Top Feature

Nokia Reveals N97, a Tricked-Out iPhone Killer

Nokia rolled out its next generation of smart phones this week, with more power, more features, and stronger specs.  The flagship is the N97, with a 3.5″ touchscreen display.  Among the features you will not find in the iPhone:  Subtle buzzing haptic feedback with every touch and a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics.  The camera even has a dual-LED flash and records 30fps video.  The internal flash memory is a relatively huge 32GB internal flash drive.

Oh yeah, the N97 is a phone, too, connecting with 3.5G (otherwise known as HSDPA), and it also hooks up with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and A-GPS.  Also, like its predecessors (there are 2 links there!), it has that slide-out QWERTY keyboard that many prefer over clumsy touch screen typing.  Alas, it is rather heavy & big, weighing a comparatively hefty 5.23 oz. and is ⅔″ thick.  Aside from that, I especially like that always-open window up front, showing off your chosen data.

The price is $697 before the usual discounts.  Too bad we will not be seeing this trinket in the real world until the second quarter of next year, which could mean the end of June for Europe, later than that in the U.S.  If it just had a robust application store, multi-touch capability, and were a little less bulky, this would be the perfect smart phone.  Check out the gallery of close-ups.

Programs & Products

Fedora 10 Is Out

For all you alternative OS types out there, Fedora 10 is now out.  Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that highlights the latest in free & open source software.  Fedora is always free for anyone to use, modify, and distribute.  It is built by people across the globe who works together as a community:  The Fedora Project.  The Fedora Project is open and anyone is welcome to join.

Blockbuster Unveils On Demand Video Player

Blockbuster has teamed up with 2Wire for a streaming MediaPoint player.  Movie rental services are slowly transitioning from the DVD rentals that launched the market to streaming rentals.  The streaming rental services are becoming increasingly popular as movies are available on the first day of release and people become accustomed to watching films with set-top boxes.

News

Owner of Rogers Communications, Ted Rogers, Dies at 75

The founder of Rogers Communications Inc., Canada’s largest cable television & mobile phone company, has passed away at the age of 75.

Microsoft Now 5th Most Spam Friendly ISP

Microsoft is the fifth most spam friendly ISP?  What the…?!  This can’t be good for the ol’ company image!  I guarantee you this:  Now that this is making headlines, the problem will be solved ASAP.

Courts Convicts Mom in MySpace Suicide Trial

A federal jury in the MySpace suicide trial has found the defendant guilty on three of the charges against her, but a mistrial was declared on one count.  The defendant faces one year in jail & a $100,000 fine for each count she was found guilty.

Baby Jesus Gets GPS

It is damn sad that we need hidden cameras & GPS to protect baby Jesus.  Can’t a fella get a little holiday nap in the manger without being kidnapped?  Jesus!

Psystar Drops Antitrust Claim against Apple

Psystar & Apple are in the news again.  You will remember that after the judge dismissed Psystar’s claims against Apple, the crew in Cupertino amended their claims against Psystar, claiming that there are other people “pulling the strings” from behind the scenes.  The whole thing is a train wreck, but I…just…can’t…look…away.

Google to Take Chrome Out Of Beta

According to TechCrunch, Google’s vice president revealed during an interview that Chrome is coming out of beta.  No actual date was given, but I am guessing that this will be sooner than later.

Google’s Lists of Most Popular Searches 2008

Want to know what the most popular search word was last year?  Most popular?  Fastest rising?  Hit the link above for all the dirty details!

Netbooks Now More Popular Than iPhone

According to recent sales data compiled by a leading research firm, netbooks are now more popular than the iPhone.

Movies Disappearing from iTunes Store

Apparently, movies are disappearing from the iTunes store without a trace.  Now, I know you’re thinking, “Who buys movies from iTunes?!” but it actually seems to be a mystery in the making (the missing movies that is, not the fact people buy movies from iTunes).

Reviews & Opinions

What NOT To Give This Holiday Season

Geeks usually know what they want.  They read reviews online, do research, and compare lists of technical features before setting foot in a store.  Once the packaging is ripped apart and all the cords are plugged in, geeks are willing— nay…eager to sit down & troubleshoot their new prized possessions until all the blinking lights are twinkling in unison.  Unfortunately, the majority of folks – you know, normal, tech-semi-literate people really do not like technology that does not work.  Nevertheless, it is Christmas time, and PCStats is feeling generous.  Therefore, for the holidays they have prepared a short guide on what types of gifts to consider for the technology-challenged…all so you do not become someone’s personal help line.

Intel Core i7 Review:  Nehalem Gets Real

Intel’s new 45-nanometer Core i7 CPU (formerly code-named “Nahalem”) is not full of revolutionary changes, but, as ExtremeTech’s (ET) supergeeks see it, the chip manufacturer has developed the CPU to the next level and stayed aggressive on pricing enough to make this platform a real winner for Intel.  ET has an exhaustive analysis and loads of hands-on tests.  Meanwhile, over at PCMag, Desktop Analyst Joel Santo Domingo got his hands on one of the very first shipping Core i7 machines.  The new Falcon Northwest Mach V posted some of the best multimedia numbers Joel has ever seen.  Additionally, for some thoughts on what Intel’s latest move means for AMD, read ET Editor Loyd Case’s column.  Former PCMag EIC & current blogger, Michael Miller also has some CPU insights in his latest post.

Which Web Browser Is King?

Which browser is faster:  Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3, Google Chrome, Safari, or Opera?  ExtremeTech runs a bevy of tests to determine the King of the Web Browsers.

Quick Bytes

·         Can a Game Be a Music Video?:  1 creative player has done some amazing things with Spore.

·         The Robot Window Cleaner to End All Robot Window Cleaners:  This award-winning taskbot just needs you to push 1 button.

·         Pioneer Shows Off 400GB Optical Disc:  This new disc blows Blu-ray out of the water.

·         What Happens When You Use the T-Mobile G1 Barcode Reader on Itself?:  Hint:  Nothing implodes.

·         11 Fun Things to Do with Obsolete Tech:  Stop!  Don’t throw out that old junk!  It could have a 2nd life!

·         Sharp’s HDTV Tower:  What says “Merry Christmas” better than a 26′ tall stack of 43 LCD screens?