RhinoSkin Case for Palm Treo 700

by John Andrews

I've been using the RhinoSkin Leather Case for the Palm Treo 700/650 for the last several weeks and have concluded that, while it isn't the perfect case (if there is such a thing), it is a nice addition to my growing collection of Treo cases, and one I use frequently. It looks more professional than my old horizontal leather and fabric holster from Palm. It also has a few extra features.

Most leather cases come in black and the RhinoSkin is no exception. But I was pleased to see that RhinoSkin also offers a variety of colors including tan, red, pink, and buff in addition to the standard black. Pink and red were out of the question for me, but I had a hard time choosing between the black and tan cases. Taking the easy way out, I ended up getting both the black and tan cases with the thought that my wife (who has a Treo 650) and I (with my Treo 700p) could switch if we got bored with the color we had since the cases are supposed to work with either model.

Function

As can be seen in the following picture, the RhinoSkin cases are "flip" cases that have a large flap that protects the front of your Treo when closed and can be flipped open when you need to use the buttons or screen on your Treo. This flap has a sturdy piece of plastic inside that provides protection for your Trēo's screen from scratches or sharp pointy objects. The cover has slots to hold 3 credit cards and 2 SD cards, and an opening in the bottom that allows you to plug in a synch & charge cable when the cover is open or closed. Finally, there is a small flap with a magnetic clasp that holds the cover closed.

Materials, Construction and Fit

The leather used for the tan case felt quite soft and luxurious but the texture of the black leather was a bit firmer. The main surfaces of the case are covered in leather, but the inside is covered with a soft fabric or rubberized backing where the Treo is inserted. There is some sort of harder material underneath the leather to help the case hold the correct shape even when the Trēo is not inside. The tan case had white stitching while the black case had black stitching, and the stitching of both seemed to be of high quality.

(c) www.mytreo.net

Microvision Pico Projector

by Andrew Liszewski

Sure it’s cool to have TV and movies streaming to your phone or PDA but since most of that content starts out as an HD-size image you’re really missing out on a lot with that 320×240 pixel screen. Even surfing the web on a mobile device requires a bit of compromise to squeeze everything onto those relatively tiny displays.

While increasing the resolution is an obvious first step you can only take that approach so far before you reach the limits of what the human eye can see. So another clever approach is to increase the size of the screen via a built-in projector. Microvision is apparently developing the PicoP or Pico Projector that is small enough to be embedded into a cellphone or similarly sized device. The PicoP will be able to project a laptop screen-sized full color image onto any surface and will remain in focus at any distance which is important given these are destined for handheld devices.

I have no idea what the resolution, color-depth or contrast level of these embedded projectors will be but at least Microvision has announced they’ll be officially unveiled at CES which hopefully means we’ll see actual working prototypes.

(c) www.ohgizmo.com

The PC2TV EchoView FM ... think iTV but not by Apple

by Christopher Grant

Think of the Addlogix PC2TV EchoView FM as an iTV -- Apple's tentatively titled set-top box -- except that it doesn't come in white ... and it has a DVI input. The "codex agnostic" device will wirelessly receive video (up to 720p they claim) at 30 frames per second over 802.11g from any WiFi-enabled computer. Anything you can view on your computer you can stream to a display wirelessly (or wired, if that's your thing), so long as it accepts composite, component, or DVI input. We're not sure when Apple's going to launch the iTV or what they're going to charge, but expect the EchoView FM to hit in February for $199.99.

(c) www.engadget.com

Norcent readies new plasmas / LCD HDTV for CES

by Darren Murph

While it seems we really only hear from Norcent when CES is approaching, the California-based outfit is kicking it up a notch this year as well, as it plans to showcase a duo of new plasmas and a flagship LCD HDTV as well. Both PDPs will feature integrated ATSC / NTSC tuners, HDMI, component / S-Video / composite, VGA, 160-degree viewing angle, SRS-enhanced stereo speakers, and a "3D digital comb filter" for color processing. Additionally, the 50-inch PT-5045HD plasma will sport a 1,366 x 768 resolution, 1,000 cd/m2, and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, while the 42-inch PT-4246HD gets stuck with a 1,024 x 768 resolution and 8,000:1 contrast ratio, but picks up a Clear-QAM tuner and a 1,200 cd/m2 brightness rating. Over on the LCD side, the 37-inch VION LT-3790 one ups the LT-3725 we saw just recently by touting a larger panel, 1,366 x 768 resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd/m2 brightness, 176-degree viewing angle, built-in ATSC / NTSC (Clear-QAM) tuners, HDMI, component / S-Video / composite inputs, VGA, and the same SRS-enabled speakers as on the plasmas. For those interested in picking one up, the PT-4246HD is on the streets right now for a very reasonable $1,199.99, while the 50-inch flavor will land next month for $1,899.99, and the $1,199.99 VION LCD will hit stores sometime Q2 2007.

(c) www.engdaget.com

IntelliTouch Eos Wireless Speaker System for iPod

IntelliTouch has announced their Eos wireless iPod speaker system. The base system will happily dock your iPod, includes stereo speakers and a ported subwoofer and transmit wirelessly to the external speakers up to 150 feet away through walls, ceilings and even outdoors. The external speakers have a removable power supply—meaning it can plug directly into the a wall outlet, or be places on a countertop or mounted elsewhere and powered via cord. Each wireless speaker also includes two stereo drivers and a ported subwoofer.

The EOS system will be released in March. For $300 you get the base docking station/transmitter and one additional wireless speakers. Each additional speaker can be picked up for $129 and there is also an outdoor amplifier to boost signal for outdoor usage also for $129. – Travis Hudson

(c) www.gizmodo.com

Remote Control Metal Detector

by Andrew Liszewski

No one ever goes to the beach to work (well except maybe for lifeguards) so why would you bring along a metal detector you have to carry around all day? Where’s the relaxation in that? Instead why not get yourself a small army of these remote control metal detectors that allow you to scour for treasures from the comfort of your beach chair.

Granted this thing is probably not even close to the sensitivity or accuracy of a high-end metal detector but just keep in mind those pro-models don’t even have remotes. The mobile detector comes equipped with large, all-terrain wheels and can be controlled up to 50 feet away which probably limits your chances of ever stumbling upon that chest of pirate treasure you’re after. Also, I’m pretty sure given the price of this thing it’s not waterproof either so you’ll probably want to keep it well clear of the surf.

The RC Mobile Metal Detector is available from the Discovery Channel Store for $34.96.

(c) www.ohgizmo.com

Duracell FM transmitter, extended battery combo for iPod Video

by Christopher Grant

Already available for the iPod nano, Battery-Biz is rolling out their Duracell PowerFM line to the iPod Video, complete with FM transmitter, extended battery, and bonus protective silicon case. The extended battery more than doubles the iPod's run-time while powering the FM transmitter, with unlimited channel selection. It also replicates the iPod's dock connector, so you can still use all those other accessories without unplugging your 'Pod. No date yet (they're saying end of Q1, early Q2) but expect a retail price of $79.99.

(c) www.engadget.com