Saturday, January 23, 2010
ces via ign
Best Blu-ray Player
PlayStation 3
The innovations on display in new model Blu-ray players at this year's Consumer Electronics Show all boiled down to two technological advances: First, a number of the devices are capable of true HD 3D playback; second, pretty much every entry level model now comes with the ability to access the Internet and home network (via internal or external Wi-Fi adapter) for music, photo, Netflix, Pandora, et al playback. TakePanasonic's DMP-BDT350 and Sony's BDP-S370 as examples.
But with all of this advancement, a veteran in the Blu-ray space still reigns supreme: the PlayStation 3. During its opening show press conference, Sony announced that every PS3 currently on the market can be upgraded via a firmware update to support 3D content -- either games, video downloads, or 3D Blu-ray. So scratch that innovation off the list. Furthermore, thanks to its built-in Wi-Fi capability, the system is already capable of accessing music, video, etc. on your home network, as well as supporting such online content providers as Netflix and Pandora. Now scratch that off.
Of course, what none of the players that we saw can do is actually play games, and the PlayStation 3 does this in spades. With 7.1 surround sound and 1080p HD gameplay output, it's PS3 for the win.
Panasonic's 152-inch 4k HDTV
Move over 3D TVs, we've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and its name is 4K. Don't get us wrong, gaming and watching movies in the third dimension is plenty awesome, but doing it at double the resolution of just about every current generation TV? That's something to get excited about. Panasonic was showing off a true 4K display at CES this year and it was a ridiculous 152-inches!
Although Panasonic wouldn't even try to offer a pricing estimate or a release range, the behemoth 4K display was drawing crowds like mad. Sure, we've seen big screen TVs before, but only 4K can make the picture on a screen that large look clearer than the finest crystal. We've seen pristine high-definition displays before, but when one stands taller than you do, it deserves a little extra attention. Way to go Panasonic, if you need anyone to do a review of that 4K HDTV, let us know.
Best HDTV
Samsung LED-9000
This year 3D TVs were king, but few stood out as much as Samsung's LED-9000, which is as thin as a pencil, capable of 2D-to-3D conversion, and comes with a badass touchscreen remote that you can watch TV on. When the LED-9000 was unveiled at Samsung's press conference, the crowd of industry analysts and journalists were in awe of the display's ridiculously thin frame and alluring feature set. Specs wise, the LED-9000 comes loaded with full 1080p resolution, 240Hz refresh rates, a local-dimming LED backlit display, and is Wi-Fi enabled for seamless streaming content from Netflix and other web-based media services.
But beyond the sheer sexiness of the sleek, ultra-thin design, the LED 9000 separates itself from the pack with the inclusion of its super advanced media remote. Part iPhone, part universal remote, the LED 9000's bundled remote uses advanced Wi-Fi networking and a touch screen interface to communicate with the TV and your home media network, allowing users to navigate programming, access files localized on their home PC, and even watch TV on the remote itself. Pricing and release information have not been revealed, but we can bet the LED 9000 will cost an arm and a leg. Nevertheless, that won't stop us from standing in awe of its display at our local electronics retailer when it finally arrives.
Nyko Wand Plus
In order for a product to be worthy of a Best of CES Award, a product doesn't have to be the most expensive, most revolutionary, or most stylish device on the floor -- sometimes it just has to take the simplest idea and make it a reality. In the case of the Wand Plus, Nyko has done just that. Recognizing that Nintendo's Wii Motion Plus Wiimote add-on is a cumbersome and counter-intuitive peripheral, Nyko has created its own 1:1 tracking technology and built it into their Wand Wiimote-alternative.
The Wand Plus has everything you'll find in a standard Wiimote – buttons, a trigger, rumble, and a light-weight rectangular design – but also adds a number of new alluring features. In addition to the built-in 1:1 motion tracking, the Wand Plus features digital Trans-Port technology that enables the remote to export rumble feedback and button controls to add-ons. The best part of the Nyko Wand Plus? It costs $39.99 – cheaper than the original Wiimote with Motion Plus.
Best Smartphone
Palm Pre Plus
As we reported from CES last week, there simply was no iPhone-killer at the show. Not that there was any shortage of handsets that desperately wanted the crown. But none visible offered the same experience that the iPhone provides. The iPhone, after all, is more than a touchscreen. It's a portal to Tunes, the single best media shop on the Internet, and that includes games.
But while there was no iPhone-killer, there are some emerging iPhone alternatives for those with zero interest in getting tethered to AT&T. The best at CES 2010 was the Palm Pre Plus, the sequel to last year's big CES surprise, the Palm Pre. The Pre Plus offers greater storage and more onboard memory, which means you can store more applications and having more running simultaneously. The Pre Plus supports 3D gaming now, too. The design remains largely the same. The attractive curve is back, as is the QWERTY keyboard. But now the back is an inductive material for wireless charging on the Touchstone charger.
The best feature, though, is router mode. With the flick of a switch, the Pre Plus turns into a mobile hot spot for multiple devices over Verizon's 3G network. That alone blasts a huge hole in AT&T's stubborn refusal to let iPhone users tether their handsets to laptops, which is currently available to customers in many other countries.
Alienware M11x
Gaming laptops are all too common these days, but ones that are small enough to fit into a small and light enough to carry around with ease but can still run Modern Warfare 2 at high specs? That's unprecedented. The M11x is the world's first sub-12" gaming laptop that is capable of playing detailed high-definition games and not suffer from any frame rate drops or graphic degradation. Packing an 11-inch high-definition display, NVIDIA GT335 GPU, built-in Wi-Fi and webcam, an overall weight of only four pounds, and a discrete processor swapping system, the M11x is a great mobile gaming solution for PC gamers on the go.
But then again, specs only go so far in the long road to a laptop sale; the real test comes when you start talking about pricing. The M11x has a pretty exciting base price of $799, with fully customizable spec loadouts to match each individual user's needs. The biggest selling point for us, however, was the M11x's functionality as a go-anywhere netbook. Through its built-in SIM card port, anyone can connect a smartphone chip to the device and get wireless connectivity anywhere they are, regardless of proximity to a Wi-Fi hotspot. We'll be looking forward to seeing more of the M11x when it ships this February.
Monday, January 18, 2010
top ten cities to visit via times online
Istanbul
One of the greatest cities the world has ever known, nowhere does the cliché of East meets West, old meets new, apply more aptly.
The last few years have seen Istanbul thrive with boutique hotels, uber-trendy bars and gourmet restaurants adding to its already intoxicating mix of historic and cultural sites. Watch it ramp up another notch as the city becomes a European Capital of Culture in 2010.
Feted as the world’s most livable city, this West Coast gem has a lively cultural scene with superb restaurants and hotels. A beautiful city where glass towers and skyscrapers are set against a backdrop of coastal mountains, in 2010 it will host the Winter Olympics.
With a strong focus on sustainability, the legacy of the Games for Vancouver will see improved public transport, striking ‘green’ buildings and a huge arts and culture programme.
Delhi
Rejuvenated and refreshed, Delhi is sprucing up to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The colonial city centre and Delhi’s main shopping area, Connaught Place, has been given a new façade, while the city’s monuments are being cleaned and revitalised and improved transport links are opening up the city. Don’t be surprised to find bullock carts still plodding placidly alongside the latest luxury car though – Delhi is a city where contrasts sit happily.
Nottingham
In May 2010 Hollywood’s eyes will focus on this humble corner of the East Midlands, as Ridley Scott’s new Robin Hood film is released to the world. Meanwhile old meets new at Nottingham Contemporary, a new building designed by award-winning architects Caruso St John, with a series of exhibitions and art projects running across four galleries. Add to this Nottingham's designer shopping credentials and you have plenty of reasons to visit the city.
Nara
Japan’s ancient capital Nara celebrates its 1300th anniversary in 2010 with special displays of hidden national treasures and rarely-seen Buddhist statues, as well as a host of other cultural events including an International Film Festival.With its wooded hills, temple, parks and some of the world’s oldest wooden buildings this ancient city remains a symbol of tranquility in a country where teenagers experiment with the gadgets of the future.
Boston
New England’s largest city exists to be explored. From spring 2010, intrepid visitors will benefit from the biggest bike share scheme to launch in the US to date, with two and a half thousand bikes available to hire at the swipe of a credit card from special stands across the city.
Film lovers might choose to seek out locations used in a slew of filmed-in-Boston movies due to hit screens in 2010, including Ben Affleck’s The Town and Mel Gibson’s Edge of Darkness.Oslo
There aren’t many capital cities where you can swim in summer and ski in winter, all within the city’s boundaries. Oslo is charmingly Scandinavian but with the kind of outdoor ‘chilling’ culture more usually associated with Southern Europe.
With new flights from Ryanair and costs that now compare favourably with many Euro-zone destinations, Oslo is more affordable than ever. And in 2010 it plays host to the Eurovision Song Contest.
Tel Aviv
Touted as the New York of the East, Tel Aviv looks set to really attract attention in 2010 as news spreads about the city’s party credentials. New Easyjet flights from Stansted, starting in late 2009, are bound to encourage the crowds. The heat generated by the city’s nightlife is matched only by the temperatures on its glorious sweep of city beach.
Valparaiso
A charming town, where Chilean socialist Pablo Neruda hid in the late 1940s when Communism was outlawed. 2010 will mark the 40th anniversary of Chile’s first democratically-elected socialist head of state, Salvador Allende.
Valparaiso offers a fairly unique South American experience, with painted houses sitting on hills leading down to a huge bay, with old elevators taking you up and down the city's steep slopes.
Reykjavik
Financially speaking it’s a relatively good time to visit. Getting there might be easier too, with Iceland Express flying to New York four times a week from June 2010, and Icelandair increasing its services from Glasgow and Manchester, and connections to North America.
Logistics aside, Reykjavik offers a fine visit, from hedonistic revelry to the calming charm of a city that offers glaciers in its sea views, a mountainous backdrop and geothermal lagoons
Friday, January 15, 2010
Venice
Origins
While there are no historical records that deal directly with the origins of Venice, the available evidence has led several historians to agree that the original population of Venice comprised refugees from Roman cities such as Padua, Aquileia, Altino and Concordia (modern Portogruaro) who were fleeing successive waves of Germanic invasions and Huns.[4] Some late Roman sources reveal the existence of fishermen on the islands in the original marshy lagoons. They were referred to as incolae lacunae(lagoon dwellers).
Beginning in 166-168, the Quadi and Marcomanni destroyed the main center in the area, the current Oderzo. The Roman defences were again overthrown in the early 5th century by the Visigoths and, some 50 years later, by the Huns led by Attila. The last and most enduring irruption was that of the Lombards in 568, leaving the Eastern Roman Empire a small strip of coast in the current Veneto, and the main administrative and religious entities were therefore transferred to this remaining dominion. New ports were built, including those at Malamocco and Torcello in the Venetian lagoon.
The Byzantine domination of central and northern Italy was subsequently largely eliminated by the conquest of the Exarchate of Ravenna in 751 by Aistulf. During this period, the seat of the local Byzantine governor (the "duke/dux", later "doge") was situated in Malamocco. Settlement on the islands in the lagoon probably increased in correspondence with the Lombard conquest of the Byzantine territories.
In 775-776, the bishopric seat of Olivolo (Helipolis) was created. During the reign of duke Agnello Particiaco (811-827) the ducal seat was moved from Malamocco to the highly protected Rialto (Rivoalto, "High Shore") island, the current location of Venice. The monastery of St. Zachary and the first ducal palace and basilica of St. Mark, as well as a walled defense (civitatis murus) between Olivolo and Rialto were subsequently built here. Winged lions which may be seen in Venice are a symbol for St. Mark.
In 828, the new city's prestige was raised by the acquisition of the claimed relics of St. Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, which were placed in the new basilica. The patriarchal seat was also moved to Rialto. As the community continued to develop and as Byzantine power waned, it led to the growth of autonomy and eventual independence.
Florence
Florence (Italian: Firenze 
listen (help·info), pronounced [fiˈrɛntse]; Old Italian: Fiorenza, Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367,569 inhabitants (1,500,000 in the metropolitan area).[2]
listen (help·info), pronounced [fiˈrɛntse]; Old Italian: Fiorenza, Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367,569 inhabitants (1,500,000 in the metropolitan area).[2]The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the richest and wealthiest cities of the time,[3] Florence is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance; in fact, it has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.[4] It was long under the de facto rule of the Medici family. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
The historic centre of Florence attracts millions of tourists each year and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Florence is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world,[5][6] and its artistic,[7] historic and culturalheritage and impact in the world remains vast up to this day. The city has also a major European impact in music, architecture, education, cuisine, fashion, philosophy, science and religion. The historic centre of Florence contains numerous elegantpiazzas, Renaissance palazzi, academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers.
The city boasts a wide range of collections of art, especially those held in the Pitti Palace and the Uffizi, (which receives about 1.6 million tourists a year).[8] Florence is arguably the last preserved Renaissance city in the world[9] and is regarded by many as the art capital of Italy. It has been the birthplace or chosen home of many notable historical figures, such as Dante, Boccaccio, Botticelli, Niccolò Machiavelli, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo Galilei, Catherine de' Medici,Antonio Meucci, Guccio Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Roberto Cavalli ,Florence Nightingale, andEmilio Pucci.
| Comune di Firenze | |||
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  Florence |
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tokyo
Tokyo (東京 Tōkyō), officially Tokyo Metropolis (東京都 Tōkyō-to),[2] is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Tokyo's government also administers the twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, that cover the area that was once the city of Tokyo in the eastern part of the prefecture.
The population of the special wards is over 8 million people, with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 12 million. The prefecture is the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, the world's most populous metropolitan area with 35 to 39 million people (depending on definition) and the world's largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US$1.479 trillion at purchasing power parity in 2008.[3]
Tokyo was described by Saskia Sassen as one of the three "command centers" for the world economy, along with London and New York City.[4] This city is considered an alpha+ world city, listed by the GaWC's 2008 inventory[5] and ranked fourth among global cities by Foreign Policy's 2008 Global Cities Index. In 2009 Tokyo was named the world's most expensive city for expatriate employees, according to the Mercer and Economist Intelligence Unit cost-of-living surveys [6] and named the third Most Liveable City and the World’s Most Livable Megalopolis by the magazine Monocle.[7]
Tokyo is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family.
history
Tokyo was originally a small fishing village named Edo. In 1457, Ōta Dōkan built Edo Castle. In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu made Edo his base and when he became shogun in 1603, the town became the center of his nationwide military government. During the subsequent Edo period, Edo grew into one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century.[11]
It became the de facto capital of Japan[12] even while the emperor lived in Kyoto, the imperial capital. After about 263 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of restoring imperial rule. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo. Tokyo was already the nation's political and cultural center,[13] and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well with the former Edo Castle becoming the Imperial Palace. The city of Tokyo was established, and continued to be the capital until it was abolished as a municipality in 1943 and merged with the "Metropolitan Prefecture" of Tokyo.
Central Tokyo, like Osaka, has been designed since about 1900 to be centered around major train stations in a high-density fashion[citation needed], so suburban railways were built relatively cheaply at street level and with their own right-of-way. This differs from many cities in the United States that are low-density and automobile-centric. Though expressways have been built in Tokyo, the basic design has not changed.
Tokyo went on to suffer two major catastrophes in the 20th century, but it recovered from both. One was the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, which left 140,000 dead or missing,[14] and the other was World War II. The bombing of Tokyo in 1944 and 1945, with 75,000 to 200,000 killed and half of the city destroyed, were almost as devastating as the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.[15]
After the war, Tokyo was completely rebuilt, and showcased to the world during the 1964 Summer Olympics. The 1970s brought new high-rise developments such as Sunshine 60, a new and controversial[16] airport at Narita in 1978 (some distance outside city limits), and a population increase to about 11 million (in the metropolitan area).
Tokyo's subway and commuter rail network became one of the busiest in the world[17] as more and more people moved to the area. In the 1980s, real estate prices skyrocketed during a real estate and debt bubble. The bubble burst in the early 1990s, and many companies, banks, and individuals were caught with mortgage backed debts while real estate was shrinking in value. A major recession followed, making the 1990s Japan's "lost decade"[18] from which it is now slowly recovering.
Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include Ebisu Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, Roppongi Hills, Shinagawa (now also a Shinkansen station), and the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station. Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as Omotesando Hills.
Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the Odaiba area, now a major shopping and entertainment center. Various plans have been proposed[19] for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalize economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial[20] within Japan and have yet to be realized.
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