These days, the recommendations of important companies and groups can carry a lot of weight in the technology industry. It should stand as good news, then, that the reference Blu-ray player of the Criterion Collection happens to be the PS3.

A bit late in the news but still cinder-hot is the announcement from consumer graphics technology leaders NVIDIA which introduced two new players into the graphics solutions market. And as you can tell, they aren't the biggest ever. In fact, one of them has been spun over the rumor mill a few times before. The second is a new entry with some promise to get the lower end machine hopping onto the mid-level powerhouse range. Details at the full story.

The rumor on Apple's new line of iMac turns out to be half-true, half-false. Truth is that there will be an upgrade to the iMac. False is that it will be coming out next week. That's because the upgrades have already been revealed. Yep, the sweet changes have been confirmed and you may all check it out at the full article.

Modding consoles is quite the risky business. After all, whenever you take apart a console by yourself, you're voiding the warranty and it may not work after you put it back together. Ben Heckendorn (or Ben Heck, as he is more commonly known) is not that kind of modder. He is the modder that modders all aspire to be. Check out why and what he just did to a backwards-compatible Sony PS3 in the full article.

Looking for a display that'll  bring out the best of your growing stock of Blu-Ray flicks? We're letting you know that Green-House making plans to launch a new LCD monitor that'll promise a generously-sized screen alongside support for HDMI cables. Details on this are in the full article.

Apple has just released new information regarding their MacBook Air laptop in line with the ongoing MacWorld Expo 2008. Given it'll be shipping in two week's time, you may want to read over its technical details over in the full article.

Did you hear that? Jaws from just about every part of the globe dropped in unison. But we suppose the chins slammed to floors first in Taiwan, where the first images and initial specifications of the long-rumored NVIDIA GeForce 9800 card erupted. Need to know more? Head on over to full story, but if you've just spent your last savings on a GeForce 8xxx series card last Christmas, the experience may be tear-inducing.

Gizmodo has brought some good news for those folks who like streaming content from their Mac onto the television. According to the folks at Connect360">NullRiver Software, they'll be porting the technology from Connect360 for use with the PS3.

More on this development after the jump!

A new weatherproof display has been announced by Planar Systems, Inc. The WP-42HD is designed specifically for the outdoors and will be distributed under the company's Runco custom home theater brand.

WP-42HD is a 42-inch weatherproof display that features 1366 x 768 native resolution, Runco's exclusive Vivix internal video processing and artifact-free scaling. It also has support for 480p, 720p and 1080i native film and video formats. Inputs include DVI with HDCP as well as multimedia RGB/computer input for gaming and other computer activities.

It uses advanced LCD technology and glass with special element-proof bonding to keep the high-def widescreen flat-panel monitor safe from the elements. It also has a specially-designed internal ventilation system to provide adequate cooling. Users can just install it and leave it without worry, other than getting it stolen of course.

The Runco Climate Portfolio WP-42HD will be available in November exclusively through Runco dealers. Minimum suggested retail price is US$ 8,995.

 

Taking a step sideways to the techie world of the gizmo-laden geek, Samsung has recently launched its "Swan" line of LCD monitors aimed at the PC enthusiast in Korea. The 20-inch CX2032GW/CX2032BW and the 22-inch CX2232GW/CX2232BW Swan monitors earned their name through the familiar tilt mechanisms.

The tilting neck uses an elastomer at the hinge, allowing the monitor to be angled ergonomically for the viewers comfort instead of having to rely on various mechanical parts. Sporting the same sleek, black and rounded look as its HD LCD TV counterparts (which are most popular in Asia at the moment), the two monitors also boast a maximum resolution of 1680x1050 at a 16:9 aspect ratio.

No refresh rate has been given at the highest resolution, but the response time has been pegged at 5ms and DVI input is expected as bare minimum. The prices go for US$ 399 for the 20-inches, while the 22-inches can be had for a pricier US$ 474. The monitor has yet to launch in the U.S., yet as of press time no details on when that will be has been said.