Yesterday, at Google I/O, Google announced the latest extension of its empire, Google TV.

This technology could potentially revolutionize television, as it opens the door to many possibilities by  implementing the web into your TV screen with just a simple “Box.”

For a myriad of information on this new technology, make sure to stop by here.

Today, we are introduced to the latest device from RIM.  This new Blackberry device is a cross between the Storm and the Bold, as it contains all the main characteristics of the Bold while incorporating a touch screen.  In order to keep the device both aesthetically and functionally pleasant, the keyboard is hidden away behind the touch screen using a “slider” form factor.

More info will be posted as soon as it is available.

bbleaks.com via crackberry

We’ve been pretty slow on keeping you all up-to-date recently, so a quick apology for that. There are some big things in the works for later on this year and I’m working hard to get these new features up-and-running. Now back to the news:

• Apple updated its desktop line today, bring hardware updates to the Mac mini (long overdue), iMac, and Mac Pro. Most of these updates deal with detailed specifications on hardware (processor, hard drive, graphics, etc), so check out Apple.com for all the details.
• Amazon launched the “Kindle for iPhone” application yesterday, bringing almost all the features of a $359 device for FREE. Users cannot purchase books directly from the app and subscriptions are not automatically updated, but users can get their full Kindle library on the device and purchase books via the Safari Mobile browser on the phone and get them directly on the device. Basically, users have a fully loaded Kindle (without subscriptions and the controversial text-to-speech features) on the iPhone, something almost everyone has been waiting for.

So that’s the news everybody. Again, apologies for being pretty slow recently, but we’re working on big things, so stay tuned.

Just as predicted, the kindle 2 (official name) will be available on February 24 for $359 and the leaked pictures were real. Some key specs of the new device: 25 percent thinner than the iPhone, 25 percent longer battery life than the original Kindle, 7 times more storage space, 20 percent faster page-turning, and most importantly: IT READS TO YOU. It’s got text-to-speech built-in for those of you to lazy to move your eyes. Oh, and another major design change, the next/previous page buttons are tiny and won’t accidentally be pushed, which was the worst feature of the original Kindle (the sides of the device were buttons). Will this new model sell out in one day just as the original did? Who knows, but the kindle 2 is pretty tempting.

via Gizmodo

Amazon will launch it’s new Kindle at 7:00 AM Pacific (10 EST) this morning during a press event. Pictures of the device leaked to the media this weekend, while BGR had pictures of the device months ago. According to sources, the device will cost $359 and be available on February 24. All will be known in just a few hours, when Jeff Bezos will undoubtedly make the announcement of the new device. Engadget and Gizmodo will both have live coverage from the event, so check both sites out for up-to-the-minute news.

Some specs of the phone:

• 3.5g Data Connectivity
• Quad-Band GSM
• Wifi b/g
• Bluetooth
• Camera
• and of course Navigation

There is set to be a Press Conferance at 11am EST today, here for details.

- written by Bailey Berro

(Thanks for the tip, Mark!)

IGN reports that the Nintendo DSi will greet US shores (officially) in early April, April 4th specifically. Reportedly bearing a $179.99 pricetag, the DSi has already been imported and, consequently, hacked like crazy, so the device shouldn’t be that new to people. As you may know, the DSi is the next generation DS, featuring a thinner form-factor, dual-cameras, and larger screens. Check back for more on this story, but an April launch would be great considering previous speculation thought a late 2009 launch would occur. We’ve got a DSi overview video on Youtube, and you can check it out below.Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced that the Windows 7 beta will be available for download starting this Friday (January 9), for everyone. Ballmer delivered the opening CES keynote; Bill Gates has delivered the keynote for practically the past 15 years and last year was his last keynote. So the first announcement Ballmer made of his keynote was this Windows 7 beta availability. Windows 7 has been pictured and seen a lot over the past couple of months and this announcement was already expected (along with almost all the “announcements” from today’s keynote). Download the beta and learn more at the Windows 7 site.

This year marks my third for attending the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.  As a few of you might already know, my father is the almighty Yahya Ahdout, the owner and CEO of dreamGEAR, a video game/iPod accessory and speaker producer and distributor, and he is my ticket into this amazing show.  You can find his wonderful products at many places including your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Blockbuster.  One of his latest items is the Warbeast Guitar Controller for all Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Rock Revolution games on PS2/PS3. But, enough of that, lets get to the good stuff.  I will be at the show for its entirety, and I will constantly be blogging and posting every interesting thing that I find.  Like Engadget and Gizmodo, we will be posting about the biggest announcements by all the different companies, but I will also use my time to go around the smaller booths and post about the pretty cool things that everyone forgets about.  As I roam from hall to hall and booth to booth, I will be accompanied by a very good friend of mine, Michael York, who is getting his new blog off the floor, and will be working in compliance with us at blargKABOOM.

Finally, the things I will be bringing with myself on my journey:
Canon EOS 30D – To snap pictures of everything for all you guys to see!
Asus eee 901 – For blogging on the go while on the show floor.
Apple iPhone 3G – For constant tethering, and music on the go. As it is also of course my telephone.
MacBook Pro – Yes, mine is in fact the first generation model, but it will be my home-base for posting in the hotel room. 

And also, a little background for those of you who do not know what CES is; ah god im too lazy, just read about it on Wikipedia here!

Happy New Year everyone, welcome to 2009! And to start off the new year, let’s look at the Apple rumors that have roamed around the web during the last days of 2008 and this first day of 2009.

• iMac and Mac mini revamps are rumored to be announced at Macworld next week. More information is known about the new Mini, apparently the design will resemble the Time Capsule and have “lip” along with the option to add a second hard drive instead of an optical drive. The iMac, however, is still up-in-the-air on details.
• iPhone nano rumors have been going nuts due to case manufacturers now selling cases for this yet unannounced product. Even reputable case maker Vaja is offering customers notification for when their case for the unreleased phone is available. Whether or not iPhone nano will appear at MacWorld or at separate event is not known, but it seems that a smaller iPhone is coming.
• TechCrunch has heard from three reputable sources that a larger version of the iPod touch will grace the world sometime this year, with a fall release currently planned. The device will feature a 7-9 inch screen and should be compatible with all App Store applications.
• Steve Job’s health is a private issue and it should not be newsworthy, but due to him being the core of Apple and the circumstances of this rumor, this latest rumor on his health should be heard. According to reliable Gizmodo sources, the reason for removing Jobs from Macworld was due to his rapidly declining health. The source has apparently been 100% in the past, yet the source seems to suggest Jobs will be leaving the company in Spring. I, along with all Apple Fanboys of the world, hope that this is dead wrong and that Jobs is still healthy. 
• The long awaited 17″ Unibody MacBook Pro is apparently ready and rumored to be released at Macword.
• Back to the real newsworthy rumors: according to several sources online iWork and iMovie will make the switch to online based applications at Macworld next week. These “cloud” applications may tie in to MobileMe, yet that is unknown. Google and Microsoft both have online “cloud” based applications and Apple following suit seems very plausible.

So, there you have it – the first rumor wrap-up of 2009. This is going to be a big year for everyone, blargKABOOM especially, so stay tuned.

Blockbuster is jumping on the set-top-box bandwagon. Yup, sounds crazy, movie rental store Blockbuster is releasing a set-top-box. Well, it’s true. Joining the likes of Apple TV, VUDU, Roku, and Xbox 360, Blockbuster is making a play at the digital downloads world. Blockbuster’s service, Blockbuster On-Demand (we know, very unique), offers rentals from $1.99 to $3.99 with varying viewing period limits. Right now, Blockbuster’s got an offer where for $99 you get 25 free-rentals and the MediaPoint box. No subscription required. That right there may be a key selling point considering that the economy’s so unstable and people might not want to waste money monthly on a movie service.

Barack Obama elected President is definitely the main story tonight, but the side store – CNN used hologram technology during their election coverage. What? Hologram do you say? No…. this isn’t Star Wars. Well, it may not be up to the Star Wars bar yet, but it’s getting there. CNN “beamed” (as Wolf Blitzer says) Jessica Yellin into their election central zone via hologram. The technology worked by circling Yellin with cameras and computers than analyzing the data and projecting it onto our TV sets. Unfortunately George Lucas and the Star Wars team take the lead here because it looks as if the TV viewer is the only person seeing Yellin and she is not actually there in the studio projected in front of Blitzer. But still, there was a hologram on TV: the future is here.

CNN video

story via Engadget

UPDATE – To see will.i.am and a behind-the-scenes CNN video, read more.

Sony Ericsson’s C905 Cyber-shot Phone not only stars in its latest ad, but took the picture as well (now that’s multitasking). The ad, exclusively featured in December’s FHM, solely targets users who want a camera-phone, and it does it pretty successfully. Put simply, this phone took a picture that ended up as an ad in a magazine. Now it may have been taken by a professional photograph, in a professional set, with professional lighting, featured a professional model, and retouched professionally, but it still looks pretty darn good for a photo taken by a mobile phone camera. The phone’s 8.1 megapixel camera probably helped make the picture better, but still, look at the bigger picture: a camera-phone took this picture, and the picture looks pretty darn good.

Gizmodo got a hands-on preview of the BlackBerry Curve 8900, codename Javelin, this week and apparently, they like it. The model was only a pre-production model, though, so BlackBerry will undoubtedly make improvements based off of these hands-on reviews.

The 8900, the successor to the Blackberry Curve, includes Blackberry’s newest and best software, version 4.6, which can not be used with the original Curve. The operating system is not only sleeker and better looking, it is also smoother and an overall better experience, according to Gizmodo. The 8900’s screen is also much crisper and looks more like the Bold’s screen. Compared to the original Curve, it is a much more powerful phone all together. 

The trackball and keyboard are said to be exactly like the current Curve’s, however, the phone’s hardware as a whole is slightly thinner. It lacks 3G which is definitely a huge loss, but Blackberry users have been living without it for years. However with a phone this good looking and an operating system this nice, they can live without it for a little bit longer. Overall, the phone is definitely a more consumer version of the Bold and definitely has the same relationship that the current Curve has to the BlackBerry 8800. Overall, if you can live without 3G and want a smaller phone, get the Curve 8900. No pricing or launch dates are known as of know, but a mid-November/December launch is expected.

During a developer conference held this week, Microsoft showed off Windows 7, they’re attempt to help the Windows name after the failure that is Vista. From the screenshots, it looks nice, and that’s coming from one of the biggest Apple fanboys you could find. Besides showing the new operating system off, the company gave developers a beta version of the operating system, which doesn’t have an official launch date, but is expected early 2010 or even late 2009. Developers will apparently get a feature complete beta version in early 2009.

But back to the important stuff, the OS. Here’s what’s new:

• the taskbar – just includes icons, we’ll see whether that lack of text stays to the final version.
• “peek” feature – going over an app in the taskbar makes all other applications go transparent, very similar to Expose on Mac OS X.
• gadgets roam free – gadgets, very similar to Apple’s widgets without their own Dashboard, are now free to roam the desktop instead of being trapped in the Sidebar, which took up valuable screen space on small screens.
• resizing windows – by dragging a window to the top of the screen maximizes it, bringing it down again restores previous size. by dragging the window to the edge of the screen, it makes the window 50% of the screen.
• one click WiFi choosing – users can select WiFi networks with one click of a WiFi button in the system tray.
• system tray auto-hiding – instead of hiding and only showing a certain number of icons, now users set which icons to show in the main system tray and everything else is auto-hidden.
• runs on less – Microsoft demoed Windows 7 running on a netbook with only 1GB of RAM and a 1Ghz processor, showing it’s already better than Vista since Vista doesn’t do too well on netbooks.

TiVo is easily the most popular DVR around the country and for those TiVo users with the TiVo HD, HD XL, and Series3 models, you are about to get a welcome addition to your TiVo: Netflix streaming. Similar to the current streaming offered by the Roku box and other services, the service offers Netflix subscribers “all you can eat” access to over 12,000 movies and TV shows streamed over the internet. The rollout of Netflix has already begun through a beta program, but the official rollout is planned for mid-December.

via the Crave blog

The MacBook Pro’s update came first today, as Steve introduced them. Biggest updates to the Pro: the iMac-look with the glass and the black bezel covering the display, dual-graphics chips, and the new multi-touch giant button glass trackpad. The Pro is thinner than the current model, but heavier as well. Shockingly, only the 15″ MacBook Pro model was updated to the new model and the 17″ just received a slight component refresh. The new MacBook Pro is available today in two models, a base $1999 model including a 2.4Ghz processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, 250GB of storage, and the dual Nvidia graphics cards. The better model is available for $2499 and has a 2.53Ghz processor (upgradable to 2.8Ghz for $300), 4GB of DDR3 memory, 320GB of storage, and new graphics cards.

The new MacBook is the largest updated product at the event. The current entry-level MacBook is still around for $999 and available in white, but then say hello to the new MacBooks. Probably a better term would be 13″ MacBook Pro, because that is almost what the new MacBooks are. The MacBook has the same design as the new MacBook Pro’s and the only features the new MacBook Pro has over the regular MacBook is the Firewire port (which the MacBook drops), the higher speed graphics card, and the faster processor. Besides those key differences, they are almost the same computer. The base new MacBook retails for $1299 and includes a 2.0Ghz processor, 2GB of memory, and 160GB of storage. The better MacBook retails for $1599 and has a 2.4Ghz processor, 2GB of memory, and 250GB of storage.

Both notebook lines are available today online and should be in stores now.

“The spotlight turns to notebooks.”

With Apple’s notebook event starting in almost 10 hours, its only fitting that we roundup the most recent rumors and give you a spotlight of where to go for coverage.

COVERAGE:

As with normal Apple event coverage, check out Engadget and Live.Gizmodo for live up-to-the-second coverage. Besides those two live sources, MacRumors will be gathering news while it happens. blargKABOOM coverage will be intermittent and will be as up-to-date as possible. The event starts at 10:00am Pacific Time and will almost surely star Steve Jobs and a couple of new MacBooks.

RUMORS:

The rumor mill spins extra fast during the Apple event season and this notebook event produced tons of rumors.

The biggest rumors, and almost facts, are around updates to the MacBook and MacBook Pro line. Apparently, aluminum will be key to the new line and the new MacBook will ditch plastic for aluminum. Also rumored is that the MacBook Pro will feature a similar black bezel around the screen like the current iMac (see supposed leaked image above). Faster processors, more storage space, and normal hardware boosts are also expected. Also expected are new lower prices for the notebooks.

After the notebook line updates, what could the “One more thing…” be at this event?

A new Apple display that competes in the television market and includes a built-in hard drive is also rumored. Even if Apple ever produces this product, its highly doubtable that this event will be its launch.

Other rumors include a touch-screen based “iTablet,” a netbook/mini-notebook, and freshly redesigned cinema displays.

10:00am sharp, notebook event, Steve Jobs will be there, will you?

Rumors have been flying around for months about Apple refreshing their MacBook and MacBook Pro lines in design orientated way. Neither the MacBook nor the MacBook Pro has faced major design and style changes since each products respective introductions back in May and January of 2006. Since the end of last year, rumors popped up stating refreshes are coming. Now, the most solid rumor we have is that we will see these new laptops on October 14 (next Tuesday). What will the changes include? For the MacBook, a new aluminum shell making it more recyclable and giving it a more sophisticated look. For the MacBook Pro, a more refined aluminum shell with some sort of black bezel similar to that of the current iMac.

The biggest rumor that went around recently had to deal with codename “Brick.” Internally, Apple calls this new product, or rather technology, “Brick”. Most speculated that the Brick would either be some new smaller touch based device, or a mini-notebook to compete with the Eee PC and the like. Now, 9to5mac.com has shared to us from credible sources that the Brick is a new technology in the way Apple will make the laptops. Unlike current aluminum laptops like the MacBook Pro where the computer contains many pieces of aluminum fit together and cut up and the such, the Brick technology allows for the use of one “brick” of aluminum. Using just lasers and jets of water to literally carve new MacBooks, the new technology offers many benefits: no weak spots, no screws, it’s cheap, and it is made directly by Apple and isn’t done by Taiwanese companies like Foxconn so there are less rumors and leaks. It sounds odd, but check out the full description over at 9to5Mac and it will make more sense.

So, October 14 is the day. New MacBooks, new MacBook Pros, and the introduction of the Brick. Set your calendars.

The BlackBerry Javelin 8900, the soon-to-be successor to the BlackBerry Curve, hasn’t been too shy about getting shot in public. Even so, having your not-yet-announced (or released) product to be put on Ebay, let alone photographed, isn’t the smartest plan. The Javelin is basically a more Bold-like Curve, with matching color combination and a more angular design. The phone features a keyboard similar to the current Curve, WiFi, GPS, and a 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera. 3G is sadly not included. BlackBerryForums member fr0zen posted pictures of the Javelin, check it here for four more pictures. Check out Ebay to find the $4,056.99 and rising unlocked non-3G phone.

Yesterday, Dell popped out a netbook of its own to jump on the bandwagon made popular by the Asus Eee PC as well as other small notebooks. The Inspiron Mini 9 has an 8.9 inch screen and rocks a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor with either 512MB of RAM or 1GB depending on which model you spring for. There are two Windows XP models and there’s even an Ubuntu Linux version. The Linux version has a 4GB solid-state drive (SSD) and 512MB of memory, but includes 2GB of free internet storage from Box.net, that model retails for a cool $349. Next is a Windows XP model with the same 512MB of RAM but includes an 8GB SSD and retails for $399. Last up is another XP model, except this one not only has a memory boost to 1GB of RAM, but also brings up the storage space to 16GB (still using a SSD) and retails for $449. However, Dell is running a promotion until 6 am (central time) September 9 where if you are ordering another Dell computer (either the Studio 15, XPS M1530 or XPS M1330), you can get the Mini 9 for just $99.

Remember around two months ago when Ryan Block, former editor-in-chief and current editor-at-large of Engadget, announced his resignation from Engadget and that he and Peter Rojas (founder of Engadget and Gizmodo) would be starting a new gadget-focused online site. Well, say hello to “gdgt” (prounced g-d-g-t). gdgt is their new consumer electronics site that they have been preparing for months. The site hasn’t launched yet, but they have released gdgt weekly (iTunes link)–a podcast featuring the dynamic duo similar to the style of the old Engadget Podcast. The first edition is around an hour long and overviews what has happened in technology throughout the past year. Personally, I can’t wait to see more from these two guys and am pumped for the launch of gdgt.

Rumors have been spreading out around numerous websites that the iPhone 3G will get a (RED) makeover just in time for the holidays.  Could it also be joined by a 32GB upgrade for the iPhone 3G and a 64GB upgrade for the iPod Touch?

Photo Courtesy of http://www.macblogz.com

While configuring the HP Blackbird 002 on HP’s website, I noticed that the unreleased, unannounced NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT was an option in configuring the Blackbird 002.  The card supposedly has 512MB GDDR3 of SDRAM, but no other information about the card is listed.  Maybe it could just be a stupid mistake and the card is really the 9800 GTX? Is anyone brave enough to drop $2299 for one of these badboys to get more info on the card? 

Check it out for yourself here.

Update: It seems Dell has joined the party: Link

MacBook touch: no this picture isn’t real, but it’s a great mockup of what a product could look like. (courtesy of Gizmodo)

Apple had its quarterly earnings call on Monday and it revealed that a “product transition” would lower gross margin next quarter because “Apple makes state of the art new products that the competition just can’t match” and that means higher costs. In other words, Apple’s going to release a new product that is really cheap and that costs a lot, this way everyone will buy it, but Apple will make less money from it in the beginning.

Throughout the call, Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer brought up this “new product that [Apple] [couldn't] discuss” or “new additions to the product line.” He also said this new product would have a direct effect on the September/fourth quarter. If this new product has an effect on the September quarter, that would most likely mean it has to come out sometime in the beginning of September/late August. And, if it’s going to have a large impact on gross margins, then it’s probably going to be a big deal.

So what could this new product be? Well, the product that sells really well during the September quarter is computers (notebooks specifically). The reason: this is the time when students are going back to school and need to computers. And if Apple wants to get to the students, they’re going to release this new notebook relatively soon. Not meaning tomorrow, but a mid-August launch is perfect if they are targeting those students getting new computers before school. If Apple wants to make an even bigger splash in the market and one that their competitors can’t match, they’re either going to revamp their notebook line (which is due for a redo in the MacBook and MacBook Pro areas) or release a new inexpensive laptop that will sell like crazy.

Most likely, an Apple event will be announced very soon and will take place in the beginning of August, there Steve will do his normal Keynote and will announce revamped MacBooks and MacBook Pros as well as a cheaper MacBook Air with better specs. Then, the “one more thing…” Everyone is speculating that it will be a MacBook touch, and it very well could be. Something else they could do: a small mini-notebook similar to the Eee PC or the HP Mini Note. If they really want to innovate, then they could use multiple screens having the bottom as a multitouch keyboard. Now, neither a MacBook touch or this mini-MacBook are very realistic, but if Apple is really going to “wow” everyone, they will do it in a big way.