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Denon debuts flashy new Cocoon AirPlay speaker docks

Welcome another couple of pricey wireless AirPlay speakers to the market. They arrive courtesy of Denon, which has introduced the Cocoon Home ($599) and Cocoon Portable ($499).

Both models feature an integrated iPhone/iPod dock as well as the aforementioned AirPlay feature, which allows you to stream music directly from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (or from a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes).

To set it apart from other audio docks on the market, Denon says its designers gave it a super glossy look "with a contemporary twist" that's unique because the clear plastic enclosure (on the back of the unit) is painted from the inside. And to add to that "seamless" appearance, all connections are housed in a solid metal base. … Read more

AirPlay only the audio from your Mac using OS X Mountain Lion

One of the new features in OS X Mountain Lion is the new AirPlay Mirroring feature. AirPlay Mirroring makes it easy to give presentations, watch Flash videos (Hulu, anyone?) or show off photos from your recent vacation on a TV. If you want to see AirPlay Mirroring on OS X in action, make sure to check out Jason Parker's video demonstration.

One thing that isn't really advertised about the new AirPlay feature on your Mac is the capability to send only the audio from your Mac to any AirPlay compatible device. Meaning, you don't have to mirror … Read more

Vizio meets the MacBook: Part 2

Vizio's new ultrabook-style laptops have a kink or two to iron out before they can take on the MacBook.

Last week, I wrote about my experience with Vizio's new ultrathin laptops -- which are just beginning to become widely available -- at the Microsoft store in Los Angeles. After sitting down and using the 14- and 15-inch "Thin+Light" laptops, I was wowed by their displays.

And that's what I focused on, since that's a crucial feature to get right if you take on the MacBook -- particularly now with the Retina MacBook Pro. … Read more

In Mojave, the world's most exciting planes take flight

MOJAVE DESERT, Calif.--It's hard to imagine a more complete -- and impressive -- collection of aviation facilities and aircraft anywhere on the planet than the one in this vast, arid, wide-open wasteland northeast of Los Angeles.

Thanks to its endless amounts of dry, flat terrain, useless to most people, and the fact that there are only a few ways in -- vital for security -- the Mojave is, and has long been, the beating heart of the aviation world. It's here that Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier. And where Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne ushered in … Read more

How to use AirPlay Mirroring in Mountain Lion

If you've managed to get your hands on Mountain Lion for Mac, there's a really cool feature called AirPlay Mirroring where you can show your desktop and more on a big screen hooked up to an Apple TV. AirPlay Mirroring is something you might use when you want to show your work at a meeting, show your photos to your family, watch video, and so on, but on an Apple TV-connected big screen. Here's how to do it.

Editors' note:Unfortunately, AirPlay Mirroring only works on Macs made in 2011 or later. For those on older machines … Read more

Mountain Lion's PowerNap feature requires firmware update

One of the new features in OS X Mountain Lion is the PowerNap energy-saving option that allows newer MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems to continue to use network and backup services when in sleep mode. However, even after installing the OS X Mountain Lion upgrade, qualified systems may not be able to use the PowerNap feature.

When activated in the system's Energy Saver system preferences, PowerNap will perform hourly checks for new e-mail and updates to Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, iCloud documents, and Photo Stream. It will also maintain a connection for Apple's Find My Mac service. … Read more

AirPlay mirroring hands-on: Free Hulu on your Apple TV

Apple's Mountain Lion operating system is packed with improvements, but home theater enthusiasts have been patiently waiting for one feature in particular: AirPlay mirroring.

That's because AirPlay mirroring solves the question I'm most often asked: how do I stream any Web video from a laptop directly to your TV, wirelessly? With an Apple TV and a Mac running Mountain Lion that supports AirPlay mirroring (check Apple's Web site to see if your Mac is compatible), anything you can see on your computer's screen -- including Flash video and free Hulu content -- you can stream … Read more

Faulty vest valve blamed for F-22 pilots' hypoxia symptoms

The U.S. Air Force says it is it has identified the cause of potentially deadly oxygen deprivation problems experienced by pilots flying the F-22 Raptor fighter jet for years.

A faulty valve in pressure suits worn by pilots at high altitudes caused more than a dozen pilots since 2008 to experience dizziness, disorientation, and even blackouts, Pentagon spokesperson George Little told reporters today.

"I think we have very high confidence that we've identified the issues," Little said, according to an ABC News account of the news conference, before announcing the suspension of flight restrictions put in … Read more

Episode 6: The most extreme torture test yet

This is the week that the torture test really comes into its own, I think. We decided to toughen up and test the brand-new 11-inch Apple MacBook Air. Yeah, I know. Yikes. But I really want to test portable devices, and the Air is the epitome of portable, is it not?

We're down to a good rhythm with heat, cold, dropping, and water, and we're really trying to figure out how to make the wild card tests true to life. So, when three or four viewers tweeted me and told me they had put their MacBook Airs on … Read more