Vivitar's DVR 790HD offers 3D video recording for $99

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Summary: Vivitar is making a case for cheap cameras with its two latest devices, the $99 DVR 790HD camcorder and ViviCam VT135.

Vivitar, maker of low-end devices like the 690 HD, announced this week the DVR 790HD, a camcorder capable of recording 3D video.

With 5.1-megapixel sensor and a 4X digital zoom, the DVR 790HD can both record 3D video in 720p at 25fps and play it back on its 2.7-inch preview screen.

In addition to the DVR 790HD, Vivitar also announced the ViviCam VT135, 12.1-megapixel shooter also capable of recording images in 3D. Both devices ring in at a tempting $99, so it shouldn’t be much a surprise if the pair are a bit on the cheap side. Still, at that price, the DVR 790HD could serve as a viable starting point for those looking to experiment with 3D recording.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.

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Vivitar's DVR 790HD offers 3D video recording for $99

AppId is over the quota
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Summary: Vivitar is making a case for cheap cameras with its two latest devices, the $99 DVR 790HD camcorder and ViviCam VT135.

Vivitar, maker of low-end devices like the 690 HD, announced this week the DVR 790HD, a camcorder capable of recording 3D video.

With 5.1-megapixel sensor and a 4X digital zoom, the DVR 790HD can both record 3D video in 720p at 25fps and play it back on its 2.7-inch preview screen.

In addition to the DVR 790HD, Vivitar also announced the ViviCam VT135, 12.1-megapixel shooter also capable of recording images in 3D. Both devices ring in at a tempting $99, so it shouldn’t be much a surprise if the pair are a bit on the cheap side. Still, at that price, the DVR 790HD could serve as a viable starting point for those looking to experiment with 3D recording.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.

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Top 4 Black Friday 2011 video game console steals

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Summary: My video game console picks this Black Friday — the Microsoft Xbox 360 bundle with Halo: Reach & Fable 3, Nintendo 3DS “Zelda” bundle, “Blue” Nintendo Wii and an honorable mention.

There is no better time to be shopping for a video game console as Black Friday; after all, gaming companies are eager to introduce new combinations of hot titles and hardware to help move units before the end of the year. Games, especially recently released titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, just don’t seem to be given as significant discounts because you would pay the stick price as long as you really want to play the game — assuming you already have the system, of course. So which four systems you should zero in on this Black Friday (which is apparently today, even though it’s technically a Thursday)? Here are the deals that standout to me:

Microsoft Xbox 360 250GB bundle with Halo: Reach & Fable 3, $199

There are a number of Xbox 360 bundles on the market this Black Friday but this one with Halo: Reach and Fable 3 offer the best games, for the best sized hard drive, and for the best price. The similarly priced Xbox “Slim” Kinect bundle’s hard drive is a tiny 4GB and doesn’t even include any games! Of course, serious gamers this is the bundle to get; when Sam’s Club Black Friday sale got a head start yesterday, this was the first bundle to sell out. Your remaining retail options: Newegg.com, Best Buy (not sure if it’s still available).

Nintendo 3DS “Zelda” Bundle with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, $179.99 or less

Not only is this limited edition bundle (pictured right) making its American debut this Thanksgiving/Black Friday (it was originally only for Europe), it also celebrates the silver anniversary of Nintendo’s Zelda franchise. That is why this 3DS bears golden markings, and includes an updated version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, considered by many to be the best video ever made. For a reasonable $179.99 from Best Buy (or for less if you trade in your last-gen DS at GameStop), this box set is bound to become a collector’s item so grab one while you still can — I doubt it will be re-stocked beyond 2011.

Nintendo Wii Console in Blue, $99

Like the 3DS “Zelda” bundle, the Blue Nintendo Wii was originally intended for Europe but is now coming to our shores this Black Friday. Although it is just a standalone system with one Motion Plus controller but no games, at $99, you will have plenty of cash leftover to buy the titles you really want to play (you can probably get most second-hand by now). One thing to note is that this discounted version is not backwards compatible with Game Cube games so it could be a dealbreaker for some. Now that Sam’s Club is all out of this console, you better hope Walmart,com doesn’t run out as well.

Honorable Mention: Atari Flashback 3 with 60 classic games for $24.99

Available from Toys “R” Us and Hastings, the Atari Flashback 3 is a plug-and-play console system complete with two old school joysticks and 60 classic games. According to PriceGrabber, the Atari Flashback 3 was the “Top Toy” for consumers over 30 yesterday so you may just find one under your tree this year.

Note: You’ll notice I did not include a Sony PlayStation 3 bundle in my list because there seems to only be one choice this year — the box set with a 160GB hard drive and Little Big Planet 2 Special Edition and Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One for approximately $199.

Please keep let us know if these deals no long exist or better prices pop up elsewhere in the comments below!

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

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HP Slate 2 is a Win 7 tablet for road warriors, $699 (video)

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Summary: HP’s new tablet trades webOS for Windows 7, and consumers for businesses/professionals — meet the Slate 2 Tablet PC.

HP may not be making any more TouchPads with webOS for consumers, but it certainly isn’t willing to be left out of the tablet party.

With a new Slate 2 Tablet PC running the full version Windows 7 due out later this month, HP believes it has the device that businesses and professionals will need to get things done. Is HP onto something or simply delusional that any tablet can challenge the best-selling iPad 2?

The Slate 2 will look familiar to HP fans as its predecessor, the Slate 500, made quite a splash at CES 2010. If you don’t remember, well that’s because it didn’t really take off post-launch, which is why it’s perplexing for HP to try again with the Slate 2.

Essentially, the Slate 2 has the guts of a netbook but in the form factor of a tablet, complete with a 8.9-inch capacitive multi-touch screen that also works with a stylus (included) as well as a virtual Swype keyboard. The Slate 2’s Intel Atom “Oak Trail” Z670 processor clocks at approximately 1.5 GHz according to NotebookCheck, has a 64GB mSATA drive as well as a SD Card slot for extra storage. Unfortunately, its rear camera is still the same 3-megapixel one as in the Slate 500 but comes with a front-facing one for video conferencing. Most importantly, the Slate 2’s battery is now good for 6 hours of use, and its dock provides two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI connector.

HP has also come up with some business-friendly accessories for the Slate 2:

Bluetooth keyboard and stand integrated into a carrying case so you won’t have to carry multiple accessories when you hit the road (see video).
HP Retail Point of Sale case (pictured below) with integrated slot for swiping credit cards without directing your customer to the cashier line

HP is positioning the Slate 2 as the mobile solution for non-cubicle work environments: as electronic charts for doctors and nurses in hospitals, servers in restaurants to take orders/seat guests and allow them to pay at the tablet, and any other professionals who are tied to the Windows ecosystem who need a full computer in a tablet wherever they work. I’ve only used Windows 7 by touch controls very briefly on an all-in-one so I know it works, but I do wonder how well the Atom chip on the Slate 2 handles Windows 7 because even Win 7 Starter can be laggy on a netbook.

Considering the Slate 2’s rather high price tag of $699.99 — you can get a pretty powerful i5 laptop at this price these days — I’m not sure the tablet’s combination of (software) power and portability is worth the cost. But your line of work may well require something like this and the relative lack competing tablets for professionals (Sean mentions the Dell Latitude ST as the closest competitor to the Slate 2) could bring HP some business after all. What do you think?

[Source: HP's Blog, HP, NotebookCheck, The Verge; Photo: SlashGear; Video: HP's YouTube Channel]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

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