Saturday, December 30, 2006

Gefen Promises WUSB Extender at CES 2007

Gefen Promises WUSB Extender at CES 2007

It was a year ago that Gefen promised to deliver Freescale-friendly Cable-Free USB extender. We kinda forgot about vaporware until the company threw at us another press release that a real 4-port USB extender will finally hit the street next month. The extender core will be powered by Wisair's UWB MAC, whose maker is a member of the WiMedia Alliance. I guess this kinda means the UWB war is coming to an end as first-tier partners mostly side with WiMedia. Belkin has already made the switch last month to WiMedia standard, but their WUSB hub isn't exactly compliant with USB-IF Certified Wireless USB. Moreover, WiFiNetNews also hinted that Freescale is now downplaying its role in pushing Cable-Free USB (at least on their website).

(c) www.everythingusb.com

Power Jacket Exo-Skeleton

Power Jacket Exo-Skeleton

It’s cool-looking, but don’t expect to have super-human strength with this suit. It has been designed to help partially paralyzed people in their rehabilitation. In this photo, the left arm will mimic the motion of the right arm, thanks to the synthetic muscles (the blue tubes). That, in turn, will help patients remember “the feeling of moving the arm themselves”.

The device will be tested in Japan and might be on the market by 2009 for $17000 before eventually being mass-produced at a cheaper price.

(c) www.ubergizmo.com

Alvarion launches WiFi / WiMAX-enabled BreezeMAX lineup

Alvarion launches WiFi / WiMAX-enabled BreezeMAX lineup

Being that Intel's gone and released WiMAX / WiFi hybrid chips, it's only right that we start seeing a few svelte pieces of kit hit the mainstream in order to take full advantage. For those of us not lucky enough to board British trains loaded with such niceties, Alvarion is launching a new branch of BreezeMAX products to take advantage of WiMAX where available. Marketed specifically towards carriers looking to "capture additional revenues while moving towards advanced personal broadband services," the BreezeMAX WI2 (along with the BreezeACCESS WI2) purportedly provide a "powerful converged network" that combines the lovability of WiFi with the novelty of WiMAX. Each WI2 setup consists of an outdoor WiFi access point with an integrated power module capable of connecting to various commercial power sources, as well as the ability to sync with the company's backhaul units for "network management" tasks. We're not certain how much coinage Alvarion plans on charging for these integrated units, but each step we take towards worldwide wireless coverage is worth every red cent.

(c) www.engadget.com

iLink dock brings digital output to iPod, with a catch

iLink dock brings digital output to iPod, with a catch

There's no doubt that the audio industry loves audiophiles: a group of people searching for high fidelity who happen to pick up a whole lot of expensive kit on the way (that's where the love comes in). A company called MSB Technology is attempting to tap into this lucrative and exclusive demographic with its iLink Docking System for the iPod. On its own the iLink isn't particularly special, but when it's coupled with an MSB-upgraded iPod it can output true digital audio, something the analog-only iPod has never been capable of doing. You can either opt to send your own 5.5G iPod to MSB -- where they'll upgrade it for you for $199 and provide their own warranty -- or you can go for the full $1995 iLink system -- which includes an iPod upgrade, and an iLink dock that taps into a digital audio enabled iPod's dock connector. Although we don't claim to be audiophiles ourselves, we see a couple of potential problems here, not least the issue of the iPod being an inherently flawed device to market to audiophiles (compressed music = bad). The other little niggle is the two grand price tag, which isn't too far removed from the asking prices of the high-end CD players it's designed to replace.

(c) www.engadget.com

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Luxurious Leather Signature Suits for MacBooks

Luxurious Leather Signature Suits for MacBooks

Case-mate’s stylish Signature Suits are form fitting leather wraps for the Macbook and MacBook Pros. The casing of the Signature Suit is molded out of an impact resistant shell, it has a soft interior lining, an easy slide in/slide out design, and it has a cooling vent on the underside for airflow.

The suits are available in black with a white accent, black with a red accent, phantom black, white with black accent, white with a red accent, alpine white and sienna red. These stylish laptop suits retail for $149, which isn’t exactly cheap, but these suits will really make your laptop look and feel luxurious.

(c) www.iyiz.com

AOC V500, A Very Slim PMP

I’m not sure if what’s so alluring about this new PMP is really the device itself or the lovely image of Kiera Knightly used cleverly in this product shot. Nonetheless, this Chinese market AOC V500 is worth a glimpse with its super slim body, sleek styling, and 2.4-inch QVGA LCD. AOC V500, A Very Slim PMP

The device handles audio and video formats such as MP3, WMA, WAV, MPEG4 and AVI. It also supports JPEGs for picture viewing and connects via USB 2.0. However, nothing really that incredible here besides the 9.8mm thinness, which is pretty darn thin.
AOC V500 Portable Media Player 

(c) www.slashgear.com

Scan 3D Objects via a USB Webcam for Free

Scan 3D Objects via a USB Webcam for Free

If you have ever wanted to scan 3D models of real objects into your computer but didn’t want to cough up thousands of bucks for the software you can now do it for free. That is assuming you have a laser of some sort that projects a straight line onto the subject and a USB webcam. The software is called DAVID and to use it you place the object you want to scan into a corner with 90 degree angles. The software will puzzle the images together to give you a complete 360 degree view of the subject. However, the site states the portion of the software that puzzles the images together is not currently available. At least you can scan one side of the object into your PC.

(c) www.everythingusb.com

Bluedot's 4-inch portable TV with 1Seg and a whole bunch of slim

Bluedot's 4-inch portable TV with 1Seg and a whole bunch of slim 

by Paul Miller

While the new BTV-400K from Bluedot might lack the common accouterments of its peers, like an SD card reader, GPS or other such functions, the player does seems to do the whole 1Seg thing quite well. The 4-inch display rocks 480 x 272 pixels, and the whole unit is a mere 0.43-inches thick. The three hour battery life is a little on the weak end, but there's also a bulkier option that can offer up 10 hours of juice. With that complete lack of he player won't have much to do with your PC, but you can charge it via USB. This one should be hitting Japan in February for around 30,000 yen ($253 US). Peep another pic after the break.Bluedot's 4-inch portable TV with 1Seg and a whole bunch of slim

(c) www.engadget.com

Wave Bubble: the portable, undercover FM jammer

Wave Bubble: the portable, undercover FM jammer

There's no better way to celebrate the one hundredth birthday of broadcast radio -- or to completely enrage your sibling by rendering that brand new cellphone useless -- than to craft your very own FM jammer. Branching out from the many other jammers we've already seen, the Wave Bubble touts itself as being a "self-tuning, wide-bandwidth" rig that doesn't require a spectrum analyzer, and can "jam many different frequency bands" all in a pocket-friendly enclosure. Powered by an internal Li-ion cell, this bad boy provides self-tuning via "dual PLL," and you can manually enter new frequencies to vex by simply plugging it into your PC's USB port and inputting the data when prompted. It can purportedly provide up to two hours of jamming on dual bands (such as "cellphones") or four hours on single bands such as "cordless phones, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc." Additionally, the output power ranges from 0.1-watts (high bands) to 0.3-watts (low bands), and the handy device sports an approximate range of about 20 feet with "well-tuned antennas." Of course, you aren't apt to find this for sale anywhere considering the fit the FCC would undoubtedly throw, but if you consider yourself a master of the DIY craft, be sure to tag the read link for some in-depth pedagogy.

(c) www.engadget.com

Sunday, December 24, 2006

uPlusPen - PC Tablet for Writing and Drawing without the Tablet

uPlusPen - PC Tablet for Writing and Drawing without the Tablet

If you have ever wanted a graphics tablet for your PC like the ones Wacom makes, but didn’t want to have the required tablet portion on your desk there is a new USB device that might be just what you want. The uPlusPen from Korea acts just like a drawing tablet but requires no tablet portion. You can use the USB powered pen on any surface you wish and the written or drawn information is transferred directly to your PC. No word on pricing or availability, but it sure looks pretty cool.

(c) www.everythingusb.com

Saturday, December 23, 2006

An elevator for your computer

An elevator for your computer

The elevator, wait for it, elevates laptops off the desktop providing the thing that we tend to loose most, desk space. Griffin has designed Elevator as a substantial realization of a simple design. Elevator uses a 1/2-inch-thick crossbar to hold two 1/4-inch-thick aluminum standards, positioning the laptop’s screen at an ideal height for viewing when seated.

Crystal-clear polycarbonate and aircraft-grade aluminum with a matte silver finish meet in Elevator’s minimalist design to create a desktop accessory that looks as good holding the laptop as it does sitting empty, waiting patiently to be of service.

What to do with that newly created space under your laptop? Most users will find it handy for tucking keyboard and mouse away when not in use. The extra-resourceful among you will discover that the space also makes an ideal hideaway for that oft-stolen stapler, or the bowl of sunflower seeds that the guy from Marketing plunders when you’re not looking.

Griffin’s Elevator desktop stand accommodates all laptops 10 inches wide and wider for $39.99.

(c) www.gadgetell.com

Wristease: Star Treatment for Your Wrists

Wristease: Star Treatment for Your Wrists

Afraid of getting carpal tunnel syndrome because you’re on the computer so damn much? (I know I am!) Kick those worries to the curb with the Wristease: an ergonomic wrist support. Similar in style to an athletic wrist band, the Wristease is placed over your wrists to keep your nerves and tendons well-supported while typing away.

According to the product’s web site, over 40,000 people have bought Wristease. Pool players, seamstresses, scrapbookers, piano players, and others may also find it useful.

A pair sells for $15.99 at Wristease.com. Choose from black, red, blue, white, and pink. Sizes available in S, M, and L.

(c) www.iyiz.com

Sun's Looking Glass 3D Desktop Released

Sun's Looking Glass 3D Desktop Released

Sun Microsystems this week released "Looking Glass," a 3D desktop interface that provides an OS-neutral version of some of the elements found in OS X and Microsoft's newly-released Vista OS.

Looking Glass, which was first shown off in 2003 and released as an open-source project in 2004, allows users to run a Java-based desktop environment on top of Windows, or on Linux or Solaris. The software allows certain applications to be run in a "2.5D" environment, allowing them to be rotated in 3D space to maximize the available desktop space.

The interface also includes a launch bar along the bottom middle of the screen, similar in appearance to the Apple OS X's Dock.

According to the developers, Looking Glass includes several interesting features not included in either the Apple or Windows OSes: the ability to "fly" left or right to a new virtual desktop, or to use the "back" of a virtual window. Windows can also be organized on their "side," allowing a "bookshelf" view of the available windows.

Users can download the new Looking Glass interface from Sun's Web site.

(c) www.extremetech.com

Beer Caddy keeps it flowing

Beer Caddy keeps it flowing

No, the Beer Caddy does not automatically pour out pints of cold ones for you at your beck and call, but what it can do is keep your 5 liter kegs of beer perfectly chilled, waiting for you to turn that tap and drink away the day's stress. Made from stainless steel, the Beer Caddy measures 32" x 20" x 26" and was designed to fit into any kitchen perfectly. In fact, it even comes with a DC car adapter in case you get a little thirsty on your travels - just make sure you don't exceed the legal limit while driving! At $99 a pop, it is a decent buy for someone who has recently moved into a new home or apartment. Anyone willing to sponsor the kegs?

(c) www.ubergizmo.com

Friday, December 22, 2006

Handy Drive includes pen, flashlight

By Peter Cohen

Handy Drive includes pen, flashlightUS Modular has introduced the Handy Drive, a flash memory storage drive that connects to a Mac or PC using USB 2.0 and features a built-in pen and flashlight. The Handy Drive starts at $19.99 for a 128MB model. Storage capacities range up to 4GB.

The Handy Drive ships on a ring so you can attach keys or hook it to a bag or briefcase. It’s self-powered and reads data at up to 8 Mbps, writes at up to 6.4 Mbps. It’s plug-and-play compatible with Mac OS 9.x or later; it also works with Windows and Linux operating systems.

(c) www.macworld.com

Digital Darts - all bits and plastic tips

Digital Darts

The Digital Darts Game brings the ancient game up to date with an LCD scoreboard, a handicap button, sound and multiple game types in the one device. The lovely thing about the Korean sales site is that they’ve gone the whole hog and included in-depth instructions on how to play the game, including suitable derisory comments about your opponents failings (‘my grandma can do better’). Lovely marketing. $107.00 in Korean folding.

(c) www.redferret.net

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Toshiba to launch 9-inch mobile TV/DVD player with IPS LCD

Toshiba to launch 9-inch mobile TV/DVD player with IPS LCD

NEW YORK, USA (AVING) -- <Visual News> Toshiba presented 'SD-P90DT', a portable DVD player equipped with 9-inch IPS LCD. It supports 1-seg Japanese mobile TV service. Suggesting price is 69,800 yen.

(c) www.aving.net

Plug & Enjoy

Plug & Enjoy

This is a small electronic device that receives an FM signal from your music player, i.e. ipod, cell phone, cd player or any device equipped with an FM transmitter. At a party it is always hard to control the music you play, the sound of volume is not playing evenly throughout the place and you always have to have a big and bulky stereo system. Just plug this simple device into your power outlets; it will receive songs from your music player, even from your tiny ipod shuffle throughout entire place. It has a simple mechanism, speaker, led, and FM receiver. At first you plug in to a power outlet, the front indicator light will flash. Then turn the frPlug & Enjoyont part to locate the signal from your music player, when it finds the signal the color of the light will change to solid green. If that is right signal, you wait for 3 seconds and the light will change to red for volume adjustment. Turn the knob to the volume you like. If you like to pump up the volume you plug more in. You can use power extension cords to make louder and move around.

(c) www.yankodesign.com

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

ICE-Qube - the ultimate emergency kit

ICE-Qube - the ultimate emergency kit 

ICE–Qube is the ultimate, ultimate emergency kit (In Case of Emergency – geddit?) and contains ‘over 100 safety, rescue, survival, medical and hygiene items to get your family through any emergency.’ If you’re really worried about the future, this little box may help you sleep better at night. The absolute bestest ICE-Qube - the ultimate emergency kitbit is the fact that you can personalise it as a gift with the giver’s or receiver’s name. Nothing says I love you like a set of emergency tampons, tweezers and duct tape, folks. $850.00.

The ICE-Qube measures 16″L x 16″W x 18-1/2″H Weight - approximately 85 pounds Place in a safe dry area and forget it!

(c) www.redferret.net

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

HP Korea to launch two new PDAs'iPAQ'

HP Korea to launch two new PDAs'iPAQ'

SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- <Visual News> HP Korea presented its two new PDAs - iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion with GPS navigation and rx4000 Mobile Media Companion with compact design. Both of them run Window mobile 5.0 OS.

The iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion features 3.5-inch touch screen with GPS navigation and it also supports voice guidance system. WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity (optional) help access to the internet, e-mail, and offer compatibility with other Bluetooth devices.
The rx4000 has a slim compact PDA mounted on 2.8-inch LCD, and integrated WiFi connectivity ensures sharing information with others in real time.

The rx4000 is available for between 299,000(KRW) and 340,000(KRW), and the rx5000 is priced at 490,000(KRW).

(C) www.aving.net

Monday, December 18, 2006

iPhone launches today ... ?!

iPhone

Yes, it's the moment we've all been waiting for - not. Linksys launched a product called the "iPhone" today, a family of voice-over-internet (VOIP) handsets (not cell phones.) One of them does sound pretty cool - the Wireless-G Phone for Skype connects directly to Skype through Wi-Fi hotspots, with no PC required. Linksys' amusing product naming raises two questions in the overheated Apple phone debate. First of all, if Apple can't call it the iPhone, what will they call it? Secondly, how the heck did Linksys get the trademark on that name?

[Thanks goes to www.gearlog.com for this article]

Another UV Toothbrush Sterilizer

Another UV Toothbrush Sterilizer

By Andrew Liszewski

I caught an episode of a local science show and the experiment they were doing involved adding a chemical to the water in a toilet that would show up under a black light. Well once they flushed said toilet and flipped on the black light it was pretty astonishing to see the glowing spots over the entire bathroom. Oh did I say astonishing? I meant to say horrifying.

Of course this means that anything left sitting out in a bathroom is pretty much guaranteed to be hit by the flushing-induced shrapnel, including your toothbrush. So your options are to never brush your teeth again, use a new toothbrush every time or start using a UV sterilizer like this one from Japanese company Rakuten. After cleaning those pearly whites just stick your toothbrush into the device and close the lid. An ultraviolet lamp will then switch on and sterilize the head of your brush in about 4 minutes and then switch off automatically. It’s easy to use and should provide some peace of mind when it comes to worrying about bacteria, unless of course you suffer from OCD, then I’ve probably ruined your life.

The Rakuten toothbrush sterilizer is available in Japan for about $45.

[Thanks goes to www.ohgizmo.com for this article]

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Vest uses battery power to keep warm

Vest uses battery power to keep warm

With snow all around and the mercury dropping like there's no tomorrow, it would be prudent to fork out a little bit of extra money for the Heated Vest to keep you warm and toasty all around without freezing to death whenever you go out. At $129.99 from Hammacher, the Heated Vest is made from polyester fleece and is reversible, essentially giving your two different styles within a single vest. It is thin enough to hug your body under a jacket, and uses an embedded carbon-fiber mesh and infrared heater to warm the fabric evenly, doing away with the need for messy wires or heating elements. The vest's rechargeable batteries offer up to 4 hours of continuous heating.

[This article is from www.ubergizmo.com, see more there]

Coffee Machines for the lazy

by Chris Davies

If you’re in the market for a fancy coffee machine, but are terribly terribly lazy and can’t be bothered to learn all the proper tricks of the barista trade, then possibly Siemens or Nespresso have the machine for you. First off, the Surpresso S75 is Siemens’ latest fully-automatic espresso maker, taking coffee beans and fresh water then grinding, pre-moistening and finally delivering espresso. The built-in milk frothing tool takes away all that “hold the milk jug at such-and-such an angle” with a hose that goes directly into the milk carton; all you need do is flick the switch and it’s drawn up, frothed and dispensed into your cup. Coffee Machines for the lazy

If you’re too lazy even to be bothered touching coffee beans then perhaps a ready-ground solution is more in order. Check out after the cut for Nespresso’s solution to easy coffee in an instant.

Secondly, Nespresso’s Gemini CS220 is a freakishly industrial looking beast that uses the pre-ground coffee pods that are growing in popularity. Pop in a pod, make sure the water tanks are filled (or plumb it in to the water supply) and - if you want a Coffee Machines for the lazymilky drink - that the 1-litre thermally-insulated milk container is full, and you can make two drinks simultaneously with spent pods dropping into one of the pair of internal bins. Multiple pre-programmed sizes are available.

The Siemens machine costs $1,592, while the Nespresso is priced on request.

[original post: www.slashgear.com]

Saturday, December 16, 2006

A DivX PVR on the horizon?

 

by Chris Tew

DivX PVRIt looks like DivX CEO Jordan Greenhall has been doing the interview rounds lately, I recently covered his interview with RedHerring and now Davis Freeberg has been speaking to him.

Davis went into a ittle more in depth with the CEO than Red Herring. Most interesting to us PVR fans was why we haven't seen DivX encoding in PVRs yet. The reason is to do with the size and expense of the silicon encoder chips.

DivX encoding in PVRs could save on storage space while maintaining quality, but unfortunately the silicon chips for encoding can be quite bulky and it's easier and cheaper to simply put in a bigger hard drive.

However Jordan said to Davis that "it hasn't been until very very recently until like the last couple of months, that encode chips have become available for things like DVD recorders and DVRs to use with technologies like DivX."

This could mean a DivX PVR could very well be on the shelves in 2007.

[original post: www.pvrwire.com]

Snow Globe + Mouse= MouseGlobe

Snow Globe + Mouse= MouseGlobe

by Shane McGlaun

This little mouse is sure to bring a smile to the face of other people at your office, even if the smile originates as they wonder what exactly would bring you to buy something like this. If you are still feeling in the holiday decorating mood, the folks over at Thanko, the destination for weird USB gear has the thing for you.

This is a normal (sort of) USB mouse that is clear and has water inside the mouse body along with a snow man and the fake snow we all know and love from those cheap snow globes we get as gifts when family and friends go on vacation.

Plug the mouse in and different color LEDs make the water inside the mouse glow seven different colors. The buttons of the mouse a replete with a smiley face to spread the cheer further. The resolution is 800 DPI and the mouse needs either a USB 1.1 or an USB 2.0 port to operate. No external power is required for the light show; all functions of the mouse are USB powered.

[original post: www.i4u.com]

Friday, December 15, 2006

iPod2Car - embed your iPod into your car stereo system

iPod2Car

The PXDP2 iPod2Car Gen 2 System lets you plumb your iPod into your car stereo system, so you get full control via the factory radio and steering wheel controls. You can even browse tracks via the radio screen. Needless to say it only works with a few makes of vehicle, but the list is growing all the time and Ford and Toyota are covered, so that’s a good sized population right there. Apparently the audio quality is excellent. Priced at around $120.00.

Full control of iPod using factory radio and steering wheel controls # Text on factory radio displays iPods browsing menus, song, artist, and elapsed time # Browse by artist, playlist, genre, and album # Controls include track forward, track back, fast forward, rewind, shuffle and repeat # Audio feed directly into the factory radio to retain digital sound quality # Charges iPods internal battery # Works with Nano, Photo, Mini, Gen3, Gen4, and Gen5 iPods

[original post: www.redferret.net]

Thursday, December 14, 2006

LG UP3Flat hits back at Shuffle

LG UP3Flat hits back at Shuffle

Could Apple's low capacity iPods finally face a competitor that is worthy enough to cannibalize its sales? Although Apple does have a more than healthy lead in the portable MP3 player market, its position on the lower tier of products could be threatened with the LG UP3Flat MP3 player that looks like the love child between an LG Chocolate cellphone and the 1G iPod Shuffle. Each UP3Flat comes with a retractable USB connector that makes it all the more desirable. Different capacities will be available, ranging from 512MB up to 2GB while battery life is rated at approximately 10 hours. There is still no word on pricing and availability of this fingerprint magnet.

[original post: www.ubergizmo.com]

USB Firefly Squid

You can always expect the craziest USBs from Japan and one of the latest finds is a deceptively edible-looking squid in a supermarket-style package. But, upon close examination and use of some Japanese language skills, you’ll soon realize this squiddy wont be able to satisfy your appetite for some raw ika, but it will help you transfer files. USB Firefly Squid

Created by SolidAlliance, the Firefly Squid USB contains an LED that glows when plugged in giving it a nice squiddy luminescent effect. And surprisingly, it actually does something useful with its 512MB memory capacity, unlike the USB Humping Dog that just, well, humps. It will be available by the end of January 2007 and would probably make a great gift to any of your squid-loving friends.

[original post: www.slashgear.com]

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

La Feel Multimedia Mouse, a MX610 Clone?

La Feel Optical Mouse

It seems that integrating media controls in the keyboard is not enough anymore. Now we can get media controls on our mice as well thanks to the La Feel Optical Mouse. The La Feel is available in both blue and red colors and sports an 800 DPI sensor. The mouse also has a four-way scroll wheel, internet forward and back buttons and play/pause/volume keys as well as forward and backwards music track keys. I will say the mouse is rather ugly to me and the name is odd. If you want a proper mouse, get the Logitech MX610.

[source: www.everythingusb.com]

Duck Image's Super Secure USB Drive Design

Duck Image's Super Secure USB Drive Design

If you are really paranoid about the data on your USB drive you will feel really good about this high security drive integrating both physical and software security methods. The Duck Image 007 USB Flash Drive starts its security off with a bike lock looking chain that keeps the cap on the drive unless you know the combo to open it. Once the cap is opened, you need a password to access the drive when connected to a computer and the data on the drive is encrypted as well for maximum security. This little drive is featured on a designer’s website and there is no mention of if the product is real or not. Might be an interesting product, but it feels like vaporware to me. I am surprised they didn't include biometric security as well similar to that of the LaCie SAFE drive.

[source: www.everythingusb.com]

It's a Small, Wonderful Life with this Digital Camcorder

 

Capturing the moment with a camcorder has typically meant having to lug a big, bulDigital Camcorderky device. RCA's new EZ105 Small Wonder ($129 list) digital camcorder is perfect for those who want to chronicle those special (or even mundane) moments in life without spraining an arm.

This wonder of an MPEG-4 point-and-shoot camcorder can store up to 60 minutes (or 30 minutes of high-quality) video, which can then be transferred to a PC for instant playback, and an AV out lets you connect to a TV. The EZ105, which runs on two double-A batteries, also features a 1.5-inch LCD, which lets you preview scenes and delete what you don't like.

You're not going to get the same level of video clarity as you would with a large camcorder, but you'll be able to bring this with you just about anywhere, which is a wonderful thing.

[source: www.gearlog.com]

Parrot Bluetooth photo frame

Parrot Bluetooth photo frame

WiFi-enabled photo frames are old hat by now, and in line with technological tradition, a new kind of wireless photo frames have arrived to take their rightful place atop the hill. Parrot has unveiled its new Bluetooth photo frames that enable you to transfer photos from your Bluetooth-powered cellphone or digital camera in a flash. Each of these photo frames come with a 3.5" 262k color TFT LCD display in 320 x 234 pixels, a built-in light sensor that turns on the backlight automatically, 32MB of internal memory, and a portrait or landscape position sensor. Too bad it does not come with a memory card slot of any kind, as 100 photos don't just quite make the cut these days. There's no word on pricing details at the moment.

[source: www.ubergizmo.com]

Give someone the gift of clean air with a Cleanaer.

Aerstream Technology's Air Cleanaer

Aerstream Technology's Cleanaer is the first liquid ioniser and has been given the British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval for the reduction of house dust mites and cat allergens.

It's not just for allergy sufferers, though. The Cleanaer works on odours such as cigarette smoke and mould, so it's great for banishing nasty smells from your home without using chemical deodorisers.

Easily portable and just a foot tall, the Cleanaer gives big performance; in tests it cleared 75% of cat allergens and 69% of dust mite allergens.

And all without evil propellants or compressed gasses which themselves pollute the environment and can cause allergen hypersensitivity. Hurrah!

[source: wirelessdigest.typepad.com]

Hitachi's world first hybrid DVD/HDD camcorder

Hitachi DVD/HDD camcoder 

December 4, 2006 After inventing the DVD camcorder in 1999, Hitachi have another world first under their belt with the release of their hybrid DVD/HDD camcorders. Their catch cry is "Shoot for hours, edit in minutes, share in seconds" and unlike some Franken-gadgets that tack on functionality without rhyme or reason, the multiple storage mediums included here make infinite sense - utilising the upsides, and negating the downsides of devices that use one or the other.

After inventing the DVD camcorder in 1999, Hitachi have another world first under their belt with the release of their hybrid DVD/HDD camcorders. Their catch cry is "Shoot for hours, edit in minutes, share in seconds" and unlike some Franken-gadgets that tack on functionality without rhyme or reason, the multiple storage mediums included here make infinite sense - utilising the upsides, and negating the downsides of devices that use one or the other. Hitachi DVD/HDD camcoder

DVD & HDD camcorders have their own inherent advantages and limitations. A hard disk allows on board editing capabilities, but once you've filled it, you're not shooting any more footage until you can get to a computer - and having to lug around a laptop isn't an attractive solution. DVD means no editing, but the discs are inexpensive and readily available, .

The 1.3 Megapixel DZ-HS301E (AU$1449) and the 3.3 Megapixel DZ-HS303E (AU$1649) have an 8 gigabyte hard disk, which is enough room for 110 minutes of video at full resolution. Unlike other devices, once you've filled this, you can easily export the entire/desired contents to DVD - without the need for a computer.

The one second Quickstart, which Hitachi claims to be the fastest out there, means that anyone missing out on that once-in-a-lifetime footage can only blame themselves, and all the functionality here has been squeezed into a surprisingly compact and lightweight package that is very comfortable to hold - and would presumably remain so for periods of extended use.

The only potential downside we see here is that the included battery will provide a fairly uninspiring maximum shooting time of 90 minutes, however an optional larger battery will supply up to three and a half hours of recording, which should satisfy all but the most snap-happy.

The DZ-HS301E and DZ-HS303E are now available worldwide, for more information visit Hitachi's website.

[source:  www.gizmag.com]

X-Arm Remote Controlled On-Wall Mounting Solution

X-Arm 

The X-Arm from K2 Mounts and CLO Systems allows you to adjust the viewing angle of a flat panel TV with a universal remote control for a perfect viewing angle anywhere. At the touch of a button on the provided universal remote control or via a RS-232 controlled touch panel, X-arm smoothly extends the TV 12 inches from the wall allowing the viewer to adjust the swivel left/right range of motion from 20º to 32º (depending on display size) in either direction and tilt range up to 25º down and 7º up until the optimum, glare-free viewing angle is obtained and stored. Two programmable memory locations are provided to recall viewing preferences. X-arm is easily installed iX-Armn the same manner as any conventional manual wall mounting unit.

A universal mounting attachment kit is provided to facilitate easy coupling with the flat panel display. In the retracted position, the TV is unobtrusive, residing a mere 4.6 inches from the wall. X-arm is designed to accommodate plasma or LCD flat panel TV’s in 40 to 65-inch sizes. X-arm is available in either black or silver colors with MSRP of $1995.00.

[source: http://www.newlaunches.com]

Jabba the Hutt on eBay

Jabba the Hutt

Those who cannot remember Jabba the Hutt ought to be thrown into the Sarlacc Pit themselves! This is one mean-looking, overweight villian whom we can credit for getting Princess Leia into that scantily clad suit. Anyhow, there is a life-sized Jabba replica making the rounds on eBay, just make sure you have deep pockets before placing your bid as it currently costs $13,000. Of course, you'd need a pretty large living space as well to store this 3.7 meter long behemoth, but hey - if you can fork out a cool thirteen grand for something as frivolous as this, I'm pretty sure you stay in a mansion of some sort.

[source: www.ubergizmo.com]

Samsung pimps out 18K gold YP-Z5

Samsung pimps out 18K gold YP-Z5

In today's "because they can" moment, Samsung has decided that in order to truly celebrate the 1-millionth YP-Z5 DAP sold, they must take 10 of them, dip them in 18K gold, and then auction them off to people who like shiny things. As you probably know by now, this blingification isn't anything new in the consumer electronics biz. The units come with interface designer Paul Mercer's signature on the back and arrive in gold-leafed boxes. You may remember Paul Mercer from such interfaces as the iPod (he defected to help with the YP line). According to Samsung, these ultimate extravagances are expected to net at least 120,000 Yen ($1,040) each. Yepp.

[source: www.engadget.com]

Toshiba to announce a new 100GB 1.8-inch HDD

toshiba 100 Gb HDD

Toshiba announced a 1.8-inch drive that offers a storage capacity of 100 gigabytes, the largest capacity yet achieved in this class of HDD.

The new drive, MK1011GAH, employs perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology and an improved error correction code to secure the density of any 1.8-inch HDD in the market.

Toshiba will start mass production of this new best-in-class drive from January 2007.

[source: www.aving.net]

Monday, December 4, 2006

HiPe PC eMage-N: Media Center PCs with voice control

HiPe PC media PC with voice control

"Hey you! Computer! Tell Oprah to shut up!" Oh, the possibilities of voice recognition software. Sure, it's easier to just say "mute," but what's the fun in that.

Anyway, HiPe PC is launching the eMage-N line of media center PCs, which the say is the first line to include voice recognition software standard on every system. They'll be using software from One Voice Technologies, which you could pick up yourself for about $150 plus the cost of a microphone or a custom remote to record your voice commands.

The eMage-N series is for high end users only, with options including a Blu-Ray recorder, a 200 disc DVR/RW changer, and an HD movie projector and 100-inch screen. Prices start at $1379.

[source: http://www.pvrwire.com]

Wii Multiplayer In Q2 2007

Wii

Nintendo of America’s top guy Reggie Fils-Aime stated in an interview that online Wii gaming won’t be available until Q2 2007. He implied that the first of the multiplayer enabled games will start to drop in March and that there should be something of an onslaught following that.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this. Six months after launch seems like a particularly long time for Wii owners to have to wait for one of the most standard features of next gen consoles: Online multiplayer action.

It sort of bugs me that companies launch products just to get them out of the door and then customers have to wait months just to get the features they were promised.

[source: http://crunchgear.com]

Build your own laptop water cooling rig

laptop cooling system

While most people's response to an overheating laptop would naturally be to send it in for repairs, Instructables member "Jack Ruby" decided to do things a little differently and take matters into his own hands, creating a water cooling system that is at once highly impractical and oh so right. As Mr. Ruby himself says, however, mixing water and electronics isn't always the best of ideas, so this strictly a proceed at your own risk deal. That said, if you're brave enough to risk electrocution and an even more damaged laptop, you can build the entire rig for far less than the repair bill would cost, and lay claim to the only computer mod that makes use of a gerbil hydration unit. Just don't blame us when you get "delayed" on you next visit to the airport.

Full instruction: http://www.instructables.com/id/EDZO09MXA3EV2Z4CFS/?ALLSTEPS

[source: www.engadget.com]

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