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Intel's Atom not just for Netbooks anymore

Intel's mainstay Netbook chip is finding a home in desktops, underscored by recent announcements from Hewlett-Packard and Acer.

On Wednesday, details emerged of HP's MediaSmart Server LX195, a home server packing a 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor that's priced at $400 with 1GB of memory and a 640GB hard disk drive. To date, HP has been using Intel Celeron and Advanced Micro Devices' Sempron processors. (Note: update adds Intel Celeron.)

Earlier this month, Acer rolled out the Acer AspireRevo, a small, slick box that augments the Atom with an Nvidia Ion chipset to boost graphics performance. This … Read more

The 404 325: Where we can 'feel it calling in the air tonight'

It's just the three of us today, but that's when we have the best shows. Before we get into stories, please be sure to check out the preshow some time at the404.cnet.com or watchbol.com. During the weekdays, around 11 a.m. EST, Jeff, Justin, and Wilson spend about 20 minutes goofing off, and it becomes a riot.

Today's show is jam packed with stories. First, Pizza Hut is trying to hire an intern, who's only job is to Twitter for the company. We think they should have advertised this yesterday on 4/20. So-called "beer googles" don't really exist, according to scientists. We never believed they did either. We just think that it makes most guys say, "Why not?" Last story for the first half is the release of the new T-Mobile Sidekick LX. It's no longer a brick. Justin is still intent, though, on keeping his iPhone since Hulu announced it would release an app.

Second half of the show, we've got Tuna Tuesday again! This time from Amsterdam! Also, the press seems to hate "Sit Down, Shut Up." Jeff and Wilson aren't big fans of the pilot, either, from "Arrested Development" creator Mitchell Hurwitz. Further along, we find out there's a Lego Rock Band game and a DJ Hero game! Finally, vote for CNET TV for the People's Choice Award at the 2009 Webby Awards. Our jobs depend on it... not really, but it would be nice to play dress up.

Follow us on the Twitter at @the404, and send us your comments. We listen. We promise.

EPISODE 325 Download today's podcast |  Subscribe in iTunes |  Subscribe in RSS… Read more

New T-Mobile Sidekick LX touts 3G, GPS, Flash video, oh my!

During the past couple of weeks, we've seen pieces of the puzzle falling into place--leaked images and internal memos, FCC approval, a scheduled New York launch event. However, Thursday night, T-Mobile put all the speculation to rest and added the final and definitive piece to the puzzle. The end product? The new T-Mobile Sidekick LX.

Not to be confused with the original Sidekick LX, which it will eventually replace, the Sidekick LX 2009 offers a slimmed-down design and some great new features, including 3G, Flash video support, and Twitter integration.

Current Sidekick owners will get first dibs on the new device. Online presales start now for a price of $199 with a two-year contract. If ordered by April 30, customers will receive their Sidekicks on May 12; if ordered after April 30, the device will be delivered within 7 business days. For everyone else, the Sidekick LX will be available in stores nationwide and online on May 13, but final price had not yet been determined.

To come clean, we actually got a preview of the T-Mobile Sidekick LX at CTIA 2009, but we couldn't say anything because of nondisclosure agreements. However, now that the cat's out of the bag, we can talk about all the features and our first impressions. … Read more

LaCie's rugged external hard drive gets bigger

If you own a compact Rugged All-Terrain external hard drive from LaCie, you know how tough the device is. It has a rubber bumper, and the scratch-protected aluminum case can take a serious beating.

Now the same drive has evolved to a bigger physical size with larger storage capacity.

LaCie announced Tuesday the new Rugged LX external hard drive that shares the same distinctive design by Neil Poulton.

The new drive is now based on a 3.5-inch internal hard drive and is therefore much bigger than the Rugged All-Terrain, measuring 8.46 inches by 5.11 inches by 1.… Read more

Gateway LX 6810-01 scores high marks for media hounds and gamers

Although most media editors and gamers tend to put together desktop systems themselves, there's still a large portion of shoppers who just want the least amount of hassle. For those people, Best Buy offers the Gateway LX6810-01, an off-the-shelf system that can easily satisfy the demands of power users, light gamers, and home video enthusiasts.

The Gateway's physical shape and size is comparable to Dell's XPS 430-121B, but that's where the similarities end. Several features give Gateway the upper hand in a side-by-side comparison with the Dell.

For example, it has more RAM (although the Dell … Read more

Dell XPS media machine traps competitors in headlock, taps thrice

If you liked last year's Dell XPS 420 media-centric computer but decided to wait for something a little lighter on the digital video end, you might find a mate in the XPS 430-121B. You can consider it a younger cousin to the 420, maybe even once removed from some of the unnecessary add-ons that pushed it over the top.

This new model takes away the Windows SideShow LCD and instead adds a host of components like a dedicated graphics card, a TV tuner, and a quad-core processor that's sure to satisfy even the most insatiable media monger. You'… Read more

Lumix DMC-LX3 lens cap mod is brilliant

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is a popular pro-level point-and-shoot that has won much praise from users. However, one minor gripe that most shutterbugs have with it is the lens cap. Some photographers find that a hassle and are looking for alternatives to protect the optics.

Malaysian blogger Ian Ho has found a pretty good solution, and no, it's not manufactured by Panasonic. Instead, he utilized the Ricoh LC1 self-retaining lens cap that was produced for the company's own GX100 and GX200. By using a combination of springs and hinges, three flaps protect the lens when the camera is … Read more

Panasonic LX3 will get updated firmware

Panasonic has announced a firmware update to its 10.1MP DMC-LX3 digital camera. The firmware will be available worldwide on December 15, 2008. The update, which is version 1.1, improves auto white-balance performance under different lighting conditions. It also features a compatibility update for the optional FL220 flash unit. This new firmware will be available on Panasonic's support site.

We generally recommend installing the latest firmware updates for your camera, so you can get the most out of your gear. For more information on firmware updates for a specific camera, visit the manufacturer's Web site. Before installing … Read more