Archive for August, 2009

Wii bicycle pedal accessory coming soon

Posted in Wii Accessories by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Wii bicycle pedal accessory coming soonThis leaked marketing slide spotted over on NeoGAF suggests that we may be getting a bike peripheral sometime soon. I wonder if they will port the arcade hit Paperboy to the Wii so you can peddle away and throw papers or maybe you can ride in the Tour de France.

We don’t know if the image is from Nintendo or from a 3rd-party accessory maker, but it looks a lot more useful than an inflatable horse. Obviously the $89.99 controller is geared toward bike-riding and fitness activities.

RIM working on Bluetooth watch

Posted in RIM by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

RIM working on Bluetooth watchRIM VP Antoine Boucher has confirmed that they are working on a Bluetooth-enabled watch. Supposedly it will be more advanced than the models from Sony Ericsson. It will feature streaming audio, Twitter and Facebook updates as well as all of the usual things like caller ID and text messages.

The image isn’t real btw, that one is a Sony Ericsson MBW-100 with RIM logo. Boucher also talked about a high-end Bluetooth headset codenamed “Alpha 1″ that will let you stream music and get navigation directions through a silicone earpiece, which is apparently “the best solution on the market.”

Modder hacks PSP for DualShock 2 control

Posted in DIY by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Modder hacks PSP for DualShock 2 controlAs far as DIY projects go, we never thought we would see a DualShock 2 controller hooked up to a PSP, but here it is, proving that if you can think it up, it will happen. It allows one to control Sony’s portable console from a distance, or at least from as far as the cable (Or your eyesight) permits.

What’s neat here is that this is a 100% detachable solution. It’s the work of a French modder by the name of Flasheur, who refuses to be told how and with what controller he can play by the likes of Sony.

Wi-Spi EX30: Nightvision Camcorder w/ Wireless Monitor

Posted in Spy Gear by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Wi-Spi EX30: Nightvision Camcorder w/ Wireless MonitorThis device will give you some peace of mind while you slack off at work. The Wi-Spi EX30 features an ultra-thin Wireless LCD Video Monitor that lets you see what’s happening in the next room, outside your cubicle, or even behind you while you’re working. You don’t want your boss sneaking up on you after all.

Just mount it on the side of your computer monitor and you’ll be able to visually see when anyone approaches. The Wi-Spi’s camera is smaller than a pack of cigarettes and will wirelessly stream footage back to the LCD screen, which is cool. But it can also simultaneously record footage onto an SD card.

Waterproof submarine K-95 USB flash drive

Posted in USB Flash Drives by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Waterproof submarine K-95 USB flash driveThis one is for geeks who find themselves in the bath tub with no toys to play with. This Submarine won’t hold nuclear missiles and it won’t propel itself underwater, but the waterproof submarine- K-95 USB flash drive is waterproof like the real thing and will hold 1GB or 2GB of storage.

You could pretend that the data inside is sensitive and that it is being chased by another sub who wants to steal your secrets. You can choose from green, white, red and black colors. Bath time just became more fun.

Samsung’s ST1000 camera with WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS

Posted in Cameras by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Samsung's ST1000 camera with WiFi, Bluetooth and GPSSamsung has a world’s first, with the 12.2 MP ST1000, which they are calling the “first multi-wireless compact camera”. It sports a 3.5″ touch screen LCD with 1.2 million dot resolution, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS geotagging built-in.

Some other features include a 5x zoom, HD video recording (1280x720p), ISO 4800 sensitivity and a Smart Gesture UI that allows you to access things with a tap or hand gesture. We don’t have an official price or release date just yet, but rumors suggest that it will be around $600.

Microsoft loses $290 million in Word patent case

Posted in News by Darrin Olson on August 13th, 2009

Microsoft loses patent suit for WordA U.S. district court judge in Texas ruled against Microsoft on Wednesday in a law suit over a patent infringement in the companies software product Word. The ruling takes affect in 60 days and would ban sales of Microsoft Word versions 2003 and 2007. It also hits the software giant with a $290 million fine in damages.

These versions of the Word product contain particular use of XML which infringes on a patent filed by i4i Ltd, a small firm in Canada. Microsoft states that they plan to appeal the patent citing that they “do not infringe” and that the i4i patent is not valid. Microsoft also has a new version of Word coming out next year as part of their Office 2010 suite, which does not contain the infringing XML component. Microsoft could also simply remove the particular XML portion of the existing Word applications to comply with the court ruling for future sales.

iPhone helps travelers find bags

Posted in Mobile Accessories by Shane McGlaun on August 13th, 2009

iphonebagsI don’t travel that often, but the few times I have traveled the baggage claim area is where the most anxiety happens for me. It always seems like my bag goes around the claim carousel a hundred times before that rude person will move so I can grab it. I also see folks grabbing the wrong bag sometimes as well.

A new application for the iPhone is available called Bag-claim that promises to make finding your bags at any baggage claim area a snap. The app uses Bluetooth and a wireless mini speaker that you put inside your bag. As the bag comes into range, the speaker is recognized by the app and tells you when your bag is near.

Microsoft Zune HD officially available for pre-order

Posted in Microsoft by Shane McGlaun on August 13th, 2009

zunehd-preorderLeaked images and all sorts of rumors have run rampant about Microsoft’s Zune HD. The device is the latest Zune PMP from Microsoft to try to combat the Apple iPod. The Zune HD is aimed directly at the iPod touch.

Microsoft announced today that the player is set to hit store shelves on September 15 and is available for pre-order today. The HD will be offered in 16GB and 32GB capacities and is the first touch screen Zune player.

Section 8 offers X Server for Xbox 360

Posted in Games by Shane McGlaun on August 13th, 2009

section8-sbI am a big fan of video games and while they tend to cost at least $60 each, it’s still not a bad deal considering how long you can play a game. You can spend $60 at the movies and only be occupied for a few hours whereas a game can be fun indefinitely.

SouthPeak Games has announced that its new game for the PC and Xbox 360 will support X Server functionality allowing players to run their own dedicated game servers on a Windows PC. Each X Server can handle up to 32 players at once allowing for large multiple player matches on the Xbox 360 console.

Samsung targets new SSD at gamers

Posted in Samsung by Shane McGlaun on August 13th, 2009

samsung-logo-sbThe SSD is a tough sell today. A few consumers buy them for their superior performance compared to a plain HDD. The higher levels of performance are offset for many consumers by the fact that the SSD costs so much more to purchase and has less storage space than most HDDs.

Samsung has decided to target the enthusiast gaming segment with its latest 256GB SSD. Samsung says that the fast performance is perfect for gaming. The higher performance for the SSD could mean faster load times for levels and better performance in game.

Sungale 8-inch WiFi Digital Photo Frame Review

Posted in Review by Darrin Olson on August 12th, 2009

Sungale ID800WT 8 inch Digital Photo FrameThe folks from Sungale gave us a chance to check out their recently released 8″ touchscreen, WiFi digital photo frame and while we were initially excited by seeing the features we felt the actual implementation fell a little short of our expectations.

By reading through the features included in the picture frame we found that the designer was going for much more than just a picture frame, and we liked the direction they were heading. After all the list of functionality includes utilizing the WiFi connection to view weather, YouTube videos, Picasa photos, news, Gmail and internet radio. And of course you can view your photos as a slideshow on the device, but that’s the easy part, right? And this is all accessed through a touchscreen which for the most part usually makes this pretty intuitive and easy to navigate.

Dell Vostro laptops launched

Posted in Dell by Conner Flynn on August 12th, 2009

Dell Vostro laptops launchedWe’ve seen the new Dell Vostro All-in-One PC, but now Dell has added three new laptops to its Vostro line in the form of the Dell Vostro 1014, 1015 and 1088.

These laptops come with either a 14.6 inch or a 15.6 inch screen, Intel Core 2 processors, improved battery life with WLED LCD displays, plus your choice of up to 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The new models also include an optional 2.0 megapixel web camera, and a 5-in-1 card reader.

DORYU 2-16 Pistol Camera

Posted in Cameras by Conner Flynn on August 12th, 2009

DORYU 2-16 Pistol CameraTaking pictures should be more like pew pew pew and less like click click click. The DORYU 2-16 Pistol Camera lets you aim and shoot the way you should, as if firing a pistol.

Apparently the DORYU 2-16 Pistol Camera was issued to police in Japan and it has the same C mount as a 16mm movie camera. The one in the photo features a Cine-Nikkor 25mm F1.4 lens. We don’t really know much else about it. Except that it will get you into some trouble at the airport, while traveling.

Epson unveils WorkForce 610 and WorkForce 1100

Posted in Epson by Conner Flynn on August 12th, 2009

Epson unveils WorkForce 610 and WorkForce 1100Epson has released the 610 and the 1100 as part of its WorkForce line. Both new printers feature Wi-Fi, wired networking and PC Fax capabilities and is also recyclable, while meeting ENERGY STAR standards. The all-in-one WorkForce 610 features a 2.5-inch LCD tilt screen and an automatic document feeder that supports maximum print speeds of up to 38 pages per minute in greyscale and color. Laser-quality is 15 ppm for black content or 9.3 ppm for color.

The WorkForce 1100 will provide up to 30 ppm in greyscale and 17 ppm in color, with laser-quality speeds of 13 ppm in greyscale and 5.5 ppm in color. The 1100 is designed to work with both standard-size documents and index cards, brochures and other paper sizes.