Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blue-Ray 50% Off – One Day Only
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The Ultrabook
You’re going to be hearing the term “Ultrabook” quite a lot in the coming months.
By the middle of 2012, the question, “What is an Ultrabook?” will sound as silly as asking “What is an iPad?”
. . . At least that is what several computer manufacturers, led by Intel, are hoping.
USA Today says that “2012 will witness an explosion of these devices as manufacturers pin on them their last best hopes for regaining consumer computing interest”, which apparently is now focused on tablets.
An Ultrabook is a computer in a category of higher-end thin and lightweight ultraportable laptops, defined by a specification from Intel. The name “Ultrabook” is an Intel trademark. (However, I believe that the term will used by consumers; and Best Buy salespersons, to refer to anything from an official “Ultrabook” to a Macbook Air, so long as it is super thin, contains a flash SSD rather than a hard-drive, etc. – much like “Ping Pong” and “Kleenex” are trademarks, but now have become common terms for table tennis and facial tissues – I bet you didn’t even know that “Ping Pong” was a trademarked brand (?).)
At any rate, by it’s marketing initiative and an associated $300M fund, Intel hopes to reinvigorate the PC market, against rising competition from tablet computers, which are powered by rivaling ARM-based processors.
Toshiba Portege z830 Ultrabook
Incorporating new CULV Intel processors with integrated graphics, and flash-based SSDs, Intel claims that the main draw of Ultrabooks will be their light weight, long battery life, strong performance, ultra-fast loading times, and reasonable pricing (under $1000) for base models.
Announced at Computex 2011, Intel estimates that by the end of 2012, 40% of the consumer laptop market segment will be Ultrabooks.
I, for one, am excited about getting an Ultrabook.
I love my iPad, but for “real” computing, I turn to my notebook – it has a nice keyboard, I can use a mouse, the screen is larger, and I can run Windows-based software . . . but it’s a pain to lug around, compared to my sweet little iPad. If only there were a cross between a tablet and a notebook computer, something that was thin and light enough that I could just toss it in my backpack . . . and if it had a long battery life, so that I didn’t have to carry that big heavy AC adapter along with me . . . and if it would boot up almost instantly, like my iPad . . . that would be just great!
Enter the Ultrabook! It’s just what I described above, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one! (Surely, some manufacturer must want to send me a complimentary one that I can review! You know how to contact me).
Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook
I’m not holding my breath about getting one “comped”, so I suspect I’ll be ordering one of the models listed below.
ASUS ZenBook
In the meantime, I found this on http://www.techeye.net/ and I thought it was good for a chuckle:
More Top Apple Products
The Apple iPad is one of the hottest gadgets in the world . . . and, at this time of year, sometimes hard to find.
Top Apple Products
Get you hands on some of the top products from Apple.
Merry Christmas!
All of us here at BigBadStuff.com wish you and your’s a very Merry Christmas!
. . . and we thank you for being one of an incredible number of visitors to our humble site! We hope we’ve helped you find some great deals.
Yamaha Silent Guitar
I love these guitars!
Maybe it’s because I’m a terrible guitar player and I can practice (with headphones) and nobody else can hear how bad I am.
Maybe it’s because they just look so darn sexy!
Maybe it’s because I like to travel and these things disassemble to make travelling with them easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. (Sorry!)
Maybe it’s because, as Yamaha says, “Wherever there are people, there is music. And wherever musicians are, their music is always with them, waiting to get out. Yamaha’s Silent Guitar now means that wherever you are, and whenever you want to play, your guitar can be right there with you.
Cutting edge design and master-luthier craftsmanship are uniquely combined to create a guitar that offers outstanding playability matched with incredible practicality – all with the same attention to detail as the guitars that have been played by some of the biggest names in music, players such as Jimmy Page, Brian May, John Lennon, Paul Simon and Joe Bonamassa.
At home or on the road, with headphones or direct into a recording console, in the rehearsal studio or on stage in front of 20,000 fans Silent Guitar performs perfectly and gives you something new. The ability to really have your music with you, wherever you are.”
Here’s the product description for the SLG110N, from Amazon.com (where I can find only five-star reviews for all models!):
The Yamaha SLG110N Silent Acoustic-Electric Guitar lets you practice with headphones, yet enjoy the realistic sounds of an acoustic instrument. The nylon-stringed Yamaha silent guitar features a lightweight maple body, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, and breaks down quickly to fit into included gig bag for easy transport. In comparison to a traditional classical guitar, the SLG110N’s slimmer neck and lower action allow the player to develop a quicker and more aggressive style. The silent acoustic-electric guitar has mini-stereo inputs for plugging in a MP3 or CD player for play-along. The Yamaha acoustic-electric guitar interfaces well with acoustic-effects processors, P.A.s and amps. Also includes a durable gig bag.Silent design makes it perfect for home use or practiceCompared with a normal acoustic guitar the Silent Guitar “acoustically” produces only 1/100th the amount of sound energy and 1/10th the amount of sound volume (tested in-house). Such excellent silent characteristics make it great for playing anytime or anywhere.Built-in DSP effect adds the richness of reverbElectronics include piezo in-bridge B-Band (EMF) pickups and an internal DSP. The digital effects taken from the class-leading SPX studio effects and industry-standard digital mixing consoles developed by Yamaha Commercial Audio, audiophile quality and the ambience of a warm, small room or luxurious large hall are with you wherever you are. 4 effects are avavailable; Reverb1, Reverb2, Chorus and Echo. AUX IN lets you play along with your favorite recordingsConnect a CD or cassette player, etc. to the AUX IN jack and play along with your favorite recordings. This feature is a great way to improve your playing quickly. An AUX volume control offers greater control over sound balance. Detachable frame offers comfort and easy transport The Silent Guitar’s unique design offers excellent comfort and support even when played while seated. A cutaway design provides full access to the upper frets.
These are guitars for everyone, from the inhibited people, like me (who don’t want anyone to hear them play), to the professional musician looking for high-quality guitar that performs and travels well . . . and looks super-sexy.
Amazon Prime Members: Order These Products Before 8:00 Tonight!
These are the recommendations of http://gizmodo.com:
Better hurry, there’s not much time left!
Amazon Prime, man. It’s a lifesaver—especially around the holidays. But if you’re planning to do some last-second Amazon Prime shopping and were counting on that free two day shipping you better HURRY.
All of these items are eligible for free two-day shipping, and will arrive before Christmas. BUT! You only have a few more hours. After 8PM PST, you’re gonna have to either pony up for the $4 overnight upgrade, or actually leave the house.
Jawbone JAMBOX
JAMBOX by Jawbone is the smallest, best-sounding wireless speaker and speakerphone around. Just place it anywhere in a room and enjoy pristine streaming audio from your phone, computer, or other Bluetooth devices. Bring music, movies, and all your mobile audio vibrantly to life–all in the palm of your hand.
At first glance, Jawbone’s JAMBOX looks like a cute little speaker for your portable music player.
Correction: It is so much more.
With a mic, powerful speakers and seamless Bluetooth integration, the JAMBOX is a great hands-free speakerphone that happens to play music very, very well.
Weighing in at 12 ounces, the JAMBOX is a portable unit, but you’ll be surprised by what this small package can deliver. With an output capacity of 85 decibels, it can certainly fill a room with sound. And the device transitions into phone mode when you receive or make calls — automatically, intuitively and without fuss. When you hang up, the music resumes.
Sync the device with LiveAudio, an optional app from Jawbone that “enhances acoustic details” (in the company’s words), and it sound like you’re in the recording studio — the sound is that crisp. But the add-on is far from perfect: With the LiveAudio feature turned on, the maximum volume output suddenly becomes very soft. So, you’re faced with a dilemma: dynamic music or loud music — your choice. Nonetheless, the combination of design, features and portability make this a great gift for the on-the-go music lover.
The Second Half of the “Dynamic Duo”: The Seagate GoFlex Satellite
“Okay, I’m sold on the iPod Touch (4th Generation); however, this “streaming” and “iCloud” stuff has me concerned. I travel a lot and find myself without free Wi-Fi access everywhere I go. How am I going to watch video and listen to my music, if it’s not stored on my iPod and I don’t have access to the Internet?”
Well . . . let me introduce you to one of the greatest pieces of hardware that I have ever owned . . . and it will address all of your iPod or iPad storage concerns. How would you like to add 500 GB of storage to your iPod Touch or iPad?!
Here it is . . . the Seagate GoFlex Satellite:
I can tell you, without hesitation, that this is one of the best purchases I have ever made. (Don’t be misled by any negative reviews on Amazon.com. I, too, was a little disappointed in its performance when I first bought it; however, Seagate has since updated the firmware and the iPod/iPad app used to access the drive, and it now works great!)
“What is it?”, you ask.
It is a mobile, wireless 500 GB external hard drive, with a rechargeable battery, that transmits it’s own Wi-Fi signal!
The GoFlex Satellite device includes a fast USB 3.0/USB 2.0 connection and Media Sync software to easily transfer media and documents from your PC or Mac computer. The GoFlex Satellite can store hundreds of HD movies, so you’ll never have to worry about running out of space on your iPod/iPad. After you load your media, it can be streamed to your device via its Wi-Fi connection, making the solution completely wireless. Leave it in your bag, set it on the table, place it anywhere in the car – with a range of up to 100 ft you’ll never feel tethered to your storage.
Best of all, the GoFlex Satellite creates its own Wi-Fi network, so there’s no Internet required – take it all with you and access it wherever, whenever.
To enhance your experience even further, download the free GoFlex Media app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch from the iTunes store or the Apple App store directly from your device. The GoFlex Media app is tailored for the GoFlex Satellite allowing you to easily sort through your media library with filters, keyword search and folder and thumbnail views.
The app also allows you to download movies and other media from the GoFlex Satellite device, so that you can enjoy your content later, when not connected or extend the battery life of both your iPod/iPad and GoFlex Satellite device.
With all that media content readily available, it is only fair to share. The GoFlex Satellite device can stream movies and other media to almost any device that has a web browser and Wi-Fi connectivity. If your friends and family have a smartphone, iPod Touch, Android tablet or laptop, they can enjoy your media content too. The built-in battery enables the GoFlex Satellite device to standby, ready to serve media for up to 25 hours and can continuously stream up to 5 hours of video on a single charge.
If you’re in an airport, hotel, airplane, car, bus, or campsite without Internet access, the GoFlex Satellite will provide you with all the wireless video and music you could want . . . without taking up precious storage space on your iPod/iPad or other device.
In my opinion, if you like movies and music, and you want to add 500 GB of storage to your iPod or iPad, the Seagate GoFlex Satellite is a must buy!
A “Dynamic Duo”: The iPod Touch (4th Generation) and ?????
I would really like a new iPod Touch!
I already have an iPod Touch; however, unfortunately, it is one “generation” too old to take advantage of all the great features of iOS 5 (apparently, over 200 of them).
My Touch doesn’t have a single camera, the new ones have two! Therefore, with a new one, I could make video calls using FaceTime or Skype. Plus, I could use all the cool photo and video apps that aren’t any use to me (or are unavailable to me), because they require a camera. (I’m missing out on the whole Instagram thing! . . . and I can’t use iMovie!)
The other problem I have with my old Touch is that I wimped out and bought just the 8 GB model. I very quickly filled that with apps, and had no room for videos and music. If I were to get a new Touch, I’d probably go for the 64 GB model (just because I’m an “app addict”); however, iOS 5 has made it possible to live with even the 8 GB model.
How?
Well, to start with, even with the smallest capacity iPod Touch, you can stream video and music from Netflix, HBO Go, Pandora, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc., etc. without using a bunch of your storage space. Moreover, Apple has this incredible service called iTunes Match. For $24.99 per year, it will take up to 25,000 of your songs from your iTunes library and upload them to the cloud, from which you can access them whenever you have Internet access (which for almost everyone, is almost always). Even songs that you haven’t purchased from the iTunes store, such as songs that you have ripped from your own CDs, will be matched with the same song from the iTunes store, so that all of your music is the same high quality as if you had bought it from the iTunes store (all the music iTunes matches plays back from iCloud at 256-Kbps AAC DRM-free quality — even if your original copy was of lower quality).
Plus, with the new iCloud, you can store photos, documents, your calendar, mail, contacts, backups, etc. online. The first 5 GB is free and the price of extra storage (which you probably won’t need) is reasonable.
I won’t go on and on about the great features of the newest iPod Touch. You can go to Apple’s website and read all about it there . . . or go to Amazon.com and read some of the thousands of five-star reviews.
Now, some of you may be saying, “This “streaming” and “iCloud” stuff is all well and good, but I travel a lot and find myself without free Wi-Fi access everywhere I go. How am I going to watch video and listen to my music, if it’s not stored on my iPod and I don’t have access to the Internet?”
In my next post, I am going to introduce you to one of the greatest pieces of hardware that I have ever owned . . . and it will address all of your iPod or iPad storage concerns. It is to the iPod/iPad, what Robin is to Batman!
