Spam Flood Blog: Interesting Stuff

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Interesting Stuff

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 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!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/ins-and-outs-does-youtube-fit-on-the-boob-tube/#comments

7/18/2007 4:43:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Granted, this whole unboxing process took a tad longer than we're 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!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/neonode-n2-gets-unboxed-videoed/#comments

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 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!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/kent-state-creation-enables-handicapped-to-turn-pcs-on-off/#comments

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 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!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/u-s-deploying-first-robotic-aerial-drone-squadron/#comments

7/18/2007 1:32:00 PM

Filed under: Gaming

A clever gent who goes by the name SeventhSon (we hope in reference to the totally ripping Iron Maiden record Seventh Son of a Seventh Son) has discovered a method to alter both the DVD key and game region code on Microsoft's Xbox 360, at least for the Hypervisor exploitable 4532 and 4548 kernels. If you're not sure what that all means don't feel bad, part of this hack involves desoldering your Xbox flash chip -- something most of us aren't getting around to anytime soon. However, foever, for the tenacious and technologically handy, this opens up all kinds of diabolical possibilities like, um... playing UK games on your US Xbox.

[Thanks, XanTium]

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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/xbox-360-hack-changes-dvd-key-game-region/#comments

7/18/2007 1:01:00 PM

Filed under: Cellphones

Well, the team over at the iPhone Dev Wiki is claiming to have made some inroads into unlocking the mysteries of the iPhone. While a complete unlocking solution isn't yet available, they updated the Wiki this morning to let us all know that by using iASign -- a bit of software they have created -- the phone can purportedly be made to work with prepaid Cingular, AT&T, and AT&T's MVNO's SIM cards. Where's the beauty you ask? Well, this lets you pick up an iPhone sans contract, slap in your current SIM, and enjoy. We're really feelin the love they are tossing about freely, and are looking forward to the full unlocking solution that they reportedly will not be giving up on any time soon. At the request of the iPhone Dev Wiki team, we aren't including the link. Google is your friend.

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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/iphone-dev-wiki-team-gets-closer-to-unlocking/#comments

7/18/2007 12:29:00 PM

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Canon fans, you can semi-officially start getting a little hyped about the EOS 40D that everyone was yelling about back in February. The DSLR's model number was uncovered on a CIPA (Camera Imaging Products Association) PictBridge certification list, thus adding fuel to the fire that the long-rumored 40D is about the make an appearance. Of course, specs are sketchy at this point, but here's what our last report had: 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor measuring 22.5 x 15-mm, 5fps burst mode, integrated anti-dust cleaning system, 2.5-inch LCD, and DIGIC II image processing. Of course, it will at least best the 30D, but obviously things change, so who knows what Canon is cooking up now?

[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/canons-eos-40d-appears-on-cipa-list/#comments

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 quietln 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 Platinum 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 aggreso 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 res 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 HQ at a Starbucks in Mountain View.

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

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

7/17/2007 10:12:00 PM

Filed under: Features, Laptops, Wireless

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

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

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

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

7/17/2007 9:40:00 PM

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

It's been a tick since we've seen any swank LCDs come out of BenQ's doors, but we're quite pleased that the SH4241 seems to be a finely tuned piece that could prove worth the wait. Unfortunately, there's not too much dirt on this one just yet, but we do know that the 42-inch LCD HDTV will sport a piano black finish, black / red accents, bottom-mounted speakers, a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, and a mysterious assortment of ports that AV freaks and gamers will apparently 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 su 2000 mmit 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 certainn 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

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