The FCC just approved the 40GB Ceramic White PS3 for US consumption. It's apparently the same model announced for Japan back in October. Perfect for the living room laboratory if ever released this side of the Pacific.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
White PS3 now approved for Stateside use
The FCC just approved the 40GB Ceramic White PS3 for US consumption. It's apparently the same model announced for Japan back in October. Perfect for the living room laboratory if ever released this side of the Pacific.
Hitachi tries again with DZ-BD9H hybrid Blu-ray and 60GB Full HD camcorder
Hitachi returns after suffering scathing reviews for their generation-one Blu-ray / HDD hybrid camcorder. Its new 60GB DZ-BD9H hybrid still records 1,920 x 1,080 MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video to 8-cm BD or internal hard disk. This time, however, it's aided by an improved 5.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, Picture Master Full HD processing, and brighter 2.7-inch LCD. We're talking about 9 hours of recording to disk at max resolution -- that's about an hour to that wee 7.5GB Blu-ray Disc. HDMI and USB 2.0 remain standard as does that super steep price when it arrives in Japan on February 12th for ¥180,000 (about $1,700). But you'll wait for the reviews first, right? Better yet, why not consider Hitachi's new DZ-HD90. Same 60GB camera sans Blu-ray but with an eSATA connection for ¥140,000 (about $1,320). That pup hits Japan on March 1st.
Polycom intros HDX 7000 HD video conferencing solutions
MiLeap X and Y laptop details get fleshed out
Which nuvi is the right nuvi for you?
Bowers & Wilkins introduces Liberty wireless speaker system
Apparently, Bowers & Wilkins didn't want the whole world talking at once about its forthcoming Liberty at CES, but regardless, the self-proclaimed "wireless entertainment system" is all out in the open now. Slated to land this fall for a currently undisclosed price, the setup will consist of two XTW 8 towers, a pair of XTW 2 bookshelf units, an XTW Center channel and a PVW 1 subwoofer. Additionally, you'll find integrated class-D amplifiers and a rather sexy (albeit elusive) control unit, and if that wasn't enough, it's also the "first wireless system" capable of transmitting eight channels -- 5.1 for one room and two extra channels for remote zones. This system even utilizes "dynamic channel selection," which enables it to switch frequencies on the fly and choose the least trafficked frequency band to nix delay. Sadly, we've no price to share, but we wouldn't expect it to come cheap by any stretch of the imagination.
Panasonic's Lumix LS80: the most exciting digital camera ever
DLO's iBoom JukeBox mildly resembles an igloo
Yeah, the whole igloo comparison loses some steam once you peek this thing from the side, but when glancing it head-on, we can't help but be overcome with imagery of our childhood days spent in the plains of Greenland. Unfortunately, this thing's ability to conjure up said memories is probably its standout feature -- well, aside from the RF remote that enables users to browse iPod content right on its screen (shown after the break). Outside of that, you'll find a totally average speaker setup consisting of twin one-inch tweeters and three-inch woofers along with a set of touch-sensitive controls atop the device itself. Reportedly, the iBoom JukeBox is slated to further saturate the iPod speaker system market this Spring for $199.99.
Teclast's M30 PMP is mildly attractive, mostly lackluster
Truth be told, Teclast's M30 seems be to a real looker at first, but we're knocking off a few style points due the complete absence of originality. All it takes is a simple glance at the unit's predecessors to realize that the outfit isn't exactly going out on any limbs to innovate. Nevertheless, those still interested can look forward to a 2.8-inch 320 x 240 AMOLED display, USB 2.0 connectivity, FM tuner / recorder and support for AVI, RM, RMVB, BMP, MP3, JPEG and GIF file formats. Thankfully, the mediocrity is met with a suitable price tag -- just $69 for the 2GB model and $82 for the 4GB edition.
Dynacom's Wi Vision: not a Wii, not a vision
Keepin' it real fake, part CVI: N800 gets Chinafied
Venturi Mini uses lots of RF to get music from phone to car stereo
Nokia's N810 internet tablet hits Canada
Stanton, Pioneer bust out new DJ rigs
HP's iPaq 210 shakes off numerous delays, finally available
Buffalo adds new 1TB and 2TB storage options to its lineup
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Samsung surprises on the last day of CES with the SGH-F490
Griffin's Evolve wireless system mutates add-ons
Cadillac Provoq is latest host for GM's E-Flex fuel cell powertrain
Everex's Cloudbook coming to Wal-Mart by month's end
Linksys intros Wireless-G Internet Home Monitoring Camera WVC54GC
We're going to give Linksys a free pass on this ridiculous naming scheme just because we're actually happy to see a bigger name bringing a consumer-friendly wireless security camera to market for a reasonable price. The Linksys Wireless-G Internet Home Monitoring Camera WVC54GC is pretty straightforward for a networked camera, sporting 802.11g and 10/100 Ethernet connections, and VGA video recorded to a MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG codec. The camera can be limited to local network video streaming or opened up to the internets either publicly or privately. There's also a Security Mode setting that can send video snippets via email if the camera detects motion in its field of view. You can then remotely log on to the stream and set the video to record to a local hard drive or on a predetermined schedule. The camera is available now for a mere $120.
OpenFrame: 'The iPhone of home phones'
Sony working on an A200-ish DSLR with flip-out LCD?
Acer intros "Panoramic" Aspire 7720-6844 laptop
Mouse Computer cranks out P551 laptop in Japan
Philips busts out a couple yawner VoIP phones
Belkin's Podcast Studio, the self-contained podcast producer
Apparently the Belkin folks are rolling out a little something for the podcasting community this CES season. The company's Podcast Studio is a self-contained, iPod-interfacing podcast production device... and not much else. The unit features dual XLR and 1/4" inputs, a built-in microphone up top, an embedded speaker, and the styling of some 1950's-space-opera transmogrifier. You can slot your iPod in the top and record directly to the player, thus eliminating the need for a computer nearby -- until you need to get it online, of course. The only thing it's missing is your smarmy, high-falutin' opinions about avant noise-rock.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
VTech launches IS6110 instant messaging phone
Let's just get this out of the way: VTech packed a lot of ugly into the IS6110. That said, the phone isn't too shabby, using DECT 6.0 for call clarity, and supporting AIM and Windows Live Messenger instant messaging. To set it up you just plug the phone into a standard outlet, plug a USB cable into your PC and start LOL'ing all your buddies with abandon. The full QWERTY keyboard and color LCD should make the IM experience passable, but we're guessing this is going to be a price of quality scenario, with parents viewing the phone as a $99 solution to getting the chilluns off the PC for an hour or two so they can get some real work done on Bookworm Adventures. The phone is out in February.
Shuttle launches $199 KPC linux box, $99 barebones kit
Apparently Asus and Everex aren't the only ones capable of shipping dirt cheap linux boxes these days shuttle is getting into the game with its new KPC box. Unfortunately, we're way short on specs, but we do know that it'll be coming in $199 pre-built and $99 barebones versions. At least it's a looker, here's hoping there's something decent under the hood. No word on release date. More pictures after the jump!
DXG's 565V hopes for "must have" status from Girl's Life
Hooray, another budget camcorder from DXG. Perfect for "teens, college students, young adults, and women" who apparently all fit into the category of lovers of cheap, questionable quality recorders. The DXG-565V is a 5 megapixeler capable of recording 720 x 480 pixel MPEG-4 video at 30fps. It'll even play back Hannah Montana MP3s in a crunch. Rounding things out are a 2.4-inch LCD, 0x optical zoom (yes, zero), and "5 cool colors" including pink and daddy-I-want-a-trust-fund-NOW. Just $99 for you, sweetie.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Creative's Zen Stone and Stone Plus get a micro speaker for mini rockers
Look, we know the sound will be crap from that tiny, tiny speaker. Still, we can't help but feel a slight tug at our gadget loin by the new Zen Stone Plus with built-in speaker. Your $60 pre-order will reserve 2GB of flash with up to 20-hours of MP3 playback -- a bit less for the WMA resource hogs. For $50 you can pre-order the Zen Stone with speaker but without that four line display. The biggest rub in all this is the guaranteed up-tick of annoying tweens and teens rockin' out to their mico boombox on public transportation.
Polk Audio intros miDock Studio, 10 and Portfolio for your iPod
It's not like we haven't seen miDocks before, but Polk Audio is enjoying the spotlight at CES and releasing a trio of newcomers to mingle with your iPod. Up first is the miDock Studio (pictured after the jump), which takes a subtle hint from the late iPod Hi-Fi in the design department and features a pair of 3.25-inch drivers and the ability to operate on AC power or from eight C-cell batteries. The miDock 10 (shown above), on the other hand, is entirely more suited for being hoisted over your left shoulder when pouncing down the street, while the diminutive Portfolio can be folded up for easy transport and operated on four AA cells for over eight hours. Notably, the Studio and 10 also sport USB inputs for direct computer connections, and the trio will run you $229.95, $179.99 and $119.95 in order of mention.
Verizon finally announces SMT5800 smartphone
After months, months and yet more months of speculation, rumor, and leaked press shots, Verizon has gotten official with its own version of the HTC Libra, the SMT5800. The Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone-based handset is essentially a Vox gutted for CDMA / EV-DO airwaves, featuring a slide-out QWERTY keypad along with a standard numeric keypad up front to fool all your inquisitive peers into thinking it's nothing more than a candybar. The spec sheet reveals Bluetooth 2.0, a 2 megapixel camera, a microSD slot for packing up to 8GB, and a 2.4 inch QVGA display. Find it starting January 21 for $299.99 after rebate on a two year contract -- $199 if you're bold enough to sign up for a qualifying data plan at the same time.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Logitech intros the Squeezebox Duet network music system
AMAZON SHOCK recommends you hum The Who's "Squeeze Box" while reading this post. That said, Logitech has just announced details for their latest Squeezebox, dubbed the Squeezebox Duet. The system controls your myriad musical devices with a wireless controller that can interface with multiple 802.11g Duet receivers. The controller's 2.4-inch LCD lets you browse your music library using a "familiar" scroll-wheel (now where do we recognize that from again?). But you're not limited to your own tunes, you can also tune-in internet radio providers like Rhapsody and Pandora. The Squeezebox Duet "network music system" comes with both receiver and controller for $400, and will be available in the US and Europe this month. Want additional receivers for other rooms, they'll be available for $150 while additional controllers will be available for $300. There's no escape from the music ...
D-Link debuts DSM-210 10-inch WiFi photo frame
We love us a decent WiFi photo frema, and D-Link seems to have a keeper with this here DSM-210 10-incher. The frame can pull photos from RSS feeds, USB drives, flash cards and a special Yahoo Widget that lets you drop an image from you desktop and have it appear automagically on the DSM-210. You can also sync with calendar programs, and various online news and other info via RSS. There's an Ethernet plug in the back if WiFi isn't your style, and the frame also has a rechargeable battery if you're looking to do things completely wire free. The DSM-210 will be out Q1 2008 for $250.
Logitech launches Harmony One
Looks like Harmony is listening to users -- witness the Harmony One's revised layout. Centrally-located transport controls and good separation on the numeric inputs go a long way to addressing our gripes. They're touting the "same one-touch, activity-based control" as existing models, so no telling if the programming side of the house has been revamped. We're hoping they take the one-size fits all wizard approach and make tweaks and adjustments a little more easily accessible. Control freaks and those who make a habit of shuffling their gear (sound like anyone familiar?) would really appreciate a more direct way to tweak out their remotes!
New Asus U2E laptop, R700 GPS satnav, and more at CES 2008
We'd like to say we're a little more surprised by some news from Asus today concerning a handful of new products they've got coming to American shores, but from the looks of things we've seen almost all of them. First up -- just as hoped for -- the company is bringing the Nova P22 desktop our way, a Core 2 Duo-based number which should please the style conscious without breaking the bank (at its $799 price tag). Also headed this way is the $399 R700 GPS Navigator that we saw for Europe recently, a 4.3-inch touchscreen-based nav unit with a petite 1.3-cm-thick (er, thin) footprint, and a bunch of media playin', Bluetoothin' functions that will make you weak in the knees. Also announced for the US is the U2 laptop (here known as the U2E), a Core Duo ULV-based computer, coupled with a 32GB SSD -- which cuts down on the energy-sucking without sacrificing performance (or so they say). There was one new product in the PR that we haven't seen: the 24-inch widescreen MK241, which features HDMI support, a built-in webcam, microphone, and speakers, though no word on price or release date. Check the read links for a slightly more detailed look.
Meet the "MacTouch" and "MacBook Touch" (with docking iMac), and other rumors
Nothing like a good round of crappy mockups and likely-faux leaked Jobs to get the old rumor juices flowing. Check out a few of these pre-Macworld photoshops circulating the internets, and the MacRumors um, rumor, which has the full leaked "scoop" on what Jobs is going to be announcing on the 15th (MacBook Nano 13-inch ultraportable with SSD, MacTouch dual-screen multi-touch folding / sliding SSD tablet, Mac mini redesigned with solid state, half the height and named the Mac Nano, Penryn Mac Pro with Blu-ray option, Penryn MacBook Pro with black aluminum option, iSight-enabled Cinema Displays, blah blah blah). Here's a hint: we have no reason to believe any of this anything but positively fake and pure speculation. Enjoy!
Hitachi's CP-A100 projector brings short-throw within US distance
Hitachi's CP-A100 is pretty unsightly, sure, but what it lacks in sexiness it totally makes up for in utility. Needing just 1.6-feet to project a 60-inch image, this 3LCD machine can get a Halo match upside your wall regardless of how many beanbags are cluttering up the area. If you'll recall, we spotted the Japanese variant just months ago posing all pretty for us, but it looks at though an Americanized flavor is now official. As for specs, you'll be looking at an XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, 2,500 ANSI lumens and a contrast ratio of 500:1, and just in case your colleagues like to borrow company kit without asking, there's a Kensington slot, security bar and multilevel PIN locks to keep it planted. Unfortunately, a definitive price / release date is missing, but hopefully Hitachi will have this critter out to stores real soon.