burn

Video conversion made simple

Total Video Converter is a program for converting and ripping videos to formats that are supported by a number of common electronic devices like the iPhone.

The overall design and features of this program are simple and easy to navigate. The main features are all accessible from the main window, and Total Video Converter also gives you quick and easy instructions on startup. The conversion time will be different for each task that you do, depending on the file size as well as format, but it handles most of the popular formats, including mp4, 3gp, xvid, divx mpeg4 avi, amr … Read more

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week readers wrote in with questions on PDF files appearing black in Safari, whether one can copy the password tools from the OS X installer drives to a working OS X volume, iTunes not reading discs it just burned, and how to tackle a system always going into hibernation instead of sleep mode. We welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Black PDF files in Safari MacFixIt reader … Read more

Nero 12 gets ready for Windows 8

Nero 11 Multimedia Suite was already a monster collection of production tools. Though the last iteration provided a solid collection for both the casual and advanced enthusiast, Nero 12 continues to push toward becoming a go-to tool for people's growing network of devices at home.

Nero streamlines workflow with its own built-in file management system, Kwik Media. Applications are accessed from a single interface to avoid fragmentation and reduce confusion. Windows 8 users will be glad to see that the suite integrates smoothly with the new redesigned tiled UI. Kwik Media intelligently organizes your frequently used media based on … Read more

High-tech camouflage could protect soldiers from ballistic heat

Powerful explosives from fires or roadside bombs produce two near-simultaneous blasts: first, a high-pressure blast that can cause internal injuries, and then a thermal blast that produces temps above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and can literally cook skin, according to Robert Lochhead, a professor of polymer science at the University of Southern Mississippi.

He worked with chemists to engineer a high-tech camouflage paint that is waterproof; easy to apply and remove; non-irritating to the eyes, nose, and mouth; and actually reflects -- instead of absorbs, like most face paints -- intense heat.… Read more

Do I need to break in a new plasma TV? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET Reader Mike Smith asks:

Is there some kind of burn-in procedure to run on new plasma TVs? I've read some crazy stuff online that says all sorts of things and I just don't know what is real from what is nonsense. Please let me know. Thanks.You aren't kidding, there is some crazy stuff out there.

Samsung plasma wins CNET's accidental burn-in test

It's 2012, and while many thought plasma TV technology would have died out by now, it's still going strong. Meanwhile, burn-in, the No. 1 perceived problem with the technology, is all gone, right? Well, not exactly.

What is burn-in? While it's possible to test for many aspects of a TV's performance here at CNET, one thing we have never been able to test for is burn-in. The reason? Any meaningful test of burn-in could potentially harm the television, and we currently we don't have the budget to go around intentionally destroying review samples.

Burn-in, also … Read more

Send self-destructing messages with Burn Note

Have you ever sent an e-mail you later regretted sending? If you want to send sensitive or confidential information via e-mail without leaving a digital trail, or if you just want to feel like a spy, give Burn Note a try. You compose a message on the Burn Note site, which then gives you a link to send to your friend or double agent. When the recipient opens the Burn Note, a timer starts counting down before the message is destroyed.

You don't need to create an account to send messages with Burn Note. Simply type in a message … Read more

Burning Man tackling community fury in ticket snafu

Burning Man organizers are scrambling to quiet a loud and angry response to its recent ticket lottery, a drawing that resulted in less than a quarter of its most ardent community members getting selected.

And while the organization behind the countercultural arts festival that's held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert didn't offer any specific solutions to upset members of the Burning Man community, they did say they are looking for ways to ensure that most artists and others involved in "key" projects will be ensured of being able to attend.

The problem arose after … Read more

Add 'Simpsons' voices to your TomTom GPS

If you own a TomTom GPS and you're a "Simpsons" fan, you're in for a treat.

For the past couples years, you had the option of putting the voice of Homer Simpson into your nav system. Now, TomTom has landed two more "Simpsons" cast members: Julie Kavner and Harry Shearer, who lend their considerable vocal talents to Marge Simpson and Mr. Burns, respectively.

Excellent.

These "Voice Skins," which sell for $12.95 apiece, take the place of the stock voices contained in your TomTom. (Actually, you can switch back and forth between … Read more

Would you wear a TV?

David Forbes is a man with a fashionable vision.

After completing a working video coat with a mega assortment of color LEDs, Forbes has moved onto a smaller, slightly more practical application: an LED TV vest.

The $20,000 array is no slouch, using custom-made circuit boards that pump nearly 5 gigabits of data to 14,400 red, green, and blue LEDs.

Surveillance video technology limits the resolution of the video so content is watchable on the flexible vest, which displays content at 160x120. Battery life clocks in around 90 minutes, and runs off lithium-polymer batteries commonly used for remote … Read more