http://www.techrevu.com Technology Reviews and News en-en http://www.techrevu.com/IMAGES/rss.jpg http://www.techrevu.com http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5345 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5345 The 2012 Toy Fair held in NYC from February 12-15th is a major industry event that any kid would love to get in to see, but it's only open to members of the trade...and the press. We're looking forward to pulling the curtain back on the techiest toys of twenty twelve...even if we have to miss Valentines day for it. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5342 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5342 Even though Eye-Fi is a member in good standing of the Secure Digital Association (SDA) and a company that has been making Wi-Fi-enabled SD cards almost exclusively for seven years, apparently the SDA is attempting to circumvent Eye-Fi's patents by introducing iSDIO (Intelligent SD Input-Output), a competing wireless card specification that almost identical to the functionality found throughout Eye-Fi's range of SD cards. Is this a case of the bigger members pushing their agenda at the expense of one of their smaller members? We suspect that only the lawyers will win. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5343 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5343 Although the hardcover of 'The Grand Design', written by world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and fellow physicist Leonard Mlodinow of Caltech has been out since September 2010, it still shocks many people when they read the conclusions reached by the authors. How about 'M theory', a version of String Theory? And just in case you can't find a copy of the hardcover, the paperback will be released on February 21, 2012. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5337 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5337 Q: What natural fiber is fashionable, yet stronger than Kevlar? The answer is spider silk, particularly the unique silk from the Golden Orb spider of Madagascar, a large spider with a leg span as big as a hand. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5338 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5338 Currently there are 68 Airbus A380 superjumbo jets flying across the world, and for the second time in as many weeks hairline cracks have been reported in the wings of the doubledecker aircraft. This has led to the European Aviation Safety Agency ordering inspections of 20 of them, said inspections to take place over the next 6 weeks. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5339 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5339 Rumors surrounding the future of the Eastman Kodak Company came to a head as it announced on Thursday January 19, 2012 that it and its U.S. subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. While we were aware that Kodak held 1,100 patents, we admit to being surprised that their pioneering investments in digital and materials deposition technologies in recent years generated approximately 75% of their revenue in 2011. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5340 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5340 Now that Apple has just released iBooks Author (a free Mac app for creating digital books for the new version of iBooks), people are receiving a massive shock while reading the specifics of its EULA (End User License Agreement). The highly contentious section is found at the top as:

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you charge a fee for any book or other work you generate using this software (a "Work"), you may only sell or distribute such Work through Apple (e.g., through the iBookstore) and such distribution will be subject to a separate agreement with Apple. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5341 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5341 Prior to the protests against the Stop Online Piracy (SOPA) and Protect IP (PIPA) Acts held on January 18, 2012, you had the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Congress, and the US Senate on one side of the divide and Silicon Valley and most Americans on the other side. Following the massive online protests in which an estimated 50,000 websites such as Wikipedia went black for a day and more than 7 million people signed a petition opposed to PIPA and SOPA linked on Google's homepage, 14 Senators have backpedaled on the issue like Pro Bowl cornerbacks. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5334 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5334 If your looking to upgrade from the original iPad or the newer iPad 2, then news that the upcoming iPad 3 has been in full production in Foxconn's Chinese factories since the beginning of 2012, taking a break for the Chinese New Year later this month, and then restarting in February. Expected to hit the market in March, anonymous sources said that the iPad 3 will feature a high-definition screen, a quad core processor, and support LTE (long-term evolution) networks. This sounds like a big improvement over its predecessors. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5335 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5335 If Microsoft keeps to its schedule of releasing a new version of Windows every 3 years, they will release Windows 8 this coming October. Rumored features include improved power efficiency, improved device security, and compatibility with ARM-based chips such as tablets and next generation PCs, meaning that Windows 8 will probably be the most versatile version of Windows yet. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5336 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5336 If the idea of the the upcoming iPad 3 doesn't get your pulse racing, perhaps the Asus MeMo 370T running Android Ice Cream Sandwich might be more to your tastes. Using Nvidia's Tegra 3 quad-core processor, the MeMo 370T will feature a 1280 by 800 display that utilizes a uses a technology called in-plane switching to provide you with wide viewing angles. Other specs include 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, but no front-facing camera. Expect the MeMo 370T to hit the market in the second quarter of 2012. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5333 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5333 It's now the day after CES 2012 and the four major themes that PC World highlighted are ultrabooks (between 30 and 70 of them) and what it sees as their impending showdown with tablets for consumer dollars; the 'avalanche of apps' it sees on the horizon; the future of tech after the death of Steve Jobs and what it means for both Apple and their competition; and the possible future of CES. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5332 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5332 Lenovo took full advantage of CES 2012 to introduce a nice selection of laptops, desktops, and all-in-ones, ranging from entry level models, ultra laptops, and mini laptops to powerful multimedia laptops, touchscreen all-in-ones (AIOs), and upgradeable desktops. Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5330 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5330 In "Field Of Dreams" the catchphrase was "If you build it, they will come." Now that 3D printers are coming down in price, being able to print a 3D model of something you yourself designed using a 3D modelling program is becoming more affordable. The MakerBot Replicator is not exactly inexpensive at $1,749.00, but it is still much less expensive than the majority of 3D printers on the market. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5331 http://www.techrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=5331 With Photoshop CS6 due out shortly, Adobe broke with tradition and informed their loyal customers that only owners of CS5+ will be able to upgrade to CS6 and owners of CS3 and CS4 will have to buy the complete suite. Given that this is a major break with tradition, owners of CS3 and CS4 made no attempts to hide their displeasure and they let Adobe know they were furious. While Adobe's initial decision was ill-advised, they rapidly reversed their course of action and now owners of Photoshop CS3, CS4, and CS5 will all be able to upgrade to CS6. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700