DM's

The long wait ends: Canon 5D Mark III (hands on)

I've found that photographers fall into two camps: those who use their camera till it drops dead of exhaustion before considering a new model, and those who feel the need to update as often as possible.

I think the wait for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III has been killing both those groups. It's been so long that a lot of hard-used 3-plus-year-old 5D Mark IIs are ready to surrender, and the frequent updaters have been buffeted on a sea of rumors and delays. But the 5DM3 is almost here--shipping within a few weeks, in theory--and it looks like it will have what it takes to please them both.

While the 5DM3 is obviously big news, Canon's intent to drop of the price of the 5DM2 (to what, I don't know yet) and keep it on the market is pretty important, too: $3,500 is pretty steep for a lot of people who want to go full-frame, and it helps keeps Canon in competition with the newly price-reduced Nikon D700.

As you'd expect, the 5DM3 consists of a combination of technologies, features, and design updates rolled out in the EOS 7D and the more recent 1D X. The result is a camera that looks similar to its predecessor but that's otherwise almost completely different. … Read more

Sim2 debuts world's first LED-lit 3D DLP projector

The new Sim2 M.150 is the first DLP home theater projector to substitute the traditional lamp with LEDs as a light source. Its Super PureLED technology, utilizing high-power RGB Phlatlight LED modules, delivers the following unique propositions:

A maintenance-free light source, which lasts up to 30,000 hours with less than 5 percent drop in luminance. Auto-calibration to ensure accurate colors and brightness consistency. Negligible rainbow artifact since no color wheel is required with red, green and blue (RGB) LEDs. High 100,000:1 dynamic contrast and 1,000 lumens brightness.

The Sim2 active-shutter 3D goggles also tout an … Read more

iHome ships new, budget-friendly mini Bluetooth speakers

We saw iHome's new portable Bluetooth speakers last month at CES, and both models, the iDM8 and iDM11, looked pretty nice.

They're shipping now and available for $59.99 and $69.99, respectively.

The spherical iDM8, which comes in black as well (for some reason iHome's only showing the red version on its Web site), seems to be the more travel- and bag-friendly. But, as you can see from the specs, the iDM11 has a built-in microphone and speakerphone capabilities, a plus.

We'll let you know how both models sound when we get our hands on … Read more

Pomera DM100 from Japan and iPhone make an odd couple

Japan has a knack for marketing odd products. Many of them thrive, however. Enter King Jim's Pomera DM100.

When I lived in Tokyo, I spent way too much time in the Akihabara electronics district. That's where stores hawked, for example, pint-sized laptops made for the Japanese market by IBM Japan. To me, those Big Blue portables seemed impractical but always found plenty of buyers.

In that vein, the Pomera DM100 has apparently struck a chord of sorts in Japan. Enough to be deemed worthy of a lengthy review in Japan's leading business daily, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. … Read more

So, will that be an Intel or AMD ultrabook?

Though Advanced Micro Devices will not be inside branded ultrabooks, it is making a play for that market. Will consumers care which chipmaker is inside?

The quick answer: yes, if you're price sensitive. "They'll come into a market behind Intel and then do what they do at a lower price," said Deron Kershaw, an analyst at Gap Intelligence.

Ultrabooks are skinny, light laptops that attempt to combine the portability of a tablet with the productivity of a laptop.

How low can AMD-based systems go? "Our...solution will enable a full featured, high-performance user experience well … Read more

iHome's iPad Bluetooth keyboard doubles as a speaker--and speakerphone

LAS VEGAS--iPad docks continue to evolve, and iHome's iDM5 is a case point.

Not only does this "executive space-saver station" feature an integrated Bluetooth keyboard, but it also has Bluetooth speakers for playing music and USB ports for charging both your iPad and an additional device. Oh, and it's not just for iPads but works with Android tablets as well (and smartphones, too).

iHome says the iDM5 is due out this spring for $199. Check out our First Look video above, which also shows iHome's iP4, the company's modernist take on the "classic&… Read more

How to quickly access direct messages in Twitter for iPhone

With the latest update to the official Twitter for iPhone app, direct messages seemingly disappeared from the app.

You are now forced to tap on the "Me" tab, and then select direct messages. Three screens and two taps later, you can then view your DMs. Not very user friendly, right?

There's a quicker way to access direct messages, at least in the iPhone app. (Trying the same shortcut on the Android version won't provide the same results.)

Tap and hold on the "Me" tab, and then slide your finger up. Your DMs should then … Read more

Updated HP ultraportable with 128GB SSD now $664

Hewlett-Packard has begun selling an updated ultraportable laptop with a robust configuration for $664, far below Apple's competing model, the MacBook Air.

The redesigned Pavilion dm1z is now available on HP's Web site starting at $399.

But the sweet spot for the 3.5-pound, 11.6-inch laptop is probably the configuration that's just over the $660 mark. For that you get Advanced Micro Devices' newest dual-core E-450 processor (1.65GHz) with a Radeon HD 6320M graphics chip built in, a 128GB solid-state drive, 4GB of memory, Webcam, and 6-cell battery. … Read more

Hands-on with HP's updated Pavilion dm1 ultraportable laptop

One of our favorite laptops is getting a welcome update. The HP Pavilion dm1 is keeping its name, but adding some new design and component features to better compete with the streak of 11-inch ultraportables that seem to be flooding the shelves these days.

We recently checked out the new Pavilion dm1 and its slightly updated look. The preview version we saw several weeks ago had a rubberized finish that HP calls its Soft-Touch Imprint technology. Subtle graphics patterns can be inlayed directly into the rubber, rather than simply printed on top, for added durability. Just before this announcement, HP … Read more

AMD updates Fusion E and C series processors

AMD's Fusion series of APU processors first grabbed our attention at the beginning of 2011 for their impressive showing in 11.6-inch ultraportable laptops like the HP Pavilion dm1z, offering great performance and battery life for a good price. The E and C-series APUs representing the entry-level and thin-and-light side of the laptop and desktop universe have been updated, with memory and graphics enhancements and a promised gain in resting battery life.

AMD claims 12 hours of resting battery life on a charge on the C-series APUs, and 10.5 hours on the new E-series. Of course, our battery … Read more