Type Cover gives Microsoft Surface a tactile keyboard

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Handhelds, Microsoft, PC / Laptop, Peripherals,

The Touch Cover is a futuristic multitouch keyboard accessory for the Microsoft Surface tablet that brings a thin profile and a measure of protection, but for those of you who'd prefer a tried and true tactile keyboard with real trackpad buttons, you'll wanna get a look at the Type Cover. Since the Touch Cover is a capacitive touch keyboard without any moving keys, it's the slimmer of the two, measuring in at 3mm thin compared to the Type Cover's 5mm thickness.

Touch Cover for Microsoft Surface tablet sports multitouch keyboard

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Handhelds, Microsoft, Peripherals,

The first accessory announced for the new Microsoft Surface tablet today is the Touch Cover. A seemingly brilliant take on the tablet cover accessory, the Touch Cover serves as both a protective cover for Surface, as well as a full multitouch keyboard. You just open up the Surface kickstand, and the Touch Cover lays flat (3mm thin) and even registers typing faster than any other keyboard currently on the market, according to Microsoft. You get a full keyboard and touchpad. If that isn't your jam, you can opt for the Surface Type Cover instead.

Microsoft announces Surface tablet

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories:

The rumor mill was calling for a new Microsoft tablet to be announced today, and thats exactly what happened. Just a few minutes ago, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the Microsoft Surface tablet. The Microsoft Surface is a companion to Windows 8, with Microsoft saying that it's "a tablet that's a great PC, and a PC that's a great tablet." The hardware is 9.3mm thin with edges beveled at 22 degrees. The casing is all magnesium, which is a first for a computer, making the Surface weigh in at 1.5 pounds. Oh, and it's also got a 10.6-inch display, so it's here to compete with the big boys. As you'd expect, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present, as is a built-in kickstand, Gorilla Glass, and an amazingly thin 3mm cover that also doubles as a keyboard for touch typing.

Surface will be available in the model we just detailed, as well as a Pro model that supports a higher resolution display. It's got the same chassis, same kickstand, and supports the same accessories, but this model wuns full Windows 8 Pro rather than just Windows RT. It also supports digital ink by way of a stylus. When the Surface detects the pen, it stops accepting touch input, making it easy to write on. The upgraded model also has a DisplayPort, allowing you to plug it in to a larger monitor, this giving you the regular, full PC experience.

Bleeding Edge TV 453: Panasonic Lumix ZS20 camera review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Features, Podcasts, Product Reviews, Videocasts, Videos,

We give you a look at the Panasonic Lumix ZS20 point-and-shootdigital camera in this episode. The Lumix ZS20 features a 14.1 megapixel sensor, 3-inch touchscreen display, built-in GPS for geotagging images and video, a 3D shooting mode, HDR, 20x optical zoom, and shoots in 1080p at 60 frames per second when dealing with your on-the-go footage (which it stores in AVCHD Progressive format.) We show off the camera, as well as everything else that's included in the box. Want one? You can get the Lumix ZS20 for 17% off on Amazon.

Big thank you to GoToMeeting for sponsoring Bleeding Edge TV. GoToMeeting provides rich, super-simple collaborative virtual meetings - be sure to check them out!

OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4 12a248 update released

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,

Apple has released an update to OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4, made available through the Mac App Store, to developers using the build that was released during WWDC 2012. If you're running Mountain Lion DP4, just launch the Mac App Store and check your Updates tab to find the software. It's a little over 1 GB in size, and will require a reboot to install.

Microsoft to unveil Xbox Surface tablet today?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Microsoft, Rumors, Video Games,

Microsoft is set to take the stage in just a few hours to make a major product announcement. Rumors have been running rampant that the company will finally reveal its own tablet. Over the weekend, a document surfaced that goes into detail on a product called Xbox Surface. Xbox Surface is purportedly a 7-inch multi-touch tablet that runs at 720p with WI-Fi, Bluetooth, SD card slot, and up to 7 hours of battery life.

The Xbox Surface would interface with a "stationary computing device" as well, allowing you to stream content from a device that's more powerful than the tablet itself. While utilizing the Xbox brand for a new consumer device seems to make sense, always remember that documents like this one are easily faked. We'll know later today, and of course, will keep you updated.

Read More | CNET

Verizon FiOS Quantum offers 300 Mbps for $205 per month

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Corporate News, Internet,

Verizon has finally made those FiOS speed increases that we told you about recently a reality, and along with the new speeds comes a new name as well. Verizon FiOS Quantum offers speeds up to 300 Mbps down and 65 Mbps up, and the cost is a whopping $205 per month with a two-year contract (or $210 per month contract-free.) What can you do with those speeds? Verizon tells us:

"With a 300 Mbps speed, consumers can download a two-hour, standard-definition movie (1.5 gigabytes) in less than 40 seconds; and a two-hour, high-definition movie (5 GB) in 2.2 minutes."

If you're in a Verizon FiOS area, you can order upgrade now.

Read More | Verizon

Weekend Reading: Ray Bradbury, Alex Toth and Before Watchmen

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, Reviews,

The countdown to San Diego has begun. You can tell because Mark Evanier is starting to post his great stories about San Diego cons of the past.

I’ve really been enjoying his tales of the con that involve Ray Bradbury and Julie Schwartz (and MAD Magazine’s Al Feldstein). One of the things that’s being revealed is that Julie, a longtime DC Comics editor and later company ambassador, doesn’t come across as a likeable guy.

This will not come as a surprise to anyone who’s read about Evan Dorkin’s repeatedly unpleasant encounters with Schwartz.

Or to people who are familiar with Colleen Doran.

Speaking of Ray Bradbury, Frederik Pohl remembers his friend of 75 years.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Ray Bradbury, Alex Toth and Before Watchmen

Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide 2012

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, DC Comics,

I don’t know how he does it, but somehow editor J.C. Vaughn is able to assemble his team each year and whip together a new edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. This year it’s #42 (!) and it’s just as big and wonderful as ever. This year’s version is available with three different covers: Joe Jusko, Adam Hughes, and (my favorite) Matt Wagner. Just beautiful-looking stuff.

As always, in addition to the latest go-to prices for comics new and old (and really old, like the 16th Century), the Guide has a ton of great articles on comics history, plus market reports from their advisers, the Overstreet Hall of Fame, and even a new look at one of the best graphic novels ever, Batman: Son Of The Demon.

For me, I love the articles, but I also like flipping through the pages and looking at covers of old comics to see how they've changed over the years. I get a real kick out of all the funny (and strange) titles and the trivia (artist appearances and character first appearances and stuff like that). It's like an annual history book of comics and in each volume I always find good stuff that makes it a worthwhile purchase.

Click to continue reading Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide 2012

Apple Stores tilt MacBook Pro displays 70 degrees to make you touch them

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Design, PC / Laptop,

If you thought that the placement of anything in an Apple Store by employees wasn't planned with the utmost precision, think again. It turns out that everything, even down to the exact tilt of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air displays, have an intricate science around them. Get this--each morning Apple Store employees use a leveling app like Simply Angle to help set the tilt of the displays of all the notebook computers to exactly 70 degrees.

Click to continue reading Apple Stores tilt MacBook Pro displays 70 degrees to make you touch them

Read More | Forbes