Filed under: Storage

It’s no Drobo, but Western Digital is dabbling in the NAS space with its minty fresh ShareSpace 4TB Network Storage System. Aimed primarily at small business users and “multimedia” junkies, the 4-bay NAS comes with gigabit Ethernet, support for multiple RAID configurations, and even the ability to act as an iTunes music server. Not too many surprises beyond that — well, aside from the $999.99 price tag; if that’s too rich for your blood, the 2TB version can be had right now for three Benjamins less. As for real-world performance? We’re told it’s a “great NAS for the money and one of the better picks in its category.” We’re serious, check it out below.

[Via HotHardware]
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CNET – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday afternoon passed the Webcaster Settlement Act, the legislation that lays the groundwork for Web radio stations to negotiate reduced royalty rates for the songs they stream over the Web.

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Pandora, Webcasting see victory in Senate
(CNET)

Filed under: Gaming

As should be clear by now, any talk of a successor to a still relatively new game console should be taken with a hefty grain of salt but, if word from Japan’s Impress is to be believed, it looks like we could possibly be getting a clearer indication of what might be under the PlayStation 4’s non-existent hood. Apparently, unlike the massive shift from the PS2 to PS3, the eventually PS4 will be a decidedly smaller leap, with it relying on a slightly speedier (and, likely, 45nm) Cell processor but not a completely new architecture. That would let Sony keep the cost down considerably while also easing development for the console since, by then, developers should finally have a handle on the PS3’s hardware. To further cut costs, Sony is also said to be considering a switch from the speedy Rambus XDR memory to more traditional DDR3 memory, which could apparently be tied directly to the processor to cut down on latency. Or the PS4 could be powered by a pink slime that feeds on negative energy, you never know.

[Via Electronista]

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Hitachi drug its oh-so-sexy 1.5-inch plasma to Japan after showing it off in Denver earlier this month, but what we didn’t see at CEDIA was this: a 15-millimeter thin 37-inch LCD TV. The “reference” set packed a 1,920 x 1,080 panel and a fittingly designed stand, though it won’t see mass production until “2009 or later.” Ugh, even 1-inch just seems so bloated now.

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Filed under: GPS, Transportation

Though one may assume Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would have, um, more pressing matters on his hands these days, the man has somehow found time to address a complaint put forth by a-many travelin’ Californians. Just this week Mr. Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that was put forth earlier this year that will legalize windshield GPS mounting once more. Granted, stipulations are present, but at least you won’t be forced to point your retinas down at the cup holders in order to see your navigation system after January 1, 2009. In the new year, drivers in the Golden State will be able to suction their GPS unit in the “lower 7-inch corner farthest away from the driver or in the lower 5-inch corner closest to the driver.” If you go pressing your luck and throw it smack dab in the middle, be prepared for for whatever fine you’re due.

[Via Gadling, image courtesy of GPS Tracklog]

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