astro

NASA astronauts aboard ISS to host live Google+ Hangout

Astronauts in the International Space Station have already explained how to clip fingernails and play guitar while orbiting 240 miles above the Earth. But what about all those other questions people may have about life in space?

They can be answered in an upcoming Google+ Hangout with three of the astronauts aboard the ISS -- Kevin Ford, Tom Marshburn, and Chris Hadfield.

NASA announced today that it is hosting its first live Google+ Hangout from space. It's to happen from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST on February 22. The space agency is accepting questions in advance … Read more

Multiple consoles and gaming headsets: Ask the Editors

Hi Jeff,

I've read almost all your reviews about the gaming headsets that give you wireless surround sound, but there's a problem for us gamers who own more than one console. How do I hook up both my Xbox 360 and PS3 to one wireless gaming headset? Is it even possible?

Thanks, Paul, Chicago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for writing. Accomplishing this isn't impossible, but it's certainly an issue we think gaming headset manufacturers need to become more aware of. We've received dozens of similar questions with gamers anxious about having to finagle a way to get more than one source into a wireless gaming headset transmitter.

We'd love to see a device that allows for more than one digital input, though we are fans of Logitech's F540 system, which accepts up to three analog sources. However, if you're using something like the Turtle Beach X41s, Astro A40s, or Tritton AX 720s, you'll have to manually swap out the digital audio cables each time you want to switch consoles. Not only is this an arduous process, but if you're like me, most of these ports and wires are not conveniently accessible without some serious furniture moving.… Read more

preGame 38: Nintendo 3DS impressions, Astro A40 Wireless System

After getting some healthy hands-on time with the Nintendo 3DS last week, Jeff brings his impressions to today's episode of preGame. We'll also discuss some of the recently leaked details regarding Sony's PSP2, though we're anticipating more information on the yet-to-be-announced portable later in the week.

While we don't have a game to demo this week, we do have some show and tell in the form of the Astro A40 Wireless System headphones specifically designed for gaming. They may be a bit pricey, but Jeff will tell us why they're among the best-sounding gaming … Read more

Palm reader

Software maker MysticBoard specializes in mystic and "esoteric" software; their Astro Palmistry combines the ancient practices of astrology and palmistry into one tool that you can use to analyze the shape of your hands and fingers and the lines on your palms for astrological insights. Most folks know about astrology, but palmistry? It's the ancient art of palm reading. While Astro Palmistry might be too "esoteric" for some, there's no doubt it's good fun, and, since it's free, you have nothing to lose by trying it, except maybe some preconceptions.

When you … Read more

Let 'er rip

For many people, a media player like iTunes or Windows Media Player can handle day-to-day media ripping and burning tasks. Users with slightly more demanding needs, however, may seek out a separate application for this kind of work. Astroburn Pro is a simple program that gives users a handful of features for working with digital media. It's nothing fancy, but it's a straightforward set of tools made especially to handle CDs and DVDs and their contents.

Astroburn Pro's interface is plain and fairly intuitive, although the way things are organized takes a little getting used to. A … Read more

Crave giveaway of the week: Astro A30 gaming headset

Attention, all you gamers and Skype users. For this week's giveaway of the week, we've got the slick new Astro A30 headset.

Recently, editor Scott Stein described the A30 in a post on Crave, saying the headset was a more compact version of Astro's professional gaming headset, the A40, and that it's intended for use as a cross-purpose device for mobile music, gaming, and laptop users. "Though the headset is far larger than a set of earbuds, the detachable boom microphone and additional in-line mic with call answer/music pause button let the A30 double … Read more

Astro A30 gaming headphones: All-in-one solution for mobile gadget users

Not many people outside of professional gaming have heard of Astro, but it's a design firm with notable clients (Microsoft and Alienware among them) that has focused on gaming audio for the past several years. The Astro A40 headset, a large set of over-the-ear phones used in Major League gaming tournaments, is a solid if pricey solution for PC and console gamers that debuted several years ago.

The A30 headset, now available for sale on Astro's Web site, is a more compact version of the A40 intended for use as a cross-purpose device for mobile music, gaming, and laptop users. Though the headset is far larger than a set of earbuds, the detachable boom microphone and additional in-line mic with call answer/music pause button let the A30 double as a smartphone headset.

For $149, the A30 comes with a pair of white or black headphones and three different cables, one length ideal for music phones, another that's better for TV gaming, and a third with dual jacks for laptops with separate mic and headphone inputs. For seriously hard-core gamers, the A30 headset has removable and customizable magnetic headphone gamer tags, although we don't think we'd ever consider investing in customization.

The A30 is advertised as a headset that works for console gaming, but to use it with a PS3 or Xbox 360 you'll need to buy a separate MixAmp with appropriate input jacks. The MixAmp also decodes 5.1 data into simulated two-channel surround and can custom-mix the levels of headset audio and in-game audio, but it also brings the cost of the headset package to $229, which might be more than many are willing to spend.

We tried out a pair of A30 headphones for a good week and a half, and even without the MixAmp the audio quality was better than expected, and certainly good enough for use with an iPhone or other player. As opposed to the open-backed A40, which let in background noise, the A30 seals off a little more for privacy, although it's not as effective as a good pair of in-ear buds. Astro claims the bass has been boosted a little in the A30 set, as compared with the "level accurate" A40, and to our ears it sounded nice both with music or when playing rich, environmental games. With the MixAmp, the A30 becomes a much more complete set, and we appreciated the variety of MixAmp inputs for Toslink and other audio cables. … Read more

Beyond file managing basics

Lost track of something on your phone? The free Astro File Manager presents a folder view of your phone, including program folders for third-party apps and the contents of your root system folder. A swipeable toolbar along the top helps you navigate through the directory, and contains buttons to start a search, edit an entry, bookmark a folder, and so on. In addition, Astro File Manager also kills tasks, sends files as attachments, and creates and stores backups of your apps. Astro's file manager also packs some powers to zip up files in addition to reading ZIP and TGZ … Read more

Astronomy helper

CyberSky provides users with a planetarium right on their computer screens. With options to please newcomers and astronomers alike, this is a great, educational program.

We were instantly overwhelmed with the interface's massive collection of command icons and numbers. However, after taking a deep breath and experimenting for a few minutes, we developed a strong understanding of how everything functioned. We couldn't help but stare at the program's dominating feature, a globe-shaped view of the sky above our home. We ensured this was our night's view after choosing our town from a comprehensive list of the … Read more