Mark Best » Technology

Toshiba Satellite T135-S1310

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:48:31 +0000

Toshiba’s slick entry into the thin-and-light laptop world is timed for Windows 7, but if you’re going to get one, make sure it’s the dual-core T135-S1310, and not its single-core cousin.

Apple MacBook Fall 2009 (Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:48:30 +0000

Apple has revamped its best-selling laptop, the 13-inch MacBook, with a unibody white polycarbonate body and LED backlit display.

Vizio LED-based LCD: Bangin’ LCD picture for the buck

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:45:28 +0000

Vizio's 55-inch, LED-backlit VF551XVT gives great black levels for less.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)

We’re willing to bet that when Vizio announced the VF551XVT back in January, plenty of savvy HDTV bargain hunters marked down “June” as the time they’d buy this 55-inch LED-based LCD. Then …

Turn your PC into a TiVo for $69.99

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:45:28 +0000

This TiVo-in-a-box comes with everything you need for PC DVR goodness.

(Credit:
Nero)

It’s been awhile since I’ve sung the praises of TV tuners, which let you watch and record shows on your PC, TiVo-style. Well, now you can get more than just the style: Nero’s LiquidTV TiVo PC brings the actual TiVo software to your system….

Originally posted at The Cheapskate

Toshiba releases LED-backlit TV firmware update

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:45:27 +0000

A firmware upgrade for early models of the Toshiba SV670U is now available.

(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)

When I reviewed the Toshiba SV670U series nearly two months ago, the review was based on the second of two review samples. Let’s call them T1 and T2.

Why the need for a second sample? T1 suffered from a pretty glaring problem in my opinion. In certain scenes, parts of the local dimming LED backlight would flash intermittently and at random. Here’s how I put it in my original draft of the review:

The Toshiba had a propensity to interrupt dark areas with brief flashes of brightness that were confined to small zones on the screen. The instance we noticed first was during the demonstration sequence from “Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics” (around the 2:50 mark).

When the computer-generated plants fade in from black, flashes appeared in the lower left and upper left of the black background as the overall brightness of the scene increased. When watching “Austin Stevens, Snakemaster” on Discovery HD Theater, we saw brighter flashes, akin to blooming, in the darkness around Austin’s head as he leaned toward the light in a cave.

During “Watchmen” the flashes also appeared occasionally and for no reason we could discern. In the initial fight, for example, the lower-left corner flashed briefly just as the Comedian’s blood drips down onto the smiley-face pin. A zoom in to President Nixon created another flash in the lower right. Our guess is that LED elements were lighting when they’re not supposed to.

When we talked to Toshiba about what we saw, the company insisted on sending T2, which didn’t suffer from the flashing issue. We mentioned the problem with T1 in the review, telling readers we’d update the situation when we knew more.

Now we do. …

Samsung Blue Earth: More than just a gimmick

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:41:25 +0000

As it does with most trends, Samsung is pursuing eco-friendly cell phones with vigor. It already gave us the Samsung Reclaim, and now we finally have a chance to review the Samsung Blue Earth. …

Originally posted at Dialed In Podcast

Cheetos bags find new life as MP3 speakers

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:41:25 +0000

(Credit:
TerraCycle)

A New Jersey-based environmental firm has developed audio player speakers made from recycled chips and candy bar packages.

TerraCycle is using its large waste-collection program to turn Doritos and Cheetos bags, as wells as Mars candy wrappers, into funky, foldable speakers.

The Frito-Lay Speakers have a 3.5 …

Two-wheeled electrics at the Tokyo Motor Show

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:41:24 +0000

The Yamaha EC-f is an electric motorcycle concept designed for ease of use.

(Credit:
Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.)

Green scooters at the Tokyo Motor Show – photos

Just as carmakers develop electric cars, motorcycle manufacturers also see the writing on the wall, showing off a collection of electric bikes …

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

Toyota looks to electric car business

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:41:23 +0000

The Toyota FT-EVII is a new electric concept car based on the iQ platform.

(Credit:
Automotive News)

Although a leader in hybrid cars, generally conservative Toyota has seemed uninterested in developing electric cars–until now. At the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the FT-EVII, an electric car concept.

Toyota does …

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

Digital City No. 55: PS3′s Netflix play; Sony’s Vaio X; and Halloween horrors

Mark Best — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:40:37 +0000

This week on the Digital City, we consider the PlayStation 3′s awkward Netflix implementation; marvel over the super-thin Sony Vaio X laptop; debate the fate of FireWire in new MacBooks; and review

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Originally posted at Digital City Podcast