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Plantronics M55 Bluetooth Headset Review

We’ve got a brand new Bluetooth earpiece on the review bench today by the name of Plantronics M55, ladies and gentlemen, and this little beast is rather well put together. This is one of many reviews we’ve done of Plantronics Bluetooth devices, this certainly not the least of the pack – the M55, in other words, is a perfect example of how well Plantronics is evolving in the Bluetooth headset game, taking here a stylish minimalistic form and pairing it up with next-level abilities and a rather inexpensive price point.

You’ve got two simple ways to wear this earpiece, one of them being a hook which holds the piece down over your ear, another being a brand new clear ear tip which Plantronics lets us know is their newest concentration for getting this piece to stay in your ear with finesse. This little clear ear tip is extremely flexible and yet holds the earpiece in your ear securely as it fits comfortably right in the side of your head. The photo you see above shows how nice the piece looks and fits in the ear and on the head with just the ear tip in, no hook necessary.

In testing the device, I had no trouble going through the simple pairing operation required to connect to any and all Bluetooth devices I had on hand, be they the iPad, several Android handsets, or a notebook computer. To pair this device to any of your Bluetooth-capable devices, you’ve just to hold down the Call button for several seconds until the indicator light flashes red and white – you’ll be pair-ready from there.

The Call button on this device is unmistakable as it’s essentially the entire side of the hardware, it requiring just a series of taps and holds to activate any of its many numerous functions. For the most part, you’ll be using this device to make and take calls and conferences, and you will be satisfied by the quality on both ends. The little notches on the sides of the device are there for noise cancellation, and they certainly do work well – much better, in fact, than most of the budget-level Bluetooth earpieces we’ve ever laid eardrums on.

Speaking with people through the earpiece resulted in clear, nearly perfect quality on the other end, with exceptions being of course when you’re in intensely crowded areas. This sort of situation is always going to result in you not having the most fantastic voice quality unless you’re going for a much, much higher cost headset – at the price you’re paying for the M55, the quality is excellent.

This device has such fantastic battery life that you’ll more than likely not have to charge it more than once or twice a year. We’ve not gotten to hold on to the device and use it for more than a year quite yet, but according to Plantronics, this device’s new DeepSleep mode will have your headset into such a deep sleep that its using up next to no battery life at all when its not being used. This DeepSleep function is activated automatically if 90 minutes have passed since you last been in-range of a paired Bluetooth device. NOTE here that the photos we’ve got are of the pre-production model – the final model will look and function exactly the same or NEARLY exactly the same as this unit, so says Plantronics.

Another fabulous function you get with this device is voice activation in the form of being able to say “Answer” when you get a call on a paired smartphone device. This device can also pair with up to two smartphones in the same area at once, both of them then hooked up with this same voice-activated call-answering ability. The M55 comes with a free full year of Vocalyst Basic, this being a service which can give you voice email, news, weather, and reminders right to your ear, this service normally $2.49 a month or $24.99 a year with this headset. As a bit of a bonus, this service can automatically upload audio clips at your request just so long as you’re paired with an internet-connected device at the time – fun for everyone, without a doubt!

This device is certainly worth the cash you’re going to spend on it at just $50, coming to the Plantronics online store soon! Have a peek at our timeline of Plantronics reviews below to see their full line of Bluetooth-capable audio devices and let us know what you think when you’ve got them in-ear!

Plantronics M55 Bluetooth Headset Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

HP Z420 Workstation review

Workstation computers are strange beasts: it’s rare that someone more used to a traditional laptop or desktop will need them, or indeed, will be able to justify the extra expense. But for those who need massive amounts of performance for specific tasks, there’s no way to beat them. In contrast with their consumer products, HP’s workstations have earned a reputation as some of the best in the business, and we were thrilled to put the new Z420 Workstation through its paces.

Hardware

The Z420 Workstation is on the low end of HP’s full-sized Z-class, with only the even newer Z220 and the all-in-one Z1 below it. That said, it still gives you all the functionality of a full-sized workstation, and makes great effort to deliver first-class performance with a relatively economical price.

Our test unit came equipped with an eight-core Intel Xeon E5-1620 CPU clocked at 3.6Ghz, a relatively modest 8GB of memory and 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, and an AMD FirePro V5900 professional graphics card. Other additions include a multi-card reader and an extra guide and fan assembly for the graphics card. For these parts the total comes to $2762, up from the base price of $1169. A maxxed-out Z420 with the top end processor and graphics, an NVIIDA Quadro 5000 graphics card, 64GB of memory, huge SSDs and hard drives, integrated carrying handles and the like pushes towards $12,000.

For those interested in the Z420 or one of its bigger brothers in an IT environment, you really shouldn’t pay attention to the components. These are staggeringly configurable and in any case, the tower form factor is designed for replacements and upgrades. The case itself is of some interest to us here. HP’s workstations are renowned for being tough, and indeed this is the case: steel and hard plastic are hard to mess up. But what caught my eye is just how easy it is to add and remove parts, thanks to an ingenious system of tabs, handles, slides and slots.

When I cracked the case (which is itself quite easy thanks to a handled access panel) I found that every single component could be removed by hand, with the notable exception of the motherboard, processor and power supply. Since these are generally the components that are left alone, it seems just about right. The only problem I encountered was with the graphics card brace, which achieved a tool-less design with an unfortunately flimsy plastic lip. Have a gander at a true “unboxing” video below:

The outside of the case is just as important. The front of the case has three USB ports, two of which use the much faster USB 3.0 standard. You’ll also find FireWire and audio in/out. Around the back you’ll find another two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, an extra FireWire port, the audio and Ethernet ports embedded on the motherboard, and two PS/2 ports (for you die-hard Model M users). A locking mechanism keeps your expensive interior safe, and a rear-mounted power button (identical in function to the front button, not just a switch) completes the build.

While not as pretty as a standard desktop, and indeed not as stylish as the new Z620 and Z820 monster machines, the Z420 clearly means business. Upgradeable components include three optical drive bays and 3.5-inch hard drive bays, two PCIe-16X slots, and a 600-watt power supply. Even the most demanding of users could keep this machine up to date for years.

Software

It’s rare that we see Windows 7 unencumbered by extra software, but naturally workstation-class users aren’t interested in bloatware. HP doesn’t disappoint: the only non-essential programs that came with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit were the Bing Bar (sigh), a Corel DVD viewer, Roxio Creator Business and HP’s proprietary Remote Graphics Software (RGS).

RGS deserves a special note here. In many ways it reproduces the functionality of Windows’ own RDP, but is tuned to the exacting demands of graphics professionals. Demonstrations showed the software keeping up with some rather amazing CAD visuals in real-time. RGS is free for use with any HP computer.

Needless to say, Windows users who are tired of bloatware will find a lot to love here. While many users and IT managers prefer to install Windows from scratch, this is the first machine I’ve seen in perhaps a decade where I didn’t feel the need. Performance is smooth and screaming fast, as you would expect with these components. Other pre-installed OS options include Red Hat Linux, and you can order recovery media for an extra $10.

Performance

Components with this kind of power are, quite frankly, far beyond our usual fare. While not exactly ideal for gamers thanks to the OpenGL-specific graphics cards, those whose work demands incredible amounts of power won’t be disappointed. Graphic design, CAD, medical imaging, financial tracking… there’s enough power and options here to satisfy everyone.

In my own personal usage, Photoshop and Premiere are about the toughest programs that I put my machines through. The Z420, as expected, put the other Windows laptops and desktops I’ve used lately (all of which had second-generation Core-series processors) to shame with its combination of an 8-core Xeon E5 processor and fast memory. For those with the inclination, even faster processor and storage options are available.

Benchmarks aren’t all that relevant on a machine as configurable as this one. Needless to say the Z420 has far outpaced any consumer-focused Windows machine we’ve ever tested, and only the latest revision of the Mac Pro comes close. PCMark 7 gives this configuration a score of 3168 – you can see the full test in the gallery section.

An important note about all that screaming horsepower: it doesn’t, in fact, scream. During extensive uses I never once heard the Z420 make noise that surpassed the ambient volume of my home, with the exception of some extremely fast disk writes. If it weren’t for the LED status lights I might never know it was on. There’s some incredible engineering that’s been put into airflow, heat, vibration and noise management, and it shows. This thing makes my home-built desktop (with some pretty high-end cooling components itself) sound like a sputtering B-52.

Wrap-Up

There aren’t many reading this that need massive amounts of power for specific and often crucial tasks. But for those who do, and can afford the premium that a workstation demands, the Z420 is an excellent choice. While not as flashy as the machines above it or as compact as those below it in HP’s line, it strikes a happy medium while keeping a wide variety of initial configuration and upgrade options.

When it comes to desktops, I nearly always advocate building from the ground up for those with the skills to do so. the Z420 is the first machine that’s made me reconsider. The sheer ease of replacing components along with a truly amazing level of sound suppression make me wish my own computers were half as user-friendly. If you need a full-size workstation, the Z420′s combination of features and price (depending upon your configuration) is very, very hard to beat.

HP Z420 Workstation review is written by Michael Crider & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Diablo III Real-Money Auction House second launch date set

Its official: Blizzard and Battle.NET have announced that Diablo III’s new Real-Money Auction House will be launching on the 29th of May. This comes after a bit of a delay in which the auction house was going to be launched on the 22nd of this month but was pushed back due to unforeseen circumstances. Due to the extremely volatile nature of a real-money set of exchanges here in the next-level auction house for Diablo III in-game items, Blizzard has let the world know that they’re sparing no expense making sure the launch goes smoothly.

This in-game online auction house is set to have users inserting real cash with credit cards and PayPal for which they receive currency which essentially work like game tokens at an arcade. This currency lives inside the auction house only and is not carried in-game by characters so as to keep the whole system as controlled as humanly possible. This system was created in reaction to player requests during Diablo II that the system of trading items back and forth between players be streamlined.

Have a look at what underground “Greatest Paladin in the World” gamer Athene has to say about the Real-Money Auction House to gain a greater understanding of what’s going on here – NSFW for a couple of swear words, btw:

Players from the age of Diablo II will remember hacks, duplication techniques, and evil in many forms when it came to trading items between players. In Diablo III no such evil shall exist, or so Blizzard hopes. The success of the Real-Money Auction House will rely heavily on how hardcore the players of the game become, of course. If Diablo II is any indication, Blizzard can expect playing and trading straight through the next 15 years when they release another installment – Diablo IV on the way!

Diablo III Real-Money Auction House second launch date set is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Facebook breaks IPO volume record

In a day that’s had Facebook making history in more ways than one, the social network has broken the first day IPO Trading Volume record with more than 460 million shares traded throughout the day. This record beats the previous top spot holder General Motors which had 458 million shares traded its first day going public in 2010. Trading will end at 4 PM EDT at which time we’ll know whether or not Facebook has broken any other records for an IPO – it currently also in contention with Visa for largest ever about of cash raised from and IPO with Visa’s 2008 number sitting at $17.9 billion USD while Facebook runs around $16 billion USD throughout the day.

This IPO is having several effects on those investment groups that got in on the business early, with such groups as Elevation Partners – associated with U2′s Bono holding a 2.3 percent stake in the company and raking in what may be $1.5 billion USD by the end of the day according to MTV. By Sarah Kessler of Mashable’s count, Mark Zuckerberg has jumped between the number 29th and 24th wealthiest people on earth today with a prospective $19.1 billion USD sitting in his pocket today via his 503.6 million shares and options in Facebook. This puts Zuckerberg in contention with Amazon’s own Jeff Bezos who currently sits in the number 23 spot on Bloomberg’s Billionairs Index.

For those of you counting, Google’s Larry Page and Sergey Brin sit at numbers 30 and 31 on the index today. As for the stock trends today for Facebook, the social network has thus far (at 3 PM EDT, specifically) accounted for a massive 6.9% of the total US stock market volume for the day, that also being 22% of the trading done in the entire NASDAQ composite. Have a peek in our timeline below to stay in-tune with everything that’s happened surrounding Facebook’s IPO today and stick with us as we wind up the end here in just a bit.

Facebook breaks IPO volume record is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Buy a Windows PC get an Xbox deal starts this weekend

Microsoft will be rolling out a deal this weekend that you may have heard of briefly the one time they did it before: purchase a brand new Windows-based PC for $699 or more and get an Xbox 360 for free. It’s one of those offers that just makes sense when it comes to the software/hardware company whose fortunes are based in both the Windows 7 and 8 (coming this summer) operating systems as well as the gaming machine, this deal made perfect for students coming up on the summer season. Imagine that, starting a gaming deal up right as school get left out – genius move, or would prospective gamers rather play out in the sun?

This deal will be starting on the 20th of May, that being this Sunday, with Microsoft requiring that students identify themselves a real live student sort of person before they grab the deal. Retailers joining in on this blockbuster deal include NewEgg.com, Best Buy, Dell.com, Fry’s Electronics, HPDirect.com, and Microsoft Stores galore inside the USA. Canada has its own line of stores jumping in on the deal including The Source, Best Buy (Canadian style), Dell.ca, Future Shop, and Staples.

Microsoft Communications Manager Brandon LeBlanc spoke this week on the new offer thusly:

“With all the hard work students put in for their classes in college, they need some downtime, right? That’s where the Xbox 360 comes in! To blow off some steam, you can just hop on Xbox LIVE and play some Halo with friends and family far away or just down the hall. Could be a great way to blow off steam and relax after a long day full of studying and classes. And this fall, Halo 4 hits – which you can now pre-order today! And the Xbox isn’t just for gaming – students will be able to enjoy a variety of entertainment options, including streaming movies and TV shows, sports, music and more!” – LeBlanc

You’ll want to head to our review archive to check out the massive amount of Windows machines already on the market and hitting the market imminently as well, these being the beasts you need to do the deed all summer long. Also as LeBlanc notes, this offer pumps up the release of Halo 4 as well – news pouring in on that release this week too! Head to our Review portals [Desktop Reviews] and [Laptop Reviews] to see what you’ll be picking up!

Buy a Windows PC get an Xbox deal starts this weekend is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Galaxy S III rooted before release

It’s basically a tradition at this point with giant phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S III that they get hacked and rooted before they’re released into the wild with final software – and it’s no different today. Developer and hacker Chainfire has posted information on how he and his colleagues have achieved root on the Galaxy S III by working through an insecure kernel code leaked by an intrepid “insider” who he’s saying will remain nameless. Inside the code for the Galaxy S III were found some rather odd bits that only developers would find truly interesting with a few surprises that everyone will love as well.

First and foremost, Chainfire revealed that unlike the Samsung Galaxy S original, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, and more, the Galaxy S III uses what’s called a standard boot.img format. The other devices listed use a much more secure and harder to work with zImage format which is, for most developers, not nearly as easy to unpack and repack as the basic boot.img format. Another welcome oddity in the GSIII here is the fact that the recovery partition is being utilized, this allowing developers to flash recoveries completely separate from the kernel – helpful!

The most important bit of this whole situation is that Chainfire, generally accepted as an authority in matters such as this, reassures us that unlocking the Galaxy S III for modification is relatively easy. He notes “now, everybody say thanks to Samsung” for being what he says “are the only high-end Android OEM who aren’t complete *expletive deleted* in the unlock department!” In Chainfire we trust? You decide for yourself when the Galaxy S III comes to a hand near you this summer!

[via XDA]

Galaxy S III rooted before release is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nokia Lumia 900 gets hammer and nails stress tested

This week a couple of engineers from Tech Craver busted out a hammer, some nails, and their own Nokia Lumia 900 review unit to do some stress tests. While what you’re about to see isn’t technically as scientifically viable as we’d normally like to see in a hammer-to-smartphone test, we’ll accept it – if only because they added what appears to be Stephen Elop calling them on the phone at the end of the video before the video stoppers up. This story has also been picked up by Nokia official Jason Harris of Conversations by Nokia – they’re fairly impressed by the whole situation too, to be frank.

The engineers behind this short film, Mike Myers and Chris Ruble, spoke up with Nokia about why they decided to take a hammer and nails to their beloved Lumia. They let Nokia know that it was quite simple, really: they saw someone else do it first! What they saw was the Sonim Mobile Phone which is also notorious for getting smashed by insane bits of destructive material without sustaining damage. Have a peek at the Lumia 900 video first and see if it’s stressful enough for you to start with:

Next have a peek at their inspiration, a mobile phone from the Sonim brand of “unbreakable” devices. See if you can find the broken example in our archives as a stress test of your own! Have a peek here at how Sonim and Nokia are now battling it out for who has the best smartphone that doubles as a hammer:

Finally have a peek at our Nokia 900 archive. Reviews and hands-on galore! No more hammering though, sadly enough, you’ll have to buy your own if you want to see any more of that!

Nokia Lumia 900 gets hammer and nails stress tested is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.