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This is where Buzzirk comes to the rescue. Using the proprietary smart VOIP technology from Zer01, you can now truly have unlimited text messages, voice, and data bandwidth for one flat fee, and no contract whatsoever. The Domestic Plan costs $79.95/month, and the International Plan costs $89.95/month.

Currently Buzzirk supports these phones, with more being added in the near future (which includes a jailbroken iPhone):

• Pharos Traveler 117
• Pharos Traveler 127
• HTC Touch 3G
• HTC Diamond

Even more appealing, for those of you looking to make a commission and earn a piece of the history, you can help sell smartphones for Buzzirk and earn a monetary reward each time. If you’re looking for a ludicrous business opportunity, then please visit this website and click on Enroll at the top-right of the menu or send an email to Ruthanna and express your interest in this exciting new venture.

After the break, you can read more about the domestic flat-rate fee plan from Buzzirk and the impressive list of features it offers. We are finally entering an Information Age where our mobile phones is the ultimate tool for information, rich multimedia, fun, and limitless communication.

Unlimited Domestic

$79.95/month

With ZER01, you will never pay domestic long distance or roaming charges!
You will not pay additional taxes or fees. You will only pay the $79.95/month for service.

This Unlimited Domestic Plan includes Unlimited minutes to be used anytime from anywhere in the continental U.S.A. to anyone in the continental U.S.A., CANADA or Puerto Rico.

Service may not be available at all times in all places.

Rate Plan Details

Minutes to be used anytime = Unlimited
Minutes used on nights or weekends = Unlimited
Minutes from your mobile phone to another mobile phone (Outbound Mobile) = Unlimited
Minutes from another mobile phone to your mobile phone (Inbound Mobile) = Unlimited
Long Distance within the continental U.S.A. = Unlimited
Roaming = Unlimited
Additional minutes = $.00 per minute
One-time activation fee = TBD

Contract length
Month to Month

Parental Controls
Iris Innovations Parental Controls
TBD/month

Provide boundaries for your children Allow your children to enjoy their freedom while your provide boundries for its use. Iris provides a easy online setup which lets you determine how and when your child can use their phone.
With Iris you can set limits for:

• The time of day your children are allowed to use their phone
• The Number of text and instant messages your children are allowed to make or receive
• Set a dollar amount for ringtones, games and other download purchases
• Set up only the numbers that you will allow your children to call or text (incoming and outgoing)
• Set up restrictions based on Iris recommendations for browser content which may be inappropriate for children

With Iris you can be part of your childs experience. For instance as your child approaches the set text and download limits, you will receive a warning message. Then once a limit is reached, Iris will notify your child and you that the service will be blocked until the next billing cycle begins.

To learn more about Iris Innovations and parental controls, visit www.irisinnovations.com.

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Since starting FingerGaming.com two months ago, the site has grown by leaps and bounds as just a couple weeks ago Apple officially announced they’re entering the mobile gaming industry. I knew gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch was going to be a big deal, so this basically validated my gut instincts.

Here are the quotes by me in the MSNBC article:

Apple iPhone and Touch users can interact with games by touching the screens and by tilting the machines to and fro. “The possibilities are near limitless with what can be done in games using these unique methods to interact with games,” says Matt Burris, creator of the blog FingerGaming.com.

Additionally, when the App Store launched in July, it suddenly offered an easy way for iPhone and Touch owners to download a veritable smorgasbord of games (and other programs) onto their devices. And Burris points out, “These games are affordable, lower than any other games on the market. They range from free, 99 cents, all the way up to $9.99. You don’t have to go to the store to get them. All you have to do is tap on an icon, choose the game you want to buy, and within minutes you’re playing that game.”

And further along in the article:

Burris disagrees. “If anything, Nintendo should be excited. The iPhone and iPod Touch will be reaching even further to an audience that may not even consider themselves gamers.”

He says that most people who have purchased an iPhone probably didn’t buy it to play games. But now that they’re able to find and easily play interesting games, they’ll be pulled into the fold.

For their part, Nintendo is striking a nonchalant tone.

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The reviews, the main features on the site, will feature videos I’ve recorded of me playing these games, screenshots, price, link to the developer of the game, and of course my thoughts on the game itself.

Already we’re seeing a slew of very fun, polished, widely talked about games. You have my personal favorites, MotionX Poker, a dice poker game with achievements, dozens of dice you can unlock and use, and gameplay mechanics that take advantage of the iPhone (multi-touch, accelerometer support, vibrate, etc.) There’s also Galcon, a fast-paced space strategy game that is incredibly addictive and easy to pick up and play. Labyrinth is an age-old game, with a modern approach. It’s the wooden box in a maze with holes that you have to tilt the iPhone/iPod Touch to avoid. It’s simple for everyone to pick up and enjoy, with over 500 levels to play through, with more that you can download over time.

All of these games can be had for $10 or less, some are even free, such as the excellent Aurora Feint. Portable gaming has never been this powerful, and intuitive, and now it’s here. Visit FingerGaming if you want to be part of this wonderful new world.

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I got serious gadget fever drooling over this. I think I’ll get one for my iPhone.

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Throbber for steady dimming/brightening, Flickering for rapid on/off, and Steady for staying at the same brightness indefinitely.

1. Hava Platinum HD Placeshifter (Steady)
2. 8GB Sandisk Cruzer Flash Drive (Throbber)
3. 500GB Maxtor OneTouch External Hard Drive (Throbber)
4. 17″ Macbook Pro Notebook Computer (Throbber)
5. Xbox 360 Gaming Console (Steady)
6. Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router (Flickering)
7. 2Mbps/200Kbps Roadrunner Cable Modem (Flickering)
8. HDTV Cable Receiver (Steady)
9. Headphone Amp (Steady)

You can see a picture of my electronic nightlights here:

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For the record, this method will also work on the Sony Playstation 3. I have no idea if it’ll work on the Nintendo Wii, though. I’ll be going through this guide using the HAVA Platinum HD placeshifter device. Other methods involve the use of a capture card or external USB capture device. The benefit of a placeshifter is that it has other uses (such as watch your cable or TiVo anywhere), and it allows you to record at a higher quality, namely at a resolution of 720×480.

There’s no free way to do this, it requires spending a bit of money. Here’s what to get:

• HAVA Platinum HD placeshifter device (Buy at MyHava.com ($120)
• Two (2) triple phono couplers ($2.94 plus $2 shipping at Monoprice.com)
• Xbox 360 console with component cord ($350)
• 5 to 10GB of free space on your computer’s hard drive

Okay, it’s likely you already own an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. First off, you’ll want to buy a placeshifting device. Placeshifting can be defined as watching or listening to live, recorded or stored media on a remote device via the internet or over a data network (wireless network, for example.) Once acquired, follow these steps to get to recording your gameplay.

Step 1:

Lay out the HAVA Platinum HD (picture of back) in an open space near your computer and Xbox 360:

Step 2:

Take a triple phono coupler and plug the component (red, green, blue) cord into one side, and then take a component cord that came with the HAVA and plug it into the other end. Then plug the mini-stereo jack into the back of the HAVA where it says HD In.

Step 3:

Take the audio RCA cable from the Xbox (it’s the same component cord that has the red/green/blue on it) and take the other triple phono coupler and plug the red and white cords in (doesn’t matter which colors it goes into.) Then take the same audio RCA cable that came with the HAVA (red/white/yellow cord) and plug it into the other side, making sure the red and white plugs are on the same alignment. Then plug in the mini-stereo jack into the back of the HAVA where it says A/V In.

Step 4:

Now take the other audio RCA cord (red/white/yellow) that came with the HAVA and plug the mini-stereo jack into the back of the HAVA where it says A/V Out. Do the same for the other component cord that came with the HAVA and plug that one into the back where it says HD Out.

Step 5:

Plug both cords from Step 4 into the TV where you’ll be playing the Xbox 360 on.

Step 6:

Connect the ethernet cord to your router, and the power cord, and plug it in.

Step 7:

Make sure your TV is on the correct video source (for example, the HAVA is plugged into my TV’s Component 2). Turn on your Xbox 360. If the logo comes up and everything works fine, you’ve set everything up properly.

Step 8:

Go to HAVA’s Download and Upgrade page and grab the latest software and firmware for the HAVA Platinum HD. Install the software and follow instructions. Update to the latest firmware if needed. Once everything is installed and set up properly on the computer, run the HAVA Player.

It should show whatever is on your TV, albeit with a slight lag. Which is why you’ll be playing on the TV, while your computer records what is being shown on TV. In HAVA Player, be sure to go to up to the menu and go to Player>Settings and set everything up there.

To record gameplay, simply hit the big record button on the HAVA Player. When done playing, hit the stop button. From there, you can do whatever you want with the video that is created. I suggest sharing it on Stage6, which allows for higher quality video sharing than what YouTube allows.

Videos:

Here’s a video I recorded with my camera showing me playing the Xbox 360 on my HDTV and then walking to the kitchen where my laptop is playing what I’m doing in my room using the HAVA Player.

Also, if you’d like to see the quality of a recorded video using the HAVA Player at default settings, you can download it here (150MB). Right-click the link and choose Save As to download it and play it using your video player.

If you’d like to see videos I’ve recorded, be sure to visit MattPlays.com.

Update: I’ve disabled comments because of overwhelming support questions. Please do not email me with questions. I’m just one person that has limited experience with Hava’s product. Hava has dedicated support for their product, visit their Support Page if you need help or have questions. Thanks!

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One thing I like with the new camera is the 10x optical zoom which is better than most digital cameras in its price range and class, and the fact that it records high quality movies at 848×480 for up to 30 minutes (on a 2GB SD memory card.) Not to mention pictures are higher quality and crisper compared to older generation digital cameras.

Which leads me into a line of thought I was thinking about the other day. I tend to adopt gadgets much sooner than anyone else does. My family always remark about the gadgets I’d show them, but eventually they end up getting them someday.

For example, I bought the first generation of digital cameras when they came out, they were big, bulky, had terrible battery life, the picture quality wasn’t that great compared to analog cameras, but the LCD screen, ability to store all pictures on a small flash drive, erase them on the spot, preview them, and so on really wowed everyone I showed it to. Fast forward a few years later and now I see everyone at our family gathering using a digital camera.

The same thing can be said for LCD monitors. I bought one when they first came out, even though they were expensive as all hell. A few years down the road and now people don’t even think twice about buying one; they even come default in every computer purchase from Dell, Gateway, Compaq, etc.

My aunt scoffed at my iPhone, saying it’s a toy with a touchscreen. But you just watch, all future cell phones will follow the iPhone philosophy in the near future. They will portable computers that does more than just make phone calls.

After all, I tend to be a barometer of the future in technology. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go try out the new hovertoilet I just bought.

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Contrast Ratio:

2005FPW: 600:1
2007FPW: 800:1

As a general rule, the higher the contrast ratio, the deeper and more accurate the colors are. For example, black looks darker and more uniform on the 2007FPW due to the higher contrast ratio.

Pixel Response Time:

2005FPW: 12ms (grey to grey)
2007FPW: 16ms (Unknown)

Dell’s technical specification didn’t really outline what the 16ms pixel response time for the 2007FPW, was it for black to white or grey to grey? Either way, it really doesn’t matter. Companies can be very misleading or outright lying with the numbers due to non-standardized tests in this area. They can use particular tools that favor their equipment to get the best number possible. I rarely trust stated pixel response times when it comes to LCD monitors, the only way you can tell is by using your own eyes, watching a fast-paced movie or playing a fast-paced game to see if there are ghosting artifacts using the monitor.

Viewing Angle:

2005FPW: +/- 88 (vertical) typ, +/- 88 (horizontal)
2007FPW: +/- 89 (vertical) typ, +/- 89 (horizontal)

Not much of a difference really, but one thing I do want to point out is that I don’t get the purplish tint when I view the 2007FPW from a side angle, whereas the 2005FPW had this problem. Another thing I noticed is that the height adjustment for the 2007FPW doesn’t go as high as the 2005FPW can, which is a drawback.

A few other differences is the outside of the 2007FPW has more silver and design to it, while the 2005FPW is more unassuming and plain. The footprint is less on the 2007FPW, while the 2005FPW had a half-circle thing. The 2007FPW feels a bit lighter, and has a thinner bezel. I’ve also noticed the 2007FPW outputs less heat off the top, which is nice, especially if you live in a warmer climate. Finally 2007FPW is said to support HDCP, which isn’t a big deal, but necessary for future-proofing monitors.

With all that said, it feels like I got a nice little upgrade from my old monitor. Games and movies look better, and I don’t notice any ghosting to speak of. The backlight bleeding was bad on the 2005FPW, although I grew used to it and didn’t see it anymore after a week of using it. The 2007FPW suffers from backlight bleeding, but it is significantly reduced and not a factor at all. I also didn’t get a single dead/stuck pixel, which is nice. While it was painful going through Dell’s so-called support to honor my warranty, I’m happy with the 2007FPW.

If you’d like to see the technical specs on both monitors, here’s the one for the 2005FPW, and here’s the one for the 2007FPW.

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This is where the Visiontek XGE Radeon X1950 Pro 256MB card (MSRP: $300) comes in.  It has AGP, has a bit of legroom for future gaming, and it allows me to get instant gaming satisfaction until I can come up with the funds to get a whole new system.  So is the X1950 Pro AGP the answer to gamers who want to stay with AGP for a bit longer?  Read on to find out in this review of Visiontek’s XGE X1950 Pro 256MB video card.

Here is a quick rundown of the features: 

• ATI RADEON X1950PRO Visual Processing Unit at 575MHz
• Oversized Active Fansink
• Single Slot Solution
• Dual Link DVI x2
• 256MB GDDR3 Memory @ 1.38 GHz/ 1380 MHz
• 256-bit memory interface
• 512-bit ring bus controller
• AGP 8x
• 80 nanometer GPU (RV570XT)
• Ultra threaded core 3D architecture
• Avivo display enhancement technology
• Shader model 3.0
• DUAL DVI-I
• Component HDTV YPbPr Output
• S-Video and Composite Video TV-Out

First impressions of the card once unpacked was that the card is pretty heavy.  In fact I’ve reviewed dozens of video cards over the years, and this is likely the heaviest one I’ve encountered.  This is in no small part due to the oversized fully copper heatsink mounted onto the board.  More on the cooling solution later.

On top of the weight, I’ve noticed the card is pretty long, and some people may have difficulties sliding it into their case.  You may have to move wires, and in some cases, locations of your hard drive(s).  If you’d like to be sure, you’ll need 9 inches (9″) of length in your case.

I was also glad to see it is a single slot solution, rather than taking up two slots in your case.  It has two DVI-I ports, but don’t worry if you still use VGA, it comes with a DVI-to-VGA converter.  Thrown into the mix is an adapter for component HDTV hookup, so you can plug it into a HDTV for high definition 1080p love.

Finally there’s a 6-pin power connector, so you can use any spare cord from the power supply to power this card.  Just make sure you have a 450w power supply or better (18a on the 12v rail at the minimum.)

One of the features of this card is called AVIVO, a video platform by ATI that enhances video capabilities.  It allows for the hardware on the video card to encode and decode H.264 formatted video (Blu-ray and HD-DVD both support this format), which allows for smooth display of high definition content.  Since it is done on the GPU, it aids the decoding of supported formats/codecs, thus lowering CPU usage.  This is especially useful for media PC’s.

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