Category: General

Clearwire releases first pre-WiMAX PC card for laptops

Paul

The latest saviour of wireless broadband is at hand. Clearwire is finally shedding those clunky external modems, and is launching its very first pre-WiMAX data card to bring what it deems “True Broadband” to laptops. The PC card uses Motorola’s pre-WiMAX OFDM tech, and doesn’t require any extra power sources beyond your laptop’s own precious juice. If you’re luckily enough to be living in some random part of Clearwire’s primarily-podunk US coverage area, you can be getting some 1.5Mbps wireless internets for $59.99 a month, plus a $6.99 a month fee to lease the PC card. You can buy the card straight up for $230, but that seems a bit excessive given the “pre” nature of the thing at the moment.

Hmm, I want one!!

Panasonic’s internal LF-PB271JD drive burns Blu-ray at 4x

Paul

Nah, Panasonic’s LF-PB271JD couldn’t hold a candle to Sony’s BWU-200S in a runway competition, but when it comes to performance, we’d say the two are practically neck and neck. This unit fits snuggly within any Windows-based machine lookin’ for a 5.25-inch optical drive, and it has no problems burning dual-layer BD-Rs at a furious (ahem) 4x pace. Additionally, you’ll find a SATA interface along with backup software bundled in, and just in case you’re not working exclusively with BD-R, it can also toast BD-RE at 2x, DVD±R at 16x, DVD±R DL at 8x, DVD-RW at 6x, CD-R at 40x and CD-RW at 24x. Of course, you’ll be paying through the nose for the luxuries presented when it lands on November 10th, but the ¥55,000 ($468) asking price is still a good bit lower than what Sony’s demanding.

[Via Impress]


Now if they could make an internal Blue Ray burner for laptops!! 😉

Do More from GNOME’s Panel with Gimmie

Paul

Linux only: Keep your recent documents, frequent contacts and favorite file locations close at hand with Gimmie, a panel utility for GNOME-based Linux clients. Gimmie fits a lot of handy stuff into four buttons, including Pidgin integration, a Windows-like list of frequently used programs and quick network browsing, and promises more web and office document functionality in the future. The newest version runs on the release candidate for Ubuntu’s Gutsy Gibbon (7.10), but Feisty Fawn (7.04) users can install it from the repositories by entering into terminal:

sudo apt-get install gimmie

Gimmie is a free download, Linux only.

Gimmie [via Tombuntu]

thought people would like this program!! Check it out if you use LINUX

Die Hard Packages Digital Copy With Its DVD

Paul

n a special edition of its upcoming release of the latest Die Hard DVD, 20th Century Fox has announced that it will include a DRM-free digital version of the movie on the DVD. In order to copy the WMV file to a local computer, movie watchers will need to input a 16 digit code that is found on the DVD box. It seems ironic to require people to enter some code to get at the supposedly DRM-free file. This is a step in the right direction, but it still seems like they’re making people jump through unnecessary hoops. Still, this feature will finally allow consumers to legally watch the movie on their computer and portable devices without having to pay again for that right… or having to use a third party ripping tool. Perhaps this move is more evidence that the studios find the DMCA unreasonable. As we’ve seen before, by embracing these formats, consumers will begin to find more value from the media, and, as a result, their consumption should increase, which is ultimately good for the entire movie industry.

Well this is a step in the right direction!! I can take it anywhere I want on my laptop!!