sonic

Amazon.com has the ViewSonic VX2433wm 24-inch WideScreen LCD Monitor for $199, after $30.99 savings.

Save $30.99 on the ViewSonic VX2433wm 24-inch WideScreen LCD Monitor from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $229.99 >> Sale price is $199 >> Savings $30.99 (13.47%) >> Click here for deal

TigerDirect.com has the ViewSonic VOT120 Mini Desktop PC for $349.99, after $50 Instant savings.

Save $50 on the ViewSonic VOT120 Mini Desktop PC from TigerDirect.com >> Regular price is $399.99 >> Sale price is $349.99 >> Savings $50 (12.50%) >> Click here for deal

ViewSonic's VP2365wb fails to see the light

We get in a lot of 16:9 monitors, but this is the first we've gotten that didn't have a TN-based panel. The 23-inch wide-screen ViewSonic VP2365wb monitor has an Enhanced In-Plane Switching panel (E-IPS).

E-IPS panels usually have improved viewing angles over TNs, especially from the lower angle. The VP2365wb does, indeed, have the type of viewing angle you'd expect from an IPS model, but its brightness leaves a bit to be desired.

Check out the full review. Also, be sure to keep an eye on the monitor product door for new monitor reviews every week.… Read more

Best Buy to launch branded movie download service

Best Buy on Tuesday is expected to announce its own movie download service for consumer electronics sold in its stores.

Though it doesn't have a name yet--and probably won't until next week at the earliest--Best Buy says the service will be up and running sometime in the fourth quarter, which could mean anytime between now and the end of the year. The retailer is licensing the software and infrastructure from Sonic Solutions' Roxio CinemaNow service, which has more than 20,000 film titles, mostly new releases, available via its on-demand service.

The software will be available on Best … Read more

10 years of Dreamcast, 10 games we love

To commemorate the Sega Dreamcast's 10th anniversary, I thought I needed to do something a little special.

Listed below, you will find 10 of the best Dreamcast games ever released. Some are certainly better than others (I'll let you decide on that), but they all hold a special place in my gaming heart. And I'm willing to bet they might hold a special place in yours.

Let's take a look.

Jet Grind Radio Jet Grind Radio seems one of the most unique games released for the Dreamcast.

Using a cell-shaded design that fits perfectly with the game's story, you're a rollerblading graffiti gang member who wants to tell everyone in the city who is in charge. To do so, you need to cruise around town and "tag" the streets.

Why I love it: Jet Grind Radio, like many of the games I loved from the Dreamcast days, offered a unique idea that gamers responded well to. It was fun and willing to "push the envelope" a little. That should be commended.

NFL 2K1 NFL 2K1 was one of the best football games ever released. It featured outstanding visuals for its time, the controls were great, and the gameplay was even better. It provided me with the most exciting football experience of its time.

Why I love it: When the NFL 2K series was in its prime, I forgot about the Madden series. Yes, it was that good. Today, we're stuck with Madden. And each time I hike the ball in Madden NFL 10, I'm left wondering what the NFL 2K series would look like today. Hmm.

Phantasy Star Online If you never played Phantasy Star Online, you missed out on one of the most compelling games ever released for the Dreamcast.

Phantasy Star Online was the first online home console game ever released. The title allowed gamers to hack and slash their way through the story, while partnering up with gamers across the Web.

Overall, the game's online experience wasn't great compared to what we have today, but it started the online-gaming era. It should be commended for that.

Why I love it: The game's story was good, but just being able to hook up to the Web and play with others online was an incredible feat at the time. It was my entree into the online-gaming world.… Read more

Sega goes back to roots with new 2D Sonic game

With today marking the 10-year anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast, news from the company reveals that a brand-new 2D Sonic game is in development and slated for a 2010 release.

While details are slim, the teaser trailer (see below) indicates that the new game will be an HD title built entirely from the ground up. It's also unclear whether Sonic will be the main star of the game, as Gamespot is reporting that the project's codename is "Needlemouse."

Fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog series have been clamoring for a traditional 2D Sonic game in the … Read more

Reviewed: A bulky Eizo and a brittle ViewSonic

Late last week I reviewed two very different monitors.

One, the 22-inch Eizo ColorEdge CG222w was the first professional grade monitor I've reviewed. And by professional, I mean, at $1,300, it easily prices itself out of most people's pocketbooks and should only be bought by pro artists that know exactly what they want.

The second was the 24-inch ViewSonic vg2427wm.

The Eizo uses an S-PVA panel that gives it wide viewing angles. It's also one heavy and bulky son of a gun at 24 pounds and definitely feels like $1,300 worth of hardware is encased … Read more

Coming soon: Downloaded 3D movies at home

The maker of the CinemaNow video service says it wants to start adding 3D movies to its repertoire.

Sonic Solutions is working with Nvidia, Samsung, and Mitsubishi to start delivering video in a variety of 3D formats to PCs and some 3D-capable TVs. Whenever it does become available--which is not clear yet because Sonic isn't ready to discuss which hardware partners it's working with--the movies will be delivered via the same method as the company's CinemaNow service.

The technology, however, is still new. It will only work with devices with graphics processors optimized for 3D, which mostly means it will work on PCs with 3D-capable monitors. Some Samusng and Mitsubishi TVs that are 3D-enabled might also work. In all cases, you'll still need plastic 3D glasses.

Though Sonic Solutions actually sees Blu-ray as the best way of delivering 3D content, there are several issues holding that up: the technology has not been agreed upon by all the parties that subscribe to that standard. In the meantime, Sonic says its video service will be a great way to fill the gap, since there are a growing number of 3D movies in the theater.

"We see an opportunity to bridge that time gap," said Michael DiMaria, vice president of product management for CinemaNow. "Ultimately, we believe Blu-ray will be the dominant format for the distribution of 3D content. In the meantime, there's plenty of content available and several ways to display it." … Read more

Sonic lasers--a shot heard 'round the world

University researchers in England and the Ukraine have built a laser that emits high-frequency sound waves instead of light beams.

Called simply the "saser," the acoustic laser uses packets of sonic vibrations called "phonons" much like a regular laser uses photons.

Specifically, the acoustic laser device consists of a sonic beam traveling through a "superlattice" constructed of 50 sheets of material each only atoms thick that are alternately made of gallium arsenide and aluminium arsenide, two materials found in semiconductors.

Sasers could have "significant and useful applications in the worlds of computing, imaging, … Read more