Gadgets Connect

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 24th 2008 at 8:15AM Last we heard of ASUS’ Lamborghini VX3, we were watching it get lapped by the smorgasbord of other kit introduced at CES. Still, there’s something to be said for a 12.1-inch ultraportable wrapped in sexy hues and accented with leather and Lambo badges — unfortunately, “fast” isn’t it. According to a recent test run over at CNET, the VX3 build quality was second to none, the style touches were easy to adore and the keyboard was surprisingly satisfactory. Unfortunately, the system faltered in more critical areas; partially due to the amount of bloatware that came loaded on, the 2.5GHz T9300 had a tough time surpassing other machines in benchmarking, and for folks hoping that the battery life would help negate that point, critics only yielded 67-minutes during a DVD playback test (and just 2-hours “in anecdotal use”). (Read the full post about ‘ASUS Lamborghini VX3 reviewed: not nearly as fast as the car’…)

Share This

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 24th 2008 at 6:24AM Better get used to it ’cause wood emblazoned consumer electronics is a trend that’s apparently here to stay. This time, it’s Burl Walnut (not bamboo) on this N3 which Cowon puts up for sale in Korea on April 28th. We’re not sure when deforestation become synonymous with ecological so we’ll assume that Cowon’s going for recyclability here and involved in some form of sustainable forest management program. Surely this isn’t just some marketing ploy. The 2GB DMB with GPS device will cost you ₩419,000 (about $437) — a $20 premium over the standard 2GB N3. (Read the full post about ‘Cowon’s N3 slips into a smoking jacket and Burl Walnut finish’…)

Share This

[Web 2.0] The Profy platform - in closed alpha since January 2008 - is announcing its beta launch at Web 2.0. According to the press release (I did not try the alpha), the blogging process – news reading, writing and publishing, managing comments, communication with readers and other bloggers - is made easier with the Ajax based Profy tools. In addition, Profy provides a more social blogging experience by allowing users to find people with the same interests, share ideas and discover new sources of information. I will meet the Profy team today at their booth to get more information about this new publishing tool. Tags: robots, home theater, TV, hdtv (Read the full post about ‘Profy: the New Web Platform for Bloggers- beta launch’…)

Share This

Jon Canan, Program Manager of MSN Direct, has confirmed what we all figured would be happening any day now: no more MSN Direct-powered Smart Watches. Jon chose SpotStop as the place to make this semi-official announcement. In the announcement Jon makes mention of how the technology will live on in GPS devices and Windows Mobile, but states that the company does not have any immediate plans for a new version of the Smart Watch. That said, current watches in the field will still be supposed.

We reviewed the Smart Watch a while back and I actually really liked the tech behind it. For me, though, the execution was flawed.

(Read the full post about ‘Microsoft pulls plug on Smart Watches with MSN Direct’…)

Share This

Sony has announced they have purchased digital media information powerhouse, Gracenote. For those unfamiliar with Gracenote, they are behind the CDDB, which makes it simple and easy to get track listings when ripping your CD collection. The deal involves some $260 million being changed hands, along with some other contingencies being sent Gracenote’s way. Sony plans to operate Gracenote as a separate business unit, and both companies seem to be happy with the deal. According to Tim Schaaf, Vice President of Sony Computer America; “Gracenote is a global leader in technology and services for digital media identification, enrichment, and recommendation, and these capabilities will be essential to the next wave of innovation in content, services, and consumer electronics,” Barring any legal difficulties, the deal will close by the end of May. (Read the full post about ‘Sony snaps up Gracenote for $260 million’…)

Share This

Sony have just announced a huge selection of eight new HHD (hard disc drive) DVD recorders for the European market. The great looking recorders make it very easy to record and time shift your favorite tv shows and play them back at your own pleasure. The large storage capacity can manage a very large media collection. As well as recording TV programmes, you can also store MP3s, CDs, camcorder recordings and digital photos. The flagship top of the line model, the Sony RDR-HXD1090 features a huge 500GB HHD which can record a massive 1,420 hours of TV! Recording can be also backed up to DVD from the DVD burner. (Read the full post about ‘Sony HDD DVD Recorders | HX, HDX’…)

Share This

Marines are known to be tough SOBs, so what do you think Space Marines are made out of? ThinkGeek as Dueling Space Marines Copter Set up for grabs, and at certain angles it looks as though they’re shooting laser pee at each other. This Dueling Space Marines Copter Set gets you a set of two mini r/c helicopters with infra-red laser tag style battle action. Take to the air from the palm of your hand then use the shoulder button on the remote unleash a plasma blast your opponent copter. Each shot causes the gun of your space marine to flash with simulated gunfire. The first hit causes your enemy to spin. The second makes the enemy copter lose power… the third cuts rotor power completely as your opponent plummets to the ground and you gloat in victory. (Read the full post about ‘Dueling Space Marines Copter Set’…)

Share This

Bicycles are supposed to be great vehicles when it comes to keeping the earth green and giving you a good workout, right? Well, apparently newer bicycles these days tend to let up on the sweating part by allowing a little electric-powered engine to help you out during the steeper moments in life. Optibike is one of those companies, and their 2008 range of electric-powered bicycles will have the limited edition OB1 as the flagship of the series. Its main component is the patented Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB) that drives through the derauiller gear system to optimize acceleration and range at all pedaling speeds. This special system is now oil cooled and is capable of delivering 850 continuous watts of power. (Read the full post about ‘Optibike OB1 electric bicycle’…)

Share This

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 23rd 2008 at 1:15PM Just in case a cameo on some Swedish e-tailer’s site wasn’t enough proof for you, Sony has confirmed that all of our hopes and dreams are coming true… in Europe. Yep, the blokes and dames across the pond will be able to snag a special edition playstation 3 bundle with Grand Theft Auto IV (and a SIXAXIS wireless controller) bundled in for €439 ($696). (Read the full post about ‘SCEE confirms: Grand Theft Auto IV PS3 bundle headed to Europe’…)

Share This

I back my data up as though it were a religion and I a zealot. Yet, I still haven’t learned how to keep myself from making really really dumb mistakes (e.g. washing my laptop bag with my memory stick inside of it – twice). SanDisk’s new Cruzer Titanium Plus boasts 4GB of storage and a free 6-month subscription to BelnSync, an online backup service to protect Windows users with an uplink that saves your data outside of the flash drive itself. (The service is $29.99 per year afterwards.) If you’re a savvy tech kid you probably won’t need this, but if you’re not or your significant other, parent, grandparent, or forgetful friend is not, then this might be a smart gift with a knack for remembering. (Read the full post about ‘Gimmicky backup: memory + free subscription’…)

Share This