The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 already up to its first firmware update.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)Updatable firmware is a mixed blessing. On one hand, it can help keep your hardware from obsolescing as new accessories ship; fix bugs; and expand feature sets on older models. But it's also beginning to feel like camera manufacturers have jumped on the (annoying) ship now/patch later software bandwagon.
More and more, companies seem to announce firmware updates within weeks of a camera's widespread availability: the Canon EOS 7D, Pentax K-7, Olympus E-P1 are all among the cameras that had firmware updates available within the first few months after shipping. The latest to add to that list is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, which is barely out the door.
The camera update theoretically delivers improved autofocus performance during movie capture, better high-ISO quality, and enhanced auto white balance, among a few other things. Along with the camera, however, are a host of firmware upgrades for all of Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds-compatible lenses as well (you can find all of Panasonic's updates here.) Depending upon the lens, the update enables and/or improves autofocus performance while shooting movies.
With four Android phones in its stable, T-Mobile remains the Google Android leader. Its latest model is the Samsung Behold II, which offers a brilliant display and one of the best media players we've seen on an Android phone so far.
But just a week earlier, and the same day it introduced its Motorola Droid, Verizon Wireless unveiled the HTC Droid Eris. Also a touch-screen phone without a physical keyboard, the Droid Eris offers all the features you'd expect from an Android phone, while adding full multitouch and deeper levels of customization with the HTC Sense interface.
The two devices are similar, but they're distinct in their own way. So how will they fare in the CNET Prizefight ring? Read our Samsung Behold II vs. HTC Droid Eris Prizefight find out.
(Credit:
The Container Store)
Chances are at least one of your friends or family members owns an iPod. Or maybe you're planning on giving one as a gift this holiday season. Perhaps you have one yourself and think even inanimate objects deserve presents.
Whatever the reason, it's the perfect time to pick up some accessories for this ubiquitous MP3 player. Rest assured, there is no shortage of add-ons for the iPod; in fact, wading through the sea of cases, speakers, chargers, and car mounts for this device can be a bit of a daunting task.
This is precisely why we've packaged a slew of neat little extras right here in this handy one-stop-shopping post. Heck, there's even some iPhone-worthy stuff scattered about, so make sure you give 'em all a look.
Seriously, a plant pot in your monitor. I bet you'll never question the "greeness" of this monitor now!
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)LED monitors were the new hotness at CES last January, but it wasn't until the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 debuted that we really started to believe in them.
That was the first monitor that really seemed to live up to what LED monitor manufacturers' have promised.That was the first monitor that really seemed to live up to what has been promised by LED monitor manufacturers'.
That monitor was followed by several more that, while not as impressive as the Samsung SyncMaster XL2370, were still good, solid monitors--like the LG W2486L and AOC V22.
The new BenQ V2400 Eco gets a few things right--very low power consumption and a thin design. Not to mention a small pot built into the footstand, just in case you wanted start a small garden in your monitor. Seriously.
Check out the full review to see what else it gets right (and wrong).
Rumors about me are just rumors.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)Almost as soon as the iPhone debuted on AT&T back in 2007, rumors started swirling that the popular touch-screen handset would head to Verizon Wireless as soon as AT&T's exclusivity ended. And since then, as AT&T's network has struggled to keep up with the demands of iPhone users, the rumor has only intensified. Indeed, every day I hear it repeated somewhere, whether it's from a tech/gadget site, a random Facebook friend, or a stranger I meet on the street.
Analysts have also dished the rumor on occasion, and just last week Brian Marshall, an Apple analyst with Broadpoint AmTech in San Francisco, mentioned it in an interview with Bloomberg News. Marshall suggested that Apple pursue Verizon Wireless as a possible carrier after AT&T's exclusivity contract ends next year.
The problem with Marshall's argument, and the rumor itself, is that it relies on a "fact" that has yet to be proven. To date, neither Apple nor AT&T have publicly said when the exclusivity contract will end. Though the summer 2010 is the most common time frame given--it would mark the third anniversary of the original iPhone--the details of the contract have yet to be released. We know that AT&T's exclusivity will end at some point, but we don't know exactly when that will be. Perhaps Marshall was told something in confidence, but I can promise you that I haven't heard anything of the sort.
Like I said back in August, I think that a Verizon iPhone is still possible (remember that Verizon's misfit toy ad is slamming AT&T's network and not the iPhone). Yet, I don't think it will happen until Apple produces a hybrid GSM/CDMA phone or adopts LTE technology (Canada's Telus did something similar with an HSPA device). Otherwise, I think it's unlikely that Apple would produce a CDMA-only version, even for America's largest carrier. I could be wrong, but I'm not going to believe any rumors about a Verizon iPhone until I hear something from Apple and Verizon. And similarly, I'm not going to believe anything about AT&T's exclusivity until I hear it from AT&T.
Until that time I can speak only to the rumor as I've always done. No matter what you heard through the grapevine or from a customer service rep in a Verizon store, we still don't know when, or even if, the iPhone will come to Verizon. Until that changes, I wouldn't take the rumor--and that's exactly what is it--seriously.
One year after the introduction of the T-Mobile G1, three of the top-four carriers in the United States are offering Google Android handsets. And with each model bringing something new and unique to the market, everything is rosy, right? Not so fast. While differentiation is one of the key benefits behind Android, it's leading to fragmentation. Thus, one of the biggest benefits is becoming a drawback.
At the time of this writing, there are three versions of Android on the market. On Verizon Wireless, the recently released Motorola Droid has Android 2.0, while the carrier's HTC Droid Eris is running Android 1.5 under the Sense UI. The phones were released on the same day yet they are on polar opposites in terms of Android.
What's more, there are four other handsets running Android 1.5: Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment, and T-Mobile's Samsung Behold II and Motorola Cliq. And what about the first two Android phones, the G1 and MyTouch 3G? Both handset have Android 1.6 under the hood. Confused yet?
The differences stem from the desire handset manufacturers have to differentiate themselves. Rather than go for the stock Android experience, companies are opting to add their own flavors to help stand out. The problem is that Android's updates come from the handset maker and not Google. As we're learning, it could be months before HTC or Motorola catch their handsets up with 1.6, let alone 2.0.
By then it's not unrealistic to think that Google will be ready to push its next build (Flan) out to handsets. And remember that much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia X10? Though it's not expected until February, it too is slated to have 1.5 unless the company can get 1.6 or 2.0 loaded before it heads out the door.
This is becoming confusing and discouraging to current and potential customers. Normally, the newer the phone, the more advanced the operating system. But with Android, the two oldest phones have more software capability than the six that followed. Imagine the frustration of saving up a couple hundred dollars to get the latest and greatest handset only to find that older phones have more potential. Google recently made its Google Maps Navigation available to Android 1.6 devices. Sadly, this still leaves over half of all Android phones without the feature.
It doesn't get any easier for developers. Many are practically pulling their hair out over minor updates and bug fixes. With each new handset comes a different camera video tweak or extra line of code to address video drivers. Differentiation in hardware is just as big of a headache. It might not be a bad idea for Google to step up and set some standards or recommend specific hardware. The sooner all of these things are addressed, the better.
(Credit:
Hard Graft)
Fancy a handmade leather case for your digicam? If you have $73 to spare, perhaps you can consider the new High camera case just announced by Austrian company Hard Graft. Made entirely from pure new wool felt and selected Nappa leather, this protective sleeve has a strip on the outside so you can slip your hand through it to hold the case while you shoot.
Personally, I think $73 is a lot of money for a camera sleeve. I'd rather pay $9 for a Lowepro hard case to put my compact in. But if you like such luxury items, check out Hard Graft's Web site for more details.
(Source: Crave Asia)
It's the day before Thanksgiving and CNET's The 404 Podcast has a lot to be thankful for. As we go around the circle from Wilson, to me, then to our special guests Natali Del Conte of CNET's Loaded and Tim Geisenheimer, we realize we all have something in common: we're all very very thankful to Les Moonves for signing our paychecks twice a month! We're also want to give a big shoutout to all The 404 listeners and chat roomies- you guys put up with our idiocy on a daily basis and keep coming back for more, and we can't thank you enough for the support!
Natali always brings the best stories to the show, and today (after a very strange confessional to Justin) she tell us that New York might seize control of your XBox 360, Sony Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii. Similar to the emergency broadcast interruptions on your television, a new notification system will debut next year that will pause your gaming and warn you about imminent dangers, severe weather alerts, and other life-threatening situations. Unfortunately for Tim, it won't help you talk trash back to your 12 year old competition in Modern Warfare.
As with most of The 404's episodes that come at the end of the week, today's show skips around and derails a lot. We get into a lengthy debate about Harry Potter vs. The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Ninja Assassin, a man marrying a video game character, and even play a listener-submitted 404 theme remix. Thanks, Same Slim!
The most important thing to learn from today's episode comes from Natali and today's episode of Loaded: watch the episode and head over to www.nonprofitshoppingmall.com, where any money you spend through their retail partners will get routed do a nonprofit organization of your choice. It's very easy and only takes a few minutes to set up, so do your part and join the cause!
No more shows for the rest of this Thanksgiving week, but we'll be back on Monday so give us a call at 1-866-404-CNET or e-mail at the404(at)cnet[dot]com and let us know how you're spending the long weekend. Have fun and be safe, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
EPISODE 475
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This 25-inch LCD sports a pair of HDMI inputs and an impossibly low price tag.
(Credit: CompUSA)You all know my motto by now: "Cheap things come to those who wait." The last time I posted a 25-inch LCD monitor was in July. The price back then: $199.99.
Today, CompUSA is offering a 25-inch I-Inc LCD monitor for $149.99 shipped.
D'oh! Wasn't it just yesterday that a 24-inch Synaps was selling for $159.99? (Yes, yes it was.)
So, to amend my motto, cheap things come to those who wait--a whole entire day. The I-Inc is not only $10 cheaper and one inch larger (diagonally speaking) than the Synaps, it also comes with an HDMI input. Two of them, actually.
That means if it's not destined for PC duty, you can pair it with a game console and a Blu-ray player. It also has built-in speakers, natch, though don't expect room-filling volume or Dolby-quality sound.
Other noteworthy specs include 1,920 x 1,080 resolution (aka 1080p), a 2ms response time (faster than most), and a one-year warranty (this is new, not a refurb).
Without putting too fine a point on it, this is the best monitor deal I've ever posted. Consequently, it'll probably sell out seconds after I click Publish, and then everyone will be mad at me (and I wouldn't blame them--even though it's not my fault :).
On the other hand, maybe we'll all get lucky and CompUSA will have enough supply to last the day--because I guarantee you these will sell like hotcakes. And rightly so.
Blu-ray and decent gaming graphics for less than a grand: Vaio FW560F/T
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)Several months ago, one of our favorite retail laptops was the Sony Vaio FW480J/T. Besides offering no-hassle Blu-ray playback and a large if not full-HD 1,600x900-pixel resolution, 16.4-inch screen, it had decent discrete graphics that could handle many mainstream games. At the time, its $1,199 price was a little high, but very good when compared with traditional "gaming" laptops.
Just a few months later, the Sony Vaio FW560F/T has found itself at the top of our Holiday 2009 retail laptop roundup, a high-end system by definition of its price and features. At $999, however, this Vaio slips right under that psychological $1,000 line, while keeping Blu-ray and slightly improving the processor speed--and now it has Windows 7 Home Premium preinstalled instead of Windows Vista.
This has jumped from a good deal to a great deal for anyone looking for a Blu-ray-ready multimedia laptop. The package offered is a big improvement over the Vaio FW351J/H, which cost nearly the same amount of money early this summer.
On the other hand, gaming laptops have changed the landscape recently with the release of the Intel Core i7 processor. High-end laptops have never been faster, and going with a Core 2 Duo is now a significant step down from that new plateau. We can't really call the Vaio FW560F/T a gaming laptop, but it's certainly affordable, and can handle many games better than you think.
Read our review of the Sony Vaio FW560F/T.
On Sale Now: $949.95
View the latest prices for Sony Vaio FW560F/T (brown)
