Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Interesting Stuff

7/17/2007 11:55:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops

From the infamous Apple rumor mill comes another shocking revelation which all of us should take as lightly as possible, knowing how these things tend to go. The current hot gossip comes from ThinkSecret, wherein the oft cited "reliable sources" recount Apple's exact date (August 7th) for announcing the brand-spanking-new iMac, replete with updated specs and the sexy brushed aluminum casing we keep "hearing" about. The article also suggests that a new version of iLife will be emerging at the same time, but reports are less clear on a solid release date. Of course, both of these rumors carry no backup from the boys in Cupertino, so as of right now all we can do is play wait-and-see.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/apple-rumor-report-new-imacs-and-ilife-on-august-7th/#comments

7/17/2007 10:46:00 PM

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

As if you weren't already super into Google maps, now geek airline supreme Virgin America is getting Gmaps integrated into its Linux-based Red seatback system. As with other seatback GPS systems, users can see position, airspeed, and temperature, but we're stoked to finally get a flight ETA and some interactivity up in here. VA's implementation lets users have eight levels of zoom, as well as pan off the aircraft if they want to go exploring the city they just flew over. Plus, all the map data is cached on the plane's local network, so it'll be even faster than sitting across the street from Google HQ at a Starbucks in Mountain View.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/google-maps-takes-flight-in-virgin-america/#comments

7/17/2007 10:12:00 PM

Filed under: Features, Laptops, Wireless

Obviously unaware that we're not exactly the classiest folks around (we were the only ones there wearing shorts and a T-shirt), Sony invited us to a decidedly swanky "product unveiling" at Rockefeller Plaza's 66th floor Top of the Rock observation deck, replete with such pricey fare as caviar, salmon canapes, crab salad, tuna tartare, and grilled shrimp, along with four varieties of champagne (from a 2000 Veuve Clicquot Reserve Rose to a 1996 Bollinger R.D., if you must know) to wash it all down with -- and as if that weren't enough booze, several bottles of well-aged scotch sat prominently atop a fully stocked bar. This whole luxury theme was meant to ~~sway our coverage about~~ reflect the high-end status of the company's 11.1-inch VAIO TZ, whose $2,200 minimum price tag gets you a waif of a Santa Rosa-based ultraportable featuring a carbon fiber exterior, 32GB SSD, WWAN in the form of EV-DO Rev. A, and a MacBook-style keyboard, among other goodies. Sorry to cut this short, but we're off to shower and shave with the pleasant smelling men's products that Sony stuffed in our gift bag (we gave everything else -- cigars, lip balm, four dollar bottled water, book on wine -- away to elevator operators and people on the subway), so this would probably be a good time to check out the gallery below. And, as a special, one-time only bonus, we've also included photos of the recently announced VAIO-branded LF-V30 LocationFree streamer, whose component jacks enable HD place-shifting, and with which the entire VAIO lineup will soon be compatible thanks to pre-loaded software...

Gallery: Hands-on with Sony's VAIO TZ superultraportable notebook

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/hands-on-with-sonys-vaio-tz-superultraportable-notebook/#comments

7/17/2007 9:40:00 PM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

It's been a tick since we've seen any swank LCDs come out of BenQ's doors, but we're quite pleased that the SH4241 seems to be a finely tuned piece that could prove worth the wait. Unfortunately, there's not too much dirt on this one just yet, but we do know that the 42-inch LCD HDTV will sport a piano black finish, black / red accents, bottom-mounted speakers, a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, and a mysterious assortment of ports that AV freaks and gamers will apparently arently drool over. No word just yet on price nor availability, but we'll be sure to keep an eye on this (admittedly attractive) set.

[Via AkihabaraNews, image courtesy of DigiTimes]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/benq-intros-uber-sleek-1080p-sh4241-lcd-tv/#comments

7/17/2007 8:53:00 PM

Filed under: GPS, Wireless

As we've seen time and time again, the desire to really know what's going on behind the scenes seems to be a growing trend, and while there's a number of pre-fabricated methods to keep track of your vehicle, mischievous offspring, or straying SO, why not take a little initiative and build an alternative yourself? Thankfully, a crafty DIYer has done just that, and has spelled out the details in order for you to replicate his work. The homegrown device is built around the Telit GM862 GSM-GPS module, and all told, he spent around $286 to scratch the mobile GPS itch. The device is small enough to be crammed into nearly any nook or cranny, and can transmit its position via text message to the owner. So go on, give the read link a visit and bust out your credit card -- just be sure to not let the soon-to-be-tracked individual know what you're up to, capiche?

[Via NaviGadget]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/diyer-concocts-homegrown-gsm-gps-tracking-device/#comments

7/17/2007 8:11:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Joining the growing list of up and coming software touched by Microsoft is a number of wireless applications showed off at a summit in the firm's hometown. Most interesting was Fone+, which was described as a "product that lets users connect their mobile phones to a TV, a keyboard, and a mouse" in order to convert their set into a web browsing portal. Of course, we North Americans would probably just tether our mobiles to a laptop to enjoy big screen surfing, but this devihis device will be aimed at nations such as a China "where PC penetration is still quite low but mobile phone ownership is high." Next up was MPTrain, which wed a heart rate sensor with a tempo analyzer to allow runners to "use music players in their mobile phones to set their workouts." Granted, it's not like we don't already have similar alternatives, but this method removes the need for a certain DAP to be on your person in order to tune your workout. As expected, no release dates for these ideas were noted, but hopefully they'll end up a bit more convincing than prior attempts.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/microsoft-researchers-unveil-fone-mptrain-mobile-applications/#comments

7/17/2007 7:35:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Hey, mundane PowerPoint presenters need to interact with their tunes from afar too, right? Apparently, Keyspan sure thinks so, as its Presentation Remote Pro not only provides a 100-foot range to flip through slides, but it also plays nice with Apple's Keynote software, sports audio controls, and packs an obligatory laser pointer for movie theater antics. Moreover, it's entirely plug 'n play capable with both Windows and OS X-based machines, and doubles as a mouse with integrated cursor control, scrolling, and two-button clicking capabilities, too. Of course, $79 may seem a bit high for a wireless substitute for your right index finger, but just put it on the corporate card and fuhgetaboutit. Check out another angle after the break.

Continue reading Keyspan's Presentation Remote Pro sports audio controls

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/keyspans-presentation-remote-pro-sports-audio-controls/#comments

7/17/2007 6:58:00 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/sony-intros-5mp-nsc-gc1-handheld-camcorder-for-the-youtube-crowd/#comments

7/17/2007 6:49:00 PM

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Falling right in line with the news TiVo CEO Tom Rogers hinted at back in March, the struggling company is readying the highly anticipated HD Series 3 "Lite," which will target a much wider range of consumer with a price point of around $299. Some tenacious (and possibly connected) fans posted specs and pics on the TiVo Community forums, much to the delight of broke DVR users across the globe. The new model will axe the OLED display and THX certification, and swap the deluxe remote for a standard model, but the specs remain fairly close otherwise. Here's a geeked-out rundown to keep everyone psyched: BCM740x DVR CPU with integrated MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 decoders, 1x dual MPEG-2 encoder, 2x Samsung S5H1411-based tuners, 128Mb DDR SDRAM, and a 160Gb SATA HD (down from the Series 3's 250GB drive). All in all, a pretty attractive package when you don't have a lot of cash to burn.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/tivo-series-3-lite-pics-and-specs-revealed/#comments

7/17/2007 6:28:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

RIM just got real nasty on everyone with its latest announcement, namely, that the WiFi equipped, integrated-GPS-havin' BlackBerry 8820 has just gotten the proper release treatment, stating that the device will be heading to retailers in the "coming weeks," and is slated to land on AT&T later this summer, making a ton of American businessmen very, very happy. The GSM world phone, which we got to manhandle back in May, features 802.11a/b/g, EDGE data (no 3G boys?), UMA (allowing the phone to seamlessly switch between cellular and WiFi networks without dropping calls), and a microSD / SDHC slot which can support cards up 32GB, which is quite a lot of gigabytes. It wouldn't be surprising to see this pop up over at T-Mobile, considering its WiFi love, which AT&T still has yet to embrace (though Mr. Jobs claims it's coming). Other specs stick pretty close to the RIM playbook, which isn't going to ruffle any feathers probably. Stay tuned for exact release dates and other appetite-whetting information as it becomes available.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/wifi-equipped-blackberry-8820-about-to-hit-the-streets/#comments

7/17/2007 5:48:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

Not much to go on here, unfortunately, but it looks like we could possibly be in store for yet another questionably useful Wiimote accessory, with this so-called Wii Handle recently turning up on Google Video. Apparently a "patent pending" device, this one boasts a button and trigger at the base that seem to control the buttons on the Wiimote itself, with a wrist strap also thoughtfully included to prevent any unfortunate accidents. While there's no indication as to when or if it'll actually be available, you can check it out in action in the video after the break.

Continue reading Wii Handle prototype turns up in video form

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/wii-handle-prototype-turns-up-in-video-form/#comments

7/17/2007 5:18:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

It's hard to call the Xbox 360 anything but a success, but having missed some sales numbers, ringing up an extra unexpected $1b on the corporate card because of warranty issues, and still generally failing to make a profit, it looks like Peter Moore, who we just sat down with a few days ago, has stepped down from his embattled position as the ringleader of Microsoft's Xbox group. Successor to his role is Don Mattrick, who is taking over not just Peter's position as VP of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, but leading the group (including Games for Windows) entirely. Moore's new job? Prez of EA Sports, down in the SF bay area. Take THAT, Microsoft.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/peter-moore-resigns-as-head-of-xbox/#comments

7/17/2007 5:01:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

While it would have been virtually unthinkable just a few years ago, Nintendo is apparently now contemplating the possibility of a world without Game Boys. That's according to Nintendo marketing exec George Harrison, who recently told GameDaily.biz that we may have seen the last of the name, specifically saying that "it's hard to say in the future if we will ever bring back the Game Boy trademark." In other, less heartbreaking news, Nintendo's homebrew-happy WiiWare service appears to be progressing nicely, with Harrison also letting out word that "it may not take until 2008" for it to make its public debut. A firmer date will apparently depend on how quickly developers can get their act together.

[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/2007/07/17/nintendo-hints-at-end-of-game-boy-name-possible-wiiware-in-2007/#comments

7/17/2007 4:32:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

While Peter Moore wasn't exactly this forthright when chatting it up with us, it's not totally out of character for execs to lash out at rivals from time to time. In the latest chapter of CE-Oh no he didn't, we find Mr. Moore claiming that Sony's "long-term business plan of being successful in Japan is crumbling." Moreover, he continued to knock the PS3 by sidestepping questions of why the Xbox 360 has sold so miserably in the Land of the Rising Sun and suggested that Sony was the one that should be worried about "getting outsold six-to-one." As a finisher, Peter added that he had "built a business plan for Japan," and while sales have indeed been lackluster, he claimed that "Sony was missing its plan by much more" than he was missing his. Seriously, them's fightin' words there.

[Via DailyTech]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-xxxviii-peter-moore-tells-sony-its-fa/#comments

7/17/2007 4:01:00 PM

Filed under: Handhelds

Per usual, this one's laced in speculation, but considering that there are potentially millions of you out there who can't wait to throw down for a less-than-revolutionary Foleo as soon as humanly possible, we'll pass along the message. According to an anonymous tipster that wrote in to BrightHand, we could see the Foleo launch on August 22nd, and it was even noted that Palm's retail stores and website would have dibs on first sales, while big box retailers such as Best Buy would be stocking it this November. On pricing, it was suggested that interested consumers could look forward to a $100 rebate right out of the gate, but we wouldn't shell out that extra Benjamin on Sour Patch Kids and string cheese just yet. Still, late August doesn't seem too far fetched for a "summer" release date, so for the handful (literally) of you taking notes, now you know where to mark that calender.

[Via The Boy Genius Report]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/palm-launching-foleo-on-august-22nd/#comments

7/17/2007 3:07:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Video

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It looks like Sony's finally deemed it necessary to offer an updated version of Sega's Game Gear TV tuner, with the company today announcing its 1seg TV tuner for the PlayStation Portable. That technological distinction of course means that the device won't be making its way to North America (at least in its current form), but PSP users in Japan will soon be able to pick up some digital TV signals for the not unreasonable price of ¥6,980 (or about $57). There is a catch, however, in that the device is apparently only compatible with the new, slimmer PSP -- hopefully not a sign of further things to come from Sony. If that's not a deal-breaker for ya, you'll be able to grab one on September 20th.

[Via PS3Forums, thanks Stan]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/sony-announces-psp-1seg-tv-tuner/#comments

7/17/2007 2:38:00 PM

Filed under: Wireless

It looks like Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is the latest to hop on the high-speed wireless (in more ways than one) bandwagon. with it now set to offer WiFi in both its trains and train stations. Apparently, the trains will be outfitted with receivers to pull down 3.5G signals from transmitters in the tunnels, which then gets turned around into plain old WiFi for the passengers on board. While that convenience won't come free, it will be fairly reasonable, costing passengers HK$20 (or $2.50) a day for unlimited use.

[Via Akihabara News]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/hong-kongs-mass-transit-railway-to-get-outfitted-with-wifi/#comments

7/17/2007 2:18:00 PM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Home cinema newbies can collectively rejoice, as even Epson has stepped up to the plate and is offering a high-end HTIB of its own. The Ensemble Home Cinema System provides "everything" (even patience?) you need to turn your den into a theater worth being proud of, and includes your choice of a 1080p or 720p Epson projector, 100-inch motorized screen, a 5.1 Atlantic Technology surround system, ten-inch subwoofer with built-in amplifier, AV controller with twin HDMI inputs and an upconverting DVD player, and a pre-programmed universal remote that takes the ~~fun~~ frustration out of establishing a one-button setup. Interestingly, Epson claims that the entire installation can be completed in a mere four hours, so if you're inches away from tearing your hair (or walls) out, simmer down and hand over your $4,999 (720p) to $6,999 (1080p) to handle HT the easy way.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/epsons-high-end-htib-the-ensemble-home-cinema-system/#comments

7/17/2007 1:42:00 PM

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

If you're quickly growing frustrated with the excess heat that tends to build up within your H20, the folks over at DBSTalk have managed to score a first look at its replacement, the H21-200. This HD receiver (read: no DVR capabilities) is essentially an upgraded H20 that sports a currently unused Ethernet port (shown after the jump), adds a coaxial digital audio output, reportedly responds "much quicker" to the remote than the HR20, and best of all, seems to "run much cooler" than the unit it will inevitably replace. Of course, we don't envision too many of you clamoring to get your palms around a device that doesn't record, but if you're interested in DirecTV's upcoming answer for your secondary (or tertiary) set, hit the read link and dig in.

Continue reading DirecTV's H21-200 HD receiver gets previewed

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/directvs-h21-200-hd-receiver-gets-previewed/#comments

7/17/2007 1:12:00 PM

Filed under: <der: Features, Interviews

Today's interview is a first for Engadget in a couple ways: we've never talked with an executive whose company doesn't actually make or sell something, nor have we talked with anyone whose technology is theoretically infeasible. Still, we've all had our chance to criticize Steorn for its scientifically heretical claim to the invention of a perpetual motion machine, its failed live demonstration of that machine, and so on. So now it's time to turn the mic over to Steorn's CEO Sean McCarthy, where he discusses his belief in the potential of Steorn's Orbo technology, his feelings about the scientific community and skeptics at large, and what happens next for the supposed free energy company.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. I'm sure that you're very busy, especially after the last couple of weeks--

I've had better weeks.

Yeah, I would imagine. But before we actually get started talking about the technology [Orbo] or anything like that I think that a lot of people would probably like to know a little bit more about the company. So what can you tell us about Steorn that we don't already know? I mean we know that it was a company that was founded not to break the laws of thermodynamics but rather technological means.

The company was founded by myself and three other guys back in 2000 and it was basically three of us had come from a company that I had been working with for a year and the Irish economy was doing well so we decided we'd set up a tech company with no real objective. We started working in the early days just helping people manage some of their big e-commerce spend. So it would primarily be contract management, so for example where corporate would be spending vast amounts of money on e-commerce projects.

But that day was over so we came in to restructure the contracts and try to manage them into a more realistic burn rate. So we did that with probably some of Ireland's biggest corporate e-commerce sites including people like Banks of Ireland and so on. In 2001 we were asked to get involved in the development of some anti-counterfeit technology for credit cards and basically that became the mainstay of our business both in terms of developing anti-counterfeit systems for optical disks and for plastic cards and also doing an awful lot of forensics and expert witnessing for law enforcements across Europe.

I see. So then you stumbled upon this technology by--

An awful lot of the work we would have done would have been done in ATM fraud, which is a very widespread fraud in the UK and in Ireland and across Europe, and from working with the police they have quite a different view on the crime than for example a bank, and the police's prime objective is to catch the bad guys. So we started looking at covert surveillance equipment to monitor high risk ATMs, because clearly what the law enforcement wanted to do was to get evidence of a person physically committing a crime and it was during the development of some covert CCTV cameras that we were looking at basically very mobile devices -- so we wanted wireless image transmission and also not to have to worry about wiring them up to anything. So we initially looked at solar cells and we looked at augmenting solar cells to extend the battery life of the system with winter at the top of these were lamp post sized devices. So it was during that we started really playing around with magnetic systems and that's where we began to notice some strange anomalies and got caught in this weird and wonderful world OU. [Over unity, aka free energy.] Sometimes we wish we hadn't but we have.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Sean McCarthy, CEO of Steorn

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/the-engadget-interview-sean-mccarthy-ceo-of-steorn/#comments

7/17/2007 12:48:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Just in case a few hands-on photos, dissection slides, and FCC documentation weren't enough enough to satisfy your desire for slim PSP details, how's about a launch date and price -- in Japan. Yes, we know the rest of the world is now immediately envious, but hey, it's a start. According to Reuters, Sony will launch its trimmed down PlayStation Portable on September 20th in the Japanese market, and it plans on listing it for ¥19,800 ($162). Per usual, North Americans (and beyond) will be forced to sit patiently and await the news for their own nation, but if you're eager, now you know exactly when to book that plane ticket to Tokyo.

[Via Computers and Video Games]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/slimmer-psp-gets-price-launch-date-for-japan/#comments

7/17/2007 12:23:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

While it's far from the first attempt at a new and improved spacesuit, this so-called BioSuit from a team of researchers at MIT is certainly a lot more fashionable than some suits we've seen, not to mention a whole lot more manageable for the person wearing it. In addition to giving the astronaut greater movement, the BioSuit also promises to increase safety (with punctures able to be quickly patched), and give the wearer a workout through the use of varying resistance levels. Of course, it'll still be earthbound for quite a while, although the researchers say it should be ready in about ten years or so, potentially making it a candidate for the first human expedition to Mars.

[Via Monsters and Critics, photo courtesy of MIT]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/mit-researchers-develop-stylish-space-biosuit/#comments

7/17/2007 11:59:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones

Ruh roh. Looks like someone just got caught red handed. According to a numbo a number of sources who had their screencap fingers ready to rock, T-Mobile Germany will soon be offering up the iPhone in Deutschland. Apparently, the carrier actually had an iPhone-specific page hosted momentarily yesterday, and while it has since been yanked, evidence is everywhere. C'mon T-Mobile, you honestly thought you could trial the iPhone page without one of the 57,000 interested customers taking notice?

[Via Inquirer]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/iphone-briefly-appears-on-t-mobile-germanys-website/#comments

7/17/2007 11:32:00 AM

Filed under: GPS, Handhelds, Wireless

If Trimble's Juno ST PDA wasn't rugged enough to handle your oh-so-critical field duties (or unexpected drink spills), you'll be thrilled to know that the firm has you on the brain. The Nomad lineup of handheld computers weigh just 21-ounces, are designed to "fit comfortably in a user's hand," and pack a fairly decent array of specifications. Internally, you'll find an 806MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, and optionally, you can tack on integrated Bluetooth, GPS, a bar code scanner, two-megapixel camera, and 802.11g; additionally, an SDIO and CF slot, up to 1GB of flash memory, a daylight-visible VGA touchscreen, Windows Mobile 6, and a rechargeable Li-ion are on board. Trimble is offering up four separate Nomad 800 flavors depending on your level of necessity (and budget), all of which can be found real soon ranging from $1,699 to $2,499.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/trimble-univels-rugged-lineup-of-nomad-handheld-computers/#comments

7/17/2007 11:10:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Unfortunately, we could be seeing the early beginnings of a polarizing trend, as the oh-so-hackable Sony Vaio UX becomes yet another non-Apple device to sport iPhone-esque visuals. The aptly-dubbed uPhone boasts an interface that looks awfully similar to that found on Apple's handset (and a good deal better than those knockoffs, might we add), and relies on a well disguised flavor of Windows to pull it all off. Currently, the project is still a work in progress, and while he has got Skype, a calculator, and a few fancy slide transitions up and running, there's still work on the horizon. Head on through the break for a few short clips of the device in action.

[Via DAPReview]

Continue reading Sony Vaio UX gets iPhone interface makeover

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/sony-vaio-ux-gets-iphone-interface-makeover/#comments

7/17/2007 10:47:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

And you thought Sprint was catching flack for denying an exceedingly small portion of its customers service. Turns out, Vonage rival SunRocket has apparently shut its doors and abandoned the business -- all without a single warning or notice beforehand. Callers who recently dialed in for customer care reached an automated message saying that the firm was "no longer taking customer service or sales calls," and each individual that was employed at the call center has supposedly lost their job. As expected, no attempts by Reuters to contact SunRocket were successful, so we still have no idea if paying customers will ever see a pro-rated refund if their service does indeed cease to exist. So, dear readers, are any of you feeling the SunRocket burn?

[Thanks, Jerad]

UPDATE: Well, what do you know. Here's an article suggesting that SunRocket has actually been acquired by Pluto. We've seen no confirmations as of yet, but we'll keep an eye out.

[Thanks for the update, Bob]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/sunrocket-silently-calls-it-quits-abandons-voip-biz/#comments

7/17/2007 10:26:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

We've can't say we've ever really understood the appeal of integrating remote functions into cellphones (except for some sly TV-B-Gone action) but we're even more confused by the GE Flip universal remote, which appears to finally bring the worst in cheap-o flip phone design to the low-end universal remote market. Sadly, GE apparently thinks looks alone will move this thing, since otherwise it's a relatively standard four-function universal -- even the press release kind of peters out after mentioning the design. That design, by the way, seems to have a pretty glaring weakness: when the unit is closed, it looks like the IR transmitter will be pointing the wrong way. Ouch. The Flip appears to be available now for $18.99.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/ges-flip-universal-remote-brings-ugly-back/#comments

7/17/2007 10:06:00 AM

Filed under: Displays

Korean display-maker Alphascan, a company of dubious and confusing origin, has apparently licensed Samsung's flat-panel technology and applied it to its new 22-inch slim monitor, the J2210W. The stylish, 16:10 display features a brightness of 300cd/m², a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 1680 x 1050 resolution, 5ms response speed, and D-SUB / DVI jacks. No word on price or availability Stateside, but we wouldn't recommend holding your breath. Feel free to peruse the monitor's "translated" info page on the read link.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/alphascan-j2210w-display-embeds-a-samsung-panel/#comments

7/17/2007 9:36:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones

We're expecting to see Apple roll out an iPod-esque laser-etching service for the &lr the iPhone anytime now, but until then, New Yorkers can stop by Engadget pal Philip Torrone's shop to carve up their phones. Brave customer Dan was first to pony up, and PT set his 35W Epilog laser to 40 percent power and etched in these sweet old-school flying toasters. Interestingly, PT says the back of the iPhone is "nice plastic" and not aluminum, which is news to us. Peep a vid of the crazy-fast laser in action after the break.

Continue reading Laser-etching the iPhone

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/laser-etching-the-iphone/#comments

7/17/2007 8:56:00 AM

Filed under: Wearables

Those of you who suffer from the same paralyzing indecision as us when confronted with an electronics purchasing opportunity may want to take a look at the Decider watch from the UK's Mr. Jones Watches, which promises to greatly speed up those Best Buy trips. The white dial features two rows of alternating slots that click back and forth between YES and NO, allowing you to change destiny by simply waiting a second longer -- or you can get all spiritual and just wait for the battery to die, as Mr. Jones suggests. The indecisive can place their orders now for £79 ($160) -- we're just going to keep buying anything that lights up.

[Via Core77]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/the-decider-watch-has-all-the-answers/#comments

7/17/2007 8:19:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Jason Hickner, a DIY'er with possibly more "time" on his hands than most, has created a clock which is not very easy to read, but a lot of fun to look at. Using a Propeller chip (as featured in the XGS Hydra) and what appears to be a oscilloscope (but is actually a wild old Sony TV), Mr. Hickner has hard-coded a Space Invaders timepiece. The clock uses the attacking aliens to represent minutes, and the extra lives in the left-hand corner for the hours. It's unclear whether or not shooting the aliens produces any type of time-dampening or reversal effect, but since this is based around the Propeller chip, it seems likely. See it in action on video after the break.

Continue reading Space Invaders clock tells time, invades spaces

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/space-invaders-clock-tells-time-invades-spaces/#comments

7/17/2007 7:45:00 AM

That's right, the US and Canadian Apple stores are down. However, other international sites are still up. Of course, any outage usually means they'll return with new product. So get the product juices churning and sound off with your best bets in the comments below. Then check back in an hour or two when we'll know for sure.

Update: Er... it's back without any noticeable updates. We'll keep digging but this looks like a non-event.

[Thanks, Pavel S. and everybody who sent this in]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/apple-store-is-down/#comments

7/17/2007 7:23:00 AM

Filed under: Laptops

If you're looking for a portable, desktop replacement then be sure to check Samsung's latest 19-incher, the Sens G25. There's not a lot known about Sammy's latest slab as they seem more concerned with shooting that fembot than actually providing any usable specs. What we know is this: up to 320GB of disk, seven freakin' USB 2.0 ports, a numeric keypad, and an integrated AC power supply which does away with the external transformer brick. Prices start at million â© or right around $1,088 of the green stuff.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/samsungs-19-inch-sens-g25-aces-the-power-brick/#comments

7/17/2007 6:12:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Remember all those version 2 iPhone rumors rumbling about back in May. Well, they're back and running amuck in Taiwan. According to DigiTimes, Taiwan's Chinese-language Commercial Times says that Taiwan's Wintek has gained the touch-screen panel orders for the second-gen iPhone. The report claims that Wintek has already begun test production in small volumes with Apple intent on selling their newest model of the iPhone in September for somewhere between $249 and $299. Unfortunately, the article doesn't state where this flavor of the iPhone will be sold. An important omission given that September is the same rumored delivery for Quanta's iPhone variant meant specifically for non-US markets. Of course, that would be too early according to (some) JP Morgan analysts although Kevin Chang, and his vision of an iPhone nano, would surely disagree. To muddle things further, Wintek was just fingered as the supplier of panels for future touch-screen iPods set to launch in August. However, DigiTimes sources are now reporting that the iPod's capacitive touch-screen will be "less complicated" than the panel used for the current iPhone. No multi-touch? Who knows. Man, rumor mongering is a silly business... interesting, but silly.

P.S. Yes, that's a mock-up to the right.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/second-generation-iphone-for-249-in-september/#comments

7/17/2007 5:41:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

A trio of researchers at UC Davis has developed a method of using home-shopping standby cubic zirconia to cool hydrogen fuel cells by nearly 90 percent. Fuel cells typically run between 1,500 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, but by adding a little fake ice to the mix, Zuhair Munir, Umberto Anselmi-Tamburini and Sangtae Kim have managed to run their cell between just 122 and 212 degrees. The system works because conduction take places in zirconia via "protonic movement" as opposed to "ionic mobility," which sounds quite fancy. No word on when we'll see these hit the market, but the team has already gotten their patent application in order -- only time will tell if cubic zirconia will actually seem valuable in the future.

[Via Roland Piquepaille]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/cubic-zirconia-used-to-make-fuel-cells-run-cooler-fool-neighbor/#comments

7/17/2007 4:31:00 AM

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Attention Argos shoppers, their "only available at Argos" exclusive on the FujiFilm FinePix F45fd is not all that exclusive. Spec for spec, the F45fd is none other than the F40fd rolled up special for the on-line UK and Republic of Ireland retailer. Your 200 Quid ($407) takes home an 8.3 megapixel CCD, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, 300 shot battery, ISO 2000 sensitivity, and storage on xD or SD cards. Not bad but no reason to get uppity with your mates about an "exclusive."

[Via LetsGoDigital, thanks David]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/fujifilms-finepix-f45fd-an-f40fd-in-argos-clothing/#comments

7/17/2007 3:21:00 AM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

DreamVision DreamBee D-ILA Projector and War of the Worlds probe

DreamVision has released a 1080p D-ILA-based projector called the DreamBee, which boasts a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, and 1000 lumens of brightness. The oddly-War of the Worlds-shaped projector includes an RS-232 port and a pair of HDMI inputs, with the usual analog video and audio connectors, and retails for $14,000. The DreamBee Pro model adds another pair of HDMI ports, along with an external scaler for source management, and is priced at $19,000. Both models are available in colors like midnight, coconut, blue sky, hibiscus, and sunflower. No word on the possibility of a custom "red alien weed" color, or whether the controls are tentacle-friendly.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/dreambee-1080p-projector-could-double-as-alien-probe/#comments

7/17/2007 2:11:00 AM

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

If you're like us (and we suspect you are), you have huge stacks of obscure, 1970's prog-rock on vinyl that you're unable to enjoy while jogging, biking, or road-tripping to Bonnaroo -- and that's harshing your mellow. Well, harsh no more, friends, because Ion Audio is here to help. The hardware manufacturer has just released two new variations on its iTTUSB USB turntable, the iTTUSB05 (pictured, $149.99) and the iTTUSB10 ($249.99). Both models feature 33 1/3 and 45 RPM playback, Line-level RCA outputs (utilizing a built-in preamp), EZ Vinyl recording software, and plug & play USB connectivity. The iTTUSB10 can also convert 78 RPM records via software trickery, and can digitize other media through its 1/8-inch stereo input (finally, you can convert all those cassette mixtapes from your exes). Of course, there are more expensive or more confusing options for this sort of thing, and pricey add-ons you might want -- but for a cheap, fast solution, this is definitely worth a glance.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/17/ion-audio-intros-two-new-usb-turntables/#comments

7/17/2007 12:01:00 AM

Filed under: Portable Video

Sony's flailing attempts to get some traction in the online media space continue on today, as the company has announced that it's shuttering its video-sharing site Grouper and relaunching it as Crackle. We can't say we're surprised -- although Sony bought Grouper last year for a cool $65 mil, it's not like it was ever a real threat to YouTube, drawing just 4.3 million viewers the month it was acquired. The new site, Crackle, aims to be something of a filmmaking incubator -- uploaded videos can be entered in contests and judged by panels of editors, with the promise of up to $20,000 in additional funding and pitch meetings with Columbia Pictures execs for the winners. On top of that, Crackle content will be made available on the Playstation Network and Bravia sets that have the Bravia Internet Link accessory -- which isn't exactly the type of vertical integration from Sony we've been hoping for, but it's a start. Crackle went live as of today, any bets on how long it'll last?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/16/sony-kills-grouper-say-hello-to-crackle/#comments

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