There are literally thousands of items going on sale starting at various times this week, but we just wanted to point out some of the better ones in the gadgets and electronics arena.
Palm Pre $79.99 (with 2-yr contract).
Regularly $149.99.
You save $70.
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It seems like the original Stargate movie was released more than 15 years, what with the 3 TV series, books and additional merchandising that have come since. However, it has been 15 years and to celebrate and commemorate it, Lionsgate has released a special Blu-ray version of the movie that includes over 4 additional hours of features. We had a chance to review the DVD recently.
Apart from the original theatrical release, the DVD also includes an extended director’s cut that adds just under 10 minutes of additional footage. Top fans will appreciate this cut. What was more important to me was that the movies were remastered in 1080p Hi-Def widescreen with 7.1 DTS audio. The picture was stunning.
Other features (or in some cases, named ‘featurettes’) included an interactive game, a gag reel, an audio commentary version of the movie narrated by the director/producer/writers Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, and 5 short pieces that like the “Making of Stargate” documentary and “Is there a Stargate?” which explored whether aliens have visited Earth.
I wouldn’t buy the DVD for the interactive game which I found to be way too slow, didn’t show the correct answers, and with very long gap between questions that you can’t skip past.
I also found the gag reel to be too esoteric for my taste and forgettable.
However, I very much liked the additional ‘featurettes’:
Although I personally didn’t think the extended cut really added that much more to the movie, hardcore fans will probably appreciate it. All in all, for a reasonable price (under $20), you can now add the Stargate movie to your collection in all its remastered glory.
(Disclaimer: Gizmos for Geeks received a complimentary review copy of this product.)
The 6″ Amazon Kindle e-reader is now available (today) for use overseas with free wireless where available. Note that this is not the larger Kindle DX, but the same 6″ US reader with International support in over 100 countries. The Kindle store features over 350,000 titles plus magazines, blogs and worldwide newspapers.
The international version costs only $20 more than the US version, so this is the better device for US folks that travel a lot. Click the link to see the countries supported.
Here’s a quick recap of the main features: 6″ diagonal E-Ink screen, stores approx 1500 books (2GB), weighs 10.2oz, USB 2.0, battery lasts up to 4 days with wireless on.
Buy now!
More info from the manufacturer
Price: $279.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)
Here’s another place to go hang out with your laptop and surf the Web – Borders bookstores. They’re rolling out free WiFi starting about the middle of this month in most of their stores nationwide.
The folks at Gizmodo are saying that the upcoming eReader from Barnes & Noble will run Android. If that’s true, I’ll be thrilled. As a ‘power user’ at minimum, I always want my electronics devices to be more than just appliances. I want them to be computers, that can be modified and updated and hacked. Having the OS be Android will open up the possibilities for the eReader to have a long and useful life that doesn’t absolutely depend on just being an eReader. Kudos B&N. This will also put Android to the test as more that just a cell phone OS.
Mashable has a nice roundup of over 30 web-based music streaming sites. I’m sure you’ve heard of Pandora, but did you know there are at least 4 other similar ‘music discovery’ sites? Or what about the few dozen streaming sites like Last.FM, iLike, or Live365? Damn you Mashable – now I have to spend lots of time exploring these! 😉
In a bit of news that’s worth keeping an eye on, netbook maker, Asus, has thrown their hat into the e-reader ring. It’s not out yet (perhaps by year’s end) and there are scant details except that the price point is going to be low (~$165) and that it will supposedly compete with the Amazon Kindle and Sony products on features.
Sony steps up the the e-Book reader wars as they announce a new addition to their line-up. The Reader Daily Edition (yes, cumbersome name) has an integrated 3G wireless conn (with free AT&T service to the Sony bookstore), a 7″ touch screen that operates in both landscape and portrait modes and has 16 shades of gray.
What’s also notable about this announcement is that you can now virtually borrow books from your library (assuming they offer electronic lending).
Hopefully available in time for Christmas, it will retail for $399. Watch out Amazon & Kindle. Sony is nipping at your heels. We’re still hoping for more embracing of common standards though.
In their ongoing quest to stay competitive with Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble acquired e-book retailer Fictionwise a few months ago and is now offering e-book downloads and a free reader that works on PCs, Macs, iPhones and Blackberrys.
Barnes & Noble also struck a deal to offer the 500,000 public domain books that Google scanned and has available on Google Books. Just one problem – I can’t seem to find any ‘free’ e-books on BN.com’s e-book section. Perhaps I didn’t look hard enough. But then again, I shouldn’t need to. This should be used as a loss leader. Oh well, I’ll just peruse Google Books if I want to read a free classic.
And what about a e-reader? BN is working with manufacturer Plastic Logic that is releasing a device in 2010 for which BN will launch a e-bookstore to provide content for that device. Of course, e-books from BN.com don’t work on Sony’s device or Amazon’s Kindle.
*sigh* Competition is great and all, but why oh why don’t companies just save themselves and consumers the money and trouble and start out with standards?
Don’t know what to get Dad for Father’s Day? How about an Amazon.com gift card where he can get just about anything he (really) wants. This is great too when you need gadget gift ideas, but can’t think of them. Nerd gifts isn’t tough any more!
Get on it soon, as you only have a few days left.
