input from composite and S-video, plus DV and HDV camcorders in the L and X series.
[via Gizmodo]
Profile pages: Sony
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IOGEAR launches device for networked monitor sharing
The $200 DVI Net ShareStation connects a DVI or VGA monitor over Ethernet to many computers or one with USB.
IOGEAR has announced the DVI Net ShareStation, which allows a DVI or VGA monitor to be connected to an Ethernet LAN and be controlled by any computer on the network. Capable of resolutions up to 1,600x1,200, the diminutive box can also connect an extra display to a single computer via USB. IOGEAR is hoping the DVI Net ShareStation, which is available immediately (though it has yet to appear on the company's own web store) for $199,95, will be embraced by the digital signage industry.[via Engadget]
Profile pages: IOGEAR
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Sony to add direct PlayStation Store downloads, internet play to PSP
An upcoming software update makes games and content available directly over WiFi and allows online matchups through a PS3.
Sony has announced that it will be expanding the online capabilities of the PSP. This fall a software update will allow the portable gaming device to download games and content directly from the PlayStation Store over WiFi, instead of requiring it to be connected to a PlayStation3 or PC. An update will also allow gamers to challenge eachother online in selected games through the PS3, whereas previously multiplayer gameplay was only possible with nearby players over WiFi. The updates will roughly coincide with the October release of the $200 PSP-3000, which will add a built-in microphone and an improved screen to the device.
[via Gizmodo]
Profile pages: Sony, Sony PlayStation Portable
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Sony announces PlayStation 3 Bluetooth headset
Available by the end of October, Sony says the $50 wireless headset will play for eight hours.
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has announced a Bluetooth headset for the PlayStation 3. The wireless headset, which is powered from an included USB cradle, will perform for up to eight hours on a single charge, according to Sony, and features noise cancellation and on-screen indicators for connection status, battery level, volume, and mute. Sony says it'll be out October 30 in Japan for the equivalent of $46, but U.S. retailers disagree about the stateside release date -- Amazon says September 30 while GameStop says October 14. Either way, both will let you pre-order it for $50.
[via I4U]
Profile pages: Sony, Sony PlayStation
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Lenovo reportedly readying inexpensive IdeaPads for China
The rumored G series could cost $400-$600 and feature 14- and 15-inch screens.
Lenovo is considering launching a new series of low-cost notebooks in China, according to DIGITIMES. The IdeaPad G series would include 14- and 15-inch screens and be priced at the equivalent of $400-$600. Current IdeaPads in the U.S. start at $429 for the 10.2-inch S series subnotebook, up to $1,199 for a 17-inch Y series notebook. Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta could be tapped to design and produce the G series for the Chinese company.Profile pages: Lenovo, Lenovo IdeaPad
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