Do you love Rocketboom, DL.tv, Diggnation and all of that cool online video content? If you do, and you don’t feel like heading to your PC whenever a new episode is available, you can now get it delivered straight to your Media Center PC with the help of Streamalicious, a new plugin - in BETA - that lets you subscribe to various online video content (preferably WMV format) by using RSS (via HTPCnews). MORE »

Popularity: 3% [?]

The list of network storage devices keeps growing, the prices keep dropping, and day by day, consumers come closer and closer to being able to keep over 1TB of storage on their network without breaking the bank. With all of these options, it would be hard to not look for the best performing device while also keeping an eye to pricing concerns. In one of their latest reviews, ExtremeTech wondered if the Hammer Z-box desktop would be a NAS killer. The Z-box, a Z-SAN IP storage solution, is aiming to take a chunk of business away from competing NAS devices, and it just may do so MORE »

Popularity: 3% [?]

If you’ve got a swank MCE system with an ATI video card driving your video, you’ll be thrilled to know that the latest release of the Catalyst drivers - version 6.6 - includes an Avivo Video Convert for Windows Media Center according to Chris Pirillo. So, what exactly does this tool allow for? Well, you can now convert any video content into different formats, including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 SP, MPEG-4/AVC and of course, Windows Media. There’s also a profile for both the iPod with Video and the Sony PSP, which I’m sure Apple and Sony are just thrilled about. For those of us who are Nvidia fans, we’ll have to wait to see what their response will be.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Associated Press: “The Boston-based advocacy group [The Free Software Foundation] launched an online petition Thursday asking Bono to take a stand with them against copy-protection technologies that they say unnecessarily restrict consumers’ rights to freely use the music and art they’ve purchased.” Whoa. Great way to get publicity! Ask Mr. Human Rights himself to jump on board or look like a hypocrite (hehe). I like it. Now lets see what his reps respond with. I’ll put $20.00 down that he passes because of a conflict of interest. MORE »

Popularity: 2% [?]

Linspire, Inc., developers of the leading consumer desktop Linux operating system, along with AOpen and Mirus Innovations, announce the availability of the Linspire Mini Koobox, the first small form-factor Linux machine on the market. Starting at just $399 after $100 mail-in rebate, the Mini Koobox is based on an Intel platform built by AOpen and comes with the easy-to-use Linspire Linux operating system, which includes full Microsoft file-compatible office suite, DVD player and DVD-playing software, music and photo management software, Internet applications, e-mail and instant messaging capabilities. The Linspire Mini Koobox is now being sold online through Mirus Innovations as part of its Koobox line of desktop computers. For more information about the Mini Koobox, visit www.koobox.com. MORE »

Popularity: 4% [?]

Vonage America Inc., a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading provider of broadband telephone services, today announced that it is introducing the Vonage V-Phone, a portable and multifunctional USB device. MORE »

Popularity: 3% [?]

I like technology. I like pictures. I like pretty pictures of technology. Hopefully, I’m not alone in this, because if I am, then I have lots of issues to work out. That not withstanding, Gina at Lifehacker has posted a smorgasbord of Windows Vista Beta screenshots for you and I to oogle over as we anticipate it’s pending January 2007 release. The visual “tour” does a good job of showing some of the nicer enhancements (gadgets, start menu improvements) and some of the more annoying ones (nag dialogs galore). If you’re curious as to what Vista has in store, head over to Lifehacker to take a look. Why fight it? You will be assimilated one day.

Popularity: 3% [?]

If you’re a fence rider, and you’re currently using VoIP while also utilizing your landline, you’re probably also using different handsets for both lines. Well, far be it from us to leave you in the dark when there are better options available. The Philips Skype VOIP321 can make your phoning life simpler by letting you make both Skype and landline calls from the same handset (via Engadget). MORE »

Popularity: 4% [?]

Mis-information can be damaging and is often a tactic used in disputes or battles. Well, nowhere is this more true than in the ongoing battle between Toshiba and Sony on the battlefield of the next-gen DVD format. Thankfully, we can put some of the misinformation to rest thanks to this useful article at the Home Theater Blog. Fact and fiction are separated and the truth about the two formats is put out there so that you can make an educated decision about which, if either, format you may want to adopt. In all, the article addresses four key myths. Some of these myths - like the storage capacity difference between the formats - have been commonly accepted as truth and are finally debunked here. Head over to the article for more details.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Have you been curious about that odd, but strangely interesting group called Defective By Design? Great. We were too. That’s why we booked an appointment with Peter Brown to get the inside scoop on what the DBD was all about. As a bonus, since Peter Brown is the Executive Director at The Free Software Foundation, we chatted about the goals of the organization and how DRM negatively impacts the Free Software Movement and society in general (by the way, that’s Free as in Freedom). Below is the recording of the conversation. MORE »

Popularity: 9% [?]