The DVR has been the best thing to happen to TV since programming went color. Before the DVR, we had to record shows with a DVD recorder or even worse — a VCR. Anyone who has tried to program a VCR to record a show that isn’t on yet will recall the anxiety. The DVR came along and made recording programs as easy as clicking a button and one of the pioneers in the DVR realm was TiVo.

Nero and TiVo announced that they have teamed up for a new software and hardware product called Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC. The product allows users to record TV programs on their PC with typical DVR ease as well as pause and rewind programs. Once TV programs are recorded, the shows can be exported to PSP, iPod or DVD automatically.

Smartphones are great for many users, especially those in the business world who can use them for tracking appointments and keeping connected with the office or that boss who likes to know where you are at all times. The catch is that many smartphones require you to be tied to one service provider for years and some people don’t like making that sort of commitment.

For the folks that eschew the contracts associated with your typical smartphone, Palm has announced that the Treo Pro unlocked smartphone is now available to purchase. Palm says that the unlocked smartphone allows users to take advantage of any network they want and even use local SIM cards when traveling abroad.

This is not my first console mod, but I think it’s the neatest. As far as I know it hasn’t been done before. I wanted to be able play Atari 2600 games like you play Guitar Hero… With a guitar. With this mod, you just pop in your favorite 2600 cartridge, and play the game on your guitar. The screen is right in front facing you as you hold it. Instead of strumming, just use the small joystick on the upper right, or for games like Breakout use the paddle controller below the screen. The fire button is the top button on the neck of the guitar, so yes, you really hold it in guitar fashion as you play.

I had originally intended to make an NES-Hero, taking advantage of all the guitar buttons, but didn’t have a spare laying around. Which was just fine with me because this Atari-Hero turned out just awesome. It took me about 2 months more or less, simply because it was hard to find the time with my duties here at the ‘Brick, but it’s finally finished. I incorporated actual pieces of the Atari console itself, like the faux woodgrain front panel with logo and the grill from the top of the console, even the cartridge slot itself. The circuit boards all had to be fabricated and custom shaped, then put in place. The Atari console combined with the circuit boards makes for a stunning look in person. (Sorry about the crappy pics. It’s so shiny it’s hard to get a good shot) More pics below.

This new 3M Mobile ID Reader could soon be used at events or in situations that require tight security. The idea is that it would scan your identification quickly to prove that you are who you say you are. Then you can be on your way in no time. It works like a credit card scanner and it would be used to scan things like your Visa card or passport, cross checking that info with watch lists of those who are threats.

It runs on Windows Mobile 6 and features WiFi, GSM/GPRS EDGE and a fingerprint sensor. It also has 8GB of storage for keeping track of those that have been scanned. That way they can leave all of that data sitting around somewhere and screw us all. Let’s hope not.

Here’s Sony Ericsson’s GreenHeart concept. The handset was made using bio-plastic casing and keypads that can be easily recycled. The GreenHeart even comes bundled with a new charger that is smart enough to turn itself off when the phone is fully recharged. Environmental concerns even extend to the user’s manual which is entirely HTML-based to save paper, thereby saving trees. Add in environmentally conscious packaging, and some hippies might let go of the tree they’re hugging in order to get one. The Sony Ericsson GreenHeart is only a concept, but it shows a new greener direction.

The Slim Trim razor is for those who are so obsessed about getting an accurate shave that they use all manner of tools like calipers, compasses, sextants, slide rules and write all sorts of facts and figures down in a shaving journal. “September 18th. Today I realized that the calculations on my beard were off by a fraction of an centimeter, thereby throwing my soul patch off it’s game. I believe I veered to far off course to the west, but unlike Columbus I did not discover America. I discovered that Chicks don’t seem to like my facial features either way, hair or no hair. Tonight I will course correct and account for shaving cream density, then I will update my calculations. Yours truly, Metrosexual.”

Seriously, first off you’re only gonna cut yourself twice as much with this thing. And being so concerned about an accurate shave that you need to buy this, is putting way too much time and effort into shaving. A true man knows how to rock a shave that will get the ladies without the aid of gadgets. This thing might be good for getting creative in punk rock sorts of ways, but that’s about it.

In this economy it takes a special kind of douche to buy all kinds of gold covered gadgets and then proclaim himself the new Goldfinger. That’s right, now that your golden parachute has landed you safely in your mansion where the villagers can’t burn you with their torches it’s time to lose yourself in some quiet music and dream up another scam.

Good thing the new iPod Touch and 4th gen Nano come in 24ct and 18ct white gold now. The Nano starts at £349 while the second generation Touch starts at £449. Now where did that diamond studded USB drive get to? Ah, of course. It’s on your Swarovski encrusted crapper next to your blinged out TP holder.

EPOS-lite is a cash register with a touch interface that also has a built-in menu. It was showcased at the University of Wolverhampton degree show 08 and at New Designers 08, London. It’s good for the environment because it eliminates the need for a separate menu that holds the pricing details. Not only that, but it makes it easy to update the menu.

It’s light, it’s convenient, it’s on every table. This is the sort of innovation that makes life easier. It’s the little things after all. The concept device also features a wireless charging option for on-table recharging. Designer Stephen Allport knows what he’s doing and he obviously has an eye for what is needed to make life easier on both sides of the table. Awesome concept and we’d love to see this one in the future.

You now have a new option when backing up your photos. Sanho’s HyperDrive COLORSPACE UDMA photo backup unit. It can go through 2GB of data per minute and is also “the only storage device in the market that can decode and display true RAW images from any camera on its 3.2-inch (QVGA) color LCD screen.”

It will also adjust images automatically if you change the way you are holding it. The included data synchronization lets the drive to sync information with another external HDD or your computer. If that isn’t enough for you, it’s compatible with 14 different types of memory cards. Sounds like it should meet all your photo editing needs. It should be available next month between $339 for 80GB and $599 for 500GB.

The Samsung Haptic 2 mobile phone is currently available in 4GB and 16GB flavors. The mobile phone features a 3.2-Inch LCD touch screen, DMB, e-dictionary, Bluetooth, and 5MP camera. The handset also comes with a new User Interface that lets users create their own vibration mode to be used for either good or evil, and create various personal screen designs with 50 icons. The Samsung Haptic 2 is priced between €480 and €550.

Porsche is a name associated with two things, style and speed. The new P’9522 arguably has plenty of style (though I don’t see it), but it sports a Wi-Fi web connection instead of a 3G network.

With your powered down connection you’ll also get a 5 Megapixel camera, touch screen, and built in GPS. Apparently forged from a single block of brushed aluminum and a glass plate, this one is for the rich set. People who won’t care about speed as much as making impressions. It ships in November and looks like it will sell for aout $875.

Nintendo has plans to launch a new version of the popular Nintendo DS handheld game console by the end of this year, and it sounds like they are doing more than just adding new colors this time. The new model, yet to be named, will feature a camera and music player, putting itself in competition with a larger number of portable devices and opening up a whole mess of new game possibilities.

This news does not come straight from Nintendo, or at least not yet. It does however come from the Sunday edition of The Nikkei Business Daily, which is a well renowned newspaper in Japan. The new DS from Nintendo is expected to cost around $190 in Japan compared to the $158 price tag on the current DS. The DS goes for $129 currently in the United States.

Whoever it was that said that children should be seen and not heard probably didn’t own any Speaker Buddies. These creepy kids are seen and heard. And for some reason they look like Kenny from Southpark. It’s British designer Alex Underwood’s idea for turnig your hi-fi into some sort of creepy ode to Kenneth, he who dies alot. There they sit in ominous judgment of all who enter your home, blasting sound out of their hood. Thankfully they remain a concept at the moment, but that could change.

Thrustmaster is getting in on the fake lightsaber game too with these Glow Sabers, which may arguably be the best take on the Wii lightsaber yet with their attention to detail. They actually resemble Jedi instruments of death.

The red and blue dueling Glow Sabers each have 17 LEDs and the Dual Trigger Gun comes complete with a Nunchuck holster. The Glow Saber 2-pack can be had right about now for $34.99, while the Dual Trigger Gun will be available shortly for $17.99. Pretty sweet deal.

Look, your desk is looking really messy. I get it. Too much stuff. Some of the stuff you put inside other stuff, which connects to still more stuff, which you have to disconnect to recharge other stuff. It’s enough to drive you crazy. Wires, docks and slots are everywhere, sometimes you can;t find your computer. Well here’s a great solution.

The Griffin Simplifi combines the functionality of three devices in one package. It also has an adapter for charging your iPod without the computer or for an external HDD. You also get two USB hubs and it supports Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD, xD and CF cards. The Griffin Simplifi will cost about $70 and will let you clean up some of that clutter.