Samsung Series 7 700G7A targets gamers with monstrous size and specs

Samsung has never really tried to court gamers with its laptops, but a glimpse its new Series 7 family indicates that may be changing. German sites, NewGadgets.de and netzwelt.de, scored the deets on this 17.3-inch behemoth and it's safe to say the 700G7A is a force to be reckoned with. Pushing pixels to the 1,920 x 1,080 screen is a Radeon HD 6970m with 2GB of RAM, while a 2GHz quad-core Core i7 takes care of any non-graphical tasks. Not impressed yet? Well, you can also trick it out with up to 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive, to compliment its USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, HDMI jack, and Bluetooth 3.0 radio. The most convincing sign this rig is squarely aimed at dedicated gamers is the backlit keyboard -- the W, A, S and D keys are highlighted in red, while the rest of the spread glows a calming blue. The 700G7A will hit shelves in September for around €1,800 (about $2,600), though there's no word if said shelves include those here in the states. Check out NewGadgets' hands-on video after the break.

Microsoft patent application points to fast-booting streaming OS

While Microsoft is busy readying the much talked about Windows 8 for release, a new patent application has popped up that could reveal even bigger -- or at least faster -- things to come. According to the filing for "Fast Machine Booting Through Streaming Storage," which was submitted in February of last year and released last week, Redmond is looking at creating a system that could stream an entire OS to just about anything with a screen. The proposed setup would enlist a series of storage devices, both remote and local, to act as a virtual hard disk, allowing anything from a set top box to a tablet to boot almost instantaneously. We don't know about you, but we've already started a list of ways to spend the extra seconds.

HP unveils 64GB TouchPad, spurns America (and freedom)

Guess it's official, yanks: HP loves the old continent more than you. A mere 24 hours after beginning sales of the Pre 3 -- still unavailable to US folk -- comes wind of another treat for residents of the EU. Making an appearance on HP's French website is a 64GB permutation of the WiFi TouchPad, which curiously makes do with the faster 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon we first saw in its 4G brother. The supercharged variant will set Europeans back €599 (or roughly $860 including tax) and will also be available in "lacquer white," when it ships in "one to two weeks." Will the company have the audacity to launch another Euro-first device tomorrow? It won't take long to find out, but in hindsight, July's leaked memo is looking pretty legitimate right about now.

ThinkFlood releases RedEye remote control app for Android, makes it even easier to sit around

Nearly two years after releasing their Red Eye app for iOS users, the convenience enthusiasts over at ThinkFlood have now brought the universal remote control to the Android community, as well. The app, which was released in beta a few months ago, allows users to remotely control their non-networked home theater, lighting and air conditioning systems from the comfort of their tablets, laptops or smartphones. Version 2.7.0 also brings plenty of customizable graphics and layouts, for those looking to add a more personal touch to their lives of leisure. Compatible with any device running Android 1.6 or later (including tablets running Honeycomb), the app features a built-in TV program guide that can be used with any display, but in order to take advantage of its other home theater controls, you'll have to purchase networked ThinkFlood hardware products like RedEye or RedEye Pro (it's not compatible with RedEye mini). If you're interested in downloading the tool for free, check out the source links below, or click past the break for more details, in the full PR.

Kanex ships dual-link DVI-to-Mini Displayport Adapter

Already living the high life with a swank Mini Displayport monitor as your daily? That's all fine and dandy, but what happens when your desolate friends come over with machines that only tote DVI? That's where an adapter like Kanex's C247DL comes in. But unlike other adapters we've spied before, the company's latest is dual-link, allowing you get your groove on with displays that boast resolutions greater than 1920 x 1200. It also sports a USB port, giving you full control of say, we dunno, the speakers and iSight camera of Apple's 27-inch Cinema Display? At $149 it isn't cheap, but can you really put a price on friendship?

Kodak shopping its IP wares, looks to cash in on the patent buying craze

Pssssst... wanna buy some Kodak patents? The venerable photography firm has decided to unload a fair chunk of its IP -- 1,100 patents, give or take -- to boost its bottom line. You see, Kodak's got cash flow problems, and it thinks selling a portion of its portfolio is part of the solution. The company must've seen dollar signs after Nortel made a mint selling its patents, as Kodak's now marketing its IP merchandise using the same firm that helped Nortel do its record deal. Strong move Kodak, now if you can just settle up with Apple and RIM, you'll really be in the money.

Razer's latest Tiamat headset delivers 7.1 sound straight to your ear canals

Is the new Razer Tiamat the first true 7.1 surround sound headset, as the company claims? Maybe, but more impressively, it's the world's first set of cans with 10 discrete drivers -- that's five in each ear. The left and right ears each have three drivers dedicated to that side, and both pack a "center" channel and a subwoofer to round out the required eight lanes of sound. Most surround sound sets call it a day with eight drivers but, surprisingly, the two extra speakers here don't add much to the cost. And, for the control freaks, there's an in-line volume remote that lets you adjust each channel individually. You'll find PR after the break and the Tiamat 7.1 on shelves in Q4 for $180.

IBM's cognitive computing chip functions like a human brain, heralds our demise

After having created a supercomputer capable of hanging with Jeopardy's finest, IBM has now taken another step toward human-like artificial intelligence, with an experimental chip designed to function like a real brain. Developed as part of a DARPA project called SyNAPSE (Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics), IBM's so-called "neurosynaptic computing chip" features a silicon core capable of digitally replicating the brain's neurons, synapses and axons. To achieve this, researchers took a dramatic departure from the conventional von Neumann computer architecture, which links internal memory and a processor with a single data channel. This structure allows for data to be transmitted at high, but limited rates, and isn't especially power efficient -- especially for more sophisticated, scaled-up systems. Instead, IBM integrated memory directly within its processors, wedding hardware with software in a design that more closely resembles the brain's cognitive structure. This severely limits data transfer speeds, but allows the system to execute multiple processes in parallel (much like humans do), while minimizing power usage. IBM's two prototypes have already demonstrated the ability to navigate, recognize patterns and classify objects, though the long-term goal is to create a smaller, low-power chip that can analyze more complex data and, yes, learn. Scurry past the break for some videos from IBM's researchers, along with the full press release.

Logitech announces $130 fold-out keyboard for the iPad, we go hands-on

Since that whole Revue thing didn't go over so swimmingly, it looks like Logitech's going back to its accessory roots, with a manic hope that tablet add-ons are the future. The company just announced a fold-out keyboard for the iPad 2 that's pretty much what it sounds like: a keyboard split in two whose halves flip out and connect to form a full QWERTY. As you can see in those shots below, you can still use your magical, candy-colored Smart Cover when your iPad is docked. At $129.99, it's hardly a cheap doo-dad and frankly, we would have hoped for higher quality. In our brief hands-on, the keys felt unstable and stiff -- an ideal combination for anyone who thought their iPad needed more chintz.

Yahoo gets Android handset in Japan, renews hope for long-awaited AltaVista phone

Mobile operating systems, it seems, make strange bedfellows, so perhaps it's not a major surprise that Yahoo, a top traffic presence in Japan, is getting its own Android handset in that country. The search engine is lending its name to a version of Sharp's AQUOS 009SH. The Gingerbread handset is preloaded with Yahoo Home, Auctions, and various other Y-branded goodies. The phone's SoftBank contract also comes with a free two-year premium membership to Yahoo Japan and some bonus points for Yahoo Shopping purchases. The Yahoo Phone will be hitting Japan next month.

Google Maps adds current weather conditions for those who hate being rained on

Here's a nice little addition to Google Maps -- current weather conditions. The feature is live now on the site, accessible by clicking the weather layer on the upper right hand corner of a map. Selecting the feature will overlay conditions culled from Weather.com, anywhere in the world. The results include the temperature and icons for the sun, rain, clouds and the moon, when that part of the world goes dark. Also new is cloud coverage from the US Naval Research Lab. Video of new feature after the break for those who like piña coladas but can't stand getting caught in the rain.

Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB tuner priced at $299, ships September 19th

Once its certification was official we knew a release date for the Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB was just around the corner, and today the company announced it expects to start shipping the external CableCARD TV tuners September 19th. Starting tomorrow, customers can preorder for $299 from Cannon PC and Fluid Digital, with other retailers like Amazon and Newegg getting stock later in September. Also, the price on the existing internal PCIe model has officially dropped to $299, no rebate necessary. The market is suddenly full of options for the HTPC enthusiast looking to get some premium cable TV channels on their Media Center PC, check the press release after the break and let us know if this one catches your eye.