Brevill Indoor Grill March 24, 2006
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If the George Foreman grill just isn’t chic enough for you, here’s the Breville Indoor Grill, a stainless steel sandwich maker that can change from a panini press to an open unit with a flick of a switch. You can also adjust the height of the grill, either smashing your sandwiches into a RAZR-thin pancake or lightly pressing them so they stand up tall.
For its nonstick surface, it appears the company has created a new element on the periodic chart and named it Quantanium, which is also scratch-resistant. Apparently when you’re overcharging people for a “premium nonstick surface,” it best be made of absolutely exclusive materials. The grill is supposed to be easy to clean up with a dishwasher-safe drip tray. At 368 square inches, the thing’s pretty big, too, but so is its price, £100.
Product page [via Born Rich]
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Remote Controlled Implants On The Way March 24, 2006
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Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory filed a patent earlier this month for eye and ear implants that can be controlled from outside the implantee’s body. The patent application discusses things like magnetic forces and electrode arrays, but as far as we can make out it’s not anywhere near as amazing as how your mum still gets you to clean your room from 100 miles away.
Remote Controlled Implants On The Way [personaltechpipeline]
United States Patent Application 20060052656 [US Patent & Trademark Office]
Focus Enhancements DR-HD100 for Tapeless HD Shooting March 24, 2006
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For HD shooters lucky enough to have JVC’s first-rate GY-HD100 720p HDV camcorder, Focus Enhancements just released the DR-HD100 Direct To Edit (DTE) recorder built specifically for JVC’s line of ProHD camcorders. This portable hard drive recorder lets HD shooters pack eight hours of 720p footage on its 80-gig disk instead of using tape. Tapeless is good.
Hang it onto the back of the camcorder, and it can record special M2T files directly to disk, and then the cutting can begin immediately in editing applications such as Avid Xpress Pro HD or Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0. Too bad there’s no QuickTime HDV support for direct import into Final Cut Pro just yet, but the company says that will be available as an upgrade option “soon.” Shipping now, pricing is £1090 for the 80GB version and £860 for the 40-gig.
New FireStore Recorder for the JVC HD100 [DV Guru]
BlackBerry 8707v, First BlackBerry With Built-In 3G Modem March 24, 2006
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Us Crackberry-addicted chaps in the UK will be happy to know that RIM and Vodafone will be launching the latest in the 8000 series over here very soon. Hip hip hurrah for Royal Britannia, etc.
The BlackBerry 8707v has the same 320x240 colour LCD screen as the 8700, as well as the dedicated Send and End keys and programmable key on the left of the body. The feature that makes the 8707v important is that it’s the very first BlackBerry to ever come with a built-in 3G modem; its USB and Bluetooth connectivity will finally make it easy for laptops without PCMCIA slots to use 3G on the go.
The 8707v operates quad-band, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, making it usable in Europe, Asia and North America.
BlackBerry 8707v [Adam Phones, thanks Simon!]
iSetBox-Home Multimedia Communication Center March 24, 2006
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iSetBox-Home Multimedia Communication Center is an oddly-shaped set-top box from Bulgarian company Media Systems Ltd. that uses a PixelWorks CPU running Linux. It has a DVD player, accommodates six different types of flash cards, has a PAL and NTSC digital/analog tuner, and it also functions as a networkable PVR if you spring for its optional hard drive. Attempting to cram every possible feature into the same box, it even has an FM radio.
The company says the product will be shipped to service providers and system integrators during Q4 of this year, and it won’t be available directly to consumers. It looks bizarre and cheap, and won’t fit on most shelves. Plus, if we see one more product whose name begins with “i”, we’re going to have to poke somebody’s “i” out.
Introducing… the iFan March 24, 2006
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We love getting emails from you guys, serious or silly. This is our favorite of all the ones we woke up to this morning:
"While I was walking through my local Wal-Mart, I found this. It wasn’t where the electronics were, as you might think; no, it was where the garden accessories are, such as the weedwhackers and the mosquito-egg-killing rings. Well it gave me a laugh, hope it does the same for you."
TransFormer Crutches March 24, 2006
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Anyone that has ever had the pleasure of hobbling about on NHS-sponsored crutches knows that they are a royal pain in the arse. Apart from being able to trip up old people and knock commuters aside in the bus queue, they are damn awkward to stow out of the way. The good thing about designers breaking their legs though is that it sometimes prompts them to look closely at their new accessories. Astro Design – which have done some top work on Alienware PCs, the Xbox etc – have designed some foldable crutches with a telescoping foot. It might look like David Hasselhoff’s float from Baywatch, but these are the real deal that can be stowed away safely without knocking someone’s head off. I’m sorry I showed you these now since there is no chance, ever, of seeing these down the local A&E. Via Yanko
Gadgets Woo The Ladies March 24, 2006
READ MORE Digital Audio , Digital cameras , Gadgets , Home Entertainment , Mobile phones , PDA , Smartphones
The days of boys and their toys are now being matched by a new wave of gadget mad girls. A recent survey of 2,000 women by GadgetCandy threw up some startling results, not least of which was that over one quarter of them shell out over £1,000 each year on gadgets from phones and MP3 players to digital cameras and DAB radios. Yes, that’s on top on the Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choo’s. No prizes for guessing the most important criteria for purchases though: fashionable (32%). This was followed by handbag-friendly (22%), ease of use (17%), top brand (16%) and reasonably priced (13%). Not a gigabyte, megabyte, resolution or compatibility concern in sight. Maybe we’ve got it all wrong?
LaCie Rugged All-Terrain Hard Drive Pre-Order March 24, 2006
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Remember LaCie’s new portable hard drives that we told you about in January? The Skwarim drives designed by Karim Rashid are already out, in pink and blue.
If you wanted one of the Neil Poulton-designed LaCie Rugged All-Terrain drives (seen above), they’re now available to pre-order for April. £100 to £210, depending on which configuration you choose.
LaCie Rugged All-Terrain Hard Drive 120GB [LaCie]
GhostFace Killah Doll March 24, 2006
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For nearly £300, the GhostFace Killah Doll comes with a real 14k gold chain, a gold chalice with Swarovski crystals, a special mixtape, original recordings of GFK’s catchphrases, and a 1 in 500 chance to hang out with the Killah himself in person.
Perhaps most importantly, you will earn the right to say “Holy shit, I can’t believe I spent THREE HUNDRED QUID on a damn DOLL!” right before smashing your head repeatedly against a wall.
GhostFace Killah Doll [via popbitch]
Universal Launches ‘download-to-own’ Movies March 24, 2006
READ MORE Home Entertainment , Online , PC , Portable Media
Now this is a first. Universal is the first big movie studio to announce that from April 10, UK surfers will be able to download versions of new movie release for keeps. Serenity, King Kong and Pride & Prejudice are among the first up but the studio is planning to get all of its 6,500 movies online over the coming year or so. So what’s the catch? Well, the cost is £19.99 for new movies and £9.99 for older ones – Bridget Jones etc. For that you get to download a version for your PC, another version designed to run on portable video devices and a DVD in the mail. All good. The downside is that downloads will be protected by Windows DRM software to prevent burning them to disc or uploading them to the Net. Still, by offering three different formats of the movie at one price, isn’t Universal taking the pain out of piracy for you?
movies internet online download
Alcatel OT-C850 Music Phone March 24, 2006
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Alcatel’s new OT-C850 Music Phone has a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 65K color 176×220 screen, plays MP3s (256 MB of memory onboard, plus a MicroSD slot) and EDGE, blah blah blah. Let’s be honest now: the most interesting thing about this phone that it looks like it was designed by Knight Industries.
Would you use this phone? Should you buy it? Before you come to a decision, first ask yourself: WWDHD?
Alcatel mobile music phone, looks like a space invader [MobileMentalism.com]
Jobo Giga Vu Pro:evolution for Pro Photogs March 24, 2006
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The Jobo Giga Vu Pro:evolution is a portable media player created specifically for professional photographers, with specialized capabilities that will be appreciated by those who create high-end images in the field and need a portable yet trustworthy proofing tool.
Bring images in via CF card, and this player is able to review them using a histogram, can detect dust and blown highlights, and has a crosshair readout for RGB values. With an optional CF wireless card, it can function as an FTP server that connects with WiFi-enabled cameras. Its 3.7-inch 640x480 LCD doesn’t sound like it has a tremendous amount of resolution, but down at the 3.7-inch level, that’s some pretty sharp-looking video. Pricing starts at $500 for 40 gigs, up to $900 for the 120GB model.
Jobo Giga Vu PRO:evolution [DAP Preview]
Close Up Your Clothes with the Compact Wardrobe March 24, 2006
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If space is as a premium, take a look at designer Naomi Dean’s compact wardrobe, which has a two-piece split design that telescopes into itself, saving lots of space. Pull on the handle in front and there’s a drawer in the bottom, shelf space in the middle and also behind the door, and a telescoping rack on which to hang your clothes on top.
Not only is it efficient, it’s put together with fine craftsmanship. There’s good reason why Dean’s design was the hit of the Milan Furniture Fair 2005 and the Birmingham Furniture Show.
The Compact Wardrobe [The Cool Hunter]
Jesus in a Solar Handheld March 24, 2006
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It’s nice to share link love with small fry purveyors of unusual and potentially useful junk, so here you go: Speaktome.com. This site consists entirely of talking products, including a Talking Solar Bible. Obviously, this is for blind folks, but I could see it as a great way to endear yourself to your friends by whipping it out whenever they do something potentially dirty like watch The O.C. or drink caffeine. Imaging whipping out some Deuteronomy just as your buddy puts a Coke to his lips.
Plus, it’s powered by God—or, more correctly, the God in the sun.
Product Page [SpeakToMeCatalog WARNING—LOUD LOADING VOICE. TURN DOWN YOUR SPEAKERS]
Woody iPod Blaster March 24, 2006
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If there’s a hipster in your life whose lights you’d like us to punch out, by all means equip them with this $50 Woody iPod Blaster bag and make sure they’re blasting some Yeah Yeah Yeahs from it while they walk by us on their way to the L train. Nothing says “SCREW U MOM & DAD!” harder than a mass-produced wood print vinyl bag.
Woody iPod Blaster [Fred Flare, via productdose.com]
DIY Personal Video Recorder March 24, 2006
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Yes, you can build your own personal video recorder (PVR) and here’s a step-by-step do-it-yourself article that shows you how it can done without breaking the bank.
Sal Cangeloso took a small form-factor Mini-ITX case and even though it had just a one-gigahertz processor with 512MB of RAM on its motherboard, was able to turn in into a PVR by upgrading it with a 250GB hard drive, beefing up the power supply to 120 Watts and installing the Ubuntu 5.10 distribution of Linux. The key to the system is the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR 350 using MythTV PVR software. Cangeloso was able to plug his digital cable right into it, and it even has a remote.
He set it up with super quiet fans and says the thing runs very well. Downloading scheduling information from the Web, he ends up with a tiny, quiet, cheap PVR that he built himself. Neat.
Mini-ITX Part III [XYZ Computing]
Mago Luxury Smart Phone March 24, 2006
READ MORE Mobile phones
Russian is not one of the languages we speak at Gizmodo and so we can’t confirm whether the Mago Luxury Smartphone you see above has ever gone into production or if it ever will (we’re guessing not), but damn, it sure is pretty, innit?
Not that specs really matter in this case, but here are some to read anyway while you fold your tongue back into your mouth:
- GSM/GPRS, 850/900/1800/1900MHz
- Class 2 Bluetooth
- Wi-Fi 802.11b
- Windows Mobile 2005
- 2.8” low temperature poly-silicon TFT LCD 262,000 colors
- non-scratchable touch screen
- USB 2.0
- SD/MMC card slot
Update: Thanks to readers Leo and Leon, who both wrote in immediately to tell us the Russian page says Mago will be out in mid-2006 and cost a whopping €3000. Anyone know if Vertu’s still in business?
MAGO Luxury Smart Phone [Designet.ru]
Maslov Design Studio — MAGO [Core77 - Design Studio Bullitts]
DIY Toilet Paper Cannon March 24, 2006
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If there was ever a task that definitely needed an efficiency boost, it is house TP’ing. This air-powered cannon can launch toiletpaper rolls upwards of 150 feet. It’s time to finally show those pesky teachers why you are the man, Fonzie. The building plans for this project will run you $10.61.
Product Page [Via Red Ferret]
Pocket Ashtray March 24, 2006
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We’re not sure we actually know anyone who would use Chillichilly’s Pocket Ashtray, but life in cities would be just that little bit better if smokers paid more attention to where they toss their nasty cigarette butts. No hatin’, just telling it like it is.
Firefly, Pocket Ashtray, lil’ red riding hood [MoCo Loco]
Sony Announces MZ-RH1 Hi-MD Walkman March 24, 2006
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We know, we know, we can’t believe Sony’s working on new MiniDisc products either. We’re not even sure what we think is cuter: the fact that Sony’s still making them, or that they’ve apparently realized that ATRAC is not going to be king after all no matter how hard they try and so the new MD players now also handle MP3. No, wait, maybe it’s that they’re actually going to launch Mac support this summer, more than five years after it would’ve actually made a difference for most people.
MiniDisc units are still among the best audio options when it comes to recording interviews and sound, and we’re sure the MZ-RH1 is going to be perfect for that, but for those of us who just want to listen to music the MD’s time is long past.
Sony Brings Studio Sound to New Hi-MD Walkman [Sony Europe, via I4U News ]
Slingbox Mobile in Action March 24, 2006
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Everybody’s talking about Slingbox Mobile, but do they have video of it? No! We don’t, either, but MobilityToday does and they were kind enough to hound us all morning about it.
Thanks to Slingbox Mobile, you’ll never have to miss your favorite program again. You’ll also never have to pretend to have friends anymore, because the TV will be your friend.
Mobility Today Video Review - Slingbox for Windows Mobile [MobilityToday]
Glossy Surround-Sound Headphones With Six Speakers March 24, 2006
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We missed these in our CeBIT adventures and I’m going to say I’m kind of glad. The WaveOn MCH-501U is a surround-sound speakers system with optical in and six internal speakers.
Details are as slim as garter snake, but let’s chalk this up to “overkill, mkay” and move on.
6 speakers in one headphone?? [AVing]
Hairpod: Erm… March 24, 2006
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This device… no, I just can’t do it. Let’s just stare at this picture and weep for the children.
Photo Page [Sydney Morning Herald]
Lightscribe Works Better With Multiple Burns March 24, 2006
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I’ve never seen anyone using Lightscribe to label their CDs thus far, but that doesn’t mean people don’t do it. In an obvious, if interesting test, reader David shows us that you can greatly improve the contrast on Lightscribe disks by burning them a few times. At 5-10 minutes per burn, you better have a book and a sandwich handy, but this is the first time I’ve seen this sort of test. The numbers indicate the times the label was burned.
New PS3 Controller to Debut at E3 March 24, 2006
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Have no fear, bat-a-rang haters. The monstrosity of a controller that Sony has been displaying since E3 2005 will be getting the can and a new model will be on display at this year’s E3 in May. We speculated the redesign when we saw the bat-a-rang controller missing from the Sony booth at CES and now there is confirmed word that the controller redesign will make it’s appearance at E3. Let’s just hope the next design isn’t as Batman-friendly.
Sony unveils PS3 plans [CNN Money]
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