Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Interesting Stuff

7/31/2007 8:28:00 PM

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Looks like those rumors about new Macs on the 7th were true -- we were just invited to an Apple "product presentation for Mac" at Apple Town Hall in Cupertino next week. The event gets started on the morning of August 7th, and while we weren't promised an appearance by El Jobso, Apple was, shockingly enough, very open and clear about the fact that this is going to be a press gathering for Mac products (and Mac products only -- so stash away those iPhone hopes, fears, and rumors until next Wednesday).

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/apple-gathering-press-for-mac-event-next-week/#comments

7/31/2007 7:56:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

We're not sure why Apple chooses to reveal such juicy tidbits to dry, uptight market analyst types before... oh, say us for example, but be that as it may, it seems Apple's VP of iPod Product Marketing has spilled some tasty beans in a chat with RBC Capital Markets this week. RBC's research note indicates that an "iPhone update patch is expected shortly," while "management expressed excitement at plans to increase iPhone value over time via new software features." We figure that doesn't mean that this very first update will fulfill all of our wildest dreams for the iPhone's true potential, but RBC is speculating that patches will eventually add MMS, Leopard-specific integration of some nature, location-based services, and -- naturally -- new widgets. We don't suppose this first update could have something to do with a particular vulnerability, could it?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/first-iphone-software-update-growing-near/#comments

7/31/2007 7:20:00 PM

Filed under: Transportaansportation

Two clever Canadian teen-scientists have built a bizarre, eco-friendly electric bike which runs on principals similar to those of the Segway -- but looks way cooler. The motorized prototype (called either the "Uno" or "Tango," depending on who you speak with), sports two wheels side-by-side, sort of like a double unicycle which the rider sits directly above. The bike, based off of the frame design of a Yamaha R6 sport bike, can reach speeds of up to 40 MPH, and uses accelerometer technology to keep its balance. Inventors Ben Gulak and Jason Morrow say that the bike beats out the Segway in terms of speed, and delivers better maneuverability than Bombardier's Embrio unicycle concept. The whole package is surprisingly powered by amped-up wheelchair motors and 36-volt batteries. Next up, the young men plan to assemble a rag-tag band of colorful characters, get on their bikes, and ride into Neo-Tokyo during a riot.

[Via Ubergizmo]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/teen-engineers-create-eco-minded-electric-unicycle/#comments

7/31/2007 6:49:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

In today's edition of How Your Office is Slowly Killing You, a study emerging from Queensland University of Technology suggests that laser printers can emit clouds of ultra-fine particles that compare to "cigarette smoke and motor vehicle emissions." Reportedly, 13 out of 40 models tested were deemed "high emitters" of particles from the toner, and while office photocopiers failed to produce similar results, concentrations of microscopic particles near laser printers were found to be "five times higher than outdoor levels often produced by traffic" in a given investigation. Currently, no efforts have been made to actually study the chemistry of the emissions, but considering that such fine objects could easily sink "to the very lowest reaches of the lungs," we'd say that's reason enough to request an airtight office a few floors underground.

[Image courtesy of Gripguard]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/laser-printer-particles-as-dangerous-as-cigarette-smoke/#comments

7/31/2007 6:38:00 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/fcc-approves-rules-for-700mhz-frequency-auction/#comments

7/31/2007 6:23:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

A standalone music download service which Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo hinted at in June is looking to be making its way out into the world sometime this August, according to a recent Fortune article. The mobile phone kingpin appears to be positioning itself as a direct competitor for Apple and iTunes before the iPhone makes its way into European markets sometime later this year. Sources rumor that the "worldwide" service will allow users to download and transfer songs to non-Nokia hardware, but will employ some form of DRM, and Nokia will be offering over a million songs at the outset -- a pittance when compared to Apple's five million and counting. Supposedly, news of the launch will be delivered on August 29th in London during a live music event at the Ministry of Sound. The company has sent out invitations to a mysterious "Go Play" event, which asks invitees to "Come and witness the next stage of the evolution of the internet and mobility," which we're pretty sure is code for "the president is announcing the biggest uphill battle ever."

Read -- Can Nokia beat iPhone at its own tunes?
Read -- Nokia "Go Play" invite hints heavily towards music download service

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/nokia-to-launch-itunes-like-download-service/#comments

7/31/2007 5:52:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

Just days after we Americans got a taste of BlackBerry with a hint GPS, now those in Germany can look forward to the same delicacy. The BlackBerry Curve 8310 will be picked up by Vodafone and sport built-in "GPS navigation and advanced multimedia functionality." Furthermore, the smartphone will include Vodafone Navigator software, a two-megapixel camera, microSD expansion slot, 320 x 240 resolution display, quad-band GSM support, Bluetooth 2.0, USB connectivity, and a media player to boot. Notably, the first 5,000 individuals to mosey on in and pick one up will reportedly be blessed with a 1GB microSD card gratis, and better yet, it will include the current 100 top chart songs pre-installed as MP3s (hooray!). So head on down to your local Vodafone outlet with €99.90 ($136), and be sure to navigate your return trip through all sorts of back roads.

[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://wwttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/vodafone-picks-up-gps-equipped-blackberry-curve-8310/#comments

7/31/2007 5:11:00 PM

Filed under: Announcements, Gaming, Home Entertainment

We've given away any number of Xbox 360s on Engadget in the past, but never one with the level of awesome turned up to 11 (or, in this case, 300). Today we're giving away one of just 20 super rare Xbox 360 Elite consoles printed with blood designs from 300 -- but rarer still since it's friggin' signed by Frank Miller. The details of what the winner takes:

300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite (120GB drive, wireless controller, etc.)
Console is signed by 300 creator and comic legend Frank Miller, as well as Zack Snyder, director of the eponymous film
300 combo DVD / HD DVD (which is, incidentally, out today) to go right along with it.

Look, we'll admit it, we really don't want to give this thing away -- so make sure you follow the contest guidelines, ok?

The rules (yeah, there are always rules):

Leave a comment below -- tell us your fave scene from the movie. (It's ok if you haven't seen it, but where the hell have you been?)
You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and if you submit more than once, only activate one comment, ok?
If you enter more than once, only activate one comment -- otherwise we'll send Leonidas after you.
Contest is open to anyone worldwide!
Entries can be submitted until 11:59pm EDT on Sunday, August 12th.

Gallery: Win a super rare signed 300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite and 300 HD DVD

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/win-a-super-rare-signed-300-edition-xbox-360-elite-and-300-hd-dv/#comments

7/31/2007 5:06:00 PM

Filed under: Storage, Networking

Those in the market for a boost in storage now have a couple more options to consider from Iomega, which has beefed up its StorCenter line of network hard drives with three new models. Coming in 500GB, 750GB, and 1TB varieties, these each boast 3.5-inch 7200 RPM SATA-II hard drives (two in the case of the 1TB model), along with an 8MB cache to keep things nice and speedy and a pair of USB ports should you need even more external storage. The 1TB model will also give you your choice of RAID 0, RAID 1, or JBOD configurations, and all three pack a number of network features, including Active Directory support and UPnP AV media server capability (no WiFi though). Look for all three to be available immediately, with them setting you back $270, $360, and $390 for the 500GB, 700GB, and 1TB models, respectively.

[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/2007/07/31/iomega-intros-new-storcenter-network-hard-drives/#comments

7/31/2007 4:48:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming, Transportation, Wireless

Looking to collect a little acceleration / braking data on the cheap? Even if you're just scouting alternative uses for that oh-so-handy Wiimote, a recent project from klee just may suit your fancy. A proud owner of a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta managed to rig up a Wiimote-based tracking system that gathered information on g-forces, acceleration, turning, and overall speed, and thanks to a little Excel computation, the results are neatly graphed once the outing concludes. Of course, you may need a little help in the script writing department, by judging by the looks of things, most everything you need is awaiting you in the read link -- you know, except your own Wiimote and a Vee-Dub.

[Thanks, Matt]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/car-modder-repurposes-wiimote-as-accelerometer/#comments

7/31/2007 4:33:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Last night we sat down for dinner with a company that, with the use of open source hardware, intends to invert the top down consumer electronics market as we know it -- a lofty goal, no doubt. But when Bug Labs (based in New York) introduces their modular gadget kits later this year, end users (read: tech enthusiasts) will be able buy interchangeable electronics components with a common interface capable of mixing, matching, and building custom devices (without having to lift a soldering iron). Sounds kind of out there, but here's the model:

Users snag a small Linux-based micro-PC with USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, and plenty of special ports for attaching these functionality modules.
Users can develop Java apps and load custom software onto the base device to take advantage of expansion modules for any usage scenarios they can dream up.
Users expand each portable's capabilities by adding modules, such as a small or large screen, QWERTY keyboard, GPS, camera, speaker, etc.; the user can add whatever is necessary to build the gadget that fits their purpose. (Sorry, no cell radio modules at launch.)
Each component is accessible and web addressable, meaning users can write and load software to / from their own or other users' components, as well as share their functionality or data (i.e. user A can use an app to remotely share his / her GPS locator or digital camera with user B).
Of course, all these hardware component schematics, interface protocols, etc. will be made available online if you want to build your own Bug-based gear.
Bug Labs might also allow users to submit novel and relatively marketable configurations for mass manufacturing, and serve as a storefront for budding gadget designers using the Bug platform.

Will a DIY open source hardware hacker's kit ever be enough to enable Joe Blow to develop the next RAZR or iPod? Probably not to start; effective portable electronics requires a very vertical design process, but if CE development is ever going to be democratized the way software development was over 30 years ago, then clear and open source components and systems is the kind of approach that could be capable of doing it.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/bug-labs-diy-gadgets-turn-consumer-electronics-on-its-ear/#comments

7/31/2007 4:07:00 PM

Filed under: Features

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:

For all the attention on the love-hate relationship between Apple and Microsoft, there's another software superpower with which Apple is increasingly butting heads. Apple was an early investor in Adobe and an early supporter of PostScript, which drove the first LaserWriters and launched the desktop publishing market. When Steve Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, that company used Display PostScript as the imaging engine for the company's black boxes.

Photoshop and other members of Adobe's Creative Suite remain some of the most popular creative tools on the Mac. For years, Photoshop made cameos at Apple keynotes as the company argued the superiority of the PowerPC architecture.

But the relationship has been strained at times as well. After going on lots of minor quests involving the slaying of forest creatures, Adobe released PostScript Level 2. But Apple surprised nearly everyone when it partnered with Microsoft in 1989 to position TrueType and the now-forgotten TrueImage as a rival to Adobe's technology. Apple would later try again to surpass Adobe's font technology with QuickDraw GX before adopting PDF as the graphics lingua franca for Mac OS X.

Continue reading Switched On: Apple's brash Flash clash rehash

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/switched-on-apples-brash-flash-clash-rehash/#comments

7/31/2007 3:36:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio

It looks like Apple has more than just 3 billion songs sold to celebrate, as it's now managed to bring longtime hold-outs Led Zepplin into the iTunes fold. The band isn't quite going all out, however, with it instead simply offering greatest hits of sorts called "Mothership," which will include 'Stairway to Heaven', 'Whole Lotta Love,' 'Dazed and Confused' and other songs personally selected Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones. Look for it to be available on November 12th. In other iTunes news, Apple appears to have found itself on Eminem's bad side (again), with the rapper and his music publisher now suing the company over, you guessed it, alleged copyright violations. As The Detroit News reports, Eminem's music publisher and copyright manager are claiming that they never actually authorized Universal to offer Eminem's music on iTunes in the first place, and they're now asking Apple to cease and desist its reproduction and distribution. Not surprisingly Apple doesn't appear to be quite ready to comply with that, although it's so far staying mum on the matter.

Read - Reuters, "Apple says iTunes sales top 3 billion songs"
Read - The Observer, "Led Zeppelin join the net generation"
Read - The Detroit News, "Eminem suit targets Apple" [Via AppleInsider]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/led-zeppelin-embraces-itunes-eminem-sues/#comments

7/31/2007 3:07:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

And so we've come full circle. After accurately predicting that $100 PS3 price drop a few weeks back, Circuit City is back in the rumor game with a flyer that seems to confirm the $50 price cut for the Xbox 360, and even tosses in some info on price breaks for the Elite and Core systems. According to the flyer, on August 12th the 360 Premium will dip to $350, and include a copy of Rockstar's "Table Tennis," while the Elite will raid your wallet for $450 -- a $30 reduction -- and include zero free games. Finally, the Xbox 360 Core will get $20 lopped off, and sell for $280, which might be the end of the road for the stripped down console once stock runs out.

[Thanks, Sam]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/circuit-city-spills-all-the-xbox-360-price-cut-beans/#comments

7/31/2007 2:48:00 PM

Filed under: Robots

While these days robotics are no stranger to the battlefield, the UK Ministry of Defence is hoping to take things a step further with its "Grand Challenge" competition, which aims to bring autonomous, information-gathering robots to urban warfare situations. Fourteen teams have been picked as finalists, and the true test will come next summer when the robots roll into Copehill Down, an urban warfare training center built during the Cold War, and duke it out with mock targets. The MoD's hope is for a robot to be able to identify potential snipers, enemy vehicles and other human threats, with a minimum of human guidance, and then report that information back to ground troops gearing up for an assault. Approaches to the challenge include miniature unmanned planes and copters equipped with high-def cameras, and combination setups that include ground units with radar and thermal detection along with aerial units. Points will be awarded for accuracy of recon and autonomy, and the winning team will receive a fancy trophy and military funding. The robots are in it for the glory and the hefty retirement benefits.

[Via BBC News]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/uks-mod-grand-challenge-inciting-robo-warfare-next-summer/#comments

7/31/2007 2:31:00 PM

Filed under: Announcements

We know you've been waiting patiently to find out who won the super rare E Ink watch -- congratulations to Chris Garman, who's now the luckiest watch-wearer on his block! To everyone else who gave it a shot, thanks for entering. Oh, and stick close, we'll have another super rare giveaway shortly.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/e-ink-watch-giveaway-winner/#comments

7/31/2007 2:23:00 PM

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

While everyone's busy trying to figure out which particular shade of brushed metal Apple's new iMacs are going to show up in, a few major online retailers have quietly trimmed 5.5G iPod prices. Apple, who usually keeps a pretty tight rein on its product prices throughout various retail channels, hasn't matched the cuts on the Apple Store, but you can currently score a 30GB or 80GB iPod (with video) for about $20 off at Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City and J&R online stores. Notable exceptions include Target's online store, and Wal-mart, which doesn't sell iPods online. It's anyone's guess as to what actually sparked these price drops. It could be a way for traditional retailers to compete with Apple's aggressive back to school promotions, an attempt by Apple to clear away excess stock in preparation for a brand new iPod, or perhaps just a good old-fashioned price cut. Perhaps we'll know more on August 7th?

[Thanks, Matthew]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/apples-5-5g-ipods-receive-stealthy-price-cuts/#comments

7/31/2007 1:55:00 PM

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Not that getting all up in our proverbial grills in order to provide specialized advertising is a new concept or anything, but Microsoft in particular has been on the warpath of late in this very realm. On the heels of a similar ad-based patent application comes documentation that reveals plans to use "biometric sensors, cameras, remote controls, or other accessories" to detect and identify an individual before doling out targeted plugs. Yes, this certainly does insinuate that your television would be watching you just as often as you viewed it, but unless it becomes lawful to stuff monitoring devices into our homes for the benefit of marketers, we'll consider ourselves safe -- for the time being.

[Via TechDirt]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/microsoft-envisions-invasive-approach-to-targeted-advertising/#commng/#comments

7/31/2007 1:30:00 PM

Arguments have surely ensued over the iPhone's polarizing touchscreen keyboard, and while you just knew it was lurking out there somewhere, the patent application describing the aforementioned device has finally surfaced. Dubbed "Keyboards for Portable Electronic Devices," the documents outlines an adaptive board with multi-symbol icons, and aside from using it solely on the iPhone, it looks like the technology could be implemented on nearly any handheld gizmo. Of course, the verbiage does mention handset mainstays such as word recommendations and predictive text entry, so it's hard to believe that all of this stuff is completely Apple's creation. Regardless, who needs license agreements when you can just hack one for your own good? [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via UnwiredView]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/apple-patent-app-reveals-intelligent-keyboard/#comments

7/31/2007 1:08:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

E-Ten's glofiish X800 has received recognition for doing its job in every band -- both GSM and HSDPA -- VGA-style. The X800 will mark the first in a series -- apparently four will be released this year -- in E-Ten's collaboration with Arima, and if this is a hint of what's to come, we're positively stoked for the closing months of this year. Like the Asus P750 hinted at a few days ago, it seems our manufacturing friends are finally catching on that all-flavored GSM and HSDPA sets are where it's at. Now if they could just turf out a similarly svelte set with QWERTY, we'd not even think of complaining.

[Via Phonescoop]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/e-tens-x800-gets-the-nod-from-the-fcc/#comments

7/31/2007 12:47:00 PM

Filed under: GPS

SiRF Technology Inc. (makers of the SiRFstar chip line, amongst others) and Intel (makers of everything else) have just signed a license and joint development agreement to collaborate on products which the companies hope will "help location and wireless connectivity become more mainstream in next generation mobile devices." As part of the agreement, SiRF will license some of its technologies to Intel, but the company will also co-develop new products which will be destined for Intel-powered gear like mobile phones and "mobile internet devices." So what does this mean for us? Well, we're probably about to see a lot of "you got chocolate in my peanut butter" scenarios, like GPS operability hardwired into Intel chipsets -- which will pretty much guarantee the mainstreaming of GPS, and open a lot of very interesting doors.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/sirf-and-intel-sign-license-and-development-agreement/#comments

7/31/2007 12:19:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Voting machine makers scoffing at bad reviews? That's preposterous! Actually, it's not all that alarming to hear that Diebold, Hart InterCivic, and Sequoia Voting Systems all had less-than-amicable responses to a state study that "found that their machines could be breached by hackers." Of course, we're not exactly sure what all that groaning is about, as we've seen nothing but proof to back the investigation up. Nevertheless, Sequoia dubbed the review "an unrealistic, worst-case-scenario evaluation," Diebold kvetched that the study didn't look at its most recently developed software, Hart found "several inconsistencies, alternate conclusions, and errors," and Elections Systems & Software bypassed the rigmarole entirely by failing to provide their information to the secretary of state. Oh, the irony. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/voting-machine-producers-criticize-critiques/#comments

7/31/2007 11:58:00 AM

Filed under: GPS

If you're the type who just may be the victim of undercover GPS tracking (read: promiscuous), you should give some serious thought to this one. This simple cigarette adapter plug-in reportedly "knocks out GPS logging or GPS tracking systems that may be operating in your vehicle," and considering that it sports a two-to-four meter operating range, just about every automobile outside of an 18-wheeler (or limousine) should be covered. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on how much this potential life-saver will cost, but its slated to ship "soon" to the devious and uber-paranoid sects.

[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/2007/07/31/in-car-gps-jammer-subverts-mobile-tracking-devices/#comments

7/31/2007 11:29:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones

The nation's second largest online music retailer, eMusic, is apparently announcing plans today to partner with AT&T to sell tracks by independent artists directly to mobile phones, without the need for the computer middleman. The music-seller will make nearly all of its 2.7 million songs available for direct download to the carrier's devices, although eMusic's rates will jump from $9.99 for 30 songs using their traditional service, to $7.49 for just five songs with the new mobile service. You would think AT&T would be hot-to-trot with Apple when it comes to selling music for phones, but the telco already has agreements with services like Napster, and since the iPhone-maker somehow failed to include iTunes direct downloads to its device, and doesn't offer them to other devices, AT&T clearly sees a window. Granted, eMusic's catalogue is somewhat more eclectic than iTunes, but with artists like Paul McCartney and The Pixies, the cash registers could start ringing.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/emusic-and-atandt-to-partner-for-mobile-music-downloads/#comments

7/31/2007 11:08:00 AM

Filed under: Transportation

Wee electric cars such as the one pictured to the right aren't exactly uncommon, but if Think CEO Jan-Olaf Willums can get his dreams to pan out, his version of the urban green car may actually gain some serious traction. Reportedly, the firm has garnered upwards of $78 million from Silicon Valley and European investors who see promise in the carbon-neutral whip, and moreover, in changing the way we all buy and interact with our cars. Ideally, Think will only sell its vehicles online, which would reduce overhead dramatically, and will equip the cars with WiFi in order to become "a rolling computer that can communicate wirelessly with its driver, other Think owners, and the power grid." Notably, Think plans to "to sell the car but lease the battery as a way to overcome one of the biggest conundrums of electric automobiles," and while nothing is set in stone, the "City" could arrive in select locales as early as 2009.

[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/2007/07/31/think-hoping-to-deliver-web-enabled-electric-car/#comments

7/31/2007 10:47:00 AM

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Hopefully you haven't forgotten all about TabletKiosk's Sahara i440D Slate PC, because the time has finally come to lay down your hard-earned coin and snag one for yourself. Dubbed the first slate tablet PC with "dual pen and touchscreen input," the i440D can be ordered with Windows XP or Vista, and features a wide array of ports including PCMCIA, eSATA, USB 2.0, and FireWire. Additionally, you'll find a biometric fingerprint reader, an Intel Core Duo LV processor, and options for up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB SATA hard drive. The base configuration starts at $2,295, and just in case it somehow escaped you earlier, it is indeed shipping right away.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/tabletkiosks-sahara-i440d-slate-pc-now-shipping/#comments

7/31/2007 10:24:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones

When the time came and your battery died, you were probably thinking you'd have to send your iPhone off to Apple as part of their expensive and complicated battery replacement program -- but now you've got a sketchy DIY option instead. Once again, a mysterious Chinese company has stepped in and "created" a "solution" to your problem with its iPhone battery replacement kit. For just $20, which is cheap enough to elicit genuine concern, you get a 1400mAh, 3.7V iPhone battery, some type of screwdriver-like tool, a strange plastic shiv, and an instruction manual (presumably in English, but you never know). All you have to do is crack open your $600 phone, de-solder your old battery and solder in the new one... and probably some other, more complicated stuff too. At this price, it seems unlikely that this battery won't explode, so buy at your own risk, and definitely try at your own risk.

[Via I4U, thanks Luigi]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/iphones-first-sketchy-battery-replacement-kit-appears/#comments

7/31/2007 10:03:00 AM

Filed under: Portable Audio

We've long since wondered how laptop manufacturers got away with claiming that a bonafide "subwoofer" was somehow crammed within those tight confines, but if Panasonic has anything to do with it, true low-range may soon fit within such an enclosure. The patent-pending Nano Bass Exciter reportedly enables compact equipment to "reproduce high fidelity low-range sounds," and while specifics have yet to be divulged, this technology can supposedly "reproduce low-end sound equivalent to that emitted by conventional speakers with larger cabinet volume." Furthermore, Panny even goes so far as to claim that this new sound reproduction method allows "ultra-compact speakers used for mobile terminals to produce a sound effect closer to that of home AV equipment speakers." Unfortunately, there's no word on exactly when the firm plans on implementing this into any future products, but until we get a listen in, color us cautiously skeptical.

[Via Japan Today]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/panasonics-nano-bass-exciter-adds-thump-to-compact-speakers/#comments

7/31/2007 9:33:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

The wireless power business sure seems to be getting crowded these days, with upstart Powermat Ltd. only the latest company promising to free your gadgets from yet another cord. Unlike some similar products, however, Powermat's system looks to actually be ready to charge your devices, with the Loews Regency Hotel Business Center in New York City the first to put it to use. While the company eventually sees its technology being directly integrated into various electronic devices (like every other company), in the meantime you simply hook your device up to a so-called "puck," which in turn wirelessly picks up the signals from the power mat it's placed on. No word on when you'll be able to get a Powermat for yourself, but the company does say the system will be "inexpensive."

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/loews-regency-hotel-gets-outfitted-with-powermat-wireless-power/#comments

7/31/2007 9:03:00 AM

Filed under: Transportation

While we've already witnessed robotic submersibles take on fish-like sensing abilities, a team at MIT is hoping to equip autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with a mechanical fin in order to nix the necessity of a propeller. In essence, the crew is looking to "create a more maneuverable, propeller-less underwater robot better suited for military tasks such as sweeping mines and inspecting harbors," and they are taking a note from the bluegill sunfish to make it happen. This particular creature sports a "distinctive swimming motion which results in a constant forward thrust with no backward drag," making it the ideal candidate to replicate. Current prototypes are being constructed with a "thin, flexible material that conducts electricity," and while we've no idea when the gurus plan on cranking out a finalized version, they've already got plans to study other aspects of the sunfish's movement in order to better design the bots.

[Via Physorg]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/mit-gurus-developing-mechanical-fin-for-autonomous-submarine/#comments

7/31/2007 8:01:00 AM

Filed under: Cellphones

Hearing that a cellphone saved someone's life isn't exactly surprising these days, but it was the manner in which a bundle of handsets enabled doctors to continue on in a recent operation that differentiated this one from the rest. Reportedly, the backup generators at the Policlinico Juan D. Peron hospital in Argentina failed to activate after the power went out whilst an appendix surgery was ongoing, but rather than panicking, a family member gathered up a number of phones in order to provide enough light for the surgeons and anesthetists to keep on keepin' on. According to the hospital director, the operation went on without proper lighting for no more than 20 minutes, but thanks to the beaming LCDs, the fellow under the knife came through just fine.

[Via Switched, image courtesy of foto8]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/cellphone-lights-enable-operation-to-proceed-in-blackout/#comments

7/31/2007 6:56:00 AM

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It's probably a fact that your internet "dates" could turn up in a slightly higher resolution, don't you think? Well maybe it's time to turn on the Clique Communications' Clique Hue HD flexible webcam, which will broadcast or capture any variety of web-related video "activities" at the cushy resolution of 1280 x 1024 (but at a measly 10 FPS), or you can knock it down to 1024 x 768 for a decent 30 FPS situation. If you're just interested in still-framing it, this little dude can rock resolutions up to 2560 x 2048, although apparently it all happens via software trickery, which means your lovely date may still look somewhat... um, messed up.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/clique-hue-hd-webcam-ups-the-resolution-gets-colorful/#comments

7/31/2007 6:03:00 AM

Filed under: Gaming

Oh boy, another patent lawsuit filed in that litigious folly called the Texas court system. This time, the suit pits Parallel Processing Corporation of Newport Beach, California against that legal whipping boy, Sony. PPC alleges that Sony's Cell processor -- the horsepower inside the PS3 -- violates a patent for "synchronized parallel processing with shared memory." Filed on July 26th, the five-page complaint by PPC states that Sony's actions are causing "irreparable harm and monetary damage" to the company and are therefore seeking the usual: compensation for damages (with interest) as well as the impounding and destruction of all Sony products infringing on the patent. Good times.

[Via gi]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/sony-sued-again-for-patent-violation-injunction-sought-on-ps3-sales/#comments

7/31/2007 5:15:00 AM

Filed under: Peripherals

Here you have it: proof that convergence can never be stopped. We don't have any details on this optical mouse but really, what more do you need to know?

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/ezkeys-mouse-and-keypad-combo/#comments

7/31/2007 4:38:00 AM

Filed under: Laptops

Remember how Acer's chief, Gianfranco Lanci, slammed Vista as a disappointment to the "entire industry?" Apparently, he wasn't just fishing for sound bites. While there's still no official word, an Acer advert in Singapore offers their 15.4-inch Aspire 5710Z laptop pre-loaded with none other than the Ubuntu distro for SG$999 or about $660 of that US green stuff. However, we're not 100% clear whether the pre-load comes from Acer direct or via some third party tinkerer. Still, we wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Acer follow Dell's lead here and offer additional choice for consumers.

[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/2007/07/31/acer-about-to-offer-ubuntu-pre-loads/#comments

7/31/2007 2:52:00 AM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when if your apartment, dorm room or palatial mansion smelled like Cheetos, Diet Coke and unwashed laundry, there was simply nothing USB-related you could do about it. Sure, there were wall outlet fragrance "plug ins," scented candles, canned air fresheners, and of course windows which could be opened -- but not one of those was USB-powered. Of course, those days are long gone, because a random Chinese sweatshop has dreamed up another modern-day marvel: the USB oil burner. If you're like us (and we think you are), there's nothing you want to do more than pour scented oil into something that plugs into your computer. Available in rose and peppermint, $7 each.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/31/usb-oil-burner-threatens-everything-you-hold-dear/#comments

7/31/2007 12:58:00 AM

Filed under: Networking

Well, it looks like Cisco CEO John Chambers spoke a little too soon last Friday when he said that the Linksys brand was going the way of the dodo -- Cisco is now saying that it will continue selling Linksys-branded products "in the near term," and that changes would only come "if and when these changes add value to our customers' decision making processes." In other words, Linksys ain't dead yet, but the axe is still mighty close.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/30/linksys-branding-not-dead-after-all/#comments

7/30/2007 11:50:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

The race to build a cheaper solar cell continues to produce results, as researchers at Ohio State have developed a nanotech solar cell with a unique pink color that they say will one day be able to produce as much power as traditional silicon cells for a quarter of the cost. The dye-sensitive solar cells, or DSSCs, get their pink color from a mixture of ruthenium and either titanium or zinc oxide particles that absorb sunlight, while nanowires link the particles to provide power transfer. So far the team have gotten the cells to produce half as much power as traditional cells, but the next step is to start using nanowire "trees" to improve efficiency to equal or surpass those levels. No word on when we'll see this tech hit the market, but surely the prospect of a hot pink solar Cadillac isn't too far off.

[Photo is of an unrelated DSSC concept from New Zealand]

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/30/pink-solar-cells-provide-green-power-on-the-cheap/#comments

7/30/2007 10:44:00 PM

Although we're unabashed fans of super-complicated macro-and-touchscreen universal remotes, a lot of people just want to smack a button and have their home theater work without having to squint at tiny screens or worry about state-based macro operations. Niles Audio is hoping to to capitalize on that market with the IntelliControl IC2, an all-button RF remote that's optimized to control most home theater devices without the use of a screen. The included HT-MSU control unit / repeater has 8 IR / RS-232 outputs and connects to the IC2 via ZigBee, meaning the system can potentially be expanded further, although Niles hasn't announced such support yet. The company is expected to announce the IC2 at CEDIA in September, but if you're hoping to chuck your Harmony, you'd better start saving pennies: simplicity will cost you $999.

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

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/30/niles-intellicontrol-ic2-remote-does-it-all-with-no-screen/#comments

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