Story posted on: September 28, 2008
BenQ's S6 has finally launched in Italy, and it surely deserves all the excitement surrounding it since this is the first Atom-based MID to roll out in the Western world, accompanied by the following features :-
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
The Oppo Muse Smart G11 portable media player (PMP) still looks like a concept to me, since the design is rather surreal what with old school remote control-style buttons which are revealed when the display is slid sideways in a landscape manner. No idea on the complete specifications, but it would be nice to see at least a 16-bit emulator thrown in as NES games just won't make the grade these days even for casual gaming.
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
The Draganflyer X6 is a miniature helicopter that is able to shoot videos from above, and the beauty of this is you need not be limited to a single type of camera since it uses interchangeable modules that allow you to switch between high definition video, still images, low light and thermal imaging cameras. This remote controlled wonder relies on a 6-rotor design so that a smooth, balanced flight can be achieved, while the integrated GPS system makes sure that your precious X6's location is at hand at all times. There are 11 on-board sensors as well as a custom application code that will stabilize the flyer automatically according to the wind conditions around, and should you lose the remote signal, it will land itself automatically (and safely, I hope) while transmitting its position to your via GPS. Be prepared to break the bank for this as the Draganflyer X6 costs a whopping $14,995.
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
The Slingbox PRO-HD has started to ship after its initial hiccup, and you can bring one home by dropping $299. With this, all your high definition fantasies in any room will come true as it streams 720p or 1080i high definition video into just about any room you desire. Features include an integrated digital tuner and a plethora of inputs that won't shy away from devices such as a DVR, digital cable, satellite receiver and DVD player. Not only that, the Slingbox PRO-HD's release couldn't be timed any more perfectly as a major software revision for Windows XP and Vista users has just rolled out as well, where SlingPlayer 2.0 boasts a bunch of updates and new features such as live video buffer that enables viewers to pause, rewind and fast forward live streams a la DVR.
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
What can you get for £69.99 these days? How about the tiny iDect Z10i Wireless Conferencing System that doesn't look as though it amounts to much, but in reality is a full-blown hands-free telephone conferencing device that features a 10 hour talk time, polyphonic ringtones and integrated answering machine? Definitely a convergence device that is not to be sneezed at at such a price point. Also, it looks cute enough to be on anybody's desk without being a burden, and I swear it is actually a hidden Autobot that's biding its time to reveal itself to humanity.
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
Night vision used to be an ability that everybody wished they had while growing up, and when we're all adults now, night vision is just as cool since it allows us to move about in darkness from our bed to the bathroom without having to turn on the lights and wake our partner up. Thanks to IR technology, this pair of EyeClops Night Vision Goggles let you see up to 50 feet in pitch black darkness, and has a flip up eye piece just in case the lights get turned on. Best to have a cache of rechargeable AA batteries handy as it takes up to 5 of those buggers at any one time. The asking price for a cool piece of tech? $90.
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
What did you expect anyways? PDP and Radio Disney starlets Aly and AJ have come together to create Rock Band and Guitar Hero peripherals for chicks. Both models will hit retail stores this October for $70, and is compatible with both the Wii and the PS2, so PS3 and Xbox 360 owners can sit out on this one. Aly's guitar will come with a heart and a cross bone print on top of a pink and brown guitar, while AJ's version mirrors the heart logo. Tardy? Definitely, but hey - if it helps you earn brownie points with that hot girl you've been chasing after, what's $70?
Story posted on: September 28, 2008
Isn't it a pain that all cell phone brands come with different connectors, making the idea of a universal phone charger non-existent? Well, the USB Multi-Cellular Phone Charger tries to toy with the idea in a paradigm shift - offering various plug endings in a single piece of plastic insead. For $18, you can juice up just about any handset from Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Nokia among others. Definitely handy if you're a frequent traveler with a group who carries different brand handsets.
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Story posted on: September 24, 2008
Furutech must be insane to ask for $1,800 for this power cable known as the Piezo Powerflux Power Cord. What makes this so expensive? Well, it is supposedly "made of layers of carbon fiber in a damping and insulating acetal copolymer surrounded by nonmagnetic stainless steel." While it will assure efficiency during power transfer, I think I'm gonna let a couple volts slide considering the crazy price tag we see here.
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It has been a while since the MobiBlu brand name has cropped up, and this time round we have the T20 portable media player (PMP) that comes with a round tactile navigation controller to help you go through your list of media files while you're on the go. This is no Apple Click Wheel, but it is functional to say the least. Features of the MobiBlu T20 include :-
Categories: NextFest 08
And they founded their company HumanCar to prove that burritos, not biofuels, are the future's gasoline.
Their Imagine_PS car seats up to four in a low-slung chassis, all of whom get to help row the lightweight car.
Think of it as a ergonomic, efficient and sneaker-saving Flintstone's car for an oil-free future.
The front two 'drivers' get to steer, which is done with a talented and coordinated lean.
"Body steering comes from the hips," CEO Chuck said. "It's just like a properly performed ski turn."
But revolutionizing steering is not the point of these Oregon entrepreneurs.
"It's about thinking about days per life versus miles per gallon," CEO Chuck Greenwood said.
When powered by four people rowing, the car will go about as fast as the 'drivers' would on bicycles, on average.
But, that's only if they were driving in a flat city like Chicago, where the car is currently on display for two weeks during the Wired NextFest future tech expo in Millennium Park.
For hillier locales or higher speeds, there's electric assist motors and regenerative brakes that funnel the vehicle's momentum back into the batteries.
The Greenwoods plan to sell Imagine_PS as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, a state-by-state designation that frees it from requirements such as air bags and in some states, even the need for a licensed driver or insurance.
But to qualify, the top speed will have to capped at around 20 mph – though the Greenwoods say the chassis can easily handle sports car speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Hear that hot rodders?
Though not yet for sale, advanced models of the Imagine_PS for corporate campuses will be available soon for $35-50,000, while the consumer model is slated to be be priced at $15,500.
Reuters reports that two industry sources confirmed Nokia's touchscreen handset, codenamed "Tube," would make its debut in a London media event.
The hotly anticipated Tube will be the first touchscreen handset from Nokia, the leader in the global handset market.
"The phone is extremely important," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. "We have been waiting for the market leader to respond to Apple's iPhone for a year and a half now. There is a lot of pressure on Nokia."
Nokia's iPhone rival due next week: sources [Reuters]
Photo: Mobile.z
Categories: Media Players, Reviews 
The new Archos 5 wants to challenge Apple’s army of media players with a dirty yet clever trick. It comes in the form of a beautiful, 4.8-inch HD screen that is so vibrant; it makes average features shine like rhinestones and completely blinds you from noticing the deficient ones. You know, it’s kinda like when China used the Olympics to divert attention from its human rights violations!
Okay, it’s not exactly fair to liken the Archos 5 to the People’s Republic questionable treatment of its citizens. What’s fair to say is that this is an outstanding music device and an even better portable video player. The screen is so glossy and gorgeous, I want to take it to Las Vegas and get married to it. You can watch 720p HD video clearly and it plays over ten types of movie files. When we scoped out A Scanner Darkly, the hallucinogenic color animation flowed vividly, like a paint truck crashing head on into an acid trip. Even blacks were sufficiently deep; shocking for a small screen on a portable device. But besides the screen, the broad range of extra features really is the player’s greatest strength.
Add the flash-enabled Opera web browser, and you have access to online videos sans squinting. We checked out YouTube via Wi-Fi, and when selected on the browser, the flash videos conveniently adjusted to the screen area. Super sweet.
There’s also a WebTv and Internet radio plug-in, a TV program scheduler, plus you can tweak the settings on nearly every feature — including child security (no youporn for Junior). It also records net video clearly with the optional $100 DVR dock.
But even we can’t sugarcoat the trio of flaws that ultimately hamper the player: Shamelessly embedded crapware, the mediocre UI, and a glitch-fest Linux-based operating system.
The prime offender of said crapware is called Media Club. This program directs you to Archos’ online media partners — which would be borderline permissible if the content wasn’t so overpriced and . Do you like paying $20 to watch Caligula on Cinema Now? How about enduring the poor geek's youtube that is Daily Motion? No? Yeah we don’t either.
Worse, each of the embedded apps come with a little demo that, when clicked, link to the Archos website through a URL labeled ‘up-selling.’ Seriously! It’s like having someone offer you a slice of chocolate cake but in exchange they get to kick you repeatedly in the junk.
As for the UI, the touch screen pales in comparison to the iPod Touch; it sometimes lags like Dom DeLuise running the Boston Marathon. There’s no multi-touch option either. No pinching for you!
The Linux-based OS is too simple for its own good. It’s easy to get lost in a myriad of transparent menus and muddy apps. In one instance, the player dropped the Wi-Fi connection and didn’t allow us to change the connection. Interestingly, transitions between programs weren’t a problem. When we failed to connect that particular time, we booted a video in a few seconds.
The Archos 5 isn’t a bad device by any stretch of the imagination. It handles virtually any media format you can throw at it, shows rich color detail, and even sports a sexy-slim profile. If not for the beautiful LCD, the imbedded junkware, pokey UI, and unreliable OS might serve to completely cripple this player. But in a way that big bright screen works a lot like beer goggles; it allows you to look past the player’s ugly shortcomings and makes you feel validated when you wind up taking it home. —Jose Fermoso
WIRED 12.99 mm thickness is perfect for a large pocket (tighty jean wearing hipsters need not apply). Fast ARM Cortex processor moves pages quickly. Supports 3G and HSDPA cellular data connections. DVR accessory completes the system with an HDMI output, composite video input, and universal plug and play (for media streaming).
TIRED Linux-based custom OS too glitchy for comfort. Doesn't include a built-in mic, so you can’t use it as a VOIP phone. Brassy-metal design might prove too ostentatious for geeky tastes. Need separate dongle for 3G and HSDPA connections. They couldn’t embed 3G in the player? C’mon Archos, stop pulling our wallet and just add these features to all versions. Please?
$350, archos.com
(Image by Archos)
Categories: GPS 
About two years ago, GPS-based navigation devices such as those from Garmin and TomTom seemed to be on top of most geeks' wish list.
Not for much longer. The days of portable navigation devices (PNDs) as these systems are known are numbered as mobile handset based alternatives gain popularity, says research firm iSuppli.
Last year, PNDs accounted for about half of all navigation device shipments, with automotive in-dash systems, smart phones and mobile handsets comprising the rest. However, in two years, PND's share of shipments will decline to 35% and then to 23% in 2013, says iSuppli.
"PNDs have flourished in an environment with little competition during the last four years," said Richard Robinson, principal analyst at iSuppli in a statement. "Being less expensive and easier to obtain than in-dash systems and much easier to use than mobile handsets, PNDs have been the navigation product of choice for global consumers."
However, as cost of in-vehicle systems falls lower and more wireless handsets are equipped with GPS, PNDs are expected to lose market share.
Cellphones based navigation systems have gained ground since the launch of Apple's iPhone that features maps with GPS capability. Even the recently introduced T-Mobile G1 Google Android based phone has GPS.
Garmin has been trying to enter the mobile market on its own. But the company's attempt to meld GPS and cellphone in the form of a new device called nuviphone will be available only in the first quarter of 2009, says a Garmin spokesperson.
Garmin better hurry up. Growth in its primary product is fast fading. In 2007, the PND market grew 123.7% but global shipment increases are expected to slow and post a 43% growth in 2008 and to 23.5% in 2009, says iSuppli.
Meanwhile, sales of navigation-enabled mobile handsets are expected to rise by 91.4% this year and 70.6% next year. Shipments of navigation-enabled smart phones will increase by 66% in 2008 and 51.6% in 2009, says iSuppli.
Clearly, while Garmin is the market leader in North America today in the PND market, it is unlikely to be at the top much longer in the automotive navigation business.
Categories: Food and Drink, Games I love seeing people dork out in pastry form. Last week's visual treat was a couple's batch of iPhone cupcakes. This week's morsel is this wedding cake based on the popular Katamari video game.
It looks delicious, although I'd be worried about what it might have rolled over. (Snort.)
Continue reading "Katamari Wedding Cake Is a Great Ball of Geekery" »
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly dismissed the lawsuit without a trial, citing a disclaimer on the handset's box that says the battery has "limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced by Apple service provider."
"Under the circumstances, no reasonable jury could find that deception occurred," Kennelly was quoted in a Bloomberg story.
Jose Trujillo filed the lawsuit in 2007 in Illinois state court, accusing the company of consumer fraud for allegedly failing to tell customers that the iPhone's battery was limited and could only be replaced by technicians for an $86 fee.
Apple Won't Face Lawsuit Over Limited Life of IPhone Batteries [Bloomberg]
In this week's Wired Gadget Lab Podcast, Daniel Dumas, Brian Chen, and I talk about the first Google phone, the HTC G1 from T-Mobile. We go over the pros and cons of the handset, from our first look at the hardware to the logistical issues that face the operating system.
In addition, they will go over the week's best reviews, including the Nikon D90 DLSR, already gaining notoriety for its monster image sensor, as well as the Motorola VE 20 RAZR cell phone.
Finally, they will preview the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR, which was recently used by a film Professor to create an breathtaking movie showing off its technology.
If the embedded player above doesn't work, you can download the Gadget Lab podcast MP3 file.
Use iTunes? Subscribe to the Gadget Lab Audio Podcast in iTunes.
Also be sure to check out the Gadget Lab Video Podcast -- on iTunes and on the Gadget Lab blog.
Categories: Displays, Television 
Sharp is updating their LCD TVs this month by tweaking their sets through 'LED Dimming,' a process that creates a more efficient set with better contrast.
By replacing their old CCFL backlights with new, patented groupings of efficient RGB-LEDs, the company is essentially replacing regular LED backlighting with local dimming. This is not quite at the same level of detail as it's possible in OLED technology, where each pixel creates its own light, but it's a smart way to improve LCDs.
By locally dimming LEDs in a display where it's darkest, the overall quality of the picture improves and the contrast ratio of the LCDs grows. The recent announcement of Sharp's Limited Edition XS1U-S TV brings this tech home with a 150% NTSC color gamut and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
And they're pushing the tech in these TVs by packaging them in a stylish new ultra-thin (1-inch) case. I got an up-close look at these at the CEDIA conference in Denver and they were a significant upgrade stylistically over their previous versions. The carbon-gray speaker barrel 'bar' (co-developed with Pioneer) at the bottom is particularly good-looking, and recalls some of the old Sony TV styles from the 80s (the good parts).
Sharp will make 65-inch (LC-65X1U-S) and 52-inch (LC-52X1U-S) versions that will come out within a month.
Check out more pics after the jump.
Pictures (above): Jose Fermoso/Wired.com
Continue reading "Sharp Offers LCD 'Dimming' For Better Picture in a Thinner Package" »
That's why Harry McCracken at Technologizer wants iPhone owners to take his iPhone Satisfaction Survey. He asks the question: Fifteen months after the original iPhone's launch, just how satisfied are the handset's users?
McCracken's 18-question survey polls users about their satisfaction with several aspects of iPhone, including its applications, the App Store, MobileMe, network performance and so on. It's thorough and should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete, so check it out.
Own an iPhone? Please Take Our Survey
Photo: Apple
Categories: iPhone Hong Kong, the place where you can buy anything (or have someone make a copy of anything) now has unlocked iPhones for sale. As you can see from the screenshot, these are official, direct from the Apple Store itself.
They're not cheap: Those prices translate to $700 for the 8GB and $800 for the 16GB, but as the blurb says, you can slip in any SIM card you like:
iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier. Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation.
That means you could seriously reduce ongoing costs, perhaps forgetting voice altogether and using the iPhone as a data-only internet tablet. That said, a quick Google turns up this rather extortionate data plan from mobile carrier 3: US$65 will buy you just 30MB.
Still, we expect these unlocked phone to become a hot export item: Where else can you buy an unlocked, contract free iPhone (*cough* Ebay *cough*)?
Product page [Apple Hong Kong via Engadget]
Or you could opt for a pay and go SIM.
