According to ComputerWorld not all flash drives are created equal, despite wearing the USB 2.0 logo and using flash memory to store data. While the main differentiator to many users is the storage capacity, the average users fails to consider the performance and durability of the flash drive they are buying. ComputerWorld points out that there are two types of flash memory, SLC (single-level cell) and MLC (multi-level cell). The main difference between the two is that SLC is about twice as fast with the trade off of costing twice as much.
Everyone – including ComputerWorld – admits that for the basic users these factors don’t really matter and the majority of flash drives available use MLC memory because of the price. SLC memory is also rated to last about twice as long at MLC memory. The catch is that most drives don’t tell you what type of memory is used. One of the only ways to tell is the cost, the more expensive a drive the more likely you are getting SLC memory. We always recommend users look for some real world reviews of the drive they are considering purchasing. Some of the better flash drives we have looked at include the
Corsair Flash Voyager GT,
OCZ ATV Turbo,
Sandisk Cruzer Titanium Plus, and the
Corsair Flash Survivor GT.
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Everything is getting smaller these days from our notebook computers to our flash drives and disappointingly our spendable incomes. Small flash drives used to give up storage space for the sake of a compact design, but a new crop of tiny flash drives offers the best of both worlds – small size and lots of storage.
The latest flash drive maker to jump on the small drive bandwagon is OCZ with its
Spyder flash drive. Despite the small, cap-less design the Spyder is available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacities. OCZ claims that the drive has 21 to 35MB/s read speeds promising good performance. The OCZ Spyder has a slicker design and may be a bit faster than the
Corsair Flash Voyager Mini, but it lacks the encryption of the similarly sized
Imation Atom.
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There won’t be the day when the Japanese stops toying around with mice. Now high-profile companies like Canon which should mind their own camera business is now having fun with cutting a perfectly normal 2-button mouse open and adding a calculator inside. The calculator complete with rubberized numeric pad and a 10-digit screen can even send the results back to the computer if needed. After closing the flip, the mouse is back to itself again, with an optical sensor boasting 1000 dpi resolution.
Suffice to say, this is pretty pointless; that is unless the Japanese believes the only way to have a calculator readily available is by integrating it with something that will always be in the same place on a desktop. What’s better than hiding it in a mouse? That’s pretty smart Canon. We believe the credit also goes to Genius as well whose
gamepad mouse could be an inspiration for this Canon Calculator Mouse.
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Earlier this week we reported on allegations from AMD and Nvidia that Intel was purposefully delaying the release of the open host controller specifications for USB 3.0. For AMD and Nvidia’s part they claim the delay is a purposeful attempt by Intel to give itself a market lead of 6 to 9 months for USB 3.0 hardware. Intel’s Nick Knupffer has made a blog post this week claiming to dispel these myths surrounding USB 3.0.
Knupffer points out in the blog that Intel is not developing the USB 3.0 specification, which is up to the USB Promoters Group (which Intel is a founding member of). What Intel is developing the specification for is the open host controller, which Knupffer says Intel has invested “gazillions of dollars and bazillions of engineering man hours” in creating. Intel says it’s not holding the spec back for the open host controller, reiterating again that it is simply not ready. Knupffer says that Intel expects to provide the specs to other manufactures in the second half of 2008. Knupffer also points out that technology for USB 3.0 didn’t come from PCI Express. Rather it says it contributed to both USB 3.0 and PCI Express insinuating that the spillover was from its own development process.
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Why these Mr. Leg Amplifier Speakers look like targets with feet is beyond me, but they will give you a unique way to listen to sound from your audio or computer equipment. Plus, the legs are completely flexible, so you are free to pose them in scandalous positions. It may be juvenile, but two shooting [...]
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If you follow Everything USB you have read about USB 3.0 before. For a quick rundown the new specification is promising about a ten times speed increase compared to current USB 2.0 speeds. That would put the throughput for USB 3.0 in the 5 gigabits per second area. The USB 3.0 specification is expected to be done this year and products based on it are expected to hit market sometime in 2009 (more likely 2010).
Things are now off to a rocky start with the open host controller specifications for USB 3.0, which are being developed by Intel. AMD and Nvidia are alleging that Intel has working silicon for the open host controller portion, but is refusing to share the specification with other chipset and CPU makers. AMD and Nvidia say that the withholding of the specification will give Intel a market lead on USB 3.0 products of 6 or more months.
To be able to complete AMD and Nvidia say they will begin drafting a second open host controller specification of their own. This could very well mean that some USB 3.0 hardware might not be cross compatible with other hardware. Intel defends itself against the allegations by saying that it will share the specification for the open host controller when it is complete and as of now the specifications simply are not complete.
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From monitor to docking station and photo frame, DisplayLink USB graphics core is establishing a strong foot-hold in the alternate video connectivity market. The next step logically is to make its way into projectors, and InFocus IN1100- and IN3100-series are the first ones enabled with DisplayLink technology. Instead of a bulky VGA cable, these projectors use a standard mini-USB cable for carrying video signals.
The road warrior-friendly
IN1102 weighs in just 2.75lb. and measures in just 7.2″ x 2.5″ x 8.3″, making it ideal for portability. This particular model relies on USB for digital connectivity as DVI/HDMI is absent from the interface list. It does come with composite, S-video and VGA, all of which are analog however. The $1399 IN1102 projector itself has a a contrast ratio of 1800:1; native aspect ratio of 16:10; and a max. resolution of 1280×800. The other model
IN3102, weighing at 7lb., isn’t supposed to be lugged around a lot. On the other hand, it features better contrast ratio at 2000:1 and brighter light output at 3000 Lumens which is ample for presentation in a large conference room even with ambient room light. The $1499 IN3102, in contrast to the IN1102, is equipped with HDMI and a pair of 3W stereo speakers.
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Sandisk TakeTV – what appears like a winner from the beginning – has recently been killed off along with its Fanfare online video store by the company that allegedly wishes to refocus on its mobile entertainment business. TakeTV was originally touted as a USB PC-to-TV video device that can playback XviD, DivX and MPEG-4 on a TV set. It comprises of three components: the remote, TV dock and the storage with the latter doubles as a video decoder. 4GB and 8GB were initially selling for $99.99 and $149.99 respectively. The Fanfare online video store sold TV shows provided from content providers. So, what’s wrong? Here’s a list:
- People who are already tech-savvy enough to figure out how the Sandisk TakeTV works maybe also familiar with media compatibility on their gaming consoles (XBox 360 / PS3) and DivX-enabled DVD players
- Similar devices like Apple TV, media extender and dedicated media hard drive players like the LaCie LaCinema are just everywhere
- Lack of content from the first-tier names. Only CBS and ShowTime were among the handful of providers out there.
- S-video as the best connection to the TV, and small capacity make the TakeTV even less appealing
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Pocketable camcorders are insanely popular thanks to the small size that allows people to shoot video wherever they go – much to the dismay of some friends. When Pure Digital launched its first camcorder, the Flip Video, it did exceedingly well in the marketplace. Some sources claim that it has 13% of the entire camcorder market. Flip has decided to add another small camcorder to its line.
The latest Flip camera is the Flip Mino, which is reported to retail for $180. Onboard storage for video is 2GB of flash good for 60 minutes of VGA quality filmmaking. The tiny little camera retains its signature swiveling USB connector that now also charges the unit’s battery. The Flip Mino measures in at 4” x 2” x 0.6”, making it smaller in most measurements than than the original Flip. And for $170 more, you can get the $350
JVC’s high-end YouTube-friendly camcorder with 35x optical zoom, image stabilizer and SDHC slot. PCWorld recently gave a rave review (91/100) to the Flip Mino which praised for its video quality (no pixellated, murky, dark image); Mac compatibility; and portability.
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