Budget-Friendly Home Theater Gear

While Home Theater-related products certainly abound, some at astronomical price points, there's no need to break the bank with each purchase as a vast array of cable and equipment management solutions are available at every price point – many of which thankfully solve some really annoying problems. Consider these cost-effective Home Theater solutions:

Universal Remote: $216

A universal remote control will allow the lucky owner to relax to the fullest extent and focus on you and your guests instead of the equipment. The Logitech Harmony 880 is one advanced universal remote that can control all entertainment systems with the touch of a button. It's optimized for complicated HDTV and PVR systems to help you set-up difficult configurations. For example, the interactive color display lets you quickly choose a 16:9 ratio for movies and HDTV, or the standard 4:3 ratio for basic television programming.

PowerSquid Home Theater Surge Protector: $62.95

The PowerSquid Home Theater Surge Protector is one of the most sophisticated and effective power appliances around. The numerous added features offer supreme surge protection for you home theater, computer, or general electrical equipment. The enhanced reach, flexibility, and room for adapter plugs make the PowerSquid easier to use than traditional strips. This premium edition comes equipped with a fail-safe circuit and alarm to provide superior protection in the event of a lightning strike or severe power surge.

Video Projection Screens: From $465

VU-EASY's economical video projection screen offers outstanding quality and value. It features an ultra flat viewing surface and fabric secured to the frame with Velcro, which assures a permanently tensioned screen. The extruded aluminum frame is powder coated matte black for durability, and all brackets are included. Custom sizes available.

Surface Raceways: From $2.99

Non metallic wiring management systems such as surface raceways are a functional, affordable, attractive solution for wire enclosure applications. Surface raceways can include a full complement of accessories such as pre-applied adhesive backing, fittings, inside and outside corners so your wire management systems can be 100% customized. All parts are made of strong, durable, lightweight, UL 94-VO compliant PVC that is also paintable to match perfectly walls, ceilings and even baseboards.

Label Printers: From $7.99

These nifty gadgets take the frustration and guesswork out of that Home Theater cable and wiring octopus down below. Perhaps the most versatile gadget on earth, with dozens of makes and models to choose from, label printers can be a life saver. The DYMO RhinoPRO 3000 Printer is an affordable portable label printer that was specifically designed for residential use, with exclusive "Hot Keys" providing easy, one-touch labeling of many common functions including cable wraps and flags, fixed lengths, distribution panels, vertical labels and much more.

Home Theater Slide Out Racks & Shelving Systems: From $16.11

Middle Atlantic's REB rotating sliding base - starting at $142.02 - allows you to gain simple and easy access to the rear panels, connections, and cables of all your home theater electronic components in small cabinets and entertainment centers. You can slide and rotate the base to the left or the right and it will stop at 60° to prevent any strain on the cables. The rotating sliding base comes complete with cable management accessories to organize wires and eliminate cable clutter behind the cabinet. Self-adhesive Velcro feet are also included to prevent movement of your equipment when pulling out or rotating the base. A locking mechanism stops any accidental movement of components. Available in 14" or 18" depth to allow for a wide variety of component depths and cabinetry.

Monster Video 1 Component Video Cable: $39.95

Offers improved performance for the best possible picture. MV1CV features a dual foil and high-purity, high density braided copper shielding to reject interference. A low-density structured foam dielectric ensures low-loss video signal transfer.

Security Lock Boxes: From $68.47

Rackmount Lockboxes from Middle Atlantic will keep frequently used gear and spare parts exactly where they need it. No need to waste time scurrying to different locations to pick up essential gear and parts. It's right there under lock and key. Each model has a useful depth of 9".

1.3a Certified / ATC Certified HDMI Cables: From $6.99

HDMI 1.3a adds six benefits to the HDMI line of cables. The most obvious and easiest to understand is higher data transfer speed. HDMI 1.3a increases the data transfer speed of your system to 340MHz (10.2 Gbps). This 24k gold plated cable is a perfect match for your high definition television (HDTV), Blu-ray player, Sony Playstation 3, Xbox 360, satellite dish, or cable box.

How would you change Nikon’s D300S?

Nikon's D300S isn't exactly tailor made for D300 owners, but for those waiting patiently to jump into the semi-pro DSLR game, it offers up a pretty delightful array of specs. Boasting SD and CF slots, a 720p movie mode and 12.3 megapixels of sharp shooting goodness, this here cam received overwhelmingly positive reviews late last year. Strategically positioned between the full-frame D700 and the lesser-specced D90, we're sure the D300S found its way into quite a few hearts (and under quite a few trees) between then and now. If you've been firing off snaps with one of these for a few months now, we're curious to know how you'd tweak things if the power were yours. Does the "S" really add enough to the D300 package to warrant the boost in price? How's the image quality? Is the video mode a-okay for your purposes? Spill your heart out in comments below -- we're here to hold your hand if necessary.

Alienware now shipping 23-inch OptX AW2310 1080p 3D monitor

Just a hunch here, but we're guessing that Alienware's CES stash all hit the production line at right about the same time. During the past day, we've seen the company's M15x, M17x and OptX AW2310 hit the shipping stage, the latter of which is the firm's first-ever 3D monitor. Checking in at 23-inches and boasting a full 1080p panel, this one also packs a 3 millisecond response time, 120Hz refresh rate and stereoscopic support when NVIDIA's GeForce 3D Vision Kit is utilized. It's up for order right now at $469, but if you follow that Logicbuy link down there, you'll be able to snag it (for a limited time) for $449.10. Too bad that 3D kit will set you back another $200, but hey, no one said that witnessing the third dimension was cheap. Or remotely interesting. But mostly cheap.

Apple ipad Pre-Order through Amazon.com

Amazon.com has a signup page where you can be notified on when the Apple Ipad will become available for Pre-Order. If the Apple Ipad sells like the Iphone did, it will be a smart move to Pre-order it if you really want it.

Apple Ipad Pre-Order Page

A truly revolutionary device, the Apple iPad is perfect for your mobile computing lifestyle, including browsing the Web, reading and sending e-mail, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, and much more. It features a brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display with IPS technology that delivers crisp, clear images and consistent color and a highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display that’s Amazingly accurate and responsive–whether you’re scrolling Web pages or playing games.

Measuring just 0.5 inches thin and weighing a mere 1.5 pounds, the iPad is easy to carry and use anywhere. There’s also a slight curve to the back. Which makes it easy to pick up and comfortable to hold. This version of the Apple iPad comes with 16 GB of internal flash memory and ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking.

The iPad runs almost all apps from the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone or iPod touch. And the iPad comes with 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, including Mail, Photos, Maps, Notes, and YouTube.

Reading and sending e-mail is on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Import photos from a Mac, PC or digital camera, then see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube–all in HD.

The iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using a standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or Windows-based PC. Other features include up to 10 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR connectivity, and built-in speakers plus 3.5mm headphone jack.

Apple Ipad Pre-Order Page

iPad CNET Review

It’s hard to argue the fact that this week’s Apple iPad launch disappointed the tech crowd, and not just because of that inexplicable name. Despite its lovely design, beefier core apps, and new e-book features and store, the iPad is hampered by a well-documented string of missing features: a camera, 16:9 support, Flash support (seriously?), multitasking, SD card slot, HDMI or high-res video output support, USB ports, GPS, and so on. Plus, it’s exclusive to the AT&T network (again: seriously?) in this iteration, the pricing scheme is overly complex, and while I’m not sure it’s genuinely overpriced, it’s nevertheless expensive, and you can’t imagine the price going much lower without crashing into the 64GB iPod Touch and making the iPad look a lot like a sucker’s buy.

OK, but all that said, I think we all need to take a deep breath and remember: it’s not that the iPad is a failure. It’s just a product ahead of its time. No one should actually buy this iPad–between its inevitable first-generation bugs, fulfillment problems, and buyer’s remorse over added features and price drops, it’s heartbreak waiting to happen. Try to think of the iPad as, like, a proof of concept. A concept car, even. A work in progress, really.

Now, I know tablet PCs are nothing new, and I know Microsoft’s been trying to get the idea off the ground for a decade now. But this is the concept design for the e-reader/media device we’ll all own in three to five years–when every publication is available as a feature-rich, interactive reading experience, when Apple (or someone else) has introduced the Newsstand app store with some actual newspaper and magazine content partners, and when prices are in the $100 to $200 range and 3G wireless is not a $130 add-on (SERIOUSLY?), and the idea of consuming just 250MB of data a month on a true multimedia device is recognized as the belly-busting joke that it is.

Right now, the iPad is a product in search of a market. It’s kind of poorly implemented, feature-wise; it’s been poorly articulated, market-wise; and it’s hard to imagine why on earth you’d ever need such a thing at such a price. But I think there will be a market for a touch-screen, all-in-one device that’s more than a Kindle and less than a laptop, and it’s easy to imagine getting all my media on one slick Internet-connected device that also works as one heck of a pretty digital picture frame.

Here’s what Apple needs to do: stop trying to convince me that an iPad is better than a Netbook. That’s not the point. I have plenty of things in my life that can bring me a calendar, music, photos, and touch-screen painting. I don’t need more of that (no matter how pretty you make it). Don’t try to put the iPad between a laptop and a smart phone–that positioning doesn’t make any sense to anyone, and no one needs that.

Start pitching this thing as the actual replacement for paper. Get some serious content deals with periodicals and papers, and maybe even offer a combined subscription service that lets you choose 8 or 10 papers and magazines for a flat fee. Get the bookstore up to Amazon stock levels, put an e-ink/LCD hybrid display in the next version, and get serious about what this really is: a multimedia reader. (Also, get your product line and pricing in order and stop trying to act like a 3G chip really costs an extra $130.) See you in three to five years!

Mass Effect 2 Romance Guide

Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare Edmonton and published by Electronic Arts. Many are now into this game and gamers are now searching for the Mass Effect 2 Romance Guide.

The beginning of the “Romance” subplot begins on Eden Prime, when the player, Kaiden and Ashley find the beacon. Some people may find it hard to accomplish the stage, that’s why many are looking for this plot’s Mass Effect 2 walkthrough guide, which you can find here.

The game is the sequel to Mass Effect, and was released on Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in North America and India on January 26, 2010, and in Australia on January 28, 2010 with subsequent release in Europe for January 29, 2010.

iPAD Review Video

Last night Apple launched its iPad but for many people it was a disappointment. During its launch there was more silence than applause for the Apple product that should be called as super gadget. Steve Jobs had commented on it as being better than laptop and a smart phone. But without flash it does not fulfill the promise of being better than laptop and a smart phone. After the launch of this iPad the market was so much disappointed that its share frequently fell down. The disappointment of the people is also related to the fact that AT&T is the sole 3G carrier for the iPad.
Following are the features that are missing in the iPad due to which it gained so much disappointment.

• iPad USB ports – USB ports in this iPad are absent, so a person can’t plug in his USB drive to transfer photos to it.
• iPad Flash – As Apple won’t approve Flash player so no flash support is present there.
• iPad Multi-tasking – Multi-tasking is unacceptable for a Tablet having a starting price-point of $499 so it is not present in it.
• iPad Camera – No camera is present on the front or back of the iPad.

Apple iPad Accessories Details

A gadget as svelte as the iPad needs to trim a few odds and ends to deliver that lightweight, streamlined form factor. And if you’d like to get the most out of your wunder-gadget (or oversized iPod Touch), you’ll be buying those odds and ends back piecemeal.

Apple’s iPad site doesn’t offer much information or release dates for the recently announced accessories, but expect the vibrant third-party market to step in and offer cheaper alternatives once the device is available.

iPad Keyboard Dock – $69

Steve Jobs may have dismissed the Netbook, but many road warriors are going to need something a little more tactile than an onscreen keyboard for hammering out prose. Someone at Apple agrees: the iPad Keyboard Dock is arguably the first must-have accessory.

Much like a regular dock, it’ll charge your iPad. You’ll also be able to use it to sync to your computer, and offers an audio jack to connect your iPad to a proper stereo. It also includes a 30-pin connector, so you’ll be able to connect iPad accessories, too. But the most important feature is the integrated full-size keyboard, which bears a striking similarity to the Apple Keyboard, bundled with iMac purchases.

iPad Dock – $29

If you think the onscreen keyboard will suffice, plan on picking up a Bluetooth keyboard, or you’d just like a spare dock for the office, you can always buy a plain old charging dock. It offers the same features — the ability to sync, an audio jack and 30-pin connector, and charging capabilities, but doesn’t include a keyboard.

iPad Case – $39

The iPad’s tablet form factor presents a very real ergonomic dilemma: how exactly will you hold this thing for extended periods of time? Will you hunch over a table while watching a film, or be restricted to typing on your lap?

The iPad Case offers one solution: a triangular kickstand props the tablet up at comfortable angles — upright for watching media, and inclined for typing. While it looks like leather, it’s reportedly made from a soft, rubbery microfiber material. Not your style? Fret not — cases are one of the most popular accessories, and you’ll be drowning in options long before the device is actually starts shipping.

iPad Camera Connection Kit – $29

Even the lowliest of netbooks include a USB port and SD card reader — a pair of dongles will provide similar functionality for your iPad. The Camera Connection Kit consists of a pair of dongles that will plug in to your dock, or into the 30-pin connector port at the base of your iPad.

One dongle will allow you to import photos directly from your camera’s USB cable, while the other will let you pull content from an SD card. Juggling the pair of to handle such mundane tasks is disappointing, to say nothing of having to pony up $30 for the inconvenience. But such is the price of skinny, light tech.

Apple iPad Specs

Apple has published a page of iPad specs detailing the capacities, dimensions, and features of the device. According to the page, the device is 9.56″ tall and 7.47″ wide, with a depth of just 0.5″ and a weight of 1.5 pounds. Units with the 3G option weigh 1.6 pounds.

The screen has a resolution of 1024 x 768 (132 pixels per inch) on a 9.7″ (diagonal) display. The screen itself resists fingerprints through an oleophobic coating. It will play 720p HD video at 30 frames per second, though true 720p resolution is 1280 x 720.

Apple is offering the iPad in either a 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB capacities, all of which are built around a 1GHz Apple A4 processor. The device has up to 10 hours of battery life between charges with up to one month of standby time.

It includes an iPhone/iPod Dock connector, a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, and has a built-in microphone and speakers. WiFi + 3G versions of the unit also include a SIM card tray.

The device includes a built-in digital compass like the iPhone 3GS, as well as an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor. The WiFi + 3G model includes assisted GPS, as well as cellular data connection through 3G.

Mac system requirements

* Mac computer with USB 2.0 port
* Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later
* iTunes 9.0 or later
* iTunes Store account
* Internet access

Windows system requirements

* PC with USB 2.0 port
* Windows 7, Windows Vista; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later
* iTunes 9.0 or later
* iTunes Store account
* Internet access

Apple a4 cpu processor chip

Along with the iPad, the Apple chip has arrived.

Called the A4, (“A” presumably for Apple), the most obvious difference with the chip in the iPhone 3GS is speed. The iPad’s chip runs at 1GHz, compared to the estimated 600MHz (0.6GHz) of the iPhone 3GS. On Wednesday, at the event in San Francisco, the A4 was billed as “the most advanced chip” Apple has done yet. While fast, it’s also frugal with power. “The A4 chip is so power efficient that it helps iPad get up to 10 hours of battery life,” according to Apple’s iPad Web page.

By definition, the A4 is a system-on-a-chip, or SOC, that integrates the main processor, graphics silicon, and other functions like the memory controller on one piece of silicon–not unlike what Intel is trying to achieve with its future “Moorestown” Atom processor. And a similar SOC chip architecture is already used in the iPhone and other smartphones, such as Google’s Nexus One and Motorola’s Droid.

Based on what Apple has achieved with the iPhone 3GS, the chip should deliver a snappy interface. Of course, as in any 3G smartphone or laptop with a 3G connection, the 3G service can often be the weak link in performance, not the processor.

And speaking of 3G, the iPad will offer two AT&T plans. One is 250MB of data every month for $15; the other, an unlimited plan for $30 per month. Note that in the iPhone 3GS, Infineon supplies the 3G chip.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs called it the “best (Web) browsing experience you’ve ever had. A whole Web page right in front of you that you can manipulate with your fingers. Way better than a laptop,” in a video of the event streamed by CNET. That browsing experience, of course, will rely on the chip’s ability to handle the background tasks as users access images and video.

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