Gadgets Connect

Meet the Nokia 3110 Evolve, shown off at Green gadgets forum in NYC is slated to arrive in Europe later this year.  Company representatives say no plans have been made to introduce this in the US.  And why would they? Sure a billion mobile phones dumped into consumers pockets last year means a lot of waste, especially if those phones don’t contain the 50% recycled material cover like that of the 3110 Evolve.  To boot, over 60% of the Evolve can be turned back into other products.  These sound like things us Americans would have issues with, no? (Read the full post about ‘US ready for new Nokia?’…)

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Sharp has just announced its Softbank 922SH 3G smartphone that will come with the following drool-worthy features (just check out its contrast ratio and you’ll know what I mean) :- Full QWERTY keyboard with 9.9mm key pitch 3.5″ with VGA resolution and 2,000:1 contrast ratio External 1.2″ OLED display Ability to send and receive email when closed Business card scanner microSD memory card slot Internet surfing made easy with 3G connection The Sharp Softbank 922SH will being to ship this March 28th in Japan. (Read the full post about ‘Sharp Softbank 922SH 3G smartphone’…)

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Toshiba T400PK 4GB mp3 player Hold out the palm of your hand and accept the freedom to experience your music, your photos, and your video everywhere you go. Toshibas T400 Gigabeat#174 portable media player delivers 4GB of storage space#32#151#32a 1,000 song or 4,000 photo capacity#32#151#32in a sophisticated brushed black metal alloy body. The 2.4 LCD screen gives you an ideal viewing area for both navigating your audio and video collection#32#151#32with the aid of the PlusPadtrade#32#151#32and viewing your favorite photos and video. Sixteen hours of audio and 5 hours of video playback battery life mean that your new T400 will keep up with your demand for the ultimate in audio and video experience. (Read the full post about ‘Toshiba T400PK 4GB MP3 Player’…)

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There’s good kitsch and bad kitsch, and for the most part these cute tins from Dumpling Dynasty are good kitsch. They feature stylish retro designs and good quality products and would make great gifts or keepsakes. There’s a shoeshine kit, baking kit, first aid kit and sewing kit, which all look great. But the pigtail kit and explorer kit, whilst good whimsical fun, play into gender stereotypes a little too much for my liking (boys explore while girls fix their hair? Pah). I recommend subverting the patriarchy and buying the former for your bald self-deprecating uncle and the latter for your sexually adventurous sister… Via Strawberry Fool. (Read the full post about ‘Dumpling Dynasty’s kitsch new kits for kids (of all ages)’…)

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I remember during the late 1990s and early 2000s saw cell phones take the “smaller and lighter” route, with each new model deemed “good” or “excellent” based on its size first, and functions second. Who could forget about the race to have the smallest handset? Nokia’s 8xxx series and Ericsson’s colorful flip handsets definitely forged a path for everyone else to follow, but somewhere along the way cell phone design experienced a paradigm shift. Manufacturers realized that consumers wanted their cell phones to do more than just carry out conversations and send text messages - which is why handsets from then on started to get bigger and heavier due to the inclusion of more features. (Read the full post about ‘Modu takes title of “world’s lightest phone”’…)

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It has been confirmed the second generation of Asus’ Eee PC will receive a touchscreen panel with the possibility of GPS support, with shipments tipped to begin sometime this May or June. The 8.9″ computer will probably retail for $500 a pop, so now would be a good time to purchase those screen cleaning materials or recycle existing ones meant for your iphone - you’ll be doing a whole lot of touching this summer if you decide to pick a unit up. Tags: mobile devices, consumer technology, MP3, cameras (Read the full post about ‘Touchscreen Panel Official in Eee PC’…)

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Yesterday, all three NYC Apple Stores were out of iPhones, according to The Huffington Post. But coupled with this Twitter post from Kevin Rose of Digg, we wonder if Apple might be clearing stock for a new, 3G iPhone: another person confirming iphone rumors w/me (high lvl VP at a big company that works w/Apple) - “it will ship in June w/3G and GPS” The “another” refers to Rose’s own claim on the Digg video podcast, Diggnation. Rose says that the 3G iPhone will be here in the next few months and will have not one, but two cameras: one for video chat and the other for taking pictures. Yes, he’s quoting unnamed sources to back up his own unsubstantiated claims, but this rumor at least has a ring of truth. (Read the full post about ‘IPhone Sold Out In New York. 3G Launch Coming Soon?’…)

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The d20 is possibly the ultimate symbol of nerd-dom. And of course, you’d expect MIT students to fully embrace the joys of Dungeons and Dragons. So it’s entirely appropriate to find this giant 20-sided dice at MIT’s Killan Court. The frame-and-fabric sculpture is, of a course, a tribute to the late Gary Gygax. What the D&D inventor really needs, though, is a permanent granite d20 tomb. Much better than those lame old Pharaohs, who could only manage to build their mausoleums in the shape of a d4. (Read the full post about ‘Giant D20 Monument to Gary Gygax’…)

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QuickerTek has made available the TriBand, an add-on antenna for Apple’s Time Capsule. Here are the reasons you don’t want one: Ugly. Just look at it. And what happens if those skinny wires get a good yank? Expensive. The DIY upgrade is $130. Opt for the full service option and the price jumps to $200. And remember that the box needs to be opened up to make the modification, which also means you’ll void your warranty, possibly adding future costs. The only reason we can see to own a TriBand is that you could tuck the whole uglified kit into the attic to keep your backups burglar-proof. Or you could leave the Time Capsule in full view and just stick some old frayed wires through one of the holes, which should offer the same deterrent. (Read the full post about ‘TriBand Antenna Uglifies The Time Capsule’…)

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We hate the idea of Miami spying on its citizens with flying autonomous drones, but as you can see in the photograph, these things have a totally cool Judge Dredd look to them. The16lb drone, called the Honeywell MAV (Micro Air Vehicle), is a pilotless flying vehicle loaded with infra red and optical sensors. Juan Villalba of the Miami Dade Police Department told Reuters that “Our intentions are to use it only in tactical situations as an extra set of eyes” – a kind of snake-o-scope to help SWAT teams see around corners. We doubt it. The drone is set to go live in the Everglades, which makes us think that these things will be buzzing around searching for drug smugglers and other ne’er-do-wells. (Read the full post about ‘Miami Device: Police To Use Hovering Spy Drones’…)

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