32498737
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"After initially dismissing Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire as 'merely a vehicle for generating Amazon sales of ebooks, music, videos, and Android apps, when Amazon started unloading Kindle Fire refurbs for $139 (they're now $169), DeviceGuru couldn't resist the opportunity to snap one up and turn it into a 'real' Android tablet, complete with Google's Android services and a full suite of Google Android apps. The resulting lengthy how-to blog post runs through the process of using the Kindle Fire Utility to root the tablet and install a replacement bootloader and recovery tools, and explains how to modify the tablet's homescreen look and feel. Although the morphed Kindle Fire still has some hardware shortcomings, such as its lack of a mic (or line input), camera, and bluetooth, it's still quite usable for most anything you'd want to do with a tablet. Plus, it makes a great weekend project!"Link to Original Source
31065371
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Curious about the low-cost Amazon Kindle Fire Android tablet? If you’re quick, you might be able to snag a refurbished unit for $139 at Amazon. The company introduced the Fire at the end of 2011 at the loss-leader price point of $199, though it’s rumored to cost around $210 to build. So at $139, you’d be getting the Android-powered tablet well below cost. Step one: buy refurbed Kindle Fire. Step two: root it and enjoy!"Link to Original Source
30945669
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Many Apple fans know the joy of sharing videos, music, and photos with friends by Airplaying them from their iPads and iPhones to an HDTV via an Apple TV box. Now, this phenomenon is starting to show up in corporate board rooms. Recognizing this trend, business intelligence (BI) software specialist MicroStrategy has integrated enhanced AirPlay support into its mobile BI app, enabling users to use their iPads to make spontaneous presentations based on dynamic data insights — resulting in what the company dubs a "PowerPoint on steroids" experience. Welcome to 21st-century conference room!"Link to Original Source
30220645
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Although generally overshadowed by the iPad 3 debut, Apple also introduced the third incarnation its Apple TV streaming media players this week. Sporting a revamped icon-based UI, the third-generation Apple TV doesn't add much to its predecessor beyond a truly-HD 1080p video output mode. Although Apple TV is still not supported by an Apple Apps Store plug-in apps ecosystem, its new UI (available as a free update for 2nd-generation Apple TVs) does seem to imply that this capability is coming soon. Meanwhile, Roku is gearing up for a $50M IPO, so this cord-cutting story is far from over!"Link to Original Source
29653821
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"It's looking like 2012 will be a watershed for cord-cutters wanting to replace expensive cable TV services with low-cost gadgets that stream movies and TV shows from the Internet via free, subscription, and pay-per-view services. Accordingly, this DeviceGuru smackdown pits five popular streaming media player devices against each other. The smackdown pits Roku, Google TV, Apple TV, the Boxee Box, and Netgear's NeoTV against one another, tabulating their key features, functions, specs, supported multimedia formats, and other characteristics, and listing the main advantages and disadvantages of each device. Then, it provides a summary chart that attempts to quantify the whole thing, so you (theoretically) can pick the best one based on what characteristics are most important to you. Of course, the market's evolving so quickly that the entire process will need to be redone in 6 months, but what else is new."Link to Original Source
28197432
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Google and its Google TV 2.0 partners made quite a splash at CES this week. As a followup, this detailed blog post at DeviceGuru reviews Google TV 2.0's features, specs, apps, and flexible new user interface, and shows how you can add customized folders and shortcuts to the homescreen for accessing hundreds of favorite apps and websites within a couple of mouse clicks."Link to Original Source
27858956
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Roku is building its streaming media player technology into a thumbdrive-style device that will plug directly into a TV's HDMI port. The Roku Streaming Stick, to be priced in the $50-$100 range, will convert ordinary TVs into smart TVs, according to CEO Anthony Wood. One catch is that it will depend on the TV having at least one Mobile High-Definition Link (MHDL) compliant HDMI port. The new standard is not widely supported yet, with only Nokia, Samsung, Silicon Image, Sony, and Toshiba listed as members on the MHDL Consortium's web page."Link to Original Source
27518586
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Boxee released version 1.5 of its free multimedia streaming software for Mac, Windows, and Linux desktops today, but simultaneously announced that it will cease offering the Boxee desktop software after January. Thereafter, the company will limit its focus to devices such as the D-Link Boxee Box, which faces stiff competition from multimedia streaming TV set-top-box products such as the Roku players, Google TV, and Apple TV. Hopefully, the XBMC project, on which Boxee's software is largely based, will carry the ball forward for desktop users. Speaking of which, the first preview release of XBMC 11.0 Eden was just released."Link to Original Source
26779160
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Although it's not without passionate supporters, Unity, Ubuntu 11.10's new default user interface, has generated lots of controversy and consternation among faithful Ubuntu users. For those who prefer a traditional Gnome desktop, its relatively easy to setup and configure a Gnome Shell-based Ubuntu 11.10 Linux desktop, making migration from earlier versions of Ubuntu a snap."Link to Original Source
26523436
submission
DeviceGuru writes
"Via Technologies has published a free ebook celebrating 10 years of Mini-ITX. Available in ePub and PDF format, the 155-page ebook traces the evolution of the popular mini-motherboard format for applications ranging from car PCs to home-theater PCs to embedded control. The book showcases some of Mini-ITX's more interesting and unusual applications, and speculates on its next ten years."Link to Original Source
