Posted Apr 26th 2007 1:55AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Cellphones
Hot on the heels of Nokia's own
bus stop gimmick comes none other than Solo, which has erected a clever display on a number of waiting areas to allow perfect strangers to yap it up on giant mobiles. The
interactive billboards each sport a larger-than-usual flip phone, which allows curious onlookers to mash an enlarged walkie talkie button and get on the horn with a faraway stranger. The active
two-way radio setup was reportedly installed in transit shelters in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary, and the system supposedly connects users in the different cities to one another when a conversation is initiated. Unfortunately, Engadget HQ doesn't happen to reside in the land of the Canucks, so for our brethren in the north, why not stop on by and give a shout to a fellow Canadian, eh?
[Via
Core77]
Posted Apr 26th 2007 1:20AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals, Storage
While we've already seen that a four-barrel
SD-to-SSD adapter will run you a stiff $258.50 sans flash cards, users who can't seem to find a good use for those
CompactFlash cards that used to rule to roost in your recently
replaced Nikon D70 finally have a solution. The much more reasonable CF-to-SATA hard drive adapter simply takes any CompactFlash I/II card and snaps it into the 2.5-inch SATA HDD slot on the bottom of most lappies. The device then allows the CF card to be recognized as an "ordinary hard drive" which can even be "configured as a boot device" without any additional drivers. Moreover, it supports DMA and Ultra DMA modes, and is said play nice with just about every flavor of Windows dating back to 3.1, Linux, and OS X operating systems. The best bit, however, is the attainable price, as we could certainly see ourselves forking over $35.99 just to see how a
CF boot drive would really effect performance.
Posted Apr 26th 2007 12:35AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Wireless, Networking
Not one to dwell too heavily on the past,
FON is apparently already moving beyond its newfangled
partnership with Time Warner, and has now caved to giving Mac and
Linux users the ability to get in on the action. The latest FON Spot software now appears in a beta form for OS X and Linux (preferably
Ubuntu) users, allowing Ethernet-connected machines to share excess bandwidth with others via
WiFi. Notably, it's even supposed to work if connected via 3G, but we can't imagine your carrier being all too pleased with such a scheme. Per usual, the company warns of its beta nature and insinuates that problems could arise, but if you're still not deterred, be sure to hit the read link and get your respective download on.
[Via
GigaOM]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 11:50PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Gaming
Third-party gaming controllers are always a mixed bag, ranging from terrific, like the popular Logitech Cordless Action PS2 controllers, to decidedly weird, like the
SplitFish EdgeFX, to head-scratchingly awful, like this
Pelican / Nerf abomination.
Mad Catz has never been afraid to spew out products all over the bottom half of this spectrum, and the recently-released PS3 Wireless Thumbpad is no exception. Looking for all the world like it was designed by someone who has never attempted to actually hold a SIXAXIS, the QWERTY thumbpad clips on to your controller ... at the
top. While we're not sure how you're supposed to use this thing, we
are almost 100% confident that no one at Mad Catz looked at a picture of the Xbox 360
QWERTY thumb keyboard before sketching this one out.
[Via
PS3 Fanboy]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 11:05PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Laptops
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 $2,109 W5a features a 12-inch screen, a gig of RAM, an 80GB HD, and that snazzy top-loading DVD writer, while the $1,898 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 $1,772 10.4-inch machine with a 7.5 hour battery. All three machines are expected to drop in Japan on May 18th.
Posted Apr 25th 2007 10:23PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Portable Audio
The same folks that brought you the
Optimus Prime iPod speaker dock are lobbying for your head-earned dollars once more, as
Takara Tomy is betting that you just can't resist
yet another Transformers gizmo to stack in your collection. This time it's throwing down a nifty set of morphing
earphones, dubbed the Music Label Frenzy & Rumble, which boast a clip-on design coupled with a fold-out robot. Of course, we have sincere doubts about the sheer sound quality of these things, but let's be honest, you'll be listening a lot more intently to geeky comments as you stroll by than the LCD Soundsystem track quietly playing in the background. Start saving those pennies, fanboys and girls, as this treasure should land in the July timeframe for just ¥3,950 ($33).
[Via
TokyoMango]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 9:51PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Displays
You know what they say about
come in threes, and even if you aren't exactly up to speed,
NEC's making things real clear with its latest trio of elusive displays. The 19-inch ASLCD193WXM, 20-inch ASLCD203WXM, and 22-inch ASLCD223WXM are all newcomers to the AccuSync lineup, and additionally, all rock a movie buff-approved
widescreen layout. The top two models each feature a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, while the 19-incher gets stuck with 1,440 x 900, but all three units manage to include a set of integrated speakers, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, five-millisecond response time, headphone jack, and NEC's own Ambix technology. Moreover, the new LCDs a "no touch auto adjust," which purportedly sets things to you liking without requiring an effort from the new owner, but the AccuColor control system allows you to tweak said settings if your uncontent heart desires. As for pricing, the smallest sibling is available right now for $229.99, while the larger two should hit shelves in May for $289.99 and $359.99, respectively.
Posted Apr 25th 2007 9:35PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Gaming
PlayStation Network users, were you lucky enough to get in on the
PlayStation Home Beta test invite yet? Apparently not everyone who applies will be accepted (shocker, right?), but it's good to know at least there's some movement in
PS3rd Life Home process. Let us know if you get an invite, and definitely let us know if you get accepted.
P.S. -Sorry, we don't have a link to share at this time, the invites seem to be per-user.
[Thanks, Dustin]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 8:49PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Household
This one doesn't need a whole lot of explanation. The Chrono_Shredder, designed by Susanna Hertrich, hosts 365 days on a paper roll, with one "day" shredded every 24 hours. Can it ever be stopped? Find out on next week's episode of
Heroes, in the
future.
[Via
Popgadget]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 7:59PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
In a remarkably candid and defensive statement issued today by key members of Apple's board of directors (including Eric Schmidt and Al Gore -- heard of 'em?), apparently, "We are not going to enter into a public debate with Fred Anderson or his lawyer." It goes on to say:
"Steve Jobs cooperated fully with Apple's independent investigation and with the government's investigation of stock option grants at Apple. The SEC investigated the matter thoroughly and its complaint speaks for itself, in terms of what it says, what it does not say, who it charges, and who it does not charge. We have complete confidence in the conclusions of Apple's independent investigation, and in Steve's integrity and his ability to lead Apple."
Kind of sounds like Steve just wrote it on his iPhone and sent it on over, right? Anywho, no real updates from the SEC since yesterday's allegations that
Steve was behind the whole backdating scandal, but it looks like Cupertino Co. are getting off without sanctions and Jobs still lies in legal limbo for the time being, despite Apple's wholehearted support of their Jobs-in-Chief.
Posted Apr 25th 2007 7:28PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Laptops
Perhaps its the extra lovin'
Philips has given to stylings here, but somehow that
extendable screen arm doesn't seem like as much of a
gimmick this time around. The new X200 ultraportable sports a 1.73GHz Core Duo U2500 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 100GB HDD, DVD combo drive, 1.3 megapixel webcam and Windows Vista. The 12.1-inches of widescreen LCD probably aren't enough to get in the way of regular tray table use -- a favorite example of extenda-arm proponents -- but at least you won't have to do as much hunkering in front of this laptop when it's on your desk, thanks to the extra inches of vertical. The laptop looks to be shipping now in the UK for £850, about $1,700 US.
[Via
PClaunches]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 6:38PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household
The clever folks at ThinkGeek may have beaten him to the punch with their April Fool's Day edition iGrill, but it seems that George Foreman isn't one to let a good branding go unused, trotting out his own iGrill that's very, very real. Unlike TG's USB-powered faux device, however, Foreman's iGrill is a full-fledged indoor/outdoor BBQ, with a 200 square inch nonstick grilling surface and an adjustable temperature control probe. Garnering it the "i" designation is the BBQ's integrated 10W speaker system and USB port/dock, which will accommodate your iPod or other MP3 player to let you pump out some tunes as you grill. If that sounds like your idea of an "instant party," you can get your iGrill now right for $150 from the leanest, meanest store around, Linens N Things.
[Thanks, Galley]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 5:58PM by Sean Cooper
Filed under: Cellphones, Household, Wireless
Trust the folks at NTT-Neomeit (an
NTT West group subsidiary) to find new and even cooler ways to use your cell phones -- and we're thinking this is off-the-scale cool -- it seems Neomeit is not happy with you simply watching TV, listening to music, or playing games with your cell, so they have busted out
whole-home automation from your pocket. Using a web interface on your phone, commands are sent to a wireless router in your home which are relayed to either a remote control power switch, or an infrared transmitter. The scenarios where this could be useful are pretty endless, from turning on lights, recording a show you didn't setup or even
setting fire to the entire home lighting up the Xmas tree as you arrive home to
wow the family. The same page will also allow for device usage monitoring, so you can see what's what when you are away from home. A beta trial will get underway in May with launch expected in September for about $4 a month. Sweet!
[Via
Pinktentacle.com]
Posted Apr 25th 2007 5:34PM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Cellphones, HDTV, Home Entertainment
Apple's Q2 financial results are in, and along with the almost predictable profit and sales achievements -- $855 million in profits, 34% year over year growth, $12.6 billion cash on hand... you know, the usual -- Apple fleshed out a few details about two of its "closed" platforms, the
iPhone and the
Apple TV. Apple promises to "surprise and delight" users of both with new applications and software features as they go along, many of which will be free. Apple also noted that it's using "subscription accounting" to make sure it doesn't have to relive that 802.11n scenario of charging a nominal fee for upgrades. When asked about how widely the iPhone will be available in June, Apple didn't have a whole lot to say, other than they won't be able to predict demand until they start shipping -- we predict they'll sell a few.
Posted Apr 25th 2007 5:08PM by Donald Melanson
Filed under: Storage
Sony first announced its speedy new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards all the way
back in December, but it's now finally gotten a bit more specific about them, including providing the all important details on pricing and availability. Set to be available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities, the cards boast a new
8-bit parallel interface that Sony says translates to a 30MB/sec transfer rate, which makes 'em about three times faster than the standard Memory Stick Pro. To take advantage of all that speed, Sony's also providing an ExpressCard adapter for the new Memory Sticks, although they will still be compatible with standard 4-bit parallel interface hardware, albeit at a significantly reduced speed. While there doesn't appear to be any word on how much the adapter will cost, you can look for the cards themselves to set up back $60, $90, and $150 for the 1, 2, and 4GB variations, respectively, with all three available in August.
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