Hitachi Rotary: Enough to Abandon Blades? September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Okay metrosexuals, step away from those messy blades and cream and step up to an electric razor that might just remind you of your beloved shaving mess you deal with every morning. The Hitachi Rotary is an electric razor, yes, but its elongated shape might remind you of that old-fashioned razor to which you're so attached, and it's washable, too. – Charlie White

Rotary Razaq, a cool electric shaver [Akihabara News]

Zune Preloaded Music, Video, and Images September 28, 2006

Read more Portable Media

The cat is outta the bag as far as the Zune preloads. Here's the media everyone will delete upon first boot of their lovely new players:



Audio Tracks

Band of Horses, "Wicked Gil" (Sub Pop Records)

Bitter:Sweet, "The Mating Game" (Quango Music Group)

CSS, "Alala (Microsoft edit)" (Sub Pop Records)

Darkel, "At The End of The Sky (edit)" (Astralwerks)

Every Move a Picture, "Signs of Life" (V2)

Small Sins, "Stay" (Astralwerks)

The Adored, "Tell Me Tell Me" (V2)

The Rakes, "Open Book" (V2)

The Thermals, "A Pillar of Salt" (Sub Pop Records)

Music Video listing after the jump...

Look Out, Here Comes the Human Skateboard September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

We're not getting a whole lot of info on the human skateboard dude here, but just look at the pic. The guy can even flip over on his back and keep rolling. He should market this thing. – Charlie White

Human Skate Board [Gizoo]

Fact: Zune In your Hands for $249.99, Songs a Buck, November 14th September 28, 2006

Read more Portable Media

Microsoft dropped the news today, officially. The price for the WiFi, 30-gig Zune player is $249.99, the same price as a 30-gig ipod, but with a sightly larger screen (3-inches vs 2.5-inches). We'll be able to hold 'em in our hands on November 14th.

Also, the music subscription service, called Zune Pass, will be available for $14.99. Single tracks will go for 79 microsoft points, the same currency used to buy Xbox games, which turns out to be about a buck.–Brian Lam

Microsoft Zune [Microsoft]

LG and Philips LCD Hone Cellphone Screens to 1.3mm September 28, 2006

Read more Peripherals

Instead of boring you to tears with pics and specs of every goddamn cellphone that's ever been released, let's just take a look at this one reed-thin screen that will tell you a lot about what's going to be happening with those ubiquitous communicators in the next few months. LG and Philips have somehow created an LCD screen that's between 32% and 55% slimmer than its nearest competitor, springing the caliper at a mere 1.3mm. Jeez, look at that—it's about the thickness of a credit card or a piece of cardboard.

So what's going to be happening with cellphones in the next few months? They'll be even more slinder than they are today if this new screen has anything to do with it. Your cellphone will be so razor-thin, you'll be able to slash your wrists with the thing if you hear that annoying ringtone one more time. – Charlie White

Slimmest cellphone screens in the world [uber gizmo]

Samsung IP-830w on Sprint: World Phone, Smart Slider, First Look September 28, 2006

Read more Mobile phones

If you're a world traveler, you might want to take a look at this Sprint IP-830w "world phone," a sliding Samsung smartphone with a 320x240 touchscreen, an SD memory card slot, and a 520MHz Intel PXA 272 CPU. Our buddy Dave at Mobility Today took a First Look at it and liked what he saw. He also grabbed lots of close-up shots for you cellphone-porn lovers.

In case you didn't see Jason's astute assessment of the phone when Sprint introduced it a couple of weeks ago, this one will compete with the crowd of smartphones populated by the likes of the Treo 700wx and Motorola Q, but there's a major difference: it runs on Sprint's CDMA network and you can also use it on almost any GSM/GPRS network anywhere in the world as long as you have a prepaid SIM.

It's not bad looking, either, but it is a bit heavy at 6.4 ounces. No word on pricing or availability yet. – Charlie White

First Look: Sprint IP-830w Worldphone [Mobility Today]

Gerber Inferno Flexi-Light Offers Seven Tendrils, Five Modes September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Did somebody take a Power Squid and turn it into a seven-headed hydra of a flashlight? Yep, kinda. It's the Gerber Inferno Flexi-Light, with seven articulated legs springing out of its casing, each leg with a versatile LED in the end with five lighting modes. You can have a focused white flashlight, a more diffused white light, a diffused nightvision red light, a more-focused red nightvision light or a flashing red emergency beacon.

Point its tendrils wherever you want, and light up seven different areas at the same time. Heck, you could be your own lighting designer on a miniature set, placing backlights, fills, and three-point lighting with a few lights to spare. Crazy go nuts. The company says the odd-looking thing will run over 40 hours on three AAA batteries, or its emergency beacon will flash for 200 hours. It's $39.95. – Charlie White

Product Page [Scientifics, via Oh Gizmo]

Aphrodite Project Techie Hooker Platforms Re-emerge at Digital Life September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

We've heard about the Aphrodite Project before, where hooker platform shoes go high-tech in addition to alot of other arty stuff. The shoes first appeared in a show in New York last May and also surfaced at Siggraph graphics fest last summer. Now, they've re-appeared at Digital Life in New York, and pictures from their Siggraph fashion show have come to our attention as well.

Here are a few pics demonstrating these shoes that might someday help out those ladies of the evening, giving them single button access to 911, an alarm, and a GPS system so every ho's pimp will always know where she is. It's still a concept, but keep showing us those shoes, gals. More leggy pics after the jump. – Charlie White

Asustek Shows Concept Laptop With Secondary Display September 28, 2006

Read more Laptops

Asustek takes a cue from cellphones, showing off this concept laptop with a secondary display on the outside, letting you give get a quick peek at your e-mail, check your schedule or see what's playing on the MP3 player without having to open it up. Just think of it: now you can check your e-mail on your laptop while it rides the conveyor belt through those impregnable security scanners that are protecting us from the terrorists.

Asus tech showed the notebook at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, and that they're not the only ones—Acer and Mitac Technologies are also reportedly jumping on the secondary display notebook bandwagon. If the big boys take notice, this could become a standard feature in the near future. – Charlie White
Asustek presents notebook with "second display" design [DigiTimes]

Sony Ericsson Bluetooth Watch September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Sony Ericsson liked Fossil's idea for a caller ID wristwatch so much that they took the technology and re-designed it as the MBW-100 — adding the ability to control their cellphone's music player from the buttons on the side (play, pause, next track). The functions worked well during the demo, although we didn't get to hear it switch between music and call or anything. The watch is seriously sleek (it comes in silver and jet black), much fancier than the Abacus from Fossil. My only question is about the usefulness of the music player integration on $399 watch. Wouldn't this functionality be more appropriate for a sports style wristwatch? – Noah Robischon

Caller ID Wristwatch By Fossil: Gizmodo Hands On September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

This is not Fossil's first foray into wrist-tech. There was the Wrist PDA FX2008, an arm-based writing apparatus worthy of Fred Flintstone, and the Abacus SPOT watches that featured an always-on connection to Bill Gate's weathervane. Luckily, Fossil learned from its mistakes and isn't repeating them. All of the new watches are analog time pieces, which means that they retain a semblance of class. A small rectangular LED window serves a very limited information overload function: when you receive a call on your cellphone it vibrates and flashes the caller's ID. No more fumbling for the cell while everyone smirks at the size of your ringtone. Press a button on the side of the watch to send the caller straight to voicemail. About the only drawback to these Bluetooth beauties is that you'll have to charge the battery every so often (they're saying it will last for 5-7 days of regular use).

See a glamour shot of the watch, and learn about Fossil's plans to publish the API online after the jump...

First Images of Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo Cabin September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Joel Johnson and I were at a preview of Wired's Next Fest, and saw a little nose cone hiding behind a veil. We climbed back, and discovered an abandoned space ship. A Virgin Galactic SpaceShipOne replica sitting on a trailer, actually. It was so cute, Joel decided to climb up and give it a hug.

This morning, Sir Richard Branson will unveil the first mock ups ever seen of SpaceShipTwo's interior cabin. The layout: two pilots and 6 very rich space tourists/astronauts. Mockups? We've got em here.

Juice Your iPod with XtremeMac Portable Dock September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio , Gadgets , Peripherals

It’s an iPod dock. You haven’t probably read about a new one of these for at least 10 minutes. Now's your chance.

This one is the XtremeMac, a portable iPod dock and battery for power users. The dock can be used for powering, recharging and syncing your iPod, or as a stand for watching videos. The device is no lightweight though since the MicroPack lithium-ion battery is good for up to 80 hours of audio playback. Expect that to plummet to 8 hours though for video playback, but that’s hardly a surprise, and 8 hours is plenty for most journeys.

It sports an audio/video line out, as well as USB and FireWire connectivity. Yours for a reasonable £55 here. – Martin Lynch

Via Shiny Shiny

news ipod technology gadgets

iTunes 7.0.1 Has Buttloads of Mobile Phone Mentions September 28, 2006

Read more Mobile phones , Software

Normally, an iTunes update wouldn't be much news. But this one has lots of mentions of a "mobile phone" that can play video and display pictures. As far as we know, the ROKR and RAZR V3i can't do that.

Here's a taste of the strings:

"4301.022" = " ^0 was not copied because the video format is not supported by the mobile phone ^1 ."; "4301.043" = "Are you sure you want to manually manage music and videos on your mobile phone? You will need to manually eject your mobile phone before it can be disconnected safely."; "4301.045" = "Are you sure you do not want to manually manage music and videos on your mobile phone? All existing content on the mobile phone ^1 will be replaced with content from your iTunes library.";

Significance of this? Either an iPhone is coming soon, or new phones that support iTunes video, music and pictures is on the horizon.

Bigger list after the jump. – Jason Chen

MacRumors [Thanks Colin!]

continue reading »

Video of Motorola Vending Machine September 28, 2006

Read more Mobile phones

This one only had PEBLs and SLVRs since they were out of Q's. We wonder if there's a warning to tell people that the Q's only work on a certain provider? – Jason Chen

Crappy Video Of Motorola Vending Machine [Crunchgear]

Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Is Like Sex in Your Ear Canal September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio

The upcoming triple.fi earbuds from Ultimate Ears promise to give the same performance as their top-of-the-line UE-10 Pros, but don't require custom ear canal fitting. They use a similar triple-driver design, but don't slip out of your ear when listening and don't cost £450.

No official pricing yet on these, but more info is coming soon. – Jason Chen

Ultimate Ears triple.fi 10 Earphones [Ultimate Ears]

HD DVD/Blu-ray Hybrid Technology Makes Consumer's Lives Easier September 28, 2006

Read more Home Entertainment , Storage

A patent from London's New Medium Enterprises promises to alleviate headaches caused by trying to decide which next-generation DVD format to support. Their multi-layer hybrid DVDs have Blu-ray on one layer and HD DVD on another, and have lowered the cost of production to just 1.5x the price of regular DVDs.

NME also says they won't step on Warner Bros.'s toes, since they own the patent for the technology and Warner owns the patent for the application. Either way, hopefully this brings us one big step towards ending this dumb war.

Left: A famous hybrid. – Jason Chen

New technology could nip DVD format war in the bud [Computer World]

TurboSonic Boom Box Store in Japan September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio

TurboSonic is a dedicated boom box store, specializing in 70's and 80's vintage models. Our fav in their stock? The vinyl-playing, bright red, Sharp VZ-V20 you see on the top left. Thanks Roger.–Brian Lam

TurboSonic [via Viper Fantastic]

Blind Camera Lets You Take Other People's Pictures September 28, 2006

Read more Digital cameras , Gadgets

This art project by Sascha Pohflepp combines a Sony Ericsson k750i with a black case to let you take other people's pictures. The design works by recording what time you click the button to "take" a picture, then later on connects to the internet to scope out shots other people took with that same timestamp.

It takes a few hours/days for people to upload their pictures, so you won't be seeing anything instantly. But it's kind of neat, in a voyeuristic way, to what other people were up to when you were out being a dork using a camera that doesn't really work. – Jason Chen

Project Page [Blinks and Buttons via Sci Fi Blog]

Archos 504 PMP Details Officially Revealed: 160GB Hard Drive For The Win September 28, 2006

Read more Peripherals , Portable Media , Storage

We've been talking up the Archos 504 portable media player since the summertime, but now it looks like Archos is finally ready to start shipping the thing. What's also nice is that some hard facts have been released by Archos, the most interesting of which is that it has the most storage space of any portable media player. Available in 80GB and 160GB sizes, the 504 has enough space to store 450 movies if you so desire. It'll play most of the digital media formats out there, save for iTunes downloaded music, but you probably guessed that already.

The 504 doesn't come cheaply, however, with the 160GB model coming in at nearly £450. Plus, expect to spend another £65 if you want the fancy dock that lets you record from external sources. Look for it soon. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [Archos via dapreview.net]

BenQ-Siemens Oxyon iPod-ish Slider Phone September 28, 2006

Read more Mobile phones

Not content to let LG and their Chocolate phone hog the title of world's sexiest phone, BenQ-Siemens has been quietly working on a prototype of a new device to wow the world. The fruit of their efforts? This Oxyon phone with a white, iPod-like finish and a slide out dial pad. Wow indeed.

Ignoring potential usability issues with a vertical dial pad, the phone's features seem pretty top notch. It's got a VGA display, 3-megapixel camera, MP3/AAC/WMA/WAV playback and a microSD slot for expandability. It won't be released until sometime in 2007, but we're pretty stoked already. – Jason Chen

BenQ-Siemens' Secret Project - Oxyon Cellular Phone [Hand Cell Phone]

Harmony Bionic Ear System September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio , Gadgets , Peripherals

Boston Scientific's bionic ear gets FDA approval today, perfectly timed to save the hearing of Metallica fans rounding 40+. The piece delivers 120 spectral bands, which is 5-10 times more than the competition. Hmm...120 bands? I bet that makes the world sound as if it were in MIDI. The internal sound processor hooks into the brain, while the external processor automatically adjusts gain to make speech clearer, whispers audible, and keep the brain from exploding in the vicinity of loud noises.–Brian Lam

Harmony Bionic Ear [via Med Gadget]

DIY USB Hub Monster September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Lack craftsmanship, but want a unique and cool USB hub? Sure you do! This is a USB hub monster that will fit your needs. It is basically a USB hub with male to female extension cables wrapped around coat hangers and very sloppily covered in cloth. But it is so damn cool. Hit the jump to see the monster naked, fully plugged in and a video.

continue reading »

Suzuki Shows Off Prototype Fuel Cell Electric Wheelchair September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Suzuki's Mio, a prototype electric wheelchair with a fuel cell, can run more than 40 km (24 miles) on one charge of methanol. This translates into a longer travel range compared to the previous unit, the "Senior Car".

Other new features: large armrests, a handlebar with ball knobs, a mesh-fabric seat and a large LCD display. All perfect for both seniors and George Costanza. – Jason Chen

Suzuki Unveils Prototype Fuel Cell Electric Wheelchair [Tech-On via Far East Gizmos]

John Hodgman: PC Guy from Apple Ads Way Smarter Than Mac Guy September 28, 2006

Read more PC

Radar interviews John Hodgman, you know, the PC Guy from the Apple ads. And reading it makes me feel just stupid. You know he works for the Daily Show, but did you know he's a full fledged NY Times Magazine editor and writer, and was a reporter for NPR's This American Life? Justin Long, the Mac Guy, is best known for working with Lindsay Lohan in Herbie Fully Loaded, Vince Vaughn in Dodgeball, and his cameo on That 70's Show. Well then.

I guess PC users are really smarter than Mac users. (flame on)
Actually, he's a Mac guy, so I guess its the other way around. (blazing inferno on)

John's Mac-love, as chronicled in an interview in The Phoenix...

continue reading »

Xbox 360 Getting an Upgraded CPU in 2007 September 28, 2006

Read more Consoles

Chartered Semiconductor of Singapore say they're manufacturing a new Xbox 360 CPU that uses 65nm technology instead of the current 90nm. Early adopters shouldn't fret, since the new CPU is only for cost-cutting and lowering the overheating problems that earlier models have run into. It's common practice for console makers to switch out cheaper or better parts into later revisions to lower prices.

Why does this matter to you? Well, if you can wait until the new processors are out, you'd probably have a lesser chance of an overheating 360. – Jason Chen

Microsoft to upgrade Xbox 360 CPU [vnunet via i4u]

Leica M8 Digital Rangefinder Cam Tour September 28, 2006

Read more Digital cameras

You remember Leica's M8, their first rangefinder camera with a CCD inside its gut? The video obsessed editors at Camcorder Info dot com give it a decent look over at Photokina. Their verdict? Seems like a serious piece of kit, with a metal body and 10.3 megapixel eye. The surprises include an automated sensor cleaning mode, and the fact that the camera is, well, what they call big boned. Click through to see the video, dictated by some very serious european guy.–Brian Lam

Leica M8 video tour [Camcorderinfo.com]

Humpable Huggable, Giant iPod Pillow September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Our obsession with iPods has taken another giant leap forward with the iPillow iPod. This is a giant, 16-inch stuffed iPod with integrated speakers. So now you can truly lay in bed and showing your iPod just how much you really love it. £10. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Gearlog]

Thomson PMP2516 1GB PMP for the Cheap September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio , Portable Media

This is the PMP2516, Thomson's £90 portable media player. Interested? Don't be. It has a measly 1GB of onboard memory with no expansion slot for other types of media. One freakin' gig? What kind of media do you expect me to put on that? A movie and a single album? Yawn.

If you really are interested, this PMP has a 2.5-inch screen, TV-out, line-in recording and a dictionary (!!). It lacks support for a wide range of video formats only playing MPEG-4 and ASF. Our take: shell out the extra bucks and get something worthy of being called a portable media player. – Travis Hudson

Thomson PMP2516: M6 + TV-out, kind of [dapreview]

Keep Those Drinks Warm or Cool in an '07 Sebring September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Those of us living in a van down by the river will welcome the 2007 Chrysler Sebring, with its optional cup holder that not only keeps that coffee hot but keeps that brewski cold, too. Not that you would be driving with a brewski. No, no, officer, this is iced tea. Anyway, flip a switch to make your choice of heating or cooling, but that heat is limited to 140 degrees to protect you from yourself, you spazz.

Sure, this option's been available in a few high-end luxo-sport vehicles for a while now, but its democratization means that now even we hobos will be able to enjoy our beverages at their proper temp. That is, if we can find an extra £300 in spare change in a pay telephone coin slot somewhere. – Charlie White

New Sebrings heat, cool drinks [Detroit News, via CrunchGear]

Buffalo Skype-tafied Keyboard September 28, 2006

Read more Online , PC , Peripherals

This is the fabulously-named BKBU-SKJ109/SV keyboard, from Buffalo Japan. It is your average keyboard loaded up with hot keys and media keys, but it also has a skype handset integrated right into the side of the keyboard. It looks like something straight out of a NASA launch room. It even has an external speaker. This keyboard will be available next month for £30. – Travis Hudson

Buffalo's Skype-Certified Keyboard [Techeblog]

USB Flash Card is Wafer-Thin, Holds a Gig September 28, 2006

Read more Storage

This super-skinny USB flash card is improbably thin but still lets you stoke it with lots of your stuff. Kinda like that ho you knew in high school. Thin as a credit card and weighing less than half an ounce, you can get it festooned with some of Brando's tacky designs for £20 or place your own logo on the card with Brando's help.

Might be nice to carry around your emergency data in your wallet with this thing; it's only 4mm thick. – Charlie White

Product Page [Brando, via TRFJ]

Pebbles That Glow in the Dark: Radioactive? September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Freak out your friends and avoid lawsuits with these glow-in-the-dark pebbles, appearing to be mild-mannered gray rocks by day but glowing with an eerie green radioactive aura for about six hours each night. Get a bag of 350 for £5. – Charlie White

Product Page [Collections, Etc., via OhGizmo]

Bye Bye Wall Warts? Run (Almost) Everything At 12 Volts September 28, 2006

Read more PC , Peripherals

Google founder Larry Page is getting sick and tired of inefficient power supplies in servers eating up boatloads of his profits, so he's calling for home computers and servers to have everything running at 12 volts, eliminating the need for those energy-sucking power supplies inside PCs with their various voltages and lame wastefulness. Begged Page in a recent speech:

"I'm going to just plead with all of you, let's get the power supply problems fixed, or let's get all these devices talking together."

Google is pushing for a standard where nearly everything runs on 12-volt power. See how cool this could be, after the jump.

continue reading »

Logitech FreePulse Bluetooth 2.0 Headphones Shipping Soon September 28, 2006

Read more Digital Audio , Peripherals , Portable Media

We told you about how Logitech's FreePulse Wireless Headphones flew through the FCC approval process with their improved Bluetooth 2.0 specs (3x faster, lower power consumption, simplified multi-link), and now they're officially out in the open for all to see.

We're just hoping this Bluetooth 2.0 spec performs better than most of the Bluetooth 1.x gear we've been testing lately, which can undoubtedly be temperamental. Try your luck for fifty quid, available next month. – Charlie White

Logitech unleashes '2nd gen' wireless headphones [Sci Fi Tech]

T-Mobile Drops Catherine Zeta-Jones, World Weeps September 28, 2006

Read more Advertorial , Mobile phones

T-Mobile has pulled the worst move ever and decided to drop Catherine Zeta-Jones. T-Mobile said she is being dropped in favor of a more "man-on-street approach to marketing." Oh, another douchebag who can have a catch-phase. Can I hear you now? No, I can't—so STFU and give me my Catherine Zeta-Jones back. – Travis Hudson

T-Mobile Readies New Web Phones - And Hangs Up on a Star Pitchwoman [WSJ]

Space Invaders Alarm Clock—Bew Bew! September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets

Mornings can be a rough time for some people. I blame the traditional alarm clocks with their silly radios or annoying beeping. The Space Invaders alarm clock could cure my case of the mornings by awakening to the pleasant sounds of space invaders. It is available for £20, but looks like it will have to be imported to the states. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Uberreview]

BenQ FP241W Display with HDMI September 28, 2006

Read more Home Entertainment , PC , Peripherals , TV

R: Zonkers, Batman! This 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor from BenQ is the first of its kind to have an HDMI port! Wowee! It supports resolutions up to 1080i 1900 x 1200 with a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 6 ms response time and 500cd/m2 brightness! Super awesome fun!

B: But what if I don't have anything HDMI, yet, Robin?

R: Well it also includes inputs for D-sub, DVI-D, S-video, composite and component!

B: So is it an LCD HDTV or PC monitor, my young, tightly clothed partner?

R: Well, for £650 it will be whatever you want it to be—like me—baby. So what's it tonite, Batman? Pitch or catch? – Travis Hudson

Product Page
BenQ FP241W LCD display with HDMI port [ubergizmo]

Smarty Pants: Computing Meets Motion-Sensing Fabric September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets , Software

Okay smarty-pants, try this on for size: we've been hearing a lot about wearable computers, but now scientists at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute are figuring out how to manufacture pants that detect movement.

"A loom helps sew the wires and fabric together. Then sensors embedded in the fabric measure the speed, rotation and flexibility of the pants with every movement. Wireless signals are sent from the pants to a computer to display the activity."

Smart Pants [Advanced Imaging Pro]

Dotmobi Top-Level Domain Now Ready For The Masses September 28, 2006

Read more Online

The many companies behind the dotMobi top-level domain hope to make your mobile Internet experience both better and easier. The top-level domain—like .com and .org—opened up to the general public yesterday (it was announced just a few months ago, too) and I saw the domain in action (if you can call it that) at an event recently. Actually creating a .mobi Web site is terrifically easy and the demoed tools were little more than a text editor, which is good news for people who just want to throw together a quick "look-what-I-did-last-night" type of site to show their friends. (Pictured here is an example of Google.mobi running on a mobile device.)

So all those portable gadgets that you use to access the mobile Internet might actually be useful from now on, since it's pretty much common knowledge that going to many Web sites on a cellphone is nigh impossible. I wonder if anyone has dibs on sex.mobi yet? – Nicholas Deleon

dotMobi Home Page [dotMobi]

Omron Shows MIMO HDTV Antenna, Gets Rid of Messy Wires September 28, 2006

Read more Home Entertainment , Peripherals

The cable-less future gets a little closer with Omron's ultra wideband (UWB) MIMO antenna destined for OEMs, specifically created for high definition video transmission. Omron calls it the first UWB antenna to transmit HD video. The company notes that HDTVs, projectors, DVD players and scalers can be equipped with this antenna, which will help get rid of all those unsightly cables and wires. Omron will be making this antenna available to consumer electronics manufacturers beginning in spring, 2007.

The antenna can reportedly be molded into versatile shapes using proprietary polymer technology, better fit it into a variety of devices. Hmm. Wouldn't this be a nice addition to Apple's upcoming iTV unit? MIMO or something like it will probably be necessary for such a unit to transmit HDTV signals. Could this be a key part of the iTV system we didn't see at the recent Jobsian love feast? – Charlie White

Omron announced the first UWB antenna to transmit HD video [Akihabara News]

iZak Portable Multimedia Center: TorrentPal for HDTV September 28, 2006

Read more Home Entertainment , Storage , TV

The iZak Portable Multimedia Center by Unibrain lets you copy music, video or photos from your Mac or PC via USB 2.0 and then plug that content into the TV via SVideo, component, or composite. Hey, it's sneakernet on a grand scale! The company says it'll handle 1080i or 720p HDTV through an optional $23 component cable. Too bad, though, there's no HDMI port—no 1080p for you—but there is an SPDIF port for digital audio.

So you take the player over to your HDTV, sit back and enjoy the benefits of your BitTorrenting without the need for a computer. Neat. If you're a stickler for all that legal stuff, you can always buy video on demand from DivX. It even lets you customize your own user interface, and watch DVDs without the disc by playing back an .iso DVD image file. Pricing starts at £120 for the 40GB unit, up to £200 for 120GB, and then they nickel and dime you for cables, adapters and a remote. – Charlie White

Product Page [Unibrain]

Peter Jackson To Create Halo Games For Xbox 360 September 28, 2006

Read more Consoles , Gadgets , Games , Home Entertainment , Online , Press , Software

Hobbit genius Peter Jackson has, sadly, fallen under Sauron’s spell and become a Shadow Wraith. In real life, that translates to Jackson teaming up with Microsoft to create interactive content for Microsoft’s Xbox 360. In truth, Jackson getting into games can only be a good thing.

He has set up a gaming division called Wingnut Interactive and is working on two series based around the Halo game universe: one alongside Bungie Studios for the Xbox 360 and the other, a Wingnut-original for the Xbox Live users, which is promising a “new level of interactivity”. Jackson said:

“My vision, together with Microsoft Game Studios, is to push the boundaries of game development and the future of interactive entertainment. From a movie-maker's point of view, it is clear to me that the Xbox 360 platform is the stage where storytellers can work their craft in the same way they do today with movies and books but taking it further with interactivity.”

Jackson is already producing the upcoming Halo movie, due out in 2008, so don't expect too much before then. –Martin Lynch

[More]

news movies microsoft xbox movies

Duck Fader – Dark Lord of the Bath September 28, 2006

Read more Gadgets , Home Entertainment

Anyone that smells a lawsuit from George’s Lucas’ ILM coming, raise your hands……now!

Meet Duck Fader – the swapping of the ‘V’ for an ‘F’ is deliberate and is obviously there to give this enterprising company some kind of leeway when the legal stormtroopers from ILM arrive.

Terrorising baths is the strength of this particular Sith Lord and I want one already. It’s made of rubber, has glowing eyes, kicks the ass of all cute yellow ducks and breaths like an asthmatic having an attack – sorry, that last bit is just me. Thankfully there is no Luke Duckwalker or Obi Wan Quack-obi.

Anyway, he measures 11 x 8.5 x 7.5cm and costs just £6.99 – which is practically for free. Anyone thinking of buying this for your kids or nephews should be aware that you are not fooling anyone. We know it’s for you. May the Fowl be with you. – Martin Lynch

Via Red Ferret

news toys movies gadgets shopping