Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Interesting Stuff

7/19/2007 3:53:00 PM

Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Noted security expert Marc Weber Tobias contributes The Lockdown, exposing the shoddy security you may depend on.

Medeco is the predominant high security lock manufacturer in the United States and has been trusted for more than thirty-five years to provide cylinder and hardware security for the private, commercial and government sectors. According to Medeco, their locks are utilized in such venues as the White House and Pentagon to afford the maximum in cylinder lock security. The m3 cylinder, released about 2005, is the Medeco star product, the flagship in the security company's state-of-the-art, designed to resist almost any form of attack. The lock touts its key control attributes based its unique integrated slider that adds another level of security to the lock. But if you are using these locks and think you're secure, you might just be surprised by what you can accomplish with a paperclip and a custom-cut shim.

Continue reading The Lockdown: The Medeco m3 meets the perilous paper clip

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/the-lockdown-the-medeco-m3-meets-the-perilous-paper-clip/#comments

7/19/2007 3:31:00 PM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Those willing to give up a few speakers for a slightly more discreet home theater now have another option to consider, with Sony today announcing its new "minimalist" BRAVIA DAV-X10 home theater system. While it only packs two speakers, Sony's promising some virtual surround sound courtesy of its S-Force PRO Front Surround technology, with the system providing a total of 480W of power. Rounding things out, you'll find some hidden touch-sensitive controls on the main unit, along a Bluetooth adapter that'll let you pull music off any compatible device. The system will also upscale your DVDs to 720p or 1080i, and should work nicely with your other BRAVIA gear thanks to Sony's trademark BRAVIA Theater Sync technology. No word on what it'll cost, but Sony says you can look for it this September.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sony-announces-minimalist-bravia-dav-x10-home-theater-system/#comments

7/19/2007 3:12:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gisc. Gadgets

According to the always exploitive New York Post Page Six, an Anderson Cooper-hosted panel with Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin, and Barry Diller (amongst others) had been discussing how technology was changing the way people got their entertainment and news, when Sony honcho Howard Stringer apparently accused Steve Jobs of being "greedy." The report claims that Mr. Stringer went on to say that the Steve-man "Wants a world where only he makes money." The knighted gentleman then stormed out of the room and called his assistant on a Sony Ericsson, who proceeded to take him to his hotel where he watched the Sony-produced Spiderman 2 in Blu-ray format on his new Vaio while petting an AIBO with his metallic claw.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-xxxix-stringer-calls-jobs-greedy/#comments

7/19/2007 9:42:00 AM

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

If you were looking for any reason whatsoever to hop into a celebratory mood, why not join IBM (or would it be Lenovo these days?) in celebrating the 15th birthday of the ThinkPad. Of course, tech historians are likely to bicker over the ThinkPad's true day of emergence, but reportedly, the IBM 2521 (later renamed the 700T) ThinkPad holds the honors of being the first of its kind to ship in July of 1992. Interestingly enough, one could argue that this very machine was actually more akin to a tablet PC than a bonafide laptop, but it proudly donned the ThinkPad logo nevertheless. So, ThinkPad owners, today's your day to gift that oh-so-industrious machine of yours with a few extra moments of rest, but before you do, why not let us know what model you're partying with if you're in the club?

[Via jkOnThRun]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ibm-thinkpad-celebrates-15th-birthday/#comments

7/19/2007 2:12:00 PM

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage, Networking

We can't say just how this information came to us, but we have it on authority that Velocity Micro -- the crew that brought you many a tricked out rig and the first CableCARD Vista boxes sold -- is working on a product tentatively titled the Home Server based on, you guessed it, Windows Home Server. What we know is the Home Server can be oriented horizontally or vertically, use an Intel Conroe-like processor with DDR2 RAM, have SATA II (with NCQ), gigabit Ethernet, eSATA, and will launch at an "extremely competitive price". More as we get it.

Update: Our bad, the Home Server's drive expansion box will launch aunch Q108, but the server itself will launch when Windows Home Server is released. Also, zoomed-in pic after the break.

Continue reading Velocity Micro Home Server based on Windows Home Server

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/velocity-micro-home-server-based-on-windows-home-server/#comments

7/19/2007 1:42:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Sprint's open mindedness to hooking up with Clearwire for a national WiMAX network has blossomed into something just a little more serious, it seems. The two companies have announced that they'll be collaborating on making mobile WiMAX a reality in a comprehensive agreement that covers roaming and combined marketing efforts under a single to-be-announced brand name. Specifically, Sprint will be responsible for covering about 185 million potential customers with Clearwire swooping in for another 115 million over the next few years; 100 million total are expected to be covered by the end of 2008, which is curiously the exact same number Sprint had been throwing around on its own accord before the agreement was announced. This is a pretty serious deal, too -- the two are bound in holy matrimony for at least 20 years with options for up to three 10-year renewals. Looks like that hot WiMAX smartphone from Palm might still be in the cards, eh?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sprint-clearwire-to-cooperate-on-wimax-build-out/#comments

7/19/2007 1:14:00 PM

Filed under: Storage

If you're the type who prefers your vehicles to come with only two wheels, and you also don't mind paying entirely too much for a USB flash drive so long as its branded right, SanDisk's latest could be right up your alley. Amongst a number of Ducati-badged flash memory (shown after the jump), SanDisk has also unveiled the Extreme Ducati Edition USB Flash Drive, which doesn't do much to avoid looking like your average Liquid Paper Dryline Grip. Aside from the awkward resemblance, this glossy red device sports the same color effects as those found on the Ducati Corse team motorcycles, includes 4GB of internal storage, and touts write speeds of up to 20 megabytes-per-second. 'Course, that staggering $124.99 you'll lay down for this piece also includes a "custom lanyard" and SanDisk's RescuePRO Deluxe software, but we imagine the pricetag won't matter much for true aficionados.

[Via PCLaunches]

Continue reading SanDisk offers up 4GB Ducati USB flash drive

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/sandisk-offers-up-4gb-ducati--usb-flash-drive/#comments

7/19/2007 7:44:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops

OCZ is upping the DDR3 RAM ante yet again, besting its own recently introduced modules with its new 1800MHz PC3-14400 modules. Apparently the first modules of their kind to go into production, these will be available in both single 1GB modules and 2x1GB dual channel kits, with 'em boasting a peak bandwidth of 14400MB (or 14.4GB) per second and latencies "comparable to the fastest offerings of DDR or DDR2." Otherwise, you'll get OCZ's proprietary platinum-mirrored XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreader to keep the modules cool, along with a lifetime warranty for a little extra insurance.

[Via The 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/2007/07/19/ocz-intros-1800mhz-ddr3-ram-modules/#comments

7/19/2007 12:19:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

Groundhog's Day ain't got nothing on this. Yet again, we're faced with another recall on potentially defective laptop batteries, and yet again, these cells in question could catch fire when you least expect it. The latest round of recalls by Toshiba allows for some 10,000 Sony-made batteries to be replaced after a trio of fire incidents over the past ten months got its attention. Of course, Sony noted that the financial impact of this wave should be minor, particularly compared to the recall-related costs it's already trying to swallow.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/toshiba-waves-the-recall-flag-again-on-sony-laptop-batteries/#comments

7/19/2007 11:49:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

While many have criticized Apple for (debatably) giving its handheld lineup more priority than the Mac, it looks like sales aren't suffering because of it. Presumably due (at least in part) to the halo effect stirred by Apple's marketing blitz of its iPhone and iPod, Apple's US personal computer shipments for Q2 of this year landed them in a tie with the once mighty Gateway in terms of American market share. Granted, Gateway did have a few more shipments than Apple, but if Gateway continues to fade and Macs continue to move, we could see Cupertino raising up the bronze (outright) here soon. Attaboy Steve -- just snag 18-percent more of the market and second place is all yours.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/apple-ties-gateway-for-third-in-pc-shipments-looks-to-steal-the/#comments

7/19/2007 11:27:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

No doubt we've heard quite a few calumnies come out of the mouths of high-ranking company officials before (yes, even those at Microsoft), but this one takes things to a different level entirely. Just days after Peter Moore abruptly abandoned ship and swam elsewhere, it seems that frustrations are getting the best of the firm's VP of Global Marketing as well. According to a number of sleuths who used the "bell801" member name to link back to Mr. Bell, the executive actually private messaged a NeoGAF member who was "especially critical of Bell" during an E3 press conference and blurted out: "And your contribution to society is...what?" Yeah, that'll show 'em, Jeff.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/microsofts-jeff-bell-gettin-feisty-on-message-board/#comments

7/19/2007 10:57:00 AM

Filed under: Storage

As the evolution of flash memory (and CompactFlash in particular) continues on, it looks like the CompactFlash Association is gearing up to create a CF card with a SATA interface. Reportedly, the CFA has assembled a working group to "develop a specification for a CompactFlash card with a Serial ATA interface," as it looks to broaden the market appeal of CompactFlash and exceed the current 133MB/second interface data rate. Regrettably, we've no idea when these newfangled devices are slated to go commercial, but we'd recommend that you start saving right about now anyway.

[Thanks, Mark]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/compactflash-sata-cards-on-the-horizon/#comments

7/19/2007 10:36:00 AM

Filed under: Robots, Transportation

Right on schedule, the GUNDAM CRISIS attraction at the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park in Japan has opened its door for ~~fanatics~~ paying guests, and just as we expected, a whole slew of live photographs have made their way out. Fanboys (and girls) hoping that a great deal of care would be taken in its construction are likely to be pleased, as the 1:1 creation certainly bears a resemblance to the real deal. Without further ado, head on past the break for a few more shots, and tag the read link if you're looking for the whole roll.

[Via Slashgear]

Continue reading GUNDAM CRISIS attraction opens up, fanboys unite

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/gundam-crisis-attraction-opens-up-fanboys-unite/#comments

7/19/2007 10:16:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

With all the chicanery that's been going on with ATMs of late, it looks like the machines are finally getting back at the humans. In a move that's already confusing creatures of habit, envelope-free ATMs are starting to pop up in highly-trafficked areas, and as the name implies, they require that your deposits not be stuffed into an envelope beforehand. Diebold, NCR, and, Wincor Nixdorf (among others) are beginning to roll out these newfangled machines, which cost some 20-percent more than typical ATMs and sport specialized scanners that can detect how much cash you're actually inserting as you slide your check / bills into its theoretical mouth. The biggest boon here is the drop in processing costs to banks, while customers are likely to be pleased with instant receipts and nearly-instant access to the fundage. 'Course, we're just counting down the days until yet another ATM trickster figures out how to convert a Hershey's wrapper into a $20 bill.

[Image courtesy of ABC]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/envelope-free-atms-popping-up-soon/#comments

7/19/2007 9:56:00 AM

Filed under: Robots

In a move sure to enkindle flying robotic creatures everywhere, a new species is finally ready to join the gang, as a "life-size, robotic fly has taken flight at Harvard University." The diminutive creation weighs just 60-milligrams, sports a three-centimeter wingspan, and has been developed to boast movements "modeled on those of a real fly." Notably, this isn't the first time we've seen researchers rely on the works of nature in order to craft their own mechanical beings, and given the fly's innate ability to be an excellent spy or chemical detection agent, it's no shock to hear that DARPA is reportedly sponsoring the endeavor. As expected, taking flight was simply the first step in a long line of improvements to come, as the man behind the machine is now looking to integrate an onboard battery and create a flight controller so that the robot can move in different directions.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/harvard-universitys-robotic-fly-takes-flight/#comments

7/19/2007 9:36:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Facing ever-decreasing CD sales and the rise of the iTunes Empire, Disney has decided to fight back the best way it can: by ~~innovating~~ tacking on worthless features to a dead format. The company's new CDVU+ format, to be released through its Hollywood Records subsidiary, features "digital magazine extras" like band photos, interviews, lyrics, and photos that can be accessed by sticking the disc into a computer. To increase CDVU+'s appeal, the company has pledged to develop unique content for the format and not just repackage already-available media -- a promise we've heard about virtually every crazy new format that's come down the pike. Notwithstanding the fact that Steve Jobs is on Disney's freaking board of directors, we're utterly in shock that the company thinks this is actually going to work -- this sort of content has been available and ignored on Enhanced CDs for years. Will anyone ever learn?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/disney-reinvents-enhanced-cds-with-cdvu/#comments

7/19/2007 9:03:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation

Polar, a company best known for its sports-related technology, has created a new on-board computer for cyclists hoping to improve their game, called the CS600. Supposedly developed with the help of six different teams that competed in last year's Tour de France, the advanced little monitor tracks your heart's performance (like if it's beating and how fast), bike speed, and altitude -- but that's just the start. All the data to the handlebar-mounted device is sent wirelessly over Polar's 2.4GHz W.I.N.D. technology (which we think might just be code for regular old WiFi), so you won't be worrying about pesky wires while you're speeding past all the bozos who didn't get one of these to train with.

[Via Crave]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/polars-cs600-cycling-computer/#comments

7/19/2007 8:02:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

While we can't say the world needs yet another iPod accessory, Shanling's MC-3 CD player / dock unit caught our eye not only for its tube power amp, high-end Philips CD transport and Burr-Brown DA converter, but for its shameless 80s style. Not only does the clear acrylic CD lid light up with blue LEDs, the tubes themselves are encased in rings of plastic, making the whole thing look like The Sharper Image just leaned over and threw up. Keeping with the 80s vibe, you'll have to be quite the Yuppie to snag this thing: Shanling's US importers are setting prices right around a cool $1,000.

[Thanks, Lukas]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/shanlings-mc-3-ipod-dock-plays-hits-from-the-80s-sounds-so-cra/#comments

7/19/2007 6:24:00 AM

Filed under: Gaming

In an interview with Norway's Dabladet, David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, reiterated that a move from the 60GB to an 80GB PS3 didn't make sense for Europe. Unlike the US and S.Korea, "going up 20GB is not worth it." We know, that's a bitter pill for our more culturally astute gaming brethren to swallow. Still, take heart as Reeves went on to say that, "if you double it, it's worth it. So maybe you'll see something a bit later." Right, that's 120GB if we take his words literally. Of course, these bumps are inevitable, so some specific timing would certainly be appreciated. In defense of launching the new Starter Pack bundles (a 60GB PS3 with two Sixaxis pads and two first party games) instead of price cuts for Europe, Reeves claims that consumers in PAL territories are more concerned with "added value." Riiiight. Of course, this is the same man who said "the name of the game is not market share" only to predict that the PS3 will be "the winner" by March 08. In other words, anything can happen.

[Via The 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/2007/07/19/no-80gb-ps3-for-you-europe-how-about-120gb-instead/#comments

7/19/2007 5:36:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

InfoSec Sellout, the hacker(s) behind that claimed OS X worm we mentioned yesterday, has kinda-sorta disappeared from the Internets. Sellout's blog, which classified the information security industry as a bunch of "snake oil salesmen, pimps and whores," is "now dead" according to the anonymous blogger (or bloggers) who many think is hacker LMH of January's "Month of Apple Bugs." Mysteriously, the site has reemerged under a new name boasting a link to SecurityFocus where InfoSec Sellout's vulnerability claim now includes the latest version of OS X: 10.4.10. Oddly, Sellout claims that his/her site was hacked, and the new posts are fakes. Huh? Sellout claims that the reason for the shutdown was due to the loss of hacker anonymity from "cry babies" who can't handle a little honesty. Of course, none of this makes any sense. After all, there's always Google cache. Besides, if his/her (or their) claim of developing a first, massively propagating OS X worm is true, then just like DVD Jon before, Sellout's fiscal future as an industry professional would be all but guaranteed. So what are you really hiding from Sellout?

[Via Macworld]

Read -- InfoSec old site (via Google Cache)
Read -- InfoSec new site
Read -- InfoSec Sellout's identity?
Read -- SecurityFocus vulnerability description

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/infosec-sellout-disappears-worm-now-claimed-to-affect-os-x-10-4/#comments

7/19/2007 3:55:00 AM

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Video

JVC is bringing more of that 3-CCD goodness this morning by coming clean with the specs of their high-def, GZ-HD3 camcorder. The latest HD Everio trims some 27% of the bulk from their GZ-HD7 while offering much of the same features albeit, at a lower resolution. We're talking up to 5-hours of 1,440 x 1,080 / 30Mbps recordings direct to internal 60GB hard disk. You can also record up to 5-hours in a 1440CBR mode for easy editing with your HDV-compatible software. Otherwise, you're stuck with the bundled CyberLink BD software. Rounding out the features are a Konica Minolta HD lens, digital image stabilization, JVC's HD Gigabrid image processing, 2.8-inch LCD, HDMI-out, built-in light, PC-less archiving over USB to Everio Share Stations, and support for SDHC (Class 6) recordings in SP mode (1,440 x 1,080 at 22Mbps). Expected to hit US shores for $1,300 sometime in September.

Gallery: JVC's 3-CCD GZ-HD3 camcorder: like the HD7 but smaller

[Via Impress]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/jvcs-3-ccd-gz-hd3-camcorder-like-the-hd7-but-smaller/#comments

7/19/2007 3:28:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

C'mon, don't act so shocked -- you had to realize that these record sales of NAND-based iPhones and iPods were using up some serious flash memory, right? Turns out, Apple's two biggest hits are "expected to consume 25-percent of the global flash output," which could in turn drive up prices of said memory in the not too distant future. DRAMeXchange, a market research company out of Taiwan that tracks the memory industry, further surther suggested that it could take "about two to three quarters before manufacturers can raise their chip yield rates to a higher level," which doesn't bode well for anyone hoping to see a price cut on any of Apple's handhelds due to increased volume purchasing in the memory department.

[Via CNET]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/iphone-ipod-to-consume-25-of-global-flash-memory-output/#comments

7/19/2007 2:04:00 AM

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio

Saitek, the creator of quite a few sexy PC peripherals, has apparently unveiled a duo of new PC accessories that take styling cues from console counterparts. While hardcore FPS gamers have long yearned for a mouse / keyboard combo for their disadvantaged consoles, Saitek could be hoping that the same mantra will prove true in reverse, and has introduced the Cyborg Rumble Gamepad and Cyborg Headset in order to give PC gamers a solid alternative to the age-old WASD method. The standout feature on the gamepad is its Precision Control mode that reportedly "allows gamers to select the sticks and buttons on the controller that, when the mode is activated, are desensitized so as to allow for the most precision." As for the headset (shown after the break), it boasts a "5.1 surround setup" and includes a trio of drivers in each ear, and while we wish pricing and availability details were already disclosed, it looks like we'll all be playing the wait-and-see game on Saitek's latest pair.

Continue reading Saitek unveils Cyborg Rumble Gamepad, Headset for PC

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/saitek-unveils-cyborg-rumble-gamepad-headset-for-pc/#comments

7/19/2007 1:38:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Networking

Vonage has something new to worry about: free. Since everybody hates paying for anything internet, Ooma's jumping on the free-subscription bandwagon with reverse razor / blade model: shell out crazy cash ($400) for a sexy little Ooma Hub with lifetime free local and long distance service. The Hub plugs into your network or internet connection and, if you've got it, landline; it can route calls over the net where possible, but still reserves the ability to use your home number, and direct 911 calls over your hard, analog phone line (unlike Vonage, for example). You can also extend Ooma to other parts of the house via $40 Ooma Scouts (shown above), but there's a caveat: Ooma goes Skype on you, using spare bandwidth to route other Ooma users' calls and cut costs for the company providing you free service. Is it all worth it? Hopefully we'll get our hands on one soon to give it a try, but most of us will have to wait until September to snag one.

Read - Ooma's page
Read - Mossberg's review

Gallery: Ooma wants you to have free VoIP landlines -- for a price

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/19/ooma-wants-you-to-have-free-voip-landlines-for-a-price/#comments

7/19/2007 12:32:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops

Alright folks, those of you scrambling to get your palms around the totally green, subscription based Zonbu PC can put away your patience card, as the firm has officially launched the machine and the corresponding service plans to the masses. 'Course, you already know how the court of public opinion feels about it, so it's finally time to pull the trigger (or not) on the variably priced, modestly-spec'd PC. Check it out -- you can snag your very own Linux-based mini PC for just $99 if you're cool with a very awkward two-year agreement.

[Via Electronista]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/zonbu-launches-subscription-based-pc-service-plans/#comments

7/18/2007 11:07:00 PM

Filed under: Digital Cameras, GPS, Wearables

We can't imagine the day when it'l actually be cool to wear a helmetcam, but at least now looking like a total dork can serve a noble purpose. The U-met, by Japanese safety equipment manufacturer Tanizawa, is designed to assist first responders to accidents and emergencies in coordinating their efforts and documenting the scene. One variation of the helmet uses a QVGA camera, GPS tracker, and FOMA cell radio to transmit images and location data from emergency workers to a central station every 30 seconds, while the other uses a series of motors to vibrate your noggin when it senses potential dangers. The prototype U-met weighs in at a hefty 2 pounds right now, but Tanizawa says it'll get down to about a half-pound for mass-production -- hopefully they'll do something about those stormtrooper trainee looks, too.

[Via Slashphone]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/tanizawas-u-met-first-responder-helmets-belong-on-the-deathstar/#comments

7/18/2007 10:06:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets

From the amazing "artist" who created the Compubeaver (a case mod involving a dead beaver meant as social commentary), comes this latest thought-provoking piece: the Text-o-possum. Delivered as a conceptual composition, the taxidermized opossum is supposed to represent our "disconnect from nature." Undoubtedly thrilling stuff if you just got out of art school, but seriously, this is just one of those laser keyboards wedged under the leg of a dead animal. We get the impression that, Damien Hirst excepted, no one's very interested.

[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/2007/07/18/text-o-possum-low-tech-bad-art/#comments

7/18/2007 8:57:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

Showing a little love for the home crowd, Sony announced today that in addition to the three "basic" colors of black, silver, and white, Japanese PSP fans will also be getting the PSP lite in three metallic pastel shades: Rose Pink, Lavender Purple, and, um, Blue. No word on if we'll ever see these officially make it Stateside, but seeing as the original PSP was unlocked, you can bet some eager graymarketer is getting ready to cash in.

PS. You know Sony should've given the new model an official name when even PSP Fanboy is calling it the "PSP lite."

[Via PSP Fanboy]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/japan-gets-the-psp-lite-in-three-additional-colors/#comments

7/18/2007 8:39:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

If you're like us, you want to encourage your children to harness the power of the Dark side and use The Force for their twisted, megalomaniacal schemes, but you also want them to learn something while doing it. Luckily Oregon Scientific understands your plight, and has delivered the Darth Vader laptop to help. Of course, calling it a laptop is a little misleading -- it's more like a Speak & Spell with a glowing lightsaber stylus and accompanying sound effects, but with 50 games for training "reflexes, typing and rhythm," at least it will keep Palpatine Jr. out of your hair.

[Via Tech Digest]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/darth-vader-childrens-laptop-for-your-little-sith-lord/#comments

7/18/2007 7:10:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops, Displays, HDTV

They may not be for everybody, but PC / TV combos seem to be proliferating at a steady pace, a trend to which Korea's Compass is now further contributing. While specs on the PC end of the equation are a little light, the company's new 47-inch PT-47FHD model certainly looks to deliver the goods as an HDTV, boasting the full 1080p resolution, along with an 8 ms response time, 1,600:1 contrast ratio, and a generous supply of inputs (including four HDMI ports). No word on what it'll cost, but it should be available in Korea by the middle of next month.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/compass-intros-47-inch-1080p-pc-tv-combo/#comments

7/18/2007 6:12:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

Voodoo, a company hell-bent on out-spec'ing the competition, today announced that its ENVY H:171 has "set new standards for performance notebooks." While we can't completely trust everything some big PC manufacturer says, we can tell you that the 17-inch, widescreen laptop does flash some pretty robust specs. The maxed-out combo features a Core 2 Extreme CPU, a Dual NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 graphics chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a hard drive capacity of up to 600GB (using three drives). Additionally, you get your choice of paint jobs, and Voodoo will even slap a "tattoo" on the back, as long you pay for it. So what will it all cost? About $5,000 for the bare bones system, up to somewhere around $7,477 for the full monty -- and those specs aren't terribly dissimilar from something like the cheaper Dreambook -- though they don't offer a $380 "ink."

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/voodoos-envy-h-171-laptop-hits-the-streets/#comments

7/18/2007 5:38:00 PM

Filed under: GPS

While GPS units seem to be getting increasingly indistinguishable from one another these days, Korea manufacturer Mercury's latest device looks like it won't have much trouble standing out, with it boasting an integrated black box to record the final moments before an accident (GPS induced or otherwise). Apparently, the system uses a camera to track vehicles in front of you, with it able to detect when a car's break lights go on. If there's an accident, the system kicks in to store 12 seconds of video before from the accident anddent and six seconds after -- it'll also try to warn you if it thinks you're headed for an accident. Otherwise, you'll get pretty much all the other features you'd expect, including the usual array of PMP functions and built-in DMB TV capabilities, which should make that black box all the more important.

[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/2007/07/18/mercury-black-eagle-gps-unit-boasts-built-in-black-box/#comments

7/18/2007 5:08:00 PM

Filed under: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Jeremy Toeman contributes Ins and Outs, an opinion column on entertainment technology:

With an estimated 100 million YouTube videos watched per day (not to mention the dozens of other similar sites like Revver, Brightcove, Blip.tv, etc.), the debate about internet video as a viable means of delivering content is effectively over. In fact, even as YouTube was still in a major growth phase, companies like Verizon were quickly forming deals to get the content onto mobile phones, while software companies like Orb and TVersity created means for bringing it to the TV set (via an Xbox or other intermediaries). While there is an ever-increasing list of methods to get YouTube off of, well, YouTube, one thing that more companies and consumers are beginning to ask is how YouTube content can be delivered to these other new platforms.

Back in the late 1990s, there was a common understanding of the concept of "lean-forward" and "lean-back" activities. At the desk / PC, one leans forward, uses the mouse and keyboard, and has a very interactive session. Whereas at the TV, one leans back (presumably on one's couch), uses their remote control, and has an extremely passive experience. You may also have heard the terms "2-foot" and "10-foot" user experiences, also reflecting the at-PC versus at-TV interaction models. For years I've been preaching the virtues of lean-forward / lean-backward product design theory to consumer electronics and gadget-makers. Guess what? It looks like the theory's a little flawed.

Continue reading Ins and Outs: Does YouTube fit on the boob tube?

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

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7/18/2007 4:43:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Granted, this whole unboxing process took a tad longer than we're ug/">used to, but considering the absence of an Apple logo and the fact that the folks in Greece likely roll with a bit more patience than we gizmo freaks here in North America, we won't grouse too much. Still, the first widespread unboxing pictures (and a video for good measure) of the highly anticipated Neonode N2 have officially hit the 'net just under a fortnight after the launch party in Athens, and we must say it's looking pretty good. From the well appointed packaging right down to the matte black outfit, the N2 is (finally) yours to witness (psst, the video is after the jump).

Read - Neonode N2 unboxing
Read - Neonode N2 unboxing, part II
Read - Neonode N2 Interface shots

Continue reading Neonode N2 gets unboxed, videoed

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

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7/18/2007 4:06:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

A young man in the UK got a serious shock when the PS2 that he'd won on eBay arrived at his home in Aylsham, Norfolk. The game system -- which he'd paid £95 for -- arrived without the two games promised by the seller, but with £44,000, or about $90,378. The boy and his family turned the money over to police, who are holding it until late September under the UK's "Proceeds of Crime Act" while they investigate the case. A spokesman for eBay described the situation as "somewhat unusual," while the boy was overheard mumbling that he "Would have rather gotten Gran Turismo 3." In related news, the cast of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels said that they would "Find that box no matter what kind of uniquely British hi-jinks are required."

[Thanks, Mark]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/uk-teen-buys-ps2-receives-44-000/#comments

7/18/2007 3:36:00 PM

Filed under: Laptops

A recent leak from Intel has revealed the chip-maker's plans for its Penryn mobile processor line, detailing all ing all the sweet news in a roadmap which has made its way into the waiting public's hands. On the sheet are the details of four new Core 2 Duo chips and one new Core 2 Extreme that Intel will be shepherding into the market in the near future (or so we hope). All of the chips feature the Santa Rosa-standard 800MHz frontside bus, with the C2Ds clocking in at 2.5GHZ and 2.6GHz with a 6MB cache, or alternately 2.1GHz and 2.4GHz with a 3MB cache -- the C2E delivers 2.8GHz with a 6MB cache. No word on pricing or availability, but you'll know as soon as we do.

[Via Reg Hardware]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/intel-roadmaps-penryn-for-mobiles/#comments

7/18/2007 3:05:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops

We've seen a smorgasbord of off the wall creations designed to help those with limited motor skills interact with the average PC, but a group of Kent State researchers have returned to square one and devised a more useful method of actually getting the computer turned on in the first place. The team, which including a graduate assistant who has quadriplegia, found the solution by "adding a jack to the back interior wall of the tower and paralleling it to the on / off circuit of the motherboard." Subsequently, any number of sip / puff switches (pictured device is for reference) could be attached to the jack in order to power the machine on without the use of one's hands or feet. Sadly, there was no mention of bringing such a useful creation to market, but with the right handyman, we're sure this project wouldn't be too hard to replicate on your own.

[Via Physorg]

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

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7/18/2007 2:33:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops

Everex looks to be lowering the already low barrier to entry to its line of IMPACT desktop computp computers, with the company today introducing its $300 GC3502 model, which it's touting as an ideal back-to-school PC. Helping it in that department is the pre-loaded OpenOffice software, which shouldn't be too taxing on the system's 1.5GHz VIA C7-D processor and 1GB of RAM. Rounding out the specs, you'll find an 80GB hard drive, a DVD/CD-RW combo drive, integrated Ethernet (no WiFi), and VIA Chrome9 HC IGP integrated graphics. Needless to say, gamers need not apply, but those less demanding can get the system now exclusively at Wal-Mart.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/everex-rolls-out-300-impact-gc3502-pc/#comments

7/18/2007 2:02:00 PM

Filed under: Robots

It looks like the unmanned aerial drones now on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan will soon be getting a lot more company, with the U.S. reportedly set to deploy its first full-on "robotic" drone squadron. According to the AP, the US will be deploying an unspecified number of MQ-9 Reaper "hunter-killer" drones, which are about the size of a jet fighter and are able to fly at speeds of 300 mph and reach altitudes of 50,000 feet -- each of which can be controlled from a base in Nevada. While further details are obviously scarce, the drones will apparently be deployed to Afghanistan first, with the fleet expected to expand to Iraq sometime between this fall and next spring.

[Via Slashdot]

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

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