Myka’s BitTorrent-friendly home media player now in production

It’s been just about ten full months since Myka’s BitTorrent box was formally introduced to Earthlings, but it seems like the wheels are finally turning on production way across the way in China. According to a promising update on Myka’s official website, “production is in full swing,” which means that boxes should start arriving to eager consumers in around four to six weeks. For those unaware, this here box pulls down torrents as you sleep and then plays ‘em back nicely on your connected HDTV. Users can also load up additional media on the inbuilt 80GB, 160GB or 500GB hard drive, but first you’ll need to hand over $299, $349 or $459 depending on just how capacious you like your media servers.

[Thanks, Julio]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Myka’s BitTorrent-friendly home media player now in production originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 Beta takes another crown, besting Vista in SSD performance

It’s no huge surprise, since Microsoft was planning on improving performance on this front, but now we’ve got some of our first solid numbers on Windows 7 Beta SSD performance. Nothing crazy spectacular, but Windows 7 looks to have a slight edge over Vista pretty much across the board, with better speed, access time and lower CPU usage — not bad for a beta, let’s hope things continue to improve as we approach “Microsoft would like your money for this” status.

Filed under: Storage

Windows 7 Beta takes another crown, besting Vista in SSD performance originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viliv uncovers gorgeous X70 Atom Communication MID

Maybe we’re just hot for sleek, thin, ultra sexy renders of handheld computing devices, but we dare anyone to call the unit pictured above unsightly (and mean it). Shortly after showcasing its swiveling S7 at CES, Viliv has taken the wraps off of its X70 Atom Communication MID. The handheld comes stocked with a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU, a 7-inch WSVGA touchscreen, your choice of a 30GB / 60GB hard drive or an 8GB / 16GB SSD, Windows XP or Linux, a battery good for six hours of continuous movie playback, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, an SD / SDHC card slot, optional WiMAX / HSDPA modules, stereo speakers, a USB port and a built-in microphone for good measure. There’s nary a mention of pricing / availability, but we’re almost ready to hand over whatever it takes. Almost.

[Via iTechNews]

Filed under: Handhelds

Viliv uncovers gorgeous X70 Atom Communication MID originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WowWee’s Lightstar flying blade reviewed: a cheap thrill

Looking for something to pass the time, scratch that robotic itch and come in at under a Jackson? Look no further than WowWee’s Lightstar, the latest and greatest addition to the outfit’s growing FlyTech family. The robot lovers over at RobotsRule were able to get their grimy hands around this here flying blade, and while they weren’t expecting much for just $20, they came away delightfully enthralled. Essentially, there’s no way to steer the chopper, but you can vary the acceleration and bounce it off of walls in order to keep your brain stimulated and a grin on your face. The real excitement kicked in when all the lights were flipped off and the Pink Floyd was cranked to 11. For a look at what we mean, check out the demonstration vid just past the break — looks like $20 well spent from here.

Continue reading WowWee’s Lightstar flying blade reviewed: a cheap thrill

Filed under: Robots

WowWee’s Lightstar flying blade reviewed: a cheap thrill originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays

In theory, we can’t really harsh on a diminutive little gizmo that can play back MP3s, record voice notes, capture live video, snap a few stills and double as a card reader in a pinch, but there’s just something about this thing that screams infomercial. As for specs, it’s got 2GB of built-in memory, a microSD expansion slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, a rechargeable Li-ion and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Unfortunately, the thing’s selling for an almost astronomical $60 before shipping, which definitely pushes it into “won’t ever sell without Billy Mays’ endorsement” territory. Seriously, check the vid after the jump if you think you’re immune to coercion.

Continue reading 5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The TechCrunch Guide To The Inauguration

Whether you are headed to Washington for the Obama Inauguration or simply want to follow along online, there is no shortage of sites and applications dedicated to the national party on Tuesday, January 20. Of course, every major news site (ABC.com, CBS.com, MSNBC.com, Fox.com, CNN.com, NYTimes.com, WashingtonPost.com, etc) will have videos, photos, and reporting from the event. But the people lining the parade route will also be Twittering, uploading photos, and capturing video moments with their cell phones and video cameras. General information about the inauguration can be found at the sites for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Below is the TechCrunch Guide to the Inauguration, a collection of links and apps that will help you make the most out of the inauguration.

Where To Watch

There will be plenty of livestreams of the Inauguration at all the media sites mentioned above. Some of the sites offering livestreams include:

—Hulu: Will be streaming live, Fox.com will also be using Hulu’s stream.
—C-Span: Washington D.C.’s video standby will have four live feeds to choose from.
—CNN.com: Partnering with Facebook so you can see your friends’ status updates while watching.
—Current TV : Will add a Twitterstream to its coverage.
—Ustream.tv: This stream will also be available on your iPhone, great for those along the parade route too far away to see the main stage.
—Starbucks and movie theaters: For those who cannot make it to Washington, MSNBC is hosting screenings of the inauguration in movie theaters and Starbucks across the country (although it looks as though these are already sold out).

Where To Stay

—CrashTheInauguration: If you are going to Washington, D.C. and still don’t have a room, you might find a couch to sleep on at CrashTheInauguration. And if you are lucky they might even serve you Obama O’s for breakfast.

Where To Share

—Twitter: Just search for “inauguration” or “Obama”. The chatter has already started.

—NPR Inauguration Report: Run by NPR’s social media desk, it will be collecting dispatches from spectators via Twitter, Flicr, YouTube, and text message. All Tweets or text messages that start with “#inaug09″ or “#dctrip09″ will be included in NPR’s feed, as well as Flickr photos and YouTube videos tagged “inaug09″ or “dctrip09.” There are also an accompanying iPhone and Android apps called IR09, Inauguration Report 2009 (more details here).

—CNN/Microsoft 3D Photosynth: People at the inauguration can upload their photos and Microosft will combine them into a 3D panoramic Photosynth (more details here).

—Citizen’s Briefing Book: Got a policy suggestion for the transition team? Submit one or vote for the best ones at Change.gov

—Where Were You?: A video contest sponsored by Memelabs that will let people share where they were on this historic day.

iPhone Apps and Follow-up

—Ustream.tv: Stream the inauguration to your iPhone (see above).

—Inauguration Report 2009: Submit your own report to NPR with text, photos, or audio. Reports post straight to NPR’s Inauguration feed (see above).

—PointAbout 2009 Presidential Inauguration Guide: Free app with a countdown to the inauguration, distance to the inauguration steps, and lets you navigate Washington, D.C. with maps of public transport, parking, free WiFi zones, and a Zagat’s restaurant guide for the city.

—CrashTheInauguration (same as above, but on your iPhone).

—Change (U.S.) Politics (iTunes link). Cast your approval rating of the Obama administration across 14 issues

—PolitFact’s Obameter: Obama made more than 500 promises during the election campaign. Track how many he keeps with the Obameter.

Know of more resources? Add them in comments.
(Photo by Anna Levinzon).

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Retweetist Discovers Most Valuable Users And Accounts From Twitter

If you really think it’s not the number of followers on Twitter that counts but how many times stuff gets retweeted, Retweetist might be the right service for you. The application and its corresponding Twitter account are essentially Twitter trend barometers and the work of Mike Sheetal, director of Tokyo-based creative agency UltraSuperNew.

Retweetist distills links, content and users that are being retweeted the most and ranks them according to freshness and frequency (at the moment, the link that has been retweeted the most in the last 24 hours is YelloW cAndy: How to put a Retweet link in your Tweets).

The app also serves as a good guide to see who is creating the most retweeted messages, making it easier to find out which Twitter users are actually worth following. Currently, Mayhemstudios is the user who got retweeted the most (67 times) in the last 24 hours, while TechCrunch got retweeted 26 times. (This feature is more sophisticated than Dan Zarella’s similar Twitter app.)

The most useful part of the service is Retweetist’s own twitter account, which feeds new links that are currently being retweeted the most in Twitter in your tweet stream. Users can follow it to keep up with the key info on Retweetist without accessing the site.

Retweetist is different from Twist, which uses queried terms in Twitter messages to analyze trends. Sheetal says his goal was to extract meaning from Twitter, interpreting the action of retweeting as an act of approval of a message. If you see Twitter as a news source, the application might also work as a real-time ranking system for news that is being tweeted, which would be especially interesting when Twitter users break important world news.

Retweetist is a good tool for hardcore Twitter fans to detect trends and find new users worth following but retweeting would be even more worthwhile if we only could finally get a simple “Retweet this”-function on Twitter itself. We are waiting.

P.S. Retweet this article by clicking here.

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Google Opens Android Market To Apps Geo-Targeting Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, And More

Google’s official Android Developers and Mobile blogs haven’t been updated yet, but according to an e-mail from Eric Chu to mobile application builders first republished by Phandroid, Android Market will become available to users in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Poland in the coming weeks.

Hello,

I’m writing to let you know that Android Market will become available to users in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Poland in the coming weeks. You can now target these countries for your application(s) via the publisher website at market.android.com/publish. As we add support for additional countries, we will send out subsequent notifications to you. Note that your apps will not become available in these new countries unless you specifically select them in the publisher website.

Thanks for your support, and we look forward to continue working with you on Android Market.

Eric Chu, Android Market

This means that developers can now start building applications for Android-powered phones before most of the countries cited above actually have access to devices that run Google’s open-source mobile OS. We’ll take that as a hint that the company is ready to move fast in launching compatible phones across Europe.

On a sidenote: for now, the Android Market only allows for free apps to be added, but Google is expected to announce support for paid applications this quarter.

It’ll be interesting to see how the fight between Android Market, first opened in August 2008, and Apple’s App Store plays out in the years to come.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

Canon G9 Point and Shoot Beats Leica M8?

I’m always a sucker for a good camera story and this one was too good to pass up. Nick Devlin brought his Leica M8 to Japan to do a little shooting and a friend suggested he carry the Canon G9, a 12-megapixel point and shoot that costs about $4500 less than the Leica M8.

XCM Dominator joystick for PlayStation 3 ships next week for $89.99

Well tell ya, these cats at XCM really know how to craft some irresistible gear. After making us wait seven painstaking months for a new gadget to drool over, the creators of the Mega-Cool component-to-VGA converter have announced that the Dominator Joystick for PlayStation 3 is all set to ship next week. The highly programmable arcade-style stick includes a Combo Attacker and Rapid Fire mode for borderline cheating, and the four memory buttons enable macros to be stored and kept at arm’s reach. Of course, a gaming joystick wouldn’t be a gaming joystick without a superabundance of blue LEDs, so you’ll certainly find those there as well. You can toss in your pre-order now if you’d like, but make sure you’ve got $89.99 free and clear before doing so.

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

XCM Dominator joystick for PlayStation 3 ships next week for $89.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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