By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Acer Launches New S1 Line of Ultra-Thin, Space-Saving Displays With Advanced Eco-Friendly Technology and Packaging!

Acer America today debuts a new line of ultra-thin LED monitors that feature an eco-friendly, space-conscious design. The new S1 series displays combine the latest LED technology with a slim 13mm to 15mm profile, making them ideal for users with limited space for work or entertainment. The S1 series LED monitors come in a range of sizes, delivering excellent video performance and innovative display technologies to deliver crisp, clear images.

“In addition to the eye-catching design and crisp visual quality, the S1 series monitors were designed to be one of the slimmest monitors available today for consumers with a limited amount of desk space,” said Irene Chan, senior product marketing manager for peripherals, Acer America. “Another key consideration was designing a monitor that delivers low energy consumption and environmental impact.”

Designed with clean lines, a polished black display frame and rounded porcelain-like stand, the eye-catching S1 series is the perfect blend of sophistication and style. These modern looking displays are available in three sizes – 23-inch, 21.5-inch, 20-inch – and feature an ultra-slim profile, ranging from only 13 mm for the 20-inch to less than 15mm for the 21.5-inch and 23-inch models. The S1 series of monitors leverages some key eco-friendly, energy-saving technologies. All of the S1 models feature white LED backlighting, which does not contain hazardous substances such as mercury or halogen gases, making it safer for the environment. Additionally, white LED technology consumes less power, providing up to 68% power savings to users.

All of the new displays are RoHS and ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, the latest and most widely used energy-conservation qualification, helping consumers streamline costs and preserve power while providing higher efficiency. To further decrease the environmental impact of the displays, the Energy Star 5.0 specifications incorporates stringent energy consumption and power management requirements while in the “On” mode. For consumers with community recycling programs, the environmentally-friendly monitors all come in highly recyclable packaging materials, with all major plastic components properly labeled with the composition code and recycling symbols to facilitate future recycling based on ISO 1043/11469 standards.

Cutting-Edge Features Offer Excellent Picture Quality

The sophisticated new Acer S1 series of LED monitors provides consumers with a premium viewing experience and advanced features. The monitors all feature 12,000,000:1 contrast ratio via Acer Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM), for crisp graphics and stunning picture quality. The ACM features advanced technology that enables users to adjust images frame by frame for a dramatic improvement of gradation and detail, especially in very dim or very bright scenes.

Providing excellent high-definition picture quality, all of the monitors boast a 16:9 aspect ratio, allowing users to view high-definition digital content without the image distortion that arises from incompatible aspect ratios. The 21.5-inch and 23-inch display models all feature 1920×1080 resolutions, further enhancing the video quality. Perfect for viewing high-definition videos, movies and other digital content, all of the S1 series of displays feature rapid 5ms response times, 250 cd/m2 brightness and 16.7M colors.

Each of the new displays ensure easy connectivity to home entertainment devices and office peripherals via a VGA port or DVI port with HDCP protection (depending on the model.) The 23-inch model also comes with an all-digital HDMI interface, delivering exceptional high-definition viewing and top-quality uncompressed video.

Software Solutions Enhance Visual Experience

Acer’s unique software solutions boost usability. The eColor Management on-screen interface allows users to tailor the performance of the display, such as brightness, saturation and contrast. The Empowering Key enables users to switch between viewing scenarios and create their own to compensate for application and environmental constraints. The eDisplay Management function is a powerful color enhancement and display rotation tool.

Pricing and Availability

The Acer S1 series of displays will be available this month for U.S. customers at leading retailers $169.99 for the 20-inch model (S201HL), $219.99 for the 21.5-inch model (S211HL) and $269.99 for the 23-inch model (S231HL). At this price range, would you be interested in getting one? Sound off on the comments below and you just may win one for yourself!

By: Bill Armstrong (Contributing Editor)

It seems that nearly every movie coming out is in 3D. This is due partially to the overwhelming success of James Cameron’s Avatar in 3D. With everyone jumping on the 3D bandwagon, it only makes sense that now you can create and watch your own 3D movies with Panasonic’s new 3D camcorder.

Panasonic is calling it the Worlds First 3D Shooting Camcorder. Labeled the HDC-SDT750, it appears to be one of their existing camcorders with a 3D lens attached. It will capture your cherished home memories in stunning 1080p, and play them back in 3D, as long as you have a 3D ready television.

Panasonic is rumored to announce this device later this week, but information has been leaking for more than a week now, with a page showing up on Panasonics website briefly last night. Thankfully, the guys at Engadget were on the ball and able to get a few pictures and specs for us. Ultimately, the success of this camera will depend on the success of 3D as a whole, but right now things are looking promising with a huge line up of 3D capable televisions, dvd and home theater systems. At the very least, this will be a fun toy to play with until the whole 3D fad dies out (or not.) So what do you think?

By: Jenna Gonzalez (Editor In Chief)

Nary a fortnight ago, the newest, most exciting gadget yet was unveiled upon the world. ”4″ they called it. Like its predecessors, it was met with fanfare and celebration all across the globe. With 1.7 million units sold in the first three days and over 8 million sold to date, it’s no wonder “4″ is the number to cozy up to nowadays. However, it’s no secret that it’s had its fair share of flaws and criticisms. The elephant among them: the dreaded signal/reception issue that purportedly causes customers to experience higher dropped-call rates. Why? Well, apparently it’s “no bueno” to have metal touching the antenna, which is what Apple did. So to make a long story short, all the haters decided to band together and make a huge issue out of “Antennagate” despite the fact that less than 1% of owners complained about it. So what do we the think? Aside from the ridiculous similarity to the blatant “Toyota Sabotage” earlier this year, it’s pretty lame. Why? Well, I happen to like the new iPhone a lot! Like A LOT! Sure, nothing is perfect, and I’m sure many of us totally realize it. That being said, the iPhone 4 is pretty darn awesome. So to celebrate the awesomeness of the most talked-about phone to hit the market yet, we’re giving away over a dozen iPhone 4′s! That’s right, where else can you play for all those prizes? Only here at MRT! 

Oh the shiny iPhones!

So what’s the big giveaway? How about a shiny new Apple iPhone 4 every week for the next twelve weeks! Oh and not just any iPhone. How about the top of the line 32 GB model! That’s right, every single week, one uber-lucky iPhone lover will win their very own sparkling 32 GB iPhone 4 worth $700 no-contact! No, these are not unlocked, although a quick search online will yield you some unlocked iPhones for up to $999! Of course, we don’t endorse illegal unlocking methods…but hey, it’s your iPhone. The very first winner will be announced on Monday August 2, 2010 followed by one winner every following Monday. Easy enough to grasp right?

Deathgrip? What's that?

A new face on our classic giveaway: As you know, MRT always has the best prizes. That’s a given. For our iPhone 4 giveaway, we’ve decided to make it a Facebook contest. Why? I’ve been told that if you don’t have a Facebook, you’re probably living under a rock. So basically, I’m a cavewoman since I don’t have one. If you happen to be one of the select few like myself who live under such a rock, don’t worry, there’s a special section below on how you can try winning one. Like all our other contests, there are three simple things you can do. Ready?

For a simple Facebook post, one of these could be yours!

For Facebook users: This one’s for you folks! First, if you haven’t already done so, add MRT to your “likes”. Second, in no more than 2 sentences, post your “iPhone Haters themed” comment our wall under the iPhone 4 giveaway. Finally, you MUST immediately re-post the contest link on your own wall. These steps should take you about 80-100 seconds (we tried it) so that makes it super simple and convenient. Plus, you only need to do this once a week! That’s how simple it is! However, it’s very important you follow these easy directions. If you make a mistake, you’re disqualified for the week (that, and you probably don’t need an iPhone 4, since it would be way too complicated & out of place for you & the rock you live under.)

Yes, they are 32 GB top of the line iPhone 4's

Now, for those who don’t have a Facebook account: In no more than 2 sentences, simply post a comment below on “iPhone Haters”…Be creative, original, honest, whatever you like. Just don’t copy someone else’s entry. We’ve seen this before and that’s a good way to disqualify you. Only ONE comment can be submitted per person, per week. One very lucky non-Facebook winner will be chosen at the end of August, followed by another one at the end of September. Basically, 2 iPhone 4′s will be awarded this way.

If you’ve got Twitter: Follow us at http://twitter.com/myrealitytech and RETWEET the contest post as many times a week as you like (more entries, more chances to win). One very lucky person from Twitter will win their own iPhone 4 on September 1, 2010.

You could be unboxing your very own iPhone 4G from MRT!

Ok now for the uber-important qualifying rules: Due to the nature and configuration of the product, the MRT Apple iPhone 4 Facebook contest is only open to all North American (yes Canada, you’re in there too) Residents 18 yrs and over! If you are not 18, please ask for your parent’s permission and have them sign up for you. Winner(s) agree(s) to provide & confirm to us their full name, valid email, valid shipping address and telephone number. All such personal information are for our security & validation purposes (we don’t want giving prizes to convicted serial killers, child molesters and/or general psychopaths), and as such, will not be shared in any way or form with anyone in order to protect your privacy. All winners are chosen at random using a randomizer in an effort to make everything fair, and as such, we do not determine the outcome of each contest. In addition, staff editors and their immediate families (defined as parents, children, siblings & spouses of staff editors) are not eligible to enter any of our contests. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry we feel violates any law or is being unfair/innapropriately vulgar/derogatory in any way we see it. Winner(s) agree(s) to the above simple rules. Best of luck!

If you have any questions, use the “Contact Jenna” link on the very top of the page.

By: Nate Nelson (Contributing Editor)

If you thought Antennagate was going to go away, Apple has other plans. In their latest defense of the breakthrough antennae design, they claimed that even the recently launched Motorola DROID X suffers from the same issue: holding the phone tightly will result in loss of signal strength. There’s even a video to proof their point:

Apple: Even the DROID X has reception issues!!

So do many if not all phones have the same problem? We probably noticed but never made a big deal out of it. Is the issue blown out of proportions? Does Apple have the right to act the way they are right now? That’s subject to interpretation. It’s gotta be frustrating when everybody’s going at you from every direction. So…maybe. The thing is, we’re not concerned about the signal strength. I could be in 1 bar zone for most of the day and if I can still make and receive calls without issue, I have no problems. The problem is that holding the new iPhone 4, in what seems to be a natural way, drops the call. So much so that some people have speculated that the problematic bottom-left zone of the phone was actually meant to function as an End Call. Do you think Apple should continue with this marketing? Sound off on the comments below.

Speaking of Apple (and one’s that don’t seem to have bad buzz,) don’t forget to enter our ongoing weekly iPad giveaway contest here on MRT. With everyone pointing fingers about the iPhone, you may as well try for a sweet 64GB iPad. Click here: An Apple a Week Giveaway

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Blizzard Entertainment to Celebrate Release with Signings, Exhibition Games, and More!!!

Blizzard Entertainment today announced its plans for the official North American midnight launch event for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the long-anticipated sequel to 1998’s critically acclaimed real-time strategy game, StarCraft. The event will take place at Fry’s Electronics at 10800 Kalama River Avenue in Fountain Valley, CA, with activities starting at 9 p.m. on July 26, and sales of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beginning at midnight.

 “We’re looking forward to celebrating the launch of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty with our community at the official launch event here in Southern California and at other locations worldwide,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “This is something we’ve been working toward for several years, and we’re excited to soon be able to share the results of that work with gamers around the world.”

As well as being among the first to acquire the game, attendees will have an opportunity to meet developers from Blizzard Entertainment, who will be present to welcome players and sign their copies. Live music, exhibition matches, and Q&A sessions with Blizzard Entertainment developers will also take place onsite. More details about the event can be found at http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/events/starcraft2-midnight-openings.html.

Attendees will be able to purchase the standard edition of the game for a suggested price of $59.99 as well as the special Collector’s Edition for a suggested price of $99.99. The Collector’s Edition contains the following bonus items in addition to the game disc:

• The Art of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, a 176-page book featuring artwork from the game
• An exclusive 2GB USB flash drive replica of Jim Raynor’s dog tag, which comes preloaded with the original StarCraft and the StarCraft: Brood War^® expansion set
• A behind-the-scenes DVD containing over an hour of developer interviews, cinematics with director’s commentary, and more
• The official StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty soundtrack CD, containing 14 epic tracks from the game along with exclusive bonus tracks
• StarCraft comic book issue #0, a prequel to the comic series
• A World of Warcraft^® mini Thor in-game pet that can be applied to all World of Warcraft characters on a single Battle.net^® account
• Exclusive Battle.net downloadable content, including special portraits for your Battle.net profile, decals to customize your units in-game, and a visually unique version of the terran Thor unit

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s 1998 blockbuster hit StarCraft. With over 11 million copies sold, the franchise has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy series of all time and has become a fixture on the professional eSports circuit. StarCraft II will once again center on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying favorite units from the original StarCraft, along with numerous upgraded and brand-new units and abilities that allow for fresh tactics and strategies. The game’s new 3D-graphics engine maintains the speed and responsive control of its predecessor while rendering hundreds of units onscreen for massive battles. For more information on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, visit the official website at www.starcraft2.com.

video & photos provided by: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

By: Bill Armstrong (Contributing Editor)

Is it a giant phone? Is it a small tablet? Yes. Dell, one of the leading computer manufacturers in the world has made its foray into the mobile phone world with the Dell Streak. The Streak, already released in Europe, is set to make its US debut very soon.

Combining the features of a phone, personal media player, and tablet PC, Dell is hoping to provide an all in one solution for your mobile needs. Powered by Android, the Streak offers a mammoth 5 inch display. While this size pushes the limits of pocket portability, it offers a perfect screen for browsing the web, watching videos, or playing games. The ultra fast Snapdragon processor will let you perform these tasks without much delay. Being an Android device, you will have access to the full array of Google tools that have made Android phones such a success. These include Google search, Google Maps, Text to Voice GPS, the Android Marketplace, and Gmail. All the tools one needs to stay happy and productive on the move. A 5mp camera and 512mb of ram round out the major features.

The current European release is using an older version of Android, 1.6. Most Android phones in the US are running on Froyo, v2.2. Hopefully an early update will bring the Streak up to date with the rest of us. Dell is hoping for a home run with this sizeable entry, and this extra large device will have no small task in competing with the amazing line up of tablets and touch screen phones available now. Check out more on the Dell Streak at dell.com.

By: Bill Armstrong (Contributing Editor)

The whole tech world tuned in this past Friday to hear Apple’s official response to the tremendous outcry regarding the recently released iPhone 4. An earlier post of mine covered the major issues that were being reported, most notably, the antennae issue. For those who are unaware of what all the hubbub was about, there is a connectivity issue that is caused when you hold the device in a certain area that leads to signal loss, and in some cases, dropped calls. An interesting problem, to say the least, but even more interesting is how this issue led to a media frenzy that nearly matched that of the huge oil spill in the gulf.

The initial response from Apple and Steve Jobs himself seemed to many to be indifferent, or even contemptuous. The most famous of these responses being to “hold the phone differently.” This did little more than fuel the growing fire. The outcry continued, and gained momentum as celebrities and politicians joined in. The iPhone 4’s antennae issue even made appearances on popular talk shows, including a spot on Letterman’s infamous Top 10 list. Even the almighty Consumer Reports chimed in by refusing the iPhone its recommendation. Perhaps it was US Senator Charles Schumer’s letter to Apple, stating that, “The burden for consumers caused by this glitch, combined with the confusion over its cause and how it will be fixed, has the potential to undermine the many benefits of this innovative device” led to Apple’s decision to address the issue directly. And address it they did.

In a press conference led by Steve Jobs himself, Apple finally conceded that there was indeed a problem with the iPhone 4 antennas. And, in a move that reminded me of my own daughters, Apple began pointing out that many other popular devices have the same issue, Even going so far as to demonstrate on other phones. An interesting approach that made me wish someone would have asked, “Now Steve, if the other phones were jumping off a cliff, would you join them?”  Apple did indeed offer a solution to help remedy the issue. It was determined early after the problem was discovered that it is easily fixed by covering the affected area with some sort of non-conductive material. So Apple is going to give a free case to everyone that has already bought an iPhone 4, and anyone that buys an iPhone 4 up until September. They have even gone so far as to offer refunds for any customers that have already purchased a bumper from Apple for this issue.

While there may be speculation that this solution is not going to satisfy the masses, one thing that is quite clear is that nothing has stopped the success of the iPhone 4. A million phones were sold the first weekend, and in the time since, even with all of the controversy, another 2 million iPhone 4’s were sold. Apple’s response may have been less than apologetic, but maybe that isn’t so undeserved. Apple has stood as an industry leader in both style and innovation. So much so that perhaps people are expecting nothing less than perfection with every product it releases. Forgetting about features that are going to forever change the industry in order to focus on one feature that is not so great is probably not the best way to look at a product. Customer loyalty and confidence is gained by offering a variety of dependable, cutting edge products, and by being there to support the customer and stand behind  its products every step of the way. This is something that Apple has never failed to do, and will continue doing for many devices to  come.

By: William Armstrong (Contributing Editor)

Even with the tremendous success and popularity of Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7, there are a number of PC users out there that are not ready to embrace change. These hold outs are users of the most popular operating system of all time, Windows XP. For those who have not yet upgraded to Windows 7, Microsoft has announced that they are extending the Downgrade rites for Windows XP until 2015.

This means that any new computer purchased with Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate will be eligible for a free downgrade to Windows XP Professional. Primarily, this change in policy is due to the large numbers of businesses that use Windows XP. Even though Microsoft has reported that some 65% of business have begun the transition to Windows 7, those who have not will continue to receive support for another 5 years.

This new policy will benefit home PC users as well. Microsoft has not limited this to just business users. Home users can purchase a brand new computer with one of the qualifying versions of Windows and take advantage of the downgrade themselves. Now those customers that choose to downgrade are missing out on a lot of features that makes Windows 7 great, but it is nice to know that you can get a new computer and still have the comfort and security of an old friend like XP.

via Ars Technica

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Conquer a Massive World, Defeat Flocks of Evil Chickens and Dispense Justice as the Summer’s Funniest Hero is Available Today!! 

Electronic Arts Inc. and Hothead Games today announced that DeathSpank, an action-RPG blending epic storytelling, addictive gameplay, humor and evil chickens, is available for download today on PlayStation Network for $14.99 and tomorrow on Xbox LIVE Arcade for 1200 Microsoft points. Developed under the direction of The Secret of Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert, DeathSpank takes players through a heroic adventure in the boots of the titular hero DeathSpank as he hacks and slashes his way through epic quests in a vast world filled with vibrant, eccentric and terrifying characters.

“While DeathSpank is definitely one of the funnier games out there, it’s more than a one trick pony,” said Vlad Ceraldi, Director of Game Development for Hothead Games. “We’ve built a game with fast-paced, addictive combat set in a world that has a tremendous amount of depth that is filled with dynamic characters, colorful environments and tons of cool weapons and loot. And yes, we still have ponies too — trick ponies!”

“The team at Hothead has really made the perfect experience for the summer,” said Jamil Moledina, Outreach Director, Business Development for EA Partners. “DeathSpank is a high-end and fun game, yet incredibly accessible. It’s very easy to pick up and play, both in terms of its classic arcade controls, as well as the convenience of downloading it straight to your console.”

Players who download the game will be placed in the boots of the mighty DeathSpank, “Dispenser of Justice”, “Vanquisher of Evil” and “Hero to the Downtrodden”, embarking on his life long journey is to search for and find a mysterious artifact known only as, “The Artifact”. Along his journey, DeathSpank will rescue orphans, defeat a local tyrant, help an aging adventurer, and dive headfirst into an even deeper mystery. The game’s accessibility makes for a fun, addictive experience where players will find themselves solving crazy puzzles, collecting massive amounts of loot and hearing witty dialogue. For those with friends, DeathSpank also features local co-operative gameplay, allowing friends to jump in and out of fighting through this adventure on the same console as both DeathSpank and his trusty, magical sidekick, Sparkles the Wizard.

DeathSpank is rated “T” for teen by the ESRB. For more information on DeathSpank, please visit, www.deathspank.com

By: William Armstrong (Contributing Editor)

Everyone understands the importance of keeping your information safe, especially with the risk of identity theft at every turn. That is why it is good to have tools to help keep information safe. iPhone users have had the advantage of mobileMe software for quite some time now, but now Blackberry users have their own option with the arrival of Blackberry Protect.

Blackberry Protect offers a suite of tools to protect Blackberry users on multiple fronts, and is easily managed right from your PC. You are able to back up your contacts, documents and settings on a regular basis to help protect you from data loss due to software or hardware failure, theft or loss. An extra loud ring feature is included, for those times you misplace your Curve around the house. Other awesome features include a lost and found screen, allowing honest citizens the opportunity to return your phone to you. Remote data wipe and a device lock can prevent the less honest among us from gaining access to your sensitive information. And a built in GPS locator lets you keep tabs of where your lost device has been hanging out without you. Of course, this feature only works if your Blackberry is turned on. Once your device is recovered or replaced, you can easily restore all of your backed up information with a push of a button.

The standout feature of Blackberry Protect compared to other similar software is the price. Blackberry Protect is free to Blackberry users, and is being released first as a beta in the next few days.

via Blackberry

GPS Locator will help determine if your phone was stolen or left behind.