pc

A robot that laughs at your jokes, even if no one else will

Of all the things a robot should be able to do--smashing things, shooting stuff with lasers, lifting large objects, transforming into a 18-wheeler--making you feel like you're the world's best comedian should be pretty high up on the list.

And hopefully, you're willing to pay $3,000 for that privilege.

The Speecys "Mi-Rai" PC-101C robot is notable because it boasts facial-recognition skills and an open-ended software platform that lets developers write applications for it. More importantly, it also goes friggin nuts when you tell a joke. For evidence, watch this video.

[Via GeekAlerts.]

Auslogics Disk Defrag: First Look

A sluggish computer can mean a lot of things--it could be malware, or overstuffed memory, or even disorganized disk space. If you haven't defragmented your drive lately, try the free Auslogics Disk Defrag as a first attempt to speed up your PC.

First Look videos (collect them all) are a great way to get familiar with programs like Auslogics Disk Defrag before you install them. Check it out below, and pick up an easily remembered analogy for how defragmenting works.

CNET Live - Episode 23 - Show Notes

We get super virtual today with our guest from VMware and a Download of the Week about virtualizing software. Watch the show on CNET TV.

Things we Crave

Sidesplitting tech comics

Belkin Dual USB power adapter

Quick Tip

How to really turn off your iPhone

Guest Pat Lee from VMware. Download of the Week

Software Virtualization Solution.

Weekend Project

Digitize your LPs: adjust the volume.

Steve Jobs offers $100 credit to iPhone purchasers.

Your calls

Get an iPhone screenshot utility.

More steps for using the iPhone screenshot utility.

'Guitar Hero III' playing on PCs, Macs

Rock-star wannabes can now unleash their inner Slash on two new platforms: Aspyr Media, in partnership with Activision, has announced that the massively popular music title Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be available to PC and Mac gamers this fall.

With more than 70 songs in the set list, and more original master tracks than ever before, according to Aspyr, players will be able to shred from many of today's artists, as well as from rock legends such as Metallica, the Rolling Stones and Pearl Jam. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow PC and Mac … Read more

All-in-one PC doesn't look like a mutant

For years PC makers have tried to come up with a true all-in-one desktop, but more often than not their efforts look like a few components that have been glued together or presented in other impractical forms. There's at least one new model on the Korean market, however, that really does seem to live up to its billing.

The "All-In-One" computer from Seoul-based SBCORE appears to combine all its functions and features in one solid aluminum-finished block that houses CPU, screen and speakers, as well as Intel Core 2 Duo chips, up to 2GB of memory and … Read more

Sidesplitting tech comics

Whoever said geeks have no sense of humor was wrong--laughably so. Some of the funniest comics out there are Web comics (or those rendered for the Web,) written by techies, for the techies who love them. Here's a bushel of geeky favorites, in no particular order.

1. xkcd Randall Monroe, physicist, cartoonist, and at-heart romantic, is behind xkcd, a Web comic whose name curiously holds no mathematically obscure meaning. In his own words, Monroe's stick-figure style "occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)." See? Funny.… Read more

New HP desktops shine

HP announced the first product of its joint design efforts with Voodoo PC this evening. Our review of the HP Blackbird 002 is up, and it achieved the highest rating we've ever awarded a desktop. We'll let the review speak for itself, but we'll only add here that while we wrote about a custom configuration that won't be available until Oct. 1, you can buy a similar, fixed-configuration system today for $5,500 that looks like this:

Overclocked Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 (2) Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra graphics cards Windows Vista Ultimate 2GB, 800MHz DDR2 … Read more

Dropped, frozen and fried, 'Victum' survives

From Bavaria here's a new, "ruggedized" military-spec notebook PC with a keyboard that converts to a touch-screen, tablet PC in seconds by flipping the display 180 degrees and pressing down.

The magnesium alloy housing (4.85 pounds with battery) is completely sealed making it splash-proof, according to Acturion Datasys. (Even the integrated speaker is waterproof.) Since there are no fans, processor heat is distributed directly to the housing, which doubles as radiator.

Two models are available--the Victum-Note V10 (10.4-inch XGA display) and the Victum-Note V12 (WXGA 12.1-inch). Both come with sunlight-readable displays and work … Read more

Mesh Elite Quad 6600 FX: Best back-to-school PC ever?

Here at Crave UK, we're celebrating the end of British summer. But not because we hate Britain's perma-cloud and incessant flooding, oh no--it's because it's back-to-school time! It's that time of year when the government forces our hoodied young to vacate the street corners, put down the cans of spray paint and actually go and learn some stuff.

And since they're all going back to school and leaving us free of harassment, why not reward them with a brand new PC that can aid their studies--or at the very least help them spread their … Read more

Logitech's PC-friendly surround-sound speakers

Now that Logitech's excellent Z-5500 Digital 5.1 speaker system has been around for a few years, it's available for considerably less than its original $400 asking price. But desktop owners looking for another option now have an even more affordable alternative in the form of the company's just-announced G51 surround-sound system. The all-analog 5.1 speaker system features stereo and 6-channel inputs, the latter matching the outputs found on nearly all surround-capable PC sound cards. The G51 features two matrixing modes--one for games and one for music--that can synthesize a 5.1 surround track from a … Read more