Stories by Melissa J. Perenson

Budget ebook reader debuts

Move over, Kindle, a new e-book reader is in town -- and it's coming from a newcomer to the consumer electronics universe. Britain-based Interead is the first company beyond heavyweights Amazon and Sony to offer both a hardware reader and a sales pipeline for acquiring ebook content.

How to Buy a Monitor

Everyone needs a good monitor to get the most out of a PC. But which monitor you need depends on several factors--what applications you use, how much room you have on your desk, how much space you need on a virtual desktop, and of course how much you want to spend. From standard-issue 19-inchers to 30-inch monsters, here's how to sort out what you need.

Sony Refreshes Bravia HDTV Line

Sony Electronics showed off its latest high-definition televisions Wednesday. The new HDTV models reflect the company's emphasis on improved color reproduction, fast 240Hz refresh rates, and Internet connectivity.

New Wireless Standard Gets Big Name Backing

TransferJet wireless capability is getting closer to reality. The technology, which is being developed by major camera makers Sony, Olympus, Canon, Kodak, Nikon, is intended to make it easier for to transfer your images between devices wirelessly.

Keyboard Learns, Self-Adjusts to Your Typing Style

We all know about the need to take breaks stave off muscle fatigue, but let's face it: hours can pass while we stay in the same keyboard, pounding on our keyboards. Smartfish Technologies is bringing a new, smarter keyboard to market in March. The wired keyboard, expected to sell for US$150, automatically adjusts itself over the course of a day.

USB 3.0 promises faster speeds, backward compatibility

Nearly a decade after USB 2.0 was first introduced, this practically ubiquitous technology is poised for its first major upgrade in years. Symwave, a semiconductor startup, and hard-drive maker Seagate are showing the first working demonstration of SuperSpeed--otherwise known as USB 3.0-- at CES 2009. The company's demo setup includes an adaptation of an external Seagate FreeAgent hard drive equipped with the new interface, and shows the high read/write throughput and streaming video performance potential of USB 3.0.

The T-Mobile G1 'Google phone' is a tweaker's delight

At first glance, the T-Mobile G1 (US$179) doesn't seem to merit much attention. It looks like just another bland, HTC-manufactured phone. But use the G1--the first phone to run Google's Android operating system -- for 5 minutes, and you'll start to see why it's one of the best-designed phones you can buy. Not only is the G1 intuitive to use, but its customization options (via Android) makes it a tweaker's delight.

Acrobat 9 aims to reinvent PDFs

Adobe's Acrobat software has evolved beyond merely reading Adobe's Portable Document Format files. With the new Acrobat 9, Adobe adds features that elevate Acrobat to a potential must-have application for business and individuals alike.

Toshiba after HD DVD: What lies ahead?

By now Toshiba's decision to [[ArtId:1019495862 | no longer develop]], manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders is public knowledge. What's next for the company, and for consumers who bought into the format it supported? A close look at Toshiba's press release reveals some answers.

HD DVD price cut shakes up format wars

Mere days after a group of Blu-ray-supporting studios orchestrated an event to show off the Blu-ray Disc format in Los Angeles, the HD DVD format achieved a dramatic resurgence with Toshiba's move to a $100 player. Never let it be said that consumers don't love a bargain--but will price alone decide this format war?

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