ie8 fix

eclipse

Open source's integration problem (?)

Glyn Moody has an excellent article in Redmond Magazine on open source and interoperability. As it turns out, sometimes it takes Microsoft to notify the open-source community that for all the great things we've done, we sometimes fall short. One area that open source had traditionally failed in was in stitching together an end-to-end solution, as Nick McGrath (a friend and a wonderful person) suggests:

Of all the accusations Microsoft has leveled over the years against open source, perhaps the least contentious is that it lacks the tight integration offered by Microsoft's own products. As Nick McGrath, director of platform strategy for Microsoft in the United Kingdom, puts it: "One of the problems I've seen with open-source software is it doesn't take on board some of the issues that customers have around interoperability and integration. Open-source projects tend to offer a very specific point solution."

This statement has become less true over time, though it's still the case that there is no one open-source vendor providing seamless interoperability between disparate pieces of enterprise software (in the way that Oracle and Microsoft do or attempt to do). My bet is on Red Hat to become that company over time, but in the meantime, we're not there yet.… Read more

Slide show roundup: Transformers, Eclipse AVN2210p, and Windows Home Server

We look at cool, modern Transformers toys; a GPS device that does so much, it required four CNET editors to test it; a preview build of Microsoft's Windows Home Server; and two slim phones comprise this photo roundup.

Photos: Transformers Transformers hits the big screen this July 4, and that means there's a whole lot of merchandising going on. Among the hordes of Transformers toys is Hasbro's Real Gear Transformers, a series of toy electronics that turn into robots. Remember Soundwave, the Transformer that became a tape deck? Well, this is the next generation of Transformers. And … Read more

Photos: Eclipse AVN2210p

It's not often that we see a single product that involves all the departments in the CNET mobile team. But the Eclipse AVN2210p did just that. While primarily an in-car GPS device and CD receiver, the AVN2210p can also be used as an iPod interface, a Bluetooth hands-free calling system, and a portable GPS device.

During the course of my review of the product, I called on Kent German for a test phone; Donald Bell for an test MP3 player, and Bonnie Cha for advice on portable GPS devices. Talk about digital convergence! Get an eyeful of the AVN2210p … Read more

Photos: the Eclipse AVN5510

We have seen a succession of in-car touch screen navigation/ multimedia devices over the past few months. While the hard drive-based Pioneer AVIC Z-1 still sets the standard for these systems, a number of lesser-known manufacturers have been rolling out their own systems. Eclipse's AVN5510 is a good contender for an entry-level all-in-one system.

The AVN5510 might not have a hard drive for navigation data or media storage, but it does have some very attractive features. Check out our slide show for the details and some beauty shots.

Eclipse bridges the gap between in-dash and portable navigation

Eclipse kicked off its CES 2007 press conference with the unveiling of the AVN2210p, an in-dash navigation and multimedia system that doubles as a handheld portable navigation device. The system comes in two parts, with a standalone portable navigation device, similar to the TomTom One, slotting into a double-DIN-sized audio unit installed in a car's dash.

The AVN 2210p's SD card-based navigation system features real-time traffic information as part of TomTom's optional service package, and can be updated by downloading maps from the Internet. The navigation system provides 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions, which play either … Read more