Tied to SKY, Pantech’s SMP301 is an Android 2.1 portable media player that has a 3.7″ AMOLED display. Key multimedia features like HDMI output and a T-DMB tuner are included. More »

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Every week, there are thousands of tech news and gadget stories. We will spare you the dross and apprise you of the most important information. Here is the filtered version of this week’s happenings. More »

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However, as with the 13″ MacBook Pro, the new unibody Mac Mini retains Intel’s last generation Core 2 Duo Penryn chipset. The biggest draws are the upgraded NVIDIA 320M graphics and HDMI, which is long, long, long overdue on the Mini since many people use it as a multimedia hub or even as an HTPC. Apple can get away with excluding the port on its Macs, but the Mini deserves it. More »

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Also, the 13″ MacBook Pro’s GeForce 320M is a custom integrated graphics chip designed by NVIDIA specifically for Apple. The main reason why the 13″ model retains Core 2 Duo processors and does not get the Core i5 is because of NVIDIA’s ongoing legal battle with Intel, whose newest chipsets require that integrated graphics be Intel only; therefore, Apple either had to downgrade the 13″ MacBook Pro’s graphics by using an i5 CPU and Intel GPU or keep the old Core 2 Duo chipset and NVIDIA’s far speedier 320M. Since I do not play games on my MacBook, I would have preferred an i5 with Intel graphics, but Apple’s compromise is ideal for decent gaming. More »

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Appleinsider is reporting that a new Apple Mac Mini with HDMI output has been spotted. Currently, the Mac Mini uses mini-DisplayPort and mini-DVI as digital output. Many Apple owners have been clamoring for HDMI Macs for years. Appleinsider also claims that the new Mini might use the NVIDIA MCP89 chipset, which is the replacement for the NVIDIA 9400m. More »

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From Wirebot:

Now I know this is going to come off a little braggy, but that’s not my intention whatsoever. The idea is to get angry at the television manufactures, not me. So, here it goes. 2 years ago I got a 46” Samsung LCD for Christmas. Great, right? Well yeah, it was up until this year. This year I’ve ran into a little problem called, your-giant-TV-sucks-now. Sucks may be a bit of an exaggeration, but roll with. My setup consists of a cable box, PS3, Xbox 360, and a WD TV. Can you see my problem yet? Well if you can’t, it’s that I need 4 HDMI inputs and only have 2. Continue after the jump to here me complain some more. More »

Continued from part one… Although CCFL backlit LCDs cannot match plasma for black levels, the best LED LCDs have some tricks to compensate for the technology’s inherent weakness. Local dimming allows LEDs to adjust individual lights (which illuminate parts of the screen rather than the entirety of it) to different levels of brightness. Side-lit LEDs and CCFL bulbs cannot accomplish this and suffer poorer blacks and lower contrast as a result. Still, ignoring the numbers, I purport that the best plasma displays produce deeper and better blacks than the best LED LCDs. More »

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Once merely toys for the wealthy, large 1080p plasma displays finally became affordable in 2009. Samsung has a new line of suspiciously inexpensive HDTVs, one of which is the PN50B530, retailing for $1299.99 Canadian. Presently, Americans have the PN50B550 at $1399.99 (although regularly discounted to the $1200 range), but specs on both models are identical except for the number of inputs, and the latter’s internet connectivity. At its price tag, the PN50B530 is an entry-level 1080p TV, but it has image quality that is far from low-end. More »

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Low on Price, High on Design Continued from part 1. Using the increasingly more popular 16:9 aspect ratio for its screen, the NV53 is quite portable for a fully-loaded laptop. At under 6 pounds, I find it light enough to carry around just about anywhere. The measurements of 25cm depth, 37.2cm width, and 3.7cm thickness are comparable with other low-end offerings. I do like the style and sturdiness of the Gateway’s hinge, which is similar to Sony’s FW and Z series, with the power button on the side of the right hinge. More »

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Based on specs alone, this is the best laptop that $450 CDN can buy right now. There is the $400 USD Toshiba Satellite with the same CPU but slower Radeon 4100 graphics, no HDMI, no webcam, and no digital audio output. Best Buy also sells a Dell Inspiron with similar specs for $450, and although it has the more desirable Intel T4300 Dual Core CPU, its 4500M graphics and lack of HDMI, webcam, and digital audio output makes it (on paper) worse than the Gateway. Numbers and features aside, whether the Gateway NV is actually any good will be judged by its performance, design implementation, and overall usability. More »

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The first part of this guide focuses on common LCD definitions, while this article provides an overview of the three major panel types used by LCDs, as well as the backlighting schemes and different inputs. For deeper reading, consult Wikipedia’s entry regarding the main LCD types. More »

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