Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

Engadget

FEATURES: Holiday Gift Guide 3D tech comes home
  • J. Evans Turner
  • Member Since Jul 2nd, 2006
Blog Activity
Blog# of Comments
Joystiq13 Comments
Engadget214 Comments
Engadget HD10 Comments
Joystiq Nintendo1 Comment
Engadget Mobile1 Comment

Recent Comments:

The NVIDIA reference design was MUCH smaller and was Pico-ITX form factor (fits into drive bay for optical drives).

I want THAT. Why is no one SELLING an ION platform in Pico-ITX form factor?
You guys keep calling it a US "holiday." It is not a holiday. It's merely a recognized phenomenon that retailers capitalize on. The government only recognizes Thanksgiving Day (Thursday).

The retailers know that many employers give their employees 2 days off so people can travel and spend time with family, but it also makes it easier to go shopping the next day.
Well, I guess this app isn't really for translating web pages...
I also have a "Find in page..." function done this way.

Love it!
AMAZING how topical this is.

I *JUST* added a bookmarklet to my iPhone that probably does it better without an app.

Create a bookmarks folder called "Tools" or "Functions" and add any bookmark there. Then rename it to "Translate" and paste this into it:
javascript:q=location.href;void(location.href='http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u='+q);
SHHHH! You're telling everyone MY secret!

I have a pile of Wii remotes next to me that were all new and purchased between $3- $14 each. Eventually, it reached a point where I just had to stop buying them no matter how good the deal was.

The problem is that people can't figure out how to pair the remote initially. The lights on the Wiimote don't even blink if it has never been paired, so people assume it's not working. After all this time, Nintendo still hasn't done anything to address the issue. Nintendo includes a booklet that doesn't even cover initial pairing. It ONLY shows how to remove the jacket to change batteries and warns you to always use the jacket and the wrist strap. FAIL.

Now, both Target *and* Wal Mart are donating these to Goodwill instead of returning them to the vendor. Their loss...
I *LOVE* my Voyager Pro. I use it in the EXTREMELY noisy head end of the local cable operation I work for. The person on the other end can actually hear what I'm saying, unlike all the other headsets I've tried.

Even better, I can hear the other person through my earpiece more clearly than if I had the phone on my ear.
If you're specifically looking for a headset with stereo, you should be searching for "A2DP" profile support. If you are wondering if a set of A2DP headphones also work as a headset (most do), the features should also say that it supports Handsfree or Headset Bluetooth profiles.
It seems like Microsoft still doesn't want 64-bit Windows to support a fraction of the hardware that 32-bit works with. Heck, I'm still trying to figure out why 64-bit IE can't support encapsulated 32-bit plugins. If 64-bit IE still doesn't support Flash...or ANY PLUGINS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST, who is going to use it? Why does it exist?

Microsoft would do well to Ponder this: Have you ever seen a system that shipped with a shortcut to Safari 32-bit and Safari 64-bit?

The reason Microsoft didn't do it the right way is because they have been building on top of other things that don't make sense.

Because of what I do (tech support), I frequently have to view the Device Manager with View > "Devices by connection." It would be a GODSEND if I could note a USB controller as "Front Ports", "Back ports", etc. It would KICK ASS if I could re-name a USB composite device. Seriously, my two external AVC-3610 dual-tuners (4 tuners) each have an IR receiver for a Media Center remote control, the PC has an integrated receiver that can hardly sense anything, but I use a USB receiver that is located where it can actually receive a signal from my remote. That's FOUR infrared receivers, and I have to identify/disable 3 specific ones in the Device Manager to keep them from interfering with each other. I have to disable all but one. It's DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to figure out which is which in the Device Manager.

I also have multple different input devices. Even my Bluetooth receiver appears to Windows as a composite device with an HID-compliant USB keyboard / mouse (so I can control the BIOS and other menus with a Bluetooth keyboard even before Bluetooth drivers are loaded/initialized). Some devices have hubs built into them. I'd like to be able to tell which "USB Composite Device" represents my G15 keyboard with integrated USB hub.

If Microsoft did it right, "My Computer" would replace both the Device Manager and the "Devices and Printers"
Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I'm looking for a pair of quality headphones that aren't seemingly made of glass. I'm an avid BMXer which causes me to frequently bash on any type of technology that joins me for my daily riding. I've been through the higher quality headsets in the Skullcandy line as these are supposed to be built for "abuse," which is laughable. I cant wear earbuds or canal buds, as my large ears seem to have a repelling property upon anything that sits in them. Wired or Bluetooth doesn't really matter, but I need something that can hold up to taking a few hits every now and again. I'm trying to keep 'em under $150. Thanks!"

Boss of the Year Entry Form

Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.