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Friday, October 22, 2010
Review: 3M Shoot ‘N Share Camcorder-Projector
Short version: A fun device but rather critically flawed: wherever you can shoot video, you can’t show it, and vice versa. It’s a hell of a lot to pay for a pocket cam, too.
Features:
- Takes 720p video
- Built-in 14-lumen 640×480 projector
- USB and HDMI out
- Micro SD slot
- MSRP: $299
Pros:
- Fun idea
- Video is comparable to other pocket cams
- Simple operation
cons:
- Expensive
- Low brightness and low sensitivity
- Bulky for a pocket cam
Full review:
3M makes a nice pico projector — which isn’t saying too much since the field is pretty limited at the moment, but the fact is that their MPro line is a pretty decent buy if you know what you’re getting into. However, on the announcement of their new projectors and the pocket cam I am reviewing, I felt they might be slipping a bit. The lumen increase on the MP180 is nice, but it got pretty chunky. And this camcorder — well, it’s here before its time, let’s put it that way.
The Shoot ‘n Share is a compromise — a unique compromise at the moment, but a compromise nonetheless. It is, of course, both a pocket cam and a pico projector. In a way, they go together, but in the end, it’s a bit like putting wasabi on your ice cream. These things are both delicious, but they don’t go together well.
It’s not an ugly piece of hardware, exactly, but it isn’t particularly attractive, either, and compact it ain’t when compared to a regular Flip or Kodak pocket cam. It’s surprisingly light, though, and yet feels very solid. That is, except for the little flaps covering the ports and micro SD slot. Those things feel like they’ll break off with the slightest touch.
The controls are little touch-sensitive glowing buttons, which do look cool, and are very responsive, but seem a bit inelegant. Why is there a back button on the right when you already have a left arrow? Simplicity is the word here, 3M, and you have fully ten buttons on the back of your device. At least the interface is clear, although the LCD is rather low-rez.
Video quality is pretty much what you’d expect from a pocket cam. Mediocre, lots of jelly-motion, but certainly no worse than your average $150 Flip. Ahh, don’t listen to me. It does its job, and the video is just fine.
The projector is about the quality of the original MPro 120: 12 lumens on battery, 14 plugged in, a nice short throw, and good color, though this picture doesn’t really show it off:
In fact, that picture is terrible. Don’t look at it. Look at this one and imagine that instead of the MPro 120, there’s the Shoot ‘n Share:
About like that. And the Shoot ‘n Share does have a tripod mount, so it’s handy in a pinch for a regular projector as well. You can run RCA through its little AV port and it does a decent job of showing SD video.
So it does its two jobs decently, though not as well as its single-purpose contemporaries. And the issue really is that there’s not a lot of reason to have both in one device. After all, if it’s bright enough to shoot video, it’s too bright to share. And if it’s dim enough to share, it’s too dim to shoot. And with a battery life of about two hours, it’s not really an ideal travel companion either.
Conclusion
I don’t want to be too hard on this little guy, because it really feels like more of an experiment than a bold entry to a new field. I have no doubt there will be more and better of these, just as pico projectors and pocket cams themselves have improved quite a bit in just the last two years. I can’t really advise buying this thing, though its $300 price isn’t really asking that much. It’s just that I know they’ll get a lot better soon, and unless you absolutely must combine your pocket cam with your pico projector, this is too expensive of a lark to recommend.
Product page: 3M Shoot ‘n Share
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Sprint Overdrive 2.06.06 update available now
We are big fans of the Sprint Overdrive, especially because here in Seattle, we’ve got 4G coverage. The network is speedy, and the Overdrive pretty much comes with us wherever we go. We use it as a WI-Fi hotspot for the iPhone, iPad, and laptop. We can even let friends hop on the network if need be. That said, there have been a few annoyances every now and then—it would crash once or twice a day, requiring a reboot. Starting the thing up took forever. Random disconnects would have us questioning why we weren’t getting data.
Well, a new firmware update for the Overdrive was released yesterday, and it seems to fix everything we had a problem with. Here’s the full list of fixes and improvements:
- Improved device stability, eliminating all known freeze-ups and lock-ups
- Wi-Fi enhancements that improve Wi-Fi stability and eliminate Wi-Fi disconnects and crashes
- Significant improvement in 3G & 4G WAN stability, eliminating most 3G and 4G disconnects
- Some improvement in overall battery life and battery life in poor coverage; for more information on how to improve battery life, see the “Overdrive Battery Tips” document on DSP
- Faster boot-up time (10-12 seconds faster)
- Improved response time when changing the WAN Mode setting - time savings of approximately 1 minute, 20 seconds; no reboot required (includes switching from 3G to 4G and vice versa)
- Tool Tips added to GPS settings screen to help the users understand the GPS settings
- Faster response time after canceling an operation on the Advanced Settings screen (device reset is no longer required; offline time decreased by 1.5 minutes)
- The ability to now enable or disable the microSD card and the TRU-install™ feature in addition to DataLink support
Just log in to your Overdrive admin console and check for updates. You’ll get the new hotness in short order.
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Sprint Overdrive 2.06.06 update available now originally appeared on Gear Live on Thu, June 10, 2010 - 9:45:07
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Review: Nintendo DSi XL
Short version: Nintendo’s new DSi XL is aimed squarely at the older generation of casual gamers. People that appreciate something that’s a little easier to read. The people who wear their reading glasses while they sit down for their morning glass of fiber and read their copy of the AARP Journal. And heaven help me, I like it.Features:
- A larger screen
- Full size stylus
- Comes pre-loaded with Brain Age Express: Math and Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters
- MSRP: $189.99 (regular DSi is $169.99)
Pros:
- Large screen is easy to read
- Games still look great
- Case size easier to hold
Cons:
- Large size reduces portability
- Nowhere to put stylus
- Uncomfortable for people with small hands
I like Nintendo’s portable gaming consoles. I had a Game Boy, Game Boy Color, DS phat, and a DS Lite, but I never saw the point in the DSi. So when Nintendo sent me a DSi XL to review, I was pleasantly surprised by the functionality. Would I buy a DSi XL to replace my DS Lite? Probably not – but I do like the DSi XL, and would recommend it to someone looking to get into portable gaming.
Build quality is as you would expect it to be. Nintendo knows these things are going to be knocked around, and build them so they can take it. The unit I was sent is the bronze color, with the majority of the device having a matte finish. The top of the cover, however, is glossy and picks up finger prints. Not fingerprints like you’d see on a PSP but they are present.
I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here as far as reviewing the DSi functionality. Yeah, it’s a DSi, only bigger. It’s designed for the older crowd that play those little $10 blackjack games from Radio Shack, and if they market it properly it’ll be huge. I have large hands. I like the DSi XL because I like the larger form factor, and the larger screens. My wife isn’t as much of a fan. She’s got smaller hands and found that the DSi XL made her left hand start to cramp after playing Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for about 30 minutes. I saw another review mention issues with screen clarity. I definitely didn’t notice this issue. I love playing RTS games like Civilization Revolution, and if the screen was fuzzy I’d definitely notice it. The screen was crisp and clear, and it didn’t feel like the games were designed for a smaller display at all, which was one of the things I was concerned about when I first read about the DSi XL.
Should you buy a DSi XL? Sure, if you don’t already have a DSi. I’d just suggest that you check one out at your local game shoppe first to be sure that the size won’t be an issue. Is it a reasonable upgrade from the DS or DS Lite? Absolutely. Should you buy one for your mom for Mother’s Day? Only if you are a huge geek and you’re sure she’ll like it.
Product Page: Nintendo DSi XL
Friday, March 26, 2010
Alienware M11x gallery and first impressions
We’ll have a full review of Alienware’s pint-sized gaming machine, but in case you guys haven’t seen enough pictures of it (or there just wasn’t enough bokeh in those other sites’ shots), I’ve put together a nice little gallery for you. I’m happy to take more pictures too if you want close-ups of this or that.
I literally just took it out of the package a few minutes ago, and I have to say my first impressions are very positive. They clearly knew what they wanted to do this this thing. The build feels very solid, the screen is bright, the lighting isn’t as over-the-top as I’ve seen on other Alienware models, and a quick Geekbench run gives it an 1889, which is significantly faster than some other slim-and-lights I’ve tested recently.
Please go ahead and comment if there’s anything you’re wondering about in particular, and I’ll try to answer those questions in the full review. In the meantime, enjoy these artistic shots of this very good-looking machine. I stacked it on a 15″ MacBook Pro there for size comparison — it’s very compact.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
First Look: Nintendo DSi XL
Just got another care package from Nintendo, and it's a big one — literally. Nintendo sent us one of its new DSi XL units, and color me impressed. The screens look great, and games look like they should have been on a screen this size in the first place. I don't even need my reading glasses to play any more!Click through for more shots and first impressions.
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Nintendo's newest portable announced: the 3DS
With the Nintendo DSi XL landing in the offices of the gaming press this week, Nintendo saw fit to announce its newest product in its portable line: the Nintendo 3DS. The company gave limited details via a press release in Japan; we know the system will use two screens, won't require any sort of special glasses, and will be backwards compatible with current DS and DSi games.
The system will be released before the end of the fiscal year, which means the latest we'll see it in Japan is next March. The system is expected to make an appearance at this year's E3, and we'll surely be given more information before then. For now, Nintendo has yet to release any images of the system, or how games will look, or be played.
So how will the 3D effect be displayed? We posted a video of a downloadable game that's out now in Japan that uses head tracking to simulate a 3D image, and since then we've had time to try the game on a friend's Japanese DSi during GDC. By tracking the motion of the system in relation to your eyes, you seem to be able to peer 'into' the picture by turning the system this way and that. It's a surprisingly effective effect, and some iteration of this system may be used in the 3DS.
Nintendo has a history of announcing hardware upgrades and features that may seem silly at first glance before going on to become huge success. Many scoffed at the idea of the Nintendo Wii, until lines to play the system at its first E3 showing stretched around the convention. 3D is fresh in the minds of consumers after the success of Avatar, and 3D-capable televisions are expected to make a splash at retail this year. A portable system that works with all your old games and won't require glasses? It could be the right product at the right time.
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