Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Friday, June 15, 2007

Interesting Stuff

6/15/2007 3:23:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Looks like Summer Infant has a whole lot of explaining to do after one of its baby monitors has reportedly been able to "pick up black-and-white video from inside the space shuttle Atlantis." A Chicago-based mother probably had uncomfortable flashbacks to Signs after her newly purchased monitoring system chose to broadcast video of the mission right on the screen, but a NASA spokeswoman has already deflated hope that it was somehow coming directly from the shuttle. Apparently, a live feed is also available on NASA's website, which is leading investigators to focus on more earthly origins -- the mom, however, will probably just cancel her cable and keep on watching intently "to see what happens next."

[Thanks, Joe]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/15/when-good-toys-go-bad-vi-baby-monitor-swipes-nasa-shuttle-feed/#comments

6/15/2007 2:25:00 AM

Filed under: Transportation

The image of a backed-up highway leading away from the scene of a natural disaster may soon be history, if researcher Yi-Chang Chiu and his colleagues at the University of Arizona have their way. They've developed a traffic simulator that uses real-time traffic data along with detailed state and federal traffic statistics and behavior modeling to allow officials to simulate disaster evacuations in real time -- or even predict the course of events as a disaster is happening. The software adjusts for such varied data as driver reactions to radio reports and wind dispersal of smoke and other pollutants; it even calculates the number of casualties and their effect. Chiu has been building the simulator since 1995, and he's ready to start selling to state transportation and medical emergency agencies. Interestingly, Chiu says his real research focus is on calculating optimum "value-priced" toll rates -- something we're certain most state transportation departments regard as the real disaster.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/15/traffic-simulation-software-lets-officials-plan-evacuation-strat/#comments

6/15/2007 1:14:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Microsoft's announced a new partnership with Linspire that'll see the two companies work together to ensure greater interoperability between the two operating systems, as well provide some all-important intellectual property assurance. Among other things, that'll apparently see various measures put in place to increase document compatibility between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice, along with the inclusion of Windows Media 10 audio and video codecs in future releases of Linspire, increased compatibility between instant messaging clients, and the licensing of Microsoft TrueType fonts to Linspire. Linspire users will also soon find Windows Live Search as their default option. To round out the deal, Microsoft and Linspire have also worked together on a framework to provide so-called patent covenants from Microsoft, which customers will apparently be able to acquire for a little extra peace of mind, and no doubt a little extra cash.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/15/microsoft-partners-with-linspire-for-increased-interoperability/#comments

6/15/2007 12:36:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables, Networking

We've seen plenty of ideas and even a patent related to the employment of human skin in the transport of data. We've also seen our fair share of bone conducting audio products come to market in the last few years. Now in a synthesis of the two, scientists at Rice University have developed a technique whereby rattles to the skeleton can transmit information to gadgets and medical devices strapped on (or inside of) your meat sack. Their approach has resulted in "amazingly few errors" even when using low-powered vibrations. Great, soon our handshakes will transfer both biological and software-related viruses? Oh boy.

[Thanks, Geetu]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/rice-university-turns-skeleton-into-a-data-network/#comments

6/14/2007 10:08:00 PM

Filed under: Features, Portable Audio, Portable Video

We were on Archos's side of town today so we popped by to check out the 605 WiFi and 405 media players. (We were bummed there wasn't a 105 or 705 around, but 705 was no big deal -- according to Archos it's the same device, just made thinner.) We've also got some additional details for you on these devices.

605 will launch for $230 (4GB), $300 (30GB), and $400 (160GB)
405 will launch for $170, not including SD
Both are available this summer
The 605 is 9.2 ounces, and 4.8 x 3.2 x 0.6-inches on the 4GB (flash) and 30GB model, 0.75-inches thick on the 160GB model
The 405 is 4.2 ounces, and 3.9 x 3.1 x 0.5-inches
Both 605 and 405 will have 5 hours video, 16 hours audio playback
The 605 not only streams video from the internet, it also downloads from a variety of paid and free channels (like CinemaNow, YouTube, BurnLounge, and Archos's own Content Portal, etc.)
605 also features an EPG for recording video

Now that we've rounded out the specs, click on for some additional first impressions and a gallery of press shots.

Gallery: Archos 605 and 405 hands-on

Continue reading Archos 605 and 405 details, hands-on

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/archos-605-and-405-details-hands-on/#comments

6/14/2007 9:29:00 PM

Filed under: Digital Cameras

We've been hearing about Sigma's SD14 14.1-megapixel DSLR with that nifty Foveon 3-layer image sensor since last year, but it looks like all the hype was just that: Popular Photography got their hands on a review unit and wasn't too impressed. Although the cam earned high marks for color accuracy and image quality, the reviewers didn't see the full potential of the novel image sensor -- JPEG shots were rated on par with the 8-megapixel Canon Digital Rebel XT, while RAW images actually had less detail in them than shots taken by the 10-megapixel Nikon D80. The reviewers also knocked the slow image processor, which they found produced blocky JPEG images at higher ISOs and took 8-10 seconds to clear its buffer after shooting just six pictures in burst mode. Although the Foveon sensor is promising, the review concludes that you're probably better off spending your $1,600 elsewhere -- not exactly a ringing endorsement of the "fundamentally better technology" Sigma and Foveon promised.

Read - Sigma SD14 review
Read - Foveon X3 sensor review

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/sigma-sd14-reviewed-promising-but-not-quite-there/#comments

6/14/2007 8:39:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Although it's still proudly donning the proverbial prototype badge, a nifty machine from Compal was spotted at Computex running Windows CE 5.0 in favor of the battery-draining XP or Vista. Simply dubbed the UMD (Ultra Mobile Device), this ultraportable supposedly pulled double duty as a smartphone and even played nice with HSDPA. Internally, it featured a 532MHz Freescale i.MX31 processor, 512MB of NAND Flash memory, 256MB of DDR RAM, a 4.3-inch WVGA display, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a slide out QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, hot keys, built-in speaker and microphone, a 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera, SIM card slot, and a miniSD slot to hold excess media. Additionally, it boasted USB connectivity, a headphone jack, a meager five-watt power consumption rating that enabled nearly five hours of battery life, and the obligatory media playing and Skype-friendly applications that you would expect on such a multifaceted device. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell whether Compal will come through on bringing this thing to market, but we're sure there's a niche that would be all over it should it eventually roll out.

[Via Wired]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/compal-showcases-prototype-umpc-running-windows-ce/#comments

6/14/2007 7:49:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

It looks like those itching to find out exactly how the just-announced GunCon 3 controller for the PlayStation 3 would work need wonder no more, as Japan's Game Watch website appears to have scored the details, although they've since disappeared from the site. Wired's Game Life managed to preserve the key bits, however, which reveal that the controller functions much like a Wiimote, relying on a pair of markers placed on top of the TV that are detected by a camera in the muzzle of the gun. The gun also packs a full range of traditional controls, including six buttons and two analog sticks, although we doubt many will be ditching their SIXAXIS for it. While there's still no official word on a North American release, the gun and Time Crisis 4 will apparently be released in Japan sometime before the end of the year.

[Via Joystiq]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/ps3-guncon-3-controller-boasts-wiimote-like-abilities/#comments

6/14/2007 6:59:00 PM

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless

Just as many analysts predicted following the two companies' failure to secure any spectrum during last year's FCC auction, both DirecTV and DISH-parent EchoStar have signed agreements with Craig McCaw's Clearwire to provide qualifying customers with high-speed wireless internet service (and by qualifying customers, we mean anyone who lives within a Clearwire coverage zone). What's more, current Clearwire subscribers will have the opportunity to sign up for satellite TV delivered right to their modems -- an American first, as far as we know. In other industry news, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that EchoStar and future DirecTV-owner Liberty Media are planning a multi-billion dollar bid for satellite-communications provider Intelsat, which would provide both firms with additional capacity and/or the capability to offer broadband from the heavens. So far all we know regarding a launch window for the Clearwire deal is that bundled packages will be available from all three parties later this year, once again making your satellite vs. cable decision a difficult one.

Read - Clearwire
Read - Intelsat [Warning: subscription required]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/directv-dish-sign-up-for-clearwire/#comments

6/14/2007 6:35:00 PM

Filed under: Robots

Bringing our terrifying nightmares of robots peeling the roof off our house like a tin of sardines one step closer to reality reality, German firm KUKA Roboter celebrated the launch of what it claims to be the worlds fastest and strongest robot yesterday. The KR 1000 "Titan" bot -- which earned itself a place in the Guinness Book of World's Records for being so, uh, mighty mighty -- can lift up to 1000kg (2,204 pounds) and has a reach of 3.2 meters. All that power is supplied by a nine-motor drive system that can twist out 44,200 pound-feet of torque, enabling the Titan to do jobs that formerly took two bots in places like auto plants, foundries, power plants, and materials factories. Here's hoping all those out-of-work robots don't start a revolution in protest -- we'd much rather they just start drinking.

[Via GizMag]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/german-firm-unveils-the-worlds-strongest-industrial-robot/#comments

6/14/2007 6:00:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

With six handsets, three new Bluetooth watches, and an array of new accessories and peripherals, Sony Ericsson went for broke with today's announcement (heck, we'd go so far to say that they should've teased even a little more than they did). Obviously that's a lot to digest, so we wanted to zoom in on the W910 and W950 -- the company's newest and fanciest Walkman-branded units -- and take a look at just what it is that sets them apart. Read on for details.

Continue reading A closer look at Sony Ericsson's W910 and W960

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/a-closer-look-at-sony-ericssons-w910-and-w960/#comments

6/14/2007 5:31:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

Wal-Mart's already gotten itself some exclusive Dell computers, and it looks like Best Buy will soon have an exclusive laptop to call its own as well, in this case coming from HP. According to The Wall Street Journal, HP will be selling its forthcoming HP Pavilion Verve DV2550se laptop exclusively at Best Buy starting next month, which has apparently been specially designed after studying "trends in the cellphone and fashion markets." While there unfortunately doesn't appear to be any pics of the laptop just yet, the company's research has reportedly led them to a black-and-bronze design, which it hopes will appeal to college students and young professionals. Other than that, about all that's known about the laptop is that it'll boast a 14.1-inch display, a built-in webcam, and sell for between $1,099 and $1,199, though we're sure we'll be hearing more about it soon enough.

[Via Computer Shopper, thanks Sean P]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/best-buy-getting-exclusive-hp-pavilion-verve-dv2550se-laptop/#commentscomments

6/14/2007 5:02:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

We're an admittedly jaded group when it comes to new mobile tech and handsets but, O2's new Cocoon has us sitting up and taking notice. This winsome flipper sports an LED display hidden behind what appears to be an opaque housing that lights up to show song info, caller ID and the like. Featuring a pretty slick control panel on the side, 2GB of internal memory, expandability via MicroSD, Bluetooth A2DP, and a 2 megapixel shooter with flash, it does seem to be packin' all the necessary bits and bobs. In the radio department, we find triple-band GSM / GPRS and 3G -- no details on the frequencies offered here, but we can guess they will be Eurocentric. Look for it on O2 UK in August for a wallet-stinging $590 off contract.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/o2-spins-out-the-cocoon/#comments

6/14/2007 4:34:00 PM

Filed under: Displays

Apparently, Eizo just wasn't kosher with busting out a brand new addition to its FlexScan lineup without also expanding the professionally-geared ColorEdge series, so just three days after seeing the HD2441W, here comes the 24.1-inch CG241W for the discerning set. This widescreen beast touts a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution panel, all black frame, 178-degree viewing angles, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 850:1 contrast ratio, six-millisecond response time, and comes tuned from the factory to showcase colors as accurately as possible. Additionally, you'll find DVI / VGA inputs, a host of USB 2.0 ports, VESA compatibility, and a shade hood thrown in for good measure. Eizo's expansive CG241W can be pre-ordered now for a whopping ¥209,790 ($1,718), but if you're willing to cough up the dough, you should have one very precise monitor in your hands by early next month.

[Via PCLaunches]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/eizo-launches-24-1-inch-coloredge-cg241w-lcd/#comments

6/14/2007 3:54:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

Even though Microsoft seems to be dragging its feet when it comes to addressing the EU's anti-trust concerns, the software-giant-cum-console-maker was quick to respond to European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Meglena Kuneva's inquiry regarding accusations of faulty 360 hardware. Specifically, the commissioner wanted to know the scope of the disc scratching problem brought to light by Dutch program Kassa -- and unsurprisingly, Redmond seemed to allude to 1UP that it was toeing the same party line in Europe as we heard back in April. The bottom line here is that Team Xbox is clearly adamant that there is no widespread problem, and while they seem to be a little more reticent to blame the end user now, your only recourse remains contacting the company and crossing your fingers.

[Via Joystiq]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/microsoft-responds-to-european-inquiry-on-scratched-360-discs/#comments

6/14/2007 3:24:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

In addition to the 605 WiFi announced today, Archos is pulling out the rest of their new lineup, including the 105 (2GB flash), 405 (2GB SD), and 705 with 80 and 160GB drive sizes. Not a lot else on these right now, we'll let you know when more details surface.

Update: Plengt; Plenty of pictures of the 405 and 605 WiFi here, we'll have more soon enough.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/archos-also-announces-105-405-705/#comments

6/14/2007 3:07:00 PM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Not really a surprise that Archos is finally really tying to break into the set-top box business, given its propensity for DVR-recording functionality in its portables line and partial ownership by Echostar, but it looks like the Apple TV has a new device to worry about: the Archos TV. We're still getting details in, but it looks like the 80 - 250GB box will pull content off your home network via WiFi or Ethernet, as well as grab from external storage, in addition to recording DVR-style with component in (and HDMI out). More on this new media streamer we get it.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/archos-tv-announced/#comments

6/14/2007 3:04:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Yeah, the new batch of watches is pretty cool, but let's be honest -- at the end of the day, the handsets themselves are the real deal, and Sony Ericsson didn't disappoint with today's reveals. The Gracenote slip-up outed the three hottest of the bunch, the K850, W910, and W960. The K850 is the follow-on to the lauded K790 / K800 with a 5 megapixel cam, NetFront browser, and tri-band HSDPA (North American bands mercifully included) and quadband GSM plus EDGE. The W910 and W960 are beasts of Walkman phones, offering 3G data, 2 megapixel and 3.2 megapixel cams respectively, and -- in the case of the W960 -- UIQ 3.1 and a full 8GB of onboard storage. Also-rans in today's lineup include the not-for-US-consumption K530, a 14mm 3G candybar, and the low-end Z250 and Z320 flips. Look for 'em all in the second half of the year. Check Engadget Mobile for a plethora of eye candy!

Read - Z320 and K850
Read - W910 and W960
Read - K530
Read - Z250

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/sony-ericsson-makes-k850-w910-w960-others-official/#comments

6/14/2007 2:27:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We're obviously sooo surprised that the device pictured above turns out to be the 605 WiFi -- we're not sure if it's the fact that it was a 5th-gen player being launched that looks like the 604, or that the player has "605 WiFi" emblazoned on the front that tipped us off.

605 users can expect a far higher res 800 x 480 4.3-inch touchscreen display (that's 200ppi, take that 160ppi iPhone), WiFi to connect with Archos's new digital content portal and the interweb (including video centric sites), and will be available in 4GB with an SD slot, and 30GB, 80GB, and 160GB drive sizes.

[Via ArchosLounge]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/archos-announces-605-wifi/#comments

6/14/2007 1:46:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Wireless

Bluetooth wristwatches are all the rage lately -- or at least Sony Ericsson hopes so, because it has a vested interest in most of them -- and just like we suspected, the JV has announced its latest model, the MBW-150, complete with AVRCP support for wireless control of your music phone. This followup to the MBW-100 comes in three styles (Classic, Music, and Executive, pictured left to right) that all perform the standard caller ID / SMS notification thing, while tossing in the highly-desirable ability to change tracks and adjust volume as well as view track info on the face. No pricing or release details were immediately released, so we'll keep ya updated.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/sony-ericssons-new-mbw-150-bluetooth-watch-rocks-avrcp/#comments

6/14/2007 1:38:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

Oh my. Looks like Gracenote has unintentionally stolen Sony Ericsson's thunder by outing their phones before SE's "next big thing" later today. According to their press release, Gracenote's mobile music service will be embedded on the "new Walkman models W910, W960 and the K850 Cyber-shot." Of course, there's still some mystery as we don't yet know which internal codename -- Sofia, Maria/Mooi, Shinobu, or possibly others -- matches up with those new product numbers. As to Gracenote, well they'll provide search and discovery, song ID and playlisting, and allow users to transfer music between home libraries, on-line music stores, and their new SE phones. But really, it's only the phones you're interested in right?

Update: Well, well now BelgiqueMobile seems to have the leaked pics and specs: 5 megapixel cybershot K850i with HSDPA/EDGE; W910 HSDPA Walkman 3.0 slider with 2 megapixel camera; W960 Walkman Touch player with UIQ 3.1, WiFi, and 3.2 megapixel camera. There's more, but not more if you knowwhutamean?

[Thanks, Thomas B. and CedricG]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/gracenote-trumps-sony-ericsson-announces-w910-w960-and-k850/#comments

6/14/2007 1:37:00 PM

Filedgt;Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Looks like Apple's issued a new version of the public beta of Safari for Windows today -- highest on the list of fixes were patches for thee three separate security vulnerabilities that cropped up mere hours after launch. There's never any software that's 100% secure, but at least now it's that much safer for Windows users to go hunting wild internet on Safari 3.0.1. (Details on the fixes after the break.)

Update: Wow, just 48 hours after launch and already Apple's clocked in over a million Safari for Windows downloads. Info here. Let's just hope the next million downloads are from users snagging the 3.0.1 update.

Continue reading Apple releases Windows Safari 3.0.1, squishes security bugs

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/apple-releases-windows-safari-3-0-1-squishes-security-bugs/#comments

6/14/2007 1:19:00 PM

Filed under: GPS, Handhelds

The iriver-lovin' folks at iriverfans.com have gotten their hands on what they claim to be pics of a pair of forthcoming devices from the company, which are supposedly set to be unveiled at the SEK exhibition in Korea later this month. First up is the iriver M10 (seen above), a GPS device that also packs the usual array of PMP funtions, including a DMB tuner for some added distraction. Unfortunately, that's about all that's known about it at the moment, other than that it'll also sport a spiffy new interface. Even less clear are any details on the company's D5 "electronic dictionary," although you can get a good look at it after the break.

[Via dapreview.net]

Continue reading iriver M10, D5 devices surface online

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/iriver-m10-d5-devices-surface-online/#comments

6/14/2007 1:04:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Could this be the first true and proper iPhone sighting in public? Like, for really reals this time? The pic was snapped by Engadget pal Mark Trammell on the CalTrain -- which we know many an Apple employee usesyee uses to commute from SF to Cupertino. But with the hype this device has, we almost wouldn't put it past some San Francisco supergeek to cruise around with a faux iPhone just to raise some eyebrows boost his geek cred.

[Via BGR]

Update: We talked to Mark further -- it was definitely an iPhone, no chance of being a fake. He said its user was flipping through songs and playing back music on the device. Note to iPhone obsessives: ride the CalTrain more often.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/iphone-spotted-in-public/#comments

6/14/2007 12:46:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We knew they were coming, and now Archos really wants you to know that they're coming, with the company's website now replaced with a teaser page counting down to the imminent launch of its new fifth generation PMPs. Don't get too entranced by those decreasing digits though, we'll have complete coverage of whatever it is the company has in store before you know it.

[Thanks, Mike]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/archos-gets-set-to-unveil-gen-5-products/#comments

6/14/2007 12:30:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Why Logitech decided to eschew a "next-gen" feature for a "last-gen" one in its newest PS3 controller we'll never know, but the esteemed peripherals manufacturer is nonetheless poised to loose its rumble-tastic, accelerometer-free Cordless Precision for PlayStation 3 on the gaming world. IGN got a first look at the SIXAXIS competitor, and while they appreciate the build quality, battery life, and solid wireless connection, the lack of motion sensing, crappy D-pad, and absence of Bluetooth-related functionality (the Precision requires a USB dongle to communicate with the console) aren't worth the ten dollar discount you're getting when compared to a first-party offering. Plus, now that Sony and Immersion have finally made nice, you're bound to see some Bluetooth gamepads incorporating both force feedback and tilty goodness in the very near future.

[Via Joystiq]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/logitech-cordless-precision-for-playstation-3-brings-the-rumble/#comments

6/14/2007 12:02:00 PM

Filed under: Handhelds

Those curious to see just how much E Ink Corp.'s new and improved Vizplex display enhances the e-reading experience now have an actual e-book reader they can get their hands on, although they'll have to find a way to get one out of South Korea. Apart from that new 6-inch, 600 x 800 display (which promises twice the refresh speed and 20% better brightness than previous models), NUUT's NP-601 e-book reader is a fairly standard affair, with 512MB of internal memory, an SD card slot for expansion, and a headphone jack to take advantage of some of its (unspecified) non-reading functions. Look for this one to set you back about $300.

[Via MobileRead]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/nuut-intros-np-601-e-book-reader-with-vizplex-display/#comments

6/14/2007 11:43:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

So it looks like we're not the only ones who are sick and tired of filling out forms and sending them in to Uncle Sam, as Singapore-based Creative has announced plans to delist its publicly traded shares from the NASDAQ Global Exchange, citing administrative costs associated with meeting "increasingly burdensome U.S. reporting obligations." The manufacturer of such diverse products as X-Fi sound cards and Live! webcams expects to withdraw its ordinary shares by August 1st and move trading entirely over to the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited, which already sees 90% of the company's average worldwide daily trading volume anyway. As expected, Creative's US shares have already started to tank as investors contemplate the complications of trading in a foreign market, but Creative diehards can probably anticipate a rebound once the integration has been completed. Or so our boiler room broker tells us...

[Via epiZENter]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/creative-delisting-from-nasdaq-cites-burdensome-regulations/#comments

6/14/2007 11:22:00 AM

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Bang & Olufsen is continuing to give a whole new meaning to the term "home theater in a box". The latest in the BeoVision 7 line is coming to the US this summer, and includes everything; a 40-inch HDTV, 7.1 surround sound speakers, amplifier and a DVD player. As if that wasn't enough to draw you in, it's perched on a motorized floor stand that will adjust the display to keep the viewers in the sweet spot. And like many B&O designs, it includes an electronic curtain glide -- because pressing a button to eject a DVD is just too much work. The BeoVision 7 will retail for $13,500 and will be available in an assortment of colors -- we're leaning towards the red.

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6/14/2007 10:56:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

An array of busted computers that control the International Space Station's orientation and oxygen and water supplies could force the orbiting hotel's three current residents to either extend their stay or make an emergency departure. The Russian-made computers are critical for sustaining life aboard the station, and while astronauts have a 56-day supply of oxygen remaining and the ability to manually fire the control thrusters, we've seen 2001 enough times to know that space and computer malfunctions don't mix. So far the cause of the failure is a real head-scratcher for Russian engineers tasked with troubleshooting the problem (where's Cosmonaut Gates when you need him?), though current suspicions lie with power issues related to the new solar array delivered by Atlantis on this most recent shuttle mission. For real-time updates on this crisis, just grab a telescope and follow along for yourself...

[Thanks, Eli R]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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6/14/2007 10:35:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Peripherals

These days, it's not difficult to find a cutting-edge hardware component with a liquid-cooled option, but streaming water through a power supply is a new one on us. Aside from the potential fire hazard implications, we're a bit stumped as to why a vanilla 450-watt power supply would actually need such superfluous cooling measures in place, but we can assume that this bad boy is whisper quiet until it springs a leak. Nevertheless, JSP Tech's interesting new PSU was spotted at Computex with a CPU cooling extension tackily attached to it, but we've no idea if or when this admittedly questionable device will ever hit the market.

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6/14/2007 5:15:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We've seen pigeons that monitor pollution and cement that eats pollution, but for eye-catchiness and do-goodedness, it's tough to beat Soo-in Yang and David Benjamin's River Glow project, which provides a light show as it keeps an eye on water quality. Built with a budget of $1,000, the current bathtub-bound prototype system consists of an LED connected to uncoated fiber optic strands, which gets triggered when the pH sensor detects changes in water quality. What's more, the whole thing's apparently powered by a single AA battery, which is recharged using floating strips of thin film photovoltaics. Presumably, that'd be scaled up before it gets let loose in some larger waterways (as seen above), although it's not clear when or if that'll happen.

[Via Inhabitat]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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6/14/2007 9:49:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

After some initial confusion following WWDC, an AT&T memo has pegged the iPhone availability at 6pm in your respective US time zone. We imagine this comes down to Apple's meticulous level of control over any monkey business. As such, the magic 6pm launch is likely the result of a next-day, 6pm delivery cutoff by AT&T's distribution agent -- FedEx. You don't think these babies are just going to be sitting around in the stock room do you? So if you happen to see a FedEx guy hovering near an AT&T or Apple store on June 29th... well, be nice, mkay?

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http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/14/iphone-on-sale-6pm-local-time/#comments

6/14/2007 9:35:00 AM

Filed under: Household

We've seen magnetics used in everything from closet improvements to insomnia treatments, but researchers at the University of Alberta and the United States Naval Research Laboratory have found that "by manipulating electron spin using magnetic fields, they can turn off and on light that's being guided through metals." By looking deeper into the fields of plasmonics and spintronics, the gurus have discovered that this on-off light switch could be used for tasks such as routing infrared light in optical communications or processing radio signals in cell phones. Additionally, this system could potentially decrease power requirements for the devices it invades, and while a finalized product isn't quite ready, the team is already anxious to "build devices that can act as switches in a chip."

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6/14/2007 9:05:00 AM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Newman's had a thing for kicking out low-cost, fairly well-spec'd portable media players over in China, and the M669 looks to uphold that reputation quite nicely. This pocket-friendly PMP reportedly includes a 3.6-inch LCD, 20GB internal hard drive, support for MP3, WMA, OGG, and MPEG1/2/4, video out, FM tuning abilities, e-book support, a photo viewer, voice recording, and USB 2.0 connectivity. Of course, the aesthetics leave something to be desired and the specifications are just barely above ho hum, but word on the street is that this here PMP is going for around $131 over in its homeland, which changes the complexion around real quick like.

[Via DAPreview]

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6/14/2007 8:05:00 AM

Filed under: Displays

Nearly a year after Toshiba introduced its TLP-XC2500U, the firm is finally giving the document camera-equipped projector a refresh and dubbing it the TLP-XC2500AU. Hailed as a low-cost way to get a doc cam integrated into a projector, this device is aimed squarely at educators and businesses, features the firm's Natural Color Enhancer3, and includes a 1,024 x 768 resolution, 400:1 contrast ratio, 2,500 ANSI lumens, and a bulb that purportedly lasts around 3,000 hours when used in Eco-Mode. Additionally, the one-touch setup and automatic vertical keystone correction should prevent any long waits in the conference room, and the digital zoom function on the wireless remote can help presenters focus in without resorting to an all-too-fun laser pointer. Tosh's TLP-XC2500AU looks to be shipping in one to two weeks for $1,439.

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6/14/2007 7:25:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Media PCs

Although a number of household name computer vendors have already inked their name on some sort of green agenda, now it looks like things are getting a bit more aspiring as Intel and Google have joined the likes of Dell, EDS, EPA, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, PG&E, and the World Wildlife Fund (among others) to launch the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. The lofty goal is to"save $5.5 billion in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year," which translates into an amount equal to removing "more than 11 million cars from the road" by 2010. Supposedly, vendors in agreement with the initiative will abide by the new 90-percent efficiency target for power supplies, which looks to be the main player in garnering such massive reductions. Feeling guilty about pulling the trigger on that 2,000-watt PSU yet?

[Via ArsTechnica]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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6/14/2007 6:55:00 AM

Filed under: GPS

As if your choices weren't endless enough in the 3.5-inch GPS arena, GlobalSat is offering up yet another forgettable alternative in the GV-366. Aside from the obligatory touchscreen display, you'll find a SiRF Star III receiver, multilingual navigation interface, and software that was co-developed by Navigon. Additionally, a built-in media player looks to be included as is RDS-TMC real-time traffic support. No word just yet on price nor availability, but simply judging by the specifications, it ought to be a bargain whenever it lands.

[Via NaviGadget]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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6/14/2007 5:44:00 AM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

What's better than the beloved iAudio 6? Why, the iAudio 7 of course... it's 1 better. Meet Cowon's latest DAP with that "simply brilliant" 1.3-inch LCD. Only now, we're looking at 8GB of flash memory instead of that dawdling 0.85-inch disk drive of its predecessor. The iAudio 7 is one of just a few to support FLAC and OGG audio in addition to the usual suspects and XviD video. Hell, it even squeezes up to 60 hours from a Lithium Polymer battery which can be charged via USB. Priced at just â©169,000 (about $182) for the 4GB on up to â©229,000 (about $246) for the full 8GB, what's not to love?

Gallery: Cowon's iAudio 7 packs 8GB of FLAC on flash

[Via AVING]

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