Posted Jan 16th 2008 11:44PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Video
Where the failed promise of Managed Copy on Blu-ray and HD DVD left us all hanging, Apple, iTunes, and Fox have oddly picked up the pieces. As paradoxically quietly announced at this week’s Jobsnote, the new Family Guy Presents Blue Harvest DVD comes with an included movie file that one can pull off the disc onto their machine — but only by making use of an included code (and a copy of iTunes with a valid account, of course), which ensures the DRM is still there. What’s unclear is whether the movie file is DRMed before being pulled off the disc, or is encrypted specific to one’s account during the process of download from the disc. Ultimately these details won’t change the fact that iTunes Digital Copy is a ripe target for people who wants to legitimately buy their media, yet doesn’t think it should be friggin’ rights managed. Crazy, we know.

»read more from "iTunes Digital Copy from Fox DVD goes under the microscope"

The Eton FR1000 is a wonder of compact chic utility. We’re talking a self-powered hand crank AM/FM/Weather radio, with flashlight and SOS beacon, siren, cell phone charger and…get this…a two way walkie-talkie function built in. We’re figuring that you’ll be handing and cranking a fair bit to keep all that lot powered up at once, but in an emergency it may just save lives. We’re rather partial to a bit of saving lives around here. Priced at something like $150.00 from next month. [Via Electric Pig]

 This self-powered hand-crank radio lets you stay informed, even when the power is out. Tune into AM, FM and weather band frequencies for the most up-to-date information in case of emergency. The Voicelink is more than just a radio—it’s a multifunctional wonder. The two-way walkie-talkie feature with GMRS technology lets you stay in touch, as does the built-in cell phone charger. You also get a flashlight, a beacon light that can function as an SOS signal, and a siren. Power it all with the twist of a crank.

»read more from "Eton FR1000 - hand-cranked radio, siren, phone charger and walkie talkie in one"

Adam of Lifehacker found this pretty slick way of allowing Netflix users to download and save streaming movies onto their hard drives, meaning that you can take movies on the go without having to always be connected to the net. If this isn’t illegal, it’s most likely against the EULA; and if it isn’t against the EULA, it’s definitely against the spirit of Netflix’s streaming movie feature. Adam had some troubles with getting this to work, but many other users say it works fine. If these downloaded movies can be streamed via Windows Media Extender to an Xbox 360, that would be crunktastic. [Lifehacker]

»read more from "Easily Rip Netflix Streaming Movies To Your Hard Drive [Software]"

The data-saving prowess of DriveSavers is well documented. Nevertheless, when we bumped into two company representatives on the Macworld Expo floor, it was simply impossible to resist the promise of a private room full of mangled computers and complementary miniature blueberry muffins.

While munching our muffins, we were treated to a gruesome display of laptops that had been submerged at the bottom of the Amazon and desktops seared into crusty shells after school fires. The good news, of course, was that all of them were eventually recovered and the data was safely extracted from the sad remains. In fact, as a testament to its data recovering jujitsu, Drivesavers had signed thank you notes on display from the likes of Yoko Ono, ILM — who donated a Star Wars Blaster to the company for saving a story board file — as well as from Gerald Ford.

We asked the team if they were worried business will be affected by the advent of more reliable solid state drives and got a resolute "no" for an answer. In fact, DriveSavers claims it’s now the only company doing iPhone data recovery. Apparently, there’s no limit to the stupid things iPhone users will do with their phones.

Photos by Wired’s Jon Snyder

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Posted Jan 16th 2008 2:59PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Portable Audio, Wireless
It’s been a good while since the BlueStreamer was hit up with a well deserved update, but those who’ve been waiting in tense anticipation can finally kick their shoes off and relax. Yep, Jays is indeed announcing the aptly-named BlueStreamer 2 Bluetooth stereo adapter, which not only features BT v2.0 and supports A2DP, AVRCP, HSP and HFP, but it’s available in a trio of glossy motifs (black, white and pink to be precise). Weighing in at just 12-grams, this bugger allows users to “listen to music and receive calls simultaneously,” and just in case that whole “stopping the jams ’til your convo is done” thing wasn’t enough for you, it’s also very compatible with Skype. Sure, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here, but those captivated for whatever reason can grab one now for $62 (or €42.40 elsewhere). [Warning: PDF read link]

»read more from "Jays BlueStreamer 2 stereo adapter: now in colors"

I suppose it is only fitting to complement something as beautiful as your Mac with the OneLessDesk. This unique piece of furniture brings together a couple of desks in a single unit, where one of them can be used to hold your 24″ flat panel display while the lower ‘deck’ can slide out from under the upper deck to hold your keyboard, mouse and other peripherals. Sounds pretty much like the standard computer table setup, but this looks way sweeter being a designer lable (Heckler Design) and all. The OneLessDesk also comes with an out-of-sight, rear-facing perforated shelf that prevents the unsightly wired mess from peeking out. Made from 12 gauge stainless steel, the OneLessDesk is extremely limited in availability as only 100 will be produced initially, retailing for $900 a pop. Non-Mac owners are welcome to purchase one to spruce up their workspace.

»read more from "OneLessDesk a thing of beauty"

Steve Jobs had Macworld attendees salivating over the uber-thin Macbook Air on Tuesday, but once the reality distortion field went down and people actually started looking closely at the specs, that drool began to congeal. 

Some critics are already less than impressed by the laptop’s sealed case and the absence of features offered by other traditional notebooks, like an optical drive, replaceable battery and a firewire port. That $1800 price tag isn’t winning over many people, either.

Yet such things don’t seem to worry those who make a living out of covering Apple. Every analyst we spoke to today said they expect the addition to Apple’s notebook lineup to do big things in the coming year.

"It definitely breaks new group and is clearly the thinnest laptop ever released," said Creative Strategies Tim Bajarin. 

"Apple’s clearly responding to what is an actual real trend right now: the popularity of the ultra-light laptop," he continued. In fact, Barajin predicts that ultra light laptops will grow to 20 percent (of the laptop market) in the next three years and that the Macbook Air will play a major role in that growth.

Laptops are generally broken down into four categories that the industry keeps tabs on:  All-in-ones or desktop replacements, which are usually 6-to-7 pounds; Thin-and-lights, which usually weigh in at 4-6 pounds;  Ultra lights, which are  2.5-to-4 pounds; and that category  everyone ignores: the ultra mobile PC or UMPC.

Currently, the thin and lights account for about 50 percent of laptops sales. Ultra-lights, like Apple’s new Macbook Air are currently 10-15 percent of the laptop market, according to Bajarin — definitely the low end for now. But expect that to change.

As consumers increasingly begin to realize laptops are an intimate part of their mobile lifestyles, that number will jump in the coming years, he says.

Others were equally impressed with the Air. "I think it’s gorgeous," Howe told Gadget Lab, and while he didn’t speculate on numbers, he did says he expects the laptop to become "a fashionable niche product" for Apple. The important thing to note about Apple’s new laptop is that  it can’t (and won’t) compete with the Macbook Pro, or even the basic Macbook, he says. Those will remain the biggest sellers for Apple

"But what Apple has done with the Macbook Air is to construct a new little niche inbetween those two lines," Howe says. It might not be as popular as the rest of the Macbook family but it will definitely gain converts over the year.

»read more from "Macbook Air: The Analysts Take"