Yahoo hasn’t made as large of an impact on the world of VoIP as Skype or Vonage has, but that doesn’t mean it did not try to leave its mark. Using the popular Yahoo! Messenger service one can get pretty simple VoIP service that is also pretty cheap. However, if you don’t have a phone that works with the system you are limited to a microphone and speakers or a headset in terms of actually talking on the phone using the service.
That is where the Linksys CIT310 Yahoo Phone comes into play. It is the only official phone on the market that is designed to work in sync with Yahoo’s internet phone service. And it works with it very well. Installation is pretty simple: it plugs in through a USB port and there are minimal amounts of software you will need to install in order to get the phone to work.
Once it is installed, the Linksys CIT310 phone connects directly with your Yahoo Messenger. You can, for example, see when your friends are online through the handset on the phone (it is cordless, of course), you can set your online status, check the weather and use the Yahoo! yellow pages functionality (meaning you can search for businesses in your area right from the handset).
Calls made over the Linksys CIT310 are crystal-clear, much higher quality than you would get from a headset using the Yahoo! phone services. Unfortunately this clarity somewhat depends on your Internet connection, you’ll definitely need a high quality high-speed internet set-up (DSL, Cable, etc.) in order to use the phone properly. You pretty much need to keep the Internet connection clear, though, no major downloading or anything else heavy on the network going on when you are using the phone.
The handset on the Linksys CIT310 Yahoo phone is pretty powerful in terms of range. The range goes up to 100 feet and offers the same crystal clear clarity all the way for those 100 feet. Walls and buildings can cut up the range a little bit, but for the most part this badboy will go just about anywhere you want to go; it is a lot more powerful than many normal cordless phones.
In fact, the Linksys CIT310 not only has compatibility with Yahoo Messenger phone services, it also works as a cordless phone all of its own. It is a dual-mode phone, meaning that it can work not only through Yahoo Messenger but also just by plugging it into your phoneline.
At about 80 dollars the phone is a little bit expensive, but it offers plenty of functionality for the price. Especially since the Yahoo phone system it works with it pretty cheap: you can get your own phone number through Yahoo Messenger for a minimal $3.00 a month, and long distance services are only $0.02 for anywhere in the US, cheaper to some countries (like Canada, only $0.01 a minute). It is a powerful system and very portable, if you want to use Yahoo phone services the Linksys CIT310 Yahoo phone is an excellent addition.
http://www.nceita.org/linsksys-cit310-yahoo-phone.html
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Microsoft Zune Review
Microsoft would badly like to take away Apple’s title as king of the MP3 player world, and the Microsoft Zune is their attempt to take the crown for itself. This is their first foray into the world of MP3 players, and only time will tell if the Zune line of products will one day be able to one day take the top spot.
The Zune offers an impressive 30 GB hard drive, meaning you can fit a whole lot of media on there. It’s got a decent sized 3 inch screen, good for both pictures as well as video. The graphical UI is pretty simple and straight forward, as well as nice to look at, so there isn’t too much of a learning curve when you first pick up a Zune and start playing all sorts of music and videos, as well as looking at your pictures.
It definitely looks pretty stylish and comes in three colors: black, white and brown. Nothing too terribly fancy but definitely appealing to the eye. This is all done in a package that isn’t too large and isn’t too small, it’s a pretty nice fit, actually. It is a bit bigger than a similarly sized iPod, but oh well.
Like the iPod the Zune comes with its own online store: the Zune Marketplace. Here you can buy all the music that you want and put it into place on your handy dandy Microsoft Zune. It runs following a set-up similar to Napster and other online music stores, part of the problem is, though, that currently there are no movies for sale through the Zune Marketplace, you can only buy music.
Another problem with the Zune is the fact that it isn’t backwards compatible with Windows Media Audio (WMA). Basically it only works with WMA-DRM 9.1 and up files; if you’ve got WMA-DRM 9.0 or less, well, it isn’t going to work with the Microsoft Zune. Even a bigger slap in the face is the fact that it doesn’t WMV files for movies. Considering that this is the official video format for the Windows Media Player and other Microsoft products, this really doesn’t make any sense to me. Since WMV is known for being able to produce high quality video playback in a smaller size than, say, the MP4, this is a real let down.
One of the highlights of the Microsoft Zune is its wi-fi compatibility. This makes it very simple to share files between two Zune players. Of course, both people have to have the Zune in order to do this wi-fi sharing, which means you’ll have to hope you have friends who also use the Zune to share. The shared files also have limited playback; you can only play them every so often.
At $250 the Microsoft Zune isn’t too badly priced, and it is pretty easy to use. The biggest drawback is definitely its playback support; it only supports some files and there are a lot of major file formats that can’t be played, particularly when it comes to video files.
http://www.nceita.org/microsoft-zune-review.html
The Zune offers an impressive 30 GB hard drive, meaning you can fit a whole lot of media on there. It’s got a decent sized 3 inch screen, good for both pictures as well as video. The graphical UI is pretty simple and straight forward, as well as nice to look at, so there isn’t too much of a learning curve when you first pick up a Zune and start playing all sorts of music and videos, as well as looking at your pictures.
It definitely looks pretty stylish and comes in three colors: black, white and brown. Nothing too terribly fancy but definitely appealing to the eye. This is all done in a package that isn’t too large and isn’t too small, it’s a pretty nice fit, actually. It is a bit bigger than a similarly sized iPod, but oh well.
Like the iPod the Zune comes with its own online store: the Zune Marketplace. Here you can buy all the music that you want and put it into place on your handy dandy Microsoft Zune. It runs following a set-up similar to Napster and other online music stores, part of the problem is, though, that currently there are no movies for sale through the Zune Marketplace, you can only buy music.
Another problem with the Zune is the fact that it isn’t backwards compatible with Windows Media Audio (WMA). Basically it only works with WMA-DRM 9.1 and up files; if you’ve got WMA-DRM 9.0 or less, well, it isn’t going to work with the Microsoft Zune. Even a bigger slap in the face is the fact that it doesn’t WMV files for movies. Considering that this is the official video format for the Windows Media Player and other Microsoft products, this really doesn’t make any sense to me. Since WMV is known for being able to produce high quality video playback in a smaller size than, say, the MP4, this is a real let down.
One of the highlights of the Microsoft Zune is its wi-fi compatibility. This makes it very simple to share files between two Zune players. Of course, both people have to have the Zune in order to do this wi-fi sharing, which means you’ll have to hope you have friends who also use the Zune to share. The shared files also have limited playback; you can only play them every so often.
At $250 the Microsoft Zune isn’t too badly priced, and it is pretty easy to use. The biggest drawback is definitely its playback support; it only supports some files and there are a lot of major file formats that can’t be played, particularly when it comes to video files.
http://www.nceita.org/microsoft-zune-review.html
Sony Playstation 3 Review
Ever since the launch of the original Sony Playstation all the way back in 1996 Sony has been a force to reckon with in the world of console games. The Playstation 2 only served to solidify its base as the premier gaming console out there. Now the Playstation 3 is the newest Playstation on the market.
The Sony Playstation 3 certainly has a lot to offer. It’s got a beautiful and slick design that makes it very attractive sitting there in your media center. It can both lie horizontally and stand up vertically, making it easier to fit in wherever you need it than ever. Just based on looks it is certainly a nice piece of technology.
Add to that excellent design plenty of functionality. It comes in two versions; one has a 30 GB hard drive and the other has a 60 GB hard drive, more than you are going to get on many notebook computers. That’s a lot of storage punch and definitely one of the highlights of the Sony Playstation 3.
Just as the Sony Playstation 2 was backwards compatible with Playstation One games, so is the Playstation 3 backwards compatible with both Playstation 2 and Playstation One games. This is really nice, no having to get rid of all your old games because they won’t work with your new console: they work perfectly with your console, no problem whatsoever.
Sony is of course behind the new Blu Ray technology which is hoping to win as the next generation of digital video technology (its main competitor is the HD-DVD), and the Sony Playstation 3 can play Blu Ray disks. Don’t worry, though, it is also backwards compatible with old school DVDs. In fact, hoping to boost sales of the new PS3 Sony is offering 5 free Blu Ray movies with the purchase of a Sony Playstation 3 these days.
The Sony Playstation 3 boasts unbelievable graphics, it also boasts excellent online play through the Playstation Network that is also 100% free. That means you can play games with other players with absolutely no cost, unlike some other major consoles out there. The online system is also built into the console; no need for any additional components.
There are a couple of problems with the system. For one thing, the controller doesn’t have any rumble capability (something which has been around since the PSOne). This problem will most likely be fixed, but it is somewhat of an annoyance if you are used to the rumble functionality. It uses BlueTooth technology for the remote, which is good, but it has no infrared port on the device, meaning that you can’t use a traditional universal remote for DVD watching; it has to be BlueTooth. These are a bit more expensive and this is a drawback for the PS3.
The biggest single drawback to the Sony Playstation 3 is definitely the price. It is the most expensive console by far on the market, and the games available on it still don’t set it apart from the pack compared to, say, the X-Box 360 or the Nintendo Wii. However the underlying technology is incredibly powerful and sophisticated, so there is definitely room for the games available to improve.
http://www.nceita.org/sony-playstation-3-review.html
The Sony Playstation 3 certainly has a lot to offer. It’s got a beautiful and slick design that makes it very attractive sitting there in your media center. It can both lie horizontally and stand up vertically, making it easier to fit in wherever you need it than ever. Just based on looks it is certainly a nice piece of technology.
Add to that excellent design plenty of functionality. It comes in two versions; one has a 30 GB hard drive and the other has a 60 GB hard drive, more than you are going to get on many notebook computers. That’s a lot of storage punch and definitely one of the highlights of the Sony Playstation 3.
Just as the Sony Playstation 2 was backwards compatible with Playstation One games, so is the Playstation 3 backwards compatible with both Playstation 2 and Playstation One games. This is really nice, no having to get rid of all your old games because they won’t work with your new console: they work perfectly with your console, no problem whatsoever.
Sony is of course behind the new Blu Ray technology which is hoping to win as the next generation of digital video technology (its main competitor is the HD-DVD), and the Sony Playstation 3 can play Blu Ray disks. Don’t worry, though, it is also backwards compatible with old school DVDs. In fact, hoping to boost sales of the new PS3 Sony is offering 5 free Blu Ray movies with the purchase of a Sony Playstation 3 these days.
The Sony Playstation 3 boasts unbelievable graphics, it also boasts excellent online play through the Playstation Network that is also 100% free. That means you can play games with other players with absolutely no cost, unlike some other major consoles out there. The online system is also built into the console; no need for any additional components.
There are a couple of problems with the system. For one thing, the controller doesn’t have any rumble capability (something which has been around since the PSOne). This problem will most likely be fixed, but it is somewhat of an annoyance if you are used to the rumble functionality. It uses BlueTooth technology for the remote, which is good, but it has no infrared port on the device, meaning that you can’t use a traditional universal remote for DVD watching; it has to be BlueTooth. These are a bit more expensive and this is a drawback for the PS3.
The biggest single drawback to the Sony Playstation 3 is definitely the price. It is the most expensive console by far on the market, and the games available on it still don’t set it apart from the pack compared to, say, the X-Box 360 or the Nintendo Wii. However the underlying technology is incredibly powerful and sophisticated, so there is definitely room for the games available to improve.
http://www.nceita.org/sony-playstation-3-review.html
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