extend

Cisco Systems said Thursday that it will acquire ExtendMedia, which makes video content management systems, for an undisclosed sum.

According to the company, ExtendMedia, a privately held outfit based in Newton, Mass., will allow Cisco to deliver and monetize IP video via multiple screens.

ExtendMedia's software will be part of Cisco's next-generation video architecture, intended to let Cisco manage the video content lifecycle for service providers.

Read more of "Cisco buys ExtendMedia in IP video play" at ZDNet's Between the Lines.

Unlike its predecessor, which didn't really offer much in the way of new features but overhauled its look, Photoshop CS5 (Windows | Mac) leaves the interface practically untouched to focus on major feature improvements.

The big changes include automatic lens correction, better high dynamic range processing, content-aware filling, "intelligent selection", and enhanced tools for 3D image creation in Photoshop Extended (Windows | Mac). More than three dozen minor tweaks were also made, small improvements--such as building a "straighten" function into the Ruler tool and pumping up Raw image noise management--that nevertheless dramatically cut down time-consuming procedures.

Take … Read more

The Dual XGPS300 GPS Navigation & Battery Cradle is a double-purpose iPod Touch accessory, but its dual nature doesn't stop with its functionalities. For every pro that we found with the device, there was an equal and opposite con. Like flipping a coin, we kept coming up 50/50.

We liked that the XGPS300 increases the functionality of the iPod Touch by adding GPS and battery extender capabilities, but we weren't fans of the fact that the device makes users manually switch between those modes. We also liked that its battery extender makes the device useful even when … Read more

Plugging in your electric vehicle, or extended-range hybrid, may soon be a thing of the past. Evatran is developing a "hands-free" proximity charging system with the engineering team from Colorado company Syncroness.

The idea is to pull up to the Plugless Power system and get your car recharged. Evatran has a short animation depicting the process. The company will not have a product available until fall 2010, according to a press release.

LinkExtend is a Firefox toolbar that displays a wide variety of information about the Web sites you visit. Whether you're trying to protect your computer from malicious programs or your children from inappropriate content, LinkExtend can help you stay safe on the Web.

The toolbar's interface is intuitive, with well-labeled icons for the program's functions. An online Help file does a good job of describing LinkExtend's features. The toolbar displays each Web site's rankings in terms of security, child safety, and company ethics, as well as Google PageRank and SiteTraffic. You can view your browsing … Read more

The U.S. Army is testing a new diesel hybrid vehicle called the Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV) designed for quick-paced special operations-type missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting--all the while conserving fuel.

The vehicle was developed jointly by Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide and the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) National Automotive Center, with funding support through the U.S. Special Operations Command.

The CERV pairs the Quantum's new "Q-Force" advanced all-wheel-drive diesel hybrid electric power train with a light-weight chassis to produce a torque rating that exceeds … Read more

It's getting to be that time of year again: The leaves change, the temperature drops, and we redecorate our living rooms, desks, cars, and backpacks with shiny new electronics.

A recent survey by the Consumer Electronics Association found that respondents plan to spend, on average, $222 each on gadgets this holiday, an 8 percent increase over last year. And among teens and adults, computers and video games are the most wished-for items this year after clothing.

One of the grand traditions that goes along with buying electronics is being asked at the register, "Would you like to purchase … Read more

Suzuki is an automaker that we don't hear too much from in the U.S. However, when we do hear from it--such as with the two SX4s we've tested--we generally like what it has to say. So when we got word that a plug-in hybrid version of one of the smallest Suzukis, the Swift, would be on display at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, our interest was piqued.

The Suzuki Swift plug-in hybrid can be classified as a series gas-electric hybrid or an extended-range electric vehicle, depending on who you ask. The front wheels are turned by … Read more

Putting nearly all previous Xbox deals to shame, Buy.com has a complete Xbox 360 Pro bundle for $199.99 shipped.

Until recently, it was fairly exciting to find the console alone for less than $200. The bundle includes not only the 360 (with a 20GB hard drive and HDMI output), but also two wireless controllers and three games. Unheard of, right?

Yes, this is a refurbished system. But before you run screaming for the hills, check it out: Microsoft is backing it with a full one-year warranty, same as new units. So you literally have nothing to lose by … Read more