USB Port Wine Is A Hoot

No, you won't find anything technological inside this bottle other than good wine, but it makes for an interesting spot of evening reading. A new (and strange) rule imposed by the European Union states that wineries are not allowed to use the word "port" on their wine labels, unless it was made in Portugal. Necessity being the mother of all invention, Peltier Station Winery decided to brand their dessert wine "USB" in lieu of the word "port", hence the listing of its $25 wine as "USB Port." Well, at the very least, the label's roots do resemble the USB symbol. Will we be seeing FireWire, Ethernet and eSATA wines down the road?

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Psystar Pricks Apple With Plans For Notebook

Guess Psystar isn't just content with mocking Apple with its Blu-ray enabled desktop, but will also be releasing a new notebook that can run Mac OS X. It would be interesting to see how the lawyers between both companies sort out the situation, but you can be sure that Steve Jobs and co. are not going to take this purported affront so lightly. After all, Psystar is already committed to offer this Open Computer notebook at a very competitive price. One can only wonder whether the Blu-ray drive will be included then...

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Ooma Launches New Features - Quick Review

Ooma is a one time fee VoIP good looking device that was introduced on the market for the first time in September 2007. Today, Ooma is introducing new features to its Hub and Scout bundle priced at $249.99 for unlimited US calling (low-cost International). The Hub can support one phone handset and each additional phone handset need to be connected via a Scout, one Hub can support up to 4 Scouts ($69.99 per additional Scout). This time, customers will be able to get the ooma from retail stores like BestBuy.

The new features are included in the ooma Premier service that will cost you $12.99 a month or $99.99 a year:

• Virtual phone numbers: a second "free"phone number is included in the ooma Premier service and you can add up to nine numbers, but for each of the other eight, you need to pay a monthly fee of $4.99...
• Voicemail attachments: now you will be able to listen to your voicemail from your email, this feature has been standard for a while in our Lingo service. It delivers Wav files that are larger than the mp3 files that we get from Lingo. This is standard for most VoIP services as well.
• Multi Ring: now you can configure the system to simultaneously ring or forward to a mobile phone or another phone, this feature is included in most VoIP services too.
• Personal Numbers and Private Voicemail: according to ooma, this is a unique feature: the service can route a phone call to a specific device. From the configuration web page (ooma Lounge), you can assign a virtual personal phone number to a specific phone. Each personal number has a separate voicemail box and a ooma Lounge account.
• Call Logs, Blacklist: From the ooma Lounge, you can view the information on incoming and outgoing calls and select specific phone numbers to blacklist. This feature is in beta and it was not accessible when I tested the service.

Continue Reading"Ooma Launches New Features - Quick Review"

Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

New Ford HUD Is Very Cool

One of the stand-out features of Ford’s new 2010 hybrids will definitely have to be the SmartGauge LCD panels. Instead of usual boring analog dials, Ford has opted to give you a LCD screen instrument cluster with some lively animations, with the fuel gauge being one of the more noticeable indicators, as it’s definitely pretty looking yet extremely functional. Being an LCD, the display is obviously customizable, and you can see all sorts of useful information on it. While this is certainly pretty and cool, it still isn’t as cool as the one on Nissan’s GT-R.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

New $100 60GB Xbox Live Starter Pack

If you’re looking for a hard drive upgrade for your Xbox 360 on the cheap, then you’ll be happy to hear that Microsoft has announced a $100 60GB Xbox Live Starter Pack which will hit retailers this November. The package will include a 60GB hard drive, Xbox 360 headset, Ethernet cables, and a 3-month Xbox Live Gold subscription. For users who own the previous Xbox 360 Pro models which were bundled with a 20GB hard drive, this should be a good upgrade package as the 60GB hard drive was previously packaged with the $300 Xbox 360 Pro models.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Pantech Slate Now Official On AT&T

The Pantech Slate is now official at AT&T and is as previously mentioned, boasting to be the “world’s thinnest QWERTY keyboard” handset. A quick glance at this phone and it should be quite obvious that it’s targeted at messaging junkies who also still want to look in fashion with the latest slim devices. Aside from the full QWERTY keyboard, the Slate also features Bluetooth, video recording, 1.3 megapixel camera, email, instant messaging and support for AT&T’s Media Net.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Garmin Nuvifone Delayed To Next Year

Too many delays are not good for any consumer electronics product, as you will then have to be content with releasing an outdated device, or scrap it altogether. The same can be said for Garmin's Nuvifone which saw its release date being pushed back from later this year all the way to the first half of next year. By then, more Android-based phones would have arrived on the market with a much more mature software collection in the Android Marketplace, while the iPhone will still be doing phenomenally well, opening in new markets globally. Let's not even talk about HTC and its range of smartphones that are in pockets of many a businessperson already. Where does this place the Nuvifone then?

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Grantwood Tuneband Armband For iPod nano 4G

Grantwood Technology has rolled out its own tuneband armband for the iPod nano 4G, keeping it secure even when you're involved in the most vigorous of exercise routines at the gym. The flexible band is elastic enough to fit a whole range of arm sizes, although we're not too sure whether they can accommodate Hulk Hogan's 24" pythons. The tuneband armband will provide some semblance of protection to your portable media player with a silicone skin that will not get in the way of controls or ports, and works well with the Nike+iPod Sport Kit. You can choose from clear, gray, black, navy blue, purple, teal, green, red and pink colors, as long as you hand over $13 for it.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

OpenMoko Jumps On Android Bandwagon

OpenMoko, the open source handset manufacturer, will be working on a new handset known as GTA02 from November onwards that will run on the Android platform. It will be somewhat similar to the Neo FreeRunner, utilizing a 400MHz to 500MHz processor, 128MB RAM, 256MB flash memory, assisted GPS and a laser pen - presumably to double up as a presentation device. Let's see - Motorola and Asus are already working on Android phones, so it would be interesting to see others like Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and even Nokia join the party if they want to.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

USB Power Bar With Flashlight

This USB Power Bar with Flashlight not only juices up your USB-dependable gizmos, it also doubles up as a flashlight just in case you can't find the keyhole to your door after a late night out with friends. Within the case holds a rechargeable lithium ion battery at 2200mAh capacity, and offers overcharging protection so that you won't find your device combust spontaneously. Each $32 purchase comes with charging adapters for a variety of devices including iPods and cell phones from a range of manufacturers (Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, etc). No idea on the charging time, but this ought to be a suitable travel companion for those who are often nowhere near a power outlet.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

TVBE Atom-powered PC Comes In Cylindrical Shape

Not many computers deviate from the tried-and-tested rectangular form factor, but CLVE Computers decided to go against the grain with the TVBE computer which houses the following in a cylindrical chassis :-

• Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor
• 1GB/2GB RAM
• 320GB/500GB hard drive
• Intel GMA950 chipset
• Six USB 2.0 ports

The TVBE stands just 9.6" tall and tips the scales at 9.9 pounds, and hopefully nobody will mistake this €299 computer for a garbage can and force its lid open.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

DreamStream Encrypts Blu-ray Competitor

DreamStream will be working to encrypt Royal Digital Media's new optical media format that brings military-strength encryption into this new high definition discs, potentially sending a cold shiver down the spines of Sony executives. DreamStream is touted to be the first company to introduce and implement 2,048-bit encryption in consumer media, which totally thrashes AES encryption that is currently utilized in Sony's Blu-ray discs that leans upon a 128-bit system. No doubt 2,046-bit encryption will be much harder to hack and break, but there is nothing a genius can't do as it will be but a matter of time. Doesn't really matter is Royal Digital Media's optical format doesn't take off though.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

3D Books In The Works

German company Metaio is working on a new system that will see good ol' books turned into reality-augmented 3D objects. What does this mean for today's kids who have extremely short attention spans? Well, they could possibly learn to love reading, since you will get models of things described in books jumping off the pages. Essential tools required would be a webcam, some software and a specially designed book to work with the system. The next thing you know, they won't know how to handle school textbooks since those are like, 2D and all, with absolutely zero interactivity. Imagination? What's that, they ask. But hey – what happens if you employ this technology in more hedonistic adult pursuits such as Mills & Boon books?

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

I-Cool Concept Chair

The I-Cool concept chair sits down there looking pretty, and it looks as though it belongs to some sort of science fiction film instead of being grounded in reality. That's fine, after all, isn't a concept supposed to challenge conventional ideas and boundaries? Apparently, it was specially designed to help you lose weight even without doing anything other than sit down in it. Guess this is perfect for office drones who subsist on nothing else but pizza and other greasy fast food while they race against the clock to complete assignments handed down to them, leaving no time for exercise to combat the growing flab around the waist.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

PowerPutt Gets Your Golfing Kicks In

Want to bring a little bit of arcade golfing action back home? You can now do so with the PowerPutt. Developed by the same company that rolled out Golden Tee, PowerPutt presents pretty decent graphics with a similar control scheme as that of the Golden Tee. This game will be coin operated (yes, even though you're rich enough to buy a machine and place it at home), and the green fees are way cheaper than that of an actual golf course - you will need to pay $1 per player for a 9-hole round, while a full 18-hole round will cost double the amount. Up to 16 players can play in each round, taking their turns while the other 15 sit around the table and catch up on the latest news. There are three courses to choose from - Freaky Tiki, Dusty Trail and Skull Island.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

JBL EON500 Series Speakers

JBL's latest speakers are from the EON500 series which ups the ante in various aspects including industrial design, sonic performance, integrated utility and unprecedented portability when it comes to molded powered loudspeakers. Inside the EON500 series, you will find an integrated woofer, amplifier and wave-guide. With thermal management of all components, you can be sure that this is one speaker that won't fold up anytime soon no matter how hard you push it compared to other general products in the market. Features of the EON500 series loudspeakers also include selectable EQ, multiple suspension points, soft-grip handle, and a full-screened backed grille for extra component protection. There is no word on pricing as at press time.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Pico Media Projector Hits The UK

the Pico Media Projector is so small, you're able to slip it into just about any pocket you want. It measures a mere 11.5cm x 5cm x 2.2cm and tips the scales at just 160 grams, while the rechargeable lithium ion battery is good for an hour's worth of playback time. Looks (and sounds) like the perfect device to share your favorite photos and videos stored on a portable media player or cell phone with a small group of friends without having to copy the files over to a computer, saving your friends' from squinting their eyes in the process. Don't expect full High Definition resolution from the Pico Media Projector though, as it won't be able to scale such heights. You will be able to pick up the Pico Media Projector at an extremely affordable £299.99.

Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Stock Ticker Pumpkin Scares Older Folks

While ghosts and ghouls might scare the wits out of younger children, we adults are probably more frightened when it comes to Wall Street figures. This Halloween pumpkin will certainly send chills down your spine, featuring daily updates from Wall Street. All you need is a tiny pumpkin, a 5" x 7" scrolling LED panel, a microcontroller, some wires and the necessary DIY knowledge and you're good to go. Alternatively, you can always subscribe to SMS alerts on your cell phone in order to keep track of your portfolio in real time.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

DIY LED Lego Minifigs

Give your Halloween a twist with these LED Lego minifigs that have had their heads, eyes and mouths bored out only to have the newly created hollow space filled with an LED light of your choice, emitting an eerie glow with all the lights turned off. I suppose the default Halloween Lego minifig would have to be the headless horseman since that's pretty easy to do, but this project is on a totally different level.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Electrolux Collapsible Soft-Refrigerator Concept

Electrolux has a brand new collapsible soft-refrigerator concept that reminds us of Ikea designs. The accordion styling looks set to remain for many years to come due to its versatility in a cramped home, and this concept features heat-insulating membranes as well as modular shelving to maximize space as and when you need, growing or shrinking according to your current storage needs. At least you don't need to open up the fridge to figure out just how much stuff you have left inside - just take a look at how many tiers it is at to get an instant rough figure.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Sony Recalls More Batteries

Sony doesn't seem to have very good memories when it comes to notebook batteries as they're in the thick of action yet again - this time round as the defendant in more than 40 incidents in the world of notebook overheating. According to both Sony and the Consumer Product Safety Commission earlier this afternoon, the Japanese electronics giant will be withdrawing 100,000 notebook batteries that hold Sony 2.15Ah lithium-ion cells within. Up to 35,000 of these were sold in the US, while the remaining 65,000 are circulating in international markets. When will Sony start to buck up when it comes to battery technology? After all, don't we want to avoid getting burnt while using our Walkman or camcorder?

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Samsung Parades 63-inch Plasma Display

The ongoing FPD International show in Japan saw Samsung demonstrate its massive 63" plasma display that features 4K resolution - a whopping 4,096 x 2,160 pixels, which is way higher compared to what regular full HD displays offer. Samsung managed to do this by shrinking individual pixels to just 0.339mm x 0.363mm. In addition, the barrier rib structure was slimmed down further while both transparent electrode and bus electrodes were revised. Just to get a better idea of how much smaller these pixels are, they're less than 50% of one found on a modern 63" full HDTV. Would be interesting to see just when 4K TVs become commercial, but it'd be a pretty hard sell in these times considering how everyone else is more concerned about bread and butter issues.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

AT&T Offers Motorola RAZR2 V9x

AT&T is now offering the Motorola RAZR2 V9x to the masses, and this handset goes one up on the standard V9 by throwing in support for AT&T's Navigator service alongside other minor improvements such as the ability to access more functions from the external display, Video Share, boosted memory support for up to 8GB via a memory card, as well as increased talk and stand-by times. You will be able to pick up the Motorola RAZR2 V9x for $200 after rebates with new 2-year agreement.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Softbank 823SH Tiffany Phone Released

In such difficult times, it is amazing to see Softbank, Tiffany and Sharp come together to release a released a €100,000 cell phone. What makes this so special? Well, for starters, the Softbank 823SH Tiffany as it is known will be limited to just 10 units, and will come studded with 537 (18.34 carat) diamonds. No idea on the specifications, but it should be pretty much on par with other Softbank handsets of the current generation. Good thing this is one piece of tech you can pawn when times get really hard in the pocket.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Verizon Wireless And Alltel Merger Approved

Look out AT&T, the proposed merger between Verizon Wireless and Alltel have just been okayed by the Department of Justice, and both companies when merged, are on the brink of becoming the largest wireless carrier in the nation. The final obstacle remains in the hands of the Federal Communications Commission, where they will pass a vote on the deal this November 4th. Do you think this merger will stifle competition as consumers will have less and less choices between network operators, or are you all for the sharing of resources in order to serve customers from both carriers better? Image courtesy of WallStreetFighter.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Yoono: lighter with a Shopping Widget and supports IE, Imeem and MySpace.

center>

I have been a Yoono user for a while and I was waiting for this new version. Yoono is a Social Aggregator integrated as a side bar in the browser that I use mainly to update my status in various Social Networking Websites, get instant twitter alerts, listen to random music and all this while I am browsing the web. I tried Twhirl which is very convenient to update Twitter and view Twits, but I had to uninstall Adobe Air from my Mac because it was causing too many conflicts with other applications. Yoono has much more features like chat across a wide number of IM clients, instant media sharing via IM, web discovery and content recommendation based on behavior, blogging, and more... Yoono previous version for the Mac was requering too much of the processor resources and other UI issues needed to be fixed as well. The new version is lighter, according to the Yoono engineering team, and has new features:

• Shopping Widget
  It generates product recommendations by analyzing keywords from the user browsing patterns. Users can purchase items from amazon.com, Buy.com, eBay and Shopzilla directly from the Yoono bar. The shopping widget will be available on Nov 24th.
• Supports Internet Explorer (finally)
• Social Networks and Social Music
  Now users can access their MySpae profile from the Yoono bar and listen to their music from the integrated Imeem widget.
• Interface color customization
  Users can select from 4 different colors for the Yoono bar interface.

Note: I could not test it, I only had a demo.

Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

RED BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 From T-Mobile

T-Mobile is now offering a new RED BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 that offers a chance for you to match your crimson wardrobe with this handset. Other than the color change, everything else remains the same as the vanilla version of the Flip 8220. Just in case you have forgotten, its features include :-

• 240 x 320 internal display
• 128 x 160 external display
• Quad-band EDGE
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• microSDHC memory card slot
• 3.5mm headphone jack

Pricing has not changed either - you will still have to fork out $150 for a 2-year contract after rebates.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Compaq Mini 700 - Close Relative Of HP Mini 1000

Just in case you mistake the Compaq Mini 700 for the HP Mini 1000, here are some of the rather subtle differences :-

• Compaq logo in lieu of HP logo (duh)
• Option to include HSDPA modem
• Compaq Mini 700 out in December, HP Mini 1000 out in February (both in UK)
• £299 vs £399 price point

Other than those four, the specifications are more or less identical, although there have been reports floating around the internet that the US version of the HP Mini 1000 comes with a 1024 x 600 resolution for its display, while the UK version will most likely sport a 1,024 x 576 resolution display.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Alltel Late With Samsung Delve

Alltel is late to the party yet again, being the last major US carrier that is offering the Samsung Delve. This full touch screen display handset does share some resemblances with the Instinct for Sprint, but it does differ in terms of non-touch call and menu buttons. The Samsung Delve is also the first US phone which offers Samsung's TouchWiz interface, although it does lack a smartphone operating system like its much higher end sibling, the Omnia. Other features on the Samsung Delve include :-

• 2 megapixel camera
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Bluetooth connectivity
• GPS navigation
• microSDHC memory card slot
• EV-DO connectivity

You will be able to place a $200 pre-order for the Delve today, and shipping commences on November 7th as long as you agree to a contract.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Catch 22 Yo-Yo

Just when you thought that you've seen it all, along comes the Catch 22 Yo-Yo which will come in extremely limited quantities - 70 units worldwide to be exact. Hence, the insanely high $460 price point that will definitely send collectors whipping their calculators out. The Catch 22 Yo-Yo does all the tricks and stunts that most other yo-yos do, but its extreme limited quantity and special bi-metallic design augmented with a black aluminum body and titanium rims for superior weight distribution make this a highly desirable toy. Each purchase will come with its personal carrying case and a bunch of spare parts. Get this only if you're a hobbyist or a serious collector.

PS3 Wiimote Patent Filed

Feast on the strange monstrosity of the patented PS3 Wiimote-like device which can further be split into two for additional alternative gaming methods. The technology used within are pretty much similar to what Nintendo's Wiimote has, accelerometers, LED-based tracking and all. In addition, this unique controller is also able to deploy ultrasonic frequencies so that the absolute xyz position can be determined. It would be pretty interesting to see how Sony will further expand on this idea in order to give its gaming and entertainment a much needed boost if this ever becomes mainstream.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Ubergizmo fans: free VentureWire Technology Showcase 08 pass!

Ubergizmo is media partner of VentureWire Technology Showcase 08, an emerging technology Dow Jones conference held in the Bay Area, Nov 18-19, 2008.

The Technology Showcase will present 125 start-ups from the U.S. and Europe, all vetted by VentureWire readers and Dow Jones editors as industry stand-outs in Advertising, business technologies, media, mobile applications, networking, Web and wireless. This conference is great for discovering new technologies and either find deal prospects, acquisition targets, business partners or competitors.

Continue Reading"Ubergizmo fans: free VentureWire Technology Showcase 08 pass!"

Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment

Thanko Cool USB Keyboard

A lot of us have cool keyboards, but how many of you have keyboards that are literally cool? Thanko is offering a USB keyboard that has a built-in cooler and heater, which should be useful in all kinds of climates. There is a control wheel on the side of the keyboard that will give you complete control over the temperature orientation of your keyboard. The keyboard is going for just $50 on the Thanko website, and if you want the cooler-only version, you can find it on RareMonoShop.co, though it’s surprisingly more expensive at $78.

Source... Yahoo! Buzz Add Comment