By Chris Scott Barr

PC users have to wait until October for the next version of Windows to drop, but if you’re a Mac person, Friday will bring you the latest OS. Finally, after weeks of rumored release dates Apple has confirmed that August 28th is the official date for Snow Leopard.

Although Snow Leopard isn’t the major leap that Leopard and Tiger were, it’s still packed with new stuff. Exchange support, automatic time zone setup (uses a wi-fi signal to adjust your time-zone), smaller footprint and 64-bit support are only the tip of the iceberg. My favorite feature? The $29 price tag.

[ Apple ]

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

Gen Con Indy doesn’t generally get the sort of media coverage that other gaming shows such as E3, PAX or Gamescom. The reason being that it focuses on more traditional forms of gaming, such as tabletop RPGs (think Dungeons & Dragons) or collectable card games (such as Magic the Gathering). Over the last three years or so, Gen Con Indy has been allowing electronic games into the show, which is one extra reason I like to go.

This year I was pleased to see that Bioware decided to set up shop to show off Dragon Age: Origins. All of us here at GamerFront have been looking forward to this game for some time, so I made my way over to their booth. There I found four stations set up with Xbox 360′s, and four with PCs. I’m planning on getting the game for the PC, so I waited patiently for a slot to open at one of those stations. Unfortunately the people there were enjoying themselves a bit much, so I ended up coming back another day (where I saw a sign stating a new 15-minute time limit for the eager gamers).

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By Andrew Liszewski

While Tascam might not be a household name, they’re well respected in the professional audio industry. And when a company like them decides to start supporting the iPod, well then there’s a good chance that Apple’s little MP3 player might just catch on.

The CD-200i is a rackmountable CD player that includes a pop-out dock which supports “any Apple iPod” according to their site. In addition to playing music from it, the iPod can also be controlled from the CD-200i’s front panel or wireless remote, be recharged while docked, and even play videos through an S-video connection on the back of the deck. Oh yeah! It also plays CDs too (MP3 or WAV files) with an improved internal clock for smoother sound and support for CD TEXT and ID3 tag info.

[ Tascam CD-200i ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

By Andrew Liszewski

While the full specs and pricing info aren’t set to be revealed until Nokia World next week, the company has posted a short video on the Nokia Europe website showing off the more notable features of their new Booklet 3G netbook. Running Windows 7 and powered by an Atom processor, the Booklet 3G features a 10.1-inch glass display and a 2cm thick aluminum body and will supposedly have up to 12 hours of battery life.

In terms of connectivity it’s got three USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI connection, an SD card slot as well as Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G HSPA, GPS, A-GPS and according to SlashGear, there’s even a chance of it having a hot-swappable SIM card slot. Now Nokia obviously isn’t the first company that comes to mind when you think of netbooks, but they’ve put together a nice package with the Booklet 3G and if they manage to price it right they could have a real contender on their hands.

[ Nokia Booklet 3G ] VIA [ SlashGear ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Don’t consider this an endorsement for smoking, but this cigarette shaped butane lighter from DealExtreme is pretty cool. It appears to be the exact same size and shape as a regular cigarette, but features a flip top revealing a tiny flint wheel, and it can be refilled with a standard can of butane gas. And it’s just $1.50.

[ Cigarette-shaped Butane Lighter ] VIA [ BB Gadgets ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Last week Logitech announced two of their latest mice, equipped with Darkfield Technology. If you’ll recall, this feature allows mice to track on any smooth surface, regardless of whether or not it is reflective. While some people might not see the benefit in using a mouse on a reflective surface, those who want to use a mouse on their glass desk, or even something with a mirrored finish will be pleased. I’ve actually been testing out the Anywhere MX mouse for about a week now, and I thought I’d share my thoughts.

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By Chris Scott Barr

Good news for future AT&T customers. It seems that the wireless carrier is looking out for your best interests, and are going to make sure that your wireless bill is always constant. Rather that have you buy a smartphone without a data plan and charge you for only what you use, they’re going to go ahead and make you buy that data plan. See, now your bill is constant every month.

Yes, every word was dripping with sarcasm. Personally, I wouldn’t buy a smartphone without a data plan, but I’m always using the internet on my phone. Plenty of other people prefer not to pay a good $30 a month for data they may not even want to use. It looks like this will be going into effect on September 6th. The only ways to avoid get stuck with a data plan are to already have a smartphone prior to the 6th (you’ll get grandfathered in), or by buying an unlocked phone.

VIA [ BoyGenius ]

By Chris Scott Barr

If you’re on the fence about Windows 7, you’re not alone. Many people didn’t like Vista, which makes them leery of upgrading to the next OS from Microsoft. Up until last week you could have downloaded the RC1 Build, but even that isn’t the full polished version you’d get with a new PC. Thankfully, Microsoft seems to know that some people aren’t ready to jump in headfirst and buy a brand new copy right off the bat. As such, they are going to let anyone test out their latest offering for a trial period before requiring them to purchase a license.

No, trial periods aren’t anything new to Windows. Generally Microsoft has allowed 30 days for you to make up your mind before asking you to send some money their way. This time around, you can extend the trial to a full 120 days. That should be long enough for just about anyone to realize that Windows 7 is a solid OS. I’ve been using it full-time on all of my Windows machines for a few months now, and couldn’t be happier. Except maybe when I’m on my Mac. (I kid, I kid.)

[ Telegraph ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Billed as “the next generation in battery solutions for the outdoor enthusiast” the Brunton Sync provides the equivalent of 5,000 AA batteries (2,000 mA/5V output) in a compact device weighing just under a pound. And like those portable hydration systems for carrying water on your back, the Sync features a tethered control center that allows you to stash the battery in your backpack while still having access to charging ports for your GPS device, cellphones or whatever else you need to tackle the great outdoors. About $150 from Brunton.

[ PR - Brunton Launches New Sync Power Reservoir System ] VIA [ Acquire ]