Tech Blog - Page 2

Sony’s Alpha NEX-5N is the latest iteration in their E-series of “system cameras” Many manufacturers have shied away from the name they used to use for cameras like this; it seems that calling them mirrorless cameras was making customers uncomfortable. The  questions of “where did the mirror go?” and “why don’t I have a mirror?” 

If you’re in the know these questions might seem silly to you, but if you’re not, here’s the breakdown: system cameras have been built to bridge the gap between high end point and shoot models, and DSLRs. It seems that consumers are looking for a camera that has the power of an interchangeable lens model with the ease of use of a pocket camera. 

As all Canadians enjoy the Victoria Day long weekend, it’s time to get the patio ready for BBQ season and find the best grill for your home or apartment. 

As another in Motorola’s line of Elite Bluetooth headsets, the Flip is typical and contemporary in its design but offers some of the same features the Elite Silver does. That includes Bluetooth 3.0, HD Audio+ for clearer calls, CrystalTalk noise-cancelling dual mics, an NFC chip and good battery life.

If you’re a student in the market for a new PC, Microsoft has a pretty good offer for you. This one is great for students looking for that new laptop to take to university in the autumn. Pick up a qualifying Windows 7-based PC and they’ll throw in an Xbox 360 4GB console for free while supplies last.

Bluetooth headsets may not be for everyone, but even detractors have to admit that they’ve really come a long way on aesthetics. The bigger, clunky models are a thing of the past, and in their stead are stylish and uniquely designed ones like Motorola’s Elite Silver headset. As a model that doesn’t really “hang” off the ear, it offers a sturdy fit, and complements that with noise-cancellation and good two-way audio quality.

All things in life, as with the Force, have a Light Side and a Dark Side. The Logitech Harmony 900 Universal Remote Control has both.

A bit of a background. I have a history with Logitech Harmony remotes and currently own a Logitech Harmony 720. I've always found them challenging to program and set up. As well, in my experience, Logitech has never really succeeded in pairing 'Activities' (watching TV, listening to streamed music, etc) with my devices or components. My wife sets up and maintains our current Harmony remote -- I get frustrated with it.

So, when I was offered the chance to take a look at the Logitech Harmony 900 I was curious. Has Logitech been able to address my concerns? Let's find out...

Earlier this week I picked up an Eye-Fi Pro X2 SD card to review for photo month. It’s the evolution of the original Eye-Fi card, cutting the cord for a lot of photographers out there.

But you might be wondering “What’s an Eye-Fi card at all?!”. Good question! It’s an SD card that has a built-in Wi-Fi radio. When you think about it, it’s pretty impressive: cramming a Wi-Fi radio INTO an SD card can’t be easy, and getting one that will broadcast through the bodies of modern cameras... well it’s an impressive engineering feat to be sure!

So why would you want one?

Samsung made it official just this past April; The 10.1” Galaxy Tab 2 was coming. Since then there hasn’t been much info to sink our teeth into and even a few rumours that productions plans may be delayed to make way for a new hardware revision but that appears to not be the case.  The tablet is indeed coming out soon as originally planned. Sooner than we thought, in fact. 

On Thursday CCP Games, the masterminds behind the ambitious, player-driven MMO Eve Online, announced that beta registration is now open for their upcoming free-to-play MMOFPS, Dust 514.  The first batch of keys were sent out yesterday to Eve Online players who signed up for the closed beta, with more being released soon. 

The Game of Thrones franchise has already seen massive success through books and now the hit TV series. People can’t get enough of George R. R. Martin’s epic world of fantasy. For the past seven years Cyanide Studio has been working on this RPG game based on it. They worked with the author to craft a story true to the universe without overlapping the books, rather than merely attempting to adapt the novels directly into a game.

For Halo fans, the release of Halo 4 might as well be considered a national holiday.  So what will millions of Halo fans be playing when the game launches on November 6?  Multiplayer of course, and it just so happens this time around 343 Industries promises the new "Halo Infinity Multiplayer" offering will redefine the Halo multiplayer experience.  In fact, the development studio promises that Halo 4's multiplayer is so innovative that it will redefine how gamers think about storytelling and multiplayer experiences altogether.

Let’s start off this holiday weekend (woo hoo! wait, I freelance, we don’t get stat holidays…) with a pair of homescreens for you. Brad Grier (one of the Original Six Future Shop bloggers, who like me is back from a hiatus) gives us not just one, but two “homescreens” to check out...

As has become standard with EA Sports, they’ve unveiled new details on some of the features and innovations we can expect to see in NHL 13 when it launches on September 11. Given that the franchise has had next to no competition over the last few years, it’s hard to see them push the envelope too much, but a couple of these features should be well-received.

We started off with the easiest option—the Apple Wireless Keyboard—and then I covered one of the best options (I think)—the ZAGG keyboard—and just to be thorough, I’m going to talk about, well, another option that is…interesting. It’s using the Camera Connector Kit to connect a USB keyboard.

I have another homescreen for you today. A little bigger than an iPhone or iPod touch too. We have Gadjo Sevilla’s Blackberry Playbook to check out today. Interesting, and rather sad, device the Playbook. One of those “it could have been a contender only if…” stories. By all accounts it’s a solid device that was hampered by RIM itself. Pity. Regardless we’re here to see how someone uses one so let’s get too it.