Archive for July 1st, 2008

Yamaha YSP-3050: Single-speaker surround with improved HDMI support

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
Yamaha YSP-3050 Digital Sound Projector

The Yamaha YSP-3050 boasts a small–but important–upgrade to the YSP-3000

(Credit: Yamaaha)

When CNET reviewed the Yamaha YSP-3000 Digital Sound Projector, we singled out its “limited video capabilities” as one of the main shortfalls of the virtual surround speaker system.

Yamaha must have listened, because the company has just unveiled an upgraded version that addresses that very issue. The YSP-3050 adds to the mix the conversion of analog to digital video, but it’s essentially otherwise identical to its predecessor. That’s not a bad thing, either: we’ve found that the Yamaha YSP line remains the best choice for delivering convincing virtual surround-effects from a single speaker, and its all-in-one design precludes the need to purchase a separate AV receiver.

According to the specs page on Yamaha’s site, the YSP-3050 has a component and composite video input, in addition to its two HDMI ins.

AT&T talks iPhone 3G pricing

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Update at 10:52 a.m. PDT: Information about monthly text messaging added

AT&T reaffirmed pricing for the iPhone 3G on Tuesday, noting that eligible customers can snag the new smartphone for a discount: $199 with an 8GB flash drive and $299 for 16GB.

AT&T will begin offering Apple’s iPhone 3G

Adobe to help reveal ‘invisible’ Flash Web content

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Adobe Systems is helping Google and Yahoo to uncover Web content that was previously “invisible” to Web searches.

Both companies have been given optimized Adobe Flash Player technology to help them better index dynamic Web content and rich Internet applications that include the Flash file format, or Shockwave Flash, Adobe

Microsoft adds licensing option for businesses

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Microsoft said Monday that it is adding a new licensing option, this one dubbed Select Plus and targeted largely at midsize firms.

The program’s two main attractions are the fact that it is not tied to a specific term and it makes it easier for different subsidiaries of a …

Solar eclipse coming to ‘Second Life’

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

In the wee hours of August 1, the moon and the sun will pass each other for a breathtaking full solar eclipse, but U.S. residents won’t be able to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon because of their location on the planet.

San Francisco’s Exploratorium science museum …

Gateway rolls out new notebooks; Sony doesn’t

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

The Gateway notebook roll-out is official. Sony’s is not. Gateway Computer announced three lines of notebook PCs on Monday with 64-bit Windows, while Circuit City prematurely posted images of upcoming Sony notebooks.

Gateway 14-inch T6836

Gateway 14-inch T6836

(Credit: Gateway )

Gateway rolled out three notebooks targeted at students. The P series desktop …

Nokia’s Comes With Music service signs Warner label

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Warner Music Group, the third largest music label, will license music to Nokia’s Comes With Music service, a Warner Music spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

Nokia now only lacks EMI’s participation in the service, which offers unlimited free access to music for a full year.

During that time, users will …

Google Calendar now the target of phishers

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Updated Tuesday at 9:10 a.m. with Google comment.

A few months ago, spam came to Google Calendar. Now phishing has arrived.

Intrepid Google watcher Philipp Lenssen wrote late last week about being the target of a phishing attempt via Google Calendar.

He received an e-mail to his Gmail …

Yamaha YSP-3050: Single-speaker surround with improved HDMI support

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
Yamaha YSP-3050 Digital Sound Projector

The Yamaha YSP-3050 boasts a small–but important–upgrade to the YSP-3000

(Credit: Yamaaha)

When CNET reviewed the Yamaha YSP-3000 Digital Sound Projector, we singled out its “limited video capabilities” as one of the main shortfalls of the virtual surround speaker system.

Yamaha must have listened, because the company has just unveiled an upgraded version that addresses that very issue. The YSP-3050 adds to the mix the conversion of analog to digital video, but it’s essentially otherwise identical to its predecessor. That’s not a bad thing, either: we’ve found that the Yamaha YSP line remains the best choice for delivering convincing virtual surround-effects from a single speaker, and its all-in-one design precludes the need to purchase a separate AV receiver.

According to the specs page on Yamaha’s site, the YSP-3050 has a component and composite video input, in addition to its two HDMI ins.

AT&T talks iPhone 3G pricing

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Update at 10:52 a.m. PDT: Information about monthly text messaging added

AT&T reaffirmed pricing for the iPhone 3G on Tuesday, noting that eligible customers can snag the new smartphone for a discount: $199 with an 8GB flash drive and $299 for 16GB.

AT&T will begin offering Apple’s iPhone 3G