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Alienware talks new media center, CableCard for Hangar 18
2007-08-17 19:16:00
Filed under: Home EntertainmentFor you malcontents out there waiting for a really, really tough media center, Alienware may be answering your call. According to reports, the gamer-targeting PC-maker will be launching an addition to its media center lineup (currently just the Hangar 18) sometime soon, and apparently the new variation will be somewhat of a heavy hitter. The upcoming, higher-end phase of the company's home entertainment line will be capable of handling two CableCards, will have four swappable hard drive bays (for a total of 4TB of storage), and will be available with Blu-ray and audio distribution options. In addition to the new system, Alienware has also announced that it will be offering CableCard support for its current Hangar 18 models via an external OCUR (OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver), although the add-on will have to be installed by a professional reseller. We can only hope they'll offer an over spec'd, stylized remote to work all of this new gear. ...
More About: Media , Media Center , Blu-Ray , New Media

Stealth Computer rolls out LPC-350PCI Little PC
2007-08-17 18:05:00
Filed under: Desktops If Stealth Computer 's LPC-450 "Litt le PC" was a little too powerful for you, you may want to consider the company's new LPC-350PCI model, which cuts back on some of the specs but offers a few advantages of its own. The biggest of those is a PCI slot for some added expansion options, although that seems to have come at the expense of the latest and greatest processors, with a Celeron M370 or Pentium M740 your only options here. Otherwise, you'll get up to 2GB of RAM, a standard 80GB hard drive (or optional flash drive), your choice of DVD/CD-RW or DVD-RW drives, and a decent array of ports, including DVI output, FireWire, and three USB ports. If that's not too much of a trade-off for you, you can get one now for just under $1,000 for the base configuration. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Mini

The Mix Tape USB Drive remembers your roots
2007-08-17 17:52:00
Filed under: Portable Audio, Storage Sure, the compact disc may have just celebrated 25 years in the biz, but nothing says quasi-old school like a double-sided cassette tape. Granted, it's a bit harder to effectively distribute mix tapes on a format rarely appreciated this day in age, so the Mix Tape USB Drive steps in to deliver your favorite compilations in a modern form without ditching that crucial retro flair. Pricing details have yet to be released, but it's slated to hit the streets next month for those interested.[Thanks, Damien] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Music , Usb , Flash , Roots

Sprint event showcases CDMA Touch, LG Rumor, and more
2007-08-17 17:28:00
Filed under: CellphonesIf you've been patiently awaiting details about, well, a whole slew of handsets, chances are that a recent Sprint event held the answers to a-many of those very questions. First up was the Palm Centro (also coined Gandolf and Treo 800), which you've already seen plenty of earlier today. Moving on, the Sprint Touch (read: CDMA) was said to be rockin' a potent 400MHz CPU, and it also touted EV-DO, 128MB of RAM, a two-megapixel camera, built-in GPS "to be activated in a Rev A upgrade," and a likely launch date in November. Furthermore, an EV-DO BlackBerry Pearl was on display along with a "petite candybar" from Sanyo, the sliding LG Rumor , and the Sprint Airave home cell site (once known as the Samsung Ubicell). We know you're craving the dirt on all of the aforementioned gizmos, so be sure and hit the read link for the full skinny. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the pow...
More About: Event

Walt Mossberg tackles Apple?s iWork ?08
2007-08-17 17:14:00
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets The Moss-man has gotten into a down-and-dirty review of Apple 's latest version of its Office-battling software suite iWork '08 (which includes Pages, Keynote, and the new spreadsheet program Numbers) and delivers a one-two punch to the new package. Apparently, Cupertino's entry just can't match up to Office's triple power play of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, though Walt says that iWork '08 is an elegant and sophisticated solution for users looking for something with a little less power -- which should come as no surprise to most. Mossberg 's not all doom and gloom though, happily noting that Pages has reined in its desktop publishing aspect and become more of a dedicated word processor, Numbers is a "refreshing innovation," that's more "approachable" than its competitor, and Keynote actually bests PowerPoint in ease of use. In the end, however, Mossy says all the flair and high design doesn't make up for the succulent and unbridled power in Office ...
More About: Microsoft , Walt Mossberg , Iwork

Alaskan luddites are 50th state to get e-prescriptions
2007-08-17 17:10:00
Filed under: Misc. GadgetsIt's good to know that wherever you may roam in this great union, your doctor can file for your OxyContin electronically. Alaska was the last state to revise regulations that were keeping doctors scribbling illegible notes that presumably denoted medicines in their twisted imaginations. Other late-comers included Georgia, South Carolina and West Virginia. There'll always be a few complainers about how the new e-prescription systems hurt the mom and pop pharmacies, and tether doctors to a crash-prone computer, but the fancy new (hopefully hackable) databases that'll keep track of just how much who is taking of what really make it all worthwhile. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Prescriptions , State , Prescription

RC Pterosaur lets you terrorize the neighborhood prehistoric-style
2007-08-17 16:46:00
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Professor Falken would have been proud of this one: a company in England is selling an RC Pterosaur with a 100-foot range, allowing you to chase any non-paleontologists off your land from the comfort of your easy chair. The ten-minute flight time provided by the internal rechargeable battery won't give you a lot of time to do your dirty work, however, and the cartoony facial expression and distinctly non-terrifying flapping wings mean you'd better have a solid Plan B. Available now for £40 ($80). Check the read link for a video of the beast in flight.[Via ShinyShiny] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Radio , Style , Control , Remote , Neighborhood

Body powered circuits developed by Fraunhofer Institute
2007-08-17 16:06:00
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wireless Our favorite German researchers over at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed "entire electronic systems" capable of operating battery-free from body heat alone. The picture above shows a wireless transmitter powered by the human hand. The 200 millivolts required to drive the device is supplied by a thermoelectric generator (TEG) which extracts electrical energy from hot and a cold temperature differentials of just a few degrees Celsius. Of course, the application processor alone in modern handhelds requires about 1W to operate so 2mW is a long way off from powering our portable electronics. Still, progress is progress. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Power , Body , Circuits , Thermoelectric

Sony Partners with Waste America for New eCycling Program
2007-08-17 15:50:00
The briefing we attended at the Sony store in midtown...
More About: America , Partners , Program , Waste

Samsung to deliver only 85% of promised NAND flash to ?its major customers?
2007-08-17 13:41:00
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video, StorageRemember that Seoul power outage which took down six chip production lines for the world's largest flash memory producer, Samsung ? Well, those predictions of NAND flash memory shortages appear to be ringing true. If statements from PQI's general manager, Jance Lu are to be believed, then Samsung will be fulfilling only 85% of their promised NAND flash deliveries to "its major customers" in the second half of August. It goes without saying then that the estimated 3% shortage in global NAND supply will be followed by a sharp increase in NAND prices due to the unquenchable demand. With modern manufacturers relying on "just in time" inventory fulfillment to keep storage and holding costs to a minimum, you'd better hold tight for possible flash-heavy, product shortages-to-come this holiday season. Egads, if true, we're looking at possible shortages in cellphones, GPS devices, handhelds, DAPs and PMPs including, of course, iPods and ...
More About: Flash , Customers , Toshiba , Breaking

Samsung prepping Bang and Olufsen Serene II and F330
2007-08-17 13:28:00
Samsung is working on two new cell phones for Bang & Olufsen, dubbed the F330 and the SGH-F310. The phones are packed with loads of functions and will only be bought by the born rich. For now, the company is not planning to rename the F330, but...
More About: Samsung , Bang and Olufsen , Serene , Rene

Must see video: Scuderia Toro Rosso in a bullfight stadium
2007-08-17 13:19:00
Sit back and relax, because this video is a must see! Watch a Formula One racecar from Scuderia Toro Rossa in a bullfight stadium in Madrid chasing the bullfighters. Fantastic sound!Whoever had that idea, nominate him for an award.Related news: Fourspr...
More About: Video , Stadium , Scuderia Toro Rosso

iPhone news roundup: benchmarks, Facebook, and (obviously) rumors
2007-08-17 13:03:00
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video There was a lot of iPhone chatter this week -- although Apple might have done all it can to lock the little bugger down, it seems people are still finding ways to extend and explore its capabilities, while AT&T might have finally gotten the hint about those ridiculous paper bills. Logic3 unveiled the i-Station Traveler (pictured), the first speaker dock we've seen specifically for the iPhone. While most iPod docks tend to work fine with the iPhone, the $60 Traveller is designed specifically around the horizontal orientation, allowing you to watch movies while the iPhone is docked. Meebo and Facebook both launched iPhone-specific versions of their sites, allowing you to IM your friends and stalk your exes with all the swoopy-slidey flair you'd expect. Orange continued to act all coy about potentially being Apple's partner in France, saying only that it had "no comment" on the iPhone, even as rumors heat up. ...
More About: News , Iphone , Rumors

Back To School With Bulletproof Backpacks
2007-08-17 13:00:00
Time to check your kids back to school list: new books, uniform, gym kit, pencil case, bad haircut, healthy lunch, bulletproof backpack. Huh? A couple of Boston fathers have decided that you can?t be too careful about going to school these days in the US so have created a couple of bulletproof backpacks. The...
More About: Gadgets , Bulletproof , Storage , School , Back

Mobile phones to get dirt-cheap in near future and#8211; Research
2007-08-17 12:51:00
With the improvements in technology that led to a reduction in hardware and software costs, embedded systems such as mobile phones are bound to get cheap. According to a recent research by ABI more than a dozen manufacturers will be forced to ship...
More About: Mobile , Cellphones , Research , Sony Ericsson , Mobile Phones

Philips 42PFL9900 Aurea: The next generation of Ambilight TVs
2007-08-17 12:47:00
The Web is rumbling with stories of a new Ambilight TV from Philips -- like the old one there's a glowing light involved, but the new one also has a funky glowing bezel
More About: Generation , Hili , Aurea , The Next Generation

Crave Podcast 46: StreetWars causes a splash
2007-08-17 12:30:00
We've had a chat with 'Agent Fumblebum', who is playing a real-life game in which you are required to assassinate human targets with a water-pistol. Hear his creepy story in this week's Crave Podcast
More About: Splash

Samsung?s new phone is your next sex guide
2007-08-17 12:28:00
Samsung is one company that always has some methods to make its products popular in the market. The company has now filed a patent application for a phone capable of tracking a woman?s fertile periods. The cellphone will update the user about the...
More About: Phone , Samsung , Guide , Guid

New Smartphone from Palm dubbed Centro
2007-08-17 12:19:00
We?ve been waiting for the new Smartphone by Palm and we were trying to name it our way or what we like it to be. However, Palm has been innovative enough to get rid of the Treo brand name as their new smartphone or the next-gen Treo will be called...
More About: Centro , Dubbed

University of Leeds developing artificial finger for sensory studies
2007-08-17 12:12:00
Filed under: RobotsIf you were a tad freaked out by a robotic hand clothed in cucumbers, we promise this one's a bit tamer. A team of researchers at the University of Leeds have put forth a proposal to create an "artificial finger" in order to better understand why we react differently to different textures / surfaces. The finger will purportedly be used in testing rigs that "measure variables such as friction and compliance," and when combined with data from "a series of self-report experiments," the team aims to identity relationships between certain surface profiles and emotions. Of course, this kind of analysis would be a marketers dream come true, and let's face it, you know we couldn't resist picking up a Winnie the Pooh DAP that was inexplicably fuzzy.[Via Core77] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Studies , Finger , Develop

Foxy Brown allegedly assaults neighbor with BlackBerry
2007-08-17 07:26:00
Filed under: CellphonesJoining the growing list of celebrities who can't quit using their cellphones to beat up on others is Foxy Brown , who was recently "charged with assault and possession of a weapon" after allegedly hitting a neighbor with her BlackBerry. Of course, this isn't the first time Foxy's temper has flared up, but when she was confronted over the volume of her stereo system, the handset came out (a few days later, mind you) for purposes other than texting, talking, or capturing the impending battle for future viewing. So, you may be wondering how much damage a flung BlackBerry can do, and if that's the case, here's your answer: the victim was left with a cut lip and a loose tooth. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Blackberry , Foxy Brown , Lack

Today in Engadget: August 16
2007-08-17 06:59:00
Features Winner of the super rare signed 300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite! Contest: let Engadget trick out your home theater Ask Engadget: Can you turn my clunker laptop into a media center? News iKey intros rugged, mobile keyboard with LED-backlit keys Sprint's XOHM WiMAX service gets official Back-to-school shopping? Don't forget the bulletproof backpacks Robotic cucumber hand freaks out party goers Asus Eee PC pricing and release dates loosed: less flash for more money? Dell's XPS Motherboard Exchange Program goes live Miles XS 500: the $30000 all-electric sedan? Sony offering up Swarovski crystal-clad E010 DAPs FUZE unveils whole-home media system Accell's UltraAV HDMI 1.3 High-Speed switch support 1440p Keepon dancing robot featured in Spoon's latest music video Raritan intros smart card-reading KVM switch system DS version of Guitar Hero III to feature a guitar controller? NuVision debuts ten new Lucidium De...
More About: Today , August

Samsung?s YP-S5 caught in the wild
2007-08-17 06:31:00
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video You may have already seen the static pics of Samsung 's latest slick little YP-S5 earlier today, but GenerationMP3 just got their hands on a demo model and snapped a whole bunch of action shots (including a comparison with its predecessor, the K5), and we'd like to share them with you. In case you're wondering, the new player features integrated Bluetooth 2.0, a 1.8-inch, 220 x 176 display, FM tuner / recorder, built-in speaker, and comes in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB variations. Apparently, the YP-S5 will also act as a Bluetooth dialer and go-between for your mobile phone (like its big brother, the YP-P2), if the pictures are any indication. Hopefully you read French, because Google just didn't want to translate the link. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Media , Wild , Caught

German scientists claim to have broken speed of light
2007-08-17 06:02:00
Filed under: Misc. GadgetsWe're almost terrified to hear what the physicists in the crowd have to say about this one, but a duo of German scientists have reportedly broken the speed of light. To do so, the two "set up an experiment in which microwave photons, energetic packets of light, appeared to travel instantaneously between two prisms forming the halves of a cube placed a meter apart." According to them, they were able to force light to overcome its own speed limit by utilizing a "strange phenomenon known as quantum tunneling." Dr. Gunter Nimtz was even quoted as saying that for the time being, it was the "only violation of special relativity that he knew of," and while it does indeed sound (way) too good to be true, we'll step aside and let the experts battle it out.[Via Telegraph, thanks Ian]UPDATE: As predicted, there's a high probability that these claims aren't exactly, shall we say, infallibly correct -- but at least someone's giving it a go, eh? Read | Per...
More About: Science , Light , Speed , Scientists

Denon launches USB / MIDI-equipped DN-HC4500 for digital DJs
2007-08-17 05:23:00
Filed under: Portable Audio It was close to this time last year when Denon unveiled the DN-HD2500, and now it's time for DJs the world over to get a glimpse of the DN-HC4500 Media Player and Controller. The unit itself is the firm's "first USB / MIDI audio interface designed exclusively for computer performance club and mobile DJs," and it plays nice with both Macs and PCs. Additionally, you'll find internal 24-bit processing, BU4500 drive support, a touch-sensitive jog disc, integrated displays, and a trial version of Reflex LE software. Word on the street tags this sucka with a pricetag close to £399 ($795), and while you won't be able to get your hands around it 'til next month, click on through for a few more looks.[Via TechDigest]Continue reading Denon launches USB / MIDI-equipped DN-HC4500 for digital DJs Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Music , Midi , Digital

DivX sez 100 million certified video devices have been shipped
2007-08-17 04:48:00
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Video Moving 100 million of anything is no easy feat, and DivX is using this very milestone to throw itself a party. Reportedly, over 100 million DivX Certified video devices have shipped out "since the launch of the DivX Certification program in 2003," and it notes alliances with LG, Philips, Samsung, Sony, and Thomson (what, no SanDisk?) as key steps along the way. More specifically, over 2,500 individual product models have been loosed that support DivX playback, and the company estimates that around "32-percent of all DVD players sold worldwide support DivX." Way to go, now how's about unleashing that Connected box of your to the masses?[Via PhotographyBlog] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Devices , Million , Been , Divx

I got my $1800 road bicycle from Wal-Mart. WTF?
2007-08-17 04:18:00
WTF? Check out what Wal-Mart ’s got online: Corsa full carbon monocoque road bikes! Oh it is the real deal with Shimano Ultegra parts, Shimano wheels and no pedals: just like you would find at your local bike shop. Ride it out of the box? “This bike was assembled by the hands of skilled Italian mechanics ...
More About: Lifestyle , Other , Transportation , Websites

Ask Engadget: Can you turn my clunker laptop into a media center?
2007-08-17 04:06:00
Filed under: Ask Engadget , Media PCsWe were keeping it simple last week on Ask Engadget, helping in Perry's quest for a stripped-down GPS unit. This time Xtopher Robin is looking to do more with less, with big hopes for his aging laptop. If you'd like your own question answered by the best tech minds ever to click a comment submit button, be sure send it to ask at engadget dawt com for next week's round of fun. And here's Xtopher:"I have a 3 year old laptop (1.89GHz Athlon XP, 1GB of RAM, 64MB Radeon) loaded with all kinds of music, pictures, movies, etc, and I'm looking for a good media center program. I have XP Pro, and want a "MCE-like" experience. I have tried MediaPortal, but I'm less than thrilled with the experience. I'm looking for something that can be controlled via a Bluetooth controller (ie: Salling Clicker through a cell phone, Wiimote, PDA, etc). Any ideas?"Sounds like a tall order for those specs, but perhaps a bit of Linux will give the thing a new lease on li...
More About: Media Center , Laptop , Center

Palm Centro: Palm?s next Treo, er, smartphone
2007-08-17 03:32:00
Filed under: Cellphones You didn't really think it was going to be called the Gandalf, did you? Palm 's next smartphone is the, wait for it, "Centro "; Palm's apparently not calling it a Treo (it was presented to us as the Palm Centro, not the Palm Treo Centro, or the Treo 800), and isn't yet showing off any images of it (for those you've got Engadget Mobile). But we did learn Palm showed it off at a Sprint media summit, and they outlined these features: "Smallest Palm OS smartphone to date Targeting a younger demographic, new to the smartphone space Runs on EVDO network New design features a full keyboard and touch screen" Wow, a phone with a keyboard and a touchscreen! What will they think of next? Oh, it sounds like GearLog was there to check it out: no surprise, they mentioned the keyboard is "infinitesimal... impossible to type on this thing with two thumbs". Score. It'll also supposedly go for $99, and Sprint will have 90 days exclusivity. Howev...
More About: Smartphone , Breaking

Gateway heads into China with help from distributor
2007-08-17 03:05:00
Filed under: Desktops, LaptopsFollowing a brief pilot progam in June, Gateway 's announced that it's making its first major push into China , with the company teaming with Digital China, Inc. to offer its systems nationwide. While Gateway isn't getting specific about exactly what systems will available, it is saying that it'll be offering a "new premium line," which will consist of systems boasting Core 2 Duo processors and laptops based on the Centrino Duo mobile platform, with a few displays thrown in for good measure. Those will apparently soon be available at various retailers across the country, including Best Buy's flagship store in Shanghai. Of course, Gateway will have a fair bit of competition to contend with, including that from other US PC makers clamoring for a bigger piece of the Chinese market. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Tribu , Heads