Can a PC Be Upgraded Forever? [PCs]

This little aluminum computer has one big goal: To be the last PC you will ever need. That's what the manufacturer claims—"The Xi3 Modular's three boards will allow you to upgrade it forever." Maybe. I just like the color.

The tiny Xi3 Modular has one board with two AMD Athlon 64 processors and the RAM, while two I/O boards handle all connectivity and input/output requirements. They say that, by changing these boards you can "upgrade this computer forever" to save money and resources. Nice intentions, Captain Planet, but many computer manufacturers have tried the same approach only to discover that their modular technology always gets outdated, rendering their whole upgrade strategy into a broken pencil: Pointless.

Still, it's a nice little computer which is designed to be mounted anywhere. It comes with dual display support with 1080p DVI, VGA, HDMI, LVDS and DP output, plus 6 USB and 2 SATA Ports, Xi3p and PCIe, and it's available in limited quantities for $849. [XI3 via BusinessWire]

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Track Loss of iPhone Reception Using the RootMetrics App [IPhone Apps]

Whether it's for your own passive-aggressive diarising, or you actually plan on launching an appeal against AT&T, the RootMetrics app is worth a download. It's crowd-sourcing data for coverage maps...hopefully so networks can plug the holes. [RootMetrics via Gigaom]

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Emergency MicroSD Card-Reading Situations Are Catered For in ThinkGeek's Watch [Watches]

True nerdlingers probably use the time display on their TI graphics calculators, but one level up from those people would have this microSD card-reading watch strapped on at all times. Even bedtimes. Especially bedtimes. $16. [ThinkGeek via LikeCool]

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Seiko's 'active matrix' E Ink watch now up for pre-order

Does the time you spend at work away from your e-reader leave you crippled with the E Ink shakes? Well the good news is that Seiko's gorgeous atomic clock-syncing 'active matrix' E Ink watch we covered a while back is now available for pre-order via Amazon Japan. The bad news is that it's priced at ￥84,000 (on sale) -- which equates to roughly $1,022 based on current exchange rates. That's about five times more than Phosphor's latest 24 hour time zone mastering E Ink watch, or nearly enough cheddar to a buy one of Amazon's latest Kindles for everyday of the work week. Really, though, the price isn't too surprising coming from a respected watch company like Seiko, especially when you take into account its schmancy 180 degree viewing angle, geek-chic looks, and radio-controlled movement. Don't be misled by the 'active matrix' terminology however, because a matching leather trench coat isn't part of this deal.

[Thanks, P-A]

Seiko's 'active matrix' E Ink watch now up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung NX 100 gets reviewed, deemed a good option for the CSC curious

We've shared exclusives of Samsung's NX100 in the wild, gone hands on and even completed a quick and dirty mini review at Photokina this year, and for the most part walked away impressed by its i-Function lens controls and wallet-friendly price. Now, the folks at Photography Blog have shared their own exhaustive review of the mirror-less camera and recommend the NX10's little brother as a good option with a high-quality APS-C sensor for those looking to dip their toes in the Compact System Camera waters. However they were less enthused about the NX100's i-Function controls than we were, feeling the concept would work better on units with electronic viewfinders (which they missed on the NX100) -- since they can be held close to the eye as opposed to at arm's length. The lack of a built-in pop-up flash, and optical or in-body stabilisation was also a disappointment. Benefits like a good Smart Auto scene selection system, competitive focusing speed, and an impressive AMOLED 3-inch screen were mentioned as redeeming high points though, which combined with rock-bottom pricing, put the camera in a unique competition-undercutting position. For more juicy details, be sure to hit up the review link below.

Samsung NX 100 gets reviewed, deemed a good option for the CSC curious originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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