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Palm Centro review
2007-10-15 09:39:00
Okay, now we know what you're thinking. Sure, we (lovingly) raked Palm over the coals in our open letter to the company, and yeah, we haven't been the sweetest of hearts to the crew from Sunnyvale (with good reason, of course). However, If you've paid attention to our past good-intentioned prodding, then you'll know that getting our hands on a new Palm device still gives some of us geeky chills.After seeing scores of "leaked" photos of the Centro , and hearing enough internet chatter about the device to make your brain vibrate like a tightly-wound piano string, actually getting our hands on the phone was honestly a bit of a surprise, both bad and good. We're going to break it down piece by piece and hopefully give you a rounded impression of the smartphone crown-chaser (or at least princess-in-waiting).Continue reading Palm Centro review
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LG's XNOTE R200 with SideShow out in Korea
2007-10-15 09:37:00
LG just kicked out the Z1 prototype as the production-quality, dual-LCD XNOTE R200. That 2.5-inch touch-sensitive, Windows SideShow LCD makes for quick access to email, photos, music, "mini-games" and plenty of Vista gadgets without having to boot the OS or even flip open the lappie. The laptop itself starts with a basic (R200-EP76K) configuration of a 12.1-inch LCD, 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of memory, 128MB of ATI HD 2400 graphics, 802.11a/g/draft-n, and 160GB of disk for as estimated ₩2,240,000. That's about $2,440 should it ever arrive Stateside. Anyone else feeling a bit let down by the dearth of SideShow devices after all the fuss made by the industry at CES in January?
More About: Korea , Sideshow , Kore , Xnote

JVC storms back with KV-PX701 / KV-PX501 navigators
2007-10-15 09:35:00
Aw JVC, we knew you couldn't keep your feet out of the overcrowded GPS biz for too long, and while you certainly tried to assure us that you were callin' it quits earlier this year, we suppose the two new navigators you've got on the horizon act as proof to the contrary. Apparently, the outfit will soon be launching the KV-PX701 and KV-PX501, which are both slated to utilize NAVTEQ maps and a 400MHz Samsung processor. The former boasts a 4.3-inch touchscreen, a SiRFstarIII chipset and integrated RDS-TMC capability, while the latter packs a 3.5-inch touch panel, a Media Tec GPS receiver and has its RDS-TMC module built into the car mount. The duo is expected to ship later this month for €399 ($565) and €349 ($495), respectively, but we've no idea if either will be headed to America.
More About: Back , Navigators , Gators , Gato

Canadian iPhone delayed by trademark dispute?
2007-10-15 09:33:00
Mirroring the premature trademark dispute surrounding the launch of the Cisco iPhone in the US, Apple's Canadian launch of its respective iPhone could be delayed due to a trademark dispute with a product that shares the same name as Apple's gadget. Comwave Telecom in Toronto owns the trademark rights to the name "iPhone" in Canada for use on its VoIP products and services, and has filed a complaint with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office over Apple's application for the trademark rights of the name for its future Canadian version of the iPhone. Sounds like a case of how much Apple is willing to pay, or how long they're willing to delay.
More About: Iphone , Trademark , Dispute , Adia

Clarion unveils colorful double-DIN head units
2007-10-15 09:31:00
Oh sure, we've seen plenty of flashy and sophisticated devices aimed at filling that gaping double-DIN hole in your dash, but how's about a device that 10-year old passengers and suckers for all-things-adorable would also dig? Enter Clarion 's newest duo, which comes in either white (DUB275MP) or black (DUB275MPB; seen after the jump) and actually packs quite a nice feature set considering the lighthearted design. Aside from the CD drive, it also offers up a front-mounted USB port for loading up MP3 / WMA files, customizable accent lights, optional Bluetooth, AM / FM tuner, a 50-watt x 4 amplifier and a cutesy display to boot. Check 'em out later this month for ¥34,650 ($295) apiece.
More About: Double , Colorful , Head , Units

How to build your own UPS
2007-10-15 09:29:00
Whether your end improvement is a functioning office, or a longer game of Unreal, uninterruptible power supplies are an essential part of keeping your kit up and running. In case you were wondering what goes on inside the little -- or, as the case may be, big -- boxes that sit next to power outlets, icrontic has a how-to for constructing your own UPS. If you're not up to the task of constructing your own, then there's also advice about which type of off-the-shelf UPS is for you. Now all you've got to worry about are other, human
More About: Build

NEC shows off cloth antenna: receives OTA, clears nostrils
2007-10-15 09:26:00
We've seen some pretty outrageous looking antennas in our day, but NEC could have a hit on its hands with this newfangled cloth iteration. Granted, details are still hazy, but apparently this device can receive OTA TV signals and double as a handkerchief if you so desire. Reportedly, the firm has lined the cloth triangles with a "special metal" that can pick up broadcasted signals, and it's already thinking about integrating this into tents and other outdoor equipment. Additionally, this could certainly take wearable electronics to a new level if it were woven into one's garb (walking televisions, anyone?), but sadly, there's no word as to when (or if) this technology will hit the mainstream.
More About: Antenna , Cloth

Wal-Mart aims for RFID in every North American store
2007-10-15 09:20:00
Although Wal-Mart is traditionally viewed as a logistics leader and a pioneer in RFID adoption, only 975 of its stores currently utilize the technology. Frustrated by losing sales due to misplaced inventory, the firm is now dead set on rolling out RFID gear into every single North American store, and soon. When complete, over 4,000 locales will be fitted with the equipment, which could net Wally World over $287 million in extra sales by simply having the technology in place to quickly track down wares before a customer heads elsewhere. Of course, it seems but a matter of time before these tags actually make it beyond the crate and onto individual items / shelves, but hey, it's not like you actually expected Wal-Mart to turn away Big Brother, right?
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NoLA promises 3.6Gbps download rates
2007-10-14 16:06:00
In case you're not tired of seeing high-speed promises for 4G networks, along comes yet another from South Korea that could "enable users to download data at 3.6-gigabits per second while moving at 3-kilometers per hour or slower. Dubbed NoLA, which translates out to New Nomadic Local Area Wireless Access, the technology should allow folks to "download a disc full of data in under two seconds." Choi Mun-kee, head of the Daejeon-based institute, stated that NoLA data transmissions far surpass the "international 4G benchmark for slow-moving users," and Minister of Information and Communications Yoo Young-hwan threw in his two pennies by suggesting that it could one day "be applied to home networking and internet protocol TV or IPTV." Now, if only South Korea was closer to America...
More About: Download , Promises , Rates

Truphone demos VoIP for iPhone
2007-09-27 09:26:00
Are you ready to have your brain go flying out of the back of your skull? If you said yes, be prepared to lose your mind... repeatedly. One of the Holy Grails / Seven Wonders of the iPhone World has been loosed upon the Earth today, namely: VoIP. According to a company called Truphone , they have unlocked the secret of IP telephony on the iPhone, and demonstrated said ability today at DEMOfall 07 in San Diego. Executing commands via the Terminal (i.e., on a phone which had been Jailbreak-ed), Truphone CEO James Tagg was able to call another mobile phone using only an IP connection -- all without breaking the SIM lock. According to the company, the software is still in beta, but they soon plan to have a version which will simplify activation, and allow seamless switching between WiFi and SIM use. Clearly, an exciting development for iPhone users, but a cringe-inducing situation for AT&T. Check the video after the break to see it all in action.
More About: Iphone , Voip , Demos

Nickelodeon's three new DMPs
2007-09-27 09:25:00
It's not all just questionably-useful tween gear for Nickel odeon today -- the company is also releasing a line of DMPs that would be pretty tempting if they weren't festooned with giant pictures of The Naked Brothers Band and SpongeBob. The $40 SpongeBob player holds 500 MP3s and goes for 10 hours on the built-in rechargeable battery, while the $50 Fission Digital Music Player comes in SpongeBob and Naked Brothers varieties and features a motion-sensitive remix feature that allows you to tweak your tunes by shaking the player. The cream of the crop, though, is the $100 Fusion Digital Media Player (yeah, no hurried parents are ever going to confuse those names), which rocks a pretty nice QVGA screen with what appears to be fairly smooth video playback, 1GB of internal storage with SD expansion, and a selection of preloaded and downloadable games. Not bad -- except for the terrible, terrible shame. Check 'em all out -- including some hands-on shots -- in the gallery.
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Nickelodeon unveils an array of tween-centric devices
2007-09-27 09:23:00
DigitalLife is all about the tweens today, and Nickel odeon isn't about to be left out in the cold -- the venerable network has paired up with Imation to release an array of brightly-colored gear for the budding young geek. In addition to a line of pretty-decent DAPs, it's a pretty broad array of stuff you'd be mortified to own if you're not 7, including Dora / Diego and SpongeBob-branded cameras in resolutions from VGA to 3.0 megapixels, a Dora the Explorer portable CD player, a SpongeBob 15-inch LCD TV and progressive-scan DVD player, and a whack-SpongeBob-to-snooze alarm clock. The best of the bunch appears to be the $100 7-inch picture frame, however, which has a pretty decent-looking screen. Check it all out -- along with some hands-on shots -- in the gallery
More About: Devices , Array , Ween

Evesham launches Cosmos family of gaming rigs
2007-09-27 09:22:00
Evesham's no stranger to the gaming laptop realm, but the company is lookin' out for the desktopers too with its lineup of Cosmos gaming rigs. The standard Cosmos comes equipped with a 3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 processor, 2GB of Corsair DDR2 RAM, a 500GB SATA drive, NVIDIA's 768MB GeForce 8800 Ultra graphics card, a dual-layer DVD writer and a 24-inch widescreen monitor for good measure. The Elite system ups the ante with a 3GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 CPU, double the RAM, a pair of 500GB HDDs, and twin GeForce 8800 Ultras. Both machines come bundled with a Microsoft wireless keyboard / mouse combo and include a three-year warranty, and while you can certainly customize these things till your credit card cries uncle, they start out at £1,999 ($4,027) and £3,199 ($6,445), respectively.
More About: Family , Gaming , Evesham , Sham

Zipit reveals Z2 Wireless Messenger for IM addicts
2007-09-27 09:20:00
It's been quite some time since we've heard from Zipit, but the company is hitting back with a second version of its trendy Wireless Mess en ger . The Z2 doesn't deviate too far from the original's design, but the keyboard left a lot to be desired during our limited playtime. As expected, this handheld unit works on any WiFi network and supports AOL, Yahoo and MSN IM platforms so users can carry on multiple conversations. Furthermore, you'll find an integrated music player (dubbed MyTunez) that can play back files stored on your miniSD card or tunes streamed from the 'net, and the MyPhotoz feature lets you view photo slideshows, too. For those interested, it'll be available next month for $149.99, and if you hadn't already noticed, a host of hands-on photos are waiting below.
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LaCie rolls out 500GB Ethernet Disk mini Home Edition
2007-09-27 09:13:00
Apparently, releasing one external hard drive with 500GB of storage isn't enough for one week, as LaCie has now introduced its half terabyte Ethernet Disk mini Home Edition Personal Media Server. As with previous iterations, this drive is meant to "save, show, sync and share" your media, and it boasts the ability to "stream multimedia files through DLNA-compatible UPnP media players and act as an iTunes music server." Additionally, users can setup "free remote access to their personal information via LaCie's media portal," and aside from the gigabit Ethernet port and USB 2.0 socket, you'll also find an additional USB jack for backing up data to another external HDD. This one's slated for an October launch and should carry a $199 pricetag.
More About: Mini

Shots of HP's upcoming iPAQs leaked?
2007-09-03 19:05:00
We've already heard plenty about this pair, the new 600 and 900 iPAQ series, but the folks over at MoDaCo look to have uncovered the first, albeit sketchy, pictures of the devices. Labeled the iPAQ 614c and 914c, the two devices line up pretty nicely with the rumors, with the 614c rocking a 2.8-inch QVGA screen in a candybar form factor with Windows Mobile 6 Professional, HSDPA, WiFi and a touch wheel, and even tacking on GPS and a 3 megapixel camera to the already juicy list. The 914c rotates the screen and goes QWERTY, with only 2.5-inches due to the orientation, but the same QVGA resolution and the rest of the 614c's specs. If these facts are legit, HP could be fighting back into the smartphone fray in a pretty big way
More About: Shots , Upcoming , Leaked

Sony's SRS-ZX1 speakers with "Mobius Duct" for mobile thump
2007-09-03 19:03:00
While you won't find us dropping our wad on their new $480 head-mounted, speakers anytime soon, Sony might just tempt us with these. Their SRS-ZX1 speakers feature what Sony calls a new "Mobius Duct" meant to bring a decent, low-frequency response in a relatively portable 3.1 × 6.6 × 7.4-inch package. So it's small, just not that small. This active speaker system with built-in amp gives 20W x 2ch output off 2x analog inputs. Available October 20th in Japan for ¥49,350 or about $426.
More About: Mobile , Speakers , Bile

Narae Inter intros wallet-friendly voice recorder
2007-09-03 19:00:00
It's not too tricky to get your palms around a relatively diminutive voice recorder these days, but finding one this convenient is definitely a rarity. This gem from Narae Inter measures in at just 6.5-millimeters in thickness and shouldn't take up much more room than a few useless credit cards in your wallet. Furthermore, it features 1GB of built-in storage, a flip-out USB connector, and flush-mounted controls to boot. Click on for a closer look.
More About: Voice , Friendly , Recorder , Wallet

JVC's GR-DA20 camcorder boasts sliding LCD monitor
2007-09-03 18:59:00
JVC's latest camcorder isn't apt to make your jaw drop with a sensational list of features, but if you're looking for an innovative way to handle just the basics, this sucka just may do the trick. The GR-DA20 SD camcorder offers up a 1/6-inch 800k pixel CCD sensor, 34x optical zoom, a 16:9 widescreen mode, 3D noise filter, and records onto those tried and true MiniDV tapes. Furthermore, this unit boasts a 2.4-inch color LCD monitor that slides vertically to provide a much wider range of viewing angles for the shooter, and the Digital Color NightScope function makes low-light recording a bit more feasible. Sadly, there's been no mention of a projected price point or release date.
More About: Camcorder , Monitor , Amcor , Corder , Cord

Sony bumps the specs of VAIO F- and C-series laptops
2007-09-03 18:57:00
Not much to tell, but Sony just confirmed the updated specs we've already seen on their 15.4-inch VAIO F-series of laptops with Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, Blu-ray disk drive, and HDMI (a bit too early still for DisplayPort). They've also updated their VAIO C-series (pictured) for the ladies with options for a new T7250 processor and Radeon X2300 graphics. Yup, just seasonal updates to keep 'em fresh and in the news.
More About: Laptops , Series , Vaio , Specs

Solar Bottle solar-powered water purification bottle kills germs dead
2007-09-03 18:54:00
Water purification is generally an energy-intensive, wasteful operation, but designers Alberto Medo and Francisco Gomez Paz have done a neat end-run around those problems with their Solar Bottle , a portable water bottle that purifies water using the sun. The bottle, which holds just over a gallon of water, uses a purification process called SODIS that takes six hours to kill off a whole host of baddies, including Oregon Trail favorites cholera, typhoid and dysentery. Just a concept for now, but the design has been well-received and won several awards, so hopefully someone will step up and take it into production soon.
More About: Water , Dead , Germ

Toshiba's DPF7XSE seven-inch digiframe plays nice with DivX
2007-09-03 18:53:00
Not satisfied with just unleashing a pair of HD DVD players for the European crowd, Toshi ba has now announced a forthcoming digital photo frame for the same set that does a whole lot more than shuffle through old photo albums. The DPF7XSE boasts a seven-inch 800 x 480 resolution panel, dual one-watt stereo speakers, SD / MMC / CF / Memory Stick support, USB 2.0 connectivity, and 256MB of built-in storage space. Most notable, however, is the supported format list, which includes JPEG, MP3, WMA, MPEG4, and DivX. Currently, Tosh hasn't released details surrounding a price for the fall-bound frame, but users picking this one will reportedly find an infrared remote and USB cable bundled in.
More About: Plays , Inch , Nice , Divx

Motorola's RAZR 2 V9m now available on Verizon
2007-08-29 13:19:00
It's August 29th and that can mean only two things: Nokia is about to drop a slew of handsets and the Motorola RAZR 2 V9m just went live on Verizon . As expected, $250 (after online discount and 2 year contract) takes home all the V CAST Music and Video downloading you can handle over EV-DO with microSD expansion, 2 megapixel shooter, and Bluetooth stereo in tow. Yeah, nothing groundbreaking but this is as good as it gets for Moto fans.
More About: Izon , Available

Nokia's N95 finally US bound with HSDPA
2007-08-29 13:17:00
Seriously, did you ever think this day would come? Well it's official, the N95 is heading Stateside on TKTK. That's right, Nokia's "multimedia computer" is finally touting HSDPA on the US-friendly 850MHz and 1900MHz bands. No more trekking to Europe or your "local" Nokia store for a data-excluded, N95 experience. Otherwise, it's still the same GPS lovin' WiFi monster we've ogled for months. Yeah, we can hardly believe it either.
More About: Finally , Bound , Fina , Ally

Nokia's N95 8GB brings more chunk for your junk
2007-08-29 13:16:00
As it so often goes in this business, the adrenaline rush of a good leaked image is quickly followed by the security felt from an official press release. And so it goes... meet the 8GB Nokia N95, all in black and all official. Feels good eh? We're still talking N95 specs -- 2.8-inch display, 5 megapixel camera, WiFi, GPS, microSD, and such -- only now with a hefty slab of hot, hot flash for all your media. Sure, slim is in but we can love a fatty too. Europe-only and ready for action in October. More as this develops, so stay with us.
More About: Junk , Chun

Nokia hands-ons at Engadget Mobile!
2007-08-29 13:13:00
We've had the good fortune to spend some time with several members of Nokia 's just-announced lineup: the N81, the 5310 and 5610 from the XpressMusic series, and the US spec N95. So is an N95 packed with HSDPA 850 / 1900 like the best thing ever? Check it all out over at Engadget Mobile !
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Creative's 16GB Zen gets reviewed
2007-08-29 13:12:00
Creative's Zen -- which comes with 16GB of built-in storage as well as an SD slot for expansion -- may not be a real iPod challenger in the eyes of Apple fanboys and those sold out to the click wheel interface, but for those with vast DivX collections and no real allegiance to another brand name, this new PMP looks to be a winner. In a recent review, the player's support for a variety of formats, decent design, and impressive amount of flash storage were all hailed as major pluses, but the 2.5-inch display isn't exactly large enough for (comfortable) extended movie viewing. Overall, Creative's 16GB Zen managed to garner quite a bit of praise from the folks at Popular Mechanics, but they pretty much mirrored our own sentiments by concluding that "you'd be an absolute idiot to buy the Zen before Apple's September 5th announcement."

LG launches ultrathin USB-powered external DVD burner
2007-08-29 13:10:00
For those not quite ready to take the high-definition plunge, LG is looking to make burning those vanilla DVDs a whole lot easier whilst on the road. The uber-slim GSA-E50N (and LightScribe-equipped GSA-E50L) measure in at just 6.14- x 6.5- x 0.84-inches and weigh 0.84-pounds, come in black or white motifs, and play nice with Windows Vista. Moreover, the unit is powered completely via USB, and can burn DVD+R / RW, DVD-R / RW, and DVD-RAM discs at up to 8x speeds. Both units are slated to hit the streets soon, and while the GSA-E50N will ring up at €89 ($122), the GSA-E50L will demand an extra €10 ($14).
More About: Burner , External , Burn

Creative Zen shows up again, this time officially
2007-08-29 13:08:00
There it is again, the Creative Zen. Yeah, not Zen something, just Zen. Yep, it's the same device with a 2.5-inch flash player with up to 16GB memory and an SD slot (as well as sick codec support, including MP3, WMA, PlaysForSure, AAC, Audible, WMV, DivX, Xvid, etc.), 5 hours of movie playback, FM radio, and PIM features. You saw it all earlier today, but now it's official, so move on with yourself.
More About: Time , Creative Zen , Ally

LG's KS20 ready for the suits with WinMo 6 and HSDPA
2007-08-29 13:06:00
Oi, say 'ello to 12.8-mm thin LG KS20, the 3.2Mbps HSDPA cuz to their KU990 touchscreen hottie. Although the KS20 shares much of the looks of the KU990, they've actually trimmed back the display to 2.8-inches (compared to 3-inches on the KU990) while acing that 5.1 megapixel shooter for a skimpy, business-minded 2 megapixeler all riding atop a Windows Mobile 6.0 OS. Expected Q4 in Europe running on some of that Vodafone carrier action, at least.
More About: Suits , Ready , Suit