Archive for the 'hardware' Category

Energy Star or black hole?

January 18, 2009

DeviceGuru received an interesting email describing several less-than-satisfactory experiences with the power-saving modes of “Energy Star compliant” consumer devices. The writer’s observations suggest a pressing need to amp up regulations governing consumer electronics power management.
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Free updates enhance Roku’s digital video player

December 22, 2008

[Updated Jan. 6, 2009] — Roku has announced two updates to its $99 box that streams Netflix movies directly to TVs via the Internet. The initial update adds advanced compression capable of streaming HD video over “average” consumer broadband connections, Roku says.
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Application processor market growing fast

December 9, 2008

The worldwide market for application processors will grow to nearly $2 billion by 2012, fueled by strong demand for smartphones and other mobile devices, predicts The Linley Group.
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SuperSpeed USB promises 5 Gbps

December 3, 2008

The USB Implementers Forum has completed its development of USB 3.0, aka “SuperSpeed USB.” The new specification, offering a maximum data transfer rate ten times that of USB 2.0, is now available for download.
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New BlockBuster VOD box runs Linux

November 26, 2008

In a better-late-than-never move, Blockbuster has introduced a video-on-demand (VOD) service accompanied by a “free” set-top box (STB). Like TiVo, Roku’s Netflix box, and many other modern Internet-enabled A/V gadgets, Blockbuster’s new VOD STB runs Linux.
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