Archive for August, 2009

GScreen’s Dual-Screen Spacebook coming soon

Posted in Notebooks by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

GScreen's Dual-Screen Spacebook coming soonCheck out the photo above. It’s one of the first photos of an actual gScreen‘s dual 15.4-inch screen Spacebook. The company is targeting these dual screen laptops at professional designers, filmmakers, photographers and anyone else who thinks they need an extra screen.

The first units that come to market will feature 16-inch or 17-inch screens. The second identically sized screen slides out from behind the first and just like that you’ve doubled your fun. They are hoping that the first Spacebooks will be sold through Amazon.com by December.

Zeemote Bluetooth gaming controller for BlackBerry now available

Posted in BlackBerry by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

Zeemote Bluetooth gaming controller for BlackBerry now availableZeemote’s Bluetooth mobile phone controller for Blackberry is now available and is a much better way to game than using a trackball. As a standalone Bluetooth game controller, it helps to make mobile gaming a lot easier and closer to the gaming we’re used to on other platforms.

Until now, the Zeemote JS1 was only sold in bundled kits. But now you can get it as a standalone purchase directly through RIM’s accessory shop. The controller will cost you $39.99. So now that it’s available, are you interested in buying one?

Sony intros Alpha A850, A550 and A500 DSLRs

Posted in Cameras by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

Sony intros Alpha A850, A550 and A500 DSLRsSony has unveiled the full-frame A850 DSLR along with some friends, like the mid-range A550 and A500 DSLRs. The A850 is basically a toned down A900 that keeps the 24.6-megapixel sensor and costs $1,000 less. It retails for about $2,000.

The A550 and A500 feature 14.2 and 12.3 megapixel sensors. The A550 will cost you $950, $1050 if you want a lens kit. The A500 will retail for $750 without a lens kit. All of these models lack video recording.

Sony RM-PZ3SD universal remote

Posted in Sony by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

Sony RM-PZ3SD universal remoteSony is offering up a drip-proof remote with the RM-PZ3SD universal remote control. So worry not, you can sit on the couch and spill your drink and be as sloppy as you like while flipping through channels with your pizza greased fingers.

The RM-PZ3SD is able to withstand all of your food and drink related abuse, just don’t completely drop it in your beverage and you should be alright. Plus the buttons look big enough that your grandmother can easily use it.

Vodafone 14.4 Megabit mobile broadband

Posted in Vodafone by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

Vodafone 14.4 Megabit mobile broadbandVodafone will be introducing their 14.4 Megabit mobile broadband service nationwide and they will be the first UK telco provider to do it as well. Of course, major city centres will be the first to benefit from it, including London, Birmingham and Liverpool.

Vodafone reports “over 80%” of all its datacards/dongles and 3G handsets can take advantage of the new speeds. Customers would have to settle for typical speeds that range from 1Mbps to 4 Mbps, hitting a practical maximum speed of 10.8Mbps.

Microsoft confirms Xbox 360 price cut Friday

Posted in Xbox 360 by Conner Flynn on August 27th, 2009

CheaperAs expected, the rumors were true. This Friday, the Xbox 360 Elite will drop $100 to $300 with no HDMI cable included. While the mid-range 360 Pro will drop down to $250 from $300. The Pro will also be phased-out at this price.

Then there’s the $300 120GB Elite and the $200 Arcade, which comes with five games and 256MB memory. Let the war begin. Sony’s new PS3 Slim is the same price as the Xbox Elite. And the 80GB and 160GB PS3s are now cut to $300 and $400.

TiVo files patent infringement suit against AT&T and Verizon

Posted in Tivo by Shane McGlaun on August 27th, 2009

tivo-logoThe United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas is becoming a hot bed for patent infringement suits. This is because the judge in the court has a history of siding with the patent holders in infringement suits and has awarded verdicts against Nintendo and other large companies already.

TiVo is trying its luck in the courtroom with a new patent infringement suit against AT&T and Verizon over patents relating to DVR technologies TiVo holds. The patents in question are Nos. 6,233,389 B1 (“Multimedia Time Warping System”), 7,529,465 B2 (“System for Time Shifting Multimedia Content Streams”), and 7,493,015 B1 (“Automatic Playback Overshoot Correction System”).

Addonics unveils external Blu-ray drive with USB interface

Posted in Computer Components by Shane McGlaun on August 27th, 2009

addonicsblurayThe problem with netbooks is that they lack optical drives. I learned that the hard way when I used my netbook at CES earlier this year and everyone was handing me CDs with information on them to check out.

Addonics has a new external optical Blu-ray drive that has both eSATA and USB connectivity. The Blu-ray drive can play Blu-ray movies and burn CDs and DVDs. The drive is also available in a DVD only version that can burn and play DVDs or CDs.

Viewsonic unveils new mini pico projector PJD2121

Posted in Viewsonic by Shane McGlaun on August 27th, 2009

viewsonicpjd2121Traditionally projectors are larger devices that take up lots of room and need their own brief case for portability. Thankfully, many of the projectors coming onto the market today are compact devices that are much easier to carry and need less power.

Viewsonic has unveiled its latest mini projector called the PJD2121 short throw DLP projector. The projector has 400 lumens of brightness and a native resolution of 800 x 600. The contrast ratio is 1800:1 and the projector supports both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.

Blackberry Tour available on Sprint

Posted in Sprint by Shane McGlaun on August 27th, 2009

blackberrytourThe Blackberry Tour is the latest smartphone form RIM and so far has hit Alltel and Verizon Wireless. The device is a world phone and business types who travel internationally frequently will appreciate the fact that it works on 3G networks at home and abroad.

Sprint has announced that it is now getting the Tour as well. The device will run on the Sprint 3G network and works on international 3G networks. The device has all the features that the Tour models on other networks offer.

Brick Pic: Loch Ness Monster spotted on Google Earth

Posted in Brick Pic by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Brick Pic: Loch Ness Monster spotted on Google Earth Far be it from us to disagree with a reliable source like The Sun(Who thinks this is the Loch Ness Monster), but judging by the image above, we’re gonna go out on a limb and call it unidentified monster sperm since that’s what it looks like. Which is even scarier.

Mystery device identified as Rockchip Android MID

Posted in Android by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Mystery device identified as Rockchip Android MIDTurns out that the mysterious Android MID we told you about last week is a Rockchip concept intended to demonstrate the Chinese chip makers new RK2808 720p-decoding chipset. PConline played with one of the prototypes and it holds up pretty well, even though it isn’t meant for the consumer market in it’s current form.

It supports the usual multiple windows of an Android smartphone and all the menus and features of the OS are there. Of course, we won’t be seeing it on store shelves any time soon, sadly. But in time, production devices using the RK2808 will start showing up.

Beer Pager helps you find your lost beer

Posted in Home by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Beer Pager helps you find your lost beerLost beer is a serious problem. The longer it remains lost, the warmer it gets and the less drunk you are. Plus, the drunker you get, the easier it is to lose your beer. This here Beer Pager will let you know where your beer is at all times and will emit a belching sound from up to 60 feet away through walls.

The Beer Pager is available now for just under $20 and will stop beer loss in it’s tracks. Because as long as you have beer, everything is right with the world.

Buttcam is a girl’s best friend

Posted in News by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

Buttcam is a girl's best friendWomen are always so concerned about what their butt looks like in new clothes. Rightly so. After all, us guys do our fair share of checking them out. Well now women have the Buttcam to help them out in dressing rooms, so they won’t have to ask “Do these pants make my butt look big?” At least in Australia, where the Buttcam has made it’s debut.

Aussie retailer Jeans West took simple video camera technology and created a way to let shoppers decide for themselves just how big that butt looks in pants. It’s a simple solution to a common woman problem.

The Beer Trike

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on August 26th, 2009

The Beer TrikeForget drunk driving. The Beer Trike drives your drinks. It is essentially a mobile pub. And perhaps one of mankind’s finest inventions. It could be as big as the ice cream truck, only for adults. The beer trike was built for the British Biker Build-Off.

You have your usual bike along with a sidecar, and a completely operational mobile bar. It also sports air suspension on all three wheels. The only concern is how to keep all of that beer cold. If I could, I would buy this and travel the country filling mugs everywhere and becoming a legend.