Friday, July 13, 2007

Interesting Stuff

odd-i's P480 conglomerate gets DaVinci chip
7/13/2007 8:13:00 PM

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We'll admit, odd-i's P480 has been around the proverbial block a time or two before, and while the design sure ain't changing much, the internals are yet again seeing a refresh. The latest iteration adopts a Samsung 4.8-inch WQVGA display (love the shirt, bro!), SIRFstarIII GPS receiver, DMB TV tuner, built-in extendable antenna, up to 60GB of internal hard drive space, TV in / out, USB connectivity, uPIM scheduling software, an e-dictionary, and most notably, a DaVinci chip that reportedly "enables users to enjoy a variety of video files without encoding." Slated for release this month in South Korea (where else?), interested consumers can expect it to start around ₩458,000 ($498). Peep a few more shots after the jump.

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Cowon iAudio 7 gets unboxed
7/13/2007 7:43:00 PM

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For those of you who are waiting to experience the raw, passionate opening of a shiny new Cowon iAudio 7, but haven't the money, time, or sheer force of will -- take heart. The player, which rocks 8GB of flash memory, supports FLAC and OGGs, and can play back XviD media on its 1.3-inch color screen has hit the streets and is up for inspection. One lucky purchaser has gone to all the trouble of unboxing the hell out of his recently delivered DAP, and has kindly chosen to share his message of light and hope with the world. Hit the link for a fairly thrilling showcase of gadget-porn.

[Thanks, Jin]

 

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Olympus E-P1 DSLR leaked, slated for fall release?
7/13/2007 7:13:00 PM

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Oh, how we adore leaked PowerPoint presentations. Fresh off of discovering that Timex is indeed releasing a Made for iPod watch, it looks like that Olympus E-1 successor will soon become a reality -- we're talking October / November soon. While the 27-page document detailing the E-P1 has since been removed at the request of Olympus, a good amount of details were extracted beforehand. Reportedly, the DSLR will feature a 10-megapixel sensor, dust reduction, splash-proof body, swiveling LCD, image sensor stabilization, eleven-point autofocus, and a weather-sealed extra battery compartment for good measure. So if you're as giddy as we are about finally getting a followup to the aging E-1, give the links below a bit of your time and start pinching those pennies.

[Via CNET]

 

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Wii Zapper hands-on
7/13/2007 6:43:00 PM

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What do you want? The Wii Zapper is literally just a piece of plastic that you strap your Wiimote and nunchuck into -- it doesn't add any buttons or otherwise change anything about how the controllers are used. In other words, you don't even need this thing to play the games it's intended for -- which is good, because those with larger hands might have a hard time with it as is.

Gallery: Wii Zapper hands-on

 

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Wii Balance Board hands-on, er, feet-on
7/13/2007 6:26:00 PM

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We got to get on a little, um, feet-on time with Nintendo's new Wii Balance Board. Besides the humbling experience of feeling like an uncoordinated, chubby remnant of your former self, we were surprised with the accuracy by which the device was able to detect even subtle muscle movements that affect balance and position. It definitely felt heavy and sturdy for a pre-production device. Oh, and the weight / balance sensors aren't just left / right, either, some games require you to stand in the middle on one foot. Check out the gallery, it's time to get physical like ONJ. (If you're still left wanting more, hit up Joystiq.)

Gallery: Wii Balance Board hands-on, er, feet-on

 

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Engadget & Joystiq interview: Peter Moore, head of Xbox
7/13/2007 6:02:00 PM

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We got another opportunity to catch up with our pal Peter Moore, the man at the top of the heap over at Microsof'ts Xbox division. We chatted it up about the usual stuff: games, Microsoft's E3 presence, the 360 warranty debacle, and what's up with all the special edition stuff Microsoft keeps pumping out.

So, any new tattoos this year?

None. Out of limbs. You were there the other night...

What, no chest piece? You've got legs, too.

No, my PR handlers would -- well, I'm game for a lot of stuff, and then they go, "No, I don't think so."

You could do full sleeves, the back...

I think the next thing would be what's (horribly) called a tramp stamp... [laughter]

So no tramp stamp for Peter Moore, unfortunately. So last time when we spoke with you last year, your competition hadn't launched yet. So you guys were kind of in a unique position to be the first next gen company out of the gate. Your system, you know you have a lot of second wave titles showing up. Even though the Wii was certainly a phenomenon at last year's E3, there was a lot of excitement about the Xbox. So now here we are, a little over a year later obviously and your competition has launched, in your own press conference your materials show that the Wii is -- not by much -- outselling the 360.
Numbers don't lie!

So where do you think the 360 stands in terms of your competition? You have the Wii that's actually outselling the 360 and you have the PlayStation 3 which obviously isn't although, sales have increased after the price drop. So where...
Apparently they have. I haven't seen any independent data that supports that.

Continue reading Engadget & Joystiq interview: Peter Moore, head of Xbox

 

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PSP lite approved by the FCC as the "PSP-2001"
7/13/2007 5:43:00 PM

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The fine folks in the federal government have had their chance to poke at the new slim PSP, and it looks like the new model, which Sony is calling the "PSP-2001," has passed its FCC inspection. No big surprises in the filing, although it looks like the PSP Jr. will only be able to output game video via component, while UMD and Memory Stick movies get composite output as well. Other than that, the PSP 1.1 seems ready to go -- those of you too anxious to wait until September can hit the read link for the full FCC file.

 

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Samsung passes Motorola, takes number two market share spot
7/13/2007 5:35:00 PM
In the wake of a Motorola profit free fall the past few quarters, Samsung has finally managed to nab Moto's spot to take the number two position in global handset market share behind the perennial numero uno, Nokia. Though the victory comes by the slimmest of margins -- 37.4 million handsets shipped in Q2 compared to Moto's estimate of 35 to 36 million -- the two companies are clearly moving in opposite directions right now, with Samsung seeing a 4 percent boost in revenue over the same period last year. Samsung attributes its success to an ever-expanding Ultra Edition line and increased volume in its entry-level lineup, something Motorola has been looking for (but apparently hasn't found) with its innovative MOTOFONE. Find yourself looking over your shoulder, Nokia?

 

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Sony says $499 60GB PS3 is staying alive (alive!) in US
7/13/2007 5:03:00 PM

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After some turbulent hours of confusion over this story, Sony finally got its facts straight and let the world know that it is in fact not going to discontinue its 60GB PS3 in US once current stock runs out. According to SCEA's Dave Karraker, "As announced this week, SCEA's product offering in North America consists of a 80GB PS3 available in August at $599 and a 60GB PS3 available now for $499. We have will have ample supplies of both models to meet the needs of our consumers for the foreseeable future." Apparently the confusion arose from Sony Europe's David Reeves explaining that if they cut the 60GB price in Europe, they'd run out of stock in Europe by the end of July. So, false alarm people, please resume buying / not buying your $499 60GB PS3s in an orderly manner.

Update: This has been semi-contradicted once again, with Sony now saying that they have enough stock to sell 60GB consoles for the next few months, but it doesn't sound like they'll be making any more after that. According to Karraker, "We won't be making any further announcements regarding our PS3 model hardware strategy in North America until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated."

 

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Engadget crashes the Joystiq Reader Meetup tonight in Santa Monica
7/13/2007 4:55:00 PM

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It's the first ever Joystiq Reader Meetup tonight, and Engadget's going to be there to show some love and support. So if you're not opposed to spending quality time with some E3-addled crazies, we'd love to have you. Get there early for the free t-shirts, stick around for high tales of liveblogging misadventure. If you do plan on attending, be sure to head over to Joystiq and let them know in the comments.

When: 6PM-9PM on Friday 13th
Where: Mahalo HQ, 902 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica 90401 (Google Maps link)&/a>)

And yes, this event is all ages!

 

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Intel and OLPC join hands in collaborative harmony
7/13/2007 4:31:00 PM

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Revived from the depths of "no way this will happen," Intel has gone and shook hands with OLPC, disregarding prior quibbles and announcing that the two will "will explore collaborations involving technology and educational content." Presumably deciding that two heads were better working together than butting into one another, both firms have agreed to "bring the benefits of technology to the developing world through synergy of their respective programs." Phil Otellini, Intel's CEO, went so far as to state that joining forces with OLPC is just another example of his company's "commitment to education," and while absolutely no elaboration was given on what exactly the duo planned on completing together, at least we now know to be on the lookout.

 

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JVC's HA-NC250 noise-canceling headphones
7/13/2007 4:02:00 PM

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JVC has announced a new pair of Bose-humiliating, noise-canceling headphones to its lineup: the HA-NC250. Clocking in at $199.95, these 5.3-ounce, flat-folding earpieces utilize adaptive feedback technology which constantly monitors the noise cancellation process, resulting in a nearly 85 percent reduction of background noise -- or at least that's what JVC claims. The headphones feature 40mm neodymium drivers, and come bundled with a carrying case, detachable cord, and an assortment of adapters for all your plugging needs. Of course, you'll have to provide your own AAA battery.

 

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NTT DoCoMo tests speedy Super 3G
7/13/2007 3:33:00 PM

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It's a bird, it's a plane, no, its just Japan's NTT DoCoMo blowing the rest of the world away with yet more steroid-loaded 3G action, or Super 3G in this case. Blending advanced HSDPA and HSUPA technologies, Super 3G is touted as having downlink speeds as quick as 300Mbps -- a fair bit quicker than earlier reports -- to your handset. The indoor tests will begin with only one transmitting and receiving antenna, but switch up to the four Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system that would be used if deployed. Test are expected to wrap up in 2009, so in the interim we'll all just sit back and cry a little knowing we'll never see this type of tech on these shores.

[Via Unwired View]

 

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Bionic limbs enable legless man to walk again
7/13/2007 3:02:00 PM

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If you ever question whether or not technology is enriching our lives or contributing to the greater good, you need only glance in the direction of modern medicine to get your answer. Take Peng Shulin, a man from China who had the lower half of his body severed in a tragic accident -- for years he has been bedridden, but recently doctors have engineered an ingenious device that is allowing him to walk again. While there isn't a lot of information about the technology, it appears that Mr. Shulin's body is placed into an egg cup-like casing which is connected to two "bionic legs", and through the use of a downsized walking frame he is able to gain locomotion and move fremove freely. Doctors report that Peng is -- unsurprisingly -- "delighted" with the device.

[Via Medgadget]

 

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Sony BMG suing creators of MediaMax DRM for $12M
7/13/2007 2:29:00 PM

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It's been two years since Sony BMG got hit with a number of class action lawsuits for shipping CDs that stealthily installed malware DRM on Windows machines without user permission, and it looks like the company is trying to get back the $5.75M it lost replacing affected discs by suing Amergence, the developer of MediaMax, one of the two DRM systems Sony was using at the time. MediaMax is unrelated to XCP, the infamous "rootkit" DRM at the center of the controversy, but it also installed itself without permission and contained a major security hole, leading Sony to recall both XCP and MediaMax-protected CDs. For its part, Amergence (which used to be called SunnComm) claims that XCP was the real problem and that Sony BMG's demand for final authority over MediaMax's functional specifications insulate it from any liability -- arguments that don't seem like they'll cause any consternation for Sony's legal team.

DIsclaimer: Although the author of this post is an attorney, it is not legal advice or analysis and should not be construed as such.

 

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Joystiq tries out Wii Fit and Wii Balance Board
7/13/2007 2:01:00 PM

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While we were only able to check out Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board from a distance, our pals at Joystiq found some time to kick off their shoes and see just how much of a workout the game/device combo provides. As far as the peripheral goes, Joystiq found the Balance Board to be "a lot lighter and sturdier" than they had anticipated, and they feel that it should hold up to a lot of force. It also apparently proved to be quite responsive during the three demos they were able to try, which also provided ample opportunity for them to embarrass themselves in front of a crowd. They were slightly less impressed with the Wii Fit game itself though, finding it appealing in a Brain Age sort of way but somewhat lacking as an actual game.
&v>

 

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Futuristic Denon Blu-ray player / receiver concept
7/13/2007 1:31:00 PM

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Denon isn't typically known for throwing out any futuristic pieces of AV luxury, rather, it tends to side with the more traditional, classy look. Of course, there's always a first time for everything, and while we're highly doubtful that this supposed Denon rendering will actually come to fruition, it certainly is a sight to behold. The two-piece kit consists of a rumored DVD-HD8910 Blu-ray player up top, with a 2TB AVR-HD8910 media center / receiver below. The 7.1-channel box also claims to handle iTunes music files and offer a direct connection to the iTMS, and while it's understandably simple to brush this all off as a fanboy's fantasy, Denon's no stranger to stuffing unusual extras in uncommon places.

[Via AVSForum]

 

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Fujifilm's IS Pro DSLR lends a hand in forensics
7/13/2007 12:59:00 PM

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Fujifilm has been lending a helping hand in the realm of investigative photography for quite some time, and the firm's latest picks up where the S3 Pro UVIR and IS-1 left off. Featuring Fujifilm's Super CCD Pro and Real Photo Processor Pro technology to see light from the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared portions of ions of the spectrum, this 12.3-megapixel gem also sports face detection, password protected lockouts, optional "rubber body armor," CF / Microdrive slots, RAW support, and a live image preview LCD to boot. Moreover, it's fully compatible with Nikon F mount lenses and iTTL flash systems, which should ease the burden of switching costs if you've already sunk way too much into Nikon accessories. No word just yet on how much coinage this will demand, but look for it to land in precincts (okay, store shelves too) next month.

 

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Engadget & Joystiq interview: Kaz Hirai and Jack Tretton, Presidents, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., and America
7/13/2007 12:34:00 PM

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We got a rare chance to sit down and talk shop with recently-named Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. President Kaz Hirai, and his US successor, Jack Tretton. These two had a lot to say, and we were more than happy to let them talk about where the PS3's going in terms of hardware, software, and services, why Sony's E3 presence this year is so radically different than last year, even a little bit about how things have been at PlayStation HQ post-Kutaragi -- check it out!

So out of all the three press conferences we've been writing up, we're giving each one a grade based on a new highly scientific Mega Man ranking system. Sony is our last one, but chronologically so we haven't gotten there yet. But this press conference had a much different tone then let's say last year's E3 press conference. How much did you guys look at last year's, how should we say, performance, and decide that you needed to do something different? What kind of decision making process was that?

Jack: Well obviously I was not as intimately involved in planning last year's press conference as I was in this one, but it's funny now that you look at that perspective and you see some of the other press conferences and how people are conducting themselves. I think companies are very proud of their success and they want to tell everybody how successful you are. But what you realize is that everybody already knows that and no one really cares. They want to know how you are going to be successful going forward. And so we've certainly taken our fair share of heat about, you know, the performance of PlayStation 3 in the first six to eight months, and I guess we wanted to focus our message on really telling you why PlayStation 3 is going to be successful going forward.

And its all about content, its about games, and I think going through that experience, you know, the light bulb goes off, and you go oh, wait a minute, its really all about the content and what we're going to do going forward to keep our platforms relevant. Its not about what we did 10 years ago, its not about how many units we've sold here or there. So clearly I think for points of reference and perspective we wanted to point some things out that we really wanted that press conference geared towards why people are going to want to buy games and buy our platforms and that was kind of the theme and the central message. I give Dave [Karraker, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, SCEA] a lot of credit for building off of that theme and coordinating tremendous amounts of presentations and content through the whole thing. But hopefully we've stayed on message and we've gotten the point across.

So why no word about rumble?

Jack: Well, I guess at this point the SIXAXIS controller is something that we're comfortable with and we've certainly settled our differences with Immersion. Is it something that can happen down the road? Absolutely. But the bottom line is we haven't made that decision and we didn't have anything to announce or introduce. Will we down the road? Possibly, but it's unbeknownst to me if we have a rumble controller coming out.

Oh I think you'd know before anyone!

[laughter] Well, you'd be surprised! It's a big company...

Continue reading Engadget & Joystiq interview: Kaz Hirai and Jack Tretton, Presidents, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., and America

 

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60GB PS3 disappearing soon, no price cut for Europe
7/13/2007 12:16:00 PM

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It looks like those wanting to get in on that $100 price cut for the 60GB PS3 had better act fast, as it seems that it's going to be a case of once they're gone they're gone. That's according to SCEE President David Reeves, who told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony would no longer be offering the 60GB PS3 in the US once the existing stock runs out -- something he expects to happen "by the end of July." What's more, Sony also revealed that the 60GB PS3 would not be getting a price cut in Europe, but would be getting a new bundle with two games and two controllers for no added cost -- still no word on an 80GB PS3 for Europe though.

Update: Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, and Sony is indeed going to keep the $499 60 gigger going in the US.

Read - GamesIndustry.biz, "No more 60GB PlayStation 3 in US after July, says Reeves"
Read - BBC News, "No price cut for Europe"

 

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Letterman's head writer faces sparking, smoking PowerBook adapter
7/13/2007 11:55:00 AM

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Granted, we've seen our fair share of Apple products getting a bit hot under the collar, and while the PowerBook AC adapters never were truly regarded as top-notch pieces of equipment, it seems that this particular one chose the wrong guy to get all sparked up on. Justin Stangel, a head writer / producer for the Late Show with David Letterman, was presumably writing up the night's monologue when he was uncomfortably faced with a sparking AC adapter. As any true professional would do, he actually filmed the volatile device getting its spark (and smoke) on rather than evacuating the area, so be sure and click on through to see what the fuss is all about.

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HotSeat Chassis' plane and helicopter flight simulators
7/13/2007 11:35:00 AM

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When we hit up a press event, we're looking for two things (besides free refreshments): unannounced products and unreleased devices that we can get you some hands-on shots of. Well save for the snazzy MX Air that we picked up from Logitech, last night's Digital Life preview in New York was a total bust -- nothing but Foleos and non-working robots as far as the eye could see -- so instead of schmoozing with our colleagues or getting our egos stroked by publicity-happy vendors, we watched uncoordinated journalists attempt to master the controls of HotSeat Chassis' latest immersive simulators. While the company also makes a full line of driving rigs, the demo machines were both of the flying variety: the $6,000 Combat Sim and $7,000+ Heli Sim. The former contraption features two monitors and traditional "dogfight" controls that work with most any software, while the latter offers just a single control stick to help you live out those Airwolf fantasies. If you're interested in checking out gaming equipment that costs more than a used car (and even some new ones), hit the gallery below...

 

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Van-sized StreetWriter prints messages, burns rubber
7/13/2007 11:10:00 AM

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Concocting zany printers seems to be all the rage these days, and if the sugar, 3D, and film renditions weren't sophisticated enough for you, this creation is giving new meaning to taking your word to the street. In a DIY endeavor that eerily resembles one we recall from years back, the StreetWriter project stuffs a computer-controlled industrial spray painting unit into an extended-body cargo van, where it can then roll up to unsuspecting sections of pavement and drop all sorts of textual delight. Granted, the prints can really only be deciphered from tall buildings or low-flying crafts, but we're sure it needs all eight of those cylinders to skedaddle if caught printing on public property. No word on how long this bad boy's been rolling about, but be sure and click through to get a closeup of the innards.

[Via CNET]

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Zaragoza World Expo to feature MIT-designed "digital water" walls
7/13/2007 10:46:00 AM

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While it might not quite match the robot invasion of the 2005 World Expo in Aichi, Japan, it looks like Zaragoza, Spain's 2008 World Expo won't be lacking for displays of technology either, with an MIT-designed "digital water pavilion" greeting visitors at the entrance. While its practicality may be in question, the pavilion certainly looks to be impressive enough, boasting computer-controlled walls of water that can display scrolling text or images, or automatically form a doorway when it detects a person approaching. To manage that feat, the MIT engineers employed a series solenoid valves that can be opened and closed at high frequency, effectively working, as MIT describes it, "like an inkjet printer on a large scale." It's also apparently not as wasteful as it seems at first glance, relying entirely on recycled water, with the water also eliminating the need for air conditioning.

[Via PhysOrg]

 

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Water-skimming robot will probably attack you
7/13/2007 10:23:00 AM

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Throwing its fins into the proverbial pool with various water-bourne robots such as the Strider, the CMU Water Runner, and whatever this creep is called, is the new STRIDE -- soon to be the aforementioned Strider's enemy number one. The name stands for Surface Tension Robotic Insect Dynamic Explorer, and the minuscule bot works by mimicking the strider insect and skirting along the surface of the water using hydrophobic wire legs coated in Teflon. Researchers discovered that the 1-gram bot could carry a 9.3-gram payload without breaking the surface by utilizing a sculling motion for movement. The robot is 10-15 times slower than the actual insect and 10 times larger, but the engineers hope to lower the bot's size and increase its speed by downsizing its build, along with expanding its capabilities by harnessing technologies such as sensors, wireless communication, and autonomous control.

 

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Freecom's MusicPal WiFi radio now on pre-order
7/13/2007 10:03:00 AM

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Internet radio -- a market which seems to be heating up lately -- is getting another entry to the game in Freecom's latest device. The company has just announced its MusicPal WiFi radio, which can access up to 5,000 pre-programmed internet stations (or you can add your own), stream your MP3s and WAVs from your PC or network, and can be connected to your home stereo when it's time to really party. The petite, stylish device runs on the Linux 2.6 kernel, has 802.11b/g and wired 10/100 RJ45 connectivity, and sports a 128x64 pixel monochrome LCD display. The MusicPal goes on sale in August for €129, although the company is taking pre-orders right now. Too bad royalties are poised to kill the internet radio star this Sunday.

[Thanks, Jeroen S]

 

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40Gbps internet connection installed in Swede's home
7/13/2007 9:33:00 AM

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While we've seen all sorts of blazing feats over fiber here lately, it's not often that such wide open bandwidth gets piped directly to a home, but a 75-year old Swede recently changed all that when she had a 40Gbps connection installed in her domicile. 'Course, this fine dame is the mum of Swedish internet legend Peter Löthberg, and she's hoping to somehow "persuade internet operators to invest in faster connections." The trick behind the setup is a "new modulation technique which allows data to be transferred directly between two routers up to 2,000-kilometers apart with no intermediary transponders," and just in case you're wondering, she can download a full high-definition DVD in a painstaking two seconds.

[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of TheRedWoodMotel]

 

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Asus' diminutive Eee PC 701 gets previewed
7/13/2007 9:01:00 AM

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We had a hunch that a once over just wasn't enough time with Asus' oh-so-intriguing Eee PC 701, so we're quite pleased that the folks over at NotebookReview were able to get a little alone time with the mini-laptop and give us some food for thought. As expected, this decently spec'd (for the price, of course) machine booted into an Asus-customized flavor of Linux "in about ten seconds flat," while the entire shutdown procedure took about half of that. Once inside, they seemed quite impressed with the amount of built-in applications and responsiveness, and noted that enough software was included to "definitely serve all of your basic needs." Of course, the understandably scrunched keyboard "took some getting used to," and although the display wasn't jaw-dropping, it served the purpose. Best of all, they were able to snag quite a few shots of the wee device, so be sure and give their writeup a look if you could potentially see this thing in your future.

[Thanks, Patrick L.]

 

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Fujitsu's funky new LifeBook A3130
7/13/2007 8:02:00 AM

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Fujitsu's got a new bag, baby, and it's called the LifeBook A3130. The business-centric, Vista-ready, 15.4-inch laptop features a 2GHz AMD Turion processor, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics card with 256MB of RAM, and a DVD-RW optical drive. With Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g, five USB ports, and a bitchin' fingerprint reader / scroll button, you'll be the toast of the boardroom, possibly. The zippy little number also includes a spill-resistant keyboard and a screaming-fast V.90 56K modem. Available right now for the bargain price of $1149.

[Via PCLaunches]

 

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HP celebrates 35th anniversary of HP-35: launches 35s calculator
7/13/2007 6:54:00 AM

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Feel that? That's the unexpected stir of nostalgia welling inside your dorktic-loin. Rest easy, you're not alone. In fact, that picture aroused a deeply seeded HP fanboi-ism long obscured by thick slabs of drab computing plastic and opaque printer ink. The 35s marks the 35th anniversary of the industry defining HP-35 pocket scientific calculator (and death of the sliderule) -- a first to offer basic trig and exponential functions. While HP preserved the original's reverse Polish notation, gone is the single-line of red LEDs which illuminated the childhood wonder of so many budding engineers. The new 35s also introduces an algebraic entry mode for those who find RPN entry just a bit too, well, reversed. Of course, it's fully modern with 800 storage registers, 100 built-in functions, and a large 2-line alpha numeric display with adjustable contrast. Better yet, the 35s will only set you back $60 compared to the $395 it cost back in 1972 -- that's a lot more 8-tracks for your swank Ford Mercury Capri, eh Pops?

Read -- HP-35 anniversary video
Read -- HP 35s

 

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Custom iPhone ringtone hacking instructions prepped for noobs
7/13/2007 5:39:00 AM

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If you can't wait for the eventual Apple update, then by all means have at it weekend hackers: custom iPhone ringtones can now be yours. Disparate hacks have been cobbled together into a step-by-step guide over at the appropriately named hacktheiphone site. The instructions make use of both the iPhoneInterface and jailbreak hacks which opened up full access to the iPhone's UI and filesystem. Unfortunately, the former only works on the Intel-based Macs at the moment. For those of you a bit wary of screwing the $600 pooch somewhere along the 23 steps, take heed: "everyone [they] know has been able to restore their iPhone fully by using iTunes." So go ahead, we double-dog dare ya. Just report back in the comments how it went, mkay?

[Thanks, HaJo and Richard]

 

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Rootkit hack taps Greek prime minister's phone
7/13/2007 4:39:00 AM

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In 2005, Greek authorities discovered a plot hatched and executed by unknown sources which allowed the tapping of wireless phones on the Vodaphone network belonging to the country's Prime Minister and other top officials, making it one of the furthest reaching covert infiltrations of a government in history. A recent report from IEEE Spectrum shows that the tap was made possible by a 6,500 line piece of code called a rootkit, the first-ever to be embedded in a phone switch's OS. The complex hack took advantage of aging phone systems by disabling transaction logs on calls and allowing call monitoring on four switches within the teleco's computers, thus sending the call to another phone for monitoring (similar to a legal wiretap). The spies covered their tracks by creating patches on the system which routed the calls around logging software which would have alerted admins, and were only discovered when they tried to update their software. The case clearly exposes holes in call security amongst providers (due largely in part to outdated systems), and suggests the possibility that this kind of thing could easily happen again... to you!

[Via textually]

 

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Timex's iPod-controlling i-Control watch hits the FCC
7/13/2007 3:27:00 AM

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Chalk another one up to the rumor mill, as it looks like the leaked PowerPoint slide we saw just last month was indeed referring to an actual product. Thanks to an FCC filing, we now know that Timex is actually cranking out a Made for iPod timepiece in its Ironman series. The i-Control isn't the most handsome of watches, but it will be available in a water-resistant casing, sport Indiglo backlighting, and play nice with your dock connecting iPod. According to the documentation, users will clip an included RF transmitter into their Pod, which will allow the watch to control the volume, track, and play / pause function so long as the it's within "about ten feet" of your wrist. Of course, it still sports the same alarm, chrono, recall, and interval timer modes as the rest of its siblings, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like you'll see any scrolling track tags on this one. As expected, there's no word on price just yet, but click on through for a more detailed shot of it all sprawled out.

Continue reading Timex's iPod-controlling i-Control watch hits the FCC

 

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Yamaha's BODiBEAT plays music in time to your workout
7/13/2007 2:32:00 AM

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We haven't seen too many portable audio devices out of Yamaha (well, unless you count scooters), but the company's new BODiBEAT looks like it could be a big hit with runners. The arm-mounted DAP contains an accelerometer that links to the earphone-mounted pulse monitor, enabling the BODiBEAT to play tracks that match your running rhythm, switching songs as you speed up and slow down. It doesn't look the like unit actually changes the speed of your music, so Yamaha has thoughtfully included a range of preloaded beat loops that remix themselves at every tempo to cover any gaps. Good thing, too, since the puny 512MB of memory means you'll be out of music by the end of the block. Expect to see the BODiBEAT popping up at the gym later this summer for an astronomical $299.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

 

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Man's quest for $10 AT&T DSL ends in success... kind of
7/13/2007 1:25:00 AM

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Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins' internet ordeal is over, and he has detailed all the painful, laborious, and clearly unnecessary steps needed to put yourself into Cashville with AT&T's cheap-o DSL service over on his website. In the end, the poor guy spoke with what appears to be hundreds of the company's employees, had to "pay" $79.99 for a router (although they offer a mail-in rebate reimbursement), and forked over $50 for AT&T's "activation fee", yet still technically doesn't have service. Regardless, when he's paying a measly $10 $18 a month for his phone and DSL service, and you're still Go-Go dancing on weekends just to cover your voicemail charge, who will really have the last laugh? Hit the read link for all the painful details....

 

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Commodore unveils lineup of US-bound gaming desktops
7/13/2007 12:31:00 AM

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Unlike some companies we've seen, it appears that Commodore Gaming is actually keeping its word, as the company has just now released the final details on its lineup of flashy US-bound gaming rigs. The Cg, Cgs, Cgx, and Cxx machines progress gradually from least extreme to highly 1337, and all four can be customized to suit your every fantasy. To give you an idea of what's on tap (if you've got the coin), the Cxx packs a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6800 processor, twin 500GB 7,200RPM hard drives in a RAID 0 array, 2GB of Corsair RAM, DVD-RW optical drive, an 850-watt power supply, Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer sound card, Windows Vista, and dual 768MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra GPUs to boot. As far as pricing goes, word on the street is that the base system will start out around $1,700, but we'll know for sure when these come stateside in Q3.

[Via CNET]

 

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Bang & Olufsen'Olufsen's Beosound 6 DAP revealed
7/13/2007 12:03:00 AM

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Style-maven Bang & Olufsen has introduced a new DAP into the mix, called the Beosound 6. Breaking from typical B&O design convention -- which can often be a little absurd (see the Beosound 2 and 3) -- the Beosound 6 is a strikingly simple design; a silver, candy-bar shaped audio player with stripped-down controls and a thin LCD display. Specs are light at the moment, but it looks like standard MP3 / WMA playback, 4GB of flash memory (jettisoning the company's previous SD storage scheme), a 65K color LCD screen, and USB connectivity. The player will also be accompanied by a leather case and the company's A8 earphones, and will retail for around £400 ($812 US).

[Thanks, Casper]

 

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JVC showcases HD Everio GZ-HD3 HDD / SDHC camcorder
7/12/2007 11:12:00 PM

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JVC hasn't shown off any of its fancy Everio camcorders in quite awhile, but it's making a noticeable return with the HDD / SDHC-compatible GZ-HD3. This handheld camcorder does it up right with a built-in 60GB hard drive, MPEG-2 HD recording (though not Full HD, reportedly), and the ability to capture onto SD / SDHC flash cards. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of details beyond that are readily available, but while you wait patiently for a release date and price, feel free to click on for a few more glamor shots.

Continue reading JVC showcases HD Everio GZ-HD3 HDD / SDHC camcorder

 

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Unboxing the Logitech MX Air
7/12/2007 10:25:00 PM
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If there's such a thing as a Logitech fanboy, you can count us among their legions, as we've been more than pleased with almost all of the products (mice, webcams, surround sound speakers, wireless gamepads) that we've ever purchased from the peripherals giant. And we must say, the new MX Air certainly lives up to this enviable reputation. From good hand feel to instinctive reactions in 3D space to the sweet virtual scrollwheel (it even makes a freakin' accelerating and decelerating clicking sound, just like the MX Revolution!), the latest member of the MX family is a pleasure to work with all around, and also features the no-brainer plug-and-play setup that we've come to expect from these devices. We'll have a more detailed hands-on a little later, but for right now you can check out our unboxing pics in the gallery below...

 

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