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Autobot flash drive probably isn't licensed, doesn't care
2008-02-05 00:00:00
We know how you Transformers aficionados roll -- you'll spend your very last dollar just to ensure your collection stays complete. That being said, we'd probably recommend skipping right over this Autobot 1GB USB flash drive, unless you dig (likely) non-licensed gear cluttering up your pristine heap, that is. If you're still letting your heart cloud your mind, riddle us this: what legitimate piece of Transformers kit requires you to purchase 12?[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
More About: Flash , Flash Drive , Drive , Care

Polymer Vision's Readius e-ink phone coming mid-2008 to Italy
2008-02-05 00:00:00
It seemed obvious back in mid-December of last year that Polymer Vision wasn't going to nail its timetable for production versions of the 3G-equipped, e-ink wonder known as the Readius. Now word is that the company will have a commercial version of the phone / e-book reader available sometime in mid-2008 in Italy via Telecom Italia -- provided that everything goes according to its diabolical plans. If you'll recall, the device features a foldable, grayscale, 5-inch QVGA display, and boasts a slew of features, including HSDPA, a 400MHz ARM CPU, and a battery life up to "six times longer" than current mobile phones.
More About: Phone

Official: Vista SP1 released to manufacturing -- headed your way... in Marc
2008-02-05 00:00:00
We've been hearing rumors all morning that Microsoft would release Vista SP1 this week. Now, according to Reuters, Microsoft has just sent Vista SP1 to manufacturing. In the same presentation to investors, Steve Ballmer said that Microsoft has released Windows Server 2008 to manufacturing as well. However, the server software won't formally launch until February 27th. Now we're just waiting for the SP1 download link and/or Windows Update package. Twiddle, twiddle... ah hell, we'll just update you when we get it -- this could take a few days.Update: Hands off the F5 key kids, Microsoft says SP1 won't be available to customers until Marc h, starting with Microsoft Volume Licensing customers. Server 2008 will be available for purchase on March 1st.
More About: Released , Manufacturing , Official

PSP slim gets super-hackable PSP firmware v1.50?
2008-02-05 00:00:00
PSP hackers will probably be pleased to learn that the next step has supposedly been taken by homebrew hacker Dark_AleX, who claims (with video!) to have the original and most hackable PSP firmware ever, v1.50, running on the new PSP slim hardware. The YouTube clip is posted after the break; take it as you will, but c'mon, it's an eventuality.
More About: Firmware , Super , Slim

Install gOS on the ASUS Eee
2008-02-05 00:00:00
We're not sure that you'd want to do it, but it's nice to know that you can do it. If you're really sick of the native OS that came with your Eee -- or you're trying to feel out what a Cloudbook would be like if you could buy one -- you can now install Everex's Google-centric gOS onto your system with little-to-no effort, simply by following this ten point breakdown. You'll need an external optical drive, a wired internet connection, and probably an hour or so, but once all is said and done, you can break free of Xandros and roll deep with the Ubuntu-based gOS. How the software performs on the miniscule laptop we couldn't say, but at least now you can show your friends how truly unique you are.
More About: Asus

Lenovo selling off cellphone business you never heard of
2008-02-01 00:00:00
Believe it or not Lenovo makes cellphones, too -- they just happen to be crappy ones you probably didn't pay much attention to since they were mostly targeted at the Chinese market. Like many before it, the company is getting out of the absurdly competitive handset market by selling its cellphone group to private equity firm Hony Capital (that's Hony, not Sony) for a cool $100m.
More About: Business , Selling , Cellphone

The BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, now in Verizon Red
2008-02-01 00:00:00
The 8800 series is perhaps the most uptight, business-oriented model currently in RIM's lineup, owing in no small part to the fact that it lacks a camera altogether. Seems a bit strange then to launch the 8830 in a shockingly casual, let-your-hair-down shade of red -- but hey, we're glad they've taken the plunge, and we imagine it'll actually sell quite well against the original silver. Verizon 's red 8830 features the same specs as its blander brother, including GSM / GPRS on the 900 and 1800MHz bands for international roaming and EV-DO for when you're on home turf. Look for it to hit Verizon's online store tomorrow for $299.99 on contract after rebate.
More About: World , Blackberry , Edition

Nokia and Facebook talking partnership?
2008-01-31 00:00:00
It seems talks are in their earliest stages at the moment, but according to mocoNews, Nokia and Facebook reps are mulling a potential partnership, and there has even been whispers of dollars changing hands in the process. Apparently, the deal could involve making the Facebook icon a prominent fixture on Nokia handsets and product displays, and while it's far from confirmed, it could also involve Nokia "purchasing a stake in [Facebook]." An unspecific senior Nokia executive was quoted as saying that there was "talk of a partnership in the works," and he / she continued by stating that it would be "safe to say that [they were] testing the waters." For now, it seems we'll have to wait things out before we know if there's anything more than friendly chatter going on, but don't be shocked if Nokia suddenly drops a few stacks o' bills to get what it wants.
More About: Talking

Nikon's Coolpix L18 for 8 megapixel point and shooting
2008-01-30 00:00:00
Last up for Nikon this morning is their L18 compact point and shoot camera. Pretty decent, but standard specs here: 8 megapixel sensor, 3x Zoom-NIKKOR lens, 3.0-inch LCD, anti-shake AE (adjusts shutter speeds and ISO), face detection, and automatic red-eye correction. It also boasts a "TV quality" movie mode which we're assuming means VGA. Available this March for $140 in ruby red or navy blue.
More About: Shooting , Point , Coolpix , Megapixel

Windows 7 isn't headed for 2009, says Microsoft. More like 2011.
2008-01-30 00:00:00
Hey, it's not Microsoft 's fault that 2011 sounds like the realm of jet pack VR massage cars, but it's certainly a long ways away any way you slice it. Contrary to previous rumors of Microsoft planning a Windows 7 release sometime in 2009, Microsoft has apparently gotten in touch with WinVistaClub and set the record straight: Windows 7 is in "planning stages," and development will take approximately three years. Microsoft wouldn't comment on that supposed leak we spotted last week, and of course denied any implications that development was being accelerated to make up for Vista shortcomings. We can't help but wonder how different the OS landscape will look three years from now, with Linux rapidly reaching feature and usability parity, while Apple plugs away at OS X and cloud computing lands everywhere, but we're sure Vista SP1 won't be the last bid Microsoft makes at this generation.[Via The Inquirer]

Palm Centro coming to T-Mobile, too?
2008-01-30 00:00:00
An AT&T-branded Palm Centro pretty much seems like a foregone conclusion at this point, but what about that other GSM carrier over there? Yep, the latest rumor has Palm's smallest, cheapest handset heading over to T-Mobile at some point, owing to some giggling (no, seriously) by Palm's CFO when asked about the prospects. The move would make some sense considering that Sprint and Palm are both pleased as punch with the Centro's brisk sales and the fact that Sprint's period of exclusivity is drawing to a close. Interestingly, it also sounds like any possibility of a Verizon Centro is in jeopardy following the 755p delay debacle. Drama![Via Everything Centro]
More About: T-Mobile , T Mobile

HP Slips Intel's Penryn Processor into Consumer Laptops
2008-01-28 00:00:00
HP has quietly rolled out the latest Intel mobile processor family, code named Penryn , into their Pavilion dv2700t, Pavilion dv6700t and Pavilion dv9700t consumer targeted notebooks. If you visit HPShopping.com now and go to the configuration screen you will get an option for selecting an Intel T9300 2.50GHz Core 2 Duo processor.  The T9300 comes from the latest Core 2 Duo line of Penryn processors and offers a larger 6MB L2 cache and about a 10% performance boost over the equivalent Santa Rosa processor.  HP is one of the first major vendors to offer Intel's Penryn in a mainstream non-gaming notebook, Dell is notably absent from having Penryn available in any of its laptops at the moment. The cost of the upgrade to the highest-end processor (2.50GHz Penryn) is $225 at the moment on HP's site. So is the price worth it?  It depends on your needs, but for most people this is too much power for too high a cost, wait a few weeks and there should be m...
More About: Laptops , Processor , Consumer

Crowd-monitoring humanoid helps lost mall patrons, likely freaks them out
2008-01-28 00:00:00
We've witnessed our fair share of Robovies, and let's just say we've a healthy fear of 'em. That being said, we're fairly certain we'd come darn close to fainting or reacting violently should the creature pictured above approach us while shopping ever. Nevertheless, this humanoid is apparently allowed to run amok at Universal Citywalk Osaka as the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute tests out its ability to interpret signals from cameras, sensors and RFID readers and determine which patrons are thoroughly lost. When it recognizes a stumped individual, it wheels over, confirms their state of confusion and politely offers directions to their destination of choice. Still, tell us you could seriously look down at those eyes and not completely forget where you were trying to go -- we triple-dog dare you.[Via Tech Digest]
More About: Lost , Mall , Freaks , Monitoring , Crowd

MacBook Air review
2008-01-27 00:00:00
It fits in a manila folder, you can slide it under a door, and if you threw it hard enough you could probably chop someone in half with the thing. It's the thinnest, and if we may say so, sexiest laptop around today: the MacBook Air. But looks aren't everything to everyone, and despite all the rhetoric about being a no-compromises ultraportable, Apple did leave plenty on the cutting-room floor in its quest to make an absurdly thin ultraportable that doesn't skimp on a full size keyboard or roomier 13-inch display. But, as many potential buyers have been asking themselves since last week, is the Air right to be your next machine? Read on, we'll tell you what we think.HardwareIt's hard to take lightly (har) the purposeful design that went into the Air, it's simply and without a doubt the most beautiful laptop we've seen in a while. Sure, there have been thinner, lighter laptops that take up fewer cubic centimeters -- but that's not really on trial. The goal of the Air was clea...
More About: Review , Macbook , Macbook Air

Everex's Cloudbook postponed for "tweaks"
2008-01-27 00:00:00
Remember how we told you Everex's little gOS-sporting Cloudbook was headed to Wal-Mart this month (today, to be specific)? Well hold your check book, friend-o -- they ain't done with it. According to the company's director of marketing, Paul Kim, the system requires, "A couple of last minute software tweaks," before it's ready for prime-time. There's no word on when it will make an appearance, though we're inclined to think this won't be a major delay... but you never know. Should shipments alight, we'll be the first to share the good news.

Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism - Sexy Just Got Sexier
2008-01-27 00:00:00
Nokia Collaborates with Creative Designer Frédérique Daubal on new Special Edition Phone New Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism combines the creative talents of Frédérique Daubal with Nokia’s expert, technical edge  Espoo, Finland – Nokia has teamed up with graphic and fashion designer Frédérique Daubal to collaborate on a brand new special edition design that will allow trend setters to extend style and individuality beyond their wardrobes to their mobile phones. The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism graphic design was created exclusively by Daubal whose signature illustrations have gained attention from the fashion world – culminating in collaborations between some of its finest names. Daubal’s graphic designs on the illustrated aluminium back covers have also been an inspiration for the spellbinding wallpapers in the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism. The covers have been etched with laser technology making the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism ...
More About: Nokia , Sexy

How would you change Dell's XPS One?
2008-01-27 00:00:00
Back in October of last year, we all wondered just what impact Dell's leaked XPS One would really have on the all-in-one PC, nay, computer market, and truth be told, we're still waiting for something definitive. Sure, the first press shots were emanating with all kinds of sexy (for a Dell), and this thing was teased more than any single hunk of plastic and metal ever should be, but it still maintained a certain aura that kept people anxious for release day. Shortly after going on sale in mid-November, reviewers from all walks of life managed to fall innocently in love with Round Rock's latest, but as with most other XPS machines, we're fairly certain the discerning crowd that this piece is aimed at will find plenty of reasons to nitpick room for improvement.If you were given a round-trip ticket to Texas with keys to the XPS One's design laboratory, what would be your first (and second, and third...) order of business? Are you honestly satisfied with the graphics performance? Is...
More About: Change

Sony's David Reeves says PS3 victory in sight
2008-01-27 00:00:00
Apparently Sony has decided to start both hangin' tough and unleashing the fury in the console wars, at least in Europe. According to SCEE president, CEO, and player-hater David Reeves, 2008 will be the year that the PlayStation 3 takes the gloves off and makes a nasty dent in the UK games market, amongst others. While not specifying official sales numbers for the machine, Reeves stated that the company has sold over a million systems in December across PAL territories, and went on to say that in some markets like Switzerland and France, the PS3's installed base outnumbers the Xbox 360's. Of course, it's easy to find small victories like monthly sales figures, but Sony's really going to have to break out the BFGs if it wants to tackle the big boys.[Via Pocket-lint]
More About: Victory , Sight

MacBook Air reviews in from Apple's starting lineup
2008-01-24 00:00:00
We're still on waiting for the official 20,000 word review from John Mayer before we make our final decision, but tech journo heavyweights from USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Newsweek (with Pogue of the New York Times notably absent) have had their MacBook Airs for about a week now, and true to form are espousing some opinion on the slab of metal. Turns out there are few surprises, and you could probably draw the same conclusions from reading the spec sheets and drooling over the press shots like the rest of us losers. Battery life could be the biggest trouble point, with a couple guys rating it around 3.5 hours with heavy use, and even less when watching a movie on iTunes -- Apple's five hour prediction seems a bit optimistic. Nobody's thrilled about the stuff Apple cut out to get the size down, but it's hard for these guys to poo poo Apple's decisions outright (Levy's comparison to circumcision is downright uncomfortable, to say the least) since there's an undeniable se...
More About: Reviews , Macbook , Lineup , Macbook Air

Sony's 17-inch VAIO AR with Blu-ray meets Penryn
2008-01-24 00:00:00
Check it Blu-ray on-the-go fans. Sony just gave the Penryn bump to their VAIO AR series of media laptops. Sweet, powerful, 2.5GHz of cool running, long lasting, Core 2 Duo T9300 processing and 512MB of NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT graphics now at the heart of this 17-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution lappie. Your $3,300 pre-order should be greeted by a Jan 29th ship date if you're lucky
More About: Vaio , Inch

Apple halving iPhone projections for quarter?
2008-01-24 00:00:00
Take this for what it's worth. After all, DigiTimes' rumor record has been piss-poor of late. Nevertheless, the widely quoted Taiwanese-tattle rag says that projected iPhone shipments have been reduced from 2 million units to "around 1 - 1.2 million" for the current quarter ending March 2008. This according to Economic Daily News (EDN) sources at component suppliers. Nevertheless, Apple 's own CFO and COO team said on Tuesday that Apple "remains very confident" that they will ship 10 million handsets by the end of 2008 as originally stated -- even while projecting a very low (even for Apple) EPS for the March quarter. So who ya going to believe?
More About: Iphone , Quarter , Alvin

Sharp's 46/42/37-inch AQUOS X series grabs world's thinnest title
2008-01-24 00:00:00
In an odd yet titillating contest to offer the world's thinnest TV, Sharp just took gold. Their 34.4-mm (1.35-inch) thin LCDs comes in 46-, 42-, and 37-inch models. These lookers aren't just skinny though, they're dense as a product waif too. Each comes stuffed with a 120MHz panel offering a 15,000:1 dynamic contrast, 450 cd/m2 brightness, and 12-bit BDE color value rendering for smooth image quality. Add to it a 1-bit digital amplifier, 3-way 8-speaker system, and a vast suite of jacks including 3x 1080p HDMI 1.3a inputs, DVI for your PC, Ethernet, and Firewire and you'll seriously consider setting aside the dough for a new set when these hit Japan in March. How much? Nothing announced... but does it matter?
More About: Series , Title , Inch , Aquos

Goldstriker lavishes KRZR with Swarovski crystals, platinum
2008-01-24 00:00:00
Just on the off chance your KRZR is starting to look a bit too yesterday, Goldstriker can help rejuvenate it with a dash of crystal and a splash of platinum. Pricing is apparently set at $1,200 for this 336-gem-coated handset -- at roughly $3 a crystal, it'd be a deal at twice the price. Release date is tba but we're sure if you're willing to throw that kind of bread at a glitzy handset, Goldstriker might just put its foot down to get it to you tout de suite.[Via PhoneArena]
More About: Platinum , Swarovski

Dell's XPS M1330 with Ubuntu pre-load in Germany, only
2008-01-24 00:00:00
Whoa Dell, what's this? An exclusive, XPS M1330 in Germany sporting an Ubuntu 7.10 pre-load with full DVD and webcam support? Where's the Stateside love, yo?
More About: Load

Nokia's 1209 and 2600 classic, simple and super cheap
2008-01-24 00:00:00
Doesn't seem like that long ago that Nokia totally juiced its low-end offerings, but the world of inexpensive ear candy moves just as quickly as the rest of the market -- if not quicker -- and so the fleet is getting rejuvenated just a tad. The 1209 (pictured left) is naturally the lower end of the pair, a phone that Nokia has specifically designed for the concept of "phone sharing" that is largely unique to emerging markets; special features include extra cost tracking apps and separate phonebooks for up to five users. The more interesting of the two is the 2600 classic, featuring interchangeable Xpress-on (wow, it's been a while since we've heard that word) covers, support for MP3 ringtones, a VGA cam, and integrated FM radio. Look for the 1209 to start shipping next quarter for a mere €35 (about $51) while the 2600 classic has already kicked off deliveries for €65 (about $95).
More About: Super , Classic , Simple , Cheap

FlipStart pricing dropped to $699
2008-01-22 00:00:00
The price of the FlipStart ultraportable PC has been dropped from $1,500 to $699, making it a competitor to the Asus Eee PC and the Everex Cloudbook. There are rumors that a v2 of the FlipStart is coming out soon, so that could be the reason for the price drop. Product Page (Dynamism.com)

Nokia N95 8GB becomes world's first DLNA certified phone
2008-01-22 00:00:00
The Digital Living Network Alliance, long a territory of receivers, televisions, and other things that you don't put in your pocket, has taken the bold step of certifying Nokia 's N95 8GB as a compliant Mobile Digital Media Server. What does that mean in practical terms? Well, Nokia clearly regards the N95 8GB as a multimedia powerhouse, and DLNA certification guarantees that the handset is going to be more than happy to serve up music, pics, and videos to other devices around the home. Nokia touts that it's an "active member" of the DLNA, so we'd be surprised if this was the last Nseries device to get blessed with the alliance's stamp of approval, too.
More About: Phone , Nokia N95 , Certified , Cert

Dell now #1 in US sales, beats out HP
2008-01-22 00:00:00
Although HP is still the world's larget PC maker, Dell has overtaken HP in the US computer sales according to recent sales statistics for Q4. Texas-based Dell shipped 5.5 million units in Q4, a 15.2% increase compared to the same period last year and a 29.6% increase in market share. HP in comparison shipped 4.5 million units. Dell's comeback has a lot to do with its move into retail stores, including Best Buy. Read More (PCWorld.com)
More About: Sales , Beats

Eee PC with all the hacks, but can it ever learn to love?
2008-01-22 00:00:00
There are plenty of hacks out there for the Asus Eee PC, but now someone has brought it all together in a glorious amalgam of hackery. This here exposed, but proud, Eee holds within it add-ons for GPS, Bluetooth, 802.11n, FM transmitting and SDHC card reading, plus a modem, USB hub and 2GB of RAM just for good measure. Total cost of the upgrades is $454.38, so this is clearly a labor of love -- too bad all the radios in the world could never teach this little 7-inch beauty the joys of human emotion.[Via Digg]
More About: Hacks , Love , Learn

Panasonic's Lumix LS80: the most exciting digital camera ever
2008-01-22 00:00:00
We know how difficult it will be not to get your shorts twisted over Panasonic's latest digital camera offering, the Lumix LS80, but please try. When a product is marked by such breathtaking features as 8.1-megapixel resolution, 4 x zoom, "MEGA O.I.S." image stabilization, ISO up to 1600, SDHC card support, and 16:9 recording modes, it's easy to get carried away -- though we suggest simple breathing exercises to keep your pulse in check. The new model is available in stylish black, pink, or silver, no word on price or release date, so just keep your heart medication nearby.
More About: Digital Camera , Camera , Digital