Olympus unveils Stylus XZ-10 with f/1.8-2.7 zoom, smartphone sharing app

Olympus is carrying on the recent compact camera trend of fast-ish zoom lenses and wireless sharing capability with the launch of the 12-megapixel Stylus XZ-10. The new model follows in the footsteps of the company's top compact dog XZ-2 model, sporting a slightly smaller sensor and a wider range 5x optical zoom with a similar f/1.8-2.7 iris. Otherwise, it's aimed more at the casual carry-around crowd with a 40 percent smaller body, touch-screen focus selection, control ring exposure adjustment, a 3-inch 920k dot TFT LCD, art filters (in the smartphone app), image (or film) stabilization and 1080P 30 fps HD video. Olympus is also trumpeting its smartphone OI.Share capability, allowing images to be sent wirelessly to an iOS or Android device and edited with the included app -- provided you have the optional Toshiba FlashAir card. It'll be arriving in March in black, brown or white at a rather steep-sounding £349, which equates to $550, though exact US pricing hasn't been revealed yet. See the PR after the break for more nitty-gritty.

Gallery: Olympus XZ-10 Press Gallery

Show full PR text

Announcing the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10 compact digital camera, equipped with the new PHOTO STORY function for new photographic possibilities

Olympus Imaging (Haruo Ogawa, president) is proud to announce the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10, on sale from Late February, 2013. This model packs a high speed, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL 5x optical zoom lens, and versatile functions such as the new PHOTO STORY for expanding photographic expression, all in a lightweight and compact camera body.

Main Features

With the 26mm - 130mm (35mm film camera equivalent) f/1.8 - 2.7, high speed 5x optical, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL lens, and the inclusion of iHS Technology, high-quality images with beautifully defocused backgrounds and shots under dim light are possible.

The OLYMPUS STYLUS X series is a lineup of compact digital cameras that offer superb image quality and expressive power, and is the first compact digital camera equipped with a lens bearing the ZUIKO name. The ZUIKO lens was first included on the Semi Olympus I; the first-ever Olympus camera in 1936. The ZUIKO has been used for the past 77 years, continuing its tradition as a high-performance lens. In January 2011, the OLYMPUS XZ-1 was announced as the first model in the X series, and in September 2012, the STYLUS XZ-2 was announced as the X series flagship model. Both models are equipped with a high speed f/1.8-2.5 lens which is bright from wide-angle to telephoto, achieving acclaim as capturing high-quality images that rival SLR cameras.

The STYLUS XZ-10 brings the superb image quality of the X series to a high-end compact that can be enjoyed on a daily basis due to its advanced portability, functionality, and performance. A refined, solid design is used for the slim camera body with the pursuit of a compact, and lightweight form. The control ring and Touch AF Shutter made popular on the XZ-2 are still available on the XZ-10, providing spectacular performance and the ability to capture every photo opportunity. For those who want to capture everyday scenes as special memories, rich in personality, PHOTO STORY has been added to Art Filters. This function captures multiple viewpoints in a single image and puts them together for an artistic creation. With the OI.Share smartphone application, users can quickly and easily share images and post them to social networking services. Keeping up with the times, Olympus has crammed new ways to enjoy photos into a small package.
Main Functions - Details

1-1. 26mm-130mm Focal Length (conversion) f/1.8-2.5 iZUIKO Zoom Lens
The lens on the STYLUS XZ-10 is a 5x optical zoom that covers a focal range from 26-130mm (35mm film camera equivalent). The XZ-10 boasts an f/1.8-2.7, high speed lens, with the brightest aperture value in its class at f/2.7 on the telephoto end over 100mm, making beautifully defocused images and high-quality images under dim light condition possible at telephoto settings. This bright lens is also perfect for capturing moving subjects. This lens is a combination of Olympus's superb lens technology, and the spare-no-expense design process by including DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) and EDA (Extra-low Dispersion Aspherical) lenses in the lens group, for the high depictive quality equal to that of Olympus interchangeable SLR ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. Additionally, to thoroughly eliminate ghosting and lens flares, reflectivity was kept to half of the previous value at a wavelength of 450 to 650 nm, thanks to the lens surface treated with the Olympus-original ZERO (ZUIKO Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating. These measures ensure highly clear depictive performance with a sense of transparency, even in backlit or other unfavorable conditions.

1-2. iHS Technology
iHS stands for "intelligence", "high-speed", and "high-sensitivity". With a 1/2.3 type, 12.0 megapixel,*2 high-speed, high-sensitivity, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and the TruePic image processing engine designed for the OLYMPUS PEN, users will always be able to capture the subject they want, beautifully, and without missing a shot. In addition, the XZ-10 also inherits Fast AF from the OLYMPUS PEN.

2. Compact, Lightweight Body and Slim, Solid Design
When compared to the XZ-2, the XZ-10 is slimmer with a 40% smaller volume. With this smaller design, high-quality images can be enjoyed in a camera with high mobility. A built-in lens barrier and fixed grip have been included in answer to many requests, improving portability and operability. With three colors to choose from including black, white, and brown, users can select one that best fits their lifestyle.

3-1. New Function: PHOTO STORY
The new function, PHOTO STORY, is included on the XZ-10 to bring out users' artistic abilities and powers of expression when shooting. By capturing a scene from multiple viewpoints and then combining them into a single image, everyday scenes and memorable scenes can be recorded in various ways. Users simply turn the mode dial to PHOTO STORY, choose a favorite theme (Standard, Speed, Zoom In/Out, Fun Frame), and touch inside the frame to use Touch AF Shutter and easily complete their artistic shots. At the same time, it is easy to create images with style and personality by combining the type, effect, frame aspect ratio, and number of images according to the selected theme. The finished image can be checked in Live View and users can continue shooting various types of images. Because multiple viewpoints are included in a single image, recreating the story of the scene is possible, making it easier to put yourself in that captured scene.
Selectable PHOTO STORY Themes (4 types)
Standard: Simple type with split images
Speed: Slide a finger to shoot continuously (Finger can be slid to split multiple images)
Zoom In/Out: Combines both close-up and pull-back effects
Fun Frame: Film formats or Instant camera formats where the date can be added

3-2. Art Filter
With 11 Art Filters and 5 Art Effects, users can create more stand-out pictures for users to enjoy.

4-1. Touch AF Shutter
The Touch AF Shutter function allows users to instantly select the exact location they want to focus on simply by touching the screen on the rear of the camera. By including the FAST AF system, which is the crystallization of years of Olympus AF technology, and the easy controls of the touch screen, subjects throughout the screen can easily be focused on, whether in the center, background, or edges, allowing users to snap the shutter at just the right moment. Touch screen operations also include Live Guide settings, AF position selection, magnified playback, and browsing of images. With these features, a truly comfortable photo experience is achieved.

4-2. Control Ring
Just as with the XZ-2, a function can be selected for each shooting mode and assigned to the control ring. Because settings such as the aperture value or exposure compensation can be quickly adjusted with a twist of the control ring, users can capture photos exactly the way they want without missing a shot. These features realize an optimum control scheme for artistic expression.

4-3. Fn (Function) Button
The Fn (Function) button has been placed on the back of the camera for assigning frequently used functions. Users can choose multiple functions out of 16 options to assign based on their shooting style or convenience. Users can easily call up or switch between functions assigned to the Fn (Function) button and control ring and change setting values as needed, allowing them to quickly set up their preferred style.

5. Smartphone Application: OI.Share
OI.Share is a free iPhone and Android smartphone application used for easily sharing high-quality images. When used together with a Toshiba-brand FlashAirTM*1 card (equipped with an internal wireless LAN), images can easily be sent using a smartphone. Because communication settings can be made from within a dedicated menu on the camera, by connecting to a smartphone, it is easy to send images without ever using a computer. After importing images, OI.Share can be used to apply Art Filters or link to social networking apps to share photos and communicate through images. A one-time password can also be issued for connecting to multiple smartphones simultaneously to share images with friends and family on the spot.

Effective number of pixels: 12 million*2
Zoom factor: 5x optical zoom, 10x super resolution zoom
Wide: 26mm wide-angle (35mm film camera equivalent)
Image stabilization: DUAL IS
(CMOS shift type & high-sensitivity shooting, Multi-motion Movie IS)
Rear display 3.0 type, 920,000 dots, TFT color LCD
Movie shooting: Full High-definition movies (MOV/H.264)
Other Features

Handheld Night shooting mode with the flash can be used to beautifully capture night scenes and people
Advanced iAUTO function with 29 automatically detectable scenes
Dual IS - Cutting-edge image stabilization technology for reducing subject blur
Multi Motion image stabilization support for movies compensates for slow, strong camera shake that occurs when breathing or walking
High-Speed Movie for slow-motion playback of quickly moving subjects
Electric auto pop-up flash
Intuitive GUI linked with the control ring
Equipped with an ND filter for controlling exposure in 3 steps, for beautifully defocused shots even in bright condition
Super Macro shooting for distances up to a minimum of 1 cm
4 aspect ratios for matching the framing needs of any subject
Supported media: Memory cards, (SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1 compatible), Eye-Fi cards, FlashAirTM

Filed under: Cameras

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/olympus-unveils-12-megapixel-compact-stylus-xz-10/

adele lyrics best new artist 2012 grammys foo fighters nikki minaj grammys album of the year

Crock Pot Thai Green Curry Chicken Recipe ? 6 Points + - LaaLoosh

I LOVE Thai food and I love my crock pot, so this Crock Pot Thai Green Curry Chicken Recipe was the perfect marriage. Easy to put together, the end result is a delicious and filling green curry chicken that clocks in at only 6 Points + per serving. The only thing that I would do differently next time, is use fresh vegetables. The frozen Asian stir fry vegetables that I used tasted fine, but were a limp and soggy. If you prefer a more firm texture to your veggies, then I?d suggest using fresh vegetables instead of the frozen. Either way, this is still a super tasty and super easy Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipe. Serve it over some brown rice or noodles for a complete meal. Enjoy!

A quick and healthy meal in the crock pot, this Thai Green Curry Chicken is just the ticket when you are craving the flavors of Thai food. But this healthier version is loaded with protein and fiber and offers a very filling serving for just 6 Points +.

Ingredients

• 1lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 16oz bag stir fry vegetables (or use your choice of fresh)
• 1 15oz can light coconut milk
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice from 1 lime
• 3 tbsp green curry paste
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Salt and pepper chicken, and place inside crock pot.
2. Cover with onion slices.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, sugar, curry paste, and pour over the chicken and onions.
4. Cook on high for 4-5 hours.
5. During the last 30-45 min of cooking, add in the vegetables. Then , in a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and add into crock pot with the vegetables. Cook until vegetables are heated through and curry sauce thickens.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 4 hour(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate, High protein

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: Thai

Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is about 1 ? cups
Each serving = 6 Points +

PER SERVING: 272 calories; 8.5g fat; 17g carbohydrates; 28g protein; 3g fiber

LIKE THIS POST? PLEASE SHARE!

This entry was posted by LaaLoosh on Wednesday, January 30th, 2013 at 9:22 am and is filed under 6 Point, Chicken, Crock Pot, Dinner, Healthy, Main Dish, Thai.

Source: http://www.laaloosh.com/2013/01/30/crock-pot-thai-green-curry-chicken-recipe/

frank gore nfl games jesus montero hiroki kuroda kuroda gene hackman pineda

Federal Judge blocks Xbox ban, grants motion to dismiss Motorola request for injunctive relief

Motorola's hopes of enforcing a German-won sales injunction against the Xbox 360, Windows 7 and other products have yet again been dashed -- a Federal judge has taken Microsoft's side. Judge James L. Robart granted a motion declaring that Motorola Mobility isn't entitled to injunctive relief, effectively blocking bans based on the firm's H.264 streaming and (previously dropped) WiFi patent complaints. The court had been sitting on the motion for nearly a year, but for Microsoft, the final word is worth the wait: Motorola "has not shown it has suffered an irreparable injury or that remedies available at law are inadequate to compensate for its injury," the court said, noting that Microsoft "will pay royalties under any license agreement from the time of infringement within the statute of limitations." Basically, Motorola will recoup all the scratch it's complaining it lost anyway, so no harm, no foul. Just a giant legal headache.

Comments

Via: FOSS Patents, Seattle Times

Source: Court Order (PDF)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/40tJA1Ckx18/

sag aftra merger dj am bully bohemian rhapsody bohemian rhapsody spike lee carson daly

Guest Post: Five Easy Ways To Save When Dining Out

?

The following is a guest post from David Bakke. ?He is?a former manager at a popular restaurant chain. He now writes about saving money on everyday expenses such as food and transportation on the personal finance blog, Money Crashers.

With the current state of our economy, it?s simply a necessity to save as much as you can. As we await the financial fallout from the November election, we need to continue to cut back on the things we enjoy in daily life, such as fine restaurants. Though this can be a difficult expense to trim, there are ways to dine out smartly. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Use a Coupon
Since dining establishments know times are tough and also want to sustain their business, many of them offer restaurant coupons and discounts, either online or in the newspaper. To take this a step further, sign up for deal-of-the-day websites, such as Groupon and Living Social, where you can get vouchers for as much as 80% off normal restaurant prices. These deals typically involve some of the lesser-known places in town, but it?s a great way to discover new eateries. The annual Entertainment Book, which is available in most metropolitan areas, offers buy-one, get-one free coupons for both fine and casual restaurants. It?s sold for around $20 and runs from November to November of the following year.

2. Forgo the Appetizer
Sure, you?re tempted to order some food before your main dishes when dining at your favorite spots. But appetizers, though tasty, are generally a way for?restaurants to get the check tally up and increase their profit margins. Plus, you can usually get something?at no charge by simply asking for some bread and oil or chips and salsa to get you going. This should more than tide you over until your entr?e arrives, and you?ll save a bundle. You can even find other ways to eat for free.

3. Order That Appetizer as Your Entr?e
Speaking of appetizers, if you?re particularly enthralled by a certain description, consider having that suffice as your main meal. It?s cheaper, to be sure. And if you?ve seen the massive entr?e portions often served at restaurants, it?s also a more manageable size. Even if you tack on a side salad, you?ll frequently still save. Another option is to split a main course with someone in your party ? it?s both cost and calorie efficient.

4. Drink Water
Ordering tap water with your meal provides multiple benefits: H20 is always good for you, you avoid having to pay for a beverage (which can increase your bill by upwards of $10 if you?re with the family), and you can more fully savor the taste of your meal with water on the side. Plus, as we all know, sugary sodas, sweet tea, and fruit juices are unfriendly to your waistline and your teeth. Once you decide water is the way to go, make sure the server knows you mean tap, not bottled. And when it comes, fill up on it ? then you can take home leftovers.

5. Just Say No to Dessert
Dessert options at most restaurants are delectable ? but costly. Again, for the whole party, it could add another $50 to your check, even at some of the kid-friendly family restaurants. If you are craving something sweet, instead of giving in to temptation at the restaurant, stop by the grocery store on the way home for some ice cream, cake, or cookies. You?ll save money and still feel satiated.

Final Thoughts
Don?t discount the power of return business. If you find a restaurant you like, frequent it often. Request your favorite server, chat up the owners, and you just might find an unexpected discount on your tab ? anything from comped drinks and appetizers to a yummy dessert and a coupon for your next meal. If restaurants come to count on your business, it?s only good customer service for them to give some ?love? back from time to time.

What other ways are there to save on dining out?

Source: http://www.pennypinchinmom.com/guest-post-five-easy-ways-to-save-when-dining-out/

mennonite smokey robinson smokey robinson pulmonary embolism packages camila alves albrecht durer

Animals learn to fine-tune their sniffs

ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2012) ? Animals use their noses to focus their sense of smell, much the same way that humans focus their eyes, new research at the University of Chicago shows.

A research team studying rats found that animals adjust their sense of smell through sniffing techniques that bring scents to receptors in different parts of the nose. The sniffing patterns changed according to what kind of substance the rats were attempting to detect.

The sense of smell is particularly important for many animals, as they need it to detect predators and to search out food. "Dogs, for instance, are quite dependent on their sense of smell," said study author Leslie Kay, associate professor of psychology and director of the Institute for Mind & Biology at the University of Chicago. "But there are many chemicals in the smells they detect, so detecting the one that might be from a predator or an explosive, for instance, is a complex process."

Kay was joined in writing the paper by Daniel Rojas-L?bano, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chile in Santiago, who received his PhD from UChicago in 2011. Rojas-L?bano, who did the work as a doctoral scholar, was the first author on the publication. Their results are published in an article, "Interplay Between Sniffing and Odorant Properties in the Rat," in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

Scholars have hypothesized that animals may be able to focus sniffing, just as humans focus their sight to detect a target, like the face of a friend, in a crowd. Humans are also known to be able to adjust their ability to detect specific odors with practice when cooking or sampling wine, for instance.

Kay and Rojas-Libano drew from two ideas proposed by other scholars to test whether animals can focus their sniffs.

In one set of findings, researchers had shown that the nose can act like a gas chromatograph (a device that separates chemicals in complex blends like flower scents), absorbing substances for different times depending on how readily they interact with the water-based mucus on the sensory receptors in the nose. Odorants that have high "sorption values" are easily absorbed into the mucus, while odors that do not absorb easily into water have lower sorption values.

The other finding crucial to the current work was the discovery that changes in the airflow rates of scents entering the nose can change which odors the nose readily detects. Different parts of the nose have different airflows, and classes of receptors suited to detecting specific odors. Researchers had speculated that animals might be able to change airflow to target specific odors in a blend of chemicals, like focusing on smelling a particular scent in a perfume.

But until the publication of the paper by Kay and Rojas-L?bano, no one had been able to test the ideas that arose from those earlier findings.

"Daniel devised an excellent experiment to test these hypotheses," Kay explained. Rojas-L?bano trained rats to detect a specific odor by rewarding them with a sugar pellet when they had detected a target odor and responded correctly. Electrodes attached to the rats' diaphragm muscles measured the rate at which they were taking in air. He then tested the animals with many mixtures of two chemicals to see if they could pick out those containing the target scent.

The rats were successful in making the distinctions, regardless of which type of odor they were seeking. But the rats learned to look for a highly absorbent odor much more quickly than the rats learning to detect a less absorbent odor. The rats also inhaled differently, depending on which type of odor they were detecting. The animals inhaled for a longer time when they were learning to detect the low-absorbing odor, and then reduced flow rates once they had learned to detect the odor, researchers determined.

"What was happening was that the air was moving through the nose at a slower rate and targeting those parts of the nasal epithelium that are further along in the pathway -- those more likely to pick up the low-absorbent odors," Kay said.

For highly absorbent odors, the animals inhaled more quickly because the parts of the nasal cavity that are sensitive to those smells are closer to the start of the nose's air pathway.

"I think one of the most interesting aspects of these experiments is the finding of the difference in difficulty the rats displayed to detect different targets from the same set of mixtures," Rojas-L?bano said. "This shows that there is more to olfaction than just receptor types and combinations. If detection was solely based on chemical-receptor interactions (as people seem to assume quite often), performance levels should have been more similar between the groups of rats. The physical properties of the odors matter a lot, and so does the type of sniff that an individual uses to smell the odors."

The project was supported with a grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Chicago. The original article was written by William Harms.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/PeGd8ou79-k/121030210035.htm

oakland school shooting nike nfl jerseys katie couric barista university of kentucky ncaa oakland news

Mavs dump West; Curry could start against Lakers

DALLAS (AP) ? The Dallas Mavericks are moving on without guard Delonte West, and their starting center for Tuesday night's season opener on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers will likely be someone who wasn't even on the roster a week ago.

The Mavericks waived West on Monday, the eve of a second straight season with a major roster makeover. West was part of the first retooling a year ago, and figured to be a valuable role player again before two suspensions in as many weeks for conduct detrimental to the team.

Dallas had to dump West to make room for Eddy Curry, a journeyman center who was picked up last week after San Antonio let him go. Curry likely will get the start against the Lakers because Chris Kaman and backup Brandon Wright are battling injuries.

West, who has bipolar disorder, indicated in a series of tweets after the second suspension that his future in Dallas was in doubt. The eighth-year pro was involved in a pair of locker room incidents during the preseason. He was on his second straight one-year contract for the veteran minimum, which was $1.2 million this season.

Part of West's value a year ago came from being a younger, experienced player to help aging point guard Jason Kidd and another 30-something guard in Jason Terry. But the Mavericks have a much younger backcourt after getting Darren Collison from Indiana to replace Kidd when they missed out on Deron Williams and adding free agent O.J. Mayo to fill Terry's scoring role.

Dallas grabbed Curry last week after he was released by San Antonio, and he had 11 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes in Dallas' preseason finale against Charlotte on Friday.

The fourth pick of the 2001 draft by Chicago, Curry improved his scoring averages all four seasons with the Bulls before getting traded to New York. He averaged a career-high 19.5 points per game in 2006-07 but has played just 24 games combined the past three seasons.

With West out and Curry in, the Mavericks have nine new players on their roster and should have four new starters on the floor against the Lakers with Dirk Nowitzki recovering from knee surgery. The only holdover is Shawn Marion.

"This is what we got. That's the way it is," said Marion, now second to Nowitzki in Dallas tenure. "We can't harp on it all day. We'll do what we gotta do."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mavs-dump-west-curry-could-start-against-lakers-220559482--spt.html

torrie wilson alabama lsu bcs national championship bcs championship bcs national championship 2012 university of alabama national championship game

IRL: Nuu SoftKey, MacBook Air and Thermaltake's eSports Cyclone ...

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

Welcome back! This week in real-life adventures with gadgetry, Sharif recommends an $80 gaming mouse and Dan pleads with you all not to buy a certain keyboard case for the iPad. As for Philip, he just purchased his first Apple product after years of buying Windows laptops and Zune players, which means he's got a little explaining to do.

NUU Softkey

I was looking for an iPad case to help me peck out articles on the go, but NUU's Softkey case for the new iPad / iPad 2 isn't it. The faux-leather folio disguises your tablet in a document wallet respectably enough, but its awkward prop made it useless as an impromptu movie screen on a long haul flight. In fact, the various stand configurations are all so weak that you constantly need to keep your hands on the device to prevent it collapsing before you.

Of course, none of that would matter if its keyboard was useful enough to relegate my laptop to the bottom of my carry-on. Unfortunately, it's topped with a rubber membrane that's too easily parted from its keys, meaning that the only travel you experience is when you depress the sheath in on itself. The keyboard, too, needlessly includes Escape, Arrow and Function keys that, while useful, could have easily been shed to increase the size of the letters. As such, my quest to turn the iPad into a useful work machine will struggle on.

-- Dan Cooper

MacBook Air (13-inch, 2012)

I'm not even sure what happened. One minute, I was dead-set on waiting for one of those hybrid laptop / tablet deals running Windows 8. The next, I was braving a New York City downpour to pick up a MacBook Air. I've been a die-hard Windows user since the 3.1 days: I stuck with it through Vista and I eagerly await next month's update. And yet, here in New York, thousands of miles from home, I feel like I've had the OS equivalent of an illicit cross-country fling. What if my wife finds out?

Truthfully, my reasons for picking up an OS X machine are far more practical than lecherous. It's become increasingly clear that my Windows-only approach is a bit outdated. As part of a group that obsessively covers technology, it only makes sense for me to stay current with as many hardware and software ecosystems as I can. I've used OS X for years in the work environment (and Mac OS 9 before that). But this Ivy Bridge-powered 13-inch Air represents the first time I've ever spent my own money on an Apple product. That's right, no iPods or iPhones in our home. Just look at my Zune HD and Windows Phone.

So far, I'm not regretting my decision. This keyboard and trackpad combo is supremely comfortable and the solid-state drive is impressively quick. As of this writing, I've been on battery for about three hours and only just crossed the 50 percent threshold. The screen may not be Retina-level, but I've no complaints about it so far (though I haven't done any photo editing just yet). Up next: installing Windows 7 (and later Win 8) for a little Boot Camp action so I can have two great OSes on one amazing machine. Yup, I'm officially a two-timer -- and I'm not ashamed.

-- Philip Palermo

Thermaltake eSports Cyclone Edition

I admit that when I first wrote about Thermaltake's eSports Cyclone Edition gaming mouse, I didn't take it all that seriously. A protruding 6,000 RPM fan to keep your trigger finger cool and slip-resistant -- isn't that slightly OTT? Well, yes it is. But it's also beautiful, exuberant and happiness-inducing -- as is the very thought that someone out there has the guts to bring stuff like this to market. My Cyclone's fan mostly sits detached and idle on a shelf these days, because Fall where I live is cool enough already, but that detracts little from the $80 mouse itself. It's comfortable and well-built, and rather than just being a boring gimmick it leaves me with a strong sense that someone at TT eSports genuinely loves their job. Not convinced? Check out the Taiwanese company's obscene gold and yellow Chao gaming headphones and you soon will be.

-- Sharif Sakr

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/14/irl-nuu-softkey-macbook-air-thermaltake-esports-cyclone-edition-gaming-mouse/

ryan oneal file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies