http://taskforcealliance.com/forums en Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:45:23 GMT vBulletin 60 http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/graphite/misc/rss.jpg http://taskforcealliance.com/forums http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60487-blackberry-torch-9800-gets-colorware-treatment-sees-value-increase-infinitely.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/bb-torch-colorware.jpg ...

So look -- RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9800 isn't exactly the barnburner-of-a-smartphone that we were hoping it'd be, but at least it looks snazzy, right? Right? Regardless of your answer to that, it's a bona fide fact that Colorware has outdone itself on this one. Usually, it's most fun to toy around with the company's endless array of hues in order to create the most hideous version of your favorite gadget before pretending to hit the order button, but for whatever reason, the first handset to ship with BlackBerry OS 6 actually looks dapper in red and white. Or maybe that's just the Wolfpack in us talking. Either way, it's available to customize now in the source link for $250 (send your own) or $1,050 (buy new sans a contract). Video's after the break, should you need one.Continue reading BlackBerry Torch 9800 gets the Colorware treatment, sees value increase infinitely

BlackBerry Torch 9800 gets the Colorware treatment, sees value increase infinitely originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60487-blackberry-torch-9800-gets-colorware-treatment-sees-value-increase-infinitely.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60486-dell-moves-back-up-2-position-global-pc-sales-acer-slips-3rd-hp-still-rei.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/isuppli-2010-09-04-600.jpg ...

Acer Chairman JT Wang is quick to say that he thinks that iPad sales are only going down from here, but maybe he should listen to that age-old idiom: people in fragile economies shouldn't throw stones. According to iSuppli's latest report on the global PC market, Acer slipped down to third place after losing 6.2 percent of its market share compared to last quarter. Dell, meanwhile, lost a relatively slim 1.2 percent of its share, bumping it back up to second place -- a position it had previously given up to Acer. Meanwhile HP still sits on top, commanding 18.1 percent of the market share, though that too is down, 6.3 percent over last quarter. Still, all three are well up over last year, an encouraging sign in these supposedly troubling times.Dell moves back up to #2 position in global PC sales, Acer slips to 3rd, HP still reigns supreme originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60486-dell-moves-back-up-2-position-global-pc-sales-acer-slips-3rd-hp-still-rei.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60485-htcs-dual-mode-cdma-gsm-android-slider-hits-fcc-decked-out-shades-veriz.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/9-4-10-htc600.jpg ...

Remember that big, honking red-and-black HTC slider that dwarfed an EVO 4G? It's back sporting Verizon colors just as we were told, and with a few more confirmed specifications thanks to the ever-reliable FCC. The HTC "PD42100" is still missing a proper internal codename, but test reports confirm it's ready for at least CDMA 2000 and GSM 850 plus EV-DO Rev. A, Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi at 2.4GHz frequencies. There's no word on that 1.2GHz processor or 4-inch display, but it's clear we're looking at some chunky chiclet keys and there's definitely a removable battery. We can't wait to get our hands on what surely looks like the new king of Droids. Gallery: HTC's dual-mode Android slider at the FCC




Update: As it turns out, the size of the screen has been staring us in the face for hours -- we just had to think back to high school geometry class, specifically the Pythagorean Theorem. Starting with the FCC's handy-dandy picture of the phone's rear next to a square ruler, we had only to superimpose an image of the front on top, then calculate the diagonal (after translating to inches, of course) to discover it was a 4-inch display all along. Oh, and the phone has EV-DO Rev. A for data. [Thanks, Mark]HTC's dual-mode CDMA / GSM Android slider hits the FCC, decked out in shades of Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60485-htcs-dual-mode-cdma-gsm-android-slider-hits-fcc-decked-out-shades-veriz.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60484-garmins-nulink-1695-attracts-high-end-gps-buyers-nuvi-2200-2300-mop-up-res.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/9-4-10-nuvi600.jpg ...

Looks like Garmin's cellular nüLink! service was something of a success -- it's now become the brand of the company's new top-tier GPS. The Garmin nüLink! 1695 replaces the nüvi 1690 with a model nigh-identical on the outside but for a larger, 5-inch touchscreen, but imbued with the traffic trending features of the 3700 series -- in other words, pretty much just what we expected. Unfortunately for spendthrifts lusting after its connected search functions (including traffic, weather, Google, fuel prices, flight times and more) and new integrated services store, the price is about what we expected as well, starting at $450 for the unit with a year of nüLink data and $5 a month thereafter. However, if that's out of your price range Garmin's not going to let you go without a fight -- it's also introduced no fewer than eleven new nüvi 2200 and 2300 series PNDs with a wide variety of features at nearly every wallet size. Press releases after the break, and find the full lineup at our source link.Continue reading Garmin's nuLink! 1695 attracts high-end GPS buyers, nuvi 2200 and 2300 mop up the rest

Garmin's nuLink! 1695 attracts high-end GPS buyers, nuvi 2200 and 2300 mop up the rest originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60484-garmins-nulink-1695-attracts-high-end-gps-buyers-nuvi-2200-2300-mop-up-res.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60483-efika-mx-smartbook-now-sale-exceedingly-unattractive-price.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/efika-mx-smartbook.jpg ... Ah, ha! If you'll recall, we happened upon a Lenovo-branded netbook of sorts back in June, but curiously enough, Freescale and Pegatron components were powering the thing. Now, it seems that yet another flavor has emerged as the Efika MX Smartbook. Frankly, we aren't too sure this thing fits into the 'smartbook' category (given the comparatively spacious 10-inch display), but we are sure that the $349 price point is borderline absurd considering the wealth of decent netbook options at or below that very MSRP. At any rate, those still interested should know that there's an 800MHz i.MX515 processor under the hood along with 16GB of NAND Flash, an MMC / SD card slot, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, integrated 1.3 megapixel camera, a 1,024 x 600 resolution panel and enough oomph to power through HD video, supposedly. Tap that source link if you're looking to take a risk, but we'd probably recommend against it.Efika MX Smartbook now on sale for an exceedingly unattractive price originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink Evolution of the Species | Genesi USA | Email this | Comments





More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60483-efika-mx-smartbook-now-sale-exceedingly-unattractive-price.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60482-lg-lex8-nano-led-tv-eyes.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/lg-nano-led-01-top.jpg ...

While we admire the impulse to best your South Korean neighbor and build the world's thinnest X (in this case, the world's thinnest full LED LCD TV bezel), you can't help but notice the base at the bottom where all the components that used to be in the back have been crammed seems to grow ever larger with each passing tradeshow. Still, LG's LEX8 8.8mm thick LCD is impressively thin and the picture quality, thanks to that localized "Nano LED" dimming, is stellar. Hit up the gallery for a requisite thickness comparo with an iPhone -- next year we're just gonna pack some razor blades for comparison shots. Gallery: LG LEX8 'Nano LED' TV eyes-on


LG LEX8 'Nano LED' TV eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60482-lg-lex8-nano-led-tv-eyes.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60481-panasonic-hdc-sdt750-3d-camcorder-preview.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/panny-3d-01-top.jpg ...

THREEE DEEE. Sorry, just had to get that out of our system. We just played with Panasonic's HDC-SDT750 THREEE DEEE, er, 3D camcorder, and it certainly works as billed. The lens is designed for close-up depth perception in the 3 to 15 foot range, and doesn't have any zoom capability. Luckily, it isn't too hard to pop the screw-on lens off, giving yourself a regular zoomtastic 2D camcorder. When you do pop the 3D lens back on there's a quick set of setup menus, which let you adjust the dual lenses within the 3D add-on with a few knobs hidden under a door on top of the assembly.

We didn't get to do any free roaming with the camera, but that's none too thrilling anyway: your preview image is a slightly fuzzy 2D on the built-in LCD. What we did do was watch the camera feed its 3D capture live to a Panny 3D TV (in one of the hilarious outfits provide for us by Panasonic, as pictured above), and while the 3D effect is certainly for-reals and non-janky, the actual image quality takes an obvious hit from the fact that a 1080p sensor is being cut in half to capture the dual images. It almost took us back to the early days of HD cameras, or your friendly neighborhood "HD" webcam, where the output resolution is clearly higher than the sensor is physically capturing. Similarly, we doubt the early adoption of cameras like this is going to be dramatic at first, and even after the tech is perfect we're unsure how big of a consumer need there is for something like this, but with easy options like Panasonic's own Micro Four Thirds 3D lens, the barriers to adoption are quickly disappearing. Er, we merely mean to say, THREEE DEEE. Gallery: Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder preview


Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder preview originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60481-panasonic-hdc-sdt750-3d-camcorder-preview.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60480-caption-contest-nothing-easy-about-rider.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/ifa-cc-01-sm-1283529889.jpg ...

Sony Ericsson's booth at IFA this year includes an Xperia-themed chopper that you can sit on and have your picture taken -- with a Sony Ericsson cameraphone, of course. As of press time, no word on when it'll be updated to use unleaded gasoline.

Chris: "It'll be available at local dealers mere moments after you finally stop wanting it."
Nilay: "Unfortunately, it runs Android 1.6"
Darren: "A fine substitute for the PSP Phone you've been dreaming of."
Laura: "Fail hog."
Ross: "Still no pinch-to-zoom, but at least here, that kind of makes sense."
Don: "Mr. Stringer, your chariot awaits."
Vlad: "Sony just couldn't help throwing in a bit of product placement in its Terminator 2 remake."
Tim: "It's bigger, heavier, slower, and way more expensive than other models -- but hey, look at all that chrome! Oh, yeah, the bike isn't bad either."
Sean: "Active shutter glasses sold separately."
Thomas: "**Model shown is coming soon. Actual product is a horse."Caption contest: nothing easy about this rider originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60480-caption-contest-nothing-easy-about-rider.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60479-toshiba-fulfills-your-need-speed-uhs-i-sdhc-microsdhc-cards.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/9-5-10-toshibasdhc1600-cop2y.jpg ...

Panasonic must be mighty annoyed right about now, because Toshiba's seemingly got it trumped -- when the first batch of lightning-quick UHS-I cards ship in November, Toshiba's chips will be faster and larger on day one. As you can no doubt see immediately above, the latter company's fielding full-size SDHC UHS-I cards at up to 32GB that promise maximum read and write times of 95MB/s and 80MB/s respectively, not to mention tiny microSDHC units that still manage a very respectable 40MB/s and 20MB/s. As usual, these numbers are fast and loose, so don't be surprised if you get a good bit less in practice, but you should be able to rely on well above the quoted minimum transfer rate of 10MB/s. No ludicrous early-adopter memory prices quite yet, but we imagine your ego will write the necessary checks as soon Toshiba takes care of that. PR after the break.Continue reading Toshiba fulfills your need for speed with UHS-I SDHC and microSDHC cards

Toshiba fulfills your need for speed with UHS-I SDHC and microSDHC cards originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60479-toshiba-fulfills-your-need-speed-uhs-i-sdhc-microsdhc-cards.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60478-ps3-jailbreak-adapted-nokia-n900-palm-pre-wake-australian-ban-video.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/psfreedompre.jpg ...

Two weeks ago you'd have to pay an Australian importer for a specialized USB key. Four days ago open-source software let you roll your own. Today, there's no need for any of that -- you can hack your PS3 with a tethered smartphone. Working closely with the PSGroove team, hacker Kakaroto adapted the same jailbreak to the Nokia N900, and the open-source community lost no time porting it to the Palm Pre as well. If the videos after the break are any indication, both versions work just as well as the original, and you too can get your game on with downloads and detailed instructions at the source links below.

Sadly, the aforementioned Australian importer OzModChips is a casualty of this little story, with all its shipments of the PS Jailbreak dongle seized (and the item subject to injunction) by an Australian court, but we suppose knowing its product has enabled the hardware hacking community thus might somewhat soften the blow.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Continue reading PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video)

PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink Maemo.org, Exophase, BBC News | KaKaRoTo's Blog, PSX-Scene | Email this | Comments





More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60478-ps3-jailbreak-adapted-nokia-n900-palm-pre-wake-australian-ban-video.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60477-samsung-suggests-galaxy-tab-will-cost-between-200-400-contract-also-comin.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/09/samsung-galaxytab-09-02-2010.jpg ...

Early reports indicate Europe will pay a pretty penny for Samsung's Galaxy Tab, but the 7-inch tablet may cost a good bit less when it comes to US shores -- the Wall Street Journal paraphrases a Samsung executive who claims it could run between $200 and $300 depending on the all-important carrier subsidies. The Korea Times, meanwhile, suggests a $300 to $400 retail price according to a different Samsung bigwig, who added that the Tab "will cost slightly more than the Galaxy S smartphone." As you're probably aware, Sammy's Galaxy S typically retails for about $200 in the US -- excepting Sprint's Epic 4G at $250 -- so if you held a bursting Li-ion battery to our head and forced us to guess, we'd say the latter range of dollar signs is far more likely.

By the way, Vodafone shows the Galaxy Tab as "coming soon." Hit our more coverage links for details.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Samsung suggests Galaxy Tab will cost between $200 and $400 on contract -- also coming to Vodafone originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Wall Street Journal, Korea Times | Email this | Comments





More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60477-samsung-suggests-galaxy-tab-will-cost-between-200-400-contract-also-comin.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60476-entelligence-tale-two-tvs.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT *Entelligence* (http://www.engadget.com/tag/Entelligence/) is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for... Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

This week at what's become Apple's fall music event the company unveiled a revised Apple TV. The small $99 device delivers a new rental model and support for Netflix, but there are no apps, contrary to much of the speculation leading up the event. That's in stark contrast to the Google TV project announced at I/O last spring. Unlike Apple, Google is looking to provide DVR functionality, search, and an app marketplace. Some say Apple isn't being bold enough, but I think Apple might be right.

Google wants input one on your TV. Apple wants input two. The difference? Input one is where your cable box goes. Input two was where your VCR or DVD player used to live. It's a port that's up for grabs.Continue reading Entelligence: A tale of two TVs

Entelligence: A tale of two TVs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60476-entelligence-tale-two-tvs.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60475-inhabitats-week-green-solar-robots-fly-co2-fabric-dye-dark-silico.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Solar power blazed a trail this week as we took a look at several hot new technologies, starting with SkyFuel's SkyTrough, which is being billed as the world's most efficient solar collector. We also saw solar energy take to the skies as designers unveiled plans for a fleet of high-flying solar robots, and we were surprised to learn that common household dyes could significantly increase the efficiency of photovoltaic panels by optimizing their color absorption spectrum.

Speaking of dye, from the realm of wearable tech we also brought you a breakthrough new technique for dying fabric that saves water by utilizing fluid CO2. We also saw a prototype for a wired "safe cuddling" suit for kids that wards off improper touching by sounding an alarm, and if you're a fan of high-tech footwear, check out these tricked-out kicks that do double duty as Wii controllers.

This week also saw a tremendous green boost for bits and bytes as the University of Leicester switched on its hyper-efficient ALICE supercomputer, which is ten times more powerful than its predecessor and stands to reduce yearly CO2 emissions by 800 tons. Meanwhile, researchers at UC San Diego revealed work on a new mobile phone chip that harnesses "dark silicon" to boost smartphone battery life by a factor of eleven.

We also showcased several efficient autos as Southern California rolled out a fleet of all electric buses that can recharge in 10 minutes flat, and the hyper-miling Avion car embarked on a trip from Canada to Mexico with just 14 gallons of gas. And if you'll be doing some traveling of your own back to school this fall, you wont want to miss this chance to pick up an awesome solar-powered Sakku satchel. Finally, with Labor Day on its way why not upgrade your BBQ with an adorable altoids tin mini grill - it's curiously awesome!Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar robots that fly, CO2 fabric dye, and the dark silicon that boosts battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60475-inhabitats-week-green-solar-robots-fly-co2-fabric-dye-dark-silico.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60474-classic-white-dualshock-3-appears-e-tail-dreaming-alabaster-console.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/07/white-ps3-slim-rm-eng-2.jpg ...

While the white PS3 Slim pictured above decidedly belongs to Japan, the "Classic White" DualShock 3 alongside has just appeared for preorder at e-tailers based in the US. Now, we wouldn't go so far as to claim that an ivory 160GB game system will follow this controller across the Pacific, but let's just say we won't be surprised if Sony reveals one anyhow before these preorders (tentatively) ship on October 15th. After all, Sony already sells a "Ceramic White" controller, and unless you're attempting to match colors, a single shade of eggshell paint is generally all you need.

[Thanks, William]'Classic White' DualShock 3 appears at e-tail, dreaming of an alabaster console originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Amazon, Buy.com | Email this | Comments





More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60474-classic-white-dualshock-3-appears-e-tail-dreaming-alabaster-console.html http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60473-exopc-preorders-open-all-cad-649-tablet-loses-gps-but-gains-sandisk-ssd.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:08:25 GMT Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/08/10x0827yv235eexo.jpg ...

First the good news, for those who've waited months to get their paws on that 11.6-inch multitouch capacitive screen: there's no longer anything stopping you from dropping a stack of change on the Windows 7-wielding ExoPC. Originally restricted to the first 1,200 dedicated fans, preorders are now open to all, with the 32GB tablet setting you back CAD $649 (about $624) and the 64GB version CAD $749 (about $720), with both models featuring up-to-160MB/s fast SanDisk P4 mini-SSDs and up to four hours of battery life. The bad news is that you'll no longer find GPS on that 64GB model, as the prototype didn't pan out, and we're afraid that September 30th ship date has already slid back to October 15th. Take a gander at our hands-on preview (or better yet, wait for our review) if you've yet to make your mind up.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]ExoPC preorders open to all from CAD $649, tablet loses GPS but gains SanDisk SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | ExoPC Forum | Email this | Comments





More... ]]> News Admin http://taskforcealliance.com/forums/technology-hardware/60473-exopc-preorders-open-all-cad-649-tablet-loses-gps-but-gains-sandisk-ssd.html