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On the heels of Googles experimental location-aware browser add-on, Mozilla announces its own opt-in geolocation feature. Interestingly enough, its powered by Google.

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The search feature makes its way onto users home pages after Twitters months-long in-house beta testing. It also paves the way for advertisements.

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If you havent tried playing Left 4 Dead yet because of the price, or arent sure about the game in general, thats OK. Valve has decided to let you try it out for free for 24 hours.

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Politicians respond to reports of cyberattacks by suggesting new plans to protect an increasingly networked electric grid.

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The CNET New York listening room, set up for the Dolby Pro Logic IIz.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Recently, Steve Guttenberg, our resident audio guru, took a listen to the first AV receiver to offer Dolby Pro Logic IIz. And he wasn’t impressed.

Pro Logic IIz is the latest surround format from Dolby Labs. This one utilizes “height speakers” placed above the left and right front-channel speakers. The configuration Guttenberg tested utilized a 7.1 configuration (a standard 5.1 setup, plus 2 height speakers), but Pro Logic IIz is designed to support 9.1 as well (7.1 plus 2). That will presumably be supported in future

According to Dolby’s Web site, the advantages of Pro Logic IIz are as follows:

With Dolby Pro Logic IIz, rain in a movie now seems to be actually falling on the listener’s roof, concert videos bring a more intense sense of being at the performance, and orchestral works deliver more palpable depth, power, and connection.

In games, the added dimension increases the realism and immerses players more deeply than ever in the action.

Because it processes only nondirectional sounds for the height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz maintains the integrity of the source mix and the effects are always appropriate to the material. The added dimension complements the sound from the rear-surround speakers, adding spaciousness while honoring the original intent of the content creator.

Alas, Guttenberg could barely hear a difference when Dolby Pro Logic IIz was engaged: “The height speakers didn’t make a discernible difference. I couldn’t hear them at all, so I increased the height speaker volume by 3 decibels. Still no difference.”

Needless to say, Dolby and Onkyo (the maker of the TX-SR607, which is the first IIz-compatible hardware) weren’t too happy with that evaluation. So, we told them we’d give it a second chance, with more ears in the room.

For Round Two, Steve Guttenberg (again), Executive Editor David Carnoy, Senior Associate Editor Matthew Moskovciak, and I crowded into the CNET audio room. …

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When Onkyo announced the TX-SR607, the company made a big deal that it was the first AV receiver to include onboard Dolby Pro Logic IIz processing. Dolby’s new format relies on “height” speakers–two satellite speakers situated above the standard front right/left speakers–to create a more “airy” soundscape–or at …

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(Credit: Modo forum)

The Moonlight laptop isn’t just any boring convertible tablet PC. Though the concept model looks a little thick for our taste, the curvy body and dual LCD screens are enough to cause oodles of drool.

Both displays are touch screen, with the smaller LCD serving as a mouse. The secondary panel can even be used to run a separate operating system or as an extension to the main one. In recognition that a curved body is hardly a stable surface, a pair of flip legs prop up the machine for a more ergonomic position.

This concept was designed by Modo forum member minibraun, a student in Croatia, for a “Laptop of the future” contest (which minibraun didn’t win). Nonetheless, it’s a sexy machine that at least deserves the light of day, even if it never hits retail shelves. More pictures after the jump.

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(Credit: Apple)

The 2009 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is the hottest ticket in town for the second year in a row. Apple quietly posted notice that the conference had sold out on its WWDC site earlier this week. The conference, buoyed by the success of the iPhone, sold out …

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

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Purple ball, corner pocket.

(Credit: BornRich)

Two sources of entertainment are always better than one, which is why we love this futuristic pool table slash MP3 player by the folks at Newwave Design.

The white surfaces and orange cloth combined with the brushed silver legs add to the modern aesthetic, which to me looks more like an orange Creamsicle, but that might just be because it’s almost summertime. The universal media player underneath routes directly to two speakers on either side of the table and features controls for volume and light effects. That’s right, several hidden LEDs help illuminate your game in dimly lit rooms!

There’s a “sound effects” knob as well, but the Web site has no word on what it does. Wouldn’t it be cool/slightly irritating if an audience applause goes off every time you sink a ball? The Lunar pool table includes a full set of balls and two 48-inch cues for a very affordable $745. More images after the break.

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Like most folks, I’m eagerly awaiting the Hulu app that’s rumored to be heading to the iPhone. (I need my daily “Daily Show” fix!)

Of course, if and when it lands, it’ll require a live Internet connection to stream content–and those are still pretty hard to come …

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

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