CompactFlash-based SSDs get tested

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/235365942/

Filed under: Laptops

You know how much we love SSDs around here, but getting one the legit way currently involves poking a rather large hole in your wallet -- so we were pretty interested to see how a jury-rigged SSD built using that CompactFlash-to-SATA adapter we spotted a while back would hold up. While we probably would have sprung for something a little larger than the 4GB drives used in the test, the results are pretty encouraging: DIY SSD drives were overall faster than the 1.8-inch traditional drive found in the MacBook Air, and even a little faster than the VAIO TZ's 64GB SSD. The drives were bested by a 7200rpm 2.5-inch drive and a 128GB SATA SSD, as you'd expect, but what we weren't expecting was the negligible hit on power consumption -- it looks like SSDs really don't use less power, as the unchanged battery life of the SSD MacBook Air hinted. Still -- you know we want one. Check out all the results and a little howto action after the break.

 

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Princeton's tiny Bluetooth adapter with big 300-foot range

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/235442403/

Filed under: Wireless

Yes sir, you're looking at a tiny 4.5 x 23 x 14-mm USB Bluetooth adapter with a hearty 100-meter range. It's also Bluetooth 2.0+EDR so you can expect to push a data rate of up to 3Mbps. Princeton's 10-meter adapter released in August now looks like school on Sundays -- no Class 1. Look for the PTM-UBT4 to hit Japan and beyond for ¥2,980 (about $28) later this month.

[Via Impress]

 

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Lightway OLED Shutters Could Mean It's Curtains for Curtains [Lightway]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/234932131/lightway-oled-shutters-could-mean-its-curtains-for-curtains

Louvered shutters may not be everyone's idea of a great time, but Damian Savio's spangly, light-up version sure is mine. The 23-year-old industrial design student designed them for his final-year show at the University of Western Sydney. Using OLEDs and advance transparent Photovoltaic Nanoscale technology, the Lightway shutters allow the sunlight in during the day, whilst storing energy in solar cells to power the crazy lights at nighttime. Suddenly I feel like I want to party.

[Swongled]

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Archos teams with SFR in France for building 3G+ into upcoming players

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/234375791/

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Wireless

With the likes of Apple and Garmin taking their respective expertise and pointing it toward the mobile phone world, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Archos is doing something similar. Unfortunately, it's fairly impossible at this stage to figure out what that thing is. All we know is that Archos has struck a deal with France's SFR to integrate 3G+ HSDPA data modems into its players -- a deal that was rumored late last year -- but whether that means beefed up mobile surfing and VoIP, or an all new phone product has yet to be seen.

[Thanks, Marien]

 

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Hands-on with NVIDIA's APX 2500, and yeah, it plays Quake

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/234402971/

Filed under: Cellphones

Yet another mobile platform, and this time with NVIDIA power. We had a chance to checkout the APX 2500 and its Quake skills at MWC today and we're definitely enthused about this new toy. Engadget Mobile has all the pics so just wander over via the link to see this thing in action.

 

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