Monitors

NASA's historic final mission of its 30-year space shuttle program may be delayed a day or two because of weather, but regardless of when the Atlantis launches, it will be delivering a customized, cutting-edge cardiovascular ultrasound system to the International Space Station.

The Vivid q is, according to GE Healthcare, a compact, lightweight diagnostic ultrasound system roughly the size of a laptop. It has been designed to image and assess cardiac performance in space, and to investigate the association between lengthy space missions and the weakening of astronauts' heart muscles.

The crew will also participate in the Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study to determine whether high-intensity, low-volume exercise can minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in the crew.

In March, 3M and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency announced they'd be installing the Littmann Scope-to-Scope Tele-Auscultation System on the International Space Station to enable physicians to listen to the heartbeats of space travelers. Presumably, the Vivid q will replace not just the 10-year-old ultrasound previously used, but eventually the high-tech stethoscope, too.… Read more

Yep, it's one of those days: too many good deals to focus on just one. Hope you've got some room on your credit card, because all three of these are, IMHO, too sweet to pass up.

First up, TigerDirect has the AOC F22 22-inch LCD monitor for $99.99, plus $10 for shipping. That's after applying coupon code GQP35095 at checkout.

This 1080p monitor is new, not refurbished. It sports DVI and VGA inputs and one of the cooler-looking bezels I've seen. More importantly, it has an average user rating of 4.6 stars out of … Read more

There are three specific reasons to be excited about the Asus PA246Q review. One, it's the first monitor we've had the opportunity to calibrate using a new tool, SpectraCal's CalPC; two, it's the first 24-inch plus monitor we've reviewed with a high-end P-IPS panel that costs less than $500.

Finally, the graphical overlay feature may be the most original monitor option I've encountered in more than three years of writing monitor reviews. Essentially, the feature places one of a number of different grid and photo size options on the screen, allowing for increased precision … Read more

It's not every day that a brand-new panel technology debuts. Panel type is one of the most important factors governing the quality of the images your computer monitor displays.

So, I found myself fairly excited last year when Samsung announced that its new Super Plane to Line Switching (S-PLS) panel technology would have wider viewing angles, higher brightness, and be 15 percent cheaper than In-Plane Switching (IPS) tech.

We first got a glimpse of PLS in action last month with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which uses the tech to great effect. In July, Samsung will debut its … Read more

Yowza. This is so likely to sell out, I'm not even going to wait for the second paragraph to share it: Staples has the Hannspree HF255HPB 25-inch LCD monitor for $144.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). 

Update: Yep, sold out. Sorry if you missed it!

This is a new unit, not a refurb, and you don't have to wait on a big fat rebate check. To put this in perspective, it's still pretty rare to find a 24-inch monitor for less than $200.

And check out the specs: 1,920x1,080-pixel native resolution (… Read more

The tricorder, that handheld geological, biological, and meteorological device of general awesomeness from the Star Trek universe, has spawned several real-life iterations boasting such uses as the detection of ulcers and deadly gases.

So in May, the X Prize Foundation announced that, alongside Qualcomm, it would award a $10 million Tricorder X Prize to the person who develops a mobile device that can diagnose a broad range of common health ailments as well as--or better than--a panel of board-certified physicians.

A team at Oregon State University in Corvallis is now one step closer to what remains a pretty tall order.… Read more

I know it was barely a week ago that I posted a monitor deal, but this one is just too good to pass up. In fact, I don't even need a monitor myself, and it's all I can do not to whip out the credit card.

For what promises to be a limited time, Staples has the Acer 21.5-inch G215HAbd monitor for $89.98 shipped, plus sales tax in most states. That's after applying coupon code 69882 at checkout. (There's already a coupon code applied to the purchase, but Staples allows stacking.)

Wow, right? Even … Read more

Monitors are so cheap these days.

How cheap are they?!

Monitors are so cheap these days, Starbucks is giving them away free with any venti latte purchase. Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week.

Seriously, though, check this out: Newegg has the Hannspree HF225DPB 21.5-inch LCD monitor for $109.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code EMCKEGJ52 at checkout. (Note: You must be a Newegg newsletter subscriber to use that code, but signing up is quick, easy, and free.)

That's tied for the lowest price I've ever seen on a monitor like this. Amazingly, … Read more

3D is still touted as the missing ingredient that will take our entertainment experiences, be they movies or games, to the next level.

I've yet to be persuaded that it will make such a giant difference, but it doesn't stop many companies from dipping their toes into the 3D waters in an attempt to get consumers to buy more stuff. On the PC gaming front, Nvidia has led the charge for the last few years with its 3D Vision Kit and has done a good job getting the technology out there while garnering support from game developers.

For its 3D solution, Nvidia uses active-shutter lenses, which require power and can be expensive. Later this year, both LG and Samsung will release 3D monitors that use passive 3D glasses that require no additional power source and as a result, are a lot cheaper. … Read more