Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Interesting Stuff

7/18/2007 12:01:00 PM

Filed under: GPS

We first caught sight of these way back at CES, but it looks like Sanyo is just now rolling out its NVM-4070 and NVM-4050 "Easy Street" GPS units. They don't appear to have gone under any significant changes in the ensuing months, however, boasting the same 4-inch touchscreen, built-in Bluetooth, MP3/WMA/WAV support, and pre-loaded maps of the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Taking things up the the NVM-4070 will give you a few added benefits, including Traffic Message Channel support for real-time traffic data, added support for JPEG photos and MPEG-4 videos, and a built-in FM transmitter to pump tunes through your car stereo. Both should be available immediately, with the NVM-4070 setting you back $500 and the NVM-4050 running $400.

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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/sanyo-intros-a-pair-of-new-easy-street-gps-units/#comments

7/18/2007 11:22:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Displays, Storage

Apple, a funky little start-up based in Cupertino, has recently filed a couple of patents which will have hairs standing on end and eyebrows rising incredulously across the globe. Patent one describes a technology the company is working on called the "illuminated touchpad" -- a kind of input device which could track your movements and provide visual feedback via a lighted surface. The application suggests that the optic effects will be linked to input on the device's facade, and that the display might be capable of glowing, ambiguous color effects, as well as direct and specific reaction to motion. Patent two is something of a historical filing. With the launch of Panther (10.3, for you youngsters), Apple had plans to turn your iPod into a take-anywhere home folder, one which you could simply boot into using whatever OS X box you happened to have around. Clearly it never happened, but the company has re-filed for a variant of that system, so don't be surprised if you see this technology rearing its head again -- of course, who really knows what The Wizard is doing behind the silicon curtain?

[Via AppleInsider]

Read - Illuminated touchpad
Read - Method and apparatus rendering user accounts portable

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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/apples-patent-attack-light-up-touchpads-ipod-booters/#comments

7/18/2007 10:43:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

If you live in a place like Japan, there are two things that probably pop into your head from time to time. One is earthquakes, because the little island has been home to some of the biggest over the years, and the other is Hello Kitty -- and she needs no introduction. Sanrio, in its infinite wisdom, has sought to join these two disparate elements by creating the Hello Kitty emergency gadget. In the event of some type of catastrophic event, Hello Kitty will be there with her hand crank USB cell phone charger, LED flashlight, AM/FM radio. hazard siren, and compass -- all in one super-cute pink package. Of course, once rescue workers find you, you still might die... of humiliation.

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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/hello-kitty-emergency-gadget-saves-lives-looks-real-cute/#comments

7/18/2007 10:30:00 AM

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wearables

While there's certainly no shortage of wearable cameras out there, industrial designer Johan Frossen's latest concept looks to boast a few innovations over the current crop, although you likely won't be able to take advantage of them any time soon. As you can see, the device is designed to wrap around your neck which, in addition to making a fashion statement, keeps your hands free to do other work. Other less than common features include a fisheye lens to capture your surroundings, and no storage on the camera itself, with everything instead transmitted wirelessly to your cellphone (or other device, presumably). What's more, while the device is a concept, it was apparently done "in collaboration with Sony Ericsson," so it would seem to be at least remotely possible that it could eventually see the light of day in one form or another.

[Via Yanko Design]

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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/designer-shows-off-handsfree-video-camera-concept/#comments

7/18/2007 10:00:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Don't laugh, this is serious business. Just last week we were totally there when Richard Dean Anderson had to use a MacGyver multitool to rewire the ignition of the single-prop plane that delivered us all safely out of a Bolivian hostage situation. We're not even kidding, go ask him.

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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/the-macgyver-multitool/#comments

7/18/2007 9:28:00 AM

Filed under: Displays

We know that many consumers like their flat panels big and cheap even at the expense of quality. No doubt then, Vizio's new "full-HD" 52-inch LCD rumored to sell at Costco next month will be a hit. The $2,200 sets are even said to carry an LG.Philips panel according to DigiTimes' Taiwanese supply chain sources. Promising, but will they bring LED backlighting, 120Hz tech, and 1080p24 HDMI input? Doubtful, but the money you save should keep the fridge swollen with Bud into the foreseeable future.

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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/vizio-releasing-52-inch-1080p-lcd-for-2-200-next-month/#comments

7/18/2007 8:43:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

The market, bone dry for iPod docks, today gets quenched: Philips has introduced not one, not two, but seven new iPod docks for your listening pleasure (at least in the UK). The models are quite varied, and run the gamut from simple alarm-clock dock with remote, to full on mini-systems with features like "Dynamic Bass Boost", detachable speakers, and USB connectivity. Here's a detailed breakdown of the models:

AJ300D - Alarm clock with remote, dual wake-up alarm, built-in radio tuner, five speakers (using Philips' wOOx technology), £69.99
AZ1330D - "Boom box" style dock, CD player, digital tuner with presets, remote control, 2x4W RMS sound output with Dynamic Bass Boost, £99.99
MCM138D - Mini stereo system, separate cradle, CD player, radio tuner, LCD panel, 2x2W RMS amplifier with Dynamic Bass Boost, two separate bass-reflex 3.5-inch driven speakers, £89.99
MCM398D - Mini stereo system, separate cradle, CD player, radio tuner, LCD panel, 2x50W RMS performance via two-way bass reflex speakers with 4-inch woofer and Piezo tweeters, £139.99
DC199 - Mini stereo system, built-in dock, digital radio tuner, built-in subwoofer with 4-inch driver, seperate speakers featuring metal drivers and neodynium magnets, £139.99
DCM230 (pictured) - Mini stereo / "Boom box", built-in dock, USB Direct (allows any DAP to be connected via USB), CD player, two speakers delivering 15W of power each, £199.99
DC1000 - Separate dock with remote, free when purchased with the WAC7000 WiFi audio system

[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/philips-debuts-seven-new-ipod-docks-for-you/#comments

7/18/2007 7:59:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Hmmm, this is interesting. While the whole European iPhone carrier mess gets sorted, Expansys has gone ahead and listed a "network-unlocked" iPhone for their English punters. There's no price or delivery on the 8GB model which makes the pre-order button a bit dubious. Still, the quad-band GSM / EDGE phone looks every bit the peer to its US colonial cousin only with the promise to work with a SIM card from "any UK or European GSM provider." Do you know something we don't Expansys or is this just wishful thinking?

Update: Expansys updated the site, gone is the paragraph regarding the unlocked SIM. Now back to your hacking stations, please.

[Thanks, Marc G.]

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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/expansys-uk-offering-unlocked-iphone/#comments

7/18/2007 7:03:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Look, we're fine with Apple gloating about the security of OS X in their Mac vs. PC adverts. After all, we have yet to see a large-scale worm released into the Macintosh community. However, the fact that a worm hasn't been released on a Windows-esque scale likely has less to do with Apple's superior coding than the size of their market share, i.e., OS X is a smaller target. That might soon change, however. A vulnerability has reportedly been found and more importantly, exploited by an "independent researcher" known only as "InfoSec Sellout." Apparently, a previously undisclosed vulnerability in the OS X mDNSResponder (which Apple has patched before) allowed Sir Sellout to cobble together a worm dubbed "Rape.osx." InfoSec Sellout claims to have released the worm into a controlled environment thereby infecting a network of about 1,500 OS X systems by nabbing root and dumping a text file as an evidentiary foot print. However, the worm's author claims that it can be broadly weaponised with a payload of choice across both PPC and Intel-class Macs with just a bit more work. InfoSec Sellout will disclose the vulnerability to Apple only after his/her "research is complete" and after an appropriate level of compensation (er, InfoSec Ransom?) received. Dubious as that sounds, for better or worse, it's the way the game's currently played.

[Via Slashdot]

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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/new-os-x-vulnerability-found-worm-released-in-lab/#comments

7/18/2007 5:37:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops

It looks like the previously low-lying race to cram CMOS sensors into a broader lineup of digital cameras just got a bit more noticeable, as Sony is tooting its own horn by announcing a ¥60 billion ($490.4 million) investment to "strengthen its CMOS sensor manufacturing operations." More specifically, the firm is hoping to "provide growth markets such as mobile phones and digital still cameras with CMOS sensors," and judging by all the work that has gone on of late in these very areas, we'd say something major could be on the horizon. Interestingly, DPReview noted that this very information has been quietly residing on Sony's webpage for some time, but we can only assume that Canon's recent announcement persuaded Sony to bring it to the forefront. Ah, semiconductor manufacturers battling it out -- now that's entertainment.

[Thanks, Will]

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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/sony-strengthening-its-own-cmos-manufacturing-operations/#comments

7/18/2007 4:48:00 AM

Filed under: Household, Portable Audio

What started as a begrudging trickle of iPod accessories from Sony has turned a steady flow. Meet the new ICF-C1IP iPod Dock Clock Radio and ZS-S2IP iPod Dock Boombox. The radio (available in black or white) brings a wireless remote for control of the iPod, radio, and volume functions with a dual-alarm function and adjustable brightness control. Oh, and that giant square in the center which apparently serves no purpose? That's an overengineered "adjustable backstop mechanism" meant to ensure a snug fit of the iPod when docked. The Boombox features a retractable dock tray when going iPod-less with a digital AM/FM tuner and CD player supporting CD-R/RW media. Wireless remote and battery power? Yup, that too. Both rigs are priced at $100 beans and ready for retail sometime in August. Read-on for a glimpse of the boombox in repose.

Continue reading Sony's dark-side: the ICF-C1IP alarm clock and ZS-S2IP boombox iPod docks

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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/sonys-dark-side-the-icf-c1ip-alarm-clock-and-zs-s2ip-boombox-i/#comments

7/18/2007 3:37:00 AM

Filed under: Desktops

Trust us, there's been quite a few days in which a dysfunctional PC was kicked around at Engadget HQ for eating posts and intentionally inserting typos, but we've yet to become so flustered that we needed to launch one out of the building. Interestingly enough, a disgruntled 51-year-old German just couldn't resist, as he actually flung his PC out of a window during the middle of the night, which startled neighbors and garnered a visit from local police. Of course, the boys in blue did exactly as they should, and left the man with nary a warning after apparently sympathizing with his technical frustrations. Granted, the rattled PC hurler was forced to clean up the mess from the streets below, but we can safely assume he felt an awful lot better after showing that hunk of plastic who was really in charge.

[Via TGDaily]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/discomfited-german-hurls-pc-from-window-police-sympathize/#comments

7/18/2007 2:56:00 AM

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Video

Good by LocationFree, hello Vaio Base Station LV-V30 ("with LocationFree technology"). We were hoping Sony didn't kill LFTV, and thankfully it looks like that's not the case. The LF-V30 takes component in/out and converts into standard def and QVGA, and will run you about $250 come September. Another hot shot after the break.

Continue reading Sony makes LocationFree Vaio, introduces Vaio LF-V30 Base Station

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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/sony-makes-locationfree-vaio-introduces-vaio-lf-v30-base-statio/#comments

7/18/2007 2:39:00 AM

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Besides moving low-priced HD DVD players, the HD DVD Promotional Group is taking advantage of Home Media Expo 2007 to announce its most recent sales data, with HD DVD going up, and Blu-ray going down. Specifically, the Nielsen Netratings mentioned show HD DVD hardware sales up 37 percent, and software sales up 20 percent from the first to the second quarter of this year. Over the same period, overall Blu-ray hardware sales (no word on if this includes the PlayStation 3 or not) were down 27 percent and software sales down 5 percent. Shockingly, this trend is attributed to aggressive marketing campaigns and cheaper standalone HD DVD players hitting the market, causing a 183 percent increase in dedicated player sales for the quarter, and over 180,000 players (up from 100k back in April) sold altogether. Whether HD DVD focus on standalones over consoles gives them an edge is unknown, but it seems like Blu-ray may be catching on to the strategy of giving away movies and cutting prices.

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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/hd-dvd-touts-sales-growth-over-blu-rays-decline/#comments

7/18/2007 1:31:00 AM

Filed under: Household

Unfortunately for those 4,400 or so owners of the Xenon Aluminum flashlight sold at Sportsman's Warehouse, the recall wagon has come your way, and unless you have no fear of exploding batteries, we'd suggest you power it off at your earliest convenience. Interestingly enough, this case involves more than just a faulty design, as the Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium batteries packed within are believed to be counterfeits, and it comes as no surprise that these knockoffs "can overheat and rupture, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers." So, if you happen to own the six-, nine-, or twelve-volt version of these here devices, it looks like you'll be making an unwanted trip out to Sportsman's Warehouse before long.

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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/counterfeit-flashlight-batteries-recalled-due-to-fire-hazard/#comments

7/18/2007 12:46:00 AM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Shortly after Samsung and Hitachi unveiled their swank HDTV lineups, along comes Pioneer with a sexy plasma lineup of its own to shake things up. The KURO displays are segmented into two divisions, one which includes the 42- and 50-inch standard KUROs, and the other packing "Elite" KUROs of the same sizes. The 42-inch versions sport a 1,024 x 768 resolution panel, four independent HDMI 1.3 inputs, a built-in CableCARD slot, advanced PureCinema with 3:3 pulldown, and more tweakable settings than you can shake a stick at. The 50-inch flavors up the ante with a 1,365 x 768 resolution, and the Elite versions add the Home Media Gallery, come ready for ISFccc calibration, and include a few more choices throughout the display setting menus. Pricing and availability information doesn't look to be available just yet, but judging solely by the specifications on these beauties, we'd say you better bring the purse (as in, the whole thing) if looking seriously at one of these.

[Thanks, J]

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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/pioneer-intros-sexy-kuro-plasma-lineup/#comments

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.

Permali;Permalink | Email this | Comments

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 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 8:43:00 PM

Filed under: Robots, Wearables

Touch Bionics, a UK-based prothesis developer, announced today that its i-LIMB bionic hand has been made available for use in the United States and Europe. The i-LIMB is one the first widely available prosthetic hands with five individually powered digits, affording its user a surprisingly wide range of motion. Additionally, the i-LIMB uses dynamic touch detection which can sense when a finger has sufficient grip on on object and stop powering, useful in situations such as holding someone's hand, where too much power can cause, er, problems. Using electric signals generated by working muscles to control the hand, the device is much like traditional myoelectric prosthetics (the signals are sent from electrodes placed on the skin). Touch Bionics has also developed a "groundbreaking" form of cosmesis, a latex sheath which covers the hand that TB claims gives an incredibly realistic appearance. Check the gallery to see for yourself.

[Thanks, Matt]

Gallery: Touch Bionics i-LIMB bionic hand

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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/touch-bionics-i-limb-bionic-hand/#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 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

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It's with mixed emotions that we announce the latest Sony camcorder, as even it has shamelessly hopped on the YouTube bandwagon and catered a product specifically to those looking to snag their own 15 ~~minutes~~ seconds of fame. 'Course, we can't help but love the five-megapixel sensor crammed into the five-ounce device -- which enables it to capture video in MPEG-4 at 15fps QVGA or 30fps VGA resolutions -- but Sony makes no secret that the standout feature on the Net-sharing CAM is its ability to pre-format footage and easily publish content to sites such as YouTube and Crackle. Additionally, the device sports a built-in flash, 4x digital zoom, a 2.4-inch color LCD, and a rechargeable Li-ion that only lasts about 90 minutes per charge. Thankfully, Sony doesn't plan on charging an awful lot for this shooter either, as interested buyers can snatch one up for just $200 this September.

[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/2007/07/17/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 latests 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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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!

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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 uinging 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!

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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!

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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 outting 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!

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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!

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7/17/2007 3:07:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Video

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 ith 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!

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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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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!

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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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7/17/2007 1:12:00 PM

Filed under: 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 tht 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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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 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!

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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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