the gadget guru

How to Wall Mount a Plasma, LCD, Flat-Panel TV on the Wall

Ace — Sat, 12 May 2007 15:21:56 +0000

Want some detailed How-To instructions for mounting your TV on the wall and save yourself several hundred bucks from the installation fee at Best Buy?

Check out Wall Mount My TV. It’s good stuff!

Canon EOS-1D Mark III, a 16-35 f/2.8 and a 580EX II

Ace — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:39:52 +0000

Too much for one day, Canon has announced all of the above. Read more and get the pics at Photography Bay.

A Groovy Clock

Ace — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:31:37 +0000

Check this clock out.

Blue-Ray vs. HD-DVD Market Strategies

Ace — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 20:34:04 +0000

I was thinking this morning about the whole Blue-ray vs. HD-DVD format wars that’s going on now. I just don’t get it (their strategies, that is). A couple days ago, I read on Slashodot that Blue-ray was gaining on HD-DVD, but that HD-DVD has previously outsold Blue-ray somthing like 3:1. The sales of all high-def discs are still rather underwhelming. Why? Because the hardware that plays these things is priced above what consumers are willing to pay.

I don’t think its because consumers aren’t willing to decide just yet who is going to win, we’re just not ready to shell out $500-1,000 for a piece of hardware that we aren’t sure will stand the test of time. A $200 player? Sure, Blue-ray or HD-DVDs will sell like hotcakes along with a $200 player. That’s still a couple years or so away though. Are these guys going to take it to a stalemate between now and then and drag the wars out until there is a huge discord in which movies are available for which format? Come on! Somebody step up, sell an affordable player (at a loss if need be) and put a nail in the coffin of the other format!

Now you can cite to the Sony PS3 and, sure, that helps the Blue-ray. But I’m talking about selling DVD players to Billy Bob and Mary Sue at Wal-Mart. They are the ones that win the war for you, not the technophiles that have the lastest and greatest (we’ve got’em both – or want’em both because that’s who we are). The everyday consumer, in the end, decides who takes home the prize.

If you want to win the format wars then give consumers a bone to help you out.

More on 120Hz HDTVs

Ace — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:44:43 +0000

Gizmodo has got more goods on which HDTVs have the goods (i.e., run at 120Hz). Check it out here….

A PC that you can install in your WALL!

Ace — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:12:19 +0000

It’s called Jack PC, and it can fit into a network wall port. Just plug your keyboard, mouse and monitor into the wall. The Jack PC runs Windows CE and it’s equipped with an equivalent of a 800MHz to 1.2GHz x86 desktop processor. Read more at our-picks.com. . . .

Way Cool New Toy – Cellblock

Ace — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 08:23:22 +0000

I’m still working out the kinks, but I’m finding this pretty cool!

More Canon Leaks: the HV20 HD Camcorder

Ace — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 02:43:52 +0000

Engadgethd.com has the scoop:

Canon product details have been leaking like a sieve of late. First the accidental Hong Kong listing of their EOS 40D, now what appears to be their HV20 high-definition camcorder thanks to a “coming soon” placement on Circuit City’s site shown above (and subsequently removed).

Canon’s on a role if this pans out to be legit along with the 40D slip-up.

10,000 ISO in a Pocket Camera

Ace — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:09:57 +0000

Olympus is on a role. Enter the FE-250. Again, from DPReview.com:

The FE-250 boasts an 8MP sensor, 3x zoom and slim metal casing. It’s also the first FE model to feature the company’s ‘Bright Capture’ technology (nice name for an old idea; pixel binning to increase ISO). What makes the FE-250 stand out for us though, is that it scales new heights in sensitivity, offering an ISO 10,000 (yes, that’s ten thousand) option (at 3MP).

How about a an 18x point & shoot?

Ace — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:08:08 +0000

The new Olympus SP-550 UZ has upped the ante in the super-zoom P&S category. DPReview.com has the scoop:

Today is Olympus day with the announcement of eight new cameras in the FE, Stylus (Mju) and SP ranges. Most interesting is the SP-550 UZ ultrazoom, boasting the world’s first 18x (yes 18x) zoom capability. Covering an astounding 28-504mm (equiv.) range it is sure to appeal to travellers seeking a compact camera for all occasions. Also featuring CCD-shift Image Stabilization, a 15fps burst mode (1.2MP) and a 7.1 megapixel sensor, the SP-550 continues a legacy of innovative large-zoom cameras from Olympus.

504mm? Are you serious? Yeah, I want one!