Gizm0 - Gadget Blog for the Technology Obsessed.

Don’t get too excited, this is a concept phone, but a prototype has already been built and shown at Mobile World Conference (MWC 2008). Using NVIDIA’s sick engine, this phone takes the wind out of the N96 hype. Of course one is expected to arrive Q3, and the other may or may not arrive soon, but it should. Its the illness. Don’t want to read specs? Try 12 megapixel still photos and 720P video. That’s right, shoot progressive HD video on your mobile phone.

Here are the jawdropping specs:

• ARM11 MPCore
• HD AVP (High Definition Audio Video Processor) 720p H.264, MPEG-4, and VC-1/WMV9 Decode
• 720p H.264 and MPEG-4 Encode
• Supports multi-standard audio formats including AAC, AMR, WMA, and MP3
• JPEG encode and decode acceleration
• ULP (Ultra Low Power) GeForce GPU
• OpenGL ES 2.0
• D3D Mobile
• Programmable pixel shader
• Programmable vertex and lighting
• CSAA support
• Advanced 2D graphics
• Up to 12Mpixel camera sensor support
• Advanced imaging features
• True dual display support
• 720p (1280×720) HDMI 1.2 support
• SXGA (1280×1024) LCD and CRT support
• Composite and S-Video TV output

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By now you laptop hungry freaks are probably salivating between the ThinkPad X300 and the Macbook Air. We’ve already previewed the battle and frankly suggested you go with the lowest priced Macbook Air. $1,799 is a damn bargain for the ‘Airs. But if you gotsta hook up your shiznet, with either laptop, you’re going to end up at roughly the same price point, $3,000. With solid state, DVD, ethernet, etc., the ThinkPad X300 is clearly better configured. The DVD burner for example, is built in, and ethernet can be ordered integrated into the laptop. With Mac, its “accessorize me!” But here’s the real weak point of the Macbook Air — that darn non-removable battery. Sure you can get it replaced for “the same price as a new Mac battery” but what a horrible day that’ll be when we have to stand in line at the genius bar or something, waiting for our number to come up.

With the ThinkPad X300, batteries come in various strengths and weights, and are swappable, you know, just like back in the day. The ThinkPad X300 is also wi-max ready. Yummy!!! Of course this means absolutely nothing. There’s no wi-max signal anywhere we can think of, and we’re in New York City, but hey, at least we can say its future proof!

What this boring chart from macsource.com can’t reflect are the two aesthetic choices you have to pick from. Are you 3-day stubble cool and turtlenecky or do you rock monkey suits and a briefcase?   Like the Presidential campaign, it also largely comes down to a choice of colors, silver or black.

We have Apple’s very BMW-like silver and slick or the Thinkpad X300’s silky black, complete with a fingerprint reader and a keyword that clickity clacks. Let’s face it, the ThinkPad X300 is the more serious machine - but we wouldn’t go so far as to call it the superior machine.  It could be, if it ran on Apple’s far superior operating system.  Chance of that happening?  Don’t hold your breath.

Here’s the tale of the tape, but as we’ve said before, unless you’re a dedicated PC-guy by virtue of your corporate job, the $1,799 Macbook Air is your best bet. All specs aside, our metrics indicate that the Air will provide you with more daily gadget joy not to mention actually turn a few heads at the coffee shop. We don’t know about you homie, but if we just dropped three G’s, We’re gonna wanna see some envy in people’s faces.

The Thinkpad X300 is small and light but beautiful, it is not. No aesthetically-oriented person (e.g. hot females) will give you two shits about the mad coin you dropped on that thing. Show her the Macbook Air and the black American Express and she’ll probably just go ahead and marry you. Still, just between us gadget heads, we know Apple can do better. Macbook Air, you’re mad cool but we’re already looking for Macbook Air Pro, your bigger brother. And he better come with wi-max. Whatever that is. Gizm0 Crack House Team Delta Force, Out!

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Got a Mac? Got an iPhone? Want free ringtones? If your answer is yes, yes, and yes, well, you have problems, but that’s for another professional. Besides we’re guilty of all the above as well. We hate the idea of paying for ringtones of songs we already own. Here’s a neato how-to by lifehacker to cut “the man” out of the system, of course by using all of “the man’s” tools.

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The Macbook Air is dropping tommorrow, and there’s been lots of criticism of it - not enough memory, no ethernet, no DVD burner, etc. What do we at Gizm0.com think? Hogwash. Gizm0.com takes our recommendations seriously, but yes, you should buy the Macbook Air, and quick like.

The issues they raise are b.s.:

- Memory isn’t like what it used to be. Buy a terabyte drive and keep it at home, where your precious memories should be in the first place. You could use your iPod’s 160 gb harddrive as your main harddrive, but we tend to lose things, so stick with the terabyte at home idea.

- no DVD/CD burner, well, no problem, they sell one for $99 bucks and you can keep that at home too.

- no ethernet cable, no firewire.  There’s $20 adaptors at radio shack to take care of those problems.  The idea is to keep it mobile and fashionable so that you can hang out at cafes, checking out gadget porn while cuties all around you check you out.  (oh yeah!)

If you have an office computer or desktop computer, you can keep everything there, what you get is style, mobility and Apple’s awesome OS. Go for it bro!

Macbook Air “shortcomings”

- No CD/DVD burner, not enough memory, no ethernet cable.

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Ever since I copped that new Ghostface album, I’ve been fiendin’ for real speakers to go with my Macbook Pro.  Something with a little bass and good-looking enough to kick it in the living room.  Oh yeah, it should be very portable, and not be full of wires sticking out.  Allright, based on pouring through the web, these seem like good moves - what do you think?

DreamGear i.Sound Tripod PC Speaker System

Reviews: Not great

Here’s a sample:

“Nice Speakers, loud, tone is good, but they need grill covers to protect the speakers from damage. I had them 30 seconds and when removing the unit from the box, pushed on the speaker and creased it, without knowing that they did not have grill covers installed.”  T. Hatcher

Whatever homes.  You shouldn’t been pushin’ up on your brand new speakers!  Besides, he says it sounds good.  This thing looks sweet!  I can lay it down in the living dining table and when guests come over with their Ipods or iPhones, they can just plugin and rock out.  Very easy way for others to rock on your speakers - but there’s no point if it doesn’t rock.  Hmm…

Altec Lansing FX4021 2.1 Powered Audio Speaker System

Reviews: ill, it gets 5 stars and its priced around $83!

Looks like I have my computer speakers.  The style factor isn’t high though.  Let’s cop the throwback Apple joints first before checking out.

Harman Kardon Soundsticks II 3-Piece Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System

Yeah!  This is listed at $109 and such a great bargain - sounds great, looks sweet.  This is alot like the first one except I believe the blue LED light is new.  Anyhow, the price is for the work of art it is and the great sound is just gravy.  I’m going with this folks.

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Apple’s Macbook Air announcement opens a whole new front on the ultraportable category.  But others have been there before Apple.  Here’s some of the best ultra portables in the market, starting with the brand spanking new Macbook Air.

Macbook Air specs:

3 lbs, 13.3 inch glossy widescreen LED display

Intel Core 2 Duo processor, retail starting price: $1,799

Sony Vaio  TZ:

weight: 2.7 lbs, 11.1 inch backlit  LED, Intel Core 2 Duo processor

price:  quite a bit more at $2,900 but if you’re  strictly a PC person, this is the one.

Lenova Ideapad U110

weigh: 2.3 lbs, screen: 11.1 LED, Intel Core Duo, price: probably between $1,500-$2,000 (TBD)

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Gizm0.com wasn’t too pysched that like the iPhone, the Macbook Air’s battery wasn’t designed for easy replacement, but new reports by Mac fanboys are suggesting that while its not as simple as popping out the old and popping in the new, its not all that difficult either. Apparently all you need is a single size-0 type screwdriver and “some diligence”.

According to AppleInsider, ” Once flipped upside down, the MacBook Air’s bottom cover is easily unscrewed and removed, providing immediate access to the battery cavity. From there, the battery can be unscrewed from the chassis with the same screwdriver and unplugged from the circuit board with a simple tug — it’s not soldered to the board.

The entire process, according to those in the known, can be completed by any service technician in as little as three minutes.”

Of course three minutes to an Apple Insider may be 30 or 300 minutes to me and you. As we suggested they might, Apple also announced a Macbook Air Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program, which takes 5 days and will cost you $129 to get some third party retail store to do the work for you. Arghh.. Sounds annoying doesn’t it? Apple Insider suggests that because its so easy, fly-by-night websites could soon offer do-it-yourself kits.  Sounds like a pain to me, guys.

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Once the wrath of Greenpeace, Apple’s Macbook Air is starting to win some props from the green loving pirates of the Southern Ocean.   As Steve Jobs announced, the Macbook Air raises the green bar for other PC Makers.  The Macbook Air showcases Apple’s committment to phase out toxic chemicals Brominated Fire Retardants (BFRs) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) by the end of 2008.

Apple said they also made an effort to use less packaging, and that the Macbook Air is mercury and arsenic free  exceeding even strict European standards.  Greenpeace is still urging them to continue their efforts by making a global committment to take back their old hardware and properly recycling it.

“For us though the highlight of the show, was Steve talking about the environment in his keynote speech for the first time. It’s a big step for Steve and we would like to congratulate all the Apple fans who helped us with our greenmyapple campaign,” the environmental campaigners said.

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Here at Gizm0, we’re no Mac fanboys, there’s plenty of those, and they think they’re better than us! Sure Macs (not the fanboys) are superior to PCs and Steve Jobs is a genius, but you can’t keep gassing them up without a little arrogance stinking up the room. Take this Macbook Air, beautiful as it is, why the heck would they seal the battery so you can’t replace it?

Is that a dealbreaker for you? It might be for us. Two years from now you’ll have to call Apple and set up some kind of shipping to get them to install, yep, a new battery. Maybe they’re trying to sell you Apple Care, which we’d highly recommend given you need an engineering degree just to change the battery.

We’re not tripping about the memory (80 gb) or speed (1.6 duo core intel or 1.8 for $300 more) or flash memory drive that lacks a CD/DVD player - we get it. We’re not even disappointed there’s no WiMax or anything like that. No, its fine, its nearly almighty, but the sealed battery? Come on. But um, other then that, yeah its perfect.

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If you’ve been waiting for a good excuse to finally cop the slick, 16 gb iPod Touch, now’s the time. Its dropped $40 and can now be had for $359. Of course you can’t make calls, but then again, you already have a phone, don’t you?

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