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Displaying articles for: January 2010

Desktops and laptops and netbooks, oh my!

by Community Connector Community Connector on 01-28-2010 05:28 PM - last edited on 01-28-2010 05:32 PM

 

Are you in the market for a new computer?  If so, then we’ve got some great news for you!  Best Buy recently unveiled its new assortment of desktop, laptop and netbook computers, each with some of the latest and greatest features available.

 

BestBuy.com – Desktop Computers – New Arrivals

 

BestBuy.com – Laptop Computers – New Arrivals

 

BestBuy.com – Netbooks

 

Not only do these computers come with Windows 7 pre-installed, but many of them also feature Intel’s latest additions to their Core family of processors.  Available in three performance levels – i3, i5 and i7 – these smarter processors automatically deliver extra performance where you need it and adapt to each application you use.

 

www.bestbuy.com/newcore

 

Looking for something a little more special?  We even introduced three brand-new Best Buy exclusive Blue Label laptop models – computers designed specifically around customer feedback.  Here are a few of the key features all three models share:

 

  • Wireless TV connection
  • Backlit keyboards
  • 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
  • 30 days of Geek Squad support
  • 1 year of antivirus protection

 

For full details and model information though make sure to visit www.bestbuy.com/bluelabel.

 

And it gets even better!  All throughout February we’re going to be offering special computer deals, so make sure to keep an eye on BestBuy.com, check our weekly advertisements, or follow us on Twitter (@BestBuy_Deals) for more information!


0 Kudos

Apple's Latest Creation: The iPad!

by Retired: Community Builder Retired: Community Builder on 01-27-2010 02:26 PM - last edited on 04-01-2010 01:14 PM

 

Rumors have floated around for the past year about the Apple Tablet. They have been all over the place and no rumor is the same as another. Screen size and type, cost and intended uses have all been key differences between reports. Some people said that it will be primarily used for reading e-books, some that it would be for multimedia like watching movies and listening to music. Well, now the wait is over and we have the real facts about this “magical and revolutionary device.” 
At a press conference today Apple has announced the upcoming release of the iPad, the next generation of personal entertainment computing. This product looks very similar to the iPhone though considerably larger. It has a 9.7 inch capacitive multi-touch IPS display and they report up to 10 hours of battery life with over a month of standby. It’s only .5” thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, less than any netbook. Built in WiFi, compass, accelerometer and microphone are some of the features. There will be three storage sizes of the iPad all with flashbased memory:  16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.
All of the more than 140,000 apps that are available for the iPhone and iPod Touch will be usable on the iPad. The iPad also has the iTunes store built right in. You can purchase and download your favorite music and movies directly to the iPad. Apple has started to develop games for the iPad that take full advantage of the features of the device. These games include a first person shooter called Nova, where you can use the multi-touch features to play. Also Need for Speed: Shift where you steer by tilting the screen and you can touch on the rear-view mirror to see behind you.
Apple has also partnered with the New York Times and they say that they have captured the essence of reading a newspaper. You can also get e-books for your iPad. They announced that there will be a new app called iBooks. You can download books for the iPad and then flip though them just like you would a regular book. Books will be available through the iBookstore, a new iTunes-like store.
iWork has been redesigned for your iPad and features an all new user interface. This will allow you to work on presentations with a version of Keynote. You can navigate though slides, re-arrange them by holding down, and tap multiple slides to make a bundle. Numbers gives you the ability to work on spreadsheets and create graphs right on your iPad. Pages is the text editing app with many new features. The three iWork apps will only cost $9.99 each. The iPad will also be connectable to a projector with a small cable. 
The iPad will come complete with 3G data. 3G service will be available through AT&T with two plan options: $14.99 per month for up to 250MB of data or $29.99 for unlimited use. There is no contract necessary for use and you also will have free use of AT&T hotspots. Pricing for the iPad will start $499 for the 16GB model ($629 with 3G capability).

 

Rumors have floated around for the past year about the Apple Tablet. They have been all over the place and no rumor is the same as another. Screen size and type, cost and intended uses have all been key differences between reports. Some people said that it will be primarily used for reading e-books, some that it would be for multimedia like watching movies and listening to music. Well, now the wait is over and we have the real facts about this “magical and revolutionary device.” 


At a press conference today Apple has announced the upcoming release of the iPad, the next generation of personal entertainment computing. This product looks very similar to the iPhone though considerably larger. It has a 9.7 inch capacitive multi-touch IPS display and they report up to 10 hours of battery life with over a month of standby. It’s only .5” thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, less than any netbook. Built in WiFi, compass, accelerometer and microphone are some of the features. There will be three storage sizes of the iPad all with flashbased memory:  16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.


All of the more than 140,000 apps that are available for the iPhone and iPod Touch will be usable on the iPad. The iPad also has the iTunes store built right in. You can purchase and download your favorite music and movies directly to the iPad. Apple has started to develop games for the iPad that take full advantage of the features of the device. These games include a first person shooter called Nova, where you can use the multi-touch features to play. Also Need for Speed: Shift where you steer by tilting the screen and you can touch on the rear-view mirror to see behind you.


Apple has also partnered with the New York Times and they say that they have captured the essence of reading a newspaper. You can also get e-books for your iPad. They announced that there will be a new app called iBooks. You can download books for the iPad and then flip though them just like you would a regular book. Books will be available through the iBookstore, a new iTunes-like store.iWork has been redesigned for your iPad and features an all new user interface. This will allow you to work on presentations with a version of Keynote. You can navigate though slides, re-arrange them by holding down, and tap multiple slides to make a bundle. Numbers gives you the ability to work on spreadsheets and create graphs right on your iPad. Pages is the text editing app with many new features. The three iWork apps will only cost $9.99 each. The iPad will also be connectable to a projector with a small cable. 

 

The iPad will come complete with 3G data. 3G service will be available through AT&T with two plan options: $14.99 per month for up to 250MB of data or $29.99 for unlimited use. There is no contract necessary for use and you also will have free use of AT&T hotspots. According to Apple pricing for the iPad will start $499 for the 16GB model ($629 with 3G capability).

 

If you would like information about if the iPad will be available at Best Buy please click here. 

3D Gaming

by Community Connector Community Connector on 01-12-2010 04:26 PM

 

Unlike some of my friends, I don’t tend to spend much time contemplating what the “next big thing” is going to be when it comes to either consumer electronics or video games.  In fact, I try to avoid those kinds of conversations with them whenever possible because: a) I will invariably be wrong in any prediction I make, and b) my inaccurate predictions usually wind up costing me money.

 

Well, against better judgment I allowed myself to engage in one such conversation not too long about the feasibility of developers incorporating stereoscopic 3D technology into their video games and game consoles.  One friend anticipated that consumers wouldn’t see any attempts at this until the next console generation, and another stated that the time for 3D games came and went with Nintendo’s Virtual Boy.  Ever the smart aleck, I suggested that the idea of 3D gaming is an oft-recurring minor fad that will never see an earnest attempt to make the technology mainstream.  How wrong we all were:

 

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/01/ces-2010-3d-qa/

 

Sony’s announcement that the PlayStation 3 will soon be able to support 3D gaming probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise – 3D-capable HDTVs were, after all, one of the focal points of this year’s CES show.  What is a surprise though is that the console will only need firmware updates to accomplish the task.  True, consumers will also need a 3D-capable HDTV and will need to have a pair of 3D glasses handy, but the console’s already good to go.

 

So what does this mean for PS3 owners?  It means that you’ll want to keep an eye out for large firmware updates starting later this year and towards the beginning of 2011.

 

It also means that I don’t owe anyone lunch.

 

Hand Gesture Recognition

by Community Connector Community Connector on 01-08-2010 10:50 AM

 

Tired of searching for the TV remote?  Well, soon consumers won’t have to worry about where they put it thanks to the latest advancement in home theater technology: hand gesture recognition.  Check this video out:

 

http://www.gesturetek.com/newscenter/media.php?media=71

 

Not only does this little gizmo promise a remote control-free TV viewing experience, but it also offers the possibility of being able to control your thermostat, lights and more with the wave of a hand.  Hitachi is the first HDTV vendor slated to support this feature starting in the fall of 2010, with other manufacturers following in early 2011.

 

Sounds good to me, but I’m still curious as to how this technology will interact with other movement-based input devices like Sony’s PlayStation Eye and Microsoft’s upcoming Project Natal…

 

About the Author
  • Computers, video games and TVs have always been fascinating to me. Not only are they wonderful ways to relax, but they’re also immensely useful as tools. Computers allow us to communicate instantly with family members across the country through e-mail, video games allow us to make friends with people across the globe we wouldn’t even meet otherwise, and TVs allow us to see what’s happening in our very own towns…all at the touch of a button. Sure, over time I’ve managed to assemble a collection of other electronic gadgets that would make most people do a double-take, but that just isn’t enough. I want to know how they work. I want to know why they work. I want to know that I can connect every electronic device in my home into a single, fully-functional network that I can access from over 1,000 miles away at the drop of a hat. Not because I have a reason to do so, but because I can. I am a geek, plain and simple.
  • Photography has been my passion in life for as long as I can remember. Over the past twenty years, I have been creating photographic images, both professionally and artistically. I also have a B.F.A in photography. The first camera I ever purchased was a 35mm single lens reflex camera that took me an entire summer of weeding strawberry plants at a local farm to be able to afford. A lot has changed since then, and I have owned numerous camera systems from 35mm- Large Format. None of my previous equipment has affected the photographic experience for me as much as the Digital SLR I purchased a few years back. Since converting from film to digital, I have found that the immediate nature of digital photography has drastically changed the way I approach my subjects and has enabled me to view, share, and print my images in a completely new way. In addition to photography, I am passionate about the outdoor experience. Twice a year I head out to the great outdoors and go backpack camping, hiking and of course, landscape/nature photography.
  • Plain and simple, I am a gamer, a mother and a geek. NES, Super NES, Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Wii, PSP, DS, PC - I have owned practically every system out there, and even started my gaming career on my father’s an Apple Clone in the 80’s! Can you say “Moon Patrol”??? My current passion though, is running a guild in the MMORPG “World of Warcraft”. Between slaying monsters and laughing at my silly friends, it keeps me quite entertained. When I am not playing WoW, I am running my household, complete with three beautiful girls, a wonderful husband, and an insane West Highland White Terrier puppy named Kaia! What a crazy household it is though, with all the gadgets my family requires to live. My eldest daughter MUST have her iPod, camera and cell phone. My husband would DIE without a microwave, plasma television and his computer. Even my dog is in on the techno-craze with her love/hate relationship with our Dyson vacuum! Personally, the DVR is my favorite, because it helps me keep up to date on all the drama, glitz and laughter of my favorite shows and movies! Oh, and did I mention I work at Best Buy®? And that I am involved in the new Best Buy® Communities? This is the perfect place to get my “Geek” on and help others learn about everything the techno world has to offer. From refrigerators to Wii’s to routers! Please join me on my journey! I am so excited to be here!
  • Suspiciously, I am about as old as the first NES. Despite what my mom wants me to believe, I suspect that I was also developed in Kyoto, Japan and shipped to the US sometime in the mid 1980s. My grandpa got me started gaming early with The Legend of Zelda and Wolfenstein 3D. I have been a danger to aliens, robots, and zombies ever since. Many of my fondest memories include video games, friends, and food, so I love to keep my gaming rig in top shape and scour game reviews for the best new releases. Aside from gaming and posting on the Community Forms, I like to noodle on my guitar and subject my roommates to my culinary whimsy. I know how to find a perfectly respectable recipe, turn it into a science experiment, and feed it to people who are far too nice to tell me that it reminds them of raw fish that was pureed and left in the sun too long. Thanks for reading and please always feel free to drop me a line while you’re cruising the forums with any questions about computers, games, tablets, dinosaurs, comics, wizards, and anything else you can possibly think of.
  • Social media fascinates me. We have all seen it evolve, and I for one have tried to be a part of it every step of the way. For more than eight years, I have had my own blog. It is a place to post what I am thinking and a place to interact with friends and family. In the more recent years, as social media has become more popular, I have seen the potential for it to be so much. How companies use social media to reach out to their audience is what specifically fascinates me today. This is why I am happy to be doing social media with Best Buy®. My technical strengths include photography, computer hardware and software, web development, networking and mobile phones. Many of these are also a hobby of mine as well as some outdoor activities such as biking, camping, boating and disk golf. I am known as a “super connected individual” by my friends and family. I am truly addicted to all things communication and I love it. At home I am supported by my lovely girlfriend. Together we enjoy finding new places to eat, movie and TV watching and the occasional video game. Our favorite TV shows include Chuck, Heroes, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Supernatural. Let’s just say the DVR is always full.
  • I have been living and breathing music practically all of my life and that constitutes much of my passion for technology. I was in a rock band for many years and am still an active musician that dabbles in recording (with the support of a music technology degree) and pretty much every instrument I can get my hands on. I was drawn to Best Buy because, like music, much of what we carry is focused on entertainment. Video games have also undeniably consumed much of my time throughout life and, if you are a gamer, the word “consumed” does not necessarily have a bad connotation. On top of that, I love spending time with my young family. I am very intrigued with the ways new technology changes the way we interact and enjoy life so I seek to facilitate that as best I can!
  • I’m at that wonderful point in my life where I can afford to look for a career opportunity with an organization whose values match my own, where employees actually look forward to coming to work and where someone who has been around for awhile still has value. I was fortunate to find all of this and more about four years ago at Best Buy. I started as a customer specialist at a nearby Best Buy location where I learned about all the “latest and greatest” and was able to work with terrific young people as both a sales associate and as their in-store trainer. I enjoyed all the new technology, and once I got up to speed, it was even more enjoyable sharing tid-bits with our more mature customers. Last year, I joined Consumer Relations at our corporate headquarters. And now, I’m working with our Social Media team as a Community Connector. Blogs, tweets, Facebook… oh my! When I’m not at work, you might find me getting the next tattoo, heading to a rock concert, or jetting across the pond to a place that pulls at my heart…Scotland.
  • I tend to be the person my family calls with technology-related questions. I give my father home theater advice. I give my brother computer advice. If my mother wants a new camera, she calls me first. Now I work for Best Buy in a field where technology and connections are all around me. Information and ideas are always at my fingertips. I love to keep up with current events via news online and stay up-to-date with my friends via Facebook on my Android phone. I am a console gamer on my Xbox, computer enthusiast, and movie buff. When not at work, I’m usually spending time with my wife and children. Biking, hiking, and pretty much anything else outdoors are favorites in our household. Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to being a part of the conversation!
  • Technology is a way of life for me. I always want to have the latest and greatest. Being connected to social media at all times is how I roll. Whether I am on my iPhone or my notebook, I never stray far from the virtual world. Social media is awesome for the workplace. You can connect with your customers by talking with them, not at them. All business should be following their customers’ voices via social media. My areas of expertise are within appliances and home theater. However, I am also a huge Playstation 3 fan and a definite movie connoisseur. When I am not working I am usually at home hanging out with my girlfriend and our dog, Nevaeh. I am a huge sports fan and a fantasy football nut. I have an extreme passion for cooking and I am a vegetarian. When I am not relaxing at home, I like to go out with friends or hit up a rock concert.
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