by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 11th 2009 at 4:11AM
Packard Bell already rolled out its updated line of
imedia desktop PCs earlier this month, and it's now done the same with its higher-end "ixtreme" desktop, which gets some upgraded specs and a sleek new look. While that exterior is certainly a step up for Packard Bell, it's not quite as eye-catching as the specs, which include your choice of Core i7, Core 2 Quad, or AMD Phenom II X4 processors, up to 12GB of DDR3 memory, a max 3TB of storage space, your choice of a few NVIDIA graphics options (including the 1GB
GeForce GTS 250), an optional Blu-ray combo drive, and ten USB ports for anything that won't fit inside. No word on a release 'round here, of course, but folks in the UK will be able to pick this one up this month with a starting price of £599 (or just under $1,000).
[Via Randomly Accessed, thanks Steve]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 10th 2009 at 8:36PM
By now, you're no doubt well acquainted with the
Albert Hubo Einstein robot developed by the mad scientists at
KAIST, but some researchers at the University of California, San Diego has also been working on their own Einstein bot for the past little while, and they've now managed to teach it some new tricks. While the bot has previously been able to display a full range of expressions through some pre-programmed facial movements, it's now able to
teach itself how to smile or display other emotions thanks to a new trial-and-error technique dubbed "body babble." That apparently works by comparing Einstein's attempts at an expression with some facial recognition software, which provides Al with some positive feedback each time he manages an actual expression. Did we mention there's a video? Check it out after the break.
[Via
Switched]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 10th 2009 at 3:57PM
Remember Datawind's
PocketSurfer and
PocketSurfer2 handheld internet devices? Ever see one out in the wild on this side of the pond? Well, Datawind is hoping that it'll have better luck with its new PocketSurfer3 and UbiSurfer devices, which are both now apparently officially on track for a US release. The PocketSurfer3 (pictured above) is a fairly modest update to the PocketSurfer2, with it adding an improved screen and updated UI and, most perhaps importantly, a lower $249 price tag that also includes a year of free cellular usage (up to 30 hours a month). The UbiSurfer, on the other hand, is a more traditional netbook-style device (check it out after the break), although it harkens back a bit to the pre-Atom days with a 7-inch screen, 1GB of storage, 128MB of RAM and an unspecified, presumably low-power processor. The good news, however, is that it includes the same year of free service as the PocketSurfer3, and packs an even lower $199 price tag. No word on a cellular partner involved in all of this, but Datawind says both should be available this October.
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 10th 2009 at 1:03PM
We've seen
liquid camera lenses and cameras
shaped like an eye, but a group of researchers from MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering are now taking things in yet another shape-shifting direction with a so-called "flexible camera" that uses a special fiber web instead of traditional lenses. Those fibers are each less than one millimeter in diameter, and are comprised of eight nested layers of light-detecting materials, which the researchers are able to form using an extrusion process like that used to make optical fiber for telecommunication applications. Once woven into a fabric, the researchers say the "camera" could be anything from a foldable telescope to a soldier's uniform that gives them greater situational awareness. Of course, they aren't saying when that might happen, although they have apparently already been able to use the fiber web to take "a rudimentary picture of a smiley face."
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 9th 2009 at 6:31PM
HP's
Mini 110 netbook already had quite a bit going for it as it is, including a fair number of configuration options, but it looks like HP has now sweetened the deal even further by adding a 1366 x 768 display option. That upgraded screen is also thankfully the same anti-glare type of display that's been previously available with the lower res, and it'll set you back a fairly reasonable $30 on top of the base $329.99 price for the XP-based netbook (it's not currently available for the Mi Edition Mini). Better still, there just so happens to be a $30 off coupon floating around to completely even things out, which you can find by hitting up the link below before heading to HP's site.
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 9th 2009 at 3:49PM
We've already gotten the
official word that it was coming last month, and gone
hands-on with the identical United Keys OLED keyboard even earlier than that, but it looks like OCZ is now finally shipping its own Sabre OLED gaming keyboard and, consequently, given it a price. Somewhat surprisingly, OCZ is letting this one go for just $135, which, while still not exactly a bargain, is a heckuva lot cheaper than the $260 that the United Keys version still runs. That'll get you nine customizable OLED keys, along with most of the standard specs you'd expect from a gaming keyboard, including "super tactile" keys, plenty of macro configuration options and, of course, some blue LEDs to remind you that you didn't buy this thing for work.
[Thanks, Jay]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 9th 2009 at 2:46PM
Well, it looks like Canadians no longer need to be envious of some of the speedy internet options available south of the border, as Rogers has just announced the roll-out of its own DOCSIS 3.0-based service that matches the likes of Comcast's offering. As you might expect, however, coverage is limited to the Greater Toronto Area to begin with, although Rogers is promising that it'll be rolled out to some other, yet to be specified areas in the "coming months." What's more, Rogers is also introducing a new 802.11n router alongside the service, and it's even giving one away to the first fifty customers that sign up for the Ultimate service (priced at $150 per month). After those are gone (and some do indeed still seem to be available), the router will sell for $200.
[Via
Electronista]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 9th 2009 at 1:26PM
We've all seen the potential
havoc that an iPod can wreak -- either through misuse or some
general explosiveness -- and it looks like we now might have yet another cautionary tale out of Sweden, where a Saab 9-3 recently met an unfortunate end. While the exact, official cause of the blaze hasn't quite been pegged down, investigators seem to strongly suspect that an iPod left in the car is to blame. That's apparently because the car itself showed no signs of negligence or other technical faults (or evidence that the fire was intentionally set), and because the fire started on the seats, where the iPod was seemingly left. What's not clear, however, is if the iPod was simply tossed there and caught fire all by itself, or if was charging when things went horribly wrong -- although we're personally willing to simply buy Google Translate's answer that "the music has become so hot that it melted the inside."
[Thanks, Martin L.]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 9th 2009 at 12:41AM
Thought all your dreams of an all-in-one NERF gun / Wii controller were fulfilled with the original
NERF Blaster Controller? Think again. 'Cause EA has now announced its follow-up
NERF 2: N-Strike Elite game, which will of course also come bundled with a new and improved NERF Switch Shot EX-3 blaster. As before, this one will house the Wiimote inside to let you use it with the game or let you ditch it to take things outside (or to the office), and it adds a new attachable "NERF decoder scope" that'll let you detect enemy weak spots, decode secret messages, and uncover other hidden gameplay elements. And, well, it's a NERF gun
and a Wii controller. Is there anything else you really need to know? No word on a price just yet, but you can look for the bundle to launch sometime this fall.
[Thanks, Vincent]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 8th 2009 at 4:49PM
Sony's been out there touting its
PlayStation Network user numbers for some time now, but it looks like it's now ratcheting up the rhetoric when it comes to the actual user experience as well. Taking the lead on that front is Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of PlayStation Network Operations, Eric Lempel, who recently told
Industry Gamers that Sony doesn't think "there's a lot of 'catch up' [with XBL] anymore," adding that, "in some cases, I think we've got more, and we've got some other things they don't have." Of course, he further goes on to point out that PSN is and has always been free, and he cites PlayStation Home as just one thing that distinguishes PSN from Xbox Live, adding that he doesn't "see a lot of things they're doing that we're not.". Your move, Microsoft.
[Via
Edge Online]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 8th 2009 at 2:42PM
It's no secret that some game consoles consume a whole lot
more power than others, and it looks like that fact hasn't escaped the folks at TrickleStar, who've now rolled out their TV TrickleSaver device aimed at cutting down on some of that rogue power consumption. As you can probably guess from the looks of it, you simply plug both your TV and game console into the device (it'll also work just fine with a power bar, thankfully), and then the device itself works its magic to completely cut off power to the game console or consoles whenever your shut off your TV. Of course, it'll also work just fine with devices other than game consoles, but TrickleStar goes out of its way to single out the PlayStation 3 as its primary target, followed closely by the Xbox 360 -- each of which should consume more than enough power to eventually cover the $34.95 price tag for the TrickleSaver.
[Via
OhGizmo!]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 8th 2009 at 2:11PM
Well, there wasn't exactly much mystery left around this one, but it looks like the HTC-made
Dash 3G (or
Maple, or
S522, or
Snap) has now finally rolled its way into availability on T-Mobile's website, just as
expected. While its full suggested price is $349.99, T-Mobile will gladly let this one go for just $169.99 on a two-year contract, which'll of course get you a Windows Mobile 6.1-based device with a full QWERTY keyboard, and plenty of niceties like built-in WiFi, GPS, Exchange support, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, and some nifty red accents and refined touches that certainly make the original Dash look a bit dated in comparison.
[Via
Mobile Burn]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 8th 2009 at 2:46AM
Trimble may make plenty of
GPS-equipped devices of its own aimed at adventure-minded folks, but its Trimble Outdoors software has also made quite a few cellphones a bit more outdoors-friendly, and it's now finally found its way to the T-Mobile G1. As with on some other phones, the app will let you plan your trip online and sync it up with your G1, and give you the ability to geotag pictures, log your trip and share it with others, take text and audio notes and, of course, simply use it as a full-fledged GPS navigator. That won't come free, of course, but the $19.99 app price sure is a good deal cheaper than a separate outdoors GPS device, and you can grab it right now from Android Market.
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 7th 2009 at 6:11PM
This one doesn't look to be heading into the hands of consumers just yet, but China's GB is now apparently shopping its new X1200 thin-and-light around on the OEM market in the hope that some company will pick it up and do their rebadging thing with it -- and from the looks of it, they likely won't have much trouble finding some takers. Like some other hard to peg down laptops, this one packs the still somewhat rare combo of a 12-inch screen and an Atom processor, along with some otherwise standard specs including 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a built-in webcam, and a pair of USB ports. No word on a potential price just yet, but it'll no doubt be a fair bit more than the 2,200 yuan (or $322) that GB itself is currently asking for it -- in large quantities, presumably.
[Via
SlashGear]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 7th 2009 at 2:54PM
Panasonic isn't the first company to turn to robots as a means for dispensing drugs, but it looks like it's set to become one of the bigger players in the still fledgling field, with it announcing today that it's developing a robot that it hopes will rake it about 30 billion yen (or $315 million) by 2016. Unfortunately, Panasonic isn't quite ready to actually show off the robot just yet, but it says it could be making the rounds at some Japanese hospitals by next March, and head into the United States and Europe sometime after that. It's also not ready to do much talking about specifics, with it only going so far as to say that it "does not look humanoid" but rather looks like "a cabinet with lots of small drawers" (no doubt somewhat like the Pyxis bot pictured above), and that it'll be able to store medical data for each patient and sort out prescriptions for up to 400 patients in about two hours. That cabinet won't come cheap though, with Panasonic estimating that it'll cost "several tens of millions of yen," or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
[Via
TG Daily, image courtesy
Wikipedia / Jeremy Kemp]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 6:13PM
The Factron folks have been doing their custom case thing with various Apple products for
some time now, but they've truly outdone themselves with their new iPhone case, which not only boasts some stylish, rangefinder camera-esque looks, but a complete set of interchangeable (presumably functional) lenses. Those include fish eye, wide-angle, and close-up lenses, which range in price from $15 to $55, while the case itself will set you back a full $200. Quite a bit to pay for a case, to be sure, but a veritable bargain compared to the $800 that some of the group's previous cases have fetched. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.
[Via
Engadget Polska]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 5:20PM
Not interested in a do-it-all NAS / router / photo frame like D-Link's
DIR-685? Then you may want to consider Synology's just-announced DS409Slim NAS, which keeps things nice and simple and, as you can see above, compact. Despite that size, however, you'll still get four bays for some 2.5-inch drives of your choice (up to 2TB total), along with some standard issue NAS specs like a 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 128MB of RAM, a pair of USB ports, and a single eSATA port -- not to mention the usual DLNA certification and support for UPnP, among other media-friendly features. Look for this one to start shipping this month with a street price of about $400.
[Via
SmallNetBuilder]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 3:11PM
Well, it's not a
price cut, but it looks like Sony could be about to offer one of its best deals to date to potential PS3 customers, with a little help from Best Buy. Apparently, in an effort to clear out the 80GB PS3s once and for all (to make way for...
something), Best Buy will soon selling a bundle that includes said console, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Killzone 2 -- all for the usual price of $399.99. Better still, that bundle is supposedly set to go on sale as soon as next Sunday and, as you can see above, at least some of 'em have apparently already made their way into the stores' back rooms.
[Via
Joystiq]
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 2:14PM
The
AMD-based netbook train may have been a little slow to get out of the station, but it looks like it's finally starting to pick up a bit of steam, with Medion the latest to roll out an offering of its own. That comes in the form of the company's new Akoya Mini E1312, which opts for a low-power AMD Sempron 210U processor and ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 graphics instead of the usual Intel combo. Otherwise, you can expect to get a 16:9 11.6-inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, HDMI out, and a six-cell or nine-cell battery. No word on a release 'round here just yet, but folks in the UK will apparently be able to pick this one up exclusively at Aldi stores starting July 12th for £339.99 (or just under $550).
by Donald Melanson, posted Jul 4th 2009 at 7:19PM
We've heard a few different prices and release dates for the
Archos 9 tablet since it was introduced early last month, but it looks like Archos has now come out and finally clarified things a bit -- in the UK, at least. Apparently, it'll be offering both 80GB and 160GB versions of the tablet in the UK, which will run £449.99 and £499.99, respectively, or roughly $735 and $816.
Stuff.tv is also reporting that the tablet will be available in September, although that conflicts a bit with the
October 22nd launch date for Windows 7 -- which would be a bit of a problem for a Windows 7-based tablet. So, still a few details to sort out, not the least of which is word of availability 'round these parts.
