The Gadgets Guide

2008-07-08T16:00:00.000+10:00

Apple Stores receive iPhone 3G window displays: "

Gizmodo is reporting that Apple stores have started receiving their new window displays for the iPhone 3G launch. The iPhone display is similar to those that showed for last year's iPhone launch -- with a few design changes to mimic the iPhone 3G.

According to Gizmodo, Apple stores around the country will be putting up these displays today. Gizmodo has a gallery of pictures on their site for your viewing pleasure.

2007-09-19T14:31:00.000+10:00

Fujitsu LifeBook U810 tablet reviewed: "

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Fujitsu attracted a fair bit of attention back in August with its $1,000 U810 convertible tablet PC, and it's now out to prove its worth when it comes to reviews, one of the first of which looks to have come from the folks at Laptop Magazine. While it's apparently not without its faults, they found quite a bit to like about the device, saying 'you can't beat the price for a unit with a usable built-in keyboard and tablet functionality.' They also especially dug the tablet's sharp 5.6-inch screen, and it's long battery life, which wound up around 5 hours and 14 minutes in their tests. On the downside, they were less impressed with the performance from the 800MHz A110 processor (no surprise there), and by the lack of integrated mobile broadband, not to mention the somewhat lackluster keyboard and mouse. That apparently wasn't enough to keep it from getting a decent 3.5 out of 5 rating, however, with that $1,000 price tag working considerably in its favor.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

(Via Engadget.)

2007-05-28T11:30:00.000+10:00

Connect360 returns after being shut out by Dashboard update

Mac users using Nullriver's Connect360 software to stream content to their Xbox 360 got an unpleasant surprise after installing the most recent Dashboard update, which beefed-up their 360's capabilities but unceremoniously severed the link with their Macs. As is often the case with such things, however, the software's developers have been quick to respond, not only fixing the problem but throwing in a few updates for good measure. Most notably, Connnect360 now boasts support for H.264 and MPEG4 video streaming, and you'll also now be able to stream podcasts straight from iTunes. While the update is free for exisiting users, the software itself is not (setting you back $20US) -- although until Microsoft decides to add some Mac support itself, it looks to be about your only option.

Via Arrogantics

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2007-05-28T10:00:00.000+10:00

Buffalo intros 3TB TeraStation Live and TeraStation Pro II

Buffalo has already let a 3TB TeraStation Pro but the company's now upping the NAS ante introducing a beefed-up TeraStation Pro II for businesses and a new TeraStation Live for the rest of us. True to its consumer nature, the TeraStation Live boasts both iTunes server capabilities and DLNA adherence, while the TeraStation Pro II adds UPS compatibility and Active Directory support, in addition to a number of extra administrative features. Both NASes are otherwise pretty much identical, with two USB 2.0 ports to accomodate some external hard drives (in case 3TB isn't enough for ya), four hard drives on the inside, and support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 configurations.

[Via SmallNetBuilder]

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2007-05-28T09:56:00.000+10:00

Lexar adds capacity meter plus to JumpDrive Secure II: "

Lexar just added another USB flash drive with an E-Ink capacity meter to their lineup: the JumpDrive Secure II Plus. In fact, that meter is the only thing differentiating this product from their JumpDrive Secure II with 256-bit AES encryption. Well, that and a higher price tag. The new drives are in stores now in capacities up to 4GB with an 8GB version 'coming soon.' We tracked a 2GB model down online for $50US, we're sure you can do the same.

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2007-05-28T09:54:00.000+10:00

3G option coming to MacBook Pros?

Not that any of this should be a surprise, but AppleInsider says that Apple may offer a '3G wireless' option on future notebooks. Citing an 'unproven but seemingly credible source,' the venerable rumor mongering site says that Apple has asked for a PCI Express mini-card adapter to integrate a WWAN module inside the display lid of some future Apple laptop. While the source would not state which 3G technology would be used or which laptop(s) would benefit, HSDPA in a MacBook Pro is certainly the most likely combination what with Apple's new found love-in with AT&T. Best part? Bluetooth back to your WWAN-enabled MacBook and you've got the world's first 3G iPhone.

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2007-05-09T15:06:00.000+10:00

Sony announces PlayStation Eye webcam for PS3

Well it may not be the high-definition EyeToy HD IP webcam that gamers had been hoping for, but Sony has finally announced the (first?) official EyeToy for PS3, called simply the PlayStation Eye. With an array of four microphones, two zoom levels, and capture rate as high as 120fps, the Eye promises to deliver unprecedented cam-enhanced gameplay, although the VGA video resolution (and that's at 'only' 60fps) will probably nonetheless be a disappointment to some. Bundled in with the not-yet-priced package will be EyeCreate editing software, which allows users to add different effects to their content as well as record footage using time-lapse and slow-mo settings, among others.

Update: Well what do you know, Sony and Hasbro also announced Eye of Judgment, the visual, interactive-card driven game they demoed at E3 last year. Good luck keeping people from printing out their own cards from the internet, guys. Should be out in Europe this summer, and the rest of the world this fall.

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2007-05-09T14:57:00.000+10:00

Panasonic updates ultraportables with Core 2 Duos

The Panasonic laptop division is in high gear this week, first recalling some 6,000 batteries in Japan, and now revving its ultraportable line with dual-core 64-bit capable 1.06MHz U7500 Core 2 Duos across the board. The $2,109US W5a features a 12-inch screen, a gig of RAM, an 80GB HD, and that snazzy top-loading DVD writer, while the $1,898US T5a drops the optical drive in favor of longer battery life (13 hours vs. 10 for the W5a). If that's sounding good to you but for some reason you also need to drop your laptop up to 30 inches into a puddle, Panny's got you covered with the 2.1-pound R6a, a $1,772US 10.4-inch machine with a 7.5 hour battery. All three machines are expected to drop in Japan on May 18th.

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2007-05-07T16:51:00.000+10:00

iPhone Q&A for AT&T employees

Engadget Mobile's got a nice little internal Q&A for AT&T employees about the you-know-what. We won't spoil the surprise, head on over and check it out.

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2007-05-07T16:49:00.000+10:00

Sony's new HDR-SR5, SR7 and CX7 AVCHD camcorders

Sorry we ruined all the surprises, but in case you were holding out for someone to confirm those three new HD camcorders we spotted yesterday, Sony seems happy to oblige. The HDR-SR5, HDR-SR7 and HDR-CX7 just got official, with the CX7 indeed laying claim to the 'world's smallest and lightest AVCHD high-definition camcorder.' At 15 ounces with battery, and recording done straight to Memory Stick PRO Duo exclusively, who are we to argue? The HDR-SR7 does some more heavy lifting with 22 hours of room for 1080i on its 60GB HDD, while the HDR-SR5 does 15 hours on its 40GB drive. All three cameras sport USB connections and 2.7-inch LCD screens.

Gallery: Sony thinks tiny for new consumer-friendly camcorders

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2007-05-07T16:36:00.000+10:00

GiSTEQ PhotoTracker brings GPS phototagging to the masses

We've been seeing a bunch of GPS camera-trackers pop up lately, but the implementations have all seemed a bit silly, like Jelbert's big honkin' GeoTagger. GiSTEQ is looking to change all that with the introduction of the PhotoTracker, a $99US GPS receiver that's designed to unobtrusively work with virtually all digital cameras. Like Sony's GPS-CS1, you sync the unit to your cam's built-in clock and then toss it in your bag or pocket, where it can record location data for the next 3-4 weeks. The included software then takes this info and adds the appropriate geotags to your photos as you're pulling them off your memory card. It's a simple (and great) idea, we just wish the software didn't look like it's going to insist on being your primary photo manager.

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2007-05-07T16:24:00.000+10:00

HiPE intros voice-operated Drive-N car PCs with Vista MCE

People have been cramming PC's of all kinds into cars ever since LCD screens became ubiquitous, and even a little before that. HiPE's new Drive-N series of car PCs is designed to ease the usual DIY-grind by sporting a laundry list of features and interface possibilities. The units, ranging in price from $799US for a barebones Via C7 in an amp-style chassis up to $2199US for a tricked-out double-DIN touchscreen monster, all run Windows Vista MCE with the One Voice command system, and can be outfitted with GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, XM, and even a rearview camera.

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2007-05-07T16:20:00.000+10:00

Pelican's Air Flo Cooler chills out your PlayStation 3

Apparently Pelican is aiming to launch a relatively dashing cooling device that hopefully won't encourage your machine to internally fry, and while the Air Flo Cooler does a commendable job in looking the part, this thing definitely elongates your already lengthy machine. Intelligently, Pelican has designed it to draw power from a dedicated AC adapter, and states that it can reduce your machine's operating temperature by some 15-degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, the built-in Auto Thermo Sensing Technology allows it to speed up and calm down the fans based on the amount of cooling that's currently necessary. Priced at $29.95US, the Air Flo Cooler is slated to launch sometime 'in the coming weeks,' and will include a black and chrome accent plate to satisfy the uniformity freaks in the crowd as well. Click on through for a few more snapshots.

2007-04-24T16:52:00.000+10:00

Sony's 12.1-inch VAIO G bundled with SSD

The ultimate in ultra-portable lust just reached a whole new level of sexy. Sony's VAIO G1 is now available with a 32GB Solid State Disk option. This makes it the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop at just 1.89-pounds. It even extends the standard 6-hour battery an additional 30 minutes or 12.5-hours off its fat, extended-use cousin. Of course, the SSD will cost you: a ¥65,000 (about $545US) price premium over the staid, 40GB hard disk option.

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2007-04-23T16:36:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360: now with H.264, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure

We totally missed some of the finest points of all in Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring Dashboard update: they're totally tricking out the video (finally!). No longer will we be confined to our very least favorite video codec, WMV -- the new update will enable Windows Media Connect or Media Center streaming MPEG-4 up to 8Mbps, H.264 up to 15Mbps, and PlaysForSure WMV videos (and, as we understand it, PlaysForSure audio as well). Wow, finally we can actually use the 360 to play video that wasn't recorded off our Media Center or converted by our Zune software. See, was that so hard, Microsoft?

2007-04-23T13:23:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard update

Well, here we have it. Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring Dashboard update really will do everything it's been reported to (and then some). Unfortunately, those waiting for a sea change update intended to knock the PS3 on its ass may be a bit disappointed, but here's what you need to know:

The update hits the beginning of the week of May 7th

Your contact list will now integrate Windows Live Messenger, and show joinable session status

Messenger contacts can see what game you're playing, and your gamertag

Marketplace will now have its own blade, which will be skinned independent of your theme

Users will now get inline achievement updates (i.e. see what achievement you just unlocked and how much it's worth).

Low-power download mode and auto-shutdown

Progressive download: watch, fast-forward, and rewind partially downloaded movies

You can text chat messenger six friends playing games watching movies

Multiple tweaks on the user interface

We got a hands-on with the update, so there are plenty of shots for you to gorge yourself on in the gallery.

Gallery: Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard update

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2007-04-23T13:09:00.000+10:00

Apple TV hacked for RSS and emulation, plus bounty for USB drive support

The Apple TV has received two new abilities in its second week of availability thanks to a couple of new hacks: one, a fully functional and integrated RSS reader, and two, video game emulation for NES, SNES, N64, and Sega Genesis game consoles. The RSS reader comes courtesy of the bloggers over at twenty08, who've managed to put together a plugin that adds an option to read RSS1.x/2.x feeds right alongside your Media and Photos. The video game emulation isn't quite as clear cut, with a Wiki over at AwkwardTV saying that several popular emulators from Richard Bannister work on the Apple TV OS with the addition of SSH. Finally, a look at what could be next for the totally ok to hack, as long as you watch the warranty Apple TV: a $1000 bounty for a hack that enables external drive support through the USB port. Will it be enough of a motivation for all the hackers out there?

Read - Apple TV RSS hack
Read - Apple TV game emulation
Read - $1000 bounty offered for USB drive hack

2007-04-23T13:04:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360 to get keyboard controller attachment

That two year old rumor that the Xbox 360 was to get a qwerty keyboard attachment has been resurrected, with the appearance of another Gamespot article (leak?) referring to a 47 key keyboard which snaps onto the Xbox 360 controller and communicates through the headset jack. Gamespot says that the peripheral is to be used in conjunction with the cross-platform instant messaging capabilities to be added to the Spring dashboard update. Apparently it'll be available in the Summer for an as yet unnamed price.

Continue reading Xbox 360 to get keyboard controller attachment

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2007-04-11T14:40:00.000+10:00

Sony introduces Bravia TDM-IP1 iPod dock

These days, it seems like no home theater is complete without an iPod accessory of some sort, so why should your new Sony Bravia LCD HDTV be any different? Now you can officially get your groove on with the TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port dock, which unlike Sony's other stab at iPod docking, connects your compatible Bravia set with your iPod and charges it while playing back your music. It retails for $99US, which is pricey for a video iPod dock, but it is is Sony after all.

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2007-04-11T13:49:00.000+10:00

Netgear Digital Entertainer HD reviewed

While it's neither as small nor as hackable as the Apple TV, the people at Laptop magazine seem to think Netgear's newly-launched Digital Entertainer HD EVA8000 will find its share of fans, with it snagging a respectable four out of five rating in their review. Helping it earn those high marks is its support for a wide range of video formats, including YouTube videos, as well as its support for Internet radio and RSS feeds, and its inclusion of the all-important HDMI port (which was lacking on Netgear's earlier WVA700 unit). On the downside, the lack of 802.11n support resulted in some troubles streaming full 1080p files, and the initial setup proved to be somewhat time consuming, even when they opted for the so-called 'basic' mode. Despite those quibbles, they weren't hesitant to call the EVA8000 'as good as it gets' -- at least for those not dependent on their library of iTunes content.

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2007-04-11T13:41:00.000+10:00

Elgato's Turbo 264 USB stick painlessly coverts vidz to H.264

It's taking a bit longer than expected, but sure enough, manufacturers are coming out of the woodwork to give the iPod / iPhone-to-be customers an easy way to convert videos to H.264. Elgato is on the scene with a Mac-compatible USB stick that acts as a hardware encoder to get your clips and flicks from whatever format they're currently in (within reason, we presume) into a format widely recognized by Apple-branded paraphernalia. Reportedly, the device speeds up the encoding process 'by two to four times,' and partially relieves your Mac's CPU of the transcoding duties by handling most of the dirty work (shown after the break) within itself. So if you're more interested in forking over your hard-earned cash for an easy solution to your file conversion needs, Elgato's Turbo 264 should be landing around the April timeframe for €99 ($132US).

Continue reading Elgato's Turbo 264 USB stick painlessly coverts vidz to H.264

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2007-04-11T13:23:00.000+10:00

Belkin's USB / iPod hubs plug those desk holes

Belkin have always been innovative and they have struck gold again with its latest lineup of hole clogging USB / iPod hubs. In an attempt to plug those often unused desk holes which always seem to fall just out of reach when trying to control all of your cabling, Belkin's two- and three-inch In-Desk USB Hubs provide a nifty excuse to decorate your aging computer desk whilst adding some much needed functionality. Available in a slanted front-access edition or a flush-mounted version, each of the four-port USB hubs will retail at $39.99US when Belkin decides to unleash them, and for the iPod owners in the house who've somehow avoided another docking solution, the $39.99US In-Desk Dock for iPod provides the obvious connection for syncing / charging while still neatly covering that gaping spot.

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2007-04-03T15:16:00.000+10:00

Sidekick ID spotted

The cute, pared down exterior is further complemented by a selection of primary colors, as seen above, making this a likely pick for the budget-minded fashionphone set. In fact, with prices like these ($99.99US after a $50US rebate), why not just buy 'em all to mix and match with your outfits? You know you want to.

Gallery: Colorful Sidekick ID spotted in its full glory: a rebate form

2007-04-03T14:48:00.000+10:00

Apple iPhone release on June 11?

According to CNET, Cingular has 'confirmed' June 11 as the release date for Apple's iPhone. Keep in mind that confirmation in this case is unofficial as it supposedly comes from a front-line sales support person. See, after a call to Cingular's customer service, CNET was transfered to sales where they were told of the magical date. Of course, all this makes perfect sense as the 11th also marks the kickoff of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference where Steve and Co are always keen to announce new wares.

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2007-04-03T14:46:00.000+10:00

Kaleidescape escapes DVD CCA's wrath in court

We all know that bit about a 'speedy trial' doesn't exactly come to fruition in most cases, and after three excruciating years of battling the DVD Copy Control Association, Kaleidescape has escaped unscathed. The firm's DVD ripping / streaming jukebox was under fire for obvious reasons, as it not only encouraged the ripping of 'protected content,' but it helped users rip and transmit the data around their network. In fact, it was ruled that 'nothing in the DVD CCA licensing agreement prohibits the development of products that allow users to copy their DVDs,' thus, no contract was breached at all.

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2007-04-03T14:42:00.000+10:00

Latest PSP firmware update includes free T-Mobile WiFi, too

It looks like the recently released 3.30 firmware for PSP also came bearing another little gift, in the form of a six-month pass to T-Mobile's WiFi Hotspot network. Nothing in this world is totally free, and the real reason for this present seems to be hooking users on the service and then offering them a 'special rate' at the end of the trial.

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2007-04-03T14:37:00.000+10:00

iTunes rolls out 'Complete My Album' feature

Well it looks like the rumors are true with Apple announcing the introduction of a long-awaited iTunes feature that lets customers apply credit from purchased singles to download the entire disc. Straightforwardly called 'Complete My Album' the new feature gives users 99US cents of credit for each track off of a given record, with the reduced price showing up a special page dedicated to the service.

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2007-04-03T11:02:00.000+10:00

Nokia 5700 XpressMusic

Just like the XpressMusic 3250, the 5700 gets its multi-media on via a quick flick of the base. This UMTS S60 twister brings a 2 megapixel shooter with up to 2GB of MicroSD storage. The focus here, though, is music so it packs WM DRM support with a 'dedicated audio chip' to keep the music flowing, integrated stereo speakers, Bluetooth A2DP, and 3.5-mm adapter to fit your favorite headphones. Hitting Europe in Q2 for €350.

Gallery: Nokia's 5700 XpressMusic: another audio twister

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2007-04-03T10:59:00.000+10:00

A Nokia in your pocket could mean you're over the hill

A survey of mobile users in Australia, conducted by Panorama and released by Nielsen Media Research, has proved what pretty much everyone already knew: people are likely to base broad, stereotypical assumptions about you on your mobile, just like they do with everything else you use and wear. Here is a quick snapshot of the results:

Nokia: Family-minded, middle aged managers, balance seekers, health conscious
Motorola: Fashion conscious, under 24, fun seekers, individualistic
Sony Ericsson: Ambitious young men, professionals, success driven, individualistic
LG: Favorite of mums, stay-at-home parents, success driven, harmony seekers
Samsung: Young women, career focused, success driven, fun seekers

The upshot of this research is that since most phone service providers rate the same, people are for the most part picking a carrier based on phone selection -- again, we're not exactly floored by the analysis here. Now all that's left is how to pigeon hole HTC and Palm users. We're thinking 'good looking, fun loving, Engadget reader' would be a nice start.

textually.org

2007-04-03T10:54:00.000+10:00

Sony GIGA JUKE

Have a look at Sony's new GIGA JUKE HDD-based system and deck. The NAS-50HDE bookshelf system (pictured) features an 80GB drive, with room for tracks transferred from your computer, ripped from CDs, or recorded from radio and analog sources. There's a 4.3-inch color display to browse through your tracks, and if you'd rather listen to your musics on the go, you can sync with your Sony Walkman, Walkman phone, PSP or other compatible MP3 player. Hitting Europe in June and here in....

Gallery: Sony's GIGA JUKE units store, rip and sync your music

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2007-04-03T10:49:00.000+10:00

PSP firmware hits 3.30, with bigger vids and better PSone

Sony are feeling generous this week, with the brand new range of 720 x 480, 352 x 480 and 480 x 272 playback resolutions of MPEG-4 AVA (H.264) video that can be yours with the new PSP 3.30 firmware update. The update also improves PSone performance with a menu option to increase disk dreading speed in exchange for better load times and a little bit of instability. Sony is tossing in thumbnail support for video and RSS feeds, another welcome improvement.

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2007-03-30T17:33:00.000+10:00

Sony's new J5000, J3000 series BRAVIA's & matching stand unveiled for Japan

Sony's got its latest network-enabled LCDs lined up for release in Japan. These are similar to the V- and S- series BRAVIA's coming here soon, with the J5000 series adding a 40-inch model to go along with the 32-inch LCD, both featuring 120Hz MotionFlow technology to reduce blurring, 24p input and 10-bit color. Of the lower-end J3000 series, only the 40-inch model has 10 bit color, with a 1,600:1 contrast ratio while the 32-, 26- and 20-inch versions have DLNA network support and XMB menus to go along with their 1366x768 screens. All include HDMI control technology, which pairs well with the just-announced RHT-G800 combination television stand/amplifier/5.1 channel speaker. It's a standard digital amplifier, compatible with Dolby Digital, DTS, PCM and other formats, through its two HDMI inputs, one HDMI out and included speakers. For 110,000 yen ($931 U.S.) it does more than just hold your TV and look pretty, the stand launches in Japan May 25th at the same time as the J5000 series HDTVs, while all of the J3000 screens should be available April 25th.

Read - Sony J3000 & J5000 series release
Read - Sony RHT-G800 rack

2007-03-30T17:28:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360 Elite hands-on video

Keep in mind this is Microsoft's Channel 10 doing the shooting, but it's the best we've got -- and be sure, we'd be pushing you some grainy QVGA camphone video of the Xbox 360 Elite if we had it. The interview is with Albert Penello, who is quick to get a dig in on Sony for leaving out an HDMI cable. Albert again confirms that a migration cable will be packaged with the stand-alone 120GB drive, but says they're 'still working on a solution' for migrating data from a current Xbox 360 to the Elite, since apparently data is tied to the console in some way... such is the way of DRM, always putting the consumer first!

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2007-03-30T17:18:00.000+10:00

Honestech MY-IPTV kit streams TV to your handset / PDA

Considering the vast amount of WiMAX / 4G talk that's been circulating at CTIA, it's about time we saw a manufacturer stepping up and giving us one more reason to pay attention. Breaking into Sling's stomping ground, Honestech's MY-IPTV kit consists of a USB 2.0 TV tuner and a piece of software that enables your 3G smartphone or WiFi-connected handset / PDA to watch live television and change the channels remotely. Additionally, users can access their television streams on any internet-connected laptop. For devices with enough computing power (and storage space), PVR capabilities are available. As expected, the kit will play nice with Windows XP and Windows Mobile operating systems, and it should be available real soon for $99.99US to $149.99US depending on extras.

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2007-03-30T15:05:00.000+10:00

Intel Holds $1M Design Contest for Coolest Living Room PC: "

When it comes to living room PCs, you can't top the Mac Mini. At least that's what Intel thinks, which is why they're dishing out $1m to the person who can design a living room-worthy Viiv Core 2 Duo-based PC that tops Apple's angel. Seven of the semifinalists have been chosen and can be seen/voted on before a winner is announced next month.

Have a look at theBICOM. It has a laser-cut touch-sensitive front panel that provides force-feedback when your fingers come close to the buttons. The others, to me, are looking a little ugly.

Voting Page

2007-03-30T14:08:00.000+10:00

Nike plans to make all its running shoes iPod-compatible

Not a lot of details just yet, but it looks like that limited selection of Nike+ shoes won't be alone in iPod compatibility in Nike's running lineup for long. Nike President and CEO Mark Parker said in a recent interview that Nike 'plans to make all its running shoes compatible with its Nike+ technology by the end of the year.' That's good news for the iPod kids looking for a wider selection of running shoes. Parker continued, saying 'I won't get into specific dates or executions, but you can expect to see some of these new Nike concepts at retail this calendar year.' Our guess is those shoes could be hitting 'round the time Nike Speed+ and friends start making this whole distance tracking thing ubiquitous in May.

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2007-03-30T14:05:00.000+10:00

Hammer's new myshare NAS shares 2TB on home networks

Ahhh just what we need for all that new Apple TV content!!! The new myshare NAS offers anwhere from 320GB to 2TB of storage, and can support PCs and Macs. There's also a built-in web server for getting at your files remotely. A pair of USB ports allows you to share printers and external storage devices. If that's too extreme for you, you can get a 1TB (2X 500GB) myshare for $500USD, or hit up one of the many other configurations.

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2007-03-30T13:56:00.000+10:00

The Helio Ocean

Check out the new Helio 'Ocean. The Pantech-sourced device has enough tricks up its sleeve to put it atop Helio's already impressive stable of featurephones. Dual-slide design with QWERTY in one direction and numeric in the other that gives users the best of both worlds without compromising much girth (21.8mm to be exact). Other unique goodies (besides the requisite EV-DO and GPS) include a contact list with integrated 'presence detection' showing contacts' statuses on a variety of instant messaging services, Exchange Server and ActiveSync integration(!) for the suits out there, geo-tagged photo uploads with Helio UP, multi-client communications app for Yahoo!, AOL, MSN, Gmail, and email, and a click-free web search mechanism -- users simply begin typing from their home screen to seek out sites in its new full-HTML browser.

Gallery: The Helio Ocean

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2007-03-30T13:51:00.000+10:00

New Samsung Blu-ray Burners

The format war is in full swing. Everyday a new device is announced and today it's Samsung's turn with a few new Blu-ray burners. The SE-B046 pictured is pretty cool looking, and we hope its performance matches. It's an external burner, includes USB 2.0 and 1394 ports, and is no doubt designed to record from your 1394 enabled STB or computer. The next model, the internal SH-B043, can write 4x BD-R and supports all the standard optical discs we have come to expect. For those still using DVDs, Samsung also announced the SATA enabled SH-S203, which sports a whole slew of support including record-breaking 20x DL DVD±R, 12x DVD±R DL/-RAM, 8x DVD+RW and 6x DVD-RW. Pricing and release details to follow.

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2007-03-28T16:04:00.000+10:00

Codename Fiji refers to Media Center refresh?: "

Microsoft is trying its darndest to stay mum about future versions of the Windows Client, since all that talk and expectation for Vista sure didn't treat 'em right. Luckily for us, all that transparency Microsoft has been working on with its corporate bloggers is paying off in little slip-ups here and there, with this one coming from Charlie Owen, the Windows Media Center Product Manager. In a blog post tagged 'Fiji,' which he has since pulled, Charlie mentions the next version of Media Center being 'yet another out of band release' and that 'the team is pretty happy about that because it allows us to get back on our (approximate) yearly schedule of delivering goodness to customers.' He has since apologized for leading his blog following astray with the info, but that doesn't mean we can't still skim some info from this, including the implication -- which is growing in other circles -- that Fiji is a 'shoulda been in Vista' update for Media Center, not the whole OS. As to what will actually end up in such a Media Center update is anyone's guess, but we've all got our own personal wishlists to be sure. Let's start with a few bug fixes, shall we?

2007-03-28T15:57:00.000+10:00

Apple TV early review roundup

It's still a bit early yet for all the reviews to hit the internets, but people fortunate enough to have snagged an Apple TV early (you cant just love it you have to be first) -- namely the WSJ, PC Mag, and The NY Times -- have already passed judgment. What do they think? The Xbox 360 receives frequent mention as the Apple TV's one true competitor right now, but the differences in the products and approaches still cause a rift, and it's hard to keep the parallels going for too long. But the one thing they can all agree on is their appreciation for the unit's simplicity, design, and ample ability to tackle digital video in the living room.

Read - NYT (Pogue thumbs up, way up)
Read - WSJ ('It has some notable limitations, but we really liked it. It is classic Apple: simple and elegant.')
Read - PC Mag (4/5, 'I think Apple TV is a fantastic product-but I won't be buying one...')

2007-03-28T15:52:00.000+10:00

Sling lets its latest boxes loose in Canada - Australia soon?.....

It took them a while, but Sling Media has finally seen fit to officially release its current batch of Slingboxen in Canada, carting its Slingbox Pro, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner across the border. Canadians hoping for a little something extra given the delay, however, will likely be a bit disappointed, with the only changes coming in the currency. In Canadian dollars, the Slingbox Tuner will set you back $180, while the Slingbox AV carries a slightly higher $200 price tag, and the Slingbox Pro tops things off at $300. In addition to the hardware, Sling also took the opportunity for officially announce its SlingPlayer Mobile software for Windows Mobile and Palm OS devices in Canada, with the former version now available for $35 Canadian and the latter still open for beta testers.

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2007-03-28T15:48:00.000+10:00

Will we ever see the Sidekick here....

You knowSidekick users tend to be some of the most intensely loyal fans of their devices around; the reasons vary a bit from user to user, but the gist seems to be that Danger knows how to make products that simply work with minimal fuss. Besides being myFaves compatible, the new model will lack EDGE and a cam to keep pricing low -- like '$99.99US after $50US rebate' low. Not bad,not bad at all.

2007-03-28T15:27:00.000+10:00

Motorola To Win the Bid for Palm?: "

Keeping a steady eye on all of the Palm buyout rumors and the latest from CNBC have Motorola at the head of the race. If united, the two might have a better chance of taking on Apple's almighty iPhone. Think about it. Moto makes some nice phones, but their OS has always been crap. Now picture a Moto Q9 running Palm instead of WM6.

Palm Shareholder Expect Motorola Deal Soon [CNBC]

2007-03-28T15:24:00.000+10:00

LG KS20: Pradaless, Prada Update?

This is the KS20, a rumored update to the LG KE850, or Prada phone, as known by many. It will have the Prada brand name dropped. It is pretty similar to the KE850, but with a little more beef. It is said to run off Windows Mobile 6 Pro and includes 128MB of memory, a 2.8-inch touchscreen, GRPS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA support, 2.0-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, TV-out, FM radio and microSD support. Not bad, and maybe because it lacks the Prada brand name the price tag will be a bit better.

LG working on a speedy next-gen Prada phone [gearfuse]

2007-03-27T15:51:00.000+10:00

TabletKiosk announces eo and Sahara TufTab portables

TabletKiosk (OS) has two new portables, the eo TufTab v7112XT, and Sahara TufTab i310XT. From the UMPC side you can expect the eo TufTab v7112XT (above) to have a 1.2GHz VIA CPU, 1GB of RAM, 7-inch LED backlit display, 40GB drive, and camera in a 2 pound, 1.14-inch thick unit. The Sahara TufTab i310XT has a 1GHz Celeron M, 512MB of RAM, 60GB drive, and 12.8-inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen in a 1.5-inch thick 3.5 pound unit. Both share 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, SDIO and PC card slots, fingerprint reader, and the usual ports, and should ship in mid April.

[Via MobilitySite

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2007-03-27T15:47:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360 Elite: new, black limited edition Xbox with HDMI and 120GB drive

We've confirmed with trusted sources that the black Xbox 360 is indeed coming (the image above is of the original 360 dev kit, FYI), and will be dubbed the Xbox 360 Elite. Here's what you need to know about it:

The case, controller, and Live headset will all be black. It will have all new packaging.

Elite will cost $479US, and will be a 3rd SKU; it will be sold alongside Premium and Core packs.

Eventually Elite hardware (in white plastics) will take the role of the Xbox Premium. That is to say, after the Elite is launched and sold out, future Xbox Premiums will have 120GB / HDMI.

We do not yet know exactly when 120GB / HDMI will become the standard for Premium, but it is loosely estimated to be later this year.

Prices may remain the same with the 120GB / HDMI hardware upgrade in the Premium Xbox, but we may still see a price cut on the line when 65nm chips start shipping.

The HD DVD drive will not be internal or bundled -- Microsoft never did or nor does not currently have plans to put an HD DVD drive in the 360.

There are no current plans to integrate WiFi into the Elite or future Premiums (although that can always change).

2007-03-27T15:34:00.000+10:00

Apple sends NAB event invites.

No surprises here, but Apple is hosting another invite-only media event at next month's National Association of Broadcasters Conference in Las Vegas, (Come on Matt lets go mate) and is almost sure to unveil a new version of its Final Cut Pro editing software. Luckily, Apple's NAB unveils aren't always limited to software, so hopes are high for word on that 8-core Mac Pro that's been squeezed through the rumor mill a few times in the past months. The 'Lights Camera Apple' happenings will take place on April 15th at 11am.

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2007-03-27T15:31:00.000+10:00

Toshiba drops HD DVD MSRP, effective 4/1/07

At just about the one year anniversary of the format war, it looks like Toshiba is throwing the next punch. HD DVD will be one step closer to that magic price point of $299US, with the latest update of the RRP of their HD DVD players. According to a few retailers at the AVSFroum on April 1st Toshiba will change the RRP and the least expensive model; the A2 will now have an RRP of $399US. The A2 isn't the only model with a new price, as the other two models see a drop as well, the A20 will be $499US and finally the high end model, the XA2 for $799US. So if price was the only thing stopping you from getting in the HD DVD game and the Xbox360 add-on just isn't your style, then now might just be the time.

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2007-03-27T15:27:00.000+10:00

Hitachi's XR01 and HR01 series HDTVs -- world's first with iVDR portable storage

We're already seen Hitachi's 2007 domestic HDTV line-up at CES. However, Hitachi saved a bit of Wooo-niqueness for their Japanese launch. The new XR01 and HR01 series of sets consists of five new TVs boasting a world's first: an integrated iVDR removable storage module -- a portable storage format used almost exclusively in Japan. In fact, Hitachi stuffs a 250GB IVDR-S ('S' as in SAFIA DRM) disk into the bay to get your started. These disks can then be plugged into compatible bays on your video recorder, PC, camcorder, etc, for easy portability of your media. All the sets ship with a dual terrestrial digital tuners coupled with dual terrestrial analog tuners and come loaded with inputs: 3x HDMI, 2x Japanese D4, 2x S-Video, 3x composite, Firewire, and Ethernet just to name a few. The top end P50 plasma is expected by mid-May for ¥570,000 ($4,840US). Japan only, naturally.

[Via Impress]

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2007-03-27T15:25:00.000+10:00

Redesigned Apple iMac on the way?

Rumors about Apple redesigns are dime-a-dozen. It's hard to deny that the impact and focus that Apple brings to the subject often has sweeping impact felt throughout the consumer electronics industry and beyond. As such, we'll cast a wayward glance in the direction Apple Insider when they claim to have learned from 'people familiar with the situation' that the three year old iMac design is about to undergo a 'substantial facelift. One thing is for sure, we're about to get swamped with dozens of new tips claiming to have leaked images of the new iMac.

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2007-03-27T12:26:00.000+10:00

Philips's new DCD778 kitchen iPod media appliance

For the food-obsessed that has TVs and iPod docks everywhere else, perhaps Philips's new DCD778 might find a home in your abode. Not just limited to playing tracks from your iPod, the DCD778 can also view DVDs, VCDs, MP3 CDs, and has ATSC / NTSC tuner (we doubt it's high def, but ATSC is certainly the law these days), and AM / FM.

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2007-03-27T12:24:00.000+10:00

PS3 firmware v 1.60: background downloads, other yum extras: "

We know chances are you've probably got better things to read about than the PS3's next firmware, but this one proves to have some fun goodies sure to catch a few eyes. Namely, you've got that Folding@home client, as expected, background downloads (finally!), Remote Play for wired 20GB PS3s -- all four of them out there -- and an onscreen keyboard á la the Wii, except, you know, different because it's PS3.]

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2007-03-27T12:08:00.000+10:00

Cowon's D2 PMP hits North America

If you've been digging Cowon's tiny D2 portable media player but weren't quite willing to go to Korea to get one, you can now yourself some airfare (or importing fees), as Cowon America's finally seen fit to release the player. While some of the more colorful options have unfortunately been left behind, the player itself is otherwise identical (minus the DMB, of course), with a 2.5-inch touchscreen display, an SD card slot for expansion, TV out, FM radio, and the usual array of PMP functions, including support for less-than-common formats like FLAC, OGG, and APE.

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2007-03-27T11:06:00.000+10:00

OLPC (heard of the One Laptop Per Child Program?)

While OLPC test machines are circulating around, and orders are reportedly adding up in vast quantities, it looks like the green machine could be receiving a few hardware upgrades. According to Vulnerable Minds, the One Laptop Per Child panel at Shmooncon announced that the machine would now sport a 433MHz AMD Geode LS-500 processor (up from 366MHz), 256MB of system RAM (up from 128MB), and a 1GB NAND drive (up from 512MB). The CPU is of the .13-micron variety and only draws 0.08-watts, and it'll also sport the obligatory 7.5-inch sunlight capable display, 1,200 x 900 monochrome / 692 x 520 color resolutions, 802.11b/g, and interestingly, the draft version of '802.11s

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2007-03-27T10:55:00.000+10:00

What's the rest of the world doing with their Apple TVs?

Ok, so you've set up your recently shipped Apple TV, you've upgraded its HDD, and you've got it to play your Xvid movies. Now what about content baby! Professor Joshua Gans at the Melbourne Business School spotted a bunch of disclaimer differences on the Australian Apple website: Apple went through the trouble to replace all the tiny TV show / movie titles in the US promotional material with stock imagery on regional sites with no video content. Hit up the read link to see some comparisons between the Australian and US Apple TV literature.

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2007-03-27T10:29:00.000+10:00

Apple refutes "late Leopard" rumors

The release date of Mac OS X Leopard is the subject of more speculation yet again, with a source at Apple stating that the OS is still planned for a Spring US release. That's in response to an earlier rumor from the endemically unreliable DigiTimes which suggested that the release might be delayed until October/>
[Via digg]

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2007-03-27T09:40:00.000+10:00

Samsung m620 to be called "UpStage" for Sprint

So it won't be called the 'Flipper' or the 'Ultra Music' -- but Sprint wanted a name all its own for the very unique m620 musicphone from Samsung. When it launches at CTIA this week, the two-faced handset will get slapped with the name 'UpStage,' which in our opinion really doesn't convey the craziness of the phone's form factor appropriately -- but does give a nod to its unusually strong audio capabilities.

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2007-03-25T20:27:00.000+10:00

Million dollar laptop coming from UK Luxury firm Luvaglio?

The latest piece of tech to join the 'costs one million dollars' club could be the above laptop by UK Luxury firm Luvaglio if rumors are to be believed. There currently aren't any shots of the device in an open state, but there are a few pictures of what appear to be renderings of a piano finished laptop next to a slide-open box. As far as specs go, we're hearing that it'll have a self-cleaning 17-inch widescreen monitor with a special anti-reflective coating, a 128GB Solid State Disk Drive, and a slot loading Blu-ray drive, along with the obligatory diamond encrusted power button. .

[Via MobileMag

2007-03-25T20:20:00.000+10:00

Xbox 360 May Support Blu-ray Someday [Updated: Whatever]

I don't know if this is a tragic sign of Microsoft giving in, but the Xbox UK head Neil Thompson said that Microsoft is opening up the possibility of supporting Blu-ray on the 360 someday. Thompson told the BBC:

Whatever format wins it is highly likely we will offer a solution. The only debate is if you want to watch Blu-ray movies and pay the extra money for that feature. We prefer to offer the consumer choice.

So, Blu-ray DVDs are outselling HD DVDs, Microsoft is offering up Blu-ray support on the 360 in the future, possibly and prices are dropping on Blu-ray players.

Microsoft Admits Xbox 360 Blu-Ray Support Possible [Via Kotaku

2007-03-25T17:52:00.000+10:00

Samsung's latest Bordeaux LCD trio touts 15000:1 contrast ratio

It wasn't too long ago that we caught wind of Samsung's latest Bordeaux sets, but now the firm is one-upping itself by kicking out a new trio in the lineup with even more impressive specs. Jumping from 10000:1 to 15000:1 in the contrast ratio department, the 40-inch LN40M81BD, 46-inch LN46M81BD, and 52-inch LN52M81BD all tout the True Black Panel technology in order to bring 'plasma-like blacks' to the LCD HDTV arena, and you'll also find three HDMI ports, 'Full HD' resolution, and the obligatory sexy black frame to really set your living room theater off. Unfortunately, further details on the units are scarce, but we do expect all three sets to hit the Korean market soon for $3,518, $4,690, and $5,863US depending on size.

(Via Engadget.)

2007-03-25T17:47:00.000+10:00

Apple TV coverage roundup It's only been out a couple days, but Apple's latest product -- and their first real entry into the home theater space -- has certainly made a splash. To lighten the load on you we've gathered up all the must-see posts on Apple TV.

Hacks
How-to: Upgrade the drive in your Apple TV
Apple TV reportedly hacked for XviD support

Other features
Apple TV unboxing
Apple TV: the mother of all interface galleries
Apple TV dissected
Video: Apple TV menu and interface walkthrough
Switched On: Headless client found near tapeless box

Reviews, etc.
Apple TV early review roundup
Mossberg reviews Apple TV: 'simple and elegant'
Apple TV now shipping

(Via Engadget.)

2007-03-15T08:34:00.000+11:00

Sony Ericsson shoots for style points with W660: "

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

The Walkman phone's sporty orange trim gets switched out for a classy attempt in gold on Sony Ericsson's newest rendition, the W660. At a svelte 0.57-inches, the UMTS 2100 and GPRS 900/1800/1900 phone really packs in the goods with Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, FM radio support, a 2 megapixel camera, web browsing, RSS feeds, and a 512 MB Memory Stick Micro (upgradeable). It has a 2-inch color TFT display and totes random extras like TrackID, a music identification service, and a Picture Blogging function that allows you to send snapshots directly to your personal blog. To top off the lifestyle angle on this phone, Sony Ericsson has embellished the pants offa this one, with the aforementioned gold trim on both glossy color options, Record Black and Rose Red. The Rose Red (geez, what's up with the cranberry hype?) model jazzes it up a bit more with its floral-themed relief pattern on the backside. For those of you who are more concerned with performance, you'll get up to 6 hours of talk time on GSM, up to 2.5 hours with 3G, or a max of 25 hours of music listening. Expect to peep these newbies in select markets by Q2 of this year.

[Via PhoneArena]

2007-03-14T16:34:00.000+11:00

PS3 Vibration Return Confirmed?: "

This could just be a case of a mistaken developer, but Cory Barlog, a guy working on the PS3 version of God of War 3, has said there will be SIXAXIS and vibration support in the upcoming game. Wait, vibration support? Through the 'standard' SIXAXIS controller? Does this mean that Sony's recent settlement with Immersion is really going to bring vibration back to the PS3? We hope so.

God of War 3 Confirmed, With Vibration! [gwn]

2007-03-12T03:49:00.000+11:00

Digital Foci's Photo Safe compact storage for photogs

Digital Foci is back with another digital photo storage solution for photographers. This time, instead of that big LCD found on their own Picture Porter and similar photo previewing/storage devices from Aigo, Epson, and Canon, Digital Foci keeps the, uh, focus on compact portability. The new Photo Safe line-up comes in 40/80/120GB capacities and features a user-replaceable Li-Ion battery that can be recharged when slung from either USB or the mains. Doubtful they'll match the performance of the NextoCF Ultra but they easily best it in price: starting at just $139US when the Photo Safe ships next month, April.

[Via AVING]

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2007-03-12T02:14:00.000+11:00

The funny thing about marketing Vista with a stock photo of a MacBook is that these days the Mac could actually be running Vista. Too bad that's an iBook.

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2007-03-12T02:02:00.000+11:00

Evidence for Palm sale strengthens

While sometimes a punching bag in the mobile industry, Palm has delivered the goods and have been innovators in the smartphone market -- but facing stiff competition from the likes of HTC, Motorola, and Samsung as of late, the Treo design is aguably in desperate need of an overhaul. The most recent news has Palm allegedly retaining an investment banker to explore opportunities to sell its soul to the highest bidder, and rumor has it the company could fetch $20US a share -- a fair deal higher than its current trading price. While we may pine the loss of Palm -- on the 'cup is half full' side of things -- if speculation is correct about the sale, we may well end up with something better. The fact that this news has persisted since last month might lend some credibility, though whether it will be Nokia at the head of the line remains to be seen.

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2007-03-12T01:44:00.000+11:00

iPhone Generated $400 million in Free Publicity: "

According to Harvard Business School professor David Yoffie, Apple has generated a scant $400 million in free iPhone advertising since its announcement (granted, at least $200 million of that was from Gizmodo alone). He explained:

No other company has ever received that kind of attention for a product launch...It's unprecedented

I doubt that the iPhone announcement drew society's attention more than, say, RCA's first color television or Phillips' first VCR. But given the greater size and spread of media today, I guess that 'unprecedented' is still no exaggeration.

Apple buffs marketing savvy [via digg]

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-03-12T01:42:00.000+11:00

Gorenji Swarovski Crystal Studded Fridge: "

How To sell a fridge to Mary in 3 Easy Steps:

1. Buy a refrigerator and truckload of Swarovski crystals

2. Attach crystals to fridge (but pace yourself, or get Mary to do it herself)

3. Put pictures in catalogue and call it art (bonus tip: make the website black, the color of knowledge, innovation and style)

Product Page [via

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-03-12T01:37:00.000+11:00

PMA 07: Samsung NV11 Point-and-Shoot Hands-On: "

Samsung has finally gotten serious about its point-and-shoot cameras, as evidenced by its NV11, with a Schneider 5x optical zoom lens, 10.1-megapixel sensor and face recognition. We especially like its slim good looks and super-easy user interface.

Press Release [Samsung]

2007-03-12T01:30:00.000+11:00

E Ink's blueChute bluetooth enabled e-ink concept: "

Even with certain forms of e-ink displays starting to find their way into real world settings it's still unlikely that you'll meet someone on the street with some e-ink tech on their person. Until e-ink gets cheap and ordinary people can gaze into their very own super high contrast electronic copy of the Women's Weekly, we'll have to settle for sneak peeks at concept devices like this, E Ink's blueChute e-ink tablet.

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2007-03-12T01:23:00.000+11:00

Hands-on with Olympus's SP-550UZ, Stylus 780, 770SW, 760, and FE-230, FE-240, and FE-250

Check out the photo gallery of hands-ons with all of Olympus's non-DSLR shooters (for the DSLRs, check out the E-510 and E-410 and hands-ons). See the SP-550UZ prosumer hybrid -- a very solid piece of machinery -- as well as their new Stylus 780, 770SW, 760, and the lower end but still very respectable FE-230, FE-240, and FE-250.

Gallery: Hands-on with Olympus's SP-550UZ, Stylus 780, 770SW, 760, and FE-230, FE-240, and FE-250

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2007-03-12T01:18:00.000+11:00

AT&T's red Pearl -- the RIM CranBerry?

There are two things worth noting about that image above. First, it's red. No, not (PRODUCT) RED, just red as in the rumored red Pearl we heard was coming to AT&T. It's not even that red making this more of a RIM CranBerry. The pic comes to us by way of a helpful anonymous tipster who claims it will pop as early as Monday (along side a crimson Treo 680) to business channels even though this would be RIM's least business-y release to date. The other thing to note here of course is the new AT&T branding. Is this the real deal? We're not sure, but we'll see on Monday now won't we.

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2007-02-22T10:20:00.000+11:00

Telstra tells Apple to "stick to your knitting"

Not really sure what Telstra has to gain by dissing the iPhone, given the fact that it happens to be the only carrier in Australia to support EDGE, making them a natural fit for carrying the device, but diss it they did, with operations chief Greg Winn letting Apple know just how out-of-place he thinks the company is in the phone world: 'There's an old saying - stick to your knitting - and Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that's not their knitting.' We wonder if anyone tried that line the last time Apple pulled something like this, with that little 'iPod' thing of theirs a few years back.

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2007-02-20T23:19:00.000+11:00

Mobile Fragfest: Gamers Safely Cram Xbox Live into Their Ride?

You love late night trips to the drive-thru at In and Out. You love your Xbox 360 with all the peripherals. And you most certainly love your online 16-man sessions of Lost Planet. Why not combine these three for pure gamer euphoria?

These guys over in Google's hometown of Mountain View use the search engine's free Wi-Fi to power their mobile next-gen gaming rig, which features a 23-inch Samsung LCD screen, Xbox 360, and most importantly, the Xbox Vision Cam for those tense deathmatch games of UNO.

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-20T23:13:00.000+11:00

Sony's PMA Leaks Reveal the Mysterious G1 and Nine Cybershot Offspring (Updated)

Dennis at Let's Go Digital plundered the web to find 10 unknown Cybershot model numbers over at Sony Style Canada. There isn't much info to go by, but judging by the family names, we can easily speculate on some. But among the familiars, there's the G1, a whole new genus of Cybershot. That's all we know so far about that one, but we can easily speculate on the cameras with more familiar model number prefixes. The likely bottom line is minor upgrades all around, but if you must get the breakdown model by model, read on for our speculative thoughts.

The T series gets a T100 and T20, likely to update the T50 and the T10.

H7 and H9 are likely followups to the H5, a full sized point and shoot, that could be mistaken for an SLR at glance. (You know, for DSLR lovers who are still in the point and shoot closet.)

Except that Mysterious G1. We can't wait to find out more.

10 Cybershots Leaked from Sony Style Canada [Let's Go Digital]

UPDATE: We were right about the W200, W90 and W85/80. The surprise? Big 12x zooms on each.

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-20T23:09:00.000+11:00

RUMOR: Black Xbox 360 on May 1st: "

Late last week, retailer Game Crazy's POS (point of sale) system had an sku listed for a black, 120GB Xbox 360. The retail price was S479.99 and it was scheduled for release May 1st. That much is fact. Whether or not there is an actual product to accompany the sku is ~~fiction~~ rumor.

Such a system is further speculated to support HDMI and a general meaner aura than the original wussy white console.

Cheap Ass Gamer Forum [via Kotaku]

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-20T23:07:00.000+11:00

i-Mate X-Stream Digital Media Hub Actually a TV: "

Not just content to make phones with horribly lousy names, i-Mate is branching into LCD TVs with Media Center PCs built right in to the set. Named the X-Stream Digital Media Hub, this TV has a 500GB hard drive, 720p/1080i support, and a wireless router. Wait, wireless router? We're sure they meant wireless connectivity, not an actual router.

Pretty decent setup assuming the built-in PC has enough power to handle that 720p/1080i, which it should. No pricing info yet. - Jason Chen

i-mate Shows X-Stream Media Hub and RSS Photo Frame [Wired]

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-20T23:06:00.000+11:00

Rumor Smashed: iPhone on Cingular for $299/$399: "

Really? We weren't clear enough that the whole iPhone on Cingular subsidized for $299/$399 was a fake that some websites are actually thinking that it's real? Really? C'mon. Really?

Here's the word straight from Cingular:

iPhone [Gizmodo]

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-20T22:56:00.000+11:00

Is Palm up for sale?

Is Palm up for sale? There's been no official word but shares of the company jumped last week on speculation that they were quietly prepping themselves for acquisition. We've heard merger rumors before and it does seem like Palm is at a crossroads. The future of its two OS strategy is murky at best, and while the Treo has been doing fairly well in the US, they've definitely had trouble getting traction everywhere and have seemed flat-footed in the face of stiffening competition from HTC, Nokia, Samsung, RIM, and Motorola (not to mention the looming threat of the iPhone, which threatens to peel off a good number of the prosumers and enthusiasts that were once Palm's bread and butter). Main candidates are said to include both Motorola and Nokia, but Moto already seems to be doing just fine with the Q, and to be honest, it's hard to imagine Nokia snapping up a company that puts out phones running on Windows Mobile.

[Via the::unwired]

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(Via Engadget.)

2007-02-20T22:52:00.000+11:00

Sling's upcoming SlingLink Turbo leaked?

When you're slinging media across the home, there's no such thing as 'too much bandwidth,' and it looks like Sling Media is beefing up its SlingLink line of home wiring network products with the SlingLink Turbo. The new device ups the bandwidth from 14Mbps to 85Mbps, and while the original SlingLinks were primarily designed for a single Slingbox connection, the Turbo vision should be able to handle more general purpose home media networking tasks. The SlingLink Turbo was spotted by a SlingCommunity member on Amazon.com, with an expected ship date of February 27th 2007 for $149. The device is interoperable with existing PowerLine adapters, and has four Ethernet ports beyond the PowerLine link. As far as rumors go, this one looks pretty legit, but with a February 27th date on the books, we should know exactly how legit before too terribly long.

(Via Engadget.)

2007-02-20T22:48:00.000+11:00

PlayStation 3 to get Movie Download Service, reveals Sony’s Phil Harrison

According to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, users of the next-gen console PlayStation 3 (PS3) will ‘very shortly’ be able to download Sony movies and television shows on their gaming console.

Through this new service, users will be able to download ‘all kinds of digital content to their PlayStation 3 - not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV,’ Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief Phil Harrison told the games website 1UP.

2007-02-19T22:21:00.000+11:00

L.A. mayor wants WiFi by 2009

Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles, wants municipal WiFi in his fair city, and he seems to have the wherewithal to make it happen. Such a project, covering 498 square miles of the sprawling city, would be a massive undertaking, costing somewhere around $54-$62 million. The city will probably partner with a private provider such as Google or Earthlink to pay for and manage the installation, and should be seeking bids this fall. Villaraigosa is already forming a working group, and plans on hiring an expert to iron out the details. If L.A. can pull this off it'll have some quite notable bragging rights, that's for sure.

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2007-02-19T22:12:00.000+11:00

Sharp's AQUOS BD-HP1 Blu-ray HD recorder

The Blu-ray Disc camp just unrolled another: the BD-HP1 AQUOS hi-vision recorder from Sharp. Yes, it records, to single-layer (only) BD-R/RE in MPEG-2 format with AAC audio for about 2-hours and 10-minutes of 1080p video at 24Mbps. Of course, it will also playback DVD±R/RW and DVD-RAM discs as well. It comes packing 1x HDMI (presumably with Familink support), Japanese D4, S-Video, and composite video outputs; optical/coaxial digital audio; and support for 7.1ch sound. It also brings 2x Firewire allowing the BD-HP1 to augment your existing hard disk recorder set-up for BD dubbing. Hitting Japan like a mutated lizard for ¥150,000 (about $1,238US) starting March 20th.

[Via Impress]

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2007-02-19T22:08:00.000+11:00

Sony claims Blu-ray "winner" in format war

That's it folks, let's pack it up and go home: the format war is over. Or at least so says Sony, which is bragging about some solid numbers from the month January. Reportedly two Blu-ray Discs were sold for every one HD DVD last month, and while HD DVD standalone players still edge out Blu-ray by a slight margin, PS3 sales have given the Blu-ray camp a solid win for the month. Numbers are still hard to read, due to disparate launch titles and quantities for Blu-ray and HD DVD, but the 25 Blu-ray movies and 11 HD DVD movies give a good impression of the current trend. Reportedly HD DVD sales are growing, just not as fast and Blu-ray, and Sony seems to think they have it in the bag. And despite the fact that Universal Studios is still holding out on putting its movie on Blu-ray -- the last of the studios to do so -- Sony would like to let consumers know it's alright to come out of hiding.

[Via Engadget HD

2007-02-19T21:55:00.000+11:00

Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production and a lawsuit probably..

Last we saw Meizu's curiously familiar M8 handheld device, it was looking like it still had a long ways to go before we'd actually see one out in the wild. As these latest tantalizing shots show, however, the device seems to be rapidly winding its way into reality whether Apple likes it or not, also picking up a new name in the process: the miniOne. No further word on specs for the device, though you can get a couple more good looks at it after the break.

[Via Meizu Me]

Continue reading Meizu M8 / miniOne closer to production, litigation

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2007-02-19T21:51:00.000+11:00

Fujifilm's Z5M compact digicam arrives in pink

If there's ever a good time to locate a pink-clad gizmo to fit in with the surrounding holiday, that would be now. You latecomers or forgetful ones should greatly appreciate Fujifilm's pretty-in-pink Z5M digital camera, which sports a six-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch monitor, face-finding abilities, and built-in image stabilization to boot.

[Via ChipChick

2007-02-19T17:41:00.000+11:00

Sandisk announces 4GB microSD card: "

Sandisk has just announced a 4GB microSD card for use in that spiffy new multimedia-centric phone of yours. That's right -- no need to carry around that 4GB USB key if you've got 4GB residing in your phone -- right? Well, anyway, Sandisk's new SDHC (SD High Capacity) card -- announced at 3GSM just a little while ago -- has no official launch details at the moment outside of Sandisk's testing with OEMs to ensure phones don't freak out over such large memory cards being stuffed behind those batteries and in those side slots.

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(Via Engadget.)

2007-02-19T17:35:00.000+11:00

Dell's "Express Upgrade" to Vista not so "express"

Dell-using Vista hopefuls are expressing their frustration at Dell's continued delays and problems with their Vista upgrades. The fiasco started right when the Dell Vista Upgrade site opened for business, with the sudden flood of visitors being blamed for site crashes, delays and error messages. Even after Dell stabilized the website, reports were rampant of the site not recognizing certain service tag numbers, or informing users incorrectly that their system wasn't eligible for the upgrade.In the midst of all these problems, Dell has been slowly pushing back the ship date for the upgrade discs, with the latest official word being late February. Dell blames these added delays on continued testing of driver compatibility, along with continued site kinks.

Read - Official word from Dell
Read - The story from a disgruntled forum member

(Via Engadget.)

2007-02-19T17:29:00.000+11:00

Boingo launches worldwide WiFi service -- just for mobile phones

Boingo Wireless -- the world's leading wholesale network aggregator will soon unveil the 'Boingo Mobile' service to provide the first global WiFi Internet service. Boingo Mobile is specifically designed for WiFi phones and devices as opposed to dedicated computers and computing devices. If you're near on of the thousands of Boingo WiFi hotspots around the world, you can tap into the Boingo Mobile network at the flat rate of USD $7.95 per month by visting mobile.boingo.com/download to get Boingo's free software and to check for mobile handset / device compatibility (hint -- WM5 is all for now).

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(Via Engadget

2007-02-19T16:54:00.000+11:00

Sony Prepping an iPod Nano Competitor: "

Sony have had some MP3 players with unique features in the past, but they just haven't had the hardware/software dominance that Apple's been able to hit. That isn't stopping them from launching a new mystery player dubbed the A800. It'll be just as thin as the Nano, but feature a bigger screen and have the ability to play videos. The guys at ATRACLife manage to steal an image.

NW-A800 Series Revealed [ATRACLife]

2007-02-19T16:34:00.000+11:00

iPodWeek - The Best of iLounge

While the iPod caught fire as a digital music player for the masses, its recent popularity as a video player is similarly undeniable. But keeping your video library organized in iTunes is nowhere near as easy as it has been for music. If you have a lot of video you will love The Complete Guide to iTunes Video Management, a straightforward tutorial on how to import, organize, and enjoy video files with iTunes and the iPod. Also check out comparative reviews of two under-$75US iPod alarm clocks - the excellent Timex Ti700 and the less expensive iHome iH4 - plus a full look at Chestnut Hill Sound's George - the $549US iPod speaker system with a clock and wireless display remote control.

This week's highlights included Turkish Kaftan (woven rug) Cases for the iPod from a company called NorthShore International, as well as $35US, iPod nano-colored speakers from Logic3 called i-Station Travellers. Also check new deluxe 5G iPod crocodile leather cases from Sena, and furry faux animal cases from ifrogz called Exotics

(Via Gizmodo.)

2007-02-19T16:14:00.000+11:00

Mattel IM-Me: Safer Mobile Instant Messaging for Kids

Mattel wants parents to believe that its IM-Me mobile device will prevent bad people from IMing their children. It's comprised of two separate parts, a USB dongle with an attached RF antenna and the SideKick-like unit that kids use to communicate with their friends. Parents install the USB dongle into their computer through which kids then connect to the Internet. Kids will then be able to IM friends on their contacts list (presumably moderated by parents) so long as they're within range of the RF antenna.

It's Like a Walkie-Talkie, Only You Type Into It [Wired Gadget Lab]

2007-02-18T23:58:00.000+11:00

Slimmer PS3 on the Way

It's no surprise to hear that Sony's already working on the next gen PS3, but rumor has it that the new PS3 will have a dramatically different design from its current incarnation, shedding loads of that initial baby fat for a nice svelte profile. Sony Japan says that they're expected to transition to 45-nm chips by 2008. These new chips would halve the size of the PS3's current 90-nm chips, allowing for that thinner, curvier PS3.

PS3 Put on a Diet [T3]

2007-02-18T23:54:00.000+11:00

AMD joins the virtual world of Second Life; sponsors Treasure Hunt Contest for Developers

Chipmaker, Advanced Micro Devices Inc, more popularly known as AMD is now taking a big leap by entering the virtual world. The chipmaker has opened the AMD Dev. Central Pavilion on the Dev Central Island in the virtual world of Second Life.

AMD said that by having a presence on Second Life, it is well extending its developer outreach program into virtual space for meetings, lectures, training programs and networking opportunities for developers.

AMD now joins other huge IT forms like CISCO, Dell, IBM and Sun Microsystems on Second Life’s virtual world.

The Dev Central Island is located within the Second Life Dev Archipelago, which is a series of interconnected islands.

2007-02-18T23:50:00.000+11:00

In-Game Ads Firm ‘Adscape’ Acquired by Google: "So the rumors were true. Google has finally acquired Adscape, a firm that puts dynamic ads in video games. Adscape basically lets advertisers put brand messages that are related to the game in the game play.

(Via Tech Shout!.)

2007-02-17T22:02:00.000+11:00

Nokia Bluetooth-enabled CK-15W puts your eyes on the dash

For those of you with Bluetooth head units that play nice with your mobile, viewing your contacts, incoming calls, signal strength, and other data right on the in-car display might be a luxury you take for granted, but for those without such niceties, Nokia is hoping its CK-15W will fit the bill. The dash-mountable 2.2-inch touchscreen display resembles a small navigation system, but its functionality is limited to bringing your mobile's display from the pits of your lap to a safer, more convenient location. Aside from allowing users to scroll through contacts and make / receive calls, it also boasts customizable backgrounds and themes, and while the press release insinuates it'll only operate with BT-enabled Nokia handsets, we'd wager other brands might hook up too. Still, Nokia apparently feels this somewhat stifled functionality is worth a premium, as it'll demand €180 ($236US) when it lands later this quarter.

[Via Slashgear]

2007-02-17T21:52:00.000+11:00

iPhone to run $300-400US after contract?

Initial info on the iPhone's pricing structure was the 4GB would hit at $499US and the 8GB at $599US, and that this would be on on-contract price. New leaked advertising suggests that the 2-year contract price could come in a lot lower, though: $299 for 4GB, $399 for 8GB.
'
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2007-02-17T19:37:00.000+11:00

Microsoft’s Soapbox ‘YouTube Killer’ is out for Public"

Microsoft has announced a public beta version of its MSN Soapbox video upload service, which is seen as a rival to Google’s renowned YouTube service.

Microsoft launched the beta version of Soapbox in September last year. It was then available to beta testers only by invitation for several months. You can test out the service by going to http://soapbox.msn.com, reports the LiveSide blog, which follows Microsoft’s Windows Live Internet services.

2007-02-17T19:22:00.000+11:00

Apple and Cisco iPhone Trademark Lawsuit: Deadline Today

Now we know why Apple got an extension to respond to Cisco's iPhone trademark lawsuit.

I wonder what will happen.....
Cisco/Apple Lawsuit Deadline Today [Merc News]