Pioneer lowers prices on Elite A/V receivers again, the well-heeled respond with derision

Pioneer is introducing a new batch of Elite A/V receivers aimed at making the line more affordable (if less, well, elite). The VSX-30 and VSX-31 feature iPhone and iPod control via Pioneer's iControl AV app, HDMI 1.4a with 3D support, THX Select2 Plus audio, and an Ethernet port for accessing Sirius XM, Rhapsody, and files off of your home network. If that weren't enough, they've even thrown in an composite video cable for your iPod / iPhone so you can enjoy your portable audio and video on the big screen. The VSX-30 will run you $550, while the VSX-31 (with a second A/V zone) is going for a cool $650. It's not exactly a Swarovski-bejewled HTPC, but we guess it'll do in a pinch.

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Belkin’s AV360 Mini DisplayPort Converter lets you play Xbox 360 on iMac, costs as much as an Arcade

If you're inhabiting one of those quaint, downtown studio apartments in which your sink, oven, computer, and toilet are all within reach of your swiveling desk chair, and if that computer happens to be a 27-inch iMac, we have good news for you. Belkin has introduced its AV360 Mini DisplayPort Converter, which takes an HDMI input at up to 1080p and squeezes it into a Mini DisplayPort connector at 720p for display on your iMac. It'll also push stereo audio through and is HDCP-compliant, so even protected content from your Blu-ray player will get by. The cost? $150, which is cheaper than getting a second display, but an awful lot for a converter box with a single input -- especially when MonoPrice has similar offerings (which admittedly lack audio and HDCP) for under $10. But, if you don't have room for anything else, this will fit in nicely with you and your minimalist/affluent lifestyle.

Update: We got it wrong on the MonoPrice reference here. That adapter goes the other way!

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DMP’s Pica200 GPU is the power behind Nintendo 3DS (video)

We'd never heard of Digital Media Professionals until this very moment, but we'd guess the company won't have that problem in future -- according to a press release fresh off the Japanese wire, its Pica200 GPU is the one pushing pixels to Nintendo's autostereoscopic screen. While we don't know exactly how the tiny graphics unit works or what CPU it might be paired with in a system-on-a-chip, the company claims it supports per-pixel lighting, procedural textures and antialiasing among a host of other effects, and generates 15.3 million polygons per second at its native 200MHz. What is impressive is the video after the break -- reportedly rendered entirely on the chip -- and of course, the 3DS itself, but you'll have to take our word on that.

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Digital Clock Alarm plus iPod Dock in COLORS!!

PB Teen Catalog is a teen spin off from Pottery Barn stores and catalogs. This version of the catalog has some super hip, fun things to play/decorate and use for teens, kids and those who want a funkier style.



Called the "Rockin' Alarm Clock" comes in pink or navy blue and can be monogrammed.
This digital alarm clock features all the basics like sleep, snooze and alarm functions, plus an auxiliary jack that recharges and plays your iPod®. Includes a dual remote control that works with both the radio and your iPod®.
It runs off AC and also 3 AAA batteries (not included!). Retail price is $129.00 plus tax+ shipping.
This is a great gift for anyone who has an iPod and would love to streamline their clock and iPod. It does not update to iTunes though- that's still done with a computer dock.

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Epson Artisan 810 Multifunction Printer

For most people space is at a premium and even though they have become household necessities, a computer printer, fax machine, digital scanner and a photocopier take up too much room.

So the answer is the popular, "all-in-one unit", or "multifunction device", as they are now called, but are they as good as separate units?

The latest entry by Epson in this crowded field is their Artisan 810 and it looks like an all around winner.

This puppy does everything, except scan negatives, and is Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectable so check out Epson's Artisan 810 Multifunction Device.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

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An Alternative To Video Surveillance

Surveillance systems take on a new look with a technology developed by scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Laser-Based Item Monitoring System balances the need for high-resolution monitoring and personal safety with respect for confidentiality and personal privacy. This is particularly important today with heightened emphasis on security and privacy and is possible because the system does not use video.

"Our system is specifically designed to address surveillance requirements in places where video would be unacceptable because of the presence of proprietary information or other privacy concerns," said Pete Chiaro, a member of the Engineering Science & Technology Division.

Using low-cost reflective tags placed on objects, LBIMS maps the precise location of high-value items. The laser can scan a number of points per second and can detect small changes - less than a centimeter - in the reflected signal, meaning tampering can be immediately detected.

The precision of the system is made possible by a high-resolution two-axis laser scanner capable of looking at a 60-degree field of view in 0.0005-degree increments, dividing the field of view into more than 10 billion individual pointing locations. A camera with comparable resolution over the same field of view would require a 10,000-megapixel detector.........

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