(Credit: CNET/Sarah Tew)The new MacBook Pro with Retina display has many noteworthy features, from a unique 2,880×1,800-pixel screen to new Nvidia graphics to large SSD storage options. But, the most surprising may be the multiple video outputs — something not seen on a MacBook before now.

The last several generations of MacBook have had either a mini-DisplayPort or combo Thunderbolt/DisplayPort jack. HDMI has been on our most-wished-for lists for years, so Apple finally adding HDMI (which is found on pretty every other current laptop) is a big move, especially when combined with a second Thunderbolt port.

The initial review of the Retina Pro was largely concerned with CPU/GPU performance, the high-res display, and battery life. Now that I’ve had a little extra time to spend with the system, there’s a chance to look at some areas in more detail. One of the first follow-up questions I received was: “Can the Retina Pro do multiple video outputs?”

 

Arrange your monitors on this settings menu.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET) 

 

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Between marriage and having babies, your friends are dropping like flies. And for those upcoming farewell occasions like bachelor parties and due dates, you need gifts for your soon to be locked-down bros. the practical guidebooks to manhood in this series are the perfect way to say good luck and goodbye.

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Goodbye, massive document scanners.

(Credit: Limemouse)Scanbox, created by Australian design company Limemouse, works as a miniature studio in a box perfect for scanning documents (up to A4 size), receipts, 3D objects, or even a page from a book.

At first glance, the $15 Scanbox may appear like some sort of strange geometric shape, but the peculiar design optimizes lighting conditions for the perfect shot. It only takes a few moments to set up the device, as the user simply aligns a few high-strength magnets built into the box.

A stencil of a smartphone with a square hole sits on top so that the user knows exactly where to place the camera lens every time. When the photo shoot ends, the Scanbox folds back up into a flat shape for easy transportation.

If you seek to shed a little more light on the situation, the $25 Scanbox Plus includes a set of LED lights built into the box to ensure perfect lighting, regardless of the situation.

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Model: SPH8
Color: black

Technical pro’s speaker design is one of the most professional designs on the market today. They have quickly risen to the top of the competition for their selection of professional studio monitors and loudspeakers. The same professional design found in their speakers meant for the club and stage can now be found in the SPH6 Bookshelf Speakers. If you are need of a pair of bookshelf speakers for your personal audio set up, showroom or office sound system the SPH8 Bookshelf Speakers are a great choice and a price that is very affordable! Let’s face it, computer speakers sometimes just do not do the business! Every small room, office space, bedroom, outdoor work space, etc. needs a small portable sound system and a great pair bookshelf speakers. Technical Pro has got you covered for all your needs!

The SPH8 boasts a very stylish and professional design. Aligned with the theory that these speakers are made with the built-to-last attitude, they are also classy enough to impress any listener at one glance. The compact black design will add a touch of class to your bookshelf or entertainment set up. The front panel has a removable panel of soft fabric used to protect the speaker from any dust or particles. Keep the panel on or remove it to reveal a shiny finish to the front face of the speaker. The protective casing holds high quality components that will not fail! Located inside the SPH8 speakers is one 8” woofer and one 3” tweeter. This speaker can push out a total peak power of 150 watts. This is the perfect amount of power output for playback in any small to medium home, office, or showroom space. Set these up in eye’s view and impress your guests and clients while enjoying a professional level of sound output! Professional gear for the home and personal use!

With so many choices of bookshelf speakers on the market it’s a no brainer to go with a professional company like Technical Pro, known for making high quality professional audio products that are built to last the test of time. The SPH8 is one of the best bookshelf speakers on the market today and at a price that is almost too low to list!

• 3” Tweeter / 8” Woofer
• Impedance: 8 ohms
• Frequency Response: 40Hz-20KHz
• Sensitivity: 99 ±2dB (1W@1M)
• dimensions: 9.5”w x 17”h x 10”d
• MSRP: $129.00

By Mike Elgan

why the new, improved Bluetooth will change your house. The fourth generation of Bluetooth technology is revolutionary. It’s not just a little better than the Bluetooth you’re currently using. It’s massively better.  Today most chatter about Bluetooth 4.0 is about advanced gadgets, such as the highly anticipated Pebble E-Paper Watch (shown). The device will use Bluetooth 4.0 to let you control your phone, as well as household appliances and media devices like your TV, from your wrist. Bluetooth 4.0 is also called Bluetooth Smart Ready, and one of the best things about it is that it uses much less power. If you use a wireless mouse or keyboard, you know that the batteries have to be changed or recharged every few weeks or, at most, every few months. Bluetooth 4.0 would enable them to never have to do anything with the batteries. These devices would be charged when you open the box and remain charged for more years than you would want to use them. This is great news, and not just for lazy wireless keyboard users. I’ll tell you why in a minute.

Where Bluetooth 4.0 comes from. Bluetooth 4.0 isn’t something you buy at the store. At some point, one by one, a gazillion gadgets will add or upgrade to the new technology. The most aggressive company to build Bluetooth 4.0 into its products is Apple. This is surprising, because Apple often lags behind other companies in the introduction of new standards and new technologies.  The iPhone 4S was the first phone ever to support Bluetooth 4.0. The current iPad (shown in use above) is the first tablet to support it. In fact, every major Apple product, including desktops and laptops, shipped in the past year comes with Bluetooth 4.0 support. By the end of the year, we can expect every major Bluetooth device, from phones to tablets to peripheral devices, to support the new Bluetooth 4.0 standard. And that’s just the beginning.

Control4 7-Inch Portable Touch Screen – $999.00 » What happens when everything is connected. The reason Bluetooth 4.0 will completely change everything in the home is that it will accomplish the following feats:  1. It will replace proprietary technologies. A wide range of household gadgets, from TV remote controls to room temperature thermostats to doorbells, use nonstandard tech to communicate wirelessly. New capabilities in Bluetooth 4.0 will mean all these gadgets can just use the new standard. When that happens, you’ll be able to easily connect to, monitor and control things with your phone and tablet. Current tablet products, such as Control4’s 7-Inch Portable Touch Screen (shown) use Wi-Fi or proprietary wireless technologies. Because of those technologies, the use of tablets for controlling things is rare. Bluetooth will make home tablet remote controls and control panels commonplace. 2. It will enable more things to be wireless. Bluetooth 4.0 will make it cheap and easy for companies to add wireless connectivity to random things: lamps, washing machines, refrigerators, coffee makers, air conditioners, ovens and much more. You’ll be able to control and monitor things from your phone or over the Internet that you previously had to control by touching the object. 3. It will let you automate things. Once an appliance or piece of functional furniture can be controlled through Bluetooth 4.0, it can be easily automated. You just need the software to control it. Your smart phone and tablet are based on an “app” economy, so you can expect literally thousands of home-control apps to come on the market over the next few years. 4. It will help appliances talk to one another. With all your stuff connected via Bluetooth 4.0, the appliances in your house can talk to other appliances without your involvement. The thermostat can turn on the air conditioner. An incoming phone call can pause your TV show. The alarm clock by your bed can turn on the coffee machine. The cell phone in your pocket can turn on the lights in and around your house as you pull into the driveway. Futurists have been making bold predictions about the coming age of the “smart home” for decades. All these visions involve wireless technology for connecting devices to the Internet, to user control devices and to each other. Bluetooth 4.0 is that technology. And now it’s here.

via Manage lights, refrigerators and more through your phone or tablet when the latest wireless technology rolls into all your home devices.

What you saw this week on facebook hardly qualifies as fodder for stimulating conversation in a real social setting. Before your next dinner party, happy hour, or weekend get-together, try reading something worth talking about. Whiskey? Gin? the little hardcover Books that comprise the Edible Series explore the history and the minutiae of human consumption. Read up & you’ll be spitting facts. {Buy It}

Smart Notebooks to save, share and act on what’s important to you

Create notebooks for recipes, books, movies or anything else that matters to you, together with friends, family and co-workers. Save ideas and info from anywhere, access them whenever, and start getting more from life

Silent, but the author’s imagination flutters in a full resonating sound throughout this artwork. Less IS More!

A wide-angle lens on your camera is cool, it lets you fit a lot into the frame. But what if you could fit in the whole scene, like everything? Well, the Tamaggo 360-imager lets you do that. It’s the first device to make fully-integrated panomorph images instantly. Consider this, even the widest fisheye lens only catches about 180-degrees, the Tamaggo lets you catch all 360 and you can post it instantly to the web, all from one small device. Coming soon.

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Extend the moment.

Engage family and friends in a whole new way. Let them become part of your experiences. With unique, navigable images not only can you relive and discover new things about what you’ve experienced, but you can also let others be in the center of the action like never before. Print high-quality images or take sharing on social networks to an amazing new level