XL

New Samsung computer monitors set to land soon

I've had the LG Flatron M237WD in-house for a good minute now. I've yet to review it, however, because I felt that unless I had something appropriate to compare it to, the review wouldn't be as useful.

For awhile I'd been begging waiting on Samsung to send its 2370HD, as it has many of the same "TV like" connections as the Flatron, as well as the same 23-inch screen size and 1920x1080 resolution. Samsung just informed me that I should be receiving the display either later this week or next, but that I would … Read more

YouTube making jump to TV screens

Like everyone else, YouTube hopes to make its way from the PC to a more prime entertainment location--the TV set.

Google's video service is rolling out a new browser feature, called YouTube XL, designed to present YouTube videos on big screens, company managers said Tuesday.

During a demonstration before a handful of media, YouTube showed how XL is designed for people who have hooked up their TVs to their laptops or video game consoles, such as Xbox 360 or Sony PlayStation 3.

How does it differ from YouTube's typical Web page?

It's a much more stripped down … Read more

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" sung by old computer gear

I'm not sure if it's as cool as the Ruben's Tube video, but it's pretty close. According to the person who posted this miracle, YouTube handle bd594, the piano sounds are provided by an Atari 800 XL (which happens to be the first computer I ever saw at a friend's house rather than school), lead guitar is courtesy of a TI-99/4A, the bass is an 8-inch floppy, the gong a 3.5-inch hard drive, and the vocals are an HP Scanjet 3c. (I saw this first on BoingBoing.)

Follow Matt on Twitter

Amazon.com has the Canon XL2 MiniDV Camcorder for $3418.98, after $2581.01 savings.

Save $2581.01 on the Canon XL2 MiniDV Camcorder from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $5999.99 >> Sale price is $3418.98 >> Savings $2581.01 (43.02%) >> Click here for deal

Vudu XL2: Another Vudu box for rich guys

Vudu has launched a third version of its downloadable movie set-top box, but this one is strictly for the upscale home installer set. Unlike the squat Mac Mini-like dimensions of earlier Vudu products, the XL2 has the more standard (and rack-mountable) 17-inch width you'd see in a typical DVD player. Otherwise, it seems to offer nearly identical specs to Vudu's earlier high-end offering, the XL: 1TB of storage, IP and IR control options. The XL2 costs $1,300, and is available only through custom installers.

Thankfully, the standard Vudu BX100 remains available for just $300. Toss in a $… Read more

TiVo HD XL: TiVo HD with supersized 1TB hard drive

When TiVo discontinued its high-end cable-ready high-def DVR, the TiVo Series3, it was really just making room for a new product in the line: the TiVo HD XL. The new TiVo is a near twin of the existing TiVo HD, but for three changes: it's got a much larger 1 terabyte hard drive (enough capacity for 150 hours of HD programming); it's THX-certified; and it includes the premium TiVo backlit remote. The package costs $600--about the price that the TiVo Series3 was going for, and twice that of the "standard" TiVo HD. As with any TiVo, of course, you'll also need to budget money for a subscription fee: $13 a month, $129 a year, or $399 for the lifetime of the box. True, you can do a DIY upgrade on the standard TiVo HD by adding the improved remote ($50) and a 500GB expansion hard drive ($150), but that will cost nearly as much and still leave you with less recording capacity--and a lot of extra wires. That said, the original TiVo HD is still going to be the better buy for most viewers, while the XL model is more appropriate for die-hard TiVo fans or those who like to load up their box with lots of HD TV shows, movies, and digital downloads. … Read more

Retro Tech: Mego's 2-XL

When I was growing up, the closest thing we had to artificial intelligence was something called 2-XL (if you're younger than 30, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about). We've always had trivia games--what made this one interesting, especially to a generation that's just seen Star Wars, was that these trivia questions were asked by a plastic robot.

In 1978, when I got my hands on 2-XL, I was ecstatic. It was the it toy back then. 2-XL was a trivia robot created by Michael J. Freeman, an inventor with an interest to educate … Read more

TomTom debuts ONE 130/130S and XL 330/330S entry-level GPS

Today, TomTom introduced the latest models to its ONE and XL line of entry-level portable navigation systems, complete with a fresh redesign and new mounting system. Succeeding the current TomTom ONE 3rd Edition and the TomTom XL, the TomTom ONE 130/ONE 130S and the TomTom XL 330/XL 330S boast a slimmer frame and come packaged with the new EasyPort mount, which apparently, you can keep attached to the GPS, fold it down, and still manage to fit into a pants pocket. (Anyone else wondering about how these mounts will hold up during road tests?)

All four models will … Read more

Canon intros less-expensive version of XL H1

If you've been waiting for something revolutionary to replace Canon's two-year-old XL H1 HDV model, then it's not quite time for the fireworks. Instead, the company's delivering a modestly enhanced version in conjunction with a feature-reduced, but significantly less expensive spin-off.

Like its fixed-lens, handheld counterparts, the XH A1 and XH G1, the XL H1 now splits into two personalities: the $8,999 H1S, which, like the original H1, will come replete with the HD SDI, Genlock, and SMPTE timecode support necessary for operation in a multicam environment when it ships this June, and the H1A, … Read more