Retro PC designs aren’t anything new, but they usually drag us all the way back to a time when every self-respecting household had cigar box, or even further to some quaint Steampunk era. Thomas Thomassen took a decidedly more 50s Americana theme for his Mini Media Centre, the final project for his degree in “modelmaking for design and media”, based around a Mini-ITX board.
Velocity Micro are probably best known for their gaming PCs, but they also have a range of home theater PCs; that’s one of the things SlashGear stopped by to take a look at this week at CES. The Fuzebox is a high-definition, Blu-ray enabled HTPC intended for those wanting a low-maintenance way to rip and watch DVDs, stream music to multiple rooms, watch streaming content and more; to do that, they’ve locked the Windows-based box down.
Check out the video demo of the Fuzebox after the cut
Epson Japan have updated their ST1XX series of super-compact desktop PCs with a shot of high-definition and an improved processor. No mere nettop, the Endeavor ST120 has a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU, a Japan-only MonsterTV HDUS digital TV tuner and a Blu-ray burner, all in something measuring just 75 x 185 x 195mm.
When first announced back in September, the Sony VAIO LV-series was described as a High-Definition PC/TV. That blurring of distinctions between computer and entertainment gives a good idea of how the company envisages their all-in-one slotting into your lifestyle; a relatively rare HMDI input, allowing external sources to use the LV as a 1080p-capable display, helps single the system out even further. Are TV tuners, Blu-ray and Dolby Digital surround sound enough to let the VAIO LV replace your current HDTV?
Forget the iMac, HP Touchsmart, Gateway or Dell XPS “One”, we’ve got a powerhouse all-in-one multimedia PC from Sony; it might not have a catchy name but it sure means business. The Sony VAIO Sony VGC-RT150Y no ordinary PC; It is a top notch VAIO that combines the technology of an HDTV with the computing power of a quad core multimedia PC. Behind the 25.5-inch XBRITE Full HD LCD Screen there’s an Intel Core 2 Quad 9400 processor, 8GB of RAM and 1TB of hard-drive with built-in digital TV tuners, Blu-ray burner and masses of A/V input and outputs for full 1080p living room entertainment. But with the price tag of $4,000, can it live up to the hype?
Windows 7 has been gradually showing off some of what it has to offer, and today’s tidbit is touch-control of the Media Center GUI. Gizmodo stopped by and their video (which you can see after the cut) certainly looks impressive; right now it’s set up for single-point input, but we’re told that multi-touch control is coming.
Silicon Mountain have taken the sizable wraps off of the Allio HDTV, which not only boasts a full 1080p High-Definition panel but an integrated home theater PC and Blu-ray player. Available in two sizes, 32 inches and 42-inches, six models are on offer: the top-spec Allio ATVI-3G4542 has an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU with 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Windows Vista Home Premium.
Dell have taken the wraps off of their latest XPS computer, the 24-inch Dell XPS One 24 desktop PC. Running at full 1080p 1920 x 1080 high-definition, the XPS One has optional Blu-ray for entertainment and high-capacity back-ups, together with a 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 processor and optional NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT video card. Dell have also managed to pack in a 25W 2.1-channel JBL audio system.
ASUS is the fourth notebook manufacturer to take the wraps off of a WiMAX-enabled laptop range today, joining Toshiba, Lenovo and Acer. The company has three models with integrated support for Sprint’s XOHM network, officially announced today, the F8Va-C2WM, N50Vn and M50Vm. The former is a slick ultraportable while the latter two are media center laptops both with Blu-ray.
Sony’s VAIO JS series of all-in-one desktop PCs – which were announced last month - has been re-announced for Europe, together with some new spec details and photos. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 processor with 3GB of RAM, a 500GB hard-drive and WiFi b/g/n, the JS1’s crowning glory is a 20.1-inch 1680 x 1050 X-black display with an Intel GMA X4500HD video card doing the business behind the scenes.
SlashGear Japan
