May 2008 Archives

Will the Dell Mini Inspiron have a 8.9" screen, run Ubuntu or XP Home, and cost under $500?

That's what engadget seems to think.

We decided to do some measuring in photoshop to see if they are right about the screen size and here's what we came up with.

The Samsung NV24HD is the subject of a new review posted at PhotographyBlog.

Samsung hopes this $350 10 megapixel compact camera that also records video in 720p will replace both your digital camera and your camcorder... here's PhotographyBlog's opinion on that:

"Samsung's aggressive marketing pushes can't disguise the fact that, in spite of the gimmicks, at the compact level it has consistently delivered fairly average products. By contrast its DSLRs are great, though its partnership with Pentax undoubtedly helps the both of them. But back to the NV24HD, which, while it certainly stands apart from the hordes in terms of both design and user interface - love or hate the latter - sadly falls down when it comes to its inconsistent image quality performance. And, given that the camera isn't really aimed at the photo enthusiast who will be happy to tweak their images to perfection, or try and try again, that's disappointing. At the point and shoot level there are more reliable alternatives for its price and headline specification. However, the Samsung NV24HD's more esoteric features - including the funky photo styles, placed right at the fore of its operation - are indeed fun and less run-of-the-mill than many, meaning it feels churlish to bash this model with too large a stick. So, in summary, the Samsung NV24HD is a collection of interesting ideas that, taken as a whole, don't quite work as well as they should. And thus, as much as it pains us, it's hard to give this retro-futurist contender our unequivocal recommendation. 'Interesting' is, unfortunately, not quite the same as 'brilliant'."

Samsung NV24HD Review at photographyblog

A guy by the name of "doody" on the MSI Wind forums has run a bunch of benchmarks on the MSI Wind.

As expected don't plan on playing the latest games on the MSI Wind but it seems reasonable for standard web browsing, email, word processing etc.

3 cell battery life with WiFi on and screen at 50% was a surprisingly good 2hrs 19mins - with WiFi off I would hope to get over 3hrs which makes it a good ultra-portable to own and use on planes and trains.

MSI Wind benchmarked via liliputing

No that isn't a typo, and don't worry - we aren't going all religious on you: Jisus is an ultra-portable from Dutch company Van Der Led and they have just announced a V2 of Jisus.

The Jisus V2 costs about $525 (349 Euros), is wrapped in a brown leather skin and comes with a 10.2 inch 1024 x 600 pixel display, 1.6GHz VIA C7-M CPU, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 80GB 5400rpm HDD, Bluetooth, Ethernet, 2 USB ports, SD card slot, 1.3 megapixel webcam and a 3 cell 2200mAh battery, and runs Ubuntu Linux OS.

via eeepc.net

3K have now officially released the Razorbook 400 eeepc clone and have reduced the price by $100 to $299 which makes this copycat device slightly more appealing.

So what do you get for your $299? a 7" 800x400 display, a 400MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB flash drive, Linux, Wi-Fi, and 3 USB ports.

Is it worth buying? only if you can't afford more than $300 and really need a 7" screen instead of something bigger. If you can afford a bit more then check out the MSI Wind, the EeePC 901, or wait a bit until there is more info on the Dell Mini Inspiron.

Razorbook 400 price dropped to $299 via eeepcblog

Samsung has announced a new slider phone: the SGH-L870. It has a stylish stainless steel body but the look is spoiled in our opinion by the dated look of the operating system theme and icons.

Here's the specs:

• Network: HSDPA (2100MHz) 3.6Mbps + EDGE/GPRS 900/1800/1900
• Display: 2.4″ QVGA 16M Color TFT
• Camera: 3-Megapixel Camera
• Operating System: Symbian 9.3
• S60 3.2
• Nokia Mini Map browser (full browsing)
• New Thematic UI
• Quick Office document viewer
• Push Email (Visto, Seven, Intellysync, Good)
• Advanced PIM Applications
• Music Player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, RA, AMR, WMA)
• Video Player (H.263 + AMR, MPEG4, Real One, WMV)
• FM Radio (RDS)
• Bluetooth v.2.0 EDR / USB 2.0 (Full Speed)
• Memory: 100MB internal memory + Micro SD up to 4GB
• Size: 103.5 x 50.5 x 13.5mm

Samsung Announces L870 Slider Phone via slashphone

The Pentax K20 is the subject of a new review posted over at CNET.

Here's what they thought of the $1300 14 megapixel digital SLR camera:

"Overall, the K20D is a very good camera for the price. Pentax users looking to step up should feel comfortable doing so. If you're brand agnostic and looking for a solid midrange SLR, the K20D is a safe bet. It has an extra stop of sensitivity compared with the Canon EOS 40D, which tops out at ISO 3,200 compared with the K20D's ISO 6,400. Plus, if you think you'll use the Pentax's wireless flash control, you should note that Canon forces you to buy a separate controller, or its priciest flash unit, if you want that. Nikon's D80 has come down in price recently and offers a tempting alternative, though it has 10MP compared with the K20D's 14MP, and neither that Nikon nor Canon has the K20D's weather sealing. "

Pentax K20D review at CNET

T-Mobile has surprised a lot of people by announcing the European release of the HTC Raphael phone (which they are calling the the MDA Vario IV).

This nice looking phone has a 640x480 VGA screen, slide out qwerty keyboard, 3.2 megapixel main camera, 0.3 megapixel secondary camera, bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, FM radio, 528MHz processor, 256MB RAM, and 512MB ROM.

T-Mobile introduces HTC Raphael in Europe via GSM helpdesk

We knew Dell's flagship gaming desktop PC, the XPS 730 H2C, was going to be fast but we were wondering "is it fast enough to justify the massive price tag?"

Hot Hardware have come out with an equally massive review that answers that question and many more, taking a detailed look at the build quality, interior, and cooling system of a $6300 XPS 730 H2C then putting it through it's paces with a wide range of performance tests and benchmarking.

Go read the full review for all the details but here's a taster:

"The XPS 730 may be the last of its kind. Perhaps the design team of the XPS 730 also realized this, inspiring them to try and make it the best 700 series machine to date. Whatever their inspiration, the XPS 730 turned out to be a great gaming and multimedia computer. The XPS 730 represents the fourth generation in Dell's XPS 700 series and it exhibits a maturity of design that only iteration and refinement can bring. It is clear that Dell has thought long and hard about the complaints levied against past generations of XPS 700 series and they have systematically addressed them while maintaining all of the high-points and charm of the earlier machines. We heartily recommend the XPS 730 and the XPS 730 H2C to anyone in the market for a high-end gaming/multimedia computer and we are happy to award the XPS 730 H2C our coveted Editor's Choice award. "

Dell XPS 730 H2C review and benchmarks at hothardware

It looks like Dell are getting ready to announce their answer to the HP2133 and the EeePC.

Michael Dell was spotted carrying around this sexy little ultra-portable at D6 yesterday, and now Dell have released a couple of photos.

There are no real specs yet but the filenames on the dell site include "mini inspiron" so that may be what it's called (or it could just be an internal product name).

What do we know? 3 USB ports, card reader, VGA out, what looks to be a 7" screen, and a red case. What do we hope for? atom processor, good battery life, and under $500.

We want one!

Update: We're pretty certain after doing some measuring that the mini inspiron comes with a 8.9" or 9" screen, and engadget thinks it is under $500 and you get a choice of xp home or ubuntu.

New update: full specs released, it's called the Dell E and it's just $299! Full Dell E Specs

via gizmodo

It looks like Asus is going to officially reveal the 10" version of the EeePC at Computex in Taiwan in an attempt to keep haead of MSI and their 10" Wind.

Maybe it's just this picture but the EeePC 1000 looks a bit too bulky to still be called an ultra-portable.

Asus EeePC 1000 via umpcfever

Wouldn't you think two people with a combined net worth of $73B could afford sweaters that fit properly, or maybe the laid back Laurel and Hardy-esque appearance is designed to evoke a feeling of relaxed coolness about the reveal of Windows 7 (in a out-maccing the mac kind of way).

All they really revealed was that Windows 7 will have multi-touch support which is nice if you want to manipulate pictures or maps but otherwise isn't exactly earth-shattering.

We expect Microsoft to keep quiet about Windows 7 ahead of it's planned 2010 release to avoid the fubars and snafus of their disastrous Vista launch.

via engadget

I-O Data has announced this good looking bluetooth keyboard for cellphones.

There's no info on exactly how big it is, what it will cost, or if it is made of metal or spray painted plastic... but why worry over the little details.

What's the point? well if you type a lot of emails on your PDA phone or blackberry it could save you from the dreaded blackberry thumb repetitive strain injuries. We have an iGo Stowaway folding bluetooth keyboard that is great but is a little flimsy, something like this could be a stronger alternative.

I-O Data Mini Keyboard via ubergizmo

The Fujifilm FinePix J10 is the subject of a new review at trustedreviews.

Here's what they thought of the inexpensive $100 8.2 megapixel entry-level digital camera:

"The Fujifilm FinePix J10 is a nice-looking little camera, and is competitively priced compared to its main rivals. It is a bit short on modern features though, and some of the controls are very fiddly and annoying to use. It also has a major image quality problem with very visible vignetting at wide-angle zoom settings. Add to this its poor low-light focusing ability and I'm afraid it's not looking good for Fuji's new ultra-compact."

Fujifilm FinePix J10 review at trustedreviews

The Canon Powershot SD890 IS is the subject of a new review over at Imaging Resource.

Here's what they thought of the $400 10 megapixel compact camera with 5x digital zoom:

"The Canon SD890 IS definitely has a lot going for it, not the least of which is its above average 5x image-stabilized optical zoom lens. Its feature set provides more than enough control for snapshooters who can switch between automatic everything and the ability to tweak parameters such as contrast, sharpness, saturation, and various color options. While the Canon SD890 IS doesn't have an on-board help system, beginners with a curious mind and the willingness to reference the manual can also step beyond automatic shooting with this camera. Family memory keepers will appreciate the Face Detection and the more advanced Face Detection and Track features when capturing images of family and friends.

Despite a few shortcomings, such as the the awkward On/Off button, the odd Control Dial, and the inaccurate optical viewfinder, the Canon SD890 IS Digital ELPH will please both amateurs and beginners, especially those who want the extra focal length its 5x optical zoom provides."

Canon Powershot SD890 IS review at imaging resource

The Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi) is the subject of a new review at PhotographyBlog.

Here's what they thought of the entry level 12 megapixel digital SLR.

"Image quality is on a par with the EOS 400D, with noise-free images up to ISO 800 and a very usable fastest speed of 1600, so usable that I don't understand why the EOS 450D doesn't also offer ISO 3200. Chromatic aberrations are kept to a minimum and colours are accurate thanks to the new 14-bit processing - the only minor negative is the soft JPEG images, which may put off users more suited to sharper point and shoot cameras. Performance is also excellent, with no shutter-lag to speak of and fast processing times even when shooting in RAW mode. The 3.5fps continuous shooting mode is a little faster than the EOS 450D's predecessor, although in RAW mode the total number of possible consecutive shots has dropped from 10 to 6. Finally the EOS 450D is slightly more expensive than the EOS 400D was at launch, and the older model is still being offered as a budget option, so if you don't need the enhancements offered by the 450D, it's definitely worth considering a camera that is after all only 18 months old.

As for the Canon EOS 450D, it is an excellent camera, especially with the image stabilised 18-55mm lens, and it still offers a fantastic introduction to DSLR photography, just like its more illustrious predecessors."

Canon EOS 450D Review at PhotographyBlog

In the past we have told you about home made adapters that let you turn one of more compactflash cards into a 2.5" SSD drive, well now SansDigital has come out with a finished product that does exactly that.

The CompactSTOR CR2T supports RAID 1 mirroring of two compactflash cards up to 32GB each for a cost of $99.

Compact Flash 2.5" SATA SSD Enclosure via engadget

Sanyo has announced a couple of new in-car GPS navigation systems for Japan that replace the usual hard drive or DVD based storage with a SSD.

Both have 7" screens and a 4GB SSD and the more expensive version ($1750 instead of $1500) adds a DVD player and a 4GB SD card.

The main benefits of using the SSD are that maps should be displayed quicker and the systems will be more stable and heat/shock resistant.

I expect to see manufacturers of boat electronics following suit over the coming years as a major problem with boat electronics is failure due to the constant wave motion.

Sanyo GPS Navigation Systems with SSD via akihabaranews

Samsung has announced the largest solid state drive (SSD) so far, and at 256GB it's storage capacity is up there with the needs of most computer users (yes there are some of us who need terabytes of storage space for recorded tv/movies etc but for the average user 256GB is currently more than enough).

Not only is is big on storage space but it is as fast as most smaller SSDs with a 200MBps sequential read and a 160MBps sequential write speed.

How did Samsung do it? they managed to create a multi-level cell drive that overcame the previous speed and lifespan problems.

The 250GB drives in 2.5" form factor should be out in September and be in mass production by the end of the year. No word yet on price.

Full press release follows.

Boy Genius report got sent a Nokia E71 and has put together a review, a video review, and a photo gallery. They think it's the best Nokia phone to date:

"We're at the end of the review, but by now, you've seen how impressed we are with the phone. It takes a lot to get us excited but the E71 has done it. This thing, in our opinion, is the best phone Nokia has made to date. That's a very bold statement, we know. But this really is going to be the phone to beat by a lot of manufacturers. From the design, to the specs, to the size, the feel -- it has the entire package. It's not for everyone, though. Some people prefer a straight up phone like a flip phone, but in terms of a smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard, this takes the cake. It is just striking compared to the shit device the E61 was. It's ok, we still love y'all that carry the E61, but this puts it to shame. One thing I personally can't get over is the awesome dimensions of the device. It's so perfectly thin, yet incredibly comfortable to hold and use. We just hope Nokia doesn't wait too long to bring this to market as they need to strike now. Like right now. This second. After seeing all of the detailed shots and our impressions, how do you guys feel about the phone? Are you foaming at the mouth waiting for it or ice-grillin' us?"

Nokia E71 review at bgr

The Olympus E-420 is the subject of a new review at CameraLabs.

Here's what they thought of the $600 10 megapixel entry level compact compact digital SLR:

"So with the E-420 and pancake lens, Olympus has created a DSLR kit which will appeal to a broad group of buyers: those upgrading from a point and shoot, those who leave a DSLR at home because it's too big or heavy, and those who want a smaller, lighter backup body to a higher-end model. We were already very fond of its predecessor, so with the new enhancements and the introduction of the 25mm pancake, the E-420 has become better still.

But the fact is, the E-520 is just round the corner and like the E-510 before it, most buyers will inevitably go for that over the E-420. While built-in stabilisation is undoubtedly tempting though, it's a shame if you automatically rule-out the E-420 for not having it. To do so would be missing out on one of the most unique DSLRs around right now, so ask yourself very carefully - do you really, honestly need stabilisation?"

Olympus E-420 review at Cameralabs

Popphoto has reviewed the Canon 55-250mm EF-S IS lens that at first glance appears to be a perfect partner for Canon's digital SLR cameras.

Here's what they thought:

"A natural for globe-trotting vacationers and soccer parents, this is the obvious second lens for Canon EOS 40D and Rebel XSi owners. Clearly it and the 18-55mm IS make an attractive team that promises sharp pictures in dicey light across an amply wide 13.9X zoom range. And you can't beat that price."

Canon 55-250mm EF-S IS lens reviewed at popphoto

A white paper has revealed there will be two variants of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1: one for the US and one for the rest of the world.

The US variant (the X1a) will support quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900Mhz) radio and tri-band (850/1900/2100Mhz) UMTS/HSPA radio for 3G data connectivity, whereas the global X1c version will support tri-band (900/1900/2100Mhz) UMTS/HSPA 3G instead.

Another interested snippet to come out of the white paper is a claim if 10hrs of GSM talktime or 6.5hrs of 3G talk time.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 at intomobile

Somone on the VR-Zone forums has disassembled a MSI Wind so we can get a good look at what's inside.

Brad at Liliputing took a look and noticed something that is a disappointment: the Wind has no access panel for upgrading the RAM so no upgrade for you unless you want to completely disassemble the case.

MSI Wind innards via liliputing

Earlier this week we got all excited about the Emtec Gdium EM-PC eeepc clone, the price looked great, it was available soon, and some thought had gone into the design.

Guess what? now that everyone is excited about thier product they are backpedaling as fast as they can: it now wont be available until September and the price isn't fixed yet (they already raised the price shown on the website from A$449 to A$579.

Sounds like a bait and switch to me.

current, via liliputing

Pentax has just announced a new waterproof camera: the Optio W60.

It is a 10 megapixel camera with 5x optical zoom, it is waterproof to 13 feet for up to two hours, can record 720P high-def video, and comes in two colors: silver or ocean blue.

The Pentax Optio W60 will be available in July and will cost $330.

Full press release follows.

Bit-Tech didn't waste any time getting their hands on one of the new Acer Aspire Predator gaming PCs... and broke it in the process.

Here's their first thoughts:

"We certainly believe that Acer has a market in PC World style retail stores for first time buyers and families wanting something special, but we aren't sure if Acer will ever break into the market covered by boutique system builders like Vadim. What's more, most serious gamers are often running on a shoe-string budget, so £1,500+ for a gaming machine that will be out of date in a year is a lot of money to cough up.

We'll be having a much closer look at one of Acer's Aspire Predator gaming PCs in the near future to see if our concerns turn out to be reality once production grade hardware is available."

Acer Aspire Predator Review at Bit-Tech

Yesterday we told you about Acer's new line of Predator gaming desktop PCs but we didn't have any prices or full configuration details. Well now we have that info for you thanks to Trusted Reviews:

Sniper - €1,699 (~£1,360)

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300
• 4GB (2 x 2GB) 800MHz DDR2
• Dual nVidia GeForce 9600GT 512MB (SLI) Graphics
• Dual 640GB hard drives
• 750W power supply

Trooper - €1,999 (~£1,600)

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
• 4GB (2 x 2GB) 800MHz DDR2
• Dual nVidia GeForce 9800GTX 512MB (SLI) Graphics
• Dual 640GB hard drives
• 750W power supply

Crusher - €2,999 (~£2,400)

• Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
• 4GB (2 x 2GB) 800MHz DDR2
• Dual nVidia GeForce 9800GTX 512MB (SLI) Graphics
• Dual 640GB hard drives and dual 150GB Raptors
• 750W power supply

Eliminator - €3,999 (~£3,200)

• Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650
• 8GB (4 x 2GB) 1066MHz DDR2
• Dual nVidia GeForce 9800GX2 1024MB (Quad SLI) Graphics
• Dual 640GB hard drives and dual 150GB Raptors
• 1000W power supply

source

This is an interesting concept from Israel's Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies.

It is designed to carry up to 4 casualties, and fly up to 10,000ft high at speeds of 150kts.

So what happens when there is no-one with the casualty to load him into the UAV?

via gizmodo

Asus has jumped ahead of Fujitsu and Apple to become the 6th largest supplier of PCs in the first quarter of 2008 according to a report from IDC.

If sales of the EeePC are included then Asus shipped 2.1m units in the first 3 months of the year.

via digitimes

Sony has announced an additional investment of 22 billion Yen ($210m) towards production of medium to large OLEDs with a goal of having everything up and running during their 2009 fiscal year (which ends March 2010).

This put them on a schedule to begin selling OLEDs at the same time as Samsung.

Competition like this is good for the consumer and should hopefully result in lower prices for OLEDs.

via engadget

A bunch of sites posted about the Zvue Spirit last Monday.

The spirit is an unapologetically patriotic MP3 player "dedicated to the land of the free and inspired by this great nation" wrapped in the American flag, with a star for navigation, and preloaded with songs like "God Bless the USA" "America is my home" and "back in the USA".

After reading about it I thought to myself "wow, what a great American company Zvue is to create a patriotic product like this. I wonder where in the US they produce these?"

So I emailed their investor/press relations guy to ask "Is it made in the US?".........

Yep, like the rest of the cheap crap at Wal-Mart the patriotic player is likely a re-branded Asian OEM player of unknown quality.

I know a lot of people who consider themselves Patriots, many of then have served in the military and fought to defend this nation, they try to support American businesses and buy American made products. Many of them would see a product like this and buy it assuming it was made in the USA.

If you had made them here and proudly put "Made in the USA" on the packaging you would have had a lot of satisfied patriotic customers even if it meant a higher price point. But was it even possibly for Zvue to have built it in the US? What electronics are still made in the US?

Has American manufacturing fallen so far that we are incapable of making something as simple as a 1GB flash based MP3 player domestically?

What do you think? is it ok to hype a "patriotic" product that is made overseas? can a product like this actually be made in America in 2008?

zvue spirit via anythingbutipod

Trusted Reviews has posted their review of the HP 2133 Mini-Note, reviews of this ultra-portable have been out for a while but it is always good to hear another opinion - especially from a site such as Trusted Reviews who notnally have something interesting to say.

Here's what they thought:

"Were this review based on design and features alone the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC would be walking away with a Recommended Award: that's a fact. It has a superb keyboard and a chassis that's a cut above both the Eee PC and anything we've seen, released or otherwise.

Unfortunately for HP there's a lot more to it than this and the Mini-Note struggles to match even the modest exploits of the Eee PC. Its 1.2GHz VIA CPU chugs when shown any kind of video and battery life is poor, managing even less than the none too impressive longevity offered by Asus' machine. If and when HP updates this with something faster, be it Intel's Atom or a new generation VIA CPU, then it could be onto a real winner."

We agree with them, we love the look of the Mini-Note but it needs a faster Atom processor and better battery life.

HP 2133 Mini-Note review at trusted reviews

Laptop Mag has posted a mini review of the CTL IL1PC EeePC clone along with a bunch of pictures.

The CTL IL1PC is designed to compete with the 7" EeePC, it costs $50 more, is a little larger and heavier, and comes with a 60GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, and Windows XP home.

They don't really have a verdict yet so we look forward to hearing some more after they test it fully.

CTL IL1PC (EeePC clone) review via JKontherun

According to forum postings the MSI Wind will be available in Europe in July for 300 Euros and will come in two versions: the U100 with 10" display and the U90 with 8.9" display (was the name U89 already taken??).

Both versions will feature an Atom processor, 1GB RAM and 3 cell battery.

This price is less than the cost of the EeePC 900 and you get a much better processor - looks like MSI intends to provide tough competition for Asus.

source

If you answered "a power outlet" then you won't be interested in the "Whirlpool Centralpark Connection" - a new $2000 fridge/freezer whose claim to high-tech magnificence is exactly that: they put a power outlet on the top.

Not just any power outlet of course, it's a power outlet in the correct position to accept one of a bunch of hokey add-ons that other companies are coming out with.

The first add-on available is a $249 8 inch LCD photo frame from Ceiva, other add-ons currently at the prototype stage are an ipod dock with speakers, a WiFi web tablet, and a Qnote message center.

I see two flaws with this product:

1) it is on top of the refrigerator: not exactly convenient for the more vertically challenged housewives (or househusbands).

2) What happens when you are displaying photos, but your son wants to charge his iPod, and your husband wants to use the WiFi web tablet?

I think I just gave Whirlpool their next revolutionary product idea: a refrigerator with TWO power outlets on top!!

Whirlpool Centralpark Connection at CEPro

YAEC = Yet Another EeePC Clone. This one is the Bestlink Alpha 400 and it is as cheap as cheap can be (and we don't just mean the price if the photo and sales pitch are anything to go by).

For $219 you get the following in any of 6 colors:

32-bit XBurst 400MHz processor (slow), 7" 800x480 display ("A grade!"), 128MB RAM (low), 1GB flash memory, ethernet, and a wi-fi dongle.

It measures 8.3" x 5.6" x 1.3", weighs only 1.5 pounds, and has Linux (unspecified version) as it's OS because "With Linux OS, you don't need to worry about the virus infection".

DesktopLinux.com, via ubergizmo

The iPhone blog has posted a detailed comparison of the new Blackberry Bold and the soon to be replaced iPhone.

There's tons of good photos and a detailed vidoe but at the end of the day for us it comes down to personal choice: do you want a stylish hip iPhone or a more businesslike Blackberry?

We're still waiting for our ideal phone: the slide-out and flip-up keyboard of the TyTn II, the screen and usability of the iPhone, and the patented push email of the Blackberry.

iPhone vs. BlackBerry Bold comparison at the iPhone Blog

Fujifilm has announced the Fujifilm FinePix A850: an entry level 8 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom.

The Fujifilm FinePix A850 will be available in July.

Full press release follows:

Fujifilm has announced the Fujifilm FinePix Z200fd: a new 10 megapixel camera with 5x optical zoom lens.

The Fujifilm FinePix Z200fd is just 0.8" thick, comes in 4 colors, and has Face Detection technology, intelligent red-eye removal, Dual Image Stabilisation, 52MB internal memory, and a xD/SD/SDHC card slot.

The Fujifilm FinePix Z200fd will be available in August.

Full press release follows:

The LG 47LG60 47" 1080p Scarlet TV is the subject of a new review posted over at PC Magazine.

Here's what they thought of it:

"Part of LG's new "Scarlet" series of televisions, the 47LG60 LCD HDTV ($3,499.95 list) offers a blend of colorful modern style along with the finest picture quality I've seen from an LCD TV. The set's high-speed LCD technology proved adept at minimizing detail-destroying motion blur while maintaining good color quality at even the widest viewing angles. Videophiles will also appreciate the excellent HD video processor, as well as the best set of picture controls I've seen. Of course the TV isn't the least expensive 47-inch LCD TV around. Still, you'll be hard pressed to find another set that delivers this level of picture quality, which is why it earns our Editors' Choice. "

LG 47LG60 Scarlet TV Review at PC Mag

The Kodak EasyShare M1033 is the subject of a new review at PC Magazine.

Here's what they thought of this 10 megapixel $200 digital camera with 3x optical zoom:

"A very easy-to-use camera, the Kodak M1033 takes images of good quality and offers a number of excellent features, like smart capture mode and HD movie recording. While it can't quite match the Canon SD790 IS in overall performance or the Panasonic FS20 in terms of features, as a basic camera it will please most amateur shutterbugs."

Kodak EasyShare M1033 Review at PCMag

The Pentax Optio E50 is the subject of a new review over at Steve's Digicams.

Here's what they thought of the $150 8 megapixel entry-level camera with 3x optical zoom:

"The Pentax Optio E50 is an excellent upgrade of the E40 from a year ago. While these two share very similar specs (same 8-megapixel sensor, image quality and basic features), the performance has been greatly improved upon, making this a camera worth considering if you are looking for an entry-level digicam. With a MSRP of US$150, it offers a great deal, whether being used for a backup, at the office or even a kids first camera. "

Pentax Optio E50 Review at Steve's Digicams

It may only be 4" across (diagonally) and 320x240 pixels at the moment but this flexible transparent OLED display has massive implications for how we use and interact with technology in the future.

No more pecking away at a smartphone or trying to use a tiny keyboard and 5" screen on the latest ultra-ultra-portable device: just unroll your full size monitor and keyboard and work productively.

Want to check your email, the latest twitters, or surf CNN? easy, the monitor is on your sleeve.

Time to watch TV? just roll down the blinds on your window and the TV rolls down with it.

Troops in Iraq being able to check each others locations on an overhead map display sewn into their uniform and the nearby medic getting the same view with vital signs superimposed.

Ok, we're still a long way from anything like that but the prototype being shown off by LG and Universal Display is a big step in the right direction.

Press Release follows.

source

YAEC = Yet another EeePC clone...... but for once the company has put a bit of thought into it's design. We're impressed with the non-EeePC look!

Their website tells us it will be on sale in July for A$449 (US $420), that it has an 8.9" 1024x600 pixel screen, and that it doesn't have an internal hard drive - instead it uses a USB flash drive to load a linux operating system.

What they forget to tell us is what processor it has and how much memory, but why worry about the little details, right?

Back to the (probably very slow) USB drive: They call it a GKey and the idea is that the OS is on there along with all your files and some security software so you can keep it with you and plug it in anywhere to access your files.

They suggest using it in internet cafes, in school labs, at friends' houses..... I foresee a lot of customer support calls from people who don't realize many of those places restrict access to USB ports.

Emtec via engadget

Now this is cool: researchers from the non-profit group SRI International have designed a robot that can climb most walls using an electrostatic charge between itself and the wall to stop it from falling.

I forsee a number of uses for this: military surveillance, cleaning windows, scaring little girls, building inspections etc.

Wall climbing robot via Popular Mechanics

BoyGeniusReport has posted a couple of photos of the upcoming Palm Treo 850. We don't know much about this device except that it probably has a 400MHz processor, GSM/HSDPA, Windows Mobile 6.1, and 100MB RAM.

I'm finding it hard to get excited about the upcoming Treos.

Palm Treo 850 photos at BGR

EeeUser Forums have tested the read/write speeds of the solid state drives (SSDs) shipping with the EeePC 900 and found one of them to be lacking in performance.

The EeePC 900 comes with two SSDs: a 4GB one with the operating system and a 8GB (XP) or 16GB (Linux) one for your data - they system drive performed adequately (faster than the older EeePC 700) but the data drive was slower than a retiree in an oldsmobile "out for a leisurely drive".

Head on over to EeeUser forums for their full testing results, and don't go planning on using that 8/16GB SSD for efficient dual booting.

Eee PC 900 SSD is slow via liliputing

Acer has announced a new line of high-end gaming PCs that feature an interesting lever open case design (that looks like a cross between Gordon Freeman and Transformers) and the tagline "Faster. Deeper. Harder. Further" (which hopefully won't get this page tagged as "adult" in the search engines.

These PCs come with Vista (unfortunately), Intel Core 2 Extreme or Quad processor, nforce 780i SLI chipset, up to 8GB RAM, 4 hot-swappable RAID capable hard drive bays, and up to 3 way SLI with Nvidia GeForce 9800GTX graphics cards.

No word yet on price or availablity.

Acer Predator PCs

The Toshiba Portege G710 is a smartphone for Europe that comes with Quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), GPRS Class 10 and EDGE, Integrated SiRF Star III GPS receiver, 2.4″ TFT LCD screen with 320×240 pixel resolution, OMAP TI processor at 266 MHz, 2MP digital camera with 8x digital zoom, 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of ROM, Bluetooth 1.2 compatible A2DP (stereo), microSD card slot, MiniUSB 1.1, 1,050 mAh lithium-ion battery with 200 hours of endurance stand-by and 3 hour in communication, Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard.

Nothing special in my opinion: low resolution screen, very little storage, weak camera.

It was announced back in January and it looks like it will be available to buy any day now got about $450 (before any provider subsidies).

Toshiba Portege G710 via navigadget

The legions of Toyota Prius fans will be disappointed to hear there is a car in the US that is greener than their own little eco-statement hybrid.

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) who put out a list each year of the 12 greenest cars the Prius only comes in second!.

The winner: The Honda Civic GX which although it only gets 24mpg in the city is rated #1 due to being fueled by natural gas.

How many more years must we wait until the greenest car is one that is powered by a renewable resource instead of just swapping the juice from one kind of hole in the ground for another?

12 greenest cars at CNet

Blackberry maker RIM is the only winner in the latest cellphone sales numbers increasing their market share to 5% and becoming the 5th biggest seller of phones in the US.

Overall sales of cellphones in the US dropped 22% year on year but there was an interesting trend of high-end phones increasing in sales while inexpensive basic phone lost market share: 17% of all phones sold were smartphones, 60% of all phones sold could play music, and 79% of phones had bluetooth (all the better to track you with).

Phone sales data via moconews

This is a clever concept from Japanese designer Takumi Yoshida: a tower of power outlets each rotating individually so you can plug in all your gadgets without them interfering with each other.

I like it but have a couple of suggestions that would need to be implemented before I would buy one:

1) three hole sockets not two (computers, tvs, printers etc need that third hole).

2) combine it with a UPS (working from home with lots of expensive gadgets I am obsessive about good surge protected power. Also our power goes out a few times a year and it takes 6-8 seconds for our automatic backup generator to take over - during that time I need the battery backup of the UPS to save my PCs.

Rotating Power Strip via techdigest

Averatec are coming out with an all-in-one computer that looks pretty nice.

For $1299 you get a 22" 1680x1050 LCD, Core 2 Duo processor, 320BG hard drive, 2GB RAM, GeForce graphics, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 4-in-1 memory card reader, and dvd/cd writer.

I think a trend we will see in the next year will be the convergence of the low cost low power ultra portable and the all-in-one-pc for home use:

For about $400-$700 you would get an all-in-one PC that is great for everything except gaming (perfect for a kids pc or a kitchen pc) with 15" screen, Atom processor, 1GB ram, 80+GB hard drive, WiFi/bluetooth.

We use an old laptop connected to a 15" LCD and bluetooth keyboard/mouse like this in the kitchen at the moment - it is always available to lookup a recipe, check CNN, delete spam from this website etc and you don't need to carry a laptop or tablet from room to room.

Averatec All-in-One PC via ubergizmo

Blogeee has posted a bunch of photos of the EeePC 901 in black (like the 900 but with Atom processor, bluetooth, and a $650 price tag).

The only difference from the white version is the color, but you know what they say: once you go black you don't go back.

EeePC 901 black photos at Blogeee

The Panasonic DMC-TZ5 is the subject of a new review posted over at LetsGoDigital.

Here's what they thought of the $290 9 megapixel image stabilized Panasonic DMC-TZ5 with 10x optical zoom:

"The combination of an effective and powerful image stabilizer and a large optical zoom makes a very strong concept. Nothing beats having a camera loose in your inside pocket and being able to capture virtually any moment you want. The ease and user-friendliness are clearly present and we have no comments on these. If Panasonic works on the aforementioned remarks, in our opinion the concept will then be perfect. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 is an absolute must for the photographer that wants to capture his or her moments in the most comfortable way! "

Panasonic DMC-TZ5 review at letsgodigital

The Nikon Coolpix P60 is the subject of a new review over at PC Magazine.

Here's what they thought of the $200 8.1 megapixel Nikon Coolpix P60:

"Though the Nikon Coolpix P60 offers an impressive 5X zoom, and clear, crisp images, its price holds it back from the ranks of truly stellar, less-expensive compact cameras like the Canon PowerShot A590 IS. The impressive A590 IS offers a lot of the same features and manual controls as the P60 for roughly $50 less. But if you're willing to put up with the slow start time and bulk of the P60, you might just come to appreciate the thoughtful little details Nikon incorporated, like the capable electronic viewfinder and the ability to start up in review mode."

Nikon Coolpix P60 review at PC Mag

Carbon nanotubes are often hailed as the best thing since sliced bread and a technological innovation that will change our lives in a myriad of ways, but unfortunately a study just published expresses concerns about their safety and compares them to asbestos due to their potential ability to cause inflammation and lesions when inhaled.

"Researchers with British institutes and the U.S.-based Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies injected mice with asbestos and with commercial samples of carbon nanotubes of varying sizes. When they examined the lining of the rodents' abdominal cavities, the researchers observed that longer nanotubes behaved like asbestos, provoking inflammation and lesions."

This is very much just a preliminary study and it seems a lot more testing is needed to determine if carbon nanotubes are a health hazard.

Associated Press via Yahoo

Logitech has announced a bluetooth portable speaker system for cellphone users.

The Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile Bluetooth system has four two-inch speakers (two active, two passive) and delivers 12 hrs of playtime before needing to recharge the built-in battery via USB.

You can also use it as a PC speaker or with almost any gadget that had a standard line-out.

The Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile Bluetooth speakers will be out in June for $150.

Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile Bluetooth speakers via crave

Yep, you get a vomit colored DS lite. Now showing up for pre-order on some European sites along with a hot red version.

Forget innovation and improving technology.... lets just paint it a different color and watch the $$$ roll in.

puke DS lite via ubergizmo

digitimes has reported that shortages of 1.8" and 2.5" hard disc drives are expected later this year due to the fast growing demand for ultra-portable laptops:

"Global supply of 2.5-inch hard disk drives (HDDs) may fall short in the third quarter of 2008 due to fast growing demand for use in Eee PCs, mini notebook PCs and UMPCs (ultra-mobile PCs), in addition to demand from traditional applications such as notebook PCs, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

WD's production capacity of 2.5-inch HDDs has been booked up until September 2008, the sources cited WD Taiwan as saying. "

It sound to us that all the Eee PC clone manufacturers are going to have a hard time sourcing hard drives for their machines which can only benefit the more established players (HP, MSI, Asus) who probably already have supplies organized.

eprice in Taiwan have posted an unboxing with some great quality photos. The rest of the article isn't in English but it's still worth heading over there.

HTC Touch Diamond unboxing at eprice

via pocketpcthoughts

We mentioned the Netflix set top box for streaming movies to your TV earlier today and already there are a bunch of reviews posted. Here's a sampling:

PC Mag gives it 4/5 and says "For those looking to augment an unlimited Netflix subscription, this set-top box from Roku is affordable and easy to use. Here's hoping the movie selection becomes broader."

CNet gives it 7.7/10 and says: "While it's still a work in progress--and currently lean on quality content--the Netflix Player's simple operation, overall convenience, and cheap price makes it a compelling option for Netflix subscribers looking for instant gratification."

and Wired gives it 7/10 and says "Another nondescript black box to clutter up your living room. Just not as much content as we wish was available. Box and remote, while functional, just aren't very good looking."

Some people get a little too attached to their pets, and for those people there's now the ultimate memorial to their little fluffy or tinkerbelle: A digital photo frame (with just 256MB of storage) that doubles as an urn and can hold up to 75lb of your pet's (hopefully cremated) remains.

The urns cost $249, have a 7" screen, and come in you choice of oak or walnut.

Now don't get me wrong, I love my dogs, but I don't want to keep their ashes by my bed when they're gone. Also statistically if I have 4 dogs each with an average 10 year lifespan then I will have at least 24 75lb photo frames piled up by the time I pass on.

What will I do when it's my dog's time? we will go stretch out on the grass and enjoy the sunshine, I will feed him fresh steak and rabbit, and let him lie with his head on my lap while I rub his belly so he enjoys his last few moments on this earth, then once he is gone I will dig a hole, bury him, then head off to the shelter to find a new dog that need a loving home.

Dammit, I think I have something in my eye........

pet urns via ubergizmo

The UK Government disgusts me.

I feel I can get away with saying that as I was born there, lived the first 25 years of my life there, and unfortunately I now try to avoid going back as much as possible.

Yes the scenery is still beautiful: green fields, old buildings etc but the society itself has fallen so far in the past few decades it is unbelievable. Violent binge drinking, surveillance cameras on many street corners, anti-social behavior fines, public vomiting and urination are commonplace, and the friendly English bobby is friendly no more.

Maybe the people still living there are too close to see the constant erosion of their rights and freedoms, maybe the bans on guns and knives make then feel unable to protect themselves and unwilling to stand up and speak out against criminals or unfair Government policies, or maybe they just feel there is nothing they can do so they will keep their heads down until they can retire to Spain or Florida.

The latest intrusive Government insanity is a proposal to create a database of every phone call and email, no-one cares about privacy or individual rights, they trample all over those in the name of "homeland security" and "crime prevention".

Will someone please tell the UK Government that George Orwell's 1984 is meant as a warning of the horrors of an authoritarian society, not as a training manual.

via BBC

A Japanese site "PC Watch" got their hands on a MSI Wind desktop and ran some benchmarks to compare the wind's 1.33Ghz Atom processor against a pair of Eee pcs.

This isn't exactly a fair comparison but it does give us a good idea of what Atom processors are capable of, and shows that they are a viable solution for those who want a low powered Windows ultra-portable.

MSI Wind desktop via liliputing

The Sony Rolly is described as being "for those who want to experience music through movement."

In other words once you turn it on and select music it flashes lights and starts to roll and spin in time to the music.

So for $400 you get a lump of plastic with only 2GB of memory that you have to chase around the room when you want to change songs or turn it off (and turning it off would be at the top of my list as soon as I saw one).

Why? why would you buy this? I wouldn't buy this with $20 of someone else's money.

Press release follows.

Sony Rolly via ubergizmo

Hitachi has announced a new portable blu-ray burner designed to hook up to a HD camcorder.

The DZ-WR90 connects to your camcorder (and hopefully your PC but this isn't known yet) via an eSATA connector and allows you to burn whatever footage you select. There is no editing capabilities built-in though so we feel this is only usable for the most rudimentary backup of video for later processing and refining.

The drives burns at 2x speed which means it takes 90 minutes to burn the maximum of 3hrs of 1080p video onto a blu-ray disc, and it also supports DVD-R discs and double sided discs (if you flip them over manually).

No price has been announced yet and the Hitachi DZ-WR90 portable Blu-ray burner should be available for purchase sometime in July.

Hitachi DZ-WR90 portable Blu-ray burner via Slashgear

We liked the BenQ v2400w 24" LCD when it was first announced and now you can buy it (assuming you head over to Japan with the equivalent of about $580).

The v2400w is supposed to be the thinnest 24" LCD in the world being mostly under 1 inch thick with a 2.44 inch max depth, it has cool little buttons under part of the screen instead of a bulky full width bezel, has an off center stand (which could mess up your wall hanging plans), has the standard inputs (HDMI, DVI, VGA), 1080p (1920x1200) display, 250 cd/m2 brightness, 16.7m colors, 1000:1 contrast, and 160 degree viewing angle.

Does it look good? yes, will we buy one? nope, I think we will stick with our collection of refurbished Dell 24" monitors.

BenQ v2400w 24" LCD via Akihibara

Tired of waiting for your Netflix movies to appear in the mailbox? well if you have a Netflix subscription over $9/month and $100 to spare you can how pickup a Netflix set-top box that streams movies directly to your PC.

What's the catch? no HD so far, not too many new releases, no built-in title search. If you can live with that then you get access to 10,000 movies titles (with more being added all the time) for no extra fee above what you're currently paying for your subscription.

Netflix player from Roku via BGR

The Olympus SP-570 is the subject of a new review over at dcviews.

Here's what they thought of the $420 10 megapixel Olympus SP-570 digital camera with 20x optical zoom:

Olympus SP-570 review at dcviews

"So, should you buy the Olympus SP-570UZ or would it be best to go for a DSLR. Well it all depends on what you want or need from a camera. If your aim is to make photography your hobby, prices of DSLRs are so low nowadays that they would make an ideal start to what can be a fantastic pastime, with the possibility to start a complete system from scratch. Olympus do have some nice offerings in this department as well, and we might make them the subject of another test some other time.

The Olympus SP-570UZ does have a few flaws however, although none of them serious enough to make this a bad camera, not by any means. Find out if you can live with its limited battery life and slow zooming but also take into consideration that the camera has so many options that a creative photographer will find most things he will need in this camera - and more. Just remember to stick to those lower ISO settings and carry a spare set of batteries and you really can't go wrong. So try one out in the shops, compare it with similar offerings from other manufacturers and then make your final choice. "

The P10 is a new portable media player from Iriver that will, unfortunately, only be sold in Korea.

The P10 features a 4.3" 800x480 pixel LCD, 33GB of internal memory, supports PDF word and excel files as well as WMV and mpeg video, and has handwriting recognition.

Iriver P10 PMP via akihibaranews

The Canon Powershot A580 is the subject of a new review over at photographyblog.

Here's what they thought of the $130 8 megapixel Canon Powershot A580 digital camera with 4x optical zoom:

"Casual snapshooters who have grown frustrated with the limitations of their cellphone cameras will find the 8 megapixel Canon PowerShot A580, with its sharp 4x zoom lens, above-average feature set, easy-to-use interface, well-implemented Face Detect function, fairly snappy performance and more than respectable image quality a giant leap forward. I am not so sure about more experienced photographers who are in the market for a carry-anywhere compact camera to supplement their main workhorse, or beginners eager to learn the basics of photography. While the PowerShot A580 caters to them with some advanced features such as spot metering, flash exposure lock, custom white balance and a usable exposure compensation function, the lack of direct access to aperture and shutter speed may eventually deter them from buying this model, especially given that Canon themselves offer the PowerShot A590IS, complete with a full set of manual controls, optical image stabilisation and support for conversion lenses, for about 20% more."

Canon Powershot A580 Review at PhotographyBlog

The Pentax K20D is the subject of a new review over at cameralabs.

Here's what they thought of the $1100 14.6 megapixel digital SLR:

"The K20D finds itself in an uncomfortable position, looking pricey compared to mid-range DSLRs and not quite tough or fast enough to be considered a true semi-pro model. An unremarkable screen and restricted Live View system add further insult to injury.

If these are the things you look for in a DSLR, then we can easily recommend the K20D, but its relatively high price, disappointing Live View, tendency to underexpose and uncomfortable positioning rules out our Highly Recommended award. If you want more effective anti-shake, superior Live View, faster continuous shooting and a bigger or more flexible screen, then there are simply better or cheaper alternatives out there. As always, it's crucial to weigh-up which features really mean most to you when shopping for a new DSLR and this applies more than ever here. And finally if you are sold on the K20D's feature-set and handling, be sure to compare it with Samsung's equivalent, the GX-20 which may be available at a cheaper price. "

Pentax K20D review at Cameralabs

The Pentax Optio A40 is the subject of a new review posted at Steve's Digicams.

Here's what they thought of the $250 12 megapixel Pentax Optio A40 digital camera with 3x optical zoom:

"Bottom Line - The quality of the images from the 12-megapixel Pentax Optio A40 is excellent, as long as you are outdoors or have plenty of ambient light. This is a very compact and stylish model that is full of features. However, the sluggish burst mode and poor indoor or low light shooting was disappointing. When looking at the feature set and MSRP of US$300, the Optio A40 seems like an appealing "ultra- compact", but the downfalls we found point towards looking at other cameras in this price range. "

Pentax Optio A40 Review at Steve's Digicams

Yes it's an AC-130 Hercules with a frickin laser beam but officially it is known as the "Boeing Advanced Tactical Laser" and it's alive and working after many years of development.

Last week the chemically-powered laser was fired successfully 50 times in ground tests, and now the plane is being prepped for a flight test before the end of the year where it will silently zap a bunch of cars and buildings from inside a rotating turret at ranges of more than 10 miles away.

The main downside to this laser is that is is chemically powered, which means that vats of nasty toxic chemicals get stored on the plane, but if this system is proven to be successful then it will be a good interim weapon until we have electrically powered lasers strong enough to do the job.

via wired

Maybe there are more professions that would get regular use out of this portable battery power money counter but those two sprung to mind first.

The accucounter V30 is capable of counting and adding up 600 bills a minute and the battery will last up to 20 hours..... lets see, 600 $100 bills a minute over 20 hours..... that's 72million dollars counted on one battery charge.

accucounter via slipperybrick

The thought of having brain surgery is scary enough but how about if you were told that you were going to be operated on by a robotic arm while stuck inside a MRI machine.... and that it was the first time the robotic arm had ever been used on a person?

A 21 year old Canadian Woman called Paige Nickason was that person, and recently she had a brain tumor successfully removed with the help of a machine called neuroArm.

Full press release follows.

neuroArm Performs First Brain Surgery via medgadget

Photos have shown up on a Chinese site of the iTouch lookalike RAmos V8.

What do we know about it? not much: 4.3" touchscreen, 16GB storage, and just 0.3" thick.

RAmos V8 PMP photos via engadget

Is this the 3G iPhone?

Case manufacturer XSKN has listed a bunch of 3G iPhone cases on their site along with renderings that seem to match the rumored changes to the look of the iPhone.

via engadget

JVC has announced a new lightweight camcorder designed to simplify creation and uploading of YouTube videos.

The GZ-MS100 weighs just 9.5oz (with 2hr duration battery) and measures only 2.2" x 2.7" x 4.4" but manages to pack in a 35x optical zoom and a 2.7" color LCD screen. MPEG-2 video and 2ch Dolby Digital sound are recorded to a SD card allowing the storage of up to 3hr 45mins of "TV Quality" video or 1hr 50mins of "DVD movie" quality on an 8GB card.

So what's the YouTube connection and how does that work? It seems simple: choose "upload" mode before taking a video and it saves an additional version of the video limited to 10 minutes and optimized for YouTube viewing. Once you are done connect the GZ-MS100 via a USB cable and then upload with just a few clicks.

This isn't a HD camcorder, but SD card storage, YouTube, and high-def don't go well together so no complaints there. The only thing it is really missing is WiFi so you could upload videos over you home network without needing to connect to a PC.

The JVC GZ-MS100 will be available in June for $349.99.

You know those fancy Teppanyaki restaurants where they cook on a hot plate in the middle of the table while throwing knives around?

Well now you can duplicate the experience at home with Cook-N-Dine tables (preferably without the knife throwing - leave that for the experts).

How does it work? well some fancy techno-gizmo heating system causes the special steel in the center of the table to form a concave pit that holds all the food and juices in one area while keeping the surrounding metal table cool.

Want one for your boat? well we've got you covered: their new "MarinYaki" boat table features a 20" x 15" cooking surface..... just don't try using it while underway unless you want a pile of boiling hot stir-fry chicken vegetables and sauce dumped in your lap by an unexpected wave.

Teppanyaki style grilling via appliancist

Don't be lazy and sit in a golf cart the next time you play a round, get out and walk and enjoy the fresh air and exercise!

What's that I hear you say? "but my golf clubs are too heavy to carry around". Well we have the solution for you: the Shadow Caddy.

This clever little robot follows you around the golf course carrying you bags of clubs (and presumably your liquid refreshment). How does it know where you are? via a transmitter you carry.

Trials of the Shadow Caddy are currently underway at four Melbourne Australia gold courses.

autonomous golf caddy via gizmag

Yet another Eeepc clone: this one is the KL-PC701.

Nothing really exciting in the spaces department: 7" LCD at 800 x 480 pixel resolution, XBurst 400 Mhz 32-bit processor, Linux 2.4 operating system, 10M/100M Ethernet connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity, 128MB RAM, 512MB NAND flash memory, SD memory card slot, USB 2.0.

Wholesale price (for 100+ unit order) is $195. Why is it so cheap? because they forgot to include a hard drive or decent sized SSD.

KL-PC701 via ubergizmo

Samsung has shown off a prototype ultrathin laptop that has a 12.1" 1280x768 AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic LED) screen that they claim has 20x the contrast ratio of standard LCD plus has much lower power consumption (due to it not needing backlighting).

While this is just a prototype the screens are entering production so we should be seeing AMOLED laptops sometime in 2009.

Samsung's Prototype AMOLED laptop

Installing other operating systems on ultra-compact laptops such as the HP mini-note and the eee pc is usually a pain in the "you know what" due to issues with drivers to make sound, wifi and graphics work correctly.

A guy called Lee on the MiniNote forums has made it a lot easier for HP mini-note users to install the popular Ubuntu 8.04 linux operating system by releasing a ISO file called MinBuntu that can be burned to a CD and then used to install a fully working version of Ubuntu complete with all the correct drivers.

MinBuntu: Ubuntu for the HP Mini-Note via liliputing

Some manufacturers release one new TV at a time, others release a single line of 4 or 5 TVs, not Sharp: they just announced a massive 22 new LCD TVs ranging from a little 26" GX5 up to a humongous 65" RX5.

Here's what we know of the specs:

"X5 Series: Available in 65", 52" and 46", with a contrast ratio of 3300:1 and a "living contrast" ratio of 1500:1, providing in total a stunning contrast ratio of 20000:1, and a brightness of 450cd/m2. Our TV is full HD with a new 120Hz panel and 12bit BDE image processor.

DS5 Series: Three full HD TVs, with sizes ranging from 32" to 42", it also features a 2000:1 contrast ratio and a 450cd/m2 brightness, without the 120Mhz panel."

A full press release should be out sometime soon but until then why not head over to Akihibara for a bunch of photos.

Twenty-two New Aquos LCD TVs from Sharp via Akihibara News

Fujitsu has announced a new 250GB 2.5" hard drive, which in itself isn't exactly the most interesting story we will be posting today, but what sets this drive apart from the competition is it's low power consumption and emphasis on 24-hour continuous operation.

Full press release below.

New 250GB 2.5'' hard drive from Fujitsu via Akihibara News

I have television envy. I thought we were doing well with a nice new 50" Toshiba LCD in the family room(that relegated our early adopter 45" Sharp Aquos LCD to the bedroom), but after seeing the new 82 inch offering from Samsung I feel so small and worthless.

I know size isn't everything but this beauty (I'm talking about the TV not the girl) packs a lot more than just 82" of screen: it is "Ultra Definition" which means 3840x2160 pixels (or 4x the pixels of a 1080p screen), has 120Hz technology, plus LED backlighting.

"Dear Santa, I've been a very good boy, for Christmas this year I would like......."

Press Release below.

Samsung 82 inch LCD at I4U (via Mr. Gadget)

The Canon Powershot SD1100 IS is the subject of a new review over at Imaging Resource.

Here's what they thought of the $250 8 megapixel Canon Powershot SD1100 IS compact digital camera with 3x optical zoom:

"The Canon SD1100 IS is a full-featured point-and-shoot digicam that really impresses. It offers all the best feature sets of 8MP resolution, Image Stabilization, Face Detection, Widescreen/Panorama Stitch, Movie Mode, Macro mode, and much more, all in the size of a pack of playing cards. If you crave compactness without sacrificing too much, the Canon SD1100 really delivers. Probably the only real compromise is the "mere" 3x zoom, while some of Canon's more expensive models offer 3.8 and 4x zooms."

Canon Powershot SD1100 IS review at Imaging Resource

The Nikon CoolPix P60 is the subject of a new review over at TrustedReviews.

Here's what they thought of the $230 8.1 megapixel Nikon CoolPix P60 with 5x optical zoom:

"The Nikon CoolPix P60 is a big improvement over the disappointing P50. It still has its faults, most notably its slow overall performance and the immensely irritating shutter release logic, but the design, handling and build quality are very good, as is the picture quality. The range of features is better than a simple point-and-shoot, but it will still leave a keen photographer wanting more. It is also quite a lot more expensive than its main competitor, but on the whole not a bad little camera."

Nikon CoolPix P60 Review at TrustedReviews

Now is this cool or what? Yves "FusionMan" Rossy has built a $285,000 jet powered flying wing.

How does it work? he jumps out of a plane and starts the 4 jet engines that provide 200lb of thrust. He can then soar through the air at up to 186mph for up to six and a half minutes performing turns and 360 degree loops before deploying a parachute to land.

He recently crossed Lake Geneva and his next plan is a 22 mile crossing of the English Channel.

Via Yahoo News
FusionMan's web site

I'm willing to bet the Zippo lighter company has no idea this Zippo branded MP3 player from Chinese company Zarva exists.

Here's the funny computer translation:

"Exterior features:

MP320 using Actions 2091-dominated movement that supports MP3, WMA and other audio formats players, with natural, rock, pop, classical, soft, jazz, heavy bass sound of seven models can choose to support AB repeat, built-in Microphone, recording quality is also adjustable. Built-in 210 mAh lithium battery, a USB 2.0 high-speed transmission interface to ensure that the transmission speed. "

Zarva Zippo MP3 Player via PMPtoday

Wholesale price for a 1GB lighter is 188 Yuan (about $27)

XtremeNotebooks has released what is probably the first Quad-Core Xeon powered laptop in the US.

For the base price of $3699 you get a 17" 1600x1050 pixel screen, NVidia GeForce Go 8800M graphics, Intel X3360 Xeon Quad-Core processor, 1GB RAM, and 80GB hard drive, but if you are spending this much you may as well go all the way and upgrade to dual graphics cards, 1920x1200 screen, 4GB ram, and 3 RAIDed 320GB drives bringing the total to just over $5500.

It doesn't look too pretty and weighs a ton but if it is raw power you are looking for then the Xtreme 917V laptop delivers.

Xtreme 917V Quad-Core Xeon Laptop via laptoping

We are all waiting for the first fuel cell gadgets to come out but instead of a fuel cell powered phone or mini-pc the first fuel cell gadget many of us own will be something like the Angstrom G2 portable fuel cell.

It has 8 fuel cell modules that put out a total of 2W and it can be used to recharge any device that can be powered through USB.

No word on price but it is a safe bet to say we will see fuel cell rechargers like this sometime in 2009.

Angstrom G2 portable fuel cell via engadget

Microsoft has started playing nice with the non-profit OLPC (one laptop per child) who plan on providing $100 laptops to schools in developing countries.

In a test bed starting month the laptops will be available as a dual boot with both the current "sugar" operating system and Windows XP/office. How is this possible on a machine with just a 1GB flash memory? Easy: they cheat by putting XP on a 2GB SD card.

source

Sometimes (ok, quite often) we just don't understand Sony.

They just announced a limited edition of their $550 A350 14.2 megapixel entry-level digital SLR.

The limited edition costs $850 so what wondrous enhancements do you get for that extra $400?

It's a champagne color.

Yep that's it, $400 for a lick of paint.

Sony A350 Limited Edition via ubergizmo

A Chinese website called PCOnline has got their hands on a Samsung i900 phone. Until now we knew almost nothing about this phone so it's great to finally find out it's specs:

• 3.5G HSDPA connectivity
• Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro OS
• 3.5″ 240×400px, 262K color TFT touchscreen display
• 5 megapixel autofocus camera
• front camera for video calls
• Built-in GSM
• FM Radio
• TV-Out
• 16GB of built-in memory
• microSDHC memory card slot (up to 8GB)
• Bluetooth 2.2, A2DP
• Wi-Fi b/g
• 1500mAh battery
• Dimensions: 112×56×13mm

Samsung i900 specs and photos via UnwiredView

UMPCFever in Hong Kong has got their hands on an aigo MID (which they say is the same device that will be branded in the US as the Gigabyte M528).

The aigo MID has an 800MHz Intel Atom processor, a touchscreen 4." 800x480 pixel LCD screen, GPS (not working on this review model), 3.5G HSDPA, 512MB RAM, and a 4GB SSD.

Sounds like they are just getting started reviewing it so we look forward to reading more of their thoughts, especially when they get around to attempting to install XP on it.

aigo mid review at umpcfever

Garmin has announced that you can get a lifetime Garmin GPS service subscription for your blackberry for $99.

That's the phone's lifetime not yours but it still seems like a good price considering there is no monthly fee and the service offers turn by turn directions, 6 million points of interest, constantly updated maps, gas prices, traffic delay rerouting, weather forcecasts, and more.

Seems like a great service for a crackberry addict who doesn't want a seperate navigation system in their car.

via Garmin blog