Dealzmodo: Save up to $822 on Sony Vaio Notebooks

You're used to seeing the Dell laptops around the Dealzmodo neighborhood, but today we have some Sony Vaio refurbished notebook up for grabs. Here they are in convenient bullet-list form, courtesy of Dealhack.

• Vaio VGN-SZ440 for $2146 - $751 instant savings = $1395. Includes 2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB RAM, 120GB hard drive, DVD burner, 13.3-inch Wide LCD, and Windows Vista Business & Office 2007.
• Vaio VGN-SZ480 for $2255 - $789 instant savings = $1466. Includes 2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, DVD burner, 13.3-inch Wide LCD, and Windows Vista Business & MS Works.
• Vaio VGN-SZ480 for $2350 - $822 instant savings = $1528. Includes 2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, DVD burner, 13.3-inch Wide LCD, and Windows Vista Business & MS Works.
• Vaio VGN-SZ440 for $1846 - $517 instant savings = $1328. Includes 2GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB RAM, 80GB hard drive, DVD burner, 13.3-inch Wide LCD, and Windows Home Premium & MS Works.

These are some pretty good deals and that VGN-SZ480 beast is especially appealing at just more than $1,500. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Dealhack]

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Xbox 360 HD DVD Gets a Software Update Today

The next time you boot up your Xbox 360 to watch an HD DVD movie, the machine will ask whether you want to update your HD DVD playback software or not. You'll want to answer yes, since, you know, improvements are great.

The complete list is after the jump, but the important bits are 1080p over HDMI, improved networking and improved title compatibility. There were a handful of titles that had problems being played back on the 360's HD DVD drive, which should hopefully be fixed now.

Added option for user to select from the following audio output formats via TOSLINK or HDMI:
o Digital Stereo (2 channel PCM)
o Dolby Digital 5.1
o DTS 5.1
o WMA Pro
Added "Dynamic Range Control" toggle for digital audio output
Improved HD DVD networking support
Improved HD DVD title compatibility
Improved performance with MPEG-4 AVC / H.264
1080p via HDMI is supported on the Xbox 360 Elite with HDCP compliant displays
Improved parental controls

– Jason Chen

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Mobile ESPN Rises From The Crypt (and Chooses Verizon Wireless)

Mobile ESPN was killed off, some might say before its time. The new and improved ESPN Mobile is officially alive with the Verizon Wireless V Cast service for $15 per month.

Off the bat (ha, get it?) the service will work on the LG Chocolate, the LG VX8300, LG VX8600, the Motorola RAZR V3c, V3m or MOTOKRZR K1m (with other handsets supported in the future). It still has the same goods as before (news, stats, editorial content, fantasy, etc), but this time supported by a real carrier. Real carrier or not, ESPN Mobile has never really been the bee's knees. –Wilson Rothman

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