Filed under: Cellphones

We were already warned that the megapixel race was headed to the mobile realm, and as if you needed any more proof, here we are looking down the lens of LG’s 8-megapixel Renoir. Clearly aimed at Samsung’s recently unveiled Pixon, this touchscreen-based handset found itself in the loving arms of CNET’s UK branch. During the limited time editors spent with it, they found the interface to be eerily similar to that found on the Viewty and the camera to be a real winner. As expected, the not-a-3.5mm headphone jack was none too pleasing to critics, but we did overhear the T-Mobile G1 voicing its support of the port. Anywho, tap the read link for the full preview / hands-on shots.

[Thanks, T.I.]

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Filed under: Gaming

We’ve been intrigued by Sony’s PlayStation Home concept for, like, ever now, but considering just how long the thing has been delayed, we’re trying to avoid any contact with pre-launch fodder in order to keep our hopes low. That being the case, we realize not all of you care to safeguard your hearts in the way we have ours, so we felt it prudent — nay, necessary — to pass along PS3 Fanboy’s in-depth walkthrough of the service. SCEA’s Jack Buser recently took the time to sit down and open up for a marvelous preview of the Plaza, Game Space and lots of other nooks and crannies we’re sure you’re interested in venturing into. To the read link, we send you. Try not to get lost, okay?

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Canon went a bit berserk this morning, but without a doubt the looker from the crowd is the 21-megapixel EOS 5D Mark II. Make no mistake, this bad boy is bringing all sorts of new and revamped technology to the game, and thanks to the good folks over at DPReview, you don’t have to waste your day trying to piece it all together. Linked below is a 13-page “preview” that dishes out more details on the specs, changes, operation, design, menus and favorite date spots than you could ever fathom. Being the DSLR freak that you are, however, we know you’ve already ventured off and are onto page 2. No hard feelings, though.

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Filed under: Laptops

Merely weeks after Dell offered its long-awaited Latitude E6400 ATG up for sale, one of said units has been procured, unboxed and briefly tested by the laptop lovers over at NotebookReview. Initial impressions are that it’s quite heavy (expected for a tough cookie such as this), built Ford tough and made to be used in broad daylight. The keyboard showed slight flex and a somewhat disheartening layout, though the touchpad was “very smooth” and the buttons had “excellent action.” We won’t spoil the first batch of benchmark results for you, so you’ll have to wander on down to the read link for that and a handful of other pics.

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Filed under: Laptops

Now that you’re well acquainted with the specifications of Lenovo’s ThinkPad T500, there are only a couple more hoops to leap through before pulling the trigger or calmly placing the mouse on the ground and walking away. Here to help you inch closer to one option or the other is NotebookReview, which has procured one of these rigs and given it a thorough inspection. Fans of the trademark design (read: plain, simple, boring / beautiful) will find oodles to love, and build quality (overall) was seen as satisfactory. Unfortunately, a good bit of flex was noticed in the keyboard, which could be a serious issue for fans of previous units. There’s plenty more discussion where this came from, so head on down and give the full writeup a look if you’re remotely interested in bringing the T500 into your loving abode.

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Filed under: Laptops

Given that Acer’s contribution to the netbook craze was reviewed over a fortnight ago, it follows logic that the thing finally be available for purchase. Apparently the Aspire One is already on shelves in at least one Circuit City location, so chances are you can run out and grab one for yourself today as well. But what if you’re not totally convinced it’s the mini laptop for you? If you’re 100% okay with subjecting yourself to a 26-minute “geek session” (their words, not ours) that unboxes it and gives a few brief impressions, jump on past the break and hit play. We’re warning you though, don’t venture down there unless you’ve got your coke bottle glasses on. We’re serious.

Read - Acer Aspire One first look
Read - Acer Aspire One impressions

Continue reading Acer’s Aspire One now available: unboxing and impressions

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Filed under: Peripherals

You don’t even need to dig into the machine translated read link to understand that the gaming mouse you see pictured above looks a lot like a Razer, but NZXT’s Avatar is a beast in its own right. Best known for lavish (and stylish) PC cases, the outfit has evidently seen fit to dip its toes into the wide, wide world of gamer-centric input peripherals. Boasting a 2,600DPI sensitivity rating and a rather unadventurous design, the Avatar should fare fine in heated deathmatches or WoW raids, though it’s probably overkill for the Excel maven. Nevertheless, the currently unpriced unit has been previewed quite thoroughly by the folks over at TweakPC, so give the link below a look if you could ever see yourself wanting this in your arsenal.

[Via I4U News]

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Filed under: Laptops

Maybe it’s the 16.4-inch panel, or maybe it’s the built-in Blu-ray drive. Whatever it is, Sony’s VAIO FW has garnered quite a bit of attention. Just a fortnight after getting (extra) official, this nimble monster made its way into the loving arms of NotebookReview, where critics couldn’t resist giving us a sneak peek before penning the fleshed-out review. We’ll just get it out there — initial impressions are really positive. Fit, finish and build quality were all deemed “excellent,” and the overall design was dubbed “beautiful.” Performance seemed to be above par during limited testing, though the screen is apt to be one of those love it or hate it ordeals. Check out the read link if for nothing more than a couple more shots.

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Filed under: Laptops

It’s pretty tough to wrap your melon around, but MSI’s Wind has not yet officially launched per se. That being said, it has still managed to end up in the hands of quite a few eager subnote lovers, and Laptop Mag is no exception. Shortly after the UK branch of CNET posted up their initial impressions, along comes yet another mini-review to get you even more worked up about June 3rd. Here’s the skinny so far: the screen is amazing, keyboard is as well, the trackpad is simply too cramped and the port assortment is very respectable. All in all, critics were left “seriously impressed,” and they even threw together a video and image gallery for checking out afterwards. Head on over, alright?

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Filed under: Desktops

Look out, Alienware — your fancy new Area-51 ALX has a carnivore hot on its trail. The Acer Aspire Predator, which was officially unveiled yesterday, has already found its way into the loving arms of Bit-Tech. Over there, folks were able to spend a good bit of time with the rig, snap a smattering of photos and dish out some initial impressions. There’s some pretty interesting tidbits to be had (for example, every single part possesses its own bar code, the motherboard is a customized MSI nForce 780i SLI, etc.), so be sure and tap the read link to get their view on how this beast will likely shake out.

[Thanks, Daren]

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Filed under: Cellphones

RIM’s hotly-anticipated BlackBerry Bold has only been received by a select few, but the fortunate folks over at Howard Chui managed to snag a pre-production unit and give it a good lookin’ at. Aside from showering us with a plethora of snapshots from a variety of angles, we’re also told that the plastic used “feels a little cheaper” than that on the 8800, outgoing sound quality “is terrific,” incoming sound quality could use some work and reception seemed much improved from the 8800. We know, it’s not a full-blown review or anything, but it’s still apt to whet your appetite until the real deal shows up en masse.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

We’re all about reviews of products before they’re released, but reviewing something before it’s even been officially confirmed by a company is its own special brand of magnificent. Granted, these are more like the hands-on impressions of a self-confessed BlackBerry addict, who was willing to fork over $828 US on the off chance that the eBay auction the other day was actually legit. A week later Kevin of CrackBerry.com has the BlackBerry 9000 in hand and seems to be loving every minute of it. Apparently the keyboard is better than the 8800 series, the OS4.6 is smooth, fast and pretty, and the 480 x 320 LCD is “awesome.” And don’t get Kevin started on 3G: the logo alone brought a tear to his eye — we’re clearly dealing with a bona fide fanboy here. That said, it’s an encouraging sign to see all those leaked shots weren’t just for show, there’s a real-live performer behind the legend. Kevin’s major caveat is the size and weight of the phone, compared to his Curve, but we’re sure the $828 hole in his checking account will have him coming to terms with that drawback in the near future. He’ll be posting more details and impressions as he goes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Handhelds

You’ve already tuned in to see Nokia’s newfangled N82 get unboxed on video, so here’s yet another one to feast your eyes on. HP’s kinda-sorta delayed iPAQ 100 has finally made its way out (in a non-commercial box, though) to be pored over, and PocketPCThoughts took the time to carefully unbox the unit, spin it around a time or two and toss out a few first impressions for good measure. Granted, you’re not likely to find any edge-of-your-seat suspense here, but those still on the fence about picking this thing up can hopefully get a better feel for it after peeping the video posted beyond the jump.

Continue reading HP’s iPAQ 100 series gets unboxed on video

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