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

Monster Diesel VEKTR on-ear headphones unboxing gallery

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Galleries, Portable Audio,

We've been waiting for the Monster Diesel VEKTR headphones to drop ever since we laid eyes on them back at CES, and now the on-ears have finally arrived. A collaboration between Monster and Diesel, the VEKTR headphones bring great sound and hybridize it with a stylized, high-fashion look. Don't believe us? That's why we put together our Monster Diesel VEKTR unboxing gallery so you can see for yourself. If you still aren't convinced, be sure to peep our Diesel VEKTR video unboxing. After you get take it all in, if you decide you want a pair, you can grab them for $250 on Amazon. Or you can just win the pair we're giving away!

Gallery:

Bleeding Edge TV 452: iPad Smart Case hands-on

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

We give you a first-look at the new Apple iPad Smart Case in this episode. The iPad Smart Case is similar to the Smart Cover, except that instead of just covering the front display of the iPad, it actually covers the entire body, front and back. It's available in six colors for $49 from the Apple Store, and we give you a look at how it works. Also be sure to read our iPad Smart Case review, and check out the iPad Smart Case photo gallery as well.

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

Apple WWDC 2012 keynote video now on YouTube

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

Apple has posted its entire two-hour long WWDC 2012 Keynote to its YouTube account. This is where you can get a look at the major features of OS X Mountain Lion, iOS 6, the introduction of the MacBook Pro with Retina display, and all the other major Apple announcements of the day.

Click to continue reading Apple WWDC 2012 keynote video now on YouTube

iPad Smart Case photo gallery

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Features, Handhelds,

We just hit you with our full Apple iPad Smart Case review, and you should really check that out if you're considering picking up Apple's first full case for its popular tablet. In addition to the written review, we've put together a gallery of images showing off the good and the bad--and there's a lot of bad in our mind. As you'll see, ports don't line up with the holes in the case, and there's an odd lip all around the perimeter that just makes it awkward to hold. Go and judge for yourself in our iPad Smart Case gallery, and let us know what you think.

Gallery:

iPad Smart Case review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,

This week Apple released the iPad Smart Case, a polyurethane product that covers and protects both the front and back of the the iPad shell. Compatible with both the iPad 2 and the new third-generation iPad, this is the first full case that Apple has offered for its popular tablet, and it's being sold for $49. The Smart Case seems to make a lot of sense in theory, but how does it fare in practice? Read on as we answer that question in our iPad Smart Case review.

Click to continue reading iPad Smart Case review