Wireless Outdoor Monophonic One-Speaker System

Wireless speakers are nothing new, but this pair takes things further by being designed for outdoor use. The Wireless Outdoor Monophonic One-Speaker System with 2.4GHz Transmitter for iPod and MP3 from Sharper Image boasts a 50 meter operating range and consists of a single weather-resistant wireless speaker that can be upgraded to “stereo” using an auxiliary speaker (which must be ordered separately, unfortunately). well at least you know you can entertain your guests at the next garden BBQ with this $199.95 device. It is compatible with your iPod, MP3, CD player, and other devices that use a compatible AUX IN jack.

Source: www.coolest-gadgets.com

iShoes, Skatemaster skateboard offer remote-controlled laziness

Those looking to head outdoors with minimal exertion now have another pair of motorized options to accommodate their lazy ways, with the recently introduced iShoes and Skatemaster skateboard each promising to propel you along at the push of a button. Only the Skatemaster is actually available to order at the moment, however, with it promising a top speed of 11 mph and a range of 6-7 miles. It'll set you back £139.99 for the small model and £144.99 for a slightly larger version. The iShoes, on the other hand, boast a slightly risky top speed of 15 mph, and should carry your 5 to 7 miles before needing a recharge. While you can't get your hands on 'em just yet, the developer is apparently "getting them ready for sale," although there's no word on what they'll cost or exactly when they'll be available.

Skatemaster Electric Skateboard [Via Red Ferret]

iShoes [Via Green Daily]

adNav Boomerang, the ad-based GPS "conceirge"

With your average non-connected GPS unit costing hundreds, we can easily get behind the idea of an ad-subsidized navigation hardware company that hooks its users up with heavily discounted (and possibly eventually free) GPS devices own or borrow (like, say, from a rental car agency). And that seems to be the angle adNav is after with their new supposedly forthcoming Boomerang GPS device, intended to be a cheap alternative to the other guys, even incorporating some less frequently used features in the GPS world, like WiFi and cellular data to browse the web or collect data (read: ads), and other connected travel utilities (translation, weather, flight tracking, etc.). Will adNav actually begin trials in San Francisco next month, as claimed? We'll let you know.

Source: www.engadget.com

Videos from PC to TV with a simple drag and drop

Well, it takes just a tad more than that. But thanks to SanDisk’s TakeTV, video fans can now download their favorite DivX, Xvid, and MPEG4 videos from the web and watch them on TV simply by dragging them onto a USB drive and then plugging the drive into the PC via this special gadget. There’s no encoding, no authoring or burning to DVD, no networking. Just a simple drag and drop. The TakeTV does this thanks to the video-out docking station, which translates the PC video format into a signal the TV can read. The TakeTV docking station accepts the USB drive an, like a palm sized DVD player, sends the TV signal via the composite, S-video, stereo audio outputs. The Take TV couldn’t be simpler.

Source: www.coolest-gadgets.com

SanDisk's Sansa View gets unboxed

Barely a month after getting reintroduced, the 16GB SanDisk Sansa View has been acquired, unboxed and lovingly photographed for your viewing pleasure. No real surprises here (well, aside from the Best Buy logos scattered about), but inside you'll apparently find a stash of paperwork, the player itself, a USB cable, earbuds and an Installation CD. For a closer look at what's waiting within, be sure and hit the read link.
[Thanks, Randall B.]

www.engadget.com

NASA's third Space Elevator challenge falls short

The third time 'round hasn't brought any luck to the space elevator crowd. The NASA-sponsored challenge is in its third year of running, and while technology is improving at a rapid rate, it's still not quite ready to meet the Space Elevator challenge's demands. Speed requirements have been boosted to 2 meters per second, and this year's contest seems have gone off without the geeky rule disputes of last year. The University of Saskatchewan came closest to claiming the prize with its ground laser-powered bot, and only fell a few seconds short of the required speed. Hopefully next year will see a winner, and we'll all get our shot at being fried by ionizing radiation before the century is up.

Source: www.engadget.com

CTT-Net intros TouchSense-enabled navigation systems

It's been a while since we last heard about Immersion's TouchSense technology for LCDs, but it looks like the tactile feedback technology has now managed to squeeze itself into one of its biggest potential markets, with CTT-Net now introducing a pair of TouchSense-enabled GPS units. Aimed squarely at the Korean market, the CSN-7040 and CIN-7000 models each boasts 7-inch touch screens, and support for DMB mobile TV, along with the usual array of GPS and PMP features. But, of course, the real selling point is that tactile feedback, which Immersion says will "minimize driver distraction" by reducing the time spent glancing over at the unit. No word on pricing or availability just yet, it seems, or any word of the technology making into GPS units outside of Korea, though we're guessing Immersion is far from giving up on that last point.

Source: www.engadget.com

The Ferrari Segway: 0 to arcane in 60 seconds

Believe it or not there it is, the Ferrari-branded Segway. It's not any faster than the regular PT i2 and certainly won't help to convince the authorities to repeal any sidewalk-safety laws. It is red, however, and features a conspicuous Cavallino Rampante badge for all your subordinates to see. All yours Mr. PoloPants for just €8,429 or $12,000.

[Via Sybarites, thanks RV]

New Acme Laptop a gamer’s dream

Hold onto your hats. The new Acme LPG370TS lunchbox computer comes with three 17-inch high-res LCD screens into it’s portable briefcase style computer. Under the hood is an Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Dual nVidia 8800GTX cards in SLI mode, 8 channel audio, Firewire 400 and USB connections, and a Dual Gigabit LAN. WOW. That’s some serious portable gaming power. Especially if you’re a digital fighter jock looking to shoot down some bad guys in cyberspace.

Source: www.coolest-gadgets.com

Nokia announces N810

The Internet tablet idea was pretty groovy when it was introduced in the form of Nokia’s 770 Internet tablet a couple of years ago - after all, having a device that surfs the Web wirelessly while supporting email, Internet radio, an RSS news reader, an image viewer and media playback capability certainly sounds like a dream. Fast forward a couple of years later, you would probably think that such a device is actually a cellphone, hence doing away with the need for something like the Nokia 770. Or is it? Apparently Nokia thinks otherwise, releasing the N810 Internet tablet that essentially does the same thing as before, save for updated hardware to keep up with the times. It seems that the target market are casual Internet users who want to browse the Web while commercials are being shown, or for those who need to check their email without having to lug around a laptop wherever they go. More on the Nokia N810 after the jump.

Source: www.coolest-gadgets.com

Walkstation gives you a workout

Not at a gym, mind you, but at work itself. This standing height desk is hooked up to a treadmill, helping you burn up additional calories while you’re trying to be productive for your boss. One thing’s for sure - either sweat absorbing and fast drying business suits will be all the rage in the upcoming fashion season, or most people will go to work in the gym attire should the Walkstation actually catch on big time. My guess is neither, as only a select few will take advantage of this unique multi-tasking office furniture. It will retail for $6,500 when released - and unless you use it regularly instead of going to the gym, you probably won’t see a very positive ROI on this one.

Source: Crave

RESCUE Project to help emergency personnel

The Responding to Crises and Unexpected Events (RESCUE) Project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and aims to improve response to disasters and emergencies while keeping injuries to a minimum, with the ultimate goal to prevent any loss of life. I must say the suit the person is wearing looks rather spiffy as though he stepped out from some sort of Star Trek convention, and chances are everything will need to be waterproof just in case rescue work needs to be carried out when it is raining. Gotta love the wearable keyboard on his right hand. Further details from the press release are available after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Boblee Solar protects and charges iPod

Just in case you were wondering what the optimal iPod case would look like, perhaps the Boblbee Solar fits the bill. You not only get protection against knocks and scratches (with it being shockproof), it is also waterproof, letting you listen to your favorite tunes even when its raining (although I’d advise against that since you never know when lightning might strike). Built-in solar panels also help convert solar energy into power that can be used to charge your iPod.
There is currently no word on pricing or availability.
Source: Gizmodo

Sun Jar

Have you ever dreamed to touch and hold the sun in your own hands? Even this weird dream can come true with the spectacular gadget designed by Tobias Wong the "Sun Jar".

It looks absolutely as a jam jar but the secret is inside. The sun effect can be obtained by sitting the jar on the windowsill during the day time. When it gets dark the sun from the jar automatically turns itself on and glows with the day’s sunshine.



Features
• Powered by the sun, glows orange.
• On/off switch - auto light-sensitive.
• Requires sunshine and a solar cell battery (included).
• Size: 16 x 10 x 10cm.
www.Gadgets-reviews.com

Talking beer glasses

One of the most helpful gadgets of this year must be considered the Talking Beer Glass. Why?
Remember yourself watching the Yankee's semifinal, when the tension is very strong? You lift your glass of beer for a sip, and you understand there is no beer left.

You must be thinking you wish you had a talking beer glass and VOILA... The talking beer glass is available now, and you will never ever again run out of beer. The glass is based on a volume sensor, and as your beer volume falls down you will hear the words “Your beer is running dangerously low”, “Refill immediately –danger of sobering out” and after all “Cheers”.

So don’t ever let your friend and yourself miss the last minutes of the game, while looking for another bottle beer in your fridge, buy the magical talking beer glass.

www.Gadgets-reviews.com

Barking Mad Dog Game

Can you steal his bones without waking the dog? Probably not the coolest of games out there but it beats the like of Buckaroo (then again most games do).

The thing is this particular pooch is of the aggressive, ‘almost bite your hand off if you so much as breathe near it’ variety. And almost bite your hand off he will, because if you make a dog’s dinner of retrieving the bones, the sleepy hound will wake in an instant, lurch forward and growl. Rrrargh!

Don’t Wake The Dog is available from Firefox for £14.95.

Axxen unveils Pleigo X3 MP4 player

Looking for a new MP4 player? Axxen has recently released one, namely the Pleigo X3 at KES 2007. This MP4 player does not come with any USB connector cap since it slides out using a mechanism, ensuring you won’t have to worry about losing that cap whenever you transfer files to and from it. Features include a 65k color OLED display, a 5-band equalizer, a lithium polymer battery that lasts up to 8 hours of playback, and compatibility with MPEG 1,2,3, ASF, JPEG, AVI, and WMA formats. the Pleigo X3 measures 77mm x 25mm x 9.8mm and weighs 25 grams. It will be available in capacities of 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB. Pricing details have yet to be determined.

Source: AVing

Sol Shaver Solar Razor

Ever gone off to the woods for a week and forgotten to bring a shaver with you? Chances are when you’re back home, your wife will probably think there’s a grizzly bear knocking on her front door, wearing her husband’s clothes instead. The Sol Shaver Solar Razor is the tool for you then, since it can be powered by the sun while offering a traditional electric razor cut. If you’re interested in picking one up, be prepared to fork out $61 for it.

www.coolest-gadgets.com

Will McDonalds force Starbucks to offer free wireless?

That’s Computer World’s prediction, anyway. The popular PC magazine states that the pay for wireless hotspot plan is stale and saving marketing departments competing for your money will offer wireless for free to get you in to buy their products. The longer you stay, the more you buy. McDonalds is known to offer such an inticement, and now it may look like Starbucks will … or should as well.

The prediction comes on the heals of Starbucks/Apple’s iTunes wireless store which allows users to download music they hear streaming in the any one of the 13,000 plus coffee houses. While users have to pay for the music download, the wireless access is free. So why not extend that with other revenue streams as well?

But the real issue is competition with McDonalds. The Golden Arches has recently added high quality coffee to it’s menu (that’s been rated better that Starbucks, mind you), and at least in Great Britain, the wireless connectivity is free. So why not come for the coffee and free wireless and stay for the Big Mac? Starbucks has answered the call by expanding their breakfast menu with egg sandwiches that look very McMuffin like.

In the end, it makes sense. During the depression, movie theaters had “dish night,” which they gave away free dishes with the purchase of a movie ticket. People build up entire place settings by going to the movies. When I was in college, it wasn’t uncommon to go into an all night diner for coffee and conversation, and leave after eating breakfast in the morning.

Whatever it takes to get em in the doors, that’s what Starbucks should be doing. And free bandwidth is a great way to entice them. Especially the caffeine addicted.

www.coolest-gadgets.com

Lilly House blooms right on time

The Lilly House is one interesting concept as it will be able to bloom in the same manner as a flower within 90 seconds. That’s pretty innovative, and I’d assume it will be able to close up within the same time frame as well. Best to equip this house with some sort of weather predicting device so that it can close before your expensive furniture gets wet.

With the push of a button, the house opens in 90 seconds like a flower and transforms from a compact container into a fully furnished and functional space with a kitchen, dining room, bathroom, bedroom, living room and library. All materials used in the Biennale house were recyclable or recycled.

If you’re interested in checking the Lilly House out, it will be located in Columbus Circle (NYC) from November 28 to December 29.

www.coolest-gadgets.com

RoboRaptor, the Robot Dinosaur

RoboRaptor, not only the hottest toy this Christmas, but winner of numerous "Toy of the Year" awards, can be controlled either with the included wireless remote, or he can roam free in autonomous mode. Multiple sensors in the 32" dinosaur let him react to sound, movement, and touch.

www.thegadgetbox.com

Computer-Controlled Stargazer's Chair

www.thegadgetbox.com

Do like watching the stars? Sure you do. What if you could do it from a reclining motorized chair that lets you smoothly rotate a full 360 degrees to find and track whatever it is you want to look at.

A built-in green laser pointer helps you find what you're looking for.

Sit on it and rotate.

Aero-Garden Kit

This is the perfect gift for cooks or gardeners or yourself, no green thumb required. It's a counter-top herb garden, with the perfect balance of organic nutrients, oxygen, lighting and automation technology. No messy soil is needed. It comes complete with everything including seed pods and nutrients.

Fujitsu Launches Budget LifeBook V1010 Notebook

Intel processors, ample storage, and a DVD writer starting at $799.

Today, Fujitsu announced the availability of the Fujitsu LifeBook V1010 notebook, a wallet-friendly budget system designed for price-conscious markets such as the home office, small business, and education sectors.

Starting at $799, the Fujitsu LifeBook V1010 features a 15.4-inch widescreen display (with Crystal View technology), 120GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, a dual-layer DVD burner, spill-resistant keyboard, Intel Pentium Dual Core T2130 processor, and a choice of Windows Vista Business or XP Professional operating systems. For $899, the V1010 comes packaged with Vista Business, an Intel Core 2 Duo T5200 processor, and 2GB of RAM.

The Fujitsu LifeBook V1010 is available for purchase now.
www.laptopmag.com

Price: Starting at $799

Toshiba Launches Satellite Pro A200 and A210 series

A choice of AMD or Intel processors, ample storage, and a DVD writer starting at $699.

If you're on the hunt for a business machine that won't break the bank, Toshiba's latest offerings may be to your liking. Today Toshiba launched the Satellite Pro A200 and the Satellite Pro A210 series, part of a new line of wallet-friendly notebooks for mobile professionals.

Ranging from $99 to $699, the new systems provide business essentials at reasonable prices. For optimal performance, Toshiba recommends outfitting the A200-EZ2204X with Windows XP Professional, a 2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, a DVD SuperMulti drive, and 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi for $999. The recommended configuration for the A210-EZ2203X is a 2-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-60 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, a DVD SuperMulti drive, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Windows XP Pro running under the hood for $899. Both models are Onyx Blue, measure 15.4 inches, and feature TruBrite technology for improved visuals and ConfigFree technology to help users connect to wired and wireless networks.

The Toshiba Satellite Pro A200 and A210 series are available purchase for right now.

Price: Starting at $699
Info: www.toshibadirect.com

USB mini Fridge new cool USB gadget

The USB Mini Fridge cools your drinks from 5V USB power. It works with PC, Mac, X360, PS2, PS3.

The USB Fridge is very chic but it can’t be used with larger cans (more than 12oz).

This gadget can be yours for US$33.00 from Usb.Brando.com.hk.

CastGrabber™ - Automatically Download Podcasts without a PC

If you’re a fan of Podcasts then CastGrabber might just make your life a little easier. The concept behind CastGrabber is pretty simple, you tell it which Podcasts you want to listen and when new ones become available it will automatically download them to your MP3 player, what makes this different to software solutions is it doesn’t require a PC.

From: www.coolest-gadgets.com

Kenwood Response Kettle - Changes Color as it Boils

It may not be as cool as the SMS kettle but Kenwood have announced their new Response Kettle which has 2 features for us gadget lovers.

Firstly you can visually see at what stage of the boiling process the kettle is at, the light inside the kettle changes from blue to red as the water heats. It also has an 80 degrees mode, so instead of boiling the water it heats it to a suitable temperature for other hot drinks, this would work well for me as I always have my coffee black so end up boiling the kettle and adding cold water to my black coffee, not the most green of things to do.

You can see the full press release on the Kenwood site, found via Chip Chick.

From: www.coolest-gadgets.com

SunCalc - Measure the best spot for plants

I’m not much of a gardener but if I was this is the gadget I’d need to tell me where to plant things, the SunCalc.

And stop killing valuable plants by planting them in the wrong location with this clever sunlight calculator that measures accumulated light at a specific location in your yard. Just set the digital calculator into a pot and “plant” it in your garden. 24 hours later, indicator lets you know whether that plant location is full sun, partly sunny, partly shady or full shade so you can match specific plant light requirements to that location and maximize your plant’s potential.

The Sun Calculator is available from Computer Gear for $29.99, though why a computer shop sells a gardening gadget I have no idea.

From: www.coolest-gadgets.com

JVC storms back with KV-PX701 / KV-PX501 navigators

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.

From: www.engadget.com

LG's XNOTE R200 with SideShow out in Korea

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?

From: www.engadget.com

Zune hits new low: $100 cash money

It's the first gen Zune, (again) on Woot (read: limited stock), refurb, $5 shipping, your choice of colors, and just a Benjamin.
And with that refreshing new firmware we think it's quite the steal. Potential Zune buyers: what, exactly, are you waiting for?

From: www.engadget.com

Nokia's N95 8GB released with a Spider-Man 3 surprise

Nokia's N95 8GB super-chunk is out for global(ish) distribution today. N95 fans can now take home the larger storage and slightly bigger 2.8-inch (240 x 320) display in addition to the HSDPA, WiFi, A-GPS, and 5 megapixel camera already found in Nokia's existing flagship "multimedia computer." To celebrate the launch, Nokia is pre-loading Spider-Man 3 for Europe and select Middle Eastern and Africa countries. The tie-in? Wait for it... "The Movie sees Spider-Man's suit turn jet-black and enhance his powers and, in its latest incarnation, the Nokia N95 has undergone a similar transformation to emerge as the Nokia N95 8GB." Riiight. Hitting retail today for €560 (about $794) pre-tax and pre-carrier subsidy.

Read -- N95 8GB says "Ship Me!"
Read -- Spiderman 3 bundle

From: www.engadget.com

Intel designing processor for OLPC, other low-cost laptops

We already knew that Intel and OLPC had officially shook hands and agreed to work with one another in some elusive fashion, and now things are becoming a touch clearer. Reportedly, the chip maker will be designing a "new architecture specifically for the ultra-low cost laptop category," and if all goes as planned, it'll unveil the OLPC-ready CPU at next year's Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai.
Apparently, Intel even looked into modifying current mobile chips rather than starting from scratch, but according to Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the mobile platforms group at Intel, the "small size, low cost and low power consumption required by the OLPC laptop made it unique enough to require a new architecture." The new microprocessors should be uncovered on April 2-3, 2008.

From: www.engadget.com

The best back-to-school tech package

HP Pavilion dv6327cl Laptop

$778, Wal-Mart

HP's laptop has a powerful processor and big storage at a good value.

Start with a 15.4-inch display - now basically a standard in laptops - and a speedy 1.6GHz AMD chip that can handle the most processor-intensive spreadsheet thrown its way.

The computer has HP's QuickPlay software for watching DVDs or TV, or listening to music with a simple interface. It's a computer designed for academics and entertainment. It also comes with a wireless networking card and Altec Lansing speakers.

Solar Powered Courtesy Light

October 13th, 2007 by Edwin in Garden Gadgets, Electronic Gadgets, Home Gadgets

For those who always wanted to light up their garden at night but do not have the budget for it, here’s a practical solution that doesn’t require you to fork out extra dough for your monthly power bill. The Solar-powered Courtesy Light will harness all the energy required to function from sunlight alone, which means there aren’t any pesky wiring to contend with as well.

Whether it’s a welcoming light for guests, a security light for you or a practical light to lead the way and help you find your keys, our Solar Sensor Light delivers a fantastic solution. The Solar Sensor Light turns on automatically when motion is detected and off after 1 minute. And the best bit? Its battery is powered solely by sunlight, so no wires are required, making it ideal for emergency use as you can rely on this practical chap all year round.

This home improvement device retails for £24.95 from Gizoo.

55-ASUS W5Fe Sideshow NoteBook

55-ASUS W5Fe Sideshow NoteBook

Asustek Computer Inc. has prepared one of the first notebook PCs to use SideShow, a small display on the outside of the case that works with Windows Vista to allow users to scan e-mails and other information without booting up the laptop.

Dubbed the Asus W5Fe, it could be a hit with users who need to check some information on the go but don't want to waste battery life or take the time for a full system boot-up. It also could end up adding little extra cost to a laptop. PortalPlayer Inc., which designed the technology used in the W5Fe, has said it only increases production costs of each laptop by around US$30 to $40.

SideShow periodically wakes up the sleeping computer, gathers information stored on the computer's hard disk from Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista, Outlook and other applications, then returns the computer to its sleep state. The information, including recent e-mails and current calendar appointments, can then be consulted on the low-powered external display.

Tip: Bids Adieu to unnecessary lap-top opening
http://event.asus.com

Fit-PC Sips on 5W of Power, Is Super Tiny

small lovin

Fit-PC Sips on 5W of Power, Is Super Tiny

From CompuLab, the Fit-PC is a tiny, no frills Linux PC that uses a mere 5W of power to operate. That's one-fifth what some computers burn in standby. And the specs may be better than you'd expect. An AMD Geode processor runs at 500 MHz, supported by 256MB DDR memory (non-expandable), 40GB 2.5" hard drive and SXGA graphics controller. And none of that needs fans to cool. The inclusion of 2 USB ports mean that the Fit-PC will actually work with normal peripherals...though we're not certain how much power those ports will supply your devices.

At 5" long and only 1.5" thick, the Fit-PC will fit anywhere. And at $285, we think we're in eco-love. But what did ExtremeTech have to say about the function?

We fired up Firefox and spent some time browsing the web. Some Flash-intensive web sites rendered slowly, but most web browsing seemed no worse than running on an older laptop with integrated graphics. We also loaded up OpenOffice apps to check them out. After we had six windows (and six apps) running, the system definitely became sluggish...

While you can build a PC that's nearly as inexpensive, or buy a used laptop for not much more, the fit-PC's unique form factor gives it an edge in any environment where space is at a premium.

Also, its extremely low power usage means you can keep the system running all the time. In any application that requires always-on usage and a light duty applications mix, the fit-PC may indeed be an ideal fit.

IE7 for Free from Microsoft

Microsoft makes its IE7 browser available to a wider audience

In a surprise move, Microsoft has issued a new build of Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) to customers that can be installed on any machine running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 -- IE7 is already included in Windows Vista operating systems.

IE7 was previously reserved for customers using genuine copies of Windows-based operating systems and was protected by Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation software.

"Because Microsoft takes its commitment to help protect the entire Windows ecosystem seriously, we’re updating the IE7 installation experience to make it available as broadly as possible to all Windows users," remarked IE7 program manager Steve Reynolds on the IE Blog. "With today’s 'Installation and Availability Update,' Internet Explorer 7 installation will no longer require Windows Genuine Advantage validation and will be available to all Windows XP users."

Microsoft is likely using this move to makes IE7 available to the broadest range of customers worldwide. Mozilla's Firefox browser has gained a lot of traction recently, and this move would give Microsoft some additional ammunition.

In addition to the removal of WGA, the latest version of IE7 brings updates to the menu bar, online tour and a new MSI installer for IT administrators.

Download IE7 for free here

Internet2 is faster…naturally

October 11th, 2007 by Edwin in Tech News, PC Gadgets

A speedy Internet connection is what everyone wants these days - after all, you get to download the latest movies and music (try not to get caught in the process if you’re doing it illegally) in the blink of an eye, and at the very least you don’t have to worry about having your online banking transaction experience a time out, leaving you with beads of sweat wondering whether that $10,000 wire has gone through or not. Roll up your sleeves and be prepared for a new dedicated 10Gbps optical link, as long as your office is a member of Internet2. This research network has already completed a major upgrade to its national infrastructure, operating at speeds of up to 100Gbps at this moment while allowing researchers to provision their own dedicated links for limited periods of time.

Post A Phone is your Snail mail phone backup

October 2nd, 2007 by James in Conceptual Gadgets, Retro Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Wacky Gadgets, Home Gadgets

With Europeans using cellphones more than a conventional landline these days (and in our mobile global culture, it makes sense), what happens if your phone dies, gets stolen, trashed or merely lost? Concept designer Priestman Goode noticed a need and sought to fill it. Enter POST A PHONE. The idea is that users can order a temporary phone and have it delivered in the mail right away. Made out of recycled cardboard, plastic, and no doubt printable circuits, the phone fits in an A4 envelope and measures a mere 4mm thick. But here’s the weird the part. In a culture where mobility is practically worshiped, the Post A Phone is a conventional landline telephone.

Levitating Balls - Sports Balls, of course!

October 9th, 2007 by Andi in Gadget Gift Ideas, Office Gadgets, Golf Gadgets, Retro Gadgets, Toys, Sport

Here’s a new levitating deco gadget. Instead of the usual Earth globes or other planets, this one’s more mundane. Actually, it’s quite a nice present for any sports buff.

Whether it’s that snobby boss of yours, or your kid you’re pitching to on Saturday morning, you’ll find one for any of them.

There’s a golf ball floating above a mini pitch, and a baseball that levitates above a base.

Click on for some bigger pictures and for the little extra info you need to know about these.

Mr. Clock Radio

October 9th, 2007 by Edwin in Cool Clocks, Electronic Gadgets, Home Gadgets

The Mr. Clock Radio looks like a creation from some science fiction movie, holding the distinction of being the first robot radio in the world. It does not come with any body, but is more of a technological bust featuring a head and a clock as its base. Getting you up is not restricted to a mere buzz - Mr. Clock Radio will be able to whisper in a gentle voice or shout like a drill sergeant, and this normally happens once you hit the snooze button one too many times. Other features include speaking out the current time, reacting to light and motion by winking and blinking, an integrated AM/FM radio, and the ability to connect your iPod or MP3 player to it. Mr. Clock Radio retails for $80 a pop.

Samsung shows off new handsets

Samsung has gone on from strength to strength where cellphones are concerned, and this time their new line up will cater specifically for music lovers while attempting to offer an alternative to Sony Ericsson’s line of Walkman cellphones. This trio of handsets will place more weight on music compared to other phones from Samsung’s stable, and hopes to strike a balance between a cellphone and a music player. The three phones in question are the Samsung SGH-i450, the Samsung SGH-F330 and the Samsung SGH-F210. For more details on each individual handset, kindly head on after the jump.

The Samsung SGH-i450 will occupy the position of top dog among the three, boasting an amplifier that was developed by high-end audio specialists Bang & Olufsen. This will definitely grab the attention of anyone around whenever you play back your favorite tunes, and chances are you won’t miss any more incoming calls in a crowded and noisy environment. The SGH-i450 will be powered by the Symbian S60 operating system and comes in a dual slider design format - sliding the handset up will activate the smartphone features, while sliding it downwards will see music player functions make an appearance on its 2.4″ LCD display. Unfortunately, the 35MB internal memory doesn’t do a music phone justice, but thankfully there is a microSD memory card slot that can hold up to another 4GB worth of music.

As for the SGH-F330, this is a HSDPA slider handset that comes with music control keys on both front and sides of the phone. Other features include a 2 megapixel camera, 24MB of internal memory, and a microSD memory card slot, all packed into a form factor that measures just 13.5mm thin. Last but not least, the SGH-F210 features a swivel design where the bottom half reveals a keypad whenever the top part is swiveled around. It is equipped with an FM radio, 1GB of internal memory, and a microSD memory card slot. The SGH-i450, SGH-F330, and SGH-F210 will retail for approximately €360, €260 and €280 respectively when launched in Europe sometime this month.

Source: PC World

Samsung UMPC

Samsung SPH-P9200 UMPC details

October 10th, 2007 by Tiago in Electronic Gadgets, PC Gadgets

Samsung already has some cool UMPCs (that is Ultra Mobile Personal Computers for the non-geeky personas), like the Q1 that was launched in 2006, and its big-brother Q2, but the latest news are about the SPH-P9200 - a beauty in terms of design and features - that was presented earlier this year at the 4G Forum 2007 that took place in Korea.

Like you can see on the image, the keyboard on this UMPC can be unfolded for all the occasions when you actually want to use a QWERTY styled keyboard. And when you want to make it smaller + compact, just fold the keyboard and you’re good to go - your choice.

In terms of technical specifications, the Samsung SPH-P9200 which is also known as Deluxe MIT, comes with a small 5-inch touchscreen display that provides a “normal” 800×480 resolution. Not too shabby, but not brilliant either, I guess it is good enough for its size. The processor is powered by a VIA C7-M that runs at 1GHz, and the RAM memory includes 512MB, while on the hard-drive there is space for 30GB.

Euricase Ring Box with LCD May be Cooler than the Ring

f you are going to be giving a ring to someone special soon or to pop the big question, you might want to forgo the cheap cardboard ring box and go the full monty with the multimedia rung box from Euri Inc. This ring box is almost as cool as the ring you are putting into it.

The box is called the Euricase and inside the lid it has a 2-inch LCD display with a clock, alarm, calendar and photo album. The box also has LED perimeter lighting to make the ring stand out. There is enough onboard memory for storing up to 500 pictures or up to 60 minutes of video. Images and video are transferred to the Euricase via USB from your computer. This will be a much cooler way of remembering the day you popped the big question than a cheesy photo album key chain.

From: www.everythingusb.com