Archive for 2008

Camy Light Sword Wiimote Holsters For Jedi Action

Posted in Wii,Wii Accessories by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

Camy Light Sword Wiimote Holsters
Would be Jedis of the Wii variety now have another weapon at their disposal. Camy’s Pro Gear Wii Light Swords are similar to this lightsaber attachment we told you about in November, but with a strange off center saber.

They are colored plastic Wiimote holders available in three “ultra bright” colors. If you wish to instill not fear but laughter, you can flip a switch and light up the night sky with your dorky laser blade. The swords are slated for a May/June release, with no word on price just yet. You can always just settle for having a light saber lamp nearby too.

Turntable watch: vinyl on your wrist

Posted in Watches by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

vinyl on your wrist
Here’s a great watch for DJ’s or record enthusiasts that want to proclaim their undying love for vinyl. Designed by FludWatches, the TableTurns watch sports a face that looks like a miniature Technics 1200 turntable. The visual details are all there in retro glory, but it won’t play tiny records, much to my sadness.

The clock hands rotate, so in a way it may look as if the record is spinning…very slowly. Each watch ships in it’s own miniature flight case for added coolness. The watch comes with either a black leather or stainless steel band, and is available from TurntableLab for only $59.This is definitely one of the cooler watches out there right now. If it actually played tiny records, I’d be sold, but for now I’ll stick with hoping someone comes out with an actual mini iPod watch.

Scare up some sound with skull speakers

Posted in Speakers by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

Scare up some sound with skull speakers
You probably need these speakers like you need a hole in the head. Now that I think of it, these skull speakers actually have holes in their heads from when they met their unfortunate end. Anyway, their loss of life can be your gain.

They will definitely give guests a chill and goth up your stereo system. They come with a headphone jack which you can hook up to your computer or media player. So whether you have a liking for old bones, or an Indiana Jones motif, or even a Bat cave, these will complete the look.

Inventec UMPCs: curve your enthusiasm

Posted in UMPC by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

The UMPC 7-A
Inventec just released images of two new UMPCs. The UMPC 7-A and the UMPC 5-D won iF Design Awards honors, and you can see why looking at the above picture. The curved design of the UMPC 7-A is not just for looks, though it does look pretty neat. It is supposed to improve the viewing angle and make the slider QWERTY keyboard more ergonomic than a flat design.

The UMPC 5-D is more typical and focuses on a modular design. It comes with a docking station and a set of appliances of some type. No info on Inventec MID/UMPC specs so far, but the folks over at Unwired View took a guess at some. They are thinking an Intel Menlow platform, 1.33 with 45-nm 800 MHz-1.33 GHz Silverthone CPU, Poulsbo US15 chipset, 1-2 GB of RAM and 30-60 GB HDD. They might be right.

iCarta iPod dock & toilet roll dispenser

Posted in Home,iPod,iPod Accessories,music by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

iPod dock & toilet roll dispenserWe’re used to seeing our share of iPod docks, but this borders on the ridiculous. Okay, it crosses the border screaming and begging not to be deported. I think it goes without saying that this device is designed to charge your iPod while you discharge your own product, commonly known as an iLog.

It does more then charge your iPod in an inappropriate location, though. It features two USB ports and not only dispenses precious paper, but while doing so, will soothe you with music through four high-performance, moisture-resistant speakers. “Easy-to-use controls allow for one-handed navigation.” One word…Ewww!

Turn your iPhone & iPod into a guitar

Posted in Software,iPhone,iPhone Accessories by Conner Flynn on January 21st, 2008

Turn your iPhone & iPod into a guitar
Let’s face it, Guitar Hero is not nearly enough for some would be Rock stars out there. To them, everything needs to have the ability to be plucked, strummed and otherwise abused musically. And the air guitar only gets you so far before people start avoiding you like the plague. This is for those people.

The PocketGuitar is a virtual guitar for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It was developed as a Google Code project by Shinya Kasatani. You can also use the songs on your iPod for those long guitar sessions. Apparently, it’s very easy to install. Now you’ll have a whole new way to annoy those around you, while getting your guitar action on.

Cell Phone concept: no screen, heavy on LED

Posted in Concepts,LED,Mobile Phones by Conner Flynn on January 20th, 2008

Look Ma, no screen.
This new cell phone concept by designer Tao Ma looks pretty sexy. It not only cuts cost and weight, but it also boosts battery life by getting rid of the display or touch screen completely. Instead, all functions and displays use LEDs below the translucent surface.

For instance, while in phone mode, the keypad would be displayed. Other arrangements of lights and shapes are displayed during gaming, SMS and other modes, depending on what you are doing. It accomplishes this thanks to a net of touch sensors behind the keys. The concept relies on two AAA batteries recharged via USB.

iTornado peer-to-peer for Mac-to-PC

Posted in Networking,USB by Reuben Drake on January 20th, 2008

iTornado USB data transfer gadget between PC’s or PC and MacData Drive Thru, the makers of the Tornado USB peer-to-peer connection device for PC’s, have given it an upgrade this year and are launching the iTornado sometime in March of this year. The iTornado works much like its predecessor making a direct connection between computers via USB. The upgrade for this model allows users to not only connect two PC’s, but also allows them to connect a PC to an Intel based Mac to transfer files back and forth.

The device consists of two retractable USB cables and built-in software so there is nothing to install. Simply plug-in both computers and a list of files available on both computers will display, and it will display on both computers. From there users can simply drag and drop files between the two and transfer them via USB 2.0 at up to 25Mb/second. The iTornado can make upgrading or switching from a PC to a Mac a lot easier than trying to find the other computer via a common network or copying back and forth with a thumb drive.

iPhone camera 6×18 zoom attachment

Posted in Digital Imaging,iPhone Accessories by Reuben Drake on January 20th, 2008

Conice iPhone camera zoom attachmentNow that you have your thin, sharp-looking iPhone that for many adds as much style as it does functionality, you can gaudy it up with this 6x zoom attachment for the built-in camera. With this photo shooting accessory from Conice you can take that little 2 megapixel camera to new distances.

The camera uses a clear acrylic case that snaps onto the iPhone and contains an attachment point for the scope which lines up with the existing camera lens. The zoom attachment is 2.87 inches long and weighs a little over 4.5 ounces which is almost as much as the iPhone itself. DealExtreme has the iPhone zoom attachment available for a mere $14.77.

iPhone/Touch bookmark icon for SlipperyBrick

Posted in News by Darrin Olson on January 20th, 2008

SlipperyBrick bookmark icon for the iPhoneWe spent a little time today creating a custom icon just for the iPhone/Touch home screen. If you’re an iPhone or iPod Touch owner, you’re good with the latest firmware and you’re a fan of the ‘Brick then you can add our cool new icon to your menu screen for quick and convenient access.

MacWorld 2008

XtremeMac InCharge with iPod and iPhone chargers

Posted in Chargers,MacWorld 2008,iPhone Accessories,iPod Accessories by Darrin Olson on January 18th, 2008

XtremeMac InCharge Home and InCharge Travel chargers for the iPhone and iPodThe MacWorld 2008 week is just about to come to a close but the new product announcements aren’t quite over yet. XtremeMac, maker of Apple product accessories, has launched the InCharge Home and InCharge Travel as the latest addition to the companies lineup of chargers for the iPhone and iPod. The products bear the “Works with iPhone” and “Made for iPod” brands making them Apple approved, which is something we really like to see anytime we connect something between the wall outlet and our multi-hundred dollar gadgets.

The InCharge Home is basically a $30 wall outlet adapter that will charge your iPhone or iPod without the use of a computer and without the risk of burning it up. XtremeMac says that the InCharge Home will bring your iPod or iPhone to a full charge twice as fast as it will through your computer connection.

MacWorld 2008

Belkin outdoes the manila envelope

Posted in Accessories,Belkin,MacBook,MacWorld 2008 by Darrin Olson on January 18th, 2008

Belkin Sleeve case for the MacBook AirJobs and the Apple marketing team have been using a manila envelope to show off just how thin the new MacBook Air really is, but Belkin thinks it has a little bit better carrying case for the new notebook. The new MacBook Air Sleeves come in four different designs ranging from $39.99 to $49.99 that add only slightly more bulk than the Jobs’ envelope.

The sleeves are made from Neoprene and leather and include the Slim-Fit, which has no zippers or magnets, just a sleeve and a flap for $39.99. The Neoprene/Leather model does have an asymmetrical zipper for side or top loading of your MacBook and goes for $49.99. There is also a Vertical Sleeve model with a strap which is designed for use all by itself also for $29.99 along with the Expression Sleeve which also features a strap. The other Sleeves are tailored a little more to be carried inside another bag.

Handshake Ring: exchange info via a handshake

Posted in Concepts,Rings by Conner Flynn on January 18th, 2008

Handshake Ring
Here’s an interesting social network concept device. The handshake ring is like one of those James Bond gadgets, where you shake hands with your secret spy contact and instead of passing money or a secret note, you exchange digital contact details.

The rings exchange and store your information automatically for you to browse through later using the card. The power used to operate the ring is generated from the users body temperature so no plug or batteries are required.

Tascam DR-1 can slow down, not changing pitch

Posted in Voice Recorders by Conner Flynn on January 18th, 2008

Tascam DR-1 digital recorder
The Tascam DR-1 may not seem very different from other digital recorders, but it has a few unique qualities. Being able to record WAV / MP3 straight to SDHC for instance. That’s right, it can save 24-bit, 48 kHz WAV files directly to SD or SDHC.

It also features a built-in Li-ion that will last for around seven hours, a simple LCD and inclusion of Variable Speed Audition, which enables it to playback recordings slower than they were in real time without augmenting the pitch. Aside from the features, it’s a pretty nice looking device, though I think I can do without the bullseye like record button.

Pizza Hut unveils text message, mobile Web ordering

Posted in Web 2.0 by Nino Marchetti on January 18th, 2008

Pizza Hut Total Mobile AccessIf you happen to be a Pizza Hut fan and just can’t get home fast enough to order it for delivery, you can now text the company so they’ll be waiting with piping hot pizza in hand at your front door. Pizza Hut is calling this new service Total Mobile Access.

Pizza Hut’s Total Mobile Access service lets customers to order pizza from their mobile phones via text messaging or mobile Web. The world’s largest pizza company describes how to use the service: “Customers first log on to pizzahut.com to create their “Pizza Playlist,” a collection of up to four favorite orders…ordering is just a couple steps away either through text or mobile ordering.”