Nintendo Wii possibly out earlier than Oct?
At least one analyst is predicting that the Nintendo Wii will be coming out earlier than the planned October 30th launch date. The Wii has already reached it’s final production design and manufacturers are already cranking out these models. Given this notion, it’s not hard to expect Nintendo to launch the Wii a bit earlier than October 30th - possibly even in September which would mean attracting the back to school season.
Here’s an interesting new product coming from Microsoft - it’s called the Office RoundTable and it’s a new audio video collaboration tool. What’s unique about this collaboration system is the use of the new RoundTable camera which allows you to see a full 360 degrees around a room simulatenously. This is performed by using a system which actually uses five independent cameras each with a resolution of 640 x 480. The resulting images are stitched together to for a long panoramic shot of the conference table. Pretty nifty stuff. Check out CamcorderInfo.com for more info on this.
Apple registers several new iPod designs
You gotta love trademarks and copyright protection folks. If you have a good idea and you think it’s original, you’ll want to protect yourself as soon as possible by registering that idea or trademark. Well.. Apple registered several new designs (which are possibly future iPod designs) with the European Trademarks and Designs office and consequently people are now able to see these new designs publicly. There are several designs so check them out over at MacsimumNews.com. Some of the designs hint at a possible iPod phone while others seem to suggest that the click wheel is no more.
Microsoft LifeCam VX6000 Review
The folks over at the Hardware Pacers have posted a review of the new Microsoft LifeCam VX6000 Webcam here on their website. The VX6000 features:
The specs certainly look impressive but does Microsoft actually have a winner here? Well here’s the verdict from Hardware Pacers:
Taking all of the above ratings into account, Microsoft’s LifeCam VX-6000 is a great buy for any user that appreciates quality, functionality, and performance at a reasonable cost.
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All things HTPC and a couple of other things
So news has been slow here at Krunker.com because work has been piling up like mad recently. I know I mentioned that I would have a review of the Simplifi Digital but unfortunately the unit they sent me was not working so I’ll need to send it back to them. 
In other news, I’ve begun work on KrunkerHome.com which will be an HTPC focused blog. Originally, I thought about dedicating a blog for the digital home but the truth is - my heart belongs in the world of home theater PCs. I’ve had one working in my own apartment for nearly 2 years now and I love them. So if you’re curious about HTPCs and want to drop a comment or two, make sure to bookmark KrunkerHome.com here. In the meantime, I’ll try and make sure all the blogs stay up to date.
XYZComputing has posted a review of the BlackBerry 8700c mobile phone here on their website. The 8700c features
Here’s the verdict from XYZ Computing:
In the 8700c we can see a maturation of BlackBerry’s design and performance. The product performed well under almost all circumstances and when put to the test during a grueling day-to-day routine, it was able to be a full-time device for a demanding user. Talk time has been cut down to about eight hours and the buttons are no longer as far apart as they once were, but overall the 8700c is one of BlackBerry’s best implemented product.
MobiBlu DAH-2200 MP3 Player now in black
The MobiBlu DAH-2200 is now available in black and it’s ever so beautiful if you ask us. The DAH-2200 sports a 2 inch color OLED screen with a resolution of 128 x 64. You also get features such as:
Microsoft to start selling iPod rival by holiday season
The rumor mill is continuing to heat up about a possible Microsoft branded entry into the portable digital music and video player market. This time an article on Reuters (via News.com) is reporting that a player will be due out by the holiday season to compete against Apple’s popular and dominant iPod. According to sources close to the matter, Microsoft has been making rounds to record companies showing off their new player as well as their new integrated media software which would rival iTunes. The people behind this current movement from Microsoft include Robbie Bach - present of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division - and J. Allard - VP of the Xbox team. Will an entry by Microsoft itself shake up the landscape? It’s hard to tell of course. With so many competitors out on the market, Apple still finds itself way ahead of the pack.
Apple introduces a new iMac model tailored for students
Apple introduced a new iMac configuration today targeting the educational market. The new iMac will be priced at $899 and will feature a 17 inch display, a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, a built in iSight video camera, and Apple’s iLife 2006 application suite. The new iMac will replace the eMac system which effectively ends all CRT based Macs from Apple’s product lineup. Other specs on the new educational iMac include:
That’s a pretty good deal if you ask us. Think about it for a second.. for $779 you get a dual core 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac mini but without a monitor, keyboard, mouse. For only $120 dollars more, you get a 17 inch display, a keyboard, and a mouse (although you lose out on the SuperDrive). Not too shabby.
Aside from this deal, you can also get in on another interesting offer from Apple. Get an iMac Superdrive system and you’ll get a rebate for an Apple iPod. You can get up to $179 dollars back for a 2GB or 4GB iPod nano as well as a 30GB/60GB iPod. This means you can basically get a 2GB iPod nano for free after rebate. Not too shabby. Check out the deal here.
PC Magazine has posted up a review of the first Blu-ray player from Samsung - the BD-P1000 here on their website. Although pricey at $999, the BD-P1000 certainly appears to meet the needs of the early adopters by providing a way for people to enjoy a new generation of high definition content. The unit comes with component video, HDMI, S-Video and composite video connectors as well as 5.1 audio and stereo analog connectors (as well as optical and coaxial). Aside from playing back Blu-ray content, the player is capable of playing back DVDs as well as upscaling the video output. Here’s the verdict from PC Magazine:
The stylish Samsung BD-P1000 is a capable disc player that unleashes the full capabilities of the Blu-ray format. Unfortunately, the initial Blu-ray titles are a reminder that there are lots of older films that need some TLC before they will look great in HD.
At the end of the day, it still boils down to content. As with Toshiba’s HD DVD player, the BD-P1000 will only excel if content is available at a reasonable price for consumers AND if the content is stellar enough to be noticeably different from DVDs.
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